Historical

The Reluctant Warrior by Mary Connealy – Review

October 27, 2018 by Suzie Waltner Leave a Comment

Mary Connealy never ceases to make me giggle and chuckle when I’m reading her books and it makes them that much better. Her October release delivers once again!

About the Book

Union army officer Cameron Scott is used to being obeyed, but nothing about this journey to Lake Tahoe has gone as expected. He’s come to fetch his daughter and nephew, and seek revenge on the people who killed his brother. Instead he finds himself trapped by a blizzard with two children who are terrified of him and stubborn but beautiful Gwen Harkness, who he worries may be trying to keep the children.

When danger descends on the cabin where they’re huddled, Cam is hurt trying to protect everyone and now finds Gwen caring for him too. He soon realizes why the kids love her so much and wonders if it might be best for him to move on without them. When she sees his broken heart, Gwen decides to help him win back their affection–and in the process he might just win her heart as well.

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Lady of a Thousand Treasures by Sandra Byrd – Spotlight & Excerpt with Giveaway

October 1, 2018 by Suzie Waltner 8 Comments

Welcome to the blog blitz & giveaway for Lady of a Thousand Treasures by Sandra Byrd, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

ABOUT THE BOOK

Title: Lady of a Thousand Treasures
Author: Sandra Byrd
Publisher: Tyndale House
Release Date: October 9, 2018
Genre: Historical/Gothic Romance

Miss Eleanor Sheffield is a talented evaluator of antiquities, trained to know the difference between a genuine artifact and a fraud. But with her father’s passing and her uncle’s decline into dementia, the family business is at risk. In the Victorian era, unmarried Eleanor cannot run Sheffield Brothers alone.

The death of a longtime client, Baron Lydney, offers an unexpected complication when Eleanor is appointed the temporary trustee of the baron’s legendary collection. She must choose whether to donate the priceless treasures to a museum or allow them to pass to the baron’s only living son, Harry—the man who broke Eleanor’s heart.

Eleanor distrusts the baron’s motives and her own ability to be unbiased regarding Harry’s future. Harry claims to still love her and Eleanor yearns to believe him, but his mysterious comments and actions fuel her doubts. When she learns an Italian beauty accompanied him on his return to England, her lingering hope for a future with Harry dims.

With the threat of debtor’s prison closing in, Eleanor knows that donating the baron’s collection would win her favor among potential clients, saving Sheffield Brothers. But the more time she spends with Harry, the more her faith in him grows. Might Harry be worthy of his inheritance, and her heart, after all? As pressures mount and time runs out, Eleanor must decide whom she can trust—who in her life is false or true, brass or gold—and what is meant to be treasured.

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The Reckoning at Gossamer Pond by Jaime Jo Wright – Review

August 24, 2018 by Suzie Waltner Leave a Comment

With her sophomore full-length title, Jaime Jo Wright cements herself as an author to read in the dual-time genre. Wright’s ability to weave an eerie mystery with two separate storylines while giving each their own unique spin is of the highest caliber.

In My Opinion…

In 1907, the town of Gossamer Grove, Wisconsin is in turmoil with mysterious deaths at the same time as a tent revival has made its way to them. Over a hundred years later, Analise is pulled into the buried secrets and mysteries when a photo of her is found alongside some older ones.

First Line Friday – Among the Poppies

June 22, 2018 by Suzie Waltner 14 Comments

Happy Friday, friends! Is summer busier than normal for you or have you slipped some time to kick back and relax (maybe with a book) in there?

This week I’m sharing the first line from a debut author. It’s a World War I historical romance with a heroine who drives an ambulance at the front. If you want to know more about the book, you can read my review here.

And now, the first line of Among the Poppies…

A Defense of Honor by Kristi Ann Hunter – Review & Giveaway

June 21, 2018 by Suzie Waltner 6 Comments

Kristi Ann Hunter tackles a topic that is often brushed over in Regency fiction. We read about the ton, the balls, parties & dinners, and even the scandals. But rarely do we read about what happens to those whose lives are ruined when the men of the upper echelon of society cast them away.

A Defense of Honor, the first book in The Haven Manor series, introduces readers to three women who refuse to forget or ignore the women and children who need to disappear.

In My Opinion…

After a close call of her own twelve years ago, Kit FitzGilbert pours her life into caring for those society would rather forget (after a run through the ton gossip mill, of course). Perhaps her methods are not the best, but her heart is in the right place. On one of her trips to London to secure funds for the manor, Kit meets Graham (aka Lord Wharton).

In an attempt to forget about an intriguing woman he’d learned little about, Graham sets out on a mission to find the sister of one of his friends. What he doesn’t expect is to run into that same woman who has been on his mind in the country.

Graham is a likable character from the beginning—charming, a little bit of a flirt, and someone who holds family and friends in esteem. And the first time he interacts with a child, I was smitten.
As Graham digs to uncover Kit’s secrets, and she struggles with handing control of the women and children she assists over to God, the two find a mutual admiration for the other.

In usual Hunter style, laughter and smiles are mixed in with heavier moments of questioning, disappointment, and concern.

Shining a light on both the trial and joys of helping those less fortunate, A Defense of Honor reminds readers that caring for even one person less fortunate than us makes a difference. The ending of Kit and Graham’s story is perfection while whetting my reading appetite for more about Daphne and Jess, the two women who help Kit run Haven Manor.

My Rating:

Disclosure statement:
I receive complimentary books from publishers, publicists, and/or authors, including NetGalley. I am not required to write positive reviews. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.

About the Book

When Katherine “Kit” FitzGilbert turned her back on London society more than a decade ago, she determined never to set foot in a ballroom again. But when business takes her to London and she’s forced to run for her life, she stumbles upon not only a glamorous ballroom but also Graham, Lord Wharton. What should have been a chance encounter becomes much more as Graham embarks on a search for his friend’s missing sister and is convinced Kit knows more about the girl than she’s telling.

After meeting Graham, Kit finds herself wishing things could have been different for the first time in her life, but what she wants can’t matter. Long ago, she dedicated herself to helping women escape the same scorn that drove her from London and raising the innocent children caught in the crossfire. And as much as she desperately wishes to tell Graham everything, revealing the truth isn’t worth putting him and everyone she loves in danger.

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Giveaway

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