Firstly thank you Netgalley for this ARC

What a lovely book if you love wartime and family again this is definitely for you

Trouble in the Valleys by Francesca Capaldi

Spring 1919: WW1 might be over, but the inhabitants of Dorcalon in the Welsh Valleys still feel the pain of the war that took so many of their men.

Polly Smith is trying to survive her own battle at home. After her abusive husband, Gus, was finally jailed, Polly has been raising her two-year-old son, Herby alone.

Really enjoyed this book and hearing all about Polly Smith and her son. Great characters and plot with some great ( and not so great ) moments to captivate you and keep you enjoying the book until the very end.

Another great book in the valley series. The men come home from war and great changes come to them and the valley. Some find it hard to adjust and some village inhabitants are pure evil. Good prevails and we can wait for the next book to continue our look into their lives after the war

Malicious Gossip

WWI has ending but it leaves lingering effects in the small Welsh town of Dorcalon. Those that didn't return and those that returned different than when they left either in body or mind. The mines are just about the only work around for the returning young men.

Polly is raising her young son Herbie, now two years old. Her husband Gus is in prison and her reputation is ruined. She finds a job with some ladies that have started a sewing business and works part time as a bar maid. For some of the town she is a disgrace and they can't stop talking about her and harassing her every chance they get.

Henry has returned from the war with battle fatigue and is having a hard time adjusting. When he meets Polly he is better and they find solace in their friendship. Alas the town biddies are not having it and gossip is spread endangering any hope they have at a friendship.

Can Polly ever escape her past and show the town that she is a better person and be accepted by them or will her past forever haunt her?

It is a story of a small town with the good and the bad and the wounds from the past that refuse to go away. It is a story of those that are unforgiving and those that choose to forgive, forget and move on. Some sad parts, some romantic parts, a small town you will fall in love with.

I enjoyed reading this story and I would recommend it.

Thanks to Francesca Capaldi for writing yet another wonderful book, to Hera Books for publishing it and to NetGalley for making it available for me to read and review.

Didn't realise this book was part of a series, started reading and was sure I had read it previously, was delighted when I recognised the characters and realised I had read the previous book, was nice to catch up with all the lovely characters and this book was more focused on Polly and Henry's stories, love how they all come together in times of need and how being married into high class makes people change ways, a brilliant storyline and descriptive as always, thoroughly enjoyed this read as I did before

The 4th book in a wonderful series, and in my opinion the best one, full of suspense, twists and surprises. This story follows pollys struggle to be accepted by the community after youthful mistakes, and Henry’s struggle to cope after returning home from the war with shell shock. A great book, telling a wonderful story, I’m hoping there’s a 5th book because there’s still so much left to tell. A massive 5 stars are given for this book.

Lonely and struggling for money, Polly retreats as she becomes the subject of cruel gossip. A job offer throws her a lifeline, and as she grows closer to soldier, Henry Austin, it seems that Polly might finally be changing her life – until dark secrets from her past emerge, threatening her new happiness.

This is a story of a small town with the good and the bad and also the wounds from the past that refuse to go away. This is a story about those that are unforgiving and those that choose to forgive, forget and move on. Some of the parts of the story are very sad, but some are such a lovely and romantic parts and about a small town you will fall in love with. This was such an emotional book. I really enjoyed this book and fully recommend it for everyone.

Community and acceptance. For Polly her life would be so much simpler if this was the case as she struggles along trying to make a life for herself a and young Herby after her scoundrel of a husband Gus is in gaol. However, obstacles are put in her way. Firstly by others in the community being judgemental regarding the father of Herby. Then when she thinks she has managed to find a way to earn some money to keep them she has to deal with her wicked brother-in-law Sioni who treats her as a fallen woman. Just when you think family would be more understanding her sister Connie thinks she should would make a better mother for Herby and tells vicious lies about Polly.

Henry who has returned from the war after serving with the Rhonda Pals and struggles with shell shock and is disappointed that some of the other Pals find it difficult to adjust back to community life after the war. Henry gets friendly with Polly after he is let down by another, Polly insists it can only be friends as she is worried what others will say. Events help them become closer but this is not acceptable by some who take revenge on Henry forcing Polly to decide that it wouldn’t have happened but for her, so she writes to Henry saying she can’t see him anymore.

Just when Polly thinks things can’t get any worse there is an unexpected disaster in town which has a devastating effect on many. At the same time good comes from it by pulling the community together, while at the same time the Pals step up to the mark showing their strengths.
What will the outcome be for Polly? Lovely twists at the end. Loved it.

An enjoyable return visit to the village, with old characters and new, the men returning from war, the women starting their own businesses, the hint of new romance and a lot of baddies! Culminating in a disaster that leaves lives hanging in the balance. Realistic, well researched, and a portrait of the petty gossip, criminal undertones and friendship and resilience of a small Welsh community.