Bethany Swafford's Blog, page 24

An Author’s Random Musing

[image error]

Well, I am a week late in making this announcement here, but as you can see by the giant yellow badge above this sentence…I DID IT! After several weeks of time off, I managed to survive another year of NaNoWriMo.

This year, I was an absolute rebel. Instead of beginning a new novel, I decided to work on two projects that I’d already started so that I could finish them. But….then I went and began a new novel and wrote 50K words between the three of them. When I rebel, I go all out.

All three of the projects are set in my favorite time period, the Regency Era, so it was easy to bounce between them. My main characters for each one is very different from the others. Juliet, Rosalind, and Lucas have very different stories to tell and I’m having fun with all three.

In the coming months, I want to get two of those projects completed for good and begin editing. I also have a number of hobby projects, some fanfiction stories, that have been in limbo for far to long and I would like to get them written before next summer.

So, I have set myself to several writing tasks and the New Year is looking to be one of creativity!

 

 

Susanna and the Spy

[image error]

Susanna and the Spy

by Anna Elliott

Edition: ebook, 2012

Synopsis: What if the man you loved was a smuggler–or a spy?

Jobless and nearly destitute, Susanna Ward intends only to find work as a governess. She certainly has no intention of contacting her family, who cast off her father and scorned her mother years ago. But a chance encounter with a figure from her past suggests that her estranged grandfather was murdered, and that his death was connected to a local ring of smugglers, led by a mysterious figure who calls himself Captain Clark.

When Captain Clark himself appears at her door, wounded and in need of her help, Susanna must decide where her true loyalties lie. And she must also discover the truth of her grandfather’s death. Otherwise the man she is rapidly falling in love with may be hanged for treason and murder.

This is a book I read many years ago and I love to return to. Susanna is a plucky, feisty heroine. Her initial decision was impulsive but good-hearted. Her desire to learn the truth of her past makes her journey have weight.

The writing is straightforward. It’s a bit easy to point out the villain and the identity of Captain Clark. Still, as an entertaining sweet romance, it does its work very well. It is a definite favorite of mine.

I would recommend this to any readers who enjoy a dash of mystery with their romance.

Lady Jayne Disappears

[image error]

Lady Jayne Disappears

by Joanna Davidson Politano

Edition: e-ARC, 2017

Synopsis: When Aurelie Harcourt’s father dies in debtor’s prison, he leaves her just two things: his wealthy family, whom she has never met, and his famous pen name, Nathaniel Droll. Her new family greets her with apathy and even resentment. Only the quiet houseguest, Silas Rotherham, welcomes her company.

When Aurelie decides to complete her father’s unfinished serial novel, writing the family into the story as unflattering characters, she must keep her identity as Nathaniel Droll hidden while searching for the truth about her mother’s disappearance–and perhaps even her father’s death.

Author Joanna Davidson Politano’s stunning debut set in Victorian England will delight readers with its highly original plot, lush setting, vibrant characters, and reluctant romance.

Aurelie has lost her father, and is the only one who knows that the beloved serial author, Nathaniel Droll, is gone as well. As she seeks to find the truth behind the last story her father was writing, she learns about her past, drawing ever closer to danger.

The premise for this story caught my attention, but it didn’t always hold my attention. Aurelie was a relatable character and I was fascinated by her attempt to continue the story her father began. The romance side of things I found to be forced and uninteresting. The plot didn’t flow at a consistent pace. There was also a hint of the supernatural which I wasn’t sure whether was explained at the end or not.

The edge of Dickensian was the main thing that kept me reading. Overall, it was an alright read but not one I’m sure I’d open up again.

I received a free copy from NetGalley for reviewing purposes.

Check Me Out

[image error]

Check Me Out

by Becca Wilhite

Edition: e-ARC, 2017

Synopsis: Greta loves her job as assistant librarian. She loves her best friend, Will, the high school civics teacher and debate coach. She even loves her mother despite her obvious disappointment that Greta is still single.

Then she meets Mac in the poetry section of the library, and she is smitten. Mac is heart-stoppingly gorgeous and showers her with affection, poetic text messages, and free hot chocolate at the local café where he works. The only problem is that he seems to be a different person in his texts than in his face-to-face conversation.

When the Franklin Library is threatened with closure, Greta leaps into action. She arranges for a “battle of the bands” book jam, hosts a book signing by a famous author, and finally, stages a protest that raises more than a few eyebrows.

Through it all, she slowly realizes that it is Will, not Mac, who she turns to for support and encouragement. Mac has the looks; Will has the heart. How can she choose between them?

Greta, a single assistant librarian, will do anything to save her precious library. Of course, she is open to romance when a gorgeous man with a seemingly romantic mind appears before her. Can she find true love and save her library? Or is disaster just one step away?

This is a beautiful and sweet book. Even though the romance part was a bit predictable, Greta’s fight for the library was fascinating. She uses whatever she has at her disposal, with varying results. As someone who worked in a small library, I found her journey in this capacity the most enjoyable aspect of the story.

To be blunt, Mac was uninteresting and Will only slightly more so. It was far to easy to see what was really going on with him and the fact Greta did not see through it lessened my opinion of her character.

Still, I would absolutely recommend this to readers of contemporary romance. The plot is clean and appropriate for any age.

I received a copy from NetGalley for reviewing purposes.

For Love or Honor

[image error]

For Love or Honor

by Sarah M. Eden

Edition: e-ARC, 2017

Synopsis: From the moment they met, Marjie’s heart has belonged to handsome Captain Stanley Jonquil, younger brother of the Earl of Lampton. But six long months ago, when Stanley’s sense of honor required that he do as he had sworn and return to the Continent to fight in defense of King and country, neither Stanley nor Marjie could have dreamed what the cost of his service would be. It has been ages since Stanley last wrote, and Marjie and the Jonquil family are plagued by his unknown fate—until the day he unexpectedly reappears. Marjie’s joy, however, is quickly shadowed by confusion—the aloof, battle-worn soldier before her is not the man he once was. In the wake of Stanley’s blatant disinterest in renewing their acquaintance, Marjie’s devastation turns to determination as she vows to help him find peace. But his scars run far deeper than anyone realizes. Despite his feelings for her, Stanley believes Marjie deserves a man whose hands are not stained with the violence of battlefields and whose mind and heart are not haunted by the horrors he has seen. Honor requires Stanley to return once more to the life he has grown to despise, one he knows will destroy him in the end, even as his heart beckons him to stay with Marjie, the only woman he could ever love, and the promise, at last, of redemption.

Marjie worries at the lack of communication from Captain Stanley Jonquil, the man she thought she had an understanding with. When he appears out of nowhere, worn and aloof, her worry grows. Has war broken their love?

It was a delight to return to the Jonquil family. Stanley’s struggles to overcome the horrors of war were touching and true to life. I was a bit disappointed at how long he hid his physical injuries form his brother, but understood his action. Marjie was a sweet character, the kind of person who worries over everyone. Together, they made a charming couple.

The plot progressed at a good pace with the gentle ups and downs one would expect from a story of this nature. Readers who enjoy sweet Regency romances won’t go wrong with this one.

I received a free copy from NetGalley for reviewing purposes.

NaNoWriMo 2017

[image error]It was late October 2011 when someone asked me if I was going to do something called NaNoWriMo. You see, at the time, I worked at a public library, and I spent most of my time typing away, writing short stories for my sister.

That was the first time I’d ever heard about the challenge of writing 50,000 words in one month. With only a few days to prepare an original story, I decided why not?

I won that year. The first time I had ever attempted an original story. When I finished, I was so proud. Proud and exhausted.

Every year since then, no matter what, I have tried to keep November clear for one of the most insane months of the year. I’ve won some, I’ve lost some, but every year, I keep on writing.

This year, I’m writing again. I’ve had a rough few months of trying to get back my confidence and creativity, and I also have family visiting this month. So, I’m not sure how this month will turn out.

I’m rebelling more than I’ve ever done in previous NaNo sessions. You see, instead of beginning a brand new novel, I’m working on ones I started earlier this year. I’m hoping the familiarity of my worlds would help me find those 50K words in me.

To all my fellow Wrimos, happy writing! And I’ll see you on the other side!

A Certain Want of Reason

[image error]

A Certain Want of Reason

by Kate Dolan

Edition: paperback, 2007

Synopsis: Lucia Wright needs a holiday. After years of caring for her “eccentric” younger brother and sister in the country, she accepts a friend’s invitation to spend a few weeks enjoying the season in London only to find that life among the city’s elite may be even crazier than at home.

Lord Edmund Rutherford needs an escape. Sworn since childhood to a woman he cannot abide, he finds himself trapped by the strictures of society and the expectations of those around him. The solution seems simple-feign madness and be sent away for a short period, encouraging his intended bride to end their long engagement, thereby securing his freedom.

Lucia and Edmund are thrown together by chance, and while he should be the last man on earth she would find appealing, Lucia becomes fascinated by the gentleman who seems rational to no one but her. Together they are forced to weather a madhouse, the vengeful scheming of a woman who wants Edmund’s title at all costs and a world that appears to have lost all reason.

Lord Rutherford makes the rather rash decision that the only way to get out of an arranged marriage with a young lady he dislikes is to pretend to be mad. His antics brings him into Lucia Wright’s sphere, a young lady who knows quite a lot about dealing with those who have ‘a certain want of reason.’

I’m going to admit, this was hilarious. Lord Rutherford’s actions as a ‘mad’ person mad me laugh out loud. The plot remains clean, going only so far as kisses.

The only thing that kept me from giving this five stars is just how unlikely I found the plot. Yes, it was amusing but I couldn’t stop thinking ‘Oh, this is going to have some bad consequences when Lord Rutherford tries to return to society.’ And the book didn’t go into that. They end on the note that all would be well, and I’m not convinced it would.

Still, this was a fun read that I would recommend to those who enjoy comedic if not exactly true to life tales.

Seaside Harmony

 

[image error]Seaside Harmony

by Evangeline Kelley

Edition: paperback, 2013

Synopsis: When Caroline Marris joins her sisters Gracie Gold and Sam Carter for a Nantucket Island getaway, she has no idea how it will change her life. The sisters stumble upon Misty Harbor Inn, the place their late mother loved so much, and Caroline talks her sisters into buying the beautiful but dilapidated inn. But can free-spirited Caroline stay focused enough to make opening the inn a reality? Hand-drawn old postcards draw the sisters into the mystery of Hannah Montague, the young widow of the original owner. Can the sisters uncover the fate of this woman who disappeared in 1880? As Caroline and her sisters work together to make their mom’s dream a reality, they bond in ways they never expected.

Three sisters vacation together in Nantucket after their mother’s death, to reconnect with each other. When one suggests they use their inheritance to buy a rundown Inn from their childhood and start the Bed and Breakfast their mother always wanted, they may end up even farther apart than before they set out.

I loved this book because I’ve sometimes wondered myself, “Why not start a B and B? How much fun would that be?” All three characters, Caroline, Sam, and Gracie, have believable reactions to the idea: enthusiasm, a more tempered idea, and skepticism. Each has a distinct personality and their interaction as sisters was believable.

The plot was well paced, though a little fast towards the end. I also would have liked to see more description of the actual house, to have a better idea of what it looked like beyond “Victorian.” There are only a few instances of faith being discussed and mentioned, and in a general way.

The Witchfinder’s Sister

[image error]

The Witchfinder’s Sister

by Beth Underdown

Edition: paperback, 2017

Synopsis: The number of women my brother Matthew killed, so far as I can reckon it, is one hundred and six… 

1645. When Alice Hopkins’ husband dies in a tragic accident, she returns to the small Essex town of Manningtree, where her brother Matthew still lives.

But home is no longer a place of safety. Matthew has changed, and there are rumours spreading through the town: whispers of witchcraft, and of a great book, in which he is gathering women’s names.

To what lengths will Matthew’s obsession drive him?

And what choice will Alice make, when she finds herself at the very heart of his plan?

Alice, recently widowed, travels from London to her brother’s home, little realizing the dangerous situation she is about to enter.

From the start Beth Underdown does a phenomenal job of building the atmosphere. Alice is fond of her younger brother, having grown up with him and been close with him. She holds to the hope that he won’t let things go too far. Little by little, she realizes that she doesn’t know her brother at all, that something is driving him to search out witches.

The plot moves along at a nice pace, and the descriptions are well done. Beth Underdown did a great job crafting a fictional story around the few facts we do know of the time. I will admit I did find the constant back and forth between memories and ‘present’ disconcerting.

Readers who like an atmospheric, historical book won’t go wrong with this one.

The Hidden Thread

[image error]

The Hidden Thread

by Liz Trenow

Edition: ebook, 2017

Synopsis: The Hidden Thread is a breathtaking novel about the intricate craft of silk and the heartbreak of forbidden love.

When Anna Butterfield’s mother dies, she’s sent to live with her uncle, a silk merchant in London, to make a good match and provide for her father and sister. There, she meets Henri, a French immigrant and apprentice hoping to become a master weaver. But Henri, born into a lower class, becomes embroiled in the silk riots that break out as weavers protest for a fair wage.

New York Times bestselling author Liz Trenow weaves a luminous tale of class struggle and star-crossed love.

After the death of her mother, Anna is sent to her aunt in London to make a match and secure the future of her father and sister. Her heart, however, leads her in a direction much different from the one her aunt encourages.

The plot of this novel moves along at a good pace. Anna is a lovely character, and I liked watching her grow and adjust throughout the story. Henri, also, was enjoyable, and I really felt his struggles between being a friend and not allowing his friend lead him into trouble. The details into the silk trade of that time was intriguing.

If there was anything that didn’t sit well with me, it was the narrative. There seemed to many instances where the main character began at one time period and began thinking back to what happened during the day or the day before. It was difficult to keep track of.