A Royal Christmas Wedding by Rachel Hauck (Bibliolifestyle Book Tour)

 

Thank you, Partner @bibliolifestyle @tnzfiction for the review copy of A Royal Christmas Wedding by Rachel Hauck.

Have you ever attended a Christmas wedding?  I’ve been to a couple of weddings right after Christmas, but not on or before Christmas.  It’s a beautiful time of year to get married, but we did have to drive through a snowstorm to get to one.

Avery Truitt was a college volleyball star and has dreams of coaching college volleyball.  She is traveling with her mother to the (fictional) Kingdom of Brighton for the holidays as her sister, Susanna, is pregnant.  She will see her former love, Prince Colin, for the first time since he stood her up at prom five years ago.  Will Avery be able to find out the truth on why Colin ghosted her?

My thoughts on this novel:

·       I loved the prologue.  It was a very exiting story set in the 19^th century where a man must ring the Pembroke chapel to signal that there will be a royal wedding on Christmas day.  This last time the bell was rung, it resulted in death.  I admit that I did want more resolution on this flashback and wish the story would have flash backed to it again.

·       This is book number four of a series, but it was okay reading it as a standalone.  I would like to read the rest of the series.

·       This book is definitely for fans of the Christmas Prince series on Netflix.  This book would make a good Hallmark Christmas movie.

·       This was a slow read for me and I’m not sure why, maybe the business of the season?

·       This was a clean read and inspirational contemporary romance.

·       It was a modern-day fairy tale.

·       Brighton royalty all seems to marry girls from the American south for some reason.

·       The trope was second chance romance which is one of my favorites. 

·       This story had echoes of Persuasion by Jane Austen although this time it’s the man, Colin, who is persuaded that he shouldn’t pursue a relationship with a foreign non-royal.

Overall, A Royal Christmas Wedding by Rachel Hauck is a sweet inspirational contemporary romance that is for lovers of Hallmark Christmas movies and the Christmas Prince series on Netflix.

F*cked Up Fairy Tales by Liz Gotauco (Bibliolifestyle Book Tour)

Thank you, Partner @bibliolifestyle @w.w.norton for the review copy.

What is your favorite fairy tale?  My two favorites are Beauty and the Beast and The Twelve Dancing Princesses.

F*cked Up Fairy Tales Is a collection of some of the “strangest and darkest stories humans had the audacity to invent.”

My thoughts on this collection of stories:

·       Publication Date is October 7, 2025.

·       This was an entertaining book that was perfect for me.  I have loved reading Grimm’s Fairy Tales and “real” fairy tales from around the world since I was young.  I once read the entire fairy tale, myth, and legends section of my middle school library.  Fractured Fairy Tales were my favorite thing to watch as a kid and this collection is the adult version.

·       The introduction details the authors research on fairy tales across the world.  It was fascinating.  There are many similarities between stories, but also some truly odd ball stories.

·       There is also a list of trigger warnings before the stories start that was hilarious.  Real fairy tales are not Disney stories.

·       There were great drawings/illustrations throughout the book.

·       In the stories there were little asides from the contemporary point of view.  They were hilarious, but also sometimes stopped the flow of the story.  The stories are told through contemporary language.

·       The stories were from all over the world

·       There were great references at the end of each story for further reading if you enjoyed the story.  There was also a great overall reference section at the end of the book.

·       F*cked Up Fairy Tales is apparently a TikTok web series.  I need to check this out.

·       The book was split into five different sections:  F*cked Up Family Trees, Swipe Right to Your Happy Ending,  So. . . . You Married an Animal, What’s Your Body Count?, and Crappily Ever After.

·       Many of the stories made me gasp and think “WTH did I just read?” “OMG”  “LOL” I laughed a lot while reading this.

Overall, F*cked Up Fairy Tales by Liz Gotauco is a hilarious book of some of the strangest fairy tales one will ever read.  I appreciated the details and facts.  It’s perfect for any fan of “real” fairy tales.

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.

The Lady Glass by Anneka R. Walker (Austenprose PR Book Tour)

 

What is your favorite fairy tale?  My favorite fairy tale is Beauty and the Beast and my daughter’s favorite fairy tale is Cinderella.

The Lady Glass is the third novel of the “Enchanted Regency Romance Series.”  It combines two of my favorite things – Regency romance and fairy tales.  After reading The Lady Glass, I really want to go back and read the first two novels in the series.

Theresia Dvorak is an orphan, and her stepmother has taken all of her inheritance.  She has spent many years at Mrs. Stone’s Distinguished Ladies’ Seminary but has returned to her childhood home looking for a beautiful glass vase that her father, a master glass maker, had crafted and gifted to her for her dowery.  She discovers that her stepmother is giving it away to someone at a house party and she decides she will go to the party and retrieve her inheritance.  It is not quite so easy, and she finds herself caught up in an international intrigue.  Will she find her glass vase and will she also find love along the way?

My thoughts:

·       The first chapter hooked the reader into the story immediately when Theresia tries to help an elderly man who is beset by a thief, but they both are saved by a mysterious gentleman, Rolland.

·       I enjoyed Theresia’s Bohemian background and the discussion about glassmaking, although I wish there was even more detail on glassmaking and Bohemia.  I’m ready to research this more.

·       I enjoyed that this was a retelling of the Cinderella story in a very inventive way.  It was a fun and romantic story.  I liked seeing all the elements of the Cinderella fairy tale pop up in fun ways.  For example, a trunk of beautiful clothes appear for Theresia right before the ball.

·       I also like historical mystery and this story had an interesting mystery story as well.  I liked the intrigue and espionage and how it was related to the Vienna Congress.

·       Rolland and Theresia had a great romance, and I loved their verbal sparring.  I would call this story an enemies to lovers’ trope.

·       Theresia plays the violin, and I loved learning about lady violin players of that time.

·       This was a clean read.

·       The Lady Glass is part of a series but can be read as a standalone novel.

·       I loved the beautiful cover of this book and the beautiful illustration between each chapter.

Overall, The Lady Glass by Anneka R. Walker is a delightful regency romance that blends fairy tale with mystery into a new and unique tale.   I enjoyed this novel and I highly recommend it.

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

BOOK DESCRIPTION

Theresia Dvorak has nothing left of her parents—nothing save her dowry, a priceless crystal vase stolen and sold by her own stepmother. Theresia will do anything to secure what is rightfully hers—even assume a false identity and steal her future back. When she gains entrance to a house party and has a memorable run-in with the handsome naval captain Rolland Reese, her mission is compromised. She swore never to trust an Englishman again, but when he makes a daring proposal she cannot refuse, she must work side by side with him if either of them is to achieve their aim.

Rolland is stunned when his homecoming from the war takes a decidedly deadly turn. The quickest solution is to throw a house party and invite all the suspects. With the stakes incredibly high, Rolland must root out the killer before they turn their sights to the next potential victim: his own father. The mysterious Theresia is undoubtedly the most suspicious of his guests, but against all odds, he finds himself risking everything to protect her. As Rolland unravels a tangle of clues, he faces the greatest threats of all: a heart of fire and a future as fragile as glass.

AUTHOR BIO

Anneka R. Walker is a best-selling author of historical and contemporary romance. With humor and an abundance of heart, she crafts uplifting stories you won't soon forget. She is the winner of the Swoony Award, the LDSPMA Praiseworthy Award, and various chapter contests. Her books have received praise from Publishers Weekly, Historical Novel Society, Midwest Book Review, and Readers Favorite. She graduated from Brigham Young University-Idaho with a bachelor’s degree in English and history and hopes to never stop learning. She is a blessed wife, proud mother of five, lover of Jesus, connoisseur of chocolate, and believer in happy endings.

One Cursed Rose by Rebecca Zanetti (Bibliolifestyle Book Tour)

 

Do you have a favorite fairy tale?

One of my favorite fairy tales is Beauty and the Beast.  I was excited to see that One Cursed Rose was a dark romance rewrite of the Beauty and the Beast Fairy Tale.

Alana Beaumont is a young twenty something social media influencer.  She is the heir to Aquarius Social, which is one of the four major social medial companies.  The four families that own the four main social medial companies have been rivals for centuries.  They gain power from different gems or crystals that are specific to a family, and they use this power to run their social media networks.  Thron Beathach is the owner of the current number one company, Mafia Media.  He is obsessed with Alana and he saves/kidnaps her during an assassination attempt.  Why is someone trying to murder to Alana and is it related to her brother’s mysterious death?  Who is working against Thorne and freezing his gems?

My thoughts on this novel:

·       I loved that this was a Beauty and the Beast retelling and that is what first caught my attention.

·       One Cursed Rose was an engaging and very readable story.

·       This is a dark mafia romantic suspense fantasy novel.

·       I really enjoyed the mysteries and the suspense in this novel and that is what kept me reading and unable to put the book down.

·       I enjoyed that this was a dual narrative novel with Alana and Thorne telling the story in alternate chapters.

·       One Cursed Rose is the first in a new series.

·       I liked the secondary characters.  Alana’s friends, Thorne’s brother, etc. were all great.  I wanted to know all their background stories and I’m hoping that they will get their stories as the series progresses.

·       Alana came off as a spoiled rich kid at first, but she is smart and has depth.  I liked her.  Thorn is morally gray.  He is sexy, knows his own mind, and does like to help people.  But he also kills people and stalks Alana.  There is great banter between the two.

·       I would have liked more description of how exactly the crystals worked.

·       This was the first dark romance that I’ve read, and I am not sure about the “dark” elements.  Are all dark romances all like this novel and very spicy and violent?  Or is this extreme kink?  I didn’t like that the heroine was an inexperienced virgin with the families talking about her virginity and her getting tested before an arranged marriage to ensure her purity.  This did not seem like something that would be happening in 2024. The sexually experienced hero basically rapes her, beats her, threatens her, and does whatever he wants.  But it’s okay because she eventually enjoys it?  SPOILER ALERT:  Thorne puts a knife in Alana’s vagina and also beats her with a belt on her clitoris while she cries and begs him to stop.  This was too far for me and quite frankly, horrifying. SPOILER END. It reminded me of the 1970s and 1980s romances with this type of thing.  I was not a fan of the very graphic and long descriptions in the violent sex scenes as the novel went on. I ended up skimming these chapters. 

Overall, The Cursed Rose was a very engaging story, but I had to skim through the graphic sex scenes.

The Maid of Ballymacool by Jennifer Deibel (Austenprose PR Book Tour)

 

What is your favorite fairytale?  Do you like when fairytales are incorporated into other books?  The Maid of Ballymacool is a Cinderella type story and I loved it!

Brianna Kelly has worked at Ballymacool House her entire life. Ballymacool House is a boarding school for wealthy girls.  She was left there as a small child and all she has of her own was a locket that was left with her.  She works from early morning far into the night.  Her only pleasure is treasure hunting in the woods near Ballymacool House.  Why are there treasures in the woods and what do they mean?

Michael Wray is the son of a local gentry and has been sent to Ballymacool House to help deal with his cousin, Adeline.  He is dismayed by his cousin and her actions, but he is also drawn to Brianna.  Why does she seem so familiar?

I loved the characters and story in this one.  I especially liked the evil headmistress Magee.  There was a mystery involved with Magee that I liked learning more about.  I also enjoyed the Irish setting and the use of Gaelic throughout the novel.

This was a clean read and I loved the slow build sweet romance that grew between Brianna and Michael.

The author’s note at the end was very interesting as well.  Ballymacool House and woods is a real historic location.  I’m putting it on my bucket list of places to visit!  I’ve always wanted to go to Ireland.

The Maid of Ballymacool is a good Cinderella story with a great clean and sweet romance.  I highly recommend it.

Review Copy from Revell a division of Baker Publishing   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: The Maid of Ballymacool: A Novel

·         Author: Jennifer Deibel

·         Genre: Historical Romance, Historical Fiction, Inspirational Fiction

·         Publisher: Fleming H. Revell Co (February 21, 2023)

·         Length: (352) pages

·         Format: Hardcover, Trade Paperback, & eBook 

·         ISBN: 978-0800741747

·         Tour Dates: February 13 – 27, 2023

 

BOOK DESCRIPTION

Brianna Kelly was abandoned at Ballymacool House and Boarding School as an infant. She has worked there since she was a wee girl and will likely die there. Despite a sense that she was made for something more, Brianna feels powerless to change her situation, so she consoles herself by exploring the Ballymacool grounds, looking for hidden treasures to add to the secret trove beneath the floorboards of her room.

When Michael Wray, the son of local gentry, is sent to Ballymacool to deal with his unruly cousin, he finds himself drawn to Brianna, immediately and inescapably. There is something about her that feels so . . . familiar. When Brianna finds a piece of silver in the woods, she commits to learning its origins, with the help of Michael. What they discover may change everything.

Fan favorite Jennifer Deibel invites you back to the Emerald Isle in the 1930s for this fresh take on the Cinderella story, complete with a tantalizing mystery, a budding romance, and a chance at redemption.

ADVANCE PRAISE

·         “Deibel’s update on the “Cinderella” story features sympathetic, three-dimensional characters that readers will find easy to root for as they navigate the page-turning plot and find their way to one another. This heartwarming entry will keep readers hooked till its satisfying close.”— Publisher’s Weekly

 

·         "A slow-building, delicious romance wrapped in a mystery!"— Erica Vetsch, author of the Thorndike & Swann Regency Mysteries

 

 

PURCHASE LINKS

AMAZON | BAKER PUBLISHING | BARNES & NOBLE | BOOK DEPOSITORY | BOOKSHOP | GOODREADS

 

AUTHOR BIO

Jennifer Deibel is the author of A Dance in Donegal (winner of the Kipp Award for Historical Romance) and The Lady of Galway Manor (a Parable Group bestseller). Her work has appeared on (in)courage, on The Better Mom, in Missions Mosaic magazine, and in other publications. With firsthand immersive experience abroad, Jennifer writes stories that help redefine home through the lens of culture, history, and family. After nearly a decade of living in Ireland and Austria, she now lives in Arizona with her husband and their three children.

WEBSITE | TWITTER | FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM | GOODREADS

Rump: The True Story of Rumpelstiltskin by Liesl Shurtliff

Rump was Daniel’s Library Youth Book Club book for November.  I’ll admit Daniel really was intrigued with this book as he thought the title was hilarious and would laugh each time he said rump.  Rump is a great fantasy tale that tells the backstory of Rumpelstiltskin from his point of view.  We were both intrigued by the story, but Daniel started taking the book and reading it without me to see how it ended.  I also enjoyed that the afterward by the author at the end was discuss names and how kids are picked on for their names or assumptions are made about them because of their names.   She was picked on for her name, Liesl, and decided to use this to write Rump, a story where names are very significant.  I thought that was intriguing.

Overall, Rump is a fun look at the fairy tale Rumpelstiltskin and how one never can really make assumptions about someone because of their name.

Book Source:  The Kewaunee Public Library.  Thank-you!