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Harvey Family Saga #1
Touch the Silence
1917 . The First World War casts its shadow over the Harvey family of Ford Farm. One brother has already been killed, and Tristan now serves at the Front. Though newly engaged to pretty Emilia Rowse - a friend since childhood - younger brother Ben is desperate to serve his country. But a horrific injury causes him to be declared unfit, and Emilia's life becomes ever more difficult. Tensions mount on the family farm. Everyone, it seems, has closely guarded secrets... Can Emilia find happiness? Filled with a rich cast of unforgettable characters and packed with period detail, Touch the Silence is the brilliant opening to the Harvey Family sagas. For readers of Anne Baker, Maggie Hope and Daisy Styles.
346 pages, Paperback
First published March 1, 2003
45 people are currently reading
63 people want to read
About the author
Gloria Cook
34 books15 followersGloria is the author of well-loved Cornish novels, including the Pengarron and Harvey sagas. She is Cornish born and bred, and lives in Truro, a city and civil parish in Cornwall, England.
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
April 6, 2019
A very good story over all. The characters are diverse and well written. I've always loved anything set in and around the time of WWI and is the reason why I picked this book up and was so glad it was the first in a saga. I'm definitely going to read the rest. Anyone who enjoys books set in this time and likes books about families and family life will enjoy this.
February 21, 2018
This is the first in a series of 6 books.
The book is beening republished in 2018.
I really warmed to the characters and the settings.
I hope to add a more detailed review later.
I give thanks to Netgalley and Canelo for a copy in exchange for this review.
The book is beening republished in 2018.
I really warmed to the characters and the settings.
I hope to add a more detailed review later.
I give thanks to Netgalley and Canelo for a copy in exchange for this review.
January 6, 2011
I love a family saga and this is the first book of a 6 part series on the Harvey family. I look forward to moving onto the next book.
It is 1917 and Emilia Rowse and Ben Harvey have been friends since childhood and recently they have come to feel differently about each other. They are both 17 and Ben has been accepted into the Army as an Officer as soon as he turns 18. He has an accident and loses the sight in one eye, this upsets him very much and he blames Emilia.
At the same time Alec – the eldest Harvey son is also falling in love with Emilia. After Ben and Emilia’s breakup Alec steps in and Emilia marries him.
Tristan Harvey is away fighting in the war along with Emilia’s brother Billy. Billy does not come home but Tristan does and he has his own disappointment.
There are other character’s in this book that are equally as engaging and it was great to learn about them. Daniel Philpott was good to listen to and helped to make it interesting.
It is 1917 and Emilia Rowse and Ben Harvey have been friends since childhood and recently they have come to feel differently about each other. They are both 17 and Ben has been accepted into the Army as an Officer as soon as he turns 18. He has an accident and loses the sight in one eye, this upsets him very much and he blames Emilia.
At the same time Alec – the eldest Harvey son is also falling in love with Emilia. After Ben and Emilia’s breakup Alec steps in and Emilia marries him.
Tristan Harvey is away fighting in the war along with Emilia’s brother Billy. Billy does not come home but Tristan does and he has his own disappointment.
There are other character’s in this book that are equally as engaging and it was great to learn about them. Daniel Philpott was good to listen to and helped to make it interesting.
June 16, 2018
A good little book with lovely, believable and well rounded characters. The style of writing was really good and I enjoyed the book but I thought it was a bit flat. It felt like a family story that was handed down through the generations without an actual climax.
April 7, 2020
I'm not really one for historical sagas, but I am willing to give any book a go. I did read a complete saga by Annie Groves which I really enjoyed, so am not adverse to reading them! However, this one didn't really grab me.
The story of the Harvey family and the surrounding characters was OK, the characters were well written and the facts surrounding the war and what was going on in England seemed accurate. I did find Emilia to be a little annoying though. I know she had difficult circumstances to overcome, but I found her attitude and behaviour to be quite bad, especially for the time the book is set. Not one to spoil it for others, but even today what she did would be frowned upon (unless she appeared on Jeremy Kyle!!). The brothers element was done well though, but the reconciliation seemed to be a little too neat. I know the book is part of a saga, so more may develop on this front, but it left me a little flat. I would have liked more information on Archie though, as he seemed to be a character with more story to tell than was detailed here - maybe he gets his own saga??!!
Ultimately, I am glad I read it, it wasn't a waste of time I'll not get back, but I'll not be seeking out any more in the series.
The story of the Harvey family and the surrounding characters was OK, the characters were well written and the facts surrounding the war and what was going on in England seemed accurate. I did find Emilia to be a little annoying though. I know she had difficult circumstances to overcome, but I found her attitude and behaviour to be quite bad, especially for the time the book is set. Not one to spoil it for others, but even today what she did would be frowned upon (unless she appeared on Jeremy Kyle!!). The brothers element was done well though, but the reconciliation seemed to be a little too neat. I know the book is part of a saga, so more may develop on this front, but it left me a little flat. I would have liked more information on Archie though, as he seemed to be a character with more story to tell than was detailed here - maybe he gets his own saga??!!
Ultimately, I am glad I read it, it wasn't a waste of time I'll not get back, but I'll not be seeking out any more in the series.
July 11, 2018
An interesting story about three brothers and the challenges they faced in Cornwall during the First World War.
I love historical fiction and particularly enjoy books set in that time period. Whilst this book held my interest sufficiently for me to read and finish it, it didn’t create a desperate need for me to read it - it was lacking some pizazz!
Whilst the characters were a broad range of people, I felt that you didn’t really get to know some of them well enough - they didn’t really reveal much about themselves and the great secret about one of the characters was nothing much at all!
Interesting setting - I think the book would have benefited from more description eg Em’s parents are introduced in one or two sentences and then not mentioned again for 100 pages so was difficult to remember exactly who they were.
An interesting read but needs a little more oomph for me to rate it higher than a 3.5*
I love historical fiction and particularly enjoy books set in that time period. Whilst this book held my interest sufficiently for me to read and finish it, it didn’t create a desperate need for me to read it - it was lacking some pizazz!
Whilst the characters were a broad range of people, I felt that you didn’t really get to know some of them well enough - they didn’t really reveal much about themselves and the great secret about one of the characters was nothing much at all!
Interesting setting - I think the book would have benefited from more description eg Em’s parents are introduced in one or two sentences and then not mentioned again for 100 pages so was difficult to remember exactly who they were.
An interesting read but needs a little more oomph for me to rate it higher than a 3.5*
August 30, 2018
Book one of the Harvey Family Saga sets the scene to this series well.
Cornwall at the time of World War I and Emilia a farm hand is suffering rejection from one of the Harvey Brothers as he blames her and consequently pushes her away frustrated with now been declared unfit to serve his Country due to a horrific injury. Upset she turns to his brother and a drama unravels as they become a couple.
With believable characters, guarded secrets, plenty of scandal and period detail this book was very enjoyable and I read it one day. Book two I will be reading straightaway intrigued to see just what the future has in store for Emilia.
My thanks go to the author, publisher and Netgalley in providing this arc in return for a honest review.
Cornwall at the time of World War I and Emilia a farm hand is suffering rejection from one of the Harvey Brothers as he blames her and consequently pushes her away frustrated with now been declared unfit to serve his Country due to a horrific injury. Upset she turns to his brother and a drama unravels as they become a couple.
With believable characters, guarded secrets, plenty of scandal and period detail this book was very enjoyable and I read it one day. Book two I will be reading straightaway intrigued to see just what the future has in store for Emilia.
My thanks go to the author, publisher and Netgalley in providing this arc in return for a honest review.
May 15, 2018
For some reason I found this book a little slow at the start. Once I got into it I loved following the lives of the Harvey family. Set during WW1 you follow the ups and downs and tragedies of the family trying to survive the war in Cornwall. I’m glad to know this is a series and I will definitely be reading the other books to find out how they are all getting on.
February 3, 2026
Got Into this after a couple of chapters. Fast moving story and fast moving characters in their wavering affections for one another. But on the whole the story was good and had a few twists. I can see the ways this saga will continue.
July 23, 2018
Enjoyable rad of the Harvey family
January 2, 2019
another of my randon picks but I did enjoy it. Not heard of the author before, and although the WW! theme is not new, i thought the story unfolded well and was well told.
June 12, 2019
I was a bit half and half on this one. It wasn't a bad story but it wasn't particularly entertaining either.
January 3, 2024
Really good story of the ups and downs in the life of the Harvey family in WW1. Well worth a read
August 17, 2018
I enjoyed reading this WW1 saga set in rural Cornwall, although I found it a little slow moving at times.
This is a favourite genre fo me, so I am looking forward to reading the continuing stories of the Harvey family.
This is a favourite genre fo me, so I am looking forward to reading the continuing stories of the Harvey family.
January 7, 2020
Thanks to NetGalley and to Canelo for an advance copy of Touch the Silence, by Gloria Cook.
This book was first published by Severn House in 2003 and was republished in 2018. It's the first in the Harvey Family saga, of which there are currently six volumes.
I found the book quite difficult to get into at first. There were a lot of characters to find out about and the first time "Lucy" was mentioned, I had no idea who she was. At one point I thought there might be two Lucys.
However, once the book got going for me, I struggled to put it down. It's not really gripping reading or fast-paced, but I wanted to know more about these characters and how they'd all get along.
The character of Alec sometimes came across as a bit one-dimensional. He spoke a bit like the narrator and so he didn't really jump off the page for me. All the others did, though.
The story follows the lives and loves of some of the Harvey family, and it's set very well in Cornwall and on the western front in the first world war. I found the soldiers' descriptions particularly colourful and realistic, of both the trenches and what happened to so many men.
It was nice to have some surprises along the way, but it was also a little predictable in only a very few places.
The ending seemed a little rushed. However, I enjoyed the story and I'll certainly look out for more books by the same author.
This book was first published by Severn House in 2003 and was republished in 2018. It's the first in the Harvey Family saga, of which there are currently six volumes.
I found the book quite difficult to get into at first. There were a lot of characters to find out about and the first time "Lucy" was mentioned, I had no idea who she was. At one point I thought there might be two Lucys.
However, once the book got going for me, I struggled to put it down. It's not really gripping reading or fast-paced, but I wanted to know more about these characters and how they'd all get along.
The character of Alec sometimes came across as a bit one-dimensional. He spoke a bit like the narrator and so he didn't really jump off the page for me. All the others did, though.
The story follows the lives and loves of some of the Harvey family, and it's set very well in Cornwall and on the western front in the first world war. I found the soldiers' descriptions particularly colourful and realistic, of both the trenches and what happened to so many men.
It was nice to have some surprises along the way, but it was also a little predictable in only a very few places.
The ending seemed a little rushed. However, I enjoyed the story and I'll certainly look out for more books by the same author.
July 22, 2018
I really enjoyed this book. Although it was essentially a family saga, there was also a social history element with it being set around the First World War and it highlighted what life was like at that time, especially for women. It was set in Cornwall but there wasn't a lot that was Cornwall specific so it could have been set anywhere rural. This added to the realism though. It was a well written book with a good story and believable characters. I'm really looking forward to reading the other parts of the saga and catching up with where the characters are then. I intend to look up the author and see if she has done anything else!
October 25, 2018
I enjoyed this book. I do like a good family saga. This one is set during the Great War (1914-18) and finishes with the Spanish flu. The people are as ordinary as anyone really is. There are 3 brothers, 2 farms and sundry other characters - and lots happening. Not too girly or romantic - very real
July 7, 2018
Set during the First World War, this book is full of well rounded characters. This isn't a period I'm accustomed to reading, but the setting and the seemed authentic and believable.
Many thanks to NetGalley and to the publishers for allowing me to read a copy of this in exchange for an honest review.
Many thanks to NetGalley and to the publishers for allowing me to read a copy of this in exchange for an honest review.
February 14, 2019
I am reviewing this book for Gloria Cook, Canelo, and NetGalley who gave me a copy of their book for an honest review.
Set during WWI, a great book full of interesting characters and a great storyline
Set during WWI, a great book full of interesting characters and a great storyline
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews