The Golden Thread

 The Golden Thread

Tea Coper

Reviewed by Helen

MS Cooper has never disappointed me and this one is another brilliant story from a master story teller, set around Maitland and Parramatta in 1889 we meet Nell Montague her granddaughter Connie and a cast of awesome characters that make this story unputdownable come along for a thrilling story filled with skullduggery, mystery and yes danger.

When Connie wakes up on a Wednesday morning and finds that her grandmother has gone and not home for their usual family breakfast with her mother Faith and then there to attend a meeting to be held that day Connie is very worried and when a walk doesn’t locate Nell, Connie is determined to track Nell down and finds herself on the train to Sydney going over the new Hawkesbury River bridge.

Connie with the help from a friend of Nell’s in Maitland and with directions given to her from journalist Bob Ballantyne, who she met on the train finds herself at the new Government House is Sydney asking after a Mrs. Alexander she is told that she is at the old Government House in Parramatta another train trip and Connie locates Nell and when she introduces Connie as her companion and not her granddaughter Connie is convinced that there is something going on and she knows she must get to the truth, who is her grandmother? Connie is soon very good friends with a couple of the residents Taylor and Maisie and also Miss Pettigrew, she is steering clear of the male residents.

Connie is soon learning small tidbits at a time about Nell’s past life and when there are small curios going missing and Nell is being blamed by the housekeeper Mrs. Alexander and there seems to have been a break-in at the guest house things heat up and danger is afoot but it also seems that Nell has found what she is looking for and the faster they get what Nell came for and get back to Maitland and sort out what started this trip the better but will there be more danger back at home, will they get the answers Nell is looking for?

This is such a brilliant story with awesome characters I loved Nell, Connie and Taylor and Maisie and of course Miss Pettigrew who might be hard of hearing but her eyesight is perfect. I do highly recommend this one, truly it is a must read for any lover of historical fiction the setting, the characters and the mystery are the best.

My thanks to HQ Fiction and Netgalley for my copy to read and review.

5 stars

October 30, 2024 by HQ Fiction

Her Viking Saviour

 Her Viking Saviour

Lore and Love Trilogy

Steffy Smith

Reviewed by Helen

I am very fond of a good Viking story, and I thoroughly enjoyed this one, when Torben “Hel-Bringer” Ulfson comes across another Viking selling slaves he is not happy and proceeds to purchase them to give them a choice of what they would want to do one of them is a beauty and she is feisty and Torben is hoping that she will choose to return to his homeland of Klavik in Norway, he wants to get to know her better.

Wynflaed a handmaiden has been abducted in a raid from her homeland of Northumbria by Vikings she was meant to be sold as a slave at the markets they arrived at after a long journey but soon she is saved and given a choice in what she wants, she feels a pull toward the Viking who has given her this chance and chooses to return to his homeland, soon she is feeling comfortable when she is given the position of companion to Torben’s sister.

Neither of them ever expected to feel the chemistry and spark that flares between them but they are soon opening up to each other and finding a very sensual pleasure together, have they found forever lasting love, will the Norse Gods be happy with their joining?

I did very much enjoy this one, fabulous characters and there will be more in this series which I very much look forward to, I do highly recommend this one to any romance lover who loves a good Viking story.

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

4 stars

November 1, 2024 by Steffy Smith Books

The Fallen Woman

 The Fallen Woman

Fiona McIntosh

Reviewed by Helen

This is another awesome story from fabulous story teller Fiona McIntosh, a story of love and romance but with heartache entwined throughout, come along and meet the wonderful characters and feel their emotions, this one is set in the early 1900’s and is a brilliant read.

Jane Saville is a botanical artist who was very close to her father, but he has passed now and when her scheming mother and sister come up with a plan to save her older sister, Charlotte and the family name from ruin, Jane is sent to the country here, soon she is happy with her adoptive family in Salisbury although life is not always easy with her unwarranted reputation.

Guy Attwood, comes from a wealthy family but his true love is apples. Yes he searches for rare apples and works with Kew Gardens, at the moment he is searching for a very rare apple that he hopes to find and present to the new King George V on his coronation.

When Jane and Guy meet unexpectedly with the help of a little boy Harry, their lives will change, Jane has never felt this way before but soon Jane’s family returns to cause lots of problems, jealousy and nastiness pull them apart, but Jane is determined that she will stand up to whatever is thrown her way and put her life back in order.

I loved this one from start to finish, I loved Guy and Jane they both showed strength and character when their worlds are torn apart but neither gave up and Harry oh what a fabulous character, this one is set in the most beautiful of settings, it is heart-wrenching and heart-warming at the same time and I do highly recommend, I am a big fan of MS McIntosh’s stories she never disappoints.

My thanks to Penguin Random House and Netgalley for my copy to read and review.

5 Stars

October 1, 2024 by Penguin eBooks

Mary Christmas

 Mary Christmas

Mary-Anne O'Connor

Reviewed by Helen

If you are looking for a beautiful Christmas romance, set in the most gorgeous of settings, The Cotswold’s with snow and a yuletide ball, pantomime not to mention the fabulous characters and a wedding on Christmas day then this is the one to pick up come along for a journey that is sure to keep you smiling.

It is 1909 and Mary Richards has worked and studied hard to become a teacher in a man’s world she is now teaching at the village school in Bibury but there are some people who do not approve of her strong feminist ways Mary wants to stay independent so that means not marrying, where as her sister Emily is just about to marry the love of her life David Christmas this brings Mary into the family circle and meeting David’s brother Jonathan and Mary is soon finding herself torn between love and independence.

The snow is falling there is a Christmas market ice-skating and Mary is finding herself falling for Jonathon as he is for Mary but is there a way that she can marry and have her independence maybe with the right man, and is that man Jonathon?

This is a lovely romance and so Christmassy, there are some wonderful characters in this one as well, will Jonathon be that man to win Mary over will she see that they can have a future? I do highly recommend this one to any romance reader who loves a Christmas story.

4 stars

Penguin Au 1st October 2024

Agony in Amethyst

 Agony in Amethyst

Harriet Gordon #5

A.M. Stuart

Reviewed by Helen

Another brilliant story in this awesome series, and it had me up very late last night, a one sitting read for me because I could not put it down, Robert Curran has just arrived back in Singapore after being in Kuala Lumpur for months solving another case and on his return not only is he looking forward to catching up with Harriet but he is expecting a promotion, when the promotion doesn’t happen and he is told who is getting the job Curran is not happy an adversary from his Scotland Yard days.

With the arrival of Sir Henry Cunningham, Colonial Foreign Secretary this sets Curran on edge seeing he now has two people in Singapore that are both involved with one of his old unresolved cases that had been pushed under the rug so to speak, but at a ball to celebrate Sir Henry’s arrival there is a murder, a young school girl and the conflict is there as memories of that old case come to life.

Harriet is now working at a girls school and thoroughly enjoying it after that happened before, and she is thrilled Curran is back and hopping that their relationship will grow, she is there when the murder happens and as we all know Harriet gets involved to the annoyance of the new chief of police and when her and Curran discuss what happened and he opens up about the past case, Harriet is more determined to get answers but will that cause more problems to Curran especially when she opens up about what he told her?

When there is another two murders the stakes are getting higher and Curran must get the answers he and Harriet are getting closer to the answers but getting the evidence that will prove what happened is not easy in 1910, but we know how determined they are, will the culprit or culprits get away with murder?

I loved this one so much Harriet and Curran are one of my most favourite couples and even though this looks like it might be the last in the series I really do hope that we see more of them, the ending is just perfect, it truly is and I can’t highly recommend this one and the series enough A.M. Stuart is a fabulous author who pulls her readers in, makes them feel part of the story the setting is wonderful and the many fabulous characters add so much to the story, a must read.

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

5 stars

October 28, 2024 by Oportet Publishing

The Master of Strathburn

 The Master of Strathburn

Highland Rogue #1

Amy Rose Bennett

Reviewed by Helen

I loved this one so much, such awesome characters, this one is so very sensual, filled with danger and intrigue as Robert Grant exiled for ten years returns home but will he be put to death or will be saved by a red headed feisty lass who might win his heart?

Robert Grant has returned to Lochrose Castle in the Highlands with hopes of reconciling with his father The Master of Strathburn after being exiled ten years ago, it is time that he made amends for what happened all of those years ago but there is a price on his head and his younger half- brother Simon and his mother will do whatever they need to, to ensure that Robert does not take his place as heir. While staying in the old hunting lodge Robert encounters a beautiful red head, will she upset his plans for the future?

Jessie Munroe has recently come to Lochrose with her father when he is hired as factor to try and put things back in order, but she is forced to flee when her father is away when Simon is determined to make her his plaything but while making her way to the hunting lodge she is injured by a handsome hunter, can she trust him and then when she realises who he is things might just get very dangerous.

Things move very fast as Robert and Jessie learn more about each other but can they trust each other, with a price on Roberts head and his need to reconcile with his father is Jessie’s offer to help one he can trust and as for Jessie she is worried that Simon will catch up with them and then what will happen?

I loved, loved this story so much, it has everything a historical romance reader would want, a gorgeous Scottish hero and feisty Scottish heroine, there is danger and a very sensual romance, this one had me turning the pages and cheering them on, I do highly recommend this one, a must read and I look forward to book two.

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

5 stars

October 17, 2024

The Girl Who Risked it All

 The Girl Who Risked It All

The Emerald Sisters #3

Kate Hewitt

Reviewed by Helen

I am loving this series, emotional and showing courage and strength. Hannah Lerner and her younger sister Lotte have arrived in France after being on the SS St Louis for months turned away from Havana and their father, and now Hannah is separated from her three friends she made on the ship but she has the sliver of emerald that holds them together and they will meet up again one day, but for now she and Lotte must do what they can to stay safe and find a place to stay.

War is imminent, and when Hannah goes to send a telegram to her father Lotte is taken into care of a group of people who care for orphan children, Hannah is devastated and makes haste to find her sister she realizes that maybe they can keep her safer there but she promises to that they will be together one day.

Roaming the streets Hannah has nowhere to go and tiredness see her fall asleep on a park bench when she is rescued by a Frenchman Michal who takes her to his family home where she soon is feeling comfortable and her heart is opening to Michal.

But war takes Michal to the frontline and soon Hannah is fleeing the Nazis as they learn that she is half Jewish, but sheer determination sees Hannah soon helping the Resistance, times are dangerous and very hard and Hannah has no idea if Michal is alive and of course there is the worry of her sister, but when she hears that there is a plot to take the children Hannah does the only thing she can her and a friend risk their lives to save the children, will they be successful?

A fabulous story that had me turning the pages, my heart thumping and cheering Hannah on the strength she shows is awesome, will she find love, will her and Lotte ever be safe and will the Emerald sisters meet as they had planned too?

I do highly recommend this one and the series.

My thanks to Bookouture and Netgalley for my copy to read and review.

5 stars

October 17, 2024 by Bookouture