Tag: Historical Romance

Specter in the Glass House + Giveaway

In 1921, Marian Arnold, the heiress to a brewing baron’s empire, seeks solace in the glass butterfly house on her family’s Wisconsin estate as Prohibition and the deaths of her parents cast a long shadow over her shrinking world. When Marian’s sanctuary is invaded by nightmarish visions, she grapples with the line between hallucinations of things to come and malevolent forces at play in the present. With dead butterflies as the killer’s ominous signature, murders unfold at a steady pace. Marian, fearful she might be next, enlists the help of her childhood friend Felix, a war veteran with his own haunted past. 

In the present day, researcher Remy Shaw becomes entangled in an elderly biographer’s quest to uncover the truth behind Marian Arnold’s mysterious life and the unsolved murders linked to an infamous serial killer. Joined by Marian’s great-great-grandson, can Remy expose the evil that lurks beneath broken wings? Or will the dark legacy surrounding the manor and its glass house destroy yet another generation?Renowned as a “trailblazer extraordinaire” (Booklist) of inspirational dual-time suspense, award-winning author Jaime Jo Wright weaves a haunting tale of mystery, legacy, and the relentless pursuit of truth across two distinct eras.

My Review:

Thoroughly Gothic and more than a little eerie. And I feel like that is practically all I can safely say about this book without giving away any spoilers.

Wright excels at this type of dual timeline mystery which includes stunning complexities in both character and plot. Our heroines, Marian in 1921 and Remy in present day, are faced with similar dilemmas yet both have very unique stories to tell.

Past and present are cleverly woven together with impeccable pacing. I hung on every word. I don’t know how the author manages to keep all the details straight! And the way she builds the suspense as well as the creep factor is phenomenal! (You might need some comfort chocolate and a security teddy to make your way safely through to the end.)

So, definitely an unputdownable read. The kind that keeps you scrambling for logical explanations in the midst of so many impossibilities. A spectacularly stunning read!

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

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

US – available in print or ebook — winner’s choice

Canada – available in print or ebook or audible (if available) — winner’s choice

International – ebook copy if you have a US Kindle account.

If you would like a chance to win a copy of the Specters in the Glass House, 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 October 26 2024.

The Gentleman’s Confession + Giveaway

Inexperienced in love, Jemma seeks help from her best friend, Miles, unaware that he has secretly loved her for years.

Brookeside, England, 1822

Jemma Fielding has always considered herself an independent woman, but to honor her beloved grandmother’s dying wish, she makes a promise that she will marry and fall in love. To fulfill her promise, she turns to the Matchmaking Mamas Society for assistance and is paired with the charming Mr. Bentley. Though he is everything Jemma could hope for in a match, she is clueless about how to win his heart. Desperate to make a good impression, she seeks guidance from her dearest friend, Miles Jackson, a humble rector with a talent for understanding matters of the heart. 

However, Miles’s secret affection for Jemma has spanned years, and teaching her to love someone else threatens to betray his own heart. Trapped by his own selfless nature, Miles fears he will never be more than a humble rector in her eyes.

Even as he gives Jemma lessons in love, Miles grapples with the challenge of convincing her that Mr. Bentley may be a perfect gentleman but he is not the perfect match for her. Will Miles’s advice in romance jeopardize their years of friendship, or will it reveal the attraction that has quietly blossomed between them, proving that this time, the Matchmaking Mamas may have made a mistake? Miles must decide if he’s brave enough to confess his feelings to Jemma before she is whisked away forever.

My Review:

Squuuueeeealllll!!! I’m in Regency heaven! Well, if you can call being rapturously tortured by a kinda/sorta love triangle heaven. It isn’t usually for me but…oh…my…word!!!!!!! Miles as the silently besotted friend, forced to assist Jemma in her bid to make herself fall in love with another man. Gasp! My emotions were in tatters for most of the book .

I have a certain fondness for brooding heroes, though I will confess wanting to throttle Miles on more than one occasion during the course of this read. He’s his own worst enemy — being all noble and vicar-ish. Bwahaha! So much of his misery is caused because he doesn’t take action so situations spiral out of control and it sent me into a tizzy of the vapours. I so needed my fainting couch to see my way safely through to this happily every after.

And while it might sound like the dreaded LT is all angst…it isn’t really because it’s obvious that Jemma and Mr. Bentley are not a good match. And, the author has written some truly hilarious scenes that make this more of a lighthearted read. Plus, I could clearly see ahead of a few of the plot twists so that provided me with a comforting safeguard and upped by bibliophile bravery so I could soldier on.

And then, oh….my….THUD…when Miles finally makes his move! Toe-curls and swoons ensued and I was one very happy reader.

I thoroughly enjoyed listening the audio edition of this novel. Mary Jane Wells and James Joseph’s performances were stellar! They captured all the angst and the humour to perfection.

Of note: This is the third book in the ‘Matchmaking Mamas’ series but can easily be read as a standalone. I haven’t read the other books…yet…and I had no problem jumping into the series here.

My thanks to the publisher, Dreamscape Select and Net Galley for providing me with an audio copy of this book.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

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

US – available in print or ebook — winner’s choice

Canada – available in print or ebook or audible (if available) — winner’s choice

International – ebook copy if you have a US Kindle account.

If you would like a chance to win a copy of the The Gentleman’s Confession, 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 October 19 2024.

The Captain’s Daughter + Giveaway

Random Retro Re-Read

London 1879 – Forced to leave all she loves behind, she seeks a new life in a city bursting with opportunity, but fraught with danger.

When a series of circumstances beyond her control leaves Rosalyn Bernay alone and penniless in London, she chances upon a job backstage at a theater putting on the most popular show in the city. A talented musician and singer, she feels immediately at home and soon becomes enthralled with the idea of pursuing a career on the stage. That is, as long as the shadows from her past don’t catch up with her.

After a hand injury forces Nate Moran from his army regiment in India, he returns home to London, a place that holds bitter memories. He agrees to fill in temporarily as a stagehand while his brother recuperation from a broken leg, but Nate is counting down the days until he can rejoin his regiment. His future is decided — until he meets a beautiful woman who has found a new lease on life in the very place Nate yearns to leave behind.

My Review:

published in 2017

A spectacular start to a promising new series. I felt that special thrill of discovery a reader gets when she embarks on what she knows is going to be a memorable fictional journey. It was anticipatory delight from the very first page! I mean, what’s not to love — a bit of Dickenish overtones mixed with Gilbert and Sullivan and the London stage! And make sure to check the author’s notes at the back of the book (once you’ve finished reading, of course) to sort out the facts from the fiction. Fascinating historical details are expertly woven throughout Rosalyn and Nate’s love story.

And what a sweet, tender…and reluctant…love story it is. Nate is all stoic military who thinks the only way he can run from his demons is by facing the rigors of army life head on. India is no place to bring a wife even if Rosalyn was so inclined. Which she’s not. She has no intention of leaving her sisters in England behind. And then there’s the lure of the stage and the new life she’s creating for herself in a world she’s never imagined. There’s the kind of dynamics between these two that still makes me slightly giddy. Such a rich, multi-layered romance.

Be prepared for plenty of angst and drama. Laughter too. And a host of intriguing secondary characters — both delightful and sinister — and just plain infuriating. An exciting start to the London Beginnings series.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

This giveaway is for a gently read paperback copy and is available to any reader, any where — so, yay, another International Giveaway!

If you would like a chance to win a copy of The Captain’s Daughter, 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 September 14 2024.

The Cloverton Charade + Giveaway

A house party in Regency England provides the perfect opportunity for two rival antiquity brokers to scope out a potentially valuable collection while trying to keep their attraction at bay.

Olivia Brannon’s knowledge of antiquities is unparalleled, having learned everything she needs to know from her broker father. She longs to use that knowledge to make a future for herself, but as a woman, her options are limited . . . until the day a former client, who happens to be the previous mistress of Cloverton Hall, approaches Olivia about evaluating an obscure, private collection. But there is a catch: the evaluation must be conducted in secrecy to prevent the widow’s nephew, the new master of Cloverton Hall, from having knowledge of it. Alicia sees this as her one and only chance to prove her worth, so she agrees to attend a house party at Cloverton Hall and conduct the evaluation covertly.

The younger son of England’s foremost antiquities purveyor, Lucas Avery represents the future of his family business. When he learns that the new master of Cloverton Hall intends to liquidate his deceased uncle’s impressive collection, Lucas is determined to be the broker who oversees the sale. The new master of Cloverton Hall invites Lucas to a house party on the estate, during which time he will have full access to the collection. Lucas jumps at the opportunity, for if successful, he stands to make a great deal of money, as well as solidify his family’s future.

Olivia and Lucas both arrive at the house party under the guise of guests and quickly recognize each other as business rivals, raising their suspicions. After they conduct their individual assessments, it becomes clear to them both that some of the pieces in the collection are counterfeit. They reluctantly join forces to understand the scope of the deception. As their work brings them closer together, an undeniable bond begins to form. Then when one of the most famous pieces in the collection is broken during the house party, everyone is a suspect. Both Olivia and Lucas must decide how much they are willing to risk not only their professional reputations but also their hearts.

My Review:

It is universally acknowledged, that an avid reader in possession of well stocked bookshelves, must be in want of one more Regency Romance. That’s my motto and I’m sticking to it. And, eeeeeeeeeepppppppp, doubly so when the book holds the added allure of a mystery as well.

So, I was all atwitter with bibliophile ecstasy as I began listening to Jude Mason’s skilled narration of ‘The Cloverton Charade.’ Her polished performance breathed life into these characters and she’s a master at altering tone, accent and inflection to match the unique personality of each character. Made for a divine listening experience.

And this story!!! A house party, and all the social intricacies that involves, with Olivia attending (and out of her element!) under the guise of a guest though she’s really there to evaluate the widowed hostess’s valuable private collection.

Meanwhile, Lucas has been invited (again under the guise as guest) by the hostess’s nephew, and legal heir to the estate, to provide an evaluation of the uncle’s vast collection with the intent to sell it all.

Love the subterfuge and how it all plays out — especially since Lucas and Olivia know each other and there’s bad blood between their families and businesses. So, a kinda enemies to more romance in the midst of mystery and intrigue…and all the house party drama!

Brilliant pacing balances lighthearted moments with tense ones as Olivia and Lucas make their way through a maze of conspiracies and manipulations….and find their own happily ever after by the end. Of course.

My thanks to Thomas Nelson, Zondervan Fiction Audio and Net Galley for providing me with an audio edition of this book.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

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

US – available in print or ebook — winner’s choice

Canada – available in print or ebook or audible (if available) — winner’s choice

International – ebook copy if you have a US Kindle account.

If you would like a chance to win a copy of the The Cloverton Charade, 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 August 31 2024.

The Winged Tiara + Giveaway

After a hasty wartime marriage and an even quicker divorce, two jewel thieves risk it all to obtain the grandest prize of them all, the last Valkyrie tiara, but their hearts may have something else in mind.

It was a match made in champagne-soaked heaven, but all too soon the bubbles dried up and divorce papers were issued just in time to ring in the end of the Great War. Jewel thieves and ex-lovers Jasper and Esme find themselves circulating among the elite of British aristocracy where the diamond-lined pockets are ripe for picking. But when the last Valkyrie tiara ever created becomes the talk of the season neither will stop to obtain it, not even when they inadvertently find themselves in the middle of a game of cat-and-mouse where their lives are suddenly at stake.

Bestselling author J’nell Ciesielski’s latest novel combines her signature blend of thrilling adventure, glamorous atmosphere, and sweeping romance in a story readers are sure to be thinking about days after turning the final page.

My Review:

That gorgeous cover sets the stage for the classic black and white movie vibe in this story. I’m a visual reader — where I see things playing out in my mind as I read — and ‘The Winged Tiara’ was like ‘watching’ an old movie reel. Loved that campy feel.

The author stays true to the opulence of a post-war/pre-war European elite. I couldn’t relate to a lot of it — especially the drinking morning, noon and night — but who am I to argue with historical accuracy?! And I could totally understand the frenzied ‘live loud’ mentality after enduring the deprivation of four years of war. So, do the hero and heroine make great choices I can identify with? Definitely not all of the time, but this is fiction after all, and I was all in for the hijinks and banter right through to the end.

A beleaguered soldier and a war weary nursing assistant impulsively marry in the frenzied celebrations on Armistice Day. She sneaks away the next morning and they don’t meet up again until four years later — under the most unusual circumstances….they are both jewel thieves after the same prize!

Bwahahaha! This was such a fun cat-and-mouse romp across Europe! Professional adversaries with a romantic history (albeit a brief one) make Jasper and Esme intriguing opponents. And the way they keep one-upping each other is hysterical. I didn’t know who to root for! But there’s something more sinister afoot and adventure turns to danger and then…wow…that ending!!!!

A thoroughly enjoyable read…well, listen, since I got to appreciate Ann Marie Gideon’s wonderful narration for the audio book. She captured the personalities of these characters beautifully and pulled out an arsenal of accents for the varied supporting cast. So. Much. Fun.

My thanks to Thomas Nelson, Zondervan Fiction Audio and Net Galley for providing me with an audio edition of this novel.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

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

US – available in print or ebook — winner’s choice

Canada – available in print or ebook or audible (if available) — winner’s choice

International – ebook copy if you have a US Kindle account.

If you would like a chance to win a copy of the The Winged Tiara, 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 August 24 2024.

Beyond Ivy Walls + Giveaway

Beauty and the Beast meets A Light Between Oceans in historic small-town America where a wealthy reclusive bachelor and an unlikely ally join forces to solve a family secret and inadvertently find belonging along the way.

Early 1900s. When an accident leaves Sadie West’s family in dire financial need, she nervously leaves the land she loves to work in the Hoag duster factory. But sending all her money home means that she has nowhere to board, and she’s forced to take up residence in an abandoned building–a choice that throws her in the path of the town’s mysterious bachelor.

Recently returned from exile, and determined to keep his arrival a secret, Otis Taylor makes the impulsive decision to hire the woman he finds hiding on his family’s property with the strict instructions she tell no one he has returned. The dark halls of his boyhood flood him with memories he’s long tried to forget. The only bright light is the woman he has hired. Can the optimistic Sadie teach the wounded Otis to trust again? To love? Can the pair unravel the family secrets that have long cast a shadow over the mansion and those who reside within?

With the same heart as Rachel Fordham’s fan-loved previous historical novels, Beyond Ivy Walls takes readers on an emotional journey full of character development, historical nuance, and a deeply satisfying happily ever after.

My Review:

Picture me happy dancing all around my bookshelves in a bibliophile victory dance because…..Squuuueeealllll!!!!!….This book! These characters! Their story! The fairy tale connections! The swoon factor! My brain is in an overdrive kafuffle of post readerly daze so excuse me if this review resembles a jumble of disjointed thoughts. Here we go!

Fairy tale retellings are a favourite, especially when an author can spin new in with the old like Fordham did with ‘Beyond Ivy Walls‘. This is very much an original story, but there are nods to the familiar ‘Beauty and the Beast’ tale as well and it was so much fun making those connections! Beautifully and imaginatively done.

Love the ‘real life’ historical midwest setting – such a juxtaposition from the classic fairy tale.

And the grumpy/sunshine romance (eeeeeepppp!!! one of my favourite tropes) is written so well. Nothing keeps our sunshiney heroine down for long. Love Sadie’s persistence in helping her family and in making the most out of a desperate situation. She’s not perfect by any means, but she tries. And her intentions are always good…though sometimes the execution leaves something to be desired which just makes things all the more interesting.

I’m still swooning over our beastly hero! Otis has reasons for being a brooding grump and he is splendid at wallowing…until Sadie begins to work her magic. The romance develops in true fairy tale fashion, with humour and banter and annoying misunderstandings to overcome.

I listened to the audio edition which has dual narrators which is always fun. I enjoyed Em Eldridge’s and Jason Keller’s interpretation of these characters. Their performance helped bring this story to life and made for a memorable listening experience.

My thanks to Thomas Nelson and Zondervan Fiction Audio and Net Galley for providing me with an audio edition of this book.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY

ebook copy available to anyone with a US Kindle account (.com) 

Canadians will have a choice of receiving an Amazon.ca gift card towards the purchase of an ebook OR an audible copy. Winner’s Choice.

If you would like a chance to win an ecopy of Beyond Ivy Walls, 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 August 17 2024.

The Light at Wyndcliff + Giveaway

Random Retro Re-Read

In the third book of this sweet Regency Cornwall series, one young man must search for truth among the debris of multiple shipwrecks on his newly inherited property.

When Liam Twethewey inherits the ancient Wyndcliff Hall in Pevlyn, Cornwall, he sets a goal of fulfilling his late great-uncle’s dream of opening a china clay pit on the estate’s moorland. When he arrives, however, a mysterious shipwreck on his property—along with even more mysterious survivors—puts his plans on hold.

Evelyn Bray has lived in Pevlyn her entire life. After her grandfather’s fall from fortune, he humbled himself and accepted the position of steward at Wyndcliff Hall. Evelyn’s mother, embarrassed by the reduction of wealth and status, left Pevlyn in search of a better life for them both, but in spite of her promise, never returns. Evelyn is left to navigate an uncertain path with an even more uncertain future.

When the mysteries surrounding the shipwreck survivors intensify, Liam and Evelyn are thrown together as they attempt to untangle a web of deceit and secrets. But as they separate the truths from the lies, they quickly learn that their surroundings—and the people in it—are not as they seem. Liam and Evelyn are each tested, and as a romance buds between them, they must decide if their love is strong enough to overcome their growing differences.

My Review:

An atmospheric Regency with a Gothic flare that brings to mind classics written by Victoria Holt and Mary Stewart. I made the acquaintance of those authors waaaay back in high school when I was finally allowed to venture into the adult section of the public library. I was completely entranced by this type of trope and I felt the same sort of thrill embarking on this delightfully mysterious visit to Cornwall. Love when a story brings nostalgia into the reading mix.

Also love the fresh twists Ladd brings to the genre. It’s Liam who has inherited the gloomy, long neglected estate and Evelyn who has lived there most of her life as the steward’s granddaughter. That role reversal was not only fun to read but brought different kinds of tension into play. And mercy, but there is tension galore in this novel! Between the villagers and the new lord. Between the steward and the new lord. Between Evelyn and the new lord. Get my drift? Liam’s welcome isn’t very…well…welcoming. 

And then we have the wild Cornish coast — the moors and the sea and all manner of dangers both natural and man-made. The sordid and complicated lives of smugglers and wreckers and excise men. Loads of shivery delight as Liam and Evelyn draw together to solve the mystery on their doorstep. All that and a sweet, budding romance besides. It’s a Regency Reader’s Heaven!

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

This giveaway is for a gently read paperback and is available to any reader, any where — so, yay, another International Giveaway!

If you would like a chance to win a copy of The Light at Wyndcliff , 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 August 17 2024.

The Thief of Lanwyn Manor + Giveaway

Random Retro Re-Read

In Regency England an advantageous match could set up a lady for life. Julia knows Matthew Blake, copper mine owner and very eligible bachelor, is the gentleman she should set her eyes upon. But why can’t she steal her gaze away from his younger brother, Isaac?

Cornwall, England, 1818

Julia Twethewey needs a diversion to mend her broken heart, so when her cousin invites her to Lanwyn Manor, Julia eagerly accepts. The manor is located at the heart of Cornwall’s mining industry, and as a guest Julia is swept into its intricate world. It’s not long, though, before she realizes something dark lurks within the home’s ancient halls.

As a respected mine owner’s younger son, Isaac Blake is determined to keep his late father’s legacy alive through the family business, despite his brother’s careless attitude. In order to save their livelihood—and that of the people around them—the brothers approach the master of Lanwyn Manor with plans to bolster the floundering local industry. Isaac can’t deny his attraction to the man’s charming niece, but his brother has made clear his intentions to court the lovely visitor. And Isaac knows his place.

When tragedy strikes, mysteries arise, and valuables go missing, Julia and Isaac find they are pulled together in a swirl of strange circumstances, but despite their best efforts to bow to social expectations, their hearts aren’t so keen to surrender.

My Review:

published in 2020

Poldark meets Elizabeth Gaskell (North and South, Cranford, Wives and Daughters — novels and BBC miniseries) with a distinct Gothic flare. Dust off those fainting couches and grab your smelling salts and a fan or two and settle in for a mystery-steeped Regency that will have your heart performing somersaults and your tummy doing loop-de-loops. I’m a tad shy of giddy after finishing this one.

Beautifully written — Ladd’s word choice enhances the Regency vibe and her descriptions bring layered depths to the story. And her characters! Loved Julia right from the start (and adore that last name — Twetheway — so much fun to say!) She has honor and backbone and such a giving heart. But, goodness her Aunt Beatrice! I might have bald patches from tearing my hair out over her histrionics! The perfectly imperfect character-I-love-to-hate in a novel!

Two suitors — but rest assured because one is definitely not really in the running so this isn’t quite a love triangle. More like a stumbling block which kept me rabidly reading so I could get to the part where all things romantical are put to rights. Phew! The author put me through my paces though.

The mystery brings some Gothic ambiance to the story. A cursed house with mysterious goings on. Thievery and threats and all things sinister. Cue the creepy organ music and keep some comfort chocolate on hand as you mull over all the diabolical possibilities.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

This giveaway is for a gently read paperback and is available to any reader, any where — so, yay, another International Giveaway!

If you would like a chance to win a copy of The Thief of Lanwyn Manor , 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 August 10 2024.

The Governess of Penwythe Hall + Giveaway

Random Retro Re-Read

Cornwall was in her blood, and Delia feared she’d never escape its hold.

Cornwall, England, 1811
Blamed for her husband’s death, Cordelia Greythorne fled Cornwall and accepted a governess position to begin a new life. Years later her employer’s unexpected death and his last request to watch over his five children force her to reevaluate. She can’t abandon the children now that they’ve lost both parents, but their new guardian lives at the timeworn Penwythe Hall . . . back on the Cornish coast she tries desperately to forget.

Jac Trethewey is determined to revive Penwythe Hall’s once-flourishing apple orchards, and he’ll stop at nothing to see his struggling estate profitable again. He hasn’t heard from his brother in years, so when his nieces, nephews, and their governess arrive unannounced at Penwythe Hall, he battles both grief of this brother’s death and bewilderment over this sudden responsibility. Jac’s priorities shift as the children take up residence in the ancient halls, but their secretive governess—and the mystery shrouding her past—proves to be a disruption to his carefully laid plans.

Rich with family secrets, lingering danger, and the captivating allure of new love, this first book in the Cornwall Novels series introduces us to the Twethewey family and their search for peace, justice, and love on the Cornish coast.

My Review:

published in 2019

Sqqqqquuuuueeeeeee!!!! THUD. I’m bruised from head to toe from all the body slams onto my fainting couch (I’m an energetic swooner when it comes to Gothic + Regency.) And…oh my…I’m still reeling in a kaleidoscopic state of tizziness after finishing this sublime read. It took me back to my early teens when I discovered a treasure trove of Victoria Holt and Phyllis A. Whitney books at my public library. I got that same thrill of anticipation as I started to read Governess of Penwythe Hall. I mean — Cornish coast — a struggling ancestral home — a reticent hero — smugglers — danger! I feel a surge of fangirling excitement welling up inside of me just remembering it all!

“If you lean on your faith, you’ll arrive at a destination created just for you.”

And what a journey Ladd takes Jac and Delia on! Enticing descriptions and a mysterious ambiance lulled me into a stupor of bibliophile bliss. A romance that manages to be both sweet and passionate, the specter of danger, a shroud of mystery and cutthroat action — all the elements essential for this genre with the added bonus of a gentle faith thread woven throughout. Sweet Perfection! 

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

This giveaway is for a gently read paperback and is available to any reader, any where — so, yay, another International Giveaway!

If you would like a chance to win a copy of The Governess of Penwythe Hall , 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 August 3 2024.

Meeting Her Match + Giveaway

Miss Camilla Pierpont, a renowned matchmaker and influential member of the New York Four Hundred, has vowed never to marry after suffering a devastating heartbreak during her debut years ago. However, when she is nearly abducted along the Hudson River, she finds herself rescued by an annoyingly outspoken, albeit fascinating, gentleman who challenges her in a manner she wasn’t expecting.

After learning that Camilla Pierpont has enjoyed success with taking wayward young ladies in hand, Mr. Owen Chesterfield travels to the Hudson River Valley determined to convince Camilla to sponsor his sister, who is in desperate need of social rehabilitation.

Knowing her life is in danger, Camilla agrees to Owen’s proposition and travels with him to West Virginia, finding herself charmed by the less-than-formal attitude of his small hometown, as well as by Owen himself. But danger waits in the shadows, disrupting what she knows would be the most spectacular match she’s ever made–her own.

My Review:

Snicker. I can’t wipe the silly grin off my face from the sheer absurd goings on in this novel! From the meet-cute fraught with mix ups to the bedlam that ensues afterwards, ‘Meeting Her Match’ is Jen Turnano at her zaniest best!

Honestly, no one can write riotously convoluted dialogue that, oddly enough, makes sense…eventually like this author can. The fine art of talking at cross purposes is perfected in nearly every exchange between Camilla and Owen and it’s hysterical! Definitely laugh-out-loud funny in places, so consider yourself forewarned if you are planning to read this book out in public. 🙂

And once Camilla arrives in West Virginia the fun explodes off the page! I can’t even…Owen’s family!!! Oh, mercy, his grandmother and his aunt! Two of the finest secondary characters ever. I will never take an apple pie recipe for granted ever again! Bwahahaha!

Riotous hijinks, sweet romance, characters to love (and a few to love-to-hate) along with a wee bit of intrigue and danger makes ‘Meeting Her Match’ the very best kind of escape read!

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

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

US – available in print or ebook — winner’s choice

Canada – available in print or ebook or audible (if available) — winner’s choice

International – ebook copy if you have a US Kindle account.

If you would like a chance to win a copy of one of the Meeting Her Match, 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 July 27 2024.