A book which felt more crafted than written - beautifully so. Nicely paced with some great characters - a real change of genre for me, but I found the topic fascinating and it definitely did the history justice. Highly recommended.

I requested this novel from NetGalley as soon as I heard about it as I can’t resist stories about the Titanic. This novel follows a young Marcella in France in 1911. She meets a man and marries him after a whirlwind romance against the advice of her family. They go on to have two children but the marriage is not a happy one and Marcella seeks advice about filing for divorce. We also meet Margaret, a New York socialite who has managed to get tickets for the maiden voyage of the Titanic. This is a wonderful novel that had me turning the pages late into the night and I very much enjoyed it. It was tense knowing that it’s building to some of the characters ending up on the Titanic but not knowing what their fate will be. I loved Marcella, I was rooting for her all the way through the book. I loved this novel and was really shocked to learn how much of it is based on real people and a true story – not just the Titanic part! It was fascinating to read what is known and how Imrie created a fictional story based on the little that was known of these people. I definitely recommend this one!

When the paths of Marcela, Michael and Margaret cross - nothing will ever be the same again…

I was excited to read Orphans of the Storm, as I’m a Celia Imrie fan and adored her autobiography The Happy Hoofer, but it was much more of a slow burner than I’d expected. And I didn’t quite connect with the characters as much as I’d hoped. (Nick feels too much of a monster at times and Marcella possibly too naive.)

What I did love was how well-researched it was and I always like it when historical books is based on true events and characters.

The first half takes a while to get going and it’s really the research behind the story that makes it shine. So I recommend it to those who enjoy a factually-strong historical drama and a Titanic reference.

Huge thanks to the author, Celia Imrie, and publisher, Bloomsbury, for this advance review copy. Views my own. 3*

The moment I read the word titanic in the synopsis for the orphans of the storm, I was eager to read it. Since I was younger I've found the story of the Titanic fascinating, the titanic part of the story is small but powerful. the majority of the focus is on the story that leads up to lolo and monmon being on the ship and their life after surviving the sinking. I wept for marcella and then the two boys and i raged at Michael and I honestly had to put the book down more than once such was the acaccuracy of Michael's character and the suffering of marchella.
We meet Margaret, a bored young woman who has led a priviledged life and who is looking for adventure. Her life, along with many others changes forever as a result of the fate of the Titanic. I really enjoyed Margaret's character development in realising that money is frills and no knickers and doesn't automatically make a nice person.  
I enjoyed the historical research by Fidelis Morgan about this real life story linked to the Titanic and found it really interesting and was very impressed by the research that went into this book. If you have a love for the Titanic  or you enjoy Historical Fiction, then you shouldn't pass up reading orphans of the storm

TW: toxic marriage, verbal and emotional abuse, deaths, death of a parent, truma.

All views and opinions discussed here are my own.Many thanks to the authors, the publishers and Net Galley for being kind enough to grant my request for this eARCand for the opportunity to read this book in return for an honest review.
#orphansofthestorm  #netgalley  #celiaimrie

This was a detailed novel, at first I did not realise whee it was all leading and felt that it was a bit lightweight. However as the story developed I got more and more interested. Fascinating to read the amount of research done by the author.
A great read.

Wow what a book I absolutely loved this story and the fact it’s based around The Titanic just added to my fascination as I have heard stories of the titanic orphans and loved delving more into their stories. I will be looking out for more books from Celia as she has a really honest and descriptive way of writing.

I was excited as I began reading Orphans of the Storm written by Celia Imrie as I had heard that it is a remarkable story. The plot is based in the early 20th century, principally in Paris and is centred around a woman who had married young and whose husband plots against her after a few years of marriage. Although the storyline is strong, it didn’t quite match my expectations as I feel it is rather too long winded and has many unnecessary episodes within it. I am impressed by the meticulous research and very much enjoyed the epilogue., I recommend it to anyone who enjoys historical dramas.

My thanks to Netgalley and Bloomsbury Publishing for the early opportunity to read this book.

I read this ARC for an honest review
All thoughts and opinons are mine

Loved the premise here
I think the whole premise is one that most people find fascinating

Its clear that a lot of research has gone into this and consequently the subject is brought alive

A bit of a slow start but there is also reason for this - stick with it - I found it a really enjoyable read

This was a really interesting historical novel that was based on a true story.
So much research has been done by the author which really brings out the storyline about this family.
The author also has connections to the ship & all these are explained at the end of the book..
Two young boys from a family in Nice having been abducted by their father were aboard the Titanic on that fateful voyage.
Although the start of the book may seem slow the information is needed to get a true picture of what will happen & why.
So stick with it as I really did enjoy it..
I think the sinking of the Titanic is one of those events that we all want to know more about .

Orphans of the Storm by Celia Imrie

Orphans of the Storm is based on the true story of 2 boys, Lolo and Monmon, abducted by their father to start a new life in New York. They are rescued from the Titanic and become famous as the “orphans” of the titanic.
The book, although about the 2 boys, is really about how their parents met, fell in love and were going through a bitter divorce when the boys were abducted.
I really enjoyed this book, the story of Marcella and Michael is interesting and heartbreaking. Michael is a narcissist who wants to control Marcella, he and Stefan are horrible characters while Marcella is young and naive.
This is worth reading to find out the real story of the orphans and their background. A lot of research went into this book, it is well written and enjoyable. Recommended to anyone with a passing interest in the Titanic and it’s passengers.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for an ARC in return for an honest review.

I really enjoyed this - a very different sort of novel from the crime thrillers I'd usually pick, but there was still a mystery thread that kept me hooked. I was expecting it to be almost entirely set during the period of the Titanic's voyage and untimely-sinking, so found it a little slow going to begin with, but Celia's descriptive writing kept me interested in the events in Nice in the early 20th century - all leading up to some of the characters making that fateful journey.

The Titanic 'segment' was of particular interest, having loved the 1997 film so much - several events and scenes/locations tallied closely with the film, which given Celia's connections to the ship confirmed the authenticity of the story - both on celluloid and in print. At this stage the story was gripping and I wanted to keep reading to discover the ending. I was surprised to find it's based on a true story, which gave it an extra edge for me. Interestingly I read this in it's entirety whilst on a UK cruise 'sea-cation' so that added to my enjoyment of the section when Michael and the boys are at sea.

This story began slowly, but the momentum built quickly and flowed well. I was hooked, particularly as the story took us on board the Titanic. It surprised me to discover that it was based on true events and that Celia Imrie has links with the ship.
The story is well researched and a good read.

I expected this to be based more on the titanic if I’m honest! This story took quite a long time to get going and the characters were a little frustrating. It was interesting that it had been based on a true story.

This book was fascinating as it based on a true story with some poetic licence. The writing makes you keep reading and the notes at the end are worth a read as it explains more about the links that Celia personally has to the Titanic.

It was compelling and I couldn't put it down as you needed the children to be found!

A slow read until the events of the Titanic sinking when the story took hold. Interesting that it was based on real people and both author's have familial connections to the tragedy. I like Celia Imrie both as performer and writer and this was a well researched and poignant read.

This was a very interesting story. I didn't realise until the end that it was based on a true occurrence as with a Kindle you don't get a preview. The story kept my interest all the was through and it was easy to relate to most of the characters. The historical information at the end was brilliant, so informative. . Great read.

I could not put this book down. A true story of a family affected by The Titanic with a heart-wrenching backstory and I am so grateful to Celia Imrie for making this story known. The descriptive writing of the events is so good it makes gripping reading.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bloomsbury Publishing for giving me a free ebook in exchange for an honest review.

First off, this was the first book I’ve read by the author. I have a huge love for anything Titanic so of course I had to request this book! I found the beginning of the book very slow. I didn’t want to give up on the book because of the compelling blurb. So, I kept going and found myself getting bored of reading due to the slow pace.

However, when the book reached the Titanic it got more interesting. I became hooked in the plot, but I would have preferred to also see the reaction in Nice during the Titanic chapters too. It really would have added to the story. Nevertheless, the author’s research and historical interest in the Titanic and the time period in general truly brought this story to life. It made the characters and the places much more realistic and I know the characters will stay with me for a long time after due to this.

While the start may have been slow, the book picked up from the halfway point with the Titanic. The aftermath was probably my favourite bit. The emotions of the characters and the experiences of coping with the disaster were incredibly realistic. It really made me love this book.

Overall, I’d give it a 3.5 out of 5 stars. I would definitely read another book by this author again

Like many before me, I didn't realise this was based on a true story until I reached the end.

This was a heart wrenching, well researched read. At times difficult, because Imrie's writing captures the evil in people so well,

Fascinating and though provoking.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review.

Interesting story, based on the true life story of a family based in Nice before, during and after the Titanic sinking. Before starting reading I wasn't aware the true life aspect of the storyline and it made this a much richer storyline once I knew. Celia Imrie's writing style is extremely 'readable' and I will read some of her other books.