An Art Lover's Guide to Paris and Murder ~ Review

An Art Lover's Guide to Paris and Murder
Countess of Harleigh Mystery #7
By Dianne Freeman 

An invitation to investigate the death of Paul Ducass, finds George and Frances heading to Paris. The police ruled it an unfortunate accident, but George's Aunt Julia is convinced it was foul play. Before the wedded duo can find the answers Lady Julia falls to her own unfortunate accident. Oh dear, a fine to-do these two sleuths find themselves in. 

With a plethora of potential suspects what are they to do? Why investigate of course. And investigating is what they do best. But along the way to discovering the truth they uncover more than one secret that can and will change everything. 

This was an interesting read and the author did an excellent job protecting her villain until the end. There several interesting elements that are so well concealed  that once they it sends the investigation into new territory with new potential suspects. 

This book is the seventh the Countess of Harpsichord series but it can easily be read and enjoyed as a stand-alone title. The story is easy to follow, and the characters are well developed. Get ready for an engaging 20th century who-dun-it, and a disturbing number of ruined outfits. Solving murders can be just a tad dirty. 

I was provided a complimentary copy of this book with no expectations but that I provide my honest opinion. 

About the Book:

Filled with Victorian-era intrigue for readers of Rhys Bowen, Deanna Raybourn, Tasha Alexander, and Julia Seales, Dianne Freeman’s Agatha Award-winning series takes a delightful jaunt to the City of Light as Frances Wynn, the American-born Countess of Harleigh, encounters a murder scene at the Paris Exposition.

Frances and her husband, George, have two points of interest in Paris. One is an impromptu holiday to visit the Paris Exposition. The other is personal. George’s Aunt Julia has requested her nephew’s help in looking into the suspicious death of renowned artist Paul Ducasse. Though Julia is not entirely forthcoming about her reasons, she is clearly a woman mourning a lost love.

At the exposition, swarming with tourists, tragedy casts a pall on the festivities. A footbridge collapses. Julia is among the casualties. However, she was not just another fateful victim. Julia was stabbed to death amid the chaos. With an official investigation at a standstill, George and Frances realize that to solve the case they must dig into Julia’s life—as well as Paul’s—and question everything and everyone in Julia’s coterie of artists and secrets.

They have no shortage of suspects. There is Paul’s inscrutable widow, Gabrielle. Paul’s art dealer and manager, Lucien. Julia’s friend Martine, a sculptress with a jealous streak. And art jurist, Monsieur Beaufoy. The investigation takes a turn when it’s revealed that George has inherited control of Julia’s estate—and another of her secrets. While George investigates, Frances safeguards their new legacy, and is drawn further into danger by a killer determined to keep the past buried.

AUTHOR BIO

Dianne Freeman is the acclaimed author of the Agatha and Lefty Award winning Countess of Harleigh Mysteries, a two-time finalist for the Macavity’s Sue Feder Memorial Award, and a finalist for the Mary Higgins Clark Award. She spent thirty years working in corporate accounting and finance and now writes full-time. Born and raised in Michigan, she and her husband now split their time between Michigan and Arizona. 

Visit her at DiFreeman

Treason Trail ~ Spotlight with Excerpt

Welcome to the Blog Tour for Treason Trail by Kit Hawthorne,
hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

About the Book

Title: Treason Trail
Series: Cape Fear Legacy #3
Author: Kit Hawthorne
Publisher: Independently Published
Release Date: June 18, 2024
Genre: Sweet Historical Romance

A mysterious stranger holds the key to the fate of the nation. 

In the final days of the American Revolutionary War, Nessa Shaw tends to the sick and wounded at the Continental Army camp in Charlestown, South Carolina. When she stumbles upon a man lying unconscious on a forest trail, she quickly realizes he is unlike any patient she has ever encountered. With no memory of his past, his only clues to his identity are his first name—August—and the certainty that he is a Patriot. Against her better judgment, Nessa grows closer to August, trusting him with secrets that could cost her dearly. But when she discovers a deadly plot that could change the course of the war, Nessa must question everything she thought she knew about August and his true allegiances.

PURCHASE LINKS: Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop | BookBub

Excerpt

Her eyes filled with fresh tears. “What if the war isn’t ending at all? What if the British have been stalling for time for their conspiracy? Can they truly mean to go on fighting? Both sides are exhausted—at least, our side is, and their side appears to be, but maybe that’s part of their plan, to make us think that, when in fact they’re just gathering their strength to strike again.”

She was gripping his hands with both of hers. “I can’t do it anymore, August. I can’t keep changing sheets in the hospital and spoon-feeding broth to men who are never going to get better. I want to leave this dirty, overcrowded camp forever, and go home to my family, and breathe the clean air. I can hardly remember what peace is like. It seems to belong to some mythical past. I want to get up in the morning and make a good breakfast, eggs and porridge and milk, and real coffee, and not a scrap of salt pork in sight. I want to buy dress goods, and make new gowns, and not mend the same shirts over and over until there’s nothing left of them but patches. I want to plant a garden without wondering if British raiders will come and destroy it. I want to see cattle and horses grazing in green pastures, with plenty of flesh covering their bones. I want to lie down at night in a soft bed with a real roof over my head, and hear the wind in the pine trees, and not be afraid.”

He put his arm around her again and drew her to him. She clung to him and wept. He wished he had words of comfort to offer, but what could he say? That everything would turn out all right in the end? That he wouldn’t let anything hurt her? He hadn’t even managed to discover something as simple as his own identity. Nay, he would not insult her with empty promises. Action, not speech, was what was needed.

More Books in This Series

 

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About the Author

A lifelong resident of the American South, Kit Hawthorne makes her home on a Texas farm that has been in her husband’s family for seven generations. She spent many years singing, composing, and playing Irish pennywhistle in a Celtic folk band. All those ballads and boat songs awakened in her a love for a Scottish heritage that spans both sides of the Atlantic. She’s an avid reader, especially of history, biography, mystery, theology, and romance, and enjoys logging her reads (and plotting her life) in her Bullet Journal. She also enjoys drawing, sewing, quilting, knitting, and restoring old furniture to beauty and usefulness.

Connect with Kit at kithawthorne.com to follow her on social media and sign up for email updates.

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Tour Giveaway

(2) winners will each win print copies of all 3 books in the Cape Fear Legacy series!

The full tour schedule is linked below. The giveaway begins at midnight July 2, 2024, and will last through 11:59 PM EST on July 9, 2024. Winners 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.

The 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!

True Love's Wish ~ Now Available

True Love's Wish & Other Short Stories 

is now available!

Available to purchase as a paperback or eBook.

https://books2read.com/u/3kwr26

Toward the Dawn ~ Review

Welcome to the Takeover + Review Blitz for
Toward the Dawn by Mary Connealy
hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

Toward the Dawn 

A Western Light #2 

By Mary Connealy

Kat Wadsworth and Sebastian Jones have been hidden away in the canyon that has been a sanctuary for Ginny and Beth for months, and the isolation is starting to take a toll on them both. 

But leaving the canyon's safety comes with risks. Kat's uncle still has control over her unless she is married. And Sebastian may have had someone trying to kill him; it was a bullet wound that brought him to the canyon (in a roundabout way). With the threat of Thaddeus Rutledge hanging over them, they need to take precautions to protect those they leave behind.

As Kat and Seb make their way back into the world, they must decide how they will live it. A marriage of convenience is necessary for both propriety and Kat's safety. This is the main focal point of the story, but we are offered glimpses of what is taking place in the canyon.

This is the second book in Mary Connealy's A Western Light series. It picks up several months after the conclusion of Chasing the Horizon. Unlike other books she's written, this series is more serious in both its tone and subject matter: greed and the utter lack of freedom women faced.  Overall, this was a good read. The pacing kept the story moving. The characters were well-written, some of whom it was enjoyable to get to know better and others, like Thaddeus, not so much. This book will read better if you read the series in order, but it is possible to read and enjoy this title without reading the previous title. Perfect for fans of later 19th Century Historical Western Fiction.

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: Toward the Dawn 

Series: A Western Light #2 

Author: Mary Connealy 

Publisher: Bethany House Publishers 

Release Date: June 18, 2024 

Genre: Christian Historical Western Romance

Despite trials that threaten their path forward, hope dawns for a future filled with love.

Kat Wadsworth and Sebastian Jones never imagined their lives would entwine so closely. Forced to flee on a wagon train from a vengeful uncle and an unknown gunman, they live in a hidden canyon with the family that rescued them. But as the days turn into months, they each have separate reasons for wanting to move back to society, and the best way to the independence they desperately crave might be through a marriage of convenience. 

However, settling into their homestead in Cheyenne, Wyoming, reveals a different reality for Kat. Her new husband becomes consumed by his inventions, leaving her feeling lonely and isolated. And just when they think they've left the danger behind, a mysterious attacker lurks in the shadows, threatening the new life they've built. Together, they must confront the perils from their pasts to forge a future with hope and the prospect of love.

PURCHASE LINKS: Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Christianbook | Bookshop

More Books from this Series

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About the Author

Mary Connealy writes "romantic comedies with cowboys" and is celebrated for her fun, zany, action-packed style. She has sold more than 1.5 million books and is the author of the popular series Wyoming Sunrise and The Lumber Baron's Daughters and many other books. Mary lives on a ranch in eastern Nebraska with her very own romantic cowboy hero.

Connect with Mary by visiting MaryConnealy.com to follow her on social media or subscribe to email newsletter updates.

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Tour Giveaway

(1) winner will receive a print copy of Toward the Dawn and a $20 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 July 3, 2024 and lasts through 11:59 PM EST on July 10, 2024. 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

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

Shattered Revision Cover Reveal

 Today, I'm thrilled to share the cover for 

Madisyn Carlin's Shattered Revision.

This is the Sleeping Beauty-based 

prequel of The Shattered Lands series.

I have to admit I love these books and can't wait to read this newest addition which will release on July 23, 2024.

About the Book:

Beware the truth, for it could cost you your life.

Locksmith-turned-soldier Canon Norr is finally free from war. When his best friend calls in a favor, however, he finds himself stepping right back into danger and potential bloodshed. Protecting the innocent woman targeted by evil schemers would be easy if she wasn’t so distracting and unlike any noble he’s ever before encountered.

Lady Silci Clanna spent most of her life in hiding, but when her people need a leader, she finds herself stepping forward and exposing her existence to those who’ve desired her death since she was born. Can her best friend and a handsome, yet ornery and sarcastic foreigner help her live long enough to see her people finally free from bloodshed and hardship? Or will her enemies finally succeed and end the Clanna line?

As desperation mounts and a malevolent plot is brought to light, Canon and Silci are confronted by danger at every turn. Hope wanes and danger grows, and with it a terrifying revelation—in order for most to survive, one must die.

Shattered Revision is a New Adult Christian fantasy tale inspired by Sleeping Beauty and is the prequel to The Shattered Lands series.

The Shattered Lands

Shattered Revision - Prequel (Available for Preorder)

Shattered Reflection - Book One

Shattered Reaction - Book Two

Shattered Resistance - Book Three

Shattered Redemption - Book Four (Available for Preorder)

Shattered Risk - Novella (Coming late 2025)

Preorder Link:https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CG48FG5Y/

Now the cover 

And the series to date:

Coming July 4, 2024 ~ True Love's Wish & Other Short Stories

 I thrilled that you can soon read True Love's Wish & Other Short Stories.

Just a little about the stories.

There are three - True Love's Wish, The Decorator, and Forever Yours.

I loved writing each of these short stories, but (drops voice to a whisper)

don't tell the other stories but Forever Yours is my favorite.

Here is a short blurb for each story and a small snippet from each:

True Love's Wish:
With her brother about to propose to her best friend, Ashley makes a wish on the Christmas star for her own true love. What follows is a sweet story about finding love where we least expect it. Has all the good feels of a Hallmark movie without the snarky leading lady.

The Decorator:
Bri loves her job as a decorator, but this job has a winter surprise in store for her.

Forever Yours:
In a Cinderella/Sleeping Beauty retelling mashup, Ella lives a hundred years in the hope of awakening her prince. But the curse that has held a kingdom in an endless slumber isn't so easily defeated.

Available to preorder at Amazon

To Love the Brooding Baron ~ Review

To Love the Brooding Baron
By Jentry Flint

Arabella Latham has long thought fondly of Lord Henry Northcott. But Henry is stoic and rather standoffish, even with his good friends. And as fond of Arabella as Henry is, he can never let himself fall in love with her. He is carrying a heavy burden, one that makes him an unsuitable match for any woman. He's lived for years with the secret of his family and worked to be above any scandal that could bring further shame on the Northcott name.

This book is a sort of Beauty and the Beast retelling with Shakespearean quotes scattered throughout. The Shakespearean quotes are an important part of the story, a sweet part, actually. Arabella and Henry couldn't be more different—she's bright and vivacious, while he is subdued and somber.

Though it isn't noted in the book, it is a companion/sequel to the author's previous Proper Romance book, Games on a Ballroom, and, like that book, touches on serious topics. I highly recommend this book; it was an excellent read.

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

About the Book:

Opposites attract and sparks fly when the vivacious
Arabella falls for a baron who lives
under the shadow of a scandalous family secret.

Arabella Latham is a free spirit who longs to feel the spark of true love, but few men can match her passion for Shakespeare or her zest for life. Though her prospects seem slim, Arabella knows she can always count on the handsome but stoic Lord Henry Northcott, dubbed “The Brooding Baron” by the ton, to be willing to engage in intelligent conversation and even share a congenial dance with her at almost every ball. His quiet demeanor is the opposite of her vivacious personality, and she finds herself drawn to him, despite their differences.

Lord Northcott has quietly admired Arabella for years, grateful that his friendship with her brother has allowed him to share in her company. But he knows he cannot pursue a romantic relationship with any woman—let alone someone as bright and beautiful as Arabella—because of the shadow that an old family scandal has cast over his life. He has vowed to preserve what is left of his family’s reputation by holding himself above reproach apart from society and focusing the majority of his efforts at Parliament.

But Arabella is determined to show Lord Northcott that life is meant to be enjoyed, and she sets out to see what is behind the walls the Brooding Baron has built around himself. Could the spark of true love be enough to drive away the shadows holding Henry back?