Jacqui Lofthouse

Blackbird Books don't publish a lot of books, compared to other publishers, but when they do it's sure to be a good one. Quality is the word that springs to mind when I open a book published by Blackbird Books and Bluethroat Morning by Jacqui Lofthouse is of such an outstanding quality that I feel the need to shout it from the rooftops.

Harry Bliss has to deal with the awful after-effects of his wife's suicide. A successful model then author, Alison Bliss walked into the sea at the height of her writing career leaving a burnt manuscript behind. All fingers pointed at Harry for burning Alison's next novel but he professes his innocence. Even after six years have passed since her death, Alison Bliss still intrigues young and old alike.

An old family photograph of Harry's was the inspiration for Alison's lost novel and the woman in the photograph bears an uncanny resemblance to Harry's friend's nineteen year old daughter, Helen. Harry is drawn to Helen, albeit he doesn't resist very much, and the pair pick up Alison's trail which led to her death. What secrets did Alison uncover when she stayed at Hope Cottage in Glaven?

There is so much to talk about in Bluethroat Morning; among other things there are Bliss family secrets, Alison's personal insecurities and Harry's mid-life crisis. Although heartbreaking to read, it was quite eye-opening to read how insecure beautiful, successful Alison Oakley/Bliss was. Beauty doesn't necessarily equal happiness and I so wish that impressionable young women read Bluethroat Morning to understand that.

I loved the almost treasure hunt style of unearthing family secrets. Charles Bliss and his new bride, Arabella, along with Charles' son, George, are in the old photograph that intrigued Alison so much. George is Harry's grandfather who died before he was born. The mystery surrounds Arabella though, as she also mysteriously committed suicide in Glaven.

On to Harry's mid-life crisis. As inappropriate as his relationship with Helen was, you can't help who you fall in love with. The question is whether it was love at all; he used the word to keep Helen from running back to her parents but he knew exactly what he was doing and naïve Helen believed him. Don't get me wrong, Helen wasn't as innocent as I perhaps make her sound but I certainly think that Harry manipulated her for his own ends.

One final thing I have to mention is Alison's reminiscence about a holiday in my native North East of England. Although I'm a Jarrovian, I was born in South Shields and spent many a Sunday exploring Marsden Rock (before the collapse of the arch). Jacqui Lofthouse's description of these beautiful limestone sea-stacks is absolutely sublime and I was effortlessly transported to Marsden beach through her stunning descriptions.

Bluethroat Morning is an impeccable piece of fiction that has the feel of a literary classic and I got the impression that Jacqui Lofthouse has carefully chosen each and every single word. It's a book that will fit across many genres and definitely one I would recommend for discussion at book clubs.

I chose to read an ARC and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.… (plus d'informations)

This is an unusual, quirky and also quite a compelling little tale. It wasn't what I was expecting, though!

When would-be author Anna Bright receives an art book as a gift, she decides to write her first novel based on the life of the tragic Jeanne Hébuterne, mistress of the painter and sculptor Armedeo Modigliani. Anna travels to one of the Greek islands to take part in a creative writing class to help her with her project and when she returns to London, she takes part in the 'Lit Factor' competition in the hope of winning a publishing contract.

I thought that there would be more story about Jeanne and her life with Modigliani. Instead it focused on Anna and her doomed relationships, leading to a sort of paranoia. However, having said that, I did enjoy it. It's well written and there is some humour. I liked Anna, I thought she was an interesting character. I thought the author quotes at the beginning of each chapter were a nice touch and a good introduction to what lay ahead.

Even though it wasn't what I was anticipating, I found it an intriguing and engaging tale and it had me happily turning the pages. Overall an enjoyable and easy read.

Reviewed for TBC on Facebook.… (plus d'informations)

After a chance encounter with a well-known author, Anna Bright begins a novel. He subject, the girlfriend of Modigliani, is a very obscure person in history, and Anna feels she can do her the justice she deserves. She becomes part of a small group of authors, some well-known and some just starting, who provide her with a lot of inspiration and some support. At the same time, Anna and her fiancé Will go through a difficult time, ending with their break-up. Will’s crazy mother takes Anna on a writer’s retreat at a locale run by and ex-lover who just happens to be a best-selling author of a how-to book for would-be authors. Follow Anna through this sometime painful and sometimes wonderful journey as she tries to find her muse. True to form, since they are breaking up after all, I saw no chemistry between Anna and Will. One wonders how they ever even go together. One thing I could not understand is the role of Will’s other and the whole episode at the writer’s retreat. Frankly, I think the book would have been better off without that interlude, though things would have had to change a lot. Tis particular interlude dragged the book out for about a hundred pages longer—about a hundred pages too long for me. Found myself looking for the next big event/break. The business with her would-be mother-in-law and her one-time lover did not really add anything to the book and could easily have been eliminated. I guess some authors fell that, if you don’t write a book of a certain length, no one will accept you as a genuine author and no agent will ever look seriously at you. I enjoyed the book. The events in Anna’s life showed me the ups and downs of a budding author. However, as I said, there was a lot of unnecessary baggage. I received this from Library Thing to read and review.… (plus d'informations)