BLOG TOUR - The Italian Daughter

DESCRIPTION:

Italy, 1946. “Estee, I bought this ring years ago and have kept it safe ever since. You’re the only woman I’ve ever loved.” She reached for Felix’s hand and gently closed it over the box. “No,” she whispered. “I want you to propose only when you’re truly free.”

Estee always believed that she would spend her life with her childhood sweetheart Felix. But when her incredible gift for dance gave her the opportunity to move to a big city and provide for her mother, she knew she had to sacrifice her happiness for her family’s future and a chance at a better life.

But years later, in a city of over a million people, Felix finds Estee. Due to marry the daughter of a prominent family, he is prepared to sacrifice everything to be with the love of his life. But Estee knows what is at stake: his family’s love and his livelihood could be lost forever if she says yes. Can she really follow her heart if it means him losing everything?

London, present day: Lily clutches a faded piece of paper in her hands, knowing that her life will never be the same again. Whilst grieving for her late father, she is told that her grandmother was born in a home for unmarried mothers, the only clues to her past contained on a handwritten Italian recipe and an old theatre programme.

Desperate for answers, Lily accepts a job on an Italian vineyard – a dream her father once shared. Lily receives a warm welcome from the owner’s charming son Antonio and as they chat long into the night, Antonio offers to help her discover her family’s heritage.

But arriving in Estee and Felix’s village, Lily unearths a tragic love story which has the power to change her future. As she unravels the truth of her own legacy, she begins to fall for Italy and for Antonio. Can Lily give up everything she has ever known to rebuild her life or will the risk of heartbreak force her home?

An utterly enchanting and heartbreaking novel about lost loves, family secrets and enduring hope. Perfect for fans of Santa Montefiore, Lucinda Riley and Victoria Hislop.

BUY LINK:

https://geni.us/B0B53Z9H3Nsocial

MY THOUGHTS:

 

Title:   The Italian Daughter

Author:  Soraya M. Lane

Series:  The Lost Daughters #1
Publisher:  Bookouture

Genre:   Historical Fiction

Format:  Kindle ARC

No. of Pages:   305    

Date of Publication:   September 23, 2022  

My Rating:   5 Stars

In this heartbreaking story, In 1945 Lake Como, Estee shows amazing strength of character. Estee started off as a young ballerina with hopes of joining La Scala, a highly sought after ballet company. With a very demanding mother, and a new friendship struck with Felix, Estee finds herself torn more than once. As a child, she has big dreams, and was being taught by her mother that winning came at a price. Thankfully, she struck up a friendship with 14-year-old Felix when she was 12 years old. Her story continues with heartbreak, love and loss. 

In present day London, we have Lily, who has just come back from New Zealand. Lily is a winemaker who travels to different countries learning every nuance involved in the making of wine. She got her love for winemaking from her father, and has been following her dreams ever since. Grapes, soil and every aspect of winemaking comes naturally to Lily. Lily is hoping to make another trip, but before she sets out, she finds an odd note among her grandmother's belongings. This leads her to a box that bore her grandmother's name. The contents of that box will change Lily's life forever.

Lily is about to take on a new job, working with a winegrower and his family in the Como region in Italy. Perhaps this is fortuitous, as the contents of the box she found proves that her grandmother may have been Italian. While heading off to Italy for the next several months, she hopes to ask around to try and dig up things about her grandmother's past. More than finding answers, Lily also meets Antonio, the winegrower's son in Como, and she just might finally take a chance with her heart.

Estee from 1945. Lily from present day. In what ways do their lives converge? While Lily's story was one of hope, it was Estee's story that broke my heart into pieces more than once. We find how Estee's relationship with Felix began, flourished and floundered. Along the way we realize how her heart was fully his at a time when he could not offer her the same, although the love he had for her was palpable. It was this book that finally made me understand why certain decisions are made when they come with good and altruistic reasons.

The Italian Daughter is book one in the The Lost Daughters series by Soraya M. Lane. I was fully enthralled with this story and could not put it down. I got this ebook also as an audiobook which was expertly narrated by Zoe Mills. Listening to this book brought both sadness and joy, and the narrator did a fabulous job helping my emotions to ride that roller coaster of all the feels. This wonderful story wrapped up with a wonderful conclusion and now I cannot wait for book two in this series, which I believe will be The Sugar King's Daughter. That second book will also be in dual timeline fashion.

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

Please enjoy my YouTube video review - 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Soraya Lane graduated with a law degree before realising that law wasn't the career for her and that her future was in writing. She is the author of historical and contemporary women's fiction, including the #1 Kindle bestselling novels The Last Correspondent and The Secrets We Left Behind. 

Soraya lives on a small farm in her native New Zealand with her husband, their two young sons and a collection of four legged friends. When she's not writing, she loves to be outside playing make-believe with her children or snuggled up inside reading.

Author social media

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

Instagram @SorayaLaneAuthor

Website: https://www.sorayalane.com

Newsletter sign up:

https://www.bookouture.com/soraya-lane-email-sign-up/

BLOG TOUR - Taken Before Dawn

DESCRIPTION:

The early morning light illuminates the girl’s ivory skin. Little cuts are carved into her cheeks—one under each eye. But her body is still. The perfectly round wound above her heart has stopped it beating forever…

When Detective Casey White is called to a murder scene on an empty stretch of coastal road, her whole team is in a panic. Could the body be their missing colleague Samantha? The promising investigator was last seen two days ago, going home after an evening of dancing with friends. Her family are beside themselves with worry.

Casey’s relief is short-lived when she sees the short dark hair of another woman. Pauline Rydel has been missing for a week. Devastated that anyone would take this innocent life, and terrified Samantha will be next, the tear-shaped cuts on the victim’s face make Casey’s heart stop. She’s seen these marks before…

On one of her very first cases a murderer known as the Midnight Killer stole young women in the darkest hours, kept them alive for seven days, and abandoned their bodies at dawn. Casey was seconds away from catching him when she made a deadly mistake that’s haunted her ever since. After all these years, is he back?

Knowing every second counts, Casey is pouring over forensics when another body is found. This time, markings on the back of the victim’s neck spell out Casey’s name.

With everyone in this small community scared for their daughters’ lives, Casey must face up to the past in her most personal case yet. But even if she sacrifices herself, will it be too late to save one of her own?

An utterly addictive thriller that fans of Kendra Elliot, Lisa Regan and A.J. Rivers won’t be able to put down!

BUY LINK:

ttps://geni.us/B0B829DQ7Zsocial

MY THOUGHTS:

 

Title:   Taken Before Dawn

Author:  B. R. Spangler

Series:  Detective Casey White #7
Publisher:  Bookouture 

Genre:   Mystery & Thrillers 

Format:  Kindle ARC 

No. of Pages:   273

Date of Publication:   September 23, 2022

My Rating:   5 Stars

After a night out, Samantha is snatched. Samantha is part of Detective Casey White’s team and several of them were out together that night. Casey is now on the job, Not only has Samantha disappeared, telltale marks on a very recent murder victim bear strong resemblance, and irrefutable proof that a serial killer from Casey's past is back in play. The killer was called "The Midnight Killer”. Casey does not doubt that Samantha is in the killer’s hands. With a race against time, Casey and the rest of her team search feverishly for Samantha with hopes of finding her alive.

The killer was active when Casey was working on the Philadelphia police force, and kept victims alive for seven days before they were killed. This gives them hope that if this killer does have Samantha, they have a short window of time to find her alive. When another victim has a clue that points right to Casey, the pressure is truly on. Everyone is terrified that not only will Samantha be killed, but other victims, including Casey, could possibly lose their lives.

As I have been reading this series from the very beginning, Casey has become a character that I have come to know and love especially with her painful past as her daughter was kidnapped at three years of age. That case has been solved, and it is that part of Casey’s personal life that comes up from time to time in this newest book in the series. In fact, as concerned as Casey is about what is going on right now, she is also contemplating her future, and this affects other characters in this compelling book and series.

While reading this compelling story I was hit with more than one chilling revelation. So chilling, that goose bumps hit me more than once. B. R. Spangler is a fabulous writer and has made this series better and better with each book. Although this newest book could be read as a standalone because enough snippets of Casey’s past come to light, the series really would be better if consumed from the beginning and read in order. With excellent pacing, relatable characters, personal connections between the characters, a thrilling plot and an exciting conclusion, Taken Before Dawn is a stunning seventh book in an utterly engaging series. 

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

Please enjoy my YouTube video review - 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

B.R. Spangler is a USA TODAY Bestselling Author of Mysteries and Crime Thrillers.

A resident of Virginia with a wonderful family, including five cats, two birds and a lizard. During the day, the hours are filled with engineering work. Off hours, time is spent writing, editing, and thinking up the next great story.

With too many stories to write, books are split across pen names, writing crime thrillers, science fiction, horrors, paranormal and contemporary fiction.

To keep up to date, sign up for the BRSpangler newsletter by copying and pasting this link into a browser: https://brspangler.com/sign-up. No spam will ever get sent, just some random musings or a heads up on when the next book is published.

Author Social Media Links:

To keep up to date, sign up for his newsletter by copying and pasting this link into your browser: https://brspangler.com/sign-up/  

 

TWITTER: https://twitter.com/BR_Spangler

FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/authorbrianspangler/

Bookouture Email Sign Up: https://www.bookouture.com/br-spangler  

BLOG TOUR - The Foster Family

DESCRIPTION:

In their holiday home, a stone’s throw from the beach, Elizabeth dials the police with trembling hands. ‘My little boy, he’s missing.’

Elizabeth is Joe’s foster mother, but she loves him like her own. The five-year-old, who adores superheroes and watching the birds outside, is the child she has dreamed of. As she looks into the garden, where he was playing just moments ago, her heart feels like it has been ripped from her chest.

She was meant to save Joe from his birth mother who almost harmed his chances at life. The woman who has been trying to desperately get him back.

She was meant to protect Joe from her husband. The man who, right now, lies to the police, saying he was making breakfast when Joe disappeared. Who squeezes her shoulder, ordering her to be quiet.

She was meant to look after Joe. They are just footsteps from the ocean, and little Joe can’t swim.

Then Joe’s tiny blue sandal is found in the water. If the worst has happened – the unimaginable – Elizabeth will never forgive herself. Because what if the secret she has been keeping for years, the guilt eating her alive, has somehow hurt her little boy?

It’s time to tell the truth – even if it means losing the child who is her whole world. Even if it could be the death of her.

A totally addictive, twist-packed psychological thriller about family secrets, a marriage on the edge, and the deadly line between love and hate. Perfect for fans of Lisa Jewell, Liane Moriarty and Freida McFadden.

BUY LINKS:

Amazon: https://geni.us/B0B61KQW53social

Apple: https://geo.itunes.apple.com/us/book/the-foster-family/id6443122765?itsct=books_toolbox&itscg=30200&at=1010lnPy&ct=B0B61KQW53-social-media-&ls=1     

Kobo: https://www.kobobooks.com/search/search.html?q=9781803144795

Google: https://play.google.com/store/books/details?id=Ot15EAAAQBAJ

MY THOUGHTS:

 

Title:   The Foster Family

Author:  Nicole Trope

Publisher:  Bookouture

Genre:   Psychological Thriller

Format:  Kindle ARC

No. of Pages:   305

Date of Publication:   September 21, 2022

My Rating:   5 Stars

Elizabeth and Howard are foster parents to five-year-old Joe. For years they always wanted children, and now they have this adorable little boy. For Howard, this will at least keep Elizabeth happy. For Elizabeth, she loves Joe with every fiber of her body. The little family goes away on vacation but before long Joe turns up missing.

Before Joe becomes missing, both Joe and Elizabeth met their elderly neighbor Gordon. Gordon is a very kind man and one of his hobbies is birds, and viewing the birds makes little Joe happy. Gordon is in the early stages of dementia but there is a side of him that notices things are not quite right with Joe and his family. However, just when Gordon wonders if he will say anything about his concerns, his memory fails him, even causing him to doubt whether or not he actually had any suspicions at all.

Regarding Elizabeth's marriage to Howard. They are far from being a happy couple. In fact, Howard is controlling and abusive, sadly including explosive episodes of physical violence. For their twenty-year marriage, Elizabeth has experienced cycle after cycle of Howard's abusive treatment. Sadly, with Joe entering into the picture, Howard's violence is often directed to the precious little boy. In fact, it go without saying that this book comes with trigger warnings of domestic and child abuse. 

There are alternating points of view in this emotional read by Nicole Trope. Also, there are two more characters that come into play in this riveting read. With intense drama, a sharp emotional edge and a satisfying conclusion, Nicole Trope has written another winner.

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

Please enjoy my YouTube video review as well -

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Nicole Trope went to university to study Law but realised the error of her ways when she did very badly on her first law essay because-as her professor pointed out- 'It's not meant to be a story.' She studied teaching instead and used her holidays to work on her writing career and complete a Masters' degree in Children's Literature.

The idea for her first published novel, The Boy under the Table, was so scary that it took a year for her to find the courage to write the emotional story. She went on to publish a further five novels in Australia before joining Bookouture in 2019. She is a USA Today and Amazon bestseller in the USA, UK, AUS and CAN.

She lives in Sydney with her husband and three children.

 

Author social media

Facebook: @NicoleTrope

Twitter: @nicoletrope

Author email sign up: https://www.bookouture.com/nicole-trope

 

BLOG TOUR - An Autumn Kiss

Title:   An Autumn Kiss

Authors:  Laura Rollins, Annette Lyon 

  and Lisa M. Catmull

Series:  Timeless Victorian Collection #7
Publisher:  Mirror Press

Genre:   Historical Romance

Format:  Audiobook ARC

No. of Pages:   300

Date of Publication:   September 20. 2022

My Rating:   4 Stars

DESCRIPTION:

An Autumn Kiss is the seventh book in the Timeless Victorian Collection, a bestselling anthology series from Mirror Press. The book features three novellas from acclaimed historical romance authors whose stories reveal if one kiss will change the lives of the three heroines.

“The Plucky Miss Ruth,” by Laura Rollins

Miss Ruth Hughes is certain she’s caught in a time loop—every day she wakes to find it exactly as the one before. A thrilling prospect to be sure. If the many books she reads on time travel has taught her anything, it is that to break free she must complete an all-important task. For Ruth the task is straightforward: reunite a couple, once desperately in love but forced apart by society. Unfortunately, things are not always as easy as they first appear. Struggling, Ruth opens up to the handsome Lord Lambert and he readily agrees to help. With autumn on the brink of turning into winter, time is running out for Ruth to help the ones who need her most. And, with a bit of luck, perhaps she can even find a little time for her own happily ever after.

“Mr. Dowling’s Remedy,” by Annette Lyon

Crandall Dowling’s aspirations of becoming a physician collapse when he develops symptoms that land him in an asylum. He’s been at Sherville Retreat long enough for autumn leaves to appear when Beverly Stanton arrives. She’s held under the dubious diagnosis of “hysteria” but seems perfectly sane, unlike Crandall, though his verbal and physical tics don’t seem to scare or even bother her. Beverly and Crandall develop a friendship fueled by an undeniable attraction that under other circumstances could become more. But in an asylum, one cannot plan a future, let alone one of love or marriage. Then tragedy strikes, testing staff and patients beyond anyone’s training. When the dust settles, Beverly’s diagnosis may be reversed, but if she leaves, what will become of her? What of Crandall? And what of their autumn-born love?

“A Railway Through the Roses,” by Lisa H. Catmull

Mr. Adrian Everard has tried everything to keep his father’s factory open, but a single solution remains. Marry an heiress before Christmas to fund the desperately needed railway. The local landowner, Lady Anne Baxter, will not agree to sell her garden—or her heart. Indeed, his childhood friend is determined to sabotage all his efforts to find a wife. As the deadline for Adrian to choose a bride draws close, one thing becomes painfully obvious. Saving the factory will mean losing the woman he loves forever.

ABOUT THE SERIES

Since 2015, Mirror Press has been presenting the Timeless Romance Collection, a curated anthology of novellas and short stories featuring bestselling authors from the contemporary and historical romance genres. The collection has hit the USA TODAY bestselling list and charted at #1 at Amazon.com. Learn more about the series and other anthologies published by Mirror Press at their website.   

ADVANCE PRAISE

• 5 STARS – “…a fun collection and each of them have something unique from most of the romances I've read. Very enjoyable reading.”— Maria Thomas, Goodreads

• “This anthology is truly wonderful. Each story is very distinct from the others, and each is also very compelling. It will keep you reading and wanting more with each page and chapter.”— Shauna Jones, Goodreads

• 5 STARS “absolutely adored this collection of short stories! I would recommend this collection to anyone who needs an escape for a couple of hours.”— Jzcotter03, Goodreads

PURCHASE LINKS:

AMAZON | BOOKBUB | GOODREADS

MY THOUGHTS:

“The Plucky Miss Ruth,” by Laura Rollins

Miss Ruth Hughes is a bold and daring young woman who is getting tired of the same day one after another. An avid reader, time travel books are among her favorites, especially The Time Machine by H. G. Wells. Distracted by her own life, she feels sad for her cousin who has lost her chance at love due to the demands of her parents. Her cousin lost her parents and she now lives with Ruth and her family. Ruth makes it her aim to reunite her cousin with her former love, not thinking she herself has any chance at finding it herself. Ruth is not alone in her endeavor, as she has the handsome Lord Lambert by her side. Could the kind and caring gentleman be the one to change the course of Ruth's mundane existence?

"Mr. Dowling's Remedy, by Annette Lyon

Crandall Dowling would have made a fine physician if not for being plagued with what we know today as Tourette Syndrome. The diagnosis was not clear during the Victorian erra and Crandall was thought to have an addled mind and possibly even be possessed. Now ensconced in an insane asylum, Crandall has little hope for his future. The course of Crandall's life changes when he meets Beverly Stanton. She is now a resident of the asylum mainly at the behest of her controlling stepfather. Could this couple not only find their way to love but also see past the walls of the asylum?

“A Railway Through the Roses,” by Lisa H. Catmull

Adrian Everand is running out of time to marry. If he does not choose and marry an heiress before Christmas, then his father's success in his factory, as well as the development of a railroad will meet with failure. Lady Anne Baxter and her property are in the way. What is more is that although lifelong friends with Adrian, the two never shared any romantic feelings. Knowing his determination to find an heiress, Anne is standing in Adrian's way, and this is perplexing to both of them.

Although this is an ongoing series and I had not read any of the previous books or novellas, I fell in love with each of these stories. The characters were wonderful. I loved the friendship that turned to love, the mental health representation in the second novella, and two lifelong friends realizing that they were perfect for one another. This was a quick and delightful read and each story was so very sweet.

 

Many thanks to the Mirror Press and to Austen Prose for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.

Please enjoy my YouTube video review - 

AUTHOR BIOS:

Laura Rollins

Laura Rollins has always loved a heart-melting happily ever after. It didn’t matter if the story took place in Regency England, or in a cobbler’s shop, if there was a sweet romance, she would read it.

​

Life has given her many of her own adventures. Currently she lives in the Rocky Mountains with her best friend, who is also her husband, and their four beautiful children. She still loves to read books and more books; her favorite types of music are classical, Broadway, and country; she loves hiking in the mountains near her home; and she’s been known to debate with her oldest son about whether Infinity is better categorized as a number or an idea.

WEBSITE | FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM | GOODREADS

Annette Lyon

Annette Lyon is a USA Today bestselling author, a 9-time recipient of Utah’s Best in State medal for fiction (three times for novel-length works and five times for short fiction), and a Whitney Award winner for BAND OF SISTERS. She's the author of over a dozen novels, at least that many novellas, a cookbook, a popular grammar guide, and over a hundred magazine articles.

She’s a founder and regular contributor of the Timeless Romance Anthologies line of sweet romance stories, which she served as editor for its first three years. She's also one of the four co-authors of The Newport Ladies Book Club series. She graduated cum laude from BYU with a degree in English.

WEBSITE | TWITTER | FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM | GOODREADS

Lisa H. Catmull

I write clean and wholesome romances in the Victorian era and sweet contemporary romances. My books have been nominated for Swoony, RONE, and Whitney awards.

I taught Middle School English and History for seven years before pursuing screenwriting and writing. I currently live between a canyon and a lake in Utah with my husband, two cats, and two rambunctious children.

WEBSITE | TWITTER | FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM | GOODREADS

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