Pan Her Frozen Heart

I had been eagerly awaiting Her Frozen Heart but have only just had the opportunity to read it. Being snowed in has its plus points. An absolutely excellent story with many twists and turns that gripped me from the start. I love Ms Taylor's character development and her ability to adjust the language used to add realism to the historical parts of her stories. I can highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a thrilling, romantic journey of self discovery and realisation. Looking forward to more!

I never try to guess at endings, but I expect if I were that kind of reader, I would have got this one easily. The novel satisfies the fairly modest aims set for it. The writing is good, though not inspired. It's one of those "dual period" novels with a link, or links, between the stories - in this case a large, old house and a painting by Gainsborough. The two periods are woven together well, the plots nicely intertwined. Of course, as in a fugue, the voices have to be resolved, and I did feel that, in this novel, that was not achieved - it rather fizzles out. Incidentally, there is a "comic" episode where Fred is teaching Latin to Harry and Antonia. I am not sure which "Grammar" he was referring to, but either he or Ms Taylor could do with a lesson or two themselves. Lulu Taylor's "formula" works well, but one does rather get the impression that she is rewriting the same novel over and over again - even her titles suggest this. Having said all that, I really enjoyed this book, hence the four stars: but if you are looking for something "romantic but deep", then seek out a work by one of the two Sebastians - or hold your breath, and go for Iris Murdoch.

When I started reading this I enjoyed the first few chapters and wondered how the two stories would intertwine,I felt it all fizzled out and was a let down and could have been shorter

Loved the story and well written as usual - love her books

This absorbing novel tells two stories of manipulative, unscrupulous women, one set in the present day and one in 1947. They seems quite separate at first, but Lulu Taylor gradually nudges them closer together with consummate storyteller's skill, so that we see parallels between the decent characters who are too quick to trust, and the motivations of the deceivers. The scene-setting is wonderful, with vivid descriptions of present-day Oxford, as well as the countryside nearby during the severe winter of 1947 when rationing combined with huge snowfalls to make life especially hard. This is a beautifully written book that you will have to keep reading just to see what happens next.