Showing posts with label Historical Fiction. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Historical Fiction. Show all posts

Thursday, February 18, 2016

The Infamous Heir by Elizabeth Michels ~ Guest Post, Excerpt, and Giveaway

Title: The Infamous Heir
Author: Elizabeth Michels
Series: Spare Heirs, #1
Pubdate: March 1st, 2016

The Spare Heirs Society Cordially Invites You to Meet Ethan Moore: The Scoundrel

Lady Roselyn Grey’s debut has finally arrived, and of course, she has every flounce and flutter planned. She’ll wear the perfect gowns and marry the perfect gentleman…that is, if the formerly disinherited brother of the man she intends to marry doesn’t ruin everything first.

Ethan Moore is a prize-fighting second son and proud founding member of the Spare Heirs Society—and that’s all he ever should have been. But, in an instant, his brother’s noble title is his, the eyes of the ton are upon him, and the lady he’s loved for years would rather meet him in the boxing ring than the ballroom.

He’s faced worse. With the help of his Spare Heirs brotherhood, Ethan’s certain he can get to the bottom of his brother’s unexpected demise and win the impossible lady who has haunted his dreams for as long as he can remember…


Elizabeth Michels grew up on a Christmas tree farm in rural South Carolina. After tip-toeing her way through school with her focus on ballet steps and her nose in a book, she met a boy and followed him a thousand miles away from home to Kansas City, Missouri, before settling down in North Carolina.

I admit it, I have a weakness. And my weakness is romantic comedies. There have been so many Saturday afternoons I’ve lost by walking through the living room when one of my favorites is playing on TV. Laundry and errands? What laundry and errands? I have to spend the next few hours curled up on the sofa, watching Dirty Dancing for the 473rd time. It’s this same magnetic pull toward a love story that inspired me to read romance novels, and to write them. So I thought I would share with you one of my favorite romantic comedies, and the romance novel it reminds me of.




We all know the plot to Pretty Woman, right? Important corporate dude hires a girl off the street to be his date during his business trip. They fall in love, he screws it up. But then he shows up in the white limo and climbs up the fire escape…It’s epic. In Tessa Dare’s Any Duchess Will Do, a Duke hires a serving girl for a week to prove a point to his mother. She fills the role of future Duchess, and he falls for her in the process. It’s perfect for those of you who want to be swept off your feet by a Duke…which would be most of you…and me. *grins* 

Do you have a favorite romantic comedy? Does the plot remind you of a book you enjoyed?

Excerpt

“You can’t spare a footman to haul my trunks and valise inside?” Roselyn asked.

Mr. Ethan Moore didn’t seem to mind the rain that splashed down on them in the drive. “I’m afraid not.”

“Not a single servant to assist your guests as they arrive? And I thought Ormesby Place to be a welcoming, organized home. The devil it is.” She muttered the last bit under her breath, sure he hadn’t heard her.

“What was that, my lady?” he asked, leaning in.

“Oh, nothing.” How had he heard her comment? She always tried to be so careful of such things. It was as if the ugly habits she’d worked so diligently to eliminate from her life were rising to the surface against her will. And she blamed Mr. Ethan Moore for every bit of it.

“If your precious possessions mean so much to you, princess, I will personally assist you with your things.”

Finally he was going to see reason. She smiled in relief. “Well, that was all I required. Thank you.”

He bent and lifted the small valise from the top of the pile of trunks, slinging it over his shoulder with a grin. “That trunk looks light enough. You should be able to manage it.” With those careless words, he turned and began to stroll away toward the door.

Was he whistling? What an infuriating man!

Roselyn stood rooted to the ground in shock for a moment, watching him walk away through the rain. Then, something snapped within her. The gently bred lady she tried to portray was stripped away, leaving behind the young, reckless girl she thought she’d outgrown years ago. He couldn’t walk away from her in such a manner.

She took two steps to the edge of a flower bed, scooped up a fistful of fresh soil within her white- gloved hand and flung it as hard as she could at Mr. Moore’s back. Watching as it splattered across his upper arm, slinging droplets onto his cheek, she felt a moment of visceral triumph. Then she gaped at him.

What had she done? She hadn’t even considered doing anything so childish in years— not since that summer when she’d set a trap to trip him as he crossed one of the fields, then laughed as he tugged her down into the dirt with him. The memory of her laughter faded as reality set in. Her plans! What had she been thinking? But, of course, she hadn’t been thinking.

He turned, an affronted look crossing his face as he stared at her.

In that moment, in spite of their current ages, he was the boy next door again, chasing Katie and her through the woods as they cackled with glee. She bit her lip to keep from laughing.

He glanced down at his arm in disbelief, dropped her valise to the ground, and began prowling toward her. Oh. Perhaps this had been a mistake. A challenging gleam filled his eyes, turning them as dark as black water in a cold lake.

Oh dear. She blinked once, twice, then turned and ran.

She’d made it to the corner of the house where the edge of the lush gardens overlooked the moors when she felt a large hand wrap around her upper arm, dragging her to a halt. She could feel the heat of him behind her. She had never been so close to a man before. Her heart hammered within her body. Even Lord Ayton had never dared touch her like this. She’d never felt a gentleman’s body pressed into hers as Mr. Moore’s was now. “Leaving so soon?” he murmured, his lips almost grazing the rim of her ear.

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Friday, May 15, 2015

The Originals: The Loss by Julie Plec - Review

Title: The Originals: The Loss (The Originals #2)
Author: Julie Plec
Source: Amazon Vine
Genre: Historical Urban Fantasy
Length: Novel
Release Date: March 31, 2015
Reviewed by: Jasmyn

Rating - 4
Sexual - 2

Family is power. The Original vampire family swore it to each other a thousand years
ago. They pledged to remain together always and forever. But even when you're immortal, promises are hard to keep.

After a hurricane destroyed their city, Klaus, Elijah and Rebekah Mikaelson have rebuilt New Orleans to even greater glory. The year is 1766. The witches live on the fringes in the bayou. The werewolves have fled. But still, Klaus isn't satisfied. He wants more. He wants power.

But when Klaus finally finds a witch who will perform a spell to give him what he desires most, she secretly uses Klaus to unleash a curse; one that brings back hundreds of her ancestors; and begins a war to reclaim New Orleans. As the siblings fight off the attack, only one thing's for certain; the result will be a bloodbath.
Things don't look so good in the Mikaelson family at the end of book one, but they are looking a tad bit better at the beginning of The Loss.  Rebekah has moved on from the loss of her love and is enjoying her "life" again.  But Klaus - always the brooding type - refuses to accept the fact that his love is gone.

In typical Klaus fashion, that I've grown to love to hate, he takes off on his own path and finds a way to get what he wants.  But, as always, it comes with a price that he doesn't realize. Soon the family finds themselves under attack by strange undead zombie like creatures.  And every night there are more of them.  Instead of banding together the siblings really fragment and go in three different directions here.  While I expected Klaus to do his own thing and not really give a crap, I was surprised to see it from the other two, especially the oh so mature Elijah.

Over all this was a very exciting addition to their history.  I really enjoyed seeing just how all the witch/werewolf/vampire rivalries got started and their affect on the lives of the people of New Orleans.

*This book was received in exchange for an honest review*


More from The Originals by Julie Plec

Have you watched Vampire Diaries or The Originals?  What do you think of the spin off and now a book series?

Monday, March 30, 2015

Review: The Originals: The Rise (Originals #1) by Julie Plec

Title: The Originals: The Rise (Originals #1)
Author: Julie Plec
Source: Amazon Vine
Genre: Historical Paranormal
Length: Novel
Release Date: January 27, 2015
Reviewed by: Jasmyn

Rating - 4
Sexual - 1

Family is power. The Original vampire family swore it to each other a thousand years
ago. They pledged to remain together always and forever. But even when you're immortal, promises are hard to keep.

Arriving in New Orleans in 1722, Original vampire siblings Klaus, Elijah and Rebekah Mikaelson believe they've escaped their dangerous past. But the city is lawless, a haven for witches and werewolves unwilling to share territory. The siblings are at their mercy…especially after Klaus meets the beautiful and mysterious Vivianne. Her impending marriage is key to ending the war between the supernatural factions—and Klaus's attraction to her could destroy the uneasy alliance. As Elijah works toward securing a piece of the city for his family, and Rebekah fights her unexpected feelings for a French captain, will Klaus's volatile desires bring their world crashing down—and tear them apart for good?
This paranormal story allowed me to indulge in my guilty pleasure - The Originals.  I love their story even more than I love Vampire Diaries.  It will definitely help to have watched parts of the shows to understand the basic history and lore behind the Mikaelson family, but if you haven't you can still just enjoy the story.

The Rise really highlighted each sibling's strongest personality trait - almost too much so.  Elijah was the controlling planner, Klaus was the hot-headed impulsive one, and Rebekah was just sort of lost because she cares too much about everything.  I think she was my greatest disappointment.  She has become a much stronger person since this story took place and I was sad not to see that part of her character more.

It was fun to watch their beginnings in New Orleans and see how the start of all the fueds between the various species began.  This is a must read for fans of the series.  It ties in well with what I've seen of the series and really opens up the family's past, making how they act now even more exciting.

*This book was received in exchange for an honest review*

Monday, March 23, 2015

ARC Review: The Witch of Painted Sorrows (The Daughters of La Lune #1) by M.J. Rose

Title: The Witch of Painted Sorrows (The Daughters of La Lune #1)
Author: M.J. Rose
Source: NetGalley
Genre: Paranormal Historical Fiction - Belle Epoque
Length: Novel
Release Date: March 17, 2015
Reviewed by: Jasmyn

Rating - 4
Sexual - 2

Possession. Power. Passion. New York Times bestselling novelist M. J. Rose creates
her most provocative and magical spellbinder yet in this gothic novel set against the lavish spectacle of 1890s Belle Époque Paris.

Sandrine Salome flees New York for her grandmother’s Paris mansion to escape her dangerous husband, but what she finds there is even more menacing. The house, famous for its lavish art collection and elegant salons, is mysteriously closed up. Although her grandmother insists it’s dangerous for Sandrine to visit, she defies her and meets Julien Duplessi, a mesmerizing young architect. Together they explore the hidden night world of Paris, the forbidden occult underground and Sandrine’s deepest desires.

Among the bohemians and the demi-monde, Sandrine discovers her erotic nature as a lover and painter. Then darker influences threaten—her cold and cruel husband is tracking her down and something sinister is taking hold, changing Sandrine, altering her. She’s become possessed by La Lune: A witch, a legend, and a sixteenth-century courtesan, who opens up her life to a darkness that may become a gift or a curse.

This is Sandrine’s “wild night of the soul,” her odyssey in the magnificent city of Paris, of art, love, and witchery.

Such a good book. This one seemed to have just about everything. We have a wife on the run from her horrible husband, the beautiful setting of historical Paris, dark family secrets, and a love affair. These are all woven beautifully together to create the story of La Lune and Sandrine.

I'm not even sure where to begin. You are eased into the paranormal elements as more of a family legend. But when the legend seems to be slowly coming to life, things begin to really take off. Sandrine is the focal point of this and her time in Paris was amazing. I loved watching her slowly changing to become more that what she really was. This is seen in her personality, her art, and even the way she dresses. But it happens so slowly that we don't really notice it all coming together until her grandmother throws it in your face!

The history was fantastic. M.J. Rose really draws you into 1890's Paris and the art scene as it changes and evolves under the influence of mysticism movement. People are more and more interested in the occult and it just adds a nice element in the layering of the story.

My only complaint was the ending. It came very fast and very sudden. It was a great climactic scene, but I felt like I didn't have a chance to really enjoy everything coming together and being revealed before it was just over. I'm really hoping the series continues with this storyline. I still have so much more I want to see.

*This book was received in exchange for an honest review*

Wednesday, January 14, 2015

ARC Review: Revealing Ruby (Bound and Determined #1.5) by Lavinia Kent

Title: Revealing Ruby (Bound and Determined #1.5)
Author: Lavinia Kent
Source: NetGalley
Genre: Erotica
Length: Novella
Release Date: January 20, 2015

Rating - 3
Sexual - 4

Unmasked by smoldering desire, a rigidly disciplined madame gives in to the ultimate temptation in Lavinia Kent’s seductive new eBook original novella.

As the proprietress of London’s most discreet house of pleasure, Madame Rouge—Ruby to her clientele—prefers to keep her own company. The first rule in her establishment? She never, ever personally entertains the customers. However, the tall, dark, and provocatively tattooed American sailor who shows up on her doorstep makes Ruby wonder whether some rules were made to be broken. If she indulges, even just once, Ruby’s loyal patrons might get the wrong idea. If she doesn’t, she may never stop fantasizing about where that tattoo leads. . . .

No complications: That’s all Derek Price, captain of the Dawn’s Light, asks of his consorts on shore, and he’s willing to pay handsomely for the favor. But of all the women at Madame Rouge’s, the one he wants is the only one he can’t have, for any sum. Derek is not a man with an abundance of patience. However, for a night with Madame Rouge, Ruby, whoever she is, he’s willing to make those lush curves and sapphire eyes come to him.

Revealing Ruby is an erotic romance intended for mature audiences. Don’t miss a preview of the next novel in the Bound and Determined series, Bound by Bliss.
 As an erotic story, this was a pretty good one.  There was plenty of chemistry between Ruby and Captain Price and lots of hot sex to go along with it.  It was very well written and the historical setting really stood out in the story.

We get to see a little bit about the past of both Ruby and Captain Price, and his tattoo is truly something magical.  I can't image how much it had to have hurt - but it seems to be well worth it.  Ruby is fascinated with it and I think I would have been as well.  Unfortunately, this was about the extent of learning about the characters and getting to know them.  Even as a non-romance erotic novella, I still expect a little bit more story with the sex.

*This book was received in exchange for an honest review*

Friday, October 17, 2014

Review: The Fortune Hunter by Daisy Goodwin

Title: The Fortune Hunter
Author: Daisy Goodwin
Source: Amazon Vine
Genre: Historical Fiction - Victorian
Length: Novel
Release Date: July 29, 2014
Reviewed by: Jasmyn

Rating - 4
Sexual - 1

In 1875, Sisi, the Empress of Austria is the woman that every man desires and every
woman envies.

Beautiful, athletic and intelligent, Sisi has everything - except happiness. Bored with the stultifying etiquette of the Hapsburg Court and her dutiful but unexciting husband, Franz Joseph, Sisi comes to England to hunt. She comes looking for excitement and she finds it in the dashing form of Captain Bay Middleton, the only man in Europe who can outride her. Ten years younger than her and engaged to the rich and devoted Charlotte, Bay has everything to lose by falling for a woman who can never be his. But Bay and the Empress are as reckless as each other, and their mutual attraction is a force that cannot be denied.

Full of passion and drama, THE FORTUNE HUNTER tells the true story of a nineteenth century Queen of Hearts and a cavalry captain, and the struggle between love and duty.
The Fortune Hunter introduced a few historical characters that I was not too familiar with, Sisi (the Empress of Austria) especially.  Sisi is known as the most beautiful woman in Europe, but she is miserable and lonely - which leads her to come to England to enjoy the hunting season.  Sisi was quite the fascinating figure - at the same time very observant of protocol and traditions, but shunning them at the same time.  She was obsessed with her looks and insisted on keeping people close that would ensure she had her way.  This may sound like quite an unpleasant person, but when she was happy - the world seemed happy.  Everyone around her would share in it.

Charlotte and Bay are our other two main characters.  Charlotte is the heiress to quite the fortune has several hunters out for her hand in marriage because of it.  She is an avid photographer, and from the description and reactions in the book, she was quite skilled in the art as well.  She, too, was an interesting contrast in characteristics, being both naive and world-wise at the same time.

Her favored suitor Bay causes all sorts of trouble by catching the eye of the Empress.  The Empress insists that he attend her at all times, and this drives a significant wedge between him and Charlotte.  This wedge was something he would have to work quite hard at pulling out and regaining her trust and affection.

I loved how Daisy Goodwin made her characters so life like.  The nobles were quite full of themselves and their traditions and rules, while everyone else was tasked with making their lives easier.  That was just the way of the world and you could really feel that on every page.  There is a very strong romance that flows through the story, but it is not all happy endings for our three main characters.  Having said that, the ending was very climatic and beautifully written.  I was sure quite a few times that the worst was going to happen, but it realistically (yet miraculously) turned around and did something quite unexpected.

*This book was received in exchange for an honest review*

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Wednesday, October 8, 2014

Review: Highest Stakes (Georgian Gamesters #1) by Emery Lee

Title: Highest Stakes Georgian Gamesters #1)
Author: Emery Lee
Source: Self-Purchased
Genre: Historical Fiction - Georgian
Length: Novel
Release Date: April 1, 2010

Rating - 4
Sexual - 2

In 18th century England & Colonial Virginia, when high-spirited stallions filled the
stables of the lords of the land & fortunes were won & lost on the outcome of a race, a love story unfolds between a young woman for whom her uncle's horses are her only friends & the young man who teaches her everything about their care & racing.











Highest Stakes is an historical fiction novel with some very strong romantic elements.  It was a very interesting mix of romance, class struggle, friendships, and (as you can tell from the cover) horse racing.  All these aspects mix in the form of Robert and his pursuit of his employer's daughter, Charlotte.  When her guardians refuse to allow him to marry her, he sets off to prove he is more than just a worker - he joins the King's Horse.  This is where he befriends Drake, the second son of an Earl.  The lives of these three people intertwine in an amazing way.  The way their individual stories combined to create this world far exceeded my expectations.

While Robert's story seems to be the main focus, we get to experience life from the point of view of all three characters.  It gives enlightenment as to their actions, which at times seems to run counter to logic, but you come to understand their innermost desires and code by watching them make the tough decisions.  A lot of these decisions center around the popular sport of horse racing - of which Robert is an expert in both breeding and riding.  In fact, he bets many life altering decisions on the outcome of horse races, including being able to wed the love of his life, Charlotte.

Having worked at a stable when I was in junior high and loving horses my whole life, I thoroughly enjoyed the horse aspect of the story.  A few of the horses almost become main characters, especially Mars and Amoret, and you really get to know their personalities, strengths, and weaknesses.  I enjoyed their part of the story just as much as I enjoyed the romance and the people.

The plot twists and turns a lot so don't ever be surprised at anything that happens.  In the end there is a bit of a happily ever after - for at least some people.  You can tell there is more to the story and book two is the continuation of the story of this group of people, their friends and family.



Monday, June 16, 2014

Review: The Patrician by Joan Kayse

Title: The Patrician (The Patrician #1)
Author: Joan Kayse
Source: Self-Purchased
Genre: Historical Fiction, Rome
Length: Novel
Release Date: December 1, 2012
Reviewed by: Jasmyn

Rating - 4
Sexual - 3

Jared of Alexandria shuns both his Roman and Hebrew blood, a curse that’s kept him on
the fringes of society, to become a powerful and successful merchant prince. When his trading empire is threatened by an unknown enemy who not only wants to see him ruined but dead as well, he uses every means to put an end to it. He turns to a beautiful barbarian seer, a slave with hair the color of firelight and eyes that shine like emeralds only to be betrayed into a fate worse than death—slavery.

Bryna of Eire lives each day burdened by the yoke of Rome and her own guilt for leading her beloved brother and clansmen into Rome’s clutches. She curses the gift of sight which her master exploits, keeping her under lock and key, telling fortunes and fattening his purse. When an opportunity to be freed of her confinement comes, Bryna takes it, though her instincts warn that lying to the sensual, golden-eyed man that plagues her visions risks her very soul.

Betrayed into slavery, Jared labors under the lash envisioning revenge on the seer who sent him into this hell. But when fate throws Bryna into his arms, he finds exacting vengeance a different matter. As they escape, evade bounty hunters and face their pasts, Jared must battle not only his enemy but his heart. Can the differences that separate them draw them together to save their lives and their love?
Book Two: The Patrician's Fortune - Review

This series does not need to be read in order to enjoy them.  However, Jared and Bryna do play a fairly important role in The Patrician's Fortune and it was great to see their story.

Bryna is a slave.  Her "barbarian tribe" was captured and sold in the slave markets of Rome.  A beautiful woman doesn't usually last long there, but her brother had the fore sight to brag about her powerful visions - ones that would disappear if she were violated.  So instead of entering a brothel as a prostitute, she enters one as an oracle with services for sale.  I love how Joan Kayse set up the back story.  It became a seamless part of the current story, revealed in small ways that led to a great understanding of the position Bryna found herself in.

Jared, on the other hand, was not a slave.  At least not at first.  He was a customer - and the lies Bryna tells him lead to his capture.  Through a series of events and sales, they find themselves working for the same master on a secluded estate.  This is where the story hit a little hiccup for me.  I know the Roman empire was vast, but I would have thought someone, somewhere in one of the markets would have recognized one of Alexandria's most prominent merchants.  This thought popped up several times in their journey.  But putting that aside, the way they were brought together was brilliant.

Jared and Bryna both have the same basic goal - escape.  Each  with their own motives.  I love how their relationship grew so gradually that neither one even realized it at first.  They are torn apart several times, but somehow always managed to find themselves together again.  The end of the story ends with several fantastically moving scenes between them and with the "bad guys".  I just wish Jared's history had been a little bit easier for me to believe.

Friday, April 25, 2014

Review: A Risk Worth Taking by Laura Landon

Title: A Risk Worth Taking
Author: Laura Landon
Source: Amazon Vine
Genre: Historical Fiction, Victorian
Length: Novel
Release Date: October 1, 2013
Reviewed by: Jasmyn

Rating - 3
Sexual - 3

Griffin Blackmoor blames himself for the tragic accident that claimed his wife and young
son. Riddled with guilt, he prays that during the Crimean War an enemy’s bullet will end the consuming torture he can’t escape. Instead, that bullet finds his best friend. Now there isn’t enough whiskey in England to make him forget all the people who have died because of him. But before he can drown himself in an endless sea of liquor, he must keep the promise he made his dying friend. Except that promise is sure to risk an innocent woman’s life—and his own battered heart.

When her brother’s sudden death leaves her destitute, Lady Anne Carmichael knows she must marry. Although her dark beauty earns her the attention of London’s most eligible bachelors, only one man can stir her soul with his kisses. Griffin Blackmoor is everything she swore she never wanted. So why does his love feel like exactly what she needs?
A Risk Worth Taking had everything it needed to be an amazin book, but it just didn't quite make it.  Griffin was a little too much of everything.  He was too convinced he knew who was trying to kill him and why that it practically screamed that he was wrong about something.  His devotion to his deceased wife and son was at first very sweet, but Lady Anne dwells on it far too much at one point in the book.  The think I really liked about Grif was that he made the tough call to stop to drinking.  Laura Landon did a fantastic job showing what a mental and physical struggle this could be for someone.

Lady Anne was incredibly stiff.  Her swearing off of any help (even though she really needed it) was enough to make me want to scream at times.  Her devotion to her sister was touching, but I sort of wish we had seen a little more of her throughout the book.

Unfortunately, I had a good chunk of the mystery figured out long before I should have which ruined the big reveal for me.  If it had been just a little more hidden it would have been an amazing twist to really make this book work.  It was just a tad too predictable to be make it out of the 3 rating range.

*This book was received in exchange for an honest review*

Wednesday, April 23, 2014

Blog Tour Review and Giveaway: An Unexpected Sin by Sarah Ballance

Title: An Unexpected Sin (Sins of Salem #2)
Author: Sarah Ballance
Source: Entangled - Scandalous
Genre: Historical Fiction - Colonial
Length: Novel
Release Date: April 14, 2014
Reviewed by: Jasmyn

Rating - 3
Sexual - 3

Salem, Colonial

The moment the stranger’s dark eyes meet hers, Anne Scudder’s world is immediately overthrown by chaos. That single flare of desire is immediate, driving away all notions of propriety. Instead, Anne is consumed with sinful thoughts—ones that no unmarried girl should ever have for a man who isn’t her husband…

But Josiah Cromwell is no stranger.

It’s been six years since Josiah stole kisses from Anne, his best friend’s younger sister. Six years since Josiah left after his best friend’s death, burdened by the knowledge that he was responsible for destroying Anne’s family. Now he’s returned to claim the woman he can’t live without. But even as their desire threatens to consume them both—body and soul—the dark workings of suspicion and witchcraft are afoot.

Because in Salem, too much passion can lead a woman to ruin… and condemned to death.
This is my first historical romance set in the Colonial period - more specifically during the Salem witch trials. I always thought this was a very interesting period of time.  Sarah Ballance managed to capture the time period perfectly for me.  The accusations flying, innocent people accused, not defending anyone for fear you'd be named next.  It was a very tense period in which to live.  These issues all touched the story of Anne and Josiah in different ways - ways they could have been disasterous.  It was very nicely pieced together.

The downfall of this novel was the period language.  I know they spoke this way, but when it was also narrated this way, it was a little rough at times.  One word in particular seemed to grate on me, verily.  When used in dialog it was very fitting but it was thrown in elsewhere just a little too often.  The blame Josiah places on himself was a little over done and I did get tired of hearing about how unworthy he thought he was.

Overall, this was a good shot at the period for historical fiction.  My issues with the book may not bother other readers at all - some may even enjoy them.

*This book was received in exchange for an honest review*


Author Bio:

Sarah Ballance is a multi-published author of contemporary, historical, and supernatural romance and romantic suspense. She's been married to her own romantic hero for what he calls a "long, long time" (and no, he'll never hear the end of saying that). Together they have six children ... and clearly too much time on their hands. She currently writes for Entangled and has upcoming releases from both Entangled and Samhain Publishing.
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