The Unwanted Suitor ~ Review with Interview and Giveaway

The Unwanted Suitor
Regency House Party: Somerstone #1
By Michelle Pennington

Cornelia Greystock made a rash decision when she refused Sir James Hawkston's offer of marriage. She left her family behind and became a paid companion for the Countess Du'Breven. No longer able to take part in what Society had to offer she has severely limited her future prospects. And when the Countess determines to hold a house party at Somerstone Manor Cornelia is expected to help keep everything running smoothly.

To Cornelia's dismay, Sir James Hawkston is on the guest list and he has accepted. Determined to pair the man who broke her heart with one of the young ladies in attendance, Cornelia's efforts are thwarted when James realizes that Cornelia is in attendance and not hiding away in the country.

As Cornelia proves that she is the hoyden that she has always been in her mission to exact revenge on James she just might steal his heart - unless she kills him first. Determined to right the wrong he committed James and Cornelia just might be playing right into the Countess's scheme.

This is a sweet and easy read that is set in the Regency period (in case you couldn't determine that from the series name). Cornelia is a most entertaining individual as she schemes and plans how to best torment James. And the Countess Du'Breven, well all young ladies in search of a suitable match would do well to end up on her invitation list. And who couldn't help loving Wellington, I mean pugs are just such individuals - I know from experience having a "cousin" who was one and babysitting a couple of them over the years.

I would recommend this book to fans of cute, clean, fun reads. And if you like historical Regency fiction ENJOY!

I was provided a complimentary copy of this book through SLB Book Tours with no expectations but that I offer my honest opinion ~ All views expressed are my own.

About the Book:

Series: Regency House Party
Genre:  Adult, Historical, Regency, Romance
Publisher: Indie
Publication date: September 2, 2018

When Cornelia Greystock received a proposal from Sir James Hawkston, she couldn’t bear it. It had been inspired, she knew, from pity and remorse—not love. Unable to face him afterward, she leaped at an offer of employment from the Countess, Lady Du’Breven. Serving as her companion, Cornelia struggles to adjust to the change in her social status, but the hard work distracts her from her broken heart. That is, until the Countess decides to hold a summer house party at her family estate and invites Sir James.
Sir James has never recovered from his disappointment when Miss Greystock refused his proposal and then fled, according to her family, to live with an unheard-of aunt in Ireland. When he grudgingly accepts an invitation to Lady Du’Breven’s house party, however, he is astounded to find Miss Greystock there. One thing is certain—this time he’ll court her the way he always should have. He is almost certain she returns his feelings, but he must tread carefully. If she refuses his proposal a second time, it would not be gentlemanly to ask a third. As time grows short and she continues to hold him at arms-length, will he find a way to at last win her hand?

GOODREADS | AMAZON

About the Author

Michelle Pennington writes clean, heart-pounding, sigh-inducing romance across multiple genres. Her books include Young Adult, Contemporary, Regency, and Fantasy. The genre might change, but her characters will always be falling in love.

She spends her days quoting movies with her husband and making messes faster than her four kids. She also has a cat her kids call Boots, but is really Hessian Boots, the perfect Regency gentleman, complete with a snowy white cravat. She loves to make magic by stringing words together, but she also creates designer sugar cookies, sings loud in church, and kills too many house plants.

FACEBOOK | TWITTER | INSTAGRAM | PINTEREST | WEBSITE

Author Interview

1) Who is your favorite comfort read author?

I can fall into one of Georgette Heyer’s Regency romance at any time in any place and call that day perfect.

2) What do you most like about the Regency era?

I love the unique tension created by the rules of society. The fashions were more elegant and natural than during the periods before and after, including hairstyles. Plus, the combination of the political climate and the burgeoning technology and social change created a unique backdrop on England’s history, like the whole country was in this tense but experimental waiting phase.

3) What one author past or present would you like to mentor you?

Who else can I say besides Georgette Heyer. Because of her, I fell in love with the Regency genre. In my opinion, there’s no one better.

Giveaway

Enter the giveaway HERE.
​
Giveaway is subject to policies HERE.

Tour Schedule

November 5
Heidi Reads…
November 6
Blooming with Books
November 7
Emily Yager
November 8
Maiden of the Pages
November 9
Remembrancy
November 10
Encouraging Words from the Tea Queen
​Jorie Loves A Story

The Merry Lives of Spinsters ~ Review

The Merry Lives of Spinsters
The Spinster Chronicles #1
By Rebecca Connolly

Georgiana Allen is determined to keep foolish young women from ruining their lives either by marriage by ruination or a life of shame by allowing her reputation to be reduced by scandal. Too many a young woman was lost to the momentary fancy of a rake with no consequence to the "gentleman"! Well, Georgie is determined to help out these poor innocents if at all possible and with her friends in the Spinsters (with a capital S, mind you,) she's going to offer what advice she can. The Spinster Chronicles is a much talked about column in the paper. A column that offers advice on social settings, fashion, and the like.

The gentlemen of London society are tired of the interference of the Spinsters when it comes to their entertainment. And it is to this setting that Captain Anthony (Tony to his friends) Sterling returns. HIs younger cousin Hugh begs him to enter the fray and stop these meddling spinsters before they know what has hit them. But upon reading The Spinster Chronicles for himself, Tony makes other plans. He determines to infilter this band of women and discover for himself just what is true and if possible to offer his services to these ladies.

Georgie is suspicious of this captain who happens to offer to join the Spinsters and to be their eyes and ears in society. What follows is a battle of wits and words as Georgie and Tony spar at every meeting but soon both are looking forward to these encounters. But marriage, not a thought on the mind of either. But when Tony's stepmother comes to town, he better be on guard because she's determined to see him married by autumn! And the lady she's chosen for him..., well, Georgie had better watch out or her status as Spinster may soon be at an end.

This is a delightful and fun read as society is tested by a group who should just stick to quiet corners makes its presence known. And known they are. Those who like anything Jane Austen will enjoy this book, which has a mention of her works and is set in the Regency era. This is a clean read and so is appropriate for most readers.

I was provided a complimentary copy of this book through SLB Book Tours with no expectations other than to give my honest opinion ~ all thoughts expressed are my own.

Come back on Friday, November 9th as book 2 

The Spinster and I is reviewed

and Rebecca Connolly is interviewed

Series: The Spinster Chronicles
Genre:  Adult, New Adult, Romance
Publisher: Phase Publishing

About the Book:

Spinster is as spinster does...

Georgiana Allen is a spinster and everybody knows it. She also happens to be one of the writers for the Spinster Chronicles, and everybody knows that as well. She's accepted her lot in life, and, along with the other spinsters in her circle, takes great pride in the articles she writes and the influence she has. Then Captain Anthony Sterling infiltrates their group, and her life, and Georgie impossibly begins to hope once more.

Tony Sterling had no idea what to expect when he agreed to break up the Spinsters for his cousin, but he certainly did not expect Georgie Allen. From the very first meeting, she upends everything he thought a spinster would be, and her beauty and wit keeps him on edge in thrilling ways. The more he gets to know the Spinsters, the less he wants to break them up. And the more he wants Georgie in his life. Permanently.

About the Author:

Rebecca Connolly writes romances, both period and contemporary, because she absolutely loves a good love story. She has been creating stories since childhood, and there are home videos to prove it! She started writing them down in elementary school and has never looked back. She currently lives in the Midwest, spends every spare moment away from her day job absorbed in her writing, and is a hot cocoa addict.

FACEBOOK | TWITTER | INSTAGRAM | WEBSITE

Giveaway

Enter the giveaway HERE.

Giveaway is subject to policies HERE.

Tour Schedule:

November 5
Encouraging Words from the Tea Queen
Remembrancy
Blooming with Books (book 1)

November 6
Reading, Writing & Stitch-Metic
Jorie Loves A Story

November 7
Life Is What It’s Called
Emily Yager
Wishful Endings

November 8
Singing Librarian Books
Heidi Reads…
Katie’s Clean Book Collection

November 9
Pause for Tales
My Book a Day
Blooming with Books (book 2)

November 10
Bookworm Lisa
Edits and Reviews by Leslie
Red Headed Book Lady

A Convenient Engagement ~ Review

A Convenient Engagement
Brides of Brighton #1
By Ashtyn Newton

Miss Amelia Buxton longs to see Brighton. Her life in Nottingham is so dreary and the suitors her father is determined to see her wed to are even more dreary. What's a lady to do when her deepest desire is to be a spinster. But to Brighton, she'll never go if her father cannot be convinced otherwise. In a moment of desperation, Amelia agrees that she will become engaged while in Brighton or agree to an engagement with Mr. Clinton, an old graying bore who used a cane and has to be twice her age!

In Brighton, Adam Claridge is desperate his sister is missing and he can find no sign of her anywhere. Worse his father's fragile health seems to be declining further with Eleanor's disappearance. Convinced that Eleanor's disappearance is the result of nefarious deeds because she would never willingly leave their father in his current state Adam is no closer to the truth than the day she disappeared. When a charming visitor offers her help Adam is forced to admit a woman's perspective may help him in his search.

But helping Adam will hinder Amelia's own search - one that her Aunt Margaret unfortunately reveals. With an offer to help Amelia obtain the engagement her father demands in exchange for her assistance, Amelia soon finds herself in a most uncomfortable situation entertaining the unwanted attentions of a gentleman who may be linked to Eleanor's disappearance.

What follows is a series of emotional ups and downs as Amelia, Adam, and Aunt Margaret enjoy the delights of Brighton that are not too delightful. And then there is that pesky engagement that Amelia must secure within three months - will Adam's plan allow her to satisfy her father's demand while allowing her to live the life she's long desired? Only time will tell.

Ashtyn Newbold has done it again with this first book in her new series. The characters are a delight to become acquainted with. And fans of her previous works will enjoy revisiting the Regency period once again. Amelia and Adam are well suited and it is interesting observing them fight against losing their hearts in their most convenient engagement. And then there is Aunt Margaret who one can only hope will someday meet a man worthy of her.

Find a cozy corner and get ready to visit Brighton for a day or two!


About the Book:

A false engagement. 

A mysterious coast. 

Two reluctant hearts. 

Much to her father’s dismay, Miss Amelia Buxton aspires to become a spinster, just like her eccentric aunt. Growing up with parents who married for every reason but love, she has never seen a joyful marriage. When Amelia requests a summer trip to the legendary waters of Brighton, her father allows her the excursion, but with one requirement: she must return engaged or agree to the proposal of the man of his choosing. 

Crawling with tourists, Brighton is not the town Adam Claridge once loved. When his sister Eleanor disappears without warning, Adam is desperate to bring her home. In his search, he happens upon Miss Amelia Buxton, a young tourist that proves vital in his search for Eleanor. But Amelia is conducting a search of her own—a search for a husband—and Adam has little choice but to offer a fair trade: he will play the role of Amelia’s betrothed in exchange for her assistance in finding Eleanor.

Convenient at first, Amelia and Adam’s arrangement quickly plummets into disarray. Falling in love had not been part of their bargain. 

A Convenient Engagement is a sweet and clean regency romance novel. 

The Light Before Day ~ Review

The Light Before Day
Nantucket Legacy #3
By Suzanne Woods Fisher

The Light Before Day is the third book in the Nantucket Legacy series. In this book, Henry and Hitty Macy are grown up and their grandmother Lillian has died. Lillian Coffin has left her vast wealth to Henry and Hitty with strings attached. The money is not to leave the Island and there are conditions on whom they can marry and they both must marry within a specified time frame. And Lillian's daughter Daphne nary a kind word was left to her.

Henry and Hitty knew that this gift was their Grandmother's last attempt at controlling their lives, but Henry has a plan to thwart her machinations while fulfilling the mandates of the will. But as the existence that Henry and Hitty have always known shifts so too is Nantucket shifting. The rights of Blacks and women has become a catalyst of contention that could very well divide the Island permanently.

The Light Before Day is an enjoyable addition to the Nantucket Legacy series. I really like how Great Mary's, aka Mary Coffin Starbuck, journal entries are scattered throughout the books and how the person to whom the journal is aided by her words of wisdom. Mary's journal also details her own path to "Finding the Light" (becoming a Quaker), after her stance against allowing a church, or religious affiliation, to be linked to Nantucket. And that treasure of Spanish gold that was discovered in the first book and used in the second, well it is again referenced by Mary in her journal and put to good use.

The historical notes at the end of the book are a welcome addition as the reader is allowed a chance at further study. This would be an excellent book club selection. And though these books should be read together it is not absolutely necessary but it allows the reader a foundation on which each story builds. But to get Mary's entire story you'll need to read all three books.

I was provided a complimentary copy of this book by Revell with no expectations except that I offer my honest opinion ~ all thoughts shared are my own.


About the Book:

"Henry, this . . . fortune, this 

sudden wealth . . . I fear it will 

change our lives. And I don't 

want my life to change."

After three years on a whaling voyage, Henry Macy returns to Nantucket to news that his grandmother has passed, bequeathing her vast fortune to him and his sister, Hitty. And it was truly vast. But Lillian Coffin was no fool. The inheritance comes with a steep cost, including when each should marry and whom--a Quaker in good standing, of course. But if they relinquish the inheritance, it all goes to Tristram Macy, their father's thieving business partner.

As Hitty and Henry seek a way to satisfy the will's conditions, they'll be faced with obstacles on every side--and it may be that Lillian Coffin will have the last word after all.

Things Left Unsaid ~ Release Day Blast

About the Book:

An emotional novel of family, friendship and forgiveness from Courtney Walsh, the New York Times bestselling author of Hometown Girl.

Lyndie St. James is thrilled that her best friend, Elle, is getting married but unprepared for the emotional storm of the wedding week and returning to her childhood summer home of Sweethaven. The idyllic cottage community harbors some of her best—and worst—memories. It’s not only the tragic death of her childhood friend Cassie that has haunted her for ten years, it’s the other secrets she’s buried that have kept her from moving on.

But Lyndie isn’t the only one with secrets.

Cassie’s mother, father and brother, still struggling with the loss, have been drifting further and further apart. And Elle herself, the last to see Cassie alive, carries an impossible burden of guilt. Now reunited, each of them has a choice: to reveal the truths of that night or continue to live in its shadow. That means embarking on a personal journey of the heart—to escape the darkness and all its regrets and to finally come to terms with the past and, especially, with each other.

GOODREADS | AMAZON

About the Author:

Courtney Walsh is a novelist, artist, theater director, and playwright. Change of Heart is her fifth novel and is set in the same town as Paper Hearts. Her debut novel, A Sweethaven Summer, hit the New York Times and USA Today e-book bestseller lists and was a Carol Award finalist in the debut author category. She has written two additional books in the Sweethaven series, as well as two craft books and several full-length musicals. Courtney lives in Illinois where she and her husband own a performing and visual arts studio. They have three children.

​GOODREADS | FACEBOOK | TWITTER | PINTEREST | INSTAGRAM | AMAZON | WEBSITE

Order your copy HERE.

The Nutcracker and Christmas Anticipation

Christmas is a time of anticipation. The planning and expectations. My favorite Christmas present was a China doll that was dressed in a Scandinavian dress. She had a strawberry blond hair and was peeking out of my Christmas stocking. I was totally overwhelmed with excitement seeing that I had a special doll just waiting for me that morning. 

Christmas is also a time of special once-a-year treats which are as fun making as enjoying on Christmas. Krumkaka, a thin batter that is poured onto a small griddle and then rolled after cooking before it is cooled, it is then filled with a sweet cream filling. Which though totally delicious is not quick or easy to make and unfortunately require special tools to make.

Ruspaballs are a family favorite that is anticipated all year. Not sure what these are? I'll share the recipe which is fairly easy. 

Prepare mash potatoes and cool so that you can handle them without getting burned. 

Fill a large pot with water and bring to a boil

Add flour to the mash potatoes and mix in. 

Add flour by the half cup, adding more until the dough doesn't stick to your hands. 

You will then form the dough into balls the size of a large orange. 

Place the potato balls into the boiling water. 

Balls will sink down and when they rise to the water surface you will know that they are done. 

Lift from the water and allow to drain.

After the balls have cooled they can be refrigerated for a couple of days (or frozen).

The balls are then sliced about 1/4" thick and fried till lightly browned (or spray with oil and bake in a pan flipping so that they cook evenly on both sides. 

Serve this way or with a little butter.

The Nutcracker is something that many look forward to enjoying each Christmas and this year we have a new Nutcracker to anticipate - The Nutcracker and the Four Realms. And if you are a book lover this has been turned into a book too (which I might add I've checked out from my library and hope to review shortly).

About the Movie:  

All Clara (Mackenzie Foy) wants is a key – a one-of-a-kind key that will unlock a box that holds a priceless gift. A golden thread, presented to her at godfather Drosselmeyer’s (Morgan Freeman) annual holiday party, leads her to the coveted key—which promptly disappears into a strange and mysterious parallel world. It’s there that Clara encounters a soldier named Phillip (Jayden Fowora-Knight), a gang of mice and the regents who preside over three Realms: Land of Snowflakes, Land of Flowers and Land of Sweets. Clara and Phillip must brave the ominous Fourth Realm, home to the tyrant Mother Ginger (Helen Mirren), to retrieve Clara’s key and hopefully return harmony to the unstable world. Starring Keira Knightley as the Sugar Plum Fairy, Disney’s new holiday feature film “The Nutcracker and the Four Realms” is directed by Lasse Hallström and Joe Johnston, and inspired by E.T.A. Hoffmann’s classic tale.

Journey to the Four Realms featurette:

Fall on Me music video:

THE NUTCRACKER AND THE FOUR REALMS: starring Kiera Knightley, Helen Mirren, Matthew Macfadyen, Morgan Freeman and Mackenzie Foy as “Clara.” 

For more information, please go to:  https://movies.disney.com/the-nutcracker-and-the-four-realms

A Christmas Prayer ~ Review

A Christmas Prayer
By Wanda E. Brunstetter

Cynthia Cooper and her mother Mable find themselves leaving behind the ease of city life when their financial circumstances find them heading West with Cynthia's intended. Walter Prentice is more than ten years older than her and his looks are so-so but he offers a future of security for both Cynthia and her mother. But he is just so bland, especially when compared to the others in their wagon train of three.

Having missed the much larger train that they were to go with Cynthia, Mable, and Walter join with two other wagons that had also arrived a day or two late. One wagon belongs to Jack Simpson, who along with his young children Alan and Amelia, is heading to California to take up cattle ranching. The final wagon is owned by Cole Edwards and his sister Ginny.

As various delays slow their already slow pace reaching California before the weather turns bad is seeming less likely. And when the worst happens and they find themselves stranded a chance discovery finds them able to take shelter in something better than a tent or their wagons. Cynthia is also allowed a chance to truly get to know the man she is about to pledge herself to and Walter is not whom she thought him to be but she made a promise and she'll keep it.

A Christmas Prayer is a sweet story that is a quick read that ends in a most satisfying way. Wanda Brunstetter is known for her Amish fiction which this is not. This is a historical fiction with a dash of romance added along with a pinch of holiday charm. Take a break from your hectic schedule and take a short trip to 1850 from the comfort of your favorite corner.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Barbour Publishing and was under no obligation to post a review. All opinions expressed are my own.


About the Book:

Will Love Be Found While Trapped 

in the Sierra Nevada Mountains?

       Only the brave-or foolhardy-would attempt a cross-country journey late in the season. Three wagons meet up in Independence, Missouri, in April 1850, and their owners decide to keep forging ahead despite many setbacks and delays. December finds them in the Sierra Nevada Mountains when a sudden snowstorm traps them, obscuring the trail. 

       Cynthia Cooper is traveling with her mother and the man she has promised to marry. But as Christmas is upon them and they are hunkered down in a small cabin, she is forced to reevaluate her reasons for planning to marry fellow-traveler Walter Prentice. 

        When a widowed father heading to California and a gold prospector both show interest in Cynthia, she weighs her dreams for marriage alongside her responsibility to care for her mother. Can love win over her timid heart?