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Book Review: In Search of A Prince

23 Mar

On the surface, In Search of A Prince by Toni Shiloh is a fairytale romance with a nod to The Princess Diaries. However, this is a very grownup story with deep spiritual truths. Are you a romance fan longing for an exotic locale, a heroine to root for, and a story you’ll continue to think about? Then this novel is for you! Recommended.

It seems like a dream come true . . . until it forces her to question everything.  

Brielle Adebayo is fully content teaching at a New York City public school and taking annual summer vacations with her mother to Martha’s Vineyard. But everything changes when her mom drops a bombshell–Brielle is really a princess in the island kingdom of Ọlọrọ Ilé, off the coast of Africa, and she must immediately assume her royal position, since the health of her grandfather, the king, is failing.

Distraught by all the secrets her mother kept, Brielle is further left spinning when the Ọlọrọ Ilé Royal Council brings up an old edict that states she must marry before her coronation, or the crown will pass to another. Brielle is uncertain if she even wants the throne, and with her world totally shaken, where will she find the courage to take a chance on love and brave the perils a wrong decision may bring?

Toni Shiloh is a wife, mom, and multi-published Christian contemporary romance author. She writes to bring Him glory and to learn more about His goodness. Her novel, Grace Restored, was a 2019 Holt Medallion finalist and Risking Love is a 2020 Selah Award finalist.

A member of the American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW) and of the Virginia Chapter, Toni seeks to help readers find authors. She loves connecting with readers and authors alike via social media. You can learn more about her writing at http://tonishiloh.com.

My Impressions:

In Search of A Prince is a wonderful fairytale romance but with so much more. Author Toni Shiloh has created an exotic kingdom on an African island complete with its own language, laws, and stunning landscapes. As she states in the afterword, she did a lot of research to make the setting and the people ring true. At the heart of the story is a young woman finally discovering her roots. Her transformation from Bri Bayo to Princess Brielle Adebayo isn’t easy, but with her faith, Bri weathers naysayers and her own doubts. There is a prominent spiritual thread woven throughout the book with many of the characters leaning on God to find their direction and purpose. That’s probably the strongest part of the book, although the romance is no slouch either. 😉 Bri and Mori are the perfect marriage of convenience couple — friends first and foremost, sharing a common faith and love of country. Their romance will have you sighing! Supporting characters are well-developed — I cannot wait for book 2 to find out more of Iris’ story. There’s also a bit of a mystery involved with a resolution you will not see coming.

Exotic locale, great characters, swoon-y romance, kissing scenes . . . what are you waiting for!

Recommended.

Audience: adults

(Thanks to Bethany House for a complimentary copy. All opinions expressed are mine alone.)

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Book Review: Legacy of Lies

17 Mar

Legacy of Lies

About The Book

Book: Legacy of Lies

Author: Christy Barritt

Genre: Suspense

Release date: November 15, 2021

Legacy of Lies - eBook

The justice system failed her family—and so did her hometown.

Madison Colson knows deep down that her father—a convicted serial killer—is innocent. But believing it and proving it are two entirely different things. Unable to help her father, Madison has spent most of her adult life overcompensating by helping others. When her aunt dies unexpectedly, duty calls her back to Fog Lake, Tennessee, a beautiful but painful place she’d rather forget.

Terrifying events begin to unfold once she arrives, unleashing her worst nightmares. The Good Samaritan Killer—or a copycat—is back, and now Madison Colson is his target.

FBI Special Agent Shane Townsend is determined to stop the deadly rampage that has sent the tightknit community into a frenzy. But he needs to earn Madison’s trust first. The task feels impossible, especially considering his father is the one who put her dad in prison.

With the whole town on edge and pointing fingers, tension escalates out of control. Madison and Shane must sort the facts from the lies—and fight for a legacy of truth—before The Good Samaritan Killer has the final say.

Click here to get your copy!

My Impressions:

Christy Barritt always delivers great mystery/suspense. In Legacy of Lies, book 5 in her Fog Lake Suspense series, the book begins with some serious creep factor and keeps up the action-packed pace throughout. I loved it! Set in a small touristy town in the Smoky Mountains, this novel has a great sense of place. It also has major and minor characters to love. Coming from opposite sides of the crime, Madison (the daughter of a convicted serial killer) and Shane (an FBI agent) join forces to find the truth no matter where it takes them. There’s a lot to overcome for these characters, but the chemistry between the two is definitely a strong factor in their relationship. The crime itself takes the characters and the reader on a twisting journey. It really kept me guessing. While the book comes in around 400 pages, it was a page-turner, making it a quick read for me. I was a bit wary of starting the series at book 5, but Legacy of Lies reads like a standalone. I just have lots more books to add to my TBR! This book captured me from the beginning, and I want to return to Fog Lake as soon as possible. Overall, this novel is a recommended read!

Recommended.

Audience: adults.

(I purchased this book from Amazon. All opinions expressed are mine alone.)

About The Author

Barritt Family_041

USA Today has called Christy Barritt‘s books “scary, funny, passionate, and quirky.”

A USA Today and Publishers Weekly best-seller, Christy writes both mystery and romantic suspense novels that are clean with underlying messages of faith. Her books have sold more than three million copies, one has been made into a TV movie, and another is being developed for a TV series.

Christy’s books have won the Daphne du Maurier Award for Excellence in Suspense and Mystery, have been twice nominated for the Romantic Times Reviewers Choice Award, and have finaled for both a Carol Award and Foreword Magazine’s Book of the Year.

She’s married to her prince charming, a man who thinks she’s hilarious–but only when she’s not trying to be. Christy’s a self-proclaimed klutz, an avid music lover who’s known for spontaneously bursting into song, and a road trip aficionado.

Christy currently splits her time between the Virginia suburbs and Hatteras Island, North Carolina. She loves spending time with her husband, her two sons, and her four dogs.

For more information, visit her website: http://www.christybarritt.com.

More from Christy

I wrote Legacy of Lies after watching an interview on TV of a woman whose father killed several people. I tried to put myself in her shoes. How did she cope under the weight of what her father had done? How did people treat her differently? How did her father’s decisions affect her future? From there, I had the idea to highlight a group of three siblings who were dealing with this. I’d already done another four-book series in the mountain town of Fog Lake, Tennessee, and I really loved setting those books there. I decided to revisit the area and make it the place where these three siblings had grown up—and where they had to return.

Blog Stops

Texas Book-aholic, March 15

Betti Mace, March 16

Britt Reads Fiction, March 16

By The Book, March 17

Simple Harvest Reads, March 17 (Guest Review from Donna Cline)

Bigreadersite, March 18

Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, March 19

Rebecca Tews, March 19

A Reader’s Brain, March 20

For Him and My Family, March 21

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, March 21

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, March 22

Inklings and notions, March 23

Genesis 5020, March 24

Blogging With Carol, March 24

Ashley’s Clean Book Reviews, March 25

deb’s Book Review, March 26

Locks, Hooks and Books, March 27

Blossoms and Blessings, March 27

Because I said so — and other adventures in Parenting, March 28

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, March 29

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Christy is giving away the grand prize package of a $100 Amazon gift card and copy of the book!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.

https://promosimple.com/ps/1b8bd/legacy-of-lies-celebration-tour-giveaway

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Book Review: Until Leaves Fall in Paris

14 Mar

Until Leaves Fall in Paris is my new favorite by Sarah Sundin. And that’s saying a lot! The talented historical fiction author outdid herself with this novel focusing on the years before America entered WWII. If you love well-researched historical fiction, then this one’s for you. Highly recommended!

As the Nazis march toward Paris in 1940, American ballerina Lucie Girard buys her favorite English-language bookstore to allow the Jewish owners to escape. Lucie struggles to run Green Leaf Books due to oppressive German laws and harsh conditions, but she finds a way to aid the resistance by passing secret messages between the pages of her books.

Widower Paul Aubrey wants nothing more than to return to the States with his little girl, but the US Army convinces him to keep his factory running and obtain military information from his German customers. As the war rages on, Paul offers his own resistance by sabotaging his product and hiding British airmen in his factory. After they meet in the bookstore, Paul and Lucie are drawn to each other, but she rejects him when she discovers he sells to the Germans. And for Paul to win her trust would mean betraying his mission.

Master of WWII-era fiction Sarah Sundin invites you onto the streets of occupied Paris to discover whether love or duty will prevail.

Sarah Sundin enjoys writing about the drama and romance of the World War II era. She is the bestselling author of Until Leaves Fall in Paris (February 2022), When Twilight Breaks (2021), the Sunrise at Normandy series, and three more World War II series. 

A mother of three, Sundin lives in California and enjoys speaking to community, church, and writers’ groups. Sarah serves as Co-Director for the West Coast Christian Writers Conference. Please visit Sarah at http://www.sarahsundin.com, on Facebook at SarahSundinAuthor, on Twitter at @sarahsundin, and on Instagram at @sarahsundinauthor.

My Impressions:

Sarah Sundin has long been a go-to author for WWII-era historical novels. Until Leaves Fall in Paris is now my new favorite. Sundin captured the political and cultural climate of Paris following the German invasion so well. While most of us know of the atrocities carried out by the Nazis, this reader got even more insight into what their regime was trying to achieve. As the Germans worked to replace unacceptable books, art, and thought they systematically instituted rules that affected all Parisians. One small detail made a big impact on me — even the time zone of Paris was changed to Berlin-time. All but those things deemed okay by the Germans were removed. The novel focuses on two Americans (the United States was neutral at the time the book begins) — Paul Aubrey, a car manufacturer and Lucie Girard, ballerina turned bookstore owner. In the French culture they stand as opposites. Paul is definitely a right-bank capitalist, while Lucie is strongly influenced by the artsy left-bank. I liked how Sundin showed the struggle between the two ideals. The two also face increased pressure from the German invaders. Paul takes on the role of collaborator to further his own country’s interests, and Lucie does her part to maintain free thought as well as help the early work of the resistance.

There is romance for Paul and Lucie as they discover each other’s strengths. Both of them walk a tightrope of their public personas and their personal convictions. The book becomes more and more suspenseful as the time of America’s involvement in the war comes closer. This book was a true page-turner! There is a wonderful faith thread as well, as the two lean more and more on God as they face future uncertainty.

If you love WWII-era novels, then you have got to read Until Leaves Fall in Paris. This book has it all! And with its in-depth look at Paris under the Nazis, it is good choice for a book club. It is definitely a highly recommended read.

Highly Recommended

Great for Book Clubs

Audience: adults

(Thanks to Revell for a complimentary copy. All opinions expressed are mine alone.)

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Book Review: Malicious Intent

2 Mar

Malicious Intent, the second book in the Defend And Protect series by Lynn H. Blackburn, is a fast-paced romantic suspense. The threats continue to come out of nowhere leaving the main characters scrambling. I liked the twists and turns and the definite chemistry between the two mains. I’m betting you will too! 😉

Dr. Ivy Collins, founder and CEO of Hedera, Inc., is ready to begin clinical trials of her company’s cutting-edge prosthetic. Her work has been heralded by government, medical, and advocacy groups and everyone hopes the device will be a success. Well, almost everyone. Someone is trying to sabotage Hedera and the launch, but to what purpose–and how far will they go to get what they want? 

Meanwhile, U.S. Secret Service Agent Gil Dixon can’t believe he’s finally been reunited with Ivy, his childhood best friend. Now that he’s found her again, Gil intends to spend the rest of his life with her. But it will take all his skill to uncover the truth in time to save Ivy’s life’s work, her own life, and the innocent lives caught in the crossfire.

Perfectly balancing chilling suspense and uplifting romance, award-winning author Lynn H. Blackburn delivers a story of revenge, greed, and overcoming that you won’t want to put down no matter how late it gets.

Lynn H. Blackburn loves writing romantic suspense because her childhood fantasy was to become a spy, but her grown-up reality is that she’s a huge chicken and would have been caught on her first mission. She prefers to live vicariously through her characters and loves putting them into all kinds of terrifying situations while she’s sitting at home safe and sound in her pajamas! 

Lynn’s titles have won the Carol Award, the Selah Award, and the Faith, Hope, and Love Reader’s Choice Award. Her newest series kicked off in March 2021 with Unknown Threat, Book 1 in the Defend and Protect series. 

She is a frequent conference speaker and has taught writers all over the country. Lynn lives in South Carolina with her true love and their three children. 

You can follow her real life happily ever after by signing up for her newsletter at LynnHBlackburn.com and @LynnHBlackburn on Bookbub, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

My Impressions:

Malicious Intent continues the focus on Secret Service agents that began in book 1 of the Defend And Protect series, Unknown Threat. The same ensemble cast from that novel make an appearance in this book along with Dr. Ivy Collins, driven owner of a bioengineering business in Raleigh, NC. (There are also appearances from Blackburn’s first series in case you are a long time fan.) Investigations into counterfeit currency come under the authority of the Secret Service, and that’s how the story begins. But the book soon takes off in a very twisting direction that kept the characters and this reader scrambling and guessing. 😉 I like my suspense high-octane, and this one certainly is. Along with great plotting and an intriguing whodunit, there are sparks galore, and not from the gunfire or grenades! The two main characters, Ivy and Secret Service agent Gil Dixon, are childhood sweethearts who were forced apart by circumstances beyond their control. Fifteen years later they have the same feelings, but wonder if they can have a second chance. I rooted for their romance throughout the book. All the characters depend upon God, in good times and in bad, and their relationships with each other and God were natural. Is there doubt? Sometimes. Again, a very natural faith is portrayed. And their friendships? I can see two friends that definitely need to be more. Hopefully, that story is in book 3.

Romance and rocketing action — what’s not to love. Fans of romantic suspense, you are going to want to read this book!

Recommended.

Audience: adults.

(Thanks to Revell for a complimentary copy. All opinions expressed are mine alone.)

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Book Review: As Dawn Breaks

23 Feb

My book club’s February selection is As Dawn Breaks by Katie Breslin. This WWI-era romance/suspense novel has a lot to make my group happy. I can’t wait to discuss it with them. All the details plus my thoughts on the book are below.

Her daring bid for freedom could be her greatest undoing.

Amid the Great War in 1918 England, munitions worker Rosalind Graham is desperate to escape the arranged marriage being forced on her by her ruthless guardian and instead follow her own course. When the Chilwell factory explodes, killing hundreds of unidentified workers, Rose realizes the world believes she perished in the disaster. Seizing the chance to escape, she risks all and assumes a new identity, taking a supervisory position in Gretna, Scotland, as Miss Tilly Lockhart.

RAF Captain Alex Baird is returning home to Gretna on a secret mission to uncover the saboteur suspected in the Chilwell explosion, as Gretna’s factory is likely next. Fearing for his family’s safety, he’s also haunted by guilt after failing to protect his brother. Alex is surprised to discover a young woman, Miss Lockhart, renting his boyhood room, but the two eventually bond over their mutual affection for his family–until Alex receives orders to surveil her.

Rose squirms beneath Alex’s scrutiny while she struggles to gain her workers’ respect. But when her deception turns to danger, she and Alex must find a way to put their painful pasts behind them and together try to safeguard the future.

Former bookseller-turned-author Kate Breslin enjoys life in the Pacific Northwest with her husband and family. A writer of travel articles and award-winning poetry, Kate received Christian Retailing’s 2015 Best Award for First Time Author and her debut novel, For Such A Time, was shortlisted for both the Christy and RITA awards and received the American Christian Fiction Writer’s 2015 Carol Award for Debut Novel. Kate’s fifth novel, As Dawn Breaks, released November, 2021. When she’s not writing inspirational fiction, Kate enjoys reading or taking long walks in Washington’s beautiful woodlands. She also likes traveling to new places, within the U.S. and abroad, having toured Greece, Rome, Barcelona, and much of Western Europe. New destinations make for fresh story ideas. Please visit her at http://www.katebreslin.com.

My Impressions:

My book club has read a good many WWII-era novels and were ready for a change of time and place. As Dawn Breaks provided a change of scenery with its setting of Scotland during WWI. Most of the book takes place in Gretna and in the munitions factory that operated there during the war. I found it fascinating. Breslin captured the time and place well, and opened my eyes to the support young women provided the war effort. Their work was far from easy or safe. Breslin offered insight to the dangerous work among the materials that made up the munitions used during the war. I found myself googling Canary Girls and the munitions factory. I love when an historical novel prods me to look more closely. The story itself is full of intrigue as main characters assume different identities and personas. Espionage and treason abound. I found the book very suspenseful — it kept me turning the pages furiously. There’s a romance as well for the two main characters, Rose and Alex. I was rooting for a happily-ever-after from their first meeting. Their characters, as well as those of the bad guys, were complexly drawn. This book was deep!

I really look forward to discussing As Dawn Breaks with my book club. There’s so much to talk about — the historical details, the motivations of the characters, and the roles of women during WWI. I anticipate a great discussion of this recommended book.

Highly recommended.

Audience: adults.

(I purchased this book from Amazon. All opinions expressed are mine alone.)

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Book Review: Jane And The Year Without A Summer

17 Feb

May 1816: Jane Austen is feeling unwell, with an uneasy stomach, constant fatigue, rashes, fevers and aches. She attributes her poor condition to the stress of family burdens, which even the drafting of her latest manuscript—about a baronet’s daughter nursing a broken heart for a daring naval captain—cannot alleviate. Her apothecary recommends a trial of the curative waters at Cheltenham Spa, in Gloucestershire. Jane decides to use some of the profits earned from her last novel, Emma, and treat herself to a period of rest and reflection at the spa, in the company of her sister, Cassandra.
 
Cheltenham Spa hardly turns out to be the relaxing sojourn Jane and Cassandra envisaged, however. It is immediately obvious that other boarders at the guest house where the Misses Austen are staying have come to Cheltenham with stresses of their own—some of them deadly. But perhaps with Jane’s interference a terrible crime might be prevented. Set during the Year without a Summer, when the eruption of Mount Tambora in the South Pacific caused a volcanic winter that shrouded the entire planet for sixteen months, this fourteenth installment in Stephanie Barron’s critically acclaimed series brings a forgotten moment of Regency history to life.

Advance Praise

“Outstanding…Barron fans will hope Jane, who died in 1817, will be back for one more mystery.”— Publishers Weekly (starred review)

“No one conjures Austen’s voice like Stephanie Barron, and Jane and the Year Without a Summer is utterly pitch-perfect.”— Deanna Raybourn, bestselling author of the Veronica Speedwell Mysteries

“…a page-turning story, imbued with fascinating historical detail, a cast of beautifully realized characters, a pitch-perfect Jane Austen, and an intriguing mystery. Highly recommended.”— Syrie James, bestselling author of The Missing Manuscript of Jane Austen 

“Jane and the Year Without a Summer is absolute perfection. Stephanie Barron expertly weaves fact and fiction, crafting a story that is authentically Austen in its elegance, charm, and wit. The characters and setting will enchant you, and the mystery will keep you guessing to the last page. This Regency-set gem is truly a diamond of the first water.”— Mimi Matthews, USA Today bestselling author of The Siren of Sussex

PURCHASE LINKS

AMAZON | BARNES & NOBLE | BOOK DEPOSITORY | BOOKSHOP | BOOKBUB | GOODREADS

Francine Mathews was born in Binghamton, New York, the last of six girls. She attended Princeton and Stanford Universities, where she studied history, before going on to work as an intelligence analyst at the CIA. She wrote her first book in 1992 and left the Agency a year later. Since then, she has written twenty-five books, including five novels in the Merry Folger series (Death in the Off-Season, Death in Rough Water, Death in a Mood Indigo, Death in a Cold Hard Light, and Death on Nantucket) as well as the nationally bestselling Being a Jane Austen mystery series, which she writes under the penname, Stephanie Barron. She lives and works in Denver, Colorado.

WEBSITE | TWITTER | FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM | PINTEREST | BOOKBUB |

GOODREADS

My Impressions:

It has been a while since I have read one of Stephanie Barron’s Regency mysteries featuring the intrepid Jane Austen as primary sleuth. What have I been waiting for? After reading Jane And The Year Without A Summer I have now successfully added many more books to my towering TBR pile. This mystery is excellent. The book finds Jane in her final years of life. Not a spoiler — anyone can read her biography. Feeling unwell, she and her sister Cassandra journey to the spa town of Cheltenham to take the waters. Upon taking rooms at a boarding house, Jane is privy to all kinds of inside knowledge about her fellow lodgers. With her keen observations, along with the help of a former acquaintance, Jane finds out whodunit. Barron really does capture Austen. The book is told in Jane’s first person voice and contains many of the phrases and references that Austen-philes will recognize. The culture of the watering hole of the day, with its visits to the theater, pump rooms, and assembly room is spot on. I felt like I was on the streets and in the sitting rooms of early 1880s England. The mystery kept me guessing until the end. It was a real treat to read a book that combines excellent storytelling with a credible portrayal of a beloved author. The book is a bit poignant for fans of Barron and Austen — it is evident that Jane’s adventures in crime-solving may soon come to an end. But with all the books I have yet to read, I know that I have many more pleasurable hours ahead of me.

Barron does Jane Austen justice — any one who loves Austen and the many variations of her works will enjoy Jane And The Year Without A Summer. I loved it and heartily recommend it!

Highly Recommended.

Audience: adults.

(Thanks to the publisher for a complimentary copy. All opinions expressed are mine alone.)

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Book Review: Active Defense

14 Feb

I have been a long time fan of Lynette Eason‘s romantic suspense. In my efforts to whittle down my TBR, I chose Active Defense, book 3 in her Danger Never Sleeps series. These novels feature strong female main characters with ties to the war in Afghanistan. Former field surgeon Heather Fontaine is front and center in this twisting, hold-your-breath book. Recommended!

As a former field surgeon in Afghanistan, Heather Fontaine is used to life-or-death situations. She just didn’t expect them to follow her home. When she returns from a party to find that someone has broken into her house–and threatened her friends–she assumes it is the stalker who has been following her and creeping her out. She hopes to find safety and peace of mind by leaving the city and hiding out in a small town. But trouble has followed her even there.

Luckily, a stalker isn’t the only one watching Heather. Travis Walker has been secretly watching out for her for weeks. As owner of his own security agency, it’s what he does. Together, Travis and Heather must figure out who wants her dead–and why–before it’s too late.

Bestselling and award-winning author Lynette Eason will have you looking over your shoulder as you dive into this fast-paced, suspense-filled story about losing control and finding something even better.

Award-winning, best-selling author, Lynette Eason writes for Harlequin’s Love Inspired Suspense line and for Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group. Her books have hit the Publisher’s Weekly, CBA and ECPA bestseller lists and have won numerous awards such as the prestigious Carol Award, the Selah, the Daphne, the IRCC award and more. Lynette is married, has two children, and lives in Greenville, SC.

My Impressions:

Lynette Eason never disappoints with her edge-of-the-seat romantic suspense. Active Defense, book 3 in her Danger Never Sleeps series is full of twists and turns that kept me guessing until the end. I really liked the military connection. The women in the ensemble cast, as well as some of the men, have served in Afghanistan in some capacity. In this novel, main character Heather Fontaine was a field surgeon who is haunted by some of harrowing experiences, namely the forced suicide bombing by a young Afghani boy. Now back in the United States, Heather senses danger from a watcher. She flees to an undisclosed location, but danger finds her. There are car chases, explosions, kidnappings, and multiple shootings — those who like a fast-paced, adrenaline-filled plot will love this book. Danger is around every corner, but so is romance as Heather and Travis unite to discover who is threatening Heather. I also liked the inclusion of a secondary plot line that fleshed out the backgrounds of the two main characters. One theme is the necessity to find someone to trust and depend upon. While Heather trusts God, she discovers that doing life alone is not ideal.

Active Defense can be read as a standalone novel, but I recommend starting at the beginning. All 4 books in the series are available. Binge-reading, anyone?

Recommended.

Audience: adults.

(Thank to LibraryThing for a complimentary copy. All opinions expressed are mine alone.)

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Book Review: A Heart Adrift

11 Feb

Laura Frantz’s newest book, A Heart Adrift, is a sweet confection perfect for Valentine’s reading. 🙂 What’s not to love? Two wonderful main characters, rich historical detail, and chocolate! If you are looking for a romance for this weekend, I heartily recommend it.

It is 1755, and the threat of war with France looms over colonial York, Virginia. Chocolatier Esmée Shaw is fighting her own battle of the heart. Having reached her twenty-eighth birthday, she is reconciled to life alone after a decade-old failed love affair from which she’s never quite recovered. But she longs to find something worthwhile to do with her life.

Captain Henri Lennox has returned to port after a lengthy absence, intent on completing the lighthouse in the dangerous Chesapeake Bay, a dream he once shared with Esmée. But when the colonial government asks him to lead a secret naval expedition against the French, his future is plunged into uncertainty.

Will a war and a cache of regrets keep them apart, or can their shared vision and dedication to the colonial cause heal the wounds of the past? Bestselling and award-winning author Laura Frantz whisks you away to a time fraught with peril–on the sea and in the heart–in this redemptive, romantic story.

Christy Award-winning author, Laura Frantz, is passionate about all things historical, particularly the 18th-century, and writes her manuscripts in longhand first. Her stories often incorporate Scottish themes that reflect her family heritage. She is a direct descendant of George Hume, Wedderburn Castle, Berwickshire, Scotland, who was exiled to the American colonies for his role in the Jacobite Rebellion of 1715, settled in Virginia, and is credited with teaching George Washington surveying in the years 1748-1750. Proud of her heritage, she is also a Daughter of the American Revolution. When not at home in Kentucky, she and her husband live in Washington State. 

Readers can find Laura Frantz at http://www.laurafrantz.net

My Impressions:

Laura Frantz quickly became a must-read author of historical romance. Her blend of rich detail, real and relatable characters, and spot-on truths provides a very satisfying reading experience. A Heart Adrift met all my expectations. This novel transported me to colonial Virginia, especially York and Williamsburg. I loved how all classes of society were represented. Scenes ranged from the drawing rooms of the elite to the almshouse, giving this novel a complete perspective. The two main characters, Esme and Henri, have been parted for 10 years because of a quarrel that neither of them were prepared to back down from. Now they are given a second chance. The love they have for each other has matured, yet there is still plenty of chemistry for fans of romance. Their love story is set during the years when the British and the French and Native Americans were at war. There is the tension of war, along with the politics of the day, and the everyday life of the colony. Truly, I felt like I was walking the streets and beaches with the characters. Along with Esme and Henri, there is a cast of characters that rounded out the times. It is very evident that Frantz did her homework while researching this book. I found one theme — how we see other people — to be very relevant for a modern-day reader. Then there’s the chocolate! Oh yes, Esme has a chocolate shop. Be prepared to have a mug of cocoa or your favorite chocolate treat nearby. 😉

A perfect confection, A Heart Adrift will appeal to fans of historical romance.

Recommended.

Audience: Adults.

(Thanks to Revell for a complimentary copy. All opinions expressed are mine alone.)

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Book Review — Sunrise

3 Feb

I haven’t read a book by Susan May Warren in a while. That’s my fault! I couldn’t have picked a better way to get back on the Warren train than with Sunrise, the first book in her new Sky King Ranch series. This novel is packed with adventure, suspense, and romance set amidst the backdrop of wild Alaska. I loved it!

Pilot Dodge Kingston has always been the heir to Sky King Ranch. But after a terrible family fight, he left to become a pararescue jumper. A decade later, he’s headed home to the destiny that awaits him.    

That’s not all that’s waiting for Dodge. His childhood best friend and former flame, Echo Yazzie, is a true Alaskan – a homesteader, dogsledder, and research guide for the DNR. Most of all, she’s living a life Dodge knows could get her killed. One of these days she’s going to get lost in the woods again, and his worst fear is that he won’t be there to find her.  

When one of Echo’s fellow researchers goes missing, Echo sets out to find her, despite a blizzard, a rogue grizzly haunting the woods, and the biting cold. Plus, there’s more than just the regular dangers of the Alaskan forests stalking her….  

Will Dodge be able to find her in time? And if he does, is there still room for him in her heart?   

Sunrise is the first explosive volume in a new nail-biting series from USA Today best-selling author Susan May Warren.

Susan May Warren is the bestselling, Christy and RITA Award–winning author of more than 40 novels whose compelling plots and unforgettable characters have won acclaim with readers and reviewers alike. She served with her husband and four children as a missionary in Russia for eight years before she and her family returned home to the States. She now writes full-time as her husband runs a lodge on Lake Superior in northern Minnesota, where many of her books are set. She and her family enjoy hiking, canoeing, and being involved in their local church.

Susan holds a BA in mass communications from the University of Minnesota. Several of her critically acclaimed novels have been ECPA and CBA bestsellers, were chosen as Top Picks by Romantic Times, and have won the RWA’s Inspirational Reader’s Choice contest and the American Christian Fiction Writers Book of the Year award. Five of her books have been Christy Award finalists. In addition to her writing, Susan loves to teach and speak at women’s events about God’s amazing grace in our lives.

My Impressions:

If you like romance mixed with adventure and suspense, you are going to love Sunrise by Susan May Warren. Let me first say that the setting is fantastic! Fans of Warren may recognize Copper Mountain from her Summer of The Burning Sky novella collection. I loved revisiting the majestic Alaskan wilderness through this latest book. The wildness is beautifully depicted — the harsh terrain, the wildlife, the weather. And the independent homesteaders added to the narrative. The book focuses on main characters Dodge and Echo. These high school sweethearts got it all wrong years before, but now are given second chances. Their chemistry is great! Along with the romantic thread, marauding grizzlies, a missing person, and poachers add suspense and adventure. The reader gets to travel by snowmobile, dogsled, planes, and helicopters. Warren adds the spiritual message of God’s care and provision. One truth I especially took to heart was our limited perspective versus the omniscience of God. Dodge and Echo’s love story is wrapped up, but there is an unfinished story line, plus a teaser of what is to come in book 2, Sunburst. I can’t wait!

Recommended.

Audience: adults.

(Thanks to Revell for a complimentary copy. All opinions expressed are mine alone.)

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Book Review — The Siren of Sussex

28 Jan

Victorian high society’s most daring equestrienne finds love and an unexpected ally in her fight for independence in the strong arms of London’s most sought after and devastatingly handsome half-Indian tailor.

Evelyn Maltravers understands exactly how little she’s worth on the marriage mart. As an incurable bluestocking from a family tumbling swiftly toward ruin, she knows she’ll never make a match in a ballroom. Her only hope is to distinguish herself by making the biggest splash in the one sphere she excels: on horseback. In haute couture. But to truly capture London’s attention she’ll need a habit-maker who’s not afraid to take risks with his designs—and with his heart.

Half-Indian tailor Ahmad Malik has always had a talent for making women beautiful, inching his way toward recognition by designing riding habits for Rotten Row’s infamous Pretty Horsebreakers—but no one compares to Evelyn. Her unbridled spirit enchants him, awakening a depth of feeling he never thought possible.

But pushing boundaries comes at a cost and not everyone is pleased to welcome Evelyn and Ahmad into fashionable society. With obstacles spanning between them, the indomitable pair must decide which hurdles they can jump and what matters most: making their mark or following their hearts?

ADVANCE PRAISE

“…a tender and swoon worthy interracial, cross-class romance in Victorian London…Readers will delight in this paean to women’s fashion and horseback riding.”— Publishers Weekly, starred review

“Matthews brings the Victorian era to vivid life with meticulously researched details and an impossible romance made believable and memorable.”— Booklist, starred review

“Matthews deftly underscores racial and gender discrimination in Victorian London in this excellent start to ‘The Belles of London’ series; rather than overshadowing, it propels the romance. Romance aficionados who love fashion and animals will delight in this tender romance and will be excited to see Evelyn’s friends in future installments.” — Library Journal, starred review

“Unflinching, tender, and moving, the delicately crafted The Siren of Sussex might just be my favourite work from Mimi Matthews; it certainly is one of my favourite historical romance reads this year.”— Evie Dunmore, USA Today bestselling author of Portrait of a Scotsman

PURCHASE LINKS

AMAZON | BARNES & NOBLE | BOOK DEPOSITORY | BOOKSHOP | BOOKBUB | GOODREADS

MY IMPRESSIONS

Fans of historical romance fiction will love Mimi Matthews’ latest book, The Siren of Sussex. This sizzling novel set in Victorian England features two unlikely main characters. Crossing class and race, Ahmad Malik and Evelyn Maltreavers are two to root for. The unconventional relationship may not raise eyebrows today, but was taboo in the 1800s. To say the two had chemistry from the start is an understatement. 😉 While overall a clean read, the tension between the two will have romance readers swooning. (Please note: that this book is targeted towards a general market reader.) Matthews does a great job of placing the reader into the time and place of mid-19th century England. Historical details are evidence of thorough research. The culture and mores of the time ring true. All aspects of society are covered — from brothel to tradesmen to Mayfair drawing rooms. Adding the world of fashion and the Victorian’s interest in spiritualism ramped up my interest.

If you are already a Mimi Matthews fan, you will enjoy her latest with cameos of characters from previous novels. If you haven’t read anything by Matthews, but are a dedicated historical romance reader, you definitely need to check this one out.

Audience: adults.

(I received a complimentary advanced copy of this book from the publisher. All opinions expressed are mine alone.)

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USA Today bestselling author Mimi Matthews writes both historical nonfiction and award-winning proper Victorian romances. Her novels have received starred reviews in Publishers Weekly, Library Journal, Booklist, and Kirkus, and her articles have been featured on the Victorian Web, the Journal of Victorian Culture, and in syndication at BUST Magazine. In her other life, Mimi is an attorney. She resides in California with her family, which includes a retired Andalusian dressage horse, a Sheltie, and two Siamese cats. 

You can find Mimi at the following sites:

WEBSITE | TWITTER | FACEBOOK | PINTEREST | BOOKBUB |

GOODREADS

GIVEAWAY

1 winner (selected at random by Rafflecopter) receives the following:

Signed print copy of The Siren of Sussex

Horse scarf

Pewter sidesaddle brooch (made in Sussex, England!)

The Siren of Sussex tote bag

Three candles in scents: Fresh Hay, New Saddle, and Winter Ride

Box of Ahmad Tea (60 count, assorted flavors)

The Siren of Sussex bookmark

The giveaway is open from 12:01 am Pacific time 1/4/22 until 11:59pm Pacific time on 2/7/22.

The winner will be announced on Mimi’s blog – mimimatthews.com – at 8:00 pm Pacific time on 2/8/22.

Terms And Conditions: Giveaway hosted by Mimi Matthews. No Purchase Necessary. Entrants must be 18 years or older. Open to US residents only. Void where prohibited.

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