The Belle of Belgrave Square (Belles of London #2) by Mimi Matthews + Giveaway!

 

A London heiress rides out to the wilds of the English countryside to honor a marriage of convenience with a mysterious and reclusive stranger.

Tall, dark, and dour, the notorious Captain Jasper Blunt was once hailed a military hero, but tales abound of his bastard children and his haunted estate in Yorkshire. What he requires now is a rich wife to ornament his isolated ruin, and he has his sights set on the enchanting Julia Wychwood.

For Julia, an incurable romantic cursed with a crippling social anxiety, navigating a London ballroom is absolute torture. The only time Julia feels any degree of confidence is when she’s on her horse. Unfortunately, a young lady can’t spend the whole of her life in the saddle, so Julia makes an impetuous decision to take her future by the reins—she proposes to Captain Blunt.

In exchange for her dowry and her hand, Jasper must promise to grant her freedom to do as she pleases. To ride—and to read—as much as she likes without masculine interference. He readily agrees to her conditions, with one provision of his own: Julia is forbidden from going into the tower rooms of his estate and snooping around his affairs. But the more she learns of the beastly former hero, the more intrigued she becomes…

 * Amazon * Goodreads * Barnes & Noble *

Honestly?  I'm a Mimi Matthews fan.  I have yet to meet a book by her that I haven't liked.  But there are just some books that you would give more than five stars to if you could and this book is one of them for me.  I LOVED it.  With all capital letters and heart eyes.

Julia is an easy person to like.  I mean, she's a book lover so yeah, I connected with her.  She uses books as an escape from a horrible home life and social anxiety.  Others view Julia as weak and fragile but not me, and definitely not Jasper Blunt who saw her and immediately wanted her.  He saw past her insecurities into her sweet and gentle soul and never looked back.  Because this book gives us views from both characters, it was easy to see Jasper's struggles and how much he desired Julia to accept him.  He played the part of hero so well.

I loved how the whole story unfolded.  I was surprised as it went along and completely immersed in the story.  This is one of those stories that you think about when you aren't reading it and feel so anxious to get back to.  I had a couple hours in the car the day I was reading it and I could have listened to it in the car but I just had to wait until I could read with my own eyes and feel the book in my hand.  It just had to be read that way for me.

All the emotions.  All the love.  One of my most favorite books by this author and one I will want to read again.

Content:  mild swearing.  Innuendo, kissing.  Intimate relations between a married couple with no details, fade to black.

- I received a complimentary copy of this book.  All opinions expressed are my own.

USA Today bestselling author Mimi Matthews writes both historical nonfiction and award-winning proper Victorian romances. Her novels have received starred reviews in Publishers Weekly, Library Journal, Booklist, and Kirkus, and her articles have been featured on the Victorian Web, the Journal of Victorian Culture, and in syndication at BUST Magazine. In her other life, Mimi is an attorney. She resides in California with her family, which includes a retired Andalusian dressage horse, a Sheltie, and two Siamese cats.

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Terms & Conditions:

Giveaway hosted by Mimi Matthews. No Purchase Necessary. Entrants must be 18 years or older. Open to US residents only. All information will remain confidential and will not be sold or otherwise used, except to notify the winner and to facilitate postage of the book to the winner. Void where prohibited.

Giveaway Details:

1 winner (selected at random by Rafflecopter) receives a paperback copy of The Belle of Belgrave Square, signed and annotated by the author with personal comments, underlining of her favorite lines, and other highlights by Mimi Matthews.

 Giveaway is open from 12:01 am Pacific time 10/03/22 until 11:59pm Pacific time on 10/30/22.

 The winner will be announced on Mimi's blog on 10/31/22.

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An Uncommon Earl by Sian Ann Bessey + Enter To Win This Book!

 

 

Alexander Allerton, the Earl of Bloxley’s, greatest desire is to alleviate the suffering of the poor and less fortunate of England. So when his hackney carriage is involved in an accident that results in the death of one of those he is determined to help, he is devastated. Alexander vows to keep the promise he makes to the injured woman as she takes her final breaths: he will not rest until he finds her young son.

After a crippling accident years ago, Jane Hadford is accustomed to being largely ignored at social events. But being overlooked has allowed her to hone her observational skills—and she quickly perceives that all is not well with the handsome Lord Bloxley. When an unexpected opportunity arises to talk to the earl, he surprises them both by sharing with her his fruitless search for the child. Touched by Lord Bloxley’s story and by his desire to make things right, Jane determines to help him fulfill his promise. What she cannot anticipate, however, is that the quest she has chosen to undertake will bring into her life a small boy who will steal her heart and a gentleman who might well do the same.

 * Amazon * Goodreads * Deseret Book * 

I am in complete character love right now.  Lord Bloxley (Alexander), Jane and little Asher literally stole my heart away.  Oh and Aunt Millward!  I cannot forget her!  Great characters make great books.

Okay, yes.  The whole story was good.  I just love when a story includes real historical events that I can learn more about.  In this case it was chimney sweeps and the law to change the age of the young workers.  The book flowed gently and easily with a great buildup in the end and the sweetest epilogue but for me this book was all about those characters.  They just shine bright throughout the whole book.  Kind and gentle but strong Alexander who fights for the downtrodden, the underdog.  Jane is observant, smart and brave.  Her heart is so big and it expands to include sweet little Asher.  I adored them all.

Clearly this was a delightful book.  It made me happy.

Content:  kissing, mild peril

- I received a complimentary copy of this book.  All opinions expressed are my own.

 

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The Noble Smuggler by Sian Ann Bessey + Win This Book!

Despite living at her father’s inn her entire life, Elizabeth Doyle has always managed to avoid involvement with the smugglers who frequently gather there. Until now. When a handsome smuggler is brought to her with dire injuries, Elizabeth risks everything to hide him—completely unaware that the wounded man is not who he appears to be.

When an opportunity arises to infiltrate the notorious smuggling gang he believes caused his father’s death, Jonas Ainsworth, the Viscount Langton, pretends to be one of them. But when he is wounded midcharade, Jonas’s life is placed in the hands of an unlikely savior: a smuggler’s daughter. Forced to flee before his wounds have fully healed, he does not think he will ever see her again—until she appears on his doorstep, seeking safe haven. Divided by their social standings yet united in their mutual desire to expose the leader of the smuggling ring, Jonas and Elizabeth are undeniably drawn to each other. Neither realizes, however, that they are dangerously close to uncovering explosive secrets from the past—secrets that will alter the course of their lives forever.

 * Amazon * Goodreads * Deseret Book *

I am such a fan of Sian Ann Bessey.  Her books make me happy and so grateful to be a reader.  Seriously.  I'm a fan.

This book transported me right to the coast in England and a little inn with Elizabeth who I fell in love with right away.  Downtrodden, abused and lonely yet still keeping that little light in her heart, Elizabeth is a heroine worth rooting for.  I loved her resilience, determination and the softness that she carried despite the hardness around her.

Jonas is a good man from a good family.  I loved the dynamics of his family and how it really gave me a sense of who Jonas was at his core.  He is all things a hero should be in my book.

This book had a great flow that had me invested and interested from beginning to end.  There was a growing plot that developed right along with the relationships in this story.  It felt full and I had the best time watching it all play out in my head.  I didn't want to put it down and I was a wee bit sad when it was over.  I loved it.  LOVED it.

Content:  peril, violence, kissing

- I received a complimentary copy of this book.  All opinions expressed are my own.

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A Song for the Stars by Ilima Todd

Hawaiian Islands, 1779
 As the second daughter of a royal chief, Maile will be permitted to marry for love. Her fiancé is the best navigator in Hawaiʻi, and he taught her everything he knows—how to feel the ocean, observe the winds, read the stars, and how to love.

But when sailors from a strange place called England arrive on her island, a misunderstanding ends in battle, and Maile is suddenly widowed before she is wed.

Finding herself in the middle of the battle and fearing for her life, Maile takes John Harbottle, the wounded man who killed her fiancé, prisoner, and though originally intending to let him die, she reluctantly heals him. And in the process, she discovers the man she thought was her enemy might be her ally instead.

John has been Captain James Cook’s translator for three voyages across the Pacific. He is kind and clearly fascinated with her homeland and her people—and Maile herself. But guilt continues to drive a wedge between them: John’s guilt over the death he caused, and Maile’s guilt over the truth about what triggered the deadly battle—a secret she’s kept hidden from everyone on the island.

When Maile is tasked with teaching John how to navigate using the stars so he can sail back to England, they must also navigate the challenges of being from very different cultures. In doing so, they might also find the peace that comes when two hearts become one.

 * Amazon * Goodreads * Deseret Book * 

This story was so lovely.  I felt transported to another place and time and my heart expanded with every turn of the page.  Knowing that this story was based on the true story of the author's ancestors made it even more intriguing.  The whole story felt fresh and new- so unlike all the other books I've been reading lately.

The Hawaiian people have such a rich history.  Their culture and customs have always fascinated me.  Imagine being from another continent and country and coming across these people for the first time in history.  This book sparked all kinds of thoughts in my mind.

I love the feeling of being caught up in a story and not wanting to put it down.  This book reads so beautifully and I just loved it.  The emotional feelings were all there along with the flutters in my tummy at the slightest touch of a pinky finger.  I feel fortunate to have been able to read this book.  It's one of my favorites this year so far.

Content:  some violence, death, peril.

- I received a complimentary copy of this book.  All opinions expressed are my own.

 

 

Ashes on the Moor by Sarah M. Eden

When Evangeline is sent to live in a small mill town in Northern England as a schoolteacher in 1871, she finds herself struggling to fit in with an unfamiliar culture. Raised with the high-class Victorian values and ideals of a sophisticated upbringing, she is unprepared for the poverty she finds in the gritty factory town of Smeatley, where the locals speak with a hard-to-understand Yorkshire accent and struggle to thrive with few resources or opportunities.

Though she has no training as a teacher, she must prove herself successful before her grandfather will release her substantial inheritance to her and allow her to be reunited with her younger sister, the last remaining member of her family after a fever claimed the lives of her parents and brothers.

Evangeline's sudden change in circumstances is complicated when her aunt—a woman who values class distinctions more than her family relationships—forbids her from acknowledging any connection to her or to her grandfather, Mr. Farr—the man who owns nearly the entire town. For the first time in her life, Evangeline is truly alone.

Heartbroken, she turns to the one person in town who has shown her kindness—an Irish brick mason, Dermot, and his son, Ronan. Despite the difference in their classes and backgrounds, Evangeline and Dermot become friends, due in part to her ability to connect with Ronan, whose behavior requires special attention. The boy is uncomfortable around strangers and rarely even speaks to the other children in town. He often fixates on details other people ignore, and he adheres to specific, self-made rules that give his life order and structure; for example, Dermot's coat must be hung on a specific peg next to the door.

Evangeline attempts to prove herself a worthy teacher and earn the respect of her hard-to-understand students. Determined to find a way to introduce them to "proper English" while still honoring their unique language and culture, she enlists the help of a local family to write down familiar stories in the Yorkshire vernacular. Because of her efforts, the students and their families warm to Evangeline and she continues to look for ways to give the children a chance to become more than factory workers in the local cotton mill.

When the town learns of her upper-class status, Evangeline must work twice as hard to win back their trust--especially Dermot's. In the end, Evangeline and Dermot discover that, even though they come from different social spheres, together they can overcome social prejudices, make a positive difference in the lives of even the humblest people, and enjoy the strength that comes when two hearts find each other.

* Amazon * Goodreads *

It's always a happy day when a new book by Sarah Eden comes out.  I am such a fan of her writing and her stories.  She has a gift for weaving me right into her stories where I feel such a part of whatever emotion or activity that is going on and she does it so gently.  I think that's one word I would always use to describe Sarah Eden's books.  Gentle.

This story started off sad and a bit slow for me.  It took me a bit to fall into the characters and feel like I was a part of them but it did happen about halfway through.  By the end I was in love with Evangeline, Dermot and Ronan.  I loved the glimpse into the history of the Yorkshire area, the struggles of the people and the very distinct Yorkshire accent.  Evangeline, as a school teacher, kept saying that she didn't want to take their words away from them.  I loved that too.

There was so much to love about this book.  It was full and rich, gentle and endearing.  Just what I would expect from Sarah Eden.

Content:  clean

- I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher.  All opinions expressed are my own.

Heart of the West by Carolyn Twede Frank + Win This Book!

Independent-minded women are considered highly unsuitable in Kate Donahue’s wealthy Long Island society. Yes, Kate would lead a proper life should she marry, but her dream of practicing medicine would surely be thwarted by her domineering fiancé. To follow her dream, she must take dramatic measures. So when she reads a newspaper ad seeking a qualified small-town physician, Kate embarks on a new life in the Wild West.

Upon her arrival in the rugged settlement of Craig, Colorado, Kate is disappointed to discover that even in the West, no one wants a woman doctor. As she struggles to establish her practice, she is kept busy fending off the unwanted attentions of a local rancher, a man unnervingly reminiscent of the ex-fiancé she left behind in New York. Romantic entanglements are the last thing on Kate’s mind. That is, until she meets Lucas McCurdy, an Irish immigrant with whom she feels an undeniable connection. But when their relationship inflames a dangerous land battle, Kate and Lucas find themselves defenseless in a lawless town—a perilous position that may cost them everything.

 * Amazon * Goodreads * Deseret Book *

Heart of the West is a gentle story a woman determined to blaze her own path and live the life she wants.  Kate Donahue might get knocked down a time or two but she doesn't stay there long.  I loved her kindness and admired her bravery.  Kate was a great representative of girl power- for herself and for the other women around her.  She encouraged women around her to expand themselves, find what they love and do it, and encourage their men to be better all while staying feminine and kind.  It was awesome.

I think the thing that made this book for me was the cast of characters.  The story itself is nothing heart pounding or overly gripping but the characters are the meat and potatoes of it.  Each person came alive with personality and it was so easy to picture them in my head.  I loved the sense of community with the small town setting.  A good, gentle western fiction!

Content:  clean, some kissing.  Mild peril.

- I received a copy of this book from the publisher.  All opinions expressed are my own.

Schedule:

*Jan 8^th: https://www.rockinbookreviews.com, http://mybookaday.blogspot.com, http://ldswritermom.blogspot.com

*Jan 9^th: http://heidi-reads.blogspot.com, http://empowermoms.net, http://empowermoms.net

*Jan 10^th: http://literarytimeout.blogspot.com, http://literarytimeout.blogspot.com, http://thethingsilovemost.com

*Jan 11^th: https://ldsandlovinit.blogspot.com, http://katiescleanbookcollection.blogspot.com, https://www.singinglibrarianbooks.com, http://lisaisabookworm.blogspot.com, http://gettingyourreadonaimeebrown.blogspot.com

*Jan 12^th: http://reviewsfromtheheart.blogspot.com, http://www.wishfulendings.com, http://www.kindleandme.com, http://booksaresanity.blogspot.com, http://fireandicereads.com

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The Heart Only Grows (Timeless Romance Single Book 5) by Michele Paige Holmes

THE HEART ONLY GROWS: A brand new historical romance novella from Michele Paige Holmes:

For Children’s Aid Society employee Addelaide Campbell, riding the Orphan Train is a labor of love—a last, heart-wrenching attempt to do the best she can for the children entrusted to her care. If only she could keep them all…Or at the least, keep children from the same family together. When the sheriff of Somerset, Wisconsin, offers an unexpected proposal that might allow her to do just that, Addie takes a leap of faith—or possibly insanity—and decides to accept.

Miles Linden has sworn off women, children, marriage, and family. In the two years since he lost his wife and daughter to influenza, loneliness has been his constant companion, except on Friday nights when he drowns his sorrows at the local saloon. He’s coping with this arrangement just fine, until the morning he’s rudely awakened by a pert woman and two gawking children who mistake him for a real outlaw, instead of a man sleeping off his liquor on the cot at the jail. Being awakened and accused are the least of the surprises awaiting Miles, since Addie Campbell and the Orphan Train arrived in town.

 * Amazon * Goodreads *

This novella is ever so sweet.  Honestly, sweet is the best word I have to describe it.

I read a book not long ago, also a historical fiction, that included bits about the orphan train as well.  Before that, I had no idea those were even a real thing.  Can you imagine the kids on those trains?  How they must have felt?  Scared, alone.  My heart breaks just thinking about it.  In this book, Addelaide accompanies these children on the train to help facilitate their adoptions.  That is a job I would never be able to do.  Addelaide is so kind and gentle.  I loved her instantly.

Miles is convinced that he will never be able to love again.  There is no room in his home or his heart for loving and losing love again.  Miles gets tricked into a marriage situation, but he agrees because Miles is just that kind of stand up guy.  Even hurt he does the right thing.  Thank goodness for that!  

This is a novella but I really never felt like it was rushed.  The characters were well developed and full of life.  I connected with them and loved them.  That is sometimes hard to do in a novella length story.  I'm not surprised though.  Michele Holmes is one of my favorites and she knows how to weave a fantastic tale.

Content:  Some mild peril, mention of child abuse

- I received a copy of this book from the publisher.  All opinions expressed are my own.

Love Remains by Sarah M. Eden + Giveaway!

From Sarah M. Eden, the USA Today Bestselling author of the Longing for Home series, LOVE REMAINS is a new romance novel set in the beloved world of Hope Springs.

For nearly a year, Tavish O’Connor has carried the crushing weight of his family’s future on his shoulders. He has taken on the care of his youngest brother, Finbarr, who lost his eyesight in a terrible accident. But the lad needs more than Tavish can provide. Finbarr needs hope.

Cecily Attwater specializes in hope. As a tutor to the newly blind, she has dedicated her life to helping others overcome the obstacles she herself has conquered. Her new assignment in a remote corner of Wyoming proves trickier than usual: Finbarr refuses to learn. To make matters worse, his family—and the other Irish townspeople—are less than thrilled to discover an Englishwoman in their haven.

Cecily’s only hope lies in securing the cooperation of her pupil’s brother Tavish, who happens to be her harshest critic and quite possibly the most frustrating man she’s ever known.

For Finbarr’s sake, Tavish and Cecily forge an uneasy alliance that, as the weeks pass, tiptoes toward something deeper than either dares admit or face, and toward a future they know to be impossible. There can be no hope of a happy outcome for an Irishman and an English woman amongst a people reeling from violence and centuries of hatred between their two homelands.

Other Books in the Hope Springs Series:

Longing for Home

Hope Springs

My Dearest Love

It's no secret that I love Sarah Eden's books. This series is absolutely one of my favorites and this book? Oh my heart. Seriously. It's full of depth and emotion and my heart was one hundred percent engaged.

I have loved Tavish from the very beginning of this series. I think I might be in love with his name alone! Tavish is the very best sort of person and I was SO grateful this book brought about some healing, peace and happiness for him. It was a long, hard fought battle- emotional and fantastic. Man, I love Tavish. LOVE him.

Cecily earned a place in my heart right next to Tavish. She sort of wormed her way in and took up space. It happened with no conscious effort on my part. I felt all sorts of things for Cecily but mostly I admired her. She has a strength of character that I wish I had. She is someone who rises up no matter what. Through heartache, prejudice, physical pain and limitations, loneliness and sorrow, Cecily rises up.

I could seriously go on and on about this book. I really loved everything about it. There is a song in this book and a scene that yanked my heart out. If you have ever loved someone and lost them, you will feel it's power. So emotional!

I would highly recommend reading this series and in order if you can. It will provide more of an emotional connection this story and it's characters. But, if you cannot read them all, this book can stand alone, I think.

* Goodreads * Amazon *

Tour Schedule

September 11 - My Book A Day

                        Smiling Book Reviews

                        Peggy Urry

September 12 - Bookworm Lisa

Wishful Endings

Getting Your Read On

September 13 - LDS Writer Mom

Min Reads and Reviews

September 14 - Literary Time Out

Heidi Reads

Singing Librarian Books

September 15 - Katie's Clean Book Collection

                         Why Not? Because I Said So!

Mel’s Shelves

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From Cairo, With Love (Timeless Romance Single Book 1) by Nancy Campbell Allen

FROM CAIRO, WITH LOVE: A brand new historical romance novella from bestselling author Nancy Campbell Allen.

Valentine Baker longs for adventure, so when the opportunity comes to travel to Venice and be a companion for the unconventional Contessa, she takes it--but they don’t stay in Venice long. Valentine finds herself on a ship bound for Cairo so the Contessa can hunt down a thief at one of her archaeological digs there. Before they ever get close to the coast of Egypt, however, the ship is threatened by a violent storm and someone has an ulterior motive for sticking close to the Contessa and her traveling companions.

Mr. Maxwell is assigned to protect the Contessa and the charming Valentine. He tries to keep his distance, but her warm nature and easy laugh draw him in. He soon comes to cherish their time together, until someone attempts to drug him, and the aftermath reveals serious consequences for Valentine. He’ll do anything to keep her safe and her reputation intact, yet with treachery on board and his heart at stake, Mr. Maxwell must make a choice that will change his life forever. Can he win the woman of his dreams or will whoever wants to hurt them get close enough to take away his one chance for love?

 * Amazon * Goodreads * 

I really loved this new novella by Nancy Campbell Allen!  It was so well developed for only 90 or so pages.  The characters were vibrant and full of life and I could so easily visualize each one.  Sometimes when I reach the end of a novella, I long for more but with this story I was completely content at the end.  It was so good!

I love this new idea of novella singles from the Timeless Romance series.  This novella releases on November 1st, which is only a few days away!  I can't wait to see what book and which author is up next!

Content:  Clean!

-I received a copy of this book for free.  A favorable review was not required and all opinions expressed are my own.

Forever and Forever: The Courtship of Henry Longfellow and Fanny Appleton

The first book in a new series which will focus on the lives of real historical figures who have intriguing stories of courtship that are recreated in fictionalized accounts based on real biographical and social history research.

"A well-researched, emotionally charged tale. A love story...fit for the ages." -Publishers Weekly.

It's 1836, and nineteen-year-old Fanny Appleton, a privileged daughter of a wealthy, upper-class Boston industrialist, is touring Europe with her family. Like many girls of her day, she enjoys the fine clothes, food, and company of the elite social circles. But unlike her peers, Fanny is also drawn to education, literature, and more intellectual pursuits.

Published author and poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow is also touring Europe, but under much different circumstances. Widowed while on tour, he has stayed in order to gather credentials that he hopes will secure his professorship at Harvard College. When Henry meets Fanny, he sees in her a kindred spirit, a lover of language and literature and high ideals. He is in love. Fanny, however, is uncertain. He is ten years older than she is, and from a much lower social class. How could such a relationship ever thrive?

Could a book of Henry’s poetry, personally delivered, persuade Fanny to believe in a love that lasts forever and forever?

 * Goodreads * Amazon *

I love when I pick up a historical fiction book and I can just feel how much research the author did in preparation for writing.  This story felt so real and true to the time period and people it portrayed.

One of my favorite things about historical fiction is getting to know more about people and events from history in a way that isn't so cut and dry as a historical account.  The author is allowed to take some liberties resulting in a more emotional connection.  

This story is gentle and covers quite an expanse of time.  It flows slowly but richly.  The characters are full of intelligence and passion.  Henry has such a devoted and loyal heart.  His passions run deep and true.  I really loved how he came to life for me.  He wrote such beautiful poems.

If you love historical fiction, you should really check this one out.  It won't make your heart race or your stomach clench, but it will bring real emotion in the most gentle of ways.

Courting Cassandry by Joyce DiPastena + Book and Chocolate Giveaway!

Courting Cassandry

(Hearts in Autumn #2)

by Joyce DiPastena

Adult Historical Romance

ebook, 348 pages

February 17th 2016

Is it too late for second chances when the girl you loved in your youth comes back into your life?

Gerolt de Warenne became guardian to a child-heiress named Cassandry when he was only nineteen-years old. As he watched her grow into a lovely young woman, he found himself falling in love with her, but Cassandry viewed him as an older brother. So, burying his feelings, he gave permission for her to marry another.

Twenty-four years later Gerolt and Cassandry meet again. With the loss of their respective spouses, Gerolt hopes to finally court Cassandry, but she desires to remain a widow. Instead, they agree to a betrothal of their children.

Matters become complicated as their friendship begins to evolve into the romance Gerolt has always wanted. But by the law of the medieval Church, Cassandry and Gerolt can’t marry if their children do. Can they find a way to be together? Or must they sacrifice their future for the love of their children?

"Courting Cassandry" is a “Hearts in Autumn” romance, medieval romances revolving around heroes and heroines “in the autumn of their years.” Because love isn’t only for the young!

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Joyce DiPastena really knows how to transport her readers back through time to another place.  She creates worlds and people that are so vivid in my mind.  It's one of the things I love about reading Joyce's books.  This happens because Joyce knows her time period and she does her homework.  It really shows in her writing.

In this Hearts in Autumn series, the focus is on couples who are a bit older- not old, just older than, well, younger.  :)  In this story, Cassandry and Gerolt are both parents of teenage children.  Gerolt is a fair bit older than Cassandry and has loved her since her youth.  Unfortunately, Gerolt was not the man Cassandry chose to marry but now, decades later, Cassandry has come into Gerolt's life once again.

I loved the stories within stories.  Each character in this book has a story to tell.  They all weave together but shape each character separately.  It was a gentle and slow unfolding and I feel like I became more personally acquainted with each character page by page.

There were some points in the book that it started to feel a bit long- things I felt I already understood and knew as a reader were reiterated and I did a bit of skimming.  Other than that, this book was top notch.  A beautiful world to visit.

Are you collecting the special tokens for the giveaway?  If so, here is mine!  This is token #7.

The First Book in the Series

Loving Lucianna

(Hearts in Autumn #1)

by Joyce DiPastena

Adult Historical Romance

Paperback & ebook, 220 pages

October 11th 2014

Sir Balduin de Soler gave up long ago on love. He never had the means to support a wife until an unexpected advancement in his fifties allows him to reassess his future just as the lovely Lucianna enters his life. 

Lucianna Fabio harbors a secret, painful memory from her past that has kept her unwed, as well. Now in her forties, she thought herself too old to marry until she meets Sir Balduin. Now suddenly their lonely autumn lives feel very much like spring again . . . until Lucianna’s brother appears without warning and threatens to revive the secret that will destroy Lucianna’s second chance at love. 

"Loving Lucianna" is the first in Joyce DiPastena’s new "Hearts in Autumn" romance series, medieval romances revolving around heroes and heroines “in the autumn of their years.” Because you’re never too old to fall in love!

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Joyce DiPastena dreamed of green medieval forests while growing up in the dusty copper mining town of Kearny, Arizona. She filled her medieval hunger by reading the books of Thomas B. Costain (where she fell in love with King Henry II of England), and later by attending the University of Arizona where she graduated with a degree in history, specializing in the Middle Ages. The university was also where she completed her first full-length novel…set, of course, in medieval England. Later, her fascination with Henry II led her to expand her research horizons to the far reaches of his “Angevin Empire” in France, which became the setting of her first published novel, Loyalty’s Web (a 2007 Whitney Award Finalist).

When she’s not writing, Joyce loves to read, play the piano, and spend time with her sister and friends. A highlight of her year is attending the annual Arizona Renaissance Festival .

Joyce is a multi-published, multi-award winning author who specializes in sweet medieval romances heavily spiced with mystery and adventure. She lives with her two cats, Clio and Glinka Rimsky-Korsokov, in Mesa, Arizona.

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On Tour with Prism Book Tours.

Tour Schedule

February 28th: Launch

February 29th: The Written Adventure, Lampshade Reader, & Wishful Endings

March 1st: Bookworm Lisa, deal sharing aunt, & I Am A Reader

March 2nd: Letters from Annie Douglass Lima & EskieMama Reads

March 3rd: Getting Your Read On, underneath the covers, & Boundless Minds

March 4th: Singing Librarian Books & Zerina Blossom's Books

March 6th: Grand Finale

Tour Giveaway

$20 See's Candies Gift Certificate (if US) or $20 PayPal Cash (if international)

Copies of Loving Lucianna and Courting Cassandry (signed print if US, ebook if international)

Ends March 12th

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