I Can't Wait for... Yesterday's Tides by Roseanna M. White (Can't-Wait Wednesday/Waiting on Wednesday) #CWW #WOW #histfic #christfic #romancebooks #BHPFiction #newbooks @bethany_house @RoseannaMWhite


Can't-Wait Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted here, at Wishful Endings, to spotlight and discuss the books we're excited about that we have yet to read. Generally they're books that have yet to be released. It's based on Waiting on Wednesday, hosted by the fabulous Jill at Breaking the Spine. If you're continuing with WOW, feel free to link those up as well! Find out more here.

Sorry for this being a day late! We've been sick a lot, making my days blur together and I made the mistake of not scheduling this already.

 I've been a fan of this author for some time and enjoy her historical settings mixed with a bit of mystery and romance. Her upcoming release is my pick this week...

Yesterday's Tides
By Roseanna M. White
Christian Historical Romance, Suspense
Hardcover, Paperback, Audiobook & eBook, 416 Pages
January 24, 2023 by Bethany House Publishers

Summary

In two world wars, intelligence and counterintelligence, prejudice, and self-sacrifice collide across two generations

In 1942, Evie Farrow is used to life on Ocracoke Island, where every day is the same--until the German U-boats haunting their waters begin to wreak havoc. And when special agent Sterling Bertrand is washed ashore at Evie's inn, her life is turned upside down. While Sterling's injuries keep him inn-bound for weeks, making him even more anxious about the SS officer he's tracking, he becomes increasingly intrigued by Evie, who seems to be hiding secrets of her own.

Decades earlier, in 1914, Englishman Remington Culbreth arrives at the Ocracoke Inn for the summer, never expecting to fall in love with Louisa Adair, the innkeeper's daughter. But when war breaks out in Europe, their relationship is put in jeopardy and may not survive what lies ahead for them.

As the ripples from the Great War rock Evie and Sterling's lives in World War II, it seems yesterday's tides may sweep them all into danger again today.

(Affiliate links included.)


Will you be reading this one?

A delightful story with a family of sisters... The Sisters of Sea View by Julie Klassen (Review) @Julie_Klassen @Bethany_House #SistersofSeaView #JulieKlassen #HistoricalRomance #RegencyRomance #InspirationalFiction #NewBooks #BookTwitter #AustenprosePR


Welcome! I've been a fan of this author since before I started blogging, so over ten years. Her characters and the places they live always come alive and I'm always said to leave at the end. This story is no different. You'll find my review below...

The Sisters of Sea View
(On Devonshire Shores #1)
By Julie Klassen
Historical Romance, Inspirational, Regency
Hardcover, Paperback & eBook, 448 Pages
December 6, 2022 by Bethany House Publishers

Summary

Some guests have come for a holiday, others for hidden reasons of their own . . .

When their father's death leaves them impoverished, Sarah Summers and her genteel sisters fear they will be forced to sell the house and separate to earn livelihoods as governesses or companions. Determined to stay together, Sarah convinces them to open their seaside home to guests to make ends meet and provide for their ailing mother. Instead of the elderly invalids they expect to receive, however, they find themselves hosting eligible gentlemen. Sarah is soon torn between a growing attraction to a mysterious Scottish widower and duty to her family.

Viola Summers wears a veil to cover her scar. When forced to choose between helping in her family's new guest house and earning money to hire a maid to do her share, she chooses the latter. She reluctantly agrees to read to some of Sidmouth's many invalids, preferring the company of a few elders with failing eyesight to the fashionable guests staying in their home. But when her first client turns out to be a wounded officer in his thirties, Viola soon wishes she had chosen differently. Her new situation exposes her scars--both visible and those hidden deep within--and her cloistered heart will never be the same.

Join the Summers sisters on the Devonshire coast, where they discover the power of friendship, loyalty, love, and new beginnings.

Advance Praise

“Jane Austen fans will delight in this nimble series launch…Klassen excels at weaving her various story lines, each emphasizing the colorful qualities of her characters and allowing them the space to shine. Readers will be eager for the next installment.” —Publisher’s Weekly (starred review)

Praise for the Novels of Julie Klassen

“Julie Klassen delights with a winsome love story…” —Publisher’s Weekly, on A Castaway in Cornwall

“…a wonderfully engaging novel full of intriguing characters and storylines. I highly recommend it and can’t wait for more in the series.” —Laura Gerold, Laura’s Reviews, on The Innkeeper of Ivy Hill

(Affiliate links included.)


My Review

THE SISTERS OF SEA VIEW is a story about a mother and her four daughters who are trying to make ends meet after the loss of their father and a change of circumstances. Set in a seaside town lends a small-town feel as well as the relaxation of being near the ocean. The family with the four sisters immediately draws the reader into their comradery while providing quite distinct voices and perspectives to readers. A touch of romance and plenty of heart top this story off perfectly. A true delight to read!

I literally felt like I was visiting with an old friend as I dove into this story. The author always does such a marvelous job of bringing characters and settings to life and this was definitely the case here. I could easily relate to these woman as they try to navigate their new life with all its heartbreaks, challenges and joys. I didn't have any issues telling between the sisters once I'd experienced each of their point a views, especially as their voices and personalities were all distinct. I loved the romance woven throughout, even with its touch of heartbreak, and the touch of an inspirational message. I also loved seeing some of these woman come into their own. Not everything ended up all prettily tied up at the end, but I loved that as well. Much more true to real life and there is the hope for more stories about this family in the future where some resolution might occur, and it made for a wonderful heartwarming read that I didn't want to leave.

In the end, was it what I wished for? This was a thoroughly enjoyable read! I loved getting to know this family and the town they were trying to make their new home. I was sad to leave and am definitely looking forward to the next book in this series!

Content: Clean
Source: I received a complimentary copy from the publisher through Austenprose PR, which did not require a positive review. All opinions are my own.

Intro to the Book



About the Author



Julie Klassen loves all things Jane—Jane Eyre and Jane Austen. Her books have sold over a million copies, and she is a three-time recipient of the Christy Award for Historical Romance. The Secret of Pembrooke Park was honored with the Minnesota Book Award for Genre Fiction. Julie has also won the Midwest Book Award and Christian Retailing’s BEST Award and has been a finalist in the RITA and Carol Awards. A graduate of the University of Illinois, Julie worked in publishing for sixteen years and now writes full time. She and her husband have two sons and live in a suburb of St. Paul, Minnesota.

Check out an interview with the author HERE!

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Pinterest | Instagram | Goodreads

Are you a fan of this genre or this author? What sounds good to you about this book?

New Releases/#Free & Bargain Books for November 21st - 27th #freebook #booksale #booklinkup #booklinky


Here are the New Releases / Free & Bargain Books, hosted by
Sharon over at Beck Valley Books, for this week! Check it all out below...

Authors please feel free to add your own books.
Readers please free to add your own finds.
(any genre except erotica welcome)

This weekly link up is hosted by Beck Valley Books & these awesome book loving blogs...

For Pre-orders post - PRE-ORDER / genre / title /author
For New Releases post - NEW / genre / title / author
For Free Books post - FREE / genre / title / author / end date 
For Bargain Books post - SALE / price / genre / title / author / end date
(Strictly no Erotica please.  Steamy romance is fine but watch those covers people, incase any underage child is viewing it!)

Here is this weeks awesome selection!


By adding your link, you acknowledge that the information you provide will be used in accordance with our Privacy Policy and transmitted to Inlinkz in accordance with their Privacy Policy.

Would you like to share our linkup on your site? click here
Would you like to become a weekly host? sign up here

Come back and check out the new selection every week!

I Can't Wait for... Dear Henry, Love Edith by Becca Kinzer (Can't-Wait Wednesday/Waiting on Wednesday) #CWW #WOW #newbooks #romancebooks #cleanromance @TyndaleHouse @BeccaKinzer


Can't-Wait Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted here, at Wishful Endings, to spotlight and discuss the books we're excited about that we have yet to read. Generally they're books that have yet to be released. It's based on Waiting on Wednesday, hosted by the fabulous Jill at Breaking the Spine. If you're continuing with WOW, feel free to link those up as well! Find out more here.

I'm a huge You've Got Mail fan, so this one immediately sounded like a story I'd love. I also read a story with a similar premise some years ago and wish I could remember the title, but I loved it. I'm definitely looking forward to loving this one. It's my pick this week...

Dear Henry, Love Edith
By Becca Kinzer
Contemporary Romance, Christian
Paperback, Audiobook & eBook, 348 Pages
January 31, 2023 by Tyndale House Publishers

Summary

He thinks she’s an elderly widow. She’s convinced he’s a grumpy old man. Neither could be further from the truth.

After a short and difficult marriage, recently widowed Edith Sherman has learned her lesson. Forget love. Forget marriage. She plans to fill her thirties with adventure. As she awaits the final paperwork for a humanitarian trip to South Africa, she accepts a short-term nursing position in a small Midwestern town. The last thing she needs is a handsome local catching her eye. How inconvenient is that?

Henry Hobbes isn’t exactly thrilled to have Edith, who he assumes is an elderly widow, dumped on him as a houseguest for the summer. But he’d do almost anything for his niece, who is practically like a sister to him given how close they are in age. Especially since Edith will be working nights and Henry works most days. When he and Edith keep missing each other in person, they begin exchanging notes—short messages at first, then longer letters, sharing increasingly personal parts of their lives.

By the time Henry realizes his mistake—that Edith is actually the brown-eyed beauty he keeps bumping into around town—their hearts are so intertwined he hopes they never unravel. But with her departure date rapidly approaching, and Henry’s roots firmly planted at home, Edith must ultimately decide if the adventure of her dreams is the one right in front of her.

Reminiscent of the beloved classic You’ve Got Mail comes a delightful new romantic comedy about mistaken identities, second chances, and finding love in unexpected places.

(Affiliate links included.)


Will you be reading this one?

A gritty murder mystery set on Nantucket during the holidays... Death on a Winter Stroll by Francine Mathews (Excerpt) @SBarronAuthor @Soho_Press @Austenprose #DeathonaWinterStroll, #MerryFolgerMystery, #FrancineMathews #ChristmasMystery #DetectiveMystery #NewBooks #Booktwitter #AustenprosePR


Welcome to my tour stop! Read more about this new mystery below...

Death on a Winter Stroll
(A Merry Folger Nantucket Mystery #7)
By Francine Mathews
Traditional Detective Mystery, Holiday Reading
Hardcover, Audiobook & eBook, 288 Pages
November 1, 2022 by Soho Crime

Summary

No-nonsense Nantucket detective Merry Folger grapples with the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic and two murders as the island is overtaken by Hollywood stars and DC suits.

Nantucket Police Chief Meredith Folger is acutely conscious of the stress COVID-19 has placed on the community she loves. Although the island has proved a refuge for many during the pandemic, the cost to Nantucket has been high. Merry hopes that the Christmas Stroll, one of Nantucket’s favorite traditions, in which Main Street is transformed into a winter wonderland, will lift the island’s spirits. But the arrival of a large-scale TV production, and the Secretary of State and her family, complicates matters significantly.

The TV shoot is plagued with problems from within, as a shady, power-hungry producer clashes with strong-willed actors. Across Nantucket, the Secretary’s troubled stepson keeps shaking off his security detail to visit a dilapidated house near conservation land, where an intriguing recluse guards secrets of her own. With all parties overly conscious of spending too much time in the public eye and secrets swirling around both camps, it is difficult to parse what behavior is suspicious or not—until the bodies turn up.

Now, it’s up to Merry and Detective Howie Seitz to find a connection between two seemingly unconnected murders and catch the killer. But when everyone has a motive, and half of the suspects are politicians and actors, how can Merry and Howie tell fact from fiction?

This latest installment in critically acclaimed author Francine Mathews’ Merry Folger series is an immersive escape to festive Nantucket, a poignant exploration of grief as a result of parental absence, and a delicious new mystery to keep you guessing.

Advance Praise

“This fast-moving mystery packs in a lot, but never too much, and will work for fans of coming-of-age stories, police procedurals, and romance.” —First Clue
 
“Fresh, well-wrought prose brings the setting of Nantucket to life. Mathews consistently entertains.” —Publishers Weekly
 
“Christmas and death come to Nantucket . . . Plenty of fascinating characters and myriad motives make for an exciting read.” —Kirkus Reviews
 
“Mathews consistently places relationships at the forefront of her mysteries, and Merry's unique blend of tenacity and humanity makes her a heroine to root for.”—USA Today bestselling author Karen Odden, author of the Inspector Corravan mysteries

(Affiliate links included.)

Excerpt


One of the perks of being police chief was the ringside seat Merry Folger commanded for certain critical moments. For instance, this Saturday morning—the first weekend in December, with the sun high in the sky and a brisk, cold wind driving whitecaps across the water as a Coast Guard cutter sailed toward Straight Wharf.

Her white SUV with the distinctive navy and gray police markings was parked where no cars were allowed, within the Christmas Market barricades that blocked the wharf’s access to town. She and Peter were lounging against the bumper in their most festive winter gear. Merry’s father, John, was inside the car staying warm. They were waiting for Santa Claus to dock.

Nearby was the Town Crier and some of the town’s Select- persons who would escort the Man in Red to his island sleigh, a vintage firetruck owned by the Nantucket Hotel. Santa would stand in the back, waving, while the Town Crier walked ahead, ringing his bell, announcing the glad tidings of great joy.

“Look at that guy,” Peter muttered in her ear as a man roughly their age walked by, natty in sunglasses, a suit, and a knotted Stroll scarf. Nothing abnormal about that, except that the suit had red and green stripes with white death’s-heads and fists stamped all over it.

“Kind of like North-Pole-meets-Venice-Beach-tattoo-parlor,” Merry suggested. “You prefer the blonde, I take it?”

The blonde wore a minidress covered in hot pink sequins and thigh-high boots made of fake mink. She had a jingle bell on each boob.

Every third person in the crowd—and there were about ten thousand people in town, jockeying for the best viewing spots— was dressed in ways bizarre or wonderful. The color and noise and exuberance were thrilling after the cheerless quarantine holidays, and Merry was grinning helplessly. She glanced over her shoulder and gave her dad a thumbs-up. John was drinking coffee laced with peppermint schnapps in his passenger seat. He saluted her with his mug.

The sight of him sitting alone jolted her suddenly, as it did whenever she looked for her grandfather, Ralph Waldo Folger, and remembered he’s gone now. The freshness of loss stunned her each time like a blow to the face.

Merry had known her eighty-nine-year-old grandfather was vulnerable in the pandemic. She and John had talked by phone daily about ways to keep Ralph safe. As a frontline worker exposed for the duration to a germ-laden public, Merry had stayed scrupulously away from her childhood home on Tattle Court throughout the first waves of sickness. Peter arranged for grocery deliveries twice a week and dropped supplies from Marine Home at John’s front door. And Ralph was healthy for nearly a year: social distancing on his daily walks, wearing a mask when he ventured into town. He contracted Covid nine days before he was scheduled for his first vaccine.

Nantucket Cottage Hospital had five ventilators; Ralph never made it to one of them. Sickening on a Friday, he was delirious by Sunday and medevacked to Boston in the wee hours of Monday. Intubated, he lingered in a medically induced coma for four days.

What dropped Merry to the floor when they got the news, sobbing and hugging her knees as though she’d been sucker punched, was the fact that her careful distance hadn’t mattered a darn. Ralph was alone when he died. And she hadn’t seen or touched him for a year before that. Of all the pandemic’s cruelties, this was the coldest.

Her father thrust open the car door and stepped out to the paving beside her. “Boat’s in,” he said.

She linked her arm through his as the cutter drew along- side. A couple of ensigns jumped off with sheets in their hands and moored the steel-gray vessel to the wharf’s stanchions. The Town Crier hailed the boat, Santa waved, horns blared, the drum corps drummed. Merry and Peter and John whooped along with everyone else. Despite the logistics and the responsibilities, she was nominally handling, despite her underlying grief, joy shot through Merry as she fell into step behind the Selectpersons and jauntered after Santa’s firetruck. For the length of Main Street at least, she was uncomplicatedly happy.

It felt like the whole island celebrated with her.

Chapter 10, pg. 69-71

From Death on a Winter Stroll © 2022, Francine Mathews, published by Soho Crime

About the Author


Francine Mathews was born in Binghamton, New York, the last of six girls. She attended Princeton and Stanford Universities, where she studied history, before going on to work as an intelligence analyst at the CIA. She wrote her first book in 1992 and left the Agency a year later. Since then, she has written thirty books, including six previous novels in the Merry Folger series (Death in the Off-Season, Death in Rough Water, Death in a Mood Indigo, Death in a Cold Hard Light, Death on Nantucket, and Death on Tuckernuck) as well as the nationally bestselling Being a Jane Austen mystery series, which she writes under the pen name Stephanie Barron. She lives and works in Denver, Colorado.


Are you a contemporary mystery fan? Will you be reading this one?

New Releases/#Free & Bargain Books for November 14th - 20th #freebook #booksale #booklinkup #booklinky


Here are the New Releases / Free & Bargain Books, hosted by
Sharon over at Beck Valley Books, for this week! Check it all out below...

Authors please feel free to add your own books.
Readers please free to add your own finds.
(any genre except erotica welcome)

This weekly link up is hosted by Beck Valley Books & these awesome book loving blogs...

For Pre-orders post - PRE-ORDER / genre / title /author
For New Releases post - NEW / genre / title / author
For Free Books post - FREE / genre / title / author / end date 
For Bargain Books post - SALE / price / genre / title / author / end date
(Strictly no Erotica please.  Steamy romance is fine but watch those covers people, incase any underage child is viewing it!)

Here is this weeks awesome selection!


By adding your link, you acknowledge that the information you provide will be used in accordance with our Privacy Policy and transmitted to Inlinkz in accordance with their Privacy Policy.

Would you like to share our linkup on your site? click here
Would you like to become a weekly host? sign up here

Come back and check out the new selection every week!

A complex mystery with an endearing inspector... Under a Veiled Moon by Karen Odden (Review) @Karen_Odden @CrookedLaneBks @Austenprose #UnderaVeiledMoon #InspectorCorravanMystery #KarenOdden #HistoricalMystery #VictorianMystery #DetectiveMystery #NewBooks #Booktwitter #AustenprosePR


Welcome to my tour stop! Check out this recently released mystery and my review below...

Under a Veiled Moon
(An Inspector Corravan Myster #2)
By Karen Odden
Historical Mystery, Detective Mystery, Victorian Myster
Hardcover, Audiobook & eBook, 336 Pages
October 11, 2022 by Crooked Lane Books

Summary

In the tradition of C. S. Harris and Anne Perry, a fatal disaster on the Thames and a roiling political conflict set the stage for Karen Odden’s second Inspector Corravan historical mystery.

September 1878.
 One night, as the pleasure boat the Princess Alice makes her daily trip up the Thames, she collides with the Bywell Castle, a huge iron-hulled collier. The Princess Alice shears apart, throwing all 600 passengers into the river; only 130 survive. It is the worst maritime disaster London has ever seen, and early clues point to sabotage by the Irish Republican Brotherhood, who believe violence is the path to restoring Irish Home Rule.

For Scotland Yard Inspector Michael Corravan, born in Ireland and adopted by the Irish Doyle family, the case presents a challenge. Accused by the Home Office of willfully disregarding the obvious conclusion and berated by his Irish friends for bowing to prejudice, Corravan doggedly pursues the truth, knowing that if the Princess Alice disaster is pinned on the IRB, hopes for Home Rule could be dashed forever.

Corravan’s dilemma is compounded by Colin, the youngest Doyle, who has joined James McCabe’s Irish gang. As violence in Whitechapel rises, Corravan strikes a deal with McCabe to get Colin out of harm’s way. But unbeknownst to Corravan, Colin bears longstanding resentments against his adopted brother and scorns his help.

As the newspapers link the IRB to further accidents, London threatens to devolve into terror and chaos. With the help of his young colleague, the loyal Mr. Stiles, and his friend Belinda Gale, Corravan uncovers the harrowing truth—one that will shake his faith in his countrymen, the law, and himself.

Advance Praise

“[An] exceptional sequel . . . Fans of Lyndsay Faye’s Gods of Gotham trilogy will be enthralled.” —Publishers Weekly, starred review
 
“Victorian skulduggery with a heaping side of Irish troubles.” —Kirkus Reviews
 
“Charismatic police superintendent Michael Corravan is back in a gripping sequel about the mysterious sinking of the Princess Alice. Odden deftly weaves together English and Irish history, along with her detective's own story, in a way that will keep readers flipping pages long into the night.” —Susan Elia MacNeal, New York Times bestselling author of Mother Daughter Traitor Spy and the Maggie Hope series.

(Affiliate links included.)

My Review

UNDER A VEILED MOON is about a disaster that brings more questions than answers as the main character tries to find the truth. With an endearing main character and a well-written story, readers are sure to enjoy immersing themselves in this Victorian world of police work amidst political tension, family complexities, and Irish gangs as the mystery unfolds.  

This was a story that easily held my attention. It starts off with a death that turns out to be a mysterious murder and then more tragedy ensues as the plot thickens. The pace is steady with touches of family kinship and drama, slight romance, and political maneuvering. Plus the way Inspector Corravan thought and went about investigating I found to be intriguing. I enjoyed the author's writing style immensely and the ease it allowed in connecting with the main character as well as feeling immersed in his world. There was plenty of complexity and unknowns as the investigation proceeds, with the pieces slowly fitting together until a somewhat heartbreaking, climatic and satisfying end.

In the end, was it what I wished for? This was a thoroughly enjoyable mystery. Definitely a series worth following for mystery fans!

Content: References to violence, but mostly off page, and some non-descriptive references to marital affairs, as well as some swearing.
Source: I received a complimentary copy from the publisher through Austenprose PR, which did not require a positive review. All opinions are my own.

Author Interview

Read an exclusive interview with author Karen Odden HERE.

About the Author


Karen Odden
earned her Ph.D. in English from New York University and subsequently taught literature at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. She has contributed essays to numerous books and journals, written introductions for Victorian novels in the Barnes & Noble classics series and edited for the journal Victorian Literature and Culture (Cambridge UP). Her previous novels, also set in 1870s London, have won awards for historical fiction and mystery. A member of Mystery Writers of America and Sisters in Crime and the recipient of a grant from the Arizona Commission on the Arts, Karen lives in Arizona with her family and her rescue beagle Rosy.



Do you enjoy historical mysteries? Will you be reading this one?

I Can't Wait for... Meriden Park by Julie Daines (Can't-Wait Wednesday/Waiting on Wednesday) #CWW #WOW #newbooks #cleanromance #historicalromance @covenant_comm @juliedaines


Can't-Wait Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted here, at Wishful Endings, to spotlight and discuss the books we're excited about that we have yet to read. Generally they're books that have yet to be released. It's based on Waiting on Wednesday, hosted by the fabulous Jill at Breaking the Spine. If you're continuing with WOW, feel free to link those up as well! Find out more here.

I just love this author and I love stories set in this time period! It's my pick this week...

Meriden Park
By Julie Daines
Historical Romance
Paperback, Audiobook & eBook, 240 Pages
December 5, 2022 by Covenant Communications

Summary

Following her childhood rescue from the gutters of Calcutta, Mary Grace’s life has been an astonishing rags-to-riches tale. The Wellings raised the half-Indian orphan with all the love and care the childless couple possessed, allowing her to grow into a beautiful and refined woman. But upon Mr. Welling’s death, it is time for Mrs. Welling to take Mary home to England―home to Meriden Park.

Despite her genial nature, Mary is received with suspicion by the villagers. For his part, however, Mr. Robert Markham is intrigued by the curious new beauty in town. Determined to make her acquaintance, he offers Mary a bargain she can’t refuse: a hot cross bun for a kiss. That seemingly innocent exchange is the first of many encounters between Robert and Mary, whose friendship blossoms into love during long walks in the privacy of Sherwood Forest. But the shadows of the forest hide a sinister secret, one Mary fears Robert might be a part of. As the mystery of the recent string of murders creeps closer and closer, Robert and Mary are drawn into a dangerous game, and unless she can unearth the truth, the couple risks losing one another forever.

(Affiliate links included.)


Will you be reading this one?

A Gothic tale full of suspense and romance... Beneath His Silence by Hannah Linder @BarbourBuzz @Austenprose #BeneathHisSilence #HannahLinder #HistoricalSuspense #RegencyRomance #GothicRomance #InspirationalFiction #NewBooks #BookTwitter #AustenprosePR


Welcome! I'm sharing about this debut today. You can find out about
this new author in her interview here. Check out more info below...

Beneath His Silence
By Hannah Linder
Historical Romantic Suspense, Inspirational Fiction
Paperback, Audiobook & eBook, 320 Pages
November 1, 2022 by Barbour Publishing

Summary

Will Seeking Justice Lead to Her Own Demise?

A Gothic-Style Regency Romance from a Promising Young Author

Second daughter of a baron—and a little on the mischievous side—Ella Pemberton is no governess. But the pretense is a necessity if she ever wishes to get inside of Wyckhorn Manor and attain the truth. Exposing the man who killed her sister is all that matters.

Lord Sedgewick knows there’s blood on his hands. Lies have been conceived, then more lies, but the price of truth would be too great. All he has left now is his son—and his hatred. Yet as the charming governess invades his home, his safe cocoon of bitterness begins to tear away.

Could Ella, despite the lingering questions of his guilt, fall in love with such a man? Or is she falling prey to him—just as her dead sister?

Advance Praise

"Fast-paced danger and suspense from an exciting newcomer to Regency fiction."— Julie Klassen, award-winning author of A Castaway in Cornwall

"A strong story of loss and forgiveness, resentment surrendered to faith, and the mercy of God. Readers will enjoy this turbulent mystery with a smile-worthy ending."— Kristen Heitzmann, Christy Award-winning author of Secrets and The Breath of Dawn

"This book has everything I love...a dark and broody hero, a spunky heroine on a mission, and a deeply delicious creepy manor home. Beneath His Silence is a rather gothic tale set in Regency England, filled with plenty of intrigue, danger, and romance to make for a very satisfying read."— Michelle Griep, Christy Award-winning author of Lost in Darkness

(Affiliate links included.)

Excerpt


Henry was ill-prepared for the sight and unaccustomed to the odd sensations. He couldn’t have said if the sensations were warm or cold, if they comforted or inflicted—only that he was transfixed. He could not move.

She sat in the chair he usually occupied, with her elbows on the upholstered armrests, Peter in her lap, his fingers twirling one of her stray curls.

She did not fuss at him for it, nor did she even seem to notice. She read in tones soft, animated, as if the story had come alive to her. “‘For Dolly’s charms poor Damon burn’d. Disdain the cruel maid return’d: but, as she danc’d in May-day pride, Dolly fell down, and Dolly died—’”

“Died?” Peter leaned up.

“Died indeed,” echoed Miss Woodhart, brows raised theatrically.

With eyes wide and solemn, Peter settled back and listened.

Henry should have made himself known. He knew that. It was a breach of etiquette to linger in the doorway as a common eavesdropper.

But if there was comfort for him here, he could not disrupt it. He had always wanted his son to have the one thing he himself had never possessed—a mother’s love.

Yet that was the very thing he had ripped from Peter’s life. The very thing he could never give back.

“‘And now she lays by Damon’s side. Be not hard-hearted then, ye fair! Of Dolly’s hapless fate beware! For sure, you’d better go to bed, to one alive, than one who’s dead.’” A smile dimpled her cheek as if to soften the extremity of such a mature theme as death. Then her eyes lifted, roamed the room—paused and rounded.

Henry emerged from the doorway. “You have an impressive voice, Miss Woodhart.”

Peter climbed off her lap, and she snapped the book shut. “I was not aware I had an audience.”

Was she scolding him? He rather thought so. Didn’t the woman know her place? And for heaven’s sake, why was he not rankled by her unseemly candor? How odd that he should be amused by such a chit of a girl.

“Papa, it has stopped raining.” Peter tugged at his coat. “May I go out of doors?”

“I believe it would be in order to ask your governess.”

His eager grin turned toward Miss Woodhart. “May I?”

“Yes, and I shall go with you.”

He clapped his hands and squealed, but his spirits dampened some when Henry instructed him to return the book to the library first. He pelted from the room.

“And do not run in the house,” Henry shouted after him.

“I need not be in suspense as to why you are here.” Miss Woodhart remained seated, but her back arched and stiffened. “Though I do not know what I might do now, with the exception of apologizing.”

Henry stared at her. What was she talking about?

“Which I am very good at,” she added.

“Good at what, Miss Woodhart?”

“Apologizing.” Her head cocked. “But should you not first care to hear my opinion of the painting? I assure you, my lord, I shall not dare say she is solemn.”

Unease tightened around his throat. “It seldom matters to me what others think.”

“With my opinion falling among the least, I presume.” She glanced away for a moment, sighed, then returned her gaze to him with no small amount of prejudice. “My apologies nonetheless, my lord. It shall not happen again.”

Peter bounded into the room again panting for breath. She rose to greet him.

“Won’t you come too, Papa?”

He shook his head. “Another time.”

Hands clasped, Miss Woodhart and his son quit the room. The sounds of his happy chatter, the feathery trail of her laugh… They melted into a silence he knew all too well.

If only she would love his son. If only she would offer him what no woman ever had, a mother’s faithful heart.

Every little boy needed that.

Henry knew.



* * *



Ella shuddered and drew her wrapper tight around her. Thunder shook the sash window of her bedchamber. Lightning brightened the darkness, illuminating the raging sea—then the world plunged back into blackness.

How odd that she should desire to sit here, with her fingertips pressed against the cold glass, and her position so close to the turmoil outside. It was late enough that the house was doubtless asleep. She had no wish to prowl in the night, to venture out into passageways that were black and endless.

Yet it was something she must do. This was, after all, the reason she had come.

Taking her pewter candlestick, she slipped quietly into the hall. At various times when she knew herself to be alone, she had investigated all the rooms on this floor. She had discovered nothing. She had also searched below stairs, but since there were no bedchambers, she had found very little to interest her.

Thus, she approached the stairway and started up. The steps creaked beneath her, as if from lack of perpetual use, and the feeble candlelight invaded deep shadows.

She reached the landing.

Dark, empty space spread out before her, but she was not so afraid as to turn back. No. She most certainly would not do that. Courage was her virtue—wasn’t it?

She had great difficulty swallowing, but such could easily be explained, for the hallway was dusty and stifling. She padded to the first door and tested the knob. It turned with a small creak, but she hesitated. What if she stumbled into Lord Sedgewick’s chamber?

No, it was not possible. Lord Sedgewick was located in another wing of the house—Peter had informed her so. There was no chance she would be discovered. She had never seen anyone approach this floor, least of all the lord himself.

She pushed inside the room and swept around with her candle. Nothing. It appeared to be little more than an old guest room, long since abandoned if the dust was any indication.

She continued down the hall, opening doors, peering in alcoves, slipping in and out of shadowy places.

She entered another bedchamber and leaned inside.

Candlelight spread a glow across a canopy bed, a dressing commode, a Sheraton fire screen, a bookshelf…

Ella’s heart leaped to her throat. The bookshelf. Of course there would be one, of course it would be here. Lucy would dare not go anywhere without her volumes.

Ella’s hands shook as she approached. She brushed her fingers against the dusty spines, recognizing many of them, wondering why no one had missed them from her father’s library.

How Mother would have scolded her sister for taking them from the house. It was the only defiant thing Lucy had ever done in her life.

A roar split the air.

Ella jumped, whirled. Her heart settled when she realized it was only thunder. She was being as fearful and timid as Matilda. A smile upturned her lips at the thought, and she turned—

Movement caught her eye. Something small, then a rustling noise.

Her stomach lurched. Her flesh raised in goosebumps. With a throbbing chest, she lifted her candlestick.

Light cast itself into darkness. The bed was illuminated.

I have the greatest of imaginations. Sweat formed on her skin. It is only the storm—

The bed creaked, as if under a weight. The curtains rippled.

A scream lodged in her throat, but she flew away so quickly the light flickered into darkness. She darted into the hallway. She ran blindly, cupping her mouth. It wasn’t the storm.

She found her bedchamber and locked the door with her key. Dear heavens, it wasn’t the storm.

Chapter 5, Pages 60-64


Book Trailer


About the Author


Hannah Linder resides in the beautiful mountains of central West Virginia. Represented by Books & Such, she writes Regency romantic suspense novels. She is a double 2021 Selah Award winner, a 2022 Selah Award finalist, and a member of American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW). Hannah is a Graphic Design Associates Degree graduate who specializes in professional book cover design. She designs for both traditional publishing houses and individual authors, including New York Times, USA Today, and international bestsellers. She is also a local photographer and a self-portrait photographer. When Hannah is not writing, she enjoys playing her instruments--piano, guitar, and ukulele--songwriting, painting still life, walking in the rain, and sitting on the front porch of her 1800s farmhouse.



Are you a fan of Gothic romances? Will you be reading this one?

I Can't Wait for... In Love's Time by Kate Breslin (Can't-Wait Wednesday/Waiting on Wednesday) #CWW #WOW #christianromance #wwi #fiction #histfic #newbooks #BHPFiction @bethany_house


Can't-Wait Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted here, at Wishful Endings, to spotlight and discuss the books we're excited about that we have yet to read. Generally they're books that have yet to be released. It's based on Waiting on Wednesday, hosted by the fabulous Jill at Breaking the Spine. If you're continuing with WOW, feel free to link those up as well! Find out more here.

I've enjoyed the other books I've read from this author and this one set during WWI sounds like it will be really good. It's my pick this week...

In Love's Time
By Kate Breslin
Christian Historical Romance
Hardcover, Paperback & eBook, 400 Pages
December 13, 2022 by Bethany House Publishers

Summary

At the height of World War I, two sweethearts face impossible odds in this powerful tale of courage, duty, and heartbreak.

In the summer of 1918, Captain Marcus Weatherford arrives in Russia on a secret mission, with a beautiful ballerina posing as his fiancée. He's there to find the Romanov tsarina and her son and glean information about a plot to assassinate Lenin. As the danger intensifies, Marcus's sense of duty battles with his desire to return home to Clare, the woman he truly loves, before it's too late.

Military hospital orderly Clare Danner still suffers from Marcus's betrayal after learning he's engaged to another woman. Clare also fears losing her daughter, Daisy, to the heartless family who took her away once before. Only Marcus can provide the critical proof needed to save Daisy, but when an injury leaves him powerless to help, Clare's fate--and the fate of the top-secret mission--hangs in the balance.

"In Love's Time is an exceptional story of courage and sacrifice, fidelity and love against all odds, set amid the intrigue and danger of 1918 Europe. Riveting!"--Laura Frantz, Christy Award-winning author of The Rose and the Thistle

(Affiliate links included.)


Will you be reading this one?

The finalists for The Christy Award 2022 + #Giveaway! @ChristyAward @justreadtours #christianfiction #christfic


Welcome to my post sharing about The Christy Award Finalists organized by
ECPA and hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours! Congrats to these finalists!

The Christy Award Finalists 2022

CONTEMPORARY ROMANCE


All That Really Matters by Nicole Deese (Bethany House/ Baker Publishing Group)
Bookshop by the Sea by Denise Hunter (Thomas Nelson Publishers)
Husband Auditions by Angela Ruth Strong (Kregel Publications)

FIRST NOVEL


All That Is Secret by Patricia Raybon (Tyndale House Publishers)
Recorder by Cathy McCrumb (Enclave Publishing, a division of Oasis Family Media)
Sugar Birds by Cheryl Grey Bostrom (She Writes Press)

GENERAL FICTION


The Letter Keeper by Charles Martin (Thomas Nelson Publishers)
The Secret Keepers of Old Depot Grocery by Amanda Cox (Revell/ Baker Publishing Group)
Under the Magnolias by T. I. Lowe (Tyndale House Publishers)

HISTORICAL


Between the Wild Branches by Connilyn Cossette (Bethany House/ Baker Publishing Group)
Drawn by The Current by Jocelyn Green (Bethany House/ Baker Publishing Group)
The Widows of Champagne by Renee Ryan (Love Inspired)
Yours is the Night by Amanda Dykes (Bethany House/ Baker Publishing Group)

HISTORICAL ROMANCE


As Dawn Breaks by Kate Breslin (Bethany House/ Baker Publishing Group)
Hope Between the Pages by Pepper Basham (Barbour Publishing)
Shadows of Swanford Abbey by Julie Klassen (Bethany House/ Baker Publishing Group)
Until Leaves Fall in Paris by Sarah Sundin (Revell/ Baker Publishing Group)

MYSTERY/SUSPENSE/THRILLER


Aftermath by Terri Blackstock (Thomas Nelson Publishers)
The Barrister and the Letter of Marque by Todd M. Johnson (Bethany House/ Baker Publishing Group)
On the Cliffs of Foxglove Manor by Jaime Jo Wright (Bethany House/ Baker Publishing Group)

SHORT FORM


A Texas Christmas Carol (in Under the Texas Mistletoe) by Karen Witemeyer (Bethany House/ Baker Publishing Group)
Mr. Nicholas: A Magical Christmas Tale by Christopher de Vinck (Paraclete Press)
False Pretense by Heather Day Gilbert (WoodHaven Press)

SPECULATIVE


A Time to Seek by Tracy Higley (Stonewater Books LLC)
Dark Intercept by Brian Andrews & Jeffrey Wilson (Tyndale House Publishers)
Recorder by Cathy McCrumb (Enclave Publishing, a division of Oasis Family Media)
Windward Shore by Sharon Hinck (Enclave Publishing, a division of Oasis Family Media)

YOUNG ADULT


A Gentle Tyranny by Jess Corban (Wander, an imprint of Tyndale House Publishers)
Realms of Light by Sandra Fernandez Rhoads (Enclave Publishing, a division of Oasis Family Media)
Shadow by Kara Swanson (Enclave Publishing, a division of Oasis Family Media)

Register for the Christy Award 2022 Events

Art of Writing on November 17, 12:30-5 pm at Lipscomb University in Nashville $99

A conference for writers, storytellers, and publishing curators.

The Christy Award Gala on November 17, 7-9 pm at Lipscomb University in Nashville $89

Celebrate this year's finalists and winners with authors, editors, publishers, and readers!

Bundle the Art of Writing Conference & The Christy Award Gala $139


The Christy Award® is a program of the Evangelical Christian Publishers Association (ECPA) and is the foremost award honoring and promoting excellence in Christian fiction since 1999. For more information about ECPA, visit ECPA.org. For more information about the Christy Awards and Art of Writing conferences, visit ChristyAwards.com or email TheChristyAward@ecpa.org

Tour Schedule

Follow along at JustRead Tours for a full list of stops!

Tour-Wide Giveaway


(1) winner will receive print copies of The Christy Award finalist titles from one category of their choice!

Be sure to check out each stop on the tour for more chances to win. Full tour schedule linked above. Giveaway began at midnight November 3, 2022 and lasts through 11:59 PM EST on November 10, 2022. Winner will be notified within 2 weeks of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or risk forfeiture of prize. US only. Void where prohibited by law or logistics.

Giveaway is subject to the policies found here.

ENTER GIVEAWAY HERE