Tuesday, July 30, 2019

The Smuggler's Escape release tour with giveaway!


The
Smuggler's Escape

by
Barbara Monajem

Genre:
Historical Romance, Adventure 


After
escaping the guillotine, Noelle de Vallon takes refuge with her aunt
in England. Determined to make her own way, she joins the local
smugglers, but when their plans are uncovered, Richard, Lord Boltwood
steps out of the shadows to save her. Too bad he’s the last man on
earth she ever wanted to see again.


Years
ago, Richard Boltwood’s plan to marry Noelle was foiled when his
ruthless father shipped him to the Continent to work in espionage.
But with the old man at death’s door, Richard returns to England
with one final mission: to catch a spy. And Noelle is the prime
suspect.


Noelle
needs Richard’s help, but how can she ever trust the man who
abandoned her? And how can Richard catch the real culprit while
protecting the woman who stole his heart and won’t forgive him for
breaking hers?






Winner
of the Holt Medallion, Maggie, Daphne du Maurier, Reviewer’s Choice
and Epic awards, Barbara Monajem wrote her first story at eight years
old about apple tree gnomes. She published a middle-grade fantasy
when her children were young, then moved on to paranormal mysteries
and Regency romances with intrepid heroines and long-suffering heroes
(or vice versa). Regency mysteries are next on the agenda.


Barbara
loves to cook, especially soups. She used to have two items on her
bucket list: to make asparagus pudding (because it was too weird to
resist) and to succeed at knitting socks. She managed the first (it
was dreadful) but doubts she’ll ever accomplish the second. This is
not a bid for immortality but merely the dismal truth. She lives near
Atlanta,
Georgia
with an
ever-shifting population of relatives, friends, and feline strays.










Follow
the tour HERE
for exclusive content and a giveaway!

















Wednesday, July 24, 2019

The Smuggler's Escape -- Release Day!

Happy Book Birthday to Me! At last, about ten years after I wrote the first draft, The Smuggler's Escape is out! I'm so very happy that this story finally found its way. 


To escape the guillotine, Noelle de Vallon takes refuge with her aunt in England. Determined to make her own way, she joins the local smugglers, but when their plans are uncovered, Richard, Lord Boltwood steps out of the shadows to save her. Too bad he’s the last man on earth she ever wanted to see again.

Years ago, Richard Boltwood’s plan to marry Noelle was foiled when his ruthless father shipped him to the Continent to work in espionage. But with the old man at death’s door, Richard returns to England with one final mission: to catch a spy. And Noelle is the prime suspect.

Noelle needs Richard’s help, but how can she ever trust the man who abandoned her? And how can Richard catch the real culprit while protecting the woman who stole his heart and won’t forgive him for breaking hers?
 




Here are some tiny excerpts a talented young assistant made into ads for the book:








Happy reading!

Barbara

Thursday, July 4, 2019

What I've Been Reading - July 2019


First of all, The Herald of Day by Nancy Northcott. I have read and enjoyed other stories by Ms. Northcott and was eager to read this one.

The Herald of Day has so many features I love – mystery, history, romance, magic, and wow, such suspense! It’s the first in a trilogy during which a noble English family, cursed for a fatal mistake at the time of Richard III, seeks to lift the curse by clearing the king’s name. 

This story takes place at the time of Charles II; the next one will be during the Napoleonic Wars. I can’t wait to read it, and also to see how Ms. Northcott’s characters finally lift the curse – which I assume (and hope) will be at the end of Book 3. Lots of exciting reading ahead!





Full Dark House by Christopher Fowler is a mystery which goes back and forth in time between London during the Blitz and in the early 21st Century. It takes a while to get accustomed to the switching back and forth because you have to use the context to know which time period you're reading about.

The mystery was well done, as was the portrait of London during the Blitz, including the Palace Theatre (which still exists). The two detectives, Bryant and May, are the sort you want to meet again. All in all, well worth the read, and I will try others in the series. The only problem was reading so much about bombing and murders, because one already sees so much inhumanity and horror in the news.


 

After reading about so much violence, I needed something comforting, so I turned to Untried Heart by Nicky Charles and Jan Gordon.

I read the first in the series (In the Cards) a couple of years ago and enjoyed it, and I liked this one even more. The concepts of Heaven, the archangel Michael, and Guardian Angels (the heroine is one) are a lot of fun. The romance is heartwarming and uplifting and left me with a warm fuzzy feeling. :) I look forward to the next in the series.



That's it for now!


Barbara