Life goes on, even with broken hearts…

Synopsis

Will it be tears or triumph for the Hat Girl from Silver Street?

 

It’s been five years since Ella Bancroft lost the love of her life, Harper Fortescue, and despite her friends’ encouragement, she’s still not been able to move on. The one thing keeping Ella smiling is the success of her hat shop, Ivella.  Her beautiful designs and fabulous creations are the first choice for the fashionable Edwardian ladies of Walsall, and her fame is spreading far and wide.

Darcie Newland won’t ever forgive Ella for stealing her fiancé and ruining her life, even though Harper was never really hers in his heart.  After being exiled by her parents to Scotland after yet another scandal, Darcie is now back in Birmingham and set on revenge.

As her hat shop flourishes, and the possibility of a new love appears when she least expects it, Ella finally dares to hope for a happy future. But storm clouds are gathering over the Black Country, and life might have other plans for the hat girl from Silver Street.

The Queen of the Black Country sagas is back with this page-turning story of friendship and fun, love and second chances. Perfect for fans of Val Wood and Lyn Andrews.

My review

Five years ago, Ella Bancroft got to know what it felt to lose the love of your life, as her fiancé Harper Fortescue passed away.
Even if her hat shop, ran together with former nemesis Ivy is a successful one, Ella hasn’t been able to move on and find a new love.
Darcie Newland never forgot how Harper left her for Ella and after another scandal being exiled to Scotland. But now she is back in Birmingham and is ready to let Ella pay for all the harm she caused Darcie.
With a business getting more happy customers and keeps on growing, does Ella dare to dream for her own happy future with a new man even? Or will Darcie succeed in her plans of making Ella pay for everything? 

I was glad to learn that Ella would get a sequel, as it made me hope that despite losing Harper (still trying to forgive the author for this!), Ella would find love again. 

It warmed my heart to read how Ella and Ivy became partners and run their business together very successfully. And it even put a smile on my face reading that even if the hatched got buried, Ivy still kept the bits that were typically Ivy, with her abondance while making hats and her small streaks of jealousy.
But mots of all, it warmed my heart to see how Ella still is that lovely young woman that we got to know so well in the first book, even if she is still mourning the loss of Harper.
And that was something that is very Ella, she loved and still loves Harper deeply, and she will never forget him… 

However life does go on, and Ella learns again that life never is dull, and both good as bad things can happen all the time.
Ella meets new people, even a new romantic interest, but is also faced with someone from her past, Darcie. And while things are going well for Ella, Darcie shows us that she hasn’t changed a bit at all. 

While I truly disliked Darcie and her schemes, and her selfish ways, and I enjoyed the bits where it’s clear her actions had serious consequences, what happened to her towards the end, made me feel a bit sorry for her too.
Because even if she wasn’t a great person, and her character and behaviour were hideous, I hoped that somehow she would redeem herself… 

In this second book, the author managed again to write a gripping story, showing us how strong yet lovely characters manage to be hopeful and remain kind, friendly despite everything.
Even if this story takes place in a past I don’t know much about, it is easy to feel close to Ella and her friends, old ones and new ones. And made me understand that life sometimes, past or present isn’t always justful, but as long as we keep our heads high and show kindness and forgiveness, life will also reward us, even with a second chance on love…