Left on the Shelf

Amazon CA

About the Author

The BEST-SELLING AUTHOR, D. L. ORTON, lives in the foothills of Colorado where she and her husband are raising three boys, a golden retriever, two Siberian cats, and an extremely long-lived Triops. Her future plans include completing the books in the BETWEEN TWO EVILS series followed by an extended vacation on a remote tropical island (with a Starbucks).

When she’s not writing, playing tennis, or helping with algebra, she’s building a time machine so that someone can go back and do the laundry.

Ms. Orton is a graduate of Stanford University’s Writers Workshop and a past editor of “Top of the Western Staircase,” a literary publication of CU, Boulder. The author has a number of short stories published in online literary magazines, including Literotica.com, Melusine, Cosmoetica, The Ranfurly Review, and Catalyst Press.

Her debut novel, CROSSING IN TIME, has won numerous literary awards including an Indie Book Award and a Publishers Weekly Starred Review. It was also selected as one of only 12 Great Indie Stars by BookLife’s Prize in Fiction.

You can also find the author at:

(media courtesy of The Write Reads)

(all opinions are my own)

Thursday, 15 May 2025

Troubled Times for Tilly by Kay Seeley - #bookreview #blogtour

Fierce fury burned inside Tilly, stealing her breath. She couldn't believe what she was hearing...

***

The Blurb

A gripping saga of courage, resilience and fractured dreams, set in Victorian London.

Life on the river has never been easy for Tilly and Sam, but through hard work and determination, they’ve built a home filled with love. Joey, Tilly’s eldest son, has lived between two worlds—cherished as her child but granted privileges, denied to her other children, through his wealthy birth father’s family. It’s a fine balance that has always held… until an incident at a glittering Celebration Ball shatters the fragile harmony.

Tilly fears the consequences, especially when her spirited, headstrong daughter Martha is involved. Martha has ideas of her own. How will she fare when she faces Joey’s entitled friends and their easy lives?

Disaster strikes Sam’s business, shaking the family’s foundation. Tilly’s worst fears come to life when Joey’s affluent relatives start making plans to reclaim him. Tilly is torn between fighting for her son and respecting his dreams.

As old wounds reopen and new temptations arise, Tilly must summon all her strength to keep her family together. But will love and loyalty be enough, or will the promise of wealth and comfort lure her children away forever?

My Review

Before I even begin my review, there is a giveaway of this book which you can enter by scrolling to the bottom of this post.

Troubled Times for Tilly is set in Victorian London, and the author does a great job of conveying the atmosphere of the time and place alive on the page. I had a tangible feel for life working on the river for these characters.

The main character, Tilly is married to Sam. They have several children together, but the focus is on their daughter Martha. She is a strong minded and determined young woman whom Tilly is trying to gently guide. Sam is not Joey's biological father who is wealthy, and Tilly fears his family might cause trouble for them.

What I most loved about Tilly is how she resonated with me. Readers who are parents will recognise her feelings as her children are growing up and developing lives of their own. She is a character as recognisable in the twenty first century as she was in the nineteenth when this book is set, and she is a relevant character to modern readers.

In fact, all of the characters came alive on the page, and Ms. Seeley has done an excellent job with them. She tells her story well and it made for easy and enjoyable reading.

The book is being published tomorrow. This is the second book in the The Water Gypsy series. The first book is The Water Gypsy which introduces Tilly. However, I had not read this and found that Troubled Times for Tilly works perfectly well as a standalone.

Don't forget to enter the giveaway to win a copy of this book. Good Luck!

Preorder Links

About the Author:

Kay Seeley is a talented storyteller and bestselling author. Her short stories have been published in women’s magazines and short-listed in competitions. Her novels had been finalists in The Wishing Shelf Book Awards. She lives in London and loves its history. Her stories are well researched and beautifully written with compelling characters where love triumphs over adversity. Kay writes stories that will capture your heart and leave you wanting more. Often heart-wrenching but always satisfyingly uplifting, her books are perfect for fans of Anna Jacobs, Lesley Pearse and Josephine Cox.

Kay is a Member of The Alliance of Indie Authors and The Society of Women Writers and Journalists.

All her novels are available for Kindle, in paperback, audio and in Large Print.

You can also find Kay at:

Author Website

Twitter / X

Instagram

Giveaway*

Giveaway to Win 3 x paperback copies of Troubled Times for Tilly by Kay Seeley (Open to UK only)

To enter please click on the Giveaway button below. Good Luck!

GIVEAWAY

*Terms and Conditions –UK entries welcome. Please enter using the Rafflecopter box below. The winner will be selected at random via Rafflecopter from all valid entries and will be notified by Twitter and/or email. If no response is received within 7 days then Rachel’s Random Resources

reserves the right to select an alternative winner. Open to all entrants aged 18 or over. Any personal data given as part of the competition entry is used for this purpose only and will not be shared with third parties, with the exception of the winners’ information. This will passed to the giveaway organiser and used only for fulfilment of the prize, after which time Rachel’s Random Resources will delete the data. I am not responsible for despatch or delivery of the prize.

(ARC and media courtesy of Rachel's Random Resources's)

(all opinions are my own)

Wednesday, 14 May 2025

10 Ten Exciting New Releases in June 2025

The midyear month is fast approaching and with it a whole host of brand new book releases.

Here are just ten that have caught my eye, all of which I would love to read.

The Union Street Bakery by Mary Ellen Taylor

Daisy McCrae’s life got off to a rocky start. Abandoned by a mother she never really knew, she was adopted into a family she’s never truly felt a part of. Thirty years later, her life is just as rocky. Between losing her job and her boyfriend, she’s lost all sense of self.

Now Daisy is back where it all began: the Union Street Bakery. She’s resigned to living in the bakery’s attic, learning the family business, and saving it if she can. But patching up the holes in her relationship with her sisters is another story.

So, too, is the century-old journal she inherits. Written by an enslaved girl named Susie, the weathered pages offer Daisy a glimpse into a past that has everything to do with her present.

As Daisy learns more about Susie, the town, and her family, she starts to see who she’s been and who she wants to be―and realizes that maybe, no matter how much you’ve lost, there’s always something more to find.

The Heirloom by Julie Brooks

A surprise inheritance. A hidden past.

Brisbane, 2024 Barista and budding artist Mia Curtis is shocked to receive a package all the way from England informing her she's the heir to her late grandmother's cottage. Feeling lost in her own life, Mia travels across the world to claim her inheritance, where she begins to unravel the secrets passed down through the generations of women in her family.

Sussex, 1821 Philadelphia Boadle wakes to find her husband, the tailor Jasper Boadle, dead. As the daughter of the local cunning woman, Philadelphia is soon accused of murder by witchcraft. Her future and that of her own daughter is at stake, unless she can convince the village she's done no wrong.

All Change at Harbour House by Fenella J. Miller

Wivenhoe May 1940

A moment that changes everything...

The war continues to rage, but for now, Harbour House continues to keep the Roby family safe from harm. Not so for new lodger Richard Stoneleigh. As one of the few men who can captain a ship, Richard is called to help with the dangerous evacuation of troops from Dunkirk – it’s a perilous voyage that almost costs Richard his life…

Housemaid, Annie Thomas, initially disliked Richard and his hoity toity ways, but after his heroic return she sees a changed man. Richard seems to know the value of life and is eager to grab every day and make it count. And Annie, recently widowed and feeling slightly adrift in life, finds him compelling.

As their friendship develops, so too do their feelings for one another. But Annie knows that she can never truly be with a man like Richard – he is far above her own lowly class.

But war changes everything and with the fear of imminent invasion hanging over everyone, Anne and Richard decide that perhaps it’s time that they change too…and take a chance together?

Will they overcome the social divides between them and find love in the darkest of times?

The Woman Who Laughed by Simon Mason

In the first months of 2020 there was a spate of murders of Black sex workers in northern cities. One of them was Ella Bailey, last seen talking to a punter in an alley in Sheffield city centre, and although no trace of her was ever found, the punter, Michael Godley, soon confessed to all three murders.

Five years later, as another sex worker is murdered in the same district, the bag Ella had been carrying with her reappears, hanging on the door handles of a café, and a local vagrant claims to have seen Ella sitting on a bench in a churchyard near the site of the murder. South Yorkshire Police call in the Finder.

So begins a search that takes him back to the strange days of the pandemic, to talk to those who knew Ella best, such as her wayward girlfriend 'Loz', abusive boyfriend Caine Poynton-Smith and respectable foster-parents still struggling to come to terms with Ella's life. How did their intelligent, strong-willed daughter - bright student and national schoolgirl athletics champion - end up in that alley?

As fear grips the city, our Finder must court danger to discover the truth.

Troubled Times at Harpers by Rosie Clarke

Trouble’s brewing and times are changing. If you play with fire you may just get burnt!

London 1929

Torn between the love of his family life in London and a deathbed promise to an American relative, Ben Harper makes a fatal decision that may change the course of many lives.

Honour-bound, Ben remains in New York to investigate who is responsible for the suspected fraud and corruption and the department store's failings. His findings point towards organised crime and shadowy gangsters who will stop at nothing to get what they want.

Meanwhile Sally Harper and their children return home to safety and to oversee the smooth running of their thriving Harpers Emporium. With the help of Beth Burrows, Kitty Wilson, and Ruby Rush, Sally plans for an ever-changing future with the cards she’s been dealt.

Will Ben heed the deadly warnings before it’s too late or will his honourable promise bring despair to those he loves?

A tale of hope, dreams and survival set against an ever-changing era.

The Forever Cottage by Jill Steeples

The start of Jill Steeples's uplifting Lower Leaping series, set in the beautiful English Cotswold Countryside

It's never too late to change your story...

Tess Alexander lives an enviable life with her husband Charles, at Hollyhocks Cottage in the idyllic Cotswold village of Lower Leaping. Dreaming of their early retirement, Tess’s plans are dashed when Charles shares some devastating news and suddenly she’s left alone with only Barney, her adorable Beagle dog, for company.

Facing an uncertain future, Tess tries to reconnect with her old self. She begins to transform the neglected garden office into a beautiful retreat, the perfect spot for her to indulge in her long-forgotten creative passions.

However, a chance encounter with charming but down on his luck, Rob Templeton, soon puts pay to her plans, when she offers him the place to stay instead, sensing a kindred spirit.

With the support of old friends, Gina and Suzy, Tess must now step out of her comfort zone and embrace a different way of life, one that is filled with secrets, possibilities and second chances, if only Tess is prepared to take them.

With so many demands on her attention, will Tess find a way to follow her heart and discover her own happy ending?

A wonderfully warm story of hope, friendship and second chances.

A Murder for Miss Hortense by Mel Pennant

Death has come to her doorstep . . .

Retired nurse, avid gardener, renowned cake maker and fearless sleuth Miss Hortense has lived in Bigglesweigh, a quiet Birmingham suburb, since she emigrated from Jamaica in 1960. She takes great pride in her home, starching her lace curtains bright white, and she can tell if she's been short-changed on turmeric before she's even taken her first bite of a beef patty. Thirty-five years of nursing have also left her afraid of nobody - be they a local drug dealer or a priest - and an expert in deciphering other people's secrets with just a glance.

Miss Hortense uses her skills to investigate the investments of the Pardner network - a special community of Black investors, determined to help their people succeed. But when an unidentified man is found dead in one of the Pardner's homes, a Bible quote noted down beside his body, Miss Hortense's long-buried past comes rushing back to greet her, bringing memories of the worst moment of her life, one which her community has never let her forget.

It is time for Miss Hortense to solve a mystery that will see her, and the community she loves, tested to their limits.

Named by Camilla Balshaw

What’s in a name? Everything we carry, and everything we are.

Our names are a shadow we carry around with us. They are part of who we are. Our names are a marker of our self-identity and our sense of self. Our names have the power to shock. They have the power to heal, and they have the power to trigger conversations around race, class, social mobility and belonging. But what is a name? What do our names tell us about ourselves? And why do they matter?

Named is a fascinating exploration of names, global naming conventions and identity politics woven into a moving, personal narrative about the finding of family and self. At the intersection of memoir and social and cultural history it is a truly fascinating book about the seemingly ordinary and every day.

The author's own narrative about her estrangement from her Nigerian father, the grapples with her Jamaican mother and her journey towards identity is woven through the chapters making it an engaging and intimate investigation of what makes us who we are.

The Island of Hopes and Dreams by Kate Frost

The All-NEW escapist read from bestselling author Kate Frost as she transports us to the beautiful island paradise of Sardinia.

When the beginning of the end is just the start…

Newly single Lola Wild has had her fill of well-intentioned matchmaking friends. Her best friend Mirabel’s hen weekend highlights all that’s wrong with Lola’s life and she knows something has to change.

With Mirabel’s luxurious wedding in Sardinia fast approaching, Lola is looking forward to switching off, spending time with her friends and keeping her non-existent love life off everyone’s agenda.

Meanwhile, fellow wedding guest Rhys Strickland has his own problems. So when a chance encounter brings Rhys and Lola together they decide to help each other out.

To the idyllic backdrop of white sand beaches and azure bays, they bond over shared heartache, and friendship blossoms as they attempt to navigate the hurt and hard truths of past relationships.

Opening up their hearts and embracing change might be the last thing they expected, but what if a holiday of make-believe can turn into something real?

A heart-warming and uplifting story of vulnerability, self-renewal and finding love when you least expect to.

Power Couples of the Tudor Era by Jo Romero

Step into the dazzling yet perilous world of Tudor England, where power was often a shared endeavour, and the most influential players were not always those who stood alone. In Power Couples of the Tudor Age, Jo Romero uncovers the remarkable stories of the dynamic duos whose partnerships shaped the course of English history. From the legendary marriage of Henry VIII and Katherine of Aragon, which set the stage for England's religious transformation, to the political machinations of Elizabeth I and Robert Dudley, these couples navigated the treacherous waters of court intrigue, international diplomacy, and personal ambition. Some stood together against the rising tides of reform, while others united to end wars and forge new dynasties. These couples wielded their influence in ways that changed not only their own lives but the future of the realm. Their stories reveal the intricate dance of love, power, and survival. Power Couples of the Tudor Age brings to light the incredible contributions of these figures, offering a fresh perspective on the partnerships that forged a nation.

(bookshop.org affiliated)

(all opinions are my own)

Monday, 12 May 2025

Skylark in the Fog by Helyna L. Clove - #bookspotlight #blogtour

Today I am shining the spotlight on something a little different. Skylark in the Fog by Helyna L. Clove is a new adult science fiction/fantasy title. It was the 9th place finalist in BBNYA 2024!

BBNYA is a yearly competition where book bloggers from all over the world read and score books written by indie authors, ending with 15 finalists (16 in 2024) and one overall winner.

The Blurb

So when the universe falls to pieces, it doesn't mean your life has to, right? That comes later.

Jeane Blake, captain of the spaceship Skylark, makes her living by looting dead worlds, planets fallen prey to naturally occurring wormhole-like rifts plaguing the cosmos. She survives the only way she knows how: avoiding commitment and arguing with her dead foster father's ghost. But when her crew stumbles upon an alien device that could collapse the wormhole network and wipe out all sentient life, they catch the hungry eyes of the Union, a tyrannical empire hunting the sinister tech.

As she flees the Union's brainwashed agents, Jeane is forced to take on a shady mission and gets stuck assisting the runaway monarch of a technocrat planet. Queen Maura Tholis is seeking the aid of an interstellar resistance to reclaim her war-torn world, with another trouble-magnet device as her bargaining chip: a glove that allows her to command AI systems. Jeane couldn't care less about the whole deal, but things become personal when the Union annexes the place she calls home. And it might be her fault.

Reluctant to become weapons in the hands of power-hungry militants and desperate rebels, smuggler and queen join forces. But to save their homes, they must redefine themselves, work with the enemy, and face personal traumas they'd buried long ago-and only stars know which challenge might break them in the end.

Book Details

ISBN: 978 1952876141

Publisher: Story Well Publishing

Formats: e-book and paperback

No. of Pages: 524 (paperback)

Purchase Links

Amazon CA

About the Author

Helyna L. Clove (she/they) is a lover of the written word, hot comfort drinks, a universe full of stars, and all things neat and kind. She was born in 1988 in Hungary, and was raised in a small village a few miles off the shores of Lake Balaton. Described as someone always having “her head in the clouds”, she spent the first fifteen years of her life mostly consuming books from her dad’s home library, watching some great 90’s sci-fi series and movies, slowly working on her eclectic music taste, and dreaming about being abducted by cool alien friends.

After the arduous years of acquiring her astrophysics degree (because if they were not coming for her, she would damn well at least try and spy on those aliens) she worked as a researcher in Budapest, moving onto the green pastures of South-France in 2018, then Wales in 2022, where she currently lives with her small family of a wonderful boyfriend and Puddle, the tortoiseshell cat. She spends most of her time commandeering telescopes, staring at molecular spectra, writing/reading, cooking, playing video games, and trying her hand at different crafts.

Although she has been, as the Hungarians say, writing to her desk drawer since she was a kindergartener, it wasn’t until 2019 that she stepped out into the world with her stories. In the hell-year of 2020 she finished her first full-length novel, Skylark in the Fog, a light-hearted but honest space opera featuring a grumpy spaceship captain and her wayward friends on a quest to find their metaphorical (and maybe literal) homes, and, if everything goes well which it rarely does, to save the universe as well.

Her current projects include Imbued and Untwined, a new adult/adult dark fantasy duology about magic and love and how those might break the world, a paranormal horror about a team of demonhunters, several other speculative story ideas, and the so-far-untitled sequel to the adventures of the Skylark-crew.

If you want some more information about BBNYA, check out the BBNYA Website https://www.bbnya.com/ or take a peek over on Twitter @BBNYA_Official. BBNYA is brought to you in association with the book blogger support group @The_WriteReads.

(media courtesy of The Write Reads)

(all opinions are my own)

Friday, 9 May 2025

More Than Murder by Jayne Chard - #bookreview #blogtour

Julia has never been prone to boredom - until now. It has only been ninety-two days, two hours and thirty-five minutes since she found herself in retirement, a fact that continually surprises her...

***

The Blurb

Returning to Little Clarsden to claim her half of Rose Cottage, Frankie is met with a chilly reception from her estranged sister, Julia, who still nurtures an old grievance. Hoping to mend their fractured relationship, they take part in a Murder Mystery weekend at a Somerset mansion. But the playful intrigue turns deadly when they stumble upon a real corpse.

With a killer on the loose, a body that vanishes without a trace, and trust in short supply, Frankie and Julia must set aside their differences to uncover the truth.

Can the sisters solve the mystery before they become the next victims?

My Review

This is a fun and entertaining cosy crime book from a debut author.

Sisters Julia and Frankie don't have an easy relationship. In fact, they have been estranged for many years, but they are thrown back together when they inherit Rose Cottage from their aunt. Add into the story a murder mystery weekend, and you find a lot of tension between the pair.

The weekend is set in a mansion in Somerset and is the perfect setting for what is about to ensue. They have to work together to find out who is acting and who is genuine. When they come across a real corpse, they pull together to discover who the real murderer is.

In all honesty, it took me a little while to get my head around all the characters taking part in the murder mystery weekend. However, once I did, the book became an engaging read. It possesses all the elements that a good cosy crime book should have, and it made for enjoyable reading.

Additionally, each chapter is headed with a Shakespearean quote which in itself added something to the story. This correlated with the dramatic aspect of the weekend whilst being lighthearted and entertaining.

It is the first in a planned series and I am looking forward to reading what Julia and Frankie get up to next.

Book Details

ISBN: 978 1068325007

Publisher: Chapters Crime Press

Formats: e-book and paperback (currently available on Kindle Unlimited)

No. of Pages: 282 (paperback)

Purchase Links

About the Author

Jayne started writing plays when she was eight years old and wrote her first “book” at fourteen. After graduating with a degree in psychology and drama, Jayne went on to win the Royal Shakespeare Company’s Buzz Goodbody’s Director Award. She started working as a professional theatre director whilst continuing to write, two of her plays were performed on the London Fringe.

Attracted to the small screen, Jayne became absorbed in TV drama directing. Now a multi-award-winning film and TV drama producer, her credits include the BBC’s flagship brand, SILENT WITNESS.

Jayne lives in the West Country with her partner and two mad cockapoos. MORE THAN MURDER is Jayne’s debut novel and the first in this edgy, cosy crime series. She is already busy writing the next MORE THAN MURDER mystery.

You can also find Jayne at:

(ARC courtesy of the publicist)

(media courtesy of the author)

(all opinions are my own)

Thursday, 8 May 2025

Sister Rosa's Rebellion by Carolyn Hughes - #bookextract #bookexcerpt #blogtour

I am so pleased to be bringing you an extract from this book today. Sister Rosa's Rebellion by Carolyn Hughes is part of the Meonbridge Chronicles series and looks fabulous.

The Blurb

How can you rescue what you hold most dear, when to do so you must break your vows?1363. When Mother Angelica, the old prioress at Northwick Priory, dies, many of the nuns presume Sister Rosa – formerly Johanna de Bohun, of Meonbridge – will take her place. But Sister Evangelina, Angelica’s niece, believes the position is hers by right, and one way or another she will ensure it is.

Rosa stands aside to avoid unseemly conflict, but is devastated when she sees how the new prioress is changing Northwick: from a place of humility and peace to one of indulgence and amusement, if only for the prioress and her favoured few. Rosa is terrified her beloved priory will be brought to ruin under Evangelina’s profligate and rapacious rule, but her vows of obedience make it impossible to rebel.

Meanwhile, in Meonbridge, John atte Wode, the bailiff, is also distraught by the happenings at Northwick. After years of advising the former prioress and Rosa on the management of their estates, Evangelina dismissed him, banning him from visiting Northwick again.

Yet, only months ago, he met Anabella, a young widow who fled to Northwick to escape her in-laws’ demands and threats, but is a reluctant novice nun. The attraction between John and Anabella was immediate and he hoped to encourage her to give up the priory and become his wife.

But how can he possibly do that now?Can John rescue his beloved Anabella from a future he is certain she no longer wants? And can Rosa overcome her scruples, rebel against Evangelina’s hateful regime, and return Northwick to the haven it once was?

The Excerpt

Excerpt from Chapter 3

Glancing once more around the little chamber that soon might not be hers to occupy, Rosa closed the door and hurried downstairs to the frater.

But she did not reach Beatrice nor even the frater before her passage was intercepted. As she hurried along one wing of the cloister, Evangelina stepped out from the door of the chapter house, giving her a start.

‘Goodness, Sister Evangelina, you made me jump,’ said Rosa.

Evangelina inclined her head in a gesture of apology, although her expression bore no sign of it. She pointed back into the chapter house. ‘I was readying the chamber for our meeting this afternoon.’

‘We are having a meeting?’ said Rosa, astonished.

‘The business of the priory must continue. We have matters to discuss.’

Rosa was momentarily perplexed. Who had decided a chapter meeting should be held? It was not the usual day and time. ‘Yes, yes, of course. But when was it announced?’

‘It will be shortly,’ said Evangelina. ‘At dinner.’

‘That gives the sisters very little notice,’ Rosa said. ‘But I shall attend.’ She made to hurry on to catch up with Sister Beatrice, who must now be thinking she was not coming.

But Evangelina placed a heavy hand upon her arm. ‘Before you run off, Sister Rosa,’ she said, her head tilted slightly, ‘a word…’

A frisson of alarm ran down Rosa’s spine. Evangelina’s “word” sounded menacing. ‘A word about what?’ she said.

Evangelina drew her back into the chapter house and closed the door. ‘One of the subjects for discussion will be the election,’ she said.

‘Indeed,’ said Rosa, her heart thudding slightly at the ominous edge to Evangelina’s voice. ‘I understand Sister Amata has written to the bishop, asking for his permission to proceed. Has she received a reply?’

‘I’m not aware of it. But that’s not what I wish to raise with you…’ She hesitated and tilted her head again. Then she swept over to the fine oak chair that was the prioress’s station during meetings. She sat in it, leaned back and gestured Rosa to take a nearby stool.

Rosa’s mouth was dry as she lowered herself onto the stool. Did Evangelina want to know if she was going to stand against her in the election? Rosa looked at her hands, resting uneasily in her lap: what would her answer be? She had not yet quite decided but, if Evangelina asked her, she should surely not prevaricate? ‘So, what is it you wish to say?’

‘As I’m sure you know, I’m the natural successor to Mother Angelica as prioress of Northwick, as I’m a Godeffroy…’ Rosa nodded. ‘I suspect you also know that, in the interests of fair play, or at least the semblance of it’––she smirked––‘Angelica insisted an election must be held…’

‘I understood that an election always has been held…’

‘And one will be this time too. However, Sister Rosa, you must understand that I intend to win…’

‘Intend to?’ Despite her uneasiness, Rosa raised an eyebrow. ‘Does not who wins depend upon the electors?’

‘It follows then that no one must stand against me who might triumph in my stead…’ She paused. ‘Like you, for example.’

‘Me?’

‘Oh, don’t play the coy damsel with me, Dolorosa,’ she snarled, and Rosa started at her hostile use of her old religious name. ‘Everyone knows you hope to step into my aunt’s shoes. Haven’t you been working up to it all these years, acting as subprioress?’

‘I was not the subprioress,’ said Rosa, her anxiety rising, ‘but merely Mother Angelica’s assistant…’

‘Whatever you say… Nonetheless it’s my birth right to succeed my aunt. And, surely, with your sense of what is right and fair, you’d not deny me that?’

‘What are you saying, Sister Evangelina?’

‘I’m asking you, politely, to stand aside.’

Rosa swallowed. ‘But why should I when I understand the Reverend Mother hoped I might follow in her footsteps?’

‘Ha! You believe that? My aunt was humouring you, Dolorosa, into thinking you’d be the next prioress. She knew it was my birth right to succeed.’

Rosa found herself shaking. Was Evangelina right? Had Mother Angelica only pretended to favour her? She had never felt that was the case. Moreover, Amata was certain Angelica did prefer her.

‘I am afraid I do not believe you,’ she said, sounding much more confident than she felt.

‘So, you won’t stand aside?’ said Evangelina and Rosa gave her shoulders a little shrug.

Evangelina placed her hands upon the table top before her and splayed her fingers. ‘In that case, I shall have to persuade you.’

‘Persuade me? How?’

‘By threatening to expose your darkest secrets, Dolorosa.’ She smirked once more.

Rosa shivered. What could Evangelina possibly know of her past? ‘But I have no secrets,’ she said, willing her voice to steadiness.

‘Oh, I think you do. I know you do!’

Rosa’s heart was thudding. Was Evangelina referring to the reason she had come to Northwick fifteen years ago? If she was, how could she have learned of it? Of course, the priests knew something of it, but confessions were sacrosanct. Of the nuns, only Angelica ever knew why she had come, and she would never have betrayed her secret, especially to Evangelina.

‘I do not know what you think you have discovered,’ said Rosa, ‘but tell me how you know.’

Evangelina grinned. ‘I remember when you first came to Northwick, what a wretched and insufferably pious girl you were. I know about the ridiculous name you chose, “Dolorosa”, and how my aunt persuaded you to choose something less unashamedly guilt-ridden.’ She scoffed. ‘It was obvious to anyone you were hiding a dreadful secret, some terrible wrong you had committed… How astonishing you now have the status of a saint––’

‘I do not!’ She could not stop her voice shaking.

‘Well, if not a saint, then most virtuous and saint-ly… But of course, it isn’t true. You’re not virtuous nor saintly but the perpetrator of the direst wickedness!’ Evangelina banged her hand down on the table with an air of triumph.

Book Details:

ISBN: 978 1739539436

Publisher: Riverdown Books

Formats: e-book and paperback (currently available on Kindle Unlimited)

No. of Pages: 446

Purchase Links

Blackwell's

About the Author

CAROLYN HUGHES has lived much of her life in Hampshire. With a first degree in Classics and English, she started working life as a computer programmer, then a very new profession. But it was technical authoring that later proved her vocation, word-smithing for many different clients, including banks, an international hotel group and medical instruments manufacturers.

Although she wrote creatively on and off for most of her adult life, it was not until her children flew the nest that writing historical fiction took centre stage. But why historical fiction? Serendipity!

Seeking inspiration for what to write for her Creative Writing Masters, she discovered the handwritten draft, begun in her twenties, of a novel, set in 14th century rural England… Intrigued by the period and setting, she realised that, by writing a novel set in the period, she could learn more about the medieval past and interpret it, which seemed like a thrilling thing to do. A few days later, the first Meonbridge Chronicle, Fortune’s Wheel, was under way.

Seven published books later (with more to come), Carolyn does now think of herself as an Historical Novelist. And she wouldn’t have it any other way…

You can also find Carolyn at:

Author Website

Twitter / X

Bluesky

(all media courtesy of The Coffee Pot Book Club)

(all opinions are my own)

Wednesday, 7 May 2025

The House at River's Edge by Rachel Burton - #bookreview #blogtour

He sits on the crowded train, his kitbag on his knee, and tries not to think. All around him is the noise and celebration, peace and homecoming, but he feels as though he has left a part of himself behind on a muddy field in France, a part of himself that he will never get back...

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The Blurb

1914: Anticipating a long summer of freedom at her friend's family estate in Cambridge, Grace Villiers is disappointed by an unexpected addition to their party. Then the new arrival offers to teach Grace to swim, and she is forced to see there is more to Algernon Lake than his reputation. But, with war brewing across Europe, this will be a summer that changes everything.

1997: Following her father’s sudden death, Barbara finds herself living with her mother in a house that is, literally, falling down around them. As she tries to put their new home in order, she discovers a photograph of her grandfather as a young man with his friend – two soldiers at the start of the First World War. Setting aside her grief, Barbara becomes determined to uncover their story, hoping it will bring her closer to the family she feels slipping away.

But when her search for answers opens up truths she isn’t prepared for, Barbara will come to realise, some secrets may be best left alone.

My Review

I am always so pleased when a blog tour comes around and I am offered the opportunity to read a book by an author that I already love. That is precisely what happened with this book as I had previously read The Butterfly Garden and The Tearoom on the Bay.

I love a dual time line narrative when it is well done, as it definitely has been in this book. The author has created two very distinct voices in Grace and Barbara. Grace's part of the story begins just before the commencement of World War One, and Barbara's is set in the present day.

Set in Cambridge, the book focuses on the effects of the First World War upon those away at war and those left behind. However, the book looks beyond then to the time following the war and the repercussions on the mental health of the soldiers.

The atmosphere the author has created was fabulous. The book is initially set during the summer immediately prior to the war. I got a real sense of the freedom that they were enjoying whilst anticipating that the male characters, good friends Bertie, Will and Algernon would probably all be going off to fight in the war. They felt a certain excitement about this. After all 'it would probably all be over by Christmas!'

In the present day, Barbara's mother, Genevieve, and her daughter Penny, are clearing out a house when they discover a trunk in the basement. It belonged to Algernon and contains his poetry, letters and his violin. This discovery has a significant impact on them all and has huge impact upon the story.

It is a heartfelt and powerful story. It touches on themes of loss, mental health and love. It was a highly engaging story and I was keen to see how the two timelines connected.

It was an engaging novel and I was gripped throughout. I enjoyed observing the inner strength of the characters and I appreciated the difficulties of the time period in which they lived. I highly recommend this novel to anyone who enjoys historical fiction.

Book Details

ISBN: 978 1835338049

Publisher: Boldwood Books

Formats: e-book, audio, hardback and paperback (currently available on Kindle Unlimited)

No. of Pages: 336 (paperback)

Purchase Links