Book Review: A Noble Guardian (The Bow Street Runners Trilogy book 3) by Michelle Griep

Summary: A Noble Guardian (The Bow Street Runners Trilogy #3) by Michelle Griep

The must-read conclusion to Michelle Griep’s Bow Street Runners Trilogy: Life couldn’t be better for Abigail Gilbert—but it’s been a long time coming. Having lived with a family who hated her, love is finally within reach. Abby sets off on a journey across England to marry one of the most prestigious gentleman bachelors in the land—until highwaymen upset her plans and threaten her life.
 
Horse patrol captain Samuel Thatcher arrives just in time to save Abby. But to him she’s simply another victim in a job he’s come to despise. Tired of the dark side of humanity, he intends to buy land and retire.
 
Abby pleads with him to escort her on the rest of her journey. He refuses until she offers him the thing he desperately needs to achieve his goal: money. Delivering her safely will earn him more than enough to settle into a quiet life.

So begins an impossible trek for the cynical lawman and the proper lady. Each will be indelibly changed by the time they reach her betrothed, if they don’t kill one another first—or fall in love.

Book Review: A Noble Guardian (The Bow Street Runners Trilogy #3) by Michelle Griep

Starting out, I found that this story had a bit of a Cinderella vibe to it. Abigail, Abby, has a step mother who hates her. Although her biological father is still alive, that doesn’t seem to help Abby much. Her mother still manages to physically and verbally abuse her, so Abby can’t wait to get away from the family. Her betrothed lives far to the north of the country, Abby’s family is set to travel abroad and can spare no footmen, so Abby has to travel unaccompanied by males across some regions controlled by highwaymen. She only gets to take Fanny, the maid her stepmother doesn’t want in her employ. This setup is bound for disaster, and soon Abby finds herself in a life threatening situation, from which she is saved by world-weary police Captain Samuel Thatcher. Abby realizes she needs protection and persuades the Captain to help her. He agrees to deliver her safely to her betrothed in return for a hefty sum of money he will use to fund his retirement.

There are plenty of dramatic events mixed up with humor, especially in the beginning of the story. Later the drama intensifies and takes over. The plot feels more like a somewhat predictable thriller with the occasional moment of closeness between Abby and Captain Thatcher. I enjoyed the sweet situations as the relationship develops between them, however brief and somewhat casual they felt.

Main Characters

Abigail, Abby, Gilbert has suffered the loss of her mother in her earlier years. Growing up she has suffered abuse by her stepmother without her father having interfered much. She has tried to be a good daughter to no avail, and carries around a lot of grief. Apart from trying to be tough and deal with whatever comes in life, I felt her character seemed a bit one-sided. I had hoped to find descriptions of a more complex personality and connect with her feelings more. However, I enjoyed that we got a glimpse into the real Abby when she suffered feverish nightmares.

Captain Samuel Thatcher seemed the most developed character in this story and he went through the most change and development throughout. To begin with he seemed to carry a lot of baggage having been through a lot in his life. As the story progresses he goes through a positive change, although he still remains this justice conscious police man trying to make the world a safer place. As he seems so closed off and cold, he seems to have his work cut out for him developing into a person who is able to connect to a woman at all.

The maid Fanny I found was a funny supporting character who focuses on eating and taking naps. She seems to not quite understand her role as a maid silently doing as she’s told. Instead Fanny talks back and generally makes a disruptive nuisance of herself. That’s why Abby’s stepmother prefers to get rid of her.

Overall Thoughts

This is book #3 in The Bow Street Runners Trilogy. Usually I try to read trilogies as they come, but decided to read this as a standalone. As expected there were characters from the previous installments that I didn’t know. There were brief explanations as to who they were, so on the whole I thought #3 worked out quite well as a standalone. The plot, I felt, became somewhat predictable and I would have enjoyed more complex and further developed characters. I enjoyed the mention of places they travel past and the mixing in of entertaining facts about them as well as the Historical Notes at the back of the story. Fans of Michelle Griep will enjoy this as the final installment in The Bow Street Runners Trilogy.

My rating: 3 stars / 5

(All opinions are my own)

About The Author

I hear voices. Loud. Incessant. And very real. Which basically gives me two options: choke back massive amounts of Prozac or write fiction. I've been writing since I discovered blank wall space and Crayolas. I seek to glorify God in all that I write--except for that graffiti phase I went through as teenager.

To learn more about the author, visit https://michellegriep.com/

Book Review: A Holiday by Gaslight by Mimi Matthews

Summary: A Holiday by Gaslight by Mimi Matthews

A Courtship of Convenience

Sophie Appersett is quite willing to marry outside of her class to ensure the survival of her family. But the darkly handsome Mr. Edward Sharpe is no run-of-the-mill London merchant. He's grim and silent. A man of little emotion--or perhaps no emotion at all. After two months of courtship, she's ready to put an end to things.

A Last Chance for Love

But severing ties with her taciturn suitor isn't as straightforward as Sophie envisioned. Her parents are outraged. And then there's Charles Darwin, Prince Albert, and that dratted gaslight. What's a girl to do except invite Mr. Sharpe to Appersett House for Christmas and give him one last chance to win her? Only this time there'll be no false formality. This time they'll get to know each other for who they really are.

Book Review: A Holiday by Gaslight by Mimi Matthews

Sophia Appersett, daughter of a baronet in dire financial circumstance, has no real interest in getting married. She agrees to court Edward-Ned Sharpe, a wealthy businessman Sophia’s family approve of because he has money.

The courtship

I found it funny and entertaining that Sophia and Ned’s courtship gets messed up by his reading of the Gentlemen’s Book of Etiquette where he gets some very bad advice indeed. It does nothing but muddy the waters between them. Sophia doesn’t get to see Ned for who he really is at all, but somehow he gets to know her. I enjoyed following what goes on between them throughout the story. She is not exactly the delicate lady he initially thought her to be.

Being a believer in Darwin’s new ideas, she harbors some quite progressive views for a Victorian woman.

The Christmas theme

Descriptions of the holiday gathering added a very nice Christmas vibe to the story, which I enjoyed a lot. I felt it was a shame really, that it was only 174 pages long. I flew through it in a couple of hours. Really enjoyable to read about the gathering of greenery when the host invited guests to go into the estate’s woods looking for Mistletoe and Holly branches to decorate the house with.

The Changing World

In this story there is a vibe similar to Downton Abbey where people were worried about the changes in society. The landed gentry’s members, like the Appersetts, really wanted things to stay the same but had to adapt to the changing world. Even though they really wanted to look down their noses at Ned and his family, they had to accept him as suitor for their daughter.  

I enjoyed the references to historical facts of the time and to technical inventions like the sewing machine. Sophie spent years of her life trying to cover up the family’s difficult financial circumstances. Trying to find ways to make money stretch and have the appearance and lifestyle of a wealthy family. The way this was done, I found interesting and unusual in today’s perspective. Don’t think I have read about women of that era trying to be thrifty.

My Overall Thoughts

This is the first of Mimi Matthews’ works I have read, and I found it both entertaining and enjoyable. It had plenty of interesting elements of facts and references to what might have influenced the characters’ mindset at the time. I also found the Christmas theme well covered, adding to a great vibe throughout. All in all I would recommend A Holiday by Gaslight to fans of Mimi Matthews’ works and for readers of historical fiction in general.

My rating 5 stars / 5

(All opinions are my own)

About The Author

USA Today bestselling author Mimi Matthews writes both historical nonfiction and award-winning proper historical romances set in Victorian England. Her articles on nineteenth century history have been published on various academic and history sites, including the Victorian Web and the Journal of Victorian Culture, and are also syndicated at BUST Magazine. In her other life, Mimi is an attorney. She resides in California with her family, which includes an Andalusian dressage horse, two Shelties, and two Siamese cats.
To learn more, please visit www.MimiMatthews.com

Book Review: Legacy of Love (Haven Manor book 1.5) by Kristi Ann Hunter

Summary: Legacy of Love (Haven Manor #1.5) by Kristi Ann Hunter

When Sarah Gooding returned a valuable brooch to the elderly Dowager Countess of Densbury, she had no idea it would lead to a job as the lively woman's companion. Nor did she expect to admire the Dowager's youngest grandson so much, even though the difference in their stations means nothing will ever come of her daydreams.

Book Review: Legacy of Love (Haven Manor #1.5) by Kristi Ann Hunter

Grown-up foster child Sarah Gooding once did The Dowager Countess of Densbury a huge favor finding her most prized possession, a large amethyst brooch she had lost in the snow. This resulted in securing her a position as the countess’ companion.  One of the tasks of this job is accompanying the countess to the weekly dinner with her family. During the event she sits behind the piano hidden from view playing music to entertain the family. Sarah dislikes them all, save for one, Randall Everard who is The Countess’ grandson. Hidden behind the piano she gets to listen in on quite the unsavory discussion when The Earl of Denbury is trying to direct wealth towards his oldest son and heir at the expense of his mother The Dowager Countess and later also his son, Randall.

We discover early on that the Dowager Countess has a good heart, and that her grandson is her favorite. She tries to encourage him to stop working for his father’s estate, which will never be his, and start working for something of his own. Whenever he spends time with his grandmother he tries to talk to her companion, but Sarah seems meek and shy so he doesn’t know quite what to make of her. The Dowager Countess, however, encourages them to spend time together even if Sarah is of a much lower standing than Randall and any serious connection between them seems out of the question.

This story can be read as part of the Christmas Heirloom collection or, like I did, as #1.5 in the Heaven Manor series. Either way you are in for a treat. It is a quick and sweet read that will easily get you into the Christmas mood. It is recommended for fans of Kristi Ann Hunter’s other works and for readers of historical fiction in general.

My rating: 4 stars /5

(all opinions are my own)

About The Author

Kristi Ann Hunter graduated from Georgia Tech with a degree in Computer Science but always knew she wanted to write. In addition to several pre-published contests, Kristi is a Rita award winner and has also been a finalist in the INSPY, Christy, and GRW Maggie Award of Excellence. She lives with her husband and three children in Georgia. Find her online at www.kristiannhunter.com.

Book Review: A Christmas Escape (Christmas Stories #13) by Anne Perry

Summary: A Christmas Escape (Christmas Stories #13) by Anne Perry

December, 1866. Charles Latterly, Hester Monk's brother, travels to Italy to spend Christmas on the volcanic island of Stromboli. In his secluded mountain hotel a curious group of people has gathered, and Charles senses a brittle strain between some of his fellow guests as they visit the crater of the island's famous rumbling volcano.

While the guests prepare for Christmas, the volcano threatens to erupt, and they realize they must leave at once. As they plan their escape, with Charles thrust reluctantly into leading the group to shelter, one in their group is found dead. But if this is murder, there is a killer in their midst, and Charles must navigate a path to safety...

A Christmas Escape is the intriguing and dramatic new festive tale from the pen of Anne Perry, the master of Victorian crime.

Book Review: A Christmas Escape (Christmas Stories #13) by Anne Perry

As a recent widower, Charles Latterly decides to take a vacation to Italy where he plans to spend 3 relaxing weeks walking and thinking. This is not exactly what happens. He is staying in a hotel at the volcanic island of Stromboli, where a group of other British people is also gathered. The innkeeper, Stefano, assures them all that the volcano will not erupt. He says it merely rumbles and sputters a bit from time to time. He is totally proved wrong.

Charles becomes friendly with the lively 14 year old girl, Candace Finbar. She stays at the hotel with her slightly old and ailing uncle, Roger Finbar. They just seem to “be there” without any explanation or view into their thoughts before taking the trip. Why Stromboli? Why this particular inn? This is also lacking for all the different guests, save for Charles himself. What seems strange is that Roger persuades Charles, a perfect stranger he has just met, to take care of Candace if something should happen to him. It’s like he expects to be dying soon and seems quite desperate to find someone to care for her. As he seems such a nice and caring man, it seems strange that he would put his nice in a vulnerable circumstance? The story doesn’t seem consider that she might not be safe.

Wealthy Isla Bailey is there with her husband Walker-Bailey. Theirs is a difficult marriage. He is unkind, insensitive and cruel to her. She is frustrated and angry about his heavy handedness, but finds some support in Colonel Bretherton, who admires her. That just makes Walker-Bailey even more angry and cruel. He is generally negative to the other guests who dislike him and spends his time walking in the area on his own.

Percival Quinn is a writer with some success. He has written a bestseller but suffers writer’s block as he is trying to write book number two. Walker-Bailey seems to be intensely jealous of him and Quinn doesn’t like Walker-Bailey much either.

Main character, Charles Latterly, takes on a bit of an observer role in this story. After the volcano has erupted and a body is found, he takes charge of leading the group to safety a few hours walk down to the coast.

The famous, rumbling volcano seems to be a character in itself contributing to the sense of danger. It represents the backdrop which drives the plot, and maybe it also adds a distraction to avoid finding out what really happens. They are too focused on staying safe to consider what happened to the victim. The story seems to be focusing on the main characters. The supporting characters of the group seem less developed.

I felt there was little explanation as to what had happened to the victim, just some brief facts.

The person suspected of the murder was sprung out on me towards the end of the story. I had not noticed a buildup of clues along the way, so it surprised me. I suspected some fishiness about the murderer, but had not foreseen exactly how it all panned out. I had not picked up on this person having a motive. It was explained briefly towards the end but the whole thing felt a bit unfulfilled. There were very little of the Christmas theme in this story, only a few lines at the end.  I have read quite a few of Anne Perry’s Christmas novels before, and she usually manages to create Victorian Christmas cheer mixed up with the crime element. Not so much this time. I realize it would be difficult to add a Christmas vibe to this plot, but I can’t help feeling a bit disappointed.

Overall the story felt a tad rushed, but I realize there are only 150 pages to do elaborations. I’m sure there would have been strict priorities as to what to emphasize and what to leave out.. Fans of Anne Perry’s work would find this an ok read.

My rating 3 stars /5

(all opinions are my own)

About The Author

Anne Perry is the bestselling author of two acclaimed series set in Victorian England: the William Monk novels, including Dark Assassin and The Shifting Tide, and the Charlotte and Thomas Pitt novels, including The Cater Street Hangman, Calandar Square, Buckingham Palace Gardens and Long Spoon Lane. She is also the author of the World War I novels No Graves As Yet, Shoulder the Sky, Angels in the Gloom, At Some Disputed Barricade, and We Shall Not Sleep, as well as six holiday novels, most recently A Christmas Grace. Anne Perry lives in Scotland.
To learn more about the author, visit www.anneperry.co.uk

Crime Fiction #Book Review: A #Christmas Hope (Christmas Stories #11) by Anne Perry

Summary: A Christmas Hope (Christmas Stories #11) by Anne Perry

Although she lacks for nothing, Claudine Burroughs dreads the holiday season for forcing her to face how empty her life has become. She no longer expects closeness with her coldly ambitious husband, and she has nothing in common with their circle of wealthy, status-minded friends. The only time she is remotely happy is when she volunteers at a woman’s clinic—a job her husband strongly disapproves of. Then, at a glittering yuletide gala, she meets the charming poet Dai Tregarron and finds her spirits lifted. But scarcely an hour later, the charismatic Dai is enmeshed in a nightmare—accused of killing a young streetwalker who had been smuggled into the party.
  
Even though she suspects that an upper-class clique is quickly closing ranks to protect the real killer, Claudine vows to do her utmost for Dai. But it seems that hypocritical London society would rather send an innocent poet to the gallows than expose the shocking truth about one of their own.

Nevertheless, it’s the season of miracles and Claudine finally sees a glimmer of hope—not only for Dai but for a young woman she befriends who is teetering on the brink of a lifetime of unhappiness. Anne Perry’s heartwarming new holiday novel is a celebration of courage, faith, and love for all seasons.

My thoughts about this book

The Setting of the story

This story is set in Victorian London, even though the year is not specified in this one. It is about Claudine Burroughs, a wealthy woman volunteering in Hester Monk’s charity run Clinique for sick or injured prostitutes. As she has no children of her own, she is trying to find something meaningful to do with her time. She lives in a desperately unhappy marriage, so the work becomes a means to get away from her husband who tries to make her stop volunteering.

 Claudine and her husband take part in a ball as usual, only this time there is a serious incident taking place in the garden of the manor house. 4 drunken men and a prostitute are involved. She has been attacked, is unconscious and bleeding badly. Claudine sets out to help her and to discover what really happened. The prostitute suffered a serious blow to parts of her head and face, but there are no witnesses as to who actually struck her. When Claudine arrives to help, poet Dai Tregarron is bending over her trying to revive her, and is subsequently blamed for the sinister deed. However, he denies having attacked her. Claudine believes him and tries to carve out information about what really happened. Who did actually strike the victim Winnie Briggs?

The endless work Claudine has done for years keeping in contact with members of society has resulted in her having a substantial social capital which becomes crucial as this story progresses. She uses her connections for all they are worth to carve out information. Backdrop to the story is the extensive Christmas celebrations, and the fun and games which are on everyone’s mind. All members of society feel it important that nothing gets in the way of all the partying planned for the Christmas season.

The Characters

Claudine has a difficult, unhappy, arranged marriage to her husband. The volunteer work at Hester Monk’s Clinique for sick and injured prostitutes gives her a sense of accomplishment and positive input she certainly does not get at home, or when going to charity committees like her husband wants her to.

Husband Wallace doesn’t love his wife. He is consumed with the craving for more and more wealth, power and standing in society and treats his wife as a tool to help him achieve this. He tries to prevent Claudine from doing charity work, having relationships with people he doesn’t know and generally having a life and a mind of her own. I really found him an appalling person. I could notice no positive traits whatsoever, save for the fact that he did not drink or gamble. Maybe Perry made him a bit one-dimensional, but he was probably perfect for the husband role in this story.

Overall 

I have read quite a few of Anne Perry’s Christmas stories and find them enjoyable and interesting each in their own unique way. This one I felt kept quite a bit of focus on the importance of nothing interfering with the fun and games of Christmas celebrations. Not even a murder. Society are trying their best to cover up the attack on the prostitute as she is not wealthy, important or connected and therefore in their heads it would be best to forget about her and let fun and games of the Christmas season have priority. It all becomes a curious and shallow mix of Christmas cheer and murder investigation. Short as it is, only 154 pages, this story manages to unsettle me. I feel sad and angry about the total disregard for the victim, but pleased to see that there seems to become a sense of urgency to do the right thing and tell the truth towards the end.

I enjoyed reference to the quite new custom emerging which was the sending of Christmas cards. This would probably set this story around 1843 when the first Christmas card was sent. A Christmas Hope - Christmas Story #11 is recommended for fans of Anne Perry’s previous extensive number of works and for readers of crime fiction in general.

My rating: 4 stars / 5

(All opinions are my own)

About The Author

Anne Perry is the bestselling author of two acclaimed series set in Victorian England: the William Monk novels, including Dark Assassin and The Shifting Tide, and the Charlotte and Thomas Pitt novels, including The Cater Street Hangman, Calandar Square, Buckingham Palace Gardens and Long Spoon Lane. She is also the author of the World War I novels No Graves As Yet, Shoulder the Sky, Angels in the Gloom, At Some Disputed Barricade, and We Shall Not Sleep, as well as six holiday novels, most recently A Christmas Grace. Anne Perry lives in Scotland.
To learn more about the author, visit www.anneperry.co.uk

Book Review: All Hearts Come Home for Christmas by Sarah M. Eden, Anita Stansfield, et.al.

Summary: All Hearts Come Home for Christmas by Sarah M. Eden, Anita Stansfield, et.al.

Christmas at Falstone Castle · Sarah M. Eden

The Dowager Duchess of Kielder eagerly anticipates spending Christmas with her son and his family. Though their relationship has been strained, the duchess is determined to heal the chasm. Even with the help of the widowed local vicar, her plan will take a Christmas miracle. But during this magical season, anything is possible . . . even two second chances for love.

The Heart of Christmas · Anita Stansfield

When a chance meeting brings together a gentle seamstress and a widowed banker, each lonely soul finds a first hint of hope. As their lives become entwined, it will take Christmas spirit to guide a broken family to love and healing.

’Tis the Season to Be Daring · Esther Hatch

Elizabeth Davenport has had quite enough of the London Season. Determined to evade a parade of unsuitable suitors, she seeks help from the one gentleman who has no regard for Society’s rules. All of Society knows Lord Hawthorne is not interested in marriage, yet he cannot deny Miss Davenport’s unique charm. And as the Christmas season works its magic, their charade begins to feel less like playacting and more like love.

The Christmas Dress · Joanna Barker

Seamstress Nell Addington is thrilled when her childhood friend Jacob Hammond commissions a dress for his sister. But when Nell realizes her feelings for Jacob run far deeper than friendship, an unexpected snowstorm—and some holiday cheer—may convince them both that love is worth fighting for.

Book Reviews: All Hearts Come Home for Christmas by Sarah M. Eden, Anita Stansfield, et.al.

All Hearts Come Home for Christmas

I have read all the books in the Lancaster Family series and feel I know the universe of characters well, but I found it helpful that this story begins with a map of family names and spouses. It made the transition into her universe of characters from previous books quick and easy. I appreciated that.

This story is about family coming together for Christmas, some in need of ironing out their strained relationships, others to just enjoy each other’s company. I found it a sweet Christmas story building on the Lancaster Family characters. As I have enjoyed Sarah M. Eden’s works so much, I had quite high expectations starting this read, but I felt it delivered and might even have been a little longer. It made a very nice start to this Christmas themed novella. It managed to put me in a pre-Christmas-mood.

Leading up to Christmas, Harriet, dowager Duchess of Kielder doesn’t know where to spend the holidays. Even if she doesn’t exactly feel welcome as the mother of Adam, Duke of Kielder, she decides to go to Falstone Castle. She is determined to work on her relationship with Adam and the family and get to know her grandson Oliver. She feels nervous but wants to get back with the family more than anything. Together with the local vicar, she makes a plan she hopes will show Adam that she seriously wants to make amends and that she wishes the Christmas celebrations to be happy for everyone.

The Heart of Christmas

I had not read anything from this author before, so I was curious starting this read. It included all the ingredients I expect to find in a Christmas story. We get to follow Adelaide Moore who has fallen on hard times following her father’s death. She is working for room and board while dreaming of a better life when local banker Theodore Hardwick shows up in the dressmaker’s shop having lost a button in his coat. This proves to be the answers to Addie’s prayers as he offers her a job running his house and caring for his daughter Becky and ailing Aunt Marla.

The house is in a state of neglect. No tidying up or cleaning has been going on there in a long time, but little by little Addie manages to bring it in order and settle into a routine in the family. She gets to know Aunt Marla and they both enjoy each other’s company having meals together during the day. As days go by it becomes clear to Addie that there are serious underlying issues in this family that need attention, but they have to be handled delicately if she is to discover exactly what they are and how to deal with them. She takes on this challenge with the help of the daughter Becky. I really enjoyed this story and will be checking out other releases by this author very soon.

’Tis the Season to Be Daring

Elizabeth Davenport finds it humiliating to be paraded around ballrooms of the London Season, while her mother tries to attract husband for her. –Preferably one with a title. She plans to chock her and Society just enough that she will be able to avoid the rest of the balls of the season without destroying her reputation entirely. For that she teams up with Lord Charles Hawthorne. He is known as the worst rule breaker who doesn’t care a toss what other people think of him and is the perfect ally for this plan. He makes sure to do whatever he wants. Rumor has it he is not interested in marriage at all. They play their tricks in public in the hopes that Elizabeth will become unsuitable as marriage material for titled men of that The Ton and her mother will give her a break from Society until next Season. Elizabeth and Charles spend quite a bit of time together to achieve this goal, but their plan starts to pan out differently than they expected….

Esther Hatch is another author of whom I have not read any previous releases, but I was surprised by how much I enjoyed it. It was light and sweet with quite a few funny situations throughout. -Just my cup of tea. It managed to get me into the warm and fuzzy feeling of Christmas too. I will definitely check out other works from Esther Hatch in future.

The Christmas Dress

Nell Addington is works for demanding dress shop owner Mrs Shaw. She has received a commission for a dress to Rachel Hammond so Nell is on her way to the dress fitting at Oakhurst Park when she meets her childhood friend Jacob Hammond, now the owner of the estate. Nell spends quite some time fitting Rachel’s dress in time for Christmas. They have a lovely time together and Nell gets to rekindle her relationship with Jacob, only now in a new way.

This is a sweet Christmas story with an unexpected snowstorm thrown into the mix. I quite enjoyed it. Entertaining read leading up to Christmas.

My rating: 4 stars /5

(All opinions are my own)

About The Authors

Sarah M. Eden is a USA Today bestselling author of multiple historical romances, including AML's "2013 Novel of the Year" and Foreword Review's 2013 "IndieFab Book of the Year" gold medal winner for Best Romance, Longing for Home, and the Whitney Award's "2014 Novel of the Year," Longing for Home: Hope Springs. Combining her obsession with history and affinity for tender love stories, Sarah loves crafting witty characters and heartfelt romances set against rich historical backdrops. She holds a Bachelor's degree in research and happily spends hours perusing the reference shelves of her local library. Sarah lives with her husband, kids, and mischievous dog in the shadow of a snow-capped mountain she has never attempted to ski.
To learn more about the author, visit https://www.sarahmeden.com/


Anita Stansfield has been a queen of romantic fiction for more than a decade. Her work has shattered the stereotypes of romance novels with her trademark ability to combine great storytelling with intense psychological depth as she focuses on the emotional struggles of the human experience. Her novels cover a huge spectrum, from the eighteenth century to the present, from heart warming to heart stopping. Hundreds of thousands of readers agree: Anita Stansfield's characters and the lives they lead are not easy to forget. Anita also writes mainstream historical fiction (Horstberg Saga) under the name Elizabeth D. Michaels. The first book in that series is called Behind the Mask. You can see her Elizabeth D. Michaels books on Amazon 
To learn more about the author, visit http://www.anitastansfield.com/

Esther Hatch grew up on a cherry orchard in rural Utah. After high school, she alternated living in Russia to teach children English and attending Brigham Young University in order to get a degree in archaeology. She began writing when one of her favorite authors invited her to join a critique group. The only catch was she had to be a writer. Not one to be left out of an opportunity to socialize and try something new; she started on her first novel that week. Visit her at estherhatch.com.

Joanna Barker was born and raised in northern California. She discovered her love for historical fiction after visiting England as an eleven-year-old, and subsequently read every Jane Austen book she could get her hands on. After graduating Brigham Young University with a degree in English, she worked as an acquisitions editor before devoting herself full-time to writing. She enjoys music, chocolate, and reading everything from romance to science fiction. She lives in Utah and is just a little crazy about her husband and two wild-but-loveable boys.
To learn more about the author, visit https://www.authorjoannabarker.com/

Book Review: A Dangerous Legacy (Empire State book 1) by Elizabeth Camden

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Summary: A Dangerous Legacy (Empire State #1) by Elizabeth Camden

Page-Turning Romance and Intrigue in Award-Winning Author's Next Historical Novel

Lucy Drake's mastery of Morse code has made her a valuable asset to the American news agencies as a telegrapher. But the sudden arrival of Sir Colin Beckwith at rival British news agency Reuters puts her hard-earned livelihood at risk. Newly arrived from London, Colin is talented, handsome, and insufferably charming.

Despite their rivalry, Lucy realizes Colin's connections could be just what her family needs to turn the tide of their long legal battle over the fortune they were swindled out of forty years ago. When she negotiates an unlikely alliance with him, neither of them realizes how far the web of treachery they're wading into will take them.

Book Review: A Dangerous Legacy (Empire State #1) by Elizabeth Camden

Lucy Drake works for Associated Press in New York, helping to distribute updates to newspapers all over America by Morse code.

Her brother Nick is a plumber working to supply tenants of New York multi story apartment buildings with running water. He does this in secret as Lucy and Nick have a longstanding lawsuit against their uncle concerning the plumbing invention their father did right before he went off to war. Their father’s invention makes Nick’s work in the apartment buildings technically possible but is considered illegal by the siblings’ uncle. He is fighting to squeeze as much money out of the invention as possible and keep it all to himself not leaving any of it to Lucy and Nick.

Colin Beckwith of British agency Reuters is Lucy’s friend. She confides in him about her legal struggles and he agrees to help her. That is the start of a dangerous drama to keep Lucy and Nick safe from their uncle.

I felt this story was well researched as it deals with technical inventions of the 1900’s, specifically the supply of running water in New York apartment buildings. As I have never been to New York myself, I have not really considered what kind of plumbing goes into supplying tenants of high rise buildings with hot and cold running water several floors up. The story doesn’t go into specifics of how the Drake invention made this possible, I enjoyed the part of the story that described some of the struggles between the money aspects of the invention versus the view that running water should be something supplied to all people of New York. Lucy and Nic’s uncle is willing to go to extremes to ensure that the invention makes him as rich as possible setting the price extremely high and making running water available to only the richest people of the city. Lucy and Nic have to protect themselves against dangerous threats and actions all through the plot. The constant danger from the uncle, I felt added to a sense of thrill while I was reading. I wondered all along if the siblings would be all right or their uncle would make good on one, or all, of his numerous threats. The siblings had lived with this lawsuit and these threats for years because they would not back down and give their uncle control of the invention. I felt relieved when Lucy’s colleague, British newspaper executive, Colin Beckwith stepped onto the scene and agreed to help them.

Another important part of the plot was descriptions of how mental health care might have worked out for some patients at the time. -And maybe for people with no ailments at all. I found it interesting in a creepy way, like I was reading a thriller. Quite horrifying to read about what was called “treatments”. This was expertly incorporated into the plot. I felt it really added to the drama of the story and the development of the plot.

Another interesting part of this story was the descriptions of how the news business operated and developed at the time. Lucy worked as telegrapher at Associated Press where she helped receive news updates and make sure they were passed on to various newspapers around the country. She had a somewhat strained relationship with Colin Beckwith from main competitor, British Reuters. As the plot developed, I was pleased their relationship changed for the better, on the personal level. Also they no longer worked for the two fierce competing news distributing companies because the news Cable under Pacific Ocean was completed which made Associated Press sole news provider to the whole American continent.

On the whole, I enjoyed this story a lot. The different research elements appeals to me as I wish to both learn something and be entertained. A Dangerous Legacy is I highly recommend for fans of Elizabeth Camden’s other work and for readers of historical fiction in general.

My rating 4,5/5 stars
(All opinions in this review are my own)

About The Author

Elizabeth Camden is best known for her historical novels set in gilded age America featuring clever heroines and richly layered storylines. Before she was a writer, she was an academic librarian at some of the largest and smallest libraries in America, but her favorite is the continually growing library in her own home. Her novels have won the RITA and Christy Award, and she lives in Florida with her husband who graciously tolerates her intimidating stockpile of books.
To learn more about the author, visit http://elizabethcamden.com/

Book Review: The Spice King (Hope and Glory book 1) by Elizabeth Camden

Summary: The Spice King (Hope and Glory #1) by Elizabeth Camden

Gray Delacroix has dedicated his life to building his very successful global spice empire, but it has come at a cost. Resolved to salvage his family before it spirals out of control, he returns to his ancestral home to save his brother and sister before it's too late.

As a junior botanist for the Smithsonian, Annabelle Larkin has been charged with the impossible task of gaining access to the notoriously private Delacroix plant collection. If she fails, she will be out of a job and the family farm in Kansas will go under. She has no idea that in gaining entrance to the Delacroix world, she will unwittingly step into a web of dangerous political intrigue far beyond her experience.

Unable to deny her attraction to the reclusive business tycoon, Annabelle will be forced to choose between her heart and loyalty to her country. Can Gray and Annabelle find a way through the storm of scandal without destroying the family Gray is fighting to save?

Book Review: The Spice King (Hope and Glory #1) by Elizabeth Camden

This new series, set in Washington 1900, brings a brand new perspective to the genre as it focuses on spices and food production. The story is about young Smithsonian botanist Annabelle who tries to get access to the Delacroix private plant collection and to the owner himself, the reclusive Gray Delacroix.

The plot

I must say this plot developed in an unexpected way. The spice trade which I thought would be the main theme ended up being more of a backdrop, while the mystery part became the main plot. I really enjoyed this unexpected turn.

The characters

I really liked Annabelle and found her character to be well developed. I was impressed by her positive, light outlook on life whichever problem she faced. I enjoyed the glimpse into her thinking as she tried to deal with a very serious situation at the same time as Gray seemed to her to be in the center of the whole mess.

Gray I found to be a more business-driven person from the start of the story. Difficult to get to know. He seemed to like to keep to himself. However, I was pleased to see that he developed in a positive way throughout.

I felt really engaged in Annabelle’s sister Elaine’s situation. I felt for her as she tried to be independent in a new city.

The twins, Caroline and Luke irritated me as I felt they were spoilt, irresponsible and clueless around money.

My overall thoughts about  this book

At some point during this read I got so invested in the plot that I started suspecting every character of foul play. For me, that’s a sign I’m reading a good book.  I found the plot ever so slightly predictable, but it moved along quite nicely.

Fans of Camden’s work or readers of historical fiction in general will enjoy this story. I will be sure to read book #2 in this series and highly recommend you readers do the same.

Rating: 4,5 stars /5

(All opinions are my own)

About The Author

Elizabeth Camden is best known for her historical novels set in gilded age America featuring clever heroines and richly layered storylines. Before she was a writer, she was an academic librarian at some of the largest and smallest libraries in America, but her favorite is the continually growing library in her own home. Her novels have won the RITA and Christy Award, and she lives in Florida with her husband who graciously tolerates her intimidating stockpile of books
To learn more about the author, visit http://elizabethcamden.com/.

Book Review: The Sun Sister (The Seven Sisters #6) by Lucinda Riley

Summary: The Sun Sister (The Seven Sisters #6) by Lucinda Riley

The Sun Sister is the sixth instalment in the multi-million selling epic series, The Seven Sisters, written by the No.1 bestselling author Lucinda Riley.

To the outside world, Electra D’Aplièse seems to be the woman with everything: as one of the world’s top models, she is beautiful, rich and famous.

Yet beneath the veneer, Electra’s already tenuous control over her state of mind has been rocked by the death of her father, Pa Salt, the elusive billionaire who adopted his six daughters from across the globe. Struggling to cope, she turns to alcohol and drugs. As those around her fear for her health, Electra receives a letter from a complete stranger who claims to be her grandmother . . .

In 1939, Cecily Huntley-Morgan arrives in Kenya from New York to nurse a broken heart. Staying with her godmother, a member of the infamous Happy Valley set, on the shores of beautiful Lake Naivasha, she meets Bill Forsythe, a notorious bachelor and cattle farmer with close connections to the proud Maasai tribe. But after a shocking discovery and with war looming, Cecily has few options. Moving up into the Wanjohi Valley, she is isolated and alone. Until she meets a young woman in the woods and makes her a promise that will change the course of her life for ever.

Book Review: The Sun Sister (The Seven Sisters #6) by Lucinda Riley

In #6 of The Seven Sisters Series, the youngest of the sisters we know so far, Electra, faces some serious issues. She deals with major challenges directly or indirectly affecting many, many people all over the world today. We get to follow her as she deals with consequences of lifestyle choices. I felt for her in the description of loneliness in her Park Avenue penthouse apartment and find it understandable that she feels vulnerable and tries to distance herself from everybody in her life. I enjoyed following her in her journey throughout the book and found her to be a complex and well developed character even if she really is not the most likable in the beginning. 

Proud, sensitive and trying to not show weakness, I felt relieved when her biological grandmother showed up, even though it took some time before she was actually appreciated and welcome as family.
Morphing from sad, recluse, to a person with a tribe of good people around her, she learns who she really is through her biological background and upbringing. Having good role-models and support, I fell glad and relieved that she develops into a force for good in the area she is passionate about.

I have read all the sisters’ stories and they all face challenges in their own ways, but this is certainly next level challenges. I appreciated all the research that shines through in this work. I don’t feel I know much about African history, so I enjoyed the part of the story set in Kenya 1938-39. The vivid descriptions of the culture and lifestyle of The Happy Valley Set I found slightly off-putting from my own perspective, but probably a really realistic addition to the story. The part about Maasaian life and culture turned out to have a major effect on the development of the plot and I found it an interesting twist how the mindset of the tribe could have panned out like the plot describes. 

I think Electra’s story is a bit different from the other sisters’ stories. Being complex and dealing with serious issues, it adds something extra while still keeping the trademark feel we have come to love as readers of the Seven Sisters Series. 
You would have no problem reading this as a stand-alone work, but I think if I were to start out fresh, I would consider reading #1 to get a background to the story of the sisters.

Readers who like dual-time novels would love this. Fans of Lucinda Riley’s work have probably waited for months (like I have) and will be thrilled to read this new release in the series.

My rating: 5 stars /5
(All opinions in this review are my own)

Book Details

Print Length: 850 pages
Page Numbers Source ISBN: 1509840133
Publisher: Macmillan (October 31, 2019)
Publication Date: October 31, 2019
Sold by: Amazon.com Services LLC
Language: English

About The Author

Lucinda Riley was born in Ireland, and after an early career as an actress in film, theatre and television, wrote her first book aged twenty-four. Her books have been translated into over thirty five languages and sold twenty million copies worldwide. She is a Sunday Times and New York Times bestseller.

Lucinda is currently writing The Seven Sisters series, which tells the story of adopted sisters and is based allegorically on the mythology of the famous star constellation. The first five books, The Seven Sisters, The Storm Sister, The Shadow Sister, The Pearl Sister and The Moon Sister have all been No.1 bestsellers across the world, and the rights to a multi-season TV series have already been optioned by a Hollywood production company. (Copied from Amazon)

To learn more about the author, visit http://lucindariley.co.uk/

Book Review: A Christmas Shopaholic (Shopaholic #9) by Sophie Kinsella

Summary: A Christmas Shopaholic (Shopaholic #9)  by Sophie Kinsella

Celebrate Christmas with the ultimate Shopaholic!
The brilliant laugh-out-loud festive novel from the Number One bestselling author.

Becky Brandon (née Bloomwood) adores Christmas. It's always the same – Mum and Dad hosting, carols playing, Mum pretending she made the Christmas pudding, and the next-door neighbors coming round for sherry in their terrible festive jumpers.

And now it's even easier with online bargain-shopping sites – if you spend enough you even get free delivery. Sorted!

But this year looks set to be different. Unable to resist the draw of craft beer and smashed avocado, Becky's parents are moving to ultra-trendy Shoreditch and have asked Becky if she'll host Christmas this year. What could possibly go wrong?

With sister Jess demanding a vegan turkey, husband Luke determined that he just wants aftershave again, and little Minnie insisting on a very specific picnic hamper – surely Becky can manage all this, as well as the surprise appearance of an old boyfriend and his pushy new girlfriend, whose motives are far from clear . . .

Will chaos ensue, or will Becky manage to bring comfort and joy to Christmas?

Book Review: A Christmas Shopaholic (Shopaholic #9)  by Sophie Kinsella

Becky is back with a hilarious bag of new Christmas related tricks!

Story background

Following her parents surprising move to Shoreditch, Becky is now hosting Christmas for family and friends and she is not exactly relaxed about it -or on top of everything. She has her very own take on Christmas shopping as well as life in general, which makes this a hilarious read. I must say she is impressively creative in the mad situations she gets into and never gives up no matter how bad it gets.

How Becky deals with the Christmas preparations

Even if she tries to be organized and do things early she keeps getting distracted, and leading up to Christmas Day she is pretty stressed out. Her guests seem demanding and ungrateful in the beginning of the story. They don’t exactly hold back on unreasonable expectations. Becky tries to do it all on her own, trying to make everybody happy, make all the guests’ special requests happen. I felt for her as she really does not assert herself. As the story progresses, they seem to get more understanding as to what pressure Becky feels being a first-time Christmas host.

Comment on supporting character, husband Luke

I’m impressed by Luke. In all the craziness, he keeps his cool and calms Becky down. Through a number of twists and turns and involving influential people’s help, Becky manages to secure the most magnificent Christmas present for him.

The story includes a touching idea for Christmas presents suitable for any age group or gender. I really enjoyed that.

Christmas Shopaholic is a great pre-christmas read for fans of Sophie Kinsella’s work or readers of the chick-lit genre.

My rating: 4 stars /5
(All opinions in this review are my own).

About The author

Sophie Kinsella is a writer and former financial journalist. She is the number one bestselling author of Can You Keep a Secret?, The Undomestic Goddess, Remember Me?, Twenties Girl, I've Got Your Number and Wedding Night, the hugely popular Shopaholic novels and the Young Adult novel Finding Audrey. She lives in London with her husband and family. She is also the author of several bestselling novels under the name of Madeleine Wickham. Visit her website at www.sophiekinsella.co.uk. (From Amazon)