10.31.2020 CREATURES BY SHARI LOW

 

On the eve of Evangeline’s wedding, a dead whale is trapped in the harbor of Winter Island, the groom may be lost at sea, and Evie’s mostly absent mother has shown up out of the blue. From there, in this mesmerizing, provocative debut, Evie remembers and reckons with her complicated upbringing in this lush, wild land off the coast of Southern California. 

Evie grew up with her well-meaning but negligent father, surviving on the money he made dealing the island’s world-famous strain of marijuana, Winter Wonderland. Although he raised her with a deep respect for the elements, the sea, and the creatures living within it, he also left her to parent herself. With wit, love, and bracing ashes of anger, Creatures probes the complexities of love and abandonment, guilt and forgiveness, betrayal and grief—and the ways in which our ability to love can be threatened if we are not brave enough to conquer the past.

Lyrical, darkly funny, and ultimately cathartic, Creatures exerts a pull as strong as the tides.

MY REVIEW:

Thank you to Algonquin Books for having me in this book tour for Creatures by Crissy Van Meter. 

Set in a beautiful island off the coast of Southern California in a lush wild lands of Winter Island is the heart breaking story of Evie. In a series of unfortunate events occur in the eve of Evie's wedding with a dead whale trapped in the harbor, her fiancee late from returning from his trip out at sea, and her estranged mother shows up to complicate matters. 

As all these issues are crashing down at Evie, she looks back at her dysfunctional up bringing from parents who were both neglectful - a mother who leaves Evie as a young child only to be left to an alcoholic father who peddles marijuana to tourists in the island. 

The writing of this story is both poetic and lyrical - certainly a character driven story told in a very unique perspective. There are a lot of symbolisms and found the writing beautiful, very deep, sometimes dark but very much real and will touch your heart. I felt for Evie - my heart broke for her and her childhood. Every one who reads this will find something to relate to in this moving story.

I had an incredible time reading this fabulous story and glad to read a book set in Southern California.

AUTHOR SPOTLIGHT:

Crissy Van Meter is a writer based in Los Angeles.

She teaches creative writing at The Writing Institute at Sarah Lawrence College. She is the founder of the literary project Five Quarterly, and the managing editor for Nouvella Books. She serves on the board of directors for the literary non-profit Novelly.

Her debut novel Creatures is out now from Algonquin Books.

10.30.2020 Love Offline: Looking For Romance In Real Life By: Olivia Spring

 

Love Offline: Looking For Romance In Real Life

Emily’s Struggling To Find Romance Online. Will Ditching The Dating Apps Lead To True Love?

Online dating isn’t working for introvert Emily. Although she’s comfortable swiping right at home in her PJs, the idea of going out to meet a guy in person fills her with dread.

So when her best friend challenges her to ditch the apps, attend a load of awkward singles’ events and find love in real life, Emily wants to run for the hills.

Then she meets Josh. He’s handsome, kind and funny, but Emily’s had her heart crushed before and knows he's hiding something…

Is Josh too good to be true? Can Emily learn to trust again and if she does, will it lead to love or more heartache?

Love Offline is a fun, sexy, entertaining story about friendship, stepping outside of your comfort zone and falling in love the old-fashioned way. Ideal for fans of Sophie Kinsella, Lindsey Kelk and Beth O’Leary’s The Flatshare.

MY REVIEW:

This was such a lovely read I really needed - a little break from all the thrillers I have been reading for the spooky season. In Olivia Spring's Love Offline, she treats us with a lovely and heart warming story about finding true love the old fashioned way. Main character Emily is shy and introverted who is trying to find her own happy ever after - just reeling from a bad relationship with her ex. 

I love the characters in the story and the situations had me clutching my belly for a good laugh. This was a wonderful chick lit but it really is so much more. It's about believing in yourself and learning to love yourself first and foremost. It's about being young, being in a relationship, and how social media affects these relationships. I found that I really connected with the characters, the amazing plot (and some twists too), and well-written dialogue. 

What a great story and one I highly recommend!!

Purchase Links

UK: https://amzn.to/2OKcwF3

US: https://amzn.to/35p81oZ

Love Offline is available to read for FREE in Kindle Unlimited. It is also available to read for FREE in Prime Reading until late November.

Author Bio –

Olivia Spring is a British, London-based writer of contemporary women's fiction, sexy chick lit and romantic comedy. Her uplifting debut novel 'The Middle-Aged Virgin', which was released in July 2018, deals with being newly single in your thirties and beyond, dating, relationships, love, sex and living life to the full.

Olivia published three novels in 2019: 'Only When It's Love', 'Losing My Inhibitions' and 'Love Offline'. ‘The Middle-Aged Virgin in Italy’, the hotly anticipated sequel to ‘The Middle-Aged Virgin’ and Olivia’s fifth novel, was published in July 2020.

When she's not writing, Olivia can be found making regular trips to Italy to indulge in pasta, pizza and gelato and of course, seeking inspiration for her next book!

 

Social Media Links –

https://twitter.com/ospringauthor

https://www.facebook.com/ospringauthor/

https://www.instagram.com/ospringauthor/

http://www.oliviaspring.com/

https://www.bookbub.com/authors/olivia-spring

#LoveOffline

10.30.2020 WE WAIT BY MEGAN TAYLOR - EYRIE PRESS UK

 

Publisher : Eyrie Press (November 18, 2019)
Language: : English

Author: Megan Taylor

The wealthy Crawleys can’t abide a scandal, so when fifteen-year-old Maddie’s behaviour causes concern, she’s packed off to the family’s country estate, along with her best friend, Ellie. But while Maddie is resentful, Ellie is secretly thrilled. A whole summer at Greywater House, which she’s heard so much about – and with Maddie, who she adores…

But from the moment the girls arrive, it’s clear there’s more to the house and the family than Ellie could ever have imagined. Maddie’s aunt, Natalie, and her bedridden grandmother are far from welcoming – and something has been waiting at Greywaters, something that flits among the shadows and whispers in the night.

As the July heat rises and the girls’ relationship intensifies, the house’s ghosts can’t be contained, and it isn’t just Ellie who has reason to be afraid. Three generations of the Crawley family must face their secrets when past and present violently collide.

MY REVIEW/THOUGHTS:

I LOVED THIS BOOK!!! 

What a perfect book to read this season, and most especially after having just read for October, both Daphne Du Maurier's Rebecca and Silvia Moreno-Garcia's Mexican Gothic - both of which were fabulous examples of gothic horrors. "We Wait" feels like a mix of both - the prose is definitely haunting, mysterious and a very gothic eerie feel I absolutely loved with this book.

Sara and Hugo Crawley's daughter Maddie has been a handful and is now going to be sent away for the summer at the Greywater House with her best friend Eleanor "Ellie". Hugo's sister Natalie lives at Greywater with their elderly mum. Some resentment starts to brew with Natalie who not only is the main caregiver for their mother, but now have two teens in her hands. 

The story is told in two timelines where the story starts to really unfold and this is where Taylor's brilliance in her writing while revealing just the right amount at just the right time. The story is so chilling with the atmospheric writing building this world that was horrifying and creepy in the best ways possible. This book kept me up and I loved the it! 

This sinister and unsettling novel is a must read for thriller and gothic horror fans. This is such a well written novel, that is sure to stand the test of time. I am hoping more readers will discover this amazing book by Megan Taylor. If you are reading this review, please pick the book up for a fantastic read you will enjoy!!



Editorial Reviews:


'Hill House for the 21st century: haunting, dark, and very, very real. Chilling and very sinister, but still rippled with the confusion of being a teenager, of first love, and of making impulsive mistakes. A masterpiece.' - Anstey Harris

'As poetic as it is unsettling, We Wait is an absolute triumph. The beautifully vivid prose is reminiscent of Du Maurier - both haunting and chilling at the same time. An eerie, clever, spine-tingling novel. This is Megan Taylor at her most thrillingly dark.' - Kerry Hadley-Pryce

About the Author

Megan Taylor is the author of dark novels and short stories. Her short fiction has been shortlisted in several competitions, including 2017's Brighton Prize and The Walter Swan Short Story Prize 2017-18. Megan lives in Nottingham. When she's not playing with her own fiction, she enjoys running creative writing workshops and courses. You can find her at www.megantaylor.info

10.29.2020 CHRISTMAS AT THE FARMHOUSE BY REBECCA BOXALL

 

Christmas at the Farmhouse

As the anticipation of Christmas builds in the Nielsen family’s cosy farmhouse, Jo, Magnus and their grown-up children begin to congregate for a hybrid Danish-Jersey festive season, each with a surprise of their own – though the surprise that arrives over Christmas is the most life-changing of all.

Fifty years earlier, in 1969, Susan Jones finds herself being pursued by Mr Jenners, her former English teacher, and at the age of seventeen is packed off to a Home for Unmarried Mothers in London by her uncompromising father. As Christmas approaches, all she can do is desperately hope to be rescued, but will anyone be able to reach her in time?

The two timelines of this festive story gradually weave together in a tale that examines whether love and hope can eventually triumph over even the deepest sadness.

Rebecca Boxall is the award-nominated author of five bestselling novels – Christmas at the Vicarage, Home for Winter, Christmas on the Coast, The Christmas Forest and Christmas by the Lighthouse.

MY REVIEW:

Christmas at the Farmhouse is a beautifully written novel that was both heart wrenching and heart warming. I loved the writing, the characters, the gut punching story that broke my heart but was hopeful and exactly what I need for a wonderful Christmas story that put me in a great mood to start the holidays. A quick read that really was impactful as it was compelling - true to the time period and well researched by the author.

Boxall wrote a dual timeline story set in 1969 and then the present fifty years later during Christmas time in 2019. The story begins with Susan - young, naive and only seventeen when the unlikely happens that causes her to be sent away to a Home for Unwed Mothers. Post-war England society along with a very strict father sealed Susan's fate with her child being taken away from her and sent for adoption.

Fifty years later, we come to Jo and Magnus' story in Jersey at their farmhouse during Christmas, and their large loving family while they prepare for the festivities. A fun relatable family with their own issues to contend with but somehow able to manage through understanding and love for each other.

I am still reeling from this beautiful Christmas novella and the stunning story and characters I will certainly miss. I highly recommend this compelling read I know will warm your heart that is perfect for the holidays.




Purchase Links

UK – https://www.amazon.co.uk/Christmas-Farmhouse-festive-author-Vicarage-ebook/dp/B08J7S6SZV

US - https://www.amazon.com/Christmas-Farmhouse-festive-author-Vicarage-ebook/dp/B08J7S6SZV

Author Bio –










Rebecca Boxall was born in 1977 in East Sussex, where she grew up in a vicarage always filled with family, friends and parishioners. She now lives by the sea in Jersey with her husband, three children and Rodney the cat. She read English at the University of Warwick before training as a lawyer and also studied Creative Writing with The Writer’s Bureau. She is the bestselling author of Christmas at the Vicarage, Home for Winter, Christmas on the Coast, The Christmas Forest and Christmas by the Lighthouse and was nominated for the Romantic Novelist Association Awards in 2020.

Social Media Links –

For more information please visit her website – www.rebeccaboxall.co.uk – or her Facebook page: www.facebook.com/christmasatthevicarage.

10.29.2020 JUST JONES: Sometimes a Thing Is Impossible . . . Until It Is Actually Done By Andy Andrews

 
From New York Times bestselling author Andy Andrews comes the return of one of our favorite characters: Jones, the Noticer. Jones’ wise stories have comforted and guided millions of readers. In Just Jones, navigate the hope that the impossible can come true.
At 3:29 a.m. on May 22, a telephone rings in Orange Beach, Alabama. Breaking the sleepy silence, a hastily whispered message heralds the news that readers have been waiting on for seven years: Jones is back in town. Apparently, however, he is also in jail.

The old man is tight-lipped about the circumstances surrounding his brief incarceration. After arriving to bail him out, Andy is shocked to discover that his trusted friend has already opened an unusual business in one of the resort town’s most high-profile shopping districts.

As the town moves from spring to summer, a practical joker is becoming bolder and more inventive with every prank that is pulled. Could Jones be behind some of it? Why? What’s the truth about that four-hundred-pound table in his store? And why does it look as if every person Jones meets has a secret they will reveal only to him?

With melodic writing and a whimsical, authentic voice, Andy and Jones take you on a sometimes hilarious journey to discover the heart of people and learn a few valuable lessons along the way, including:


the importance of perspective
the power of connection to create peace in a community
and the ability you have to make the impossible come true
Just Jones is book #3 in The Noticer series, following The Noticer and The Noticer Returns. Each book is a standalone fictional novel based on true events, following the character of Jones, a mysterious elderly man with endless wisdom who always appears to show up exactly when he’s needed most.

My thoughts:


What a fantastic book to read! I was completely mesmerized by this book in the Noticer series. I have not read any of the other books in this series, but don't let this stop you from picking up this beautiful book. Just Jones is a fantastic story that is both mesmerizing and captivating. Lots of great stories and life lessons along the way. This was a really quick read that I enjoyed and found to be eye opening. I now understand why Andy Andrews has such a loyal following - a true master storyteller. I am going to be purchasing this book for friends and family to gift.


Wonderful!!

Review

'Just Jones is lightning in a bottle--pure genius on paper. If you can imagine a hilarious mystery filled with useful wisdom that is fresh and new, you've just conjured up this book. Andy Andrews is our generation's Mark Twain. Just Jones is the latest proof.' --Dave Ramsey, national bestselling author

'Just Jones is a rare accomplishment--a mystery that is at times touching but often so funny that I laughed out loud. When one wraps an awesome story around wisdom with the power to change lives . . . well, how many great books can you name like that? Just Jones is a masterpiece.' --Michael Hyatt, New York Times bestselling author

'In much the same way Andy Andrews presents on stage--making him one of the most sought-after speakers in America--in Just Jones he weaves a rollicking sidewinder of a tale that'll delight his fans anew. Get to know a troubled girl with a funny name who experiences a character arc rarely manifested in contemporary fiction.' --Jerry B. Jenkins, novelist and biographer

''A jail is also a near-perfect starting gate.' And with this bit of wisdom, Jones, whom we have come to know as the noticer, leads us into another can't-stop-reading story. Or is it a biography of the reader? Andy Andrews is the master of telling tales that end up being all about us. His newest weaving, Just Jones, is no exception. I dare you to read it! Then order a dozen copies to send to people who are longing for someone to tell them a story about themselves as they could be.' --Gloria Gaither, writer, lyricist

'Andy's work has profoundly impacted me, and his newest release, Just Jones, reminds us that just because something hasn't yet been done, doesn't mean that it can't be accomplished. After reading this book, you will not only be more convinced than ever that the only limitations on your life are the ones you put on yourself but also realize that now is the time to stop making excuses, start making a difference, and begin fully living your life.' --John O'Leary, #1 national bestselling author, podcast host, and speaker

'This latest soon-to-be-classic from Andy Andrews continues to challenge us to think about life and our current situations from different and unique perspectives. And always with the focus of helping us evolve, grow, and prosper. In addition, the story that surrounds and propels all this valuable information is one of the best (and most fun) you'll ever read.' --Steve Jacobson, CEO Fairway Mortgage

'I will share Just Jones with my family, team, and friends! It's a very engaging story that effortlessly teaches lessons and will make each of us and, therefore, the world a better place to live.' --Grant Woods, PhD, wildlife biologist and GrowingDeer.tv host
About the Author





Andy Andrews is a bestselling novelist, speaker, and consultant for some of the world’s most successful teams, largest corporations, and fastest-growing organizations. He is the author of the New York Times bestsellers The Noticer, How Do You Kill 11 Million People?, and the modern classic The Traveler’s Gift. For more information, please visit AndyAndrews.com.

10.24.2020 AUTUMN SKIES By Denise Hunter

Facing the past is easier if you don’t have to face it alone.
The Bluebell Inn is turning a profit, and it’s time for the Bennett siblings to sell it and move on. Only Grace has plans to stay in the small lake town of Bluebell, North Carolina, where she hopes her growing outfitters business will save her from the loneliness of her siblings’ departure and the persistent sense of unworthiness in her life.

A gunshot wound resurrects the past for Secret Service agent Wyatt Jennings, and a mandatory leave of absence lands him in Bluebell. There he must come to grips with the tragedy that altered his life fourteen years ago.

When Wyatt books a room at the Bluebell Inn, sparks fly between him and Grace. She volunteers to be his mountain guide, and he soon opens up to her, drawn to her strength and sense of humor. But both are reticent to talk about the survivor’s guilt they each carry, and when their pasts finally collide, their budding romance might not survive the truth.

From the bestselling author of The Convenient Groom and A December Bride (now beloved Hallmark Original movies) comes the third and final novel in the Bluebell Inn series.


REVIEW:


I am a huge fan of the Bluebell Inn Romance Series and of course reading this third book is like visiting old friends - the Bennet siblings’ stories from book 1 and 2 all had a little bit of romance, mystery and small town drama and excitement - all with a feel good happy ending.

Their beautiful home turned into a gorgeous B & B by the lake on the gorgeous Blue Ridge Mountains in North Carolina is blustering with activity and guests, and is now running well and turning a profit. Molly and Levi are looking to sell and move on. However, Grace stays on to run her outfitting business.

In this installment, we read about Grace Bennett the young, spunky, and cynical about matters of love sibling, fall head over heels with Wyatt, a guest at the Inn. Wyatt is a secret service agent who is on a leave of absence after taking a bullet. Your heart will flutter as jaded Wyatt falls head over heels over Grace who comes into his life just when he needed it the most.

I just love Denise Hunter’s stories they always leave you feeling great and hopeful - always an engaging story I enjoy!




AUTHOR SPOTLIGHT:








Denise Hunter is the award-winning author of more than 35 novels, three of which have been adapted into Hallmark movies.

Denise writes heartwarming, small-town romances, peopled with layered characters who have real-life issues. Her readers enjoy the vicarious thrill of falling in love and the promise of a happily-ever-after sigh as they savor the final pages of her books.

In 1996, Denise began her first novel, writing while her children napped. Two years later it was published, and she's been writing ever since. Her books contain a strong romantic element, and her husband says he provides all her romantic material, but Denise insists a good imagination helps too!

Denise and her husband live in Indiana, where they raised three sons, and are currently enjoying an empty nest.







Q & A with author Denise Hunter

How did you research the setting for the Bluebell Inn series?

I always go to the location where the book is going to be set. This brings the setting alive to me, so I can bring it to life for my readers. Although Bluebell is a fictional town, it’s based on the real-life town of Lake Lure, North Carolina. The Bluebell Inn is based on The Esmeralda Inn, which is situated near Lake Lure in the Blue Ridge Mountains. The owners kindly sat down with me and answered all my questions about running an inn. I love when readers say the Bluebell Inn is almost like its own character in the series. It definitely has a history and secrets of its own. Those who’ve followed along in the series have solved the mystery of a lost love letter and found a precious heirloom necklace. And while the hero in Autumn Skies comes to the Bluebell Inn looking for something a little less tangible, it is certainly of no less value.




What will readers of your previous novels find to love about Autumn Skies and the Bluebell Inn series?

The Bluebell Inn series features the Bennett siblings who, when their parents die, undertake the mission to fulfill their parents’ dream: turning their historic home into an inn. The sense of loss the characters are facing and the common goal they’re working toward draw the Bennetts together. This gives the reader a sense of belonging that is characteristic of my novels. I also believe my readers will find comfort and hope in the small-town setting of Bluebell, NC. Though this is my first series set around a lake, the town has the same sense of community my readers have come to expect in my books. And of course, there’s a swoony love story in each of the Bluebell Inn novels. I aim to have the reader flipping through pages to see how each couple overcomes their obstacles, and I hope she finishes each book with a happily-ever-after sigh.




Readers love your loveable, relatable characters. Who are the main characters for Autumn Skies and how did you create them?

As the story opens, Grace Bennett is plugging away at her new outfitters business while scrambling to help her siblings run the family business—the Bluebell Inn. Grace is young and spunky with a dry sense of humor, and she’s a little cynical where love is concerned—until Wyatt Jennings checks into the Bluebell Inn. The chemistry between these two is off the charts. Sometimes that just happens on the page as I’m writing. I’m not sure who’s in control! But I hope readers love watching Grace fall head over heels for Wyatt—and vice verse—as much as I did.

Wyatt Jennings is a troubled Secret Service agent who’s forced to take a leave of absence after taking a bullet in the line of duty. I’ve wanted to write about a Secret Service agent since 2016. My husband and I were at a hotel in Virginia Beach in preparation for my appearance on the 700 Club when we heard a politician was going to be speaking at the hotel that night. While we were in the lobby, a whole crew of Secret Service agents entered the hotel—suits, sunglasses, the whole nine yards. I’m pretty sure they were moving in slow motion. I definitely heard “Bad to the Bone” playing in the background. That’s where the idea for Autumn Skies truly originated. I immediately envisioned a male lead with a past so traumatic that it inspired him rise to the heroic position of Secret Service agent. Wyatt is seasoned, worldly, and a little jaded, and he views Grace Bennett as a breath of fresh air.

10/24/2020 The Light at Wyndcliff Blog Tour - Enjoy an Excerpt and Enter the Giveaway

The Light at Wyndcliff by Sarah E. Ladd

Publication Date: October 13, 2020

Thomas Nelson

Paperback & eBook; 352 Pages

Series: The Cornwall Novels, Book 3

Genre: Historical Romance/Regency/Christian

Set in 1820s Cornwall, this Regency romance evokes the captivating worlds and delicious dramas of Jane Austen, Daphne DuMaurier, and Winston Graham.

Raised on the sprawling and rugged Wyndcliff Estate near the dangerous coast of South Cornwall, Evelyn Bray lives with her grandfather, a once-wealthy man reduced to the post of steward. Evelyn is still grieving her father’s death and her mother’s abandonment when a passing ship is dashed against the rocks. The only survivors, a little girl and her injured mother, are rescued and brought to Wyndcliff Hall.

Liam Twethewey is just twenty-two when he inherits Wyndcliff Estate from his great uncle. His optimistic plans to open a china clay pit to employ the estate’s tenants meets unexpected resistance, and the rumors of smuggling and illegal activity challenge his new-found authority. Though wise beyond his years, young Liam quickly finds himself out of his depth in this land where long-held secrets and high-stakes agendas make no room for newcomers.

Brought together by troubling questions surrounding the shipwreck, Evelyn and Liam uncover even darker mysteries shrouding the estate. But as they untangle truths from deceptions, their loyalties separate them—and their budding love might not be strong enough to overcome the distance.

Amazon | Barnes and Noble | IndieBound

REVIEW:

The Light at Wyndcliff is an amazing and beautifully written book I thoroughly enjoyed. Sarah E. Ladd’s writing and very well researched novel transported me to 1820’s Cornwall in this amazing Historical Fiction novel. The setting, the dialogue and the story line was on point and that really made this read so enjoyable for me. The world building was perfection. Though this was my first book in the series, I felt that I enjoyed it as a stand alone. Because I enjoyed this so much and now a Sarah E Ladd fan, I am definitely jumping into the first two books ASAP! 

The depth of the characterization was fabulously written and I was completely immersed with the storyline. Liam just inherited Wyndcliff Hall and with a little bit of mystery, suspense and some romance into the mix which I really enjoyed. Liam working with Evelyn Bray to work out the mystery of a recent shipwreck and the drama was really wonderful.

Overall, this was a wonderfully written novel that I was fully immersed into the story, the characters, and I loved the setting and the timeframe this was written in. The beautiful writing and exceptionally researched historical fiction really brought this world to life with characters I absolutely loved reading about. I highly recommend this entire series for historical fiction fans.

 

About the Author

Sarah E. Ladd has always loved the Regency period — the clothes, the music, the literature and the art. A college trip to England and Scotland confirmed her interest in the time period and gave her idea of what life would’ve looked like in era. It wasn’t until 2010 that Ladd began writing seriously. Shortly after, Ladd released the first book in the Whispers on the Moors series. Book one of the series, The Heiress of Winterwood, was the recipient of the 2011 ACFW Genesis Award for historical romance. Ladd also has more than ten years of marketing experience. She holds degrees in public relations and marketing and lives in Indiana with her family and spunky Golden Retriever.

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | Instagram | BookBub | Goodreads

Blog Tour Schedule

Tuesday, October 13
Review at Hallie Reads
Feature at Momfluenster

Wednesday, October 14
Review at McCombs on Main
Review at Gwendalyn's Books
Review at Probably at the Library

Thursday, October 15
Review at Jessica Belmont

Friday, October 16
Review at Bitch Bookshelf
Review & Excerpt at Bookworlder
Review at View from the Birdhouse

Sunday, October 18
Review at Jorie Loves a Story
Review at WTF Are You Reading?

Monday, October 19
Review at Book Bustle

Tuesday, October 20
Review at Books and Zebras
Review at Robin Loves Reading
Review at Into the Hall of Books

Wednesday, October 21
Review at The Lit Bitch

Thursday, October 22
Review at Faery Tales Are Real
Review at Historical Fiction with Spirit

Friday, October 23
Review at Lu Reviews Books

Saturday, October 24
Review & Excerpt at Nursebookie

Monday, October 26
Review at The Caffeinated Bibliophile
Review at Chicks, Rogues, and Scandals

Tuesday, October 27
Review at Captivated Reading

Wednesday, October 28
Review at Heidi Reads

Thursday, October 29
Review at YA, it's Lit

Friday, October 30
Review at A Darn Good Read
Review at Read Review Rejoice

Giveaway

During the Blog Tour, we are giving away 5 copies of The Light at Wyndcliff! To enter, please use the Gleam form below.

The giveaway is open to US residents only and ends on October 30th. You must be 18 or older to enter.

The Light at Wyndcliff 

 

Excerpt

Chapter 14

Evelyn braced her feet in the sand, standing still and straight on the shoreline, refusing to sway with the gusts as the wind tore at her gown and her unbound hair. Determined to ignore the shiver of cold that began in her chest and flowed to her limbs, she watched in breathless anticipation and fear as the mayhem unfolded before her.

How familiar it was. How terribly, eerily, chillingly familiar. The sight was much too familiar, especially as of late, and each instance hit close to her heart.

Perhaps the men would rescue someone. Perhaps not.

She could not help but wonder if the situation had been the same all those years ago when her father had lost his life assisting in a rescue. She’d been too young to understand then, and no one ever spoke of it, especially her grandfather, but with every shipwreck she saw, it seemed a little bit more of him was taken from her.

A man ran past, nearly knocking her down. She stumbled backward into Bertie and some of the other women gathered.

The excise men could not be aware of the shipwreck yet. Otherwise uniformed men would make their presence known and there would be more order, or at least more discretion, among the villagers racing to grab whatever they could.

Aye, several men were attempting to rescue survivors presumably still aboard, but as she looked farther down shore, dawn’s faint glow cast light on men and women who were equally intent upon reaching the crates and debris being pushed onto the shore and into the arms of those waiting to receive them.

She turned her attention back to the men forming the lifeline. It was not raining now, and a figure clad in white appeared in the distance.

Her pulse jumped, and she stepped toward the water so the waves lapped at her skirts. She shielded her eyes against bits of sand caught in the gale and watched as the bundle was passed slowly down the rope until the very last man carried the small body over one shoulder to the shoreline. He dropped to his knees and lowered the body to the ground.

Evelyn rushed forward and stooped next to the tiny body, fearing what she might see. It was a child. A girl. And her breath came in great, airy gulps. Black eyes stared up at her, wide and wild, from a ghostly white face. Long streaks of black hair clung to her forehead, her cheeks, her neck. Her blue lips shivered, but raspy breaths, gasping coughs, and darting glances confirmed she was alive. The child struggled to sit up, but Evelyn put a gentle hand on her shoulder.

Dr. Smith, the mining surgeon, pushed past Evelyn and knelt by the girl. “Are you hurt, child? What is your name?”

The child did not respond but shivered violently. The bottom of her white gown was torn, and it clung to her tiny body. She wore no boots, no stockings.

One of the women lifted a light behind the surgeon so he could assess the child’s condition. After several moments he sat back. “I think she’s all right, just stunned most likely, but we must get her dry and warm. Take her back to Wyndcliff. I’ll stay here. I think there are more coming. Can you carry her, Miss Bray, or shall I call one of the men?”

Evelyn looked back to the men, lit only by lantern light and torchlight and a faint sliver of moonlight through the rolling clouds. They were engaged along the rope for another rescue and were needed here. She nodded. “We’ll manage.”

She took the child’s shivering shoulders in her hands and looked at her. “You must hold on to me tightly, just for a while, then you will be able to rest, I promise.”

The child did not respond. Her teeth chattered, but she did as bid. She wrapped her arms about Evelyn’s neck and her legs around her waist as much as her trembling limbs would allow. Evelyn’s own wet skirts hindered her walking, and already at the edge of the beach her muscles burned with the effort.

Slowly but surely they made their way back up the crag where the beach gave way to a copse of trees and then to moorland. Fortunately the child clutched her as if her very life depended on it, as it very well may have, easing some of the burden of the weight.

Evelyn climbed the rocks, her skirts catching on the crags and the brush. Before her, the lights of Wyndcliff blazed, and she fixed her sights on it, placing one foot in front of the other.

The kitchen light shone like a beacon, calling to her, urging her to hurry. After what seemed an eternity, they burst through the door, breathless and windblown, and Marnie whirled to face them. “Merciful heavens! What be this?” She reached out and accepted the girl.

Evelyn’s arms and legs burned from the physical exertion. Her own limbs trembled with the cold, and she knelt on the flagstone floor before the fire. “We must get her warm.”