Mary Anne Yarde's Blog: The Coffee Pot Book Club , page 6

Welcome to Day 5 of the blog tour for Pied Piper by Keith Stuart #HistoricalFiction #WW2 #BlogTour @len_maynard

  

March 22nd – May 24th 2021

Publication Date: 1st March 2021
Publisher: LMP- Len Maynard Publishing
Page Length: 176 Pages
Genre: Historical Fiction / WWII

In September 1939 the British Government launched Operation Pied Piper. To protect them from the perils of German bombing raids, in three days millions of city children were evacuated - separated from their parents.

This story tells of two families: one whose children leave London and the other which takes them in. We share the ups and downs of their lives, their dramas and tragedies, their stoicism and their optimism. But. unlike many other stories and images about this time, this one unfolds mainly through the eyes of Tom, the father whose children set off, to who knew where, with just a small case and gas mask to see them on their way.

Follow the tour HERE! 

Welcome to Day 6 of the blog tour for Pied Piper by Keith Stuart #HistoricalFiction #WW2 #BlogTour @len_maynard

 

March 22nd – May 24th 2021

Publication Date: 1st March 2021
Publisher: LMP- Len Maynard Publishing
Page Length: 176 Pages
Genre: Historical Fiction / WWII

In September 1939 the British Government launched Operation Pied Piper. To protect them from the perils of German bombing raids, in three days millions of city children were evacuated - separated from their parents.

This story tells of two families: one whose children leave London and the other which takes them in. We share the ups and downs of their lives, their dramas and tragedies, their stoicism and their optimism. But. unlike many other stories and images about this time, this one unfolds mainly through the eyes of Tom, the father whose children set off, to who knew where, with just a small case and gas mask to see them on their way.

Follow the tour HERE!! 

We are so excited to be taking Two Fatherlands (A Reschen Valley Novel Part 4) by Chrystyna Lucyk-Berger #HistoricalFiction #WW2 #BlogTour #CoffeePotBookClub @ckalyna

 

Two Fatherlands 
(A Reschen Valley Novel Part 4)
By Chrystyna Lucyk-Berger



Publication Date: April 13, 2021Publisher: Inktreks/Lucyk-BergerPage Length: 636 PagesGenre: Historical Fiction (WW2)
It's a dangerous time to be a dissident...
1938. Northern Italy. Since saving Angelo Grimani's life 18 years earlier, Katharina is grappling with how their lives have since been entwined. Construction on the Reschen Lake reservoir begins and the Reschen Valley community is torn apart into two fronts - those who want to stay no matter what comes, and those who hold out hope that Hitler will bring Tyrol back into the fold.
Back in Bolzano, Angelo finds one fascist politician who may have the power to help Katharina and her community, but there is a group of corrupt players eager to have a piece of him. When they realise that Angelo and Katharina are joining forces, they turn to a strategy of conquering and dividing to weaken both the community and Angelo's efforts.
Meanwhile, the daughter Angelo shares with Katharina - Annamarie - has fled to Austria to pursue her acting career but the past she is running away from lands her directly into the arms of a new adversary: the Nazis. She goes as far as Berlin, and as far as Goebbels, to pursue her dreams, only to realise that Germany is darker than any place she's been before.
Angelo puts aside his prejudices and seeks alliances with old enemies; Katharina finds ingenious ways to preserve what is left of her community, and Annamarie wrests herself from the black forces of Nazism with plans to return home. But when Hitler and Mussolini present the Tyroleans with “The Option”, the residents are forced to choose between Italian and German nationhood with no guarantee that they will be able to stay in Tyrol at all!
Out of the ruins of war, will they be able to find their way back to one another and pick up the pieces?
Universal Buy Link

Chrystyna Lucyk-Berger

Chrystyna Lucyk-Berger is an American author living in Austria. Her focus is on historical fiction. She has been a managing editor for a magazine publishing house, has worked as an editor, and has won several awards for her travel narrative, flash fiction and short stories. She lives with her husband in a “Grizzly Adams” hut in the Alps, just as she’d always dreamt she would when she was a child.
Social Media Links:
Website • Facebook • Twitter • Instagram • LinkedIn • Goodreads • Amazon Author Page • BookBub

Tour Schedule


April 19thJudith Arnopp’s Official BlogSpotlightLoupDargent.infoExcerpt
April 20thViviana MacKade’s Official BlogGuest Post
April 21stArchaeolibrarianExcerptI got lost in a bookReview
April 22ndSeduction, Scandal & SpiesExcerptThe Book Bandit’s LibraryReview
April 23rdThe Historical Fiction BlogGuest Post
April 26thMJ Porter’s Official BlogGuest PostLinnea Tanner’s Official BlogExcerpt
April 27thElizabeth St.John’s Official BlogInterviewOh look, another book!Review
April 28thThe Magic of Wor(l)dsExcerpt
April 29thLet Your Words Shine…Five Fun ThingsThe Whispering BookwormReview
April 30thA Darn Good ReadExcerptCandlelight ReadingReview

 

Welcome to Day #6 of the blog tour or The Importance of Pawns by Keira Morgan #HistoricalFiction #BlogTour @KJMMexico

March 25th – May 17th 2021
Publication Date: 10th March 2021Publisher: French Historical Fiction/ Fiction de la renaissance FrançaisePage Length: 380 pagesGenre: Historical Fiction
Based on historical events and characters in sixteenth-century France, this timeless tale pits envy, power and intrigue against loyalty and the strength of women’s friendships. 
The French court dazzles on the surface, but beneath its glitter, danger lurks for the three women trapped in its web. The story begins as Queen Anne lies dying and King Louis’s health is in declines. Their two daughters, Claude and young Renée, heiresses to the rich duchy of Brittany, become pawns in the games of power. 
Countess Louise d’Angoulême is named guardian to both girls. For years she has envied the dying Queen Anne, the girls’ mother. Because of her family’s dire financial problems, she schemes to marry wealthy Claude to her son. This unexpected guardianship presents a golden opportunity, but only if she can remove their protectress Baronne Michelle, who loves the princesses and safeguards their interests. 
As political tensions rise, the futures of Princess Renée and Baronne hang in the balance, threatened by Countess Louise’s hidden plots. Timid Claude, although fearful of her mother-in-law, must untangle the treacherous intrigues Countess Louise is weaving. Claude and her friends encounter one roadblock after another as they contrive to outflank the wily countess. Their goal is to protect young Princess Renée. 
In the end, faced with frightening consequences, will Claude find the courage to defend those she loves?

Head over to Ruins & Reading for a fabulous guest post 
Click Here.

Welcome to Day #8 of the blog tour for Harvest Moon by Jenny Knipfer #HistoricalFiction #BlogTour #GreatReads @JennyKnipfer

 

March 1st - May 3rd 2021
Publication Date: 23rd November, 2020 Publisher: Independently PublishedPage Length: 291 PagesGenre: Historical Fiction / Christian Historical Fiction
In the wilds of 19th century Ontario, Maang-ikwe, a young Ojibwe woman, falls into a forbidden love, breaks her father’s honor, and surrenders her trust to someone who betrays it. The abuse she suffers divides her from her tribe and causes her to give up what she holds most dear. 
Niin-mawin must come to grips with his culture being ripped away from him. Brought up in a “white man’s” school, he suffers through an enforced “civilized” education and separation from his family. When a man he respects reveals a secret about Niin-mawin’s past, he embarks on a search for the person he hopes can mend the part of his heart that’s always been missing. 
Both Maang-ikwe and Niin-mawin wonder how a harvest of pain and sorrow will impact their lives. Will they find the blessings amongst the hardships, or will they allow the results of division and abuse to taint their hearts forever?
Fans of historical fiction, Native American fiction, Christian historical fiction, clean romance, and literary fiction will be moved by this deep, heartfelt novel.
Head over to A Darn Good Read for a sneak-peek between the covers.
Click HERE. 

Have a sneak-peek between the covers of Lorelei Brush's fabulous novel - Chasing The American Dream #HistoricalMysteries #HistoricalFiction

 

Publication Date: 2nd February 2021Publisher: Mascot Books
Page Length: 263 PagesGenre: Historical Fiction
It’s 1955. David stands on the courthouse steps in Cleveland, buttoning his overcoat, when his gaze catches the martial stride of a passerby. He recoils. It’s Dr. Gerhardt Adler, a brutal ex-S.S. Major who David sent to Nuremburg shackled in the back of a U.S. Army jeep. Determined to discover what that war criminal is doing in the U.S., David reverts to old habits he mastered in the Office of Strategic Services and pursues the Nazi. Feeling cheated by his role during the war, safe behind Allied lines, he sees another chance to be a hero. But how much will it cost? 
Chasing the American Dream captures David’s quest for justice against those who committed crimes against humanity during World War II. To his horror, it transforms into a fight with the U.S. Government which threatens his own American Dream.

March 1955
David paused on the courthouse steps to button his overcoat against the cold wind off Lake Erie. He hefted his bulging briefcase and was trotting down the steps when he noticed the long, rhythmic stride of a tall man in a well-cut black overcoat. It made him think of the final parade of Nazis in Berlin after the surrender: that heavy clomp of boots, the metronomic regularity of swinging arms and legs. But this was downtown Cleveland, and the war’d been over for nearly 10 years. 
He inspected the man’s face and froze. That straight jaw, dark blond hair parted and combed to the side, squared shoulders. And, under that muffler, David suspected, on the left side of his neck, a jagged scar. That damned S.S. Sturmbannführer, right here on Lakeside Avenue. The last time David had seen Major Gerhardt Adler, he’d been in handcuffs, head held high, bouncing in the back of an Army jeep on his way to an interrogation. A trial in Nuremberg. The bastard should be behind bars—or dead. David stared at Adler’s back, his anger boiling with increasing certainty this was his man. Had to be, and yet…
Glancing to his right and left, David saw no one interested in himself or Adler, so he fell into step behind him, keeping several people between them. After Adler’s brutality to prisoners in the labor camp, how could the Allies have let the bastard go? Had he escaped? Snuck into the U.S.? Was he a wanted man? God, he could be sabotaging the country’s rocket research. Spying for the Germans—or worse, the Russians. He had to be stopped. 
David’s war-honed skills tumbled back into place. He dragged his hat down to cover more of his face and followed Adler toward Public Square, into the Rapid Transit station under the Terminal Tower. He hovered behind one person, and then another, in the crowd on the platform. Several carried boxes and shopping bags, which broadened their bodies into good cover. 
When the eastbound train pulled up, David slipped in behind Adler and stood, swaying from an overhead handle with his back to the man. He pretended to read the ads around the top of the car while checking that Adler stayed in his seat. The German pulled a newspaper from his pocket, opened it, apparently found something of interest, and folded the paper into quarters, flattening the folds into solid creases.
What happened back in ’45? David got a nice pat on the back for bringing Adler in. Must have been a fuck-up somewhere along the line for him to be here now. Whatever it was, this time David’d make sure Adler was adequately punished for his crimes against humanity.
He swayed with the movement of the train car like any average Joe on his way home from a long day at work. Adler didn’t seem to notice him. The man relaxed into his seat, slowly turned, and folded the next page to meet his rigid requirements. He looked absorbed by some story.
David had the urge to haul him out of the train’s seat and break his teeth. How arrogant and insulting Adler had been on that road to Dresden. Covered in mud from trying to dig his car out, he’d dared to boast to David of his genius in rocket fuels, how every country in the world wanted his talent. It hadn’t occurred to David to check on Adler’s sentence after the trials. Maybe he should have. 
David felt cheated by his war. He’d pictured so much more: days full of risk, of excitement, of daring. He’d enlisted the morning after Pearl Harbor was attacked, eager to get into the fight, be an officer, lead his men to victory. But the Army had other plans. Oh, he’d been through officers’ training, but the Army picked up on his background in chemistry and physics, put him in the Chemical Warfare Service, and gave him a stateside assignment at the Sun Rubber Company in Akron. Instead of heroic combat, he helped design gas masks for children with the rubber face of Mickey Mouse or Donald Duck. It was humiliating. He was ashamed to tell the guys shipping out about his cushy assignment. 
It wasn’t until 1944 that he made it overseas. He’d thought OSS was his ticket to a real fight. And his spy training was superb: he proved to be an expert in stripping down weapons and reassembling them in the dark, excelled in the Fairbairn techniques of dirty fighting, and managed to be halfway fluent in German. But the job he got assigned? An administrative assistant for Secret Intelligence in London. He’d argued with his supervisor to send him to the continent, let him work with the Resistance in France. He lost. Next assignment: a photographer, microfilming documents. No chance to show off his physical strength and mental acuity. Damn it, nor his bravery, loyalty, or commitment to human rights.


Amazon UK • Amazon US



Lorelei Brush holds two doctoral degrees, both of which inform her writing. The first is in Developmental Psychology, the study of human beings as they grow from birth to death. For more than thirty years, Dr. Brush used her knowledge in this field to research and evaluate children’s learning. Her two non-fiction books address the specific issue of girls’ participation in mathematics .
Since 1996, Dr. Brush has worked in international education, spending 2006 to 2008 managing a large USAID-funded education project in the northwestern part of Pakistan, an area that was seriously affected by an earthquake in October 2005. During her years abroad, she directed a staff of about two hundred seventy and completed her Doctor of Ministry degree, which included an intensive study of Islam. The Pakistani women with whom she worked inspired her first novel, Uncovering, a tale of a group of Pakistani women confronted with the severe restrictions of fundamentalist Islam.
Along with two gentle cats, she lives outside of Washington, D.C. in a community of good neighbors, friends, and fellow writers. Like so many empty nesters, she loves her short, intense visits with her son (a sommelier) and his fiancée, her stepdaughter who found her French husband during her junior year abroad, and her three French grandsons. In her spare time she reads novels, sings alto with a chorus, hikes, cares for her flower and vegetable gardens, and shows up for healthy workouts at the gym.
Connect with Lorelei:Website 

Join me in conversation with #HistoricalFiction author, Alan Bardos #Interview @bardosAlan

 

Publication Date: 9th March 2021
Publisher: Sharpe Books
Page Length: 332 Pages
Genre: Historical Fiction/Thriller

January 1915.

The Western Front has descended into trench warfare. In the East an opportunity arises for the Allies to bypass the stalemate.

Desperate to preserve a truce in his sector of the front and with it the lives of his men, Johnny Swift a reckless former diplomat is caught warning the Germans of a trench raid.

Sir George Smyth, Swift’s former superior has negotiated a stay of execution. In return, Swift is dispatched to Constantinople on a perilous mission to bribe the Turkish government and open the backdoor into Germany.

This does not stop the disgraced diplomat enjoying the delights of the orient, while trying to negotiate the labyrinthine power struggles within the Turkish government.

Swift uses all his guile to complete his mission, but finds his efforts blocked by his old friend and nemesis Lazlo Breitner, now an official at the Austro-Hungarian Embassy.

The agent moves from the drinking dens at the crossroads of the world to the opening battles of the Gallipoli campaign - and with it a chance to redeem his reputation.

A huge congratulations on your Johnny Swift Thriller series. Could you tell us a little about the inspiration behind this series?

Thank you it’s been really hard work, but it’s great to have the first two novels in the series published. I think that it all started with the Flashman and Sharpe series, which chart the rise of the British Empire. My idea was basically to chart the decline of the British Empire as seen through the eyes of a character that combines the best qualities of Sharpe and the worst of Flashman and I came up with Johnny Swift. A character who is as brave as he is degenerate. He is determined not to let his modest middle class background prevent his advancement and continually finds his way blocked by a Conspiracy of Dunces to quote the original Jonathan Swift’s essay and the brilliant John Kennedy Toole novel.

That was my starting point. Although not all the novels will necessarily follow that theme, it will be the ‘arc’ of the series. The novels themselves will generally look at some of the great missed opportunities and turning points of the twentieth century, with Johnny at the centre of things. Ready to snatch defeat and catastrophe from the jaws of victory or on the rare occasion turn the tables against impossible odds.

When researching this era, did you come upon any unexpected surprises?

Yes, quite a few. It’s the surprises that provide the first spark for my novels. I got the idea for my first novel ‘The Assassins’ after I read that the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand happened by accident when his car took a wrong turn and stopped in front of Gavrilo Princip, changing the world forever.

While researching the series I discovered that Naval Intelligence attempted to bribe Turkey into making peace in 1915. This inspired the second book in the series, ‘The Dardanelles Conspiracy.’ If the operation had come off it would have opened the Dardanelles Strait and made the Gallipoli landings unnecessary. The third book in the series, which I’m currently working on, came from the discovery that the officer responsible for Mata Hari’s conviction as a spy, was himself arrested as a spy three days after her execution. 

Why do you think this period in history is still really popular with readers?

I think it’s so popular because the early Twentieth Century is still so large in the collective conscious. People have grown up watching films and programmes about the First World War and Second World War. Listening to stories from grand-parents about their experiences is also incredibly powerful and certainly began my interest in history.

Added to this is the fact that the world we live in was shaped by the First World War, especially if you live in the Middle East and Eastern Europe. It is impossible to understand the political make up of the world today without understanding the context of the early twentieth century.

What do you think is the most challenging aspect of writing Historical Fiction during this era?

The main problem I have is that people know the period and the characters concerned so well that they know what will happen in the end. My aim is therefore to focus on the characters, fictional and nonfictional, so a reader cares about their journey rather than the outcome of a historical event. Also when dealing with characters who are quite rightly national icons, like Winston Churchill, I find it hard to portray them in a bad light as I had to do when referring to the Dardanelles campaign. Although it was not his responsibility alone, it was not his finest hour. He was still the same restless, dynamic personality, but it was the years that followed the Dardanelles that helped form the Churchill of 1940.

Another problem I’ve found recently is that a lot of the information I’m interested in is still classified as secret, or has been discretely ‘wormed’ from archives. There are still documents relating to Mata Hari’s case that haven’t been released over a hundred years on. However, this does give me the opportunity to make things up and invent conspiracies, without being constrained by historical fact.

What advice do you have for aspiring Historical Fiction authors?

I’m not sure that I’m quite in a position to give advice yet, but I think with any form of writing the secret is just to write. Get into the habit, do it every day and have a target.

When it comes to historical fiction I think it’s important to try and read as much as you can on a subject, especially memoirs, so you get a full understanding of the events and characters. It is also surprising what little titbits you can pick up that enrich a story and send you off in unexpected directions. However, it is vital not to get too entangled in your research, something that I’ve learnt the hard way and through advice from my publisher. My mantra is now that I’m writing a story not a textbook. Every historical fiction writer wants to entertain and inform but the emphasis, I found, should always be on entertaining.

The last thing he had wanted to do was get involved in the perpetual game of one-upmanship that Crassus engaged in with the world.

‘I prefer a bayonet myself, a lot less fussy,’ Crassus retorted, raising a chuckle from Williams.

Crassus glanced around at the men eating bully beef. The sight made Johnny feel slightly downhearted. He wasn’t sure how much more of this he could take.

‘The wonders of the modern world, Swift. Don’t you think it’s incredible that we’re able to keep all these men on the line with canned food, rather than having them idle in winter accommodation?’

‘I don’t know, Dawkins. The tradition has always been to fight in the spring, but now we can sustain an army in the field indefinitely, it’s all a touch mercantile,’ Johnny said, trying to keep the anger out of his voice. He couldn’t believe that someone could talk like that in front of men living in this icebound waste.

Crassus gave Johnny a filthy look. Johnny knew his comment had been a bit near the knuckle. Crassus’s people owned a chain of grocers and were indeed more than a touch mercantile. Some wit in the officers’ mess had gone so far as to name him after the richest man in ancient Rome.

‘You do talk rot sometimes, Swift,’ Crassus said acidly. ‘I take it you’re aware that a new division is currently being formed from some of the finest regiments in the British Army?’

‘Yes the 29th, you have mentioned it.’

Johnny heard a call from no man’s land and started to lose patience. ‘Look Crassus, it was thoughtful of you to come and have a chat, but was there something you wanted?’

‘Well as a matter of fact I brought your mail.’ Crassus produced a letter from inside his trench coat. There was enough light for Johnny to see his name elegantly written in violet ink.

‘I say that’s most awfully decent of you.’ Johnny almost liked him at that moment.

‘It isn’t done to use a superior’s nickname, especially one as beastly as that, in front of the men.’

‘I’m sorry Lieutenant Dawkins. I didn’t mean to undermine your authority any further.’ Johnny would have said anything at that point. Crassus bowed courteously and passed him the letter.

Johnny ripped open the envelope and read the letter twice within a single match strike. “I’m not your plucky little sweetheart. Yours Lady Elizabeth Smyth etc etc.”

'Bad news? Hard lines Swift, but I’ve got a bit of a stunt on at the moment.’ Crassus cut through Johnny’s bitterness. ‘Plenty of glory to go round and you’re a half decent officer, despite everything.’

Johnny stuffed the letter into his box of tricks. ‘So is this what you do? Swank about the frontline looking for “stunts” to help bolster your posting to the 29th?’

‘Oh come now Swift, you can’t win a war hiding in ditches. England expects you to do your bit!’ Crassus said and pulled at his moustache.

‘Hey, Mr Tommy, have you any jam?’

The call came out of nowhere, unsettling Crassus. ‘Good God if you won’t do something about the Boche I will.’

Johnny climbed up the side of the trench and heaved his head over the disintegrating parapet.

‘Yes, Mr Fritz, we have apple and plum jam,’ Johnny called back in German and saw the surprise on Crassus’s face. He winked at him and added, ‘we’re a veritable grocer’s shop.’

‘You speak German, Swift!’ Crassus asked unable to comprehend what he was witnessing.

‘Yes, one of my many languages,’ Johnny replied. ‘Don’t you?’

‘You sound like a native Swift, have you a touch of Prussian?’

‘My German master at school served in the Pomeranian Grenadiers during the Franco-Prussian war,’ Johnny said in mitigation.

‘We’d be very interested in making a trade with you, Tommy,’ the German called back.

‘Splendid, I take it that you will stick to the rules, Fritz?’ Johnny asked, switching back to German.

‘Yes, we will play within the rules, all very proper and correct.’ The German responded. Johnny thought he heard laughter.

‘Alright, Corporal Williams, tea time’s over. Get the men organised for fatigue. Usual rules apply,’ Johnny said, climbing down from the parapet.

‘You actually fraternise with the Germans?’ Crassus seethed.

‘A bit of bravado with the enemy works wonders for morale. Keeps the men’s spirits up if they see their officers looking the enemy in the eye.’ Johnny said, trying to sound confident.

‘I see.’ Crassus was evidently not convinced, but he wanted something and didn’t pursue it.

‘Won’t you be joining us, sir? The water’s lovely!’ Williams called leading the wiring party over the top. Ordinarily Johnny would have gone out with them, but he wanted to keep Crassus away from no man’s land.

Crassus flustered. ‘It doesn’t do to be overly friendly with the men under one’s command, Swift. I’d have put any man who spoke to me like that on a charge.’

‘I used to,’ Johnny lied, ‘but I found that as quickly as I’d place a man on a charge the offence would be washed out for gallant conduct in the field.’

‘Good God Swift, I can’t believe how inordinately slack you are. You might be a temporary gentleman and a reservist, but you’re still a gentleman!’

‘Aren’t you a temporary gentleman, Crassus?’ Johnny asked.

‘I still have seniority over you, by nearly two years.’

‘I was still at school two years ago.’

‘Yes, it shows,’ Crassus spat, desperate to regain his authority. ‘Now Swift, this little stunt of mine. General Staff are worried. There is a strong feeling that we should be taking the fight to the enemy.’

‘Look –’ Crassus put his hand up to stop Johnny.

‘I intend to show my offensive spirit by raiding the enemy trenches tomorrow night.’

‘You want to raid the German trenches?’ Johnny asked not quite believing what he’d just heard.

‘Yes, so what say you, Swift? Play up and play the game!’

Only 0.99 on #Kindle for a Limited Time
Amazon UK • Amazon US
Read for FREE with #KindleUnlimited subscription.

Alan Bardos is a graduate of the MA in TV Script Writing at De Montfort University, he also has a degree in Politics and History from Brunel University. Writing historical fiction combines the first great love of his life, making up stories, with the second, researching historical events and characters. Alan currently live in Oxfordshire with his wife… the other great love of his life.
Despite the amount of material that has been written about the twentieth century there is still a great deal of mystery and debate surrounding many of its events, which Alan explores in his historical fiction series using a certain amount of artistic license to fill in the gaps, while remaining historically accurate. The series will chronicle the first half of the twentieth century from the perspective of Johnny Swift, a disgraced and degenerate diplomat and soldier; starting with the pivotal event of the twentieth century, the Assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand, in ‘The Assassins’.
Connect with Alan:Instagram • Facebook • Twitter • Goodreads • BookBub • Amazon Author Page

Welcome to Day 5 of the blog tour for Embers by Josephine Greenland #Excerpt #YoungAdult #BlogTour @greenland_jm

  

 Embers By Josephine Greenland




March 18th - May 20th 2021
Publication Date: 4th March 2021
Publisher: Unbound
Page Length: 336 Pages
Genre: Young Adult / Crime / Mystery
Amazon UK • Amazon US • Waterstones • UK Bookshop
Two siblings, one crime. One long-buried secret.   17-year-old Ellen never wanted a holiday. What is there to do in a mining town in the northernmost corner of the country, with no one but her brother Simon – a boy with Asperger’s and obsessed with detective stories – for company?   Nothing, until they stumble upon a horrifying crime scene that brings them into a generations-long conflict between the townspeople and the native Sami. When the police dismiss Simon’s findings, he decides to track down the perpetrator himself. Ellen reluctantly helps, drawn in by a link between the crime and the siblings’ own past. What started off as a tedious holiday soon escalates into a dangerous journey through hatred, lies and self-discovery that makes Ellen question not only the relationship to her parents, but also her own identity.
Today we are heading over to Linnea Tanner’s Official Blog for a fabulous guest post.
Click Here.
Tour Schedule

We are so excited to be taking The Heron by Jean M. Roberts #HistoricalFiction #TimeSlip #BlogTour @jroberts1324

 

The Heron
 By Jean M. Roberts


Publication Date: 15th April 2021Publisher: Black Rose WritingPage Length: 252 PagesGenre: Historical Fiction / Time Slip
The past calls to those who dare to listen…
An invitation arrives; Abbey Coote, Professor of American Studies, has won an extended stay in an historic B&B, Pine Tree House. The timing is perfect. Abbey is recovering from an accident which left her abusive boyfriend dead and her with little memory of the event.
But her idyllic respite soon takes a terrifying turn. While exploring the house, Abbey comes face to face with Mary Foss, a woman dead for 350 years. Through a time/mind interface, Abbey experiences the horrors of Mary’s life, living at the edge of the civilized world in the 1690’s New England.
As Abbey faces her worst fears, she struggles to free them both from the past.
Amazon UK • Amazon US
Jean M. Roberts

With a passion for history, author Jean M. Roberts is on a mission to bring the past to life. She is the author of three novels, WEAVE A WEB OF WITCHCRAFT, BLOOD IN THE VALLEY and THE HERON. After graduating from the University of St. Thomas, Jean served in the United States Air Force, she has worked as a Nurse Administrator and is currently writing full-time. She lives in Texas with her husband.
Website • Twitter • Instagram • Facebook

Tour Schedule



April 15thJudith Arnopp’s Official BlogSpotlight & Excerpt
April 22ndRuins & ReadingSpotlight & Excerpt
April 29thElizabeth St.John’s Official BlogAuthor Chat
May 6thEmma Lombard’s Official BlogSpotlight & Excerpt
May 13thBooks, Latte’s & TiarasSpotlight
May 20thCelticLady's ReviewsSpotlight
May 27thA Darn Good ReadSpotlight & Excerpt
June 3rdZoe’s Art, Craft & LifeGuest Post
June 10thThe Whispering BookwormAuthor Interview 
June 17thCandlelight ReadingGuest Post

#BookReview — A Comfortable Alliance: A Regency Novel by Catherine Kullmann #RegencyRomance #HistoricalRomance @CKullmannAuthor

 

Publication Date: 25th March 2021
Publisher: Willow Books 
Page Length: 285 Pages
Genre: Regency Historical Romance

Can they open their hearts to something much deeper and passionate? Will their marriage only ever be a comfortable alliance?

Six years ago, Helena Swift’s fiancé was fatally wounded at Waterloo. Locking away all dreams of the heart, she retreated to a safe family haven. On the shelf and happy to be there, Helena has perfected the art of deterring would-be suitors.

Will, Earl of Rastleigh, is the only son of an only son: marriage is his duty. One of the great prizes of the marriage market, he shies away from a cold, society union. While he doesn’t expect love, he seeks something more comfortable. But how to find the woman who will welcome him into her life and her bed, and be a good mother to their children?

When Will meets Helena, he is intrigued by her composure, her kindness and her intelligence. As their friendship develops, he realises he has found his ideal wife, if only he can overcome her well-known aversion to matrimony.

Will succeeds in slipping past Helena’s guard. Tempted by the thought of children of her own, and encouraged by her mother to leave the shallows where she has lingered so long, she accepts his offer of a marriage based not on dangerous love but affectionate companionship and mutual respect.

But is this enough? As Will gets to know his wife better, and the secrets of her past unfold, he realises that they have settled for second-best. Can he change the basis of their marriage? Will Helena risk her heart and dare to love again?

She would never again have what she had lost, but she was content with what she had.

Helena Swift's heart had been shattered into a million pieces when her beloved fiancé died from the injuries he sustained at the Battle of Waterloo. With his death, Helena had no desire to risk her heart again, so she withdrew from society. She is resigned to the fact that she will always be a beloved aunt, but never experience the joy of motherhood for herself.

William, 8th Earl of Rastleigh has to marry, for he needs an heir. But he has not yet met the woman he could envisage spending the rest of his life with. That was, until he met Helena. Helena intrigues him, and he enjoys the ease between the two of them. Helena would make the perfect countess.

Will offers Helena everything, except for love. This proposal is something that Helena considers carefully, for she wants a family of her own. But will a marriage of mutual respect and friendship be enough?

A Comfortable Alliance: A Regency Novel by Catherine Kullmann is a beautifully woven love story that is rich with historical detail and unforgettable characters.

As one would expect to find in a romance, regardless of what era the book is set in, the couple must elude and overcome numerous stumbling blocks to reach that happy ever after ending. However, the complications that occur for the protagonists of this novel are not caused by an outside force or unrealistic obligations, but it is their inability to ask each other the right questions and to admit their growing love.

After the tragic death of her first love, Captain Richard Harbury, Helena Swift had vowed never to fall in love again. She remains true to her first love. She still wears his ring, even after all this time. But what William, 8th Earl of Rastleigh offers Helena is not a marriage built on a foundation of love, rather one based on mutual affection, friendship and companionship. Helena realises after some deep and reflective soul searching that she does not want to spend the rest of her life wishing for a future that has, thus far, been denied to her. And although she was resigned to spend her life as a companion for her mother, she realises that this is no longer enough. She wants a family of her own; she wants to become a mother, and Will is offering her that chance. She admires Will and is certainly attracted to him but, more importantly, she likes him. What she wasn’t expecting was how well they would get along. Together, they can weather any storm. And unlike many of her acquaintances, Helena comes to the shocking realisation that what she and Will share is something very special and unique when compared to her peers. Has she fallen in love with him? Dare she risk her heart? Dare she not? Helena fears love, yet she cannot help falling in love with her husband. I thought Helena’s portrayal was utterly enthralling. She is a genuine, loving individual who is overflowing with empathy and love. She is also quick of wit and more than an equal for Will.

This book is unlike many Regency Romance novels because Will is not a rake. He is loveable, but he is no scoundrel. He is a man of wealth and title, which makes him a target for all the mothers who want their debutant daughters to marry well. Will is the most eligible of bachelors, but he has no intention of marrying. He only feels compelled to marry when he realises that his heir would make a disastrous job of managing his estate, and thus he feels the need to marry and have a son of his own, but even then he is hesitant. When he meets Helena, he realises that she is the woman he has been waiting for, and yet he does not offer her a marriage based on love, although he does desire her. It comes as somewhat of a surprise at just how lonely his life was before he met Helena. Despite having wealth, large estates, lavish houses, and even a castle, he finds his home, the place that has eluded him for so long, in her arms. I thought Kullmann’s portrayal of Will was sublime. He is honourable, kind, and desperate to make Helena happy—although sometimes he becomes pre-occupied and takes her a little for granted on occasions. But when he realises his mistakes, he is quick to make amends. Will is not perfect. He does have flaws, but I think this made him all the more endearing.

Kullmann’s portrayal of Britain’s High Society in the 19th Century was masterfully portrayed. The mothers’ desperate attempt at marrying their daughters by fawning over men, such as Will, really brought home how the relationship between money and wealth was viewed. Kullmann has also depicted the darker side of this society—the bitterness, the jealousy, the rivalry and the lengths some were willing to go to so that they could cause a scandal, or to force a marriage. The fact that Will married a woman who had retired from society and seemingly in such a hurry fans the flames for those who have a seemingly insatiable appetite to destroy another’s reputation. I thought Kullmann has really captured the very essence of the Ton in this era.

Family and friendship is an integral theme that runs through the length of this novel. Helena’s loving heart means that Will has the courage to finally embrace the truth of how much his mother had suffered at the hands of his grandfather. Likewise, he is able to form a meaningful relationship with his step-father and siblings.

There are many family secrets and unspoken traumas that finally come out into the light in this novel. Kullmann goes to some length to demonstrate how much women suffered, and how vulnerable they were during this era. With Helena’s confidence and empathy, Will learns some terrible truths about the past, and how members of his family had silently suffered. Helena brings Will’s family together, and he is left wondering how he had managed these long years without her.

A Comfortable Alliance by Catherine Kullmann is a truly wonderful novel and is a real treat for lovers of quality Historical Romance.

I Highly Recommend.

Review by Mary Anne Yarde.
The Coffee Pot Book Club


Amazon UK • Amazon US




I was born and educated in Dublin. Following a three-year courtship conducted mostly by letter, I moved to Germany where I lived for twenty-five years before returning to Ireland. I have worked in the Irish and New Zealand public services and in the private sector.
I have a keen sense of history and of connection with the past which so often determines the present. I am fascinated by people. I love a good story, especially when characters come to life in a book.
I have always enjoyed writing, I love the fall of words, the shaping of an expressive phrase, the satisfaction when a sentence conveys my meaning exactly. I enjoy plotting and revel in the challenge of evoking a historic era for characters who behave authentically in their period while making their actions and decisions plausible and sympathetic to a modern reader. In addition, I am fanatical about language, especially using the right language as it would have been used during the period about which I am writing. But rewarding as all this craft is, there is nothing to match the moment when a book takes flight, when your characters suddenly determine the route of their journey.
Connect with Catherine: Website • Twitter • Goodreads.