Tag: Historical Romance

A Companion for the Count + Giveaway

Miss Emma Arlen’s position as a companion never included distracting her mistress’s suitors, but when a handsome Italian ambassador arrives determined to find an English bride, Emma happily takes up the cause.

Emma Arlen has spent a decade as a member of the duke’s family, in the position of companion to his daughter and ward to the duke himself. She would do anything to show her support to the ducal family for their love and kindness. When Lady Josephine begs Emma to distract a most determined Sicilian suitor, she agrees at once. How hard can it be to keep one man entertained for a few weeks?

Luca, the Conte di Atella, left his home in the newly formed Kingdom of the Two Sicilies under the direct orders of King Ferdinand I. Luca’s duty as ambassador to England includes everything from negotiating better trade agreements to strengthening the bonds between the two nations. If possible, by marrying a lady of high birth. When he optimistically sets his sights on Lady Josephine, Miss Arlen consistently disrupts his plans. The more time that passes, the more he realizes he does not mind at all.

Continually in the conte’s company, Emma recognizes in him a spirit of adventure and nobility like she has never witnessed before. When the time comes for him to go, will she be able to part with him and keep her heart intact?

As the second stand-alone novel in a new series by author Sally Britton, this story continues the Clairvoir Castle romances. This is a light-hearted, romantic series set in the Regency period.

My Review:

Sooooo romantical!!!!!! I mean, Luca!!!! I dare you not to swoon when he makes an appearance. (Cue the fainting couch alert…and grab the smelling salts while you’re at it.) He’s so earnest and determined to bring honour to his country so he’s a bit…unyielding…solemn…sometimes intense?…in his approach to wooing the duke’s daughter. He even makes a list which is all kinds of fun! But no worries, this is in no way a love triangle kind of romance. Josie wants nothing to do with courting and matrimony and enlists Emma’s aid in thwarting the Count’s dogged attempts.

Watching Emma and Luca slowly fall for each other was all kinds of delicious! Sweetly tender one moment and then laugh inducing the next. The banter shines in this novel (one of my favourite things in a Regency) and it’s made even better by the occasional language misstep that adds a whole other dimension to the bantering. So witty and clever!

This is the second Clairvoir Castle romance but easily reads as a standalone. The duke’s family and their large estate feature in each novel, creating the backdrop for true love to finds its way in each story. The secondary characters are written in such a way that they easily feel familiar no matter if you’ve met them in the first book, or one of the later ones. And they are so much fun! I can’t wait to read the rest of the series!

I listened to the audible book narrated by Jessica Elisa Boyd who did a wonderful job bringing these characters to life (including the count’s dreamy accent.) I thoroughly enjoyed my listening experience.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

This giveaway is for a paperback or ebook copy — winner’s choice.

If you would like a chance to win a copy of A Companion for the Count, leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoread AT yahoo DOT ca. If you add an email to your comment, remember to use AT and DOT instead of @ and . in order to protect yourself from spammers. If you enter the draw via email, please add the title to the subject line so it’s easy to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Saturday March 18, 2023. Offer open to International Readers.

Beneath His Silence + Giveaway

Will seeking justice lead to her own demise?

A Gothic Style Regency Romance from a promising young author

Second daughter of a baron — and a little on the mischievous side — Ella Pemberton is no governess. But the pretence is a necessity if she ever wishes to get inside of Wychkhorn Manor and attain the truth. Exposing the man who killed her sister is all that matters.

Lord Sedgewick knows there’s blood on his hands. Lies have been conceived, then more lies but the price of truth would be too great. All he has left now is his son — and his hatred. Yet as the charming governess invades his home, his safe cocoon of bitterness begins to tear away.

Could Ella, despite the lingering questions of his guilt, fall in love with such a man? Or is she falling prey to him — just as her dead sister?

My Review:

Well, I’m gobsmacked by this debut novel! Very Jane Eyre-esque with Gothic undertones. Lots of emotional angst and high drama that peaks by the end. And so much character growth! Which is a good thing because Ella’s obsession with seeking vengeance over her sister’s death was a bit hard to take in the beginning. She is full of self-righteous indignation and preconceived assumptions based on her late father’s consuming hatred. And now she feels compelled to carry on his crusade to destroy Lord Sedgewick.

If you like brooding heroes you will definitely be drawn to poor Henry. He fits the Mr. Rochester archetype — with one major difference. Henry constantly leans into his faith. Imperfectly, maybe, because he still struggles with bitterness and unforgiveness but he never turns away from God. Very realistic and relatable.

So, Ella arrives at Wychkhorn Manor under false pretences, intent on exposing the dark truth about Lord Sedgewick. She isn’t prepared to fall in love with her young charge — the nephew she’s never met before (gah, and I wanted to know why — the family had no contact with the older sister, didn’t even attend the wedding and that was never explained. My mind is working overtime thinking up credible possibilities.) Of course, Ella is about as ungovernessy a governess as they come. She’s also opinionated and impulsive which makes for some interesting cutting-edge banter. And I do so love great banter in my Regencies!

Very much an enemies to more trope and I love the way the author developed the relationship that grows between Henry and Ella. It’s all two steps forward, one step back and full of self-doubts and erroneous assumptions. You never met two more reluctant would-be-lovers! And I enjoyed every second!

And the Manor had a character all its own. Steeped in tragedy and hiding so many secrets! I was on tenterhooks the whole read trying to piece everything together. From the closed mouth servants to Ella’s feelings of being watched, to…well, I can’t say any more without posting spoilers…but, eeeeppp, deliciously mysterious.

I listened to the audible edition of Beneath His Silence and enjoyed Anna Flosnik’s narration. Her performance enhanced the Gothic vibes and kept me riveted.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

This giveaway is for a paperback or ebook copy.

If you would like a chance to win a copy of Beneath His Silence, leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoread AT yahoo DOT ca. If you add an email to your comment, remember to use AT and DOT instead of @ and . in order to protect yourself from spammers. If you enter the draw via email, please add the title to the subject line so it’s easy to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Saturday March 11, 2023. Offer open to International Readers.

Sir Andrew and the Authoress + Giveaway

Lady Josephine, the duke’s eldest daughter, has a secret. When her brother’s horrid best friend discovers what she’s been hiding up in the castle tower, she has no choice to take him into her confidence.

As the daughter of a duke, Lady Josephine has a long list of responsibilities, and an even longer list of things she must never do to dishonour the family name. Josephine knows exactly which side becoming an author falls upon, but she’s determined to try her hand at it anyway. For months she has worked on her novel in secret, writing chapter after chapter of intrigue and romance. Unfortunately for Josephine, her sworn enemy stumbles upon her secret.

Sir Andrew Wycomb’s close relationship to the Duke of Montfort’s family and heir gives him more than one advantage in life. His loyalty to the family is absolute, even if he finds at least one of its members an annoyance. He and Lady Josephine have never seen eye-to-eye. But when he discovers that she’s written a novel upon a subject she knows nothing about, he cannot help but sympathize with her dream. This creates an unlikely ceasefire between them.

But things at the castle are always changing, and when a determined suitor arrives to court Josephine, Andrew has to decide which secrets he’s going to keep. Especially when he discovers the one he’s kept even from himself — that perhaps he doesn’t find Josephine an annoyance at all. In fact, she is quite charming. The more time they spend together, the more he hopes she will realize they aren’t enemies, and they could be so much more.

As the third stand-alone novel in this series by author Sally Britton, this story continues the Claivoir Castle romances. This is a light-hearted, sweet romance series set during the Regency era in England.

My Review:

D-e-l-i-g-h-t-f-u-l!!! I’m still in post-read giddy euphoria. And isn’t that cover glorious? (And opportune because I’m trying to read green covers throughout March, my nod to St. Patrick’s Day.) Believe me, the story inside is just as alluring!

While the third book in Britton’s Claivoir Castle romances, it definitely reads well as a standalone. This is my introduction to the series and I think the connection between books lies in the duke’s estate as a location where true loves meet. Which is all kinds of wonderful! I’m already attached to a few gentlemen I’m hoping will get their own romances in future books. So, great job hooking this reader.

This is an enemies to more romance which is drawn out to Cheshire grinning perfection. Hmm, maybe I should say frenemies to more because Andrew and Josie really enjoy their taunting and teasing. Bantering at its finest with all kinds of undercurrents. Me thinks he protests too much and she is too easily riled…could it be there is something more than annoyance fueling their repartee? Something like…love?! Gasp! Fainting couch and smelling salts alert! Along with many laugh-out-loud warnings (in case you read or listen in public places, like I do.)

I listened to the expertly narrated edition and Jessica Elisa Boyd’s wonderful performance just added to my overall enjoyment of this Regency Romance. Must read more Sally Britton. Now!!!

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

This giveaway is for a paperback or ebook copy — winner’s choice.

If you would like a chance to win a copy of Sir Andrew and the Authoress, leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoread AT yahoo DOT ca. If you add an email to your comment, remember to use AT and DOT instead of @ and . in order to protect yourself from spammers. If you enter the draw via email, please add the title to the subject line so it’s easy to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Saturday March 11, 2023. Offer open to International Readers.

The Call of the Sea + Giveaway

A Viking Historical Romance

On the eve of her betrothal to a nobleman she’s never met, Rhiannon seeks comfort on the shores of the sea she loves so well. But instead of offering peace to her uneasy heart, the ocean heralds doom with the arrival of dreaded Viking ships. A vicious raid leads to the death of her beloved father and leaves Rhiannon’s life in tatters. Heartbroken, she travels to Ynys Mon where she takes up residence at the royal court of Owain Gwynedd.

Leif loves voyaging on the open water. As the son of a Viking chief, he’s accustomed to his people’s practice of plundering and looting. But when one of his companions ruthlessly kills an old man in front of the man’s beautiful daughter, Leif is haunted by the memory. Desperate to find forgiveness for the atrocity he allowed to occur, he’s offered a chance at redemption through the kindly teachings of an Irish priest and the unexpected arrival of a royal fugitive. Suddenly thrust into he midst of the Cymry’s political turmoil, Leif is reunited with the dead man’s daughter — Rhiannon. Forced to work side by side to uncover the truth behind the turmoil, they come to discover that love can grow from even the most tragic of beginnings. But with such in compatible backgrounds, surely a future together can never be theirs.

My Review:

I was drawn to the Celtic vibes of this story right from the cover and description. It takes place in both Wales and Ireland and the historical details are fantastic. Not a time period I am very familiar with and I ended up googling Vikings in Ireland and went down a fascinating rabbit trail of interesting facts. Love when a story inspires me to do more research! (and perfect for a March read! Happy St. Patrick’s day!)

Sian Ann Bessey delivers action, adventure and danger along with political intrigue which was was all kinds of nefarious. Plus there’s a star-crossed lovers trope that had me on tenterhooks wondering how Leif and Rhiannon would find a way to their happily ever after.

And Leif’s redemption story brings extra depth to the story. Going from worshiping multiple gods to finding the grace of the one true God made this read all the richer for me.

Beautifully written and expertly narrated by Robert Lewis Owen (yes, this is another book I listened to and I highly recommend this narrator!) I did find it difficult to grasp all the Welsh names, but I loved the accent. I imagine some of them would have made more sense if I could see the words written out as well as hear the Welsh pronunciation. But it didn’t hamper my ‘reading’ enjoyment and our main characters’ names are easily recognizable so that helps as well.

This stunning historical romance ticked all the boxes for me and I actually feel a little more knowledgable for having read it. 🙂 Wish my high school history lessons came in a package like this!

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

This giveaway is for a paperback or ebook copy — winner’s choice.

If you would like a chance to win a copy of The Call of the Sea, leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoread AT yahoo DOT ca. If you add an email to your comment, remember to use AT and DOT instead of @ and . in order to protect yourself from spammers. If you enter the draw via email, please add the title to the subject line so it’s easy to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Saturday March 4, 2023. Offer open to International Readers.

Dusk’s Darkest Shores + Giveaway

Mary Bloomfield has no illusions. Her chances for matrimony have long since passed her by. Still, her circumstances are pleasant enough, especially since she has found purpose in assisting her father with his medical practice in England’s Lake District. Even without love, she’s content with her life.

That is until Adam Edgerton returns to the sleepy Lakes. This decorated war hero did not arrive home to acclaim and rest, but to battle an insidious disease. Mary’s caring nature cannot stand by as someone suffered — but how can she help this man see any brightness in his future when he’s plunged into melancholic darkness, his dreams laid waste by his condition?

Adam wants no charity, but if this gentle woman can work hard on his behalf, how can he do less? Together they struggle to find a way forward for him. Frustration and antipathy slowly develop into friendship and esteem.

Then a summer storm atop a mountain peak leaves both Mary and Adam searching the depths of their closed hearts for answers. Is there hope of find any future path with happiness at its end?

My Review:

published in 2021

Why did I wait so long to start this series?! Why oh why oh why? Well I’m here now and have the second book in my TBR stack and once I’ve read that, I’ll be all set for the third Regency Wallflowers book which releases in April. (I say this to console myself over my tardiness.)

Dusk’s Darkest Shores is a sublime read with some unexpected tweaks to the Regency genre. Because this story doesn’t take place in London ballrooms among the ton. Mary is a village doctor’s daughter and Adam is a farmer’s son. Their families are wealthy enough to employ a few servants, but they still work for a living and move in very different circles than the lords and ladies I am used to meeting in a Regency Romance. And I absolutely loved that about this book! A fresh perspective that adds a whole different dimension to the storytelling. And this book is exquisitely written — the kind that makes you want to savour every phrase and bask in the images those words create.

Another difference is the amount of faith infused into every corner of the story. Again, a refreshing take on the Regency era and I loved the spiritual reflections and deliberate seeking out the Lord. Especially when it came to the topic of miracles and healing. As someone who has coped with a chronic condition for years now, it lightens my heart so much to meet characters who wrestle with some of same things I do. Makes me feel seen in some small way, so I’m grateful to the author for including that aspect in the story.

Of course, there are similarities to the classic Regency novel too. Shallow mean-ish misses who brought out the worst in me. Honestly, Mary had such grace and patience. I, on the other hand, was ready to do some hair pulling and arm pinching. And maybe a slap upside the head with my reticule (stuffed with books so as to pack a wallop.) Can’t bring me out in polite society when my dander is up over a beloved character, that’s for sure.

And Adam’s struggles! His soul-searching journey as he tries to find a way back to the life he had before the war. Only that’s impossible. And it’s stoic, determined, caring Mary who shows him that’s okay. I love that she has harboured feelings for him since childhood. Unrequited and she expects nothing less now. Especially since she is firmly established in the village as the doctor’s spinster daughter, dedicated to charitable works and healing rather than hearth and home.

In a way, I want to call this a Grumpy/sunshine romance but it isn’t…quite. Oh, Adam is grumpy enough in the beginning to be a hero of that trope, but Mary can give as good as she gets so she’s not quite all sunshine. She’s too practical and plain-spoken for that. Loved the banter between these two — whether it was serious or in jest, the dialogue zings. Sometimes I laughed, sometimes I winced, but I always hung on every word.

So, I found Dusk’s Distant Shores to be unexpected in many good ways and enchanting throughout. The kind of book you just have to hug and sigh over when you reach that last page.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

This giveaway is for a paperback or ebook company — winner’s choice.

If you would like an opportunity to win a copy of Dusk’s Darkest Shores, leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoread AT yahoo DOT ca. If you include an email in your comment, please remember to use AT and DOT instead of @ and . in order to protect yourself from spammers. If you enter the draw via email, please add the title to the subject line so it’s easy to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Saturday March 4 2023. Offer open to International Readers.

Miss Newbury’s List

Before Rosalind weds, she wants to experience ten things. Meeting Charlie wasn’t on her list.

England 1820

Rosalind Newbury is counting down the days until her wedding to the Duke of Marlow, a man she has only met twice, and she knows exactly how she wants to spend her time. As a child, Rod created a list of ten things to do before her wedding day. So far, she had done none of them.

She is determined to tackle each item, though she’ll have to accomplish them all in secret. After all, a soon-to-be-duchess is not usually allowed to bury treasure in the pasture, eat sweets all day, or learn how to swim. She enlists the help of her best friend, Liza, who brings along her cousin, Charlie, a prodigal son-turned-boxer who has come to the countryside to mend his reputation and learn how to be his father’s heir.

Together, the three of them work to complete the list, and as each item is crossed off, an unlikely friendship blossoms between Ros and Charlie. The more time they spend together, the more Ros falls in love with this imperfect man and his good heart.

With he wedding looming, Ros must decide to either admit her romantic feelings for Charlie and risk her family’s future, or keep her promise to marry the duke and start a new life as a noblewoman.

My Review:

Sqqqqquuuueeeeaaallllll! That is an ear-splitting shriek of bookish glee over this enchanting Regency Romance. I am charmed. And besotted. And so giddy that I can’t wipe the Cheshire grin off my face. Absolute perfection from pacing to plot. Not to mention characterization and all the toe-curling swoonyness of it all!

And, oh, the banter! My favourite part of Regency Romances and Walker delivers it in spades. Witty and clever and highly entertaining. Laughed out loud so many times. (I listened to the audible edition narrated by the incredible Justine Eyre(!) and, once again, got curious stares as I walked around the neighbourhood overcome by snorts and guffaws. I’d be considered a scandal in Regency times.)

Honestly don’t think a Regency comes any better than this.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

This giveaway is for a paperback or ebook copy. Winner’s choice.

If you would like a chance to win a copy of Miss Newbury’s List, leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoread AT yahoo DOT ca. If you add an email to your comment, remember to use AT and DOT instead of @ and . in order to protect yourself from spammers. If you enter the draw via email, please add the title to the subject line so it’s easy to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Saturday February 25 2023. Offer open to International Readers.

The Gentleman Physician + Giveaway

Random Retro Read

A second chance Regency Romance

“I didn’t really understand what love was. I didn’t know what it meant, that I should’ve fought harder for it.”

Banished from home by her angry father, Julie Devon travels to Bath to fulfill her role as family spinster by assisting her cousins, Lady Macon, in caring for her dying husband.

Nathaniel Hastings’s life runs in a predictable pattern, until a routine visit to one of his ailing patients brings him face to face with Julia, the woman who broke his heart five years before in London.

Julia and Nathaniel find themselves unlikely allies as they work together to tend to the family’s needs, fend off Lady Macon’s scheming brother-in-law, and avoid confronting the pain of their shared past. But could this accidental meeting be their second chance at love?

My Review:

published in 2018

Sometimes a reader just needs to lose herself in everything that is wonderful in a Regency Romance and when that mood hits, Sally Britton is definitely the author to reach for. In fact, she’s on my short list of authors I want to catch up with in 2023 so expect to see more of her books here in the future.

And this one is sheer perfection. Starting with — squuueeeeaaaaaallll — the second chance romance trope, which is done so well. My heart felt every ache and tug and the way the author develops the reacquainting of Julia and Nathaniel is absolutely divine. I felt the shock of their first meeting, the scattered thoughts, the battered equilibrium as they come to grips with not only seeing each other after five years, but having to work together for the greater good of a grieving family.

I was on delicious romantical tenterhooks all the way through! From the stilted conversations that slowly grow warmer as time passes to the barest hint of an eye twinkle and the wrenching sighs of pent up longing. Well, it is best to indulge in this read while reclining on your fainting couch and devouring chocolate bonbons (the better for keeping your strength up to deal with these broken hearts.)

No worries though, despite the more serious tone of this romance, there are light-hearted moments as well. And some truly comedic ones when poor Nathaniel receives love life advice from best his friend.

This is the second book in the Branches of Love series but can readily be enjoyed as a standalone novel. It’s definitely a series I intend to be reading more from very soon.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

This giveaway is for a paperback or ebook copy — winner’s choice.

If you would like an opportunity to win a copy of The Gentleman Physician, leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoread AT yahoo DOT ca. If you add an email to your comment, please remember to use AT and DOT instead of @ and . in order to protect yourself from spammers. If you enter the draw via email, please add the title to the subject line so it’s easy to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Saturday February 18, 2023. Offer open to International Readers.

The Rose and the Thistle

In 1715, Lady Blythe Hedley’s father is declared an enemy of the British crown because of his Jacobite sympathies, forcing her to flee her home in northern England. Secreted to the tower of Wedderburn Castle in Scotland, Blythe quietly awaits the crowning of a new king. But in a house with seven sons and numerous servants, her presence soon becomes known.

No sooner has Everard Hume lost his father, Lord Wedderburn, than Lady Hedley arrives with her maid in tow. He has his own problems — a volatile brother with dangerous political leanings, an estate to manage, and a very young brother in need of comfort and direction. It would be best for everyone if he could send this misfit heiress on her way as soon as possible.

In this whirlwind of intrigue, ambitions, and shifting alliances, Blythe yearns for someone she can trust. But the same forces that draw her and Everard together also threaten to tear them apart.

My Review:

I don’t even know where to begin. I’m gobsmacked and addlepated over this braw story — the latest (and very best, I think) Laura Frantz masterpiece.

Stunning details — from the incredible cover art to the rich story within. And let’s stop to admire that cover for a second. What you can’t tell from the photo is that the thistle and the rose emblems are actually embossed gold. And the heroine’s skirt is so lush looking that you just have to touch it and come away surprised when you feel paper instead of cloth. Yes, this is my book nerdiness showing, but sometimes a book is so pretty I just have to gush!

Now onto the story. Which is where the gobsmacking comes in. I’m pretty near speechless over the perfection of it all. Vibrant storytelling merges history and romance in the most spellbinding of ways. Descriptive passages that bring the Scottish countryside to life. Intrinsic historical details that both appall and intrigue!

(A little side note here: I didn’t know much about the politics of this time and I did feel a wee bit overwhelmed at the beginning, but as I got further into the story it all started to make sense. So I’d advise readers like me to just go with the flow instead of trying to figure out who was right and who was wrong and what each side stood for and why….Or maybe I’m the only one who madly googles facts in the middle of a read?!)

Now for the addlepated part. Everard. THUD! Fainting couch essential. Smelling salts necessary. Comfort chocolate optional, though advised (because when would chocolate consuming ever be considered ill-advised?!) And be prepared to be swept off your feet (hence the fainting couch) over and over again by this rather gruff, moody, sometimes churlish hero. He has a servant’s heart though and that shines through over and over again. Especially in the way he cares for his youngest brother. And reluctantly takes on the responsibility of sheltering Lady Blythe in the midst of her storm.

Their romance is delectable. I love the way Frantz takes time to develop it. From enemies, to wary strangers, to cautious friends, to…toe-curls!!!! Nothing ever feels rushed in this story but it never bogs down either. The author has found the perfect balance between delivering enticing details and keeping the plot propelling forward. All while keeping the reader hoping the story never ends!

Gah, this review is getting too long and I haven’t even mentioned the Hume brothers or wonderful mix of secondary characters or the way I feel like I’ve actually lived in Scotland in the 1700s or…so many points to recommend this read! Definitely a top ten contender for 2023.

Oh, and I couldn’t resist listening to the audio book, even though I have a paperback copy. Amy Scanlon’s narration exceeded everything I could hope for in an audible performance. All the accents, unique voices of each character, the sheer enjoyment that came from listening to her read. If you are an audio book lover, this is definitely one to listen to.

Book provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications inc.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

This giveaway is for a paperback copy.

If you would like to win a copy of The Rose and the Thistle, leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoread AT yahoo DOT ca. If you add an email to your comment, remember to use AT and DOT instead of @ and . in order to protect yourself from spammers. If you enter via email, please add the title to the subject line so it’s easier to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Saturday February 11 2023. Offer open to International Readers.

Yesterday’s Tides + Giveaway

In two world wars, intelligence and counterintelligence, prejudice, and self-sacrifice collide across two generations.

In 1942, Evie Farrow is used to life on Ocracoke Island, where every day is the same — until the German U-boats haunting their waters begin to wreak havoc. And when special agent Sterling Bertrand is washed ashore at Evie’s inn, her life is turned upside down. While Sterling’s injuries keep him inn-bound for weeks, making him even more anxious about the SS officer he’s tracking, he becomes increasingly intrigued by Evie, who seems to be hiding secrets of her own.

Decades earlier, in 1914, Englishman Remington Culbreth arrives at the Ocracoke Inn for the summer, never expecting to fall in love with Louisa Adair, the innkeeper’s daughter. But when war breaks out in Europe, their relationship is put in jeopardy and may not survive what lies ahead for them.

As the ripples from the Great War rock Evie and Sterling’s lives in World War II, it seems yesterday’s tides may sweep them all into danger again today.

My Review:

I have no words. Seriously speechless but heart-filled and gobsmacked and wondering what I’m going to do now that this book is over. Yesterday’s Tides (such an apt title — love when a story and title are a perfect match!) is the kind of read that you want to linger over and rush through all at the same time. I mean, I didn’t want it to end but I couldn’t wait to get to the ending!

I love Roseanna M. White’s books, but this might just be her best yet. And such a thrill to encounter some fave characters from previous series in this one! Though, no worries if you haven’t met them, it will totally make sense anyway — just gave me an extra thrill of bibliophile bliss!

And — squeeeeaaaalllll — this is a dual timeline story set in two historical eras. And the way past and ‘present’ mesh together is breathtakingly beautiful and filled with some unique twists. Two heroines. Two heroes. Two world wars. The clash of conflict over race and class. (Gah, but I was spitting-nails-furious in places!) Absolutely stunning. And unputdownable.

I listened to the audible edition expertly narrated by Pilar Witherspoon. Her performance kept me riveted through to the very last world.

Book provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications Inc.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

This giveaway is for a paperback copy.

If you would like a chance to win a copy of Yesterday’s Tides, leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoread AT yahoo DOT ca. If you add an email to your comment, remember to use AT and DOT instead of @ and . in order to protect yourself from spammers. If you enter the draw via email, please add the title to the subject line so it’s easy to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Saturday February 4 2023. Offer open to International Readers.