Thursday, January 19, 2023

Five Stars to "Scotland's Melody" by Katie Stewart Stone





Scotland's MelodyScotland's Melody by Katie Stewart Stone
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Source:  Received to Review
Genre: Historical Romance

Book Description:  Melody Foster has been granted every luxury available save one: the ability to love whom she chooses. When her father reveals that she is to marry a wild Scot she’s never met, Melody defies him and declares she will never marry without affection. Her choice to marry Richard, a footman in her father’s household, prompts her family to disown her, and she goes to London to risk everything for love. But she is blindsided. Without a penny to her name, her love is worthless to Richard, and he decides to change tactics. Perhaps she could still serve a purpose—after all, her family can’t sit idly by while she is held for ransom . . .

Desperate to escape the man she thought she loved, Melody finds allies to aid her: first, her old governess and then Cameron Findlay, a handsome stranger who is startled by the distraught young woman who catapulted into his life. Cam finds himself sympathetic to the young woman’s plight, so he and his sister agree to take her on as a servant in their household. Cam and Melody are powerfully drawn to one another, but can Melody ever trust her heart when it was so terribly wrong before?



My thoughts: I made the mistake of starting this book in the evening. I didn't get much sleep. I woke up early to finish the book. I did not want to put this one down.

Melody wants to marry for love. I wholeheartedly support this. She finds out the hard way that not all men are honest or have her best interests at heart. Her mistake of running away to the wrong man led her to the right man.

I loved Cameron and his sister. She couldn't have chosen to hide in a better carriage. When she met them she found the path to happiness. Not to say that they were perfect or that there weren't challenges to overcome in the book. There is a lot of story in the middle that left me captivated.

I could not give Scotland's Melody a higher recommendation. I loved this book and would want to read it again.

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



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About the AuthorKatie Stewart Stone is an Austen enthusiast, a blogger, a journal-writer, and a wife and mother. With her debut work, Coming Home to Bellingham, Katie achieved a life-long goal of finishing and publishing a novel. She writes what she wants to read and rarely reads anything without a good romance. Katie graduated from Brigham Young University in 2012 with a bachelors in Therapuetic Recreation and spent six years working in the non-profit world, while writing on the side. When her beautiful boy was born in 2018, she quit her day-job and committed to finishing her first Regency novel. Now she spends her days dreaming up new ways to bring young lovers together in the most Regency-appropriate scenarios possible, along with carrying out her duties as a stay-at-home mother to two wonderful children who were named after Austen characters.

Visit her WEBSITE!

Wednesday, January 18, 2023

To Win a Prince by Toni Shiloh #bookreview

 


To Win a PrinceTo Win a Prince by Toni Shiloh
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Source: Received to Review
Genre: Christian Fiction

Book Description As a fashion aficionado and best friend of the queen of the African island country Oloro Ilé, Iris Blakely dreams of using her talent to start a business to help citizens in impoverished areas. But when she discovers that Ekon Diallo will be her business consultant, the battle between her desires and reality begins.

Ekon Diallo has lost everything: his princely title, his material possessions, his friends, and the respect of his countrymen. To pay for his actions against Oloro Ilé, he's forced to assist the charismatic Iris Blakely--but he can't allow his heart to distract him from regaining his status.

As Iris strives to get her business off the ground while keeping her heart intact, will her dreams of happily ever after survive the challenges she faces?
 



My thoughts: Toni Shiloh has created a beautiful country with Oloro Ilé. I really enjoyed In Search of a Prince. This companion novel did not disappoint. I love how she created a vibrant culture. I would still love to visit if it weren't a fictional place.

Iris is the best friend of Queen Brielle. The male MC is Ekon. He was part of a plot to keep the throne from Brielle in "In Search of a Prince". This is the story about his punishment and Iris who sees the good in people and situations. This is also a story about redemption and forgiveness.

Iris and Ekon have chemistry from the start. The problem is that he is performing community service by working for her. It creates a hurdle that must be overcome for them to give in to their mutual attraction. The love story is a slow burn. It takes time for them to get to know and trust each other. There is also the problem that Iris is the best friend of Brielle. It's not easy to fall in love with the man who worked to overthrow her. It makes it a little awkward.

There is so much to recommend in this book. It is Christian Fiction. There are religious elements that are vital to the plot of the book.

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



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About the Author:  Toni Shiloh is a wife, mom, and Christian fiction writer. Once she understood the powerful saving grace thanks to the love of Christ, she was moved to honor her Savior. She writes to bring Him glory and to learn more about His goodness.

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Monday, January 2, 2023

The Rose and the Thistle by Laura Frantz #TheRoseandtheThistle #BookTour #AustenprosePR #HistoricalRomance


 

The Rose and the ThistleThe Rose and the Thistle by Laura Frantz
My rating: 4.5 of 5 stars
Source:  Received to Review
Genre: Historical Fiction

Book Description:  In 1715, Lady Blythe Hedley's father is declared an enemy of the British crown because of his Jacobite sympathies, forcing her to flee her home in northern England. Secreted to the tower of Wedderburn Castle in Scotland, Lady Blythe awaits who will ultimately be crowned king. But in a house with seven sons and numerous servants, her presence soon becomes known.

No sooner has Everard Hume lost his father, Lord Wedderburn, than Lady Hedley arrives with the clothes on her back and her mistress in tow. He has his own problems--a volatile brother with dangerous political leanings, an estate to manage, and a very young brother in need of comfort and direction in the wake of losing his father. It would be best for everyone if he could send this misfit heiress on her way as soon as possible.

Drawn into a whirlwind of intrigue, shifting alliances, and ambitions, Lady Blythe must be careful whom she trusts. Her fortune, her future, and her very life are at stake. Those who appear to be adversaries may turn out to be allies--and those who pretend friendship may be enemies.

My thoughts:  Beautiful

Lady Blythe Hedley was forced to leave her home. Her father was Catholic and sympathetic to the Jacobites. Both were not popular or encouraged during a time of political upheaval. Her father sent her to France and then Scotland to protect her from danger.

She flees to Wedderburn Castle where the new Laird recently lost his father. He has many things on his plate and an English Lady adds to his problems.

This book is beautiful on the outside and on the inside. Laura Frantz's writing is gorgeous. Her attention to detail and her research makes the book effortless to read. I was captivated by the setting and the characters. Blythe and Everard are good and honorable.

I loved their story.

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




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About the Author:  Christy Award-winning author, Laura Frantz, is passionate about all things historical, particularly the 18th-century, and writes her manuscripts in longhand first. Her stories often incorporate Scottish themes that reflect her family heritage. She is a direct descendant of George Hume, Wedderburn Castle, Berwickshire, Scotland, who was exiled to the American colonies for his role in the Jacobite Rebellion of 1715, settled in Virginia, and is credited with teaching George Washington surveying in the years 1748-1750. Proud of her heritage, she is also a Daughter of the American Revolution. When not at home in Kentucky, she and her husband live in Washington State.

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