Read my review of A Mystery of Murder (Jan Christopher Mysteries, Episode 2) by Helen Hollick #JanChristopherMysteries #BlogTour #CoffeePotBookClub @HelenHollick @maryanneyarde

A Mystery of Murder

(Jan Christopher Mysteries, Episode 2)

By Helen Hollick

‘Had I known what was to happen soon after we arrived at Mr and Mrs Walker’s lovely old West Country house, my apprehension about spending Christmas in Devon would have dwindled to nothing.’

Library Assistant Jan Christopher is to spend Christmas with her boyfriend, DS Laurie Walker and his family, but when a murder is discovered, followed by a not very accidental accident, the traditional Christmas spirit is somewhat marred... 

What happened to Laurie’s ex-girlfriend? Where is the vicar’s wife? Who took those old photographs? And will the farmer up the lane ever mend those broken fences? 

Set in 1971, this is the second Jan Christopher Cosy Mystery. Join her (and an owl and a teddy bear) in Devon for a Christmas to remember.

Will the discovery of a murder spoil Christmas for Jan Christopher and her boyfriend DS Laurie Walker – or will it bring them closer together?

Publication Date: 14th November 2021

Publisher: Taw River Press

Page Length: 160 Pages

Genre: Cosy Mystery

Grab a copy HERE!

This novel is free to read with #KindleUnlimited subscription.

MY THOUGHTS

Jan Christopher has her reservations about heading to Devon to spend Christmas with her boyfriend, Laurie Walker, and his family. What does agreeing to such a thing mean? Does it mean her relationship with Laurie is serious, and does she want that? But, it doesn’t take her long to settle into the cosy house, and she quickly becomes close with Laurie’s parents. However, there are disagreements hanging in the air, between Laurie’s family and the neighbour, both of whom insist that the other is in change of the fencing, which is on the neighbour’s land, so it cannot possibly be the Walkers who should fix it, and an old relationship comes to light, causing tension between Laurie and Jan.

However, when two pigs, rooting around in the garden in the middle of the night, and a pig’s head placed on Alf’s, Laurie’s father, compost heap unearths a bag of human remains, a mystery comes to light. There are three women who have gone missing in the town – which one could the remains belong to, and, of course, who was the murderer?

Christmas time is a magical season, full of joy and celebration. But what would happen if there was a discovered murder, and an investigation interrupts the season? This story will tell you just that. Following mainly Jan, but with a chapter from Laurie’s perspective every now and again, we see both sides of the story – a woman on the sidelines, surrounded by people she doesn’t know, in a town she is unfamiliar with, trying to celebrate Christmas with her boyfriend, and a man who is a Detective Sargent, but not in this town, and being forced to let the incompetence of the local police officers, who are used to small burglaries and dealing with drunk people, try and solve the murder.

Jan and Laurie’s relationship is a big part of this novel. There are multiple times where Jan does not know what to believe, especially so when one of Laurie’s past relationships seems to be a large topic of conversation whenever they run into the girl’s sister, for the girl Laurie dated has been missing for months. But, Jan knew nothing of this girl before, and with Laurie’s past repeatedly coming up to taunt her, she starts to realise that perhaps she does not know Laurie as she thought she did. 

With three different missing women, there is certainly a lot of misdirection when it comes to finding out who the murderer is. Especially so, as the reader, when you are trying to figure it out before the characters do, as a challenge. There is one character whom everything points to them being the person responsible, but it seems almost too easy for them to be at blame. This novel will keep you guessing until the very last moment, for I must admit, I did not quite manage to figure it all out until the characters did. I did have my suspicions though!

This book is not set too long ago, in the grand scheme of things, but the 1970s was 50 years ago now, and while some things are very different, like being able to simply pick up a phone and call someone, there are other things that are not so different. Due to this, it is incredibly easy to place yourself in the story amongst the characters, and to live the mystery with them. It is not difficult to imagine the house, or the garden, and you can almost feel the atmosphere of the town through the pages.

This book is not incredibly long, at 160 pages it is much shorter than most books. However, that makes it the perfect candidate to read on a winter evening, and to really get into the mood, you should certainly sip a cup of tea while reading. This is a cosy mystery and I greatly enjoyed the mood of the book, and the author’s style of writing, so much so, that I am definitely going to be getting my hands on book 1, and reading that as well!

Helen Hollick and her family moved from north-east London in January 2013 after finding an eighteenth-century North Devon farm house through being a ‘victim’ on BBC TV’s popular Escape To The Country show. The thirteen-acre property was the first one she was shown – and it was love at first sight. She enjoys her new rural life, and has a variety of animals on the farm, including Exmoor ponies and her daughter’s string of show jumpers.

First accepted for publication by William Heinemann in 1993 – a week after her fortieth birthday – Helen then became a USA Today Bestseller with her historical novel, The Forever Queen (titled A Hollow Crown in the UK) with the sequel, Harold the King (US: I Am The Chosen King) being novels that explore the events that led to the Battle of Hastings in 1066. Her Pendragon’s Banner Trilogy is a fifth-century version of the Arthurian legend, and she also writes a pirate-based nautical adventure/fantasy series, The Sea Witch Voyages. Despite being impaired by the visual disorder of Glaucoma, she is also branching out into the quick read novella, 'Cosy Mystery' genre with the Jan Christopher Mysteries, set in the 1970s, with the first in the series, A Mirror Murder incorporating her, often hilarious, memories of working for thirteen years as a library assistant.

Her non-fiction books are Pirates: Truth and Tales and Life of A Smuggler. She also runs Discovering Diamonds, a review blog for historical fiction, a news and events blog for her village and the Community Shop, assists as ‘secretary for the day’ at her daughter’s regular showjumping shows – and occasionally gets time to write...

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Check out Crossroads By Mary Ting #Paranormal #YoungAdult @MaryTing @XpressoTours

Crossroads

By Mary Ting

* * * READERS FAVORITE GOLD AWARD WINNER 2012–YOUNG ADULT * * *

Based on dreams the author had in high school-chapter 1 & 2.

Protecting her was his duty.

Falling in love was forbidden.

Loving her was all that mattered, even if it meant he would be exiled for all eternity.

Claudia Emerson’s life is about to change. It seems like a tragic coincidence when her good friend, who shares the same first and last name, dies in a car accident. Grief brings tumultuous dreams—but these are more than simple dreams. In sleep, Claudia travels to another world called Crossroads. There, she meets Michael, a Nephilim–half angel, half human. Meeting him and being there changes her forever. It marks her as special, and that may not be a good thing. Now fallen angels and demons are after her, and it is up to Michael and the other Nephilim to protect her. Her dreams become a nightmare as secrets are revealed about who she really is and the true identities of the people she loves most.

Publication date: March 2nd 2014
Genres: Paranormal, Young Adult 

Buy Links:

Crossroads (Book 1) • Between (Book 2) • Beyond (Book 3) • Eternity (Book 4

Special Edition Copies:

10th Anniversary Hardback
Book Plus Set With Gold Spray
Book Plus Set Without Gold Spray

International Bestselling, Award-Winning Author Mary Ting writes soulful, spellbinding stories that excite the imagination and captivate readers all over the world. Her books run a wide range of genres: science fiction, fantasy, and swoon worthy stories. Her storytelling talents have won her a devoted legion of fans and garnered critical praise.

Mary was born in Seoul Korea and resides in Southern California with her husband, two children, and two dogs—Mochi and Mocha. She enjoys oil painting and making jewelry. Becoming an author was a way to grieve the death of her beloved grandmother. After realizing she wanted to become a full-time author, she retired from teaching after twenty years.

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Find out what inspired Christina Bauer to mix Jane Eyre and Rapunzel together in her book Towers And Tithes #Paranormal #YoungAdult @CB_Bauer @XpressoTours

Towers And Tithes

(Fairy Tales of the Magicorum, #8)

Christina Bauer

I’m a Tower Tithe with a Rapunzel problem. That’s not as weird as it sounds.

Ever wonder how Rapunzel survives without leaving her home? After all, someone must stock groceries, buy hair products and fix the plumbing. Witches don’t wield toilet brushes, so “Rapunzel care” becomes the job of Tower Tithes like me. Not that we choose this gig. We’re just unlucky elves who get magically chucked into servitude. Since our kind live for ages, being a Tower Tithe can drag on for thousands of years… and I’m eighteen. Yipes.

That said, it wouldn’t be too awful if I had a cool Rapunzel. No such luck.

I serve none other than Lady R, the social media sensation and sadist who lives in Manhattan’s famous Apex Towers. With the help of her manager—a witch named Jocasta—Lady R releases daily gossip videos while assigning me “torture chores.” Many tasks are designed to remind me how Lady R is the gorgeous variety of elf, while I’m beyond plain. I spend a lot of time scheming my escape.

My work pays off when an eccentric billionaire offers to magically set me free. The catch? I must move to Arizona and become his personal assistant. Needless to say, I rush for the door. Turns out, my new employer is none other than Lady R’s ex-boyfriend, Dex, a guy who was blinded in a strange accident and has since become a recluse.

In other words, I ran from my fairy tale life, but it found me again anyway.

At this point, I should head for the hills, yet I simply can’t leave Dex. For the first time, I truly feel comfortable around someone. In all honesty, it’s probably because I have self-esteem issues and Dex can’t see my bland face. Even so, it’s all good until Lady R discovers where I am. And that leads to my Rapunzel problem.

With Lady R back in the picture, can I still find my happily ever after? The truth will emerge soon enough.

Because my name is Grayson Eyre, and this is my story.

Ideal for readers who crave a mash-up between Rapunzel and Jane Eyre.

Publication date: November 9th 2021
Genres: Paranormal, Young Adult

FAIRY TALES OF THE MAGICORUM

1. Wolves And Roses
2. Moonlight And Midtown
3. Slippers And Thieves
4. Shifters And Glyphs
5. Bandits And Ball Gowns
6. Fire And Cinder
7. Fairies And Frosting
8. Towers and Tithes

Grab a copy HERE!

Goodreads

On Jane Eyre and Rapunzel

As part of the launch tour for my new book, Towers and Tithes the lovely folks at Candlelight Reading asked me to share what inspired me to combine Jane Eyre and Rapunzel in this story. So, without further ado, here’s the behind the scenes on mashing up these two tales!

It all starts with Rapunzel. I wondered how she gets groceries. Honestly, these are the kind of things that bother me. And I ponder. Mostly aloud. In my car. 

In my mind, the top person who might drop off milk to a Rapunzel is her evil witch. Then I picture a witch acting as a supernatural delivery service. I don’t see that working. Plus, if shopping is off the table, then stuff like washing sheets and scrubbing toilets are impossible. 

Who is helping Rapunzel? She’s locked in a freaking tower!

In the end, I decide that Rapunzel support had to be some shlub’s job. Probably an elf. I decided to call her (I don’t know why, it was always a her) a tower tithe. And since this isn’t super-glamorous work, this tithe isn’t too high up on the power ladder. Who could that be? Elves worship beauty, so maybe the tithe gets this gig because she’s plain.

At this point, a classic ‘plain chick’ story comes to mind. Jane Eyre. 

Now, I’m excited. Jane Eyre is a long-time favorite novel of mine. Much like Rapunzel, I have things I love and question about the book. Jane’s inner strength is awesome. The hero, Mr. Rochester, is arguably a major turd in some key ways. And there are women in Mr. R’s history who, let’s just say, aren’t the most empowered characters in the world. To find out what I changed, you’ll have to read the book. Spoilers!

In any case, I hope that gives you an idea of how my wack-a-doo mind comes up with book ideas in general, and TOWERS AND TITHES in particular. I hope to see you on a future book tour!

Christina Bauer thinks that fantasy books are like bacon: they just make life better. All of which is why she writes romance novels that feature demons, dragons, wizards, witches, elves, elementals, and a bunch of random stuff that she brainstorms while riding the Boston T. Oh, and she includes lots of humor and kick-ass chicks, too.

Christina graduated from Syracuse University’s Newhouse School with BA’s in English along with Television, Radio, and Film Production. She lives in Newton, MA with her husband, son, and semi-insane golden retriever, Ruby.

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Read my review of Rebel’s Knot (Quest for Three Kingdoms) by Cryssa Bazos #HistoricalFiction #BlogTour #CoffeePotBookClub

 

Rebel’s Knot

(Quest for Three Kingdoms)

By Cryssa Bazos

Ireland 1652: In the desperate, final days of the English invasion of Ireland . . .

A fey young woman, Áine Callaghan, is the sole survivor of an attack by English marauders. When Irish soldier Niall O'Coneill discovers his own kin slaughtered in the same massacre, he vows to hunt down the men responsible. He takes Áine under his protection and together they reach the safety of an encampment held by the Irish forces in Tipperary. 

Hardly a safe haven, the camp is rife with danger and intrigue. Áine is a stranger with the old stories stirring on her tongue and rumours follow her everywhere. The English cut off support to the brigade, and a traitor undermines the Irish cause, turning Niall from hunter to hunted. 

When someone from Áine's past arrives, her secrets boil to the surface—and she must slay her demons once and for all.

As the web of violence and treachery grows, Áine and Niall find solace in each other's arms—but can their love survive long-buried secrets and the darkness of vengeance?

Publication Date: 8th November 2021

Publisher: W.M. Jackson Publishing

Page Length: 350 Pages

Genre: Historical Fiction/ Historical Romance

Trigger Warnings: Violence, references to sexual/physical abuse

Grab a copy HERE!

MY THOUGHTS

Áine Callaghan had found safety and solace at the Mulriane estate, a place where she needn’t worry about letting her guard down, although with the two housemaids around, the walls Áine has built around herself stay strongly up, unless she is alone with the cows. Telling the cows stories as she milks them is something that soothe both the cows and herself, and on top of taking frequent walks in the woods and keeping to herself as she does, it is hardly surprising that people say she is touched by the Faerie Folk.

Niall O’Coneill has fought with the Irish resistance for nearly ten years, and with his trusty wolfhound, Fionn, by his side, there comes the feeling that nothing can overpower him. But, when he takes a detour to the Mulriane estate, where his sister is staying, everything falls apart around him. He finds the estate ravaged, his aunt, uncle and cousin dead, and his sister and the servants missing.

The one person Niall does find, is the dairymaid, Áine. Refusing to leave her behind, when there is a very grave threat that the English will return to the estate and likely capturing her as well,  he, Áine, and Fionn travel away from the estate, leaving the ruins and the English behind.

I absolutely adored Áine. She is a woman who has gone through great trauma and hardship, and has hidden it all away in her past, trying to move on and create a new life for herself. But, her past clings to her, and while she is not opposed to using the rumours about her being a Faerie Queen to her advantage, she is also greatly intimidated by new people coming into her life, and is hesitant to trust others. When Niall rides into her life and whisks her away, her first reaction is to get away from him as soon as possible, to be by herself again, and to live alone. But, with the increasing threat of the English invaders, staying with Niall seems to be the only option and soon, she doesn’t want to be apart from him.

Niall is an incredibly headstrong man, fuelled by his need to avenge his aunt, uncle and cousin, and to find out what happened to his sister, Mairead. But, when Áine enters his life, he finds that he not only has a reason to fight, he also has a reason to stay alive. Knowing that Áine is at the camp, awaiting his return, is enough to push him that little bit harder to protect himself, not to fight without fear, but to fight and to ensure he came out of the battle alive. As the two slowly realise how much they need each other, Áine comes face to face with a man who knows exactly who she is, and when rumours about her begin from his lips, it is clear that, eventually, Niall will find out about her past, and there is nothing she can do to stop it.

Alongside the budding love story, there is the action and violence of the fight between the English, trying to take control of Ireland, and the Irish resistance, pushing back against them and trying to drive the English from their country. The English were brutal, forcing people from their homes, taking and killing without mercy, and those who were left alive lived in a perpetual state of fear, knowing that, at any time, the English might return and take what little they have left.

This book is fit to bursting with description and both the setting and the characters come alive on the page. You can almost feel the chill in the air, smell the smoke from the camp’s fires, hear the chatter of soldiers. You can certainly feel the terror of the English arriving, and the thought that they might appear at any moment, that they might learn of the situation of the camp and launch an attack. This is not a story that you read, but one that you live.

Having read Severed Knot, I knew before Niall and Áine what had happened to Mairead. While this book stands alone, and you do not need to have read the other books in the series to understand this one, there is a connection between the books. Knowing who Mairead was really tied this book into the series for me, and I felt like I was returning to a world I had been long missing.

This is the kind of novel that you do not want to put down, although it is rather long, and I read through it in a matter of days. It is a story of love, danger, betrayal and revenge, and one that I look forward to reading again.

Cryssa Bazos is an award-winning historical fiction author and a seventeenth century enthusiast. Her debut novel, Traitor's Knot is the Medalist winner of the 2017 New Apple Award for Historical Fiction, a finalist for the 2018 EPIC eBook Awards for Historical Romance. Her second novel, Severed Knot, is a B.R.A.G Medallion Honoree and a finalist for the 2019 Chaucer Award. A forthcoming third book in the standalone series, Rebel's Knot, was published November 2021.

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Read my review of Sisters of the Sweetwater Fury by Kinley Bryan #HistoricalFiction #BlogTour #CoffeePotBookClub @kinleybauthor @maryanneyarde

Sisters of the Sweetwater Fury

By Kinley Bryan

Three sisters. Two Great Lakes. One furious storm.

Based on actual events...

It's 1913 and Great Lakes galley cook Sunny Colvin has her hands full feeding a freighter crew seven days a week, nine months a year. She also has a dream—to open a restaurant back home—but knows she'd never convince her husband, the steward, to leave the seafaring life he loves.

In Sunny’s Lake Huron hometown, her sister Agnes Inby mourns her husband, a U.S. Life-Saving Serviceman who died in an accident she believes she could have prevented. Burdened with regret and longing for more than her job at the dry goods store, she looks for comfort in a secret infatuation.

Two hundred miles away in Cleveland, youngest sister Cordelia Blythe has pinned her hopes for adventure on her marriage to a lake freighter captain. Finding herself alone and restless in her new town, she joins him on the season’s last trip up the lakes.

On November 8, 1913, a deadly storm descends on the Great Lakes, bringing hurricane-force winds, whiteout blizzard conditions, and mountainous thirty-five-foot waves that last for days. Amidst the chaos, the women are offered a glimpse of the clarity they seek, if only they dare to perceive it.

Publication Date: 12th October 2021

Publisher: Blue Mug Press

Page Length: 324 Pages

Genre: Historical Fiction

Grab a copy HERE!

MY THOUGHTS

In her day-to-day life as a galley cook, Sunny Colvin works hard and is a beloved crew member for the food that she makes. Hers is the kind of ship that people clamour to be on, for they know that as a part of that crew, they will be well fed. But, in her private life, Sunny has a secret. She would like to go ashore, to not return to the crew of the Titus Brown, but to run a restaurant, where she can serve all the things she loves to make.

Agnes Inby, Sunny’s older sister, is living in her hometown on Lake Huron, looking after her mother, and putting up with the life she has been left with. Her husband died working as a Life-Saving Serviceman, and she is the only one left at home to look after her mother, a job that she wishes she did not have, for it seems that, in her mother’s eyes, she can do nothing right. But, with the friendship with the family of Keeper Duncan, the new leader of the U.S. Live-Saving Serviceman, Agnes sees new opportunities opening before her.

Cordelia Blythe, the youngest sister, ran away from home to marry a ship captain. And, she is determined to get to know him. Despite knowing he will be working, Cordelia insists on accompanying him on his last trip of the season, viewing it as a honeymoon for the pair of them. She has always felt alone, and spending time with her new husband is something she is eager to do. Plus, with him being the captain of the ship, she will have status aboard and views the whole thing as an adventure.

November on the Great Lakes was known for its storms, for it was an unpredictable time of year on the water. When a storm hits, everyone thinks it will blow over quickly, like so many of the other storms they have experienced, but when it doesn’t let up, and instead, grows deadly, the three sisters quickly realise that this storm isn’t like the others they have seen – this one is the kind of storm that changes lives forever.

This is the kind of book that reminds you why you love reading. The characters live and breathe within the pages, and the author has so clearly spent hours and hours researching to make this book as accurate as possible. The pure devastation, and the fear, have been depicted with incredible skill, and I was almost certain I was living the events alongside the characters, rather than simply reading them from words on a page. Not many novels have left me reeling quite so much as this one did. I poured over the author’s note at the end, and went on to research this era more, trying to find out all I could about the Great Lakes and the storm of 1913. This book left me desperate to find anything else the author has written, simply to gush over that as well.

My favourite character, of the three sisters, was certainly Sunny. This is nothing against Agnes and Cordelia, but Sunny was a character I could not get enough of, and her story was nothing if not suspenseful and dramatic. She is such a brave woman, not because she doesn’t feel fear, but because she pushes her own fear aside to make sure the other members of the crew are not afraid. She is incredibly hardworking, and it seems that, in desperate times, she is the person who will go above and beyond to make sure everything is running as smoothly and normally as possible, even in dire situations. Sunny is a character based on a real-life woman, and this novel is not fictitious but based on real events. It only takes a moment to think about being stuck in a situation like any of the sisters to realise how utterly terrifying it would have been to live through this storm, and even then, I am not sure I could ever truly imagine the horrors the sisters in this book, and everyone fighting the storm, faced.

While Sunny was my favourite character, Cordelia and Agnes have also found a place in my heart. I don’t want to give any spoilers, but with a book about a deadly storm, and three sisters all tied up in it, there is destruction and, with as deadly as this storm was, there is heartbreak. And I mean the kind of words that you read that physically grab your heart and crush it. The way this book has been written constantly keeps you on edge as you read, and it is absolutely impossible to put down.

There are some authors in this world, who write so amazingly, that you are sucked into the story and you truly feel unhappy every moment you are away from the book. This is one of those books. It feels like something has been added to your life, and when you have finished reading it, a chunk of your heart is missing, because this book had become such an integral part of your life. The only problem is, with most of these kinds of books, you can then buy every book the author has written, and read them as well. This is the author’s debut novel, and it has only just come out. I do not know if the author is planning on writing anything else, but I am certain that, if she does, I will be one of the first to buy it, and devour it as I devoured this one.

Kinley Bryan is an Ohio native who counts numerous Great Lakes captains among her ancestors. Her great-grandfather Walter Stalker was captain of the four-masted schooner Golden Age, the largest sailing vessel in the world when it launched in 1883. Kinley’s love for the inland seas swelled during the years she spent in an old cottage on Lake Erie. She now lives with her husband and children on the Atlantic Coast, where she prefers not to lose sight of the shore. Sisters of the Sweetwater Fury is her first novel.

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Read my review of Ride with the Moonlight (Thunder on the Moor, Book 2) by Andrea Matthews #HistoricalRomance #CoffeePotBookClub #BlogTour @AMatthewsAuthor @maryanneyarde

 

Ride with the Moonlight
(Thunder on the Moor, Book 2) 
By Andrea Matthews

After rescuing sixteenth-century Border reiver Will Foster from certain death at her family’s hands, time traveler Maggie Armstrong finally admits her love for the handsome Englishman, though she can’t rid herself of the sinking suspicion that her Scottish kin are not about to let them live in peace. What she doesn’t expect is the danger that lurks on Will’s own side of the Border. When news of their plans to marry reaches the warden, he charges Will with March treason for trysting with a Scot. Will and Maggie attempt to escape by fleeing to the hills, but when Will is declared an outlaw and allowed to be killed on sight, they can no longer evade the authorities. Will is sentenced to hang, while Maggie is to be sent back to her family. Heartbroken, she has no choice but to return to Scotland, where her uncle continues to make plans for her to wed Ian Rutherford, the wicked Scotsman who she now realizes murdered her father in cold blood. With Will facing the gallows in England, and herself practically under house arrest in Scotland, she continues to resist her uncle’s plans, but her efforts are thwarted at every turn. Will’s family, however, is not about to stand by and watch their youngest lad executed simply because he’s lost his heart to a Scottish lass. A daring plan is set into motion, but will it be in time to save Will’s life and reunite the lovers? Or will Ian’s lies prompt Maggie’s family to ensure the bond between them is forever destroyed?

Publication Date: 25th November 2020
Publisher: Inez M. Foster
Page Length: 387 Pages
Genre: Historical, Time-Travel, Romance

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This novel is free to read with #KindleUnlimited subscription.

MY THOUGHTS

Maggie Armstrong made her choice when she saved Will Foster from being drowned. She stood up to her uncles, humiliated her family, and saved the man she loves. And, while her uncle Geordie may be angry with her, and Ian Rutherford, the man Geordie wanted Maggie to marry, may be prepared to do anything to get her back, Maggie and Will are finally happy, in each other’s arms.

However, the magic of a newfound love cannot last long at the Borders, especially when Maggie was spoken for, and Will is from a different side of the Border. Maggie may know that it was, indeed, Ian who killed her father, but her family still believe it was Will. And, after Maggie was carried away to the Foster family, the Armstrongs have multiple cases to charge against Will. With the charge of March Treason hanging above his head, and the threat to be hanged itself, Will finds himself in a difficult situation. He can either stand up to the charges, and risk handing Maggie back to her family, who will surely marry her off the scoundrel, Ian, and still risk hanging, or he can go on the run and take Maggie with him.

For Maggie, there is no choice. She had already made up her mind, that day when her uncles tried to drown Will. That day, she chose Will, and the Fosters, over her family, and she would do it over again. Unfortunately, it may not be up to her to make that choice.

In a time when daughters, and nieces, were supposed to do as they were told, and they themselves had little control over who they were to marry, Maggie is an exception. She grew up in the late twentieth century, where women had freedom, could do what they wanted, when they wanted, and could marry whomever they so desired. Having grown up surrounded by such freedom and choice, to be thrown into the sixteenth century, and have her uncle Geordie force a marriage upon her, without her consent, was something she simply couldn’t stand by and let happen, especially when she loved someone else, and the man she was to marry was Ian Rutherford. Maggie is an incredibly headstrong and determined woman. When she makes her mind up about something, she will figure out how to get her own way, even if it pushes her out of her comfort zone and puts her in the middle of difficult situations.

This is the second book of the Thunder On The Moor series, and is equally as action-packed as book 1, even though the general outline of the books are vastly different. In book 1, Maggie struggles to adjust to life on the Border, in a time she is unfamiliar with, and tries to make her choice between Ian and Will, both men charming to her. In this book, however, she has made her choice, and it is no long raids coming between her and Will, but the law.

This novel shows us much more of the Fosters than we were privy to in book 1. We meet Will’s family and spend much more time with Will himself. Will is a character that is easy to fall in love with, and with such charges against him, and his very life at stake should he be caught, this book is full of tension as well. However, with a character such as the sweet-talking Bonnie Will, he seems to be a way to lighten even the darkest of moments. 

Something I greatly enjoyed about this book was learning more about Will’s brothers. In book 1, we barely see Will as it is, so suddenly having Walt as well, alongside the rest, was a pleasant surprise. Walt, Will’s older brother, views Will as more of a son than a brother, and his determination to save Will’s life, despite how idiotic his lovesick brother may be, was beautiful. And let’s not forget, all of Will’s brothers, including himself, seem to be equally sarcastic, quick-tongued, and as ready as each other to throw each other under the proverbial bus. But, while they are all ready to fight amongst themselves, when the need arises, they are also ready to turn in the same direction and fight together.

As in book 1, the Scottish dialect is absolutely glorious to read, and paired with the quarrelling of the Fosters, this is a book that you certainly should not miss! Although, I would suggest starting with book 1 – there is a very large cast of characters, and you would be doing this series an injustice not to read both books. I will be eagerly awaiting book 3!

Andrea Matthews is the pseudonym for Inez Foster, a historian and librarian who loves to read and write and search around for her roots, genealogical speaking. She has a BA in History and an MLS in Library Science, and enjoys the research almost as much as she does writing the story. In fact, many of her ideas come to her while doing casual research or digging into her family history. She is the author of the Thunder on the Moor series set on the 16th century Anglo-Scottish Border, and the Cross of Ciaran series, where a fifteen hundred year old Celt finds himself in the twentieth century. Andrea is a member of the Romance Writers of America.

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Find out about the inspiration behind Blue by L.E. DeLano #Contemporary #YoungAdult #GuestPost @LE_DeLano @XpressoTours

Blue

By L.E. DeLano

When Blue Mancini’s mother picked her name, it ended up being a self-fulfilling prophecy.

A year ago, Blue’s brother, Jack, was involved in a car accident that killed the father of her classmate, Maya Rodriguez. Luckily for Jack, he got out of a manslaughter charge and into a plea bargain thanks to the top-notch lawyer hired by Blue’s wealthy parents.

The fallout is now affecting Blue as Maya returns to school determined to carve out a pound of flesh from the only member of the Mancini family she can reach. On top of that, Blue has a demanding mother, a father who’s never around, a drama-addicted best friend, and a secretive new guy who’s determined to make Blue his own personal cheer-up project. It’s a perfect storm of misery.

When Maya’s social media taunts and in-person digs finally push Blue to retaliate, they find themselves in afterschool detention and forced into a project meant to foster cooperation and civility. As the layers of their tangled drama unravel, Blue learns more about Maya’s life—and her own sense of privilege—when secrets are revealed that cast a new perspective on everything in Blue’s world.

Publication date: October 26th 2021

Genres: Contemporary, Young Adult 

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GUEST POST

BLUE was a blend of two real-life things.

First, I had a friend who went through a horrible event. On Christmas Eve, she was driving home from her closing shift at her retail job, it was dark and she was on a rural road. A young man who was intent on ending his own life threw himself in front of her SUV. She couldn’t stop in time, and ended up striking and killing him.

She was physically unhurt but it really messed her up with PTSD. To make things worse, the young man’s family tried to sue her even though the guy had a history of mental illness, left a suicide note, and a security camera at a local business captured the whole thing on video (which she had to watch in court). They were unsuccessful with the lawsuit, but it took a huge toll.

She quit her job, moved back in with her parents, and got good, professional counseling. A year or so later, she decided to go to college and work on a degree, as a new direction for her life. Her first day, first class at a nearby university, she walked in the door, and there was the guy’s sister in her class. Long story short, they eventually ended up friends, despite the horrible thing that tied them together.

I always thought that might make a good story, but as I began writing it, it just never evolved well. I picked that idea up and worked on it a dozen times over the years, but it was just missing something. 

Then my daughter became a teenager, and quite out of nowhere, life decided to rain misery on her in her junior year of high school. A confluence of outside forces hit her from a few different people and situations, and despite all the support I could throw at her, the support of her teachers, and the help of a really good therapist, she just seemed “stuck” in her bubble of misery. 

I felt so helpless and frustrated – none of these things that were making her miserable were what you’d call permanent things, and I wanted her to realize that all of it would pass, and she just needed to push herself through it. Perspective is a lot easier when you have decades of life experience to draw from, and honestly, in her seventeen years of life these were the worst things to ever happen to her, impermanent as they were. She did push through, and I’m fiercely proud of her for it, but it was heartbreaking for a while there. 

I finally realized I wanted to write a book about perspective, and the original story was never going to work for that. So I changed the circumstances of the accident, made Blue an unwilling bystander. I hit her with a few other miseries until she was deluged and wallowing, then connecting, understanding and redefining to a much better place, mentally and emotionally. 

BLUE became a journey from hopeless to hopeful, from feeling like everyone was trying to rewrite your story to realizing nobody really knows anyone’s story, entirely. I love how it evolved, and these characters will always have a piece of my heart.

L.E. DeLano comes equipped with a “useless” Theatre degree that has opened doors for her in numerous ways. Though mostly raised in New Mexico, she now lives in Pennsylvania with two adventurous kids and two ridiculous cats. When she’s not writing (which is almost never), she’s binge-watching Netflix and planning road trips.

Her debut novel, TRAVELER was selected as a Keystone To Reading Secondary Book Award finalist for school year 2018-19 by the Keystone State Reading Association (KSRA) and also voted one of The 20 Most Beautiful Books in the World for 2017 by MTV UK.

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