historical

To Steal A Heart

About the Book

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After a childhood as a street thief, Gabriella Goodhue thought she’d put her past behind her until a fellow resident at her boardinghouse is unjustly accused of theft. In the middle of breaking into a safe that holds the proof to prove her friend’s innocence, Gabriella is interrupted by Nicholas Quinn, the man she once considered her best friend–until he abandoned her. 

After being taken under the wing of a professor who introduced him into society and named him as heir, Nicholas is living far removed from his childhood life of crime. As a favor to a friend, Nicholas agreed to help clear the name of an innocent woman, never imagining he’d be reunited with the girl he thought lost to him forever.

As Gabriella and Nicholas are thrown together into one intrigue after another, their childhood affection grows into more, but their newfound feelings are tested when truths about their past are revealed and danger follows their every step.  

My Thoughts

This book made me smile. The ladies at the Bleecker Street Inquiry Agency are a delightful if forward thinking, bunch who come into themselves as they unite to help others. All of the things you love about Ms. Turano’s stories are present including laugh out loud moments, witty and sometimes over the top dialogue, and character with whom you want to be friends. If I lived in 1886, I would want to live in that boarding house.

The sweet slow burning romance between Nicholas and Gabriella had enough twists and turns to keep you guessing while confident that all would turn out happily ever after. Even the characters that I wasn’t so sure about showed in the end that they’re coming around.

Despite the fact that there are A LOT of characters, I didn’t have a problem keeping track or remembering who is who. They support the story well without overwhelming Nicholas and Gabriella’s growing friendship. While I guessed a bit of the mystery part of the book early, it was a delightful ride seeing how it all came together in the end. After a satisfying end, I closed the book with a big smile on my face.

While I was provided a copy of this book by the publisher, I was not required to post a positive review. All thoughts are honestly my own.  

About the Author

Named One of the Funniest Voices in Inspirational Romance by Booklist, Jen Turano is a USA Today Best-Selling Author, known for penning quirky historical romances set in the Gilded Age. Her books have earned Publisher Weekly and Booklist starred reviews, top picks from Romantic Times, and praise from Library Journal. She’s been a finalist twice for the RT Reviewers’ Choice Awards and had two of her books listed in the top 100 romances of the past decade from Booklist. When she’s not writing, she spends her time outside of Denver, CO. She can be found on Facebook, Instagram, and www.jenturano.com

A Portrait of Loyalty

“The world may still look dark, but if photography had taught her anything, it was that there was always more light to be found.”

Series: The Codebreakers (Book 3)
Paperback: 377 pages
Publisher: Bethany House Publishers (September 8, 2020)


He sees patterns in what she deems chaos.
She sees beauty in a world he thought destroyed.

Zivon Marin was one of Russia’s top cryptographers until the October Revolution tore apart his world. Forced to flee to England after speaking out against Lenin, Zivon is driven by a growing anger and determined to offer his services to the Brits. But never far from his mind is his brother, whom Zivon fears died in the train crash that separated them.

Lily Blackwell sees the world best through the lens of a camera and possesses unsurpassed skill when it comes to retouching and re-creating photographs. With her father’s connections in propaganda, she’s recruited to the intelligence division, even though her mother would disapprove if she ever found out.

After Captain Blackwell invites Zivon to dinner one evening, a friendship blooms between him and Lily that soon takes over their hearts. But both have secrets they’re unwilling to share, and neither is entirely sure they can trust the other. When Zivon’s loyalties are called into question, proving him honest is about more than one couple’s future dreams–it becomes a matter of ending the war.

My Thoughts

Roseanna hits another story out of the park with this tale of forgiveness, mercy, and joy during the darkest of days. She also does an excellent job of showing how in war, there are often mixed motivations and that people on each side are doing the best they can with what the have/know. There are no real winners in war.

“Look for the beauty in a thousand silent moments.”

I enjoyed getting to know Zivon. Roseanna introduced his exacting ways in On Wings of Devotion and I wasn’t sure what to think of him. We learn why he’s so neat, some of his cultural oddities, and the pain of his past. He is a different kind of hero, but honorable to the core.

Lily has been a fun character since the beginning of the series. I have been wondering how she goes about “Photoshopping” her photos, and I finally learned how! Seeing a glimpse into her world of struggles and skills was fascinating; photographers see the world differently and that comes across well on the page.

“A reminder that He had been Lord long before she entered the world, and He would be Lord long after. That history would always march on, humanity living and dying, loving and losing, praising and cursing, but that He was unchanging.”

This quote! I love it. It’s a timely reminder in the midst 2020. Never did I think I’d still be working from home when the leaves are starting to change, but here I am. And God is still the same.

I encourage you to pick up a copy now; escape from laundry woes for a while. While you can read this story as a stand alone, I’d encourage you to read The Number of Love and On Wings of Devotion first as it’ll give you a deeper connection to some of the characters. We also get to revisit characters from her last two series: Shadows Over England and Ladies of the Manor.

I received a complementary copy of this book from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions are honestly my own.

About the Author

Roseanna M. White is a bestselling, Christy Award nominated author who has long claimed that words are the air she breathes. When not writing fiction, she’s homeschooling her two kids, editing, designing book covers, and pretending her house will clean itself. Roseanna is the author of a slew of historical novels that span several continents and thousands of years. Spies and war and mayhem always seem to find their way into her books…to offset her real life, which is blessedly ordinary. You can learn more about her and her stories at www.RoseannaMWhite.com.
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Vying for the Viscount

“‘Turnips?'”

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For Hudson, the newly titled Viscount Stildon, moving to England from India where he was born and raised was already an arduous enough endeavor. When he learns the fate of the racing empire he inherited along with his title depends upon him getting in the good graces of another stable owner, he’s even more at a loss.

The stable at the neighboring estate has been Miss Bianca Snowley’s refuge for years, and when a strange man appears to be stealing the horses, she jumps to their protection without a second thought. Upon learning Hudson is actually the new owner, she can’t help but be intrigued by the area’s newest eligible bachelor.

Any thought of romance is quickly set aside, however, when Hudson proposes they work together to secure suitable spouses for each other. As their friendship grows, Hudson and Bianca begin to reconsider what they truly want in life. But will societal expectations and the weight of their responsibilities keep them from pursuing their true desires?

“‘Everyone’s life has a committee. You need to decide whose on yours. And who isn’t.'”

My Thoughts

Okay, ya’ll – you know that scene in Sleepless in Seattle where Meg Ryan is driving down the road singing “Horses, horses, horses, horses?” That’s this book. So many horses, so little time!

Bianca is a firecracker; you can’t help but fall in love with her in the first five pages. (I don’t count the prologue.) More pages in, you sympathize with her struggles at home, then you admire her concern for Hudson’s misguided “love” interest. Kristi has a way of writing which pulls you into the category of “fictional characters that I wish were real and my friends.” Bianca falls into that category.

Hudson is…a man. He’s charmingly oblivious to the love of his life because he’s so set on his goals. Admittedly, it made me yell out loud at him a few times. The important part is he comes around in the end to give Bianca her happy beginning.

Kristi brings a surprising amount of depth to her secondary characters. In the end, you realize that everyone has good and bad sides and that even the characters that are aggravating you the whole book have good moments and their own pasts influencing who they are.

For Kristi’s Good Little Readers fandom: #mytrent and #teamaaron both make appearances. I love how Kristi has given us more insight into “I am illegitimate” Aaron as he becomes Hudson’s confident.

“”Lord Trent buys horse byproduct from a couple of the stables in the area…apparently that’s a required element for growing pineapples.’ ‘For Pineapples?…I’m never eating pineapple again.””

I encourage you to pick up a copy. Those of you who have read Kristi’s previous books, we also get to revisit characters (like Trent! and Aaron!) from her last two series: Hawthorne House and Haven Manor.

I was provided a copy by the publisher. I was not required to post a positive review. All opinions are honest and my own.

About the Author

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Kristi is the RITA® award winning author of Regency romance novels from a Christian worldview. Her books include the award winning Hawthorne House series as well as the newly published first stories of the Haven Manor series. Beyond writing, she is also speaker, teaching classes in writing as well as Biblical and spiritual topics. She has spoken to writers’ groups, schools, and young women’s groups at churches. She lives with her husband and three children in Georgia. Find her online at www.kristiannhunter.com.

She also has a super fun FB group, so go join!

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The Sugar Baron’s Ring – Celebrate Lit – Giveaway

About the Book

Book:  The Sugar Baron’s Ring

Author: Lorri Dudley

Genre: Christian Historical Romance

Release Date: June 23, 2020

A ring is her only tie to a distant homeland, until a marooned Englishman anchors her heart.

Hannah Rose Barrington is the island misfit. Orphaned at a young age, Hannah struggles to provide for her future, while her guardian, a weak-hearted island drunk, bleeds Hannah of her father’s inheritance. Caught between the classes of elite planters and white beggars, Hannah yearns to find a place to belong.

University life has never been Bradlee Granville’s forte. His only hope to graduate is to impress his professors by documenting his travels. After claiming unforeseeable circumstances, he delays his final exams and sets out early on his Grand Tour. However, when his ship wrecks off the coast of the Leeward Islands, Bradlee is left without means to return to England, a mounting deadline, and ruined journals.

When Hannah rescues passengers from a ship breaking apart in the bay, she’s unexpectedly drawn to the witty charm of one of the men. Helping him settle into island life will be a pleasure. However, as creditors, like sharks, begin to circle and her guardian’s desperation becomes life threatening, Hannah finds herself in need of rescue. Will Bradlee look past her pitiful situation to see who she truly is—the sugar baron’s daughter?

Click here to get your copy!

My Thoughts

I continued to enjoy getting to know an area of the world I’m not very familiar with in The Sugar Baron’s Ring. In this story we get to know more about the tension of the era in the West Indies as the minority power struggles to maintain control over those deemed beneath them.

While I read book 1 in this series, I missed book, but don’t feel like I missed anything as any needed background Lorri provided. This series can definitely be read stand-alone.

I liked the three main characters instantly: Hannah, Bradlee, and Collin. Bradlee and Collin are men not only of good character, but of laughter and fun. Colline especially brought many smiles to the pages. Hannah has learned how to be resilient, feeling that she’s along, but learning that in the end she had been surrounded by those who cared.

Checking back in the Mr. and Lady Clark and other characters from the series was nice as well, giving us a peak at the after “happily ever after.”

Overall an enjoyable read. I hope you give it a read.

I was provided a copy of this story by the author for the purpose of this tour. A positive review was not required. All opinions are my own.

About the Author

Lorri Dudley has been a finalist in numerous writing contests and has a master’s degree in Psychology. She lives in Ashland, Massachusetts with her husband and three teenage sons, where writing romance allows her an escape from her testosterone filled household. Find her online at www.lorridudley.com.

More from Lorri

The Sugar Baron’s Ring is the third book in the Leeward Island series. My heroine is caught between social classes as the daughter of a sugar baron and an impoverished white beggar since her guardian sold her inheritance to pay his debts. To generate the feeling of being a misfit, I delved back to those awkward years of middle and high school, where we often struggle to discover where we belong. Before my senior year, my family and I moved to New England for a job change. I’d had a great group of friends at my old school, but at my new school, I was a stranger—an outsider—trying to find acceptance, much like Hannah.

Bradlee, the hero, on the other hand, was fashioned in a completely different manner. At my house, the slang terms “bruh” and “noob” are tossed around by my three boys, along with constant fraternal teasing. A lot of their sarcastic wit and camaraderie are portrayed through Bradlee and his grand tour companion, Colin. Their light-hearted banter depicts the tight bonds of a deep relationship where faults may be mocked, but offenses are overlooked, and if ever in trouble, they have each other’s backs. Hannah is drawn to Bradlee, craving a similar connection but loses her heart to him in the process.

The first opening scene came about because my family loves Discovery Channel’s Shark Week. After binge-watching practically every episode, I knew my hero and heroine would meet under the duress of a shiny, steel-gray fin plowing through the water. (Queue the Jaws theme song.) However, our resourceful heroine contains the strength to rescue the hero as opposed to the other way around.

All these things, being a misfit, teasing, and shark attacks, playout in a grander scheme to show how God never leaves us nor forsakes us. He’s laying out the pieces of our happily-ever-after while developing our character and purpose. The Sugar Baron’s Ring demonstrates how God’s light shines bright even in the darkness.

To learn more, check out my website at lorridudley.com or click here to watch The Sugar Baron’s Ring book trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lWRQr3drZY8&feature=youtu.be

Blog Stops

Through the Fire Blogs, June 23

A Baker’s Perspective, June 23

For Him and My Family, June 24

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, June 24

Texas Book-aholic, June 25

Genesis 5020, June 25

Daysong Reflections, June 25

Inklings and notions, June 26

Rebecca Tews, June 26

Betti Mace, June 27

Remembrancy, June 27

Reflections From My Bookshelves, June 28

deb’s Book Review, June 28

For the Love of Literature, June 29

Britt Reads Fiction, June 29

Locks, Hooks and Books, June 29

Kat’s Corner Books, June 30

She Lives To Read, June 30

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, July 1

D’S QUILTS & BOOKS, July 1

Reading Is My SuperPower, July 2

Emily Yager, July 2

Pause for Tales, July 2

KarenSueHadley, July 3

Books, Life, and Christ, July 3

Blossoms and Blessings, July 4

Read Review Rejoice, July 4

Artistic Nobody, July 5 (Guest Review from Donna Cline)

Batya’s Bits, July 5

Adventures of a Travelers Wife, July 6

Hallie Reads, July 6

Life of Literature, July 6

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Lorri is giving away the grand prize of a $50 Amazon Gift Card!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.

https://promosimple.com/ps/fcd4/the-sugar-baron-s-ring-celebration-tour-giveaway

Storing Up Trouble

About the Book

When Miss Beatrix Waterbury’s Chicago-bound train ride is interrupted by a heist, Mr. Norman Nesbit, a man of science who believes his research was the target of the heist, comes to her aid. Despite the fact that they immediately butt heads, they join forces to make a quick escape.

Upon her arrival in Chicago, Beatrix is surprised to discover her supposedly querulous Aunt Gladys shares her own suffragette passions. Encouraged by Gladys to leave her sheltered world, Beatrix begins working as a salesclerk at the Marshall Field and Company department store. When she again encounters Norman on a shopping expedition, he is quickly swept up in the havoc she always seems to attract.

But when another attempt is made to part Norman from his research papers, and it becomes clear Beatrix’s safety is also at risk, they soon discover the curious way feelings can grow between two very different people in the midst of chaos.

My Review

First, if you haven’t heard, Jen’s welcomed a new family member: Remee. She’s cattle dog rescue, is as adorable as can be, but apparently doesn’t like cats. It’s ok Remee, we love you anyway. I stole this photo from Jen’s Instagram account where you can learn all about her royal cuteness.

Now on to the review.

I enjoyed traveling outside of New York to a new setting with Beatrix: Chicago! This story opened with intriguing action and a very annoyed heroine. It made me smile and wonder what was in store for Beatrix and Noman, but I knew they had to get along somehow.

Norman made me smile right away, from his ungainly ride on a horse to his devotion to running past a certain house. While it made him endearing to both me and the heroine, there were times when he got her in trouble at work that I wanted to yell at him to leave. Learning about the disparity in women’s wages and how they were judged differently made me thankful for the century of progress of women’s rights in the workplace.

The house full of women was a new home life setting for Jen’s books, but I loved all the women and their interactions. The way they embraced whoever came their way (except the villain) put them right in my heart. I enjoyed the variety of personalities and how they were each unique.

You have your usual quirky banter, slapstick comedy, and animal antics that make her unique style shine. Though, there were a few times that I felt like the banter was over-the-top in the no-one-would-ever-come-up-with-that-good-of-comeback kind of way that is the beauty of being able to write what one says rather than come up with it on the spot.

Bonus: you also get a small secondary love story with the delightful Theodoasia.

If you’re looking for a fun read that’s clean with enough faith but not getting preachy, give this one a read. I received a copy from the publisher, but was not required to post a positive review. All opinions are my own.

About the Author

Named One of the Funniest Voices in Inspirational Romance by Booklist, Jen Turano is a USA Today Best-Selling Author, known for penning quirky historical romances set in the Gilded Age. Her books have earned Publisher Weekly and Booklist starred reviews, top picks from Romantic Times, and praise from Library Journal. She’s been a finalist twice for the RT Reviewers’ Choice Awards and had two of her books listed in the top 100 romances of the past decade from Booklist. When she’s not writing, she spends her time outside of Denver, CO. She can be found on Facebook, Instagram, and www.jenturano.com

Giveaway

To celebrate Jen’s new release, I’m giving away a print copy of Flights of Fancy, Book 1 in the American Heiresses series. U.S. addresses only. Please see my giveaway page for rules. Giveaway ends June 22 at midnight.

Enter via Rafflecopter. For extra entries, hop over to Instagram!