BLOG TOUR - The Outcast Girls

Today is my stop on the Blog Tour for The Outcast Girls by Shirley Dickson.

DESCRIPTION:

An utterly heartbreaking tale of two young girls, worlds apart, who are thrown together when they have lost everything. Fans of Wives of War, Before We Were Yours and Diney Costeloe will absolutely love this poignant and moving World War Two novel.

Germany, 1939: Eleven-year-old Frieda is boarding a ship bound for England with her little brother, Kurt. Life at home is perilous, with synagogues set alight and innocent lives lost to the Nazis, and they have no choice but to flee. But as Frieda stands on the deck crammed with frightened children, her brother jumps off, back to land.

England, 1939: After a devastating childhood at Blakely Hall Orphanage, seventeen-year-old Sandra longs to put her past behind her. But when war breaks out and her brother Alf is sent to fly bombers, she’s completely alone.

1943: When Sandra and Frieda’s paths cross in the remote countryside, each girl finds a home at last. Facing long, terrifying nights in bunkers, they huddle together as planes roar above them and distant explosions shake them to their cores. They console one another – Frieda, with no idea whether her family have been captured or if her brother survived, and Sandra praying that Alf will live to see tomorrow.

The darkness of war may shroud them but as long as they have each other, they can keep a little light in the world. Will Frieda and Sandra ever be reunited with their loved ones? And will the two handwritten letters bound their way hold news of happiness… or heartbreak?  

BUY LINKS:

Amazon: http://bit.ly/37m4Dfv
Kobo: http://bit.ly/2NGqxC6
Apple Books: https://apple.co/2TEZKKn
Google Play: http://bit.ly/2udHehs

MY THOUGHTS:

Title:   The Outcast Girls

Author:  Shirley Dickson

Genre:   Historical Fiction

Publisher:  Bookouture
Format:  Kindle ARC

No. of Pages:   291

Date of Publication:   January 24, 2020

My Rating:   5 Stars

During World War II girls Frieda and Sandra meet under difficult circumstances. Not only are they among the many evacuees of the war, having had to flee their homes, they both lost their brothers. In Frieda's case, it was her brother Kurt, and Sandra, her brother Alf.

A bit older than Frieda, Sandra takes her under her wing. Sandra refuses to give up hope of seeing Alf again, and looks forward to any correspondence she can get. Meanwhile, Frieda is heartbroken as it seems she will never see Kurt again. 

Although safe from the Germans on the farm where both girls now reside, things certainly are not easy. Fortunately, their friendship gives both girls strength and they grow into young women over the next several years. 

The Outcast Girls is a well-written historical fiction novel. For me as a reader, I will say it was rather fortunate that I was not reading of the horrid tragedies of the war with this particular book. I turned the pages quickly while reading, especially as my mind was reaching for hope for both Frieda and Sandra. This story definitely tug on my heartstrings. 
Reviewer's note: I applaud Ms. Dickson for dealing with a sensitive issue revolving around one of the girls in this particular genre and time period in history. As it was during World War II, diagnosis and treatment of the particular ailment mentioned was not clear at all. 

Many thanks to Bookouture and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Shirley Dickson was born and grew up in the seaside town of South Shields. She left school at fifteen and can’t remember a time when she didn’t write. She entered her first short story competition in ‘School Friend’ when she was eleven. After Shirley retired from auxiliary nursing, she was able to devote her time to writing. After living in various locations, she settled under the big skies of Northumberland and has lived with her husband in the same house for over forty years. Shirley has three daughters and four grandchildren and likes nothing better than family gatherings. 

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Review - Marriage on Madison Avenue

Title:   Marriage on Madison Avenue

Author:  Lauren Layne
Series:  The Central Park Pact #3

Genre:   Romance; Women's Fiction

Publisher:   Gallery

Format:  Kindle ARC
No. of Pages:   288

Date of Publication:  January 28, 2020
My Rating:  5 Stars

DESCRIPTION:

From New York Times bestselling author Lauren Layne, comes the final installment of the Central Park Pact series, a heartfelt and laugh-out-loud romantic comedy that’s perfect for fans of Sally Thorne and Christina Lauren.

Can guys and girls ever be just friends? According to Audrey Tate and Clarke West, absolutely. After all, they’ve been best friends since childhood without a single romantic entanglement. Clarke is the charming playboy Audrey can always count on, and he knows that the ever-loyal Audrey will never not play along with his strategy for dodging his matchmaking mother—announcing he’s already engaged…to Audrey.


But what starts out as a playful game between two best friends turns into something infinitely more complicated, as just-for-show kisses begin to stir up forbidden feelings. As the faux wedding date looms closer, Audrey and Clarke realize that they can never go back to the way things were, but deep down, do they really want to? 

Link to purchase the book

MY THOUGHTS:

Romance novels often use familiar tropes, and as Lauren Layne closes out this trilogy, she definitely did an entertaining job with friends to lovers. In the Central Park Pact series, three women met at a funeral only to discover they were all involved with the same man. They have become the best of friends and in this third and final book of the series.

So, what is Audrey Tate's story? Well, she has been best friends with Clarke West for years. Platonic yet they loved each other deeply. When Clarke becomes frustrated with his mother's matchmaking, Audrey agrees to pretend to be engaged to him. In making it look convincing, a gently touch, a long look, a lingering kiss leads the pair wondering if they could possibly be friends with benefits long enough for Clarke to get his mother off of his back.

I loved this book and it was easily my favorite of the series. I loved how Audrey and Clarke were forced to face their feelings. I also loved the humor this book contained. However, the thing that I loved with Marriage on Madison Avenue, as well as with the first two books in the series, Passion on Park Avenue and Love on Lexington Avenue especially because of the friendship that existed between Audrey, Naomi and Claire. Although their friendship started from very unusual circumstances, it is powerful and gives the stories a nice emotional edge. These books could be standalones, but I encourage readers who enjoy romance to read the trilogy as a whole.

Many thanks to Gallery and to NetGalley for this ARC to review in exchange for my honest opinion.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Lauren Layne is the New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author of more than two dozen romantic comedies. Her books have sold over a million copies, in nine languages. Lauren's work has been featured in Publishers Weekly, Glamour, The Wall Street Journal, and Inside Edition. She’s based in New York City.

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BLOG TOUR - Burning Island

Today is my stop on the Blog Tour for Burning Island by Suzanne Goldring.

DESCRIPTION:

They were not her children. But she would protect them with her life…

Corfu 1944. Though they don’t know it, five-year-old Matilde and three-year-old Anna have kissed their mother for the last time. The Nazis have reached their sun-scorched home, and they are being taken to a place of safety, on the north-eastern tip of the rocky island, to be hidden at great risk by kindly Agata and her husband until the terrible war is over.

Matilde and Anna’s tears are soothed by Agata’s bedtime stories, but she is always alert. So far no soldiers have ventured down the steep rocky hillside to their secret haven, but Agata knows they are constantly scouring the island for missing Jews. And then, on a day when Agata’s husband is away, a German soldier appears…

2016. Under a baking June sun, Amber and her husband arrive in Corfu from England, hoping for a fresh start. But not everyone is pleased by their arrival, and with the pressures of pregnancy, the couple grow further apart. Desperate to find a sense of belonging for herself and her unborn child, Amber finds herself drawn to the local story of two little girls, left by their parents and hidden for their own protection.

But there are some who would rather Amber left Corfu’s terrible history well in the past. Can Amber uncover the heart-breaking truth about the two little girls, and what happened after a German soldier took a swim in the bay by their house? If she does, can the secrets of the past help her find happiness, or send her running from the island, alone?

A gripping, heart-wrenching and compelling read about the shadows at the heart of the sun-drenched island of Corfu and survival against all odds. Fans of Victoria Hislop, The Nightingale and The Tattooist of Auschwitz will fall in love with Burning Island.


BUY LINKS:

Amazon: http://bit.ly/30BqdtE

Kobo: http://bit.ly/36cZowY

Apple Books: https://apple.co/2Rxnm0O

Google Play: http://bit.ly/2sKCOOM

MY THOUGHTS:

Title:   Burning Island

Author:  Suzanne Goldring

Genre:   Historical Fiction; Women's Fiction

Publisher:  Bookouture

Format:  Kindle ARC

No. of Pages:   383

Date of Publication:   January 22, 2020

My Rating:   5 Stars

1944. 2016. Two stories. How did they tie in together?

For starters, World War II is in full swing and the parents of two very young girls in Corfu, Greece make a heart-wrenching decision. The Nazi occupation is in full swing and they know they are about to lose everything they know and love. So, the girls, Matilde and Anna, are hidden and managed to end up in the custody of Agata and Georgiu, family friends. Can Agata and her husband keep the children out of the hands of the Germans? If so, for how long?

As this story is written in dual time lines, it is now 2016. Amber and her husband James arrive in Corfu. They left England full of hope, and soon plan on starting their own business. Things are not easy for them. Actually, with Amber being pregnant during this transition, she is overwhelmed. While James explores business opportunities, Amber finds herself drawn to stories of decades ago about two little girls who were successfully hidden by the Germans during the second world war.

As Amber listened to the stories as they were related, I was captivated by Anna and Matilde's story, and especially with Agata's boldness. What will these stories bring to Amber? How, if at all, will this recounting of the past affect her present and future with husband James?

I am quite drawn to this time in history, and every time I read a book like this I cry, but what is more, is that the stories are always filled with hope shining through. I applaud Suzanne Goldring for doing that in Burning Island. Although many decades apart in age, it was wonderful to see how Anna, Matilde and Amber became connected.

As she did in her previous novel, My Name is Eva, and as is recounted in the Historical Note at the end of the book, the author shows that this fictional story is inspired by true events. I was shocked to find that Hitler reached as far as Greece! Every historical fiction book I have read about this tragic time in history is written with exceptional attention to detail. Ms. Goldring did an amazing job in writing this book.

Many thanks to Bookouture and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Following an eventful career as a public relations consultant, specialising in business and travel, Suzanne Goldring turned to writing the kind of novels she likes to read, about the extraordinary lives of ordinary people. Her debut novel MY NAME IS EVA draws on her experience of volunteering in a care home and was partially inspired by a cache of wartime love letters which were saved from the flames. Her second novel, BURNING ISLAND, is set in Corfu, a place of fun and beauty but also tremendous tragedy.

Suzanne writes in her thatched cottage in Hampshire and a seaside cottage in Cornwall. 

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RELEASE DAY BLITZ - Toxic Vengeance

Today we are celebrating the release of a new, romantic suspense title from Kaylea Cross. TOXIC VENGEANCE just went live, and you will not want to miss this series! Be sure to add the book to your TBR pile now and follow Kaylea for exclusive updates about the book and the Vengeance series.

Join Kaylea's Reader Group for Exclusive News!

Toxic Vengeance by Kaylea Cross

Available Now

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Book Blurb:

A past poisoned by lies.

Toxins expert Eden Foster was trained never to get close to anyone. She’s only broken that rule twice, and each time it ended in heartbreak. Her mentor was murdered in front of her, and now the man she was forced to deceive and leave behind has suddenly become a threat. She wants justice, but the only way she’ll get it is by joining forces with the only man to pose a threat to her guarded heart—the CIA contractor tasked with capturing and turning her in.

Risking a second chance could cost them everything.

Zack Maguire has spent his entire adult life serving his country, but this time, he’s torn between duty and his heart. Eden might not be the woman he thought she was, but he refuses to accept that everything between them was a lie. If she’s being hunted, he’s all in. He won’t sit back and do nothing when her life is on the line. As the danger mounts, he’ll do anything to protect her. And when their enemies close in, the only way they’ll live long enough to have a second chance is to let go of the past and learn to trust each other.

Add the book to Goodreads

OTHER BOOKS IN THE VENGEANCE SERIES

Stealing Vengeance

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Covert Vengeance

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Explosive Vengeance

Amazon | Apple | Kobo | Nook

Beautiful Vengeance - coming March 31

Amazon | Apple | Kobo | Nook

-------------------------

AUTHOR INFORMATION:

 

New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Kaylea Cross writes edge-of-your-seat military romantic suspense. Her work has won many awards, including the Daphne du Maurier Award of Excellence. A Registered Massage Therapist by trade, Kaylea is also an avid gardener, artist, Civil War buff, Special Ops aficionado, belly dance enthusiast and former nationally-carded softball pitcher. She lives in Vancouver, BC with her husband and family.

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Review - French Pastry Murder

Title:  French Pastry Murder
Author:  Leslie Meier 

Series:  Lucy Stone Mystery #21

Genre:  Cozy Mystery

Publisher:  Kensington Books

Format:  Audiobook

No. of pages:  288

Published:  September 30, 2014

My Rating:   2 Stars

DESCRIPTION:

Tinker's Cove is abuzz with excitement when Norah, the queen of daytime TV, comes to town and selects Lucy and her pals to be featured in her "Women Who Make a Difference" episode. In recognition for their charitable work, the ladies and their husbands are awarded a dream vacation in Paris, complete with classes at Le Cooking School with renowned pastry chef Larry Bruneau. But their bon voyage is cut short when Lucy discovers the chef in a pool of blood on the second day of class... If she's going to enjoy her vacation, she'll have to unpack her sleuthing skills and clear her name. But will she be able to track down a killer more elusive than the perfect macaron? 

Link to purchase the book

MY THOUGHTS:

Although I haven't been as enamored with the Lucy Stone series as I was when I began, I still cannot stop reading these little cozy mysteries. In this entry, Lucy and her friends, as well as their husbands, have won a dream trip to Paris. This works out on two ends. For one thing, Elizabeth is going to school in Paris, so Lucy gets to see how she is doing, and doesn't hold back dispensing motherly advice. Secondly, which is something that never fails in these books, Lucy gets to attempt to solve yet another murder, or two.

Don't expect a leisurely stroll down the Champs-Élysées, or visiting the Eiffel Tower. The Louvre? Nope. Instead, expect a near-constant bickering between Lucy and husband Bill. And, after over twenty book, Bill is still a jerk. I would rather like to see that he is a supportive husband, but I don't think we will ever see that. Then there is Lucy's apparent shock that her daughter has a sex life, and her decision to correct her on that matter. 

In true course for Leslie Meier, there had to be a plot coincidence regarding murder. In this case, there was a near-miss with a chef being stabbed, then he is indeed killed. Good, Lucy gets to work. Then there was another murder. The group run into quite a bit of trouble when their passports are taken so attention is given to that. Despite the ever-present trouble Lucy got into while trying to get to the bottom of things, she, simply put, didn't. After all, she was on Parisian soil and they did have to get back home...

Despite my disappointment, this was a quick read and I do plan on finishing the series,  because, by far, I really have been enjoying it. The next book in the series is Candy Corn Murder.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

I started writing in the late ‘80s when I was attending graduate classes at Bridgewater State College. I wanted to become certified to teach high school English and one of the required courses was Writing and the Teaching of Writing. My professor suggested that one of the papers I wrote for that course was good enough to be published and I sent it off to Ellery Queen’s Mystery Magazine’s Department of First Stories. I got $100 for the story and I’ve been writing ever since. The teaching, however, didn’t work out.

My books draw heavily on my experience as a mother of three and my work as a reporter for various weekly newspapers on Cape  . My heroine, Lucy Stone, is a reporter in the fictional town of Tinker’s Cove, Maine, where she lives in an old farmhouse (quite similar to mine on Cape Cod!) with her restoration carpenter husband Bill and four children. As the series has progressed the kids have grown older, roughly paralleling my own family. We seem to have reached a point beyond which Lucy cannot age–my editor seems to want her to remain forty-something forever, though I have to admit I personally am dying to write “Menopause is Murder!”

I usually write one Lucy Stone mystery every year and as you can tell, my editor likes me to feature the holidays in my books. Of course Christmas is one of my favorite times of the year and my newest mystery “Eggnog Murder,” is included in an anthology with two other Christmas novellas by Barbara Ross and Lee Hollis. I’ve long been a fan of the classic English country house mystery, and was a faithful watcher of “Downton Abbey,” so I couldn’t resist trying to write one. I think I succeeded rather well, if I do say so myself, with “British Manor Murder,” which came out in October, 2016.

My books are classified as “cozies” but a good friend insists they are really “comedies of manners” and I do enjoy expressing my view of contemporary American life.

Now that the kids are grown — we have five fabulous grandchildren — my husband and I are enjoying dividing our time between Braintree and Cape Cod, along with our cat, Sylvester.

Find Her: Goodreads / Twitter / Web 

Review - Sapphire Flames

Title:   Sapphire Flames

Author:   Ilona Andrews

Series:   Hidden Legacy #4

Genre:   Urban Fantasy

Publisher:   Avon

Format:   Audiobook

No. of Pages:   400

Date of Publication:   August 27, 2019

My Rating:   4 Stars

DESCRIPTION:

From #1 New York Times bestselling author Ilona Andrews comes an enthralling new trilogy set in the Hidden Legacy world, where magic means power, and family bloodlines are the new currency of society…

In a world where magic is the key to power and wealth, Catalina Baylor is a Prime, the highest rank of magic user, and the Head of her House. Catalina has always been afraid to use her unique powers, but when her friend’s mother and sister are murdered, Catalina risks her reputation and safety to unravel the mystery.

But behind the scenes powerful forces are at work, and one of them is Alessandro Sagredo, the Italian Prime who was once Catalina’s teenage crush. Dangerous and unpredictable, Alessandro’s true motives are unclear, but he’s drawn to Catalina like a moth to a flame.


To help her friend, Catalina must test the limits of her extraordinary powers, but doing so may cost her both her House–and her heart. 

Link to purchase the book

MY THOUGHTS:

The torch is passed to Catalina Baylor, who actually gets her own trilogy, and Sapphire Flames in the next book of the Hidden Legacy series. As I read the first three books in the series, I learned that the books are part of an urban fantasy series where at one time they received a special serum, and as it passed through the blood of the family, they were given magic powers. They had unique skills and lived among regular people and were a law of their own, with a system of laws and actions. As he description says, magic is key.

Catalina is a Prime, and ranks highest as a magic user, and is the Head of her House - again, from the description - and her unique skills kept her in the background. Catalina has the skills to make everyone like her, and thus is able to use her powers to get any information she wants.

Saddened and infuriated by the death of her friend's mother and sister, Catalina steps into her powers and vows to do whatever she can to find out why. In so doing she runs headlong into a man who she once had a crush on, Alessandro Sagredo, who is an Italian Prime. Against her better judgment, Catalina is forced to trust him. Shockingly, Alessandro is immune to Catalina's powers - but not to their shared attraction.

If Catalina gets things wrong she can lose not only her place as Prime of her House, but her family - and what she vowed never to give away - her heart. After all, how could she ever truly know if any man could love her for herself and not be swayed by her magic powers?

I love spending time in this world. In my mind, Catalina had a lot to live up to because in the first three books in the series, I was enamored by Nevada, her older sister, and her endeavors. Could Catalina and her trials - and love - match up in this series by Ilona Andrews? Yes, indeed, she did. I was swiftly carried away by Catalina, all of the magic, the battles, the challenges, the danger, and the inevitable love story. 

I had the extra bonus of listening to this as an audiobook narrated by Emily Rankin. She is an excellent narrator and captured the voices, action and emotion of a well-written story. Urban fantasy is not ordinarily a genre I read, but with such skill (yes, using the word again in this review) that the pair of authors that make up the name Ilona Andrews was the best way for me to be introduced to the genre. 

I did miss Nevada and Mad Rogan in this story and I would have loved seeing them interact with Catalina. Other than that minor disappointment, I was well pleased with this addition to the series and will definitely be following the series as the next two books are released.

The first three books are Burn for Me, White Hot and Diamond Fire (my combined review can be found here as a Series Review.)  There were also a couple of novellas, and the next book in the series is entitled Emerald Blaze, due for publication in August, and the series will conclude in 2021. 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

“Ilona Andrews” is the pseudonym for a husband-and-wife writing team. Ilona is a native-born Russian and Gordon is a former communications sergeant in the U.S. Army. Contrary to popular belief, Gordon was never an intelligence officer with a license to kill, and Ilona was never the mysterious Russian spy who seduced him. They met in college, in English Composition 101, where Ilona got a better grade. (Gordon is still sore about that.)

Gordon and Ilona currently reside in Texas with their two children and many dogs and cats.

They have co-authored four NYT and USAT bestselling series, the #1 NYT bestselling urban fantasy of Kate Daniels, rustic fantasy of the Edge, paranormal romance of Hidden Legacy, and Innkeeper Chronicles, which they post as a free weekly serial. For complete list of their books, fun extras, and Innkeeper installments, please visit their website at Ilona-andrews.com.

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BLOG TOUR - The Day That Changed Everything

Today is my stop on the Blog Tour for The Day That Changed Everything by Catherine Miller.


DESCRIPTION:

When you lose the love of your life, how do you find yourself again?

For Tabitha, the day that changed everything started like any other.

She woke up, slid her feet into fluffy slippers, wrapped herself in a dressing gown and tiptoed out of her bedroom, leaving her husband Andy sleeping. Downstairs, she boiled the kettle and enjoyed a cup of tea as the sun rose.

Upstairs, Andy’s alarm sounded, and Tabitha took him a freshly brewed coffee, like every other morning. Except today, the incessant beeping rang out and her husband hadn’t stirred. She called his name, she nudged his shoulder. But Andy wouldn’t wake up.

Three years later Tabitha is trying her hardest to get by in the shadow of her grief. She may have lost the love of her life but she won’t give up on the family they dreamed of. Fostering troublesome teenage girls and a newborn baby is a chance to piece together her broken heart.

But being a mother isn’t easy, and neither is healing the heartache she carries around. After losing everything, could saving these three children help Tabitha save herself too?

This stunning tale will make you laugh and cry in equal measure, hold your loved ones close and see the beauty in the little things in life. Fans of Jojo Moyes, Jodi Picoult and Diane Chamberlain will love this moving and uplifting story.


BUY LINKS:
Amazon: https://bit.ly/3a1vqiG
Kobo: https://bit.ly/2TmYYSb
Apple Books: https://apple.co/36RPSkh
Google Play: https://bit.ly/35Qq5ra


MY THOUGHTS:

Title:   The Day That Changed Everything

Author:  Catherine Miller

Genre:   Women's Fiction

Publisher:  Bookouture

Format:  Kindle ARC

No. of Pages:   253

Date of Publication:   January 17, 2020

My Rating:   5 Stars

Every time I hear the expression love of your life, I am reminded of Grey's Anatomy and how Derrick was that to Meredith. Well, in this story by Catherine Miller, Tabitha is trying to get past the loss of the one special and perfect man in her life, her husband Andy. Shockingly, Tabitha discovers that Andy had died in his sleep. This one scene alone was heartbreaking.

As the story continues, a few years have passed and Tabitha has started an entirely new life. She has decided to become a foster parent. Her first foster children are fifteen-year-old twin girls. Although they give her a run for her money, she holds on tight to be as good as this as possible. When she is asked to foster a newborn, Tabitha realizes that things are going to be even harder, but she is up to the task.

I was floored by this novel by Catherine Miller. After all, when a woman whose heart was completely broken opened her home to take in children, well, that was enough for me to be fully committed and truly affected as I was reading The Day That Changed Everything.

This book felt to me as an exploration of the human heart and its capacity for love. Not only that, but it also proved to be one of second chances and starting over. I have perused Catherine Miller's backlist, as this is my first book by her,  which I devoured in one sitting, and it will most certainly not be my last. 

Many thanks to Bookouture and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

When Catherine Miller became a mum to twins, she decided her hands weren’t full enough so wrote a novel with every spare moment she managed to find. By the time the twins were two, Catherine had a two-book deal with Carina UK. Her debut novel, Waiting For You, came out in March 2016. Catherine was a NHS physiotherapist, but for health reasons she retired early from this career. As she loved her physiotherapy job, she decided if she couldn’t do that she would pursue her writing dream. It took a few years and a couple of babies, but in 2015 she won the Katie Fforde bursary, was a finalist in the London Book Fair Write Stuff Competition and highly commended in Woman magazine’s writing competition. Since then she’s had four novels published. 

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Review - The Duke's Stolen Bride

Title:   The Duke's Stolen Bride

Author:  Sophie Jordan
Series:  The Rogue Files #5

Genre:   Historical Romance

Publisher:   Avon

Format:  Kindle
No. of Pages:  384

Date of Publication:  October 22, 2019

My Rating:  3 Stars

DESCRIPTION:

An urgent dilemma…

To save her impoverished family, Marian Langley will become a mistress. But she will not be just any mistress. Marian intends to become so skilled, so coveted, that she can set her own terms, retaining control over her body and her fate. Only one problem remains: finding a tutor…

A scandalous solution…

Other men deprive themselves of pleasure for propriety's sake. Nathaniel, Duke of Warrington, would much rather be depraved. He slakes his desires with professionals who ask nothing of him but his coin. Marian's proposal—that he train her without taking her virtue—is an intriguing diversion, until their lessons in seduction spin out of control.

And a most unlikely duchess…

When Marian is blackmailed into engagement by a man she despises, Nate impulsively steals her away. Though he never intended to take a wife, he can't tolerate the idea of Marian forfeiting her freedom to another. But can he bear to give her what she demands—a real marriage? 

Link to purchase the book

MY THOUGHTS:

Devoted to her family, Marian Langley comes up with an unusual idea in order to save them from the poverty they are suffering from. Simply put, she will become a mistress. Not so simply, she wants lessons. She wants to become the best in her planned endeavor, so she seeks out a tutor.

The Duke of Warrington, Nathaniel, seems like the best man for the job. The obvious problem? He is a duke after all. How in the world can Marian get Nathaniel to help? Meanwhile, Nathaniel is not a rake by any means, and he has always tried to keep propriety at the forefront in his life. When Nathaniel seeks out a woman, money is the ultimate prize. Now, his heart is at risk.

What changes Nathaniel's mind? What is it about Marian that makes Nathaniel take another look on his own desires to slake his lust? Well, when reading this book, I loved seeing how things changed for both Nathaniel and Marian. However, there was a bit of a strange change up towards the end of the book, thus my three star rating. I know that romance books in any genre must have conflicts in order to reach the happy ending, but the ones in this book threw me off a bit.

Nonetheless, this book by Sophie Jordan is a good addition to the wonderful Rogue Files series. The other books are While the Duke Was Sleeping, The Scandal of it All, The Duke Buys a Bride, and This Scot of Mine. I am hopeful for the next book, The Virgin and the Rogue, which will be out in April.

Many thanks to Edelweiss and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Sophie Jordan took her adolescent daydreaming one step further and penned her first romance in the back of her high school Spanish class. This passion led her to pursue a degree in English and History.

A brief stint in law school taught her that case law was not nearly as interesting as literature - teaching English seemed a natural choice. After several years teaching high school students to love ANTIGONE, Sophie decided it was time to pursue her long-held dream of writing. Two years later, she landed her first publishing contract.

Her first book, ONCE UPON A WEDDING NIGHT, was a 2006 Romantic Times Reviewers' Choice Nominee for Best First Historical. Her second novel, TOO WICKED TO TAME, released in March 2007 with a bang - landing on the USA Today Bestseller's List. A few books later marked her first appearance on the New York Times bestseller list with the release of IN SCANDAL THEY WED.

And as if she's not busy enough, Sophie writes young adult fiction for HarperTeen and contemporary paranormals for Pocket. Sophie resides in Houston with her family and loves to hear from readers. To learn the latest information about Sophie and her books, follow her on facebook and twitter.

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