Archive for the ‘historical romance’ Category

Welcome to my stop on the virtual book tour for Where The Stars Cross organized by Goddess Fish Promotions.

Author Dottie Sines will award a $15 Amazon or B&N Gift Card to a randomly drawn winner. Don’t forget to enter!

And you can click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

Where The Stars Cross

by Dottie Sines

 

 

Genre: Historical Romance

Synopsis

In the depths of the Great Depression, Ellie suffers another crash—that of her marriage. She’s left struggling to restore her shattered life, feeling as damaged as the stained-glass panels she refurbishes for Chicago’s historic structures. While visiting her aunt in Marietta, Ohio, a charming river town, Ellie encounters towboat captain Wyatt and feels a searing attraction to him. But thanks to past and subsequent wounds, her attempts at opening herself to love seem futile. Her hope for love and her determination to find the place she belongs are further complicated by her tendency to make impulsive decisions. In her journey, Ellie draws on an unrealized level of courage and learns she must identify her brightest passions in charting her course.

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Enjoy this peek inside:

Climbing from her automobile, Ellie ambled around to the sidewalk, where she tipped herself onto her toes to stretch her legs and flung out her arms with a moan, promptly smacking a hand into what felt like a human. She pivoted.

“Oh, my goodness, I’m so…” The “sorry” came a heartbeat or two later, followed by, “Are you all right?” even though there was no way this man wasn’t okay.

Tall and sturdy enough to survive much more than a little whack in the chest, his faded blue-and-white pinstriped shirt, tan leather vest, and well-worn trousers did nothing to detract from the toned lines of his body. A sampling of gray wove through the hair peeking out from beneath his newsboy cap. Slightly wavy, sandy blond hair, which on anyone else would need a good trimming but suited him fine. He hadn’t shaved in a day or two.

“Lengthy drive, I take it?” His mouth curved into a half smile, crinkling the corners of soft, hazel eyes. “Nothing like a good punch to work out the kinks, huh, Slugger?”

Ellie drew in her lips. A laugh didn’t seem appropriate right now. “Really, I am very sorry,” Ellie said. “You are all right, aren’t you?”

“I think I’ll be fine,” he said with a nod and a languid blink of those captivating eyes. “Ma’am,” he said with a tip of his cap before he and his comrades continued toward the river.

Ellie’s feet felt their way to the door of the five-and-dime. Wowee, did that bloke look better from the front or the back? Biting her bottom lip, she reached for the door handle.

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About Author Dottie Sines:

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Dottie scratched out her first fiction as a little kid transfixed by the books she read all those lazy summer days on the front porch swing. Two of her short stories have been published in The Ernest Hemingway Foundation of Oak Park’s literary journal, Hemingway Shorts, having placed among the top ten entries in its annual short story contests.

Where the Stars Cross, Dottie’s first novel, is available for purchase at: Amazon

Where it’s on the Hot New Releases list for 20th century historical romance!

Author Links: Website / Facebook / Instagram 

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There is a murderer among them. And no one with secrets is safe.

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Murder at Mistlethwaite Manor

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by AJ Skelly

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Genre: Historical Romantic Suspense, Mystery

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Agatha Christie’s And Then There Were None meets The
Gilded Ag
e in this delicious, suspenseful murder
mystery.

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When Lady Emma Grace Hastings receives a
much-coveted invitation to the most auspicious Christmas party of the
season—one that comes with a 10,000 pound prize for the winner of a
mysterious game—she cannot believe her good fortune.

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But as the guests are assembled at Mistlewaithe Manor, the chilling
intent of the game is revealed. Each guest has cause for alarm,
because all of them have secrets, and to win the prize money, those
secrets must be exposed.

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Things take a sinister turn when
Emma Grace finds herself caught between her old love and her
soon-to-be betrothed. Suspicions abound, and old wounds are opened.
The dead body in the study does not help. Nor does the raging winter
storm that prevents escape from the manor. Emma Grace must battle her
heart, use her wits, and put her sleuthing skills to the test to
survive the weekend alive.

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Because there is a murderer among them.

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And no one with secrets is safe.

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Amazon
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“If you’ll follow me, my lady.” The same maid, skin pale and hair nearly white blonde under her tidy white cap, bobbed a curtsy and indicated I should follow her down another chilly hallway.  Thick, vibrant carpets muffed our steps as I trailed the woman, trying not to ogle outright at the vast displays of wealth lining the walls.  Paintings, statuary, tables inlaid with mother of pearl and studded with semi-precious stones.  Tapestries likely worth more than a king’s ransom covered huge swaths of the stone.

We traipsed up two flights of curving stairs to yet another ornate hallway, this one dark with alternating paneled wood and red and gold damask cloth.

“Your chambers, my lady.  All the guest chambers are here on the third floor.  Women to the right side of the hallway, men to the left.  Do you require anything else momentarily?  Your luggage should all be present and accounted for.”

I stepped inside the room and delighted in the dazzling array of lush greens and soft pinks, completed by a sparkling chandelier hanging from the middle of the room.  Glass orbs dangled from its gilt arms, bending and refracting the light into a thousand rainbows across the walls and into the shadowed corners of the room.  My trunk and suitcase were stacked neatly beside a cherry wood vanity, which was set with a silver comb, brush, and mirror.  Another card with my name on it lay on its marble surface.

Excitement hummed beneath my skin, and suddenly I couldn’t wait to be alone to tear into this newest missive from my most elusive host.

I would avoid bloody hands this time.

“That will be all, thank you,” I demurred.

Once the door was shut, I abandoned all decorum, hiking my skirts above my ankles and racing to snatch the missive.

Tearing the envelope open like a savage, I slowed and reverently took out the folded card.

 

Lady Hastings,

 

Welcome to Mistlethwaite Manor.  I trust your stay here will be most memorable.  Please wear your finest holiday frock to dinner tonight.  The games will begin promptly at half past six.   Bring all your wit and charm and come prepared.

 

Yours truly,

The Master of Mistlethwaite

 

Come prepared?

Prepared for what?

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AJ Skelly is an author, reader, and
lover of all things fantasy, history, and fairy-tale-romance. And
werewolves. She has a serious soft spot for them. As an avid
life-long reader and a former high school English teacher, she’s
always been fascinated with the written word. She lives with her
husband, children, and many imaginary friends who often find their
way into her stories. They all drink copious amounts of tea together
and stay up reading far later than they should.


You can read more of her short stories at www.ajskelly.com.

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Follow the tour HERE for special content and a giveaway!

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Quill & Flame Publishing House Murder at Mistlethwaite Manor Book Box.

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$10 Amazon gift card.

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 1 winner each!

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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

For a list of my reviews go HERE.

For a list of free eBooks updated daily go HERE

To see all of my giveaways go HERE.

Welcome to my stop on the virtual book tour for The Secret Cottage organized by Goddess Fish Promotions.

Author Kate Ellingtom will award a $2o Amazon or B&N Gift Card to a randomly drawn winner. Don’t forget to enter!

And you can click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

The Secret Cottage

by Kate Ellington

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Genre: Historical Romance

Synopsis

Isabel Tate yearns for the simple pleasures she took for granted before scandal rocked her family two years ago. On May Day, she’s determined to forget her troubles and enjoy herself at the Claremont family’s annual festival.

Meanwhile, Robert Claremont steels himself to begin courting the haughty heiress next door, but his bashfulness is only one obstacle to winning her hand. Despite a deep sense of family obligation, he dreams of choosing his own bride.

Captivated by each other from the moment they meet, Robert and Isabel are kept apart by a misunderstanding until a chance encounter leads to friendship and more.

With opposition on all sides, they must overcome inconceivable odds to claim happiness.

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Enjoy this peek inside:

Isabel glanced around the hall, curious about the townsfolk who would be her neighbors for the summer. As she looked around the room she was startled to see a man staring intently at her. Their eyes met, and she had the sense he’d been watching her for some time.

She looked away before he did and leaned over to whisper in her aunt’s ear. “Who is that man?”

Verity followed her gaze. “That’s one of the sons of the house. Robert Claremont.”

“Indeed?” Isabel stole another glance at him.

“Yes, and the man beside him is Mr. Kensington. He’s lived with the Claremonts since he was a boy. He’s a friend of your uncle’s.”

“Did you not say there was another brother?”

“Yes, and there he is.William Claremont, Robert’s twin.”

“Twin?” asked Isabel, taken aback. “They look nothing alike.”

“It sometimes happens that way.”

Isabel watched the Claremont brothers and their friend cross the hall to the high table. Once they were seated Isabel was able to study the brothers more closely. They were both tall and had blue eyes. William was blonde and exceptionally handsome. He looked confident, even arrogant, and Isabel knew at once he would be popular with the ladies. From the way he surveyed the women in the room, William knew it, too.

The other brother, Robert, was striking in his own way, with wavy black hair and high cheekbones. His angular face suggested haughtiness, but there was a lightness underneath— as if he was thinking of a jest but trying not to laugh.

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About Author Kate Ellington:

Kate grew up in a woodsy New England town where summer days at the lake seemed to last forever. She read her first historical romance at age eleven when a teacher challenged her to find a book in the library written by an author she’d never heard of. Thus began a life-long love of love stories.

After graduating from college with an art degree she settled in the Pacific Northwest, where she currently resides with her family.

Kate wrote her first romance when she was sixteen, then set her pen down for years until another story floated into her head out of the clear blue sky. She jotted it down, just for fun, but soon it took on a life of its own.

Author Links: Website / Facebook / Goodreads / Instagram

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Molly
by Shanna Hatfield

 

(Pendleton Promises, #2)
Publication date: June 11th 2024
Genres: Adult, Historical Romance

Inspired by the Hello Girls, America’s first women soldiers who helped win World War I.

She longs to make a difference.
He yearns to claim her heart.

After years of managing the Pendleton telephone office, Molly Thorsen answers the call for women to serve as telephone operators during World War I. Upon her arrival in France, she navigates the challenges of working near the front lines and battles the prejudices and skepticism of the men around her. Determined to prove her worth and skill, Molly faces adversity head-on while unexpectedly falling in love with a charming soldier.

Friday Fitzpatrick may not have been eager to engage in combat, but when he is drafted into the American Expeditionary Forces, he embraces the role of a soldier with unwavering determination. While fighting to survive the harrowing battlefield experiences, he clings to his sanity by dreaming about the captivating Hello Girl who has captured his heart. Though his opportunities to see her are limited, she serves as a beacon of hope in the midst of his darkest days.

Through their shared experiences and the trials they endure, Molly and Friday find comfort and encouragement in each other’s company, forging a connection that defies the chaos of a world in conflict. As the war draws to a close and they return home, will civilian life bring them together or pull them apart?

Find out in this sweet and wholesome historical romance filled with hope, faith, courage, and love.

Goodreads / Amazon

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Enjoy this peek inside:

“Molly! What a surprise!” Harley John swung Molly off her feet into a wide circle, then kissed her cheek before he set her down.

Hoping none of her superiors had witnessed the display, Molly frowned at Harley John, but playfully swatted his shoulder before straightening her cap he’d knocked askew with his exuberant greeting. She gave him another hug, unable to keep from sharing her pleasure in seeing him. “Oh, Harley John! I’d hoped to see you, but had no idea where you’d be. Have you been here long?”

“No. We just arrived this morning. How long have you been here?” he asked.

“A few weeks. It’s so good to see you.” Molly gave him a studying glance, then grinned, concluding Harley John had changed since he’d been drafted. “You look wonderful. I take it being a soldier agrees with you.”

Harley John shrugged. “No more than anyone else here, but I get along well enough.”

“Bosh and nonsense. You look quite handsome and so grown up. If Sadie saw you, she’d likely swoon.”

He grinned at her and squeezed her hand. “I can tell you for a fact she nearly did when I saw her recently. She was taking a few days of rest at the home of a patient’s sister. Other than divine intervention, there is no way to understand how we happened upon one another. We’d both gone to pick some grapes and found each other in the vineyard. Can you believe it?”

Stunned by his story, Molly could only imagine what seeing Harley John had been like for Sadie. Her sister would have treasured every precious moment with him. “How is she? Is she well? Was she thrilled to see you? Tell me everything.”

“I will. Right after you meet my friend.” Harley John directed her over to where the good-looking soldier who’d elbowed him stood near the mess hall. “Molly, I’d like you to meet my good friend, Friday Fitzpatrick. Friday, this is Sadie’s sister Molly.”

Friday politely tipped his head to Molly and offered her a look she wasn’t certain how to interpret. It left her unsettled and anxious, but interested at the same time. She gave the man a half-smile before she pointed to a bench constructed by one of their engineers from a fallen tree. “Let’s sit there and visit, Harley John. I have a few minutes before I report for duty.”

Harley John guided Molly to the bench. Despite her intentions to ignore him, she twice glanced over her shoulder at Friday. The silly man remained exactly where they’d left him, as though his boots had been set in cement. The look on his face could only be described as dumbfounded.

She and Harley John sat and visited about family, France, and the war. She cast a glimpse over to where Friday continued to stand as stiff as a statue. “Tell me about your friend Friday.”

Harley John smirked at her, and she blushed.

“Normally he doesn’t look like such a dunce, but I think you left him awestruck,” Harley John said as he looked at his friend. “He’s from Oregon. His folks have a nut orchard south of Portland. He has four sisters, and he’s a fine fellow and a good friend. He intends to return to the orchard when the war ends, but you know it’s only a few hours by train between there and Pendleton.”

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About Author Shanna Hatfield:

USA Today Bestselling Author Shanna Hatfield writes sweet romances rich with relatable characters, small town settings that feel like home, humor, and hope.

Her historical westerns have been described as “reminiscent of the era captured by Bonanza and The Virginian” while her contemporary works have been called “laugh-out-loud funny, and a little heart-pumping sexy without being explicit in any way.”

When this farm girl isn’t writing or indulging in rich, decadent chocolate, Shanna hangs out with her husband, lovingly known as Captain Cavedweller. She also experiments with recipes, snaps photos of her adorable nephew, and caters to the whims of a cranky cat named Drooley.

To learn more about Shanna or the books she writes, visit her website http://shannahatfield.com or find out more about her here: linktr.ee/ShannaHatfield

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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

For a list of my reviews go HERE.

For a list of free eBooks updated daily go HERE

To see all of my giveaways go HERE.

Welcome to my stop on the virtual book tour for A Troubled Heart organized by Goddess Fish Promotions.

Author Tricia McGill will award a $10 Amazon or B&N Gift Card to a randomly drawn winner. Don’t forget to enter!

And you can click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

A Troubled Heart

by Tricia McGill

 

 

Genre: Historical Romance

Synopsis

Unsure of his real past or name, Finn O’Connor thinks he was born in Ireland and taken from his mother as a baby by a gypsy woman. As a toddler, an English woman then took him to London. About ten he fled to join a gang of boys who survived by their wits on the streets. Five years later, he was arrested for a minor crime and transported to The Colony of New South Wales for a 10-year term. In 1846 as transporting of criminals neared an end in NSW, he was moved to the infamous penitentiary at Port Arthur in Van Diemen’s Land.

On the day Finn received his papers of freedom an accidental meeting brought him into contact with 20-year-old Esther Blythe. Born in Surrey, England, genteel Esther is kind and caring. As a 4-year-old her parents brought her to Van Diemen’s Land where her Papa, a doctor, took on the task of providing medical aid to the prisoners at the Port Arthur penitentiary and its surrounding area. Sadly, both parents were killed in an accident, leaving Esther with no option but to work as a governess/nursemaid.

For reasons that even she did not comprehend, Esther took ex-convict Finn under her wing when they met outside the penitentiary hospital. Could be she saw a fellow lonely soul who simply wanted someone to have faith in him. Life seems to take a turn for perhaps the better from then on, but will these two lonely people overcome many obstacles to find the happiness they seek together as they face an uncertain future.

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Enjoy this peek inside:

Esther sat with her head on her bent knees, staring at the flames before her. Luckily the rain had stopped as dawn crept nearer. One of the troopers had managed to get the small fire going using the flint he carried. After the two men had rummaged about in the ruins of the kitchen they returned with the blackened kettle and a couple of tin mugs. Pike, who was the youngest and had the very small makings of a moustache, said, “We carry tea and usually have our billycan with us, but as we were only on a short survey looking for any runaways, we carried just the bare supplies.”

He now handed her a mug of the brew, which was at least hot. “Thank you, this is lovely.” Esther hoped that when someone returned with supplies, they at least carried milk and porridge and perhaps some bread and cheese.

As he walked away to join his mate who was again sorting through the rubble that had stopped smouldering, Finn sat beside her and sipped on his drink. “How do you feel?” Giving her a thoughtful glance, he rubbed at his chin. “What a mess. Can you believe the woman would do such a thing?”

“Never in my life. I knew she was desperately unhappy of course, but how she could take a blade to her husband and then take her own life is a tragedy far beyond my understanding. You have probably seen more insane people than I have.”

“A few in my time.” With a shrug, he stared into his mug. “Most go crazy after spending a time in solitary with little food and no light.”

A thought occurred to Esther as her tummy roiled at the thought of the suffering of those folk, plus what she guessed might be hunger pangs. “I guess if they do not return later with supplies, we can always go over to the farm.” She nodded in the general direction of where she knew Nellie often went to collect milk, butter, and cheese. “I expect the farmer and his wife will be wondering at the flames they must have seen rising.”

As the words left her mouth, a wagon came trundling towards them. As it neared, the driver, a man that Esther had seen a few times, waved his hat as he stared at the ruins of the cottage. “What in the Lord’s name happened?” he asked as he pulled the horse up and jumped down. “The master sent me across to see what was amiss.”

Pike came over and put a hand up before asking the man’s name and what farm he had come from. Without too many details he then explained some of the happenings of the night, leaving out the murder and suicide. “Go back and tell your master that we would be grateful if he could supply us with a few necessities like milk and bread and perhaps he might have some fresh meat. When our Lieutenant returns, he will arrange payment.”

Nodding enthusiastically the man gave the ruins another quick glance, and then shook his head in Esther and Finn’s direction before climbing aboard and urging his horse into a near gallop.

“Would you like me to heat some water for you, Miss? Perhaps you might like to wash the grime off you,” Pike said as he sent Esther a smile. “It’s good luck that the well is still in working order.”

Esther returned his smile. “That would be lovely. How very thoughtful of you. I suppose I am looking as grimy as all you men are.”

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About Author Tricia McGill:

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Award winning author Tricia McGill was born in London, England, and moved to Australia many years ago, settling near

Melbourne. Horses and dogs feature largely in her books. She’s had a succession of dogs in her lifetime and a few horses along the way.

The youngest in a large, loving family she was never lonely or alone. Surrounded by avid readers, who encouraged her to read from an early age, is it any wonder she became a writer? The local library was a treasure trove and magical world of discovery through her childhood and growing years. Tricia is a dreamerwho still dreams every night; snippets from those dreams have translated into ideas for her books.

Although her published works cross sub-genres, romance is always at their heart. Tricia finds the research entailed in writing historicals and her other great passion, time-travels, fascinating.

Author Link: Website

Purchase Link: Amazon

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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

For a list of my reviews go HERE.

For a list of free eBooks updated daily go HERE

To see all of my giveaways go HERE.

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A woman deserted. A troubled warrior. A passion denied.

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She Brings Beauty To Me

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The Medicine Man Series Book 4

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by Karen Kay

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Genre: Historical Native American Romance

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A woman deserted. A troubled warrior. A passion denied.

 

1855. When eighteen-year-old Czanna Fehér is forced to flee her home in
Hungary, she journeys with her younger siblings and her father’s
manservant to Montana in search of her cousin. Mourning for her
recently deceased parents, she sings a prayer to the grand, Montana
mountains. From the first moment Stands Strong hears Czanna singing,
he is transfixed. When he meets her, he is captivated as much by her
dark beauty as he is by her voice.
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But, after the family’s hired guide steals their money and runs, her father’s servant leaves
Czanna to go and serve justice to the man, leaving Czanna desolate
and in charge. Being of the gentry class in Hungary, Czanna knows she
and her siblings cannot survive in this land without help. When
Stands Strong comes to her aid, she realizes she must trust this
man.
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Lakota born, though raised by the Blackfeet, Stands
Strong descends from a long line of medicine men, but this legacy
seems to have skipped over him. Accepting this, he has become an
expert scout. But, when Czanna attempts to hire Stands Strong as
their guide, offering him the “evil gold rock” as payment,
he suggests marriage to him instead. Czanna refuses him, even though
the flame of love is burning heatedly in her heart.
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Can two people from incompatible cultures ever come together? Or are
their star-guided paths meant only to briefly cross?
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Warning:
A sensuous romance that might cause a desire to go West in search of
love and adventure.

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**Get it for Only .99cents July 2nd only!**

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**Don’t miss the rest of the series! **

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Find them on Amazon!

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Bestselling author of Native American Historical Romance, KAREN KAY is a
multi-published author of romance and adventure in the Old West. She
has been praised by reviewers and fans alike for bringing insights
into the everyday life of the American Indian culture of the past.

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As Reviewer, Suzanne Tucker, once wrote, “Ms. Kay never fails to
capture the pride, the passion and the spirit of the American
Indian…”

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KAREN KAY’s great grandmother was Choctaw, and she is adopted Blackfeet.
Ms. Kay is honored to be able to write about the rich culture of a
people who gave this country so much.

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With the power of romance, I hope to bring about an awareness of the
American Indian’s concept of honor, and what it meant to live as
free men and free women. There are some things that should never be
forgotten.”

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Website
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Follow the tour HERE for special content and a giveaway!

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a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

For a list of my reviews go HERE.

For a list of free eBooks updated daily go HERE

To see all of my giveaways go HERE.

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An inheritance lost. A betrothal threatened. A scandal brewing…

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Not Quite a Scandal

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Audacious Ladies of Audley Book 2

by Bliss Bennet

Genre: Historical Regency Romance

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An inheritance lost. A betrothal threatened. A scandal brewing…

Outspoken Quaker Bathsheba Honeychurch knows how difficult it is for an unmarried woman to successfully champion political change. Her solution? Wed best friend Ash Griffin as soon as he comes of age and begin remaking the world. But when Ash’s urbane, aloof cousin arrives with inconceivable news, Sheba’s future dreams are suddenly at risk…

The death of the Earl of Silliman reveals an appalling lie: it is not Noel Griffin, but his long-lost cousin Ash, who is the true heir to their grandfather’s title. Raised to place family above all, Noel accepts his grandmother’s bitter charge: find Ash, disentangle him from his religious community, and train him to take on the responsibilities and privileges of a title that Noel had been raised to believe was his. Noel certainly won’t allow a presumptuous, irritating Quakeress to thwart him in doing his duty—no matter how fascinating he finds her…

When scandal threatens both their reputations, can Sheba and Noel look beyond past dreams and imagine a new world—together?

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Author Guest Post

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True Lovers’ Knots: The Quaker Love Letter

 

Caption: A True Love Knot. ca. 1840. Philadelphia Free Library. https://libwww.freelibrary.org/digital/item/6700]

 

This knot of love which I do send

Is, like love, without an end.

Its turns and crosses many you see

So hath your love, dear, challenged me.

Yet thoughts by day and dreams by night

Rest still on you, my heart’s delight.

Mountains shall melt, the seas run dry

The stars run lawless through the sky,

The sun at midnight shall appear,

Ere I prove false to you, my dear.

Turning arms, exchanges kisses

Each partaking others’ blisses

Laughing, weeping, still together

Bliss in one is Mirth in either.

Never breaking, ever bending,

This is love and worth commending.

Still beginning, never ending,

This is love and worth commending.

From Not Quite a Marriage

 

Have you heard of a true lovers’ knot? Not the rope kind, but the romance kind? Several English folk ballads about lovers parted by death—“Barbara Allen,” “Lord Thomas and Fair Annet,” “Fair Margaret and Sweet William”—end with the image of a rose growing from one lover’s grave, a briar from the other’s. The briar and the rose meet and twine about each other, echoing the shape of a rope knot that has long been known as the true lover’s knot or true love knot. In such ballads, the knot formed by the briar and the rose symbolizes the faith and fidelity of the lovers, even after death. You can listen to an American version of “Fair Margaret and Sweet William” by Appalachian folksinger Jean Ritchie here.

 

Caption: From C. S. Hall’s The Book of British ballads (1842)]

 

But a far less tragic version of the true lover’s knot also exists: the love knot as love letter or valentine in the form of a labyrinth. During the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries, paper true love knots became popular amongst some Pennsylvania Quakers, not as symbols of romantic fidelity after death, but as actual romantic declarations to a living beloved. A parallel form to the fraktur, or illuminated folk art, common amongst the Pennsylvania Dutch in the same period, the Quaker true love knot includes handwritten romantic verses that twist and turn inside the outline of an endless knot. You can start reading the text at any point and the love declaration still makes sense. But you have to rotate the paper to read the poem in its entirety.

 

Some Quakers created true love knots to declare their affection to a beloved; others offered them as artistic proposals of marriage.

 

Caption: True Lover’s Knot by Hugh Pugh, sent to Mary Fisher, 1801. True Lover’s Knot blog by Meg Schultz]

 

Here is one example by Quaker schoolmaster Hugh Pugh, created in 1801 for one of his pupils.

Handcrafted using quill, brush, and compass, its poetic declarations of devotion wind through various geometric shapes. Since Friend Pugh was 54, and his student Mary Fisher only 20, his proposal seems not to have been accepted, although Mary kept the beautiful love knot her teacher designed. It is now owned by her great-great-great granddaughter, Meg Schultz.

Extant examples of true love knots are quite rare. The one pictured at the top of the page, as well as the one below, are both from the Philadelphia Free Library, one of the few collections that includes several original nineteenth-century true love knots.

Caption: “To Miss Harriet Walker, as a Token of Remembrance.” Ca. 1840. Philadelphia Free Library.]

When I drafted the verses for the true love knot that my book’s protagonist, Noel Griffin, creates for Quaker Bathsheba Honeychurch, I borrowed lines from several real true love knots of the times, so that they would sound historically accurate. Unfortunately, I’m not of an artistic bent, so I haven’t made a physical replica of Noel’s valentine. But I enjoy imagining what it might look like while I admire these and other examples of True Love Knots from the past.

You can find more examples of true love knots on my Pinterest page for Not Quite a Scandal. https://www.pinterest.com/blissbennet/not-quite-a-scandal/

Buy Link: https://blissbennet.com/p_nqas_b2r]

Bliss Bennet writes smart, edgy novels for readers who love history as much as they love romance. Bliss’s Regency-set historical romances have been praised as “savvy, sensual, and engrossing” by USA Today, “catnip for the Historical Romance reader” by Bookworlder, “romantic, funny, touching, and extremely well-researched” by All About Romance, and “everything you want in a great historical romance” by The Reading Wench. Bliss’s latest book is Not Quite a Scandal, the second book in The Audacious Ladies of Audley series.

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Before Sheba could offer an objection, Noel set himself in front of her. “Shall we try a simpler dance? A waltz, perhaps, M. de Brunhoff?”

A look of relief passed over the poor dancing master’s face. “As you wish, monsieur.”

The restlessness Noel had felt all afternoon, being in Sheba’s company but not the focus of her attention, settled as soon as he guided her hands up to rest against his shoulders. Unlike the more demure society misses with whom he typically danced, she kept her head held high, eyes not shying away from his. But the pink tint of her cheeks blazed nearly scarlet when he set his hands not on her elbows, as she was obviously expecting, but more daringly against her waist. That elusive scent of honeysuckle enticed his nose, and he could almost swear he felt the pulse of her blood coursing beneath his fingers, even with the weight of her silk gown and stays and his gloves between them.

“March, march, march, march, then messieurs, pirouette, mesdamespas de bourée, pas de bourée, pas de bourée. Up, up, up on the toes, oui, oui…”

A satisfaction bone-deep settled over him at finally having Bathsheba Honeychurch in his arms. At being able to allow his eyes to roam without embarrassment or restraint over the sweep of her pert brows, the stretch of her lush mouth, the expanse of her graceful neck below that tip-tilted chin, confident and defiant in turn. He’d never had much sympathy for Goethe’s self-indulgent Werther, but the romantic hero’s assertion that “a maiden whom I loved, or for whom I felt the slightest attachment, never, never, never should waltz with any one else but with me” struck him as painfully apt.

He twirled her carefully, silently, unwilling to allow meaningless small-talk to distract him from a pleasure he feared he’d never stop craving.

She, too, remained quiet as the slow notes of the waltz enveloped them in a bubble of awareness, her blue eyes roving his face as his roved hers. She blinked, and blinked again, as if she could not quite understand what she was seeing.

Might she be beginning to recognize, even if she could not quite yet allow herself to believe, that the man standing opposite her might be more vital to her happiness than the one dancing on the other side of the room?

Yes, this was how he would win her. Not by wooing her with words, but by allowing her to see the truth of what he felt.

“Ah, yes, my lady, with what elegance you dance!” M de Brunhoff cried as Ash and Delphie twirled past him. “Now, let us vary the posture, eh? Messieurs, place your right arm fully about your partner’s waist, et mesdames, rest your hand and arm on your partner’s shoulder.”

Noel swallowed, then laced his arm behind Sheba’s waist. Although he kept her at a decorous distance, the heat of her warmed his entire side. And when her hand crept up his shoulder, her corseted breast mere inches from his chest, that warmth turned molten.

He felt, as well as heard, Sheba’s breath catch in her throat as his fingers tightened against her side.

The beat of the music, the tap of their slippers against the polished floor, the hum of pleasure he could not quite keep contained—Noel spun, and spun, dizzy with the turning, near giddy with longing.

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Bliss Bennet writes smart, edgy novels for readers who love history as much as they love romance. Despite being born and bred in New England, Bliss has always been fascinated by the history of that country across the pond, particularly the politically-volatile period known as the English Regency. Though she’s visited Britain several times, Bliss continues to make her home in the States, along with her spouse and an ever-multiplying collection of historical reference books.

Bliss’s Regency-set historical romances have been praised as “savvy, sensual, and engrossing” by USA Today, “catnip for the Historical Romance reader” by Bookworlder, “romantic, funny, touching, and extremely well-researched” by All About Romance, and “everything you want in a great historical romance” by The Reading Wench. Bliss’s latest book is Not Quite a Scandal, the second book in The Audacious Ladies of Audley series.

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To see all of my giveaways go HERE.

Welcome to my stop on the virtual book tour for Once Upon A Christmas Castle organized by Goddess Fish Promotions.

Author Virginia Barlow will be awarding a a free copy of Gamble of Hearts to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Don’t forget to enter!

And you can click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

Once Upon A Christmas Castle

by Virginia Barlow

 

 

Genre: Historical Holiday Romance

Synopsis

Lady Rosalind Chatham journeys with her family to Weston Castle to wed an ancient earl on Christmas day. Yearning for true love, she falls for the duke, her stepfather’s cousin, while preparing for her nuptials.
Lady Rosalind entrances the Duke of Weston. Concerned for her future with the tempestuous earl, he can’t afford to get involved. The fines and scandal will be too great for a man of his wealth and power.
When the truth comes to light, and he almost loses her forever, he finds he cannot afford to give less than his whole heart.

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Enjoy this peek inside:

Careful not to make a sound, she sat on the window ledge and slipped her feet out the window. Turning to face the interior of the room, she inched her hips over the window ledge. She slipped on the ice, frozen to the brick outside the window, and slid down faster than she intended, cringing when the silk of her day gown ripped.

Panic gripped her like a cinched corset. She did not fear falling. No. The fine sheen of terror covering her brow appeared out of fear she might wake the earl.

Catching the edge of the brick where she lay against it halfway between her bosom and her waist, she sucked in a deep breath, conscious she must present a sight with her skirts bunched up and wedged between her and the window ledge. Her white pantalets and silk-stockinged legs dangled as she maneuvered her hands so she could drop to the ground. Thank the gods no one wandered the flower gardens beneath her to see her unladylike display.

Her prayer of gratitude stopped dead, and she received the shock of her life when a large pair of hands caught her about the waist!

She froze in terror, not daring to breathe.

“Lady Rosalind, how unexpected of you to drop by like this.” The duke’s deep voice laughed at her as he held her still.

She swallowed her cry of surprise and choked. God, what Cousin Lucius must be thinking about her right now.

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About Author Virginia Barlow

I have always loved reading romance novels. I used to sneak into my mom’s room as a young girl and read them while she was gone. As I grew older, my reading and tastes expanded to sci-fi, dystopian, paranormal, and fantasy.

 

I considered becoming an author in my late twenties but as a busy mother with toddlers, I didn’t have the time nor the energy.

Later, in my fifties, I decided to give it a try and have enjoyed every moment of it since. I recently signed my fourteenth contract and am doing my happy dance as I type this. My husband of forty-one years is my greatest support as are all my kids. Most of them are grown and carving out lives for themselves. They are the beat of my heart and with every grandchild, the rhythm gets stronger. I enjoy every moment of my life.

 

Social Media Links: Twitter / Instagram / Facebook

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Buy Links: Amazon / B&N / Goodreads / BookBub

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For a list of free eBooks updated daily go HERE

To see all of my giveaways go HERE.

 

When passion and revenge clash, love could unravel a deadly feud to which no one is left standing…

 

Title: Precious Burdens
Author: Avery Sterling
Publisher: The Wild Rose Press
Pages: 324
Genre: Historical Romance

Sarafina di Ramonicci sets sail for America as the promised bride in an arranged political marriage.       

Taken
prisoner at sea, she clashes with her captor and demands freedom, only
to discover he is planning her future husband’s demise, with her as a
pawn in their deadly feud. The challenge of escape tests her loyalty to
family, human decency, and love.  

Captain
Nye Tarquin is a dangerous man. Left to die on the streets of New
Orleans, he swears retribution on the man responsible. When he makes
Sarafina part of his plan, he isn’t prepared for the fiery vixen aboard
his ship, nor his desire to claim her as his own. When passion overtakes
honor, he’s torn between his heart and his need for justice.  

Amazon / B&N

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Book Excerpt  

A grin formed on his lips. “She belongs to me now,” he said, his voice was as cool as his expression. “And when Cornell comes for her, I’ll be waiting to return the favor… only I’ll succeed, where he did not.”

Sarafina’s fingers curled around her goblet. “What makes you think he’ll come for her?”

“He has several reasons to take the bait. Cornell will demand satisfaction for his humiliation.”

“His humiliation?” She sat up straighter. “What about hers? Do you understand what people will think when they find out she was held hostage here? If her intended is murdered and she’s left stranded, this will leave her utterly alone. What will become of her, then?”

“She’ll marry someone better than the likes of Cornell, I hope,” he replied dryly.

She slammed her goblet down and flew to her feet. “And who would want her?”

He remained seated. “I’m doing her a great service,” he said calmly, leaning on the arm of his chair. “You have no idea the kind of life she would’ve been subjected to.”

“So, you’re her savior now?”

The captain pushed off his chair, and straightened to his full height. She kept her glare locked with his, but keeping it steady was becoming as difficult as her breathing. “Maybe,” he said.

   “That’s an absurd notion,” she replied.

   “Is it?” he asked. He stepped towards her, and she stepped back in unison, until the back of her legs hit the chair.

 

 

 

About the Author

 

 

 

Avery Sterling’s love
for the romance genre began in her teen years when she picked up her
first novel. She was captivated by the sweeping scale of emotions
brought about by the words. The experience catapulted her towards
learning the art of wielding a breathtaking adventure, with a love that
felt authentic. Wanting to inspire people with her own thoughts and
words, she finished her first novel at sixteen. It was a step towards
understanding the essence of what she wished to create. 

Most of her youth was
spent traveling, searching out the romance and beauty in her
everchanging world. From the waves that crashed against the rocky shores
of Downeast, Maine, to the warm breezes of the Caribbean, she
discovered that love was universal, apparent in its grandest and
simplest of forms. Her goal is to write novels an audience can relate
to, one that conveys the truth and nature of love…with all the steamy
romance. 

Website / Twitter / Facebook / Instagram / Goodreads / BookBub

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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew!

For a list of my reviews go HERE.

For a list of free eBooks updated daily go HERE

To see all of my giveaways go HERE.

 

Happy Release Day to THE LADY AND THE EARL by USA Today Bestselling author Ruth A. Casie. This is the second standalone historical regency romance in the Return to the Ladies of Sommer by the Sea. Come, read an excerpt and enter to win a signed copy of The Lady and Her Quill.

The Lady and the Earl

 

Amazon | Goodreads

A woman’s gaslighting behavior is a prescription for disaster.
But for whom?

Lady Harriet Manning is a skilled physician. She spends her days assisting her father, a renowned physician, and volunteering with the Ladies Auxiliary. Despite her passion for medicine and helping those in need, Harriet is bound by societal expectations that prevent her
from practicing medicine openly. Meanwhile, her mother is constantly pressuring her to find a suitable husband.

During a trip back to London, Lord Asheton, the Earl of Lockford, has a riding accident and is brought to Harriet’s clinic for treatment. The two grow close during his recovery, and their relationship begins to blossom. However, when Harriet’s family discovers that Asheton is the son of the Duke of Whippany, they are shocked. Harriet’s mother encourages her to put her medical abilities aside and conform to society’s expectations in order to fit in with Gavin’s world.

Despite their engagement, the ton is not happy with the match. Daphne Willis, in particular, has other plans in mind. Will Harriet and Asheton be able to overcome the obstacles in their path and find true love?

Return to the Ladies of Sommer By the Sea

    1. The Lady and the Barrister

    1. The Lady and the Earl

    1. The Lady and the Rogue- coming soon

Enjoy this peek inside:

“Where were you going in such a hurry?”

Lockford noticed Turner kept an eye on him.

“I’m on my way to London. It was foolhardy, but I wanted to run full out.” He snorted a chuckle. “I imagined I was leading in the steeplechase, and I’ll have you know, I had every intention of winning.”

“Until your mount threw you. He must have had other ideas about winning.” Turner shook his head and chortled.

Houses began to appear on either side of the road. They were coming into Sommer-by-the-Sea.

Turner pulled the wagon up to the side of a small building.

“We’re in time.” He nodded toward the lamp lit in the window. “The doctor is in.”

Turner hopped off the wagon, and with his help, Lockford hobbled into the clinic.

The pain was beginning to gather once again. He was lightheaded, and his stomach churned. Standing was too far from the ground. He needed to lie down.

“Mr. Turner?”

Lockford, still holding on to Turner, turned toward the door across the room and stared at the person in front of him. His tight expression relaxed into a warm smile.

She gave him one look. “Jasper,” she called without moving her eyes from the injured man at her door. She stared at him, and his heart pounded.

“Lady Harriet, he’s been in a riding accident.” Mr. Turner struggled as Lockford fought to stand on his own.

“My lady.” Lockford gave her a slight nod. “May I be so bold as to introduce myself? I am Mr. Asheton Dunn.”

He stared into her lovely eyes, silently congratulating himself for remembering to use his pseudonym, and proceeded to collapse onto the floor.

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Download book one: The LADY AND THE BARRISTER for FREE, this week only!

About Author Ruth A. Casie

RUTH A. CASIE is a USA Today bestselling author of historical swashbuckling action-adventures and contemporary romance with enough action to keep you turning pages. Her stories feature strong women and the men who deserve them, endearing flaws and all. She lives in New Jersey with her hero, three empty bedrooms and a growing number of incomplete counted cross-stitch projects. Before she found her voice, she was a speech therapist (pun intended), client liaison for a corrugated manufacturer, and vice president at an international bank where she was a product/marketing manager, but her favorite job is the one she’s doing now-writing romance. She hopes her stories become your favorite adventures.

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Enter to win a signed copy of THE LADY AND HER QUILL book, one in the Ladies of Sommer by the Sea, the first in a trilogy. Open to US residents only. May the odds be forever in your favor.


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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

For a list of my reviews go HERE.

For a list of free eBooks updated daily go HERE

To see all of my giveaways go HERE.