Part of a series featuring the Harpers store. We are now post war and many changes are afoot. Heartwarming at times,dad at times but a good read.

I want to thank Netgalley and the author for gifting me the ebook. I was able to find the audio version through my local library.
I really enjoyed this book a lot. I did not know I was a part of a series. I can tell that there is back story with all these characters but I felt like I was okay reading this out of order. When I realized it was number 7 in a series I was shocked. I was so happy to see my library has all of them. :)
This book is very light hearted and great listen to while you cook or clean. The book is also wholesome and no cussing. I loved all the characters and the different story plots. I can't wait to read more from this series from the beginning. Also I would read from this author again. She does a very good job with description with the characters and the places. It makes you feel like yoo are there and you can Invision it all.

Harpers is flourishing but for Sally Harper things don't seem to be getting any better and she is struggling. The characters are like old friends who you don't want to leave and that made it hard to put the book down. The plotting is well thought out with various things happening at once. I am looking forward to reading more in the next book.

I looked forward to reading this next installment about life at Harper's but I have to say that it was not nearly as good as the previous books.
I felt that there was too much unnecessary "chat" between the characters which was going nowhere. Very repetitive and long conversations which added nothing to the story. Personally, I felt the whole book was going nowhere and battled to finish! There was very little story to hold the reader's interest other than Lilly, who had my sympathy!
Can only give this book 3 stars and only because I know Rosie Clarks writes better than this.
Many thanx to NetGalley, the author and the publisher for allowing me to read and review this book

Book seven in a wonderfully warm series.
Going back into it I felt I was talking to old friends again and making new ones.
The descriptions in the book were so well written you could picture them easily in your mind.

We live through their lives of happiness, sadness, hurt, and achievement.

Rosie Clarke is such a talented writer it doesn't matter what book of hers I pick up I know I am going to enjoy it.
Thank you NetGalley for allowing me to read and review this lovely book xx

The war (WWI) is over and life for some is beginning to get back to normal. Marian, is a war widow and has a few struggles, others came home but were changed men. Ben is looking to extend the shop. He has visions of high end jewellery, a florist shop. also extending the resultant business.

We have happy times and sad times as well. The suffragettes also now make an entrance. Mother of Sally continues in her story. Sadly this is the last book in the Harpers series, which I am sorry about. All loose ends come together by the time you reach the end of the book.

Another great read, which I can recommend and have no hesitation in giving 5*

Changing Times at Harpers is the latest in Rosie Clarke's series Harpers Emporium and it's 1920, life is trying to get back to normal following the end of World War I. Unfortunately, while Harpers is beginning to flourish once again, owner Ben is distant and often moody. There is an unexpected tragedy, which brings him and Sally back to each other and makes them realise how much love they have for one other and their family. Meanwhile, the women of Harpers are struggling to cope with their everyday life : Marion's husband is in respite home following his service during the war; he is often very angry and frightens Marion so much she is worried about when he is discharged. Lilly is a young woman working in the hat and bag department who suffered a terrible incident outside of work - she pushes away the young man she would love to have a relationship with because of this incident. In her heart, she wants to be florist but hey homeless suggests she won't be able to achieve this. Despite all this, we meet up with old acquaintances and welcome new ones. I do hope there is more to come from Harpers.

Back to Harpers for another lovely story. Lives go on and change as they progress. Meet up with old favourites and some new workers in the store. . I do hope that this isn't the last we will hear of them. .Well worth 5 stars wish it could be more.

Thanks to Netgally and publisher for this ARC

I am a huge fan of Rosie’s work and I have been for a few years now. Despite my best efforts, I still haven’t read everything that she has written but I hope to have read them all in the not too distant future. I must admit that I have a particular fondness for the series set in the ‘Harper Emporium’. When I learnt that Rosie was due to release another book in the series, I knew that I had to read it at the earliest opportunity. Well ladies and gents, I managed to get hold of a copy of ‘Changing Times At Harpers’, which is the seventh book in the series. It’s another superb addition to a superb series. I thoroughly enjoyed reading ‘Changing Times At Harpers’ but more about that in a bit.

Anybody who knows me well, knows that not only am I a book geek but I am also a history nerd, with a particular interest in the First World War and the Second World War. So you can probably tell why the synopsis of ‘Changing Times At Harpers’ appealed to me so much. The story is set in 1920, when life was returning to some form of normality and men and women were adjusting to living side by side again. This wasn’t always easy to do as some of the men were changed, both mentally and physically, by what they had seen and experienced during the First World War. Women had gained a large degree of independence and had joined the workforce and men came home thinking that things would be just the same as they were before the war in that men would go to work and that women would go back to being housewives.

As soon as I started reading ‘Changing Times At Harpers’, I knew that I was reading something special and that I would struggle to put the book to one side for any length of time. I was spot on on both counts. I picked the book up only intending to read a chapter or two but I was still sat there reading several chapters and an hour or so later. I was blown away by the characters and by the story. My Kindle was well travelled that day because it went everywhere with me. I just couldn’t bear to miss a single second of the story. The more of the story I read, the more I wanted to read and the quicker the pages seemed to turn. This was one of those books that I had mixed feelings about finishing. I don’t mean that I was disappointed with how the story ended – far from it- but I was enjoying the characters and the story so much that I just didn’t want it to end. All too quickly I reached the end of ‘Changing Times At Harpers’. I found ‘Changing Times At Harpers’ to be a superb addition to a superb series by a superb author. I was gripped by the story from start to finish.

‘Changing Times At Harpers’ 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 this book felt more like a chat between friends rather than reading a book. I hope that makes sense. Rosie certainly knows how to grab the reader’s attention and draw them into what proves to be one hell of a story. For me, the story hit the ground running and maintained a steady pace throughout. Reading ‘Changing Times At Harpers’ certainly took me on an emotional journey and then some – with all the ups and downs, twists and turns. I found that I went through every emotion that the characters went through. I love the way in which Rosie makes the reader feel as though they are part of the story themselves and at the heart of the action. That’s how I felt anyway.

In short, I thoroughly enjoyed reading ‘Changing Times At Harpers’ 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*.

Life has moved on from the First World War. Men have returned from the fighting, some damaged and this means changes for the workforce at Harpers. You get a sense of the changing times as the 1920's unfolds and how although women's roles have been affected by the war, they having to readjust. Still a spirit of independence endures for some and there are plenty of social causes in the background for volunteers.

Harpers remains as a constant for many of the characters and Ben and Sally prove to be quite enlightened bosses. Nevertheless, despite all the work which Sally has done in the past, there is the assumption that she will step back into the role of housewife and mother, although hers is quite a privileged lifestyle. You certainly feel her frustration. Some of the male characters are understanding that the women will want to continue to work. Others have a much more brutal attitude. As some prosperity returns to the country, you sense the potential that Harpers has, if it can change with the times. Fashions and social customs are on the move, although some still cling to older ways of life. This is an enjoyable saga with Harpers at its core. You see different strata of society at work, as some flourish and others struggle to get by. However the overall tone is of hope and moving forwards.

In short: post war life brings changes
#blogtour

Another great addition to the ever unfolding world of Harpers Emporium. Now in peacetime after WW1 the men are returning and the women are absolutely not going to give up their work places that have kept them going through the war years. Some of the men are beginning to show signs of shell shock and some haven’t returned at all.

As always these characters are brilliantly written and are strong, with high morals and caring personalities. There is a fair amount of sadness in this book but it really highlights the horrors of war and how hard it impacted on some of these well loved characters. There is jealously, love, sadness, friendships and promises of marriage.

I thoroughly enjoyed this instalment and I feel that Harpers will go on from strength to strength.

Changing Times at Harpers is a detailed fast paced story. The progress of the plot was very slow although it did pick up somewhat at the halfway mark.

Clarke has researched the aftereffects of the war by mentioning the mental, emotional and psychological issues faced by those who survived the war at home and those who returned. Clarke also highlights the living standards, society and daily routines of the working class. The writing style becomes a little repetitive with the odd typo, but has a good mixture of dialogue and description.

The character development of Changing Times at Harpers gives the reader background information to aid them with becoming attached on a emotional level to the different characters. There are new and old characters from previous books mentioned, allowing those that have read the previous installments to reconnect with their favourite characters. The characters of Changing Times at Harpers are relatable and realistic, with their own personalities and life goals that they hope to achieve.

Sally has set up a nursery department for those who are working war widows and mothers in her staff. Since Ben had returned from the war it seems like he is trying to push Sally away...but they still share a loving connection.

Marion works 3 days a week as an assistant window dresser. She is considered to be a skilled staff member and enjoys working with the fellow staff. She frequently visits see her husband, Reggie, who has been struggling mentally after the war and has been residing at a convalescent home after a violent outburst. On her recent visit, Reggie states that he would prefer to live in the country as he finds London to be too noisy, leaving Marion with a tough decision to make...

Lily leads a hard life. She works at Harpers' and takes care of her invalid mother and siblings.

Overall I feel alot of mixed feelings about Changing Times at Harpers. I sympathized with the characters on more than one occasion, yet the Sub-plots come across as mediocre and in some cases predictable. There was little development regarding character relationships. Towards the end of the story the plot was busy, appearing rushed and left me feeling disappointed.

I would suggest reading Changing Times at Harpers to people who enjoy historical fiction, women's fiction and sagas based in the 1920s, as it is a character driven story that includes friendship, family, hardships and grief as the charcters share their daily lives with the reader.

I have read a few Rosie Clarke books and I have loved them all. I read this in one afternoon, it is beautifully written and made me feel like I was living in the book with the characters. The book is full of ups and downs making it heartwarming and heartbreaking in equal measure. The family and friendships feel so genuine illustrating the community spirit of the time.

Book number 7 in this historical saga series. Changing Times at Harpers begins in 1920 and the First World War is finally over and business is going well at Harpers Department Store. Although business is going well Sally has some concerns regarding her personal life and she is worried about her husband Ben. However it’s not just Sally and Ben who are having problems and as you read this book you will discover some of the battles other characters are dealing with. Rosie Clarke has such a wonderful way of describing characters and places in her books. We meet back with old characters from the previous books and some new ones, who I hope we will be seeing more of in future books. The title of this book is just perfect as times are changing after the war . Reading this book was for me like meeting back up with dear friends. Another excellent read in this series

I love Rosie's books and this one is no different. I loved reading about the Harpers girls. It was an easy read and really captured the imagination and kept me hooked from the beginning. I do love reading about the history of the time and the trials and tribulations of women at that time in history. Full of twists and turns making for a tremendous read.

Loved this one, it was such a treat to catch up with all going’s on at Harpers department store. It was a great read. My thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this book in return for an honest review.

I have really enjoyed this series following the lives of Sally and her friends and family. They have had a lot of things to contend with but with love and great friendship they have managed to support each other through some very difficult times. Rosie is a great author and her characters are well written and draw you into their world. I look forward to seeing what Rosie writes next

Changing Times at Harpers by Rosie Clarke picks up the saga of the folks at Harper’s Depeartment store. As always it is satisfying to meet up with people one knows. These people grow and change. We’re well past the Great War now and things are almost normal. Ben has been acting strangely for a few weeks and has got his wife worried. It eventually works out and things are better than ever. Jennie runs into a problem and Marion’s husband, diagnosed with shell shock and send to a sanitarium to recover suddenly gets transferred to one out in the country and the they won’t tell Marions where he’s gone. Lily, a new member of the staff, gets ambushed and raped in a dark alley and ends up pregnant, all very traumatic. There is always so much going on at Harpers.

This has been an entertaining and endearing series. The characters come and go and some return. They die, have babies, get married, and do all the things everyone does. It is indeed like coming home to revisit these characters and see where they are in their lives. Clarke has built an amazing world, and it’s fun to revisit it occasionally. Her characters are reflective of the times and their circumstances and it is a true education. Walking in the shoes of another truly happens in this wonderful story. It is good to remember.

I was invited to read a free e-ARC of Changing Times at Harpers by Boldwood Books through Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are mine. #Netgalley #BoldwoodBooks #RosieClarke #ChangingTimesAtHarpers

Once again we revisit the wonderful girls of Harpers Emporium in this seventh installment of this delightful series. With each book, I have come to love the women and almost feel I've become a part of each of their lives. We've seen many come and go, watched the changes that the war brought them, seen the havoc at home both as a result of the war and other factors. Though some of the original Harpers girls have married and moved on, they still feature from time to time throughout and still have a part to play in the story. The main focus in this installment are Sally, Marion and newcomers Andrea and Lilly.

It's 1920 and it's been two years since the end of the war and Sally almost succumbing to the Spanish flu after the birth of her son Peter. But having recovered fully she has returned to work at Harpers part time, dividing her time between the store and home. Now with rationing behind them, Sally is now able to enjoy ordering stock from abroad again and the shelves throughout Harpers are bulging with stock once more. Business is good and Ben, who has returned from his secret work with the War Office, is busying expanding Harpers and into the restaurant trade with Jack Burrows who has also returned from the Front and to his wife Beth, one of the original Harpers girls. And while she no longer works at the store, she still features throughout the story alongside Sally.

Now that the war is over, times are changing and no one wants to return to the way things used to be before the conflict began. Women had taken up positions previously occupied by men who had gone off to fight for King and country. But now they are being forced back into their previous roles as wives and mothers, their roles in keeping the country running now forgotten to make way for the returning menfolk. Some are happy to return to the home whilst others prefer to be out earning a wage. For those who are lucky enough to work at Harpers, Ben and Sally have always put the needs and happiness of their staff first. For the war widows who are also mothers, Harpers have a creche for them to be able to bring their children to work with them and be reassured in the knowledge that their children are being looked after while they provide for them.

The rise of the Suffragettes, or Women's Movement, is becoming more prominent once again now that the war is over, having paused their cause for the greater need at home of banding together. But now they have an even bigger following as women, now having a taste of independence during the war years, are now wanting to have more of a say and equality alongside their male counterparts. Whilst many men who have returned from the Front not only have physical wounds but they also carry the mental scars that being in such a brutal conflict brings. The psychological impact on those affected is being referred to as "shell shock".

Marion Jackson's husband Reggie, who was always so full of life and carefree, is one such afflicted with the mental scars of war. Since his return from the Front, he has been in a care home for the past two years and Marion longs to have him home again. But each time she visits him ends in tears with harsh words exchanged and Marion left wondering if Reggie will ever return to her. She still lives in the house she shared with her mother and siblings, still raising her youngest sister whilst caring for her young son Robbie, named for her brother who never returned. Her work at Harpers has seen her promoted to assistant window dresser alongside Mr Marco and her increase in wage allows her to go in part time whilst running a home as well.

We meet a couple of new faces in Andrea Martin, supervisor to the "hats, bags and jewellery" department, and assistant Lilly Ross. Andrea is a war widow and putting her teenage son through boarding school but is a lonely woman which often comes across as bitterness. Lilly is a younger version of Marion, having to care for her invalid mother and her younger siblings at home whilst working full time at Harpers to support them. However, she has caught the attention of Ben Harper and some of the other staff have noticed causing gossip to begin. But Ben saw such a sadness in Lilly's eyes that he couldn't help but want to do something more for her to help her situation...starting with a promotion to counters, much to the annoyance of Andrea Martin who felt the promotion should have been run by her first. Unfortunately, Ben's attention of Lilly has caused unwanted attention elsewhere, creating trouble for everyone involved. And Lilly also has some trouble of her own...

Meanwhile, Sally finds herself the target of some unpleasant business and sets out to get to the bottom of it and uncover the culprit. Mick O'Sullivan has returned to British shores with some unexpected wealth and bringing with a new venture. He waltzes into Harpers one day and sets out to charm a member of staff who takes instant offence at his cheek and inappropriate behaviour.

And then tragedy strikes when a sudden illness befalls one of their own. And only then does all involve realise with shock and devastation just how important and fragile life is. Family is important and Harpers is a family of sorts, looking out for and after each other.

As always, the Harpers series just gets better and better. I love how everyone is like a family and how they all band together. I actually love this series more than Ms Clarke's Mulberry Lane series which I also enjoy. There is just something about Harpers. I did however get increasingly frustrated with Lilly's constant self-blame of a situation over which she had no control. Yes, it was a common belief at the time but I felt it was unnecessarily rehashed at every opportunity. The only other flaw I found was in reference to the heir to the throne as Prince Edward. His name was David and he only took the name Edward when he became King, albeit for a short time before abdicating.

The main theme throughout this story is to highlight that times are changing. Women are no longer content to remain at home and, having had a taste of independence, they want more for themselves. And while the suffragettes are taking up the cause for women who are being forced back into their previous roles, we see the returning men aren't the same as the men who left for war. Times are certainly changing - for both Britain and Harpers.

This is a wonderful series and I have read each one of them since Book 3. I shall have to go back and re-read the first two, with the second one I didn't enjoy the first time round. I think that was because I hadn't read the first one and I felt like I had stepped into the middle of a conversation and felt completely lost because I knew no one. I look forward to going back to where it all began when I find the time. And I look forward to what's in store for the Harpers and their extended family of sorts next! I just wish we didn't have to wait so long...

I would like to thank #RosieClarke, #Netgalley, #BoldwoodBooks and #RachelsRandomResources for an ARC of #ChangingTimesAtHarpers in exchange for an honest review.

This review appears on my blog at https://stinathebookaholic.blogspot.com/.

Wow book number 7 in the series. And I have read and enjoyed them all. For me this book felt like seeing old friends and family again. You get so invested in their daily lives. You cry with them, you laugh with them. You get angry when someone hurts them. But most of all I liked that it was about changing pace after the war.
Thank you to netgalley for letting me read this e arc in exchange for an honest opinion