Reviewed: December 1st 2021
Released: January 30th, 2020
Genre: Historical Fiction
The year is 1786 and in the quiet countryside of Mere in Wiltshire sits ‘The Willows’. It has been the family’s home for three generations and Elizabeth Hamilton, the present owner; and her son, Stewart, lived alone until a cousin, Alexander, came when Stewart was 12.
For the last 21 years, the house has held a secret from the past which has been kept safely hidden even from Stewart.
Stewart Hamilton is impetuous by nature, saying of himself ‘I have a hasty tongue’, this being his downfall many times.
Only after Stewart marries are their lives turned into chaos, as it initiates a succession of vengeance against him and his family that lasts for over three years.
During that time, many secrets will be unveiled, some good, some life threatening, some life changing, but it is how they reveal themselves that transforms the lives of many people irrevocably…
Helen’s thoughts: 5/5
If you love rich and complex historical stories then Full Circle is the book for you. Set in the 1700’s Daisy introduces us to a family with a tangled history, lots of mystery and powerful characters. A family that has been torn apart by betrayal and loss and yet loves deeply.
The relationship between Stewart and his mother Elizabeth is central to the story, his headstrong and thoughtless behaviour a mother’s bane, but Stewart does grow up and learns to love as deeply as his mother. Daisy’s description of family life of country landowners in the 18th century, and the wonderful characters who complete their home is the perfect setting for the intrigue and vengeance that balances all that is good.
The thread of family love and support is delightful. The vengeful past suitably threatening. There is something for everyone in this book, and although it is a big book, it is full of beautiful descriptions and wonderful characters and is so easy to read that another chapter will pass before you realise it.
Daisy has created a wonderful world and populated it with engaging characters. A beautifully written book you won’t regret picking up.
About the author:
Daisy Wood was born in London and lived there all her life – apart from one a brief episode.
She also came to writing this book very late in life, you could say that this book ‘Full Circle’ has been 50 years in the making. She started it when she was around 20, but as sometimes happens, life took her down a different road. It was only when she retired that she found her original manuscript at the back of a cupboard. Her Mum had kept it all those years.
It was whilst researching her family tree, that she found a wealth of information regarding certain places in England. So, armed with this, and of course her family, who are all with the pages of the book. She started to write again. It took her two years to complete, plus a great deal of more research around that era in time. Then a further two years to see it published – ‘thanks to my Publishers Austin Macauley – who took the risk of taking it on’.
Daisy Wood is no author who started her career in journalism, as for most of her life she worked and studied at the local university – Unversity of East London – but she always had a passion for reading.
She hopes that you will enjoy reading this story, with it’s many twists and turns, as she has had in writing it.
Purchase Full Circle:
Link to book on Amazon UK: eBook | Paperback
Link to book on Amazon US: eBook | Paperback
If you enjoy also fantasy books then you will love my books which are available in eBook or paperback: Book One: Sentinals Awaken. Book Two: Sentinals Rising. Book Three: Sentinals Justice. Sign up to my newsletter and download a free novella called Sentinals Stirring and get notified when my next books are published.
Helen Garraway 