📖 Blog Tour ~ Yellow is for Sunflowers by Kathryn Freeman

 

13 September 2022

My thanks to Rachel's Random Resources for my copy of the book
and the invitation to the blog tour

Dean Baxter was everything a sensible thirty-two-year-old teacher should avoid. Five years younger, cocky, with a playboy reputation. Oh and guardian to Tom, one of her most promising students. But Lia was a rebel at heart.

Lia Stapleton was everything that was out of reach for an uneducated garage mechanic who’d made too many mistakes. Cambridge-educated, gorgeous and from a well-heeled background, she was his brother’s teacher. But Dean couldn’t resist her.

As Dean and Lia’s tentative relationship begins, can it survive Tom’s disapproval, her parents’ interference. And the dangerous return of his past.

📖 My Review..

When Lia Stapleton is rescued by Dean Baxter her instinct is to keep well away from the playboy car mechanic but Dean's good natured charm and obvious sex appeal soon proves to be too irresistible. Always a rebel, Lia decides to follow her heart not her head and soon gets involved in everything about Dean's life, including his somewhat shady past. With passion sizzling on every page there is also a hint of danger especially when we learn more about Dean's past and how Lia copes with this different side to the kind and caring man she is beginning to get to know.

Yellow is for Sunflowers is one of those wonderful romantic stories which this author writes so well. With pitch perfect characterisation, I just loved Lia's outgoing nature, and who could resist the appeal of Dean, who really doesn't know what hit him when he met Lia for the first time. Throughout the book this warm hearted romance just zings with sexual passion and yet interestingly there is also more than a hint of danger and intrigue. Once I started reading Yellow is for Sunflowers I found it difficult to put it down and read the story in one sitting, it's definitely escapism with a capital E and works beautifully on every level. 

Another triumph for this talented author.

🍴Best read with...Dean's shepherd's pie

About the Author

For as long as I can remember, I’ve always wanted to write a book. It may have had something to do with my obsession with reading romance. Real life interfered and I headed off in a different direction – into the world of science, becoming a pharmacist before joining the pharmaceutical industry. I did end up writing, but it was about disease and medicines. Decades later, I’m finally doing what I always wanted to do.

With a husband who asks every Valentine's Day whether he has to buy a card (yes, he does), all the romance in my life is in my head. Then again, his unstinting support of my career change proves love isn't always about hearts and flowers - and heroes come in many disguises.

Twitter @kathrynfreeman1 #YellowisforSunflowers

@rararesources

Website

Review ~ Smoke In Her Eyes by Anna Belfrage

Troubadour Publishing
March 2019

My thanks to the author for my e-copy of this book

Six months ago, Helle Madsen would have described herself as normal. Now she no longer knows if that terms applies, not after her entire life has been turned upside down by the reappearance of not one, but two, men from her very, very distant past. 

Helle Madsen never believed in mumbo-jumbo stuff like reincarnation—until she came face to face with Jason Morris, a man who purportedly had spent fifty lives looking for her. Coping with being reunited with the lover from her ancient past was one thing. Having Sam Woolf, her vindictive nemesis from that same ancient past join the party was a bit too much. Suddenly, Helle finds herself the reluctant heroine of a far-flung, time-transcending epic story, one in which pain and loss seem to play a very big part. 

This time round, Jason and Helle are determined to make it to the happily ever after. Unfortunately, Sam Woolf will stop at nothing to crush them. That ride into the golden sunset seems awfully far away at times…

What did I think about it..

Those who have read A Torch in his Heart, which is the first book in the darkly romantic Wanderer series, will be entirely familiar with the dangerous love triangle which exists around Sam Woolf,  Helle Masden and Jason Morris, so I'm not going to repeat what has gone before, however, for those who are new to the series, it would be much better if you started at the beginning and followed this daring story of thwarted love and heated passion.

Smoke in her Eyes continues in the same dramatic way as the first book, with so much unease that my heart was in my mouth and that was from just what was happening over the first chapter! The story continues with further developments in the twisted world which exists between these three complex characters whose shared history spans well over three thousand years.

The author keeps us well entertained with this dark story of love and revenge and, as always, the drama explodes in some truly fascinating encounters. However, it is in the relationship between Jason and Helle where much of the passionate heat of the story lies and in Smoke in her Eyes, they both have to overcome some pretty powerful emotions in order to understand just where their relationship is headed. There's jealousy, misunderstanding and suspicion between them, which makes their volatile partnership all the more exciting, and yet it is their erotic and passionate relationship in the bedroom which fairly sizzles on the pages.

The dangerous relationship which Jason and Helle have with their nemesis, Sam Woolf is where the story really gets into some dangerous territory, and as old jealousies explode so the battle for dominance continues with deadly vengeance. Contemplating the destiny of her characters is what this author does really well and she plots their fate with a deft hand and a fine eye for detail. I especially like the way she plays with the readers emotions so that you both love, and loathe, the characters in equal measure. The suspenseful mystery at the centre of the novel is as taut and tight as ever and there's never a moment when the action relaxes into complacency.

Smoke in Her Eyes is a worthy continuation of the Wanderer series and, after reading the tantalising excerpt at the back of this e-copy, I'm already looking forward to Fire in the Skies which is book number 3.

About the Author

Had Anna been allowed to choose, she’d have become a time-traveller. As this was impossible, she became a financial professional with three absorbing interests: history, romance and writing. Anna has authored the acclaimed time travelling series The Graham Saga, set in 17th century Scotland and Maryland, as well as the equally acclaimed medieval series The King’s Greatest Enemy which is set in 14th century England. 

Smoke In Her Eyes is the second book in her new series, The Wanderer. This time, she steps out of her normal historical context with fast-paced contemporary romantic suspense with paranormal and time-slip ingredients. She has loved writing the series – she hopes her readers will like reading it just as much.

Website

Facebook

Twitter @abelfrageauthor

Review ~ The Protector by Jodi Ellen Malpas

Orion
2016

A bit of blurb...

People think they have Camille Logan nailed: daddy's girl; beautiful, spoiled young woman with her father's bank balance to fund her lifestyle. But Camille is determined to have a life free from his strings. Out on her own, she's made mistakes, including one that found her clawing her way back after a stint in rehab and plenty of bad press. Now, after fighting so hard to be independent and happy, she finds her life threatened as a result of her father's ruthless business dealings. Caught between resentment and fear, Camille prepares herself for the measures her father will take to protect her. But nothing could prepare her for the ex-SAS sniper who crashes into her life.

Jake Sharp resides in his own personal hell. He was distracted from duty once before, and the consequences were devastating--both personally and professionally. He vowed never to let that happen again. Accepting the job of bodyguard to Camille Logan isn't the kind of distraction from his demons he should take. Women and Jake don't mix well, yet protecting the heiress seems the lesser of two evils. But Jake soon discovers that she isn't the woman she's perceived to be. She's warm, compassionate, her presence settling, and his duty to protect her soon goes deeper than a well-paid job, no matter how hard he fights it. He needs absolution. He comes to need Camille. But he knows he can't have both.

My Thoughts about The Protector..

Firstly, I was charmed by the cover which looks deliciously romantic and from the beginning there is an obvious passionate theme to the novel even though the premise of the story sometimes dictates otherwise.

Secondly, the story has a nice edge to it and both Camille and Jake are eminently likeable, although to be honest I was more team Jake than Camille as she perplexed me at times. She’s a typical daddy’s rich girl with a troubled past ,however, it was Jake's shadowy military past which captured my attention more.

From the start of the novel there is an undeniable attraction between alpha- male Jake and Camille and the tantalising glimpse of a possible relationship between them is handled well and with nice attention to detail. The author gets into the psyche of her characters very well, she makes them both passionate and vulnerable and I enjoyed that aspect of the story.

So overall, although this is not my usual genre, I enjoyed The Protector. It’s a passionate romance which I enjoyed seeing played out in the wider context of the story.

Best Read with...A cup of iced tea and some pretty pink cup cakes, heavy on the frosting..

About Jodi: 

Jodi Ellen Malpas is a self-professed day-dreamer, obsessed with Converse, and marked with a terrible weak spot for Alpha Males. She has sold hundreds of thousands of her renowned erotic trilogy, This Man, which she wrote in secret before self-publishing as e-books. She landed a major US publishing deal and sailed straight to the top of the New York Times bestsellers chart in a few short months. Her work has been cited as ‘A more sophisticated Fifty Shades of Grey’.

My thanks to Rebecca at FMcm for my copy of The Protector.

Close to Home ...Liz Bower

As a book reviewer I have made contact with authors from all across the globe and feel immensely privileged to be able to share some amazing work. However, there is always something rather special when a book comes to my attention which has been written by an author in my part of the North of England. So with this in mind I have great pleasure in featuring some of those authors who are literally close to my home. Over the next few Saturdays, and hopefully beyond, I will be sharing the work of a very talented bunch of Northern authors.

Today please welcome Lancashire Author

Liz Bower

Hello Liz and thank you for spending time with us today. Tell us a little about yourself and what got you started as an author?

I am originally from Lancashire and have just moved back after eight years away. Most of the time I drink too much coffee while writing about my characters finding their own HEA. The rest of my time I'm either searching for the next HEA to read or walking my dog.

The idea of writing my own book started when I was a teenager. It wasn't until I was living abroad that I found the time to actually start one.

As a writer based in the North West, does this present any problems in terms of marketing and promoting your books and if so, how do you overcome them?

Most of my marketing and promotion — like so many other things nowadays — I do online so my location isn't an issue.

If you were pitching the North West as an ideal place to live, work and write – how would you sell it and what makes it so special?

I love the north-west and I'm a Lancashire girl at heart.

It's a great place to live because there's something for everyone. Lancashire is a county steeped in history with many museums and historical buildings to visit. It is home to the cultural city of Manchester, some of music's best bands and singers, and of course where Charlotte Bronte began writing Jane Eyre.

The north-west is home to some of the most beautiful places I've visited.  This is great for my writing too as I'll never be short of inspiration for a book setting. And of course the people are so friendly 'Up North'!

What started you on the path to writing?

I had written stories as a teenager but then adult life got in the way. When I found myself living in the Middle East and unable to work it seemed like a great opportunity to give it a go. I took an online creative writing course and started writing my first book, which is still buried on a shelf somewhere never to see the light of day!

How did you break into the publishing world?

I only published my first book this year so I'm still trying to break into the publishing world but I always wanted to go the self-published route.

What are the up and downs to being an author?

Some weeks there are so many I feel like I'm on a rollercoaster. I love it when my characters talk to me and the writing just flows. Or when a reader gets in touch to thank me for helping them escape reality in my books for a while, that makes all the hard work worthwhile. Then there's those bad moments when you let doubts creep in and every word you write is a struggle. It's also hard trying to get your name out there because there are so many great authors already published.

Can you describe your books in three words?

Thrilling romantic fantasy

And finally, if someone is new to your work, which book do you think they should start with?

The three books follow on from each other so start with Vision in Love. 

©Liz Bower

All photographs by kind permission

Legends of the North

  

You can find out more about Liz and her writing by clicking on the links below;


Website
Facebook
Twitter
Amazon UK

Huge thanks to Liz for being part of my Close to Home feature and for sharing her thoughts about her writing so eloquently.

I hope that you have enjoyed reading today's Close to Home feature.

Coming next Saturday : Jo Hollywood

~***~

Review ~ Daisy in Chains by Sharon Bolton

Transworld
2 June 2016

Well, where do I begin to talk about Daisy in Chains without giving everything away? I've really no idea, which is why I'm not even going to try to explain away the plot, the counter plot, or the creepy edginess which has you on the edge of your seat...no really, all that you have to discover for yourself.

I'm not often bamboozled by a plot, but it took me a while to figure this one, and even then I hadn't sussed it all, not really, and that's what's so blooming good about Sharon Bolton's writing. She draws you in with a clever plot, with characters who behave like no-one you've ever known and yet, who squirm and worm their way into your subconscious until you almost find yourself applying for a visitor's pass to HMP Parkhurst on the Isle of Wight, just so you can meet Hamish Wolfe in the flesh. And believe me, Hamish Wolfe is a whole other story , fiercely intelligent, with matinee idol good looks and enough charm to whisk even the most jaded of readers out of their comfort zone. But it is Maggie Rose, a lawyer and writer of real life crime stories, who makes you look at the dark and twisted soul of a serial killer in a whole new light. Maggie, spends her waking moments trying to release killers who have no business being released back into society, but her pernickety delving into the murky depths of hidden truths doesn't usually sit well with a society who, quite rightly,  believe that their monsters should remain locked behind bars. 

I started Daisy in Chains on a fairly bright afternoon, on one of those days when you think that it would be more beneficial to be outside in the garden, but even after just the first chapter I knew that I wasn't going to tackle the weeds, indeed, I had little time for anything other than to brew another cup of comforting chamomile tea. I was simply unable to put the book down, so I read on and on, until I knew why Daisy was in chains, and even more importantly who had put her there.

If you've never read a Sharon Bolton novel before then this is a good place to start and I guarantee that if clever psychological crime is your forte, then you won't be able to put the book down and more importantly you will head off to your nearest high street book store, library, or on line book provider and you will start to gather her back catalogue, trust me, you won't be disappointed.

Best Read with .....A bowl of Maggie's lamb stew and a flask of coffee, heavily laced with rum...

About the Author

Find the author on Facebook

Follow on Twitter @AuthorSJBolton

My thanks to NetGalley and Transworld for my copy of this one to read in advance of it's publication on the 2nd June 2016

~***~

Review ~ The Liar by Nora Roberts

Little Brown Book Group UK
2015

Shelby Pomeroy has to come to terms with her husband Richard's death, whilst at the same time being burdened with a spiraling level of debt. With little knowledge of her husband's business affairs, Shelby knows that in order to pay back the staggering mount of money that is owed by overspending on credit cards and house purchases, she must do everything she can to make amends and also she must be able to provide a stable future for her four year old daughter, Callie. Returning home to Tennessee, Shelby is welcomed back by her family and with a supportive network of people around her, she hopes to be able to readjust to life as a young widow. But Richard's shady business deals means that he has made dangerous enemies and Shelby is about to find out just how much Richard has kept from her.

Nora Roberts' unique brand of story telling draws you into a story that is deliciously and unashamedly romantic,  And yet, even though The Liar, has a rather dark edge to it there is never any gratuitous violence, and you always know that the good guy will win in the end, and the bad guy will get his comeuppance. There's the usual detailed characterisation, with some wonderful interaction between Shelby and her mother and grandmother, both of whom I wish I could meet in person, and of course, there is the handsome and rather perfect Griffin, who from their first meeting, is smitten by the sombre young widow and her delightful little girl.

I always look upon a new Nora Robert's story as a real indulgent treat, and even though I've been reading her books for the last twenty years, I can only count a couple of her stories which didn't work for me. This one certainly worked for me.

It's as deliciously dark as a cup of hot chocolate but there's also a smattering of sticky pink marshmallows to keep the edges as sweet as candy.

More about Nora Roberts

Amazon UK

My thanks to NetGalley and Little Brown Book Group UK for sharing this book with me.

~***~

The author in my spotlight is .... Lorna Gray

Author 

of

Harper Impulse
21 May 2015

Lorna - I'm so pleased to welcome you to Jaffareadstoo...Can you tell us a little about yourself. How long have you been writing and what got you started?

To answer the last part first, like many authors, I wrote stories as a child. Of course I'd cringe if anyone got their hands on them now! But the love of writing has been a part of my life for a very long time. History has always been a big source of inspiration and latterly this has focused on the post-war period. It all finally came to the fore about six years ago when the first seeds of inspiration were sewn that became 1947 adventure In the Shadow of Winter.

And just to give you the full picture of Lorna Gray, I am also a book illustrator and archaeological illustrator. So creativity and reconstructing the past appear to have worked themselves into every aspect of my life! I live in the Cotswolds in a tiny house with my partner, our chickens (who are not allowed in the house though, no matter how that reads), a dog and a cat who are inseparable, and also a field full of ponies and goats.

 Where did you get the first flash of inspiration for your novel, In the Shadow of Winter?

I can still remember that first moment of inspiration vividly. I was out in the field with the animals late one wintery night when I first discovered a sense of the isolation and danger experienced by lead character Eleanor. I'd just been talking to an octogenarian neighbour about his experiences (he was fourteen at the end of WWII) so my mind was full of the hardships witnessed by these fields over sixty years before. It was very lonely in the valley and absolutely freezing, and in my imagination I saw her stumbling through the storms of 1947 to discover former love Matthew Croft and helping him, and subsequently finding that a police manhunt is set to follow him right to her door.

 Tell us three interesting things about your novel which will pique the reader’s interest?

Point number one: The History. In the Shadow of Winter is set in a real timeframe, immediately after the Second World War when Britain was in a very tight spot. It's the most fantastic period in which to set an adventure. Food shortages were worse than ever before and then the weather decided to hit the whole country with extraordinarily low temperatures, deep snows and incredible danger. Cities and urban areas were hit by power cuts (rural areas were exempt because they didn't have mains electricity anyway!) and one town ended up getting its electricity from a kindly submarine that moored up nearby and acted as generator. It would sound like fiction, only it isn't!

Point number two: The mystery. I can't tell you what happens because then it wouldn't be much of a mystery but I can say that suspicion, the police and the panicked flight of a desperate man beat a path to Eleanor's door … The adventure has been described as 'unputdownable', 'chilling', 'gripping' and variations to that effect.  Hopefully you'll agree.

Point number three: the romance. You know how these things usually go, where the main character and her hero meet in a chance encounter? The sparks fly and they just start to get along swimmingly and then something happens to cause a bust-up before, at long last, they finally work it all out? Well, in this book, we meet Eleanor after the bust up. The romance in her life is the acceptance of the past and coming to terms with it, and learning how to put her heart, and her feelings for the very enigmatic Matthew, back together again. I didn't set out to write it this way, but I really loved discovering how her sense of the past influenced her reactions now - now that she has the chance to begin again, if only she can weather the storm.

 What was the best experience you had while writing In the Shadow of Winter?

I'm not entirely sure this can count as the best experience, but it was certainly the funniest. I noticed that when I got to a stage where I was writing a conflict or argument between the hero and Eleanor, I start to have silly little arguments with my real world partner. I kept getting angry with him and I couldn't quite tell him why, until I realised that somehow I was blaming him for the things fictional hero Matthew had done. Which is daft given that I was the author of Matthew's actions in the first place! Sometimes it is possible, I've realised, to empathise a little too much with one's characters ...

In your research for the novel, did you discover anything which surprised you?

Very simply, the thing that surprised me the most was how willing people were to share their memories, and how different each person's perspective was of a major historical event such as that terrible winter.

When do you find the time to write, and do you have a favourite place to do your writing?

I write at any time of day I can - it squeezes itself in with sheer determination around many other things. I have a fantastic desk upstairs with a window looking out over the very countryside that is my inspiration. If I ever lose my way, I just look out and there it all is, ready to remind me.

Can you tell us if you have another novel planned?

Absolutely I can. I'm working on one at the moment. The latest work is set in a similar period, but warm. Definitely warm. I can't face any more blizzards for now, even imaginary ones!

More about Lorna on her website 

Follow Lorna on Twitter @MsLornaGray
Folow Harper Impulse on Twitter @HarperImpulse

Sharing my thoughts on In the Shadow of Winter

There's a real sense of danger in this suspenseful novel which focuses on the events which happen in a small Cotswold village over a short period of time in the winter of 1947.  

The end of the war has not brought prosperity for Eleanor Phillips, and as she ekes out a meagre living on her farm, she struggles to keep body and soul together. During a violent snowstorm Eleanor rescues a man who is clearly in need of shelter, but this man has secrets which will put Eleanor, her beloved farm and those closest to her in real danger.

What then follows is a beautifully written suspenseful story which reads comfortably, almost like Eleanor's memoir. You feel she is speaking just for you and in a few short words conjures a real sense of the freezing cold, the secluded isolation and the inherent danger. The mystery at the heart of the novel is well thought out and had me on the edge of my seat from the beginning. I really wanted everything to work out well for Eleanor and felt that she deserved some happiness.

I won't spoil any of the story by relating more of the plot as you really should read this for yourself to find out what happened. It's a perfect book to curl up, preferably with a huge pot of tea and some comforting homemade biscuits.

My thanks to Hayley Camis at Harper Impulse for my copy of this book.

And  also to Lorna Gray for her insightful answers to my questions and for sharing her book with Jaffareadstoo.

~***~

Review ~ Sophia's Secret by Julie Ryan

A Greek Island Mystery

After an absence of over twenty years, Kat returns to Greece, with her own small daughter, ostensibly, for her mother’s funeral. Kat has painful memories of her childhood and struggles with the unsolved mystery of why she was sent, aged seven, to live with her aunt Tigi, in England. Never seeing her mother again has been painful for Kat, and the Greek island of her childhood, where she grew up, is filled with memories of a past she can barely remember. And yet , returning to the island, Kat finds that some secrets, long buried, need to be revisited, and as her grandmother starts to share her memories of the past, Kat discovers things about her family and friends that she could never have imagined.

This is a story about Greek island life and of the convoluted mysteries which can linger for generations, the repercussions of which, all too often, reverberate down through time. The story is allowed to evolve slowly and as the hidden secrets of the characters start to emerge, so the appeal of the place and its people come alive in the imagination. The clandestine feelings of long buried secrets linger throughout the novel and there are more than enough twists and turns in the plot to keep you entertained right to the end.

I think that it’s a lovely book to load onto your Kindle to pack away in your suitcase – I can almost  taste the retsina, hear the cicadas and smell the bougainvillea.. 

It's worth noting that this is the second book in the Greek Island Mysteries and whilst there is some overlap of characters from Jenna's Story, Sophia's Secret can be comfortably read as a standalone novel.

Amazon UK

Follow the author on Twitter @julieryan18

My thanks to the author for sharing her work with me. 

~***~

Review ~ A Spell in Provence by Marie Laval

Accent Press
2015

Amy Carter relocates to the beautiful Provencal countryside to run a guest house at the mysterious, but beautiful, Bellefontaine. It’s a place that is riddled with the secrets of its ancient past and bound up in the shadows of local folklore. Right from the start Amy discovers that running the guest house isn’t going to easy; there are too many unexpected happenings which rattle her confidence. Added to the mystery of Bellefontaine, is the allure of the enigmatic Fabien Coste, an arrogant owner of a nearby chateau, whose own family history is connected with Bellefontaine’s mysterious past.

What then follows is a nicely written romantic suspense story which uses the beautiful allure of the French countryside to take the reader, not just on a journey into the past, but also combines a love affair which is firmly placed in the here and now. I enjoyed getting to know the characters; Amy is a feisty heroine and Fabien, the quintessential sexy hero, is a welcome distraction from some of the darker elements of the story.

The story flows well and whilst there are no great surprises in who is behind some of the events which take place, there are certainly more than enough thrills and spills to keep you turning the pages in order to see just how the story eventually plays out.

I enjoyed A Spell in Provence and look forward to more stories from this author.

My thanks to the  author for sharing her book with me



~***~

Review ~ The Echoes of Love by Hannah Fielding

2013

Venetia Aston- Montagu has escaped to the glitz and glamour of Venice where she hopes to put aside the pain of a lost love and immerse herself in her grandmother's architectural business. However, the seductive lure of Venice is difficult to escape, especially when Venetia meets the enigmatic and rather delicious Paolo Barone, whose Don Juan reputation makes him the proverbial bad boy. The fiery passion which erupts between Venetia and Paolo forms the basis for this intense and passionate story which takes in the beauty of Venice, the glory of the Tuscan countryside and the sizzling attraction between two beautiful people.

In The Echoes of Love, Hannah Fielding has really captured the essence of romance and also manages to convey a perfect sense of time and place, her research is, as always, impeccably done but it is in the fine attention to detail where she really excels. If you enjoy romantic suspense with a hint of glamour and more than enough high octane passion, then I am sure that you will love this one as much as I did.

My thanks to the author for an ecopy of this novel.

More about the Author

Review ~ The Property of a Gentleman by Catherine Gaskin

Corazon Books

2014

The Property of a Gentleman was originally published in 1974 and forms part of the extensive catalogue of historical/romantic suspense stories which were written by Catherine Gaskin during her forty years as a novelist, when she became known as “The Queen of Storytellers” and “The Girl with the Golden Pen.” 

Sent from a London auction house, Jo Roswell, and her companion Gerald Stanton visit the stately home of the Earl of Askew, in the English Lake District. Their mission is to evaluate the historic contents with a view to a possible sale of antiquities. However, once at the house they become enthralled by the history, and also of the tragic story of the ill fated Spanish woman who  lived in the house centuries before and of the infamous diamond, La Española, which exerts a sinister curse over all who come into contact with it.

I half expected this story to have lost some of its charm over the years and whilst parts of it can appear a little out-moded, it is still a very good story and quickly draws you into the whole concept of the slightly dilapidated country house, the reluctant Earl and his enigmatic mistress, and the brooding gloom of the faithful old retainers who knows far more than they should about the history of the house and contents.

This story encompasses all that is great about Catherine Gaskin's writing, and even forty years on from its publication date ,The Property of a Gentleman remains as atmospheric and compelling as when it was first published. 

The Property of a Gentleman is available as an ebook for the first time - it is published on Thursday 5th December 2013

My thanks to Corazon Books for the opportunity to read this book in advance of its publication

***

Christmas with Heart Charity Competition

To celebrate the publication of The Property of a Gentleman by Catherine Gaskin, Corazon Books are running a Christmas competition for readers.

Our competition is one with a difference and, we think, in the true spirit of Christmas. We will send a donation of £50 to a charity of the winner’s choice, as a special gift from us and our winning reader!

To be in with a chance to win, simple email your answer to the question below to editor [at] greatstorieswithheart.com


Q) In The Property of a Gentleman, what is the name of the ancient house which is home to Robert, the Earl of Askew?

Clue: check out the link below! Please nominate your chosen charity and include a link to their website with your entry.


The deadline for entries is midnight on Friday 20th December. The winner will be notified by email on Monday 23rd December.

For full details, go to: http://www.greatstorieswithheart.com/christmas-with-heart/

My Guest on the Blog is Maria Elena Alonso-Sierra

I am delighted to welcome

 to my blog

Maria Elena Alonso-Sierra

Author 

of

CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform; First Edition edition (April 12, 2013)

Where did you get the inspiration for The Coin?

                 

I was living in France at the time, and I had taken the children out to one of the area parks in the region that had hiking trails.  As the boys were kicking the ball along the trail, I noticed several coins on the ground.  The area was a small, secluded clearing, and we were the only people there.  My mind, which always is setting up scenarios of one sort or another, came up with:  what if a married woman with children finds a coin, but that coin is used for nefarious activities?  And that was the moment the novel was born.

What is it about your book that will pique the reader’s interest?

                  

Now that is a hard question.  At first I would have answered the setting and the plot.  But what I think drives the story are the characters, especially the interaction between Richard and Gabriela.  I think that I made them compelling to the readers, especially the character of Richard.  At first, he is a cynical, world-weary man; but as he grows to admire and love this woman who has been thrown into his path by Fate, his humanity becomes evident.  Without Richard and Gabriela, and the other minor characters who interact with them, the readers would not be as interested, I think.

How much research did you have to do for the book, and where did your research take you?

                  

Actually, not much, except for the coin itself and types of handguns used by law enforcement.  On my mother’s side, our family has always owned guns (and I have fired a few, myself), so the feel of a shooting gun was not that unfamiliar to me.  At the time I began writing the novel, I had already been living in the area for more than a year.  By then, I was quite familiar with the region, its history, and its quirks, so it was easy incorporating that in the novel.

You set the book on the beautiful Cote d'Azur - how important is location to your story?

It is an integral part of the suspense.  Without the isolation, the mountains, the roads, the story would feel different.  I also wanted to share with my readers the love I felt for the area, its history, and its beauty.

Can you tell us what are you writing next?

I am working on two novels, actually.  The first is a follow-up to The Coin.  The second is more of a police procedural/murder mystery.   The follow-up to The Coin is a romantic suspense once more, set half in California and half in London (another of my favorite places).  All I can say is that it deals with a replica of an old manuscript called The Book of Hours and that someone is trying to coerce my main character to sell it to him.  Intrigue follows.  The second novel requires a bit more research and will be set in New York, another old stomping ground of mine.

And Finally for Fun:

What books are on your bedside table?

The Game of Kings by Dorothy Dunnett and Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand.

Thank you so much Maria Elena for visiting us and for giving such thoughtful answers to our questions.

We wish you continued success with your writing.

Here is my 5***** review of The Coin

When Gabriela Martinez discovers an unusual coin in the mountains above her home in the Côte d'Azur, she merely thinks that it will be the perfect adornment for her bracelet, however, she is totally unaware of the devastating consequences this action will have on her life. Richard Harrison, is an American intelligence officer, who, with his French counterpart, Maurice Nôret is unwittingly drawn into the search for a group of racist individuals who may be using the coins for their own purposes. When Richard is assigned to protect Gabriela, he is unprepared for the depth of feeling towards this beautiful and talented woman, and yet, when psychological and menacing forces seek to destroy everything Gabriela cherishes, Richard knows that regardless of his own emotional wellbeing, Gabriela’s safety is paramount.

This fast paced romantic thriller has a decidedly menacing edge to it; the plot is fast and furious and never slackens its pace. The characterisation is strong and meaningful and the dialogue between the major players is convincing and well thought out. The inclusion into the story of some quite dark and sinister psychological mind games adds a dangerous frisson of excitement which helps sustain the tension to an exciting degree.

I particularly enjoyed the beautiful setting of the Côte d'Azur whose isolated beauty forms an integral part of the novel.

Overall, this is a commendable first novel. The author has a real talent for storytelling, and her ability to control the action whilst keeping the integrity of the love story adds a nice dimension to what is in effect a very well controlled and suspenseful thriller.

Recommended.