Lucy Mitchell's Blog, page 13

Writing Stories & Crossing Stepping Stones #AmWriting

One of the hardest things to come to terms with when you start writing seriously is that… not all your stories will work out.

I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but some will be rubbish. Every writer, regardless of ability, I believe, has an imaginary rubbish story quota to meet. We all, at some point in our careers, have to hit this quota of rubbish, bin worthy stories.

Some of our stories will have potential, but will require a LOT of work on our part to discover that potential and bring it out into the light.

Some of our stories will break us and some will simply act as stepping-stones to other stories.

Sadly, these stepping stone stories won’t set the literary world on fire and they might not reach a second draft. They will still require blood, sweat and tears, which when looking back, will feel like a total waste of your time, BUT their existence is VITAL.

I think stepping stone stories are the unsung heroes of our writing world.

Without writing your stepping stone story, you wouldn’t have moved onto that project which proved to be THE ONE.

Stepping stone stories come to you with one purpose; to guide you towards something else.

Through the act of writing these stories, you will discover something new; a different take on your story, a new character, a minor plot thread which fascinates you or the creative spark for a totally new story.

You might even find a new style of writing or gain the confidence to write from a different POV.

When you look back in months or years to come, you will see that you had to write this story in order to get to THE ONE, which actually turned into something.There were no shortcuts and you couldn’t have come up with the idea for THE ONE without writing your stepping stone story.

When you start to work with the idea of stepping stone stories you start to see how valuable they can be in other ways too.

Viewing your current story has a stepping stone to something else actually has its advantages.

I often get carried away with a story when writing the first draft. I get so excited and giddy in the early stages. All my hopes and sky-high expectations are placed on the shoulders of my poor story and when things don’t work out (my story sinks underneath all that pressure) I get upset.

So, I have decided to view all the stories I write as stepping-stones. I tell myself that I am simply working through a story for exploration purposes. I view it as a stepping stone to other things. It won’t be the one as in order to find that mythical story I have to write this one first. This story will give me the clues I need in order to find the one.

The stepping stone mindset takes the pressure off your story.

There are no ridiculous expectations placed upon it and I have found with my current draft, this has created room for more thinking time.

Nothing is wasted when it comes to writing. Trying to hit your rubbish story quota or working on your stepping stone stories are both valuable activities

I hope some of you can relate to my blog post and I hope you’ve experienced writing a stepping stone story.

Enjoy the journey folks! Leap across those stones.

Have a great day x

#BookReview More Than Mistletoe 🎁🎄 @ChristmasCo2021 #Romance

If you love all things festive and romantic please check out More Than Mistletoe – Twelve stories of festive love, laughter, and happily ever after … mostly.

Now, before I talk about these delightful stories, let me tell you something amazing and inspiring.

This anthology was formed in 2021, following the “Christmas Love Story” competition hosted by Penguin Michael Joseph during 2020/2021.

You might recall the blog post I did about this competition. All the authors who have created this anthalogy particpated in this competition.

If you read my post – something magical happened during this competition. It was such a brilliant experience.

Anyway, once the competition was over, some of us went back to working on our full novels (me) and some began working on a way to publish their stories.

This group of authors knew they had something special in their close-knit group and weren’t prepared to let that go. This Anthology is the culmination of twelve people who chose collaboration over competition.

It would have been easy for every one of them to lurk on the internet and go their separate ways after the competition ended, but they wanted something positive to come out of the journey. They are still on that journey, excited for what the future may hold if they continue to work together.

Their personal story is one of hope, perseverance, and the best of human nature – and the stories in our anthology reflect all that and more.

Oh, my days, what a fab thing to do! Well done, you inspiring penguins

Here’s what you need to know about this anthalogy.

Cosy up for Christmas with 12 very different tales of love with all the festive feels!

More than Mistletoe, the debut anthology from The Christmas Collective, is an eclectic and inclusive mix of stories, with swoon-worthy characters, second chances and happy endings.

Between the pages, you will discover classic romance, festive thrillers, LGBTQ+ love stories, hilarious romcoms and historical settings, these stories really do span the whole spectrum of festive fiction.

Featuring twelve up and coming new authors, this refreshing, diverse and romantic read, is a must-have for Christmas 2021 that will leave you reaching for your Christmas jumper, gingerbread cookies and a mug of hot chocolate!

Lumikinos by Lucy Alexander
The Ghost of Christmas Past by Michelle Harris
Christmas for Two by Marianne Calver
August in December by Joe Burkett
Under the Christmas Tree by Cici Maxwell
Killing Christmas Eve by Jake Godfrey
Christmas and Cocktails by Jenny Bromham
Christmas at The Little Blu Bookshop by Sarah Shard
Not Today, Santa by Martha May Little
Sealed with a Christmas Kiss by Bláithín O’Reilly Murphy
Love Forever by Donna Gowland
The Last Christmas by S.L.Robinson

Here’s what I thought of the anthology:

Overall I thought it was a fabulous collection of stories about Christmas and love. It gave me hope, laughter, spooky feelings, historical settings and emotional journeys of self discovery.

Joe Burkett – your gorgeous story made me teary and reach for another biscuit! Can’t wait to read more from you.

Lucy Alexander – fab story which made me think a lot about snow and I loved the mysterious angle you took with the tale. Excellent story!

Michelle Harris – just brilliant! I love the way you write. Looking forward to reading more from you.

Marianne Calver – those last few sentences about seeing a certain someone’s vulnerability made me want to reach out and hug you…and them! Lol!

Cici Maxwell – great story, fab characters and I can’t wait to read the next part in ‘Trimming the Tree.’

Jake Godfrey – wow! This story took me by surprise. Very engaging. It was fab! Cannot wait to read more from you.

Jenny Bromham – fabulous and just what I needed. It put a smile on my face and included one of my favourite lines – if I didn’t have a newly deepened reserve of Christmas spirit, I don’t think I’d be nearly as restrained

Sarah Shard – what a brilliant story and premise. Michael’s feelings at the end

Martha May Little – please can you ask your character Chris if he can make that speech to me – the one which starts with – You are the funniest, most clever, beautiful and infuriating woman… Oh my days, Izzy, what a speech!

Bláithín O’Reilly Murphy – wonderful! Love the way you write and your character Avery.

Donna Gowland – your story made me smile and a little emotional. I was thinking about your characters for days afterwards.

S.L.Robinson – I can’t wait to read the next part of this. Henry and William – I am so hooked!

This anthology is launching tomorrow – 1st November. Here’s the pre order link

This anthology works well when read with a mug of hot tea and a tin of luxury biscuits.

Great job everyone – you should be very proud xxxx

How To Survive Deleting Characters #AmWriting

Writing the death of a much-loved character can be demanding and can leave you emotionally wiped out.

Did you know that there is another literary situation which can be just as challenging and one which can cast a nasty gloom over your writing life – deleting a character from your story.

I am not talking about deleting a random minor character; a fictional person who you created one day after too much coffee and inserted into the middle of your novel, just to beef it out (technical literary term) and then deleted them the following day after realising your stupidity. Sigh

No. I am talking about those major changes to a draft which result in you deciding to get rid of a key character.

I guarantee this fictional person will have been with you since the start of your story and someone who you have history with. You and this character will have been through some stuff; your rocky first draft, that dreadful second draft which no one liked, your third draft where you felt all hope was lost and the fourth draft which resulted in you wondering why the hell you had ever taken up writing.

You and this character will have shared story in-jokes. They will have been there for you during the bad times. You know them inside out and they are like a good friend.

The awful thing is that you know a change like this needs to happen.

Dare you say it?

Go on say it!

This character was a bit dull and your story will be better without them! 

This situation WILL play havoc with your emotions. You have to ERASE this fictional character from your story and then act like they NEVER existed!

You don’t know about literary heart-break until you have experienced severing all ties with a fictional character you have an emotional connection with.  

I have just deleted my main character’s love interest. He’d done six drafts with me and we got on like a house on fire. But I knew he wasn’t what my story needed. So I had to let him go (press delete).

So, if you are an emotional writer like me, you will find deleting an existing character tough going.

Here are some useful tips on how to survive this dark literary time:

Once you have made the decision to delete them from memory don’t spend hours deliberating. If your gut is saying ‘delete them!’ – do it!

Save a copy of your draft with them playing a part in your story. You may need this when you wake in the middle of the night, drenched in sweat, clutching your loved one and whispering “I shouldn’t have deleted [enter character name of choice]”

Perform your delete swiftly and humanely. They won’t feel a thing! Ask your ‘find’ button for some much-needed support with this.

Prepare yourself in advance for a tough clean up operation post deletion. This will involve, what we in the trade like to call, some quick and dirty editing. Adjusting those scenes involving another character having a heated conversation with your now deleted character or where a character was in the middle of a romantic embrace with the one you have just cruelly deleted. The latter scenes are the hardest to mop up in this situation.

Things will feel a bit different for a while after the deletion. You might feel a bit raw / needy for a few days. For noting: if your loved one is unsympathetic with you after a character death, don’t expect ANYTHING from them post a character deletion. The best you will get is an eye roll! You are on your own with this one.

Tell yourself that your deleted character’s time will come again. Don’t dwell on the fact that you erased them from this story because they were dull / weak / surplus to requirements or replaced by a better looking character. Reassure yourself with a comforting phrase like square peg in a round hole!

Prepare to hear your deleted character’s name in real life conversations after the deletion. Bite your bottom lip, steady yourself and go make yourself a nice sugary cup of tea.

Talk your feelings through with a sympathetic writer friend.
I am here for you, if you need to talk to a fellow emotional writer.

Take it easy readers!

Have a great day!

The Importance of Self-Care For Writers #AmWriting

Our writing lives are at times joyful and heavenly, but they are also fraught with creative emotional pain and suffering. We go through continual phases of hating and loving our writing, dealing with writer jealousy, working through rejection, failure, chasing that fast moving and unobtainable object called a writing dream {enter your dream} and on certain days feeling a million years away from it.

Our poor little creative hearts go through so much; they’re either swelling with pride after a literary achievement, splintering after a nasty rejection or being glued back together as we write something new.

As well as this they are like sponges with all the emotion which goes with writing. Every bit of joy, happiness, shock, pain, sting and hurt which comes from writing is soaked up by your little creative heart.

Your writer brain also sometimes needs a rest. There are days when it feels like rush hour at London St Pancras station with new ideas, characters and plots rushing in at different platforms and old stories being escorted out for no longer having valid tickets. There are also days when your station like mind feels like all writing trains have been cancelled and it can be a dismal place.

All this emotional chaos unfortunately goes with the territory of being a writer. Some might say its all part of the fun and some might say it’s what we signed up for when we started taking our writing seriously. It is in the Writer Job Description – must be able to swing from positive thoughts to negative thoughts over a project and must be able to physically feel your creative heart breaking every time you get a rejection email.

I am not going to lecture you on self-care tips because there are loads. Just type self-care into Google and you will find a lot of great articles, books and podcasts on the subject.

Just think about what you are putting your little creative heart and busy mind through.

Occasionally write a list of all the things you’ve been through creatively in the last few months and ask yourself honestly whether its time for some self care. Don’t forget that self care can take many forms, even binge watching Netflix, cooking nice meals, taking a relaxing bath or catching up with friends.

Look after yourselves. We’re not robots and we’re not superhuman.

to you all x

#BookReview The Single Dad’s Christmas Proposal @EllaHayesAuthor

Dear Santa, for Christmas please can I have a new fictional crush – preferably a handsome, professional snowboarder who wants me to escape with him and his large snowboard over the festive season.

Oh, Santa – you’ve given me my Christmas gift early! Romance author, Ella Hayes, has a wonderful Christmas read out TODAY and it is exactly what I wanted. Thank you so much xxx

Here’s the blurb:

His invitation…
…to a life-changing winter escape!
Extreme snowboarder Dax is no stranger to a challenge. Still, nothing could have prepared him for his greatest challenge yet: fatherhood! Six-year-old Yann was kept a secret by his late mother. Now Dax is determined to make up for lost time. But with a work commitment in Chamonix, he needs a step-in nanny…and single mom Simone is the perfect candidate! Will Simone say yes to Dax—and a Christmas to remember?

Here’s my review

Yum! That’s one word to describe Dax, the extreme free riding snowboarder, who is the male lead in this romance. As with all of Ella Hayes’s male characters Dax was an instant crush. I could picture him so well. I love an attractive sporty male hero with a big heart. Dax gave me all the tingles.

Simone, the female character, was good and she matched with Dax well. I think she was good for him and you need that in a romance story. I loved Yann, Dax’s daughter and the connection she had with Simone.

All Ella Hayes’s characters in her books go on emotional journeys of self-discovery. This book certainly has that for both Dax and Simone. There’s a lot of feelings to be worked through and that’s what I want in a romance read. I want to experience the highs and lows of the characters in a book.

This is an intense and powerful Christmas romance which will leave you a little flustered whilst you are busy scoffing mince pies and visualising Dax on his snowboard.

Fabulous read!

Here’s the link Please click here.

Ella Hayes won the Prima Magazine “Love to Write Competition” in Association with Mills & Boon in 2017. She will always be grateful to Milla and Cormac for capturing the judges’ hearts in that first chapter because that chapter went on to become “Her Brooding Scottish Heir”, her debut romance for Mills and Boon.

Since then, she has written four more titles, and has three more in the pipeline.

Why Querying Feels Like Riding a Carousel 🎠 #MondayBlogs #amwriting

Even though I have had many near misses with querying success and I could quite easily cover my writing desk (all sides) with rejections, I still enjoy the process of querying. It’s full of dramatic highs and lows. You form an unhealthy and obsessive relationship with your email in box, you work through your secret chocolate stash (which has taken you a good few months to accumulate) after pressing ‘send’ to the first agent, you’re a nightmare to live with and your pets avoid you for days. Querying tests your personal resilience and your patience. It can make you a stronger person (and reduce you to tears the next week) and one full request can make you feel like you are on top of the world. The rejections will sting, make you cry and perform sad creative dances in the kitchen whilst blubbering into your agitated cat’s fur.

What’s not to love about querying?

I believe the query process (sending out parts or all of your draft novel to literary agents in the hope one will love your work so much they offer representation) can be likened to riding a carousel at a fairground.

I would like to caveat that I know the fun doesn’t stop once you have had querying success. I also know there are other fairground rides which can be likened to going on submission, getting a book published and self-publishing a book. If anyone wants to suggest some examples please feel free to do so below.

Anyway, for the purpose of this post, here’s how the querying carousel works.

The querying carousel is something we all daydream about.

It’s a place where your wildest writer dreams can come true.

Some of us are lucky enough to ride the carousel once and find success.

Some of us have been on the carousel…a few times. Some of us feel like a permanent fixture.

Some of us are watching from the sidelines shouting encouragement to those riding.

Some of us are picking ourselves up after falling off the querying carousel.

Your draft book is your carousel horse.

There are so many of us riding horses on the querying carousel.

New riders and horses join the querying carousel each day and sadly there are riders who fall off their horses each day.

It is important our horses stand out from the crowd. They must look the part (polished, eye-catching and brilliant) and keep us in the saddle when the carousel ride speeds up.

Things to remember about the querying carousel:

Sometimes your horse won’t standout from the crowd. Sometimes it won’t keep you in the saddle. That’s all part of the learning process. The important thing is you keep making sure your horse looks the best each time you ride and you get back on that horse after every fall. There will always be better riders than you. There will always be horses which look superior to yours. You have to ride your horse and not get distracted. Falling off hurts (rejection) when it feels like you have just climbed onto the querying carousel and when you have bravely clung on for months. Literary agents are watching out for the eye-catching horses and impressive riders. Sometimes your horse (draft novel) will surprise you. The months of work you put into making sure it looked it’s best and had a study frame paid off. It can be good to just hold on, appreciate how far you have come, wave to a few fellow riders (on Twitter) and enjoy the ride for however long it lasts. It’s good to remember the people who cheered you on and your fellow riders who told you to cling on tighter when the carousel sped up. It’s also good to think about those who helped you up after a fall and told you to get back on your horse. Takings part on the querying carousel is an achievement in itself as not many are able to make a horse fit for the carousel or ride it.

Keep working on your carousel horse, wave to your fellow riders and for goodness sake get back in the saddle again soon

This post is dedicated to all those who have cheered me on during the querying process and have helped me dust myself off after a rejection. I am afraid you will have to keep going with this as I can’t see myself giving up.

#BookReview The Christmas Miracle #ChristmasReads

I thought I would get a bit festive and help celebrate this Christmas read.

This is book 6 from the CHRISTMAS ON THE CLOSE series which is set in a British suburban cul-de-sac over the festive period and visits each house individually to discover how the neighbours who live there celebrate the season in their own special way.

The Christmas Miracle (Christmas on The Close #6)
You are invited to spend CHRISTMAS ON THE CLOSE where each of the neighbours are celebrating in their own special way.

Diane always enjoys baking special festive treats, which she happily delivers to her friendly neighbours on The Close as Christmas approaches.

When she decides to seek closure with a romantic matter from her past, she unexpectedly finds herself on an emotional journey she isn’t prepared for.

Her granddaughter, Emma, has all the technical know-how to assist in the search for answers, but is distracted by an intense – and highly unsuitable – romance of her own.

The two women must deal with unsettling issues as they begin to face the reality of their situations, but their familial bond helps to provide the security and support they need to answer the questions they face.

The sixth standalone episode of ‘Christmas on The Close’ reveals how it may be easier to allow the head to make all the decisions, but the heart will never stop fighting for what it really wants.

Here’s my review

This can be read as a standalone. I have dived straight into book 6 without reading the rest in the series.

This is a lovely Christmas tale which is easy to read and perfect for anyone who wants to fast forward to the festive season.

I enjoyed Diane’s attempt to solve a problem from her past. I thought Diane getting assistance from her granddaughter, Emma, was a great idea. Their journeys of self discovery made this book an entertaining read.

It’s a cute read which will make you gaze longingly at the calendar and count how many more days we have to endure until Christmas.

Purchase Link
UK – https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B08CT3LRR6
US – https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08CT3LRR6

Author Bio –
Stephanie Wood writes contemporary fiction in the form of novels, novellas and short stories and you can find the running order of her titles on the first page of any book.

She published the AEGEAN SUN series of books as a fly-on-the-wall vision of life in a Greek resort during the summer season, using her extensive experience as a holiday rep to bring some unusual incidents to life on the page. The series began as an exploration of the various ways in which tourists make the most of their holidays and how they interact with the locals while they are visiting. The later books in the series have taken a closer look at the locals themselves and show how their lives and relationships are sometimes changed by the regular influx of seasonal visitors.

Stephanie lives in Lancashire where, apart from reading and writing, she loves gardening and cycling and is a huge fan of the soaps Emmerdale and Neighbours.

Social Media Links –
Website: http://www.stephaniewood.co.uk
Twitter: https://twitter.com/stephaniewooduk & https://twitter.com/TheCloseSeries
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/StephanieWoodAuthor/

#BookReview Always in December @EmStoneWrites #ChristmasLoveStory

This book made me cry for two reasons. Firstly because it is a different sort of Christmas love story, a beautiful one which is heart wrenching in places. Secondly because my dad died in May and like the heroine, Josie Morgan, I will be posting a letter in December which will never be read too. This book has been a cathartic read for me.

Here’s the blurb:

For fans of One Day in December and Me Before You, Always, in December is the timeless, stay-up-all-night love story you’ll take straight to your heart.

Josie Morgan never looks forward to December. It’s always a reminder of the life she lost, twenty years ago. Now, she always switches off the radio when Christmas music comes on. She always wants to tear down the tinsel her flatmate insists on pinning up.

And she always posts a letter she knows will never be read.

Max Carter never expected to find himself stranded in London just days before Christmas. He never expected it would be so hard to say goodbye to a woman he hardly knows. Then again, he never expected to fall in love.
But, this December, when Josie’s letter leads her to Max, a chance encounter will change their lives in the most remarkable way. And their story is only just beginning . . .

From London to Manhattan, from Edinburgh to the English countryside, Always, in December is a romantic journey that’s impossible to forget.

Here’s my review:

This book is for those of us who, each year, long for a good, emotional Christmas love story to get stuck into. It sounds strange but for some of us, curling up on a sofa, with an opened box of chocolates stashed on one side, a box of tissues on the other, and a heart-wrenching love story in our hands, is our idea of reader heaven. If this is you, please buy this book.

You can tell it has been written from the heart. It is a fabulous story, packed full of emotion, love, tragedy and two gorgeous characters.

The meet cute set up between Max and Josie was brilliant. Emily Stone captured that first, awkward meeting so well. One of the best meet cutes I have read if honest. It was relatable and so sweet.

Josie had such an impact on me. She’s already been through a lot when we first meet her. Before I had read this book I had planned to write Dad a letter at Christmas knowing he would never read it so reading Josie doing the same thing was a little weird. It was a great connector for me. We were on the same wavelength. I spent much of the book wanting to hug her and take her out for a coffee. I thought she was cleverly written, her character arc was strong, her bravery shone out and she glued me to the story.

Josie and Max’s relationship was really relatable. It felt like a real relationship with the magical part at the start and fate sending them off in different directions but always making sure their paths kept crossing. It didn’t feel contrived. I loved them both as a couple.

The ending is interesting and certainly thought provoking. I wasn’t expecting it and had to work my way through my box of chocolates and tissues to process what happened. It’s important to remember this is a love story and when you see like that you can see the reason for the ending.

An emotional and unforgettable read. Very cathartic if you have experienced grief.

Please click here for the link to this book.

Author Bio:

Emily Stone lives and works in Chepstow and wrote Always, in December in an old Victorian manor house with an impressive literary heritage. Her debut novel was partly inspired by the death of her mother, when Emily was seven, and wanting to write something that reflected the fact that you carry this grief into adulthood, long after you supposedly move on from the event itself.

#BookReview A Deal With The Elf King #SFFRomCast @Elisekova

When the team from the new SFFRomCast Podcast, a fabulous new podcast for Science Fiction and Fantasy Romance novel addicts and writers, asked me to blog about one of my favourite fantasy romance books from 2021, I squealed with joy.

Fantasy Romance is a genre which appeals to me as a reader. These books allow me to access an escape portal to wonderful worlds of magic, adventure and colour. I have a fantastic quote on the subject of reading fantasy:

Fantasy is silver and scarlet, indigo and azure, obsidian veined with gold. Reality is plywood and plastic.

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Fantasy Romance, for me, has an unbeatable and undenieable charm. These stories always contain an intense form of love which always leaves me breathless and gasping.

My all time favourite fantasy romance is The Winter King by C.L Wilson. I adored the Ice King and his wolf companions so much. I loved how the heroine softens him.

The book I am talking about below is one which I enjoyed so much in 2021 – I experienced a creative yearning to dive into this genre myself as a writer. Enough of my creative urges, here’s the blurb:

The elves come for two things: war and wives. In both cases, they come for death.

Three-thousand years ago, humans were hunted by powerful races with wild magic until the treaty was formed. Now, for centuries, the elves have taken a young woman from Luella’s village to be their Human Queen.

To be chosen is seen as a mark of death by the townsfolk. A mark nineteen-year-old Luella is grateful to have escaped as a girl. Instead, she’s dedicated her life to studying herbology and becoming the town’s only healer.

That is, until the Elf King unexpectedly arrives… for her.

Everything Luella had thought she’d known about her life, and herself, was a lie. Taken to a land filled with wild magic, Luella is forced to be the new queen to a cold yet blisteringly handsome Elf King. Once there, she learns about a dying world that only she can save.

The magical land of Midscape pulls on one corner of her heart, her home and people tug on another… but what will truly break her is a passion she never wanted.

A Deal with the Elf King is a complete, stand-alone novel, inspired by the tales of Hades and Persephone, as well as Beauty and the Beast, with a “happily ever after” ending. It’s perfect for fantasy romance fans looking for just the right amount of steam and their next slow-burn and swoon-worthy couple.

Here’s my review

I loved this enchanting and fascinating story about Luella, a strong and brave magical healer, with a ‘no-nonsense’ attitude, who is forced to marry Eldas, the reclusive Elf King. Initially sparks fly between them but duty brings them together and they have a world saving mission on their hands.

I adored Luella’s plucky nature and how she refused to do what Eldas wanted her to do. She believed in helping others, always put the needs of her people first and stood up for what she believed in. Luella is one of my favourite heroines.

King Eldas is a total fictional crush. He’s so sexy, he draws ‘constellations on Luella’s clothing’, he kisses her ‘like the creatue of darkness he is’, he ‘growls’ her name and he says things like how he would never dream of leaving her unsatisfied.’ All I could do was shout YES, YES, YES and YES again from my armchair.

Added to this is the glow Luella and King Eldas make when they are getting passionate. Their ‘powers are radiating together’. Another big yes from me.

This is a great example of a fantastic enemies to lovers story. A delicious slow burn.

The world building is exceptional. It was detailed I was able to picture both Luella’s and King Eldas’s worlds in my mind.

Such a great book!

Here’s the link to the book.

The next book on my reading list is this author’s book A Dance With The Fae Prince.

I can’t wait for the new SFFRomCast Podcast to begin on 12 October. Every week I am going to be able to listen to writers and readers talk about their love of Science Fiction and Fantasy Romance.

#BookReview A Nun For The Viking Warrior #WeekendReads #HistoricalRomance

This book played out a like a film in my head. I now need to spend a few days adjusting to real life.

Forced to wed the warrior
Falling for the man…
Noblewoman Amée Évreaux had pledged her life to God, until her father promised her in marriage to thundering Norseman, Jorund Jötunnson. After escaping her overbearing father, Amée vows never to fall under another man’s thumb, but her resistance to being Jorund’s wife turns to desire as she gets to know her intriguing new husband. For beneath his fierce exterior she’s glimpsed an unexpectedly pure heart. If only she can penetrate the fortress that surrounds it…

Here’s my review;

This book has such a dramatic opening chapter. It left me bathed in a light sweat and murmuring, ‘good gracious, Lucy Morris, what are you doing to me?’

I really enjoyed this story. It is about Jorund, the giant Viking warrior, who comes to the nunnery to claim Amée Évreaux as his bride. Amée wants to dedicate her life to God however her father has other ideas and has promised her hand to Jorund. Over the course of the book these two characters come to understand each other and fall in love. It is a good read.

There were so many standouts, the wonderful characters of fierce Amée and Jorund, the Viking warrior with the big heart, the vivid historical descriptions, the twisty plot and the sizzling romance. It has everything you need in a good romance – passion, drama, adventure, a fierce but vulnerable female character and a hunky Viking warrior male character who, I guarantee, will be the source of many fictional crushes.

Lucy Morris – good read!

Purchase Links
UK – https://www.amazon.co.uk/Viking-Warrior-Mills-Boon-Historical-ebook/dp/B0912CHLMJ
US – https://www.amazon.com/Viking-Warrior-Mills-Boon-Historical-ebook/dp/B0912CHLMJ

Author Bio –
As a little girl, Lucy Morris was obsessed with myths and legends. She regularly escaped into the adventures of her imagination, with characters who were strong and fierce. Now fully grown she finds she can’t forget the stories plaguing her mind and has to write them down. A book by Lucy Morris will sweep you away on a historical adventure filled with vivid characters haunted by their pasts. Her books will have you flying through her pages, desperate to reach her characters passionately romantic happily ever after.

She lives in Essex, UK, with her husband, two young children, and two cats. She has a massively sweet tooth and loves gin, bubbly and Irn-Bru. A member of the UK Romantic Novelists’ Association, she was delighted in 2020 to accept a two-book deal with Harlequin after submitting her story to the Warriors Wanted submission blitz for Viking, Medieval, and Highlander romances.
Writing for Harlequin Historical is a dream come true for her and she hopes you enjoy her books!

Social Media Links –
https://www.facebook.com/LucyMorrisAuthor/
https://lucymorrisromance.com/
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https://www.instagram.com/lucymorris.author/