Series

Season series by Robin E. Mason – Review & Giveaway

June 12, 2018 by Suzie Waltner 5 Comments

Welcome to the Seasons series (by Robin E. Mason) Blog Tour and giveaway, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

About the Seasons series
Goodreads | Amazon

The southern town of Saisons lies at the crossroads between North and South, progressive and genteel antebellum life. Between East and West, between history and heritage, and new frontiers. Downton Abbey meets Gone With the Wind.

It’s 1912, in a world where slavery is dying and women’s rights are rising, and four young women who once shared a bond—and experienced a tragedy—question their own truths.

Behind the Scenes by Jen Turano Review

April 3, 2017 by Suzie Waltner Leave a Comment

Miss Permilia Griswold may have been given the opportunity of a debut into New York high society, but no one warned her she wasn’t guaranteed to “take.” After spending the last six years banished to the wallflower section of the ballroom, she’s finally putting her status on the fringes of society to good use by penning anonymous society gossip columns under the pseudonym “Miss Quill.”

Mr. Asher Rutherford has managed to maintain his status as a reputable gentleman of society despite opening his own department store. While pretending it’s simply a lark to fill his time, he has quite legitimate reasons for needing to make his store the most successful in the country.
When Permilia overhears a threat against the estimable Mr. Rutherford, she’s determined to find and warn the man. Disgruntled at a first meeting that goes quite poorly and results in Asher not believing her, she decides to take matters into her own hands, never realizing she’ll end up at risk as well.

As Asher and Permilia are forced to work together and spend time away from the spotlight of society, perhaps there’s more going on behind the scenes than they ever could have anticipated. . . .

Available 4/4/17 (eBook) and 4/18/17 (print)

Throughout this entire book, I found myself smiling, giggling, and even laughing out loud once or twice. Permilia and Asher play off each other and navigate the perfect comedic dance. From the first pages of Behind the Scenes, I liked Permilia. Snubbed by society but unwilling to let that determine her worth, she finds other occupations to keep her entertained during the many times she’s not asked to dance. While she’s a strong woman, she also has a shy side with most men that is endearing.

The one man she has no problem speaking…her mind…with is Asher Rutherford. A business man with whom her previous interactions would cause her stepmother palpitations if she knew the entire tale. Yet Asher’s attentiveness and kind words cause her to view him in a different light.

As she and Asher try to unravel the murder plot against him, and the threat to her now as well, will spending more time together make them appreciate the other more or will Permilia’s headstrong willfulness and Asher’s stodgy opinions tear their budding relationship apart?

The first full-length book in the Apart from the Crowd series, Behind the Scenes delivers Turano’s spot on humor, a peek inside high society during the gilded age, and the fashions of the time. A truly delightful read.

My Rating:

Disclosure statement:

I receive complimentary books for review 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.

If you love this book, check out others by Jen Turano: After a Fashion, In Good Company, Playing the Part

A Happy Ending for the Two Blue Doors Series by Hilary Manton Lodge

May 2, 2016 by Suzie Waltner Leave a Comment

At the end of Reservations for Two, Juliette D’Alisa and her brother Nico had just opened their restaurant. While her professional life fell into place, her personal life fell apart. Her mother was diagnosed with cancer and she and Neil McLaren broke up. Again. This time for good. When her brother’s sous chef admits to taking an interest in her, Juliette turns to him for comfort.

Together at the Table, the final installment in the Two Blue Doors series, finds Juliette and her siblings mourning the loss of their mother and dreaming of Neil and their time spent together, regretting the way they ended. Since the restaurant’s success keeps Juliette’s hands and mind busy, she throws herself into work, telling herself she’ll focus on other things later. When a trip to the waterfront brings her across the man in her dreams, Juliette isn’t sure how to proceed.

I love Juliette and the D’Alisa family. They are a tight-knit group who look out for each other. Juliette and her sister Cat’s relationship is a close one, one in which, despite the miles between them, they can share everything with each other. Adrien is a good guy—but not the guy I was rooting for in Juliette’s future.

Six months after her breakup with Neil, neither of them is the same person they were before. Both have grown. Both know a little better what they want in their lives (although Juliette still struggles with what she wants to do with her future). And as they spend a little time together and start talking again, they try and find footing as friends.

Juliette’s search for her missing family through her grandmother’s letters also continues and readers learn the truth about the missing Alice (Juliette’s mother’s twin sister who none of them knew about). The entire story is unraveled in the second half of Together at the Table.

Overall, a happy ending for Juliette and the D’Alisa family despite the heartaches that life brings along. Oh, and I can’t forget to mention the amazing recipes sprinkled throughout the book. Reading this one definitely made me hungry at times.

***Blogging for Books and Multnomah Publishing provided me with a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest and fair review. All opinions expressed are my own.