Book Synopsis
From New York Times bestselling author Sabrina
Jeffries comes a sparkling new series about an oft-widowed mother’s
grown children, who blaze through society in their quest for the truth
about their fathers . . . and in the process find that love just might
conquer all . . .
A series of stepfathers and a difficult childhood have left Fletcher
“Grey” Pryde, 5th Duke of Greycourt, with a guarded heart, enviable
wealth, and the undeserved reputation of a rogue. Grey’s focus on
expanding his dukedom allows him little time to find a wife. But when
his mother is widowed yet again and he meets the charmingly
unconventional woman managing his stepfather’s funeral, he’s shocked to
discover how much they have in common. Still, Grey isn’t interested in
love, no matter how pretty, or delightfully outspoken, the lady . . .
Beatrice Wolfe gave up on romance long ago, and the arrogant Duke of
Greycourt with his rakish reputation isn’t exactly changing her mind.
Then Grey agrees to assist his grief-stricken mother with her latest
“project”: schooling spirited, unfashionable Beatrice for her debut. Now
that Beatrice is seeing through Grey’s charms to his wounded heart,
she’s having trouble keeping him at arm’s length. But once Grey starts
digging into her family’s secrets, she must decide whether her loyalties
lie with her family . . . or with the man whose lessons capture her
heart . . .
My Review
Project Duchess is the story of Beatrice Wolfe and "Grey," Fletcher Pryde. Grey is a Duke in need of a wife, and Beatrice is an independent woman who is planning her debut. Because Beatrice is from modest means, she aspires to marry a vicar or doctor. When Beatrice and Grey meet, there is an instant spark, and they find they have much in common with their difficult childhoods. But will this be enough for them to break tradition and find happiness together?
This is the first book in Sabrina Jeffries' new Duke Dynasty series. A large cast of characters with a lot of background is introduced in the first few chapters. It would be helpful to have a list of characters in the book for readers.
Once the book focused more on Beatrice and Grey, I became engrossed in their story. They are from different worlds but on an intrinsic level are so very alike. I liked Beatrice's spark and independence, and Grey's kindness and strength. There was a lot of back and forth between these characters with banter and a rollicking romance.
There is also a double mystery in the book -- there were two unexplained deaths in the past (Beatrice's uncle and Grey's stepfather -- both highly unsympathetic characters). Grey works to solve the two murders, and that is part of the plot as well.
We are also introduced to Beatrice's brother and Grey's siblings -- I am guessing they will appear in future books in this series. (I hope so!)
I enjoyed the setting of the country estate. There is even a kennel with pointers and foxhounds, and the dogs appear several times in the book.
There are also a number of interesting historic details -- like funeral biscuits, and ruins constructed on the estate (a ruined abbey with a bell tower).
I found Project Duchess a fun and entertaining read. I think readers who enjoy historical romance and the regency period will especially enjoy this book. I look forward to reading the next book in this series!
Author Bio
Sabrina Jeffries is the New York Times bestselling author of more
than 50 novels and works of short fiction (some written under the
pseudonyms Deborah Martin and Deborah Nicholas). Whatever time not spent
writing in a coffee-fueled haze is spent traveling with her husband and
adult autistic son or indulging in one of her passions—jigsaw puzzles,
chocolate, and music. With over 9 million books in print in more than 20
languages, the North Carolina author never regrets tossing aside a
budding career in academics for the sheer joy of writing fun fiction,
and hopes that one day a book of hers will end up saving the world.
Giveaway
We have two paperback copies of Project Duchess up for grabs! To enter, please use the Gleam form below.
Giveaway Rules
– Giveaway ends at 11:59 pm EST on July 5th. You must be 18 or older to enter.
– Giveaway is open to the US only.
– Only one entry per household.
– All giveaway entrants agree to be honest and not cheat the systems; any suspicion of fraud is decided upon by blog/site owner and the sponsor, and entrants may be disqualified at our discretion.
– The winner has 48 hours to claim prize or a new winner is chosen.
Project Duchess
Book Synopsis
Wanted: an engagement of convenience. Found: A noble suitor.
Raised on a remote Scottish estate by her adoring grandfather, Lady
Theodora Worth has inherited an earldom as well as the land itself. But
when an upstart duke challenges her claim to the title and the Ladykyrk
estate, Thea is suddenly in need of a husband—in name, at least. An
elderly neighbor with a thoroughly modern sensibility and a dashing
great-nephew just might be the answer to Thea’s prayers. Except she has
no intention of marrying the first man she meets. That would be utterly
ridiculous.
It just can’t be him. . .
Lord William Cavensham is entirely too devoted to his family’s
estate—ever since he was jilted as a lad–to wed, but he agrees to meet
the woman his aunt has taken under her wing—and introduce her to
possible suitors. But after just one meeting with beautiful, spirited
Thea, Will is determined to help her reclaim her title. And even moreso,
he can’t stop thinking that perhaps marriage to this bold, passionate
woman may be the one thing he’s been missing all along?
My Review
Lady Theodora Worth (Thea) inherits an earldom and Ladykyrk
estate when her beloved grandfather dies. The problem? She needs to find a husband. Her elderly neighbor does some matchmaking with Thea and her great-nephew. There are obstacles ... but will they find their way together?
Rogue Most Wanted is a very enjoyable historical romance. I really liked Thea, with her independence and her occasional social awkwardness, and the kind and dashing hero, William. I particularly liked that they started out as friends, despite an immediate attraction, and their romance built from that. They were thwarted at several turns by an evil duke who wants both Thea and her estate.
Each chapter begins with a quote from a local newspaper called The Midnight Cryer. These quotes tend to be swipes at Thea, and they help set the scene for the action in the upcoming chapter.
The setting of Northumberland near the Scottish border was delightful, as was William's family estate in London, and I enjoyed the period details. The author does a good job at creating a world and introducing it to readers. I loved details like the maze on the estate, and the folly that Thea's grandfather built for her eighth birthday:
"The bucolic scene was breathtaking by itself, but the majestic folly sitting regally before them demanded center stage. The stone pavilion had four separate entrances under elaborate porticos, each guarded by Boreas, Zepher, Notus, and Eurus, the gods of the four directional winds. A small dome centered in the middle of the building was topped with a weather vane in the form of a welcoming Aeolus, the King of the Winds, with an outstretched hand" (p. 83).
This is the fifth book in the Cavendish Heiresses series. I have not read the previous books, but this book worked fine as a standalone read.
Rogue Most Wanted is an enjoyable read. I recommend it especially for readers who enjoy historical romance and the Regency period.
Author Bio
Janna MacGregor was born and raised in the bootheel of Missouri. She
credits her darling mom for introducing her to the happily-ever-after
world of romance novels. Janna writes stories where compelling and
powerful heroines meet and fall in love with their equally matched
heroes. She is the mother of triplets and lives in Kansas City with her
very own dashing rogue, and two smug, but not surprisingly, perfect
pugs.
Giveaway
During the Blog Tour, we are giving away two paperback copies of Rogue Most Wanted by Janna MacGregor! To enter, please use the Gleam form below.
Giveaway Rules
– Giveaway ends at 11:59 pm EST on July 5th. You must be 18 or older to enter.
– Giveaway is open to US only.
– Only one entry per household.
– All giveaway entrants agree to be honest and not cheat the systems; any suspicion of fraud is decided upon by blog/site owner and the sponsor, and entrants may be disqualified at our discretion.
– The winner has 48 hours to claim prize or a new winner is chosen.
Rogue Most Wanted
Book Synopsis
Robbie Jordan’s rustic
country store is growing in popularity. But when a dead body appears, it
turns out that Robbie’s home-style cooking attracts hungry
customers—and murder!
While Robbie scrambles through breakfast
orders for her expanding clientele at Pans ‘N Pancakes, tempers run as
high as the sticky August heat in South Lick, Indiana. Real-estate
developer Fiona Closs plans to build a towering luxury resort at one of
the most scenic hilltops in Brown County, and not everyone can see the
sunny side of the imposing proposition—including Robbie’s furious Aunt
Adele, who doesn’t waste a minute concocting protests and road
blockades. When tensions boil over and a vocal protester is silenced
forever at the resort site, Robbie ditches the griddle to catch the
killer. But if slashed tires are any indication, she’ll need to crack
this case before her own aunt gets served something deadly next . . .
Includes Recipes for You to Try!
Author Bio
Maddie Day is a
talented amateur chef and holds a Ph.D. in linguistics from Indiana
University. An Agatha Award-nominated author, she is a member of Sisters
in Crime and Mystery Writers of America and also writes award-winning
short crime fiction. She lives with her beau and three cats in
Massachusetts.
As Edith Maxwell, she writes the Local Foods Mysteries (Kensington Publishing) and the Quaker Midwife Mysteries (Midnight Ink).
You can find all Maddie’s/Edith’s
identities at www.edithmaxwell.com. She blogs every weekday with the
other Wicked Cozy Authors at wickedcozyauthors.com. Look for her as Edith M. Maxwell and Maddie Day on Facebook and @edithmaxwell and @maddiedayauthor on Twitter.
Purchase Links
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Book Synopsis
Hamish DeLuca and Regina “Reggie” Van Buren have a new case—and this one could demand a price they’re not willing to pay.
Determined to make a life for herself, Reggie Van Buren bid goodbye
to fine china and the man her parents expected her to marry and escaped
to Boston. What she never expected to discover was that an unknown
talent for sleuthing would develop into a business partnership with the
handsome, yet shy, Hamish DeLuca.
Their latest case arrives when Errol Parker, the leading base stealer
in the Boston farm leagues, hires Hamish and Reggie to investigate what
the Boston police shove off as a series of harmless pranks. Errol
believes these are hate crimes linked to the outbreak of war in Europe,
and he’s afraid for his life. Hamish and Reggie quickly find themselves
in the midst of an escalating series of crimes.
When Hamish has his careful constructed life disrupted by a figure
from his past, he is driven to a decision that may sever him from Reggie
forever . . . even more than her engagement to wealthy architect
Vaughan Vanderlaan.
Purchase Links
My Review
Murder in the City of Liberty is a mystery set in 1940 Boston. Reggie (Regina) Van Buren and Hamish DeLuca have a small detective agency. They are hired by Errol Parker, a black baseball player who is facing harassment because of his race. There is an atmosphere of great tension in Boston, with members of a hate group meeting and spreading pamphlets. When Hamish's cousin Luca suddenly appears, the mystery becomes even more complicated.
This book is the second in the Van Buren and DeLuca mystery series. I did not read the first book and wish I had, because there were numerous references to characters and scenes from the first book. It took me a few chapters to catch up, but I did, and settled in to enjoy the mystery.
I wanted to read this book because I love historical fiction, enjoy mysteries, and am fascinated by the 1940's as a historical period. The author did a wonderful job at capturing the 1940's with period details through the book. There are fascinating references to dances and movies and old time radio shows. For instance, a family friend tells Reggie that she is "playing Nick and Nora Charles" (from The Thin Man) with Hamish.
The baseball setting is interesting, and the author evokes the atmosphere of an old time ballpark:
"The collective din of the stands, the squeak of the bleachers, the organ pounding out jingles and ditties and chords to inspire spectator fervor. The shifting scoreboard and communal enthusiasm. The smell of popcorn and beer and, as in tonight's game, the inimitable scent of almost-summer: grass and something in the air that overtook the salt and yeast of the vendors' carts and gave way to the most alluring type of nostalgia" (p. 119).
I really liked Reggie and Hamish as characters, both individually and together. Reggie is very brave and spirited. She has a Journal of Independence including a variety of goals:
"Sometimes as in the case of 'Learn how to properly make a bed,' the entries were left untouched in her perfectly taught cursive. Other times they were scrawled or scratched out with enthusiasm like, 'Stay up 'til dawn.' Which she seemed to be doing now" (p. 149).
Hamish deals with anxiety, and this is dealt with honestly and sensitively in the book. He is very dashing but also seems vulnerable and real.
There is a lot of back and forth between the characters, as they are romantically interested in each other but don't want to upset the balance of their work relationship and friendship.
The mystery aspect of Murder in the City of Liberty slowly unraveled, piece by piece, and it was very well done (and kept me guessing). I enjoyed seeing Hamish and DeLuca solve the mystery.
I have already recommended this series to two friends who enjoy historical mysteries. Readers who enjoy the 1940's will especially enjoy the period details in this well written book. I am looking forward to the next book in this series!
Author Bio
Rachel McMillan is the author of the Herringford and Watts mysteries,
the Three Quarter Time series of contemporary romances set in opulent
Vienna, and the Van Buren and DeLuca mysteries praised for bringing an
authentic 1930’s Boston world to life while normalizing the fictional
conversation surrounding mental illness. Her first work of non-fiction,
described as a romantic’s guide to independent travel, releases in 2020.
Rachel lives in Toronto, Canada.
Connect with Rachel
Book Synopsis
Community Craft proprietor Sammy Kane
suspects that a tantalizing thread links the deaths of her best friend
and a bestselling author. But can she weave together the clues?
Samantha “Sammy” Kane is settling into
her new life in idyllic Heartsford, Wisconsin, running her late friend
Kate Allen’s craft shop, Community Craft when one early June day,
bestselling crochet author Jane Johnson visits Heartsford. Captivated by
Community Craft, Jane devotes a chapter in her new book, Behind the
Seams, to the store. Sammy is honored, though satisfaction quickly turns
to shock when she finds Jane strangled to death—her cold hands
clutching a copy of her most recently published book, with the words
“THE END” raggedly scratched into the cover.
Heavens to Etsy! Not only must Sammy
contend with the author’s inauspicious demise, she has to untie some
knotty details from her own past. It turns out Kate’s death was not what
it seemed, and instead somehow hooked to Jane Johnson’s demise.
Handsome Detective Liam Nash is on the “skein”, more than happy to see
the shop owner again, if less than enamored by her sleuthing
interventions. But this was Sammy’s best friend—she has to know.
Fortunately, Sammy has a “lace” in the
hole. As a child, she formed the S.H.E. detective team with her cousin,
Heidi, and her sister, Ellie. Having already reconstituted their
partnership, the S.H.E. team searches for a pattern behind the latest
death. As the case starts to unravel, will Sammy and team be able to
sidestep Liam quick enough to stitch together the clues?
My Review
Sammy Kane owns a small craft shop in Heartsford, Wisconsin; she took over the business for her best friend, Kate, who died suddenly. She is excited about a famous crafter, Jane Johnson, visiting the shop. When she meets Jane, the famous author suggests that she has news about Kate's death. Then Sammy discovers Jane's body, and she works with her sister and cousin - and her almost-boyfriend, police detective Liam Nash - to solve the mystery.
This is the second book in the Handcrafted Mystery series. I have read both books and thoroughly enjoyed them. Holly Quinn does an especially good job at capturing the small, Midwestern town atmosphere.
I really like Sammy, her cousin Heidi, and sister Ellie. They created a play detective group called S.H.E. (for their first names) as young girls, and they still work together to solve mysteries. I liked this description of one of their S.H.E. meetings:
"The fireflies were just starting to pop their neon glows of brilliance in the blackening sky. The luminosity bounced around the backyard grass and bushes as if the fireflies were putting on a private light show for them. The three S.H.E.s huddled together around Sammy's backyard picnic table with the pages of the manuscript spread between them. Remnants of dried coagulated cheese and corn chip crumbs littered the bottom of the baking dish, evidence of a well-eaten nacho platter" (Kindle location 2784).
Sammy can be impulsive at times and does not take the precautions for her safety that an experienced detective would take. I think this is part of her character though, and her approach to amateur sleuthing.
Detective Liam Nash is as charming as ever, and I enjoyed his scenes with Sammy.
Of course, I also loved Sammy's dog (who often visits her shop), Bara! (I consider all cozy mysteries more interesting if a lovable pet is part of the story.)
The mystery was well done. I suspected the murderer but enjoyed seeing the details unravel. The book is fast paced and I read it in just a few days because I was eager to see what happened!
I recommend A Crafter Hooks a Killer and the Handcrafted Mystery series. Readers who are interested in crafting or small town settings will especially enjoy this book.
Author Bio
Holly Quinn has
published two stand-alone fiction novels in another persona. She
graduated from Carroll University in Wisconsin with a Bachelor of
Science in business and a minor in marketing. This is her second
Handcrafted mystery. Visit her @ www.authorhollyquinn.com
Author Links
Website – www.authorhollyquinn.com
Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/HollyQuinnbooks/
GoodReads – https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7940795.Holly_Quinn
Purchase Links – Amazon – B&N – BAM – IndieBound – Powell’s Books – Walmart
Author Bio
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