Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours Book Review: A Lady In Attendance

 

A Lady in Attendance by Rachel Fordham

Publication Date: June 1, 2021

Revell

Genre: Historical Fiction/Christian/Romance

Five years in a New York state reformatory have left a blemish on Hazel's real name. So when she takes a job as Doctor Gilbert Watts's lady in attendance in 1898, she does so under an alias. In the presence of her quiet and pious employer, Hazel finds more than an income. She finds a friend and a hope that if she can set her tarnished past in order, she might have a future after all.

As Gilbert becomes accustomed to the pleasant chatter of his new dental assistant, he can't help but sense something secretive about her. Perhaps there is more to this woman than meets the eye. Can the questions that loom between them ever be answered? Or will the deeds of days gone by forever rob the future of its possibilities?

Rachel Fordham pens a tender tale of a soft-spoken man, a hardened woman, and the friends that stand by them as they work toward a common purpose--to expunge the record of someone society deemed beyond saving--and perhaps find love along the way.

"A Lady in Attendance draws you in from the first page and leaves you captivated until the oh-so-romantic conclusion. A poignant and beautifully written story of faith, forgiveness, and the healing power of love."--Mimi Matthews, USA Today bestselling author

Amazon | Barnes and Noble | Books-a-Million

About the Author

 

Rachel Fordham has long been fascinated by all things historical or in the words of her children “old stuff”. Often the historical trivia she discovers is woven into her children's bedtime tales. Despite her love for good stories she didn’t attempt writing a novel until her husband challenged her to do so (and now she’s so glad he did). Since that time she’s often been found typing or researching while her youngest child naps or frantically writing plot twists while she waits in the school pick-up line. In addition to her passion for storytelling she enjoys reading, being outdoors and seeing new places. Rachel lives with her husband and children on an island in Washington state.

Learn more about current projects at rachelfordham.com. You can also follow Rachel on Facebook, Instagram, BookBub, and Goodreads.

Review:  A Lady In Attendance is so much more than a love story. Its about forgiveness and change and redeeming yourself.

Hazel was not always a good person, but years spend in a reformatory for a crime she didn't commit have made her a better person. She's set on a new life and clearing her name, if she can find help.

Gilbert is the dentist she comes to work for. He starts out as a quiet man intent on remaining single for the rest of his days, but Hazel's presence changes that. The two of them bring out the best in one another.

I really liked how the relationship grew and how they were honest with each other throughout as much as possible. I know if I were in Hazel's position and I were starting to have feelings for someone like Gilbert, being honest might be difficult.

The theme of redemption is strong in this story, and not just with Hazel, also with Gilbert's brother, Eddie, who knows Hazel from her past life.

I appreciated the struggles Hazel and Eddie had with their past. I definitely would have liked to have known more about Eddie and what pushed him from his family.

This is a Christian romance and has many Christian themes, but it doesn't make the reader uncomfortabl if they aren't necessarily relgious.

This was a perfect clean and light read.

Rating: 5 flowers

Blog Tour Schedule

Monday, October 11
Guest Post at Novels Alive

Tuesday, October 12
Review at Historical Fiction with Spirit

Wednesday, October 13
Excerpt at I'm Into Books

Thursday, October 14
Review at Library of Clean Reads
Review at Michelle the PA Loves to Read

Friday, October 15
Excerpt at What Is That Book About

Saturday, October 16
Review at Reading Is My SuperPower

Monday, October 18
Review at Novels Alive

Tuesday, October 19
Excerpt at Heidi Reads

Wednesday, October 20
Review at A Chick Who Reads
Excerpt at Books and Benches
Review at Robin Loves Reading

Thursday, October 21
Interview at The Book Club Network

Friday, October 22
Review at Ms. Darcy Reads

Monday, October 25
Review at Jorie Loves a Story

Tuesday, October 26
Excerpt at Reading is My Remedy

Wednesday, October 27
Guest Post at Chicks, Rogues, and Scandals

Thursday, October 28
Review at McCombs on Main

Friday, October 29
Excerpt at The Tea Queen

Monday, November 1
Review at Bookoholiccafe

Tuesday, November 2
Interview at Jorie Loves a Story
Excerpt at Lisa Everyday Reads

Wednesday, November 3
Excerpt at Bookworlder

Friday, November 5
Review at Passages to the Past

Giveaway

Enter to win a copy of A Lady in Attendance by Rachel Fordham!

The giveaway is open to the US only and ends on November 5th. You must be 18 or older to enter.

A Lady in Attendance

Book Review: Texas On My Mind

 

Author: Delores Fossen

Title: Texas On My Mind

Publisher: HQN Books

Publish Date: Feb 23, 2016

Buy: Amazon

Book Blurb: 

The McCord Brothers are the most eligible bachelors in Spring Hill, Texas. But these cowboys are about to get wrangled by the love of some very special women—the kind who can melt hearts and lay it all on the line.

Air force Captain Riley McCord has come home on medical leave to find one heck of a welcome reception. Every unattached woman in Spring Hill, Texas, wants to nurse him back to health. That includes his childhood friend Claire Davidson—the only person who understands how damaged he really feels. In high school, she chose his best friend over him. According to Riley's rules, that should make her off-limits forever. But when Claire suggests a no-strings fling, he can't refuse.

Claire always wanted Riley—but she also craved the safety and stability he couldn't offer. So she chose another path, only to end up crazier about him than ever. She's even convinced herself that this time she won't be devastated when he leaves. Yet once Riley realizes the depth of Claire's feelings—and his own—he'll have to make the ultimate choice: return to the job he loves or stay home for the woman who's always lived in his heart.

Review: 

I'm seriously burned out on romance and this book didn't help matters. I'm not sure which killed romance more for me the main story aka Riley and Claire or the short story at the end Heath/Anna.

Either story combines the good ole boys that annoy me the most in reading, Cowboys and Super Military Dudes.

Groan.

Too much testosterone.

Oh and in Texas on my Mind there's the matter of Claire and her mommy issues, which are a big thing, as well as who the father of her son, Ethan is.

Truth be told, I started skimming at the end of the book and I'm not even sure if we got closure on Ethan's daddy.

The problem with this story for me is it just felt like so many other plot lines for the hero. Military guy suffers an injury and may end up having to become a civilian, and perish the thought, he might have to live like the rest of the world.

Nothing pulled me in here, which is why it took forever for me to read it. There wasn't even a lot of conflict other than the two exes that were really in the middle of the book. Nothing, and I do mean nothing made this book stand out for me.

The writing was fine. The characters were likable. Ethan was probably the best of the bunch. He was just adorable, but all young kids are in stories, at least for me. I wish I could say this was a great book, but for me it just fell flat.

Rating: 3 flowers

Book Review: Honor Thyself

 

Author: Danielle Steel

Title: Honor Thyself

Publisher: Delacorte Press

Publish Date: Feb 26, 2008

Buy: Amazon

Book Blurb:

A world-renowned actress falls victim to a terrifying explosion in Paris—and begins a courageous journey of survival, memory, and self-discovery in Danielle Steel’s mesmerizing new novel.

Carole Barber has come to Paris, with its rain-slick slate roofs and winding streets, to work on her novel—and to find herself after a lifetime in the spotlight. A legend of film and stage, Carole has set a standard of beauty and grace, devoting herself to her family and causes around the world. But on this cool November evening, as her taxi speeds into a tunnel just past the Louvre, a fiery instant of terror shatters hundreds of lives—and leaves Carole alone, unconscious and unidentified in a Paris emergency room.

At the Ritz, they wonder where their famous, incognito guest has gone. From California to London, Carole’s friends and family begin to make inquiries. Then comes a moment of shock as they all realize that Carole is far from home and fighting for her life.

In the days that follow, the paparazzi swarm. A mysterious stranger, a man famous in his own realm, quietly visits the hospital to see the woman he once loved and never forgot. Carole’s two grown children rush to her bedside, waiting and praying—until the miraculous begins to happen.…But as a woman who the whole world knows slowly awakens, she knows nothing of herself. Every detail must be pieced back together—from a childhood in rural Mississippi to the early days of her career, from the unintentional hurt inflicted on her daughter to a fifteen year-old secret love affair that went tragically wrong. But for Carole an extraordinary opportunity has arisen in a life-threatening crisis: a second chance to count her blessings, heal wounded hearts, recapture lost love… and to live a life that will truly honor others—beginning with herself.

A tale of survival and dignity, of small miracles and big surprises, Honor Thyself creates an unforgettable portrait of a public figure whose hopes, fears, and heartbreaks are as real as our own. Her courageous journey inspires us all.

Review: I want to put it out there that I review Danielle Steel books differently from most books I read, though as you see, this year I am failing miserably reading anything. But with her books, I base my reviews on how much I want to toss the book at the wall while reading it. Steel's writing is never deep and she tells the story to you without letting you get into the hearts and minds of her characters.

I will give her credit, she comes up with great plots. Wonderful plots. I just wish they were all executed differently. This book was no exception to that rule.

Honor Thyself seems to twist a lot of ideas together. The idea of a beautiful beloved actress being involved in a horrific attack in a Paris...wait for it...TUNNEL...made me think of Princess Di quite often while reading it, though that is where the similarities end.

The problem with Carole Barber for me, was that she seemed to have no flaws. She has 3 relationships, divorced, widowed, and the other is the one that got away. Her ex still loves her, the one that got away still loves her...and well, she loved the husband that passed away deeply.

Her children are mostly well adjusted and love her, though her daughter has her issues. (None bad). The story is served to you on a silver platter, of the attack and recovery and her rediscovery of her memories that she lost in the attack.

This plot should have delivered a punch. We should have seen so much more, especially of Carole's relationships. I wanted to know Jason and Matthieu and her children. I wanted their feelings to come across, but like all Steel's novels, you don't get that. You get the story but nothing more.

I didn't want to toss the book, but I was sad, because if these characters could have become more real and less flat, the book would have been amazing.

Rating: 3 flowers

Book Review: The House

 

Author: Danielle Steel

Title: The House

Publisher:  Dell

Publish Date: January 30. 2007

Buy: Amazon

Book Blurb: 

The restoration of a majestic old home provides the exhilarating backdrop for Danielle Steel’s 66th bestselling novel, the story of a young woman’s dream, an old man’s gift, and the surprises that await us behind every closed door...

Perched on a hill overlooking San Francisco, the house was magnificent, built in 1923 by a wealthy man for the woman he adored. For her and for this house, he would spare no expense and overlook no detail, from the endless marble floors to the glittering chandeliers. Almost a century later, with the once-grand house now in disrepair, a young woman walks through its empty rooms. Sarah Anderson, a perfectly sensible estate lawyer, is about to do something utterly out of character. An elderly client has died and left her two gifts. One is a generous inheritance. The other, a priceless message: to use his money for something wonderful, something daring. And in this old house, surrounded by crumbling grandeur, Sarah knows just what it is.

A respected attorney and self-described workaholic, Sarah had always lived life by the book. With a steady, if sputtering, relationship and a tiny apartment that has suited her just fine, Sarah cannot explain the force that draws her to the mansion and its history–to the story of a woman who once lived in the house, then mysteriously left it, to a child who grew up there, and a drama that unfolded in war-torn France...and to a history she never knew she had.

Taking the biggest risk of her life, Sarah enlists the help of architect Jeff Parker, who shares Sarah’s passion for bringing the exquisite old house back to life. As she and Jeff work to restore the home’s every detail, as one relationship shatters and another begins, Sarah makes a series of powerful discoveries: about the true meaning of a dying man’s last gift...about the extraordinary legacies that are passed from generation to generation...and about a future she’s only just beginning to imagine.

In a novel of daring and hope, of embracing life and taking chances, Danielle Steel brilliantly captures one woman’s courageous choice to pour herself into a dream–and receive its gifts in return.

Review: Danielle Steel has never been a favorite author, but every so often I get sucked in by one of the blurbs and I'm drawn in to the bad writing and thin plots.

I have to admit though, that though the writing could be a lot better, The House was definitely one of her more palatable novels.

Sarah was definitely a sweet likable character, though like all novels by Steel, she is very flat. I would have loved some more depth to her, to know what really made her tick and why she really stayed with a jerk like Phil so long.

Her family, particularly her grandmother, Mimi were great side characters that helped carry the story.

OH and lets not forget the love interest, Jeff. 

Sigh.

I seldom crush on any romance hero, but Jeff was the epitome of sweetness. I wanted to shake her at times near the end for being stubborn in what she wanted.

The House itself and its owner play a huge part in the story, and I really wished this book were longer and focused on Lili and why she left and more about the house and family that she left.

There were a lot of loose ends and things that I wanted answers for, but didn't get, but the story did flow beautifully.

If you are going to read any of Steel's books, this one is definitely a nice light one to lose yourself in for a few hours.

Rating: 4 flowers

Book Review: The Next Wife

Author: Kaira Rouda

Title: The Next Wife

Publisher: Thomas and Mercer

Publish Date: May 1, 2021

Buy: Amazon

Book Blurb: 

There is no limit to the lies, suspicion, and secrets that can poison the perfect marriage in this twisting novel of suspense by USA Today bestselling author Kaira Rouda.

Kate Nelson had it all. A flourishing company founded with her husband, John; a happy marriage; and a daughter, Ashlyn. The picture-perfect family. Until John left for another woman. Tish is half his age. Ambitious. She’s cultivated a friendship with Ashlyn. Tish believes she’s won.

She’s wrong.

Tish Nelson has it all. Youth, influence, a life of luxury, and a new husband. But the truth is, there’s a lot of baggage. Namely, his first wife—and suspicions of his infidelity. After all, that’s how she got John. Maybe it’s time for a romantic getaway, far from his vindictive ex. If Kate plans on getting John back, Tish is one step ahead of her.

She thinks.

But what happens next is something neither Kate nor Tish saw coming. As best-laid plans come undone, there’s no telling what a woman will do in the name of love—and revenge.

Review: This is really the first book I've really gotten into this year. I've struggled with books for some reason, but when I started this one, it really pulled me in and I'm not a 100% sure why.

The plot is so similar to at least 30 others I've read or want to read. The 2nd wife and the 1st battling it out. A husband that ends up dead. Yada yada yada.

The plot isn't very inspired, but it works because the level of crazy each of the main characters has is stellar.

You instantly know that Tish isn't all there, but as things unravel and you learn about John and about Kate and Ashlyn, you definitely see the crazy coming out on all ends, and I think that's what excited me the most about this story. All the characters were loose cannons and you didn't know what to expect from them.

Who was trying to kill who and why?

Who really was the smart one?

Or in this case the smarter one?

I loved all the twists and turns of the story and how all the evil unfolds proving that no one really is as they seem.

Rating: 5 flowers

Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours Book Blast: Fiery Girls

 

Fiery Girls by Heather Wardell

Publication Date: March 25, 2021

Heather Wardell

Genre: Historical Fiction

Two young immigrant women. One historic strike. And the fire that changed America.

In 1909, shy sixteen-year-old Rosie Lehrer is sent to New York City to earn money for her family's emigration from Russia. She will, but she also longs to make her mark on the world before her parents arrive and marry her to a suitable Jewish man. Could she somehow become one of the passionate and articulate "fiery girls" of her garment workers' union?

Maria Cirrito, spoiled and confident, lands at Ellis Island a few weeks later. She's supposed to spend four years earning American wages then return home to Italy with her new-found wealth to make her family's lives better. But the boy she loves has promised, with only a little coaxing, to follow her to America and marry her. So she plans to stay forever. With him.

Rosie and Maria meet and become friends during the "Uprising of the 20,000" garment workers' strike, and they're working together at the Triangle Waist Company on March 25, 1911 when a discarded cigarette sets the factory ablaze. 146 people die that day, and even those who survive will be changed forever.

Carefully researched and full of historic detail, "Fiery Girls" is a novel of hope: for a better life, for turning tragedy into progress, and for becoming who you're meant to be.

Amazon | Barnes and Noble | IndieBound

About the Author

Heather is a natural 1200 wpm speed reader and the author of twenty-one self-published novels. She came to writing after careers as a software developer and elementary school computer teacher and can't imagine ever leaving it. In her spare time, she reads, swims, walks, lifts weights, crochets, changes her hair colour, and plays drums and clarinet. Generally not all at once.

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Pinterest | Goodreads

Book Blast Schedule

Monday, March 15
Novels Alive

Tuesday, March 16
Bookish Rantings

Wednesday, March 17
Crystal's Library

Thursday, March 18
With A Book In Our Hands

Friday, March 19
Just One More Chapter
The Whispering Bookworm

Monday, March 22
I'm Into Books

Tuesday, March 23
CelticLady's Reviews

Wednesday, March 24
Coffee and Ink

Thursday, March 25
What Is That Book About

Friday, March 26
Bookworlder
View from the Birdhouse

Monday, March 29
Chicks, Rogues and Scandals

Tuesday, March 30
A Chick Who Reads

Wednesday, March 31
Reading is My Remedy

Thursday, April 1
Bibliostatic

Friday, April 2
Pursuing Stacie

Monday, April 5
Books, Cooks, Looks

Tuesday, April 6
Passages to the Past

Wednesday, April 7
The Book Junkie Reads

Friday, April 9
Rachelle Loves Books

Giveaway

During the Blog Tour, we are giving away a $20 Amazon Gift Card!

The giveaway is open to the US only and ends on April 9th. You must be 18 or older to enter.

Fiery Girls

Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours: A Deadly Fortune

 

A Deadly Fortune by Stacie Murphy

Publication Date: January 5, 2021

Pegasus Crime

Genre: Historical Mystery

A historical mystery in the vein of The Alienist, in which a young woman in Gilded Age New York must use a special talent to unravel a deadly conspiracy.

Amelia Matthew has done the all-but-impossible, especially for an orphan in Gilded Age New York City. Along with her foster brother Jonas, she has parleyed her modest psychic talent into a safe and comfortable life. But safety and comfort vanish when a head injury leaves Amelia with a dramatically-expanded gift. After she publicly channels an angry spirit, she finds herself imprisoned in the notorious insane asylum on Blackwell’s Island. As Jonas searches for a way to free her, Amelia struggles to control her disturbing new abilities and survive a place where cruelty and despair threaten her sanity.

Andrew Cavanaugh is familiar with despair. In the wake of a devastating loss, he abandons a promising medical career—and his place in Philadelphia society—to devote himself to the study and treatment of mental disease. Miss Amelia Matthew is just another patient—until she channels a spirit in front of him and proves her gift is real.

When a distraught mother comes to Andrew searching for her missing daughter—a daughter she believes is being hidden at the asylum—he turns to Amelia. Together, they uncover evidence of a deadly conspiracy, and then it’s no longer just Amelia’s sanity and freedom at stake. Amelia must master her gift and use it to catch a killer—or risk becoming the next victim.

Amazon | Barnes and Noble | IndieBound

Advance Praise for A Deadly Fortune

“The 1893 world of the infamous lunatic asylum on Blackwell’s Island comes alive in frightening and horrific detail as a string of murders for profit is discovered when a young woman with a gift for contacting the dead becomes an accidental patient. She must fight for her life as well as her freedom in this engrossing mystery that reveals that all was not golden in Gilded Age New York.” —Rosemary Simpson, author of Death Brings a Shadow: A Gilded Age Mystery

“This engrossing mystery, rich in period detail, probes the dark side of Gilded Age New York and the even darker side of life at the insane asylum on Blackwell’s Island. Plucky Amelia Matthew rises to the considerable challenges that surround her, uncovering increasingly dangerous secrets that point to the presence of a murderer in the asylum. Amelia has a special gift that both helps and complicates her search for the truth, making her a unique heroine. A Deadly Fortune builds to a satisfying conclusion that will whet the reader’s appetite for more of Amelia’s adventures!” —Clarissa Harwood, author of Impossible Saints and Bear No Malice

“Stacie Murphy proves herself to be a masterful storyteller with A Deadly Fortune—an elegantly written, fast-paced mystery that blends the dark side of the Gilded Age, great characters, and a paranormal twist. Impossible to put down.” —Julie McElwain, author of the Kendra Donovan Mystery Series

“Murphy serves up a dark side of the Gilded Age with intrigue, historical detail, and captivating characters. This is a mystery to savor!” —Dianne Freeman, award winning author of the Countess of Harleigh mysteries.

About the Author

Stacie Murphy grew up near Nashville, TN. She began writing A Deadly Fortune in 2017 as a way to force herself to stay off Twitter in the evenings. She lives in Northern Virginia with her husband, daughter, and the worst cat in the world.

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Goodreads

Review: Dear lord it took me 4 months to read this book. Please don't let this be a reflection on the author or on the book, but rather on me. I have the attention span of a fruit fly.

The story is an absolutely dark and delightful one that fans of historical mysteries will definitely love.

Amelia and Jonas are characters you can really appreciate. The dynamic between these two characters is perfect. I loved that they were written as brother and sister but they are really just friends with Jonas as the protector, making sacrifice for her because she is special to him, but not in a romantic way.

I loved that they weren't wealthy characters but urchins making their way through whatever means was possible aka Amerlia's gift which landed her in the asylum where the action of the story takes place. 

If you know anything about mental illness in the late 1800's and early 1900s you know that to land in such a place was not a good thing and when women end up dead...well there is a mystery to be solved.

I love how Amelia's gift played a part in solving the mystery as well as in saving her life and that of her companion, Doctor Cavanaugh. I hope as this series progresses they have a romantic relationship. These two seem very well suited. I also hope Jonas and his lover.

The story was well paced and I really did enjoy it even though my mind wouldnt let me read for the last 4 months.

Rating: 5 flowers

Blog Tour Schedule

Monday, January 11
Review at Coffee and Ink
Review at 100 Pages a Day

Tuesday, January 12
Excerpt at Probably at the Library

Wednesday, January 13
Review at McCombs on Main
Review at Gwendalyn's Books

Thursday, January 14
Feature at The Lit Bitch

Friday, January 15
Review at A Darn Good Read

Monday, January 18
Review at Novels Alive

Tuesday, January 19
Review at Rajiv's Reviews

Wednesday, January 20
Guest Post at Novels Alive

Thursday, January 21
Feature at What Is That Book About

Friday, January 22
Review & Excerpt at Books & Benches

Monday, January 25
Review at Chicks, Rogues, and Scandals

Tuesday, January 26
Review at Bitch Bookshelf

Wednesday, January 27
Review at A Chick Who Reads

Thursday, January 28
Excerpt at Always With a Book

Friday, January 29
Review at Amy's Booket List
Interview at Madwoman in the Attic

Monday, February 1
Review at Book Bustle

Tuesday, February 2
Review at Tangents and Tissues

Wednesday, February 3
Feature at Reading is My Remedy
Review & Excerpt at The Book Review Crew

Friday, February 5
Review at Passages to the Past

Giveaway

Enter to win a copy of A Deadly Fortune by Stacie Murphy & a $50 Gift Card to Amazon or your favorite Indie store. Winner's choice.

The giveaway is open to the US only and ends on February 5th. You must be 18 or older to enter.

Loxby Manor

HFVirtual Book Tours Book Blast: A Mother's Promise

A Mother's Promise by K.D. Alden

Publication Date: January 19, 2021

Forever/Grand Central

Paperback & eBook; 384 pages

Genre: Historical Fiction

Based on the true story behind a landmark U.S. Supreme Court Decision, K.D. Alden’s debut is a rich and moving story of one woman’s courage and strength at a pivotal point in America’s history.

Virginia, 1927. A chance to have a family. That’s all Ruth Ann Riley wants. But because she was unwed and pregnant, she was sent away and her baby given to another woman. Now they’re trying to take Ruth Ann’s right to have another child. But she can’t stand the thought of never seeing little Annabel’s face again, never snuggling up to her warmth or watching her blue eyes crinkle with laughter. Good thing she has a plan.

All the rich and fancy folks may call her feeble-minded, but Ruth Ann is smarter than any of them have bargained for. Because no matter how high the odds are stacked against her, she is going to overcome the scandals in her past and get her child back—and along the way, she just may find unexpected friendships and the possibility of love in the most unlikely of places.

"A Mother's Promise is a powerful, heart-wrenching, ultimately uplifting novel about the bonds of family and one woman's courage in the face of adversity. K.D. Alden brings history to life with rich storytelling and deep emotion."―V.S. Alexander, author of The Magdalen Girls

Amazon | Barnes and Noble | Books-a-Million | Hudson | IndieBound | Powell's | Target | Walmart

About the Author

K.D. Alden is the pseudonym of an award-winning author who has written more than twenty novels in various genres. She has been the recipient of the Maggie Award, the Book Buyer’s Best Award, and an RT Reviewer’s Choice Award. A Mother’s Promise is her first historical novel.

K.D. is a graduate of Smith College, grew up in Austin, Texas, and resides in South Florida with her husband and two rescue greyhounds.

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Goodreads

Book Blast Schedule

Tuesday, January 19
Novels Alive

Wednesday, January 20
Bookworlder

Thursday, January 21
I'm All About Books

Friday, January 22
Chicks, Rogues and Scandals

Saturday, January 23
Jessica Belmont

Monday, January 25
The Review Crew

Tuesday, January 26
Reading is My Remedy

Wednesday, January 27
A Chick Who Reads

Thursday, January 28
Passages to the Past

Friday, January 29
What Is That Book About

Release Blast: Something New

 

 

  After being left at the altar, Nicole Ford heads to Holiday Springs Resort to spend her honeymoon alone, and Barrett Pierce is in desperate need of a timeout in a hideout away from home. They weren’t expecting to fall for each other while on an adventure of a lifetime. Readers will fall in love with this jilted bride romance by B. Ivy Woods. The Holiday Springs Resort series wraps up with SOMETHING NEW, which is now live!

Only on Amazon + Read Something New for FREE on Kindle Unlimited

Goodreads

A jilted bride and an overwhelmed banker from New York are about to embark on the adventure of a lifetime that neither of them saw coming. Sometimes love happens at the most unexpected times and places. Romance writer, Nicole Ford, always believed in happy endings. Until her own groom left her standing at the altar. Determined to make her own happiness, she sets off for their romantic honeymoon at Holiday Springs, alone. Barrett Pierce, an investment banker from the Big Apple, may have gotten himself in a little hot water and needs to take a break before he's in too deep. Fleeing to the mountains, he has one plan - clearing his head and figuring out a way to fix his mistakes. Neither of them were looking for romance but they sure found each other and discovered a passion they couldn’t ignore. Forget something old, and something blue...this time these two love birds have found something brand new.

Excerpt

Copyright @B. Ivy Woods 2020

Based on the way her eyes were moving, I assumed that Nicole was tossing the idea back and forth in her mind like a tennis match. She looked down at her feet, and I had a feeling she was going to say no. “I like this idea.” I did a double take. She liked the idea of having a fling? “Are you sure?” I asked, waiting with bated breath for her to confirm. “Yeah, I mean, it’s not something I normally do. But when in Rome, right? I’ve lived my life carefully planned for so long, and there is nothing wrong with a little spontaneity and living life on the edge a bit, if that makes sense.” I just stared at her. I didn’t expect this conversation to go as well as it was. “This sounds like a deal. Do we shake hands to seal it?” I shook my head. “I was thinking more along the lines of a kiss, like the one we shared last night.” “I’m not opposed to that.” Her voice was still lower than normal, and the tone was sending the blood away from my brain. I stood up and sat next to her. I surveyed the room quickly, making sure that our server had no intention of coming back to interrupt us. I placed my hand on her cheek and leaned in to touch her lips to mine. When our lips met, my tongue made its way into her mouth, and I could taste the hot chocolate she had just consumed, but it was also mixed with a taste that I was quickly beginning to realize was all her own. I felt her hands move up my chest, and her fingers grasped my cashmere sweater as if she were trying to draw us even closer together. I just knew she had to be feeling how hard my heart was pounding because of her touch. The kiss ended naturally on its own, and we broke apart. I looked down at her and still found her eyes closed, as if she were remembering the touch we just shared. I watched her eyes float back open. “Well that was lovely,” she said and touched her fingers to her lips. “I don’t know if lovely can adequately describe what I’m feeling right now.” I raked a hand through my hair and took a deep breath, trying to calm my erratically beating heart. “How could that be better than the kiss from last night?” “I-I don’t know.” I found her staring down at the hot chocolate. Perhaps she was wondering the same thing I was. How did every time we touch just keep getting better and better?

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About B. Ivy Woods

Ivy Woods has been writing for as long as she can remember. After getting her Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and Environmental Policy and a Master in Energy Policy and Law degree and working in the environmental field for several years, she decided to become a stay-at-home mom. That is when thoughts of a writing career really took off. Although she competed in NaNoWriMo multiple times, 2019 was the first year that she won. This win inspired her to make writing a career. She self-published her debut novel in 2020. Although she is originally from New York City, she currently lives in the DMV (Washington, D.C., Maryland, Virginia) with her husband, daughter, dog, and cat.

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About the Holiday Springs Resort Series

Nestled deep in the mountains of Pennsylvania, Holiday Springs Resort promises to bring the heat this winter! Join Forever Write PR and seven amazing authors as they take to the slopes on the adventure of a lifetime and find their happily ever afters. From hot bartenders to brooding exes, Holiday Springs Resort is the place to be. Each story features a brand new couple and a fun trope to love from our amazing line up of authors including: second chance romance and best friend's sibling to jilted brides and friends to lovers. Your holiday wonderland won’t be complete without a widower, office, and enemies to lovers romance. We’ve got a remarkable line of up must-read romance authors including, A.M. Williams, Julie Archer, Kim Bailey, Moni Boyce, S.E. Rose, Stacey Lewis, and B. Ivy Woods. Follow the Holiday Spring Resort series on Facebook for more on release dates, cover reveals, and exclusive book news ➝ https://www.facebook.com/HolidaySpringsSeries/

This series and all promotional events are brought to you by Forever Write PR - Forever your source for all your writing needs. https://www.facebook.com/ForeverWritePR/

Book Blast The Secret Life of Anna Marsh

 

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Ella Quinn will be awarding a $25 Amazon GC to a randomly drawn winner. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

Now available in print for the first time, USA Today bestselling author Ella Quinn's second installment in The Marriage Game series is a witty, romantic historical tale about a young lady who must choose between her head and her heart...

Since she was a young girl, Anna Marsh has dreamed of Sebastian, Baron Rutherford asking for her hand in marriage. But that was in another life when her brother Harry was alive, before she vowed to secretly continue the work he valiantly died for. Now as Sebastian finally courts Anna, she must thwart his advances. Were he to discover her secret, he would never deem her a suitable wife...

Sebastian has always known Anna would become his wife someday. He expects few obstacles, but when she dissuades him at every turn he soon realizes there is much more to this intriguing woman. Somehow he must prove to her that they are meant to be together. But first he must unravel the seductive mystery that is Miss Anna Marsh...

Read an Excerpt

Rutherford regarded the large, buff, fair-haired gentleman with a sapient eye. “What is it you need me to do?”

“We think we’ve a bit of a problem in your area of Kent.” Jamison glanced through some documents on his desk. “All along the coast actually. You’re not the only one we’re calling in.” His bushy brows drew together. “We’ve heard rumors out of France that some of Napoleon’s former officers might take up his cause. I’ve no doubt they’ll be trying to run information through the smuggling gangs. That’s where you come in.” Jamison put his elbows on his desk and leaned forward. “Harry Marsh used to keep track of the smugglers in your area. You’ll have to do it now.”

Rutherford frowned. “I thought they’d disbanded. That was the reason Harry could leave to work elsewhere.”

Jamison shook his large head. “No, my boy. Harry had got someone else to take them over. Never told us who it was. All he said was the man was responsible and would have good control over them. After all, it was only to have been for a few months.”

Rutherford leaned back in his chair and blew out a breath. “I wonder who? I’ll have to scout around and try to find out who the smugglers’ head man is. Harry always took the lead with them. I went a few times, but I’m not even sure they’d remember me.” Rutherford sat up and scowled. “I wish to hell he’d stayed and not gone over to France.”

The only good thing to come of this was that he would be able to escort Anna home after the wedding ceremony. He wondered how she’d take that bit of news and decided not to tell her until they were already at Marcus’s family’s estate.

About the Author: USA Today bestselling author Ella Quinn's studies and other jobs have always been on the serious side. Reading historical romances, especially Regencies, was her escape. Eventually her love of historical novels led her to start writing them.

She is married to her wonderful husband of over thirty years. They have a son and two beautiful granddaughters, and a Great Dane. After living in the South Pacific, Central America, North Africa, England and Europe, she and her husband decided to make their dreams come true and are now living on a sailboat. After cruising the Caribbean and North America, she completed a transatlantic crossing from St. Martin to Southern Europe. She's currently living in Germany, happily writing while her husband is back at work, recovering from retirement.

Ella loves when readers connect with her.

Author Contact and Social Media:

Website: https://www.ellaquinnauthor.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EllaQuinnAuthor
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ellaquinnauthor
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7044274.Ella_Quinn
Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/ella-quinn
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Ella-Quinn/e/B00CAE0FSQ

Buy Links for the Mass Market Paperback:

Kensington: https://www.kensingtonbooks.com/9781420147292/the-secret-life-of-miss-anna-marsh/
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1420147293/
Barnes and Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/secret-life-of-miss-anna-marsh-ella-quinn/1115458071?ean=9781420147292
BAM: https://www.booksamillion.com/search?query=9781420147292&where=All
Indiebound: https://www.indiebound.org/book/9781420147292
Target: https://www.target.com/s?searchTerm=9781420147292
Walmart: https://www.walmart.com/search/search-ng.do?search_query=9781420147292&ic=16_0&Find=Find&search_constraint=3920

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Cover Reveal: Cocky Gamer

 

 

  Join us for the cover reveal of Cocky Gamer by Lauren Helms. Readers who love the popular Cocky Hero Club novels will enjoy this flirty, missed connection romance. Keep scrolling for more details about this sexy cover.

Title: Cocky Gamer

Author: Lauren Helms

Release Date: Spring 2021

Genres: Contemporary Romance

Trope: Missed Connections, Long Distance Romance

Ben Ford is good at what he does but his days as a professional gamer are numbered. His entire pro-team is moving on and now it's time for Ben to do the same but when a short gig for a voice-over brings this Chicago native to California he finds a little more than what he bargained for. A chance meeting on the beaches of Hermosa soon has Ben falling head over lust for the animal-loving, wave crushing woman. Kelly Spencer is stuck in a job she hates and with a dating life as dull as the last series of dates she's been on. With her prospects looking bleaker by the day, she throws caution to the wind in both her personal and professional life. Long-distance love with a cocky gamer was never on her radar but Ben is flirty and fun - plus their chemistry together is off the charts. When a huge career opportunity threatens to put even more miles between them, Kelly may just have to let go of the one guy who's found a way inside her heart. Ben may have let her go then but when a last-minute offer comes in that will land him right where his heart wants to be, he takes and vows that this time - he'll prove to Kelly that they're meant to be. Add to Goodreads Here! Goodreads → https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/55819369-cocky-gamer

About the author

Lauren Helms is a romance author her nerdy and flirty contemporary words. Lauren has forever been an avid reader from the beginning. After starting a book review website, that catapulted her fully into the book world, she knew that something was missing. While working for a video game strategy guide publisher, she decided to mix what she knew best--video games and romance. She decided to take the plunge and write her first novel, Level Me Up. Several published novels later, Lauren, with her book bestie, also formed PR company, Forever Write PR, to help other authors promote their books. Lauren lives in Indianapolis, Indiana sharing her love of books and video games with her own Gamer Boy husband and three little kid nerds who will hopefully grow up to share the love of things that united Lauren and her husband on their own happily ever after. Follow Lauren: Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Reader Group | Goodreads | BookBub | Newsletter | Amazon Website Facebook → https://www.facebook.com/AuthorLaurenHelms Twitter → https://twitter.com/LaurenEHelms Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/author_laurenhelms/ Reader Group → https://www.facebook.com/groups/LsRomGameChangers Goodreads → https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/16647130.Lauren_Helms BookBub → https://www.bookbub.com/authors/lauren-helms Newsletter → http://bit.ly/newsletter_LH Amazon → https://amzn.to/2IqJ68N Website →https://www.authorlaurenhelms.com/

Release Tours: Second Start

 

 

  Career failures bring both Brittany and Tyson back to Holiday Springs but second starts aren’t easy and broken dreams threaten futures. Will a former Olympic athlete and budding musician get a second chance at their happily ever after? Readers will fall in love with this second chance romance from S.E. Rose. The Holiday Springs Resort series is here and SECOND START is now live!

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Goodreads

 

  Will a former Olympic athlete and budding musician get a second chance at their happily ever after? Brittany Evans and Tyson Mitchell were the “it” couple in the Poconos. Until their own dreams and goals got in the way. With broken hearts, they both left their town while doing their best to never look back. But, when a skiing injury and a failed singing career bring them both back home, they find that their feelings may not have iced over after all. Fate has brought them together again, but if Tyson wants to win back Brittany’s heart, he’ll have to prove that she’s the only dream that matters. Escape to the romantic paradise of Holiday Springs and warm-up with your next happily ever after.

Excerpt

Copyright S.E. Rose 2020

“I’m sorry,” I whisper, and her eyes meet mine. “W-What? Why?” Her eyes flash with more confusion. I reach out and caress her face with my gloved hand, wishing I could feel her skin beneath mine. “I’m sorry for hurting you, Superstar.” Her eyes glance back down at her lap. “It was a long time ago, Ty.” I push under her chin, and she gazes at me again. “I’m sorry. I was young and stupid. I thought I was protecting you.” She pulls back. “Protecting me from what?” I sigh. “From me, from having to have a boyfriend that was never here, that was always busy.” “But all I wanted was you,” she states bitterly. “And I wasn’t here for you. No one could’ve had me. I was too... too busy and wrapped up in my Olympic dreams.” She turns and zips up her bag. “I would have waited,” she murmurs as she stands up to leave. I jump up and block her path. “I know you would have. But I couldn’t ask you to do that. You have dreams, too.” “But you never gave me the choice to decide for myself,” she says and jams a finger at my chest. “You decided for both of us.” “I did. And I can’t take it back, but if I could, I would,” I reply as I grab her head in my hands and kiss her. She doesn’t move as I press my lips to hers. They warm under mine, and after a second she sighs, allowing my tongue free reign of her mouth. I taste her for the first time in way too long. And she tastes just as sweet as I remembered. She drops her guitar case in the snow, letting her arms wrap around my middle as my hands hold her face. I don’t feel anything except her, not the snow, the cold, the wind, nothing but Brittany. Our warm breaths mingle in the cool air, surrounding us in our own personal cloud. I groan as I deepen our kiss. She pulls back suddenly. Her hand flying to her lips. “I’m sorry. I... shit, I’m sorry.” She has a look of anguish on her face. “Brit, I kissed you. There’s nothing to be sorry about. When are we going to stop dancing around this thing,” I motion between us, “that’s clearly still between us?” She shakes her head. “No. There’s nothing between us. That’s over. It ended when you walked out of my life.” I watch as a single tear falls on her cheek, and it might as well be a knife plunging into my heart. I reach out to pull her back to me, but she jumps away. “No. We can’t do this. I can’t do this. Not again.” And it hits me. She’s protecting herself. I hurt her so badly that she reacts to me like a hand touching a hot pan. I can’t blame her. “Brit, I won’t hurt you. I never met to hurt you.” “I know,” she answers as another tear falls on her cheek. “But you did.”

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About S.E. Rose USA Today & International Bestselling romance author, S.E. Rose lives near Washington D.C. with her family. When she's not wrangling her cats or keeping up with her kids, she's plotting her next story. She loves all things wine, coffee, and cats. In her non-existent free time, she enjoys traveling, going to concerts, binging on her favorite shows, and reading, especially if it's a good mystery or comedy.

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About the Holiday Springs Resort Series

 

  Nestled deep in the mountains of Pennsylvania, Holiday Springs Resort promises to bring the heat this winter! Join Forever Write PR and seven amazing authors as they take to the slopes on the adventure of a lifetime and find their happily ever afters. From hot bartenders to brooding exes, Holiday Springs Resort is the place to be. Each story features a brand new couple and a fun trope to love from our amazing line up of authors including: second chance romance and best friend's sibling to jilted brides and friends to lovers. Your holiday wonderland won’t be complete without a widower, office, and enemies to lovers romance. We’ve got a remarkable line of up must-read romance authors including, A.M. Williams, Julie Archer, Kim Bailey, Moni Boyce, S.E. Rose, Stacey Lewis, and B. Ivy Woods. Follow the Holiday Spring Resort series on Facebook for more on release dates, cover reveals, and exclusive book news ➝ https://www.facebook.com/HolidaySpringsSeries/ This series and all promotional events are brought to you by Forever Write PR - Forever your source for all your writing needs. https://www.facebook.com/ForeverWritePR/

Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours: Lady Margaret's Escape

Lady Margaret's Escape by Victoria Sportelli

 

Publication Date: September 24, 2020 

Creazzo Publishing Paperback & eBook;

376 pages 

Series: Henry's Spare Queen, Book One Genre: Historical Fiction

     

 A Desperate Midwife Bargains with a King After suffering the loss of her first pregnancy, a son and heir to the English throne, Queen Matilda is once again with child. Overjoyed but cautious of another loss, King Henry seeks a skilled midwife to assist his wife throughout her pregnancy and labor. His search leads him to Margaret. Margaret, once a woman of rank and leisure, has been betrayed by her father and made a common slave. The king’s dire need for a midwife provides her with an enticing opportunity to escape a life of servitude and return to her previous station, but first she must prove her worth and make a bargain with the devil. King Henry is reluctant to haggle with the midwife, but when Margaret reveals her suspicions of foul play being the cause of the queen’s previous loss, his mind is made up. Not only will Margaret attend the queen, her fate with be tied to the queen's – and that of their unborn babe. Deliver a healthy heir and King Henry will reward Margaret with the return of her rank, social status and wealth. Fail, and her life will be forfeit. The two women are sent to a secret forest retreat to wait out Queen Matilda’s confinement away from the conspiracies and dangers of court life. Meanwhile, Henry’s brother Robert invades England to seize Henry’s crown and Margaret begins to fear she has allied herself with the wrong ruler. Will Margaret earn her freedom…or a severed head? Pick up Lady Margaret’s Escape today and experience the perils of living in medieval England. Note: This novel includes the death of an infant which may be a trigger for some readers.

Amazon

Review: I'm having a hard time writing reviews these day but I will say this book is one of best I've read in a long time. 

It is wonderfully researched and Lady Margaret is such a strong character. You will laugh and cry along with her.

Set in the times of Henry I and his wife Matilda. The story is just wonderful trip into the past. Where women weren't more than just chattel to their husbands. So a strong woman like Margaret wasn't the norm.

This book reminded me of why historical fiction has always been the genre I go to when I want to get totally immersed in a book.

Rating; 5 flowers

About the Author

Ms. Sportelli, who loves to share her knowledge of English history, has concluded that Henry I was an under-rated king who struggled to keep his throne amid conflicts between Normans and Saxons. She writes of the era in novels featuring Lady Margaret, King Henry and Queen Matilda. A life-long Anglophile, Ms. Sportelli loves British manners, folklore, customs, history, and humor; she watches every British film, television, show and documentary she can find. Ms Sportelli has both children and grandchildren. She has taken seven trips to eight western European countries and loves England and Italy the most.

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Blog Tour Schedule

Monday, November 9 Review at 100 Pages a Day Interview at Novels Alive Tuesday, November 10 Review at Pursuing Stacie Wednesday, November 11 Feature at I'm Into Books Thursday, November 12 Review at Gwendalyn's Books Friday, November 13 Review at Chicks, Rogues, and Scandals Monday, November 16 Review & Excerpt at Bookworlder Tuesday, November 17 Review at Rajiv's Reviews Wednesday, November 18 Review at Passages to the Past Thursday, November 19 Excerpt at Coffee and Ink Friday, November 20 Review at A Chick Who Reads

Giveaway

Enter to win a $25 Amazon Gift Card! The giveaway is open to US residents only and ends on November 20th. You must be 18 or older to enter. Lady Margaret's Escape