Synopsis

 

Little Sowerby, England, 1802

Miss Genevieve Wilde—a magistrate’s daughter and independent heiress—is determined to meet life’s challenges all on her own, just as her late father had taught her. So when her father’s pocket watch is stolen, she will do anything to get it back, especially when the local authorities prove incompetent.

Upon reading an advertisement in the paper, she takes a chance and contacts a thief-taker to find the watch. It’s a choice Ginny regrets when former Bow Street officer Jack Travers arrives on her doorstep. He is frustratingly flirtatious, irritatingly handsome, and entirely unpredictable, and Ginny wonders if she’ll be able to resist such a man.

But after Ginny discovers that the missing watch is just a small part of a larger, more frightening plot against her, she needs Jack’s help more than ever. To protect her home and her reputation, the two enter into a risky charade—pretending Jack is her cousin so he can begin his investigation, starting with the household staff. As they work together to unravel the mystery, Ginny finds herself falling fast for her charismatic thief-taker, leaving her heart in just as much danger as her life.

 

 

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Review

 

This was a fun mash-up of a proper romance and a mystery.

I had mixed feelings about Genevieve, aka Ginny. She is running an estate, but she makes bonehead decisions that endanger her life. I appreciate her dedication to her estate and wanting to protect it, but putting yourself in danger? Not smart, Ginny! But at the same time, I enjoyed watching her mature when it came to matters of the heart, mostly due to Jack Travers. She even managed to mend some fences with family members, which is another reflection of her maturity.

I enjoyed the mystery and watching it unfold. Was the thief someone we are introduced to in the book or someone unknown? You’ll have to read the book to find out, but I will say that the answer surprised me.

My only complaint about this book is that there are no chapters, or at least not in the copy I read. This made it very hard to find a good stopping place. This is only the 2nd book that I can remember reading without chapters, and I still don’t like it. I do not know if all of her books are like this, but if they are, I won’t read another.

Overall, this was a fun book to read (despite my comment above), and we give it 4 paws up.

 

 

 

 

 

About the Author

 

Joanna Barker firmly believes that romance makes everything better, which is why she has fallen in love with writing Regency romances. When she’s not typing away on her next book, you’ll find her listening to podcasts, eating her secret stash of chocolate, or adding things to her Amazon cart. Joanna thinks being an author is the second-best job in the world—right after being a mom. She is just a little crazy about her husband and three wild-but-lovable kids.

 

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CALL OF THE WILDE

 

An H. H. Lomax Western, Book 8

 

by

 

PRESTON LEWIS

 

 

Historical Fiction / Comic Western / Humor

Publisher: Wolfpack Publishing

Date of Publication: March 17, 2023

Number of Pages: 352 pages

 

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Wild West hijinks continue in the eighth installment of the hysterical and historical adventures of an unlikely hero.

H.H. Lomax once again finds himself in the wrong place at the wrong time when, wrongfully accused of robbing a bank, he’s arrested and jailed in a town vying for a stop on the approaching Texas & Pacific Railroad.

When local officials can’t afford to pay for a trial, a harebrained scheme is concocted to get rid of Lomax without spending a red cent. But Lomax avoids the hairy situation, pulling off an escape with the aid of an unlikely accomplice and exacting a bit of revenge in the process.

His wandering spirit—and neck—intact, Lomax lands among the Mormons in Salt Lake City, where he encounters a long-lost relative in need of assistance and makes the acquaintance of none other than Irish poet and aesthete Oscar Wilde. And from there, it’s all downhill, folks!

Jumping from one bad situation to another in non-stop hilarious action, H.H. Lomax’s adventures will tickle your funny bone with genuine humor while satisfying your craving for western action adventure.

 

 

Amazon │ Wolfpack Publishing

 

 

 

 

Oscar Wilde and the Wild West

 

Guest Post by Preston Lewis

 

 

Today’s culture of fame and celebrity had nothing on Oscar Fingal O’Flahertie Wills Wilde, who in 1882 toured North America lecturing on topics so obscure that it is a wonder he ever attracted an audience, especially out West.  Nonetheless, he did draw in spectators and the curious because Wilde may have been the country’s first celebrity famous for merely being famous.

Arriving in New York on the third day of 1882, Wilde spent 51 weeks touring the United States and Canada.  Seven weeks of his tour he traveled west of the Mississippi going all the way to San Francisco, lecturing pioneers on such dry topics as “The Decorative Arts” and “The House Beautiful,” subjects of little practical use out west.

Though he would later be acclaimed as a playwright and novelist, when the 27-year-old Irishman pretending to be an Englishman arrived in America he had but a thin book of poetry to his writing credits.  His greatest claim to fame, however, was that Wilde had been parodied by Gilbert and Sullivan as Bunthorne in their comic opera Patience, which skewered aestheticism, a philosophy best summarized as “art for art’s sake.”

Because of his flamboyance, Wilde stood as the most visible proponent of aestheticism with his long hair and his ostentatious dress drawing attention wherever he went.  His outlandish observations and his haughty demeanor amused Americans, whether they agreed with him or not.  Wilde’s singular and unmatched talent at this stage of his career was rabid self-promotion.  He excelled at it, often erasing the line between fame and notoriety, as he toured the country.

At six-foot-three Wilde featured an elongated colorless face accented by a prominent nose over coarse lips that hid greenish-hued teeth, discolored from too many cigarettes. His thick eyebrows shaded attentive eyes, and a long mop of tawny brown hair brushed against his shoulders. One journalist noted that “he looked better in the dark.”

Even so, people paid as much as a dollar and a half to hear him talk, though they often didn’t understand his philosophical meanderings and sometimes wrote off the expense as the cost of attending a freak show.  Too, there was the cultural and educational differences between Wilde and his audiences, especially out west as best illustrated by his visit to Leadville, Colorado, which the poet called the world’s richest city at the time.  Wilde later claimed “I was told that if I went there, they would be sure to shoot me or my traveling manager.  I wrote and told them that nothing they could do to my manager would intimidate me.”

During his Leadville lecture in the fancy Tabor Opera House packed with curiosity seekers, Wilde read from the autobiography of famed Renaissance artisan and silversmith Benvenuto Cellini.  When a bored spectator shouted why Cellini wasn’t present to read for himself, Wilde responded, “He’s dead.”  Responded the inquisitor, “Who shot him?” A reporter covering the Leadville talk noted the next day that “the most notable feature of Mr. Wilde’s lecture was the rather boisterous good humor of the audience.”

In spite of such lukewarm reviews, Wilde was seared in the minds of Americans.  When Wilde arrived in New York, frontiersman and dime novel hero Buffalo Bill Cody was likely the nation’s best-known celebrity.  By the time Wilde returned to Great Britain, he had traveled some 15,000 North American miles through 30 of the 38 United States, leaving behind over 500 major newspaper features and surpassing Buffalo Bill’s celebrity status at least until the next year when Cody started his Wild West show.

Odd though he may have been to westerners especially, by the time he left the U.S. Wilde had profited the equivalent of almost $200,000 in today’s money.  Those interested in learning more about Oscar Wilde’s 1882 trip across America should read Wilde in America: Oscar Wilde and the Invention of Modern Celebrity by David M. Friedman; Oscar Wilde Discovers America in 1882 by Lloyd Lewis and Henry Justin Smith; and Oscar Wilde by Richard Ellmann.

 

 

 

 

 

Preston Lewis is the award-winning author of 46 novels and nonfiction works on the West.  He is a past president of Western Writers of America.

 

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Signed copies of Call of the Wilde & Outlaw West of the Pecos

 

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Signed copy of Call of the Wilde

 

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5/2/23	The Plain-Spoken Pen	Review
5/2/23	Hall Ways Blog	BONUS Stop
5/3/23	StoreyBook Reviews	Guest Post
5/3/23	LSBBT Blog	BONUS Stop
5/4/23	Jennie Reads	Review
5/5/23	It’s Not All Gravy	Review
5/6/23	All the Ups and Downs	Excerpt
5/7/23	The Real World According to Sam	Character Spotlights
5/8/23	Shelf Life Blog	Author Interview
5/9/23	Rox Burkey Blog	Review
5/10/23	Boys’ Mom Reads	Excerpt
5/11/23	The Clueless Gent	Review
5/11/23	Reading by Moonlight	Review

 

 

 

 

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Synopsis

 

Clarissa Martinez, a biracial young woman, has lived in seven different countries by the time she turns twenty. She thinks it’s time to settle in a place she could call home. But where?

She joins a quest for the provenance of stolen illuminated manuscripts, a medieval art form that languished with the fifteenth century invention of the printing press. For her, these ancient manuscripts elicit cherished memories of children’s picture books her mother read to her, nourishing a passion for art.

Though immersed in art, she’s naïve about life. She’s disheartened and disillusioned by the machinations the quest reveals of an esoteric, sometimes unscrupulous art world. What compels individuals to steal artworks, and conquerors to plunder them from the vanquished? Why do collectors buy artworks for hundreds of millions of dollars? Who decides the value of an art piece and how?

And she wonders—will this quest reward her with a sense of belonging, a sense of home?

 

 

Amazon

 

 

Interview with Evy

 

 

How long have you been writing?

 

At least 50% of my time in previous jobs was devoted to writing proposals and reports. Before that, I wrote short stories for a school paper, term papers, a thesis, a dissertation. If you include those, then I’d say I’ve been writing a long time. As far as published fiction is concerned—twelve years.

 

What is your next project?

 

How about a novel on Edouard Manet (“father” of modern art, Le Dejeuner Sur L’herbe) and Berthe Morisot, one of very few female Impressionist painters? Were they more than friends, or was he just a mentor/painter to her student/muse? She eventually married his brother. If I find enough intrigue in what’s been written about them, I’ll be sorely tempted.

 

What is something you had to cut from your book that you wish you could have kept?

 

The chapter before the Epilogue was supposed to show the male character, in his POV, disclosing his feelings for Clarissa, and what happens  after she kisses him. More intimate and a bit sexy, it’s part emotional hook/part deeper characterization, but I decided it would distract from the story’s main themes and is out of sync with the story presentation. And why not leave something for the reader’s imagination? So, I excised it before I sent my draft to the editor.

 

Where do you get inspiration for your stories?

 

My author website tagline reads “I see, I listen, I think. Therefore, I write.” I live in a multicultural region where my reality consists of stories of the “Other”—multiracial or transcultural characters navigating separate “realities.” I’ve packaged my stories of the “Other” into a series (Between Two Worlds) of standalone books, each of which delves into a specific subject that interests me—for The Golden Manuscript, it’s art.

 

 

 

TheGoldenManuscripts-FIN.mp4 from Evy Journey on Vimeo.

 

 

 

About the Author

 

Evy Journey writes. Stories and blog posts. Novels that tend to cross genres. She’s also a wannabe artist, and a flâneuse.

Evy studied psychology (M.A., University of Hawaii; Ph.D. University of Illinois). So her fiction spins tales about nuanced characters dealing with contemporary life issues and problems. She believes in love and its many faces.

Her one ungranted wish: To live in Paris where art is everywhere and people have honed aimless roaming to an art form. She has visited and stayed a few months at a time.

 

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Synopsis

 

She will save hundreds of lives. But can she save her own?

Inspired by a previously untold true story.

1943. 18-year-old Czech Inge is torn from her family and imprisoned in some godforsaken hellhole. There, she suffers month after month of torturous labor while praying for liberation by the Allies. But rescue never comes. And her dream of surviving the war dies.

Heinz, an SS Sergeant, has been force-fed the Reich’s poison since childhood, but nowadays, he covertly helps prisoners.

So when a random act of kindness thrusts Inge and Heinz together, they can’t resist being drawn to one another. Unable to deny their feelings, they dare to dream of a future, a life — together.

But their relationship does not go unnoticed. For Inge and Heinz, falling in love becomes a death sentence. And not just for them but for all those they care about.

Unless…

Inge makes an unthinkable sacrifice.

Set during history’s darkest hour, “To Dream Of Shadows” is an epic tale of compassion, sacrifice, and the strength of the human spirit.

Discover one of the most heartwarming, heartbreaking, and heroic tales of the Holocaust. Discover “To Dream Of Shadows.”

 

 

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Review

 

This tragic yet beautiful story reminds us of the horrors that Jewish people endured during WWII and the Holocaust.

This story follows two individuals, Inge and Rudi. They are on opposite sides of the war, he is part of the Nazi brigade, and she is a Jewish woman interned at his camp. Yet, there is something in both of them that speaks to the other on a deeper level. Rudi is humane and isn’t fond of his position, but he knows that he can’t make massive changes without arousing suspicion. Inge is one voice of reason in his head, and she challenges him to treat all of the prisoners humanely, that he wouldn’t treat a dog like how he treats these people just because they are Jewish.

My heart hurt for all that these women endured at the camp. They were beaten, starved, and forced to work long hours. No one cared about them; they only cared about how much work they could get from them until the women perished from their living conditions. The guards were cruel on top of that and took any opportunity to flog and beat the women.

The story moves at a steady pace and picks up near the end when the situation is coming to a head. There is a twist at the end that I probably should have expected but did not. The interactions between all of the characters made me feel like I was right there experiencing this situation.

The story is also about friendship and love. We are shown that even two people on opposite sides of a situation can look deeper into the other and find common ground and love.

I was captured by this novel and had difficulty putting it down. It is a book that could remain on one’s mind long after the book has been read. We give this book 5 paws up.

 

 

 

 

 

About the Author

 

Apart from animals and writing, Steve’s passion is travel. He’s visited 60 countries and enjoyed some amazing experiences, including cage-diving with great white sharks, sparring with a monk at a Shaolin temple, and watching a turtle lay eggs on a moonlit beach. He’s explored Machu Picchu, Pompeii, and the Great Wall of China, yet for all that, he’s a man of simple tastes — give him an egg sandwich and the TV remote control, and he’ll be happy for hours!

He lives in the North of England with his partner, Ania, and two black cats who arrived in the garden one day and liked it so much, they stayed. Graciously, the cats allow Steve and Ania to stay in ‘their’ house.

 

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THE GOLD ROSE

 

by

 

Jodi Lea Stewart

 

 

Historical Fiction / WWII / Action & Drama / International Mystery

Publisher: Progressive Rising Phoenix Press

Date of Publication: February 21, 2023

Number of Pages: 372 pages

 

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Since the early 1940s, THE GOLD ROSE, a secret rescue agency with Asian origins, has used unique systems to ferret out and save victims in every corner of the world. Charlotte Hunt-Basse has faced dangerous and often deadly challenges in her decade as an agent with the agency, not the least of which was the past rescues of two of her assignments, Pinkie and Babe.

Two-year-old Pinkie is discovered abandoned on a dirt road during a violent storm. She is whisked off to Mexico by oil heir Clint Sutton and his girlfriend, Angelina, as they attempt to escape the lies of Clint’s father’s second wife. Three years later, Pinkie is stolen away to Argentina by an aging Romani. Pinkie suffers from the malice of her captor but wins the fatherly love of a Buenos Aires circus owner and his fiancé. Shortly after landing in the crosshairs of THE GOLD ROSE, Pinkie’s life takes two more shocking twists. When the agency locates Pinkie again, Agent Charlotte must throw all caution to the wind to rescue her.

Babe, the child of Texas-based missionaries, is hidden by two Chinese families during the Japanese invasion and ensuing Communist takeover of China. She is forced by the second family to live incognito as a “boy” for several years to save her from soldiers invading China from the North. Martial arts are banned, but the grandfather of the family teaches Babe Yǒng Chūn in deepest secrecy. The civil war escalates, and Babe finds herself on a dangerous quest for survival as she journeys alone through enemy territory toward the faintest hope of rescue.

 

 

 

Amazon * Barnes & Noble * Author Website

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Visuals are very important to me as I write novels. I’m happy to share these inspirational images I selected for my novel, The Gold Rose. – Jodi Lea Stewart

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Jodi Lea Stewart is a fiction author who centers her themes around the triumph of overcoming adversity through grit, humor, and hard-rock tenacity. Born in Texas and growing up in Arizona smelling cedar berries and cow pens on a large cattle ranch wedged between the Navajo Nation and the White Mountain Apache Tribe, most of her friends were Native American and Hispanic, with a few Anglos thrown in for good measure. On the ranch, she climbed petroglyph-etched boulders, sang to chickens, bounced two feet in the air in the backend of pickups wrestling through washed-out terracotta roads, and rode horseback on the winds of her imagination through the arroyos and mountains of the Arizona high country. Later, she left her studies at the University of Arizona in Tucson to move to San Francisco, where she learned about peace, love, and exactly what she didn’t want to do with her life.

Moving back to her native Texas, Jodi graduated summa cum laude with a BS in Business Management, raised three+ children, worked as an electro-mechanical drafter, penned humor columns for a college periodical, wrote regional western articles, and served as managing editor of a Fortune 500 corporate newsletter. Her lifelong friendship with all shades of folks, cowpunchers, southern belles, intellectuals, and “outlaws” propels Jodi into writing comfortably about the Southwest, the South, and far beyond. She currently resides in Arizona with her husband, two wild and crazy Standard poodles, one rescue cat, her fun-loving ninety-plus-year-old mom, a never-be-still-four-year-old tornado, and numerous bossy houseplants.

 

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Signed copy of The Gold Rose plus a custom Gold Rose laptop carrying case

 

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04/11/23	All the Ups and Downs	Book Trailer
04/11/23	Chapter Break Book Blog	Notable Quotables
04/11/23	Hall Ways Blog	BONUS Promo
04/12/23	Forgotten Winds	Author Interview
04/12/23	Librariel Book Adventures	Review
04/13/23	StoreyBook Reviews	Scrapbook Page
04/13/23	LSBBT Blog	BONUS Promo
04/14/23	Rainy Days with Amanda	Review
04/14/23	Stories Under Starlight	Excerpt
04/15/23	Jennie Reads	Review
04/16/23	Shelf Life Blog	Guest Post
04/17/23	The Clueless Gent	Review
04/18/23	The Plain-Spoken Pen	Review
04/18/23	Sybrina’s Book Blog	Top 20 List
04/19/23	Boys’ Mom Reads	Review
04/20/23	The Book’s Delight	Review
04/20/23	Reading by Moonlight	Review

 

 

 

 

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Synopsis

 

Can one nurse on a mission of mercy and rebellion turn the tide of WWI?

November 1914

The Great War has come to Brussels, and Edith Cavell, Head Nurse at Berkendael Medical Institute, faces an impossible situation. She has sworn an oath to help any who are wounded, under whatever flag they are found. But Governor von Lüttwitz, the ranking German officer, has ordered her and her nurses to also stand guard over the wounded Allied prisoners of war and prevent them from escaping.

Edith feels that God called her to be a healer, not a jailer. How can she heal these broken boys, only to see them returned to the hands of their oppressors to be beaten again?

So when members of the Belgian resistance, desperate for help, bring two wounded British soldiers to her hospital in secret, she decides she will heal the soldiers, and then help smuggle them out of the hospital to freedom.

With her loyal friend and fellow nurse, Lizzie, by her side, Edith establishes her hospital as a safe house for the resistance, laboring tirelessly to save as many soldiers as she can. Working under the watchful eyes of the German army, Edith faces challenging odds as she fights to bring hope to her small corner of a war-torn world.

Based on a true story, Under the Cover of Mercy is the remarkable account of one woman who defied an entire nation in order to heal those who needed her help the most.

 

 

 

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Review

 

I enjoy reading books that are based somewhat on reality, even if all the facts are not known. That is the case with this book. We learn about Edith Cavell, a nurse during WWI in Belgium that ended up giving up her life while helping soldiers escape the Germans. My heart broke for Edith when she was convicted of treason, but I admired her pluck in standing up for what was right.

This story is told from two points of view – Edith, and her Assistant Matron, Lizzie. At times it took me a minute to figure out whose POV was being told at that moment. I would have liked a clearer delineation of whose perspective we were seeing at that moment. Both of these women were to be admired for the lengths they went to to ensure that the soldiers were not caught by the Germans.

The story contains a lot of dialogue, whether between characters or internally. I was disappointed that there weren’t more descriptions of the women, men, or the hospital. We did see some descriptive narrative when they were walking about town and the shops they would pass, and towards the end when Edith was imprisoned and at trial, but not much more than that.

These women and the hospital were part of the Red Cross. I have to admit that I don’t know much about how they operate during war or if they are protected from attack, but that was my impression in this book. I would hope that since this is a neutral organization that wants to provide aid to everyone, no matter their heritage, that they are protected by common decency. It did give me the desire to research the Red Cross and its mission.

This is an intriguing tale about Edith Cavell and her mission in life, especially during the war. I appreciated the author’s notes at the end that shared more of Edith’s history so we could understand her better. Overall, we give it 3 paws up.

 

 

 

 

 

About the Author

 

I was born once upon a time, and I started making up stories right away. Eventually, I started writing them down, and never stopped! I have a day job, which gets in the way of my writing, but it pays the bills so I CAN write, so I guess that’s okay! I am a bookworm, which I think is key to being a writer, and I am always looking for inspiration! I live in Indiana, am obsessed with hot chocolate, and I am on track to be the best aunt in the world.

 

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WINNING MAURA’S HEART

 

The Hangman’s Daughters Series, Book # 1

 

by

 

Linda Broday

 

 

Western Romance / Clean & Wholesome / Historical Fiction

 

Publisher: Severn House

 

Date of Publication: March 7, 2023

 

Number of Pages: 256 pages

 

 

 

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Maura Taggart is an outcast, the daughter of a hangman and tainted by association – no reputable man wants her as his wife. And now she is homeless, along with her sister and the group of children in their care. Armed with pure grit, she finds a nearby mission where the nuns agree to take them in and set up an orphanage. But trouble is just around the corner . . .

The Calhoun brothers are identical twins but on opposite sides of the law. Cutter is a deputy Marshal, Jonas an outlaw. When Cutter attempts to break his brother out of a notorious gang, they are shot, and Maura finds one of them wounded, close to the mission – but which brother is it?

As the stranger regains his strength under Maura’s care an attraction between them grows, yet how far can she trust him? And why has he brought trouble to their door? With the orphanage under threat can Maura trust this handsome stranger both with their safety and with her heart?

 

 

 

Universal Purchase Link

 

 

 

 

Excerpt from Winning Maura’s Heart

 

By Linda Broday

 

 

Calhoun met her blue gaze and came near to slicing his ear. He swallowed hard and shaved all that he could get to with one arm. Finally, he laid the razor in the water. “That’s it.”

“You did good, Calhoun.” Maura dried the straight razor and uncurled the strop.

He watched in fascination as she expertly sharpened the blade. “You’ve used one of those before.”

“I used to love doing this for my father on the rare occasions when he was home. And when he let me, which was in truth only a handful of times. But it made me feel that he cared for me. At least a little.”

“I take it your father was away a lot.”

“Yes, he has to travel where the jobs take him.”

“What kind of work does he do?”

Maura froze. After several moments, she spoke. “I’d rather not say if you don’t mind. His profession has made life—difficult—for Emma and me.”

What did he do? Curiosity had him biting his tongue to keep from asking. If he could bear waiting until tomorrow, he’d ask Max. But whatever it was had kept both girls from having a life.

Apparently, they’d been unwelcome in town so they brought the children out here. Now it made some sense why those folks had chopped off Emma’s hair.

The sisters were outcasts. For whatever reason, no one wanted their company.

His blood ran cold. There were only three professions that folks had difficulty with, and he didn’t like the thought of any of them. Grave digger, undertaker, and hangman. And the first two were far more acceptable than the third. Calhoun put the thought aside for now. Maura had gotten the blade at the sharpness she wanted it and stood ready.

“I’ve never done this part of shaving, but I’ll try not to cut you.”

“Thanks for that.” He was already sweating. First, at the thought of an untrained person holding such a sharp instrument. But worse than that…she stood so close and would have to lean in to get in the right positions. No barber he’d ever gone to had been encumbered with breasts and Maura’s were quite…well, let’s just say no one would ever mistake her for a man. Not at all. Even if they were blind as bats.

“Relax, Calhoun. You’re not scared, are you?”

“Quit teasing. Of course, I’m apprehensive.” He took a deep breath. “Proceed.”

“You act like you’re about to be drawn and quartered like they did in jolly old England.”

“I think they still might,” he muttered darkly.

Her sleeve brushed his cheek as she made the first stroke. She leaned to whisper. “You’re in good hands, Calhoun.”

A side glance found him staring down her dress at all that soft skin. He tried several times to speak before he managed to croak, “Yes, ma’am.”

She moved and the view disappeared. He could finally release the breath he’d been holding. Despite her inexperience, her strokes were slow and smooth with no hesitation or nicks.

But keeping her bosom away from his face was all but impossible. He closed his eyes but each time he opened them, there they were.

Normally, he wouldn’t complain but he was trying to be a gentleman as much as he was able. When his body reacted and he was about to embarrass himself, he pictured his last fishing trip and counted the fish on his stringer. When he ran out of fish, he counted the worms, then his bullets.

“Are you going to sleep, Calhoun?” she asked.

Good Lord, he was far from that! Every nerve ending was standing on end and saluting. He folded his hands over himself.

“No, ma’am. Just thinking about going fishing.”

“I see. Do you fish often?”

“Every chance I get, but it’s been a while since I last went.”

“Lean your head back and tighten the skin around your mouth and nose. A little more and we’ll be through.”

He did as she asked and found his head resting on those soft twin mounds. It was like floating on a cloud.

Stop it. Just stop it. He couldn’t let himself enjoy the sensation. It was wrong, wrong, wrong and he was about to lose control. And would if this went on for long. And then what?

“Quit squirming,” Maura scolded.

“I’m trying.” But all sorts of inappropriate images were running through his head.

The moments passed as she finished up then dropped the straight razor into the bowl of water and stepped back. “I’m done.”

Not a moment too soon. He struggled to his feet, wiping away the excess shaving soap with the towel. “Thank you. It feels good to rid myself of those bristles.”

“You’re welcome. You look…nice.”

He chuckled. “You mean human. I’m beginning to feel like it, thanks to you.”

Without looking at him, she opened the door to empty the bowl of water. “No offense, but I hope you can manage by yourself next time.”

Something had happened to her voice. It seemed a little strained. Had this affected her as it had him?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I’m a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of western romance novels and short stories. Watching TV westerns during my youth fed my love of cowboys and the old West and they still do. On a still day, I can often hear the voices of American Indians, Comancheros, and early cowboys whispering in the breeze here on the high West Texas plains. We refer to this land as “cowboy” country and men here still ride the range just as cowboys of old. My stories focus on family life and almost all have children.

 

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GRAND PRIZE: tote including signed copy of Winning Maura’s Heart, strawberry & chocolate tea, Cowgirl hand lotion, bath bombs, personalized cup;

 

2nd Prize: eBook copy Winning Maura’s Heart;

 

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(US only; ends midnight, CDT, 4/14/23)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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04/04/23	Hall Ways Blog	Guest Post
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04/05/23	Forgotten Winds	Review
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04/06/23	StoreyBook Reviews	Excerpt
04/07/23	It’s Not All Gravy	Review
04/08/23	The Book’s Delight	Review
04/09/23	JennCaffeinated	Notable Quotables
04/10/23	The Plain-Spoken Pen	Review
04/11/23	The Page Unbound	Excerpt
04/12/23	Carpe Diem Chronicles	Review
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Synopsis

 

An abandoned building. A motivated runner. A Hodgkin’s lymphoma cancer survivor.

Connor Jackson has been training for a half marathon for the past six weeks. Katie Brandt has been training to beat cancer for the past 50. When Connor discovers an intriguing secret in a tiny, abandoned building on his running route, Katie finds that the mystery is what she needs to help her get through her three-week stem cell replacement procedure. Together, Conner and Katie must find the strength to achieve their personal goals and, in the meantime, expose the many past lives that the tiny building led.

“We all want to find something amazing – some treasure – in old, abandoned places. That’s what we expect.” – Katie Brandt, cancer survivor

 

 

 

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Review

 

This is a tale of friendship, history, running, and even love.

Connor has a demanding job as a nurse. He helps treat cancer patients, and this cannot be an easy task. However, he makes the most of the situation and takes to running to relieve stress. Along the way, he decides to investigate this small brick building close to his condo. What unfolds is a fascinating tale about history, the Underground Railroad, and discovering who he is deep down inside.

The story is told from Connor’s point of view but also from Katie’s point of view. Katie is one of his cancer patients with lymphoma. We learn a little bit about the treatment for the disease and the mettle of Katie from giving birth to twin girls after being diagnosed with cancer. If you know anything about this form of cancer, the treatment can be challenging, but Katie is a fighter. She is also curious and has no problem diving into researching the building that Connor discovered and its history.

I was curious about this building as details were laid out. Did it have a historical significance? How would it impact the town? It was fun to read along and wonder about different aspects of the building and wonder what details and clues they might discover next.

In the process of searching for more information, Connor meets Leah, who happens to be a friend of his brother’s wife. I enjoyed watching their relationship blossom.

If you are a runner, you might enjoy the sections where he shares his training regimen for an upcoming half marathon. He wasn’t afraid to show vulnerability about his fears or concerns about the upcoming race.

Connor also has a fantastic relationship with his nieces. It was fun to watch their interactions, and it reflected what sort of parent he might be someday.

This was a fun read, and we give it 4 paws up.

 

 

 

 

 

 

About the Author

 

Iris March has a reputation for killing house plants and now she’s killing people off in books? Coincidence? Perhaps not. Iris has spent two decades working in the sustainability field and is usually either reading a book or on a trail. She lives in Ohio with her husband, son, and three cats.

 

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FAR OUT!

 

by

 

Anne Bustard

 

 

Children’s Historical Fiction / Family / Mystery / Humor / Sci-Fi Inspired / 8-12 years

Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers

Date of Publication: April 18, 2023

Number of Pages: 224 pages

 

 

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From the author of Blue Skies comes a lively middle grade novel set in 1960s Texas about a young, alien-loving girl trying to clear her grandmother’s good name in this mystery that has humor, hijinks, and heart in equal measure.

It’s 1964, the Space Race is well underway, and eleven-year-old Magnolia Jean Crook and the other residents of Totter, Texas, are over the moon about UFOs.

The whole town is gearing up for the First Annual Come on Down Day—in just one week, they are hoping to host any and all space aliens who would like to visit Earth. But right before the kick-off party, a meteorite goes missing—and MJ’s beloved grandmother Mimi, who is the vice president of the Totter Unidentified Flying Object Organization, is the prime suspect.

MJ is desperate to show the town that this Crook is not a thief. The only problem is that there is a lot of evidence against her, and Mimi herself isn’t helping things. She’s acting suspiciously, pulling disappearing acts, and worst of all, can’t seem to answer any questions about where she was or what she was doing.

But much like UFOs, extraterrestrial visitations, and sending people to space, the impossible has been known to happen.

 

 

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Author Anne Bustard’s Playlist to Far Out!

 

LISTEN HERE FOR FREE ON SPOTIFY!

 

(SPOTIFY ACCOUNT REQUIRED TO LISTEN OR REGISTER FOR FREE!)

 

 

 

“Ac-Cent-Tchu-Ate the Positive” by Bing Crosby

“Jailhouse Rock” by Elvis

“Please Mr. Postman” covered by The Beatles (referenced in the book), original by The Marvelettes

“Purple People Eater” by Sheb Wooley

“Telstar” by The Tornadoes

“Fly Me to the Moon” by Frank Sinatra

“I Want to Hold Your Hand” by The Beatles

“Can’t Buy Me Love” by The Beatles

“Jarabe Tapatío” composed by Jesús González Rubio

“Hawaiian Wedding Song” sung by Elvis

 

 

 

 

 

Anne Bustard is the former co-owner of Toad Hall Children’s Bookstore in Austin, Texas, and an MFA graduate of the Vermont College of Fine Arts.

She is the author of the middle-grade novels, Blue Skies and Anywhere but Paradise, as well as two picture books, RAD! and Buddy: The Story of Buddy Holly, which was an Ira Children’s Book award Notable and a Bank Street Book of the Year.

Hawaii-born, she divided her time between Texas and Canada.

 

 

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Signed hardcover copy of Far Out!

 

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03/21/23	Shelf Life Blog	Excerpts
03/21/23	Hall Ways Blog	BONUS Promo
03/22/23	Sybrina’s Book Blog	Author Interview
03/22/23	LSBBT Blog	BONUS Promo
03/23/23	Chapter Break Book Blog	Review
03/24/23	Reading by Moonlight	Review
03/25/23	All the Ups and Downs	Scrapbook Page
03/26/23	Forgotten Winds	Top Ten List
03/27/23	Boys’ Mom Reads	Review
03/28/23	StoreyBook Reviews	Playlist
03/29/23	The Real World According to Sam	Review
03/30/23	Rox Burkey Blog	Review

 

 

 

 

 

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Synopsis

 

Set among the rolling green Irish hills, Kelkerry Castle is something out of a dreamy fairy tale. For hotelier Bridget Marshall, however, it’s a dream come true…once she’s sorted out the mold, lead paint, and ancient plumbing. And she’ll prove to everyone in the nearby village of Shansally (pop. 119) that she’s not just another silly, dreamy-eyed American—including her curt (if utterly gorgeous) new neighbor, Liam O’Flannagain.

Only, this breathtaking castle has far more secrets than expensive repairs. While someone—or something—here desperately wants Bridget to give up and walk away, there’s another force tugging Bridget to stay. Because whenever she’s with Liam, the ancient past seems to come to life again, sweeping them along in a story they’re apparently destined to relive.

Now, Liam and Bridget are caught up in a long-ago tale filled with love, danger, and betrayal. The past seems to be working its magic on both of them, pulling them into a love story they’re helpless to resist. And they’ll have to uncover the truth of what happened all those centuries ago before history—and tragedy—repeats itself.

 

 

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Excerpt

 

The light swung skyward for a moment. “We’d best hurry and do whatever we’re going to if you don’t want to get soaked through.”

“We’re waiting on you, then. We agreed I wasn’t going to touch anything.” I returned to studying the triple spirals. The pattern was mesmerizing. I wrapped my arms around me to try to fight the pinprick sensation. It only made things worse. Like my hands were moving in the wrong direction. I could already smell a hint of ion in the air, mixing in with the grassy damp. There was something to see here. And it either very much wanted, or very much didn’t want us to see it. I could only hope it was the former.

Liam remained as still as one of the stones for a long beat before he moved to the one closest to him.

I waited, but nothing happened. “Did you touch it?”

“I told you it doesn’t always happen.”

You can’t seriously think it won’t happen. I couldn’t possibly be the only one feeling the energy in the air. “Try another one.”

The light in his hand bobbed as he moved down the line, stopping in front of one stone then the next.

“How long do you want me to do this?” he called as he started to round the mound, his light just visible around the curve from where I stood.

“How many stones are there?” I returned. I could almost feel his grumbling in the distance, but he continued making his way around.

His light blinked out of view. And I was seemingly alone in the darkness. My heartbeat rose to my throat, every nerve in my body alert. The trees continued to rustle in the distance. The sound somehow amplified in the stillness between the stones. To my over-charged mind, it sounded like laughter.

Christ… I blew out a calming breath and threw my arms down to my sides. I flexed my fingers to try to dispel some of the energy. Even if it was just a trick of the wind and the shape of the dip, I could see why generations would believe there was something mystical living in that mound. And if there were fairies, well, I supposed I just had to hope they weren’t pissed off by us dropping by tonight.

Last thing you want is an angry fairy, I remembered Liam’s words the first time we had talked about the visions. Now, I sort of wished I’d asked him “why?”

If anything, the buzz in my hands only got worse. I’d be throwing off lightning bolts from my fingers soon if this kept up.

And those damn spirals wouldn’t let me go.

I certainly had no desire to relive the last jump I’d had in the stables. Intuition bordering on compulsion continued to urge me forward. I glanced at the mound again. Still no sign of Liam’s flashlight. Taking a final deep breath, I reached out and touched the center of the three largest spirals.

The familiar dizziness hit, the electricity rolling over my body. The world spun, but it took form again. This time without pain. Not even the near migraine I’d felt every other time.

Progress?

I glanced around the darkness. The already consuming night felt all the more daunting, and I realized my flashlight had gone. Other than that, and the weight of Ellyn’s longer hair and odd-fitting clothes, though, everything still looked the same.

They were already ancient by Ellyn’s time, the thought registered. The mound and stones had been there millennia by the time Ellyn would have seen them. The corners of the stones softened by the elements and mossy with age. They were mystical old ruins, made by a mysterious long-gone people, the same to her as me.

 

 

About the Author

 

Jessica Dall is the author of such novels as Forever Bound, A Dangerous Beauty, and The Stars of Heaven. She has written across an array of genres, though her love of history and romance always seems to find a way into her work. Born and raised in southern California, she now resides in Maryland with her husband and daughter. When not living vicariously through her characters, she enjoys travel, crafting, and helping others with their own writing journeys.

 

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