Join the virtual book tour of THE MATCHMAKER’S LONELY HEART, Nancy
Campbell Allen’s highly acclaimed historical novel, September 6-19, 2021. Thirty
popular on-line influencers specializing in historical romance, mystery/suspense,
and inspirational fiction will join in the celebration of its release with a spotlights,
exclusive excerpts, and reviews of this new Victorian-era novel set in London,
England.
Have you ever gone
on a blind date?Amelie is an
independent woman in Victorian England working for her Aunt at the Marriage
Gazette. She decides to match together
two lonely heart letters at the Gazette.
She knows she is not supposed to, but she spies on the date to see how
it is going. She is surprised to see Mr.
Radcliffe is one of the people meeting.
He is a member of her book club and a recent widower. She has developed a tendre for him. She runs into Michael Baker who is trailing
Mr. Radcliffe. He believes that Mr.
Radcliffe’s first wife did not die by accident and is determined to figure out
what happened. What happened to Mr.
Radcliffe’s wife? Will Amelie find her
own happy ending?
I greatly enjoyed this
novel. I loved the witty banter between
Detective Baker and Amelie. I also enjoyed the other characters such as Amelie’s
cousins Charlotte and Eva. I hope they
get their own novels. The Victorian
setting was perfect. This story had it all, romance, mystery, suspense and
adventure. It does take a dark turn, but
I really enjoyed the ending.
I loved the quotes
at the start of each chapter from different publications. They not only set a great backdrop to the
times, but they made me chuckle sometimes when the characters acted in direct
opposition of the quotes.
Favorite Quote:
“I do not know
that absence of emotion holds any sway in a debate on human evolution. I should think Darwin’s observations prove
the opposite, in fact. The more man evolves,
the higher his plane of morality, the greater this depth of compassion, wouldn’t
you say?”
Overall, The
Matchmaker’s Lonely Heart is an entertaining Victorian romance and mystery.
Book Source: Shadow Mountain Publishing as part of the
Austenprose Book Tour.
QUICK FACTS
· Title: The Matchmaker’s
Lonely Heart: Proper Romance Victorian
·
Author: Nancy Campbell Allen
·
Genre: Historical Romance, Historical
Mystery/Suspense, Inspirational Fiction
·
Publisher: Shadow Mountain Publishing
(September 7, 2021)
·
Length: (336) pages
· Format: Trade
paperback, eBook, & audiobook
BOOK DESCRIPTION
London, 1885
Amelie Hampton is a hopeless romantic, which makes her the perfect
columnist to answer lonely heart letters in The Marriage Gazette. When Amelie
plays matchmaker with two anonymous lonely hearts, she also decides to secretly
observe the couple's blind date. To her surprise, the man who appears for the
rendezvous is Harold Radcliffe―a grieving widower and a member of Amelie's book
club.
Police detective Michael Baker has been struggling ever since his best
friend and brother-in-law died in the line of fire. Because he knows the
dangers of his job, he has vowed never to marry and subject a wife and family
to the uncertainty of his profession. But when he meets Miss Hampton, he is
captured by her innocence, beauty, and her quick mind.
When a woman's body is pulled from the river, Michael suspects the
woman's husband―Harold Radcliffe―of foul play. Amelie refuses to believe that
Harold is capable of such violence but agrees to help, imagining it will be
like one of her favorite mystery novels. Her social connections and clever observations
prove an asset to the case, and Amelie is determined to prove Mr. Radcliffe's
innocence. But the more time Amelie and Michael spend together, the more they
trust each other, and the more they realize they are a good team, maybe the
perfect match.
They also realize that Mr. Radcliffe is hiding more than one secret,
and when his attention turns toward Amelie, Michael knows he must put an end to
this case before the woman he loves comes to harm.
ADVANCE PRAISE
"Allen pairs a matchmaker and a detective in this charming
Victorian romance. Allen expertly combines mystery and romance into a
fast-paced tale complete with plenty of surprises and a central relationship
founded on mutual admiration and respect. Readers are sure to appreciate the
strong, well-shaded heroine and twisty plot." —Publishers Weekly
"Allen's chaste tale of Victorian romantic suspense will also
appeal to historical mystery readers, and it would be great for
mother-and-daughter reads. This has great appeal for teens who like historical
fiction laced with mystery and romance." —Booklist
“I was immediately drawn into the characters’ lives and enjoyed the
unraveling of the mystery and the development of the romance.” —Mystery
and Suspense Magazine
AUTHOR BIO
Nancy Campbell
Allen is the author of fifteen published novels and numerous novellas,
which span genres from contemporary romantic suspense to historical
fiction. In 2005, her work won the Utah Best of State award, and she
received a Whitney Award for My Fair Gentleman. She has
presented at numerous writing conferences and events since her first book was
released in 1999. Nancy received a BS in Elementary Education from Weber
State University. She loves to read, write, travel, and research and
enjoys spending time laughing with family and friends. She is married and
the mother of three children.
TWITTER | FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM | GOODREADS | BOOKBUB
TOUR SCHEDULE
Sept 06 Timeless Novels (Review)
Sept 07 The
Book Diva Reads (Excerpt)
Sept 07 Wishful
Endings (Review)
Sept 08 Robin Loves Reading
(Review)
Sept 08 A
Darn Good Read (Review)
Sept 08 Storeybook
Reviews (Spotlight)
Sept 08 Austenesque Reviews (Review)
Sept 09 Bookfoolery (Review)
Sept 09 The Lit Bitch
(Excerpt)
Sept 10 The Bluestocking
(Review)
Sept 10 Bookworm
Lisa (Review)
Sept 10 The Silver Petticoat
Review (Review)
Sept 11 Book
Confessions of an Ex-Ballerina (Review)
Sept 11 My Bookish Bliss
(Review)
Sept 11 Nurse
Bookie (Review)
Sept 12 The
Bibliophile Files (Review)
Sept 12 My Jane Austen Book Club (Spotlight)
Sept 13 Heidi
Reads (Excerpt)
Sept 13 Reading with Emily (Review)
Sept 13 Our
Book Confessions (Review)
Sept 14 Rosanne E. Lortz
(Review)
Sept 14 Laura's
Reviews (Review)
Sept 14 Beauty in the Binding
(Spotlight)
Sept 15 All-of-a-Kind Mom
(Review)
Sept 15 Gwendalyn's
Books (Review)
Sept 15 Life of Literature
(Review)
Sept 16 From Pemberley to Milton (Review)
Sept 16 Probably
at the Library (Spotlight)
Sept 17 Greenish
Bookshelf (Review)
Sept 17 Relz
Reviewz (Review)
Sept 18 Novel Kicks (Review)
Sept 19 Historical Fiction with
Spirit (Excerpt)
PURCHASE LINKS
AMAZON | BARNES
& NOBLE | BOOK DEPOSITORY | BOOKSHOP
| GOODREADS