Tag Archives: Historical

A Rip Through Time by Kelley Armstrong-Review and Giveaway

Posted on by
18

A Rip Through Time (A Rip Through Time 1) by Kelley Armstrong-Review and Giveaway

 

 

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / B&N / KOBO / Chapters Indigo / Google Play /

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date May 31, 2022

In this series debut from New York Times bestselling author Kelley Armstrong, a modern-day homicide detective finds herself in Victorian Scotland—in an unfamiliar body—with a killer on the loose.

May 20, 2019: Homicide detective Mallory is in Edinburgh to be with her dying grandmother. While out on a jog one evening, Mallory hears a woman in distress. She’s drawn to an alley, where she is attacked and loses consciousness.

May 20, 1869: Housemaid Catriona Mitchell had been enjoying a half-day off, only to be discovered that night in a lane, where she’d been strangled and left for dead . . . exactly one-hundred-and-fifty years before Mallory was strangled in the same spot.

When Mallory wakes up in Catriona’s body in 1869, she must put aside her shock and adjust quickly to the reality: life as a housemaid to an undertaker in Victorian Scotland. She soon discovers that her boss, Dr. Gray, also moonlights as a medical examiner and has just taken on an intriguing case, the strangulation of a young man, similar to the attack on herself. Her only hope is that catching the murderer can lead her back to her modern life . . . before it’s too late.

Outlander meets The Alienist in Kelley Armstrong’s A Rip Through Time, the first book in this utterly compelling series, mixing romance, mystery, and fantasy with thrilling results.

••••••

REVIEW:A RIP THROUGH TIME is the first instalment in Kelley Armstrong’s adult A RIP THROUGH TIME time travel, mystery series focusing on thirty year old, Vancouver, Canada Police Detective Mallory Atkinson, and undertaker/investigator Dr. Duncan Gray.

Told from first person perspective (Mallory) A RIP THROUGH TIME follows Detective Mallory Atkinson on a journey through time. In the spring of 2019 while visiting her ailing grandmother in Edinburgh Scotland, thirty year old, Vancouver British Columbia, Canada police detective Mallory Atkinson is attacked in an alley only to wake up as a nineteen year old housemaid in the year 1869, a housemaid who was also attacked and left for dead in the same alley where Mallory was found. Not only has our heroine time travelled back one-hundred and fifty years but she is no longer physically the same woman she was just minutes before. Working as a housemaid for Dr. Duncan Gray and his sister Isla, realizing life as she knew it was no longer under her control, Mallory must assume the position of nineteen year old Catriona Mitchell, a young woman whose history is questionable and dark. A serial killer has set his sights on Edinburgh Scotland, and ‘Catriona/Mallory’ has been targeted for sins of the past but more importantly, targeted for sins of the future. As the investigation begins to unfold, Catriona’s knowledge of investigative procedures stirs the interest of Isla and Duncan, an interest such that Mallory is going to have to explain the circumstances surrounding Catriona’s new insights and change in personality.

We are introduced to Dr. Gray’s sister Isla, their housekeeper Mrs. Wallace, stable hand Simon, housemaid Alice, as well as Inspector Hugh McCreadie and Constable Findlay.

A RIP THROUGH TIME is a fascinating story of mystery and suspense with a little bit of paranormal, time travel added to the mix. Having worked most of her adult life in the Vancouver police department, Mallory aka Catriona is the perfect foil for Dr. Gray, an undertaker and amateur investigator, who with the help of our heroine, begins to break down the clues and mystery surrounding a potential serial killer. The premise is intriguing and captivating; the characters are dynamic; the romance is virtually non-existent. My only complaint, is the easy and immediate acceptance, by the main characters, of time-travel and physical possession of some one else’s body but such is the nature of the paranormal/time travel story line.

Copy supplied by the publisher

Reviewed by Sandy

Follow: Goodreads / Website/ Twitter/ Facebook/ Amazon Author Page/

Kelley Armstrong has been telling stories since before she could write. Her earliest written efforts were disastrous. If asked for a story about girls and dolls, hers would invariably feature undead girls and evil dolls, much to her teachers’ dismay. All efforts to make her produce “normal” stories failed.

Today, she continues to spin tales of ghosts and demons and werewolves, while safely locked away in her basement writing dungeon. She’s the author of the NYT-bestselling “Women of the Otherworld” paranormal suspense series and “Darkest Powers” young adult urban fantasy trilogy, as well as the Nadia Stafford crime series. Armstrong lives in southwestern Ontario with her husband, kids and far too many pets.

Kelley Armstrong’s publisher ST. MARTIN’S PRESS is graciously offering a paper copy of A RIP THROUGH TIME to ONE (1) commenter at The Reading Cafe

1. If you have not previously registered at The Reading Cafe, please register by using the log-in at the top of the page (side bar) or by using one of the social log-ins.

NOTE: If you are having difficulty commenting after logging onto the site, please refresh the page (at the top of your computer).

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

3. Follow & Like  KELLEY ARMSTRONG on Facebook.

4. Follow & Like ST. MARTIN’S PRESS on Facebook.

5. LIKE/ Follow The Reading Cafe  on FACEBOOK  for an additional entry.

6. LIKE / Follow THE READING CAFE  on Twitter for an additional entry.

7. Please FOLLOW The Reading Cafe on GOODREADS for an additional entry.

8. Please follow The Reading Cafe on Tumblr

9. Giveaway is open to USA and CANADA only

10. Giveaway runs from May 31-June 4, 2022

Share

When She Dreams by Amanda Quick – Review & Excerpt

Posted on by
11

When She Dreams by Amanda Quick – Review & Excerpt

 

Amazon / B&N / Kobo / Google Play / Apple / BAM / Book Depository

 

Description:
Maggie Lodge, assistant to the reclusive advice columnist known only as Dear Aunt Cornelia to her readers, hires down-but-not-quite-out private eye Sam Sage to help track down the person who is blackmailing her employer. Maggie and Sam are a mismatched pair. As far as Sam is concerned, Maggie is reckless and in over her head. She is not what he had in mind for a client but he can’t afford to be choosy. Maggie, on the other hand, is convinced that Sam is badly in need of guidance and good advice. She does not hesitate to give him both.

In spite of the verbal fireworks between them, they are fiercely attracted to each other, but each is convinced it would be a mistake to let passion take over. They are, after all, keeping secrets from each other. Sam is haunted by his past, which includes a marriage shattered by betrayal and violence. Maggie is troubled by intense and vivid dreams–dreams that she can sometimes control. There are those who want to run experiments on her and use her for their own purposes, while others think she should be committed to an asylum.

When the pair discovers someone is impersonating Aunt Cornelia at a conference on psychic dreaming and a woman dies at the conference, the door is opened to a dangerous web of blackmail and murder. Secrets from the past are revealed, leaving Maggie and Sam in the path of a ruthless killer who will stop at nothing to exact vengeance.

 

 

Review:

When She Dreams by Amanda Quick is the 6th book in her wonderful Burning Cove series. This series takes place during the 1930’s in the small town of Burning Cove, California.  Some of the recurring characters we have met in the previous books continue to have secondary roles, as we return to Burning Cove. 

We meet Maggie Lodge, our heroine, who is a lucid dreamer, and has been drugged by her physic therapist, and manages to escape. Two years pass, with Maggie being an assistant to the famous advice columnist, Aunt Cornelia. With Cornelia away on a cruise, Maggie hires a private investigator, to help find out who is sending Aunt Cornelia blackmail threats. 

Sam Sage, our hero, is a former cop, and now a private eye; he accepts the job offer from Maggie, though he finds her dream escapades a bit weird. They begin to work together, as Maggie insists to be part of his investigation; along the way, Sam will learn more about these lucid dreamers, and the organization that is trying to prove that they are real.  Sam also gets to see first-hand, when Maggie has some visions, and a slow burn romance will begin between them. 

They both decide to go to Burning Cove to attend the conference on psychic dreaming, led by the leaders of the Physic Dreaming organization, as well as the man who tried to drug Maggie.  When someone impersonates Aunt Cornelia, all hell breaks loose, as a woman is found murdered, with a murder from the past opening the doors to another murder, with a ruthless killer on the loose.  Secrets are revealed, and Sam contacts Raina Kirk and Luther Pell (in our previous books) to help with his investigation. Sam is also concerned that Maggie’s life is in danger, as things escalate. 

What follows is an exciting, intriguing, intense and suspenseful story that has a number of surprises and twists.  I do not want to give spoilers, saying anything more would ruin the book for you. When She Dreams was fast paced, enthralling, with a romantic couple whose chemistry was sizzling.

Amanda Quick once again gives us a complex mystery that had a bit of everything in this glamorous historical world of 1930’s.  I suggest you start this series from the beginning to enjoy the setting of this series, as well as meet some very good characters. However, each book does read very well as a standalone.

Reviewed by Barb

Copy provided by Publisher

 

It struck him that being here with Maggie was different. Sam was comfortable standing in the alcove with her for a couple of reasons. The first was that she wasn’t asking him to become something he wasn’t. She had been concerned about the evening jacket only because she thought it constituted the camouflage he needed to go undercover for the investigation.
So, yes, she was enthusiastic when it came to telling him how to do his job, but he had no problem with that. He already knew how to do his job. He found it entertaining to have her instruct him in the art of investigation. Okay, it was also irritating. Why did it amuse him? One of the mysteries of the universe, probably. Make that one of the mysteries of Maggie Lodge.
As for the second reason why he was happy to stand here with her—well, he wasn’t sure what it was yet, but there was another reason, of that he was positive.
Her own camouflage this evening was entirely satisfactory, as far as he was concerned. She wore an emerald green number with short, fluttery sleeves. The dress was demure in front, cut low in back, and clung to her feline curves. The silky fabric flowed over her hips and stopped just short of her very nice ankles and green evening sandals.
Her hair was parted in the center and clipped back behind her ears with a couple of combs. It fell in soft waves to her shoulders. Her jewelry was limited to a pair of simple gold earrings and a tiny evening bag studded with gold sequins. Classy. He would have been content to stand in the alcove with her all evening, sipping champagne and studying the crowd.
Studying the crowd.
That was it—the second reason why he liked being here with Maggie. She was an outsider—an observer—like him. He wasn’t sure how he knew that, but he trusted his intuition. Maybe, deep down, they actually had a few things in common. But probably not.
“Guilfoyle may be a fake psychic selling dreams, but judging by the size of this crowd, it’s obvious he’s got a real talent for promotion,” he said.
Maggie sipped a little champagne but she did not take her attention off the people milling around the grand room. He knew she was searching the faces of those around them, trying to spot the woman who was posing as her employer.
“I told you, Guilfoyle has some interesting theories and techniques,” she said. “That’s why I originally planned to attend this conference.”
Sam watched Arthur and Dolores Guilfoyle play the role of gracious hosts at the entrance of the lobby. They made a handsome, glamorous couple. Dolores was a striking, sophisticated blonde. She wore a pale pink gown that glittered with what must have been a million pale pink sequins. Long pink gloves, a dainty pink bag, and a lot of jewelry completed the outfit.
Arthur had the dark eyes and the chiseled profile of a leading man. He deployed a polished charm that seemed to work as well on men as it did on women. His tailored black-and-white evening clothes fit his tall, lean frame with the perfection that could only be achieved with hand-tailoring. His dark, collar-length hair was brushed back from a dramatic widow’s peak and gleamed with just the right amount of oil.
In addition to the Guilfoyles, four attractive young people—two male and two female—circulated around the room offering champagne and a warm welcome. They wore name tags identifying them as dream guides. They all looked as if they had been borrowed from a movie studio for the evening.
“Do you think there’s something wrong with Guilfoyle’s eyes?” Sam asked in low tones.
“His eyes?” Maggie was obviously surprised by the question. “No, what makes you ask that?”
“I noticed a weird look in them when he kissed your hand.”
“Oh, right.” Maggie smiled. “Mr. Guilfoyle possesses what is called a smoldering gaze.”
“I thought maybe he had a vision problem. Does the smoldering thing work on you?”
“Under other circumstances, I might find it entertaining, but I have other interests at the moment.”

Excerpted from When She Dreams by Amanda Quick Copyright © 2022 by Amanda Quick. Excerpted by permission of Berkley. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.

 


 

 

Author photo by Marc von Borstel
The author of a string of New York Times bestsellers, Jayne Ann Krentz uses three different pen names for each of her three “worlds.” As Jayne Ann Krentz (her married name) she writes contemporary romantic-suspense. She uses Amanda Quick for her novels of historical romantic-suspense. Jayne Castle (her birth name) is reserved these days for her stories of futuristic/paranormal romantic-suspense.

“I am often asked why I use a variety of pen names,” she says. “The answer is that this way readers always know which of my three worlds they will be entering when they pick up one of my books.”

In addition to her fiction writing, she is the editor of, and a contributor to, a non-fiction essay collection, Dangerous Men and Adventurous Women: Romance Writers on the Appeal of the Romance, published by the University of Pennsylvania Press. Her commitment to her chosen genre has been strong from the very beginning of her career.

“The romance genre is the only genre where readers are guaranteed novels that place the heroine at the heart of the story,” Jayne says. “These are books that celebrate women’s heroic virtues and values: courage, honor, determination and a belief in the healing power of love.”

She earned a B.A. in History from the University of California at Santa Cruz and went on to obtain a Masters degree in Library Science from San Jose State University in California. Before she began writing full time she worked as a librarian in both academic and corporate libraries.

She is married and lives with her husband, Frank, in Seattle, Washington.

https://jayneannkrentz.com/

 

 

Share

Highland Justice by Heather McCollum – a Review

Posted on by
11

Highland Justice by Heather McCollum – a Review

 

Amazon / B&N / Kobo / Google Play / Apple / BAM / Book Depository

 

Description:
As the new chief of Clan Mackay, Gideon Sinclair knows the importance of maintaining order at any cost. To keep the conquered clan in line, Gideon must mete out ruthless justice or risk losing their precious new peace. But from the moment he meets Cait Mackay—aye, from the moment the sweetness of her lips captures his—all of Gideon’s careful objectivity is well and thoroughly compromised.

Cait knows that kissing the brawny Highlander is a dangerous game. It was bad enough she picked his pocket to feed the children in her care, but sometimes a desperate woman must disguise her crimes any way she can. Only her act of deception has made things worse… Because one kiss with the Highland’s most brutal chief leaves her breathless and out of her depth.

Now Gideon must choose between his duty and his heart when his lovely thief is accused of treason against the king himself. 

Each book in the Sons of Sinclair series is STANDALONE:
* Highland Conquest 
* Highland Warrior 
* Highland Justice

 

 

Review: 

Highland Justice by Heather McCollum is the third book in her Sons of Sinclair series, but easily enough read without reading the previous books. 

Gideon is the third Sinclair brother. Known as Justice (his father named them the horsemen for fear/respect purposes) so Gideon has been trained to judge and dispense justice. And it’s been that way for as long as Gideon can remember, to him there is either wrong or right, nothing in between. That is until he has to judge the one person he kissed!!! The thief has to be judged and the sentence carried out….. What’s the new Chief to do, if he hesitates then his clan won’t respect him! 

Cait is sick and tired of the rich feeding off of the poor. So she might take a few things now and again. (But only to help her cause). A strong and independent person, Cait will give Gideon a run for his money. Surviving a previous marriage has made Cait wary of becoming involved with another man, so her time and effort is put to good use looking after children who have no one. 

And as they become closer, Gideon will have to make the hardest decision he’s ever had to make! Cait is accused of stealing from the king! Did she? Or is it someone out to discredit her? 

Romance with mystery thrown in is fast becoming a favourite of mine. 

I love this series, and the ones before them too ? the descriptions will have you wishing to visit Scotland as soon as possible. The emotions this author writes about will have you cheering and crying along with the characters. I can’t usually put this authors work down, it’s a long night reading ? 

A few steamy scenes, a few scenes where secondary characters steal the limelight. And a love story that will change the lives of not only Gideon and Cait, but the whole village too. 

If historical romances are your thing (and they are mine) don’t delay, grab your copy. A recommended read ? 

Reviewed by Julie

Copy provided by Publisher

Share

FALL OF THE STARS (In Love and War 2) by Monica James-Review Tour

Posted on by
11

FALL OF THE STARS (In Love and War 2) by Monica James-REVIEW TOUR

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca /Amazon.uk / B&N / KOBO /Apple/

Goodreads: https://tinyurl.com/4k52f25v

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date April 11, 2022

England is bleeding.

And there isn’t a thing I can do about it.

I am once again a prisoner to Wessex, captured by King Egbert because holding me hostage will bring them to him—my two Vikings who will risk heaven and earth to save me.

But I don’t need saving.

I am Princess Emeline, and I was taught by the best, and his name…Skarth the Godless.

The man whom I love more than anything in this world.

But things begin to blur when Ulf the Bloody reminds me of the promise I made, and that promise is that I belong to him.

We must work together to overthrow King Egbert, but the war I fight within my heart is far more dangerous than anything I will ever face on the battlefield.

The choice is not simple because we all must make sacrifices. But I soon realize that all is not fair in love and war.

Lives will be lost.

Hearts will be broken.

And come dawn, life as we know it will be changed forevermore.

••••••

REVIEW:  FALL OF THE STARS is the second instalment in Monica James’ adult, IN LOVE AND WAR dark, historical, Viking romance series. This is the continuing story of Northman Skarth the Godless, and Princess Emeline. FALL OF THE STARS should not be read as a stand alone as it picks up immediately after the events of book one NORTH OF THE STARS.

WARNING: Due to the nature of the story line premise there WILL be triggers for more sensitive readers.

Told from dual first person perspectives (Skarth and Emeline) FALL OF THE STARS picks up immediately after events and cliff hanger of book one NORTH OF THE STARS in which Princess Emeline, once again, finds herself the prisoner of another man, a king who sees the benefit of aligning his land with those of our story line heroine but secrets are revealed, alliances and allegiances are made, betrayal is but a daily occurrence and Emeline is caught between mother and son, brother and sister, son and father, a man and his past. As Emeline struggles to barter for her freedom she is yet another pawn, a bargaining chip between kings, to be used and abused by at every turn and rescue. Once again, God and Christianity are a force between the Vikings and other men, a force used to separate Emeline from the man that she loves.

FALL OF THE STARS is another viscerally dark, gritty, raw, tragic, twisted and often difficult read. Monica James pulls the reader into an intense, impassioned, and dramatic tale of power and control, betrayal and vengeance, torture and abuse, acceptance and love. Like book one, there are no lighthearted moments, and the happily ever after, for now is questionable. Heed my warning, there will be triggers,

Click HERE for Sandy’s review of book one NORTH OF THE STARS

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Sandy

Monica James spent her youth devouring the works of Anne Rice, William Shakespeare, and Emily Dickinson.

When she is not writing, Monica is busy running her own business, but she always finds a balance between the two. She enjoys writing honest, heartfelt, and turbulent stories, hoping to leave an imprint on her readers. She draws her inspiration from life.

She is a bestselling author in the U.S., Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Israel, and the U.K.

Monica James resides in Melbourne, Australia, with her wonderful family, and menagerie of animals. She is slightly obsessed with cats, chucks, and lip gloss, and secretly wishes she was a ninja on the weekends.

TWITTER /  FACEBOOK /  PINTEREST / AUTHORGRAPH /  WEBSITE

Share

A Man of Legend by Linda Broday – a Review

Posted on by
20

A Man of Legend by Linda Broday – a Review

 

Amazon / B&N / Kobo / Google Play / Apple / BAM / Book Depository

 

Description:
Famous across Texas, the Legends stand ready to take on any challenge that comes their way…

Crockett Legend has always loved Paisley Mahone, but a family feud sure can ruin a romance. When her father waged a war against the Legends, Paisley took her father’s side. They’ve never seen eye to eye, and the rift widened when Paisley’s brother was killed in prison–after being sentenced by none other than Crockett.

Now Paisley’s father is dead too, and she’s headed home to mourn with the rest of her family when she runs into Crockett on the train. But when the train is held up by outlaws, it comes to Crockett and Paisley to save a young shooting victim. She never thought being close to Crockett could make her feel anything but revulsion ever again, but some second changes are worth the risk…

 

 

Review:

A Man of Legend by Linda Broday is the 3rd and final book in her wonderful Lone Star Legends series. I have become a big fan of Linda Broday, as her historical western series are fantastic. Even if I do not read a lot of historical romances, I will read anything by Broday.

Crockett Legend is a judge and family member of the famous Legends. Years ago, Crockett’s father, Stoker, won a bet with the Mahone patriarch, giving him ownership of part of their land, and from that day on a war began that still festered to this day.  Crockett always loved Paisley Mahone, but because of this feud, their relationship fell apart, with Paisley taking her father’s side.  It’s years since Paisley returned (she became a nurse), and now with her father’s death, she is on a train home, only to held up by outlaws. Lucky for Paisley, Crockett is on the same train, and manages to save her, as well as others on the train.

Paisley is the heroine in this story, and she was great. After the funeral, her brother Farrel was threatening the Legends, not to mention abusing his wife, Hilda and young son Tye.  In a short time, Paisley begins to see that her father and brother were evil, and lied about the things the Legends supposedly did. One night, Farrel threatens Hilda, Tye and Paisley and they run for their lives, to end up on Legend land for help.  The Legend family are awesome wonderful people, and they make room for Paisley, Hilda and Tye on the Lone Star ranch.  At the same time, Paisley, who is also a nurse, gets a job to help the doctor who broke his leg, and she takes on his cases to help the local people on the Legend land. I loved how Paisley visited each of the injured people, as well as two pregnant women.. It was fun and enjoyable to watch her take control.

In a short time, the relationship between Crockett and Paisley escalates, as they realize that they both still have feelings for each other.  They made such a great couple, that we rooted hard for.

What follows is an exciting story with nonstop action, heart stopping dangerous situations and a sweet romance between two people that we could not help falling in love with. Farrel was an immediate danger to both Paisley, Hilda, Tye, also to the Legends and their ranch.  They manage to find clues of Farrel’s deceit, but he managed to be one step ahead, and despite Crockett and family putting guards to protect them, the threats were still dangerous.  In between the humorous fun at times, (Casonova the parrot was a riot), and Broday once again gives us great secondary characters, such as Dallum, Hilda, Tye, the pregnant ladies, etc.

Linda Broday once again gives us another wonderful finale to this fantastic western historical series.   A Man of Legend was an emotional & heartwarming story, with a fabulous couple, great characters as well as exciting and suspenseful. If you enjoy historical westerns, you should be reading Linda Broday.

Reviewed by Barb

Copy provided by Publisher

 

 

Share

My Lord, My Rogue by Anna St. Claire-Review, Interview & Giveaway

Posted on by
20

My Lord, My Rogue by Anna St. Claire-Review, Interview & Giveaway

 

 

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / B&N / KOBO / Chapters Indigo /

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date

Lady Honora Radcliff was betrothed to the most sought-after man of the Season— just not the man she loved. Too much champagne and too many dances with a handsome stranger leaves her life in tatters and she finds herself married to an abusive man whose only interest is the dowry her father refuses to release. Desperate to save her life and that of her unborn child, she fakes her death and disappears.

Lord Benjamin Crewe, the Marquess of Willington, planned to enjoy the Christmastide season relaxing. Instead, he accepts a dangerous assignment from the Crown and while working it, comes face to face with the woman he always wished he had married. Only she has been thought dead for three years.

Needing answers, he pursues her at the same time a treacherous enemy of England surfaces, and the two of them become tangled in a web of danger, espionage, and deception.

Can Honora and Benjamin survive the danger in which they find themselves and gain a chance for love and happiness?

•••••••

REVIEW:Book four in the Noble Hearts Series, I get the impression you don’t need to read the previous books in this series (I haven’t).It’s a tale of mystery and intrigue and a little romance, of lost loves and maybe a second chance at happiness.

Honora made a mistake years ago, and she paid for it…

When I first read about our FMC (Female Main Character) I thought her immature, selfish and shallow! But following her through her story, you get to know her better, and had to admire her in the end.

Benjamin doing his duty to king and country comes home to find his betrothed had not only jilted him, then taken her own life! Continuing his duty to the Royal family has Benjamin enjoying the intrigue, his mother wants him to settle down, but losing one lady love has him not wanting to experience the pain again!

We jump three years and Honora has a quiet life, bringing up her son. No one knows her, and so she moves back home to be with her family, but in doing so, brings her face to face with the one man she couldn’t forget! Benjamin is shocked to see what looks like his dead betrothed riding one day, hunting down the ghost of his past, he’s shocked to find out the ghost is real!

How can you forgive someone who not only disgraced themselves, but you as well? In this period of time ladies of society weren’t given the same rights as we have today. Dignity and propriety were everything, so being jilted was a big thing.
He can’t understand why she didn’t just tell him!

It’s a shortish read (13 chapters just over 200 pages) and apparently it’s an extended version from an anthology. Maybe that’s why it feels a little rushed in parts! And that’s why I couldn’t really connect with the characters.

It is a little rushed in places, it also feels like a few things needed exposing more (a little more detail about a certain few things that happened in the book)But I still enjoyed the intrigue, I liked how Benjamin wanted to do his duty to his country, but also to Honora.

So can this pair find a second chance at happiness? Can Benjamin find and apprehend the person wanting to steal from the royal family?
And will Honora be able to finally be free of her past?

? Reviewed by Julie

Copy supplied for review

TRC:  Hi Anna and welcome to The Reading Café. Congratulations on the release of My Lord, My Rogue.

FOLLOW Anna: Goodreads/ Website/ Facebook/ Twitter/ Bookbub/ Amazon Author Page

TRC:  We would like to start with some background information. Would you please tell us something about yourself?

Anna: I grew up in a single parent household in the South during a time when our society was challenged by constant change and opportunity. Luckily, we had family in the area, because childcare as we know it today, was rare. It was a boon to me my grandmother (who died shortly after I turned six), began teaching me to read before I started kindergarten. Reading and writing quickly became two of my favorite past times. I particularly enjoyed books with happily-ever-after and mysteries, two things you will often find in my stories.

I was fortunate to have an exciting Human Resources career and while I still do consulting, and related things, I have more time to write and be there for my two young granddaughters, my husband, and my pets. In fact, I have two rather spoiled dogs, a Parson’s Russell Terrier, and a Cockapoo. Both have found their way into my stories, which I love.

My writing career started a few years ago, but while it’s the hardest thing I’ve ever tackled, it’s the most fun career I’ve ever had!

TRC:  Who or what influenced your career in writing?

Anna:My maternal grandmother (whom I’ve already mentioned) and my mother, who would read with me when she got home from her second-shift job. She went to school full time to get her teaching degree and worked fulltime afterwards and was a tremendous influence in my life. She also influenced my style of writing, because she would sit with me when I had massive writing homework and give me pointers on how to write.

TRC:  What challenges or difficulties did you encounter writing and publishing this story?

Anna:This was one of those stories that had to be written. I cannot say there was much difficulty. The story practically wrote itself every time I sat behind my desk, and it quickly became one of my favorites.

TRC:  Would you please tell us something about the premise of My Lord, My Rogue?

Anna:A saying my husband is fond of saying gave me inspiration for the book. It goes: You can never know what is going on in someone else’s life unless you are standing in their shoes. This story follows (book 3) The Duke’s Golden Rings, and without giving away the plotlines for each, I will say the heroine in My Lord, My Rogue was the foundation for The Duke’s Golden Rings. Additionally, the heroine’s character in this fourth book of the series gets a chance at redemption. These two books are the two most closely tied stories in the series, although each one of them can be read as a stand-alone.

TRC:  What kind of research/plotting did you do, and how long did you spend researching /plotting before beginning My Lord, My Rogue?

Anna:I would describe myself as a pantser. I have never enjoyed plotting things to the “nth degree,” and don’t even try anymore. Once I establish the main theme of the story, I do try to come up with a secondary plot—which is usually some sort of mystery or intrigue. I research the main historic points and then, LOTS throughout the story writing. If I speak about flowers, I have researched the genre of including the events that I include in the story, Once I have the hero and the heroine well-defined in my mind and a skeleton of the story in my head, I begin to write, and the story materializes.

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

Anna:At this time, I think there will be two more stories in the Noble Hearts series. There are some characters that are begging for their own stories.

TRC:  Is any of the story line premise based in fact?

Anna:Parts of these stories are based on historical fact. For example, in My Lord, My Rogue, Queen Catherine visited Bath, and I used that visit for part of the storyline.

TRC:  Do you have any interest in writing, or have you ever written for another genre? Contemporary romance?

Anna:I have not considered Contemporary romance, although I have considered Edwardian and Victorian. I already write Civil War era, so it will not be a very large leap.

TRC:  Believability is an important factor in writing story lines especially stories with a historical feature. How do you keep the story line believable? Where do you think some author’s fail?

Anna:I focus on keeping things consistent with the way of life during the period I write, and my manuscripts are edited for consistency, including expressions and other things that can take the readers out of the story. I read a lot of books and find that some authors do not edit closely enough for these things. These types of problems could throw a reader out of the story.

TRC:  Do you believe the cover image plays a deciding factor for many readers in the process of selecting a book or new series to read?

Anna:Definitely! I think the cover and the blurb play important parts in selecting the story. I use a wonderful cover editor.

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

Anna:A little of both! I’ll have an idea of where we are going and as I start writing, the characters will take me in a different direction. This happens so often! I think it’s very common, especially with pantsers.

TRC:  The mark of a good writer is to pull the reader into the storyline so that they experience the emotions along with the characters. What do you believe a writer must do to make this happen? Where do you believe writer’s fail in this endeavor?

Anna:I try to bring the reader in within the first few pages with a lot of colorful description, emotion that a reader can readily identify with or be interested in, and an entertaining storyline.

TRC:  Do you listen to music while writing? If so, does the style of music influence the storyline direction? Characters?

Anna:I love having music in the background; however, it’s usually some mix of songs that I enjoy for the motivation and the uplift of the beat of the music. If there is any influence, it is motivation that keeps me writing. There is nothing really associated with the story being written.

What do you believe is the biggest misconception people have about authors?

Anna:I’m not sure it’s the biggest misconception, but one fallacy is that writing is their only career, when many have had other careers before turning to writing—or work another job in order to write. I had a robust career in human resources before ever starting to write.

TRC:  What is something that few, if anyone, know about you?

Anna:This is a tough question. I’m very much a ‘what you see is what you get’ kind of person. As a child, I was an early entrepreneur and used to do things to make money, during a time when things were tight in my home. I created a bike repair shop in my garage and taught myself to fix tires, gears, broken chains, and things like that. I would put handmade flyers in mailboxes to drum up business. I even built a bike out of pieces of old bike pieces and painted it for my mother, hoping she would conquer her fear and learn to ride. Mom loved that I built the bike for her but could never bring herself to learn to ride it. True story.

TRC:  On what are you currently working?

Anna:I’m writing my second book in the Lyon’s Den Connected World Series, a series by Dragonblade Publishing. Lyon’s Prey was the first book I wrote in the series.

LIGHTNING ROUND

Favorite Food: spaghetti

Favorite Dessert: popcorn

Favorite TV Show: Masterpiece – almost anything they show!

Last Movie You Saw: It’s been such a long time, I cannot recall, unless you can count the pile of Christmas movies (I love Miracle on 34th Street and A Christmas Story) that I watch every year.

Dark or Milk Chocolate : DARK…but I love all chocolate.

Secret Celebrity Crush: PIERCE BROSNAN

Last Vacation Destination: DISNEYLAND

Do you have any pets? :YES! Two dogs that I adore. And I sometimes write them in my stories.

Last book you read:  I’m almost finished with Eloisa James’ My American Duchess.

TRC:  Thank you Anna for taking the time to answer our questions. Congratulations on the new release. We wish you all the best.

Anna St. Claire is graciously offering an ecopy of  MY LORD, MY ROGUE to ONE lucky commenter at The Reading Cafe.

1. If you have not previously registered at The Reading Cafe, please register by using the log-in at the top of the page (side bar) or by using one of the social log-ins.

NOTE: If you are having difficulty commenting after logging onto the site, please refresh the page (at the top of your computer).

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

3. Please FOLLOW Anna St. Claire on Facebook

4. Please FOLLOW The Reading Cafe on FACEBOOK .

5. FOLLOW The Reading Cafe on Twitter for an additional entry.

6. Please FOLLOW The Reading Cafe on GOODREADS for an additional entry.

7. Please follow The Reading Cafe on Tumblr

8. Giveaway open internationally

10. Giveaway runs from March 19-23, 2022

Share

Ten Rules for Marrying a Duke by Michelle McLean – a Review

Posted on by
11

Ten Rules for Marrying a Duke by Michelle McLean – a Review

 

Amazon / B&N / Kobo / Google Play / Apple

 

Description:
Bookish Arabella Bromley never gave a fig for society’s rules—until her sister ran off with a man below her station. Now Arabella is desperate to restore her family’s ruined reputation to favor amongst the ton. She’ll have to marry quickly and well. But in order to carry off her plan, Arabella needs a duke… and she has just the rakish fellow in mind.

The Duke of Whittsley has an ungentlemanly tendency to disregard the rules. Unfortunately, a sense of mischief doesn’t excuse a high-ranking noble from family duty—especially where it concerns producing a son. And that’s where he can’t quite resist Arabella’s distinctly outrageous plan: if he saves her family, she’ll give him an heir.

Now the deal’s been struck. They have one year to achieve their goals and ten iron-clad rules to keep them on track. Like long, scorching kisses and ensuring they’re both exquisitely satisfied. And the only thing that could ruin their plan is the one thing they never planned on: love.

 

 

Review :

Ten Rules for Marrying a Duke by Michelle McLean is a historical romantic novel. Arabella’s family is a bit of a quandary! The family name and reputation are in ruins! The shame that has been bestowed upon the family!! 

The older daughter has run off to be the man she loves, but that’s not the issue, the issue is the gentleman is below her station in life, basically a commoner and a lady shouldn’t be seen together let alone run off with him! And she wants her younger sister to have the excitement of balls and being called on, that won’t happen if society shuns her! So marrying someone of good standing seems like the only solution open to Arabella, and Silas Spencer is just the Duke she’s looking for…..

Arabella is such a character, being the middle child her life should have been simple! But that’s not the case. She has a wicked sense of humor and a very strong sense of right and wrong. Convincing the Duke to see her way of thinking did have me chuckling. 

The Duke of Whittsley Silas Spencer really doesn’t like the pomp and ceremony that society brings with it. He just wants to have fun, but being the last Duke in his line now brings a whole lot of responsibility, he needs an heir, but not necessarily a wife (and the heir really should be in wedlock!) so when Arabella approaches him with a preposterous and outlandish proposal the Duke isn’t sure what to think. I have to admit, I wasn’t a big fan of Silas at first, his attitude and manner was just a little off putting, but with time I grew to like the character. 

Setting rules in a relationship can only spell disaster, pretending that it’s only for connivence is only going to make for heartache. And both these characters are playing a dangerous game. There is a secret that Silas needs to keep undetected, there is also the fact that the more time they spend together the harder it is to follow those rules. 

Michelle McLean Is one of my favorite historical romance authors, her mixture of drama and humor has me one clicking her work. She writes about strong Independent women who know what to do in a crisis. Always well thought out and executed really well. Love the descriptions of the balls/gala that are planned. 

I loved the ending, it just worked. To see what I mean your going to have to read the book ?

Reviewed by Julie

Copy provided by Publisher

 

Share

Last Duke Standing by Julia London – Review, Q&A & Excerpt

Posted on by
9

Last Duke Standing by Julia London – Review, Q&A & Excerpt

 

Amazon / B&N / Kobo / Google Play / Apple / BAM / Book Depository

 

Description:
When Crown Princess Justine of Wesloria is sent to England to learn the ropes of royalty, she falls under the tutelage of none other than Queen Victoria herself. Justine’s also in the market for a proper husband—one fit to marry the future queen of Wesloria.

Because he knows simply everyone, William, Lord Douglas (the notoriously rakish heir to the Duke of Hamilton seat in Scotland, and decidedly not husband material), is on hand as an escort of sorts. William has been recruited to keep an eye on the royal matchmaker for the Weslorian prime minister, tasked to ensure the princess is matched with a man of quality…and one who will be sympathetic to the prime minister’s views. As William and Justine are forced to scrutinize an endless parade of England’s best bachelors, they become friends. But when the crowd of potential grooms is steadily culled, what if William is the last bachelor standing?

 

Review:

Last Duke Standing by Julia London is the 1st book in her new A Royal Match series.  We meet Crown Princess Justine of Wesloria at the start, as she is the heir to the throne. Justine’s father is the King, and his health has been failing; he wants her to find herself a husband suitable for her becoming the Queen.  He sends her to England, with her sister, Amelia to learn the ropes of royalty from Queen Victoria, as well have a matchmaker introduce Justine to men that are wealthy and suitable to be her Prince Consort.

Lord William Douglas, the future Duke of Hamilton in Scotland, is well known, and considered a rake; not considered as husband material, but he is approached by Justine’s advisors (prime minister) to be a friendly escort to help her meet the man suitable for her to marry.  William is surprised at the request, especially since Justine hates him and they have not seen each other in many years. 

When Justine sees William, she immediately coldly ignores him, but they both need to put the past slights behind them and work together.  The banter between them was fun, and in a short time they did become friends, with William using his knowledge of the well-known wealthy bachelors that the matchmaker brings forth to meet Justine, and just about everyone were not suitable or too stupid for her.  I did get a kick out of William constantly bringing them down, with a little bit of jealousy. 

William finds himself falling hard for Justine, though he knew his reputation stopped him from being even considered.  It did take a while, but slowly Justine realized she was falling in love with William.  I loved how William was always there for Justine, weather she had anxiety in front of crowds, or if one of the suitors leaned toward Amelia, as he stepped up to help her deal with each situation.  The flirty banter between them was awesome.

Last Duke Standing was a fun, flirty, charming romantic historical story, with a couple that was sensual and had us rooting for.  Was the man Justine found herself falling for suitable to be the perfect husband? You need to read this book to find out.  Last Duke Standing was so very well written by Julia London. 

Reviewed by Barb

Copy provided by Publisher

 

 

                                           PROLOGUE

1844

When Justine was fourteen, her father took her to the mountainous north country of Wesloria. He said he was to meet with coal barons because they were restless and in need of appeasing. Why? Justine had wondered.
“Because coal barons are always restless and in need of appeasing, darling,” he’d said, as if everyone knew that.
She’d imagined large, heavily cloaked men, faces covered in soot, pacing their hearths and muttering their grievances. But the coal barons were, in fact, like all well-dressed Weslorian gentlemen with clean faces.
They peered at her with expressions that ranged from disgust to indifference to curiosity.
“Don’t mind them,” her father had said. “They are not modern men.”
Justine and her father were housed at Astasia Castle. It was a fortress that jutted out forebodingly from a rocky outcropping so high on the mountain that the horses labored to pull the royal coach up the steep drive. It was purported to be the best of all the accommodations in the area, afforded to Justine and her father by virtue of the fact Justine’s father was the king of Wesloria, and she was the crown princess, the invested heir to the throne.
Justine said the castle looked scary. Her father explained that castles were built in this manner so that armies and marauders could be seen advancing from miles away, and runaway brides could be seen fleeing for miles.
“Runaway brides?” Justine had been enthralled by the idea of something so romantic gone so horribly awry.
“Petr the Mad watched his bride run away with his best knight, and then watched his men chase them for miles before they got away. He was so angry he burned down half the village.” Her father did not elaborate further, as the gates had opened, and the castellan had come rushing forward, eager to show the king and his heir the old royal castle he proudly kept.
Sir Corin wore a dusty blue waistcoat that hung to his thighs, the last four buttons undone to allow for his paunch. His hair, scraggly and gray, had been pulled into an old-fashioned queue at his nape. He kept a ring of keys attached to his waist that clanked with each step he took.
He was a student of history, he’d said, and could answer any question they might have about Astasia Castle, and proceeded to exhibit his detailed knowledge of the dank, drafty place with narrow halls and low ceilings. A young Russian prince had died in this room. An ancient queen had lost her life giving birth to her tenth child in that room.
Sir Corin showed them to the throne room. “More than one monarch’s held court here.”
Justine was accustomed to the opulence of the palace in Wesloria’s capital of St. Edys. This looked more like a common room of a public house—it was small and dark, the king and queen’s thrones wooden, and the tapestries faded by time and smoke.
Another room, Sir Corin pointed out, was where King Maksim had accepted the surrender of the feudal King Igor, thereby uniting all Weslorians under one rule after generations of strife.
“My namesake,” her father said proudly, forgetting, perhaps, that King Maksim had slaughtered King Igor’s forces to unite them all.
They came upon a small inner courtyard. Stone walls rose up on three sides of it, but the outer wall was a battlement. Sir Corin pointed to a door at one end of the battlement that led into a keep with narrow windows. “We use it for storage now, but they kept the prisoners there in the old days. Worse than any dungeon your young eyes have ever seen, Your Royal Highness.”
Justine had never seen a dungeon.
“Is this not where Lord Rabat was beheaded?” her father asked casually. To Justine, he said, “That would have been your great-great-uncle Rabat.”
“Je, Your Majesty, the block is still here.” Sir Corin pointed to a large wooden block that stood alone, about two feet high and two feet wide. It looked to have been weathered by years of sitting in hard sun and wretched winters.
“Oh, how terrible,” Justine said, crinkling her nose.
“Quite,” her father agreed, and explained, with far too much enthusiasm, how a person was made to kneel before the block and lay their neck upon it. “A good executioner could make clean work of it with a single stroke. Whap, and the head would tumble into a basket.”
“If I may, Your Majesty, a good executioner was hard to come by. More miners in these parts than men good with broadswords. Fact is, it took three strikes of the sword to sever Rabat’s head completely.” Sir Corin felt it necessary to demonstrate the three strikes with his arm.
“Ah…” Justine swallowed down a swell of nausea.
“Three whacks?” her father repeated, rapt. “Couldn’t get it done in one?”
Sir Corin shook his head. “Just goes to prove how important it is to keep the broadsword sharp.”
“And to keep someone close who knows how to wield it,” her father added. The two men laughed roundly.
Justine looked around for someplace to sit so that she could put her head between her legs and gulp some air. Alas, the only place to sit was the block.
“Steady there, my girl. I’ve not told you who ordered the beheading,” her father said.
Sir Corin clasped his hands together in anticipation, clearly trying to contain his glee.
“Your great-great-aunt Queen Elena!”
Queen Elena had beheaded Lord Rabat? “Her husband?”
“Worse. Her brother.”
Justine gasped. “But why?”
“Because Rabat meant to behead her first. Whoever survived the battle here would be crowned the sovereign.”
“Ooh, a bloody battle it was, too,” Sir Corin said eagerly. “Four thousand souls lost, many of them falling right off the battlement.”
Justine backed up a step. A quake was beginning somewhere deep inside her, making her a little short of breath. Her knees felt as if they might buckle, and her skin crawled with anxiety, imagining the loss of so many. “Could she not have banished him?”
“And have him slither back like a snake?” Her father draped his arm around her shoulders before she could back up all the way to St. Edys. “She did the right thing. Why, minutes before, she was on the block herself.”
“Dear God,” Justine whispered.
“But at the last minute the people here saved her,” her father said. “She sentenced her brother to die immediately for his insurrection and stood right where we are now to watch his traitorous head roll.”
“Well,” Sir Corin said. “I wouldn’t say it rolled, precisely.”
The two men laughed again.
“Don’t close your eyes, darling,” her father said, squeezing her into his side. “Look at that block. Elena was only seventeen years old, but she was very clever. She knew what she had to do to hold power and rule the kingdom. And she ruled a very long time.”
“Forty-three years, all told,” Sir Corin said proudly.
“Queen Elena learned what every sovereign must—be decisive and act quickly. Do you understand?”
“I don’t…think so?” Justine was starting to feel a bit like she was spinning.
“You will.” Her father dropped his arm. He wandered over to the block to inspect it. “We almost named you Elena after her. But they called her Elena the Bi—Witch,” he said. “And your mother feared they might call you the same.”
“You said she was a good queen.”
“She was an excellent queen. But sometimes it is difficult to do the things that must be done and keep the admiration of your people at the same time.”
The spinning was getting worse. She gripped her father’s arm. “Why?”
“Because people expect a woman to behave like a woman. But a good queen must sometimes behave more like a king for the good of the kingdom. People don’t care for it.” He shrugged. “No king or queen can make all their subjects happy all the time.” He suddenly smiled. “You look a bit like Queen Elena.”
“The very image,” Sir Corin piped up.
Later that day Justine saw a portrait of Queen Elena. She wasn’t smiling, but she didn’t appear completely unpleasant. She simply looked…determined. And her dress was elegantly pretty, with lots of pearls sewn into it.
Later still, when her father and his men had retired to smoke cigars and talk about coal or some such, Justine returned to the courtyard alone. No one was there, no sentry looking out for marauders or runaway brides. She looked up at the tops of pines bending in a relentless wind, appearing to scrape a dull gray sky. She walked up the steps to the battlement and gazed out over the mountain valley below the castle. She spread her arms wide, closed her eyes and turned her face to the heavens.
That was the first time she truly felt it—the pull from somewhere deep, the energy of all the kings and queens who had come before her, rising up to the crown of her head, anchoring her to this earth. She felt the centuries of warfare and struggle, of the people her family had ruled. She felt the enormous responsibilities they’d all carried, the work they’d done to carve a road to the future.
Her father had often said that he could feel the weight of his crown on his shoulders. But Justine felt something entirely different. She didn’t feel as if it was weighing her down, but more like it was lifting her off her feet and holding her here. She didn’t believe this was a conceit on her part, but a tether to her past. She would be a queen. She knew that she would, and standing there, she felt like she should be. She felt born to it.
A gust of wind very nearly sent her flying, so she came down from the battlement. She paused just before the block and tried to imagine herself on her knees, knowing her death was imminent. She imagined how she would look.
She hoped she would appear strong and noble with no hint of her fear of the pain or the unknown.
Being queen was her destiny. She knew it would come.
But she hadn’t known then it would come so soon.

Excerpted from The Last Duke Standing by Julia London. Copyright © 2022 by Dinah Dinwiddie. Published by arrangement with Harlequin Books S.A.

 

 

  1. Tell us about your latest book. Who are the main character(s) and what can readers expect when they pick up Last Duke Standing?

Princess Justine Ivanosen is going to be queen of Wesloria sooner than she hoped—her father, the king, is dying from tuberculosis. Because he is declining, a marriage becomes very important. The Prime Minister is dead set against having a young woman ascend the throne without a man to guide her, and her mother is still smarting over Justine’s disastrous affair with a charlatan, the reveal of which has left her without great prospects at home. The Prime Minister convinces the queen that they ought to employ a matchmaker to make quick work of it. They can ship her off to England to apprentice with Queen Victoria, bring some suitors around to court her there instead of here, where all of Wesloria will be watching, and give strict instructions that she is to return with a fiance. The prime minister won’t leave the selection of the lucky fellow to chance, and persuades one of his old cronies to send his handsome son to London to keep an eye on the selection process.

William Douglas, the future Duke of Hamilton, has been flitting around Europe for ages. He’s met the princess before, but she was hardly more than a snippy girl who didn’t like losing parlor games. The last thing he wants to do is babysit that child. But he discovers the girl in his memory is now a very attractive grown woman. She’s still a challenge, however—she likes to be called Your Royal Highness a lot more than he likes saying it, and expressly forbids him from offering his advice. He’s one of those people—if someone says don’t do it, he’s going to do it. And he has some advice about every man that comes to meet her.

Lady Aleksander, the matchmaker, sees that these two might be perfect for each other. The only way to find out is to bring some gentlemen around that she knows will unite Justine and William. But they are too busy pretending they aren’t falling in love to even notice.  

  1. Who was your favorite character to write in THE LAST DUKE STANDING and why?

I like all the main characters. Justine and William were so meant for each other. Little sister Amelia has some growing up to do. Beckett Hawke and Donovan are back from A Royal Wedding series. But I really enjoyed creating Lady Aleksander, the matchmaker. She is the third point of view in this book, and her observations of what is happening is like the Greek chorus—she can see clearly what the leads can’t see. It liked that she’s in her forties, very much in love with her husband, and she just wants everyone to have what she has. She makes no apologies for who she is or what she does and she has the patience of Job. She also likes to eat. We have that in common.

  1. What do you like about writing in the historical subgenre? What are the challenges?

I fell in love with historical fiction when I was a girl. Castles and princesses were a long way from a ranch in West Texas, but I loved the stories of balls and gowns and the idea of a rich gentleman. I was surrounded by farmers and ranch hands, so the idea of a pretty dress and fancy dinner had a fairy-tale appeal. I loved history in school, and I minored in British history. The fairy-tale appeal still persists—through the last election and the pandemic, it was a great relief for me to slip off to another world where people were genteel and the biggest problem they had was the strict rules of etiquette putting a damper on their moves. The challenge of writing historical romance today is to make it interesting for the new generation of readers. There is a lot more competing for their attention than there was for mine at a similar age. But a good love story is a good story, no matter the era.

  1. Who are some authors you look to for inspiration?

One of the best romances I ever read was Here Be Dragons by Sharon Kay Penman. It is a history of Wales, and of King Llewellyn and his very young wife Joanna. The history is dark and bloody, but they truly loved each other.

I have also found a renewed admiration for Julia Quinn. I can look back at her Bridgerton series now and see how clever she was at giving us a large family with a lot of issues to enjoy for years. She must have taken excellent notes from her own books to keep up with all the twists and turns in that family.

  1. What is your writing routine like? Do you have a specific place you write? Time of day?

My routine is to do it every day. I usually do some physical exercise in the morning, but once I’ve done that, and picked up the house, and done my Wordle, I get to work. I write every day. I have an office, but the pandemic has made me sick of it. So I move around the house now. I am done with the day’s work by the time school is out—I used to be able to keep my head in two places (the book and family) but I can’t do that anymore. I don’t know what happened to my ability to multi-task, but it has been obliterated.  So I work as much as I can during school hours and then hit the wine fridge like any red-blooded working mom.

  1. What’s next for the Royal Match series?

I am just finishing The Duke Not Taken. It’s about Princess Amelia, who is also sent to England under Lady Aleksander’s care to find a husband. Amelia really wants a husband and a family. Her problem, however, is she’s too much of a straightshooter for most people. And she’s not willing to settle. Enter the Duke of Marley, who has to be the only man in one hundred square miles who is not the least interested in a beautiful, rich, young princess. He has his reasons…

 

Julia London is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of over fifty novels of historical and contemporary romance. She is the author of the popular Highland Grooms series as well as A Royal Wedding, her most recent series. Julia is the recipient of the RT Bookclub Award for Best Historical Romance and a six-time finalist for the prestigious RITA award for excellence in romantic fiction. She lives in Austin, Texas. Visit her at www.julialondon.com.

 

Social Links:

Author Website: / Facebook: / Twitter / Goodreads

 

 

 

 

Share