Mail-Order Duchess by Misty M. Beller

 

What is your weirdest reading habit? When I was younger, I used to like to sit in trees and read.  I haven’t done that since my teen years, but I still remember it fondly.  Now I sit under trees when I can.  I love reading outdoors. 

Widow Mandie Beaumont needs to leave her hometown of Savannah to escape her evil brother-in-law who has raped her and is trying to force her into marriage.  She answers an advertisement seeking a bride in Montana and she moves out west.  When she arrives, she discovers that her prospective groom, has passed away.  His brother, Enoch, will become the next Duke of Clarence.  He finds himself drawn to Mandie.  Will these two be able to move beyond past hurt to find new love?

My thoughts on this novel:

·       I loved the Enoch was so accepting of the fact that Mandie was pregnant and sympathized with her when she explained that she had been raped.  He said the baby was innocent and that he would accept it as his own.  What a good guy and how romantic.

·       This was a very romantic book and a quick read.

·       The tropes in this novel included mail order bride, amnesia, and marriage of convenience.

·       It is set in the Rocky Mountains which were both beautiful and rugged.

·       The Balfour family is living in Montana even though they are English aristocracy to protect the family from nefarious people back in England who want to destroy them.

·       Mandie hits her head before her arrival and has amnesia at first.

·       Enoch lost his previous love and is afraid to move on.

·       It is a sweet story and very readable.

·       I am currently reading the second book in the series, and I am loving it.

·       Trigger alert that rape is discussed, but the act is not described in detail.  Besides the topic of rape, this was a clean read.

·       I loved the development of Enoch and Mandie’s relationship.

·       There was great tension and action at the end!

Overall, Mail-Order Duchess by Misty M. Beller is a riveting family saga and western historical romance.  I greatly enjoyed this novel!

Book Source:  Thank-you to author Misty M. Beller for an e-book review copy of this novel.

 

The Jilted Countess by Loretta Ellsworth

 

Title:  The Jilted Countess

Author:  Loretta Ellsworth

Narrated by:  Caroline Hewitt

Publisher: Harper Audio

Length: Approximately 8 hours and 24 minutes

Source:  Thank you, Partner @bibliolifestyle @harperperennial for the review copy of the paperback copy The Jilted Countess by Loretta Ellsworth.  Audiobook copy purchased from Audible.com.

What is your favorite Valentine’s Day candy?  I am a fan of chocolate myself – dark or milk chocolate!

Roza Meszaros was a ballerina in Vienna and a Hungarian Countess.  WWII destroyed the opera house, and the communists have taken the family estate.  Her father never returned after being taken by the Nazis. The one bright spot is her fiancé, Joe, an American GI.  After falling in love and becoming engaged, Joe returned to the US.  They continued to write and figure out how to get Roza to the United States.  Two years later, she arrived in Minneapolis, ready for marriage with Joe, but he doesn’t show up.  She soon discovered he has married another.  Needing to find a husband in just under two weeks to stay in the US, Roza tried a desperate bid and told her story to the Minneapolis Star newspaper.  She received over 1,000 offers of marriage.  Who will she marry, and will it work out?

My thoughts on this novel:

·       How terrible to travel all the way to the United States to marry your GI American fiancé, only to find him married to his former American sweetheart.

·       This book was set in St. Paul and Red Wing, Minnesota. This was the second book that I read within two weeks to mention a date at Como Zoo in St. Paul.  I visited that zoo once when my kids were small, but it made me want to visit again. 

·       This was a very engaging story; I didn’t want to stop listening to the audiobook!  The narrator was fantastic.

·       I loved how the letters and dates made it seem like an old-fashioned bachelorette.

·       Roza is a fish out of water in Red Wing Minnesota living a very different life than what she grew up with as an aristocrat.  I loved how she was able to make a life that worked for her with starting a ballet school.

·       This historical romance had one of my favorite tropes of marriage of convenience. 

·       The romance was closed door.

·       Finn has PTSD after losing his entire platoon in WWII.  He has invisible wounds that no one can understand except for Roza.

·       Finn has a degree in mechanical engineering and works for the railroad.

·       I was very annoyed by some of the poor choices that Roza made, but I loved the ending.

·       There is a fascinating author’s note at the end about the real-life countess who inspired the story.  It was interesting that there is no trail for what really happened to her after she was married.

Overall, The Jilted Countess by Loretta Ellsworth is an engaging historical romance that shows how life can go on with a marriage of convenience when two people work together on their relationship. 

A Moment to Love by Tracie Peterson (Austenprose PR Book Tour)

 

Which book would you love to live in?  I love historical fiction and while reading this book, I wanted to live in 19^th century Cheyenne.

Dr. Carrie Vogel is a driven and gifted young woman who is a doctor at age 24 in a time when there were not many women doctors.  She is engaged to another doctor, Oswald, 15 years her senior due to their mutual interest in medical research.  After he steals her research and calls it his own, Carrie decides she is going to break the engagement and leave Chicago to return to her hometown of Cheyenne. Her friend Spencer Duval travels with her. Spencer is a Pinkerton agent searching for the criminal who killed his father.  Carrie agrees to marry Spencer to provide him cover while on his mission.  Will they become more than friends?  Will Spencer be able to quench his desire for revenge?

My thoughts on this novel:

·       This novel is a clean read and sweet romance.

·       I love the trope of marriage of convenience, and this was a good story in that trope.

·       I enjoyed the theme of forgiveness.

·       Maybe it was my love for Dr. Quinn Medicine Woman as a teen, but I loved that Carrie was a doctor and the medicine and science that was included in the story.

·       The Cheyenne setting was great, especially as juxtaposed with the Chicago setting at the start of the novel.

·       I liked getting to know Carrie’s family better when they moved back to Cheyenne.

·       The romance between Carrie and Spencer was wonderful.  I like how they both supported in each in their different endeavors.

·       This novel is the third in “The Hope of Cheyenne” series.  It can be read as a standalone, but it is also enjoyable as part of the series (I read the first book).

Overall, A Moment to Love by Tracie Peterson was an engaging sweet romance with unforgettable characters.

Book Source:  Thank-you to @authortraciepeterson @bethanyhousefiction @austenprose for a review copy of this novel as part of the Austenprose PR Book Tour. 

The Lawyer and the Laundress by Christine Hill Suntz (Austenprose PR Book Tour)

 

What country would you set a new book?  I realized that while I love L.M. Montgomery, I don’t read many books set in Canada.  The Lawyer and the Laundress by Christine Hill Sutz is set in Toronto Canada in 1837.  I read this while on a camping trip to Duluth, Minnesota.  I just returned this evening and I am a bit late with my post.

Sara O’Conner is a young widow trying to make ends meet as a laundress.  She befriends a motherless child, Evie, and through her, her father James.  After Evie falls ill with scarlatina, Sara nurses her back to health and stays on as her governess.  Sara’s new role in the home causes scandal across town.  Why is a laundress so educated?  What secret is she trying to hide?

My thoughts on this novel:

·       I loved the romance between Sara and James.  It was slow burn, and a marriage of convenience.

·       I loved Sara and Evie’s relationship.  It was made all the more special as Sara had lost her own mother as a child. She sympathized with Evie and did not want her to have the hard life that she herself endured.

·       I loved Henry, a poor young waif, who is sharp and knows all that is going on around town.  He helps Sara, Evie, and James through many pickles.  They help him too.

·       Ivanhoe is featured prominently throughout the novel and the characters enjoy reading and discussing it.  I still need to read Ivanhoe!

·       I had never heard of the Upper Canada Rebellion of 1837.  I enjoyed learning about it in the story and the author’s note at the end of the novel.

·       This is my first book by Christine Hill Suntz and it won’t be my last!  It is hard to believe this was her debut novel.  It was very beautifully written with great characters.

·       Sara has lost her faith through life’s trials, but James has kept his own faith.  Sara has a journey back to faith in this novel. 

·       This was a clean read.

·       There were great discussion questions at the end of the book.

Overall, The Lawyer and the Laundress by Christine Hill Suntz was an engaging historical romance with wonderful characters set in Toronto in 1837.  I highly recommend this fabulous debut.

Book Source:  Thank-you to @christinehillsuntz @tyndalehouse @crazy4fiction @austenprose for the review copy as a part of the Austenprose PR Book Tour.

The Indigo Heiress by Laura Frantz (Austenprose PR Book Tour)

 

What's a book that you think should be turned into a movie?  I think about this every time I read a book.  When I read The Indigo Heiress by Laura Frantz, I realized I would love to see this book as a movie or a series.

Juliet Catesby lives in the State of Virginia in 1774 on the Royal Vale plantation with her father and sister, Loveday.  The plantation is a mix of slaves and indentured servants, and Juliet and Loveday work secretly to help slaves escape to their aunt in Philadelphia.  Juliet also is a great help to her father keeping their plantation running, but they find themselves weighed down by debt that is mostly from the tobacco lords from Scotland.  One of those lords, Leigh Buchanon is coming to Virginia for a visit, and Juliet is not pleased.  Even more so when she discovers that her father has promised Leigh one of his daughters to cancel his debts.  Will Leigh chose Juliet or Loveday?  Can true love bloom from an arranged marriage?

My thoughts on this novel:

·       I greatly enjoyed this novel.  I literally couldn’t put it down and kept reading too long into the night.

·       I loved the unique story.  The book was partially set in colonial Virginia right before the start of the Revolutionary War and partially set in 18^th century Glasgow Scotland.  I found both settings to be fascinating.

·       I loved the characters.  Juliet was a strong woman making her way in a man’s world with grace.  She was willing to make changes in her life and trust that God would lead her through.  I also loved Leigh Buchanon.  He has not had the easiest of lives although he is from a wealthy family.  I love how considerate he is to Juliet in their arranged marriage.

·       Love bloomed between Juliet and Leigh over time, and I enjoyed the romance.

·       There was a great mystery about the death of Leigh’s first wife and a lot of suspense in the last part of the novel.

·       Loveday had an orange cat named Hobbes that traveled with them to Scotland.  I loved the cat.

·       The story is told in alternating chapters between Juliet and Leigh.

·       This was a clean romance.

·       I knew nothing about the tobacco lords and found that piece of history to be fascinating.  There is a great author’s note at the end on the topic as well.

Overall, The Indigo Heiress by Laura Frantz is a well written captivating historical fiction novel with great characters in a fascinating setting. It’s a story you won’t soon forget.  I highly recommend it!

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

BOOK DESCRIPTION

In 1774, Juliet Catesby lives with her father and sister at Royal Vale, the James River plantation founded by her Virginia family over a century before. Indigo cultivation is her foremost concern, though its export tethers her family to the powerful Buchanan clan of Glasgow, Scotland. When the heir of the Buchanan firm arrives on their shores, Juliet discovers that her father has secretly arranged for one of his daughters to marry the Scot as a means of canceling the family's debt. Confident it will be her younger, lovelier sister, Juliet is appalled when Leith Buchanan selects her instead.

Despite her initial refusal of him, an ensuing altercation forces Juliet to flee Virginia. Agreeing to marry, she sails with Leith to Scotland, hopeful of a better match for her sister, who accompanies her. But once in Glasgow and faced with the contentious, powerful Buchanan clan, she realizes that the man who saved her from financial ruin and scandal is the very one she must now save in return.

AUTHOR BIO

Laura Frantz is a two-time Christy Award winner and the ECPA bestselling author of 15 novels, including The Seamstress of Acadie, The Rose and the Thistle, The Frontiersman's Daughter, Courting Morrow Little, The Lacemaker,and A Heart Adrift. She is the proud mom of an American soldier and a career firefighter. Though she will always call Kentucky home, Laura lives with her husband in Washington State. Learn more at LauraFrantz.net.

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.

Saved by the Matchmaker by Jody Hedlund (Austenprose PR Book Tour)

 

What is your favorite romance trope?  Marriage of convenience, second change romance, friends to lovers, enemies to lovers, forced proximity, etc.?  Saved by the Matchmaker is a romance novel with one of my favorite tropes, marriage of convenience.

Enya Shanahan thought she found the love of her life when she eloped with Brian.  After he abandoned her, her family quickly had her marriage annulled.  One problem is that she is pregnant.  Her father hires a matchmaker to find her a husband quickly.  The matchmaker pairs her with steamboat Captain Sullivan O’Brian, who also needs a quick marriage to appease his father and keep his job.  Will these two find love and understanding?  Will they be able to work together to help enslaved people find freedom?

My thoughts on this novel:

·       This was a very romantic story full of romantic tension.

·       Sullivan has scars from rescuing people from a devastating fire during the Mexican American War.  He is afraid no one will love him because of these scars.

·       The story had hints of Beauty and the Beast, if the Beast was actually a nice man with unsightly scars.

·       This story takes place in the 19^th century in St. Louis, New Orleans, and along the Mississippi River.

·       Both Enya and Sullivan were wonderful, deeply developed, and well-rounded characters.  I loved their growth through the novel, as well as their romance.

·       This was a clean read, but oh my – the romantic tension was definitely there!

·       This is the second book in the series, but it can be read as a standalone.

·       I loved that Sullivan gave time for Enya to fall in love with him.

·       The story is told through Enya and Sullivan’s alternating points of view.

·       It was an interesting detail on how Sullivan used his river boat as part of the underground railroad to help enslaved people escape to the north.  Enya loves this about him and wants to help.

Overall, Saved by the Matchmaker by Jody Hedlund is a beautiful historical romance with well developed and likeable characters, and great romantic tension.

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

BOOK DESCRIPTION

After her annulment is finalized, Enya Shanahan finds herself caught in a web of scandal and obligation while carrying a secret that threatens to shatter her family's reputation. Determined to find a suitable marriage for Enya, her father turns to a wily matchmaker to save them from their circumstances.

Sullivan O'Brien, a steamboat captain committed to aiding enslaved people on their path to freedom, is faced with an ultimatum from his father. Forced to marry or lose his livelihood, a marriage of convenience seems to be the only solution. As he and Enya face the trials of their pasts and a city consumed by fire, they must confront their deepest fears and learn to trust in love, even when darkness threatens to engulf them.

AUTHOR BIO

Jody Hedlund (JodyHedlund.com) is the bestselling author of more than fifty novels and is the winner of numerous awards. Jody lives in Michigan with her husband, busy family, and five spoiled cats. She writes sweet historical romances with plenty of sizzle.

Chasing the Horizon by Mary Connealy (Austenprose PR Tour)

 

Did you ever play the game, Oregon Trail?  I loved playing it on computers when I was in middle school, even though I always seemed to die of dysentery on the way.  Maybe this is why I became an environmental engineer concerned with water quality.  We have a card game version that my kids like to play.

Beth Rutledge has worked for years putting together a plan to rescue her mother, Ginny, from the insane asylum.  Her father committed her mother to get rid of her since she did not follow his commands or allow him access to her and her daughter’s trust funds.  Beth spirits her mother away from Chicago and onto the Orgon Trail.  On the trail, guide Jake is attracted to Beth and wonders why she is running.  Will Beth and Ginny be able to escape?  Will love find Jake and Beth on the trail?

What I enjoyed in this novel:

·       It was action packed right from the first chapter and the suspense continued throughout the novel as Beth’s father continued his pursuit.

·       The characters were all well drawn and interesting.

·       It is a very good look at how dangerous and hard it was for pioneers as they made their way west.  There is a horrifying accident that results in the loss of life.

·       I also like how it showed the melting pot that America was at the time with various immigrants joining American raised pioneers heading west looking for a better life.

·       This novel was also a good look into how few rights women had at the time.  Men could just declare a woman insane for any reason and have her locked up. 

·       I loved how Beth’s father had Pinkerton agents after her and he slowly figures out how she has been working for years to learn the skills required for her escape.  I loved her very detailed plan.

·       The romance in this novel was sweet and included one of my favorite tropes, a marriage of convenience.

·       It was a clean read, and it was faith based.  There was a prayer and service after the wagon accident and other discussions of faith.  “The morning service was full of Bible services about strength and hope and loss.  God’s love was woven generously through it all.”

·       I also love how Beth was able to put together so many people to be a “family” to help with the escape and to settle together in Idaho.

·       This is Book 1 of the new A Western Light book series.  The story will continue in book two which will be out this summer.  The first chapter was included at the end of this book, and I am ready to read it!  The ending of Chasing the Horizon did not feel complete, and I am ready to read more about these characters.

Overall, I enjoyed this pioneer suspense and adventure on the Oregon Trail.  I loved the characters and can’t wait to read more about them. 

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

QUICK FACTS

·       Title: Chasing the Horizon

·       Series: A Western Light (Book 1)

·       Author: Mary Connealy

·       Genre: Historical Fiction, Historical Romance, Western & Frontier Romance

·       Publisher: Bethany House Publishers (February 13, 2024)

·       Length: (304) pages

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

·       ISBN: ‎ 978-0764242656

·       Tour Dates: February 12 – 26, 2024

BOOK DESCRIPTION

Her only chance at freedom waits across the horizon

Upon uncovering her tyrannical father's malevolent plot to commit her to an asylum, Beth Rutledge fabricates a plan of her own. She will rescue her mother, who had already been sent to the asylum, and escape together on a wagon train heading west. Posing as sisters, Beth and her mother travel with the pioneers in hopes of making it to Idaho before the others start asking too many questions.

Wagon-train scout Jake Holt senses that the mysterious women in his caravan are running from something. When rumors begin to spread of Pinkerton agents searching relentlessly for wanted criminals who match the description of those on his wagon train, including Beth, she begins to open up to him, and he learns something more sinister is at hand. Can they risk trusting each other with their lives--and their hearts--when danger threatens their every step?

 

 

PRAISE FOR CHASING THE HORIZON

• "Mary Connealy’s Inspirational Western Romances have long been on my radar to try, but the new Western Lights series opener, Chasing the Horizon, was my first opportunity. Imagine my chagrin when I started reading and didn’t want to stop. Oh yes, dear friends, I’d waited too long to discover a gem of a writer."— Sophia Rose, The Reading Frenzy
• 5 STARS "What an incredible book! It kept me on the edge of my seat the entire time I read it.” — Camille Dayton, Fostering Literacy
• 5 STARS “Loved this story! I was intrigued right from the beginning.”— Melissa Goss, Christian Books and Coffee

PURCHASE LINKS

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

AUTHOR BIO

Mary Connealy writes romantic comedies with cowboys. She is independently publishing a contemporary romantic suspense series called Garrison’s Law, book one is Loving the Texas Lawman. Her new historical series, High Sierra Sweethearts begins with The Accidental Guardian. She is also the author of these series: Kincaid Brides, Trouble in Texas, Wild at Heart, Cimarron Legacy, Lassoed in Texas, Montana Marriages, and Sophie's daughters, and has many other books.

 

She is a two-time Carol Award winner and has been a finalist for the Rita and Christy Awards. She’s a lifelong Nebraskan and lives with her very own romantic cowboy hero. She’s got four grown daughters and four spectacular grandchildren.

 

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