Passages to the Past: June 2021

Interview & Giveaway: The Oath by A.M. Linden

I have another fabulous interview for you all today! Please welcome A.M. Linden to Passages to the Past! She is curerntly touring for her new book, The Oath, and stopped by today to chat with us about it. Please don't forget to enter the giveaway! Hope you enjoy getting to know A.M. Linden!

Hello A.M. and welcome to Passages to the Past! Thanks so much for stopping by today to talk about The Oath!

It’s a pleasure to be here. Thank you for having me.

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

I was born in Seattle, Washington but grew up on the east coast, coming back to the Pacific Northwest in my early twenties. I have undergraduate degrees in anthropology and in nursing, and a master’s degree as a nurse practitioner, and I have had the privilege of working in a program for children with special health care needs for most of my professional life. Before I began what was to become The Druid Chronicles, my writing was all but entirely work-related. As much as I enjoy reading fiction, I didn’t think seriously about writing it until I was about fifty when I got the idea of writing something for fun. This led to sketching out a draft of the story’s outline. By the time that was done, the characters in it had me hooked. Realizing I would need to learn a lot more about the craft of writing if these characters, who seemed so real to me, were ever going to be real to anyone else, I began to take creative writing courses through my local community college. While I used parts of what I’d written in my original draft for the class exercises, I didn’t start to re-work the story until after I retired. Since then it’s been pretty much what I’ve done when I’m not carrying on the rest of my life.

What inspired you to write The Oath?

The nearest I can come to answering this question is that one day, when I was mulling over what I would write about if I ever tried to write a book, I got the quite vivid image in my mind of a Druid priest and a Saxon nun talking to each other in an underground chamber. And that was it—the entire five volumes of The Druid Chronicles grew out of my being curious about what they were doing there and what happened to them after that.

What research did you undertake when writing The Oath?

I began my research by going to my local bookstore and library, and augmenting what I found out about the history of Celts and Saxons in Britain with online resources. I’ve also had the opportunity and the privilege to travel to England, Scotland and Wales where I visited museums and heritage sites preserving the remains of Celtic and Anglo-Saxon cultures, and will say here that I hope I have honored the work of so many scholars and researchers in how I’ve told Caelym and Aleswina’s tale.

What would you like readers to take away from reading The Oath?

It’s my hope that people will find as much enjoyment in reading The Oath as I did in writing it, and that they will finish it feeling that they have made the journey through Derthwald and Atheldom along with Caelym, Annwr, and Aleswina.

What was your favorite scene to write?

I have several favorites, but the one that stands out was the scene in which Caelym, Aleswina, and the book’s other main character, a middle-aged midwife named Annwr, are fleeing from their pursuers by boat and pass through a series of rapids. This scene, if you will forgive the pun, just flowed. Caelym, who was rowing the boat and fighting to keep it from capsizing, was in his element, thrilled—and totally enthralled—by the excitement; Aleswina was terrified and on the verge of being tossed overboard; Annwr had one hand on the rail of the boat and the other hanging onto to Aleswina, and somehow, as I was writing, I could feel the spray of the waves.

What was the most difficult scene to write?

The most difficult scene to write was one that came at a pivotal point of the story when a crucial backstory is revealed. One of the book’s conventions is that members of the Druid cult who do something unforgivable are banished—and the once that happens it is not just as if they have died, but as if they had never been born. Caelym, who accepts this as an inviolable mandate, has to tell Annwr what happened without naming the culprit or acknowledging that she’d ever existed. Writing this scene involved coming up with coherent circumlocutions and prolonged use of the conditional past tense, while hopefully not leaving the reader totally confused.

When did you know you wanted to be a writer?

When I realized that I would have to become one in order to tell my characters’ story.

What does your daily writing routine look like?

I started writing this series when I was still working full time and fit it in by getting up at 4:30 or 5:00 A.M. in order to get some undisturbed time in before my regular day began. I’ve since retired, but that’s become a habit, and early mornings remain the most productive for the creative “right-side” of my brain. Now that I have the freedom to spend more time writing, I do the nitpicky “left-sided” work—editing, re-writing (and re-re-writing) after I take a break for breakfast and a dog walk in the local park. By late morning, I’ve exhausted both halves of my brain, and try not to think about my characters’ problems for the rest of the day.

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

Convincing myself that making up stories about Druids and princesses is an acceptable way for me to spend my time. I haven’t so much overcome my doubts as learned to live with them.

Who are your writing inspirations?

Authors whose work has been inspiring to me include Ursula Le Guin, JRR Tolkien, Walter Brooks, Alice Walker, Hans Ruesch, Alexander McCall Smith, Charles Fuller, Edith Pargeter (Ellis Peters), and Margaret Atwood.

What was the first historical novel you read?

The Little House series by Laura Ingalls Wilde

What is the last historical novel you read?

The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate by Jacqueline Kelly

What are three things people may not know about you?

• That I was once in a puppet troupe.

• That I can recite The Cremation of Sam McGee from memory.

• That while my professional work has included a considerable amount of writing, the only time I have ever been paid specifically for putting words down on paper was as an undergraduate when I had a student job summarizing research articles about nutritional studies conducted on lab rats.

What appeals to you most about your chosen genre?

The opportunity to immerse myself in a world long ago and far away.

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

That’s an interesting question. While I’ve come to have a special connection with the early medieval period, I think I’m mainly drawn to books with engaging characters and story lines, and take these as invitations to become acquainted with times I’d not necessarily been drawn to before.

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

Together with my husband, I work in our yard, walk our dog, and cater to our cat. As COVID vaccination levels improve and case numbers fall, I’m looking forward to getting together with friends in person and listening to live music.

Lastly, what are you working on next?

I’m in the process of finishing the fifth and final book in the series and am working to tie up all of the series’ significant loose ends.

Thank you so much for taking the time to speak with us today! I hope you enjoy the rest of your blog tour!

The Oath by A.M. Linden

Publication Date: June 15, 2021

She Writes Press

Paperback & eBook; 336 pages

Series: The Druid Chronicles, #1

When the last of members of a secretive Druid cult are forced to abandon their hidden sanctuary, they send the youngest of their remaining priests in search of Annwr, their chief priestess's sister, who was abducted by a Saxon war band fifteen years ago. With only a rudimentary grasp of English and the ambiguous guidance of an oracle's prophecy, Caelym manages to find Annwr living in a hut on the grounds of a Christian convent.

Annwr has spent her years of captivity caring for the timid Aleswina, an orphaned Saxon princess who was consigned to the cloistered convent by her cousin, King Gilberth, after he assumed her father's throne. Just as Caelym and Annwr are about leave together, Aleswina learns that Gilberth, a tyrant known for his cruelty and vicious temper, means to take her out of the convent and marry her. Terrified, she flees with the two Druids--beginning a heart-pounding adventure that unfolds in ways none of them could have anticipated.

Amazon | Barnes and Noble | IndieBound

Praise

“Linden’s well-researched tale eloquently brings to life a lesser-known period of transition in Britain...The author has created a strong foundation for her series with well-developed characters whom readers can embrace...[a] layered, gripping historical fiction...”
--Kirkus Reviews

“Linden uses a fairy tale-like style almost as though this story has been passed down orally over the centuries. Though the kingdoms are fictional, Linden's tale draws on meticulous historical research, especially in her dramatization of the Christian persecution of the druids.”
--Booklist

"The story rolls along at a lively pace, rich with details of the times and a wide cast of characters....Those interested in goddess-worshipping religions will be drawn to the novel. Any reader curious about 8th-century Britain will enjoy Linden’s innovative focus on the little-known Druids as well as early medieval Christians. Her plotting, shifting points of view of the three engaging protagonists, and evocative writing style make The Oath a pleasure to read. Highly recommended!"
--Historical Novels Review

"The Oath urges readers along on a richly textured quest among the Saxons and Celts of 8th-century Britain. Young and rather humorously naïve Druid priest-healer Caelym swears to 'rescue' a damsel in distress who turns out to be neither a young damsel nor in distress. With a feminist slant, this engaging tale brings the conflict between Druids and early Christians to vivid life through sympathetic and well-rounded characters. I particularly enjoyed the ironic voice of the aging midwife Annwr. Brava!"
--Sara Stamey, author of The Ariadne Connection

"Thrilling historical fiction with heart and soul."
--Tim Pears, author of The West Country trilogy

"The Oath will appeal to a wide-ranging readership, reflecting Linden's rich imagination and gift for weaving tales within tales evoking the romance of medieval Britain. Vibrant, determined, and relatable characters with disparate ethnic and religious identities discover their own strengths, and each other's, as the intricate and engaging plot unfolds."
--Anne Marie Tietjen, PhD, clinical psychologist and instructor at Western Washington University

"Linden's knowledge and passion for history is soaked into every word of The Oath, combined with an obvious skill at storytelling. Linden succeeds at every level, but the world building is truly spectacular. Historical fantasy is hard to do well, but Linden makes it look easy. What could be dry details are presented so effectively that the world is elevated to almost being a character of its own. And in a cast of characters as well drawn as these, that's saying something. I can't wait to see what else this skilled author comes up with!"
--Bishop O'Connell, author of the American Faerie Tale series

About the Author

Ann Margaret Linden was born in Seattle, Washington, but grew up on the East Coast before returning to the Pacific Northwest as a young adult. She has undergraduate degrees in anthropology and in nursing and a master’s degree as a nurse practitioner. After working in a variety of acute care and community health settings, she took a position in a program for children with special health care needs where her responsibilities included writing clinical reports, parent educational materials, provider newsletters, grant submissions and other program related materials. The Oath is the first installment of The Druid Chronicles, a five-volume series that began as a somewhat whimsical decision to write something for fun and ended up becoming a lengthy journey that involved Linden taking adult education creative writing courses, researching early British history, and traveling to England, Scotland, and Wales. Retired from nursing, she lives with her husband, dogs, and cat in Bellingham, WA.

Blog Tour Schedule

Tuesday, June 15
Guest Post at Novels Alive
Review at Books, Cooks, Looks
Feature at Books, Ramblings, and Tea

Wednesday, June 16
Feature at The Lit Bitch
Review at Gwendalyn's Books

Thursday, June 17
Review at Jessica Belmont

Friday, June 18
Excerpt at What Is That Book About

Monday, June 21
Interview at Jathan & Heather

Tuesday, June 22
Review at Novels Alive
Review at Pursuing Stacie
Review at With A Book In Our Hands

Wednesday, June 23
Review at Rajiv's Reviews
Review at Booking With Janelle

Friday, June 25
Interview at Passages to the Past

Monday, June 28
Review at Michelle the PA Loves to Read

Thursday, July 1
Excerpt at Hoover Book Reviews

Monday, July 5
Review at Bookworlder

Thursday, July 8
Feature at Reading is My Remedy

Monday, July 12
Interview at Reader_ceygo

Wednesday, July 14
Excerpt at The Cozy Book Blog

Friday, July 16
Feature at Coffee and Ink
Review at The Enchanted Shelf

Giveaway

Enter to win a paperback copy of The Oath by A.M. Linden! We have 2 copies up for grabs!

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

Interview & Giveaway: The Spinster's Fortune by Mary Kendall

Happy FriYAY, everyone! Today on the blog I am super excited to be hosting Mary Kendall who is currently on Blog Tour for The Spinster's Fortune! It's getting fabulous reviews and I can't wait to read it! I hope you enjoy getting to know Mary and be sure to enter to win a paperback copy of the book!

Hello Mary and welcome to Passages to the Past! Thanks so much for stopping by today to talk about The Spinster’s Fortune!

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

My formative years were spent growing up in old (and haunted) houses. This really sparked my imagination in a way that has never stopped. I earned degrees in history related fields and worked as an historian for many years but always dabbled with writing on the side. Once my youngest (of three) kids was in school, my time freed up enough for me to go deeper with the writing. Now, ten years later, I guess I am in my fourth or fifth act with actually getting published!

What inspired you to write The Spinster’s Fortune?

I have researched family history for many years. It was a lot more difficult in pre-Internet days but now, with the internet, there is so much more easily accessible. In researching my paternal grandfather, I found a photograph of him in a newspaper article about the real life spinster that the story is based on. The photograph was a big find for me but then the story that went with it took me down the rabbit hole. It is essentially the framework for the novel.

What research did you undertake when writing The Spinster’s Fortune?

In addition to all the newspaper articles that were written about the actual real life event, I also delved into all that was pertinent to that time period in that locale, i.e. Washington, D.C. in the 1920s.

What was your favorite scene to write?

Margaret and her husband, Keith, take a day out in Maryland horse country for a steeple chase event. It is not necessarily a pivotal or momentous point in the novel but I really enjoyed coming up with the depiction of this day and writing all the details to set the tone and the scene.

What was the most difficult scene to write?

The final scene with Blanche was difficult because it was a poignant yet fitting and necessary end.

When did you know you wanted to be a writer?

I think probably from the time I learned how to read (B is for Betsy in the first grade, age six). But I remember being complimented by my fourth grade teacher on a story I wrote. He said something along the lines of: “You should be a writer.” That little nugget of encouragement always stayed with me.

What does your daily writing routine look like?

I have a semi-full house with teenagers so my writing has to fit in where it can. It may be just a fifteen minute block of time or it may be several hours. But, if not actively writing, I have ideas rolling around and percolating in my brain somewhere pretty much all the time. And scribbled notes all over the place.

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

When I wrote and was unsuccessful in getting published, the struggle was kind of a “if a tree falls in the forest…” situation. It was easy to get sucked into the mentality of why I am doing this at all if no one will ever “hear” it. Getting published has been such a validation to overcome that effect. I will always be grateful to my publishers for that along with everything else.

Who are your writing inspirations?

So, so many. Being a reader on a heavy diet of weekly book intake, I have been influenced and inspired by countless authors. I cut my teeth on Gothic suspense/thriller/romance genres with writers such as Barbara Michaels, Victoria Holt, and Phyllis Whitney, among others. I moved into mystery genres after that with Agatha Christie and Mary Roberts Rinehart. I then was drawn to early twentieth century American novelists like F. Scott Fitzgerald, William Faulkner, and Ernest Hemingway. Later, it was fiction with a dark Southern gothic kick like Flannery O’Connor.

What was the first historical novel you read?

I am going to go with Gone with the Wind at age twelve. (But I think I read The Witch of Blackbird Pond at a younger age than that?)

What is the last historical novel you read?

Every time I tell myself I am not going to read any more historical fiction about World War II, I pick up one that looks intriguing and get sucked in again. I guess it’s just an endless fount for good historical fiction? So…Girl in the Blue Coat by Monica Hesse.

What are three things people may not know about you?

My DNA shows up as 100% British Isles. I have yet to figure this out… because I have researched my family and found full German great grandparents/ancestors.

I drink my coffee black…and my tea!

I lived on an island off the North Carolina coast only accessible by boat the summer I turned 21.

What appeals to you most about your chosen genre?

My chosen genre, historical mystery, appeals to me due to my upbringing. From an early age, I lived in old historic houses that my family worked on restoring. These were places that were filled with things that went bump in the night and were rife with mysterious stories of Revolutionary War chapel rooms and Civil War hospitals. One even came with its own family graveyard. My imagination became primed and ready for writing historical mysteries.

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

I am drawn most to the era that I wrote about in The Spinster’s Fortune: the early twentieth century. It is so compelling to me because of all the rapid changes that occurred during that period, political and social.

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

I am a yoga instructor (on hiatus due to the pandemic) so yoga is a daily part of my life. I also love to walk/hike whenever and wherever possible.

Lastly, what are you working on next?

I have three manuscripts that I am currently juggling that are all complete but in various stages of development. My most recent is a change for me as it is not historical fiction. It is a present day mystery but revolves around a very strange real-life archeological find in the Williamsburg, Virginia area dating from the 1800s: a “witch bottle”. The story kind of springs up and around this bizarre find. So…not historical mystery per se but strongly rooted in history.

That sounds fascinating! Thank you so much for spensing time with us today! Congrats on all of the book love for The Spinster's Fortune!

The Spinster's Fortune by Mary Kendall

Publication Date: April 6, 2021

Darkstroke Books

Paperback & eBook; 227 pages

Genre: Historical Mystery

Moonlit alleys, shadowy tunnels, and buried secrets…

Summer of 1929.

Of supposed unsound mind without a penny to her name, Blanche Magruder lies alone in a home for the aged and infirm.

Meanwhile, her house, a crumbled ruin in the heart of Georgetown, Washington, D.C., is pillaged nightly by thieves looking for treasure rumored to be hidden there.

A distant niece, Margaret O’Keefe, is tapped as executor and soon becomes embroiled in the hunt for recovering monies, taking it on as a welcome escape from her financial and marital woes.

As Margaret discovers caches in unlikely spots throughout the house, family mysteries begin to unravel. She questions whether Aunt Blanche is an insane fool or a daring genius, yet Margaret must also wrangle with her own hidden truths.

Pressed towards a convergence of their pasts and presents, the two women must ultimately face down a fateful discovery in order to rectify their lives.

Shrouded in gothic undertones and dark artifice, THE SPINSTER’S FORTUNE is a tale that takes the reader on a strange journey through tangled webs of family deceit. But where does it end?

Available on Amazon

About the Author

Mary Kendall lived in old (and haunted) houses growing up which sparked a life-long interest in history and story-telling. She earned degrees in history related fields and worked as an historian for many years. Her fiction writing is heavily influenced by the past which she believes is never really dead and buried.

Fueled by black coffee and a possible sprinkling of Celtic fairy dust, she tends to find inspiration in odd places and sometimes while kneading bread dough.

The author currently resides in Maryland with her family (husband, three kids, barn cat and the occasional backyard hen) who put up with her mad scribbling at inconvenient hours.

THE SPINSTER’S FORTUNE , a mystery set in Georgetown, Washington DC, is her debut novel and is a twisty, tangled dive into a web of family deception murky with gothic undertones.

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | BookBub | Goodreads

Blog Tour Schedule

Tuesday, June 22
Review at 100 Pages a Day
Review at Probably at the Library

Wednesday, June 23
Review at Bonnie Reads and Writes

Thursday, June 24
Review at Two Bookish Babes
Guest Post at Chicks, Rogues, and Scandals

Friday, June 25
Interview at Passages to the Past

Saturday, June 26
Review at Reading is My Remedy

Sunday, June 27
Review at Rajiv's Reviews
Review at Booking With Janelle

Monday, June 28
Review at Books, Cooks, Looks

Tuesday, June 29
Review at Bookworlder

Giveaway

Enter to win a paperback copy of The Spinster's Fortune by Mary Kendall!

The giveaway is open to US residents only and ends on June 29th. You must be 18 or older to enter.

New Release: To Tempt a Scandalous Lord by Liana De la Rosa

Happy Release Day to Liana De la Rosa! The fourth book in her Once Upon a Scandal series, To Tempt a Scandalous Lord, is out today from Engtangled Publishing!

To Tempt a Scandalous Lord Liana De la Rosa

Publication Date: June 21, 2021

Entangled Publishing: Amara

Series: Once Upon A Scandal, Book 4

Genre: Historical Romance

Alicia Lindsay, the dowager Countess Lindsay, has spent her life under the dominion of men-- leered at yes, but ultimately silenced and cast aside. But widowhood has granted her the freedom to voice her critiques against injustices in articles that have enraptured the nation. Resolved to bring about political change, Alicia's investigation of the newest party candidates leads her to the captivating, hardheaded Lord Inverray. She's unprepared when he proves to be not only charming but chivalrous when a slight wardrobe malfunction--with all eyes of the ton upon them--forces her to accept his proposal. Now she's keeping a huge secret from her soon-to-be-husband.

Niall Campbell, Marquess of Inverray, has spent years finding support for numerous legislations to help his fellow Scots. Now poised to grasp the party leadership, his success has been threatened by anonymous articles critiquing his campaign. Niall vows to find the author and silence them, no matter the cost. But when he finds himself engaged to an alluring widow with a sharp tongue, his plans get derailed in more ways than one...

Once Upon A Scandal Series

To Love a Scandalous Duke
To Resist a Scandalous Rogue
To Tame a Scandalous Lady
To Tempt a Scandalous Lord

*Each book can be read as a standalone.

Amazon | Barnes and Noble

About the Author

Liana De la Rosa is a historical romance writer whose stories are set in the Late Regency and Victorian periods. Liana has an English degree from the University of Arizona. When she’s not writing books featuring unexpected characters, witty heroes, and intrepid heroines, Liana is reading fanfiction and pretending she's a domestic goddess while she wrangles her rambunctious brood of small children with her patient husband in Arizona.

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | Instagram | Goodreads

Cover Reveal: Burning Ground by D.A. Galloway

Hello, dear readers! I am so excited to share with you the cover for D.A. Galloway's upcoming historical, Burning Ground! I cannot wait to read it!

Burning Ground by D.A. Galloway

Publication Date: July 6, 2021

Series: Frontier Time Traveler, Book 1

Genre: Historical Fiction

Does time heal all wounds? Or do some last forever?

Pennsylvania, 1971: Graham Davidson is a young man with survivor’s guilt after the death of three siblings.

Estranged from his father and seeking a direction in his life, Graham learns about vision quests from a Crow Indian. He secures seasonal employment in Yellowstone National Park and embarks on a spiritual journey.

Wyoming Territory, 1871: Under a full moon at a sacred thermal area, Graham finds himself in Yellowstone a century earlier - one year before it was established as a national park. He joins the Hayden Expedition which was commissioned to explore the region.

Although a military escort provides protection for the explorers, the cavalry’s notorious lieutenant threatens Graham. His perilous journey through the future park is marred by a horrific tragedy in a geyser basin, a grizzly bear attack, and an encounter with hostile Blackfeet Indians.

Graham falls in love with Makawee, a beautiful Crow woman who serves as a guide. As the expedition nears its conclusion, Graham is faced with an agonizing decision.

Does he stay in the previous century with the woman he loves or travel back to the future?

If you like the historical time travel adventure of Outlander or enjoyed the movie Dances with Wolves, then you'll love Burning Ground!

"I thoroughly enjoyed the story! I was amazed at the depth of Galloway's research, which extended far beyond the Hayden survey. The details on so many things the protagonist Graham experienced in Yellowstone all ring true. I especially liked the presentation of Henry Elliott, William H. Jackson, and Thomas Moran. Each person was presented in an unvarnished manner that was quite believable. Overall, the characterization of Lieutenant Doane is painfully accurate. The author captured the spirit of a man who felt entitled and was egotistical." ~ Kim Allen Scott, author of Yellowstone Denied: The Life of Gustavus Cheyney Doane

Available for Pre-Order
Amazon | Barnes and Noble

About the Author

David Galloway grew up in rural Pennsylvania near Gettysburg. After a long career in the paper industry and writing a bestselling non-fiction book, Safety WALK Safety TALK, he decided to follow a once dormant dream of writing a novel.Burning Ground was inspired by two memorable summers of his youth.

As a teen, David worked on a fruit farm in Pennsylvania. It is here he met Redfield, a Crow Indian who lived a simple life but had a profound effect on the way David saw the world.

As a young man, he spent a summer in Yellowstone National Park, providing guided boat tours on Yellowstone Lake. When he was not on duty, David explored all corners of that magnificent land, often in the backcountry. His love for our nation’s first national park is rooted in these experiences.

David is currently working on the sequel to Burning Ground, tentatively titled Fatal Ground.

He enjoys reading about adventurers and explorers, traveling internationally, riding a recumbent tandem bike, and spending time with his grandsons.

David lives in Springboro, Ohio with his wife Leesa.

Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Amazon Author Page

Cover Reveal Schedule

Monday, June 14
Chicks, Rogues, and Scandals

Tuesday, June 15
Donna's Book Blog

Wednesday, June 16
A Darn Good Read
Carole Rae's Random Ramblings

Thursday, June 17
Reader_ceygo
Books & Benches

Friday, June 18
Reading is My Remedy

Sunday, June 20
Passages to the Past

Monday, June 21
A Girl Reads Books

Tuesday, June 22
Bookworlder

Wednesday, June 23
Amy's Booket List
Books, Cooks, Looks

Thursday, June 24
The Book Club Network

Friday, June 25
Coffee and Ink
The Enchanted Shelf

Excerpt & Giveaway: Ruined by the Bachelor Marquess by Cecilia Rene

Ruined by The Bachelor Marquess by Cecilia Rene

Publication Date: May 21, 2021

Series: The Bachelor Series, Book 2

Genre: Historical Romance

Will a second chance at love be enough to heal old wounds?

He failed everyone…especially her.

Henry Livingstone, the Marquess of Heartford, was destroyed by the fire that claimed his sister’s life. Haunted by her death, he fled his home and the woman he loved. When he finally returns to restore his family’s wealth, he’s met with his demons, both old and new, including Lady Julia St. John, his former fiancée and the woman he scandalously abandoned at the altar.

Once a diamond of the first water, Lady Julia St. John is a victim of cruel gossip and shunned from society. To salvage her pride, she focuses on family and rediscovers a passion for painting. Never did she imagine that she would ever see the Marquess of Heartford again…or face her utterly unresolved feelings for him. She should hate him…but hate is the last thing she feels.

When sparks fly under the same roof and attraction eclipses heartbreak, Henry and Julia are left with a choice—take the risk and fight their way to a second chance at love, or walk away forever.

Available on Amazon

Excerpt

This was his opportunity to admit why he was back in London. He needed her to know that he was now worthy of her. That after years of wandering the world, he began to feel whole again, but he was not complete, not yet.

Not without her.

Julia paused for a second before she took the sketch pad and started walking toward him. “I wouldn’t have a drink with you if my life depended on it.”

She tried to walk past, but he took her by the arm, halting her exit. His body vibrated from being so close to her after all this time. His member hardened in need at the scent of her—lavender and citrus. “We need to talk, Julia,” he said slowly, trying to fight off his arousal.

“We have nothing to say to each other, Lord Heartford.” She pulled her arm out of his grasp and tried to walk around him.

Shifting to the side, he blocked her way, determined to not have this animosity between them his entire stay. “I know you are upset with me leaving, but you must know what I did was best—”

Her head snapped up, and he was distinctly aware of their height difference. In the past, he had loved how he towered over her and how perfectly she fit in his arms. He would often rest his chin on top of her head whenever they were close. It made him feel like her protector. And he loved it because she was his.

“How would you know what’s best for me? Did you ask for my opinion, my comfort, anything before you recklessly ruined my life?”

Two of her fingers dug into his chest hard. The fire in her eyes was so scorching he had to look away for fear of being burned.

“Spare us both the damsel in distress routine,” he gritted out through clenched teeth, not wanting to fight with her. “I know you do not believe Amelia meant anything to me, but she was my sister.”

“You think I don’t know that? I see the evidence of your connection every day when the same green eyes you and she shared stare at me from across the breakfast table. The guilt I feel for how I reacted to her is as ever present as your own.” Her breasts heaved with the weight of her breaths.

“Your guilt is nothing compared to mine.” He stared down at her, trying to ignore the pull he felt to her, even now.

Julia took a step back, her lips trembled slightly. “Perhaps not, but do not come here and pretend you care anything about me. We both know the truth.”

“Julia wait,” He tried to stop her but failed as she left the room, quietly closing the door behind her.

The sound of it so deafening it reverberated through him, loud and demanding. The weight of her words, the consequences of his own actions felt like stones on his shoulders. Winning her back wouldn’t be easy, he couldn’t even have a civil conversation with her.

None of it mattered because he would never quit.

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.

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Blog Tour Schedule

Wednesday, June 16
Excerpt at Passages to the Past

Thursday, June 17
Feature at The Lit Bitch

Friday, June 18
Review at Two Bookish Babes

Monday, June 21
Review at Novels Alive

Tuesday, June 22
Excerpt at What Is That Book About

Wednesday, June 23
Review at Anna’s Book Blog

Thursday, June 24
Guest Post at Novels Alive

Friday, June 25
Feature at Books, Ramblings, and Tea

Monday, June 28
Review at SplendeurCaisse

Wednesday, June 30
Review at Passages to the Past

Giveaway

Enter to win a $10 Amazon Gift Card!

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

Book Blast: Where Your Treasure Is by M.C. Bunn

Today on the blog I am super excied to share the Book Blast for M.C. Bunn's new release, Where Your Treasure Is! Read all about it below and pick up a copy today!

Where Your Treasure Is by M.C. Bunn

Publication Date: April 23, 2021

Bellastoria Press LLC

Genre: Historical Fiction

Feisty, independent heiress Winifred de la Coeur has never wanted to live according to someone else’s rules—but even she didn’t plan on falling in love with a bank robber.

Winifred is a wealthy, nontraditional beauty who bridles against the strict rules and conventions of Victorian London society. When she gets caught up in the chaos of a bungled bank robbery, she is thrust unwillingly into an encounter with Court Furor, a reluctant getaway driver and prizefighter. In the bitter cold of a bleak London winter, sparks fly.

Winifred and Court are two misfits in their own circumscribed worlds—the fashionable beau monde with its rigorously upheld rules, and the gritty demimonde, where survival often means life-or-death choices.

Despite their conflicting backgrounds, they fall desperately in love while acknowledging the impossibility of remaining together. Returning to their own worlds, they try to make peace with their lives until a moment of unrestrained honesty and defiance threatens to topple the deceptions they have carefully constructed to protect each other.

A story of the overlapping entanglements of Victorian London’s social classes, the strength of family bonds and true friendship, and the power of love to heal a broken spirit.