Alex Stanton just inherited a dukedom but his true passion is uncovering charlatans and frauds wherever he finds them. Spiritualist and medium Evangeline “Evie” Jones is the biggest fake of all and he’s determined to expose her lies for all of London to see. Her prim manner and ladylike airs don’t fool him. He sees the hunger beneath and recognizes a worthy opponent. He can’t deny the dark undercurrents of lust between them. Evie worked her way up from the gutter and she’s not about to abandon the life she’s built for fear of this aristocratic dilettante. She knows his type. She sees the attraction simmering beneath his animosity, and she knows how to use it to keep him off balance. They strike a bargain. He has one week to prove she’s a fake. If he fails, he has to abandon all further attempts. If he succeeds, she’ll not only retire but make a public statement explaining all her tricks. Neither expects to find anything in common, not to mention anything to love, in the other. Both are blindsided by the affinity and blossoming tenderness between them. But even if it were possible for a lowly charlatan to live happily ever after with a duke, more is going on than either suspects. Someone else has brought them together for a sinister purpose of his own.
Julia writes historical romance with passion, intrigue, dark humor and the occasional animal sidekick. A tea-sodden English woman, she’s the only girl in a house of boys and yearns for all things pink and fluffy. Before she began writing, she spent many years searching for something to do with her English Literature degree. Nothing satisfied her until she decided to commit the stories in her head to paper. These days, if she isn’t writing, she’s probably reading everything she can get her hands on, spending time with her boys or procrastinating on the internet.
Duke Darcy’s Castle: A Dare to Defy Novel (Book 3)
by Syrie James
Genre: Historical Romance, Victorian Romance
Publisher: Avon Impulse
Length: 384 pages
Formats: ebook, mass market paperback
Lance Granville, the Tenth Duke of Darcy, was none too happy to give up his career in the Royal Navy to inherit the family title, complete with an ancient castle he needs to renovate. When an architect arrives on his doorstep, Darcy is astonished to discover that she’s a woman. Kathryn Atherton has one goal: to become the first woman architect in Britain. Marriage doesn’t figure in her plans. Despite the odds, her schooling is behind her. Now she needs experience. When she’s sent to a small tidal island in Cornwall to remodel a castle, the last thing Kathryn wants is to be attracted to its roguishly handsome owner. Kathryn is determined to keep things professional, but the sizzling attraction between her and the duke quickly blazes out of control. When Darcy learns that Kathryn is an heiress whose fortune would save St. Gabriel’s Mount, he wages the most important battle of his life: to woo and win the woman who’s captured his heart. But (in an homage to Austen), the Duke’s first proposal is so Darcyesque, he is refused. In any case, duchesses can’t be architects. And Kathryn has worked too long and too hard to give up her career for anyone ….
The duke waved an idle hand. “Don’t give last night
another thought. Things may have gotten a little out of hand—”
“A little out of hand?” Kathryn repeated. “I cannot think
back on what . . . occurred without extreme mortification.”
“I take full blame for last night, Miss Atherton. Don’t
beat yourself up about it. These things happen.”
“Not to me, they don’t. I have never behaved in such a
manner in my entire life.”
“Which only proves that it was my fault. My behavior was
completely out of line. Forgive me.”
There was sincere apology in his eyes. It was gratifying
to know that he was willing to admit his own culpability in the affair. But
even so. “Thank you for your apology. I do forgive you. But I cannot forgive
myself.” She took a breath. Finding it hard to look at him, she continued, “The
truth is, to be honest . . . I don’t actually remember
everything that . . . happened.”
“Don’t you?”
“No.” Her cheeks flamed. “Things get foggy after the part
where I was . . . um . . . I
think . . . lying on the billiards table? I was
wondering . . . that is to say . . . Did we . . . ?”
“No,” he interjected, his tone and expression clearly
meant to be reassuring. “We most emphatically did not.”
“Oh thank goodness.” A relieved breath escaped Kathryn’s
chest.
“Nothing much happened after the point which you
described. I promise you.”
“So, did I . . .?”
“You fell asleep.”
“Oh.” Her face grew even hotter. “That must have
been . . . awkward.”
“I found it rather adorable actually.”
“Adorable?” Kathryn wished she could bury her head in a
very deep, dark hole and remain there for several weeks.
“You looked quite angelic, fast asleep.” His lips
twitched, but his eyes were kind.
“How did I . . . get to my room?”
“I carried you there. And put you to bed.”
“Oh,” she said again. The idea that he had brought her
upstairs in his arms while she was passed out cold, and then put her to bed and
covered her up, sent a little shiver down her spine. It was such an intimate
act she was almost sorry she had missed it.
There you go again. Instantly, Kathryn reprimanded herself
for having such a thought. What was wrong with her? She hardly recognized
herself.
“I was discreet,” the duke was saying. “No one else saw.
So, nothing to worry about there.”
“Again, thank you. I appreciate your candid account, and
that you took pains to keep this quiet. Nonetheless, I still feel that I must
leave.”
He paused, then let out a disgruntled breath. “Only
yesterday, you worked so hard to convince me to embark on renovations to St.
Gabriel’s Mount. Despite every obstacle I threw at you, you refused to back
down. I can only surmise that this project is important to you, Miss Atherton,
and possibly to your career. Am I right?”
A lost painting of Queen Victoria. A library bricked off from the world. Three women, separated by time, whose lives are irrevocably changed. When art historian Keira Foley is hired to authenticate a painting at a centuries-old East Suffolk manor, she hopes this is just the thing to get her career and life back on track. But from the time she arrives at Parham Hill Estate and begins working alongside rumored art thief Emory Scott, she’s left with far more questions than answers. Could this lost painting of Queen Victoria be a duplicate of the original Winterhalter masterpiece, and if so, who is the artist? As Keira begins to unravel the mystery behind the portrait of the queen, two women emerge from the estate’s forgotten past. In Victorian England, talented sketch artist Elizabeth Meade is engaged to Viscount Huxley, then owner of Parham Hill. While there, master portrait artist Franz Winterhalter takes her under his wing, but Elizabeth’s real motive for being at Parham Hill has nothing to do with art. She’s determined to avenge her father’s brutal murder—even if it means feigning an engagement to the very man she believes committed the crime. A century later, Amelia Woods—a WWII widow who has turned Parham Hill Estate and its beloved library into a boarding school for refugee children—receives military orders to house a troop of American pilots. She is determined that the children in her care remain untouched by the war, but it’s proving difficult with officers taking up every square inch of their world… and one in particular vying for a space in her long shut up heart. Set in three time periods—the rapid change of Victorian England, the peak of England’s home front tensions at the end of World War II, and modern day—The Painted Castle unfolds a story of heartache and hope and unlocks secrets lost for generations, just waiting to be found.
My Thoughts:
This is a heartwarming story entwining three different generations in three different time periods, and at the heart of each is the same special library and the mysterious portrait it holds. The portrait mystery is based on a real portrait of a young Queen Victoria painted by Franz Winterhalter, known as "the secret picture," featuring Victoria in a more informal pose for her husband, Prince Albert, and the mystery of who painted the copy of it and how it came to be walled away in a secret library drives the present-day story.
It's rare that I enjoy all of the story lines equally in a multi-stranded story. I usually find myself drawn more to the past, but in this case I was hooked on all three. Three women trying to pick up the pieces of their lives after tragedy and heartache, trying to find themselves and their place in changing worlds. I was so engrossed and so anxious to see how each story would play out that I did not want to put the book down. The suspense, the anticipation, the romance--all struck a perfect balance. And it was an emotional read on many levels. This is inspirational fiction, but that theme is very light. It's practically nonexistent in the two past story lines but it's surprisingly more relevant in the present-day story, and I thought that a nice twist.
I'm tempted to rate this five stars just on all the feels alone, but I can't overlook how rushed the resolutions of each story line felt. Endings can make or break a book. The ending certainly doesn't break this one, but after so much delicious buildup, I would have liked a little more time spent on wrapping up each story. Some things took place off the page and I questioned why the reader wasn't made privy to those plot points as they happened. And I still have some questions, particularly about Viscount Huxley. It's still a satisfying ending; I just wanted a little more insight and closure to make it perfect.
Famed and brilliant, Lady Alexandra Lane has always known how to look out for to herself. But nobody would ever expect that she has darkness in her past—one that she pays a blackmailer to keep buried. Now, with her family nearing bankruptcy, Alexandra strikes upon a solution: Get married to one of the empire’s most wealthy eligible bachelors. Even if he does have the reputation of a devil. LOVE TAKES NO PRISONERS Piers Gedrick Atherton, the Duke of Redmayne, is seeking revenge and the first step is securing a bride. Winning a lady’s hand is not so easy, however, for a man known as the Terror of Torcliff. Then, Alexandra enters his life like a bolt of lightning. When she proposes marriage, Piers knows that, like him, trouble haunts her footsteps. But her gentleness, sharp wit, independent nature, and incredible beauty awakens every fierce desire within him. He will do whatever it takes to keep her safe in his arms.
My Thoughts:
This story starts with an awful scene depicting what happened to our heroine, Alexandra, when she was eighteen. It's tough to get through, but it's necessary to understand what she deals with in the years that follow and why she behaves the way she does. We also find out she's being blackmailed over what happened all those years ago, and she's about to run out of the money she so desperately needs to keep her secret safe. So when she meets the scarred and brooding Piers Atherton, the Terror of Torcliff, who is in need of a wife to beget an heir so his nasty cousin doesn't inherit the dukedom, she makes a rash proposal of convenience. Piers readily accepts, but for him this marriage will be very real. He's already half in love with the beguiling, bookish beauty who attempts to hide herself from society's prying eyes.
Alexandra is frightened by her attraction to Piers. Understandably afraid of sexual intimacy, she presents him with a list of rules for their time together in the bedroom. Piers is puzzled by her reactions, but he's determined to prove his skittish wife can trust him, though as time goes on he grows frustrated that she won't open up to him. But they soon have bigger problems as a series of mysterious "accidents" that nearly get one or both of them killed on their honeymoon leads Piers to believe that someone is determined to stop him from siring an heir, while Alexandra thinks her blackmailer has grown bolder and is prepared to resort to murder. As the chasm of mistrust between them deepens, the danger around them intensifies. When Alexandra's secret is revealed, can Piers finally prove to her that she can trust him? Or will the villain determined to destroy them put an end to their happily ever after before it even starts?
The bravest of heroes. The brashest of rebels. The boldest of lovers. These are the men who risk their hearts and their souls—for the passionate women who dare to love them… He is known only as The Rook. A man with no name, no past, no memories. He awakens in a mass grave, a magnificent dragon tattoo on his muscled forearm the sole clue to his mysterious origins. His only hope for survival—and salvation—lies in the deep, fiery eyes of the beautiful stranger who finds him. Who nurses him back to health. And who calms the restless demons in his soul… A LEGENDARY LOVE Lorelei will never forget the night she rescued the broken dark angel in the woods, a devilishly handsome man who haunts her dreams to this day. Crippled as a child, she devoted herself to healing the poor tortured man. And when he left, he took a piece of her heart with him. Now, after all these years, The Rook has returned. Like a phantom, he sweeps back into her life and avenges those who wronged her. But can she trust a man who’s been branded a rebel, a thief, and a killer? And can she trust herself to resist him when he takes her in his arms?
My Thoughts:
This book had a really strong start that perfectly introduced two damaged characters that seemed made for one another. Completely opposite in so many ways, but exactly what the other needed. I loved the dynamics between them in the beginning, the crippled girl and the beaten boy--there's is a love story you root for from their very first interaction. But then they were separated for a number of years and the long-awaited reunion was not what I was hoping for. Ash was cruel, Lorelai was hurt, and that aspect just seemed unnecessary. It took a long time for Ash to treat her the way she deserved to be treated. Then we get some adventure and suspense and big revelations that probably would have had more meaning if I'd read the previous books since a few of those characters make an appearance toward the end. Certainly not a bad read, and of course there's a happy ending, but it did not live up to the excellence of the first few chapters.
My Rating: 3 Stars out of 5 Please Note: This review references an advance digital copy received from the publisher via NetGalley, and therefore the final published copy may differ. Though I received this book from the publisher, my review is voluntary and these are my honest and unbiased thoughts. I was not compensated in any other way for reviewing this book.
Please join me in welcoming the fabulous Christine Trent to Let Them Read Books! Christine is touring the blogosphere to celebrate the release of the second book in her Florence Nightingale mystery series, A Murderous Malady, and I recently had the chance to ask her a few questions about crafting a mystery series around this pioneering historical figure!
For fans of Charles Todd and Deanna Raybourn comes Christine Trent’s second Florence Nightingale mystery. Cholera has broken out in London, but Florence Nightingale has bigger problems when people begin dying of a far more intentional cause—murder. The London summer of 1854 is drawing to a close when a deadly outbreak of cholera grips the city. Florence Nightingale is back on the scene marshaling her nurses to help treat countless suffering patients at Middlesex Hospital as the disease tears through the Soho slums. But beyond the dangers of the disease, something even more evil is seeping through the ailing streets of London. It begins with an attack on the carriage of Florence’s friend, Elizabeth Herbert, wife to Secretary at War Sidney Herbert. Florence survives, but her coachman does not. Within hours, Sidney’s valet stumbles into the hospital, mutters a few cryptic words about the attack, and promptly dies from cholera. Frantic that an assassin is stalking his wife, Sidney enlists Florence’s help, who accepts but has little to go on save for the valet’s last words and a curious set of dice in his jacket pocket. Soon, the suspects are piling up faster than cholera victims, as there seems to be no end to the number of people who bear a grudge against the Herbert household. Now, Florence is in a race against time—not only to save the victims of a lethal disease, but to foil a murderer with a disturbingly sinister goal—in A Murderous Malady.
Hi Christine! Thank you so much for visiting today! What inspired you to make Florence Nightingale the protagonist of a mystery series?
Three factors came together as the inspiration for this series: my agent, my mother, and my local hospital.
I was in the middle of my Lady of Ashes mystery series about a Victorian undertaker when my agent asked me to think about a new mystery series, something still Victorian but a different take on the era.
My mother had been a nurse for many years and even into retirement had held on to her nursing license. She was very proud of having earned it. It occurred to me that Florence Nightingale was a Victorian figure, and it would have been homage to my mother to write about the great nursing reformer.
My mother was also chronically ill and spent a lot of time at our local hospital’s infusion center getting blood transfusions. I noticed that the center’s director had a framed photograph of Florence on the wall of her office.
That sealed the deal. I knew it was meant to be that I would write about Florence Nightingale.
My mother was very excited about the idea, as was the infusion center director. My agent loved it and who got right to work on it. Unfortunately, mom died before my agent sold the series to my wonderful editor at Crooked Lane Books.
I like to think that mom would have been very proud to hold this book in her hand.
What kind of research did you do to bring the details of medical care during this time period to life?
I am fortunate that I have had several opportunities to travel to England, and twice I have made visits to the Old Operating Theatre in London—a wealth of information about medicine of the time.
The Operating Theatre (operating or emergency room) is found in the roof space of an English Baroque Church and it is quite a climb to get up there. At first glance this placement seems bizarre. It makes more sense when it is realized that the wards of the South Wing of St. Thomas' Hospital were built around St. Thomas' Church.
A post-mortem photographer unearths dark secrets of the past that may hold the key to his future, in this captivating debut novel in the gothic tradition of Wuthering Heights and The Thirteenth Tale.
All love stories are ghost stories in disguise. When famed Byronesque poet Hugh de Bonne is discovered dead of a heart attack in his bath one morning, his cousin Robert Highstead, a historian turned post-mortem photographer, is charged with a simple task: transport Hugh’s remains for burial in a chapel. This chapel, a stained glass folly set on the moors of Shropshire, was built by de Bonne sixteen years earlier to house the remains of his beloved wife and muse, Ada. Since then, the chapel has been locked and abandoned, a pilgrimage site for the rabid fans of de Bonne’s last book, The Lost History of Dreams. However, Ada’s grief-stricken niece refuses to open the glass chapel for Robert unless he agrees to her bargain: before he can lay Hugh to rest, Robert must record Isabelle’s story of Ada and Hugh’s ill-fated marriage over the course of five nights. As the mystery of Ada and Hugh’s relationship unfolds, so does the secret behind Robert’s own marriage—including that of his fragile wife, Sida, who has not been the same since the tragic accident three years ago, and the origins of his own morbid profession that has him seeing things he shouldn’t—things from beyond the grave. Kris Waldherr effortlessly spins a sweeping and atmospheric gothic mystery about love and loss that blurs the line between the past and the present, truth and fiction, and ultimately, life and death.
"Wuthering Heights meets Penny Dreadful in Kris Waldherr's The Lost History of Dreams, a dark Victorian epic of obsessive love, thwarted genius, and ghostly visitations….Eerily atmospheric and gorgeously written, The Lost History of Dreams is a Gothic fairy-tale to savor." --Kate Quinn, author of The Alice Network and The Huntress
Miss Eleanor Sheffield is a talented evaluator of antiquities, trained to know the difference between a genuine artifact and a fraud. But with her father’s passing and her uncle’s decline into dementia, the family business is at risk. In the Victorian era, unmarried Eleanor cannot run Sheffield Brothers alone. The death of a longtime client, Baron Lydney, offers an unexpected complication when Eleanor is appointed the temporary trustee of the baron’s legendary collection. She must choose whether to donate the priceless treasures to a museum or allow them to pass to the baron’s only living son, Harry—the man who broke Eleanor’s heart. Eleanor distrusts the baron’s motives and her own ability to be unbiased regarding Harry’s future. Harry claims to still love her and Eleanor yearns to believe him, but his mysterious comments and actions fuel her doubts. When she learns an Italian beauty accompanied him on his return to England, her lingering hope for a future with Harry dims. With the threat of debtor’s prison closing in, Eleanor knows that donating the baron’s collection would win her favor among potential clients, saving Sheffield Brothers. But the more time she spends with Harry, the more her faith in him grows. Might Harry be worthy of his inheritance, and her heart, after all? As pressures mount and time runs out, Eleanor must decide whom she can trust—who in her life is false or true, brass or gold—and what is meant to be treasured.
"Sandra Byrd’s amazing cast of characters and Victorian settings pull the reader right into the story. I became happily lost in this compelling, lovely book." -Karen Harper, NYT bestselling author of The Royal Nanny
"Lady of a Thousand Treasures delivers mystery, romance, and suspense in a well-researched Victorian setting." -Julie Klassen, bestselling author
"I’m always swept away by a Sandra Byrd novel, and Lady of a Thousand Treasures will be long remembered as one of Sandra’s best." -Jane Kirkpatrick, NYT bestselling author of All She Left Behind
"Sandra Byrd is the rare writer whose evocative, prose grabs hold and doesn’t let go. The Victorian Ladies Series is off to a stunning start!" -Laura Frantz, author of The Lacemaker
"With stunning characters and impeccable research, Sandra Byrd has woven together an exquisite treasure hunt with an ending that will leave you breathless." -Melanie Dobson, award-winning author of Catching the Wind
"Sandra Byrd’s writing is an absolute piece of art! If I had to sum up this story all in one word, it would be satisfying." -Michelle Griep, award-winning author of the Once Upon a Dickens Christmas series
About the Author:
Bestselling author Sandra Byrd has published more than fifty books over her editing and writing career. Her traditionally published books include titles by Tyndale House Publishers, Howard Books, a division of Simon and Schuster, WaterBrook Press, a Penguin Random House imprint, and Bethany House. She’s also an independent author.
Sandra’s series of historically sound Gothic romances launched with the best-selling Mist of Midnight, which earned a coveted Editor’s Choice award from the Historical Novel Society. The second book, Bride of a Distant Isle, has been selected by Romantic Times as a Top Pick. The third in the series, A Lady in Disguise, published in 2017 and was named by the American Library Association’s Booklist as one of the Top Ten Inspirational Fiction books of the year.
Her contemporary adult fiction debut, Let Them Eat Cake, which was a Christy Award finalist, as was her first historical novel, To Die For: A Novel of Anne Boleyn. To Die For was also named a Library Journal Best Books Pick for 2011, and The Secret Keeper: A Novel of Kateryn Parr was named a Library Journal Best Books Pick for 2012.
An impossible heist. A thief and a rogue. But will she steal his heart, instead? The Company of Rogues finally knows the identity of the mastermind behind a plot against the queen—but their enemy is still one step ahead of them. When he kidnaps one of theirs, the Rogues plan a daring rescue mission that will lead them into the heart of the bloodthirsty Crimson Court. It’s a job for a master thief, and there’s nothing Charlie Todd likes more than a challenge. To pull off the impossible, Charlie needs a crew, including the only thief who’s ever been able to outfox him. He broke her heart. But now she must risk it all to save his life… Lark’s spent years trying to forget her past, but the one thing she can’t ignore is the way a single smile from Charlie still sets her heart on fire. When he proposes they work together again, it feels just like old times, but she has one rule: this is strictly business. It’s Charlie’s last chance to prove he can be trusted with her heart. But Lark’s keeping a deadly secret. And as passions are stirred and the stakes mount, it might be the kind of secret that could destroy them all… Ocean’s 11 meets Dracula, in this sexy paranormal heist by USA Today Bestselling Author, Bec McMaster. If you like sexy paranormal romances, steampunk shenanigans, and plenty of action-adventure (vampires, dirigible flights, and steamy rooftop chases), then dive into this thrilling heist with Charlie and Lark.
My Thoughts:
So . . . that happened! I've been waiting for Charlie and Lark's story for years--YEARS! And it did not disappoint.
It's hard to review books in a series without spoiling the experience for new readers, and this is a series that you need to start from the beginning. It's one of my favorite things about Bec McMasters' series. Each book focuses on a particular couple, but there is a larger story arc running throughout all of the books, and many of the characters from previous books play integral roles. So if you don't start at the beginning, you don't get the full experience. And they're so good. Seriously, go get Kiss of Steel and binge away.
So in the interest of avoiding spoilers, I'll keep this short and sweet. Charlie and Lark both featured prominently as teenagers in the London Steampunk series as blue bloods, verwulfen, mechs, and humans teamed up to topple the Prince Consort's abusive reign of terror. They succeeded, but that doesn't mean everybody is happy with the new world order, and this spin-off series follows the Company of Rogues as they seek to destroy a shadowy enemy determined to wreak havoc on the tenuous peace that followed the revolution. In the previous book, You Only Love Twice, the identity of that villain was finally revealed, and the Duke of Malloryn, leader of the Company of Rogues, was kidnapped. Now the Rogues are heading to the Crimson Court in Russia to get him back.
Charlie and Lark have a complicated history, but when Charlie asks for Lark's help on the mission, she can't say no. As the pair work together to find the duke, they are reminded of how close they used to be but also of the tragedy that tore them apart. And they're both a little older and can't help but notice the changes in each other. Charlie is clear from the start that he misses his best friend and that he now believes they are destined to be more than friends, but Lark is holding back. She's hiding a big secret, and, unbeknownst to the rest of the Rogues, Russia is the most dangerous place for her to be. But Charlie needs her, and she's not going to let him get hurt, nor is he going to let her push him away this time. And as the Rogues are drawn into one trap after another, every day lessening their chance of finding the duke and getting out alive, Lark will have to decide how much she's willing to risk to save the man she loves.
Please join me in welcoming Jane Steen to Let Them Read Books! Jane is touring the blogosphere with her new release, Lady Helena Investigates, the first in a brand new series featuring an aristocratic widow turned sleuth in Victorian England. I was honored to offer Jane some editorial assistance, and I recently had the chance to ask her a few questions about starting a new series and the challenges in keeping a series fresh and engaging. Read on and enter to win an ecopy of Lady Helena Investigates!
A reluctant lady sleuth finds she’s investigating her own family. Step into Lady Helena Whitcombe’s world with the first novel in a series that will blend family saga and mystery-driven action with a slow-burn romance in seven unputdownable investigations. 1881, Sussex. Lady Helena Scott-De Quincy’s marriage to Sir Justin Whitcombe, three years before, gave new purpose to a life almost destroyed by the death of Lady Helena’s first love. After all, shouldn’t the preoccupations of a wife and hostess be sufficient to fulfill any aristocratic female’s dreams? Such a shame their union wasn’t blessed by children . . . but Lady Helena is content with her quiet country life until Sir Justin is found dead in the river overlooked by their grand baroque mansion. The intrusion of attractive, mysterious French physician Armand Fortier, with his meddling theory of murder, into Lady Helena’s first weeks of mourning is bad enough. But with her initial ineffective efforts at investigation and her attempts to revive her long-abandoned interest in herbalism comes the realization that she may have been mistaken about her own family’s past. Every family has its secrets—but as this absorbing series will reveal, the Scott-De Quincy family has more than most. Can Lady Helena survive bereavement the second time around? Can she stand up to her six siblings’ assumption of the right to control her new life as a widow? And what role will Fortier—who, as a physician, is a most unsuitable companion for an earl’s daughter—play in her investigations?
Lady Helena Investigates marks the beginning of a new series for you. Can you tell us who or what inspired the character of Lady Helena?
Lady Helena grew out of my enjoyment of lady sleuth stories and several weeks watching the whole of Downton Abbey with my husband. I realized that to cross-fertilize the lady sleuth mystery sub-genre with a saga about an aristocratic family would be tremendous fun, and was further inspired by the area I live in to imagine her living in a grand house high on a hill with a view of the sea, overlooking two small towns that had fallen away from their former glory. I was excited about tackling a story with a large cast, and when I realized that Helena would end up investigating her own family, I just had to write that series.
Can you talk about some of the challenges and rewards of writing a series?
I think that to be a happy series writer, you need to be a series reader. I’ve always loved story arcs that span several books, especially the romantic elements—why hurry the romance? And a series gives you a chance to really grow the characters over time, confronting them with multiple shocks and conflicts that would seem ridiculous if you tried to squeeze them into one book. One of the hardest challenges is not becoming impatient—you have to reveal the story slowly, even if some of your readers get frustrated with your characters at first. If you make the characters too perfect to begin with, you’ve got nowhere to go with them; I’ve seen this happen in quite a few series where the main character ends up practically superhuman by the last book because the writer had to keep upping the ante. Setting the scene for future books is one of the more enjoyable aspects of writing the first book in the series; I plant little clues and signposts that readers might not consciously pick up on, but that make future developments more plausible and natural. And you need to be aware that your readers don’t know where the series is going at first, so every series needs time to grow its audience and that doesn’t happen fast.
Victorian class lines are crossed when cook Kat Holloway is drawn into a murder that reaches all the way to the throne. Highly sought-after young cook Kat Holloway takes a position in a Mayfair mansion and soon finds herself immersed in the odd household of Lord Rankin. Kat is unbothered by the family’s eccentricities as long as they stay away from her kitchen, but trouble finds its way below stairs when her young Irish assistant is murdered. Intent on discovering who killed the helpless kitchen maid, Kat turns to the ever-capable Daniel McAdam, who is certainly much more than the charming delivery man he pretends to be. Along with the assistance of Lord Rankin’s unconventional sister-in-law and a mathematical genius, Kat and Daniel discover that the household murder was the barest tip of a plot rife with danger and treason—one that’s a threat to Queen Victoria herself.
My Thoughts:
Given the popularity of contemporary food-themed mystery series, it's about time someone brought that trend to historical fiction. As a big fan of Jennifer Ashley's MacKenzie & McBrides historical romance series, I had high hopes for Death Below Stairs, and I was not disappointed!
I do recommend you begin with the novella that kicks this series off, A Soupcon of Poison. Originally written as a stand-alone for a historical mystery anthology, it perfectly introduces our heroine, London chef Kat Holloway, and her love interest, the mysterious and charming Daniel McAdam. Though the mystery is rather mediocre, this novella does an excellent job at establishing Kat's history and the romantic tension and definitely enhances the undercurrents in Death Below Stairs.
Kat Holloway may be new to Lord Rankin's staff, but she is the queen of her kitchen and all who enter it, and when her pretty, young assistant is taken advantage of, Kat vows to prevent it from happening again. But before she has the chance, her assistant is found dead. Saddened at the senseless loss of life and naturally curious by nature, with a noble conscience and a can-do attitude, Kat is immediately drawn into the mystery and determines to do all she can to help find the killer. Alongside Daniel, she finds help in unexpected places and eventually becomes part of a mystery-solving crew, discovering that the murder of a housemaid was just the tip of the iceberg in a far-reaching plot to commit the ultimate act of revolution. A dangerous journey ensues and ends in a heart-pounding climactic scene. There's a hearty dose of history, including Irish terrorism and engineering disasters, and also a very emotional subplot involving Kat's young daughter. Kat's position allows us a wonderful glimpse into a Victorian kitchen and the hierarchy of servants and the lower societal classes, and that really sets this series apart.
We are excited to celebrate the release of four brand new, scintillating historical romances from Entangled Publishing! Read on for all of the details and a little sneak peek teaser from titles by Liana De la Rosa, Tamara Gill, Robyn DeHart, and Lily Maxton!
About TO LOVE A SCANDALOUS DUKE:
Driven into exile years earlier, due to family scandal, Declan Sinclair is called home, devastated to discover his brother has been murdered and he’s the new Duke of Darington. When clues point to the man he blames for both his exile and his brother’s death, Declan resolves to ruin the culprit. If only the daughter of the man’s business partner, lovely Lady Alethea Swinton, didn’t tempt his resolve.
Lady Alethea Swinton has cultivated her pristine reputation in the hopes of winning her father’s praise. When her childhood friend returns, Alethea finds she’s willing to court scandal and defy her father to help the handsome Declan uncover the truth behind his brother’s death. Until she realizes Declan’s redemption will mean her family’s ruin.
Ava McLaren is tired of being both a virgin and a mere laboratory assistant for the Company of Rogues. When a baffling mystery rears its head, it presents her with the opportunity to work a real case...and perhaps get a taste of the passion that eludes her. Blue bloods are dying from a mysterious disease, which should be impossible. Ava suspects there's more to the case than meets the eye and wants a chance to prove herself. There’s just one catch—she’s ordered to partner with the sexy mech Kincaid, who's a constant thorn in her side. Kincaid thinks the only good blue blood is a dead one. He's also the very last man she would ever give her heart to…which makes him the perfect candidate for an affair. The only rule? It ends when the case does. But when an attempt on her life proves that Ava might be on to something, the only one who can protect her is Kincaid. Suddenly the greatest risk is not to their hearts, but whether they can survive a diabolical plot that threatens to destroy every blue blood in London—including Ava.
My Thoughts:
I've grown a bit tired of the same old, same old in historical romance. Regencies and Highland stories just aren't doing it for me anymore, so I'm finding myself drawn to more unique settings and a little something extra, like a mystery or paranormal/supernatural elements. Bec McMaster's London Steampunk story world is one of my favorites because it features all of the above, and this latest installment, second in the Blue Blood Conspiracy spinoff series, does not disappoint.
What I love about this series is that there is a well-developed and complex plot running throughout, and though the love story is central to each book, the overall series arc and each couple's role in it is a fantastic backdrop. With each book, more puzzle pieces fall into place while tantalizing possibilities for future stories and the series conclusion pop up. But that also makes it hard to recap plots for these books without giving away spoilers from previous books, so forgive me if I seem a little vague.
The Mech Who Loved Me picks up right where Mission Improper left off. The Company of Rogues solved one case only to discover it's but a piece of a much larger conspiracy, one that endangers everyone in London. Three years after the revolution that toppled the Echelon that ruled the lower classes of humans, mechs, and verwulfen with an iron thumb, someone is fomenting rebellion again, and the fragile peace that thousands lived and died for is in danger of shattering. Add to that the discovery of a deadly new virus that kills the unkillable--blue bloods--a virus that could wipe out an entire species if it falls into the wrong hands, and the stakes have never been higher for the Rogues. Anxious to prove herself, Ava McLaren is thrilled when she is assigned to study the virus and track down its origins, but in order to do so she has to put up with bodyguard Liam Kincaid, the gruff mech who has never disguised his dislike of Ava's kind. But as the two work together and stumble upon one deadly discovery after another, the attraction that simmers between them boils over. And besides, what's a little fun on the side going to hurt? But as their investigation grows more dangerous, they suddenly find themselves in danger of losing much more than their hearts.
Please join me in welcoming Sarah Parke to Let Them Read Books! Sarah is touring the blogosphere with her debut novel, The Mourning Ring, a novel that reimagines the childhood of the Bronte siblings. She's here today with a fascinating guest post about the young Brontes' early storytelling efforts. Check it out!
Sixteen-year-old Charlotte Bronte lives to tell stories. She longs to improve her fortunes through her writing. Charlotte’s father expects her to leave behind her childish fantasies in order to set an example for her three younger siblings. But the Bronte children hold a secret in their veins—a smidgen of fairy blood that can bring their words to life. When Charlotte discovers that the characters from their childish stories exist in an alternate world called Glass Town, she jumps at the opportunity to be the heroine of her own tale. The city of Angria teeters on the brink of civil war and Charlotte and her siblings must use their magic and their wits to save its people from a tyrant with magic abilities. But entering the fictional world means forfeiting control of their own creations. If they fail, the characters they have come to know and love will be destroyed. Charlotte is determined to save the city and characters she loves, but when the line between creator and character becomes blurred, will she choose her fantasy or her family?
It’s a Small World: The Brontës’ Earliest Fiction
By Sarah Parke
In our modern age, smaller has a certain appeal for individuals looking to scale back and enjoy the simpler things in life. From tiny houses, to mini-horses and every little thing in between--the new downsizing trend seems to prove the old adage that good things come in small packages.
Two hundred years ago, the four young Brontë siblings were discovering the power of creating characters and worlds on a miniature scale in a remote village of West Yorkshire. A small portion of their juvenilia survives and has been preserved for further study; some of the miniscule manuscripts can be seen at special exhibits, like the one hosted by the Morgan Library and Museum in NYC last fall, and the Brontë Parsonage Museum in Haworth, England. What is important about the juvenilia is that it provides a glimpse into the childish psyche of this remarkably creative family. From what the children read that influenced their adult work, to the way in which real world events shaped their first storytelling efforts.
Three years ago, London society changed forever, with a revolution placing the widowed Queen firmly on the throne her blue blood husband tried to take from her. Humans, verwulfen and mechs are no longer considered the lesser classes, but not everybody is happy with the new order… Entire families have gone missing in the East End. When Caleb Byrnes receives an invitation to join the Company of Rogues as an undercover agent pledged to protect the crown, he jumps at the chance to find out who, or what, is behind the disappearances. Hunting criminals is what the darkly driven blue blood does best, and though he prefers to work alone, the opportunity is too good to resist. The problem? He’s partnered with Ingrid Miller, the fiery and passionate verwulfen woman who won a private bet against him a year ago. Byrnes has a score to settle, but one stolen kiss and suddenly the killer is not the only thing Byrnes is interested in hunting. Soon they’re chasing whispered rumors of a secret project gone wrong, and a monster that just might be more dangerous than either of them combined. The only way to find out more is to go undercover among the blue blood elite… But when their hunt uncovers a mysterious conspiracy, Byrnes and Ingrid must set aside their age-old rivalry if they have any chance at surviving a treacherous plot.
My Thoughts:
As a huge fan of Bec McMaster's London Steampunk series, I was sorry to see it come to an end, especially since I felt a certain pair of characters had not yet had their story told (I'm looking at you, Charlie and Lark), and the story world was so rich with opportunities for more novels. My prayers were answered when Mission: Improper was announced, the first book in a spin-off series set in the same world with new leading characters and featuring appearances from some of our favorite characters from the previous series!
Mission: Improper begins with Nighthawk Caleb Byrnes--a member of the supernatural police force-- receiving a summons to a mysterious meeting. He arrives to find that himself, three other blue bloods (including Charlie Todd, yay!), a mech, and the only woman to truly ever get under his skin, Ingrid Miller, a verwulfen, have been carefully selected by the Duke of Malloryn to investigate a series of murders and disappearances that seem to be designed to incite a riot. It's been three years since the revolution that took down the blue blood elite and placed all supernaturals on equal footing, but a shadowy group has emerged that is bent on bringing down the new order and returning to the old ways. If that wasn't already enough, there are vampires on the loose, controlled by a new and deadly creature the likes of which none of them have encountered before. Begrudgingly partnered together, Caleb and Ingrid will have to use all of their skills to unearth the players in this new game, uncovering a conspiracy far more ambitious and deep-rooted than first suspected, while fighting an intense attraction to each other as they race the clock to stop a group of madmen from destroying the world as they know it.
AN EXPLORER LOST... To the East India Company, he's the ideal explorer: unwed, uncomplaining, strong as an ox and profitable. There's nothing Seth Mayhew can’t find—until his sister disappears en route to India. The expedition is the first he fears he may fail, until he discovers a valuable, and irresistible, ally sailing on the same ship to Bombay. A LADY FOUND... But Wilhelmina Adams is on an expedition of her own—for a husband. With six sisters, no dowry and no marriage prospects in her Derbyshire village, Bombay promises a husband and security. But assisting a dangerously distracting explorer won’t improve her prospects. A LOVE DISCOVERED… It’s an inevitable partnership, but the winds of fate are ever changing. Adventures that begin in the bazaars of Bombay can diverge to the slums of London and patchwork fields of England. And at each port of call, Seth and Mina will have to risk everything to unearth the heart’s greatest prize.
My Thoughts:
Seth Mayhew is on a mission to find his missing sister. With a reputation of being able to hunt down the rarest botanical specimens, he has high hopes of being able to pick up Georgie's trail to bring her and her young ward home. On a steamer bound for India with dozens of "venture girls," young women with limited prospects at home who are coming to India to find husbands, he manages to steer clear of them until they disembark in Bombay. But as he meets with Tom, an associate who has promised to help him track down Georgie, he comes face-to-face with venture girl Wilhelmina Adams, and Cupid's arrow strikes hard. But there's one big problem: Mina is promised to Tom. And besides, he doesn't have time for courtship; he's got to work with Tom to find the people in the East India Company who can help him find his sister.
From a large family with no dowries for their many daughters, and with one sister already fallen into disrepute, Mina Adams and her sister Emma have come to India in search of a better future. Both sisters have been in correspondence with gentlemen and have arrived at an understanding, but only one meets them when their ship arrives. Emma's intended is a no-show, and while Tom is there for Mina, he is nothing like the man she has come to know via his letters. And she can't leave Emma. While the rest of their fellow venture girls choose their husbands and set off for their new homes, the Adams sisters are desperately hoping Emma's fiance will arrive. But each day that passes diminishes the hope that he will come, and each day gives Mina more time to fall in love with a man who is not her fiance. Drawn to Seth's strapping masculinity, self-deprecating wit, and flirtatious charm, she vows to do all she can to help him find his sister. But as new information comes to light and time runs out, Mina and Seth will have to decide whether they want to make the riskiest venture yet: taking a chance on true love.
Please join me in welcoming Roland Colton to Let Them Read Books! Roland's debut historical romance, Forever Gentleman, has just been published, and he's here today answering questions about his characters and inspiration. Read on, and grab the Kindle version of Forever Gentleman for just $2.99!
Nathan Sinclair, a struggling young architect and gifted pianist, lives in the two vastly different worlds, mingling in high society while dwelling in suffocating debt and poverty. While performing at a gathering of London's elite, Nathan meets Jocelyn Charlesworth, a breathtakingly beautiful but temperamental celebrity heiress. He is smitten, though she publicly humiliates him; their paths intersect again later, and they form a tentative friendship centered on their mutual love of music. Meanwhile, Nathan makes the acquaintance of Regina Lancaster, a woman of remarkable inner beauty, despite her pedestrian appearance. He must decide whether to follow his heart and pursue Regina, or flee England altogether to avoid imprisonment from a miserly creditor. In his darkest hour, Nathan is offered a tantalizing proposition that might change everything, but that comes at considerable risk. Nathan must play his role perfectly, or he may lose his reputation, livelihood, and very life to the powerful echelons of Victorian society. Full of unexpected twists and turns, Forever Gentleman races towards a thrilling climax that will determine Nathan's ultimate destiny. Hi Roland! Welcome to Let Them Read Books!
At the beginning of Forever Gentleman, struggling architect and pianist, Nathan Sinclair, encounters the glamourous and beautiful heiress, Jocelyn Charlesworth. What draws Nathan to Jocelyn, and how does she respond to him when they first meet?
Although he has no expectation of an introduction, Nathan is intrigued enough to see if Ms. Charlesworth’s beauty is as extraordinary as the Sunday Times portrays it. Despite his protestations, the mistress of the estate insists on introducing Nathan to Jocelyn. Once he observes her beauty firsthand, an intoxication of senses sweeps over him—never before has he seen a woman of such unimaginable beauty. Jocelyn’s reaction to Nathan is one of boredom, having endured countless stares from past star-struck suitors. She toys with him, looking for any opportunity to end the interview. Once she believes him to be a common servant, she rebukes him publicly, appalled that a servant would have the audacity to seek her acquaintance.
Nathan also meets the simple and plain social worker, Regina Lancaster. What’s special about Regina, and why does Nathan feel such a deep connection to her?
Though her outward appearance is ordinary, Nathan initially feels a strong attraction to Regina’s eyes and senses a kindred spirit. Her dark brown eyes convey a journey through unspeakable tragedy, resulting in a deep appreciation for life and depth of character. Nathan is also attracted to Regina’s modesty, simplicity and inner beauty, qualities he admired in his mother. Once he learns of Regina’s selfless service to London orphans, he wonders if any man could possibly be worthy of her.
Henrietta Howel can burst into flames. Forced to reveal her power to save a friend, she's shocked when instead of being executed, she's invited to train as one of Her Majesty's royal sorcerers. Thrust into the glamour of Victorian London, Henrietta is declared the chosen one, the girl who will defeat the Ancients, bloodthirsty demons terrorizing humanity. She also meets her fellow sorcerer trainees, handsome young men eager to test her power and her heart. One will challenge her. One will fight for her. One will betray her. But Henrietta Howel is not the chosen one. As she plays a dangerous game of deception, she discovers that the sorcerers have their own secrets to protect. With battle looming, what does it mean to not be the one? And how much will she risk to save the city--and the one she loves? Exhilarating and gripping, Jessica Cluess's spellbinding fantasy introduces Henrietta Howel, a powerful, unforgettable heroine, and an entertaining world filled with magic, monsters, and mayhem.
My Thoughts:
I'm all about this trend of YA historical fantasies, but I've yet to find one that truly lives up to my expectations. I had such high hopes for this book based on the description--A lone sorceress in Victorian London? Yes, please!--and glowing early reviews, and while I liked the book enough to finish it, it just didn't blow me away. It's well written, but it moves slowly, and I had a hard time getting into it. Henrietta is a compelling character, but she was slow to catch on to things the reader picked up on, and there were a couple of times when she suddenly started acting out of character for no particular reason. Grasping one of the main aspects of this story world, the schism between sorcerers and magicians and why it's okay for sorcerers to use magic, but not magicians, and why one is superior to the other was also a bit hard for me. The monsters themselves were a little too fantastical for me to take seriously, but their minions were seriously creepy. And I suppose in a world where Henrietta is the first female sorcerer in a hundred years, it's natural that all the boys would be drawn to her, and I love a good romance, but with everything else going on in the story, I found myself wishing we didn't have a love quadrangle. Especially since I really didn't form an attachment to any of the boys, or any of the secondary characters, for that matter. There's really nothing wrong with this book, but for me, there was nothing to really get excited about either.
My Rating: 3 Stars out of 5
*Please Note: This review references an advance copy received from the publisher through the Amazon Vine program. These are my honest and unbiased opinions, and I was not compensated in any other way for reviewing this book.
In a bet between two old flames . . . Rex Leighton dominates the boardroom by day and prowls the ballroom at night. Searching for the perfect bride to usher him into the aristocracy, he abandoned the idea of love the last time he saw the delicious May Sedgwick. But when he’s roped into a bet, where the prize is the means to fund his greatest ambition and the stakes are a marriage he’s already planning for, Rex is willing to go all in. There’s just one problem—he’s competing against the only woman he’s ever loved. Only love can take it all May Sedgwick could be the belle of the season . . . if she cared. She is more interested in the art studio than the marriage market and her craving to pursue her passion far outweighs her wish for a titled husband. Winning this bet will finally allow May to follow her true artistic desires. Rex losing is just a side benefit, as are his breathtaking kisses that she just can’t resist. When May is forced to choose between the dream she never knew she wanted and the man she’s never been able to forget, Rex must convince her desire is worth a bit of danger.
My Thoughts:
I was drawn to One Dangerous Desire for several reasons: it takes place in the late Victorian period, it features Americans in London, and the hero and heroine are competing against each other to win a bet. May Sedgwick, daughter of an American department store baron, came to London for one purpose: to find a titled husband. But, raised in her father's business world, she also has dreams of running her own business one day. A talented artist, May has a passion for interior design, but it's unlikely any English husband would approve of his wife in trade. However, opportunity comes her way in the form of her best friend's father, the Duke of Ashworth, who is thinking about redecorating his Mayfair mansion and is willing to consider May for the job. But there's someone else angling for his patronage: self-made tycoon Rex Leighton, who dreams of building the grandest hotel in London and needs Ashworth's investment to make it a reality.
May is shocked to see her first love in London, the young clerk who abandoned her and broke her heart six years ago in New York. Rex knew May was in London, but he vowed to stay away from her, believing himself to be unworthy of her affection and not wanting to interfere with her future. But neither is prepared for the rush of feelings that accompany their reacquaintance. The duke, being a bit of a romantic and a trickster, and sensing something between May and Rex, offers them a chance to compete for his patronage. Knowing that both are seeking titled spouses to further their positions in society, he challenges them to find their future mates, and the first one who does wins the bet. Both May and Rex have prospects in mind, but over the course of the next few weeks, seeing each other at every social function on the arms of others makes them realize that, after all these years, they still only have eyes for each other. May finally learns the reason Rex left her behind and comes to understand the demons from his childhood that drive his ambition, and Rex recognizes May's talent and applauds her dreams for a career of her own. But before they can act on their feelings for one another, they have to reevaluate the futures they've chosen for themselves and determine what's most important to them. Do they stick with their sensible plans or take a chance on love?
Miss Layla Starling, the young, beautiful, and extremely wealthy heiress, is the talk of London. Until now, she's managed to evade the marriage noose. Despite the fact that she is unfortunately American, she's received a staggering number of offers. And turned down every one. St. John Evernight does not want to admit the relief he feels every time he hears that she has rejected one of her suitors. Which is unfair of him. Layla deserves to be happy. But he cannot offer her happiness. He will never be normal, never be anything but a freak in her world. So St. John resolves to keep his distance, until he is recruited by the Society for the Suppression of Supernaturals to guard Layla. For she is in grave danger, and he is about to learn the full extent of his powers.
My Thoughts:
I have been a big fan of this series from the very beginning, and while I am sad to see it come to an end, Forevermore is one heck of a satisfying conclusion. It's hard to review the final book in a series without revealing what happened in previous books, or without confusing someone unfamiliar with the series, but if you're reading this review, I have to assume you've at least read some of them already, so here goes!
St. John Evernight, or Sin, as he's known to his friends, has been a familiar, if rather mysterious, figure throughout the series, and as the youngest member of the elemental family we've come to know and love, it seems only natural that the series would come to an end with him, and that he is poised to be the future of the SOS--the Society for the Suppression of Supernaturals. A lot was revealed about Sin in book six, Soulbound, and you really do need to read that first to understand the demons Sin wrestles with. Layla, on the other hand, is a completely new addition to the series, unlike all of the other characters from previous books. She doesn't even know supernaturals or the SOS exist when the story begins. I wasn't sure how I felt about this at first, but it is soon revealed that she has very deep connections to the SOS, and she is, in fact, the one being who will determine their future. I won't spoil it, but I will say that her origins and her destiny make absolutely perfect, brilliant sense.
Sin and Layla were best friends as children on neighboring estates until Layla's guardian, Augustus, also known as the Father of the SOS, and also as a little thing called Divine Judgment, takes her away. Shortly thereafter, Sin meets the awful faerie queen, Mab, and his life becomes a living hell. But always thoughts of sweet, innocent Layla, living a comfortable and, most importantly, very safe life keep him going. Until she shows up in London, the toast of the Season. Sin watches her from afar, desperate to be with her but unwilling to let her see the person he's become. He's content just to be in her orbit again . . . until Augustus makes Sin an offer he can't refuse. Protect Layla from Damnation and save the world in the process.
The Ruin of Evangeline Jones
