Christmas at the Convent

 Christmas at the Convent

Harriet Gordon Mysteries #5.5

A.M. Stuart

Reviewed by Helen

Harriet and Curran are just about to enjoy their first Christmas as a married couple and they are also looking forward to Julian and Esme’s wedding and a visit from young Will, it is sure to be a fabulous time that is until the phone rings in the early hours of the morning to say that a newborn baby has been found in the nativity scene at the local convent and that this baby is European, the hunt is on then for the mother they must ensure that she is safe.

Of course Harriet is not going to stay out of this investigation and Curran is happy to have her help with the young mother and when they uncover secrets that were supposed to stay secret this may very well not only put the mother in danger but the baby as well.

Again MS Stuart has taken her readers on a journey that will keep them turning the pages, Harriet and Curran work so well together bounce ideas off each other and find the answers they need, Harriet can also get herself in a little danger which is surely sending Curran greyer but together they make such a fabulous team and it will be sad to see the finish of this series but it looks like Harriet and Curran may be back with new adventures, I have my fingers crossed, this one ended so well it left me smiling.

I do highly recommend this series to any lover of a good historical mystery series this really is a brilliant series, one not to be missed, but read them all from the start, I love MS. Stuart’s books they are all fabulous.

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

5 stars

September 10, 2026 by Oportet Publishing

The Lost Perfumes of Paris

 The Lost Perfumes of Paris

Christine Wells

Reviewed by Helen

It is 1956 and we are in France, Grasse and Paris and we meet Elodie Limeaux, Elodie is the daughter of Aurore a famous perfumer who created some famous perfumes for The House of Limeaux and she wants nothing more than to be a perfumer like her mother was, she lost her mother when she was young and now her father Fabrice runs the perfume company that her grandfather started many years before, will she ever get there?

Elodie is now in her late twenties and she comes up against her father and the other lab assistants working for Limeaux, no perfume she creates seems to please him, her father refuses to allow her to follow in her mother’s footsteps, but when she finds out about a contest to find a perfume that will create the essence of Paris Elodie is determined to enter.

Marcelo Caspari is the son of a Swiss banker who is an investor in Limeaux and when he meets Elodie at a dinner he and his father support her all the way, Marcello is very interested in perfumes and finding all of the lost perfumes from many years ago and soon he and Elodie are working together in his own lab to create the perfect perfume to win the competition.

Together they not only find their passion for perfume is as strong as each other’s they also find that their hearts are also growing with love for each other, their journey to create that perfume meets a few hurdles along the way one of them being Elodie’s father he pushes her back at every turn, but Elodie shows her strength with Marcelo by her side and they create what they are very happy to enter into the contest but will they win and what will come of anything after that?

This is a story that had me invested from page one, I loved Elodie and Marcello and the other characters that add so much to the story the settings are beautiful as we see Elodie uncover truths about her mother and father and create perfumes that will last forever and Marcello is caring and passionate about perfume and Elodie. I loved this one so much and highly recommend it to any reader who loves a good historical fiction and romance, a must read.

Thank you MS. Wells for another brilliant story, it is so beautiful, based on woman perfumers from the past it shows what woman had to fight against to make their way in the perfume world and done so very well.

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

5 stars

September 8, 2026 by William Morrow Paperbacks

His Last Letter

 His Last Letter

Tanya Curran

Reviewed by Helen

This is a beautiful story, so well written and based on the authors own grandparents, it takes in men and woman who in 1939 and beyond put everything at risk to fight for their countries, report back to their country what was going on and nurse the injured throughout some very hard times, come along and meet these men and women.

Jack Sullivan is the eldest of a large family and willingly signs up to fight for his country, just before he leaves he meets Lizzie Lewis a nurse from Adelaide and their hearts seem joined from the start, he writes to Lizzie while he is away and their friendship grows through the letters.
Bert Miller is a reporter and his first big story takes in the announcement from the Australian Prime Minister at the start of the war, he is soon travelling over to the war zones and mailing his stories back to his editor and they are making the front page often.

After Lizzie receives some tragic news she decides that she will sign up and join the nurses helping, she is sent to Papua New Guinea and she is sure that is where Jack is, will she find him when she arrives?

Letters play a big part in this story and they are so beautiful, as we get to know Jack, Lizzie and Bert as well as the other fabulous characters that make this story so good, it is emotional, moving and opens up a world that was very hard for those six years. I loved Jack and Lizzie and Bert, is such a hero in so many ways as were all the men and woman who did what was needed,

I would highly recommend this story to any reader who loves a good historical fiction MS. Curran has bought the characters and the war to life on the pages, don’t miss this one, I loved it.

My thanks to the author for my copy.

5 stars

August 3, 2025 by Green Hill Publishing

The Palace of Lost Virtue

 The Palace of Lost Virtue

Anthea Hodgson

Reviewed by Helen

Anthea Hodgson takes her readers on and adventure back to Kalgoolrie in 1898 gold is everywhere and it plays a big part in the story and then there is the duel time line that takes us to 1926, come along and meet two woman from very different sides of the track who make friends and where they end up.

1898 and Marigold Harrington arrives with her mother in Kalgoolrie in search of her father who left their happy home in Toorak Melbourne in search of gold to make their lives better, Marigold is a member of The Christian Woman’s Temperance and she is determined to help woman wherever she can, especially those who are in brothels and the such, but she never thought her life would change the way it did.

Pansy Arlington has come to Western Australia from Kentucky USA after her life changed and now she owns and runs The Palace of Pleasure she has built her business up from nothing and has some very good girls working for her, Pansy does love a drink though so when Marigold arrives doing her best to talk to Pansy and the girls and change their minds about what they are doing, Pansy is not going to listen, but Pansy sees a strength in Marigold and also kindness.

It is not long before Marigold and Pansy become good friends and although their lives run in different circles they are there for each other especially when Marigold finds herself in a difficult situation and Pansy steps up and helps Marigold but it means the end of their friendship but does it really.

1926 sees Marigold still in Kalgoolrie but life is very different for her now things have changed she has been through a lot but she is still the most determined woman there is and there is a lot that keeps her going especially the court case regarding the murders of two policeman, her and her neighbour Gert are full of interesting information, will they find the killer or killers?

This story is based on true events, it was a hard time and I loved this one I loved Pansy she is a wonderful character as is Marigold and the girls Rosie and Bertha, there is a twist at the end that I did not see coming but I applauded it, I do highly recommend this one to any lover of a good Aussie historical fiction. Thank you Anthea Hodgson for another fabulous story.

4 stars

April 21, 2026 by Penguin Australia

The Diamonds of Tilly Devine

 The Diamonds of Tilly Devine

Jackie French

Reviewed by Helen

Constance McKie has just lost the mother she loved, she has been caring for her for the last seven years as she fought her battle with cancer it is 1931 and the Sydney suburb of Surry Hills is not the best place to live, the depression has changed people’s lives and now what is Connie to do, there are not many choices, starve, jump of the gap or become a street walker when Tilly Devine the queen of the brothels offers her a choice that is hard to refuse.

Connie weighs up her options and takes on the job of one of Tilly’s Diamonds these woman are beautiful, know how to keep secrets they are upper class, Tilly keeps her Diamonds separate from her other businesses and she plays matchmaker arranging marriages to wealthy men who needs to keep their personal lives secret and soon Connie finds herself married to businessman Ted Glendenning, they have met a few times and Connie is convinced that she will be happy with her paper marriage but after two days of marriage she realises that there is no way she is going to be happy and the mouse that Ted thought he married turns around when they arrive at the country property that Connie is supposedly to spend her life on the farm away from the city.

Soon Connie with some changes she is settled into her new life in the country and life is so very good for her but when a murder is suspected, things change very quickly connections to Tilly Devine must be kept under wraps, bribery, blackmail and so much more bring big changes to this once happy place, will Connie survive all that is happening? After all Diamonds are very strong.

This is such a great story MS. French has bought to life an era that was very hard for so many people and combined fact and fiction and bought her readers a story that is complex and immersive there are so many plots and so many fabulous characters Connie is such a strong and determined woman and Tilly Devine was always a woman not to be messed with and it shows in this story. I do highly recommend this one to anyone who loves historical fiction, I loved it.

My thanks to Harlequin Harlequin Enterprises for my copy to read and review.

4 stars

June 30, 2026 by Harlequin Enterprises

I've Grown Accustomed to My Scott

 I've Grown Accustomed to My Scott

The Mackenzies Take London #2

Sara Bennett

Reviewed by Helen

Book two in this wonderful series and we see the second Mackenzie brother Rory arrive in London to continue on in his reckless life he has no intention of falling in love or heaven forbid marrying, Rory is about the carefree life but things just might change when he ends up in a duel and then with his caring ways rescues and marries Grace, it is to be a paper marriage only he will see her settled in a home and he can go on his merry way or that is what he thought.

Grace sadly is known as Disgrace after a scandal when she thought a man would be able to help her escape her cruel stepfather, but when her stepfather finds her another husband and he ends up in a duel with a Scotsman is seems the she will now marry Lord Rory Mackenzie although she knows that it is a marriage on paper Grace dearly wants to make it real one at least once she is shocked when Rory refuses, he is a man of his word.

But with Rory’s Aunt Jennie encouraging them to be seen out in public to push the scandal away their time spend together sees them forming a relationship that is growing and soon they are sharing a bed and things are changing for both of them but falling in love was never on the plan for either but life has a way of changing things could they find a HEA together?

This is a truly a lovely story one that I loved Rory and Grace are made for each other and I do highly recommend this one and the series and I can’t wait for the next one bring it on I am looking forward to getting to know the next Mackenzie sibling.

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

5 stars

June 6, 2026 by Dragonblade Publishing, Inc

Rebel Spirits

 Rebel Spirits

Paula J Beavan

Reviewed by Helen

This is another fabulous Australian historical from one of my favourite authors, Paula J Beavan it is 1865 and we are in the small town of Jump Up Creek in The Hunter Valley of New South Wales and we meet the Maguire’s, Paddy and his two adult children Ellen and Michael, times have been hard since the death of wife and mother and since the railway went through, their roadside inn The Harp and Hound known as one of the best is no longer getting the patronage that it had and Ellen had promised her mother that she would keep things running and look after her father and brother.

Ellen continues to make the woman’s elixir that has been handed down from her granny then to her mother and now Ellen but when needs must with the help of their cook Mrs. Reid Ellen is soon doing something that she never would have thought possible, making poteen to an old family receipt and this could bring them back from the brink of ruin or destroy everything they have known as a family.

When Ellen rescues and injured Englishman Jack Bell who is searching for his long lost niece, Ellen offers him a place to stay and the care he needs for a while but soon there is a pull that she is not sure about, and it appears that Jack is feeling the same but they are from two very different worlds and with what she is doing at the moment nothing can happen.

Dangers seems to be appearing from all corners now when the mystery niece arrives with her secrets and what of her brother Michael and the things he is up to with the poteen she has been making and the sly grog shops and the neighbour who is after their land and the police are doing their best to contain the sly grog throw in a couple of children some Llamas and Alpacas and a race horse and this story has all that is needed for a wonderful story that had me smiling, cheering Ellen on and turning the pages.

I loved this one from start to finish, the author has bought the era, the characters and the events to life on the pages, who will Ellen choose family or the handsome Jack Bell? I do highly recommend this one, I never miss a Paula J Beavan story you will be transported back in time and get hours of reading joy, many thanks MS. Beavan for another fabulous story.

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

5 stars

May 27, 2026 by Paula J Beavan