Bethany Swafford's Blog, page 9
June 29, 2020
The Innkeeper of Ivy Hill
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The Innkeeper of Ivy Hill
by Julie Klassen
Edition: paperback,2016
Synopsis: On a rise overlooking the Wiltshire countryside stands the village of Ivy Hill. Its coaching inn, The Bell, is its lifeblood–along with the coach lines that stop there daily, bringing news, mail, travelers, and much-needed trade.
Jane Bell lives on the edge of the inn property. She had been a genteel lady until she married the charming innkeeper who promised she would never have to work in his family’s inn. But when he dies under mysterious circumstances, Jane finds herself The Bell’s owner, and worse, she has three months to pay a large loan or lose the place.
Feeling reluctant and ill-equipped, Jane is tempted to abandon her husband’s legacy and return to her former life of ease. However, she soon realizes there is more at stake than her comfort. But who can she trust to help her? Her resentful mother-in-law? Her husband’s brother, who wanted the inn for himself? Or the handsome newcomer with secret plans of his own . . . ?
With pressure mounting from the bank, Jane struggles to win over naysayers and turn the place around. Can Jane bring new life to the inn, and to her heart as well?
A year has passed since Jane Bell’s husband was killed and inherited the inn he owned. In that time, she has allowed matters to run as they always had. But her husband took out a loan and it is coming due. Can she turn The Bell into a prosperous business or will she fail to live up to her mother-in-law’s standards?
This was a relaxing read. As a reader, I was sympathetic to Jane’s feelings. She has an inn with no experience in to what goes into running it. Her relationship with her mother has been shaky from the start and with Thora Bell back, when things are not at their best, would make any young lady hesitate.
There are multiple story threads that are begun. Rachel Ashford, once close friend to Jane, has lost her father and her home. Mercy Grove is content in her school. Thora herself has a romance in the making. There is plenty to follow into book two. The pace is a little slow at times, but it is well written.
For readers looking for a peaceful, sweet Regency book, I would definitely recommend this.
June 22, 2020
A Fine Gentleman (Rogue Hearts #6)
Today’s review comes with the chance to enter a giveway!
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A Fine Hearts Gentleman (Rogue hearts #6)
by Donna Hatch
Edition: ARC, ebook
Synopsis: Margaret, the eldest of the misbegotten Amesbury family, is accused of murdering her jerk of a husband and then fleeing. Conner Jackson, a Bow Street Runner, is hunting her down to bring her to justice. Or so he thinks…
This romantic story of loss and betrayal, forgiveness and redemption, and strangers marrying, will leave you laughing, crying, and swooning. Sprinkled liberally with suspense, mystery, and heart-melting kisses, this is not your ordinary historical tale of an arranged marriage nor of redeeming the rakes. Fans of Victorian and Regency Eras, as well as those seeking clean and wholesome romance with plenty of chemistry, will love this story!
While it was lovely to return to this family, I found it hard to get behind the romance of Margaret and Conner. Margaret witnesses the man who murdered her husband and, fearing that her distant relationship with her brute of a husband will condemn her, she flees the scene. This made me sympathetic to her, and I wanted her to see justice done. Then, Conner Jackson is on the scene. He’s agreed to keep an open mind about the situation and goes after Margaret to return her to her brothers.
These two. It felt like every conversation was an argument, and that is a poor environment for romance. I fully believed they were wrong for each other so the happily ever after sat wrong with me.
I did enjoy seeing the rest of the family. The book was well written, and the plot moved at a good pace. I just wished it had inspired the same feeling of romance that the first four books had.
I received a free copy through Loving the Book and all opinions expressed are my own.
The Rogue Hearts Series:
The Stranger She Married
The Guise of a Gentleman
A Perfect Secret
The Suspect’s Daughter
Not a Fine Gentleman
Praise for Donna Hatch:
“Donna Hatch is one of the masters of clean romance with electric tension and smokin’ hot kisses.” ~ Reading is My Super Power Reviews
“Written with heart and depth, Donna Hatch’s books are absolute must-reads for any fan of swoon-worthy historical romance.” ~ Sarah M. Eden, USA Today best-selling historical romance author
Official Facebook Event page:
https://www.facebook.com/events/1113820948974058/
Author Social Media Links:
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Donna-Hatch/e/B002BMG9KK/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DonnaHatch.Author
Website: http://donnahatch.com/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/2072970.Donna_Hatch
Twitter: https://twitter.com/donnahatch
Book Buy Links
Amazon: https://geni.us/RtJHJ
Rafflecopter Giveaway: http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/330006f8468/
June 19, 2020
An Author’s LATE Random Musing
First of all, my apologies for this late Author Musing. Days have been bleeding together and, as my brother said to me recently: the only days are yesterday, today, and tomorrow.
June has been a month if ups and downs. We’ll start with the good: book two of my series, The Debutante, released on the 15th. I spent a couple weeks trying to figure out how to make it a great release. I made the first book free for as long as Amazon would let me and saw over two thousand downloads. This led to sales and page reads for other books.
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And that brings me to the low point I just went through. A whole bunch of downloads equals new readers. Readers with high expectations. Regency Rumors received its first 1 star rating in this.
Maybe I’ve been in lockdown too long, but this review crushed me. It wasn’t “I didn’t like this”. (One of my other books has those and I totally get it. Not everyone is going to love my books.) This was a ” I was intrigued until when I thought it would be wrapped up but no, I have to buy book two. I will not get book two” kind of review.
This review actually sent me back to each book, questioning my creative decisions. I talked it out with several fellow authors. I’m in the big leagues now with a one star review! I can’t control reader expectations. The way I wrote this series is like a serial and there is nothing wrong with that. Its just not done often in my genre.
So, I’m climbing out of my pity hole. I can’t say this will give me a thicker skin, but maybe it will help me get used to being an Indie author.
Though I’ll probably take a break from reading reviews for a couple weeks.
June 15, 2020
Before the Crown
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Before the Crown
by Flora Harding
Edition: ARC, kindle
Synopsis: Before the crown there was a love story…
Windsor Castle, 1943
As war rages across the world, Princess Elizabeth comes face to face with the dashing naval officer she first met in London nine years before.
One of the youngest first lieutenants in the Royal Navy, Philip represents everything she has always been taught to avoid. Instability. Audacity. Adventure.
But when the king learns of their relationship, the suitability of the foreign prince is questioned by all at court.
He is the risk she has never been allowed to take. The risk not even the shadow of the crown will stop her from taking…
Step through the palace gates and discover a captivating historical novel of royal secrets and forbidden love exploring the tempestuous courtship between Princess Elizabeth and Prince Philip in the wake of WWII.
Seventeen-year-old Princess Elizabeth is eager to meet Prince Philip of Greece again now that she is grown up. They have exchanged letters, but they have merely been polite. Prince Philip, a lieutenant in the Royal Navy, has resisted his uncle’s encouragement to pursue the princess, but will he think differently once he meets her again?
The dutiful heiress to the throne and the charming prince who bucks tradition for a modern quest to enjoy life. It is difficult to believe this pair might fall in love. It is even more hard to understand how it could have happened while everyone watched them for their infrequent meetings. The author does an excellent job showing us each viewpoint, Elizabeth’s and Philip’s, showing the hesitation and doubts that *may* have happened.
It is told in the present tense (Philip thinks; she says) which I don’t personally like. Still, it moves at a good pace and is a believable theory for how it happened.
Fans of the TV show “The Crown” will find this an enjoyable read. I recieved a free copy from NetGalley and all opinions expressed are my own.
June 8, 2020
The Traitor in the Tunnel (The Agency #3)
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The Traitor in the Tunnel
by Y.S. Lee
Edition: hardcover, 2012
Synopsis:
Queen Victoria has a problem: there’s a thief at work in Buckingham Palace. The Agency – the secret all-female detective unit – assigns quick-witted Mary Quinn to the case. Posing as a palace maid and fending off the attentions of the Prince of Wales are challenging enough, but when the prince witnesses a murder, Mary’s case becomes anything but petty.
Engineer and former flame James Easton has an assignment in the sewers, where someone is making illicit use of the tunnels. Mary will need James’s help if she’s going catch a thief, solve a murder – and avert disaster.
Mary Quinn’s latest assignment is tame on the surface: she is undercover in Queen Victoria’s household to find a petty thief. While there, Prince Bertie witnesses a murder. The simple case becomes more and more complicated from there.
The focus of this book is definitely on Mary, as it should be. The moment she hears that a “Lascar” with the name of Lang has been taken into custody for murder, she wonders if her father was not dead as she had always believed. Does she risk her heritage coming to light and ruining her future? Does she turn her back on that heritage for the last time?
We only have a few chapters told from James’ point of view. So few they almost feel like an after-thought. That they were included just because readers would expect it but didn’t really serve much to further the story.
I might deduct have a point for the climax of the book involving an unlikely scenario with the queen. Still, the plot was interesting. It was nice to have Mary and James come to a decision about their relationship. This would have ended the trilogy nicely but there is a fourth book for me to read!
For readers of YA Victorian fiction with a bit of mystery, I would recommend this!
June 1, 2020
The Heiress’s Convenient Husband (Grace-by-the-Sea, Book Two)
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The Heiress’s Convenient Husband
by Regina Scott
Edition: Kindle book, 2020
Synopsis: The magistrate over a little Regency coastal village, James Howland, takes pride in protecting Grace-by-the-Sea from ne’er-do-wells, including his distant cousin, the Earl of Howland. So, when he discovers a young lady hiding in the family’s castle, his heart cannot decide which comes first—her rescue or his duty.
Outspoken Eva Faraday has been exiled to the castle for refusing to marry the man the earl picked for her. Her late father appointed the earl trustee over her considerable inheritance, which she cannot access until she turns twenty-five or marries. And if she marries, her husband controls the money. She’s not about to trust any Howland, but James seems ripe for rebellion. To thwart the earl’s power, the two agree to a marriage of convenience, only to discover there are others intent on using the earl’s castle for nefarious purposes. Eva and James must work together to solve the mystery and stop the earl once and for all so they can make a marriage that is far more than convenient.
James Howland is a distant cousin to the Earl of Howland and is the magistrate of Grace-by-the-Sea. He longs for the day when he can escape his cousin’s control. Eva Faraday is exiled to Howland Castle when she refuses to marry the earl’s son. She has only ten months before she gets control of her inheritance. Together, this unlikely pair solve a mystery and find love.
It was a delight to return to this coastal village and the familiar cast we met in the first book. We get to learn more about James and the life he’s had. His side of the Howland family has served the titled side for several generations and he is tired of how manipulative the earl is.
Eva was a bold character. Her father had built a fortune in his life and she will inherit it when she turns 25. Her father trusted the earl, who only wants her money to save the Howland family. She is slow to trust James, but takes advantage of an opportunity when she sees it.
For those looking for a Regency romance with a bit of mystery and adventure, I definitely recommend this.
May 25, 2020
Hattie Big Sky
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Hattie Big Sky
by Kirby Larson
Edition: hardcover, 2007
Synopsis: After inheriting her uncle’s homesteading claim in Montana, 16-year-old orphan Hattie Brooks travels from Iowa in 1917 to make a home for herself and encounters some unexpected problems related to the war being fought in Europe.
Sixteen-year-old Hattie Brooks has been shifted from one relative’s house to another since she was orphaned. She is delighted when she learns she has inherited her uncle’s claim in Montana. She has a short time to prove it up and along the way, she learns life lessons she might not have learned anywhere else.
This was a delight to read and I am astonished I’d never read it before. Hattie was a wonderful character to follow. Young though she was, she had a sensible head on her shoulder and didn’t let life’s hardships get her down. She was a hard worker and did what she thought was right, even when it wasn’t easy.
The time period, at the end of the first world war, shine through in the details. The supporting cast is all interesting, even the ones with less than honorable intentions. The plot moves at a good pace, and the ending came as a surprise, though understandable all the same.
For readers looking for a Ya historical book, I would recommend this.
May 18, 2020
Against the Brotherhood (Mycroft Holmes, Book One)
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Against the Brotherhood
by Quinn Fawcett
Edition: hardcover, 1998
Synopsis: Acknowledged by Sherlock Holmes himself as the smarter brother, and gifted with even greater powers of observation than the famous consulting detective, Mycroft Holmes appears in only four stories in the Canon and remains an enigmatic figure wrapped in the mysteries of international politics and conspiracies.
Now, in Against the Brotherhood, we learn of Mycroft’s secrets throught the eyes of his new secretary, Patterson Guthrie, Guthrie’s upper-class education has not prepared him for the rought-and-tumble world of international politics, nor for his encounters with the beautiful and cunning Miss Gatspy, thief, spy, assassin–whatever the situation calls for. Mycroft is revealed to be a vigorous playre at world politics and international skulduggery. Against the Brotherhood is full of attempted assassinations, secret spymasters, anarchist cabals, concealed identities, double- and triple-agents, burglary, and sabotage, all done in true Conan Doyle style.
Paterson Guthrie is Mycroft Holmes’ secretary. When an international crisis arises, Guthrie is sent out to infiltrate a dangerous group. It will take all of Guthrie’s determination and wits to get him safely through this.
I was intrigued when I learned there was a series of books about Mycroft Holmes, a character we see so seldom in the originally Sherlock Holmes’ stories. It was a bit of a shock to read of this man who had been described as “seldom leaving the Diogenes club” to travel incognito to see a matter accomplished in the best outcome.
There are bits of this story that take a strong stomach. Guthrie witnesses a brutal murder. he fights for his life, killing a man in the process. So for those of you who would prefer not to read such things, take warning!
Overall, I did enjoy it and I look forward to reading the rest of the series.
May 11, 2020
Palace of Spies (Palace of Spies, Book One)
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Palace of Spies
by Sarah Zettel
Edition: ebook, 2013
Synopsis: A warning to all young ladies of delicate breeding who wish to embark upon lives of adventure: Don’t.
Sixteen-year-old Peggy is a well-bred orphan who is coerced into posing as a lady in waiting at the palace of King George I. Life is grand, until Peggy starts to suspect that the girl she’s impersonating might have been murdered. Unless Peggy can discover the truth, she might be doomed to the same terrible fate. But in a court of shadows and intrigue, anyone could be a spy—perhaps even the handsome young artist with whom Peggy is falling in love…
History and mystery spark in this effervescent series debut.
After orphaned Peggy Fitzroy is assaulted by her betrothed and then thrown out of her uncle’s house, she accepts the offer of Mr. Tinderflint to pose as a lady in waiting. Once in the palace, Peggy’s curiosity regarding the original Lady Francesca grows and she finds herself in the middle of a conspiracy. She will need all her wits about her to prevent disaster from happening.
Peggy was an interesting character to follow. She showed bravery in the face of assault and defended herself however she was able to do so. She spoke up to defend herself when she was expected to be submissive and continue her betrothal to the man who attacked her. She had doubts about the course she had chosen and did her best to do all she could to learn the truth.
At times, the plot was a little bit complicated and difficult to follow. This was especially the case toward the end when Peggy has a sudden revelation as to how the pieces fit together. There is a mystery concerning the whereabouts of Peggy’s father that I believe will be explored in the sequels.
Overall, this was an enjoyable read. Fans of historical YA books with adventure and intrigue will definitely enjoy this one.
May 4, 2020
Love Remains (Longing for Home #3)
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Love Remains
by Sarah M. Eden
Edition: ebook, 2017
Synopsis: For nearly a year, Tavish O’Connor has carried the crushing weight of his family’s future on his shoulders. He has taken on the care of his youngest brother, Finbarr, who lost his eyesight in a terrible accident. But the lad needs more than Tavish can provide. Finbarr needs hope.
Cecily Attwater specializes in hope. As a tutor to the newly blind, she has dedicated her life to helping others overcome the obstacles she herself has conquered. Her new assignment in a remote corner of Wyoming proves trickier than usual: Finbarr refuses to learn. To make matters worse, his family—and the other Irish townspeople—are less than thrilled to discover an Englishwoman in their haven.
Cecily’s only hope lies in securing the cooperation of her pupil’s brother, Tavish, who happens to be her harshest critic and quite possibly the most frustrating man she’s ever known.
For Finbarr’s sake, Tavish and Cecily forge an uneasy alliance that, as the weeks pass, tiptoes toward something deeper than either dares admit or face, and toward a future they know to be impossible. There can be no hope of a happy outcome for an Irish man and an English woman amongst a people reeling from violence and centuries of hatred between their two homelands.
Tavish O’Connor has been carrying as much of the worries of his family as he can and is hopeful that the new tutor will help, at least where Finbarr is concerned. However, Cecily Attwater, an Englishwoman with her own worries, is not what he expects.
I loved Tavish in the previous books (even if I didn’t think he suited Katie at all). It was a delight to follow him through this book. His struggles and how much he tried to help his family was relatable. His teasing front hid a great deal of pain, and it was sweet to watch him finally heal.
Cecily was an interesting addition to Hope Springs. While at first, she seemed to be a straight-forward and no-nonsense character (and there can be no doubt she is all of that), she has a light-hearted side that comes out the more she spars with Tavish.
Together, they are a marvelous couple. The rest of the O’Connor family made an excellent supporting cast, and it was lovely to see them all again. The plot moves at a good pace and pulled me in from the first chapter.
I would absolutely recommend this to any reader looking for a sweet historical romance.
