tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-49081324042546606982024-02-07T06:06:57.813+01:00randiloves2readBook review blog.
Historical romances and mysteries randiloves2readhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15022204806814796098noreply@blogger.comBlogger119125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4908132404254660698.post-62290399648957665182021-09-28T15:04:00.000+02:002021-09-28T15:04:14.662+02:00#Historical Cozy Mystery Book Review: #Hidden Masterpiece by #Heidi Eljarbo<p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKwU6DhX4sxUfObVvR9OKbsg5ZvZvm60_NbtFDUtk19Ow-I-5xPka6JNLAzwFINv7daYGcDkNxWT6b-X6HM1BBWjtOWdCNujPsZl6WoFsrqRvCjdtu9k7bVvJq-apIS7DlKgLA1CNArj1q/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="307" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKwU6DhX4sxUfObVvR9OKbsg5ZvZvm60_NbtFDUtk19Ow-I-5xPka6JNLAzwFINv7daYGcDkNxWT6b-X6HM1BBWjtOWdCNujPsZl6WoFsrqRvCjdtu9k7bVvJq-apIS7DlKgLA1CNArj1q/w413-h640/image.png" width="413" /></a></div><br /><p></p><h2 style="text-align: center;">5 stars / 5</h2><h2 style="text-align: left;">Summary: Hidden Masterpiece (Soli Hansen Mysteries Book 3) by Heidi Eljarbo</h2><div><br /></div><div><p style="background-color: white; color: #333333; margin: 0px 0px 14px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>In this riveting third book in the Soli Hansen Mysteries series, a woman’s courage to follow her conviction during a horrible war leads her to the portrait of a young Jewish heiress painted three centuries earlier.</b><br /></span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #333333; margin: -4px 0px 14px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Norway 1944. </b>Art historian Soli Hansen has gone undercover to rescue masterpieces and keep them from falling into the hands of Nazi thieves. Working with a small resistance group led by her best friend Heddy, Soli will stop at nothing to thwart the efforts of the invaders of their scenic country. Trust and loyalty mean everything when working against a merciless enemy.</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #333333; margin: -4px 0px 14px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Riddles and clues lead the way to a mysterious work of art. It’s a race against time, but Soli and her network refuse to give up. However, when news arrives that her sweetheart Nikolai is missing in action, she strives to concentrate on the demanding quest.</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #333333; margin: -4px 0px 14px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">From the streets of Oslo to the snow-covered mountains and medieval churches of Nume Valley, Soli takes risks larger than her courage, trying to preserve and hide precious art. But she must decide if it’s all worth losing the man she loves.</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #333333; margin: -4px 0px 14px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Antwerp 1639.</b> Fabiola Ruber’s daughter, Annarosa, wants to honor her mother’s last wish and have her portrait done by a master artist who specializes in the art of <em>chiaroscuro</em>. Her uncle writes to an accomplished painter in Amsterdam and commissions him to paint his beloved niece.</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #333333; margin: -4px 0px 14px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Struggling with religious and social persecution, the Jewish Ruber family uproots once again and travels northward. On the way, they will sojourn in Amsterdam for Annarosa’s sitting in the master painter’s studio. But will they make it there? None of them can foresee the danger of such a journey.</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #333333; margin: -4px 0px 14px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Suspenseful action, riddles and mystery, enduring friendship, undying loyalty, and a tender love story come together in this dual timeline novel by bestselling author Heidi Eljarbo. Perfect for fans of Lucinda Riley, Kate Morton, Rhys Bowen, and Kate Quinn </b>(from Amazon)</span></p></div><h2 style="text-align: left;"><br /></h2><h2 style="text-align: left;">Review:</h2><div><p class="MsoNormal">Hidden Masterpiece is book 3 in the exciting Soli Hansen
Mystery series by Heidi Eljarbo. The dual-time story is set in Oslo 1944 and Antwerp
and Amsterdam 1639. In Oslo art historian Soli works tirelessly with local
resistance to prevent valuable art from being stolen by the Nazis. She follows
clues laid out by the Jewish owner to find the art pieces in his abandoned
house.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">In Antwerp we get to follow Jewish heiress Fabiola Ruber as
she honors her mother’s last wish to have a portrait done by a master painter. The
travel to Amsterdam proves to be dangerous, but Fabiola gets to use of her secretly
aquired skill.</p><p class="MsoNormal">
Main character is Solveig, Soli, Hansen is an art historian. She seems to find it
hard to trust people but seems to become more confident when she is acknowledged
by resistance as their art expert. I like her a lot and find her character has
a complete set of vulnerabilities. She is my favorite. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Supporting character is Hedvig, Heddy, Vengen, local resistance
leader is a courageous woman who seems to let nothing get in her way. She seems
to have no problem taking on extremely risky operations but seems a bit lonely.
She misses and worries about her boyfriend in Sweden, which makes her softer and
more likeable.</p><p class="MsoNormal">
What made this story stand out for me and my favorite part were the vivid
descriptions of wartime Oslo. I could almost feel people’s fear and the lack of
trust in friends and neighbors. The writing was excellent and I got a sense of
how people interacted back then. How everyday lives changed in countless ways during
the German occupation as people tried to adapt. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The mystery element of how Soli found the extremely well
hidden art pieces while avoiding the constant threat of being arrested by the
Nazis, I felt was an excellent dramatic element. I loved the thorough research
that must have gone into describing the meticulous planning of the resistance
work.<br />
<!--[endif]--></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The romance element was a surprising, enjoyable gem which made
me curious what happens with Soli and Nicolai’s relationship in book 4. I look
forward to learning what priceless painting Soli will rescue next. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">This story works perfectly as a standalone, but you would of
course get a more complete picture by reading the whole series from the
beginning, as I have.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Readers who enjoy the works of Kate Quinn and Lucinda Riley
or fans of Heidi Eljarbo’s previous works will enjoy this. Thank you to the
author #Heidi Eljarbo for this opportunity to share my honest review. All opinions
are completely my own.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Conclusion: Hidden Masterpiece is the exciting third installment
in the Soli Hansen dual-time mysteries series where we follow art historian
Soli as she works passionately to prevent Nazis stealing priceless art from deported
Jews. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">In Antwerp Jewish heiress Annarosa honors her mother’s last
whish to have a master painter do a portrait of her. The whole family makes a
dangerous travel to Amsterdam and Annarosa gets to use her secretly acquired skill.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p></div><h2 style="text-align: left;">Where to get your copy</h2><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Hidden-Masterpiece-Soli-Hansen-Mystery/dp/B09GD2J7RK/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1632833591&sr=8-5">Amazon Paperback</a><br /></div><div><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Hidden-Masterpiece-Hansen-Mystery-Mysteries-ebook/dp/B096S9ZH74/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1632833591&sr=8-5">Amazon Kindle</a><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><h2 style="text-align: left;">Book Details</h2><br />ASIN : B096S9ZH74<br />Publication date : September 28, 2021<br />Language : English<div><br /><h2 style="text-align: left;">Author Bio</h2><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz38GsV_Uv85FcYpRtJRfAtsrT_gO5ot2aQ6PVC69d_MtkAffVIdsoFbHM4x2z-RTgUlYHnEwhvc8zSR9rOw3Rz3vehZAahcz2WKvPFBVHf4krdwqHPWEhbrWh3U0WvycB_ceHTW6fnb7s/s160/Heidi+Eljarbo.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="160" data-original-width="160" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz38GsV_Uv85FcYpRtJRfAtsrT_gO5ot2aQ6PVC69d_MtkAffVIdsoFbHM4x2z-RTgUlYHnEwhvc8zSR9rOw3Rz3vehZAahcz2WKvPFBVHf4krdwqHPWEhbrWh3U0WvycB_ceHTW6fnb7s/s16000/Heidi+Eljarbo.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111;">Heidi Eljarbo is the bestselling author of historical fiction and mysteries filled with courageous and good characters that are easy to love and others you don't want to go near.</span><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111;">Heidi grew up in a home filled with books and artwork and she never truly imagined she would do anything other than write and paint. She studied art, languages, and history, all of which have come in handy when working as an author, magazine journalist, and painter.</span><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111;">After living in Canada, six US states, Japan, Switzerland, and Austria, Heidi now calls Norway home. She and her husband have a total of nine children, thirteen grandchildren--so far--in addition to a bouncy Wheaten Terrier.</span><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111;">Their favorite retreat is a mountain cabin, where they hike in the summertime and ski the vast, white terrain during winter.</span><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111;">Heidi's favorites are family, God's beautiful nature, and the word whimsical.</span><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111;">Sign up for her newsletter at https://www.heidieljarbo.com/newsletter</span><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111;" /><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111;">If you would like to know more, please visit:</span><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111;" /><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111;">https://www.heidieljarbo.com/</span><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111;" /><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111;">https://www.facebook.com/authorheidieljarbo/</span><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111;" /><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111;">https://no.pinterest.com/heidieljarbo/</span><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111;" /><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111;">https://www.instagram.com/heidieljarbo/</span><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111;" /><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111;">Twitter: @HeidiEljarbo</span><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111;" /><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111;">https://www.instagram.com/heidieljarbo/</span></span></div><h2 style="text-align: left;"><br /></h2></div>randiloves2readhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15022204806814796098noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4908132404254660698.post-45013178890377034942021-09-10T15:00:00.001+02:002021-09-10T15:00:00.259+02:00#Historical Christmas Book Review: #Fair Mountain Christmas (Heartwarming Christmas) by #Heidi Eljarbo<p style="text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRvlZGgmyp3uHZ1uTHMOJKrogvkDn3d8PGSlBVdijFXXM4mMHMHurvjawGpmzEVTN3mpoVMX1P_CPdgIrKwNxfWZVK3DZQdId3o1gXY4UplympowsnFFzSs0yYbfXRL4Qd0uEZ06-adnwd/s500/Fair+Mountain+Christmas.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="324" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRvlZGgmyp3uHZ1uTHMOJKrogvkDn3d8PGSlBVdijFXXM4mMHMHurvjawGpmzEVTN3mpoVMX1P_CPdgIrKwNxfWZVK3DZQdId3o1gXY4UplympowsnFFzSs0yYbfXRL4Qd0uEZ06-adnwd/w414-h640/Fair+Mountain+Christmas.jpg" width="414" /></a><br /><br /></p><h2 style="text-align: center;">4 stars / 5</h2><div><br /></div><h2>Summary: Fair Mountain Christmas: A sweet, feel-good holiday novella (Heartwarming Christmas)</h2><div><br /></div><div><p style="background-color: white; color: #333333; margin: 0px 0px 14px; padding: 0px;"><b><span style="font-family: inherit;">Nostalgia and Christmas miracles burn bright in this uplifting and heartwarming story about new beginnings and falling in love under a blanket of stars.</span></b></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #333333; margin: -4px 0px 14px; padding: 0px;"><em><span style="font-family: inherit;">Fair Mountain, December 1972.</span></em></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #333333; margin: -4px 0px 14px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">A few days before Christmas, Juni’s editor gives her a writing assignment that throws her far outside her comfort zone. She and her terrier, Leo, retreat to her grandparents’ old cabin in the Norwegian mountains in hopes of inspiration. But the trip turns into a heart-wrenching and emotionally challenging encounter.</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #333333; margin: -4px 0px 14px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Memories of Juni’s childhood seep in as soon as she enters the cabin, and as for the writing assignment…what does she know about what children need for Christmas?</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #333333; margin: -4px 0px 14px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Juni’s focus changes when handsome Henry Norheim from Moose Lodge down the hill unexpectedly shows up outside her cottage door. His dedication to family, traditions, and Christmas celebration is contagious, but for Juni, coming out of her lonely shell is easier said than done.</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #333333; margin: -4px 0px 14px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">As Juni’s deadline draws closer, and the snowflakes softly swirl down on Fair Mountain, she has to face up to her past, open her heart, and dare to take a step forward. Will the miracle of Christmas live up to its promise of hope, goodwill, and love this year?</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #333333; margin: -4px 0px 14px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Fair Mountain Christmas is a wonderfully warm story for fans of Jenny Hale, Rachael Bloome, Megan Squires, and Elizabeth Bromke.</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #333333; margin: -4px 0px 14px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>“A delightful holiday read…a gentle reminder to take time to find the memories and moments that make Christmas magical.” </b>–Chalon Linton, author of Historical Romance and Christian Fiction</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #333333; margin: -4px 0px 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>“Reading Fair Mountain Christmas gave me the same warm feeling as curling up in front of a fire with a cup of hot chocolate.”</b> –Lynn Morrison, author of <em>the Oxford Key Mysteries </em>(from Amazon).</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #333333; margin: -4px 0px 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></p></div><h2>Review:</h2><h2><br /></h2><div><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 5pt; vertical-align: baseline;"><span lang="EN-US" style="border: 1pt none windowtext; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0cm; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: NO-BOK; padding: 0cm;">Fair Mountain Christmas is
the lovely new Christmas novella by Heidi Eljarbo. The plot is set in the Norwegian
mountains December 1972 and is about newspaper writer Juni Lind who goes to the
family mountain cabin to find inspiration for her article to be printed in the
newspaper just before Christmas. She reflects on memories from childhood Christmases
spent in the cabin and finds a way to use some of it for her writing
assignment; <i>5 things children need for Christmas</i>.
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 5pt; vertical-align: baseline;"><span lang="EN-US" style="border: 1pt none windowtext; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0cm; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: NO-BOK; padding: 0cm;">While trying to write, good
looking handyman Henry Nordheim turns up. He invites Juni to stay at the lodge nearby.
She gets involved in a number of typical Norwegian Christmas preparations, and gets
plenty of ideas for her article. She gets to revisit past feelings not yet
dealt with. Between Henry, her unprocessed feelings, old and new relationships,
Juni carves out new perspective and direction for her life.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 5pt; vertical-align: baseline;"><span lang="EN-US">
<span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0cm; padding: 0cm;">Main character Juni Lind is a newspaper writer who has experienced
plenty of hurt and loss in her past. She seems like good woman who prefers to close
off her heart to protect herself and bury her feelings in work. She felt like a
very recognizable character I really liked.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 5pt; vertical-align: baseline;"><span lang="EN-US">
<span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0cm; padding: 0cm;">Supporting character Henry Nordheim, the handyman with a great
heart who seems very invested in his large family and knows everybody in the
area. I would have really appreciated had his character been a bit more
developed, but I understand the novella concept might not allow room for this.</span><br />
<!--[endif]--><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; vertical-align: baseline;"><span lang="EN-US">This is an easy to read historical set in a time period I have not read
before, -yet which made it stand out for me. As a bonus I got to relive my own
childhood Christmases in the 70s. I recognized a lot of the elements,
particularly the baking of 7 different Christmas cookies and the decorating. The
snowfall added an excellent dramatic element as things were put on hold while
everybody waited for the snow plough to come open the road for traffic again.<br />
<!--[endif]--><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0cm; padding: 0cm;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; vertical-align: baseline;"><span lang="EN-US" style="border: 1pt none windowtext; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0cm; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: NO-BOK; padding: 0cm;">My favorite element of the story was the topic for Juni’s article: 5
things children need for Christmas. Without spoiling, I found the perspective very
interesting. Something worth reading for parents who struggle to find the
perfect gift every year.</span> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 5.0pt; margin: 5pt 0cm 0cm; tab-stops: 35.45pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: NO-BOK;">I would
recommend this easy read to anyone who would like to curl up with a blanket in
front of the fire as the afternoons get darker and it gets closer to Christmas.
I would also recommend it to readers who enjoy historicals in general or
particularly stories set in Norway or Europe.</span><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 5.0pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 5.0pt; margin: 5pt 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="background-color: transparent; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Similar
authors to explore might be Jenny Hale, Rachael Bloome, Megan Squires, and
Elizabeth Bromke. </span><span style="background-color: transparent; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Thank you to #Heidi Eljarbo for
this opportunity to share my honest review. All opinions are completely my own.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 5.0pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 5.0pt; margin: 5pt 0cm;"><b><i><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: NO-BOK;">Conclusion: </span></i></b><span lang="EN-US" style="border: 1pt none windowtext; line-height: 115%; padding: 0cm;">Newspaper writer Juni Lind goes to the family mountain cabin to find
inspiration for her article about 5 things children need for Christmas. She gets
snowed in, reflects on feelings from her past and meets local handyman Henry
who helps her gain new perspective going forward.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 5.0pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 5.0pt; margin: 5pt 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: NO-BOK;">Rating: 4 stars / 5</span><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 5.0pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 5.0pt; margin: 5pt 0cm;"><br /></p></div><h2>Where to get your copy</h2><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0949HKZW7/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_hsch_vapi_taft_p1_i3">Amazon Kindle</a><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><h2>Book Details</h2><br />ASIN : B0949HKZW7<br />Publication date : October 4, 2021<br />Print length : 86 pages<div><br /><div><h2>Author Bio</h2></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz38GsV_Uv85FcYpRtJRfAtsrT_gO5ot2aQ6PVC69d_MtkAffVIdsoFbHM4x2z-RTgUlYHnEwhvc8zSR9rOw3Rz3vehZAahcz2WKvPFBVHf4krdwqHPWEhbrWh3U0WvycB_ceHTW6fnb7s/s160/Heidi+Eljarbo.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="160" data-original-width="160" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz38GsV_Uv85FcYpRtJRfAtsrT_gO5ot2aQ6PVC69d_MtkAffVIdsoFbHM4x2z-RTgUlYHnEwhvc8zSR9rOw3Rz3vehZAahcz2WKvPFBVHf4krdwqHPWEhbrWh3U0WvycB_ceHTW6fnb7s/s16000/Heidi+Eljarbo.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111;">Heidi Eljarbo is the bestselling author of historical fiction and mysteries filled with courageous and good characters that are easy to love and others you don't want to go near.</span><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111;">Heidi grew up in a home filled with books and artwork and she never truly imagined she would do anything other than write and paint. She studied art, languages, and history, all of which have come in handy when working as an author, magazine journalist, and painter.</span><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111;">After living in Canada, six US states, Japan, Switzerland, and Austria, Heidi now calls Norway home. She and her husband have a total of nine children, thirteen grandchildren--so far--in addition to a bouncy Wheaten Terrier.</span><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111;">Their favorite retreat is a mountain cabin, where they hike in the summertime and ski the vast, white terrain during winter.</span><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111;">Heidi's favorites are family, God's beautiful nature, and the word whimsical.</span><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111;">Sign up for her newsletter at https://www.heidieljarbo.com/newsletter</span><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111;" /><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111;">If you would like to know more, please visit:</span><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111;" /><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111;">https://www.heidieljarbo.com/</span><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111;" /><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111;">https://www.facebook.com/authorheidieljarbo/</span><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111;" /><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111;">https://no.pinterest.com/heidieljarbo/</span><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111;" /><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111;">https://www.instagram.com/heidieljarbo/</span><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111;" /><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111;">Twitter: @HeidiEljarbo</span><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111;" /><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111;">https://www.instagram.com/heidieljarbo/</span></span></div><h2><br /></h2></div></div>randiloves2readhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15022204806814796098noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4908132404254660698.post-70968472865606996332021-09-03T15:00:00.014+02:002021-09-03T15:00:00.242+02:00#Historical Cozy Mystery Book Review: #Murder at the Royal Botanic Gardens by #Aandrea Penrose <p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDHAAVTncvoMvaXmehgSKHIha_GDrnqb8HOkS_VDgBkzs1Ma-1v_m9MczmZSGRhFHQrWrKvHG7Y0S44tuJLuULeF9B1VE2CFE0VLNIvwMSJwadClB_D287T1jfqwwaplqAZqe7y0lQIZgI/s500/The+Murder+at+the+Royal+Bothantic+Gardens.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="331" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDHAAVTncvoMvaXmehgSKHIha_GDrnqb8HOkS_VDgBkzs1Ma-1v_m9MczmZSGRhFHQrWrKvHG7Y0S44tuJLuULeF9B1VE2CFE0VLNIvwMSJwadClB_D287T1jfqwwaplqAZqe7y0lQIZgI/w424-h640/The+Murder+at+the+Royal+Bothantic+Gardens.jpg" width="424" /></a></div><p><br /></p><h2 style="text-align: center;">4 stars / 5</h2><h2>Summary: Murder at the Royal Botanic Gardens (Wrexford & Sloan book 5) byAandrea Penrose</h2><div><br /></div><div><b style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><i>The upcoming marriage of the Earl of Wrexford and Lady Charlotte Sloane promises to be a highlight of the season, if they can first untangle—and survive—a web of intrigue and murder involving the most brilliant scientific minds in Regency London . . .</i></b><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span face=""Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size: 14px;"> </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333;">One advantage of being caught up in a whirl of dress fittings and decisions about flower arrangements and breakfast menus is that Charlotte Sloane has little time for any pre-wedding qualms. Her love for Wrexford isn’t in question. But will being a wife—and a Countess—make it difficult for her to maintain her independence—not to mention, her secret identity as famed satirical artist A.J. Quill?</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"> </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333;">Despite those concerns, there are soon even more urgent matters to attend to during Charlotte and Wrexford’s first public outing as an engaged couple. At a symposium at the Royal Botanic Gardens, a visiting botanist suffers a fatal collapse. The traces of white powder near his mouth reveal the dark truth—he was murdered. Drawn into the investigation, Charlotte and the Earl learn of the victim’s involvement in a momentous medical discovery. With fame and immense fortune at stake, there’s no shortage of suspects, including some whose ruthlessness is already known. But neither Charlotte nor her husband-to-be can realize how close the danger is about to get—or to what lengths this villain is prepared to go . . .(from Amazon).</span></span></div><div><p style="background-color: white; color: #333333; margin: 0px 0px 14px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p></div><h2>Review:</h2><div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Murder at the Royal
Botanic Gardens is book 5 in the Wrexford and Sloan series by Andrea Penrose,
published by Kensington. The story is set in London 1812 and continues the
story of the Earl of Wrexford and Charlotte Sloane this time taking part in a
symposium when a prominent botanist is found dead. The victim was about to make
a huge medical invention public without planning to make a fortune off of it
which might have enticed any present member of the symposium to commit the
murder and steal the needed papers to produce the medicine. Wedding planning is
put on hold while the couple investigates and Charlotte is worrying about what marrying
and becoming Countess of Wrexford might do to her independence and secret
identity as satirical artist</span><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"> A.J.Quill.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">
<span style="background: white;">Main character is Lady Carlotte Sloan works as satirical
artist A.J. Quill and the secrecy of this activity seems to have made her
independent, but somewhat lonely. She takes care of two orphan street urchins,
which shows she has a good heart. I find her relatable and my favorite
character.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">
<span style="background: white;">Supporting main character Anthony, Earl of
Wrexford, is the hot tempered scientist with connections which helps conjure up
information which helps the investigation, but has a lethal tongue that frightens
people who don’t know him. I find his character relatable in his own way as I
have met quite a few similar personalities. </span></span><span style="background-color: white;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">I have feel quite
familiar with the characters of this series as I have read several. Starting
this story felt a bit like coming home to family with the housekeeper mothering
Charlotte’s two orphan street urchins making sure they behaved well while
Charlotte and Wrexford were off on their investigation. I enjoyed the continued
storyline of the series and felt happy for Charlotte to have found her “Mr.
Right”. I am excited to learn what the future might look like for them.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">
<span style="background: white;">I found the plot stood out as interesting and
quite a novelty as I have not read any murder mysteries with a similar plot
before and certainly not one set in a botanical garden. How a humble element
like a medicinal plant might become the dramatic element in a murder mystery was
something I have never considered before, but greed for money is a motive very
well known.</span></span><span style="background-color: white;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">My favorite part of this story is how Charlotte is
thinking about what changes marriage is going to make for her personal and
professional life. I love that she considers more elements of her life than
title and privilege. She is going to become Countess of Wrexford with a
privileged, but more public lifestyle. Secrecy and anonymity needed to work as
A.J. Quill might become more difficult. I find it easy as a woman to relate to
this kind of thoughts. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">I recommend this story to anyone who enjoys murder
mysteries and fans of the author’s previous works in particular.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 5.0pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 5.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: NO-BOK;">Similar<b>
</b>authors to explore might be Dianne Freeman or Anna Lee Huber.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 5.0pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 5.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: NO-BOK;">
</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 5.0pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 5.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: NO-BOK;">Thank you to Kensington Books and NetGalley
for this opportunity to share my honest review. </span><span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: NO-BOK;">All opinions are completely my own.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 5.0pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 5.0pt;"><span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: NO-BOK;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoListParagraph" style="background: white; line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 5.0pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 5.0pt; mso-hyphenate: auto; mso-vertical-align-alt: auto;"><b><i><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: NO-BOK;">Conclusion: </span></i></b><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 115%;">Murder at the Royal
Botanic Gardens continues the investigations of Wrexford and Sloan as they
investigate the murder of a prominent botanist who has made a momentous medical
discovery, but has no plans to make money from it.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 5.0pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 5.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: NO-BOK;"><br /></span></p></div><h2>Where to get your copy</h2><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Murder-Botanic-Gardens-Wrexford-Mystery-ebook/dp/B08RW6RY2W/ref=sr_1_2?crid=2131FPUUVU5LZ&dchild=1&keywords=wrexford+and+sloane+mystery+series&qid=1623759110&s=digital-text&sprefix=wrexfo%2Cdigital-text%2C259&sr=1-2">Amazon Kindle</a><br /></div><div><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Murder-Botanic-Gardens-Wrexford-Mystery/dp/1496732502/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1625565491&sr=1-2">Amazon Hardcover</a><br /></div><div><a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/murder-at-the-royal-botanic-gardens-andrea-penrose/1138537891?ean=9781496732507">Barnes & Noble Hardcover</a><br /></div><div><a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/murder-at-the-royal-botanic-gardens-andrea-penrose/1138537891?ean=9781496732521">Barnes & Noble NOOK Book</a><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><h2>Book Details</h2><div><br /></div><div>ASIN : B08RW6RY2W<br />Publisher : Kensington Books (September 28, 2021)<br />Publication date : September 28, 2021<br />Print length : 304 pages</div><div><br /><h2>Author Bio</h2></div><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Andrea Penrose is the bestselling author of Regency-era historical fiction, including the acclaimed Wrexford & Sloane mystery series, as well as Regency romances written under the names Cara Elliott and Andrea Pickens. Published internationally in ten languages, she is a three-time RITA Award finalist and the recipient of numerous writing awards, including two Daphne Du Maurier Awards for Historical Mystery and two Gold Leaf Awards. A graduate of Yale University with a B.A. in Art and an M.F.A. in Graphic Design, Andrea fell in love with Regency England after reading Pride and Prejudice and has maintained a fascination with the era's swirling silks and radical new ideas throughout her writing career. She lives in Connecticut and blogs with a community of historical fiction authors at WordWenches.com. She also can be found at AndreaPenrose.com and on Instagram @AndreaPenroseBooks.</span></span><p></p>randiloves2readhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15022204806814796098noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4908132404254660698.post-32993439072064063622021-06-18T12:12:00.010+02:002021-06-18T12:12:00.210+02:00#Historical Romance Book Review: #The Merchant and The Rogue by #Sarah M. Eden<div class="separator"><p style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></p><div style="text-align: center;"> <img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHOlO6bNgEwfEvr7qqhvEiXaHLOVs4VUaBV6mX6avljkNsXv-ax0o7yOM_0LuJcTGWiuFuHeZyocKrHSrB2N052StTUxY7Lkn_gOImaBDtH-T1BmJqWOX9UeMIwBoGtRwpriOoBSc1jadE/w414-h640/The+Merchant+and+the+Rogue3.jpg" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><h2 style="text-align: center;">5 stars / 5</h2><h2 style="text-align: left;"><br /></h2><h2 style="text-align: left;">Summary: The Merchant and The Rogue (The Dread Penny Society book 3) by Sarah M. Eden</h2><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818;">London, 1865 Vera Sorokina loves reading the Penny Dreadfuls and immersing herself in tales of adventure, mystery, and romance. Her own days are filled with the often mundane work of running the book and print shop she owns with her father. The shop offers her the freedom and income to employ and protect the poverty-stricken Londoners she’s come to care about, and it gives her father something to do other than long for their hometown of St. Petersburg. She is grateful for the stability in their lives, but she often feels lonely.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818;">Brogan Donnelly was born and raised in Ireland, but has lived in London for several years, where he’s built a career as a Penny Dreadful writer. He has dedicated himself to the plight of the poor with the help of his sister. His membership in the secretive Dread Penny Society allows him to feel he isn’t entirely wasting his life, yet he feels dissatisfied. With no one to share his life with but his sister, he fears London will never truly feel like home.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818;">Brogan and Vera’s paths cross, and the attraction is both immediate and ill-advised. Vera knows from past experience that writers are never to be trusted, and Brogan has reason to suspect not everything at her print shop is aboveboard. When the growing criminal enterprise run by the elusive and violent Mastiff begins targeting their area of London, Brogan and Vera must work together to protect the community they’ve both grown to love. But that means they’ll need to learn to trust each other with dangerous secrets that have followed both of them from their home countries (from Goodreads).</span></span></div><div><br /></div><h2 style="text-align: left;">My thoughts about this historical romance</h2><div><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;">The Merchant and the Rogue is book 3 in The Dread Penny Society series by Sarah M. Eden, published by Shadow Mountain Publishers. This story is set in London 1865 and is about Dread Penny Society member Brogan Donnelly. By working there, he is assigned to secretly investigate a Soho print shop for possible criminal connection to the Russian ambassador’s office. Brogan has to be careful not to tip off shop manager Vera Sorokina about why he is there. Local merchants seem to be at risk if they don’t pay for “protection” against sabotage of their livelihoods, so Brogan and Vera work to stop the crime spree while their feelings for each other grow.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;">Main character is philanthropist Brogan Donnelly who has grown up as an orphan on the streets of Dublin and is passionate about making the lives of poor children easier. I keep </span>wishing<span style="font-family: inherit;"> he would value himself more, but I like him a lot and he is my favorite of this story.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;">Supporting character is print shop manager Vera Sorokina, who seems a compassionate and confident business woman with a heart for the street children. I find her very obedient with her father and wish she would have found courage to rebel.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />I have read both previous books in the series and would probably recommend reading them in order to get the complete picture, but the story reads perfectly as a standalone too. The plot centers on the secret Dread Penny Society whose purpose is to make the lives of London’s street children better. Brogan Donnelly is an active participant in this. I felt I learned even more from this book about the difficult living conditions for poor, orphaned children in the 1800s. <br /><br />As it takes place in a poor area where businesses struggle to survive and criminals find a way to exploit it felt unique as I have not read anything similar. <br /><br />The dramatic mystery element of figuring out who pressures shopkeepers to pay to prevent destruction of their businesses was one of my favorite parts.<br /><br />The description of when Brogan and Vera met for the first time was my absolute favorite part of the story and I loved the bantering between them. Having followed the series so far, I eagerly await what the next book will be about.<br /><br />Readers who enjoy historical romance stories will enjoy this. I have read quite a number of Sarah M. Eden’s books and loved them all, so I’m sure other of her fans will too. Similar authors to explore might be Abigail Wilson or Arlem Hawks. <br /><br />Thank you to #Shadow Mountain, #Sarah M. Eden and #NetGalley for this opportunity to share my honest review. All opinions are completely my own. <br /><br />Conclusion: In The Merchant and the Rogue, grown-up Irish street urchin Brogan Donnelly works in a print shop to secretly investigate criminal activity when he meets kindhearted Vera Sorokina who is equally passionate about poor children. Brogan and Vera’s feelings for each other grow while they work to stop the crime spree threatening local merchants.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div><h2 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Where to get your copy</span></h2><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-merchant-and-the-rogue-sarah-m-eden/1137387474?ean=9781629728513">Barnes & Noble</a><br /></span></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><h2 style="text-align: left;">Book Details</h2><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #21282d; font-size: 15px; font-weight: 700;">I</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #21282d; font-size: 15px;">SBN-13:9781629728513<br />Publisher: <a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/%22Shadow+Mountain+Publishing%22?Ntk=Publisher&Ns=P_Sales_Rank&Ntx=mode+matchall">Shadow Mountain Publishing</a><br />Publication date:08/17/2021<br />Series: <a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/%22Proper+Romance+Victorian+series%22?Ntk=P_Series_Title&Ns=P_Series_Number&Ntx=mode+matchall">Proper Romance Victorian series</a><br />Pages:368</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #21282d; font-size: 15px;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #21282d; font-size: 15px;"><br /></span></span></div><div><br /></div><h2 style="text-align: left;">Autor Bio</h2><div><br /></div><div><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">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 connect with the author</span></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div></div></div><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0 0 0 40px; padding: 0px;"><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0 0 0 40px; padding: 0px;"><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0 0 0 40px; padding: 0px;"><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0 0 0 40px; padding: 0px;"><div class="separator"><div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://www.sarahmeden.com/" style="text-align: center;">website</a><span style="color: black; text-align: center;"> | </span><a href="https://twitter.com/SarahMEden" style="text-align: center;">Twitter</a><span style="color: black; text-align: center;"> | </span><a href="https://www.facebook.com/SarahMEden" style="text-align: center;">Facebook</a><span style="color: black; text-align: center;"> | </span><a href="https://www.instagram.com/sarah_m_eden/" style="text-align: center;">Instagram</a><span style="color: black; text-align: center;"> | </span><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/2515462.Sarah_M_Eden" style="text-align: center;">Goodreads</a><span style="color: black; text-align: center;"> </span></span></span></div></div></div></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote><div class="separator"><p></p></div>randiloves2readhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15022204806814796098noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4908132404254660698.post-76188728834093101272021-06-07T15:00:00.015+02:002021-06-15T14:17:42.509+02:00#Cozy Mystery Book Review: #A Fianceé's Guide to First Wives and Murder by # Dianne Freeman<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGfPFM-yZYxJzdXcJ6wPesg5x4f76GYO1mdEAXLdPNv5osq_2HzQ1ZMOyxLcZ_Ep8L9WScCwyV4e9pXB0Y1ENo-Pp7d0vilOvbpiMziOFhzp1viPGgiSI7UCOpUdGLGdWPzZrPuliN0030/s475/A+Fiance%25C3%25A8%2527s+Guide+to+First+Wives+and+Murder.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="314" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGfPFM-yZYxJzdXcJ6wPesg5x4f76GYO1mdEAXLdPNv5osq_2HzQ1ZMOyxLcZ_Ep8L9WScCwyV4e9pXB0Y1ENo-Pp7d0vilOvbpiMziOFhzp1viPGgiSI7UCOpUdGLGdWPzZrPuliN0030/w424-h640/A+Fiance%25C3%25A8%2527s+Guide+to+First+Wives+and+Murder.jpg" width="424" /></a></div><br /> <p></p><h2 style="text-align: center;">Rating: 4 stars / 5</h2><div><br /></div><h2 style="text-align: left;">Summary: A Fianceé's Guide to First Wives and Murder (A Countess of Harleigh Mystery book 4) by Dianne Freeman</h2><div><br /></div><div><span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: inherit;"><b style="color: #181818;">In Dianne Freeman's lighthearted mystery series set in Victorian England, the American-born Countess of Harleigh uncovers more deadly intrigue among the uppercrust...</b><br style="color: #181818;" /><br style="color: #181818;" /><span style="color: #181818;">For Frances Wynn, widow to the late Earl of Harleigh, life has a cosmopolitan flavor of late. No sooner has she sent her mother and daughter off on a shopping trip to Paris than she and her fiancé, George Hazleton, are socializing with visiting members of the Russian royal family. Yet amid this whirlwind, scandal also comes calling when Inspector Delaney turns up outside Frances's house with a young French woman with a shocking claim: she is Mrs. George Hazelton.</span><br style="color: #181818;" /><br style="color: #181818;" /><span style="color: #181818;">As the future Mrs. George Hazelton, Frances assumes the woman is either lying or demented. Mrs. Hazelton, aka Irena, makes other outrageous statements. Among them, she insists that she is the illegitimate daughter of Russian royalty, that she has been abducted and held for ransom many times, and that someone is sending her threatening letters. When George arrives, he clarifies that he is certainly not married to Irena--though he can confirm her royal parentage. But even as he agrees to investigate whether Irena's life is in danger, her claim proves tragically true. Irena is found strangled in Frances' garden.</span><br style="color: #181818;" /><br style="color: #181818;" /><span style="color: #181818;">To uncover a killer--and clear their own names--Frances and George must determine which of Irena's outlandish stories were based in fact, and who stood to benefit from her death. And as the search reaches a shocking conclusion, they may find that villainy lurks all too close to home..<span style="font-family: inherit;">.(from Goodreads).</span></span></span></span></div><div><span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #181818;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></span></span></div><div><span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #181818;"><br /></span></span></span></div><h2 style="text-align: left;">My review of this intriguing murder mystery</h2><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;"><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #0f1111; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: NO-BOK; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt;">A Fiancée's Guide to First Wives and Murder
is book 4 in A Countess of Harleigh Mystery series by Dianne Freeman, published
by Kensington Books. The story is set in London 1899 when a French woman turns
up on Frances, Countess of Harleigh’s doorstep claiming to be her fiancée
George Hazeldon’s wife. She is later found dead in Frances’ garden and these
developments may have a detrimental effect on Frances’s and George’s reputations
and future marriage. With her usual energy and force Frances meddles in police
investigation with the help of her fiancée. Both use their social skills and
contacts to avoid a massive scandal.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Main
character is Frances, Countess of Harleigh who is like a dog with a bone when
it comes to mysteries and who has no problems taking risks. She seems a person
with a zest for life who deals effectively with whatever is thrown her way. I
love that about her.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Supporting character is the Hon.
George Hazelton. There seems to be plenty of mystery related to his background,
which I’m sure will gradually be revealed in future books. He seems attentive
to Frances and has the makings of a good Victorian husband.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">
<span style="background: white;">What I enjoyed the most about this story is that
it reads like a sitcom. It stands out with the particularly funny start when
George’s alleged wife turns up. The plot and characters are catching and keep
me fascinated all the way through to the totally surprising ending. I loved how
the murder victim’s mysterious background and her connections to Russia included
a lot of drama and surprise elements to the story. The drama of investigating
the murder understandably took center stage, but we are still able to sense the
connection between Frances and George. How they function as a couple in the
stressful situation when his alleged first wife turns up. In short this is an
unputdownable book I thoroughly enjoyed.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p> </o:p></span><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">The
lighthearted dialogue and writing kept me entertained and I will recommend this
book to anyone who likes a funny and easy read suitable all year round. It is
part of a series, but no actual need to read it in order because each story
stands perfectly on its own. I did, however, get curious about how Frances came
to be a Countess. -Maybe you will too. But I also look forward to seeing</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"> what the
next book in the series will be about.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 5.0pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 5.0pt; margin: 5pt 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: NO-BOK;">Similar<b>
</b>authors to explore might be Anna Lee Huber or Katharine Schellman. </span><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Thank you to #Kensington Books, #Dianne
Freeman and #NetGalley for this opportunity to share my honest review. All
opinions are completely my own.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 5.0pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 5.0pt; margin: 5pt 0cm;"><b><i><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: NO-BOK;">Conclusion: </span></i></b><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #0f1111; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: NO-BOK; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt;">A
Fiancée's Guide to First Wives and Murder is the unputdownable new mystery
where Frances solves the murder of a woman with connections to Russia who
claims to be George’s first wife.</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-outline-level: 1;">
</p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p></div></div><h2 style="text-align: left;">Where to get your Copy</h2><div><br /></div><div><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size: 14px;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Fianc%C3%A9es-Murder-Countess-Harleigh-Mystery/dp/1496731603/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=">Amazon Hardcove</a>r | Amazon Paperback | <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Fianc%C3%A9es-Murder-Countess-Harleigh-Mystery-ebook/dp/B08MBG6SWQ/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=">Amazon Kindle</a> | <a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/a-fianc-es-guide-to-first-wives-and-murder-dianne-freeman/1137975999?ean=9781496731609">B&N Hardcover</a> | B&N Paperback | B&N Nook Book </span></span></div><div><span face=""Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></div><div><span face=""Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></div><h2 style="text-align: left;">Book Details</h2><div><br /></div><br />Publisher : Kensington (July 27, 2021)<br />Hardcover : 304 pages<br />ISBN-10 : 1496731603<br />ISBN-13 : 978-1496731609<div><br /><div><br /></div><h2 style="text-align: left;">About The Author</h2><div><br /></div><div><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Dianne Freeman is a life-long book lover who left the world of corporate finance to pursue her passion for writing. After co-authoring the non-fiction book, Haunted Highway, The Spirits of Route 66, she realized her true love was fiction, historical mystery in particular. She also realized she didn't like winter very much so now she and her husband pursue the endless summer by splitting their time between Michigan and Arizona. Her debut novel, A Lady's Guide to Etiquette and Murder won an Agatha Award for Best Debut, a Lefty Award for Best First Novel, and was nominated for a Mary Higgins-Clark Award (from Amazon).</span></span></div><div><br /></div><div>Contact Details: <span style="font-family: verdana;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/diannefreemanwrites/">Instagram</a> | <a href="https://www.facebook.com/DianneFreemanAuthor">Facebook</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/Difreeman001">Twitter</a> | <a href="https://difreeman.com/book/">Website</a></span></div></div>randiloves2readhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15022204806814796098noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4908132404254660698.post-40070934642773211802021-05-21T15:00:00.001+02:002021-05-21T15:00:00.257+02:00#Historical Cozy Mystery #Book Review: #Death in Daylesford by #Kerry Greenwood<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo7yai7S-0O5_i8UaRb3vksQW3S921SIp4c8p9w24I21_yULLwyCth1bBtg4i2sWUqg_EaUzr7H2W3FkC_pJ_c4btchcNlGY0gCSXZBzPpKhnoKDicwpqz-Rgkkh7LTz7QVZqwJABIPgxe/s632/Death+in+Dylesford.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="632" data-original-width="474" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo7yai7S-0O5_i8UaRb3vksQW3S921SIp4c8p9w24I21_yULLwyCth1bBtg4i2sWUqg_EaUzr7H2W3FkC_pJ_c4btchcNlGY0gCSXZBzPpKhnoKDicwpqz-Rgkkh7LTz7QVZqwJABIPgxe/w480-h640/Death+in+Dylesford.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Rating: 4 stars / 5</b></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span></span></div><h2 style="text-align: left;">Summary: Death in Daylesford (Phryne Fisher book 21) by Kerry Greenwood</h2><div><br /></div><p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818;">When a mysterious invitation arrives for Miss Phryne Fisher from an unknown Captain Herbert Spencer, Phryne's curiosity is excited. Spencer runs a retreat in Victoria's spa country for shell-shocked soldiers of the First World War. It's a cause after Phryne's own heart but what could Spencer want from her?</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818;">Phryne and the faithful Dot view their spa sojourn as a short holiday but are quickly thrown in the midst of disturbing Highland gatherings, disappearing women, murder and the mystery of the Temperance Hotel.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818;">Meanwhile, Cec, Bert and Tinker find a young woman floating face down in the harbour, dead. Tinker and Phryne's resilient adopted daughters, Jane and Ruth, decide to solve what appears to be a heinous crime.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818;">Disappearances, murder, bombs, booby-traps and strange goings-on land Miss Phryne Fisher right in the middle of her most exciting adventure (from Goodreads).</span></span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></p><h2 style="text-align: left;">My thoughts of this fabulous murder mystery</h2><div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><br />
<span style="background: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Death in Daylesford is book 21 in the Phryne
Fisher’s Mysteries series by Kerry Greenwood, published by Poisoned Pen Press.
This time Miss Fisher is taking a holiday of sorts to visit a spa for WWI war
veterans to consider donating to the cause. Mysteries seem to follow her and Dylesford
and Hepburn Springs is no different. A murderer is on the loose specializing in
killing victims at local crowded events, staging it as accidents. Women also
seem to quietly disappear from farms in the area and Miss Fisher sets out to
find what’s really going on in the beautiful Victoria spa country. At home in Melbourne
Miss Fisher’s 3 adoptive children are solving their very own mystery, finding
what happened to a drowned schoolgirl found floating in the harbor.</span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">
<span style="background: white;">Main character is baron’s daughter Phryne
Fischer who seems a confident woman who work as a private investigator. She seems
to have a strong character and doesn’t care a jot that people might judge her
for living a very different life from women of her time. I find that impressive,
which makes her my favorite of this story.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Supporting character is Lady’s Maid Dorothy, Dot,
Williams, who seems to take on a bland presence wearing beige/brown clothing at
all times. She seems to have an interesting relationship to her boss, speaking
to Miss Fisher like a servant when in public, but being friend and confidant in
private. I found her likeable and dependable. Like the ideal practical kind of “female
Watson”.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">This is the first book I have read by Kerry Greenwood,
and read it as a standalone. That worked out perfectly, but I wish I had read book
1 and maybe a few more from the start to get a grip on how Miss Fisher developed
into the formidable, renowned character she is in book 21. In this book you
kind of get a 2 for 1 deal as the plot reads like two separate mysteries. I
loved the descriptions of prosperous Australian lifestyle of the 1920s. I have
read a few contemporary books set in Australia before, but this one stood out
with its historical setting, the colorful characters (apart from beige Dot) and
the great writing; even funny in places. I’m very pleased there are so many
more books in the series. The murder in the middle of a festival was an
excellent dramatic element, but my absolute favorite was the fabulous surprise ending
where the identity of the culprit took me totally by surprise.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraph" style="background: white; line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 5.0pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; mso-hyphenate: auto; mso-vertical-align-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 115%;">I feel hooked by this series and
is excited to see what the next book will be about. I recommend this one to readers
who enjoy an excellently written historical mystery with a fabulous ending. Similar<b> </b>authors to explore might be</span><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 115%;"> </span><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 115%;">Victoria
Purman or Rosalie Ham. Thank you to #Poisoned Pen Press and #Edelweiss+ for
this opportunity to share my honest review. All opinions are completely my own.</span><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoListParagraph" style="background: white; line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 5.0pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; mso-hyphenate: auto; mso-vertical-align-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 5.0pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 5.0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: NO-BOK;"><b>Conclusion: </b></span></i><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: NO-BOK;">Death in Daylesford is the
fabulous new story where Miss Fisher experiences murders in the middle of
crowds and local women of Daylesford mysteriously go missing from their homes.
Miss Fisher’s children work with Melbourne police to find what happened to a
schoolgirl drowned in the harbor.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 5.0pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 5.0pt;"><br /></p></div><h2 style="text-align: left;">Where to get your Copy</h2><div><br /></div><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-size: 14px;"><span><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Death-Daylesford-Phryne-Fisher-Mysteries/dp/1728234565/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1618157240&sr=1-1">Amazon Hardcover</a> | <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Death-Daylesford-Phryne-Fisher-Mysteries/dp/1728234522/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1618157240&sr=1-1">Amazon Paperback</a> | <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Death-Daylesford-Phryne-Fisher-Book-ebook/dp/B08TGVT3DY/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1618157240&sr=1-1">Amazon Kindle</a> | <a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/death-in-daylesford-kerry-greenwood/1137510762?ean=9781728234564">B&N Hardcover</a> | </span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-size: 14px;"><a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/death-in-daylesford-kerry-greenwood/1137510762?ean=9781728234526">B&N Paperback</a> | <a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/death-in-daylesford-kerry-greenwood/1137510762?ean=9781728234533">B&N BookNook (E-book)</a></span></span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></p><h2 style="text-align: left;">Book Details</h2><div><br /></div>Publisher : Poisoned Pen Press (June 1, 2021)<br />Paperback : 336 pages<br />ISBN-10 : 1728234522<br />ISBN-13 : 978-1728234526<p><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></p><h2 style="text-align: left;">About The Author</h2><div><br /></div><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Kerry Greenwood (born 17 June 1954 in Footscray, Victoria) is an Australian author and defence lawyer. She has written many plays and books, most notably a string of historical detective novels centred on the character of Phryne Fisher. She writes mysteries, science-fiction, historical fiction, and children's stories, as well as plays. She is unmarried but lives with a "registered wizard" (from Amazon).</span></span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;">Contact Details: </span><a href="https://www.facebook.com/AuthorKerryGreenwood/photos" style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana; font-size: 14px;">Facebook</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: verdana; font-size: 14px;"> | </span><a href="http://phrynefisher.com/books.html" style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana; font-size: 14px;">Website</a></p>randiloves2readhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15022204806814796098noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4908132404254660698.post-69962641885563893672021-05-07T15:00:00.193+02:002021-05-07T15:00:00.228+02:00#Historical Romance #Blog Tour & Spotlight: #Isabelle and Alexander by #Rebecca Anderson<p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhasGtJSx8gjEhwt5SLZCgpPOz56ZGmXc7iG-ApcNngH-wE-KDTyG7neF1pybvVScBFOlz9QIJuJZpReujLvTFpIY2Dfmyp_VFCZOoi0ayanfzPIrCIPqIu2MzSGqO3WKIGvgx5NXA2TtXR/s750/Issabelle+and+Alexander+Blog+Tour+Graphic.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="750" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhasGtJSx8gjEhwt5SLZCgpPOz56ZGmXc7iG-ApcNngH-wE-KDTyG7neF1pybvVScBFOlz9QIJuJZpReujLvTFpIY2Dfmyp_VFCZOoi0ayanfzPIrCIPqIu2MzSGqO3WKIGvgx5NXA2TtXR/w640-h426/Issabelle+and+Alexander+Blog+Tour+Graphic.png" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size: 14px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></p><h2 style="text-align: left;">About the Book: Isabelle and Alexander (Proper Romance Victorian) by Rebecca Anderson)</h2><div><p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333;">Manchester, 1850</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333;">Isabelle Rackham knows she will not marry for love. Though arranged marriages have fallen out of fashion, hers has been settled for some time to combine the upper-middle-class wealth of her father's coal mines with Alexander Osgood's prospering Northern country textile mills. Though not a man prone to romantic gestures, Alexander is well-known as an eligible bachelor. His good looks have turned more than one head, so Isabelle is content to think of herself as Alexander's wife.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333;">However, her marriage is not what she expected. Northern England is nothing like her home farther west in the lake country. Cold, dreary, and dark, the soot from the textile mills creates a gray hue that seems to cling to everything in the city of Manchester. Alexander is distant and aloof, preferring to spend his time at the mill rather than with her at home. Their few conversations are brief, polite, and lacking any emotion, leaving Isabelle lonely and desperately homesick.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333;">Sensing his wife's unhappiness, Alexander suggests a trip to his country estate. Isabelle hopes this will be an opportunity to get to know her new husband without the distractions of his business. But the change of scenery doesn't bring them any closer. While riding together on horses, Alexander is thrown from his and becomes paralyzed. Tragedy or destiny? The help and care that Alexander now needs is Isabelle's opportunity to forge a connection and create a deep and romantic love where nothing else could.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><br /></span></span></p><h2 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333;">Advance praise</span></span> </h2><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333;">
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-style: italic; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">"Anderson’s first foray into historical romance is an
atypical, yet satisfying story set in Victorian Manchester’s upper middle
class. Hand this to readers looking for a book that navigates the peaks and
valleys of two strangers attempting to make a life together despite the
hardships life throws at them."— <b><i>Library Journal</i></b></span></span><span style="color: black; font-family: inherit;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black;">·<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black;">"Isabelle transitions from an unaware, leisure-class woman to
a more enlightened spouse and supporter of the working class. Intimacy and
romance develop between Isabelle and Alexander because of simple gestures, like
a long look or a thoughtful gift, and their conversations. Their slow, stately
courting is reader appropriate for any age or audience. Manchester also gets
its due as a place of grit and incredible production. Descriptions of bustling
mills reveal their impact on the couple’s family and its fortunes. <i>Isabelle
and Alexander</i> is an intimate and touching romance novel that focuses on
women’s lives in the business class of industrial England."— <b><i>Foreword
Reviews</i></b></span></span><span style="color: black; font-family: inherit;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black;">·<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--></span><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">"Isabelle must use her quiet spunk, busy mind, and
compassionate spirit to woo her husband in a wholly new way. Anderson's debut
is a lovely northern England Victorian romance about confronting the seemingly
impossible and the power of empathy. Anderson also addresses the time period’s
treatment of physical and intellectual disabilities. Most of all, she
beautifully depicts love in its many forms beyond romance, such as compassion,
patience, and vulnerability; and her characters illustrate the ways that these
expressions of love carry us through even the darkest hours. Isabelle’s loving
and persevering fervor and devotion will resonate with any caregiver’s
heart."— <b><i>Booklist</i></b></span></span></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i><br /></i></b></span></span></p><h2>Book Details of Isabelle and Alexander by Rebecca Anderson</h2><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black;"><br />Publisher : Shadow Mountain </span></p><div><span style="color: black;">Publishing date: May 4, 2021</span><br style="color: black;" /><span style="color: black;">Language : English</span><br style="color: black;" /><span style="color: black;">Paperback : 368 pages</span><br style="color: black;" /><span style="color: black;">ISBN-10 : 1629728470</span><br style="color: black;" /><span style="color: black;">ISBN-13 : 978-1629728476</span><p style="color: black;"><br /></p></div></span></span></div><h2 style="text-align: left;">Purchase links:</h2><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Isabelle-Alexander-Proper-Romance-Victorian/dp/1629728470/ref=sr_1_1?crid=14V9CM8EQYTM3&dchild=1&keywords=isabelle+and+alexander&qid=1618154629&sprefix=isabelle+and+alex%2Caudible%2C286&sr=8-1">Amazon</a> | </span><span style="font-family: verdana;"><a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/isabelle-and-alexander-rebecca-anderson/1137387470?ean=9781629728476">Barnes & Noble</a> | </span><span style="font-family: verdana;"><a href="https://www.bookdepository.com/Isabelle-Alexander-Rebecca-Anderson/9781629728476?ref=grid-view&qid=1618154540601&sr=1-2">BookDepository</a></span></div><div><br /></div><h2 style="text-align: left;"><br /></h2><h2 style="text-align: left;">Meet The Author</h2><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjilIgF-V5GrpZtyDo6td-Cw2RPtM8MeZ5zotrGsmS2niyM63XdHKB4Iqm5ldPE5QEwke6GlKN_KfltPLl29cC7xTpdzdh-K58Q1IT5HjbtOTU90_izk5aIow3BG9OLXgTHD99scOnh2fGk/s500/Rebecca+Anderson+aka+Becca+Wilhite+headshot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="500" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjilIgF-V5GrpZtyDo6td-Cw2RPtM8MeZ5zotrGsmS2niyM63XdHKB4Iqm5ldPE5QEwke6GlKN_KfltPLl29cC7xTpdzdh-K58Q1IT5HjbtOTU90_izk5aIow3BG9OLXgTHD99scOnh2fGk/s320/Rebecca+Anderson+aka+Becca+Wilhite+headshot.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 107%; margin-bottom: 8.0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><span lang="EN-US">Rebecca Anderson </span></b><span lang="EN-US">is the nom de plume of contemporary romance
novelist Becca Wilhite, author of <i>Wedding Belles: A Novel in Four Parts</i>,
<i>Check Me Out</i>, and <i>My Ridiculous Romantic Obsessions</i>. <i>Isabelle
and Alexander</i> is her debut historical romance novel. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 107%; margin-bottom: 8.0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-US">High school English teacher by day, writer by night (or very early
morning), she loves hiking, Broadway shows, food, books, and movies. She is
happily married and a mom to four above-average kids.</span><span lang="EN-US"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p></div><div><br /></div><span style="font-family: verdana;">Connect with author: <a href="https://twitter.com/BeccaWilhite">Twitter</a> | <a href="https://www.facebook.com/becca.wilhite">Facebook</a> | <a href="https://www.instagram.com/beccawilhite/">Instagram</a> | <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/20774990.Rebecca_Anderson">Goodreads</a> | <a href="https://rj-anderson.com/">website</a></span></div><div><br /></div>randiloves2readhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15022204806814796098noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4908132404254660698.post-27049617640548449872021-04-23T15:00:00.122+02:002021-04-23T15:00:00.402+02:00#Historical Romance #Book Review: #The Nature of a Lady by #Roseanna M. White<p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFhleGOH6O1Lrx6yCk4NxfYW8CUrDGdq3-ZrZZlDth6N_pGXMtQCPRawcmeeSiDThIGFVuJUPcxIlQVr0pd0Fi4oDV79MUl4aQXhmiHrQwXrZBMNvcxA-FJ7cFFXPPx5WG-fqg2PIT1Nmo/s1125/The+Nature+of+a+Lady.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1125" data-original-width="705" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFhleGOH6O1Lrx6yCk4NxfYW8CUrDGdq3-ZrZZlDth6N_pGXMtQCPRawcmeeSiDThIGFVuJUPcxIlQVr0pd0Fi4oDV79MUl4aQXhmiHrQwXrZBMNvcxA-FJ7cFFXPPx5WG-fqg2PIT1Nmo/w402-h640/The+Nature+of+a+Lady.jpg" width="402" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><h2 style="text-align: center;">5 stars / 5 - It was amazing!</h2><div><br /></div><h2 style="text-align: left;">Summary: The Nature of a Lady (The Secrets of the Isles book 1) by Roseanna M. White</h2><p></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span id="freeText6439156653229290442" style="background-color: white; color: #181818;"><i>1906</i><br />Lady Elizabeth "Libby" Sinclair, with her love of microscopes and nature, isn't favored in society. She flees to the beautiful Isles of Scilly for the summer and stumbles into the dangerous secrets left behind by her holiday cottage's former occupant, also named Elizabeth, who mysteriously vanished.<br /><br />Oliver Tremayne--gentleman and clergyman--is determined to discover what happened to his sister, and he's happy to accept the help of the girl now living in what should have been Beth's summer cottage . . . especially when he realizes it's the curious young lady he met briefly two years ago, who shares his love of botany and biology. But the hunt for his sister involves far more than nature walks, and he can't quite believe all the secrets Beth had been keeping from him.<br /><br />As Libby and Oliver work together, they find ancient legends, pirate wrecks, betrayal, and the most mysterious phenomenon of all: love (from Amazon).</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818;"><br /></span></span></p><h2 style="text-align: left;">My thoughts of this captivating historical romance</h2><div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><br />
<span style="background: white;">The Nature of a Lady is the first
book in The Secrets of the Isles series by Roseanna M. White, published by
Bethany House Publishers. The setting is the Isles of Scilly, Cornwall 1906. Escaping
her family’s marriage schemes, main character Lady Elizabeth, Libby, Sinclair puts
together a plan to spend the summer on the Islands of Scilly enjoying all the
flora and fauna she loves so much. She meets hansom local vicar Oliver Tremayne
who searches for his missing sister Elisabeth, Beth. </span>Mysterious clues
come to light and danger increases. As Libby and Oliver work together to find
what’s going on with Beth, they become very close friends. Libby’s family
want her to marry a titled gentleman, so if she wants to be with Oliver, she will
have to give up her family’s financial and emotional support.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">
<span style="background: white;">Main character is earl’s sister and passionate
naturalist Lady Elizabeth, Libby, Sinclair. She seems close to her family and
doesn’t seem to have much of a rebel in her. As the story progressed, I enjoyed
that she became a little more assertive.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Supporting character is vicar Oliver Tremayne who does what locally is considered “elbow-magic” which inspires people to open up to him. This part adds a funny element to his character and the story, which I love, and he is my favorite.<br /> <br /> This reads like a historical romance with a mystery element. The story stands out from others I have read set in Cornwall. The setting on the islands off the coast added an interesting new twist to the plot. I particularly loved the expertly written dramatic scenes. I felt a bit of a Poldark vibe with the seaside setting and the local way of life at the time. Libby’s brother’s character I felt started out as a bit of an ass, to be perfectly honest, but he was probably the character who developed the most. My favorite part of the story was descriptions of the rowing competition and party on the beach, which added a feeling of Cornish culture. I appreciate all the thorough research that must have gone into writing this.<br /> <br /> Libby wants to believe in God, but struggles with what she has learned from her local vicar. I really enjoyed reading about how she arrives at a greater trust in God through her discussions with Oliver. <br /><br />As this is the exiting first start to the Secrets of the Isles series, I eagerly await book 2. Anyone who enjoys a great historical romance with a mystery twist will love this one. As will fans of Roseanna M. White’s other works. Similar authors to explore might be #Kristi Ann Hunter or #Erica Vetsch. <br /><br />Thank you to #Bethany House Publishers, #Roseanna M. White and #NetGalley for this opportunity to share my honest review. All opinions are completely my own.</span></div><div><br />
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 5.0pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 5.0pt; margin: 5pt 0cm;"><b><i><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: NO-BOK;">Conclusion: </span></i></b><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: NO-BOK;">The Nature of a Lady is
the captivating story about gentlewoman Libby who escapes her family’s marriage
schemes to spend the summer on the Isles of Scilly. She meets hansom local
vicar Oliver who searches for his missing sister. They both get mixed up in her
secret and dangerous activity.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 5.0pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 5.0pt; margin: 5pt 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: NO-BOK;">Rating: 5 stars / 5</span><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><br /></div><h2 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818;">Book Details</span></span></h2><br />Publisher : Bethany House Publishers<br />Publication date : May 4, 2021<br />Print length : 384 pages<div>ISBN-10 : 0764237187<br />ISBN-13 : 978-0764237188<div><br /><div><br /><h2 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818;">Where to Get Your Copy</span></span></h2><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Nature-Lady-Secrets-Isles/dp/0764239201/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1618155771&sr=1-1">Amazon Hardcover</a> | </span></span><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Nature-Lady-Secrets-Isles/dp/0764237187/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=">Amazon Paperback</a> | <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Nature-Lady-Secrets-Isles-Book-ebook/dp/B08MY14S4R/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=">Amazon Kindle</a> | <a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-nature-of-a-lady-roseanna-m-white/1137897816?ean=9780764239205">B&NHardcover</a> |<a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-nature-of-a-lady-roseanna-m-white/1137897816?ean=9780764237188">B&NPaperback</a> | <a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-nature-of-a-lady-roseanna-m-white/1137897816?ean=9781493431472">B&N NOOKBook</a> | </span><a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-nature-of-a-lady-roseanna-m-white/1137897816?ean=9781432889067" style="font-family: verdana;">B&N Large Print</a></p><p><br /></p><h2 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818;">About The Author</span></span></h2><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Roseanna M. White is a bestselling, Christy Award nominated author who has long claimed that words are the air she breathes. When not writing fiction, she's homeschooling her two kids, editing, designing book covers, and pretending her house will clean itself. Roseanna is the author of a slew of historical novels that span several continents and thousands of years. Spies and war and mayhem always seem to find their way into her books...to offset her real life, which is blessedly ordinary. You can learn more about her and her stories at <a href="http://www.RoseannaMWhite.com">www.RoseannaMWhite.com</a> (from Amazon).</span></span></p><h4 style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Contact deatils for the author</span>: </span><span style="font-family: verdana; font-weight: normal;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/roseannamwhite/">Instagram</a> | <a href="https://www.facebook.com/roseanna.white">Facebook</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/RoseannaMWhite">Twitter</a> | <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4488054.Roseanna_M_White?from_search=true&from_srp=true">Goodreads</a></span></span></h4></div></div></div>randiloves2readhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15022204806814796098noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4908132404254660698.post-56629500102645040142021-04-09T15:00:00.080+02:002021-04-09T15:00:00.258+02:00#Historical Romance #Book Review: #No Jouney too far by #Carrie Turansky<p style="text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinCRUcBIk-WVG_Bs7jSd_oaSaIupDEDYQMscm5nmprvfuq9otLSYsSTDPUbLeVE5xPgJXpZ1HPhC4eJd-99KJNGVS1WcJ699yTOhIm0Qp6aFKuSzVtg7GUiKQaYlfUATZFk00QILXYDYlj/s471/No+Journey+too+far.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="471" data-original-width="318" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinCRUcBIk-WVG_Bs7jSd_oaSaIupDEDYQMscm5nmprvfuq9otLSYsSTDPUbLeVE5xPgJXpZ1HPhC4eJd-99KJNGVS1WcJ699yTOhIm0Qp6aFKuSzVtg7GUiKQaYlfUATZFk00QILXYDYlj/w432-h640/No+Journey+too+far.jpg" width="432" /></a></p><h2 style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;">4 stars / 5 - I really liked it </span></h2><p style="text-align: center;"></p><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><h2 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333;">Summary: No Journey too far (McAlister family book 2) by Carrie Turansky</span></span><span style="text-align: center;"> </span></h2></blockquote><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333;">In 1909, Grace McAlister set sail for Canada as one of the thousands of British Home Children taken from their families and their homeland. Though she is fortunate enough to be adopted by wealthy parents, the secrets of her past are kept hidden for ten years until someone from her long-buried childhood arrives on her doorstep. With this new connection to her birth family, will she be brave enough to leave her sheltered life in Toronto and uncover the truth?</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"> </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333;">After enduring hardship as an indentured British Home Child, Garth McAlister left Canada to serve in World War I. His sweetheart, Emma Lafferty, promised to wait for his return, but after three long years apart, her letters suddenly stopped. When Garth arrives home from the war to unexpected news, he is determined to return to Canada once more on a daunting mission to find the two women he refuses to abandon—his long-lost sister and his mysteriously missing sweetheart (from Amason).</span></span></p></blockquote><p></p><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><p style="text-align: center;"></p></blockquote><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><h2 style="text-align: left;">My review of this heartwarming historical romance</h2></blockquote><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><p></p></blockquote><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white;">No Journey too far
is book 2 in the McAlister Family series by Carrie Turansky, published by
Multnomah. The story is set in Canada 1919 and is about Garth McAlister as he
returns from the Great War. As children believed to be orphans he and his 2
sisters were shipped off to Canada to work on farms and after 10 years of
search, his family has still not heard from his youngest sister, Grace. Garth decides to
go back in search for her and also for his sweetheart, Emma Lafferty. Grace was
adopted by a wealthy family in Toronto and is now about to be launched into
Society to get married. She resents the pressure and reaches out to her family
in England. Her address reaches Garth, and he visits her. Grace’s adoptive
parents are convinced she is an orphan, so they brusquely throw him out, which
makes Grace run away. Garth continues his mission to find sweetheart Emma. His
skill and connections come in handy when helping her out of some really
difficult circumstances.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">
<span style="background: white;">Main character is ex-Corporal Garth McAlister who
seems compassionate, well rounded and likable. As a British Home Child he was
badly treated as a farm hand, but seems to have avoided too
many emotional scars.</span></span><span style="background-color: white;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Supporting
character is Emma Lafferty seems quite level headed and assertive as she figures
out who to contact for information about Garth. From time to time she gets
doubts about Garth's commitment, but I was pleased to see regains her trust again. I found
her easy to like and my favorite of this story.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">
<span style="background: white;">I read No Journey too far as a standalone, which
worked perfectly, but reading book one first would give the complete picture of
the McAlister family. The parts about Garth’s life within his family were my
absolute favorites of the story. I didn’t know much about British Home Children
or about American farm life in the 1900s, so it felt like I learned a lot by reading
this story.</span></span><span style="background-color: white;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">I enjoyed how the
spiritual element was at the forefront of the story. Grace was adopted
by a family who only went to church a few times a year. They didn’t pray or
read the Bible, so Grace’s spiritual journey seemed to begin when she found the
family Bible and started reading it in secret.</span> </span> </p></blockquote><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">This is the last in the 2 book series, and I wonder what Carrie Turansky’s next book will be about. Anyone who enjoys historical romance will enjoy this one. As will fans of Carrie Turansky’s other works. Similar authors to explore might be Laura Frantz or Jody Hedlund.</span><br /><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 5.0pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 5.0pt; margin: 5pt 0cm;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: NO-BOK;">Thank you </span><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: NO-BOK;">to </span><span lang="EN-US" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: 115%;">Multnomah</span><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: NO-BOK;">, Carrie Turansky and NetGalley for this
opportunity to share my honest review. All opinions are completely my own.</span><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 5.0pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 5.0pt; margin: 5pt 0cm;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: NO-BOK;">Conclusion: </span></i></b><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: NO-BOK;"> No Journey too far takes ex-corporal Garth
McAlister to Canada in search of his sweetheart and his missing sister, Grace. He
helps Grace escape her wealthy and powerful adoptive parents and he has to use
all his skill and connections to help his sweetheart, Emma out of her difficulties for
them to have a future together.</span><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 5.0pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 5.0pt; margin: 5pt 0cm;"><span style="background-color: transparent;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></span></p></blockquote><p></p><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><h2 style="text-align: left;">Book Details</h2></blockquote><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><br />Publisher : Multnomah</blockquote><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;">Publication date : June 8, 2021</blockquote><p> </p><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><p></p></blockquote><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><h2 style="text-align: left;">You Can Get Your Copy Here</h2></blockquote><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><p style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/No-Journey-Too-Far-McAlister/dp/0525652957/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1617284192&sr=1-1">Amazon Paperback</a> </p></blockquote><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><p style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/No-Journey-Too-Far-McAlister-ebook/dp/B08GJZ4DCT/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1617284192&sr=1-1">Amazon Kindle</a> </p></blockquote><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><p style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/no-journey-too-far-carrie-turansky/1137528590?ean=9780525652953">Barnes & Noble Paperback</a> </p></blockquote><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><p style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/no-journey-too-far-carrie-turansky/1137528590?ean=9780525652960">Barnes & Noble NOOK book (ebook)</a> </p></blockquote><p><br /></p><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><h2 style="text-align: left;">About The Author</h2></blockquote><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">CARRIE TURANSKY is the award-winning author of more than twenty-one inspirational novels and novellas and a winner of the ACFW Carol Award, the International Digital Award, and the Holt Medallion. She loved traveling to England to research her latest Edwardian novels including No Ocean Too Wide, Across the Blue, Shine Like the Dawn, and The Highland Hall series. Her novels have received stared reviews from Christianbooks.com and Library Journal. They have been translated into several languages and enjoyed by readers around the world. Connect with Carrie on her website: <a href="http://carrieturansky.com/">http://carrieturansky.com/</a>, and on Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest (from Amazon).</span></span> </blockquote><p></p>randiloves2readhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15022204806814796098noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4908132404254660698.post-42763488037124212382021-03-26T15:00:00.147+01:002021-03-26T15:00:03.330+01:00#Historical Romance Blog Tour & #Review: #A Captain for Caroline Gray by #Julie Wright<p> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCm8zoqDD5c_16VpGDl26M2lxBdL-epj4thsK2hgPJpUcq77Y7SBgYmd-F3ZArdpwekgyU8sHHzlFSbBrtNbHAM4Pae6n9-KZb2HPPJ2m_zmaT7Q3B9v7Zp09EaKQoErsj_l3Ye2uKfjee/s750/Captain+for+Caroline+Gray+Blog+Tour+Graphic+horizontal.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="750" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCm8zoqDD5c_16VpGDl26M2lxBdL-epj4thsK2hgPJpUcq77Y7SBgYmd-F3ZArdpwekgyU8sHHzlFSbBrtNbHAM4Pae6n9-KZb2HPPJ2m_zmaT7Q3B9v7Zp09EaKQoErsj_l3Ye2uKfjee/w640-h426/Captain+for+Caroline+Gray+Blog+Tour+Graphic+horizontal.png" width="640" /></a><br /><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">My Rating: 5 stars / 5 It Was Amazing</b></p><h2 style="text-align: left;">Summary of A Captain for Caroline Gray by Julie Wright</h2><div>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 107%; margin-bottom: 8pt;"><b><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Regency London</span></span></b></p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />Caroline Gray's third season in London society ends as badly as her first two—no marriage proposal, no suitor, not even a glimmer of an interested prospect. She suspects it's because she is far too quick to speak her mind to men who are put off by her forthright opinions, her eager intellect backed by a formal education, and her unconventional ideas about the future. She is far more daring than demure to suit the taste of her class. Besides, Caroline thinks there will always be next season to find a husband. <br /><br />However, her family's dwindling income leaves Caroline with only one choice to secure her future: a one-way ticket to sail with the Fishing Fleet to India, where the son of a family friend waits. If the match doesn't work, Caroline cannot return home. <br /><br />Captain Thomas Scott loves the thrill of the open sea, and as commander of one of the ships of the Fishing Fleet, he ferries scores of young English girls to the shores of India to find husbands. The voyages pay well, but he struggles to understand why families would allow young women to be matched with total strangers so far away. <br /><br />The trips have always been routine and uneventful—until this trip's first night's dinner with one Miss Caroline Gray. She engages in a lively political conversation, presenting opposing viewpoints to the conventionally opinionated gentlemen at her table. Captain Scott is secretly amused and delighted at her boldness, not to mention quite drawn to her beauty. <br /><br />The rest of the passengers are shocked by her behavior and Caroline finds herself an outcast, suffering harsh judgments from the other passengers. However, she finds an unlikely ally in Captain Scott which quickly draws them closer. <br /><br />Both know an arranged marriage awaits Caroline at the end of their voyage, yet the attraction between them is undeniable. Caroline will have to decide if she will honor her mother's wishes and marry a man in India whom she has never met, thus securing a future for her and her mother, or be brave enough to throw convention to the wind and commit to love a sea captain. He may be enchanted by her bold and unconventional ways, but will his love and admiration last?</span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /><br /></span><h2 style="line-height: 107%; margin-bottom: 8pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-US">My review of this </span></span><span style="background-color: white;">entertaining </span>historical romance</h2><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-US"><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-family: inherit; line-height: 115%;">A Captain for Caroline Gray</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"> is
the standalone novel by Julie Wright, published by Shadow Mountain Publishing
and we get</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 115%;"> to follow
Caroline Gray as she reluctantly boards the Perseverance bound for Mumbai, India.
As a gentlewoman encouraged by her parents to be outspoken beyond what is
acceptable to Society, she has not received any offers of marriage. Caroline’s
childhood home is inherited by her cousin following her father’s death and she
has nowhere to go. A deal is made for Caroline to travel to India to meet Captain
Barritt, without a promise to marry him. Aboard the ship she loses her heart to
a different Captain and is totally unprepared for what awaits her in Mumbai.</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">
<span style="background: white;">Gentlewoman Caroline Gray is knowledgeable and
outspoken. She pretty much resembles a woman of the 21st century, having
a determined and strong willed attitude which puts men of her time off. I feel
for her as she thinks there is something wrong with her. She cannot seem to
find someone who likes her the way she is. She seems very human, which makes her my
favorite of this story. I find it easy to relate to her thoughts and feelings.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">
<span style="background: white;">Captain Thomas Scott seems grumpy and disillusioned
at the beginning of the story. He transports
women to India for business reasons and is convinced they will not meet their
happy ever after there. He has no plans to marry, but I enjoyed how he starts
to show more of his relatable and kind sides during the voyage to India.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">
<span style="background: white;">The plot stood out as a fresh, new addition to
historical romance stories set at sea. I have not read about women unable to
find matches in England who travelled to India to marry. I was surprised
this story even had a woman serving as cabin cleaner and chaperone to the female
passengers even though crew thought that would bring bad luck. The writing had
an amusing vibe</span> </span>and I particularly enjoyed the dialogues between
Caroline and Captain Scott. Descriptions of the r<span style="background: white;">elationship
slowly developing between Caroline and Captain Scott</span> were my favorite
part of the plot. My least favorite part was descriptions of <span style="background: white;">the catty behavior of one particular female passenger.
Her character seemed to have perfected every female trick of the Ton to fight for
male attention</span> and her run-ins with Caroline added excellent drama to
the plot.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 5.0pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 5.0pt; margin: 5pt 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: NO-BOK;">Readers who
enjoy historical romance, particularly those set at sea, will enjoy this one.
As will fans of Julie Wright. Similar<b> </b>authors
to explore might be # Arlem Hawks or #Ronda Gibb Hinrichsen.</span></p>
</span></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">Thank you to #Shadow Mountain Publishing, #Julie Wright and #NetGalley for this opportunity to share my honest review. All opinions are completely my own.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-US">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 5.0pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 5.0pt; margin: 5pt 0cm;"><b><i><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: NO-BOK;">Conclusion:
</span></i></b><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: NO-BOK;"> A Captain for Caroline Gray is the fresh, new
addition to historical romance stories set at sea. Outspoken and assertive
Caroline reluctantly travels to India in hopes of someone to marry, because she
puts off male members of Society. Captain Scott is busy building his business
and has no plans to marry, but gets new perspectives in this entertaining story about
their voyage to India.</span><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 5.0pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 5.0pt; margin: 5pt 0cm;"><br /></p></span></span></div><h2 style="text-align: left;">Where to get your copy</h2></div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><p align="center" class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"><a href="https://amzn.to/3dySeuy"><b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"">AMAZON</span></b></a><!--[if !supportNestedAnchors]--><a name="_Hlk60499252"></a><!--[endif]--></span><b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN-US"> | </span></b><b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN-US"><a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/a-captain-for-caroline-gray-julie-wright/1137387469?ean=9781629728469">BARNES
& NOBLE </a></span></b><b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN-US">| </span></b><span lang="EN-US"><a href="https://www.bookdepository.com/Captain-for-Caroline-Gray-Julie-Wright/9781629728469"><b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"">BOOK DEPOSITORY</span></b></a></span><b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN-US"> | </span></b><span lang="EN-US"><a href="https://bookshop.org/books/a-captain-for-caroline-gray/9781629728469"><b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"">BOOKSHOP</span></b></a></span></p></div><div><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN-US">| </span></b><span lang="EN-US"><a href="https://deseretbook.com/p/captain-for-caroline-gray-ppr?ref=Grid%20%7C%20Search-1&variant_id=190618-paperback"><b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"">DESERET BOOK</span></b></a></span><b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN-US"> <a name="_Hlk56951428">|</a> </span></b><span lang="EN-US"><b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif""><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/54655846-a-captain-for-caroline-gray">GOODREADS</a></span></b></span></p><h2 style="text-align: left;"><br /></h2><h2 style="text-align: left;">Book Details</h2><div><br /></div>Title: A Captain for Caroline Gray (Proper Romance Regency) <br />Author: Julie Wright <br />Genre: Historical Romance, Regency Romance, Inspirational Fiction <br />Publisher: Shadow Mountain Publishing (March 2, 2021) <br />Length: (336) pages <br />Format: Trade Paperback, eBook, & audiobook <br />Tour Dates: March 1 – 28, 2021</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><div><div><b><span lang="EN-US"><o:p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguKD4u_mY3XKa5ef3yJ_rpT1Bg1y1W3rnddStN3BKRVBQ3QLlI2Olvt7oP4pLVZwKub1YC-lNH-_22cxpwPpmCYU0jUiAMvRl_NaORnZyGJYB0zWQ28mYUmtSHBjNJ1p5TpaUkE6ccwmIE/s1500/Captain+for+Caroline+Gray+meme+Graphic+2+horizontal+%25281%2529.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1500" height="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguKD4u_mY3XKa5ef3yJ_rpT1Bg1y1W3rnddStN3BKRVBQ3QLlI2Olvt7oP4pLVZwKub1YC-lNH-_22cxpwPpmCYU0jUiAMvRl_NaORnZyGJYB0zWQ28mYUmtSHBjNJ1p5TpaUkE6ccwmIE/w320-h256/Captain+for+Caroline+Gray+meme+Graphic+2+horizontal+%25281%2529.png" width="320" /></a></div></span></o:p></span></b></div></div></blockquote><div><div><b><span lang="EN-US"><o:p><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></o:p></span></b></div><h2 style="text-align: left;">
Advance Praise</h2><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: -18pt;">·<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: -18pt;">"A charming historical romance in which smarts and sass are
vindicated."— <b><i>Foreword Reviews</i></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: -18pt;">·<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: -18pt;">"…a delightful, not exactly traditional Regency romance. Teen
readers will enjoy this adventurous journey with its proactive heroine and
exotic settings."— <b><i>Booklist</i>, starred review</b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: -18pt;"><span lang="EN-US">·<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span><span lang="EN-US" style="text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">"An unconventional woman finds herself at home at sea in this
stirring Regency from Julie Wright…This adventure is sure to entice fans of
historical romance."— <b><i>Publishers Weekly</i></b></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN-US" style="color: black;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN-US" style="color: black;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><h2 style="line-height: 25.68px; margin-bottom: 8pt;">Author's Bio</h2>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 107%; margin-bottom: 8pt; text-align: center;"><b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN-US" style="mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbuOKqO4S8CLZw0PBofET2X8mZekeTHpjuAXLnf3oCUx4cvtuL8hH8jq9Xgoh1sxbMUgdBLWasWVMHkjGErWECaqF1qV_bor39zYbRm5gdHeNYCdO5CGdYXasNbjM5KVC6G5hh5CtcTOJH/s640/Julie+Wright+headshot+2021.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="425" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbuOKqO4S8CLZw0PBofET2X8mZekeTHpjuAXLnf3oCUx4cvtuL8hH8jq9Xgoh1sxbMUgdBLWasWVMHkjGErWECaqF1qV_bor39zYbRm5gdHeNYCdO5CGdYXasNbjM5KVC6G5hh5CtcTOJH/s320/Julie+Wright+headshot+2021.jpg" /></a></b></div>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 107%; margin-bottom: 8pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 107%; margin-bottom: 8pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><span lang="EN-US">Julie Wright</span></b><span lang="EN-US"> wrote her first book when she was fifteen and
has written over twenty novels since then. She is a Whitney Awards winner for
best romance with her books <i>Cross My Heart</i> and <i>Lies Jane Austen Told
Me</i>, and she is a Crown Heart recipient for the novel <i>The Fortune Café</i>.<br />
<br />
She has one husband, three kids, one dog, and a varying amount of fish, frogs,
and salamanders (depending on attrition). She loves writing, reading, hiking,
playing with her kids, and watching her husband make dinner. She hates mayonnaise.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 107%; margin-bottom: 8pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span lang="EN-US"><o:p><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></o:p></span><span lang="EN-US" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.juliewright.com/"><b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"">WEBSITE</span></b></a></span><b style="text-align: center;"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN-US"> | </span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://twitter.com/scatteredjules"><b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"">TWITTER</span></b></a></span><b style="text-align: center;"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN-US"> | </span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/juliepetersonwright"><b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"">FACEBOOK</span></b></a><a name="_Hlk54877485"></a></span><span style="text-align: center;"><b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN-US"> | </span></b></span><b style="text-align: center;"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN-US"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/scatteredjules/">INSTAGRAM</a></span></b><b style="text-align: center;"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN-US"> | </span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.bookbub.com/authors/julie-wright"><b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"">BOOKBUB</span></b></a></span><b style="text-align: center;"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN-US"> <a name="_Hlk56949894">|</a> </span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="text-align: center;"><b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif""><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/143445.Julie_Wright">GOODREADS</a></span></b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span lang="EN-US" style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></span></p><h2 style="text-align: left;">Here's the Blog Tour Schedule for you to follow</h2><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-size: x-small;">March 01 <b>My Jane Austen Book Club</b> (Excerpt)</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: x-small;">March 01 <b>Austenprose — A Jane Austen Blog</b>
(Review)</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span lang="EN-US">March 02 </span><b><span lang="EN-US">Storeybook Reviews</span></b><span lang="EN-US"> (Review)<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span lang="EN-US">March 02 </span><b><span lang="EN-US">Lu Reviews Books</span></b><span lang="EN-US"> (Review)<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span lang="EN-US">March 02 </span><b><span lang="EN-US">Bookworm Lisa</span></b><span lang="EN-US"> (Review)<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span lang="EN-US">March 03 </span><b><span lang="EN-US">Probably at the Library</span></b><span lang="EN-US"> (Excerpt)<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span lang="EN-US">March 03 </span><b><span lang="EN-US">Our Book Confessions</span></b><span lang="EN-US"> (Review) <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span lang="EN-US">March 03 </span><b><span lang="EN-US">Lady with a Quill</span></b><span lang="EN-US"> (Review) <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span lang="EN-US">March 04 </span><b><span lang="EN-US">The Caffeinated Bibliophile </span></b><span lang="EN-US">(Review) <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span lang="EN-US">March 04 </span><b><span lang="EN-US">Fire & Ice</span></b><span lang="EN-US"> (Review)<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span lang="EN-US">March 05 </span><b><span lang="EN-US">Literary Time Out</span></b><span lang="EN-US"> (Review) <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span lang="EN-US">March 05 </span><b><span lang="EN-US">Among the Reads</span></b><span lang="EN-US"> (Review)<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span lang="EN-US">March 06 </span><b><span lang="EN-US">Books and Socks Rock</span></b><span lang="EN-US"> (Review) <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span lang="EN-US">March 07 </span><b><span lang="EN-US">Encouraging Words</span></b><span lang="EN-US"> (Excerpt)<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span lang="EN-US">March 08 </span><b><span lang="EN-US">So Little Time…</span></b><span lang="EN-US"> (Review) <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span lang="EN-US">March 09 </span><b><span lang="EN-US">For Where Your Treasure Is</span></b><span lang="EN-US"> (Review) <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span lang="EN-US">March 10 </span><b><span lang="EN-US">Laura's Reviews</span></b><span lang="EN-US"> (Review) <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span lang="EN-US">March 10 </span><b><span lang="EN-US">My Bookish Bliss</span></b><span lang="EN-US"> (Review)<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span lang="EN-US">March 11 </span><b><span lang="EN-US">Heidi Reads</span></b><span lang="EN-US"> (Review) <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span lang="EN-US">March 12 </span><b><span lang="EN-US">Reading with Emily</span></b><span lang="EN-US"> (Review)<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span lang="EN-US">March 13 </span><b><span lang="EN-US">The Christian Fiction Girl</span></b><span lang="EN-US"> (Review) <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span lang="EN-US">March 14 </span><b><span lang="EN-US">Silver Petticoat Reviews</span></b><span lang="EN-US"> (Excerpt)<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span lang="EN-US">March 15 </span><b><span lang="EN-US">Austenesque Reviews</span></b><span lang="EN-US"> (Review)<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span lang="EN-US">March 16 </span><b><span lang="EN-US">The Lit Bitch</span></b><span lang="EN-US"> (Excerpt)<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span lang="EN-US">March 16 </span><b><span lang="EN-US">Greenish Bookself</span></b><span lang="EN-US"> (Review) <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span lang="EN-US">March 17 </span><b><span lang="EN-US">Inkwell Inspirations</span></b><span lang="EN-US"> (Review)<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span lang="EN-US">March 18 </span><b><span lang="EN-US">A Darn Good Read</span></b><span lang="EN-US"> (Review) <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span lang="EN-US">March 19 </span><b><span lang="EN-US">Relz Reviewz</span></b><span lang="EN-US"> (Review)<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span lang="EN-US">March 20 </span><b><span lang="EN-US">Book Confessions of an Ex-Ballerina</span></b><span lang="EN-US"> (Review) <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span lang="EN-US">March 20 </span><b><span lang="EN-US">Christian Chick's Thoughts</span></b><span lang="EN-US"> (Review)<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span lang="EN-US">March 21 </span><b><span lang="EN-US">Jorie Loves a Story</span></b><span lang="EN-US"> (Review)<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span lang="EN-US">March 22 </span><b><span lang="EN-US">From Pemberley to Milton</span></b><span lang="EN-US"> (Review) <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span lang="EN-US">March 23 </span><b><span lang="EN-US">Gwendalyn's Books</span></b><span lang="EN-US"> (Review) <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span lang="EN-US">March 23 </span><b><span lang="EN-US">Historical Fiction with Spirit</span></b><span lang="EN-US"> (Review)<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span lang="EN-US">March 24 </span><b><span lang="EN-US">Captivated Reading</span></b><span lang="EN-US"> (Review) <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span lang="EN-US">March 24 </span><b><span lang="EN-US">Books, Teacups, & Reviews</span></b><span lang="EN-US"> (Excerpt)<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span lang="EN-US">March 25 </span><b><span lang="EN-US">Roseanne E. Lortz</span></b><span lang="EN-US"> (Review)<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span lang="EN-US">March 26 </span><b><span lang="EN-US">Cup of Tea with that Book, Please</span></b><span lang="EN-US"> (Review)<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span lang="EN-US">March 26 </span><b><span lang="EN-US">Randi Loves 2 Read</span></b><span lang="EN-US"> (Review)<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span lang="EN-US">March 27 </span><b><span lang="EN-US">Library of Clean Reads</span></b><span lang="EN-US"> (Review) <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal">
</p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span lang="EN-US">March 28 </span><b><span lang="EN-US">The Bibliophile Files</span></b></span><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-size: x-small;"> (Review)</span></span></p></div><div><p></p></div>randiloves2readhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15022204806814796098noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4908132404254660698.post-23570408499210906652021-03-12T15:00:00.007+01:002021-03-12T15:00:00.702+01:00#Historical Romance Book Review: #Winning the Gentleman #Kristi Ann Hunter<p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv7WNj9hBfGbzBRl0jFRHT_CEQGFitnsWR0lXi_2XBFMltvmTsx4b4yY8GWvLD9FwuxTFTJ1i31k3tAqPjnqzSqJZHe1mrFFefFwDcyFTFWZ2ba3131trxt7ue9qPweMe5xRomgeufD7l0/s475/Winning+the+Gentleman.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="307" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv7WNj9hBfGbzBRl0jFRHT_CEQGFitnsWR0lXi_2XBFMltvmTsx4b4yY8GWvLD9FwuxTFTJ1i31k3tAqPjnqzSqJZHe1mrFFefFwDcyFTFWZ2ba3131trxt7ue9qPweMe5xRomgeufD7l0/w414-h640/Winning+the+Gentleman.jpg" width="414" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">My Rating: 5 stars / 5 It Was Amazing</b></div><br /><h2 style="text-align: left;">Summary: Winning the Gentleman (Hearts on the Heath book 2) by Kristi Ann Hunter</h2><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818;">Aaron Whitworth hasn't had control over most aspects of his life, but he's always taken pride in being an honorable businessman and better-than-average horseman. When both of those claims are threatened, he makes the desperate decision to hire the horse trainer of a traveling circus as a temporary jockey for his racehorses.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818;">Sophia Fitzroy knows that most horsemen don't take her seriously because she's a woman, but she can't pass up the opportunity to get away from the tumultuous world of travel and performing. As she fights for the right to do the work she was hired for, she learns the fight for Aaron's guarded heart might be an even more worthwhile challenge.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818;">As secrets come to light and past vulnerabilities are confronted, will Aaron and Sophia sacrifice their former dreams and forge a new one together--against all odds? (from Goodreads)</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><h2 style="text-align: left;">My review of this captivating historical romance</h2><p></p><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: NO-BOK;">Winning the Gentleman is
book 2 in the Hearts on the Heath series by Kristi Ann Hunter, published by
Bethany House Publishers. The story is set in Newmarket, England 1817 and is
about stable manager Aaron Whitworth as he tries to find a jockey to enter a horse race. He is shocked when Sophia Fitzroy turns up as she is a trainer
and circus artist with superb skills on horseback. Aaron has dedicated his life
to maintaining a low-key position on the outskirts of Society, but Sophia’s
presence makes him rethink his attitude towards that life. Sophia has a dream of
starting her own riding school. They both make every effort to stay away from
each other.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But feelings change while
they are not looking.</span><span color="windowtext"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: NO-BOK;">Stable manager Aaron
Whitworth is sensitive about his background as a Lord’s illegitimate son, but
he is well educated and has loyal friends. His view of women’s inferiority seems
typical for his time but he seems kind and emphatic. </span><span color="windowtext"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: NO-BOK;">Circus artist and jockey
Sophia Fitzroy was orphaned at 17 and has lived a hard life on the move
with her twin brother. She is a super skilled equestrian, but is full of
self doubt. I find her a human, relatable and well rounded character very easy
to like. She is my favorite of this story. Descriptions of Sophia’s struggle to
be a female jockey in a male equestrian world added descriptions of some heart
wrenching consequences she had to endure which made an excellent dramatic
element to the story.</span><span color="windowtext"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: NO-BOK;">The signature lighthearted
and beautifully skilled writing has made Kristi Ann Hunter one of my go-to
authors for years. This plot stands out as it is set in English Society’s horse
racing community, which I have not read as a specific plot before. Descriptions
of the competitive horse racing feels expertly done; like I was in the horse
race myself. Fans of the author may be happy to recognize characters from her other
books and while I’m pretty sure you would want to read other of her books, this
plot easily reads as a standalone. I eagerly await</span><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: NO-BOK;"> the release of Hearts on the Heath book 3.</span><span color="windowtext"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: NO-BOK;">My favorite part of the
story was the surprising and utterly touching twist towards the end. I can’t
tell you much about it, only that it made the story stand out as captivatingly
entertaining and memorable.</span><span color="windowtext"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: NO-BOK;">Both Aaron and Sophia were
on spiritual journeys. Sophia constantly prayed for a better life while she struggled
in the most difficult of conditions. Aaron started reading the Bible as he
became increasingly confused about his future and felt unsure about what
changes to make.</span><span color="windowtext"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: NO-BOK;">Thank you to #Bethany
House Publishers, #Kristi Ann Hunter and #NetGalley for this opportunity to
share my honest review. All opinions are completely my own.</span><span color="windowtext"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: NO-BOK;">Conclusion: Winning
the Gentleman is the captivating and thoroughly entertaining story about how illegitimate
son Aaron desperately tries to fit into Society while super skilled female equestrian
Sophie turns his world upside down and makes him question his life decisions.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">Rating:
5 stars / 5</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br /></p><h2 style="text-align: left;">Your can get your copy here</h2><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Winning-Gentleman-Hearts-Kristi-Hunter-ebook/dp/B08CJPG9P5/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=winning+the+gentleman&qid=1614683858&s=books&sr=1-1">Amazon Kindle</a></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/winning-the-gentleman-kristi-ann-hunter/1137151803?ean=9780764238154">Barnes & Noble Hardcover</a><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/winning-the-gentleman-kristi-ann-hunter/1137151803?ean=9780764235269">Barnes & Noble Paperback</a><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/winning-the-gentleman-kristi-ann-hunter/1137151803?ean=9781493429950">Barnes & Noble NOOK book (ebook)</a><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br /></p><h2 style="text-align: left;">Book Details</h2><p></p>Publisher: Bethany House Publishers <br /><div>Publishing date: April 20th 2021<br />ISBN: 0764235265 (ISBN13: 9780764235269)<br /><p><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"></p><h2 style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: left;">Author Bio</h2><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">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 <a href="http://www.kristiannhunter.com">www.kristiannhunter.com</a>.</span></span></p><p></p></div>randiloves2readhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15022204806814796098noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4908132404254660698.post-8588765675539611592021-02-26T15:00:00.064+01:002021-02-26T15:00:14.239+01:00#Historical Murder Mystery Book Review: #Death with a double Edge by #Anne Perry<p style="text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7iELItAUeb9yvcm-_Vkv4pYLnE65H-KRw-XHrgvejUiZAQm8aq5rTfpbKw78NmssFYl5TEnNnGsR5POPBspnNeM4_RntNHiV6Qh_CsSVxqfoFM4aO0j_IJ2g-rBg555YhDJ3SCP90IOUH/s475/Death+with+a+double+Edge.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="309" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7iELItAUeb9yvcm-_Vkv4pYLnE65H-KRw-XHrgvejUiZAQm8aq5rTfpbKw78NmssFYl5TEnNnGsR5POPBspnNeM4_RntNHiV6Qh_CsSVxqfoFM4aO0j_IJ2g-rBg555YhDJ3SCP90IOUH/w416-h640/Death+with+a+double+Edge.jpg" width="416" /></a><br /><br /></p><h2 style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333;">Summary:
Death with a double Edge (A Daniel Pitt Novel ) by Anne Perry</span></h2><p>
</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; color: #333333; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Daniel
Pitt’s investigation into his colleague’s murder leads him through London’s
teeming underbelly to the suspicious dealings of one of England’s most
influential shipbuilding magnates in a thrilling novel from <i>New York
Times</i> bestselling author Anne Perry.</span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #333333; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><br />
<br />
<span style="background: white;">When junior barrister Daniel Pitt is summoned to
the scene of a murder in the London district known as Mile End, he knows only
that the victim is a senior barrister from the same firm. To Daniel’s relief,
it is not his close friend Toby Kitteridge, but the question remains: What was
this respected colleague doing in such a rough part of the city? The firm’s
head, Marcus fford Croft, may know more than he admits, but fford Croft’s
memory is not what it used to be, and his daughter, Miriam—Daniel’s friend and
sometime sidekick—isn’t in the country to offer her usual help. And so Daniel
and Kitteridge must investigate on their own, lest the police uncover something
that may cast a suspicious light on the firm.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="background: white;">Their inquiries in Mile End lead them to a local
brothel and to an opium den, but also—unexpectedly—to a wealthy shipbuilder
crucial to Britain’s effort to build up its fleet, which may soon face the
fearsome naval might of Germany. Daniel finds his path blocked by officials at
every turn, his investigation so unwelcome that even his father, Special Branch
head Thomas Pitt, receives a chilling warning from a powerful source. Suddenly,
not just Daniel but his whole family—including his beloved mother, Charlotte—is
in danger. Will Daniel’s devotion to justice be the undoing of his entire life,
and endanger Britain’s defense at sea? As ever, the fates of family and history
are inextricably intertwined in this spellbinder from Anne Perry (from
Goodreads).</span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><br /></span></p>
<h2 style="text-align: left;"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; color: #333333; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">My review of this historical murder mystery</span></h2>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; color: #333333; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Death
with a double Edge is book 4 in the historical murder mystery series by Anne
Perry, published by Ballantine Books.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If
features junior barrister Daniel Pitt who is assigned to secretly investigate the
mysterious murder of<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>top financial
barrister Jonah Drake to keep the law firm above suspicion in case his last
activity was not exactly above board. Danile’s father, Head of Special Branch
Thomas Pitt, offers valuable advice while his trusted friend and colleague Toby
Kitteridge works on the legal issues. Together they reveal ties to the murder
of a woman with connections to a number of wealthy men and find links to politics
and dangerous illegal activity. As the case moves forward, more people are
found dead in the same area of London. –Even to Daniel’s own family get too
close to danger.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">
<span style="background: white;">Main character, junior barrister Daniel Pitt is
well connected with a middleclass upbringing. He seems quite empathic and broad
minded for a man of his time, particularly his view of women is quite
impressive. It’s easy to name him my favorite of this story.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Supporting
character is colleague and friend Toby Kitteridge who has worked in the law firm
for 8 years. He seems a methodical, trustworthy and kind man who seems to
devote all his time to the job. </span><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" />
<!--[endif]--><span style="background: white; color: #333333;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">The setting of this
story is late spring/early summer of 1911in London. Other books I have read of
Anne Perry has been set in autumn/winter with plenty of<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>darkness, rain and foggy cold weather where
the characters are in need of huddling in front of fireplaces with cups of tea
to warm themselves and dry up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This one
stands out with its spring vibe and descriptions of light, sun and flowers. </span><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">I also loved the historical context of London 1911. Technical
inventions like motor driven vehicles have replaced hansom cabs and horse drawn
carriages. </span><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">The writing is beautiful and I particularly loved the description of
feelings and closeness between Daniel and his parents which are my favorite
part s of the story. When Daniel uses his parents as sounding boards, it clarifies
the drama and adds an enjoyable sense of danger and gloom to the story. The
dialogue is super clear and helps readers follow every step of the way as the
plot is meticulously ironed out. </span><span style="background: white; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span></p>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Readers who enjoy historical murder mystery would enjoy this one and might wish to follow the new series. Fans of Anne Perry would love this addition to her extensive work. Thank you to Ballantine Books, author Anne Perry and my local library for the opportunity to share my honest review. All opinions are completely my own.</span><div><br />
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 5.0pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 5.0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: NO-BOK;">Conclusion:
</span></i></b><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: NO-BOK;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Death with a double Edge is the fascinating
story where junior barrister Daniel Pitt investigates the murder of his senior
colleague who has gotten too close to a case with ties to politics and a luxury
prostitute with connections to a number of wealthy men. Daniel’s own family ends
up in danger.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 5.0pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 5.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: NO-BOK;">Rating:
5 stars / 5</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 5.0pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 5.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: NO-BOK;"><br /></span></p><h2 style="background: white; margin: 5pt 0cm; text-align: left;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: NO-BOK;">You can get your Copy here:</span></h2><div><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: NO-BOK;"><br /></span></div><div><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: NO-BOK;"><a href="Publisher : Ballantine Books (April 13, 2021) Language : English Hardcover : 304 pages ISBN-10 : 0593159330 ISBN-13 : 978-0593159330">Amazon Hardcover</a><br /></span></div><div><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Death-Double-Edge-Daniel-Novel-ebook/dp/B08D8KR3P9/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1613738639&sr=1-1">Amazon Kindle</a><br /></div><div><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Death-Double-Edge-Daniel-Mystery/dp/B08D9TFLD4/ref=tmm_aud_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1613738639&sr=1-1">Amazon Audiobook</a><br /></div><div><a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/death-with-a-double-edge-anne-perry/1137365169?ean=9780593356517">Barnes & Noble Signed Book</a><br /></div><div><a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/death-with-a-double-edge-anne-perry/1137365169?ean=9780593159347">Barnes & Noble e-book</a><br /></div><div><a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/death-with-a-double-edge-anne-perry/1137365169?ean=9780593159347">Hardcover Library Binding - Large Print</a></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 5.0pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 5.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: NO-BOK;"><br /></span></p><h2 style="text-align: left;">Book Details</h2><p></p><br />Publisher : Ballantine Books (April 13, 2021)<br />Language : English<br />Hardcover : 304 pages<br />ISBN-10 : 0593159330<br />ISBN-13 : 978-0593159330<div><br /><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 5.0pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 5.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: NO-BOK;"><br /></span></p><h2 style="background: white; margin: 5pt 0cm; text-align: left;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: NO-BOK;">About The Author</span></h2><div><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: NO-BOK;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111; font-family: "Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">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 (from Amazon) For more information, visit author's website <a href="https://anneperry.us/about-me/">https://anneperry.us/about-me/</a> </span></span></div><p></p></div></div>randiloves2readhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15022204806814796098noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4908132404254660698.post-82908640997162335462021-02-11T15:00:00.100+01:002021-02-11T15:00:02.148+01:00#Beauty among Ruins by #J'nell Ciesielski<p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb9rywdL57-U3ssax2DT05pgv4U-vlrj2eKsEriuuSXlMelTITKuWs8cFqEF8CmnWU_XlbGDR7Iuc4-pMCT3lQcfsyJrTc8E_6D_FtXBIXZy-eo3KTM5Mh1mrscppKA1kMtRk8Gq0h4RhI/s342/Beauty+among+Ruins.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="342" data-original-width="342" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb9rywdL57-U3ssax2DT05pgv4U-vlrj2eKsEriuuSXlMelTITKuWs8cFqEF8CmnWU_XlbGDR7Iuc4-pMCT3lQcfsyJrTc8E_6D_FtXBIXZy-eo3KTM5Mh1mrscppKA1kMtRk8Gq0h4RhI/w400-h400/Beauty+among+Ruins.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><h2 style="text-align: left;"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; color: #181818; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Summary: Beauty among Ruins by </span><span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Jnell-Ciesielski/e/B07BBRJ9RW/ref=dp_byline_cont_ebooks_1"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; color: #c7511f; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">J'nell
Ciesielski</span></a></span></h2>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; color: #181818; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">American socialite Lily Durham is
known for enjoying one moment to the next, with little regard for the
consequences of her actions. But just as she is banished overseas to England as
a “cure” for her frivolous ways, the Great War breaks out and wreaks havoc. She
joins her cousin in nursing the wounded at a convalescent home deep in the
wilds of Scotland at a crumbling castle where its laird is less than welcoming.</span><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #181818; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><br />
<br />
<span style="background: white;">Alec MacGregor has given his entire life to
preserving his home of Kinclavoch Castle, but mounting debts force him to sell
off his family history bit by bit. Labeled a coward for not joining his
countrymen in the trenches due to an old injury, he opens his home to the
Tommies to make recompense while he keeps to the shadows. But his preference for
the shadows is shattered when a new American nurse comes streaming into the
castle on a burst of light.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="background: white;">Lily and Alec are thrown together when a series of
mysterious events threatens to ruin the future of Kinclavoch. Can they put
aside their differences to find the culprit before it’s too late, or will their
greatest distraction be falling in love? (from Goodreads).</span></span><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<h2 style="text-align: left;">My thoughts about this captivating historical</h2><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Beauty among Ruins is the standalone novel by </span><span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/17735994.J_nell_Ciesielski"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; color: #333333; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span itemprop="name">J'nell Ciesielski</span></span></a></span><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">, published by Thomas Nelson. The year is 1915 and we
follow socialite Lily Durham when she is<span style="background: white;"> sent to
England as punishment for having played too many tricks on her parents. They hope
she will find an eligible husband, but Lily </span>takes position as nurse’s
aid at <span style="background: white;">Kinclavoch Castle convalescent home for
WWI soldiers in Scotland. The matron thinks her an air-head unable to do any
kind of real work and challenges her with the worst assignments. But Lily is
adamant to help and proves to have excellent bedside manner and a knack for
keeping the patient’s spirits up. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">The Laird, Alec
MacGregor is weighed down by financial problems, but Lily’s zest for life manages
to get him out of his dark place and improve his courage.</span><span style="background-color: white;">Someone seems to be
working to ruin the estate. What seems like accidents happen and a patient goes
missing. Lily and Alec grow closer as they work to figure out who is responsible.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">
<span style="background: white;">Main character is socialite Lily Durham who
outward has a zest for life but inward suffers raging insecurities. I feel for
her as she has heard all her life that her only purpose in life is to make a
good marriage. In this story her character goes through an impressive
development and she starts to see a new purpose.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Supporting
character is Alec MacGregor, Lord Strathem of Kinclavoch whose character starts
out as a brooding recluse. He worries about his estate and his constant leg
pain. His character goes through a personal development</span> as he has a shift
in his emotions and view of life.<span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><br />
<br />
<span style="background: white;">I felt this plot stood out with its interesting setting
in Scotland and the placing of the entitled main character in an environment
where she has to overcome more challenges than merely finding a husband. Taking
place in a castle gave it a vibe reminiscent to Downton Abby; only more run
down due to financial troubles. The brooding recluse of a Laird also made me
think of the initial part of Beauty and The Beast. The combination of the interesting
mystery part and the slow burn romance, including vivid descriptions of the
scenery around the Castle, transferred me to the Scottish Highlands, where I
hope to go some day. Very hard to decide if my favorite part was the mystery or
the slow burn romance. Both were captivating and excellently written . I loved the funny dialogue between Lily and
Alec and found it fascinating to follow the development of their relationship as
they ruffled each other’s feathers and challenged each other’s vulnerabilities.
I think they both were favorite characters. The surprising and amusing part
where Lily’s parents showed up I thoroughly enjoyed.</span></span> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: NO-BOK;">Anyone
who enjoys WWI historical romances with a bit of a unique twist will enjoy this
one. Similar authors to explore might be Abigail Wilson or Michelle Griep. Thank
you to Thomas Nelson and NetGalley for this opportunity to share my honest
review. </span><span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: NO-BOK;">All opinions are completely my own.</span><span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 5.0pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 5.0pt; tab-stops: 155.95pt;"><b><i><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: NO-BOK;">Conclusion: </span></i></b><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: NO-BOK;">Beauty
among Ruins is the captivating, unique historical romance set in a Scottish castle
converted to WWI soldier’s convalescent home where an American socialite finds romance
while mysterious things happen.</span><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 5.0pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 5.0pt; tab-stops: 155.95pt;"><span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: NO-BOK;">Rating: 5 stars / 5</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 5.0pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 5.0pt; tab-stops: 155.95pt;"><span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: NO-BOK;"><br /></span></p><h2 style="background: white; margin: 5pt 0cm; text-align: left;"><span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: NO-BOK;">You can get your copy here</span></h2><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 5.0pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 5.0pt; tab-stops: 155.95pt;"><span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: NO-BOK;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 5.0pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 5.0pt; tab-stops: 155.95pt;"><span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: NO-BOK;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Beauty-Among-Ruins-Jnell-Ciesielski/dp/0785233563/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1612872595&sr=1-1">Amazon Paperback</a><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 5.0pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 5.0pt; tab-stops: 155.95pt;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Beauty-Among-Ruins-Jnell-Ciesielski-ebook/dp/B085XNF5FL/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1612872595&sr=1-1">Amazon Kindle</a><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 5.0pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 5.0pt; tab-stops: 155.95pt;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Beauty-Among-Ruins-Jnell-Ciesielski/dp/1713571587/ref=tmm_abk_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1612872595&sr=1-1">Amazon Audio CD</a><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 5.0pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 5.0pt; tab-stops: 155.95pt;"><a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/beauty-among-ruins-jnell-ciesielski/1136662175?ean=9780785233565">Barnes & Noble Paperback</a><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 5.0pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 5.0pt; tab-stops: 155.95pt;"><a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/beauty-among-ruins-jnell-ciesielski/1136662175?ean=9780785233572">Barnes & Noble e-book</a><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 5.0pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 5.0pt; tab-stops: 155.95pt;"><a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/beauty-among-ruins-jnell-ciesielski/1136662175?ean=9780785233572">Barnes & Noble Audio mp3 on CD</a><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 5.0pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 5.0pt; tab-stops: 155.95pt;"><a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/beauty-among-ruins-jnell-ciesielski/1136662175?ean=9781713571599">Barnes & Noble Audio CD</a></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 5.0pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 5.0pt; tab-stops: 155.95pt;"><span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: NO-BOK;"><br /></span></p><h2 style="text-align: left;">Book Details</h2><div><br /></div>Paperback, 416 pages<br />Published January 12th 2021 by Thomas Nelson (first published January 2021)<br />ISBN 0785233563 (ISBN13: 9780785233565)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 5.0pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 5.0pt; tab-stops: 155.95pt;"><span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: NO-BOK;"><br /></span></p><h2 style="background: white; margin: 5pt 0cm; text-align: left;"><span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: NO-BOK;">About The Author</span></h2><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 5.0pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 5.0pt; tab-stops: 155.95pt;"><br /></p><span style="font-family: inherit;">With a passion for heart-stopping adventure and sweeping love stories, J'nell Ciesielski weaves fresh takes into romances of times gone by. When not creating dashing heroes and daring heroines, she can be found dreaming of Scotland, indulging in chocolate of any kind, or watching old black and white movies. Winner of the INSPY and the Maggie Award, she is a Florida native who now lives in Virginia with her husband, daughter, and lazy beagle. Learn more at <a href="https://www.blogger.com/#">www.jnellciesielski.com</a>.</span><br /></div>randiloves2readhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15022204806814796098noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4908132404254660698.post-51722790252109339442021-01-29T15:00:00.067+01:002021-01-29T16:19:44.173+01:00#Book Review: #The Prince of Spies (Hope and Glory book 3) by #Elizabeth Camden<p></p><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXaEnZiQfJ1-b_5sMLQwS_Kf7GH1Gm2guC5KnO1tN5vUfa27lxtNZScP2hjM3n8_0oWBA7ym0G3Mjzjm-umoUYGrHKFPOzaj9KLLWZ53uFQgucpf1QMBJPk_w33KZ8F4h4UM_wSNOdh6Ob/s440/The+Prince+of+Spies.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="440" data-original-width="284" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXaEnZiQfJ1-b_5sMLQwS_Kf7GH1Gm2guC5KnO1tN5vUfa27lxtNZScP2hjM3n8_0oWBA7ym0G3Mjzjm-umoUYGrHKFPOzaj9KLLWZ53uFQgucpf1QMBJPk_w33KZ8F4h4UM_wSNOdh6Ob/w414-h640/The+Prince+of+Spies.jpg" width="414" /></a></div><br /></div><p></p><p></p><h2 style="text-align: left;">Rating: 5 stars / 5 - It was amazing</h2><div><br /></div><h2 style="text-align: left;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Summary:
<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Prince-Spies-Hope-Glory-Book-ebook/dp/B08CBDY4CJ/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=the+prince+of+spies&qid=1611661562&s=books&sr=1-1">The
Prince of Spies</a> (Hope and Glory book 3) by <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Elizabeth-Camden/e/B004QTVVFY/ref=dp_byline_cont_pop_ebooks_1">Elizabeth
Camden</a></span></h2>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; color: #181818; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Luke Delacroix has the reputation of
a charming man-about-town in Gilded Age Washington, DC. In reality, he is
secretly carrying out an ambitious agenda in Congress. His current mission is
to thwart the reelection of Congressman Clyde Magruder, his only real enemy in
the world.</span></span><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #181818; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;" />
<br style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;" />
<span style="background: white;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; float: none; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">But trouble begins when Luke meets Marianne Magruder, the
congressman's only daughter, whose job as a government photographer gives her
unprecedented access to sites throughout the city. Luke is captivated by
Marianne's quick wit and alluring charm, leading them both into a dangerous
gamble to reconcile their feelings for each other with Luke's driving passion
for vital reforms in Congress.</span></span><br style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;" />
<br style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;" />
</span><span style="background: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; float: none; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">Can their newfound love survive a political firestorm, or
will three generations of family rivalry drive them apart forever?</span> (from
Goodreads).</span><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<h2 style="text-align: left;">My review</h2><div><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;">The Prince of Spies is the third and final book in the Hope and Glory series by Elizabeth Camden, published by Bethany House Publishers. The story is set in 1902 Washington DC, and we follow ex-government spy, now magazine journalist, Luke Delacroix as he works to improve food legislation. He meets governmental photographer Marianne Magruder and instantly falls for her, but when they learn each other’s family names they realize they have landed in the middle of their families’ long lasting feud, and it seems impossible to have a future together. Luke takes part in a test of canned foods, while Marianne’s photography skills prove important in the work for food safety. <br /><br />Main character Luke Delacroix is a magazine journalist who worked secretly as a government spy. He seems the character who develops the most through the 3 books, from an entitled thrill-seeker in need of his brother’s rescuing in the first book to a more mature adult who still has a lot of self doubt. He spends more time contemplating the value of his work and his future, which makes him very relatable. <br /><br />Supporting character, governmental photographer Marianne Magruder is very grateful to her powerful father for having given her a privileged life in want for nothing and acts like I would expect for a woman of her time. I love that she goes through a personal development. This makes her my favorite of this story. <br /><br />The Prince of Spies reads well as a standalone. Hints to previous books are given, but it would make the experience even richer to have read the two previous installments. Apart from following Luke’s journey to find love, this fascinating plot focuses on his use of contacts to improve the food and drug industry. My favorite part of the story was the little mystery element about Marianne’s estranged aunt. <br /><br />While in Cuban prison, Luke had plenty of time for Bible reading and he seems to have established a strong faith. Marianne seemed to have a spiritual awakening towards the end of the story. <br /><br />Elizabeth Camden has been one of my go-to authors for years. I love her writing style and choose to read one of her books every year. Anyone who likes romance plots combined with technical inventions will enjoy this. Fans of Elizabeth Camden will love this story. Similar authors to explore might be Roseanna M. White or Jody Hedlund <br /><br />Thank you to Bethany House Publishers, Elizabeth Camden and NetGalley for this opportunity to share my honest review. All opinions are completely my own. <br /><br /><i><b>Conclusion:</b></i> in this fascinating story ex-government spy, now magazine journalist, Luke Delacroix is working to improve food safety laws while struggling to be with the woman he loves. Her father owns the company which produces unsafe canned foods and is the one Luke is fighting against.</span>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 5.0pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 5.0pt; margin: 5pt 0cm;"><br /></p><h2 style="background: white; margin: 5pt 0cm; text-align: left;">Where to get your copy</h2><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Prince-Spies-Glory-Elizabeth-Camden/dp/0764238094/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=">Amazon Hardcover</a><br /></div><div><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Prince-Spies-Hope-Glory-Book-ebook/dp/B08CBDY4CJ/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=">Amazon Kindle</a><br /></div><div><a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-prince-of-spies-elizabeth-camden/1137151793?ean=9780764238093">Barnes & Noble Hardcover</a><br /></div><div><a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-prince-of-spies-elizabeth-camden/1137151793?ean=9780764232138">Barnes & Noble Paperback</a><br /></div><div><a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-prince-of-spies-elizabeth-camden/1137151793?ean=9781493429974">Barnes & Noble e-book</a><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><h2 style="background: white; margin: 5pt 0cm; text-align: left;">Book Details</h2><div><br /></div>Publisher : Bethany House Publishers (February 16, 2021)<br />Language : English<br />Hardcover : 352 pages<br />ISBN-10 : 0764238094<br />ISBN-13 : 978-0764238093<br /><br /><h2>About The Author</h2><div><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;">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.</span><p></p>randiloves2readhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15022204806814796098noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4908132404254660698.post-15733457059287059342021-01-15T15:00:00.124+01:002021-01-15T15:00:00.200+01:00#Blog Tour & #Review: #Georgana's Secret by #Arlem Hawks<p style="text-align: center;"> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxyPN7_p3LYUKrqsz-PGwGCbTVkxb10QUxA2FOy_OHrWKMposWRWzg6NMTr0EV5Afqqt9GcOZkfuClws34-P_ODQSVX1P5T1-MAFZYyS26R1Xn5HOf9UN-Qrl-sNZ2i7TNq8ddnqrElW_c/s1114/Georganas+Secret+Blog+Tour+Graphic+Hortizontal+1.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="740" data-original-width="1114" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxyPN7_p3LYUKrqsz-PGwGCbTVkxb10QUxA2FOy_OHrWKMposWRWzg6NMTr0EV5Afqqt9GcOZkfuClws34-P_ODQSVX1P5T1-MAFZYyS26R1Xn5HOf9UN-Qrl-sNZ2i7TNq8ddnqrElW_c/w640-h426/Georganas+Secret+Blog+Tour+Graphic+Hortizontal+1.png" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><b>My Rating: 5 stars / 5 It Was Amazing</b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><h2 style="text-align: left;">Summary of Georgana’s Secret by Arlem Hawks</h2><div><b><i><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;"><br /></span></i></b></div><div><b><i><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;">A Regency romance on the high seas. Two hearts
yearning to find a safe harbor, and possibly, a lasting love.</span></i></b></div>
<p class="MsoNormal">As a young girl, Georgana Woodall dreamed of beautiful
dresses, fancy balls, and falling in love. However, when her mother dies, she
cannot face a future under the guardianship of her abusive grandmother and
instead chooses to join her father on his ship disguised as his cabin boy,
"George."</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Lieutenant Dominic Peyton has no time in his life for love,
not with his dedication to His Majesty's Royal Navy claiming his full
attention. While trying to adjust to a new crew, he strives to be an exemplary
officer and leader. When he sees the captain's cabin boy being harassed by the
crew, he immediately puts a stop to it and takes the "boy" under his
wing. After discovering a number of clues, Dominic deduces that George is
really a woman. Knowing that revealing the cabin boy's secret would put her in
serious danger from the rowdy crew, Dominic keeps silent and hides his growing
affection for her.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Georgana is quickly losing her heart to Dominic's compassion
and care but is convinced nothing can come of her affection. She cannot
continue to live her life on the sea, and having already missed too many
seasons in London, her chances of being welcomed back into polite society and
finding a suitable husband are quickly slipping away (from Amazon).</p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><h2 style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">My review</span></h2><div><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; line-height: 115%;">When Navy Captain’s
daughter Georgana Woodall finds herself on British Navy vessel <i>Deborah</i> on the way to Antigua disguised
as a cabin boy, she has to be smart not to blow her cover as First Lieutenant
Dominic Payton takes her under his wing.</span> </p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">
<span style="background: white;">Georgana’s Secret is the standalone regency romance debut by
Arlem Hawks, published by Shadow Mountain Publishing. Napoleonic Wars are
raging and Navy captain’s daughter Georgana Woodall has been removed from her abusive
grandmother’s care and is in disguise as a cabin boy on Her Majesty’s Navy
vessel <i>Deborah</i> headed for Antigua. First
Lieutenant Dominic Peyton takes cabin boy George under his wing. Through
the dangerous French attacks on the vessel, they become close. Dominic suspects
something is up with the little cabin boy and there seems something strange
about his family background.</span><br />
<!--[endif]--><span style="background: white;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Main character Navy
Captain’s daughter is Georgana Woodall</span>. I feel desperately sorry for her
having been exposed to her grandmother’s violence most of her life and is bullied
by the other ship mates. But throughout the story she finds impressive strength
and compassion within herself and she is my favorite of this story.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">
<span style="background: white;">Supporting character First Lieutenant Dominic Peyton seems
a light hearted and happy person in total control of who he is and what his
future holds. He seems to have slightly
liberal views on propriety which impresses me. Events on the convoy mission challenge
his view of life. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">This story reminds me of a movie favorite of mine, Master
and Commander, which has similar setting aboard a British Navy vessel during Napoleonic
Wars. I can’t remember having read any plot which deal with the combination of romance
and nautical warfare quite like this. I know we are only at the beginning, but
this unique story just might turn out to be one of my favorites this year.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">The beautiful writing
intrigued and enthralled me. Descriptions were so vivid I felt transferred to
the ship. It was hard to take a break to get some sleep. I just had to find
what would happen next with Georgana and Dominic. I loved that there even was light
hearted, amusing dialogue in places. It’s been a long time since a character
has engaged me like Georgana. She seemed a well developed character with the
perfect blend of human and believable. So relatable she could have lived next
door.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">
<span style="background: white;">A little surprise gem was included as Georgana and Dominic
enjoyed a little escape to a faraway beach in Antigua where they got to
be alone together (Georgana being George). This part I felt was particularly
well written and was my absolute favorite of the story.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="background-color: white;">I am really excited to see
what Arlem Hawks comes up with next and </span><span style="background-color: white;">anyone who enjoys a great
regency romance set at sea will love this story.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 5.0pt; margin: 5pt 0cm 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: NO-BOK;">Similar authors to explore
might be Sarah E. Ladd or Ronda Gibb Hinrichson. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 5.0pt; margin: 5pt 0cm 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: NO-BOK;">Thank you to Shadow Mountain
Publishing, Arlem Hawks and NetGalley for this opportunity to share my honest
review. </span><span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: NO-BOK;">All opinions
are completely my own.</span> </p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 5.0pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 5.0pt; margin: 5pt 0cm;"><i><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: NO-BOK;">Conclusion:</span></i><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: NO-BOK;"> This
beautifully written, thoroughly engaging regency is about Georgana who hides as a
sailor trying to stay away from her violent grandmother, when she meets a man
whose only love is the sea.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal">
</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 5.0pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 5.0pt; margin: 5pt 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="background-color: transparent;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent;"> </span></p>
<h2 style="text-align: left;">Where to get your copy<span lang="EN-US"> </span><b style="text-align: center;"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN-US"> </span></b></h2><div><b style="text-align: center;"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN-US"><br /></span></b></div>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span lang="EN-US"><a href="https://amzn.to/3pGA6la"><b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"">AMAZON</span></b></a><!--[if !supportNestedAnchors]--><a name="_Hlk60499252"></a><!--[endif]--></span><b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN-US"> | </span></b><b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN-US"><a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/georganas-secret-arlem-hawks/1136455209?ean=9781629727929">BARNES
& NOBLE</a></span></b><b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN-US"> | </span></b><span lang="EN-US"><a href="https://www.bookdepository.com/Georganas-Secret-Arlem-Hawks/9781629727929?ref=grid-view&qid=1609635664522&sr=1-1"><b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"">BOOK DEPOSITORY</span></b></a></span><b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN-US"> | </span></b><span lang="EN-US"><a href="https://bookshop.org/books/georgana-s-secret/9781629727929"><b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"">BOOKSHOP</span></b></a></span><b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN-US">
<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN-US">| </span></b><span lang="EN-US"><a href="https://www.indiebound.org/search/book?keys=GEORGANA%27S+SECRET"><b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"">INDIEBOUND</span></b></a></span><b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN-US">
| </span></b><span lang="EN-US"><a href="https://deseretbook.com/p/georganas-secret-ppr?variant_id=188198-paperback"><b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"">DESERET BOOK</span></b></a></span><b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN-US"> <a name="_Hlk56951428">|</a> </span></b><span lang="EN-US"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/51253503-georgana-s-secret"><b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"">GOODREADS</span></b></a></span><b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN-US"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"> </span></p></div><h2 style="text-align: left;">Advance Praise</h2><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7IKdcchIc8dtTqSg-42DkBGfcOowwlAXRcwhKdgtk6qLin_wb8OL99-lTV8D4FbapN0sxGSq93auE9cFi49h8J6FKN30PKRMDQqS0UoGnqSLXJUCVKKI8wC5Ggfo-gjDYYmqjXhsVs4bm/w200-h161/Georganas+Secret+Graphic+2.png" /><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihpkmUP2lWphPgSNRZfnMJztHaUmxR5w1aTHKL7gnZ08aFtpInAFRLoiCWFmLBdbHpBkpTmkmSAuKAxLODLwmjVGIC7I_IVtWT1pOofmwLrlJ01DAgwqnVoGmyZT5XSo0yBjaw06BEl3W2/w200-h163/Georganas+Secret+Graphic+3.png" /><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhorHee-kzSfDF_ZVRXmBIbvn_xRkaaXUL9EN55sjXbHgFXm9KVoaEZcWRbZvmaVjfT4Nnilz6ks0gg-K5vtriYImowkG3akTPzQKL37ITXgRGfMW7MxLEcWCI5bp8A8oa0HdGH5frfEC85/w200-h160/Georganas+Secret+Graphic+1.png" /></blockquote><p>"Hawks crafts a
spellbinding tale featuring rich characters and raw emotions set against the
atmospheric backdrop of sea life in all its danger and beauty. Georgana is a
tough protagonist holding her own in a world dominated by men, while Peyton's charm
and sensitivity marks him as a true gentleman. A hidden identity, flirtation,
and treachery make for a rousing tale to captivate lovers of historical
romances."— <b><i>Publishers Weekly</i></b></p><p class="MsoNormal">“This tale felt
sweepingly cinematic at times and was both action-packed and heart-wrenching
with an immersive narrative.”— <b>Katie Jackson, <i>RegencyProofreading.com</i></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Arlem
Hawks wove a magnificent tale of adventure and deception and delivered a happy
ever after that was as unconventional as the rest of the story. With so many
stories of romance out there, it is refreshing when one comes along that is
very different than the stories that I am used to. A little adventure always
livens things up fabulously.”— </span><b><i><span lang="EN-US">Emily Flynn, Reading with
Emily</span></i></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 107%; margin-bottom: 8pt;"><span lang="EN-US">"Fans of sweet love
stories as well as readers who fondly remember those marvelous old traditional
Signet Regencies will quickly succumb to the siren song of Hawk’s expertly
crafted novel, which delivers the perfect blend of Jane Austen-smart romance
and Patrick O’Brian flavored seafaring adventure. Teen romance readers will
cheer on the plucky heroine as she finds the courage to forge her own path in
life and love."— <b><i>Booklist</i>, starred review</b><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 107%; margin-bottom: 8pt;"><span lang="EN-US"><b><br /></b></span></p><h2 style="text-align: left;">Author
Bio</h2><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiXQaW4J5BBjrJuRE838W7kFUWcMUam7AA9CMuoBLDNJx0P9nMX487HkyeqAUZDOTud_P-0aA0OJ0pNMkkN7vcWTImxEPKsQxEWA2lw8KlaxKbQu1S9Z0sz78NTNChxL9EGW0OOmai2HUX/s538/Arlem+Hawks+2021.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="538" data-original-width="538" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiXQaW4J5BBjrJuRE838W7kFUWcMUam7AA9CMuoBLDNJx0P9nMX487HkyeqAUZDOTud_P-0aA0OJ0pNMkkN7vcWTImxEPKsQxEWA2lw8KlaxKbQu1S9Z0sz78NTNChxL9EGW0OOmai2HUX/w200-h200/Arlem+Hawks+2021.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b><span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b><span lang="EN-US">Arlem Hawks</span></b><span lang="EN-US"> began making up stories before she could write. Living all over the Western United States and traveling around the world gave her a love of cultures and people and the stories they have to tell. With her travels came an interest in history, especially the history of her English heritage. When she isn't writing, Arlem is baking her characters' favorite foods, sewing Regency dresses, learning how to play the tin whistle, and water coloring. She lives in Arizona with her husband and two children. Having previously published four historical romance novellas, <i>Georgana’s Secret</i> is her debut novel.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></div><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span lang="EN-US"><a href="https://arlemhawks.com/"><b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"">WEBSITE</span></b></a></span><b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN-US"> | </span></b><span lang="EN-US"><a href="https://twitter.com/arlemhawks"><b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"">TWITTER</span></b></a></span><b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN-US"> | </span></b><span lang="EN-US"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/ArlemHawks/"><b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"">FACEBOOK</span></b></a><!--[if !supportNestedAnchors]--><a name="_Hlk54877485"></a><!--[endif]--></span><b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN-US"> | </span></b><b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN-US"><a href="https://www.pinterest.com/arlemhawks/_saved/">PINTEREST</a> <a name="_Hlk56950927">|</a> </span></b><span lang="EN-US"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/arlemhawks/"><b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"">INSTAGRAM</span></b></a></span><b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN-US"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN-US"> | </span></b><span lang="EN-US"><a href="https://www.bookbub.com/authors/arlem-hawks"><b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"">BOOKBUB</span></b></a></span><b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN-US"> <a name="_Hlk56949894">|</a> </span></b><span lang="EN-US"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCj102bkcED2o9ETo8F2xVXQ"><b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"">YOUTUBE</span></b></a></span><b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN-US"> | </span></b><span lang="EN-US"><b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif""><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/18821526.Arlem_Hawks">GOODREADS</a></span></b></span><b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN-US"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span lang="EN-US"><b><br /></b></span></p><h2 style="text-align: left;">Here’s the Blog Tour Schedule</h2><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span lang="EN-US">Join the virtual blog tour of <i>GEORGANA’S
SECRET (Proper Romance Regency)</i>, Arlem Hawks’ highly acclaimed debut historical
romance novel January 11</span><span lang="EN-US"> – February 14, 2021</span><i><span lang="EN-US">. </span></i><span lang="EN-US">Over
forty-five</span><span lang="EN-US"> popular blogs specializing in historical
romance, inspirational fiction, and Austenesque fiction will join in the
celebration of its release with excerpts, spotlights, and reviews of this new Regency-era
novel set aboard a Royal Naval ship.</span></p><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" lang="EN-US">Jan 11</span><b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN-US"> </span></b><span lang="EN-US"><a href="http://thesecretunderstandingofthehearts.blogspot.com/"><b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"">My
Jane Austen Book Club</span></b></a></span><b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN-US"> </span></b><span face="Arial, sans-serif" lang="EN-US">Excerpt<br /></span></span><span><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN-US" style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Jan 11</span><b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN-US"> </span></b><span lang="EN-US"><a href="https://austenprose.com/"><b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"">Austenprose — A Jane Austen Blog</span></b></a></span><b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN-US"> </span></b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN-US" style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Review<br /> </span></span><span><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN-US" style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Jan 12</span><b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN-US"> </span></b><span lang="EN-US"><a href="https://www.wishfulendings.com/"><b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"">Wishful Endings</span></b></a></span><b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN-US"> </span></b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN-US" style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Review<br /></span></span><span><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN-US" style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Jan 12</span><b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN-US"> </span></b><span lang="EN-US"><a href="https://lureviewsbooks.com/"><b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"">Lu Reviews Books</span></b></a></span><b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN-US"> </span></b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN-US" style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Review<br />
</span></span><span><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN-US" style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Jan 13</span><b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN-US"> </span></b><span lang="EN-US"><a href="https://www.ladywithaquill.com/"><b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"">Lady with a Quill</span></b></a></span><b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN-US"> </span></b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN-US" style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Review<br /></span></span><span><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN-US" style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Jan 13</span><b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN-US"> </span></b><span lang="EN-US"><a href="https://timelessnovels.com/"><b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"">Timeless Novels</span></b></a></span><b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN-US"> </span></b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN-US" style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Review<br /></span></span><span><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN-US" style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Jan 14</span><b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN-US"> </span></b><span lang="EN-US"><a href="https://readingismysuperpower.org/"><b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"">Reading is My Superpower</span></b></a></span><b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN-US"> </span></b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN-US" style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Review<br /></span></span><span><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN-US" style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Jan 14</span><b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN-US"> </span></b><span lang="EN-US"><a href="https://adriennesbooks.blogspot.com/"><b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"">The Bibliophile Files</span></b></a></span><b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN-US"> </span></b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN-US" style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Review<br />
</span></span><span><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN-US" style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Jan 15</span><b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN-US"> </span></b><span lang="EN-US"><a href="https://randiloves2read.blogspot.com/"><b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"">Randi Loves 2 Read</span></b></a></span><b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN-US"> </span></b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN-US" style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Review<br /></span></span><span><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN-US" style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Jan 16</span><b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN-US"> </span></b><span lang="EN-US"><a href="https://christianfictiongirl.blog/"><b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"">The Christian Fiction Girl</span></b></a></span><b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN-US"> </span></b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN-US" style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Excerpt<br /><o:p></o:p></span></span><span><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN-US" style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Jan 17</span><b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN-US"> </span></b><span lang="EN-US"><a href="https://nursebookie.blogspot.com/"><b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"">Nurse Bookie</span></b></a></span><b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN-US"> </span></b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN-US" style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Review<br /></span></span><span><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN-US" style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Jan 18</span><b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN-US"> </span></b><span lang="EN-US"><a href="https://www.silverpetticoatreview.com/"><b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"">The Silver Petticoat
Review</span></b></a></span><b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN-US"> </span></b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN-US" style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Review<br /></span></span><span><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN-US" style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Jan 18</span><b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN-US"> </span></b><span lang="EN-US"><a href="http://heidi-reads.blogspot.com/"><b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"">Heidi Reads</span></b></a></span><b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN-US"> </span></b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN-US" style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Review<br />
</span></span><span><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN-US" style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Jan 19</span><b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN-US"> </span></b><span lang="EN-US"><a href="http://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/"><b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"">Bookfoolery</span></b></a></span><b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN-US"> </span></b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN-US" style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Review<br /></span></span><span><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN-US" style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Jan 20</span><b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN-US"> </span></b><span lang="EN-US"><a href="https://www.captivatedreading.com/"><b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"">Captivated Reading</span></b></a></span><b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN-US"> </span></b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN-US" style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Review<br />
<o:p></o:p></span></span><span><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN-US" style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Jan 21</span><b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN-US"> </span></b><span lang="EN-US"><a href="https://greenishbookshelf.com/"><b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"">Greenish Bookshelf</span></b></a></span><b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN-US"> </span></b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN-US" style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Review<br /></span></span><span><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN-US" style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Jan 21</span><b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN-US"> </span></b><span lang="EN-US"><a href="http://lisaisabookworm.blogspot.com/"><b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"">Bookworm Lisa</span></b></a></span><b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN-US"> </span></b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN-US" style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Review<br /></span></span><span><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN-US" style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Jan 22</span><b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN-US"> </span></b><span lang="EN-US"><a href="http://amongthereads.net/"><b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"">Among the Reads</span></b></a></span><b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN-US"> </span></b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN-US" style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Review<br /></span></span><span><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN-US" style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Jan 23</span><b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN-US"> </span></b><span lang="EN-US"><a href="https://gwendalynbooks.blog/"><b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"">Gwedalyn's Books</span></b></a></span><b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN-US"> </span></b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN-US" style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Review<br /></span></span><span><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN-US" style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Jan 24</span><b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN-US"> </span></b><span lang="EN-US"><a href="https://mybookishbliss.wordpress.com/"><b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"">My Bookish Bliss</span></b></a></span><b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN-US"> </span></b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN-US" style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Review<br /></span></span><span><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN-US" style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Jan 25</span><b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN-US"> </span></b><span lang="EN-US"><a href="https://www.wishfulendings.com/"><b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"">Wishful Endings</span></b></a></span><b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN-US"> </span></b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN-US" style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Excerpt<br /></span></span><span><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN-US" style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Jan 25</span><b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN-US"> </span></b><span lang="EN-US"><a href="https://christianchicksthoughts.blogspot.com/"><b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"">Christian Chick's
Thoughts</span></b></a></span><b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN-US"> </span></b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN-US" style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Review<br />
<o:p></o:p></span></span><span><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN-US" style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Jan 26</span><b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN-US"> </span></b><span lang="EN-US"><a href="http://relzreviewz.com/"><b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"">Relz Reviewz</span></b></a></span><b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN-US"> </span></b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN-US" style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Review<br /></span></span><span><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN-US" style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Jan 27</span><b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN-US"> </span></b><span lang="EN-US"><a href="https://thelitbitch.com/"><b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"">The Lit Bitch</span></b></a></span><b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN-US"> </span></b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN-US" style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Review<br /></span></span><span><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN-US" style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Jan 28</span><b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN-US"> </span></b><span lang="EN-US"><a href="https://emilyflynncrc.wixsite.com/readingwithemily"><b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"">Reading with Emily</span></b></a></span><b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN-US"> </span></b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN-US" style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Review<br />
</span></span><span><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN-US" style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Jan 29</span><b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN-US"> </span></b><span lang="EN-US"><a href="https://booksteacupnreviews.wordpress.com/"><b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"">Books, Teacups &
Reviews</span></b></a></span><b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN-US"> </span></b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN-US" style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Review<br />
</span></span><span><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN-US" style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Jan 30</span><b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN-US"> </span></b><span lang="EN-US"><a href="https://adarngoodread.blogspot.com/"><b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"">A Darn Good Read</span></b></a></span><b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN-US"> </span></b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN-US" style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Review<br /></span></span><span><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN-US" style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Jan 31 </span><span lang="EN-US"><a href="https://frompemberleytomilton.wordpress.com/"><b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"">From
Pemberley to Milton</span></b></a></span><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN-US" style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"> Spotlight<br /><o:p></o:p></span></span><span><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN-US" style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Jan 31</span><b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN-US"> </span></b><span lang="EN-US"><a href="https://impressionsininkblog.wordpress.com/"><b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"">Impressions in Ink</span></b></a></span><b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN-US"> </span></b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN-US" style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Review<br /></span></span><span><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN-US" style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Feb 01</span><b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN-US"> </span></b><span lang="EN-US"><a href="https://austenesquereviews.com/"><b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"">Austenesque Reviews</span></b></a></span><b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN-US"> </span></b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN-US" style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Review<br /></span></span><span><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN-US" style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Feb 02</span><b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN-US"> </span></b><span lang="EN-US"><a href="http://lauragerold.blogspot.com/"><b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"">Laura's Reviews</span></b></a></span><b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN-US"> </span></b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN-US" style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Review<br /></span></span><span><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN-US" style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Feb 03</span><b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN-US"> </span></b><span lang="EN-US"><a href="https://literarytimeout.blogspot.com/"><b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"">Literary Time Out</span></b></a></span><b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN-US"> </span></b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN-US" style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Review<br /></span></span><span><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN-US" style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Feb 04</span><b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN-US"> </span></b><span lang="EN-US"><a href="https://chicksroguesandscandals.wordpress.com/"><b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"">Chicks, Rogues &
Scandals</span></b></a></span><b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN-US"> </span></b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN-US" style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Excerpt<br /></span></span><span><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN-US" style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Feb 05</span><b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN-US"> </span></b><span lang="EN-US"><a href="https://thebluestocking.blog/"><b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"">The Bluestocking</span></b></a></span><b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN-US">
</span></b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN-US" style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Review<br /></span></span><span><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN-US" style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Feb 05</span><b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN-US"> </span></b><span lang="EN-US"><a href="http://www.libraryofcleanreads.com/"><b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"">Library of Clean Reads</span></b></a></span><b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN-US"> </span></b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN-US" style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Review<br /></span></span><span><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN-US" style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Feb 06</span><b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN-US"> </span></b><span lang="EN-US"><a href="https://thecaffeinatedbibliophile.com/"><b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"">The Caffeinated
Bibliophile</span></b></a></span><b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN-US"> </span></b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN-US" style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Spotlight<br /><o:p></o:p></span></span><span><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN-US" style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Feb 07</span><b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN-US"> </span></b><span lang="EN-US"><a href="https://candy-m.blogspot.com/"><b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"">So Little Time…</span></b></a></span><b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN-US"> </span></b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN-US" style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Spotlight<br /></span></span><span><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN-US" style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Feb 08</span><b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN-US"> </span></b><span lang="EN-US"><a href="https://thereadathon.com/"><b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"">The Readathon</span></b></a></span><b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN-US"> </span></b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN-US" style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Review<br /></span></span><span><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN-US" style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Feb 09</span><b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN-US"> </span></b><span lang="EN-US"><a href="https://www.thebookdivasreads.com/"><b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"">The Book Diva Reads</span></b></a></span><b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN-US"> </span></b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN-US" style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Excerpt<br /><o:p></o:p></span></span><span><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN-US" style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Feb 09</span><b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN-US"> </span></b><span lang="EN-US"><a href="https://booksandsocksrock.com/blog/"><b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"">Books and Socks Rock</span></b></a></span><b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN-US"> </span></b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN-US" style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Review<br />
</span></span><span><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN-US" style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Feb 10</span><b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN-US"> </span></b><span lang="EN-US"><a href="https://bookconfessionsblog.com/"><b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"">Our Book Confessions</span></b></a></span><b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN-US"> </span></b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN-US" style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Review<br />
</span></span><span><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN-US" style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Feb 10</span><b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN-US"> </span></b><span lang="EN-US"><a href="http://englishmysteriesblog.blogspot.com/"><b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"">Encouraging Words from
the Tea Queen</span></b></a></span><b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN-US"> </span></b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN-US" style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Spotlight<br /></span></span><span><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN-US" style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Feb 11</span><b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN-US"> </span></b><span lang="EN-US"><a href="https://rosannelortz.com/"><b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"">Rosanne E. Lortz</span></b></a></span><b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN-US"> </span></b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN-US" style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Review<br /></span></span><span><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN-US" style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Feb 11</span><b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN-US"> </span></b><span lang="EN-US"><a href="https://jorielovesastory.com/"><b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"">Jorie Loves a Story</span></b></a></span><b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN-US"> </span></b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN-US" style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Review<br /></span></span><span><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN-US" style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Feb 12</span><b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN-US"> </span></b><span lang="EN-US"><a href="http://fireandicereads.com/"><b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"">Fire & Ice</span></b></a></span><b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN-US"> </span></b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN-US" style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Excerpt<br /><o:p></o:p></span></span><span><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN-US" style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Feb 13</span><b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN-US"> </span></b><span lang="EN-US"><a href="https://cupofteawiththatbookplease.com/"><b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"">Cup of Tea with that
Book, Please</span></b></a></span><b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN-US"> </span></b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN-US" style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Review<br /></span></span><span><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN-US" style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Feb 14</span><b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN-US"> </span></b><span lang="EN-US"><a href="https://www.exballerina.com/"><b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"">Book Confessions of an Ex-ballerina</span></b></a></span><b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN-US"> </span></b></span><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN-US" style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><span>Review</span></span></div>randiloves2readhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15022204806814796098noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4908132404254660698.post-61858324908697511472021-01-01T15:00:00.001+01:002021-01-01T15:00:04.503+01:00#Taking a Break<p>I just want to let you know I will be taking a break to work out how to move forward with the blog in 2021. Thank you for your patience.</p><p>Next review will be posted <u>Friday 15th January 2021</u> Here's what to expect::</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgebw4LUskCmoEscLYYuqcN725BaEcZmuUHP5BCyj1CV0dA0yzitj2A6nnXdSBcxhosKifsPB-Nhatz7tIIc6aZlGw2wQANnL8DtpKebKaZ12zCf1XRXB9oZ_vtLQifB16U91eWo-FSiN4B/s389/Georgana%2527s+Secret2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="389" data-original-width="252" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgebw4LUskCmoEscLYYuqcN725BaEcZmuUHP5BCyj1CV0dA0yzitj2A6nnXdSBcxhosKifsPB-Nhatz7tIIc6aZlGw2wQANnL8DtpKebKaZ12zCf1XRXB9oZ_vtLQifB16U91eWo-FSiN4B/w259-h400/Georgana%2527s+Secret2.jpg" width="259" /></a></div><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><h2 style="text-align: left;">About the Historical Romance Georgana's Secret by Arlem Hawks:</h2><span style="font-family: inherit;">A Regency romance on the high seas.<br /><br />1811, HMS Deborah<br /><br />Georgana Woodall dreams of freedom—freedom from her past and freedom from her secret. She has been living on her father’s ship for years, disguised as a cabin boy named “George.” But hiding her true self is becoming more difficult, and she yearns to break free of her life on the sea.<br /><br />Lieutenant Dominic Peyton has no time in his life for love, not with his dedication to His Majesty’s Royal Navy claiming his full attention. Determined to prove himself to his new captain, he strives to be an exemplary officer and leader. When he sees the captain’s cabin boy being harassed by the crew, he immediately puts a stop to it and takes the boy under his wing.<br /><br />Georgana quickly loses her heart to Dominic’s compassion and care, but needing to maintain her disguise as a cabin boy, she is convinced nothing can come of her affection.<br /><br />Georgana’s Secret is about two hearts yearning to find a safe harbor, and possibly, a lasting love.</span><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><div><h2>If you like, check out <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/55225669-randi-annie-framnes">Randi Annie Framnes Goodreads profile</a></h2></div></div>randiloves2readhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15022204806814796098noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4908132404254660698.post-15183830085447269062020-12-25T15:00:00.047+01:002020-12-25T15:00:04.272+01:00#WWII Historical Book Review: #The Other Cipher (Soli Hansen Mysteries book 2) by #Heidi Eljarbo<p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcV-NcuSSVh3Ma1XE4MzdHjsQOGgujfUEhasNvbQ2HGIQDiE1_zleEMIb8MfGFFswnfDxCRR8iNqojKXq4NRDO9iCMR21iUwovnLp5XZSbnwCf1IOYzFb9Nr37uHsC36zCSGaHp3xy1yyh/s475/The+Other+Cipher.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="307" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcV-NcuSSVh3Ma1XE4MzdHjsQOGgujfUEhasNvbQ2HGIQDiE1_zleEMIb8MfGFFswnfDxCRR8iNqojKXq4NRDO9iCMR21iUwovnLp5XZSbnwCf1IOYzFb9Nr37uHsC36zCSGaHp3xy1yyh/w414-h640/The+Other+Cipher.JPG" width="414" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p></p><h2 style="text-align: left;">Summary: <a href="https://www.blogger.com/#">The Other Cipher</a> (<a href="https://www.blogger.com/#">Soli Hansen Mysteries</a> book 2) by <a href="https://www.blogger.com/#">Heidi Eljarbo</a></h2><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br /></p><span style="font-family: inherit;">In the captivating second book of the Soli Hansen Mysteries, two women—separated by more than three hundred years—are connected through their love of art.<br /><br />1613: Fabiola Ruber has been wed to a man she does not know and must live in a country with a new language and different customs. The memories of a lost love in her hometown Malta haunt her, and she sets out to find an artist who can do her portrait and recapture the feelings she had when she once modeled for a renowned Italian master painter.<br /><br />1944. Four years into World War II, art historian Soli Hansen works with the Norwegian resistance to locate significant artwork and safeguard the pieces from the Nazis. When she finds out the Germans are after a hidden baroque depiction of a seventeenth century woman, she must muster all her courage and skills to decipher encrypted codes and preserve the mysterious art before it’s too late.<br /><br />Both women are determined to do what they can to bring healing and redemption to their otherwise ominous future. Through tangled, bewildering clues and an eye for detail, Soli’s bond to Fabiola grows closer by the day. She must find the missing painting before the enemy does.<br /><br />Ranging from a privileged life in seventeenth century Antwerp to Oslo during the German occupation of the Second World War, this dual timeline is a historical mystery thriller that will keep you guessing until the very end (from Amazon).<br /><br /><br /></span><h2 style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">My review of this exiting WWII historical
mystery</span></h2><div><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="background-color: white;">In German occupied
Oslo, art shop owner and art historian Soli Hansen and her resistance friends
risk their lives on a mission to protect valuable paintings from being stolen
by the Nazis.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="background-color: white;">The Other Cipher is
book 2 in the Soli Hansen Mysteries series written and published by Heidi
Eljarbo. The dual time plot is set in Oslo 1944 and Antwerp 1613. We follow art
historian Soli Hansen and her resistance friends in their effort to keep Jewish
owned art from being shipped to Gernany. Soli puts her life in danger to prevent
the Nazis from stealing the valuable painting for Hitler’s planned museum in
Austria. The underground deciphering group help decrypt secret messages which
help her stay ahead of the Germans.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="background: white;">Main character, Soli, Hansen is the art shop owner
and member of resistance. She is a shy, introvert who struggle to collect
information the resistance needs. I feel she is a relatable and well put
together character for a Norwegian woman of the 1940s.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="background: white;">Supporting character is Hedvig, Heddy, Vengen is
the leader of the resistance group The Art Club. She seems idealistic, forceful
and prepared to live a lonely life on the run from the Nazis for the duration
of the war. She seems to struggle to find people to trust but really appreciates
the good people around her, which is why she is my favorite of this story.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="background: white;">I feel the plot is captivating and entertaining,
written in a down-to earth manner anyone can follow. I love that the story is
based on, which I have not come across in any other historical before. The
story easily reads as a standalone including the intriguing and unique art
element. Readers of book 1, <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B086RNG5SX?notRedirectToSDP=1&ref_=dbs_mng_calw_0&storeType=ebooks">Of
Darkness and Light</a>, will recognize characters as well as get to know new
ones. Continuing is Soli’s charming friendship (or relationship) with Detective
Nikolai Lange and her fear of ruthless German Lieutenant Colonel Heinz Walter.
Walter’s presence in the story makes an excellent dramatic element and I got a
knot in my stomach every time he appeared. I enjoyed the surprising element of the
disappeared young cryptographer and what he had discovered. This made a vital
contribution to the progress of the plot. The tid-bits of information about
life in war-time Oslo and the vibe of looming danger and uncertainty while in
the process of finding and hiding the art, made the story come alive for me. They
were my favorites, as I felt these parts were particularly well written.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 115%;">Readers of historical
fiction in general and WWII plots in particular, will enjoy this one. As will readers
of <a href="https://www.heidieljarbo.com/">Heidi Eljarbo’s</a> previous works. Similar<b> </b>authors to explore might be Andrea
Penrose or Mimi Matthews. Thank you to </span><span style="line-height: 115%;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/heidieljarbo/"><span lang="EN-US">@heidieljarbo</span></a></span><span style="line-height: 115%;"> <span lang="EN-US">for this
opportunity to share my honest review. </span></span><span style="line-height: 115%;">All opinions are completely my own.</span></p><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;">Conclusion: The Other Cipher is the captivating dual-time mystery about art historian Soli Hansen who collaborates with Norwegian resistance in a dangerous race to keep valuable art from being stolen by the Nazis. I am already looking forward to Soli’s next mystery in wartime Oslo.<br /><br />Rating: 4 stars / 5</span><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 5.0pt; margin: 5pt 0cm 0cm;"><span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: NO-BOK;"><br /></span></p><h2 style="background: white; margin: 5pt 0cm 0cm; text-align: left;"><span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: NO-BOK;">You can get your copy here</span></h2><div><span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: NO-BOK;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: NO-BOK;"><br /></span></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 5.0pt; margin: 5pt 0cm 0cm;"><span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: NO-BOK;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Other-Cipher-Heidi-Eljarbo/dp/B08P3SBS3X/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=">Amazon Paperback</a><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 5.0pt; margin: 5pt 0cm 0cm;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Other-Cipher-Soli-Hansen-Mysteries-ebook/dp/B08LBD5JTJ/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=">Amazon Kindle</a><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 5.0pt; margin: 5pt 0cm 0cm;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 5.0pt; margin: 5pt 0cm 0cm;"><span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: NO-BOK;"><br /></span></p><h2 style="text-align: left;">Book Details</h2><div><br /></div><br />Publisher : Independently published (November 27, 2020)<br />Paperback : 247 pages<br />ISBN-13 : 979-8572286533<div><br /><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 5.0pt; margin: 5pt 0cm 0cm;"><span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: NO-BOK;"><br /></span></p><h2 style="background: white; margin: 5pt 0cm 0cm; text-align: left;"><span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: NO-BOK;">About The Author</span></h2><div><span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: NO-BOK;"><br /></span></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 5.0pt; margin: 5pt 0cm 0cm; text-align: center;"><span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: NO-BOK;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-YG28cLHajpjCLrLQihsCJZ6HolhvfNShURqDv_fk60ZbZMhjSxH4o8FEI9MM_Oa1601qcBvwIwDP9ytI_tIF27_6uCAx0z5Y-JwRw1AUn7nrsBIHeCfAdywXAJb-iqk3-Bwb4M9YSvP_/s160/Heidi+Eljarbo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="160" data-original-width="160" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-YG28cLHajpjCLrLQihsCJZ6HolhvfNShURqDv_fk60ZbZMhjSxH4o8FEI9MM_Oa1601qcBvwIwDP9ytI_tIF27_6uCAx0z5Y-JwRw1AUn7nrsBIHeCfAdywXAJb-iqk3-Bwb4M9YSvP_/w200-h200/Heidi+Eljarbo.jpg" width="200" /></a></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 5.0pt; margin: 5pt 0cm 0cm;"><span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: NO-BOK;"><br /></span></p>Heidi Eljarbo is the bestselling author of historical fiction and mysteries filled with courageous and good characters that are easy to love and others you don't want to go near.<br />Heidi grew up in a home filled with books and artwork and she never truly imagined she would do anything other than write and paint. She studied art, languages, and history, all of which have come in handy when working as an author, magazine journalist, and painter.<br />After living in Canada, six US states, Japan, Switzerland, and Austria, Heidi now calls Norway home. She and her husband have a total of nine children, thirteen grandchildren--so far--in addition to a bouncy Wheaten Terrier. Their favorite retreat is a mountain cabin, where they hike in the summertime and ski the vast, white terrain during winter. Heidi's favorites are family, God's beautiful nature, and the word whimsical (from Amazon). Check out author's website: <a href="https://www.heidieljarbo.com/">https://www.heidieljarbo.com/</a><span style="background-color: white;"> </span><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p>
</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p><br /></p></div>randiloves2readhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15022204806814796098noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4908132404254660698.post-6763193471267368982020-12-18T15:00:00.127+01:002020-12-18T15:00:00.204+01:00#Historical Romance Book Review: #Dreams of Savanna by #Roseanna M. White<p style="text-align: center;"></p><h2 style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3OYp7_DK8MLKTdD64jsr4uY175s2D5cOre3sNazp1Yr-r4dAH0ry18JLBq7wXvp-WNB1JGSAP_axoRJrwLnQDEw99ZQk-sDo6VKRkjgEZi1DhBZkNAKloiGvFCiNWHbCcKE44XbSQkdty/s1670/Dreams+of+Savannah.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1670" data-original-width="1080" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3OYp7_DK8MLKTdD64jsr4uY175s2D5cOre3sNazp1Yr-r4dAH0ry18JLBq7wXvp-WNB1JGSAP_axoRJrwLnQDEw99ZQk-sDo6VKRkjgEZi1DhBZkNAKloiGvFCiNWHbCcKE44XbSQkdty/w414-h640/Dreams+of+Savannah.jpg" width="414" /></a></h2><h2 style="text-align: left;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span></h2><h2 style="text-align: left;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Summary:
<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Princess-Within-Restoring-Serita-Jakes/dp/0764237470/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1608048750&sr=1-1">Dreams
of Savannah</a> by <a href="https://www.roseannamwhite.com/about-roseanna">Roseanna
M. White</a></span></h2><div><br /></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Cordelia Owens can weave a dream around anything and is well used to winning the hearts of everyone in Savannah with her whimsy. Even when she receives word that her sweetheart has been lost during a raid on a Yankee vessel, she clings to hope and comes up with many a romantic tale of his eventual homecoming to reassure his mother and sister. <br /><br />But Phineas Dunn finds nothing redemptive in the first horrors of war. Struggling for months to make it home alive, he returns to Savannah injured and cynical, and all too sure that he is not the hero Cordelia seems determined to make him. <br /><br />As the War Between the States rages ever nearer and Savannah’s slaves start sneaking away to the islands off the coast to join the Yankees, both Phin and Cordelia get caught up in questions they never thought they’d have to ask–questions that threaten the very dreams of a future they’d cherished (from author’s webpage). <br /><br />
</span><h2>My thoughts about this captivating historical romance</h2><p style="background: white; line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></p><span style="font-family: inherit;">When Cordelia Owens’ sweetheart Phineas enlists to fight against the Yankees, she tries to keep up hope by writing heroic stories. Phineas gets wounded in a raid on his vessel and struggles for months to make it home to Delia. They both have to get real on the issue of keeping slaves as well as deal with the future of their relationship. <br /><br /></span><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin: 5pt 0cm;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Dreams of Savannah is the standalone novel written by Roseanna M. White, published by Bethany House Publishers. Setting of the plot is Savannah, Georgia 1861 and we get to follow Cordelia Owens as her sweetheart Phineas Dunn has gone off to serve in the Confederate navy. He gets shot, swept aboard and lost, but in spite of bad news, Cordelia writes heroic, hopeful stories and does not accept he is dead. Seriously wounded, Phineas gets washed ashore in Cuba where free black, British Vicar Luther Bromley, agrees to nurse him back to health in return for Phineas’ help finding his illegally sold wife. As war rages ever closer to Savannah, increasing numbers of slaves run away to join the Yankees and be declared free. Cordelia and Phineas have to get real on the issue of keeping slaves as well as deal with the future of their relationship. <br /><br /> Main character is Cordelia, Delia, Owens, enjoys a super privileged lifestyle. She has an impressive imagination she uses to raise funds for Confederacy and keep up hope in others. Her character shows a healthy set of values as the plot progresses. <br /><br />British Vicar, Luther Bromley, is my favorite character of this story. He finds himself in a very challenging position as a free black in an area where people like him are slaves. Description of the relationship developing between Phineas and Luther were my favorite part of the plot. <br /><br />As a European, this is a very interesting plot from a new to me author. I loved the amusing and lighthearted writing and dialogue. I particularly found the written Gullah-English of the slaves very entertaining and felt this added uniqueness to the plot. I loved how the Lucas Bromley character taught me more about the difference between a free black and a slave. <br /><br />Delia’s cousin Julius contributed drama to the plot as he was a threat to both Delia and her lady’s maid slave Salina, while trying to present himself as a worthy suitor for Delia. He made my skin crawl every time he was present in the plot. For this, I found his character both excellent and believable if not exactly likable. <br /><br />Anyone who enjoys who enjoys historical romance, specifically set in the Civil War would enjoy this one. Fans of Roseanna M. White would definitely love it, I think. Similar author to explore might be Tamara Alexander. <br /><br />Thank you to #<a href="http://bakerpublishinggroup.com/bethanyhouse">Bethany House Publishers</a>, <a href="https://www.instagram.com/roseannamwhite/">@roseannamwhite</a> and #<a href="https://www.netgalley.com/">NetGalley</a> for this opportunity to share my honest review. All opinions are completely my own.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin: 5pt 0cm;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /><b><i>C</i></b></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i>onclusion: </i></b>Dreams of Savannah is the captivating novel by Roseanna M. White about Delia and Phin’s privileged life as war breaks out. He enlists, everything changes and she tries to keep up hope by writing heroic stories. They both have to get real on the issue slavery and deal with the future of their relationship. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin: 5pt 0cm;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />Rating: 5 stars / 5<br /><br /></span></p><h2 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Here is where to get your copy</span></h2><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/4908132404254660698/676319347126736898#">Amazon Paperback</a><br /><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/4908132404254660698/676319347126736898#">Amazon Kindle</a><br /><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/4908132404254660698/676319347126736898#">Amazon Hardcover</a><br /><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/4908132404254660698/676319347126736898#">Barnes & Noble Paperback</a><br /><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/4908132404254660698/676319347126736898#">Barnes & Noble e-book</a><br /><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/4908132404254660698/676319347126736898#">Barnes & Noble Hardcover</a><br /><br /></span><h2 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Book Details</span></h2><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-family: inherit;">Publisher : Bethany House Publishers (January 5, 2021)<br />Paperback : 400 pages<br />ISBN-10 : 0764237470<br />ISBN-13 : 978-0764237478<br /><br /></span><h2 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">About The Author</span></h2><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />Roseanna M. White is a bestselling, Christy Award nominated author who has long claimed that words are the air she breathes. When not writing fiction, she’s homeschooling her two kids, editing, designing book covers, and pretending her house will clean itself. Roseanna is the author of a slew of historical novels that span several continents and thousands of years. Spies and war and mayhem always seem to find their way into her books…to offset her real life, which is blessedly ordinary. You can learn more about her and her stories at </span><a href="https://draft.blogger.com/%E2%80%9Dhttps://www.roseannamwhite.com/%E2%80%9D" style="background: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #8228d6; font-family: Cambo, Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify; text-decoration-line: none; text-size-adjust: 100%; vertical-align: baseline;">www.RoseannaMWhite.com</a><span style="background: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #666666; font-family: Cambo, Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify; text-size-adjust: 100%; vertical-align: baseline;">.</span><p></p><div><p></p></div>randiloves2readhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15022204806814796098noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4908132404254660698.post-41737237386357115442020-12-11T15:00:00.060+01:002020-12-11T15:00:04.869+01:00#Historical Romance Book Review: #The Vanishing at Loxby Manor by #Abigail Wilson<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQq2i3TJ0BxWmElhaSTa1hU5Vhja66F2nNvcLfbgZso2xxdr9SXiYM52n8hQCZ9Zy-TVwFaihGVR2Fh0Kd20UwSE9grZM9LFbGLw-5RZvT2uy6-wobUlXilqshb5vClTq4VBn7KX2VCKWM/s450/The+Vanishing+at+Loxby+Manor.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="300" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQq2i3TJ0BxWmElhaSTa1hU5Vhja66F2nNvcLfbgZso2xxdr9SXiYM52n8hQCZ9Zy-TVwFaihGVR2Fh0Kd20UwSE9grZM9LFbGLw-5RZvT2uy6-wobUlXilqshb5vClTq4VBn7KX2VCKWM/w426-h640/The+Vanishing+at+Loxby+Manor.jpg" width="426" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p></p><h2 style="text-align: left;">Summary: <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Vanishing-at-Loxby-Manor-ebook/dp/B085XN94WG/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2J5GRVM7DY1IZ&dchild=1&keywords=the+vanishing+at+loxby+manor&qid=1607425638&s=digital-text&sprefix=the+vanishing+at+lo%2Cdigital-text%2C315&sr=1-1">The Vanishing at Loxby Manor</a> by <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Abigail-Wilson/e/B07BDPHHNJ/ref=dp_byline_cont_pop_ebooks_1">Abigail Wilson</a></h2><div><b>Her friend is
missing.</b></div>
<p class="MsoNormal">After five years abroad, Charity Halliwell finally returns
to Loxby Manor, the home of dear friends—and her lost love. No longer a young
girl, she is now haunted by a painful secret and the demise of her dreams.
Instead of the healing and happiness she hopes to find, she encounters a
darkness lurking in the shadows of the once-familiar house. When her friend,
Seline, disappears the very night of her arrival, Charity is determined to
uncover the truth. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Her only hope is the
man who broke her heart.<o:p></o:p></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Branded a coward, Piers Cavanagh has lived the last five
years as an outcast far from his family home. When his sister presumably elopes
with a stable hand, Piers joins forces with an unlikely partner—the one woman
he thought he’d never see again. Together they launch an investigation that
leads to strange nightly meetings in the ruins of an old abbey and disturbing
whispers of a secret organization. The more they learn, the more desperate the
situation becomes. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">The house seems
determined to keep its secrets</b>.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">As they struggle to piece together the clues, Charity and
Piers also endeavor to rebuild their friendship. One cryptic letter changed
everything between them. To find happiness they will have to overcome the grief
and shame keeping them apart. But first they must discover why Seline vanished
and confront the growing fear that she may never return. (from Amazon).</p>
<h2 style="text-align: left;">My thoughts about this mysterious historical romance</h2>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">The
Vanishing at Loxby Manor is the standalone by Abigail Wilson, published by
Thomas Nelson. </span>The story is set in Kent, England 1816, and is about gentlewoman
Charity Halliwell who has returned from Ceylon to stay as the Cavanagh family’s
guest. She finds them terribly distraught because their daughter has misbehaved
and disappeared and keeps seeing lights from the nearby Abbey. Locals are
scared and keep away from it while some mysterious activity seems to be going on.
She gets help from her close friend and heir to the Manor, Piers Cavanagh, to investigate
what has happened to his sister and if the disappearance is part of a lager
mystery.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Main character is gentlewoman Charity Halliwell seems a
vulnerable woman who has suffered a blow to her self-worth she tries to keep
secret. <span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">She is relatable and I
feel for her, but she also frustrates me as she keeps things hidden and gets in
her own way. She seems a well developed character who is easy to like and is my
favorite of this story.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Supporting
character is heir to the Manor Piers Cavanagh who is a botanist. </span>Having been
ostracized from Society following rumors of cowardice, he seems a really good
person. <span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Circumstances have not
been on his side and he has suffered the harsh, unfair judgment of The Ton. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Main dramatic element of this story is the mysterious
disappearance which makes Charity and Piers investigate local matters left
alone for years. Rigging of horse races is an interesting element I have not
read about before. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The writing has a deliciously dark and mysterious vibe which
I love to read this time of year. Charity lands in kind of an investigator role.
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A“Miss Marple Light” if you will. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Charity and Piers have strong feelings
from five years ago before Charity went to Ceylon. I enjoyed the process as
complications in their relationship get a chance to be straightened out and
feelings rekindled. This is my favorite part of the story.<br />
</span>The faith element is weaved into the last part of the plot as Charity
and Piers have to trust God to help them with their struggles.</p><p class="MsoNormal">
The ending to this story deserves a few sentences of its own as it was surprising
beyond belief. <span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">I had my eye on
several of the characters, but never the actual culprit. I really loved that.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">This is the
second book I have read by Abigail Wilson and I have loved them both. She is
firmly on my radar now and I am eagerly awaiting what she comes up with next. Readers
of Historical romance and Historical mystery I’m sure will enjoy The Vanishing
at Loxby Manor. Fans of Abigail Wilson will definitely love it. </span>Similar authors to explore might be Sarah E. Ladd or
Michelle Griep.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Thank you
to Thomas Nelson and NetGalley for this opportunity to share my honest review. I
received a complimentary copy of this book. </span>Opinions expressed in this
review are completely my own.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Conclusion: The Vanishing at Loxby Manor is the intriguingly
mysterious historical which includes disappearance, murder and the rekindling
of lost love. All tied together in an enjoyably unexpected ending.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Rating: 4 stars / 5</p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><h2 style="text-align: left;">Where to get your copy</h2><div><br /></div><p class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Vanishing-at-Loxby-Manor/dp/0785232958/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=">Amazon Paperback</a><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Vanishing-at-Loxby-Manor-ebook/dp/B085XN94WG/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=">Amazon Kindle</a><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Vanishing-at-Loxby-Manor/dp/1713572028/ref=tmm_abk_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=">Amazon Audio CD</a><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-vanishing-at-loxby-manor-abigail-wilson/1136662177?ean=9780785232957">Bannes & Noble Paperback</a><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-vanishing-at-loxby-manor-abigail-wilson/1136662177?ean=9780785233121">Barnes & Noble e-book (NOOK book)</a><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-vanishing-at-loxby-manor-abigail-wilson/1136662177?ean=9781713572022">Barnes & Noble Audio mp3 on CD</a><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-vanishing-at-loxby-manor-abigail-wilson/1136662177?ean=9781713572039">Audio CD</a><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><h2 style="text-align: left;">Book Details</h2><div><br /></div><p></p>Paperback : 336 pages<br />ISBN-10 : 0785232958<br />Publisher : Thomas Nelson (January 26, 2021)<br />ISBN-13 : 978-0785232957<p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><h2 style="text-align: left;">About The Author</h2><div><br /></div><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111; font-family: "Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Abigail Wilson combines her passion for Regency England with intrigue and adventure to pen historical mysteries with a heart. A Registered Nurse, chai tea addict, and mother of two crazy kids, Abigail fills her spare time hiking the National Parks, attending her daughter's gymnastic meets, and curling up with a great book. In 2017, Abigail won WisRWA's Fab Five contest and in 2016, ACFW's First Impressions contest as well as placing as a 2017 finalist in the Daphne du Maurier Award for Excellence in Mystery/Suspense. She is a cum laude graduate of the University of Texas at Austin and currently lives in Dripping Springs, Texas, with her husband and children.(from Amazon). Read more on authors website <a href="http://www.acwilsonbooks.com/about-2/">http://www.acwilsonbooks.com/about-2/</a></span><span style="color: #0f1111; font-family: Amazon Ember, Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 13px;"></span></span></p><p></p>randiloves2readhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15022204806814796098noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4908132404254660698.post-19812784700024233972020-12-04T15:00:00.047+01:002020-12-04T15:00:02.431+01:00#Cozy Mystery Book Review: #A Portrait of Peril (Victorian Mystery book 5) by #Laura Joh Rowland<div style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUzlQu_37F3Hq8_0ZvAkYEhyvsr56_k2q5BcnANzJGNcRUBu3YdluLGeRkbQcU7unQ4_32hZtulU3Od-igBkacnkqnvgET39yZzBZ2D1wBC5kOs6SZWqcr87uQ7lqjLqgRmUiXA9nSYlYF/w426-h640/A+Portrait+of+Peril.jpg" width="426" /></div><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"></blockquote></blockquote><p style="text-align: left;"></p><h2 style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: left;"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; color: #181818; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Summary: A Portrait of Peril (Victorian Mystery book
5) by Laura Joh Rowland</span></h2><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: left;"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; color: #181818; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">London,
October 1890</span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; color: #181818; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">. Crime scene photographer Sarah Bain is overjoyed to marry
her beloved Detective Sergeant Barrett--but the wedding takes a sinister turn
when the body of a stabbing victim is discovered in the crypt of the church.
Not every newlywed couple begins their marriage with a murder investigation,
but Sarah and Barrett, along with their friends Lord Hugh Staunton and Mick
O'Reilly, take the case.</span><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #181818; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><br />
<br />
<span style="background: white;">The dead man is Charles Firth, whose profession is
"spirit photography"-- photographing the ghosts of the deceased. When
Sarah develops the photographs he took in the church, she discovers one with a
pale, blurred figure attacking the victim. The city's spiritualist community
believes the church is haunted and the figure is a ghost. But Sarah is a
skeptic, and she and her friends soon learn that the victim had plenty of
enemies in the human world--including a scientist who studies supernatural
phenomena, his psychic daughter, and an heiress on a campaign to debunk
spiritualism and expose fraudulent mediums.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="background: white;">In the tunnels beneath a demolished jail, a ghost-hunting
expedition ends with a new murder, and new suspects. While Sarah searches for
the truth about both crimes, she travels a dark, twisted path into her own
family's sordid history. Her long lost father is the prime suspect in a
cold-case murder, and her reunion with him proves that even the most determined
skeptic can be haunted by ghosts from the past.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: left;"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #181818; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="background: white;"><br /></span></span></p><h2 style="text-align: left;">My review of this cozy mystery </h2><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">When crime
photographer and news reporter Sarah Bain gets married to </span><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><br />
<span style="background: white;">Detective Sergeant Thomas Barrett, the ceremony
gets interrupted by a murder. The victim is a photographer specializing in
taking scam photos of ghosts. Sarah investigates the technology and tricks used
to con grieving people.</span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">A Portrait of Peril
is book 5 in the Victorian Mystery series by <span style="color: #181818; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Laura Joh Rowland, published by Crooked Lane Books.
The setting is </span>London 1890 and we follow newspaper photographer Sarah
Bain, her police husband and her news photography/reporter team as they
investigate how some members of the spiritualist community use a combination of
new technology and tricks to con grieving people. Sarah and Thomas’ wedding
ceremony is interrupted when <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">a scam photographer
is found murdered in the church crypt. Later his publisher is found dead too. A
member of Sarah’s team is standing over the body with blood on his hands and he
ends up in jail charged with the murder. Besides investigating the two murders,
Sarah secretly looks into the murder case relating to her own family.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">
<span style="background: white;">Main character is crime photographer and
reporter Sarah Bain. She is very self sufficient and has a hard time controlling
her temper and struggles with the relationship with her late mother. She seems
a complex and believable character who is my favorite of this story.</span></span><span style="background-color: white;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Supporting
character is detective Sergeant Thomas Barrett. He seems a bit bland to me, and
I struggle to connect with him. But I picked up on his deepest respect/fear for
his mother. I wonder what that might mean for his relationship with fiercely
independent Sarah. </span><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><br />
<!--[endif]--><span style="background: white;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">I enjoyed how this
story starts where similar reads have ended- with marriage. I found it strange and
surprising that Sarah and Thomas didn’t find it terribly disturbing to have
their wedding ceremony interrupted by a murder. They seemed to go on with
things like on a normal day.</span><span style="background-color: white;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">The plot contained details
of previous stories which made it function as a standalone, but I would have
preferred to read the series from the beginning to get to know the characters
and follow their development through the series. As I jumped in at book 5, I felt
I had missed out on this.</span><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><br />
</span><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">My favorite part of the story was descriptions of the
living arrangements with Sarah’s group of unlikely friends and co-workers. The least favorite part was descriptions of an
autopsy procedure.<br />
<!--[endif]--><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Anyone who loves historical crime
fiction will enjoy this. As will fans of Laura Joh Rowland. Similar authors to
explore might be Anna Lee Huber or Erin Lindsey.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Thank you to Crooked Lane Books and
NetGalley for this opportunity to share my honest review. All opinions are
completely my own. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><i><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Conclusion:</span></i></b><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"> A
Portrait of Peril is the interesting and entertaining story about a wedding
ceremony interrupted by the murder of a photographer specializing in ghost
photos to con grieving relatives.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
</p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Rating: 3 stars / 5<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><br /></p><h2 style="text-align: left;">Where to get your copy</h2><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><p style="font-size: 14px; text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Portrait-Peril-Laura-Joh-Rowland-ebook/dp/B0871KXYY6/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=a+portrait+of+peril&qid=1606818847&sr=8-1">Amazon Kindle</a><br /></p><p style="font-size: 14px; text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Portrait-Peril-Laura-Joh-Rowland/dp/1643854720/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1606818847&sr=8-1">Amazon Hardcover</a><br /></p><p style="font-size: 14px; text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/portrait-of-peril-laura-joh-rowland/1136847821?ean=9781643854724">Barnes & Noble Hardcover</a><br /></p><p style="font-size: 14px; text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/portrait-of-peril-laura-joh-rowland/1136847821?ean=9781643854731">Barnes & Noble e-book</a><br /></p><p style="font-size: 14px; text-align: left;"><br /></p><h2 style="text-align: left;">Book Details</h2><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div>Publication date : January 12, 2021<br />Publisher : Crooked Lane Books (January 12, 2021)<br />ASIN : B0871KXYY6<div style="text-align: left;"><br /><br /><h2 style="text-align: left;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 18.4px;">About The Author</span></h2><div><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 18.4px;"><br /></span></div><p style="font-size: 14px;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">Laura Joh Rowland is a bestselling author of historical mystery novels. Her newest series stars Miss Sarah Bain, a photographer in Victorian London. The latest book is The Hangman's Secret. The Woman in the Veil will be published January 7, 2020. Laura's previous series, which is set in medieval Japan and features samurai detective Sano Ichiro, has been published in 21 countries, been nominated for the Anthony Award and the Hammett Prize, won RT Magazine's Reader's Choice Award, and been included in The Wall Street Journal's list of the five best historical mystery novels. Laura has also written a historical suspense series about Charlotte Bronte, the famous Victorian author. </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">Laura holds a Bachelor of Science and a Master of Public Health degree from the University of Michigan. She is a former aerospace scientist, a painter, and a cartoonist. She lives in New York City with her husband Marty. </span>http://laurajohrowland.com/</p></div>randiloves2readhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15022204806814796098noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4908132404254660698.post-30130918190160129782020-11-27T15:00:00.015+01:002020-11-27T15:00:01.726+01:00#Historical Romance Book Review: #The Thief of Blackfriars Lane by #Michelle Griep<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8cwCgTJsErAvrknGrMCHWWejRrsTjeEkcfGhwMrMwAzK2d4O_-DyLQpjH12T9csUXTcb-UInxQ2FAm-PymM2PsknTff-b5PHhUwMCtrfIJN_ZHxZYiraa7mA9GQrGWm_T2MNz9FseUCoO/s400/The+Thief+of+Blackfriars+Lane5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="262" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8cwCgTJsErAvrknGrMCHWWejRrsTjeEkcfGhwMrMwAzK2d4O_-DyLQpjH12T9csUXTcb-UInxQ2FAm-PymM2PsknTff-b5PHhUwMCtrfIJN_ZHxZYiraa7mA9GQrGWm_T2MNz9FseUCoO/w421-h640/The+Thief+of+Blackfriars+Lane5.jpg" width="421" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><h2 style="text-align: left;">Summary: <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Thief-Blackfriars-Lane-Michelle-Griep/dp/1643527150/ref=sr_1_1?crid=72AX8CMRJGRP&dchild=1&keywords=the+thief+of+blackfriars+lane&qid=1606149382&sprefix=the+thief+of+blackfri%2Caps%2C426&sr=8-1">The Thief of Blackfriars Lane</a> by <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Michelle-Griep/e/B0030G3C2E/ref=dp_byline_cont_pop_book_1">Michelle Griep</a></h2><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; color: #181818; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Constable Jackson Forge intends to
make the world safer, or at least the streets of Victorian London. But that’s
Kit Turner’s domain, a swindler who runs a crew that acquires money the
old-fashioned way—conning the rich to give to the poor. When a local cab driver
goes missing, Jackson is tasked with finding the man, and the only way to do
that is by enlisting Kit’s help. If Jackson doesn’t find the cabby, he’ll be
fired. If Kit doesn’t help Jackson, he’ll arrest her for thievery. Yet neither
of them realizes those are the least of their problems.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<h2 style="text-align: left;">My review of this historical romance</h2><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Rookie constable Jackson Forge’s first assignment is
to find a missing cabby</span>. T<span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">o do that, he needs <span style="background: white;">thief ringleader Kit
Turner’s</span> local knowledge and connections.<span style="background: white;">
In this unlikely alliance</span> both have to trust each other with their lives
as they unravel criminal activity with ties to City public office.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">The Thief of
Blackfriars Lane is the standalone novel written by Michelle Griep, published
by Barbour Fiction. The plot is set in London 1885, and we follow fresh-out-of-training
Constable Jackson Forge who is assigned to find the missing cab driver who is thief
ringleader Kit Turner’s foster dad. With her extensive local knowledge and connections,
Jackson gets to experience an underworld of dangerous cutthroats and cheats
while orphan Kit has to learn to trust again.</span> They deal with life
threatening situations connected to criminal activity with ties to City public
office.</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">
<span style="background: white;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; float: none; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">Main character is rookie Constable Jackson Forge who seems to
be a well rounded character from a relatively secure family background. He seems
the voice of reason</span> in this story and tries to keep Kit away from the
worst of the life threatening madness she gets into.</span></span><span style="background-color: white;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Supporting
character is thief ringleader and orphan Kit Turner who is a feisty, brave and
very resourceful young woman hiding her loneliness and vulnerability. She is
complex and struggles to trust, which makes h</span><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">er realistic and <span style="background: white;">appealing
character my favorite.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">
<span style="background: white;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; float: none; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">I loved how this plot was action packed and drew me into underworld
London of 1800s. The stunning descriptions, particularly of the London underground
(before tubes), made me feel a part the plot. I felt the characters were relatable
and I enjoyed how Jackson and Kit kept meeting cynical, dangerous characters scheming
to make big money and get one over on competition. <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">The excellent research built an exciting plot offering
all my favorite elements of a story. One part mystery and one part romance all
tied together in a historical setting. With the Dickensian feel, the amusing writing
and dialogue made it one of the most entertaining reads in a very long time.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">My favorite part was description of how the
relationship between Jackson and Kit developed from the initial friendship to
budding romance, as they faced mortal danger together</span>. The descriptions
of the extreme poverty, fear and despair of a woman who tries to support her children
while suffering illness, was not my favorite. But I appreciate the dramatic
effect. Michelle Griep is fast becoming one of my go-to-authors in historical
romance, because I enjoy her action packed plots so much. I’ll be eagle-eying
booksellers for her next release.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 5.0pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 5.0pt; margin: 5pt 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: NO-BOK;">Anyone who enjoys action packed historical
romance with a Dickensian twist would love this. As will fans of Michelle Griep’s
other work. Similar<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"> </b>authors to
explore might be Abigail Wilson or Sarah E. Ladd. Thank you to Barbour Fiction
and NetGalley for this opportunity to share my honest review. </span><span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: NO-BOK;">All opinions are completely my own.</span><span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 5.0pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 5.0pt; margin: 5pt 0cm;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: NO-BOK;">Conclusion: </span></i></b><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: NO-BOK;">The Thief of Blackfriars
Lane is the packed and exiting story about rookie Constable Jackson Forge and
thief ringleader Kit Turner who team up to find her foster dad. They get in
life threatening situations while unraveling </span><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">criminal activity with ties to City public
office.</span><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 5.0pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 5.0pt; margin: 5pt 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: NO-BOK;">Rating: 5 stars / 5</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 5.0pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 5.0pt; margin: 5pt 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: NO-BOK;"><br /></span></p><h2 style="background: white; margin: 5pt 0cm; text-align: left;">Where to get your copy</h2><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 5.0pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 5.0pt; margin: 5pt 0cm;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 5.0pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 5.0pt; margin: 5pt 0cm;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/1643527150/ref=nav_timeline_asin?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1">Amazon Paperback</a><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 5.0pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 5.0pt; margin: 5pt 0cm;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Thief-Blackfriars-Lane-Michelle-Griep-ebook/dp/B08MXGTR1Y/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=">Amazon Kindle</a><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 5.0pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 5.0pt; margin: 5pt 0cm;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Thief-Blackfriars-Lane-Michelle-Griep/dp/1640914781/ref=tmm_abk_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=">Amazon Audio CD</a><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 5.0pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 5.0pt; margin: 5pt 0cm;"><a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-thief-of-blackfriars-lane-michelle-griep/1136850322?ean=9781643527154">Barnes & Noble Paperback</a><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 5.0pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 5.0pt; margin: 5pt 0cm;"><a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-thief-of-blackfriars-lane-michelle-griep/1136850322?ean=9781636090627">Barnes & Noble e-book</a><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 5.0pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 5.0pt; margin: 5pt 0cm;"><a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-thief-of-blackfriars-lane-michelle-griep/1136850322?ean=9781636090627">Barnes & Noble Audio mp3 on CD</a><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 5.0pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 5.0pt; margin: 5pt 0cm;"><a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-thief-of-blackfriars-lane-michelle-griep/1136850322?ean=9781640916050">Barnes & Noble Audio </a><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 5.0pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 5.0pt; margin: 5pt 0cm;"><br /></p><h2 style="text-align: left;">Book Details</h2><br />Paperback : 320 pages<br />ISBN-10 : 1643527150<br />ISBN-13 : 978-1643527154<br />Publisher : Barbour Fiction (January 1, 2021)<div><br /></div><div><br /></div><h2 style="text-align: left;">About The Author</h2><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;">I hear voices. Loud. Incessant. And very real. Which basically gives me two options: choke back massive amounts of Prozac or write fiction. I chose the latter. Way cheaper. 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 a teenager. Oops. Did I say that out loud? (from Goodreads). Read more on author's website: </span><a href="https://michellegriep.com/about">michellegriep.com</a>.</div><div><p></p></div>randiloves2readhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15022204806814796098noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4908132404254660698.post-52048092441890252032020-11-20T15:00:00.071+01:002020-11-20T15:00:00.288+01:00#Cozy Mystery Book Review: #A Lady Compromised by #Darcie Wilde <p style="text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMuTXaxc2vqUMHKxUnsI9Z9LJ35jp1MGy02UT4KCQlfrXrXECpp0YjqnpUWXAAwIv0Z2kRfEodMM0Qv2CfZzw60H3CnSMBGkbEA1CBw-HM4cmMpwn7wD9-R8OLK4bDY5RFKPT2LaZZoTxt/s400/A+Lady+Compromised.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="265" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMuTXaxc2vqUMHKxUnsI9Z9LJ35jp1MGy02UT4KCQlfrXrXECpp0YjqnpUWXAAwIv0Z2kRfEodMM0Qv2CfZzw60H3CnSMBGkbEA1CBw-HM4cmMpwn7wD9-R8OLK4bDY5RFKPT2LaZZoTxt/w424-h640/A+Lady+Compromised.jpg" width="424" /></a></p><p></p><h2 style="text-align: left;">Summary: A Lady Compromised (Rosalind Thorne Mysteries #4) by Darcie Wild</h2><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; color: #181818; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Rosalind is pleased when she's
invited to Cassel House to help her friend, Louisa, prepare for her upcoming
wedding. But that's not the only event on her agenda. The trip will also afford
Rosalind the chance to see Devon Winterbourne, the newly minted Duke of
Casselmaine. Devon and Rosalind were on the verge of betrothal before the
infamous Thorne family scandal derailed their courtship. Now Rosalind wonders
if there's a chance their love might reignite.</span><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #181818; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><br />
<br />
<span style="background: white;">Devon is as handsome as Rosalind remembers and
it's clear the attraction they once shared hasn't waned. But their time
together is interrupted by one crisis after another--not the least of which is
an awkwardly timed request for help from Louisa's friend, Helen Corbyn.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="background: white;">Not long ago, the untimely death of Helen's
brother, William, was ruled a suicide, but few people truly believe he took his
own life. Helen needs to know what really happened--especially since she's
engaged to the man some suspect of secretly killing William.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="background: white;">While Rosalind desperately wants to help, she
fears her efforts might cast a pall over Louisa's nuptials, not to mention her
reunion with Devon. But when another untimely death rocks the ton, Rosalind has
no choice but to uncover the truth before more people die...even if her actions
threaten her future with Devon (from Amazon).<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"></p><h2 style="text-align: left;"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; color: #181818; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">My thoughts about this cozy murder
mystery</span></h2><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">
<br />
<span style="background: white;">When Baronet’s daughter and amateur sleuth
Rosalind Thorne is asked to investigate what appears to be a suicide, she finds
nothing is as it seems. Among the upper crust of society she discovers motives
for bad deeds fueled by financial greed and social ambition.<o:p></o:p></span></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">A Lady Compromised is book 4 in
Rosalind Thorne Mysteries by Darcie Wild, published by Kensington Books. This
is the very entertaining and intriguing story about amateur sleuth Rosalind
Thorne as she is invited to help solve a mysterious case. The authorities have decided
it was suicide, but the victim’s sister thinks he was shot as he was getting
ready to duel. Rosalind’s investigation reveals a string of hidden secrets and
cover-ups among upper class families. They consider themselves beyond reproach,
which the investigation totally contradicts.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">
<span style="background: white;">Main character is Baronet’s daughter and amateur
sleuth Rosalind Thorne. Her family has fallen on hard times following her
father’s forger activity. She tries to hide this while assisting friends in
need using her investigation skills and connections. She travels to opulent
English country estates not unlike Agatha Christie’s Poirot.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">
<span style="background: white;">Dowager Lady Casselmaine is a well developed and
interesting supporting character who seems to have chosen a reclusive life. Her
character goes through a development process from rather standoffish into a
more amiable person who tries to open herself up to the world and live a better
life. For this reason she is my favorite of this story.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">The fly-on-the-wall
perspective of the upper class lifestyle I found thoroughly amusing. I can’t
remember having read anything with similar detailed descriptions of how dinner
parties might feel for guests. The characters came alive and felt both relatable
and realistic in this setting. My favorite part was descriptions of the Dowager
Countess’ journey and development through the story. I also loved following Rosalind’s
somewhat complicated and interesting past with her host.</span><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><br />
<span style="background: white;">I didn’t know much beforehand about duels, which
played an important role in the plot. I very much enjoyed the descriptions of
the secrecy surrounding it. Bad attitudes against foreigners and a notion that
some people have “superior genes” made the plot stand out, and added drama. I
found this a unique, surprising element I have not read about before.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="background: white;">I read this as a standalone, which worked perfectly. The ending left me curious and opens up for the next
book. While this is the first cozy mystery I have read by Darcie Wilde, I would
very much like to start from the beginning and read the whole series.</span></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /><br />Anyone who enjoys the affluent country environments reminiscent of Agatha Christie and Jane Austin would love this. Fans familiar with Darcie Wilde’s works would too. <br />Similar authors to explore might be Andrea Penrose and Rosemary Simpson. <br /><br />Thank you to Kensington Books and NetGalley for this opportunity to share my honest review. All opinions are completely my own.<br /><br /><i><u><b>Conclusion:</b></u></i> A Lady Compromised is the entertaining and intriguing new installment in Rosalind Thorne Mysteries series. Amateur sleuth Rosalind Thorne solves crimes in Jane Austin-like opulent English country environments. Somebody ends up dead in what appears to be a duel gone horribly wrong. Bad attitude against foreigners was a unique and surprising element adding drama to the story. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />Rating: 5 stars / 5<br /><br /></span><br /></p><h2 style="text-align: left;">Where to get your copy</h2><div><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B085LTHVP8/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_hsch_vapi_tkin_p1_i0https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B085LTHVP8/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_hsch_vapi_tkin_p1_i0https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B085LTHVP8/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_hsch_vapi_tkin_p1_i0">Amazon Kindle</a></span><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 5.0pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 5.0pt; margin: 5pt 0cm;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Lady-Compromised-Rosalind-Thorne-Mystery-ebook/dp/B085LTHVP8/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=a+lady+compromised&qid=1605536294&sr=8-1">Amazon Hardcover</a><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 5.0pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 5.0pt; margin: 5pt 0cm;"><a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/a-lady-compromised-darcie-wilde/1136585768?ean=9781496720870">Barnes & Noble Hardcover</a><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 5.0pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 5.0pt; margin: 5pt 0cm;"><a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/a-lady-compromised-darcie-wilde/1136585768?ean=9781496720931">Barnes & Noble e book</a><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 5.0pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 5.0pt; margin: 5pt 0cm;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 5.0pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 5.0pt; margin: 5pt 0cm;"><br /></p><h2 style="text-align: left;">Book Details</h2><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 5.0pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 5.0pt; margin: 5pt 0cm;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 11pt;"></span></p><br />Hardcover : 352 pages<br />ISBN-13 : 978-1496720870<br />ISBN-10 : 1496720873<br />Publisher : <a href="https://www.kensingtonbooks.com/">Kensington </a>(November 24, 2020)<br /><br /><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 5.0pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 5.0pt; margin: 5pt 0cm;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 11pt;"><br /></span></p><h2 style="text-align: left;">About The Author</h2><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />Darcie Wilde is a pseudonym for <a href="https://www.blogger.com/#">Sarah Zettel</a>, author of mysteries, science fiction, romance and Young Adult fiction, including the New York Times Notable Book Fool’s War and the bestselling Rosalind Thorne mysteries A Useful Woman. She also writes under the names Delia James, Sarah Zettel, Jennifer Hawkins <a href="https://www.blogger.com/#">C. L. Anderson</a> and <a href="https://www.blogger.com/#">Marissa Day</a>.<br />Darcie writes her classically styled (not to mention stylish) mysteries as well as adventurous romances from a university town in a certain northern-midwestern state that has been known to bear some passing resemblance to a mitten. When not writing, she’s reading, cooking, hiking, swimming, climbing things, embroidering other things, raising her rapidly growing son and trying to convince her cat — Buffy the Vermin Slayer — not to do any further damage to the furniture (from Amazon).</span><br />randiloves2readhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15022204806814796098noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4908132404254660698.post-23375868322859245092020-11-13T15:00:00.390+01:002020-11-13T17:22:24.782+01:00#Historical Romance Spotlight: #The Gentleman and the Thief by #Sarah M. Eden<p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ_8M94LbQXmenOX99i1QaiXln1uXxxuRovzQb3gQs6ALVlPPY5OkaweVq_Y4t4KcFjsVmDvf0LlpVBA-7JY2mLRo1ytIWUQ01UpgKwdFXOUJXnJ5Qg-hRJmHj_dGTL0OJgPUkwP1mWtfc/s2048/The+Gentleman+BlogTour+Graphic+1.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1365" data-original-width="2048" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ_8M94LbQXmenOX99i1QaiXln1uXxxuRovzQb3gQs6ALVlPPY5OkaweVq_Y4t4KcFjsVmDvf0LlpVBA-7JY2mLRo1ytIWUQ01UpgKwdFXOUJXnJ5Qg-hRJmHj_dGTL0OJgPUkwP1mWtfc/w640-h426/The+Gentleman+BlogTour+Graphic+1.png" width="640" /></a></p><h2 style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Book Facts</h2><div><b style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12pt;">Title:</span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt;"> <i>The Gentleman and the Thief: Proper Romance
Victorian</i></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b style="font-size: medium;"><span lang="EN-US">Author:</span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: medium;"> Sarah M. Eden</span></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><span lang="EN-US">Series: </span></b><span lang="EN-US">Book 2 in The Dread Penny Society</span></span></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: medium;"><b><span lang="EN-US">Genre</span></b><span lang="EN-US">: Historical Mystery/Suspense, Victorian Romance, Inspirational Fiction</span></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: medium;"><span lang="EN-US"><b style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-US">Publisher</span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: inherit;">: Shadow Mountain Publishing (November 3, 2020)</span></span></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: medium;"><span lang="EN-US"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: inherit;"><b style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-US">Length</span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: inherit;">: (368) pages</span></span></span></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: medium;"><span lang="EN-US"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: inherit;"><b style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-US">Trade Paperback ISBN</span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: inherit;">: 978-1629727905</span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: medium;"><span lang="EN-US"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><span lang="EN-US">eBook ASIN: </span></b><span lang="EN-US">B08KFLFV6S</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: medium;"><span lang="EN-US"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-US"><b><span lang="EN-US">Audiobook ASIN</span></b><span lang="EN-US">: B0872F3399</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: medium;"><span lang="EN-US"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-US"><span lang="EN-US"><b><span lang="EN-US">Tour Dates</span></b><span lang="EN-US">: November 2 – 29, 2020</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><h2 style="line-height: 107%; margin-bottom: 8pt; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuAMggaU-y0hxqXxE7S2LnXZjinzFDor9pEMvgaXUALY-sE0Y1ry9qsMPVsdismab-gxDrsbn85itDcm-KO9EjeumMqWZIyJ4JbSMX8C3kd7qGn_MHjwcfDdPn0hRFaywAiO3jvMtirg9N/s1000/The+Gentleman+and+the+Thief+by+Sarah+M+Eden+2020.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="647" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuAMggaU-y0hxqXxE7S2LnXZjinzFDor9pEMvgaXUALY-sE0Y1ry9qsMPVsdismab-gxDrsbn85itDcm-KO9EjeumMqWZIyJ4JbSMX8C3kd7qGn_MHjwcfDdPn0hRFaywAiO3jvMtirg9N/w259-h400/The+Gentleman+and+the+Thief+by+Sarah+M+Eden+2020.jpg" width="259" /></a><b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN-US" style="mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;">Book Description:</span></b></h2><div><b><i><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: inherit;">A standalone novel in The Dread Penny Society set in 1865 London
brimming with secrets, scandal, suspense, and romance.</span></span></i></b></div><span style="font-family: inherit;">From the moment Hollis Darby meets Ana Newport, he's smitten. Even though he's from a wealthy, established family and she isn't, he wishes he could have a life with her by his side. But Hollis has a secret: the deep coffers that have kept his family afloat for generations are bare, so he supports himself by writing penny dreadfuls under a pseudonym. If not for the income from his novels, he would be broke.<br /> <br /> Ana Newport also has a secret. Though she once had a place in society thanks to her father's successful business, bankruptcy and scandal reduced his fortune to nothing more than a crumbling town house. So Ana teaches music during the day, and at night she assumes the identity of the "Phantom Fox." She breaks into the homes of the wealthy to reclaim trinkets and treasures she feels were unjustly stolen from her family when they were struggling.<br /> <br /> When Hollis's brother needs to hire a music tutor for his daughter, Hollis recommends Ana, giving him a chance to spend time with her. Ana needs the income and is eager for the opportunity to get to know the enigmatic gentleman. What neither of them expects is how difficult it will be to keep their respective secrets from each other.<br /> <br /> When a spree of robberies rocks the city, Ana and Hollis join forces to solve the crimes, discovering that working together deepens the affection between them. After all, who better to save the day than a gentleman and a thief?</span><div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span face="Verdana, sans-serif" style="background-color: #f8eeff; font-size: 15.4px;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span face="Verdana, sans-serif"><span style="background-color: #f8eeff;"><a href="https://www.indiebound.org/book/9781629727905">IndieBound</a></span></span><span face="Verdana, sans-serif" style="background-color: #f8eeff;"><a href="https://www.indiebound.org/book/9781629727905"> </a> | </span><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Gentleman-Thief-Proper-Romance-Victorian/dp/1629727903/ref=pd_lpo_14_t_0/136-1502074-4740326?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=1629727903&pd_rd_r=bf8ef793-fe2e-4d6d-99eb-829f55772968&pd_rd_w=zkfld&pd_rd_wg=VDUHd&pf_rd_p=7b36d496-f366-4631-94d3-61b87b52511b&pf_rd_r=V4EDVEMHTMF754JGTRKJ&psc=1&refRID=V4EDVEMHTMF754JGTRKJ" style="background-color: #f8eeff; text-decoration-line: none;" target="new">Amazon</a><span face="Verdana, sans-serif" style="background-color: #f8eeff;"> | </span><span face="Verdana, sans-serif"><span style="background-color: #f8eeff;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Gentleman-Thief-Proper-Romance-Book-ebook/dp/B08KFLFV6S/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=">Amazon Kindle</a></span></span><span face="Verdana, sans-serif" style="background-color: #f8eeff;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Gentleman-Thief-Proper-Romance-Book-ebook/dp/B08KFLFV6S/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr="> </a>|</span></span><span style="background-color: #f8eeff; font-family: inherit;"> </span><a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-gentleman-and-the-thief-sarah-m-eden/1136455213?ean=9781629727905" style="background-color: #f8eeff; font-family: inherit; text-decoration-line: none;" target="new">Barnes and Noble</a><span style="background-color: #f8eeff; font-family: inherit;"> </span><span style="background-color: #f8eeff; font-family: inherit;">| </span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://www.bookdepository.com/Gentleman-Thief-Sarah-M-Eden/9781629727905?ref=grid-view&qid=1604239140472&sr=1-2" style="background-color: #f8eeff; font-family: inherit; text-decoration-line: none;" target="new">BookDepository</a><span style="background-color: #f8eeff; font-family: inherit;"> | <a href="https://bookshop.org/books/the-gentleman-and-the-thief/9781629727905">Bookshop</a> | <a href="https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/the-gentleman-and-the-thief">Kobo</a> | </span><a href="https://www.booksamillion.com/p/Gentleman-Thief/Sarah-M-Eden/9781629727905?id=8042392635019" style="background-color: #f8eeff; font-family: inherit; text-decoration-line: none;" target="new">Books-A-Million</a> </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><h2 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Advance Praise</span> </h2><div><p class="MsoListParagraph">·<span style="font-family: inherit;">"The real joy in Eden's follow-up to The Lady and the Highwayman (2019) is the furthering of the overarching crime story and the work of the Dread Penny Society as Hollis and Ana pursue a chaste romance. Eden excels at exploring the realities of Victorian life and class differences. Once again, chapters of penny dreadfuls written by the characters are interspersed throughout, with Hollis' story about a school for ghosts offering particular delight. Fans of Eden's smart series will be thrilled and impatient for the next installment."— Booklist, starred review <br /><br />· “Every time I thought my racing heart just couldn’t take the suspense anymore, I'd turn the page and smile.”— Bookconfessions <br /><br />· “Eden writes it well, so thoroughly researched that you’re transported and in Victoria England. Great suspense and romance.”— Leslie, Books and Socks Rock <br /><br />· “Undeniably clever, suspenseful, well-researched, and deftly written…”— Katie Jackson, RegencyProofreading.com <br /><br />· "Charming, suggestive, and featuring rich historical details, The Gentleman and the Thief has the elements of a gritty, juicy penny dreadful."— Foreword Reviews</span></p><h2 style="text-align: left;">Author Bio</h2></div></div></div><div><br /></div><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoHs0Z9B44qZ7TIowpWBQtjmrYQuTb3orh8y6mnhUnWX46Gdy7FoLfakteBmTeKT_p8fsZp3X0FG2vqw6DiTho7O-hCZPSxOT0bwoG1b_sOwmTRwvqJ0PuRAs_A6Y0llpndof7tFYA4PJB/s1600/Sarah+M+Eden+author+headshot.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: right;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1064" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoHs0Z9B44qZ7TIowpWBQtjmrYQuTb3orh8y6mnhUnWX46Gdy7FoLfakteBmTeKT_p8fsZp3X0FG2vqw6DiTho7O-hCZPSxOT0bwoG1b_sOwmTRwvqJ0PuRAs_A6Y0llpndof7tFYA4PJB/w266-h400/Sarah+M+Eden+author+headshot.jpg" width="266" /></a></div></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: right;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: right;">Sarah </span>M. Eden is a USA Today best-selling author of witty and charming historical romances, including 2019’s Foreword Reviews INDIE Awards Gold Winner for Romance, The Lady and the Highwayman, and 2020 Holt Medallion finalist, Healing Hearts. She is a two-time “Best of State” Gold Medal winner for fiction and a three-time Whitney Award winner. Combining her obsession with history and her affinity for tender love stories, Sarah loves crafting deep 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. Connect with the author via</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://www.sarahmeden.com/">website</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/SarahMEden">Twitter</a> | <a href="https://www.facebook.com/SarahMEden">Facebook</a> | <a href="https://www.instagram.com/sarah_m_eden/">Instagram</a> | <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/2515462.Sarah_M_Eden">Goodreads</a> </span></div>randiloves2readhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15022204806814796098noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4908132404254660698.post-14849017580598295932020-11-06T15:00:00.091+01:002020-11-08T17:57:27.951+01:00#Historical Romance Book Review: #A Castaway in Cornwall by #Julie Klassen<p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNw4YhQVq7cY2ksyoOk57wNdapoQQLpegDUcyhxODjHt1gFxaumA6px1RCPIwQVbjrI_xqL6UKT7x_IM4YdA-Gcg6N-lld-0v3hcyj-jogIxGWfrdzud4f-nqDsYGW3YIz0YH-ZrH09zZX/s2048/A+Castaway+in+Cornwall.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1325" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNw4YhQVq7cY2ksyoOk57wNdapoQQLpegDUcyhxODjHt1gFxaumA6px1RCPIwQVbjrI_xqL6UKT7x_IM4YdA-Gcg6N-lld-0v3hcyj-jogIxGWfrdzud4f-nqDsYGW3YIz0YH-ZrH09zZX/w414-h640/A+Castaway+in+Cornwall.jpg" width="414" /></a></div><h2 style="text-align: left;">Summary:
<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Castaway-Cornwall-Julie-Klassen/dp/0764234226/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1604399983&sr=8-2">A
Castaway in Cornwall</a> by <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Julie-Klassen/e/B001JS6J70/ref=dp_byline_cont_pop_book_1">Julie
Klassen</a></h2><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; color: #333333; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Set adrift on the tides of fate by
the deaths of her parents and left wanting answers, Laura Callaway now lives
with her uncle and his disapproving wife in North Cornwall. There she feels
like a castaway, always viewed as an outsider even as she yearns to belong.</span><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #333333; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><br />
<br />
<span style="background: white;">While wreckers search for valuables along the windswept
Cornwall coast--known for its many shipwrecks but few survivors--Laura searches
for clues to the lives lost so she can write letters to next of kin and return
keepsakes to rightful owners. When a man is washed ashore after a wreck, Laura
acts quickly to protect him from a local smuggler determined to destroy him.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="background: white;">As Laura and a neighbor care for the survivor, they discover
he has curious wounds and, although he speaks in careful, educated English, his
accent seems odd. Other clues wash ashore, and Laura soon realizes he is not
who he seems to be. Despite the evidence against him, the mysterious man might
provide her only chance to discover the truth about her parents' fate. With
danger pursuing them from every side, and an unexpected attraction growing
between them, will Laura ever find the answers she seeks? (from Amazon).<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<h2 style="text-align: left;"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; color: #333333; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">My review</span></h2>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">On a stormy night Physician’s daughter Laura Callaway
is alerted that there’s a shipwreck on the local shore with only one survivor.
Alexander Lucas hides his secret</span>s well, but danger seems to follow him
to Cornwall.<span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><br />
<br />
A Castaway in Cornwall is written by <a href="https://twitter.com/Julie_Klassen">@Julie Klassen</a>, published
by <a href="http://bakerpublishinggroup.com/books/a-castaway-in-cornwall/397900">Bethany House Publishers</a>. The story is set in North Cornwall 1813 and we
follow Laura Callaway as she works on her <span style="background: white;">admirable
project to salvage trinkets from wrecks and inform next of kin of their loved
ones lost at sea.</span> When another ship wrecks, a man is washed
ashore and ends up in Laura’s care to be nursed back to life. He presents
himself as Alexander Lucas, has a foreign accent and reveals very little about
who he is and where he is from.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">While this is the second book I have
read recently with similar setting, this plot stands out in the way it
describes people’s struggles to survive in rather modest circumstances. With a
backdrop of the Napoleonic War, the story deals with the need to belong to a family
and a community. As an orphan, Laura struggles with both.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">
<span style="background: white;">Main character physician’s daughter Laura Callaway
lost her parents and lives with non-blood relatives. For a woman who struggles
so much, I quite admire how she is able to make such a difference in other
people’s lives and that’s why she is my favorite of this story.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">
<span style="background: white;">Supporting character naval sea Captain Alexander Lucas
struggles with consequences of war, and goes through a process of learning how to
trust again. I felt he seemed human and likable as we got to follow his thoughts
and perspectives. Danger seemed to follow him ashore in Cornwall.</span><br />
<br style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased;" />
<span style="background: white;">I loved the vivid descriptions of daily life and occasional
celebrations at the Cornish coast. I could easily see how story could
easily be adapted to a movie reminiscent of Poldark. I found the characters relatable
and many of them sympathetic. A few really unlikable ones wired me up and added
great drama</span>. <span style="background: white;">The mystery element was my
favorite part, which related to Alexander Lucas previous life and family
background gradually told via his perspective of the story. </span></span><span style="background-color: white;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">The romance part of
the story seemed to be on the backburner until the last part of the plot. As
danger was at the forefront, that made perfect sense to me. I enjoyed the dramatic
parts of the story and the slightly surprising elements at the end. I felt it was all expertly tied up into a
satisfying conclusion to this standalone novel.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 5.0pt; margin: 5pt 0cm 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: NO-BOK;">Anyone who enjoys a
historical romance set in Cornwall will love this story. As will fans of Julie
Klassen. Similar authors to explore while eagerly awaiting next release from
Julie Klassen </span>might be Kristi Ann Hunter
or Jody Hedlund. Thank you to Bethany House Publishers and NetGalley for this
eARC which gave me the opportunity to share my honest review. All opinions are
completely my own.</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 5.0pt; margin: 5pt 0cm 0cm;"><b><i><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: NO-BOK;">Conclusion:</span></i></b><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: NO-BOK;"> A
Castaway in Cornwall is the entertaining and enjoyable story about a woman who struggles
to belong and a man marked by war who both long for a place to call home. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 5.0pt; margin: 5pt 0cm 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: NO-BOK;">Rating: 4 stars / 5</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 5.0pt; margin: 5pt 0cm 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: NO-BOK;"></span></p><p class="MsoListParagraph" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; mso-hyphenate: auto; mso-vertical-align-alt: auto;"><br /></p><p class="MsoListParagraph" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; mso-hyphenate: auto; mso-vertical-align-alt: auto;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></p><h2 style="text-align: left;">Where to by your copy</h2><div><br /></div><div><div><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Castaway-Cornwall-Julie-Klassen/dp/0764234226/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=">Amazon Paperback</a><br /></div><div><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Castaway-Cornwall-Julie-Klassen-ebook/dp/B087RTCPVK/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=">Amazon Kindle</a><br /></div><div><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Castaway-Cornwall-Julie-Klassen/dp/0764234234/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=">Amazon Harcover</a><br /></div><div><a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/a-castaway-in-cornwall-julie-klassen/1136472125?ean=9780764234224">Barnes & Noble Paperback</a><br /></div><div><a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/a-castaway-in-cornwall-julie-klassen/1136472125?ean=9781493428076">Barnes & Noble e-book</a><br /></div><div><a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/a-castaway-in-cornwall-julie-klassen/1136472125?ean=9780764234231">Barnes & Noble Hardcover</a><br /></div><div><a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/a-castaway-in-cornwall-julie-klassen/1136472125?ean=9780764236204">Barnes & Noble Paperback Largeprint edition</a><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><h2>Book Details</h2><br />Paperback : 400 pages<br />ISBN-13 : 978-0764234224<br />Publisher : Bethany House Publishers (December 1, 2020)</div><p><br /></p></div><h2 style="text-align: left;">About The Author</h2><p class="style1" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #191919; font-size: 18px; margin: 0px 0px 26px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="style13" style="box-sizing: border-box;">A</span> <span class="blue14px" style="box-sizing: border-box;">little about me…</span></span></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #191919; font-size: 18px; margin: 0px 0px 26px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I love all things Jane—<em style="box-sizing: border-box;">Jane Eyre</em> and Jane Austen. A graduate of the University of Illinois, I worked in publishing for sixteen years and now write full time. Three of my books, <em style="box-sizing: border-box;">The Silent Governes</em>s, <em style="box-sizing: border-box;">The Girl in the Gatehouse</em>, and <em style="box-sizing: border-box;">The Maid of Fairbourne Hall</em>, won the Christy Award for Historical Romance. <em style="box-sizing: border-box;">The Secret of Pembrooke Park </em>won the Minnesota Book Award, and <em style="box-sizing: border-box;">The Silent Governess</em> was a finalist in Romance Writers of America’s RITA awards. I have also been honored with the Midwest Book Award and Christian Retailing’s BEST Award. I enjoy travel, research, BBC period dramas, long hikes, short naps, and coffee with friends. My husband and I have two sons and live near St. Paul, Minnesota. For more, visit author's website </span><a href="https://julieklassen.com/" style="background-color: transparent;">https://julieklassen.com/</a></p>randiloves2readhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15022204806814796098noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4908132404254660698.post-20405566537763904792020-10-30T15:00:00.007+01:002020-10-30T18:01:40.815+01:00#Historical Cozy Mystery book review: #Death, Diamonds and Deception by #Rosemary Simpson<p style="text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUl28G6xFKqDjXVbsLqH_zi5CxEh7j5bYRkz5vN1R5qtVSW1ukrXHSAqBqfvppn38Spa4x1yiV9VVYAkOoKXRp_x4R-ubhyNwlY2Un2LSqMzi_uQS9-_5eWzawgwUP6EqGaY52kKVQzIfc/s400/Death+Diamonds+and+Deception.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="265" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUl28G6xFKqDjXVbsLqH_zi5CxEh7j5bYRkz5vN1R5qtVSW1ukrXHSAqBqfvppn38Spa4x1yiV9VVYAkOoKXRp_x4R-ubhyNwlY2Un2LSqMzi_uQS9-_5eWzawgwUP6EqGaY52kKVQzIfc/w424-h640/Death+Diamonds+and+Deception.jpg" width="424" /></a></p><p></p><p></p><h2 style="text-align: left;">Summary: <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Death-Diamonds-Deception-Gilded-Mystery-ebook/dp/B085LT77MV/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=diamonds+death+and+deception&qid=1603796500&sr=8-1">Death, Diamonds and Deception</a> (<a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07T76MDXP?ref_=dbs_p_mng_rwt_ser_shvlr&storeType=ebooks">A Gilded Age Mystery</a> Book 5) by Rosemary Simpson </h2>
<p class="MsoNormal"><strong><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; color: #333333; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">The
pursuit of stolen diamonds once belonging to Marie Antionette leads heiress
Prudence MacKenzie and ex-Pinkerton Geoffrey Hunter down a twisted maze through
Gilded Age New York City from Fifth Avenue to Five Points . . .</span></strong><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #333333; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><br style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;" />
<strong style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="background: white;"> </span></strong><br style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;" />
<span style="background: white;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; float: none; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">Fall 1889: Lady Rotherton has arrived from London intent on
chaperoning her niece Prudence through a New York social season to find a
suitable husband. It's certainly </span><em style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">not </em><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; float: none; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">her niece's devilishly handsome partner in Hunter and
MacKenzie Investigative Law. Aunt Gillian's eye for eligible suitors is
surpassed only by her ability to discern genuine gems from nearly flawless
fakes. At the Assembly Ball at Delmonico's, she effortlessly determines that
the stones in the spectacular diamond waterfall necklace adorning the neck of
the wife of banker William De Vries are fake.</span></span><br style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;" />
<strong style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="background: white;"> </span></strong><br style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;" />
<span style="background: white;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; float: none; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">Insisting on absolute discretion to avoid scandal, the banker
employs Prudence and Geoffrey to recover the stolen diamonds pried out of their
settings—priceless stones acquired by Tiffany, originally purchased for Marie
Antoinette. Their search for a possible fence rapidly leads to a dead end: a
jeweler brutally killed in his shop during an apparent theft.</span></span><br style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;" />
<span style="background: white;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; float: none; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"> </span></span><br style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;" />
<span style="background: white;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; float: none; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">The jeweler's murder is only the first in a string of
mysterious deaths, as Prudence and Geoffrey pursue their elusive quarry. But
the clues keep leading back to duplicity on the part of the De Vries family,
who, it turns out, have a great deal to hide . . .</span>(from Amazon).<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<h2 style="text-align: left;">My review of this Cozy Mystery</h2><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">When priceless diamonds are stolen socialite Prudence
MacKenzie and colleague ex-Pinkerton investigator Geoffrey Hunter takes on the
case</span>. A series of mysterious deaths take place, which seem connected to the
diamond theft.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Death, Diamonds and Deception is book 5 in A Gilded
Age Mystery series by Rosemary Simpson, published by <span style="color: #333333;">Kensington
Publishing Corporation</span>. The story is set in </span>New York 1889 as famous
and priceless diamonds are stolen and heiress Prudence MacKenzie and her colleague
ex-Pinkerton investigator Geoffrey Hunter investigate the case. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Main character is
late judge’s daughter Prudence MacKenzie. She is fiercely independent and not
interested in the limitations of marriage. I enjoyed that, and hope such a
woman existed in the Gilded Age.</span><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><br />
<span style="background: white;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; float: none; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">Supporting character ex-Pinkerton investigator, Geoffrey
Hunter has the nice guy role. I find it amusing how he pretends not to be romantically
interested in Prudence. There is a sweet element of romance between Prudence
and Geoffrey in the more quiet parts of the story</span>, which adds interest to
the story and what the ending might be.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; float: none; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="background: white;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; float: none; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">This plot felt reminiscent of others I have read set in gilded
age New York, but it stood out as it offered fascinating extra insight into the
lives of the richest of Gilded Age New York. Historical facts were weaved into
the expertly written story. It felt like I was a fly on the wall while learning
more about diamonds. The story had an amusing, light vibe. I particularly enjoyed
the parts describing the relationship between Prudence and her larger-than-life
Aunt Gillian.</span> Her character added a slightly surprising and unique element
to the story as she did more than chaperone</span> Prudence. Her title, wealth and
formidable presence offered Prudence admission to establishments women would
normally be unwelcome. Aunt Gillian was my favorite character and I thoroughly
enjoyed when she interfered with Prudence’s questioning methods and generally
meddled in her attempt at creating a professional life.</span> </span><br />
<span style="background: white;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; float: none; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">The characters felt real and relatable, particularly the hansom
cab driver Danny Dennis who had insight into living conditions around Five
Points. Descriptions of how life might have been in this part of the city were
my least favorite of this story, but added an excellent dramatic effect.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">I loved how loose ends were expertly tied together into
a dramatic ending fit for a movie. This is the first I have read in this series
and it worked perfectly as a standalone. The main characters and the hints to
previous plots made me want to start from the beginning of the series and read
up on the whole thing.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Anyone who enjoys stories set in Gilded Age and historical
fiction is sure to love this one. As will fans of Rosemary </span><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">S</span><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">impson. Similar authors to explore might be Kate Belli
or Alyssa Maxwell.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Thank you to<span style="color: #333333;"> Kensington
Publishing Corporation</span></span> and NetGalley for this eARC which gave me
the opportunity to share my honest review. All opinions expressed are
completely my own.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><i><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Conclusion:
</span></i></b><b><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"> </span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">This is the entertaining story about a diamond theft in
Gilded Age New York and a series of murders which seems to connect to it, and secrecy
and cover ups within a prominent banker family are revealed. The perfect companion
for an afternoon in front of the fire.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Rating: 5 stars / 5<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Main reasons: well crafted
plot, great writing and relatable characters, fabulous ending.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span></p><h2 style="text-align: left;">Where to by your copy</h2><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Death-Diamonds-Deception-Gilded-Mystery/dp/1496722124/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=">Amazon Hardcover</a><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Death-Diamonds-Deception-Gilded-Mystery-ebook/dp/B085LT77MV/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=">Amazon Kindle</a><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Death-Diamonds-Deception-Gilded-Mystery/dp/149453990X/ref=tmm_abk_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=">Amazon Audio CD</a><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/death-diamonds-and-deception-rosemary-simpson/1136585577?ean=9781496722126">Barnes & Noble Hardcover</a><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/death-diamonds-and-deception-rosemary-simpson/1136585577?ean=9781496722140">Barnes & Noble e-book</a><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/death-diamonds-and-deception-rosemary-simpson/1136585577?ean=9781541434547">Barnes & Noble Audio CD</a><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br /></p><h2 style="text-align: left;">Book Details</h2><p></p>Publication Date : November 24, 2020<br />Print Length : 336 pages<br />Publisher : Kensington Books (November 24, 2020)<p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br /></p><h2 style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: left;">About The Author</h2><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #313131; font-size: 16px;">Rosemary Simpson’s </span><em style="background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; color: #313131; font-size: 16px;">What the Dead Leave Behind</em><span style="background-color: white; color: #313131; font-size: 16px;"> is set in Gilded Age New York where the Great Blizzard of 1888 brings both disaster and independence to her wealthy and unconventional heroine. </span><em style="background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; color: #313131; font-size: 16px;">Lies that Comfort and Betray</em><span style="background-color: white; color: #313131; font-size: 16px;"> is the second in the Gilded Age Mystery series, to be followed by </span><em style="background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; color: #313131; font-size: 16px;">Final Portraits</em><span style="background-color: white; color: #313131; font-size: 16px;">. Rosemary is also the author of two stand-alone historical novels, </span><em style="background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; color: #313131; font-size: 16px;">The Seven Hills of Paradise</em><span style="background-color: white; color: #313131; font-size: 16px;"> and </span><em style="background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; color: #313131; font-size: 16px;">Dreams and Shadows</em><span style="background-color: white; color: #313131; font-size: 16px;">. She is a member of Sisters in Crime, International Thriller Writers, and the Historical Novel Society. Educated in France and the United States, she now lives near Tucson, Arizona. Author's website: </span><span style="color: #313131;"><a href="http://rosemarysimpsonbooks.com/">http://rosemarysimpsonbooks.com/</a></span></span></p><p></p>randiloves2readhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15022204806814796098noreply@blogger.com0