Bethany Swafford's Blog, page 26

Courting the Countess AND Courting the Country Miss by Donna Hatch

Today, we’re doing things a little differently. Instead of one review, I am giving you two, and the opportunity to join a giveaway!

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Courting the Countess

by Donna Hatch

Edition: PDF, 2016

Synopsis: When charming rake Tristan Barrett sweeps Lady Elizabeth off her feet, stealing both her heart and a kiss in a secluded garden, her brother challenges Tristan to a duel. The only way to save her brother and Tristan from harm—not to mention preserve her reputation—is to get married. But her father, the Duke of Pemberton, refuses to allow his daughter to marry anyone but a titled lord. The duke demands that Elizabeth marry Tristan’s older brother, Richard, the Earl of Averston. Now Elizabeth must give up Tristan to marry a man who despises her, a man who loves another, a man she’ll never love. 

Richard fears Elizabeth is as untrustworthy as his mother, who ran off with another man. However, to protect his brother from a duel and their family name from further scandal, he agrees to the wedding, certain his new bride will betray him. Yet when Elizabeth turns his house upside down and worms her way into his reluctant heart, Richard suspects he can’t live without his new countess. Will she stay with him or is it too little, too late?

When Elizabeth falls for the charms of a known rake, she never expects her father will insist that she marry the man’s brother when her reputation is ruined. Richards hope to marry his childhood friend, Leticia, are dashed when he must consent to marry Elizabeth else his brother fight a duel. Will disappointment and broken hearts keep this pair from finding love?

From the start, I definitely sympathized with Elizabeth. She endured a great deal of abuse from her “mother”, so it made sense she would fall for someone who pays attention to her. The one point that did bore me was how long Elizabeth maintained her “love” for Tristan, making her marriage difficult from the start.

Richard was the perfect counterpoint to Elizabeth. He has his own trust issues, and communication with his new wife is difficult. In time, everything works out and we get the happily ever after we’ve come to expect from Donna Hatch.

Overall, this was an enjoyable book and I would recommend it to any regency fans who love a clean, sweet read.

AND NOW FOR THE SEQUEL!

 

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[image error]   Cynical and broken-hearted, Leticia banishes dreams of marriage. When her childhood friend, Tristan, wagers he can find her the perfect husband, she hopes the challenge will coax him to forgo his devil-may-care lifestyle. Meanwhile, Leticia throws herself into forming her charity school but meets opposition—even from the people she’s helping.

Guilt-ridden that his past mistakes robbed Leticia of true love, Tristan vows to set it right, but match-making has its pitfalls for a repentant scoundrel. When he finds two ‘perfect’ gentlemen to court her, he discovers his own deep feelings for the lady.

Though Tristan seems to reform, Leticia doesn’t dare risk heartbreak with a notorious rake. When opposition for the school takes a deadly turn, can Tristan protect her from a madman bent on destroying their dreams and their lives?

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~  Amazon  ~  Goodreads  ~  Amazon UK  ~ 

~  Amazon Canada  ~  Amazon Australia  ~

Come check out her other books and see what’s new!

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And she has even more books we have not featured! Be sure to check them out on her website!



Donna Hatch is the author of the best-selling “Rogue Hearts Series,” and a winner of writing awards such as The Golden Quill and the International Digital Award. A hopeless romantic and adventurer at heart, she discovered her writing passion at the tender age of 8 and has been listening to those voices ever since. She has become a sought-after workshop presenter, and also juggles freelance editing, multiple volunteer positions, and most of all, her six children (seven, counting her husband). A native of Arizona who recently transplanted to the Pacific Northwest, she and her husband of over twenty years are living proof that there really is a happily ever after.

Connect with the Author here: 

~  Facebook  ~  Website  ~  Amazon  ~

~  Goodreads  ~  Twitter  ~

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Leticia expected to marry Richard, a serious, perfect gentleman. Seeing him happily married to someone else breaks her heart, but she carries on. Tristan, feeling guilty for his part in shattering his childhood friend’s hopes for the future, sets out to find her a husband. Can past feelings be overcome when new feelings begin to bloom?

Having first met Leticia in book one, I wasn’t overly impressed with her character. She improves somewhat in this book, however I can’t say that she is a favorite. She spends a great deal of time mourning the future she lost with Richard. To take her mind off her loss, she throws herself into helping organize a school, which brings her into danger. Is her determination to go on bravery or ignorance?

Tristan was not as enjoyable as his brother. There are frequent mentions of his “connection” he made with Elizabeth in the first book, but I never really saw it. His desire to change was done believably, though.

As far as Regency romances, this is enjoyable enough, though not an immediate favorite of mine. Still, fans of Donna Hatch will definitely enjoy it.

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Giveaway

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An Author’s Random Musing: To Write or Not To Write

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One thing I’ve seen a lot of lately, is the advice to write even when you don’t feel like it. There is some truth to the benefits this brings, I will admit. Some days I just need to make myself sit down and start writing before the creativity decides to kick in.

That being said, there are times when I cannot follow this advice.

Three years ago, I began working on a Regency Mystery trilogy.  I was so excited about the story these three books was going to tell. However, without going into details, I can tell you that I was going through a rough patch. I wrote most of my first draft when there was so much happening and I was angry at life in general.

The result?

A heroine who was so bitter and angry, it felt toxic just reading about her. It took nearly a year to rewrite and rework that particular story before my main character became someone readers would sympathize with instead of hate.

Other authors may not be like me, but my life does affect my writing. My feelings and frustrations come to life in my characters. The emotions are never write if I have to force the words out. When my heart isn’t in the story, I end up having more to fix than if I just take my time.

And that’s where I am right now. Even though it has been several months since I worked with editors on Not My Idea, I’m still exhausted emotionally and creatively. Even though my plots are bright in my mind, when I try to force them onto the paper, they are lifeless and bland.

So, I give myself permission not to write. Because there is a lot going on my life and my attention needs to be somewhere else, I am setting my writing aside. If my heart is really in the story, it won’t be more than a day or two before I begin writing again, slowly and at my own pace. Maybe it will only be a couple hundred words, maybe more.

It’s my words. My story. And I’m going to write it when and how I want.

Eleventh Hour (Kit Marlowe #8)

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Eleventh Hour (Kit Marlowe #8)

By M.J. Trow

Edition: ebook, 2017 ARC

Synopsis: Christopher Marlowe must discover who murdered the queen’s spymaster in this absorbing historical mystery.

April, 1590. The queen’s spymaster, Sir Francis Walsingham, is dead, leaving a dangerous power vacuum. His former right hand man, Nicholas Faunt, believes he was poisoned and has ordered Kit Marlowe to discover who killed him.

To find the answers, Marlowe must consult the leading scientists and thinkers in the country. But as he questions the members of the so-called School of Night, the playwright-turned-spy becomes convinced that at least one of them is hiding a deadly secret. If he is to outwit the most enquiring minds in Europe and unmask the killer within, Marlowe must devise an impossibly ingenious plan.

Playwright Kit Marlowe is plunged into the hunt for the truth when Sir Francis Wallingham dies. Are natural causes to blame or something more sinister?

From the description, I didn’t realize I was jumping into a series. Immediately, I realized my mistake as certain characters are referred to in ways that made it obvious the reader ought to be aware of who they are. This made it difficult for me to really get into the story, which is heavy going.

Kit Marlowe was a fascinating character and I did enjoy following him through his investigation. He was charismatic, and the author side of me appreciated his title ‘the Muses’ Darling.’ He amused me very much. The others were…unremarkable. As to the plot, I was often confused, so I didn’t particularly enjoy it.

I also did not like the supernatural element of the book. Perhaps this is usual to the series and fans know what they are getting. So, to those who know Kit Marlowe will probably enjoy his newest adventure.

I received a free copy from NetGalley for review purposes.

The Underground River

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The Underground River

by Martha Conway

Edition: ebook, 2017 ARC

Synopsis: Set aboard a nineteenth century riverboat theater, this is the moving, page-turning story of a charmingly frank and naive seamstress who is blackmailed into saving Ranaways on the Underground Railroad, jeopardizing her freedom, her livelihood, and a new love. It’s 1838, and May Bedloe works as a seamstress for her cousin, the famous actress Comfort Vertue–until their steamboat sinks on the Ohio River. Though they both survive, both must find new employment. Comfort is hired to give lectures by noted abolitionist, Flora Howard, and May finds work on a small flatboat, Hugo and Helena’s Floating Theatre, as it cruises the border between the northern states and the southern slave-holding states. May becomes indispensable to Hugo and his troupe, and all goes well until she sees her cousin again. Comfort and Mrs. Howard are also traveling down the Ohio River, speaking out against slavery at the many riverside towns. May owes Mrs. Howard a debt she cannot repay, and Mrs. Howard uses the opportunity to enlist May in her network of shadowy characters who ferry babies given up by their slave mothers across the river to freedom. Lying has never come easy to May, but now she is compelled to break the law, deceive all her new-found friends, and deflect the rising suspicions of Dr. Early who captures Ranaways and sells them back to their southern masters. As May’s secrets become more tangled and harder to keep, the Floating Theatre readies for its biggest performance yet. May’s predicament could mean doom for all her friends on board, including her beloved Hugo, unless she can figure out a way to trap those who know her best.

In the wake of being aboard a steamboat that sinks, May searches for her cousin. She is astonished when her cousin declares May unnecessary. This young woman must make her own way in the world, and comes to know more about herself and the changing world around her.

May is such an entertaining character. She is partially deaf, struggles with telling a falsehood, and is precise in what she says or does. Her dealings with new people are awkward and all the more enjoyable because of it. Watching her learn, make mistakes, and grow as an individual was the best part of the book.

The cast and crew of the riverboat made excellent supporting cast. The plot moved along at a good pace, although the ‘underground’ detail didn’t come into play until much later than I expected.

All in all, this is a well told historical tale with a main character I could relate to. Its clean and interesting, exactly the kind of book I would happily recommend to other readers.

I received an ARC through NetGalley for reviewing purposes.

Though This Be Madness (Lilly Long Mystery #2)

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Though This Be Madness

by Penny Richards

Edition: paperback, 2017

Synopsis: Shakespearean actress turned Pinkerton detective Lilly Long and her reluctant partner, Cade McShane, travel to New Orleans to save a young widow from a fate worse than death…

1881, Chicago. Assigned to her second case as a Pinkerton, Lilly still needs to prove herself—both as a novice detective and as a woman in a man’s world. Ordered to once again work with Lilly, Cade needs to redeem himself for conduct unbecoming to a Pinkerton—a grief-driven drunken brawl. As if their forced partnership wasn’t bad enough, the agents must pose as husband and wife servants in the troubled household of a wealthy New Orleans family. An acting challenge if ever there was one…

The elderly matriarch of the Fortenot family is convinced her grandson’s former widow has been unjustly committed to an insane asylum by her second husband. She believes the man is attempting to wrest the family fortune away from his new wife. Soon, behind the beautiful façade of the Fortenot mansion, the detectives uncover secrets, betrayal, voodoo curses—and murder. Even as Lilly and Cade chafe against their roles, they must work together to expose the true villain of this tragedy before the hapless widow faces her final curtain call.

Lilly Long is off on her second assignment. This time she has an official partner, Cade McShane, who had watched over her during her first case. These two must learn how to work together as they travel to New Orleans for a case filled with secrets, betrayal, voodoo, and murder.

As a sequel, this is a fantastic book. It builds on the first one in a brilliant way, allowing us to see that Lilly still has a lot to learn in her new profession. At times, she does seem too hard on herself, and that was sad to see.

I do wish the narrative had remained with her more, instead of moving to Cade as often as it did. It was necessary for the story to be told, but I want more of Lilly not Cade! As a side character, Cade is not bad, but he just didn’t keep my interest in this book.

For readers who enjoy a female detective using her skills to the best of her ability, this is a must read.

The author was kind enough to give me a physical copy of the book for reviewing purposes.

Watch the Wall, My Darling by Joan Aiken Hodge

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by Joan Aiken Hodge

Edition: ebook, ARC

Synopsis: Only a deathbed promise to her dying father could force Christina Tretton to travel to Tretteign Grange, the ‘Dark House’, and meet her estranged family for the first time. Having to fast-talk her way out of an encounter with smugglers on the way is only the beginning. Waiting for her is flighty aunt Verity, her two very different cousins ? the stoic Ross and fawning Richard ? and her formidable grandfather, who changes his Will every few days.

Taking the neglectful servants in hand, Christina is soon managing the house, proving herself invaluable in her grandfather’s eyes. This backfires when he decides he wants her as his heir, and only on the condition that she marries Ross or Richard. Outraged, she swears she will marry neither, but her cousins have different ideas. Should she marry the cousin she is drawn to, even if he appears to have no true feelings for her?

Hanging over them is the constant threat of invasion, as Dark House looks over the sea to France, and Napoleon. When cousin Ross disappears, it is up to Christina to stand in his stead and take on the running of the estate – amongst some of his more disreputable duties. For as soldiers work to fortify the coast, Christina finds herself in the twisted intrigues of smugglers and spies.

American Christina Tretton arrives at her father’s family home, intent on keeping the promise she made to her now dead parent. She is thrust into the middle of the secrets of “The Dark House”. Can she navigate the danger without forfeiting her life in the process?

Christina was an interesting enough character. It almost seemed as though being American -practical, forthright, opinionated- was her entire character. She made no effort to understand the traditions of her family. It was all ‘I am American and I am going to do things my way.” Her acceptance of everything that came her way was a little unbelievable.

Those who filled “The Dark house” were appropriate for a Gothic style tale. Annoying, suspicious, and integral to the plot in turns, no one really stood out at all. Not even the hero of the tale.

The plot was a bit confusing from the start and it took some effort to continue reading.

Overall, I’m not sorry to have read a Gothic Regency, but I’m not so sure I will be in a hurry to reread it or anything like it again. For those who enjoy a story with a dark atmosphere and too many twists and turns to keep track of, this may be a book for you.

I received an copy through NetGalley for reviewing purposes.

 

 

Favorite Books

As you’ve probably guessed, I like to read. In fact, I take every free moment I can to read…which does make it hard to put writing as a priority.

Anyway, though there are many books I love and like, it takes a pretty special book to make it onto my favorite list and STAY there. Last month, I made a list of my top five favorite books for a fellow author’s site.

Without any further ado, I give you my

Top Five Favorite Books

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Persuasion by Jane Austen

Anne Elliot may not have the charm of Elizabeth Bennet, but she is the most loyal of all Jane Austen’s works and thus my favorite. I love how in her story, she’s matured but still loves the man she turned away. Also, this quote:  “All the privilege I claim for my own sex (it is not a very enviable one: you need not covet it), is that of loving longest, when existence or when hope is gone!”

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The Foundling by Georgette Heyer

What I love about this book is Gilly, the seventh Duke of Sale. He is a mild mannered young man, who longs to know what life would be like if there weren’t well meaning family members and servants who won’t let him lift a finger for himself. He is such a lovable character who really grows up in the story.

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The Case of the Left-Handed Lady (Enola Holmes #2) by Nancy Springer

This is the second book in a middle-grade series about Sherlock Holmes much younger sister. What I love about this book especially is Enola Holmes interactions, not only in disguise with her detective brother, but with a young lady who comes to be her best friend. With codes to solve and danger on every corner, this book out of the series is the one I pick up first.

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The Clue of the Broken Locket (Nancy Drew #11) by Carolyn Keene

This one is on my list because this was my first introduction to Nancy Drew when I was seven years old. Nancy has two mysteries to solve. What I fell in love with was how the mysteries entwined through the story and how much spunk this detective has.

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Murder on Black Swan Lane by Andrea Penrose

So this is a book that has yet to be released but I was privileged to receive an ARC. The hero of this particular book is an earl with an interest in science and when he comes under suspicion for murder he quite logically sets out to prove his innocence. The plot of this book is unusual for the Regency era and is written brilliantly.

So, there you have it, my top five books. At least for the moment. Here’s to finding more great books to enjoy!

Montana Dawn

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Montana Dawn

by Caroline Fiffe

Edition: ebook, 2011

Synopsis: Luke McCutcheon found Faith Brown unprotected and about to give birth, crouched in the corner of her dilapidated wagon. Though his family’s cattle drive was no place for a widow and a newborn, neither was the open trail. Honor demanded he bring them along.

Delivering her child was only Luke’s first kind act. Honest and wholesome, handsome and strong, the cowboy seemed a knight from some long-ago tale. Faith could tell they longed for the same things. But, fleeing the past, trust was a luxury she could little afford. It lay at the end of the road like a warm hearth and home, like a loving family, like a bright Montana Dawn.

Luke McCutcheon finds a young woman in labor while in charge of his family’s cattle drive. Though he knows she’s lying, his heart is caught by her determination and kindness, and he takes Faith home to his family until he can learn the truth.

I really like the family dynamic that is portrayed in this book. I will admit that though this is the first book of the series, at times it felt as though I’d jumped right into the middle of the series. The characters were good and although I understand WHY Faith is hesitant to tell the truth, I wanted to shake her for taking so long.

Overall, this is a good clean read for a lazy afternoon.

The Indigo Girl

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The Indigo Girl

by Natasha Boyd

Edition: ARC ebook, 2017

Synopsis: An incredible story of dangerous and hidden friendships, ambition, betrayal, and sacrifice.

The year is 1739. Eliza Lucas is sixteen years old when her father leaves her in charge of their family’s three plantations in rural South Carolina and then proceeds to bleed the estates dry in pursuit of his military ambitions. Tensions with the British, and with the Spanish in Florida, just a short way down the coast, are rising, and slaves are starting to become restless. Her mother wants nothing more than for their South Carolina endeavor to fail so they can go back to England. Soon her family is in danger of losing everything.

Upon hearing how much the French pay for indigo dye, Eliza believes it’s the key to their salvation. But everyone tells her it’s impossible, and no one will share the secret to making it. Thwarted at nearly every turn, even by her own family, Eliza finds that her only allies are an aging horticulturalist, an older and married gentleman lawyer, and a slave with whom she strikes a dangerous deal: teach her the intricate thousand-year-old secret process of making indigo dye and in return — against the laws of the day — she will teach the slaves to read.

So begins an incredible story of love, dangerous and hidden friendships, ambition, betrayal, and sacrifice.

Based on historical documents, including Eliza’s letters, this is a historical fiction account of how a teenage girl produced indigo dye, which became one of the largest exports out of South Carolina, an export that laid the foundation for the incredible wealth of several Southern families who still live on today. Although largely overlooked by historians, the accomplishments of Eliza Lucas influenced the course of US history. When she passed away in 1793, President George Washington served as a pallbearer at her funeral.

This book is set between 1739 and 1744, with romance, intrigue, forbidden friendships, and political and financial threats weaving together to form the story of a remarkable young woman whose actions were before their time: the story of the indigo girl.

An intelligent young woman is left in charge of her father’s plantations in South Carolina while her father pursues his military pursuits. As her ambitions grow, she must fight the disapproval from her own family and her own family.

What I especially loved about this novel is how it is based on reality. Eliza did refuse to conform to society. She did learn to produce indigo dye, when everyone save for a few people, said she wouldn’t be able to. I love the references to her letters that are the basis for the narrative.

The fictional characters add dimension to Eliza’s story and how they interact with each other. The story does have an an abrupt ending, but beyond that it has an enjoyable flow. The author does an excellent job of creating the atmosphere of the time.

For any reader who enjoys novels based on history, this is a must read.

I received a free copy from NetGalley for review purposes.

Dukes, Duels, and Daring: A Russian Regency Romance

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Dukes, Duels, and Daring

by Victoria Wright

Edition: ebook, 2017

Synopsis: Run Away to Russia…

Isabelle

Betrothed to a duke well above her station, the young lady Isabelle Fontaine had only one duty to fulfill: marry the man! It should have been an easy task, for Henri, Duke de Gramont, was also strong, handsome, and professed to be in love with her. What more could the provincial daughter of a lowly baron hope for in a husband?

But that was before everything went wrong…

Sebastian

After participating in one duel too many, Prince Sebastian Konstantinovich Lvov was sent to Paris to cool his heels and perhaps learn a thing or two about civilized culture. He never would have imagined that he’d return to Russia with a bride. To begin with, he was already engaged.

That hardly seems to matter when it comes to Isabelle. At first he couldn’t stop himself from tormenting the girl, but when her very life is endangered, he does what any self-respecting nobleman would: propose, and challenge her ex-fiancé to a duel. It seemed a reasonable response at the time.

Now if only he could explain that to his family––or the vengeful Grand Princess he was supposed to marry.

Engaged to be wed to a duke, Isabelle is certain her future is set. A troublesome Russian prince,a cousin of her betrothed, lands her, albeit unintentionally, in hot water and then everything changes.

As this is the first Russian Regency novel I’ve ever seen, I was immediately intrigued. And that really is the story’s strongest point. The details about Russian culture are fascinating, and though I don’t know much about Russia, I got the feeling that the author does. That definitely comes across in the writing.

As to the characters themselves, I didn’t like them at first. The whole “I like you so that’s why tease you and are mean to you” trope irritates me, and so Prince Sebastian comes across as a bully when we first meet him. Isabelle herself seems a little modern for the era and her own attitude towards the prince seemed uncalled for. The other characters are introduced to us so fast it was difficult to keep track of them.

Given that I read an ARC, there were some misspellings and punctuation errors that were enough to jar me out of the story. Hopefully these were addressed before the book’s release. There were multiple instances of modern words (i.e OK, which is an Americanism with its origin coming about in 1840). Isabelle is also referred to as Lady Fontaine on occasion, when she ought to have been The Honorable Isabelle Fontaine. I’m also not fond of novels that are left with nothing really resolved.

There is something about this book, though, that had my interest, and I think it does come down to where it is set.

I received a free copy from the author for reviewing purposes.