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Review: The Collector’s Daughter by Gill Paul
Like so many people, ancient Egypt is a source of endless fascination for me. When I saw this one was coming out, it was a no brainer—I had to read this one. I actually listened to the audio version on my commutes in Arizona. The narrator had a pleasant voice and made the book interesting while I was stuck in the desert traffic. Not to mention the story was equally interesting. A few years ago I read a non fiction novel on the Countess of Carnarvon and I had a deep affection for Lady Almina when I finished it. This book does not portray the Countess in a favorable light…
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Review: First Comes Scandal (Rokesbys #4) by Julia Quinn
After finishing a couple of other books in this series, I was primed to wrap the series up with this final installment. Nicholas was the brother I knew the least about as he was the youngest and I don’t know that I was looking forward to this one perhaps as much as the others simply because I didn’t know enough about his character from the previous books to really be interested in him. But as I have said before, Julia Quinn is the master at historical romances so I was happy to see what Nicholas Rokesby got up to in this one. Not to mention this one was a marriage…
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Review: The Other Miss Bridgerton (Rokesbys #3) by Julia Quinn
After reading the second book in this series, I immediately closed it and opened this one up. I couldn’t wait to read more about the Rokesby brothers and their romances. Andrew was my favorite brother from the first book and I was really looking forward to reading his romance. I was actually really surprised by this one, it went in directions I just wasn’t expecting. Julia Quinn is the master of historical romances and after reading just a couple of pages, I had to remind myself of that fact. I definitely questioned some of this book initially, but by the end I was swooning right along with Poppy over Captain…
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Review: The Girl with the Make-Believe Husband (Rokesbys #2) by Julia Quinn
There is absolutely nothing like a Julia Quinn novel to get me through a reading rut. I can literally pick up any Julia Quinn and be transported by the charming story, romance, and witty dialogue. I adore her Bridgerton books and the Rokesby books are a prequel to the main Bridgerton series. I read Because of Miss Bridgerton earlier in the spring, and I quickly ordered the other books in this series. I actually meant to read this book while I was in Arizona but I forgot it at home and yes I could have downloaded it to my iPad but I already had a copy at home so I…
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Review: A Most Clever Girl: A Novel of an American Spy by Stephanie Marie Thornton
I started reading Stephanie Marie Thornton’s books years ago and absolutely feel in love with her story telling style! One of the things I found the most compelling was she wrote stories about women in antiquity. Women that wouldn’t be likely to have a ‘story’ that was well known. For example the Empress Theodora and the women of Genghis Kahn. I loved that she took well known women in antiquity, but were unlikely to generate mainstream stories, and then created a story for them. I adored her early books and when I saw that she was making the shift into the more modern era, I was a little sad. That…
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Review: Among the Poppies by J’nell Ciesielski
After reading J’nell Ciesielski’s latest novel, The Ice Swan, I was craving more from her and I noticed that I hadn’t read one of her earlier books, Among the Poppies! So a real no-brainer here, as many of you know I am a huge Great War romance fan and this book was literally right up my alley and I couldn’t wait to read it! It was a super fast read—-because it was good! Ciesielski is a hidden gem author for me. She writes consistently well written and researched books and the romance always feels epic and believable. While Will wasn’t as charming and dashing as some of her other heroes,…
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Special Feature and Excerpt: The Matchmaker’s Lonely Heart by Nancy Campbell Allen
Give me all the Victorian Romances please! Especially the sweet ones. I am a romantic at heart and there is just something so satisfying about romances. While they might be predictable, there is comfort in that and I always finish a romance and feel genuinely happy and satisfied. Boy meets girl, they fall in love, they over come a conflict, and then live happily ever after! It really is the best kind of book to read for me! I find myself smiling and falling in love with the hero right along side the heroine. Now when you add in a historical element—well you truly have my attention! Historical romances are…
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Review: Along Came a Lady (All the Duke’s Sins #1) by Christi Caldwell
This was my first Christi Caldwell romance and I was so excited to read it! I have seen Caldwell’s novels around the bookish world and I have often wondered how they compare to other historical romances. So when this one came up for review, I knew I had to jump on it even if I had to rearrange my reading calendar to make it happen. I know a lot of people raved about this one and said it was the perfect book for fans of the Bridgerton books. I have to say, Caldwell has a voice all her own and while there might be similarities to Julia Quinn, they are…
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Special Feature and Excerpt: The Bookseller’s Secret by Michelle Gable
I have read and enjoyed a few of Michelle Gable’s books so when I saw that she was coming out with another book but set in England, I was eager to check it out. Gable generally writes great books and her historical detail is top shelf. This book sounds like it would be perfect for fans of Kate Quinn, so if you have read and enjoyed Quinn’s books then I think you would like this latest novel by Gable. Today I also have an excerpt so if you are on the fence about this book or maybe just want to try it on for size and see if it sounds…
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Review: At Summer’s End by Courtney Ellis
This book was my most anticipated book of the summer! The cover, the premise, swoon! Everything sounded so incredible! I couldn’t wait to dive into this one and I can tell you right now that I read it in a matter of days. I could have finished it in one siting but I breezed through it in just 2 days. It was so addicting and if you are a fan of historical fiction then you need to read this one. It boasts a unique romance, complex characters with a rich backdrop full of history and human rawness. I am a huge fan of WWI historical romances and this should have…