$25 Starbuck’s GC – Tumult In Mecca by Hans Peter Bech @ireadbooktours @hpbech


 

Book Details:

Book Title:  Tumult in Mecca: From Civil Servant to Global Business Adventurer: Henrik Bertelsen’s Unexpected Journey by Hans Peter Bech
Category:  Adult Fiction 18+, 276 pages
Genre:  Literature & Fiction, Historical Fiction, World Literature European/Scandinavian, Coming of Age
Publisher:  BOOX 
Release date:   August 2024
Content Rating:  G: There is no language, sex scenes, etc. 
Book Description:

Tumult in Mecca: From Civil Servant to Global Business Adventurer transports readers to 1979, a year of upheaval and change.

Henrik Bertelsen, a Danish civil servant and baby boomer, is dedicated to his stable life in Copenhagen. Alongside his English wife, Sammy, they are building a co-housing community and navigating the complex adoption of a child from Indonesia. Henrik longs for peace and stability to secure his career.

But life takes an unexpected turn when he is offered the chance to renovate hospital kitchens in Saudi Arabia. His adventurer’s spirit is awakened, and Henrik plunges into a world far removed from the predictable corridors of Danish bureaucracy.

As the project escalates, Henrik finds himself caught in the Mecca conflict—an armed religious uprising that places him in grave danger. Trapped between rebels and police in one of the holiest cities in the world, he must rely on his instincts to survive.

Escape brings him more than safety—it opens the door to a lucrative job offer from an American tech company, setting his life on an entirely new path. Tumult in Mecca masterfully weaves Henrik’s personal quest for fulfilment with the global turbulence of 1979, capturing the tension between career and adventure, ambition and family, security and risk.
Buy the Book:
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add to Goodreads

Meet the Author:

Hans Peter Bech is a bestselling author and a frequent blogger on how to make information technology companies global market leaders. He has produced numerous books, papers, podcasts and videos on business development in the software industry. Hans Peter is also a keynote speaker, workshop facilitator, and an advisor for governments and companies. He holds an M.Sc. in macroeconomics and political science from the University of Copenhagen.

connect with the author:  website ~ X/Twitter ~ facebook ~ instagram ~ goodreads
Enter the Giveaway:
Tumult in Mecca: by Hans Peter Bech Book Tour Giveaway



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Giveaway – Enduring Promise by Susanna Lane @xpressotours

Enduring Promise
Susanna Lane
Publication date: October 8th 2024
Genres: Adult, Historical

Can Love Survive the Trials of Fidelity?

After a failed romance in Texas, Bryce Enders has carved out a new life in the harsh wastes of Montana’s gold fields. But when a newspaper headline reveals the wild escapades of his younger brother, Bryce’s path takes an unexpected turn. He heads for Ogallala, Nebraska, where he’s shocked to find Cort not only married, but thriving as the owner of a sprawling cattle ranch.

While their reunion is far from smooth, the brothers quickly rediscover their old affection for one another and Cort offers Bryce a job on the ranch. As he settles into his new life, though, Bryce becomes entangled in a new set of troubles-this time of the heart. His growing affection for Hannah May, a neighbor struggling to keep her ranch afloat, soon becomes impossible to ignore. But there’s a catch. She’s already married to a brute who abandoned her for the lure of gold. Torn between his sense of honor and his undeniable feelings for Hannah, Bryce faces a dilemma as old as time.

Hannah, too, is trapped between her steadfast Christian values and the harsh reality of her situation. Despite her husband’s cruelty, her sacred vows keep her tethered to a man who may well be dead. Yet, Bryce’s determination to free her only deepens the conflict, as a dark secret from his past emerges to haunt him.

Knowing their futures depend on resolving this standoff, Bryce and Cort embark on a perilous journey back to the gold fields. What they find will test their brotherhood, challenge their resolve, and ignite a conflict with Hannah’s husband neither could foresee.

Goodreads / Amazon

EXCERPT:

The Civil War separated them. Time changed them. One newspaper article brings the Enders full circle… but not without the spiral of fate.

This historical western romance, part of a series, delves into the strength of those willing to reach beyond the impossible to survive the rugged land. Where the Nebraska sky touches the grassland and where the gold camps harbor danger… the adventure and romance merges in Enduring Promise.

Cascading events drive Hannah May Van Stadt to question her steadfast convictions and loyalty to a brutal man who’d abandoned her for the gold fields, leaving her to hold onto his derelict ranch. Even at the cost of his life, Bryce Enders’ growing love for this intrepid woman, drives him to make a fateful decision. Confronting the man who stands between them turns out to be far more dangerous than he could have imagined.

Filled with action, heartbreak, and danger while brimming with memorable characters, the story promises to linger in the reader’s thoughts long after the book is closed. The following is an excerpt of the contradiction between the two main characters as they struggle against an untenable attraction.

For a moment, she thought he wasn’t going to speak at all. As she was about to leave him to his work, he said, “Won’t take long to fix the fence.” Yanking on his gloves, he loosened the hammer from the tool bag slung over the packhorse. “Didn’t bring a wagon. Wasn’t sure if it might bog down in the river.”

While she watched, he ignored her. “Thanks,” she managed to murmur. He’d taken a snappish tone, and she was at a loss for anything else to say. He sure didn’t seem happy to be here.

“Be out of here by the afternoon. If you got something to do, you don’t have to stay here.” After that quick glance over his shoulder, he returned to the posts. He jutted his chin toward her waiting horse. “Best get to it.”

“I raked up the mess those cows left behind yesterday. Figured it was time to look for unbranded strays. I have a corral down by the creek where I chase them.”

“That’s man’s work,” he said while he loosened the cinches on his saddle, still avoiding looking in her direction. When he finally turned to face her, his eyes raked her from head to boots before returning to his work. Yesterday his eyes had stayed on hers. Today, there was censure and disdain. Of all the conceit. Seething, she lifted her chin while her mind searched for a response.

“Man’s work? I’ve got no man to do the work. How else would it get done?”

“After you round up these cattle and chase them to that corral, just how do you plan to brand them? Besides that. Those penned cows need hay,” he called out. “Need to get them to water or they’ll bust down the corral. Why not sell out? Your husband might not ever be back, Missus Van Stadt. Or do you plan to do this forever?”

Author Bio:

Susanna Lane’s “Imperfect Promise” delivers a powerful story of redemption, grit, and pure luck as the two primary characters overcome the twists of fate, carving out new lives and leaving an imprint on Nebraska. The author grew up in southern New Jersey and now lives with her husband in rural Delaware. Spellbound at her first glimpse of the Rocky Mountains, she and her husband made them their destination at every opportunity. Cattle drives, hiking, and exploring ghost towns offered her a glimpse of the frontier experience. Her imagination took root as she outlined the stories of survival with every curve of the road. And if you happen upon Susanna bending over a nineteenth century wood cook stove, she’s most likely fitting it into her next story. Her two sons and their families are her gems and her delight. As to her readers . . . she looks forward to hearing from you.

Winner of the 2022 Western Writers of America Spur Award for Best Historical Romance Novel and is now the Will Rogers Silver Medallion Award Winner 2022 for Historical Romance.

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Instagram


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$20 GC – In The MIdst Of Shadows by Nicol Italia @xpressotours

In the Midst of Shadows
Nicola Italia
Genres: Adult, Historical, Mystery

In the Victorian era, a cheap and popular form of entertainment has entranced the population often known by the name; penny dreadful. Costing a penny, readers purchased the stories and entered the fantastic world of superhuman men and damsels in distress.

The stories have been popular for over fifty years and Lavinia Howard is a young woman who dreams of being such a writer. Having recently lost her father, she turns to a family friend who puts her in touch with Jasper Courtenay, owner of Courtenay Publishing.

Writing under the pen name G. R. Howard, Lavinia creates a character who becomes a huge success as her penny dreadful stories are the most popular ever printed. Her character is brash and obnoxious and has no respect for authority as he solves London murders and the working classes adore him!

But strange things begin to happen as the stories Lavinia writes start to come true. Two very similar deaths mirror those she writes about, and Detective Chief Inspector Harrison Bryce is assigned to investigate. Inspector Bryce soon discovers that Lavinia has become so popular that she has also made enemies along with her legion of fans.

He realizes that everyone surrounding Lavinia has a motive to have committed the crimes. He must work fast to determine who wants to harm her as he suspects Lavinia may be the next target on the killer’s list.

Also on audio – The Belle of London

Goodreads / Purchase

EXCERPT:

Casimir Kimberly strode resolutely past the throng of people gathered in the alley who were trying to catch a glimpse of the body of the woman lying at the foot of the wooden stairs. His black woolen overcoat reached to his knees and he could feel the material swirl about his legs as he walked. Casimir was not a man given to fanciful dress or cologne as some dandies and French men were known to be, but damn did he love his coat.

He made eye contact with a policeman keeping the crowd under control and the man immediately motioned for Casimir to make his way through the circle of people. Casimir glanced over his shoulder and saw that Ralphie was behind him but lagging. The man was always falling behind.

As he came closer to the body lying in an odd position from the fall, a flash of lightning dominated the sky and he looked up. It was early in the morning and most people were still in bed. The crowd that was gathered now must be the dead woman’s neighbors or local tradespeople.

He felt around in his coat pocket for his John Millar & Sons tin and took out one drop and popped it into his mouth. As the delicious flavors of black currant and licorice filled his mouth, he began to study the crowd surrounding him. He first surveyed the middle-aged men, then the women. He knew what he was searching for and his heart beat faster as the lightning flashed once more through the morning sky.

He sat back on his haunches, surveying the body before him. He had been told a portion of the woman’s story when the police had summoned him. The charwoman had lived on the second floor and the stairs leading to the flat were outside in the alleyway. Sometime in the night, the woman had fallen down the stairs and broken her neck. Some in the police said it was an accident, others were not so convinced. He had been called in to look over the scene and give his opinion. Casimir wasn’t a detective with Scotland Yard nor a private investigator who worked for the Pinkerton Detective Agency, but he was blessed—or cursed, depending on whom you asked—with an abnormal understanding of crime, its victims, and most importantly the offenders.

Casimir suddenly looked up. He sniffed the air distinctly with several sniffs to the right and then to the left and narrowed his eyes.

“Ralphie,” he growled once.

“Yes, Guvnor,” came the quick reply from the man standing nearby.

“Move that fishmonger down the lane,” Casimir said simply. “All I can smell is his two-day-old mackerel.”

“Aye, Guvnor.”

The fishmonger was moved along but Casimir’s sense of smell was compromised. He swore inwardly. He always liked to get a sense of the crime scene’s smell. The blood, the vomit, the rain, the earth. Each had its own distinct smell and each told its own story. He looked down at the body and noticed the shabbiness of her nightdress, the small feet, and the hands used to hard work. The woman was probably in her forties but her weathered face looked closer to sixty. Her forehead was deeply lined, her eyes sunken into her skeletal face.

As he took in her worn hands, he noticed something peculiar. On the ring finger of her left hand there was no ring but lighter skin where a ring had once been. He knew the woman was married.

Casimir stood up abruptly, causing the onlookers around him to gasp. He shook his head and looked about at the group. He had been so absorbed in concentrating on the woman he had forgotten about the people surrounding him in the alleyway. He looked back into the group, his eyes searching for what he had seen before to assure himself that he was correct. His eyes narrowed when he saw the exchange and then he almost grinned. This was too easy, he told himself.

He strode forward, his long legs covering vast amounts of space before he stood before a stout, well-built man in the crowd. The man had the look of a stonemason, not very tall but built like a solid bull. He eyed the man quietly, looking over his beefy chest, his bulging forearms, his black hair sprinkled with gray, and the cap he held in his hands respectfully. Casimir narrowed his eyes and watched the man glance quickly to his right and then away again.

Following his gaze, he saw what the man was looking at. A small red-haired woman with a large bosom and thick ankles. She smiled shyly back at the man before he looked away.

“He did it,” Casimir said loudly and strongly, pointing to the stonemason.

Author Bio:

Nicola is a Los Angeles native. Early in elementary school, Nicola had a great fondness for reading and began to write creatively. She graduated from university with a degree in communications and has held a variety of positions in journalism, education, government and non profit.

Nicola has traveled extensively throughout Europe, China, Central America and Egypt and loves all things historical.

She has nineteen historical romance and mystery novels on Amazon.

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Instagram / Bookbub / Amazon


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Giveaway – Ashes On The Wind by Brandy Purdy @dollycas

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Ashes on the Wind:
The Love Story Behind The Crime of the Century
by Brandy Purdy

About Ashes on the Wind

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Ashes on the Wind: The Love Story Behind The Crime of the Century
Genre: Historical Fiction, True-Crime Inspired
Setting – Chicago, Illinois 1920
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Independently published (April 15, 2024)
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 573 pages
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 979-8322116318
Digital ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0CYY43M3H

Nathan “Babe” Leopold was a socially awkward genius who used arrogance as a shield. He cultivated a philosophy of absolute selfishness cherry-picked from his reading of Nietzsche and indulged himself with vivid sexual fantasies about kings and slaves.

Richard “Dickie” Loeb was the brightest of the bright young things, a social butterfly as fragile as glass inside, hiding his insecurities behind a dazzling smile and a mouthful of lies. He found escape in thrilling tales and fantasies of crime.

They were two brilliant and privileged boys, each harboring secrets it would have been social suicide to reveal in their 1920s world.

When Babe met Dickie, it was like his favorite fantasy had stepped out of his dreams into real life.

When Dickie met Babe, he thought he had found the accomplice who would help make his criminal dreams come true.

Dickie was willing to give Babe what he wanted, if Babe would give him what he wanted. Quid pro quo. Until Dickie wanted something more, leaving Babe desperate and willing to do anything to hold onto his dream. Even if it led down a dark path to the Crime of the Century and infamy as the thrill killers Leopold and Loeb.

About Brandy Purdy

Brandy Purdy is the author of several historical novels including The Ripper’s Wife, The Secrets of Lizzie Borden, The Boleyn Wife, and The Tudor Throne.

Blog: http://bybrandypurdy.blogspot.com/

Purchase Link – Amazon 

TOUR PARTICIPANTS

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Giveaway – The Mark Of The Salamander by Justin Newland @goddessfish @JustinNewland53

THE MARK OF THE SALAMANDER Justin Newland

GENRE:  Historical Fiction

BLURB

1575.

Nelan Michaels is a young Flemish man fleeing religious persecution in the Spanish Netherlands. Settling in Mortlake outside London, he studies under Queen Elizabeth’s court astrologer, conjuring a bright future – until he’s wrongly accused of murder.

Forced into the life of a fugitive, Nelan hides in London, before he is dramatically pressed into the crew of the Golden Hind.

Thrust into a strange new world on board Francis Drake’s vessel, Nelan sails the seas on a voyage to discover discovery itself. Encountering mutiny, ancient tribes and hordes of treasure, Nelan must explore and master his own mystical powers – including the Mark of the Salamander, the mysterious spirit of fire.

THE MARK OF THE SALAMANDER is the first in The Island of Angels series: a two-book saga that tells the epic story and secret history of England’s coming of age during the Elizabethan era.

EXCERPT

It was midway through the afternoon watch. On a Monday. It wasn’t any old Monday. It was a special Monday. Not because of an extra beer ration; nor because of the smell of fish emanating from the galley. No – it was because, on that autumn day, nearly all fifty-eight surviving crew members hung over the gunwale, their eyes dripping with expectation and glued to the horizon. On occasion, they glanced up at the topmast and the barrel man as if waiting for a message from the heavens. None came, even after they’d passed the Isles of Scilly. Nor did it come after they passed Wolf Rock. It surely wouldn’t be long in coming.

As the creaking of the sails ceased, the Golden Hind glided serenely through the waters as if drawn forward by a divine wind. Even the gulls stopped squawking. A light rain shower washed the decks. The men gazed at the white flecks on the waves.

Amidst the quiet, a cry went out, and travelled down the mizzenmast, across the poop deck and into the soul of each crew member. “Land ho!”

Nelan stood next to Fletcher, who raised his hands like an Old Testament prophet and cried out, “Oh, my God!” Then he knelt on the deck, hands clasped in a prayer of thanksgiving.

AUTHOR Bio and Links

JUSTIN NEWLAND’s novels represent an innovative blend of genres from historical adventure to supernatural thriller and magical realism.

Undeterred by the award of a Doctorate in Mathematics from Imperial College, London, he conceived his debut novel, The Genes of Isis (ISBN 9781789014860, Matador, 2018), an epic fantasy set under Ancient Egyptian skies.

His second book is a historical thriller, The Old Dragon’s Head (ISBN 9781789015829, Matador, 2018), and is set in Ming Dynasty China in the shadows of the Great Wall.

The Coronation (ISBN 9781838591885, Matador, 2019) is an historical adventure and speculates on the genesis of the most important event in the modern world – the Industrial Revolution.

The Abdication (ISBN 9781800463950, Matador, 2021) is a mystery thriller in which a young woman confronts her faith in a higher purpose and what it means to abdicate that faith.

His latest is The Mark of the Salamander (ISBN 9781915853271, Book Guild, 2023) and is the first in a two-book series, The Island of Angels. Set in the Elizabethan era, it tells the epic tale of England’s coming of age.

The second in the series, The Midnight of Eights (ISBN 9781835740 330, Book Guild, 2024), charts of the uncanny coincidences that culminated in the repulse of the Spanish Armada and is due for publication in October.

Author, speaker and broadcaster, Justin gives talks to historical associations and libraries, appears on LitFest panels, and enjoys giving radio interviews.

He lives with his partner in plain sight of the Mendip Hills in Somerset, England.

  • Author Website: https://www.justinnewland.com/
  • Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/justin.newland.author/
  • Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/@jnewland0711 
  • Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/JustinNewland53
  • Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drjustinnewland/  
  • Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/jnewland
  • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/justin-newland-b393aa28/
  • Book Bub: https://partners.bookbub.com/authors/4862998/edit
  • Video Book Trailer: https://youtu.be/qx39wZjXajU
  • Justin Newland’s Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.co.uk/stores/Justin-Newland/author/B06WRQVLT8

BUY LINKS

  • Preferred Buy Link (no postage to pay on this one): https://wordery.com/mark-of-the-salamander-justin-newland-9781915853271
  • Buy link on my website (where buyer enters – and I can write – a personal dedication): https://www.justinnewland.com/the-mark-of-the-salamander~191
  • Universal Buy Link: https://mybook.to/MarkofSalamander
  • Publishers Website (UK): https://www.bookguild.co.uk/bookshop/the-mark-of-the-salamander/
  • Waterstones (UK): https://www.waterstones.com/book/the-mark-of-the-salamander/justin-newland/9781915853271
  • WH Smith (UK): https://www.whsmith.co.uk/products/the-mark-of-the-salamander-the-island-of-angels/justin-newland/paperback/9781915853271.html
  • Amazon (UK): https://www.amazon.co.uk/Mark-Salamander-Island-Angels/dp/1915853273/ref=sr_1_2
  • Browns Books (UK): http://www.brownsbfs.co.uk/Product/Newland-Justin/The-mark-of-the-salamander/9781915853271#
  • Amazon (US): https://www.amazon.com/Mark-Salamander-Justin-Newland/dp/1915853273/ref=sr_1_1
  • Barnes and Noble (US): https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-mark-of-the-salamander-justin-newland/1144122989?ean=2940186006305
  • Kobo (US): https://www.kobo.com/gb/en/ebook/the-mark-of-the-salamander
  • Amazon Canada:https://www.amazon.ca/Mark-Salamander-Justin-Newland/dp/1915853273/ref=sr_1_1
  • Agenda Bookshop (EU): https://agendabookshop.com/products/the-mark-of-the-salamander
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$20 GC – Feral by Bryan W. Alaspa @sdbooktours @AlaspaBryan

 


 There’s something very, very wrong with the children.


Feral

by Bryan W. Alaspa

Genre: Historical Horror


 For Garland, the move to California is just what his family needs to finally find comfort and success. After years of failed businesses, this may be their last chance. However, making the journey across the dangerous Sierra Nevadas is potentially deadly business in the 1800s. The journey is long and arduous.

This time, though, Garland’s friend Silas says he met a man who has found an easier and safer way to make the journey. Little does he know that his son is having ominous dreams about their trip and that something lurks deep within the woods. The long trek becomes harder and more difficult, taking longer than promised. Soon, the entire train of wagons, horses, and people is trapped in the mountains.

Then, the snow comes and buries them. As a small party sets off for rescue, no one knows that the thing within the woods that has been calling to the children is ready. Beneath the snow, as the travellers fight off starvation, a true nightmare starts—an ancient nightmare with sharp teeth that affects the children. Now, the screaming starts, and the true horror begins.


Amazon * Bookbub * Goodreads





Bryan W. Alaspa is a Chicago born and bred author of both fiction and non-fiction works. He has been writing since he sat down at his mother’s electric typewriter back in the third grade and pounded out his first three-page short story. He spent time studying journalism and other forms of writing. He turned to writing as his full-time career in 2006 when he began writing freelance, online and began writing novels and books.

He is the author of dozens of books in both fiction and non-fiction and numerous short stories and articles.

Mr. Alaspa writes true crime, history, horror, thrillers, mysteries, detective stories and tales about the supernatural.



Website * Facebook * X * Instagram * Bookbub * Amazon * Goodreads


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Giveaway – A Sisters Duet by Cheryl Holt @partnersincr1me @TheCherylHolt

Sisters: WITH ONE LOOK and WITH ONE KISS by Cheryl Holt Banner

A SISTERS DUET

by Cheryl Holt

June 10 – July 12, 2024 Virtual Book Tour

 

WITH ONE LOOK

 

CHERYL HOLT dazzles readers once again with her new two-book SISTERS duet! It’s two fun, fast-paced, and dramatic tales of love forevermore…

JACKSON BENNETT is an army veteran who was seriously wounded in India while saving the life of a royal cousin. As his reward, he’s become the new Earl of Thornhill. But it’s an honor he doesn’t want. After barely surviving his final tour of duty, his view of life has been altered. He simply likes to loaf, gamble, and revel in every decadent activity he can find.

THEODORA CRONENWORTH is a dreamer and idealist who thinks the world should be a much fairer place, particularly for women. She works hard to improve women’s lives, and she definitely believes prominent men should behave better.

When Jackson meets Theodora, he’s humored by her energy and pluck, but he’s a confirmed bachelor who doesn’t think he could ever fall in love. With one look, he’s completely smitten, and with Theodora rattling his debauched existence, nothing will ever be the same.

WITH ONE KISS

 

Fall in love with CHERYL HOLT all over again! She delivers the companion novel in her fun and dramatic SISTERS duet! It’s another tale of passion, forbidden romance, and love forevermore…

CHARLOTTE CRONENWORTH was born into a rich, prominent family, but after her father’s death, her fortunes plummeted. To support herself, she’s been teaching at a girl’s boarding school. Just as she’d begun to feel secure and complacent, the school went bankrupt, so it was closed and the students sent home. She’s been cast to the winds of fate, and she’s hoping to find employment as a governess, but she’s not optimistic. A woman on her own is never safe in her personal circumstances.

WINSTON WAINWRIGHT is Earl of Dartmouth. His title is one of the oldest and most esteemed in the kingdom, and he’s a rich, pompous snob. He takes his high status for granted and he’s confident of his elevated spot in the world. He was raised to believe that lesser mortals should bow down to his exalted self, and he never regrets his conceited attitudes or haughty habits.

When Winston meets Charlotte, there’s an instant attraction, and he’s enough of a rogue to feel entitled to act on it. He’ll be delighted to trifle with her, but she’s so far beneath him. He would never have honorable intentions. But with one kiss, he’s totally ensnared, and she just might be the one woman who can make him happy forever…

Book Details:

Genre: Regency Period Historical Romance
Published by: Indie
Publication Date: June 19, 2024
Series: A Sisters Duet
Series Link: Amazon

Read an excerpt from WITH ONE LOOK:

CHAPTER ONE

Theodora Cronenworth, called Theo by her family, strolled down the London street toward her home. She’d just attended the latest rally of the Matron’s Brigade, and she was lost in thought, struggling to deduce why she was still a member.

The group claimed to have begun a crusade against the dandies and vixens of the demimonde. The city had become a den of iniquity and they were determined to clean it up. Illicit conduct was rampant, and from the most toplofty aristocrat to the lowliest opera dancer, people were openly wallowing in sin and vice.

There seemed to be no limit to their depravities and civic leaders ignored what was happening. In fact, many of them were the worst offenders. So the Brigade had been formed.

The ladies had shrouded themselves in the mantle of moral indignation, and their purported goal was to root about decadence, but from Theo’s perspective, they simply argued amongst themselves over which direction to take. They also liked to point fingers as to who was sufficiently devoted to the cause and who wasn’t.

When they finally chose a target, it was a female who had no power or rich friends to protect her. The Brigade liked to punch down at those who couldn’t fight back and their focus enraged Theo.

In her view, if a woman was lured into wickedness, it was always the fault of a corrupt man. She constantly suggested they shame some of the scoundrels who instigated so much of the trouble, but the group wouldn’t hear of it. She’d flat-out been apprised that they didn’t dare harass any important males, and their cowardice infuriated her. None of their motives were true and they were a gaggle of hypocrites.

Her stepmother, Georgina, had encouraged her to join. Theo was clever with words, and she’d been tasked with writing pamphlets that would spread their message, but any message she penned was watered down to irrelevance.

Though she never discussed it, her own family had been destroyed by a cad when she was a little girl. Her mother had run away with him and vanished forever. Theo had never learned his name or any other information about him, but he’d never been held to account for his mischief.

Shouldn’t he have been? Could any prominent gentleman ever be forced to answer for his dissolution? Shouldn’t women demand better behavior from them?

Well, if the tepid antics of the Matron’s Brigade were any indication, no changes would ever occur.

She shoved the issue out of her mind. It was a beautiful May afternoon, the sky clear, the temperature balmy, and it was silly to waste any energy fretting about the situation. She wasn’t the Brigade’s prisoner and she didn’t have to continue to participate.

***

Excerpt from Cheryl Holt by WITH ONE LOOK. Copyright 2024 by Cheryl Holt. Reproduced with permission from Cheryl Holt. All rights reserved.

 

 

Author Bio:

Cheryl Holt

CHERYL HOLT is a New York Times, USA Today, and Amazon “Top 100” bestselling author who has published over sixty novels.

She’s also a lawyer and mom, and at age forty, with two babies at home, she started a new career as a commercial fiction writer. She’d hoped to be a suspense novelist, but couldn’t sell any of her manuscripts, so she ended up taking a detour into romance where she was stunned to discover that she has a knack for writing some of the world’s greatest love stories.

Her books have been released to wide acclaim, and she has won or been nominated for many national awards. She is considered to be one of the masters of the romance genre. For many years, she was hailed as “The Queen of Erotic Romance”, and she’s also revered as “The International Queen of Villains.” She is particularly proud to have been named “Best Storyteller of the Year” by the trade magazine Romantic Times BOOK Reviews.

She lives and writes in Hollywood, California, and she loves to hear from fans.

Catch Up With Cheryl Holt:
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#booksfromthebacklog – On A Wing And a Dare (Flying Horse Books, #1) by Linda Ulleseit

Books from the Backlog is a fun way to feature some of those neglected books sitting on your bookshelf unread.  If you are anything like me, you might be surprised by some of the unread books hiding in your stacks.

If you would like to join in, swing by Carole’s Random Life in Books.

Amazon / Goodreads

n Tremeirchson, a barn leader’s children are expected to follow their parents into the sky, becoming riders of the magnificent winged horses that are the medieval Welsh village’s legacy. Neither Emma nor Davyd, however, want to follow that tradition.

Sixteen-year-old Emma risks losing her family by following her heart. Eager to take her place in the air, she longs to ride a forbidden winged colt born in barn of her father’s biggest rival. She also dreams of the rival’s sons, not sure which she truly loves. Bold and exciting, Evan will someday lead his father’s barn. Davyd is quieter, more dependable, with an ability to get things done. Her father disapproves of both boys and pushes her toward an ambitious newcomer. He also insists she ride the colt he’s picked for her.

Davyd, also sixteen, is plagued with a secret—he is afraid of heights. Refusing to become a rider means public humiliation, his parents’ disappointment, and lifelong ridicule from his brother, Evan. He reluctantly prepares to join his family aloft in the Aerial Games that provide the entire village with its livelihood and tries desperately to think of an alternative.

As Tremeirchson’s barns prepare for the Rider Ceremony, winged horses suddenly start dying. Shocked, the adults hesitate, mired in tradition and politics. Is it a disease or poison? Accidental or purposeful? Someone must discover the answer and act before all the winged horses in the world are gone forever.

  • Genre: Fiction, Horses, Young Adult
  • 232 pages, Kindle Edition
  • First published May 23, 2012

Goodreads Ratings: 4.2 on Goodreads 47 ratings

I added On A Wing And A Dare by Linda Ulleseit to my TBR on 3.14.13. I love horses, especially magical horses, and I do read a lot of Young Adult novels. I haven’t read anything by Linda Ulleseit, yet, have you?

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Review – The Rumor Game by Thomas Mullen @Mullenwrites

Amazon / Audiobook / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

I don’t read a lot of historical fiction that deals with war and politics and more, but every once in a while one slips in, such as The Rumor Game by Thomas Mullen. There were elements about the story that struck me personally and it helped me to see the possibilities.

I loved Anne Lemire, because she does not back down. She puts herself front and center, digging and investigating, making herself a target. She writes for The Rumor Clinic, disproving harmful rumors. I thought for sure she was going to get her or someone close to her killed.

FBI Special Agent Devon Mulvey,….caught between a rock and a hard place. His job is to find those working against the government and sabotaging the war effort. I tried not to be judgmental, but….and I didn’t see the choice he would make, but I saw the reason why he made it.

I had to keep telling myself that this is 1943. Things were different then, yet current events prove that history repeats itself, over and over again. I find it puzzling, how those who were treated so badly when they immigrated to the United States could turn around and do the same thing to others. Why are they not more empathetic, seeing they can relate?

Everything felt so real. Whether it’s the Irish chasing and beating Jews or underground organizations printing hat sheet pamphlets inflaming the populace against those different from them and against the war in general, ration stamps, chauvinism, sexism, the union meetings, discrimination and threats in the factories, the USO dances, even religious leaders contributed to the discontent, police corruption, custodial detention, fascism, communism, murder…

….entrenched economic system forced people into roles….Negroes are lazy. Irish are drunks. Italians are criminals. Jews are bloodsuckers.

I found The Rumor Game by Thomas Mullen very disturbing…because it felt so real and made me think….too much…making my brain hurt, or at least giving me a headache. AND…that is why I don’t read a lot of historical fictional war and politics stories.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
4 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

A determined reporter and a reluctant FBI agent face off against fascist elements in World War II-era Boston.

June, 1943. Wartime tensions are running high, and an atmosphere of distrust and unease is dividing friends and neighbors. The two protagonists of Thomas Mullen’s gripping historical thriller find themselves at the center of a dangerous tinderbox, trying to douse the sparks before flames engulf the city.

Reporter Anne Lemire writes the Rumor Clinic, a newspaper column that disproves the many harmful rumors floating around town, some of them spread by Axis actors and others just gossip mixed with fear and ignorance. She’s getting tired of chasing rumors about Rosie Riveters’ safety on the job, or whether the Nazis have poisoned lobsters off the coast of Maine. She wants to write about something bigger.

Special Agent Devon Mulvey, one of the few Catholics at the FBI, spends his weekdays preventing sabotage in the war industries and his Sundays spying on clerics with divided loyalties—and he spends his evenings wooing the many lonely women whose husbands are off at war.

When Anne’s story about Nazi propaganda being handed out by local businesses intersects with Devon’s investigation into the death of an immigrant factory worker, the two are led down a dangerous trail of espionage, organized crime, and domestic fascism—one that implicates their own tangled pasts and threatens to expose a larger pattern of conspiracy than either of them could have imagined.

With incredible attention to detail, vibrant historical atmosphere, and a riveting mystery that illuminates still-timely issues about disinformation, power, and influence in a society plagued by division, Thomas Mullen delivers another powerful thriller.

  • Genre: Espionage, Fictiion, Hisstorical Fiction, Mystery, Suspense, Thriller,
  • 368 pages, Kindle Edition
  • Expected publication February 27, 2024 by Minotaur

ABOUT THOMAS MULLEN

Thomas Mullen is the author of Darktown, an NPR Best Book of the Year, which has been shortlisted for the Los Angeles Times Book Prize, the Southern Book Prize, the Indies Choice Book Award, has been nominated for two Crime Writers Assocation Dagger Awards, and is being developed for television by Sony Pictures with executive producer Jamie Foxx; The Last Town on Earth, which was named Best Debut Novel of 2006 by USA Today and was awarded the James Fenimore Cooper Prize for excellence in historical fiction; The Many Deaths of the Firefly Brothers; and The Revisionists. He lives in Atlanta with his wife and sons.

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Giveaway – The Mark Of The Salamander by Justin Newland @partnersincr1me

The Mark of the Salamander

by Justin Newland

February 12-23, 2024 Virtual Book Tour

Synopsis:

The Mark of the Salamander by Justin Newland

1575.

Nelan Michaels is a young Flemish man fleeing religious persecution in the Spanish Netherlands. Settling in Mortlake outside London, he studies under Queen Elizabeth’s court astrologer, conjuring a bright future – until he’s wrongly accused of murder.

Forced into the life of a fugitive, Nelan hides in London, before he is dramatically pressed into the crew of the Golden Hind.

Thrust into a strange new world on board Francis Drake’s vessel, Nelan sails the seas on a voyage to discover discovery itself. Encountering mutiny, ancient tribes and hordes of treasure, Nelan must explore and master his own mystical powers – including the Mark of the Salamander, the mysterious spirit of fire.

THE MARK OF THE SALAMANDER is the first in The Island of Angels series: a two-book saga that tells the epic story and secret history of England’s coming of age during the Elizabethan era.

Book Details:

Genre: Historical Fiction / Magical Realism
Published by: Book Guild
Publication Date: September 28, 2023
Number of Pages: 256
ISBN: 9781915853271 (ISBN10: 1915853273)
Series: The Island of Angels, 1 of 2
Book Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | Goodreads

Read an excerpt:

Chapter 19

Home at Last

26th September 1580

It was midway through the afternoon watch. On a Monday. It wasn’t any old Monday. It was a special Monday. Not because of an extra beer ration; nor because of the smell of fish emanating from the galley. No – it was because, on that autumn day, nearly all fifty-eight surviving crew members hung over the gunwale, their eyes dripping with expectation and glued to the horizon. On occasion, they glanced up at the topmast and the barrel man as if waiting for a message from the heavens. None came, even after they’d passed the Isles of Scilly. Nor did it come after they passed Wolf Rock. It surely wouldn’t be long in coming.

As the creaking of the sails ceased, the Golden Hind glided serenely through the waters as if drawn forward by a divine wind. Even the gulls stopped squawking. A light rain shower washed the decks. The men gazed at the white flecks on the waves.

Amidst the quiet, a cry went out, and travelled down the mizzenmast, across the poop deck and into the soul of each crew member. “Land ho!”

Nelan stood next to Fletcher, who raised his hands like an Old Testament prophet and cried out, “Oh, my God!” Then he knelt on the deck, hands clasped in a prayer of thanksgiving.

The other hands – all long-haired, heavily bearded, and stinking of piss, ale and perspiration – planted their knees on the deck. To Nelan, that moment felt portentous. It was one of collective bliss in which men of all ranks, natures and ages shared a sublime experience and encountered, perhaps for a few seconds only, the most concentrated religious feeling in the world: that of belonging to each other and to a land. Perhaps they didn’t know it fully, then. Maybe they had an inkling of it, as Nelan did. But at that moment, each of them knew that, through their voyage, their endeavours and their courage, they had unchained the shackles of the past, cut most of the remaining threads of the Gordian Knot of papal suppression, summoned the fresh, clean winds of the future, and set the people of England on a course towards the discovery of themselves and towards an exploration of the world and its peoples.

As the familiar jagged promontory of the Lizard hove into view, the hardy souls who’d survived unimaginable hardships together were stunned to silence. For once, their tongues stopped wagging. Where before they had been vocal in their japes and musical in their jaunts, now they were mute, stilled by the awe and wonder of seeing the distant contours of their land, their England, appear on the horizon. Their journey neared its end. They knew that another would begin as surely as God gave them the grace of another breath. They had not seen this land’s green pastures and gentle slopes for over a thousand days; 1,018, the pilot told them. England. Home at last. They would greet friends they had not seen for two years and ten months. See children who’d grown from suckling babe to infant. Meet mothers who’d given birth in the interim. Comfort wives grown old from the worry, and embrace daughters who’d married during their long absence. They’d clasp hands with their brothers, fathers and sons, and hold them close. Such were the anticipated joys of homecoming. Since they’d set out twice from old Plymouth – once when storms had forced them to return to safe harbour, and later when they’d finally embarked on that fateful day in December 1577 – this was a second coming.

Nelan swallowed hard. He licked his parched lips. While he didn’t expect anyone to meet him on the quay, he remained as excited as the native-born mariners to see old England. She was his home now. She had been a haven for Protestants from all over Europe fleeing the cruel persecution of the Inquisition. He couldn’t go back to Sangatte or Leiden. The angels of the island coursed through his blood and enriched his soul. He belonged to them, and they belonged in him.

From within him there arose a poem of persuasion, a song of softness, a dance of deliberation.

One question hovered on the lips of the crew. But none dared speak it aloud. Not Nelan, and, for once, not even Tom. But it demanded to be asked. The answer would decide their fate; particularly that of the officers and gentlemen and, most of all, of the admiral. He had to be the one to ask it.

***

Excerpt from The Mark of the Salamander by Justin Newland. Copyright 2023 by Justin Newland. Reproduced with permission from Justin Newland. All rights reserved.

 

 

Author Bio:

Justin Newland

JUSTIN NEWLAND’s novels represent an innovative blend of genres from historical adventure to supernatural thriller and magical realism. His stories explore the themes of war and religion, and speculate on the human’s spiritual place in the universe. Undeterred by the award of a Doctorate in Mathematics from Imperial College, London, he conceived his debut novel, The Genes of Isis (Matador, 2018), an epic fantasy set under Ancient Egyptian skies.

  • The historical thriller, The Old Dragon’s Head (Matador, 2018), is set in Ming Dynasty China in the shadows of the Great Wall.
  • The Coronation (Matador, 2019) was another historical adventure and speculates on the genesis of the most important event in the modern world – the Industrial Revolution.
  • The Abdication (Matador, 2021) is a mystery thriller in which a young woman confronts her faith in a higher purpose and what it means to abdicate that faith.
  • The Mark of the Salamander (Book Guild, 2023) is the first in a two-book series, The Island of Angels. Set in the Elizabethan era, it’s an epic tale of England’s coming of age.
  • His work in progress is the second in the series, The Midnight of Eights, the charting of the uncanny coincidences that led to the repulse of the Spanish Armada. Author, speaker and broadcaster, Justin appears on LitFest panels, gives talks to historical associations and libraries and enjoys giving radio interviews and making podcasts. Born three days before the end of 1953, he lives with his partner in plain sight of the Mendip Hills in Somerset, England.

    Catch Up With Our Author:
    www.JustinNewland.com
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    Pinterest – @jnewland0711

     

     

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    Enter Now for Your Chance to Win!

    This is a giveaway hosted by Partners in Crime Tours for Justin Newland. See the widget for entry terms and conditions. Void where prohibited.

     

     

    Get More Great Reads at Partners In Crime Tours

     

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