#Spirited

A beautifully haunting and atmospheric historical novel about three brave women with unspeakable truths – perfect for fans of The Binding, Once Upon A River and The Familiars.

Three women carry unspeakable truths in their heart. At what cost will they find their freedom?

In Victorian England, Viola is an amateur photographer struggling with the grief of her father’s death and the sterile atmosphere of her marriage to her childhood friend, Jonah. When she discovers a talent for capturing ghostly images on camera, Viola comes to the attention of a spirit medium, and a powerful attraction between the two women is sparked… As each woman puts herself at risk, secrets are brought to light that will change their lives forever.

Driven by passionate, courageous female characters Cohen exploresthemes of sexuality, gender and prejudice, firmly establishing her as one of our best storytellers.

This story follows the lives of three individuals who are lonely and lost and takes us on a journey of finding love and acceptance.

Recently married, childhood sweethearts, Violet and Jonah have recently moved to the country to try and get over the loss of her father. Before they were married Jonah spent time in India and Violet feels he has come back changed and now feels lonelier than ever with her father gone and her husband acting like a stranger.

Then a well know spirit medium arrives in town and she sees that Jonah is hiding something from his new wife.

I was initially unsure about the spiritual element but I actually really enjoyed it and ended up flying through this book. The women in it were both strong and capable and so perfect for each other.

This is great piece of historical fiction that I really felt immersed in and I really liked the pieces of old text at the end of the chapters. If your a fan of historical fiction reads like the familiars then this is definitely one you are going to want to pick up!

Thank you to @orionbooks and @randomttours for my #gifted copy in exchange for review.

Julie Cohen grew up in the western mountains of Maine. Her house was just up the hill from the library and she spent many hours walking back and forth, her nose in a book. She studied English Literature at Brown University and Cambridge University and is a popular speaker and teacher of creative writing, including classes for the Guardian and Literature Wales. Her books have been translated into fifteen languages and have sold over a million copies; DEAR THING and TOGETHER were Richard and Judy Book Club picks. Her most recent novel is the critically acclaimed LOUIS & LOUISE. Julie lives in Berkshire with her husband, son and a terrier of dubious origin.

You can find Julie on Twitter: @julie_cohen or you can visit her website: http://www.julie-cohen.com.