Book Blast: The Professor's Lady by Holly Bush


The Professor's Lady by Holly Bush

Publication Date: January 25, 2022

Series: The Thompsons of Locust Street, Book 3
Genre: Historical Romance/Victorian


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

1870 Kirsty Thompson is determined to begin her own business bringing beloved Scottish fabrics and yarns to Philadelphia but first she must meet the men and women who weave the plaids and spin the wool. How will she ever escape her protective older siblings and sail to Scotland?

Albert Watson is a medical doctor focusing on research, especially that of Joseph Lister and his sterilization techniques. He speaks at universities in America and in England while visiting his London relatives. As he prepares to sail for just such an engagement, Kirsty Thompson boards his ship to beg him to take her with him. What’s a gentleman to do? Albert cancels his trip across the ocean to escort Miss Thompson back to Philadelphia and finds there is danger afoot for her and her family.

Soon he comes to realize there is also danger for his heart, even for a man who rarely pulls his nose from a medical journal. He finds himself unable to put Miss Kirsty Thompson out of his thoughts, where they belonged, because certainly a beautiful, ambitious, and charming young woman could have no interest in him. Or could she?

Amazon | Barnes and Noble | Kobo

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, on Instagram, 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

Monday, April 11
Pursuing Stacie

Tuesday, April 12
Chicks, Rogues, and Scandals

Wednesday, April 13
Booking With Janelle

Thursday, April 14
Books, Ramblings, and Tea

Friday, April 15
My Reading Getaway

Monday, April 18
Reading is My Remedy

Tuesday, April 19
CelticLady's Reviews

Thursday, April 21
A Girl Reads Bookss

Friday, April 22
Passages to the Past



Book Blast: We Shall Not Shatter by Elaine Stock

Hello lovelies! Today on the blog I am super excited to share with you an intriguing historical that will be released on May 15th from Author Elaine Stock! It's available for pre-order so if you'd like you can treat your future self!


We Shall Not Shatter by Elaine Stock

Publication Date: May 15, 2022
Amsterdam Publishers

Genre: Jewish Historical Fiction


An unforgettable story of friendship, family and hope as two courageous young women face one of history’s most horrific tragedies.

Brzeziny, Poland, 1939 Zofia’s comfortable-lifestyle overturns when her husband, Jabez, who monitors Nazi activity, has gone missing. Rather than fleeing the country with her young son, as she had promised Jabez who is fearing retaliation, she decides to stay. She cannot possibly leave her friend, Aanya. Since their childhood they have amazed fellow Brzeziners that it does not matter that Aanya is Jewish and deaf, and that Zofia is Catholic and hearing. Now, more than ever with war looming, Zofia will do whatever is necessary to protect her family and Aanya.

As both love and war approach their Polish town, Zofia and Aanya must make choices that will change the meaning of family, home, and their precious friendship. The journey, decisions and the no-going-back consequences the women face will either help them to survive—or not—as Hitler’s Third Reich revs up its control of the world.

Inspired by the author’s paternal heritage from Brzeziny, this is a heartbreaking yet beautiful story of two women who are determined to remain united in friendship and to live freely despite the odds.

Available for Pre-Order
Amazon | Barnes & Noble


Praise

"For anyone who loved 'All the Light We Cannot See' by Anthony Doerr, this is another beautiful journey of not just one woman's story through the turbulent times of Nazi Germany, but two. A story which will touch your heart, and perhaps bring a few tears to wipe away, showing how love does indeed break barriers and sees beyond human labels and disabilities. You will absolutely fall in love with Zofia and Aanya, and how strong friendships were forged in the heat of oppression from Hitler's Germany despite their different faiths."
-- Historical Fiction Company

"Drawing from her own family's history, author Elaine Stock has created a compelling story of enduring friendship, heart wrenching sacrifice, and resilient strength. While set during one of the darkest moments on history's stage, We Shall Not Shatter's themes—conveyed through characters who will inhabit your heart—have much to say to readers in today's world, too."
— Carrie Schmidt, ReadingIsMySuperPower.org

"Elaine Stock's novel, We Shall Not Shatter, the first of a promised trilogy, Resilient Women of WWII, is a poignant and heartfelt tale of perseverance, of friendship across boundaries, of making families in different ways, of horror and of healing. In the characters of Zofia and Aanya, and the families they make and lose in their native Poland, the barbarities of war, the added peril of Aanya's deafness, and their harrowing escape, the story is offset by the plot strands of Christians helping Jews, Germans helping Poles, hearing people cherishing the strength of the deaf, and the deaf healing others. This is a story not only of resilience, but of the victory of love and friendship over pain and suffering."
— Barbara Stark-Nemon, author of the award-winning novels, Even in Darkness and Hard Cider, Speech-language therapist and Teacher Consultant for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing

"We Shall Not Shatter is a compelling novel, inspired by real-life events in Brzeziny, Poland that so dramatically changed the fortunes of both a close-knit Jewish family and a Catholic family during the Hitler years. Elaine Stock's poignant narrative charts the despair, confusion and sheer will to survive during this terrible period in modern European history. This is a story that oozes tragedy, hope, love and courage in the face of adversity."
— Ron Vincent, author of The House on Thrömerstrasse: A Story of Rebirth and Renewal in the Wake of the Holocaust

"The story and its characters will linger in the reader’s heart for days... perhaps forever."
— Patricia Bradley, Author of the Logan Point Series, Memphis Cold Case Novels, Natchez Trace Park Ranger Series

"We Shall Not Shatter takes readers on a rare journey of life-tested relationships and uncompromising courage. Stock brilliantly creates a time and place that is terrible and heartbreaking only to reveal the beauty that awaits on the other side of devastation. This story will stay with you long after the last page is turned."
— London Clarke, #1 Amazon bestselling author of Wildfell and The Meadows

About the Author

 

Elaine Stock writes Historical Fiction, exploring home, family and friendships throughout time. She enjoys creating stories showing how all faiths, races, and belief systems are interconnected and need each other.

Elaine’s grandparents, on both sides of her family, narrowly escaped World War II by immigrating from Poland and Austria to the US. Fascinated by the strong will of people to overcome the horrors from this era, she wrote We Shall Not Shatter, Book 1 of the Resilient Women of WWII Trilogy inspired by her deaf great aunt who was left behind as a teenager in Poland and perished in the Holocaust, while her other deaf siblings were permitted to enter the US when their young ages helped them to circumvent medically-revealing exams. Other extended family members also remained in Poland to lose their lives in the Holocaust.

Although multi-published in award-winning Inspirational Fiction, and a past blogger and online magazine contributor, Elaine now pens novels for the General reading audience. She is a member of Women’s Fiction Writers Association and The Historical Novel Society. Born in Brooklyn, New York, she has now been living in upstate, rural New York with her husband for more years than her stint as a city gal. She enjoys long walks down country roads, visiting New England towns, and of course, a good book.

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads | BookBub | Amazon

Book Blast Schedule

Monday, April 18
Books, Ramblings, and Tea
Books In Their Natural Habitat

Tuesday, April 19
Passages to the Past

Wednesday, April 20
A Baker’s Perspective

Friday, April 22
History from a Woman’s Perspective

Monday, April 25
The Book Junkie Reads

Tuesday, April 26
Reading is My Remedy

Wednesday, April 27
Impressions In Ink

Thursday, April 28
Reader_ceygo

Friday, April 29
CelticLady's Reviews

Review & Interview: Champagne Widows by Rebecca Rosenberg

Happy Monday, dear readers! Today on the blog I am excited to share my review of Champagne Widows and an interview with the author, Rebecca Rosenberg to celebrate the paperback release! I hope you enjoy it & be sure to enter the giveaway to win a copy of this amazing book! I highly recommend it to fans os historical fiction and badass women from the past that changed history!


Champagne Widows by Rebecca Rosenberg

Paperback Publication Date: February 25, 2022
Lion Heart Publishing

Genre: Historical Fiction


Triple-gold-medal-winning author Rebecca Rosenberg serves up a triumphant tale of talent and ambition, love and loss, betrayal and redemption, and accepting yourself and others for who they are.

Champagne, France, 1800
Twenty-year-old Barbe-Nicole has inherited Le Nez (an uncanny sense of smell that makes her picky, persnickety, and particularly perceptive) from her great-grandfather, a renowned champagne maker.

Her parents, however, see Le Nez as a curse and try to marry her off to an unsuspecting suitor. But Barbe-Nicole is determined to use Le Nez to make great champagne. When she learns her childhood sweetheart, François Clicquot, wants to start a winery, she rejects her parents' suitors and marries François despite his mental illness.

The Widow Known as Veuve Clicquot
Soon, Barbe-Nicole Clicquot must cope with her husband's death. Becoming a widow known as Veuve Clicquot, she grapples with a new overbearing partner, the difficulties of making champagne and the Napoleon Codes preventing women from owning a business.

All this while her father takes a military uniform contract from Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte, who wages six wars against European monarchs, crippling Veuve Clicquot's ability to sell her champagne.

Challenging Napoleon
Using Le Nez, Veuve Clicquot struggles through unbearable hardships and challenges Napoleon himself. When she falls in love with her sales manager, Louis Bohne, who asks her to marry, she must choose between losing her winery to her husband, as dictated by Napoleon Code or losing Louis. In the ultimate showdown, Veuve Clicquot risks imprisonment and even death as she defies Napoleon.

Available on Amazon


Review

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

How I love Rebecca Rosenberg and her novels...let me count the ways...

For one, she chooses the most fascinating women from history to write about, women that were largely lost to history and now are getting their moment under the sun. First, she wrote about the wife of Jack London, Charmian, in The Secret Life of Mrs. London, and then Baby Doe Tabor in Gold Digger, and now we have Barbe-Nicole Cliquot, the woman who revolutionized the Champagne industry.

Barbe-Nicole inherited her sense of smell from her grandfather and promises her grandmother that she will use that to her advantage to create the best Champagne. With her talent for scent and her business acumen she excels, despite being the only woman in the industry. She is clever and smart and fiercely determined, both in business and her personal and love life. I just adored her!

The book also features the wily Emperor Napoleon as he sets out to conquer the world and how he threatens the future of Barbe-Nicole's company.

Having loved Rebecca's first two novels, I think this one may be my favorite. She is definitely an auto-buy author for me. When I read one of her novels I know I'm going to be entertained and educated, gripped and enthralled. Kudos to Rebecca for another winner! Highly recommended!


Hello Rebecca and welcome to Passages to the Past! Thanks so much for stopping by today to talk about Champagne Widows!

Amy Bruno, Passages of the Past: To begin, can you please tell us a little about yourself and your writing?

Rebecca Rosenberg, award winning author: I am a champagne geek/lavender farmer/writer of historical fiction. Hard to tell which of these monikers fits better! We lived on our lavender farm in Sonoma Valley, next to Napa Valley, an hour north of the Golden Gate Bridge. I’ve had delicious research exploring champagne houses here in wine country, or as properly called in the United States, sparkling wine houses. Champagne can only be called champagne if it comes from Champagne, France! I love to write about “glorious women of the past” whose stories have not been told, like Houdini’s wife, and Jack London’s wife in THE SECRET LIFE OF MRS. LONDON and Baby Doe Tabor in GOLD DIGGER.

Amy: What inspired you to write about Barbe-Nicole Clicquot, also known as "Grande Dame of Champagne"?

Rebecca: We’ve traveled to Champagne, France many times, even leading tours. We’ve prowled through the elegant champagne houses and mysterious wine caves. When I realized Veuve Clicquot, one of the best champagnes in the world, was the creation of Barbe-Nicole Clicquot in 1800, I started researching her life. Hard to do from the 1800’s!


Amy: What research did you undertake when writing Champagne Widows?

Rebecca: I was lucky enough to meet with the historian of Veuve Clicquot winery, and they gave me a great tour of the city of Reims where she grew up. I was able to see/hear/smell all the things Barbe-Nicole experienced. We spent six weeks over a couple of years, researching. When I started writing the story, I naturally researched France in the 1800’s and discovered that Barbe-Nicole stared to make wine just as Napoleon was trying to conquer Europe with thirteen years of Napoleon wars! Furthermore, Napoleon knew her family and was very involved in champagne makers and developing that industry, because he knew champagne was very important to the French economy and could be used as a weapon against European countries, since they coveted it. I realized Napoleon influenced her story, yet I did not want him to dominate! I also loved how the arcs of Barbe Nicole and Napoleon turn out very differently!


Amy: In your research, did you find anything that surprised you about Barbe-Nicole?

Rebecca: At the winery I discovered Barbe-Nicole Clicquot had a rare trait called Le Nez—the Nose which made her very good at blending champagne. I had a lot of fun with that characteristic of Le Nez, and how she turned it from a negative curse to a blessing. I think we are all born with unusual traits that can be negative or positive depending on what we do with it!


 Amy: How did Barbe-Nicole’s process for making Champagne differ from her competitors?

Rebecca: Making champagne was brand new and very dangerous and unpredictable, actually! She was discovering more scientific methods of making it, ironically aided by Napoleon’s funding of champagne research. She was focused on making champagne clearer and eliminate the dead yeast that occurs in the bottle. Actually after the time period of this book, she invented the technique and tools for riddling, which trapped the dead yeast in the neck of the bottle for removal. That technique is still used today for clear champagne! Barbe-Nicole Clicquot also made the first Vintage Champagne from one year only—1813, the year of the Great Comet. Champagne is traditionally a blend of years and different grape varietals.


Amy: What was your favorite scene to write?

Rebecca: I love humor in books, and try to inject when I can, so I loved to write the scene where Barbe-Nicole is wooed by a pig farmer and she suffers with Le Nez!

Amy: What was the most difficult scene to write?

Rebecca: There is a mysterious character called the Red Man who goads Napoleon to conquer Europe, and kill six million people. Every time the Red Man appears I feel my chest tighten. I wish Napoleon would not heed his advice!

Amy: Lastly, what are you working on next?

Rebecca: I have two sequels to Champagne Widows series—for Madame Pommery and Lily Bollinger. And a sequel to complete for GOLD DIGGER, called SILVER DOLLAR. Great stories! But for now, I’m focusing on the first CHAMPAGNE WIDOWS!

Praise

CHAMPAGNE WIDOWS awarded 2022 EDITOR’S CHOICE HISTORICAL NOVEL SOCIETY! "Barbe-Nicole is a strong, determined woman, who defies Napoleon to make her winery a success. Fascinating details about winemaking: soil, climate, barrels, bottles, and the various grapes. All this and more affect the smell and flavor of the wine. I could smell the wine along with Barbe-Nicole, since Rosenberg's descriptions are so vivid. The narrative is interspersed with brief scenes about the rise and fall of Napoleon, and the Red Man, a devil figure disguised as a coachman, who encourages him to conquer Europe. The most moving parts are where Barbe-Nicole harvests grapes along with other women widowed by Napoleon's wars." ~ HISTORICAL NOVEL SOCIETY EDITOR'S CHOICE

“This effervescent historical novel paints a richly detailed portrait of the enterprising Veuve Clicquot. The twinned plots of Clicquot and Napoleon Bonaparte’s rise and fall are filled with detail that give life to this far-off time. The prose is light, yet detailed, and peppered with moments of wry humor. Napoleon's characterization is well-crafted and give his character new life. Clicquot’s character is charming, and readers will love getting to know her. Rosenberg has a superb eye for blending humor with drama.” ~Publisher’s Weekly BookLife Prize

"Barbe-Nicole is captivating, particularly with her inheritance of "Le Nez" and the effect on her life. From grapes to pigs, the adventures she gets into with her nose are fascinating and are described in detailed and engaging ways. The champagne empire she builds is admirable, as is her relationship with Francois and its challenges. ~ WRITER'S DIGEST 2022

"For anyone who loves champagne, a must-read novel about Veuve Clicquot." ~ Judithe Little, best-selling author of The Chanel Sisters

"These first known women of Champagne/Sparkling winemaking may not have even realized how strong they were until they had to learn and do it all to survive for themselves and their wineries! Reading Champagne Widows makes it even more of an honor to learn a craft still dominated by men." ~ Penny Gadd-Coster, ExecutiveDirector of Winemaking, Rack & Riddle

"The sun-drenched vineyards of France, a real-life heroine who against all odds refuses to give up her dreams... and champagne. What's not to love? And that's just what Rebecca Rosenberg delivers in Champagne Widows. Barbe-Nicole Clicquot was a woman ahead of her time, a fascinating blend of ingenuity, heart, and sheer tenacity, with a nose for wine and a head for business. A 19th century widow who built an empire as war raged all around her. Note: This richly woven tale is best savored slowly, though with all delicious things, it won't be easy." ~ Barbara Davis, best-selling author of The Last of the Moon Girls

"Champagne Widows is a witty, accomplished novel, featuring a tough and charming heroine of the first order. One can't help but root for Barbe-Nicole, an astute businesswoman who brilliantly holds her own against none other than Napoleon Bonaparte. Although the events unfold two centuries ago, the story feels so modern, the characters could be your friends and neighbors. As easy to love as a glass of Veuve Clicquot, this may be Rebecca Rosenberg's best book yet." ~ Michelle Richmond, best-selling author of The Marriage Pact

"Champagne Widows is an inspired story based on the real-life Grande Dame of Champagne, Barbe-Nicole Clicquot Ponsardin, who built her famous champagne empire amidst the turbulence of 19th century France. Barbe-Nicole is my kind of heroine: a woman with passion, courage, family loyalty, and a killer business sense. Rebecca Rosenberg's sensual details make every scene of this intimate novel come alive. A true reading pleasure!" ~ Martha Conway, best-selling author of The Underground River and The Physician's Daughter

"Award-winning author, Rebecca Rosenberg returns with another Historical Fiction jewel in CHAMPAGNE WIDOWS. Meet the women who succeeded in creating world class champagne in a time men ruled business and society. Lovers of history, romance, and French culture will relish the multi-layered plot and cast of characters including the ultimate French icon, Napoleon Bonaparte." ~ Johnnie Bernhard, award-winning author of Sisters of the Undertow

"An epic story featuring love, family, and the sustaining power of courage. Champagne Widows takes the reader back in time for an intimate look at the building of the iconic brand Veuve Clicquot. In the aftermath of Napoleon's rise to power, Barbe-Nicole and her husband Francois share a vision of creating a champagne that will astound the world. Despite war, death, blockades, and failed harvests, Barbe-Nicole ultimately succeeds." ~ M.K. Tod, author of Paris In Ruins and award-winning blog A Writer of History

"Raise a glass to Veuve Clicquot and all the women from history to the present, who have broken the mold and overcome obstacles to succeed in all-male professions. Just as a champagne bottle pops bringing delectable flavors and delicious aromas, Rebecca Rosenberg delights the senses with her engrossing novel. She treats the reader to a perfect blend of history and story - with lots of champagne! Sit back and savor the tale of Veuve Clicquot. " ~ Linda Rosen, author of Sisters of the Vine

"Rebecca Rosenberg has penned a spectacular saga about the first "Champagne widow" of France, Barbe-Nicole Clicquot. With her gift, known as Le Nez (the nose), Barbe-Nicole can "smell the stink of a lie or the perfume of a pure heart. Or the heartbreaking smell of what could have been." Along with her expertise, she possesses courage and vision, overcoming incredible odds during the time of the Napoleonic Code, which left widows without property rights—in Barbe-Nicole's case, her Champagne business. Seamlessly interwoven with historical letters from Napoleon, the book sweeps the reader into the early nineteenth-century world. But it's her imaginative tale of Veuve Clicquot's personal life that captured me and wouldn't let go until the end, leaving me wanting more!" ~ Susan Cushman, author of John and Mary Margaret

"An independent woman of indomitable strength, determined to find her way in a man's world. Champagne Widows is vintage storytelling." ~ Jean M. Roberts, author of The Heron

"Rebecca Rosenberg transforms history into literary art. Her prose sparkles, bringing centuries-old characters to life with wit, heart and bon mots. Treat yourself to Champagne Widows, and marvel at Rosenberg's gift for making every sense sing." ~ Carol Van Den Hende, award-winning author of Goodbye, Orchid

"Like the best wines, Rosenberg's Champagne Widows will entice you with its complexity as it balances the story of a widow's determination to produce the world's greatest champagne in the face of Napoleon's path of destruction. If you love France, historical fiction, underdog stories, strong women, or wine, then pop a cork to celebrate this perfect blend of a novel." ~ Mary Helen Sheriff, author of Boop and Eve's Road Trip
 

About the Author

 

California native Rebecca Rosenberg lives on a lavender farm with her family in Sonoma, the Valley of the Moon, where she and her husband founded the largest lavender product company in America. A long-time student of Jack London’s work and an avid fan of his daring wife, Charmian, Rosenberg is a graduate of the Stanford Writing Certificate Program. Her books include: GOLD DIGGER, the Remarkable Baby Doe Tabor, The Secret Life of Mrs. London, Lavender Fields of America, and the Champagne Widows series.

For more information, please visit Rebecca's website and blog. You can also find her on Amazon, BookBubFacebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Goodreads.

Blog Tour Schedule

Monday, April 18
Review & Interview at Passages to the Past

Wednesday, April 20
Excerpt at History from a Woman’s Perspective

Friday, April 22
Excerpt at Books, Ramblings, and Tea

Monday, April 25
Review at Book Reviews and More

Tuesday, April 26
Guest Post at Jathan & Heather

Friday, April 29
Excerpt at Historical Fiction with Spirit

Saturday, April 30
Review at Probably at the Library

Monday, May 2
Review at Rajiv's Reviews

Wednesday, May 4
Review at Reader_ceygo

Friday, May 6
Excerpt at CelticLady's Reviews

Saturday, May 7
Review at MTM Reads

Monday, May 9
Review at Tammy Reads

Friday, May 13
Excerpt at The Book Junkie Reads

Giveaway

We have 2 paperback copies up for grabs! To enter, please sign up here.

*Disclaimer: Your email address will be added to Rebecca Rosenberg's newsletter mailing list.

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

eBook Sale! Anticipation by Melodie Winawer

Heads up, book lovers! During the month of April you can pick up Melodie Winawer's newest release, Anticipation, for your Kindle for only $1.99!


Anticipation by Melodie Winawer

Publication Date: November 2, 2021
Gallery Books

Genre: Historical Fiction


From the author of the “engrossing historical epic” (Booklist) The Scribe of Siena comes Anticipation, a thrilling tale set in the crumbling city of Mystras, Greece, in which a scientist’s vacation with her young son quickly turns into a fight for their lives after they cross paths with a man out of time.

After the death of her beloved husband and becoming a single parent to her nine-year-old son Alexander, overworked scientist Helen desperately needs an escape. So when Alexander proposes a trip to Greece—somewhere he's always dreamed of visiting—Helen quickly agrees.

After spending several days exploring the tourist-filled streets, they stumble upon the ancient city of Mystras and are instantly drawn to it. Its only resident is Elias, a mysterious tour guide living on the city’s edges…both physically and temporally.

In 1237, Elias’s mother promised his eternal service to the Profitis Ilias in Mystras in exchange for surviving a terrible illness. But during his 800 years of labor, he’s had one common enemy: the noble Lusignan family. The Lusignan line is cursed by a deadly disease that worsens with each generation, and a prophecy hints that Elias’s blood is their only hope for a cure. He has managed to survive throughout the centuries, but the line has dwindled down to the last Lusignan and he is desperate to avert his family’s destiny.

When Elias runs into Helen, he meets his match for the first time—but he unwittingly puts both her and her young son in danger as a result. With time running out and an enemy after them, Elias and Helen are forced to choose between the city they love, and each other.

Blending the historical romance of Diana Gabaldon, the rich detail of Philippa Gregory’s novels, and Dan Brown’s fast-paced suspense, Anticipation is a thrilling and satisfying read like no other.

Pick up Anticipation in eBook for only $1.99 thru April 30th!


Praise

"Winawer (The Scribe of Siena) enthralls with this unique combination of history, romance, and the supernatural...Readers will be riveted from the first page."—Publishers Weekly (starred review and November Pick of the Week)

"A sweeping saga spanning multiple centuries, Anticipation enthralled me with its scope. Yet Winawer’s gift as a writer also shines brightly in the small moments, like the shared joy between a mother and a child, or the meditations on loss of a grieving widow. Truly magical."—Fiona Davis, New York Times bestselling author of The Lions of Fifth Avenue

“An epic historical novel that combines science, romance, and suspense.”—BuzzFeed

"Melodie Winawer’s Anticipation is a compelling novel that weaves fantasy, philosophy, science, medicine, romance, and madness into a tapestry of intrigue and mystery. And, fittingly for a physician, Winawer ultimately writes a story of healing and hope. I loved every word and did not want it to end."—Robin Oliveira, bestselling author of My Name is Mary Sutter and Winter Sisters

About the Author


Melodie Winawer is the author of THE SCRIBE OF SIENA (2017), which was praised by Publisher’s Weekly, Library Journal, Kirkus Reviews, Bustle, and Real Simple, and was declared a “Must Read Book” by the New York Post. SCRIBE has been translated into German, Czech, Polish, and Norwegian. Winawer is also the author of the recently published ANTICIPATION (November 2021), which was a starred review Publisher’s weekly “Pick of the Week”, called one of the “Best books released in November” and “Best Historical Fiction Fall 2021” by BuzzFeed, and is now a Target Recommends Pick. Melodie is also a contributor to WE ALL FALL DOWN; STORIES OF PLAGUE AND RESILIENCE, an anthology of short stories by nine historical fiction writers. A physician-scientist and associate professor of neurology at Columbia University, Melodie has published over fifty scientific articles. To find the energy to write, she relies on unflagging enthusiasm and green tea. Melodie lives with her spouse and their three children in both New York City and Vermont.

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Goodreads


Book Blast Schedule

Saturday, April 16
Passages to the Past

Monday, April 18
Pursuing Stacie

Tuesday, April 19
Bookworlder

Wednesday, April 20
Cover Lover Book Review

Thursday, April 21
Pages and Paws

Friday, April 22
Chicks, Rogues, and Scandals

Saturday, April 23
Cross My Heart Writing & Reviews

Sunday, April 24
Reading is My Remedy

Monday, April 25
Historical Fiction with Spirit

Tuesday, April 26
My Reading Getaway

Thursday, April 28
Tammy Reads
CelticLady's Reviews

Saturday, April 30
The Book Junkie Reads

New Release! Love That Lasts by Michelle Helen Fritz & E.A. Shanniak

Please join me in wiehsing a very Happy Book Birthday to authors Michelle Helen Fritz & E.A. Shanniak! The second book in their Bramley Hall Regency series, Love That Lasts, is out today! If you enjoy sweet, clean romances you should definitely pick this series up!


Love That Lasts by Michelle Helen Fritz & E.A. Shanniak

Publication Date: April 14, 2022
Clear Spring Books LLC

Genre: Regency Romance
Series: Bramley Hall Regency Romance, Book Two


Miss Isabelle Pembroke has spent most of her life doing as she pleases and she most certainly never wastes time on the suitors who call for her hand. She’d rather be an old maid than saddled with someone unworthy of her company.

George Wallis is the fifth Earl of Hathwell who has spent his adult years marching in the regiment. Then disaster strikes and sends him home with a letter of honorable discharge. He is soon faced with a daunting title that he was never prepared for.

Attempting to escape unwanted memories, George succumbs to his vices. Leaving his country home he makes his way to London and attends one of the renowned gambling dens. Believing his hand is well in his favor, he wagers a bet that alters his life forevermore- one that saddles him with a wife that loathes the sight of him.

Can this forced match blend their hearts together and declare a Love That Lasts or will they throw down their cards before they’ve even tried?

Love That Lasts is a clean Regency Romance and the second book in a three-story series that will entertain and delight you with its swoon-worthy heroes and the compelling leading ladies that capture their hearts. Each book can be read as a standalone, but are best read in release order.

Available on Amazon

About the Authors


Michelle Helen Fritz
was born and raised in Maryland and Arizona with lots of traveling throughout the States. She began her literary career as a personal assistant to Indie authors and loves to see the process of an idea turn into a finished book. Michelle loves to write about dashing heroes, and the compelling women that tempt them, with a dash of intrigue, an abundant amount of romance, and scenes that hopefully make her reader’s swoon. She is the mother of four children whom she homeschools and currently resides in Maryland with her own jaunty hero who makes all of her dreams come true.

Author Facebook Page | Twitter | Instagram


E.A. (Ericka Ashlee) Shanniak
is the author of the successful fantasy romance series – A Castre World Novel. She is hobbit-sized, barely reaching over five feet tall on a good day. When she wears her Georgia Romeo’s not only does she gain an inch, she is then able to reach the kitchen cabinets. Ericka loves to write at her desk that her daughter’s cat destroyed. Fortunately for everyone, she can see over it.

Ericka resides in the small town of Coldwater, Kansas with her husband, two kids, two dogs and two grumpy cats. The cats were her kids’ idea.

Author Facebook Page | Instagram


Book Blast Schedule

Thursday, April 14
Passages to the Past

Saturday, April 16
The Book Junkie Reads

Monday, April 18
My Reading Getaway

Tuesday, April 19
Pursuing Stacie

Wednesday, April 20
Cover Lover Book Review
Aubrey Wynne: Timeless Romance

Thursday, April 21
One Book More

Friday, April 22
Chicks, Rogues, and Scandals

Sunday, April 24
Reading is My Remedy

Tuesday, April 26
Encouraging Words from the Tea Queen

Thursday, April 28
Pages and Paws

Friday, April 29
Bookworlder
CelticLady's Reviews

Interview & Giveaway: Iron & Fire by Kerrin Willis

Today on the blog I am super excited to be hosting Kerrin Willis! She is currently touring for Iron & Fire and stopped by today to talk about it with us! I hope you enjoy the chat & be sure to enter the giveaway!


Hello Kerrin and welcome to Passages to the Past! Thanks so much for stopping by today to talk about Iron & Fire!

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

Absolutely! I’m a self-proclaimed book nerd, single mom, and English teacher from southeastern Massachusetts.

What inspired you to write Iron & Fire?

I’m not sure if I was inspired to write Iron & Fire, or if the main character just showed up in my head one night and demanded to tell her story. I think it was a little bit of both. When I was in graduate school, back in 2004, I read Mary Rowlandon’s captivity narrative, which was the first bestselling book in the American colonies. It’s a first person account of Rowlandson’s experience being taken captive by the Native Americans after a raid on her home in Lancaster, Massachusetts during King Philip’s War. I was appalled that I knew nothing about King Philip’s war, even though it took place in the area where I had lived my whole life. So I started doing a little bit of research here and there, and thinking, “this would be a great backdrop for a novel.” Then in 2019, Verity Parker popped into my head, nearly fully formed, and she just took over from there. 

What research did you undertake when writing Iron & Fire?

I love finding out obscure facts about history, facts about people’s everyday lives, and then incorporating those details into my writing. I did a ton of research for Iron & Fire – I used the library a fair amount, and I found some obscure books on thriftbooks.com and in used bookstores on Cape Cod and in Newport, Rhode Island. I’m currently working on my MFA, so that gives me access to the research databases in the SNHU library, which were extremely helpful. I think my favorite part of research though was learning about 17th century food and cooking. I attended an open hearth cooking class at the Lafayette-Durfee house in Fall River, MA, and I was able to come away with some great details about how to cook in a dutch oven by covering it in hot coals. I learned about baking bread in a colonial oven (if it’s hot enough that it’s painful to stick your arm in the oven, it’s ready. If the hair on your arm catches fire, it’s too hot), drying apples to make them last through the winter, and about cheesemaking. There was even a special kind of beer that was made specifically for women in labor, aptly named “groaning beer”, and it was thought to give the mother strength.

What would you like readers to take away from reading Iron & Fire?

I’d like people to see themselves in Iron & Fire. It’s so easy to fall into the trap of believing that people in the past were somehow different from us because their world was different. However, people themselves have changed very little over the years. I try to write characters that readers can recognize and relate to. People in the past may have worn different pants, but they still put them on one leg at a time. The Puritans believed in a world that was very black and white / good and bad / right and wrong. That’s almost never the case, and in reality, things are much more nuanced.

What was your favorite scene to write?

I love writing arguments. Verity and Kit are both so bright, and they challenge one another intellectually. I love writing any scene where they argue, because they both dig their heels in and try to out-logic one another.

That’s just fun to write.

What was the most difficult scene to write?

Any scene in the novel where Verity talks about her father was tough for me to write. Her father is very similar to my own dad, who died in 2017. It was both painful and cathartic to write about Verity’s relationship with her dad, how he had made her the person she is, and how alone she feels without him.

When did you know you wanted to be a writer?

I can’t remember a time when I wasn’t a writer. My parents report that I was making up imaginary people and scenarios when I was a toddler, and I began hoarding notebooks and writing stories in elementary school. I don’t think that a writer is something that you strive to be; it’s something that you are. I’m always looking for stories, playing with words and phrases, and listening to conversations in my head.

Are you a plantser or a plotter?

I’m a planster. I usually start with an outline, but then my characters don’t want to do what they’re supposed to, so I tend to veer off the path and follow them to see where they’re leading me. Then I revise the outline.

What does your daily writing routine look like?

My writing process is a bit of a disaster because I never have any time. I’m a single parent of two very busy little girls, as well as a full time high school English teacher. Basically, I try to write whenever I have a few minutes of free time. I’m answering these questions while my eight year old is in occupational therapy and I’m in the waiting room! I have a cloud based writing software that I use so that I can open any device and jot down a few words and ideas whenever I can. Iron & Fire was written in the bleachers at gymnastics practice, in my car in the school pickup line, during my lunch breaks, in the middle of the night, and in line at the grocery store. I did get the chance to attend a writer’s residency program in Tennessee in the summer of 2021 to edit the novel, but for the most part it was written in whatever small increments of time I could find.

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

My biggest issue is time. I’m a teacher, which isn’t the easiest job in the world, and I’m a single mom. It’s difficult to get into the mindset of a 17th century iron worker who is about to go into battle when Bubble Guppies is blaring on the TV, someone is crying because her sister got more chicken nuggets than she did, and emails keep coming in from students asking when their Romeo and Juliet essays are going to be graded. I don’t really feel like I’ve overcome it — more like I’ve worked through it.

Who are your writing inspirations?

In terms of the cannon, I’m inspired by Jane Austen and Virginia Woolf. Austen is just a genius who writes women who know their own minds and refuse to be told what to do. Woolf’s A Room of One’s Own has impacted and inspired me more than any other book I’ve read. In wondering why there were so few women writers before the 18th century, and almost none of the working class until the 20th century, Wolfe assumes that women writers “must have existed among the working classes. …when one reads of a witch being ducked, of a woman possessed by devils, of a wise woman selling herbs….we are on the track of a lost novelist.” (Woolf) Women like Verity Parker, who questions authority and is unable to simply keep her thoughts to herself, have existed throughout history. I needed to give her form for all the women before me who couldn’t.

If your book were made into a movie, who would your dream cast be?

Easy: Kit - Kit Harrington Verity - Emilia Clarke (I started writing as I was watching the last season of GoT)

What was the first historical novel you read?

I devoured all of the original American girl novels as a kid!

What is the last historical novel you read?

The Goodwife of Bath by Karen Brooks

What are three things people may not know about you?

I can’t stand it when my food touches on my plate, I love the beach but I can’t go into the water if I can’t see my feet, and I named both of my children and my dog after Pride and Prejudice.

What appeals to you most about your chosen genre?

As a woman, there weren’t many people I could look up to in history – no presidents, very few Queens, few scientists, inventors, etc. Most history books are filled with the accomplishments of men. Historical fiction, on the other hand, is filled with stories of women who are, in a word, badass. I’ve learned from that, and now I’m thrilled to contribute to it in some small way.

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

I wouldn’t say I’m drawn to one particular period, although oddly I’m drawn to stories that take place in other countries.

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

I’m a mom. I like hiding in the bathroom closet eating cookies, taking naps, and listening to audiobooks while I make dinner or drive to work.

Lastly, what are you working on next?

Right now I’m working on a dual timeline novel that takes place in Massachusetts both in the present and during WWII. It has to do with the Italian soldiers who were captured as POWs, and then held at Camp Myles Standish until the end of the war. I hope to finish that by the end of the summer.

That sounds fascinating! I look forward to reading that! Thank you for stopping by today!


Iron & Fire by Kerrin Willis

Publication Date: April 5, 2022
eBook & Paperback; 316 pages

Genre: Historical Fiction


1675 -- Plymouth Colony -- Verity Parker promised to look after her family.

Raised among the bookshops and turmoil of Reformation London, Verity now finds herself in Puritan New England, where she must learn to keep her head down and her mouth shut, or risk dire consequences. The only person who values her tenacity is Kit, the heretical ironworker she has been forbidden to see. When King Philip’s War breaks out, Verity must stay silent as the Puritan elders spread hateful rhetoric about the “savages” in the forest. When she witnesses a young girl die in childbirth, Verity must stand by as neighbors blame God’s vengeance. But when tragedy strikes her own home, Verity must choose between her duty to her family and her love for Kit. Will she choose to keep the peace, or will she defy the leaders of the colony for a chance at happiness?

Set against the backdrop of King Philip’s War, the bloodiest war per capita in American history, Iron & Fire explores the experience of a clever, educated woman at a time when being so often resulted in death. Perfect for fans of Amy Belding Brown’s Flight of the Sparrow, or Elizabeth George Speare’s The Witch of Blackbird Pond, Iron & Fire was written for those who read the original American Girl series as children and are now all grown up.

Amazon | Barnes and Noble | Walmart


Praise

"Whether you're a fan of passionate romance, a detective in search of a mystery, or a history buff looking to learn more about what happened after Plymouth Rock, Iron & Fire has something for everyone. While Verity and Kit are the main attractions, the family relationships were my favorite parts- especially the bonds between the cheeky eldest Parker sisters. I learned quite a bit about things from my own backyard I knew nothing about- and most appreciated that for a novel that took place nearly 350 years ago, the characters and their issues felt modern and relatable. A fast read that will stick with you after you turn the final page!" Meredith Bickford, MA MEd

"Iron and Fire masterfully depicts Puritan New England in a story that seamlessly blends themes of love, war, and family. Verity Parker, the headstrong protagonist, challenges nearly every "norm" of Puritan society. Throughout the course of the novel, Verity seeks to define her purpose; oftentimes she is trapped deciding between meeting the expectations of her family or embracing her divergent worldview. In particular, Verity's conception of humanity will make her an endearing and relatable character for Willis' audience; unlike her peers, Verity's notion of justice and community extends far beyond societal limitations, making her worldview far more relevant for modern readers.

Beyond Verity, Willis incorporates a series of complex characters whose subtle growth help shape the novel into a well-rounded story. Each character faces a conflict that calls their identities and beliefs into question. It is unlikely that readers will not be able to find one character with whom they can relate to. Willis' ability to interweave these intricate story lines is captivating!" ~ Megan Johnson, MEd

"In her debut novel, Kerrin Willis captures the heart of American colonial historical fiction with her words and characters. Iron & Fire, set during the King Phillip War in southeastern Massachusetts, explores the themes of family dynamics, love, and the voice of independent women living in a time when silence was the standard....The writing style is fluent and peppered with wit and descriptive prose balanced throughout the dialogue. The novel reads quickly, while the characters stay with you. Iron & Fire is an engaging, character-driven novel that is strongly recommended" ~Kimberly Rocha, MA MEd

About The Author

 

Kerrin Willis lives in Southeastern Massachusetts with her two daughters and her dog, Austen. She is a high school English teacher who prides herself on being a feminist and a strong protagonist in her own story, and she would probably have been burned as a witch in colonial New England. Kerrin can usually be found pausing The Little Mermaid and subjecting her daughters to a lecture on the dangers of giving up their voices.

Kerrin has a BA in English from Stonehill College, and MA in English from Simmons College, and is currently working on her MFA in Fiction from Southern New Hampshire University.

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Goodreads


Blog Tour Schedule

Tuesday, April 5
Review at Michelle the PA Loves to Read

Wednesday, April 6
Interview at Passages to the Past

Thursday, April 7
Review at Amanda in PA

Friday, April 8
Review at The Page Ladies

Sunday, April 10
Review at Coffee and Ink

Monday, April 11
Review at Booking With Janelle

Tuesday, April 12
Excerpt at Novels Alive
Excerpt at Books & Benches

Wednesday, April 13
Review at Dive Into a Good Book

Friday, April 15
Review at Reading is My Remedy

Monday, April 18
Review at Bookworlder

Wednesday, April 20
Review on Novels Alive

Thursday, April 21
Review at Books, Cooks, Looks

Friday, April 22
Interview at Jathan & Heather
Review at A Girl Reads Bookss
Review at Little But Fierce Book Diary

Giveaway

Enter to win a copy of Iron & Fire by Kerrin Willis!

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

Iron & Fire

Interview & Giveaway: Lady Odelia's Secret by Jane Steen

Hello & please welcome Jane Steen to the blog today! She is currently touring the blogosphere for Lady Odelia's Secret and graciously stopped by to chat with us about it! I hope you enjoy the interview & don't forget to enter the giveaway!



Hello Jane and welcome to Passages to the Past! Thanks so much for stopping by today to talk about Lady Odelia’s Secret!

I’m delighted to be here!

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

I published my first novel in June 2012, nearly ten years ago. I’d done a lot of writing in my various jobs, but it wasn’t till I found myself between jobs in 2009 that I gave fiction a try. I wrote a practice novel, which is still in first draft, but even before I’d finished it, the idea for The House of Closed Doors evolved in my head and quickly became a concept for a series. That was an obvious move for me as I love a good series, so I have always tried to write the kind of series I like to read. I was living in the States when I began my fiction career, but since then I’ve moved to England, the country of my birth.

Lady Odelia’s Secret is the second book in your Scott-De Quincy Mysteries series. What inspired you to write the series?

I had been binge-watching Downton Abbey, and I had just read Deanna Raybourn’s Silent in the Grave and loved Lady Julia Grey’s big family. I wanted to take a break from the House of Closed Doors series now that I’d written the first three books, and I was intrigued by the idea of writing a series with a large cast of characters. I had recently moved to Rye on England’s south coast, a town which just cries out to be fictionalized and indeed has been many times. So why not mash up Downton Abbey’s family saga elements with some lady sleuth tropes, pour a whole lot of crazysauce over it, and set the whole thing in a fantasy nineteenth century Rye? It seemed like a fun project, but honestly, I didn’t have huge expectations for the Scott-De Quincys. I aimed at selling 1,000 books in the first year and was quite surprised when I sold 23,500.

What research did you undertake when writing the series?

I’ve been reading Victorian literature (fiction and nonfiction) as well as histories and biographies about the Victorians for 40 years now, so you might say my research is continuous. As I tell my readers, I’m a storyteller not an historian; obviously I research specific points as well as I can, but I don’t run around libraries looking for primary sources or anything like that. What research I do is mostly eliminated from my pages as I progress through the drafts, since I dislike research dumps!

What was your favorite scene to write?

It’s hard to choose, but possibly the one where Helena and her lady’s maid, Guttridge, draw up a list of suspects and actions. First of all because I love any scene where Helena and Guttridge are interacting, next because I’m gently poking fun at the tendency of lady sleuths (and mystery main characters in general) to draw up lists that they then never refer to again. It’s a useful device for re-grounding the reader in the main points of the plot somewhere in the middle of the book (my more literal-minded beta readers loved it) but my emphasis is always on character rather than plot, so as a reader I’m always waiting for the writer to get on with the story rather than go over previous ground. But I was able to make it into a fun scene to write, and for that reason I’m fond of it.

What was the most difficult scene to write?

The very first scene; I reworked it a lot.

When did you know you wanted to be a writer?

I always just accepted writing as something I did well, so it never occurred to me to want to “be a writer”! Besides, it wasn’t until self-publishing really took off that a career framework existed that really excited me. Let’s say I was late to the idea of becoming a novelist!

What does your daily writing routine look like?

Unlike most writers, I don’t like writing in the morning. I wake up with my business and information-gathering instincts at full volume, and it’s only till I’ve fed those beasts that I feel properly creative. So, an ideal day for me is business and/or research in the morning, writing in the afternoon and sometimes in the evening, depending on my energy and goals.

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

Getting each book done is a huge challenge, especially as the last few years have seen a lot of changes in my personal life. But there’s never a perfect time to write, and the only way you can overcome is to tackle the work. I always find that once I’m started, I want to finish because I’m that sort of person—so the trick is to make myself take that first step.

Who are your writing inspirations?

There are so many, but the biggest influence on me has been English Golden Age detective fiction writer Dorothy L. Sayers. She wrote such memorable characters that her books still draw in new readers nearly a hundred years later, and those readers still discuss her books with enthusiasm.

What was the first historical novel you read?

Désirée by Annemarie Selinko—my mother got it from the library and loved it, so she gave it to me to read. It’s about Napoleon Bonaparte’s first fiancée, and I’ve had a weakness for the Napoleonic era ever since.

What is the last historical novel you read?

The Mirror and the Light by Hilary Mantel. I don’t normally like the Tudor period much, but I love Mantel’s writing.

What are three things people may not know about you?

I’m terrified of heights, I have two left feet when it comes to dancing, and I once ran a marathon (well OK, I ran 18 miles of that marathon and walked the other eight but I’m still pretty proud of myself!) It was the 1985 London Marathon, and Princess Diana was standing on a traffic island in the middle of the road waving at us.

What appeals to you most about your chosen genre?

I can imagine murders and other dreadful events and somehow still be optimistic and upbeat. I would do badly with the gritty side of mystery/crime writing, I think.

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

The late Victorian period and early twentieth century, because they established our modern world (in good ways and bad) and because they were times of enormous social change and huge energy.

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

I love to walk, to work in my garden, to read (of course!), and to spend time with family and friends.

Lastly, what are you working on next?

I want to write three short pieces that are all based on deleted scenes in recent books, but what I’m really looking forward to is starting on the next Scott-De Quincy mystery. It’s already writing itself in my head!

Thank you so much for stopping by Passages to the Past, Jane!


Lady Odelia's Secret by Jane Steen

Publication Date: March 7, 2022
Aspidistra Press

Genre: Historical Mystery
Series: Scott-De Quincy Mysteries, #2


Do you ever really know your family?

In the 1880s a sixth daughter learns not to ask for much, even if she’s the daughter of an earl. Even if she married the richest man in her corner of Sussex. Even if she’s now a widow with a splendid Georgian mansion.

Lady Helena Whitcombe is still trying to adjust to widowhood and reconcile her family loyalties with her desires when her artist sister Odelia makes a startling suggestion. Why not make her mark on the house that’s now all hers, by commissioning a magnificent work of art from one of London’s most celebrated painters?

Lady Odelia invites Helena into the seductive world of medieval fantasies and fairy tales she has inhabited since Helena was a child. But when a shocking series of events exposes the destructive reality of a great artist’s unusual lifestyle, Helena and her lady’s maid Guttridge are called on to help—or is it to interfere?

Looming danger, the risk of scandal, and competing loyalties force Helena to re-evaluate her relationship with the sister she’s always loved the most.

What is Lady Odelia’s secret? Find out in this gripping continuation of the Scott-De Quincy Mysteries, a story that blends mystery and historical detail with Downton Abbey-style saga as the truths about Helena’s aristocratic family unfold. Read it now before the secret gets out!

Amazon | Barnes and Noble



About the Author


Jane Steen writes series set in the late Victorian period, with an unputdownable blend of mystery, family saga, romance, and the real-life issues facing women of the era. She is an indie author who began her career while living in Illinois, later moving with her American husband to her native England. When not working, she can be found walking through the green and muddy Sussex countryside, getting her cobwebs blown away on the nearby beaches, lovingly tending her garden, or sticking her nose into yet another book.

For more information, please visit Jane Steen's website. You can also find her on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Goodreads.

Blog Tour Schedule

Monday, April 4
Review at Coffee and Ink
Interview at Novels Alive
Review at Gwendalyn's Books

Tuesday, April 5
Review at Bonnie Reads and Writes

Wednesday, April 6
Interview at Passages to the Past

Thursday, April 7
Review at History From a Woman's Perspective

Friday, April 8
Review at Novels Alive
Review at View from the Birdhouse

Giveaway

9 winners will receive an eBook of Lady Odelia's Secret and the main prize winner will receive a $10 Amazon Gift card & eBook of Lady Odelia's Secret.

The giveaway is open to the US only and ends on April 8th. You must be 18 or older to enter.

Lady Odelia's Secret

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