A Tattooed Heart (Convict Girls #4) in Aussie Readers

Dec 24, 2015 PattyMacDotComma rated it really liked it

Shelves: australian-author, historical-fiction, aa

3.5★
More fun with the rollicking Friday Woolfe and her fellow convicts, still risking life and limb to avenge their fallen friend. There are more challenges, more secrets uncovered, more drinking and brawling.

It’s as well-written as the previous 3 books, and readers of the series will enjoy the conclusion. A new character is introduced, Lucy, a highly educated young woman who decides to become a bounty emigrant and go to Australia.

Lucy is invited to teach and chaperone some children who are goi ...more

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Aug 31, 2015 Brenda rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: aussie-authors, 2015-release, historical-fiction, own-read

1832 in Sydney Town and Friday Woolfe, Sarah Green (who married Adam) and Harrie Downey (who married James) were watching a funeral procession pass through Hunter Street. Clarence Shand, husband of their nemesis Bella had suffered a sudden heart attack – Bella was following in her carriage. The three girls all wished it was Bella in the coffin, not Clarence – they would never have any peace from that vicious woman until she was dead…

Harrie and James doted on their adopted daughter Charlotte – sh 1832 in Sydney Town and Friday Woolfe, Sarah Green (who married Adam) and Harrie Downey (who married James) were watching a funeral procession pass through Hunter Street. Clarence Shand, husband of their nemesis Bella had suffered a sudden heart attack – Bella was following in her carriage. The three girls all wished it was Bella in the coffin, not Clarence – they would never have any peace from that vicious woman until she was dead…

Harrie and James doted on their adopted daughter Charlotte – she was a delight, though a mischievous one at only two years of age. But trouble was afoot in the form of Jonah Leary – still searching for his brother, he was trying to concoct a scheme to get himself what he wanted. Meanwhile Friday was relying more and more on her tipples of gin to get her through each day. Sarah and Harrie were disgusted and angry with her and Mrs Elizabeth Heslop, Friday’s boss and owner of her papers was threatening to sack her if she didn’t stop drinking.

When the girls had to head to Newcastle to rescue Charlotte, they had to do it on the quiet; the darkness of night would be their saviour they hoped. They were convicts and as such, weren’t able to leave Sydney Town – but Charlotte was far more important; and a promise was a promise. But what would happen in Newcastle? And would they succeed in finding her?

Was Friday strong enough to beat her demons? Did she even want to? Problems were escalating and secrets on top of lies would soon find a way of being known. What would be the end result? Would loved ones be lost in the maelstrom of chaos surrounding them all?

A Tattooed Heart is the fourth and final book in the Convict Girls series by Aussie author Deborah Challinor and oh, what a divine read it was! A brilliant conclusion with everything tied up nicely. I’ve been holding off on reading it as it didn’t want it to be over. I’ve loved the whole series but highly recommend they’re read in order to get to know the main characters of Friday, Harrie, Sarah and Rachel as they begin their journey in London and head to Australia in the early 1800s as convicts. Beautifully written, impeccably researched and with the use of actual towns and places throughout, I’m extremely happy not to have lived in those times. I have great admiration for this author, and am very much looking forward to her next book, whatever it may be. Highly recommended.
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Jul 25, 2019 Kathryn rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: fiction, reading-list-2019, added-because-part-of-series, audiobooks, australian-authors

3.5★

It was a fitting end to the the series, the loose ends were neatly tied up, and it was all really quite clever, but somehow it was missing something that the second and third books had. I think it might be that the behaviour of one of the main characters annoyed me so much, that it detracted from my enjoyment of the story. I understand why it was necessary, but still...

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