Book Review with Featured Author: What Remains True by Nancy Naigle

What Remains True by Nancy Naigle

 

 

 

Publisher & Release: Waterbrook, May 3, 2022

Setting:  Small Town USA

Genre: Christian Fiction

Length: 332 Pages

Heat Level: 1 Sweetheart

Rating: 4.5 Gold Crowns

Book Description: 

An uplifting novel about three months that may change three lives—and lead to love—from USA Today bestselling author Nancy Naigle

Working at a little shop on Main Street in a small town is exactly the break that executive Merry Anna Foster needs following her divorce. She’s made a bet with her ex-husband that she can live on the amount of money she’s giving him in alimony. If she can do it, then Kevin will have to stop complaining and leave her alone. But after three months of this new life, will she even want to leave Antler Creek? 

Adam Locklear, bull rider and owner of the local feedstore, is having the best year of his rodeo career. He’s also a bit distracted by the pretty new neighbor living in his old bunkhouse. But Adam has no time for matters of the heart. He’s got his future all mapped out, and that future doesn’t involve a woman just yet. It doesn’t involve parenting a little girl either. However, Carly Fowler still suddenly leaves five-year-old Zan—the daughter Adam didn’t know he had—in his care. 

Is it possible that the future holds a life even better than what Merry Anna and Adam had each dreamed of? One that includes both tenderness and even love—not just for each other but for Zan too.

 

Buy Links:

 

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/What-Remains-True-Nancy-Naigle-ebook/dp/B09BTVQP6N

Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/what-remains-true-nancy-naigle/1139966213

KOBO: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/what-remains-true

Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Nancy_Naigle_What_Remains_True?id=nJo7EAAAQBAJ

Audible: https://www.audible.com/pd/What-Remains-True-Audiobook/B09FFQVRTS?qid=1651275129&sr=1-2&ref=a_search_c3_lProduct_1_2&pf_rd_p=83218cca-c308-412f-bfcf-90198b687a2f&pf_rd_r=VH94M5V3YTPWQHWB96H7

 

 

Add to Goodreads & BookBub:

 

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/58735014-what-remains-true?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=RiQpTOf9So&rank=2

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/books/what-remains-true-by-nancy-naigle

 

Vikki’s Musings

 

Thanks go to the publisher and Net-Galley for the complimentary digital copy of What Remains True by Nancy Naigle. I voluntarily agreed to read and review this novel prior to publication. My opinions are my own, and nothing has influenced my rating.

 

What Remains True is another well written novel with complex characters and a heartfelt plot. The pacing pulled me into the story right away and kept my interest until the end. The writing gives just enough description to allow my imagination the wander.

 

Merry Anna Foster is the heroine, and she has a bit of baggage from her past marriage. Her ex-husband expects her to continue to support him so he can skate by without working. This makes her distrustful of men and determined to remain heart whole.

 

Adam Locklear is a yummy hero, a cowboy who is determined to carry away the title as the best bull rider of the year. When life throws him a curveball, he must re-evaluate his goals. He accepts the arrival of Zan who he finds out is his daughter fairly well. I liked his willingness to accept the child and care for her when her mother has a mental breakdown.

 

The romance between Adam and Merry Anna is sweet as it usually is in Ms. Naigle’s romances. The couple are drawn to each other, even though each are fighting it all the way. I enjoyed their romance and wanted them to find their happy ending.

 

If you enjoy sweet, contemporary romance with engaging characters and a faith-based plot, then you will love What Remains True as much as I did. I always enjoy Ms. Naigle’s novels, and this is one of her best. Happy reading!

  

 

Author Bio:

 

USA Today bestselling author Nancy Naigle whips up small-town love stories with a dash of suspense and a whole lot of heart. She began her contemporary romance series, Adams Grove, while juggling a successful career as an SVP for Bank of America and life on a seventy-six-acre goat farm. 

 

Now enjoying an early retirement from the financial industry, she devotes her time to writing, antiquing, cooking, trail riding on her Palomino, and the occasional spa day with friends. A native of Virginia Beach, she now calls North Carolina home. 

 

Best known for her small-town stories set in Adams Grove, Sweet Tea and Secrets leads off this small town series. Stay tuned for news about the release of Porch Swings and Promises.

 

Nancy writes romance and women's fiction for Montlake Romance and St. Martin's Press and enjoys the diversity of adding mysteries to her list of accomplishments through Crossroads Publishing House. She's also working on several projects with Hallmark. Watch for Nancy's novels, Christmas Joy, Christmas in Evergreen and Christmas in Evergreen: Letters to Santa on Hallmark Channel, and Hope at Christmas, on Hallmark Movies & Mysteries. New in 2020, The Secret Ingredient made its Hallmark Channel debut, and stay tuned for news about the movie based on Sand Dollar Cove.

​

Sign up for Nancy's newsletter at the bottom of this page to be the first to hear about the new movie.

 

Social Media:

Website: https://www.nancynaigle.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NancyNaigleAuthor

Twitter: https://twitter.com/NancyNaigle

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nancynaigle/

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/nancynaigle/_created/

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/nancy-naigle

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4575284.Nancy_Naigle

 

 

Book review with Featured Author: Earning Her Trust by Brenda Minton

Earning Her Trust by Brenda Minton

 

 

Publisher & Release: Love Inspired, April 26, 2022

Setting:  Small Town USA

Genre: Christian Romance

Length: 237 Pages

Heat Level: 1 Sweetheart

Rating: 4.5 Gold Crowns

Book Description: 

With a little help, she can face any challenge…

How can she move on

when the past is knocking?

Just when Emery Guthrie thinks she’s put her childhood trauma behind her with the help of her beloved service dog, Beau Wilde returns to town. She can’t believe her high school bully now has guardianship of two orphaned children. But Beau has changed. And with her help, he’s determined to prove he can be a father…but can he convince Emery to become part of their family?

 

Buy Links:

 

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Earning-Her-Trust-Inspirational-Companions-ebook/dp/B09KPX6VSY

Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/earning-her-trust-brenda-minton/1140468353

KOBO: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/earning-her-trust-1

Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Brenda_Minton_Earning_Her_Trust?id=vnJLEAAAQBAJ

 

 

Add to Goodreads & BookBub:

 

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/59485025-earning-her-trust

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/books/earning-her-trust-by-brenda-minton

 

Vikki’s Musings

 

Thanks go to the publisher and Net-Galley for the complimentary digital copy of Earning her Trust by Brenda Minton. I voluntarily agreed to read and review this heartfelt novel prior to publication. My opinions are my own, and nothing has influenced my rating.

Earning her Trust is a well written Christian fiction romance with delightful characters and a well thought out plot. The pacing pulled me into the story right away and kept me enmeshed until the end. The descriptive writing gives this tale and clear picture of the setting, and the appearance of the characters.

 

Emery Guthrie is the heroine, and her character has good depth. I understood her motivations and goals. Her conflict over her feeling for the hero is clear, and I felt her pain and fear. Her kind heart toward the two young girls in story, moved me.

 

Beau Wilde is the hero, and he has a past with Emery, which certainly added to her hesitance about developing affections for him. Ms. Minton does an excellent job redeeming him from the callow youth in high school. Beau is a determined man and does all he can to prove to Emery he’s a changed man.

 

The romance between Emery and Beau is hesitant, yet lovely. While it takes some time for Emery to let go of her fears, Beau is patient and kind. Since this is a clean romance, there’s no flare of passion between them. However, there is plenty of emotions going on, and I wanted them to find their happy ending.

 

If you enjoy clean romances with endearing characters with an absorbing plot, then you will love Earning her Trust as much as I did. This is the first book I’ve read by Ms. Minton, but I will be looking for her other books. Happy reading!

 

 

Author Bio:

 

Brenda Minton lives in the Ozarks with her husband, three children and a few too many pets. She's a pastor's wife as well as children's ministry worker. 

Her hobbies include sitting on the porch drinking coffee and going out to eat with friends. 

If you enjoy her Love Inspired Cooper Creek series, you can find Brenda most days drinking coffee and hanging out on facebook.

 

Social Media:

Website: http://www.brendaminton.net/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/brenda.minton

Twitter: https://twitter.com/brendaminton

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/brenda-minton

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1144373.Brenda_Minton

 

Book Review with Featured Author: One Night in Beniton Hall by Iris Lim

One Night in Beniton Hall by Iris Lim

 

 

Publisher & Release: Independently published, April 5, 2022

Setting:  Regency England

Genre: Historical Romance

Length: 162 Pages

Heat Level: 1 Sweetheart

Rating: 4 Gold Crowns

Book Description: 

When an arranged compromise goes awry, whom can Heather count upon to come to her rescue?

Heather Nottingham, the eldest of four daughters, has everything and nothing when it comes to making a match. When London is packed to the brim with heiresses and beauties, most gentlemen don’t bat an eye for a lady who is adequate and average in almost every single way, even if she is a viscount’s daughter.

As her second Season plods on with nary a suitor in sight, Heather’s anxious mother and overbearing aunt persuade her to set her cap for the wealthy, if untitled, young Mr. Avington. But is the flirtatious heir to the Avington fortune even ready to settle down? And what is Heather supposed to do about the quiet, searing stares of Mr. Avington’s younger brother, a man she has actually come to admire?

Iris Lim’s first formal foray into original fiction explores the fates and loves of the Nottingham sisters and the people they hold dear. Book 1 in the Avington-Nottingham Series.

 

Buy Links:

 

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/One-Night-Beniton-Hall-Avington-Nottingham-ebook/dp/B09H4D1HD8

Available for FREE in Kindle Unlimited

 

Add to Goodreads & BookBub:

 

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/60603474-one-night-in-beniton-hall?ref=nav_sb_ss_1_25

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/books/one-night-in-beniton-hall-by-iris-lim

 

Vikki’s Musings

 

One Night in Beniton Hall is a lovely Regency romance with endearing characters and a delightful plot. The pacing pulled into the story and kept my attention until the end. There is a lovely Regency feel to the narrative and the dialog. 

 

The heroine of this tale is Heather Nottingham, and she has many of the characteristics I look for in a Regency female protagonist. She’s a loyal daughter and sister, and her gentle manner is perfect for this genre.

 

Edgar Avington is the hero and is very much the Regency gentleman I love. He’s exemplary in every way. His tender care of Heather warmed my heart and had me in his court from the start. While Heather didn’t see his affections for her, I certainly did.

 

The romance between Heather and Edgar follows along the path of a traditional Regency, reminding of a Georgette Heyer novel, and I was a huge fan of her books many years ago and still am today. I wanted them to find their happy ending.

 

If you enjoy sweet Regency romances with characters that will pull on your heartstrings, then you will love One Night in Beniton Hall as much as I did. While recently, I’m reading historical fiction set during WWII, I’m glad I took a short break and returned to Regency England, an era I’ve loved forever. Happy reading!

 

Author Bio:

 

Iris grew up reading and rereading every novel in her small family library in Southeast Asia. Her favorite authors have always included Jane Austen, C. S. Lewis, and Agatha Christie. Now, thanks to modern technology, she gets to breathe life into her own re-imaginations and forever-love for all things romance.

When she’s not writing or reading, Iris is probably wrangling her adorable twins, chilling with her husband, or burning her latest meal. She dreams every day to save up for a trip to England and to write all she can about that. She has a love-hate relationship with plot bunnies, who are alternately her greatest enemies and most beloved friends, depending on the day of the week.

Sign up for her newsletter to stay updated: http://eepurl.com/dGtZ6T

 

Social Media:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100006700334657

Twitter: https://twitter.com/purpleproselady

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/p/CcYGgBWJa3y/?igshid=YTgzYjQ4ZTY=

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/iris-lim

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/17452483.Iris_Lim

 

Book Review with Featured Author: Run Dog Run by Kathleen Kaska

Run Dog Run by Kathleen Kaska

 

 

Publisher & Release: Wild Rose Press, February 28, 2022

Setting:  Texas

Genre: Mystery Romance

Length: 272 Pages

Heat Level: 1 Sweetheart

Rating: 4.5 Gold Crowns

Book Description: 

After five years in Africa, researching the decline of elephant populations, Kate Caraway’s project comes to a screeching halt when she shoots a poacher and is forced to leave the country.
Kate and her husband, Jack Ryder, flee to a friend’s ranch in Texas to recuperate. But before Kate has a chance to unpack, her friend’s daughter pleads for Kate’s assistance. The young woman has become entangled in the ugly world of greyhound abuse and believes Kates is the only one with the experience and tenacity to expose the crime and find out who is responsible. On the case for only a few hours, Kate discovers a body, complicating the investigation by adding murder to the puzzle. Now she’s in a race against time to find the killer before she becomes the next victim.

 

Buy Links:

 

Amazon: https://smile.amazon.com/Kate-Caraway-Animal-Rights-Mystery-Book-ebook/dp/B09NJWJQ3X

Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/run-dog-run-kathleen-kaska/1125918071

KOBO: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/run-dog-run-1

Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Kathleen_Kaska_Run_Dog_Run?id=uExgEAAAQBAJ

 

 

Add to Goodreads & BookBub:

 

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/34579089-run-dog-run

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/books/run-dog-run-by-kathleen-kaska

 

Vikki’s Musings

 

Thanks go to the publisher and Net-Galley for the complimentary digital copy of Run Dog Run by Kathleen Kaska. I voluntarily agreed to read and review and leave an unbiased review. My opinions are my own, and nothing has influenced my rating.

 

Run Dog Run is a fast-paced novel with compelling characters and a suspenseful plot. Ms. Kaska hold her secrets tightly, keeping me guessing and wondering who the villain is of this tale. The pacing pulled me into the story from the start and held me captivated until the end. 

 

The primary protagonist is Kate Caraway. She’s recently returned to Texas after spending five years in Africa with her husband, Jack Ryder. She quickly becomes involved when her niece asked for her help in fighting for animal rights. A nearby rancher and senatorial candidate may be abusing his racing greyhounds.  Kate is fierce when it comes to fighting for defenseless animals. I admire her determination to find the truth.

 

The mystery is enthralling. Ms. Kaska threw me off the track several times, just when I thought I knew who was behind the murder and mayhem. She builds the tension and suspense to a crescendo until the villain is revealed. The dark moment is truly dark indeed!

 

If you enjoy a mystery with intriguing characters and an action-packed tale, then you will love Run Dog Run as much as I did. I look forward to reading the next book in this amazing series. Happy reading!

 

Author Bio:

 

Kathleen Kaska is the author of The Sherlock Holmes Quiz Book, which has been updated and reissued by Rowman & Littlefield Publishing Group and released on November 1, 2020. She is the founder of The Dogs in the Nighttime, the Sherlock Holmes Society of Anacortes, Washington, a scion of The Baker Street Irregulars.

Kathleen is also the author of two awarding-winning mystery series: the Sydney Lockhart Mystery Series set in the 1950s and the Classic Triviography Mystery Series. Her first two Lockhart mysteries, Murder at the Arlington and Murder at the Luther, were selected as bonus-books for the Pulpwood Queen Book Group, the country's largest book group. Her latest Sydney Lockhart mystery, set in Austin, Texas, is Murder at the Driskill. A Two Horse Town, Kathleen’s second mystery in the new Kate Caraway animal-rights series, was released by Black Opal Books in December 2018. Murder at the Menger and Eagle Crossing will be out in 2021.

When she is not writing, she spends much of her time with her husband traveling the back roads and byways around the country, looking for new venues for her mysteries and bird watching along the Texas coast and beyond. Her passion for birds led to the publication The Man Who Saved the Whooping Crane: The Robert Porter Allen Story (University Press of Florida). 

Kathleen was the writer, editor marketing director for Cave Art Press. Her collection of blog posts was released in August 2017 under the title, Do You Have a Catharsis Handy? Five-Minute Writing Tips. Catharsis was the winner of the Chanticleer International Book Award in the non-fiction Instruction and Insights.

 

Social Media:

Website: https://kathleenkaska.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kathleenkaska

Twitter: https://twitter.com/KKaskaAuthor

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/kathleen-kaska

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/178776.Kathleen_Kaska

 

Book Review with Featured Author: The Mozart Code by Rachel McMillan

The Mozart Code by Rachel McMillan

 

 

Publisher & Release: Thomas Nelson, March 15, 2022

Setting:  1946-1947, Vienna, Austria

Genre: Historical Fiction

Length: 367 Pages

Rating: 3.5 Gold Crowns

Book Description: 

No matter how you might try to hide in a war to escape your past, it is always close at hand.

Lady Sophia Huntington Villiers is no stranger to intrigue, as her work with Alan Turing’s Bombe Machines at Bletchley Park during the war attests. Now, as part of Simon Barre’s covert team in post-war Vienna, she uses her inimitable charm and code name Starling to infiltrate the world of relics: uncovering vital information that could tilt the stakes of the mounting Cold War. When several influential men charge her with finding the death mask of Mozart, Sophie wonders if there is more than the composer’s legacy at stake and finds herself drawn to potential answers in Prague.

Simon Barrington, the illegitimate heir of one of Sussex’s oldest estates, used the previous war to hide his insecurities about his past. Now, he uses his high breeding to gain access to all four allied quarters of the ruined city in an attempt to slow the fall of the Iron Curtain. He has been in love with Sophie Villiers since the moment he met her, and a marriage of convenience to save Simon’s estate has always kept her close. Until now, when Sophie’s mysterious client in Prague forces him to wonder if her allegiance to him—and their cause—is in question. Torn between his loyalty to his cause and his heart, Simon seeks answers about Sophie only to learn that everything he thought he knew about his involvement in both wars is based on a lie.

 

Buy Links:

 

Amazon: https://smile.amazon.com/Mozart-Code-Rachel-McMillan-ebook/dp/B08BYZ8VNJ

Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-mozart-code-rachel-mcmillan/1137257379

KOBO: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/the-mozart-code-1

Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Rachel_McMillan_The_Mozart_Code?id=tdTtDwAAQBAJ

Audible: https://www.audible.com/pd/The-Mozart-Code-Audiobook/0785253416?qid=1647308391&sr=1-1&ref=a_search_c3_lProduct_1_1&pf_rd_p=83218cca-c308-412f-bfcf-90198b687a2f&pf_rd_r=E2FQTATM34FY6M4VFK8R

 

 

Add to Goodreads & BookBub:

 

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/54350812-the-mozart-code

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/books/the-mozart-code-by-rachel-mcmillan

 

Vikki’s Musings

 

Thanks go to the publisher and Net-Galley for the complimentary digital copy of The Mozart Code by Rachel McMillan. I voluntarily agreed to read and review this book by publication. My opinions are my own, and nothing has influenced my rating.

 

The Mozart Code is a well-researched novel set in the aftermath of WWII. As the British and American fight Russia’s determination to spread communism across eastern Europe. Austria is teetering on the edge and must be saved. The characters are intriguing, and the plot is complicated. 

 

Unfortunately, the tale is so enmeshed in historical details in the first half of the book and told without enough emotion, I almost gave up on it. I’m glad I continued reading. The second half of the book is much better. The pacing picked up and drew me into the story, and I became vested in the characters.

 

Sophie Huntington Villiers is a complex character. Her parents only see her as a pawn in their game, wanting her to marry someone who would raise their social standing. Her grandmother made her vow to never give her heart. That caused her to deny her love for Simon.

 

Simon Barrington is our hero and spymaster of this tale. He’s loved Sophie for years and when they marry, he means every word he pledges, but he realizes he must not let Sophie know. I enjoyed his emotional struggle.

 

The romance between Sophie and Simon is strong, and I wanted them to find their happy ending. However, this novel is not supposed to be a romance, but historical fiction with plenty of espionage and suspense. For me that fell short until the last quarter of the book. I’m a true lover of history and have become entranced with WWII novels, so I’m surprised I didn’t become drawn into that aspect of the book. 

 

If you enjoy well-researched historical fiction set in the aftermath of WWII as the allies race to stop Russia from increasing their stranglehold on Europe, then The Mozart Code may be the book for you. Happy reading!

 

Author Bio:

Rachel McMillan is the author of The Herringford and Watts mysteries, The Van Buren and DeLuca mysteries, The Three Quarter Time series, The London Restoration and The Mozart Code. Her non-fiction works including Dream Plan Go: A Travel Guide for Independent Adventure and A Very Merry Holiday Movie Guide. Rachel lives in Toronto, Canada and is always reading.

 

Social Media:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rachkmc1

Twitter: https://twitter.com/rachkmc

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/rachel-mcmillan

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/14165949.Rachel_McMillan

 

Book Review with Featured Author: Divine Vintage by Sandra L. Young

Divine Vintage by Sandra L. Young

 

 

Publisher & Release: Wild Rose Press, February 21, 2022

Setting:  1913 & present Day

Genre: Historical Fiction

Length: 260 Pages

Rating: 4.5 Gold Crowns

Book Description: 

Tess Burton is always up for an adventure. She's risked her inheritance to open Divine Vintage, a clothing boutique. While modeling an elegant gown from an Edwardian era trousseau, her mind is opened to a century-old murder. Visions—seen through the eyes of the murdered bride—dispute local lore that claims the bridegroom committed the crime.
Trey Dunmore doesn't share Tess' enthusiasm for mind-blowing visions, yet the appeal to clear his family's tainted legacy compels him to join her in exploring the past. Aided by the dead woman's clothing and diary, Tess and Trey discover that pursuing love in 1913 was just as thorny as modern day. As the list of murder suspects grows, the couple fears past emotions are influencing, and may ultimately derail, their own blossoming intimacy.

 

Buy Links:

 

Amazon: https://smile.amazon.com/Divine-Vintage-Sandra-L-Young-ebook/dp/B09NGP2W9R

Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/divine-vintage-sandra-l-young/1140776337

KOBO: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/divine-vintage-1

Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Sandra_L_Young_Divine_Vintage?id=RNxeEAAAQBAJ

 

Add to Goodreads & BookBub:

 

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/60019967-divine-vintage

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/books/divine-vintage-by-sandra-l-young

 

Vikki’s Musings

 

Thanks go to the publisher and Net-Galley for the complimentary digital copy of Divine Vintage by Sandra L. Young. I voluntarily agreed to read and review this novel prior to publication. Nothing has influenced my rating or opinion of this book. 

 

Divine Vintage is a well written novel involving characters from the past and present. The heroine has recently opened a vintage clothing shop. Esther DeLeon and her cousin’s son come into the shop because she is hosting an anniversary tea and style show at Carver House, her home, to benefit the local homeless shelter. That starts off this enjoyable story.

 

Ms. Young brings the Edwardian era to life through vivid descriptions of the clothing and style of that time. She weaves a fantastical tale by using a woman’s clothing and her diary to smoothly transition from the present to the past. The pacing is decent, but it does pick up a great deal in the second half of the novel. I’m not a huge fan of paranormal novels, but I enjoyed this one.

 

Tess Burton is the heroine of this story, and I liked her character. She’s the typical 21^st century heroine who is independent, intelligent, and driven to succeed, but she also has a softer side that comes through as she explores the romantic possibilities that come her way.

 

Trey Dunmore is the hero, and he exhibits great characteristics from the start as he squires around Esther and does her bidding by modeling for the style show. While he’s attracted to Tess, he behaves as a perfect gentleman which is in tune with the past, making his character fit into the story extremely well.

 

While this is definitely a romance centered around Tess and Trey, it has more substance than one typically finds in contemporary romance because of the paranormal aspect and the mystery the pair go about solving to remove the blemish on Trey’s ancestors. I enjoyed them as a couple and wanted them to find their happy ending.

 

If you enjoy contemporary romance with a twist of paranormal involving events from the past, then you will love Divine Vintage as much as I did. I believe this is Ms. Young’s debut novel, and she’s written a lovely romance with delightful character and an intriguing plot. Happy reading!

 

Author Bio:

 

Sandra L. Young’s love of vintage fashion inspired her to write her debut novel, Divine Vintage. She’s gathered an impressive collection spanning the late 1800s to 1980s, wearing pieces onstage through years of performing in community theater. She also sports it out on the town for special occasions. To round out her love of the arts, Sandra sings with a trio, a praise band, and at karaoke nights. She draws from these experiences in her writing, as well as her work focus in communications and nonprofit management.

 

Social Media:

Website: https://sandrayoungauthor.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sandra.gleim.50/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/slyoungauthor/

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/sandra-l-young

Book review with Featured Author: The Magnolia Palace by Fiona davis

The Magnolia Palace by Fiona Davis

 

 

Publisher & Release: Dutton, January 25, 2022

Setting:  New York City, 1919 & 1966

Genre: Historical Fiction

Length: 349 Pages

Rating:  5 Gold Crowns

Book Description: 

Eight months since losing her mother in the Spanish flu outbreak of 1919, twenty-one-year-old Lillian Carter's life has completely fallen apart. For the past six years, under the moniker Angelica, Lillian was one of the most sought-after artists' models in New York City, with statues based on her figure gracing landmarks from the Plaza Hotel to the Brooklyn Bridge. But with her mother gone, a grieving Lillian is rudderless and desperate—the work has dried up and a looming scandal has left her entirely without a safe haven. So when she stumbles upon an employment opportunity at the Frick mansion—a building that, ironically, bears her own visage—Lillian jumps at the chance. But the longer she works as a private secretary to the imperious and demanding Helen Frick, the daughter and heiress of industrialist and art patron Henry Clay Frick, the more deeply her life gets intertwined with that of the family—pulling her into a tangled web of romantic trysts, stolen jewels, and family drama that runs so deep, the stakes just may be life or death.

Nearly fifty years later, mod English model Veronica Weber has her own chance to make her career—and with it, earn the money she needs to support her family back home—within the walls of the former Frick residence, now converted into one of New York City's most impressive museums. But when she—along with a charming intern/budding art curator named Joshua—is dismissed from the Vogue shoot taking place at the Frick Collection, she chances upon a series of hidden messages in the museum: messages that will lead her and Joshua on a hunt that could not only solve Veronica's financial woes but could finally reveal the truth behind a decades-old murder in the infamous Frick family.

 

Buy Links:

 

Amazon: https://smile.amazon.com/Magnolia-Palace-Novel-Fiona-Davis-ebook/dp/B093GB94J3

Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-magnolia-palace-fiona-davis/1139361231

KOBO: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/the-magnolia-palace

Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Fiona_Davis_The_Magnolia_Palace?id=XyYrEAAAQBAJ

 

Add to Goodreads & BookBub:

 

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/57891877-the-magnolia-palace

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/books/the-magnolia-palace-by-fiona-davis

 

Vikki’s Musings

 

Thanks go to the publisher and Net-Galley for the complimentary digital copy of The Magnolia Palace. I voluntarily agreed to read and review this novel, and nothing has influenced my rating and opinion.

 

The Magnolia Palace is set-in two-time periods, 1919 and 1966 at the Frick Mansion in New York City. It follows several women, and several characters are based on individuals who were park of the Frick family. The pacing is decent, but it speeds up dramatically in the last half of the book. Ms. Davis has clearly done a great deal of research of the time-period and of the Frick family, making the novel an excellent read.

 

In 1919, Lillian Carter, AKA Angelica. She is the primary character, along with Helen Frick. She stubbles into the role of secretary for this woman and Lillian becomes a pawn between Helen and her father, Henry Clay Frick. Lillian’s tale is a sad one and I had empathy for her.

 

In 1966, a young model is at a photo shoot in the Frick mansion and accidentally gets locked in, along with Joshua Lawrence, an intern for the Frick mansion. I enjoyed the scavenger hunt the two undertake and liked both characters. While there is definitely an attraction between these two, the story is centered on the mystery of the scavenger hunt.

 

Ms. Davis handles the transition from one time-period to the other seamlessly without confusing the reader. Her descriptive writing adds a great deal to the overall enjoyment. She also manages to tie up the significant sub-plots. I would have enjoyed finding out more about Lillian’s escape from the Frick mansion and how the organist helped her.

 

If you enjoy historical fiction filled with individuals who lived in the era it covers, along with a fascinating mystery to solve, then you will love The Magnolia Palace as much as I did. I’m so glad I agreed to read this excellent novel. This is the first book I’ve read by Ms. Davis and look forward to reading others by her. Happy reading!

 

 

Author Bio:

 

FIONA DAVIS is the New York Times bestselling author of six historical fiction novels set in iconic New York City buildings, including THE MAGNOLIA PALACE, THE ADDRESS, and THE LIONS OF FIFTH AVENUE, which was a Good Morning America book club pick. Her novels have been chosen as “One Book, One Community” reads and her articles have appeared in publications like The Wall Street Journal and the Oprah magazine. She first came to New York as an actress, but fell in love with writing after getting a master's degree at Columbia Journalism School. Her books have been translated into over a dozen languages and she's based in New York City.

 

Social Media:

Website: https://www.fionadavisbooks.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FionaDavisAuthor

Twitter: https://twitter.com/FionaDavisBooks

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fionadavisauthor/

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/fiona-davis

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/14903705.Fiona_Davis