by admin | Jan 12, 2018 | American Revolution, Books, Colonial Williamsburg, Historical, Romance
The Lacemaker by Laura
MY REVIEW:
I have long been a lover of historical fiction, particularly that with details about the early days of our nation. Laura Frantz is at the top of my list when it comes to colonial history and she may have topped my previous favorites with “The Lacemaker”, a story of colonial Williamsburg, Virginia.
Noble and “Liberty” are names that perfectly describe the primary characters in this tale that details the volatile atmosphere in Williamsburg as conflict between revolutionaries and the British escalated. Frantz provides enough facts to give the reader an understanding of life during that era but the focus is largely on how Noble and Elisabeth (Liberty) were affected by the events surrounding them.
“The Lacemaker” is a story of loyalty, love, and sacrifice that is filled with action and danger. I loved visiting Noble’s plantation with Elisabeth and learning a bit about Welsh customs and food. It was encouraging to watch these characters grow and walk out their faith as they faced extenuating circumstances. I would recommend “The Lacemaker” to all who enjoy historical fiction. Those who usually steer clear of this genre might just find that they like it too.
I voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book provided by Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group. A favorable review was not required. All views expressed are my own.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
It is the eve of a new age of freedom in the colonies.
But can a proper English lady dare hope for her own independence?
Lady Elisabeth “Liberty” Lawson has nearly everything a lady of her position could want. Daughter of the British lieutenant governor of the Virginia Colony and a darling of fine society in a rugged land, she is anticipating an advantageous marriage. That her betrothed is a rake and love is lacking is of little consequence–or so she tells herself.
Though her own life seems in order, colonial Williamsburg is a powder keg on the verge of exploding, and her fiancé’s cousin Noble Rynallt carries the flame of revolution in his heart. Those with connections to the British nobility are suspected as spies, and Liberty soon finds herself left with a terrible choice. Will she stay true to her English roots? Or side with Noble and the radical revolutionaries?
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Laura Frantz is a Christy Award finalist and the ECPA bestselling author of several books, including The Frontiersman’s Daughter, Courting Morrow Little, The Colonel’s Lady, The Mistress of Tall Acre, A Moonbow Night, and The Ballantyne Legacy series. She lives and writes in a log cabin in the heart of Kentucky. Learn more at www.laurafrantz.net.
by admin | Jan 9, 2018 | Books, Historical, Romance
MY REVIEW:
I always look forward to Jen Turano’s latest book. I know I can expect to laugh a lot, usually quietly, but I sometimes get some puzzled looks from my husband. But aside from all the merriment her books provide, I know I can always count on a thoughtful and encouraging spiritual thread as well as a delicious romance or two and probably a bit of action, perhaps a little danger too.
“Out of the Ordinary” totally met all my expections. The characters were perfectly quirky yet somehow normal. Not sure exactly how the author manages that! I love the outrageous names she comes up with for those characters. Imagine being saddled with a name like Gertrude Cadwalader! Now Harrison Sinclair seems to be a very proper and dignified name but oh, his sense of fashion leaves something to be desired. I decided that the man might be color blind considering his color choices but he took eccentric fashion to a new level. In real life at a much younger age, I probably would have avoided the man even if he was considered a prime catch – just too weird for me. But I loved Harrison in this book because the author painted him with such a sympathetic brush. And Gertrude had the eyes to see the real Harrison and loved him all the more for his unique fashion sense. How long would it take him to wake up and smell the coffee?
“Out of the Ordinary” was another perfectly charming novel by Jen Turano. I loved reading about all her characters and not only enjoying their antics but watching them mature spiritually as well as find healing for old emotional wounds. What a great book! I look forward to the next installment!
I voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book provided by Bethany House and the author. A favorable review was not required. All views expressed are my own.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
Rollicking New Release from Humorous Historical Romance Author Jen Turano
Miss Gertrude Cadwalader hoped her position as the paid companion to Mrs. Davenport would be easy. But as she becomes acquainted with her employer, she realizes the wealthy Mrs. Davenport has a strange tendency to be a bit light-fingered with other people’s trinkets. Gertrude is relieved when Mrs. Davenport decides to have a quiet summer away from the social scene–until the woman changes her mind in order to help a young socialite launch into society.
When Gertrude is caught in the act of trying to return one of the trinkets by Mrs. Sinclair, the mother of shipping magnate Harrison Sinclair, the woman jumps to an unfortunate conclusion. Harrison is determined to mend fences with Miss Cadwalader, but he’s unprepared for the escapades a friendship with her will entail.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Jen Turano, author of nine books and two novellas, is a graduate of the University of Akron with a degree in clothing and textiles. She is a member of ACFW and lives in a suburb of Denver, Colorado. Visit her website at www.jenturano.com.
by admin | Jan 9, 2018 | Books, Historical, Romance, Western
MY REVIEW:
Heather Blanton has become a new favorite author of mine because of her down-to-earth western romances that have just the right amount of mystery and suspense and are often sprinkled with witty dialogue and situations that keep me laughing. In no way does that detract from her great stories and romance.
“Mail Order Deception” has a brilliant plot of mistaken identities. Reporter Ellie Blair accepts an assignment in which she must pose as a mail order bride, hoping to make a name for herself. Little does she know that her “husband” is not who he claims to be either. Despite their suspicions, Ellie and Jim West find themselves more and more attracted to each other but will true love win when all their secrets are revealed?
This was such a fun book with plenty of action, danger, humor, and romance to keep me turning those pages. I loved Jim and Ellie’s characters and their determination to see justice done. Even though as an avid reader, I pretty much knew how things would turn out, Blanton managed to keep me wondering a few times along the way.
If you have not read any books by Heather Blanton, do yourself a favor and try one or three. “Mail Order Deception” might just be a good place to start.
I voluntarily reviewed a digital copy of this book provided by the author. A favorable review was not required. All views expressed are my own.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
Secret identities lead to stolen hearts. Can love survive the truth? Intrepid reporter Ellie Blair wants a story–the one story–that will make her name bigger than Nellie Bly’s. She’ll do anything to get it. Lie, masquerade as someone else … even walk away from a man she could love. Treasury Agent Jim West has to break the back of the Irish Mob and will do anything to make it happen–lie, masquerade as someone else, even sacrifice his heart to see justice done. Blinded by ambition, these two stumble into each other on a Wyoming ranch…so what will it take for them to see past the masks they’re wearing and discover true love?
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
A former journalist, Heather is an avid researcher and skillfully weaves truth in among fictional story lines. She loves exploring the American West, especially ghost towns and museums. She has walked parts of the Oregon Trail, ridden horses through the Rockies, climbed to the top of Independence Rock, and even held an outlaw’s note in her hand. You can learn more about her and her work at https://ladiesindefiance.com/ or https://www.facebook.com/heatherfreyblanton. Sign up for Heather’s email newsletter to receive the latest book release updates, as well as info about contests and giveaways (https://ladiesindefiance.com/).
Heather is the independent bestselling author of several Christian Westerns, including the Romance in the Rockies series, which has sold over 40,000 copies. Intrigued by the concept of three good sisters stranded in a lawless Colorado mining town, a few notable Hollywood producers have requested the script for her first book in that series, A Lady in Defiance. Heather’s writing is gritty and realistic. In fact, her books have been compared to AMC’s Hell on Wheels series, as well as the legendary Francine Rivers book, Redeeming Love.
She writes Westerns because she grew up on a steady diet of Bonanza, Gunsmoke, and John Wayne movies. Her most fond childhood memory is of sitting next to her father, munching on popcorn, and watching Lucas McCain unload that Winchester!
She can be reached several different ways:
Author Heather Blanton
https://www.facebook.com/authorheatherblanton/?ref=hl
https://www.pinterest.com/heatherfblanton/
Christian Westerns is the genre that lets her write about strong pioneer women and men who struggle to find God and then live out their faith in real ways. Romance is always a strong element in her stories because it is such a beautiful gift from God, and a perfect reflection of how he loves His children: sacrificially and lavishly. Heather’s stories aren’t preachy or cheesy, but she hopes they are heart-warming, realistic, illuminating, and glorifying to God. Like good old fashioned Westerns, there is always justice, a moral message, American values, lots of high adventure, unexpected plot twists, and more than a touch of suspense.
“I believe Christian fiction should be messy and gritty, because the human condition is … and God loves us anyway.” — Heather Blanton
by admin | Dec 9, 2017 | Adirondack Mountains, Books, Historical, Pinkertons, Romance
MY REVIEW:
“The Heart of an Agent” is one of those books that makes one wish for a kinder, gentler world than the one we now live in. Of course if you actually think about it, the world probably wasn’t quite as kind and gentle as it seemed or there would have been no need for the Pinkertons. Nevertheless, Tracey J. Lyons paints a gorgeous picture of life at a Great Camp in the Adirondacks during the late 1800s that made me wish I could visit.
Although the series is entitled The Adirondack Pinkertons, this particular novel does not involve an actual case but features Lily Handland, a former Pinkerton agent who hopes to settle in one place and make a new and safer life for herself. Opportunities for a different job are either scarce or do not suit Lily’s skills but when she learns that the camp owned by grieving widower Owen Murphy needs someone to help get it back in operation, Lily quickly decides it is the job for her. Of course it might take some work to convince Owen of that fact.
I loved every minute of this heart-warming story about the determined and spunky former agent and the resistant and stubborn Owen. It was also fun to read more about Elsie and William as well as John. It is a beautiful tale of changed lives and renewed hope that is of course peppered with a few secrets, misunderstandings, and roadblocks to happy-ever-after. A subtle theme of faith is woven throughout the story.
“The Heart of an Agent” was the perfect follow-up to “A Changed Agent”. I eagerly look forward to the next book in this series.
I voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book provided by Celebrate Lit. (I also purchased a digital copy.) A favorable review was not required. All views expressed are my own.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
Click to purchase
Tracey J. Lyons, the author of A Changed Agent, returns to the Adirondack Mountains of the 1890s in a novel of love, faith, and secrets…
Former Pinkerton spy Lily Handland has always dreamed of a quiet, safe life, free from chasing criminals and putting herself at risk. So when the opportunity to invest in a failing Great Camp in the Adirondacks comes to her attention, she quickly jumps at the chance.
Filled with grief, widower Owen Murphy wants to run away from it all. Though he’s worked hard to forge a future for himself, his guilt has kept him mired in the past. But all that changes when a headstrong, mysterious woman shows up at Owen’s door. Together, as Lily and Owen restore the beauty of the Great Camp, he begins to finally see a future. But will learning about Lily’s past destroy it all?
Click here to purchase your copy.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
An Amazon Top Ten bestselling historical romance author of the Adirondack Pinkertons and the Women of Surprise series, Tracey was a 2017 National Excellence Romance Fiction Award finalist. She sold her first book on 9/9/99! Her books have been translated into several languages and are available in print, digital and audio formats. A true upstate New Yorker, Tracey believes you should write what you know. Her historical romances are all set in the New York State area. Tracey considers herself a small town gal who writes small town romances. You can learn more about Tracey and her books by visiting her website at www.traceylyons.com.
GUEST POST FROM TRACEY LYONS:
My family and I spent a lot of time in the Adirondack Mountains of New York State. When I came up with the idea for the Pinkerton series, I knew the books had to be set in a place that I loved. The Heart of An Agent, book 2 in The Adirondack Pinkertons series takes place at an Adirondack great camp. Imagine a time when people would travel from faraway places to hike the many trails or lounge on a porch in one of the famed Adirondack chairs. These intricate, grand structures, built during the latter part of the nineteenth century are part of the unique landscape and history that makes up the Adirondack Mountains of upstate New York. I enjoyed creating the fictional Murphy camp, the setting for Lily Handland and Owen Murphy’s story.
BLOG STOPS:
Just the Write Escape, November 30
Book Bites, Bee Stings, & Butterfly Kisses, November 30
Texas Book-aholic, December 1
Locks, Hooks and books, December 1
A Greater Yes, December 2
Faery Tales Are Real, December 2
Multifarious, December 3
To Everything a Season, December 3
Reader’s cozy corner, December 4
Janice’s book reviews, December 5
Carpe Diem, December 6
Bibliophile Reviews, December 7
Pause for Tales, December 8
Have A Wonderful Day, December 8
With a Joyful Noise, December 9
D’S QUILTS & BOOKS, December 10
Daysong Reflections, December 10
Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, December 11
Mary Hake, December 11
My Writer’s Life, December 12
Books n Baubles, December 12
Jeanette’s Thoughts, December 13
GIVEAWAY:
To celebrate her tour, Tracey is giving away a Grand Prize Package of a tea-time themed gift box (Valued at over $75) and a $25 Visa Gift Card!!
Click below to enter. Be sure to comment on this post before you enter to claim 9 extra entries! https://promosimple.com/ps/c1f6
by admin | Nov 29, 2017 | Books, Colonial America, Historical, Romance
MY REVIEW:
I have always had a love for American history but I now much prefer learning about it through the pages of historical fiction novels. Lori Benton would probably be my go-to author for books about the pre-Revolution years when most of the United States was still a wilderness and heading west meant traveling to Ohio or Kentucky. It was a time of conflict between colonists and the Native Americans who found themselves being displaced from their home territory.
I have read all of Benton’s books thus far and I find that each one seems to get better than the last one. She pretty much proves the old saying that “practice makes perfect”. I can only imagine how good her novels will be in a few years if she continues to write but I don’t know how she could surpass near perfection. “Many Sparrows” not only related the story of Clare Inglesby and Jeremiah Ring but it transported me right into the middle of the action. I experienced the adrenaline from the danger, grieved along with Clare, and rejoiced with her too.
Benton’s characters are so well formed. Clare was an extraordinarily strong woman with an equally strong will. Who else would attempt to birth her own baby then quickly begin a search for a missing child? Jeremiah was also a strong man, well-versed in the ways of the wilderness yet compassionate and gentle when the situation required. I found myself hoping that the two of them would end up together almost from the moment they met.
“Many Sparrows” is a page-turner that kept me reading until all hours of the night. I particularly appreciated the author’s emphasis on trusting God and waiting on His direction.
If like me, you love American history, “Many Sparrows” as well as any other novel by Lori Benton should be on your TBR list. I highly recommend it.
I received a copy of this book from the author after winning an online giveaway. A favorable review was not required. All views expressed are my own.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
Either she and her children would emerge from that wilderness together, or none of them would…
In 1774, the Ohio-Kentucky frontier pulses with rising tension and brutal conflicts as Colonists push westward and encroach upon Native American territories. The young Inglesby family is making the perilous journey west when an accident sends Philip back to Redstone Fort for help, forcing him to leave his pregnant wife Clare and their four-year old son Jacob on a remote mountain trail.
When Philip does not return and Jacob disappears from the wagon under the cover of darkness, Clare awakens the next morning to find herself utterly alone, in labor and wondering how she can to recover her son…especially when her second child is moments away from being born.
Clare will face the greatest fight of her life, as she struggles to reclaim her son from the Shawnee Indians now holding him captive. But with the battle lines sharply drawn, Jacob’s life might not be the only one at stake. When frontiersman Jeremiah Ring comes to her aid, can the stranger convince Clare that recovering her son will require the very thing her anguished heart is unwilling to do—be still, wait and let God fight this battle for them?
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Lori Benton was raised east of the Appalachian Mountains, surrounded by early American history going back three hundred years. Her novels transport readers to the eighteenth century, where she brings to life the Colonial and early Federal periods of American history. When she isn’t writing, reading, or researching, Lori enjoys exploring and photographing the Oregon wilderness with her husband. She is the author of Burning Sky, recipient of three Christy Awards, The Pursuit of Tamsen Littlejohn, Christy-nominee The Wood’s Edge, and A Flight of Arrows.
by admin | Nov 20, 2017 | Books, Edwardian, England, Historical, Romance
MY REVIEW:
“Across the Blue” captured my imagination from the very first page. I loved reading about early aviation in England and the rest of Europe during the Edwardian era and the fierce competition to be the first across the English Channel. It was also fun reading about Isabella Grayson and her desire to be a reporter for her father’s newspaper despite it not being considered something any proper woman should do. She was expected to find a suitable husband and marry as soon as possible but Isabella had other ideas about her future.
Of course there is always a man in the mix and James Drake was a fine one. Only thing was, he was not exactly considered suitable for someone like Isabella and their strong attraction could only spell trouble for them both. That is not the end of the story though and some major plot twists keep it all quite interesting.
This well researched story has plenty of drama, danger, mystery, and of course romance for Turansky’s readers. I thought it was wonderful and recommend it to anyone who loves a good historical romance.
I voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book provided by Blogging for Books. A favorable review was not required. All views expressed are my own.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
Set in Edwardian England, this romance about an English aviation pioneer and the girl who falls in love with him is filled with adventure and faith.
Isabella Grayson, the eldest daughter of a wealthy, English newspaper magnate, longs to become a journalist, but her parents don’t approve. They want her to marry well and help them gain a higher standing in society. After she writes an anonymous letter to the editor that impresses her father, her parents reluctantly agree she can write a series of articles about aviation and the race to fly across the English Channel, but only if she promises to accept a marriage proposal within the year.
When James Drake, an aspiring aviator, crashes his flying machine at the Grayson’s new estate, Bella is intrigued. James is determined to be the first to fly across the Channel and win the prize Mr. Grayson’s newspaper is offering. He hopes it will help him secure a government contract to build airplanes and redeem a terrible family secret.
James wants to win Bella’s heart, but his background and lack of social standing make it unlikely her parents would approve. If he fails to achieve his dream, how will he win the love and respect he is seeking? Will Bella’s faith and support help him find the strength and courage he needs when unexpected events turn their world upside down?
Releases 2/20/18
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Bestselling Inspirational Romance Author Carrie Turansky writes historical and contemporary novels and novellas set in England and the US. She has won the ACFW Carol Award, the Crystal Globe Award, and the International Digital Award. Readers say her stories are: “Heartwarming and inspiring! I couldn’t put it down! . . . Touching love story. It captured me from the first page! Rich characters, beautifully written . . . My new favorite author!” Visit her website and sign up for her email newsletter at Carrie Turansky.com. Follow Carrie on Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter, and Instagram
