Book Spotlight: The Magician by W Somerset Maugham / G.G. MacLeod

Only that which is forbidden may be permitted.

In Edwardian Paris, brilliant surgeon Arthur Burdon is engaged to beautiful Margaret Dauncey, accompanied by her loyal friend, artist Susie Boyd. They encounter enigmatic Oliver Haddo—a wealthy, obese occultist claiming alchemical mastery. Haddo, inspired by Aleister Crowley, seduces and marries Margaret, drawing her into depravity.

While Arthur remains blind, Susie spies Haddo’s true nature: tentacled astral projections, ritual abuse, and experiments creating daemonic homunculi fed on virgin blood. Margaret descends into addiction and submission. Susie, contemptuous of weakness, murders to steal Haddo’s forbidden texts, performs blood rituals, and binds young Oswald Pendleton as lover and disciple through explicit sex magick.

This modern revision of this classic pot-boiler is a more hardcore, horrifying, and twisted take on this tale.

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G.G. MacLeod is a 59-year-old Canadian male based in Calgary. The author has always had a tendency of combining genres like horror and action along with drama, psychological thrillers, giallo, and sometimes even comedy.

It really depends on how the author feels from moment to moment as they write because the author likes to entertain themselves first and then hope that a smattering of other people out there in the world will like it as well.

 Author Links:

 Twitter / X: https://x.com/GGMacLeod1

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ggmacleod1/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@ggmacleod1

Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/stores/G.-G.-MacLeod/author/B098Z2Z35R

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/22624912.G_G_MacLeod

 

 If you enjoy discovering new stories, you may also like The AnaRose Chronicles—a trilogy of award‑winning adventure novellas. https://books2read.com/u/4jzKAY

 

Book Spotlight: No Ordinary June by L. N. Jacobs

Miss June Fairmont, second daughter to Baronet Fairmont, believes in true love. Gregory Kendall, Earl of Kendall, believes in practical arrangements.

One dance. That's all it took for Gregory to decide June would make an adequate Countess of Kendall. The next morning, she overhears him presenting her father with a marriage proposal—complete with a list evaluating her suitability. When she bursts into her father's study, fury barely contained, Gregory has the audacity to look amused. Worse, he offers a wager. He'll give her one Season to find her perfect romantic match. When she inevitably fails to find this "true love"—and he's clearly certain she will—she'll accept his practical proposal.

June agrees instantly—let him watch her prove that love conquers logic. But Gregory proves an insufferable shadow throughout her Season, offering his pragmatic assessment of every swooning poet and debt-ridden rake. Somewhere between his dry observations and brutal honesty, June makes a horrifying discovery: she's starting to enjoy his company. His wit makes her laugh. That insufferable smirk becomes almost... attractive.

One Season. One wager. And a growing suspicion that the real danger isn't losing the bet—it's winning it.

Filled with sharp banter, a wager that changes everything, swoony kisses, and one insufferably pragmatic earl, "No Ordinary June" is the witty Regency romance you've been waiting for. A closed-door enemies-to-lovers where the tension is in every glance, and the slow burn will leave you breathless.

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L. N. Jacobs is an Italian paediatrician living in Sweden, where she's perfected the art of balancing hospital shifts, family chaos, and an unhealthy obsession with happy endings.

By day, she wrangles tiny patients and their worried parents. By night (and early mornings, and lunch breaks), she writes emotional romances about imperfect people finding love in the messiest, most unexpected ways.

Her stories blend the high-stakes drama of medical life with sizzling chemistry, sharp banter, and characters who feel like friends you'd text at 2 AM. Think ER meets happily-ever-after, with a hefty dose of wit and a side of Swedish fika.

When she's not writing or saving lives, you'll find her devouring romance novels, hoarding chocolate like it's currency, plotting her next adventure, or convincing her family that "just one more chapter" is a valid excuse for everything.

L. N. Jacobs writes the kind of love stories that make you laugh, swoon, and believe that even the most guarded hearts can find their home.

Social Media Links:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/luby.writes.books/

Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/luby-writes-books.bsky.social

Threads: https://www.threads.com/@luby.writes.books

Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B0FMG2XRRF

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/58168706.L_N_Jacobs

 

 If you enjoy discovering new stories, you may also like The AnaRose Chronicles—a trilogy of award‑winning adventure novellas. https://books2read.com/u/4jzKAY

 

Book Spotlight: Rise of the Pale Moon by Patricia Brandon

 

Forced to navigate complex relationships with each other and the master’s family in colonial South Carolina, three young women (an indentured servant, a chattel slave, and a Catawba Indian) must choose between remaining in servitude or risk a dangerous escape that could change their lives – and the course of the Revolution.

Unlikely Allies: Three Diverse Women Navigate Tumultuous Times, Risking All Amidst Revolutionary Woes. A Tale of Hope, Love, and Triumph Over Adversity.

In the heart of coastal South Carolina, during the Revolutionary War era, a profound narrative unfolds in Rise of the Pale Moon. This captivating tale is set on a plantation, where three young women of strikingly different backgrounds are held captive - a humble indentured servant from London, a resilient chattel slave, and a resourceful Catawba Indian. Their lives are intertwined, bound by the chains of their circumstances, and deeply impacted by the Master and his family.

These women, each bearing a unique perspective, must learn to navigate their relationships with each other and their captors. As they grapple with their brutal reality, their courage is put to the ultimate test. Will they risk a daring escape, knowing full well that it could result in their demise? Or will they remain, hoping to influence their fate and possibly alter the course of the war in the American South?

Rise of the Pale Moon explores the intricacies of loyalty, sacrifice, and love amidst harsh adversity. The characters' relentless pursuit of hope is a testament to their determination and resilience, offering an inspiring portrayal of human spirit. As the birth of a new nation unfolds around them, their journey reveals the transformative power of unity and friendship.

This riveting narrative is more than just a historical fiction; it is a timeless exploration of the human condition, capturing the essence of shared struggles, shared dreams, and the shared determination to survive. The characters' journey serves as a poignant reminder of the enduring power of hope, even in the darkest of times.

Rise of the Pale Moon is a captivating read, that will take you on a rollercoaster of emotions, leaving you with a renewed perspective on life, love, and the power of resilience. The story serves as a testament to the strength of the human spirit and the courage to fight for freedom. A must-read for anyone who appreciates a compelling historical narrative laced with poignant life lessons.

 

 Buy Links:

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Patricia Brandon is a winner of a Carrie McCray Memorial Literary Award (South Carolina Writers’ Association).

Her first novel, THE CENTER OF GRAVITY, earned a Coffee Pot Book Club (UK) “Highly Recommended” 5-Star Award. It recently was awarded a bronze medal (fiction-mystery-historical category) in the Readers Favorite International Book Contest.

Her second novel, A RULE OF LIFE, was selected as a gold medal (YA, Historical Fiction category) 2021 Book of the Year by The Coffee Pot Book Club. It also was recently selected as a bronze medal (YA Mystery category) winner in the Readers Favorite International Book Contest.

RISE OF THE PALE MOON was selected as a finalist for the American Writing Awards 2025.

All novels have gleaned several excellent editorial reviews.

Check out Patricia’s interview at Meet The Author: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X7wk0myvCk0

Author Links:

Website:  https://patriciabrandon.com/

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

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

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

Amazon Author Page:  https://www.amazon.com/stores/Patricia-Brandon/author/B07DLGBJV4 

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/list/17558288.Patricia_Brandon

 

 If you enjoy discovering new stories, you may also like The AnaRose Chronicles—a trilogy of award‑winning adventure novellas. https://books2read.com/u/4jzKAY

Book Spotlight: Escape of the Grand Duchess by Susan Appleyard

 

Escape of the Grand Duchess by Susan Appleyard is a gripping historical novel that shatters the notion that royalty is synonymous with privilege and ease. At its heart is Grand Duchess Olga Alexandrovna, the youngest sister of Tsar Nicholas II—a Romanov who defied a doomed destiny and survived.

Unlike her ill-fated brother and his family, Olga’s story is one of resilience, sacrifice, and daring escape. Trapped in a loveless marriage to a reckless gambler—who harbours secrets of his own—she finds hope in the arms of a dashing army lieutenant. But before she can claim her own happiness, she must first endure the brutal realities of World War I, where she serves as a nurse on the frontlines.

As the Russian Empire teeters on the brink of collapse, the infamous Siberian mystic Rasputin tightens his grip on the imperial court, setting the stage for revolution. With the Bolsheviks seizing power and the Romanovs marked for death, Olga faces an impossible choice: risk everything to stay or flee into the unknown with her true love and their children.

Rich in historical detail and driven by an unforgettable heroine, Escape of the Grand Duchess is a sweeping riches-to-rags tale of survival, love, and the strength it takes to forge a new life in the face of unimaginable upheaval.

Praise:

“Escape of the Grand Duchess” is not merely a tale of survival; it is an emotional and gripping exploration of Olga’s unwavering desire to seek solace amidst the ruins of her past. The novel beautifully captures her internal struggles and the relentless hope that drives her onward, making it a poignant and vivid narrative of resilience. This book comes highly recommended.

Yarde Book Promotions

Buy Link:

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 Amazon US Paperback: https://www.amazon.com/Escape-Grand-Duchess-Susan-Appleyard/dp/1990688462

Amazon UK Paperback: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Escape-Grand-Duchess-Susan-Appleyard/dp/1990688462

Susan was born in England, which is where she learned to love English history, and now lives in Canada in the summer. In winter, she and her husband flee the cold for their second home in Mexico. Susan divides her time between writing and her hobby, oil painting, although writing will always be her first love. She was fortunate in having had two books published traditionally. Since joining the ebook crowd, she has published nine books, some of which have won various awards.

Social Media Links:

 Website: https://susanappleyardwriter.wordpress.com

Blog: https://susanappleyardwriter.wordpress.com/blog/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/appleyard.susan/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/susan.appleyard.9

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/susan-appleyard

Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.co.uk/stores/Susan-Appleyard/author/B00UTVMT5Y

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1283266.Susan_Appleyard

 

If you enjoy discovering new stories, you may also like The AnaRose Chronicles—a trilogy of award‑winning adventure novellas. https://books2read.com/u/4jzKAY

 

 

Book Spotlight: That Catskill Summer by Bart A. Charlow

He wrote the book he lived. Now she wants to rewrite the ending.

For fans of the 1960s Catskills era of Dirty Dancing, this is a very different kind of love story.

Author Aaron Ben-Ami’s steamy novel, based on a failed youthful love affair in the "Summer of Love" Borscht Belt, is a sensation. Love was easy to come by in the resort culture of the early sexual revolution, but not so easy to keep. Now, as his story is being made into a movie starring Isobel “Izzy” Sandler, the past and present are about to collide.

Ironically, it was a chance meeting with Izzy that inspired Aaron to write the book in the first place—she was his muse. But as they grow close during filming, Izzy discovers the raw truth behind the fiction. She is the granddaughter of Elyse, the real woman who modeled for the novel’s lead—and Aaron's greatest "what if".

Set against the richly textured backdrop of a disappearing American era, That Catskill Summer is a story of what we miss in the moment and what stays with us long after. It is a journey through the humor, the heat, and the heartbreak of youth, told through the reflective eyes of someone who survived it.

Perfect for readers of emotionally rich, time-layered fiction who value reflection over resolution – and those who believe that a single summer can define a lifetime.

 

Buy Links:

 Universal Buy Link: https://books2read.com/u/bx2ZE6

 Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/that-catskill-summer-bart-charlow/1149767644?ean=9798256302627 

 Amazon US Buy Link: https://www.amazon.com/That-Catskill-Summer-Lived-Love/dp/B0GV3P1RBL/

 

 

Bart A. Charlow is an author, consultant, and retired therapist whose writing explores the intricate intersections of memory, legacy, and the human heart. With over 45 years as a visual artist and photographer, Bart brings a painterly eye to his prose, capturing the atmospheric beauty and lingering shadows of the people and places that shape us.

Born into the carnival life of a Borscht Belt Catskills hotel family, he has never let the ordinary constrain him.

His first book, A Catskill Carnival: My Borscht Belt Life Lived, Lost and Loved, is a memoir of his early years in a unique setting, coming to terms with it and cherishing its life lessons. Pickle Barrel Tales: More Borscht Belt BS is the companion book of over 50 wry vignettes from several “mountain rats”.

 A true son of the Catskills, Bart’s deep connection to the "Borscht Belt" Dirty Dancing era serves as the foundation for his storytelling. His novels delve into the complex emotional landscapes of mature characters, often focusing on the ways the past refuses to stay buried and how new love must contend with old ghosts. His latest series is “Lived-In Love^TM”, dedicated to telling realistic relationship stories with deep emotional connections, not the usual tropes.

 Whether through a camera lens, a paintbrush, or the written word, Bart is dedicated to capturing the "circus of memories" that defines the mature experience.

 He writes a regular column, “Bart on Art”, for The San Mateo Daily Journal.

 Bart has been a favored speaker on TV, radio and in print media for decades and is recognized for his service in the United States Congressional Record.

Among honors he holds is the Jefferson Award for his community leadership and service.

He lives in the San Francisco Bay Area with his wife, grown children and grandchildren.

 Author Links:

 Website: www.bartcharlow.com/writing

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61579380382162

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

Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/stores/BART-CHARLOW/author/B0CMZJVBDR

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/46634582.Bart_A_Charlow

 If you enjoy discovering new stories, you may also like The AnaRose Chronicles—a trilogy of award‑winning adventure novellas. https://books2read.com/u/4jzKAY

 

 

 

 

Book Spotlight: Infidel: The Daughters of Aragon (Six Tudor Queens) by Nicola Harris

 

Born in the glittering courts of Castile and Aragon and forged in the shadow of war, Catalina de Aragón grows up surrounded by queens, rebels, and explorers. She is her mother’s last daughter, the final jewel of a dynasty built on conquest and faith, and the one child Isabella of Castile cannot bear to lose.

But destiny has already claimed Catalina.

Promised to Prince Arthur of England since childhood, she is raised to bind kingdoms, soothe old wounds, and carry the hopes of an empire across the sea. Yet, Spain fractures under rebellion, grief, and the ruthless zeal of its own rulers.

From the burning streets of Granada to the storm‑lashed Bay of Biscay, Catalina and her sisters must navigate a treacherous path shaped by ambition, betrayal, and the dangerous love of men who fear the power of queens. She learns to read cyphers, to read hearts, and to stand unbroken even as her childhood is stripped from her piece by piece.

And when she finally sails for England armed with her mother’s lessons, her father’s steel, and the ghosts of the Alhambra at her back, Catalina steps into her fate not as a girl, but as a force.

A princess.

A survivor.

A daughter of Aragon.

Infidel is the story of a young woman raised for greatness and destined to reshape the fate of nations. This is Catalina, as she has never been seen before. She is fierce, vulnerable, and unforgettable.

A sweeping, intimate portrait of sisterhood, survival, and the making of a dynasty, Infidel reveals the hidden lives of a woman whose courage shaped the Tudor world.

Buy Link:

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I’ve always been a writer, but it was only when illness forced me to stop everything that I finally had the time to write a novel. After decades of misdiagnosis, I learned I was born with a serious genetic condition, not rare, but profoundly misunderstood. The clues were there from birth, and suddenly, a lifetime of struggle made sense.

Writing became my lifeline: a way to step beyond my pain, to shape my experience into a story, and to find meaning where there had once been only endurance.

I have a lifelong love of children, Counselling, and Psychotherapy Theory and history.

Social Media Links:

Website: https://nicolaharrisauthor.com/

Instagram: https://instagram.com/@nicola_harris_author

Twitter / X: https://x.com/@harris_nic59544

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/Nicola-Harris-Author/61580352386417/

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 Pinterest: pinterest.com/NicolaHarrisAuthor

Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.co.uk/stores/Nicola-Harris/author/B0FQ39YKGF

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/59955210.Nicola_Harris

If you enjoy discovering new stories, you may also like The AnaRose Chronicles—a trilogy of award‑winning adventure novellas. https://books2read.com/u/4jzKAY

Book Spotlight: Another Soul Saved by John Anthony Miller

Vienna, 1941

Monika Graf, the wife of a wealthy Austrian military commander, steals two Jewish girls from the Nazis—a crime often punishable by death. With soldiers in rapid pursuit, a homeless Jew named Janik, a mysterious man who lurks in the shadows, helps her escape.

Unable to have children of her own, she finds a new purpose in life—rescuing Jewish children from the horrendous Nazi regime. She asks the Swiss for help, trading military secrets she gleans from her husband for the lives of Jewish children. With Janik’s continued support, she also enlists Father Christoff, a priest at St. Stephen's Cathedral coping with unexpected emotions and doubting his commitment to God. Monika quickly forms bonds that can’t be broken, feelings exposed she never knew existed.

Relentlessly pursued by Gestapo Captain Gustav Kramer, Monika combats continuing risk to her clandestine operation. When her husband, a rabid Nazi, returns from the battlefield severely wounded, she gets caught in a cage that she can’t crawl out of.

Wrought with danger, riddled with romance, Another Soul Saved shows humanity at both its best and worst in a classic struggle of good versus evil.

 

Buy Link:

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John Anthony Miller writes all things historical—thrillers, mysteries, and romance. He sets his novels in exotic locations spanning all eras of space and time, with complex characters forced to face inner conflicts—fighting demons both real and imagined. He’s published twenty novels and ghostwritten several others, including Another Soul Saved. He lives in southern New Jersey.

 Social Media Links:

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

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

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

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/john-anthony-miller

Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/stores/JOHN-ANTHONY-MILLER/author/B00Q1U0OKO

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/9787380.John_Anthony_Miller

Publisher’s Marketplace:

https://www.publishersmarketplace.com/members/jamjam57/

If you enjoy discovering new stories, you may also like The AnaRose Chronicles—a trilogy of award‑winning adventure novellas. https://books2read.com/u/4jzKAY

 

Book Spotlight: Quetzalcoatl: Time Stones Book II by Ian Hunter

 Jessie Mason lives with her nose in the pages of history. But she is discovering that the past is a dangerous place where she doesn't belong, and knowledge alone is not going to save her.

Jessie’s life has become a series of terrible challenges. Now she must lead her friends in the hopeless task Grandfather set them: hunt down and destroy the Time Stones. But her leadership has already failed. Tip has left them and Abe has simply disappeared, while she and Kes are trapped in the heart of an ancient empire in turmoil.

Thrust into a fractured, threatened Mexica nobility, Jessie is immersed in a way of life, fascinating and disturbing in equal measure, yet powerless before the approaching Conquistadors and the impending clash of cultures.

Even as the fabulous city of Tenochtitlan descends into savage violence, Jessie’s determination to succeed is undiminished. But with world history taking a new, bloody direction before her, she is finally forced to decide which is more important: continuing the task or simply surviving.

Praise:

“Quetzalcoatl (Time Stones Book II) by Ian Hunter is a tautly gripping novel that is written with a sensitivity to the era it depicts, but it is also a story packed with adventure and magic. Hunter’s vivacious storytelling made this novel impossible to put down. It is a story that has been penned with an impressive sweep and brilliance.” 

The Coffee Pot Book Club

 

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Books have been an important part of my life as long as I can remember, and at 54 years old, that’s a lot of books. My earliest memories of reading are CS Lewis’, “The Horse and His Boy” – by far the best of the Narnia books, the Adventures series by Willard Price, and “Goalkeepers are Different” by sports journalist Brian Glanville. An eclectic mix. My first English teacher was surprised to hear that I was reading, Le Carré, Ken Follett, Nevil Shute and “All the Presidents’ Men” by Woodward and Bernstein at the age of 12. I was simply picking up the books my father had finished.

School syllabus threw up the usual suspects – Shakespeare, Chaucer, Dickens, Hardy, “To Kill a Mockingbird” – which I have reread often, and others I don’t immediately recall. By “A” level study, my then English teachers were pulling their hair out at my “perverse waste of talent” – I still have the report card! But I did manage a pass.

During a 35 year career, briefly in Banking and then in IT, I managed to find time, with unfailing family support, to study another lifelong passion, graduating with an Open University Bachelors’ degree in History in 2002. This fascination with all things historical inspired me to begin the Time Stones series. There is so much to our human past, and so many differing views on what is the greatest, and often the saddest, most tragic story. I decided I wanted to write about it; to shine a small light on those, sometimes pivotal stories, which are less frequently mentioned.

In 1995, my wife, Michelle, and I moved from England to southern Germany, where we still live, with our two children, one cat, and, when she pays us a visit, one chocolate labrador. I have been fortunate that I could satisfy another wish, to travel as widely as possible and see as much of our world as I can. Destinations usually include places of historic and archaeological interest, mixed with a large helping of sun, sea and sand for my wife’s peace of mind.

 Social Media Links:

 Website: https://ianhunterwrites.com

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

Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B07KPKWG1C

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/20335698.Ian_Hunter

 

If you enjoy discovering new stories, you may also like The AnaRose Chronicles—a trilogy of award‑winning adventure novellas. https://books2read.com/u/4jzKAY

Book Spotlight: Love Lost in Time by Cathie Dunn

 

A reluctant daughter. A dutiful wife. A mystery of the ages.

Languedoc, France, 2018

Historian Madeleine Winters would rather research her next project than rehash the strained relationship she had with her late mother. However, to claim her inheritance, she reluctantly agrees to stay the one year required in her late mother’s French home and begins renovations. But when she’s haunted by a female voice inside the house and tremors emanating from beneath her kitchen floorboards, she’s shocked to discover ancient human bones.

The Mediterranean coast, AD 777

Seventeen-year-old Nanthild is wise enough to know her place. Hiding her Pagan wisdom and dutifully accepting her political marriage, she’s surprised when she falls for her Christian husband, the Count of Carcassonne. But she struggles to keep her forbidden religious beliefs and her healing skills secret while her spouse goes off to fight in a terrible, bloody war.

As Maddie settles into her rustic village life, she becomes obsessed with unraveling the mysterious history buried in her new home. And when Nanthild is caught in the snare of an envious man, she’s terrified she’ll never embrace her beloved again.

Can two women torn apart by centuries help each other finally find peace?

Love Lost in Time is a vivid standalone historical fiction novel for fans of epoch-spanning enigmas. If you like dark mysteries, romantic connections, and hints of the paranormal, then you’ll adore Cathie Dunn’s tale of redemption and self-discovery. 

Praise

"From the richness of Charlemagne's court and the regret of a daughter, as she stands over her mother's grave, to the realisation of an enemy and a skeleton under the kitchen floor, Love Lost in Time: A Tale of Love, Death and Redemption by Cathie Dunn is the unforgettable story that traverses two very different times."

The Coffee Pot Book Club, 5* Editorial Review

"The narrative is ripe with emotions as two independent women are pulled in unexpected directions... Both landscapes are beautifully penned for readers to easily get lost in. Additionally, the storylines are engaging, and each helped bring a satisfying conclusion to the other. An enjoyable tale about love, sacrifice, and self-discovery."

Historical Novel Society

"The historical details are beautiful, and a book which could easily feel oppressively sad is cleverly lightened with the use of romance and a satisfying ending. Well written and easy to read, the historical side may be a little more compelling, but the contemporary details add a layer that cannot be ignored!"

In'DTale Magazine

"In Love Lost in Time, Ms Dunn creates a fascinating balance between a tragic love story set in the Visigoth empire of the eighth century, and a very modern historian on a quest to find her own personal history in picturesque Languedoc...

Thoroughly researched and beautifully told, both stories complement each other in narrative power and colourful scene-setting; and in the dual narrative the main characters are compelling - each a product of destiny and following their fate, regardless of the cost.
Fans of Kate Mosse will relish this book..."

Discovering Diamonds Reviews

 

 Buy Link:

Universal Buy Link: https://books2read.com/u/mq7DM9

 https://mybook.to/LoveLostTime

 This book is available on #KindleUnlimited

 

Cathie is an Amazon-bestselling author of historical fiction, dual-timeline, mystery, and romance. She loves to infuse her stories with a strong sense of place and time, combined with a dark secret or mystery – and a touch of romance. Often, you can find her deep down the rabbit hole of historical research…

In addition, she is also a historical fiction book promoter with The Coffee Pot Book Club, a novel-writing tutor, and a keen reviewer on her blog, Ruins & Reading.

After having lived in Scotland for almost two decades, Cathie is now enjoying the sunshine in the south of France with her husband, and her rescued pets, Ellie Dog & Charlie Cat. 

She is a member of the Historical Novel Society, the Richard III Society, the Alliance of Independent Authors, and the Romantic Novelists’ Association.

 Social Media Links:

 Website: https://www.cathiedunn.com

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

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

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cathie.dunn1

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

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/cathie-dunn

Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Cathie-Dunn/author/B005IHAXH0

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5066224.Cathie_Dunn

 

 

 

 

Book Spotlight: Circus Bim Bom: A Cold War Adventure by Cliff Lovette

Soviet circus performers arrived in America hoping to build cultural bridges. Instead, they became unwitting pawns in a Cold War game of international intrigue.

When the first privately owned Soviet circus arrived in 1990 in America as the Soviet Union disintegrated, its elite performers expected to build cultural bridges through spectacular shows. Instead, this prestigious troupe faced a perilous journey through Cold War America.

Circus director Yuri had to navigate treacherous waters where American mobsters, Soviet agents, and political forces circled like predators. Young aerialist Anton dreamed of becoming a clown against his family’s wishes, while forbidden romances and unexpected connections bloomed between Soviet performers and Americans who saw past the ideological divide. As high-stakes conspiracies threatened to tear the circus family apart, they had to choose between the authoritarian chains of home and the uncertain promise of freedom.

As the Ringmaster reminds us, “The best Soviet stories are like vodka—they burn with suffering, intoxicate with conflict, keep you stewing in reflection, and yearning for your heart’s desire.” This genre-bending tale explores whether human connection can transcend ideology—and whether storytelling can bridge the divides that separate us.

 Buy Link:

Universal Buy Link: https://books2read.com/u/3Gj0B8

 UK Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0G4FPKNPR

 US Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0G4FPKNPR

 

Check out the virtual blog tour HERE

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YouTube Link to Book Club: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fafpTaJLD84

What Makes This Novel Different

Circus Bim Bom offers an innovative multimedia reading experience. The novel includes 45+ YouTube links to period music, historical speeches, and cultural moments embedded throughout—readers can listen to the actual songs characters dance to as they waltz, and watch Reagan's Brandenburg Gate speech as it's referenced in the text.

The companion website (www.bimbombookclub.com) extends the story beyond the page:

• Character Avatars: 25+ talking video introductions where characters speak directly to readers
• Re-Imagined Circus Posters
• Book Club Experience: Interactive forums, live chat, and community discussions
• Historians' Room (under construction): A space for Cold War history buffs to fact-check the novel, explore primary sources, and debate historical accuracy

Father, storyteller, and dog lover living in Sandy Springs, Georgia, with London curled at his feet. Cliff Lovette is an entertainment lawyer who learned about the real Circus Bim Bom in 1991 when the circus's American road manager became a client at his Atlanta law firm. Circus Bim Bom: A Cold War Adventure is the first book in his debut duology

 Social Media Links:

 Website: https://bimbombookclub.com/

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

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheRingmaster-n7y

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@ringmaster606

Linktree: linktr.ee/TheRingmaster606

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

Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Cliff-Lovette/author/B0GHLLRQY2

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/244611518-circus-bim-bom