On tour with The Coffee Pot Book Club – Over the Hedge by Paulette Mahurin #Historical Fiction #WW2 @MahurinPaulette @maryanneyarde

 

Over the Hedge

By Paulette Mahurin

During one of the darkest times in history, at the height of the German occupation of the Netherlands in 1943, members of the Dutch resistance began a mission to rescue Jewish children from the deportation center in Amsterdam. Heading the mission were Walter Süskind, a German Jew living in the Netherlands, Henriëtte Pimentel, a Sephardic Jew, and Johan van Hulst, principal of a Christian college. As Nazis rounded up Jewish families at gunpoint, the three discreetly moved children from the deportation center to the daycare across the street and over the backyard hedge to the college next door. From the college, the children were transported to live with Dutch families. Working against irate orders from Hitler to rid the Netherlands of all Jews and increasing Nazi hostilities on the Resistance, the trio worked tirelessly to overcome barriers. Ingenious plans were implemented to remove children’s names from the registry of captured Jews. To sneak them out of the college undetected past guards patrolling the deportation center. To meld them in with their new families to avoid detection. Based on actual events, Over the Hedge is the story of how against escalating Nazi brutality when millions of Jews were disposed of in camps, Walter Süskind, Henriëtte Pimentel, and Johan van Hulst worked heroically with the Dutch resistance to save Jewish children. But it is not just a story of their courageous endeavors. It is a story of the resilience of the human spirit. Of friendship and selfless love. The love that continues on in the hearts of over six hundred Dutch Jewish children.

If this novel tickles your fancy then head over to Amazon. You can also read this novel for free with #kindleUnlimited subscription!!

Paulette Mahurin

Paulette Mahurin is an international bestselling literary fiction and historical fiction novelist. She lives with her husband Terry and two dogs, Max and Bella, in Ventura County, California. She grew up in West Los Angeles and attended UCLA, where she received a Master’s Degree in Science. 

Her first novel, The Persecution of Mildred Dunlap, made it to Amazon bestseller lists and won awards, including best historical fiction 2012 in Turning the Pages Magazine. Her second novel, His Name Was Ben, originally written as an award winning short story while she was in college and later expanded into a novel, rose to bestseller lists its second week out. Her third novel, To Live Out Loud, won international critical acclaim and made it to multiple sites as favorite read book of 2015. Her fourth book, The Seven Year Dress, made it to the bestseller lists for literary fiction and historical fiction on Amazon U.S., Amazon U.K. and Amazon Australia. Her fifth book, The Day I Saw The Hummingbird, was released in 2017 to rave reviews. Her sixth book, A Different Kind of Angel, was released in the summer of 2018 also to rave reviews. Her last four books: Irma’s Endgame, The Old Gilt Clock, Where Irises Never Grow, and Over the Hedge all made it to bestselling lists on Amazon. Her new release, Over the Hedge, was #1 in Hot New Release Amazon U.K. it’s second day out. 

Social Media Links:

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Grab a cuppa, head over to The Coffee Pot Book Club and catch up with the tour  by clicking Here!

On tour with The Coffee Pot Book Club – Bloody Dominions (The Conquest Trilogy, Book 1) by Nick Macklin #BookReview #HistoricalFiction #BlogTour @NMacklinAuthor @maryanneyarde

 

Bloody Dominions

(The Conquest Trilogy, Book 1)

By Nick Macklin

Journey with those at the heart of the conflict as Caesar embarks on the tumul-tuous conquest of Gaul 58-51 BC. Book One 58-56 BC.

As Caesar’s campaign begins, tests of courage and belief will confront the three protagonists, shaping them as individuals and challenging their views of the world and each other:

Atticus – an impetuous but naturally gifted soldier, whose grandfather served with distinction in the legions;

Allerix – a Chieftain of the Aduatuci, who finds himself fighting both for and against Caesar; and

Epona – a fierce warrior and Allerixs’ adopted sister.

Experiencing the brutalities of conflict and the repercussions of both victory and defeat, Atticus, Allerix and Epona will cross paths repeatedly, their desti-nies bound together across time, the vast and hostile territories of Gaul and the barriers of fate that have defined them as enemies. In a twist of fate, Atticus and Allerix discover that they share a bond, a secret that nobody could ever foresee…

I am not well versed in Roman history. Sure, I know that whole Et tu, Brute? incident, and that Brutus is (was) an honourable man. I also know that this is quite a violent era. The seemingly unstoppable Roman army ploughed their way through county after country, as they extended their empire. But, I know next to nothing about what nations and tribes ended up on their knees, or even how a Legion worked!! Thanks to this novel I now know a little more about this fascinating time in history.

When Atticus and his friend Julius are new legionaries, in the XIIth Legion, all they want to do is to prove themselves in a fight, to join a battle and gain glory. Unfortunately, Atticus’ first spell with conflict doesn’t bring glory, but an insubordination charge (facepalm moment), immediately putting him at odds with his commander, Aquila (whom I hated with a passion). As both Atticus and Julius find themselves in the midst of more action, they quickly learn that glory means nothing if you are dead.

Allerix and Epona, siblings and the children of King Albiorix of the Aduatuci, are both warriors. While Epona defies all expectations (you’ll have to read the book to find out what those expectations are), Allerix rides out with a group of men to provide support to the Romans. When Allerix meets Atticus, though, it does not take him long to realise that not all Romans are the same, and some of them would choose peace over slaughter.

This book, how do I start? I was simply blown away by the detail, the action and the fighting, the near-endless battles and the terror every time one of my favourite characters found themselves in a fight. The author has done an absolutely marvellous job of getting me to care for all the main characters, bringing life to each one. The battles were depicted with such intense detail that I felt as if I was there, trying to evade death alongside the characters. This book was a whirlwind from start to finish, and I simply could not put it down.

If you know nothing about this era, do not despair! This book does not care whether you are an expert or someone with limited knowledge (like me), it will pull you in just the same. This is book 1 in a trilogy, but it has also only recently been released – this, unfortunately, means I will have to wait to find out what happens next! 

Quotes taken from Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare

I received my copy of this novel from The Coffee Pot Book Club, but you can grab yours at your favourite ONLINE (including Amazon) bookstore. This novel is also available at Barnes and Noble, Waterstones and WHSmith.

Nick Macklin

A history graduate, Nick enjoyed developing the skills that would stand him in good stead during the extensive research he conducted prior to writing his nov-el. Whilst the ancient world unfortunately didn’t feature to any extent in his history degree, (the result of failing miserably to secure the A level grades that would have permitted greater choice) he maintained a lifelong and profound interest in ancient history and especially the Roman Empire, continuing to read avidly as he embarked on a career in HR. Over the next 30 years or so Nick occupied a variety of Senior/Director roles, most recently in the NHS. Unsur-prisingly, writing in these roles was largely confined to the prosaic demands of Board papers but Nick never lost the long-harboured belief, motivated by the works of writers such as Robert Fabbri, Robyn Young, Anthony Riches, Simon Scarrow, Matthew Harffy and Giles Kristian, that he too had a story to tell. When he was presented with a window of opportunity c3 years ago he took the decision to place his career on hold and see if he could convert that belief into reality. 

Nick always knew that he wanted to set the novel against the backdrop of a significant event/period in Roman history. Looking to narrow that down to something offering the potential for meaningful character and plot develop-ment, but that hadn’t already received exhaustive coverage, he settled on Cae-sars tumultuous occupation of Gaul. Spanning 8 years, the prolonged clash of cultures offered ample opportunity for the kind of dual perspective from which he was hoping to tell the story, whilst the violent conflict provided a wealth of exciting material to explore the changing fortunes of war and its impact at a personal level. The switching of allegiances, nations fighting for and against Rome also provided the potential for some intriguing plot lines. As his research unfolded, he was also struck by just how heavily the Roman psyche during this period was influenced by the scare they had received 50 years earlier when Germanic tribes invaded their territories and defeated their legions. Seeing ref-erences to the veterans of that war watching their sons and grandsons enlist for a similar campaign, he started to think about developing that link on both sides of the conflict. And so, the idea for the Conquest Trilogy was born.

In Bloody Dominions Nick has sought to produce a novel in which unfolding events are experienced and described from the perspective of protagonists on both sides of Caesar’s incursion into Gaul.  Conscious that the role of women in Roman fiction, Boudica aside, is largely confined to spouse, prostitute or slave, Nick wanted to ensure that one of his lead characters was female and a prominent member of the warrior clan of her tribe. The novel is driven by these characters but the framework against which their stories unfold is histori-cally accurate, featuring actual participants in Caesar’s campaign and drawing on real events as they occurred. As such Nick is genuinely excited about his characters and the story they have to tell.

Nick lives in Exeter with his two daughters and is currently juggling work as an Independent HR Consultant with writing the second novel in the Conquest Trilogy, Battle Scars. 

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On tour with The Coffee Pot Book Club - Read my #BookReview of Island of Gold (Sea and Stone Chronicles) by Amy Maroney #IslandOfGold #HistoricalAdventure @wilaroney @maryanneyarde

Island of Gold 

(Sea and Stone Chronicles)

By Amy Maroney

1454. A noble French falconer. A spirited merchant’s daughter. And a fateful decision that changes their destiny forever.

When Cédric is recruited by the Knights Hospitaller to the Greek island of Rhodes, his wife Sophie jumps at the chance to improve their fortunes. After a harrowing journey to Rhodes, Cédric plunges into the world of the knights—while Sophie is tempted by the endless riches that flow into the bustling harbor. But their dazzling new home has a dark side. 

Slaves toil endlessly to fortify the city walls, and rumors of a coming attack by the Ottoman Turks swirl in the streets. Desperate to gain favor with the knights and secure his position, Cédric navigates a treacherous world of shadowy alliances. Meanwhile, Sophie secretly engineers a bold plan to keep their children safe. As the trust between them frays, enemies close in—and when disaster strikes the island, the dangers of their new world become terrifyingly real. 

With this richly-told story of adventure, treachery, and the redeeming power of love, Amy Maroney brings a mesmerizing and forgotten world to vivid life.

I want to see a show of hands - how many of you know who the Knights Hospitaller were? Is that a nervous cough up in the Gods? It is a subject that is often overlooked in historical fiction, so when I was asked if I would like to read Island of Gold  (Sea and Stone Chronicles) by Amy Maroney my response was, "give me! give me! give me!"

Islands of Gold is good and I mean unputdownable good. An earthquake could have struck and you wouldn't have been able to pull me away from this book - well, maybe that is a slight exaggeration, but I most certainly would have taken this book with me! 

So, this novel is about Cédric, who unfortunately is the third son and has to make his own way in the world, and so he does. He becomes a master falconer, yes, that really was a thing, which involves looking after and training the birds, and trudging around the countryside, well the markets, which involves a lot of ports, to find the perfect specism. Of course, buying the birds is only part of the problem, the other part is getting them home safely without losing them and your life to the bandits who are quite happy to deprive you of your valuables and your life, so being handy with a sword whilst being a master falconer can come in useful. Thankfully, for Cédric, he is - handy with a sword and the birds. 

Cédric life is going rather well, and then he meets Sophie - the beautiful and rather spoilt daughter of a wealthy merchant. Sophie is one of those characters who seemingly lights up a room when she enters. Everyone is drawn to her, especially Cédric, who decides most definitely that he would like her to be his wife. I felt a moment of dread when he asks for her hand because I really feared she was going to act the spoilt princess, but she doesn't, well, she has her moments, but for the most part, she is a really lovely woman who adores her husband and her children. Then, in a compelling plot twist, I begin to fear for her safety, because when the opportunity to travel to Rhodes presents itself, what started out as an unmissable opportunity becomes something rather more sinister. Shh! That's enough spoilers from me!

Islands of Gold is one of my favourite reads of 2021 so far. Do yourself a favour, grab a copy of this book. You won't be disappointed.

I received my copy from The Coffee Pot Book Club, but you can grab yours over on Amazon. 

This novel is available on #KindleUnlimited

Amy Maroney

Amy Maroney lives in the Pacific Northwest with her family, and spent many years as a writer and editor of nonfiction before turning her hand to historical fiction. When she's not diving down research rabbit holes, she enjoys hiking, dancing, traveling, and reading. Amy is the author of the Miramonde Series, a trilogy about a Renaissance-era female artist and the modern-day scholar on her trail. To receive a free prequel novella to the Miramonde Series, join Amy's readers' group at www.amymaroney.com. (Just copy and paste into your browser.)

Social Media Links

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On tour with The Coffee Pot Book Club - The Wisdom of the Flock: Franklin and Mesmer in Paris by Steve M. Gnatz #BookReview #HistoricalFiction #BlogTour @maryanneyarde

 

I am so excited to share my review of The Wisdom of the Flock: Franklin and Mesmer in Paris by Steve M. Gnatz.Thank you to The Coffee Pot Book Club for your invite to take part in the tour. 

The Wisdom of the Flock: Franklin and Mesmer in Paris

By Steve M. Gnatz

A WORLD OF ENLIGHTENMENT, REVOLUTION, AND INTRIGUE  

 

1776: Benjamin Franklin sails to Paris, carrying a copy of the Declaration of Independence, freshly signed. His charge: gain the support of France for the unfolding American Revolution. Yet Paris is a city of distractions. Ben’s lover, Marianne Davies, will soon arrive, and he yearns to rekindle his affair with the beautiful musician. 

Dr. Franz Mesmer has plans for Marianne too. He has taken Parisian nobility by storm with his discovery of magnétisme animale, a mysterious force claimed to heal the sick. Marianne’s ability to channel Mesmer’s phenomena is key to his success.

 

A skeptical King Louis XVI appoints Ben to head a commission investigating the astonishing magnétisme animale. By nature, Ben requires proof. Can he scientifically prove that it does not exist? Mesmer will stop at nothing to protect his profitable claim. 

 

The Wisdom of The Flock explores the conflict between science and mysticism in a time rife with revolution, love, spies, and passion.

Whenever I agree to read a book about a subject or time period that I am not incredibly familiar with, I rely on the author to both teach and entertain me, to inform me about the events while capturing my interest. This book is indeed educational, and when I sat down to read it, I was incredibly excited to learn more about both Benjamin Franklin and Franz Mesmer.

There is a common ground between both Franklin and Mesmer, and that is Marianne Davies. Marianne had an affair with Ben some years before the start of the book, and Mesmer has discovered what he calls magnétisme animale, which can heal the unwell. Marianne, suffering from frequent bouts of melancholia, turns to Mesmer when it seems his new discovery may give her a chance at escaping the illness that plagues her.

What I really liked about this book was learning about the scepticism many had about scientific discoveries, and how much religion directly opposed science. With Franklin trying to learn about, and harness, electricity, there are those who would say that such things are controlled by God, and, indeed, that things such as medicine cannot be trusted, and instead, faith should be the thing to heal someone. With a modern-day outlook on such things, it is easy to imagine how frustrating it was for scientists to try and prove their findings to people who would simply turn and look the other way.

Mesmer’s methods of healing were incredibly interesting to read about. Even after doing some research, I do not fully understand the practice, although the conclusion I have come to is that it is very similar (if not another name for) hypnotism. The ways that Marianne experience this gave an insight into why those who had experienced it believed and almost worshipped the practice, while others were sceptical and couldn’t trust that there were no ill intents. 

I know very little about Benjamin Franklin, and I do not recall ever having learnt anything about Franz Mesmer, so this book was something that I was looking forward to. I wanted to know more about these people and how their paths crossed. What I was not expecting, not knowing the history, was that Benjamin Franklin is in his 70s during this book. There were several scenes that I did not enjoy, in particular the sexual relations that Franklin pursues, especially with women much younger than him. Marianne is only 32, and it bothered me immensely when reading about their intimate relationship.

This book is very long, and although it is also the kind of book wherein the process of reading it is seemingly very quick, it took me a very long time to finish and I think that was because I had a hard time connecting with the characters. That being said, if you are interested about the subjects of this book, you should definitely grab a copy, as the author clearly knows the history well and the explanations are both in-depth and easy to understand at the same time.

 I received my copy from The Coffee Pot Book Club but you can grab your from Waterstones • Amazon UK • Amazon US • Amazon AU • Amazon CA • Barnes and Noble

Steve Gnatz

Steve Gnatz is a writer, physician, bicyclist, photographer, traveler, and aspiring ukulele player. The son of a history professor and a nurse, it seems that both medicine and history are in his blood. Writing historical fiction came naturally. An undergraduate degree in biology was complemented by a minor in classics. After completing medical school, he embarked on an academic medical career specializing in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. There was little time for writing during those years, other than research papers and a technical primer on electromyography. Now retired from the practice of medicine, he devotes himself to the craft of fiction. The history of science is of particular interest, but also the dynamics of human relationships. People want to be good scientists, but sometimes human nature gets in the way. That makes for interesting stories. When not writing or traveling, he enjoys restoring Italian racing bicycles at home in Chicago with his wife and daughters.

Social Media Links:

Website • Blog • Facebook • BookBub • Amazon Author Page • Goodreads

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Book Review - One Wild Weekend With Tyler by Lexi Hart #NewAdult #RomanticSuspense

 

One Wild Weekend With Tyler

By Lexi Hart 

Horses aren't the only thing to ride...

I should be a little more excited about visiting a working ranch in Montana.

I mean, there is an actual cowboy on the brochure, and he is smoking hot.

And maybe if I wasn’t a workaholic, I’d be looking forward to getting away from it all more than I am.

But my brain doesn’t have an off switch, and the cowboy who looked good enough to eat on the brochure, just doesn’t cut it in the flesh.

While Liam is an over the top flirt who grates on my nerves, his half-brother Tyler is the exact opposite.

He’s just as gorgeous, but he’s rude, gruff, and hates his brother’s agritourism idea as much as he hates his long-lost brother.

Something is decidedly off at the Laughing Cat Ranch, and I aim to get to the bottom of it…

Well, after Tyler and I make use of the bed in the fishing cabin.

Horses aren't the only thing to ride... well, Lexi Hart, wasn't kidding. In fact, there wasn't a whole lot of horse riding in this novel!! 

Let's start at the beginning - Zoe is this workaholic heroine, who is dedicated to her job and when she isn't working, which isn't often, she spends her time trying to avoid Derek, her rather persistent ex. Anyroads, her best friend, Molly, was meant to be going to a dude ranch for the weekend, but she can't go, so she persuades Zoe to take some time off. But there is something off at the ranch. The owner, Liam, despite his good looks and charms, gives Zoe the creeps. His half-brother, however, the smouldering Tyler, is an altogether different story.

This novel is a super-fast read, perfect to while away an hour or so. But I must admit, I did enjoy the second half of this novel more than the first, especially when Zoe puts on her detective hat and begins to piece together exactly what has been going on at the ranch. By the time she discover the harrowing truth behind the glossy website and the beautiful location, I was hooked, there was no way I was putting this novel down!

Zoe was a character that I really came to care about. She is very independent, very driven, and it was a pleasure to read about a heroine, who doesn't uproot her whole life because she has fallen in love. She doesn't have to change who she is, and although Tyler does not either, he certainly seems to develop a confidence and understanding as the novel progresses.

I really liked Tyler. He is a very down to earth character who is determined to keep the ranch going, but he is also in a very abusive relationship with his brother and is blindsided by his father's death and the disappearance of his girlfriend, which perhaps explains why he seems so terribly blinkered to what is actually going on around him. His fear of disappointing his dead father keeps him tied to the ranch, Which unfortunately means he is controlled to quite an extent by his brother.

Liam, the antagonist in this tale, is a really vile man. Zoe instantly takes a dislike to him, which is not surprising as she is meant to be on holiday, not trying to avoid the predators glare of her host. Liam's treatment of Tyler is appalling. He gives him all the horrible jobs, he undermines him and cares not one wit about the animals on the ranch. Tyler spends so much time banging his head against a wall that he does not see Liam for what he truly is - an abusive and vile individual. Liam certainly brought a darker, menacing side to this story which made it unputdownable.

I really enjoyed this novel and I look forward to reading more books by this author.

I grabbed my copy of this novel from Amazon.

Lexi Hart

Lexi Hart is the pen name of a crazy Kiwi romance junkie who prefers to live in the heads of her characters than her own.

Social Media Links:

Website • Goodreads