Showing posts with label Sarah M. Eden. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Sarah M. Eden. Show all posts

Saturday, March 12, 2022

Review: Her Country Gentleman by Sian Ann Bessey, Sarah M. Eden, Rebecca Connolly


My rating: 5 stars / It was amazing



Synopsis

London is not the only place to find love . . .

SPRING AT TRIBBLEY HALL by Sian Ann Bessey
When Charlotte's grandmother invites her to accompany her to Norfolk, Charlotte jumps at the chance to visit the sea and escape the fuss surrounding her sister's wedding preparations in London. Lord William Cheston, on the other hand, is most unhappy when his mother informs him that her old friend and a granddaughter are coming to stay. Not only is it lambing season, but he's also dealing with the mysterious loss of several sheep. The last thing he needs is a child underfoot. When Charlotte and William first meet, he does not realize that the lovely young lady is the granddaughter in question, and she assumes that the man dressed in work clothes in the barn is a servant. Soon afterward, however, Charlotte stumbles upon a clue to William's sheep's disappearance, and when her life is placed in jeopardy, William is forced to choose between saving his unwanted houseguest and catching the thief.

LOVE OF MY HEART by Sarah M. Eden
Cordelia Wakefield has never lived anywhere but London and is not overly happy when her family is forced to retrench to a small estate near Teviotbrae, Scotland. An ill-fated game of battledore and shuttlecock brings her face-to-racquet with Sebastian, who runs the home farm at nearby Teviot Castle. What begins as a clash of personalities, expectations, and preferences, soon leads to a friendship neither had expected. As the magic of Teviotbrae weaves its spell, the possibility of something more than friendship begins to blossom. But what future is there for a lowly farmer and a London lady?

MISS SMITH GOES TO WILTSHIRE by Rebecca Connolly
Martha Smith wants to marry for love, and will not be persuaded otherwise. She is highly sought after in Society for her beauty and status, but refuses to consider any suitor whose only claim is that his prospects meet with her mother's approval. Her widowed mother has had enough of Martha's romantic sensibilities, and is sending her to stay with unfortunate cousins in Wiltshire to show her that marrying for love is a risk that is too great.
Benjamin Steele, Lord Hillier, is working on his new and dilapidated estate when he first catches sight of the striking Martha Smith. Becoming Lord Hillier has only brought him a house that needs significant repairs, tenant farms that had been abandoned, and only the money he'd already possessed. He wants meaning in his life, and he's more than willing to work for it.
Though worlds apart in all else, on this point they can agree: a life of meaning would change everything.


My Review

I loved each story in this collection! From my limited understanding, the Georgian era is just before the Regency era, which is quite a popular genre in sweet romance. The authors weaved in some historical details that showed some of the differences between the eras, especially in fashion. With each novella I was drawn in quickly, enjoyed the characters and felt connected to them as they journey to the country and discover love along with the wonders that make the countryside so different than the cities. I admired the country gentlemen with their work ethic and strengths. I'm so excited for more from this new line of Timeless Georgian Collections!

Disclosure statement: A complimentary copy of this book was provided from a tour group, publisher, publicist, or author, including NetGalley, OR was borrowed from the library, including OverDrive, OR borrowed from Kindle Unlimited, OR purchased. A review was not required and all views and opinions expressed are unbiased and my own.
 
About the Authors

Sian Ann Bessey

Born in Cambridge, England, but grew up on the island of Anglesey off the coast of North Wales, Sian left her homeland to attend university in the U.S. and earned a bachelor's degree in communications with a minor in English.

She began her writing career as a student, publishing several magazine articles while still in college. Since then, she has published historical romance and romantic suspense novels, along with a variety of children's books. She is a USA Today bestselling author, a Foreward Reviews Book of the Year finalist, and a Whitney Award finalist.

She loves to travel and experience other cultures, but when she's home, her favorite activities are spending time with her family, cooking, and reading.

 

Sarah M. Eden

Sarah M. Eden is a USA Today bestselling author of multiple historical romances, including AML's "2013 Novel of the Year" and Foreword Review’s 2013 “IndieFab Book of the Year” gold medal winner for Best Romance, Longing for Home, and the Whitney Award's "2014 Novel of the Year," Longing for Home: Hope Springs.

Combining her obsession with history and affinity for tender love stories, Sarah loves crafting witty characters and heartfelt romances set against rich historical backdrops. She holds a bachelor’s degree in research and happily spends hours perusing the reference shelves of her local library. Sarah lives with her husband, kids, and mischievous dog in the shadow of a snow-capped mountain she has never attempted to ski.


 
 
Rebecca Connolly

Rebecca Connolly is the author of more than two dozen novels. She calls herself a Midwest girl, having lived in Ohio and Indiana. She's always been a bookworm, and her grandma would send her books almost every month so she would never run out. Book Fairs were her carnival, and libraries are her happy place.

She has been creating stories since childhood, and there are home videos to prove it! She received a master's degree from West Virginia University, spends every spare moment away from her day job absorbed in her writing, and is a hot cocoa addict.

 
 



Wednesday, February 23, 2022

Review: Choices of the Heart by Sarah M. Eden


My rating: 4 stars / I really liked it



Synopsis

The paths of life that brought them together are destined to tear them apart.

Burke Jones began his life as a nameless orphan, dreaming of one day being a renowned doctor with a home and family to call his own. Sophie Kingston, daughter of an influential East Coast family, was destined to be an important and beloved part of Baltimore Society.

Life has not gone quite as either planned.

Now living in the home of a family friend, Sophie joins the lady on a journey to the tiny town of Hope Springs in Wyoming Territory. It is unlike any place she’s ever known. And the resident doctor is a mystery as well. Burke knows he isn’t the success he’d always imagined he would be, and seeing it through the eyes of this newly arrived Society lady only drives that home.

As Hope Springs begins to weave its magic, Sophie discovers more than she’d ever imagined, in both the town and its doctor. And Burke, who has always guarded his heart, begins to wonder if there might be more to life than he has previously imagined.

Their futures, however, do not lie along the same path or in the same destinations. Fate has once again proven unkind.

Can Hope Springs work yet another miracle?


My Review

Hope Springs is full of wonderful characters that are added with each book in the series. Although there are plenty of scenes with the O'Connor and Archer family members, this addition also focuses on two newcomers to the town, paths crossing but each with a future that continues on in different directions. Burke and Sophie have a rocky beginning, but the special qualities of Hope Springs begin to transform their perspective and they let down their guard, leading to a lovely friendship. I missed the strength of romantic chemistry that I usually find in this author's stories, and I wonder if the large cast of community members and the focus on some subplots distracted me from connecting with the emotions of Burke and Sophie. I'm definitely looking forward to a continuation of Finbar O'Connnor and Emma Archer's story. 

Disclosure statement: A complimentary copy of this book was provided from a tour group, publisher, publicist, or author, including NetGalley, OR was borrowed from the library, including OverDrive, OR borrowed from Kindle Unlimited, OR purchased. A review was not required and all views and opinions expressed are unbiased and my own.

Don't miss the previous books in the Hope Springs series . . .





Friday, December 10, 2021

The Merchant and the Rogue by Sarah M. Eden #CleanRomanceforXmas21 #Giveaway

On Tour with Prism Book Tours

The Merchant and the Rogue
(The Dread Penny Society #3)
By Sarah M. Eden
Historical Romance
Paperback, E-book & Audiobook 368 Pages
August 17, 2021 by Shadow Mountain

London, 1865 
 
Vera Sorokina loves reading the Penny Dreadfuls and immersing herself in tales of adventure, mystery, and romance. Her own days are filled with the often mundane work of running the book and print shop she owns with her father. The shop offers her the freedom and income to employ and protect the poverty-stricken Londoners she's come to care about, and it gives her father something to do other than long for their hometown of St. Petersburg. She is grateful for the stability in their lives, but she often feels lonely. 
 
Brogan Donnelly was born and raised in Ireland, but has lived in London for several years, where he's built a career as a Penny Dreadful writer. He has dedicated himself to the plight of the poor with the help of his sister. His membership in the secretive Dread Penny Society allows him to feel he isn't entirely wasting his life, yet he feels dissatisfied. With no one to share his life with but his sister, he fears London will never truly feel like home. 
 
Brogan and Vera's paths cross, and the attraction is both immediate and ill-advised. Vera knows from past experience that writers are never to be trusted, and Brogan has reason to suspect not everything at her print shop is aboveboard. When the growing criminal enterprise run by the elusive and violent Mastiff begins targeting their area of London, Brogan and Vera must work together to protect the community they've both grown to love. But that means they'll need to learn to trust each other with dangerous secrets that have followed both of them from their home countries.

(Affiliate links included.)

Guest Post
Real Life Setting from The Merchant and the Rogue

The Merchant and the Rogue contains a story, written in the style of a 19th Century “Penny Dreadful”--a story, usually melodramatic and over-the-top, that was published in serial form for one penny per installment--as it would have been written by the hero of The Merchant and the Rogue, Brogan Donnelly.

I set this story, a mystery filled with creepy scenery and disconcerting characters, in the real-life Museum of Natural History in Dublin, Ireland. This museum was opened in 1856 in a stately Dublin building, and very little about it has changed since. It is often described as “a museum of a museum.” Walking through this piece of Dublin history is like stepping back in time. And it is one of the most wonderfully creepy places I have ever had the joy of visiting.

The large, four-story building is filled to the rafters with taxidermied animals, skeletons, pelts, preserved fauna. Many of the specimens have been on display for over 150 years. This museum, filled with once-living creatures, is known affectionately amongst the locals in Dublin as “The Dead Zoo.”

The museum offers an online virtual tour of the exhibits, the main hall, the wings and balconies, and it is fascinating! Go have a virtual look around, then go read “The Dead Zoo” woven through The Merchant and the Rogue. The creepiness of it is some of the most fun I’ve had creating a setting.
 
 

Other Books in the Series


About the Author


Sarah M. Eden is a USA Today best-selling author of witty and charming historical romances, including 2020’s Foreword Reviews INDIE Awards Gold Winner for Romance, Forget Me Not, and 2020 Holt Medallion finalist, Healing Hearts. She is a two-time “Best of State” Gold Medal winner for fiction and a three-time Whitney Award winner. Combining her obsession with history and her affinity for tender love stories, Sarah loves crafting deep characters and heartfelt romances set against rich historical backdrops. She holds a bachelor’s degree in research and happily spends hours perusing the reference shelves of her local library.

 
Tour Schedule
(Posts go live on the day they're scheduled.)

December 7th: Launch
December 8th: Nancy Campbell Allen - The Matchmaker's Lonely Heart
December 9th: Rachael Anderson - Five Kisses
December 10th: Sarah M. Eden - The Merchant and the Rogue
December 11th: Arlem Hawks - Georgana's Secret
December 12th: Jess Heileman - The Nabob's Daughter 
December 13th: Krista Jensen - Miracle Creek Christmas
December 14th: Jen Geigle Johnson - A Christmas Kiss
December 15th: Josi S. Kilpack - Love and Lavender
December 16th: Carla Laureano - Discovered by Love series
December 17th: Sarah L. McConkie - Meet Me Under the Kissing Bough
December 18th: Carol Ross - His Hometown Yuletide Vow
December 19th: Nichole Van - Brotherhood of the Black Tartan series
December 20th: Anneka R. Walker - Brides and Brothers
December 21st: Camron Wright - Christmas by Accident
December 22nd: Julie Wright - A Captain for Caroline Gray
December 23rd: Grand Finale

Tour Giveaway


One winner will receive a $75 (USD) Amazon E-Gift Card

Open internationally
Ends December 29, 2021


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Saturday, November 20, 2021

Review: Charming Artemis by Sarah M. Eden


My rating: 4 stars / I really liked it



Synopsis

Charlie Jonquil is mild-mannered and kind—except when it comes to his one true adversary, Artemis Lancaster. Though Charlie has a brilliant mind for mathematics, Artemis poses a problem he can’t seem to comprehend: how can one be so lovely and so infuriating? A party in London brings him into the company of the maddening young lady, and it is clear that Charlie’s disdain is mutual. But when an unfortunate incident between the pair involving Charlie’s jacket and a glass of raspberry shrub leads to scandal, the sworn enemies are left with only two options: be ruined or be married.

So it is that Artemis finds herself in a most outrageous predicament: she must wed a gentleman she’s hated for years—and she pledges to avoid him at all costs. But it is only when they enter into this mockery of a marriage that Charlie and Artemis learn things are not as simple as they once appeared. As their tentative ceasefire leads to friendship, it seems their marriage born of desperation might lead them to a love that was destined to be.


My Review

So happy to read another book featuring the Jonquil brothers and Lancaster siblings! Charlie and Artemis are the youngest of those families, so this served as the last book of both series, but it also connects the author's two newer series- The Gents, which is about Lucas Jonquil's generation of friends, and The Huntresses, which focus on Artemis and her friends. This book is not what I expected, but it was still wonderful. Charlie's deceased father is actually a bit of a scene-stealer in this book- much of the story revolves around him and his influence on the characters, as well as the impact of his passing. It was highly emotional at times, and I felt like there was quite a bit of resolution and closure of issues that had been hovering throughout the series. What most surprised me was how through this experience Artemis and Charlie's spicy relationship mellowed. I missed their banter which hinted at romantic tension, so when that was removed I felt like their interactions were missing something. In their new marriage the development focused more on overcoming prejudices about each other and giving friendship a chance. The romance was gentler than anticipated, but still it was very sweet and woven in with both Artemis and Charlie's secret vulnerabilities and their healing as the Jonquil family comes together for a final endowment from their well-loved and missed patriarch.

Disclosure statement: A complimentary copy of this book was provided from a tour group, publisher, publicist, or author, including NetGalley, OR was borrowed from the library, including OverDrive, OR borrowed from Kindle Unlimited, OR purchased. A review was not required and all views and opinions expressed are unbiased and my own.



Tuesday, August 17, 2021

Book Tour & Excerpt: The Merchant and the Rogue by Sarah M. Eden



 


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Synopsis

London, 1865

Vera Sorokina loves reading the Penny Dreadfuls and immersing herself in tales of adventure, mystery, and romance. Her own days are filled with the often-mundane work of running the book and print shop she owns with her father. The shop offers her the freedom and income to employ and protect the poverty-stricken Londoners she's come to care about, and it gives her father something to do other than long for their hometown of St. Petersburg. She is grateful for the stability in their lives, but she often feels lonely.

Brogan Donnelly was born and raised in Ireland, but has lived in London for several years, where he's built a career as a Penny Dreadful writer. He has dedicated himself to the plight of the poor with the help of his sister. His membership in the secretive Dread Penny Society allows him to feel he isn't entirely wasting his life, yet he feels dissatisfied. With no one to share his life with but his sister, he fears London will never truly feel like home.

Brogan and Vera's paths cross, and the attraction is both immediate and ill-advised. Vera knows from experience that writers are never to be trusted, and Brogan has reason to suspect not everything at her print shop is aboveboard. When the growing criminal enterprise run by the elusive and violent Mastiff begins targeting their area of London, Brogan and Vera must work together to protect the community they've both grown to love. But that means they'll need to learn to trust each other with dangerous secrets that have followed both of them from their home countries.

Excerpt

After an hour or so, the first wave of readers arrived, eager for a copy of the popular tales and the chance to lark about in made-up worlds, far from the heavy lives they lived. Men,

boys, women, girls, all clamored around the penny serials. If the shop was bigger, it likely would’ve seemed less successful. As it was, looking like they had a crowd was good for business.

“Miss Vera?” Olly called her over. He was eight years old, always a bit filthy, and as keen as mustard to be part of anything and everything. He was always knocking about the

shop when new tales arrived, though he seldom had money to spend. “This one’s new, i’n’t it?” He held up a copy of Brogan Donnelly’s latest.

“It is, yeah.” She crossed over to him. “Have you read this author before?”

“I ain’t, no.”

Vera had suspected as much. She addressed the gathered boys as a whole. “His stories ain’t about children like Fletcher Walker’s or Lafayette Jones’s. Might be you’ll not like ’em as well.”

“We ain’t weak as water,” Burnt Ricky objected.

“And we ain’t babies,” added Bob’s Your Knuckle.

The street children often had odd names.

“You’re a regular pride of lions, I don’t doubt,” Vera said. “And you might well like it, but it’s different from what you usually pick. I only want to make certain you know that.”

“Is it gruesome?” Olly asked, a bit of doubt tugging at his soot-smudged brow.

“Not yet.”

“Have you read it?” None of the boys posed that question, but rather a man standing nearby who sounded as though he hailed from Ireland.

She turned to look at him. He wasn’t dressed fine and fancy, but neither did he look like he was a breath away from poverty. His hair was a startling shade of red. He watched her expectantly.

“I have. And I am eager for the next installment. Of his, and Mr. King’s, and Fletcher Walker’s, and Lafayette Jones’s.”

“’Twould seem you’ve read a great many of the penny dreadfuls.” A grin blossomed on the man’s face, and blimey if it didn’t fully upend her. Ginger men were often dismissed as less handsome, less striking, but bless him if he didn’t prove that utterly and entirely false with a simple upward tip of his mouth.

“I read them all if I get the chance. Pays to know the inventory, don’t it?”

“I imagine.” He eyed Brogan Donnelly’s latest, the one they’d been talking of mere moments earlier. “Are you enjoying the tale?” He motioned to it.

She nodded. “Donnelly’s quality at weaving a surprising story. And this one’s set in Ireland, which I’d wager will appeal to you.”

“Sorted that about me, did you?”

She tugged her ear. “These ain’t just for holding up spectacles.”

He gave her a sweeping glance. “You don’t wear spectacles.”

“All the more reason to put my ears to other uses.”

“Put your ear to listening to my question, Miss Vera,” Olly said, uncharacteristically impatient.

She motioned to Olly with her head and, to the ginger stranger, she said, “Right nutty little fella, this one.”

“Miss Vera.” Olly whined out her name.

She took pity on him. “What’s your burning question?”

“Would we like ‘The Dead Zoo’?” He flicked his thumb toward himself and his urchin chums.

She gave the boys her full attention once more. They were being patient, bless ’em. “Mr. Donnelly’s other stories usually have dying and sometimes murder.”

“Fletcher Walker writes that too, Miss Vera,” Burnt Ricky tossed back.

“And everyone’s dead in Lafayette Jones’s tales,” Olly said.

Vera lowered her voice to a dramatic whisper. “Not everyone.”

Grins appeared on all the children’s faces.

“Gab amongst yourselves. Let me know what you decide.”

The children put their heads together, yammering low and eager. She adored the little ones who came into her shop. Too many hadn’t families to look after them. She didn’t fancy herself a replacement for their missing mothers, but she hoped she gave them some feeling of the safety of home.

The ginger-haired man crossed her path again as she saw to her other customers. “Are you meaning to refuse to sell Donnelly’s latest to the lads?”

“Not if they fancy it.” She straightened a stack of Mr. King’s latest offering; the green cover was quite striking. “Once they’ve made their pick, I let ’em crack on with it.”

“Then why go to such lengths warning them?”

An easy enough question. “It’s tough times. Their pennies are hard-earned. If they mean to spend their coppers here, I fully mean to give them the best I can for their money.”

 

Special Offer


Please help Sarah M. Eden get her latest novel, THE MERCHANT AND THE ROGUE, to hit the New York Times best-seller list by purchasing a copy between August 15-22, 2021.

Everyone who submits a copy of their receipt and fills out the form during the week of August 15-22 will receive The Merchant and the Rogue - Swag Bundle. Supplies are limited, so act today. Please visit the Swag Bundle webpage for details.

 

About the Author

Sarah M. Eden is the author of critically acclaimed and award-winning Proper Romance series novels including The Lady and the Highwayman and Ashes on the Moor. Combining her passion for history and an affinity for love stories, Sarah crafts smart, witty characters and heartfelt romances. She happily spends hours perusing the reference shelves of her local library and dreams of one day traveling to all the places she reads about.

WEBSITE | TWITTER | FACEBOOK 

 INSTAGRAM | GOODREADS

Book Tour

Join the virtual book tour of THE MERCHANT AND THE ROGUE, Sarah M. Eden’s highly acclaimed historical romance, August 16-29, 2021. Thirty-five popular on-line influencers specializing in historical romance, mystery/suspense, and inspirational fiction will join in the celebration of its release with a spotlights, exclusive excerpts, and reviews of this new Victorian-era novel set in London, England.

TOUR SCHEDULE

Aug 16 Among the Reads
Aug 16 Austenprose
Aug 16 Reading is My Superpower
Aug 17 Literary Time Out
Aug 17 Getting Your Read On
Aug 17 Heidi Reads
Aug 17 Laura's Reviews
Aug 18 Our Book Confessions
Aug 18 Bookworm Lisa
Aug 19 Fire & Ice
Aug 19 From Pemberley to Milton
Aug 20 My Bookish Bliss
Aug 20 Gwendalyn's Books
Aug 20 Storeybook Reviews
Aug 21 Bookish Rantings
Aug 21 The Calico Critic
Aug 22 The Christian Fiction Girl
Aug 22 Books, Teacups, & Reviews
Aug 23 My Jane Austen Book Club
Aug 23 Encouraging Words from the Tea Queen
Aug 23 Reading with Emily
Aug 24 Wishful Endings
Aug 24 Relz Reviewz
Aug 24 The Book Diva Reads
Aug 25 Bookfoolery
Aug 25 Greenish Bookshelf
Aug 26 A Bookish Way of Life
Aug 26 Nurse Bookie
Aug 27 So Little Time…
Aug 27 Probably at the Library
Aug 27 Bringing Up Books
Aug 28 Books and Socks Rock
Aug 28 The Bibliophile Files
Aug 29 Book Confessions of an Ex-Ballerina
Aug 29 A Darn Good Read