A Beautiful Disguise by Roseanna M. White (Austenprose PR Book Tour)

 

Do you like to wear costumes or dress up?  What is your favorite costume?  I like to dress up for Halloween, but I don’t have one favorite costume.

Lady Marigold Fairfax and her brother Yates had an unconventional upbringing.  Their father had a circus living at their estate and loved to throw parties for the entire neighborhood.  After his death, Marigold and Yates discover that he has spent the family fortune.  Determined to keep their estate and support the people who depend on them for their livelihood, the two started a private investigation firm called Imposters, Inc.  Things get personal when they are hired to investigate the father of her best friend, Lavinia.  Their paths soon cross with Sir Merritt Livingstone.  He is a military man who has been sidelined by pneumonia.  He hires Imposters Inc. to help him uncover a suspected German spy amongst the aristocracy.

This novel was so fun.  I enjoyed the unique premise.  I loved the Edwardian England setting.  I enjoyed how Lady Marigold disappeared into society with her extravagant hats and gowns and was able to spy from within.  I also loved their country estate full of exotic animals, including a pet lion and a monkey named Penelope.  I enjoyed the chemistry between Marigold and Merritt and their slow burn romance.  The characters were all interesting and enjoyable, especially as you learned more about their motivations.  I loved the mystery plot and how it fit in perfectly with the times leading up to World War I.  I loved that this book was full of spies, intrigues, and house parties.  It was an enjoyable read.

This novel was a clean read.  It also has an interesting author’s note at the end about the inspirations for the story and great questions for a book club.  This is the first in a planned new series of books and I can’t wait to read on into the future.  The first chapter of the next book is included for a preview.

Book Source: Review Copy from Bethany Press.   Thank-you! I received a complimentary copy of this book as part of the Austenprose PR Book Tour.  Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

QUICK FACTS

·       Title: A Beautiful Disguise

·       Series: The Imposters (Book 1)  

·       Author: Roseanna M. White

·       Genre: Historical Romance, Detective Mystery, Inspirational Fiction

·       Publisher: Bethany House Publishers (August 22, 2023)

·       Length: (368) pages

·       Format: Hardcover, Trade Paperback, eBook, & Audiobook 

·       ISBN: ‎ 978-0764240928

·       Tour Dates: August 21 – September 4, 2023

 

BOOK DESCRIPTION

In Edwardian London, not all that glitters is gold as a lady and an intelligence officer's secret mission take them from the city's dazzling ballrooms to its covert intelligence offices.

Sir Merritt Livingstone has spent a decade serving the monarch in the field, but when pneumonia lands him behind a desk in the War Office Intelligence Division just as they're creating a new secret intelligence branch, he's intent on showing his worth. He suspects an aristocrat of leaking information to Germany as tensions mount between the two countries, but he needs someone to help him prove it, so he turns to The Imposters, Ltd. No one knows who they are, but their results are beyond compare.

Left with an estate on the brink of bankruptcy after their father's death, Lady Marigold Fairfax and her brother open a private investigation firm for the elite to spy on the elite. Dubbed The Imposters, Ltd., their anonymous group soon becomes the go-to for the crème of society who want answers delivered surreptitiously. But the many secrets Marigold learns about her peers pale in comparison to her shock when she and her brother are hired to investigate her best friend's father as a potential traitor.

Lady Marigold is determined to discover the truth for her friend's sake, and she's more determined still to keep her heart from getting involved with this enigmatic new client . . . who can't possibly be as noble as he seems.

 

PRAISE FOR A BEAUTIFUL DISGUISE

• “White's well-woven plot is engaging from start to finish with delightful threads of mystery, romance, and inspiration."— Carrie Turansky, award-winning author
• “A Beautiful Disguise has all of the hallmarks of this beloved author’s resplendent fiction: pitch-perfect historical research, a thrilling setting and perfectly paced plot and a love story that sparks as wonderfully as Lady Marigold’s effervescent intelligence and charm. A sheer and unputdownable delight by a true master.” —Rachel McMillan, author of The Mozart Code

·       “5 STARS - Espionage, intrigue, and secrets abound in this beautifully crafted historical fiction set in pre-WWI Edwardian England (1909). Roseanna M White’s gift of weaving intricate, engaging plots and creating charming, lovable characters shines so clearly in this book that kicks off her new series Imposters.”— Mindy Houng, Interviews & Reviews.com

 

PURCHASE LINKS

AMAZON | BARNES & NOBLE | PUBLISHER | BOOKSHOP | BOOKBUB |    GOODREADS

 

AUTHOR BIO

Roseanna M. White is a bestselling, Christy Award-winning author who has long claimed that words are the air she breathes. She pens her novels beneath her Betsy Ross flag, with her Jane Austen action figure watching over her. When not writing fiction, she's homeschooling her two children, editing and designing, and pretending her house will clean itself. Roseanna is the author of numerous novels, ranging from biblical fiction to American-set romances to Edwardian British series. Roseanna lives with her family in West Virginia. 

WEBSITE | INSTAGRAM | FACEBOOK | X (formerly known as Twitter) | BOOKBUB | GOODREADS

Quietly Hostile by Samantha Irby

 

Do you like reading essays or short stories?  What are some favorites?

I started off greatly enjoy Samantha Irby’s Quietly Hostile.  It’s a series of essays that delve into her life and experiences.  I don’t think I’ve ever laughed so hard reading a book of essays.  Her stories were brutally honest and hit home with me on so many levels.

Then the essays fell off a cliff for me.  She had a very strange one that delved into too much detail on the kind of porn she likes to watch.  I don’t really care what she likes to watch and I don’t need to read the details.  I skipped the rest of that essay, but the next essay was a detailed summary of all of the seasons of Sex in the City.  I enjoyed that show twenty years ago, but I’m not so much of a super fan that I even remembered what was being talked about in these vignettes.  She is a writer on the new series, so it was interesting from that perspective.

I just got stuck in the middle of this for two months.  I picked it back up again and the rest were enjoyable, although not at the level of the very beginning of the book.  I especially liked her essay on trying to get a TV show going on the fictionalized version of her life.  It was fun to get the behind-the-scenes perspective on this.

I also enjoyed that Samantha Irby lives in Kalamazoo Michigan and had some local stories as well.  I was born in Kalamazoo and grew up not far from there.

Book Source: Review Copy from NetGalley.   Thank-you! Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Hollow Kingdom by Kira Jane Buxton

 

If the world ended, what food would you hope would survive? For S.T., a crow who survives the apocalypse, it’s Cheetos.

I first discovered this book from @readingbeagle and I was intrigued.  Who doesn’t want to read a book about the apocalypse as narrated as a foul-mouthed bird?  I thought it would be a nice change up for my Rogue Book Club and chose it for the August read. 

S.T. is a domesticated crow.  He enjoys his life until one day, his owner, Big Jim, loses his eyeball.  Big Jim is no longer the same and appears to have turned into a zombie.  S.T. and Dennis the dog escape their home and start to explore Seattle to determine what has happened to the mo-fos (humans).  A strange illness has taken over humans and the dynamic duo set off to try to find any unaffected humans and other domestic animals.

I enjoyed this unique story.  It was harrowing at times, and I may had shed a tear and put the book away for a bit after the climax at the end of the book.  I really liked seeing the apocalypse through the eyes of the animal survivors and how the world would change without humans.  S.T. was the main narrator, but there were also random chapters from various creatures around the world which were interesting as well.  The book was laugh out loud funny at times . . . and S.T. is profane as his owner. Even his real name is hilarious.

I also enjoyed that the book had a reading group guide with questions at the end perfect for book club.

I look forward to reading the next book in this series, Feral Creatures.

Favorite Quote:  “The trauma of nearly being eaten by my best friend was the single greatest pain I had ever known.”

Overall, I loved that this was a book unlike anything I’ve ever read before.  It was a great take on the zombie apocalypse and made me think about the impact of humans on the world overall. 

Book Source:  Purchased from Amazon.com

The Highlander’s Kilted Bride by Vanessa Kelly (TLC Book Tour)

 

Do you play an instrument?  I used to play the piano and clarinet, but I haven’t played in quite some time.  Now I enjoy listening to my children play the piano and their other instruments. 

Music plays a key role in The Highlander’s Kilted Bride.  In 1828, Kade of the Klan Kendrick has recently returned home to Scotland after a worldwide tour playing his music and also spying for his country.  He is annoyed at being roped into attending a wedding and perhaps playing a concert of his music rather than getting to spend his time working on his latest piece that has been commissioned by the king.  While on the way to the wedding, his carriage is nearly crashed into by a feisty lady riding a white horse, Charlotte “Charlie” Stewart.  The two met as children and have a shared love of music.  Charlie is meant to marry another, but will Kade and Charlie forge their own path?

I thought The Highlander’s Kilted Bride was a delightful escapism read.  It’s been a very busy week at work and in life and it was fun to be able to settle down each evening and read this novel.  I loved the characters in this novel.  The story starts with a prologue where Charlie and Kade meet as children and Charlie defends Kade by punching another boy in the nose.  This sets the tone for their relationship, and I loved it.  I loved Charlie’s spunky personality and also enjoyed their shared love of music.  All of the other characters were great, but I think I would have loved them even more if I had read the first five novels in this series and knew their back stories.  I always enjoy a Scottish setting and loved the highland setting of this book.

The story was very fun with a wedding, a loss of a family heirloom, and the search for a treasure all with love blooming in the midst.  I enjoyed the mysteries.  I especially loved feisty Grandpa Angus.  He has great love for his family and hilarious anger towards other families for past historic misdeeds.  The book had great humor and had me chuckling often.  I loved all of the family interactions.

Favorite Quote:  “One need not trick oneself out in the latest styles or simper about as a ninny to be a woman, and a lovely one at that.”  I loved the message of being yourself in this novel.

Book Source: Review Copy from author Vanessa Kelly and NetGalley.   Thank-you! I received a complimentary copy of this book as part of the TLC Book Tour.  Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.  

About The Highlander’s Kilted Bride

Publisher: Zebra (August 22, 2023)
Mass Market Paperback: 352 pages

The youngest brother in Clan Kendrick has become a charismatic force in his own right—especially when the perfect woman gallops into his life—in the latest novel in USA Today bestselling author Vanessa Kelly’s sparkling Scottish Regency series.

Charlotte “Charlie” Stewart would rather don a kilt and ride her horse than simper in a ballroom. But with her younger sister about to be wed, she can’t escape the pressure to be next. A husband has been chosen, and Charlie’s fate seems set. Until an afternoon gallop sends her horse colliding with Kade Kendrick, the broad-shouldered Highlander who was once her childhood pal . . .

As a youth, Kade felt overshadowed by his older siblings. Now he’s a renowned musician whose fame provides cover for his other work—as a spy. Home from his latest mission, he’s annoyed to be roped into attending the wedding of a family friend—until it reunites him with the fearless tomboy who has become a breathtaking beauty. And though his thoughts should be on a new concerto, Kade is soon distracted by rival suitors, a dangerous quest—and the unconventional woman who fills his soul with music and his body with desire . . .

About the Author

Vanessa Kelly is the award-winning and USA Today bestselling author of The Improper Princesses series, the Clan Kendrick, The Renegade Royals and The Stanton Family series, in addition to other historical romances. Named by Booklist as one of the “Stars of Historical Romance,” her books have been translated into nine languages and published internationally. In graduate school, Vanessa specialized in the study of eighteenth-century British fiction and is known for developing vibrant Regency settings, appealing characters, and witty story lines that captivate readers. She lives with her husband in Ontario, Canada. Visit her at VanessaKellyAuthor.com or join the Clan Kendrick Facebook Group at Facebook.com/groups/ClanKendrick.

 

Sons by Pearl S. Buck

 

Title:  Sons

Author:  Pearl S. Buck

Narrated by:  Adam Verner

Publisher: Oasis Audio

Length: Approximately 14 hours

Source: Checked out with Libby through the Kewaunee Public Library.  Thank-you!

Do you like to read family drama books that carry the story through the generation?  If so, what books have you enjoyed in the past?  I loved the Kent Family Chronicles by John Jakes which tells the story of an American family from the Revolution through the twentieth century.

This summer I read The Good Earth by Pearl S. Buck for my Back to the Classics book club at the Kewaunee Public Library. I learned it was part of a trilogy and I really wanted to see what happened next in the story.  I got the second book, Sons, on audiobook from the library and I greatly enjoyed it.

Sons picks up immediately after The Good Earth Ends.  In the Good Earth, Wang Lung starts as a poor farmer, but works his way up to becoming a very rich man in 19^th century China.  As he is dying, he implores his three sons not to sell the land.  At the start of Sons, he is still dying and his life is celebrated after it ends. 

All three sons are very different men.  The novel focuses primarily on the third son, Wang the Tiger.  In the first book, he had run off to be a soldier.  In this novel, he is able to get his two older brothers to fund his life as a warlord.  He has many adventures which include love, betrayal, and war.  He wants a legacy of his own through marriage and sons. 

I enjoyed the overall story and how it was very different than the first book.  I also enjoyed the exploration into Chinese culture.  The story was epic in grandeur, but I also liked how it showed that Wang Lung’s sons are following the decaying cycle of the House of Hwang before them.  I am very interested to read the third and final book in this trilogy.  Wang the Tiger’s son is also not taking the path he would like him to take.

I did miss the strong female characters that were in The Good Earth.  The female characters in Sons were not as well developed.  I did enjoy getting to see how life turned out for many of my favorite characters from The Good Earth, including Pear Blossom.

Adam Verner was a fine narrator of this audiobook.

The Other Bennet Sister by Janice Hadlow

 

Title:  The Other Bennet Sister

Author:  Janice Hadlow

Narrated by:  Carla Mendonca

Publisher: Macmillian Audio

Length: Approximately 18 hours and 10 minutes

Source: Purchased from Amazon.com

Who is your favorite middle child in a book, show, or movie?  Mary Bennet from Pride and Prejudice is one of my favorite middle children in literature and I love that she has been getting books written about her that focus more on her story.

The Other Bennet Sister is a very interesting look at Mary’s story.  The first half of the book is Pride & Prejudice retold from Mary’s point of view.  After Mr. Collin’s proposal, the book skips forward two years.  The second half of the book is about Mary finding her own way in the world and her own happiness.  She visits many of the characters from Pride and Prejudice and the reader is able to see how their lives have turned out.

I greatly enjoyed this audiobook.  It made me really feel for Mary in a way I never had before.  I’ve read her as an object of ridicule in many stories or even as her own mystery crime fighter.  In this novel, the reader really gets to see how Mary was the true middle child.  Her sisters older and younger than her paired off and left her alone.  Her mother focused solely on looks and let her know early on that she was plain and not worthy of her time.  Mary wanted to have intellectual conversations with her father, but he didn’t help her either.  It made me really sad for her.  She just wanted guidance and love from her parents and her family.

Luckily, Mrs. Hill and the Gardners are the real MVPs of the story for having Mary’s back and helping her out when her own family did not.  I loved the romance that developed in the book.

I also couldn’t believe this book made me really feel for Mr. Collins.  He admits that he is socially awkward, and he just wants someone to love him.  It was heartbreaking to learn his true thoughts.

I read this for our JASNA Northwoods Book Club which was this past weekend.  We had an enjoyable discussion on this book and other topics. 

Carla Mendonca was a great narrator, and I adored this audiobook.  I know other reviews have discussed how this book was too long, but it worked well with length and pacing on audiobook.

What Would Jane Austen Do? By Linda Corbett (Austenprose PR Book Tour)

What authors do you look to for inspiration?  Like Maddy, the main character of What Would Jane Austen Do?, Austen is an author I look to for inspiration.

Maddy Shaw has just found out two life changing items.  The first is that her “Dear Jane” advice column has been cancelled and she is now out of a job. The second is that her long lost cousin Nigel has left her an estate. Before she can make plans to sell it, she finds out that the will stipulates that she live there for a year and it also provides her a small housekeeping allowance.  She is also now the chair of the local literary festival.  After discovering that a famous author, Cameron Massey (aka real name Luke), that she had an awkward interview with previously lives in this village, will she be able to get over her past prejudice to get to know him?  Why did Cousin Nigel move to America and then back to the UK without telling his family?  Where did he get all of his money?  Why does Cameron’s first best seller match the plot of a news article that Maddy has found amongst Cousin Nigel’s things?

What Would Jane Austen Do? is a lovely romantic comedy novel that kept me entertained.  I loved Maddy’s fish out of water story as she settles into the village and gets to know her new house and all of the people in the village.  I also loved the little mysteries that she needed to figure out and I wanted to know the answers too!  I loved the chemistry between Maddy and Cameron (Luke) with its enemies to lovers vibe.  This was a closed-door romance, which I appreciated.

It's no secret that I love Jane Austen.  I greatly enjoyed how each chapter of this book started with a wonderful (and related to the story) Jane Austen quote.  I also loved how Maddy would often think about her literary heroine, Jane Austen, as she made decisions about her life.

Overall, this is a delightful cozy novel that is a perfect summer (or any time of year) read.

Book Source: Review Copy from author Linda Corbett, HarperCollinsUK, and NetGalley.   Thank-you! I received a complimentary copy of this book as part of the Austenprose PR Book Tour.  Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

QUICK FACTS

·       Title: What Would Jane Austen Do?

·       Author: Linda Corbett

·       Genre: Contemporary Romance, Austenesque Fiction, RomCom

·       Publisher: ‎HarperCollinsUK (June 16, 2023)

·       Length: (384) pages

·       Format: Trade paperback, eBook, & audiobook 

·       ISBN: 978-0008554583

·       Tour Dates: August 14 – September 11, 2023

 

BOOK DESCRIPTION

It's a truth often acknowledged that when a journalist and Jane Austen fan girl ends up living next door to a cynical but handsome crime writer, romantic sparks will fly!

When Maddy Shaw is told her Dear Jane column has been cancelled she has no choice but to look outside of London’s rental market. That is until she’s left an idyllic country home by the black sheep of the family, long-not-so-lost Cousin Nigel.

But of course, there’s a stipulation… and not only is Maddy made chair of the committee for the annual village literary festival, she also has to put up with bestselling crime author –and romance sceptic – Cameron Massey as her new neighbor.

When Maddy challenges Cameron to write romantic fiction, which he claims is so easy to do, sparks fly both on and off the page…

 

PRAISE FOR WHAT WOULD JANE AUSTEN DO?

·       “Witty, sharp and beautifully observed – I feel sure Jane would approve.”— Julie Caplin, author of The French Chateau

 

·       “Sparkling romance, secrets from the past…Witty and romantic, I couldn’t stop myself from turning the pages.”— Alison Sherlock, bestselling author of The Village of Lost and Found

 

·       “…sheer fun from beginning to end, beautifully written, and with a real touch of originality.”— Anne Williams, Being Anne

 

·       “What a lovely book! It also fills my need to see British colloquialisms on occasion. Yes! I highly recommend this book!”— Michelle, Tales Untangled

 

PURCHASE LINKS

AMAZON | BARNES & NOBLE | HARPERCOLLINS | GOODREADS | BOOKBUB

 

AUTHOR BIO

Linda Corbett lives in Surrey with her husband Andrew and three permanently hungry guinea pigs. As well as being an author, Linda is treasurer and fundraiser for Shine Surrey – a volunteer-led charity that supports individuals and families living with spina bifida and hydrocephalus. For many years she also wrote a regular column for Link, a disability magazine, illustrating the humorous aspects of life with a complex disability and she is a passionate advocate of disability representation in fiction. Love You From A-Z is her first published novel.

WEBSITE | TWITTER | INSTAGRAM | FACEBOOK | GOODREADS

 

The Portraits of Pemberley by Elizabeth Gilliland

 

Do you like to decorate your house with portraits of people, animals, scenery, or something else?

The Portraits of Pemberley by Elizabeth Gilliland is the second novel in the Austen University Mysteries series.  It can be read alone, but I think it helps to have read the first novel to know who all of the characters are. 

George Wickham has been found naked and tied up on the Austen University campus square.  University President de Bourgh tells Lizzy Bennet that she must found out who did this or she will be expelled.  As Lizzy works to solve the mystery, her nemesis, Fo-Hian Darcy is the prime suspect.  When she discovers that there is a website called “The Portraits of Pemberley” which involves pictures of female students in various states of undress (taken without their knowledge), she is infuriated.  She works on solving both of these mysteries.

I liked that once again characters had names and some traits of the characters from Jane Austen’s novels, but they had personalities of their own.  I especially liked that Lizzy discovered throughout the novel that she shouldn’t judge people as they have layers and problems that she may not know about. The character of Karoline was one such person. I greatly enjoyed that Lizzy and Karoline had an interesting crime solving partnership.

I figured the mystery out but delighted in watching the characters put the pieces together.  There were a lot of characters, and the story did jump around in time so it took concentration to keep everything together on my end.

Overall, this was a fun cozy mystery and I hope to read and enjoy more in this series.

Book Source: Review Copy from author Elizabeth Gilliland.   Thank-you! I received a complimentary copy of this book.  Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Book Info

Author Name - Elizabeth Gilliland
The Book Title - The Portraits of Pemberley
Genre - Cozy Mystery
Date of Release - July 5th 2023
Number in Series - 2
Publisher - Bayou Wolf Press
Number of Pages - 285

Synopsis of the book

After George Wickham is found tied up, naked, on the Austen University Campus Square, President de Bourgh gives student journalist Lizzy Bennet an ultimatum: Find out who committed the crime, or be expelled from the school. Lizzy must team up with some old friends (like the Austen Murder Club) and some new (like...Karoline Bingley?) to get to the bottom of the truth.

Complicating matters is the fact that the prime suspect is Fo-Hian Darcy. Darcy and Lizzy have a messy history, but even so, Lizzy just can't accept that Darcy committed the crime. An anonymous whistleblower tips off Lizzy about a secret website called the Portraits of Pemberley that may help her get to the bottom of the mystery--but discovering the truth about who's involved may very well challenge everything that Lizzy believes.

The Portraits of Pemberley is Book 2 of the Austen University Mysteries series but can be read as a standalone novel. It combines plot points of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice with Sense and Sensibility (and characters from all of Austen's novels) in a modern-university setting, with mysteries.

Author Bio 

Elizabeth Gilliland is a writer, Dr., wife, mom, and lifelong Jane Austen fan. She is a playwright (whose plays have appeared off-off Broadway), a screenwriter (with a master's in screenwriting and production), an academic (with a PhD and a dissertation on Jane Austen adaptations), and now a published author! When she isn't writing or grading papers, she is most likely reading a good book, binge watching the latest hit, working on a puzzle, or hanging with her cute kid.


Links

Blog - https://medium.com/@lissag7
Purchase Links - https://www.amazon.com/Portraits-Pemberley-Austen-University-Mysteries-ebook/dp/B0BYCJXP2Y/
GoodReads Link - https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/123657618-the-portraits-of-pemberley?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=N6xlhEa8Hs&rank=2
Twitter - twitter.com/egilliland7

The Love of My Life by Rosie Walsh

 

Title:  The Love of My Life

Author:  Rosie Walsh

Narrated by:  Imogen Church and Theo Solomon

Publisher: Penguin Audio

Length: Approximately 11 hours and 28 minutes

Source: Purchased from Amazon.com

Who is the love of your life?  The Love of My Life by Rosie Walsh was the Kewaunee Library Page-turner’s Book Club August selection.  Much of our discussion focused on who was the love of the life of the main character?   Or was the book really about the loves of her life?  It made us think about the different types of life – love for your spouse/significant other, children, family, friends.  Can you really just have one love of your life?  It is interesting to ponder.

Emma seems to have a perfect life married to the love of her life, Leo, and with a beloved daughter, Ruby.  Emma is a marine biologist who once had a BBC show and has been struggling with cancer.  Leo is an obituary writer by trade and starts to put together her obituary. As he looks into his wife’s past, he realizes that she may not be the person he has always thought her to be.  What is her secret?  Who is the love of her life?

I listened to The Love of My Life on audiobook.  The story kept me very engaged with all of its twists and turns.  I don’t want to ruin it for others by going too far into those twists and turns.  I think it was better to go in not knowing what was going on.  Imogen Church narrated Emma’s sections and Theo Solomon narrated Leo’s sections.  They did an excellent job.  I thought the story wrapped up well and had a good ending.  I liked both Leo and Emma’s characters and I enjoyed the exploration of trust in a marriage and of second chances.   

Give the Devil His Duke by Anna Bradley (TLC Book Tours)

 

What is your favorite color for a new outfit?  I always tend to go with reds or blues. 

Francesca Stanhope knows that bright pink is not the color that most other debutantes will be wearing, but it is the color of the dresses she has been given.  What she doesn’t expect is for Giles Drew, the Duke of Basingstoke, to be overheard calling her a radish just dug up from the garden and for that fact to be spread across the gossip pages.  Their families have a sordid history that both wish to keep out of the newspapers.  They agree to work together for appearances sake, but they discover that they have a great love-hate chemistry.  When another scandal ensues, their marriage may be the only thing that can save them.  But will they be able to tame each other?

I enjoyed this book and the romantic comedy elements brought a smile to me more than once.  I really enjoyed the characters of Giles and Francesca and they had great chemistry.  This book was definitely a steamy read with an awkward sex scene within the first few chapters with Giles and a few ladies that felt very out of place. It also set Giles up to seem just like his despicable father.  It took me awhile to realize he wasn’t like his father.  Giles and Francesca are married within the first roughly third of the book and spend the rest of the book trying to get to know and understand each other.  This book is an enemies to lovers trope.

This is the first in a new series called “Drop Dead Dukes” and I’m interested to read future books.

My only complaint is I wish the cover of the book featured Francesca’s bright pink gown!   

Book Source: Review Copy from Kensington Publishing Group.   Thank-you! I received a complimentary copy of this book as part of the TLC book tour. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Cover Reveal: Cyanide and Sensibility by Katie Oliver

 Do you like Jane Austen, cozy mysteries, and tea?  Then you may be interested in a new novel, Cyanide and Sensibility by Katie Oliver.  I'm happy to share all that I know about this new novel and reveal the beautiful cover. I am going to use my time before this novel comes out to catch up on Books 1 and 2!!

QUICK FACTS

·       Title: Cyanide and Sensibility: A Jane Austen Tea Society Mystery (Book 3)

·       Author: Katie Oliver

·       Genre: Cozy Culinary Mysteries, Armature Sleuths, Austenesque Fiction

·       Publisher: ‎Berkley (December 12, 2023)

·       Length: (320) pages

·       Format: Mass Market paperback, eBook, & audiobook 

·       ISBN: 978-0593337653

·       Cover Reval Book Blast: August 11, 2023

 

BOOK DESCRIPTION

Murder is on the menu and Phaedra Brighton is called on to serve up justice in the latest Jane Austen Tea Society Mystery.

While Phaedra Brighton might not have a Mr. Darcy (yet), she's quite content with her loving family and loyal cat. Phaedra's sister Hannah is the Jane to her Elizabeth, and Phaedra is ecstatic that Hannah has decided to move home for her next adventure—opening a business. 

All of Laurel Springs is out in full force to celebrate the grand unveiling of Hannah's new patisserie, Tout de Sweet, including local celebrity Rachel Brandon. Hannah is a master of her craft, with confections so divine, one bite will make you think you've died and gone to heaven.

Of course, you never want that to happen literally. 

When one of Hannah's famous dark chocolate cupcakes sends Rachel's assistant to the hospital with poisoning, Hannah begs for Phaedra's help to save her reputation and budding business. But Phaedra has more questions than answers: Who was the cupcake actually meant for? And how far is the culprit willing to go to take their target off the menu—permanently?

 

PRAISE FOR THE JANE AUSTEN TEA SOCIETY MYSTERIES

·       "A crackling good mystery: like a modern-day Agatha Christie bestowed with a hefty dollop of Jane Austen. It’s deliciously written, emotionally resonant, and delightfully engaging. Katie Oliver’s cinematic eye is spot on!"— Laura Childs, #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Tea Shop Mystery series

 

·       “a wonderfully fun and charming modern-day mystery…and packed with clever character references that Austen fans will find delightful.”— Marilyn Brant, bestselling author of Pride, Prejudice, and the Perfect Match

 

·       “With the right balance of humor, charm, and intrigue, this contemporary whodunnit had me swiping, swiping, swiping through my kindle until the satisfying end.”— Christina Boyd, editor of Elizabeth, Obstinate Headstrong Girl

 

 

PURCHASE LINKS

AMAZON | BARNES & NOBLE | BERKLEY | GOODREADS | BOOKBUB

 AND THE BEAUTIFUL NEW COVER 

WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT THIS COVER?

AUTHOR BIO

Katie Oliver is known internationally as a writer of Jane Austen rom-coms with a hint of mystery. In the US and the UK, she is the bestselling author of the Dating Mr. Darcy and Marrying Mr. Darcy series.

 

WEBSITE | TWITTER | INSTAGRAM | FACEBOOK | GOODREADS