On the occasion of Martha Winters' 80th birthday all the family and friends are invited back to Winterfold,the family home. Part 1 sets the scene and introduces the individual characters who will form the backdrop to what is about to be announced.

It's an intriguing start that alludes to the fact that there is clearly a bombshell about to be dropped. This introduction gave enough background to the characters to give them some life along with hints of secrets of their own that certainly left me wanting to read more.

My main critisism would be that it is written in a serialized format, not something I am a fan of. I wanted to know what happened next without waiting for what turned out to be monthly installments. No problem if you come to the serialization late, but in all honesty I'd have to read Part 1 again before starting Part 2.

The good news however is that A Place for Us is to be published as a complete book. The Kindle edition is due on 15th Jan 2015, so I would recommend waiting until then, especially as it is also cheaper than buying the individual parts. ( )

Jane Hunt Writer First Steps

Jane Hunt Writer Book Reviews Facebook

Jane Hunt Writer Book Reviews Google


Although series are very popular, I'm not sure the format is ideal for this story. Women's fiction serials are not a new concept. They were popular in women's magazines in the late sixties and seventies. Magazine serials had a week's gap between instalments. These stories have approximately a month. Many readers will struggle to remember where they are in the story with any clarity especially since it ends before any notable action takes place.

Martha sends her widely scattered family a cryptic invitation to her eightieth birthday party. The multi points of view give the reader important insight into each character's conflicts and emotions. The disparity between the family's public persona and the reality of lies and secrets makes interesting reading. Not only do they hide the truth from outsiders they also keep secrets from each other.


The characters are well written; full of flaws, which make them memorable. In most cases the characters have at least one or two redeeming features. The ethos of this story is essentially sad. Most of the characters regret their major life choices and wish they'd chosen differently. Martha wonders if the decision to buy 'Winterfold' and all that it entailed was worth the sacrifices.

Slow paced and lacking in action; part 1 introduces the characters, the reason for their reunion and its possible consequences. I am interested to see what happens next.

I received a copy of this book from Headline via NetGalley in return for an honest review. ( )

A Place for Us, Harriet Evans' latest book is unusual in that it is being released in 4 parts. A nice idea although I do worry that I will have forgotten some of the details of part 1 before I get to part 2.

Martha Winter has invited her family back to Winterfold, the family home, to celebrate her 80th birthday and she has a secret to share. Her family is fragmented. Son Bill still lives nearby but daughters, Daisy and Florence live in different countries, as does Daisy's daughter, Cat.

The story flips between telling a little of each character's story and gradually the whole thing is being drawn together. At the end of part 1 we are left with a cliff-hanger so I'm really looking forward to part 2.

This is a good, easy to read family saga and I've really liked what I've read so far. ( )