Tag Archives: Cotillion Ball

A Widow’s Salvation by Becky Lower – a Review

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A Widow’s Salvation by Becky Lower – a Review

 

A Widow’s Salvation
Cotillion Ball series – Book #8
by Becky Lower
Release Date: September 7, 2015

A Widow's SalvationAmazon / Barnes & Noble / Kobo / BAM

DESCRIPTION:
In 1862 America, the Civil War has raged for twelve months. Pepper Fitzpatrick Brown’s heart was broken when her husband died with the first volley at Manassas. Now she’s a widow raising three young boys and plans to honor his sacrifice by volunteering at the army hospital.

When Colonel Elijah Williams can grab a few minutes to nap between his duties as head surgeon at MacDougall Army Hospital in the Bronx, his sleep is invaded with nightmares of the atrocities he’s seen. His life has narrowed to nothing but the bloody war … until he meets Pepper Brown. But her father is concerned Elijah doesn’t have the best intentions, and Pepper is fearful of loving and losing again.

It’s hard to find happiness in a war-torn United States, but these two stand a fighting chance—if they can save what’s left of their hearts. 

 

REVIEW:

5 out of 5 for this reader folks!

I swear every time I review for Becky Lower I say that this is her best book .. this time I am saying it again!  This is her best book of the series .. LOL  Likely her best book until she writes her next one!  

A Widow’s Salvation by Becky Lower is the 8th book of her Cotillion Ball series.  A beautiful historical romance that takes place in one of my fave historical eras, the American Civil War.  

Well it has happened .. the Fitzpatrick family is now enduring the consequences and life living in the Civil War.  Pepper Fitzpatrick Brown is the oldest Fitzpatrick daughter and has been made a widow with three sons to raise.  Tired of the year of mourning and ready to make a difference, she decides to volunteer at the military hospital providing care and comfort to those in need.  Little does she realize that care and comfort comes in many packages and to many different people.

Colonel Elijah Williams is a field surgeon that has been run ragged during this war.  Day in and day out he experiences sights no man should have to endure and to be honest he is getting close to having had enough.  If it wasn’t for a little ray of sunshine called Pepper, he’d of lost his mind.  

Together, these two see what true war can do physically, emotionally and morally to a human being.  Sharing these experiences brings them close together and inevitable love blooms in a place that feels hopeless.  Can these two take a chance on the other??  Will families be able to merge and will acceptance be gained?  

UUHHH … my heartstrings .. I don’t know if it’s because we are now reading of battles and carnage, but the stolen moments of love and whispers of words really struck me in this book.  It’s wonderful to imagine two people finding something so pure in something so tainted.  What a well matched couple.  I have to say Becky, the love scenes were yummy and I adore that you progressed this series into a part of history that I love to read about.You sure did your homework too!  WINK! 🙂

If you like a bit of history mixed with a wonderful love story, then you have to check this series out.  I am always feeling so full and happy when I put down a Becky Lower novel and am always pleased when the review request from her comes in.  WONDERFUL WRITING INDEED! 🙂

HAPPY READING! 🙂

Reviewed by Rachel

Copy provided by Author

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Expressly Yours, Samantha by Becky Lower – a Review

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Expressly Yours, Samantha by Becky Lower – a Review

 

Expressly Yours, SamanthaAmazon / Barnes & Noble / Kobo

Description:
Samantha Hughes has one day to escape from her wicked uncle, and a sign in the post office is her answer. She’ll cut her hair to pose as a man and become Sam Hughes, a Pony Express rider.

Valerian Fitzpatrick doesn’t want the weight of responsibility that his brothers have in the family business. Fortunately, the Pony Express offers a chance to make his own way in the world.

He assumes his new buddy, Sam, is on the run from the law, until she’s hit by a stray gunshot and he has to undress her to staunch the wound. Friendship quickly turns to attraction—and more—but when Sam’s uncle tracks her down, she is forced to run yet again.

Val’s determined to find her, but will a future with Sam mean giving up the freedom he’s always craved?

 

Review:

5 out of 5 for this reader folks!   This book has now moved this entire series to my REREAD shelf. There now that I got that out I can start what I commonly refer to as “The Becky Lower Gush”. LOL 😉

Expressly Yours, Samantha (seriously love this title Becky) is the 7th book of her historical romance Cotillion Ball Series. When one think of historical romance you expect to be swept some where over in Europe, but not this series. Becky mixes it up by placing the setting in 1860’s USA. If you have never heard of The Pony Express well that will change once you devour this read.

Samantha Hughes (AKA “Sam”) is on the run from her seriously evil uncle. She makes the decision to pose as a man and ride The Pony Express but all positions are filled until she comes across Valerian Fitzpatrick who himself is running in his own way. Val get’s her a job working the stables assuming she is a he, and forms a friendship with her. Although Val knows something is off about “Sam”, he decides to let “Sam” speak on his own terms about secrets that “he” is hiding. Well fate takes that out of their hands when our twosome endure a gun fight and Samantha is injured. Left with no choice but to search for her wounds, Val discovers a lot more than a gunshot. Suddenly more than a friendship is possible and the attraction is heated. Before they know it though, jerkface uncle reappears and threatens a happy probable future.

So much more to this book, but I don’t do too many details! 😉

Becky you are such a vivid writer. I swear I can see the images you write to paper, taste the food, smell the smells, feel the fear and hurt of gun fighting and hear the hearts that pound with anticipation. You have taken us to a few American cities throughout this series so it was only natural that we were taken to the Wild West. I adore these characters and giggled to myself in anticipation of Val finding out “Sam’s” truth. I have to say though, meeting my fave brother and sisters is always the “icing on the cake” in your novels .. it’s like coming home! 🙂

This book I suppose could be read as a stand alone .. but why??? Check out this entire series. If you are a true historical romance lover and especially is you like something a little different, then Becky Lower is the author for you!

HAPPY READING! 🙂

Reviewed by Rachel

Copy provided by Author

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The Duplicitous Debutante by Becky Lower – a Review

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The Duplicitous Debutante by Becky Lower – a Review

 

The Duplicitous Debutante Cotillion Ball Series – Book #6 by Becky Lower Release Date: September 1, 2014 roses2

Amazon / Barnes & Noble / Kobo

DESCRIPTION: In 1859, ladies of New York society are expected to do three things well: find a husband, organize a household, and have children. But despite her mother’s best intentions, making her debut is the last thing on Rosemary Fitzpatrick’s mind. Writing the popular Harry Hawk dime novels as F.P. Elliott, she’s too busy hiding her female identity from her new publisher, Henry Cooper. To protect her clandestine career, she ends up posing as the enigmatic author’s secretary. Henry is not the typical Boston Brahmin, nor the typical publisher, and Rosemary entrances him from the moment they meet. As they work together and grow closer, he wonders how his traditional-minded father will react when he brings her into the family, because Henry firmly intends to marry the working-class woman. But when her deception begins to unravel at the cotillion ball, will Henry be able to forgive her or has deceit cost her the man she loves?  

REVIEW: 5 out of 5 for this reader folks! Oh Becky Lower! I have been with you from the start of the Cotillion Ball series and I am determined to make sure that you find long lost family members of the Fitzpatrick family to add to this series because not only can I NOT get enough, but cannot image this series ever concluding. Perhaps the children of all our couples??

LOL So YES I LOVED THIS BOOK. I was anticipating Rosemary’s story and boy did you ever deliver. Rosemary Fitzpatrick is the spitfire of this family. Truely, they all are in their own ways, but she held a special place in my heart. Who would possibly tame this free thinker, or better yet, who would possible just “get her” and realize she is brilliant just the way she is and is in no need of taming. Rosemary is a dime novelist .. FEMALE novelist in the 1850’s of a popular action and adventure series called Harry Hawk. Very “NO NO” of this time, she writes under a MALE name F.P. Elliot. When a new owner takes over her contract, Rosemary must actually meet her publisher and face the fact that she may lose everything when it is discovered she is.. well .. a SHE.

Henry Cooper has a point to prove to his father. He can run this publishing company.   Henry is a liberal thinker of his time (as opposed to his father’s stuffy traditional views), believing that gender should have no place if their is talent and money on the line. When he meets Rosemary, she is posing as F.P. Elliot’s secretary (who just so happens to know all the details of the Harry Hawk series as she transcribes for her employer), and he is instantly captivated. Rosemary is everything that he wants in a wife. Wife she will be … especially if Rosemary’s parents have anything to do with it. You see, Rosemary is about to come out as a debutante at the Cotillion ball and Harry is a guest of the Fitzpatrick family.

A web of deceit is weaved but with true feelings, parental influence on both sides and potential future’s on the line, the truth has to come out. When it does, will it be all too much for our couple? Can the lies be overcome, and will Rosemary’s coveted career have to be put aside for a dream at true love?? Boy did I laugh, sniffle and cringe so much reading this book. These two are so well matched, and they are so stubborn in their own thoughts.

As a reader I felt like yelling at them “You can have it all if you just lay it all out CLEARLY” and “You guys really need to get it together already”. The pacing, writing, character build up was bang on and the fact that we visit other family members just bring this all together brilliantly. I adore this series and if you are historical romance lover, you will appreciate that this is set in US as opposed to Europe like most HR books are. I personally find that refreshing! So yes, I gushed .. it was a worthy gush and I can’t wait for more!

HAPPY READING! 🙂

Reviewed by Rachel

Copy provided by Author

Cotillion Ball Reading Order:

The Reluctant Debutante
The Abolitionist’s Secret
Banking on Temperance
The Tempestuous Debutante Blinded by Grace
The Duplicitous Debutante  

 

about the author Becky Lower I have traveled the country looking for great settings for my novels, which I’m pleased to say have become Amazon best-sellers. I love to write about two people finding each other and falling in love, amid the backdrop of a great setting, be it present day middle America or on a covered wagon headed west in the 1850s. Contemporary and historical romances are my specialties. I am a PAN member of RWA and is a member of the Contemporary and Historic RWA chapters. My degree is in English and Journalism from Bowling Green State University, and I live in an eclectic college town in Ohio with my puppy-mill rescue dog, Mary.

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