Definitely, Maybe In Love by Ophelia London-a review

DEFINITELY, MAYBE IN LOVE by Ophelia London-a review

Definitely Maybe in Love

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / Amazon.uk/

ABOUT THE BOOK: October 28, 2013

Spring Honeycutt wants two things: to ace her sustainable living thesis and to save the environment. Both seem hopelessly unobtainable until her college professor suggests that with a new angle, her paper could be published. Spring swears she’ll do whatever it takes to ensure that happens.

“Whatever it takes,” however, means forming a partnership with the very hot, very privileged, very conceited Henry Knightly.

Henry is Spring’s only hope at publication, but he’s also the über-rich son of a land developer and cash-strapped Spring’s polar opposite. Too bad she can’t help being attracted to the way he pushes her buttons, both politically and physically. As they work on her thesis, Spring finds there’s more to Henry than his old money and argyle sweaters…but can she drop the loud-and-proud act long enough to let him in? Suddenly, choosing between what she wants and what she needs puts Spring at odds with everything she believes in.

Definitely, Maybe in Love is a modern take on Pride and Prejudice that proves true love is worth risking a little pride

••••••••••••••••••••

REVIEW: Ophelia London’s DEFINITELY, MAYBE IN LOVE is a contemporary re-telling of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice using the backdrop of Stanford University and all of the social and elitist ideas and attitudes that go along with the membership. Although the storylines does not follow Austen’s story to the letter, fans of P and P will definitely see similarities between the two novels.

Our leading couple is Spring and Henry who clash immediately upon introduction. But Spring needs help with her thesis and Henry is the young man who comes to her rescue. Hoping to keep everything professional Spring and Henry will find themselves drawn to each other with every encounter until the day that Henry walks out of her life without so much as a word or goodbye.

Like the original storylines, there is no sex, no foul language, no graphic violence and only a hint of romance. The story is promoted as a new adult contemporary but it did not reach the level of most other NA stories-the overall premise is subdued with only hints at what has happened and what is to come. The storyline felt more suited to a young adult (YA) or high school retelling than for new adult or adult contemporary-even the actions of the leading heroine came across as young and naïve. The storyline is updated with the use of environmental disasters, going ‘green’, frat parties and social issues that surround all students and young adults. Our heroine is a feminist at heart and considers the actions of the male of the species condescending towards all women and girls.

Overall, DEFINITELY, MAYBE IN LOVE is a sweet retelling of Pride and Prejudice that is suitable for all ages 13 and up. Because the characters came across more like high school teens than third year university students, there is a definite YA feel to the story and one that may be enjoyed by a younger audience.

Copy supplied by the publisher.

Reviewed by Sandy

Share

First Bite by Dani Harper-Review, Interview, Blog Tour and Giveaway

First Bite by Dani Harper-Review, Interview, blog tour and giveaway

First_Bite_Large-Banner

First Bite
Dark Wolf #1
by Dani Harper
Release Date: October 15, 2013
Genre: paranormal, wolf shifters, romance

First Bite

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / Amazon.uk/ Barnes and Noble / The Book Depository

FIRST BITE (Dark Wolf #1) by Dani Harper

RELEASE DATE: October 15, 2013

Geneva “Neva” Ross doesn’t want to die. But now that she’s been turned into a werewolf against her will, she’ll do anything to protect her family and friends…even if that means taking her own life.

After witnessing Neva’s leap from a high ledge, Travis Williamson—a Changeling with a dark past—uses his powers to save her life. He feels a connection to the strong-willed woman whose eyes flash that familiar Changeling green. While Neva is hospitalized, Travis risks everything to kidnap her, knowing the approaching full moon will put everyone in jeopardy.

Bickering constantly to hide their growing attraction, Travis and Neva run from the authorities…and from Neva’s sinister sire, Meredith de la Ronde. Meredith delights in creating new shape-shifters and compelling them to do her dark bidding; now Neva must join Meredith’s murderous wolf pack…or die.

Intensely suspenseful with deliciously sexy twists, this paranormal romance—the first in (the title of series)—intertwines sensual passion with an epic, thrilling battle between good and evil.

•••••••••••••••••••••••••

FIRST BITE is the first instalment in Dani Harper’s new paranormal romance series-Dark Wolf and if you are a fan of Dani’s writing you will definitely see similarities and comparisons with her paranormal Changeling series including the use of the term ‘changeling’.

The premise focuses on Neva Ross as she is about to undergo her first change. On the run from her sire, Neva is determined to end her life before she has had the chance to destroy so many others. Believing that all wolf shifters are werewolves and evil, Neva hopes to destroy the very thing that she is about to become. But life takes a funny turn when wolf changeling Travis Williamson stumbles upon Neva as she attempts to end it all. What ensues is an epic push and pull between Neva and Travis-both human and wolf.

The relationship between Neva and Travis is one born out of necessity for Neva but out of sympathy for Travis. Neva pushes Travis away at every opportunity but in the end, her inner wolf knows that without Travis they would probably both be dead.

The storyline finds Neva and Travis on the run hoping to elude the sire who wants Neva above all else. And when Travis finds himself imprisoned by Neva’s sire, it takes everything Neva has to rescue the man who would one day be her mate.

First Bite is a story about new beginnings; dark magic; power and control; love and sacrifice. There are moments when you wonder why Travis endures the sarcasm and negative attitude from the woman whom he has helped at every step of the way, but in the end, it will be Neva’s wolf that knows that Travis is her mate, before the human mind has had time to comprehend.

Dani introduces several secondary characters including the ‘b*tch queen’ as she is called. There is definitely more story to be told as Neva’s sire wants revenge for the disappearance of a powerful piece of magic and the missing wolves who no longer are under her command.

Reviewed by Sandy

 

Interview red:black

 

TRC: Hi Dani and welcome to The Reading Café. Congratulations on the release of FIRST BITE-the first release in your new paranormal Dark Wolf series. We would like to start with some background information. For anyone who does not know Dani Harper, would you please tell us something about yourself?

Dani HarperDani: I’m a transplanted Canadian, living in the US with my American hubby. Just returned to civilization from ten years on an Alaskan island. We’ve started a new adventure in a little rural town in eastern Washington in order to be closer to our grown kids. I spent most of my career in the newspaper and communications business, but what I’d always wanted to do since I was a kid was write stories. So now I’m engaged in an entirely new career writing paranormal fiction.

TRC: Many of our reviewers and followers are big fans of paranormal romance author Christine Feehan and her many wonderful series. We read where Ms. Feehan (and especially her Dark Carpathian series) has been a big inspiration in your writing career? Would you please explain how and why Christine became such an inspiration? Have you ever met Christine and if so, what was your reaction?

Dani: It was an accident really, a serendipity. I was in our favorite comic book store with my kids (who were teens at the time), and I was browsing the used paperbacks. That’s when I ran across a little anthology containing a short by Christine Feehan, called Dark Dream. Up to that point, I’d had no idea that the supernatural (which I adored) and romance could be combined! WOW! (I still sigh a little over the hero, Falcon, by the way…..) Of course, I read my way through the Carpathian series and I’ve never been the same. The genre excites me still. I haven’t had the privilege of meeting Ms. Feehan, but it would be an honor.

First Bite Oct 2013TRC: FIRST BITE is the first installment in your new paranormal series Dark Wolf. Would you please tell us something about the premise?

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / Amazon.uk/ Barnes and Noble / The Book Depository

Dani: Geneva “Neva” Ross doesn’t want to die. But now that she’s been turned into a werewolf against her will, she’ll do anything to protect her family and friends…even if that means taking her own life. Enter Travis Williamson, a shape-shifter with a dark past, who saves Neva’s life the night she throws herself from a ledge. Soon, the two Changelings—endlessly bickering to hide their intensifying attraction—go on the run, desperate to hide from the police. But someone truly evil hunts the pair. Someone willing to murder to satisfy her own cruel desires. Someone with minions dying to kill for her. She is Meredith de la Ronde, Neva’s sinister sire.

TRC: How many ‘supernatural species’ will be introduced into the series or are you concentrating on only one or two?

Dani: This particular series focuses on werewolves – or Changelings, as they prefer to call themselves. If you’re looking for a variety of otherworldly creatures, check out my new Grim Series, beginning with Storm Warrior.

TRC: How many books do you have planned for the series?

Dani: I believe this will be a trilogy, but my characters can always surprise me.

TRC: TIES THAT BIND is the second storyline (Fall 2014). Would you please tell us something about the premise? Will you give us a hint as to the leading characters?

Dani: I can’t tell you much about the premise without spoiling the first book, but I can say that Travis and Neva return. Their struggles are far from over, and as Shakespeare said, “The course of true love never did run smooth.” Plus, their friends and allies return as well, and we can look for new romance springing up among them as well.

storm warriorTRC: STORM WARRIOR was the August 2013 release of the first storyline in your new Grim Series of novels. Would you please tell us something about the premise of the story?

Dani: Two thousand years ago, Rhys was the fierce Celtic warrior branded by the Romans as “the Bringer of Death.” Mortally wounded in battle, he was captured by the Fair Ones, cunning and powerful masters of the Welsh faery realm. They spared his life…but for a price. As a grim, he has roamed the earth as a messenger of death—until a single act of kindness breaks the ancient enchantment and delivers him into a strange new world…

As a child, Morgan Edwards marveled at the faery tales spun by her beloved grandmother, stories of the magical beings hidden in the heart of ancient Wales. But now Morgan is all grown up, a veterinarian who believes only in what science can prove—until the night a massive black dog saves her from a vicious attack, and life as she knows it changes forever. Suddenly a stranger stands before her, the man of her dreams made flesh and blood not by science, but by a magic that could bring them their hearts’ desires…or cost them everything they have.

Leap of KnowingTRC: For our followers, would you please tell us how your novella A LEAP OF KNOWING led to The Grim Series?

Dani: Basically, the little novella was just too small to contain the story. There was SO much more to tell, and believe me, the characters HOUNDED me to write more (pun intended, LOL!). I don’t know about other writers, but my characters run the show around here. I was so excited to finally be able to turn this into the full-length novel it always should have been. And I was surprised to find that my characters had even more story to tell – there had to be at least a couple more books! I just finished writing Storm Bound, Book Two in the series.

TRC: When writing a storyline, do the characters direct the writing or do you direct the characters? Are you a plotter or a pantster?

Dani: Oh, believe me I TRY to plan out what’s going to happen. It almost never works because my characters usually do something totally different. I feel like I’m forever trying to catch up to them, begging them to tell me what’s going on! In other words, yes, I’m totally character-whipped.

TRC: Many authors bounce ideas and information with other authors or friends and family. With whom do you bounce ideas?

Dani: My fearless beta readers often brainstorm with me – my husband and my youngest daughter. My husband is an avid reader and although he’s never read PNR before, he knows a good story when he sees it. He also acts as technical adviser (“What rifle would you use for a charging grizzly, dear?”). My grown daughter is a rabid PNR fan, and her experience with the genre is extremely valuable – that and her eagle eye for grammar and spelling mistakes.

TRC:  How do you handle the pressures and anxiety of deadlines while still spending time with family?

Dani:  My husband and I make time for ourselves, and we schedule time to have the grandkids over. We go and watch their soccer games and such during the week, and it’s a nice break for me from writing. However, when I’m working under a deadline, I’m a hopeless frazzled mess. My hubby is extremely supportive and he’ll often visit with the grandkids elsewhere. The whole family is really understanding when I can’t attend everything that’s going on – I’m lucky that way. They know I’ll re-emerge from my office eventually….

TRC: If you could be a contestant on a reality television program, which program would you chose and why?

Dani: Never. Really, they couldn’t pay me to do it. I couldn’t handle the drama and the hype – I’d stress out and implode. When I watch TV, it’s the History Channel or Nat Geo or the Science Channel – something educational. Somehow that seems to feed my brain and provide a balance to writing fiction, plus I actually get some great ideas for future stories. Of course, I season that with the utterly silly like Simpsons and Big Bang Theory!

TRC: On what are you currently working?

Dani: Right now I’m working on TIES THAT BIND, Book Two of the Dark Wolf Series.

LIGHTNING ROUND

Favorite Food – Coffee (hey, I consider it a food group!)

Favorite Dessert – Any kind of fruit pie, especially rhubarb or cherry.

Favorite TV Show – Big Bang Theory

Last Movie You Saw – World War Z (loved it!)

Dark or Milk Chocolate – The darker the better!

Favorite Flower – I have a soft spot for irises.

Last Vacation Destination – Tucson, Arizona

Pet Peeves – Telemarketers, and packages I can’t open without a chainsaw.

😉

Secret Celebrity Crush – Chris Hemsworth!

TRC: Thank you Dani for taking the time to answer our questions. Congratulations on all of your success. We wish you all the best.

Giveaway-redandblack_zps8ff4dc4b

 

a
Rafflecopter giveaway

BT_banner-260x260

Share

White Heart of Justice (Noon Onyx #3) by Jill Archer -Cover Reveal and Giveaway

White Heart of Justice (Noon Onyx #3) by Jill Archer-Cover Reveal and Giveaway

White Heart of Justice Banner 4

White Heart of Justice
Noon Onyx #3
by Jill Archer
Genre: Dystopian, Post Apocalyptic
Release Date: May 27, 2014

White Heart of Justice

Pre Order Links: Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / Amazon.uk/ Barnes and Noble / Indie Bound / The Book Depository

WHITE HEART OF JUSTICE

A Noon Onyx Novel

Since Lucifer claimed victory at Armageddon, demons, angels, and humans have coexisted in uneasy harmony. Those with waning magic are trained to maintain peace and order. But hostilities are never far from erupting.

After years of denying her abilities, Noon Onyx, the first woman in history to wield waning magic, has embraced her power. She’s won the right to compete in the prestigious Laurel Crown Race-an event that will not only earn her the respect of her peers but also, if she wins, the right to control her future.

However, Noon’s task is nearly impossible: retrieve the White Heart of Justice, a mythical sword that disappeared hundreds of years ago. The sword is rumored to be hidden in a dangerous region of Halja that she is unlikely to return from. But Noon’s life isn’t the only thing hanging in the balance. The sword holds an awesome power that, in the wrong hands, could reboot the apocalypse-and Noon is the only one who can prevent Armageddon from starting again.

about the author

Jill Archer

 

FOLLOW: Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter

Jill Archer is the author of the Noon Onyx series, genre-bending fantasy novels about a post-grad magic user and her off-campus adventures. DARK LIGHT OF DAY and FIERY EDGE OF STEEL, the first two books in the series are available now from Penguin/Ace. The third book, WHITE HEART OF JUSTICE, will be released May 27, 2014. Jill lives in Maryland with her husband and two children.

 

 

rafflecopter giveaway

 

Jill is offering the following giveaway on her WHITE HEART OF JUSTICE cover reveal tour:

US only: Signed copies of DARK LIGHT OF DAY and FIERY EDGE OF STEEL

International: $25 eGift Certificate to bookstore of choice

NOTE: The Reading Cafe is NOT responsible for the rafflecopter giveaway. Please contact the author if you have any questions.

CLICK on the link and follow the instructions:
Rafflecopter giveaway

 

Review

FIERY EDGE OF STEEL (Noon Onyx #2)- a review

Fiery Edge of Steel

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / Amazon.uk/ Barnes and Noble / KOBO / The Book Depository

ABOUT THE BOOK; Release Date May 2013

Lucifer and his army triumphed at Armageddon, leaving humans and demons living in uncertain peace based on sacrifice and strict laws. It is up to those with mixed demon and human blood, the Host, to prevent society from falling into anarchy.

Noon Onyx is the first female Host in memory to wield the destructive waning magic that is used to maintain order among the demons. Her unique abilities, paired with a lack of control and reluctance to kill, have branded her as an outsider from her peers. Only her powerful lover, Ari Carmine, and a roguish and mysterious Angel, Rafe Sinclair, support her unconventional ways.

When Noon is shipped off to a remote outpost to investigate several unusual disappearances, a task which will most likely involve trying and killing the patron demon of that area, it seems Luck is not on her side. But when the outpost settlers claim that an ancient and evil foe has stepped out of legend to commit the crimes, Noon realizes that she could be facing something much worse than she ever imagined…

Noon Onyx series

REVIEW: FIERY EDGE OF STEEL is the second instalment in Jill Archer’s dystopian Noon Onyx urban fantasy/post-apocolyptic series.

BACKGROUND : Archer’s series focuses on the simmering truce between Angels and Demons 2000 years after Armageddon , and the destructive nature of the Maegester and their dark ‘waning’ magic. But for 22 year old Nouiomo Onyx (aka Noon) a reversal of fortunes has occurred at her birth-she was imbued with the dark waning magic (once only accorded to men) and her twin Nocturo (Night) was the waxing magic (once only accorded to women). Women were the creators not the destroyers. Noon’s ability to wield waning magic will become both a curse and a blessing.

Fiery Edge of Steel premise falls quickly on the heels of Dark Light of Day when our heroine Noon Onyx has been given the unenviable task of tracking down a killer and bringing him or her to justice; a potential rogue demon who has murdered numerous men and women in a small fishing village hundreds of miles away. The investigation will determine innocence or guilt and it will be up to Noon to mete out justice or the sentence when all is said and done.

Jill Archer takes the reader on a journey through hellacious swamp lands and black waters infested with numerous demons and magical creatures from childhood nightmares. The storyline is awash in mythical legends and lore once believed to be the foundation of many spiritual systems of belief. The world building continues to be aggressive, involved, detailed and dramatic. Any lull in the action will be countered with a renewed construct of Archer’s imagination.

Saying that, the storyline and premise are infinitely detailed with a spiritual belief system that rivals any religious construct or history and, is used to build upon the world of which Archer continues to create. The characters are colorful and many mask their true identities and purpose. The relationship between Noon and Ari continues to grow but will be met with a force so destructive that their love may never survive. As their journey proceeds, so too, do the threats against Noon and her companions as they search for a murdering demon.

Jill Archer brings originality to a genre that can get bogged down in the supernatural but the magic with which she weaves her story will pull the reader into a world of gifted angels and terrifying demons. But not all is as it appears in the world of Noon Onyx. Sometimes even demons can be an angel in disguise.

Reading Order
Dark Light of Day
Fiery Edge of Steel
White Heart of Justice

Copy supplied by the author.

Reviewed by Sandy

Share

Mary Wine – How To Handle a Highlander – Guest Post & Review

Mary Wine – How To Handle a Highlander – Guest Post & Review

How To Handle a HighlanderLinks to order How to Handle a Highlander:
Amazon / Barnes & Noble / Kobo / The Book Depository

Description:
Moira Frazer is betrothed to a man who is old enough to be her father, but it’s her duty to her clan to marry him, and she’s determined to see this through…until she meets Gahan Sutherland.

Gahan knows this match is designed to start a feud between the clans, which is why he decides to stop the wedding. But when Moira awakens a passion within him that he never knew existed, he realizes that the outcome of this perilous situation will determine the future of his own happiness.

As trust and honor clash with forbidden attraction, manipulations, rivalries, and schemes will threaten to blow the Highlands sky high



Review:

How to Handle a Highlander is the 6th book in Mary Wine‘s Highlander series.  This is my first book by Wine, but I thought this worked well enough to read as a standalone.  How to Handle a Highlander is a historical romance, as well as a Highlander story.  Moira Fraser is our heroine, being considered a commoner by her family; she is forced by her evil half brother Bari,  to marry an old laird, in a deal for help to destroy the Sutherland family.   Moira is a sweet, likeable and pretty heroine, and despite her being treated beneath the rest of the family, she feels it is her responsibility to do what is necessary to help her clan.

Gahan Sutherland is our hero, and a hot hunky Highlander he is.  Gahan, who represents his clan, heads for the home of the Laird Achaius Matheson, to try and stop a clan war.  The Laird, who will marry Moira, also has his own agenda.  When Gahan sets his eyes on Moira, he is immediately attracted to her, and knows she is being forced to marry Achaius, who is a mean and scheming old man. Gahan at first feels sympathy for Moira, but over a short period, he becomes obsessive and protective of her, and even though she is now married to the Laird, they both respond to their sexual chemistry.  What they do not know is that the Laird anticipates this, and secretly plans to destroy the Frasers, with the exception of Moira, enabling him to take over the Fraser land, 

Within that plot, Moira’s half brother is out for revenge against the Sutherlands for killing his sister, who had tried to poison Gahan’s father. This story is filled with plots, betrayals, scheming relatives, and a romance between two people who find true love. 

I liked both Moira and Gahan, as they made a nice couple.  I did think that it was a bit unrealistic that the serious and dutiful Moira, who was promised to another man, would fall into bed with Gahan almost the first night she met him.   The story moved back and forth, as Gahan was stopped just about at every move to free Moira from her half brother’s shenanigans, as well as from the clutches of her husband.  A surprise twist happens half way through that creates more havoc, and the last third of the story is exciting and action packed.  It was a nice historical romance, with a quite a few steamy scenes. Will Gahan be able to save Moira?  Will they both have a life together?  Will the Sutherlands survive the plotting of the other clans?  You need to read this book to find out. 

Reviewed by Barb

Copy provided by Publisher

 

About the Author Black and Orange
marypic1-200x300Mary Wine has written over twenty novels that take her readers from the pages of history to the far reaches of space. Recent winner of a 2008 EPPIE Award for erotic western romance, her book LET ME LOVE YOU was quoted “Not to be missed…” by Lora Leigh, New York Times best-selling author.

When she’s not abusing a laptop, she spends time with her sewing machines…all of them! Making historical garments is her second passion. From corsets and knickers to court dresses of Elizabeth I, the most expensive clothes she owns are hundreds of years out of date. She’s also an active student of martial arts, having earned the rank of second degree black belt.

While you are here, don’t forget to take a peek at all her intoxicating novels and also say hello at her blog!



Guest Post-White and Purple

Good afternoon, thanks for having me over today. I’m really excited about my newest book, How to Handle a Highlander. This is book three in my Sutherlands but you can read it stand alone. I’ll let everyone in on a little secret, I just finished up book four in this book. It will release next summer.

How Do You Create a Hero?

Wow, that’s a question and a half. Now inside all of us, is a little girl who played princess. Even though some of those inner princesses were more Xena than Cinderella. I think the best part about the Romance gene is that there are so many different types of stories. You can find something that suits your idea of a perfect world.

When it comes to the hero, let’s face it girls, we want him yummy. There is no getting around that…hard….fact. But I don’t feel too guilty when I pass through my living room and there is my husband playing a video game and all the female characters are these incredibly scrumptious creatures.

But what makes a man a hero? That’s the part where the writer has to craft her character and sell him to the reader. There are certain traits that go with hero and defiantly ones that don’t. When I’m working on the first part of a story, that beginning, creation stage, I get a feel on that hero and where his is in his life. Why is he there and what is it about him that keep him from crossing the line into that ‘non-hero’ zone.

I always need my books to be part of the time they are in. In How to Handle a Highlander, I’m dealing with harsh realities. My heroine is set to marry an old man, she’ll be wife number four. For the time, it wasn’t unheard of. Marriage was for children, so older men often took bride young enough to provide those children.

No my hero knows that the union is going to unite two clans against his own. He wants to stop it but what makes him a hero is the fact that he’s got to find a way to intervene without just resorting to violence. He also notices that my heroine is not the problem, she’s stuck in the problem. That’s where I think he shines the most. When he notices that she needs his help.

No matter what sort of hero you desire, they’ve got to have integrity, be men of their word and willing to face the challenges of fate.

Cheers Everyone!

You can find me on Facebook, Website, Goodreads

 

How to Handle a Highlander Excerpt-

“Inspecting yer new possession?”

She recognized Gahan’s voice instantly. It was slightly unnerving how swiftly she identified him.

“Yer sister would have found it beneath her,” he added.

Gahan parted from the shadow of a doorway. The hall was farther behind her than she’d realized; the setting of the supper table was now only a dim buzz. A strange twist of excitement went through her belly, startling her. But it also left a bitter taste in her mouth, because she realized she preferred Gahan to her groom.

It was knowledge she could have done well without.

“Nae that I’d expect any less of any woman wedding such an old man,” Gahan informed her.

His tone was condescending at best, and it irritated her. He was her better. The fine weave of his kilt and the silver buttons running up the sides of his knee-high boots showed off just how much his father gave him. She should have kept her mouth shut, but her pride flared up and she propped her hand onto her hip.

“And will yer father give ye any choice when he contracts a bride for ye?” She questioned boldly “Or will ye turn yer nose up no matter who is depending upon ye to do yer duty? Like a spoiled child who knows naught of the way alliances keep a clan safe?”

His eyes narrowed. For a moment, it looked like he was considering what she said, almost as if she’d surprised him somehow.

“Nae if me duty includes making sure me kin can start a feud.”

“I have no such desire.” She shouldn’t snap at him but just couldn’t squelch the urge. “A contented man”—she had to stop to swallow the lump lodged in her throat—“is happy to stay at home.”

He studied her for a long moment, one that felt far longer than it really could have been. She felt like he was looking at her thoughts, his gaze cutting past her realistic reasons, to see her true feelings.

“So what is it that draws ye to a man old enough to be yer grandfather? The title? I suppose I can believe that. Yer sister was certainly enchanted by titles.”

“Half sister.” She paused, realizing that what Bari had so often used to insult her was something she prided herself on.

“And I’m bastard-born,” he replied softly. “Which changes nothing when it comes to me loyalties. Or, I doubt, yers.”

He was trying to intimidate her, but instead, his words somehow impressed her. There was something in his dark eyes that intrigued her, and she stared into the dark orbs, trying to decipher it.

He snorted at her. “Do nae try it.”

“Try what?”

He crossed his arms over his chest, and she suddenly realized just how close he was. There was no more than a pace between them now, and she jumped back, colliding with the hard stone of the wall. His lips twitched.

“I admit, ye play the innocent better then Sandra ever did, but ye’ll nae find it simple to seduce me.”

She straightened up, stepping away from the wall as her temper simmered. “Ye have no right to accuse me of nae being innocent. Or of trying to act like a harlot. Ye were the one waiting in the shadows.”

His lips parted to flash his teeth at her. “I knew ye had claws. Ye are a Fraser after all.”

There was a ring of triumph in his tone, which irritated her beyond every bit of self-discipline she had.

“What I have is the sense to know when I’m hearing naught but dribble. Son of an earl or nae, ye do nae have the right to insult me for obeying me laird. I do nae need the Matheson thinking I turned up me nose at their laird. Marriage is for forming alliances. I’m nae so selfish as to think an insult to a laird, like refusing his offer, will nae become a festering point of contention.”

But her voice lowered as she finished, and she had to push the last sentence past her lips because she just didn’t want to believe she was one day away from having to wed Achaius Matheson.

“And I was nae trying to seduce ye,” she added.

His grin remained arrogant and large, but he opened his arms, offering her a view of just how wide his chest was. “Ye were looking into me eyes.”

“And ye were looking into mine,” she countered. He was suddenly too large and the hallway far too compact to suit her. “Enough arrogance. Perhaps ye are accustomed to only the sort of women who like to seduce, but I am nae of that sort. I’m set to wed, and I do nae think it wise to be standing here acting like—”

“Like lovers flirting in the night shadows?”

His voice dipped low and sent a tingle along her limbs. There was a gleam of mischief in his dark eyes.

She shook her head, her tongue feeling frozen with shock.

“Nay, we are nae acting like lovers, or are ye arguing that we are nae lovers—yet?” He pressed forward another few inches.

Something snapped inside her. She gasped and went to shove him away from her.

“Ye obnoxious urchin!”

She flattened her hands against his chest, but he didn’t budge. She’d used a fair amount of strength, but Gahan Sutherland only chuckled at her attempt to move him.

“Ye have no right to accuse me of such indecent things. Maybe there are plenty who would remind me that ye’re me better and can say what ye will, but I will do me duty.”

He closed his hands around hers, but he didn’t remove them from his chest. Instead, he trapped her there with her hands upon him.

“What if I told ye I would nae be opposed to becoming yer lover? I promise ye will find me bed more to yer liking.”

Her mouth dropped open, and her temper exploded. She never really thought about what she was doing; her body simply refused to remain still. With a snarl, she sent her knee toward his unprotected groin. One moment he was chuckling at her, and the next, she felt her blow connecting.

Share

Archangel’s Legion (Guild Hunter #6) by Nalini Singh-Review and Giveaway

ARCHANGEL’S LEGION (Guild Hunter #6) by Nalini Singh-review and giveaway

Archangels Legion Banner

Archangel’s Legion
Guild Hunter #6
by Nalini Singh
Release Date: October 29, 2013

Archangels_Legion_Medium

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / Amazon.uk/ Barnes and Noble / KOBO / The Book Depository

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date October 29, 2013

Angels are falling from the sky in New York, struck down by a vicious, unknown force.

Vampires are dying impossibly of disease.

Guild hunter Elena Deveraux and the Archangel Raphael must discover the source of the wave of death before it engulfs their city and their people, leaving New York a ruin and Raphael’s Tower under siege by enemy archangels.

Yet even as they fight desperately to save the city, an even darker force is stirring, its’ chilling eyes trained on New York…and on Raphael. Rivers of crimson and nightmares given flesh, the world will never again be the same…

•••••••••••••••••••••

REVIEW: ARCHANGEL’S LEGION is the sixth full length novel in Nalini Singh’s contemporary paranormal/UF series-Guild Hunter. The storyline focuses once again on the Archangel Raphael and his consort and lover Elena. There is a war on the horizon-a genocide brought about the Cascade-and Raphael’s territory is the target. When angels fall from the sky by the hundreds and a blood born disease ravages the vampire numbers in New York, Raphael suspects another Archangel has plans for his demise. With his city under attack, Raphael begins to experience a power surge of epic proportions. Is Raphael the victim or the recipient of omnipotent powers?

Nalini pulls the reader into a storyline that will see friends and family fall in a war between the Archangels and their troops. A mysterious pox like disease threatens the vampire population while the zombie-like undead grow in strength and numbers. No one is safe from attack so Manhattan must be cleared of its’ residents leaving a ghost town where only the supernatural remain. Vampires will join with the angels to defend against a powerful enemy whose goal is to take down New York and Raphael’s control. But as one enemy attacks there will come support from a dark and dangerous unknown source, ensuring Raphael and Elena remain at the top of their game.

The relationship between Raphael and Elena continues to grow: their time together is sensual as well as sexually alluring and hot. Elena is the woman that keeps the Archangel’s heart and soul alive; but he is still the most powerful being on Earth and his word is law. Elena may be Raphael’s consort and lover, but she is still under his watch and command. While Elena grows into her powers, Raphael will have to stand back waiting for his ‘baby bird’ to take flight.

Nalini Singh has written a heart pounding, action packed storyline of love and loss; death and destruction; family and friends; intrigue and suspense. Many of the previous storyline characters are brought together in a battle for New York and the ultimate power and control. No one is safe from the evil that approaches and in the end help will come from a source as ancient as time itself and one that has sworn to protect the ‘aeclari’.

ARCHANGEL’S LEGION is a must read for fans of the Guild Hunter series and Nalini Singh. Plenty of background and historical information is revealed through dreams sequences, recall and shared memories. And in the end, it is one couple’s shared love for one another, that is the strength and power behind Raphael and the city he calls home.

Copy supplied by the publisher through Netgalley.

Chronological Order (*) indicates a novella but Angels’ Blood is book one.

Angels’ Dance *
Angels’ Judgmemt*
Angels’ Pawn *
Angels’ Blood
Archangel’s Kiss
Archangel’s Consort
Angel’s Wolf *
Archangel’s Blade
Archangel’s Storm
Archangel’s Legion

Giveaway-Purple:Black

Penguin Books and Nalini Singh are offering a back copy from the Guild Hunter series to one lucky commenter at The Reading Cafe.

1. Please register using the log-in at the top of the page (side bar) or by using one of the social log-ins.

2. If you are using a social log-in please post your email address with your comment.

3. Giveaway is open to USA only.

4. Giveaway runs from November 5 to 9, 2013.

Share

The Christmas He Loved Her (Bad Boys of Crystal Lake #2) by Juliana Stone-a review

THE CHRISTMAS HE LOVED HER (Bad Boys of Crystal Lake #2) by Juliana Stone-a review

The Christmas He Loved Her

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / Amazon.uk/ Barnes and Noble / KOBO

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date October 1, 2013

All he wants this Christmas is her.

In the small town of Crystal Lake, Christmas is a time for sledding, hot chocolate, and cozying up to the fire with those you love. For Jake Edwards, it’s also time to come home and face his past. He thought there would never be anything harder than losing his brother. Turns out there is: falling in love with his brother’s widow, Raine.

Ever since they were little, Jesse was the Edwards brother who was always there for her, and Jake was the one who knew just how to push her buttons. Raine can’t imagine a life without them, which is why it was doubly decimating when Jake left town after his brother’s sudden death. Now he’s back and she doesn’t know whether to be mad or thrilled. Maybe both. Maybe it will be the perfect chance for both of them to finally find happiness again.

•••••••••••••••••••

REVIEW: THE CHRISTMAS HE LOVED HER is the second instalment in Juliana Stone’s contemporary romance, erotic Bad Boys of Crystal Lake and it is one h*ll of an emotional ride. This is Jake and Raine’s story but it is so much more. This is a story of forbidden love, second chances and letting go.

In the first book-The Summer He Came Home-we were introduced to the Edwards family and the bad boys of Crystal Lake-Jake and Jesse Edwards, Cain Black, MacKenzie Draper and the fifth wheel Raine, who had gathered for the funeral of Jake’s twin and Raine’s husband Jesse. Jake witnessed Jesse’s death on the streets of Afghanistan and his nightmares and guilt are eating away at his last vestiges of sanity. Fast forward eighteen months and, Jake and Raine are no closer to closure than the that fateful day so many months before. But a night of passion together has left the couple with bitter regret and painful memories.

With the past steeped in dark secrets and a present that includes sleepless nights, nightmares and painful memories, Jake and Raine will come full circle when Jake moves back to Crystal Lake to face the demons and the woman he has loved forever.

We watch as one man suffers with the trauma of PTSD reliving his twin’s death over and over and yet he is still able to support a fellow soldier’s sister in her time of need. As his buddy lies in a coma for the past eighteen months, Jake endeavors to move forward but the past keeps pulling him under in a nightmarish world of memories and survivor’s guilt.

Raine has had a difficult time since Jesse’s death but the grief is complicated by the knowledge and guilt that she had loved his brother Jake more. When Raine’s life took an unexpected turn, she turns to Jake for support but Jake is no longer on the radar and Raine must endure her own personal grief alone. She too, suffers nightmares and painful memories, but another loss compounds her sorrow and grief. She doesn’t eat, has become a recluse and the only family she has ever loved are the people who are suffering the loss of one son and the possibility of the loss of another. Raine has had to keep a secret so painful that she is lost in a world of heartbreak and defeat.

The storyline is a testament to grief, the loss of loved ones and friends and recovery. Raine and Jake are two broken souls who have wandered aimlessly for eighteen months with no end in sight to the pain and suffering. But Raine and Jake have loved each other since their early teens and it will take the maneuvering of friends and family to show, that in death, life must go forward-you must give yourself permission to heal and in doing so, heal those who have suffered as well.

The sexual tension between Jake and Raine is palpable and strung tighter than a bow. There is no denying the attraction and love between the pair but the grief and guilt continues to burrow so deep and so painfully that neither is able to move forward. And it will take one woman, who has loved Jake forever, to prove that there is light at the end of the proverbial tunnel when she opens her arms and her heart to the possibility of a future without guilt and sorrow.

Juliana Stone has written a heartbreaking, gut-wrenching storyline of grief coupled with guilt than ensures no tears left unshed. We are pulled onto a roller coaster of emotions that will tear at your heart and beat at your soul. You will cry as our couple face their demons and the guilt of loving each other when the man that they both loved is dead and gone. And you will sing with the choir when Jake finally realizes that life does go on when the only woman that he has ever loved has gone through the same h*ll if not more.

The Christmas He Loved Her is a story of heartbreak and sorrow; love and loss; second chances and moving on. But is also a story with a happily ever after and one that I hope continues in Mac’s story-The Day He Kissed Her-in April 2014.

Copy supplied by the publisher through Netgalley

Reviewed by Sandy

Share

KINKED – Thea Harrison Blog Tour- Q&A, Review & Giveaway

KINKED – Thea Harrison Blog Tour- Q&A, Review & Giveaway

Kinked Banner

Kinked
Elder Races
by Thea Harrison
Release Date: November 5, 2013

Dual Review

KINKED.Nov 2013Links to order Kinked: Amazon / Barnes & Noble / Kobo / The Book Depository

Description:
Two opponents must confront the cause of their obsessive fury in the latest Novel of the Elder Races…

As a harpy, Sentinel Aryal is accustomed to dealing with hate, but Sentinel Quentin Caeravorn manages to inspire in her a burning ire unlike anything she’s ever known. Aryal believes the new Sentinel to be a criminal, and vows to take him out as soon as the opportunity arises. But the harpy’s incessant wrath has pushed Quentin to the limit, and forces him to make a deadly vow of his own.

To put an end to the conflict, Dragos, Lord of the Wyr, sends them on a reconnaissance mission to the Elven land of Numenlaur. Forced to work together, Aryal and Quentin’s mutual antagonism escalates. Each fight draws forth more passion—culminating in an explosively sexual confrontation. But when their quest reveals real danger, Aryal and Quentin must resolve their differences in ways beyond the physical, before the entire Wyr is threatened


Barb’s Review:
Kinked by Thea Harrison is the 6th book in her wonderful Elder Races series.  I have been a big fan of this series from the start, and I couldn’t wait for Aryal’s story.  I can safely say that the wait was so worth it. 

Aryal is a harpy, and I have always liked her tough kick ass attitude, as well as her being the lone women Sentinel on Dragos, the Lord of the Wyr’s team.  But in the last few books, she became borderline unlikable, being downright nasty to others, including Dragos’ wife Pia. A big part of her behavior has been Quentin, a new Sentinel and someone Aryal has been investigating for awhile, to expose him as the crook she knows he is, but to no avail.

Quentin, who is a hunk, and a black panther shifter, does have his own dark issues of things from the past that he has to deal with.  He equally gives back his feelings of hatred toward Aryal.  One day it goes too far, as they both jump at each other, violently fighting out in the open for all to see.  The awesome totally powerful Dragos steps in and roughly  separates the two.  He gives them an ultimatum, an assignment back to Numenlaur, the abandoned Elven land, where the last battle took place.  Dragos’s ultimatum….spend between two weeks to a month together on this assignment, and learn to work together peacefully or they will both be removed as Sentinels.

What follows is an awesome action packed adventure that forces both Aryal and Quentin to work together to survive.  But most of all, it was watching two totally dominant people with such violent hate for one another slowly change.  The intense hatred fed the sexual spark that each tried desperately to fight.  This was an intense relationship all the way through.   It was really amazing how Thea Harrison took two highly unlikely people and made them Perfect for each other.  In doing so, she didn’t make them like a normal sweet romance; it was hot, sexy, hardcore, with both releasing their animal magnetism toward each other. 

When mission becomes dangerous, and both are badly injured, you can see both of their vulnerabilities, and the need for each other to help them survive and pull through was so apparent.  Their relationship was so intense, yet so wonderful to see how slowly it changed to love.  What I loved about how Harrison handles this relationship is that though they both are changing, they will still remain as two hard assed dominants they are, and learn to share. 

Besides their romance, this was a great story, with a villain who had no qualms to leave them for dead.  Both were badly injured, and in Aryal’s case, her injuries were devastating.  But Quentin rises up to help save her and those who are with them until rescue comes.  Will Aryal recover from those serious injuries?   Will she be able to continue as part of Dragos Sentinels? 

I also love seeing Dragos & Pia, and the entire Sentinel team. I loved that Aryal, tough snarky ways, was able to find someone just perfect for her.  This was an intense fantastic read, which I finished in one day.  Thea Harrison has done it again, with another wonderful addition to her  Elder Races series. I for one hope that she never stops writing this series.

Sandy’s Review:

Because this is a dual review, some of the information presented will be duplicated but in the end, Barb and I both love Thea’s grasp of the fantasy and paranormal culture and the way in which she presents her storylines for everyone to enjoy.

KINKED is the sixth full length novel in Thea Harrison’s paranormal series-The Elder Races. This is Aryal (a Harpy) and Quentin’s (Panther/Elven/Fae) story-both Wyr Sentinels and acidic enemies. For two years Aryal has been searching for something to use against Quentin-she knows he is dark and dangerous and it is her gut feeling that he is hiding an illegal past. Hoping to get proof, Aryal has stalked Quentin at every opportunity but on her lastest attempt, she goes too far and she and Quentin will find themselves banished from the Wyr and sent to Numenlaur-the oldest Elven land searching for signs or survivors in the now desolate Elven demesne.

As the leader of the Wyr, Dragos tires of Quentin and Aryal’s animosity towards one another and gave them one opportunity to straighten up or be permanently banished from both the Sentinels and the Wyr community.

The storyline focuses on Quentin and Aryal’s building relationship as they uncover what lies behind the ruined city and beautiful lands of Numenlaur. What started as bitter and abject enemies will quickly become one of friends to lovers but not before some damage is done to one another. Their relationship in the beginning can best be described as damaging and dangerous but in the end each will find their mate -but not before they encounter a strange new phenomenon that is directly linked to the Elven world and the castle where they will find themselves imprisoned and left to die.

The world building continues from the previous storylines including Lord’s Fall (Elder Races #5) where the Elven Other World was decimated by its’ own people. Thea brings together some of the Wyr Sentinels in secondary roles as well as Pia (Dragos’ mate) having a significant impact on the life and death struggles of our leading couple.

Thea has proven that she has an amazing grasp of the fantastic as the reader is pulled into a world of her making. The descriptive nature of the Elven Other World is beautiful in comparison to the damage and death toll exacted by a cruel and power hungry being.

Kinked is a story of betrayal and loss; revenge and retribution; danger and deceit. But it is also about survival-not for the people of Numenlaur-but for two would be enemies who must join together in a fight for their lives or lose one another to an unseen enemy or themselves.

Copy supplied by the publisher through Netgalley.

about the author

Thea Harrison picNew York Times and USA Today bestselling author Thea Harrison is the pen name for Teddy Harrison. Thea has traveled extensively, having lived in England and explored Europe for several years. Now she resides in Colorado. She wrote her first book, a romance, when she was nineteen and had sixteen romances published under the name Amanda Carpenter.

She took a break from writing to collect a couple of graduate degrees and a grown child. She experienced waitressing as a teenager, has worked as an activist for a non-profit consumer rights organization, has been a receptionist, an office manager, a penniless graduate student, a director of development and research, and a single mom. Her graduate degrees are in Philanthropic Studies and Library Information Science, but her first love has always been writing fiction.

Her paranormal Elder Races series began May 3, 2011 with Dragon Bound, which won RT Book Review’s Book of the Year Award, and the Romance Writer’s of America RITA in the paranormal romance category.

All five of her full length novels in the Elder Races series have won Top Picks from RT Book Reviews. Book two in the series, Storm’s Heart, and book four, Oracle’s Moon, hit the USA Today bestseller’s list, while book three, Serpent’s Kiss, hit the New York Times extended bestseller list. Her fifth book, Lord’s Fall, hit both the USA Today and the New York Times extended lists.

She adores animals and currently resides with two small dogs that have very large personalities

Website / Twitter / Facebook / Goodreads

 

interview

Thanks for such interesting questions!

Q:  What is one of your favorite Myths/legends to write about?

Thea:  When I started to write my reply to this question, I realized it wasn’t going to be a simple or easy answer!  I’ve had so much fun with the world building in the Elder Races series.  It’s almost impossible to pick just one.

I really enjoyed taking the Oracle of Delphi and putting it into a modern context for Oracle’s Moon.  When I turned my attention to the witches’ demesne in Louisville, I wanted to make sure it felt as rich and developed as the rest of the world building I’d done for the other demesnes and mythological creatures.  That story was fun for a lot of reasons, because I also really enjoyed building the Djinn society based on Middle Eastern legends.

Another favorite has been developing the Elves, in Lord’s Fall and continued in Kinked.  And a third was when I created my own version of Vampyres in Serpent’s Kiss.  I have two more Vampyre stories that I’m dying to tell.  When I get excited about a story, it’s hard to wait for the right time to tell it!

Q:  You’ve been gifted (or cursed) with the ability to shift into another form by a witch. What kind of shifter are you and why?  (All creatures, including mythological, apply.)

Thea: Awesome question!  I think I have two answers for that one.  If it was a gift, then I think it would have to be something winged and strong.  I think there’s something to be said for being as fearless as a harpy, although I’m quite sure I wouldn’t win any popularity contests!

If the ability was a curse and meant to be nasty, the witch would probably turn me into my phobia—a spider!  That would be the meanest, nastiest thing anybody could ever do to me!

Q:  Since Aryal is a harpy and considered an immortal Wyr, how did you approach her character development in order to make her believable and someone that readers can identify with?

Thea:  I’ll be honest, I was worried about writing Aryal.  I really didn’t want to compromise her identity.  Aryal has strong emotions but no real morals in the abstract sense, no true compulsion to do what is right for its own sake.  She’s abrasive and dangerous… And I had to figure out how to also make her sympathetic.

My first decision was to not be in a hurry to write her story.  I wanted to take the time to show her character from a couple of different points of view.  The reader first sees Aryal from Pia’s perspective in Dragon Bound, but then in Storm’s Heart I was able to show Aryal from Tricks’ point of view, someone who loved her.  I also wanted to make sure that humor came into the mix.  Still, the real test came when I sat down and actually started writing Kinked.  Then I had to get close enough to her to write her as a main POV character.  It helped that I had so many established relationships and characters to work with—such as Grym, Dragos and Graydon—and the world-building in place.  With that in place, I could concentrate on developing Aryal herself.  I’m very grateful to my editor Cindy Hwang for providing such a supportive platform to write Kinked.

Q:  Do you have an Elder Race Bible to help keep your facts start?  If not, how the heck do you keep your facts start?

Thea:  So far I’ve had two things in my favor—I’ve got a bit of a freakish memory for detail when it comes to writing, and I also have fantastic beta readers who are good at spotting issues.  Still, the world has become big and complicated enough that I’ve got someone working on a series bible right now.  It’s over a hundred pages by now and should be done by the end of the year.

Q:  Who was the harder character to write Aryal or Quentin and why?

Thea: Neither character was as hard as I had feared they would be when I started Kinked.  Still, Quentin was easier.  I felt more confident writing his character, and I felt the stakes were pretty high on getting Aryal’s character right.

Q:  Was there anything about Aryal that surprised you as her story unfolded?

Thea: I think I probably had the same experience as a writer that several readers have had so far in reading the book—I was surprised at how much I ended up liking and enjoying her.  I wouldn’t want to rush out and befriend a real-life Aryal, but I think she’s pretty cool between the pages, and I’m really looking forward to writing more about her.

Q:  In the event of an apocalypses (zombie, alien, solar flare or 4 horsemen) which of your characters would you like to team up with?

Thea:   I would absolutely like to team up with Dragos—as long as I was someone he valued, otherwise he might ditch me in a heartbeat.

Q:  What is next for the Elder Race series?

Thea:  I’m now contracted for books 7-9, so I’m writing Graydon’s story which will be released around August of 2014.  The main characters have also been decided for books 8 and 9, and I’m eager to get to those stories!

I also wrote a self-published project, a novella entitled Dragos Takes A Holiday, which releases November 25th.  I loved spending time with Dragos and Pia, and their little son Peanut gets his POV debut.

It’s been a pleasure to visit with you.  Thanks for having me!

Giveaway-Purple-White

Thea and The Penquin Group have graciously offered to give one lucky member of The Reading Café a copy of Thea’s new release, Kinked.

1.  Please register using the Log-In at the top of the page, or by using one of our social log-ins.

2.  If you are using a social log-in e.g. Twitter, please leave your email address along with your comment.

3.  Giveaway open to U.S.Only

4.  Contests runs from November 4, to November 8, 2013

Share

Persistence of Memory by Winona Kent-a review

Persistence of Memory by Winona Kent – a review

Persistence of Memory

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / Amazon.uk/ Barnes and Noble /

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date September 17, 2013

Charlie Lowe has two obsessions: saving the Stoneford Village Green from unscrupulous developers and researching her ancestor, Louis Augustus Duran, whose mysterious origins elude her.

When a freak lightning strike and a rogue computer virus send her back to 1825, Charlie discovers she must persuade a reluctant Sarah Foster to marry Duran, or two centuries of descendants -including herself- will cease to exist.

Unfortunately, Louis Duran turns out to be a despicable French count who spends his days attempting to invent the first flushing toilet in Hampshire. That is, of course, when he’s not busy impregnating a succession of unfortunate housemaids.

Combining the language, humour and manners of Jane Austen’s era with charming characters and colorful storytelling, Persistence of Memory is a mystery, a love story and a speculative novel about accidental time travel.

A hopeless romantic, our heroine does her best to encourage the happiness of those who surround her — but will she be able to mend a matrimonial wrong, restore the Village Green to its rightful owner and, most particularly, conclude the tale in the company of the gentleman with whom she was always meant to be?

You may acquaint yourself with the answers, gentle reader, here, within “Persistence of Memory”.

•••••••••••••••••••••

This is a time-travel mystery type novel with romantic and heroic overtones. A very interesting concept and sometimes perplexing although intriguing time travel theories.

The story takes place in the village of Stoneford on England’s southern coast. This village has been very nearly untouched by renovation for almost 200 years. The central figure, Charlotte Duran Lowe or Charlie to her friends, has lived in Stoneford all her life. Charlie is a young widow who now works as the Historical Guide and Interpreter for the Stoneford Village Museum. Her daily uniform is a Regency frock from the 1825 era.

However, a redevelopment endeavor has begun by two very unscrupulous brothers Ron and Reg Ferryman. They want to line their pockets and don’t care at all about the history of the village. They have in fact resorted to the poisoning of the 300 year old Village Oak in the center of town, so that they can tear it down and rebuild with hotels and the like. The main issues center on lost deeds, dubious ownership, and greed of the brothers.

The time travel theory revolves around Charlie’s laptop and programs, a lightning storm releasing tachyons and sprites (scientific definitions can be found in the book), sending a shocked Charlie (fortunately still in her frock) back to 1825 and bringing one of her ancient cousins Mrs. Collins to this century in her place. The women apparently looked very much alike and so the adventure begins.

An interesting read, as Charlie tries to find out about her ancestors, solve the missing deed issues as well as others, while not blowing her cover. She also finds new love for herself while attempting to ensure her ancestors marry the correct men to ensure her own lifeline.

It’s a very twisty, sometimes comical, sometimes scary tale with many a paradox. To meddle or not to meddle…the “Butterfly Effect” type questions.

Will Charlie succeed in saving the village by finding the missing deed? Will she ensure Sarah marries the right man to ensure her linage? Does Charlie return? Ahhhh….the questions abound! Solve the mysteries by reading the book! Would it be fun to go back in time…you decide…

Copy supplied by author for an honest review.

Reviewed by Georgianna S.

Share