Author: deanne01

I am an avid reader and reviewer. I am open for review requests please contact me at Cnnamongirl at aol dot com. I work with big name publishers and indie publishers alike. I am on launch and street teams and have MANY NetGalley and GoodReads reviews up. I love all animals and I am a vegetarian. Thank you for joining me here.

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Bookouture Books Blog Tour For The Midwife of Auschwitz by Anna Stuart

Book Description:

Auschwitz, 1943: As I held the tiny baby in my arms, my fingers traced the black tattoo etched across her little thigh. And I prayed that one day this set of numbers, identical to her mother’s, would have the power to reunite a family torn apart by war…

Inspired by an incredible true story, this poignant novel tells of one woman’s fight for love, life and hope during a time of unimaginable darkness.

Ana Kaminski is pushed through the iron gates of Auschwitz beside her frightened young friend Ester Pasternak. As they reach the front of the line, Ana steps forward and quietly declares herself a midwife – and Ester her assistant. Their arms are tattooed and they’re ordered to the maternity hut. Holding an innocent new-born baby, Ana knows the fate of so many are in her hands, and vows to do everything she can to save them.

When two guards in their chilling SS uniforms march in and snatch a blond-haired baby from its mother it’s almost too much for Ana to bear. Consoling the distraught woman, Ana realises amidst the terrible heartache there is a glimmer of hope. The guards are taking the healthiest babies and placing them with German families, so they will survive. And there are whispers the war is nearly over… Ana and Ester begin to secretly tattoo little ones with their mother’s numbers, praying one day they might be reunited.

Then, early one morning, Ana notices the small bump under Ester’s thin striped clothing…

An absolutely heartbreaking and page-turning WW2 novel of one woman’s bravery and determination to bring life and hope into a broken world. Fans of The Tattooist of Auschwitz,The Alice Network and The Nightingale will be gripped.

My Review

Though this book was so hard to read I am so glad the author has written it. We need to never forget those who were tortured during the Holocaust. Though fictionalized the story is based on fact.
My heart aches for the people subjected to such inhumane treatment. I really don’t understand how they could treat another human being they way they did.
This is based on two midwives in Europe during WW11 who are sent to Auschwitz along with so many others. In the face of adversity these woman gave the laboring women a ray of hope,a glimpse of goodness and kindness.
The midwives put these women’s needs ahead of their own, not knowing if they’d see their own families again. This didn’t stop them from giving the women and babies the best possible chance at life.
Reading this book book absolutely broke my heart. I have never read such a realistic book about Auschwitz! Though hard to read it’s such an important story that needed telling!

Published May 31st 2022
I was given a complimentary copy of this book.
All opinions expressed are my own.

Author Bio

Anna Stuart lives in Derbyshire with her campervan-mad husband, two hungry teenagers and a slightly loopy dog. She was hooked on books from the moment she first opened one in her cot so is thrilled to now have several of her own to her name. Having studied English literature at Cambridge university, she took an enjoyable temporary trip into the ‘real world’ as a factory planner, before returning to her first love and becoming an author. History has also always fascinated her. Living in an old house with a stone fireplace, she often wonders who sat around it before her and is intrigued by how actively the past is woven into the present, something she likes to explore in her novels. Anna loves the way that writing lets her ‘try on’ so many different lives, but her favourite part of the job is undoubtedly hearing from readers. You can reach her on Facebook @annastuartauthor or Twitter @annastuartbooks.

Sign up to be the first to hear about new releases from Anna Stuart here:  https://www.bookouture.com/anna-stuart/

Buy Link:

Amazon: https://geni.us/B09VF3BGWDsocial

Audio:

UK: zpr.io/gsGHpjzj689D
US: zpr.io/RW8pmUddeMGC

Listen to a sample here:

You can sign up for all the best Bookouture deals you’ll love at: http://ow.ly/Fkiz30lnzdo

This is an amazing not to be missed book!

Thank you for stopping by. Have a blessed day!

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Shadowed Loyalty by Roseanna M. White Book Review

The author writes with such authenticity.

My Review

Shadowed Loyalty is different than any book I have read by this author .
The book takes place during the 1920’s, the Roaring Twenties in Chicago.
Though there are some dark themes after all this is about the Mafia,organized crime and Prohibition there is a glamour attached to it as well. The men involved in the Mafia want to keep their wives and daughters safe and act a different way at home than they do when conducting Mafia business.
Our mob bosses daughter believes her father above the darker side of the Mafia business but when she finds out he’s not she’s torn between wanting to protect her Papa and doing what’s right.
The book is such an attention getter once I started it I was so fascinated that I couldn’t put it down.
Impressively researched with such authenticity. We find the elements of faith,love,loyalty and forgiveness. Recommended for historical fiction lovers looking for something a little different that’ll grab your attention.

Published May 2nd 2022
I was given a complimentary copy of this book.
All opinions expressed are my own.

GoodReads Synopsis

Sabina Mancari never questioned her life as the daughter of Chicago’s leading mob boss until bullets tear apart her world and the man she thought she loved turned out to be an undercover Prohibition agent. Now she sees how ugly the underworld can be. Ambushes, bribes, murder, prostitution—she thought her beloved Papa was above all that, but clearly he isn’t. What does that mean, though, for her and their family? Maybe Lorenzo, the fiancé who has barely paid her any attention in the last two years, has the right idea by planning to escape their world.

All his life, Lorenzo’s family assumed he would join the Church, but he has different ideas—marrying Sabina and pursuing a career in the law. But despite his morals, he knows at the core he isn’t so unlike his father and brothers, which has always terrified him. Has he, in trying to protect Sabina from his flaws, in fact harmed her? It sure seems that way when he realizes he all but forced her into the arms of the Prohibition Agent now bent on tearing her family apart at all costs. But how can they rebuild what has so long been neglected…and do it in the shadow of the dark empire of the Mafia?

Shadowed Loyalty, set amid the glitz and scandal of the Roaring Twenties, examines what love really means and how we draw lines between family and our own convictions, especially when following the one could mean losing the other.

About The Author

Website

http://www.RoseannaMWhite.com

Twitter

RoseannaMWhite

Roseanna M. White is a bestselling, Christy Award nominated author who has long claimed that words are the air she breathes. When not writing fiction, she’s homeschooling her two kids, editing, designing book covers, and pretending her house will clean itself. Roseanna is the author of a slew of historical novels that span several continents and thousands of years. Spies and war and mayhem always seem to find their way into her books…to offset her real life, which is blessedly ordinary. She and her family make their home in the beautiful mountains of West Virginia. You can learn more about her and her stories at www.RoseannaMWhite.com.
see also Roseanna White

Have a beautiful day. Thank you for stopping by.

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The View from Coral Cove by Amy Clipston Book Review

The cover is so beautiful and the descriptions of the North Carolina beach really are lovely.

My Review

Perfect beach read that you won’t be able to stop reading.
Sure that Coral Cove, North Carolina is the perfect escapist location to heal a broken heart novelist Maya Reynolds is in for a lot of surprises.
Coral Cove holds so may great childhood memories for Maya and when she inherits her great-Aunt’s toy shop she knows it’s her second chance opportunity at starting over and being happy.
A found note reveals long lost family secrets in this small town romance and feelings of betrayal.
The characters are ones that you could see yourself having as neighbors and becoming friends with.
Maya’s character starts off unsure of herself with a lack of confidence but as things improve her confidence returns with her being a self assured woman.
The book is so tender and sweet, very emotional and you are definitely in for some fun surprises.
My heart was stolen by a lovely little girl and a rascal of a clever calico kitten. Read and see how they get things rolling with a sweet romance. Hard to put down and even better than the first book in the series.

Pub Date 10 May 2022
I was given a complimentary copy of this book.
All opinions expressed are my own.

Grab A Copy Here

GoodReads Synopsis

When a jilted romance novelist escapes to a small beach town, the last thing she expected to find was the start of an even better love story.

In the wake of a broken engagement and the death of her last surviving family member, romance novelist Maya Reynolds moves to the haven of Coral Cove, North Carolina, to take over her great-aunt’s toy store. Some of her grief is immediately eased by imaginative eight-year-old Ashlyn Tanner, who talks her into adopting a kitten and inspires Maya to create a princess tea-party room in the store.

Ashlyn’s dad, local veterinarian Brody Tanner, is quickly smitten by the newest resident of his hometown. As a single parent, he sacrifices a lot in order to give Ashlyn the world, so a romantic entanglement with Maya is not a distraction he is looking for.

As the three develop a deepening bond in the seaside town where Maya experienced some of her happiest childhood memories, clouds cast a shadow over Maya’s hope for the future: an impossible deadline looms over her next novel, a long-held secret by her late mother about Maya’s absent father comes to light, and Brody’s resolve to avoid romance seems unbreakable.

But together, they just might discover that sometimes happy endings happen outside the pages of Maya’s novels too.

About The Author

Amy Clipston has been writing for as long as she can remember. Her fiction writing “career” began in elementary school when she and a close friend wrote and shared silly stories. She has a degree in communications from Virginia Wesleyan College and is a member of the Authors Guild, American Christian Fiction Writers, and Romance Writers of America. She is the author of the bestselling Kauffman Amish Bakery series with Zondervan, which is part of HarperCollins Christian Publishing. An advocate for organ and blood donation, Amy donated a kidney in 2011 at Johns Hopkins Hospital. Through her donation, her husband received a second kidney transplant. Amy and her husband matched another couple and swapped kidneys with them. Amy’s memoir, A Gift of Love, will be available in early 2014. She hopes her story inspires others to become organ and blood donors. Amy lives in North Carolina with her husband, two sons, mother, and four spoiled rotten cats. You can find her on the web at http://www.AmyClipston.com or on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/AmyClipstonBooks.

Which books have you read by this author? I’ve read all but the Lancaster Hotel series.

Thanks for stopping by. Have a wonderful weekend.

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A Sprinkle In Time (Shake Shop Mystery #2) by Dana Mentink Review

My Review

A Sprinkle In Time is the second book in the Shake Shop Mystery series, the first book is, Pint of No Return which I have read and loved as well as this one.
We are once again returning to Upper Sprocket this time for the Alpenfest. Tourist are flocking there but ice cream isn’t the only thing being served up when the new fall flavors are introduced. Would you like a side of murder with that?
Trinidad Jones has it all planned out she’ll serve up the perfect interview for her feature in Scoop magazine. She’s not counting on her pesky grandfather Papa Luis deciding Sprocket is his new home away from home and he’s going to show off his classic 1951 Buck and even worse become a taxi driver.
Could it possibly get any worse? Yes, there is a body discovered in the trunk that then disappears when the investigating starts.
There were twists and turns and a whole host of characters that had one reason or another to suspect they may have done it. I was kept engrossed as I tried to figure out who did it.
I am really enjoying this series and can’t wait to see what the author scoops up next.

Pub Date 24 May 2022
I was given a complimentary copy of this book.
All opinions expressed are my own.

GoodReads Synopsis

It’s Alpenfest in Upper Sprocket! Yodelers are congregating in the square, tourists flocking to the town, and Trinidad Jones is scooping up some fall flavors at her Shimmy and Shake Shop.

The cherry on the sundae is her upcoming feature in The Scoop magazine. She’s determined to serve up the perfect interview, but it won’t be easy, thanks in part to her meddling Cuban grandfather Papa Luis who has decided to make Sprocket his home for the foreseeable future. Papa Luis has set himself up as a taxi driver in his classic 1951 Buick.

But things take a turn when Papa Luis tells her he’s found a corpse in his trunk. Upon closer investigation, they realize the body has disappeared. With the assistance of Juliette and Bonnie (her sisterhood of exes) and the way too handsome nut farmer Quinn Logan, Trinidad must solve the mystery of the disappearing corpse, before her father is up to his neck in a murderous mess. 

Grab A Copy Here

About The Author

BornThe United States

Website

http://www.danamentink.com

Twitter

danamentink

Genre

Mystery & Thrillers, Christian, Romance

Influences

Jan Karon, Mitch Albom, L. Frank Baum

USA TODAY bestseller Dana Mentink enjoys writing in many different capacities. She currently writes for Harlequin’s Love Inspired Suspense and Poisoned Pen Press.

Dana is the recipient of a Romantic Times Reviewer’s Choice Award, two ACFW Carol Awards as well as a Holt Medallion.

Dana loves feedback from her readers. Contact her via her website at www.danamentink.com.

#sprinkleintime @poisonedpenpress @dana_mentink

Thank you for stopping by. Have a wonderful day!

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Boldwood Books Blog Tour for The Memory Keeper of Kyiv by Erin Litteken

Today I am happy to bring you my blog stop for The Memory Keeper of Kyiv by debut author Erin Litteken

In the 1930s, Stalin’s activists marched through the Soviet Union, espousing the greatness of collective farming. It was the first step in creating a man-made famine that, in Ukraine, stole almost 4 million lives. Inspired by the history the world forgot, and the Russian government denies, Erin Litteken reimagines their story.

In 1929, Katya is 16 years old, surrounded by family and in love with the boy next door. When Stalin’s activists arrive in her village, it’s just a few, a little pressure to join the collective. But soon neighbors disappear, those who speak out are never seen again and every new day is uncertain.

Resistance has a price, and as desperate hunger grips the countryside, survival seems more a dream than a possibility. But, even in the darkest times, love beckons.

Seventy years later, a young widow discovers her grandmother’s journal, one that will reveal the long-buried secrets of her family’s haunted past.

This is a story of the resilience of the human spirit, the love that sees us through our darkest hours and the true horror of what happened during the Holodomor.

May we never forget, lest history repeat itself. 

A share of proceeds will be donated to DEC’s Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal.

My Review

This book is absolutely incredible. If you enjoy reading dual time spans and learning from what you read may I suggest this to you?
The book is fictional though the subject matter is about past events taking place in Ukraine.
The story follows an Ukrainian family and their struggle for survival as the country is forced to go through Holodomor. I had never heard of this or learned about this in school . Holodomor is a forced starvation from 1932 to 1933 killing up to 5 million people. It was carried out by the Soviet Regime.
The characters in the present day story are linked to the characters in the past by a discovered journal telling of the hardships suffered in the past.
The thing really impressing me was the resilience and strength the characters show through adversity.
This is a very interesting book that shows strong courage and unwavering hope. We are assured there is light after the darkness.
Highly recommended!

Pub Date 16 May 2022
I was given a complimentary copy of this book.
All opinions expressed are my own.

Purchase Link – https://amzn.to/3MTkVBr

About The Author

Erin Litteken is a debut novelist with a degree in history and a passion for research. At a young age, she was enthralled by stories of her family’s harrowing experiences in Ukraine before, during and after World War II. Her first historical fiction title, drawing on those experiences, will be published by Boldwood in June 2022.  She lives in Illinois, USA with her husband and children.

Social Media Links –  

Twitter https://twitter.com/ErinLitteken

Instagram https://www.instagram.com/erinlitteken/

Bookbub profile: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/erin-litteken

#TheMemoryKeepersofKyiv #boldwoodbloggers @boldwoodbooks @ErinLitteken @rararesources @bookandtonic

Thank you for stopping by and have a wonderful day.

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The Amish Twins Next Door by Vannetta Chapman Book Review

This is such a heartwarming book I couldn’t help but enjoy it!

My Review

The Amish Twins Next Door is part of the Indiana Amish Brides series. It is a standalone, you do not need to read the others in this series first.
I have read so many books by this author and still am eager to read her latest books when they release.
They are so heartwarming and have me flipping the pages quickly.
Amish single mom Deborah Mast has twin boys seven years old. After a failed relationship she is determined to raise them alone. She doesn’t need a man in her life and is happy to raise them while living on her parents farm.
Things change when the farm next door is sold to Nicholas Stoltzfus, not used to being around children he at first is unsure of the twins and sees them as rambunctious rascals.
I enjoyed seeing the changes in the relationship between Deborah and Nicholas from enemies to friends and then to a sweet something more.
Nicholas is a good man once he gets to know Deborah and her children, wanting to include them in their relationship and showing them respect by wanting their approval for a relationship with their mother. A feel good inspirational book that’ll have you laughing at the twins antics and make you smile.

Published April 26th 2022 by Love Inspired.
I was given a complimentary copy of this book.
All opinions expressed are my own.

Grab A Copy Here

GoodReads Synopsis

Two little matchmakers could change everything…in this novel by USA TODAY bestselling author Vannetta Chapman.

Falling for a pretend suitor

could cause real complications… 

Amish single mom Deborah Mast is determined to raise her seven-year-old twin sons her way. But when neighbor Nicholas Stoltzfus takes the rambunctious boys on as apprentices on his farm, she’ll learn the value of his help with more than just the children. And when the two little matchmakers hatch a plan of their own, Deborah could also discover how to reopen her heart…

From Love Inspired: Uplifting stories of faith, forgiveness and hope.

Indiana Amish Brides

Book 1: A Widow’s Hope
Book 2: Amish Christmas Memories
Book 3: A Perfect Amish Match
Book 4: The Amish Christmas Matchmaker
Book 5: An Unlikely Amish Match
Book 6: The Amish Christmas Secret
Book 7: The Baby Next Door
Book 8: An Amish Baby for Christmas
Book 9: The Amish Twins Next Door 

About The Author

Vannetta Chapman is a USA Today and PW Bestselling author of over 30 books. She has written for Abingdon Press and Harvest House Publishers, and she currently writes for Harper Collins Christian Publishing and Harlequin/Love Inspired. She’s received numerous awards including the ACFW Carol Award for best mystery (Falling to Pieces), and she was a Christy Award finalist (Anna’s Healing). She recently signed a contract for an additional six books with Harlequin/Love Inspired.

Chapman has a BA and MA in English literature from the University of Texas at Arlington. She has taught for numerous writing groups and speaks around the country on writing, how to publish, and steps to finding an agent and landing a publishing contract. Chapman’s releases include Amish romance, cozy mystery, novellas, romantic suspense, and dystopian.

For more information, visit her at

webpage — http://www.VannettaChapman.com

blog — http://vannettachapman.com/blog/

facebook — http://www.facebook.com/VannettaChapmanBooks

pinterest — http://pinterest.com/vannettachapman

instagram — https://instagram.com/vannettachapman

twitter — https://twitter.com/VannettaChapman

Thank you for stopping by. Enjoy your day.

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The Best of Me (Blessings,Georgia #13) By Sharon Sala Book Review

Such a heartwarming,special book. I recommend it.

My Review

This is the perfect relaxation book to read in between books with heavier subjects.
You’ll be going through the whole range of emotions with this one including heartbreak,heartwarming,sweet,serious and more.
This one grabs your heart and won’t give it back. More than once I said to myself, WOW, did that just happen?
This book is filled with second chances as we follow along with several story lines which makes the book even more engrossing.
I really enjoyed reading about the sweet little girl and the choices that were made in her favor.
She calls her new guardians “Mr and Mrs. Ruby”,what could possibly be better? I so much enjoyed reading the maturity this little one showed and the character development as she settles in.
Life isn’t always easy for any of us but with people like this in your life it’s going to be okay.
Sweet southern contemporary romance that is one of the best feel good books I’ve read in a while.
This is the last book in this lovely series so I’m looking forward to seeing us what the author will entertain us with next.

Pub Date 26 Apr 2022
I was given a complimentary copy of this book.
All opinions expressed are my own.

GoodReads Synopsis

Take a trip to Blessings, Georgia, where bestselling author Sharon Sala welcomes you with a touching small-town romance:
An orphaned little girl who desperately needs a new home
A couple ready to welcome her with open arms
Friendly neighbors who are always there for each other
A Southern small town where great things happen to good people

Ruby Butterman and her husband, Peanut, cannot have children, but they’re given a second chance at a family when eight-year-old orphan Carlie is left in their care. It’s a challenge for Carlie to adapt to a new town, a new school, and a new family, and when she gets bullied at school, Ruby and Peanut discover how to step up as parents, and how to make a forever family for their beloved little girl.

Grab A Copy Here

About The Author

Sharon Sala has over 135 books and novellas in print, published in six different genres – Romance, Young Adult, Western, Fiction, and Women’s Fiction and Non-Fiction. First published in 1991, she’s an eight-time RITA finalist, winner of the Janet Dailey Award, five-time Career Achievement winner from RT Magazine, five time winner of the National Reader’s Choice Award, and five time winner of the Colorado Romance Writer’s Award of Excellence, winner of the Heart of Excellence Award, as well as winner of the Booksellers Best Award. In 2011 she was named RWA’s recipient of the Nora Roberts Lifetime Achievement Award. In 2017 Romance Writers of America presented her with the Centennial Award for recognition of her 100th published novel.

Her books are New York Times , USA Today, Publisher’s Weekly best-sellers. Writing changed her life, her world, and her fate.

For book list and up-dated blogs visit her on Facebook.

Which author’s books do you read when you want to relax?

Thank you for stopping by. Have a wonderful day!

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The Tobacco Wives by Adele Myers Book Review

I lived in North Carolina for a little while but it was not near the tobacco fields.

My Review

The tobacco industry rules in the 1940’s in Bright Leaf, North Carolina.
From the field workers to the women working in the tobacco manufacturing factories to the doctors recommending it even to expectant and new mothers to calm the nerves.
They all benefit financially from it. The tobacco wives are married to the big wigs in the tobacco industry, all smoke and are looked up to for their immaculate houses and gorgeous gowns made by a very talented seamstress.
Doctors and scientists are coming into knowledge of tobacco being detrimental to the health but deny any knowledge of the scientific findings.
What happens when they are called out on it though with concrete evidence backing up the failing health of residents and miscarriages linked with smoking?
Very eye opening and informative. Very well developed story by a debut author. I’ll be on the lookout for more from this author.

Pub Date 01 Mar 2022
I was given a complimentary copy of this book.
All opinions expressed are my own.

GoodReads Synopsis

For the audience of Fiona Davis and Lisa Wingate, a vibrant historical debut set in 1946 North Carolina following a young female seamstress who uncovers dangerous truths about the Big Tobacco empire ruling the American South.

“Myers brilliantly seduces us with her setting—a North Carolina town of beautiful socialites, opulent dresses, and elegant soirees—before revealing a terrible secret that threatens the entire community. This is a story of courage, of women willing to take a stand in the face of corporate greed, and most definitely a tale for our times.” —Fiona Davis, New York Times bestselling author of The Lions of Fifth Avenue

Maddie Sykes is a burgeoning seamstress who’s just arrived in Bright Leaf, North Carolina—the tobacco capital of the South—where her aunt has a thriving sewing business. After years of war rations and shortages, Bright Leaf is a prosperous wonderland in full technicolor bloom, and Maddie is dazzled by the bustle of the crisply uniformed female factory workers, the palatial homes, and, most of all, her aunt’s glossiest clientele: the wives of the powerful tobacco executives.

When a series of unexpected events thrusts Maddie into the role of lead dressmaker for the town’s most influential women, she scrambles to produce their ornate gowns for the biggest party of the season. But she soon learns that Bright Leaf isn’t quite the carefree paradise that it seems: A trail of misfortune follows many of the women, including substantial health problems. Although Maddie is quick to believe that this is a coincidence, she inadvertently uncovers evidence that suggests otherwise.

Maddie wants to report what she knows, but in a town where everyone depends on Big Tobacco to survive, she doesn’t know who she can trust—and fears that exposing the truth may destroy the lives of the proud, strong women with whom she has forged strong bonds.

Shedding light on the hidden history of women’s activism during the post-war period, at its heart, The Tobacco Wives is a deeply human, emotionally satisfying, and dramatic novel about the power of female connection and the importance of seeking truth. 

Tobacco barn in North Carolina field

About The Author

Adele Myers grew up in Asheville, North Carolina, and has a journalism degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She currently works in advertising and lives in Brooklyn, New York, with her husband, son, and their rescue dog, Chipper. The Tobacco Wives is her first novel. Learn more at http://www.adelemyersauthor.com

Thank you for stopping by. Have a wonderful day.

Does this sounds like a book you’d be interested in reading?

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The Letter from Briarton Park by Sarah E. Ladd (The Houses of Yorkshire,#1) Book Review

I don’t really read a lot of Regency romances but when I do this is one of my favorite go to authors.

My Review

When I read my first regency book years ago it was by Sarah Ladd, I was attracted by the beautiful cover of it and I haven’t stopped reading them.
The Letter from Briarton Park is very intriguing, I simply could not stop reading it.
Elements of swoon worthy romance,mystery and romance combine to make this a do not pass up historical.
Letters today are not nearly as popular as they once were but an all important letter is life changing in this story.
A letter leads Cassandra on a trip to make a lot of self discoveries about herself and her family once she arrives at her destination.
The author does regency right, making for such an exciting read with clear descriptions of the time period from fashion and the division of social classes to the brilliant decor and landscapes.
Intrigue,danger,mystery and the depths of romance will keep you captivated within the pages of this book.

Pub Date 01 Mar 2022
I was given a complimentary copy of this book.
All opinions expressed are my own.

GoodReads Synopsis

In Regency England, one letter will alter a young woman’s fate when it summons her to Briarton Park—an ancient place that holds the secrets of her past and the keys to her future.

Cassandra Hale grew up knowing little about her parentage, and she had made peace with the fact that she never would. But Cassandra’s world shifts when a shocking deathbed confession reveals a two-year-old letter from Mr. Clark, the master of Briarton Park, with hints to her family’s identity. Stung by betrayal, she travels to the village of Anston only to learn Mr. Clark has since passed away.

James Warrington is a widower and the new master of Briarton Park, where he lives with his two young daughters, his sister, and his mother-in-law. When Cassandra appears at his doorstep with a letter from the previous owner and then proceeds to assist his family in an unexpected way, he is honor bound to help uncover the answers she seeks.

The more time Cassandra spends in Anston, the more she begins to suspect not everything—or everyone—is as they seem. As details emerge, the danger surrounding her intensifies. Using wit and intuition, she must navigate the treacherous landscapes between truth and rumor and between loyalty and deception if she is to uncover the realities of her past and find the place her heart can finally call home.

Sarah Ladd’s latest Regency romance, first in the new Houses of Yorkshire series, combines mystery and intrigue with the best of historical storytelling.

About The Author

Sarah E. Ladd has always loved the Regency period — the clothes, the music, the literature and the art. A college trip to England and Scotland confirmed her interest in the time period and gave her idea of what life would’ve looked like in era. It wasn’t until 2010 that Ladd began writing seriously. Shortly after, Ladd released the first book in the Whispers on the Moors series. Book one of the series, The Heiress of Winterwood, was the recipient of the 2011 ACFW Genesis Award for historical romance.

Do you have a favorite go to regency author?

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The London House by Katherine Reay Book Review

Such an eye-catching cover and this is my first read by this author. It was every bit as good as I expected it to be.

My Review

The London House is all about uncovering secrets.
There are so many layers to uncover over time, bit by bit. Piece by piece.
Letters,documents,diaries and more official bits are found and poured through to solve a family mystery that has caused hurt,family separation and confusion for generations.
The rich character development makes for a fascinating story linking past with the present and a family that finds healing and understanding.
My first read by this author but won’t be my last.

Pub Date 02 Nov 2021
I was given a complimentary copy of this book.
All opinions expressed are my own.

GoodReads Synopsis

Uncovering a dark family secret sends one woman through the history of Britain’s World War II spy network and glamorous 1930s Paris to save her family’s reputation.

Caroline Payne thinks it’s just another day of work until she receives a call from Mat Hammond, an old college friend and historian. But pleasantries are cut short. Mat has uncovered a scandalous secret kept buried for decades: In World War II, Caroline’s British great-aunt betrayed family and country to marry her German lover.

Determined to find answers and save her family’s reputation, Caroline flies to her family’s ancestral home in London. She and Mat discover diaries and letters that reveal her grandmother and great-aunt were known as the “Waite sisters.” Popular and witty, they came of age during the interwar years, a time of peace and luxury filled with dances, jazz clubs, and romance. The buoyant tone of the correspondence soon yields to sadder revelations as the sisters grow apart, and one leaves home for the glittering fashion scene of Paris, despite rumblings of a coming world war.

Each letter brings more questions. Was Caroline’s great-aunt actually a traitor and Nazi collaborator, or is there a more complex truth buried in the past? Together, Caroline and Mat uncover stories of spies and secrets, love and heartbreak, and the events of one fateful evening in 1941 that changed everything.

In this rich historical novel from award-winning author Katherine Reay, a young woman is tasked with writing the next chapter of her family’s story. But Caroline must choose whether to embrace a love of her own and proceed with caution if her family’s decades-old wounds are to heal without tearing them even further apart.

Praise for The London House:

“Carefully researched, emotionally hewn, and written with a sure hand, The London House is a tantalizing tale of deeply held secrets, heartbreak, redemption, and the enduring way that family can both hurt and heal us. I enjoyed it thoroughly.” —Kristin Harmel, New York Times bestselling author of The Forest of Vanishing Stars and The Book of Lost Names

“An expertly researched and marvelously paced treatise on the many variants of courage and loyalty . . . Arresting historical fiction destined to thrill fans of Erica Roebuck and Pam Jenoff.” —Rachel McMillan author of The London Restoration and The Mozart Code


A stand-alone split-time novel
Partially epistolary: the historical storyline is told through letters and journals
Book length: approximately 102,000 words
Includes discussion questions for book clubs.

About The Author

Katherine Reay is a national bestselling and award-winning author of several novels and one work of nonfiction.

For her fiction, Katherine writes love letters to books, and her novels are saturated with what she calls the “world of books.” They are character driven stories that examine the past as a way to find one’s best way forward. In the words of The Bronte Plot’s Lucy Alling, Katherine writes of “that time when you don’t know where you’ll be, but you can’t stay as you are.”

Katherine holds a BA and MS from Northwestern University, and after several moves across the globe, lives outside Chicago.

Please visit Katherine on social media, on FB at Katherinereaybooks, Instagram @katherinereay, or visit her website at http://www.katherinereay.com

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