Category: historical fiction

I’m welcoming The Dressmaker’s Secret Earl by Susanne Dunlap to the blog #blogtour #RegencyRomance #BookReview

Here’s the blurb

A marriage of convenience to a scoundrel? Not if Augusta can help it.

The impoverished daughter of a baronet, Augusta has no intention of being bartered away like a prize horse. Instead, she flees to London, determined to forge her own path as a modiste.

But fate has other plans. On her very first day in the city, she crosses paths with a brooding earl—one burdened with a clubfoot and a reputation nearly as scandalous as the proposal she ran from. His captivating sister, Mariana, is not only Augusta’s employer’s best client but harbors a secret ambition of her own: to marry the one man society deems wholly unsuitable.

Drawn into Mariana’s reckless schemes of masquerades, cross-dressing, and Whig intrigue, Augusta soon finds herself entangled in more than just scandal—she’s losing her heart to a man who embodies everything she swore to escape.

But the earl has secrets of his own. Is he truly the rogue society believes him to be?

And when Augusta’s past comes calling, will her newfound independence—and her heart—survive?

A charming, fast-paced Regency romance perfect for fans of Bridgerton and the sweetly adventurous love stories of Maggie Dallen and Jenny Hambly.

Book Trailer

https://youtu.be/7l9IhkRwPEI

Purchase Link

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Dressmakers-Secret-Earl-Double-Dilemma-Romance-ebook/dp/B0DWMGDP6L

https://www.amazon.com/Dressmakers-Secret-Earl-Double-Dilemma-Romance-ebook/dp/B0DWMGDP6L

My Review

The Dressmaker’s Secret Earl is a Regency romance with a difference. Our main female character, Augusta, is strong-willed and determined to live a life free from the marriage union her aunt has arranged for her with an awful man who only wants her for her money. Our male main character, George, is doing his best to live by his rules, which aren’t necessarily what society expects from him, and he does his utmost to avert suspicion that he’s not the rake they believe him to be.

Add to this Mari, the earl’s sister, and someone who fast becomes Augusta’s only friend in London, and we’re set for an exciting journey through London society and some of its less salubrious locations, as all three endeavour to forge the lives for themselves that they desire.

The Dressmaker’s Secret Earl is a fast-paced tale of Regency London with main characters the reader quickly feels invested in. Fans of the genre will certainly enjoy it, as will those who are looking for something a little different, perhaps with more historical detail and a more varied stage for our main characters to occupy than might be expected.

Meet the author

Susanne Dunlap is the award-winning author of over a dozen historical novels, as well as an Author Accelerator Certified Book Coach in fiction, nonfiction, and memoir. Her love of history began in academia with a PhD in music history from Yale. Her novel THE PORTRAITIST won first prize in its category in the 2022 Eric Hoffer Book Awards, and was a finalist in the CIBA Goethe Awards and the Foreword Indies Awards. THE ADORED ONE: A NOVEL OF LILLIAN LORRAINE AND FLORENZ ZIEGFELD, won first place in its category in the 2023 CIBA Goethe Awards for Late Historical Fiction. Today, she lives, coaches, and writes in beautiful Biddeford, Maine.

Connect with the author

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I’m delighted to welcome Brigitte Barnard and her new book, The Tudor Queens’ Midwife to the blog #TheTudorMidwife #HistoricalFiction #TudorFiction #BlogTour #TheCoffeePotBookClub

I’m delighted to share two treats with readers today, a short post about the author’s research, and also an excerpt for the novel. Enjoy.

Research, by Brigitte Barnard.

My research has spanned some 20+ years of obsessive reading about the Tudor dynasty. I am a homebirth midwife, so I decided to write a book from the perspective of a midwife serving the Tudors. My research is a combination of my own experience as a midwife helping women in a home setting as well as concrete research on the 16 Century. I have also learned a lot from excellent podcasts on Renaissance and late middle ages English history.

Here’s an excerpt

We receive a summons from Queen Katherine at the end of August, and we head over to Richmond Palace. 

Richmond was built by King Henry VII, the father of our current King Henry. It is entirely made of red brick and is a magnificent castle that appears elegant and menacing in equal measure.

After the long trip downriver, we disembark and walk to the servants’ entrance. From there, we are escorted to the queen in her receiving room. Emunah and I sink into curtsies before her. Maria de Salinas is here too, and by the look on her face, she is none too happy to see me again. 

“How can I be of service, Your Majesty?”

The queen dismisses her ladies and says, “I find I am once again with child, Sarah.”

“That is good tidings indeed! I am so happy to hear it, Your Majesty!” I say. “When was the last day of your courses?”

The queen immediately replies, “The fifth of January.”

I quickly calculate, “So that would make you nearly eight weeks along.”

“Yes,” replies the queen, stroking the silken head of a softly snoring russet spaniel asleep on her lap. “I know it is early days yet, and I hesitated to summon you, but… well… you know what happened last time… Is there anything you can give me to make this child grow strong in my womb so that he will not be born too early?”

“I will leave you a bag of red raspberry leaves, and I will instruct your servant on how to best prepare them for you. You must drink a draught of them every morning and every evening.”

“Thank you. And that will keep the baby from being born too soon?” asks the queen anxiously. The little dog stirs on his mistress’s lap and yawns, looking up quizzically at the queen.

“I hope so, Your Majesty. I have had good luck with it in the past, but as you know, these things are up to God.”

“Yes, of course,” the queen agrees.

We decide that she will contact me if she has any concerns. Otherwise, I would see her in three more months.

—

As the wherryman rows us back to our village, I can’t help but remember the last time we saw the queen and the sad circumstances surrounding the previous pregnancy. I hope this time will be different for her.

Back in Deptford, Emunah and I make our rounds on the local fishermen’s wives, who are in various stages of pre- and post-birth. One woman in particular has me worried. Her name is Ann, and this is her sixth pregnancy in only five-and-a-half years. She has had two miscarriages, is pregnant, and nursing a six-month-old baby. 

All this with a two-and-a-half-year-old toddler and a small girl of five years. 

We enter her home, a small ramshackle dwelling with dirt floors, two pallets of straw for beds, a rickety old table, and a fireplace in the middle of the house. A small hole is cut in the roof to allow the smoke out. A couple of low stools complete the furnishings. Her six-month-old baby is sitting on the floor with the five-year-old nearby, playing with some pebbles on the hard-packed dirt floor. The house smells rank, and the children’s faces are filthy. Ann is bent over a pot that she is stirring over the fire. I wonder how she keeps her little ones from getting burned by the open fire. 

I had grown up in Spain, and there, we had proper fireplaces, which Jacob and I had replicated in our little cottage in Deptford. I had never seen fireplaces in the middle of the room until we moved to England. It doesn’t seem like a safe or effective way to utilize fire.

Ann looks up as we enter her house and gives us a wan smile. 

I examine her and determine her to be approximately six months along. Her face, I notice, is already lined and weary looking for so young a woman. I see too that her teeth are much the worse for wear after so many births in such a short time When a woman has too many children too close together her body cannot recover the nutrients it needs. Instead, it will steal the nutrients out of her own teeth and bones. We chat for a bit, and I ask her if she needs a cradle for the new baby. She replies that they have always kept their new babies in bed with them, and it seems to work out just fine. I nod and ask her if there is anything else I can help her get in anticipation of the new arrival.

She is proud and doesn’t want to accept charity, so Emunah and I finish our exam and make our departure.

When we are out of earshot, Emunah says to me, “How can she bear to live like that? Did you see how dirty her children were? The poor things!”

“Yes, I agree,” I say, “but fortunately, most of the other people of Deptford live in better conditions. Just be grateful that you can read and write and are learning healing skills so that you never have to depend on a man for your income—not that there’s anything wrong with that, but you have knowledge of healing and midwifery and can make your own way. Women like Ann haven’t got much choice in this life. She’s dependent on her husband for everything she needs, and he is but a poor fisherman.” 

Here’s the blurb

In the glamorous, glittering and dangerous court of king Henry VIII and his queen Katherine of Aragon, the desperate desire for a healthy male heir overshadows all. Plagued by a series of miscarriages the queen is left grappling with the weight of her singular duty to provide a son for the Crown. Amidst this turmoil the queen turns to Sarah Menendez, the most highly skilled midwife in England. Sarah, exiled from her homeland and concealing her true identity must serve the queen and battle her deepest fears. As Sarah strives to save the queen from the perils of childbirth, the specter of her own past threatens to unravel the carefully crafted identity Sarah has created for herself and her young daughter.

  In a world where power, politics and religion collide, Sarah finds herself entangled in a web of intrigue and deadly danger. The fate of the queen’s unborn child, the survival of the midwife and her daughter, and the stability of the kingdom hang in the balance. Sarah Menendez must employ all of her skills, cunning and courage to protect those she holds dear as well as the life of the queen and her unborn child.

The Tudor Queens’ Midwife is a gripping tale of secrecy, sacrifice and religious turmoil amongst the most opulent court the world has ever seen. 

Any Triggers: Stillbirth

Image shows the cover for The Tudor Queens' Midwife by Brigitte Barnard

Purchase Link

https://books2read.com/u/4jzxyk

Meet the author

Brigitte Barnard is an amateur historian of Renaissance English history and an author of the trilogy The Tudor Queens’ Midwife, of which the first book in the series is available. She is currently writing a non-fiction book about Tudor midwifery for Pen and Sword publishing house. 

Brigitte is a former homebirth midwife, and she lives at home with her husband and four children. She also raises Cavalier King Charles spaniels. 

Author image for Brigitte Barnard

Connect with the author

http://thetudormidwife.com/

Follow The Tudor Queens’ Midwife by Brigitte Barnard blog tour with The CoffeePot Book Club

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I’m sharing my review for The Viscount’s Pearl by Melissa Addey #regencyromance #blogtour #bookreview

Here’s the blurb


He’s a carefree rake who wants a marriage of convenience.

She’s an awkward spinster who doesn’t want to marry at all. 

Fate has other plans in store for them both. 

Laurence enjoys his dalliances with the married ladies of society, and thinks marriage is only a matter of convenience. He’s on the lookout for a practical woman accustomed to society. Frances is an odd and awkward young woman, more at home gathering shells on the beach than in the ballrooms of London, hoping to stay a spinster forever.

When the two meet in Margate, will their initial dislike of one another turn into something important?

While Laurence finds his life growing shallow, Frances wonders if love might be worth making a bold move for. Can she find her way into Laurence’s heart, and will he undertake to love her, just the way she is?

A warm-hearted Regency romance, full of historical detail and emotional discovery, as two opposites find they might just attract. The Season has begun, the ton is gathered… who knows what the tides will bring for Laurence and Frances.

Purchase Links

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0DW3RNQNT

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0DW3RNQNT

My Review

The Viscount’s Pearl by Melissa Addey is a charming and thrilling Regency romance with a difference.

Our main character, Frances, is her mother and father’s despair, about to start her fourth scandalous season with no match. She’s outspoken, easily overwhelmed by society’s expectations and also entirely assured of her own mind. And it doesn’t involve marrying when she already has a fortune to her name. The only person who seems to understand her is her aging godfather, who happens to be Laurence’s uncle.

In contrast, Laurence is entirely at home amongst society’s expectations of him, until his uncle asks him to think again about his plans for the future, which he finds himself doing whether he wishes to or not.

Laurence and Frances are engaging main characters, but it is Frances who perhaps shines a little brighter. I adored that the author never worked to soften Frances’ awkwardness. Rather Laurence must work to accommodate her if they’re ever to be happy together.

This is both your usual regency romance and also not. But it is a joy to read and thoroughly enjoyable, and I admire the author for accurately portraying Frances as who she is and for maintaining consistency.

Check out my review for Lady for A Season, the first book in the Regency Outsiders series. And, check out my reviews for Melissa Addey’s Roman books, From the Ashes and Beneath the Waves.

Meet the author


I grew up and was home educated on an Italian hill farm. I now live in London with my husband, two children and a black and white cat called Holly who enjoys the editing process as there is so much scrap paper involved.

I mainly write historical fiction, inspired by what I call ‘the footnotes of history’: forgotten stories or part-legends about interesting people and places. I have a PhD in Creative Writing, for which I wrote The Garden of Perfect Brightness and an academic thesis about balancing fact and fiction in historical fiction. 

I like to move from one historical era to another, finding stories to share, like a travelling minstrel. So far I’ve been to Ancient Rome, medieval Morocco, 18th century China and Regency England. Join me on my travels: browse my books. 

If you’d like to know more about me and my books, visit my website www.MelissaAddey.com where there are free novellas, book trailers, interviews, videos of research trips, info for book clubs and more. 

Connect with the author


www.MelissaAddey.com 

Check out my review for From The Ashes, Melissa Addey’s Roman-era historical fiction set around the events of Vesuvius and the building of the Colosseum.

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I’m delighted to welcome Justin Newland and his book, The Midnight of Eights, to the blog #HistoricalFiction #ElizabethanFiction #AgeOfDiscovery #BlogTour #TheCoffeePotBookClub

I’m delighted to welcome Justin Newland and his book, The Midnight of Eights, The Island of Angels series, to the blog with a guest post.

Guest Post

My novel, The Midnight of Eights, is set in Elizabethan times, and explores England’s coming of age in that period. This guest post muses on the state of religion in England in the Tudor era.

King Henry VIII ruled in England. He had not yet divorced himself from his first wife, Catherine of Aragon, nor from the Vatican in Rome. After Martin Luther posted his 95 theses or complaints about the Catholic Church, Henry wrote a tract condemning Luther. For his efforts, Pope Leo X in 1521 bestowed on him the title of FIDEI DEFENSOR or ‘Defender of the Faith’, which is abbreviated to F. D.  It’s one of many ironies in history that, even today, the English monarch, who by law is forbidden to marry a Catholic, let alone become one and remain monarch, still bears the same title, inherited from Henry VIII. You can find it engraved on every coin of the realm. Look for yourself.

Soon after Henry VIII’s break with Rome in 1532, he ordered the Dissolution of the Monasteries. Between 1536 and 1539, the ruby heart was ripped out of England, because, despite their many failings at the time, the monasteries did succour to and aid the poor. The Dissolution helped break the Papacy’s strangle-hold on the English court – for better or for worse. And, with none of its officers, the monks and priests, to represent it, the Catholic religion was exiled from England’s shores. Henry’s other great reform at the time was the ‘Act of Treaty’ (1527-1536) which for the first time allowed ordinary people to own property.

The positive aspect of the break from Rome was that it brought a gradual deliverance from the dogmatism of the Catholic Church, releasing new and liberated ways of thinking. For example, this led to the beginnings of the great English scientific tradition (e.g. Francis Bacon, the father of empiricism, was born in 1561) and to the beginnings of secular theatre (all theatre up to this point had been religious in nature, the ‘Mysteries’ for example).

However, the break with Rome brought other difficulties to an English people increasingly edgy about religion. While Henry remained a Catholic (he had simply displaced the Pope as Head of the Church), his son Edward VI, on his accession in 1547, did change the country’s religion to Protestantism. Cranmer’s English prayer book was published in 1549 to uphold that fact. By 1552, it was illegal to hold any religious service other than a Protestant one. Then another switch – in 1553 Edward died and Mary succeeded. Mary was a staunch Catholic. To make matters worse, she went ahead and married the heir to the Spanish throne, Philip. Fired by the spirit of the Inquisition, she burned Cranmer and 270 Protestants at the stake. The English people never forgave her. She died childless in 1558. Elizabeth succeeded. England switched back to Protestantism.

So in the space of 11 years, from 1547 to 1558, England’s religion had changed from Catholic to Protestant, not once – but twice. No wonder there was a paranoia in people around these times. Look at their portraits, say of Holbein’s portrait of Thomas Cromwell. They are austere, taut, puritan – full of fire and brimstone, and plenty of inner self-disciple. Both men and ladies wore odd-shaped hats that covered their ears. During this fraught eleven years, ordinary people could never be sure that their religious beliefs were not going to cost them or their friends and family their lives. There was little certainty.

Elizabeth ascended to the throne in 1558. What she managed to do, though, was to marry both contending parties of Catholicism and Protestantism, and in such a way that satisfied her subjects. She wisely refused to stand as Head of the newly formed Anglican Church, which she left vacant. Instead, she decided that it should be governed by a Synod of Bishops. She also created a High Church and a Low Church. The High adopted the Roman Catholic Rite, and to this day involves mass said in Latin and so on. The Low Church is Protestant. It involves simple worship in the vernacular with few sacraments.

Elizabeth was some lady, as we know. But consider this. Her father was a serial killer and had murdered her mother, Anne Boleyn. Yet she still did what she did over many years.

Gloriana, yes! That is some inner belief! 

Justin Newland

Francis Bacon, courtesy of Wikipedia
Thomas Cromwell, courtesy of Wikipedia

Here’s the Blurb

1580.

Nelan Michaels docks at Plymouth after sailing around the world aboard the Golden Hind. He seeks only to master his mystical powers – the mark of the salamander, that mysterious spirit of fire – and reunite with his beloved Eleanor.

After delivering a message to Francis Walsingham, he’s recruited into the service of the Queen’s spymaster, where his astral abilities help him to predict and thwart future plots against the realm.

But in 1588, the Spanish Armada threatens England’s shores.

So how could the fledgling navy of a small, misty isle on the edge of mainland Europe repulse the greatest fleet in the world?

Was the Queen right when she claimed it was divine intervention, saying, ‘He blew with His winds, and they were scattered!’?

Or was it an entirely different intervention – the extraordinary conjunction of coincidences that Nelan’s astral powers brought to bear on that fateful Midnight of Eights?

Buy Link

Universal Link:

This title is available on #KindleUnlimited

Meet the Author

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 Maths Doctorate, he conceived his debut novel, The Genes of Isis (ISBN 9781789014860, Matador, 2018), an epic fantasy set under Ancient Egyptian skies.

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

Set during the Great Enlightenment, The Coronation (ISBN 9781838591885, Matador, 2019)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.

The Mark of the Salamander (ISBN 9781915853271, Book Guild, 2023), 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 latest is The Midnight of Eights (ISBN 9781835740 330, Book Guild, 2024), the second in The Island of Angels series, which charts the uncanny coincidences of time and tide that culminated in the repulse of the Spanish Armada.

His work in progress is The Spirit of the Times which explores the events of the 14th Century featuring an unlikely cast of the Silk Road, Genghis Khan, the Black Plague, and a nursery rhyme that begins ‘Ring a-ring a-roses’.

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.

Connect with the Author

Follow The Midnight of Eights blog tour with The Coffee Pot Book Club

It’s happy publication day to The Viscount’s Forbidden Flirtation by Sarah Rodi #historicalromance #newrelease #blogtour #Mills&Boon

Here’s the blurb

Lieutenant Colonel Ezra Hart finds himself in urgent need of a wife—inheriting the viscountcy relies on it! But while he’s dutifully spinning the Season’s jewels around Society’s ballrooms he finds himself desiring the one woman he shouldn’t covet…

French émigrée Seraphine Mounier is as beguiling as she is vivacious, but Ezra knows she has no interest in the marriage mart. What’s worse, she represents the very enemy he fought at Waterloo. As an undeniable connection sparks, resisting Seraphine seems one battle Ezra’s destined to lose!

Purchase Links 

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Viscounts-Forbidden-Flirtation-Season-Historical-ebook/dp/B0DFDTH464

https://www.amazon.com/Viscounts-Forbidden-Flirtation-Season-Historical-ebook/dp/B0DFDTH464

Meet the author

Sarah Rodi has always been a hopeless romantic. She grew up watching old, romantic movies recommended by her grandad, or devouring love stories from the local library. Sarah lives in the village of Cookham in Berkshire, where she enjoys walking along the River Thames with her husband, her two daughters and their dog. She has been a magazine journalist for over 20 years, but it has been her lifelong dream to write romance for Mills & Boon. Sarah believes everyone deserves to find their happy ever after. You can contact her via @sarahrodiedits or sarahrodiedits@gmail.com or at sarahrodi.com

Author image for Sarah Rodi

Connect with Sarah

I’m delighted to welcome Howard Jay Smith and his book, Viva Violetta & Verdi, to the blog #HistoricalFiction #BiographicalHistoricalFiction #Verdi #ClassicalMusic #BlogTour #TheCoffeePotBook Club

I’m delighted to welcome Howard Jay Smith and his new book, Viva Violetta & Verdi, to the blog with a prologue.

Prologue

Oh, My Country, So Beautiful And Lost

Milan, February 27, 1901

On the morning of Verdi’s funeral, I awoke well before dawn. After a double shot of espresso and a cornetto, one freshly baked and served up by my daughter-in-law, Luisa, I dressed in my black mourning suit. At my age, this was an exercise I engaged in with an all too familiar regularity.

Then with the necessary assistance of my silver-handled cane, I left my bedroom suite and headed down the marble stairs to the entryway foyer of our home, Casa di Trevi, on the Via Vittorio Veneto. Tap, step, step. Tap, step, step – a rhythm and beat that had been my companion for over three decades. Tap, step, step.

There, waiting by the coat rack was Luisa, whom I had known since she was thirteen. A pugnacious and steely eyed woman, she greeted me with a warmth that never flagged, “Buongiorno papà.”

I nodded and thanked her for the coffee. “And Tre?” I asked referring to my son, whom we all called by his nickname.

“He left an hour ago,” she replied as she helped me into my black overcoat and then handed

me my top hat.

As I settled the hat onto my head, Luisa stepped back and gave me that “look,” that glare, the one which every man who has ever been married, knows only too well.

“What?” I asked as I glanced in the hallway mirror. Save for a few flecks of grey in my otherwise neatly trimmed beard, the reflected image of my hair came back to me as black as the night I was about to step out into. Despite my age, I was fortunate that my hair, save for a few grey streaks, still retained its natural color.

“Just this,” she said. From a pocket buried in the many folds of her housedress, Luisa pulled a patch to which she had already added a tri-colored ribbon of red, white and green. She pinned it to the band of my top hat and then kissed me on both cheeks. “Now you are ready, papà. Viva Verdi.”

“Viva la rivoluzione,” I replied as I looked in the mirror and nodded my approval.

“Viva la rivoluzione,” repeated Luisa as she opened the front door.

I stepped out into the chill of that February morning. The streets of Milan were still deserted at this hour. Later, though, news reports would hold that some four-hundred thousand mourners would gather along the funeral route to view the carriage carrying Verdi’s coffin along with that of his wife, who had preceded him in death by some three years. The procession would travel the two miles from the Cimitero Monumentale to the Piazza Michelangelo Buonarroti and their final resting place at the Casa di Riposo per Musicisti.

One reporter from Corriere della Sera would even remark that the crowd for Verdi’s funeral procession was the largest gathering of humans in a single place since Napoleon invaded Russia in 1812. That event some 89 years ago occurred a year before Verdi and I were born just days apart in Busseto, a small village in the Duchy of Parma some 65 miles southeast of here. And although today Verdi is considered not only the quintessential Italian composer but the quintessential Italian, our birth records in the Busseto town hall archives are written in French, for they ruled our home territory.

Yes, liberami, save me. There is no one else alive today who has known Giuseppe Verdi longer than I. Today it is time to put my friend to rest in the soil of an Italian nation that did not exist when we were born and to remember all the sacrifices our beloveds made in blood to achieve those victories.

Here’s the Blurb

A Love Affair Inspiring the World’s Most Unforgettable Operas:

Experience the intense, lifelong love affair between Giuseppe Verdi and Giuseppina Strepponi, the brilliant and seductive soprano who shaped his legacy. As his muse, lover, and wife, Strepponi was the inspiration behind Verdi’s most iconic works, including La Traviata and Aida. Her influence was pivotal, as she became the architect of his creative triumphs and the heart of his operatic genius.

Set against the backdrop of Italy’s Risorgimento, this sweeping novel intertwines their turbulent relationship with the nation’s fierce struggle for independence. Through the heartbreak of three brutal wars, Verdi and Strepponi’s passion, betrayal, and artistic ambition come alive, mirroring the era’s fiery spirit.

Rich with themes of love, power, food, wine, and unrelenting passion, Viva Violetta & Verdi is an unforgettable exploration of art, resilience, and the enduring bond that transformed both an artist and a nation.

Praise for Violetta & Verdi:

“A stunning, significant book…that is rich, lush and drenched in knowledge. It is nothing less than a gift.” – Sheila Weller

“Smith’s historic drama embraces universal themes of class and religious persecution, and weaves gorgeous language with an intimate knowledge of Italian food, music, and political hypocrisy that contemporary readers will find irresistible.” – ​Jessica Keener

“Viva Violetta & Verdi is a well-researched love letter to Verdi; fans are sure to love.” – Leslie Zemeckis

“Perfection. You are right there, inhaling and breathing in the words, the smell, and each piece of music. Bravo. It is both a love song and a love letter to the irrefutable power of Verdi’s muse, Violetta.” – Amy Ferris

Buy Link

Universal Link:

Meet the Author

Howard Jay Smith is an award-winning writer from Santa Barbara, California.

VIVA VIOLETTA & VERDI, is his third novel in his series on great composers, including BEETHOVEN IN LOVE; OPUS 139 and MEETING MOZART: FROM THE SECRET DIARIES OF LORENZO DA PONTE.

His other books include OPENING THE DOORS TO HOLLYWOOD (Random House) and JOHN GARDNER: AN INTERVIEW (New London Press). He was recently awarded a Profant Foundation for the Arts Fellowship for Excellence in Writing.

Smith is a former two-time Bread Loaf Scholar and three-time Washington, D.C. Commission for the Arts Fellow, who taught for many years in the UCLA Extension Writer’s Program and has lectured nationally. His articles have appeared in the Washington Post, American Heritage Magazine, the Beethoven Journal, Horizon Magazine, Fig Tree Press, the Journal of the Writers Guild of America, the Ojai Quarterly, and numerous trade publications. While an executive at the ABC Television, Embassy TV, and Academy Home Entertainment he worked on numerous film, television, radio and commercial projects.

He serves on the board of directors of the Santa Barbara Symphony and is a member of the American Beethoven Society.

Connect with the Author

Follow Viva Violetta & Verdi blog tour with The Coffee Pot Book Club

I’m super excited to announce the special 5th birthday edition of The Last King, available now

Back in 2020, I finally wrote a book I’d wanted to write for a long time – the story of Mercia’s last king, Coelwulf II (although, I think I should have spelt his name as Ceolwulf but hey ho). The book I eventually wrote has spawned my most successful series to date and has also given readers The Eagle of Mercia Chronicles, featuring a younger version of Coelwulf’s very outspoken fellow warrior Icel.

The book I wrote was also very different to how I thought it would be. Indeed, it’s not one book, but a series 10 books long, and featuring a cast of lovable, foul-mouthed rogues who are as loyal to one another as they are to the horses they ride. I’ve spoken before about why the characters are so sweary, and I know not everyone enjoys that element of the books, but hey, these men are who they are. But, thank goodness for Coelwulf’s aunt, who keeps a wary eye on them all and can occasionally make them a little more polite.

The first eight covers for The Last King series by MJ Porter
The Last King/The Mercian Ninth Century

I’ve long wanted to celebrate the occasion of five years since releasing the book, and I’ve had many thoughts about it over the last few years, but when it finally happened, it was very unexpected, and the cover design came from someone I’d asked to work on some sprayed edges to jazz the cover up a little. It is very understated, but I think that makes it all the more special. BookVault can incorporate sprayed edges, a design on the endpapers, super high-quality white printing paper, as well as a ribbon to keep track of your reading. There are also new chapter headings, but at heart, this is The Last King, as it was released on 23rd April 2020, at a time when we were all looking for the means to distract ourselves from the horrors of the Pandemic and distract us we all did, even me. I find writing Coelwulf and his allies (and enemies) enormous fun and also very comforting. I know these characters, and they do live in my head rent-free, and I really don’t mind at all.

The Ninth Century Mercian series covers for all 9 books

So, let’s check out the designs for this special edition, which will only be available directly from me. I don’t plan on releasing it widely, and depending on demand, I will limit it to 100 printed copies.

Image shows a pale blue and grey cover with the words The Last King and a stylised sword on the cover image.
The jacket

The jacket again
Mock-up of the front cover and sprayed edges design
The new chapter heading images
The amended map to fit the endpapers of the book

What it looks like in ‘real’ life

The front cover
The original cover
The inside jacket
Title page
Original map
The prologue with chapter heading images
The sprayed edges
The back cover
The inside back cover jacket
The original cover
Side-by-side comparison with the original hardback version

Each book will be signed by me, and I’ll include some goodies with it as well. But to get a copy, you must order it via my SumUp shop. I will be offering discount codes to readers who order The Last King for The Last Warrior edition, too.

Order Link

SumUp Store

I made a little video, but this was for the proof before I decided to add the map end papers, which is why they’re missing.

Visit The Mercian Ninth Century Series page for all the details about the series, and links to other blog posts.

Posts

I’m reviewing Murder At Merivale Manor by Ella Strike #blogtour #historicalmystery #bookreview

Here’s the blurb

A cozy dinner party, a playful game… and a very real murder.

London, 1923

Kitty Goring seems to have it all—lavish nights at London’s finest clubs, elegant soirées, and a parade of charming bachelors vying for her hand. But despite the glamour, Kitty longs for something a little more… thrilling. 

In a bid for excitement (and to avoid her mother’s constant reminders that she really ought to be searching for a husband), Kitty dreams up the perfect diversion. A playful mock robbery at her family’s grand estate, Merivale Manor. It’s all meant to be fun—until one of the guests turns up very much dead.

With a real killer on the loose in quaint little Hampstead Village, Kitty’s keen instincts kick in. Forget matchmaking—Kitty’s determined to unmask the culprit before anyone else falls victim. With a sharp wit and a flair for mischief, she dives headfirst into the investigation. But getting to the truth won’t be easy, especially with the brooding Detective Inspector Henry Burton underestimating her at every turn.

Murder, mystery, and a dash of romance—Kitty’s got her hands full in this charming whodunit!

Murder at Merivale Manor is the delightful first book in the Kitty Goring Investigates historical cozy mystery series. 

Author’s note

London in the 1920s is a glamorous and exciting city, but danger and death are never too far behind. Join Kitty Goring and her group of Bright Young Things in the adventure of a lifetime, as they race to catch a killer who lurks amongst them.
Each book in this series is a cozy period mystery that features our plucky heroine, aided in her investigations by a gang of eccentric and lovable characters.

Purchase Link

https://mybook.to/ZRrM

My Review

MMurder at Merivale Manor is the first book in the Kitty Goring Investigations series of historical mysteries set in the 1920s.

This first book introduces us to Kitty, a headstrong woman with a varied collection of friends and associates and a somewhat overbearing mother. The family is somewhat down on its luck but still working to keep up appearances. One of those is the need for Kitty’s brother to marry well to recover the family fortunes.

But, as ever, all is not as it appears when a woman keen on Kitty’s brother is unexpectedly murdered at the local fete. Feeling guilty about a silly game Kitty initiated that seems to have led to Jane’s death, Kitty is determined to investigate and find the culprit.

This is a fun, quick read, and readers of the genre will enjoy discovering who the true culprit was.

Meet the author

Ella Strike, cat lover and author of historical cozy mysteries, lives in London with her husband and twins. When she’s not penning murder mysteries or drinking copious amounts of Earl Grey, you can find her with her nose buried in a book or listening to true crime podcasts as she cooks.

Her stories are a mix of history, a dash of intrigue, and a whole lot of cozy, old-world charm.

Author image for Ella Strike showing a cartoon type character.
Image shows the list of blog hosts for the Murder at Merivale Manor blog tour organised by Rachel's Random Resources

Posts

I’m delighted to share my review for Murder in Covent Garden by Anita Davison #bookreview #blogtour #historicalmystery #newrelease

Here’s the blurb

Nobody should be in the market… for murder!

Even though its famous opera house has shuttered its doors for the war, Covent Garden remains one of the most exciting, bustling areas of London. It’s where Hannah Merrill and Aunt Violet have their bookshop and, in spite of the recent spate of burglaries in the area, it’s generally thought to be a good neighbourhood.

So Hannah is surprised when she sees a fellow shopkeeper – a jeweller named Jacob Cornelis – having a heated argument with a stranger. Especially when the next day Cornelis is found dead in his shop, apparently the victim of another burglary.

But what shocks Hannah more is when she meets the policeman supposedly there to investigate the crime. Because he is none other than the man who Hannah saw arguing with Cornelis the day before.

Hannah knows it’s up to her and Violet to investigate. But they don’t know they’re about to uncover a secret underworld of theft, murder and blackmail. And they must act fast, before the Covent Garden Killer strikes again…

A gripping and unputdownable Golden Age cozy crime mystery, perfect for fans of Agatha Christie, Helena Dixon and Verity Bright.

Purchase Link

https://mybook.to/MurderCoventGarden

My Review

Murder in Covent Garden has everything we’ve come to expect from a Miss Merill and Aunt Violet Mystery – a crime to solve, Hannah determined to discover the truth, and of course, Aunt Violet being her usual enigmatic self in World War 1 era London.

This time Hannah manages to get her herself into all sorts of difficult situations, which she somehow manages to escape from, as well as more than her fair share of possible perpetrators. Again, the ending wasn’t expected, and I always appreciate that.

Check out my reviews for Murder in the Bookshop, Murder in the Library and Murder at Midwinter Manor.

Meet the author

Anita was brought up in London, a city with a history that has always fascinated her and influenced her first attempts at writing. Her first three novels featured a 17th Century West Country family on the losing side of the Monmouth Rebellion of 1685. Other previous work includes an Edwardian Cosy Mystery series featuring amateur sleuth, Flora Maguire set in early 20th Century London and Cheltenham. Anita’s most recent work is the Miss Merrill and Aunt Violet Mysteries set in WWI from Boldwood Books. 

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Posts

I’m delighted to welcome E.V. Sparrow and her book, Muldoon’s Misfortunes, to the blog #MuldoonsMisfortunes #ThoseResilientMuldoons #HistoricalFiction #FamilySaga #BlogTour #TheCoffeePotBookClub

I’m delighted to welcome E.V. Sparrow and her book, Muldoons’s Misfortunes, Those Resilient Muldoons Series, to the blog.

Here’s the Blurb

A cursed widower forsakes his faith to ensure his hope.

On a verdant island beset by poverty and death, Mick Muldoon dares to escape his misfortunes. Is working a farm and raising a family such an impossible thing to ask? Wasn’t God supposed to answer prayers—not turn a deaf ear?

After surviving the treacherous voyage to America, Mick discovers the rumors of ample opportunity aren’t exactly true. His defective body hampers employment and keeps him dependent upon his peculiar sister. However, an unexpected invitation to move to the heartland guarantees his dreams.

Mick’s own dreadful choices hamper his hopes when he accepts work as a widow’s farmhand. Unbeknownst to him, there’s deception afoot. Mick’s inattention to love causes catastrophe as single fatherhood cruelly shatters his family. Will God miraculously hear his prayers this time?


In Book 1 of Those Resilient Muldoons series, this misguided, wayward widower encounters God’s unexpected presence.

Fall 2024, The BookFest Awards, First Place: Historical Fiction, General

Buy Link

Universal Link:

This title is available to read on #KindleUnlimited

Meet the Author

A short story writer turned novelist Sparrow published a prequel Historical Fiction eBook novella, Muldoon’s Minnesota Darling in May 2023, and Muldoon’s Misfortunes, Historical Fiction Book 1 in Those Resilient Muldoons series in July 2024. Sparrow and enjoys leading readers to Encounter God’s Unexpected Presence through her broken characters.

Before writing, Sparrow travelled extensively overseas and worked in two countries. She married, had a family, and worked for a nonprofit program for older, homeless mentally ill in California. She also volunteered in many community services, including the Divorce Care program. After a divorce, she remarried, and together they have eleven grandchildren that enrich life immensely.

Connect with the Author

Follow the Muldoon’s Misfortunes blog tour with The Coffee Pot Book Club