I predict you'll love this book.

Ruth Hogan has such an incredible ability to constantly write books that feel like a hug without them being “fluffy” (though I love fluff) or saccharine. This book is no different.

This story spans 50 years but not limited a moment is wasted.

It might be worth noting that this book contains themes of animal abuse and though the resolution is satisfying. It might be too much for some people looking for a holiday escape.

I had never read Ruth Hogan before, but I really enjoyed Madame Burova, a tale spanning fifty years. Imelda Burova has kept lots of secrets in her world of tarot and clairvoyancy. She wants to rest, but has two envelopes to deliver before she can. And in London, Billie finds herself at a loose end, uncertain of the future as well as the past. Hogan paints a picture of the 1970s seaside towns and carnivals, where young people make choices that have long consequences. I really loved the characters, the setting, the plot. This was a cosy, uplifting read and I would definitely read Hogan again.

“Imelda Burova has spent a lifetime keeping other people’s secrets and her silence has come at a price”

Wow! This story held so many unexpected surprises, that trying to shoehorn it into a specific genre, is almost impossible for me. Maybe a cozy mystery with mystical fantasy undertones, would be a good first pass. However there were also so many underlying cultural and social mores which were examined under the spotlight, with some subtle twists and turns in the storyline, that the whole experience became so much more than the sum of its individual elements.

Set in Brighton, a place which the author knows so well and loves so much, this dual timeline story seamlessly jumps back and forth between the early 1970s and the present day and is narrated in short, well signposted chapters. The footprint of the storyline stretches much further afield than the promenade of Brighton’s seafront, however that is where much of the action takes place, in one small corner where little seems to have changed over the course of the last five decades, with Imelda’s booth and the adjacent cafe still recognisable, although the cafe has undergone a change of name. However, nearby Larkins Holiday Park where destinies are foretold, star quality is noticed and hearts are won and broken, is sadly destined to be no more by the time we reach the present day!

In 1972, teenager Imelda Burova, the only daughter of a feisty Romany mother and Russian father, is set to take over the reigns of her mother’s successful, “Tarot Reader, Palmist and Clairvoyant” booth. The ‘gift’ has been passed down through the generations of her mother’s family and Shunty-Mae now feels that Imelda is ready for the responsibility, although letting go completely is going to be very difficult (no make that impossible) to do, as Imelda is about to find out, especially when Shunty meets Dasha, a stray Borzoi Imelda has adopted and who goes everywhere with her, including the booth! This is essentially Imelda’s story; about the people she meets, the friendships she forges, the battles she fights over affairs of the heart, an all consuming love story which was never destined for a happy ending and the mystery surrounding an abandoned bundle of joy.

All this set against the backdrop of a time, which probably places the author and myself at a similar age, as my memories are almost identical to her own, when society was overtly racist and sexist, mixed race marriages were taboo and the bigots always chose to vent their feelings on the mixed race child who couldn’t fight back. Pregnancy outside of marriage was inconceivable, so adoption and foundling babies were an increasing statistic. Being openly gay, although decriminalisation of homosexuality was enacted in 1967, was condemned and retribution for ‘coming out’ was swift and often painful. Imelda soon realises that she is a confidante for the troubles of some of her regular clients, with the booth often doubling as a mini confessional, to the point where she eventually invests in a small, hidden, safe area, where her regulars can deposit their secret treasures for safekeeping and discretion.

Fast forward to the present day and a still single Imelda, is contemplating covering her crystal ball and dealing the tarot cards for one last time, before retirement. She has one last ‘confessional’ promise to honour, although this one is also very personal to her and has the potential to either make her very happy, or shatter her already broken heart irrevocably. She wavers about actually opening the envelopes left in her possession, however professional pride won’t allow her to leave this particular job unfinished and a promise left unfulfilled. The next few weeks sees Imelda’s life turned upside down and inside out, changing in ways she might never have imagined, when old friends are reunited, new relationships are forged and she can make peace with herself when a ghost is finally laid to rest. When Billie and Henry arrive on the scene in search of the truth, does this signify the end of an era, or the beginning of a whole new chapter for Imelda?

Trying to offer up a non-spoiler trailer for this complex storyline was so difficult in such a few words. This is a multi-layered, well structured, quite unique and unconventional story, which throws into focus an era of cultural and societal history, which is dealt with sensitively, whilst at the same time exposing prejudice for what it was and still is and confronting it head on. There are also some sad, poignant and profoundly touching moments for Imelda, for whom her devotion to her one and only love, seems to have destined her to live her life alone. The narrative and dialogue is fluent, rich in atmosphere and wonderfully textured, making every word count and managing to evoke a very visual sense of time and place into which I could immerse myself; so much so that I could almost imagine myself back in the 1970s joining in the fun of a holiday park entertainment evening; or in my later years, walking along the promenade enjoying an ice cream in the summer sunshine, perhaps stopping to rest my feet for a time, joining Imelda and her friends for a drink and snack in the cafe.

There are plenty of red herrings and twists craftily woven into this intriguing storyline, to hype up the tension a little and I kept wavering about who might have been Imelda’s mystery couple, or if indeed this might have been much more personal to Imelda herself, but ultimately I was only ever destined to be partly correct, with the remainder of the final reveal being a huge, but pleasant surprise, to just about everyone concerned.

Author Ruth Hogan has gathered together a large, diverse and eclectic, sprawling cast of multi-faceted, unique and colourful characters, many of whom transcend the passing of time and all of whom are given a voice which is loud and clear enough with which to tell their own story. There is some excellent camaraderie and great synergy between them, although as you might expect in such a large group, there are the obvious rivalries and jealousies, together with a complex jigsaw of human emotions, which often make them rather vulnerable and often volatile. I don’t think that any of them were particularly easy for me to identify with, or invest in; however I believe that in their own way they were compelling and addictive, vibrant and genuine to the roles they had been allocated.

Another new to me author, who persuaded me to read out of my natural comfort zone, then led me on an amazing journey, which fired my imagination, stirred my emotions, stimulated my senses and evoked so many memories of the past. Could I have asked for anything more!

This book is a lovely quirky story about families and friendship.
Madame Burova can see the future but she can also keep secrets but the secret at the heart of her life needs to be revealed and this happens in this story.

2nd review
I’ve just read this again and why didn’t say when I read it the first time I don’t know, but I love thus book. It made me laugh, made me sad, made me happy and made me cry, I need another book by Ruth. I’ve read them all and just want more xx


1st review
What a wonderful book.
Being a fan of Ruth Hogan I knew I was going to enjoy this I just didn't realise how much.
Another brilliantly written book, which captures the reader, has great characters and with a different storyline.
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Another great book by Ruth Hogan. I thought this was heart-warming and just so well written.

Thank you NetGalley for my complimentary copy in return for my honest review.

From the blurb, I expected this book to be more about Imelda's readings and to be more fantasy/magic based.
I felt this book was more about the characters rather than an actual plot.
Thanks to netgalley and the publishers for this read.

A warm and lovely read. A set of characters that you come to know and love over the course of the book. A plot that combines a love story, a mystery and a touch of social commentary.

I enjoyed this book, it was a nice easy read which took almost no time to get into. The twists and reveals weren’t super twisty or revealy, and the dialogue often felt a bit forced, but it was fun to read anyway.

The story pivots between the 1970s and the present day. In the ‘70s, Madame Burova is a young tarot-card reader, who inherits her mother’s fortune-telling tent on the Brighton seafront and finds additional employment in a new Butlins-esque holiday park. Fifty years later in present day London, Billie is mourning her parents’ recent deaths only to discover that they adopted her as a baby all those years ago, and that her birth parents are a mysterious secret. Trying to find out the details about her early life, Billie finds herself led to Brighton and Madame Burova.

I think that one thing this book did quite well is to gently explore themes of racism, sexism, mental illness and xenophobia in 1970s England, showing how the reality of these attitudes and mentalities affected people’s lives in ways that persisted way beyond the direct experience of it. Ruth Horgan also conveys really well the atmosphere of camaraderie that is created when you find yourself working and spending all your time with a group of people, and the jovially intimate atmosphere that can quickly develop

One problem I had with the book was that there was very little nuance in terms of who the “goodies” and the “baddies” were. We knew exactly who we were meant to like and who we were meant to dislike, which made it feel kind of like a children’s book, where ideas of right and wrong are presented as a clear dichotomy. And don’t get me wrong, I love it when I like the main character. Some great books have been spoiled for me because I just don’t click with the characters, but I do like them to have a little bit of nuance.

Overall however, this was a fun read. The images it will leave behind are more of well-described places than well-explored ideas, but sometimes that’s all you want in a book.

A glorious romp of a story, where Madame Burova, a fortune teller and clairvoyant on Brighton seafront is retiring after 50 years. One of her final acts is to fulfil a promise to hand a brown envelope over to someone - when they receive it, their life will be changed for ever more.
The truth within the envelope leads the recipient back to a world of 1970s holiday camps and seaside resorts, with choices made that have repercussions 50 years later

I loved Ruth Hogan's previous work and this was a joy to read, highly recommended

A wonderful novel which goes from the 1950s until the present day. We learn that Madam Burova, a tarot reader, palmist and clairvoyont is retiring after 50 years fro her pitch along a pier and she holds two brown envelopes which will aid one person to discover her real heritage. The person is Billie who has ended up in her forties out of her university job and with her marriage ending. THe final secret she uncovers is that she is a foundling brought up by ywo loving parents who never told her that she wasn't their birth child but who is the beneficiary of a fund set up by her real parent. This wonderful novel explores the fifties holiday camp life with pianist Henry and a host of other people who exsisted in that time including a mysterious "wall of death" rider who was the centre of a love triangle. How Billie integrates into the cafe life and meets up with eccentric M I 5 Clive is all part of this wonderful tale. A rich story with the dual time line running through it. A book that is something any reader will not put down until it is finished!

I loved this dual timeline novel by Ruth Hogan which is essentially Billie’s journey to discover who her parents were. It’s full of memorable and warm characters and has a very nostalgic feel to it with it being set in a holiday camp. Would recommend to fans of Ruth Hogan.

Absolutely adored this book, always been a fan of Ruth Hogan and she has created another masterpiece. Thoroughly enjoyable read, 5/5. Thank you Netgalley and Ruth Hogan for the opportunity to read this arc.

Such an enchanting book with wonderfully rich characters that brought the story to life.

Loved the feeling if mystery throughout the book and the nostalgic setting of the holiday camps.

Funny and Poignant this is a great read.

I would like to extend my gratitude to the author, publisher and NetGalley for sending this advanced reader's copy in return for a fair and honest review.

I absolutely loved this book. It was such a warm-hearted book. I found it enchanting. It did take a while for me to get into it but was well worth it. Ruth Hogan has another success on her hands. Her writing brings everything to life in this story. I can’t wait for her next one.

Quirky cover. Fun plot. I loved Madame Burova so much, a woman who has lived such an enriching and full life and how we get to see others through her eyes and experiences. I don’t think there was anything she hadn’t done or seen.

This is such an enchanting book

I loved how the different aspects of the story came together.
Hogan writes wonderful characters - quirky, witty and sensitive.
There is a real sense of nostalgia with the sections set at the holiday camp but Hogan delves beneath the surface e glamour into the human stories beneath.
I loved the character of Madame Burova which is herself and Billie's quest to find out who her parents are is both joyful and heartbreaking.
Thank you Netgalley for this gifted digital copy

My best read so far this year! I absolutely loved this book, believable characters, great story which held me to the final pages and one of those books you don't want to finish. You know that the secrets Madame Burova holds will be shared and that there will be consequences. Ruth weaves the narrative brilliantly from mid '70s to the present day. There are some very memorable characters (and names) that you can identify with.. Highly recommend this book, I do hope another book is being written by this author, she's rapidly becoming a favourite.

The best yet from Ruth Hogan. An irresistably delicious romp through 1970s holiday camp, you can see the chalets and smell the beer, it's better than black forest gateau and cheese and pineapple hedgehog. A novel of love, hope and family. Loved loved loved it ❤

This is the first Ruth Hogan novel I have read, but it will certainly not be the last.

Madame Burova follows Imelda and Billie. Imelda is a tarot card reader, palmist and clairvoyant who has had to keep many secrets because of her trade. Shortly after the death of Billie's father she discovers that the life she was living wasn't the entire truth. The two women's worlds come together in a story full of secrets, love and hope.

The novel jumps between the current day and the 1970's (with a brief period in the 1990's). At first I found this difficult to follow, but once I got into the swing of things, and was able to identify and remember the characters, I enjoyed it. I liked that both the past and the present unfolded at a similar rate, to create an overarching story.
I also loved the characters that Ruth Hogan created. They were unique, vivid and diverse. I became so immersed in their lives that I truly felt like they had become my own friends.

I particularly enjoyed the sections based in Larkin's holiday park, which reminded me of my own family trips away as a child. This book is an excellent feel-good read, with many mysteries thrown in. I didn't want to put it down and found myself devouring the pages. It also touched on some really important topics in a profound and moving manner. I love the way that Ruth managed to tie up all the loose ends, it gave a really satisfying and heart-warming ending.

I would recommend this to anyone that enjoys easy to-read novels. I want to thank Netgalley, the publishers and author for allowing me to read this book and give my personal thoughts.