Book Spotlight and Excerpt:The Curse of Maiden Scars by Nicolette Croft.

 

Coming in August 2024: Audiobook narrated by Liz May Brice

Sixteen-year-old Renna Covert toils away in the shadows of a Yorkshire workhouse, her days filled with the mundane task of shelling cotton and the dangerous duty of scouting for punters. One fateful night, she crosses paths with two sailors and finds herself thrust into the heart of a chilling encounter at the local asylum.

These harrowing experiences catalyze Renna’s journey, promising newfound opportunities and revealing long-buried family secrets. Yet, at every turn, powerful forces conspire to thwart her quest for truth, forcing her to abandon her scullery work and embark on a daring escape to Venice alongside her steadfast companions.

In the labyrinthine alleys of Venice, Renna’s fate takes yet another twist. She is ensnared by a cunning Madam who trains her as a Venetian courtesan. But beneath the veneer of luxury lies a world fraught with danger, where Renna must rely on her withs and resilience to navigate the treacherous waters of deceit and betrayal.

Set against the backdrop of Venice’s tumultuous Napoleonic invasion of 1797, this is a tale of a girl's struggle for survival. It is a story of resilience, defiance in the face of adversity, and, ultimately, one young woman’s determination to reclaim her identity.

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 ***

 EXCERPT

I dragged Asha and Max after me, creating a human snake through the crowd. Glancing over my shoulder, I was warmed by Asha’s beams of excitement. Although anxiousness prevented me from indulging in their fun, I appreciated the laugh of my playfellows. Catching the surprise seemed precisely the kind of thing a girl like me should do—if I were still a girl.

 

We reached a barred section of the square. Thick rope suspended from timber stands encircled a sizeable wooden box ten feet wide, high, and long. It was brightly painted with an array of Carnival images—masks, flowers, boats, ladies’ decorated faces, men’s wigged heads, all with pleading grins. Lanterns positioned at the corners cast dramatic shadows. Light reflected off the gilding. Ann seized me tight on one side while Asha held my other hand. Max pressed behind us.

 

The crowd responded to a hidden clue and quieted. A dozen men dressed in blue pantaloons and tunics, hoods, and black masks, rushed toward the box—three at each side, crouched at the bottom, heads bent low—and waited. A line of violinists, instruments balanced between chin and shoulder, sauntered around the display. Each took a stance beside the box, turned to the crowd, and waited. Without announcement, the men in blue went to work on latches at the bottom, finding a secret flap and lifting it high so one could disappear inside. In that instant, the musicians struck a harmonious note. Their song penetrated the air and echoed against the surrounding marble facades. Volume and momentum increased, drawing on the still hushed anticipation of the crowd. The sides of the box crashed onto the piazza floor. A length of red cloth undulated in an unfelt breeze, inflating into the sky, taking on an inner glow.

 

The billowing fabric solidified into a firm balloon tied to a basket, fit for two persons. The crowd took a collective breath and murmured. We watched the balloon rise, ready to lift off the ground. A centerfire lamp with a slightly odd smell made it ascend magically.

 

Ann turned to me, “I’ve seen this before. The air beneath is heated and will lift into the sky.” Her face was as bright as Asha’s had been earlier. “In France, people who ride in balloons like this are called aeronauts. I’ll be my own kind of aeronaut.” She elbowed me. “I am rising up in the world. I am hoping you will accompany me.”

Nicolette Croft can’t remember a time when she was not creating imaginary worlds inspired by her Hungarian and American ancestors. As a neuro-divergent learner, however, putting those stories to paper proved more challenging than imagining them. Because her determination would not allow her to settle, she pursued an English B.A. to improve her writing.

Young motherhood also brought unexpected challenges, which motivated her to pursue graduate work in twice-exceptional learners and education. She would later add an M.A. degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling, specializing in neurodivergent people, trauma, and grief. Nicolette uses her natural gift of storytelling as an exploratory method for her clients.

The Curse of Maiden Scars is also an outgrowth of her personal journey and marks her first publication as a novelist, having previously published short fiction. When not at her counseling practice or researching historical facts for her latest story, Nicolette shares treasured time with family, friends, and her husband. Whether writing, cooking, traveling, or learning, the act of creation is always at the center of her colorful life.

Author Links:

Website: https://www.nicolettecroft.com

Twitter: https://x.com/croft_nicolette

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

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicolette-croft-a6744929a/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nicolettecroft22/

Threads: https://www.threads.net/@nicolettecroft22

Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Nicole-Croft/author/B0052UF75G

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/178035999-nicolette-croft

Book Spotlight: The Redemption of Mattie Silks by Kimberly Burns

 

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SEEKING REDEMPTION, SHE FINDS RETRIBUTION

In 1892, running one of the West’s fanciest brothels is a rough game. In a town filled with brazen criminals, corrupt police, zealous politicians, and morality committees, Madam Mattie Silks makes her fortune catering to Colorado’s gold and silver millionaires.

Notorious crime boss “Soapy” Smith is at the top of the Denver underworld. There are no rules for Smith’s gang. They solve problems with bribes and bullets. When Mattie’s husband stumbles into Soapy’s dealings, she struggles to protect him.

Gold is discovered in the Yukon and Mattie seizes the opportunity for adventure and profit. But Skagway, Alaska, is even more lawless than Denver. Mattie must use all her business sense and street smarts to safeguard those she cares about. Will it be enough? Or will Lady Justice again turn a blind eye?

Based on a true story, The Redemption of Mattie Silks is an action-packed tale of a woman succeeding in a man’s world even when the cards are stacked against her.

“The research on the era shines through, as do the grit and spirit of the characters. …A colorful and enthralling journey.”

~ K.T. Blakemore, award-winning author of The Good Time Girls series

“A nice, nuanced portrait of the complex underworld with fine and witty turns of phrase. A great Western romp!”

~ Randi Samuelson-Brown, award-winning author of The Bad Old Days series

 

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Kimberly Burns grew up in Colorado hearing stories about the colourful characters of the Old West. She has degrees from the University of Colorado and the University of Hartford. Kimberly is a member of the Historical Novel Society, Western Writers of America, and Women Writing the West. She lives with her husband and black Lab in Leesburg, Virginia.

Her debut novel The Mrs. Tabor won numerous awards including the Western Fictioneers Peacemaker Award for Best New Novel, a gold medal for Best Regional Fiction from the Independent Publisher Book Awards, a National Indie Excellence Award, and a silver medal from the Colorado Independent Publishers Association EVVY Awards.

Kimberly and her unruly heroines make for an entertaining book talk. She is available to discuss her novels with book groups in person or online. Email her at info@kimberlyburnsauthor.com.

 Author Links: 

Website: www.kimberlyburnsauthor.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100072454670660

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Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Kimberly-Burns/author/B09G4S8N2L

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/21851914.Kimberly_Burns

Book Spotlight and Excerpt: Who She Left Behind by Victoria Atamian Waterman

 

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“Who She Left Behind” is a captivating historical fiction novel that spans generations and delves into the emotional lives of its characters. Set in various time periods, from the declining days of the Ottoman Empire in Turkey in 1915 to the Armenian neighborhoods of Rhode Island and Massachusetts in the 1990s, the novel completely immerses its reader in a lesser-known era and the untold stories of the brave and resilient women who became the pillars of reconstructed communities after the Armenian Genocide.

It is a story of survival, motherhood, love, and redemption based on the recounted stories from the author’s own family history. The narrative is framed by a mysterious discovery made almost six decades later of a pair of Armenian dolls left at a gravesite. 

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Ebook: https://geni.us/XzSFs3

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Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Left-Behind-Victoria-Atamian-Waterman-ebook/dp/B0CHJK7YQX

Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/Left-Behind-Victoria-Atamian-Waterman-ebook/dp/B0CHJK7YQX

Amazon CA: https://www.amazon.ca/Left-Behind-Victoria-Atamian-Waterman-ebook/dp/B0CHJK7YQX

Amazon AU: https://www.amazon.com.au/Left-Behind-Victoria-Atamian-Waterman-ebook/dp/B0CHJK7YQX

Barnes and Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/books/1144042403?ean=9781962465021

Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/who-she-left-behind

Historium Press: https://www.thehistoricalfictioncompany.com/victoria-atamian-waterman

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 Excerpt

 “Where?” Her whisper struck the silence like gunfire; Victoria winced, searching the ground near the tree for a good spot.

“Shush. There.”

Neither girl had experience digging holes in hard-packed, root addled soil. The morning’s soft rain hadn’t softened the soil much. For what seemed like hours, they traded the spade until the hole was nearly big enough for their bundle.

Victoria’s stomach clenched when she pushed the bundle into the misshapen hole. The dolls didn’t know what was happening, but she couldn’t bear to think of their unseeing eyes, like dead girls in a grave. Yegsabet’s eyes were huge and wet with unshed tears.

Victoria took the spade. “Tell Nuri to be a good girl, and we’ll be back when she wakes up.”

The mound of disturbed soil was obvious when they were done.

“Let’s find some rocks and cover it up.”

The rocks didn’t make a lot of difference; the disturbed ground was obvious, but they were out of time. The light was shifting.

Sweating and chilled, they slipped through the house, stashing their dirty clothes under the bed and washing hastily. Mayrig would be furious with them for sneaking out if she found out.  

 

Victoria Atamian Waterman is an Armenian American storyteller and speaker who draws inspiration from the quirky multigenerational, multilingual home in which she was raised with her grandparents, survivors of the Armenian Genocide.

Her empowerment of today’s women and girls makes her voice ideal for telling the little-known stories of yesterday’s women leaders. Her TED Talk, “Today’s Girls are Tomorrow’s Leaders” has been seen by thousands of viewers. When she is not writing and speaking, she is reading, puzzle-making and volunteering.

Victoria lives in Rhode Island and is enjoying this next chapter of life with her husband, children, and grandchildren. “Who She Left Behind” is her first novel. 

 

Author Links:

 

Website: https://www.victoriawaterman.net/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/victoria.waterman.9

Facebook Author Page: https://www.facebook.com/authorwaterman/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/victoriawaterman/

LinkedIn Author Page: https://www.linkedin.com/company/77096030/admin/feed/posts/

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

 

Spotlight on Trish MacEnulty, author of The Whispering Women (Delafield & Malloy Investigations Series)

 

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“Richly drawn characters, the vibrant historical setting, and a suspenseful mystery create a strong current that pulls readers into this delightful novel. But it's the women's issues—as relevant today as they were in the early 1900s—that will linger long after the last page."

-- Donna S. Meredith, The Southern Literary Review

Can two women get the lowdown on high society?

“Two powerless young women must navigate a soul-crushing class system and find the levers of power they wield when they combine their strengths. These women may have been taught to whisper, but when their time comes, they will roar.”

– 5 Star Amazon Review

Louisa Delafield and Ellen Malloy didn’t ask to be thrown together to bring the truth to light. But after Ellen witnesses the death of a fellow servant during an illegal abortion, Louisa, a society columnist, vows to help her find the truth and turn her journalistic talent to a greater purpose.

Together, these unlikely allies battle to get the truth out, and to avenge the wrongful death of a friend.

What will our heroes do when their closest allies and those they trust turn out to be the very forces working to keep their story in the dark? They’ll face an abortionist, a sex trafficking ring, and a corrupt system determined to keep the truth at bay.

“If you like historical fiction and if you like mysteries, this one is for you!”

– 5 Star Amazon Review

Was change possible in 1913?

To find out, read THE WHISPERING WOMEN today!

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 The books in this series are available to read on Kindle Unlimited.

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 FUN FACTS

 One inspiration for my series about a society writer turned investigative reporter is my great-grandmother on my mother’s side. I keep a picture of her on the bookshelf by my desk. In it, she wears a black hat topped with some sort of elaborate lace and flower adornment and sits in front of a typewriter. Her husband ran off and literally joined the circus. To support her only son, she worked as a society writer. According to family documents, “After her divorce in 1900, Mary Page Field worked as a local newspaper reporter and was Probation Officer for the Town of West Haven.”

 

My grandparents on my father’s side also inspired me to write about New York’s stratified society. They had a chauffeur-driven Rolls Royce (my grandfather never did learn how to drive), an apartment in Central Park, and a mansion on Long Island, where the gardener and his wife had their own house. My grandmother’s idea of gardening was to point out which roses the gardener should clip for her. I asked my mother once if they would have been part of Edith Wharton’s set (whose books I re-read religiously), and she shook her head emphatically. My grandparents would have been considered “new money,” and since my grandfather was an Irish immigrant who started out as an office boy and whose father was a street sweeper(!), they would have been eschewed by New York society. I don’t suppose it mattered to them. According to my mother, they “lived at the top of their income,” but when my grandmother was diagnosed with a debilitating illness, whatever money they had left after the depression went to keep her alive. Their fortune was gone by the time they died. I never got to meet them. The characters, Katherine and John Murphy, are based on these grandparents.

 Upper class slumming! One of the things that young members of society did in the late 1800s and early 1900s was go “slumming.” A lot of my research came from Herbert Asbury’s brilliant book “Gangs of New York.” Most of the stories we hear about gang activity take place in the late 1800s, but gangs continued to be active in the city into the early 20th Century. Some of the top men in these gangs owned fashionable gambling houses where the wealthy would gamble and rub elbows with murderers and their minions. One of my characters in The Whispering Women goes “slumming” and ultimately has an affair with Owney Madden (a real figure who became especially powerful during Prohibition). Slumming was a way for the upper classes, who were increasingly isolated from “real” people, to see how the other half lived. A large part of their motivation was simply entertainment at the expense of poor, disadvantaged people. However, the practice did have at least some social benefit, according to author and professor Chad Heap as described in a 2009 article in The New York Times: “As odd as this voyeuristic practice may appear now, Professor Heap argues that slumming actually promoted social mixing and reshaped the sexual and racial landscape in what had become an increasingly stratified society.”

The Alligator Farm! I loved going to the Alligator Farm in St. Augustine when I was a kid. In the second book in my series, The Burning Bride, Louisa Delafield goes to St. Augustine to cover a wedding. Imagine my surprise when I discovered the Alligator Farm had been operating since 1893! So it was the perfect place for Louisa and friends to visit in 1914 and see the same sorts of shows I saw as a kid. Here’s an excerpt: “Once they reached the Alligator Farm, they walked around low-walled pens, filled with fat, gray monsters that lay unmoving or lumbered about on their small legs. There were ponds in each of the pens. The foursome stopped at a large concrete pen with almost a dozen of the prehistoric amphibians. Louisa shuddered looking at creatures. One of them was an albino alligator with horrid white, leathery skin.”

 

 The third book in my series, Secrets and Spies, takes place in 1915. Some terrible tragedies happened that year, including the sinking of The Lusitania by a German U-boat. But there was a particularly happy event as well — a filly won The Kentucky Derby! When the filly was born in 1912, her owner Harry Payne Whitney (husband of Gertrude Vanderbilt) was disappointed. Her parentage was prestigious — sired by Broomstick out of the mare, Jersey Lightning. But Whitney didn’t hold high hopes for her since she wasn’t male, so he named her “Regret.” Then came the Saratoga Special in 1914, and she defeated her number one rival, Pebbles — a colt — and barely broke a sweat. In 1915 the new owner of Churchill Downs wanted to put his little regional race on America’s map. He believed the filly would bring the kind of fame needed to make the Kentucky Derby a household name. That year at Churchill Downs, the once-unwanted filly turned Whitney’s regret into a cause for celebration as she became the first filly ever to win the Kentucky Derby. Beating out her fifteen male competitors, Regret made women and girls around the country proud. A record crowd came to watch the horse — a sleek beauty with a white blaze down her face — take the title of turf queen. The crowd leaped to their feet when Regret snatched the bit and won the race by two lengths.

 

Source: Wikimedia Commons, public domain 

 

Trish MacEnulty

Trish MacEnulty is a bestselling novelist. In addition to her historical fiction, she has published novels, a short story collection, and a memoir. A former Professor of English, she currently lives in Florida with her husband, two dogs, and one cat. She writes book reviews and feature articles for the Historical Novel Review. She loves reading, writing, walking with her dogs, streaming historical series, cooking, and dancing.

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Book Spotlight: The Flame Tree by Siobhan Daiko

 

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In the spring of 1939, dashing young William Burton and the beautiful Constance Han set sail from London on the same ocean liner to Hong Kong.

Romance blossoms while they enjoy games of deck quoits and spend sultry tropical evenings dancing under the stars. Connie is intrigued by Will’s talent for writing poetry, and she offers to give him Cantonese lessons to help him with his new job— a cadet in the colonial service.

But once in Hong Kong, Connie is constrained by filial duty towards her Eurasian parents, and their wish for her to marry someone from her own background. She can't forget Will however and arranges to meet him in secret under the magnificent canopy of a flame of the forest tree—where she fulfils her promise to teach him to speak Chinese.

Before too long, trouble looms as Japanese forces gather on the border between Hong Kong and mainland China. Will joins a commando group tasked with operating behind enemy lines, and Connie becomes involved in the fight against local fifth columnists.

When war breaks out, they find themselves drawn into a wider conflict than their battle against prejudice. Can they survive and achieve a future together? Or do forces beyond their control keep them forever apart?

Based on a little-known true story, The Flame Tree is a tale of love and survival against all the odds.

PRAISE FOR SIOBHAN DAIKO

“Siobhan Daiko will tug at your heartstrings, and leave you desperate for more…”

~ Ellie Yarde, The Coffee Pot Book Club.

“Daiko is an author you’ll want to add to your historical fiction favourites.”

~ Netgalley Reviewer

 

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Siobhan Daiko

Siobhan Daiko is a British historical fiction author. A lover of all things Italian, she lives in the Veneto region of northern Italy with her husband, a Havanese dog and a rescued cat. Siobhan was born of English parents in Hong Kong, attended boarding school in Australia, and then moved to the UK—where she taught modern foreign languages in a Welsh comprehensive school. She now spends her time writing page-turners and enjoying her life near Venice.

Her novels are compelling, poignant, and deeply moving, with strong characters and evocative settings, but always with romance at their heart. You can find more about her books on her website www.siobhandaiko.org

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Book Spotlight and Excerpt: The Girl from Bologna (Girls from the Italian Resistance) by Siobhan Daiko

 

 

Bologna, Italy, 1944, and the streets are crawling with German soldiers. Nineteen-year-old Leila Venturi is shocked into joining the Resistance after her beloved best friend Rebecca, the daughter of a prominent Jewish businessman, is ruthlessly deported to a concentration camp.

In February 1981, exchange student Rhiannon Hughes arrives in Bologna to study at the university. There, she rents a room from Leila, who is now middle-aged and infirm. Leila’s nephew, Gianluca, offers to show Rhiannon around but Leila warns her off him.

Soon Rhiannon finds herself being drawn into a web of intrigue. What is Gianluca’s interest in a far-right group? And how is the nefarious head of this group connected to Leila? As dark secrets emerge from the past, Rhiannon is faced with a terrible choice. Will she take her courage into both hands and risk everything?

An evocative, compelling read, “The Girl from Bologna” is a story of love lost, daring exploits, and heart-wrenching redemption.

Trigger Warnings:

War crimes against women

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¸.•*´¨)✯ ¸.•*¨) ✮ ( ¸.•´✶

EXCERPT

I went to visit Rebecca the afternoon after my parents left. I remember climbing the stairs to the piano nobile and following her into the Matatias’ living room. It was such a beautiful place. Intricate glass and ironwork chandeliers hung from the centre of the coffered ceiling. Thick carpets the colour of whipped cream stretched over darkly lustrous parquet. I loved the nineteenth-century paintings—landscapes and portraits—covering the walls, and the fact that there were books, most of them rebound, in rows behind the glass doors of huge, dark mahogany bookcases. Despite it being spring already, mammoth radiators released heat on a scale which at home Papà would have declared plain crazy—a heat redolent of a luxury hotel rather than a private dwelling, and of such intensity that, almost immediately, breaking out in a sweat, I’d had to take off my cardigan.

Giulia served us with tea on a silver tray, and we sat on leather chairs, eating homemade cupcakes while we chatted about the essay which we were due to hand in the following week. ‘Let’s go up to my room and listen to records,’ Rebecca suggested after we’d eaten our fill.

A radiogram held pride of place by her bedroom door—a Philips as chance would have it, like the cassette recorder I’m using now. Rebecca had eclectic tastes and her collection consisted of a bit of everything: Monteverdi, Scarlatti, Bach, Mozart, Beethoven. But it was her jazz records which thrilled me most. Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington, Fats Waller, Benny Goodman. I didn’t have any records of my own in those days, and relished listening to hers.

We tapped our feet to Ellington’s It Don’t Mean a Thing (If It Ain’t Got That Swing). I didn’t speak any English—I still don’t—but not even the happy-go-lucky sentiment conveyed by the music could dispel the disquiet preying on my mind, a sense of impending doom. Ever since the Germans had occupied Bologna, they’d been rounding up Jews. I’d mentioned my fear for her family to Rebecca before, but she’d assured me that her father had covered all traces of their origins.

I fixed her with a concerned look as the song came to an end. ‘Did you hear that the Germans have been arresting Jews?’ I reached across the space between us and held Rebecca’s hand in mine. ‘Shouldn’t you and your parents go into hiding?’

She scoffed and squeezed my fingers. ‘We’re Bolognese. We haven’t done anything wrong. Father’s factory is manufacturing car parts. It’s important work and, much as he hates it, the Nazis buy them from him and send them to Germany. We’ll be fine, Leila. No need to be concerned.’

I took Rebecca at her word. What else could I do? We decided she should come to my place the next day, Sunday, so we could go for an afternoon hike along the porticoes leading to the Sanctuary of the Madonna di San Luca on a hill overlooking the city. It was our favourite passeggiata and we loved to walk under the winding vault arcades, over six hundred of them, almost four kilometres leading from the Saragozza gate at the edge of the old part of the city.

Rebecca saw me to the door and kissed me on both cheeks. ‘See you tomorrow.’ She paused and added with a blush. ‘I hope to see Dani too.’

‘You might well do so,’ I laughed. ‘I’ll ask him to come along with us.’

The next day, after lunch, I waited for her. The second hand on my watch ticked on into minutes, and the minutes ticked into an hour. I knew something was terribly wrong. Daniele offered to go and see what had happened. I insisted on going with him, a sick feeling in my stomach.

‘All will be well, don’t worry.’ My brother’s words were optimistic but I could see he was concerned. He ran a shaky hand through his thick, dark brown, wavy hair.

It only took us five minutes to get there, we ran so fast. We rang the bell and Giulia answered straight away. ‘They’ve been taken,’ she said, tears rolling down her face. ‘The SS came at dawn. Oh Dio,’ she sobbed, twisting her hands in her apron. ‘And now the Germans will move in here. I’ve been given a choice. To serve them or leave.’ She lifted her chin. ‘I will stay and look after things for my signori until the Allies get here and liberate us from those Nazi swine.’

Cavolo, I’m crying. I will have to stop recording now. Sorry, but I can’t go on…

I press the off switch and put down the microphone. Romeo, my big ginger cat, jumps up onto my lap. I stroke him and the action soothes me. My heartrate slows, my sobbing ceases and my breathing steadies. Romeo meows hungrily. ‘You’re a fickle lover,’ I tell him with a sad smile. ‘You only give me affection when you want to be fed.’

I go through to the kitchen and top up his bowl with kibble. On the table is Rhiannon’s application form. I glance at the girl’s photo. She’s a redhead sporting a hairstyle like Lady Di’s. Wide blue eyes. Very Celtic looking. Rhiannon wrote me a letter introducing herself, which I received last week. I’m looking forward to meeting her and, holding onto that realisation, I go to get ready for bed.

Siobhan Daiko

Siobhan Daiko is a British historical fiction author. A lover of all things Italian, she lives in the Veneto region of northern Italy with her husband, a Havanese dog and a rescued cat. After a life of romance and adventure in Hong Kong, Australia and the UK, Siobhan now spends her time indulging her love of writing and enjoying her life near Venice.

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Book Spotlight: Gwenna The Welsh Confectioner (The New Zealand Immigrant Collection) by Vicky Adin

 Against overwhelming odds, can she save her legacy?

Gwenna's life is about to change. Her father is dead and the family business on the brink of collapse. Thwarted by society, the plucky sweet maker refuses to accept defeat.

Amid the bustling vibrancy of Auckland’s Karangahape Road, she promised her father she would fulfill his dreams and save her legacy. But thanks to her overbearing stepbrother that legacy is at risk. Gwenna must find hidden strengths and fight for her rights if she is to keep her promise.

She falls in love with the cheeky and charming Johnno, but just when things are beginning to look up, disaster strikes. Throughout the twists and turns of love and tragedy, Gwenna is irrepressible. She refuses to relinquish her goal and lets nothing and no one stand in her way. Blind to anything that could distract her, Gwenna overlooks the most important person in her life, putting her dreams, her family, and her chance at happiness in jeopardy.

Trigger Warnings:

Domestic violence, death.

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 Buy Links:

 Available on Kindle Unlimited.

 

Universal series links:

Gwenna The Welsh Confectioner: https://books2read.com/u/38eQDr

Brigid The Girl from County Clare: https://books2read.com/u/md67KW

The Costumier’s Gift: https://books2read.com/u/3n57eK

Vicky Adin

 

Vicky Adin is a family historian in love with the past. Like the characters in her stories, she too, is an immigrant to New Zealand, arriving a century after her first protagonists and ready to start a new life.

Born in Wales, she grew up in Cornwall until age 12. Her family emigrated to New Zealand, a country she would call home. Vicky draws on her affinity for these places in her writing. Fast forward a few years, and she marries a fourth-generation Kiwi bloke with Irish, Scottish, and English ancestors, and her passion for genealogy flourishes.

The further she dug into the past the more she wanted to record the lives of the people who were the foundations of her new country. Not just her ancestors but all those who braved the oceans and became pioneers in a raw new land. Her research into life as it was for those immigrants in the mid-late 1800s and early 1900s gave her enough material to write about the land left behind and the birth of a new nation for many years.

Vicky holds a MA(Hons) in English, is a lover of art, antiques, gardens, good food, and red wine. She and her husband travel throughout New Zealand in their caravan and travel the world when they can. She hopes that younger generations also enjoy learning about the past through her stories as much as she had in writing them.

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Spotlight on Siobhan Daiko, author of The Girl from Venice

 

Lidia De Angelis has kept a low profile since Mussolini's racial laws wrenched her from her childhood sweetheart. But when the Germans occupy Venice in 1943, she must flee the city to save her life.

Lidia joins the partisans in the Venetian mountains, where she meets David, an English soldier fighting for the same cause. As she grows closer to him, harsh Nazi reprisals and Lidia’s own ardent anti-fascist activities threaten to tear them apart.

Decades later in London, while sorting through her grandmother’s belongings after her death, Charlotte discovers a Jewish prayer book, unopened letters written in Italian, and a fading photograph of a group of young people in front of the Doge’s Palace.

Intrigued by her grandmother’s refusal to talk about her life in Italy before and during the war, Charlotte travels to Venice in search of her roots. There, she learns not only the devastating truth about her grandmother’s past, but also some surprising truths about herself.

A heart-breaking page-turner, based on actual events in Italy during World War II

Trigger Warnings: Death, Miscarriage, PTSD, Rape

 

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Available on Kindle Unlimited.

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 Siobhan Daiko

Fun Facts
(Stuff you may or may not already know!)

 

The first time I visited Italy, I was six years old. My parents rented a house in Positano on the Amalfi coast for the summer. I remember swimming in the sea, the hundreds of steps down to the beach, and picking figs from the tree in our garden. 

 

When I lived in Hong Kong, I was privileged to be able to ride ex-racehorses at the Jockey Club’s Bees River stables and take part in show jumping competitions. I fell off on more than one occasion as the horses could be a handful; but I always got back on as riding was my passion. 

 

I love to dance and, for my 50^th birthday, friends and family got together for a Salsa disco after a meal in a restaurant near where we live in Italy. Here I am, “strutting my stuff”. 

 

I wore a cat mask and a tricorn hat at the Venice Carnival a few years ago just for a laugh.

 

When I need inspiration for my writing, all I need to do is look out of the window in my study. On the horizon, if it’s a clear day, I can see the Euganean Hills near Padova, the Berici Hills near Vicenza, and, in the middle, very distant, the start of the Apennines behind Bologna. 

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Siobhan Daiko

Siobhan Daiko is an international bestselling historical romantic fiction author. A lover of all things Italian, she lives in the Veneto region of northern Italy with her husband, a Havanese puppy, and two rescue cats. After a life of romance and adventure in Hong Kong, Australia and the UK, Siobhan now spends her time, when she isn't writing, enjoying the sweet life near Venice.

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