historical fiction – Page 36

I’m sharing my review for Jane Dunn’s new Regency romance The Accidental Debutante #blogtour #histfic #romance

Here’s the blurb

A daring young lady and dashing lord

At Prebbles Flying Circus, the daring Eliza Gray captivates audiences with her breathtaking feats on horseback. Yet beyond the applause, she harbours a longing to find the family she lost as a child and discover who she truly is.

Fate, however, takes an unexpected turn when Eliza is unceremoniously knocked down by a curricle driven recklessly by Raven, Earl Purfoy. Dazed but intrigued, she cannot help but notice Purfoy’s commanding presence.

For his part, the dashing lord, is mortified at his carelessness and resolves to assist the spirited yet intriguing young woman. He deposits her in the care of his dearest friends, Corinna and Alick Wolfe, who encourage Miss Gray in her search for her family and sponsor her entry into London society. The glittering balls and scurrilous gossip of the ton are a far cry from the circus ring and Eliza inds herself the subject of intense speculation and unwelcome advances.

As a most accidental debutante, Eliza has to navigate the complexities of high society and her new friendships. Her quest for family and belonging becomes perilously entwined with Zadoc Flynn, an American heir in search of an English bride, and the unfathomable Lord Purfoy.

Can Eliza uncover the truth of her past and the family she longs for? And will it be Mr Flynn or Lord Purfoy, or indeed her new female friends, who help her find her place in the world?

In a tale of courage, passion, and self-discovery, this lost orphan must decide where she truly belongs.

Purchase Link

https://mybook.to/TheAccidentalDebutante

My Review

I’ve read all of Jane Dunn’s Regency romances to date, and they are fabulous and a real treat I look forward to whenever I hear about a new release. The Accidental Debutante is a welcome addition to the collection, and this time it has some connections to one of her previous works, although new readers need not fear. They won’t miss anything by jumping in here, other than the joy of reading the first book.

Our main character, Eliza, is a charming, feisty young woman, determined to find her way in the world away from the circus, although she feels an enormous tug to actually leave it, and her beloved horse. Corinna, by contrast, is a woman who’s experienced something similar and hopes to ease her passage into society, confident that Eliza will be discovered by her lost family. Add in to the mix a collection of horses (I always love all the horse characters), the outspoken, Taz, and of course, his moody, master, Purfoy, playing the part of uptight gentleman (there always has to be one), and not to mention their American cousin, who bucks against English sensibilities, and we’re set for another engaging stroll through Regency London (well, often a gallop), that will ensnare fans of the genre.

If you’re lucky enough not to have read any of Jane Dunn’s Regency novels, then you’re in for a real treat, and for fans who’ve been there all along, The Accidental Debutante will undoubtedly delight you, just as much as it did me.

Meet the author

Jane Dunn is an historian and biographer and the author of seven acclaimed biographies, including Daphne du Maurier and her Sisters and the Sunday Times and NYT bestseller, Elizabeth & Mary: Cousins, Rivals, Queens. She lives in Berkshire with her husband, the linguist Nicholas Ostler.

Connect with the author

Newsletter Sign Up: https://bit.ly/JaneDunnNews

I’m delighted to welcome Amanda Roberts and her new book, Lady of the Quay, to the blog #LadyoftheQuay #Tudors #HistoricalFiction #HistoricalMystery #BlogTour #TheCoffeePotBookClub

I’m delighted to welcome Amanda Roberts and her new book, Lady of the Quay, Book 1 in the Isabella Gillhespy Series, to the blog with a snippet.

Snippet

‘Drink?’ I asked, gesturing towards the cabinet. He removed his hat, threw it onto a chair, and shook his head.

‘I’m here on business.’

That had never stopped him before. My heart had already sunk into my stomach, and his curt reply sent it plummeting to my feet. I had envisaged a cosy chat, me resting on my settle, him in his favourite chair, either side of the fire. A scene we had populated so many times in the past. But I already knew that was not going to happen. I did not sit down, but faced him, both of us standing somewhat awkwardly in the middle of the room.

‘Well?’ I challenged him to speak first. If we got the business out of the way we might be able to move on to resolve the more personal difficulties that stood between us, a wall as impenetrable as those surrounding Berwick. But like our town defences, every wall has its gates. I just needed to find Will’s gate.

Here’s the Blurb

Knowing she is innocent is easy … proving it is hard

1560, Berwick-upon-Tweed, northern England

Following the unexpected death of her father, a series of startling discoveries about the business she inherits forces Isabella Gillhespy to re-evaluate everything she understands about her past and expects from her future.

Facing financial ruin, let down by people on whom she thought she could rely, and suspected of crimes that threaten her freedom, Isabella struggles to prove her innocence.

But the stakes are even higher than she realises. In a town where tension between England and her Scottish neighbours is never far from the surface, it isn’t long before developments attract the interest of the highest authority in the land, Sir William Cecil, and soon Isabella is fighting, not just for her freedom, but her life. She must use her wits and trust her own instincts to survive.

Lady of the Quay introduces an enticing new heroine who refuses to be beaten, even as it becomes clear that her life will never be the same again.

From the author of the award-winning ‘The Woman in the Painting’.

Buy Link

Universal Link

This title is available to read on #KindleUnlimited

Meet the Author

Amanda Roberts has worked as an Editor in business-to-business magazines for over 30 years, specialising in out-of-home coffee, vending and foodservice/catering, including Editor of the global gastronomy title: ‘Revue internationale de la Chaîne des Rôtisseurs’.

She currently freelances, editing UK-based healthcare titles – HEFMA Pulse, Hospital Food + Service and Hospital Caterer. She is a member of the Society of Authors, the Historical Novel Society and West Oxfordshire Writers. She also volunteers for Tea Books (part of Age UK) to run a book club/reading group for elderly people in the community.

Connect with the Author

Follow the Lady of the Quay blog tour with The Coffee Pot Book Club

Posts

I love celebrating book birthdays, and today it’s the 5th book birthday for Luminous by Samantha Wilcoxson HistoricalBiographicalFiction #HistoricalFiction #RadiumGirls #TrueStory #BookBirthday #BlogTour #TheCoffeePotBookClub

Here’s the blurb

Tragic true story of a radium girl.

Catherine’s life is set on an unexpected course when she accepts a job at Radium Dial. The dial painters forge friendships and enjoy their work but soon discover that an evil secret lurks in the magical glow-in-the-dark paint. When she and her friends start falling ill, Catherine Donohoe takes on the might of a big corporation and becomes an early pioneer of social justice in the era between world wars.

Emotive and inspiring – this book will touch you like no other as you witness the devastating impact of radium poisoning on young women’s lives.

It’s too late for me, but maybe it will help some of the others.

~ Catherine Wolfe Donohue

Buy Link

https://mybook.to/luminous

This title is available to read on #KindleUnlimited.

Meet the author

Writer, history enthusiast, and sufferer of wanderlust, Samantha enjoys exploring the lives of historical figures through research and travel. She strives to reveal the deep emotions and motivations of historical figures, enabling readers to connect with them in a unique way. Samantha is an American writer with British roots and proud mother of three amazing young adults. She can frequently be found lakeside with a book in one hand and glass of wine in the other.

Samantha’s most recent release is a biography of James Alexander Hamilton published by Pen & Sword History. She is currently writing a trilogy set during the Wars of the Roses for Sapere Books.

Connect with the author

Check out the Luminous by Samantha Wilcoxson blog tour with The Coffee Pot Book Club

Posts

I’m reviewing Poor Girls by Clare Whitfield #histfic #newrelease #blogtour

Here’s the blurb

Don’t get angry.

Get rich.

1922. Twenty-four-year-old Eleanor Mackridge is horrified by the future mapped out for her – to serve the upper classes or find a husband. During the war, she found freedom in joining the workforce at home, but now women are being put back in their place.

Until Eleanor crosses paths with a member of the notorious female-led gang the Forty Elephants: bold women who wear diamonds and fur, drink champagne and gin, who take what they want without asking. Now, she sees a new future for herself: she can serve, marry – or steal.

After all, men will only let you down. Diamonds are forever.

In Poor Girls, Clare Whitfield exposes the criminal underbelly of 1920s London – but this isn’t a morality tale, it’s an adventure for the willingly wicked.

Purchase Link

https://geni.us/poorgirlspb

My Review

This is, indeed, not a morality tale but instead a richly-imagined and thrilling tale of the 1920s, told through the eyes of Eleanor. She’s a feisty young woman who’s enjoyed the freedoms experienced because of the need for women to work in the factories during World War 1 and doesn’t much enjoy having those freedoms taken from her. And certainly not by an upper class desperate to reestablish their superiority over the working class.

Poor Girls is a fast-paced tale of the 1920s and one that readers will willingly devour. I love stories like this where the characters authentically move through the era they lived within. Not to be missed.

Meet the author

Clare Whitfield was born in 1978 in Morden (at the bottom of the Northern line) in Greater London. After university she worked at a publishing company before going on to hold various positions in buying and marketing. She now lives in Hampshire with her family. Her debut novel, People of Abandoned Character, won the Goldsboro Glass Bell Award and is also published by Head of Zeus.

Connect with the author

Follow Aries

Posts

I’m excited to share the cover for Warriors of Iron, the second book in the Dark Age Chronicles Trilogy #newrelease #WarriorsOfIron #histfic

It’s happy release day to Men of Iron, the first book in the Dark Age Chronicles Trilogy #newrelease #MenOfIron #histfic

Listen to me waffle about it.

Here’s the beauty

Image shows the book cover for Warriors of Iron by hstorical fiction author MJ Porter

Preorder Link (releases 13th July)

books2read.com/WarriorsofIron

Here’s the blurb

During Britannia’s tribal age only the strongest prevail…

Britain AD541

Seeress Meddi has been restored to her rightful position of influence within the Eorlingas tribe. But a heavy cloud hangs over the tribe’s survival with the escape of the treacherous Elen who seeks to exact a bloody vengeance following Meddi’s reinstatement and her downfall.

Meddi knows Elen will return to settle the blood feud and the tribe must be ready to face this deadly threat with iron. They must toil day and night to harness the power of the lost magiks to make the weapons needed to overpower Elen.

Meanwhile, Wærmund, a warrior of Saxon descent, has escaped his enforced captivity and vows vengeance against his captors. He too hungers for the promise of sharp blades and travels West to find those who can fashion iron into blades sharp enough to kill. But when a lone woman befriends the band of warriors, promising him even more than that, he’s beguiled by her tale of deceit amongst her own tribe, so reminiscent of his own.

Unbeknown, Meddi and Wærmund share a common enemy and one who is just as belligerent as they are…