A Special Gift...

I always look forward to reading a Clare Revell book. Almost all of them take place in Headley Cross, and I find it enjoyable to feel familiar with the surroundings, right away. There are also characters from other stories that show up, now and then, and that adds to the sense of reality. I like the feeling that I've “met” those people before. Friday's Child is about one such person, as—being an M-15 agent—he has shown up at just the right time in a couple of other books, already. He is a well-loved member of one of the prominent families in the series, too.

Patrick Page has spent the last ten years with his life centered around his job, and little time for anything else. But when his working world collides with a woman from his past, his normally reliable confidence is shaken. Something that adds yet another element of suspense to Ms Revell's style of dishing up one horrendous thing after another in all of her action-packed stories. Things that keep you turning the pages just to see what happens next.

However, the thing I enjoy most about all of these books is the thread of tangible hope that runs strong and true through each one of them. So much so, that you can actually take that part home with you, no matter where you live. At it's heart, Friday's Child is a testament to the faithfulness of God to not only set us up for “second chances,” but continue loving us during those times when we have become unloveable even to ourselves. A theme so universal, it's the kind I like to tuck away in my own spirit for the inevitable hard places we all seem to run into, from time to time.

Which is why I would recommend this book to anyone. Because it goes beyond entertainment and gives you something of value, besides. A gift that is worth more than just a pleasant bonus, when one considers how priceless such things become should you ever need them along your own journey. So, many thanks to Clare Revell... who has done it, again!

About Friday's Child...

Friday's Child is a man obsessed...

MI-5 agent Patrick Page is on the trail of a drug smuggler. He doesn't have time to revisit his past when he reconnects with the girl who got away--his girlfriend from college working at a library. He's more than surprised to see sweet Ellie singing on stage when he slips into a nightclub to gain intel on the club's owner. Why is she working two jobs? Why is she using an alias? Is she somehow involved? And is her involvement with his suspect merely a business relation or is there more to their partnership?

Ellie has a secret she doesn't want Patrick to know. His daughter. She'd turned custody over to her parents, however now she wants to be a mother not just a sister. But her own mother can't seem to let go neither has she forgiven Ellie for her past. So Ellie works two jobs and supports them both. Her one light is her music. The career she abandoned, and her boss has promised to make her a star. But now with Patrick back in her life she's questioning her choices. And is he interested in her, or does he have some hidden agenda? Does Patrick have a secret too?

About the series...

Clare Revell lives in a small town in England with her husband, whom she married in 1992, and her three children. Writing from a early childhood and encouraged by her teachers, she graduated from rewriting fairy stories through fanfiction to using her own original characters. Now, she enjoys writing an eclectic mix of romance, crime fiction and children's stories. When she's not writing, reading, sewing or keeping house or doing the many piles of laundry her children manage to make, she goes to Carey Baptist where she is one of three registrars. You can find out more about her at her website.

A Wild Ride...

Hold onto you hats, Clare Revell fans, because WEDNESDAY'S CHILD is a wild ride. One that takes us out of Headley Cross, and halfway around the world to Africa. But not just for fun because there are mysteries to solve and sinister forces afoot. All of which will keep you turning pages right up to the end.

That's not all, however, because Ms. Revell is up to her usual abilities to give heroine, Jacqui Dorne, a delightfully interesting job all by itself. Oh, yes, and if you are wondering how she comes up with so many of these diverse occupations, see the interview following this review ( I just had to ask).   Anyway, Jacqui is a landscape artist who is as good at what she does as what she believes.

Which brings me to what I like best about any Clare Revell novel, and that's the little bits of spiritual wisdom woven throughout. I say wisdom because it's always something that one can readily apply to our own “ordinary” lives. Something that makes WEDNESDAY'S CHILD (in my opinion) one of the best forms of pure entertainment there is. Along the romance variety. Just right for a quick getaway, and one I wouldn't hesitate to recommend.

Here's what it's all about...

Wednesday's Child grieves for his soul...

Liam Page, school teacher and ex-missionary, is a man with a secret agenda. Revenge. But when he says it with flowers, and accidentally drenches a woman who just happens to be the school's landscape architect, he may have found a light in his darkness.

After an abusive relationship, Jacqui Dorne prefers work to men. It's safer. But Liam Page with his boyish charm and wounded soul, manages to change her preferences. Has God led her to Liam to help him heal?

When their growing relationship is marred by the reappearance of Jacqui's ex-boyfriend, they find themselves suddenly embroiled in a series of dangerous events which leads them to Africa and has them fighting for both love and life.

Now, for a chat with Clare...

Clare Revell

Hello, and welcome back, Clare! OK... where in the world do you come up with so many interesting and diverse vocations for your main characters to have? 

Good question, Lilly. Short answer is, I have no idea. 

You're kidding.

Well, sort of. The truth is, sometimes from TV programmes I watch. Or, maybe while I'm writing something else, and one of the secondary characters will interrupt long enough to demand a book of their own.

Ah-ha. But I think you must have your antenna tuned for the especially quirky ones because they're all so unusual. For instance, did you have any personal interest in landscape artists before you wrote WEDNESDAY'S CHILD? Was there a particular moment that gave you that idea? 

Home of the
"great escape"

Actually, that one had its first draft a while ago, when PBG (has a great discount book club) ran a competition in which the hero was a teacher and the heroine a landscape architect. I'd never heard of them--always assumed they were just gardeners. But once I did a little research, Jacqui (who changed names several times), took on a life of her own.

I'll say she did, look how far she went from Headley Cross. Not to mention what she discovered about herself along the way. Something that reminds me how much these jobs are always a great fit for the actual plot of your stories. What usually comes to you first... the personality, the vocation, or the plot? 

In this instance the vocations came first. But normally, the plot happens first. Then the lead characters pick their names, and the jobs just seem to follow on.

Thank heaven, because with you being such a prolific writer, things could get confusing. Do you have some system for organizing ideas and plotting out future novels? Or do you simply carry it all around in your head? 

It's how I organize my head, actually, because if I don't write I go insane. But here's a sort of system I've come up with. I write a basic blurb for each idea, then out comes my stack of notecards. On them go the book title, hero, heroine (with a brief description of the job), and family history. Now, I may never include that the hero has a great aunt called Edith, but then you never know... 

Next in the series

Which is exactly what I enjoy about picking up one of your novels, Clare. I never know what I'm going to find in there! It's been great having a peek behind the scenes, today, and I'm sure I don't have to tell you how much I'll be looking forward to THURSDAY'S CHILD when it comes out.

Thank you, Lilly.

My pleasure. Have time for a bit of Seaweed Tea before you  go?

Hmm... I don't know, I've never tried any.

Well, personally, I've had to make a lot of changes since moving onto a boat. How about I file your opinion of it away for our next chat? Along with if you decide to opt in on the Mermaid Cakes I baked, this morning, to go along with it. 

I would have to be honest, of course.

One of the things I like best about you, Ms. Revell... the very best!

Tuesday's Child is...

I look forward to reading books by Clare Revell. She never fails to entertain with diverse characters, and amazingly unique storylines that draw you quickly into the life and loves of each one. 

TUESDAY'S CHILD would have been a delightful scenario all by itself, with heroine Adeline Munroe running a doll hospital that had the same protocols as a people one. Except there was a disturbing serial killer on the loose that kept me turning pages longer than I planned on more than one occasion. I didn't want to see that beautiful little world Adeline had created get shattered.

I also liked how she jumped into life a hundred percent, even to the point of taking a self-defense class in her church. Led by one of the members (a very attractive Detective Sergeant) who  happened to be working on the case. Between his niece needing the services of the doll hospital, and Adeline having detailed visions about the murders before they happened, the Lord seemed to have had a hand in bringing these two together. Even though there were a lot of things working against them from the very beginning.

  

Which is all I'm going to say about the story. It's a good one, and anyone who likes one of those will not be disappointed. However, Clare Revell accomplished something with this book that effected a change in me in a very quiet but impressive way. After having met Adeline Munroe, I will never look at deaf people in the same way, again. Ever.

So thank you for that, Clare.

Well done!

You can find out more about Clare, and the other books in this series by visiting her website. There are seven of them, one for every day of the week. How great is that? Meanwhile, here's a bit of a peek into all of them...