An Uncommon Earl by Sian Ann Bessey #booktour #giveaway #historicalfiction

 

An Uncommon Earl by Sian Ann Bessey
My rating: 4.5of 5 stars
Source:  Received to Review

Genre: Historical Romance

Book Description:   Alexander Allerton, the Earl of Bloxley’s, greatest desire is to alleviate the suffering of the poor and less fortunate of England. So when his hackney carriage is involved in an accident that results in the death of one of those he is determined to help, he is devastated. Alexander vows to keep the promise he makes to the injured woman as she takes her final breaths: he will not rest until he finds her young son.

After a crippling accident years ago, Jane Hadford is accustomed to being largely ignored at social events. But being overlooked has allowed her to hone her observational skills—and she quickly perceives that all is not well with the handsome Lord Bloxley. When an unexpected opportunity arises to talk to the earl, he surprises them both by sharing with her his fruitless search for the child. Touched by Lord Bloxley’s story and by his desire to make things right, Jane determines to help him fulfill his promise. What she cannot anticipate, however, is that the quest she has chosen to undertake will bring into her life a small boy who will steal her heart and a gentleman who might well do the same.

My thoughts: An Uncommon Earl is a jewel. It is a rare find that you want to enjoy every moment that it lasts. Sian Ann Bessey has a writing style that pulls me into the story and creates characters that I love.

The Earl of Bloxley is an "uncommon" Earl. He actually cares about the less fortunate and will do all that he can to be an advocate for them. His determination to fulfill a dying flower girl's request and make conditions safer for young workers is admirable.

Jane Hadford is his confidant as well as his fellow sleuth. They are on the hunt for a small boy who was given up to a foundling home. Their compassion drew me to them and sweetened the story for me.

This book has many things to recommend it. It is a good clean romance with elements of a mystery. It's a story of unconditional love and acceptance of others who may be different or less fortunate. The characters are well developed and the pacing was wonderful. The book will leave you feeling good and with hope for a better world.

Source: I received a complimentary copy. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.

Online Purchase Links:  

Amazon * Barnes & Noble * Deseret Book * Seagull Book

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About the Author: Sian Ann Bessey was born in Cambridge, England, but grew up on the island of Anglesey off the coast of North Wales. She left her homeland to attend Brigham Young University in Utah, where she earned a bachelor's degree in communications with a minor in English.

She began her writing career as a student, publishing several magazine articles while still in college. Since then she has published historical romance and romantic suspense novels, along with a variety of children's books. She is a USA Today best selling author and a Whitney Award finalist.
Although Sian doesn't have the opportunity to speak Welsh very often anymore, she can still wrap her tongue around, "Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch." She loves to travel and experience other cultures, but when she's home, her favorite activities are spending time with her family, cooking, and reading.

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Danger on the Loch by Paige Edwards #blogtour #giveaway #suspense #romance

Danger on the Loch by Paige Edwards

Rating: 5 of 5 stars

Genre: Romance/Suspense

Source:  Received to Review

Book Description:  Raised by a cold and distant mother, photographer Paisley Clark has spent her life daydreaming about the father she doesn’t remember. Paisley’s dream turns to reality when a DNA test brings her in contact with the mysterious man. With her financial situation a disaster and her childhood friend James Pressley-Coombes working across the pond in Scotland, Paisley is emboldened to accept her father’s invitation to visit him.

She arrives in the Highlands only to discover that she isn’t Paisley Clark at all but a titled lady, the daughter of a Scottish duke. Despite the warm welcome and the comfort of James’s presence, dangerous undercurrents surround Castle Rannoch, her father’s estate. Overwhelmed, Paisley takes refuge in her camera and James’s steady presence to provide a sense of normalcy in her rags-to-riches transformation. But her once-easy relationship with James is changing, deepening beyond friendship in a surprising twist of events. Before they have time to examine their feelings, Paisley inadvertently captures a shocking image in one of her photographs—a picture worth killing for. 

My thoughts:  Every once in a while I read a book that I never want to end.  Danger on the Loch was that book for me.  I was captivated by the characters, plot, and setting.  It is the third book in a series and can be followed easily as a stand-alone.  I would consider reading ALL of them!

Paige and James have known each other for years.  They grew up together and James' family took her under their wing.  Her mother is not the loving type and she grew up without extended family.  A DNA test reveals the identity of her long-lost father, Cameron Douglas.  She has questions, the biggest is why he was non-existent in her life.

The book is a romance and suspense.  Yay!  I LOVE this genre.  Cameron Douglas has someone siphoning funds from one of his businesses.  Paige and James are both in Scotland and are pulled into the mystery.  I loved that the "bad guy" is revealed a little piece at a time.  Paige Edwards did a wonderful job at building the suspense.  There were several people in the story who could have been the villain, but when he was revealed, it was very satisfying.

This book!  I could not put it down!  I was in a reading slump and Danger on the Loch pulled me out of it.

Source:  I received a complimentary copy.  All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.

Online Purchase Links:

Amazon * Barnes & Noble * Deseret Book * Seagull Book

(Amazon affiliate link provided.)

About the Author:

Paige Edwards is an award-winning author of contemporary regencies with a side-order of suspense. She holds a degree in interior design and has worked professionally in that field. Due to her deep British roots, Paige’s books are often set in the UK, and she hops the pond whenever she gets the chance. She is styled the Lady Paige Edwards when in Scotland, but her favorite title is Grandma. When she needs a break from writing, she serves as president of the Interfaith Community Council, is fond of digging in the dirt (what some might call gardening), biking battlefields, and kayaking on the lake. You can follow Paige on Goodreads, BookBub @AuthorPaigeEdwards, AMAZON, or visit her website at: https://authorpaigeedwards.com/

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The Crown of Rosemund by Michele Ashman Bell #booktour #giveaway #medievalfiction

The Crown of Rosemund by Michele Ashman Bell

Rating: 4 of 5 stars

Genre: Medieval  Fiction/Romance

Source:  Received to Review

Book Description: Anduron, 1498

The king and queen are dead, murdered by one who will stop at nothing to rule. But the young princess—Rosemund—has survived, spirited deep into the forest by her parents’ most trusted advisor. There, she finds refuge in a small cottage and a new life, one in which she must play a role that will ensure her survival. Soldiers are combing the countryside searching for the lost princess, and they will not rest until she is found—and eliminated.

Rosemund’s strength grows as she trains for battle and endures the hardships and dangers of peasant life. When chance brings Maxwell, a young man from the nearby village, into her life, Rose finds in him an ally and a friend. As her sixteenth birthday approaches, the time has come for Rose to reclaim her birthright, and in a court controlled by a vengeful new ruler, she must play a deadly game of politics in order to seize the throne that is rightfully hers. 

My thoughts: Books containing political intrigue have always interested me.  This story is set in the 1400s in a fictional kingdom.  One man will stop at nothing to obtain the throne.  His obstacle is a Princess named Rosemund.

Rosemund was spirited away by her father's loyal advisor, Jacob.  Her parents were murdered by a man they should have been able to trust.  Jacob takes her away to a remote village and raises her to be a warrior.  The catch is that she has to pose as a lad.  The danger is always near and one false step would cause their plans to come to naught and allow a villain to rule the country.

Rose undergoes intensive training and is joined by two young men from the village, Maxwell and Ricker.  The friendship and camaraderie they share were wonderful. Both believe that they are training with a boy. Their friendship helps propel the story to a satisfactory conclusion.

I enjoyed the story.   I loved Rosemund's transformation from victim to Queen. The Crown of Rosemund had a few surprise moments.  There were things revealed that I did not see coming.  Overall, this is a very satisfying book to read.  The main characters are young, it would be appropriate as a young adult book.

Source:  I received a complimentary copy.  All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.

Online Purchase Links:

Amazon * Barnes & Noble * Deseret Book * Seagull Book

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About the Author: What can I say, I'm a mother of four and grandmother of seven, who, after ten years of hard work, perserverance and a lot (and I mean A LOT!) of rejection letters, finally got a book published. As a young girl I was a devoted journal keeper.  I would express my most personal thoughts and feelings in my journal in a way I could never express them verbally.  Coupled with my great love for reading it only seemed natural to become a writer.During the course of having and raising my children, as a beginning writer, I spent any free time I had writing and learning the craft.  I attended workshops and conferences, joined critique groups (I have the scars to prove it) and sent many of my stories and novels off to magazines and publisher, only to receive rejection after rejection.  I came close a few times, but something wasn't quite right.Still to this day I wonder why I didn't give up.  You'd think after ten years of rejections I'd finally get the message.  Actually I know why I kept writing, I couldn't not write.  It's in my blood.  When I get cut, ink comes out.  There's something so wonderful and fulfilling about the creative process of developing characters and storylines and pouring your heart out on paper that can't be matched by anything else.  I feel very fortunate to have the opportunity to write.  And I want to encourage anyone who has the desire to write to never give up on their dream.  If you want it bad enough and are willing to work hard enough, you will become published.  I believe that with all my heart because that's exactly how it worked for me. I grew up in St. George, Utah, where a lot of my family still lives, but now reside with my husband and family in the Salt Lake City area.  My favorite thing to do is support my kids in their many interests.  Between basketball, ballet and piano lessons we squeeze a lot into a week, but I wouldn't have it any other way.If you have any questions you'd like me to answer, please feel free to email me.  And thanks, for all your support. 

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Read an Excerpt from "Woe is Us" by D.K. Doulous #giveaway #amreading

 

On Tour with Prism Book Tours

WoE Is Us

By D.K. Doulos

Christian Dystopian, YA, Sci-Fi

Paperback & ebook, 267 Pages

March 30, 2021 by Ambassador International

Lyrian Wallace was only ten years old when the Malevolence struck on October 10, 2056. She thought the next decade had numbed her to the grief, the death, the bots, and the daily struggle for survival. She lost her parents when they became Sleepers, but like everyone else, she had pieced together a new family. Lyrian was almost content when the Alliance began taking them . . .

The world always took things away from her. She could only live for today and never dared to hope for any heaven. But when her circumstances change, Lyrian must choose how she might live for both this life and the next.

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Read an Excerpt:

********************

Lyrian’s pulse raced as she tried to locate the bot. It had to be out there somewhere. Seconds dragged into minutes before movement in the distance caught her attention.

“Huck!” she said aloud before clapping her hand over her mouth. She turned to Corya in a panic, and they exchanged concerned looks. Did the bot hear her? Did it see Huck approaching? Where was it?

She scanned the parking lot and adjacent buildings outside, desperate to locate the bot. Then she noticed Huck now running toward the building, waving and pointing at them. A sound behind her spun her around, but it was Gamble coming up the stairs.

“Where’d it go?” he said.

“I don’t know. I lost it.”

Gamble’s eyes widened. “Get down!” he shouted, raising his lightning bug as the glass shattered behind her. The screeching electronic sounds of the Malevolence-crazed bot sent a shiver down her neck and spine as she dove between the balcony pews. Rolling, Lyrian caught sight of Gamble firing his lightning bug. Launching from the weapon flew a dart connected to a pair of thin, thread-like wires. The projectile impacted the torso of the bot and held fast to the surface using an ultra-conductive adhesive gel. The machine shook in violent convulsions before collapsing among the shards of broken glass beside Lyrian.

“You okay, chica?”

“I’m fine,” she said, sitting up. “Thank you.”

“You know I got your back,” Gamble said as he hurried over to repack the projectile into his lightning bug.

********************

About the Author

D.K. Doulos has written stories most of his life and is thankful he can use his talent in service to God. When he's not writing, he enjoys going camping, impersonating a grill master, and watching college football. Between epic cross-country family road trips, he lives in Texas with his wife and four children. Find out more about D.K. on his website (www.dkdoulos.com).

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Tour Giveaway

One winner will receive (US only):
- A leather satchel (sized to carry a tablet, iPad, or Kindle) that’s similar to the one carried by the book’s main character
- Bluebonnet scratch-made soap, inspired by the book’s Texas setting
- Fredericksburg Juicy Peach scented wax melts, inspired by the book’s Texas setting
- A $25 Amazon gift card

Ends April 21, 2021

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Come Sweet Day by Julianne Donaldson ~ A Beautiful Book of Poetry #poetry #christianpoetry

 

Come, Sweet Day: Holding On To Hope In Dark Times by Julianne Donaldson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Source:  Netgalley

Genre: Spiritual Poetry

Book Description:  Created to provide solace, strength, and inspiration, Come, Sweet Day is for anyone feeling weighed down by life. This collection of poems and essays, written by an award-winning author, reminds each of us that we are not alone. God is good, and we can see His love even in dark times.

Though loneliness and despair may at times seem overwhelming, the words on these pages encourage us to seek for grace, to find the light and let it in, and to hold on to hope.

There are good days coming. 

My thoughts: This beautiful book of poetry reminds me that there is hope even when circumstances are bleak.

Julianne Donaldson is a talented author. I have read and loved her novels. In this book, she shows that she is diverse in her writing skills. She takes a moment and lets the reader know why she wrote her poems, the circumstances, and how she was feeling. I appreciate her insight and her testimony of the Savior.

This is a perfect book for anyone who is undergoing trials, or if you just want something to uplift you spirit.

Source: I received a complimentary copy. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.

Online Purchase Links:  

Amazon *  Barnes & Noble * Book Depository * Deseret Book

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About the Author: Julianne Donaldson grew up as the daughter of a U.S. Air Force fighter pilot. She learned how to ski in the Italian Alps, visited East Berlin before the wall came down, and spent three years living next to a 500-year-old castle. After earning a degree in English, she turned her attention to writing about distant times and places. She lives in Utah with her five children. You can find her online at www.juliannedonaldson.com.

 

The Billionaire's Sons by Julie L Spencer #blogtour #contemporaryfiction #familysaga

 

Billionaire's Sons by Julie L. Spencer

Rating: 3 of 5 stars

Genre:  Contemporary Fiction/Romance

Source:  Received to Review

Book Description:  Four love stories, Six brothers, and the Inheritance that tears them apart.

The esteemed businessman, Nicholas Cohen, attempts to win the heart of his childhood sweetheart, Adele, despite his older brother ruining their wedding.

Meanwhile, his younger brother, Sam, impatiently waits for the girl of his dreams, Leanne, to finish her master’s degree hoping to whisk her away to a far-off land to complete her Ph.D.

Their younger brother, Jacob, falls for the captain’s daughter, Maryam, on a superyacht bound for the Caribbean, much to their parent's dismay. One generation later, Emanuel elopes with a not-too-much-older woman, Aloise, three months after high school, less than 24-hours after they meet only to discover he’s married to the enemy.

My thoughts:   Billionaire's Sons is a family saga and legacy.  The story spans three generations of the Cohen family.  Originally from Jerusalem, the family embarks on a journey that leads them to the shores of Mexico and then scattered throughout North America.

The story was interesting and familiar at the same time.  The author wants to have the reader figure out why it is familiar, so I will let out her secret.  (In case you want to read and figure it out for yourself.) The book is broken up into parts.  Each part tells the story of one or more of the family members.  The family has wealth, but is torn apart because of it.  I am not a big fan of insta-love, something that this book has in abundance.  That would be the reason for the three stars.

This is the first book I have read of Julie L Spencer.  I am intrigued and will plan on reading a few more of the series.  Fortunately, they are available on Kindle Unlimited.

If I were to rate the books I would say they are PG-13.  There are references to substance abuse, infidelity, and fade to black intimacy and innuendo.

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About the author:  Julie L. Spencer is a bestselling romance author of over twenty-two gritty clean books with snarky, flawed characters, and romantic twists and turns. A scientist by day and moonlighting as an author, Julie is an indoor girl with very little desire to step away from her computer. She loves her books and her characters almost as much as she loves her kitten.

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My Dear Miss Dupre by Grace Hitchcock ~ Book Review #Christian #historicalfiction

 

My Dear Miss Dupré by Grace Hitchcock
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Source:  Received to Review

Genre: Historical Christian Fiction

Book Description:  Willow Dupré never thought she would have to marry, but with her father's unexpected retirement from running the prosperous Dupré sugar refinery, plans changed. The shareholders are unwilling to allow a female to take over the company without a man at her side, so her parents devise a plan--find Willow a spokesman king in order for her to become queen of the empire.

Willow is presented with thirty potential suitors from the families of New York society's elite group called the Four Hundred. She has six months to court the group and is expected to eliminate men each month to narrow her beaus until she chooses one to marry, ending the competition with a wedding. Willow reluctantly agrees, knowing she must do what is best for the business. She doesn't expect to find anything other than a proxy . . . until she meets Cullen Dempsey, and she must discover for herself if his motives are pure.

My thoughts: "The Bachelorette" set in the late 19th Century.

Willow Dupre is a young woman who has a company to run with her father. She loves it, but the board doesn't love that she is a single woman. To appease the board, her parents come up with a plan to have a house party/competition with 30 of the most eligible wealthy bachelors in attendance. Willow must choose one of them to marry or else losing her family business to a ruthless competitor.

There were some fun elements to the story. Willow has to decide who is trying to undermine her business, selling information to the papers, and who actually appreciates her and not her fortune. It is a daunting task, and the gentlemen do not get along.

There were only a few of the gentlemen who play a significant role in the story. It is easy to tell from the beginning who the true competitors were. As a reader, you know that there is an investigation going on that Willow is unaware of. It's hard to cheer on the competitors when you are unsure if the person you are rooting for is worthy of her hand.

Overall this was a fun book to read. I felt that it lagged a bit in the middle, but the pacing picked up and kept me turning the pages.

Source: I received a complimentary copy. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.

Online Purchase Links:

Amazon * Barnes & Noble * Book Depository

About the Author:  Grace Hitchcock is the author of multiple historical novels and novellas. She holds a Masters in Creative Writing and a Bachelor of Arts in English with a minor in History. Grace lives in Baton Rouge with her husband, Dakota, son and daughter. Connect with her online at GraceHitchcock.com.

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