Amidst Ruins and Remembrances ~ Release Day and Review

Amidst Ruins and Remembrances

Victorians at the Beach

By Amy Newbold

Eloise Deighton has gotten over the broken heart Griffith Hastings left her with when he promised to come back for her. He never did. At 26, Eloise knows her days as an eligible lady have come to an end, and she's good with that, really. After several years in London, she has returned to Whitby and its shores. If only she felt as if she belonged somewhere. 

But now Griffith, a widower, is back, and he has brought his young daughter with him. Can the past, with its pain, be overlooked? Can love bloom again? 

My favorite line from the book is: "No one can foresee the future. What you have to decide is this: can you live with it if you never find out the answer?" Eloise and Griffith have a chance at their dream from ten years ago. This was a sweet read that provided a lovely evening of enjoyment. 

I was provided a complimentary copy with no expectations. All thoughts expressed are my own.

About the Book:

Where the ruins meet the sea, can love find a second chance?

Eloise Deighton grew up sharing secret adventures along the shores of Whitby, England, with summer visitor Griffith Hastings. One summer, Griffith declared his love for her and promised to return. He never did, leaving Eloise’s heart in ruins.

Now a widower, Griffith returns to the seaside town he loved as a boy, hoping to forge new, happy memories with his six-year-old daughter.

A chance encounter between Eloise and Griffith causes old memories to sweep in like the tide. Eloise’s resolve to protect her heart is crumbling like the abbey ruins, yet she fears Griffith will abandon her once again. Griffith is determined to win her back, but he will have to convince her that he has changed. Can the sea that once united them bring a second chance at love?

Amidst Ruins and Remembrances is a standalone novella in the Victorians at the Beach series where seaside summers meet sweet romance.

The Neighbor and the Gifts ~ Release Day Review and Giveaway

RELEASE DAY!

Welcome to the Blog + Review Tour for

  The Neighbor and the Gifts by Danielle Grandinetti, 

hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

The Neighbor and the Gifts 

A Christmas Cabin Novella 

By Danielle Grandinetti

Olivia Larson's plans for Christmas include spending time with her grandfather. What she didn't plan on was an unknown admirer sending her gifts in the spirit of the Twelve Days of Christmas and declaring her his true love. Panic attack!!

Titus Wilburn has always admired and fancied Ollie, but he's just never made any overtures to declare or hint at his feelings to her. But with someone terrorizing the woman he has feelings for, he'll do anything to keep her safe. And safety means hiding her out in the Wisconsin Northwoods with her grandfather. 

All is good until Titus is injured and the gift-giver finds them. With the days until Christmas counting down, Titus and Ollie, along with Casper and her grandfather, will have to work through the few clues they have if they hope to stay safe and protect those they love.

As someone who lives in Wisconsin, I love reading historical fiction set in Wisconsin, and when there is suspense and a sweet romance thrown in nothin' could be better except throwing in a dash of Christmas. The Neighbor and the Gifts gave me all of these, and it was so good! The book was the perfect length for a long night of reading. And as to the identity of the gift-giver, no hints are given away early in the book. All around, this was a good escape from a hot, humid evening with no A/C.

I was provided a complimentary copy of this book with no expectations but that I provide my honest opinion. All thoughts expressed were my own.

About the Book

Title: The Neighbor and the Gifts
Series: A Christmas Cabin Novella
Author: Danielle Grandinetti
Publisher: Hearth Spot Press
Release Date: July 15, 2025
Genre: Christmas Historical Romantic Suspense

Twelve days. Twelve gifts. One unlikely hero. 

Wisconsin, 1930—When Manitowish Waters librarian Olivia “Ollie” Larson finds a package on the library steps, she expects the children’s books she ordered, not a taxidermied partridge. By the fourth gift from her unknown and unwelcome True Love, disappearing to her grandfather’s isolated cabin in the Northwoods is the only way she can escape him. 

Deputy Titus Wilburn is happy to escort the lovely librarian to her grandfather’s house on his way to the neighboring Yarwood cabin. After all, he’s been smitten with her since they attended school together, and she needs his protection. However, the plan fails when Ollie’s uninvited suitor discovers her new location. 

As the man’s actions become more desperate and his gifts more dangerous, an unexpectedly bedridden Titus decides to free Ollie from this menace, which puts the enemy’s sights directly on him. Ollie refuses to let her injured hero sacrifice himself, but with the days ticking closer to Christmas, she may have no choice but to accept whatever fate her suitor has in store for her if she wants to save Titus’ life. 

One cabin in the Northwoods … a decade of Christmas miracles.

PURCHASE LINKS: Goodreads | Buy From the Author | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop | BookBub

More in This Series

Listen to The Sheriff and the Outlaw audiobook on YouTube

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About the Author

Danielle Grandinetti is an award-winning inspirational romance author fueled by tea, books, and the creative beauty of nature. Her stories combine romance, mystery, and suspense against the backdrop of the 1930s to tell the tale of finding home and hope in hard times. With a master’s in communication and culture and a passion for intercultural communication, storytelling has been her heartbeat for as long as she can remember. Married to her hero, Danielle is a second-generation Italian-American, a dairy farmer’s granddaughter, and a boy mom from Chicagoland who now lives along Lake Michigan’s Wisconsin shoreline.

Connect with Danielle by visiting daniellegrandinetti.com to follow her on social media and subscribe to email updates.

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Tour Giveaway

(1) winner will receive a paperback copy of both The Baby and the Guardian & The Neighbor and the Gifts plus 1 set of series-inspired earrings!

Full tour schedule linked below. The giveaway begins at midnight July 15, 2025 and will last through 11:59 PM EST on July 22, 2025. Winner will be notified within 2 weeks of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or risk forfeiture of prize. US only. Void where prohibited by law or logistics.

Giveaway is subject to JustRead Publicity Tours Giveaway Policies.

Enter Giveaway

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Follow along at JustRead Tours for a full list of stops!

Lady of Shadows ~ Review

Lady of Shadows

Blood of Kings: Legends #3

By Jill Williamson and Kelly Fernlake

Lady Tara is finally free from the man her father married her to. But the people refuse to accept her, and there are rumors that she and her shield, Carmack, murdered her late husband. When her family doesn't come to her assistance, Tara takes matters into her own hands to save Carmack's life. Things don't go quite as planned. 

But when Tara learns of a danger to her family, she knows that she is the only one who can help them. But Carmack isn't about to let her go into danger without his protection. But the danger threatens the entire Kingdom of Er'Rets, and the safety Tara counted on may not be hers to claim. Can Tara and Carmack learn that Arman's will may not be the same as theirs?

I have to say I think Lady of Shadow may be my favorite book in the Blood of Kings: Legends series. I loved the dynamics between the characters. And the attitudes of the people of Meribah Corner are less than inviting or welcoming. Poor Lady Gershom! I am also enjoying the experience of exploring more of this world and the complex relationships between its various factions.

I was provided a complimentary copy of this book with no expectations but to provide my honest opinion. All thoughts are my own.

About the Book:

The only man she loves is the one she can never have…

Lady Tara’s dreams of marrying for love were shattered with her arranged marriage to the sickly Lord Gershom. Fine. She may not have love, but she has purpose—a position of power that lets her make a difference in the kingdom. At least her Carmack, her fiercely loyal shield, remains by her side, even if she must deny her heart.

Then Lord Gershom dies. And to her horror, Carmack is blamed. Branded a traitor, he flees, forcing Tara to choose between protecting the life she’s built or following the man she loves.

Loving her might cost him everything…

Carmack Demry has secretly loved Lady Tara all his life, sworn to protect her at any cost—even if it meant watching her wed another man. But now, accused of a crime he didn’t commit, he’s on the run because staying away is the only way to keep her safe. Except Tara has other plans.

Determined to clear his name, she plunges into a web of treachery and deceit that reaches far beyond them both—one that threatens the very heart of the kingdom. Together, they must navigate a world of danger, unravel a conspiracy, and face a choice more perilous than any deny their love or risk everything to claim it.

Blood of Legends
Book 1: Squire of Truth
Book 2: Lord of Winter
Book 3: Lady of Shadows
Book 4: Heir of Light

Perilous Tides ~ Review

Perilous Tides

Hidden Bay #2

By Elizabeth Goddard

When her father disappears, leaving a cryptic message, Jo Cattrel leaves the safety of where she has been hiding. But her fruitless efforts put her in the sights of the very people she's been hiding from for the last three years. What Jo doesn't know is why someone is after her. Is the murder she witnessed tied to her mother's death and her father's disappearance? Or is it merely a coincidence?

When Cole Mercer suddenly comes back into her life, Jo wants to keep him out of it. She doesn't need him to break her heart again, but he's promised to help her find answers and to keep her alive. 

In Perilous Tides, secrets are the prevailing theme. Secrets that Cole is keeping about his abrupt departure, all those months ago. Secrets that her parents kept from her. And the questions she and Cole have dug up. And why is she a target? Is there something from her past that she can't remember?

From the opening chapter, this book jumps right into the action. There were several twists that I didn't see coming, and they really amped up the suspense angle. Cole wants a second chance with Jo, but he needs her to understand his reasons, which is a little difficult when there are secrets between them. Again with the secrets, poor Jo. Overall, a good story with lots of suspense and a major mystery to solve, so a good sequel in the Hidden Bay series.

I was provided a complimentary copy with no expectations, but that I provide my honest opinion. All thoughts expressed are my own.

About the Book:

Three years after her mother's suspicious death, forensic artist Jo Cattrel is in hiding, working at a storm-watching lodge along the Washington coast. When her father sends her a disturbing and cryptic message, Jo leaves the safety of the lodge to find him. But during the ferry crossing, Jo witnesses a murder--and becomes a target.

More surprising to Jo than being in danger is the identity of the person who steps in to protect, none other than her ex, former Green Beret Cole Mercer. Now a private investigator, Cole has been looking into her mother's death. If he can just uncover the truth, maybe Jo can end her self-imposed captivity and the two of them can pick up the pieces and build a future together.

As Cole and Jo search for answers, the past rushes in like a dangerous tide to sweep them away before the truth can be revealed.

In this action-packed thriller, USA Today bestselling author Elizabeth Goddard serves up a complex plot and the sizzling romance readers have come to expect.

The Collector of Burned Books

The Collector of Burned Books

By Roseanna M. White

This book is, for the most part, set in 1940/1941 Paris. But we are given a glimpse of 1933, as a group of students gathers to burn books that don't fit their ideas. Christian Bauer is a professor of literature who hopes that someday Germany will again listen and allow ideas to flourish. Fast forward to 1940, as German troops move into and occupy Paris. First on Christian Bauer's to-do list: visit the various libraries throughout the city, examine all the books to determine which should be banned or sent to Germany. 

Corinne Bastien has a claim on the books in The Library of the Burned Books; she tended them, and now they guard a secret. A secret that could doom her or be an instrument to resist the Germans. When Corinne first meets the man who is given charge of her library, she can't see past the uniform. But when her eyes are finally opened, the two find they have more in common than being professors of literature.

I found this to be a most intriguing book, the need to control ideas, either by destroying the books or shutting down the libraries. Reading this reminded me of the Zion Covenant books written by Brock and Bodie Thoene. I liked the main characters who were, for all intents and purposes, trapped in a world not of their making, trying to survive without betraying their souls to the devil. How does one protect those most dear without losing one's soul in the effort? This is what Corinne and Christian need to discover. 

I was provided a complimentary copy of this book with no expectations, but that I provide my honest opinion. All thoughts expressed are my own.        

                                                                                                                                                                      

About the Book:

In this gripping World War II historical about the power of words, two people form an unlikely friendship amid the Nazi occupation in Paris and fight to preserve the truth that enemies of freedom long to destroy.

Paris, 1940. Ever since the Nazi Party began burning books, German writers exiled for their opinions or heritage have been taking up residence in Paris. There they opened a library meant to celebrate the freedom of ideas and gathered every book on the banned list . . . and even incognito versions of the forbidden books that were smuggled back into Germany.

For the last six years, Corinne Bastien has been reading those books and making that library a second home. But when the German army takes possession of Paris, she loses access to the library and all the secrets she’d hidden there. Secrets the Allies will need if they have any hope of liberating the city she calls home.

Christian Bauer may be German, but he never wanted anything to do with the Nazi Party—he is a professor, one who’s done his best to protect his family as well as the books that were a threat to Nazi ideals. But when Goebbels sends him to Paris to handle the “relocation” of France’s libraries, he’s forced into an army uniform and given a rank he doesn’t want. In Paris, he tries to protect whoever and whatever he can from the madness of the Party and preserve the ideas that Germans will need again when that madness is over, and maybe find a lost piece of his heart.

But he hadn’t bargained on meeting a beautiful Parisian scholar who is clearly keeping as many secrets as he is. As Christian and Corinne try to discern each other’s true loyalties, forces beyond their control are making plans that could destroy everything they hold dear.

Of Fossils and Follies ~ Release Day Review!

It's Release Day!
Of Fossils and Follies

Victorians on the Beach #2

By Sienna Peake

Opal Martin is excited for the opportunity to explore the Lyme Regis region under Gideon Buckston, a geologist who is friends with her father. Opal's presence annoys Mr. Buckston's assistant, Nigel Harris, who assumes she's a spoiled rich girl out for a lark.

But Opal is more than a pretty face, she lives for discoveries and her mind flourishes amidst the Lyme coast. What she never expected was to discover an attraction. No, Opal's scientific interests have kept interest in her to nothing of significance. She spends more time on the outer edges of polite society than deep in its fold.

As Opal works alongside him and his team, Nigel is more than a little surprise that her interest is genuine and not a passing fancy. What's more she seems to understand him, which is unusual in his experience. Nigel's geological pursuits take precedence in his life and he's never considered romance, but there is something about Miss Martin that sparks an interest.

I love how this story was woven together. This was a sweet beach read that gave a lovely nod to history and geology. Opal and Nigel were just so perfect for one another with their shared interests and lack of interest in societal expectations. This was a perfect afternoon read (well, two afternoons) that left me with a feeling of satisfaction. 

I was provided a complimentary copy of this book with no expectations. All thoughts expressed are my own.   

About the Book:

Will an unexpected summer yield more than one discovery?

Ever since she was a young girl studying geology with her father, Opal Martin has longed for the chance to visit Lyme Regis and dig for discoveries of her own. When a high-stakes contest partners her with the stiff and grumpy Mr. Harris, Opal hardly expects to find love along her quest for fossils.

Nigel Harris has had to work his way up from humble origins to become an assistant to the famous geologist, Gideon Buckston. The last thing he needs is a pampered lady tagging along on his summer explorations. But when his chance to join a prestigious expedition is on the line, he finds the ever-enthusiastic Miss Martin to be just the partner he needs.

Of Fossils and Follies is a standalone novella in the sweet, closed-door romance series Victorians at the Beach, where seaside summers meet Victorian romance.

An Unforeseen Attachment ~ Release Day and a Review

~ It's Release Day ~ 
An Unforeseen Attachment

Hearts of Somerset #6

By Miranda D. Nelson

I really enjoyed reading this newest offering from Miranda Nelson.

An Unforeseen Attachment had some fun moments, like an attack mallard named Lord Duckworth, which led to a most unconventional meeting between main characters Simon Wayford and Julianna Bartlett. Let's just say a book and Simon get damaged in the encounter.

Simon is in Bath pursuing Miss Fairfax. Unfortunately, Miss Fairfax has not given him any encouragement in that department. But Simon is determined to win her hand. His Granny Bea is equally determined to see her grandson happy and married.

Julianna is a widow of two years with a six-year-old daughter. She has no choice but to live with her parents. Her mother is bent on controlling her granddaughter's upbringing and finding Julianna a new husband.    

With a dog named Charles Bingley, a matchmaking Granny, and a mother with an iron thumb, you know something will happen when Simon and Julianna get a chance to know one another. This was a cute Regency read with clean romance (AAA+ in my book). 

I was provided a complimentary copy of this book, with no expectations, but to provide my honest opinion. All thoughts expressed are my own.

About the Book:

Simon Wayford has one objective in mind when he travels to Bath–gain the affection of the woman he’s chased for months. When his efforts prove fruitless, Simon only agrees to stay at his grandmother’s request, anticipating an uneventful summer. What he does not expect is a young widow and her daughter to capture so much of his attention or his heart.

Julianna Bartlett never thought she would be living under her mother’s thumb once more. But after the passing of her husband, she and her daughter have little choice. While her mother is pushing for another marriage, Julianna is certain a loveless match will do nothing to repair what’s been broken.

Between a chance encounter and a meddlesome grandmother, two injured hearts might just find unexpected love.