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The Girl from Bletchley Park: Heartbreaking and gripping WW2 historical fiction 

322 pages November 3,2021 publication date HQ Digital publisher

ABOUT THE BOOK

Will love lead her to a devastating choice?

1942. Three years into the war, Pam turns down her hard-won place at Oxford University to become a codebreaker at Bletchley Park. There, she meets two young men, both keen to impress her, and Pam finds herself falling hard for one of them. But as the country’s future becomes more uncertain by the day, a tragic turn of events casts doubt on her choice – and Pam’s loyalty is pushed to its limits…
 
Present day. Julia is struggling to juggle her career, two children and a husband increasingly jealous of her success. Her brother presents her with the perfect distraction: forgotten photos of their grandmother as a young woman at Bletchley Park. Why did her grandmother never speak of her time there? The search for answers leads Julia to an incredible tale of betrayal and bravery – one that inspires some huge decisions of her own…

Gripping historical fiction perfect for fans of The Girl from Berlin, The Rose Code and When We Were Brave.

Grab a copy here

Lots of information about Bletchley Park and the Codebreakers/WWII

MY THOUGHTS

What an excellent read. I’ve had this in my tbr pile for several years and I’m so glad I finally had a chance to get to it.

A beautiful time-slip historical fiction novel taking place in 1942, Bletchley Park and modern times. I know when I read a time-slip I usually connect with one of the time periods more but in this book, I’ve enjoyed reading both time periods equally.

A young married woman, Julia is frustrated. She has two young boys, an inattentive husband, jealous of her being the breadwinner in the family. He just doesn’t seem to have the time or interest in her anymore though she tries to hold it all together, cooking, cleaning, being super Mom, working and being there for her husband.

Her brother thinks he’ll help distract her and gives her forgotten photos of her grandmother during a family clean out after her death. Once she starts investigating, she finds out so much. Pamela, her grandmother has given up a fantastic schooling offer at Oxford University to become a codebreaker at Bletchley Park. Julia had no idea her grandmother had done this because she never once spoke of this.

The older generation kept secrets of this tragic time they were told to never talk about even to family members and their secrets died with them. While at Bletchley Park, two men vie for her attention, but she makes her choice and the other remains her friend. As Julia finds out more information from her grandmother’s best friends daughter things become clearer.

The secrets are slowly unwrapped like tissue paper, not too much is revealed at a time. Each story progresses in its time period, I could hardly put this down and read it in one day.

Some very surprising events happened to each woman, but these women are strong and have the support of family. They know what’s important is not themselves but their family. Heartbreaking but the light shines through with these women’s resilience.

Pub Date 03 Nov 2021 I was given a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions expressed are my own.

Frugal Wartime Recipes to See You Through Challenging Times!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Kathleen McGurl lives in Christchurch, UK, with her husband. She has two sons who have both now left home. She always wanted to write, and for many years was waiting until she had the time. Eventually she came to the bitter realisation that no one would pay her for a year off work to write a book, so she sat down and started to write one anyway. Since then she has published several novels with HQ and self-published another. She has also sold dozens of short stories to women’s magazines, and written three How To books for writers. After a long career in the IT industry she became a full time writer in 2019. When she’s not writing, she’s often out running, slowly.

Website: kathleenmcgurl.com

Twitter: @KathMcGurl

Have a wonderful weekend. Thanks for stopping in.

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Game Over at Guild Hall (A Vermont Country Living Mystery Book 3)

265 pages November 14, 2023 publication date Beyond the Page publisher

9 undeniable signs it’s Fall in Vermont

MY THOUGHTS

Well, a few weeks ago we traveled to the New England states and Vermont was one of the states we went to. The book takes place in Fall and has vivid descriptions of the rural countryside and colorful leaves, just what we saw on our trip. I was able to perfectly visualize it.


Game hunting is very popular this time of year in such a rural area of Vermont. In fact, it’s such a big deal the locals even have an annual wild game supper at Guild Hall. Then the long-time organizer and taste tester of the event drops dead. He is the one who determines who can participate next year if he like’s your food or not.

As the suspects pile up like the fallen leaves no one can be ruled out at this point. In this continuing series Stella finds the victim has made many enemies over the years by shunning hunter’s game offerings and volunteers at the dinner find themselves run ragged to cater to the overwhelming number of guests.

Well plotted this was a solid mystery that pointed in the direction of a lot of suspects and a surprise twist ending.

Pub Date 14 Nov 2023
I was given a complimentary copy of this book.
All opinions expressed are my own.

Grab a copy here.

THE AUTHOR

Author of the critically acclaimed Marjorie McClelland Mysteries, Amy Patricia Meade is a native of Long Island, NY where she cut her teeth on classic films and books featuring Nancy Drew and Encyclopedia Brown.

After stints as an Operations Manager for a document imaging company and a freelance technical writer, Amy left the bright lights of New York city and headed north to pursue her creative writing career amidst the idyllic beauty of Vermont’s Green Mountains.

Now residing in Bristol, England Amy spends her time writing mysteries with a humorous or historical bent. When not writing – which is rare these days – Amy enjoys traveling, testing out new recipes, classic films, and exploring her new home.

Amy is a member of Sisters in Crime and The Crime Writers Association.

Pumpkin Bread Recipe

Have a great weekend and thanks for stopping in.

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Blog Tour for THE ROYAL WINDSOR SECRET by Christine Wells

ABOUT THE BOOK

The Royal Windsor Secret
A Novel

Could she be the secret daughter of the Prince of Wales? In this dazzling novel by the author of
Sisters of the Resistance, a young woman seeks to discover the truth about her mysterious
past. Perfect for readers of Shana Abe, Bryn Turnbull, and Marie Benedict.
Cleo Davenport has heard the whispers: the murmured conversations that end abruptly the second
she walks into a room. Told she was an orphan, she knows the rumor—that her father is none other
than the Prince of Wales, heir to the British throne. And at her childhood home at Cairo’s Shepheard’s
Hotel, where royals, rulers, and the wealthy live, they even called her “The Princess.”
But her life is turned upside down when she turns seventeen. Sent to London under the chaperonage
of her very proper aunt, she’s told it’s time to learn manners and make her debut. But Cleo’s life can’t
be confined to a ballroom. She longs for independence and a career as a jewelry designer for Cartier,
but she cannot move forward until she finds out about her past.
Determined to unlock the truth, Cleo travels from London, back to Cairo, and then Paris, where her
investigations take a shocking turn into the world of the Parisian demi-monde, and a high-class
courtesan whose scandalous affair with the young Prince of Wales threatened to bring down the
British monarchy long before anyone had heard of Wallis Simpson.

MY THOUGHTS

I am a lover of historical fiction. I love reading it for what I can learn from it as much of it is written based on facts. I have learned so much about life in the past. The author makes the past come vividly alive for me as I read The Royal Windsor Secret. I could perfectly see the book being played out in my mind as it happened. Full of glamour and glitz and scandal. A young woman, known as “The Princess” growing up, told she was an orphan. She grew up in the Cairo’s Shepheard’s Hotel. She’s heard the whispers that end abruptly when she enters the room. A possible secret love child of the Prince of Wales heir to the throne, is it true what they say? The excitement of traveling to Cario, Paris & England, this willful young woman does it all. Diamonds, luxury, scandal, drama and that shocking surprise twist at the end. This book makes for a very intriguing read. I was given a complimentary copy of this book.
All opinions expressed are my own.

VISIT OTHER STOPS ON THE TOUR

THE AUTHOR

Christine Wells writes historical fiction
featuring strong, fascinating women. From
early childhood, she drank in her father’s
tales about the real kings and queens behind
popular nursery rhymes and she has been a
keen student of history ever since. She
began her first novel while working as a
corporate lawyer, and has gone on to write
about periods ranging from Georgian
England to post World War II France.
Christine is passionate about helping other
writers learn the craft and business of writing
fiction and enjoys mentoring and teaching
workshops whenever her schedule permits.
She loves dogs, running, the beach and
fossicking for antiques and lives with her
family in Brisbane, Australia

Grab a copy here

Have a beautiful day. Thanks for stopping in today.

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Blog Tour for Christmas Memories at Waterside Cottage by K.T.Dady

ABOUT THE BOOK

Christmas Memories at Waterside Cottage

Welcome to Pepper Bay, where you’ll find love, drama, and a happily ever after.

Snuggle down with this cosy, feel-good, comfort read that whisks you away to a beautiful bay on the Isle of Wight – Perfect for fans of Christie Barlow, Alison Sherlock, Rachael Lucas, and Holly Martin.

The Pepper Bay books are standalone stories that intertwine with recurring characters. Best enjoyed when read in order.

Christmas Memories at Waterside Cottage: Charlie and Grace have been together for four years, but when Grace wakes up in hospital after an accident, she doesn’t remember her husband at all. With Christmas just around the corner, and it being their favourite time of year, Charlie pulls out all the festive stops, hoping his wife will remember their relationship or at least fall in love with him all over again, because there is no way he can lose her.

MY THOUGHTS

I have read several books in the Pepper Bay series. They are not long books but believe me, you get a full story. The books are heartwarming and realistic with a little drama and a few things to work through in life.


No one’s idea of fun would be to wake up in a hospital with some of their memory gone, but this is exactly what happens to our main female character. Family is everything in this book. I love seeing the family comradery. She has several sisters and parents giving her support.

Now I just loved her husband’s character. He is incredibly supportive. She doesn’t remember being married to him and I wasn’t sure until very close to the end if she would want to stay with him as memories resurfaced, if she would fall in love with him anew or she wouldn’t feel comfortable staying with him.
I could understand if he would become frustrated or mad at her for her lack of memory but he’s so gentle and understanding, not rushing her and her feelings.


I loved the compassion shown to the donkeys at the Donkey Sanctuary. Animals make a story better and bring out the compassion in people.
This Christmas book is fun and festive and will put you in the holiday mood with its snowmen, holiday drinks and family time spent at a Christmas tree farm.


Warm and beautifully written I will now be catching up on the rest of the series.

I was given a complimentary copy of this book.
All opinions expressed are my own.

Visit other blogs on the tour

Purchase Links

Author Bio – Hello, I’m K.T. Dady. I’m the bestselling author of the Pepper Bay series. I’m also a chocolate lover, mum to a grown-up daughter, and a huge fan of a HEA. I was born and raised in the East End of London, and I’ve been happily writing stories since I was a little girl. When I’m not writing, I’m reading, baking cakes, or pottering around in my little garden in Essex, trying not to kill the flowers.

Social Media Links –

Welcome

https://www.instagram.com/kt_dady

https://www.facebook.com/ktdady

Have a wonderful day and thanks for stopping in.

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Getaway With Murder: The Mountain Lodge Mysteries

296 pages October 26, 2021publish date St. Martins Paperbacks

ABOUT THE BOOK

Getaway With Murder is the first in a cozy series from Diane Kelly set in a lodge in the Blue Ridge Mountains, where secrets hide behind every hill.

As if hitting the half-century mark wasn’t enough, Misty Murphy celebrated her landmark birthday by amicably ending her marriage and investing her settlement in a dilapidated mountain lodge at the top of the Blue Ridge Mountains. With the old inn teetering on both a bluff and bankruptcy, she must have lost her ever-loving mind.

Luckily, handyman Rocky Crowder has a knack for rehabbing virtual ruins and for doing it on a dime, and to Misty’s delight, the lodge is fully booked on opening night, every room filled with flexible folks who’d slipped into spandex and ascended the peak for a yoga retreat with plans to namastay for a full week. Misty and her guests are feeling zen—at least until the yoga instructor is found dead.

With a killer on the loose and the lodge’s reputation hanging in the balance, Misty must put her detective-skills to the test. Only one thing is as clear as a sunny mountain morning—she must solve the crime before the lodge ends up, once again, on the brink.

Blue Ridge Mountains North Carolina credit

MY THOUGHTS

After having just read A Trip with Trouble, the second book in the Mountain Lodge mystery series I was more than ready to read this one, the first in the series. Who says you have to read a series in order, right?

We once again find ourselves in the scenic Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina with middle aged Misty Murphy. She’s finally doing something for herself, she’s ended her marriage and bought a rundown lodge that’s slowly being repaired.

Excited that her first big group has come to stay at the lodge she’s doing all she can to make them comfy during their stay including having scrumptious meals brought in from the restaurant next door. The group staying is here for a whole week of relaxation on a yoga retreat. Sun salutations are part of their yoga and meditation but when the leader is unable to be found one bright and sunny morning to lead the class the others start to worry. When she is later found dead at the lodge, speculation starts to run rampant with no Zen moments here.

Could one of the yoga students have gotten tired of her bossy and stuck on herself behavior enough to kill her or was it a random outsider? As the clues start to collect, we see Misty working hard to get this solved along with the police, so her lodge won’t get a bad reputation.

What a great plot this is. I loved the characters and the setting. I am now on my way to read the last book in this series.

Pub Date 26 Oct 2021
I was given a complimentary copy of this book.
All opinions expressed are my own.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

A former tax advisor, Diane Kelly inadvertently worked with white-collar criminals. Not surprisingly, Diane decided self-employment would be a good idea. Her fingers hit the keyboard and thus began her Death and Taxes white-collar crime series. A graduate of her hometown’s Citizen Police Academy, Diane Kelly also writes the hilarious K-9 cop Paw Enforcement series, the Busted female motorcycle cop series, the House Flipper cozy mystery series, the Southern Homebrew moonshine series, and the Mountain Lodge Mysteries.

Be the first to receive book news and access exclusive content by signing up for Diane’s newsletter at https://www.dianekelly.com/newsletter/

Find Diane online at http://www.DianeKelly.com, her Author Diane Kelly page on Facebook, and on Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest, and TikTok at @dianekellybooks.

I wish you a wonderful weekend. Thanks for stopping in.

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Blog Tour-Chasing Dreams at Wagging Tails’ Dogs Home

ABOUT THE BOOK

Chasing Dreams At Wagging Tails Dog’s Home

After a difficult break-up, Poppy is keen to put the past behind her and what’s better than some relaxing time with her aunt in the picturesque Cornish village of West Par.

But life at her aunt Flora’s Dogs’ Home is anything but relaxing. When a poor little pup is stranded at the gates, Poppy takes them for a check up at the local vet, hoping against hope they’ll be fine.

And there she meets Mack: the vet who is so charming and experienced with the dogs, but selfish and – dare she say it – money-grabbing with his clients.

But underneath that cold exterior, she’s sure there’s more to the story. If only she could convince him to open up. Because without him, the future of Wagging Tails isn’t so assured…

MY THOUGHTS

After a bad breakup leaves Poppy wishing it was more on than off, she knows just the thing to do. She’ll help her aunt at the Wagging Tails Dogs Home her aunt runs and funds herself with very little financial outside help.

has been there before multiple times helping her aunt at her pet rescue but not recently. The Cornish village of West Par should be the perfect relaxation spot with the dogs and her aunt for Poppy, but it’s not.

When a new vet comes to the practice her aunt has used for many years and won’t give her the same discounts the old vet had it causes problems. When you’re running a dog rescue you need breaks, and lot of breaks. No one can do it on their own.

I really loved Poppy’s aunts’ character, she has a heart of gold for animals and people alike. She tries to hide her financial problems from Poppy but a new pup, one abandoned at the pet rescue needs multiple surgeries and care.

When her sweet aunt has an accident Poppy finds out how bad they are financially and becomes angry with the vet blaming him for not compromising with vet care and discounts. We see Poppy having a bit of a difficult time getting over her ex-boyfriend and carrying baggage. The vet is also hiding a secret that he is ashamed to have known. Very few people know his background and why he can’t offer discounts for pet service even though his veterinarian office is now thriving.

Will Poppy and the vet come to an agreement with vet service?


I absolutely loved this book and the series. So many charming elements in here. The characters are realistic and likable. The plot is well throughout out and I could picture what was happening in the book as I read it.

This book is a warm hug wrapped around me as I read.

I was given a complimentary copy of this book.
All opinions expressed are my own.

Purchase Link – https://mybook.to/chasingdoghomessocial

Visit other blogs on the tour

Author Bio –

Sarah Hope is the author of many successful romance novels, including the bestselling Cornish Bakery series.

Social Media Links –  

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HappinessHopeDreams

Twitter: https://twitter.com/SarahHope35 

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

Newsletter Sign Up: https://bit.ly/SarahHopeNews

Bookbub profile: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/sarah-hope

May your day be blessed. Thank you for stopping in.

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Mischief Nights Are Murder (A Poppy McAllister Mystery Book 8) Poppy McAllister discovers that gluten-free Halloweens can scare up another case of murder…….

Thank you for reading this post on my holidays and seasonal blog .

Mischief Nights Are Murder (A Poppy McAllister Mystery Book 8) Poppy McAllister discovers that gluten-free Halloweens can scare up another case of murder…….

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A Corpse at the Witching Hour: A Food Blogger Mystery …. ghosts, a fatal curse, and a decades-old family secret 

Thank you for reading this post on my other blog. Thank you.

A Corpse at the Witching Hour: A Food Blogger Mystery …. ghosts, a fatal curse, and a decades-old family secret 

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First Line Friday-on Saturday

FIRST LINE FRIDAY

I hope you don’t mind this being a day late. With traveling yesterday, I didn’t have a chance to do this one on time.

It’s time to grab the book nearest to you and leave a comment with the first line. First Line Friday is hosted by Reading is My Super Power.

Today I am featuring the first line(s) of………….

The Twelve Books of Christmas by Kate Carlisle

And the first line is………..

I stared out the wide kitchen window as a black stretch limousine pulled to a stop in front of our new second home in Dharma. Less than two minutes later, another limo arrived, and I had to take a few bracing breaths. “Have we done the right thing?”

ABOUT THE BOOK

The first ever Christmas mystery in the beloved New York Times bestselling Bibliophile Mystery series!

San Francisco book-restoration expert Brooklyn Wainwright and her hunky security-expert husband, Derek Stone, face a locked-room murder mystery during the holidays in Scotland.

In the middle of a wonderful Christmas holiday in Dharma, Brooklyn and Derek receive a frantic phone call from their dear friend Claire in Loch Ness, Scotland. The laird of the castle, Cameron MacKinnon, has just proposed to her! They plan to be married on New Year’s Day, and they want Derek and Brooklyn to be their witnesses. And while they’re visiting, Claire hopes that Brooklyn will be able to solve a little mystery that’s occurred in the castle library—twelve very rare, very important books have gone missing.

Once in Scotland, Brooklyn starts working on the mystery of the missing books but is soon distracted by all of the thumping and bumping noises she’s been hearing in the middle of the night. You’d think the Ghost of Christmas Past had taken up residence. But when one of the guests is poisoned and another is killed by an arrow through the heart, Brooklyn and Derek know this is not the work of any ghost. Now they must race to find a killer and a book thief before another murder occurs and their friends’ bright and happy future turns dark and deadly.

Thanks for stopping in today.

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Book Blogger Hop

Book Blogger Hop

Book Blogger Hop is hosted by Ramblings of A Coffee Addicted Writer . To participate just answer the question below

DO YOU HAVE A BOOKISH PHOBIA? Question by  Billy @ Coffee Addicted Writer)

My answer: I don’t like large print books, I really dislike when someone marks their place in a book by turning it upside down and leaving it open like in the picture above. I also dislike dropping my phone on my face while reading in bed on my kindle app. Happens every night as I’m falling asleep. Yes, the corner has gone in my eye a few times, but no damage done.