Vegan Book Blogger

The Sculptress Pub date 23 Feb 2021

by V.S. Alexander

Kengsington Books

There is so much going on in this historical novel it’s really hard to know where to start.
Young Emma Swan becomes a sculptress during WW1 in a male dominated field.
The author has written with an authenticity in all of his historical novels and continues the tradition with this one as well.
Emma is a character who is hard to get a handle on, she has relationships with men and she either doesn’t care about them or they don’t care about her. The one man she loved didn’t give her the love and respect she needed so she has soured on men.
Despite how much she has going for her I don’t think she is a truly happy person.
Emma settles into making masks for disfigured soldiers returning from war so they can have a somewhat normal life after the ravages of war.
There is so much betrayal taking place here, from a friend,from men,she herself doing it.
I enjoy reading about flawed characters but I want to see how they have spiritual and mental awareness and growth and it was not shown in this book.
There are also some hard to read about subjects here.
Overall I did enjoy the book.

Pub Date: 23 Feb 2021
I was given a complimentary copy of this book. Thank you.
All opinions expressed are my own.

GoodReads Summary

From acclaimed author V.S. Alexander comes an absorbing, immersive novel set during World War I, as a talented and ambitious artist finds an unusual calling.

May 1917 The elegant streets of Boston are thousands of miles away from the carnage of the Western Front. Yet even here, amid the clatter of horse-drawn carriages and automobiles, it is impossible to ignore the war raging across Europe. Emma Lewis Swan’s husband, Tom, has gone to France, eager to do his duty as a surgeon. Emma, a sculptress, has stayed behind, pursuing her art despite being dismissed by male critics. On the bustling sidewalk she spies a returned soldier. His brutally scarred face inspires first pity, and then something more–a determination to use her skill to make masks for disfigured soldiers.

Leaving Boston for France also means leaving behind Linton Bower, a fiery, gifted artist determined to win her. Emma’s union with Tom has been steady yet passionless, marred by guilt over a choice she made long ago. In Paris, she crafts intricate, lifelike masks to restore these wounded men to the world. But in the course of her new career she will encounter one man who compels her to confront the secret she’s never revealed, not even to Tom. Only by casting off the fa�ade she has worn for so long can she pursue a path through heartbreak and turmoil toward her own unexpected future. . . .

Praise for V.S. Alexander’s The Traitor

“Alexander brings his signature commitment to historical accuracy to The Traitor , immersing readers in the intrigue of the resistance. Fans of Anthony Doerr’s All the Light We Cannot See and Alex Rosenberg’s The Girl from Krakow will fall under the spell of this powerfully moving novel.”
— Booklist 

About The Author

Also see Michael Meeske

I’m happy to share my historical women’s fiction with you thanks to Kensington Publishing. My novels feature strong women protagonists whose lives take them on incredible journeys in settings fraught with danger and intrigue. Along the way, they learn about life, love, and themselves.

My writings include: The Magdalen Girls (2017), The Taster (2018), The Irishman’s Daughter (2019), The Traitor (2020), and The Sculptress (2021). Two more novels are scheduled for the coming years. I hope you enjoy reading my books as much as I enjoy writing them.

Thank you, and happy reading!

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Paperback, 368 pages

Published April 13th 2021 by Thomas Nelson

 Angela Jackson-Brown

Excellent,excellent Southern historical fiction.
The 1930’s is not an easy time for anyone but especially the colored folks in Parsons, Georgia.
It’s an unbearably hot summer and folks are just trying to make it through the best they can especially Opal Pruitt, a young black woman working as a housekeeper, coming of age during a very turbulent time.
She lives with her granny , a very religious woman who keeps her in line. I loved granny’s character the most . She is an incredibly strong willed and religious woman that everyone has a tremendous amount of respect for.
The book is so heartwarming yet heartbreaking at the same time.
The black family unit in this book is so strong, very protective of each other. Very religious.
Change is coming though, the Klan is moving in and these innocent people are right in their path though they’ve minded their own business and done nothing to provoke it.
It’s sad to see how many years have passed in time and how the unjust behavior continues to this day, and we call ourselves progressive?
Though this book takes place in the 1930’s these subjects are still relevant today.
It’s a haunting read with it’s tragedies but very realistic . When will we realize this behavior benefits no one and needs to change?
Excellent book I recommend to you!


Pub Date 13 Apr 2021
I was given a complimentary copy of this book. Thank you.
All opinions expressed are my own. 

GoodReads Summary

This summer has the potential to change everything.

The summer of 1936 in Parsons, Georgia, is unseasonably hot, and Opal Pruitt can sense a nameless storm coming. She hopes this foreboding feeling won’t overshadow her upcoming eighteenth birthday or the annual Founder’s Day celebration in just a few weeks. As hard as she works in the home of the widow Miss Peggy, Opal enjoys having something to look forward to.

But when the Ku Klux Klan descends on Opal’s neighborhood of Colored Town, the tight-knit community is shaken in every way. Parsons’s residents—both Black and white—are forced to acknowledge the unspoken codes of conduct in their post-Reconstruction era town. To complicate matters, Opal finds herself torn between two unexpected romantic interests, awakening many new emotions. She never thought that becoming a woman would bring with it such complicated decisions about what type of person she wants to be.

In When Stars Rain Down, Angela Jackson-Brown introduces us to a small Southern town grappling with haunting questions still relevant today—and to a young woman whose search for meaning resonates across the ages. 

About The Author

Born in Montgomery, AL, The United States
Website http://www.angelajacksonbrown.com
Twitteradjackson68
GenreFiction, Poetry
InfluencesMaya Angelou, Toni Morrison, Alice Walker

Angela Jackson-Brown is an award winning writer, poet and playwright who teaches Creative Writing and English at Ball State University in Muncie, IN. She is a graduate of Troy University, Auburn University and the Spalding low-residency MFA program in Creative Writing. She is the author of the novel Drinking From A Bitter Cup and has published in numerous literary journals. Angela’s play, Anna’s Wings, was selected in 2016 to be a part of the IndyFringe DivaFest and her play, Flossie Bailey Takes a Stand, was part of the Indiana Bicentennial Celebration at the Indiana Repertory Theatre. She also wrote and produced the play It Is Well and she was the co-playwright with Ashya Thomas on a play called Black Lives Matter (Too). In the spring of 2018, Angela co-wrote a musical with her colleague, Peter Davis, called Dear Bobby: The Musical, that was part of the 2018 OnyxFest in Indianapolis, IN. Her book of poetry called House Repairs was published by Negative Capability Press in the fall of 2018, and in the fall of 2019, she directed and produced a play she wrote called Still Singing Those Weary Blues. Her new novel, When Stars Rain Down, to be published by Thomas Nelson, an imprint of HarperCollins, is forthcoming in 2021. 

Thank you for stopping by. I hope your day is great!

Paperback, 256 pages

Published October 1st 2021 by Barbour Fiction

Liz Tolsma Author

Amazon Buy Link

Barbour has an amazing series of books out called Heroines of WW11, of which this is one.
These are brave women who risk it all for a very important cause during the time period of WW11.
The author writes with a passion for her work rarely seen now a days.
Immaculately researched we find a photojournalist who is bored with her assignments in London as she photographs mothers standing in ration lines. Wanting more and to make a difference she jumps at the chance to go to France.
We can feel the tension in the story as the Nazis are here and they are determined to wipe out every “insignificant person”.
Determined to get to the front line photojournalist, Nellie enlists Jean-Paul Breslau of the French underground but there are many detrimental happenings in the pathway including finding a sweet, hidden special needs child.
Nellie will do everything in her power including giving her life to keep the children safe from the advancing Nazis.
Absolutely amazing book. I have read many WW11 books but none quite like this. This story will stay with me!
I also enjoyed reading the author notes at the back of the book telling which part of the story was based on truth. Fascinating, I’ve learned a lot reading this book.

Pub Date 01 Oct 2021
I was given a complimentary copy of this book. Thank you.
All opinions expressed are my own.

GoodReads Summary

A Photojournalist Risks Her Life to Save a Very Special Child 
 
Full of intrigue, adventure, and romance, this series celebrates the unsung heroes—the heroines of WWII. 
 
Journalist Nellie Wilkerson has spent the bulk of the war in London, photographing mothers standing in milk lines—and she’s bored. She jumps at the chance to go to France, where the Allied forces recently landed. There she enlists Jean-Paul Breslau of the French underground to take her to the frontlines. On the journey, they stumble upon a great tragedy, leaving a girl with special needs being orphaned. 
 
Can Nellie and Jean-Paul see the child to a safe haven while being pursued by the Nazis, who are pressed by the advancing Allies and determined to destroy all they can before they flee? 

About The Author

Born January 11
Website http://www.liztolsma.com
Twitter LizTolsma

Liz Tolsma has lived in Wisconsin most of her life, and she now resides next to a farm field with her husband, their son, and their two daughters. All of their children have been adopted internationally and one has special needs. Her novella, Under His Wings, appeared in the New York Times bestselling collection, A Log Cabin Christmas. Her debut novel, Snow on the Tulips, released in August of 2013. Daisies Are Forever released in May 2014. When not busy putting words to paper, she enjoys reading, walking, working in her large perennial garden, kayaking, and camping with her family. Please visit her blog at www.liztolsma.blogspot.com and follow her on Facebook and Twitter (@LizTolsma). She is also a regular contributor to the Barn Door blog. 

Thank you for visiting today. I hope you enjoy your day.

Paperback, 368 pages

Published October 5th 2021 by Revell 

Regina Scott Author

I absolutely love the American Wonders series by Regina Scott. I have read all of them and I really hope there will be more to come.
The series is centered around amazing American sites set during a historical time period.
The way she describes these sites you can vividly see it in your mind and definitely feel as though you are there with the characters.
With each book I have read in this series I have learned a lot, this time it was about Mount Rainier National Park and the majestic climb to the summit.
This is an adventurous tale and I really enjoyed it.
There is an informational note from the author in the back of the book that I found interesting as well.
Do yourself a favor and read this whole series, it is great!


Pub Date 05 Oct 2021
I was given a complimentary copy of this book. Thank you.
All opinions expressed are my own. 

GoodReads Summary

Headstrong Coraline Baxter has worked all her life to be more than the spoiled socialite others expect. When her fellow suffragettes in Tacoma, Washington, suggest that she should climb to the top of Mount Rainier to prove that a woman can do anything, she instantly resolves to do it. And if she can climb Mount Rainier, her mother promises to stop pressuring her to get married to the wealthy Cash Kincaid. All Cora needs is a guide to get her to the top of the mountain.

Nathan Hardee may look like a mountain man, but he once ruled the halls of high society. He left all that behind after his father broke under financial pressure from Kincaid. To best Kincaid now, Nathan agrees to guide Cora up the mountain.

Climbing Rainier will require all of Cora’s strength and will lead her and Nathan to rediscover their faith in God and humanity. These two loners make unlikely partners in righting a wrong and may just discover that only together is the view most glorious. 

Amazon Buy Link Here

About The Author

Websitehttp://www.reginascott.com/

Regina Scott started writing novels in the third grade. Thankfully for literature as we know it, she didn’t actually sell her first novel until she had learned a bit more about writing. Since her first Regency romance was published in 1998, her stories have traveled the globe, with translations in many languages including Dutch, German, Italian, and Portuguese. She is now the author of more than 50 works of warm, witty historical romance.

She and her husband of 30 years reside in Washington State on the way to Mt. Rainier. Regina Scott has driven four in hand, learned to fence, sailed on a tall ship, and dressed as a Regency dandy, all in the name of research, of course. Sign up for her free alert service to hear when the next book will be out or on sale at https://subscribe.reginascott.com/. You can find her online blogging at www.nineteenteen.com. Learn more about her at www.reginascott.com and connect with her on Facebook at www.facebook.com/authorreginascott . 

Thank you for stopping by and have a wonderful day!

• 

My Review

I am not sure what I was expecting in this book but it wasn’t this. It is mysterious, with a Victorian era gothic feel to it. I really knew nothing about ballet before reading this now I feel enriched for having read it. You travel in a place while reading in where you are asking yourself if this is realistic or you are in a dream world. Very atmospheric the book has a dark gothic feel to it as though you know something is just around the corner waiting to happen. There are bits of it I just don’t understand, like the red ballet slippers. They are such an important connection ,then when they are stolen they are no longer important? The ending was surprising and a shake up. The book felt a bit like swimming in murky waters while reading it. Pub Date: 07 Sep 2021 I was given a complimentary copy of this book. Thank you. All opinions expressed are my own.

About The Book

All theater romances are tragedies. Ella Blythe knows this. Still, she cannot help but hope her own story may turn out different than most–and certainly different than the tragic story of the Ghost of Craven Street Theater. Yet as she struggles to maintain her tenuous place in the ever-shrinking ballet company, win the attentions of principal dancer Philippe, and avoid company flirt Jack, Ella cannot deny the uncanny feeling that her life is mirroring that of the dead ballerina.

Is she dancing ever closer to the edge of her own tragic end? Or will the secrets that are about to come to light offer release from the past?

Mystery and romance make the perfect dance partners in this evocative story from fan-favorite Joanna Davidson Politano.

Amazon Buy Link

The Author

Joanna Davidson Politano freelances for a small nonfiction publisher but spends much of her time spinning tales that capture the colorful, exquisite details in ordinary lives. Her manuscript for Lady Jayne Disappears was a finalist for several contests, including the 2016 Genesis Award from ACFW, and won the OCW Cascade Award and the Maggie Award for Excellence. She is always on the hunt for random acts of kindness, people willing to share their deepest secrets with a stranger, and hidden stashes of sweets. She lives with her husband and their two babies in a house in the woods near Lake Michigan and shares stories that move her at www.jdpstories.com.

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The Healing of Natalie Curtis by Jane Kirkpatrick

Paperback, 368 pages

Published September 7th 2021 by Fleming H. Revell Company

Amazon Buy Link Here

My Review

First of all this is one of the most beautiful covers I have seen in some time. It greatly reminds me of my time spent living in Yuma,Arizona.
What I love about this author’s work is she brings to the forefront people from history we may have never heard of or have been long forgotten.
This story is remarkable and based on the true story of Natalie Curtis.
This is a very intelligent woman, a woman who is classically trained singer and pianist . The joy goes out of her life though when she has a breakdown before she can fulfill a life’s dream.
Travelling with her brother seeking healing she discovers the Native Americans and their haunting melodies, rhythms, and stories.
As she realizes the unjust restrictions on these American indigenous people from singing, dancing, or speaking their own languages all in the name of assimilation.
She appeals to President Roosevelt, he is the only one with the authority to repeal this unjust law. Will he have the interest in this matter or just brush her off?
Fascinating subject matter!

Pub Date 07 Sep 2021
I was given a complimentary copy of this book. Thank you.
All opinions expressed are my own.

GoodReads Summary

Classically trained pianist and singer Natalie Curtis isolated herself for five years after a breakdown just before she was to debut with the New York Philharmonic. Guilt-ridden and songless, Natalie can’t seem to recapture the joy music once brought her. In 1902, her brother invites her to join him in the West to search for healing. What she finds are songs she’d never before encountered–the haunting melodies, rhythms, and stories of Native Americans.

But their music is under attack. The US government’s Code of Offenses prohibits American’s indigenous people from singing, dancing, or speaking their own languages as the powers that be insist on assimilation. Natalie makes it her mission not only to document these songs before they disappear but to appeal to President Teddy Roosevelt himself, who is the only man with the power to repeal the unjust law. Will she succeed and step into a new song . . . and a new future?

Award-winning author Jane Kirkpatrick weaves yet another lyrical tale based on a true story that will keep readers captivated to the very end.

About The Author

Website http://www.jkbooks.com
Genre Literature & Fiction


Kirkpatrick brings us a story of one woman’s restoration from personal grief to the meaning of community.” 

Thank you for visiting today. Have a wonderful day.

Under The Texas Mistletoe by Karen Witemeryer

Paperback, 320 pages Published August 31st 2021 by Bethany House Publishers

Amazon Buy Link Here

My Review

If you haven’t read your first Christmas book yet this year and even if you have may I recommend this book to you?
This book is a trio of Christmas historical romance novellas which equals so much fun!
Not only is this an author I always look forward to reading and absolutely LOVE her books, they are not to miss but this collection includes hope through devotion,the author’s special holiday recipes and fun facts sprinkled in about nineteenth-century Christmas celebrations.
I know you are an Archer fan, right?
In “An Archer Family Christmas” you’ll get to catch up with the Archer family in a story that once you start it you just won’t be able to stop until you’re done.
Those hunky Archer brothers are so swoon worthy and oh so protective of their women.
Every story in this collection is a true gem and sure to be a Christmas delight to add to your book collection.

Published August 31st 2021 by Bethany House Publishers
I was given a complimentary copy of this book. Thank you.
All opinions expressed are my own.

GoodReads Summary

Spend Christmas in Texas this year with these charming holiday novellas from bestselling historical romance author Karen Witemeyer, whose writing is spiced with her signature blend of humor, thrilling frontier action, and sweet romance.

In this 3-in-1 novella collection, Witemeyer presents the new story “A Texas Christmas Carol,” where a town’s wealthy, Scrooge-like bachelor finds his world invaded by a woman set on earning his donation for helping the local poor, and the penetrating questions of three mysterious visitors. It also includes, for the first time in print, “An Archer Family Christmas.” When the Archer clan gathers for the holiday, they encounter an unexpected request for help that will require all their effort and a Christmas miracle to see them through. In previously published “Gift of the Heart,” a widow uses the family brooch as collateral for a loan from the local resort owner. But the more she comes to know the man behind the stern businessman, the more she hopes for a second chance at love this Christmas.

About The Author

Born in The United States
Website http://www.karenwitemeyer.com/

For those who love to smile as they read, bestselling author Karen Witemeyer offers warmhearted historical romance with a flair for humor, feisty heroines, and swoon-worthy Texas heroes. A transplant from California, Karen came to Texas for college, met a cowboy disguised as a computer nerd, married him, and never left the state that had become home.

Winner of the National Reader’s Choice Award, HOLT Medallion, ACFW Carol Award, Inspirational Reader’s Choice Award, and a finalist for both the RITA and Christy Awards, Karen is a firm believer in the power of happy endings. . . and ice cream. She also loves to reward her readers. Every month she gives away two inspirational historical novels to someone from her newsletter list and offers substantial bonus content on her website. To learn more about Karen and her books, or to join her subscriber list, please visit www.karenwitemeyer.com.

Thank you for stopping by I hope you have a wonderful day!

The Heart of Splendid Lake

Amy Clipston Author

Paperback, 352 pages

Published September 14th 2021 by Thomas Nelson 

Amazon Buy Link Here

My Review

Let’s see a show of hands here, who wants to visit the small town of Splendid Lake, North Carolina and while there stay in the cabins while visiting Brianna Porter her mother and Scott?
Thought so.
Very charming and heartwarming story that brings to mind summer vacations at my grandparents cottage and swimming in the creek.
Sweet wholesome romance that deals with overcoming grief in a positive way.
The book has warmth,humor and left me feeling uplifted.
I can’t wait to see what this author will have for us next!

Pub Date 14 Sep 2021
I was given a complimentary copy of this book. Thank you.
All opinions expressed are my own.

GoodReads Summary

Bestselling author Amy Clipston transports readers to a picturesque lakeside town in this heartwarming contemporary romance.

Brianna is the youngest of the three Porter sisters and the only one who chose to stay in the small town of Splendid Lake, North Carolina. She followed in her father’s footsteps and became an expert boat mechanic, helping him run their small resort with cabin rentals, a convenience store, and a marina. 

When Brianna’s father unexpectedly dies, Brianna is steeped in grief and guilt—then left alone to clean up the mess. To make matters worse, a constant stream of real estate brokers begins marching through her property, offering to buy the family land. In particular, she keeps running into handsome real estate mogul Scott Gibson. 

As Brianna struggles to keep it all together, Scott finds his way into her heart. And as the two fight against their feelings, they just might find themselves forging a surprising and exciting new love at Splendid Lake.

About The Author

Websitehttp://www.amyclipston.com
TwitterAmyClipston

Hi, I’m Amy Clipston. I am an author of Amish and Christian fiction with HarperCollins Christian Publishing. Most of my books focus on the Amish community, faith, and love. I also write romance novels and young adult inspirational stories.

My books include:

Kauffman Amish Bakery Series
• A Gift of Grace (2009)
• A Promise of Hope (2010)
• A Place of Peace (2011)
• A Life of Joy (2012)
• A Season of Love (2012)

Hearts of Lancaster Grand Hotel Series
• A Hopeful Heart (2013)
• A Mother’s Secret (2014)
• A Dream of Home (2015)
• A Simple Prayer (2015)

The Amish Heirloom Series
• The Forgotten Recipe (2015)
• The Courtship Basket (2016)
• The Cherished Quilt (2017)
• The Beloved Hope Chest (2017)

The Amish Homestead Series
• A Place at our Table (2017)
• Room on the Porch Swing (2018)
• Seat by the Hearth (2018)
• A Welcome at Our Door (2019)

An Amish Marketplace
• The Bake Shop (2019)
• The Farm Stand (2020)
• The Coffee Corner (11/20)
• The Jam and Jelly Nook (5/21)

Amish Anthologies
• An Amish Kitchen – Spoonful of Love (2012) (Stand-alone story)
• An Amish Cradle – A Son for Always (2015) (This story complements A Mother’s Secret)
• An Amish Market – Love Birds (2016) (This story complements The Forgotten Recipe)
• An Amish Harvest – Love & Buggy Rides (2016) (This complements The Courtship Basket)
• An Amish Home –Home Sweet Home (2017) (Stand-alone story)
• An Amish Summer – Summer Storms (2017) (Stand-alone story)
• Amish Sweethearts (2018) –Complements The Kauffman Amish Bakery Series and also has a sequel to my story in An Amish Summer
• An Amish Heirloom (2018) – Complements A Place at our Table
• An Amish Homecoming (2018) – Complements A Place at our Table
• Seasons of an Amish Garden (2019) – Complements The Christmas Cat, novella included in An Amish Christmas Love
• An Amish Reunion (2019) – Complements Room on the Porch Swing
• An Amish Christmas Bakery (2019) (Stand-alone story)
• An Amish Singing (2021) (Collection of four stories by Amy Clipston)
• An Amish Christmas Wedding (2020)-Evergreen Love (Stand-alone story)
• An Amish Schoolroom (2021)
• An Amish Quilting Circle (2021)

Seasonal
• A Plain and Simple Christmas (2010)
• Naomi’s Gift (2011)
• Kauffman Amish Christmas Collection (2012)
• An Amish Christmas Gift – includes Naomi’s Gift (2015)
• An Amish Christmas Love –The Christmas Cat (2017)
• An Amish Christmas Bakery (2019)
• An Amish Christmas Wedding (2020)

Young Adult
• Roadside Assistance (2011)
• Reckless Heart (2012) (Kauffman Amish Bakery young adult book)
• Destination Unknown (2014)
• Miles from Nowhere (2015)

Non-Fiction
• A Gift of Love (2014)

Contemporary Romance (Non-Amish)
• The Heart of Splendid Lake (8/2021)

Visit me at www.facebook.com/AmyClipstonBooks,Twi… at @AmyClipston or www.AmyClipston.com

Thank you for stopping by and have a wonderful day.

 

A Most Clever Girl by Stephanie Marie Thornton

Paperback, 416 pages

Published September 14th 2021 by Berkley Books

Amazon Buy Link Here

My Review

When I want to read historical fiction which is often because it’s my go to reading genre I can always find a fabulous book to read.
This most engaging book is based on the incredible true story of Elizabeth Bentley, a Cold War double agent spying for the Russians and the United States.I have never heard of this woman but it’s so important to write books such as this so this time in history won’t be forgotten.
I was so fascinated with this book that I checked a nonfiction book out at the library today to further educate myself on the life of the “Clever Girl”.
This book had me completely engaged in this meticulously researched ultimately tragic tale of Cold War espionage.
This is a must read for all lovers of history!
Highly recommended!

Pub Date 14 Sep 2021
I was given a complimentary copy of this book. Thank you.
All opinions expressed are my own.

GoodReads Summary

A thrilling tale of love, loyalty, and espionage, based on the incredible true story of Elizabeth Bentley, a Cold War double agent spying for the Russians and the United States, from USA Today bestselling author Stephanie Marie Thornton.

1963: Reeling from the death of her mother and President Kennedy’s assassination, Catherine Gray shows up on Elizabeth Bentley’s doorstep demanding answers to the shocking mystery just uncovered about her family. What she doesn’t expect is for Bentley to ensnare her in her own story of becoming a controversial World War II spy and Cold War informer…

Recruited by the American Communist Party to spy on fascists at the outbreak of World War II, a young Bentley–code name Clever Girl–finds she has an unexpected gift for espionage. But after falling desperately in love with her handler, Jacob Golos, Elizabeth makes another unexpected discovery when she learns her lover is actually a Russian spy. Together, they will build the largest Soviet spy network in America and Elizabeth will become its uncrowned Red Spy Queen. However, once the war ends and the U.S. and U.S.S.R. become embroiled in the Cold War, it is Elizabeth who will dangerously clash with the NKVD, the brutal Soviet espionage agency.

As Catherine listens to Elizabeth’s harrowing tale, she empathizes with her, that is, until she uncovers startling revelations that link the two women’s lives in shocking ways. Faced with the idea that her entire existence is based on a lie, Catherine realizes there can be many sides to the truth. And only Elizabeth Bentley can tell her what that truth really is.

About The Author

Born in The United States
Website http://www.stephaniethorntonauthor.com
Twitter StephMThornton

Stephanie Marie Thornton is a writer and history teacher who has been obsessed with women from history since she was twelve. She is the author of seven novels and lives with her husband and daughter in Alaska.

Thank you for stopping by today.

Have you read any books by this author?

A View Across The Rooftops

Author Suzanne Kelman

Publish Date October 25,2019 by Bookouture

Paperback copy 396 pages

My Review

THIS BOOK!!!!!!
I can not believe I haven’t heard of this author before but now that I have I’ll sure be making up for lost time and reading her other books.
A View Across The Rooftops has touched my heart like so few can do.
This historical fiction starts out taking place in 1941 Nazi-occupied Amsterdam .
We meet our typical middle aged boring mathematics professor .
He leads a safe,quiet,unassuming life by himself after being widowed years ago. His students and lesson plans are all he needs.
Walking the same route daily past his neighbor lady Mrs. Epstein’s house home to his cat he realizes to his horror the Nazi’s have come for the Jews and suddenly Mrs. Epstein is dead.
Returning home another time he realizes something is different in his home and what he ends up doing for the next four or so years will completely change his life in ways he couldn’t even begin to imagine.
Unimaginable strength is shown by characters during an incredibly dark and harrowing time that many where unable to escape from with their life.
From the author, ” This story is incredibly close to my heart,and is inspired by a true story of a man who risked everything to save another,and by the courageous acts of the Dutch people.”
Incredible book!

Pub Date 25 Oct 2019
I was given a complimentary copy of this book. Thank you.
All opinions expressed are my own.

GoodReads Summary

Would you risk your life to save just one person?

An incredible story of love, hope and friendship, and a testament to humanity and courage in history’s darkest days.

1941, Nazi-occupied Amsterdam. Professor Josef Held has never recovered from the loss of his beloved wife – and has no intention of ever letting anyone new into his quiet, safe world. It is a world where the clock ticks steadily in his mathematics classroom, where every equation has a solution. Every day he walks the same route home, past his neighbour Mrs Epstein’s, to a home inhabited only by him and a cat he refuses to even name.

But then the Nazis come for the Jews – and Mrs Epstein is killed. And Josef, in an impulsive act of courage, offers his student Michael Blum a place to hide.

Michael is everything Josef is not: spontaneous, poetic, and unafraid to love. Even though his passionate relationship with a Dutch girl called Elke strictly is forbidden by the Nazis – for he is Jewish, and she is not.

Desperate to give Michael and Elke’s love a chance to survive, Josef gives Michael refuge in his attic: an act of bravery and resistance that will change both of their lives. But as the dark days of war continue, with danger and betrayal at every turn, no-one can be trusted, and no one is safe.

If Michael is going to get back to the woman he loves, it is down to Josef – to find the hero inside himself, and do whatever it takes to keep Michael alive.

A heartbreakingly beautiful story about love, trust, and courage against the odds, perfect for fans of The Tattooist of Auschwitz, Lilac Girls, and The Nightingale.

About The Author

Born in The United KingdomJanuary 08
Websitehttp://www.suzannekelmanauthor.com
Twittersuzkelman

InfluencesKate Morton, Rhys Bowen, Lucinda Riley, Susanna Kearsley, Hazel Gaynor

Suzanne Kelman is an Amazon international bestselling author in America, United Kingdom, Canada, and Australia and her books have sold over 250,000 copies worldwide and have been translated into six languages. Her WW2 historical fiction books “A View Across the Rooftops”, “When We Were Brave, and Under a Sky on Fire” are published by Bookouture – an imprint for Hachette U.K.

She is also the author of the bestselling book, “The Rejected Writers’ Book Club”, published by Lake Union, which is the first book in the Southlea Bay series. Other books in the series include, “Rejected Writers Take the Stage” and “The Rejected Writers’ Christmas Wedding”.

Kelman is an award-winning writer/screenwriter whose accolades include the Best Comedy Feature Screenplay Award from the L.A. International Film Festival, the Gold Award from the California Film Awards, and the Van Gogh Award from the Amsterdam Film Festival.

In 2015 her script, Held, was recognized by the Academy of Motion Pictures and was shortlisted to the top ten in the Academy Of Motion Pictures Nichols Fellowship competition.

As well as a screenwriter and a published author, Suzanne is also a playwright, and her award-winning comedy play, “Over My Dead Body”, had its World Premiere at Outcast Theatre in Washington, Fall 2019.

Born in the United Kingdom, Suzanne now resides in Washington State.

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