Book Blast & Giveaway: The Bachelor’s Bride by Holly Bush


The Bachelor’s Bride by Holly Bush

Publication Date: November 17, 2020
Holly Bush Books
eBook; 244 pages

Genre: Romance/America/Victorian
Series: The Thompsons of Locust Street, Book One


Meet the Thompsons of Locust Street, an unconventional family taking Philadelphia high society by storm…

1868 Elspeth Thompson is the middle daughter in a family with tightly held secrets. While she loves her family, she longs to break out from their overprotective hold, to find herself, to be noticed for who she is rather than as chaperone to her beautiful younger sister, Kirsty, or underling to her elder sister, Muireall. A chance meeting under scandalous circumstances offers her the opportunity to be seen for herself, but the repercussions could lead to the downfall of her family.

Confirmed bachelor Alexander Pendergast enjoys his position as the right-hand man of one of the most influential and powerful politicians in Philadelphia. Heir to the largest textile mill on the east coast, Alexander is handsome, charming, and the ultimate catch on high society’s matrimonial market. But he has no interest in settling down with a pampered debutante. He doubts the perfect woman for him actually exists…until he meets Elspeth Thompson.

But the Thompsons and Pendergasts move in different circles, and Elspeth has no desire to be judged and found wanting by Philadelphia’s first families. Though she tries to resist Alexander’s charms, when he comes to her family’s rescue, she knows there’s more to him than she’d first thought. But Alexander realizes that his ambitions may have placed Elspeth and her family in grave danger. With an unseen enemy determined to uncover the Thompson family’s secrets, Alexander grapples with secrets of his own, secrets that could cost him the only woman he’s ever truly cared about.

When Elspeth finds herself in terrible danger, can she muster the inner strength of her ancestors to save herself and her family and find the courage to meet love head on?

Available for Pre-Order on Amazon & Barnes and Noble

About the Author


“Love always has something to say. Sometimes it shouts from the highest hill, and sometimes it whispers so softly one must listen closely to hear. Do not turn away. It is a rare and precious commodity. Treasure it.” The Gentrys of Paradise

Holly Bush's historical romances are set during the turbulent and transformative years of the late 1800’s. The first two books in her newest series, The Gentrys of Paradise, released in the spring of 2017 and began with the novella Into the Evermore where readers meet Virginia horse breeders, Eleanor and Beauregard Gentry. The following books feature their children, Adam, Matthew, and Olivia. For the Brave is Matthew’s story and is the first full length book of the series. Olivia's book, For This Moment, released in the spring of 2018. The final book, For Her Honor, is now available.

The Crawford Family Series following the fortunes of the three Boston born Crawford sisters and includes Train Station Bride, Contract to Wed, Her Safe Harbor, and companion novella, The Maid’s Quarters. Cross the Ocean and Charming the Duke are both British set Victorian romances. Fan favorites stand-alone historical romance novels include Romancing Olive and Reconstructing Jackson. Holly's books are described as ‘emotional, with heartfelt, sexy romance.’

She also writes General Fiction under the name of Hollis Bush.

Holly makes her home with her husband, one happy Labrador Retriever and a clever Jack Russell rescued from the pound, and two difficult cats in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. Connect with Holly at www.hollybushbooks.com, on Twitter @hollybushbooks, and on Facebook at Holly Bush. Follow Holly on her Amazon author page to receive new release updates and on BookBub to check out her reviews and get sale information.

Book Blast Schedule

Tuesday, October 27
Probably at the Library

Wednesday, October 28
Books & Benches
Locks, Hooks and Books

Thursday, October 29
Novels Alive
Carole's Ramblings

Friday, October 30
Books, Cooks, Looks

Saturday, October 31
Passages to the Past

Monday, November 2
Coffee and Ink
Chicks, Rogues and Scandals

Tuesday, November 3
Rajiv's Reviews

Wednesday, November 4
History from a Woman’s Perspective

Thursday, November 5
What Is That Book About

Friday, November 6
CelticLady's Reviews

Saturday, November 7
Nursebookie

Monday, November 9
Donna's Book Blog

Tuesday, November 10
The Intrepid Reader

Wednesday, November 11
The Book Junkie Reads

Thursday, November 12
A Darn Good Read

Friday, November 13
Gwendalyn's Books
Tangents and Tissues

Sunday, November 15
WTF Are You Reading?

Monday, November 16
The Lit Bitch
Jorie Loves a Story

Giveaway

Enter to win a $50 Amazon Gift Card!

The giveaway is open to US residents only and ends on November 16th. You must be 18 or older to enter.

Bachelor's Bride

Book Blast & Giveaway: The Bachelor Duke by Cecilia Rene


The Bachelor Duke by Cecilia Rene

Publication Date: July 25, 2020
Paperback & eBook; 296 pages

Series: The Bachelor Series, Book 1
Genre: Historical Romance


The Bachelor Duke meets a beautiful, curvaceous lady.

Remington Warren, The Duke of Karrington, lives his life by the name society has thrust upon him. Having witnessed cruelty against the fairer sex with his own eyes, he vows never to marry to prevent himself from becoming like the monster who raised him. After ten years of being The Bachelor Duke, his life is irrevocably changed when he sees Lady Olivia St. John across the ballroom floor.

Having lived a sheltered, pampered life, surrounded by her loving family, Lady Olivia St. John longs to know passion and love. She is beautiful, bold, and has a rather large dowry. According to society, she would be a diamond in the first water of this season if it wasn’t for her one flaw.

Will she find all she longs for and more in the arms of The Bachelor Duke, or will heartbreak be her demise?

Available on Amazon

About the Author


Cecilia Rene is a creative, happy, and outgoing Detroit native who majored in Broadcast Communication at Grambling State University. Immediately following her graduation, she started her new life in New York City. As a self-proclaimed New Yorker, her stimulating and diverse career in advertising sparked a drive for hard work and dedication. Her love and passion for writing followed her from childhood through adulthood, where she wrote short stories, poems, and screenplays. Always an avid reader, she stumbled across a book that ignited a deeper need for more and joined a fandom of like-minded individuals. Cecilia and her family made a huge move five years ago to the great state of Texas, where she currently lives with her loving husband, wonderful son, and spoiled fur baby, Sadie. Cecilia Rene loves romance, humor, and all things spicy. For this reason, she will always give you a Happily Ever After.

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Goodreads | Newsletter


Book Blast Schedule

Monday, October 26
Chicks, Rogues and Scandals

Tuesday, October 27
Passages to the Past

Wednesday, October 28
What Is That Book About

Thursday, October 29 Coffee and Ink

Friday, October 30
The Book Junkie Reads

Monday, November 2
Donna's Book Blog

Tuesday, November 3
Tangents and Tissues

Wednesday, November 4
Rajiv's Reviews

Friday, November 6
Jorie Loves A Story

Giveaway

During the Blog Tour, we are giving away a $15 Amazon Gift Card! To enter, please use the Gleam form below.

The giveaway is open to US residents only and ends on November 6th. You must be 18 or older to enter.

Bachelor Duke Blast 

Interview & Giveaway: Naked Truth by Carrie Hayes


Naked Truth or Equality, the Forbidden Fruit by Carrie Hayes

Publication Date: February 29, 2020
HTPH Press
Paperback & eBook; 322 pages

Genre: Historical Fiction



From Washington Heights to Washington D.C. comes a true American Herstory. Filled with intrigue, lust, and betrayal, this is the fight for sexual equality.

1868, on the eve of the Gilded Age: Spiritualist TENNESSEE CLAFLIN is smart, sexy, and sometimes clairvoyant. But it’s her sister, VICTORIA WOODHULL, who is going to make history as the first woman to run for President of the United States.

It starts with the seduction of the richest man in America. Next, they'll take New York City and the suffragist movement by storm, because together, Tennessee and Victoria are a force of nature. Boldly ambitious, they stop at nothing, brushing shoulders with Harriet Beecher Stowe and Susan B. Anthony, using enough chutzpah to make a lady blush.

That is, until their backstabbing family takes them to court, and their carefully spun lives unravel, out in public and in the press.

“Unsexed!” – New York Herald, 1872

“Short Haired Women and Long Haired Men.” – New York World, 1872

“Nothing More Than A Shameless Prostitute and A Negro.” – The Guard, Eugene Oregon, 1872

Told from shifting points-of-view and using actual news reportage from the era, Naked Truth is a riveting inside look into the struggle for women’s rights after the Civil War.

"Sometimes it is not enough to be the news, sometimes you have to make the news as well." –James Gordon Bennett, Jr., Proprietor of the New York Herald

Amazon | Barnes and Noble | IndieBound

Praise

"Divisiveness. Chutzpah. Seduction. Politics. Oppression. Spirituality. Gender relations. Betrayal. Healers -vs- scam artists. Fortitude. Dismay. Against-all-odds battles. Fighting the good fight. Just like the plight of humanity today, the historical and excellently well-crafted novel, NAKED TRUTH: OR EQUALITY THE FORBIDDEN FRUIT by Carrie Hayes has it all." ***** – INDIE READER

"Hayes writes with such care and authenticity that the reader will likely be unsure where the history ends and the fiction begins." – KIRKUS REVIEWS

"Naked Truth: Or Equality, the Forbidden Fruit is a rich, balanced, and deftly written story that is as moving as it is entertaining." ***** – Readers' Favorite

"(Hayes) has found a fascinating chapter in history to explore, and Victoria and Tennie are compelling protagonists: fiercely determined, morally ambiguous, and deeply complicated. Readers with an interest in first-wave feminism, New York history, and detailed storytelling will enjoy mining this debut, which nicely sets up a sequel." – Book Life

"I thought this novel was brilliant from start to finish. It is fresh, it is vibrant, and the story is one that has been waiting to be told." ***** – CoffeePot Book Club

Naked Truth is a smooth fast read. Carrie Hayes’ marvelous interlacing of history with the narrative sparks an American story as well as a woman story. She has made this pair of wily sisters and their slickster father vivid and timeless.” – Gail Godwin, three time National Book Award Finalist


Hello Carrie and welcome to Passages to the Past! Thanks so much for stopping by today to talk about Naked Truth!

To begin, can you please tell us a little about yourself and your writing?

Well, I am a late beginner of sorts. Growing up, my dad worked with writers, and I was surrounded by writers, so I believed, as a kid, that one would never, ever grow up to do the same thing as the adults around them, so I didn’t…. Instead I was a bit of wild child, and dropped out of high school, dropped out of college and the like. I got married when all of my friends were still in school, and I had my daughter when everybody else I knew were not having babies. When my daughter was little, her dad and I were sort of rolling stones, and didn’t gather any moss, until we ended up living in Europe. We moved to Luxembourg of all places, which in those days, some people referred to as a sleeping beauty. It was super comfortable, and a little bit sophisticated, and while I was there, I started working in the movies. In production…. I was also a drama teacher in those days, and directed shows for the little theater groups in the anglophone community. Eventually, I started a theater company, called Easy Productions- the name of which was supposed to be ironic. About five years later, my husband and I broke up and I returned to the States with my daughter. I swore off showbusiness, and went after the workaday world as an executive admin…. Two years after that, I became a kitchen designer…. Go figure! By the time the economy tanked in 2008, I was working in interior design…. And five years after that (!) I started writing Naked Truth. Because all that time, from when I was a kid to this very moment, I was reading, almost compulsively. And sometimes writing, for no reason other than, it was an itch, that needed scratching.

What inspired you to write Naked Truth?

Barbara Goldsmith’s Other Powers, just took my breath away. At the time, I was working on a piece about my parents, but the spirit of Victoria and Tennessee’s story kept nudging me, as if to say, “Okay, now write about us. Put that other piece down. You can always go back to it. Write about us now.” And the thing about them and their story, was that it felt so familiar, because so much of their crazy background reminded me of my mom. Their sort of extreme carny- manufactured elegance was completely what my mother was like. She (like the sisters) was so poised and so graceful, and yet would never hesitate to walk into a theater, and just take an empty seat without paying for a ticket. She would never hesitate to spin a yarn, if she could get the senior discount- even if she wouldn’t be eligible for the discount for another ten years…. The moxie of the sisters, and the moxie of my mom, just made it a natural fit for me as a writer.

What research did you undertake when writing Naked Truth?

As much as I could from my home in New Jersey. I read the biographies- Mary Gabriel’s and Myra Macpherson’s are the best, I think. And I read as much contemporary material that I could get my hands on. The Internet of course has made so many things possible which would not have been easily accessible even a few years ago. But I poured over the correspondence of Susan b Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton on microfiches in the New York Public Library. I read issues of Hearth and Home which Harriet Beecher Stowe briefly edited. I went to the New York Historical Society and poured over Woodhull and Claflin’s Weekly. I pondered over stuff. I thought about their social circle and their professional colleagues. I came across people I had NEVER heard nor dreamed of, I read treatises by these people that were just incredible, and I simply became consumed by it- sort of enthralled and lost in the possibility of that time. Ultimately, I came to recognize that research is fun, but writing is hard. What would you like readers to take away from reading Naked Truth? That anything is possible and that it is worth attempting to do extraordinary things, even if it’s a long shot, and people say it will never happen. It is worth making the effort. No matter what.

What was your favorite scene to write?

There are a couple. When Cornelius examines the gift from Tennessee before he wraps it up and puts it in his glove drawer. I think all of us have relics like that which we never throw away, and if found, no one would ever attach any significance to them. That and Buck’s magic trick with the little stone in his mouth. When our elders perform sleight of hand, there is something so fantastical about it, that is very special.

What was the most difficult scene to write? 

The scene with Sam in the prison. Victoria actually did undergo a very real religious conversion during their three nights in prison, and afterwards, she did claim that Jesus came to her. I struggled with what could possibly happen that would make a very shrewd, rational person be transformed like that. Ultimately, I felt it would only happen as a result of her doing the unthinkable (which is complete fiction, I might add).That and the fact she became such a fervent eugenicist (which is part of the sequel). It was a tough one. And I’ve been fascinated to see how little comment it generates.

When did you know you wanted to be a writer? 

When I realized I couldn’t stop writing and that I needed to get better and better at it.

What does your daily writing routine look like? 

Lately, I seem to do a thousand different things before I sit down and am actually in a groove. I try and get to my desk in the morning, and to stay put for most of the day. Usually, the beginning of the day is spent doing obligations and stuff like laundry or calling the cable company or something…. Then my mind settles down just after lunch, and I start getting some writing done.

What has been your greatest challenge as a writer? Have you been able to overcome it?

The greatest challenge was learning to live with the indifference of the world. That the world does not revolve around my book being picked up, or whether anyone who read it liked it or not… I realized that if I wasn’t going to go crazy from rejection, or into a spiral of despair because people weren’t enjoying it- it would be because the journey of servicing the material itself- ie actually writing, actually producing- actually realizing the book- is where the joy lies. Coming to terms with that has been very humbling. And that’s ok. 

 Who are your writing inspirations? 

My mentor, Gail Godwin who is probably closer to me than anyone in my metamorphosis as writer. Taffy Brodesser Akner is just amazing. I completely LOVE everything she writes. I so enjoy everything Elizabeth Gilbert writes, too. Bernardine Evaristo’s “Girl Woman Other” has been an absolute thrill to read. One of the things all of these writers share, is their wit. I really dig that. What was the first historical novel you read? Dragonwyck by Anya Seton. I think I was 11 at the time.

What is the last historical novel you read?

Bronte’s Mistress by Finola Austin

What are three things people may not know about you?

That I love reading grocery store, hard core gossipy magazines as much as the next guy. I am ashamed to admit it, but I do. That and that I wouldn’t mind a night of square dancing, if this social distancing thing ever lets up.

What appeals to you most about your chosen genre?

That while circumstances were very different for folks living then, that they were still people, like you and me, with crazy ideas and passions and quirks.

What historical time period do you gravitate towards the most with your personal reading? 

I really love early 19th century…. I haven’t dipped into any lately… but I feel a run of 1805-1820 stories (Lewis and Clark anyone?) coming on…

What do you like to do when you aren't writing?

I love lolling about, reading five or six different books simultaneously, and just working my way through them… Eating really well, and then lolling about some more.

Lastly, what are you working on next? 

Tennessee and Victoria’s adventures in London and what happens to them there….

About the Author

Over the years, Carrie has tried a lot of things. She’s sold vacuum cleaners, annuities and sofas. She’s lived at the beach and lived in Europe. She’s taught school and worked in film. For a while, she was an aspiring librarian, but she fell in love and threw her life away instead. Back in the States, she started over, then met an architect who said, “Why don’t you become a kitchen designer?” So, she did. Eventually she designed interiors, too. And all that time, she was reading. What mattered was having something to read. Slowly, she realized her craving for books sprang from her need to know how things would turn out. Because in real life, you don’t know how things will turn out. But if you write it, you do. Naked Truth or Equality the Forbidden Fruit is her first book.

Website | Facebook | Goodreads

Blog Tour Schedule

Monday, October 19
Review at Passages to the Past

Tuesday, October 20
Review at Bookworlder
Feature at I'm All About Books

Wednesday, October 21
Review at YA, it's Lit
Review at andreajanel_reads

Thursday, October 22
Review at Bitch Bookshelf

Friday, October 23
Review at Bri's Book Nook
Excerpt at The Caffeinated Bibliophile

Saturday, October 24
Review at Reading is My Remedy

Sunday, October 25
Interview at Passages to the Past

Monday, October 26
Review at Books and Zebras
Review & Guest Post at Jorie Loves a Story

Tuesday, October 27
Review at Novels Alive

Wednesday, October 28
Interview at Novels Alive

Giveaway

During the Blog Tour, one lucky reader will win a copy of Naked Truth by Carrie Hayes!

The giveaway is open to US residents only and ends on October 28th. You must be 18 or older to enter.

Naked Truth 

Excerpt & Giveaway: The Boy King by Janet Wertman

The Boy King by Janet Wertman

Publication Date: September 30, 2020
Paperback & eBook; 374 pages

Series: The Seymour Saga, Book 3
Genre: Historical Fiction/Biographical


The Unsuspecting Reign of Edward Tudor

Motherless since birth and newly bereft of his father, Henry VIII, nine-year-old Edward Tudor ascends to the throne of England and quickly learns that he cannot trust anyone, even himself.

Edward is at first relieved that his uncle, the new Duke of Somerset, will act on his behalf as Lord Protector, but this consolation evaporates as jealousy spreads through the court. Challengers arise on all sides to wrest control of the child king, and through him, England.

While Edward can bring frustratingly little direction to the Council’s policies, he refuses to abandon his one firm conviction: that Catholicism has no place in England. When Edward falls ill, this steadfast belief threatens England’s best hope for a smooth succession: the transfer of the throne to Edward’s very Catholic half-sister, Mary Tudor, whose heart’s desire is to return the realm to the way it worshipped in her mother’s day.

Excerpt

January 16, 1549

Quiet clinking on the other side of the bedchamber’s back door slowly penetrated Edward’s consciousness. The hair on his neck twitched, and he opened his eyes into the near dark. Only the one candle remained at the far end of the room, and it trembled low in its sconce, casting ghostly shadows around it. Wind whined at the windows. Danger hovered over the room. Had he returned from a nightmare? One he couldn’t remember?

Edward stirred and felt Argos laying over his leg. The movement woke the dog, who crawled up to lick Edward’s cheek. The giggle dissipated Edward’s lingering tension.

“Stop, stop.”

With some pushing, Argos receded back down to Edward’s stomach. Edward nestled around the dog’s curled-up body and relaxed back into the fluff of his pillows. He pulled the soft blanket closer around his chin against the lingering chill.

He worried the nightmare would return even though he could not remember it. He tried to remember happy times from the day before, particular translations he had come up with, something to refocus his mind.

The hair on his neck stood again when he heard the slow, metallic scrape of the lock cylinder turning. Why would anyone be coming into his room in the middle of the night? More important, why would anyone be sneaking into his room in the middle of the night?

Argos tensed. The scraping stopped.

The wind outside picked up again, wailing now. Edward held his breath. The heavy air in the room suffocated all sounds except his heart beating in his ears.

The loud silence dragged on, long enough for Edward to take twenty-three breaths. Nothing further. It must have been his imagination.

Edward settled back into his bed, but every muscle tensed at the quiet creak of the hinge. His door was opening. Should he call out? This could not be danger. He was the King. He had guards. This had to be one of his men.

Suddenly Argos started yapping loudly and launched himself off the bed. He scrambled toward the back door and was through it before the intruder could close it. A muffled curse and scuffling added to the commotion, then the sound of a sword being drawn. The barking stopped mid-snarl and a deathly quiet descended.


Amazon | Barnes and Noble

About the Author


Janet Ambrosi Wertman grew up within walking distance of three bookstores and a library on Manhattan's Upper West Side - and she visited all of them regularly. Her grandfather was an antiquarian bookdealer who taught her that there would always be a market for quirky, interesting books. He was the one who persuaded Janet's parents to send her to the French school where she was taught to aspire to long (grammatically correct) sentences as the hallmark of a skillful writer. She lived that lesson until she got to Barnard College. Short sentences were the rule there. She complied. She reached a happy medium when she got to law school - complicated sentences alternating with short ones in a happy mix.

Janet spent fifteen years as a corporate lawyer in New York, she even got to do a little writing on the side (she co-authored The Executive Compensation Answer Book, which was published by Panel Publishers back in 1991). But when her first and second children were born, she decided to change her lifestyle. She and her husband transformed their lives in 1997, moving to Los Angeles and changing careers. Janet became a grantwriter (and will tell anyone who will listen that the grants she's written have resulted in more than $30 million for the amazing non-profits she is proud to represent) and took up writing fiction.

There was never any question about the topic of the fiction: Janet has harbored a passion for the Tudor Kings and Queens since her parents let her stay up late to watch the televised Masterpiece Theatre series (both The Six Wives of Henry VIII and Elizabeth R) when she was *cough* eight years old. One of the highlights of Janet's youth was being allowed to visit the Pierpont Morgan Library on a day when it was closed to the public and examine (though not touch!) books from Queen Elizabeth's personal library and actual letters that the young Princess Elizabeth (technically Lady Elizabeth...) had written.

The Boy King is third book in the Seymour Saga, the story of the unlikely dynasty that shaped the Tudor era. The first book, Jane the Quene, tells the story of Jane Seymour’s marriage to Henry VIII; and The Path to Somerset, chronicles Edward Seymour’s rise after Jane’s death to become Lord Protector of England and Duke of Somerset (taking us right through Henry’s crazy years). Janet is currently working on a new trilogy about Elizabeth, and preparing to publish her translation of a nineteenth century biography of Henry. And because you can never have too much Tudors in your life, Janet also attends book club meetings and participates in panels and discussions through History Talks!, a group of historical novelists from Southern California who work with libraries around the state.

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Pinterest | Goodreads

Blog Tour Schedule

Monday, October 19
Review at Pursuing Stacie

Tuesday, October 20

Wednesday, October 21
Review at Rajiv's Reviews
Interview at Novels Alive

Thursday, October 22

Friday, October 23

Saturday, October 24

Sunday, October 25

Monday, October 26

Tuesday, October 27

Wednesday, October 28

Thursday, October 29

Friday, October 30
Excerpt at Coffee and Ink

Giveaway

During the Blog Tour, we are giving away a copy of The Boy King by Janet Wertman! To enter, please use the Gleam form below.

The giveaway is open to US residents only and ends on October 30th. You must be 18 or older to enter.


Review & Giveaway: Naked Truth or Equality, the Forbidden Fruit by Carrie Hayes


Naked Truth or Equality, the Forbidden Fruit by Carrie Hayes

Publication Date: February 29, 2020
HTPH Press
Paperback & eBook; 322 pages

Genre: Historical Fiction



From Washington Heights to Washington D.C. comes a true American Herstory. Filled with intrigue, lust, and betrayal, this is the fight for sexual equality.

1868, on the eve of the Gilded Age: Spiritualist TENNESSEE CLAFLIN is smart, sexy, and sometimes clairvoyant. But it’s her sister, VICTORIA WOODHULL, who is going to make history as the first woman to run for President of the United States.

It starts with the seduction of the richest man in America. Next, they'll take New York City and the suffragist movement by storm, because together, Tennessee and Victoria are a force of nature. Boldly ambitious, they stop at nothing, brushing shoulders with Harriet Beecher Stowe and Susan B. Anthony, using enough chutzpah to make a lady blush.

That is, until their backstabbing family takes them to court, and their carefully spun lives unravel, out in public and in the press.

“Unsexed!” – New York Herald, 1872

“Short Haired Women and Long Haired Men.” – New York World, 1872

“Nothing More Than A Shameless Prostitute and A Negro.” – The Guard, Eugene Oregon, 1872

Told from shifting points-of-view and using actual news reportage from the era, Naked Truth is a riveting inside look into the struggle for women’s rights after the Civil War.

"Sometimes it is not enough to be the news, sometimes you have to make the news as well." –James Gordon Bennett, Jr., Proprietor of the New York Herald

Amazon | Barnes and Noble | IndieBound

Praise

"Divisiveness. Chutzpah. Seduction. Politics. Oppression. Spirituality. Gender relations. Betrayal. Healers -vs- scam artists. Fortitude. Dismay. Against-all-odds battles. Fighting the good fight. Just like the plight of humanity today, the historical and excellently well-crafted novel, NAKED TRUTH: OR EQUALITY THE FORBIDDEN FRUIT by Carrie Hayes has it all." ***** – INDIE READER

"Hayes writes with such care and authenticity that the reader will likely be unsure where the history ends and the fiction begins." – KIRKUS REVIEWS

"Naked Truth: Or Equality, the Forbidden Fruit is a rich, balanced, and deftly written story that is as moving as it is entertaining." ***** – Readers' Favorite

"(Hayes) has found a fascinating chapter in history to explore, and Victoria and Tennie are compelling protagonists: fiercely determined, morally ambiguous, and deeply complicated. Readers with an interest in first-wave feminism, New York history, and detailed storytelling will enjoy mining this debut, which nicely sets up a sequel." – Book Life

"I thought this novel was brilliant from start to finish. It is fresh, it is vibrant, and the story is one that has been waiting to be told." ***** – CoffeePot Book Club

Naked Truth is a smooth fast read. Carrie Hayes’ marvelous interlacing of history with the narrative sparks an American story as well as a woman story. She has made this pair of wily sisters and their slickster father vivid and timeless.” – Gail Godwin, three time National Book Award Finalist

Review

⭐⭐⭐⭐

"Three sisters fair, of worth and weight, a queen, a city and a state."

The three daughters of Reuben Buckman Claflin are all unique woman for their time, but it's Tennesee and Victoria (the third daughter is named Utica) who take the stage in Carrie Hayes's Naked Truth: or Equality, the Forbidden Fruit.

Tennessee and Victoria are fascinating women! Early pioneers of the women's movement, the sisters rise from their beginnings as clairvoyants and enter into the world of politics and women's rights. Victoria would eventually become the first woman to run for President despite the fact that she couldn't even vote.

"You will enlighten the masses to emancipate themselves from the shackles of hypocrisy, my darling. That's what you will do. Here in New York, you shall take your place in history."

Important figures from that time are also featured in the book - Frederick Douglas, who would run with Victoria as her VP, the Vanderbilts, Elizabeth Cody Stanton, and Harriet Beecher Stowe.

The author keeps the story moving along at a great pace, keeping the reader turning the pages, and the author's style of writing make for a fabulous read! I also loved how she included journal entries from Tenneesee and newspaper articles in the book.

I greatly enjoyed my time with Naked Truth and highly recommend it to lovers of historical fiction, and those that like to read about women's history and politics. I can't wait to learn more from the author when she speaks at her Online Launch Party!

If you'd like to attend the party as well, you can RSVP here!

About the Author

Over the years, Carrie has tried a lot of things. She’s sold vacuum cleaners, annuities and sofas. She’s lived at the beach and lived in Europe. She’s taught school and worked in film. For a while, she was an aspiring librarian, but she fell in love and threw her life away instead. Back in the States, she started over, then met an architect who said, “Why don’t you become a kitchen designer?” So, she did. Eventually she designed interiors, too. And all that time, she was reading. What mattered was having something to read. Slowly, she realized her craving for books sprang from her need to know how things would turn out. Because in real life, you don’t know how things will turn out. But if you write it, you do. Naked Truth or Equality the Forbidden Fruit is her first book.

Website | Facebook | Goodreads

Blog Tour Schedule

Monday, October 19
Review at Passages to the Past

Tuesday, October 20
Review at Bookworlder
Feature at I'm All About Books

Wednesday, October 21
Review at YA, it's Lit
Review at andreajanel_reads

Thursday, October 22
Review at Bitch Bookshelf

Friday, October 23
Review at Bri's Book Nook
Excerpt at The Caffeinated Bibliophile

Saturday, October 24
Review at Reading is My Remedy

Sunday, October 25
Interview at Passages to the Past

Monday, October 26
Review at Books and Zebras
Review & Guest Post at Jorie Loves a Story

Tuesday, October 27
Review at Novels Alive

Wednesday, October 28
Interview at Novels Alive

Giveaway

During the Blog Tour, one lucky reader will win a copy of Naked Truth by Carrie Hayes!

The giveaway is open to US residents only and ends on October 28th. You must be 18 or older to enter.

Naked Truth 

Review & Giveaway: The Paris Affair by Susanne Dunlap


The Paris Affair by Susanne Dunlap

Publication Date: September 30, 2020
Paperback & eBook; 244 pages

Series: Theresa Schurmann Mystery, Book 3
Genre: YA/Historical Fiction


Apparently, false rumors about Marie Antoinette are all the fashion in 1783.

Marie Antoinette is facing hostility from the populace, inflamed by rumors circulated in pamphlets throughout Paris. The rumors claim that she has dozens of lovers, drinks the blood of poor people, holds satanic masses at Versailles, and more, when nothing could be further from the truth. On the advice of the handsome, enigmatic Captain von Bauer, Joseph II--emperor of Austria and Marie Antoinette's brother--decides that mystery-solving violinist Theresa Schurman is the ideal candidate for a spy to discover the source of these vile slanders.

Theresa is only too glad to get away from Vienna for a while, unwilling to commit herself yet to marrying Zoltan--a Hungarian baron she met when she was fifteen--and running out of reasons to postpone her decision. She is eager, too, to explore a new musical scene and broaden her artistic education. But when the captain confounds her expectations and places her as a bookkeeper in the establishment of Rose Bertin, milliner to the queen, she begins to lose hope that she will ever achieve her musical aims--or the emperor's goal of exposing the pamphleteers.

A chance encounter with the Chevalier de Saint-Georges, an extraordinary black violinist and expert swordsman, sets Theresa on the path to unraveling the mystery. But will the chevalier's patron, the powerful duc de Chartres, confound her efforts and put her--and the captain's--lives in danger?

Be prepared for music, mystery, love, and murder in this riveting tale of pre-revolutionary Paris.

"The settings and situations are enchanting and varied; Dunlap is adept at on-the-fly description and at lacing intrigue with romance...Dunlap proves an arresting tour guide through this rich milieu, summoning up the past without slowing down the storytelling. Author and protagonist alike boast an epigrammatic wit. The touch is light, but the scenery and chatter are sumptuous...Theresa stands as a fascinating protagonist, a woman whose nimble navigation of society's expectations and several burgeoning romances are exciting and inspiring, even more so than the sleuthing that drives the novel's plot. The people she encounters are likewise memorable, complex, and surprising, especially the chevalier...This sparkling historical mystery conjures up the salons, fashion, and gossip of Marie Antoinette's Paris, with a winning emphasis on the power of music and the roles that society allowed women." - The BookLife Prize


Amazon | Barnes and Noble | IndieBound

Review

⭐⭐⭐⭐

"No one was more surprised thank I was to find myself in Paris at the end of October, 1783, working as a bookkeeper for queen Marie Antoinette's milliner, and living in a whorehouse."

Thus begins The Paris Affair, the third book in Susanne Dunlap's Theresa Shurmann mystery series.

When Emperor Joseph II summons Theresa to his office Theresa is unsure of why she is there. The last case she worked on helped save the Emperor's life but she isn't there to be thanked. She is being asked to go to Paris to investigate the rumors being spread about his sister, Queen Marie Antoinette of France. She isn't keen on going but you don't say no to an Emperor. She is to work with Captain von Bauer, whom she had worked with before on a previous case. They have a bit of a love/hate thing going on, but the Captain and Emperor trust her and think she will be able to ingratiate herself into the world around the Queen to try and find out who is spreading the rumors. It's a tough job though because Marie Antoinette has enemies within and outside the Palace walls. She is assigned to be a bookkeeper for the Queen's milliner and she is to stay at a whorehouse while there. The madam at the whorehouse is an agent of the Austrian government and teaches Theresa about the families and connections at court.

The sounds, sights, and smells (both good and bad) of Paris are brought to life with Dunlap's masterful writing. Though I hadn't read the first two books in the series the Author touches back on past relationships and events so that you aren't lost.

While I adored Theresa, the secondary characters are wonderful too - especially Chevalier de Saint-Georges. There is a little something for everyone in this book - danger, mystery, intrigue, history, romance. I found it to be an extremely fun read and can't wait to go back and read the first two books in the series. I can't wait to see how this all started! Highly recommended!


About the Author


Susanne Dunlap is the author of nine works of historical fiction. A graduate of Smith College with a PhD in Music History from Yale University, Susanne grew up in Buffalo, New York and has lived in London, Brooklyn and Northampton, MA. She now lives in Northampton with her long-time partner, Charles, has two grown daughters, three granddaughters, a grandson, a stepson and a stepdaughter, five step-grandsons and one step-granddaughter—that's a total of four children and eleven grandchildren!

In her spare time she cycles in the beautiful Pioneer Valley.

For more information, please visit Susanne Dunlap's website. You can follow author Susanne Dunlap on Facebook, Twitter, Goodreads, Instagram, Pinterest, and BookBub.

Blog Tour Schedule

Wednesday, September 30
Excerpt at Coffee and Ink
Review at Little But Fierce Book Diary

Thursday, October 1
Review at Pursuing Stacie

Friday, October 2
Feature at I'm Into Books
Review at Gwendalyn's Books

Monday, October 5
Review at Chicks, Rogues, and Scandals

Tuesday, October 6
Review at YA, It's Lit

Wednesday, October 7
Review at Amy's Booket List
Review at Books and Zebras

Thursday, October 8
Excerpt at Turn The Page

Friday, October 9
Review & Excerpt at Bookworlder

Sunday, October 11
Review at Bitch Bookshelf

Monday, October 12
Review at Nursebookie

Tuesday, October 13
Review at Rajiv's Reviews

Wednesday, October 14
Review at Book Bustle

Thursday, October 15
Guest Post at Novels Alive
Review at Historical Fiction with Spirit

Friday, October 16
Review at Passages to the Past
Guest Post at The Intrepid Reader

Giveaway

During the Blog Tour, one lucky reader will win signed copies of all 3 books in the Theresa Schurmann Mystery series! To enter, please use the Gleam form below.

The giveaway is open to US residents only and ends on October 17th. You must be 18 or older to enter.

The Paris Affair

Review & Giveaway: Where Butterflies Go by Debra Doxer

Where Butterflies Go by Debra Doxer

Publication Date: October 7, 2020
Paperback & eBook; 270 pages

Genre: Historical Fiction


Meira Sokolow had the misfortune of being born to Jewish parents in Warsaw, Poland, in 1912. Before she took her first breath, her fate had been sealed.

Residing in the Jewish Quarter of the city, Meira’s early life was typical. She fell in love with a local boy, got married, and had a daughter. Then the German army marched into Warsaw and everything changed. Forced into the ghetto with her family, she found survival to be a daily struggle. Hunger, disease, and unimaginable cruelty were her stark realities. When the ghetto was purged and she was sent to a concentration camp, Meira still had her family, and that was all that mattered. Then the camp was liquidated, and only a handful of survivors remained out of thousands. Meira Sokolow was one of them.

No longer a wife or mother, Meira emigrated to New York City. After World War II, the world wanted to move on and start a new chapter, but Meira couldn’t turn the page so easily. She walked through her days alone, like a ghost with nothing to tether her to the earth. Then she met Max, a handsome American, who first mistook her for one of the boring socialites he encountered every day. He soon learned she was unlike anyone he had met before, seeing her strength and resilience, even when she couldn’t. Max knew he could breathe life into her again, if only she would let him.

Tragic and heartfelt, Where Butterflies Go is based on the harrowing true story of one woman’s survival during the Nazi occupation of Poland, and her struggle to find meaning in the aftermath.

Amazon | Barnes and Noble


Review

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Wow, wow, wow! This book was so beautiful, I don't even know how I can write a review worthy of it!

Where Butterflies Go is a stunning and highly emotional read that will grab you from the start and not let go. I read it in one sitting - it's that good!

Based on the life of Author Debra Doxer's grandmother's sister, Where Butterflies Go tells the story of Meira, who is living with her sisters and parents in the Jewish quarter in Warsaw, Poland, at the time when the book begins. The anti-semitism in the country is on the rise and a few years later when she is married and has a young daughter the German army marches into Poland. The Polish government does nothing to help protect them so they are forced to leave their homes and taken by the Nazis to various camps around the country. Meira and her family are taken to a ghetto where Meira works as a seamstress until one day when the Nazis removed everyone from the camp and murdered them. Miraculously, Meira survives and perseveres to eventually make it to America.

"I was the luckiest unlucky person I knew."

"Entire families were eradicated from the face of the earth. Their stories ended abruptly, and the generations meant to follow would never come. It wasn't only the people who were gone-their history was gone too. Heirlooms were stolen. Synagogues were burned down. Traditions were erased."

Once in America, she reunites with her long lost sister though their relationship is strained because of something that happened in their past. Meira forges on though - working as a hairstylist and then seamstress again. When she meets Max a new future is now a possibility, but can she move on with someone new?

This was a seriously amazing read! Yes, it was extremely sad and I swear I went through an entire box of Kleenex but it's so important to me that we hear these stories so that we may bear witness and have the foresight to make sure that something like this never happens again. While there was a lot of loss and horrific things that happened, there is also hope and love. I think the Author's family should be very proud of her loving telling of Meira's story, and I am grateful for having had the chance to read it. I know I will never forget Meira, and Avrom, and especially little Tovah.

About the Author

Debra Doxer was born in Boston, and other than a few lost years in the California sunshine, she has always resided in the Boston area. She writes fiction, technical software documents, illegible scribbles on sticky notes, and texts that get mangled by AutoCorrect. She writes for a living, and she writes for fun. When not writing, she's walking her Havanese puppy and forcing her daughter to listen to new wave 80s music."

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Blog Tour Schedule

Monday, October 12
Review at Passages to the Past

Tuesday, October 13
Review at Amy's Booket List

Wednesday, October 14
Guest Post at Novels Alive

Monday, October 19
Excerpt at Coffee and Ink

Tuesday, October 20
Review at Chicks, Rogues, and Scandals

Thursday, October 22
Review at Books, Writings, and More
Feature at Books In Their Natural Habitat

Saturday, October 24
Review at Reading is My Remedy

Monday, October 26
Feature at I'm All About Books

Wednesday, October 28
Review at Robin Loves Reading
Review at Tangents and Tissues

Friday, October 30
Interview at Novels Alive

Sunday, November 1
Review at YA, it's Lit

Wednesday, November 4
Interview at Books & Benches

Thursday, November 5
Review at Girl Who Reads

Friday, November 6
Feature at The Lit Bitch

Monday, November 9
Review at History from a Woman’s Perspective

Tuesday, November 10
Feature at CelticLady's Reviews

Thursday, November 12
Review at Novels Alive

Friday, November 13
Review at Bookramblings

Giveaway

During the Blog Tour, we are giving away three $25 Amazon Gift Cards! To enter, please use the Gleam form below.

The giveaway is open to US residents only and ends on November 13th. You must be 18 or older to enter.

Where Butterflies Go

Excerpt & Giveaway: Her Accidental Highlander Husband by Allison B. Hanson


Her Accidental Highlander Husband by Allison B. Hanson

Publication Date: September 28, 2020
Entangled Amara
eBook; 277 pages

Series: Clan MacKinlay, Book One
Genre: Historical Romance/Scottish


Marian Fletcher Blackley, Duchess of Endsmere, has been on the run from the English Crown for weeks since killing her abusive husband…no matter that it was self-defense. She has only one safe place to go—the MacKinlay clan in Scotland, where her sister is the laird’s wife.

War Chief Cameron MacKinlay has vowed never to marry after witnessing his widowed mother’s grief. He has his lands and his clan, and that’s enough for a good life. When one day a sprite of a lass comes running out of the forest with hounds nipping at her heels and an English bounty hunter not far behind, he feels compelled to save her by claiming the disheveled duchess is his wife. But he certainly didn’t intend to marry her for real!

And now he’ll do anything to protect her…

Amazon | Barnes and Noble


Excerpt

Looking down at her hands, covered in her husband’s blood, Marian Fletcher Blackley, Duchess of Endsmere, felt surprisingly calm. She’d known for the last five years this was the way it would end.

With blood on someone’s hands.

She’d expected it to be the other way around. Many times during the duke’s rages she’d thought he would kill her. There were times, after being kicked repeatedly, she’d almost wished he had killed her so the pain would end. So her torment as his wife would be over, and she would no longer have to live in constant fear.

But tonight, something deep inside her—an intense will to survive—had taken over. He was angrier with her than she’d ever seen, and she’d known it would happen tonight. He was going to kill her. She had seen it in his eyes. He wouldn’t have been able to control himself and she would have died.

When he’d raised his fists, she’d reached out in defense. Her protection had come in the form of the fireplace poker. Her palm had grasped it unerringly and her first strike along his temple had downed him.

It would be unladylike to mention the second, third and fifth strikes that had ended her fear and pain from this man indefinitely.

Lucy, her lady’s maid, knocked frantically at the door, having heard Marian’s screams. “Your Grace, are you all right? Do you need me to call a doctor?”

Lucy knew all, having had to dress Marian’s injuries in the past. It was no surprise that tonight Lucy expected to need to piece Marian together once again. Only it wasn’t Marian who was injured. In fact, for once, Marian didn’t have a mark on her.

The duke, however, was clearly dead.

Opening the door, Lucy gasped. “Oh, Your Grace! What has he done? I will fetch Dr. Simmons. He cannot expect me to tend—” Lucy’s rambling stopped abruptly when Marian allowed the door to open wider so the maid could see the carnage spread out on the rug.

“’Tis not my blood this time.” Even Marian’s voice was calm.

Surely this wasn’t normal. She should have swooned or launched into hysterics by now. But all she felt was peace with what she’d done. What she’d been forced to do to save herself.

Marian’s gown was covered in blood, as were the rug and a good part of her bedchamber.

“I see.” Lucy swallowed, her voice just as calm as Marian’s. “Well, he’s dead,” she announced after checking the body. “Now what?”

The fear and panic that had previously been kept at bay, swarmed in now, chilling her bones. Marian’s hands trembled as she tossed the poker to the side.

“I— I don’t know. I guess we call for the magistrate.”

Lucy shook her head. “You’ve not a mark on you, and with your Scottish accent they’ll see you’re hanged for killing a peer of the realm.”

Marian tried to swallow and found it impossible. “What should I do?”

“You must leave. We’ll get you changed out of that dress and I’ll burn it. You must leave London immediately before word gets out. I can go with you.”

“You can’t come with me. Your daughter is expecting any day. You’re needed here.” Plus, Marian would never implicate her maid in her crimes.

At five and thirty Lucy was ten years older than Marian, and the only friend the duke had allowed. Mainly because he was unaware of their friendship.

“Where will you go?” Lucy asked.

“I won’t tell you. That way you can answer honestly when you’re questioned.”

Lucy grasped her arm to stop her as she moved toward her wardrobe. “You cannot go to your family home in Scotland. They will surely track you there and bring you back to hang. You need to stay clear of your clan lands. It’s certain death.”


About the Author

 

One very early morning, Allison B. Hanson woke up with a conversation going on in her head. It wasn’t so much a dream as being forced awake by her imagination. Unable to go back to sleep, she gave in, went to the computer, and began writing. Years later it still hasn’t stopped.

Allison lives near Hershey, Pennsylvania. Her contemporary romances include paranormal, sci-fi, fantasy, and mystery suspense. She enjoys candy immensely, as well as long motorcycle rides, running and reading.

Watch an interview with the author here.

She would love to hear from you. Click here to leave a message.

Sign up here for her newsletter to be informed about new releases as well a deleted scenes and pre-release excerpts.

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Blog Tour Schedule

Monday, September 28

Wednesday, September 30
Review at Novels Alive

Friday, October 2
Guest Post at Novels Alive

Sunday, October 4

Monday, October 5
Review at SplendeurCaisse

Wednesday, October 7

Friday, October 9

Monday, October 12

Wednesday, October 14

Thursday, October 15
Review at Bitch Bookshelf

Friday, October 16
Review at Coffee and Ink
Interview at Books & Benches

Giveaway

During the Blog Tour, we are giving away a $10 Amazon Gift Card! To enter, please use the Gleam form below.

The giveaway is open to US residents only and ends on October 16th. You must be 18 or older to enter.


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