by admin | Apr 20, 2016 | Books, England, Historical, Mystery, Romance, Suspense
MY REVIEW:
“The Reluctant Duchess” is often a study of contrasts. Heroine Lady Rowena Kinnaird is both fragile and courageous with a backbone as strong as the Scottish coast where she was raised. And what a contrast her new life as the Duchess of Nottingham is to the rugged Highlands she knows and loves! How different can her new husband Brice Myerston be to that cruel man he saved her from with a hasty marriage? Rowena finds herself removed from one dangerous situation only to discover that she is right in the middle of another one!
What can I say about “The Reluctant Duchess” that would not be needless repetition of other glowing reviews? I was captured on page one and held prisoner until the dramatic and satisfying end. I loved the primary characters Rowena and Brice and also enjoyed catching up with Brook and Justin from the first book of the Ladies of the Manor series, “The Lost Heiress”. Filled with historical facts, danger, suspense, mystery, and romance, the plot began at a steady pace but gathered momentum as the story progressed.
I liked the portrayal of both Brice and Rowena as unique individuals with both strong and weak attributes. I also appreciated the fact that their relationship progressed slowly and was not a love-at-first-sight romance. Their personal and spiritual growth were strong points in the narrative that did not compromise its emphasis on Christian faith.
So, this is another glowing review of “The Reluctant Duchess”. I loved it and cannot wait for the next installment of this series. If you enjoy historical romantic suspense set in Great Britain, you should love the book and the rest of the series.
A copy of this book was provided for review by Celebrate Lit.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
Will Fleeing the Scottish Highlands Only Leave Her in More Danger?
Lady Rowena Kinnaird may be the heiress to a Highland earldom, but she’s never felt good enough–not for her father, not for the man she thought she’d marry, not for God. But after a shocking attack, she’s willing to be forever an outcast if it means escaping those threatening her life.
Brice Myerston, the Duke of Nottingham, has never been one to shy away from manor-born ladies, yet the last thing he needs is the distraction of the newly introduced Lady Rowena. He has enough on his plate having recently come into possession of a rare treasure for which many would kill, yet those around him seem intent on pairing him with this desperate but beguiling girl.
Rowena is reluctant to marry this notorious flirt. And when she learns that Brice is mixed up in some kind of questionable business with a stolen treasure, she fears she’ll end up in more danger than she fled.
Purchase your copy here.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Roseanna M. White pens her novels beneath her Betsy Ross flag, with her Jane Austen action figure watching over her. When not writing fiction, she’s homeschooling her two children, editing and designing, and pretending her house will clean itself. The Reluctant Duchess is Roseanna’s eleventh published book. Her novels range from biblical fiction to American-set romances to her new British series. She lives with her family in West Virginia. Learn more at www.RoseannaMWhite.com
GUEST POST FROM ROSEANNA WHITE:
Though I’ve written nearly thirty books, thirteen of which will be out by the end of 2016, there’s something very special about the Ladies of the Manor Series. The first book, The Lost Heiress, is a rewrite of the first novel I ever wrote—at the age of 12-13. Once I finished that first novel, I made it my goal to keep adding more manuscripts to my “finished” file. I started in immediately on the sequel . . . and soon ran into a problem. You see, I knew who I wanted these characters to be. Brice Myerston, a duke, whom readers would have met in the first book. And a young lady from Scotland who had suffered abuse.
That’s it. That’s all I knew. And it stymied 13-year-old me, who hadn’t a clue what it felt like to suffer such things, and whose imagination, while rich, just lacked a certain basis in the realities of human nature. Probably a good thing that I gave up on the story back then, and didn’t dust it off again until my mid-20s, when I was reworking the series. And better still that Rowena had many more drafts to go through before she finally took to the printed page in The Reluctant Duchess.
I narrowed my setting down, during those years, to the Highlands, and I chose Loch Morar because of how perfectly the region of Lochaber suited the story I wanted to tell. Isolated. Stark. Rugged. Beautiful. Sometimes cruel. This was a land utterly perfect for my heroine’s family, for her back story. Then came the challenge of picking a clan for her to belong to—because lemme just tell you, one could quite easily offend with such choices, if not portrayed properly, LOL. And because I wanted her father to be chief of her clan, I ran the risk of people mistaking him for the actual chief, if I chose an actual clan.
A writing friend came to rescue and offered her last name for my heroine: Kinnaird (pronounced “kin-AIRD”), which is a sept (branch) of another clan in reality, so had no chief of its own, but was still a well-established Scottish name. Perfect!
So Rowena Kinnaird was born after many years of her character floating in and around my head and computer screen. And I got to pair this backward, sometimes shy, sometimes stubborn Scottish lass with the charming, suave, polished English duke I’d had planned out since I was 13.
I went to great pains in The Lost Heiress to make Brice Myerston a favorite character, so that readers HAD to read his story. Mwa ha ha ha. ? So far, so good on that score! Brice is a hero who has his faults, but he also has character. He has faith. He has a good heart, he’s considerate, he’s understanding. And he’s also so accustomed to charming everything female that he doesn’t quite know what to do when Rowena doesn’t seem inclined to be charmed.
There are clashes. There is tension. There’s much healing on Rowena’s part. Many trials for them both. But I hope that through this story of The Reluctant Duchess readers see what it means to triumph over past hurts. And how brightly God shines against the darkness.
BLOG STOPS:
April 12: Just Commonly
April 12: Book by Book
April 13: Books for Christian Girls
April 13: Cassandra M’s Place
April 13: Melissa Wardwell
April 14: A Holland Reads
April 14: Reading Is My SuperPower
April 15: Splashes of Joy
April 15: Blossoms and Blessings
April 15: Story Matters
April 16: Bookworm Mama
April 16: bigreadersite
April 17: cherylbbookblog
April 17: A Greater Yes
April 18: Singing Librarian Books
April 18: D’S QUILTS & BOOKS
April 19: Simple Harvest Reads
April 19: Henry Happens
April 19: Karen Hadley
April 20: Daysong Reflections
April 20: Texas Book-aholic
April 20: Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations
April 21: Proverbial Reads
April 21: Heidi Reads…
April 22: Seasons of Opportunities
April 22: 100 pages per hour
April 23: Reader’s Cozy Corner
April 23: The Power of Words
April 24: Giveaway Lady
April 24: Under His Wings
April 25: For The Love of Books
April 25: Book Bites, Bee Stings, and Butterfly Kisses
GIVEAWAY:
To celebrate the release of her book, Roseanna is giving away a few of Roseanna’s favorite things.
Click the link to enter: a Rafflecopter giveaway
by admin | Apr 12, 2016 | Books, Historical, Montana, Romance, Western
MY REVIEW:
I always enjoy Tracie Peterson’s novels because I know I will be getting a pretty good history lesson within a romantic and often suspenseful story. “A Treasure Concealed” did not disappoint. Once again the author came through with strong primary characters and just the right blend of drama, romance, and humor.
The Carver family had followed Emily’s father from one gold camp to another as he was convinced the big strike that would make them rich was just ahead – except it never happened. Emily’s mother was dying and Emily was responsible for caring for their home, their livestock, and her mother while he father continued his fruitless labor. Emily’s fondest dream is to have a home of her own where she can spend the rest of her life. Caeden Thibault enters the picture when he camps on the Carver property while performing geological surveys for the government. Because of his family background, Caeden has no interest in marriage or settling down. As can be expected, these two totally opposite young people find themselves growing more and more emotionally attached. Will either of them be willing to give up their dreams?
As expected, I thoroughly enjoyed “A Treasure Concealed”. Caeden was the perfect hero who proved himself time and time again. Emily was a strong female protagonist who proved to be feminine despite the way she dressed to hide it. It was easy to picture life and hardships in the gold fields of Montana where even the weather could turn on its inhabitants. I also enjoyed the spirit-led conversations between characters. I look forward to the next book in The Sapphire Brides series.
A copy of this book was provided for review by
Bethany House, a division of Baker Publishing Group.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
There is more than gold to be found in these hills.
Emily Carver longs to have a home of her own, but instead she endures a transient existence in the gold mining camps of Montana, where her father’s hopes for riches lie endlessly buried. Promises of wealth from this wild land have brought only hardship and disappointment, causing Emily to wonder if her own modest dreams will ever see the light of day.
Caeden Thibault, a young geologist working for the government, is a man trying to escape the pain of his past, and the idyllic mountains of Montana serve his purposes well. In the course of his work, he has seen more than his share of starry-eyed gold seekers. So when Emily Carver catches his attention, he is intrigued by the fact that she isn’t pinning her hopes on striking it rich.
Will an unexpected discovery come between them or draw them together?
Read an excerpt from A Treasure Concealed HERE.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Tracie Peterson is the bestselling, award-winning author of more than 100 novels. Tracie also teaches writing workshops at a variety of conferences on subjects such as inspirational romance and historical research. She and her family live in Montana. Learn more at www.traciepeterson.com.
by admin | Apr 12, 2016 | Books, Historical, Suspense, WWII
MY REVIEW:
“The Cairo Code” is a HUGE book that weighs in at nearly double the pages of most books I review. Although publicized as a thriller, I was approximately halfway through it before the action seemed to pick up. The author spent much of the first half laying down background information on not only the primary three characters but others who played prominent roles as well. I freely admit that there were several times I was tempted to put it away but persevered because I had committed to review it.
Overall the story is an intriguing one. To me, its chief interest was the bond between Jack Halder, Harry Weaver, and Rachel Stern and how that affected the outcome as they were pitted against each other on opposite sides of the war and their roles in the attempt to assassinate President Roosevelt and Winston Churchill. The story itself was well written and once it finally got moving, it progressed at a steady pace. Although we know from history that the plot was not successful, there were a few surprises in store before the end.
I feel that I should issue a word or two of warning. I accepted “The Cairo Code” for review because other books I’ve received from Howard Books have been Christian fiction. There was no mention of the Lord or Jesus in the narrative. More than one character engaged in intimate relationships outside of marriage. Scenes were not explicit but were nevertheless not really necessary to the plot. In addition, those who do not like violence might want to steer away from this book also. Again, the violence was not particularly gory and would be expected in a novel about war. The third warning is that apparently this novel was originally published as “The Sands of Sakkara”. Readers who had already read this book might be disappointed to buy the same book with a different title.
A copy of this book was provided for review by Howard Books, a division of Simon & Schuster, Inc.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
The international bestseller takes you on a fast-paced, nail-biting thrill ride from the Great Pyramids in Cairo, to behind the Nazi lines in Berlin, to the very seat of democracy as our hero tries to unravel a plot that could kill FDR and Winston Churchill.
To save the Western Allies, he must kill the woman he loves…
November 1943: Adolf Hitler sanctioned his most audacious mission ever—to kill US President Franklin D. Roosevelt and Prime Minister Winston Churchill while they visit Cairo for a secret conference to plan the Allied invasion of Europe, an invasion which threatens imminent defeat for Germany.
Only one man is capable of leading the defiant Nazi mission—Major Johann Halder, one of the Abwehr’s most brilliant and daring agents. He is a man with a tortured soul and a talent for the impossible. Accompanied by an expert undercover team and Rachael Stern, the young and beautiful Egyptologist, Halder must race against time across a hostile desert to reach Cairo and successfully complete the assignment, or else forfeit his life and the life of his son.
When US military intelligence hears about the plan, they assign Lieutenant-Colonel Harry Weaver, one of their best officers, to hunt down and eliminate Halder and his team. But for Weaver, as well as for Halder and Stern, there’s more than the balance of war and the lives of the Allied leaders at stake—a pact of love and friendship will be tested in the frantic, high-stakes chase to the death.
Based on a real attempt to kill the President, The Cairo Code is a breathless, suspenseful thriller—a heart-wrenching tale of friendship, love, and treachery set against the exotic and intriguing backdrop of wartime Egypt.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Glenn Meade was born in 1957 in Finglas, Dublin. Several of his novels have been international bestsellers, translated into more than twenty languages, and have enjoyed both critical and commercial success.
by admin | Mar 22, 2016 | Books, Gilded Age, Historical, Romance
Playing the Part by Jen Turano is a 352 page book in the Christian historical fiction genre. It is published by Bethany House Publishers and was released on March 1, 2016. To purchase your own copy, click here
MY REVIEW:
I always look forward to reading Jen Turano’s latest book and was thrilled to have a chance to review “Playing the Part”. I just hope I can do this wonderful book justice!
The third book in Turano’s A Class of Their Own series, “Playing the Part” features popular actress Lucetta Plum who finds herself forced to flee New York because of a man determined to make her his own – with or without marriage vows. Disguised and under cover of night, Lucetta and her dear friend Abigail Hart travel to the estate of Abigail’s grandson Bram. That my friend is where the adventure and hilarity really begins!
As Turano’s true fans know from the previous books in this series, Lucetta is just a bit eccentric. Well she has met her match in Bram who has to be at least equally unconventional. From his gothic and somewhat spooky mansion to strange and unexplained happenings within its walls and grounds, Lucetta is uncertain what to think about Bram. Honestly, the man is just too secretive to trust. There is absolutely no way she can fall for Abigail’s matchmaking efforts!
I loved the characters of Lucetta and Bram and it was fun to touch base with characters from the previous books in this series. I also loved the somewhat dark and mysterious story combined with frequent humorous scenes. Jen is uniquely talented in the way she manages to insert humor into a perfectly serious scene and makes it perfectly natural. Dialogue was often witty and I laughed often. Then of course there was the romance. It sometimes took a few detours along the way but the ending was perfectly satisfying.
Once again, I have to say that “Playing the Part” may be my favorite book by Jen yet! Of course I say that every time but my only explanation is that each one gets better and better. If you are not familiar with Jen Turano’s books, you have missed something special. Do yourself a favor and pick up “Playing the Part” or any of her other novels asap.
A digital copy of this book was provided for review by Celebrate Lit.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
Lucetta Plum is an actress on the rise in New York City, but is forced to abandon her starring role when a fan’s interest turns threatening. Lucinda’s widowed friend, Abigail Hart, is delighted at the opportunity to meddle in Lucetta’s life and promptly whisks her away to her grandson’s estate to hide out.
Bram Haverstein may appear to simply be a somewhat eccentric gentleman of means, but a mysterious career and a secret fascination with a certain actress mean there’s much more to him than society knows.
Lucetta, who has no interest in Abigail’s matchmaking machinations, has the best intentions of remaining cordial but coolly distant to Bram. But when she can’t ignore the strange and mysterious things going on in his house, it’ll take more than good intentions to keep her from trying to discover who Bram is behind the part he plays.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Jen Turano is the best-selling, critically acclaimed author ofThe Ladies of Distinction series, and A Class of Their Own series, published through Bethany House Publishers. Her novel, After a Fashion, was chosen as a top pick from Romantic Times, as well as being named a top ten romance of 2015 from Booklist. It is also a nominee for Romantic Times 2015 Reviewers’ Choice Award. Her book, A Most Peculiar Circumstance, was chosen as a top ten romance by Booklist in 2013. Her seventh book, Playing the Part, will release in the spring of 2016, followed by a new four-book series, The Wallflowers. When she’s not writing, Jen spends her time outside of Denver with her husband and neurotic Cattle Dog, enjoying herself as an empty-nester since her son recently abandoned her for the college life. She can be found on Facebook athttps://www.facebook.com/jenturanoauthor/ or visit her on the web at www.jenturano.com. She is represented by Susan Brower of the Natasha Kern Literary Agency. Her books may be found in most fine bookstores, or follow the Baker House Publishing link to find additional places to purchase her work.
GIVEAWAY:
Jen is graciously giving away an entire set of this series! Click HERE to enter!
BLOGSTOPS:
Visit all the blogs on the tour!
March 16: cherylbbookblog
March 16: Book Reviews From an Avid Reader
March 17: Singing Librarian Books
March 17: D’S QUILTS & BOOKS
March 18: Bookworm Mama
March 19: Reading Is My SuperPower
March 19: Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations
March 20: Faith * Love * Books
March 21: A Greater Yes
March 21: Southern Chelle
March 22: Splashes of Joy
March 22: Daysong Reflections
March 23: Bigreadersite
March 23: Texas Book-aholic
March 24: 100 pages per hour
March 25: simpleharvestreads
March 25: Karen Krayons
March 26: Buwurmzzz
March 26: Cassandra M’s Place
March 27: Jeanette’s Thoughts
March 27: The Power of Words
March 28: Two Girls and a Book
by admin | Mar 19, 2016 | Books, Historical, Humor, Romance
MY REVIEW:
I always look forward to reading Jen Turano’s latest book and was thrilled to have a chance to review “Playing the Part”. I just hope I can do this wonderful book justice!
The third book in Turano’s A Class of Their Own series, “Playing the Part” features popular actress Lucetta Plum who finds herself forced to flee New York because of a man determined to make her his own – with or without marriage vows. Disguised and under cover of night, Lucetta and her dear friend Abigail Hart travel to the estate of Abigail’s grandson Bram. That my friend is where the adventure and hilarity really begins!
As Turano’s true fans know from the previous books in this series, Lucetta is just a bit eccentric. Well she has met her match in Bram who has to be at least equally unconventional. From his gothic and somewhat spooky mansion to strange and unexplained happenings within its walls and grounds, Lucetta is uncertain what to think about Bram. Honestly, the man is just too secretive to trust. There is absolutely no way she can fall for Abigail’s matchmaking efforts!
I loved the characters of Lucetta and Bram and it was fun to touch base with characters from the previous books in this series. I also loved the somewhat dark and mysterious story combined with frequent humorous scenes. Jen is uniquely talented in the way she manages to insert humor into a perfectly serious scene and makes it perfectly natural. Dialogue was often witty and I laughed often. Then of course there was the romance. It sometimes took a few detours along the way but the ending was perfectly satisfying.
Once again, I have to say that “Playing the Part” may be my favorite book by Jen yet! Of course I say that every time but my only explanation is that each one gets better and better. If you are not familiar with Jen Turano’s books, you have missed something special. Do yourself a favor and pick up “Playing the Part” or any of her other novels asap.
This book was provided for review by LitFuse Publicity.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
Can they accept who they are behind the parts they play in time to save the day?
Lucetta Plum is an actress on the rise in New York City, but is forced to abandon her starring role when a fan’s interest turns threatening. Lucetta’s widowed friend, Abigail Hart, is delighted at the opportunity to meddle in Lucetta’s life and promptly whisks her away to her grandson’s estate to hide out.
Bram Haverstein may appear to simply be a somewhat eccentric gentleman of means, but a mysterious career and a secret fascination with a certain actress mean there’s much more to him than society knows.
Lucetta, who has no interest in Abigail’s matchmaking machinations, has the best intentions of remaining cordial but coolly distant to Bram. But when she can’t ignore the strange and mysterious things going on in his house, it’ll take more than good intentions to keep her from trying to discover who Bram is behind the part he plays.
Learn more and purchase a copy.
Read an excerpt from “Playing the Part”.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Jen Turano, author of the Ladies of Distinction series and the A Class of Their Own series, is a graduate of the University of Akron. She is a member of ACFW and lives in a suburb of Denver, Colorado.
Find out more about Jen at http://jenturano.com.
Enter to win a copy of Playing the Part—five winners will be chosen! Click the image below to enter to win. The winners will be announced April 7 on the Litfuse blog!
by admin | Mar 12, 2016 | Books, Christmas, Historical, Novella, Romance
MY REVIEW:
Somehow I overlooked posting a review for this sweet, historical Christmas romance novella by Sharlene MacLaren. It is the perfect book for a cold evening by the fire after all the Christmas preparations are finished for the day. I apologize if my negligence prevented anyone from enjoying this experience during the past Christmas season. I hope you will add it to your Christmas reading list for 2016.
The book itself is quite attractive with snowflake illustrations on many of the page margins. Another illustration of a Christmas tree is placed at the end of each chapter. I thought it was a nice touch.
After two years, young widow Sadie Bennett still mourns her husband of only one month and finds it difficult to move on with her life without him. She especially hates Christmas and except for her job and church on Sundays has become mostly reclusive. However, this is one Christmas that friends and family, particularly Reed Harris, decide to bring Sadie back to the land of the living. She finds herself asked to participate in various Christmas projects and slowly feels her icy heart begin to thaw. Could a new love be far behind?
I enjoyed “Christmas Comes to Little Hickman Creek” both times I read it. I particularly liked how both Sadie and Reed prayed and listened to that still small voice of the Holy Spirit that directed and encouraged. Reed was a special hero whose patience and obedience helped lead to Sadie’s healing and a promise for the future.
This book was provided for review by The Book Club Network, Inc.
ABOUT THE BOOK (144 pages): Two years ago this Christmas, Sadie Bennett’s beloved husband was killed in a tragic accident at the local sawmill. What was once her favorite time of year now haunts her, with its cheerful trappings a cruel reminder of the love she lost. The young widow would like nothing more than to hibernate until the festivities are over. When she finds herself assigned to the committee tasked with picking a Christmas tree for the town square of Little Hickman Creek, she begrudgingly agrees but determines to fulfill her duties to the bare minimum. As the search for a suitable tree gets under way, Sadie is dismayed to learn that one of her fellow committee members is a man she’s worked hard to avoid. Reed Harris owns the local livery, and while he’s friendly enough, good-looking, too, Sadie isn’t ready to invest in another relationship. In fact, she may never be ready, unless a Christmas miracle manages to thaw her frozen heart.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Born and raised in western Michigan, Sharlene MacLaren attended Spring Arbor University, earning a degree in elementary teaching. In 1975, she married one of her childhood friends, and together they raised two lovely daughters. Now happily retired from 31 years of teaching,”Shar” enjoys reading, singing, traveling, and spending time with her husband, children, and precious grandchildren.
