#BookReview ~ The Dangerous Love of a Rogue by Jane Lark ~ #HistoricalRomance ~ @JaneLark @rararesources @BoldwoodBooks

The Dangerous Love of a Rogue

Is he playing a game with her heart?

About the Book:

Lord Andrew Framlington is known as a rogue of the highest order, a fortune hunter, a man without honour. He plans to marry a wealthy bride to secure his future… but beneath it all, could he be longing for something more, something real?

Miss Mary Marlow, the enchanting sister of a duke, is everything he should not want – innocent, fiercely protected by her powerful family and entirely out of reach. Yet from the moment he sets eyes on her, Drew knows she is the one. Not just for her fortune, but for the way she makes him feel.

Mary knows Drew’s reputation and the danger he poses, knows surrendering to him would be reckless, yet his charm and stolen kisses leave her breathless. Torn between duty and desire, she finds herself teetering on the edge of ruin.

Can Mary trust a rogue with her heart?

My Review:

The Dangerous Love of a Rogue by Jane Lark is the fifth book in the Marlow Intrigues series. I have not read any of the previous books in the series. At some point, I'd like to go back to the beginning and read the series in order.

I enjoyed the story of Andrew and Mary. He's a scoundrel and wants to marry a rich innocent to establish a stable future. He sets his eyes on Mary, the sister of a duke. His plan is to coerce her into loving him. Unfortunately, things like this happened often in the time period this book is set in, in fact, things like that still happen now. 

Mary is a sweet, innocent young woman, but not so innocent doesn't that doesn't smell what Drew is cooking up. She knows loving him would be risky. She's determined to forge her own path, though, and I love her determination and strength.

The Dangerous Love of a Rogue is a wonderfully written Regency Romance. I enjoyed the story and the characters. There was depth to Mary and Drew. Both characters grew and matured throughout the book. I rooted for both of them to find the love within each other that they desperately needed, desired, and deserved.

I was provided with a copy of this book. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.  

My Rating:

Purchase Link:

Amazon

Meet the Author:

Jane Lark is a writer of compelling, passionate and emotionally charged fiction filled with diverse characters. She is an international bestselling author of both historical fiction and psychological thrillers, and a finalist in British Fiction Industry awards.

Social Media Links:

Facebook: @Janelarkauthor

Twitter: @JaneLark

Instagram: @jane.lark

Newsletter Sign Up: bit.ly/JaneLarkNews

Bookbub profile: @janelark

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#BookReview ~ The Roommate Experiment by Camilla Isley ~ @camillaisley @rararesources @BoldwoodBooks

The Roommate Experiment

Could there be room for attraction?

About the Book:

Hunter has secretly been in love with her best friend’s brother Dylan for years, despite barely registering as a blip on his radar. She’s not even in the friend zone—more like friend zone adjacent. But her luck is about to change: Dylan is taking over her spare room, and she's being promoted to roommate. Could this be the moment Dylan finally notices her?

Not so fast. When Dylan moves in, he carries more than just boxes—he brings complications. Suddenly, the dream of living under the same roof turns into a daily struggle. Dylan is off-limits, for reasons Hunter couldn’t have anticipated, and the closer they get, the harder it becomes to ignore her feelings.

But Hunter’s determined to keep her heart in check—no matter how difficult the task. She just has to avoid ogling him in a towel. Definitely don’t imagine what’s under the towel. And try not to swoon when he bakes cookies.

But after he saves her from a terrible date and they’re forced to share a sofa bed at his parents’ house, her emotions reach a breaking point. She’ll have to either move on or move out. Will she tell him the truth—or lose him forever?

The Roommate Experiment is a roommates-to-lovers, forced proximity, STEMinist rom-com perfect for fans of Lynn Painter, Sarah Adams, and Abby Jimenez.

My Review:

The Roommate Experiment is the third book in the Funny Feelings series. Since Hunter's friends Rowena and Nina are working on their happily-ever-afters, that leaves Hunter as the sole occupant of her 3-bedroom apartment. Dylan, Nina's brother, unexpectedly offers to move in and pay rent for both unoccupied rooms. 

Moving day is upon them in the opener of The Roommate Experiment and Hunter can't believe her long-time crush is just down the hall. She's elated, nervous, and anxious all at the same time, but comes crashing back down to earth when Dylan becomes off-limits. Living together platonically becomes harder each day as Hunter tries to hide her feelings and Dylan tries to figure out his. 

The only real issue I had with the book was how slow Dylan was in recognizing, and acting on, his feelings. The length of time Dylan spent with his girlfriend, Olivia (who was not a favorite of mine) diminished the romance we could have seen with Hunter instead. Many scenes clearly pointed to Dylan having feelings for Hunter but he had a hard time letting go of Olivia.

Hunter and Dylan are wonderfully written in a story that is sweet and tender, sexy and romantic, and full of laughter and love. Their tale is realistic and emotional. I enjoyed their journey from roommates to lovers. I was pulled into The Roommate Experiment from the start and the author's writing style, the story's pacing, and wonderfully written characters kept me engaged. 

I was provided with a copy of this book. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

My Rating:

 
Purchase Link:

Amazon 


Meet the Author:

Camilla Isley is an engineer who left science behind to write bestselling contemporary rom-coms set all around the world. She lives in Italy.

Social Media Links:

Facebook: @CamillaIsley

Twitter: @camillaisley

Instagram: @camillaisley

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Bookbub profile: @CamillaIsley

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#BookReview ~ Owen by VH Nicolson ~ @rararesources @BoldwoodBooks ~ #BillionaireRomance #ReverseAgeGap #RunawayGroom #MilitaryRomance

Owen

Don’t play the game, change it…

About the Book:

I was born into privilege. I had it all; the house, the car, more money than I knew what to do with. But it came at a price. Duty. An arranged marriage for the sake of the family empire to a woman who couldn’t bear to look at me. As I stood at the altar, the weight of that burden became too much. So, I did the only thing I could. I ran.

To another country and unintentionally straight into the arms of another woman. Jade is strong, independent, and a single mom. And brick by broken brick she dismantles the wall I’ve built up around my heart. But where once I had everything, now I have nothing. No home, no job and no idea what the future holds. All I do know is, Jade makes me feel more alive than I’ve ever felt before.

But there is always the risk my past could catch up with me. Because the weight of my family’s expectation is likely to cause me to crash land and send my world up in flames. Can I save myself and Jade before that happens?

My Review:

Owen is the exceptional third book in The Billionaire Boys series. 

Owen is a runaway groom set to marry a woman he didn't love and who didn't love him. When he lands in Cyprus to escape the fury of not only his family but hers, Owen is just looking unwind and come to terms with his decision. What he wasn't looking for was a hot military commander and her cute-as-a-button daughter. Sparks fly as Owen's world crashes down around him.

I loved Owen and Jade's story. The author delves into so many things with this book. A billionaire with a pathetic family life, one that forces him to be something and someone he's not. A independent, female, military squadron leader, her baby, and the baby's absent father. A meet-cute that dissolves the ice around Owen's heart and brings out the man he's always been meant to be; one that's been trying to be a better man, less selfish, and more interested in others. 

Owen and Jade are fantastic characters. When I read about Owen in Jacob, the second book in the series, I was clear in my review of that story that I did not like Owen. His inability to take no for answer was a huge turnoff. He was egotistical and very much all about Owen and no one else. I also knew that his story was going to be good - and I was right. 

I was drawn into this story 100%. The characters are dynamic and three dimensional. They have feelings, emotions, imperfections, and realistic qualities. Owen is definitely an instalove story and I was down with the love-at-first-sight vibe. The author delivered a compelling romance filled with ups and downs, imperfect characters, and a love that became everything. 

I was provided with a copy of this book. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

My Rating:

Purchase Link:

Amazon

Meet the Author:

Based in the Kingdom of Fife in Scotland, VH Nicolson writes spicy, swoony romance filled with heart, hope and humor. Vicki wrote her first book during lockdown, and is now completely smitten with writing love stories with happily ever afters. For more two decades Vicki has worked throughout the UK and abroad within the creative marketing and design industry, as a branding strategist and stylist, editor of a magazine and sub-editor of a newspaper. Married to her soulmate, they have one son. She has a weakness for buying too many quirky sparkly jumpers, eating Belgium buns, and walking the endless beaches that surround her beautiful Scottish hometown of St. Andrews.

Social Media Links:

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Deviously Delicious by T.J. Deschamps and Beth Whiteman – Mystery / Fantasy ~ @RABTBookTours #RABTBookTours #DeviouslyDelicious #TJDeschamps #BethWhiteman #Fantasy

 

Jills of All Trades, Book One

Deviously Delicious 

by 

T.J. Deschamps and Beth Whiteman

Mystery, Contemporary Fantasy

Date Published: May 31, 2025

 

 

About the Book:

On the Northern California coast, beyond the mists of the ancient redwoods, there’s a quiet town like any other. Sueños del Mar has bakeries, repair shops, and friendly neighbors looking out for one another.

Or so it would seem.

This is a deviously delicious lie.

Every resident of Sueños del Mar has a skeleton in the closet. Even polar opposite best friends, roommates, and business partners Allison and Dorseigh.

Dorseigh McHale is a simple girl next door, seeking to earn a living wage and let go of her need to please everyone.

Allison Liddle seeks to leave her past behind and travel the world in style.

Their simple plans are thwarted when an unconscious boy ends up in their driveway.

The key to unlocking the secrets of the people and the town itself surfaces once kids start to go missing. Accused of the kidnapping, The Jills of all Trades, Allison and Dorseigh must add another skill to their resume: Amateur detectives.

With the help of friends, and some red herrings along the way, the Jills discover the missing children aren’t the only thing wrong with the town of Sueños del Mar.

About T.J. Descahmps:

T.J. Deschamps is a multi-genre author who lives in the Pacific Northwest with her three kids, three cats, and one unbothered tortoise. In her spare time, she can be found either curled up with a book and cats by a fire or out in the forests and lakes hiking or kayaking.

Author Contact Links:

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About Beth Whiteman:

Beth Whiteman is a multi-genre author who lives in the Midwest with her husband, three children, dog, and cats. In her spare time, she is a champion kid chauffeur, crocheter, crafter, and jewelry designer.

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#BookReview ~ Finding Love at the Magical Curiosity Shop by Jaimie Admans ~ #ContemporaryRomance #Romance @be_the_spark @rararesources @BoldwoodBooks

Finding Love at the Magical Curiosity Shop

In a shop full of stories, some magic is real.

About the Book:

Mickey Teasdale loves her quaint curiosity shop, where every item feels magical to her. She loves imagining the past owners of her knick-knacks and telling her made-up tales to customers, but lately, the magic has dimmed; the shop feels cluttered, and even her stories seem as worn as the items she sells.

Everything changes when the grumpiest customer Mickey’s ever met—single dad Ren Montague—walks in with his surly teen daughter, Ava. Ren hates mess and clutter and prefers order and calm, but he'll do anything to see Ava smile. Yet, something shifts in him when he meets Mickey, who seems like she stepped out of her very own fairy tale.

When Ava discovers a secret diary, hidden from years long ago, she and Mickey believe it must have once belonged to a real-life mermaid! Ever sceptical, Ren tries to protect Ava from disappointment, but as they unravel the mystery together, something special happens…

Ren learns that happy ever afters still exist if you're brave enough to look for them, and Mickey discovers that real-life can sometimes be way more magical than anything she could have ever imagined.

My Review:

Finding Love at the Magical Curiosity Shop is an amazing book! I loved the story, the characters, the romance, well...everything. This story is so much more than a retelling of The Little Mermaid. Loosely based on a childhood favorite fairytale, the author magnificently modernized the story. My love for this book was so strong I read it in one sitting, unable to put it down. I had to know what happened between Ava and Ren and the story in the secret diary. I was hooked by the end of the first page.

Mickey is a dynamic character but her life has been filled by loss. Her curiosity shop, The Mermaid's Treasure Trove, keeps her balanced and her mind off of distressing things. However, she's lost her way with the shop but didn't realize it until one rude customer shakes the cobwebs loose. Ren and his daughter Ava suddenly appear in her shop one day. One typical 13-year-old and one typical uncool parent who are trying their best to navigate their own losses. Mickey and Ren hit if off even with their disastrous first encounter. 

Two broken souls, desperate, and unknowingly drawn to one another, unite in the most fantastic romance. 

I was provided with a copy of this book. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

My Rating:

  
Purchase Link:

Amazon

Meet the Author:

Jaimie Admans is the bestselling author of several romantic comedies – including The Little Christmas Shop on Nutcracker Lane and The Chateau of Happily-Ever-Afters. Her series for Boldwood, The Ever After Street Series, is based on the magical world of fairytales.

Social Media Links:

Facebook: @JaimieAdmansBooks

Twitter: @be_the_spark

Instagram: @jaimieadmans1

Newsletter Sign Up: https://bit.ly/JaimieAdmansNews

Bookbub profile: @jaimieadmans1

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Partylite 40% off Mini Jar Candles ~ #Partylite #JarCandles #Sale ~ Sale Ending Soon ~ Stock Up Today!!

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Improbable and Extraordinary by Saul & Erika Horwitz ~ @RABTBookTours #RABTBookTours #ImprobableandExtraordinary #SaulandErikaHorwitz #Memoir

 

Improbable and Extraordinary by Saul & Erika Horwitz

Memoir

Date Published: April 21, 2025

Publisher: MindStir Media

 

 

Winner of the 2025 Literary-Titan Book Award (Memoir)!

Winner of the 2025 Firebird book award (Addiction and Recovery)!

Winner of the 2025 Firebird book award (Mental Health)!

Finalist, 2024 Literary Global Book Awards and American Writing Book Awards!

 

I believe Improbable and Extraordinary will be an extremely influential book - it's rare to see such a personal and raw account of mental illness, and then the continuous (and in this case, unique) process of overcoming it. Overall, an outstanding and moving manuscript...The flow is excellent and engaging and the voice is very strong. A true accomplishment!

Megan Patiry, author of The Alice Effect.

 

Escaping the torment of depression, anxiety, mania and addiction: Saúl's memoir is a powerful testament to the strength of the human spirit, showing how even when it seems unattainable, transformation is possible. Once tormented by the crushing grip of bipolar disorder, depression, severe anxiety, anger, and addiction, Saúl shares the raw, unflinching truth of his battle with mental illness and trauma.

Through a profound exploration of love, not as a romantic ideal but as a fundamental force, and by adopting practical, yet challenging principles, the author discovers a path to inner peace and freedom. Saúl's candid reflections on overcoming a deep, persistent darkness reveal the possibility of peace, freedom, and personal growth.

This memoir doesn't just chronicle survival; it celebrates the power of transformation. Saúl's path through addiction and mental illness reveals that true peace and freedom are within reach, even for those who have lost everything.

By sharing his experience, Saúl aims to inspire understanding and hope, and communicate that healing is not just possible but transformative. This book is a beacon of hope for anyone wanting to find hope for themselves or someone they love.

 

From co-author, Dr. Erika Horwitz, Licensed Psychologist:

As Saul's sister, I witnessed his torments and struggles and his amazing transformation! As a psychologist, I understood the enormity of what he achieved-moving from a place of deep mental illness to stability, inner peace and wisdom. His story is inspiring and a testament to the amazing ability of human beings to transform. It's a story that offers hope to anyone facing mental health challenges and their loved ones. I knew it was essential for Saul to share his story, and I believe it will resonate with anyone who believes in the power of transformation."

 

About the Authors:

Saúl Horwitz

Saúl Horwitz is an addictions expert and counsellor for people in rehabilitation and recovery. From an early age he had to struggle with his personality due to suffering from bipolar disorder. Suicide attempts, suicidal crises, depression, euphoria, and other drastic changes in his personality prevented him from leading a normal life like that of others. After receiving help from a non-traditional AA group, El Despertar, not only did he transform many of these symptoms, but he also became a skilled counsellor to those afflicted by addiction and mental illness.

 

Erika Horwitz, Ph.D.

Erika is a Licenced Psychologist working in private practice in Vancouver, British Columbia Canada.  In addition, she is an author, public speaker, university lecturer, and certified Mindfulness Teacher.  She was the former Director of Counselling Services at Simon Fraser University.  She is currently the President of the Board of Directors at the British Columbia Psychological Association, the Vice-Chair at the Council of Professional Associations of Psychology and a council member at the American Psychological Association.  She wrote Through the Maze of Motherhood: Empowered Mothers Speak.  In her leisure time she loves meditation, reading, movies, working out, and spending time with her amazing husband, her family, and friends.

 

Contact Links:

Website

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Youtube

 

Purchase Links:

Amazon

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Fate of the Storm (Demon Storm, Book Eight) by Valerie Storm ~ Young Adult Fantasy ~ @Valerie_Storm

Fate of the Storm

Demon Storm 

Book Eight

Valerie Storm

Genre: Young Adult Fantasy

Publisher: Shadow Spark Publishing

Date of Publication: 5/13/2025

ISBN: 9781956883343 

ASIN: B0F4BD7X8Y

Number of pages: 374

Word Count:  97,896

Cover Artist: @Ginkahederling

About the Book:

The shadows have retreated with Raven's downfall, but darkness still curls at the edges of the world. For a moment, though, Kari and Ari have a moment of peace. There is a glimmer of light that threatens to wash away the darkness as they finally bind their fates together in a formal ceremony.

But Raven hasn't given up, and there's an older, crueler foe who hasn't forgotten Kari - the Lord of Demons, the very one who crafted the Catalyst which Raven sought to control, still trapped in an ancient Tree.

Kari's moment of joy comes to a halt as the world shakes and Taris is ripped apart.

Velthas has risen.

Purchase Links:

Amazon

Read an Excerpt:

The ground gave a sudden, violent shake. Kari and Essie stumbled, but managed to stay standing. All around people and demons staggered, fell, or bumped into each other. South of where they stood came a hoarse scream. Dust clouded quick and fast, obscuring the view of the southern gate and guard towers. The buildings around them quivered, shaking from left to right.

Kari held onto Essie as the ground continued to vibrate. Her teeth clattered. “What in the Yutemi is that?!”

Guine had his hand on Rathik’s shoulder to steady both of them. “Feels like a quake,” he said solemnly. “Have you had one on Taris before?”

“Not in my time!” Ari answered.

“We have to get everyone away from the buildings,” Guine said. “If one collapses—”

Rathik knocked Guine’s hand off and spun to the south gate. “NO!”

As he broke into a run, Kari, Guine, Essie, and Ari whirled. The dust cloud quickly thinned, revealing a messy shamble of splintered wood that had been Freehaven’s southern gate. And the guard tower, set beside it—

“The tower!” a demoness yelled. “It’s falling!”

Essie sprinted after Rathik.

“Essie, wait!” Kari shouted, then cursed. “Tell the council!” she ordered of the nearest townspeople before she, Ari, and Guine raced after Essie and Rathik.

The vibrations made it difficult to run; Ari grabbed Kari’s hand when she stumbled. The southern gate wasn’t far, but every shiver of the ground forced them to slow and regain their balance before they could go on. Kari’s mind roared as they ran. What was happening that could make the very ground move like this?

When they reached the south gate, they stopped and stood in silence. Essie and Rathik stood at the bottom of the guard tower, or what was left of it. The ground had cracked and lifted, and the tower had toppled, crushing part of the gate. Through a miasma of dust, splintered wood and slabs of stone made an incomprehensible pile of rubble.

“Killia!” Rathik dove for the rubble and hefted shattered planks of wood and cracked stone. Even as he coughed and waved away the dirt clouding around him, he dug for the young guard. Essie joined him, shoving slabs of rock out of the way as fast as she could.

Kari stood frozen, mind a whirl and blank all at once. Ari joined Rathik. Together they shoved aside a thick beam of wood that had snapped in half.

What is this? Why is this happening?

“They’re probably dead already,” Guine said. “That much weight...there’s no way.”

Something dark and heavy sank deep into Kari’s stomach. “Help them.”

With a short sigh, Guine stepped forward. He knelt and touched the rubble—at his fingertips, wood and stone crumbled, adding to the dust already fogging the air. Essie glanced up at him, then she and Ari pulled Rathik away. Rathik visibly trembled from head to foot before he dropped to his knees.

The new dust was grittier; Kari sputtered a short cough and waved a hand in front of her face. Maybe Killia would be okay.

 

 

About the Author:

Valerie Storm was raised in Tucson, Arizona. Growing up, she fell in love with everything fantasy. When she wasn’t playing video games, she was writing. By age ten, she began to write her own stories as a way to escape reality. When these stories became a full-length series, she considered the path to sharing with other children and children-at/heart looking for a place to call home.

Twitter https://twitter.com/valerie_storm

Blog https://rantsofawriter.home.blog/ 

Tumblr https://www.tumblr.com/valeriestorm

Pinterest https://www.pinterest.com/valeriestorm3135

Instagram https://www.instagram.com/valeriestorm_author/ 

Amazon https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B0B18WB88R 

Goodreads https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/22413211.Valerie_Storm 

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Dangerous Times by William Kinsolving ~ @RABTBookTours #RABTBookTours #DangerousTimes #WilliamKinsolving #Fiction

 

Dangerous Times by William Kinsolving

Fiction

Date Published: May 1, 2025

Publisher: Manhattan Book Group

 

About the Book:

This book's background is the prophetic but overlooked decade of American history, 1846 to 1856, from the Mexican War to the presidential election of James Buchanan. The decade was a foreshadowing of our national cataclysm. Underlying every social aspect was the nation's fatal flaw, slavery, that perverted the Constitution on which the Enlightenment ideals of a "United States" were based. And on every day, similarities to the distortions of the present decade are obvious.

I chose a Southern ethos, finding an unexpected woman to suffer and survive the decade; and three brothers, each of whom carves a unique path through it, one as a fugitive unjustly accused of murder and slave-stealing, one as an enigmatic operative across the jagged spectrum of antebellum party politics, and the eldest who inherits his family's storied tobacco plantation as its lands burn out.

The story is told chronologically, the fiction adhering to the history. Should a question arise as to which is which, any event of historical significance - no matter how bizarre or implausible -- did indeed happen.

The novel echoes ethnic truths as they were at the time. I write of intimacies as well as horrors found in historical records. Both public and private relations were often infused with their own destruction -- as were the expanding "United States" in that decade, and I fear in this one.

 

About the Author:

After a questionable academic career at Stanford (I mean, how practical is a double major in Drama and Far Eastern Theology?), Kinsolving fled to the Oregon Shakespeare Festival to play Richard II. He then attended The London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art for polish. Returning to New York, he appeared as an actor under-, off- and on Broadway, as well as a saloon singer in foul Greenwich Village nightclubs. For creative diversion during these years, he acted and/or directed back in Oregon, at the Stratford (CT) Shakespeare Theater, Harvard, Dartmouth, Café La Mama, then went out and won the Best Actor of the Year award from the San Francisco Chronicle for performing at the Berkeley Rep.

Ineluctably transitioning to a second career, Kinsolving wrote a play with 84 speaking roles, was awarded a Ford Foundation Playwriting Grant, and had the play produced by the Stratford Ontario Shakespeare Festival. This led to the first of some 54 films on which he worked for every major studio (and several distinctly minor ones) in Los Angeles, London and Rome (ask him about Zeffirelli sometime) as screenwriter and script doctor. Suspecting that such a life was leading to the utter corruption of his soul (not to dare mention his body), he retreated to Carmel to write the first of five novels (a NY Times best-seller, a couple of Literary Guild Main Selections, he adds humbly, but only if asked).

While serving on the Board of Trustees of the California Institute of the Arts, he regressed happily to nightclub and fundraising performances, accompanied by the likes of Peter Duchin and Emmanuel Ax, singing at the Algonquin Hotel’s late lamented Oak Room and for one of the late Brooke Astor’s better birthday parties among many other less name-dropping venues.

Last year, he directed a musical for which he wrote the book and lyrics in the nave of San Francisco’s Grace Cathedral about Johann Sebastian Bach and his family. Bach provided all the music, and proved to be very easy to work with. THAT WEEK WITH THE BACHS had the best voices in the Bay Area, including the ineffable Frederica von Stade.

He began work on the historical novel DANGEROUS TIMES between the diversions above. He knew the history, but even so, was startled by how constant the similarities are in that destructive time to what’s going on in this one.

 

Contact Link:

Website

 

Purchase Links:

Amazon

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#BookReview ~ The Death & Life of Lucy Westenra by Rosie Fiore ~ @rosiefiore @rararesources #HistoricalFiction #ModernFiction #Vampire

The Death & Life of Lucy Westenra

What desperate steps will Lucy Westenra take to save her own life?

About the Book:

Hillingham in Hampstead, once the home of the well-to-do Westenra family, is now divided into apartments. When teacher Kate Balcombe sets about renovating her flat in the attic, she finds an unsent letter written 130 years before by Lucy, the nineteen-year-old daughter of the house.

You may know Lucy from Bram Stoker’s Dracula... a pretty, flirtatious girl with three ardent suitors, she is Mina Harker’s best friend. When Lucy falls mysteriously ill and dies, Van Helsing identifies her as a victim of the vampire.

But what if the monsters who hunt Lucy are much closer to home?

As Kate begins to investigate Lucy’s story, she meets James Harker, Mina’s great-great grandson, and together they uncover a long-hidden story of deception and murder.

My Review:

The Death & Life of Lucy Westenra is an amazing story. Kate Balcombe finds herself relocating into an apartment owned by her late mother after her life falls apart. The apartment is just one of many inside the former Westenra home. As Kate spruces up the place to give it a more warm and welcome feel, she locates a letter written by Lucy Westenra some 100+ years ago. 

Lovers of anything and everything Dracula will not only recognize the names (Westenra, Mina, Harker, Van Helsing) but will absolutely fall in love with Rosie Fiore's retelling. This story isn't just for lovers of Dracula, but anyone who loves a good mystery. The Death & Life of Lucy Westenra is told from a couple points-of-view; Kate's modern day voice and Lucy's journal from the eighteen-hundreds. The reader will be immersed in Kate's and Lucy's lives through the effortless weaving together of the present with the past. A perfect blending of two different eras and characters, including a location that, while being exactly the same, has become exceedingly different.

The story captures the reader's attention with vivid descriptions, 3-dimensional characters, and wonderful writing. The author keeps them engaged with an amazing story that is perfectly paced, filled with emotion, and keeps the reader guessing with twists, turns, and surprises. I was on the edge of my seat as Kate took the reins and delved into The Death & Life of Lucy Westenra.

I was provided with a copy of this book. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

My Rating:

 
Purchase Links:

Amazon US

Amazon UK

Meet the Author:

Rosie Fiore is the author of eight published novels, including Wonder Women, After Isabella and What She Left, as well as The After Wife, written as Cass Hunter. She is a teacher of creative writing and a Royal Literary Fund Fellow. She lives in North London with her family, and can frequently be found wandering on the Heath or haunting a churchyard.

Social Media Links:

https://x.com/rosiefiore

https://www.facebook.com/rosiefiorewriter

https://bsky.app/profile/rosiefiore.bsky.social

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