📖 Blog Tour ~ Lady for a Season by Melissa Addey

Letterpress Publishing
27 August 2024
Regency Outsiders #1

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

A young duke declared mad. His nurse masquerading as a lady. One social season in which to marry him off. What could possibly go wrong?When foundling Maggie takes a job caring for Edward, she knows him only as a young man declared mad and kept privately under the care of a physician to avoid any scandal for his family.

But Edward is the heir to the Duke of Buckingham and when his father dies his family determine to marry him off to secure the title and the estate. Edward insists that Maggie stay by his side, so she must be passed off as a lady for one social season, during which time a marriage can be arranged.

When a midnight carriage comes for Maggie, is she ready for the makeover of a lifetime? Can she remember all the rules, keep the secrets of Atherton Park… and above all, avoid falling in love?

A delightful Regency romance, full of historical detail and emotional choices, as two downtrodden characters come to know their true worth and what they mean to each other. The Season has begun, the ton is gathered… and the clock is ticking for Maggie and Edward.

📖 My Review ..

Maggie Stone is given the chance to move from the London Foundling Hospital, where she has lived for most of her life, to become the nurse/companion to a young man with mental health issues. There at Ivy Cottage she gets to know and care for Edward until he is suddenly removed to his family home. What then follows is a gentle rags-to-riches story which sees Maggie given opportunities she could never have dreamed of when she was an abandoned foundling child.

The historical aspect works well, the Regency era with all of its social constraints is beautifully described and I enjoyed seeing London through Maggie’s eyes as she experiences the richness of a world she could never have imagined. The caring relationship between Edward and Maggie works well and a gentle love story evolves quite naturally and is a joy to observe. Georgian attitudes towards the treatment of those with mental health issues and the horrific treatment given to those who were considered to be suffering from lunacy is vividly described along with the unscrupulous charlatans who treated them so abominably.

Lady for a Season is an emotional Regency romance with two unforgettable central characters in a delightful love affair which survives against all odds.  

About the Author

Melissa grew up and was home educated on an Italian hill farm. She now lives in London with her husband, two children and a black and white cat called Holly who enjoys the editing process as there is so much scrap paper involved.

She mainly writes historical fiction, inspired by what she calls ‘the footnotes of history’: forgotten stories or part-legends about interesting people and places. She has a PhD in Creative Writing, and enjoys moving from one historical era to another, finding stories to share, like a travelling minstrel. So far she’s been to Ancient Rome, medieval Morocco and 18th century China. Lady for a Season is her first Regency romance, although her books have always had a romantic streak to them. 

Facebook @MelissaAddeyAuthor

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Website

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📖 Book Review ~ The Black Loch by Peter May

Riverrun
12 September 2024

Lewis Trilogy #4

My thanks to the publisher for my copy of this book

THE RETURN OF FIN MACLEOD, PETER MAY'S MUCH-LOVED HERO OF THE INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLING LEWIS TRILOGY.

A MURDER

The body of eighteen-year-old TV personality Caitlin is found abandoned on a remote beach at the head of An Loch Dubh - the Black Loch - on the west coast of the Isle of Lewis. A swimmer and canoeist, it is inconceivable that she could have drowned.

A SECRET

Fin Macleod left the island ten years earlier to escape its memories. When he learns that his married son Fionnlagh had been having a clandestine affair with the dead girl and is suspected of her murder, he and Marsaili return to try and clear his name.

A TRAP

But nothing is as it seems, and the truth of the murder lies in a past that Fin would rather forget, and a tragedy at the cages of a salmon farm on East Loch Roag, where the tense climax of the story finds its resolution.

📖 My Review..

I am a huge fan of The Lewis Trilogy and remember reading all three books in quick succession. It’s a real treat therefore to be able to return to the Isle of Lewis and catch up, once again, with Fin Macleod, the character who featured so strongly in the trilogy. Returning to Lewis some ten years later we finds Fin to be an altogether different character, older certainly, but seemingly with more of life’s struggles pressing down upon him, especially as his return to Lewis has been somewhat forced due to his married son, Fionnlagh, being accused of murder.

Expertly described by an author who is passionate about the area, the brooding presence of the Black Loch, with all its bitter memories comes alive and Fin, in his desperate attempt to help clear his son’s name, must confront his own particular demons from the past. There is always a shadowy sense of danger lurking just beyond reach and with so many unanswered questions apparent from the start, this is one murder mystery which has a myriad of possibilities.

The Black Loch was every bit as good as I expected it to be with, at its core, a taut and tight murder mystery however, there is also a definite sense of loose ends being tightened and of old adversaries seeking revenge. Will we catch up again with Fin Macleod, I rather hope we will, but if not, this is a fitting end to a strong story, well told.

About the Author

Peter May is a Scottish television screenwriter, novelist, and crime writer. He is the recipient of writing awards in Europe and America. The Blackhouse won the U.S. Barry Award for Crime Novel of the Year and the national literature award in France, the Cezam Prix Litteraire.

X @authorpetermay #TheBlackLoch

Website

X@riverrunbooks

📖 Book Review ~ The Secret Orchard by Sharon Gosling

Simon&Schuster
12 September 2024

Thanks to the publisher for my copy of this book 

Can a return to the past be the start of something new? 

Bette and Nina Crowdie have never been close – they’re too different, the ten-year age difference doesn’t help, and Bette’s rarely been back home since she left for university at eighteen. When their father passes away and unexpectedly splits the family farm between them, Nina is furious and afraid. She’s been working at the farm for the past five years. It’s the only stable home her young son Barnaby has ever had, and she’s convinced that Bette, who never wanted anything to do with the family business, will sell at the first chance she gets. When they discover the huge debt their father has been hiding from them both, Bette reluctantly agrees to help her sister. But that means they have to find a way to work together, and Bette must face up to the real reason she left all those years ago. Could the discovery of an ancient orchard on their land be the key to saving the farm – and the sisters’ relationship?

📖My Review..

When Bette Crowdie returns to the family farm after her father’s death she meets with the usual animosity from her younger sister, Nina. The Crowdie farm has been in the family for generations but with their father’s death, and much to Nina’s annoyance, both sisters now have an equal share.  However, with the farm in financial difficulties, it would appear that Bette, with her lawyer background, is going to have to figure out a way to save it from ruin. 

What then follows is the story of the fight to save the farm and the way in which the sisters must not only reconcile but must also pull together if they are to have any sort of future. Delightfully combining little snippets about the history of the farm, the fascinating insight into cider production and with its very own super hero, there is so much to enjoy. I especially loved reading about the secret orchard and the way in which this took on a whole personality all of its own. The author writes with such careful detail, and perfect characterisation, carefully blending snippets about the past, with their connection to the present.

Totally immersive, and with a smattering of danger and intrigue, everything weaves together so beautifully into a delightful family drama and into a story which captures the imagination from start to finish.

About the Author 

Sharon Gosling is the author of multiple middle-grade historical adventure books for children. She is also the author of YA Scandi horror as well as adult fiction. Sharon lives with her husband in a very small village on the side of a fell in the far north of Cumbria.

Twitter X@SharonGosling #TheSecretOrchard

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📖 Book Review ~ School Days : Twenty Poems from the Classroom from Candlestick Press

Candlestick Press
September 2024

My thanks to the publisher for my copy of this pamphlet

SELECTED AND INTRODUCED BY JEANETTE BURTON AND JONATHAN EDWARDS

You never forget your school days… Is this because we were young, our minds marvellously open to the new and undiscovered? Or is it the repeating patterns of the school day and year?

Whatever the reasons, there’ll always be moments we remember: the science experiment that went wrong, a teacher saying we’re a star or the sticky-palmed hours in the hall doing exams. And there’s the universal experience of daydreaming out of the classroom window:

“The teacher repeats the question.

Outside the window, on an overhanging branch,

a robin is ruffling its feathers…”

from ‘The Hand’ by Mary Ruefle

These lively and enriching poems capture the light and shade of our days at school, and celebrate the teachers who help shepherd us through childhood and out into the world.

Poems by Kathryn Bevis, Carole Bromley, Jeanette Burton, Charles Causley, Denise Duhamel, Jonathan Edwards, Carla Sofia Ferreira, Oliver Goldsmith, Lorna Goodison, Andrew Jamison, Stephen Knight, Keith Leonard, Hannah Lowe, Thomas Lux, Brad Aaron Modlin, Kim Moore, Christopher Reid, Mary Ruefle, Catherine Smith and Jennifer Wong.

Cover illustration by Cat Moore.

📖 My Review...

September, with its season of mists and mellow fruitfulness, reminds me of returning to school after the long summer holidays and of collecting conkers from the huge chestnut tree near school. This lovely collection of twenty poems - what a treat to have double the usual amount - brings school days to life in a wonderfully evocative collection of poems by twenty talented writers. From the imaginative cover, which reminded me of my classroom, with its regimented rows of desks which attempted to place us into some semblance of order. Suitably divided into Ten Poems about School and Ten Poems about Teachers, here's a little taster of what delights are on offer.

This reminds me of the absolute fear of turning over that exam paper and hoping what you had revised was on there:

How it all started by Catherine Smith

" Do you know this dream? An exam room

full of neat, serious girls, your lucky gonk

by your fountain pen, the plop of tennis balls

through an open window.  You're here for

'O' Level history on The Causes

of the First World War but you've no idea -"

And of playing school teachers with my friend Susan, scribbling on bits of paper and placing ticks on homemade registers:

School Gates by Carole Bromley

“ is Matilda and Martha's favourite game.

They can play for hours. It goes like this

I have to be the teacher by the French window,

while they take it in turns to be the mother 

dropping her daughter off and picking her up."

Twenty Poems about School is the perfect antidote to returning to school after a holiday. All of the twenty poems in the collection evoke memories of school days, both past and present. It would make  a great gift ‘instead of a card’ for both teachers and pupils and also for anyone who has fond memories of their school days. 

About the Publisher

Candlestick Press is a small, independent press publishing sumptuously produced poetry pamphlets that serve as a wonderful alternative to a greetings card, with matching envelopes and bookmarks left blank for your message. Their subjects include Mountains, Clouds, Walking, Birds, Wine and Happiness. Candlestick Press pamphlets are stocked by chain and independent bookshops, galleries and garden centres nationwide and available to order online.

Twitter/X @poetrycandle

Website

📖 Publication Day Book Review ~ One Bad Apple by Jo Jakeman

Constable
19 September 2024

My thanks to the publisher for my copy of this book

Aberfal Boys High School is the southwest’s jewel of academic and sporting excellence, until one gorgeous summer’s day the headmaster is found murdered in his study. Who would do such a thing? Or perhaps a better question would be, who wouldn’t…

Things are not as perfect as they appear at Aberfal, and the list of suspects seems to cover the whole school. From Charles the Chair of Governors, Cass the bullied scholarship student, Mandy the secretary to Miss Lane the ambitious Deputy Head there are a lot of people whose lives are better off with Headmaster Jerry Newhall gone. (And the mums’ WhatsApp group have their own theories too.)

As more and more secrets are revealed and rumours fly at the school gates, it’s clear that appearances mean nothing at Aberfal and everyone is hiding something. It’s not just one bad apple apple Aberfal Boys High School is rotten to its core..

📖 My review..

Aberfal Boys School offers a unique opportunity to those talented pupils whose parents can afford the exorbitant school fees however, privilege has its price and Aberfal is about to have to look very carefully at what it offers and the price it attaches to reputation. When Jerry Newall, the popular headmaster, is found dead in his office it opens up far more questions than it does answers and as his death is considered, by the police, to be suspicious there are those amongst the staff, and parents, who definitely have something to hide.

One Bad Apple is a great read, it’s both immersive and entertaining, and I was able to whizz through the story in one sitting. I especially enjoyed the WhatsApp messages in the mums’ group, they made me smile and are so typical of parent group discussions. Whilst this is definitely a murder mystery it is not particularly a police procedural and even though there are several witness statements, it’s more about the intricate dynamics of all those who could have easily played a part in the murder and boy, what a devious lot they all are! 

Thanks to the skill of this talented writer it’s very easy to be drawn into the mystery surrounding Jerry Newall’s death and with so many hidden secrets it soon becomes obvious that there is definitely One Bad Apple to be discovered in Aberfal Boys School. 

About the Author

Jo Jakeman was the winner of the prestigious Friday Night Live competition at York Festival of Writing. Her debut psychological thriller Sticks and Stones was shortlisted for the Best Revenge Thriller at the Dead Good Reader Awards 2019. Since then Jo has had two more books published, Safe House and What His Wife Knew which have been translated into several languages. Jo lives in Cornwall with her family and is an avid wild swimmer, making the most of her home county.

 X @JoJakemanWrites #OneBadApple

X @ TheCrimeVault

 

📖 Book Review ~ The Hollywood Governess by Alexandra Weston

 

Boldwood
26 June 2024
Thanks to the publisher for my copy of this book

Hollywood, 1937

Hester Carlyle has no wish to look after the pampered offspring of the rich anymore, in spite of being a highly sought-after governess. But with her elderly father frail, and the roof of their rundown cottage in dreary Yorkshire falling in, she has no choice but to accept a dazzling new placement.

Movie star Aidan Neil is box office gold, but after the tragic death of his wife Dinah Doyle, he needs Hester’s help to raise their young daughter Erin. Aidan and Dinah were once the perfect Hollywood couple, but stars don’t shine forever…

At Aidan’s glittering Hollywood mansion, Hester finds a family struggling with their grief. Hester knows she can help little Erin, but Aidan’s torment is palpable. Brooding and reclusive, he is far from the picture-perfect hero Hester's seen in films. There’s an edge to him that makes Hester wonder if he’s hiding a dark secret of his own....

Was the marriage between Aidan and Dinah as perfect as it appeared to be? Was Dinah’s death really a tragic accident?

When it finally comes, the truth is more shocking than Hester could ever have imagined. And she knows that if revealed, it will destroy the family she has grown to love and ruin Aidan's Hollywood dream forever...

📖 My Review..

The golden age of Hollywood is perfectly presented in this lovely story which takes us right into the heart of the movie industry. In the 1930s, Hollywood was a place of secrets and with the heads of studios calling all the shots every actor was under a strict contractual obligation. Into this glittering world comes Hester Carlyle, a sensible Yorkshire governess, who has been employed by the handsome actor Aidan Neil to look after his 7 year old daughter, Erin. Erin's actress mother has died in tragic circumstances and Hester is employed to bring some stability into the child's life. What then follows is a lovely story which looks in detail into the life of the charismatic but troubled Aidan Neil and as the secrets surrounding his marriage to the beautiful Dinah Doyle are revealed, so we discover more about the man behind the celluloid image.

Beautifully recreating old Hollywood with all its glitz and glamour this is a story to treasure. I enjoyed getting to know all the characters, especially Hester, who has insecurities of her own but who is determined to do the best she can for Erin and Aidan. The Hollywood backdrop during the golden age of movies is inspired and whilst this is a fictional recreation of Tinseltown it emphasises the power and control of the movie companies. There's a lovely warmth to the story and I think the author has captured the essence of the era well, even to dropping in the names of a few famous actors.

With a hint of forbidden secrets and with a heartwarming love story at its core, The Hollywood Governess is a commendable debut novel from an exciting new historical fiction writer.

About the Author

Alex Weston is a debut historical fiction writer whose novels are inspired by forbidden love in 1930s Hollywood, She lives in east Yorkshire.

X @AlexWeston46 #TheHollywoodGoverness

@BoldwoodBooks 

📖 Book Review ~The Witchfinder’s Assistant by Ruth Goldstraw

Harper Collins
One More Chapter 
Ebook 13 September 2024
Paperback 26 September 2024
My thanks to the publisher for the copy of the book

Sometimes I can almost remember what it was like before—

I was about God’s business—

But I cannot even write my own story.

THE TOWN OF WEM, SHROPSHIRE 1643

Civil war is ripping England apart.

Families are divided, emotions run high.

Whether on the bleakness of the moors or in snug, wood-panelled rooms, danger lurks.

A body is found, its mouth pierced with thorns.

The Justice of the Peace, a godly man, is certain that witchcraft is involved.

Only his assistant, former cavalryman John Carne, looks for reason where others see demons and witches.

But John has secrets of his own – secrets that concern his cold and distant wife. And it’s not long before the darkness that has engulfed Wem grows darker still…

📖 My Review..

With the English Civil War raging, Parliamentarian, John Carne has returned, badly injured, to the town of Wem where he lives with his wife, Zipporah. The Carnes have a strange marital relationship which is full of hidden secrets which are revealed as this chilling story gets underway. John’s injuries preclude any further involvement in the war so he considers himself fortunate to be offered the position of assistant to Sir Moreton Spibey, a local Justic of the Peace, who is determined to root out the scourge of witchcraft. 

John quickly becomes immersed in the life of the village where he discovers that dark forces lurk in the shadows of this seemingly quiet place. The story flows well and I enjoyed uncovering the secrets between John and Zipporah who are both fascinating in their own way. The superstitious bigotry of those townsfolk who are in charge, especially in their search for those who may be responsible for a series of unexpected deaths, is done with a authentic historical feel and I think the author has succeeded in bringing the troubled seventeenth century alive.  

The Witchfinder’s Assistant is interesting historical fiction which looks at the prejudices and practices of seventeenth century life and brings it all together in a fascinating historical murder mystery.

About the Author

Ruth Goldstraw was born in 1956 in Coventry and studied archaeology at University College, Cardiff. She worked for seventeen years as an antiquities restorer at the British Museum,sometimes working on site in excavations, both in Britain and abroad. after that she lived in Shropshire for sixteen years, working at the county court. The bleak beautiful the Mosses in the north of the county, and the history of the area inspired her to write The Witchfinder’s Assistant.

X @OneMoreChapter_ 

#RuthGoldstraw #TheWitchfindersAssistant

📖 Blog Tour ~ DIVA by Daisy Goodwin

Head of Zeus
Aria Fiction
12 September 2024

Thanks to the publisher and Random Things Tours

 

In the glittering and ruthlessly competitive world of opera, Maria Callas was known simply as la divina: the divine one. With her glorious voice, instinctive flair for the dramatic, and striking beauty, she was the toast of the grandest opera houses in the world. But her fame was hard won: Raised in Nazi-occupied Greece by a mother who mercilessly exploited her golden voice, she learned early in life to protect herself from those who would use her for their own ends.

When she met the fabulously rich Greek shipping magnate Aristotle Onassis, for the first time in her life, she believed she’d found someone who saw the woman within the legendary soprano. She fell desperately in love. He introduced her to a life of unbelievable luxury, showering her with jewels and sojourns in the most fashionable international watering holes with celebrities like Elizabeth Taylor, Richard Burton, and the Duke and Duchess of Windsor.

And then suddenly, it was over. The international press announced that Aristotle Onassis would marry the most famous woman in the world, former First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy, leaving Maria to pick up the pieces.

📖 My Review..

Maria Callas was an American born Greek soprano who was one of the most celebrated opera singers of the twentieth century. Her love affair with Aristotle Onassis is well documented but I knew little of her life with her husband, Giovanni Battista Meneghini or of her childhood in Greece with her domineering mother, and a much preferred younger sister. DIVA explores Maria’s life as she struggles with self doubt, and her petrifying fear that her greatest asset, namely her voice would not last forever.

This is a fascinating fictional account of Maria’s time with her husband and then later with Onassis. It brings to life the post war years, the decadence of the age and the rivalry and the insecurity of a life spent in the public arena and although feted and adored by her thousands of fans, in Maria’s mind she was still the rather plain, overweight girl of her younger years. Maria, like any diva needed adoration and it would be in her great love affair with Onassis where she would, at least for a while, find the happiness she so desperately craved. There’s a richness to the story which comes not just from the glittering jewels which Onassis scatters like pebbles into the hands of his mistresses but also in the sumptuous descriptions of opera performances in which Callas excels, leaving her audiences spellbound and always desperate for more

The glorious beauty of the age, the fragility of life in the spotlight, and the insecurity of an immensely talented performer comes to life in this beautifully detailed story which captivated me from start to finish.

About the Author

Daisy Goodwin’s work as a TV producer and presenter includes Reader I Married Him, Bookworm and The Nation’s Favourite Poems; she is also the creator of Grand Designs and the hit ITV drama Victoria, which has sold to 134 countries. She has edited numerous poetry anthologies, including the bestselling 101 Poems That Could Save Your Life, and is the author of Silver River, a memoir, as well as three bestselling novels: My Last Duchess, The Fortune Hunter and Victoria. Her work has been translated into seventeen languages.

Social Media

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📖 Book Review ~ True Love by Paddy Crewe

 

Doubleday Books
4 July 2024

My thanks to the publisher for the invitation to read this book

KEELY feels alone in the world — grief consumes her, she wants to escape it, to take both her father's and her own pain away. She knows that solace lies in the act of loving and being loved but, struggling in ever-deepening waters, she doesn't know how to find it. FINN has been devastated too. As a young boy, growing up with his grandparents, he feels his fate has already been sealed by the neglect of those meant to care for him most. With no real friends to turn to, he cannot find the vocabulary to deal with the loneliness and heartache that haunt him. As we watch them each grow, connection seems to be the answer – to be seen and heard and received as who they are. Maybe it's this that could release them from their private pains. Is it that simple?

📖 My Review..

Keely is twelve when we first meet her, she lives with her caring, but remote father, and her little brother, William. They eke out a meagre living picking sea coal and the caravan where they live is functional, but basic. When tragedy strikes, Keely must try and hold everything together but she doesn't know how to shoulder the unbearable burden of grief which hangs about her shoulders like a cloud. She searches for a means of escape, desperately seeking comfort in a world which doesn't seem to care very much about her. 

Finn is an introspective child, brought up by his grandparents, he is always on the outside looking in, and although perfectly content with his own company, he remains a lonely child, an easy target for bullies and made fun of by those who see him as some kind of misfit. On the surface these two lost and lonely souls would never have met but as this hauntingly beautiful story unfolds we start to discover that sometimes the stars align and what will be, will inevitably, be.

True Love wrapped itself around me like a blanket and even when I wasn't reading it my thoughts returned to Keely and Finn, two of the most memorable literary characters I have met in a long time. Whilst the story is a complex study into the fragility of relationships it is also desperately sad and deeply moving. It’s the story of two people searching for something only to have life get in the way and though desperate for a happy ever after ending, I knew that life isn’t always kind enough to give us what we want. Strong and beautiful the essence of True Love lingers long after the book is closed and Keely and Finn’s story is finally told.

About the Author

Paddy Crewe was born in Middlesbrough and studied at Goldsmiths. His debut novel, My Name Is Yip, has been shortlisted for the Betty Trask, the Wilbur Smith, a South Bank Sky Arts Award and The Authors’ Club Best First Novel Award, and longlisted for the Walter Scott Prize.

X @DoubledayBooks

#PaddyCrewe #TrueLove

 

📖 Publication Day Book Review ~ The Glassmaker by Tracy Chevalier

Harper Collins
Borough Press
12 September 2024

Thanks to the publisher for my copy of the book

 

Venice, 1486. Across the lagoon lies Murano. Time flows differently here – like the glass the island’s maestros spend their lives learning to handle.

Women are not meant to work with glass, but Orsola Rosso flouts convention to save her family from ruin. She works in secret, knowing her creations must be perfect to be accepted by men. But perfection may take a lifetime.

Skipping like a stone through the centuries, we follow Orsola as she hones her craft through war and plague, tragedy and triumph, love and loss.

The beads she creates will adorn the necks of empresses and courtesans from Paris to Vienna – but will she ever earn the respect of those closest to her?

📖 My Review..

Across the Venice lagoon lies Murano, it’s a place where time moves differently and where traditional glass making skills are the life blood of the island. Into this established world we are introduced to the Rosso family, and with time as skilfully manipulated as the glass they produce, we move with eldest daughter Orsola Rosso as she weaves, with her family, from 1486 Renaissance Venice, through to our modern post-Covid world.

The Glassmaker takes us on an intricate journey, beautifully recreating each specific era whilst at the same time following the lives of the Rosso family as they endure so much in both their personal lives and in the way the the complex process of glassmaking fluctuates within each successive timeframe. Wonderfully characterised, each member of this impressive family comes alive, we struggle when they struggle and rejoice when things go well. However, what is most fascinating is the glassmaking process itself and in particular Orsola’s skill in creating exquisite glass beads.

Spanning six centuries this is a hugely ambitious story and one which could so easily have failed, however, in the hands of this skilful writer the story flows beautifully. I loved how with Orsola Rosso as its lynchpin there was always a sense of continuity and as we moved forward in time I was captivated by the way the story unfolded around me, firing my imagination in this beautiful, but complex, world of glass.

About the Author

Tracy Chevalier is the author of eleven novels, including A Single Thread, Remarkable Creatures and Girl with a Pearl Earring, an international bestseller that has sold over five million copies and been made into a film, a play and an opera. Born in Washington DC, she moved to the United Kingdom in 1986. She and her husband divide their time between London and Dorset.

X@Tracy_Chevalier #TheGlassmaker

@HarperFiction @BoroughPress

📖 Book Review ~Love and Other Lost Things by Melissa Wiesner

 

Bookouture
6 August 2024

Thanks to the publisher for my copy of this book

Jane McCaffrey is only back in her hometown of Linden Falls because of her father’s death. She swears she’ll leave again forever—it’s not like her childhood home holds any happy memories. But Jane hadn’t planned on bumping into Nik…

The boy she fell hard for was a skinny teenager with messy hair and his glasses askew. Now he’s broad-shouldered and stands well over six feet tall: but his deep brown eyes are just the same. And when he breathes her name and caresses the fresh bruise on her cheek—like he can’t help but touch her—Jane is thrown right back to the best and worst time of her life.

Jane and Nik once shared everything: kisses, hopes, and teenage dreams. Taking in his blue scrubs and doctor’s ID badge, Jane’s heart lifts that at least one of them got to live their dream. And as they catch up over the beautiful music they once loved, it’s like the years between them fall away.

But Nik doesn’t know the heavy secret Jane carries about the real reason she left town. Or who put that bruise on her cheek… or about her plans to truly disappear, forever.

So when the past comes calling, can Jane and Nik find the strength to fight for each other? Or was Jane dangerously wrong to think she could outrun her secret—and will it destroy them both?

📖 My Review..

Domestic violence is the theme which runs throughout this contemporary story which follows Jane McCaffrey who ran away from her childhood home as a young teenager only go back to Linden Falls some ten years later when her father died. Jane’s return to her childhood home sparks difficult memories especially when she meets again those of her best friends who thought that she had, quite simply, abandoned them. As this complex story unfolds there is a sense of lives coming full circle and with old secrets being revealed now is the time for Jane tell her story to those who were once her closest friends.

This was an intricate look at life in a small American town, a place where everyone knew each other’s business and yet when things were uncomfortable folks tended  to look the other way. The author explores this claustrophobic small town atmosphere really well, and brings the place and the people alive in the imagination. I enjoyed getting to know, Jane and meeting her friends, particularly Nik who is a really special person. Whilst the author does a great job of building up a stark picture of everything in Jane’s life, it is in the promise of the future where the heart of the story lies.

Beautifully written and heart breaking in places, Love and Other Lost Things is a compelling read with a dramatic ending I really didn’t see coming.

About the Author

Melissa Wiesner is a night-owl who began writing novels about five years ago when her early-to-bed family retired for the evening. In 2019, she won the Romance Writers of America Golden Heart® Award in the Mainstream Fiction Category for her first novel. Melissa holds two Master’s Degrees in Public Health and Community Agency Counseling. Her day job is in Social Work where she often encounters people knocked down by hard times but who pick themselves up and keep going, just like the characters of her novels. Melissa lives in Pittsburgh, PA with her charming husband and two adorable children

X @ Melissa_Wiesner #LoveAndOtherLostThings

X@ bookouture

📖 Blog Tour ~ Goddess with a Thousand Faces by Jasmine Elmer

 

Renegade Books
12 September 2024

Thanks to the publisher for the invitation to the blog tour

Goddess with a Thousand Faces is the first of its kind, blending multiple genres to create an accessible read for everyone. It offers a fresh and necessary perspective on the ancient world, transcending culture, race and time. 

Steeped in ancient magic, dark divinity and wild ways, Goddess with a Thousand Faces takes you on a historical journey like no other... 

Blending mythological retellings with historical research, and stunning illustrations, Goddess with a Thousand Faces traverses the world and transports through time to bring ten formidable and inspiring ancient goddesses to life. Meet Artemis, the Greek goddess of the wilderness, never without her bow and arrow; Sedna, Inuit goddess of the ocean, guarding the icy waters and all its creatures; Isis, Egyptian goddess of healing, who dwells by the River Nile, just to name a few...

Jasmine Elmer explores these goddesses of our past, uncovering their truths, their rebellion and their freedom. For too long, they have been written out of history; lost to the sands of time and stamped into silence. Goddess with a Thousand Faces restores these women to their deserving glory.

Pour over this treasure trove of myths, legends and mighty goddesses. Hear the messages echoing through the ages and see yourself in the faces of these icons. For while their stories might be ancient, today they are more important – and more powerful – than ever.

📖 My Review...

As an introduction to Goddess mythology this book works extremely well and for someone like me with no prior knowledge at all I found it to be both absorbing and informative on an easy to understand level. Nicely divided into clearly defined chapters, each one explains in more detail the chosen goddesses from around the world. There are those who we may have heard of like Freja, the Icelandic Goddess from Viking mythology, Artemis from the Greek, and Isis, the Egyptian Goddess of Healing, Magic and Wisdom and then lesser known Goddesses such as Sedna, the Inuit Goddess of the Sea and Marine Animals,  and Kali, Hindu Goddess of Time, Death and Destruction. The remaining five Goddesse, Rangda, Inanna, Mawu-Lisa, Hine-nui-pō, Huitaca, are equally as fascinating as the author describes in detail their power and ancient wisdom, and brings each one to life in intricate detail. Each Goddess is beautifully illustrated in simple black and white line drawings which emphasise their power and gives each one a distinct personality. 

This is one of those lovely books which educates as well as entertains and whilst it is perfectly possible to read in sequential order, I found myself dipping into and out of the book at whim, initially choosing the Goddess who appealed the most and then retracing my steps and going back to re-read something I had missed on my first time around. Well written, and well researched, with an informative bibliography, there is much to discover in Goddesses with a Thousand Faces a non-fiction book which brings the ancient myths and legends to life in a meaningful way and which also adapts them for a modern readership.

About the Author

Jasmine Elmer is a straight-talking ancient world expert. Deciding her subject needed a 'glow up', she began her mission in 2020 to make the subject relatable and representative. Outside of writing, she spends her time bringing that energy to television screens, appearing on broadcast channels such as Channel 4, Channel 5 and National Geographic, as well as hosting and featuring on many podcasts. Her podcast Legit Classics has a mission to make everyone love the Classics as much as she does.

Her debut book Goddess with a Thousand Faces is a bold exploration of world goddesses, blending storytelling with historical fact. It follows years of research as a student at universities like UCL, Cambridge and Exeter and a career as a secondary school teacher of Classics. She is of dual heritage, Pakistani and white, and her mother was born in Canada. She grew up in East London but now lives in Exeter, Devon with her husband and son. She has five cats and is absolutely not ashamed of that fact! When she has some downtime, she loves spending time in nature, curling up with a good book and a hot choc, and having a laugh with her friends. She flits between meditation and being frazzled. Such is life.

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📖 Book Review ~ Of Aragon by Caroline Willcocks

Atmosphere Press
3 September 2024

Thanks to the publisher for my copy of this book

Kat Cooke, a young girl captivated by the allure of Henry VIII's magnificent Queen, Katherine of Aragon, embarks on a journey to unravel the mysteries of her own birth. As she navigates the intricate web of Tudor court politics, Kat witnesses both the splendor and deceit that define life within the Queen's inner circle.

Amidst the grandeur of the royal court, Kat discovers love but is confronted with the painful reality of having to choose where her loyalties lie.

Of Aragon offers readers an intimate glimpse into the Queen's private chambers, from the solemnity of the marriage bed to the anticipation of an heir's birth. Caroline Willcocks skillfully transports us to a bygone era where even royal women must contend fiercely for their lives and loves.

📖 My Review

It's difficult to keep Tudor stories refreshing as we are all entirely familiar with Henry VIII's relationship with Queen Katherine of Aragon and the ins and outs of the Tudor court. Of Aragon brings a different slant to the story as we meet Kat Cooke, an impoverished maid who is taken into court and placed under the protection of the Queen herself. 

The reason for Kat being at court is explained with an imaginative description of what life was like for the poor of Tudor England and the immense change in Kat's circumstances is told in a gentle story about life at the Tudor court. There's a conversational tone to the story, the politics of the time are explained well especially the danger which lingered in shadows. There are a few modernisms in the story, which I felt could have been changed. Of Aragon is light historical fiction and even though I had figured out the twist quite early on in the book it didn't spoil my enjoyment of the story.

 About the Author

Caroline Willcocks has worked in the theatre, freelance journalism and charities. Now she combines being a solution focussed therapist with writing about the Tudors and Stuarts. She also has a successful podcast called Tudor and Stuart Fairytales. Her two adult children are happily married, and she hopes she doesn’t embarrass them too much. She loves to travel and has visited many countries, including Syria, Iraq, Kosovo, India and the United States. She lives in the idyllic county of Herefordshire in the UK with her beloved husband, dog and two cats. Recently she discovered she is a direct descendant of Edward III.

📖 Book Review ~ Girl Next Door by Karen King

Bookouture
9 July 2024

Thanks to the publisher for my copy of the book

My darling son is accused of attacking the girl next door. He would never do this… Would he?

I have the perfect family: my loving, devoted partner. Our sons, so thoughtful and affectionate despite their teenage angst. But everything changes when our friendly neighbours move in.

Their daughter Rachel is so pretty and bubbly. Her giggles float over our garden fence. I can see our boys are falling for her, fighting for her affection.

Then Rachel falls from her bedroom window. Her life is hanging in the balance. And to my horror, her parents think my son Jacob pushed her.

Then I find Rachel’s broken sunflower necklace in my home, and my world falls apart. It’s unbearable, but I must face the truth. Someone’s child is fighting for their life. And someone in my family hurt her.

With Rachel at death’s door, is Jacob in terrible danger too? And how far will I have to go to protect him

I know my sensitive son would never do such a thing, but he is hiding something. A mother always knows, doesn’t she? And who is spreading nasty rumours in our neighbourhood about me and my partner, about history repeating itself?

📖My review..

When a lovely family move in next door Vanessa is thrilled to have someone she can be friends with and her two sons, Lucas and Jacob, seem happy to spend time with Rachel who is the girl next door. However when a devastating tragedy occurs the finger of blame is firmly pointed at Vanessa and her family. Tensions run high in this chilling domestic thriller which looks at how quickly things can spiral out of control and with so many people keeping secrets both Vanessa and the investigating police team seem unable to discover the truth  around who was there when Rachel’s accident occurred.

This is such an all consuming story that I read the whole of the book in a couple of sittings eager to discover more about these two families who seem to have been heading on a collision course from the moment they all met. With difficult conversations and heightened emotions the story gallops along at a good pace and to be honest although I thought I had the conclusion worked out I was surprised by the ending which wrapped everything up in a satisfying sort of way. Girl Next Door definitely has enough  domestic drama to keep you guessing until the end.

About the Author

Karen King was born in Birmingham and has always enjoyed reading and writing. She’s been published for over thirty years, in a variety of genres for both children and adults. She loves writing about the complexities of relationships. Her first three books for Bookouture were romances where relationships came right, she has now turned to the darker side of relationships, writing two psychological thrillers about relationships that go badly wrong. Karen now lives in Spain where she loves to spend her non-writing time exploring the quaint local towns with her husband, Dave, when she isn’t sunbathing or swimming in the pool, that is.

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📖 Publication Day Book Review ~ The Royal Rebel by Elizabeth Chadwick

Sphere
5 September 2024

Thanks to the publisher for my copy of this book

1338: England has declared war on France, and Jeanette of Kent, cousin to King Edward III, says goodbye to her family and travels overseas with the royal court for the first time. Once in Antwerp, she is captivated by talented household knight, Thomas Holland, just as he in turn is powerfully drawn to her. Although both know their romance is forbidden, their love for each other grows stronger than the danger they face, and they marry in secret. But before they can make their tryst known, Thomas has to leave for war, and in his absence, Jeanette is forced into a second marriage and locked away from the world. Then Thomas returns, and the real fight begins. As hostile family members battle to keep Jeanette and Thomas apart, the defiant lovers vow to be reunited - whatever the cost...

From the award-winning and bestselling author, Elizabeth Chadwick, comes an epic love story set against the tumultuous backdrop of high chivalry, deadly warfare, devastating plague, and savage rivalry in the fourteenth century - the first of two parts telling the remarkable story of a woman who rose from royal rebel to formidable influence.

 📖 My Review

With the fourteenth century very firmly in place we become part of the English royal household as they travel to Antwerp and there within the court of Edward III, his cousin, Jeanette of Kent becomes powerfully attracted to Thomas Holland, a household knight, with little to his name other than his skill at the joust and tourney. The young lovers marry in secret and therein starts a struggle which results in them having to live separate lives with Jeanette even forced to bigamously marry another man.

Recreating history is what this author does best and in The Royal Rebel it has been a real delight to be taken back in time to witness the struggles and dangers which were very much part of court life. I particularly enjoyed following in Jeanette’s footsteps, witnessing her joy at her marriage to Thomas only for it to start to unravel. The lengths that people around her went to in order keep the couple apart demonstrates just how dangerous it was to live in the shadow of the English throne.

During some of the most momentous years of Edward III’s reign we witness Jeanette’s complicated life at the royal court as she moves between Europe and England and the sheer terror of living with ruthless people who, without any conscience, would do you harm. War, pestilence and danger are never far away and all are described in vivid detail thus making the story such a lively and atmospheric read. Part of a duology of books about the complicated life of Jeanette of Kent, The Royal Rebel is historical fiction at its absolute best.

About the Author

Elizabeth Chadwick is a prize-winning historical novelist and New York Times bestseller, published in 22 languages, with over 1 million copies of her work sold in the UK alone. The Royal Rebel is the forst of three new novels set in the fourteenth century.

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