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Monday, June 24, 2024

Book Spotlight: Trouble in Assisi by Heidi Eljarbo

 

Assisi, 1973.

On art historian Fabiola Bennett’s first day in Assisi, a local gentleman takes her aside to ask for advice about a painting that has wondrously appeared in the basilica’s bell tower.

So much for enjoying relaxing days filled with dining on pasta and gelato.

 

Soon, Fabiola and her besties, Pippa and Cary, are thrown into a shrouded mystery and caught up in a whirlwind of intrigue, theft, lies, and attempted murder, all of which overshadows the postcard-like charm of the small, historic town.

 

Rome, 1511.

Life is going well for Teodoro Nicoletti. Since he was a young man in Florence, he has worked and learned alongside the most-favored artist Raphael.

 

When Pope Julius II commissions Raphael to paint several frescos in the reception rooms of the Vatican Palace, Teodoro follows his master to Rome and discovers firsthand the admiration and rivalry between Raphael and two other reigning artists: Michelangelo and Leonardo da Vinci.

 

But the prickliest thorn in Teodoro’s side is his beloved Elisabetta’s father. The old man is determined to keep his youngest daughter from becoming Teodoro’s wife.


 Buy Links:

 This title is available to read on #KindleUnlimited.

 Universal Buy Link: https://books2read.com/u/4N5ZE6

 


Heidi Eljarbo grew up in a home full of books, artwork, and happy creativity. She is the author of historical novels filled with courage, hope, mystery, adventure, and sweet romance during challenging times. She’s been named a master of dual timelines and often writes about strong-willed women of past centuries.

 

After living in Canada, six US states, Japan, Switzerland, and Austria, Heidi now calls Norway home. She lives with her husband on a charming island and enjoys walking in any kind of weather, hugging her grandchildren, and has a passion for art and history.

 

Her family’s chosen retreat is a mountain cabin, where they hike in the summer and ski the vast white terrain during winter.

 

Heidi’s favorites are her family, God's beautiful nature, and the word whimsical.

 Author Links:

 Website: https://www.heidieljarbo.com/

Twitter / X: https://x.com/HeidiEljarbo

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

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

Pinterest: https://no.pinterest.com/heidieljarbo/

Book Bub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/heidi-eljarbo

Amazon Author Page: https://amazon.com/author/heidieljarbo

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/16984270.Heidi_Eljarbo

Newsletter: https://www.heidieljarbo.com/newsletter

 


 

 

Wednesday, June 19, 2024

Book Spotlight: Murder on West Main by I. M. Foster

 

When Colin Brissedon arrives at work one summer morning to find his new boss murdered, all eyes turn to him. After all, the man had threatened to fire him just a few days before, and his colleagues are more than happy to tell the tale. Kathleen admits her brother is no angel, but she can’t believe he would sink this low. Fortunately for them, neither does Daniel O’Halleran, the village’s new coroner’s assistant. Of course, he needs more than his gut feeling to prove it.

But that’s not going to be an easy task, considering the victim does not appear to have been held in high regard. In fact, Daniel is hard-pressed to find anyone who did like him, though there are more than a few who had reason to wish the man dead. To make matters worse, Kathleen is intent on conducting her own investigation despite his wishes, and he fears the consequences could be deadly.

And yet, with the pieces of the puzzle laid before him, he can’t shake the feeling that something is missing, an integral clue that will tie everything else together. Will Daniel be able to find the elusive detail and discover the reason behind the gruesome murder of the prominent attorney? Or will the guilty party live to kill again?


  uy Links:

 This title is available to read on #KindleUnlimited.

 Universal Buy Link:  https://books2read.com/u/bx5z0D

***

SNIPPET

 Daniel watched as storm clouds raced across the man's sky-blue eyes.



I. M. Foster is the pen name author Inez Foster uses to write her South Shore Mystery series, set on Edwardian Long Island. Inez also writes historical romances under the pseudonym Andrea Matthews, and has so far published two series in that genre: the Thunder on the Moor series, a time-travel romance set on the 16th century Anglo-Scottish Borders, and the Cross of Ciaran series, which follows the adventures of a fifth century Celt who finds himself in love with a twentieth century archaeologist.

Inez is a historian and librarian, who love to read and write and search around for her roots, genealogically speaking. She has a BA in History and an MLS in Library Science and enjoys the research almost as much as she does writing the story. In fact, many of her ideas come to her while doing casual research or digging into her family history. Inez is a member of the Long Island Romance Writers, and the Historical Novel Society.

Author Links:

Website:  www.imfostermysteries.com

Twitter:   http://www.twitter.com/IMFosterMystery

Facebook:    http://www.facebook.com/IMFosterMysteries

Instagram:  www.instagram.com/imfosterauthor

Book Bub:   https://www.bookbub.com/profile/i-m-foster

Amazon Author Page:  https://www.amazon.com/stores/I-M-Foster/author/BQBFQK8854

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/22926746.I_M_Foster



 

Tuesday, June 18, 2024

Book Spotlight: Rolling Home: A Pioneer Western Adventure by David Fitz-Gerald

 

Climb aboard! Don't miss the heart-pounding climax of the Ghosts Along the Oregon Trail series. Rolling Home is the final installment.

 In the heart of the rolling village, dissent brews as the stubbornest naysayer refuses to continue the journey. With an ominous early snowfall and memories of the ill-fated Donner Party haunting the pioneers, Dorcas Moon faces a new wave of challenges. Just when she believes things can't get worse, a disastrous river crossing claims their wagon and submerges their belongings.

As the rolling village approaches the final leg of the journey, the looming threat of outlaws intensifies. The notorious bandit known as The Viper and his ruthless brothers are determined to rob the greenhorns, sell their stock, and kill every last one of them. The pioneers had heard tales of their brutality, but now, with Dorcas' daughter kidnapped and Dorcas captured, everyone is in danger.

What will become of Dorcas Moon, her family, and their friends? Will anyone survive the perilous journey?

Rejoin the expedition and witness the thrilling end to a gripping saga.


Buy Links:

This title is available to read on #KindleUnlimited.

 Universal Buy Link: https://books2read.com/rolling-home

 

David Fitz-Gerald writes westerns and historical fiction. He is the author of twelve books, including the brand-new series, Ghosts Along the Oregon Trail set in 1850. Dave is a multiple Laramie Award, first place, best in category winner; a Blue Ribbon Chanticleerian; a member of Western Writers of America; and a member of the Historical Novel Society.

Alpine landscapes and flashy horses always catch Dave’s eye and turn his head. He is also an Adirondack 46-er, which means that he has hiked to the summit of the range’s highest peaks. As a mountaineer, he’s happiest at an elevation of over four thousand feet above sea level.

Dave is a lifelong fan of western fiction, landscapes, movies, and music. It should be no surprise that Dave delights in placing memorable characters on treacherous trails, mountain tops, and on the backs of wild horses.

Author Links:




Wednesday, June 12, 2024

Book Spotlight and Snippet: Katharine’s Remarkable Road Trip by Gail Ward Olmsted


 In the fall of 1907, Katharine decides to drive from Newport, Rhode Island, to her home in Jackson, New Hampshire. Despite the concerns of her family and friends, that at the age of 77 she lacks the stamina for the nearly 300-mile journey, Katharine sets out alone. Over the next six days, she receives a marriage proposal, pulls an all-nighter, saves a life or two, crashes a high-society event, meets a kindred spirit, faces a former rival, makes a new friend, takes a stroll with a future movie mogul, advises a troubled newlywed, and reflects upon a life well lived; her own! 

Join her as she embarks upon her remarkable road trip.

Katharine Prescott Wormeley (1830-1908) was born into affluence in England and emigrated to the U. S. at the age of eighteen. Fiercely independent and never married, Kate volunteered as a nurse on a medical ship during the Civil War, before founding a vocational school for underprivileged girls. A lifelong friend and trusted confidante of landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted, she was a philanthropist, a hospital administrator, and the author of The Other Side of War: 1862, as well as the noted translator of dozens of novels written by French authors, including Moliere and Balzac. She is included in History’s Women: The Unsung Heroines; History of American Women: Civil War Women; Who’s Who in America 1908-09; Notable American Women, A Biographical Dictionary: 1607-1950 and A Woman of the 19th Century: Leading American Women in All Walks of Life.


Buy Links:

This title will be available on #KindleUnlimited.

 Universal Buy Link:   https://books2read.com/u/mZgAYe

***

SNIPPET

Katharine’s (semi-solicited) advice to a troubled newlywed

I am probably the last person qualified to give relationship advice. But since you’re asking me, I’ll tell you what I think. Go home. Not to your parents’ but to the home you share with Charlie. Talk to your husband, but wait until he’s had a bath after work. And maybe serve him a special dinner too. It’s much easier to talk to someone who’s well-fed. I know what you’re thinking. You’ve got a little one to keep fed and clean and now you’ve got Charlie, too? Dear, I’m not saying you must run his bath or cook a three-course meal every night, but you both have a job to do. Currently, his is to go to work every day in a factory that I can only imagine is loud and dirty, get his weekly pay, put food on the table and keep a roof over your heads. Yours is equally important, but for the time being, lacks much in the way of tangible rewards. But it's vital work. Caring for your son, tending to your home, loving your husband: it’s all very important. She seemed unconvinced, so I tried a different, more direct approach.

What I’m saying in a nutshell is, it’s time to grow up. You chose to get married, and that comes with responsibilities. You’re not playing house, my dear. Real life is hard and now you’ve got a third person added to the equation. One that relies on you for absolutely everything. You are his entire world. You must tell Charlie what you need from him and, at the same time, assure him you’re quite capable of running the house and caring for your son. Can you do that, Hannah?

 


Gail Ward Olmsted was a marketing executive and a college professor before she began writing fiction on a fulltime basis. A trip to Sedona, AZ inspired her first novel Jeep Tour. Three more novels followed before she began Landscape of a Marriage, a biographical work of fiction featuring landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted, a distant cousin of her husband’s, and his wife Mary. After penning a pair of contemporary novels featuring a disgraced attorney seeking a career comeback (Miranda Writes, Miranda Nights) she is back to writing historical fiction featuring an incredible woman with an amazing story. Watch for Katharine's Remarkable Road Trip on June 13th.

For more information, please visit her on Facebook and at gwolmstedauthor.carrd.co


Author Links:

Website: https://gwolmstedauthor.carrd.co

 Twitter:  https://www.twitter.com/gwolmsted

Facebook: www.facebook.com/gailolmstedauthor

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


Amazon Author Page:  www.amazon.com/author/gailolmsted




 

Monday, June 10, 2024

Book Spotlight:The Fortune Keeper by Deborah Swift

 

Count your nights by stars, not shadows ~ Italian Proverb

 Winter in Renaissance Venice

Mia Caiozzi is determined to discover her destiny by studying the science of astronomy. But her stepmother Giulia forbids her to engage in this occupation, fearing it will lead her into danger. The ideas of Galileo are banned by the Inquisition, so Mia must study in secret.

Giulia's real name is Giulia Tofana, renowned for her poison Aqua Tofana, and she is in hiding from the Duke de Verdi's family who are intent on revenge for the death of their brother. Giulia insists Mia should live quietly out of public view. If not, it could threaten them all. But Mia doesn't understand this, and rebels against Giulia, determined to go her own way.

When the two secret lives collide, it has far-reaching and fatal consequences that will change Mia's life forever.

Set amongst opulent palazzos and shimmering canals, The Fortune Keeper is the third novel of adventure and romance based on the life and legend of Giulia Tofana, the famous poisoner.

'Her characters are so real they linger in the mind long after the book is back on the shelf'

~ Historical Novel Society

NB This is the third in a series, but it can stand alone as it features a new protagonist. The other two books are available if reviewers want them.

Trigger Warnings:

Murder and violence in keeping with the era.

 


 Buy Links:

 This title is available to read on #KindleUnlimited.
 
Universal Link: https://mybook.to/FortuneKeeper

 Audiobook Buy Links: 

Deborah Swift is a USA TODAY bestselling author who is passionate about the past. Deborah used to be a costume designer for the BBC, before becoming a writer. Now she lives in an old English school house in a village full of 17th Century houses, near the glorious Lake District. Deborah has an award-winning historical fiction blog at her website www.deborahswift.com.

Deborah loves to write about how extraordinary events in history have transformed the lives of ordinary people, and how the events of the past can live on in her books and still resonate today.

The first in her series about the Renaissance poisoner Giulia Tofana, The Poison Keeper, was a winner of the Wishing Shelf Book of the Decade, and a Coffee Pot Book Club Gold Medal, and the latest in her WW2 Secret Agent series, Operation Tulip, is coming soon.




Thursday, June 6, 2024

Book Spotlight and Excerpt: The Sand Vines By Michèle Callard

 

Bordeaux 1870 – Life is hard on the moor.

 

If Flore, a shepherd’s daughter, is not married by autumn, she must go into service and lose everything she holds dear.

 

Back form the French army, the dashing Ricar has set her heart and body on fire. Will he propose to her before it is too late?

 

Martial the viscount’s son adores Flore from afar. Aware that she can never be his. When a betrayal and a forest fire put Flore in danger, Martial seizes his chance, grabs her hand and takes her to safety far away in the north of France, hoping they might start afresh, but war looms. . .

 

Will it bring them together or tear them apart?

 


 Buy Links:

Universal Buy Link:  https://books2read.com/u/b6JzXZ

 ***

EXCERPT

 Bateau-Mouche on the Seine          

After a quick lunch taken in reflective silence, Martial sat next to Flore on a Bateau-Mouche they had boarded near Notre Dame, the boats yet another of the emperor’s schemes to improve circulation through his beloved Paris. It was a blustery day, but inside the space was warm and dry.

            ‘May I ask you a question?’ Flore asked as the Bateau-Mouche steamed towards a medieval edifice of blackened stone and slate.

            ‘Of course.’ A smile lifted the corner of his lips. The elegant Parisienne he had tried to create had obviously been a step too far. With the money he had lent her, Flore had purchased ready-made garments that suited both her country accent and simple manners much better.

            ‘What kind of work do you think I could to do in—Utopia? I mean, I can stuff a goose and skin a rabbit, but these aren’t exactly skills that are useful in a town, though I’m quite good at counting money. What kind of place is it?’

            ‘I’m not quite sure, but it really is vast, and I imagine, well, yes, there should definitely be—opportunities.’ Diou biban, what could he say?

            The boat veered to one side, narrowly avoiding a huge coal barge. Angry hoots covered Flore’s reply. Something about a shop.         

Martial settled deeper into his seat with a sigh of content and breathed in a long draft of river air. ‘Look over there, the Louvre is coming up.’

‘What if there isn’t any work for me in—what’s the name of the place again?’

‘Guise,’ Martial answered, marvelling at the Louvre the emperor had turned into a museum. ‘Would you like to visit a museum? If so, we should get off at the next stop. Is it something you would like to do?’

‘Yes.’ Flore gave a serious nod.

‘Then we should get off here.’ Martial pushed himself up and held out a hand.

‘Huh? I thought we were going all the way to the Champs Elysées?’

‘You just told me that you wanted to visit the Louvre Museum.’

Flore gave him a puzzled look.

Had they been talking at cross purposes? Did Flore even understand the concept of a museum? Martial sat down again, about to explain, when Flore spoke, following her own train of thought. ‘If I can’t find a position, what will I do then, all alone in the north?’

 ‘But you won’t be alone. I’ll be there. Don’t worry. I’m sure that Monsieur Godin will’

‘But what if he doesn’t? I really think it’s best for me to stay in Paris.’

‘Stay in Paris?’ Suddenly, the river lost all its appeal. The flatboats slipping by, the sprawling Tuileries, the huge horses pulling barges along the banks vanished from Martial’s field of vision, reduced to one person, calmly proposing to disappear from his life.

‘Minnie will find me something.’

‘Minnie?’

‘The American dancer who lives in the room below mine,’ Flore insisted. ‘I mentioned her to you. She knows people, both in her theatre and in the mattress shop next to it. Rue Trévise, perhaps you’ve heard of it. It’s called—’

‘Wait.’ Martial swallowed hard, his carefully laid plans tumbling around him like a house of cards. This simply could not be. He could not let her go. It would mean losing his Émile, the female counterpart to Rousseau’s guileless pupil. She was so bright, and with just a little guidance, she could achieve so much. Without Flore, the whole utopian experiment would make no sense. Life would make no sense. His hands hovered next to hers. Unable to touch her, he took off his hat and kneaded the rim. ‘Listen, Paris is a dangerous place for a girl on her own. If anything happened to you, I would never forgive myself.’ He stared at his hat and replaced it on his head.

Flore turned away, her gaze on the columns of the Palais Bourbon. Although they had reached their stop, neither of them moved. Martial’s heart slowed down to the heavy chug of the wheel. Lost in a strange fog, he found himself praying to the very God he had forsaken, praying for his turmoil to end.

‘This is what we will do,’ he said in a tired voice. ‘If Monsieur Godin cannot find you a position, I will personally bring you back to Paris.’

 

Michèle Callard grew up in France. A country girl at heart, she swapped her Paris flat for a cottage in rural England where she lives with her Irish husband and the youngest of her three sons.

 She writes fast-paced novels set in different regions of France, bursting with authentic characters, colours, flavours and history.

 Author Links:




 

Wednesday, June 5, 2024

Book Spotlight: Novice Threads by Nancy Jardine

 

A thirst for education.  Shattered dreams. Fragile relations.

1840s Scotland

Being sent to school is the most exhilarating thing that’s ever happened to young Margaret Law. She sharpens her newly-acquired education on her best friend, Jessie Morison, till Jessie is spirited away to become a scullery maid. But how can Margaret fulfil her visions of becoming a schoolteacher when her parents’ tailoring and drapery business suddenly collapses and she must find a job?

Salvation from domestic drudgery – or never-ending seamstress work – comes via Jessie whose employer seeks a tutor for his daughter. Free time exploring Edinburgh with Jessie is great fun, but increasing tension in the household claws at Margaret’s nerves.

Margaret also worries about her parents' estrangement, and the mystery of Jessie's unknown father.

When tragedy befalls the household in Edinburgh, Margaret must forge a new pathway for the future – though where will that be?


 Buy Links:

 This title is available to read on #Kindle Unlimited.

 Universal Buy Link: https://mybook.to/NTsss

 


Nancy writes historical and contemporary fiction. 1st Century Roman Britain is the setting of her Celtic Fervour Series. Victorian and Edwardian history has sneaked into two of her ancestry-based contemporary mysteries, and her current Silver Sampler Series is set in Victorian Scotland.

Her novels have achieved Finalist status in UK book competitions (People's Book Prize; Scottish Association of Writers) and have received prestigious Online Book Awards.

Published with Ocelot Press, writing memberships include – Historical Novel Society; Romantic Novelists Association; Scottish Association of Writers; Federation of Writers Scotland; Alliance of Independent Authors.

Author Links:

Website: http://www.nancyjardine.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/nansjar

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

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nancy-jardine-a919b03a/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nansjar2023/

Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/nansjar23.bsky.social

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.co.uk/nanjar/

Book Bub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/nancy-jardine

Amazon Author Page: viewauthor.at/findmybookshere

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5139590.Nancy_Jardine

 


Monday, June 3, 2024

Book Spotlight: The Shire’s Union Trilogy: Whirligig, The Copper Road, Tigers in Blue by Richard Buxton


 Shire leaves his home and his life in Victorian England for the sake of a childhood promise, a promise that pulls him into the bleeding heart of the American Civil War. Lost in the bloody battlefields of the West, he discovers a second home for his loyalty.

Clara believes she has escaped from a predictable future of obligation and privilege, but her new life in the Appalachian Hills of Tennessee is decaying around her. In the mansion of Comrie, long-hidden secrets are being slowly exhumed by a war that creeps ever closer.

The Shire’s Union trilogy is at once an outsider’s odyssey through the battle for Tennessee, a touching story of impossible love, and a portrait of America at war with itself. Self-interest and conflict, betrayal and passion, all fuse into a fateful climax.

Written by award-winning author Richard Buxton, the Shire’s Union trilogy begins with Whirligig, is continued in The Copper Road, and concludes with Tigers in Blue.

 Buy Links:

 Universal Buy Links for individual titles:

 WG:    https://books2read.com/u/3GP7AO

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/whirligig-richard-buxton/1130891070

TCR:   https://books2read.com/u/b5JRvR

TIB:     https://books2read.com/u/mVnXaA

 Trilogy Amazon Buy Links:

 US:  https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08CDXDZDB

UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B08CDXDZDB

 


Richard lives with his family in the South Downs, Sussex, England. He completed an MA in Creative Writing at Chichester University in 2014. He has an abiding relationship with America, having studied at Syracuse University, New York State, in the late eighties. He travels extensively for research, especially in Tennessee, Georgia and Ohio, and is rarely happier than when setting off from a motel to spend the day wandering a battlefield or imagining the past close beside the churning wheel of a paddle steamer.

Richard’s short stories have won the Exeter Story Prize, the Bedford International Writing Competition and the Nivalis Short Story Award. His first novel, Whirligig (2017) was shortlisted for the Rubery International Book Award. It was followed by The Copper Road (2020) and the Shire’s Union trilogy was completed by Tigers in Blue (2023). To learn more about Richard’s writing visit www.richardbuxton.net.

 Author Links:

 Website: https://www.richardbuxton.net/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/RichardBuxton65

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

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/richardbuxton63

Book Bub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/richard-buxton

Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.co.uk/stores/author/B06XV3FYQF/about