Book Review: The Heir by Grace Burrowes

Saturday 4 December, 2010 by 4 Comments


Title: The Heir
Author: Grace Burrowes
Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca
Publication Date: December 1, 2010
Paperback: 480 pages
ISBN: 78-1402244346
Genre: Historical Fiction, Romance

From the Publisher:

An earl who can’t be bribed…

Gayle Windham, earl of Westhaven, is the first legitimate son and heir to the duke of Moreland. To escape his father’s inexorable pressure to marry, he decides to spend the summer at his townhouse in London, where he finds himself intrigued by the secretive ways of his beautiful housekeeper…

A lady who can’t be protected…

Anna Seaton is a beautiful, talented, educated woman, which is why it is so puzzling to Gayle Windham that she works as his housekeeper.

As the two draw closer and begin to lose their hearts to each other, Anna’s secrets threaten to bring the earl’s orderly life crashing down—and he doesn’t know how he’s going to protect her from the fallout…

My Review:

As a historical romance, The Heir by Grace Burrowes contains a strong hero in Gayle Windham, Earl of Westhaven and even stronger heroine in Anna Seaton and while I enjoyed the wittiness of the novel, I was once again reminded why I do not care for romance novels.  Burrowes expertly crafts her characters and fills the plot with secrets and plot twists along with vivid descriptions and a lot of romance.  I enjoyed the idea of the storyline and really had hoped I would like it more, yet I lost a lot of enjoyment due to the romance.  The Heir holds a lot of promise for readers who enjoy an intelligent, witty and intriguing passion filled romance.  The Heir is the first book in Grace Burrowes new Regency romance series with the second book, The Soldier, to be released in spring and Virtuoso in the autumn.  While The Heir contained more romance and passion then I enjoy to read about, it is a clever book and I would recommend The Heir to any adult reader who enjoys historical romances.

About the Author:

Grace Burrowes is the award winning author of the “The Duke’s Obsession,” a Regency trilogy detailing the loves of the three sons of the meddling old Duke of Moreland. She lives in Maryland with dogs, cats, and horses, and absolutely loves to hear from her readers.

I received a complimentary copy of The Heir by Grace Burrowes from Sourcebooks. Receiving a complimentary copy in no way reflected my review of aforementioned novel.


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Book Review: Lady of Hay by Barbara Erskine

Saturday 23 October, 2010 by 7 Comments


Title: Lady of Hay: Two Women, Eight Hundred Years, and the Destiny They Share
Author: Barbara Erskine
Publisher: Sourcebooks Landmark; Reprint edition
Publication Date: October 1, 2010
Paperback: 592 pages
ISBN: 978-1402241185
Genre: Historical Fiction, Historical Romance, Paranormal


From the Publisher:

With a story as mesmerizing as it is chilling, Lady of Hay explores how Jo, a journalist investigating hypnotic regression, plunges into the life of Matilda, Lady of Hay—who lived eight hundred years earlier. As she learns of Matilda’s unhappy marriage, her troubled love for Richard de Clare, and the brutal treatment she received from King John, it seems that Jo’s past and present are hopelessly entwined. Centuries later, a story of secret passion and unspeakable treachery is about to begin again—and she has no choice but to brave both lives if she wants to shake the iron grip of history.

My Review:

I have been struggling with my review of Lady of Hay by Barbara Erskine and putting it off hoping my feelings toward the book would change with time, they have not. I had truly wanted to adore Lady of Hay and quite unfortunately, I did not care for the book.  There, I said it.   I enjoyed the idea of the story, especially the descriptions of life in the twelfth century. Erskine did an excellent job at creating two realistic and vividly described centuries and creatively moves in and out of them seamlessly. I immensely enjoyed learning about Matilda de Braose and the life she led. So, what did I not care for in Lady of Hay? In short I did not care for the paranormal aspect of the book, many of the characters, and Jo.   Had Erskine told a tale about Matilda de Braose, The Lady of Hay, and left it solely about her life, I would have been raving about this book, however the story is about Jo’s regression through hypnosis to become the Lady of Hay, a twist I did not care for. With that said, Lady of Hay is brilliantly developed, chock full of drama to keep the reader turning the pages long into the night and when dealing with Matilda, a brilliant historical fiction novel. I would recommend Lady of Hay to those who enjoy paranormal novels as well as historical fiction. Even though Lady of Hay was not all I hoped for, I do look forward to more novels by Erskine, as she is a masterful storyteller.

I received a complimentary copy of Lady of Hay by Barbara Erskine from Sourcebooks. Receiving a complimentary copy in no way reflected my review of aforementioned novel.


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Book Review: A Memory Between Us by Sarah Sundin

Monday 4 October, 2010 by 8 Comments

Title: A Memory Between US
Author: Sarah Sundin
Publisher: Revell
Publication Date: September 1, 2010
Paperback: 439 pages
ISBN: 978-0800734220
Genre: Fiction, Historical Romance

From the Publisher:

Can they overcome the past to find a brighter future together?

Major Jack Novak has never failed to meet a challenge–until he meets army nurse Lieutenant Ruth Doherty. When Jack lands in the army hospital after a plane crash, he makes winning Ruth’s heart a top-priority mission. But he has his work cut out for him. Not only is Ruth focused on her work in order to support her orphaned siblings back home, she also is determined not to give her heart to any man.

As the danger and tension of World War II rise to a fever pitch, Jack and Ruth will need each other more than ever. Can Jack break down her defenses? Or are they destined to go their separate ways?

From the English countryside to the perilous skies over France, A Memory Between Us takes you on a journey through love, forgiveness, and sacrifice.

My Review:

A Memory Between Us by Sarah Sundin, the second book in the Wings of Glory series, takes place during WWII, and follows the lives of three brothers beginning with A Distant Melody.  A Memory Between Us is a beautiful, gripping and heartfelt story of army nurse Ruth Doherty and Major Jack Novak.  With detailed descriptions ranging from makeshift hospitals to B-17 Bombers, Sundin deftly takes the reader back in time to the dangers, shortages, fear, and pride in those fighting and assisting in WWII.  Sundin’s characters are expertly created, flawed, imperfect and extremely relatable.  Ruth is courageous and full of spirit even while working amidst fighting and fearing for the safety of those left at home.  Jack will win the readers hearts, but will he win Ruth’s?  There is a gentle underlying Christian theme to Sundin’s series and I hope those who shy away from Christian novels give A Memory Between Us a chance, for I believe it just may change the perception some have of Christian books.  A Memory Between Us is a riveting historical fiction novel, filled with WWII facts intermingled with fictitious characters and life-changing questions taking the reader through a wide range of emotions and experiences as the characters learn about love, hope, how to let go of guilt and to find redemption.  I would recommend A Memory Between Us to any reader looking for a nice historical fiction book to read as well as recommend it to book discussion groups.

About the Author:

Sarah Sundin is an on-call hospital pharmacist and holds a BS in chemistry from UCLA and a doctorate in pharmacy from UC San Francisco. Her great-uncle flew with the US Eighth Air Force in England during WWII. Sarah lives in California with her husband and three children. This is her first novel. For more info please visit her website.

Follow the blog tour here.

Contest:
Sarah Sundin presents The Movies and Memories Giveaway in honor of book 2 in the Wings of Glory series. To celebrate Sarah is giving one lucky winner A Movie and Memory Prize
Package!

One grand prize winner will receive:

* Make-your-own-photo book from Mypublisher.com (Capture your own
Memories)

* Netflix Subscription (New or Nostalgic Movies delivered right to your house)

* Starbucks gift card (To keep your engine revvin’)

*Gourmet chocolate (A favorite in the 1940’s and now)
* British specialty teas in carved wooden box (Timeless tradition)

* Miniature model of a B-17 Flying Fortress bomber & C-47 cargo plane
(Everyone needs a few toy planes)

*Big Band music CD (Break out your dancing shoes)

* WWII authentic poster playing cards (Cards – a perfect game for two)

* Keep Calm and Carry On (Uplifting sayings WWII, a boost for troubled times)

To enter simple click on the icons below (contest runs 9/27 – 10/17!)

I received a complimentary copy of A Memory Between Us by Sarah Sundin from Litfuse. Receiving a complimentary copy in no way reflected my review of aforementioned novel.


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Book Review: The Making Of A Gentleman by Shana Galen

Friday 1 October, 2010 by 4 Comments

Title: The Making of a Gentleman
Author: Shana Galen
Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca
Publication Date: October 1, 2010
Paperback: 384 pages
ISBN: 978-1402238666
Genre: Historical Romance, Fiction

From the Publisher:

Twelve years in prison has stripped him of his humanity…

Armand, Comte de Valère has lost the ability to interact with polite society, until his family hires him a beautiful tutor, and he starts to come alive again…

Saving him is her only chance to escape a terrible fate…

Felicity Bennett vows she’ll do whatever it takes to help Armand fight back the demons that have held him captive for so long…

With Felicity’s help, Armand begins to heal, until a buried secret threatens to destroy their growing passion…

My Review:

Those who know me well may very well ponder why I am reviewing a romance novel since I typically shy away from the genre, but there are exceptions. Transport me to 1801 England, add a strong female character and the hint of romance in a well placed storyline, and I am hooked. This is exactly what Shana Galen does in her Sons of the Revolution books.
The Making of a Gentleman by Shana Galen is the second book in her Sons of the Revolution trilogy which began with the book, The Making of a Duchess, and let me assure everyone now, they can indeed be read independently of one another but having read two-thirds of the trilogy I believe readers will want to read all three books. Twelve years in a French prison has taken its toll on the once dashing Armand Harcourt, Comte de Valere. He no longer cares for life’s pleasures and seems incapable of even trying to be civilized, confounding his family, at a loss at what else to do with Armand, Felicity Bennett is hired to help Armand re-enter society. While Armand is a hero whose spirit has been broken, he is well rounded out by the heroine, Felicity, who certainly has her own share of worries, is feisty and independent for women of this time period.
Galen is a strong writer replete with a lively wit, vivid descriptions, strong characters, likeable and not, filled with conflicts, emotional upheaval, a hint of mystery and a dose of romance. Galen masterfully writes a witty, fun, mysterious and intriguing tale of secrets, lies, and passion and I would indeed recommend The Making of a Gentleman to my readers as well as to those a bit reluctant to read a historical romance.

I received a complimentary copy of The Making of a Gentleman by Shana Galen from Sourcebooks. Receiving a complimentary copy in no way reflected my review of aforementioned novel.


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Book Review: What Alice Knew: A Most Curious Tale of Henry James and Jack the Ripper by Paula Marantz Cohen

Tuesday 7 September, 2010 by 10 Comments

Title: What Alice Knew: A Most Curious Tale of Henry James and Jack the Ripper
Author: Paula Marantz Cohen
Publisher: Sourcebooks Landmark
Publication Date: September 7, 2010
Paperback: 352 pages
ISBN: 978-1402243554
Genre: Historical Fiction, Mystery

From the Publisher:

Under Certain Circumstances, No One Is More Suited to Solving a Crime than a Woman Confined to Her Bed

An invalid for most her life, Alice James is quite used to people underestimating her. And she generally doesn’t mind. But this time she is not about to let things alone. Yes, her brother Henry may be a famous author, and her other brother William a rising star in the new field of psychology. But when they all find themselves quite unusually involved in the chase for a most vile new murderer—one who goes by the chilling name of Jack the Ripper—Alice is certain of two things:

No one could be more suited to gather evidence about the nature of the killer than her brothers. But if anyone is going to correctly examine the evidence and solve the case, it will have to be up to her.

My Review:

What Alice Knew: A Most Curious Tale of Henry James and Jack the Ripper by Paula Marantz Cohen takes a look at Henry, William, and Alice James and how they each use their talents to help Scotland Yard find Jack the Ripper.  While William James is the person Scotland Yard has summoned from Harvard to help assist them, it is his brother Henry James who circulates among the elite in London as well as the with the great artists of the time. Meanwhile, bedridden Alice is the one who collects what her brothers have learned be it through official channels or dinner parties and newspaper clipping and ponders the clues.  Cohen beautifully captures the time period, dialects, behaviours and details to bring about this most extraordinary story.   Each character has been carefully thought out and well written, down to the slightest detail.   I found the novel impossible to put down, shushing my family so I could finish, so engrossed was I into the lives of the James siblings and the quest to track down Jack the Ripper.  I without reservation recommend What Alice Knew: A Most Curious Tale of Henry James and Jack the Ripper to anyone who enjoys an excellent mystery told in a most curious manner.

About the Author:

Paula Marantz Cohen is Distinguished Professor of English at Drexel University in Philadelphia. She is the author of Jane Austen in Boca, Jane Austen in Scarsdale, and Much Ado About Jessie Kaplan, and four scholarly works of nonfiction. She lives in Moorestown, New Jersey, with her husband and two children.

I received a complimentary copy of What Alice Knew: A Most Curious Tale of Henry James and Jack the Ripper by Paula Marantz Cohen from Sourcebooks.   Receiving a complimentary copy in no way reflected my review of aforementioned novel.


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