Rosie Clark is such a superb storyteller. I love a good saga novel and this is the second one I have read by Rosie. Jane is such a ell written character, she endures a lot of heartache in her young life you begin to wonder if she will find happiness. Another putdownable book, that has you hooked from the start.

Keep a box of tissues handy for the latest gritty and dramatic saga by Rosie Clarke: A Sister’s Destiny.

Jane Shaw is eighteen years old and her life is one long and exhausting whirl of chores, drudgery and sacrifice. Running a household on a meagre budget, Jane’s life is hard enough, but events take an even more heart-wrenching turn when her brother dies in suspicious circumstances. Forced to take up another position, Jane finds employment looking after a troubled young boy called Ned in service where she then meets his dashing uncle David with whom she forms an immediate and passionate attachment.

Life for Jane continues to get tougher and tougher due to her domineering aunt. Desperate to strike out on her own with the world at war, Jane decides to do her bit for king and country and joins the Nursing Corp. Finally finding a purpose and a calling, Jane begins to thrive despite the hardships which she encounters on the way. Will happiness ever be within reach for Jane? Or is she destined for a lifetime of regret and disappoinment?

Saga fans know that when they pick up a Rosie Clarke novel that they are going to get an involving, immersive and enjoyable read that is aimed straight for the heart and A Sister’s Destiny is no exception. A remarkable, engrossing and emotional tale of family ties, courage and love, A Sister’s Destiny is destined to be another surefire hit for much-loved bestseller Rosie Clarke.

I adore Rosie's books she can deliver little gems like this one that pulls at your heartstrings.

The story is about Jane Shaw, who throughout this book has to deal with many situations after her demanding mother dies.
She is left to pick up the pieces being the eldest child at 18 she takes on the task of looking after her father younger sister and little brother who has a debilitating condition.

After a tragedy rocks her world she leaves home to find work to put her sister through teaching college'
so Jane becomes a nursemaid to a young boy.
She is treated abysmally so she moves on to become a war nurse.
(I don't want to put in too much detail as it will spoil this book for potential readers)

This poor young woman struggles throughout this book just when you can see the light at the end of the tunnel for her then crash it comes falling down around your ears.
With so many twists and turns it leaves you wondering how much more she can take. But with everything she has endured it makes her stronger.
Such a powerful read and an excellent story about how some women spent their lives during the war and beyond.
There are many characters but they cleverly dip in and out so you don't get confused.
Another gripping story from Rosie Clarke.
Thank you so much for allowing me to read and review this book, xx

Well written and researched, A Sister’s Destiny is an emotional, heart-warming story set during the first world war.

Jane is such a strong, brave character and despite the things she faces and overcomes, she continues working hard to do her bit for the war effort.

The author’s writing style is easy to keep up with, and so the book was over much quicker than I wanted it to be, with a few tears shed along the way.

If there is a sequel to this book, I will be waiting impatiently to get my hands on it.

What a lovely book. I really enjoyed it. Jane had so much to contend with in her life with a lot of tragedy and loss

She is a strong young woman though and gets through in spite of everything. She goes to the front during the war and learns to nurse the poor wounded men who are brought to the hospital.

She has two great loves and losses but survives.

I will read another Rosie Clarke . Thank you net galley.

A Sister's Destiny is a detailed, fast paced story that has been separated into 2 parts dated between 1914 and 1919.

Clarke has researched the differences of society, customs and lifestyles between the working and higher classes. The reader is able to see the life of people in service, the duties at the hospital and the trying times faced at the field hospital in a time of war. The writing style has a mixture of description and dialogue, but the flow seems random and has a few discrepancies in time...

The character development of A Sister's Destiny gives the reader a small amount of background....

As the oldest, at 18... Jane is tied to the house with her responsibilities and duties as a carer for her mother and siblings... After the death of her younger brother, Charlie she applies for a job as a nurse-maid at Stratton Hall, until she is dismissed. Eventually she volunteers to join the Aid detachment...

David and Richard have joined the army. They experience the effects of battle...

Overall, I feel that A Sister's Destiny has a lot of potential, but the main thing that I had was Jane's relationships as they were poorly explained with little emotional connection and I found the prologue was never really needed. The ending was rushed and was left open...

I would suggest reading A Sister's Destiny to people who enjoy reading historical fiction and sagas based at the start of WW1, as it is a character driven story about grief, friendship, relationships and family as the main character tries to find her happiness.

I really enjoyed this book, i couldn't put it down and parts were surprising and sad. Great read by a good author

My Review: What an absolutely wonderful book, I was engaged from the start and was keen to find out the next twist and the next turn. It's easy to understand and clever too. I loved the main character Jane and her relationship with her father John, brother Charlie who was born with many issues, Ned and so many others including her sister Melia. Set in 1914, the year World War 1 broke out, it's not without sadness on top of sadness with happiness too. A fully recommended read.

As huge fan of this author, I was very excited to read A Sisters Destiny – it did not disappoint. I was hooked from the start and what an emotional rollercoaster it took me on.
Jane Shaw, a young woman who shows compassion, is determined, hard working, willing to do anything she can for those that need her and a girl that is more than happy to make sacrifices for the good of her family.
My heart broke for Jane time and time again in this book, her mother depends on her yet treats her badly, her father gets himself into a state and cannot figure out how to rectify things, she’s treated atrociously by so many people, I despaired on her behalf. I couldn’t believe how much poor luck and sheer grief one young woman could endure, yet Jane seems to do so. She is determined her sister completes her education and goes further than she did.
Janes story is indicative of the time period in many ways, sometimes it is hard to put yourself in that situation as I kept thinking she should stand up for herself more etc.
As the story moved on, Jane found times of joy, found a profession and also found love. Jane found herself cared for by many people, and it showed that sometimes family is who you chose it to be.
A saga full of angst and drama. Rosies writing, as always, was brilliant and engaged me from start to finish. Brilliant!

A saga book by Rosie Clarke will never leave you disappointed and this one is a real beauty. Jane faces so many hardships and through them all she remains courageous, kind and strong even while suffering from the grief of losing loved ones. I smiled and shed a few tears while reading this story and I am not ashamed to say got quite angry with some injustices that happened in the storyline. I really felt the characters pain and joy therefore they began to feel like a part of me. I became so lost in the book that I forgot the real world and had to give myself a shake at the end of the book to come back down to earth. A charming and inspiring historical saga!

With WWI looming, Jane continues in her role as caregiver for her whole family with very meager resources. Finding a job as companion for a young boy, she meets David Heron, a man destined to be in her life for many years. Joining the Nursing Corps puts her in danger but also in a fulfilling role, shaping her future and her connection with David. Sensitive writing.

A Sister’s Destiny is another superb saga read by Rosie Clarke. It begins just before the start of World War 1 . Right from the start I was invested in this story. The characters were so well described and Jane was such a lovely person just intent on helping her family. The story brought tears to my eyes at times imagining the struggles of Jane and other people during war time. Jane is such a strong character and in spite of all the hardship she is a brave and courageous young woman. I strongly recommend this read for fans of saga fiction. 4⭐️

Jane had many dreams and desires. But she had to put them on hold. Her younger brother needed her. Her mother was not well. Her sister attended school. Her father depended on her help at home.

Circumstances changed and Jane leaves to care for a young boy, Ned. An attachment develops between the two of them.

Jane did what she needed to do to survive. She loved and she mourned. She was protective of those that were weak and broken.

Jane eventually became a nurse in the frontlines. I have great respect for the nurses that did this. It was not easy to do what they did. I'm sure they suffered post-traumatic syndrome.

At times, it was hard to read. I was rooting for Jane to find true happiness. It didn't seem like it would ever happen.

Will happiness be her destiny...?

I love Rosie Clarke's books and devour every one of them. They make me laugh, they make me cry...they are a pure joy to read. They serve a reminder as to how different life was just one hundred years ago. The working class don't need to live in abject poverty as they once did; unmarried mothers are no longer ostracised; life may still be hard at times but at least now we have the benefit of assistance that our ancestors did not. Rosie Clarke's books are a sobering reminder of what once was and how far we have come. But they are also delightful reading and a perfect way to escape the busyness and realities of today. A SISTER'S DESTINY is just another of her delightful offerings I simply devoured.

At 18, Jane Shaw doesn't have the easiest of lives. She is kept busy looking after a demanding mother and caring for her 3 year old brother Charlie who has special needs of his own. As an unpaid skivvy for her ungrateful mother, Jane cooks and cleans and looks after the family home while her younger sister Melia goes to school. Having been incapacitated after the birth of young Charlie, Jane's mother spends most of her time abed whilst yelling her demands to her daughter that she "keep the brat quiet" or bring her whatever it is she requires.

Given that her father's wage at the local solicitor's firm brings in a meagre income, Melia is expected to leave school shortly and take over from Jane at home so that she can get a job that will bring in more money. However, Melia doesn't want to do that. She has the opportunity to continue her schooling and become a teacher, which is her heart's desire. Jane wants to do what's best for her family and try to give Melia the chance she dreams of. She leaves home to work in service as a nursemaid to a wealthy woman in Norfolk. Her charge is something of a terror but the two soon form an unlikely bond and Ned begins to thrive under Jane's love and care. But when she comes to blows with his mother, she tells her a few home truths that don't go down well and she is dismissed on the spot. Ned is bereft at her leaving but Jane promises to keep in touch with him. Returning home, her troubles only worsen when tragedy strikes the family with three separate deaths, leaving them orphaned and nowhere to live.

Jane writes to her father's sister in London, Aunt Alice, who surprises her with a visit and she agrees to take the girls but Jane needs to finalise things there before making the move. But she sends Melia back with Aunt Alice so that she may settle in a new school. Aunt Alice has already agreed to fund her extra schooling and college so that Melia may become a teacher and as Jane will need a job has offered her employment in her teashop. But when Jane gets to London, she is happy enough baking for the teashop but she realises she wants something more from life. And with the war looming, she feels she is needed elsewhere and signs up to the Voluntary Aid Detachment (VAD) where she falls into the vocation of nursing. Of course, this does not go down well with Aunt Alice and the two come to blows with Aunt Alice washing her hands of Jane.

Whilst working with the VAD she meets two other young women like herself, Rose and Frances, and together they train as nurses. War is now well under way in Europe and Jane has the opportunity to work at the Front. There she continues a friendship she struck up with a family friend of Rose's, Captain (Doctor) Richard Bedford. But conditions in France are harsh and the gunfire can be heard day and night. Men come in with all sorts of injuries - some surface, some critical, some fatal. Some nurses find it too difficult to cope and return home at the earliest opportunity but Jane is made of sterner stuff. In France, she finds hope again. She learns to forgive and how to live. But the war giveth and the war also taketh away. And losing is hard.

But when one door slams, another one opens...and Jane finds a refreshing new opportunity. One she had never contemplated. And it leads her to a life she had never dreamed of or opportunities she never considered. And with that new life came a freedom...a destiny that was always meant to be hers.

A SISTER'S DESTINY is a heartbreaking read at times. I cried for Jane at all she endured and thensome. But we see her rise above her trials and despite her scars, she is able to forgive and she is able to move on. And she comes through the other side. This is a novel of sacrifice, of love, of survival, of forgiveness and of resilience.

There is not much more I can say about this book except that it is a delightful read, an easy read, and I've enjoyed my time with Jane. I would welcome a sequel, should there be one but if not, the story suffices as is.

As always, Rosie Clarke is a pleasure to read and I welcome many more!

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

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

Thank you for the chance to read this ARC in return for my honest opinion.

I have read Rosie Clarke before and like her style of writing and the topics she chooses to write about.

This was no exception and was well written and researched.
I suppose in some ways it was predictable in the outcome though perhaps Jane had little choice in the end in the way her life panned out and the choices she had to make.
It was a story with many up and downs - the last chapter brought a tear to my eye.

It was a harrowing at times - a tale of family dynamics, secrets perhaps better left untold, love redemption and Jane found some peace - and the capacity to forgive even if she never forgot.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and would recommend it to those that like historical fiction and novels set in and around WW1.

would like to thank netgalley and the publisher for letting me read this book

jane shaw doesnt have an easy life, she is kept busy by her mother who is always ill in bed and her younger brother who has something very wrong with him

her father is out to work and just keeping the house and her sister is at school about to leave but if she gets her wish she will stay on and get to teacher training college....

but life has a way of kicking people in the teeth and jane does the best that she can and when jane and her sister find themselves alone in the world they hope that their only living relative will help...

my god does jane have a hard life..so many knocks but through it all she brings happiness to all... but man does she have it hard at times

fascinating read...

Historical saga set before ,during and after the First World War. We follow the ups and downs of Jane ,a courageous and determined young girl. A good read.

I love Rosie’s books and this one was no different. Based from just before the start of World War One until just after it finished. The book follows the life of Jane Shaw. There were lots of changes going on during this period of time. So much happens to Jane in this book and you can’t help but feel for her as so much heartbreak is endured in her life. I highly recommend this author and this book.

A Sister’s Destiny by Rosie Clarke is a marvellous historical novel that I thoroughly enjoyed.
The action is set from just before World War I to just afterwards. It was a time of change for women as the war presented them with opportunities. These did not go far enough as women, when they married, had to give up their jobs.
The leading lady is very much a modern woman for the times. As the novel progresses, she develops a strength of character. She faces challenges but overcomes them with courage, dignity and kindness.
World War I offered opportunities to become a nurse. Hard work, dedication and a strong stomach were needed to survive, especially if one was sent to the Front.
We witness bravery in times of war as many sacrificed to save others where they could.
War leaves scars – sometimes physical, always mental.
There is the theme of forgiveness. To forgive is to set ourselves free. To withhold forgiveness, is to imprison ourselves in bitterness.
We see the treatment of unmarried mothers. Some give judgement and condemnation; others offer love and support.
In times of war, we must practice carpe diem – seize the day for tomorrow is not guaranteed.
I thoroughly enjoyed A Sister’s Destiny. It was another cracking read from Rosie Clarke.
I received a free copy via Rachel’s Random Resources. A favourable review was not required. All opinions are my own.

Thanks to the Publisher and Netgalley for an early review copy.

I love reading Rosie Clarke’s books.

I was hooked from the beginning.

Jane, looked after her younger brother Charlie, as her mother was unable, as well as taking care of the house.

Now both her sister Melia and her are having to stay with an aunt, who they’ve not seen often.

Jane makes a decision that she wants to do her bit for the war and signs up with nursing voluntary aid detachment, this doesn’t go down well with the aunt.

She makes friends with two other ladies, Rosie and Frances.

Jane meets and becomes friends with one of the doctors, will this friendship lead anywhere?

I recommend this book.