Death in the Spires

 Death in the Spires

K. J. Charles

Reviewed by Helen

The story starts in 1905 but goes back to 1893 and this was a story that pulled me in from the start, a gritty and tenacious story that started ten years before when what people called The Seven Wonders became friends at Oxford University, lost one of their own in a brutal murder that ten years on has never been solved.

Jeremy Kite was one of these friends and when Toby Feynsham was killed in his room, Jeremy lost everything he had worked for. It ruined his life and now again it is causing problems when another mystery letter arrives accusing him of being a murderer, he has now lost his job and Jem has had enough, he will not stop at anything till he finds the killer and gets the answers he wants and needs to move on.

Jem starts on a journey to track down the other five wonders and finds that they two are receiving letters but they are willing to let things go unresolved, but not Jem and he ends up back at Oxford University where it all began, but the closer he gets to answers, the more secrets he uncovers the more danger he is in.

Will he finally uncover the truth, will it be better to leave some things in the past and the secrets buried deep?

This is a story that I do highly recommend, filled with a fabulous murder mystery, secrets and blackmail and wonderful characters, it had me guessing till the very end, which I thought was so good, will the seven wonders left behind become best friends again or will they all move on?

My thanks to Storm Publishing and Netgalley for my copy to read and review.

4 stars

April 11, 2024 by Storm Publishing

With My Last Breath

 With My Last Breath

Kaye Dobbie

Reviewed by Helen

This is not the type of book that I normally read but I love this authors stories so was keen to read it and I am so glad I did because I loved it, a beautiful romance with a paranormal twist, how far would you go to get the man you loved back?

World War one is raging in Europe and Emilia’s husband Owen is a journalist over there and Owen likes to get in the midst of things no standing back for him, when he is killed in a shell blast in the trenches, Emilia is totally devastated. Eighteen months since his death and her sister in law Florence invites Emilia to London for a trip, on the bus she meets a woman who encourages her to come to a church meeting that night for a séance, will this night change her life?

She meets Dr. McIvor who convinces her that he can bring Owen back to her, there will be a payment but Emilia agrees and very soon Owen appears on the London doorstep, is it a coincidence or was he just missing and now found. Soon Emilia and his sister Florence are very worried about Owen, does he have shell shock or is there something else going on, so many worries, and so many questions.

I read this one in one sitting I really didn’t want to put it down, it is so well written and MS. Dobbie pulls her readers in with wonderful characters and a fast paced story with lots of strange happenings, she dug deep into the emotional side of things especially with Emilia, her love for Own was so strong, this is one that I would highly recommend even if it is not they type you normally read, how will things turn out? I do recommend you give it a go I am sure you will thoroughly enjoy it as I did.

My thanks to the author for my digital copy to read and review.

5 stars

March 15, 2024 by Dobbie enterprises

An Unsuitable Bride

 An Unsuitable Bride

Cathleen Ross

Reviewed by Helen

If you are looking for a historical romance set in Australia with wonderful characters a fabulous setting then this is one to pick up, Cathleen Ross’s newest is set in 1918 in the Megalong Valley in The Blue Mountains New South Wales and was a one sitting read for me, I was up late finishing this one, it is so good.

World War one is coming to an end and young Anna Hall, who has a secret she must keep has just become engaged to wealthy Max Elliot, Anna met Max at work he is a buyer and seller of ladies fashion and she would love to one day design fashions, she is swept away by his attention and love, Max invites her to attend a weekend at a hunting lodge in the Megalong Valley she agrees provided she has her own room, so as she can meet his friends and their wives.

Thomas Rutherford is working at the hunting lodge, he is a jack of all trades and does a bit of everything at the farm that supplies The Grand Hydro Majestic with its food staples, he is instantly drawn to the beautiful Anna when she arrives but Thomas has not long returned from the war and is still not back to his usual self and he has secrets.

When Anna arrives she feels that things aren’t as they should be Max is doting on her and talking about a future together with children but is she ready to go forward, it is not long before everything changes again as Anna uncovers secrets that Max has kept and that a previous fiancé has died here at the lodge, but how and she is now staying at the lodge due to a road that has been washed away, her and Thomas are getting closer and they are investigating the death of the woman, what will they discover?

Secrets, lots of secrets Anna, Thomas and Max have, how will they all unravel will Anna and Thomas get the answers they want and will they find love and happiness?

This is a fabulous story and I loved it from start to finish, the characters are so good all of them, the workers at the lodge added so much to the story, Cook, Betty and Mrs. Turner, this story pulled me in and has a little of everything, romance, mystery danger and intrigue and it is one that I would highly recommend.

5 stars

March 13, 2024

The Sea Captain's Wife

 The Sea Captain's Wife

Jackie French

Reviewed by Helen

This is a wonderful story, and one that I thoroughly enjoyed and I am not sure how I am going to review it, there are so many different characters and settings, but the sea plays a big part, but I have to say Mair McCrae is a character I will not forget easily, strong and so caring as her life changes in so many ways when she finds her husband, come along for an adventure in life, mystery, intrigue and love.

Mair lives on Big Henry Island it is 1870 and this island is mainly woman and they make the decisions and keep the island running well, they grow food, cook, they knit clothes with their family patterns their men are sailors and leave on ships when they arrive and return when and if they can, three years ago the wave took all of their fishing boats and men and Mair lost her fiancé. The woman need and want husbands they truly are a loving group, the island tradition of searching the beach for sailors washed up they call them beachies and often they stay and become husbands.

When Mair finds Michael Dawson washed up on the beach little does she know how her life will change in the weeks that it takes Michael to heal she gets to know him well, she learns about The Ghost and he is very well liked by the woman on the island and even though they know they are living on a volcano Old Henry just grumbles but Michael is worried that that will change and soon, he loves Mair and soon they are married and he and some of the older woman convince Mair to leave the island with Michael to start a new life, this is of course very scary for Mair.

When they arrive in Sydney Australia, it takes Mair a little time to settle in and for Michael’s family to accept her and of course Michael is eager to be off again to search for the elusive Ghost that he discovered before he went overboard all those months ago, when Michael departs on the new steam ship he does not expect it to be as long as it ends up being and as for Mair strange things are happening and Mair is convinced that the Dawson family are in grave danger, will they all be safe, will Michael ever return?

This is such a well told adventure story, so many fabulous characters, it has a little of everything and is sure to please any reader who picks this one up, the sea journeys are described so well and Mair’s amazement on her journey was eye opening, I do highly recommend this one.

My thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for my copy to read and review.

4 stars

March 1, 2024 by HQ Fiction

The Last Duke She'd Marry

 The Last Duke She'd Marry

Scoundrels of Mayfair #3

Anna Campbell

Reviewed by Helen

I loved this one so much, Anna Campbell knows how to write sensual, moving and wonderful romantic stores, with heroes to die for and heroines who are strong, caring and know what they want and we all know that reformed rakes make the best husbands, but who will Lady Juliet Frain choose, the woman born to be a duchess, who has never put a foot out of line, when not one but two Dukes are at her family home, one staid and proper and one a wild rake?

With society awaiting the announcement of the engagement of Lady Juliet and The Duke of Granville and Juliet busy with her father’s plans for his Shakespeare Gala she is shocked when her father arrives at Afton Park with the notorious rake The Duke of Evesham who has been away from England for nine years to play Romeo opposite her Juliet and the sparks fly on their first meeting, Juliet has no understanding of how she feels, yes she wants to be a Duchess but who’s.

Lucas Hebden, The Duke of Evesham has finally arrived back in London after the huge scandal years before but he wants a quiet life now but when he is loses a bet over a card game he finds himself cast in the roll of Romeo for a gala event, expecting his opposite to be a plain jane he is shocked when he meets the beautiful Juliet and somehow he just knows that life is never going to be the same for him.

When Granville hears about the new Romeo, he insists on arriving at Afton Park and sparks fly between these two and Juliet is in the middle but her feelings towards Lucas run hot and she finds it hard to control them, but he is not who she had expected to fall for and when another scandal erupts life changes for Juliet and for Lucas.

Will they find their way to love and happiness, will Juliet learn to trust Lucas considering his reputation and after the exceptional time they have spent together? This is a story that I do highly recommend it is a beautiful story so very romantic and is sizzles with sensuality, I loved Lucas so much and Juliet is his perfect Duchess. I can’t wait for Portia’s story.

Thank you Anna for another keeper.

5 stars

February 29, 2024

A Death in Chelsea

 A Death in Chelsea

Lady in Blues Mysteries #2

H.L. Marsay

Reviewed by Helen

Book two in this wonderful series and I was pulled in from the start, it was so good catching up with Dorothy, Nina, Margaret and Mary again as they continue to work as WPV, Woman’s Police Volunteer, the war is still going on and more woman are needed to help in this role and Dorothy is forever training new woman and wants to be out on the streets but her true desire is to be a police investigator when Margaret discovers her neighbours body in his yard.

Dorothy arrives to help not long before Inspector Derwent and his team arrive and she is offering her opinion as they search for clues and when they discover that the very wealthy neighbour’s will is missing a list of suspects grows and Dorothy is more determined than ever to show Inspector Derwent that she is very capable of being a very good investigator.

As another spanner is thrown into the works with a grandson and what has happened to him and then another death things are heating up and Dorothy is working hard to find the killer, there is unrest in her group of friends and with the news that a woman MPV member has been given a warrant card and authorized to arrest as needed, Dorothy’s hopes for herself are growing if she can prove herself this time.

This is another fabulous story in this series it is so well written that I felt transported to Chelsea 1915, I love the characters and the way Dorothy works through clues to get to the answers and her special way with witnesses especially female ones. This is one that I would highly recommend to any lover of a good historical mystery, I am really looking forward to the next one in the series I am sure we are going to see Dorothy excel.

My thanks to the publisher Tule Publishing for my digital copy to read and review.

5 stars

February 27, 2024 by Tule Publishing

Highland Heartbreaker

 Highland Heartbreaker

Highland Hearts #2

Steffy Smith

Reviewed by Helen

We are back in one of my favourite parts of the world The Scottish Highlands, we met Alex MacNichol on our last visit and he is one Braw Scotsman who flits from bed to bed he has no intention of settling down, that is until his King finds him a bride and not just any bride she is English.

Lady Grace Worthington is a quiet young woman who had been engaged to a Baron for a long time but when he is killed in battle a trade is made to try and keep the peace between the borders and she has been whisked away to the highlands to marry a Scotsman, she arrives with her Nanny and is battling her nerves, will she come through this?

Alex is not happy about who has been chosen for him but is willing to do as ordered, when his bride to be alights from her carriage he is stunned at her beauty she is not what he expected, but he also senses her nerves, he is determined to make sure she settles in.

With Jamie and Izzy at Balla Cloiche Grace soon settles and makes friends with Izzy and Alex’s sister Kenna she is also struck by the chemistry that sparks between her and Alex and she is soon craving things she has no idea about and Alex is just the man to teach her and soon the passion is soaring between them, but danger is brewing Alex has been warned about the message in the runes, will they find their true happiness?

This is a fabulous story, awesome characters and setting, sensual and filled with emotion and I loved seeing Alex and his true self fall head over heels in love with Grace, and seeing her truly find herself, she is so strong and shows her strength in so many ways, this is one that I highly recommend to any lover of historical romance. I am looking forward to the next one in this series.

5 stars

February 14, 2024 by Steffy Smith Books