Bethany Swafford's Blog, page 17
February 18, 2019
An Orphan’s Wish
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An Orphan’s Wish
by Molly Green
Edition: ARC, ebook
Synopsis: LIVERPOOL, 1943
Yorkshire is the place Lana has always called home, but it’s now filled with painful memories of her fiancé, Dickie, who was killed at sea. When she accepts the challenging position of headmistress at a school in Liverpool, she hopes a new beginning will help to mend her broken heart.
A BATTLE TO FIGHT
Not everyone at Bingham School is happy about her arrival but Lana throws herself into the role, teaching children from the local village and the nearby Dr Barnardo’s orphanage. She thrives in her work, but soon finds herself falling for a man who she would once have considered the enemy – and is torn between what she knows is right, and taking a risk that might see her lose everything.
THE STRENGTH TO HOPE
There are children that desperately need her help, and Lana must fight for everyone’s happiness, as well as her own. But one young girl in particular shows her that there is a way through the darkness – because even when all seems lost, there is always a glimmer of hope to be found…
Lana Ashwin has lost her fiance to the war. Though she longs to help with the war effort, she is unable to qualify and she finds herself teaching once again. Two orphans of war catch her attention and as she tries to help them both, she finds love just around the corner.
Lana’s heartbreak and feelings at the beginning of the story are exactly as I would imagine them to be. She hates the Germans for killing her fiance. She wants to help the war effort and is reluctant to return the work she’d done before. As first a headmistress of a school and then a teacher in an orphanage, she meets several new friends and children who change her thinking.
There is a bit of a love triangle, which I found tiresome. On the one hand, there is Carl, a German who chose to help the Allies. On the other hand, there is Frank, a light-hearted local vet. Lana develops feelings for them both but goes back and forth on what she thinks of each man.
I found this to be a heartwarming story of World War Two, and I would recommend it to any reader fond of the time period. I received a free copy from NetGalley for reviewing purposes.
February 11, 2019
A Sprig Of Lavender
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A Sprig of Lavender
by Susan Ralph
Edition: ebook, 2012
Synopsis: Catherine Sutton is crushed when she fails to attract a marriage proposal after her first coming-out season. Since her viscount father passed away, the family’s resources have dwindled, and she dreads becoming a destitute spinster. But when she’s invited to the Duke of Mumshire’s country estate—where she’ll be considered for the heir’s hand—hope returns.
A trip to the country will also take her mind off the crime she’d witnessed at the last event of the season—an unbearably handsome stranger stealing a lady’s purse. Catherine and the thief locked gazes in the middle of the act, and while she was quickly been swept away by the crowd, later that night she was introduced to the thief, Henri LaFleur. Now he knows her name and can force her silence.
Catherine shakes the memory…until LaFleur shows up as a fellow guest at the Duke of Mumshire’s estate. This time, though, she finds herself terribly, inexplicably drawn to this thief. But is LaFleur who he seems?
Catherine is heartbroken that her first Season has ended without a proposal of marriage. After all, she wants to restore her family’s fortune. When she is witness to a strange theft in the middle of a ballroom, she is terrified the thief will do anything to keep her silent. Her heart, on the other hand, may have something else to say about the handsome stranger.
Although several plot points were predictable, I enjoyed this Regency tale. Catherine’s feelings about the Season were realistic for a girl of her time period: she wants to help her family in the best way she can. At the same time, she wants to stay true to herself and have real affection for the man she marries.
I would have liked to have seen more interaction between Catherine and Mr. LaFleur. His storyline is dramatic and harder to believe. Still, he was an enjoyable enough character.
February 4, 2019
Never Doubt A Duke
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Never Doubt A Duke
by Regina Scott
Edition: Kindle ebook, 2018
Synopsis: After spending the last ten years following her late husband on campaign, the irrepressible Jane Kimball finds herself badly in need of a position to support herself. Marriage holds no appeal; she’s not likely to find a husband like her Jimmy again. But when Miss Thorn of the Fortune Employment Agency offers her a post with the Duke of Wey, Jane feels drawn to help the lonely widower with his three daughters. He may seem a bit aloof, but Miss Thorn’s cat Fortune approved of him. Why should Jane doubt a duke?
Alaric, Duke of Wey, commands his staff, his tenants, and the halls of Parliament, managing vast holdings in England and across the seas. Why is it he cannot manage his own daughters? As an old danger rears its head, he comes to rely on Jane’s practical nature, her outspoken ways to navigate the waters of fatherhood. And when necessity dictates he take a wife, thoughts turn to an unlikely governess who might make the perfect bride.
A duke in need of a governess. A widow in need of a position. They are brought together by Miss Thorn and her cat, Fortune. Can this couple look past duty and expectation to find happiness together?
Jane is a true heroine. She has loved and lost, been dismissed unjustly, and has had her character maligned. Through it all, she keeps hold of her courage. She is unashamed of her unorthodox personality.
Wey is the perfect counterpoint to her. He has allowed the responsibilities attached to his position and title to weigh him down. Unintentionally, this dedication has distanced him from his daughters. Jane is just what he needs to brighten his life.
From the start, the journey these two take to admit their attraction to each other is sweet. They have trials, both internal and external, to overcome. Although the ending was not a surprise it is exactly as it ought to be.
I cannot wait to see hat romance Miss Thorn and Fortune arrange next!
February 1, 2019
An Author’s Random Musing: Obstacles
Two months have passed since NaNoWriMo ended. In that time, I’ve only done a little bit of writing, for a multitude of reasons. One, I went on my first real vacation in…well, several years. I was able to sit on the beach and soak up the sun while I caught up on my to-read list.
Second, I’ve been sick. And not the usual chronic illness that makes me tired most days. I’ve had a bad cold and sinus infection. It’s difficult to sit and stare at a computer screen when lights make my head ache even more. And this particular cold brings extreme exhaustion with it. There were several days I didn’t have the energy to do anything except sleep.
Third, family illness. Several months ago, my grandparents were in a car accident. My grandma is still suffering from brain damage, and my grandpa…well, his Alzheimer’s went into high gear after the accident. So, I’ve been going back and forth from home and work to my grandparents’ house to help as much as I can.
So, I have no idea how this year is going to go for my writing. I’m hoping to fit in a few hundred words every day, and I’m especially hoping to finish up two of the mostly written novels sitting on my laptop. I’ve finished editing the first of a new series, and if all goes well, I’m hoping to see it released this year.
With all that said, I will leave you with a list I made for an upcoming book promo, a list of my top ten favorite things:
A new book
Chai tea (preferably iced)
The beach
My cat
The smell of petrichor
Book cover art
The Piano Guys music
Used bookstores
Bookmarks
A new notebook
January 28, 2019
Dickensen Academy
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Dickensen Academy
by Christine Grabowski
Edition: ebook, 2018
Synopsis: Dickensen Academy isn’t a typical boarding school. The faculty is hiding an unbelievable secret within their fine arts program. When Autumn Mattison receives an invitation to attend the high school, she yearns to escape her overbearing father yet remains reluctant to leave her mother and brother. Her doubts fade away when a vivid dream convinces her she belongs there.
Away from home, Autumn discovers a unique school environment that awakens her creative potential, and her new friends become like a second family. However, as she uncovers more about the dark side of the school and struggles with its curriculum, she questions whether Dickensen Academy is truly where she belongs.
When tragedy strikes, Autumn must learn to believe in her own power and stand up to her greatest fear or risk having her memories destroyed to protect the school’s secrets. Caught between secrets and dreams, can she find her true self?
Autumn is delighted she has been accepted to Dickensen Academy because of the fine arts program. When she arrives, she learns there is more to this boarding school than meets the eye and Autumn’s creative potential is unlocked.
The strength of this novel is in Autumn’s struggles. Although she desperately wants to succeed in the dream aspect of the school, she is not immediately successful. She has to fight for it and is creative in how she approaches the fight. Her interaction with her friends and siblings made her more realistic and genuine.
There were some weakness in the story, however. Autumn’s attraction to Ben seemed underdeveloped and I found I didn’t care whether they became a couple or not. It could have been removed and the story would not have suffered. I’d expected more danger-there were hints of darkness through the story-but this is never resolved. Perhaps in a sequel it will be addressed?
Overall, it is an interesting YA book I would recommend to readers looking for a contemporary/fantasy read. I was given a copy from the author for reviewing purposes.
January 21, 2019
A Soul of Steel
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A Soul of Steel
by Carole Nelson Douglas
Edition: paperback, 1993
Synopsis: Alive and well despite the widely published accounts of her death, diva Irene Adler and her dashing husband Godfrey Norton are taking coffee with their friend Nell Huxleigh in a Parisian sidewalk café when a stranger dressed in Oriental garb falls at their feet. It is not Irene’s beauty that has felled him, but a dose of poison–and even more surprisingly, the friends learn as he recovers that he is an Englishman! The mysterious young man informs them that he is seeking a Dr. Watson who tended his wounds at the disastrous battle of Maiwand, a man whose life he says is now in mortal danger.
The hunt is on and their search will lead them to a command performance for the Empress of all the Russias and to Sarah Bernhardt, into a channel steamer and at last to the doorstep of 221 Baker Street, where they will discover deadly secrets both past and present.
When Penelope Huxleigh is recognized by a strang man in Oriental Garb, little does she realize it is an old acquaintance of hers! And with a hint of mystery afoot, Irene Adler Norton is on the case, and it leads them to 221B Baker Street.
Although I had a more difficult time enjoying this one, I still come back to this installment of Irene Adler’s adventures. Told through the eyes of Penelope Huxleigh, with occasional chapters told from Dr. Watson’s point of view, we are given an excellent look into life for the former opera singer. There are hints of flirting between Irene and her husband, just what I would expect between a happily married couple.
The mystery is complicated. It revolves around the 1880 Afghanistan campaign, which any Holmes fan will recognize from Dr. Watson’s past. There are spies aplenty, each with their own agenda, danger on every side, and cobras underfoot. There is even some romance for Nell, who well deserves it!
For any fan of Sherlock Holmes, I would absolutely recommend this series. It is, without a doubt, the most interesting portrayal of Irene Adler I have ever come across.
January 14, 2019
Love Lost
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Love Lost
by Amy Corwin
Edition: Ebook, 2018
Synopsis: A greater love is found when all love seems lost
When Grace Stainton learns that her adored Mr. Blyth is about to marry a wealthy heiress, she rushes home to convince him to marry her instead. Love is far more important than money or social position, and Grace is sure he will agree if she can only talk to him. Unfortunately, she arrives too late.
Mr. Blyth is dead. Worse, Lord Glanville, the brother of Mr. Blyth’s wealthy betrothed, discovers her bending over the body with blood on her gloves. He is convinced that Grace killed Mr. Blyth in a fit of jealous rage and, despite their growing attraction, he seems determined to prove her guilt.
Grace Stainton has received terrible news: the young curate she has been in love with is engaged to be married. She sets off to convince him of her love and that they deserve a chance at happiness, but when she arrives, he is dead. With suspicion falling on her, can she find real love and prove her innocence?
In the previous story in the trilogy, Grace annoyed me with her treatment of her sister so I wasn’t eager to return to her in this story. I did respect her decision to remind the curate of their love. Lord Glanville is convinced she is at fault and is grateful his sister has been saved a marriage to the now dead man.
The mystery was the most interesting thing about the story. I was kept guessing, although once I was done I could see how the clues were laid out. It would have been nice to see more of the romance between these two since most of the time they spend together is passed over in a sentence or paragraph.
I would recommend this to readers who enjoy romance with a pinch of mystery. I received a copy from the author for reviewing purposes.
January 7, 2019
Dear George, Dear Mary
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Dear George, Dear Mary
by Mary Calvi
Edition: ARC, 2019
Synopsis: A novel about heiress Mary Philipse’s relationship with George Washington, based on historical accounts, letters, and personal journals by nine-time New York Emmy award-winning journalist Mary Calvi.
“Love is said to be an involuntary passion, and it is, therefore, contended that it cannot be resisted.” –George Washington
Did unrequited love help spark a flame that ignited a cause that became the American Revolution? Never before has this story about George Washington been told. Crafted from hundreds of letters, witness accounts, and journal entries, Dear George, Dear Mary explores George’s relationship with his first love, New York heiress Mary Philipse, the richest belle in Colonial America.
From elegant eighteenth-century society to bloody battlefields, the novel creates breathtaking scenes and riveting characters. Dramatic portraits of the two main characters unveil a Washington on the precipice of greatness, using the very words he spoke and wrote, and his ravishing love, whose outward beauty and refinement disguise a complex inner struggle.
Dear George, Dear Mary reveals why George Washington had such bitter resentment toward the Brits, established nearly two decades before the American Revolution, and it unveils details of a deception long hidden from the world that led Mary Philipse to be named a traitor, condemned to death and left with nothing. While that may sound like the end, ultimately both Mary and George achieve what they always wanted.
Before he was president, before the fight for freedom began, George Washington was a young man looking for love. He found it in Mary Eliza Philipse, a New York heiress, with shadows hanging over her. With a love so strong, what happens to keep them apart?
Before I picked up this book, I was not aware of Mary Philipe’s existence. I was fascinated that the narrative was pulled from history itself, from the letters exchanged between Mary and George and journals kept by them both. Even knowing George would marry another, I wanted to see these two, who were so in love, to be happy together.
That being said, I found it hard to believe that the separation was key to George Washington’s hatred for the British. Did it cause resentment, maybe. One small reason among many other more monumental reason, perhaps. Did it “spark a flame that ignited a cause that became the American Revolution?” I don’t think so.
Overall, it was an enjoyable read. I would recommend it to historical fiction readers who have a taste for fictional tellings based on historical fact. I received a copy through NetGalley for reviewing purposes and all opinions expressed are my own.
January 4, 2019
An Author’s Random Musing: Top Five
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DR. JOHN WATSON, SHERLOCK HOLMES by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
“I would be lost without my Boswell.” Can there be any more loyal a friend that Dr. John Watson? That is the quality I adore about this character in all the stories. He is, understandably, taken aback by the habits and quirks Holmes when they first meet but takes it all in his stride as he becomes accustomed to the other man’s ways. Though sometimes seen as inferior in intelligence, he is a true friend.
Favorite film portrayal: Jude Law in Sherlock Holmes, 2009. He’s loyal, intelligent, and doesn’t take any flack from Holmes.
CAPTAIN FREDERICK WENTWORTH, PERSUASION by Jane Austen
Captain Frederick Wentworth has good manners, consideration, and sensitivity, along with gallantry, independence, and bravery that come with being a well-respected Naval officer. He has made his own fortune through hard work and good sense. I love this character who proves himself worthy of Miss Anne Elliot after he overcomes his resentment and pride.
This is a close one. Ciarán Hinds in the 1995 film adaptation is phenomenal, but so is Rupert Penry-Jones in the 2007 one as well! I’m just going to go with these two make a tie with their performances.
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SHERLOCK HOLMES by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
Perhaps not a hero in the romantic sense, but the great detective has been a favorite of mine since I first read The Speckled Band when I was 11. How could I not be fascinated with a man who, in my opinion, understood the world around him so well, he could immediately spot the unusual and deduce the meaning?
While I love ever portrayal for the different aspects they show (and a special place in my heart for Benedict Cumberbatch), my favorite portrayal on screen has to be Jeremy Brett from the Granada tv series. While other actors play up certain aspects of Sherlock Holmes’ character, Mr. Brett encompassed the whole complex character of Holmes.
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GILBERT BLYTHE, ANNE OF GREEN GABLES by L.M. Montgomery
When we are first introduced to Gilbert Blythe, he is a handsome young man…and he knows it. He is confident, self-assured, and -let’s be honest- a bit of a jerk. But then, he matures into a kind, sweet boy. Honestly, the growth he has through the books is one of my favorite things!
My favorite film portrayal: Jonathan Crombie in the 1985 film version. He has had my heart from the time I was a teenager until now. In my mind, no one can ever replace him as Gilbert Blythe.
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HENRY TILNEY, NORTHANGER ABBEY by Jane Austen
Considered one of the nicest of Austen’s heroes, Henry Tilney is a teasing mentor, knowledgeable about female matters; he is bookish and all around amiable. I suppose this is what makes him my favorite. A quote about Jane Austen’s brother certainly fits: “affectionate & kind as well as entertaining….he cannot help being amusing.” His charm more than makes up for the passive way he goes about falling in love. He has a strong moral compass and is my absolute favorite.
JJ Field as Henry Tilney in the 2007 film adaptation makes me absolutely giddy. The actor is charm itself and I love every time he is on screen. This is why I will happily watch this movie again and again.
December 31, 2018
Prince Edward’s Warrant
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Prince Edward’s Warrant
by Melvin R. Starr
Edition: ARC, 2018
Synopsis: Master Hugh won the Black Prince’s favour when he helped to ease the Prince’s illness. Now, in the autumn of 1372, the prince is suffering a relapse and sends to Bampton for Master Hugh to attend him. While at dinner in Kennington Palace, Sir Giles, the knight who escorted Hugh to London, is stricken and dies. Poison! Sir Giles is not popular, and there are many who would gladly see the fellow done away with… except for Prince Edward. The Black Prince feels a debt to the slain man because of his heroic behaviour at the Battle of Crecy, where the knight stood firm with the prince when the fight seemed of uncertain outcome.
Despite caring little for Sir Giles, Master Hugh must once again place himself in jeopardy and seek to uncover the perpetrator of the crime…
Hugh de Singleton is summoned to the Black Prince’s side to ease the man’s illness. When a man falls dead from poison, Hugh is then asked to find the murderer.
This was my first introduction to Master Hugh and now I dearly want to start from the beginning. He is a charming and interesting character. He is witty and more than holds his own against those who dislike him. Through the whole story, all he wants is to return home to his wife, which is more than understandable.
The details of the time period help make this a delight to read. Master Hugh conducts his investigation with logic, although there were moments when his introspection was a bit repetitive.
For fans of medieval tales, I would highly recommend Hugh de Singleton. I was given a copy through NetGalley for reviewing purposes.
