Synopsis

 

Uncovering a dark family secret sends one woman through the history of Britain’s World War II spy network and glamorous 1930s Paris to save her family’s reputation.

Caroline Payne thinks it’s just another day of work until she receives a call from Mat Hammond, an old college friend and historian. But pleasantries are cut short. Mat has uncovered a scandalous secret kept buried for decades: In World War II, Caroline’s British great-aunt betrayed family and country to marry her German lover.

Determined to find answers and save her family’s reputation, Caroline flies to her family’s ancestral home in London. She and Mat discover diaries and letters that reveal her grandmother and great-aunt were known as the “Waite sisters.” Popular and witty, they came of age during the interwar years, a time of peace and luxury filled with dances, jazz clubs, and romance. The buoyant tone of the correspondence soon yields to sadder revelations as the sisters grow apart, and one leaves home for the glittering fashion scene of Paris, despite rumblings of a coming world war.

Each letter brings more questions. Was Caroline’s great-aunt actually a traitor and Nazi collaborator, or is there a more complex truth buried in the past? Together, Caroline and Mat uncover stories of spies and secrets, love and heartbreak, and the events of one fateful evening in 1941 that changed everything.

In this rich historical novel by award-winning author Katherine Reay, a young woman is tasked with writing the next chapter of her family’s story. But Caroline must choose whether to embrace a love of her own and proceed with caution if her family’s decades-old wounds are to heal without tearing them even further apart.

 

 

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Praise

 

“Carefully researched, emotionally hewn, and written with a sure hand, The London House is a tantalizing tale of deeply held secrets, heartbreak, redemption, and the enduring way that family can both hurt and heal us. I enjoyed it thoroughly.”— Kristin Harmel, New York Times bestselling author of The Forest of Vanishing Stars and The Book of Lost Names

“An expertly researched and marvelously paced treatise on the many variants of courage and loyalty . . . Arresting historical fiction destined to thrill fans of Erica Roebuck and Pam Jenoff.”— Rachel McMillan, author of The London Restoration and The Mozart Code

“Reay’s fast-paced foray into the past cleverly reveals a family’s secrets and how a pivotal moment shaped future generations. Readers who enjoy engrossing family mystery should take note.”— Publisher’s Weekly  

 

 

Review

 

Family history may not always be what you expected.

Caroline is approached by her college friend, Mat, who believes that her great-aunt was a Nazi collaborator during WWII. He discovered some information while researching another person from that time and stumbled across some potentially damaging information. Determined to get to the truth, Caroline takes off for London to read through letters and diaries left by her grandmother. What they find is something altogether different and sheds new light on what they thought they knew as the truth.

I enjoy stories that go back and forth in time because it gives us a broader picture of what might have happened to cause certain events to occur. While the past is primarily told through letters and diary entries, the words transported me and I could envision the Waite sisters, Caro and Margo (short for Caroline and Margaret), and the situations they found themselves in as young girls, teenagers, and young women. There is also the mystery of who Caroline was and what did she do during WWII? Was she in bed with the Germans or was there something more to the story?

I haven’t read anything else from this author, but I found the story to be well written and the pacing just right. There is family drama when it comes to Caroline’s parents and family and perhaps this truth will set things right. But you’ll have to read the book to find out the ending!

We give this book 5 paws up.

 

 

 

 

 

About the Author

 

Katherine Reay is the national bestselling and award-winning author of Dear Mr. Knightley, Lizzy and Jane, The Brontë Plot, A Portrait of Emily Price, The Austen Escape, and The Printed Letter Bookshop. All Katherine’s novels are contemporary stories with a bit of classical flair. Katherine holds a BA and MS from Northwestern University, graduating Phi Beta Kappa, and is a wife, mother, former marketer, and avid chocolate consumer. After living all across the country and a few stops in Europe, Katherine now happily resides outside Chicago, IL.

 

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Synopsis

 

Jane Austen meets Sherlock Holmes in this new Regency mystery series

Newly returned from finishing school, Lady Juliette Thorndike is ready to debut in London society. Due to her years away, she hasn’t spent much time with her parents and sees them only as the flighty, dilettante couple the other nobles love. But when they disappear, she discovers she never really knew them at all. They’ve been living double lives as government spies–and they’re only the latest in a long history of espionage that is the family’s legacy.

Now Lady Juliette is determined to continue their work. Mentored by her uncle, she plunges into the dangerous world of spies. From the glittering ballrooms of London to the fox hunts, regattas, and soirees of country high society, she must chase down hidden clues, solve the mysterious code her parents left behind, and stay out of danger. All the while, she has to keep her endeavors a secret from her best friend and her suitors–not to mention the nosy, irritatingly handsome Bow Street runner, who suspects her of a daring theft.

Can Lady Juliette outwit her enemies and complete her parents’ last mission?

Best-selling author Erica Vetsch is back with a rollicking, exciting new series destined to be a hit with Regency readers who enjoy a touch of mystery in their love stories. Fans of Julie Klassen, Sarah Ladd, and Anne Perry will love the wit, action, and romance.

 

 

The book releases on December 7, 2021, pre-order it today

 

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Read an excerpt of the book here

 

 

Review

 

This is an engaging mystery that kept me guessing until the end. I love to try and solve the crimes but will admit that I didn’t even come close to guessing who was behind the desire to unearth those working for the crown. I had a few suspicions but I wasn’t correct, but that is ok because that is the fun in trying to decipher a mystery!

I’m not sure which character I liked the most, they all had redeeming qualities and added depth to the story. Juliette is a debutante that is pulled into the spy world, but at what potential cost? Is it something she wishes to pursue? She does dive headfirst into learning some of the tricks of the trade from Uncle Bertie since her parents are away. She definitely takes to this world like a duck to water and proves to be adept at cyphering codes, pickpocketing (those piano lessons help with nimble fingers), and with a few lessons, she learned how to transform herself and even protect herself from nefarious criminals. However, her aversion to blood could be her downfall but only time will tell.

Juliette has a best friend, Agatha, but I don’t feel like we got to know her as well as we could have but mostly because she was a cover for Juliette whether she knew it or not. I hope that if this becomes a series that we see their friendship continue and perhaps she becomes involved in some capers, but unwittingly. Of course, Agatha does have a penchant for saying too much and it is her revelations that caused me to look in other directions for the guilty party.

Uncle Bertie is a hoot, he might be my favorite character…but I’m not 100% sure. Detective Daniel Swann is a morally upstanding man and I know he has to wrap his head around the situation when all is revealed. Plus there is a bit of chemistry between Juliette and Daniel even if they haven’t given in to it…yet.

Overall, this was a different twist in the mysteries I normally read but I loved it all the same and look forward to another book in this series and it looks like one will be out next year. yeah!

We give this book 5 paws up.

 

 

 

 

 

 

About the Author

 

Erica Vetsch is a New York Times best-selling and ACFW Carol Award-winning author. She is a transplanted Kansan now living in Minnesota with her husband, who she claims is both her total opposite and soul mate.

Vetsch is the author of many novellas and novels, including the popular Serendipity & Secrets Regency series and the new Thorndike & Swann Regency Mystery series

Vetsch loves Jesus, history, romance, and sports. When she’s not writing fiction, she’s planning her next trip to a history museum and cheering on her Kansas Jayhawks and New Zealand All Blacks.

 

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Giveaway

 

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A Secret Never Told (A Lady Dunbridge Mystery) 
Historical Cozy Mystery
4th in Series
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Forge Books; 1st edition (November 23, 2021)
Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 336 pages

 

Synopsis

 

Miss Fisher meets Downton Abbey in A Secret Never Told, the fourth installment in the critically acclaimed mystery series from New York Times bestselling author Shelley Noble.

Philomena Amesbury, expatriate Countess of Dunbridge, is bored. Coney Island in the sweltering summer of 1908 offers no shortage of diversions for a young woman of means, but sea bathing, horse racing, and even amusement parks can’t hold a candle to uncovering dastardly plots and chasing villains. Lady Dunbridge hadn’t had a big challenge in months.

Fate obliges when Phil is called upon to host a dinner party in honor of a visiting Austrian psychologist whose revolutionary theories may be of interest to the War Department, not to mention various foreign powers, and who may have already survived one attempt on his life. The guest list includes a wealthy industrialist, various rival scientists and academics, a party hypnotist, a flamboyant party-crasher, and a damaged beauty whose cloudy psyche is lost in a world of its own. Before the night is out, one of the guests is dead with a bullet between the eyes and Phil finds herself with another mystery on her hands, even if it’s unclear who exactly the intended victim was meant to be.

Worse yet, the police’s prime suspect is a mystery man who Phil happens to be rather intimately acquainted with. Now it’s up to Lady Dunbridge, with the invaluable assistance of her intrepid butler and lady’s maid, to find the real culprit before the police nab the wrong one . . .

 

 

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Guest Post

 

WHERE DID THAT HAPPEN?

 

One of the fun things about writing mysteries is deciding on the location for your murder.  Should it be someplace everyone knows?   Or a secluded place where no one ever goes?  And the best part of writing historical mysteries is that nothing you write about has stayed the same.  And sometimes the things you expect aren’t always the things you learn.  Some of those things are amazing, even if you end up not even using them in the story.

In A SECRET NEVER TOLD,  I chose Coney Island for much of the action.  Now, the Coney Island of 1908  is much different than the Coney Island of today.  Not just in the clothes and the amusements. But that’s another fun thing about living close to your mystery location.  You get to go “on-site” just to take a look and imagine.

And even as you stand there, knowing that everything is different, for a moment,  you can almost see the way things were.  The rides have gotten much more sophisticated and thrilling since the days of the Steeplechase mechanical horse race or the human roulette wheel.  And certainly, fashion has changed.

Today, hardly any man goes for a day at the beach dressed in a summer suit and a boater, though they did in 1908.  Women wore ankle-length dresses or long skirts and long-sleeved blouses.  They covered their heads with wide brim hats and carried big black umbrellas because (as it turns out they knew better than we do)  the sun was bad for the complexion.

Women’s swimsuits were cumbersome in 1908  but improved over the earlier full skirts, stockings, shoes, and caps worn just a decade before.

Things we never really think about but were distinctive for their time.

And maybe we think oh how quaint,  and feel a certain nostalgia for those long-ago days.  And occasionally a fact startles you.  There were quite a few in my studies of 1908  Coney Island.  One that has really stuck in my mind, though it didn’t make it into the book was that among the many “sideshows” along the boardwalk, in the days of bearded ladies, and giants and wild men from Borneo, one such sideshow was The “baby incubator” where rows of premature babies lived in glass incubators.

This exhibit was the brainchild of Dr. Martin Couney who created and ran the exhibit from 1903 until the 1930s and was located inside the “Dreamland” amusement park.

Developed in the 1880s in Paris, the incubator offered a controlled environment for babies born too early to acclimate to normal surroundings.  The hospitals appear to have had no interest in adopting the use of incubators.  So mothers brought their premature, underweight babies to Dreamland and the incubator sideshow to save their lives.

The actual incubators were presided over by nurses and doctors; the room and equipment were sanitized.  The parents were never charged for the care their children received. The operation of these life-saving machines and salaries of the nurses were paid for from the proceeds of ticket sales. Over the years, Couney and his medical staff managed to save the lives of thousands of babies. Until finally during the 1940s, hospitals began to adopt  Couney’s incubators and his technique for saving the lives of the most vulnerable.

How’s that for a surprise?

 

 

About the Author

 

Shelley Noble is the author of the Lady  Dunbridge Gilded Age mysteries beginning with ASK ME NO QUESTIONS, and  The Newport  Gilded Age mysteries. As Shelley Freydont she has written several amateur sleuth series.

She is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of nine novels of women’s fiction. WHISPER BEACH and BEACH COLORS, were Amazon and Nook bestsellers. The latest, LUCKY’S BEACH, was published in June 2020.

A former professional dancer and choreographer, Shelley lives at the Jersey shore where she indulges her passion for lighthouses and vintage carousels.

 

 

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Giveaway

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Synopsis

 

Augusta Travers has spent the last three years avoiding the stifling expectations of New York society and her family’s constant disappointment. As the nation’s most fearless–and reviled–columnist, Gussie travels the country with her Kodak camera and spins stories for women unable to leave hearth and home. But when her adventurous nature lands her in the middle of a scandal, an opportunity to leave America offers the perfect escape.

Arriving in India, she expects only a nice visit with childhood friends, siblings Catherine and Gabriel, and escapades that will further her career. Instead, she finds herself facing a plague epidemic, confusion over Gabriel’s sudden appeal, and the realization that what she wants from life is changing. But slowing down means facing all the hurts of her past that she’s long been trying to outrun. And that may be an undertaking too great even for her.

 

 

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Praise

 

“Duffy shines in elegant, flowing prose and delicate precision that underscores the nineteenth-century setting.”— Booklist, starred review

“An author to watch.”— Library Journal

“Duffy’s writing is beautiful, deep, and contemplative.”— Jocelyn Green, Christy Award-winning author of Shadows of the White City

 

 

Excerpt

 

Gussie bounced in her seat and stared out the window, admiring but unable to fully appreciate the mist-shrouded hills rising and falling in a kaleidoscope of emerald. Maharashtra’s arresting beauty couldn’t compete with the knowledge that the train brought her ever closer to her dearest friends.

Everything had happened so quickly that Gussie hadn’t had the opportunity to write and let them know of her visit before leaving home. And then, when she arrived in England, she’d decided to surprise them. She leaned near the window, attempting to see past the tracks stitched ahead of them in a crooked seam. Catherine was going to be delighted—she’d always loved Gussie’s larks. Specs, though . . .

Gussie blew her lips. Specs disliked both surprises and larks. But he had written her so many fond letters, and their friendship spilled through the years like a ribbon unfurled. He couldn’t possibly be dismayed by her appearance.

Still . . .

She tugged her lip between her teeth. Specs always had been a stickler for following convention and rules. He was a serious sort. Not entirely dour but definitely grave. She thought of his thin, solemn face, round glasses perched atop his long nose as he looked up at her—he had been an inch below her in height the last time she’d seen him. Gussie had inherited her grandfather’s stature, whereas her sisters remained acceptably petite. There weren’t many men she didn’t match inch for inch, if she didn’t stand over.

Maybe she should have sent a message and told them of her visit. It would be disappointing in the extreme if she arrived and didn’t receive the reaction she hoped for. Could she bear Specs’s disapproval?

Gussie rubbed the pebbled leather of her camera bag, which was strung across her torso and resting in her lap. She couldn’t do anything about it now. Besides, even after her most disastrous childhood escapades, Specs eventually came around and forgave her. He would this time, as well. And Catherine’s letters had spoken of her husband, John, as a kind spirit. He might have influenced Gabriel MacLean.

With her doubts and worries addressed and conquered, Gussie leaned her head against the seat and napped.

“Memsahib,” someone said, jostling her shoulder.

She jerked upright and glanced around, blinking. The train had stopped, and outside the window, a wave of passengers fanned out over the platform. She squealed, thanked the startled porter, and leapt from her seat.

Out on the platform, Gussie looked around, recognizing nothing, and a laugh rose to her lips, spilling out to skip along the wild mass of color, babble of languages, and press of vehicles. Even when she’d traveled to the very edge of civilized America, there had still been a sense of familiarity. Nothing in South Dakota had reminded her in any way of her life in New York City, but she still understood it. Understood the language, the social structure, the manners, the context.

India, though, worked tirelessly to overwhelm her. To delight her. To surprise her. And below that thought, simmering in a place she’d never taken the time to poke around, there arrived a thought so outlandish, she wondered if her sleep-addled mind had yanked it from a half-remembered dream.

India felt like a homecoming.

She belonged here. In this place as scattered and audacious and alive as she was.

 

From Chapter Seven pages 52-54

 

 

About the Author

 

Kimberly Duffy is a Long Island native currently living in Southwest Ohio, via six months in India. When she’s not homeschooling her four kids, she writes historical fiction that takes her readers back in time and across oceans. She loves trips that require a passport, recipe books, and practicing kissing scenes with her husband of twenty years. He doesn’t mind.

 

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GONE TO DALLAS:

 

THE STOREKEEPER

 

1856 – 1861

 

by

 

LAURIE MOORE – MOORE

 

 

Genre: Historical Fiction / Texas Pioneers / Civil War

Publisher: Goat Mountain Press

Date of Publication: October 4, 2021

Number of Pages: 348 pages

 

 

Scroll down for Giveaway!

 

 

 

 

Sara’s husband was a disappointment in life, but she had to admit he was a handsome corpse.

Climb aboard an 1856 Dallas-bound wagon train and join a plucky female protagonist for the journey of a lifetime in Laurie Moore-Moore’s richly entertaining new book, Gone to Dallas, The Storekeeper 1856-1861. Far from your average historical novel or western, Gone to Dallas is a compelling tale of migration, betrayal, death, and dreams—peppered with real people, places, and events. With a cast of interesting characters and more bumps and hazards than a wagon trail, Gone to Dallas tells the unforgettable story of a formidable frontier woman in the context of true Texas history.

It had seemed so romantic when Morgan Darnell courted Sara in Tennessee, finally convincing her they should marry and join an 1856 “Gone to Texas” wagon train traveling along the “Trail of Tears,” through Indian territory, and across the Red River into Texas.

In a twist of fate, Sara arrives in Dallas a 19-year-old widow, armed with plenty of pluck, and determined to open a general store in the tiny settlement of log cabins on the Trinity River. Standing in her way as a young woman alone are a host of challenges. Can Sara (with the help of her friends) pull herself up by the bootstraps and overcome uncertainty, vandalism, threats, and even being shot?

Follow Sara as she strives to create her store while living Dallas’ true history — from the beginnings of La Réunion (the European colony across the Trinity) to a mud and muck circus, a grand ball, and the mighty fire that burns Dallas to the ground. Dallas is a challenging place, especially with the Civil War looming.

Even with the friendship of a retired Texas Ranger and Dallas’ most important citizen — another woman — is Sara strong enough to meet the challenge? The risks are high. Failure means being destitute in Dallas!

In Gone to Dallas, The Storekeeper 1856-1861, author Laurie Moore-Moore spins a page-turner of a tale salted with historically accurate Texas events and populated with real characters. It’s Portis’ True Grit meets Texas history.

 

 

 

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Praise

 

“Creative and captivating…five stars!”

“An unforgettable journey…superb writing.”

“I was hooked at the very first sentence.”

“Lovely work of historical fiction…can’t wait for the sequel.”

“Brilliant!”

 

 

 

 

 

 

I enjoy reading historical fiction set around where I live because then I can try and imagine what this area looked like 125+ years ago. This book hit the nail on the head and I was transported to the Dallas area in the mid-1850s and pictured the town just getting started, the Trinity River, and Preston Road.

Sara is an admirable character. She leaves her life behind in Tennessee and ventures to Texas with her husband to start a shop in Dallas. We do know that her husband isn’t going to make it all of the way to Dallas and he dies, but we don’t know how or why. There are many opportunities for him to die along the way, some by his own hand and by pissing off those in the caravan. I won’t spoil how he dies, but let’s just say it could have been avoided if he had been smart. But once he does die, she has to make it on her own, and thankfully there are some men that assist her the rest of the way to Dallas. Don’t get me wrong, she does a lot of the work herself, but sometimes you just need someone with a little more strength for some of the chores.

The journey in those days was neither fast nor comfortable, but they made it work for bigger dreams in the making. Since the first half of the book is the first year, 1856, we learn a lot about life on a wagon train, the issues they encounter, and the friendships (and enemies) that are forged. I have to admit that I am spoiled and I’m not sure I could have made the journey on a wagon train. There is no room for slacking off and I have even greater respect for these pioneers that took a chance in their life for a brighter future. Even crossing plains that were inhabited by Indians could be treacherous if you were not prepared or with an experienced leader.

Once in Dallas, Sara takes charge of starting her shop and encounters resistance from a current shop owner. However, she doesn’t let that stop her and moves forward recognizing where she can fill in the holes of missing items. Sara definitely has a head for marketing and almost immediately draws in the women to her shop; let’s be honest, it is the women that really make the purchases so by catering to them she can capture more of the market for home goods and food items. She even has a coffee mill set up in the shop to grind coffee beans for the shoppers. I admired Sara from the get-go with her gumption and determination.

The last half of the book covers 1857-1861 and Sara’s life with the store, Dallas, new friends, and new love. The story flowed seamlessly and it was hard for me to put down. I was intrigued by all of the events and while actual events were fictionalized, knowing that they were based on fact inspired me to lookup more details. The years weren’t perfect and they had their issues from drought to fires to illicit characters trying to take over the town which just made the story more exciting.

The book is filled with many intriguing characters and it was interesting to read on the author’s website who was actually a part of Dallas’ history. Check out the bonus content but be aware there might be some spoilers…so maybe save it for after you read the book. And this is the second book I have read this year that talks about camels in Texas. Who would have ever guessed?

There is going to be a sequel to this book called Cotton, Cattle and Conflict (per the author’s website) and I cannot wait to see how the story continues.  There are so many other characters that contributed to the success and growth of Dallas and I am eager to learn more about this time.

We give this book 5 paws up and recommend adding it to your list of books to read.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

From the author: “My husband, Roger, and I have been blessed with many adventures in life—from trekking across India’s Thar desert on a camel (and sleeping in the sand on our camel blankets) to repeating marriage vows in a remote Maasi village in Kenya (my dowery was one cow and one goat). My favorite adventure? As a fifth-generation Texan, it is discovering more and more Texas history and writing about it!

We live in Dallas, Texas but sneak away when possible, to a mountain-top cabin overlooking a lake in former Indian Territory (the Oklahoma Ozark Mountains) The cabin is unique—there is a nine-foot chainsaw bear in our entry hall. The house was built around it. Never thought I’d own a piece of chainsaw art, much less a nine-foot bear. Life is full of surprises. . . just like a good historical novel.”

Laurie Moore-Moore is a retired entrepreneur who has built and sold multiple businesses and served on the Board of Directors of an international corporation.

 

 

Website  ◆  Blog

 

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GIVEAWAY!  GIVEAWAY!  GIVEAWAY!

 

 Three autographed copies of Gone to Dallas

 

(US only, ends midnight, CDT, 11/5/21)

 

 

 

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway
 

 

 

 

Visit the Lone Star Literary Life Tour Page

For direct links to each post on this tour, updated daily,

or visit the blogs directly:

 

 

10/26/21	Scrapbook Page	Hall Ways Blog
10/26/21	Review	Sydney Young, Stories
10/27/21	Review	Book Fidelity
10/27/21	BONUS Promo	LSBBT Blog
10/28/21	Excerpt	Chapter Break Book Blog
10/28/21	Review	Jennie Reads
10/29/21	Review	Missus Gonzo
10/30/21	Review	Julia Picks 1
10/31/21	Author Interview	The Page Unbound
11/1/21	Character Spotlight	Book Bustle
11/1/21	Review	Reading by Moonlight
11/2/21	Review	StoreyBook Reviews
11/3/21	Review	Forgotten Winds
11/3/21	Guest Post	All the Ups and Downs
11/4/21	Review	The Book’s Delight
11/4/21	Review	It’s Not All Gravy

 

 

 

 

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Synopsis

 

Hazel Stillman is a woman of rare independence and limited opportunities. Born with a clubbed foot, she was sent away as a child and, knowing her disability means a marriage is unlikely, she devoted herself to scholarship and education.

Now working as a teacher in an elite private girls’ school, she is content with the way her story has unfolded. When her uncle Elliott Mayfield presents her with the prospect of a substantial inheritance if she marries, Hazel is offended. What kind of decent man would marry for her money? Besides, she loves her freedom as a professional, respected woman. When she hears rumors of the school possibly being sold, however, she knows she must consider all her options.

Duncan Penhale has a brilliant mind and thrives on order and process. He does not expect to marry because he likes his solitary life, shared only with his beloved cat. When Elliott Mayfield, his guardian’s brother, presents him with an inheritance if he marries a woman of social standing, Duncan finds it intrusive. However, with the inheritance, he could purchase the building in which he works and run his own firm. It would take an impressive and intellectual woman to understand and love him, quirks and all.

Hazel and Duncan believe they have found a solution to both of their problems: marry one another, receive their inheritances, and then part ways to enjoy their individual paths. But when Uncle Mayfield stipulates that they must live together as husband and wife for one year before receiving their inheritances, Hazel and Duncan reluctantly agree. Over time, their marriage of convenience becomes much more appealing than they had anticipated. At the end of the full year, will they go their separate ways or could an unlikely marriage have found unsuspecting love?

 

 

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Praise

 

“What a lovely romance. The historical details, the depth of the authentic characters, and the realistic dialogue all contribute to an immersive story. [A] beautiful and inspirational story about loving people just as they are.”— Katie Jackson, Regency Proofreading

“Phenomenal. This book was phenomenal. The very best in the series.”— Lyssa Armstrong, For Where Your Treasure Is

“This love story was unique and such an uncommon take on a marriage of convenience! [S]weet and well worth the wait!”— Ashley Johnson, Bringing Up Books

“Beautifully written, sensitive, poignant addition to the Mayfield Family series.”— Susan K., The Flipped Page

 

Review

 

I really enjoyed this historical romance especially since the characters were not perfect. Duncan has characteristics of the Autism spectrum (before they had any idea what it was) and Hazel has a club foot. Both have reservations about where their life will take them and neither believe that they will ever get married, that is until their Uncle Elliott sets up a “dowry” for each of them. However, they come up with the brilliant idea to marry each other (they really aren’t cousins by blood) to collect their “dowry” so that they can each live their life how they see fit. What they don’t expect is to fall in love with each other.

As I was reading this book and many of Duncan’s traits, I knew that he had to be on the spectrum. He wouldn’t look people in the eye, was very orderly, doesn’t like to be touched, and heaven forbid if things are out of sync with how he likes them. But at the same time, he realizes that life with Hazel isn’t so bad. He may not understand what it is like to fall in love, but at the same time, he does.

Hazel believes that she is inferior to her siblings because of her club foot. She is afraid any man that would marry her would just be in it for her dowry, which is a hefty sum. She is brilliant and a teacher and seeks to educate women and girls so that they can find better positions or just be better people all around. I admired that in her. What Hazel thinks that she wants and what she discovers are two different things.

I do love this series and getting to know all of the Mayfield family. While you don’t have to read the books in order, it does help to understand some of the characters, mostly Elliott.

We give this book 5 paws up.

 

 

 

 

About the Author

 

Josi S. Kilpack has written more than thirty novels, a cookbook, and several novellas. She is a four-time Whitney award winner, including Best Novel 2015 for “Lord Fenton’s Folly, and has been a Utah Best of State winner for Fiction. Josi loves to bake, sleep, eat, read, travel, and watch TV–none of which she gets to do as much as she would like. She writes contemporary fiction under the pen name Jessica Pack.

Josi has four children and lives in Northern Utah.

 

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UNDER THE TEXAS MISTLETOE

 

by

 

KAREN WITEMEYER

 

 

 

Genre: Holiday Fiction / Christian Historical Romance / Novellas

Publisher: Bethany House Publishers

Date of Publication: August 31, 2021

Number of Pages: 304 pages

 

 

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This historical romance novella collection presents “A Texas Christmas Carol,” where a town’s wealthy, Scrooge-like bachelor finds his world invaded by a woman set on earning his donation for helping the local poor, and the penetrating questions of three mysterious visitors. It also includes “An Archer Family Christmas.” When the Archer clan gathers for the holiday, they encounter an unexpected request for help that will require all their effort and a Christmas miracle to see them through. In previously published “Gift of the Heart,” a widow uses the family brooch as collateral for a loan from the local resort owner. But the more she comes to know the man behind the stern businessman, the more she hopes for a second chance at love this Christmas.

 

 

Bethany House Publishers

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Voted #1 Reader’s Favorite Christian Romance Author of 2019 by Family Fiction Magazine, bestselling author Karen Witemeyer offers warmhearted historical romance with a flair for humor, feisty heroines, and swoon-worthy Texas heroes.

 

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Autographed copy of the Under the Texas Mistletoe plus a decorative Christmas sign;

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Signed copies of the book.

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Synopsis

 

He’s a powerful duke. She’s his uncle’s ward. They have forever been at war, until one night, one masquerade, and one kiss…

 

Lara Ramsay is no stranger to scandal. As the orphaned daughter of a British colonel and his beloved Indian wife, whispers follow her everywhere. Not even the protection of the formidable Duke of Wolverton, a man she can’t stand, keeps the gossips at bay.

The audacious Lara has driven Tristan Wentworth, The Duke of Wolverton, to distraction since the day his uncle took her in—and he’s quite certain doing so is her favorite pastime. After catching her and his younger sister at a salacious masquerade, he’s had enough scandal and issues a marriage ultimatum: find a husband within six months or one will be chosen for her.

Unfortunately, no one in the ton appeals to her. Except, perhaps, the duke himself. The battle of wills has only just begun, and when Lara kisses him, their fate is sealed.
Sometimes even the most proper duke needs to break the rules to win the heart of the woman he loves…

 

 

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Quotes from Dare to be a Duchess

 

“Here, right at this moment, I’m giving you an ultimatum: Find someone from the ton to marry in the next six months or I will choose someone for you.” – Duke of Wolverton
“Well then the plan is simple, ‘Divide and Rule.’” – Lara Ramsay

“You’ll be surprised that a gentleman with the best intentions can behave like a rake when faced with temptation.” – Duke of Wolverton

“I think, Wolf, that you go on and on about my undesirability and my unattractiveness as a way to convince yourself more than me. The fact is that you kissed me because I am desirable and I am very attractive indeed.” – Lara Ramsay.

“You know very well that I’m accepted in the ton, albeit grudgingly, thanks only to you. No man wants to marry me, and I don’t want to marry any of those men.” – Lara Ramsay.

 

Excerpt

 

Wolf crossed his arms and glared at Lara. Despite being at fault, she was as unrepentant as ever. Her absolute nonchalance drove him mad, always.

“It is my concern. Getting into trouble is second nature to you, so I’d be lying if I said that it gave me any pleasure to be the one to help you out.” Wolf scowled at her. “Paxton is not a fool. He only has to think closely as to whose identity I would desperately want to protect and then remember your dark hair and he will come up with your name. You truly have no sense at all.”

“Well then you shouldn’t have bothered coming to my aid,” Lara retorted. “I could have handled the situation perfectly well by myself.”

Wolf put his hands on his hips. “And how may I ask would you have done that?”

“I’ve heard that a well planted knee on a delicate part of a man’s anatomy would normally do the trick.”

His eyebrows shot up. “You’re crazy to think that you could have deterred Paxton that easily.”

Lara merely stared at him, her head held high, further fueling his temper.

“What, nothing to say?” he snapped. “Which brings me back to my first question. What in the world are you doing here in this depraved place?”

Lara continued to watch him with those deep blue eyes, her lips set in a mutinous line. Her lack of response irked him even more.

“Answer me,” Wolf demanded, his tone sharp.

She met his gaze head on. “We had no inkling this place would be so bad. And nothing untoward has occurred, so stop shouting at me.”

“Unbelievable,” he growled. “Do you know how bad this place can be for two innocent girls like yourselves? Behind their masks and costumes, the men here have only one thing on their minds when they look at you, and you, as usual, don’t care that you could be completely ruined if discovered, let alone taken advantage of, in this den of vice. You are wild and irresponsible and you give no thought to your actions or the consequences thereof. And you brought Anne here? Just because you don’t care about your reputation doesn’t mean you can play fast and loose with hers.”

Lara’s eyes blazed with fury. “Anne is not a child. She is a grown woman who has a mind of her own.”

“And that is justification for you to come here?” Wolf countered.

“I, too, have a mind of my own,” she shot back. “And I do not appreciate you telling me what I can and cannot do.”

His nostrils flared. He was the Duke of Wolverton, one of the most powerful men in England. No one defied him. And yet this one woman stood against him at every turn. Why couldn’t she understand the potential danger for her or Anne here?

 

 

About the Author

 

Sapna Bhog is an author from India who writes contemporary and historical romance novels. As a self-proclaimed die-hard romantic, her books are filled with swoon-worthy heroes and feisty heroines who clash all the time, but do get their happy ever after. Sapna has always surrounded herself with books and when she is not writing she is reading. Originally from Dubai, she now lives in Western India with her husband, kids and a Siberian Husky. Sapna gave up a successful IT career and took a foray into writing and has never looked back since. Her favourite pastimes are reading, writing, traveling and shopping—not necessarily in that order. She loves to hear from readers.

 

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Synopsis

 

April 18, 1906 – A devastating earthquake rocks San Francisco and Templeton Morehouse fears her husband is lost forever. A powerful and compelling story from
USA Today bestselling author Bette Lee Crosby

Chances were a million to one that a girl born and raised in Philadelphia would encounter a stranger from California on the trolley and fall madly in love, but that’s what happened. Templeton was not only taken with John Morehouse, but also with his tales of life in San Francisco. As an aspiring fashion designer, the dazzle of a city called the Paris of the West, with its towering department stores and European couture was too much to resist.

Despite her family’s objections, she and John are married and, on their way back to California, before the month is out. To ease the heartbreak of such a move, Templeton promises to return for a visit every summer. She intends to keep that promise, but when her design business grows more demanding, the trips back to Philadelphia become less frequent and she makes foolish choices she will come to regret.

Now, when she is on the verge of having everything she’s ever wanted, a devastating earthquake tears across San Francisco and she discovers the father of her baby is missing.

 

 

 

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Review

 

There are a few authors that never disappoint and Bette is one of them. She weaves a tale of perseverance, strength, hope, and happiness of women.

Templeton is not your average young woman for the times. She has dreamed of becoming a designer since she was a young girl. She never expected to meet a man and fall in love and have those dreams tested. That is until she met John on a streetcar and they had a whirlwind romance that has them married within a few weeks and moving to CA from PA because that is where his business is located, specifically San Francisco. It is here that Templeton realizes that it is hard for a woman to do it all – have a successful career and a family. She does her best to balance work and her life with John, but she becomes consumed with her designs and calling on stores to carry her designs. John loves her, but he becomes increasingly frustrated with her. While I understand his frustration, he knew who she was and what she was like when he married her.

This story is fraught with emotion, decisions, mistakes, and most importantly love. Despite everything, the couple does have a deep love for each other and it is a matter of finding the right balance to make their relationship work. They are both tested when John returns home after a visit to Templeton’s family and the devastating earthquake hits. We don’t know if he survives or not until much later as we learn how Templeton reacts to the news especially since she has discovered she is pregnant. As we read about the devastation in the area and what people went through, it is not hard to sympathize with the characters and all that they endured.

I like how real the characters felt and that they didn’t always do the right thing for themselves or others, but were true to who they were. I feel like the historical aspects were well researched and added depth to the story and what they endured.

We give this book 5 paws up.

 

 

 

 

About the Author

 

USA Today Bestselling Author and Award-winning novelist Bette Lee Crosby brings the wit and wisdom of her Southern Mama to works of fiction—the result is a delightful blend of humor, mystery, and romance along with a cast of quirky charters who will steal your heart away.

 

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Synopsis

 

Emmie let out a huge sob – “It’s not a film set”, she cried. She held onto Jack for a moment, then took a step back, closed her eyes and shouted – “WHERE AM I?”

When Jack and Emmie suddenly find themselves transported back to London in 1940, they find a world both familiar, yet very different. As they dodge falling bombs and over-zealous policemen, they befriend Jan – a lonely Polish refugee. Together, they must work out if the shadowy figure they keep seeing is a spy and unlock the secret of getting home again…

 

 

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Review

 

Sometimes I enjoy reading middle-grade books because if nothing else, it might teach me a thing or two. In this case, it was an almost teen’s perspective of what the blitz was like for the children of the 1940s. This book also combines a little bit of fantasy and sci-fi into the mix with the time travel aspect of the story.

It starts off with Jack being asked to write a page about what children might have thought or felt during WWII especially during the blitz. He is like any other 12 year old and has no idea what to think or write. Emmie is in another class and they are acting out the same type of scenario but neither really have any idea what those children went through 80 years ago. That is until the bus they are riding on zaps them back to the past and they are dumped into the reality of the 1940s.

This is truly a learning experience for Jack and Emmie. They have to figure out how to fend for themselves when it comes to food and shelter, avoid the police, and they also have to figure out how they were taken back to the past and how do they get back to their time? Luckily, they meet a couple of other young children that they befriend and it is an adventure for all of them. Jan (pronounced Yan) and Stan (short for Stanislaw) are from Poland and were part of the program that took young children from their countries and housed them in England where they would hopefully survive the war. These four form a fast friendship despite some misunderstandings at first.

This was a somewhat fast read for me, but one that was enjoyable because I too couldn’t wait to find out how they were going to get back to the present. Thankfully, there are people that took care of them at times with food, shelter, and friendship. I think this experience definitely taught these two a little something about history and what they shouldn’t take for granted in their own time.

I think this would be a great read for anyone and we give it 5 paws up.

 

 

 

 

 

 

About the Author

 

Glen Blackwell lives in Suffolk, England. He has a career in finance and We’re Moving Where?! is his first book. Inspired by bedtime reading with his 3 daughters, Glen loves to bring stories to life for young readers.

 

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