A Woman's Voice

 A Woman's Voice

Alli Sinclair

Reviewed by Helen

We have waited a long time for a new Alli Sinclair book and it was worth it, I loved this one so much from start to finish it pulled me in, I felt all of the emotions as I traveled from 1911 Berlin to England and then in 1965 from Venice to Australia, a must read for any lover of historical fiction.

Ida Naber lives in Berlin it is 1911, her father is a luthier and he has taught her to be one as well she is creating a special violin for her mother but not quite finished her mother passes away and Ida’s life changes, not for the better in a world were woman have no voice Ida stands her ground and fights hard for herself and other woman, she joins the suffragette movement and finds herself escaping to London where he life again will be changed.

1965 Laura Hartley is a violin virtuoso, who has traveled the world playing in concerts she also writes beautiful music with her fiancé Jeremy, her precious violin was given to her by her dear grandmother, Elizabeth when she was just five years old and she and the violin are joined with love and a special magic so when her violin is stolen it is like Laura has lost her heart for music, add to that the death of her grandmother, heart broken and grieving she leaves Jeremy and makes her way to her grandmother’s home in outback Queensland, Gungderring what she discovers is another world altogether a story through snippets of music written by her grandmother about the strength and courage of woman fighting to be heard all those years ago.

Laura is soon finding her way around in her grandmother’s home town, making true friends for the first time but music seems so far away until she is asked to help with a choir this starts to help her and the fact that she has found someone who really cares for her pilot Rhys, could her life change so much, after all she has discovered, secrets that have been kept for so many years, is it time for Laura to make changes in her life?

This is a beautifully told story starting with fact about suffragettes it is well researched and then moving onto a story with such awesome characters and beautiful settings, I do highly recommend this one, an amazing story that kept me turning the pages, cheering them on and crying emotional tears.

5 stars

July 22, 2025 by Penguin

The Nanny's Handbook to Magic and Managing Difficult Dukes

 The Nanny's Handbook to Magic and Managing Difficult Dukes

Amy Rose Bennett

Reviewed by Helen

Oh my goodness this is such an awesome story, fun, witty and just fabulous I loved getting to know Emmeline Chase and Xavier Mason, Duke of St Lawrence, and the children that she will be taking care of. Set in London in 1851.

Emmaline is widowed and just graduated from the Parasol Academy for Exceptional Nannies and Governesses and has an appointment for her first interview, but her Tel-ley-porting seems to have taken her in the wrong direction instead of where she needs to be she is on the roof of St Lawrence House in Belgravia, home to a Duke none the less, how on earth is she going to get off the roof? A Raven named Horatio comes to the rescue and soon has his master none other than the Duke Xavier Mason, helping her from the roof.

The meeting between them seems like fate maybe with the fact that Xavier has three young wards in his care and has already lost two nannies, when he finds out that Emmaline is a Nanny then maybe she will be able to help and is soon requesting her to join his household as the Nanny, this is what he needs as he is working hard on plans for a new clock The Kings Clock and peace is what he needs with everything that is happening the household, will Nanny Chase be able to ensure this?

Things move in strange ways in this house with a saboteur on the lose Nanny ensures that the children and The Duke are kept safe she has all sorts of tricks in her magical pocket and her parasol is also very helpful but the more time they spend together the more the chemistry grows between them and this is one rule in The Nanny’s Handbook which must not be broken but it seems that Emmaline is breaking more rules than she should at the moment, will she lose her place as and exceptional Nanny?

I loved this one so much, I laughed and cheered them on throughout the book, the characters are just so very good from Horatio, the raven to the children and of course Xavier and Emmaline, I can’t highly recommend this one enough it is a beautiful historical romance with bit of magic and mayhem, a little bit Mary Poppins and Harry Potter with magic spells, it is awesome and the start of a series, woohoo, don’t miss this one.

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

5 stars

July 29, 2025 by Simon & Schuster Australia September 30, 2025 by Kensington

Louise's Christmas Champion

 Louise's Christmas Champion

The Bookshop Belles #3

Catherine Bilson & Ebony Oaten

Reviewed by Helen

I am loving this series and it is now Louise’s turn to find love and happiness, when a stranger arrives in town he is tall, so tall and this is so very good for Louise as she is also very tall but that is only the first thing that Louise notices, he is very handsome and helpful, and for the first time Louise finds herself actually attracted to a man, could she find love like Estelle and Marie?

Shaun Jackson arrives in Hatfield on the coach, he is not in a hurry to get back to London after the war with France he has sold his commission and is looking for a place to settle and when he delivers a box of books to Baxter’s Fine Books and meets the lovely Louise Baxter maybe he has found his place.

Shaun soon finds himself hunting an arsonist and doing his best to protect not only Louise but her sister Bernadette and the bookshop but the town as well, but his feelings for Louise are growing daily and he is sure that she feels the same way but with rumours going around about his past things don’t always run smoothly not only is the arsonist still lose but there are bullies in this town that need to be set straight.

This story is fabulous, a beautiful romance with intrigue running through the pages, fabulous characters that are so easy to love and Louise is so strong and Shaun is caring and loving, I do highly recommend this one and the series it is so good.

5 stars

April 8, 2025 by Shenanigans Press

Tempting the Duchess

 Tempting the Duchess

Disgraceful Duchesses #2

Sara Bennett

Reviewed by Helen

Second book in this series and we meet the youngest of the Mallory sisters, Ellis and see if she can find her HEA, she is now a Dowager Duchess after the loss of her Duke but she is running for her life as The Duke’s cousin Theo is determined to get what he thinks should be his either by forcing her to marry him or kill her but Ellis is made of sterner stuff and escapes his clutches only to fall into the hands of another man.

Ellis married her Duke after being pushed by her mother but it was a marriage on paper only but Ellis was happy to while away her life in the country her husband was a good friend and happy but Ellis has always longed for a man to love and have him love her and when she knocks on the door after running through the forest it is answered by a man who might just be the answer to her wish.

Owen, Lord Lyndhurst likes his quiet life in the country where he draws pictures of beautiful woman in some very brazen poses they sell well and he is happy doing it when he has a beautiful sitter but his last sitter has burnt him and run off and now here is a beautiful woman needing help on his doorstep, could she be the answer to his wish for a new sitter.

After Ellis see some of Owen’s drawings she wants very much to sit for him and soon they are tempted in ways that neither of them expected but will they find what they both deserve with danger lurking?

This is a fabulous story that is devoured, sensual, beautiful and moving, it is one that I highly recommend, I loved it, now to read book three in the series.

5 stars

August 29, 2024 by Dragonblade Publishing, Inc.

Woodstock

 Woodstock

Michelle Montebello

Reviewed by Helen

Just WOW this book is another masterpiece from Michelle Montebello, her words and characters leave a place in my mind after reading one of her stories, stories that are emotionally beautiful, filled with characters who come to life within the pages and this is one that I just loved so much, come along for a trip back in time to none other than Woodstock the most memorable music festival ever, you will not be able to put this one down.

It is 1969 and Dawn Ellis is eighteen just finished school and waiting to go to college, with the help from her sister Ruth she convinces her strict parents to let her travel across America with four of her friends, Patty, Carol Keith and Tommy in Tommy’s Kombi van to attend Woodstock music and arts festival, this weekend is a sure to be a weekend of peace, love, freedom and music from some of the best bands and musicians. This weekend will also change their lives forever, some of them drafted for the Vietnam War but life will never be the same for these friends.

2010 Sydney Meredith who is a fashion photographer is visiting her parents when she gets a phone call from a hospital in Santa Monica to say that she is down as next of kin for a woman called Destiny who in in an induced coma and they would like her to come and be there for her, the only thing is that Meredith has never heard of this woman before and when she questions her parents she detects that they know something, and when the hospital rings again Meredith goes to Santa Monica and what she discovers with upend all that she has known.

The discoveries Meredith makes takes her back to Woodstock and the lies, secrets and sacrifices that those young people made all those years ago, the world was a very different place back then, I was totally captivated and enthralled from the start as the story came alive on the pages, the music rang in my ears as Dawn and her friends lived through all that was Woodstock and then Meredith’s search for answers had me cheering her on, this is such a brilliant story, truly.

I cried, I smiled and I felt every emotion throughout this story my heart broke at times and then it was put back together, I do highly recommend this one it really is a must read. Thank you Michelle Montebello for another awesome story that I loved. The research was fabulous.

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

5 stars

June 18, 2025

Beguiled by the Highlander

 Beguiled by the Highlander

Daughters of the Isle #1

Christina Phillips

Reviewed by Helen

I loved this one so much, I do love a good Scottish historical and Christina Phillips did not disappoint, my trip back in time to The Isle of Sgur and the woman who run the Isle they are decedents of a Pict Queen, proud and strong, Isolde is the eldest of three daughters and this is her story come along and meet her and these fabulous woman.

Isolde knows that she is destined to stay on the Isle forever, proud of her heritage and bound by the prophecy of these long ago woman this is where her life is but ten years ago her beloved grandmother promised her to, the Campbell Clan namely Willian Campbell and Isolde is determined not to marry him.

Then a stranger washes up on their beach a handsome man who has no memory of who he is and Isolde feels the spark instantly could he be the man who will win her heart and stay on her Isle?
Although he has no memory he knows that he will go to any lengths to win this woman’s heart it feels like they are destined to be together, she is strong and independent and knows how to handle a claymore but he must first find out who he is and if he has anything to offer her.

When his memory returns the truth just may well tear them apart especially when he remembers what happened on the ship, but one thing is for certain he wants Isolde and Isolde cannot fight her grandmother but will they be safe?

Christina Phillips has written a beautiful romance filled with so many emotions, it is sensual and there is danger for both of them will they find that love and happiness, I do highly recommend this one it was hard to put down, a fabulous read and I can’t wait to read more in this series.

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

5 stars

June 3, 2025 by Dragonblade Publishing, Inc

The Reluctant Countess

 The Reluctant Countess

Little Foxbury #1

Elizabeth Leydin

Reviewed by Helen

I loved this one so much I think it might be my favourite Elizabeth Leydin so far, it is moving, filled with emotions, fabulous characters and a wonderful setting, come along for a visit to Little Foxbury.

Diana Tilney is a strong independent woman living in a man’s world and marriage is something that Diana is not going into and has made it clear to most people, but when her sister and her husband are lost in a boating accident and leave their two daughters, Vicky and Dora in the care of Diana and Ned Faulkes the new Earl, there are a few matters that need to be settled.

Ned never expected to be the Earl he was happy with his life, a widow who is determined to not marry again but now there is the welfare of his nieces that needs to be taken care of and he wants them back in the family home, Swanstead but he has to convince their Aunt Diana that it is the right thing to do.

They decide on a marriage of convenience for the children’s sake, Diana has strict rules as she will not be controlled by a man and Ned doesn’t want an heir after his first wife died in childbirth but can they control the feeling sand chemistry that is growing within both of them the more they get to know each other?

MS Leydin has a beautiful voice for writing regency’s she takes me back to that time and makes me feel like I am sitting in a drawing room with the characters in her story and this is one that I highly recommend, a short quick read that ticks all of the boxes for a fabulous regency romance, I am looking forward to more in this series.

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

5 stars

May 15, 2025 by Improbable Fictions