Monday 9 March 2020

Blog Tour: the Widow's Mite by Allie Cresswell


The Widow’s Mite
Minnie Price married late in life. Now she is widowed. And starving.
No one suspects this respectable church-goer can barely keep body and soul together. Why would they, while she resides in the magnificent home she shared with Peter?
Her friends and neighbours are oblivious to her plight and her adult step-children have their own reasons to make things worse rather than better. But she is thrown a lifeline when an associate of her late husband arrives with news of an investment about which her step-children know nothing.
Can she release the funds before she finds herself homeless and destitute?

Fans of 'The Hoarder's Widow' will enjoy this sequel, but it reads equally well as a standalone.

Purchase Links
UK - https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0848P81GJ
US -  https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0848P81GJ

Review in Heels
When one thinks of the poor and needy, the phrase 'widows and orphans' may come to mind. Some may consider this an outdated stereotype, but it does have a basis in the truth. Poor Minnie Price is exactly one of these. Widowed after a brief marriage, she finds herself alone and starving in the house they used to share. Her callous stepchildren and the bitter winter push her into penury and deceit, and leave her vulnerable to promises of a secret investment.
This wasn't a comfortable read. Sometimes I just wanted to step into the page and tell someone - anyone - what was going on underneath their noses. It was all too easy to watch everything play out and makes one wonder how far one would go in the same circumstances. The deft prose was vivid without being heaving handed, painting Minnie's struggles with careful, honest touches. I found myself grimacing  at the emotions evoked even as I struggled to put the book down.
I will say that as this is the second in a series, I did find part of the plot wrapped around characters from the first book. I wouldn't say this diminished my enjoyment, but there were definitely threads that I didn't understand. The switching timelines also took a while to get used to, as they read like two separate books that had been merged chapter by chapter.
If you are looking for an emotional read about the quiet fringes of society please pick this book up.
Four stars for the feels and a very satisfying ending.

Author Bio
Allie Cresswell was born in Stockport, UK and began writing fiction as soon as she could hold a pencil. She did a BA in English Literature at Birmingham University and an MA at Queen Mary College, London. She has been a print-buyer, a pub landlady, a book-keeper, run a B & B and a group of boutique holiday cottages. Nowadays Allie writes full time having retired from teaching literature to lifelong learners. She has two grown-up children, two granddaughters, two grandsons and two cockapoos but just one husband – Tim. They live in Cumbria, NW England.
The Widow’s Mite is her tenth novel.
You can contact her via her website at www.allie-cresswell.com

Social Media Links
https://www.facebook.com/alliescribbler/
www.allie-cresswell.com

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