The Girl From the Hidden Forest ~ Review

The Girl From the Hidden Forest

By Hannah Linder

She doesn't remember her life before the forest. But she remembers her nightmares and the beast that haunts them. Eliza Ellis calls the forest home, which is isolated with just her dog Merrylad and Captain, her father. She knows and loves her home. She dreams about the worlds that live within her books, never thinking she would ever see them. 

But when Felton Northwood steals her away from all she's known, her world is shattered. He tells her that the life she's known is a lie. For 14 years her life has been a lie. But Eliza knows the truth. Captain is her father, not some unknown viscount. And she never witnessed her mother's murder. And yet there is something familiar that nags.

Felton knows that Eliza is the key to clearing his family's name of the murder of Lady Gillingham. If only she can remember the truth he knows that the true killer will be identified and the cloud hanging over the Northwood name will be destroyed.

But nothing is ever easy and Eliza's return awakens danger - someone seems determined to keep her memories hidden away, even if it means ending her life.

Anyone who loves fiction with a Gothic feel will LOVE this book. This has forbidden romance, a displaced character, unwanted attraction, family secrets, and a beast. This book has emotional swings as Eliza tries to adjust to everything while longing for what she had. The forest and its simple, uncomplicated living calls to her. 

This book does an excellent job of concealing the true villain, and there were several likely suspects. The way the story comes together is perfect. I highly recommend this book to anyone who wants an excuse to stay up all night reading. This is a can't put it down book.

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.

BOOK DESCRIPTION

The nightmares may free her…but destroy the man she loves.
 
Eliza Ellis has stayed hidden in Balfour Forest for as long as she can remember. Perhaps her only friends are the trees, or her little dog, or her story-telling father called Captain. But at least she is safe from the cruel world outside, a world Captain has warned her against and protected her from.
 
That is, until a handsome stranger named Felton Northwood invades her quiet forest and steals her away. Why does he tell such lies? Why does he insist that her name is Miss Eliza Gillingham, daughter of a viscount, who disappeared fourteen years ago after the murder of her own mother? A murder Eliza is said to have witnessed.
 
When Felton returns Eliza to Monbury Manor and reunites her with a man who is told to be her father, all she remembers are the strange nightmares that have plagued her since childhood. Why have they suddenly grown worse? Are the answers hidden inside her own mind?
 
As danger mounts and lethal attempts are made on her life, Eliza and Felton must work together to uncover the identity of a killer who has stayed silent for fourteen years. When she finally uncovers the horrendous memories trapped in her mind, will divulging the truth cost her the man she loves—and both of their lives?

AUTHOR BIO

Hannah Linder resides in the beautiful mountains of central West Virginia. Represented by Books & Such, she writes Regency romantic suspense novels filled with passion, secrets, and danger. She is a four-time Selah Award winner, a 2023 Carol Award semi-finalist, a 2023 Angel Book Award third-place winner, and a member of American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW). When Hannah is not writing, she enjoys playing her instruments--piano, guitar, ukulele, and banjolele--songwriting, painting still life, walking in the rain, square dancing, and sitting on the front porch of her 1800s farmhouse.

 To follow her journey, visit hannahlinderbooks.com.

Love's Fortress ~ Review with Spotlight and Giveaway

Welcome to the Takeover Tour for 

Love's Fortress by Jennifer Uhlarik, 

hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

Love's Fortress 

Doors to the Past 

By Jennifer Uhlarik 

Twenty-six years ago Dani Sango's father Franklin was convicted of art forgery. His conviction destroyed Dani's world and her family. But her father has died and she is left with questions that need answers.

Brad Osborn's brother has made a mess of his life and Brad has custody of his young niece Brynn. Juggling his work-life as curator of the Andrews Museum of Western Art with his home-life with a dropped in his lap four-year-old is about to get even crazier. 

In 1875, in St. Augustine, Indian prisoners are brought from all they know and settled in the fort. Sally Jo Harris has desired to be a missionary and given a chance to share the Good News with these beaten-down people. Sally Jo along with Luke Worthing and Sarah Mather accept the challenge to reach out with God's love and care.

It is interesting to see these two stories come together. The commonality that draws them together is ledger art - artwork, drawings created by the Indian prisoners. Having visited St. Augustine's fort several times as a child/teen when I lived just north of St. Augustine I always cringed when the tours went through the areas that the various Indians were housed. And I could totally relate to Brynn's dislike of the dark enclosed places within the fort. It's been years since I've seen the fort but this book most definitely described it well and I felt as if I was there again. 

The Doors to the Past series are all stand-alone stories so you can easily read this or any book with no worries about wondering what you may have missed. This is a split-time book that offers a story that progresses but alternates between the two times bringing one to the climax. I will say that if you are a reader who likes to skip ahead don't do it. You will miss too much by doing so.

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

ABOUT THE BOOK

Title: Love's Fortress 

Series: Doors to the Past 

Author: Jennifer Uhlarik 

Publisher: Barbour Fiction 

Release Date: March 1, 2022 

Genre: Fiction / Christian / Romance 

An Epic Love Story From the Past Brings Closure to Dani’s Fractured Family Roots 

Upon receiving word that her long-estranged father has passed away, Dani Sango inherits the former art forger’s entire estate. Among his many pieces of artwork are a series of obviously Native American drawings and paintings, which lead her to research St. Augustine of 1875. White Elk is transported to Florida to join other Cheyenne braves already being held in Fort Marion. Sally Jo Harris is at the fort teaching the Indians. When a friendship develops between them and false accusations fly, it could cost them their lives. Can Dani discover how their story ends and how it shaped her own father’s life? ​

Walk through Doors to the Past via a series of historical stories of romance and adventure. 

PURCHASE LINKS*: Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | Indiebound | Christianbook | BookBub

MORE BOOKS IN THIS SERIES

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Jennifer Uhlarik discovered the western genre as a preteen, when she swiped the only “horse” book she found on her older brother’s bookshelf. A new love was born. Across the next ten years, she devoured Louis L’Amour westerns and fell in love with the genre. In college at the University of Tampa, she began penning her own story of the Old West. Armed with a BA in writing, she has won five writing competitions and was a finalist in two others. In addition to writing, she has held jobs as a private business owner, a schoolteacher, a marketing director, and her favorite—a full-time homemaker. Jennifer is active in American Christian Fiction Writers and is a lifetime member of the Florida Writers Association. She lives near Tampa, Florida, with her husband, teenage son, and four fur children.

CONNECT WITH JENNIFER: 

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

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TOUR GIVEAWAY

(1) winner will receive a print copy of Love's Fortress and a $15 Amazon e-gift card!

Be sure to check out each stop on the tour for more chances to win. The full tour schedule is linked below. The giveaway began at midnight on March 9, 2022, and lasts through 11:59 PM EST on March 16, 2022. The winner will be notified within 2 weeks of the close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or risk forfeiture of the prize. US only. Void where prohibited by law or logistics.

Giveaway is subject to the policies found here.

ENTER GIVEAWAY HERE

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

*NOTE: This post contains affiliate links.

High-Wire Heartbreak ~ Takeover Tour with Review and Giveaway

Welcome to the Takeover Tour for 

High-Wire Heartbreak by Anna Schmidt, 

hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

High-Wire Heartbreak 

Doors to the Past 

By Anna Schmidt 

Chloe Whitfield is combining work with pleasure as she researches her upcoming book. She plans to create a historical mystery set at Ca'd'Zan John Ringling's Sarasota, Florida home. It's just an added bonus that her long-lost great-grandmother Lucinda Conroy happened to be a performer in Ringling's circus as a trapeze artist. 

Little is known of Lucinda "Lucy" Conroy other than the fact of her occupation and that she did not raise her own daughter. Why did Lucy abandon her parental rights and duties to her daughter. Chloe is determined to unearth the truth. But some secrets the past is loath to give up. 

High-Wire Heartbreak takes the reader to 1936 and the present-day as two women attempt to find what they want from what life has given them. Love, marriage, a family - the choices and situations they both currently face will determine what their tomorrows hold.

This book is part of the Doors to the Past series in which each book is written by a different author and is complete in and of itself. These books can be read in any order and are not dependent on reading the others. 

I have to say I love split-time books there is just something about the back-and-forth between the past and the present that appeals to me. I love how the two storylines slowly unfold and then come together as the truth that time has hidden come to light. This excellent reading and should not be missed.

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

ABOUT THE BOOK

Title: High-Wire Heartbreak 

Series: Doors to the Past 

Author: Anna Schmidt 

Publisher: Barbour Fiction 

Release Date: January 1, 2022 

Genre: Fiction / Christian / Romance 

In 1936--A party at the Ringling mansion Ca d’Zan in Sarasota, Florida, leads to a robbery--and possibly death. 

A successful historical mystery writer, Chloe Whitfield comes to Ca’ d’Zan to research her next novel. Chloe’s fascination with the circus is rooted in family stories of her great-grandmother Lucinda Conroy, who reportedly was a trapeze artist of some renown. She’s heard hints of scandal—and perhaps larceny, but no details. 

Chloe’s grandmother—rumored to be Lucinda’s only offspring—was raised in an orphanage and never knew her mother. Intrigued as she is, Chloe has no intent of writing about Lucinda until she sees a poster featuring Lucinda as the star performer for a 70th birthday gala for John Ringling in May of 1936. From there the trail goes cold. 

Who was Lucinda and what happened to her? 

PURCHASE LINKS*:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | Indiebound | Christianbook | BookBub

Also available in the Doors to the Past series

 

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Anna Schmidt is the author of over twenty works of fiction. Among her many honors, Anna is the recipient of Romantic Times’ Reviewer’s Choice Award and a finalist for the RITA award for romantic fiction. She enjoys gardening and collecting seashells at her winter home in Florida.

CONNECT WITH ANNA: Website | Twitter

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TOUR GIVEAWAY

(1) winner will receive a print copy of High-Wire Heartbreak and a $15 Amazon gift card!

Be sure to check out each stop on the tour for more chances to win. Full tour schedule linked below. Giveaway began at midnight January 5, 2021 and lasts through 11:59 PM EST on January 12, 2021. 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 the policies found here.

ENTER GIVEAWAY HERE

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

 

*NOTE: This post contains affiliate links.

The Mistletoe Countess ~ Review

The Mistletoe Countess

by Pepper Basham

Grace Ferguson is delighted that her sister is going to be married and she imagines all sorts of fairytale loveliness for the life she is about to embark on. But when a secret threatens to ruin her family and more than one life - Grace does the only thing possible - she takes her sister's place.

But Grace has never sought a position in society so life as a countess is something she is unprepared for. But if literary knowledge is needed she's read a fair bit. And she is more than adequate as an amateur sleuth - having read any detective novel she can get her hands on. What she never expected was that this knowledge would come in handy when someone tries to do away with her new husband - Lord Frederick Percy.

Assuming the title of Havensbrook Hall was the last thing Frederick ever wanted - but the unexpected loss of his brother has him trying to restore the estate and save it from financial ruin. He needs money and marriage to an American heiress seems his only hope. When a last-minute change finds him marrying a substitute bride it will either be a colossal disaster or a blessing in disguise - and there is no way of knowing which until after their vows are said.

When danger follows Frederick and Grace across the ocean - he can't ignore the fact that someone seems determined to see him dead. The question is why. But finding the answer will have to wait as Lord and Lady Astley settle into their new roles.

As danger creeps ever closer, the darkness of the past threatens the happiness that Frederick and Grace have found during their short acquaintance and even shorter marriage. But to claim the inheritance that is rightly theirs they will need to delve into the past and its secrets to get to the truth, freeing them of the danger that seeks to end them all.

First off, I have to say there is a whole lot of story packed into this book. It isn't that it is too long just a lot of action and story, what with the whole marriage debacle and then the settling into life in England and solving the mystery surrounding Havensbrook Hall and the previous/current residents. Overall I'd say it was an excellent reading experience.

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.

(For those who don't want lots of kissing - a word of warning - there is a lot of kissing)

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/55889422-the-mistletoe-countess

About the Book:

Publisher: Barbour Fiction Release Date: September 1, 2021 Genre: Christian Historical Romance Will the magic of Christmas bring these two newlyweds closer together, or will the ghosts of the past lead them into a destructive discovery from which not even a Dickens’s Christmas can save them? Mistletoe is beautiful and dangerous, much like the woman from Lord Frederick’s Percy’s past, so when he turns over a new leaf and arranges to marry for his estate, instead of his heart, he never expects the wrong bride to be the right choice. Gracelynn Ferguson never expected to take her elder sister’s place as a Christmas bride, but when she’s thrust into the choice, she will trust in her faithful novels and overactive imagination to help her not only win Frederick’s heart but also to solve the murder mystery of Havensbrook Hall before the ghosts from Frederick’s past ruin her fairytale future. 

Undercurrent of Secrets ~ Review, Spotlight and Giveaway

Welcome to the Takeover Tour for 

Undercurrent of Secrets by Rachel Scott McDaniel, 

hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

Undercurrent of Secrets

Doors to the Past

By Rachel Scott McDaniel

Now to begin with I will admit I have not yet finished this book - due to a shipping mishap I got the book late. But what I have read has been excellent. 

I really enjoy books that take place in various time periods with something that ties them together. In this case the commonality is The Belle of Louisville. This ship is in both 1920 and the present the focal point of a mystery. 

In both time periods the characters are mostly likeable but there are hints at secrets that may or may not change my opinion of them (further reading will be needed. 

I love both the cover and the title of this book - it just drew me to the book and at this goes well with the story. At this time I believe this will be a 4/5 star reviewed book if all continues as it it is with the pacing and storyline.

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

Title: Undercurrent of Secrets
Series: Doors to the Past
Author: Rachel Scott McDaniel
Publisher: Barbour Fiction
Release Date: September 1, 2021
Genre: Dual Timeline / Romance 

Two women, a century apart, are bound by a haunting secret aboard a legendary steamboat. 

As wedding coordinator for the 100-year-old steamboat The Belle of Louisville, Devyn Asbury takes pride in seeing others’ dreams come true, even though her engagement had sunk like a diamond ring to the bottom of the Ohio River. When the Belle becomes a finalist in the Timeless Wedding Venue contest, Devyn endeavors to secure the prestigious title with hopes to reclaim some of her professional dreams. What she hadn’t planned on was Chase Jones showing up with a mysterious photo from the 1920s. 

A century earlier, Hattie Louis is as untamable as the rivers that raised her. As the adopted daughter of a steamboat captain, her duties range from the entertainment to cook. When strange incidents occur aboard the boat, Hattie’s determined to discover the truth. Even if that means getting under First Mate Jack Marshall’s handsome skin. 

Walk through Doors to the Past via a new series of historical stories of romance and adventure.

PURCHASE LINKS*: Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | IndieBound | Christianbook | BookBub

MORE BOOKS IN THIS SERIES

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Rachel Scott McDaniel is an award-winning author of historical romance. Winner of the ACFW Genesis Award and the RWA Touched By Love award, Rachel infuses faith and heart into each story. Rachel can be found online at www.RachelScottMcDaniel.com and on all social media platforms. Her work is represented by Julie Gwinn of the Seymour Agency. Rachel resides in Ohio with her husband and two children.

CONNECT WITH RACHEL: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

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TOUR GIVEAWAY

(1) winner will receive a print copy of Undercurrent of Secrets and a $15 Amazon gift card!

Be sure to check out each stop on the tour for more chances to win. Full tour schedule linked below. Giveaway began at midnight September 1, 2021 and lasts through 11:59 PM EST on September 8, 2021. 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 the policies found here.

ENTER GIVEAWAY HERE

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

 

*NOTE: This post contains affiliate links.

Hope Between the Pages ~ Review with Giveaway

 

Welcome to the Takeover Tour for

Hope Between the Pages by Pepper Basham, 

hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

 Hope Between the Pages
 Doors to the Past
 By Pepper Basham

 
 First off let me just say I LOVED this book. The story is  split between 1915/1916 and the present day and it revolves around books. The main characters have a love of books and it is what draws them together. 

Clara Blackwell is trying to save her family's bookstore from her uncle. A bookstore that has belonged to her family for more than 100 years but the needed documentation proving ownership is missing and Clara has little time to find what she needs. What she does find offers little insight into her great-great-grandmother Sadie's past - a past that hints at something more.

Sadie Blackwell is a book maid for the Vanderbilts and as such, she is to be invisible to the guests of the family. But Oliver Camden she in her a kindred spirit and a lover of books. A love of the written word draws them together in a way that is impossible given their respective social standings. 

Hope Between the Pages alternates between the two storylines unfolding the mystery of Sadie, Oliver, and the Blackwell Bookstore. And as the past is revealed we get to know Clara and her love of vintage clothing, books, and the bookstore. And when Clara's search takes her to England, well, you just have to read the book. This is my new favorite book-centric book it has everything you could want from a book to leave you with a feel-good want-to-reread this book now book -- mystery, romance, an evil villain or two, and a hero. And hope is found between the pages

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

Title: Hope Between the Pages
Series: Doors to the Past
Author: Pepper Basham
Publisher: Barbour Books
Release Date: April 1, 2021
Genre: Christian, Split Time romance

Uncover the Story Behind a One-Hundred-Year-Old Love Letter

Walk through Doors to the Past via a new series of historical stories of romance and adventure.

Clara Blackwell helps her mother manage a struggling one-hundred-year-old family bookshop in Asheville, North Carolina, but the discovery of a forgotten letter opens a mystery of a long-lost romance and undiscovered inheritance which could save its future. Forced to step outside of her predictable world, Clara embarks on an adventure with only the name Oliver as a hint of the man’s identity in her great-great-grandmother’s letter. From the nearby grand estate of the Vanderbilts to a hamlet in Derbyshire, England, Clara seeks to uncover the truth about family and love that may lead to her own unexpected romance.

PURCHASE LINKS*: Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | IndieBound | Christianbook | BookBub

MORE BOOKS IN THIS SERIES

 

ALSO AVAILABLE

  

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Pepper Basham is an award-winning author who writes romance peppered with grace and humor with southern Appalachian flair. Both her historical and contemporary novels have garnered recognition in the Grace Awards, Inspys, and ACFW Carol Awards. Her historical romance, The Thorn Healer, was a finalist in the 2018 RT Awards. Her historical romance novels, My Heart Belongs in the Blue Ridge and The Red Ribbon, and her contemporary novels, the Mitchell’s Crossroads and Pleasant Gap series, showcase her Appalachian heritage, as well as her love for humor and family. She currently resides in the lovely mountains of Asheville, NC where she is the mom of five great kids, a speech-language pathologist to about fifty more, and a lover of chocolate, jazz, hats, and Jesus.

CONNECT WITH PEPPER: 

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

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TOUR GIVEAWAY

(1) winner will receive a print copy of Hope Between the Pages and a $15 Amazon gift card!

Be sure to check out each stop on the tour for more chances to win. The full tour schedule linked below. Giveaway began at midnight April 12, 2021 and lasts through 11:59 PM EST on April 19, 2021. 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 the policies found here.

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Be sure to visit all the stops on the tour @JustReadTours