Finding Eadie in Aussie Readers

Jul 01, 2020 Brenda rated it it was amazing

Shelves: arc, own-read, historical-fiction, 2020-release, reviewing-by-request, aussie-authors, sent-by-publisher

It was 1943 and Alice Cotton was an enthusiastic member of the Partridge Press team in London. But she also had a secret she couldn’t tell her teammates. Her unexpected announcement that she was leaving shocked them, but Alice had no choice. What they didn’t know was that Alice had to go away to have a baby. Her Aunt Hope cared for her and when Alice’s daughter, Eadie was born, she couldn’t have been happier. But within a couple of days, Alice’s happiness had changed to despair and desperation…

T ...more

33 likes · Like · see review

Jul 14, 2020 Shelleyrae at Book'd Out rated it liked it

Shelves: aussie-author, provided-by-publisher

Finding Eadie is Caroline Beecham’s third engaging historical fiction novel set during the period of World War II in England.

It’s 1943 and much of London’s publishing industry is struggling as the war effort’s strain on resources takes its toll. The staff of Partridge Press however are determined to stay afloat, and are hoping an exciting new book suggested by assistant editor Alice Cotton will prove lucrative, but are shocked when she declines the opportunity to oversee the project and instead Finding Eadie is Caroline Beecham’s third engaging historical fiction novel set during the period of World War II in England.

It’s 1943 and much of London’s publishing industry is struggling as the war effort’s strain on resources takes its toll. The staff of Partridge Press however are determined to stay afloat, and are hoping an exciting new book suggested by assistant editor Alice Cotton will prove lucrative, but are shocked when she declines the opportunity to oversee the project and instead tenders her resignation, claiming a pressing family emergency.
Alice can’t reveal her real reason for leaving, she is pregnant, and her devout mother insists Alice give birth in secret elsewhere, returning to London with the child only under the pretence of it belonging to a relative. Eager to raise the baby herself, Alice agrees, but within hours of her daughter’s birth her mother betrays her by handing Eadie over to strangers.

Finding Eadie is largely the story of Alice’s search for her daughter among the city’s unscrupulous baby farmers who sell unwanted infants and toddlers with virtual impunity. Beecham shares the darker side of the trade, which flourished particularly during wartime until the Adoption of Children’ Act was passed in late 1943, though I would have liked for the author to explore this intriguing subject in greater depth.

Alice’s anguish over the fate of her daughter is palpable and I could help but empathise with her. Reluctant to admit to the situation due to the circumstances of the child’s conception, and the general disapproval of unwed mothers, Alice has few persons with which to share her heartbreak, or her mission, though two women prove supportive. Rejoining the staff of Partridge Press is a way for Alice to gain access to information about the baby farmers she would otherwise be unable to, the book project she abandoned offering her some cover.

I enjoyed learning something about the publishing industry in wartime. It was a period during which books were in high demand, but a scarcity of resources made operations difficult, especially for smaller presses. The arrival of Theo Bloom, an employee of Partridge Press’s New York office charged with increasing the profitability of the business, allows Beecham to explore the status of publishing in both the UK and USA during the period.

Theo Bloom also serves to introduce a romantic element into the story when he finds himself attracted to Alice’s sharp mind. The development of the relationship is handled quite sensitively, considering the somewhat awkward circumstances.

Finding Eadie is the sort of light historical fiction, with likeable characters and a pleasing blend of drama and romance, sure to have broad appeal.

NB 3 stars = a good read ...more

13 likes · Like · see review

Sep 18, 2020 Helen rated it really liked it

I thoroughly enjoyed this book, I have not read one of MS Beecham’s stories before but I will be reading more, beautifully written with lots of heartfelt emotion, It is 1943 World War 11 London and times are hard as we meet Alice Cotton and journey with her through ups and downs.

Alice is working at Partridge Press she is a young and rising star in the publishing business as Partridge are doing their best with rationing to gets books out there for the servicemen and people to take their minds of I thoroughly enjoyed this book, I have not read one of MS Beecham’s stories before but I will be reading more, beautifully written with lots of heartfelt emotion, It is 1943 World War 11 London and times are hard as we meet Alice Cotton and journey with her through ups and downs.

Alice is working at Partridge Press she is a young and rising star in the publishing business as Partridge are doing their best with rationing to gets books out there for the servicemen and people to take their minds of what is going on. Alice has a secret that she is keeping from her workmates and leaves her job and no one knows where she is, her secret is to have her baby she refuses to tell her mother who the father is but her mother says she will help her raise her child but that ends up not being the case and Alice’s mother does the worst thing she can to her daughter after baby Eadie is born.

Theo Bloom is working for the American office for Partridge Press he is engaged to the boss’s daughter and is very enthusiastic about getting books out to everyone, when he is asked to go to London to see if he can help them, he does but would rather stay in New York. He arrives and it is not long before he is feeling very comfortable with the London branch becoming friends with the staff, Alice is found although she seems a different person but she agrees to come back to work and get the book published that she started.

This story is heartbreaking at times but also heartwarming as Alice shows what strength she has to find her baby and the close friendships that she has with her workmates as they discover her secret and join in the search, she becomes very close to Theo and there is of course a fiancé to think of, but Theo has fallen head over heels for Alice and England is where he wants to stay.

This story is one of love and friendship of doing what you need to do to get what you want, it is a story too of how important books are especially in times of war and disasters, it is poignant with so many emotions such a great story one that I highly recommend, MS Beecham has bought up things that happened during the war and done it so very well.

Thank you Allen & Unwin for my copy to read.
...more

7 likes · Like · see review