Tag: Historical

Never Wager with a Wallflower (The Merriwell Sisters: Book 3) by Virginia Heath

Publisher: St. Martin’s Press, St. Martin’s Griffin

Date of publication: November 7th, 2023

Genre: Romance, Historical Romance, Historical Fiction, Historical, Fiction, Regency, Adult, Regency Romance

Series: The Merriwell Sisters

Never Fall for Your Fiancee—Book 1

Never Rescue a Rogue—Book 2

Never Wager with a Wallflower—Book 3

Purchase Links: Kindle | Audible | B&N | AbeBooks | WorldCat

Goodreads Synopsis:

The third and final delightful installment in the Merriwell Sister’s Regency rom-com series.
Miss Venus Merriwell has been waiting for her prince to come since the tender age of fourteen. She wants a man who is selfless, academic like her, and free from all the wretched vices her gambler father enjoyed far too much before he left the Merriwell sisters practically destitute. Unfortunately, after a slew of romantic disappointments, there is still no sign of that prince at twenty-three and the only one true love of her life is the bursting-at-the-seams orphanage in Covent Garden that she works tirelessly for. An orphanage that desperately needs to expand into the empty building next door.
For Galahad Sinclair, gambling isn’t just his life, it’s in his blood. He grew up and learned the trade at his grandfather’s knee in a tavern on the far away banks of the Hudson in New York. But when fate took all that away and dragged him across the sea to London, it made sense to set up shop here. He’s spent five years making a success out of his gaming hell in the sleazy docks of the East End. Enough that he can finally afford to buy the pleasure palace of his dreams—and where better than in the capital’s sinful heart, Covent Garden? The only fly in his ointment is the perfect building he’s just bought to put it in also happens to be right next door to the orphanage run by his cousin’s wife’s youngest sister. A pious, disapproving and unsettling siren he has avoided like the plague since she flattened him five years ago…
While Venus and Galahad lock horns over practically everything, and while her malevolent orphans do their darndest to sabotage his lifelong dream, can either of them take the ultimate gamble—and learn to love thy neighbor?

First Line:

“Do we have an accord, Mr. Sinclair?”

Never Wager with a Wallflower by Virginia Heath

Important things you need to know about the book:

Pace: The pacing for Never Wager with a Wallflower is medium. It could have been done with a faster storyline, especially towards the end. But overall, it worked. There was some slight lag towards the end, but it didn’t affect how I liked the book.

Series: Never Wager with a Wallflower is the 3rd (and last) book in the Merriwell Sisters trilogy. While you could technically read this book as a standalone, I recommend not doing so. I did, and I got turned around references to the other books. I also couldn’t keep the characters straight (other than Vee and Gal) in my head. I plan on reading the other two books as soon as I can.

Trigger/Content Warning: Never Wager with a Wallflower has trigger and content warnings. If any of these trigger you, I suggest not reading the book. They are:

  • Classism (moderate)
  • Poverty (moderate)
  • Abandonment (moderate)
  • Child Abuse (moderate)
  • Gambling Addiction (moderate)
  • Alcohol Consumption (minor)
  • Pregnancy (moderate)
  • Childbirth (minor)
  • Chronic Illness (minor)
  • Death of grandparent (moderate)
  • Death of parent(s) (minor)
  • Murder (moderate)

Sexual Content: There is sexual content in Never Wager with a Wallflower. Some are implied, but most were on page. It was not graphic.

Language: There is no swearing in Never Wager with a Wallflower. There is era-appropriate offensive language.

Setting: Never Wager with a Wallflower is set in London, England.

Tropes: Happy Ending, Forced Proximity, Enemies to Lovers, The Misunderstanding, Opposites Attract, Rivals, Emotional Scars, Everyone Can See It

Age Range: I recommend Never Wager with a Wallflower to anyone over 21.

Plot Synopsis (as spoiler-free as I can get):

Miss Venus Merriwell knows what she wants in a husband. She wants someone intellectual, selfless, and who doesn’t have any gambling vices. She also wants a husband who will be passionate about the exact causes as she is like the rundown, overcrowded orphanage she has taught at for the past four years. It badly needs repairs and to be expanded to the building next door. But, if she has to settle, she will. That is why she is trying to catch the eye of London’s dryest, self-involved Lord. Forget a love match; she knows that marrying him will be safe.

Galahad Sinclair is Vee’s enemy. He represents everything that she despises. He runs a gambling hell on the docks of the East End and enjoys needling her every chance he gets. With their clashes fueling family gossip, Vee and Gal are thrown together at every opportunity. When Vee starts to get close to Gal, she sees someone different from the facade he shows everyone. But, when a secret that Gal has comes to the surface, will it kill their blossoming romance?

Main Characters

Venus Merriwell: I liked her, but man, did she have tunnel vision. Her world consisted of her sisters and their families, balls where she would look for prospective suitors, and the orphanage where she tirelessly worked. Her disdain for Gal caught me off because she was sweet with everyone else. There was a point in the book where I wanted to shake her (it was right after she found out Gal had bought the building next door). She was nasty to him, and I couldn’t believe what she said to the boy she had with her. That was almost enough to change my mind about her. But she more than made up for her attitude a few chapters later. I also liked that she loved to read, and Shakespeare was her favorite author. Of course, reading his plays gave her somewhat of an unrealistic view of romance (her journal entries showed that).

Galahad Sinclair: I loved him. Yes, he did some shady things at the beginning of the book. But, I stress this: he had no way of knowing that Vee wanted that building for herself. I liked that the author slowly (and sometimes at a turtle’s pace) had Gal reveal things about himself that saddened and horrified me. Some items, I guessed at, but others shook me. There were points in the book where I did think he made his bed (the whole building fiasco), but he did try to apologize.

My Review:

I enjoyed reading Never Wager with a Wallflower. But I felt a little out of sorts while reading it. This book is the third and last book in the trilogy. I missed a lot of background by not reading the first two books. But I did enjoy Vee and Gal’s very bumpy relationship. That had me on my toes for the entire book.

I loved that the author had journal entries by Vee from 14 to the present day. I liked seeing her thoughts on different situations (from boobs that won’t stop growing to her feelings about Gal). It also gave me good insight into her life growing up, what her father did to her and her sisters, and other storylines that kept popping up in the book.

The main storyline, the love story between Vee and Gal, was well written. As stated above, it was a bumpy enemy to lovers/forced proximity romance. Sometimes, I wondered when the romance would start and Vee’s animosity would end. But that made for a fun read. I also liked that Gal was very much in tune with his feelings for Vee and realized what they were early in the book. On the other hand, Vee fought her feelings until the end of the book.

The orphanage storyline was a little meh to me. While it allowed Gal to explain his formative years to Vee, it didn’t do anything but cause issues between those two. I thought Vee went overboard with her reaction to Gal buying the building next door. The meltdown that she had and the things she said to him was awful.

The end of Never Wager with a Wallflower was okay. It was a little drawn out. I was also weirded out that everyone was okay with what they walked into. I liked the epilogue, but I got confused by it. I had to reread it to understand what was going on.

Many thanks to St. Martin’s Press, St. Martin’s Griffin, NetGalley, and Virginia Heath for allowing me to read and review this ARC of Never Wager with a Wallflower. All opinions stated in this review are mine.

If you enjoy reading books similar to Never Wager with a Wallflower, then you will enjoy these books:

Other books by Virginia Heath

The Porcelain Maker by Sarah Freethy

Publisher: St. Martin’s Press

Date of publication: November 7th, 2023

Genre: Historical Fiction, Fiction, World War II, Romance, Historical, Adult Fiction, Holocaust, Germany, War, Relationships

Purchase Links: Kindle | Audible | B&N | AbeBooks | WorldCat

Goodreads Synopsis:

An epic story of love, betrayal, and art that spans decades, through the horrors of World War II to 21st century America, inspired by an actual porcelain factory in Dachau.

Two lovers caught at the crossroads of history.

A daughter’s search for the truth.

Germany, 1929. At a festive gathering of young bohemians in Weimar, two young artists, Max, a skilled Jewish architect, and Bettina, a celebrated avant-garde painter, are drawn to each other and begin a whirlwind romance. Their respective talents transport them to the dazzling lights of Berlin, but this bright beginning is quickly dimmed by the rising threat of Nazism. Max is arrested and sent to the concentration camp at Dachau where only his talent at making exquisite porcelain figures stands between him and seemingly certain death. Desperate to save her lover, Bettina risks everything to rescue him and escape Germany.

America, 1993. Clara, Bettina’s daughter, embarks on a journey to trace her roots and determine the identity of her father, a secret her mother has kept from her for reasons she’s never understood. Clara’s quest to piece together the puzzle of her origins transports us back in time to the darkness of Nazi Germany, where life is lived on a razor’s edge and deception and death lurk around every corner. Survival depends on strength, loyalty, and knowing true friend from hidden foe. And as Clara digs further, she begins to question why her mother was so determined to leave the truth of her harrowing past behind…

The Porcelain Maker is a powerful novel of enduring love and courage in the face of appalling brutality as a daughter seeks to unlock the mystery of her past.

First Line

In a tall cabinet, on a glass shelf, lies a white porcelain rabbit.

The Porcelain Maker by Sarah Freethy

Important things you need to know about the book:

Pace: The pace of The Porcelain Maker was medium throughout most of the book. It did speed up towards the end (when Bettina tried to flee Germany with Max).

Trigger/Content Warning: The Porcelain Maker contains content and trigger warnings. If any of these triggers you, I suggest not reading the book. They are:

  • Antisemitism (graphic)
  • War and War themes (graphic)
  • Violence (graphic)
  • Classism (moderate)
  • Dementia (moderate)
  • Depression (moderate)
  • PTSD (moderate)
  • Alcohol Consumption (moderate)
  • Dead Bodies (moderate)
  • Suicide (minor)
  • Starvation (moderate)
  • Grief (graphic)
  • Confinement (graphic)
  • Gun violence (moderate)
  • Murder (graphic)
  • Concentration Camp (moderate)
  • Genocide (moderate)
  • Mass Murder (moderate)
  • Abusive Relationship (minor)
  • Mental Health Hospitalization (minor)

Sexual Content:  There is sexual content in The Porcelain Maker. It was not graphic.

Language: There is moderate swearing in The Porcelain Maker. But there is offensive language used (slurs against Jewish people).

Setting: The Porcelain Maker is set in several locations. In Bettina and Max’s section of the book, the locations were various parts of Germany. In Clara’s book sections, the settings were Cincinnati, London, and Germany.

Tropes: War, Combining Real and Fiction Events, Including Historical Figures as Characters, Dual Timeline, What Life was Like, Survivor’s Guilt, Death Used as Catalyst, Bittersweet Ending, Alternation POV, Trauma

Age Range: I recommend The Porcelain Maker to anyone over 21.

Plot Synopsis (as spoiler-free as I can get):

Max and Bettina fall in love in the golden years between World War I and World War II. But, with the rise of Nazism, Max is soon captured and thrown into Dachau. What saves him from manual labor is an unexpected friend he had made at Allach’s famous porcelain factory and his talent for creating porcelain figures. Desperate to save Max, Bettina will do anything to save him. That includes planning a daring escape from Allach with Max. Will that escape happen?

Desperate to find out her father’s identity, Clara starts on a journey tracing her roots with the sparse clues her mother left her. But, what Clara discovers will shake her to her core and make her question everything she knew about her mother. Will Clara find out who her father is? And why didn’t her mother tell her?

Main Characters

Max Erlich: I liked Max. He truly loved Bettina and was willing to step back to let her shine. I was enraged with how he was captured (I was yelling at my Kindle). Then, I knew his plotline would go two ways: a happy ending way or the way that would shatter me (and Bettina). So, I wasn’t surprised by how it ended.

Bettina Vogel: This woman was strong. She knew her mind from the beginning and wasn’t about letting anyone tell her what to do. She had a plan to get out of Germany before Max was captured. But, when he was arrested, her plan had to be adjusted a bit. I disagreed with her marrying the SS guy, but I understood why she did it. What I didn’t understand was her after World War II. What was done to her messed her head up, but willingly not telling her child something that important made me scratch my head. Still, regardless of her choices, I liked her a lot.

Clara Vogel: I felt terrible for Clara. At times, she was chasing shadows and rumors about her father. I liked that her doggedness got her answers. That scene at Dachau, talking to a Holocaust survivor and looking at records, gave me chills.

My review:

When I started to read The Porcelain Maker, I was expecting it to be like other World War II/Nazi Germany books. The main character is captured by the Nazis, forced into concentration camps, and either done to them or seen horrendous things. But not in this case. In this case, while the horror of Dachau was there, it was muted and kept in the background. Which is what made the violence and racist remarks that Max endured at the porcelain factory even more shocking.

This book was an emotional read for me. I grew up in a predominantly Jewish community in Massachusetts. Several of my neighbors, friends, grandparents, and teachers survived concentration camps during World War II. Nothing was talked about, and seeing those inked, blue numbers wasn’t out of the ordinary for us. It wasn’t until a local woman started talking to the middle and high school about the Holocaust and what she endured that I truly got a sense of what happened.

The Porcelain Maker has three separate storylines. Those storylines follow Max, Bettina, and Clara. Max and Bettina’s storylines merge at the beginning of the book, but they separate once they move to Allach. Each storyline was well-written, and each had its twist that surprised me.

The storyline with Max affected me the most. I genuinely liked him and wanted everything to turn out well. But, after he moved to Allach with Bettina, I felt that everything that happened to him (and to her) was predestined. I wanted to change how the author wrapped up his storyline. I wasn’t surprised, but it wasn’t something that I wanted to happen.

The storyline with Bettina also affected me. As I said in her character section, I thought she was strong. Once the Nazis put Max into Dachau, everything she did was to protect her baby and, ultimately, to work towards seeing Max again. Did I agree or like everything she did? No, but I did understand. I also understood why she was so broken in Clara’s recollections. Living through something like that and with what was done to her would scar anyone.

The storyline with Clara intrigued me. I liked seeing her journey to finding out who her father was. What I liked even more was that the author set the storyline in 1993. There were few computers or internet access back then (I remember using dial-up in 1994 or 1995 for the first time). Clara had actually to do the research. I liked how she got one tiny breadcrumb after another, eventually leading to someone who knew her father. I won’t lie; I did get emotional while reading her storyline. I got all the emotions and then some.

The end of The Porcelain Maker was perfect. I won’t say anything about what was written except that I liked it. And the epilogue was just as good. Talk about a tribute!!!!

Many thanks to St. Martin’s Press, NetGalley, and Sarah Freethy for allowing me to read and review this ARC of The Porcelain Maker. All opinions stated in this review are mine.

If you enjoy reading books similar to The Porcelain Maker, then you will enjoy these books:

A Traitor in Whitehall (Parisian Orphan: Book 1) by Julia Kelly

Publisher: St. Martin’s Press, Minotaur Books

Date of publication: October 3rd, 2023

Genre: Historical Fiction, Mystery, Fiction, Historical, Mystery Thriller, Adult Fiction, World War II, Historical Mystery, Thriller, Cozy Mystery

Series: Parisian Orphan

A Traitor in Whitehall—Book 1

Purchase Links: Kindle | Audible | B&N | WorldCat

Goodreads Synopsis:

From Julia Kelly, internationally bestselling author of The Last Dance of the Debutante, comes the first in the mysterious and immersive Parisian Orphan series, A Traitor in Whitehall.

1940, England: Evelyne Redfern, known as “The Parisian Orphan” as a child, is working on the line at a munitions factory in wartime London. When Mr. Fletcher, one of her father’s old friends, spots Evelyne on a night out, Evelyne finds herself plunged into the world of Prime Minister Winston Churchill’s cabinet war rooms.

However, shortly after she settles into her new role as a secretary, one of the girls at work is murdered, and Evelyne must use all of her amateur sleuthing expertise to find the killer. But doing so puts her right in the path of David Poole, a cagey minister’s aide who seems determined to thwart her investigations. That is, until Evelyne finds out David’s real mission is to root out a mole selling government secrets to Britain’s enemies, and the pair begrudgingly team up.

With her quick wit, sharp eyes, and determination, will Evelyne be able to find out who’s been selling England’s secrets and catch a killer, all while battling her growing attraction to David?

First Line:

“Miss Redfern!” snapped Miss Wilkes, causing me to jerk up and my pencil to skitter across the page of my notebook.

A Traitor in Whitehall by Julia Kelly

Important things you need to know about the book:

A Traitor in Whitehall is the first book in the Parisian Orphan series. Since it is the first book in the series, you don’t have previous books to read. You can dive into this without worrying about previous storylines or characters appearing and throwing the main storylines off.

A Traitor in Whitehall was a medium-paced book for me. There were some areas (mainly towards the end) where the pacing did speed up. But it was consistently medium-paced throughout the book. There was some lag in the middle of the book (during Evelyne and David’s investigation). It didn’t affect my enjoyment of the book.

There are trigger warnings in A Traitor in Whitehall. If any of these trigger you, I suggest not reading the book. They are:

  1. Bullying: While Evelyne didn’t experience Jean’s bullying tactics, the other women in the typing pool did. Jean caused one woman to quit her job because she threatened to expose her secrets—several other women experienced blackmail by Jean.
  2. Death: Besides the obvious (Evelyne finding Jean’s body), the book details the questionable death of Evelyne’s mother.
  3. Divorce: Evelyne remembers her parents’ contentious divorce and custody battle over her. It had made the papers, and the newspapers painted her mother badly.
  4. Murder: Evelyne and David are investigating Jean’s murder. Evelyne suspects that her mother was murdered.
  5. Sexism: Evelyne experiences era-appropriate sexism.
  6. War: A Traitor in Whitehall takes place in World War II. Evelyne experiences drills, blackouts, rations, and bombing throughout the book.

Sexual Content: There is no on-page sexual content in A Traitor in Whitehall. It is alluded that Jean is having affairs with some ministers and their staff.

Language:  There is no graphic language in A Traitor in Whitehall.

Setting: A Traitor in Whitehall is set in World War II in London, England.

Plot Synopsis (as spoiler-free as I can get):

Evelyne Redfern is working in a munitions factory in World War II-era London. A chance meeting with a childhood friend of her absent father, Evelyne finds her working as a secretary in a top-secret location for Winston Churchhill’s war department. Soon after her arrival, Evelyne stumbles upon the body of one of the secretaries (Jean). That starts Evelyne’s investigation into Jean’s murder and puts her in the path of the mysterious David Poole. When David reveals that he is undercover investigating a possible mole and that Jean could be a link, Evelyne and he team up. Can they discover who the mole is? Can they figure out who killed Jean? And lastly, can they connect the mole and Jean?

Main Characters

Evelyne Redfern: I liked Evelyne. She was bright, loved reading mysteries (Agatha Christie was her favorite), and didn’t miss a thing. She was also straightforward to talk to, which was helpful when she and David were interrogating people. Evelyne used her real-life contacts and what she learned from the mysteries she loved to read to figure out parts of Jean’s murder that otherwise would have gone missing. I also enjoyed that Evelyne liked looking at David (he was good-looking) and wasn’t ashamed about it. She did have faults, though. She tended to go off alone (surprising David at the gambling hall was one) and pushed boundaries (Charlotte and Patricia’s stories come to mind).

David Poole: I initially didn’t know what to make of him. He was very mysterious and was often abrupt with Evelyne. But the more he appeared in the book, the more I liked him. He let Evelyne take the lead in Jean’s murder investigation. I liked how he low-key put people in their place so they would answer her questions. I also liked how David asked for and listened to her input about the mole. He was always there, backing her up, and was instrumental in helping catch Jean’s murderer and the mole. I also liked how the author slyly brought him into Mr. Fletcher’s work.

Secondary characters: There were numerous secondary characters mentioned throughout the book. Each character added their nuance and depth to the storyline. The characters that stood out the most to me were: Mr. Fletcher, Mrs. White, Moira, Irene, Patricia, Aunt Amelia, Mr. Pearson, Inspectors Maxwell and Plaice, Caroline, Mr. Faylen, and Charlotte.

My review:

I enjoyed reading A Traitor in Whitehall. I have a weakness for World War II-era books, and when I read the blurb for this one, I knew I wanted to read it. I am glad I did because this book was a good read.

The storyline centering around Jean’s murder and Evelyne’s investigation was well written. I couldn’t figure out who the murderer was. The author had so many red herrings that I thought it was someone other than who it was. I was shocked at who was revealed and the motive behind the person killing Jean.

The storyline centering around the mole was interesting. Later in the book, it is introduced and intertwined with Jean’s murder. I did figure out half of this storyline reasonably early. But I was surprised at who else was involved. Again, it took me by surprise.

Both storylines merge at the end of the book. I won’t talk about what happened, but I will say this: the murderer and the mole are the same person. There is someone else involved, too.

As I stated above, the mystery/thriller angle was well written. The author kept me on my toes for the entire book. It isn’t very often that I can’t figure out who the killer is.

I may be imagining this, but I saw a possible romance between Evelyne and David. Their chemistry was beautiful in the book, and I can’t wait to see how they work together in upcoming books.

The end of A Traitor in Whitehall was great. I liked how the author united and solved Jean’s murder and who the mole was. But it was after that mystery was solved that I loved it. I can’t wait to see Evelyne and David work together again!!!

Many thanks to St. Martin’s Press, Minotaur Books, NetGalley, and Julia Kelly for allowing me to read and review this ARC of A Traitor in Whitehall. All opinions stated in this review are mine.

If you enjoy reading books similar to A Traitor in Whitehall, then you will enjoy these books:

Other books by Julia Kelly

A Cold Highland Wind (Lady Emily Ashton Mysteries: Book 17) by Tasha Alexander

Publisher: St. Martin’s Press, Minotaur Books

Date of publication: October 3rd, 2023

Genre: Mystery, Historical Fiction, Fiction, Scotland, Mystery Thriller, Historical Mystery, Historical

Series: Lady Emily Ashton Mysteries

And Only to Deceive—Book 1

A Poisoned Season—Book 2

A Fatal Waltz—Book 3

The Bridal Strain: Emily and Colin’s Wedding—Book 3.5

Tears of Pearl—Book 4

Dangerous to Know—Book 5

A Crimson Warning—Book 6

Death in the Floating City—Book 7

Behind Shattered Glass—Book 8

The Counterfiet Hieress—Book 9

Star of the East—Book 9.5

The Adventuress—Book 10

That Silent Night: A Lady Emily Christmas Story—Book 10.5

A Terrible Beauty—Book 11

Death in St. Petersburg—Book 12

Amid the Winter’s Snow—Book 12.5

Uneasy Lies the Crown—Book 13

Upon the Midnight Clear—Book 13.5

In the Shadow of Vesuvius—Book 14

The Dark Heart of Florence—Book 15

Secrets of the Nile—Book 16

A Cold Highland Wind—Book 17

Purchase Links: Kindle | Audible | B&N | WorldCat

Goodreads Synopsis:

In this new installment of Tasha Alexander’s acclaimed Lady Emily series set in the wild Scottish highlands, an ancient story of witchcraft may hold the key to solving a murder centuries later.

Lady Emily, husband Colin Hargreaves, and their three sons eagerly embark on a family vacation at Cairnfarn Castle, the Scottish estate of their dear friend Jeremy, Duke of Bainbridge. But a high-spirited celebration at the beginning of their stay comes to a grisly end when the duke’s gamekeeper is found murdered on the banks of the loch. Handsome Angus Sinclair had a host of enemies: the fiancée he abandoned in Edinburgh, the young woman who had fallen hopelessly in love with him, and the rough farmer who saw him as a rival for her affections. But what is meaning of the curious runic stone left on Sinclair’s forehead?

Scotland, 1676. Lady MacAllister, wife of the Laird of Cairnfarn Castle, suddenly finds herself widowed and thrown out of her home. Her sole companion is a Moorish slave girl who helps her secretly spirit out her most prized possessions from the castle: her strange books. Her neighbors are wary of a woman living on her own, and when a poppet—a doll used to cast spells—and a daisy wheel are found in her isolated cottage, Lady MacAllister is accused of witchcraft, a crime punishable by death.

Hundreds of years later, Lady Emily searches for the link between Lady MacAllister’s harrowing witchcraft trial and the brutal death of Sinclair. She must follow a trail of hidden motives, an illicit affair, and a mysterious stranger to reveal the dark side of a seemingly idyllic Highland village.

First Line:

At first glance, blood doesn’t stand out on tartan. At least not on the tartan worn by the dead man sprawled next to a loch on a Highland estate of my dear friend Jeremy Sheffield, Duke of Bainbridge.

A Cold Highland Wind by Tasha Alexander

Lady Emily, her husband, and their three sons are vacationing at their friend’s castle in Scotland. On the first night there, the body of the gamekeeper is found murdered on the beach of the adjoining loch. And curiously, there is a runic stone sitting on his forehead. Who killed the gamekeeper and why? And what is the connection between a former Moorish slave, the former lady of the castle, and a trial for witchcraft in 1676 and the murder in 1905?

I am a sucker for Scotland and will buy/read any book set there. So, when I saw this book in the SMP Influencer email, I accepted the invite. I didn’t know (mainly because I didn’t pull it up on Goodreads) that this was the 17th book in the series. I admit I had second thoughts about reading it. But the lure of Edwardian-era Scotland was too big of a pull, and I dove right in.

A Cold Highland Wind is the 17th book in the Lady Emily Ashton Mystery series. Yes, you read that right, book 17. But, surprisingly, readers can read this book as a stand-alone. There are mentions of past cases that stay just mentions.

A Cold Highland Wind is a slow-paced book. I tend to read books relatively fast; this book took me two days to read. But, the slow pace worked. There were parts of the book where I wanted it to move more quickly, but that was just me.

The first storyline centers on Lady Emily’s investigation into the gamekeeper’s death. This well-written storyline had me guessing who killed the gamekeeper (and the housekeeper later in the book). She was a thorough investigator who left no stone unturned during the investigation. The lead-up to the big confession was heartbreaking (for all involved), but what happened after shook me. I was teary-eyed at the end of that storyline.

The second storyline held my attention more than the first one. It follows Tansy (or Tasnim), Rosslyn, and a witchcraft trial. Again, this was a well-written storyline. But Tansy’s plight kept my attention more than the 1905 storyline. She was kidnapped, sold as an enslaved person, suffered unimaginable situations, and ended up in Scotland. I was astonished at how this storyline ended up. From how it began and what it ended up as was different from what I expected.

The characters in A Cold Highland Wind were interesting. I liked that Lady Emily and Tansy bucked the traditional perceptions of women of their times. I did find some of the secondary characters a little flat, but they weren’t the ones that were important.

The author keeps the two storylines separate for the entire book. They are only connected at the end of the book when Lady Emily’s friend mentions items prevalent in the second storyline.

The mystery angle of A Cold Highland Wind was terrific. The author did a great job of keeping me guessing what would happen in the 1676 and 1905 storyline. With 1676, I expected the last half of the storyline to go differently than it did. I thought it was going to go another way. In the 1905 storyline, I did not expect the killer to be who he was or what that person did. As I stated above, I was distraught by what happened and got teary-eyed.

The end of A Cold Highland Wind was typical. The author wrapped up both storylines and connected them. I liked how she left enough room to wonder if another book would be.

I recommend A Cold Highland Wind to anyone over 16. There is violence and a very mild sex scene but no language.

Many thanks to St. Martin’s Press, Minotaur Books, NetGalley, and Tasha Alexander for allowing me to read and review A Cold Highland Wind. All opinions stated in this review are mine.

If you enjoy reading books similar to A Cold Highland Wind, then you will enjoy these books:

Other books by Tasha Alexander:

Marry Me by Midnight (Once Upon the East End: Book 1) by Felicia Grossman

Publisher: Forever (Grand Central Publishing), Forever

Date of publication: August 8th, 2023

Genre: Romance, Historical Romance, Historical, Historical Fiction, Jewish, Fiction, Adult, MF Romance, Adult Fiction, Victorian

Series: Once Upon the East End

Marry Me by Midnight—Book 1

Purchase Links: Kindle | Audible | B&N | AbeBooks | WorldCat

Goodreads Synopsis:

Every love story begins with once upon a time .
 
London, 1832 : Isabelle Lira may be in distress, but she’s no damsel. Since her father’s death, his former partners have sought to oust her from their joint equity business. Her only choice is to marry—and  fast —to a powerful ally outside the respected Berab family’s sphere of influence. Only finding the right spouse will require casting a wide net. So she’ll host a series of festivals, to which  every  eligible Jewish man is invited.
 
Once, Aaron Ellenberg longed to have a family of his own. But as the synagogue custodian, he is too poor for wishes and not foolish enough for dreams. Until the bold, beautiful Isabelle Lira presents him with an irresistible offer . . . if he ensures her favored suitors have no hidden loyalties to the Berabs, she will provide him with money for a new life.
 
Yet the transaction provides surprising temptation, as Aaron and Isabelle find caring and passion in the last person they each expected. Only a future for them is impossible—for heiresses don’t marry orphans, and love only conquers in children’s tales. But if Isabelle can find the courage to trust her heart, she’ll discover anything is possible, if only she says yes. 

First Line:

If one wanted to hide, the front row of the women’s balcony in the Great Synagogue at Duke’s Place was not where to do so.

Marry Me by Midnight by Felicia Grossman

Isabelle is in a bind. Since her father’s death, her father’s partner, the Berabs, has been slowly freezing her out of the business. And he now has given her an ultimatum: Marry or he will take the company over wholly. Backed into a corner, Isabelle decides to throw three festivals. There, she hopes to find a husband who will be more ruthless than her late father’s business partner. When Isabelle meets Aaron, the temple’s handsome custodian, she makes him an offer: Spy on her suitors and let her know where their loyalties lie. If her chosen suitor is not loyal to the Berabs, then she will give him enough money so he can start a new life. But Isabelle and Aaron were not expecting the attraction that they felt towards each other. Isabelle and Aaron must push their feelings aside if Isabelle is to marry. Will Isabelle marry for all the wrong reasons? Will Aaron be able to do what Isabelle wants without his feelings getting in the way?

When I read the blurb for Marry Me by Midnight, I was instantly intrigued. This book is the first Jewish reverse Cinderella Victorian romance I have ever read. I was intrigued enough to download this book from Forever. I am glad that I did because this was a great read!

Marry Me by Midnight is the first book in the Once Upon the East End series. Since this is the first book in the series, you don’t need to do anything I usually tell you to do in this section.

Marry Me by Midnight is a fast-paced book set in the East End of London during the Victorian Era. The pacing for this book did suit the storyline. There was a little lag in the middle (while Aaron gathered intel) and toward the end. But it did not affect how I liked the book.

The main storyline in Marry Me by Midnight centers around Aaron, Isabelle, her need to get married, their bargain, and their falling in love. I found this storyline to be fascinating. As I mentioned above, I haven’t read many books centered around the Jewish religion/community in the Victorian era. So, I was very interested and excited to read it. I found the storyline well-written (a little unbelievable in places, though) and was completely engrossed by it.

Several more minor secondary storylines helped flesh out the main storyline and characters. They were also well-written.

I liked Isabelle, even if I found her slightly too modern for the Victorian era. Victorian England was not woman-centric (women were still considered property at this point), and what Isabelle was trying to do (have a say in the business) was unheard of. Now, saying this, I don’t know if the Jewish community in that era did things differently, so I gave Isabelle a lot of leeway. Regardless, I liked her and was rooting for her character to overcome her obstacles.

I liked Aaron, but I needed help connecting with him. The author mentioned that he left the Jewish community to live among the Gentiles and returned injured and shamed. The author said nothing more on that matter. I would have loved to know what happened to him. I also found him bumbling and rather clueless when getting information for Isabelle. I mean, everyone was onto him. Still, it didn’t affect how much I liked him.

I liked that the author took the Cinderella fairytale and flipped it. I loved who his fairy godmother turned out to be. I did not see that coming at all.

The storyline with Isabelle, the Berabs, the business, and Isabelle needing to marry was interesting and annoying. It was a situation where everything could have been solved by talking instead of people going to the nuclear option.

The storyline with Isabelle, Aaron, and his spying was amusing. As I mentioned above, Aaron wasn’t a good spy. He bumbled his way through everything, and I was surprised that he even got the information that he got (if that makes sense).

The storyline with Isabelle, Aaron, and their romance was sweet. I liked how Aaron tried to hold Isabelle off as long as he could until he gave in. Also, the sex scenes were wild.

I wish the author had gone into more detail about the Jewish community in London. She did an afterward explaining the basis for the fictional community and its history. I wish more details were given about the temple and what happened there.

The end of Marry Me by Midnight was your typical HEA. I liked that the author wrapped everything up and left everything happy. I am also looking forward to book 2.

I would recommend Marry Me by Midnight to anyone over 21. There is sex, violence but no language.

Many thanks to Forever (Grand Central Publishing), NetGalley, and Felicia Grossman for allowing me to read and review Marry Me by Midnight. All opinions stated in this book are mine.

If you enjoy reading books similar to Marry Me by Midnight, then check these out:

Other books by Felicia Grossman:

California Golden by Melanie Benjamin

Publisher: Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine, Delacorte Press

Date of publication: August 8th, 2023

Genre: Historical Fiction, Fiction, Historical, Adult, Adult Fiction, Family

Purchase Links: Kindle | Audible | B&N | AbeBooks | WorldCat

Goodreads Synopsis:

Two sisters navigate the turbulent, euphoric early days of California surf culture in this dazzling saga of ambition, sacrifice, and longing for a family they never had, from the New York Times bestselling author of The Aviator’s Wife

Southern California, 1960s: endless sunny days surfing in Malibu, followed by glittering neon nights at Whisky A-Go-Go. In an era when women are expected to be housewives, Carol Donelly is breaking the mold as a legendary female surfer struggling to compete in a male-dominated sport–and her daughters, Mindy and Ginger, bear the weight of her unconventional lifestyle.

The Donnelly sisters grow up enduring their mother’s absence–physically, when she’s at the beach, and emotionally, the rare times she’s at home. To escape questions about Carol’s whereabouts–and chase their mom’s elusive affection–they cut school to spend their days in the surf. From her first time on a board, Mindy shows a natural talent, but Ginger, two years younger, feels out of place in the water.

As they grow up and their lives diverge, Mindy and Ginger’s relationship ebbs and flows. Mindy finds herself swept up in celebrity, complete with beachside love affairs, parties at the Playboy Club, and USO tours to Vietnam. Meanwhile, Ginger–desperate for a community of her own–is tugged into the vibrant counterculture of drugs and cults. Through it all, their sense of duty to each other survives, as the girls are forever connected by the emotional damage they carry from their unorthodox childhood.

A gripping, emotional story set at a time when mothers were expected to be Donna Reed, not Gidget, California Golden is an unforgettable novel about three women living in a society that was shifting as tempestuously as the breaking waves.

First Line:

The surf giveth, and the surf taketh away-thus said the Surf God every morning, noon, and night.

California Golden by Melanie Benjamin

Growing up the daughters of one of the only female surfing legends was hard. Mindy and Ginger learned, at a young age, that their mother’s attention was solely on surfing and the beach. To get their mother’s attention, the girls learn to surf. By the mid-1960s, the girls have grown apart. Mindy has become a legend in the surfing circles.. She gets caught up in the celebrity lifestyle and is soon doing a USO tour in Vietnam.

Meanwhile, Ginger has become embroiled in the drug and cult counterculture. Their relationship is put to the test when Ginger commits the ultimate betrayal and asks Mindy for help. Can Mindy and Ginger overcome the emotional damage they both carry to do the right thing?

California Golden is one of those books you will love or hate. For me, I was on the love-it side of the scale. I enjoyed reading about Mindy and Ginger’s unconventional childhood and how their lives drastically changed as teenagers. I also enjoyed reading about the surfing/drug and cult subcultures portrayed in the book.

Usually, I’m not too fond of time hopping or switching back and forth between main characters in books. Nine out of ten times, I need help figuring out who I am reading about (usually because the author doesn’t label the beginning of the chapter). But, in California Golden, I had no such issue. Each chapter was tagged Mindy, Ginger, or Carol. It also had the year that particular chapter was set in (the book spans from 1944 to 1980).

I am also not a massive fan of having three separate main characters for the reasons stated above. I also have them run together in my mind. But, in this book, that didn’t happen. The author created three distinct personalities and kept them separate throughout the book.

I liked Mindy, and I also felt terrible for her. She had so much responsibility put on her at a young age. She also knew, as all children do, that she and her sister were unwanted, and she devised a way to get and keep her mother’s attention: surfing. Mindy genuinely loved surfing, and it shone through in the beginning chapters. So I was surprised when her storyline went in the direction it did. The focus would have stayed on her surfing.

While I liked Ginger, I predicted how her storyline would go. Unfortunately, that is the path of many children who had childhoods like hers. It did get to a point where I didn’t even like to read her storyline. But, at the same time, I liked the look the author gave into the drug/cult subculture of the late 60s. It was frightening and fascinating at the same time. It also drove Ginger to do what she did with Jimmy and what she asked Mindy to do later.

I didn’t like Carol, but at the same time, I felt terrible for her. She never wanted to be a wife and a mother. But she was forced to be anyways. She had no feelings for her girls and neglected them. When her husband finally left, and she discovered the girls were still there, her first thought was, “Why didn’t he take them.” She was selfish and remained selfish until the end of the book.

The end of California Golden was a surprise. I liked how things came full circle for Mindy, Ginger, and Carol. But I disagreed with the very end of the book. Was it good that Ginger had gotten her life together and figured things out? I didn’t think so, which might not be the correct opinion because of what was at stake. I wish there were an epilogue showing what life was like ten years later. I would have loved to see where everyone ended up.

I would recommend California Golden to anyone over 21. There are language, violence, and sexual situations. I also want to warn you that there are scenes of neglect, drug use, and domestic violence.

Many thanks to Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine, Delacorte Press, NetGalley, and Melanie Benjamin for allowing me to read and review California Golden. All opinions stated in this review are mine.

If you enjoy reading books like California Golden, then check these out:

Other books by Melanie Benjamin:

The Madwomen of Paris by Jennifer Cody Epstein

Publisher: Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine, Ballantine Books

Date of publication: July 11th, 2023

Genre: Historical Fiction, Fiction, Historical, Mental Health, France, Mental Illness

Purchase Links: Kindle | Audible | B&N | AbeBooks | WorldCat

Goodreads Synopsis:

A young woman with amnesia falls under the influence of a powerful doctor in Paris’s notorious women’s asylum, where she must fight to reclaim dangerous memories—and even more perilously, her sanity—in this gripping historical novel inspired by true events, from the bestselling author of Wunderland.

“I didn’t see her the day she came to the asylum. Looking back, this sometimes strikes me as unlikely. Impossible, even, given how utterly her arrival would upend the already chaotic order of things at the Salpêtrière—not to mention change the course of my own life there.”

When Josephine arrives at the Salpêtrière she is covered in blood and badly bruised. Suffering from near-complete amnesia, she is diagnosed with what the Paris papers are calling “the epidemic of the age”: hysteria. It is a disease so baffling and widespread that Doctor Jean-Martine Charcot, the asylum’s famous director, devotes many of his popular public lectures to the malady. To Charcot’s delight, Josephine also proves extraordinarily susceptible to hypnosis, the tool he uses to unlock hysteria’s myriad (and often sensational) symptoms. Soon Charcot is regularly featuring Josephine on his stage, entrancing the young woman into fantastical acts and hallucinatory fits before enraptured audiences and eager newsmen—many of whom feature her on their paper’s front pages.

For Laure, a lonely asylum attendant assigned to Josephine’s care, Charcot’s diagnosis seems a godsend. A former hysteric herself, she knows better than most that life in the Salpêtrière’s Hysteria Ward is far easier than in its dreaded Lunacy division, from which few inmates ever return. But as Josephine’s fame as Charcot’s “star hysteric” grows, her memory starts to return—and with it, images of a horrific crime she believes she’s committed. Haunted by these visions, and helplessly trapped in Charcot’s hypnotic web, she starts spiraling into actual insanity. Desperate to save the girl she has grown to love, Laure plots their escape from the Salpêtrière and its doctors. First, though, she must confirm whether Joséphine is actually a madwoman, soon to be consigned to the Salpêtrière’s brutal Lunacy Ward—or a murderer, destined for the guillotine.

Both are dark possibilities—but not nearly as dark as what Laure will unearth when she sets out to discover the truth.

First Line:

I didn’t see her the day she came to the asylum. Looking back, this sometimes strikes me as unlikely.

The Madwomen of Paris by Jennifer Cody Epstein

As a former hysteria patient, nineteen-year-old Laure has been kept on at the famous Salpetrier hospital as an attendant in the Hysteria ward. Her life is lonely, and the work is endless, as she is the attendant to Rosalie, who Dr. Jean-Marie Charcot displays to explain what hysteria means. But that changes when Josephine arrives at the hospital. Covered in bruises and blood, Josephine is sure she committed a murder, but she can’t remember if she did. With rare beauty and highly susceptible to hypnosis, Josephine soon becomes Dr. Charcot’s star hysteric. But, with her memory returning and becoming more confident that she committed murder, Josephine and Laure start planning their escape. But Laure must find out if what Josephine did is the truth, and she must find a way to keep Josephine from going to the Lunacy ward. Will they escape? Did Josephine kill her former master?

When I was looking through the books on NetGalley, I came across this one. I was immediately drawn to the cover. Then I read the blurb and thought, “I must read this.” Since it was unavailable to request, I decided to wish on it. When I got the email saying that the publisher granted my wish, I was thrilled. Now that I have read it, I can tell everyone that this book was fantastic.

The Madwomen of Paris is a medium-paced book set in 19th-century Paris. The author took her time introducing Laure and explaining her background. She also took her time introducing Salpêtrière and explaining what hysteria was. Then she took time building up Josephine’s backstory. By the middle of the book, she amped up the slowness to a medium pace and kept it that pace until the end. There were some parts where I got frustrated with the pacing (mainly in the beginning), but by the end of the book, my irritation was gone. I understood why the author chose to pace the book as she did.

The main storyline concerns Laure, Josephine, Josephine’s amnesia, and their plans to escape. The storyline was well-written, and I got lost in the book as I was reading it. I loved that the author used real places (the Salpêtrière is a real hospital) and real people (Dr. Charcot was famous in 19th-century Paris). Those details added extra depth to the storyline. I also liked how the author explained hysteria and the different (and awful) ways of treating it.

I liked and pitied Laure. She suffered when she was younger, and I didn’t blame her for losing it. Losing two parents and an unborn sibling back to back would test even the strongest person. In a way, she did luck out when she was sent to Salpêtrière and again when she was hired to be an attendant. But she was lonely, so she got so caught up with Josephine.

I liked Josephine, but at the same time, I was wary of her. I didn’t doubt that her employer viciously attacked her, but I wondered if she had regained her memory of that night sooner than she had told Laure. At various points in the book, I wondered if she was using Laure. She sent Laure to check out the house where she killed her master. Her actions at the end of the book spoke volumes and just cemented my wariness of her.

There is a romance angle in the book that was interesting, and I liked it. But, I felt that it was one-sided, and Josephine used Laure’s feelings to further her ambitions.

An author’s note at the end of the book explains hysteria, how it encompassed many things that ail women (mentally ill—you’re hysterical, like sex—you’re hysterical, like the ladies—you’re hysterical). It was revolting to see how women were treated back then, and the author showed that repeatedly.

The end of The Madwomen of Paris was interesting, and I liked the author’s twist. It was something that I didn’t see coming. I did see what happened between Josephine and Laure coming, though, and it got me a little mad. I did like that Laure got her happy ending.

I would recommend The Madwomen of Paris to anyone over 16. There is violence, mild language, and sexual situations. I will warn that there are graphic scenes of a rape being reenacted through hypnosis, as well as Dr. Charcot showing what a body can do under hypnosis.

Many thanks to Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine, Ballantine Books, NetGalley, and Jennifer Cody Epstein for allowing me to read and review The Madwomen of Paris. All opinions stated in this review are mine.

If you enjoyed this review of The Madwomen of Paris, then you will enjoy these books:

Other books by Jennifer Cody Epstein

The Lady from Burma (Sparks & Bainbridge: Book 5) by Allison Montclair

Publisher: St. Martin’s Press, Minotaur Books

Date of publication: July 25th, 2023

Genre: Mystery, Historical Fiction, Fiction, Historical Mystery, Historical, British Literature

Series: Sparks & Bainbridge

The Right Sort of Man—Book 1

A Royal Affair—Book 2

The Haunting of the Desks: A Sparks and Bainbridge Short Story—Book 2.5

A Rogue’s Company—Book 3

The Unkept Woman—Book 4

The Lady from Burma—Book 5

Purchase Links: Kindle | B&N | AbeBooks | WorldCat

Goodreads Synopsis:

In Allison Montclair’s The Lady from Burma, murder once again stalks the proprietors of The Right Sort Marriage Bureau in the surprisingly dangerous landscape of post-World War II London…

In the immediate post-war days of London, two unlikely partners have undertaken an even more unlikely, if necessary, business venture – The Right Sort Marriage Bureau. The two partners are Miss Iris Sparks, a woman with a dangerous – and never discussed – past in British intelligence and Mrs. Gwendolyn Bainbridge, a war widow with a young son entangled in a complicated aristocratic family. Mostly their clients are people trying to start (or restart) their lives in this much-changed world, but their new client is something different. A happily married woman has come to them to find a new wife for her husband. Dying of cancer, she wants the two to make sure her entomologist, academic husband finds someone new once she passes.

Shortly thereafter, she’s found dead in Epping Forest, in what appears to be a suicide. But that doesn’t make sense to either Sparks or Bainbridge. At the same time, Bainbridge is attempting to regain legal control of her life, opposed by the conservator who has been managing her assets – perhaps not always in her best interest. When that conservator is found dead, Bainbridge herself is one of the prime suspects. Attempting to make sense of two deaths at once, to protect themselves and their clients, the redoubtable owners of the Right Sort Marriage Bureau are once again on the case.

First Line:

He sat on the edge of the narrow bed, reaching for the black wool socks he had stuffed into his shoes.

The Lady from Burma by Allison Montclair

Miss Sparks and Mrs. Bainbridge are two years into running The Right Sort Marriage Bureau. So, when a woman dying from lung cancer hires them to find a wife for her husband, they can’t say no. Shortly after, that woman is found dead of an apparent suicide in Epping Forest. While Miss Sparks is helping the local police with that case, Mrs. Bainbridge is trying to regain legal control of her life. When the conservator managing her assets is found dead, Mrs. Bainbridge is the main suspect. With the police breathing down her neck, Mrs. Bainbridge must solve his murder. Can she? And how are the two cases connected?

I was super excited when I got the widget for The Lady from Burma. I read the first book in this series way back in 2019. Because of Covid and my year-old hiatus, I couldn’t read books 2, 3, and 4. So when that email popped up in my inbox, I jumped on it.

The Lady from Burma is book 5 in the Sparks & Bainbridge Mystery series. You can read this as a stand-alone book. But, I always suggest reading the previous books to get backgrounds on the characters (major and minor).

The Lady from Burma is a medium to fast-paced book. It stayed at a steady medium pace until almost the end of the book. Then it picked up at the end of the book. There was no lag, either, which was nice.

There were two storylines in The Lady from Burma. They are:

  1. Bainbridge’s struggle to regain legal control over her life.
  2. Sparks and Bainbridge’s investigation into their client’s apparent suicide

Each storyline was well written. I enjoyed that the author portrayed how marriage and mental health were viewed. When the author brought the two storylines together, she did it almost seamlessly.

Bainbridge’s frustration, anger, and terror (yes, terror) over her conservatorship were palpable. All she wanted was her life back, and to do that, she needed to go to Lunacy Court and hope a judge agreed. I felt for her. It was horrible how women and mental health issues were treated back then. It both horrified and saddened me.

Spark’s investigation into their client’s murder was fascinating. I felt that the constable was very forward-thinking for the time. Spark’s observations helped. She was also such a good friend to Bainbridge. She spent the night to make sure Bainbridge didn’t do anything to threaten her case (like try suicide). She also was vital in making a significant connection between Bainbridge and the dead woman.

The romance angle of The Lady from Burma was interesting. I liked that Sparks seemed to be settling down. I vaguely remember Archie from the first book and feel he would fit her well. As for Bainbridge, I don’t know who I want her to end up with. I was hoping for Sally, but there were two other men introduced that made me go, “Hmmm.”

The mystery angle of the book was interesting. I liked how the mysteries were investigated separately until they were brought together. I also was shocked at how Bainbridge was connected to the dead woman. There was a slight twist at the end, which I didn’t see coming.

The end of The Lady from Burma was interesting. I liked how the author wrapped up all of the storylines. I was very excited for Bainbridge. That scene in court, with the new lawyer, was perfect.

The wrap-up of the murder was directly tied to what was going on with Bainbridge. What was revealed was surprising, and I didn’t see it coming. The author left enough open for me to look forward to book 6.

I would recommend The Lady from Burma to anyone over 16. There are nongraphic sexual situations, mild language, and mild violence.

Many thanks to St. Martin’s Press, Minotaur Books, NetGalley, and Allison Montclair for allowing me to read and review The Lady from Burma. All opinions stated in this review are mine.

If you enjoyed reading this review of The Lady from Burma, then you will enjoy reading these books:

Other books by Allison Montclair:

Silver Nitrate by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

Publisher: Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine, Del Rey

Date of publication: July 18th, 2023

Genre: Horror, Historical Fiction, Fiction, Thriller, Mystery, Adult, Mystery Thriller, Fantasy, Historical, Magical Realism

Purchase Links: Kindle | Audible | B&N | AbeBooks | WorldCat

Goodreads Synopsis:

From the New York Times bestselling author of The Daughter of Doctor Moreau and Mexican Gothic comes a fabulous meld of Mexican horror movies and Nazi occultism: a dark thriller about the curse that haunts a legendary lost film–and awakens one woman’s hidden powers.

Montserrat has always been overlooked. She’s a talented sound editor, but she’s left out of the boys’ club running the film industry in ’90s Mexico City. And she’s all but invisible to her best friend, Tristán, a charming if faded soap opera star, though she’s been in love with him since childhood.

Then Tristán discovers his new neighbor is the cult horror director Abel Urueta, and the legendary auteur claims he can change their lives—even if his tale of a Nazi occultist imbuing magic into highly volatile silver nitrate stock sounds like sheer fantasy. The magic film was never finished, which is why, Urueta swears, his career vanished overnight. He is cursed.

Now the director wants Montserrat and Tristán to help him shoot the missing scene and lift the curse . . . but Montserrat soon notices a dark presence following her, and Tristán begins seeing the ghost of his ex-girlfriend.

As they work together to unravel the mystery of the film and the obscure occultist who once roamed their city, Montserrat and Tristán may find that sorcerers and magic are not only the stuff of movies.

First Line:

An engorged, yellow moon painted the sky a sickly amber hue, illuminating a solitary figure.

Silver Nitrate by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

Montserrat is a sound editor trying to make it in a highly competitive but male-only market in Mexico City. Her best friend, Tristan, is a former telenovela star trying to break into the business after being blackballed by his ex-girlfriend’s father, who blames him for her death. Tristan is thrilled when he discovers that his new neighbor is cult horror director Abel Urueta. Montserrat is slightly more reserved, but her interest is piqued when Abel tells a tale about a former Nazi occultist, Ewers, using silver nitrate film reels to imbue them with magic. But Ewers died before the film was finished, and Abel believes that caused him to be cursed. But, after agreeing to do so, Tristan starts seeing the ghost of his ex-girlfriend, and a dark presence haunts Monserrat. With cultists on their heels, Tristan and Monserrat must unravel the movie’s mystery and why it is so important to those people.

I am not a modern-day horror movie fan. I am not a fan of gore and blood. I am a fan of the type of horror movie that was made in the ’50s and ’60s. That is why I decided to wish on this book on Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine’s NetGalley page. Honestly, I wasn’t expecting the wish to be granted and was very surprised when it was. While it took me a while to get to read the book (thank you, backlog), once I did read it, I was immersed and very glad that I did. Silver Nitrate was a great book.

Silver Nitrate is a medium-paced book that starts slowly. At first, I was a little irritated with how slow the book was. But, as I got into the book and everything started unraveling, I appreciated the slow start. Without that slow start, I wouldn’t have known how Tristan’s background would affect him later in the book and how Momo girl bossed everything.

The main storyline of Silver Nitrate is centered around Momo, Tristan, the film, and the Nazi occultist. It was a meandering and sometimes infuriating storyline that was well-written. This storyline is like good wine; it must be read slowly and savored. If you read too fast, you will run into the problem of missing some essential information. Trust me; this book is worth reading slowly.

I like Momo. She was a great friend (well, almost too good, Tristan did walk all over her at the beginning of the book), a good sister, and she was a good employee. I felt terrible that she was in such a challenging profession. I never considered a sound editor a male-dominated profession in the ’90s. It didn’t cross my mind, and by the middle of the book, I was very mad for her. My other favorite thing about Momo is that once she committed to something, she committed. She started reading Ewer’s book to see if there were any clues about what was happening. I won’t get much more into it, but I was surprised at what she learned.

I hate to admit this, but Tristan annoyed me at first. He was childlike in his actions and mannerisms. I couldn’t understand why Momo even kept him around as a friend. But, as the book went on and the author peeled back Tristan’s layers (and there were many), my annoyance gave way to understanding and pity. His character growth during this book was immense, and I loved his epiphany towards the end of the book. I wanted to smack him and say, “Duh, you idiot.“

Even though he was dead, Ewers was a considerable presence in this book. I had read about Nazi occultists in the past, so I did understand what the author was writing about. But, she got into depth with his character. I was fascinated by everything that the author had written about him in the book. In the author’s note, she did explain that this character was a mishmash of a multitude of occultists, but the namesake was from a Nazi sympathizer who traveled to Mexico.

The book’s main secondary characters (Abel, Clarimonde, Ava, and Jose) were prevalent. They played critical roles in the film (both past and present). I won’t get into how they were involved with Ewers, but it was surprising when everything was revealed. And honestly, the only one I felt bad for out of the four was Abel. He had zero clue what was going on behind the scenes.

The horror angle of the book was very well written. This book wasn’t a gory, blood-everywhere horror. Instead, it was more of a psychological horror. It started with the uneasiness that Momo and Tristan felt when Abel explained what he wanted to do, and it just expanded throughout the book. I loved it.

The paranormal angle of the book was just as well written. I liked that it started gradually (Tristan seeing his dead ex, Abel having a premonition) and then started snowballing. The pinnacle was the scene toward the end of the book, where Momo did what she did.

I also was thrilled to learn about silver nitrate. I had never heard about it before this book, and I did read up on it. In a weird coincidence, my husband listened to a podcast detailing silver nitrate and films (like the book). Learning about silver nitrate was fascinating, frightening, and creepy (the occult angle).

The end of Silver Nitrate was exciting but not what I was expecting. While the author wrapped up the film/Ewer storyline, I wondered what would happen to Momo and Tristan. I wasn’t expecting the turn it took. But looking back, I did see that storyline turning in that direction.

I would recommend Silver Nitrate to anyone over 16. There is language, violence, and no sexual situations.

Many thanks to Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine, Del Rey, NetGalley, and Silvia Moreno-Garcia. All opinions stated in this review are mine.

If you enjoyed reading this review of Silver Nitrate, then you will enjoy reading these books:

Other books by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

Hotel Laguna by Nicola Harrison

Publisher: St. Martin’s Press

Date of Publication: June 20th, 2023

Genre: Historical Fiction, Fiction, Historical, Romance, Adult, Adult Fiction, World War II

Purchase Links: Kindle | Audible | B&N | AbeBooks | WorldCat

Goodreads Synopsis:

In 1942, Hazel Francis left Wichita, Kansas for California, determined to do her part for the war effort. At Douglas Aircraft, she became one of many “Rosie the Riveters,” helping construct bombers for the U. S. military. But now the war is over, men have returned to their factory jobs, and women like Hazel have been dismissed, expected to return home to become wives and mothers.

Unwilling to be forced into a traditional woman’s role in the Midwest, Hazel remains on the west coast, and finds herself in the bohemian town of Laguna Beach. Desperate for work, she accepts a job as an assistant to famous artist Hanson Radcliff. Beloved by the locals for his contributions to the art scene and respected by the critics, Radcliff lives under the shadow of a decades old scandal that haunts him.

Working hard to stay on her cantankerous employer’s good side, Hazel becomes a valued member of the community. She never expected to fall in love with the rhythms of life in Laguna, nor did she expect to find a kindred spirit in Jimmy, the hotel bartender whose friendship promises something more. But Hazel still wants to work with airplanes—maybe even learn to fly one someday. Torn between pursuing her dream and the dream life she has been granted, she is unsure if giving herself over to Laguna is what her heart truly wants.

First Line:

I stepped off the coach, directly in front of the boardwalk, and was immediately struck by the colors.

Hotel Laguna by Nicola Harrison

Having just been let go from her riveting job, Hazel has nowhere to go. Unwilling and unable to go home to Kansas to conform to the life of a housewife and mother, Hazel decides to stay in California. Landing in Laguna, Hazel becomes the assistant to the reclusive artist Hanson Radcliff. Hazel didn’t expect to fall in love with the free spirit of Laguna, and she most definitely didn’t expect to become a vital member of the community. Laguna was only supposed to be a temporary place for Hazel to regroup and refocus on her plans- working on airplanes and eventually flying them. Will Hazel put down roots in Laguna? Or will she drift onto the next town, looking for her dream?

I have mentioned this before, but I am fascinated with anything World War II. I read anything that I can get my hands on it. But I rarely have read anything about what happened after World War II. So, when I read the Hotel Laguna blurb, I knew I needed to read it. Also, I am a massive fan of anything that Nicola Harrison writes. I am glad that I read this book because it was excellent!!

Hotel Laguna is a fast-paced book that is primarily set in the town of Laguna, California. The pacing of this book fits the storyline. But the book lagged a tiny bit toward the middle of the book. It didn’t affect my enjoyment of the book.

The main storyline in Hotel Laguna centers around Hazel. This was a well-written storyline that kept my attention on the book. Not only did I enjoy reading about Hazel’s past (and found her riveting experience fascinating), but I also liked seeing how her relationships with several of the characters in the book shaped her.

Several secondary storylines fed in and bolstered the main storyline. The main secondary storylines that stood out to me were the storyline about Hanson, Isabella Rose, the painting, and the scandal. The other storyline that stood out was the one with Jimmy, the hotel, and the Laguna community. Both storylines were well-written, and they added depth to the main storyline.

Hazel was an interesting character, and I liked that she didn’t always make the best choices. But she was a good person, and she did try for a long time to stay in a situation that didn’t make her happy. Hazel also did try to let her fiance down lightly when she couldn’t make things work anymore. And after that nasty letter from her fiance’s mother, she continued sending them money (for his funeral expenses). And in the present day (aka 1946), Hazel still didn’t make the best choices, but her heart was in the right place.

Hanson Radcliff was a compelling character, also. He was much older than Hazel, and I thought he didn’t care for her for most of the book. It wasn’t until the last half of the book that I saw that he cared for her like a daughter. I was slightly irritated that the author dragged out his story with Isabella Rose and the painting

There was a slight mystery angle in Hotel Laguna. It centered around the missing painting that Hanson did of Isabella Rose and where he hid it. There was a neat twist toward the end that I saw coming. Even though I saw the twist coming, it was still interesting to read.

The end of Hotel Laguna was bittersweet. But I don’t think that I would have written it any differently.

I recommend Hotel Laguna to anyone over 16. There is mild language, mild violence, and nongraphic sexual situations.

Many thanks to St. Martin’s Press, NetGalley, and Nicola Harrison for allowing me to read and review Hotel Laguna. All opinions stated in this review are mine.

If you enjoyed reading this review of Hotel Laguna, then you will enjoy reading these books:

Other books by Nicola Harrison