Book Tour & Giveaway: Hearts of Steel by Elizabeth Camden

Hearts of Steel by Elizabeth Camden

Publication Date: January 17, 2023

Bethany House Publishers

Genre: Historical Romance/Christian

Series: The Blackstone Legacy, Book #3

His steel empire has catapulted him to the top of the world, but loving her could cost him everything.

Maggie Molinaro survived a hardscrabble childhood in the downtrodden streets of Manhattan to become a successful businesswoman. After a decade of sacrifice, she now owns a celebrated ice cream company. But when she offends a corrupt banker, she unwittingly sets off a series of calamities that threaten to destroy her life's work.

Liam Blackstone is a charismatic steel magnate committed to overhauling factory conditions for the steelworkers of America. Standing in his way is the same villain determined to ruin Maggie. What begins as a practical alliance to defeat a common enemy soon evolves into a romance between two wounded people determined to beat the odds.

A spiraling circle of treachery grows increasingly dangerous as Liam and Maggie risk their lives and fortunes for the good of the city. It will require all their wit and ingenuity to protect everything--and everyone--they hold dear.

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About the Author

Elizabeth Camden is best known for her historical novels set in Gilded Age America, featuring clever heroines and richly layered story lines. Before she was a writer, she was an academic librarian at some of the largest and smallest libraries in America, but her favorite is the continually growing library in her own home. Her novels have won Christy, Carol, and RITA Awards and have appeared on the CBA bestsellers list. She lives in Orlando, Florida, with her husband, who graciously tolerates her intimidating stockpile of books.

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Blog Tour Schedule

Tuesday, January 17
Review at Ms. Darcy Reads

Wednesday, January 18
Excerpt at Aubrey Wynne
Review at Michelle the PA Loves to Read

Thursday, January 19
Review at Novels Alive
Review at Books, Cooks, Looks

Friday, January 20
Review at Classicly Kait
Review at Tammy Reads

Saturday, January 21
Review at Reading is My SuperPower

Sunday, January 22
Review at Debjani's Thoughts

Monday, January 23
Review at The Green Mockingbird

Tuesday, January 24
Guest Post at Heidi Reads

Wednesday, January 25
Review at Bookworlder

Thursday, January 26
Review & Excerpt at Older & Smarter

Friday, January 27
Review at The Lit Bitch

Monday, January 30
Review at Jorie Loves A Story
Feature at CelticLady's Reviews

Tuesday, January 31
Feature at I'm Into Books

Wednesday, February 1
Review at Reading is My Remedy

Friday, February 3
Feature at Coffee and Ink

Giveaway

We have two copies of Hearts of Steel by Elizabeth Camden up for grabs!

The giveaway is open to the US only and ends on February 3rd. You must be 18 or older to enter.

Hearts of Steel

Review: The Spice King by Elizabeth Camden

My rating: 4 stars / I really liked it

Synopsis

Gray Delacroix has dedicated his life to building his very successful global spice empire, but it has come at a cost. Resolved to salvage his family before it spirals out of control, he returns to his ancestral home to save his brother and sister before it's too late.

As a junior botanist for the Smithsonian, Annabelle Larkin has been charged with the impossible task of gaining access to the notoriously private Delacroix plant collection. If she fails, she will be out of a job and the family farm in Kansas will go under. She has no idea that in gaining entrance to the Delacroix world, she will unwittingly step into a web of dangerous political intrigue far beyond her experience.

Unable to deny her attraction to the reclusive business tycoon, Annabelle will be forced to choose between her heart and loyalty to her country. Can Gray and Annabelle find a way through the storm of scandal without destroying the family Gray is fighting to save?

My Review

I'm always impressed by the amount of historical detail and circumstances the author weaves into the story that I had never considered, especially at a time when more women are making their way into the workforce. It makes me excited to think about these pioneers and how they contributed to our nation. Washington D.C. is a fascinating setting and I loved seeing the city through the eyes of Annabelle. She is driven with such purpose, whether it be analyzing grain samples or persuading someone to her way of thinking. Gray is more complex, and the pair was an interesting match. I didn't sense much romantic chemistry between them, but rather a deep respect for the challenge they present each other and the unlikely friendship that blossoms. Secrets and political motivations threaten their relationship, but I admired their integrity as they navigate the obstacles they endure.

(I received a complimentary copy of the book; all opinions in this review are my own)

Book Tour, Excerpt & Giveaway: A Desperate Hope by Elizabeth Camden

On Tour with Prism Book Tours

A Desperate Hope
(Empire State #3)
By Elizabeth Camden
Christian Historical Romance
Paperback & ebook, 352 Pages
February 5th 2019 by Bethany House Publishers

Eloise Drake's prim demeanor hides the turbulent past she believes is finally behind her. A mathematical genius, she's now a successful accountant for the largest engineering project in 1908 New York. But to her dismay, her new position puts her back in the path of the man responsible for her deepest heartbreak.

Alex Duval is the mayor of a town about to be wiped off the map. The state plans to flood the entire valley where his town sits in order to build a new reservoir, and Alex is stunned to discover the woman he once loved on the team charged with the demolition. With his world crumbling around him, Alex devises a risky plan to save his town--but he needs Eloise's help to succeed.

Alex is determined to win back the woman he thought he'd lost forever, but even their combined ingenuity may not be enough to overcome the odds against them.

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Excerpt

A niggle of dread cut through Alex’s exhilaration at seeing her again. “Are you with these people?” he asked.

“I’m here as an accountant,” she said coolly. “I’ll be setting the values for the condemned buildings in town.”

His confusion vanished, replaced by a searing sense of betrayal. “You’re working for the state?”

“Yes, I’m working for the state,” she said. “I’m also working on behalf of Duval Springs to ensure its citizens are fairly compensated for their inconvenience.”

“‘Inconvenience,’” he snapped. “Is that the word the state is using for throwing thousands of people off their own land?”

She lifted her chin. “It is for the betterment of all citizens in New York. The fact that a few people will be inconvenienced can’t be avoided.”

It was only his army training that kept his standing erect after this appalling blow. The old Eloise was gone. The woman before him looked like her but was a stranger.

“I wanted such wonderful things for you,” he said in an aching voice. “I thought you’d be a great pianist or a poet or something grand. Not an accountant. Not working for the state.”

“Another fine reason not to stay in this town,” Claude groused. “We gave it our best, Miss Drake, but why should we stay in a place that doesn’t want us, lacks all form of common courtesy, and doesn’t even have running water or electricity? We’ll be better off in Kingston, regardless of the expense.”

“Did you expect us to throw rose petals in your path?” Alex directed the question to the surly leader, but Eloise answered.

“As the mayor of this town, I expected you to be sensible and help us,” she said. “We are working toward the same goal, even if you find that goal abhorrent.”

That scolding tone of hers was starting to grate. She turned to leave the tavern, the three men following, but Alex wasn’t going to let her get away. Not again. He darted after the group as they made their way outside.

“I doubt we’ll be able to find four rooms on short notice in Kingston,” Eloise was telling the other men. “My guardian lives only a few miles from here and has plenty of space.”

“You’re staying with Garrett?” Alex asked incredulously as he pulled alongside the group.

“Why shouldn’t I?” she replied calmly. “He has always been loyal to me.”

“Maybe because he had me pounded to a bloody pulp when he found out what we’d been up to behind that old cider mill.” He pointed to the crook in his nose. “See that? It’s what a broken nose looks like. It has Garrett’s signature on it.”

She sent a fleeting glance to her coworkers before stepping closer to speak in a furious whisper. 

“Perhaps you could lower your voice so the entire valley doesn’t learn our business.”

She was right. The men she came with were already heading back toward their carriage, but a handful of people loitered outside the tavern, listening to every word. Maybe she could control herself and talk like the queen of England, but he actually had a beating heart and a pulse. Eloise hadn’t come back to the valley for him. She came because she was bitter and vindictive.

“Is this fun for you? Showing up to help wipe us off the map?” Alex asked.

“Believe it or not, I have a meaningful career entirely free of personal vendettas. Good day, Mayor Duval.” She headed toward a carriage across the street, her back stiff with anger, but he couldn’t let it go at that.

“Eloise, wait.” He grasped her arm, and she looked down at it as though a bug was crawling on her. 

He let go, dumbfounded. “What’s happened to you?” he whispered.

“I grew up. I no longer run around behind people’s backs. I don’t break the rules. I’m sorry that seems to be a disappointment to you.”

Other Books in the Series

About the Author

Elizabeth Camden is the author of twelve historical novels and two historical novellas and has been honored with both the RITA Award and the Christy Award. With a master's in history and a master's in library science, she is a research librarian by day and scribbles away on her next novel by night. She lives with her husband in Florida.

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Tour Schedule

Bookstagram Tour

Check out the Bookstagram Tour:

February 17th (launch): @prismbooktours

February 18th: @heidireadsblog

February 19th: @suziewaltner

February 20th: @girlandherbooks

February 21st: @singinglibrarianbooks

February 22nd: @betherin02

February 23rd: @all.the.lovely.pages

February 24th: @christenkrumm

Tour Giveaway

- One Grand Prize winner will receive print copies of all three books in the Empire State series: A Dangerous Legacy, A Daring Venture, and A Desperate Hope

- Two additional winners will receive a print copy of A Desperate Hope

- US only

- Ends March 1, 2019

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Best of 2017 Giveaway Hop!

I recently posted three Top 10 lists of my favorite 5 star books I read in 2017! Check them out and add some of my recommendations to your to-read list on Goodreads.com!

Historical Romance

Contemporary Romance

Novellas and Collections

For this hop I'm giving away an intriguing historical fiction book- A Dangerous Legacy by Elizabeth Camden.  (Read my review here)

Enter to win a print copy of A Dangerous Legacy below and then hop along to some other blogs for fun giveaways!  

Synopsis

Lucy is determined to keep working as a telegraph operator at a news agency, even though the arrival of Sir Colin Beckwith threatens her position. When she discovers Colin's shocking secret, she agrees to assist him if he helps her find her family's stolen inheritance--not realizing that the trail leads into a web of treachery, danger, and conspiracy.

Entry-Form

Review: A Dangerous Legacy by Elizabeth Camden

My rating: 4 stars / I really liked it

Synopsis

Lucy is determined to keep working as a telegraph operator at a news agency, even though the arrival of Sir Colin Beckwith threatens her position. When she discovers Colin's shocking secret, she agrees to assist him if he helps her find her family's stolen inheritance--not realizing that the trail leads into a web of treachery, danger, and conspiracy.

My Review

I was not expecting the character of Lucy to be what she was in this book- I think the pearls on the cover threw me off. (While there are pearls in the story, I don't believe she ever wears them). Lucy is one determined woman, holding tightly to her values but willing to get a little down and dirty when battling unscrupulous people. Her strength is admirable, and I loved how the author also portrayed her flaws, exhaustion, and yearnings for a different life. She is complex in that way since she loves her work for the Associated Press and the glimpse it gives her of the world that she will never explore, as long as she is fighting the lawsuit with her uncle.

Colin is quite charming and also has a realistic balance of traits which made him come to life. He brings joy and love into Lucy's life, however temporary, and supports her in the war she is waging even when they struggle through their own rough patches. The insights into the events and politics of the time was fascinating, especially the workings of the telegraph office and the underground plumbing of Manhattan. I would have enjoyed more emotion in the romance between Colin and Lucy, but the plot and historical details made this a standout book.

(I received a complimentary copy of the book; all opinions in this review are my own)

Review: To the Farthest Shore by Elizabeth Camden

My rating: 4 stars / I really liked it

Synopsis

It has been six years since army nurse Jenny Bennett's heart was broken by a dashing naval officer. Now Lieutenant Ryan Gallagher has abruptly reappeared in her life at the Presidio army base but refuses to discuss the inexplicable behavior that destroyed their happiness.

Ryan is in an impossible situation. One of the few men in the world qualified to carry out a daring assignment, he accepted a government mission overseas that caused his reputation to be destroyed and broke the heart of the only woman he ever loved. Honor bound never to reveal where he had been during those six years, he can't tell Jenny the truth or it will endanger an ongoing mission and put thousands of lives at risk.

Although Ryan thinks he may have finally found a solution, he can't pull it off on his own. Loyalty to her country compels Jenny to help, but she never could have imagined the intrigue she and Ryan will have to face or the lengths to which they will have to go to succeed.

My Review

There's something about the writing of Elizabeth Camden that keeps me glued to the pages, fascinated by the history, and invested in the outcome of the story. I loved the setting and the unique characters that had obstacles that they are working to overcome, and learn valuable lessons along the way. In the beginning Jenny and Ryan seem to be the perfect couple, but as they face trials- Jenny from her past, and Ryan from his future- their flaws are revealed and there is a lot for them to learn about communication, trust, and forgiveness. I would have liked to see more romance in their relationship, but their drawn-out struggles prevented it. A bit of suspense kept the pace of the story moving forward when Ryan and Jenny's relationship was stuck in a rut. The developments in the pearl industry, the details of the navy, nursing, and spying in late 1800's Japan, San Fransisco, and San Diego captured my interest and the characters brought the setting to life. Jenny's surrogate father Simon and Finn, the spy Ryan is training to take over for him were two favorites that provided important interactions and additional depth to the plot. 

(I received a complimentary copy of the book; all opinions in this review are my own)

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