Review & Giveaway: Shame the Devil by Donna Scott


Shame the Devil by Donna Scott

Publication Date: May 11, 2020
William Morrow
Paperback & eBook; 420 pages

Genre: Historical Fiction


England, 1643. The Civil War has created a great divide between those who support King Charles and those who would rather see his head on the block. Young Scot Colin Blackburne finds himself caught in the middle when he witnesses Parliamentarians murder his mother because of his father’s allegiance to the king. As further punishment, the family is sent to Yorkshire as indentured servants.

Mistreated by his master and tormented by a Parliamentarian soldier, Colin vows to take up arms for the king and seek vengeance against the men who killed his mother. The only bright spot in his life is his unexpected, and forbidden, friendship with his master’s daughter, Emma Hardcastle.

With her father constantly away on campaign and her mother plagued by madness, Emma is drawn to Colin and his brother, Roddy. She introduces them to her troubled neighbor Alston Egerton, who has a clandestine relationship with Stephen Kitts, the soldier out for Colin’s blood.

As they all become entangled in a twisted web of love, jealousy, desire, and betrayal, the war rages on around them. Resentful at being forced into servitude and forbidden from being with the woman he loves, Colin puts his plan for vengeance into motion, though it will have disastrous consequences for all of them.

Secrets are revealed and relationships are torn apart. With the country teetering on the brink of ruin, Emma fights to survive, Alston is forced to confront his demons, and Colin must decide whether his burning desire to fight for justice is worth sacrificing a future with the woman he loves.

Available on Amazon

Praise for Shame the Devil

"Scott's writing is magnificent...The intricately woven secrets and lies against the backdrop of an unprecedented dethroning of the monarchy make Shame the Devil a page-turning experience. Historical fiction and romance fans should not miss out on this book. Highly recommended." -Chanticleer International Book Reviews

"The references to the situation happening in England during the time of the Civil War are interesting to read about...The struggle between the Parliamentarians and Royalists is fascinating to follow and thought-provoking...and you will follow some lovely characters throughout the book." -Reedsy Reviews

“Scott’s...gentle manipulation of the material [is] appealing and easy to follow, even for those unfamiliar with the details of the English Civil War...I appreciate how Scott used the history to frame the dramatic events of her story...I enjoyed Colin, Roddy, and Emma well-enough, but I was genuinely attached to Alston...I was captivated by his arc and thought his story the most dynamically compelling. Stephen, repugnant though he is, also deserves a shout out as a fabulously layered antagonist.” –Historical Fiction Reader

Review

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

You know when you finish a book so amazing that you cannot find the adequate words to express just how much you loved it?! Yep, that's what happened to me with Shame the Devil by Donna Scott! I mean, it just took my expectations and absolutely exceeded them. I know Shame the Devil will be in the top 5, if not the Top 3, books I read this year, and one of THE best historical fiction novels I have read to date.

The action kicks off right away when English soldiers rush upon Colin's family home, kill his mother, and take him, his brother, and his father off to England to serve as stablehands at an English manor called Appleton Hall. It's a time of civil unrest in the country - one side is for King Charles I and the other is against. Colin's father fought to keep the King on the throne and is being punished for it.

Emma Hardcastle is the Viscount's daughter at Appleton Hall. Unlike her cold, calculating father and unstable mother, Emma is sweet and charming and smart. Colin and his family are scheduled to serve at Appleton Hall for seven years and during that time, Colin and Emma become close friends and eventually fall in love. But his heart has also been set on leaving England and fighting against the men that killed his mother.

In addition to Emma and Colin's storyline, I was also entranced by Alston and Stephen Kitts' story, as well as Roddy's. I sure hope to see Roddy in the next book :)

Donna is currently working on the sequel and despite all attempts, she is staying mum on what we can expect. She's such a tease :) All I know is that it's going to be brilliant and I absolutely am counting down the days until it's released!

Shame the Devil is exceptional reading! It brings all the feelings and will have you enthralled throughout! I seriously inhaled the last 80% in one sitting and growled at anyone that dare interrupt me :)

If I could give it a million stars I would! Kudos to Donna Scott - I am now your official fan-girl!

About the Author


Donna Scott is an award-winning author of 17th and 18th century historical fiction. Before embarking on a writing career, she spent her time in the world of academia. She earned her BA in English from the University of Miami and her MS and EdD (ABD) from Florida International University. She has two sons and lives in sunny South Florida with her husband. Her first novel, Shame the Devil, received the first place Chaucer Award for historical fiction and a Best Book designation from Chanticleer International Book Reviews. Her newest novel, The London Monster, will be released in January 2021.

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Blog Tour Schedule

Monday, September 14
Review at Passages to the Past

Tuesday, September 15
Interview at Novels Alive
Review at Rajiv's Reviews
Review at Gwendalyn's Books

Wednesday, September 16
Guest Post at Book Bustle

Thursday, September 17
Excerpt at Historical Fiction with Spirit

Friday, September 18
Guest Post at Coffee and Ink

Monday, September 21
Review at Books and Zebras
Excerpt at A Darn Good Read

Tuesday, September 22
Interview at Passages to the Past

Giveaway

During the Blog Tour, we are giving away 3 paperback copies of Shame the Devil by Donna Scott! To enter, please use the Gleam form below.

The giveaway is open to US residents only and ends on September 22nd. You must be 18 or older to enter.

Shame the Devil


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