Looking for your next read? Fan of Historical Fiction? Love a good Saga to get your teeth into? Well then, today's title in the spotlight, on tour with Rachel's Random Resources, may be just the ticket to add to your beach plans this summer! Ladies and gents, allow me to introduce...
All Change at the Beach Hotel
by
Francesca Capaldi
About the book...
Can she choose between her duty and her heart?
While World War One changes the country beyond measure, with food becoming scarce and Britain’s young men being called up to foreign battlefields, it is harder than ever to keep the grand Beach Hotel in Littlehampton running smoothly.
Waitress Lili Probert, a young woman who escaped her demanding family in Wales in search of a new life in Sussex, has seen her hard work rewarded at the Beach Hotel, but hides heartbreak behind her sunny personality. Her sweetheart, Norman, is missing in action and has been presumed dead, but she cannot give up hope that he may be found.
But when she meets injured soldier Rhodri, a fellow Welshman now living near Littlehampton, she fights hard to ignore her growing attraction for him, torn between her feelings for him and her loyalty to the man she thought she’d spend her life with.
But her emotions run ever higher when she suddenly receives a call from home; her mother is gravely ill and Lili is needed for her care. Returning to Wales, Lili must make a difficult choice. Follow her dreams and make her own life, or return to the place she tried so hard to escape?
Torn between her duty and her heart, Lili faces her own battle far from the conflicts in Europe…
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~~~ EXCERPT ~~~
Lili is about to sing at a charity concert and is sick with nerves. The handsome Corporal Morgan is in the audience, and she feels guilty about liking him. She’s also looking out for her sweetheart Norman’s sister, Florence.
Lili went up the steps, entering the stage via the backdrop. Some people were already smiling expectantly. Most didn’t look so sure, maybe because they were regulars and she was unfamiliar to the crowds outside the hotel. The clapping was polite but subdued.
Don't look at the audience, look at the wall. Imagine it’s an empty room. It was her mam’s voice. There was no wall to look at though, just the hotel. She’d concentrate on that.
After the muted applause died down, Lili glanced at the lady playing the piano, who nodded at her and began the introduction to I Do Like To Be Beside The Seaside.
This was it.
She sang the first words.
‘Everyone delights to spend their summer’s holiday, down beside the side of the silvery sea…’
But it didn’t sound right. She was that ten-year-old again, croaking on stage. Oh no, this was terrible. What should she do?
Coming to a halt at the end of the first line, she coughed and looked over at the pianist, who must have realised something was up and stopped playing.
‘Sorry, excuse me,’ said Lili. ‘I seem to have a little frog in my throat. Must be being near the river, see.’
She wasn’t sure where that had come from, but the audience laughed and she relaxed. When she looked back over at the pianist, she was grinning at her. ‘If we could start that again, please?’
The pianist nodded and began the introduction once more. She started the song again: this time her voice was smooth and the notes correct. It was such a relief that her spirits rose and she felt herself being swept away by the catchy beat of the song as people swayed along to it. On the last chorus, the audience joined in. When she’d finished, she received enthusiastic applause.
So far, so good. Calon Lân was what she had planned next, despite being afraid they wouldn’t appreciate it being in a different language. Mr Janus had seemed to think it would be just fine. Nevertheless, she explained its meaning, adding:
‘See, it means a lot to me as I don’t wish for the world’s wealth, just to have a happy heart, an honest heart and a pure heart, like it says in the song.’
A member of the audience whistled their agreement, while several nodded and a couple held their hands up to clap.
As she sang, she dared to look briefly at Rhodri, who she was surprised to see miming the words along with her as he smiled.
Much to her amazement, she held the audience’s attention, receiving a nice applause at the end.
‘For my last song today, I’m going to sing a favourite of mine: Let Me Call You Sweetheart.’
A cheer went up: it was clearly a favourite of a few here. As she sang, she noticed Florence join the audience, standing at one side. She was a little disappointed that she might not have heard the rest of her performance, though it was possible she was just moving position.
The song finished and the applause was instant. Edie and Mrs Bygrove, standing together near the front of the crowd, held their hands high as they clapped. Her attention was alerted to someone in the seated audience standing. It was Rhodri. Following his lead, several others did the same, and soon half the audience was on its feet. She tried to see if Florence was clapping, but she was hidden by the now-standing members of the audience.
Curtsy. She should curtsy, to thank them.
As she did so, Mr Janus came up beside her.
‘Thank you, Miss Probert, for a marvellous debut on our stage.’
Lili took another bow, to more applause, before beating a hasty retreat, leaving Mr Janus to speak. She headed to join Fanny and hopefully find Florence along the way.
‘I do hope you enjoyed the splendid entertainments this afternoon,’ he said. ‘Please, do give what you can. It’s for the Duchess of Norfolk’s home for disabled soldiers and sailors.’
Lili reached Fanny, not having seen Norman’s sister. Never mind, when the crowds cleared a little, she might spot her.
‘Here’s ya bucket,’ said Fanny, almost chucking it at her. ‘Well done, by the way,’ she added, almost reluctantly. ‘Ya sing good.’
‘Why, thank you.’
They’d only just started collecting money when a figure rushed towards them. ‘Lili! Oh, Lili.’
Here was Florence, at last. Her opening words were hopeful, except… when Lili saw her worried expression, she couldn’t figure out what she might have done wrong.
Florence grasped her free hand and it was then her eyes welled up with tears.
What could have happened? Even as the words went through Lili’s head, an icy dread coursed through her.
‘We had a telegram… this morning.’
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About the author...
Francesca has enjoyed writing since she was a child. Born in Worthing and brought up in Littlehampton in Sussex, she was largely influenced by a Welsh mother who was brilliant at improvised story telling. A history graduate and qualified teacher, she decided to turn her writing hobby into something more in 2006, when she joined a writing class.
Writing as both Francesca Capaldi and Francesca Burgess, she has had many short stories published in magazines in the UK and abroad, along with several pocket novels published by DC Thomson.
Her Welsh World War 1 sagas were inspired by the discovery of the war record of her great grandfather, a miner in South Wales. Her latest series, The Beach Hotel, is set in her own childhood town, where her Italian father had a café on the riverside.
Francesca is a member of the Romantic Novelists' Association and the Society of Women Writers and Journalists. She currently lives on the North Downs in Kent with her family and a cat called Lando Calrission.
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Special thanks to Rachel at
Rachel's Random Resources for the chance to bring this tour to you! (THANKS!) For more information on this title, the author, this tour, or those on the horizon, feel free to click through the links provided above. This title is available now, so click on over to your favorite online retailer to snag your copy today! Be sure to check out the rest of the sites participating for more bookish fun...
Until next time, remember...if it looks good, READ IT!
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