Welcome to today’s stop on the blog tour for Until We Can Forgive by Rosemary Goodacre. Until We Can Forgive is the third and final book in The Derwent Chronicles series. Rosemary sadly died recently; you can read a tribute from her publishers, Hera Books, here.
I was looking forward to sharing my Q&A with Rosemary but instead I have an extract from the book for you to enjoy. My thanks to Rachel at Rachel’s Random Resources for inviting to participate in the tour. On behalf of Rachel and Hera Books, I’d ask you, if you can, to share this post and those of the other book bloggers taking part in the tour, in memory of Rosemary. If you are minded to purchase a copy of her book or the previous books in the series, even better.
About the Book
They survived the Great War, but will life ever be the same?
Spring 1919: WW1 is over and a fragile peace has descended over the country. Now living in Cambridge with husband Edmond, Amy Derwent is settling into her new life as wife and mother to little Beth. But the shadow of the Great War looms large, particularly as the injuries Edmond sustained at Ypres still take their toll on him today.
Edmond’s cousin, Vicky, has now grown into a fine young woman, eager to help her country. Throwing off her privileged background to train as a nurse, she spends her days tending to the many soldiers still suffering the after-effects of their time on the battlefield.
Meeting Maxim Duclos, a young Frenchman who has arrived in Larchbury, fills her heart with joy – but when it is discovered that Maxim may be hiding the truth about his past, Vicky is faced with an impossible choice. Follow her heart’s desire and risk her family’s disapproval or keep her family – but deny herself the chance of true love?
The war may be over, but Edmond, Amy and Vicky must all face a new battle, finding their own peace in a country wounded by loss.
Format: Paperback (336 pages) Publisher: Hera Books
Publication date: 15th October 2020 Genre: Historical Fiction, Romance
Find Until We Can Forgive (The Derwent Chronicles #3) on Goodreads
Purchase links*
Amazon UK | Hive (supporting UK bookshops)
*link provided for convenience not as part of an affiliate programme
Extract from Until We Can Forgive by Rosemary Goodacre
‘Is this car all right?’ Amy asked as they set off for The Beeches for Easter.
‘It’s in good order,’ he assured her. ‘Don’t worry, darling! It’s all fixed and we can travel properly, with Beth and some luggage!’
‘You won’t need the motorbike any longer.’
‘Perhaps I should keep it for a while longer, just for emergencies.’ He had first ridden a motorbike in France, and she knew how he loved it.
There were around a hundred miles to travel, so they stopped the car at a modest inn just north of London for lunch. They continued, skirting the capital to the east and crossing the Thames by the Woolwich ferry before continuing into Sussex. By late afternoon they were driving into Larchbury. Now we’re back we’ll be staying with Edmond’s family, but we’ll be able to visit my parents too, Amy thought.
Soon Edmond was driving up the avenue of great beeches towards his family’s imposing stone house. On the hill ahead was the forest, mainly of pines, from which the family made their business. Back to The Beeches, Amy thought. How I used to long for us to leave there and get a home of our own!
For much of her married life Edmond’s mother and sister had been distant towards her. Not only was she not of Edmond’s class, but they disapproved of her pre-war involvement with the Suffragettes. She did not regret demanding the vote for women, but wished she had stopped short of joining friends in a provocative prank. They had broken into the cricket pavilion and scrawled slogans there, which had led to her having to serve a week in prison.
As Edmond parked the car in front of the house, Pa came out to greet them. Mr Derwent had encouraged Amy to call him Pa, and his wife Ma. He had been the first one of Edmond’s family to accept her, and she greeted him warmly as he said a smiling hello to Beth and looked over Edmond’s Ford car a little dubiously. It was clear that the bodywork had been patched up here and there, in some workshop where the mechanic was prepared to make a quick but adequate repair to keep costs down.
In the hall, Ma greeted them brightly.
‘You’re looking much better now,’ Amy said. She was no longer thin and drawn, as she had been after the influenza. However, her face still looked a little pasty.
‘I believe I’m almost recovered now.’
Beatrice, Edmond’s sister, smartly dressed as usual in a blouse and skirt which showed off her good figure, also hurried to greet them.
‘Auntie Bee-trice!’ cried Beth, happy to receive a cuddle from her.
Before long they were sitting in the wooden-panelled dining room and Cook was serving vegetable soup. In the middle of the table was a splendid arrangement of pink tulips, which could only be the handiwork of Beatrice.
‘Beth has grown so much since I last saw her,’ Ma said, smiling at the plump-faced little girl.
About the Author
Rosemary Goodacre previously worked in computing and teaching. She had a novella published, entitled A Fortnight is not Enough, and a science fiction story in the anthology Telescoping Time.
Her father’s family came from continental Europe and Rosemary always loved languages and travel. In her spare time, she enjoyed country walking, bridge and classical music.
What Cathy Read Next... 
Sadly Rosemary died early last October, not long before the publication of ‘Until We Can Forgive’ by Hera Books -the last novel in her trilogy on the effects of ‘The Great War;’ on a group of people between 1914 and 1919.
I’m her husband Ian and I know how much she put into these books and I’m trying to persuade all the contacts I know or meet, who I think might be interested, to read them.
Does anyone know if there are people in the USA who have shown an interest in the novels? I think I noticed that someone in Texas referred to them on the web?
Best wishes, Ian Goodacre
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