Cover Image: A New Dawn Over Mulberry Lane

A New Dawn Over Mulberry Lane

Pub Date:   |   Archive Date:

Member Reviews

This is book 8 in the series. I love the characters. They are so realistic. The novel is written so well but that is to be expected from this author. I liked the way real events were woven into the story.

Was this review helpful?

This was such an excellent read in this brilliant series. So nice to be back with the people from Mulberry Lane. I love this series.

Was this review helpful?

Another excellent instalment in this family saga. The characters are growing up and growing older but still embody the wartime spirit. A heartwarming read.

Was this review helpful?

Switch the kettle on and put your feet up because it’s time to return to Mulberry Lane in the latest entertaining and enjoyable instalment of Rosie Clarke’s wonderful series set in 1950s London.

Peggy Ronsaki is a woman with a big heart who is the first person most people call on in times of trouble. Always willing to help out her friends and neighbours, nothing is too much trouble for Peggy. However, Peggy has her own problems to contend with. Her family is struggling and going through a difficult time, but through all the hardships and trials and tribulations, Peggy remains strong and reliable and a calming presence on Mulberry Lane.

Peggy’s friend Maureen Hart is also going through a rough patch lately with family problems of her own. Luckily for Maureen, Peggy is always in her corner and ready with a kind smile, a sympathetic shoulder and a willingness to help her out in her hour of need.

There are testing times ahead for Peggy, Maureen and their friends and neighbours on Mulberry Lane, but if everyone sticks together, then they can rise above all the challenges and obstacles standing in their way.

Catching up with the inhabitants of Mulberry Lane is always such a joy and this latest installment is Rosie Clarke at her best. Warm-hearted, wonderfully atmospheric and so addictive readers will not want to put this book down, A New Dawn Over Mulberry Lane is a celebration of friendship, family and community that cannot fail to raise the spirits and bring a smile to everyone’s face.

Was this review helpful?

What an amazing book this was to read! I’ve not read any others by this author but I am going to, especially to see what else they get up to! Not my usual genre but it might be one I read more often. Well done.

Was this review helpful?

Such a delightful series and lovely to be back in Mulberry Lane.

It is now 1958, rationing is over, life is easier and families are at last enjoying life. Those that were children are now growing into adults and are taking their stands in the families and society. Some are more successful than others.
There are a number of characters to get your head around but if you have read the first seven books in this series you should be pretty aware of who is who.

The story once again draws you in with its warmth and the lives of the residents.
The families have been through so much of the years but have come through with love, care, and support from each other.
A really good worthwhile enjoyable read.
Thank you NetGalley for allowing me to read and review this lovely book. xxx

Was this review helpful?

Why I Chose This Book

This is such an interesting time in history and it’s one era I don’t read too much of. So I wanted to give this book I try!

First Initial. Thoughts

There are many characters included in this story and it was kind of hard to keep up with them all! However, they all centered around the families of Peggy and Maureen.

Peggy has finally created the life she always wanted. She is married to a man she loves, has adorable twins, and is now entering her 50s. Peggy is that woman you know that is always there for you. She may not give you advice, but she was ready to listen and give support. She was kind of the sweetheart of the village. Everything is going well in life until her daughter, Fay suffers from appendicitis and her skating career comes to a halt due to weak ankles. Will Peggy help Fay find happiness again?

Maureen is also entering those later years of life. The novel starts off with her husband Gordon suffering from a heart attack. At this time in history, heart sugary has not been invented. If the patient survived, the only thing doctors could provide is a prescription for exercise and a better diet. This was also a time when food innovations started happening. When people started to eat more processed foods and I think this was when we started to see more occurrences of obesity.

Maureen has two children, Gordy and Shirley. Gordy is still a teenager and Shirley just graduated from medical school. Maureen is worried about her husband and her children. She wasn’t prepared to possibly lose her husband so soon. Maureen, I felt like was that career woman. Ready to work and make change happen. She was a go-getter. And I think this challenged her when her husband, Gordon got sick.

Setting

Set in a small village outside of London, Rosie brings you back to a time when people were recovering from the war and life was getting back to normal. It was a time of medical and technical innovation. It was also a time when families were expanding and starting anew. Rosie definitely brought the early 50s to life.

Final Thoughts

This story definitely tells us that life is unpredictable. Life can throw us curveballs after curveballs, but it is how we can get through those difficult times. Having friends is so important during the good and bad times in life. This story definitely portrayed how friendship is important. Peggy and Maureen were always there for each other. Their families as well.

Shirley had her own little story in the novel as well. She was a budding new doctor and during her school she met her teacher, Mr. Ray Anderson. Ray is a few years older and at first they did not get along well and had a few differences. However, as time went on they found that they really did like eachother. Towards, the end of the novel I won’t say exactly what happened with Gordon but we do get a view into how medicine advanced so quickly at that time.

Overall, this was a sweet story about two families supporting each other during hard and good times; all set among a new era.

Would I Recommend?

Yes! If you like stories about friendship, then you will throughly enjoy this one!

Was this review helpful?

This is the eighth in the Mulberry Lane series, you can read as a standalone, but you will fall in love with it & want to read them all.

I love a good wartime saga & Rose's books draw you in from the very first page, holding your attention right to the last.

Very well written, with all the characters we've grown to love throughout the series, some old, some new.

A heartwarming & emotive read.

Many thanks to Rachel's Random Resources for my tour spot.

Rating 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

Was this review helpful?

So typical me manages to read the 8th book in the series but none of the ones before.. but it does mean that I can definitely say it works as a standalone, I didn't feel like I had missed out on anything.

This book is set in 1958 London , the scene is set perfectly you can imagine exactly how it was back then! Peggy and Maureen are two of the best characters I have ever read about , they are so sweet, kind and caring . I was completely drawn in by them and invested in them , the friendship and the unconditional love they have is moving. We follow their lives and their children and see what the future holds for them.

Brilliantly written and a rollercoaster ride of emotions, I will definitely be reading all the books before this one!

Was this review helpful?

I have been a fan of Rosie’s work for a while now. I haven’t caught up with everything that she has written to date but I am getting there. I must admit that I have a special fondness for the ‘Mulberry Lane’ series. ‘New Dawn Over Mulberry Lane’ is the latest instalment of the series and it was released on 3rd February 2022. It’s another corker of a read and then some. I thoroughly enjoyed reading ‘New Dawn Over Mulberry Lane’ but more about that in a bit.
This was one of those books that once I started reading it, I just couldn’t stop. I was drawn into the story from the very first word on the very first page and from then on I just couldn’t put my Kindle down. My Kindle wasn’t exactly glued to my hand but it might as well have been because it travelled everywhere with me. I couldn’t bear to miss a single second of the story. I became so wrapped up in the lives and loves of the various Mulberry Lane residents that I just had to keep reading to see how they linked into the story and how the story turned out for them. I had my own suspicions as to what was going to happen and I had to see if I was on the right track or if I wandered down another road entirely. I couldn’t turn the pages of the book quickly enough as I worked my way through the story. All too quickly I reached the end of the story and I had to say goodbye to Mulberry Lane and its residents. I found ‘New Dawn Over Mulberry Lane’ to be a gripping and at times an emotional read.
‘New Dawn Over Mulberry Lane’ is superbly written but then I have come to expect nothing less from Rosie Clarke. Rosie has one of those easy going writing styles that is easy to get used to and easy to get along with. In fact reading one of Rosie’s books feels more like a chat between friends rather than reading an actual book. I hope that makes sense. Rosie cares about her characters and this shines through in the very vivid and realistic way in which she describes them. In fact her characters seem just as real as you and I. Rosie has clearly done a lot of research into the time period in which the story takes place and this shines through in the quality and authenticity of the story. I loved the way in which real life events were woven into the story. I found that I became very involved in the story to the extent that I felt the same emotions as the characters were going through. I love the way in which Rosie makes the reader feel as though they are part of the story and at the heart of the action.
In short, I thoroughly enjoyed reading ‘New Dawn Over Mulberry Lane’ and I would recommend it to other readers. I will certainly be reading more of Rosie’s work in the future. The score on the Ginger Book Geek board is a very well deserved 5* out of 5*.

Was this review helpful?

A New Dawn in Mulberry Lane by Rosie Clarke

New Ideas,A New Job and A New Romance!!

A New Dawn in Mulberry Lane is Book 8 in the Mulberry Lane Series,this book can be read as a standalone novel.This story focuses on Dr Shirley,Maggie,Freddie,Fay and Jon,Peggy and Maureen’s Children and grandchildren.

My favourite character are Maggie and Freddie,they both seem to know what they want from life and want to work hard to get it.All the characters are very believable and like the fact the author has continued the story of Mulberry Lane now using the younger characters.The only character I took a dislike to was Jon,I thought he was quite devious even though he was only a child
My favourite storyline in the book was involving Dr Shirley her career,I’m looking forward to reading further books to see her story continue

All the characters featured prominently in the book with their own storylines entwined together.

I didn’t find anything about this book disagreeable,both the story and the characters were well developed and I look forward to reading more books in the series

Bookworm rating ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Was this review helpful?

A New Dawn Over Mulbery Lane

This is a very sweet book
Peggy
There are quite a few characters to follow but I found this worked really well at establishing the different family members and their connections. Especially for new readers like me where this was my first experience meeting the inhabitants of Mulberry Lane. There are alot of characters to remember and how they are related to each other. I do think I'd have had a better connection to the series of I read these books in order something to go back to. The flow of the booked worked really well.

Was this review helpful?

This is the eighth book in this particular series, however this is the first book that I’ve read. It was such an enjoyable read and I will definitely read another book by this author.

Was this review helpful?

Rosie Clarke begins A New Dawn Over Mulberry Lane in a way that gave a little introduction to the characters. There are quite a few characters to follow but I found this worked really well at establishing the different family members and their connections. Especially for readers like me where this was my first experience meeting the inhabitants of Mulberry Lane.

The family dynamics in this book definitely kept me engaged. There were a good mix of personalities. At the heart of this book though are the characters of Peggy and Maureen. We meet their families and see the younger generation spread their wings and start out in life with new careers etc. I thought there was a good combination of characters that were really likeable and some that were flawed. This helped to create individual stories that combined to keep my interest. As with any book some aspects of the plot worked more than others for me. I have to say that one of my favourite parts of the story was getting to know Shirley and see her shine in her role as doctor. Along with seeing a budding romance grow. The friendships were also a highlight giving an extra heartwarming feel to the story.

There were moments of drama throughout the book. This helped to keep things moving along and at a lovely pace. All of the characters experienced different things. From romance, to worries over family, health problems and starting new careers. There are some darker moments dotted throughout. Life isn’t always easy and there are dangers and surprises along the way. I found that these moments didn’t overshadow the overall gentle and uplifting feel to the story just added a more realistic touch.

A New Dawn Over Mulberry Lane was trip back in time filled with warmth, family and friendship!

Was this review helpful?

Imagine my delight at discovering that Rosie Clarke was providing us with another novel in the wonderful Mulberry Lane series! If you've followed my blog for a while, you will know that I have read and reviewed each novel, and loved them all!

A New Dawn Over Mulberry Lane allows us to revisit characters that we have grown to know and love, including Peggy and Able and Maureen and Gordon. World War Two is long since over, but the friendships that were forged during that time are as strong as ever. However this novel really brings forth the next generation. Both Peggy and Maureen's children feature heavily, as we watch them grow in both age and character. In Peggy's case, her beloved grandchildren also play a large role within the novel. We follow them all as they find their way through post-war Britain, with big expectations for their futures. There is of course trials and tribulations, new friendships, love and even a wedding! But the stories I enjoyed the most were those of Shirley, Faye and Maggie - watching these young women and their ambitions grow, with such supportive family behind them all the way was lovely. You could really get a sense of the way times were changing, particularly for women. Rosie Clarke does such a great job of immersing us wholeheartedly into a time gone by, whilst providing us with characters that we are happy to revisit time and again. I love the Mulberry Lane series, and A New Dawn Over Mulberry Lane is a worthy addition to what is already a rich, character-based series. Peggy is, of course, the glue that holds together this fabulous community and I will always enjoy reading about her, her family and her friends. I am more than happy to recommend this novel to you, but I must insist that you work your way through the entire series!

Was this review helpful?

It's June 1958 and we return to the Mulberry Lane residents with A New Dawn Over Mulberry Lane. Rosie takes us on the journey with her characters of this fabulous series of novels and she doesn't disappoint with the latest installment; the focus is on the young people as well as stalwarts Peggy and Maureen.. Fay is 16 now and decides to take a different route to her future along with Maggie. I loved it.

Was this review helpful?

I would strongly recommend reading the Mulberry Lane series in order starting with the first book, The Girls of Mulberry Lane to understand the characters and the setting more, eventhough it can be read as a stand-alone...The previous book in the series is Stormy Days on Mulberry Lane.

Continuing eight years from the previous book, A New Dawn over Mulberry Lane is a detailed well thought out story that captures the readers attention from the first page.

I like how Clarke has created an interesting plot transports the reader into the story with vivid imagary and a great amount of research into the 1950s era to add some authenticity to the story. The writing style is easy to follow with a good mixture of dialogue and description, although it did get a little repetitive with different characters highlighting the same information

The Character development of A New Dawn over Mulberry Lane is good. The characters are realistic, friendly and relateable. It was great to rejoin Peggy and the other residents of Mulberry Lane to see how they were getting on...it feels like coming home! In this installment we hear more from the next generation giving a fresh approach to the next adventure...

I would recommend reading A New Dawn over Mulberry Lane to lovers of women's fiction, historical fiction and sagas, as it is a gripping character driven emotive story that takes the reader on a journey of struggle, loss, hope, and friendships with a great sense of community!

I can't wait to read the next book in the series and any future work from Clarke... it was my choice to take part in a blogtour to review this book in a unbiase way...many thanks to those who gave me the opputunity to take part!

Was this review helpful?

It’s a real pleasure to be back in the neighbourhood of Mulberry Lane catching up with all the residents!

As time marches on, Peggy’s twins are growing up and looking beyond their school years, planning for what they would like to do career-wise. Her friend Maureen’s daughter Shirley is now a qualified doctor and looking to fulfil her plans and dreams. While life continues around the lanes, there is a new generation coming to the fore.

I have followed this series from the very beginning and it has been a wonderful read. Honest and realistic, the author has never pulled her punches but finally the community around the lanes has a more secure future than the war years provided. Peggy is still at the centre of things, as ever, but her – and everyone else’s – youngsters are almost grown with ideas of their own about where life will lead them. Life can never be all rosy, though, and there are a few pitfalls along the way. Always wonderfully warm and well written, coming back to this series creates a lovely feeling, recalling all that has gone before and marvelling at how the characters have developed and the story continues to be a right good read. Very enjoyable and entertaining, I am very happy to recommend not only this novel but the whole series and give this one 4.5*.

My thanks to the publisher for my copy and to Rachel Gilbey for my spot on this tour; this is – as always – my honest, original and unbiased review.

Was this review helpful?

This is a emotion read it set in 1958 after the war. It’s based around two families as they are starting to grow after the war. I felt a real sense of community that pulled together and help built back up.I did not know this was the eight book in this series so I guess I can say it is also a standalone although I would recommend reading them in order. This was my first trip down Mulberry Lane and I can tell this is a series and author I will be looking out for. #blogtour

Was this review helpful?

Another great book from Rosie Clarke and this one was just as good as the others in this series. Set in 1958 the family are still suffering from the after effects of the war and food is still difficult to get. Although times are changing for the better. I loved reading this book and look forward to more in this series. My thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this book in return for an honest review.

Was this review helpful?