The Empress Emerald by J.G. Harlond 5 stars

This was a very enjoyable read. Leo Kazan’s a very likeable hero who has many interesting little traits and some less than honest habits. Drawn to shiny objects, from an early age Leo becomes adept at hiding his pilfered treasures. Had he not been drawn into the intelligence services of the British in Colonial India I think he might have developed into an international jewel thief and the ending would likely have been quite different. Leo is such an interesting character as he grows up in orphanage conditions before being thrust into adulthood at an early age, recognising his own abilities and maximising on them very well. Quick witted, he adapts to the life of the spy so well and lines his pocket in his own way, in addition to any official earnings. 

I found Davina a product of her times. A bit of a dreamer, she is a young woman whose cosseted upbringing has not prepared her for the realities of life. The long, almost sterile, marriage she enters into is something to be borne as a result of her misdeeds- a grin and bear it mentality abounding. Her abandonment by her family is tragic but it was, sadly, something which happened during the 1920s. The romantic threads are nicely woven in this beautifully written story and I found the well researched details of the Colonial India of the first third of the twentieth century very interesting to read, the setting easy to picture.

For the Love of Murphy

For the Love of Murphy

Publisher: Roane Publishing

Release Date: March 17, 2014

Key Words: Adult, Romance, Sweet, Contemporary, Anthology

They say love conquers all, but whoever "they" are, must not have heard of Murphy's Law -- whatever can go wrong, will go wrong.

These five tales of sweet, accidental romance prove Cupid's arrows are a lot tougher than they seem, and sometimes it pays to be unlucky.

No Wrong Turns by Lisa A. Adams

Jessica Brannah is escaping from her last heartbreak with a loaded car and a new address. But, when Murphy's Law finds her stranded in a back country town, she realizes there's no outrunning love.

Falling For You by Michelle Ziegler

Darci’s ready to move on. Too bad the dating pool stinks. Until, a ghost from her past resurfaces—the man she missed out on in college.

Andrew was the one man she’d always loved, but neither of them ever made a move. But, old feelings aren’t the only thing resurfacing of late. Darci’s ex comes crawling back at the most inappropriate time, and with all the testosterone flying, she might not end up with either man.

Coffee and Cufflinks by Annabelle Blume Fresh out of a failed relationship and exhausted by a constant barrage of fiascos at work, Olivia Johnson doesn’t see the man of her dreams standing right in front of her. She tells herself the morning coffee meet-ups with Daren are nothing but coincidence, but even she can’t deny his unequivocal attractiveness. When a night entertaining clients takes a turn for the worst, and Daren shows up where she least expects him, failure starts to look more like fate.

A Slippery Slope by Rebecca Hart

Anne Montgomery is psyched for her girl’s only weekend, despite her friends’ choice of vacation locale—the snowy slopes of Harris Peak Ski Resort—where someone as notoriously accident prone as she has no business being. When Murphy’s Law finally catches up with her, Anne is forced to consider there may be times when it pays to be unlucky.

The Shamrock Incident by London Saint James

Florist, Marissa Carmichael isn’t usually a klutz, but she’s in a hurry and having a bad day. In her haste, she loses her balance and tumbles from the back room of her shop, arms flailing. Her less than graceful entrance halted by a headfirst crash into a display case chock full of silk flowers.

Trey Cleary didn’t think his day could get any worse, until he finds. himself picking the side view mirror of his BMW up from the ground. On a mission to do something about it, he locates the flower shop matching the name on the back of the van that mangled his ‘baby'. But, his car is forgotten when a beautiful woman bursts into the room like an out of control whirling dervish, and takes one mother of a wipeout into the shop’s counter. Coming to her aid brings out the hero in him like no one he’s ever encountered, and leaves him with a need to know more.

For Marissa and Trey, this just might be the one time it pays to be unlucky.

~~~oOo~~~

Purchase Links:

Amazon / Amazon UK / Barnes & Noble / iTunes (Apple)

Tour Schedule

Book Blitz and Tour-wide Giveaway

$10 Amazon Gift card & paperback copy of

For the Love of Murphy

Ends 4/11/2014

a Rafflecopter giveaway Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code. No purchase necessary, but you must be 18 or older to enter. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter, and announced on the widget. Winner well be notified by emailed and have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. The number of entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Roane Publishing's marketing department. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.

Print

Createspace (direct - best option)
Amazon

eBook
Amazon
Amazon UK
Barnes and Noble
KOBO
Smashwords

Best wishes to all authors involved!
Slainthe!

 

Irish Inheritance by Paula Martin

My friend, Paula Martin, appeared on my main blog a few weeks ago after the launch of her latest contemporary romance- Irish Inheritance.

It's definitely on my TBR list and sounds just right up my street.

In case you missed the details -here they  are!

‘Irish Inheritance’

English actress Jenna Sutton and American artist Guy Sinclair first meet when they jointly inherit a house on the west coast of Ireland. Curious about their unknown benefactress and why they are considered 'family', they discover surprising links to the original owners of the house.

They soon unravel an intriguing tale of a 19th century love affair. At the same time, their mutual attraction grows, despite personal reasons for not wanting romantic involvements at this point in their lives.

A local property agent appears to have her own agenda concerning the house while other events pull Jenna and Guy back to separate lives in London and America. Friction builds over their decision about the house and its contents.

Will their Irish inheritance eventually drive them apart – or bring them together?

About Paula: 

 Paula Martin lives near Manchester in North West England and has two daughters and two grandsons.

She had some early publishing success with four romance novels and several short stories, but then had a break from writing while she brought up a young family and also pursued her career as a history teacher for twenty-five years. She has recently returned to writing fiction, after retiring from teaching, and is thrilled to have found publishing success again with her contemporary romances.

Apart from writing, she enjoys visiting new places. She has travelled extensively in Britain and Ireland, mainland Europe, the Middle East, America and Canada. Her other interests include musical theatre and tracing her family history. 

Links:

Website: http://paulamartinromances.webs.com

Amazon author page: http://amzn.to/KtlU6Y

Blog: http://paulamartinpotpourri.blogspot.com

Best wishes for wonderful sales for all of your books, Paula! 

Slainthe! 

Dark Whisky Road by Jen Black

It’s refreshing to read a plot set in the north of England where the protagonists need to be creative over avoiding the Excise men, where smuggling is second nature to the upper classes as well as the lower classes who do a lot of the toil. Similar plots I've read have been located on southern English coastlines, so it's nice to have it set in the border country of Northumberland with southern Scotland getting a mention, an overland route for the illicit whisy rather than a sea route. The occasional northern dialect that’s used sets the reader firmly into the locale as does the fine description of the landscape.

Jen Black’s writing style is crisp and flows beautifully, the story moving forward at a steady pace. Melanie, a dowager duchess, takes on her new housekeeper situation with fortitude and determination. Her choices are limited and she must make it work. Overcoming the recent horrific events she’s had to endure isn’t easy and her wariness of men is a stumbling block she must conquer. Her reactions to the widower, Lord Jarrow, are sometimes humorous, subservience not really something that comes easily, since she’s too used to leading and making her own decisions.

Jen Black’s portrayal of Melanie is sympathetic and well drawn-she’s a heroine with some spunk but also with vulnerabilities and weaknesses. Lord Jarrow’s secrets are well guarded, though Melanie determines to uncover them. That Jarrow has been living a semi reclusive life for years is believable in Victorian times – yet he’s not a dark and brooding hero. There are some very likeable secondary characters who add colour and humour to the story.

This is an enjoyable, quick read for a lover of historical romance.

The Ringmaster's Daughter by Grace Elliot

The Ringmaster’s Daughter by Grace Elliot. 

I had the pleasure of reading this novel at a very early 'beta' stage, before the final edits took place. The resulting book is well edited and rolls along at a cracking pace. It's a fast paced, very enjoyable Georgian Historical Romance set in Foxhall Gardens, a fictitious pleasure ground. The location at the outset of the novel is a seedy run down place but is due for a major refit and uplift to entertain a much grander and more wealthy clientele. 

Many other novels of this genre refer to similar gardens at ‘Vauxhall’ but the plot of The Ringmaster’s Daughter is unusual in that it is centred on the operation of the gardens itself, rather than the gardens being included in the plot as a venue for the ‘usually upper-class’ protagonists to drop in to sample the pleasures, or to experience nefarious deeds in the secluded and darkened walkways. 

Grace Elliot shows us those famed gardens from the perspective of the operators and workers of the site, and gives us a much more down to earth view of the performing areas. Via Henrietta (Henry, the son her father never had) we experience the hard life of the performers who entertained in the circus ring; we engage in the never ending grooming and training tasks for the performing animals; and empathise with Hetty as she senses the highs and lows of gaining a rapt audience during an era when female performing was frowned upon. Hetty takes on the enormous challenge of becoming a successful performer at a time when heckling was common, and a woman stepping out of the normally accepted role made her ‘fair game’ for sexual exploitation. Mr. Wolfson’s ultimatums for improvements to her act she meets with gritted teeth and a whole lot of style. His attraction is something else she must contend with, and grace Elliott has ensured she does so in a very natural way. Mr. Wolson, an at times typically arrogant hero, also has a very human and vulnerable side to his nature. He is easy to identify with as he works out ways to combat antipathy towards his efforts to improve the seedy grounds he first encounters and make them into a site of high class, superior quality entertainment. A man of conscience, it makes his growing love for Hetty not easy path to take. Grace Elliott includes a cast of nice characters and nasty ones- all portrayed very well

If you enjoy a quick, fairly uncomplicated Georgian romance that’s refreshingly different then I certainly recommend The Ringmaster’s Daughter. 

I gave this a 5* rating on Amazon and Goodreads. 

Warhorn by J. G. Bauer

Warhorn by J.G. Bauer

I love learning something new in a novel and since I know very little about this period in history - 220 B.C. - it was definitely challenging to keep up with the many factions involved in the struggle for supremacy across the Iberian plain, a domination which aims to leave the area in settled peace and harmony. I desperately wanted to leave off the novel reading to begin some research of the era, but that was tempered with the urgent need to carry on with the story of Caros and find out how J. G. Bauer would develop the character of the young man who vows to avenge the brutal killing of his entire family. 

The times are very bloody indeed. The description of the fighting and battle strategies are explained in great detail, sometimes too lengthy for me- the gore and devastation to man, woman, child and beast leaping off many of the pages in graphic horror. Caros transitions from being a young trader to a battle-hardened warrior who uses his deadly falcata with unerring accuracy, his combatant skills coming so naturally to him at a very swift pace. However, I like that J.G. Bauer ensures that Caros does not magically escape all injury- for me that would have been farcical in such violent and turbulent times. 

Battle scars gained toughen up the warrior even more even though he must live through some heartbreaking consequences. His rapid progress to being noticed by the upper echelons of the armies didn’t disappoint me, and that the young Hannibal singles him out seems fitting. Caros becomes the kind of unassuming hero who draws friends and admirers easily from his fellow comrades and also from his enemies. Named ‘Claw of the Lion’ early on in the novel is well earned by the time the story closes. 

It is not only a story of war, though, the love of a young woman –Ilimic- is also a painful transition for Caros to work through. There are many characters in the novel some of whom are very likeable, his friend Neugen for one. Other characters are much less attractive but well portrayed. My only problem with the read was that the editing could have been sharper: this would have avoided occasional spelling and points of view problems. 

If you want a detailed historical novel of battle frenzy this is definitely your kind of read.

Beggars Can't Be Choosier

Beggars Can’t Be Choosier by D.W. Wilkin

I love the title which instantly made me wonder who was going to be the beggar and I enjoyed the read to find out the ‘who and why’ of their beggar state. I really enjoyed how D.W. Wilkin has used the simple plot of: an ‘almost nobody’, in possession of a fortune, seeks the respectability of the ‘TON’ by marrying impoverished nobility.

I found it very easy to identify with Brian, The Earl of Aftlake, who makes the most of his circumstances, his noble character remaining true throughout- even in the face of some rather enticing temptations. That said, I found very little character development for him throughout the story, yet he continued to be likeable. Katherine Chandler can never be termed a wimpish Regency heroine. Her plans from the outset of the book are quite enterprising for the times and, for me, she comes across as feistily feminine throughout the novel. She, too, is an engaging character who only deals with a few minor setbacks along the way of the story. There are only a few instances where she needs to change her way of thinking, notably so towards the end. Katherine is a woman who makes things happen, to improve what she feels should be her true place in society.

The author’s writing style generally follows the form of Regency speech patterns which I’ve read in classic novels written about the period; a style which I found very entertaining. The historical detail with regard to the ‘TON’ is delightful to read and well researched. However, I found instances in the story which took another re-read to understand the sentences or paragraphs fully- for me something just not quite right about them. Some of the phrases seemed incomplete, or something was lacking in the cadences of the speech which interrupted my reading flow.

I’m not going to recount the story - as I feel that leads to too many spoilers – but I was wondering exactly what D.W. Wilkin was going to come up with towards the end of the tale to resolve the main focus which was ‘how does true love fit into the marriage bargain’. For me, the conflict of this issue could perhaps have been more developed, more instances where Katherine becomes challenged over her initial plans. The small mystery of Katherine’s true lineage is divulged towards the end, D.W. Wilkin giving sufficient clues along the way for the reader to pick up on, and if the reader has read Regency plots before then it’s not difficult to work out who is related to whom, even though his cast of characters is quite large.

There’s a very neat rounding up of monetary detail at the end of the story which makes me want to quote that ‘alls well that ends well’. If you’re looking for an easy Regency read, I can definitely recommend this one!
Blurb: 
 When a fortune purchases a title, love shall never flourish, for a heart that is bought, can never be won.

The Earl of Aftlake has struggled since coming into his inheritance. Terrible decisions by his father has left him with an income of only 100 pounds a year. For a Peer, living on such a sum is near impossible. Into his life comes the charming and beautiful Katherine Chandler. She has a fortune her father made in the India trade.

Together, a title and a fortune can be a thing that can achieve great things for all of England. Together the two can start a family and restore the Aftlake fortunes. Together they form an alliance.

But a partnership of this nature is not one of love. And terms of the partnership will allow both to one day seek a love that they both deserve for all that they do. But will Brian Forbes Pangentier find the loves he desires or the love he deserves?

And Katherine, now Countess Aftlake, will she learn to appreciate the difference between happiness and wealth? Can love and the admiration of the TON combine or are the two mutually exclusive?

Slainthe!