All the Days of Our Lives

Hopscotch Summer #3

by Annie Murray

It is 1946: the war is over and three young women face a new kind of life. But peacetime brings its own pressures . . . Katie O'Neill's childhood has been dominated by her temperamental mother and by frightening secrets that she barely understands. Innocent, yet hungry for love, she is easily taken in by male charm and is left outcast and alone with her young son. Emma Brown has spent the war at home in Birmingham, longing for her husband Norm to return and meet the son he has never seen. But she soon finds that the joy of homecoming only brings a whole new set of problems. And Molly Fox, after a sad and brutal childhood, found a place to belong during the war, in the women's army, the ATS. Now, the women are no longer wanted and Molly finds peacetime a bleak, difficult challenge. Finding work in guesthouses and holiday camps, she keeps running from herself, in search of a place she can call home. All the Days of Our Lives is the story of three girls who first met in a Birmingham classroom in the 1930s, each facing life with all its joys, sorrows and surprises.

### About the Author

Annie Murray was born in Berkshire and read English at St John's College, Oxford. Her first 'Birmingham' novel, Birmingham Rose, hit The Times bestseller list when it was published in 1995. She has subsequently written many other successful novels, including A Hopscotch Summer, Soldier Girl and the bestselling Chocolate Girls. Annie has four children and lives near Reading.

Genres: Historical, Fiction, Historical Fiction

567 pages, Paperback

First published April 29, 2011

About the author

Annie Murray was a ‘childhood writer.’ Her career was helped a great deal by belonging to Tindal Street Fiction Group in Birmingham and by winning the SHE/Granada TV Short Story Competition in 1991. She has published short stories in a number of anthologies as well as SHE magazine. Her first regional saga, Birmingham Rose appeared in 1995 and reached the Times bestseller list. She has since published more than a dozen others, including the ‘Cadbury books,’ Chocolate Girls and The Bells of Bournville Green, Family of Women and her latest, A Hopscotch Summer. Annie has four children and lives near Reading.

Reviews

[Jennifer Gallagher · Rating 4 out of 5]

have you ever screamed at a charachter in a book lol. I could see what was going to happen with Simon and Katy... kept saying get away from him.. he is using you! !!!

[Eleanor · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked the gentle twists and turns of this book, plus I was shouting, "get away from Vera, she's poison! "

[Julie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Dragged on far too long and I didn't feel as fond of the characters as I did in previous books.

[Catherine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not always an easy read, but enthralling and hard to put down! I loved the way the three main characters kept alternating their presence in the story, which was finally brought to a satisfying conclusion. Well done Annie! I had no idea that I was beginning a trilogy when I started A Hopscotch Summer, but then became unable to resist reading Soldier Girl and then All the Days of Our Lives! I look forward to reading more of Annie's books.

[Varnika · Rating 4 out of 5]

Following the lives of 3 women and how their lives were affected post world war 2. The story explores various aspects of life: friendship, love, betrayal, family and much more. Following the lives of these women, at one point or the other, people can relate to them and feel roller coaster of emotions from helplessness, sadness, betrayal, fright and in the end ending on a happy note.

[Diane Fells · Rating 4 out of 5]

I didn't find this book quite as gripping as the first two in trilogy for the first half, though still enjoyable. It picked up for me in the second half though so that at the end I was sad it was the last one. Already missing Emma, Molly and Katie.

[Linda Leedham · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyed the book reading through the lives of 3 friends over the years symotaniously over the chapters .didn't realise it was part of a trilogy though. It took me a while to remember which girl did what until the middle of book

[Samantha Neal · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great story.
I couldn't put this one down.
I loved how the characters were after the war and you find out what has happened.
It was nice to go back in time from the second book and put it into place to find out what has happened.

[Helen Rogers · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent as always.

Great book. Lovely to follow the lives of Katie, Em and Molly. Interesting storylines and historical context. I thoroughly enjoyed it.

[Anna · Rating 1 out of 5]

i really don't like writing unfavorable reviews, thinking perhaps the author will read them, and have their feelings hurt. Naive way of thinking, I am sure. Never-the-less there you have it. It makes me feel bad to make someone else feel bad. However, if it will keep you, gentle reader, from wasting your time on this novel, it will have been worth it.
I really tried to like this book. I even read it all the way to the end, thinking it would have redeeming features eventually. Alas. Drivel, of the monotonous repetitive, whiny, repetitive kind persisted til the end. Far to many words were used to tell a very mediocre story in my opinion. I felt the characters were poorly laid out; I had no clear view of any of them. I am thinking the protagonist was meant to be Kate, but really I never became really fond of her. Emma was also not very likable, and Molly didn't rouse any feelings of identity with me. I was just really disappointed in this book, wishing I had listened to myself after the 5th chapter or so and returned it to the library unfinished. I would have been not the poorer for that decision. Instead I wasted several more hours giving this author a chance to win me as a reader. Not gonna happen, my first book by her will be my last.

[Tracy Bethell · Rating 4 out of 5]

very good,reading another one of hewrs at the minute,which is excellent