Historical Romance

The Bachelor Girl’s Guide to Murder by Rachel McMillan

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FTC: I received a free copy of this book from Litfuse in exchange for my honest review.  I received no other compensation and the opinions expressed are 100% my own.

The Bachelor Girl’s Guide to Murder by Rachel McMillan was a fantastic book. When I opened the package that the book came in, I had to smile because there was a note that the author wrote tucked in the book, and it made me laugh. I also loved that some of the words had an asterisk by them and then at the bottom of the page it explains what it means or why she is using it. I loved that because it makes it easier to read because she explains parts of it, so you don’t have to stop reading to figure out what she meant. As I was reading this book, I had a constant smile on my face because the book just put me in a good mood. I love how well this book was written, and I loved that the main characters were doing things that women wouldn’t have been able to do during that time. I have read tons of historical fiction books, and this one is by far my favorite as of late, and I can’t wait for another book by this author to be released. It is an easy read, and it went by super quick. I love when I read books that are easy to read and go by fast because I don’t have to wait too long to find out how the story ends. I am sure most people would enjoy this book, and I recommend it everyone who is looking for a new book to read.

The Bachelor Girl's Guide to Murder by Rachel McMillan

About The Book

In 1910 Toronto, while other bachelor girls perfect their domestic skills and find husbands, two friends perfect their sleuthing skills and find a murderer.

Inspired by their fascination with all things Sherlock Holmes, best friends and flatmates Merinda and Jem launch a consulting detective business. The deaths of young Irish women lead Merinda and Jem deeper into the mire of the city’s underbelly, where the high hopes of those dreaming to make a new life in Canada are met with prejudice and squalor.

While searching for answers, donning disguises, and sneaking around where no proper ladies would ever go, they pair with Jasper Forth, a police constable, and Ray DeLuca, a reporter in whom Jem takes a more than professional interest. Merinda could well be Toronto’s premiere consulting detective, and Jem may just find a way to put her bachelor girlhood behind her forever–if they can stay alive long enough to do so.

Rachel McMillan

About The Author

Rachel McMillan is a keen history enthusiast and a lifelong bibliophile. When not writing or reading, she can most often be found drinking tea and watching British miniseries. Rachel lives in bustling Toronto, where she works in educational publishing and pursues her passion for art, literature, music, and theater.

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Playing The Part by Jen Turano

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FTC: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.  I received no other compensation and the opinions expressed in this review are 100% mine.

Playing The Part by Jen Turano was an excellent book. I loved this book because so many strange and weird things happened throughout the entire book that I couldn’t help but laugh. If anything could go wrong, it did go wrong. I haven’t read a book like this for a while, and I am so glad that I got this one to review because it is going to be added to the books that keep after I am done with them. I was a huge fan of all of the characters that worked for Bram because you never knew what they were going to do next. Like when the shot a cannon to scare people away even though they were told not to do it. If you are looking for a fun historical fiction book to read I recommend this book one hundred percent because I think most people would enjoy this book. I loved the setting of this book and like I said before I loved the entire plot and all of the crazy but funny characters. I can’t say enough great things about this book, and since I don’t want to give anything away, I am going to end the review so that you won’t have any spoilers. If you do happen to check this book out, please let me know what you think of it.

Playing The Part by Jen Turano

About The Book

Lucetta Plum is an actress on the rise in New York City, but is forced to abandon her starring role when a fan’s interest turns threatening. Lucinda’s widowed friend, Abigail Hart, is delighted at the opportunity to meddle in Lucetta’s life and promptly whisks her away to her grandson’s estate to hide out.

Bram Haverstein may appear to simply be a somewhat eccentric gentleman of means, but a mysterious career and a secret fascination with a certain actress mean there’s much more to him than society knows.

Lucetta, who has no interest in Abigail’s matchmaking machinations, has the best intentions of remaining cordial but coolly distant to Bram. But when she can’t ignore the strange and mysterious things going on in his house, it’ll take more than good intentions to keep her from trying to discover who Bram is behind the part he plays.

Jen Turano

About The Author

Jen Turano is a graduate of the University of Akron with a degree in Clothing and Textiles. She pursued a career in management for nine years before switching to full-time motherhood after the birth of her son. When she’s not writing, Jen can be found watching her teenage son participate in various activities, taking long walks with her husband and dog, socializing with friends, or delving into a good book. She lives in suburban Denver, Colorado. Learn more at http://www.jenturano.com.

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Beyond The Silence by Tracie Peterson and Kimberley Woodhouse

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Beyond The Silence by Tracie Peterson and Kimberley Woodhouse was an excellent book. The one bad thing I can say about this book is the fact that I did find a typo which bugged me. I am used to finding them from time to time because I do read a bunch or ARC or “advanced reader copies” where you see them because they haven’t been edited yet when we get those types. I shocked with this on because as far as I know it is the final copy that will be sold. It wasn’t a huge mistake it just made me read the sentence a few times to make sure that I wasn’t just reading it wrong.

Anyway, let’s get on with the review of this book. I liked Lillian from the first page right through the end of the book, but I was an even bigger fan of Woody because I felt so sorry for him and his son Jimmy. I saw a lot of the town I grew up in Angels Camp so I felt like I really could understand how hard it had to be on Woody to live in a town where people hate you for something you didn’t do or even who they assume you are. You can learn so much from this book while you are reading that I would recommend it to everyone. Not only did I learn things I actually enjoyed the story. This book was an excellent escape from real like for me.

Beyond The Silence by Tracie Peterson and Kimberley Woodhouse

About The Book

Lillian Porter has always wanted to fulfill her mother’s dream of going west, so when she hears about a nanny position in Angels Camp, California, she defies her grandfather and takes a chance on a new future. But she quickly wonders if she made the right choice. There are rumors in town that her new employer, Woodward Colton, caused the death of his wife. This accusation doesn’t match the man Lillian comes to know–and Mrs. Goodman, Woody’s long-time housekeeper, is decisively on Woody’s side–but many in town stay far away from Lillian because of her association with the Colton family.

Lillian’s six-year-old charge, Jimmy, was there when his mother died, and he hasn’t spoken a word since. Gently, Lillian tries to coax him out of his shell, hoping he’ll one day feel safe enough to tell her the truth about what happened. But the Colton olive farm is no longer a safe place. Lillian encounters suspicious characters on their land and mysterious damage done to the farm. Will Mrs. Goodman and Jimmy be able to speak what they know in time to save Lillian from tragedy?

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About The Authors

Tracie Peterson is the bestselling, award-winning author of more than 100 novels. Tracie also teaches writing workshops at a variety of conferences on subjects such as inspirational romance and historical research. She and her family live in Montana.

Kimberley Woodhouse is a multipublished author of fiction and nonfiction. A popular speaker/teacher, she’s shared her theme of Joy Through Trials with over 150,000 people at more than a thousand venues across the country. She lives, writes, and homeschools with her husband of twenty-plus years and their two awesome teens live in Colorado.

 

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At Love’s Bidding by Regina Jennings

Winter Book Review

At Love’s Bidding by Regina Jennings was a fun book to read.  I found myself smiling throughout the book because of the crazy things that kept happening to Miranda and her grandfather as they tried to find a painting that got sold on accident.    I truly enjoyed this authors style of writing and how she was able to make you feel as though you are there with the characters.  I loved all of the characters from the town in Missouri because they all have such big personalities that you couldn’t help but love them.  I loved this book because it was light hearted and super easy to read and I was able to get through it in a few days and I was left feeling good because of how light-hearted this book was.  If you love historical fiction than I would recommend this book to you be even if you don’t I would still check out this book because I am sure you will loved it.

At Love's Bidding by Regina Jennings

About The Book

After helping her grandfather at their Boston auction house, Miranda Wimplegate discovers she’s accidentally sold a powerful family’s prized portrait to an anonymous bidder. Desperate to appease the furious family, her grandfather tracks it to the Missouri Ozarks and makes an outlandish offer to buy the local auction house if they promise not to sell anything until he arrives.

Upon their arrival, however, they discover their new business doesn’t deal in fine antiques, but in livestock. And its manager, ruggedly handsome Wyatt Ballentine, is frustrated to discover his fussy new bosses don’t know a thing about the business he’s single-handedly kept afloat. Faced with more cattle than they can count–but no mysterious painting–Miranda and Wyatt form an unlikely but charged partnership to try and salvage a bad situation getting worse.

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About The Author

Regina Jennings is a graduate of Oklahoma Baptist University with a degree in English and a history minor. She has worked at The Mustang News and First Baptist Church of Mustang, along with time at the Oklahoma National Stockyards and various livestock shows. She now lives outside Oklahoma City with her husband and four children.

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The Girl From The Train by Irma Joubert

Winter Book Review

The Girl From The Train by Irma Joubert was a book I knew I was going to like because it takes place during WWII and I love almost all books that take place during that time period.  I loved this book  because I really loved Gretl from the start of the book.  I was amazed at how she was able to go through what she did and still keep going.  I don’t think I could do the same if I were in her shoes.  I also enjoyed Jakob because of how he treated Gretl and how he was willing to take care of her when he could have just as easily ignored her and let her figure it out on her own.  I can’t say enough good things about this book and I know if you love historical fiction books then you will love this book like I do.

The Girl From The Train by Irma Joubert

About The Book

A sweeping international love story that celebrates the triumph of the human spirit over the inhumanities of war and prejudice.

Six-year-old Gretl and her sister jump from a train bound for Auschwitz, her mother and grandmother unable to squeeze between the bars covering the windows. The daughter of a German soldier, Gretl understands very little about how her grandmother’s Jewishness brought her first to the ghetto, then to the train, and now, to the Polish countryside where she wanders, searching for food and water for her dying sister.

Soon, Gretl finds refuge with Jakob, a Polish freedom fighter, and his family, where she is sheltered until the end of the war. Gretl is then sent away to a new life, a new name, and a new faith in Apartheid-era South Africa. As she comes of age in this strange place, she confronts its prejudices as she hides the truth of her past from her new family.

When Jakob makes his way to South Africa many years later, Gretl and Jakob are reunited in a love story that transcends time and distance and survives the ravages of hatred and war.

About The Author

International bestselling author Irma Joubert was a history teacher for 35 years before she began writing. Her stories are known for their deep insight into personal relationships and rich historical detail. She’s the author of eight novels and a regular fixture on bestseller lists in The Netherlands and in her native South Africa. She is the winner of the 2010 ATKV Prize for Romance Novels. Facebook: irmajoubertpage

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Whispers In The Reading Room by Shelley Gray

Winter Book Review

Whispers In The Reading Room by Shelley Gray was a great book.  I have read several Amish fiction by Shelley so I wondered if I would like this book as much as I liked her other series.  I have started to wonder if there will ever be a book by Shelley that I won’t like because so far I have loved every book that she has written.  I loved this book because I really liked Sebastian because I loved that he was a bookworm like me and that he tried to hide what he did from Lydia because he really liked her.  I also loved that he tried to help her when she got hurt by the man she was engaged to.  If you love historical fiction books I know you will love this book as much as I did.

Whispers In The Reading Room by Shelley Gray

About The Book

Whispers in the Reading Room (Zondervan, November 2015)

Lydia’s job at the library is her world—until a mysterious patron catches her eye . . . and perhaps her heart.

Just months after the closure of the Chicago World’s Fair, librarian Lydia Bancroft finds herself fascinated by a mysterious dark-haired and dark-eyed patron. He has never given her his name; he actually never speaks to a single person. All she knows about him is that he loves books as much as she does.

Only when he rescues her in the lobby of the Hartman Hotel does she discover that his name is Sebastian Marks. She also discovers that he lives at the top of the prestigious hotel and that most everyone in Chicago is intrigued by him.

Lydia and Sebastian form a fragile friendship, but when she discovers that Mr. Marks isn’t merely a very wealthy gentleman, but also the proprietor of an infamous saloon and gambling club, she is shocked.

Lydia insists on visiting the club one fateful night and suddenly is a suspect to a murder. She must determine who she can trust, who is innocent, and if Sebastian Marks-the man so many people fear-is actually everything her heart believes him to be.

Shelley Gray

About The Author

Shelley Gray is the author of The Heart of a Hero series. Her Amish novel (written as Shelley Shepard Gray), The Protector, recently made the New York Times best seller list. A native of Texas, she earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Colorado and taught school for ten years. She and her husband have two children and live in Southern Ohio.

 

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