Category: romance

Blog Tour and Audiobook Review: To Kiss a Wallflower #TimelessRegencyCollection

BonnieReadsAndWrites3 Comments
  • Genre:Historical Romance, Regency Romance, Inspirational Fiction
  • Publisher: Mirror Press (June 21, 2022)
  • Length: (305) pages
  • Format: Trade paperback, eBook, & audiobook 
  • ISBN: 978-1952611261
  • Tour Dates: June 20 – July 1, 2022

BOOK DESCRIPTION

To Kiss a Wallflower is the nineteenth book in the Timeless Regency Collection, a bestselling anthology series from Mirror Press. The book features three novellas from acclaimed historical romance authors whose stories reveal that eventually, all wallflowers will have their chance at love . . . This is where it begins.

“The Wallflower’s Dance,” by Jen Geigle Johnson


Lottie Hughes likes people, as long as they aren’t too close. Does it bother her that no one asks her to dance? Yes, but she’s not sure how to drum up dance partners when she has almost no dowry, no title, and freezes up when anyone tries to talk to her. When she suddenly inherits a huge amount and is the new center of attention all over London, her secret dreams might come true but also her worst nightmares. Suddenly everyone wants to talk to her. Men ask her to dance. And she is inundated with interested suitors. She fights to stay close to the few friends she knows are true. One man saw her before her life changed forever. But does she want to accept his help when he, too, might be insincere?

“Letters to a Wallflower,” by Heather B. Moore


Ellen might be beautiful and considered a diamond of the first water by Society, but she is so very tired of the pressure to marry a titled gentleman so that her beauty won’t go to waste. When her cousin Dinah dares Ellen to attend a ball with no frills and to stand with the wallflowers, Ellen takes on the dare. What’s in the wager for her? The prize cuttings of her aunt’s extraordinary roses. But what Ellen isn’t expecting is Lord Ravenshire to engage her in the most interesting conversation. When she confesses to him of her opposition in marrying for a title, he confesses his distaste of the London scene. They strike a bargain together, one which will either push them apart or lead to a future sweeter than either of them could have imagined.

“To Marry a Wallflower,” by Anneka R. Walker


Charlotte Winters is destined to spinsterhood until she turns down an unwanted proposal and everything changes. With gossip rampant, her father attempts to salvage her reputation by betrothing her to another. Soon she is sent off to her aunt’s to meet Lord Templeton, her intended. Anxiety-ridden, Charlotte begs her aunt to let her observe Lord Templeton from afar before their introduction. She never planned to pretend to be her fictional cousin to learn more about him, or to fall in love with Lord Templeton’s friend in the process. Lord Templeton dreads returning to the empty halls of Newcliff Manor. When his father’s old friend, Mr. Winters reaches out for assistance, Lord Templeton finds himself returning home engaged to a woman he has never met. Desperate to learn more about Miss Winters, he befriends her cousin. He wouldn’t have spoken to her, or lied about his identity, if he’d known the quiet woman would sneak into his heart.

ABOUT THE SERIES

Since 2015, Mirror Press has been presenting the Timeless Regency Collection, a curated anthology of novellas and short stories featuring bestselling authors from the contemporary and historical romance genres. The collection has hit the USA TODAY bestselling list and charted at #1 at Amazon.com. Learn more about the series and other anthologies published by Mirror Press at their website.  

ADVANCE PRAISE

  • “5 STARS – I loved the unique twists that each author used in their stories and how they tied them into the theme.”— Julie Carpenter, Goodreads
  • “What a great set of stories! If you have read any of these three authors you know you are in for a treat. If you aren’t familiar with them, prepare to add their names to your list of favorites.”— Shauna Jones, Goodreads
  • “I thoroughly enjoyed all three of these novellas. They were lighthearted, fun, and took me away from my worries for a while.”— A Bookish Romantic, Goodreads

AUDIOBOOK REVIEW

This is a collection of three Regency romances that revolve around the concept of a “wallflower,” and they all take a different and intriguing approach to the theme. I enjoyed all three stories. My favorite was “The Wallflower’s Dance,” with a light, “friends-to-romance” theme that kept me smiling and entertained. However, I enjoyed all three of these stories, which together provide another strong anthology in the Timeless Regency collection. “Letters to a Wallflower” is a funny and clever tale about a beautiful woman who would rather tend her garden than get betrothed to a titled gentleman, and “To Marry a Wallflower” is a delightful case of mistaken identity.

I listened to the audiobook, and I felt the narrators did a great job. I don’t always enjoy a book with two different narrators, but Shane East and Shakira Shute complemented each other perfectly.

This is a wonderful way to while away a summer day with three delightful novellas that will make you smile. I received a free copy of this audiobook from the publishers via Austenprose PR. My review is voluntary and my opinions are my own.

PURCHASE LINKS

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AUTHOR BIOS

Jen Geigle Johnson

An award-winning author, including the GOLD in Foreword INDIES Book of the Year Awards and LDSPMA Praiseworthy’s top award for Romance, Jen Geigle Johnson has more stories circulating in her brain than can possibly be told. She discovered her passion for England while kayaking on the Thames near London as a young teenager. History is her main jam. Her literary heroes include the greats: Jane Austen and Charles Dickens. But she has modern sensibilities as well.

She loves to share bits of history that might otherwise be forgotten. Whether in Regency England, the French Revolution, or Colonial America, her romance novels are much like life is supposed to be: full of adventure.

WEBSITE |  TWITTER | FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM | GOODREADS

Heather B. Moore

Heather B. Mooreis a USA Today bestseller and award-winning author of more than seventy publications. She’s lived on both the east and west coasts of the United States, including Hawaii, and attended school abroad including the Cairo American College in Egypt, and the Anglican School of Jerusalem in Israel. She loves to learn about anything in history and, as an author, is passionate about historical research.

WEBSITE | TWITTER | FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM | GOODREADS

Anneka R. Walker

Anneka Walker is an award-winning author raised by a librarian and an English teacher turned judge. After being fed a steady diet of books, she decided to learn about writing. The result was a bachelor’s degree in English and history. When she isn’t dreaming up a happy ending for a story, she is busy living her own with her husband and adorable children.

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Book Review: Surviving The Wilderness by Maggie K. Black #Inspirational #Thriller #Romance

BonnieReadsAndWrites7 Comments

Jeff Connor is a former Master Corporal who has retreated from life, living with his daughter in a remote cabin in the wilds of Canada. Quinn Dukes is a wilderness guide who is taking a group of people on a survival trip. Former coworkers who did not get along, neither of them realize that danger and an evil person will cause their worlds to collide once again.

This is a captivating inspirational romantic thriller that will keep you guessing. The plot is full of twists and turns and includes kidnapping, hostage-taking, murder, and intrigue. The storyline is very clever and well put together. I thought I had it all figured out, but I didn’t. This really impresses me, because I can usually figure out who the “bad guy” is way before the end of the book.. There is a Christian message of faith and relying on God in both good times and bad. The topic of PTSD is also part of the story. Fans of romantic thrillers and wilderness adventures will enjoy this novel.

I received a free copy of this book from Harlequin via Netgalley. My review is voluntary and my opinions are my own.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Maggie K. Black is an award-winning journalist, self-defense instructor and romantic suspense author. Her writing career has taken her around the globe, and into the lives of countless grass-roots heroes and heroines, who are changing lives  in their own communities. 

She’s  lived in the United States, the Middle East and the United Kingdom, before making her home in Canada.

She is thankful to her readers for allowing her to turn the adventures and people that have inspired her, into fresh stories that make her pulse race and her heart soar.

BUY LINKS

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Book Review: The Magic of Lemon Drop Pie #Romanticfantasy

BonnieReadsAndWrites5 Comments

BOOK DESCRIPTION

Lolly Blanchard’s life only seems to give her lemons. Ten years ago, after her mother’s tragic death, she broke up with her first love and abandoned her dream of opening a restaurant in order to keep her family’s struggling Seattle diner afloat and care for her younger sister and grieving father. Now, a decade later, she dutifully whips up the diner’s famous lemon meringue pies each morning while still pining for all she’s lost.

As Lolly’s thirty-third birthday approaches, her quirky great-aunt gives her a mysterious gift—three lemon drops, each of which allows her to live a single day in a life that might have been hers. What if her mom hadn’t passed away? What if she had opened her own restaurant in England? What if she hadn’t broken up with the only man she’s ever loved? Surprising and empowering, each experience helps Lolly let go of her regrets and realize the key to transforming her life lies not in redoing her past but in having the courage to embrace her present.

The Magic of Lemon Drop Pie is a delightful story of lost love and second chances. It asks the question, “What if I go could back and make a different decision?” The characters are endearing and the “road not taken” plot is one of my favorites. In this book, Lolly gets to explore some roads not taken. Will she choose one of them? Can she? The book transitions well between the past, the present, and possible futures. It is a fun dream–magic lemon drops that can change your life. Mix together a sweet romance with a few “what ifs” and some fairy dust in the form of lemon drops, and you have an entertaining read. I really enjoyed all of it, from the captivating cover to the lemon meringue pie.

I received a free copy of this book from Berkley via Netgalley. My review is voluntary and my opinions are my own.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Rachel Linden is a novelist and international aid worker whose adventures in over fifty countries around the world provide excellent grist for her writing. She is the author of Ascension of Larks, Becoming the Talbot Sisters, and The Enlightenment of Bees. Currently Rachel lives with her family in Seattle, WA where she enjoys creating stories about hope, courage and connection with a hint of romance and a touch of whimsy.

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Self-Published Spotlight: Distant Stars

BonnieReadsAndWrites2 Comments

Will Rutledge needs a fresh start. After aging out of the foster care system, he and his brother, Kane, have nothing but each other. Maybe that is why he agreed to his brother’s insane plan. With his brains and his brother’s muscle, what could go wrong?
Enter Hannah Cole. After a devastating loss, her faith in God is shaken. No amount of money could fill the hole in her life… not even if her dad has plenty of it. Suddenly, Hannah finds herself in the middle of the brothers’ reckless scheme.

Plans start to unravel when Will and Hannah develop feelings for one another despite their seemingly insurmountable differences. With Kane determined to finish the plan, the star-crossed lovers question God’s purpose and ask:

Are some stars just too far apart to collide?

Genre:  NA/Adult Christian Contemporary Romance

Release Date:  July 9th, 2022. Preorder for 99 cents!

BUY LINKS: Amazon|Amazon UK|B&N|Bookbub

Audiobook Review: The Wedding Season #WeddingFiction #Romance

BonnieReadsAndWrites7 Comments

When Matthew leaves Freya the day before their wedding, she is devastated but tries to hide it all behind a calm front. Not only has she been left at the altar, but she has seven weddings to go to amongst her group of friends that summer. Her fabulous friends see right through her calm demeanor and, after determining that she still wants to go to all these weddings, give her a set of tasks to complete during each event. By the end of the “wedding season,” she has learned a lot about herself and her relationships.

I feel bad being so entertained by a “left at the altar” situation, but this was uproariously funny at times. The audiobook narrator Daphne Kourna portrayed the characters’ changing emotions perfectly, whether it was humor, pain, embarrassment, betrayal, sadness, or anger.. She did a fantastic job.

The relationship between Freya and her mother is so heartwrenching, as this is not the first time she’s been abandoned. Freya’s journey through her heartbreak, both past and present, is compelling. Her supporting cast of friends are the type of people I’d like to have in my life when others let me down. It’s a rollicking recovery journey that you will not want to miss.

There are a few F-bombs for those who try to avoid that.

Overall, the rating for this entertaining book is 4.5 stars, rounded up to 5 on sites without a half-star option.

I received a free copy of this audiobook from Macmillan Audio via Netgalley. My review is voluntary and my opinions are my own.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Katy Birchall is the author of several young adult novels including The It Girl series, the Hotel Royale series and Morgan Charmley: Teen Witch. She is the co-author of the middle grade Lightning Girl series and Star Switch with Alesha Dixon, and the Find the Girl teen series with YouTube stars Lucy and Lydia Connell. Katy was proud to be the author of a retelling of Jane Austen’s Emma for the Awesomely Austen series, a collection of Austen’s novels retold for younger readers. She has also written a non-fiction book, How to be a Princess: Real-Life Fairy Tales for Modern Heroines. The Secret Bridesmaid was her adult fiction debut.

Katy lives in London with her partner, Ben, and her rescue dog, Bono.

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Blog Tour and Book Review: Her Country Gentleman #HistoricalRomance #GeorgianEra

BonnieReadsAndWrites3 Comments

BOOK DESCRIPTION

Her Country Gentleman is the first book in the Timeless Georgian Collection, a new anthology series from Mirror Press. The book features three novellas from bestselling historical romance authors whose stories reveal that not all love is found in London.

“Spring at Tribbley Hall,” by Sian Ann Bessey

When Charlotte’s grandmother invites her to accompany her to Norfolk, Charlotte jumps at the chance to visit the sea and escape the fuss surrounding her sister’s wedding preparations in London. Lord William Cheston, on the other hand, is most unhappy when his mother informs him that her old friend and a granddaughter are coming to stay. Not only is it lambing season, but he’s also dealing with the mysterious loss of several sheep. The last thing he needs is a child underfoot. When Charlotte and William first meet, he does not realize that the lovely young lady is the granddaughter in question, and she assumes that the man dressed in work clothes in the barn is a servant. Soon afterward, however, Charlotte stumbles upon a clue to William’s sheep’s disappearance, and when her life is placed in jeopardy, William is forced to choose between saving his unwanted houseguest and catching the thief.

“Love of My Heart,” by Sarah M. Eden

Cordelia Wakefield has never lived anywhere but London and is not overly happy when her family is forced to retrench to a small estate near Teviotbrae, Scotland. An ill-fated game of battledore and shuttlecock brings her face-to-racquet with Sebastian, who runs the home farm at nearby Teviot Castle. What begins as a clash of personalities, expectations, and preferences, soon leads to a friendship neither had expected. As the magic of Teviotbrae weaves its spell, the possibility of something more than friendship begins to blossom. But what future is there for a lowly farmer and a London lady?

“Miss Smith Goes to Wiltshire,” by Rebecca Connolly

Martha Smith wants to marry for love and will not be persuaded otherwise. She is highly sought after in Society for her beauty and status but refuses to consider any suitor whose only claim is that his prospects meet with her mother’s approval. Her widowed mother has had enough of Martha’s romantic sensibilities and is sending her to stay with unfortunate cousins in Wiltshire to show her that marrying for love is a risk that is too great. Benjamin Steele, Lord Hillier, is working on his new and dilapidated estate when he first catches sight of the striking Martha Smith. Becoming Lord Hillier has only brought him a house that needs significant repairs, tenant farms that had been abandoned, and only the money he’d already possessed. He wants meaning in his life, and he’s more than willing to work for it. Though worlds apart in all else, on this point they can agree: a life of meaning would change everything.

ABOUT THE SERIES

The Timeless Georgian Collection is a new series featuring novellas set in England during the Georgian era (1714 – 1830). It is part of A Timeless Romance Anthology series published by Mirror Press — a curated collection of novellas and short stories featuring bestselling authors from the contemporary and historical romance genres. The collection has hit the USA TODAY bestselling list and charted at #1 at Amazon.com. Learn more about the series and other anthologies published by Mirror Press at their website.  

THE AUTHORS

Sian Ann Bessey

Born in Cambridge, England, but grew up on the island of Anglesey off the coast of North Wales, Sian left her homeland to attend university in the U.S. and earned a bachelor’s degree in communications with a minor in English.

She began her writing career as a student, publishing several magazine articles while still in college. Since then, she has published historical romance and romantic suspense novels, along with a variety of children’s books. She is a USA Today bestselling author, a Foreward Reviews Book of the Year finalist, and a Whitney Award finalist.

She loves to travel and experience other cultures, but when she’s home, her favorite activities are spending time with her family, cooking, and reading.

WEBSITE | FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM | BOOKBUB | GOODREADS

Sarah M. Eden

Sarah M. Eden is a USA Today bestselling author of multiple historical romances, including AML’s “2013 Novel of the Year” and Foreword Review’s 2013 “IndieFab Book of the Year” gold medal winner for Best Romance, Longing for Home, and the Whitney Award’s “2014 Novel of the Year,” Longing for Home: Hope Springs.

Combining her obsession with history and affinity for tender love stories, Sarah loves crafting witty characters and heartfelt romances set against rich historical backdrops. She holds a bachelor’s degree in research and happily spends hours perusing the reference shelves of her local library. Sarah lives with her husband, kids, and mischievous dog in the shadow of a snow-capped mountain she has never attempted to ski.

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Rebecca Connolly

Rebecca Connolly is the author of more than two dozen novels. She calls herself a Midwest girl, having lived in Ohio and Indiana. She’s always been a bookworm, and her grandma would send her books almost every month so she would never run out. Book Fairs were her carnival, and libraries are her happy place.

She has been creating stories since childhood, and there are home videos to prove it! She received a master’s degree from West Virginia University, spends every spare moment away from her day job absorbed in her writing, and is a hot cocoa addict.

WEBSITE | TWITTER | FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM | BOOKBUB | GOODREADS

BOOK REVIEW

I really enjoyed this trio of novellas set in the Georgian era. I appreciated that this anthology is full of historical details of a period with which I am not as familiar. The romances are clean, realistic, and engaging. Each novella has a strong cast of characters, and there are three charming plots provided from different, well-known authors. There is a theme throughout each novella of ladies who travel from the city to find unexpected romance in the country. There are delightful touches of humor, and because this is set in the country, there are lots of sheep! This anthology is full of delightful “city to country” stories and has inspired me to learn more about the Georgian era.

I received a free copy of this book from Mirror Press via Austenprose PR. My review is voluntary and my opinions are my own.

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Self-published Spotlight: Love Potion Just in Time by Kerri Hunter

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BOOK DESCRIPTION

Savannah knew that money and magic didn’t mix, but the Inn needed Katrina’s money and Katrina needed the love potion. What could possibly go wrong? Well, the love potion for starters, and now Savannah’s in a race against time to find the antidote. Meanwhile, she’s falling for Rylan but will he still feel the same once the love potion is reversed?

READ THIS ON KINDLE VELLA

On Kindle Vella, the first three episodes are free, and then you purchase additional episodes (chapters) with tokens. It costs $1.99 for 200 tokens. 200 tokens is enough for 8 chapters. Amazon may give you free tokens to start.

Self-Published Saturday: Silk

BonnieReadsAndWrites7 Comments

Self-Published Saturday is my effort to help self-published and indie authors promote their books. Indie authors have to do it all, and marketing may be the most daunting of all the tasks they have to take on. If I can help even a little bit, I’m happy to do it. Below is my review of Silk by Sophia Alexander. This is gorgeous, richly layered historical fiction with a hint of something more that takes it to another level.

Silk is set in 1899 in South Carolina. Caroline Corbett and her brother have moved to Kingstree, South Carolina to live with their uncle on his plantation. Caroline goes to work in the local sewing factory. She is soon joined by Anne, a relative of similar age. Together they find a niche in fashion. Her aunt and uncle are also searching for marriage prospects, and before long Caroline and Anne find themselves at a supper party crowded with eligible men. Caroline is soon being courted by the town doctor and a local farmer. But somebody else has plans too, and those plans may not bode well for Caroline.

This is not just a romance novel. It is compelling, well-researched historical fiction. It could almost be called a psychological thriller as well. There are certainly elements of that genre in this story. The characters are all well developed and I connected with them instantly, whether it was to love them or hate them. The history and prejudices of the period are so well researched and expertly woven into the story. The suspense added to this novel through the character of Jessie Bell really takes it to another level.

The ending contains a shock, but a promise for the future. I can’t wait to read Book 2.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Sophia Alexander writes character-driven historical fiction that grips readers’ emotions and surprises them with unexpected twists. A Lowcountry native, she is the author of the Silk Trilogy. Her writing is inspired by historical facts, genealogical investigations, intuitive guesswork, and fanciful romanticizations. Sophia is a graduate of the College of Charleston and lives with her family in Savannah, GA.

Sophia Alexander‘s new novel, Silk: Caroline’s Story, has garnered a clutch of accolades: finalist in the Historical Fiction category for the Next Generation Indie Book Awards 2021, finalist in the Family Saga category for the American Fiction Awards 2021, finalist for the Shelf Unbound 2021 Best Indie Book Awards, and longlisted for the Goethe Award 2022 by Chanticleer International.

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Book Review: A More Perfect Union

BonnieReadsAndWrites5 Comments

The review below is one I did for Historical Novels Review, the magazine of the Historical Novel Society. This book just ripped my heart out. I saw it was classified as a romance, but it’s way more than that. It’s richly layered, deeply personal, extremely important historical fiction. This was an editor’s choice in the February 2022 edition of Historical Novels Review.

Henry O’Toole escapes the Irish potato famine of 1848 and comes to America, unprepared for the hatred against the Irish that greets him in New York. Changing his name to Henry Taylor, he eventually becomes a traveling blacksmith in Virginia, where he meets Sarah, who is enslaved on the Jubilee plantation. When they fall in love, an uphill battle awaits them as interracial marriage is illegal and considered immoral at that time. Also on the plantation is the enslaved Maple, who is actually the half-sister of the mistress of the house. Maple has been forcibly separated from her husband and child in order to serve her sister. Based on the story of the author’s own great-great grandparents, this is a novel that will captivate, shock, and yes, enrage the reader.

What a stunning debut novel by Tammye Huf! The extreme injustice of the time is so well portrayed that it had me in tears. The beautiful love story of Henry and Sarah is made all the better knowing that this is based on a true story. The chapters are divided into multiple points of view, which makes for a compelling read. The author does not hold back in portraying the evil of one man owning another, and the depraved reality of the lashes, neck rings, slave markets, and chains is brought forth for all to see. The truth about the so-called respectable men and women of that era is sobering, but the lights of hope woven into this story are shown in Henry, Sarah, and others who are willing to take risks in order to help. A More Perfect Union is a love story, but also a shocking and heart-rending look at the realities of slavery. It is a must-read for those who want to know the truth about the pre-Civil War South.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Tammye Huf

(In her own words) Originally from the east and west coast of the USA, I have lived in the UK with my husband and three kids for the last twenty years. I love nothing more than to immerse myself into new places and experiences, and I love the way that books allow me to do that, traveling the globe or even back in time with the turn of a page.

Since earning my BA from Wellesley College, I have been a teacher of various ages and abilities as well as a copywriter and a translator. I’ve had the pleasure of seeing my short stories published in several literary magazines and being named the third-place winner of the London Magazine Short Story Prize 2018. My debut novel, A More Perfect Union, was published in the UK in October 2020 with Myriad Editions and will be published in the USA in January 2022 with Grand Central Publishing. 

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Blog Tour and Book Review: A Secret at Tansy Falls #Bookouture #BookTour

BonnieReadsAndWrites7 Comments

BOOK DESCRIPTION

The old farmhouse at Tansy Falls. A little patch of paradise in the hills of Vermont. Home to happy couple Connie and Nate. And a long-buried secret that will ignite a devastating spark…

As the summer sun sets over the sleepy Vermont town of Tansy Falls, Connie is reminded of how lucky she is. Every day, when she leaves the job she loves, managing the Covered Bridge Inn with her best friend Piper, she looks forward to returning to the farmhouse she shares with her husband Nate. At home, her flowerbeds overflow with day lilies and the weathered brick walls of her beautiful house glow in the evening light. The air is filled with the scent of the puffed apple pancakes she prepared that morning.

But one night, when Nate returns home, he is distant. He and Connie have been married for a long time, and while the laughter and lingering kisses have dwindled, Connie believed they would be together forever. So when a stranger arrives on their doorstep with a shocking secret about Nate, Connie’s life changes beyond all recognition.

Connie never thought she’d need to start over and live a life without Nate by her side. But as her heart breaks, Piper and the team at the inn are ready to help stitch it back together, with thoughtful advice washed down with warm spiced cider. As Connie begins to feel whole again, distraction arrives in the form of olive-skinned, broad-shouldered newcomer James. Nate has taught Connie that she doesn’t need a man, but James’s arrival helps her discover that she can follow her own dreams too. But as more secrets come to the surface, Connie wonders if she’ll ever truly be able to leave behind her past for good…

If you love gripping, heartbreaking romantic stories by Elin Hildebrand and Robyn Carr, you will be hooked by A Secret at Tansy Falls. A completely compelling read about secrets and betrayal that will have you reaching for the tissues.

BOOK REVIEW

We are back in Tansy Falls, where the manager of the Covered Bridge Inn, Connie, has a lot of challenges going on. The biggest of those is that her once-solid marriage seems to be on shaky ground as her husband struggles with unemployment. On top of that, her father is dating someone young enough to be his granddaughter, and her son seems to be in serious trouble at college. How does she handle all of this, on top of turning 49 and trying to manage a major event at the Inn? Follow Connie and the other residents of Tansy Falls on another enjoyable and enlightening adventure, and find out. This second book in the Tansy Falls series can be read as a standalone, but I recommend reading the first book to really meet the town and its residents.

I really enjoy this town and these characters, and Cate Woods keeps things interesting by introducing new people and new situations. The Inn is delightful, and we get to see old friends we met in book one, The Inn at Tansy Falls, which I also read and reviewed. I liked that the main focus of this story is on an almost-50-year old woman and some of the challenges we face in our 50s. Tansy Falls is a place I would definitely want to visit, and the town residents are a cast of characters the reader will enjoy getting to know. This book is hard to put down, and checking into the Covered Bridge Inn again is a fun way to spend a day. Fans of small-town fiction and family stories will love this heartwarming novel.

4.5 stars, rounded up to 5 on sites without a half-star option.

I received a free copy of this book from Bookouture via Netgalley. My review is voluntary and my opinions are my own.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Cate Woods

Cate Woods made the most of her university degree in Anglo-Saxon Literature by embarking on a career making tea on programs, including The Big Breakfast, Who Wants to be a Millionaire, and French & Saunders. After narrowly missing out on the chance to become a Channel 5 weather girl, she moved into the world of magazine journalism, then ghostwriting and now writes novels under her own name. She has written two best-selling romantic comedies – Just Haven’t Met You Yet and More Than a Feeling – and a festive novel, The Christmas Guest, under the name Daisy Bell. Cate lives in London with her husband and two children.

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