Review - Hopeful Hearts at the Cornish Cove

Title:   Hopeful Hearts at the Cornish Cove

Author:  Kim Nash

Publisher:  Boldwood Books

Genre:   Women’s Fiction; Romance

Format:  Kindle ARC

No. of Pages:   270

Date of Publication:   March 30, 2023

My Rating:   5 Stars

DESCRIPTION:

Meredith's life is at a standstill. She's stuck in a dead-end job, approaching fifty, and her dating life is a string of disasters. But one evening, while browsing the internet, she sees an ad for a lighthouse, and in a moment of impulsiveness, she makes a ridiculous bid for it.

With the help of local handyman Clem, she sets about renovating. And as they work together, a bond begins to form. But when Meredith finds out that Clem is keeping a secret from her, it changes everything. Will they find a way to build something more meaningful together?

A delightful story about community, friendship and having the courage to start over, perfect for fans of Carole Matthews, Milly Johnson and Lucy Dillon.

Link to purchase the book

MY THOUGHTS:

 

Meredith Robinson has purchased a dilapidated lighthouse. One of her first problems with her new purchase is that some of her furniture won’t even fit. Secondly, it is so unfit that she has to stay at a B&B at least for a few days until she can make it habitable. Her decision may have been rash, but life had just not been what she might’ve expected. Now that she has the lighthouse, she is determined to give her life a fresh new start.

Some of the members of the small town become very invested in Meredith and her project and one of them recommends a local handyman named Clem as more than a few things need to be worked on in the lighthouse. Meredith finds herself drawn to Clem, but it doesn’t mean that things will be easy for this burgeoning relationship.  

I loved this latest book by Kim Nash. It was great to see Meredith as a bit of an older woman in a delightful romance. While this book had a community vibe to it, it took time for Meredith to fit in. That only increased the readability of this book because she was new to the town, but it it was enjoyable to see how she became part of what really was a tight-knit community.  If you want a book that is an easy and warm read, one that will leave you smiling, grab a cup of tea and put your feet up because you will be in for a treat. 

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

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Kim Nash is an author of uplifting, funny, heartwarming, feel-good, romantic fiction.

She lives in Staffordshire with son Ollie and English Setter Roni, is Head of Publicity for Bookouture and is a book blogger at www.kimthebookworm.co.uk

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Kim won the Romantic Novelists Association's Media Star of the Year in 2016, which she still can't quite believe. She is now quite delighted to be a member of the RNA.

When she's not working or writing, Kim can be found walking her dog, reading, standing on the sidelines of a football pitch cheering on Ollie and binge watching box sets on the TV. She's also quite partial to a spa day and a gin and tonic (not at the same time!) Kim also runs a book club in Cannock, Staffs.

Sign up to be the first to hear about new releases. Your e-mail will not be shared with anyone else and you will only contacted about Kim's books.

Amazing Grace was her debut novel with Hera Books and came out in April 2019. Escape to Giddywell Grange is Kim's second novel and was published in September 2019. Sunshine and Second Chances is Kim's third novel and will be published on June 4th 2020.

You can read Kim's Blog here: www.kimthebookworm.co.uk

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BLOG TOUR - A Child's Goodbye

 

DESCRIPTION:

All I remember is the screeching of brakes and the sound of tyres swerving on tarmac. The last thing that crossed my mind was my beautiful boy Billy, waiting alone at the school gates…

When I found out I was pregnant I couldn’t have been happier. Ever since my own father died, I’d felt utterly lost. But you changed everything. Finally, I had found my purpose: to be the best mother I could be.

But I couldn’t – wouldn’t – tell anyone who your father was. I could never forget the look in his eyes that day. The betrayal written across his face. All the things we didn’t say, and the secret that tore us apart.

I thought I was hiding the truth to protect us. But now as I lie in this hospital ward, my life hanging in the balance, blinking in the bright white lights, all I can think about is how that man, your dad, could be your only hope… but how can I save us when it already seems too late? Or will I be just in time to reunite our family?

Fans of Diane Chamberlain, Jodi Picoult and Kate Hewitt will be swept away by this heartbreaking, totally gripping page-turner about motherhood, grief and a family torn apart by secrets.

 

BUY LINKS:

https://geni.us/B0BQ7P48B1social

MY THOUGHTS:

 

Title:   A Child’s Goodbye

Author:  Ali Mercer

Publisher:  Bookouture

Genre:   Women’s Fiction 

Format:  Kindle and Audio ARC

Narrated By:  Stephanie Lane

No. of Pages:   445

Date of Publication:   March 28, 2023

My Rating:   5 Stars

Callie kept a secret for years. She never told anybody who the father of her son Billy was. Callie loved Billy to distraction, and when she is injured in a car accident, her life - their lives - will never be the same again. Callie not sharing who fathered Billy caused a lot of conflict between her and her mother. In fact, they grew apart because of her secret.

Because of her injury and hospitalization as well as recovery, Callie’s mother did step in. This was a real joy to Billy, because he always wanted to know his grandmother. But there is another important person in this very touching story. That person is Billy’s father. This is where we meet Reuben. He is currently home to care for his ailing father and a connection starts to be recognized between him and Callie from years previously.  

As I listened to this as an audiobook, I was completely pulled into the story, especially as this strong, emotional drama between four people whose lives were intertwined, but would also be changed forever. The title alone definitely tells the reader that there would be a tragedy involved. How intense, how harsh, how sad that tragedy would end up being is almost made clear, but the story is so warm, so touching, that it was impossible to put down. Ali Mercer has written, yet another effective story that pulls you into the drama involved. Stephanie Lane did an excellent job in her narration, especially when it came to the emotion of all of the characters involved.  

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

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Ali decided she wanted to be a writer early on and wrote her first novel when she was at primary school. She did an English degree and spent her early twenties working in various jobs in journalism, including as a reporter for the showbusiness newspaper The Stage. She started writing fiction in earnest after getting married, moving out of London to the Oxfordshire market town of Abingdon and starting a family. She has two children, a daughter and a son who is autistic and was diagnosed when he was four years old.

Ali is fascinated by families, their myths and secrets, and the forces that hold them together, split them up and (sometimes) bring them back together again. She always travels with tissues and a book and has been known to cry over a good story, but is also a big fan of the hopeful ending.

 

Author Social Media Links:

For updates and pictures, follow Ali on Twitter (@AlisonLMercer) or Instagram (@alimercerwriter), or on her Facebook page (AliMercerwriter)

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AliMercerwriter/

Twitter:  https://twitter.com/alisonlmercer

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alimercerwriter/

Bookouture Email Sign Up: https://www.bookouture.com/ali-mercer

Website: https://alimercerwriter.com/

BLOG YOUR - The New One

Title:   The New One

Author:  Evie Green

Publisher:   Berkley

Genre:   Science Fiction; Horror

Format:  Kindle ARC

No. of Pages:   400

Date of Publication:   March 28, 2023

My Rating:   5 Stars 

DESCRIPTION:

A suspenseful, cutting-edge novel about two parents who finally get the daughter they’ve always wanted—it’s too bad she isn’t real. From the author of We Hear Voices.

For Tamsyn and Ed, life is tough. They both work long hours for very little money and come home to their moody, rebellious daughter, Scarlett.

After a tragic accident leaves Scarlett comatose and with little chance of recovery, Tamsyn and Ed are out of options until a lifeline emerges in the form of an unusual medical trial. In exchange for the very best treatment for Scarlett, a fully furnished apartment, and a limitless spending account, the family must agree to move to Switzerland and welcome an artificial copy of their daughter into their home.

Suddenly their life is transformed. Tamsyn and Ed want for nothing, and the AI replacement, Sophie, makes it feel just like having their daughter back—except without all the bad parts. Sophie is engaged, happy, and actually wants to spend time with her parents.

But things take a turn for the worse when Scarlett makes a very real recovery and the family discovers that the forces behind their new life are darker than they ever could have imagined.

Praise for We Hear Voices by Evie Green

“Prepare for major goose bumps.”—PopSugar

“We Hear Voices is startling in both its prescience and premise. Deliciously chilling, this is also a book filled with heart—the terror experienced by Rachel when she discovers her little boy has survived a terrible virus only to suffer from voice-hearing is breathtaking in its realism. While the plot is perfectly paced and races to a terrifying climax, the relationships between the characters are gorgeous and stay with the reader long after their heart rate returns to normal.”—C. J. Cooke, author of The Nesting

“The must-have for any horror fan.”—Marie Claire

“An electrifying science-fiction thriller.”—Publishers Weekly (starred review)

Link to purchase the book

MY THOUGHTS:

 

Desperate to keep medical treatment for their daughter Scarlett, Tamsyn and Ed are prepared to move heaven and earth and that’s exactly what they do. Their options were limited, almost completely gone, so they agreed to join a medical trial, and this includes moving to Switzerland. If they do, they will receive an artificial daughter, a clone of Scarlett, who has been lying in a coma for weeks.  

As unbelievable, is this for both of them to consider, the team handling this transformation as promised them that they will be able to not only love their “new daughter”, but should the actual Scarlett awaken from her coma, simple arrangements can be made to resume their normal life, although they might really want to remain in Switzerland.  

As unimaginable as this is for Tamsyn and Ed, their lives had already been made quite difficult by a rebellious Scarlett, and this opportunity gives them a fresh start, and they soon discover that living with the remodel is better than they could’ve imagined. Then Scarlett wakes up, and the former family of three has just become a family of four. When her clone begins to have other ideas that is when things begin to go wrong.  

What a different story! It was edgy, immersive, speculative and addicting! What is more is that I loved how nothing was as it seemed, especially when talented author Evie Green began pulling out the shocking twists that simply left me breathless. This says a lot about me as this mixed genre of science fiction and horror is completely out of my wheelhouse, but boy did I love this book!

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

Please enjoy the following excerpt:

THE NEW ONE by Evie Green Berkley Trade Paperback Original | On sale March 28, 2023 Excerpt   PROLOGUE I listen for a long time before any of the words make sense. When they do, I can grab only a word here or there. Soleil. Le weekend. I try to hold on to the other words but I can't reach them. Everything comes and goes. I am floating. After a while I realize I am not floating. I have a body. I am in a body. I am a body. My eyes are closed, and after a long time I think that since I am back in my body, I might try to open them. After some more time, I try. It doesn't work. I know there is noise, but I can’t make sense of it. My sense of smell seems as if someone switched it on, and it is unbearable. The smells crowd into my head and I want them to go away. It smells like medicine, clean things, chemicals. Not home. Things hurt. People do things to me. They poke me and move me, and sometimes it hurts and sometimes I don’t feel anything. I sense light outside my eyelids. It goes away and comes back. It gets darker and then lighter. I drift back to my dark place, and I come up again. One day the sounds start to form shapes and I find that I know a word. I know that it is the word for the person I need, the person who will pull me out of here. I try to make my mouth say it: “Mum.” Chapter 1 Five months before November She had been daydreaming. The water had evaporated and the cauliflower was sticking to the bottom of the pan and the potatoes were burning, because she'd forgotten all of it. It was salvageable, but she didn't want it. "Oh, shut up," she told it nonsensically, and turned off the gas ring. Everything annoyed her. She tried to focus on the television. It was a reality show, one that usually distracted her just enough. Tonight, though, it wasn't working. Scarlett wasn't missing. She was out. If she hadn't overdone the cover story by throwing in Leanne, it wouldn't have been worrying yet. It was still all right. She messaged her. Please just send a text. Nothing happened. She messaged again and called her phone and she didn't answer. She turned the TV off and messaged Ed, hating the fact that she was admitting defeat again. He replied at ten forty-five. Fuck's sake honey! Again?!???? Yeah, I'll find her. At least he replied to her when it was about Scarlett. Since he worked late nights and she worked early mornings, they hardly saw each other. That was why they were still together. She looked at the photo on the wall. They had been happy once. It was a picture of the three of them taken when Scarlett was about four. They had been on the beach at Perranporth, standing in front of the Atlantic Ocean, the beach wide and sandy around them. Their hair was blowing around and they were laughing. Scarlett stood between them, holding their hands. They had been happy because Scarlett had been a dreamy child. They had been happy because their relationship was newer, and they weren't ground down by life. Scarlett had been an adorable little girl, always asking questions about everything. They had kept her supplied with books from the library, had tried to find the answers she needed, had done everything they could to help her have a better life than they did. She had learned to read before she went to school, and together they had all learned a bit of French from an app. Her parents agreed (as all parents probably did) that their daughter was exceptionally bright and brilliant, and as the years went by, they encouraged her to do her homework, to be top of the class, to excel at everything and keep her options wide open. She was exactly average-sized for her age, which seemed like a good thing: she could never be teased for being too big or too small. She had curly dark hair and intense brown eyes, and she would climb into bed with them at night, cuddling up and whispering, "I love you so much, Mummy." She used to ask for a baby brother. Her favorite color was blue. She wanted to see snow. She wanted to have snowball fights, to climb mountains, to see the pyramids. She wanted to do everything. She had been the best child ever. And then, a few weeks before she turned thirteen, Scarlett had changed.   Excerpted from The New One by Evie Green Copyright © 2023 by Evie Green. Excerpted by permission of Berkley. All rights reserved.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Evie Green is a pseudonym for a British author who has written professionally for her entire adult life. She lives by the sea in England with her husband, children, and guinea pigs, and loves writing in the very early morning, fueled by coffee.

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BLOG TOUR - When Tomorrow Came

DESCRIPTION:

They Waited Their Whole Lives for Their Papa to Return

Nan and Heath Duncan, siblings abandoned by their papa and abused by their guardian, have no choice but to survive on the London streets. When a kind gentleman rescues Nan from such a life, the siblings are separated and raised in two vastly different social worlds. Just when both are beginning to flourish and years have healed some of their wounds, their long-awaited papa returns and reunites them--bringing demands with him. Nan is expected to marry a rich suitor she's never liked, and Heath is expected to forsake his gentle spirit and become the hardened man his father always was. 

Dangers unfold, secret love develops, fights ensue, and murder upsets the worlds Heath and Nan have built for themselves. They've waited their whole lives for their papa to return, for tomorrow to come--but now that it has, will they be able to see through to the truth and end this whirlwind of a nightmare before it costs one of their lives?

PRAISE FOR WHEN TOMORROW CAME

• "The plot is full of intrigue, and it’s anchored by complicated characters whose secrets are slowly, carefully revealed. Readers will be hooked."— Publisher’s Weekly

• “Filled with intrigue, heartache, love, and a cast of beloved characters…this unique story had me crying and cheering. I can’t wait to read her next book!”—Kimberley Woodhouse, bestselling author of the award-winning Secrets of the Canyon series

• When Tomorrow Came captured my heart from the very beginning…All the characters were so endearing and the story line with mystery and suspense kept me up way too late.”— Dana Michael, Goodreads

 

PURCHASE LINKS:

AMAZON | BARNES & NOBLE | BOOK DEPOSITORY | BOOKSHOP | GOODREADS

 

MY THOUGHTS:

Title:   When Tomorrow Came 

Author:  Hannah Linder

Publisher:  Barbour Fiction

Genre:   Historical Fiction 

Format:  Kindle ARC

No. of Pages:   412

Date of Publication:   April 1, 2023

My Rating:   4 Stars 

Nan and Heath Duncan found themselves on the street while they were very young. As a tot, Nan was taken in by a prominent and very caring family. Heath had a good life as well, although starkly different from Nan’s. When their father reappears in their lives many years later, one of the things that he does is places an expectation upon Nan to marry a rich suitor, someone that she truly dislikes. 

Nan wanted nothing more than to make her father happy. However, as her heart eventually became torn, this could have placed a strain on the two becoming more reacquainted. Meanwhile, Heath starts to recognize the direction of his heart, but does not find his path easy. Then there is Gilbert, the son of the family that raised Nan, and it soon becomes evident that something is brewing in that direction.

Most the characters looked towards tomorrow and faith when it came to trying to make good decisions that would not make their lives any worse than they had previously experienced. While the story certainly had a tragic start, with more than one dark moment therein, as well as a mystery that unfolded, it soon became one of hope and comfort. 

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

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Hannah Linder resides in the beautiful mountains of central West Virginia. Represented by Books & Such, she writes Regency romantic suspense novels. She is a double 2021 Selah Award winner, a 2022 Selah Award finalist, and a member of American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW). Hannah is a Graphic Design associate degree graduate who specializes in professional book cover design. She designs for both traditional publishing houses and individual authors, including New York Times, USA Today, and international bestsellers. She is also a local photographer and a self-portrait photographer. When Hannah is not writing, she enjoys playing her instruments--piano, guitar, and ukulele--songwriting, painting still life, walking in the rain, and sitting on the front porch of her 1800s farmhouse. 

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BLOG TOUR - Bayou Beloved

Title:   Bayou Beloved

Author:  Lexi Blake

Series:  Butterfly Bayou #6
Publisher:  Berkley Books

Genre:  Romance

Format:  Kindle ARC

No. of Pages:   336

Date of Publication:   March 28, 2023

My Rating:   4 Stars

DESCRIPTION:

When a woman returns home to Louisiana's Butterfly Bayou, her high school crush finally notices she exists, in a small-town contemporary romance from New York Times bestselling author Lexi Blake.

Quaid Havery always planned to follow in his father's footsteps. He went to law school and then came home to take over his dad's legal practice. Being the only lawyer in small-town Papillon, Quaid is pretty sure he's seen everything. After all, he was once asked to sue an alligator for defamation of character. He's prepared for anything the town can throw at him, until he encounters Jayna Cardet. She's gorgeous, smart, funny, and unlike any woman he's met before....Except he has.

Jayna never thought she'd return to Papillon, but when her life gets turned around she must learn to live in the close-knit community again. She certainly never dreamed she would practice law in her little town, but she finds herself in the courtroom, and the opposing counsel is her former high school crush, Quaid. It wouldn't be so bad if the man had developed a beer belly, but Quaid is more handsome than ever. And instead of ignoring her like he did in high school, he's made it plain that he wants to get to know her.

Thus begins a courtship destined to end in a wedding or a war. Either way, the locals are popping some corn and eagerly awaiting the outcome.

Link to purchase the book

MY THOUGHTS:

 

Quaid Havery back home in his small town of Papillon, and he has a duty to fulfill. He has taken over his father’s legal practice, and is about to discover that meeting Jayna Cardet is about to change the course of his life. 

As Jayna is now an attorney, the last place that she thought she would practice law was in Papillon, where she was born and raised. Finding herself facing a handsome lawyer in the laidback courtroom catches her by surprise. But the lawyer is not just any handsome fellow, he is none other than her high school crush. However, although he does not seem to recognize her from school, he definitely likes what he sees and angles to get to know her better. 

Will the couple get on now? Also, how will the small town have room for two lawyers? With text messaging and well meaning neighbors, there is no doubt that Jayna and Quaid are destined to be together. With delightful banter and likable characters, this sixth book in a warm and engaging series was a pleasure to read. 

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

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

New York Times bestselling author Lexi Blake lives in North Texas with her husband and three kids. Since starting her publishing journey in 2010, she’s sold over three million copies of her books. She began writing at a young age, concentrating on plays and journalism. It wasn’t until she started writing romance that she found success. She likes to find humor in the strangest places and believes in happy endings.

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BLOG BLITZ - Murder in Postscript

Title:    Murder in Postcript

Author:  Mary Winters

Series:  Lady of Letters Mystery #1
Publisher:  Berkley Books

Genre:   Mystery & Thrillers

Format:  Kindle ARC

No. of Pages:  320  

Date of Publication:   March 28, 2023

My Rating:    4 Stars

DESCRIPTION:

When one of her readers asks for advice following a suspected murder, Victorian countess Amelia Amesbury, who secretly pens the popular Lady Agony column, has no choice but to investigate in this first book in a charming new historical mystery series.

Amelia Amesbury—widow, mother, and countess—has a secret. Amelia writes for a London penny paper, doling out advice on fashion, relationships, and manners under the pen name Lady Agony. But when a lady’s maid writes Amelia to ask for advice when she believes her mistress has been murdered—and then ends up a victim herself—Amelia is determined to solve the case.

With the help of her best friend and a handsome marquis, Amelia begins to piece together the puzzle, but as each new thread of inquiry ends with a different suspect, the investigation grows ever more daunting. From London’s docks and ballrooms to grand country houses, Amelia tracks a killer, putting her reputation—and her life—on the line.

Link to purchase the book

MY THOUGHTS:

 

Amelia Amesbury is far more than a widowed countess and mother. In fact, she pens an advice column for a local newspaper under the pseudonym Lady Agony. The advice that she offers to her readers goes further than the written word. A recent letter from a reader has Amelia looking for a possible murderer. Not only is this not Amelia’s first time helping out her readers, she is not alone in this as she has the help of her best friend and now a marquis she meets named Simon who affects her more than she’d like to admit. 

At first it seems that Amelia just might be on the right track, but the clues quickly lead to more than one possible suspect. No matter how confounding things get for her, she soldier’s on, desperate to find the killer before they can strike again. 

This engaging new cozy mystery series starts off with a bang with our intrepid heroine leaving no stone unturned. The romance brewing between Amelia and Simon is set at a nice pace. Also, the formatting of this book contains a lot of letters from readers seeking advice and Amelia’s wise counsel. These exchanges add to the enjoyment of this delightful read. I can’t wait for the next book in this series to next see what Amelia will be getting into. 

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

Please enjoy the following excerpt:

MURDER IN POSTSCRIPT by Mary Winters Berkley Trade Paperback Original | On Sale March 28, 2023 Excerpt    Winifred gave Amelia an impulsive hug, and Amelia breathed in the beautiful strawberry scent of the child. Edgar hadn’t given her love—he wouldn’t risk passing on his degenerative condition— but he had given her his dear niece, and for that, Amelia would always be grateful. When the girl was gone, Amelia took the letters into the library, her favorite room in the house. It was something else Edgar had given her that she’d enjoyed very much—a home with books. While the Feathered Nest had plenty of room for dining and entertaining, it did not afford much room for books, just the special theatricals the family loved and performed. One of her favorite performances was Romeo and Juliet, probably because she and Grady were central characters. Most times her eldest sister, Penelope, took the lead roles. Indeed, Penelope was better at memorizing lines, but Amelia was better at improvising. She stopped and inhaled a breath. The room smelled of cloves and paper and past cigars. Hundreds of leather-bound tomes filled the wooden bookshelves that lined the two-story room. She bypassed the books and made for the large rosewood desk, situated in a bright alcove of windows. It faced a dark green couch, striped chairs, and an ornate oval table. In a nearby corner was a smaller table, with heavy crystal glasses and fine liquor. And on the far wall was a grand stone fireplace, surrounded by two soft damask chairs, comfortable enough for reading and dozing. She’d spent many nights there doing just that. Slice went the letter opener, revealing the contents for her eyes only. She scanned the penmanship: hurried, sloppy, and slightly smudged from tears. Definitely a relationship problem. Settling into her chair, she began to read the letter. Dear Lady Agony, You are a lady of repute. Please tell me what to do. I love the boy next door, but he’s unaware of my feelings. I am certain we possess a special bond, for he smiles at me so. But he’s going to ask another girl to marry him. He told me his plan on the way to the well. I stumbled away, confused, but how I longed to tell him the truth of my feelings. Am I too late? Devotedly, Too Late for Love Amelia dunked her quill in the ink. This one was easy, a drop in the bucket of love letters. She began her response, which would be printed in the magazine. Readers’ letters weren’t included, and a good thing, too. Amelia had a feeling many writers would be embarrassed later by the emotion they’d poured into their requests. Dear Too Late for Love, It’s never too late for love. In fact, I prefer the old, and perhaps wiser, adage, Better Late than Never. In your case, it cannot be truer. You love the boy and are late to admit it. Yes. However, there is still time. He hasn’t asked anyone to marry—yet. Best he knows your true feelings before he proceeds. Even if he does not reciprocate them, you will feel secure in the knowledge that you told him. And that is a feeling you can live with. The other is not. Yours in Secret, Lady Agony The next letter was just as clear-cut. It was from a reader who was jealous of her friend’s hair, though she didn’t say so outright. The letter accused the friend of spending too much time dressing her long, blonde, thick locks, but it was obvious to Amelia that the letter writer wished for the hair herself. Another dunk into the inkwell, and Amelia was poised to respond. Dear Hair, There, and Everywhere, Some women are born with great hair. Others are born with great wit, vivacity, or kindness. Cultivate one of the latter. Or purchase a wig. The choice is just that simple. Yours in Secret, Lady Agony She waited a moment before opening the last letter, savoring the unknown contents. It would be tomorrow afternoon before she received more letters, the mysteries that made up her day. Because of the popularity of the column, Grady made certain the letters arrived daily so that she wouldn’t fall behind. She turned the envelope over in her hands, positioning it in front of the light. A few drops of spring sunshine shone through the windows, making burgundy flecks on the wall as it bounced off the nearby decanter of brandy. Soon a housemaid would be in to start a fire, to warm the chill brought on by the late afternoon. Then Amelia would enjoy a glass of sherry before dressing for dinner, a complicated affair that she had never quite mastered. She noted the seal of the envelope had been hastily done. Dashed out at the last minute, perhaps, the letter might contain time-sensitive information. Amelia unfolded the paper. The handwriting, no better than chicken scratch, was hard to decipher. Written at a slant, possibly in this morning’s rain burst, it was wrinkled and marked. Yet the writer’s desperation was clear from the first sentence. Amelia scanned the letter twice before dropping her quill, splattering ink on the desk. She grabbed her spectacles and read it a third time. Her eyes must be deceiving her. It was indeed dated this morning. Dear Lady Agony, You are my last hope, for I have nowhere else to turn. Could you meet me at St. James’s Park at nine o’clock this evening? Make sure no one follows you. I believe someone is following me. I’ll be at the bench by the pond. You will know me by my red hat. Please make every effort. I’ve witnessed something dreadful, and I fear the worst. Devotedly, Charlotte Postscript: I think my mistress was murdered.     Excerpted from Murder in Postscript by Mary Winters Copyright © 2023 by Mary Winters. Excerpted by permission of Berkley. All rights reserved.

 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Mary Winters is the author of the Lady Agony mystery series. A longtime reader of historical fiction and an author of two other mystery series, Mary set her latest work in Victorian England after being inspired by a trip to London. Since then, she’s been busily planning her next mystery—and another trip!

BLOG TOUR - An Island Far From Home

  

DESCRIPTION:

Rosie realised she loved the man standing before her. She wanted to spend the rest of her life with him. And if he were to fall in France, heaven help them both, she knew she would not regret one last night with him…

1941, Canada: When Rosie Lyman and her cousin Violet join the Canadian Women’s Army Corps, Rosie is uncertain about leaving her life in Ontario behind and entering a new and challenging world of duty and service.

From the moment Rosie signs up, the intensity of the work pushes all thoughts of home from her mind. And when she is selected for officer training and a placement overseas in London, Rosie finds herself swept up into an exciting world of classified postings she could never have imagined…

When she meets handsome Lieutenant Thomas Crewe, with sparkling blue eyes and a smile like a movie star, Rosie soon finds herself falling in love for the very first time. With precious moments together restricted to weekends on leave, the pair try to steal as much time together as they can.

But when Rosie hears that Thomas’s division is flying in the D-Day invasion, she feels like her heart might break. Will he survive the battle? And can she find the strength within herself to go on if he doesn’t?

The fifth novel in the page-turning Amherst Island series, set during the Second World War in Canada and England, this gripping and truly unmissable read is perfect for fans of The Orphan Sisters and My Name is Eva.

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MY THOUGHTS:

 

Title:   An Island Far From Home

Author:  Kate Hewitt 

Series:  Amherst Island #5

Publisher:  Bookouture 

Genre:   Historical Fiction 

Format:  Kindle ARC

No. of Pages:   260

Date of Publication:   March 27, 2024

My Rating:   4 Stars

When Rosie Lyman’s life took a very different turn during the dark days of WWII, she was forced to make very difficult decisions. An Island Far From Home is the touching fifth book in a compelling series by Kate Hewitt. 

While growing up, Rosie shattered her father, when it came to his work as a lawyer. Soon to finish school, Rosie had visions of joining her father. However, that was not to be the case, and she ended up following her cousin and joining the Canadian Women’s Army Corps. Wow her wife did not go in the direction that she expected, she excelled at whatever she said her hand at. Meeting an American admin name, Thomas brought live into Rosie’s life.

Duty was first in her life, especially when tragedy ensued. While love was a factor, heartbreak was an even bigger factor in Rosie’s life. While the story has a big focus on the love that Rosie found in her life, it also explored her relationship with her cousin Violet, who had been her very dear friend. The cousins could not have been more different, and it was explored as to the roles that each of them played. This powerful story was very intriguing and provided history about women’s roles in the Canadian armed services, all while showcasing excellent prose. 

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

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Kate Hewitt is the author of many romance and women’s fiction novels. A former New Yorker and now an American ex-pat, she lives in a small town on the Welsh border with her husband, five children, and their overly affectionate Golden Retriever. Whatever the genre, she enjoys telling stories that tackle real issues and touch people’s lives. 

https://www.kate-hewitt.com/

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