Book review : The Frozen River by Ariel Lawhon

The Frozen River
by Ariel Lawhon
GENRE : #historical-mystery
Standalone
My rating: ★★☆☆☆

Given the overwhelmingly positive reviews, my opinion likely diverges from the norm.
While categorized as a mystery, the book read more like a straightforward chronicle, lacking significant twists or emotional depth.
Plus I didn't dislike the protagonist, but I also didn't find myself particularly attached to her or the other characters.

Ultimately, the story, and particularly its narrative style, didn't align with my personal preferences.

My two-star rating is not intended as a judgment on the author's writing ability, but rather reflects my level of engagement and overall satisfaction with the reading experience, including what I perceived as a self-righteous ending. I found the first half of the book rather tedious. Despite my efforts to persevere, it became increasingly unenjoyable, and I struggled to finish it.

Normally, I abandon books I dislike after the first few chapters. However, because I was participating in a group read, I wanted to complete it, hoping for some element that would finally capture my interest and motivate me to continue.

_______ SYNOPSIS: Maine, 1789.
When the Kennebec River freezes, entombing a man in the ice, Martha Ballard is summoned to examine the body and determine the cause of death.
As a midwife and healer, she is privy to much of what goes on behind closed doors in Hallowell. Her diary is a record of every birth and death, crime, and debacle that unfolds in the close-knit community.
Months earlier, Martha documented the details of an alleged rape committed by two of the town's most respected gentlemen, one of whom has now been found dead in the ice. But when a local physician undermines her conclusion, declaring the death to be an accident, Martha is forced to investigate the shocking murder on her own.

Over the course of one winter, as the trial nears, and whispers and prejudices mount, Martha doggedly pursues the truth. Her diary soon lands at the center of the scandal, implicating those she loves, and compelling Martha to decide where her own loyalties lie.

___________________________

____ REAL HISTORICAL CHARACTER ____ I appreciate that the plot is inspired by a real person: Martha Ballard, a midwife who delivered a remarkable number of newborns (over a thousand) and never lost a mother in childbirth.
The author discovered her story in an article while pregnant. The book includes historical notes that confirm Martha's biography and diaries, where she meticulously recorded events in a concise manner.

In addition to the character, the rape also occurred in real life. This historical basis initially intrigued me and encouraged me to read the book, but I was ultimately disappointed and unable to connect with the story in the way I had hoped.

_____ DISAPPOINTMENT WITH THE WRITING STYLE ____ I often enjoy books inspired by true events, or those that create fictionalized narratives around real individuals, whether well-known or obscure, like Martha.
This is why I enjoy historical fiction.
However, I read "fiction" to become more immersed than I typically would with non-fiction.
I appreciate stories told with suspense and pathos, eliciting a range of emotions beyond simple curiosity about the plot's development.

Unfortunately, I didn't share the enthusiasm expressed by other members of my reading group.
To me, it felt like a bland, emotionally sterile chronicle. I wonder if others felt similarly but chose not to comment.

The story is narrated in the first person by the protagonist. While this style initially disconcerted me (when I first encountered this kind of storytelling, many years ago now ), I quickly grew to appreciate it and often prefer it to third-person narration.
In this case, however, the matter-of-fact tone (which may have been intended to mimic the style of a diary, given the real Martha's diaries) prevented me from feeling invested in the story and from developing any empathy for Martha or her family.

______ DISAPPOINTMENT WITH THE ENDING _____ Even if the ending was ultimately desirable, I found it to be conveniently self-serving for the main character.

The book centers on life in 18th-century Maine and highlights the injustices faced by women, as well as the hypocrisy and bigotry prevalent in American society at the time (and, arguably, even now).

Yet, despite the protagonist being an open-minded woman married to an intelligent and equally progressive man, it's ultimately convenient for her and her family that ___WARNING SPOILER[ the whole truth doesn't come to light.
Throughout the book, she seeks to clarify a death that clearly occurred by murder (justice without a fair trial), despite the fact that she knows that the dead man is a complete scoundrel, guilty of despicable acts, but then when the truth is not what she likes, it is okay not to say anything? Come on! ]_SPOILER END__

I'm not suggesting the book is poorly written, only that the style didn't resonate with me.
It's marketed as a mystery, but I doubt it would satisfy typical whodunit fans. Had I known this beforehand, I wouldn't have chosen it for the group read.

I might recommend the book to those interested in a glimpse into 18th-century American society.
However, it's challenging to recommend a book I didn't enjoy.
Given the subjectivity of taste, I can only advise: give it a try, and if you like it from the start, great. If you're bored from the beginning, don't expect that to change.

Thanks for stopping by and reading my opinion!

Join me on FACEBOOK: Tizi Cozy Corner, to be always updated on new posts

FOLLOW ME or ASK MY FRIENDSHIP ON GOODREADS

Book review : In the Shadow of the Storm by Anna Belfrage

In the Shadow of the Storm
The King's Greatest Enemy #1
by Anna Belfrage
GENRE: Historical adventure romance
My rating: ★★★★☆

Nice and entertaining historical fiction based on true events.
What did I expect from this book? War, love and great passion in both themes.
Was I satisfied? Yes and no.

___ THE PLOT IN A NUTSHELL ___ England, 1321.
Adam de Guirande owes his lord, Roger Mortimer, much more than loyalty. He owes him his life and all his possessions, he also owes him his beautiful wife, even if Kit is not exactly the woman Lord Roger thinks she is.
Kit, half-sister and perfect copy of Katherine de Monmouth, has been kidnapped and forced to marry Adam under a false name, since the real Katherine has run away.
Rumors about Katherine's virginity (who is actually Kit), jealousy, pride and strong attraction that is turning into real feelings, will not make married life easy.
Domestic matters, however, become irrelevant when the king decides to punish his rebellious barons.
So, when Lord Roger goes to fight, Adam has no choice but to ride with him, no matter the cost.

_____________________

Overall, I enjoyed the book and rate it a full 4 stars.
However, it lacked that certain something extra that makes a story truly unique and compelling, the kind that excites you so much that you want to reread it.

___ THE MAIN CHARACTERS ___

The characters stayed with me for days after I finished reading their story. However, I must confess that it took until about 35% of the way through the book before I started to "like" the hero.
Even after my dislike faded, I never perceived him as a true hero.

Adam followed his lord into battle for several reasons: affection, gratitude, and duty.
He was injured, suffered a long imprisonment, and endured unjust torture, and was betrayed by someone close to him.
Yet, I never saw him do anything particularly daring in war or for his family.
He had a lot of sex with his wife; much of his relationship with Kit (aside from moments of touchiness and stubbornness) takes place in bed.

In my opinion, the author focused too much on Adam's beauty, his devotion to his lord, and his love (expressed through words and sex) for his wife.
The writer neglected to have him perform brave and noteworthy actions that would have showcased his courage and big heart. 
As I said, after 35% of the book, the character finally overcomes that antipathy that almost made me stop reading.
However, the only two times we see him take action ( WARNING SPOILER ______when he kills an attacker of his wife and helps someone escape from captivity SPOILER END______), they are described so briefly that they don't feel significant.

In contrast, the heroine demonstrates grit and determination. She transforms an unfortunate event into an opportunity for love and saves both her beloved and herself "by the skin of their teeth" several times.

Kit is the character the author focuses on the most. She is immediately presented as a victim of circumstance who doesn't wallow in her misfortune.
Instead, she reacts to adversity, creating her own fortune through her ingenuity, good heart, ability to forgive, optimism even in desperate moments, and sheer willpower.
She is a resilient young woman who only falls slightly into stubbornness and whims at the end, but I challenge any other woman in her place not to behave similarly, you know: too much of a thing can spoil it.

_____ One of Adam's brothers, the young priest William, is more than a side character, he is practically a co-protagonist for 80% of the story.
He is a positive character, always by Kit's side and ready to support her and Adam.
What I didn't like is that the author makes him disappear at a certain point, giving him another role, and we hear nothing more about him.
He appears twice briefly during a rescue and escape, and then vanishes. I was disappointed by this.
Perhaps the character will reappear in later books?
I hope so, and I also hope the author doesn't eliminate him by killing him off, as she did with other characters we grew fond of, only to find out about their deaths casually through dialogue.

The book is quite long (for my standards), and I felt like every action was treated as a minor addition to the "heartbreaking" love story between the two protagonists (a love that unfolds mostly in bed... which isn't a problem because it's never vulgar, but love isn't only shown through sex).

What I really appreciate in historical fiction is when it seamlessly blends imagined elements with real historical events, featuring both fictional and historical figures.
The author succeeded admirably in this, to the point that I felt compelled to expand my historical knowledge by researching online through articles and Wikipedia.

___ HISTORICAL PART ___

The historical event that inspired the author and around which the destinies of Kit, Adam, and their loved ones revolve is a rebellion of some barons against King Edward II of England, who despotically gave his favorite lands already owned by barons and other nobles.
The king's favorite was the villain of the story, who besieged castles, imprisoned women and children, and mercilessly killed even those who had surrendered.

Actually, the situation is more complex and compelling than I've described, but if I explained it in more detail, it would diminish the pleasure of reading and discovering the historical elements intertwined with the author's imagination.

___ HISTORICAL CHARACTERS ___

Lord Roger Mortimer, his wife, and the king's favorite Hugh Despenser all play fundamental roles in the book. All of them are well portrayed.

The author's HISTORICAL NOTES are well-written and quite exhaustive regarding both events and characters.
While most authors place historical notes at the end to freely explain things without revealing spoilers, I always read them first because they help me understand the plot better and gain a broader, more satisfying view of the whole story.
If a story is well-told, no spoiler can ruin it for me. :-)

----> Clean language. 
----> Several hot sex scenes, but never vulgar. 
----> If you are approaching the reading, you too may hate the hero, hold on, after the first few chapters, he becomes a decent character.

IN CONCLUSION:
Despite the complaints I mentioned at the beginning of my review, the Kit-Adam couple resonated with me, and I will definitely read the sequel.

Thank you for reading my opinion. I hope it is helpful in deciding whether or not to read this series.

( Please forgive any errors you may find in my text, English is not my first language ).
Join me on FACEBOOK: Tizi Cozy Corner, to be always updated on new posts

FOLLOW ME or ASK MY FRIENDSHIP ON GOODREADS

Book review : A Murder By Any Name by Suzanne M. Wolfe

A Murder By Any Name
An Elizabethan Spy Mystery Book #1
by Suzanne M. Wolfe
GENRE : #Historical-mystery

My rating: ★★★★★
Actual rating : 4.7 rounded up to 5

A good start to a historical mystery series.
Well thought out mix of fictional and historical characters, where it was impossible for me to find out the culprit of the murders, which was surprising although logical.

___ Here THE PLOT IN A NUTSHELL ___ England, under the reign of Elizabeth I.

As it has been since the beginning of time, the court of a kingdom is a place full of intrigue (political and amorous), populated by people in power and people in submission, shrewd spies, some of whom are unsuspected, and naive and innocent people who are transformed into in victims.

When the lifeless body of a Lady in Waiting for the Queen is found on an altar, it is immediately clear that it is a murder, aimed at undermining the authority of the "virgin queen".
It will be up to the young and handsome Nicholas Holt, the queen's unsuspected secret agent, to discover the killer before he strikes again.
His faithful dog Hector, his two Jewish doctor friends and his sensual friend who is the director of a brothel will be ready to help him.

________****__________

Reading this book was like reading two books.
Let me explain: there are only 336 pages ( Kindle Edition ) in which the author tells us in the 3rd person a murder mystery and during the story, she presents not only the main character, but also a series of characters who are his best friends and other characters who they are his acquaintances.

--> Why do I say that I feel like I've read 2 books?
Because unlike other books I have read, the author not only describes the appearance and soul of the character, but also takes the reader into scenes of life spent in the past and which then led to the deep bond that Nick has with them.
Mrs. Wolfe tells about characters past events in a way full of details and sensations, making it so engaging that instead of being perceived by the reader as a digression, it helps him to empathize with all the characters who participate in the story, without exception.

I felt like I was reading the story in the current book and simultaneously other stories in a prequel book.


___CHARACTERS__
The author's cunning was also this:
if for each character introduced, the writer had immediately told me about his/her past, I admit that it would have bored me a little, because each story lasts many pages.

Instead the author gives a first look at the character through quick scenes with witty and lively dialogue between Nick and the others, then continues with the mystery and investigation.

Initially the reader knows the character's name, his role and through dialogues can decide whether he/she is good, villain, with a nice way of being or not.

Later in the story, at the second appearance of the character of the moment (who is no longer a total stranger to the reader, indeed the reader at this point is curious to know more), through Nicholas' memories, we discover his/her origins, as he/her entered into Nick's life, their past connection and how it all connects to the present.

Through the past of Nick's friends and enemies, we get to know Nick even better, his feelings, his fears and hopes, the motivations of his actions and his "non-actions".

All this allowed me to become attached to the characters and to fully enter their world as if I had been reading this series for some time and which leads me to already be certain that I want to read other adventures in the books to follow (for now there is only one book # 2, but I think the writer is writing book #3).

In any case it should be underlined that the book is READABLE AS A STANDALONE.
Nothing remains pending, although more romantic readers will perhaps want to read issue 2 to see if Nick's love life will take a more stable turn (I certainly want to know!)

As I have already said, in addition to the imaginary characters, real historical figures appear and participate in the story to a minimal extent such as:
- Queen Elizabeth I
- Cecil Walsingham spy (politician and diplomat and espionage master)
- Kit Marlowe (playwright and spy)
- Geoffrey Chaucer (writer, poet, bureaucrat and diplomat)
- a young actor named William Shakespeare

As in every fiction, the author took some liberties, including the invention of a court jester that Elizabeth never had, but who here in the book was a character that I liked and hope to find again in the book # 2.

---> In the final author's historical notes you will find what was true and what was invented.

__ SETTING OF THE STORY__ again Mrs. Suzanne M. Wolfe did a good job.
The descriptions of the streets, the taverns, the rooms and the atmosphere are vivid and very detailed, so much so that it is easy to see in the mind the images of the scenes that are taking place and it is easy to breathe the smells and live as if it were live, the sensations that the descriptions inspire in us.

___ MYSTERY ___ at the end of the book perhaps you will realize that the mystery was not that complicated and that the explanation is logical and perhaps could have been predictable, but the clues and the behavior of the suspects mislead the investigations and the reader's suspicions, so the revealing the culprit was something I didn't expect.

__ SUITABLE FOR :
There aren't bloody scenes or any description of a sex scene, therefore suitable reading for everyone aged 14 and over.

I sincerely hope that the writer can publish many more books in this series, I will definitely read them!

Thank you for reading my opinion, I hope I was able to explain myself as best as possible even though English is not my native language.

Join me on FB Tizi Cozy Corner page to be always updated on new posts

Book review : Christmas on the Home Front by Roland Moore

Christmas on the Home Front
Land Girls book #3
by Roland Moore
GENRE : #Christmas-war-time-fiction

My rating: ★★★☆☆
Actually 3.5 is my rating.

Looking for a historical romance? Then skip to another book!
Looking for a fiction with strong and stubborn women and a bit of suspense ? Then it could be the book for you.

__PLOT IN SHORT ___ England. Christmas 1944
All the land girls of Pasture Farm, Connie Carter, Joyce Fisher and Esther Reeves hope this could be the last Christmas of this dreaded war.
But as the day approaches, word spreads in sleepy Helmstead that two German Airmen are on the run.
With everyone on alert, the atmosphere is tense and at a certain point the situation becomes really heated because the girls will find themselves face to face with the enemy...

________ *** _______ *** ________

Usually this kind of book/series offers passionate love stories with a little drama, set in times of war... It was what I expected together with a Christmas atmosphere made of simple things, deep feelings and emotions and touching moments involving not only the couple protagonist, but also the other side characters.

None of this!
Unexpectedly, this book led me to experience an adventure made up of reckless women, suspense and danger alternating with a little action, two villains, one of whom is declared and the other sneaky and hidden in the shadows and a nice (and absolutely unexpected) surprise in the happy ending.
All of this made it an ENGAGING and exciting READ.

__ MAIN CHARACTERS ___ the protagonists of this book are 3 girls who work on a farm during the war, they were in fact "Land Girls" (those girls and women, coming from all social classes, who replaced male farm workers who had gone to war.)

I really liked the atmosphere of camaraderie that formed between these women and girls, of different ages, who found themselves united in a common effort to help their country.
I liked the atmosphere of sacrifice mixed with the anxiety of the uncertainty of the future, because nowadays (at least in Western countries and not at war) we take everything for granted and we complain about every little thing and every little lack, not thinking that life is just a flutter of wings.
I liked seeing how these women, despite everything, were animated by tenacity, good will and resilience and I liked seeing how they took the position head on, but always thinking first of not endangering the people they loved.

__ WHY ONLY 3 (actually 3.5 rounded down to 3 ) STARS THEN ? __
Some things that I didn't like :

1) If I choose to read a book with the word "Christmas" in the title, I expect to be enveloped in a warm Christmas atmosphere.
In this book the only Christmassy thing is the countdown of how many days until Christmas.
Each chapter begins with: 8 days until Christmas, 7 days until Christmas, 6 days until Christmas etc...
Then there is a scene in which characters talk about where everyone will spend Christmas, but there is nothing Christmassy here.

2) The writer while describing/narrating a certain scene, suddenly makes the characters go into their past memories and this even lasts for pages, which led me to forget what was happening in the current scene.
A very confusing writing style.

In the same way, the author goes from scenes on the farm with the girls to scenes of the German airmen or the doctor in the hospital, suddenly and without pauses between one topic and another.
The author divided the chapters according to the days left until Christmas, but in my opinion it would have been better to divide the chapters according to the two realities that were being told in the story (the one of the girls and that one of the pilots, at least until the moment which all these characters found themselves on the same scene).

3) I would have liked the author to delve more deeply into the characters, but probably, having dedicated each of the past books in the series to each girl, he didn't consider it necessary.
I think that giving more depth to the characters in each book, even if they are part of a series, is important, because each book is readable as a standalone (including this one) and it is obvious that not all readers read all the books in the same series (otherwise we wouldn't have time to explore other genres and authors).

Thanks for reading my opinion and for your patience with my text, I'm sorry for any errors but English isn't my native language.

Join me on FB Tizi Cozy Corner page to be always updated on new posts

Book review : The Heiress Who Dared Me by Charlie Lane

The Heiress Who Dared Me: A Christmas novella
The Debutante Dares Book 8
by Charlie Lane
GENRE : #Regency-romance #Christmas-short-story

My rating: ★★★★★

5 FULL STARS WELL DESERVED!! :-D

A delightful read from start to finish !!!!

____ HERE THE PLOT IN SHORT___ Regency era, England.
A London heiress, Lady Georgiana Hunt, and the younger brother of an heir to the Earldom, Josiah Evans, meet at his family's party.

She is beautiful and he is enchanted by watching her while she eats a cake in a very sensual way.
Unfortunately Lady Georgiana is very bitter towards every man, she was taught by the aunt who raised her that suitors only chase her money and that it is better to keep it all away.

For his part, Josiah, although aristocrats usually don't work, has decided to dedicate himself to managing the lands that will be inherited by his brother and building every possible improvement for the villagers... therefore, he doesn't have time for a possible wife.

So when she addresses him harshly, he is not offended and responds in an ironic but also friendly and kind manner.
Georgiana, taken aback, laughs and as they continue to chat, teasing each other with irony, they lay the foundations for a solid friendship.
However, they don't see each other for a year and only in the following December will they meet again and make a pact: a sincere friendship through which they will make everyone believe they are courting each other, in this way she will be free from gold hunters and he from mothers, which will feature daughters looking for husbands.

******--------******

What follows is a nice and sweet story of friendship that slowly turns into love.

----> The FIRST PART of the novel could be defined as a CLEAN ROMANCE,
---> while in the SECOND PART there are more daring scenes and a LOVEMAKING SCENE, very sensual but NEVER ANYTHING VULGAR and that's one of the reason I really liked the story ( in fact I hate scenes that tell all the details of sex, mechanically without leaving room for emotions and true romance, turning only into a vulgar chronicle)

Another reason I like reading this little book:
Josiah and Gerogiana's relationship evolves progressively from friendship to love and every kiss and every love scene is described in the right way to make the reader dream.
Nothing too saccharine or far-fetched, on the contrary: every situation and every word is completely plausible even in reality.

The passion that slowly envelops them and the small jealousy that at a certain point touches Georgiana is completely normal in every person in love.

I hate when falling in love is described in a ridiculous way as if the couple has seen nothing else on this planet (the romance I read previously was like this and it was ridiculous!), I hate the ultra-possessive and jealous hero who takes it out on anyone who looks at the heroine.

I LOVED THIS ROMANCE BECAUSE THE CHARACTERS ARE NICE, SENSITIVE AND INTELLIGENT!!!

Yes, I really liked this couple!
Although it is not a long novel, the author was very good at making us get to know the characters in depth through dialogues and their small spontaneous gestures dictated by the heart.

OUR HEROINE : Lady Georgiana may seem cold at first sight, but in reality she hides the soul of a child wounded by her family and she's in need of sincere affection and to experience holidays and entertainment like any other person surrounded by a real family.

OUR HERO : Josiah is a good guy, willing, generous and enterprising, this can be seen immediately.
What prevents him from dedicating himself to the search for his own happiness is his sense of duty and the awareness that he loves living in the countryside and dedicating himself to work while Lady Georgiana is a city girl accustomed to every luxury and comfort.

Sometimes, however, it is enough to share small joys to understand that reaching compromises to enjoy happiness is not so impossible.

___SIDE CHARACTERS __
In the story we find other family characters, some of whom are protagonists in previous books, but this novella CAN ALSO BE READ AS A STANDALONE and I assure you that you will equally enjoy it.

The author's cunning was to complete the scenes with supporting characters, but without making them too intrusive in the story, so that the few pages available could give enough space to delve deeper into the protagonist couple and their feelings (doubts, hopes , old memories, dreams for the future and of course a new feeling that transports them more and more towards each other).

__CONCLUSION ___
Recommended for all those who love sweet and fun romances with a guaranteed happy ending.

This is the first time I've read a Charlie Lane romance and I'll happily read many more.

Thanks for reading my opinion, I hope it can be useful.
Please forgive any errors you may find in my text, I'm from Italy and English isn't my native language.

Join me on FB Tizi Cozy Corner page to be always updated on new posts

Book review : Confessions of a Dangerous Lord by Elisa Braden

Confessions of a Dangerous Lord
Rescued from Ruin series book #6
by Elisa Braden
GENRE : #Regency-mystery-romance

My rating: ★★★★☆
Real rating : 3.5 stars rounded up to 4.

A regency mystery-romance, book #6 in a family saga, but perfectly readable as a standalone.

I rate the mystery part with 4 stars and while many readers who are passionate about regency romance would also be happy with the romantic part (lots of spicy kisses and hot sex scenes) I only rate it with 2.5 stars because it bored me to read continuously: "she loves him" ", "he loves her", "she needed his lips and tongue" etc... and how much they both were aroused by each other and to see them having sex everywhere.
My personal opinion: too much is unbearable !

__ THE PLOT IN SHORT __ Regency England.
Henry Thorpe, Earl of Dunston and Lady Maureen Huxley have been in love with each other for two years, but while she has openly declared herself, he remains ambiguous and plays the role of best friend, always joking and frivolous and not at all interested in marrying her.

Maureen is therefore on the hunt for a husband, but internally she continues to yearn for Henry.
Henry suffers because he cannot declare his love due to his secret life: he has been hunting his father's killer for 10 long years. A perverse and dangerous killer, who would surely harm Maureen just to get revenge on Henry.

However, love is too strong and at a certain point telling the truth becomes necessary.
Happiness is one step away but Maureen's whole world is turned upside down and everything is at stake: their love, their life and that of the people around them...

-------------****-------------

The book started out as a real mystery and I loved it straight away.
Action, murder, mystery, false identities, unstoppable good guys and elusive bad guys... Everything involved me so much that I was super excited.
Being a romance novel, I thought I would rate it 5 stars.
I love the suspense of mystery combined with the sweet emotions of romance.

The romantic past started in a fun and cute way, but then in my opinion it went on too long with Maureen's insistence... I can't stand it when women persistently run after men who don't want them (in reality he wanted her , but she doesn't know it and I don't like her way).

---> The first 50% of the book starts with action and mystery, but then the story focuses on romance.
Unlike other novels, here there is no part dedicated to conquest, because the two main characters are already mutually in love.
---> There are spicy kisses and hot scenes that last many pages, but the writer's style failed to excite me, on the contrary the continuous declaration of their love and their desire to have sex tired me.

At one point I was so tired of this saccharine, sex-hungry couple that I decided to abandon the book. I was already at 50%.

Two days later I decided to continue reading to the end:
----> luckily the second 50% of the book is mostly dedicated to the mystery, Henry's secrets, the new reality that Maureen finds herself facing and the action and discovery of new shocking truths.

---->You romantics and those eager for sex, don't worry, you will also have a good dose of sensual love-making in the second 50%.

In the book we met two interesting male characters who will be protagonists in the books following this one in the series.
Part of me would have liked to read them, but I find the author's style unbearable as far as the romantic part is concerned: everything is over-emphasized: Henry's jealousy, his desire to kill anyone who harms a hair of his wife's hair, Maureen's adoration for him, their mutual desire for sex even in the most unexpected and delicate moments when there are other important things at stake... and then certain Americanisms in the books set in the Regency era in England are unbearable.

I'm happy I managed to get to the end of the book, but I won't read the others in the series because it's not for me (I've been reading mysteries all my life, despising romances, only 2 years ago I started to appreciate reading them), but I recommend it warmly to all the passionate lovers of regency romances.

Thanks for reading my opinion and please forgive any errors in my text since English is not my language.

Join me on FB Tizi Cozy Corner page to be always updated on new posts

Book review : An Inquiry into Love and Death by Simone St. James

An Inquiry into Love and Death
by Simone St. James
GENRE : #gothic-mystery-romance
#Halloween-read

My rating: ★★★★★
5 FULL STARS WELL DESERVED!! :-D

An engaging and wonderful historical fiction ( especially in Halloween time ) from the first page to the last... and I loved it so much that I would re-start to read it again right now!

To me it has been a satisfying read from all points of view and while Goodreads allows me to give a full 5 stars rating, actually my rating is a 6 out of 5 stars!! :-D

I only give the 6th star to books that I thought about continuously even when I was at work and couldn't dedicate myself to reading and of which I reread all the salient points and the final chapter last night, because I just can't tear myself away from the characters and their story.

__ A GREAT MIX OF THEMES ALL WELL DEVELOPED __

This novel is a n amazing mix of mystery and suspense (ghost stories, strange phenomena in an isolated English village, a murder and investigation, old secrets and dark shadows of war, possible espionage) and a tender and sensual love story.

In my opinion, each of the themes mentioned above has been well developed without going to the detriment of the others.

Sometimes too many themes mean that the author is unable to develop any of them well enough, but this is not the case, I discovered an author I didn't know, Simone St. James and I think her narration is simply magnificent: her words created images and characters so real and vivid in my mind that I felt like I was watching a movie. I felt and still feel fully and pleasantly captivated by this novel.

But let's start with the _____ PLOT IN BRIEF:

1924 England.
Jillian Leigh, a brilliant Oxford student, receives the news of the death of her uncle whom she had not seen for many years. For work reasons, her parents refuse to go and recognize the body and leave the burdensome task to their daughter.

Just 22 years old and still inexperienced in life, Jillian finds herself having to drive alone to a remote village on the English coast, where her uncle was hunting for ghosts...because it is said that the village is haunted by many dark presences including the angry and restless soul of an old smuggler.

Initially skeptical about paranormal phenomena and her uncle's profession, Jillian suddenly finds herself immersed in the investigation of an alleged murder and in an aura of mystery and secrets, which hovers throughout the village.

The attractive and equally mysterious young inspector of Scotland Yard, former RAF pilot in the great war, Drew Merriken, will add further thrills to Jillian's heart and life.
While together they will try to unravel the tangle of intrigues, lies and murders and attempted murders present and past, they will also have to decide if it is even worth opening their hearts to each other.

_______**______**_______


__GOOD BALANCE BETWEEN DARKNESS AND LIGHT ___

Generally speaking, as I said above, mystery and love are intertwined in several aspects, each of which was well developed and had a satisfying resolution.

Another important thing that I want to add is that all the dramatic elements (such as the death of some people and the war) and dark elements (such as the malevolent presences, the mysterious and frightening noises) are perfectly balanced by other pleasant elements (such as the attraction and exciting intimate scenes between Drew and Jillian; friendly conversations with some characters in the village and moments of student life) and comforting elements (such as the friendly presence of the cat and also the dog, which give relief to both the characters and the reader on occasions of anguish and fear and of course the happy ending for all the good ones).

I'm not the type of person who loves horror or even overly gloomy themes, so this balance between darkness and light allowed me to fully enjoy the suspense without being saddened or depressed by it (as happens to me with books that only contain drama and which I avoid like the plague) and remaining with the desire to reread the book in the future.


____ THE 2 MAIN CHARACTERS ______

I loved the two main characters and while I hoped with all my heart that true love would blossom between them, I didn't know how it would actually go.
Indeed we often approach novels already knowing that they contain a love story that will have a happy ending, but here, despite the title, I was only expecting a mystery to be solved, some ghost that would turn out to be just a setup (seriously, I was really convinced it was a set up ) and just a hint of romantic interest (as in the old golden-age mysteries).

The two characters reflect real people so much, with strengths, weaknesses and internal fears (and consequent behaviors), in fact, that managing the attraction wasn't exactly easy and at a certain point it took a turn that almost made me think the worst.


---> DREW : Drew is charming, but like many guys I've met in my real life, he avoids serious emotional connections and bonds, plus he lives in 1924, he was a pilot in the war and the traumatic experience had a huge impact on his attitude towards life and people.
However, he is not one to give up on women or sex... he takes what he can while giving the minimum... all to the detriment of Jillian who is young, sensitive and easily hurt.

Like Jillian, I also felt attracted to Drew while reading, but not being Jillian, but the reader, I also occasionally thought: what an asshole he is!
Off course he also knows how to be very sweet and eventually how to correct his foolishness.

--> JILLIAN : Jillian was amazing.
So young, yet she didn't back down from any challenge: she faced unpleasant situations such as recognizing her uncle's body, in an unknown place, completely alone and without any emotional support, she spent days in a house where she spent traumatic experiences, she followed the emotions of her heart despite being afraid of them and managed to close a wrong situation with courage, when she would have liked to do the opposite.
She managed to be generous even when she suffered wrongs and extended a hand and a good word to everyone around her.

She faced a life upheaval with great intelligence and firmness, without feeling sorry for herself and without seeking pity from those around her.
An intelligent heroine, modern without being exalted or presumptuous, sensitive towards others and with the desire to find solutions where they are needed and offer forgiveness instead of definitively closing doors as people dear to her have done in the past.

I loved her sensitivity and affection for cats and dogs, I really liked this aspect included by the author, because I love all animals.

----> If you too are among those who, watching a film, are often exclaiming: "Oh God, what will happen to the cat/dog/horse/piglet etc..."?
Don't worry, in this novel the author has well underlined the happy ending for pets too.

___ SIDE CHARACTERS __
Although the supporting characters have minor roles, I found them all well drawn and essential to give the idea of the type of daily life you breathe in a small village where everyone knows everyone since early childhood and is aware of joys and misfortunes of others, where a stranger is noticed a mile away and where distrust towards strangers is the rule.

The writer was good at the deception that some of them perpetuate. For some, the friendly facade is just a mask under which the murderer or murderers hide.

I liked that the author, after solving the mystery, told a personalized ending for each of them.

___ SETTING and MYSTERY ___

The setting is perfect for Halloween, plus the mystery that unites the paranormal with the real human wickedness of the living takes place in autumn, in the month of October and the culminating event regarding the supernatural takes place on a stormy night on October 31st.

Dark places, mysterious sounds and noises, unexpected and shocking events are described so well that every sensation and emotion that arises goes straight to the reader's heart.
The same happens for the positive emotions given to us by Drew's touch and kisses for Jillian.

The mystery initially seems to only concern ghosts or the "supposedly suspicious" death of Jillian's uncle, but there is much more behind it.
The mystery is multi-layered and as the story unfolds, it deepens, confusing the shadows of the past with those of the present, both regarding the personal stories of the characters and something larger that could impact the entire nation.

The twists and heart-pounding terror alternate pleasantly with moments of sweetness and if the culprit is suspected at a certain point, it is actually difficult to understand if he/she/they is/are really guilty.
The ambiguity of some characters persists to the end and the culmination of the culprit's madness results in a truly breathtaking chapter.

:-) WHO DO I RECOMMEND THIS BOOK TO?

--> To those who love golden-age detective stories, because this one, despite being written in modern times, is similar in style and much better in certain points (more emotional impact, less slow pace, more romance).

--> To those who love clean romances (but who know how to excite the reader) made more intriguing by the aura of mystery.

--> To those who love suspense and tension, but who hate horror books and bloody scenes and prefer a type of clean and polite language (therefore also recommended for readers of cozy mystery).

--> ... Ultimately I'm so enthusiastic about it that I recommend it to everyone!

___**___**____

I will definitely try to read other novels by this author (Simone St. James)

Thanks for reading my opinion (too long perhaps, but I would continue to talk about this book for hours and hours... :-D ) and sorry for my English, it is not my native language.

Join me on FB Tizi Cozy Corner page to be always updated on new posts

Book review : A Cold Highland Wind by Tasha Alexander

A Cold Highland Wind
Lady Emily Mysteries book 17
by Tasha Alexander
GENRE : #historical-cozy-mystery

My rating: ★★★★☆
Actually 3,8 stars rounded up to 4.

An old castle in Scotland, an ancient Celtic festival and a murder!
In parallel, a story dating back 200 years earlier, when people were afraid of witches and every woman was at risk of being accused of witchcraft!

Since the month of October is the month of Halloween and I'm too weak to read anything horror, this seemed like the right read to get into the right spirit, while remaining in my comfort zone.

___PLOT___ Lady Emily, her husband Colin Hargreaves and their three children are on holiday at Cairnfarn Castle in Scotland, guests of Jeremy, Duke of Bainbridge, Emily's dear childhood friend.The atmosphere is cheerful and lively, also thanks to a folklore event of Celtic origin that is being celebrated. Music, dancing, rum punch...everything is going well until Jeremy's gamekeeper is found dead and horribly disfigured.

In the same village approximately 200 years earlier, ancient rituals, phrases that could seem like magic formulas and people foreign to the village were not welcome and the risk of being accused of witchcraft was around every corner or rather behind every slothful and manipulative person.

____********_______********____


EMILY and COLIN _ the 2 MAIN CHARACTERS __ 
Reading a book in this series every now and then is like meeting up with a couple of my old friends.
I like them both either considered separately or as a couple.

COLIN: handsome and charming, intelligent and always loving and with great consideration for his wife, but also always responsible, thoughtful and realistic.

EMILY: always loving and admired towards her husband, but also independent in her choices and stubborn in pursuing her goals, beautiful and sweet with her husband, but sometimes a little too reckless and not inclined to follow his judicious advice.

Parents of 2 biological children and one of their wards, always careful in raising them, leaving them free to follow their passions but not without a certain discipline. Despite having been married for a decade, this couple does not lack romance and sentimental outpourings.

I love the fact that although the series is titled Lady Emily, in reality, the investigation is the work of both of them and there is great chemistry between them.

In the first books of the series, they acted separately and Lady Emily was always in the foreground and her husband was more of a secondary character, as time passed and the series grew, I can say that both are protagonists and I like this a lot.

__ ALREADY KNOWN SIDE CHARACTERS __ 

Bainbridge's two quirky aunts add a humorous touch to the story.
They are two spinster sisters, very old but with a lively brain and an adventurous spirit, they know everything about everyone and don't mince their words.

Jeremy is a loving nephew, a loyal friend and a duke who, despite self-deprecatingly calling himself useless, actually cares for the people of the village and does his duty with great sensitivity.

I like all these characters because together with Emily and Colin's 3 children, they help create a "cozy" atmosphere and bring more than a smile to the reader's face.

__ SETTING AND OTHER CHARACTERS ___ 
I haven't read all the books in the Lady Emily series, but I've read 11 of them including this one and I have to say that unlike the others, the setting here is barely intuitive.

There are usually detailed descriptions of both the location where the story takes place and historically important buildings and monuments, as well as the atmosphere.
Here, apart from the wind from the moors, you can't really breathe the air of the Highlands and the small Scottish village... nothing evocative or suggestive in my opinion and  this is one of the two things that lowered my rating for the book .

____MYSTERY___

----> In 1905 : Halfway through the book I thought I was so clever and had guessed the truth, but it wasn't like that and above all the culprit was really really unexpected!!I had a lot of fun making conjectures and hypotheses and until the end I was on tenterhooks, I couldn't wait to find out who the murderer was and several times I was tempted to go and peek at the back of the book, but I resisted!

Well done Tasha Alexander, the solution to the mystery was truly something I never expected.
A little more disappointing and hasty was the solution to a parallel mystery, also in 1905, connected to the murder.

----> In 1676: Up to 70% of the book, the protagonist of the story, set in the 18th century, kept me in suspense: her first-person narrative is full of suspense, the characters around her are ambiguous in their speeches, mysterious in their arguments and I really feared that the story would end in a dramatic way.

So the writer achieved her aim here too (to create an atmosphere of uncertainty, anxiety and deep emotion... but then without revealing the details everything was resolved in a way that was perhaps a little too easy, I don't know how to explain... .
I was expecting something more impressive and  this is the second thing that lowered my rating for the book.
Anyway, I was happy with the happy ending for the characters in this story.

__ HISTORICAL PART  ___ 
Unlike the other books I read in the series, here there are no historical notions or real-life historical characters except for the fact that the character of the mystery set in 1676 is inspired by two real-life black women, about whom the writer talks to us briefly in his notes at the end of the book.

Another historical reference is the witch hunt and the witch hunters who, in order to prove the fake, invented and falsified the evidence, you will also find a brief mention of this in the author's notes.

*****
This is one of the few series that I usually read in no particular order, each book in the series can be read as a standalone, but if you read them starting from the first one you will be able to enjoy better Emily's personal story (her engagement , marriage, children and all the recurring characters who contribute to creating a cheerful and pleasant atmosphere).

Thanks for reading my opinion and as always I ask you to be lenient with my English since it's not my native language.



If you want to know more about OTHER BOOKS IN THE SERIES, you can read some reviews here :

BOOK #2 : A Poisoned Season

BOOK #3 : A Fatal Waltz by Tasha Alexander

BOOK #4: Tears of Pearl

BOOK #5: Dangerous to Know

BOOK #13.5 : Upon the Midnight Clear ( Christmas novella )

Join me on FB Tizi Cozy Corner page to be always updated on new posts

Book review : Once Upon A Wallflower by Wendy Lyn Watson

Once Upon A Wallflower
by Wendy Lyn Watson
GENRE : #regency-gothic-romance

My rating: ★★★★★
5 FULL STARS !! :-D

I LOVED IT FROM THE VERY FIRST PAGE TO THE LAST ONE !!!!!!!!!!
5 full stars well deserved!!

If you like love stories set in the Regency era with an undercurrent of suspense and mystery, then this book is a suitable read for you.

__ THE PLOT __ London.
Mirabelle Fitzhenry was betrothed, by her uncle, her guardian, to Nicholas, Viscount Ashfield, not a lover of society, considered by all to be strange, dark and believed responsible for the death of 3 young women.

So why did "Mira"'s uncle (as she is called by everyone) do this? Simply to honor a gambling debt and by making Nicholas' father, the famous libertine Lord Blackwell, believe that the bride was his beautiful daughter, also named Mirabelle Fitzhenry, but called "Belle" by everyone.

Mira is not too worried because she thinks that as soon as the viscount and her father realize that it is the wrong Mirabelle, they will back off and not accept the marriage. In fact, Mira has never had a season, she is not fashionable, she is not devoid of curves as the current fashion requires and she has red hair.

Nicholas Ashfield is not interested in getting married to a blond goose with ribbons (this is the Mirabelle he believes he should marry) and thinks that she will back down because she is scared of his height, grandeur and above all of the chatter that considers him a killer.

Actually, when Nicholas and Mira meet for the first time, they immediately like each other not only physically, but also because they spend a little time together, complicity is created and both decide to wait to let the other escape.
But there are unsolved murders that complicate the situation and Mira decides to find out who the real culprit is.

For his part, Nicholas is attracted to Mira, a spontaneous courtship ensues with sweet and passionate kisses, he wishes to marry her, but remains ambiguous regarding the murders and the possibility of investigating... He is truly innocent as Mira's instincts initially tell her ? Should she follow her heart or logic?

As things become more complicated and dangerous, the truth becomes confused with the killer's cunning machinations and the passionate love that is being born between Nicholas and Mira risks being destroyed before it can blossom openly in the sunlight.
______________

The story is well written, the part is narrated in the third person and the dialogues change in a pleasant way and the reading is always smooth.
I never encountered a dull moment, and while I longed to find out more about the mystery I enjoyed the moments of sensual romance with which Nicholas slowly won Mira's heart.

___ ROMANCE & MYSTERY ___ Both elements are well developed by the author and I felt engaged by the story from start to end.
The sexual tension and the longing that Nicholas and Mira feel for one another is palpable, just as the suspense and hypotheses about who the real culprit could be will make you turn the pages faster and faster.

THE TWO MAIN CHARACTERS are both, even if for different reasons, outcasts from aristocratic society, but this is not the only thing they have in common, they find in each other sensitivity of soul, spontaneity and a tenderness that until then had been missed to them.
They also like each other physically and the chemistry is perfect, despite the odds to the contrary, they are made for each other.

CARESSES, KISSES AND LOVEMAKING:
Barely touched kisses, passionate kisses, languid caresses, intense looks, whispered words and a long making-love scene (but clean and without anything vulgar) are expertly distributed throughout the course of the story and in my opinion this makes reading more enjoyable for those who want to read a love story.

INVESTIGATION _ Basically the story is a romance and Mira is not an investigator, so her questions and research are not those of an amateur detective that we usually find in "whodunits", but there are still many clues, phrases, attitudes and sudden discoveries that they will divert your hypotheses.
When you'll understand who the culprit is, you will probably be 70% of the way through the book (even if my suspicions had already begun before), however the author is good at making you doubt your hypotheses so much so that at a certain point, perhaps for a short while, for a very brief moment, you will wonder if Nicholas is really innocent (he is the protagonist and therefore we readers already know that he is innocent, but how often do unexpected twists happen in films???)
But don't panic, happy ending guaranteed.

I already miss this couple that I liked so much, it's really a shame that the author hasn't written other historical-suspense-romances, I like her style !

Thank you for reading my opinion and sorry for any English error in my text, it is not my native language.

Join me on FB Tizi Cozy Corner page to be always updated on new posts

Book review : The Turncoat's Widow by Mally Becker

The Turncoat's Widow
Revolutionary War Mysteries #1
by Mally Becker
GENRE : #historical-cozy-mystery

My rating: ★★★★☆
Actually 3,5 rounded up to 4 of 5 stars is my real rating

I chose this book because I like spy stories, I love historical fiction and if there is also a touch of romance, then it is the perfect mix for me.

Unfortunately it took me the entire first half of the book to get into the story, there were no twists and the characters weren't developed enough to win me over.
-----> What saved the book's rating was the second half where action and twists finally engaged me and made me turn the pages with more interest than the first part.

___ THE PLOT ___ Set during the darkest days of the American Revolution.
1780. It's been a year since Daniel Alloway escaped from the British prison ship in New York City harbor.
Now he needs money and remembers that another prisoner confessed to him that he had left an important list of spies' names to his wife Rebecca Parcell who lives in Morristown, New Jersey. By selling the list to General Washinton it is possible to get a nice reward.

Unfortunately Rebecca knows nothing about it and is branded by the village minister as a traitor and accused of having handed her husband over to the British.

Despite being two strangers, Daniel and Rebecca find themselves entangled together in a dangerous mission imposed on them by General Washington, to find the precious list, otherwise they will both be left completely broke and without a future.

_________________

__HISTORICAL CONTEXT AND CHARACTERS WHO REALLY LIVED __ as I have already said, we are in the years of the American Revolution in which the British colonies in America want to become independent from the empire.
The war has lasted longer than expected, food is scarce and people are at the end of their strength and endurance.
There are no great historical notions in the book and not even historical notes from the author, but it was fun to see two great characters actively participate in the story: General Washington and his right-hand man Alexander Hamilton.
A few final jokes are also reserved for Washington's wife.

One thing I particularly liked was that the author highlighted how in the revolution (in this one and all revolutions and wars), although they fought for freedom, in truth both sides were oppressors:
--> The British would have taken everything from those who were not loyal and even Washington had no qualms about taking away lands and possessions from those who did business with the British or worse collaborated with them.
Every revolution, even if moved by a just ideal, then imposed the same arrogance of the previous oppressor in order to achieve its goal, therefore also using an iron fist and blackmail (for example like the French revolution and also the Russian one...).

___ SPY AND MYSTERY ___ perhaps the first part served more to introduce events and characters, I understand this, but for me it was too boring, while finally from 50% onwards the action moments and the plot between the suspects and the suspenseful scenes finally made me enjoy the story.
One of the culprits is quite predictable, but there are 3 others that I really never would have imagined!

___ CHARACTERS AND ROMANCE ___ in my opinion the author could have done a better job in developing the two main characters and should have dedicated a little more time to their interaction and the romantic story.
Otherwise she could have avoided the romantic hint altogether, to me it was the worst part of the book.

The impression I had was that a romantic part was not foreseen and that halfway through the book the author decided to add attraction and a future love story between the two characters.
While reading it seemed to me that the author had inserted, here and there and only at a later time, sentences that were supposed to foreshadow a love interest between Daniel and Rebecca, but these sentences were totally disconnected from the rest of the plot and did not evoke any emotion in me.

I use read several clean romances and even the description of a touch of a hand or a sweet thought from the other person can evoke butterflies in the stomach and give goosebumps if well described, but this was not the case.

After 50% of the book, the romance seemed to improve, it was described more believably, but then it was neglected again.
The reader has his "happy ending" but nothing really satisfying from a romantic point of view, just the premise of another spy adventure in book #2 of the series and the premise of other romantic attempts.

This is this author's debut book and so perhaps she can be forgiven, hoping that the following books will be developed satisfactorily.

WOULD I RECOMMEND IT? I don't know...maybe only to someone used to read cozy mysteries where neither the mysteries nor the love stories are explored in detail.

WILL I GET THE NEXT BOOKS IN THE SERIES? I would like it, but I confess that I am undecided, I don't want to be disappointed again or waste precious time since I have so many books on my list.

THANKS for reading my opinion and please forgive my English, it's not my native language.

Join me on FB Tizi Cozy Corner page to be always updated on new posts

Book review : Letters to a Lover by Mary Lancaster

Letters to a Lover
Crime and Passion Book #2
by Mary Lancaster
GENRE : #historical-mystery-romance

My rating: ★★★★★

5 FULL STARS WELL DESERVED!! :-D

A wonderful light read!!!,
I loved it from the very first page to the last one.

Amazing read for those looking for a light read with a well-balanced mix of: well-constructed and intelligently developed mystery, romance with the right amount of kisses and clean, but exciting and well-distributed lovemaking scenes throughout the story.

___ SETTING ____  Victorian setting in the mid-19th century.
Even though the story is devoid of historical details, the author fully conveys the atmosphere of the time, through events of social and private life and through the characters and their way of thinking and acting, without being too frivolous as in some saccharine romances, nor too dark like in some mystery series.


____ PLOT ___ 1852, Victorian London.
Eric and Azalea, Viscount and Viscountess of Trench have been married for 8 years, theirs was a great love full of passion, but the marriage faltered three years ago, following her postpartum depression and an unbridled recovery of social life to react to such depression.
One day, after being caught by Eric spilling tea on the head of an insistent suitor, Azalia receives a blackmail letter: either she pays a large sum of money or her letter to a lover will be published.
Azalia still loves Eric deeply and does not remember writing letters or having lovers, however she suffers from memory lapses and cannot trust herself, so she decides to get help from her sister Grizelda and her Hungarian husband Dragan, who had already investigated in the past in a murder case.
Eric also still loves his wife very much, but he can't help but suspect that she has a lover and when he decides to follow her, he discovers the whole blackmail mess.
The blackmailer is much more dangerous than he seems at first and while all four of them try to capture him, adventure, mystery, courtship and loving passion are ineluctably intertwined.

____ _______ ______

__ READABLE AS A STANDALONE , but it's surely more enjoyable if you first read #book 1 in the “ Crime and Passion” series, since the co-protagonists of this book are the protagonists of that first book and you will also have the opportunity to have an introduction to Azalea and her family.


__ THE MAIN CHARACTERS ___ they are Azalia and Eric and I liked them very much.

Superficially observed (as in the first book and in the first chapter of this story) they may seem haughty and superficial nobles, but as we discover their thoughts and get to know their deepest feelings, the more we realize how good people they actually are, but unfortunately caged in a world of rules and behaviors dictated by aristocratic society.

We discover an Azalia who is much more unsure of herself beyond her own wealth and beauty and very much in need of the love and support that only a loving husband can give.
We see how she rediscovers, in the happiness of her sister's marriage, how beautiful and more satisfying spontaneity is, letting oneself be guided by feelings and not by the rules imposed by society.
Azalia, daughter of a Duke, grew up in a somewhat spoiled way and never paid too much attention to considering the internal wounds of others, but thanks to her problems and the desire to win back her husband, we see her mature deeply and open her heart not only to Eric but also to other people around her.

We discover a generous Eric, not only with his wife, always being compliant, but also towards less fortunate people, a sweet Eric, but also passionate and hot, who fights to find, together with his wife, that complicity that two happy spouses should have.

The kisses that Azalia and Eric exchange are initially tender and then fiery, because after having almost lost each other they find themselves in the same conditions as two lovers at the beginning of a story, when love burns, but there are a thousand uncertainties and yet they are advantaged by the fact that they know each other well and when passion finds its outlet in making love, they know how to complete each other in a perfect way.

In addition to the romance and character aspect of each of them, I also appreciated the fact that the couple actively participates in the investigation.
In fact, even if Griz and Dragan are the couple who dedicate themselves to amateur investigation in this series, in the plot of this book the protagonist couple does not hesitate to act personally in the plans designed to circumvent and capture the criminal.
Kisses and sex scenes (I repeat: clean but equally sensual) alternate pleasantly with action scenes, with chases, punches and stabbings.


___ CO-PROTAGON CHARACTERS __ Griz and Dragan are the official investigators of the series, main characters in book #1 (Mysterious Lover).

Both introverted and different from the rest of the aristocracy (Griz because she is shy and loves books and culture rather than parties. Dragan because he comes from a country torn apart by revolution and war, in which he worked generously as a doctor) they are now married and they perpetuate their extravagance by not caring about the label and living their love spontaneously by pursuing their own passions and hobbies, respecting others but without the fear of other people's judgement.

A beautiful couple therefore, who gave us beautiful romantic moments in the first book (but only kisses) and wit in investigating and courage in throwing themselves into dangerous situations.
They are only in the background in this book, but always pleasant to follow.
I really liked the chemistry that was created with the Azalea-Eric couple.


__ SPECIAL CHARACTERS ___ family members, acquaintances, business partners and villains.
They only serve to create the atmosphere, but although they intervene in an occasional and brief manner, they intersect perfectly and pleasantly in the story, creating funny or tense scenes depending on the moment.


____ MYSTERY  ___ I didn't even try to speculate because I just had no idea who the villain could be.
When I finally had the intuition about that, it was towards the end, when the protagonists also reached that conclusion thanks to the answers they received following their questions.
The mystery apparently starts in a simple way: with a blackmail letter, but it thickens and becomes more and more intriguing as the story progresses.
There are small action scenes, other scenes of suspense and from blackmail there is a risk of moving on to crime.


__ ROMANCE __  Although the two characters have already been married for 8 years and have distanced themselves from each other for the last 3 years, we can perceive, from the beginning, the invisible thread of the deep feeling that binds them.
The story begins with an unpleasant event which turns out to be a good opportunity to interact together and find each other, first through polite courtship and then by revealing one's fears and insecurities with an open heart, to give way to warm, well-measured kisses and finally to passion which rekindles and brings new energy and happiness.

A clean romance with 3 or 4 scenes of hot kisses at least 2 of lovemaking scenes that are never vulgar, with clean descriptions but which equally evoke warmth and deep passion and therefore exciting for the reader and which do not seem too fake and saccharine as in some books, but they are entirely plausible in reality.
----> I appreciated the fact that kisses and lovemaking scenes are well distributed throughout the story.
I mean I don't like it too much when nothing happens for half the book, then finally there's a romantic scene and then nothing more until the last page.
----> In this story you will have to wait for about a couple of chapters but then you will have the suspense of romance on the razor's edge throughout all the time and all the satisfaction of seeing things transform for the better as every reader desires.

CONCLUDING:
---> The book is well focused on the mystery, as a mystery should be (where the romantic part is usually too tepid or non-existent) and yet it is also well focused on the love story between the two protagonists, as it should be a romantic book (in which there are no mysteries to solve or if there are they are barely outlined and usually predictable and unsatisfactory).

---> The characters are not trivial at all, but they could reflect exactly the same problems of today's couples and despite the differences in time they could reflect the same feelings of people today.

---> 3 IMPORTANT POINTS WELL DEVELOPED THEREFORE WITH AN ADEQUATE AND EQUALLY WELL DEVELOPED ENDING!!
This is what in my opinion makes the book perfect to read for those who love this genre.
According to my tastes the rating is 5 full stars well deserved.

It goes without saying that I will continue reading the other books in the series (actually 1 novel and a couple of short stories, one for Christmas and one for All Saints Day)

Thanks for reading my opinion and please forgive my English, since it's not my language.

READ ALSO "Crime & Passion" BOOK #1:
#1 Mysterious Lover review

Join me on FB Tizi Cozy Corner page to be always updated on new posts

Book review : A Hussar's Promise by Griffin Brady

A Hussar's Promise
The Winged Warrior #2
by Griffin Brady

GENRE: Historical adventure romance My rating: ★★★★★
💖🏰⚔ Again 5 full stars really well deserved !

This is book 2 in The Winged Warrior series and just like the first one, it has been a wonderful gripping reading !

____ THE PLOT IN SHORT ___ Kingdom of Poland, about 1614.
The story of book #2 begins with Jacek Dąbrowski, captain of winged hussars, guarding a fortress on the border of the Kingdom of Poland, in a place that seems forgotten by God.
The truth is that Lord Eryk, once his commander, mentor and friend, married, under coercion, the woman Jacek loves and exiled him to keep him away.
Lady Oliwia is now the lady of the castle and lives among luxury and privileges, but far from the only man she has always loved, she feels deeply unhappy.
Fate, with the work of some very evil people, shuffles the cards... Jacek and Oliwia seem to have another chance... but here mocking fate and the wickedness of the villains come back into play...
_____________________________

While sequels sometimes prove disappointing, approaching this one, I had full faith in the author's abilities.
I was already completely invested in the story of the two main characters ( after "THE HEART OF A HUSSAR", read my REVIEW HERE) and I couldn't wait to see how it continued, as the first book ends on a huge cliffhanger.

This book could perhaps also be read as a standalone, it is fully enjoyable equally, BUT I ADVISE YOU, OR BETTER I BEG YOU TO READ BOOK 1 FIRST, not only because this will give you the opportunity to have a broader vision of the whole story and understand better every ongoing situation, but because you will be able to enjoy a thousand times more all the beautiful moments and all the wonderful love scenes that this sequel offers.

__THE ROMANTIC PART AND LOVEMAKING SCENES __
The first part of the book, in fact, is largely dedicated to the feeling of love, passion, devotion and making love.
The descriptions are extensive, but never vulgar and give the reader all the intensity that two lovers experience in their intimacy.
Everything is written so well that we can feel the heartbeat of Jacek and Oliwia, the thrill of their passion and the happiness that explodes inside their soul.
I admit that I never wanted to leave those chapters and I put many bookmarks, to reread those pages in the next few days!

Reading book 1 will also allow you to understand how strong Jacek's will is to overcome the thousand vicissitudes and adventures that will involve him in the second half of this book.

When I say that the story is "compelling", I am not exaggerating at all, the pace of the book is fast, at times almost frenetic and will drag you into a vortex of twists and turns that will keep you in suspense: bloody battles, ravenous plots on the part of greedy enemies, traitors and murderers and a psychopath killer, daring escapes and a long journey worthy of Ulysses' Odyssey.
With each chapter I longed for the solution to all the problems, I turned the pages reading avidly and just when I glimpsed the light at the end of the tunnel, the author managed to make me jump again.

___ ACTION, ADVENTURE and SCENES SO VIVID THEY APPEAR REAL ___ 
I don't know how, living in our times and not using images from a film, an author manages to describe fight scenes in such a vivid and detailed way, complete with all the thoughts and emotions that the characters are going through at that moment.
I believe that in addition to in-depth historical knowledge, it takes a great talent to be able to convey to the reader not only the scene, but all the sensations, positive and negative, that derive from it and I can say with certainty that the author, Mrs. Griffin Brady possesses both qualities (historical knowledge and talent in writing), because now I feel not as if I had seen a film at the cinema, but more: as if I myself had experienced every situation together with Jacek, savoring the fatigue, the fear , anguish, resilience, strength, anger, hope, jealousy, uncertainty and finally happiness.
Oliwia is no exception, she too will have to overcome unexpected and very difficult tests, which will bring out the strong woman within her and which, instead of sinking her, will make her increasingly combative and resolute.

Even the background where the scenes take place are described in an excellent manner with details that not only help us reconstruct the scene in our mind's eye, but we are able to perceive the smells, the sounds, the contact with the body, the lights, the shadows and all the sensations that come from them.
I have sometimes read books in which the overly long and detailed descriptions bored me or exasperated me, well, this is not the case.
---> The writer's style is fluent and engaging, to the point that now that I have finished the book, I already feel nostalgic for the characters and their adventures.


_____ CHARACTERS___ 
Book #1 begins with 22-year-old Jacek and 15-year-old Oliwia.
The story takes place over 4 years in which the protagonists grow not only in age but also through difficult experiences and sacrifices.
In this book we find them decidedly matured, more aware of their feelings and their goals.
Now both have the chance to take control of their destiny, but nothing will be easy and within reach, in fact evil people and traps continually hinder their happiness.
Only great willpower and the deep love that unites them will lead to a happy ending.
Of course there are also light moments, in which I love the exchanges halfway between jealousy and playfulness.

I love the 2 main characters and I love their friends too:

_ Henryk, Jacek's best friend, charming and a great lover of all women, but with a heart of gold.
I laughed every time he gets too close to Oliwia and Jacek wants to strangle him and yes, a couple of times I wanted to strangle him too, but in the end he always proves to be a deeply devoted and sincere friend.

_ Jacek's soldier-brothers, who make us breathe feelings of brotherhood, loyalty, camaraderie with funny teasing and laughter, but also sharing pain and mutual help in hard times.

_ I also really liked other supporting characters such as Oliwia's brother, who can't wait to grow up and become a soldier.
The faithful cook with a soft spot for Jacek, the good priest, Oliwia's personal maid... each of them contributes to creating a welcoming atmosphere in stark contrast to the villains always lurking and ready to strike treacherously.

__ A FICTION SUITABLE FOR EVERYONE? ___
Connecting to the villains just mentioned, it must be said that we are dealing with a disgusting slime-ball and a psychopathic serial killer.
There are not only deaths in battle, but a real premeditated murder and other perverse attitudes, which, although described without going into exaggeratedly gruesome details, could perhaps trouble the most sensitive souls.
So I would say readable for ages 16 and up.
_ The language is clean, the author manages to convey the idea of the contemptuous attitudes of rough and nasty big men, without actually using vulgar swear words.
I really appreciated it !!


___ The WINGED HUSSARS and the HISTORICAL PART ___
The main characters and their story are naturally the fruit of the author's imagination, but the wonderful heavy cavalry of the Winged Hussars really existed.
They were all nobles, trained in the use of many weapons since they were children. Many battles mentioned by the author and some character names were equally real.



----> THE LAYOUT OF BIASKA CASTLE is inspired by real castles (of which the ruins remain) Castle in the Eagles' Nest and Bobolice Castle ( look at the pictures below ).
---> At the end of the book you will find a small guide to real events and historical figures, castles and places.





---> You will also find a small dictionary for the weapons and type of clothing of the time and a small guide to the pronunciation of names and words in the original language.
---> ON THE AUTHOR'S WEBSITE (www.griffin-brady.com) you will also find a blog with many interesting articles about the glorious history of the Kingdom of Poland in the 17th century, the historical events that made it powerful and about the Hussars.
____________

Thanks for reading my opinion. English is not my mother tongue so I hope I have still managed to express my thoughts effectively and have done justice to both the beautiful novel and the talented writer.
I will definitely also read book #3 of the series, even if I will take a short break of about ten days to enjoy the happy ending a little longer, before diving back into the obstacle-filled adventures of our two favorites.

THE PREQUEL :
BOOK #1 "THE HEART OF A HUSSAR", read my REVIEW HERE

Follow me if you also want to read the review of book #3.
And here is the beautiful Jacek of my mind ( the beauty of books is also being able to imagine the faces of the characters ;-), none other than the handsome Henry Cavill (here very young in The Tudors)




Join me on FB Tizi Cozy Corner page to be always updated on new posts