The Night on the Darling River by Darry Fraser (Austenprose PR Book Tour)

 

Have you ever visited Australia?  I have never been there, but it is on my bucket list of places to visit.

Tess Hawthorne has finally decided to leave her abusive husband.  Unfortunately, she has boarded the wrong boat as it was moored in the wrong place, the Rodney, and her husband is on this boat.  As tensions arise between union laborers and scabs shearers of sheep, the boat is attacked and set ablaze.  Tess is attacked and her life is change forever.  Will she be able to survive?

My thoughts on this novel:

·       The storyline was very intriguing, and I had a hard time putting it down.  Fraser did a great job of crafting the story with believable well-rounded characters and having their stories come together to make a great overall novel.  It was well written, descriptive, moving, and heartfelt.

·       I liked how the story revolved around four childhood friends, Tess and three men – her husband Alby Slattery, Brian Kempster her neighbor who always pined away for her, and Harry Goodwin the man Tess always had a crush.

·       I enjoyed learning about the shearers strike and the flooding that occurred in the 1890s Australia along the Darling and Murphy Rivers.  From the burning Rodney boat, to the labor camps, Fraser took the reader inside the labor revolts.

·       The novel took an honest look at spousal abuse during the nineteenth century and how it was hard for women at the time to escape from their abusive husbands.

·       There was a very interesting historical note at the end from the author.  A lot of the happenings in the novel are true history from 1890s Australia.

·       I recommend this for those that enjoyed The Thornbirds and The Man from Snow River.

Overall, The Night on the Darling River by Darry Fraser is historical fiction at its best with a well written, fascinating storyline and great characters set in 1890s Australia.

BOOK DESCRIPTION

Amid the rising flood waters and shearers' strike violence, can one brave woman reclaim her future? From an Australian bestselling author comes a riveting historical adventure about one woman's journey from a life of isolation to one of love and acceptance.

1894, Echuca, Victoria

Tess Hawthorn is a woman on the run from her abusive husband. All she has to do is get on the riverboat Victor and she will be free.

But with tensions at an all-time high between unionist shearers and Scabs, Tess isn't the only person trying to board a boat under the cover of night. When a brawl erupts between the union and non-union men, Tess is mistaken for a fellow Scab and in the chaos pulled aboard the PS Rodney - the same boat heading up the Darling River that her husband was bound for.

The last person Bram Kempster expects to see on board is Tess Hawthorn, the girl he's loved from afar since they were young. But he can't afford to get distracted, not when he's on an urgent trip to Renmark. Tess didn't want him back then and, if her haughty behaviour is anything to go by, she certainly doesn't want him now.

But childhood hurts are the least of their problems. The continent is a tinderbox of violence and bloodshed waiting to ignite, and at home the Murray River is rising fast. Can they overcome their past in time to work together and survive?

PRAISE FOR DARRY FRASER:

'Fraser has established herself as one of Australia's most loved historical fiction authors.' - The Herald Sun

'In The Milliner of Bendigo, Fraser delivers another enthralling adventure, sweeping us along on the remarkable journey of a woman determined to forge her own path.' - Better Reading

'Darry Fraser is at the top of her game with her latest Australian historical ... The Milliner of Bendigo is another wonderful tale to immerse yourself in.' - Great Reads & Tea Leaves

AUTHOR BIO

Darry Fraser lives on the beautiful Fleurieu Peninsula, South Australia, very close to the mighty River Murray.

Currently she writes empowering, feminist adventure fiction set in Australian history including Daughter of the Murray, Where the Murray River Runs, The Milliner of Bendigo, and her latest release, The Night on the Darling River. She has been published annually with HarperCollins Australia since 2016. Visit her at www.darryfraser.com.

A Christmas Duet by Debbie Macomber

 

Do you enjoy Christmas music?  Do you have any favorite songs?  I love Christmas music and especially older songs.  My daughter gets annoyed about not updating the Christmas music list, so I’ve been adding in newer albums as time goes on.

Hailey Morgan decides to accept her friends offer to stay at a family cabin over Christmas break to have time to focus on her music.  She also doesn’t want to return home as her mother has invited her ex-boyfriend for Christmas in an attempt to get them back together.  While in the small town of Podunk, Washington, she asks for help removing the wild animals in resident.  The mayor/general store owner sends her son Jethro (Jay). As Hailey and Jay get to know each other, will Haily be able to have her Christmas dreams of love and music come true?

My thoughts on this novel:

·       I always enjoy reading Debbie Macomber’s Christmas novels and novellas every year at Christmas time. They really put me in the Christmas mood.

·       This novel was the December pick for the 2024 Brenda Novak Reading Challenge.

·       This was a nice, short cozy read for the holiday season.

·       I enjoyed that Hailey was able to take control of her life and do what she wanted to do.

·       I loved the romance between Hailey and Jay as they both seemed to really understand one another.

·       I also enjoyed the secondary characters such as Hailey’s sister Daisy and Jay’s Mom.  Hailey’s mom drove me crazy.

·       This was a clean read.

Overall, A Christmas Duet by Debbie Macomber was a sweet, cozy Christmas novella that will get you into the Christmas spirit.

Book Source:  E-book review copy from NetGalley.  Thank-you!  Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Make My Wish Come True by Rachael Lippincott, Alyson Derrick

 

Title:  Make My Wish Come True 

Author:  Rachael Lippincott and Alyson Derrick

Narrated by:  Krystal Hammond and Natalie Naudus

Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio

Length: Approximately 9 hours and 4 minutes 

Source: Review Copy from Simon & Schuster Audio.  

Do you have a favorite actor/actress that was a former child star?

Arden James is a teen actress with an image problem.  She is known as a party girl and it’s interfering with her getting her dream movie role.  She decides to fake that her childhood best friend, Caroline Beckett, is her long-term girlfriend.  Caroline agrees to play along as Arden promises she will get to write an article in Cosmopolitan about their relationship.  Will their fake romance become real?

My thoughts on this book:

• This novel had a dual narrative.  Both Arden and Caroline alternate chapters.  There were also dual narrators for the audiobook too which I appreciated.  I feel this gives the reader a better understanding of the different characters.

• This was a slow-moving teen story.  They both seemed to have a crush earlier, but they had never told each other.  It was very slow burn.

• There was a lot of angst, complaining, and misunderstandings.  The audiobook at least had a slightly negative vibe at times.

• Arden reminds me of someone like a young Lindsay Lohan.  Her life spins out of control as she tries to break out of being a child actor.  Arden has lost who she is as a person and wants to go back to being a “normal” girl with a girlfriend and family who loves her.

• Tropes:  Fake dating, slow burn, Hollywood dating regular, and enemies to lovers.

• This audiobook just never really grabbed my attention.  I think I would have liked it better if the characters were in their twenties.

Overall, Make My Wish Come True was a slow burn teen romance that never quite captured my attention.

The Christmas Tree Farm by Laurie Gilmore

 

Real or fake Christmas tree?  We did a real tree a couple of years with the kids which was fun, but otherwise, I have had a fake tree my entire life.

Kira North has bought an old Christmas tree farm in a small town in the Northeast.  She is trying to determine where to go with life. Even though she hates Christmas, she decides to sell Christmas trees to make enough money to fix up her house.  Bennett (Ben) Ellis meets grumpy Kira while walking his three dogs on her farm.  Ben helps Kira with fixing things up on her farm.  Will the two be able to move beyond their broken pasts to start a new romance?

My thoughts on this novel:

·       It reminded me of a spicy Hallmark Christmas romcom movie.

·       It was a cozy Christmas read that I enjoyed at the beginning of January.

·       Kira was grump at first, but she really grew on me.

·       Grumpy x Sunshine romance, forced proximity, slight enemies to lovers. 

·       This was a steamy romance with a lot of sweet romance and basically one really steamy scene.

·       This was the third novel in the Dream Harbor series.  I haven’t read the previous two books, but they are on my list.  This worked as a standalone, but I think I would have enjoyed the side characters even more if I knew their back stories.

Overall, The Christmas Tree Farm by Laurie Gilmore was a good romance with great characters, and it was a quick read.

Book Source: This book was a Christmas gift from a dear friend. Thank-you! 

The Matter of the Secret Bride by Darcie Wilde (Austenprose PR Book Tour)

 

Do you prefer series or standalone novels?  I like both!

King George IV is trying to get a divorce from his queen.  This has caused great strife in London.  It has also brought back up rumors that King George was married previously to Maria Fitzherbert and that is his true bride.  Rosalind Thorne is known for helping women through difficult situations.  She is summoned by Mrs. Fitzherbert and told that her marriage certificate to King George did exist and has been stolen.  Who stole it and why?

My thoughts on this novel:

·       I enjoyed this mystery in this novel.  I have read before about the rumors of Mrs. Fitzherbert.  It was interesting to get to know her as a character and wonder how history would have been changed if this document were to be released to the public.  With murder, riots, romance, and more, this was a great mystery that kept me reading.

·       Ex Bow Street Runner, Adam Harkness, helps Rosalind with her investigation.  Rosalind and Adam had a nice slow burn romance in this novel.  It made me wonder about them.  I need to read more of this series to find out! 

·       There are other friends that help Rosalind, including Amelia who poses as a lady’s maid to gather intel from inside Mrs. Fitzherbert’s home.  I loved reading Amelia’s perspective.

·       This novel is set in 1820 in London.

·       There were a lot of characters thrown at the reader at once in the beginning of the novel.  It got better once the action picked up.  This is the eighth novel in the Rosalind Thorne series, but the first one I’ve read.  This can be read as a standalone, but just be aware that there are a lot of characters at first.  I need to go back and read the rest of this series.

·       I loved the ending of this novel.  There is also a great author’s note that points out that most of the story about Mrs. Fitzherbert was true.  She really did have a signed marriage certificate kept in a lock box, but it wasn’t stolen (that we know of).

Overall, The Matter of the Secret Bride by Darcie Wilde is a riveting well-written Regency historical mystery that involves real life historical people from that time as well as intriguing fictional investigators.  I recommend this novel for all lovers of historical mystery.

Book Source:  Review copy from Kensington Books as part of the Austenprose PR Book Tour. Thank-you!  Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

BOOK DESCRIPTION

Jane Austen meets Fleabag in Regency London, as a resourceful young woman with a talent for helping ladies of the ton with their most delicate and pressing predicaments finds herself facing a task of royal proportions. Literally.

King George IV is petitioning Parliament for a divorce from his queen on the grounds of her adultery. But rumor has it that the king secretly married Maria Fitzherbert—long before he married the queen. Now Mrs. Fitzherbert has been robbed—and she’s frantically calling on Rosalind for help.

Because what those thieves took is proof that she and King George did really marry. That single piece of paper could destroy Mrs. Fitzherbert and her family—or it could prove the king guilty of bigamy.

Rosalind races to investigate. With her is ex-Bow Street officer, Adam Harkness, with whom Rosalind shares a complex and rapidly intensifying bond. But a case of theft soon turns to murder . . .

Josiah Poole, a disreputable attorney specializing in helping debtors—and who was seen entering Mrs. Fitzherbert’s house—is found brutally murdered. Mrs. Fitzherbert has debts. Could she have staged the theft, and employed Mr. Poole to sell the marriage certificate? Or is the truth even more complicated? Mrs. Fitzherbert’s daughters have secrets of their own. And Poole himself had no shortage of enemies.

With suspicious coincidences mounting, and more danger encroaching, Rosalind and Adam must move quickly to unravel a history-making mystery that might just lead them straight to the palace itself . . .

AUTHOR BIO

Darcie Wilde is the award-winning author of stylishly adventurous historical mysteries and romances, including the Rosalind Thorne Mysteries, a Regency-set series inspired by the novels of Jane Austen, as well as the Regency Makeover Trilogy. She has also written, under the name Sarah Zettel, Locus and Philip K. Dick Award-winning novels, including Fool's War, a New York Times Notable Books of the Year selection. She lives in Michigan and can be found online at DarcieWildeRomance.com.

Yuletide Bride by Kasey Stockton

 Title: Yuletide Bride

Author:  Kasey Stockton

Narrated by:  Vicki-Jo Eva

Publisher: Golden Owl Press

Length: Approximately 6 hours and 2 minutes

Source: Audiobook Purchased from Audible

What's your favorite reading spot?  I either read most often in bed with a physical book or Kindle or on the road with an audiobook.

Mercy Caldwell is the eldest daughter of the vicar, and unmarried with two married younger sisters.  With her youngest sister ready to announce her engagement, Mercy says yes to a surprise engagement with Colin Birchall.  She has had a crush on him for years, but he spends all his time trying to save his crumbing estate.  His dying great aunt sends him a message that if he marries a woman that meets the items on her list, he will receive 20,000 pounds.  This will save his estate.  Mercy meets the list requirements and Colin asks her to marry him.  Will the two find love?

My thoughts on this novel:

• Yuletide Bride is part of four book Regency Brides series.  I hope to read the rest of this delightful series on audiobook next Christmas.

• I love the marriage of convenience and friends to lover’s tropes. This novel had a great slow build romance between Mercy and Colin.

• I liked that Colin notices how other women talk down to Mercy and he doesn’t like it.  Mercy learns to stand up for herself and has Colin’s support.

• I loved when Colin’s great aunt, Lady Edith, comes to visit and bonds with Mercy while making shortbread.  Lady Edith is funny and tells it the way it is.

• I loved the characters of Colin and Mercy.  Colin likes to make lists and get things done.  Mercy also likes to get things done and to help others out. There was a lot of growth between the two characters as they learned about each other and how to get along.

• This novel is a clean read.

• There was a great epilogue and perfect ending to this book.

• Vicki-Jo Eva was a great audiobook narrator.

Overall, Yuletide Bride by Kasey Stockton was a charming Christmas Regency romance.

Murder She Wrote: A Killer Christmas by Jessica Fletcher & Terrie Farley Moran

Do you like to read movie or TV show adaptations or spin off books?

The Jarvis homestead has been put up for sale and it has great views of the ocean. Real estate agent Eve Simpson has done some great marketing and has found a buyer in a Boston mogul, John Bragdon.  He brings his wife Rose Marie to town to check out the area and to meet some of the residents.  Unfortunately, Kenny Jarvis, who was missing and legally declared dead, has shown back up to try to stop the sale.  When a murder occurs, who did it and why?

My thoughts on this novel:

• This novel captures the tone of Jessica Fletcher.  This novel was #59 in the series, but the first one I have read.  I have also been rewatching the original TV series.  It’s my comfort show.

• I loved the Cabot Cove small town setting and all the characters.  The town is working together to show their Christmas spirit to become Maine’s Christmas town.

• A Killer Christmas was a cozy mystery that kept me reading.  It was an easy, quick read that was perfect for my New Year’s Day read.

• I loved the characters, but there were a lot to remember.  Discussing all these characters seemed to delay the murder. The murder doesn’t occur until over halfway through the novel.

• Murder She Wrote:  A Killer Christmas has been updated for current times and it is a contemporary mystery.

Overall, Murder She Wrote:  A Killer Christmas by Jessie Fletcher & Terrie Farley Moran is a cozy mystery with good characters and an intriguing storyline.

Book Source: This book was a Christmas gift from a dear friend. Thank-you!  

The Christmas Jigsaw Murders by Alexandra Benedict

 

Do you enjoy working on jigsaw puzzles?  We were working on them more as a family during COVID times, but not as much now.  My daughter just asked if we could work on one again, so we’ll see if the puzzle table comes out.

Edie O’Sullivan is eighty years old and enjoys her job putting together crossword puzzles for national newspapers.  She loves her great-nephew/adopted son, Detective Inspective (DI) Sean Brand-O’Sullivan.  Sean is having a stressful Christmas season as he and his husband, Liam, work on trying to show that they would be good adoptive parents.  A package with a few puzzle pieces including a picture of Sean’s watch shows up on Edie’s doorstep.  Will she be able to put together the puzzle and solve the clues to stop the murderer from reaching her family?

My thoughts on this novel:

·       This novel had great characters.  I felt like they were all unique personalities and interesting.  Edie is a very grumpy character and seems to not care, but she deeply loves her nephew Sean.  She has put up walls to protect herself from the heartbreaks she has suffered through her life.  I wanted to spend more time with Edie and the characters in this community.

·       I couldn’t put this book down and read it quickly as I wanted to know the answer and if Edie would be able to save her nephew.

·       This novel was a good look into not judging people.  Many people have things going on in their life that you don’t know about.  Give people grace.

·       I enjoyed that signature on the note that came with the puzzle pieces was signed “rest in pieces.”  It made me chuckle every time I read it.

·       I definitely did not guess the ending of this one!  Besides the resolution of the mystery, the ending also had a heartwarming conclusion.

·       The author had a variety of challenges in the book for the reader to complete with answers at the back of the novel.  I was lazy and didn’t do any of the challenges.

·       This author has written other Christmas mysteries that interest me.  I’ll maybe pick some of them up to read next year.

Overall, The Christmas Jigsaw Murders by Alexandra Benedict was a riveting mystery with a great grumpy older main character with a heart of gold.

Book Source:  E-book review copy from NetGalley and I purchased a paperback edition from Amazon.com. Thank-you!  Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Cloaked in Beauty by Karen Witemeyer (Austenprose PR Book Tour)

 

Do you enjoy reading fairy tales?  I have enjoyed them since I was a child. I love reading different takes on fairy tale stories.  Cloaked in Beauty is a new take on Red Riding Hood and Sleeping Beauty that weaves together the essence of both stories into a new unique story.

Scarlett woke up to her home being burned down.  Her mother has a plan for just such a case and sends Scarlett off with her Grandmother to remain hidden until her twenty-first birthday.  Her father has passed away, and her Uncle will inherit her fortune if she dies before the age of 21.  Now known as Lettie, she has grown up in the woods in Texas with her grandmother and pet wolf.  As she nears twenty-one, her mother has sent a Pinkerton agent, Philip, to escort her back to Houston.  Will Scarlett/Letty make it back alive and allude her Uncle’s nefarious schemes?  Will she find love?

My thoughts on this novel:

·       I loved the start of this novel.  It really pulled me into the story and made me excited to read it.  This novel had a very engaging plot that kept me reading until the last page as Philip and Letty try to make their way back to Houston.  The ending was perfect.

·       The novel is set in Texas in the late 1800s.

·       I always enjoy animals in a novel and loved Rusty the trusty wolf.

·       The characters were all interesting and well written.  I especially loved Letty and Philip.  Letty is a strong character.  Although she lived a sheltered life, she is self-assured and is always trying to do what is right.  Philip has a fun sense of humor and is a good-hearted person.

·       The romance was sweet.  This is a clean read.

·       Letty and Philip’s Christian faith was important to them both and it woven in throughout the novel.  I also liked that Letty wanted to use her fortune to do good in the world.

·       As a mother, I especially was touched by the reunion of Letty and her mother.

·       Karen Witemeyer has written other fairy tale inspired historical romance novels including Fairest of the Heart and If the Boot Fits.  I need to read these novels.

Favorite Quote: “Worrying about tomorrow only served to steal the joy from today.  And this day was far too fine to squander.”

Overall, Cloaked in Beauty by Karen Witemeyer is a riveting fairy tale inspired historical romance novel with great action and characters.  I highly recommend it.

Book Source:  Review copy from Bethany House as part of the Austenprose PR Book Tour. Thank-you!  Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

 BOOK DESCRIPTION

Trust no one in the shadows of the piney woods . . .

Letty Hood has spent the last fifteen years of her life hidden away with her grandmother in the backwoods of east Texas to escape the deadly schemes of an uncle who wants her dead. Now, with her twenty-first birthday on the horizon, she is forced to accept the escort of a stranger and return to Houston in secret so she can claim a birthright that will make her one of the wealthiest women in Texas. If she lives long enough to inherit.

Pinkerton agent Philip Carmichael has one duty: get the Radcliffe heiress home alive. Expecting a spoiled girl, Philip is surprised to encounter a woman of rare strength with a kind soul and keen wit. As they journey together, Letty's resilience wins his admiration, breaking through his hardened cynicism. Yet the threat to her survival grows more menacing with every mile, and Philip fears that keeping Letty out of harm's way may be just as impossible as keeping her out of his heart.

AUTHOR BIO

Voted #1 Reader's Favorite Christian Historical Author of 2023 by Family Fiction magazine, bestselling and Carol and Christy Award-winning author Karen Witemeyer offers warmhearted historical romance with a flair for humor, feisty heroines, and swoon-worthy Texas heroes. She and her husband make their home in Abilene, Texas. Learn more about Karen and her books at KarenWitemeyer.com.

Under the Mistletoe by Mary Balogh

 

Do you like to read short or long books during the holiday season?  I definitely prefer short during the busy holiday season!

Under the Mistletoe by Mary Balogh is a collection of five different Regency Novellas as follows:

·       A Family Christmas – This story had it all, an arranged and estranged marriage, snobby mother-in-law, and Christmas traditions.  I loved this story of the couple finding true love with each other.

·       The Star of Bethlehem – This story also featured an unhappy couple at Christmas and a missing engagement ring.  A chimney sweep helps to bring the couple together. 

·       The Best Gift – This story had Jane Eyre vibes.  What if when Jane Eyre was a teacher that was invited to the home of a pupil and able to experience Christmas for the first time?

·       Playing House – A trio of siblings is about to be separated after the holidays due to the death of their parents and a lack of funds.  At their last Christmas together, an old sweetheart comes back to town and may change their lot in life.

·       No Room at the Inn – Numerous travelers are stranded together at an inn and unable to make their Christmas destinations.  The birth of a child has them all realize the true joys of Christmas.

My overall thoughts:

·       I loved all five of the Regency novellas.

·       This collection was recommended to me by my friend Barb who enjoys Regency Christmas romance novels as much as I do.  It was a great recommendation!

·       I loved the romance in each story and how they found out the true meaning of Christmas.

Overall, Under the Mistletoe by Mary Balogh is an enjoyable Christmas Regency Romance collection.