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Review: The Woman with the Cure by Lynn Cullen
Author Lynn Cullen has penned a number of historical fiction novels, but I think the one she is best known for is Mrs Poe. I love Poe so naturally I wanted to read Mrs Poe when it came out. I loved it and was so excited to see what other books Cullen put out. Since I read that book, she had come out with a number of other novels, but I think that Mrs Poe remains her most well known book. I love how well researched Cullen’s novels are and she often takes the untold, behind the scenes stories of unknown figures in famous people’s lives and brings them out…
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Special Feature/Excerpt: The Maid of Ballymacool by Jennifer Deibel
Who doesn’t love a historical fiction, Cinderella retelling set on the Emerald Isle?! I haven’t been reading a ton of historical fiction lately which makes me sad, but this book caught my eyer as an option! I love Cinderella and It thought the plot sounded really interesting as well as having a hint of romance which made me even more excited to check this one out. Plus the Emerald Isle? YES PLEASE! I need some escapism during these long cold winter months even if it’s equally as rainy and dreary there, I love dreaming about my next escape destination. While I couldn’t fit this one on my review schedule for…
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Cover Reveal: The Orchid Hour by Nancy Bilyeau
The Orchid Hour by Nancy Bilyeau Publication Date: August 10, 2023Lume Books Genre: Historical Thriller There is a certain hour, in the dead of night, when the orchid’s scent can put you under a spell… “Nancy Bilyeau has created a beautifully layered and utterly seductive tale… and, at its living, tender heart, a strong-willed and magnetic heroine.” – Emilya Naymark, author of Behind the Lie, finalist for the 2023 Sue Grafton Award Nancy Bilyeau, author of The Crown and The Blue, returns with a tantalizing novel about one woman caught up in a secret nightclub that one can only reach through a certain florist on a cobblestone street. New York…
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Special Feature: River Sing Me Home by Eleanor Shearer
In honor of Black History Month beginning today, I wanted to share an up and coming novel from a debut author that promises to be moving, emotional, unique, and beautiful. Author Eleanor Shearer is a mixed race author with roots in the Caribbean. She has been drawn to Caribbean history and her love of Caribbean history is evident in this hot new release! Many Black history books focus on the slavery happening in the South, but this book promises to look at a new region and a new approach too the topic by beginning at the end. In this book the Emancipation Act of 1834 has been signed and implanted, but…
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Review: Hearts of Steel (The Blackstone Legacy #3) by Elizabeth Camden
When this book came up for review, I almost passed on it. I could see it was part of a series and I just wasn’t sure how it would go jumping into an established series with established characters. But it sounded so good, plus I loved the cover, that I just couldn’t pass on this one! Often times, I also find that romances tend to be more standalone even if they are part of a series, so in the end I decided to give this one a shot and dive into a series already three books in. To my delight, I found that all that worry was for not. This…
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Special Feature: A Love by Design (The Secret Scientists of London #3) by Elizabeth Everett
In the last few years I have been really noticing an upswing in STEM based romances! They seem to be everywhere and I love reading about academic romances. But I feel like most of the STEM based romances are contempo romances with young hot upcoming scientists showing just how excited and sexy science can be. This is one of the reasons this book series stood out to me—it’s a historical fiction series with science at its heart! I love that these books are all set in the Victorian age, that period is ripe for stories about science and technological advancement! I am really excited to read this series and honestly…
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Special Feature/Excerpt: The Rose and the Thistle by Laura Frantz
It’s been a long time since I have read a book set in the 1700s. Most of the historical fiction books I read are usually in the Victorian or late Regency era—not that there is any shortage of 1700s era historical fiction books, but in general I tend to gravitate toward the Victorian or Regency era novels when I pick them up. Seeing that this one was set in the 1700s was actually what grabbed me, it was different than my comfort era go to books! For me the Jacobite era is very complicated and in the past I have hard a hard time keeping some of the issues straight…
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Special Feature/Excerpt: The Witch of Tin Mountain by Paulette Kennedy
I always love a good old fashion Gothic ghost story. It’s one of my favorite genres to read, especially if it has a romance and some history to it. I read Paulette Kennedy’s debut novel, Parting the Veil, and it was pretty good which made me excited to check her latest novel out. Unlike traditional Gothic novels, this one isn’t set on the moors of England but the Ozarks which made me excited to check it out since the setting would be so different. Plus time time period was intriguing to me—-the Depression era instead of the Victorian age. I love when authors take classic troupes and change it up…
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Special Feature/Excerpt: Under a Veiled Moon (Inspector Corravan #2) by Karen Odden
Karen Odden has written a couple of different historical mystery series most of which are set in the Victorian era. She has also written introductions for some well known classics like Hard Time by Charles Dickens. Clearly she has a love of Victorian literature and history. I have enjoyed her Victorian Mysteries series even if there has only been two books so far. This latest series featuring Inspector Corravan, is currently on its second book. Odden’s books are recommended for fans of CS Harris and Anne Perry and I would agree, her mysteries are more complex and rich in historical detail. The focus is usually on the mystery itself rather…
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Review: City of Fortune (Counterfeit Lady #6) by Victoria Thompson
I featured this one last week and ever since then I haven’t been able to stop thinking about it! The cover fully lured me in as well as the horse racing aspect and I just couldn’t get it out of my head! I had planned to read this one a little bit later this spring when my calendar wasn’t so full but sometimes it just happens like this where I can’t get a book out of my head and then boom here we are reading it way before I planned to ! I have read some of Victoria Thompson’s books but have been limited to the Gaslight Mystery series. They…