Daisies and Devotion (Mayfield Family #2) by Josi S. Kilpack

Publication: May 14, 2019

Publisher: Shadow Mountain Publishing

Source: Publisher

Synopsis: 

Timothy Mayfield is ready to marry for love, but, since his personal finances are thinner than he’d like, he knows he’ll also need to find a wife with wealth. After receiving an unexpected inheritance, Timothy’s circumstances change, and he is free to pursue his “perfect woman”—one with blonde hair, blue eyes, a light laugh, arched eyebrows, elegant fingers, and a dazzling smile, among nearly twenty other characteristics. 

Maryann Morrington doesn’t match anything on Timothy’s list—except for wealth. An heiress in her own right, she is tired of men pursuing her only for her money. But at nearly twenty-two years old, and not a particularly stunning beauty, she can’t be as picky as her friend Timothy is.

The two friends end up playing matchmaker for each other. Timothy will find a decent gentleman for Maryann, and Maryann will prove to Timothy that his “perfect woman” doesn’t exist.

Until Miss Shaw comes to London.

Now, with Timothy’s heart captivated by the blonde, blue-eyed beauty, Maryann must decide if she should risk her heart and reveal her true feelings for her friend, or if she should settle for someone else. It’s an up-and-down game of “he loves me, he loves me not” with both hearts and friendship on the line.

******

I love that the women in the Mayfield Family series are not flat or boring. They are smart, strong, and beautiful women that want to be appreciated and loved. Such is also the case for Maryann. She knows she must find a suitable husband, but finding one that wants her for more than just her money proves to be challenging. 

Seeing Timothy’s priorities change once he receives his inheritance was pretty interesting. Though I didn’t care for some of the choices he made, overall I liked him. He has a silly side to him, but he can also be serious when warranted. Timothy is very smart when it comes to handling his business affairs, though matters of the heart are a different subject. 

Maryann and Timothy’s friendship is so natural and easygoing. I enjoyed seeing them interact with one another. Them agreeing to find a match for each other was a fun and unique aspect to the story.  It’s not long before their friendship is put to the test and Maryann and Timothy must decide whether they will follow their heads or their hearts in the process. And if the result will be worth it. 

Daisies and Devotion was a cute historical romance story. Having read and very much enjoyed the previous book, Promises and Primroses I knew I had to see what was in store for the next member of the Mayfield family. I was not disappointed. The characters were easy to like, and the story was engaging. If you are a fan of clean historical romances than I recommend you give this book and this series a read. 

RATING: 4 OUT OF 5.

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At The Mountain's Edge by Genevieve Graham Cover Reveal!

Expected Publication: April 2, 2019

Publisher: Simon & Schuster

SYNOPSIS for “At the Mountain’s Edge”:

From bestselling author Genevieve Graham comes a sweeping new historical novel of love, tragedy, and redemption set during the height of the Klondike Gold Rush.

      
In 1897, the discovery of gold in the desolate reaches of the Yukon has the world abuzz with excitement, and thousands of prospectors swarm to the north seeking riches the likes of which have never been seen before. 

For Liza Peterson and her family, the gold rush is a chance for them to make a fortune by moving their general store business from Vancouver to Dawson City, the only established town in the Yukon. For Constable Ben Turner, a recent recruit of the North-West Mounted Police, upholding the law in a place overrun with guns, liquor, prostitutes, and thieves is an opportunity to escape a dark past and become the man of integrity he has always wanted to be. But the long, difficult journey over icy mountain passes and whitewater rapids is much more treacherous than Liza or Ben imagined, and neither is completely prepared for the forbidding north.

As Liza’s family nears the mountain’s peak, a catastrophe strikes with fatal consequences, and not even the NWMP can help. Alone and desperate, Liza finally reaches Dawson City, only to find herself in a different kind of peril. Meanwhile, Ben, wracked with guilt over the accident on the trail, sees the chance to make things right. But just as love begins to grow, new dangers arise, threatening to separate the couple forever.

Inspired by history as rich as the Klondike’s gold, At the Mountain’s Edge is an epic tale of romance and adventure about two people who must let go of the past not only to be together, but also to survive.

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About the Author

(Picture & Bio from Authors Website)

I’m a tremendously lucky lady. I have a wonderful, loving family, a beautiful home, AND I get to write. Really, I can’t imagine a better life. Decades ago(!) I went to university to be a professional oboe player. I never planned to be a writer. I never even tried to write a story until I was over forty-which is proof that you’re never too old to try something new.

My passion is breathing life back into history one story at a time, and I am now focusing on Canadian History. Our country is rich with stories which have yet to be told, and my characters are impatient to share! When you finish one of my books, I hope you will be able to say you’ve learned something about Canada’s history, but I also hope you can say the book moved you to learn more. And I will keep bringing you more!

MY WEBSITE: www.GenevieveGraham.com - it has been totally, professionally redone! Yayyyyyyy! As time passes, I will be adding more and more to the “Beyond the Books” page - for now it’s just deleted chapters from my books, but it will eventually include historical information that I find interesting. I am hoping to add something to that page this weekend.

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What the Duke Doesn’t Know by Jane Ashford Spotlight Tour & Giveaway!!

Thanks for joining me on the Spotlight Tour for What the Duke Doesn’t Know by Jane Ashford. Historical fiction romances are always a fun read for me and if you feel the same way, then you will want to check out this series! Make sure you enter the giveaway below for a chance to win the first book, Heir to the Duke!!

Title: What the Duke Doesn’t Know

Series: Duke’s Sons, #2

Author: Jane Ashford

Pubdate: September 6th 2016

ISBN: 9781492621591

A proper English wife, or the freedom of the sea? Lord James Gresham is the fifth son of the Duke of Langford, a captain in the Royal Navy, and at a loss for what to do next. He’s made his fortune; perhaps now he should find a proper wife and set up his nursery. But the sea calls to him, while his search for a wife leaves him uninspired. And then, a dark beauty with a heart for revenge is swept into his life. He can’t have both, but he won’t give up either Half-English, half-Polynesian Kawena Benson is out to avenge her father and reclaim a cache of stolen jewels. There’s nothing for James to do but protest his innocence and help Kawena search for the jewels, even though it turns his world upside down.

About the Author

Jane Ashford discovered Georgette Heyer in junior high school and was captivated by the glittering world and witty language of Regency England. That delight led her to study English literature and travel widely in Britain and Europe. Her historical and contemporary romances have been published in Sweden, Italy, England, Denmark, France, Russia, Latvia, Slovenia, and Spain, as well as the U.S. Twenty-six of her new and backlist Regency romances are being published by Sourcebooks. Jane has been nominated for a Career Achievement Award by RT Book Reviews. She is currently rather nomadic.

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With five adventure seeking sons, there’s a lot that the Duke of Langford doesn’t know. Luckily for us, Jane Ashford has agreed to pull back the curtain and reveal one of the Langford family’s secrets – just remember, don’t tell the Duke!

One thing the Duke doesn’t know: That his son James is very unlikely to settle for a 'proper English bride' now that he’s met a dazzling South Seas beauty.

An Excerpt:

James had just started his letter to Nathaniel when there was a knock at the door. “Come in,” he called without looking up.

He heard the door open, and a lilting voice say, “Hello.”

James turned in his chair. Kawena stepped through his bedchamber door, shut it, walked over, and sat down in the armchair by the empty fireplace. “I wanted to thank you,” she began.

“You can’t sit here,” James said.

She looked down at the comfortable chair, back up at him. “Why not?”

“This is my bedroom.” The moment he said it, he became acutely conscious of the bed just a few feet away.

“I know. I came up to thank—”

“It isn’t proper,” he blurted out.

“But you are taking some trouble to help me. When you don’t really wish to. I can see that, you know. It is only right that I thank—”

“Not that. You shouldn’t be in a man’s bedchamber. Alone. With him. Me.” He heard himself stammering like a callow youth, and was revolted. She was just so very beautiful. Utterly alluring, really. The effect seemed multiplied here in his private quarters. And she appeared so at ease—as if they knew each other far better than they actually did. James could almost imagine her coming over to him, offering a hand to pull him to his feet, and closer… No, this line of thought was unacceptable. He stood and moved toward the door instead. “It isn’t done,” he added. “Young ladies do not visit gentlemen in their bedchambers.” Well, some did, if what he’d heard about country house parties was true, but that was…irrelevant to this discussion.

“We must speak only downstairs?” wondered Kawena. “Is that an English rule?”

Her honest bewilderment was rather charming. “If a man and a woman are alone in a bedchamber, people assume they’re…up to something improper,” James explained.

“Getting into bed together, you mean?” Kawena replied without a trace of embarrassment. She gazed at the wide four-poster as if it was on exhibit.

James felt his cheeks redden. Years at sea might have left him unused to polite female company, but even his brother, Robert, the town beau, would have been confounded by this quite unusual young woman. “Er, yes.”

“But we are not.”

“No… Not in this case. However—”

“And no people know that I’m here,” she pointed out. “I told no one I was coming up.”

“You can never tell when there’s a servant about,” James replied. The staff at Langford always seemed well aware of everyone’s movements.

“Do they hide and watch?” said Kawena, looking surprised.

James choked back a laugh, and then wondered if maybe they did. How else would that housemaid have seen Sebastian with the frogs…? But that was beside the point. He needed to remove a lovely young woman from his bedchamber—didn’t he? Yes, yes. And wasn’t that a problem he’d never imagined having? When had it become his job to preach the proprieties? He felt like a fool even trying. But if she didn’t go soon, he might not be able to resist… James decided to shift the onus off onto someone else. “This is my brother’s house. I wouldn’t wish to upset him, or his wife.”

Kawena cocked her head. “Your brother and Ariel would not approve of my being here?”

James assumed so. No, of course they wouldn’t. And that was beside the point. He nodded.

To his relief, Kawena rose at once. “I would not wish to offend them. They have been very kind to me.” She shrugged as she moved toward the door. “My father always says…” She paused, swallowed. “Said that it is rude to disregard others’ customs when it does you no harm to observe them.”

“Pr…precisely.” She passed quite close to him on her way out. Her long fall of black hair swayed seductively with each step. Was he really throwing her out of his room? Her initial words came floating back. She’d come up to thank him. Perhaps with something warmer than words? Some marvelous island custom? No. She hadn’t meant that. Clearly, obviously. No sign whatsoever of any such thing, despite her unembarrassed mention of bedding. Besides, it would be an awkward complication, as they were living together in his brother’s house. Not together. As fellow guests. Strangers, in fact.

“Good night,” said Kawena.

“Good night,” James replied, shutting the door firmly behind her.

He leaned against it, listening to her soft footsteps retreat along the corridor. Perhaps helping her wasn’t quite such a burden. It would give him a chance to become better acquainted with one of the loveliest, and most unusual, girls he’d ever encountered. Her courage and fire drew him—now that she’d stopped calling him names. How many women, how many people, would have done as she had, sailing halfway around the world to find justice? Very few, hardly any, really, he thought. She’d looked positively intrepid, stepping out of the shrubbery with her gun. And under his hands, on the turf, she’d felt… James fell into a pleasant reverie. It was some time before he returned to his letter.

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When a Scot Ties the Knot (Castles Ever After #3) by Tessa Dare

Publication: August 25, 2015

Publisher: Avon

Source: Purchased Book

On the cusp of her first London season, Miss Madeline Gracechurch was shyly pretty and talented with a drawing pencil, but hopelessly awkward with gentlemen. She was certain to be a dismal failure on the London marriage mart. So Maddie did what generations of shy, awkward young ladies have done: she invented a sweetheart. A Scottish sweetheart. One who was handsome and honorable and devoted to her, but conveniently never around. Maddie poured her heart into writing the imaginary Captain MacKenzie letter after letter … and by pretending to be devastated when he was (not really) killed in battle, she managed to avoid the pressures of London society entirely. Until years later, when this kilted Highland lover of her imaginings shows up in the flesh. The real Captain Logan MacKenzie arrives on her doorstep—handsome as anything, but not entirely honorable. He’s wounded, jaded, in possession of her letters… and ready to make good on every promise Maddie never expected to keep.

 

From the very moment I read the premise, I just knew I would like this book. It seemed to be both sweet and funny; just what I was looking for.

I loved this book. I cannot recall the last time I enjoyed a historical fiction romance more this year. Tessa Dare is my go to writer in that particular genre, and so far she hasn’t disappointed. I may not always love them, but I do like them. Up until now A Week to Be Wicked was my favorite book of hers. Now I am not so sure…When a Scot Ties the Knot is coming a close second to that one.

Madeline is a pretty woman, but she suffers from severe shyness. Whenever she is in the presence of a large number of people she freezes like a deer in the headlights; which is why she doesn’t care to have a debut or go to balls. After creating the story about a handsome Scottish captain in the military she found the perfect escape route. Or so she thought. After she “kills off” her imaginary love, Maddie inherits a castle in Scotland from her godfather. With just herself and her Aunt Thea, she is able to do what she loves…draw. Maddie is a naturalist. She has aspirations of becoming a well known illustrator. Maddie has a great talent for drawing animals, insects, and pretty much anything she puts her mind to. She always carries a pencil with her, no matter what.  

Who doesn’t love a guy who reads? Especially when that man is a sexy and well muscled Scot. I loved that twist...it was something I was not expecting. But it made logan even sexier in my opinion.  Logan is used to be in charge and having men under his command. He is very loyal to his men and he’s determined to see them have a home, land, and to make sure they find some sort of happiness. He thinks he isn’t a good man. He doesn’t expect or want love. But all of that changes when he meets Maddie.

I really enjoyed getting to know both of these characters. My only issue is that I felt that for all of the secrets Maddie shared in those letters to Logan (even though she didn’t believe him to be real at the time) he could have been more forthcoming with her about his life. I know that wasn’t the goal in the beginning. They had an arrangement, but still it would have been nice.

When a Scot Ties the Knot was one of the sweetest and funniest stories I have read so far this year. I fell in love with both Maddie and Logan almost instantly. They have great chemistry. I couldn’t get enough of them. If you are looking for your next historical romance read then look no farther.

RATING: 5 out of 5.

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A Sapphire Season by Lynn Morris Blog Tour!

Thank you for stopping by my stop on A Sapphire Season Blog Tour! To follow the rest of the blog tour click here.

Publication: August 11, 2015

Publisher: FaithWords

Source: Publisher

Lynn Morris, bestselling author of The Baron's Honourable Daughter, once again sweeps readers into the Regency era with striking period detail. Lady Mirabella Tirel, the beautiful daughter of the Marquess of Camarden, takes a practical approach to love since a dashing captain broke her heart at age 17. Now at almost 22 years old, she has decided to endure one last London season to secure a suitable engagement and begin a simple life in the country. Sir Giles Knyvet is Mirabella's oldest friend and her most dependable ally, and he is also secretly in love with her. Yet he knows the prospect of a relationship is doubtful: Besides being a mere baronet, he aims to settle a large family debt before sharing his feelings with her. But as Mirabella draws close to a suitable match, Giles may need to interfere to buy himself more time.

A Sapphire Season was such a sweet story to read.  Mirabella and Giles have grown up together and have a very close friendship. So naturally when the season starts they decide to go to London together with two of their friends. Mirabella has a plan. In lieu of marrying for love, she makes a list of all the best possible matches she thinks would be suitable. She soon discovers the list may not be the greatest idea and it isn’t so easy finding someone you are compatible with. While she is narrowing down her list of potential suitors, Giles has been busy himself, catching the eye of a particular woman that ends up making Mirabella a little jealous.

I really enjoying Mirabella and Giles together. They had a fun witty banter that showed perfectly how close they were. Though I would’ve thought one of them or both would’ve realized their feelings a little sooner than they did.

Sometimes love comes unexpectedly and to a person you might have never thought that way before. A Sapphire Season is a good example of that. The story was easy to follow and the characters were likable. I’m a sucker for good historical fiction romances, especially involving childhood friends. If you enjoy reading clean historical fiction romances then you will want to take a look at A Sapphire Season.  

RATING: 3½ out of 5.

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About the Author

 LYNN MORRIS is the bestselling author of over 25 novels, including the popular Cheney Duvall, M.D. series. She is the daughter of Christy Award-winning author Gilbert Morris, with whom she has often collaborated. She lives in Gulf Shores, Alabama.

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