Literary Time Out: Romance

Showing posts with label Romance. Show all posts

Tuesday, November 2, 2021

Blog Tour: Love and Lavender by Josi S. Kilpack

Love and Lavender by Josi S. Kilpack

Book Description:

Hazel Stillman is a woman of rare independence and limited opportunities. Born with a clubbed foot, she was sent away as a child and, knowing her disability means a marriage is unlikely, she devoted herself to scholarship and education.

Now working as a teacher in an elite private girls' school, she is content with the way her story has unfolded. When her uncle Elliott Mayfield presents her with the prospect of a substantial inheritance if she marries, Hazel is offended. What kind of decent man would marry for her money? Besides, she loves her freedom as a professional, respected woman. When she hears rumors of the school possibly being sold, however, she knows she must consider all her options.

Duncan Penhale has a brilliant mind and thrives on order and process. He does not expect to marry because he likes his solitary life, shared only with his beloved cat. When Elliott Mayfield, his guardian's brother, presents him with an inheritance if he marries a woman of social standing, Duncan finds it intrusive. However, with the inheritance, he could purchase the building in which he works and run his own firm. It would take an impressive and intellectual woman to understand and love him, quirksand all.

Hazel and Duncan believe they have found a solution to both of their problems: marry one another, receive their inheritances, and then part ways to enjoy their individual paths. But when Uncle Mayfield stipulates that they must live together as husband and wife for one year before receiving their inheritances, Hazel and Duncan reluctantly agree. Over time, their marriage of convenience becomes much more appealing than they had anticipated. At the end of the full year, will they go their separate ways or could an unlikely marriage have found unsuspecting love?

Andrea’s Review:

Love and Lavender is a great addition to the Mayfield Series. I really enjoy how the author makes her characters so realistic. Their flaws make them relatable and make for a realistic story. Sure, marriages of convenience aren’t common these days, but making the main characters have disabilities really brought so much to the story. My heart strings were tugged and I loved the love and growth displayed throughout the story. We were really able to see the good traits in both Hazel and Duncan by how they treated each other. I have really enjoyed getting to know the Mayfield family through this series.

Rorie's Review:

Another great addition to the Mayfield Family series! I have enjoyed each of the other books in this series, and this one did not disappoint either. There was a new twist in this story, as Duncan, one of the main characters, has autism (of course, they didn't know what that was back then) and Hazel has a clubbed foot. It was fun to sit on the sidelines and watch their relationship develop and grow. At times, I found myself rooting for Hazel to be completely successful with her chosen career path, and then I had to stop and say "But wait! Then what will happen?" I wasn't sure how the author was going to manage making everyone happy, but there is a reason she is a writer and I am not. If you haven't yet started this series, I highly recommend it.

Advanced Praise:

“What a lovely romance. The historical details, the depth of the authentic characters, and the realistic dialogue all contribute to an immersive story. [A] beautiful and inspirational story about loving people just as they are.”— Katie Jackson, Regency Proofreading

“Phenomenal. This book was phenomenal. The very best in the series.”— Lyssa Armstrong, For Where Your Treasure Is
“This love story was unique and such an uncommon take on a marriage of convenience! [S]weet and well worth the wait!”— Ashley Johnson, Bringing Up Books

“Beautifully written, sensitive, poignant addition to the Mayfield Family series.”— Susan K., The Flipped Page

About the Author:

Josi S. Kilpack has written more than thirty novels, a cookbook, and several novellas. She is a four-time Whitney award winner, including Best Novel 2015 for "Lord Fenton's Folly, and has been a Utah Best of State winner for Fiction. Josi loves to bake, sleep, eat, read, travel, and watch TV--none of which she gets to do as much as she would like. She writes contemporary fiction under the pen name Jessica Pack.

Josi has four children and lives in Northern Utah.

WEBSITE | FACEBOOK | TWITTER | INSTAGRAM | GOODREADS

Title: Love and Lavender

Author: Josi S. Kilpack

Publisher: Shadow Mountain

Published: November 2021

ISBN: 162972999

Source: I received an advanced reader copy from the publisher. All opinions expressed are my own.

Purchase: AMAZON | BARNES & NOBLE | BOOK DEPOSITORY | BOOKSHOP | GOODREADS

Thursday, October 7, 2021

Blog Tour: The Inns of Devonshire by Sally Britton, Annette Lyon, and Deborah M. Hathaway

The Inns of Devonshire: Timeless Regency Collection (Book 18)

by Sally Britton, Annette Lyon, and Deborah M. Hathaway

Book Description:

Three novellas, three times the romance, and three times the love . . . in this brand new Timeless Regency Collection

The Seventh Star Inn, by Sally Britton

After years of looking after one another, Susan Baxter and her mother view their neighbors in Totnes as family. When a new landlord inherits the leases on their homes and businesses alike, Susan dreads knowing her world could change at the whim of a stranger. But when she meets Collin Stonecroft and his inquisitive daughter, her feelings shift quickly from cautionary to hopeful. Collin has lived in the confines of London boarding houses all his life, and he’s determined to give his daughter more. They check into the Seventh Star Inn with plans to return to London as soon as possible, but both find Miss Baxter and her local history lessons far too enchanting to leave behind. When Susan learns of Collin’s proposed changes to her beloved neighborhood, will she be able to help him see that some things are perfect the way they are?

The Truth about Mr. Blackmore, by Annette Lyon

Leigh’s life at the Old Grey Inn is drudgery broken by flights of fancy thanks in part to novels by Simon Blackmore. When Mattias McGrady comes to the inn for a fortnight, Leigh captures his attention. A relationship develops, and she dreads the end of his stay, which will mean a return to an unhappy life. An urgent letter to Mattias leads to him inviting Leigh to an event that stands to change both of their lives forever. If all goes well, Leigh will have a life of her choosing after all. But half-truths and lies have a way of complicating matters. When their plans go awry, Leigh loses her reputation and Mattias almost surely loses his career. Can either of them find happiness?

The Coachman’s Choice, by Deborah M. Hathaway

Ever-reliable Mary Thorne has helped her widowed mother run The Golden Mermaid Inn for years. She spends her days greeting guests, ensuring the inn runs smoothly—and dodging flirtatious remarks from passing coachmen. But she’s far too busy to pay any attention to such men, even the enticingly attractive Mr. Northcott. Known far and wide for his horsemanship, punctuality, and dallying reputation, Robert Northcott relishes his life as a coachman, especially his freedom to flirt with numerous women from inn to inn, all without the messy details of commitment. There’s just one woman who's immune to his charms: the lovely, single landlady of The Golden Mermaid. Robert is determined to win Mary over, just as heartily as she is determined to keep her distance from him. But his carefree life is threatened when his perusal of Mary becomes more than just a game.

About the Series:

Since 2015, Mirror Press has been publishing the Timeless Regency Collection, a curated anthology of novellas and short stories set in early 19th century England. Featuring bestselling authors from the historical romance genre, the series has hit the USA TODAY bestselling list and charted at #1 at Amazon.com. Learn more about the series and other anthologies published by Mirror Press at their website.

Review:

Novellas are typically great for when you don't have a lot of time but want to read a quick story, and this latest addition to the Timeless Romance Collection is no exception. The characters were developed well even in the short time of each story, and the relationships didn't feel too rushed. I'm not sure if I've read anything by Deborah Hathaway before, but I enjoyed her story the most out of the three. These novellas have sweet, clean romances, and make for a nice read.

About the Authors:

Sally Britton is a wife, mother, and author who loves the world of romance, received her BA in English from Brigham Young University, and reads voraciously. She started her writing journey at the tender age of fourteen on an electric typewriter, and she’s never looked back.

Sally primarily lives in Oklahoma with her husband, four children, and Izzie the Aussie Shepherd. She loves researching, hiking, and eating too much chocolate.

Annette Lyon is a USA Today Bestselling author. She's won a Whitney Award (2010) and is an eight-time recipient of Utah's Best of State medal for fiction and short stories. She's the author of more than a dozen novels, even more novellas, a cookbook, a grammar guide, and some 120+ articles. She's worked as a professional editor for publishers and bestselling authors and graduated cum laude from BYU with a degree in English.

Deborah M. Hathaway graduated from Utah State University with a BA in Creative Writing. As a young girl, she devoured Jane Austen's novels while watching and re-watching every adaptation she could. She finds inspiration for her novels during her travels with her English husband to the United Kingdom, where she draws on the beauty of the country in such places as Ireland, Yorkshire, and her beloved Cornwall. Be sure to sign up for Deborah's Newsletter to stay updated on new releases, free and discounted Clean Romance novels, and more!

WEBSITE | FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM | GOODREADS | BOOKBUB

Tour Schedule:

Oct 04 Fire and Ice (Review)

Oct 04 Austenprose (Excerpt)

Oct 04 Timeless Novels (Review)

Oct 05 Lu Reviews Books (Review)

Oct 05 Beauty in the Binding (Spotlight)

Oct 05 For Where Your Treasure Is (Excerpt)

Oct 06 Probably at the Library (Review)

Oct 06 Our Book Confessions (Review)

Oct 06 Bookworm Lisa (Review)

Oct 07 Literary Time Out (Review)

Oct 07 Reading with Emily (Review)

Oct 08 Bringing Up Books (Review)

Oct 08 Gwendalyn's Books (Review)

Oct 09 Becky on Books (Review)

Oct 09 Books and Socks Rock (Review)

Oct 10 The Christian Fiction Girl (Spotlight)

Oct 10 Heidi Reads (Review)

Oct 11 My Jane Austen Book Club (Excerpt)

Oct 11 Encouraging Words from the Tea Queen (Review)

Oct 11 Wishful Endings (Review)

Oct 12 So Little Time… (Excerpt)

Oct 12 The Caffeinated Bibliophile (Spotlight)

Oct 12 Laura's Reviews (Review)

Oct 13 Austenesque Reviews (Review)

Oct 13 Storeybook Reviews (Excerpt)

Oct 13 Rosanne E. Lortz (Review)

Oct 14 From Pemberley to Milton (Spotlight)

Oct 14 Chicks, Rogues and Scandals (Excerpt)

Oct 14 Christian Chick's Thoughts (Review)

Oct 15 A Darn Good Read (Review)

Oct 15 Relz Reviewz (Spotlight)

Oct 15 Reading is My Superpower (Review)

Oct 15 Book Confessions of an Ex-Ballerina (Review)

Oct 16 My Bookish Bliss (Review)

Oct 17 The Book Diva Reads (Spotlight)

Title: The Inns of Devonshire: Timeless Regency Collection (Book 18)

Authors: Sally Britton, Annette Lyon, and Deborah M. Hathaway

Publisher: Mirror Press

Published: October 5, 2021

ISBN: 1952611229

Source: I received an eCopy via the Tour Host

Purchase: Amazon | Bookbub | Goodreads

Wednesday, February 3, 2021

Book Review: Georgana's Secret by Arlem Hawks

Book Description:

1811

A Regency romance on the high seas. Two hearts yearning to find a safe harbor, and possibly, a lasting love.

As a young girl, Georgana Woodall dreamed of beautiful dresses, fancy balls, and falling in love. However, when her mother dies, she cannot face a future under the guardianship of her abusive grandmother and instead chooses to join her father on his ship disguised as his cabin boy, "George."

Lieutenant Dominic Peyton has no time in his life for love, not with his dedication to His Majesty's Royal Navy claiming his full attention. While trying to adjust to a new crew, he strives to be an exemplary officer and leader. When he sees the captain's cabin boy being harassed by the crew, he immediately puts a stop to it and takes the "boy" under his wing. After discovering a number of clues, Dominic deduces that George is really a woman. Knowing that revealing the cabin boy's secret would put her in serious danger from the rowdy crew, Dominic keeps silent and hides his growing affection for her.

Georgana is quickly losing her heart to Dominic's compassion and care but is convinced nothing can come of her affection. She cannot continue to live her life on the sea, and having already missed too many seasons in London, her chances of being welcomed back into polite society and finding a suitable husband are quickly slipping away.

Georgana's Secret is about two hearts yearning to find a safe harbor, and possibly, a lasting love.

Rorie's Review:

For some reason, I have always been drawn to stories where the main character has to disguise herself as a boy for one reason or another, so the premise of this story drew me in right away. The author did a wonderful job of bringing all of the characters to life, and giving the reader a taste of what life might be like as a cabin boy who doesn't quite fit in with any group on board.

Every time I read a story that takes place on a ship, I'm always amazed at just how many people are in board. I guess I just can't grasp the size of the ship, because I'm always shocked when there are more than 50 people on board. Anyway, the reader obviously doesn't get to know everyone, but we do get to know a handful, and I enjoyed getting to know them all, whether it was to love them or hate them. Definitely a well-written, enjoyable story that I plan on rereading more than once.

Andrea's Review:

Georgana’s Secret is a great addition to the Proper Romance line from Shadow Mountain. I loved the premise of a loving father trying to protect his daughter in the only way he could come up with-having her disguised as a cabin boy on the ship he captained. Wondering if her secret would be discovered made for an entertaining story, and a fast read.

The main characters, Georgana and Dominic, were well developed and lovable. Both had such good hearts and made huge sacrifices for their surviving parents-it showed how selfless they are.

Life on a ship in the early 1800s sounded pretty miserable, but I appreciated how the author included the feeling of love for the sea that some of the characters had.

I hadn’t heard of the author before, but I’m excited to read her other books, and highly recommend this one.

Tarah's Review:

One of my favorite things about reading is the feeling different books can create. If I hate a book, I may not be able to tell you what it was about later, but I can definitely say that I didn't like it. The reverse is also true. A good well written story will just leave me with a good feeling that I remember later. Georgana's Secret gave me the later feeling. I came away feeling filled and was left with a general sense of, "ya, I liked that book." It's always a good day when that happens. Especially with a book that I wasn't sure about to begin with. I'm not gonna lie. I probably wouldn't have picked this one off the shelf. The cover really doesn't intrigue or entice me, and I would have passed this one over because of that. How lucky am I that I read it anyway and loved it?!

I love this addition to the Proper Romance line, and would recommend it to anyone looking for a sweet, clean, naval romance.

About the Author:

Arlem Hawks began making up stories before she could write. Living all over the Western United States and traveling around the world gave her a love of cultures and people and the stories they have to tell. With her travels came an interest in history, especially the history of her English heritage. When she isn't writing, Arlem is baking her characters' favorite foods, sewing Regency dresses, learning how to play the tin whistle, and water coloring. She lives in Arizona with her husband and two children. Having previously published four historical romance novellas, Georgana’s Secret is her debut novel.

BOOKBUB | YOUTUBE | GOODREADS

Wednesday, September 23, 2020

Blog Tour: Heart of Gold by Stacy Henrie

Book Description:

They'll have to conquer more than the Klondike Trail to reach her father in time—they’ll have to overcome their past too.

After months of silence from her father in the Klondike, Tava Rutherford finally receives word from him. Only the outdated letter reveals that her father is ill and may be dying. Desperate to discover his fate, Tava resolves to make the journey to the wilds of northwestern Canada. But Jess Lawmen, her ranch foreman and the man who broke her heart, insists she doesn't go alone. Jess intends to keep his promise to look out for her—even if that means traveling thousands of miles with Tava, the woman he claims to feel just friendship for but has never stopped loving.

With their own ragtag group of travelers in tow, Tava and Jess confront one challenge after another as they join the hundreds of stampeders scrambling to reach the goldfields. But as the two of them come face to face with their past hurts and mistakes in their race to reach Tava’s father, they will have to decide whether to cling to safety or risk their hearts for something even greater.

Review:

Stacy Henrie weaves an entertaining story about a young woman traveling across untamed wilderness to find her father after receiving word that he'd taken ill at his gold claim. This may have been the first book I've read that focused on the Klondike Gold Rush, and I found the travel that people went through to get to there to be quite interesting.

To make the journey even more interesting, Henrie adds in the complication of Tava's traveling companion being her first love. Jess had made it clear that there could be nothing between them years before, but she still loved him.

Quite a bit of focus was given to Jess's secret past, and when it was revealed I was surprised that there wasn't more to it. But, that didn't detract too much, and I was given the happy ending that I craved.

Links:

Stacy's link: BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/stacy-henrie

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Stacy-Henrie/e/B008ESZ46U

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5778153.Stacy_Henrie

Tour Schedule:

9/21 - Heidi Reads / Mom With a Reading Problem
9/22 - Wishful Endings / LDS and Lovin It
9/23 - Literary Time Out / Julie Coulter Bellon / My Book a Day / Singing Librarian Books
9/24 - Katie’s Clean Book Collection / Bookworm Lisa / Empower Moms
9/25 - The Bibliophile Files / Kellie Dickes / Books are Sanity

Giveaway:

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Tuesday, May 5, 2020

Blog Tour: Rakes and Roses by Josi S. Kilpack

Book Description:

A standalone novel in the Mayfield Family series with an unusual premise and an uplifting ending.

Lady Sabrina endured an abusive marriage, a miscarriage, and early widowhood to emerge as a smart, successful, confident woman who found a way to make her mark in a man's world. She has friends and purpose, but cannot hide from the emptiness she feels when the parties are over and the friends have gone home to families she will never have.

Harry Stillman may be charming and handsome, but he's a gambler and a rake who has made a mockery of his privileges. He turns to the mysterious Lord Damion for financial relief from his debts, but still ends up beaten nearly senseless by thugs and left in an alley.

When Lady Sabrina comes upon Harry after the attack, she remembers the kindness Harry once showed to her six years ago and brings him to her estate to heal. Though their relationship begins on rocky footing, it soon mellows into friendship, then trust. But Lady Sabrina needs to keep Harry at a distance, even if he is becoming the kind of man worthy of her heart. After all, she is keeping a secret that, if exposed, could destroy everything she's so carefully built.

Rorie's Review:

I have enjoyed each of Kilpack’s books in the Mayfield Family series, and this one was just as enjoyable. I will admit, it has been long enough since I’ve read the other books that I don’t really remember much about the other characters, but that’s not necessary, as each story works well as a stand-alone.

It was fun having Lady Sabrina be the strong rescuer, instead of the other way around, as is usually common in novels set in this time period. (But I don’t mind those either.) I cheered her on as she lived her life on her terms, and I also cheered Harry on as he finally started making much-needed changes in his life. This book was a page-turner, and I stayed up much later than I should have to finish it. I highly recommend this book - and the entire series.

Andrea's Review:

I loved this addition to the Mayfield Family Series and read it very quickly. In the previous books I really disliked Harry. He was a piece of work and just . . . awful. But, I loved his redemption in this story. It was so good to see that no one is beyond hope, and it is possible to change one's ways. That didn't happen to him until he was so far down that death was probably on the horizon, but the kindness and faith of one person brought him out of his own way.

Lady Sabrina was amazing. She made the best of her situation after she'd been through a lot as well, and she saw deep into people's hearts and could see potential where no one else could.

I'm looking forward to reading this (and the rest of the series) again.

Tarah's Review:

In the acknowledgments, the author says, "This is the first time I have written a 'playboy,' and it's a character type I find difficult to like as a reader." (You should keep reading what she says, because it's really good) This is exactly how I feel as a reader, and so this was a more difficult book for me to read. It was well written, each character had a lot to recommend themselves, and it was a beautiful story of redemption. I just...well, I had a hard time.

However, Lady Sabrina was really a great character to read about. It was heartbreaking to hear everything she went through, but then to see her courage as she was able to become strong despite of her background is very inspiring. I loved the supporting cast that helped her become who she was supposed to be.

Honestly, I probably won't read this one again. It's not my style of book. However, like I said before, it was well done, and beautifully written. So if you don't mind, or even if you prefer "the rake" type character, then you will love this one from Kilpack.

About the Author:

Josi S. Kilpack is the bestselling author of several Proper Romance and Proper Romance Historical series and a Cozy Culinary Mystery series. Her books, A Heart Revealed and Lord Fenton's Folly; were Publishers Weekly Best Romance Books of the Year. She and her husband, Lee, are the parents of four children.

WEBSITE | FACEBOOK | TWITTER | INSTAGRAM | GOODREADS

Blog Tour Schedule:

May 04 My Jane Austen Book Club (Guest Blog)

May 04 Historical Fiction with Spirit (Review)

May 04 Austenprose—A Jane Austen Blog (Review)

May 04 All About Romance (Guest Blog)

May 05 Timeless Novels (Review)

May 05 Literary Time Out (Review)

May 06 For Where Your Treasure Is (Review)

May 06 Courtney Reads Romance (Review)

May 07 Fire and Ice (Excerpt)

May 07 Gwendalyn's Books (Review)