Clem was born to dance and she desperately needs to get a scholarship at a prestigious ballet company to escape her bitter and cruel mother. But what sacrifices will she need to make in order to realise her dream?
The Dancer’s Promise is an historical family drama and love story set in 1936. There are few references to historical details and the characters and plot felt more modern.
Clem and Grace are sisters in London. Their mother has barely left her bed since her husband’s death but the arrival of a new neighbour spurs her on to matchmake for her beloved Grace to save the family from poverty. Clem knows that her sister isn’t suited to August and wants to claim him for herself to protect her sister from an unhappy marriage.
The book is written from Clem’s first person perspective. I really felt her frustration and hope as she dreams of freeing herself and her sister from their miserable home. Their mother is awful, emotionally abusive to her younger daughter which is quite unpleasant to witness.
I didn’t agree with all of Clem’s choices but I understood her desperation to escape her circumstances. The plot is engaging but it is perfectly clear from the beginning which couples should end up together. I liked the easy to read style of writing and Clem’s voice brings her story to life.
The Dancer’s Promise is an entertaining book about following your dream, finding love and acceptance.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
When their father loses their family fortune, and their mother locks herself away, sisters Grace and Clementine are left to raise themselves in a grand London house that is slowly falling apart around them.
Each of them is determined to one day restore their fortunes and their family name and make a promise to do just that.
Clementine dreams of being a star on stage, a celebrated ballerina who will tour the world, earning fame and fortune. She is adamant she won’t put her fate into a man’s hands but take charge of it herself.
Grace, in contrast, sees security in a good marriage. Their eligible new American neighbour, with wealth, charm and looks, seems like the perfect match.
But when Clementine falls unexpectedly in love, it throws both sisters’ lives into turmoil and forces each of them to ask if they are prepared to break their promise for a chance at true love…
About the Author
Olivia Horrox studied English Literature and Creative Writing at Bath Spa University, and wrote her dissertation on post-WW1 societal changes in The Great Gatsby which has inspired her own writing. She lives in London with her husband and a very cantankerous cat called Coco. Beautiful Little Fools was Olivia’s debut historical fiction novel, publishing September 2022.
1605, Bess discovers a shocking plot to kill the king but can she stop it? Present day, Isabella retreats to Crestwall Hall when her marriage ends. She finds a commonality with a woman from 4 centuries ago…
The Secrets of Crestwell Hall is a dual timeline historical novel set in England. The Gunpowder Plot provides the background to both narratives.
I love the Tudor era and this book is set just after Elizabeth I’s death as her successor James I reigns. His mother was Mary Queen of Scots so the Catholics thought he would be more sympathetic to their cause. However, their frustration about the king’s personal and political decisions led to the Gunpowder Plot.
Bess is struggling to cope with a new baby and a husband in the Tower for treason. She needs to protect herself and her family as best she can so is horrified to discover Catholic plotting close to home. Meanwhile in the present day Issy and her daughter are facing major upheaval and move in woth her aunt Thalia to restore Crestwell Hall to its former glory. Her ex husband isn’t making life easy so a treasure hunt gives her purpose and hope.
The pace is rather slow to begin with, especially in the 1605 plotline. I found it confusing and slow as all the family relationships are explained (it felt more suited to a non fiction book but quite unnecessary for fiction). The research is thorough and detailed. I liked the way that women in the seventeenth century as portrayed as having a subtle power despite the patriarchal control of men.
Due to my love of history, I was expecting to like the 1605 plotline more but I found the modern day plot more emotional and the characters seemed more human. I felt angry with Issy’s ex Keith: he seemed more of a villain that the plotters because his motivations were self serving rather than acting from conscience.
The Secrets of Crestwell Hall is a detailed historical novel alongside a more emotional present day plotline.
The Secrets of Crestwell Hall
‘A king adorns the throne… He has no subtlety, no grace but he does not deserve to die in the way that has been planned and this is why we shall stop them, our men, our kin and save us all.’
1605
Bess Throckmorton is well used to cunning plots and intrigues. With her husband Sir Walter Raleigh imprisoned in the Tower of London, and she and her family in a constant battle to outwit Robert Cecil, the most powerful man in the country who is determined to ruin her, Bess decides to retreat to her beloved home, Crestwell Hall. But there she is shocked to hear talk of a new plot to murder the king. So, unbeknownst to their menfolk, the wives of the plotters begin to work together to try to stop the impending disaster.
Present Day
Isabella Lacey and her daughter, Emily, are excited to be starting a new life at her aunt’s home, Crestwell Hall in Wiltshire. During renovations, Isabella discovers an ancient bible that once belonged to Bess Throckmorton, and to her astonishment finds that it doubled as a diary. As Isabella reads Bess’s story, a new version of the Gunpowder Plot begins to emerge – told by the women.
When Emily’s life is suddenly in terrible danger, Isabella understands the relentless fear felt by Bess, hundreds of years ago. And as the fateful date of 5th November draws ever closer, Bess and the plotters’ wives beg their husbands to stop before a chain of events is set into action that can only end one way…
Author Bio –
Alexandra Walsh is the bestselling author of dual timeline historical mysteries, previously published by Sapere. Her books range from the fifteenth century to the Victorian era and are inspired by the hidden voices of women that have been lost over the centuries. Formerly a journalist, writing for national newspapers, magazines and TV, her first book for Boldwood will be published in Spring 2023.
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TRIGGER WARNING: fertility issues, references to trauma
Detective Josie Quinn has gone to a retreat to try to retune her body and brain. But she struggles to prevent her detective side coming to the fore, and has no choice but to lead an investigation when one of the other attendees is found dead in the snow…
Face Her Fear is the 19th book in the Josie Quinn detective series set in America. The usual location is not used and Josie does not have her team around her as she becomes snowed in at a mountain retreat.
I have somehow managed to miss the last book in the series so was surprised to find that Josie and her husband Noah have argued about a sensitive topic. There are no spoilers about past cases but the continuance of personal plotlines makes me feel that the series is best read in order.
Josie has been through an awful lot of trauma and is finally seeking help. But she has secretly got her phone and finds it difficult to switch off. There are mentions of other traumatic events that have led to the characters seeking emotional support. The unexpected death of a fellow guest is clearly a murder so Josie does what is necessary to preserve the evidence and seek the truth.
I liked the additional tension of the restricted location and suspect range. Plenty of the characters are acting suspiciously and Josie has to keep her wits about her as she investigates. The dynamic was different in this book and there was also the contrast with Noah’s attempts to reach the retreat and atone for their disagreement.
Face Her Fear was a strongly plotted detective thriller.
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Media Pack Info Sheet:
Title: FACE HER FEAR
Author: Lisa Regan
Publication Day: JANUARY 30th 2024
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Audible:
Description:
Blood roars in Josie’s ears as they circle the tree in the deep snow. A woman lies still on the freezing ground. The howling wind lifts the last of the snow clinging to her face, exposing her lovely features, frozen in forever sleep.
Detective Josie Quinn is still recovering from the killing of a beloved member of her team when she and her husband Noah receive yet more devastating news. Close to her breaking point, Josie heads to a specialist trauma retreat,set in an isolated group of log cabins in the mountains of Pennsylvania. But fear is not far behind her. Josie’s five fellow patients all seem to be hiding secrets darker than just the problems that brought them there and a storm is gathering, with thick snow coming down fast, isolating the cabins from the world below.
Then one morning, Meg Cleary disappears. Having spent years living in terror of a stalker, Meg had come to the retreat to try to piece her life back together. But now, her cabin is empty, no logs are burning in her fireplace, no tracks in the snow lead to or from her door. Quickly organizing a search, Josie’s worst fear is realized when she finds Meg’s body lying in the snow, the marks around her neck revealing that her death was no accident.
And this is no normal case, as Josie is stranded without her team, a phone signal or any legal authority to investigate. When she discovers that someone has placed hidden cameras inside the retreat buildings, Josie’s terror grows with the knowledge that the murderer is among them.
Then another patient goes missing. With their food supplies running low and no chance of escape, Josie knows that she is in the greatest danger of her life, and that she alone has a chance to identify the killer and save the rest of the group before it’s too late…
A totally compelling and unputdownable crime thriller that will have you turning the pages late into the night, from an Amazon, USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestselling author. Perfect for fans of Angela Marsons, Robert Dugoni and Rachel Caine.
Author Bio:
Lisa Regan is the USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestselling author of the Detective Josie Quinn series. Lisa is a member of Sisters In Crime, International Thriller Writers, and Mystery Writers of America. She has a Bachelor’s Degree in English and Master of Education Degree from Bloomsburg University. She lives near Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in the U.S. with her husband, daughter, and Boston Terrier named Mr. Phillip.
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TRIGGER WARNING: sexual abuse, rape, adoption
1920s Loftam, England. Simon finds out the truth about his parents when he receives a huge inheritance from his biological mother. He travels to Spain to sort out his new business affairs and falls in love with Elise. But he already has a sweetheart back home…
Spanish House Secrets is a dual timeline historical novel set in the 1920s and 2019, in England and Spain.
The main focus of the book is on the life and loves of Simon. He becomes trapped in a love triangle, unable to choose between the two women he adores. I have really mixed emotions about his situation. He goes through some big upheavals emotionally as he learns the truth about his parentage. However his lack of decision making with regard to Livvy and Elise mean that both women suffer. To be honest, the 2019 plotline has no real relevance to the book and I don’t think it needed to be included.
The historical and geographical elements to the book were interesting and I liked Simon’s sister Serena gaining independence. Power play and patriarchy underpin many of the interactions and relationships in the book and made it difficult for me to like Simon. The style of writing is easy to read and brings the characters and plot to life.
However there was a lot of repetition with secret babies, grief and then finding companionship and love (it all felt a bit convenient) and don’t get me started on Fur Elise mentions (thought I was going to go mad if it was featured again!) I felt so angry at Simon’s brother William and kept waiting for him to get his comeuppance so was disappointed by the ending. That sounds a bit negative but I really enjoyed the majority of the book and was swept up in Simon’s life.
Spanish House Secrets is an engaging historical novel about an impossible choice.
Spanish House Secrets
In 2019 Grace’s memories from childhood are stirred by the sound of a melody. Her home in 1950’s England was a Spanish House. A house with secrets.
1920’s England…loveable, likeable Simon receives a letter on the eve of his twenty-first birthday. A letter that will change the course of his life.
Dainty, demure Olivia has so much to be thankful for: a doting husband, a beautiful house and a thriving business…but a nagging doubt. In the last years of the Roaring Twenties this doubt is compounded by the discovery of a discarded item.
Elise has known many harsh blows in her young life. Returning to her home in Madrid in 1922, she knows she must pick herself up and move on. Can she continue to live in this Spanish House? The arrival of a visitor creates a new dimension for her.
Spanish House Secrets is a story of love, life, loss, jealousy and forgiveness set in the twentieth century.
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Author Bio – Susan Gray lives with her husband in northeast England. She has a son and daughter, both married, two granddaughters and a grand dog. After a career in primary teaching, she embraced retirement fulfilling her ambition to travel, attend Wimbledon and write a novel. She enjoys reading, walking, crafting, doing puzzles, catching up with friends over a coffee and being a gran. She has written several novels – Spanish House Secrets is the first to be published.
Social Media Links –
I LOVE Sophie Kinsella but this is the first time I have tried her audiobooks… brilliant!
Effie’s parents suddenly split up and her dad decides to sell the family home to move abroad with his new love Krista. Effie has a fraught relationship with her dad and Krista, so she is not invited when they plan a party to say goodbye to the house. She is desperate to retrieve her precious Russian dolls so sneaks into the party to get them…
The Party Crasher is a humorous family drama with a splash of romance.
Effie was heartbroken when her parents split up. She thought they had the perfect relationship and suspects that her dad cheated with his new flame Krista. Krista sends invites to family and friends for a ‘house-cooling’ party to say goodbye to the family home. But Effie isn’t invited until she mentions popping by to get her dolls, and she responds by declining the forced invitation. Effie knows every nook and cranny of the house so she is able to sneak in. She does make contact with her brother and sister which reveals secrets that change her opinions. She also reunites with her old flame and finds her heart still belongs to him.
Some of the events are slightly madcap to add to the humour but the emotion of this book shines through. I am a very sentimental person so completely identified with Effie as she faces change with trepidation, even horror and grief.
I loved Effie’s character. She is vulnerable, impulsive and so easy to like as she faces the future and has to rethink her understanding of her family and experiences. Her interactions and relationships with others are a joy. I felt that the audio narration suited the book perfectly, bringing all of the characters to life but especially Effie.
The Party Crasher is a wonderful book about the humour and love in families that can get lost as changes happen.
The Party Crasher book blurb
It’s been over two years since Effie’s beloved parents got divorced, destroying the image of the happy, loving childhood she thought she had. Since then, she’s become estranged from her father and embarked on a feud with his hot (and much younger) girlfriend, Krista. And now, more earth-shattering news: Greenoaks, the rambling Victorian country house Effie called home her whole life, has been sold.
When Krista decides to throw a grand “house cooling” party, Effie is originally left off the guest list–and then receives a last-minute “anti-invitation” (maybe it’s because she called Krista a gold-digger, but Krista totally deserved it, and it was mostly a joke anyway). Effie declines, but then remembers a beloved childhood treasure is still hidden in the house. Her only chance to retrieve it is to break into Greenoaks while everyone is busy celebrating. As Effie sneaks around the house, hiding under tables and peeping through trapdoors, she realizes the secrets Greenoaks holds aren’t just in the dusty passageways and hidden attics she grew up exploring. Watching how her sister, brother, and dad behave when they think no one is looking, Effie overhears conversations, makes discoveries, and begins to see her family in a new light. Then she runs into Joe–the love of her life, who long ago broke her heart, and who’s still as handsome and funny as ever–and even more truths emerge.
But will Effie act on these revelations? Will she stay hidden or step out into the party and take her place with her family? And truthfully, what did she really come back to Greenoaks for? Over the course of one blowout party, Effie realizes that she must be honest with herself and confront her past before she’ll ever be able to face her future.
