The Magnificent Sons by Justin Myers @theguyliner @PiatkusBooks @LittleBrownUK #ebookpublicationpromo #bookreview

The Magnificent Sons written by Justin Myers, publisher Piatkus, is available in ebook and audiobook format from 28th May 2020.

Book Blurb

Two brothers.  Two different journeys.  The same hope of a magnificent future.

Jake D’Arcy has spent most of his twenty-nine years trying to get his life just right. He’s nearly there: great girlfriend, great friends, stable job. A distant relationship with his boisterous family – which is exactly the way he wants it. So why does everything feel so wrong?

When his popular, irritatingly confident teenage brother Trick comes out as gay to a rapturous response, Jake realises he has questions about his own repressed bisexuality, and that he can’t wait any longer to find his answers.

As Trick begins to struggle with navigating the murky waters of adult relationships, Jake begins a journey that will destroy his relationship with girlfriend Amelia, challenge his closest friendships, and force him to face up to the distance between him and his family – but offers new friends, fewer inhibitions, and a glimpse of the magnificent life he never thought could be his.

To pre-order/buy link: https://amzn.to/2ZwfXnV

REVIEW

I voluntarily reviewed an arc of this book. All opinions are my own and no content may be copied. However, authors and publishers may use elements of my reviews for quotes

I am so pleased to be involved in the blogtour celebrating and promoting the launch of Justin Myers latest novel: The Magnificent Sons.

The Magnificent Sons is the second novel by Justin Myers, aka The Guyliner, author of The Last Romeo.  Please check out my review for Justin’s debut novel here

The Magnificent Sons is Justin Myers second novel and I’ve found his writing style to be raw, honest, he’s not afraid to show the storyline’s true colours but I’ve also found it to be endearing and filled with likeable characters. Characters that are blessed with everyday situations and have to face many hurdles and this is what real life is all about. Facing our fears, our emotions and our thoughts.

This is the story of two brothers who on the outside appear very different but were it counts, on the inside, they are the same. They want to be loved, understood and feel welcomed for who they are. This story is about Jake and Trick but it could be about any number of siblings all over the world.

Jake the eldest of the brothers has always shied away from drama, conflict or someone making a spectacle of themselves so when his younger brother Trick comes out on his 17th birthday Jake dismisses it as Trick’s show, again! The whole family has known about Trick’s sexuality for a long time but when Jakes starts to question his own his family are dumbfounded and Jake questions whether it’s easier to just ‘be normal’.

This was a compelling read of a young man questioning his feelings but it’s also a family learning to listen, to understand, to accept and to talk to each other again.

About the Author

JUSTIN MYERS is a writer and editor from Shipley, Yorkshire, who now lives in London. After years working in journalism, he began his popular, anonymous dating blog The Guyliner in 2010. Justin spent five years writing dating and relationship advice for Gay Times, before joining British GQ as a weekly columnist in 2016. His work has appeared in a number of publications including the Guardian, the Sunday Times’ Style, Grazia and the Irish Times. His debut novel, The Last Romeo, was published in 2018, and a second, The Magnificent Sons, is out May 2020.

Twitter:  @theguyliner

 

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*Cover Reveal* – Let Me Burn by Carrie Elks

 

I am so pleased to be involved in the Cover Reveal for Carrie Elks latest contemporary romance; Let Me Burn.  Here’s a little information about the book to tempt to you …

Title: Let Me Burn
Author: Carrie Elks
Release Date: February 21, 2019

BLURB:

She isn’t looking for love. He’s not planning on staying around. But when they meet, sparks fly…

As a big city firefighter, Lucas lives for his job. Forced to take extended leave following an accident, he returns to his small hometown to stay at the beach cottage his grandparents left him. The problem is, he’s not used to having so much time on his hands.

After a broken engagement, Ember isn’t ready for love right now. Though her heart might be mended, she prefers to keep herself busy with her family and work; that way she won’t get hurt again. But she didn’t count on meeting a handsome firefighter with that dimpled smile. After Lucas saves her from one awkward situation too many, she can’t stop thinking about him.

Ember finds Lucas impossible to resist. And he’s determined not to let her. As long summer days melt into sultry, passionate nights what begins as a fling develops into something much deeper. Until the day Ember’s ex-fiancé returns to town and threatens to destroy the fragile connection that’s building between them.

Amazon Author Page: https://amzn.to/2HpNAjY

Add to Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/43536397-let-me-burn

Sign up for more information: https://www.subscribepage.com/LetMeBurn

And here is the gorgeous cover:

Such a stunning cover and I can’t wait to read it.

Here is another graphic with a beautiful quote.

About the Author

Carrie Elks writes contemporary romance with a sizzling edge. Her first book, Fix You, has been translated into eight languages and made a surprise appearance on Big Brother in Brazil. Luckily for her, it wasn’t voted out. Carrie lives with her husband, two lovely children and a larger-than-life black pug called Plato. When she isn’t writing or reading, she can be found baking, drinking an occasional (!) glass of wine, or chatting on social media.

Website: https://carrieelks.com/

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

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

By Virtue Fall by Carrie Elks book review

 

By Virtue Fall written by Carrie Elks, publisher Piatkus, is available NOW in ebook and paperback format.

To buy link: https://amzn.to/2LkDak2

Product Details

Love blooms when you least expect it . . .
Juliet Shakespeare is done with love. With a growing floristry business and an adorable daughter to raise, life after separating from her husband is complicated enough.
But when handsome single father, Ryan Sutherland, arrives in town, everything changes. As much as she tries to distract herself, Juliet can’t help but be drawn to the easy-going Romeo next door and the way he makes her feel.
Photographer Ryan is only back in his hometown for a few months so there’s no point falling for someone he’ll just have to say goodbye to. But he didn’t account for Juliet – the intriguing and beautiful, red-haired woman next door. And in her, he might just have found everything he ever wanted . . .

 

 

I voluntarily reviewed an arc of this book. All opinions are my own and no content may be copied. However, authors and publishers may use elements of my reviews for quotes.

By Virtue Fall is the fourth and final instalment in the Shakespeare Sisters series.  Each story can be read as a standalone but I wholeheartedly recommend reading all the books in the series in order as characters from each novel do crop up in future stories and to be honest it’s an adorable, addictive series.  Each Shakespeare sister; Lucy, Juliet, Cesca and Kitty have their own personality traits and also have their own story to tell.  After reading each one I say to myself that I loved so and so’s story the most, or I thought that the author Carrie Elks couldn’t have written a better story than the first but then along comes another sister’s story and you fall in love all over again with each individual sister and their respective tale.

The books in the series in order are:

• Summer’s Lease REVIEW
• A Winter’s Tale REVIEW
• Absent in the Spring REVIEW
• By Virtue Fall

Each book takes you to a gorgeous location and with Juliet, we travel to the states to Maryland.  Juliet is in the middle of a messy divorce from her husband Thomas.  The best thing to come out of their marriage is their six year old daughter Poppy.  Now coping as a single mother Juliet is working hard with her floristry business.  Juliet’s other love in her life is flowers and she especially loves the meaning surrounding flowers and matching them to certain situations.

When Juliet first encounters Ryan Sutherland it’s under rather strained circumstances but a mutual appreciation of the highs and lows of parenthood breaks the ice and a friendship soon blossoms.

Ryan Sutherland is also a single parent and originated from the area but left under a dark cloud.  However, he decides to make a temporary home back in Maryland with his son Charlie till his new job starts in New York.  There is a lot of tension still bubbling between Ryan and his father and it soon becomes evident that the saying ‘absence makes the heart grow fonder’ has not worked.  Ryan holds a strong, charismatic bravado but there is a vulnerability behind his eyes.  With Ryan just in the area on a short term basis he doesn’t expect to meet with a kindred spirit in Juliet.  A beautiful young woman whose life is currently in turmoil and at times she appears a little fragile.

Is the timing wrong for romance to blossom between Juliet and Ryan?  Will her ex Thomas, who precariously holds a string controlling Juliet’s life, put a thorn in any future happiness for Juliet?

With complications in life and love comes a beautiful blossoming romance that is intoxicating and gorgeous.

I’ve completely loved the Shakespeare Sisters series by Carrie Elks; I’ve felt like I’ve known Lucy, Juliet, Cesca and Kitty; I’ve cried with them, laughed with them and have cheered them all on.  A set of beautiful, sexy and adorable stories.

About the Author

Carrie Elks writes contemporary romance with a sizzling edge. Her first book, Fix You, has been translated into eight languages and made a surprise appearance on Big Brother in Brazil. Luckily for her, it wasn’t voted out. Carrie lives with her husband, two lovely children and a larger-than-life black pug called Plato. When she isn’t writing or reading, she can be found baking, drinking an occasional (!) glass of wine, or chatting on social media.

Website: https://carrieelks.com/

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

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

Absent in the Spring by Carrie Elks book review

Absent in the Spring written by Carrie Elks, publisher Piatkus, is available NOW in ebook and paperback format.

To buy link:  https://amzn.to/2JYHnHZ

Product Details (as per amazon page)

Losing control never felt so good . . .
A successful lawyer, and the eldest of four sisters, Lucy Shakespeare is used to being in control of everything and everyone around her, most particularly herself – until she meets the gorgeous Lachlan MacLeish.
Lachlan’s hired Lucy because he needs the best. His inheritance is suddenly in doubt, thanks to his devious half-brother and there’s no way he’s going down without a fight. The very last thing he wants is a distraction, but as soon as he sees Lucy, he knows he’s in trouble.
Despite their efforts to resist, it isn’t long before Lachlan has Lucy longing to break all her careful rules. As they travel from Scotland, to Paris and on to New York, Lucy can’t help but wonder: is it sometimes worth risking it all?

I voluntarily reviewed an arc of this book. All opinions are my own and no content may be copied. However, authors and publishers may use elements of my reviews for quotes.

Absent in the Spring is book 3 in the Shakespeare Sisters series, the books can be read as a standalone but I would highly recommend reading all the books in the series in order as they are gorgeously addictive.  The books in the series are:

• Summer’s Lease
• A Winter’s Tale
• Absent in the Spring
• By Virtue Fall (due to be released in September 2018)

When millionaire businessman Lachlan MacLeish is bequeathed a Scottish Castle and Laird from his deceased father he finds himself in need of a top class lawyer as his step-brother has put in a counter claim against the requests of the will.  Across the seas from Lachlan’s NYC office Lucy Shakespeare is handed a crucial new case for the firm she works for.  She’s been hired to fight with Lachlan for his right to acknowledge his father’s wishes in his will.

Lucy Shakespeare is the eldest of the four sisters.  Since the untimely death of their mother when Lucy was 15 she has taken the reigns of responsibility of maintaining the family unit caring for her grieving sisters and father.  However, since the death of their mother Lucy has held a secret from the rest of the family and it’s been eating away at her.  Lucy is highly respected in the legal world and loves living in Edinburgh.  She lives and breathes her work.  This new case looks very interesting and her first task is to meet with Lachlan at one of his many international bases.

Both Lachlan and Lucy are highly professional in their work but this initial meeting of client and lawyer sparks unnerving emotions with the pair, emotions that they both have not felt in such a long time.

As the case progresses and the pair are flying from Edinburgh to the States and to Paris a playful banter emerges and soon develops into a highly unprofessional sexual desire.  Can the pair keep their professional lives away from the ever increasing beats of their hearts?

Lachlan and Lucy have both experienced heartache in their childhood which has given them the strength to follow their dreams and succeed in their professions but this has left no time to let anyone in their hearts.

I loved Lucy’s story.  The different localities sent you to a wide range of landscapes and Lachlan and Lucy’s personalities changed according to the locations, a softening of character was felt when they were away from their office environments and the beauty of nature reminded them of what was important in life.  This was another gorgeously, sexy, addictive read from Carrie Elks.  I’ve really enjoyed sharing the journey the Shakespeare Sisters have been taking and we have the pleasure of the final instalment in September 2018.

I’d like to share one of my favourite quotes from the book:

“He had the kind of body that could shelter you from a storm, if only you would let him in.”

To learn more about the author Carrie Elks please visit the following pages:

Website:  https://carrieelks.com/

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

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

 

A Winter’s Tale by Carrie Elks book review

A Winter’s Tale (The Shakespeare Sisters) written by Carrie Elks, publisher Piatkus, is available from 30th November 2017 in ebook and paperback format.

To pre-order/buy link:  http://amzn.to/2jqYmHB

Product Details (as per amazon page)

Struggling film student Kitty Shakespeare is as bad at interviews as she is talented at making films. She’s given herself until the end of the year to score an internship in LA, otherwise it’ll be back to London with her tail between her legs. Unfortunately the only job offer on the table is as nanny to major producer Everett Klein’s son, Jonas. It’s not exactly the career she’d hoped for, but if she can get this right, then surely he’ll take a moment to look at her work. However, what Kitty hasn’t allowed for is Everett’s sexy-as-hell brother, Adam – and love at first sight this is not.

Adam Klein may be sexy, but he’s also gruff, rude and completely impossible. All he wants to do hole up in his cabin and hide from the brother who destroyed his life. If only he could find it easier to ignore the way Kitty makes his heart race . . .

As Christmas approaches, Kitty and Adam realise that although the course of true love never does run smooth, just maybe, it’s more interesting that way…

I voluntarily reviewed an arc of this novel.  All opinions are my own and no content may be copied. However, authors and publishers may use elements of my reviews for quotes.

I adored this tale of finding love at a time when you least expect it.  A Winter’s Tale is the second book in the Shakespeare Sisters Romance stories.  This is the story of Kitty Shakespeare, the youngest of four sisters.  Each story can be read as a standalone but you are truly missing out on a treat if you don’t catch up with each of the Shakespeare Sisters in their own unique story.

Carrie Elks is a relatively new author to me,  I was first introduced to her work back in August when I read Summer’s Lease.  You can find my review for Summer’s Lease here.  Carrie Elks writes contemporary women’s fiction, her stories sweep you away into the lives of the characters she has created with warmth and humour and you instantly fall in love with them.  There is a sexual chemistry that’s beautifully woven within the storyline that is quite addictive to read about.

Kitty’s story is gorgeous, charming, sexy and much, much more.  I really didn’t want this story to end.

Kitty is 24 and a mature Film Studies student at UCLA.  Kitty always dreamed of moving home from London to LA and wanted to work in the film industry as an Editor.  As part of her studies she needed to complete an internship but was struggling finding one and her lack of confidence during interviews wasn’t helping.  However, her resume which included work as a nanny, proved useful during one of her interviews when she was offered a temporary position of a nanny working over the festive period for a top producer.  This new assignment took her from the sunny coast of LA to the wintry climate of West Virginia to a grand house surrounded by snowy woodland.  Working for the top producer was to prove challenging in more ways than one.  The young boy Jonas was delightful and Kitty soon built up a good relationship with him.  However, Kitty didn’t have on the agenda getting in the middle of a sibling conflict.  This conflict between the two Klein brothers had been going on since the summer and has caused a big rift in the family.

Adam Klein, the younger of the brothers and acclaimed Documentarian is still reeling from this conflict, the emotions that his brother’s action brought out in him were still quite raw.  Since the summer Adam has been living the life of a recluse in the wooden cabin in the grounds of the family home.  He’d taken himself ‘off the grid’ and was seeking guidance for his anger and emotion issues.  Adam wasn’t looking forward to the big family Christmas and coming into contact with his brother again.  But a new visitor to the family property was causing him a new distraction and making him question his emotions.  An instant attraction was felt when he first met his nephew’s new nanny Kitty but his current mood didn’t always show his true feelings.

Two young people feeling lost and at odds with the world find a common ground in family values.  With growing sexual attraction can Kitty and Adam find a way of bringing their lost souls home?

Another screen-worthy performance from Carrie Elks.

To learn more about Carrie Elks and her work please do visit the following pages:

Website:  https://carrieelks.com/

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

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

 

Summer’s Lease by Carrie Elks book review

Summer’s Lease written by Carrie Elks, publisher Piatkus, is available NOW in ebook and paperback format.

To buy link:

Product Details (as per amazon page)

A free summer holiday in a beautiful villa in Lake Como. The catch? Sharing a house with her worst enemy . . .

Cesca Shakespeare has hit rock bottom. After one prize-winning play that ended in disaster, writer’s block turned up, moved in and got a Netflix subscription. Six years later, she’s just lost her crappy job and is about to lose her flat. Worse still, her sisters have no idea how far she’s fallen. So when her fairy Godfather offers her a free summer holiday in a beautiful Italian villa, she grudgingly agrees to try writing a new play. That’s before she finds out the house belongs to her arch-nemesis, Sam Carlton.

Having just hit the headlines for all the wrong reasons – again – Hollywood heart-throb Sam Carlton needs a place to hide out. Where better than his family’s gorgeous empty villa on Lake Como? Except when he arrives, it isn’t as empty as he’d hoped.

One thing’s for sure – this is going to be a red-hot, scorching summer . . .

Summer’s Lease is book one in a new series titled The Shakespeare Sisters by Carrie Elks.  This is my first introduction to the work of Carrie Elks and I was in for a treat!

Cesca Shakespeare had spent six years in despair getting over the unexpected end of her play which was due to be played in the West End.  A flop before the curtains were even drawn all because the leading man, Sam Carlton, upped and left without another word.  Cesca had been unable to write another word without it making sense so she hopped from one dead end job to another to try and make ends meet.  When  the opportunity of a summer job arose house sitting in Italy she felt like it was her saviour.

The villa in Italy was beautiful beyond words and Cesca was soon feeling relaxed and was allowing her mind to refresh.  However, her stress levels were soon to rise when an unexpected visitor turned up at the villa.  The visitor was none other than the son of the owners of the villa, Sam Carlton.  The same Sam Carlton that vanished from her play.  The same Sam Carlton that was now a Hollywood heartthrob with millions of adoring fans following his success in the hottest chick flick trilogy to hit the screens.

As you can imagine Cesca was none too pleased to see Sam.  Tempers flared and after much warring of words Cesca and Sam agreed on a temporary truce.

Staying at the villa had re-invigorated Cesca’s will to write and she soon got started on drafting a new screenplay.

Sam Carlton had fled to his family’s Italian villa escaping a storm in the media that had just brewed inciting much gossip about the actor’s personal life.  When Sam arrived at the villa he couldn’t remember this young woman that was now shooting so much verbal towards him.  When he eventually remembered the time six years ago when he fled from London he recalls the hurt he felt so deeply which he received from someone he thought loved and cared for him.  Sam has spent the last six years avoiding as much as possible this time in his life where everything he knew and thought about himself changed.

However, Sam sees something in Cesca; he sees the love that she had back then in the play that she wrote.  He sees how proud she was and as an eighteen year old girl it had mean’t the world to her and his unfortunate actions destroyed it.

Can the pair learn to live in harmony in the same villa whilst Cesca continues with her new job and Sam avoids any media intrusion?  Can Cesca have the courage and determination to write again?  Can Sam stop the demons from his past troubling his future?

This was such a beautiful story set amongst a stunning Italian lakeside villa.  It’s difficult to remain mad or upset with anyone when you wake up everyday surrounded by a dazzling landscape.  The ending was picture perfect, I felt like I’d just sat through the most sublime chick flick movie.  A sexy, addictive romance worthy of big screen triumphs.  I can’t wait to read more from Carrie Elks and The Shakespeare Sisters.

To find out more about Carrie Elks and her work please visit the following pages:

Website:  https://carrieelks.com/

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

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

 

Penhaligon’s Attic by Terri Nixon book review

Penhaligon’s Attic written by Terri Nixon, publisher Piatkus, is available in ebook and paperback format from 1st December 2016.

To pre-order/buy link:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Penhaligons-Attic-Penhaligon-Terri-Nixon/dp/0349412650/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1480362559&sr=1-1

Product Details (as per amazon page)

1910. Anna Garvey arrives in Caernoweth, Cornwall with her daughter and a secret. Having come from Ireland to take up an inheritance of the local pub, she and her eighteen year-old daughter Mairead are initially viewed with suspicion by the close-knit community.

Anna soon becomes acquainted with Freya Penhaligon, a vulnerable girl struggling to keep her family business afloat in the wake of her grandmother’s death, and starts to gain the trust of the locals. As their friendship deepens, and Freya is brought out of her shell by the clever and lively Mairead, even Freya’s protective father Matthew begins to thaw.

But when a part of Anna’s past she’d long tried to escape turns up in the town, she is forced to confront the life she left behind – for her sake and her daughter’s too . . .

This was a wonderful family saga set in Cornwall in the early 1900’s.

Anna and her teenage daughter, Mairead, escape a secret that they hope has been left hidden in Ireland. They take the long, cold journey across the sea and counties to relocate in the small, rugged coastline village in Cornwall. Anna has a long-lost family business back in the village and hopes to be able to move easily back into it without upsetting the current residents.

The village is quite a close-knit community, especially with the fishermen. One of the fishermen is Matthew Penhaligon. Matthew had it all: a beautiful wife, doting daughter, a job he loved working out on the sea. But he had another love 8 years ago which nearly cost him everything he had.

Can this close knit community trust the new outsiders? Will Anna and her daughter Mairead be able to keep their dark secrets hidden? Can Matthew keep his demons in the past?

The village has seen many changes over the years and business owners (including Matthew’s parents own, Penhaligon’s Attic a wonderful bookshop) are facing hard times. With the changes in industry and economy can the bookshop survive in this unknown future?

A lovely story of grief, hardship, community spirit, dark secrets, love and hope set in a wonderful idyllic location.

I voluntarily reviewed an arc of this novel.

About the Author

Terri was born in Plymouth in 1965. At the age of 9 she moved with her family to Cornwall, to a small village on the edge of Bodmin Moor, where she discovered a love of writing that has stayed with her ever since. She also discovered apple-scrumping, and how to jump out of a hayloft without breaking any bones, but no-one’s ever offered to pay her for doing those.

Since publishing in paperback for the first time in 2002, Terri has appeared in both print and online fiction collections, and is proud to have contributed to the Shirley Jackson award-nominated hardback collection: Bound for Evil, by Dead Letter Press. As a Hybrid author, her first commercially published novel was Maid of Oaklands Manor, published by Piatkus Entice (a digital-first imprint of Little, Brown,) and short-listed in the “Best Historical Read” category at the Festival of Romance 2013. The sequel, A Rose in Flanders Fields, was published by Carina UK (a digital-first imprint of HarperCollins) and was short-listed in the same category in 2014.

Terri’s self-published Mythic Fiction series set in Cornwall, The Lynher Mill Chronicles, has now been launched. Books one and two are available in print and e-book, and the third book in the series is due for release in June 2015.
Terri now lives in Plymouth with her youngest son, and works in the Faculty of Arts and Humanities at Plymouth University, where she is constantly baffled by the number of students who don’t possess pens.

Terri also writes under the name T Nixon, and has contributed to anthologies under the names Terri Pine and Teresa Nixon. She is represented by the Kate Nash Literary Agency.

To find out more about Terri please visit the following pages:

Website:  http://www.terrinixon.com/

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

The House in Quill Court by Charlotte Betts blogtour book review

The House in Quill Court written by Charlotte Betts, publisher Piatkus, is available NOW in ebook, paperback and audio download format.

To buy link:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/House-Quill-Court-Charlotte-Betts/dp/0349404534/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1472069422&sr=8-1

Product Details (as per amazon page)

1813. Venetia Lovell lives by the sea in Kent with her pretty, frivolous mother and idle younger brother. Venetia’s father, Theo, is an interior decorator to the rich and frequently travels away from home, leaving his sensible and artistic daughter to look after the family. Venetia designs paper hangings and she and her father often daydream about having an imaginary shop where they would display the highest quality furniture, fabrics and art to his clients.

When a handsome but antagonistic stranger, Jack Chamberlaine, arrives at the Lovell’s cottage just before Christmas bringing terrible news, Venetia’s world is turned upside-down and the family have no option but to move to London, to the House in Quill Court and begin a new life. Here, Venetia’s courage and creativity are tested to breaking point, and she discovers a love far greater than she could have ever imagined . . .

I am so pleased to be involved in the blogtour promoting and celebrating Charlotte Betts’ latest historical romance.  I’d like to thank the publishers for an arc in return for a review.

This was a gripping, heart stopping, Regency Romance that has left my mind thinking about an era when the underworld was more powerful than the law.

Regency London was a time where two worlds collided; the rich, upper class citizens enjoying a flamboyant lifestyle in their extravagantly dressed town houses and mere streets away orphaned and homeless children slept in darkened corners and filched food from whatever sources they could find.  An underworld of strong, arrogant, greedy men ruled the streets threatening businesses and individuals for shares of their profits.  Only the strongest could survive.

I was impressed and motivated by Venetia’s character.  A young woman grieving for her father and of the peaceful life off the coast of Kent.  Venetia and her family were forced to move to London and start again.  Venetia’s courage, determination and creativeness was so rare of a woman back in 1813.  I was taken in by her strength and determination and was willing the pages to bring joy to Venetia and her family.

The story is filled with many uplifting moments but sadly casualties and death were commonplace in Regency London.  It was a dark, dangerous era and it made the story all the more gripping.

A gripping story filled with a strong determination of believing in law and judgement and believing in yourself.  A story also filled with new hope and beginnings after grief and a beautiful tale of love to conquer all. Charlotte Betts has managed to write a story very fitting to the era with raw, honest scenes but also with wonderful interludes of a love that was strong enough to overcome many obstacles.  5/5*

To find out more about Charlotte Betts and her books please visit the following pages:

http://www.charlottebetts.com/

http://www.twitter.com/CharlotteBetts1

http://www.facebook.com/CharlotteBettsAuthor

Please do hop on over to the stops on the blogtour …

 

If I Only Had a Duke by Lenora Bell blogtour book review

If I Only Had a Duke (The Disgraceful Dukes book 2) written by Lenora Bell, publisher Piatkus is available in ebook and paperback format from 30th August 2016.

To pre-order/buy link:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Only-Duke-Disgraceful-Dukes-Book-ebook/dp/B01FE6V620/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1471851855&sr=1-1

Product Details (as per amazon page)

After three failed seasons and a disastrous jilting, Lady Dorothea Beaumont has had more than enough of her family’s scheming. She won’t domesticate a duke, entangle an earl or vie for a viscount. She will quietly exit to her aunt’s Irish estate for a life of blissful freedom. Until an arrogant, sinfully handsome duke singles her out for a waltz, making Thea the most popular belle of the season.
Well, the duke ruined her plans and now he’ll just have to fix them.
Dalton, Duke of Osborne, is far too heartless for debutantes or marriage – he uses dalliances to distract from his real purpose: finding the man who destroyed his family. When his search leads to Ireland, the last thing he needs is the determined, achingly innocent Thea, who arrives in the dead of night demanding he escort her to her aunt. His foolish agreement may prove his undoing. The road to the Emerald Isle is fraught with unforeseen dangers, but the greatest peril of all might just be discovering that he has a heart . . . and he’s losing it to Thea.

I am so pleased to be involved in the blogtour promoting and celebrating the second novel written by Lenora Bell.  I adored Lenora’s debut novel ‘How the Duke Was Won’ and was so excited to hear of another story in The Disgraceful Dukes series.  I’d like to thank the publishers for an arc in return for a review.

It was so enchanting to travel back in time to Regency England and Ireland.  This second Regency Romance by Lenora Bell was as good as her first.  I was captivated straight away with the characters.  The young Lady Dorothea (Thea) is a young woman loving her new found independence and vows to not be dictated by her family anymore.  I loved this fierce self-determination from Thea, especially in a time were women were designed to act ladylike and responsible and marry into a parent approved family.  Thea was learning new strengths and feelings every day.  The devilishly handsome and rather arrogant Duke of Osborne (Dalton) is a cheeky fellow you can’t help but fall in love with.  Dalton holds a deep dark secret which he has held for many years in hope for retribution for a terrible act in his childhood that has traumatised him ever since.  This secret he holds I believe has left him a little vulnerable especially to matters of the heart.  The sparring between the couple was brilliant especially in the letter writing, arguments took so much longer to resolve when it was undertaken via a letter in the regency era but this also felt more romantic as the story flowed along.  The letters to me held a huge significance in the story.  The attraction between Thea and Dalton is quite magnetic and the Duke’s desires for Thea are very difficult to keep restrained.

Can the lady’s innocence, beauty and intelligence be enough to break the wall that the Duke has built to protect his broken heart?

This was a ravishing regency romance that brought rhythm and heat to your heart but it held a purity that is overwhelmingly beautiful.  There is a scene towards the end of the novel that was just so tender and beautiful it was impossible to not shed a tear.  A dark and dangerous past and present colliding with beauty to give hope for the future.  5/5*

Please hop on over to the over stops on the blogtour celebrating this great read …

About the Author

Lenora Bell grew up in a tiny town in Alaska with no streetlights, no movie theater, but a very well-endowed library.

A graduate of Portland State University’s MFA in Creative Writing program, she has lived and taught English on five continents. Lenora currently shares a cabin in Switzerland with her husband and two naughty tiger-striped kitties.

To find out more about Lenora and her books please visit the following pages:

Home

http://www.twitter.com/lenora_bell

Guest post: Q & A with author Lenora Bell + giveaway

It’s a few weeks now since the paperback publication of Lenora Bell’s debut book, How the Duke was Won.  I adored this enticing romance and can’t wait for Lenora’s next book.  I am so pleased to welcome Lenora Bell onto my page.  Welcome to my blog Lenora …

Have you always wanted to be a writer, and what made you decide to do Historical Romance?

Hi Adele, thanks for hosting me! I’ve always wanted to be a writer but I took a few detours along the way. Now I’m finally fulfilling my dreams and it’s so rewarding and amazing. I would say if you have a dream that you are passionate about … go for it!  Don’t let fear or self-doubt hold you back.

I write historical romance for two reasons: Jane Austen and Eloisa James.  Jane Austen sparked my love for historical fiction and Eloisa James was my inspiration for becoming a romance novelist.

 

I adored How the Duke was Won … if it went to the big screen who would you like to see portray the Duke?

I’m so glad you enjoyed the first book in the Disgraceful Dukes series! Ooh I love this question. I guess I’d have to choose Michiel Huisman. He’s a Dutch actor known for his roles in Game of Thrones and Orphan Black. He’s tall, dark, and handsome and just smolders on screen with this masculine, yet sensitive, energy (shhh…don’t tell my husband how many hours I’ve spent googling Michiel. It was all for book inspiration).

 

So I picture James looking kind of like this:

But wearing this:

Have you been inspired from your recent travels?

 

I love traveling and have lived and worked in Asia, Australia, Europe and South America. My travels definitely inspire my writing. Some of my favorite adventures include volunteering at a special needs orphanage in China, visiting Machu Picchu on a stunningly clear day, and exploring a castle in Switzerland that has graffiti from Lord Byron etched on a stone wall! While I was in Peru I visited a chocolate history museum as research for How the Duke Was Won. Recently I traveled to London and had a blast visiting museums, pubs, and historical sights.

How has your life changed since having your first book published?

I got to meet Eloisa James! And Sarah MacLean! And Lorraine Heath! And Julia Quinn! And…can you tell I’m a breathless fangirl? Seriously, the big change is writing on a deadline. When you know there’s an editor waiting for your book to be finished there’s a lot more pressure. But I need deadlines in order to produce anything. So bring it on.

What work do you have in progress?

 

Thanks for asking.  The second book in the Disgraceful Dukes series, If I Only Had a Duke comes out in a few months from Avon and Piatkus. There’s already a UK cover which I adore (see top right in the banner above). Right now I’m hard at work on the third book in the series which features Alice & Nick who you met in How the Duke Was Won.

So which books are you eagerly waiting for?

I can’t wait to read Eloisa James’ new Essex Sisters novella, A Gentleman Never Tells; Sarah MacLean’s A Scot in the Dark and Tessa Dare’s Do You Want to Start a Scandal!

GIVEAWAY

Lenora has kindly offered a Digital eBook download of How the Duke Was Won from amazon … to enter the giveaway just comment on this post by stating which is your favourite historical romance read.

 

To connect with Lenora Bell please visit the following links:

 

http://lenorabell.com/

https://www.facebook.com/lenora.bell.90/?ref=hl

https://twitter.com/lenora_bell