A Bookchat about The Rose and the Thistle with Laura Frantz & a Review of The Cairo Curse by Pepper Basham

Laura Frantz joins us for a chat about castles, Scottish heritage, travel and her latest release The Rose and the Thistle. Don’t forget to enter to win a copy of this great book!

For today’s Pinch of the Past, we had Tisha Martin on the show to share Novel Research: Town History. It’s always fun to dig into the history of the town you’re writing about. Many famous people grew up in small towns, which is really surprising. (Full post here.)

Today’s Bookworm Review is bought to you by Christie K. “The Cairo Curse by Pepper Basham is the second in a series and there are several allusions to the instances in the first book but it could function as a standalone. Except, the first book was so much fun to read that I highly recommend reading that one too!” (Full review here.)

Enter the giveaway by following this link or below.

A Bookchat about Double the Lies with Patricia Raybon & a Review of All the Lost Places by Amanda Dykes

Patricia Raybon joins us for a chat about under-appreciated novels, taking one day at a time, special readers, and her latest release Double the Lies. Don’t forget to enter to win a copy of this great book!

For today’s Pinch of the Past, we’re looking at the defense of a castle! As decades of siege warfare passed, architects and designers learned to use even the smallest things to their advantage to make a castle as defensible as possible… (Full post here.)

Today’s Bookworm Review is bought to you by Christie K. “All the Lost Places has themes of forgiveness and grace woven throughout with very mild violence during the climatic scene. Both stories have sweet romances.” (Full review here.)

Connect with  Patricia Raybon: www.PatriciaRaybon.com, Bookclub, Amazon, Facebook, Twitter, Goodreads, and Instagram.

Mentions in the episode: Cry, the Beloved Country by Alan Paton book recommendation.

“While you live, tell truth and shame the devil!”

– William Shakespeare

Henry IV, Part 1, Act 3, Scene 1.

Ad link: Join Kimberly Woodhouse @ A Million Miles with Kim

The Debutante’s Code by Erica Vetsch

The audio version of this review was first shared in Episode 53: A Bookchat about A Mark of Grace with Kimberly Woodhouse & a Review of The Debutante’s Code by Erica Vetsch

THE BOOK

Newly returned from finishing school, Lady Juliette Thorndike is ready to debut in London society. Due to her years away, she hasn’t spent much time with her parents, and sees them only as the flighty, dilettante couple the other nobles love. But when they disappear, she discovers she never really knew them at all. They’ve been living double lives as government spies—and they’re only the latest in a long history of espionage that is the family’s legacy.

Now Lady Juliette is determined to continue their work. Mentored by her uncle, she plunges into the dangerous world of spy craft. From the glittering ballrooms of London to the fox hunts, regattas, and soirees of country high society, she must chase down hidden clues, solve the mysterious code her parents left behind, and stay out of danger. All the while, she has to keep her endeavors a secret from her best friend and her suitors—not to mention nosy, irritatingly handsome Bow Street runner Daniel Swann, who suspects her of a daring theft.

Can Lady Juliette outwit her enemies and complete her parents’ last mission? Or will it lead her to a terrible end?

THE REVIEW

“The Debutante’s Code” would not pair well with a light cup of Darjeeling. No, indeed, dear readers. This cloak-and-dagger mystery calls for a strong cup of Earl Grey to complement the story’s robust notes of dark academia and anglophile. 

Erica Vetsch has once again proven herself to be a skilled writer with a flair for capturing the details and atmosphere of a historic setting. Her words bring Regency Era London to life, juxtaposing grimy pubs and glittering ballrooms so vividly that one wonders if Vetsch is in fact a time-traveler recounting her visits to the past. 

If you’ve ever wished Jane Austen had written tales of espionage and murder, then “The Debutante’s Code” is sure to be your cup of tea!

THE AUTHOR

Erica Vetsch is a New York Times best-selling author and ACFW Carol Award winner, and has been a Romantic Times top pick for her previous books. She loves Jesus, history, romance, and watching sports. This transplanted Kansan now makes her home in Rochester, Minnesota.

Read more about Erica at her website. (www.ericavetsch.com)

Reviewed by:

Review by ECPA bestselling author Angela Bell is a 21st century lady with 19th century sensibilities. Her activities consist of reading voraciously, drinking copious amounts of tea, and writing letters with a fountain pen. Learn more about her at AuthorAngelaBell.com

Disclaimer: The publisher offered a complimentary copy of this book. The review was given freely, without payment. All views expressed are only the honest opinion of a member of the Historical Bookworm Review Team.

Episode 52: A Christmas Special & a Bookchat about O Little Town with Janyre Tromp

In today’s episode, we are joined by Janyre Tromp for a chat about our favorite Christmas stories historical and recently released, including the novella set Janyre is a part of, O Little Town

Janyre is a historical novelist who loves spinning tales that, at their core, hunt for beauty, even when it isn’t pretty. She’s also a book editor, published children’s book author, and lives in Grand Rapids, Michigan with her family, two crazy cats, and a slightly eccentric Shetland Sheepdog.

Here is a little about Janyre’s novella “While Mortals Sleep.”

While World War II rages overseas, news reporter Eleanor Sweers returns home to Mapleview to face the repercussions of the death of her sister and her nightmare of Christmases past. But the homefront isn’t as far from the war as she thought: a bomb has landed in the middle of the U.S. Now Eleanor and family friend Gideon Braum may have to choose between the scoop of a lifetime and the love of a lifetime.

Connect with Janyer: Newsletter, Amazon, Website, Facebook, Goodreads, and Instagram.

Connect with Janyer on Instagram

Listener Recommended Christmas Book List

  1. Mistletoe Countess by Pepper Basham 
  2. A Texas Christmas Carol by Karen Witemeyre 
  3. A Christmas Promise: A Victorian Christmas Novella by Gabrielle Meyer
  4. Five n Dime Christmas from Barbour 
  5. The Unbroken Song by Jennifer Q. Hunt
  6. Michelle Griep’s Once Upon a Dickens Christmas 
  7. Joy to the World novella collection by Erica Vetsch, Amanda Barratt, and Carolyn Miller.
  8. A Wreath of Snow by Liz Curtis Higgs 
  9. An Endless Christmas by Cynthia Ruchti.
  10. The Sugarplum Ladies by Carrie Fancett Pagels
  11. While Mortals Sleep by Janyre Tromp part of the O Little Town novlella set
  12. The Christmas Book by Lynn Austin
  13. Christmas at Carnton by Tamera Alexander
  14. The Matchmaker’s Gift: by Lynda Cohen Loigman
  15. Holly’s Homecoming by Jenny Knipfer
  16. The Woodcarver’s Snow-kissed Christmas by Izzy James
  17. A Husband for Christmas Margaret Tanner
  18. The Doctor’s Daughter 
  19. Gabriel’s Gift by Susan Baganz
  20.  Yesterday’s Christmas by A.M. Heath 
  21. A Hill Country Christmas: Hope for Hardscrabble Times by Lynn Dean, Gail Kittleson, Michael Barr, Gina Lister, & Shannon McFarland
  22. Christmas Roses by Amanda Joy Cabot
  23.  Christmas at Whitefriars by  Elizabeth Camden
  24. An Ivy Hill Christmas by Julie Klassen
  25. Victorian Christmas Brides Collection
  26. Giver of Wonders by Roseanna White. 
  27. The Christmas Melody by Shanna Hatfield
  28. Holiday Hope by Shanna Hatfield
  29. Holiday Heart by Shanna Hatfield
  30. Holiday Home by Shanna Hatfield
  31. Christmas at the Inn by Ashley Clark Book
  32. A Log Cabin Christmas: 9 Historical Romances during American Pioneer Christmases by Margaret Brownley, Wanda E. Brunstetter, Kelly Eileen Hake, Liz Johnson , Jane Kirkpatrick, Liz Tolsma, Michelle Ule, Debra Ullrick, Erica Vetsch
  33. Christmas on King Street by Ashley Clark
  34. Christmas at the Inn by Ashley Clark

A Bookchat about His Delightful Lady Delia with Grace Hitchcock & a Review of The Mobster’s Daughter by Rachel Scott McDaniel

Grace Hitchcock joins us for a chat about the Gilded Age, opera phantoms, and her latest release His Delightful Lady Delia. Don’t forget to enter to win a copy of this great book!

For today’s Pinch of the Past, we’re looking at a brief history of Santa Claus traditions. Did you know Santa didn’t run his delivery route on Christmas Eve until 1821? (Full post here.)

Today’s Bookworm Review is brought to you by Angela Bell. “The Mobster’s Daughter by Rachel Scott McDaniel distills the atmospheric haze of a Noir film, the heel-kicking excitement of the Jazz Age, and the romantic tension of an almost kiss into a concoction as intoxicating as moonshine.” (Full review here.)

 Connect with Grace: Newsletter, Amazon, Facebook, Goodreads, Pinterest, Twitter, and Instagram.

A Bookchat about Sisters of Sea View by Julie Klassen & a Review of Falling for the Cowgirl by Jody Hedlund

Julie Klassen joins us for a chat about regency England, Jane Austen Easter eggs, and her latest release Sisters of Sea View. Don’t forget to enter to win a copy of this great book!

A Pinch of the Past: What do Mary had a Little Lamb and Thanksgiving have in common? Author, editor, activist, and mother Sarah J. Hale. (Full post here.) 

Today’s Bookworm Review is brought to you by Megan Adams from the bookstagram account Messy Bun, Bookish Fun. “If you enjoy capable cowgirls, romance with a little sizzle, and family sagas, you’ll want to grab a copy of Falling for the Cowgirl by Jody Hedlund.” (Full review here.)

Connect with Julie: Newsletter, Amazon, Facebook, Goodreads, Pinterest, Twitter, and Instagram.

Falling for the Cowgirlby Jody Hedlund

The audio version of this review was first shared in A Bookchat about Sisters of Sea View by Julie Klassen & a Review of Falling for the Cowgirl by Jody Hedlund.

THE BOOK

 Years ago, he shattered her heart. Now she must trust him with her life.

As the only girl in her family, and with four older brothers, Ivy McQuaid can rope and ride with the roughest of ranchers. She’s ready to have what she’s always longed for–a home of her own. She’s set her heart on a parcel of land south of Fairplay and is saving for it with her winnings from the cowhand competitions she sneaks into–but her dream is put in jeopardy when the man she once loved reappears in her life.

After two years away, Jericho Bliss is back in South Park as an undercover Pinkerton agent searching for a war criminal. He has no intention of involving a woman in the dangerous life he leads, but one look at Ivy is all it takes for him to question the path he’s set out for himself.

Even though Jericho tries to resist his longtime attraction to the beautiful and vivacious Ivy, he finds himself falling hard and fast for her. In the process, his worst fear comes true–he puts her smack-dab in the middle of danger. With Ivy’s life in the balance, will Jericho give her up once again, or will he find a way back to her, this time forever?

THE REVIEW

Oh. My. Holy Saint Peter! Jody has done it again, she’s roped me in and hog-(steer)-ties me with another McQuaid book!

I wasn’t so sure about this one. Ivy has been that annoying little sister, with a really big mouth and larger personality since book 2. And I wasn’t sure I was gonna like her. And while it’s not my favorite of the Colorado Cowboys (that’s still a toss up between Flynn and Brody), I really appreciate how Jody grew her up, but also kept the same elements that were Ivy. It made her and this story feel more real; sometimes authors grow up the characters too much and they change and it feels less like real humans. This didn’t.

And the slow burn and tension between her and Jericho! Come on! I was just like get on with it… but then when those kisses (yes, plural) came, it was fantastic. But, again, like real life, the tension didn’t stop there.

But among all the kisses, tension, bickering and banter, I deeply appreciate how Jody intertwined scripture and biblical truths into the story. That’s one of the reasons I alway pick up her books. I know I’m gonna get fantastic characters, a marvelous story, and deep spiritual truths as well.

If you enjoy capable cowgirls, romance with a little sizzle, and family sagas, you’ll want to grab a copy of Falling for the Cowgirl by Jody Hedlund.

THE AUTHOR

Jody Hedlund is the best-selling author of over forty sweet historical romances and is the winner of numerous awards. She lives in central Michigan with her husband and is the mother of five wonderful children and five spoiled cats. When she’s not penning another of her page-turning stories, she loves to spend her time reading, especially when it also involves consuming coffee and chocolate.

Reviewed by Megan Adams from the bookstagram account Messy Bun, Bookish Fun .

Disclaimer: The publisher offered a complimentary copy of this book. The review was given freely, without payment. All views expressed are only the honest opinion of a member of the Historical Bookworm Review Team.

A Bookchat about The Hidden Prince with Tessa Afshar & a Review of The Lost Melody by Joanna Davidson Politano

Tessa Afshar joins us for a chat about biblical fiction, ancient history, and her latest release The Hidden Prince. Don’t forget to enter to win a copy of this great book!

For today’s Pinch of the Past, Michelle Griep joins us to share 3 Types of Victorian Travel. You might guess that the “penny-farthing” got its name from the cost of fare, but it has to do with the size of the coins. (Full post here.) Her book The Bride of Blackfriar’s Lane shows some of these transportation methods in action!

Today’s Bookworm Review is brought to you by Christie K. “In The Lost Melody, Politano creates another fantastic story with an undercurrent of foreboding, seemingly insurmountable obstacles, a forbidden romance, and a heroine who is determined to find her path through it all.” (Full review here.)

 Connect with Tessa: Newsletter (scroll down), Amazon, Facebook, Goodreads, Twitter, and Instagram.

The Lost Melody by Joanna Davidson Politano

The audio version of this review was first shared in A Bookchat about The Hidden Prince with Tessa Afshar & a Review of The Lost Melody by Joanna Davidson Politano

The Book

When concert pianist Vivienne Mourdant’s father dies, he leaves to her the care of an adult ward she knew nothing about. The woman is supposedly a patient at Hurstwell Asylum. The woman’s portrait is shockingly familiar to Vivienne, so when the asylum claims she was never a patient there, Vivienne is compelled to discover what happened to the figure she remembers from childhood dreams.

The longer she lingers in the deep shadows and forgotten towers at Hurstwell, the fuzzier the line between sanity and madness becomes. She hears music no one else does, receives strange missives with rose petals between the pages, and untangles far more than is safe for her to know. But can she uncover the truth about the mysterious woman she seeks? And is there anyone at Hurstwell she can trust with her suspicions?

The Review

Today’s bookworm review is brought to you by Christie K. of the historical bookworm review team.

Politano creates another fantastic story with an undercurrent of foreboding, seemingly insurmountable obstacles, a forbidden romance, and a heroine who is determined to find her path through it all. Vivienne, a woman besieged by the men in her life, must unravel the circumstances that led her to Hurstwell Asylum and discover the truth regarding a figure from her childhood who may be trapped there. She meets an interesting array of characters along the way who either propel or prevent her from obtaining the answers she desires. Perhaps the most surprising thing to Vivienne is the way she begins to see the patients themselves and how perhaps, the mysterious magic of music can be a balm to us all. 

The Author

Joanna Davidson Politano freelances for a small nonfiction publisher but spends much of her time spinning tales that capture the colorful, exquisite details in ordinary lives. Her debut novel, Lady Jayne Disappears, released from Revell. She lives with her husband and their two babies in a house in the woods and shares stories that move her at www.jdpstories.com.

Reviewed by Christie Kern. Follow me for more book recs on Instagram @Writercbk219 

Disclaimer: The publisher offered a complimentary copy of this book. The review was given freely, without payment. All views expressed are only the honest opinion of a member of the Historical Bookworm Review Team.

A Bookchat about The Blackout Bookclub with Amy Lynn Green & a Review of Come Down Somewhere by Jennifer L. Wright

Amy Lynn Green joins us for a chat about the radio stars, book clubs, and her latest release  The Blackout Bookclub. Don’t forget to enter to win a copy of this great book!

For today’s Pinch of the Past, we’re looking at jobs people took to keep themselves out of the poorhouse. Did you know the origin of our term “sweatshop” was the 18th-century slop shop? (Full post here.)

Today’s Bookworm Review is brought to you by Beth Bulow. “If you’re in the mood for a bold, eye-opening, and impactful coming of age tale based on true events in history – one that honors and validates those impacted – Come Down Somewhere by Jennifer L. Wright should be your next read.” (Full review here.)

Connect with Amy: Newsletter (scroll down), Amazon, Facebook, Goodreads, and Instagram.