The Lady and the Highwayman

The Lady and the Highwayman. Sarah M. Eden. 2019. Shadow Mountain. 352 pages. [Source: Review copy]

First sentence: Rumor had it, Fletcher Walker wasn’t born but had simply appeared one day, swaggering down the streets of London.

Premise/plot: Elizabeth Black and Fletcher Walker are both authors living in Victorian London. He writes penny dreadfuls. She writes silver-forks. He is the “king” of his genre until another King starts outselling him, a Mr. Charles King to be exact. Walker fears that King may not be a kindred spirit—one who will do just about anything, legal or not, to help the down and out children. Who is this man? Can he be trusted? Should he be invited to join the Dreadful Penny Society? Will he help their cause or hurt it? Does he want to see the poorest, dirtiest children get off the streets and receive an education?

Fletcher Walker asks Miss Black for assistance. Does she have any idea who this Charles King is?! Could she help him follow the clues and solve a mystery?! All indications point to her keeping his identity secret—but why? Likewise it seems Walker has his own secrets he keeps close. Will love bloom between these two authors?!

My thoughts: I absolutely love Sarah Eden’s romances. This one is not an exception. I loved that we get excerpts from each of their serial novels. It is a fun play on a genre that has not truly survived into this century. (Though one could argue that cheap, formulaic non-literature for the masses has. One could also dive into the topic of what makes a book worth reading...what makes a book “good.”) I loved the hero and heroine. I loved them individually and as a couple. I also cared for the fictional heroes and heroines within the story—the characters created by Walker and King. Granted I’m not sure that outside the framework I would want to spend hours with them. But maybe I would?! A novella length perhaps! Eden’s writing kept me turning pages. Turning pages and sometimes grinning from ear to ear.

I would recommend this one if you enjoy clean romance or historical romance. I loved the setting of Victorian London. It was romance packed with adventure.



© 2019 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

Daisies and Devotion

Daisies and Devotion (Mayfield Family #2) Josi S. Kilpack. 2019. Shadow Mountain. 304 pages. [Source: Review copy]

First sentence: After two minutes of sitting, Timothy was on his feet, walking the perimeter of the drawing room and looking over each of the excellent paintings on the wall. He'd never been one to sit still very long.

Premise/plot: Timothy Mayfield fears that circumstances will force him to marry an heiress or not at all. He admits his such to Miss Maryann Morrington when she asks if he's courting her because of her money. His honesty is refreshing--except for when it isn't.

Miss Morrington fears that every single suitor is after her money. Before it became known that she was an heiress, she had few--if any. She's a little too old to be having her first season in London. If she doesn't receive a proposal this year--will she ever?

When Timothy's circumstances change--thanks to his uncle's promise--will he keep Maryann in mind now that he's looking for someone tall, blonde, thin, graceful, musical, fluent in two or three languages, etc.? (His exact list is too long to quote!)

My thoughts: I loved, loved, loved, LOVED this one. I think I loved this one even more than the first book in the series, Promises and Primroses. (I honestly didn't think that was possible since I absolutely loved it.) If you like your romances to be giddy-making, I'd definitely recommend this one. I love the characters, the dialogue, the relationships, the pacing, the setting. (I love Regency romances). There isn't anything I didn't love about this one.



© 2019 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

Blog Tour: Song For the Stars

Song for the Stars. Ilima Todd. 2019. Shadow Mountain. 352 pages. [Source: Review copy]

First sentence: I sink lower into the hull of the canoe, pressing my back against the koa wood along the base. My eyes close, eclipsing the stars above me in the night sky. I relax and try to feel the rhythm of the sea.

Premise/plot: The setting for A Song for the Stars is Hawaii in the eighteenth century. Maile, our heroine, is the second daughter of one of the royal chiefs. She's engaged to marry a navigator, Ikaika; they've known each other for ages--but it's love, true love. But life changes dramatically for the island when Captain James Hook visits the island. His first visit coincides with a joyous celebration. Could Cook be the promised god come to visit? His second visit does not go as well. It's a different season, the season of war. When the two peoples clash, Maile gets caught up in the middle of it. Unbeknownst to her family--to her father--she secretly 'saves' the white translator, John Harbottle, and heals his battle wounds. I doubt she could even tell you why. It's anything but simple.

The story alternates between Maile's and John's point of view.

My thoughts: I really LOVED this one. It is the best kind of romance story--one based (loosely) on family history. The couple in this one are the fourth great-grandparents of the author. This is a story that--according to the author's note--she's wanted to tell for years and years. I can see that, I can. It is a story that resonates. I really loved Maile and John Harbuttle. I think their story is oh-so-satisfying.

© 2019 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

Healing Hearts

Healing Hearts. Sarah M. Eden. 2019. Shadow Mountain. 336 pages. [Source: Review copy]

First sentence: Miriam Bricks sat in the cramped and rancid interior of a rickety stagecoach and contemplated for the hundredth time how fortunate she was to be there.

Premise/plot: The hero of Healing Hearts, Dr. Gideon MacNamara needs a wife and a nurse. Neither are easy to come by in Savage Wells, Wyoming. He's sent away--mail order--for a woman who's willing to be both. Miriam Bricks is a qualified, experienced nurse. She's more than willing to be his nurse--even to cook his meals--but she's not prepared to marry him--or anyone. Will Dr. MacNamara make the best of a bad situation? YES, yes he will. What he learns about Miriam is that she's a FANTASTIC nurse. She's just as skilled treating patients as she evading questions about her past. What is she hiding from him? from everyone? Will her past come back to threaten her?

My thoughts: I really LOVED this one. It is set in Wyoming in 1876. It definitely has an Old West vibe to it--which I adored. I loved the getting-to-know-one-another aspect of their relationship. As much fun as it would be to have a marriage of convenience turn into the real deal story...this one was oh-so-satisfying. This pacing makes complete sense for Miriam. And it just felt completely right. I also enjoyed meeting the other residents of Savage Wells. And some of the visitors as well!  (I know this is book two in a series, but I never once felt lost.)

I would definitely recommend this one. I was thrilled to be a part of the blog tour for this one!

© 2019 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

Promises and Primroses

Promises and Primroses. Josi S. Kilpack. 2018. Shadow Mountain. 336 pages. [Source: Review copy]

First sentence: Elliott Mayfield, the fifth Viscount Howardsford, looked across the desk at Peter, his eldest nephew and heir. Destiny and opportunity are not that different, he reminded himself in an effort to bolster his courage.

Premise/plot: Elliott Mayfield has decided that his nieces and nephews need a little extra help in making good matches and settling down. Emphasis on good. Their parents--his brother and sisters--made bad matches, regrettable matches leading to scandalous talk--either before or after. Peter is perhaps his favorite.

Peter is a widower with two young children--daughters. He's not looking to marry a second time. His first marriage was not a mistake: she was the love of his life. The idea of marrying to please his uncle and to set a 'good example' for his cousins is ridiculous. NO THANK YOU.

Yet it isn't long after his uncle's suggestion that he hires a new governess, Julia Hollingsworth. She wasn't his first or even second choice--she is young and beautiful. But she's a perfect fit for his household. She's great with his daughters. And she is knowledgeable about dogs too. He's newly in the breeding business and he could use her help.

But Julia's mother is ANGRY--disgruntled. When she finds out WHO hired her daughter, she takes steps to intervene. She seeks out Elliott Mayfield to enlist his help. Julia must not be allowed to remain in a Mayfield residence.

Can Peter change Amelia Hollingsworth's mind? Will he realize just what Julia is becoming to mean to him in time?

My thoughts: I loved, loved, LOVED this one. It's set in England--in the countryside--in 1822. It is written from four perspectives: Elliott, Peter, Julia, and Amelia. It was a nice touch including Elliott and Amelia's point of view. Julia has a hard time understanding or appreciating her mother. If one didn't get Amelia's point of view as well, one would leap to conclusions about her character. As it is, there are four well-developed four very-human characters for readers to get to know.

I love romance. I don't read it all that often because I prefer clean romances to smutty ones. When I find an author or in this case a publishing company that is reliably clean I get excited. I would definitely recommend this one!

© 2018 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

Ashes on the Moor

Ashes on the Moor. Sarah M. Eden. 2018. 384 pages. [Source: Review copy]
First sentence: Through a thick fog of grief, Evangeline Blake suffered the blow of each clang of the distant funeral bells.

Premise/plot: When the novel opens, Evangeline Blake, our heroine, has lost everything--almost. She has lost a father, a mother, and two brothers. Lucy, her younger sister, is her sole immediate family. That day Evangeline makes a promise that they'll be together--stay together--no matter what. But within a day or two, at most, that promise proves empty. Lucy, so she's told, is to live with her grandfather. Evangeline, however, is to become a teacher in a mill town. It is what is best for everyone. Oh, and Evangeline is not to tell anyone about how she's related to them or her grandfather.

Evangeline finds herself in a desperate situation for sure. She's young, unskilled and untrained in teaching, same goes in housekeeping and cooking. She's HUNGRY and cold. She finds herself in need of so much, and she finds so much of what she needs in her neighbor, Dermot McCormick. He's relatively new to town; he's Irish; he's a single father raising an autistic son; he's compassionate. Did I mention this is set in Yorkshire in Victorian times?!

My thoughts: I loved this one. I LOVED IT from the first page to the last. It was a satisfying historical romance. I loved the teaching aspect of it. How she is changed just as much by her students as they are changed by her. I loved the focus on the Yorkshire language, and how she tried to write down stories for them in their own language so that they could learn to read in a natural environment. I loved how she is transformed by her new home, new surroundings, new situations. In some ways, this one reminds me of Elizabeth Gaskell's North and South. 



© 2018 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

Blog Tour: Check Me Out

Check Me Out. Becca Wilhite. 2018. Shadow Mountain. [Source: Review copy]

First sentence: You know that quote people attribute to Confucius? The one that says, "Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life"? I know that quote. I've had paper copies of it stuck to various household mirrors. I believe in it. I love it.

Premise/plot: Greta, our heroine, is a young librarian who shared a wish with her best friend, Will. Her wish? To find the perfect guy. He delivers; in fact he sends the guy, his cousin Mac, to the library, to the poetry section. Her reaction is total swoon. But what she doesn't know--but readers do--is she's fallen into an adaptation of Cyrano de Bergerac.

The guy she's falling head over heels for--is being told exactly what to say by Will. When they bump into each other impromptu, he stumbles and goofs. On their dates, he's always glued to his phone. But he gives the most awesome compliments--via text and sometimes in person.

The other drama of Check Me Out is Greta's fight to save her small town library. If a bond passes, I believe, then there will be a new library. If it doesn't, well, the current library closes its doors forever.

My thoughts: I enjoyed this one. I did. I usually don't read contemporary romances because I don't read smut. (To clarify, I don't judge those who do. I just personally choose to keep my romances clean.) I trust Shadow Mountain's Proper Romance line though. So as soon as I heard that this one was a loose adaptation of Cyrano de Bergerac, I said YES, please!

Cyrano de Bergerac is told from Cyrano's perspective. Obviously, this one is from the female perspective. Greta--like Roxane--is at first concerned SOLELY with appearances. Greta finds Mac to be swoon-worthy. And she can't stop talking about his perfect hair, his perfect body, his perfect smile, his perfect eyes, etc. She melts at the touch of his hand on hers. She's smitten thoroughly. I am often annoyed with Roxane's character--her blindness to what is right in front of her, her shallowness, her silliness. That holds true, in part, with Greta.


© 2018 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

Diary of a Beautiful Disaster

Diary of a Beautiful Disaster. Kristin Bartzokis. 2017. KiCam Projects. 162 pages. [Source: Review copy]

First sentence:  My name is Kristin. Some people call me Kris, KB, Bart, or the girl who can do no-handed cartwheels. After all, I was a champion gymnast. Unfortunately, I was born with a facial deformity, a problem that seems to define the person I am no matter what else I might accomplish in life.

Premise/plot: The book is a memoir. From the preface, "These pages tell the story of my life, the life of a woman in her early thirties who is afflicted with an unusual facial anomaly known as Treacher Collins syndrome." There are two narrative styles--techniques--in this one. Some chapters read like journal entries. These chapters are dated and focus on specific surgeries. They're meant to be give an intimate behind-the-scenes look at what it's like--for parent and child--to be hospitalized and endure such physical and emotional pain. (Physical and perhaps emotional for Kristin, and emotional for the parents.) Other chapters cover more time, and are more general while still being reflective.

My thoughts: It was a compelling, engaging read. If there's a lesson to be learned, it is never make assumptions. For example, never assume that because a person looks different that they are "special needs" or "disabled" or "mentally challenged." Don't assume that because a person looks different that they are friendless loners in need of pity and a reassuring "Jesus Loves You." Bartzokis writes from the heart in this one.

Each person has their story to tell. And each person who looks "different" has their own story to tell. It is a balancing act in this one. Tension between making it very personal, this is what it was like for me, and speaking up as a representative of the syndrome, giving voice to others. Too much on one side or the other could weaken the narrative perhaps. 

Quotes:

• My flaws make me noticeable, but my strength makes me memorable. (5)
• One day in middle school, I sat at the mall food court with a friend. A woman came up to us as we ate our Chinese food, looked me straight in the eyes, and proclaimed, "Jesus loves you." Then she disappeared as quickly as she came. She never acknowledged my friend, never said, "Hello" or "Have a nice day." She simply ruined my meal with a solitary phrase. Apparently she felt I needed to know that the Lord still loved me even with my imperfections, which gave me no comfort at all. Let me say this to anyone who agrees with this woman's actions: Singling someone out because of her uniqueness, even if doing so is well intended, is not an appropriate act. It does not promote self-love and acceptance; instead, it fosters feelings of self-doubt and isolation. Having a stranger single me out in a crowded establishment made me even more aware of my flaws. It was like tunnel vision. When she spoke, it was only she and I in the moment. The world around me had faded to black, and her eyes bore into me. That occurrence, that single phrase, scarred me. It serves as a reminder that some people will always see me as flawed or damaged. Or perhaps, it's something deeper. Maybe it's a reminder that I will always see myself as flawed or damaged. (21)
• But what others need to understand is that for people like me, pain, whether physical or emotional, is a way of life. It is an everyday, every-hour, every-minute occurrence. If I let every instance of pain get to me, I'd be in tears all day long...So the way I deal with pain is to make it my enemy, to fight it, to not let it rule my life. (31)
• Over the years, especially when I was younger, I received many inquisitions of, "What happened to your face?" (93)
• My story might be unique to me, but my struggle with confidence is universal. (142)
• It is time for me to recognize that I am more than just a beautiful disaster. I am beautiful. (162)

© 2017 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

Darcy's Hope at Donwell Abbey

Darcy's Hope at Donwell Abbey. Ginger Monette. 2017. 413 pages. [Source: Review copy]

First sentence: Captain Fitwilliam Darcy narrowed his gaze as the steamer carrying Elizabeth faded into the twilight.

Premise/plot: Darcy's Hope at Donwell Abbey is the sequel to a book I reviewed earlier this year, Darcy's Hope: Beauty from Ashes. Ginger Monette has created an adaptation of Pride and Prejudice set during 'the Great War' (World War I). While most of the first book was set in Europe--relatively near the fighting--most of this second book is set in England. The first book ended well with Darcy and Elizabeth happily together. The second book upsets their happiness a good deal. Elizabeth perceiving a dangerous, scandalous threat to Darcy if she stays in his life, leaves him--well, his estate--with the intention of setting out for America and a new life. But her plans don't go smoothly. And whatever plans Darcy may have had are completely disrupted when he's injured during a battle. He needs a kind, understanding nurse....enter Juliet Thomas.

Will Darcy fall in love with the woman taking care of him? Will Elizabeth ever get her happily ever after?

My thoughts: I liked the first book. I did. But I think I loved the second one even more!!! Perhaps because it didn't feel as forced to include little details to make it more like P&P. Also this one was less about spying--about trying to capture enemy spies--and more of a traditional romance. (It also helps that the world-building was taken care of in the first book. Now it's time to PLAY with the characters.) I really enjoyed the characters more in this one. I loved seeing John Thornton and Margaret Hale in this one!!!  

© 2017 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews