Book Review: The Paris Wife

Author: Paula McLain
Title: The Paris Wife
Publisher: Ballantine Books
Publish Date: Feb 22, 2011
Buy: Amazon
Book Blurb: 
Chicago, 1920: Hadley Richardson is a quiet twenty-eight-year-old who has all but given up on love and happiness—until she meets Ernest Hemingway. Following a whirlwind courtship and wedding, the pair set sail for Paris, where they become the golden couple in a lively and volatile group—the fabled “Lost Generation”—that includes Gertrude Stein, Ezra Pound, and F. Scott Fitzgerald.

Though deeply in love, the Hemingways are ill prepared for the hard-drinking, fast-living, and free-loving life of Jazz Age Paris. As Ernest struggles to find the voice that will earn him a place in history and pours himself into the novel that will become The Sun Also Rises, Hadley strives to hold on to her sense of self as her roles as wife, friend, and muse become more challenging. Eventually they find themselves facing the ultimate crisis of their marriage—a deception that will lead to the unraveling of everything they’ve fought so hard for.

A heartbreaking portrayal of love and torn loyalty, The Paris Wife is all the more poignant because we know that, in the end, Hemingway wrote that he would rather have died than fallen in love with anyone but Hadley.

Review: There has been so much buzz about this novel about Ernest Hemingway and his first wife Hadley. I'm always intrigued by stories such as this one. You know that there is no happy ending for Ernest and Hadley, but you can't help but want to find out how the author got in their heads.

Paula McLain wrote the story primarily from Hadley's point of view, though there are a few snapshot sections told from Ernest's point of view as well.

They seemed like such a perfect couple although there were a lot of things working against them. Hadley was several years older. Both had parents with mental illness that committed suicide. She wanted children, he didn't. The list goes on and on.

If this were a modern day fairy tale gone wrong, it would have been a novel about Prince Charles and Princess Diana.

It is easy to see when everything starts to fall apart for Ernest and Hadley. When she gets pregnant their world changes and not for the better. Plus as they travel they encounter all the rich and wonderful people of their time, Gertrude Stein, The Fitzgerald's, Ezra Pound. Free love was really never freer than in the 1920s.

I didn't know much about Hemingway going in...I'm not one for classic literature, but having read Freud's Mistress and enjoying it. I thought I'd try this one. I found Hemingway to be a similar to Freud in some ways. Mostly because he really had no real regards to the feelings of his wife or many of his friends. (The Torrents Of Spring was a parody of Sherwood Anderson's Dark Laughter). Sherwood helped Ernest get published.

I was really frustrated with Hadley. She fought to win Ernest which wasn't easy, but when it came down to the final year or so of her marriage, she did nothing to keep him, even when she knew his eye was wandering and so were other parts of him.

This wasn't an easy book for me to get into, because of the type of woman Hadley was. She was much to smart to be treated the way Hemingway treated her. What made it worse was ....it was her real life.

Rating: 3 flowers

TLC Book Tours Book Review: Freud's Mistress

Author: Karen Mack & Jennifer Kaufman
Title: Freud's Mistress
Publisher: Amy Einhorn Books
Publish Date: July 9, 2013
Buy: Amazon

Review Copy Provided By: TLC Book Tours & the publisher
Book Blurb: 

His theories would change the world—and tear hers apart.

A page-turning novel inspired by the true-life love affair between Sigmund Freud and his sister-in-law.

It is fin-de-siècle Vienna and Minna Bernays, an overeducated lady’s companion with a sharp, wry wit, is abruptly fired, yet again, from her position. She finds herself out on the street and out of options. In 1895, the city may be aswirl with avant-garde artists and revolutionary ideas, yet a woman’s only hope for security is still marriage. But Minna is unwilling to settle. Out of desperation, she turns to her sister, Martha, for help.

Martha has her own problems—six young children and an absent, disinterested husband who happens to be Sigmund Freud. At this time, Freud is a struggling professor, all but shunned by his peers and under attack for his theories, most of which center around sexual impulses. And while Martha is shocked and repulsed by her husband’s “pornographic” work, Minna is fascinated.

Minna is everything Martha is not—intellectually curious, engaging, and passionate. She and Freud embark on what is at first simply an intellectual courtship, yet something deeper is brewing beneath the surface, something Minna cannot escape.

In this sweeping tale of love, loyalty, and betrayal—between a husband and a wife, between sisters—fact and fiction seamlessly blend together, creating a compelling portrait of an unforgettable woman and her struggle to reconcile her love for her sister with her obsessive desire for her sister’s husband, the mythic father of psychoanalysis.

Review:  It is terribly hard to turn Sigmund Freud into a romantic character. It is a good thing that Karen Mack and Jennifer Kaufman don't try to do that with their book Freud's Mistress. What they do remarkably well is show how his wife's sister came to be a huge part of his life as more than just a sister-in-law.

Minna is completely different from her sister Martha. She's younger and she's more interested Freud's work. 

She's really a difficult person to like, but really the same could be said for both her sister and Sigmund.

What really surprised me was the amount of drug usage that went on in that time period. I knew about laudanum, but I never realized that near the turn of the century people casually used cocaine, as if it were a harmless substance. Of course, some of that could explain his theories in regards to psychoanalysis.

The authors let you in on his work through Minna, as she discusses his career with him. Most readers taking a psychology course know a bit about his work, and this book only helps me to firm my own theory that Freud was sex obsessed and had plenty of problems of his own.

Minna is drawn into that intellectual world and because of her interest, Freud takes a liking to her. It really is hard to imagine someone falling for their sibling's spouse, and at times, though Minna seems to show guilt, it doesn't quite stop her. 

Did Martha know what was going on? The author's hint about it, though I wonder, would you keep your husband's mistress with you even if she were your sister? 

By the end of the novel, though I can't say that I liked Minna any more than I did at the start of the novel, I can say that I felt truly sorry for her. If you read the author's notes, not much is really known about Minna, but she did live for 42 years with her sister and Freud, never marrying or having children of her own.

Her's is then, truly a sad story. 

Rating: 5 flowers

Historical Fiction Virtual Tours Book Review: His Last Mistress

Author: Andrea Zuvich
Title: His Last Mistress
Publisher: Createspace
Publish Date: May 20, 2013
Book Blurb: Set in the tumultuous late 17th Century, His Last Mistress tells the true story of the final years of James Scott, the handsome Duke of Monmouth, and his lover Lady Henrietta Wentworth.

As the illegitimate eldest son of King Charles II, the Duke is a spoiled, lecherous man with both a wife and a mistress. However, this rakish libertine is soon captivated by the innocence of young Lady Henrietta Wentworth, who has been raised to covet her virtue. She is determined to spurn his advances, yet she cannot deny the chemistry between them. Will she succumb? At the same time, the Duke begins to harbour risky political ambitions that may threaten not only his life but also that of those around him. His Last Mistress is a passionate, sometimes explicit, carefully researched and ultimately moving story of love and loss, set against a backdrop of dangerous political unrest, brutal religious tensions, and the looming question of who will be the next King. 

Review:  The story of the Duke of Monmouth and Lady Henrietta Wentworth isn't one with a happy ending, but it is a tale of two lovers and one man's quest for the throne of England.

As I first settled in to reading His Last Mistress, I thought I was reading a much shorter version of Dangerous Liaisons. I believe that novel was set in the same time period as Monmouth and Wentworth. The Duke is very much like Valmont in his actions, and in Henrietta who also seems a lot like Madame De Tourvel he found a woman that brought his goodness out.

Henrietta is a character you can easily like. She wants to be good, yet she is tempted and how could you not be? The Duke of Monmouth was a handsome man, much like his father Charles II. He could have any woman he wanted.

I only wish there were more details of how the two finally became lovers, especially has Henrietta was betrothed at the time Monmouth was pursuing her.

What Zuvich does really well is paint a picture of the political climate at the time. Charles has named his brother James as heir to the throne over Monmouth, because the Duke is his illegitimate child. James, however is a Catholic and in Protestant England, this doesn't sit well with the masses, unfortunately those masses don't help Monmouth get the throne. 

His story is a tragedy. The Duke seems more a fun loving libertine, rather than a ruler, and Zuvich paints him as one led by others to his downfall, when he tries to oust his uncle.

Henrietta then succumbs to a broken heart at the age of 25.

This isn't a happy story, though it is a story of two people very much in love and two people very important in the Stuart era. (Really Charles I and Charles II are far more interesting than the Tudors).

I wish the story had been longer, because I loved getting to know more about these two and their sad ill fated love.

Rating: 5 flowers

ABOUT THE AUTHOR   Born in Philadelphia in 1985 to Chilean-Croatian parents, Andrea Zuvich is a historian specialising in the Late Stuarts of the Seventeenth Century and is the creator and writer of the history website, The Seventeenth Century Lady. Andrea studied History and Anthropology at both the University of Central Florida and Oxford University, and has been independently researching the 1600s since 2008. Andrea is a leader on and one of the original developers of The Garden History Tours at Kensington Palace, Historic Royal Palaces, and lives with her English husband in Lancashire, England. For more information, please visit Andrea’s website. You can also follow her on Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest.

Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tour: The Queen's Gambit

Describe your research process for Queen's Gambit

Most of my research is reading – letters and primary sources like state papers, historical biographies, and social history as well as Early Modern literature such as etiquette books and herbals, which were manuals on cures, and even recipe books. When my nose is not between the covers of a book I am often to be found wandering about old houses like Hampton Court and Penshurst Place waiting for the muse to alight. Museums are an invaluable research resource as objects really help bring a sense of reality to the past that cannot be found in texts. I find portraiture helpful too and I take courses, the most recent was a course on Tudor and Stuart clothing, which helped me understand the construction of the very complicated clothing of the period but also the way clothing held symbolic values.

I make copious and detailed notes but once I begin writing I set them aside, relying on memory, because I don’t want my writing to lose its immediacy or be labored with factual detail. I then go back and fact-check later.

What is the most interesting thing you learned in your research for Queen's Gambit?

I learned so much that was fascinating but in particular the practices of execution in the period intrigued and horrified me. In 1532 Henry VIII brought in a new way to punish poisoners: boiling alive and we all know of the way traitors were hung, drawn and quartered; a barbaric practice. It took some people as long as two hours to die when burned at the stake and it was quite common practice for a bag of saltpeter (or gunpowder) to be quietly handed to the condemned soul by a well-wisher to speed up the process. For me these punishments highlight the violence of the era and the fear in which people lived.

Why do you think Henry VIII's wives have such an appeal to readers?

The mythology surrounding a man like Henry VIII and the way he treated his wives is intriguing in itself and the exploration of the lives of the women who lived in his shadow helps us to understand something of the cultural misogyny that colored all women’s lives at the time. But beyond that the mid-sixteenth century was a time in which some noble women, and certainly at least three of Henry’s wives, had access to the same education as their brothers. It was a time of great change and women were beginning to find their own individual voices. For example Katherine Parr published two books.

Who is your favorite of Henry's wives?

Of course I favor Katherine Parr who out-foxed her adversaries, published her own books, survived marriage to Henry VIII and was instrumental in educating the young Elizabeth Tudor. Having said that though all the wives’ stories are of interest to me.

What do you find the most interesting about the Tudor period?

The Reformation in the mid-sixteenth century was a time of great upheaval and I find those moments of change in history the most interesting. During the Tudor period we see the beginnings of our own culture in the rise of the merchant classes marking the end of the feudal system, the rise of painting and poetry culminating in the great Elizabethan playwrights whose work still resonates with us today. We also see the first women to reign in their own right in Mary and Elizabeth Tudor.

What is next for you?

My next novel, SISTERS OF TREASON, is out in the spring. Set about six years on from QUEEN’S GAMBIT it tells the story of the two younger sisters of Lady Jane Grey who were dangerously close to the throne and fell foul of Elizabeth I. I interweave their stories with that of miniaturist Levina Teerlinc who helps the girls negotiate the perils of the Tudor court. In the background we see the return to Catholicism, and all the horrors that entailed, with Mary I and the rise of Elizabeth into a supremely powerful yet flawed monarch.

I am working on the third book in the trilogy now, which will be about Penelope Devereaux and her brother the Earl of Essex and will explore late Elizabethan court politics through their stories. Penelope is a fascinating character who refused to be limited by the expectations of the time and even lived openly with her lover whilst her husband was still alive. I will also explore the story of Aemelia Lanyer a poet who was part of Shakespeare’s circle and thought to have been the ‘dark lady’ of his sonnets.

 About QUEEN'S GAMBIT

Publication Date: August 6, 2013
Simon & Schuster
Hardcover; 432p
ISBN-10: 147670306X

Widowed for the second time at age thirty-one Katherine Parr falls deeply for the dashing courtier Thomas Seymour and hopes at last to marry for love. However, obliged to return to court, she attracts the attentions of the ailing, egotistical, and dangerously powerful Henry VIII, who dispatches his love rival, Seymour, to the Continent. No one is in a position to refuse a royal proposal so, haunted by the fates of his previous wives—two executions, two annulments, one death in childbirth—Katherine must wed Henry and become his sixth queen.

Katherine has to employ all her instincts to navigate the treachery of the court, drawing a tight circle of women around her, including her stepdaughter, Meg, traumatized by events from their past that are shrouded in secrecy, and their loyal servant Dot, who knows and sees more than she understands. With the Catholic faction on the rise once more, reformers being burned for heresy, and those close to the king vying for position, Katherine’s survival seems unlikely. Yet as she treads the razor’s edge of court intrigue, she never quite gives up on love.

View the Official Book Trailer: http://videos.simonandschuster.com/video/2472116122001

Praise for Queen’s Gambit

"This is a superbly written novel... Fremantle is surely a major new voice in historical fiction and this book is the answer to the question about what Hilary Mantel fans should read while waiting for the final part of her trilogy." - The Bookseller

“Wildly entertaining…lively, gamey, gripped with tension…one of the best historical novels I’ve read.” - Liz Smith

"Elizabeth Fremantle's rich narrative breathes vibrant life into Henry VIII's most intriguing, intelligent and least known wife, Katherine Parr." - Anne Easter Smith author of A Rose for the Crown and Royal Mistress

"Queen's Gambit is an earthy, vivid portrait of Tudor England seen through the eyes of Henry VIII's last wife Katherine Parr and her loyal maid servant. Elizabeth Fremantle has added a richly written and engrossing novel to the endlessly fascinating story of the Tudors." - Stephanie Cowell author of Claude and Camille: A Novel of Monet

"Queen's Gambit is a lovely, sensual, subtle read, telling the story of Katherine Parr with both rich imagination and scrupulous attention to factual detail. After reading this historical novel, you truly comprehend what it would mean to be the sixth wife of a dangerous man wielding absolute power. Katherine is no selfless nurse here, nor religious fanatic, but a complex and compelling person who both men and women were drawn to. This is a very impressive novel." - Nancy Bilyeau author of The Crown

"Beautifully written and finely observed, this suspenseful tale of Henry the Eighth's last wife expertly conveys all the dangerous intensity and passion of the Tudor court." - Rachel Hore, author of A Place of Secrets

"With a painter’s eye for detail, Fremantle brings the dazzling, dangerous Tudor court to life and sheds an intriguing new light on Katherine Parr, one of history’s great survivors. An enthralling tale of power and passion, loyalty and betrayal." - Elizabeth Wilhide, author of Ashenden

"Fremantle...navigates Tudor terrain with aplomb." - Publishers Weekly

"Sins, secrets and guilt dominate the landscape of British writer Fremantle’s debut...[her] emphasis is on intrigue, character portraits and the texture of mid-16th-century life. Solid and sympathetic." - Kirkus Reviews

“Intrigue, romance, and treachery abound in Fremantle’s debut novel . . . . This compulsively readable fictional biography of the ultimate survivor is infused with the type of meticulous attention to historical detailing that discerning fans of Alison Weir and Philippa Gregory have come to expect in the Tudor canon.” - Booklist

Review: Katherine Parr is not one of Henry's Queens that you usually read about. Most of the attention gets focused on Catherine of Aragon and Anne Boleyn. 

Elizabeth paints a picture of a woman who had already lost two husbands and was now facing the attentions of the King Henry, even though she doesn't particularly want them.

It is hard to imagine someone not wanting to be Queen of England, but when faced with the past wives of Henry, it is easier to understand. Wives cast aside or killed...such were the ways of King Henry's court.

This story brings Henry's last wife to light. She's survived marriage to him.  Elizabeth Fremantle shows us the strong, intelligent woman that Katherine Parr was.

This book is an intimate portrait of a Queen that doesn't get her share of time in the spotlight. She's a footnote in books about Elizabeth because of the rumors about an affair with Thomas Seymour and the young princess.

Definitely a must read for Tudor fans.

Rating:  5 flowers

About the Author

Elizabeth Fremantle holds a first class degree in English and an MA in Creative Writing from Birkbeck College London. She has contributed as a fashion editor to various publications including Vogue, Elle and The Sunday Times. QUEEN'S GAMBIT is her debut novel and is the first in a Tudor trilogy. The second novel, SISTERS OF TREASON, will be released in 2014. She lives in London.

For more about Elizabeth and her future projects see www.elizabethfremantle.com.  You can also find her on Facebook, Twitter and Goodreads.

Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tour: The Tudor Conspiracy

US Publication Date: July 16, 2013
UK Publication Date: July 18, 2013
St. Martin’s Griffin
Paperback; 352p
ISBN-10: 0312658494

Hunted by a shadowy foe in Bloody Mary’s court, Brendan Prescott plunges into London’s treacherous underworld to unravel a dark conspiracy that could make Elizabeth queen—or send her to her death in C.W. Gortner’s The Tudor Conspiracy

England, 1553: Harsh winter encroaches upon the realm. Mary Tudor has become queen to popular acclaim and her enemies are imprisoned in the Tower. But when she’s betrothed to Philip, Catholic prince of Spain, putting her Protestant subjects in peril, rumors of a plot to depose her swirl around the one person whom many consider to be England’s heir and only hope—the queen’s half-sister, Princess Elizabeth.

Haunted by his past, Brendan Prescott lives far from the intrigues of court. But his time of refuge comes to an end when his foe and mentor, the spymaster Cecil, brings him disquieting news that sends him on a dangerous mission. Elizabeth is held captive at court, the target of the Spanish ambassador, who seeks her demise. Obliged to return to the palace where he almost lost his life, Brendan finds himself working as a double-agent for Queen Mary herself, who orders Brendan to secure proof that will be his cherished Elizabeth’s undoing.

Plunged into a deadly game of cat-and-mouse with a mysterious opponent who hides a terrifying secret, Brendan races against time to retrieve a cache of the princess’s private letters, even as he begins to realize that in this dark world of betrayal and deceit, where power is supreme and sister can turn against sister, nothing—and no one—is what it seems.

Review: I've been reading a lot of Tudor books again, but I have to say of my recent reads, The Tudor Conspiracy is one of the best. In fact, it is one of the best I've read in a long time.

It is a great mix of fiction and fact.

This is the second book in the Elizabeth Spymaster Chronicles but it is definitely a good stand alone read. (I will however be getting the first book)

What I loved the most about this story is that its voice is a man. I'm so used to reading Tudor novels told from the point of view of one of Henry's Queens or his daughters, or a lady in waiting etc. It was refreshing to hear a male voice, and Brendan Prescott is just wonderful.

Brendan's character was so full of emotion. He was easy to love. There was a death near the mid-point of the book that is just totally heartbreaking, and I loved that Brendan showed how he felt in regards to the person that passed away.

He's also a character that is full of nobility. He cares more for the people he is working for than the politics. But he is also human, with flaws and weaknesses. I think that's what makes him so likable. He's human.

This book also lets you see both of Henry VIII's daughters...both Queen Mary and Princess Elizabeth and Gortner doesn't try to portray one in a better light than others, which is really unusual.

There are a lot of secrets Brendan keeps I was really not expecting to see so many loose ends tied up considering that this is series, but that said I really am looking forward to the next book.

I highly recommend this to lovers of the Tudor period and historical fiction.

Rating: 5 flowers

TLC Book Tours Book Review: Godiva

Author: Nicole Galland
Title: Godiva
Publisher: William Morrow
Publish Date: July 2, 2013
Review Copy Provided By: TLC Book Tours & the Publisher
Buy: Amazon
Book Blurb: Nicole Galland, author of The Fool’s Tale, turns her clever pen toward re-imagining the famous legend of Lady Godiva in this expertly crafted historical novel set in Anglo-Saxon England.

A 12th-century noblewoman, Lady Godiva is infamous for riding naked through Coventry to relieve her people of her husband’s unfair and oppressive taxation. Leofric, Earl of Mercia, said he would ease the tax burden if she would ride through the streets, wearing only her glorious, long hair. In doing so she risked everything, including her home and well-being.

Told with humor and precise attention to detail, Nicole Galland’s Godiva brings to life the adventures of the legendary lady, her husband and her best friend the Abbess Egdiva in thrilling detail. It’s an entertaining tale of courtly intrigue, deceit, and romance that is sure to captivate fans of literary and historical fiction.

Review: There are some books you simply can't help but love, and for me, Godiva was one of them. The cover is what drew me to the book. It is simply stunning, but it is Nicole's writing that just made me fall in love.

Lady Godiva is a cheeky thing. Using her beauty and ability to flirt to help her husband's cause. She really came across as a modern forward thinking woman in medieval times.

What stood out is how important Godiva was to her husband. Her character was so strong and she reminded me a bit of Jacquetta the Duchess of Bedford.

Perhaps in a way Lady Godiva paved the way for strong women like Jacquetta in years to come.

But she's more than just a strong female character, she's meddlesome and she's always getting in trouble. Throughout the book she is on King Edward's bad side.

Though the story of her famous ride is more legend than fact, this book gives you an idea of the type of women whose convictions were so strong that she'd do something like ride horseback naked through Coventry!

Nicole takes liberties with the legend, but in her telling of Godiva's story you get get a wonderful picture of a modern woman from medieval time.

Rating: 5 flowers

Check out Nicole's guest post  here

Book Review: The Inquistor's Wife

Author:  Jeanne Kalogridis
Title: The Inquisitor's Wife
Publisher: St Martin's Press
Publish Date: May 7, 2013
Buy: Amazon

Review Copy Provided By: Net Galley

Blurb: From Jeanne Kalogridis, the bestselling author of The Borgia Bride and The Scarlet Contessa, comes a tale of love, loss and treachery set during the perilous days of the Spanish Inquisition 1481

Seville: The Inquisition makes its first appearance in Spain. Its target: conversos, Christians of Jewish descent—specifically those who practice Judaism secretly in their homes. The penalty for “crypto-Judaism”: Burning at the stake.

Marisol Garcia, a young conversa, is hurriedly wed to Gabriel, a civil lawyer working for the Inquisition, in hopes that he will protect her. But she still yearns for the childhood love who abandoned her four years earlier, and she’s shocked when he reappears suddenly at her wedding.

When her father is arrested and tortured, Marisol finds herself caught between her love for him and her desire to save the lives of her people. After becoming a favorite of the ruthless Queen Isabella, Marisol discovers a dangerous secret about her former lover, Antonio, and finds herself trapped in a life-threatening web of intrigue. As the Inquisition’s snares tighten around her, Marisol’s love for Antonio and loyalty to her Jewish family is tested as never before…

The Inquisitor’s Wife reveals the real motivation behind the Inquisition, a frank glance at a “saintly” queen, and the struggles of a maligned people against crushing forces.

Review: I love historical fiction, and I found the time period of this novel to be quite interesting, even if the plot was more than a little slow.

When you read this book you can't help but feel an intense dislike for Marisol, who hates her mother for the faith that she was born into. You also can't help but feel sorry for this group of people who have been continuously persecuted throughout history, whether by the crazy leaders of the Catholic church and the royals that followed them to Hitler.

Queen Isabella is known for being a good Catholic, and she produced good Catholic children, Henry VIII's Katherine of Aragon, is her daughter. However, as you read here, the Inquisition isn't just about the persecution of those of Jewish descent that still practiced their religion in private, it is about money.

The more that I read, the more disgusted I became with my own faith.

Once again, this book proves that so many bad things are done in the name of religion.

Though I strongly disliked Marisol, I was glad that as she found herself in the middle of the Inquisition that she embraced much of what her mother believed. She really did a complete turn around, in her attitude.

I still didn't like her much though.

She was too gullible and too concerned with herself throughout most of the novel and I couldn't really connect with either of the two men in her life, Gabriel, the man she was forced to marry or Antonio, the man she was betrothed too.

The book really seemed slow at the beginning as the author introduces the reader to Marisol's family and climate of Spain at the time just prior to the Inquisition. Once Marisol gets married things move along much faster.

This is a good historical read, with just the right amount of real characters and fictional, it is well researched and well written. My only gripe is Marisol. I just could not like her at all.

Rating:  3 flowers

Book Review: Call Nurse Millie

Author: Jean Fullerton
Title: Call Nurse Millie
Publisher: Orion
Publish Date: May 23, 2013
Buy: Book Depository
Review Copy Provided By: The Author & Writer Marketing Services
Book Blurb:It’s 1945 and, as the troops begin to return home, the inhabitants of London attempt to put their lives back together. For 25-year-old Millie, a qualified nurse and midwife, the jubilation at the end of the war is short-lived as she tends to the needs of the East End community around her. But while Millie witnesses tragedy and brutality in her job, she also finds strength and kindness. And when misfortune befalls her own family, it is the enduring spirit of the community that shows Millie that even the toughest of circumstances can be overcome.

Through Millie’s eyes, we see the harsh realities and unexpected joys in the lives of the patients she treats, as well as the camaraderie that is forged with the fellow nurses that she lives with. Filled with unforgettable characters and moving personal stories, this vividly brings to life the colourful world of a post-war East London.

An absorbing and richly detailed novel following the life and work of a young nurse in post-war East London – perfect for anyone who loved CALL THE MIDWIFE.

Review: This novel begins just as WWII ends. It definitely is a book for fans of Call The Midwife. The novel really paints a picture of what health care was like in the 40s and it is pretty scary.

These nurses really did everything and they got little respect, and the rules and regulations they followed to have a job will make modern women shake their head.

Millie is an exceptionally good nurse who seems to have the weight of the world on her shoulders. From the very start of the book, bad things seem to happen to her family and to her. But Millie is a tough girl and she soldiers on.

She's a character that you can really admire. She's smart, she's loyal and she genuinely cares about the patients. She goes above and beyond the call of duty in many cases.

I found myself on the edge with worry for her many times, and I cheered her on as well. Millie was a character I could identify with on many levels. She was a caring daughter, taking care of her mother and putting her life on hold until she recovered, even to the extent that it almost cost her her job.

It is hard being a caregiver while working in this day and age, in the 1940s it was even harder.

She did all of this and struggled with her own love life. She had to make sacrifices too. I felt so bad for her when it came to her love life. I was glad when she did find love, but I think she settled, though most would disagree.

Jean Fullerton has a wonderfully easy writing style. The book read almost like a memoir. So the flow was continuous, but it was enough that you never felt lost with what was going on in the story. She also created a wonderful cast of characters. I'd be hard pressed to say which among the other nurses and patients I liked best.

I often shook my head when I read the old Harlequin Romances from the late 60s and early 70s where many of the heroines were nurses, this book showed me that though those books may have been cheesy, the portrayals of nursing were accurate.

They certainly did much more work than the visiting nurses that we see today.

The book ended in such a way, it is open for a sequel, which I hope Ms. Fullerton writers

I highly recommend this book to those who like more contemporary historical fiction or people that love Call The Midwife.

Rating: 5 flowers

Historical Fiction Book Tours: Roses Have Thorns

About ROSES HAVE THORNS

Publication Date: April 9, 2013

Simon & Schuster/Howard Boo

ks
Paperback; 336p

ISBN-10: 1439183163

From the acclaimed author of To Die For comes a stirring novel told that sheds new light on Elizabeth I and her court.Like Philippa Gregory and Alison Weir, Sandra Byrd has attracted countless fans for evoking the complexity, grandeur, and brutality of the Tudor period. In her latest tour de force, she poses the question: What happens when serving a queen may cost you your marriage--or your life?

In 1565, seventeen-year-old Elin von Snakenborg leaves Sweden on a treacherous journey to England. Her fiance has fallen in love with her sister and her dowry money has been gambled away, but ahead of her lies an adventure that will take her to the dizzying heights of Tudor power. Transformed through marriage into Helena, the Marchioness of Northampton, she becomes the highest-ranking woman in Elizabeth's circle. But in a court that is surrounded by Catholic enemies who plot the queen's downfall, Helena is forced to choose between her unyielding monarch and the husband she's not sure she can trust--a choice that will provoke catastrophic consequences.

Vividly conjuring the years leading up to the beheading of Mary Queen of Scots, Roses Have Thorns is a brilliant exploration of treason, both to the realm and to the heart.




Review: Sandra Byrd is a master when it comes to bringing to life the Tudor Era. In Roses Have Thorns we are treated to a glimpse into the life of Elizabeth I. 

I love everything about this series..from the sumptuous cover art to the characters.

Like the other books in this series, Roses Have Thorns is told from the point of view of a friend of the Queen, Elin. From the first page you feel great sympathy for Elin, with the man she is to marry dallying with her sister. 

There is a man that wishes to marry her, and as a result she stays in England as a Lady In Waiting to Queen Elizabeth. It seems like forever before she can wed Marquess Northampton, but while she waits she develops a close relationship with the queen.

I love how you get to know Queen Elizabeth through Helena (Elin)'s eyes. You also get to see all the drama that surrounded "The Virgin Queen," as well as the drama of Mary, Queen of Scots, who plays a huge part in this book even though she isn't really a character.

Sandra Byrd has a wonderful way of humanizing the royals as well as making you feel like you have a window into this world of political intrigue. (And there was never more intrigue than during the Tudor Era it seems)

The other thing that really is present in this story is the religious turmoil in England at the time. It really makes you appreciate the changes that have come to pass in recent years. Its hard to believe wearing rosary beads would be treasonous.

This is a page turner from the start and once the pages start turning, you won't be able to stop.

This book, like the other 2 in the Ladies In Waiting series, will find its way to your keeper shelf

Rating: 5 flowers

Praise for Roses Have Thorns

"In Roses Have Thorns Sandra Byrd has given the reader another amazing heroine to tell the intimate story of England's greatest queen, Elizabeth I. What a unique point of view and deeply moving story Helena von Snakenborg provides. Byrd is especially adept at blending political and private lives. This is a timeless women's friendship novel as well as a poignant love story to cherish--both the roses and the thorns." (Karen Harper, New York Times bestselling author of Mistress of Mourning )

"There is something golden about this tale of Elin, an eager young woman in a strange land, diligent in her duty but alive to love. A tale gracefully told, even as it renders the terrors of treachery that form the crucible of Elin's hard-won wisdom. A heartfelt story of loyalty, longing, life-long friendship, and the many seasons of the heart." (Barbara Kyle, author of The Queen's Gamble and Blood Between Queens)

"Beautiful prose and masterful research combine to bring this fascinating tale to life, treating the reader to fully realized characters and providing an original window through which we can view Elizabeth's court. Ms. Byrd's work will stand as an unforgettable contribution to Tudor fiction." (D.L. Bogdan, au

thor of The Forgotten Queen)

About the Author

Sandra Byrd has published more than three dozen books in the fiction and nonfiction markets, including the first book in her Tudor series, To Die For: A Novel of Anne Boleyn.  Her second book, The Secret Keeper: A Novel of Kateryn Parr, illuminates the mysteries in the life of Henry's last wife.

For more than a decade Sandra has shared her secrets with the many new writers she edits, mentors, and coaches. She lives in the Seattle, Washington, area with her husband and two children. For more Tudor tidbits, please visit www.sandrabyrd.com. Follow Sandra Byrd on Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest.

Historical Fiction Book Tours Book Review: Seduction

Publication Date: May 7, 2013
Atria Books
Hardcover; 384p
ISBN-10: 1451621507
From the author of The Book of Lost Fragrances comes a haunting novel about a grieving woman who discovers the lost journal of novelist Victor Hugo, awakening a mystery that spans centuries.
In 1843, novelist Victor Hugo’s beloved nineteen-year-old daughter drowned. Ten years later, Hugo began participating in hundreds of séances to reestablish contact with her. In the process, he claimed to have communed with the likes of Plato, Galileo, Shakespeare, Dante, Jesus—and even the Devil himself. Hugo’s transcriptions of these conversations have all been published. Or so it was believed.
Recovering from her own losses, mythologist Jac L’Etoile arrives on the Isle of Jersey—where Hugo conducted the séances—hoping to uncover a secret about the island’s Celtic roots. But the man who’s invited her there, a troubled soul named Theo Gaspard, has hopes she’ll help him discover something quite different—Hugo’s lost conversations with someone called the Shadow of the Sepulcher.
What follows is an intricately plotted and atmospheric tale of suspense with a spellbinding ghost story at its heart, by one of America’s most gifted and imaginative novelists.

Review: Seduction brings back some of the characters that you met when reading M.J. Rose's last novel The Book Of Lost Fragrances, so there will be some familiar faces here, especially for those of us that have been reading The Reincarnationist Series. (These books can be read as stand alone novels, but I think in this case, it might be helpful if you had read the previous book in the series)

This book, like the others in this series, blends past and present beautifully, bringing the life of Victor Hugo into the realm of fiction. His character is one of the main reasons I wanted to read the novel and as always, M.J. Rose didn't disappoint. I really felt connected to him in a way I never have before. He's  more than just the author of Les Miserables now.

More than suspenseful, this book also has a lot of spooky going on, which gives it a slightly different feel from the other novels. It almost made me wish that this book had been released in the autumn, because it is more the type of book I read around Halloween. (I'm crazy like that...I tend to read all my spooky novels in October)

The seances that occurred in Hugo's time period were creepy and the things that happened to Jac really give this book some dark undertones.

I love how well researched the book was in regards to Hugo's life. I found myself doing many an internet search to fact check and I found myself even more intrigued with Hugo's life after reading this book.

This is definitely the best book in the series so far.

I highly recommend this book and all of the series to fans of mystery/suspense and just a little something different.

Rating: 5 flowers

About the Author

M.J. Rose is the international best selling author of eleven novels and two non-fiction books on marketing. Her fiction and non-fiction has appeared in many magazines and reviews including Oprah Magazine. She has been featured in the New York Times, Newsweek, Time, USA Today and on the Today Show, and NPR radio. Rose graduated from Syracuse University, spent the ’80s in advertising, has a commercial in the Museum of Modern Art in NYC and since 2005 has run the first marketing company for authors – Authorbuzz.com. The television series PAST LIFE, was based on Rose’s novels in the Renincarnationist series. She is one of the founding board members of International Thriller Writers and runs the blog- Buzz, Balls & Hype. She is also the co-founder of Peroozal.com and BookTrib.com.
Rose lives in CT with her husband the musician and composer, Doug Scofield, and their very spoiled and often photographed dog, Winka.
For more information on M.J. Rose and her novels, please visit her WEBSITE. You can also find her on Facebook.

Historical Fiction Book Tours Book Review: The Bruges Tapestry

Publication Date: August 29, 2012
CreateSpace
Paperback; 254pISBN-10: 1478155582

Following a 500-year-old mystery concerning a Flemish tapestry is routine work for Detective Claire DeMaer, since she's employed by the Newport Beach Art Theft Detail. But, unlike past cases, this one involves arresting Paolo Campezzi, lover to her best friend Nora. Mr. Campezzi is a distant descendant of a Florentine Duke, who commissioned the tapestry in 1520 in Bruges, Belgium.

Claire finds that she must explore the true provenance of the tapestry, free Mr. Campezzi in order to re-establish her friendship with Nora and depend on the expertise of a textile expert she doesn't know. All this must occur in 72 hours, before the Vatican takes the tapestry back.

But Claire isn't the only one with the Vatican looking over her shoulder.  Claire's story intertwines with a 1520 diary by Beatrice van Hecke, the tapestry-weaver's daughter. Only Claire can discover the secret that is woven in time.

Review: As a practicing Catholic, I probably shouldn't have read this book. The author obviously has a deep dislike for the Roman Catholic Church. However I kept on reading, but I have to say that disturbed me and it really detracted from the story she was trying to tell.

The story is told from two perspectives, Claire's in the present day and Beatrice's in the 1500's. I can't say I connected much with Claire and I really didn't connect with her friend Nora, but I did love the characters from the 1500s. Claire just was a bit too snarky for my taste at times.

When Claire sees the tapestry in Paolo's house, she knows it is the one that appeared on the Interpol site. I had a hard time with Nora's, you have to believe my lover didn't steal this because he's "the one" sort of thing. 

There is a thing called protocol, because someone is your friend doesn't mean their boyfriend can be above the law. (Just as the church shouldn't)

What I really enjoyed about this book was Beatrice's story which is really the story of how the tapestry came to be. It was full of intrigue and was truly heartbreaking as the corrupt priests worked to cover up what had happened to her sister Marie. I was glad we did get to see what happened to Beatrice and the Duke after the events that lead the tapestry to land in the Vatican's hands to be told. 

It was a time when the Medici's had control of the Catholic Church and was really a period of great corruption, so the story is very believable from the time period. P.A. Staes really did her research well.

This is the first book in the Claire DeMaere series, and I definitely will read more if the mysteries don't end up having religious ties.

Rating: 4 flowers

About the Author

P.A. Staes is the author of The Bruges Tapestry; the first of the Claire DeMaere series of historical mysteries. To lend veracity to The Bruges Tapestry Ms. Staes traveled to Stirling Castle in Scotland, The Victoria and Albert Museum in London, The Cluny Museum and Gobelin Factory in Paris, and the Metropolitan Museum of Art and The Cloisters to bring alive the rich and romantic world of tapestry.   Ms. Staes lives in Southern California with her husband and two dogs.
For more information, please visit P.A. Staes's WEBSITE and BLOG.

Historical Fiction Book Tours Book Review; Thwarted Queen

Author: Cynthia Sally Haggard
Title: Thwarted Queen
Publisher: Spun Stories Press
Publish Date: Oct 18, 2011

Buy:  Amazon

Review Copy Provided By: Historical Fiction Book Tours and the publisher

Book Blurb: 

THWARTED QUEEN is a portrait of a woman trapped by power, a marriage undone by betrayal, and a King brought down by fear.

Cecylee is the apple of her mother’s eye. The seventh daughter, she is the only one left unmarried by 1424, the year she turns nine. In her father’s eyes, however, she is merely a valuable pawn in the game of marriage. The Earl of Westmorland plans to marry his youngest daughter to 13-year-old Richard, Duke of York, who is close to the throne. He wants this splendid match to take place so badly, he locks his daughter up.

The event that fuels the narrative is Cecylee’s encounter with Blaybourne, a handsome archer, when she is twenty-six years old. This love affair produces a child (the “One Seed” of Book II), who becomes King Edward IV. But how does a public figure like Cecylee, whose position depends upon the goodwill of her husband, carry off such an affair? The duke could have locked her up, or disposed of this illegitimate son.

But Richard does neither, keeping her firmly by his side as he tries to make his voice heard in the tumultuous years that encompass the end of the Hundred Years War - during which England loses all of her possessions in France - and the opening phase of the Wars of the Roses. He inherits the political mantle of his mentor Duke Humphrey of Gloucester, and become’s the people’s champion. The rambunctious Londoners are unhappy that their country has become mired in misrule due to the ineptitude of a King prone to fits of madness. Nor are they better pleased by the attempts of the King’s French wife to maneuver herself into power, especially as she was responsible for England’s losses in France. But can Richard and Cecylee prevail? Everywhere, their enemies lurk in the shadows.

This book is filled with many voices, not least those of the Londoners, who forged their political destiny by engaging in public debate with the powerful aristocrats of the time. By their courageous acts, these fifteenth-century Londoners set the stage for American Democracy.


Review: This book takes place before The War Of Roses. I haven't read much from this period, other than Phillipa Gregory's The Lady Of The Rivers, so this is new territory for me.

I was surprised at how much I remembered about the historical figures that were prominent during this time period, particularly Marguerite of Anjou, who isn't portrayed in a very favorable light here.

The story is about Cecylee, wife of Richard of York.

She's a very strong woman and she goes through a lot in her life.

From the very start, this book captured my interest. Its a weighty book, about 440 pages give or take, and I read it in 2 days. Once I started reading, I really got caught up in time period.

I have to admit I am used to reading historical fiction by certain authors, Gregory, Plaidy etc and it was nice to have a story told with a different voice.

Cynthia brings these historical figures to life for her readers in such a way that you really want to know more and Cecylee is a very intriguing woman for her time. There are times when you love her, when you feel sorry for her and when you want to knock some sense into her.

So all in all, she is just like you or me only she's caught up in a power struggle for the crown of England, because of the madness of Henry VI and his wife Marguerite of Anjou.

One of the things about Cecylee's story that is most intriguing is of her supposed affair that resulted in the birth of a son, Edward IV. His father was supposedly an archer named Blaybourne.

This story served two purposes for me. It kept me entertained and it taught me something. My grandmother always said that you learn something from every book you read, regardless of the genre. In this case I got a wonderfully entertaining history lesson from Cynthia Sally Haggard.

Rating: 5 flowers

Reading Addiction Book Tour Guest Blog & Review: Mercedes King - O! Jackie

Why We Love Jackie Kennedy

          It’s been fifty years since Jackie Kennedy graced the White House (and edging close to twenty years since her passing), yet adoration for the former first lady endures. Why? Many of the presidents’ wives have done their duty--respectfully so--and moved on to quiet lives after their husband’s time in office, and let’s face it, many are forgettable. But not Jackie. Aside from her controversial and puzzling marriage to Aristotle Onassis, what was it about Jackie Kennedy that engraved her on so many hearts? I think I know.

          Her style. Comparisons come and go, but we all know that no first lady before or since was as elegant as Jackie. For instance, do we swoon at the remembrance of Nancy Reagan’s inaugural gown? Probably not. Even though the events of 1961 were well before my time, I’m familiar with the gowns Jackie wore to the inaugural gala and to the inaugural balls, as are many Kennedy admirers. After all, they’ve been on display, featured in magazines, immortalized in museums. When we think of Jackie’s style though, we may also recall Jackie, a refined equestrienne, in jodhpurs--and looking equally stunning. How many women could pull that off?

          Her grace. Jackie’s poise and manners are legendary. She charmed world leaders and always had a smile ready for the cameras--even when the cameras and reporters became too invasive for Jackie’s taste. Even more remarkable? That public persona of hers never cracked, regardless of rumors of her husband’s naughty activities.

          Her love of family. First and foremost, Jackie Kennedy was a wife and mother. Despite JFK’s dalliances, Jackie’s devotion never wavered. Pictures of her on the floor or at the beach with a young Caroline and an even younger John Jr. make Jackie relatable. She loved being a mother, and unfortunately, her journey toward motherhood was one of tragedy. She knew the pain of miscarriage, the devastation of having a stillborn (Arabella), and the deep, grievous loss of her newborn, Patrick. Our hearts break over such trials, and as parents ourselves, we rejoice in her happiness.  

          Her strength. After JFK’s assassination, Jackie Kennedy showed more dignity than anyone would have imagined possible. She not only planned the funeral with history in mind, but she also saw to it that the country--and her children--gave her husband a meaningful, respectful send off. Although the grief was evident on her face, and she was entitled to a breakdown after what she had been through, Jackie did not let her bereavement take over. She made our nation proud at a most difficult time.

          Fine women will continue to come and go and fulfill their first lady duties, but it is doubtful that any will be as admired, talked about, and remembered as fondly as Jackie Kennedy.

Mainstreem/Commercial/Literary

Title: O! Jackie

Author - Mercedes King

Date to be Published: 12/29/2012

Synopsis: Despite her poise and graceful smile, Jackie Kennedy’s life was far from perfect. Behind closed doors, Jackie struggled with bouts of depression, endured a heartbreaking road to motherhood, and had difficult relationships with those closest to her. Ravaged by insecurities and humiliation, she even wrestled her own temptations for both other men and divorce. But Jackie clung to the belief that she could make JFK abandon his wandering ways. Through the years, though, Jack Kennedy’s lustful escapades grew in carelessness and frequency, and most needling for Jackie were his trysts with Marilyn Monroe. When Marilyn becomes erratic and unstable, Jackie must decide how far she will go to protect the presidency and to save her marriage.

Excerpt: My husband’s faithfulness to being unfaithful tortured our marriage. The relationship never seemed about just the two of us. I suffered a great deal, both publicly and privately, but few people knew. Those who did know could not comfort me.
    Ours was a complicated history. We were both so complex, so set in our ways, and worst of all, we were the product of our parents, though we vowed not to resemble them. And when two strong and independent people are united¾ with domineering and opinionated parents behind them¾ such a couple may spend their lives trying not to tear each other apart.

    Despite everything that’s happened, I feel no regrets. Yet there are times when the enormity of one’s choices is difficult to bear. You struggle to hold on to a shred of sanity. Sometimes you pacify yourself. Other times you live in delusion. Sometimes you simply fail to hold it all together.

-------------
Since becoming the senator’s wife, Jackie had faced a difficult adjustment. Jack traveled extensively, but the loneliness was tolerable. He regularly brought home a parade of friends and aides, unannounced, but she grew accustomed to the in-house crowd. Frequent moves were taxing but doable, the whirlwind lifestyle demanding but manageable. What drained and anguished her most was Jack’s family.
    The Kennedy clan was loud, rambunctious and numerous. They preferred heated debates at the dinner table and rough games afterward. Jack thrived on his family’s presence and basked in their company.
    Jackie’s quiet nature and polished manners made her transition into the family awkward. An introvert, she received lackluster attention from Jack’s sisters. Some Kennedy women interpreted her shyness as a snub.
    Somehow, the couple would need to create a balance as they meshed their different worlds.
    For now, she dismissed thoughts of her in-laws and picked up her pace. After all, she could be spontaneous. Jack would be pleased, she reminded herself. That made Jackie all the more eager to see her husband.
    After working her way through the Senate Office Building toward Jack’s office, Jackie found that his secretary was away from her desk. As she glanced around, she suddenly heard giggles from behind office door No. 326. Puzzled, she decided to let herself in, with only a gentle knock to broadcast her entry.
    “Surprise, darling…,” she began.
    And was he ever.
    Jack sat in his chair behind the desk. A beautiful young woman was between Jack and his desk, buttoning her blouse. Her cheeks flushed, and she fumbled as strands of her blond hair kept falling in her way.
    Jack nearly sent sparks flying as he zipped his pants.
    The young woman hopped off the desk and straightened her skirt. She avoided looking at Jackie as she made a beeline for the door. Then she paused, as if her escape was interrupted by programming, and asked Jack, “Is there anything I can get you?” An obnoxious wave of her perfume stung Jackie’s nose.
    Jack shook his head and scowled at her. He stood and went to his wife, who had not taken her eyes off him since entering the room.
    “Jackie. Wh-What are you doing here?” He forced a weak grin.
    Jackie didn’t answer. Didn’t blink.
    Jack’s smile widened and he reached to embrace her. He was stopped by a gloved but sharp slap on the cheek.
    Jackie gasped, bewildered by her own action. Jack stared at her, his face awash with disbelief. As the shock slowly faded, he gave her a look that warned her not to do it again.
    “Jackie, it’s not what you think,” he lied. His natural, winsome smile appeared and he batted those heavily-lidded eyes. “She’s just some intern or aide. Meaningless.”
    “Meaningless to you, perhaps. But if you found me tangled in the arms of another man, would that be meaningless to you, Jack Kennedy?”
Jack sidestepped that verbal trap.
    “Don’t be upset, Jackie. You should’ve telephoned and let me know you were coming.”
    “Obviously.”
Jack held his wife in his gaze. He expected his charm to put her at ease. It was one of the best weapons in his manly arsenal, and it served him well with the ladies.
    Shouldering the shame that should have been her husband’s, Jackie averted her eyes. She huffed and turned to leave.
    Jack held the door shut as she grabbed for the handle.
    “Don’t leave like this,” he said. “There’s no need for a scene. Just calm down a minute. Let me take you to lunch.”
    Jackie flashed him a look of disgust. Would she ever be able to eat again?
    He placed his hand on her arm, but Jackie swiped it away as if his palm was laced with disease. Surprised, Jack rocked back on his heels and lost his hold of the door.
    “Don’t touch me!” Jackie snapped before darting out of the room. She fought back the tears swelling in her eyes.


Review: Imagine Jackie Kennedy telling you the story of her life with Jack. You see Camelot through Jackie's eyes. You live out all her hopes, her fears and her dreams. Reality and fiction meet.

I absolutely couldn't put this book down once I started it. I was captivated.

We all know that her marriage to JFK wasn't all that it was cracked up to be. As I read, I almost felt their marriage might have been a bit like Charles and Diana's, only in Jackie's case there was more than one women with her husband.

Marilyn Monroe plays a huge part in the book, but she's not really a character at least not until the end.

This book is one of those novels that instantly makes you want to learn more. If you don't know much about Jackie O, when you finish reading this you'll want to devour every book you can find on her. 

Well, I do.

She's more than just a first lady, she's an icon and a symbol of a generation. Mercedes, humanized her, in this book. She brought that time period to life superbly. Plus she added the fictional touch to history. What if she played a part in Marilyn's death. Now that was something I didn't really see coming.

What I really loved about this book was the journal parts that really felt like the fictional Jackie was sharing her life with the world, or at least the reader of the book.

The only flaw I found was her naming Lee's first husband as Cass Canfield, at the beginning of the book when it was actually Michael. Lee, being Jackie's sister. 

Other than that, this book was a fantastic read, one you won't forget after reading, but then again, who can forget The Kennedys? 

Rating: 4 flowers

Mercedes King

Author Bio:

A founding member of Sisters in Crime Columbus, Ohio, Mercedes King is an active member and past president. She graduated from Capital University with a degree in Criminology, and since then has been crafting stories with a scandalous flair. A born and bred Buckeye, she writes in a variety of genres and is hard at work on her next novel.

Contact Links:

Web site: OJackiebook.com

Twitter: @OJackiebook

Purchase Links

Amazon - http://amzn.to/Ut5IHnu

Giveaway: a Rafflecopter giveaway