Thursday 30 December 2021

A Hex for Danger by Esme Addison

Aleksandra Daniels is slowly settling into the family business and learning to wield her hidden magic. Her happy life is threatened when a travelling artist is murdered and one of her small circle of friends is the prime suspect. While Alex's investigation is hampered by her boyfriend being the lead detective, it is further complicated by industrial espionage and magical interference. Has Alex cast her last spell?

I found this mystery well put together, with enough clues that it fitted together and enough red herrings to keep me guessing. The solution was clever and well written! Unfortunately, the ongoing story arc totally spoiled the first book (victim, murderer, motive), so heads up for that, this series should not be read out of order. The paranormal added an interesting twist but some of it felt a little confused; it’s definitely building up an ongoing story arc. 

The lead character really frustrated me - mostly on how her detective boyfriend sets down clear and sensible boundaries (both for her safety and his job) and she steps all over them, along with violating her family’s ethics, and doesn’t face any consequences in this book. It also annoyed me that everyone assumed Celeste's guilt over what seemed like very circumstantial evidence - which is fine for the town gossips, but I'd expect the police to look for actual evidence, especially with an incorrect arrest in recent memory.

Overall this was a good read and a well written mystery but there were a few things that bothered me and I'd suggest starting at the first book.

A Hex for Danger is available now in ebook or hard copy.

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book via NetGalley, all opinions are my own

Sunday 19 December 2021

Blog Tour: The Ghost of Glendale by Natalie Kleinman


Can Phoebe and Duncan bring peace to a tortured soul…?

Having never been in love, twenty-four-year-old Phoebe Marcham has no interest in marriage. Fiercely independent, she spends her days helping to manage Glendale, her ancestral home — a centuries-old estate full of long-buried secrets.

While out riding, Phoebe crosses paths with Duncan Armstrong, a charming wanderer who has just returned from the Continent. Finding that they share a penchant for mystery, Phoebe shares the biggest enigma that haunts Glendale: the tortured ghost of her ancestor, Simon Marcham, who took a secret sadness to his grave.

Convinced that Simon’s soul will never be at rest until they uncover his secret, Phoebe and Duncan set about unravelling the riddles that he left behind. As they delve deeper, a story of heartbreak and intrigue soon starts to emerge.

Faced with the darkness of the past, Phoebe is determined to make the most of the future. And as she and Duncan grow closer, she soon begins to wonder whether she has at last met her fate…

Purchase Link: https://books2read.com/u/3LyaR0

Review

What a delightful read! I've read a couple of books by this author and am always entertained by her stories and characters. I especially enjoyed the cast of this book - with a particular affection for Phoebe's aunt Sophia, whose thawing provides a most satisfying backdrop to the love stories in the foreground. It's the little details that land best, like Sophia's relationship with Phoebe's housekeeper Wiggins, who was Sophia's nursemaid back in the day. I also enjoyed the theme of reconciliation, though I will add no details to avoid spoilers.

Of course, I cannot neglect Phoebe and Duncan, who are well-matched and yet kept apart by their uncertainty of the other's feelings in a mismatch of misplaced courtesy. It was good to watch them grow closer though I am surprised their many friends and family did not lock them in a closet.

The titular ghost of Glendale Hall, Simon Marcham, is less of feature than you would think but no less a character because of that. He was woven into the story in an interestingly understated way and yet is pivotal to so many moments and relationships. I do feel the climax of his own story was a little bit drawn out over several revelations.

With my apologies to the northern hemisphere, this is the perfect book to read during the long hot days of summer (or those long cold nights of winter, while dreaming of summer). It's a sweet Regency romance with just a gentle touch of the paranormal and a hint of intrigue.

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the author; all opinions are my own

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Natalie’s passion for reading became a compulsion to write when she attended a ten-week course in creative writing some sixteen or so years ago. She takes delight in creating short stories of which more than forty have been published, but it was her lifelong love of Regency romance that led her to turn from contemporary romantic fiction to try her hand at her favourite genre. Raised on a diet of Jane Austen and Georgette Heyer, she is never happier than when immersed in an age of etiquette and manners, fashion and intrigue, all combined into a romping good tale. She lives on the London/Kent border, close to the capital’s plethora of museums and galleries which she uses for research as well as pleasure. A perfect day though is when she heads out of town to enjoy lunch by a pub on the river, any river, in company with her husband and friends.

Natalie is a member of the Romantic Novelists Association, the Society of Authors and the Society of Women Writers and Journalists.

You can find out more about Natalie on Twitter @NatKleinman, Facebook /NatalieKleinmanAuthor or on her Website nataliekleinman.com

Monday 13 December 2021

Blog Tour: The Good Man by A S Kelly


Once upon a time, there was a solitary, grumpy man who would spend his days watching the world around him without ever attracting any attention to himself.

Once upon a time, there was a man who stood aside, imagining he could live someone else’s life and dreaming of something which would never be his; yet he wasn’t ready to give it up.

Once upon a time, there was a man who loved a woman. His only wish was to watch her achieve her dreams – without knowing that the only dream she ever wanted to achieve was him.

Once upon a time, there was a woman afraid that no one would ever be able to love her – without knowing that there was a man who had loved nothing but her for his entire life.

That man is me: Reid Johnson. And that woman is her: my deepest secret. Fine, so I have a few secrets – but it would be best not to reveal them, as they could take everything I have away from me. And without those secrets, I’d have nothing to dream of.

There are two things you should know about me before deciding whether or not to read this story:
I’ve never been the person everyone thinks I am.

I’ve never been the man she believes me to be.

Purchase Links
Amazon: https://amzn.to/3zK7fRu
Apple: https://apple.co/3m4oZCd
Kobo: https://bit.ly/3oh1jxb
Nook: https://bit.ly/3CPvrE4

Review

Reid has loved Sloan for years. Mostly from afar, and sometimes up close. He's seen her marry another man, watched her raise her daughter, and never missed a delivery of his family's whiskey to her family's hotel. Sloan has loved him back for almost as long, but Reid has spent a long time pushing people away - even the woman his loves more than anything else. There's a lifetime of secrets and mistakes between them and a happy ending but Reid is having a hard time pretending he doesn't care.

When you start this book, you're going to think the title is a lie. Reid comes off as heartless and a bit mean - way too good for Sloan, a single mother just trying to raise her beloved daughter. Only as the book goes on do you realise that Reid has a giant heart that he hides behind impenetrable walls and he's hidden it so well, he's convinced himself. I found myself liking Reid more and more and he comes across as being on the autistic spectrum, which contrasts nicely with Sloan's physical disability. I might've wanted to shake them (seven years of politely dancing around each other!?) but I believed in their happy ending.

As the third in the series, there are a lot of characters to keep straight, but once you understand that Alex is sometimes called by his last name of Brennan, and the various sibling and romantic relationships, it's easy to get swept away in the comforting mess of family. Sloan's daughter Sam is the real MVP - wiser than the adults give her credit for and a real sweetheart, she always knows what to say.

I know a double POV told in first-person present tense may not be for everyone, but I found it an immersive experience, even with flashbacks.

Best enjoyed with a glass of whiskey or maybe a hot chocolate by the fire; come read about mutual pining growing into love and family.

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher via Rachel's Random Resources; all opinions are my own.

Author Bio
A. S. Kelly was born in Italy but lives in Ireland with her husband, two children and a cat named Oscar. She’s passionate about English literature, she’s a music lover and addicted to coffee. She spends her days in a small village North of Dublin, looking for inspiration for her next stories. Rainy Days is her debut novel.

Social Media Links 
Facebook: http://bit.ly/3jaBiLH
Twitter: https://twitter.com/askelly_writes
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/askelly_writes/
Newsletter: https://www.authoraskelly.com
Amazon page UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/A-S-Kelly/e/B06WVKZ3NX

Monday 6 December 2021

Blog Tour: Cinderella and the Scarred Viscount by Sarah Mallory

An imperfect proposal… 

But a perfect match?

Major James Rossington, Viscount Austerfield, survived Waterloo, but can he survive the Season as London’s most eligible bachelor? Convinced his battle scars make him unlovable, and to escape Society’s matchmakers, Ross proposes a wedding in name only to shy, sensible Carenza Bettridge. Liberated from her cruel stepmother and bullying half-sisters, she blossoms into a confident, altogether desirable woman. He promised Carenza a convenient marriage, but inconveniently finds himself wanting more…

Purchase Links
Amazon UK - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Cinderella-Scarred-Viscount-Mills-Historical-ebook/dp/B096T9Q35K
Amazon US - https://www.amazon.com/Cinderella-Scarred-Viscount-Mills-Historical-ebook/dp/B096T9Q35K

Review

This was a delightful book with two leads I liked and could cheer for. Carenza is kind, efficient, and thinks nothing of sacrificing her future to look after her father. James is scarred in body and mind so thinks himself doomed to be alone, but sees a way he can help Carenza while keeping the matchmakers off his back. Of course they’re going to fall in love once they get over the mutual pining!

While definitely a Cinderella story, there were obviously Beauty and the Beast vibes, in part influenced by how Carenza‘s father is still alive - and uncomfortably aware of how he has failed his eldest daughter, which adds an interesting dimension to their courtship.

It’s an easy to read and wonderfully paced Regency rendition of Cinderella, best enjoyed with a glass of whatever you want because your life is yours to live!

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher via Rachel’s Random Resources; all opinions are my own  

Author Bio


Sarah Mallory is an award-winning author who has published more than 30 historical romances with Harlequin Mills & Boon. She loves history, especially the Georgian and Regency. She won the prestigious RoNA Rose Award from the Romantic Novelists Association in 2012 and 2013. Sarah also writes romantic historical adventures as Melinda Hammond. Sarah lived for many years on the Yorkshire Pennines, taking inspiration from the wild and rugged moors. Then in 2018 she fell in love with Scotland and ran away to live on the rugged North West Coast, which is proving even more inspiring.

Social Media Links
www.sarahmallory.com
Twistter -  @SarahMRomance

Wednesday 1 December 2021

Publication Day: Beauty And The Reclusive Millionaire by Rachael Stewart (with giveaway!)


An unforgettable Greek escape…
with the man she never forgot! 

A-list actress Catherine Wilde has it all, but behind closed doors she is fighting personal battles. So the chance to escape to the private Greek island of her best friend’s brother, Alaric, offers the tranquility she craves. Except seeing Alaric again sets her heart rate soaring. Life might have changed him, but he can still make her feel alive—and when the torch she once held for him reignites, it’s impossible to ignore!

Purchase Link - https://mybook.to/BeautyAndRecluse

Review

Fleeing from the spotlight, Catherine Wilde opts to spend a month on the private Greek island owned by her best friend's brother. Alaric retreated from the world three years ago after a tragic accident, but Catherine's visit might be the push he needs to live life again - with Catherine at his side.

Quick warning here for a recent miscarriage and exploration with some of the aftermath, along with some disordered eating that is explicitly addressed.

I enjoyed this book! It's a snippet of sun-soaked paradise as two hurting people find the strength to move on. Catherine's neglectful childhood did not set her up to handle success in a healthy manner and Alaric is dealing with a hefty dose of survivor's guilt that has him pushing everyone away. He's a bit of a jerk at first, but it's pretty understandable given the circumstances.

Alaric's staff, especially Dorothea the cook, are hilarious - sometimes a literal Greek chorus doing their very best to fan the romantic sparks into flames from the sidelines! They help relieve some of the sizzling tension between Catherine and Alaric, injecting some common sense into the scenario.

I would've loved to see a bit more resolution around some of the issues they were dealing with in the first place, but the focus is rightly on the romance. If you can't make it to an idyllic Greek island, enjoy this one with a nice glass of red wine.

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher via Rachel's Random Reviews; all opinions are my own

Author Bio


Rachael Stewart adores conjuring up stories, from heartwarmingly romantic to wildly erotic. She's been writing since she could put pen to paper as the stacks of scrawled-on pages in her loft will attest to. A Welsh lass at heart, she now lives in Yorkshire with her very own hero and three awesome kids, and if she's not tapping out a story, she's wrapped up in them or enjoying the great outdoors.

Social Media Links
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/rachaelstewartauthor/
Twitter - https://twitter.com/rach_b52
Website - https://rachaelstewartauthor.com/
Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/rachaelstewart3/

Giveaway to Win a prize including 3 Rachael Stewart Paperbacks, Heart Post Its and more (Open INT)
Prize Contains:
3 x paperbacks:
•    Tempted by the Tycoon’s Proposal
•    Surprise Reunion with His Cinderella
•    Beauty And The Reclusive Millionaire
And:
•    Cute Sloth Coffee Cup Place Mat
•    Novelty Pen
•    Heart Post-Its

*Terms and Conditions –Worldwide entries welcome.  Please enter using the Rafflecopter box below.  The winner will be selected at random via Rafflecopter from all valid entries and will be notified by Twitter and/or email. If no response is received within 7 days then I reserve the right to select an alternative winner. Open to all entrants aged 18 or over.  Any personal data given as part of the competition entry is used for this purpose only and will not be shared with third parties, with the exception of the winners’ information. This will passed to the giveaway organiser and used only for fulfilment of the prize, after which time I will delete the data.  I am not responsible for despatch or delivery of the prize.
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