Happy #NewRelease Day!!! Check out Embrace the Choice (The Choice Series, Book 2) by Ellie Yarde #YoungAdult #Romance @ReadingAlNight

 

Embrace the Choice
(The Choice Series, Book 2)
By Ellie Yarde

How do you deal with choices when you don’t know how?

Lena has always been a quiet and private person, who only talks to people she knows and doesn’t stray outside of her comfort zone. She refuses to admit to anyone but herself that she has a crush on Tyler, the roommate of a friend’s boyfriend.

When Tyler starts making excuses to spend time with her, she can’t help but like the attention, however awkward she may find social interaction. The problem is, Lena knows next to nothing about dating. Everything she knows has come from a romance book, and she is too socially inept to be able to act like the women in her books. Will she be able to summon the courage in order to go on the date she so desperately desires?

A quick read filled with friendship, love, and trashy romance books.

Doesn't this book sound amazing! And get this, Embrace the Choice is only 0.99 on #Kindle for a limited time. You can find it over on Amazon. 

Who doesn't love a free book?

Grab Book 1 on #Kindle for FREE for a limited time. Head over to Amazon to grab your copy.

And get this, you can read the series for FREE if you have #KindleUnlimited subscription. 

Ellie Yarde

Ellie Yarde is primarily a reader and blogger. She writes short stories, which are published on her blog, Reading All Night, where she also shares her reviews.

Social Media Links:

Website, Twitter, Goodreads, Amazon Author Page 

On tour with The Coffee Pot Book Club - Son of Anger (Ormstunga Saga, Book 1) by Donovan Cook #HistoricalFiction #Vikings #BlogTour @DonovanCook20 @maryanneyarde

Today, I bring to you Son of Anger (Ormstunga Saga, Book 1) by Donovan Cook. If you love Viking fiction then I think you are going to really enjoy this book. 

Thank you to The Coffee Pot Book Club for inviting me to be a part of this tour. 

Son of Anger
(Ormstunga Saga, Book 1)
By Donovan Cook

Ulf is like a storm, slowly building up its power, he grows more dangerous with each passing moment. And like all storms, he will eventually break. When he does, he will destroy everything in his path.

Ulf is one of a long line of famous Norse warriors. His ancestor Tyr was no ordinary man, but the Norse God of War. Ulf, however, knows nothing about being a warrior.

Everything changes when a stranger arrives on Ulf’s small farm in Vikenfjord. The only family he’s ever known are slaughtered and the one reminder of his father is stolen -- Ulf’s father’s sword, Ormstunga. Ulf’s destiny is decided.

Are the gods punishing him? All Ulf knows is that he has to avenge his family. He sets off on an adventure that will take him across oceans, into the eye of danger, on a quest to reclaim his family’s honour.

The gods are roused. One warrior can answer to them. The Son of Anger.

Doesn't this book sound amazing?! If you would like a grab a copy of this book then head over to your favourite online bookstore: Amazon UK, Amazon US, Amazon CA, Amazon AU and Barnes and Noble. And get this, Son of Anger is FREE if you have #KindleUnlimited subscription.

Donovan Cook

Even as a young child, Donovan loved reading stories about Vikings and other medieval warriors fighting to defend their homeland or raiding in distant lands. He would often be found running around outside with nothing other than a wooden sword and his imagination. 

Now older, he spends his time writing about them. His novels come from his fascination with the Viking world and Norse Mythology and he hopes that you will enjoy exploring this world as much as he did writing about it.

Born in South Africa but raised in England, Donovan currently works as an English tutor and when he is not teaching or writing, he can be found reading, watching rugby, or working on DIY projects. Being born in South Africa, he is a massive Springboks fan and never misses a match.

Social Media Links:

Website, Twitter, Facebook, BookBub, Amazon Author Page, Goodreads 

Tour Schedule

On tour with The Coffee Pot Book Club - Secrets of Rosenli Manor (Mysteries of the Modern Ladies’ Society, Book 1) by Heidi Eljarbo #BlogTour #CoffeePotBookClub @HeidiEljarbo @maryanneyarde

Hold on to your hats - Heidi Eljarbo is sharing an excerpt from Secrets of Rosenli Manor. You have to check this book out!

  Thank you to The Coffee Pot Book Club for inviting me to be a part of this tour.

Secrets of Rosenli Manor

(Mysteries of the Modern Ladies’ Society, Book 1)

By Heidi Eljarbo

Betrayal and trust go hand in hand in the first book of Heidi Eljarbo’s new turn-of-the-century series.

It’s 1898, and Lilly has spent most of her life motherless and living with a father who never looks for a silver lining. When her great-aunt Agatha passes, Lilly’s existence takes a drastic turn. She packs her few belongings and moves into the old lady’s magnificent estate, Rosenli Manor.

In the days that follow, Lilly tries to understand who Agatha really was, and hidden secrets slowly rise to the surface. Her great-aunt’s glamorous legacy is not quite what Lilly had imagined. She must trust in newly forged friendships, and to her surprise, she discovers what it means to truly fall in love. But not everyone is happy about the new mistress of Rosenli.

Intrigue, mystery, and a touch of romance in the Norwegian countryside fill the pages of Secrets of Rosenli Manor.

The pendulum on the grandfather clock next to the grand piano swung rhythmically back and forth, back and forth. The hour hand was approaching two. She should leave. The lawyer had asked her to stop by his office before she left town, and the train ride home would take three quarters of an hour.

What was she to do? Lilly leaned back into the soft pillows. Was it all true? Had she inherited a fortune, and could she picture herself living here? What about Father? She’d moved into her own place a while back, but would he insist on living at Rosenli with her? His daily pessimistic outbursts and derogatory comments had taken their toll on her, but what would her father say if she moved away? Who would calm him when his temper steered his mood? Maybe more than anything, was she capable of taking care of Aunt Agatha’s estate?

She stopped by the casket one last time then grabbed her handbag and walked into the hallway. 

The butler stood by the wardrobe as she came out. It was as if he expected her.

“Mr. Bing, I need a word with you.”

“You may call me John, miss. Now that we’ll be seeing more of each other, you should know we go by first names in this house. Agatha insisted on it.”

“Very well. Then I would like you to call me Lilly.” She showed him the photograph. “Please tell me about this man. Who is he?”

John smiled. “Oh, so you found the picture. Good. Agatha placed it there for you to find. She had much to tell you, and now it’s up to you to discover what. Find her story, and you’ll understand who that man is.”

Lilly widened her eyes. “That sounds intriguing, but I must warn you; I’m usually not very patient. At least show me where to look?”

“You’ll understand. Just follow your heart.”

“My heart?”

John handed her a miniature box tied with a red silk ribbon. “She wanted you to have this.”

Lilly gingerly unfastened the ribbon and opened the lid. Inside was a small silver amulet. She picked it up. Half a heart. She lifted her gaze to John, but he said nothing. The old man stood there with a stoic but friendly look on his face.

“What does this mean, John? How can I follow my heart if I only have half of it?”

The butler smiled but didn’t answer her question. He didn’t even ask her if she planned to move in. Lilly narrowed her brow, confused at such limited information. She’d grown used to working with numbers, patterns, and orderly schedules. How did one learn something new by merely listening to their heart? She pulled her shoulders back. “I will try, John, but I hope for some help along the way. I truly want to understand who Agatha was. Even if it might seem late now that she has passed, I’d like to become acquainted with her.”

John touched her shoulder. “That’s the spirit.”

Doesn't this excerpt make you want to read on? If it does, then you can grab your copy at the following stores, Amazon UK, Amazon US, Amazon CA, Amazon AU

Heidi Eljarbo

Heidi Eljarbo is the bestselling author of historical fiction and mysteries filled with courageous and good characters that are easy to love and others you don't want to go near.

Heidi grew up in a home filled with books and artwork and she never truly imagined she would do anything other than write and paint. She studied art, languages, and history, all of which have come in handy when working as an author, magazine journalist, and painter.

After living in Canada, six US states, Japan, Switzerland, and Austria, Heidi now calls Norway home. She and her husband have a total of nine children, thirteen grandchildren—so far—in addition to a bouncy Wheaten Terrier.

Their favorite retreat is a mountain cabin, where they hike in the summertime and ski the vast, white terrain during winter.

Heidi’s favorites are family, God's beautiful nature, and the word whimsical.

Social Media Links:

Website, Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, Pinterest, BookBub, Amazon Author Page, Goodreads

Tour Schedule

Book Review - The Viking Chief's Marriage Alliance by Lucy Morris #HistoricalRomance @LMorris_Author

 

The Viking Chief's Marriage Alliance

By Lucy Morris 

 

A challenging wife

For a warrior Viking

When Thorstein Bergson rescues a beautiful woman from a storm-tossed long-ship he little expects to broker a powerful marriage alliance with her. This high-status ice queen is not the comfortable wife this warrior chief is seeking. But maybe the bitter-sweet pain in Gyda’s eyes hides another woman beneath? The one he tasted that first night when she’d kissed him with such pent-up longing…?

Right, let's start with the cover because we all know we judge a book by its cover, even if we say we don't! I think the cover is really beautiful, or maybe it is the male model that I think is really beautiful, dare to disagree!!! Next, I want to mention the publisher — Mills & Boon. Reading a Mills & Boon novel is like coming home. You know exactly what you are getting — a ruggedly handsome hero and a strong-willed damsel in distress, and between them, there is enough chemistry to light up Jorvik. 

Gyda has recently been widowed, but her situation is precarious. She must flee, with her silver and her tapestries, and head to Jorvik where she plans to start a new life. Unfortunately, she encounters some difficulties along the way — a shipwreck is going to spoil anyone's day if they are on the ship when it starts to sink! But thankfully, the handsome Thorstein is there to save the day. Unfortunately, he could not save Gyda's silver and her tapestries, but he did save her life, so that has to count for something - right?!

As one would expect from a Mills & Boon novel, it is desire at first sight, but their relationship is not without its ups and downs. Both have serious trust issues, and they both have their fair share of past trauma, which causes caution and difficulties in the relationship. A simmering boil their desire may be, but first, they have to get over their past if they are going to live a happy life together. Of course, there is an antagonist in this story,  who tries to throw a spanner in the works, but this only strengthens the bond that Gyda and Thorstein have made.

I really enjoyed reading how Gyda and Thorstein's relationship evolves throughout this novel. Their relationship was believable, which is always a good thing. The author has also gone to some lengths to also make the setting her story is set in as historically accurate as possible.

If you like a simmering romance set during the Viking era then I think you will love The Viking Chief's Marriage Alliance.

If you would like to be swept away in a Viking romance then head over to Amazon

Lucy Morris

Lucy Morris has always been obsessed with myths and legends. Her books blend sweeping romance with vivid worldbuilding to whisk you away to another time and place filled with adventure. Expect passion, drama, and vibrant characters.

Lucy lives in Essex, UK, with her husband, two children, and two cats. She has a massively sweet tooth and loves Terry's chocolate oranges and Irn-Bru. In her spare time, she likes to explore castles with her family, or drink bubbly with her friends.

A member of the UK Romantic Novelists' Association. In 2020 she was delighted to accept a two-book deal with Harlequin after submitting her story to the Warriors Wanted submission blitz for Viking, Medieval, and Highlander romances.

She hasn't looked back since.

Writing for Harlequin Historical is a dream come true for her and she hopes you enjoy her books!

Social Media Links:

Facebook, Instagram, Twitter.

On tour with The Coffee Pot Book Club - The Prisoner of Paradise (The Paradise Series, Book 1) by Rob Samborn #BookReview #Thrillers #BlogTour

I am so excited to share my review of The Prisoner of Paradise  (The Paradise Series, Book 1) by Rob Samborn. Thank you to The Coffee Pot Book Club for inviting me to be a part of this tour.

The Prisoner of Paradise 

(The Paradise Series, Book 1)

By Rob Samborn

The world’s largest oil painting. A 400-year-old murder. A disembodied whisper: “Amore mio.” My love.

Nick and Julia O’Connor’s dream trip to Venice collapses when a haunting voice reaches out to Nick from Tintoretto’s Paradise, a monumental depiction of Heaven. Convinced his delusions are the result of a concussion, Julia insists her husband see a doctor, though Nick is adamant the voice was real.

Blacking out in the museum, Nick flashes back to a life as a 16th century Venetian peasant swordsman. He recalls precisely who the voice belongs to: Isabella Scalfini, a married aristocrat he was tasked to seduce but with whom he instead found true love. A love stolen from them hundreds of years prior.

She implores Nick to liberate her from a powerful order of religious vigilantes who judge and sentence souls to the canvas for eternity. Releasing Isabella also means unleashing thousands of other imprisoned souls, all of which the order claims are evil.

As infatuation with a possible hallucination clouds his commitment to a present-day wife, Nick’s past self takes over. Wracked with guilt, he can no longer allow Isabella to remain tor-mented, despite the consequences. He must right an age-old wrong – destroy the painting and free his soul mate. But the order will eradicate anyone who threatens their ethereal prison and their control over Venice.

Trigger Warnings.

Violence, a rape scene, a torture scene.

Oh, how many books am I going to get that are set in Italy? My main goal is that, if I read enough books, it’ll be like I’ve been there myself, but the more I read, the more I just want to actually go! My plan is backfiring, and I’m not at all complaining.

This is very much a mystery/thriller/intrigue/supernatural kind of book. So it should come as no surprise that Nick O’Connor starts to hear a woman talk to him from a painting!  And when a secret organisation, who are responsible for painting evil souls into paintings so they can trap them forever and keep them from doing any more harm to the world, notice Nick’s strange way of interacting with the painting they start keeping a very close eye on him – what does that scream but ‘thriller’? And then, when Nick starts to remember things from another life, as a swordsman in the 16th century, who knows Isabella Scalfini, the woman in the painting, you cannot help but be intrigued. 

This is the kind of book that my husband hates, not because he would actually ever pick up a book and read it, but because I spend every spare moment reading it, and he can’t have a proper conversation with me for a few days because I’m always reading and when he tries to talk to me, I shush him. But then again, books like these are impossible to put down, and that is a fact. 

This book has characters you will love, for example, Nick and Julia, and others you will absolutely loathe. I am not entirely sure how much I can list the characters I didn’t like without giving at least some little spoilers, so I won’t talk about them too much. I didn’t like them anyway. Nick and Julia, however, I loved. Although, Julia spends most of this book convinced Nick is suffering from after-effects from a concussion following an accident he had while playing hockey, and Nick spends most of the book trying to convince Julia he is actually hearing a woman talk to him from a painting. It does seem like a difficult thing to try and convince someone to believe.

The whole idea of souls being stuck in a painting is one that I can’t say I have ever come across before. I can say for sure, though, that if I was stuck inside a painting, and couldn’t move, but had to stare out across a sea of tourists every day, I would most certainly go mad. I can’t imagine what being sentenced to an eternity of nothingness would be like – I tried, and my first thought was that I would miss tea and chocolate immensely. 

This book was incredibly interesting, even though I’m almost certain things like the Order, or people being stuck in paintings is purely fictional, the ins and outs of how they worked fascinated me. Nick’s journey was one that I greatly enjoyed following. He is married to Julia, and loves her with all his heart, but Isabella is his soulmate, and his love from another time. To find one’s soulmate is something rare, but if you love someone truly, as Nick loves Julia, I think the souls can grow to be soulmates. The whole relationship dynamic, of Nick being married to Julia, and then finding this soul that his soul loved centuries ago, is certainly challenging. How exactly does one explain to their wife that this other woman is their true soulmate?!

If you want a good dose of mystery and a book that will hook you in and not let you go, this is the one to choose. Venice and a secret organisation, souls trapped in paintings, and a couple who know nothing, trying to figure out what exactly is going on – what more can you ask for?

I received my copy from The Coffee Pot Book Club but you can grab your copy from Amazon UK, Amazon US, Amazon CA, Amazon AU, Kobo, Apple Books, Barnes & Noble

Rob Samborn 

In addition to being a novelist, Rob Samborn is a screenwriter, entrepreneur and avid traveler. He’s been to forty countries, lived in five of them and studied nine languages. As a restless spirit who can’t remember the last time he was bored, Rob is on a quest to explore the intrica-cies of our world and try his hand at a multitude of crafts; he’s also an accomplished artist and musician, as well as a budding furniture maker. A native New Yorker who lived in Los Ange-les for twenty years, he now makes his home in Denver with his wife, daughter and dog. 

Social Media Links:

Website, Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, Pinterest, BookBub, Amazon Author Page, Goodreads

Tour Schedule

Happy #NewRelease Day!!! Oh my goodness - check this out. Ellie Yarde's debut novel, Escape The Choice (The Choice Series, Book 1) YARomance #OneHourRead @ReadingAlNight

 

Escape The Choice 

(The Choice Series, Book 1)

By Ellie Yarde

How do you make a choice when you don't want to choose?

Oliver's friendship may be important to Ali, after all, she's the only friend he's got, but that's all they will ever be – friends. When it comes to Noah, she can't help but hope their friendship will become something more. Her heart flutters when he is near, and her eyes always seem to find his.

Unfortunately for Ali, Oliver would make things very difficult if anything were to happen between her and Noah, and while Noah has never told her not to be friends with Oliver, his distaste for the man is quite clear. For Ali to resolve the ongoing dispute, she will have to choose between them. But how can Ali choose between the two men when her decision will mean she has to cut one of them from her life?

A quick read filled with friendship, love, and a deep adoration of coffee and muffins.

Doesn't this book sound amazing?! And get this it is only 0.99 on #Kindle and it is also available on #KindleUnlimited, so what are you waiting for? Grab your copy NOW - HERE!

Ellie Yarde

Ellie Yarde is primarily a reader and blogger. She writes short stories, which are published on her blog, Reading All Night, where she also shares her reviews. Escape The Choice is Ellie’s debut novel, and the first in The Choice Series. 

Social Media Links:

Website, Twitter, Goodreads

On tour with The Coffee Pot Book Club (Anniversary Tour) – The Coronation by Justin Newland #BookReview #HistoricalFantasy #BlogTour @matadorbooks @maryanneyarde

 

The Coronation

By Justin Newland

It is 1761. Prussia is at war with  Russia and Austria. As the Russian army occupies East Prussia, King Frederick the Great and his men fight hard to win back their homeland. 

 

In Ludwigshain, a Junker estate in East Prussia, Countess Marion von Adler celebrates an exceptional harvest. But it is requisitioned by Russian troops. When Marion tries to stop them, a Russian captain strikes her. His lieutenant, Ian Fermor, defends Marion’s honour and is stabbed for his insubordination. Abandoned by the Russians, Fermor becomes a divisive figure on the estate.

 

Close to death, Fermor dreams of the Adler, a numinous eagle entity, whose territory extends across the lands of Northern Europe and which is mysteriously connected to the Enlightenment. What happens next will change of the course of human history… 

I was really looking forward to reading this novel as the blurb really intrigued me (you know how I like a good blurb) and the cover is certainly eye-catching.

As soon as I started this novel I knew that it was going to be one of those books that really deserves to be read in one sitting. Unfortunately, I rarely have such opportunities, and so I read this novel during my quick coffee breaks, and as the chapters are nice and short, it made the whole process so much easier—I hate stopping halfway through a chapter, and I know I am not the only one.

The writing style used in this novel does take a little bit of getting used to, for it has an almost poetic quality about it that you don't often find in fiction novels. What I mean by this is that each word used is seemingly deliberate. It is as if the author has carefully thought about every word used, which I know sounds a little strange, but that is what it felt like reading this book.  One thing I also noticed was the author's use of smilies, which he uses a great deal but also to great effect. One thing is for certain, the way the author has chosen to write this story means that the detailing throughout this novel is astounding.

The story is incredibly compelling and I really enjoyed both the historical aspects of this novel, I believe it is set during the Seven Year War, and the supernatural elements as well. The historical detailing kept this story firmly grounded but the fantasy element also gave this story a burst of magical realism. It can be very hard to pull off a believable mythological background without losing the historical accuracies of the era, but I think the author has done so most admirably. 

This novel may not be everyone's cup of tea, especially for die-hard historical fiction fans, but I thought this novel was very clever in its delivery. I really enjoyed meeting the characters in this novel and following them as the story progressed. 

I received my copy from The Coffee Pot Book Club but you can grab yours from yours from a wide variety of places - hang on to your hats, here is the list!! Amazon UK, Amazon US,  Amazon CA, Amazon AU, Barnes and Noble, Waterstones, Kobo, Author Website (you can get a signed copy here), Publisher’s Website, Wordery (UK), Bookswagon (India), Booktopia (Au), Saxo (Dk, Exclusive Books (SA)

Justin Newland

Justin Newland is an author of historical fantasy and secret history thrillers - that’s history with a supernatural twist. His stories feature known events and real people from history which are re-told and examined through the lens of the supernatural. He gives author talks and is a regular contributor to BBC Radio Bristol’s Thought for the Day. He lives with his partner in plain sight of the Mendip Hills in Somerset, England. 

His Books

The Genes of Isis is a tale of love, destruction and ephemeral power set under the skies of An-cient Egypt. A re-telling of the Biblical story of the flood, it reveals the mystery of the genes of Isis – or genesis – of mankind. ISBN 9781789014860.

“The novel is creative, sophisticated, and downright brilliant! I couldn’t ask more of an Egyp-tian-esque book!” – Lauren, Books Beyond the Story.

The Old Dragon’s Head is a historical fantasy and supernatural thriller set during the Ming Dynasty and played out in the shadows the Great Wall of China. It explores the secret history of the influences that shaped the beginnings of modern times.  ISBN 9781789015829.

‘The author is an excellent storyteller.” – British Fantasy Society. 

Set during the Great Enlightenment, The Coronation reveals the secret history of the Industrial Revolution. ISBN 9781838591885.

“The novel explores the themes of belonging, outsiders… religion and war…  filtered through the lens of the other-worldly.” – A. Deane, Page Farer Book Blog.

His latest, The Abdication (July, 2021), is a suspense thriller, a journey of destiny, wisdom and self-discovery. ISBN 9781800463950.  

“In Topeth, Tula confronts the truth, her faith in herself, faith in a higher purpose, and ulti-mately, what it means to abdicate that faith.” 

V. Triola, Coast to Coast.

Social Media Links:

Website, Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, Amazon Author Page, Goodreads

Tour Schedule