Book Synopsis:
1943: The world is at war, and the villagers of Tyneham are being asked to make one more sacrifice: to give their homes over to the British army. But on the eve of their departure, a terrible act will cause three of them to disappear forever.
2018: Melissa had hoped a break on the coast of Dorset would rekindle her stagnant relationship, but despite the idyllic scenery, it’s pushing her and Liam to the brink. When Melissa discovers a strange photograph of a woman who once lived in the forgotten local village of Tyneham, she becomes determined to find out more about her story. But Tyneham hides a terrible secret, and Melissa’s search for the truth will change her life in ways she never imagined possible.
The Forgotten Village is available in ebook and paperback now. The ebook is currently only 99p! Purchase a copy of both using the link below.
My Review:
I really loved reading this fascinating, enthralling book and am excited to have discovered this new author!
I read a lot of books based in world war two but had never heard of Tyneham, The Forgotten Village before so found it utterly fascinating to learn about it. This is actually based on a true story which meant I wasted lots of time looking it up on the internet. The idea that parts of the village are still as they were when the village was evacuated intrigued me and it’s definitely a place I’d love to visit in the future!
The two timelines were very interesting and I found I enjoyed them both equally which is unusual for me. Melissa is someone I found I immediately liked as she seemed so normal. She’s impulsive, makes mistakes and is slightly ditzy at times which made her very loveable in my eyes. She’s also a lady who loves her food which made for a refreshing change! When we first meet her she is going through a hard time and lacking a bit in self confidence so I found myself thrilled about her budding romance with the very handsome Guy. I enjoyed watching their romance develop and found myself hoping that there would be a happy ending for the two of them.
Veronica’s story is also interesting as it focuses on the events and feelings in the village up to the forced evacuation. However it had a bit of a serious note to it due to the sad occasion and dealt with a serious subject which combined made for a sober read. I did feel a lot of sympathy for Veronica as her situation becomes more apparent and I found I wanted to keep reading to find out what happens to her.
This is a very absorbing story which is easy to lose yourself in for hours at a time. I ended up reading this far too late into the night as I was so caught up in this wonderful story. The two timelines are well plotted and engaging which makes for a very intriguing read. The mystery and unravelling of old secrets was superbly done with the two timelines coming together in a shocking but thoroughly satisfyingly way.
This unbelievable is the author’s debut novel and I can’t wait to read more from her in the future. I’m normally a bit skeptical of comparisons to Kate Morton as she’s one of my all time favourites but I think it is justified in this case as I thought this book was, dare I say it, even better!
Huge thanks to Sabah from Avon for inviting me onto the blog tour and for my copy of this book which is going on my keep forever shelf!
About The Author:
Lorna Cook writes dual-timeline stories that blend secrets of the past with the present.
Her first novel, The Forgotten Village, is set in the real village of Tyneham in Dorset, requisitioned in entirety in World War Two and never returned. The story moves between 1943 and present day as secrets about what happened on requisition day are finally revealed.
Lorna lives by the sea with her husband, two small daughters and a demanding dog called Socks.
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Over The Rainbow Blog 
Nice review Joanna. This sounds like a very interesting plot and story.
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