Power of faith against bank robbers and tornadoes!

Safe in His Arms by Colleen Coble
Link to buy the book: http://ow.ly/hc6cu
Christian Historical Romance
Thomas Nelson; January 29, 2013
Paperback 320 pages
Review copy provided for free from LitFuse, thank you!
Burton Book Review Rating: 3.5 stars

Sometimes it takes a stranger to see you as you really are. Born and raised on sprawling Texas land, Margaret O’Brien prides herself on her competence as a rancher. But her father believes she’s made for more than just dawn-to-dusk work. He wants her to have the love of a good man, to raise children, to build a life. But Margaret gave up such dreams years ago. She’s convinced no man would have her, that the ranch is her life now. 
So when Margaret’s father hires Daniel Cutler as a new foreman, she’s frustrated and suspicious. Then an overheard conversation links him with a gang of bank robbers, and she’s downright worried. Daniel swears he’s not involved, but Margaret’s not convinced. She knows the man still has secrets. But would a criminal be so kind and talk so convincingly of his faith? As a series of tragic “accidents” threatens all she holds dear, Margaret must decide what to trust: her own ears, her best judgment . . . or what her heart keeps telling her.  

Read my previous Colleen Coble review
(Stand alone, although Safe in His Arms is part of the Under Texas Stars series, the novels follow different characters. The previous novel featured a friend of Margaret's).
Read other reviews and follow the tour with LitFuse Publicity


Safe in His Arms becomes a fast-paced western themed romance, with lots of intrigue and faith values throughout the story line. Margaret feels insecure with her looks, and although she is respected as a rancher as a man would be, she longs to be accepted as a woman and to be able to raise a family. Yet with an overbearing father who doesn't know  how to show love, Margaret sinks lower and lower into self loathing. When Daniel Cutler comes along and threatens her position as a rancher on her own land, she is thrown for a loop when Daniel professes to admire her.

The story was set up as a nice slow romance, with character development that made the reader think we knew who was the good guy and who was the bad guy. When Daniel and Margaret are stuck in the middle of a bank robbing gang, things go from bad to worse faster than a tornado. Action propels us to a swift and tidy finish, with lots of thrills and surprises to boot.

I enjoyed the romance and the faith angle, and those readers who are not interested in the faith aspects need not read this one. There was a lot of focus on God, and Daniel and Margaret's faith in Him; I enjoyed watching their spiritual journey as they faced dangers and perils at every turn. The action was indeed heart pumping and I felt some of it got a little muddled while throwing everything at the reader all at once, but I still enjoyed the ride.


Learn more about the author here

If you are feeling extra generous today, please go like my review on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/review/R1WHVPIVGCPLVM

Vikings, lust and revenge collide!

Shadow of the Crown by Patricia Bracewell
Viking, February 7, 2013
Hardcover 416 pages
Review copy provided by the author, thank you!
Burton Book Review Rating: 4 stars

A rich tale of power and forbidden love revolving around a young medieval queen.

In 1002, fifteen­-year-old Emma of Normandy crosses the Narrow Sea to wed the much older King Æthelred of England, whom she meets for the first time at the church door. Thrust into an unfamiliar and treacherous court, with a husband who mistrusts her, stepsons who resent her and a bewitching rival who covets her crown, Emma must defend herself against her enemies and secure her status as queen by bearing a son.

Determined to outmaneuver her adversaries, Emma forges alliances with influential men at court and wins the affection of the English people. But her growing love for a man who is not her husband and the imminent threat of a Viking invasion jeopardize both her crown and her life.

Based on real events recorded in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, Shadow on the Crown introduces readers to a fascinating, overlooked period of history and an unforgettable heroine whose quest to find her place in the world will resonate with modern readers.

From the front flap:
"...God's hand was at work in every action, and death was never more than a whisper away".

This novel starts off with fabulous spine-tingling drama that signals the struggles to come between families battling for royal status. Emma from Normandy gets shipped off to England to marry King Æthelred, the king who already has a quiver full of sons eyeing the crown. Emma's reception at court is less than welcoming, and Emma finds herself alone in a strange land where no one trusts her and her Norman ways. The Danes are striking at their lands, and the marriage of Emma to England was supposed to thwart some of these attacks, but it seems to be just the opposite as the Danes attack again and again.

"She had to remember who she was and why she had been chosen for this task. If she allowed her fear to overcome her, she would fail her child. She could not do that again."

On top of political disasters and Viking raids, Emma's found herself facing a conniving rival at court. Elgiva and her family dislike Emma's role as Queen, as Elgiva has designs on the throne for herself.  However, since women were mere pawns/chattel/baby makers in the scheme of the High Middle Ages there is little that Elgiva can do, except resort to drastic measures, and her treachery wreaks havoc on Emma. Perpetuating the let's be cruel to women theme, King Æthelred was a character we could almost empathize with because of his off the charts stubborn dimwittedness, but then it's full-on dislike for him in the next chapter. Add in the strapping princes and the author has given us a story of betrayal, lust, greed, revenge and good old fashioned story-telling. But it is still that same old story in England of who's going to be the next King that seems to gnaw on everyone's minds till the kingdom was finally united eons later.. but it's the characters that draw you in, and their plights, and their struggle to birth male babies.. and the author weaves us a tale from her imagination based on the few facts at her fingertips, largely based on Anglo-Saxon Chronicles. I loved how she added in the evil omens and the shadows of the murdered king- those are some things that turn serious readers off, but I liked the story she spun with them. I am thinking that the readers who do not like Philippa Gregory will possibly not like this one.

Before the Plantagenets, before the many Richards and Henrys asserted their rights for the throne of England, there was King Æthelred's own sons who wondered who would come next. Emma of Normandy and the era are new to me, so I was intrigued throughout most of the novel. Those readers new to the era will delight as much as I have with this fight-for-your-right story, although those looking for something along the lines of rich with historical details and a slew of historical names may not appreciate this one. I did still enjoy it, and I feel it is a wonderful introduction to the era and to Emma. Through her lightly descriptive prose debut author Patricia Bracewell gives us a glimpse of the times from paganism to Christians and the unrest between Normandy and England, and the unrest of those too close to the crown for comfort. The writing and the political dramas were done well enough that I read this one pretty quickly, and I do recommend it to others also interested in learning more about Emma's life.

My two complaints: The use of the C Word that was used a few times will offend some, and I can hardly remember the last time I'd seen it in a book, so I think they should have taken it out.  Those people wanting a full on saga type feel will begin to realize that the rest of the story is being saved for later. So the second complaint is I wish I knew this was a trilogy from the onset, because while reading I was waiting for certain things to happen, and I think that distracted me towards the last half of this story. There is zero mention of a trilogy or series or anything along those lines anywhere on this hardcover. It wasn't till later that I realized it was a trilogy, so the ending as a whole still had me waiting to see Emma's story play out and I wish I could dig into it. But I'll have to wait a year, and I'm an impatient woman.
 (edit to add I needed to wait even longer, yuck!!)

Update to add the review link for book two: http://www.burtonbookreview.com/2015/03/the-price-of-blood-emma-of-normandy.html

And as for book three in the trilogy that is not a trilogy -- as of February 18 2018 the author is 400 pages/36 pages into writing book 3.


Visit HF-Connection to view some informative images related to the book.

Housewife bored with sophisticated domestic life falls in eternal love with a French pirate

Frenchman's Creek by Daphne du Maurier
Paperback, 284 pages
My edition published March 1st 2009 by Sourcebooks Landmark (first published 1941)
Personal copy (I was not solicited for review)
Burton Book Review Rating: 4.5 stars



Frenchman's Creek, set in 17th-century England, is an absorbing tale of adventure, danger and passion. Lady St. Columb is bored with fashionable life at Court so she sets off for the peace and freedom of her husband's Cornwall estate. Quite unexpectedly, she stumbles on the mooring place of the white-sailed ship belonging to the daring Frenchman who plunders the shores of Cornwall. It is only a question of time before this philosopher-pirate captures the heart of the lovely Lady St. Columb. Satisfying, romantic, swashbuckling action.


That last sentence of the synopsis describes the tone of the book very well: Satisfying, romantic, and swashbuckling. The main protagonist Dona, aka Lady. St. Colomb, toast of London society, is having a small mid-life crisis as she approaches her thirtieth birthday. She is normally the talk of her high society friends as she is a prankster and a lover of life, but she took a look at herself and was not pleased. She ran off to Navron House, far away from it all, as an escape. It turns out there is a French pirate lurking in her midst, and the two meet up, and fall in love.

Frenchman's Creek is one of those books that wraps itself around you slowly and by the time you are halfway in you wonder if you'll survive your sense of loss once you reach the end. It is a quiet type of read as you discover the characters, learn why Dona seems like a loose cannon, and slowly begin to empathize with her against your better judgement. And then you totally completely fall in love with everything: the setting, the silent storms of drama, the conversations...ah, sweet perfection.

I loved the tone, the rollicking witty banter between Dona and her servant William, who also happened to serve the Frenchman. And where we can imagine the bodice ripper style of romance.. that's all we get is that imagined point of view, because du Maurier remains classy and simply alludes to the romance. The undertones are understood, and even though in normal circumstances I would probably despise a main protagonist who would temporarily deceive her husband and leave behind her children in order to go on an adventure with a fugitive.. this is du Maurier and I loved every minute of it. I deducted one half of a star because in the beginning I was trying to puzzle out where the action was, but soon the enchanting writing of du Maurier sailed me through this sexy and dangerous story. Once finished, I had to go back and re-read the beginning. It came together in a perfect harmony then.

LOVED it. I stayed up extra late to finish this one, as the action is full force towards the end and totally completely unputdownable even though I knew I had to be alert for payroll the next day. I need to find myself a swashbuckling French pirate with silver buckles on his shoes.

Mailbox Monday is a meme originally from Marcia's Mailbox and is being hosted by the Amazing Audra @ Unabridged Chick this February.

The What Are You Reading meme is hosted by Sheila at Book Journey where we keep track of what we are currently reading and plan to read.


Happy February! Happy to see a cold, dreary weather wacky January go away, hope February signals in some Sensational Sunny Spring! (did I just jinx myself?!). Don't forget Valentine's Day is coming up, but before that is Ash Wednesday! What are you giving up for Lent this year? I am giving up beef, and anything with Beef Products. No more greasy McDs or my own yummy tacos. It shall be interesting.

So I had three Email Unsubscribers last week. What's up with that?!  Me thinks these were the folks who only subscribed for promised email subscribers exclusive giveaway galore... so buh-bye to them and that means I am NOW having a special Email Subscriber Only Giveaway!
*evil laughter*
Everyone that is getting this email in their inbox right now is eligible.
All you have to do to enter the giveaway is:
1-Forward this post that you received in your email to me at reviewer@BurtonBookReview(DOT)com
2-Comment on this post telling me you are entering.

The prize of the following three books is open to my current USA email subscribers, one lucky winner:
Against the Tide by Elizabeth Camden (read my review)
Safe in His Arms by Colleen Coble (ARC) (review coming 2/8/13)
Josiah's Treasure by Nancy Herriman (ARC) (review is way the heck out there, it's for HNR mag)

These have been read by me and therefore are gently used reviewer copies.

And they were all good ones, despite Nancy Herriman's woefully sad cover art!
 *bangs head*it's a cryin' shame*
The post should be emailed to you about 10:00AM on Monday morning, so look for it in your box then.

I will contact the winner on Wednesday AM, who will have till Thursday to send me their mailing address so I can mail their prize on Friday afternoon when I get off of work.

This is my Thank You to my loyal followers =) Be sure you sign up for Email updates in order to eligible for my next bundle of books giveaway!

Onwards to what I've been reading:
Frenchman's Creek by Daphne du Maurier
At times a bit slow, other times hilarious out loud funny... and that's when I was only about 75 pages in. And then I could not stop, it was fantastic stuff and I absolutely LOVED it. Review has been posted here.

Frenchman's Creek, set in 17th-century England, is an absorbing tale of adventure, danger and passion. Lady St. Columb is bored with fashionable life at Court so she sets off for the peace and freedom of her husband's Cornwall estate. Quite unexpectedly, she stumbles on the mooring place of the white-sailed ship belonging to the daring Frenchman who plunders the shores of Cornwall. It is only a question of time before this philosopher-pirate captures the heart of the lovely Lady St. Columb. Satisfying, romantic, swashbuckling action.

This title represents the second book (of 12 required) I've read towards the 2013 TBR Challenge, which means I am keeping the pace and doing well.  And so after reading that one, I continued with my bible reading (on to Proverbs now, squeeee!), and then started the new one I received below...

In the Mail:
Received for Review

Shadow on the Crown by Patricia Bracewell
A rich tale of power and forbidden love revolving around a young medieval queen

In 1002, fifteen­-year-old Emma of Normandy crosses the Narrow Sea to wed the much older King Athelred of England, whom she meets for the first time at the church door. Thrust into an unfamiliar and treacherous court, with a husband who mistrusts her, stepsons who resent her and a bewitching rival who covets her crown, Emma must defend herself against her enemies and secure her status as queen by bearing a son.

Determined to outmaneuver her adversaries, Emma forges alliances with influential men at court and wins the affection of the English people. But her growing love for a man who is not her husband and the imminent threat of a Viking invasion jeopardize both her crown and her life.

Based on real events recorded in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, Shadow on the Crown introduces readers to a fascinating, overlooked period of history and an unforgettable heroine whose quest to find her place in the world will resonate with modern readers.

Now THIS is a smashingly intriguing looking hardcover that will look good on my shelves, but before it gets there I am actually READING it, imagine that! (You'll believe it when you see it, eh?).. It is very very good, some minor foul language issues however, but still a very good story for me as I have not read of this era before.. I think it will be a good precursor, historically speaking, to another I am going to read soon, The Bastard King (The Norman Series; Volume 1) by Jean Plaidy which starts with William the Conqueror (totally new era for me). I have read many Medieval tales set in the days of Eleanor of Aquitaine, William Marshal and King John, so going backward a bit more is really necessary for me personally =)

Received for Review


The Forbidden Queen by Anne O'Brien (coming in March 2013)
1415. The Battle of Agincourt is over, and the young French princess Katherine de Valois is the prize to be offered to Henry V of England. The innocent Katherine is smitten with Henry, but soon understands that her sole purpose is to produce an heir to unite England and France. Henry will take Katherine, not for her beauty, not for a treaty of peace - but for nothing less than the glittering French crown itself. For Katherine, a pawn in a ruthless political game, England is a lion's den of greed, avarice and mistrust. And when the magnificent King leaves her widowed at twenty-one she is a prize ripe for the taking. Her enemies are circling, her heart is on her sleeve, her hand in marriage is worth a kingdom.

But Katherine is still young and passionate. Many desire her, and her hand in marriage is worth a kingdom. Setting aside those driven by ambition, Katherine falls in love with her servant Owen Tudor, and glimpses the happiness that love can bring. But their enemies are circling, all battling for power and determined to prevent their marriage. Katherine will have to fight to control her own destiny…


In this compelling and beautifully written book, Anne O’Brien tells the story of the innocent young princess, Katherine de Valois, a pawn in a ruthless political game between England and France, and the woman who founded the most famous royal dynasty of all – the Tudors.


Received for Review

What A Mother Knows by Leslie Lehr
An unsettling, emotional and suspenseful novel of the unshakable bonds of motherhood, in which Michelle Mason not only loses her memory after a deadly car crash, but can't find her 16-year-old daughter, the one person who may know what happened that day. But the deeper Michelle digs, the more she questions the innocence of everyone, even herself. A dramatic portrayal of the fragile skin of memory, What a Mother Knows is about finding the truth that can set love free.

I could not resist this one, which comes from a new line of Sourcebooks titles of Women's Fiction.
Since I had devoured a mother/daughter saga type book recently, I felt I should give this one a try also as a sort of guilty pleasure, to break up all the historical reads. And now I must stop accepting books for review!


On the Blog This Week:
I posted a little short in honor of the 200th Anniversary of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice and why I can now love my son's out-of-control hairstyle...(same son who is now sick with a fever yet again! I want SPRING!)

Reviewed The Tutor's Daughter by Julie Klassen, another fantastic piece of work from a fabulous historical regency author.

Reviewed that Mother/Daughter Saga title that I referred to above: With All My Love by Patricia Scanlan


What are you reading? Anything amazing this week?

The ties that bind us..

With All My Love by Patricia Scanlan
Simon & Schuster UK February 2013
Atria Books (US) July 2013
Contemporary Fiction
Review copy provided by the UK publisher, thank you!
Burton Book Review Rating: 4 stars

On a crystal clear Mediterranean day, Briony McAllister sits playing with her four-year-old daughter, Katie, while she waits for her mother, Valerie, to join them. Valerie has recently moved to a picturesque town in southern Spain to finally leave behind her turbulent past and find a peace that has always eluded her. Briony has no idea that in a few moments' time her relationship with her mother will change irrevocably. As Katie plays, Briony pulls from her bag an old photo album, found in a box in her mother's new home. As she begins to study the faded photos, a letter falls to the ground. It is addressed to her. My Darling Briony, it begins. As Briony reads the words with mounting shock, realisation dawns. Her mother lied to her about what happened with her beloved grandmother Tessa all those years ago - and denied Briony that most precious of relationships, the type of relationship Valerie now enjoys with Katie. The lives of three generations of women are set to change forever as the past is revisited and the truth unfolds through the undelivered letters Tessa wrote to Briony over the years. Secrets, lies, betrayals and sacrifices - the complex bonds between mothers, daughters and granddaughters are intricately explored as Patricia Scanlan takes us into the hearts and homes of a family at war.

If you tell me "heart gripping multi-generational saga", I'm all over it. With All My Love by Patricia Scanlan has written one here, with all the regrets, jealousies and tragedies that can be endured when writing about several generations of women. Tessa, grandmother to Briony, and Valerie, Briony's mother are all tied together through one special man, Jeff. Valerie and Jeff were sweethearts, and along came Baby Briony which disrupted all the parents' dreams for Valerie and Jeff. Many years later on a beach with her own young daughter, Briony finds a letter from her Grandmother Tess and realizes that there is an unforgivable secret that her mom Valerie kept from her.

The absorbing narrative is structured so that we can get all the angles and all the juicy tidbits from all of these likable characters through flashbacks and memories, as we experience their emotions and feelings as it happens. So many little themes intersect such as insecurities, consequences, jealousies, knee jerk reactions, karma.... abortion? Adoption? Does he love me? Betrayal! There are overbearing mothers whom we can't help but empathize with, despite their faults, and the unsupportive parents whom we actually can see they have a point. I am not going to go into the plot outline of the story, as it is full of the events one would expect from extended families (and more) who are emotionally intertwined through tragedy, but it is told in such a hypnotizing way making this a fantastic read for women of all ages (and I don't want to spoil anything!).

I had a few favorite characters, such as the best friend who was never far from Valerie, and Jeff's father who was supportive to everyone making him a perfect man. And then there were those we would tsk-tsk at, such as Valerie's horrible father Terence, and Jeff's mean-spirited selfish mother Tessa. They are forever tangled in the web they have woven, and only forgiveness and maturity can get them out with minimal scarring.

After this captivating novel, I will definitely be looking for more of Patricia Scanlan's work as I loved her fluid writing style. I highly recommend this for those who want a novel full of emotion, drama and love with unforgettable characters. Scanlan lives in Dublin, so the setting of Ireland was a nice added bonus to this contemporary story, and will probably be yet another bestseller for her.

In honor of the 200th Anniversary of Pride and Prejudice, Alyssa Goodnight and Courtney Webb from Stiletto Storytime are hosting a blog hop to commemorate it with our Austenesque memories and whatever else we can come up with! I signed up late for this one (last night!), and I realized that I had lots going on today on the blog, but I still wanted to share the love and help fellow lovers of Jane Austen celebrate the anniversary.

Everyone knows how Jane Austen's writings eventually became so influential and inspiring to many of her readers, and my fellow bloggers included! I actually have one and a half Austen reads under my belt, and that is Pride and Prejudice and Sanditon. I have seen several of the Austen movies, however, and the Masterpiece Special of Emma is my absolute favorite. Next up would be Persuasion, then the Northanger Abbey movies. I had bought the boxed set from BBC which has all of the BBC versions of the books, and I couldn't get through some of them, but I haven't tried very hard though. And Austen's last unfinished work, Sanditon, was a bit of a disappointment to me as well!

But for me (horrors!), it is not the famous FitzWilliam Darcy that makes me swoon and go goggly eyed. It's Captain Frederick Wentworth - quite specifically of the 2007 drama of Persuasion.

Rupert Penry Jones and Sally Hawkins as Capt. Wentworth and Anne Elliot

I still need to actually read Persuasion. But I can watch that movie a zillion times over, thank you. I think I should make myself a simple bookmark that says 'Captain Wentworth', then I can secretly smile as I think of him.. and me... I wonder if I can play Anne Elliot as well as Sally Hawkins..

EDIT TO ADD: I am cultivating my own mini Captain Wentworth!! It wasn't until I saw that precious lock of hair on the forehead... and it hit me.. ! My little man's once aggravating hairstyle was MEANT TO BE!!!!


There are TONS of Austenesque sequels out there, and they have been a delight to read! The last Austen-inspired novel I read was The Missing Manuscript of Jane Austen by Syrie James and that is a favorite read of Austenesque drama. I still need to read James' other Austen book, The Last Memoirs of Jane Austen and that is promising to be a good one as well. That's been on my shelf for several years waiting for that special day.

Another one I would recommend is Jane Austen Made Me Do It, which is a collection of Austenesque stories edited by Austen Blogger Extraordinaire, Laurel Ann Nattress of Austenprose.

Other authors I have read and enjoyed are Monica Fairview, Judith Brockmole, Abigail Reynolds, Amanda Grange and Jack Caldwell. There are many others on my shelf, just waiting to be read! Isn't it amazing how one author was able to inspire so much creativity, two hundred years later? What's your favorite Austen inspired sequel? Anyone that I absolutely MUST read?

Follow along the Twitter Fun with the hashtag #PP200

I had a few minutes to put this post together, but there are many other participants in the blog hop with some great Austen inspired posts, you can visit them here.

Another fantastic read from a favorite author!

The Tutor's Daughter by Julie Klassen
Available for purchase http://ow.ly/gI7qC
Bethany House January 1, 2013
Christian Historical Romance/Regency
Paperback 416 pages
Received for free in exchange for this review from publisher via LitFuse Publicity
Burton Book Review Rating: FIVE STAR FAVORITE



View other reviews and follow the tour with LitFuse!

Julie Klassen has a fantastic writing style that incorporates many of her favorite things: clever story lines, the hope of a thrilling romance, threads of faith and values - all while channeling Jane Austen and Jane Eyre. I loved her previous novel, The Maid of Fairbourne Hall, and I loved The Tutor's Daughter just as much.

It begins as Emma Smallwood is contemplating her future, as her widowed father is buried is despair and without hope, but our Emma takes matters into her own hands and secures a position for them as tutors at a prominent family estate. There is a prior history with the Westons and the boys of that family, but now Emma has to deal with the entire family all at once with all of their eccentricities, and as it turns out, family secrets. The Weston boys were quite a troop, with the evil step-mother to round them out, and I loved watching them interact with the shy but strong-willed Emma.

The 'secret' was pretty easy to figure out, and the sinister characters were also easy to spot but couldn't quite figure out why (Julian!), while the relationships of the characters and the execution of the plot was perfectly done. Adam was a character you wanted to break down walls to get to know, and I loved Emma and her father, and Henry Weston would certainly be Mr. Darcy material. The cover of the book is absolutely perfect for the novel set in nineteenth century Cornwall, and I found myself gazing at it while absorbing the story.

Knowing I was going to adore this story, I admonished myself to please read it slowly so that I could savor every word, but I couldn't help myself. I devoured this newest Klassen novel, and my only consolation is that I have yet to read her earlier works. Julie Klassen is sure to be one of my favorite novelists, especially for her non-preachy way to add God and His praise into her stories. Do not be afraid to pick up a novel by Julie Klassen if you fear being preached at, even though I do appreciate most Christian messages regardless. This one is worth your time and I would never hesitate to recommend Julie Klassen to lovers of Regency romances and the sweeter side of historical romances. I wouldn't doubt this one becoming Julie Klassen's fourth Christy Award Winner.

Mailbox Monday is a meme originally from Marcia's Mailbox and is being hosted by Lori @ Lori's Reading Corner this January.

The What Are You Reading meme is hosted by Sheila at Book Journey where we keep track of what we are currently reading and plan to read.


January is almost over, and I am happy to bid it goodbye. I am hoping Spring comes early this year as I do not like this icky cold and flu weather! Sinus headaches galore this season for me! I am happy to report that my little man is on the mend from his feverish episodes last week. I thank you for any of those who thought of him and prayed for him to get well, I appreciate it.

This week I managed to get some good Bible reading in, as I am finished with the Book of Job and now reading the Psalms and should finish those within a few days. There are a lot of them, and I absolutely LOVE the Psalms, there are so many fantastic messages within. And I am super eager to be preparing to get both of my kids baptized, and get the oldest into the First Communion classes as well, so that at the Easter service we will get all that done during the service! If anyone knows where to obtain inexpensive Baptism and Communion style clothing, please let me know! I'd be needing boys size 5 or 6, and Girls size 12.  If someone has anything I can borrow, I'd be welcome to that as well!

This week, I had finished reading Safe in His Arms by Colleen Coble (really enjoyed it), and then also just finished reading Josiah's Treasure by Nancy Herriman. This is the most horrid cover that I've seen for a NON self-published book; I messaged the author about it and she said that she is heartbroken her publisher won't rework the cover. So sad for her, especially when her last release (The Irish Healer) featured a much prettier cover. I did enjoy the story, but not as much as Coble's.

I just started to read Frenchman's Creek by Daphne DuMaurier today, a few pages into this one, which is part of my 2013 TBR Pile Challenge. I have not read Du Maurier in about 18 years so I am looking forward to sinking my teeth in!!


On the blog this week I reviewed The Forgotten Queen by D.L. Bogdan. If you are sick of the Tudors, do not be afraid to pick this one up. This was very much Margaret in Scotland related, and I really enjoyed this story of a lesser known Tudor.

I also posted the review of the chunkster by Elizabeth Chadwick, Lords of the White Castle. The novel Shadows and Strongholds is being reissued from Sourcebooks and Lords of the White Castle continues the story of the FitzWarins.




IN THE MAIL!
I received the order from Christianbook.com that I mentioned last week! Now you see why I had to do some rearranging of the bookshelves! Check out ChristianBook.com for some awesome inspirational fiction bargains. I can't recommend their services highly enough. These are the days that I wish I could just stay at home and read all day, there are so many good looking (and feel good!) stories here! The next three pics are all taken from my iPhone, and show the 13 books that I bought for a grand total of $17.62:



They Also Serve by by Pam Hanson, Barbara Andrews
Warm April showers bring new life to Jane's garden and new opportunities for the ladies of Grace Chapel Inn. Alice agrees to help Vera Humbert chaperone a school field trip to Philadelphia, but keeping track of a lively group of boys teaches her a few lessons of her own. Louise is left in charge of Nine Lives Bookstore and a most unusual helper, and Jane does everything she can to keep their beloved minister from leaving his position at Grace Chapel. Through their adventures, the sisters are reminded that serving others often leads to blessings for everyone. 

Something Old, Something New by Jane Orcutt
A celebrity author visits Grace Chapel Inn to finish her novel. Can the Howard sisters give her the quiet she needs? The whole town gets involved in the high-school genealogy project, and Aunt Ethel provides some surprise information about their own family's history. Meanwhile Jane is busy with preparations for a Grace Chapel wedding. Everyone seems ready to pitch in, but time is short!

Building Bridges by Carolyne Aarsen
Welcome to Grace Chapel Inn. Once you visit the charming village of Acorn Hill, you'll never want to leave. Here, the three Howard sisters reunite after their father's death and turn their family home into a bed and breakfast called Grace Chapel Inn. They rekindle old memories, rediscover the bonds of sisterhood, revel in the blessings of friendship and meet many fascinating guests along the way. As the dog days of summer wind down, the Howard sisters end up trying their hands at many new things. After a minor auto accident, Louise - accustomed to coaxing beautiful music from the piano and organ - learns to check tire guages, dipsticks and battery cables. Alice gets roped into helping Aunt Ethel on a new project, and employs hammers, saws and nails to try to keep up with her feisty aunt, and Jane has been commissioned to cater a very special dinner. The finicky hostess makes planning a menu a challenge, but learning to minister to a special group of guests may just be the trickiest task of all.

Rosemary for Remembrance by Sunni Jeffers
The winter doldrums have started in Acorn Hill, but the ladies of Grace Chapel have come up with a way to liven things up - a weekend retreat. While they plan their getaway, local farmer Samuel Bellwood is busy planning a surprise Valentine's Day vow renewal ceremony for his wife Rose to celebrate their anniversary. The whole town is pitching in to help plan the festivities, but Rose has a few surprises up her sleeve as well. Meanwhile, Jane befriends newcomers Kristin and Blair Casey. She sets out to help the young couple feel welcome in their new home and ends up helping their marriage in the process. The icy chill of winter is no match for the warmth of friendship and love in Acorn Hill.

All in the Timing by Melody Carlson
The week before Easter finds many surprises at Grace Chapel Inn. Alice's college beau Mark Graves comes for a visit and Alice finds herself facing feelings, and decisions, she never anticipated. And when a mysterious young man claiming to know Mark arrives at the inn, it only raises more questions, and his surly attitude means the Howard sisters need a huge dose of patience to survive his stay. Meanwhile, they get to know teenage guest Laura Winston, who is sullen and angry after an illness has left her blind; and Jane is preparing for a town wide Easter egg hunt. As they celebrate this special time of year, they all learn that some of the best things are not seen with eyes but felt with the heart.


Portraits of the Past by Rebecca Kelly
An antique trunk, an anonymous book of sketches and a long-buried secret plunge the Howard sisters right into the middle of a mystery at Grace Chapel Inn. Who made the exquisite drawings in the old sketchbook, and how did his work end up in a trunk in the attic? Meanwhile, the inn's guests, a man with a bowler hat and eccentric habits and a frustrated and frustrating artist, keep the sisters guessing, and a spat among some of the girls of Grace Chapel exposes old insecurities in all of them. As they come closer to understanding the truth, they understand more about their own family's past and what it means for their future.


Slices of Life by Judy Baer
Excitement is in the air as Acorn Hill prepares for the first all-county reunion. The three Howard sisters get into the spirit, and they look forward to catching up with old friends, but Grace Chapel Inn is busy with guests who need lots of attention, and prayer. Jane gets ready to face the girl who made her high school years difficult, and Alice ministers to a prickly visitor who keeps surprising them. Meanwhile, Louise tries her best to help a young couple staying at the inn. The couple wants to open a restaurant, but their differing visions just might tear them apart. Can the Howard sisters help them remember what's really important? And is the beloved Good Apple Bakery about to close its doors? As they help one another through tough decisions, the Howard sisters are reminded that faith is the best guide.


Texas Charm: Love Is in the Air Around Houston as Told in Four Complete Novels by DiAnn Mills
Charm and grace fill the bluebonnet state--from the hill country to the gulf coast to the arid desert. And in this four-in-one novel collection, women seek to find life's charm amid some of its deepest pain. When widowed Paula finds love again, will she lose her daughter? Can Kristi help Jack rekindle his faith in God... and in other people? Cassidy has repented of her prodigal teen years, but can she prove she's worthy of love? Can Rachel ever regain custody of her kids and pull her life together? God can bring charm from the chaos! Can God turn chaos into charm? Four contemporary Texas women find that the Lord does move in the midst of the most difficult life situations.

Too Rich for A Bride by Mona Hodgson
With a head more suited to bookkeeping than a bridal veil, Ida’s dreams include big business- not beaus. 

Ida Sinclair has joined her sisters, Kat and Nell, in the untamed mining town of Cripple Creek, Colorado for one reason: to work for the infamous but undeniably successful businesswoman, Mollie O’Bryan. Ida’s sisters may be interested in making a match for their determined older sister, but Ida only wants to build her career.

Under Mollie's tutelage, Ida learns how to play the stock market and revels in her promising accomplishments. Fighting for respect in a man's world, her ambition leaves little room for distractions. She ignores her family's reservations about Mollie O'Bryan's business practices, but no matter how she tries, she can't ignore the two men pursuing her affections—Colin Wagner, the dashing lawyer, and Tucker Raines, the traveling preacher.

Ida wants a career more than anything else, so she shrugs off the suitors and pointed “suggestions” that young ladies don’t belong in business. Will it take unexpected love—or unexpected danger—for Ida to realize where her priorities truly lie?




Tennessee Brides by Diane T. Ashley, Aaron McCarver
Can three women handle the drastic changes looming at their doorsteps in the Nineteenth Century Tennessee? Rebekah Taylor’s long-anticipated wedding is threatened by war with Britain. Iris Landon becomes nanny to two Cherokee orphans who draw persecution from the townsfolk. Amelia Montgomery inadvertently becomes involved with the Underground Railroad. Will adventure and danger lead each to the heart of romance?


Prairie Hills (South Dakota) by Susan May Warren, Paige Winship Dooly, Linda Ford
Ride the hill dotted prairie with three independent women. Emma Delaney is doing fine on her own until her daughter decides to play matchmaker. Hannah Williams relishes her freedom until a local rancher tries to solve all her problems for her. Lilly Clark is content with her choices until siding with an immigrant against prejudice puts her at odds with the whole town. Will each woman surrender when faith and love call to them?


Wild Prairie Roses (Iowa) by Lena Nelson Dooley, Lisa Harris, Laurie Alice Eakes
Join a quest for lost Civil War gold in the small town of Browning City, Iowa, where three women find a treasure worth far more than currency. Constance Miller comes to town on her father's dying request, only to walk right into a mystery. Tara Young's quest for gold is met with heavy competition. Lily Reese discovers her quiet town is hiding a deep and dangerous mystery. Will the men who come alongside them lead them deeper into danger or be the answer to their prayers?


Blue Ridge Brides (North Carolina) by Lynn A. Coleman, Lauralee Bliss
You'll be swept away on a bridal wave in these three historical stories of romance and courage. Join Beth Colman in her quest to find love and answers as John Harris leads her into the wilds of Roanoke Island. Team up with Ida Mae McAuley as she determines if her heart-and life-are safe in the hands of Olin Orr. Hit the road with Drusie Fields, the songbird of Sunshine Holler, as she leaves her fiance, Gladdie Gordon, to seek the limelight. Will these women find firm footing on the road to love in the Tar Heel State?

The Forgotten Queen by D.L. Bogdan
Kensington Books February 2013
Historical Fiction
 Review copy from the author, thank you!
Burton Book Review Rating: 4.5 stars

 From her earliest days, Margaret Tudor knows she will not have the luxury of choosing a husband. Her duty is to gain alliances for England. Barely out of girlhood, Margaret is married by proxy to James IV and travels to Edinburgh to become Queen of Scotland.

Despite her doubts, Margaret falls under the spell of her adopted home. But while Jamie is an affectionate husband, he is not a faithful one. And nothing can guarantee Margaret’s safety when Jamie leads an army against her own brother, Henry VIII. In the wake of loss she falls prey to an ambitious earl and brings Scotland to the brink of anarchy. Beset by betrayal and secret alliances, Margaret has one aim—to preserve the crown of Scotland for her son, no matter what the cost…

Read my previous D.L. Bogdan reviews

There are two contemporary Tudor novelists that I really enjoy and who I would not be adverse to reading their fifth or sixth book set in the era. Otherwise, a Tudor book by any author would not cross my threshold as I have had my full of the whole Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn episodes. With D.L. Bogdan's newest Tudoresque novel we are treated to a historical figure that always seems out of England/out of mind in my reads: Margaret Tudor, elder sister to Henry VIII and the favored Mary Tudor, Queen of France who later married Charles Brandon.

Margaret's story may not be too different than other royal princesses as they are marketed to the best match for their country and off they go, never to return to their homeland again. Margaret was sent by her father Henry VII to go make peace with Scotland and marry their King. That is what she attempted to do, and her marriage was portrayed lovingly and I enjoyed reading their story. There was always a constant struggle for Margaret, was she a princess of England or was she a Queen of Scotland? Margaret herself came off as naive, petulant, somewhat wild in nature, and wholly unpredictable. Which made the reading that much more fun (except when sometimes I felt like I was reading about Mary Queen of Scots! SO similar in character!)!

When we got to the parts where Margaret lost so much, I really empathized with Margaret that I was able to forgive her arrogant ways and horrible marriage choices. Her losses were many, and she seemed to stack up more losses than her counterparts such as Catherine of Aragon or even Anne Boleyn. And yet, we always hear SO MUCH more about Catherine and Anne. Due to Bogdan's captivating storytelling, I am more intrigued about Margaret Tudor, mother of King James V and eventual ancestress of the United Kingdom.

I recommend The Forgotten Queen for its quick pace, and for doing Margaret justice. Why she should always seem to be forgotten in novels and history is a mystery and a travesty for a woman who went through so much and ultimately gave so much to Scotland yet was not recognized for it. As I read through Bogdan's telling of Margaret's story, I felt her pain as she yearned for love and appreciation, and she finally achieved it with this reader.

Sphere UK Edition published in 2006

Lords of The White Castle by Elizabeth Chadwick
Historical Medieval Fiction
Originally published in Great Britain, 2000, by Little, Brown and Company
Paperback 678 pages
This copy from personal collection, ordered from Book Depository
Burton Book Review Rating: 4 medieval stars
Read an excerpt
Previous Elizabeth Chadwick Reviews at Burton Book Review

Synopsis:
A violent quarrel with the future King John destroys the young Fulke FitzWarin's greatest ambition: to become Lord of the White Castle. Instead of accepting his fate, Fulke rebels. But the danger pursuing Fulke reaches new heights as he begins a passionate love affair with Maude Walter - the wealthy widow chosen by John himself.

Negotiating a maze of deceit, treachery and shifting alliances, Fulke's route to success is fraught. And when the turmoil of the Magna Carta rebellion combines with a shocking tragedy, everything Fulke has fought for is thrown into the path of destruction.

I had just completed reading Chadwick's Shadows and Strongholds when in the Author's note Chadwick mentioned that a previous release of hers will continue the story of the FitzWarin family. I was so ecstatic, since I owned Lords of The White Castle for a year or so and was happy to keep on going with this medieval story of love and war. This novel picks up with Fulke FitzWarin, who is a few years younger than Prince John. If you've read Chadwick's William Marshal novels, you'll recognize this Prince John as the evil and malevolent King John in the Marshal novels. As a prince, he is no better. Prince John and Fulke are not friends from the onset, but Fulke still has to serve Prince John. He is still young squire at fifteen, and it was very intriguing to watch Fulke reach adulthood and see what he would do to win the FitzWarin castle back from my last read in Shadows and Strongholds so that he could finally become the lord of that White Castle.

Fulke le Brun is the main character from Shadows, and this novel jumps ahead to his son, Fulke in 1184 as he is a reluctant courtier in the court of Prince John. Fulke has five brothers, and they are similar to the Robin Hood/Three Musketeers legends as the band of brothers find themselves branded as outlaws once Fulke realizes that King John will never give back the land of FitzWarin's grandfather. It is this ultimate quest for Whittington that the story relies upon, but there are also layers and layers of story lines with many strong characters, which is where Elizabeth Chadwick is such a masterful storyteller. Fulke and John become bitter enemies, and their lives are punctuated like moves on a chess board, where such a game is the symbolism of the beginning of the paramount battle for superiority. Both men are stubborn and strong, and both men have those who are willing to support them in their quest to out maneuver the other.

I will admit that after devouring Shadows and Strongholds, I wanted to dive right into that same page turning atmosphere with Lords of The White Castle. But it ended up being a bit slow going for the first few hundred pages as it set the story up for the next generation (maybe it was a mistake for me to continue the story right away). It took awhile for Fulke to grow into manhood and for the love of his life to become available to him, and it wasn't until that happened that I felt we were finally getting somewhere. Still, with Chadwick's skill we are transported to the medieval era and we can feel as close to the main characters as we could possibly be. Fulke's wife Maude is a lady to be reckoned with, and I admired her tenacity and her intellect. The two as a couple were portrayed as blazing hot when together, which added an enjoyable romance element to the historical fiction. As the years went on, their love still held them together, in spite of the major issues that King John forced upon them which hindered Fulke's upmost need for the castle of Whittington. That was always his main concern, his raison d'être, even if it meant  harming his family politically. Sometimes he seemed like a blockhead because of the stubbornness.


The ending was sort of weird for me.. I normally feel a sense of euphoria over such a magnificent story of Chadwick's, but this time I was just glad I was done. It is a chunkster, and in hindsight I figure I should have let a bit of space in between reading the two FitzWarin stories so close together. This novel has many glowing reviews, as expected from a Chadwick novel these days and I would definitely recommend the story to those readers who enjoy romance, with a hefty dose of the vindictive King John. Just space out your King John reads! Don't forget, I absolutely LOVED Shadows and Strongholds, and you can read my review here.

Edit to Add: Sourcebooks will be reissuing this novel in the USA in September 2013, with a new title. Chadwick also said she cut huge chunks of it, so perhaps it won't be as close to 700 pages! Watch for The Outlaw Knight in September!

Mailbox Monday is a meme originally from Marcia's Mailbox and is being hosted by Lori @ Lori's Reading Corner this January.

The What Are You Reading meme is hosted by Sheila at Book Journey where we keep track of what we are currently reading and plan to read.


Hello bloggy friends. What a long week with daughter off at camp and me and the five year old toughing it out without her, with the husband working a crazy shift so he could be home when the kiddo gets home. And then the dreaded phone call from the school nurse that kiddo has a fever. And now Mommy feels like she's been run over with a truck and then repeat. Sometimes it is really hard work being a mommy, wife and someone who is also expected to be at the office for forty hours a week. Not to mention laundry, what a dirty word that is.

So, I'm feeling low and wishing for Spring. I like Texas for its fair weather, I do not like snow! We had SNOW and I had to drive in it! EEK! I don't know, maybe Al Gore had something right when he was warning us to watch out for that Global Warming thing, and we all said "hmmph.. Al Gore.. snort.." Le sigh.

Some pre-spring cleaning was in order for my personal collection of many, many books.. so I forced myself to condense and combine my Jean Plaidy/Philippa Carr/Victoria Holt Collection and put them all in one smaller spot since I NEED more room. Did some reshelving and created a bit more organization to allow for more collecting of the inspirational historicals that I've obtained over the past year, and also was able to move some other double stacked shelves around so I can see the random books better. Picked out some books that are ARCs that I'll give away, and six others that I am willing to put on Paperbackswap. I just hate running giveaways though, I just don't get as much traffic as I would like so it irks me when I am standing on line for thirty minutes at the post office to mail the books out and I didn't even get a great response. Vent over.

In my reading world, I finished up my second Elizabeth Chadwick book of 2013, which is the story of the FitzWarins and their generations long battle with King John for their castle. Lords of the White Castle review will post this week, and I had posted the review to Shadows and Strongholds last week. I LOVED Shadows, and I think that I was on medieval FitzWarin overload by the time I got to the middle of the Lords book. And that was a very long book. So I've got 1634 pages in for 2013 thus far with three novels finished.

Next up came The Forgotten Queen by D.L. Bogdan, to be released shortly.


From her earliest days, Margaret Tudor knows she will not have the luxury of choosing a husband. Her duty is to gain alliances for England. Barely out of girlhood, Margaret is married by proxy to James IV and travels to Edinburgh to become Queen of Scotland.

Despite her doubts, Margaret falls under the spell of her adopted home. But while Jamie is an affectionate husband, he is not a faithful one. And nothing can guarantee Margaret’s safety when Jamie leads an army against her own brother, Henry VIII. In the wake of loss she falls prey to an ambitious earl and brings Scotland to the brink of anarchy. Beset by betrayal and secret alliances, Margaret has one aim—to preserve the crown of Scotland for her son, no matter what the cost…


I have read many Tudor novels, but none that focused on Henry VIII's elder sister Margaret who was sent off to Scotland to marry their King. I knew of how Catherine of Aragon wanted to bring the body of that same King home when her troops killed him, and now we get to see Margaret's point of view as a widow and mother to the future young king. Somehow the book is channeling Mary Queen of Scots for me though.. their behavior is very similar.

Coming up next would probably be Safe In His Arms by Colleen Coble, as that is a review book that I've been neglecting in favor of the medieval world. There are so many books in my personal collection that I would like to get to also, but there's just not enough time in the day. I realized that I still have five of Philippa Gregory's romance novels that I haven't read yet, and I'm itching to read The Secret Keeper by Morton or The Cove by Ron Rash...and when things settle down I need to see if I can finally sink my teeth into a Dorothy Dunnett book.

Also on my Currently Reading pile is the Holy Bible, and I have just finished the Book of Job this weekend.  I was supposed to reading that when the itch to organize the books came, and then it was time to start dinner.. and then the FIRST DALLAS STARS GAME to be watched on Saturday night.. FINALLY Hockey is back! GO STARS! And then church, laundry, tend the sick kid... (please say some prayers for him; this is the first time in his five years that he has had a fever for three days straight so far). And so I worry worry worry.

It was a slow Mail Week, but I did snag some Kindle deals:


The Widow Makers: Strife by Jean Mead
The story is set in the quarrylands of North Wales amidst the Snowdonia Mountains, ancient castles, opulent Penrhyn Castle, grand mansions and the straggling cottages of a mountain community in the 19th century. A blend of fact and fiction, it traces the lives of two very different families.

Following a pit disaster in Manchester, Joe Standish takes his wife Emily and tiny son Tommy to live in North Wales where he settles to the hard and dangerous existence as a quarryman. Home life for Emily and Joe is happy but for the small problem of Tommy's increasing wilfulness. As the boy grows, his cleverness comes to the fore and he catches the attention of the quarry owner, Bertram Bellamy, who offers to educate the boy with his own son.

Growing into manhood, Tommy's life changes drastically, split between his working class family living in a simple cottage and the immensely rich benefactor in the grand mansion, Plas Mawr.

Unaware of the destructive force hidden behind Tommy's charm and charisma, Bertram Bellamy accepts and encourages him and the destiny and the destruction of the Bellamy family is shaped.

The Hammock: (A novel based on the true story of French painter James Tissot) by Lucy Paquette
The story of ten remarkable years in the life of James Tissot (1836 – 1902), who rebuilt – and then lost – his reputation in London.

By 1870, at age 34, he had become a multi-millionaire celebrity with an opulent new Parisian villa and studio among aristocratic neighbors near the Arc de Triomphe. Handsome and charming, his friends included the painters James McNeill Whistler, Edgar Degas, Édouard Manet, Lawrence Alma-Tadema and John Everett Millais. When the Prussians attacked Paris that year, Tissot became a sharpshooter in the artists’ brigade defending the besieged capital. After a bloody Communist rebellion, fought virtually at the doorstep of his mansion, he fled to London.

Amid suspicions that he was a Communist, he quickly rebuilt his brilliant career among the Industrial Age’s nouveaux riches. In 1876, Tissot took a young Irish divorcée as his mistress and muse. He referred to her only as “La Mystérieuse” and withdrew from Society to paint her in his garden paradise in the suburbs. Within three years, his pictures had pushed the boundaries of Victorian morality, and the British art establishment turned against him. In a debacle of friendship, fame and loss, his artistic heyday of painting a decade of glamour and leisure in London came to an end. Celebrated during his lifetime, Tissot has been nearly forgotten by all but art historians.

THE HAMMOCK is a psychological portrait, exploring the forces that unwound the career of this complex man. Based on contemporary sources, the novel brings Tissot’s world alive in a story of war, art, Society glamour, love, scandal, and tragedy.

Illustrated with 17 stunning, high-resolution fine art images in full color, courtesy of The Bridgeman Art Library. QED seal for quality in e-book design.

The 13th Resolution by Charles Sheldon (a classic)
Sheldon's classic story is now available again in this digital-first edition, retelling the story of James Blaisdell and his family, as they live out their faith and life in Kansas.

Exclusively Yours (The Kowalskis) by Shannon Stacey (a contemporary romance)
When Keri Daniels' editor finds out she has previous carnal knowledge of reclusive bestselling author Joe Kowalski, she gives Keri a choice: get an interview or get a new job.
Joe's never forgotten the first girl to break his heart, so he's intrigued to hear Keri's back in town--and looking for him. Despite his intense need for privacy, he'll grant Keri an interview if it means a chance to finish what they started in high school.


Treasure of Saint-Lazare by John Pearce (Historical Mystery)
INTRIGUE, ROMANCE AND DEATH IN PARIS
An old lover brings a cryptic letter to Paris, pulling Eddie Grant reluctantly into a treacherous web of intrigue and death -- but giving him a slim chance to find the terrorists who murdered his family seven years before.
It launches him on a dangerous quest through Paris and the Loire Valley for the most valuable piece of Nazi loot that remains missing, a famous Raphael self-portrait from the early 16th century, along with the crates of Nazi bullion that accompanied it -- all intended to finance the Fourth Reich.

Jen Wetzmuller, daughter of his father's World War II colleague in Army Intelligence, arrives in Paris, bearing a letter she found after he father was run down by a car on the streets of Sarasota. Its clues take Eddie from his Paris home to Florida, where he works to solve the mystery, barely escaping with his life. Then it's back home to burrow into the darkest reaches of the German occupation in search of the treasure. Along the way he and Jen restart the brief, fiercely passionate affair that he abandoned, to his regret, 20 years before Sarasota.
Most of all, Treasure of Saint-Lazare is a novel about Paris.

All Due Respect by Vicki Hinze (Romantic Suspense)
Dr. Julia Warner-Hyde must do the unthinkable: return to a life she thought she left forever --- the covert world of Air Force missile technology. Not long ago, she fled in terror, stalked by an abusive husband, beginning a new life as a teacher in the Florida panhandle. But her safe, quiet life is shattered the day her former partner, Dr. Seth Holt, appears, asking for help.
The Rogue missile system Julia and Seth designed has fallen into terrorist hands. Julia has no choice but to join Seth in a critical race to prevent the ultimate nightmare. And in doing so, she must revisit her own private hell --- one that won't let her go until she faces it head-on. Now, Julia and Seth, fellow warriors who've seen the worst life has to offer, must breach the highest security risk of all: trust ... and love.


Lady Crenshaw's Christmas (Miss Delacourt) by Heidi Ashworth (A short story)
Ginny and her beloved Anthony, Lord Crenshaw, are finally married and have spent the bulk of their first blissful six months of marriage in the country. However, Ginny must now hostess a Christmas ball at Dunsmere, the estate of the dowager Duchess of Marcross. How is a mere vicar's daughter to carry off such an event with no experience and little exposure to the ways of the ton? And how is she to meet the expectations of her Grandaunt Regina, earn the good graces of Anthony's uncle the Duke of Marcross, endure the spite of the duke's new wife, manage the hysterical escapades of Lucinda, Lady Avery, and find the perfect gift for her husband, all while expecting a babe? All these questions and more are answered in Lady Crenshaw's Christmas, a short story follow-up to two full length novels, Miss Delacourt Speaks Her Mind and Miss Delacourt Has Her Day available via Montlake Romance.


And since if was a slow mail week, I ordered no less than 13 books from ChristianBook.com, so that situation shall be remedied shortly and you'll see that haul soon! (Another reason I had to reorganize the library!) Christianbooks.com is having a fabulous fiction sale, and I have ordered from them a few times. I highly recommend their services, very fast and great value along with great products. I got a fabulous Latte mug from them also that is big enough to brew the travel size Keurig setting! Coffee Heaven! And now I'm on their mailing list so I am looking at their Early Spring 2013 Fiction catalog right now.. oh, so many fabulous new books coming out.. swoon...