With grateful thanks to Anita Frank and netgalley for an early copy in return for an honest opinion.
Firstly this my first book by this author and what an amazing book it has been, a truly fascinating page turner from page 1 gripping soul searching and captivating, Gwen and Jack are the main characters along with their son Tom in time, I held my breath at times shouted out loud cried big fat wet tears I just adored this fabulously outstandingly poignant book and have no hesitation in saying its brilliant and can highly recommend ❤

There’s nothing I love more than to curl up with a really good book, and become totally immersed in it. It’s almost always a thriller, with murders and blood and gore(!), but a couple of days ago I was struggling to find something to take my fancy. I don’t do ‘romance’ or ‘history’ novels (they’re just not my thing), but I spotted The Return in NetGalley and I loved the cover. The description caught my attention too – ‘a truly wonderful novel … beautifully written’ – and I decided to give it a go.
Oh my goodness, I’m so glad I did. It’s probably the most well-written book I’ve read so far this year, and I’ve read loads. I was drawn into the story immediately, told through a dual timeline between 1939 and 1945. I loved the descriptions of the characters, the countryside, and especially the farming scenes. So beautifully and skilfully written. Everything was utterly believable and made me want to turn the pages quickly to find out what happened next. I don’t tell the story in my reviews, just the way I felt about it. This was amazing, and the writing was just pure brilliance. There’s absolutely nothing about it that I didn’t love, and it would make a fabulous film! What a very talented author. Superb.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for allowing me to read this wonderful novel in return for an honest review.

Sometimes you just want a book that draws you in, tells you a story and ends with a satisfying thud as you close the book, or in my case replace the flap on my Kindle.

The Return is just such a book. I read it quickly, I wanted to know what happened next, I believed in the characters and even felt a fondness for them which made me want it all to work out in the end.

Gwen leads a sheltered life on her father’s farm in Berkshire. She is a young country woman – knows how to dip sheep, ride a horse, pluck a chicken. Suddenly into their lives comes a stranger. A handsome young man with a Newcastle accent who is looking for work and perhaps running from his past.

It sounds like there will be romance but Gwen is already in thrall to the son of the lord of the manor. She is innocent and stubborn and nothing will stop her from following her lover to a predictable and painful wakeup call.

This book was easy to read and very enjoyable. It doesn’t offer deep insights into the themes it covers but I found the writing natural and the pace was skilfully manoeuvred to the end.

The story takes place over the war years and we shift between 1939 and 1945, which is very ably done by the writer. Little by little we learn more about both Gwen and the stranger Jack. They are drawn together but at the same time pushed apart by their characters and by the war. I won’t spoil the story but it does pick you up, carry you along and finally bring you to a happy ending.

Yes perhaps the characters were a little stereotyped – Gwen in particular is not only innocent but also selfish and rather insensitive. Nora the land-girl is also not a fully drawn out person and her main role is to be the sexually predatory and manipulative traitor in the house. Jack is the epitome of kindness and devotion but clearly also has an anger problem.

However, I recommend this book as a good read and it is especially interesting for the details given about war time farming practices and how things changed in the countryside over a short period. Shire horses for example, formally a vital part of the community, disappeared and after the war there was only machinery. Many horses were taken for war work as we know, and used and abused in that terror. What a trauma it must have been for all involved to see sensitive creatures taken from peaceful employment in nature to live and die in hell.

“Hearing the jangle of the horses’ bits, he looks up, eager and joyful, for the forthcoming task is the symbolic culmination of the year’s labours and the ultimate example of the earth’s alchemy’

I offer this honest review for Netgalley and thank the author Anita Frank and the publisher HarperCollins for giving me the gift of a few hours of enjoyable reading.

This works with such a slow release of information,that I was constantly trying to fill in a back story for why Jack couldn't come home,and why he wasn't such a nice guy,and why Gwen clearly didn't want him there.
The dual timeline works a treat,and over the course of those two times,I really feel I got to know and like Jack.
I also got to know Gwen. 🤣

Building to a finish that was just what I was expecting,and I was very happy for it,this was a very good read.