It's a pleasure to take part in the BlogTour The Spanish Girl by Jules Hayes.
'I have a degree in modern history and I'm fascinated with events from the first half of the 20th century, which is the time period my historical fiction is set. My work has been longlisted in the Mslexia Novel Competition, and shortlisted in the prestigious Bridport Short Story Competition. I live in Berkshire, UK with my partner, daughter and dog. Before writing stories, I was a physiotherapist.'
Jules Hayes is a pseudonym for JA Corrigan who writes contemporary thrillers. Falling Suns by JA Corrigan (Headline Accent) was published in 2016.
Follow @JulesHayes6 on Twitter, on Facebook, on Instagram, Visit jules-hayes.com, Buy The Spanish Girl
A country torn apart by war. Two love stories divided by decades. One chance to discover the truth...
Feisty journalist Isabella has never known the truth about her family. Escaping from a dangerous assignment in the turbulent Basque country, she finds her world turned upside down, firstly by her irresistible attraction to the mysterious Rafael, and then by a new clue to her own past.
As she begins to unravel the tangled story of her identity, Isabella uncovers a story of passion, betrayal and loss that reaches back to the dark days of Spain's civil war - when a passionate Spanish girl risked everything for her country, and for the young British rebel who captured her heart.
But can Isabella trust the man she's fallen in love with? Or are some wartime secrets better left undisturbed...?
Review
Isabella is following the trail of her tragic past and the mystery of her birth. As far as she knows she is the daughter of a young female who fought hard for her country and died for the cause. Isabella has so many unanswered questions and by searching out the only people left with a connection to her mother she hopes she can answer some of them.
As she uncovers secret by painful secret she realises that perhaps her life has begun to mirror that of her mother so many decades ago. Where conflict fuels passion and love, because fear, worry and danger are the emotions that they live with each day.
It's quite fascinating how certain atrocities of the early to mid twentieth century, especially those that coincided with the rise of fascism and the Nazi regime, tend to fall into the shadows due to the Holocaust. It's not about a comparison of horrors, but rather the acknowledgment that the weight of one manages to supress the narration of another.
The Spanish Civil War and the rise of Franco is one of Spain's darker periods in history. It has left a divide under the surface and the country has done an excellent job in presenting the fresh faced sun drenched country to the world, as opposed to the one that still has earth filled with the bones of the innocent.
I thoroughly enjoyed the story - historical fiction with a basis in fact. I really liked the setting of the mystery during the Spanish Civil War. It's easy to forget how volatile things were and the author uses the hotbed of patriotism, paranoia and betrayal to give readers a great story. It's a tragic and beautiful tale.
Buy The Spanish Girl at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer. Publisher : Orion Dash pub date March 15, 2021. Buy at Amazon com.
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