#Blogtour Only Love Can Hurt Like This by Paige Toon

It’s a pleasure to take part in the Blogtour Only Love Can Hurt Like This by Paige Toon.

About the Author

Paige Toon is the Sunday Times bestselling author of eighteen books that have sold more than 1.5 million copies worldwide.

Paige writes sweeping, emotional love stories – filled with characters you’ll never forget and incredible settings – that take you on a unique journey. She tells nuanced stories with big, thought-provoking themes at their heart which leave you uplifted and believing in the power of love. She writes her novel from a converted camper van in the garden of her Cambridgeshire home. Follow @PaigeToonAuthor on Twitter

About the book

A love story with an earth-shattering secret at its core, this is without doubt Paige Toon’s most moving and heart-breaking novel yet.

Neither of them expected to fall in love. But sometimes life has other plans. When Wren realises her fiancé is in love with someone else, she thinks her heart will never recover. On the other side of the world, Anders lost his wife four years ago and is still struggling to move on.

Wren hopes that spending the summer with her dad and stepfamily on their farm in Indiana will help her to heal. There, amid the cornfields and fireflies, she and Anders cross paths and their worlds are turned upside-down again.

But Wren doesn’t know that Anders is harbouring a secret, and if he acts on any feelings he may have for Wren, it will have serious fall-out for everyone. Walking away would hurt Wren more than she can imagine. But, knowing the truth, how can she possibly stay?

Review

Was I the only one who caught an earworm because of the title of the book? Every time I read the title I can hear Paloma singing away in my ear. I wonder if the emotional honesty of these lyrics inspired the heartbreak of this story.

Saying that, the author gives the reader a good run for their money when it comes to the rollercoaster we call life. It can be exhausting, both emotionally, mentally and physically. Then equally life can be filled with moments of beauty and pure joy. This strange balance is what keeps us going and this book captures that really well. 

More importantly perhaps the story also speaks to how fast our truths and lives can change. One moment you’re expecting to spend the rest of your life with the man you love and the next minute you are wondering how you ended up heartbroken and alone. Then the emotional turmoil Anders experiences and causes in equal measure – loyalty and a sense of honour can be a burden and something to celebrate. Wren copes with this struggle extremely well.

It’s a great read – this author always manages to bring a realistic story with all the complications of relationships, tragedies and people just trying to live life without breaking every time an unexpected twist tries to bring you to your knees.

Buy Only Love Can Hurt Like This at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer. Publisher  : ‎ Penguin – Century PRH UK; pub date 27 April 2023 | Paperback Original | £8.99. Buy at Amazon com.

#Blogtour The Word is Love by Florence Keeling

 It’s my turn on the Blogtour The Word is Love by Florence Keeling.

About the Author

I was born in Coventry but now live in Nuneaton. I married the love of my life over 20 years ago and we have two almost grown up children. We share our lives with two mad dogs as well.

Writing is a great passion of mine, that one day I hope to be able to turn into a career but until that day comes, I will continue working in accounts and payroll. I also write for children as Lily Mae Walters. Follow @KeelingFlorence on Twitter or Insta – florence.keeling

About the book

Lucky in life but unlucky in love, Lucy Greenfield owns a successful carriage business along with her best friend Max, and they have never been busier since their shire horses gained fame from their roles in the hit movie A Little in Love.

Too busy for romance, Lucy is surprisingly swept off her feet when Spencer arrives seeking help with his horse, and something more from Lucy. As quickly as Lucy falls, she wonders if all is not as it seems. Max can prove it, but that means he will have to express his true feelings for Lucy.

Relationships are strained as secrets unravel, and Lucy needs to solve the riddle of words to best describe how she feels… For her best friend.

Together, they must overcome what’s keeping them apart before it’s too late, if they are going to realise that the word is love.

Review

Lucy and Max – it seems as if they have been friends forever. They have a great working relationship and Max has become part of the family over the years. The family business is thriving since their shire horses became a fan favourite after featuring in a hit movie, a romance no less.

The carriage business becomes a way to deliver the dream, the perception of perfection and a happily ever after. It also attracts quite a varied type of clientele, such as Spencer the entitled toff, who charms Lucy in an instant. It jolts Max into facing the reality of losing a friend or perhaps it’s more about losing someone who means something more to him than just a friend.

It’s very much a tale about not realising what you have until the possibility of losing it all becomes a reality. Taking people and relationships for granted, because the assumption is that will always be there for you. The truth is people aren’t always on the same wavelength when it comes to love.

It’s a lovely story with potential for expansion. The horses and the family business could be a great source of material, especially if they are at a different wedding each weekend. It could do with a little more emotional depth, but light and breezy is also a way to go.

Buy The Word is Love at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer. Publisher: ‎Parcel & Page pub date 8 Nov. 2022. Buy at Amazon com.

#Blogtour Should I Tell You? by Jill Mansell

A bit late, this is my turn on the Blogtour Should I Tell You? by Jill Mansell.

About the Author

Jill Mansell is the author of over twenty Sunday Times bestsellers including The One You Really Want and Meet Me at Beachcomber Bay.  Take a Chance on Me won the RNA’s Romantic Comedy Prize, and in 2015 the RNA presented Jill with an outstanding achievement award. 

Jill started writing fiction while working in the field of Clinical Neurophysiology in the NHS, but now writes full time. She lives in Bristol with her family. Follow @JillMansell on Twitter, Visit jillmansell.co.uk, 

About the book

Amber, Lachlan and Raffaele met as teenagers in the seaside home of kind-hearted foster parents. Arriving in glorious Cornwall was the best thing that ever happened to them – and now, as adults, their bond is stronger than ever.

But Amber has a secret. She’s in love with Lachlan. She can’t confess her feelings because that would never work. Restless Lachlan dates a lot and definitely isn’t the settling-down type. Surely it’s better to keep him as a friend than to risk losing him for good?

Raffaele has his own dilemma. He had the dream girlfriend in Vee, until it all went horribly wrong . . . and he still can’t understand why. Is Vee hiding something from him?

Now their widowed foster dad Teddy thinks he’s found love again. Younger, charming and strikingly beautiful, is Olga as perfect as she seems? Or will she end up breaking Teddy’s heart?

Against a backdrop of sparkling seas and sunny skies, the unexpected is always just around the corner. Welcome to Lanrock!

Review

Amber, Lachlan and Raffaele have the kind of bond that endures anything. Brought together by the isolation in their lives, and the people who were kind enough to take them on and show them love and respect. It’s easy to see why they might struggle individually with decisions in life, especially when it comes to experiencing love, friendship and genuine emotion from someone.

It makes it harder to be honest when relationships change from friendship to romantic love. It’s even harder when life has taught you that trust is something earned, especially when a lack of it is at the core of your very structure.

There is this scene in the last few chapters, which is probably supposed to be an amusing incident with the intent to show the level of anxiety and lack of confidence Amber has in herself and Lachlan. I didn’t think it was funny, quite the opposite really, and I am sure if the roles were reversed there would be an outcry.

It’s a light read. One that is steeped in insecurity and with an air of juvenile carelessness. Life is chaotic and so are relationships sometimes. Messy, complicated, and often never run in a straight line. If you doubt something or someone so much, the question is whether you should open yourself up wide enough to let them in – they might hurt you.

Buy Should I Tell You? at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer. Publishing in paperback by Headline Review on 9th June 2022, £8.99. Buy at Amazon com.

#BlogTour Just Haven’t Met You Yet by Sophie Cousens

It’s truly a pleasure to take part in the BlogTour Just Haven’t Met You Yet by Sophie Cousens. 

‘New York Times bestselling author Sophie Cousens is back with her second quirky, romantic tale of love, fate and why a simple mistake could be the secret to finding true love.’

About the Author

Sophie Cousens is a writer of romantic fiction based in Jersey, where Just Haven’t Met You Yet is set. Her previous novel published by Arrow, This Time Next Year, has reached huge success in the UK, having sold 150,000 copies across all formats in just six months. This Time Next Year has also achieved huge success in the US as a New York Times bestseller and Good Morning America Book Club pick.

Sophie previously worked in TV in London for over twelve years, producing The Graham Norton Show, Big Brother and Ant and Dec. Sophie has also previously published an eBook only romantic comedy novel How To Get Ahead In Television which was shortlisted for the 2015 Romantic Novelist Association Awards. She relocated from London to Jersey and balances her writing career with working for an arts charity, taking care of her two small children and enjoying small island life. Follow @SophieCous on Twitter or on Instagram

About the book

Tell me story of how you two met… Hopeless romantic Laura has spent her career as a journalist telling other people’s unbelievable love stories. But when it comes to her own love life, it seems she keeps looking for ‘the one’ in all the wrong places.

That is until she picks up the wrong suitcase at the airport by mistake and finds inside contents that just might belong to the man of her dreams. From romantic piano sheet-music to a battered copy of her favourite book, Laura knows this is the sign she’s been waiting for.

And if her job has taught her anything, it’s that when it comes to love, you can’t let opportunity pass you by. And so Laura is determined to track down the mysterious suitcase owner and her own happy ending. But fate, as always, might just have other ideas…

Review

Laura is convinced there is a perfect connection with a potential soulmate just waiting to happen to her. When she picks up the wrong suitcase at the airport and all signs point to the perfect man, then she gets slightly obsessed with finding him. 

Whilst retracing the path of her parents love story, and more or less stalking a stranger she has never even seen before, she encounters some hard truths and eye-opening revelations about herself and others.

I must admit it made me laugh, a lot. Laura’s energy, social awkwardness, bumbling mistakes, and quite frankly her naïve optimism – it all makes her a lovable character. You can’t help but go along for the ride. It’s as if she lives in this alternate universe where everything just falls into place eventually, no matter what kind of obstacle she encounters.

Cousens clearly has knack for storytelling and in equal measures for creating characters readers find relatable, and yet simultaneously they have an element of fantastical fictional characters. It’s exactly the right combination for a feel good and often funny read.

I think this is going to be a popular read. It hits all the right spots. A bit of nostalgia, a budding romance, friendship, a dab of comedy, and the hunt for Mr Right – also known as the elusive Mr Wrong Suitcase.

Buy Just Haven’t Met You Yet at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer. Publisher: Arrow; pub date 11th November 2021 – Paperback Original £7.99. Buy at Amazon com. At Waterstones.

#BlogTour High Blue Sky by Victoria Connelly

It’s my turn on the BlogTour High Blue Sky by Victoria Connelly.

About the Author

Victoria Connelly lives in a 500-year old thatched cottage in rural Suffolk with her artist husband, a springer spaniel and a flock of ex-battery hens. She is the million-selling author of two bestselling series, The Austen Addicts and The Book Lovers, as well as many other novels and novellas. Her first published novel, Flights of Angels, was made into a film in Germany. Victoria loves books, films, walking, historic buildings and animals. If she isn’t at her keyboard writing, she can usually be found in her garden either with a trowel in her hand or a hen on her lap. 

Follow @VictoriaDarcy on Twitter, Visit victoriaconnelly.com 

About the book

Summer has arrived and it’s over a year since strangers Abigail and Edward bought Winfield Hall at auction and restored it together. Now, two new tenants are about to join them at their beautiful Georgian home.

Workaholic Harry Freeman has forgotten what it is to relax so when he meets healer, Aura Arden, and learns to meditate with her, he can’t believe how good he feels and he soon finds himself falling for her. But, with her bare feet and crystal beads, Aura’s not a big hit with Harry’s old-fashioned parents, and he finds himself torn between the people he loves most in the world.

It isn’t just Harry and Aura finding love. Summer has woven its spell over Edward and his brother Oscar, and both are making a play for Abi. But Abi isn’t happy at having to choose between these two very different men and, when Oscar’s behavior spirals out of control, she realizes that some decisions can have devastating consequences.

High Blue Sky is the second novel in the heart-warming trilogy from the bestselling author of The Rose Girls and The Book Lovers series.

Review

This is the second book in the House in the Clouds series. Abi and Edward have finished renovating Winfield Hall and are ready to find the perfect candidates to share their spectacular home. Of course their choices are as different as night and day, which is also reflected in the way Abi chooses her love interests.

I love the whole idea of splitting up an old building or estate between two people who have different views about the people who should live there, as long as it isn’t acrimonious. There is nothing worse than having your safe haven disturbed, invaded and destroyed by nightmare neighbours. 

Also the idea of retreating from the rat race and having a peaceful place that allows you to take a breath. In all honesty it is only that way for a small group of the population. The majority either have no choice and have to accept the negatives that come with living in overpopulated areas or enjoy the rat race element of life.

Connelly delves quite deeply into the aspect of peace, taking time to relax and enjoy life, through the character of Aura. I think it’s an important aspect of wellbeing and health in our day and age. It’s a feel good read with some serious sub-plots, but the infusion of joy and good intention is woven throughout the story.

Buy High Blue Sky at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer. Buy at Amazon com.

#BlogTour Love Life by Nancy Peach

 It’s a pleasure to take part in the BlogTour Love Life by Nancy Peach.

About the Author

Nancy Peach is a writer of commercial women’s fiction, a mother of three, and an owner of various ridiculous-looking pets including a dog who unexpectedly grew to be the size of a small horse. She is a practicing doctor working for both the NHS and a national cancer charity, and has been writing (in a terribly British, embarrassed, secretive sort of way) for as long as she can remember. 

Nancy has been longlisted for the Comedy Women in Print Prize 2020 and shortlisted for the Harper Collins / Gransnet competition 2019. Her debut Love Life is published by One More Chapter at HarperCollins. She is a member of the Romantic Novelists Association and is represented by Tanera Simons at Darley-Anderson’ You can find her on Twitter at @Mumhasdementia on Instagram @nancy.peach and Facebook NancyPeach.Writer  

About the book

Dr Tess Carter is no starry-eyed Jane Austen heroine. After all, if your dad left without a backward glance and you found your last boyfriend in bed with another guy, you wouldn’t believe in romance either. And the voices in Tess’s head – you know, the ones that tell you you’re not good enough, not pretty enough, not clever enough – well, these voices are very loud. Very loud indeed. Especially when the proud and disagreeable son of one of her patients starts challenging her every decision.

Edward Russell might have a big job and a posh voice, but Tess is determined not to let him get to her, especially if she can get her inner monologue to stop with the endless self-sabotage. And Edward, it turns out, may be less of a prat than he first appears; he’s certainly handy in a crisis.

In the real world, where gentlemanlike manners and out-of-the-blue declarations of love are a story-book fantasy, it’s up to Tess to decide whose voice to listen to … and how to make her own heard.

Review

Tess is more than unlucky in love – more like a walking train wreck. At least her career is running smoothly, well until someone from the past returns, but unfortunately he doesn’t remember what happened between them. The two of them try to navigate professional and private relationships at the same time with little success

It’s often an emotional read, due to nature of the Tess’s work and the way Edward and Tess are connected, but perhaps more so because Tess is relatable. She is also very lucky have Jane in her ear – just saying.

What I really enjoyed about this concept was the angel and devil on your shoulder element, and as if that wasn’t enough to entertain the reader the author takes it one step further. With an homage to the world of literature, the grand dame of unrequited passion, love and complicated relationships – our angel with words of wisdom is Jane Austen herself. 

To counter the sensible, the prim and the proper is the devil himself – a tv talk show host. A man who revels in the salacious gossip, the misery, failure and misfortune of others. If whilst writing this a certain host of a popular now cancelled show was in mind, then I can only congratulate on the comparison, for he is indeed a pompous, egotistical man who believes himself to be better than others. He would indeed sneer and jeer from the sidelines.

The two figures narrate the life of our lovely doctor, and often influence her actions and words, as she finds herself in constant conversation with the image of her hopes and dreams, and simultaneously the image of her failure and self-doubt. It’s an incredibly clever plot and a delightful read.

Buy Love Life at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer. Publisher ‏: ‎One More Chapter pub date 16 Sept. 2021. Buy at Waterstones.

#BlogTour The Spanish House by Cherry Radford

 It’s a pleasure to take part in the BlogTour The Spanish House by Cherry Radford.

About the Author

Cherry Radford has been a keyboard player in a band, piano teacher at the Royal Ballet School and a post-doctoral scientist at London’s Moorfield’s Eye Hospital. She began her first novel in a coffee break at a scientific conference. She writes uplifting novels about identity, renewal and finding soulmate romance when you least expect it. 

Having inherited a love of Spain and its culture from her half-Spanish mother, all her novels have a Spanish connection or setting. The Spanish House is the first of three stories set in the starkly beautiful and unspoilt Cabo de Gata region of coastal Andalusia where she now lives. Se is married to a musician and has two sons. Follow @CherryRad on Twitter, Visit cherryradford.com

About the book

One bizarre to-do list to earn her inheritance. One Spanish summer. One huge family secret. Juliana makes a modest living as an ‘ethnic’ TV/film extra – even though the only connections with her Spanish heritage are her cacti, Spanish classes, and some confused memories of a Spanish mother she hasn’t seen since she was seven.

When her beloved Uncle Arturo offers her the chance to discover her roots while housesitting his coastal home in a quiet corner of Andalusia, Juliana can’t believe her luck. Especially when he reveals that the house will be hers if she fulfills ten life-enhancing ‘Conditions’ within 90 days.

Redecoration of the house and a visit to the old film studio where her mother used to sew costumes seem ridiculously simple tasks for such a wonderful reward. But little does Juliana realize that there are family secrets and inherited rivalries awaiting her in sunny Spain, and the condition that she has to ‘get on with the neighbors’ – who include a ruggedly handsome but moody artist – may be harder than she thinks.

Review

Used to being little more than an extra on a movie set and a footnote in her own life, Juliana jumps at the strange proposal her uncle sends her. The opportunity to connect with her mother’s Spanish roots, whilst doing a little refurbishment on her uncle’s house. A house that could belong to her one day, but only if she fulfills a long list of very peculiar conditions.

The chance to retrace the steps of the mother who suddenly abandoned her is enough of a draw, and the feeling of being at ‘home’ in Spain is what ultimately seals the deal. What she doesn’t expect is to have her life and expectations completely turned upside down.

This reminded me of The Summer House in Santorini by Parks/Gale in a sense that both authors have the ability to draw the reader into their surroundings with such clarity and reality. It’s a gift to be able to convey the emotional connection someone has with a country or specific place with such accuracy. Clearly the only downside is the fact many readers, including myself, find themselves wanting to travel, live-in and experiences these places.

It’s the perfect escapism read. It’s a feel good read with plenty of laughter – the goat needs its own spin-off – and filled with family secrets. What’s not to like? Oh, and what a wonderfully perfect ending.

Buy The Spanish House at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer. Publisher ‏: ‎Aria; pub date 12 July 2021. Buy at Amazon com.

#BlogTour Under a Greek Moon by Carol Kirkwood

 It’s a pleasure to take part in the BlogTour Under a Greek Moon by Carol Kirkwood

About the Author

Carol Kirkwood is one of the BBC’s most loved TV presenters, best known for presenting the weather. She lights up viewers’ homes every day, appearing on programmes such as BBC Breakfast, Strictly Come Dancing, Wimbledon Tennis Fortnight, and Zoe Ball’s Radio 2 Breakfast Show.

She is hugely popular with fans and Carol frequently trends on Twitter. Beyond the television screen, she can often be found ensconced in a book, singing, dancing, and driving fast cars. Follow @carolkirkwood on Twitter 

About the book

Hollywood actress Shauna Jackson left the Greek island of Ithos twenty years ago and thought she would never return. Reeling from a scandal that has tarnished her success, she is drawn back to the beautiful olive groves and endless azure skies – and to the secrets she has tried hard to forget. Looking down from his hilltop villa, enigmatic tycoon Demetrios Theodosis knows he can’t change the past, and looks to the future through his tempestuous daughter Ariana, but in trying to tame her free spirit, is he driving her further away?

Set against bleached white houses bounded by a sapphire sea, a yearning for the truth will compel them both to confront their shared past, and take them back to a distant summer that seemed to hold so much promise …

Review

Shauna has always had to swim against the tide when it comes to proving herself, especially to her parents. Never quite good enough and unwilling to follow the path laid out for her, she embarks upon the kind of adventure only teenagers and young adults can embrace so enthusiastically. Now decades later in the aftermath of death and a scandal she drawn back to those sun-filled days of happiness.

Demetrios has come to a time in his life when he is looking back upon what he has achieved, where his life could have gone and the feeling that perhaps he took a wrong turn somewhere. His present appears to tick all the boxes, doesn’t it?

This story has the undeniable influence of the romance stories of 80s and 90s. The heart wrenching confrontation and mystery of Shirley Conran’s Lace and the queen of drama herself, Jackie Collins. It is a tale of coming-of-age, love, passion and secrets that refuse to go away.

Kirkwood writes the kind of feel good story that delivers a little bit of everything, but not too much of one thing, which creates a perfect balance and a good read. For me it evoked feelings of nostalgia because it reminded me of the books, and often subsequent television series, that always promised a few hours of escapism.

Buy Under a Greek Moon at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer. Publisher ‏: ‎HarperCollins pub date 8 July 2021 | HB | £12.99. Buy at Amazon com.

#BlogTour Harper’s Highland Fling by Lizzie Lamb

 It’s my turn on the BlogTour Harper’s Highland Fling by Lizzie Lamb.

About the Author

After teaching her 1000th pupil and working as a deputy head teacher in a large primary school, Lizzie decided to pursue her first love: writing. She joined the Romantic Novelists’ Association’s New Writers’ Scheme, wrote Tall, Dark and Kilted (2012), quickly followed by Boot Camp Bride. She went on to publish Scotch on the Rocks, which achieved Best Seller status within two weeks of appearing on Amazon and her next novel, Girl in the Castle, reached #3 in the Amazon charts. 

Lizzie is a founder member of indie publishing group – New Romantics Press, and has hosted author events at Aspinall, St Pancras and Waterstones, Kensington, talking about the research which underpins her novels. Lizzie romance Take Me, I’m Yours, set in Wisconsin, also achieved BEST SELLER status >travel>USA. Her latest novel – Harper’s Highland Fling – has been declared her ‘best one yet’ by readers and reviewers. In it, two warring guardians are forced to join forces and set off in hot pursuit of a runaway niece and son. She has further Scottish-themed romances planned and spends most of the summer touring the Scottish Highlands researching men in kilts. As for the years she spent as a teacher, they haven’t quite gone to waste as she is building a reputation as a go-to peaker on indie publishing, and how to plan, write, and publish your debut novel 

 Lizzie lives in Leicestershire (UK) with her husband, David. She loves to hear from readers, so do get in touch . . . Subscribe to her newsletter

Follow @lizzie_lamb on Twitter, on Facebook, on LinkedIn, on Pinterest, on Amazon, Visit lizzielamb.co.uk, Buy Harper’s Highland Fling

About the book

After a gruelling academic year head teacher Harper MacDonald is looking forward to a summer holiday trekking in Nepal. Her plans are scuppered when her wayward niece, Ariel, leaves a note announcing she’s running away with a boy called Pen. The only clue to their whereabouts is a scribbled footnote: I’ll Be in Scotland. 

Cue a case of mistaken identity when Harper confronts the boy‘s father – Rocco Penhaligon – accusing him of cradle snatching her niece and ruining her bright future. At loggerheads, Harper and Rocco set off in hot pursuit of the teenagers, but the canny youngsters are always one step ahead.  And, in a neat twist, it is the adults who end up in trouble, not the savvy teenagers. 

Can Cupid convince Harper and Rocco that they have found their soul mates? Fasten your seatbelt for the road trip of your lifetime – It’s going to be a bumpy ride. 

Review

Harper is determined to find the boy who has turned the head of her niece and convinced her to run off. Imagine the shock when she finds the young boy is an older man. It infuriates Harper, enrages her even until she realises she has made a grave mistake.

Rocco is in fact the father of the suspect and irritated by the highhanded and obnoxious school teacher. It’s not exactly an ideal situation when the two of them set off on a trip across the country to save the two lovebirds from making any kind of long-term mistake or so they assume.

It’s very much a story of two people who perhaps wouldn’t have met under normal circumstances and certainly never connected. Given the extraordinary situation both Harper and Rocco are given the time to get to know each other on a completely different level more than just shallow and superficial.

Lamb gives readers an amusing combative couple who end up becoming connected in a way they didn’t expect. Love is hard to find, especially when you are not looking for it. The two of them become embroiled in a tug of war of words, emotions and actions, which culminates in a wonderful love story.

Buy Harper’ Highland Fling at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer. Publisher : http://www.goldcrestbooks.com, pub date November 9, 2020. Buy at Amazon com. 

#BlogTour A Wild Heart by Celeste De Blasis

It’s a pleasure to be taking part in the BlogTour A Wild Heart by Celeste De Blasis. A Wild Heart was originally published as Swan’s Chance.  

About the Author

Millions of readers have fallen under the spell of the lush, enthralling and bestselling novels by Celeste De Blasis. Tales of adventure and romance set against the sweep of history—all are storytelling at its finest. After graduating from Pomona College, Celeste devoted her life to impeccable research and spellbinding writing.  A native Californian, Celeste grew up on the historic Kemper Campbell Ranch in the Mojave Desert, where she lived until her death in 2001. 
Follow Celeste De Blasis on Goodreads, on Amazon, Buy A Wild Heart

About the book

Alexandria Falconer gazes around the honeyed land of Wild Swan, the extraordinary horse farm she built up from nothing in the border state of Maryland. It has been Alex’s sanctuary through years of turmoil, and she has come of age in this land of opportunity. But the storm clouds of civil war are gathering, and Alex knows she has a choice to make to protect her family and maintain the precarious peace at Wild Swan.
When Alex’s son dies tragically, she is shattered. It is only through caring for her adopted daughter, two-year-old Gincie, that Alex starts to overcome her grief and find comfort with her beloved husband Rane once more. But when Rane is called away to aid the Union war effort, she is left bereft.

Alex’s heart is with Rane, but at home she has the sole responsibility of shielding Gincie and the rest of her family from the danger creeping ever closer to their door. When a charming soldier arrives at Wild Swan, Alex reluctantly gives him shelter, but the two form a bond and when news arrives of Gettysburg, she is torn with worry for men on both sides of the battlefield. With Gincie by her side, she undertakes a dangerous journey to fight for her family, her principles, and the man who holds her heart…

Review

This is the second book in the Wild Swan trilogy, and although it can be read as a standalone novel I would certainly suggest reading the first book A Wild Hope, too. It gives the reader a complete picture of the trials and tribulations Alex has to overcome and because it is a family saga it also gives a gist of the entire story as we follow the family through different generations.

In this book the world Alex inhibits is changed forever when the family experiences tragedy and betrayal on a certain level. Comprehending that she is unable to keep everyone she loves safe is perhaps one of the reasons she finds comfort in those who share her passion for the four-legged gracious animals she loves.

Set within the traumatic and turbulent times of the American Civil War in a country torn apart by differences that would divide families and a whole country, we meet Alexandria Thaine now Alexandria Carrington Falconer as she does everything to ensure her family isn’t destroyed during destructive times.

Blasis combines the vibe of a bodice ripper with the important social and political issues of the era it takes place in and melds it with an intense family saga. She doesn’t shy away from the uncomfortable reality of those times, although they are presented in a manner befitting the charm of the genre. Slavery, women’s rights, the fate of immigrants and of course a war that was to change the landscape of a country and influence its people for many decades to come.

The breeding of thoroughbreds is linked intrinsically to the main character and mirrors the love, passion and idea she has of belonging and family. The horses are part of her legacy and very much a link to her past, present and future.

The result is a nostalgic read not because it is historical fiction, but because the genre is approached differently now in the 21st century. This has the feel of a certain style and voice that was popular a few decades ago when it was written, and indeed many a mini-series was made from books like this – not sure how many people remember North and South by John Jakes for instance. A specific type of romantic escapism that readers were eager to consume, perhaps just the right read to distract people from the worries we have in this era.

Buy A Wild Heart at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer. Publisher: Bookouture pub date 8 Dec. 2020. Buy at Amazon com. At Hive. At Apple. At Kobo. At Google.