A CHRISTMAS MIRACLE ON SANCTUARY LANE BY KIRSTY DOUGAL

I have been looking forward to the second Sanctuary Lane book ever since I finished reading the first, and I was not disappointed. The wonderful characters, the historical research and the great world building took me straight back to the East End during the First World War.

In the second book the animal hospital is up and running, which provides not only drama but some light relief from the poverty and daily grind, and the ever present knowledge that the battle of the Somme is being waged just across the channel. This historical backdrop gives the author the opportunity to explore some of the more complex emotions suffered by families thrown into grief, and this aspect of the book is especially well handled.

Tension, drama, romance – all perfectly balanced in a book I found it hard to put down. I only had one small quibble; the unnecessary prologue. The story itself is enough to pull the reader straight in.