tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31025949670202324022024-03-15T21:11:56.503-04:00Royal ReviewsAngela Reneehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11768802210267067847noreply@blogger.comBlogger1957125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3102594967020232402.post-81992515148878895582024-03-08T05:14:00.001-05:002024-03-08T05:14:36.980-05:00Review: A Lady's Guide to Marvels and Misadventure<p dir="ltr" id="docs-internal-guid-a47ca13f-1d8b-1e06-fc96-edb5eacfa57a" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisEBX1ZNY5SmnANpNpQKhwGWFVDrW_PUXag6fMVZ4jOc4X3FZDE7Dm_SkMPPiIIi7CzUqfYaKwJe6PpkTKSJoJ1yJEULfZzD09TGmpRx5QMlID6EkOefSGWCu5N2s1IC1oRQMQQBlAAouUC8onaRWucHjNcw-36rBp_Euq_pGalCKLEoGthjjDpphpMzQ/s1500/A%20Lady's%20Guide%20to%20Marvels%20and%20Misadventure%202024.jpeg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="971" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisEBX1ZNY5SmnANpNpQKhwGWFVDrW_PUXag6fMVZ4jOc4X3FZDE7Dm_SkMPPiIIi7CzUqfYaKwJe6PpkTKSJoJ1yJEULfZzD09TGmpRx5QMlID6EkOefSGWCu5N2s1IC1oRQMQQBlAAouUC8onaRWucHjNcw-36rBp_Euq_pGalCKLEoGthjjDpphpMzQ/s320/A%20Lady's%20Guide%20to%20Marvels%20and%20Misadventure%202024.jpeg" width="207" /></a></div><p dir="ltr" id="docs-internal-guid-a47ca13f-1d8b-1e06-fc96-edb5eacfa57a" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Title: </span><span style="color: #212529; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">A Lady's Guide to Marvels and Misadventure</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Author: </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Angela Bell</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Publisher: </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">27th February 2024 by Bethany House Publishers</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Pages: </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">384 pages</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Genre:</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Christian, Historical Fiction, Romance</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rating: </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">4 crowns</span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Synopsis:</span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">When Clara Marie Stanton's ex-fiancé begins to spread rumors that her family suffers from hereditary insanity, it's all Clara can do to protect them from his desperate schemes and society's prejudice. Her family may be eccentric, yes, but they certainly aren't insane. Then Clara's Grandfather Drosselmeyer brings on an apprentice with a mechanical leg, and all pretense of normalcy takes wing.</span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Theodore Kingsley, a shame-chased vagabond skilled in repairing clocks, wants a fresh start far from Kingsley Court and the disappointed father who declared him dead. Upon returning to England, Theodore meets clockmaker Drosselmeyer, who hires him as an apprentice, much to Clara's dismay. When Drosselmeyer spontaneously disappears in his secret flying owl machine, he leaves behind a note for Clara, beseeching her to make her dreams of adventure a reality by joining him on a merry scavenger hunt. Together, Clara and Theodore set off to follow Drosselmeyer's trail of clues, but they will have to stay one step ahead of a villain who wants the flying machine for himself - at any cost.</span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">My Thoughts</span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="color: #212529; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">A Lady's Guide to Marvels and Misadventure</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> proved to be such a wonderful mix of Victorian whimsy and steampunk! With nods and inspiration drawn from the likes of </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Around the World in 80 Days</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> and </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Nutcracker</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (two of the main characters are named Clara and Drosselmeyer) there is much to delight readers in this tale.</span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 2pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘…her ever-amused family found their new title of “dangerous loons” quite hilarious and saw no reason to temper their eccentric habits.’</span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">It’s whimsical. It’s full of adventure. A scavenger hunt across Victorian Europe with a cast of quirky characters and a wide variety of automatons to boot! An adventure mystery that is eccentric, humourous and somewhat bizarre. Anything is possible and more than likely probable in this larger than life story. </span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 2pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘Crafted of weighty silver, the pen was outfitted with a lid, hook, and chain for attaching to a chatelaine, while the pocket-size journal, bound in crimson leather, was embossed with the words ‘An Adventurous Lady’s Guide to Travel’.</span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">There is also a more serious side where readers contemplate how Grandfather’s clues are his way of encouraging Clara - a bit of soul searching and learning to believe again through her trust in God. This story has strong faith connections and trusting that God will sort things out. </span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 2pt;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">If quirky Victorian, a touch of Steampuch and a scavenger hunt mystery sound appealing, look no further. </span><span style="color: #212529; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">A Lady's Guide to Marvels and Misadventure</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> will prove the perfect escape. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 2pt;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 2pt; text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeIYaAlvi8QeyYYNPJmKc6ze-HqqipqxgRsupAdpTbzALlsU0EfYxDLnKVGMyVTK0Nil6slWr66sKBrw-LHowTRZVMoo_W2XV7drmnTuWyDud92gIIBgkolvjveSU0A2fF0g74HZincHb7fenrocm5drP4lx2zI0o5PMJOyBKs8UXnSCS1vswcBNLSrmI/s200/RR%20Helen.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="136" data-original-width="200" height="136" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeIYaAlvi8QeyYYNPJmKc6ze-HqqipqxgRsupAdpTbzALlsU0EfYxDLnKVGMyVTK0Nil6slWr66sKBrw-LHowTRZVMoo_W2XV7drmnTuWyDud92gIIBgkolvjveSU0A2fF0g74HZincHb7fenrocm5drP4lx2zI0o5PMJOyBKs8UXnSCS1vswcBNLSrmI/s1600/RR%20Helen.png" width="200" /></a></div><br /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="http://greatreadsandtealeaves.blogspot.com/">Visit Helen @ Great Reads & Tea Leaves</a><br /></span><p></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. The quoted material may have changed in the final release.</span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" />Helenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10799087370126326415noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3102594967020232402.post-60860502684557886052024-03-07T02:26:00.003-05:002024-03-07T02:28:09.599-05:00Review: A Love Song for Ricki Wilde<p dir="ltr" id="docs-internal-guid-d7d3b744-17cb-2c96-22e8-b47de0511068" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi91h8twJuiJhMyIzxGsL5PuE9__akJbNfvgExy7AXkq1FqeSbYIZZwtO78W2Dwihgg10rvxJKjSQWcjAaGgDsrpIvmRxvPsEQNKFLooAGBzdTWUHVPh79TpTHJyRt70YWmdl44dnW7lKgNpyVtCKDHFXguV6cmlPlxr0EG-mT7tjmCewPBzAULTliWS0M/s676/IMG_6391.jpeg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="676" data-original-width="440" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi91h8twJuiJhMyIzxGsL5PuE9__akJbNfvgExy7AXkq1FqeSbYIZZwtO78W2Dwihgg10rvxJKjSQWcjAaGgDsrpIvmRxvPsEQNKFLooAGBzdTWUHVPh79TpTHJyRt70YWmdl44dnW7lKgNpyVtCKDHFXguV6cmlPlxr0EG-mT7tjmCewPBzAULTliWS0M/s320/IMG_6391.jpeg" width="208" /></a></div><p dir="ltr" id="docs-internal-guid-d7d3b744-17cb-2c96-22e8-b47de0511068" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Title: </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #1e1915; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">A Love Song for Ricki Wilde</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Author: </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Tia Williams</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Publisher: </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">13th February 2024 by Hachette Australia & New Zealand, Quercus</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Pages: </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">352 pages</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Genre:</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #172b4d; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">General Fiction (Adult), Romance, magical realism</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">My Rating: </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">4.5 crowns</span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Synopsis:</span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Leap years are a strange, enchanted time. And for some, even a single February can be life-changing. </span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ricki Wilde has many talents, but being a Wilde isn't one of them. As the impulsive, artistic daughter of a powerful Atlanta dynasty, she's the opposite of her famous socialite sisters. Where they're long-stemmed roses, she's a an adorable bloom that's actually a weed, born to float wherever the wind blows. In her bones, Ricki knows that somewhere, a different, more exciting life awaits her. </span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">When regal nonagenarian, Ms. Della, invites her to rent the bottom floor of her Harlem brownstone, Ricki jumps at the chance for a fresh beginning. She leaves behind her family, wealth, and chaotic romantic decisions to realize her dream of opening a flower shop. And just beneath the surface of her new neighbourhood, the music, stories and dazzling drama of the Harlem Renaissance still simmers. </span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">One evening in February as the heady, curiously off-season scent of night-blooming jasmine fills the air, Ricki encounters a handsome, deeply mysterious stranger who knocks her world off balance in the most unexpected way. </span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Set against the backdrop of modern Harlem and Renaissance glamour, A Love Song for Ricki Wilde is a swoon-worthy love story of two passionate artists drawn to the magic, romance, and opportunity of New York, and whose lives are uniquely and irreversibly linked.</span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">My Thoughts</span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In this leap year - here is one leap year book you simply must read! I don’t know what I was expecting … but it wasn’t this. It’s a story and I don’t want to give too much away to avoid spoilers. However, if you love exceptional romances and magical realism this is the book for you. A little slow to get going but then it gallops away with all the feels.</span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 2pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘Ricki had never felt like a loser. She simply felt misplaced. Like a duck raised by squirrels. She’d always suspected that, given the chance to do what she did best, she’d succeed.’</span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Briefly I will tell you that the characters are rich and inviting - Ricky and Ezra will go down as one of literary great couples. Della and Tuesday (two stories that most likely deserve their own novel) complete a great cast. This is a tale infused with many things, magical realism being at the top of the list. I love the way Tia writes on topics such as family, friends, fears and futures - all seamlessly interwoven. The nod to black history is rich and wonderfully incorporated - everything from Harlem in the 1920s to key musical events from that decade to the present day. </span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 2pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘To Ricki, a lifelong lover of bygone eras, the entire building felt like a gift delivered through time. Magical.’</span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">For all of these incredible themes, it is at its heart a wonderful romance between two memorable characters. Slowly but surely this book snuck up on me and captured my heart. If magical realism/romance is a combination that gets your heart a flutter then take this journey with Rick and Ezra - it’s unique, it’s special and it's truly romantic. </span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 2pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“I’m not scared of you,” he said. “I’m scared of us.” Ricki’s confusion was growing by the second. “But there is no us.”</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 2pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And then she divulged her truest, scariest thought. “I’m afraid that I don’t belong anywhere. Do you ever feel like that?”</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 2pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 2pt; text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbTSP5Puu-0V4CAGOgLXBZrEXrUBpPthn5jq5EZen1P8aQinOtmGk7DM2j6fbp_SylWLyrvE3eDbOhQPkNh7k_dTjr-Xi9_zePPqo-Pmpg1WHXqLDHbtLlFZ6IDvgju4iPZxv7BclOCs4tZoyJp0qnr9MCnpOAWad1Rmkjx5JuOptYBwsWIuklAJgNgzs/s200/RR%20Helen.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="136" data-original-width="200" height="136" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbTSP5Puu-0V4CAGOgLXBZrEXrUBpPthn5jq5EZen1P8aQinOtmGk7DM2j6fbp_SylWLyrvE3eDbOhQPkNh7k_dTjr-Xi9_zePPqo-Pmpg1WHXqLDHbtLlFZ6IDvgju4iPZxv7BclOCs4tZoyJp0qnr9MCnpOAWad1Rmkjx5JuOptYBwsWIuklAJgNgzs/s1600/RR%20Helen.png" width="200" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://greatreadsandtealeaves.blogspot.com/" style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic;">Visit Helen @ Great Reads & Tea Leaves</a></div><p></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. The quoted material may have changed in the final release.</span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" />Helenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10799087370126326415noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3102594967020232402.post-47169108195651115052024-02-27T02:56:00.003-05:002024-02-27T02:58:01.094-05:00Review: Sisterhood<p dir="ltr" id="docs-internal-guid-5aecd032-e98e-5e2e-4ea6-c7359fea6fd2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmsVZdsPUOVFob5OFR5jUNnyCCatRTVUnl3koWF6qGTEYLNPA44HjolrKdAFFhyZZYYyiNNoPtXQ5HqoLv3mOaSljMspJDtlrSgaIBI3ciXUTdwYotof9xUHEJYDcDSsbEs3cn6DXFphy3ykpPug7xmhDZfdpChQXBmBU0dzPnb_vhcQTDT5Ji_eLHf40/s648/IMG_1328.jpeg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="648" data-original-width="423" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmsVZdsPUOVFob5OFR5jUNnyCCatRTVUnl3koWF6qGTEYLNPA44HjolrKdAFFhyZZYYyiNNoPtXQ5HqoLv3mOaSljMspJDtlrSgaIBI3ciXUTdwYotof9xUHEJYDcDSsbEs3cn6DXFphy3ykpPug7xmhDZfdpChQXBmBU0dzPnb_vhcQTDT5Ji_eLHf40/s320/IMG_1328.jpeg" width="209" /></a></div><p dir="ltr" id="docs-internal-guid-5aecd032-e98e-5e2e-4ea6-c7359fea6fd2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Title: </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #1e1915; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Sisterhood</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Author: </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Cathy Kelly</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Publisher: </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">29th February 2024 by HarperCollins Publishers Australia</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Pages: </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">384 pages</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Genre:</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #172b4d; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">women’s fiction</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">My Rating: </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">4 cups</span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Synopsis:</span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">As the waves crash on to a wild Atlantic beach, Lou is at a crossroads. For the first time ever, just giving up seems like an option. In just one night, at her own 50th birthday, her world has imploded. Her mother has kept a secret hidden all her life. And it changes everything. Before Lou can take another step, she needs to get to the bottom of the shocking truth that alters who she really is. Along with her sister, Toni, who is facing her own crisis, the two women sets out on a life-changing journey – one that will take them through Ireland’s wildest coastline and to Sicily’s sun-baked rocky shores. It will also take Lou deep into her relationships with her mother, her sister and her daughter to figure out how to stop pleasing everyone else – and carve out who she really wants to be.</span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">My Thoughts</span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 2pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Sisterhood</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> is the story of Lou and Toni. Lou is a sensitive soul, a real people pleaser. Her sister, Toni, is the strong one who won't be pushed around. On the evening of Lou's 50th birthday, their mother drops a bombshell with the fallout being that the two sisters embark on a journey (literal and figurative) which will ultimately see them learning about themselves, each other and a whole range of other things. </span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 2pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘Whatever happened, she would make her sister take at least the weekend to figure out that she did far too much for everyone. Otherwise nothing would change and Lou would be a doormat all her life.’</span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 2pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">There are many themes covered throughout this tale. The obvious ones pertain to the sisters themselves - Lou never saying ‘no’ to people and being walked all over; and Toni, the woman in leadership and the battles her gender face in that role. Other topics that arise concern office politics, sexual harassment, empty nest syndrome, communication and love in relationships, anxiety and depression, family secrets, honesty and learning to speak up for yourself. </span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 2pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘For now, she would enjoy what she had. Wasn't that the secret to happiness, according to all the self-help books she'd read? Enjoy the now and don't worry about the future because you can't control it.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 2pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Easier said than done.’</span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 2pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Sisterhood</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> is a feel good story as these two very different sisters come together to tackle the secrets that have unraveled their lives. Time together allows them to take stock of their lives, reevaluate and take the steps necessary to make the needed changes. In this drama filled story, sisterly love prevails to give them both the courage to change and become the people they know they can be. </span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 2pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘You can't change people,' said Lou, shrugging.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 2pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">'Yeah, you can only change how you react to them'</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 2pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 2pt; text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZplYiQWienYkfS8vzhd4J-cYFZf0x6VMz2OD0xtNK502mdkkHS7tcMBxRUvUhxZ9gfXeZNCDiyKyN0uT7RKii6zRVQGAIY_pbJ_WVpffpXlFUXVSBAnzrExckxbFrk70VeDv_UPzJhAgLXGX_MxrRrTjUkxO_9HxYK95KC1IzzkJZ9Y7Q7FokBVLMsFE/s200/RR%20Helen.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="136" data-original-width="200" height="136" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZplYiQWienYkfS8vzhd4J-cYFZf0x6VMz2OD0xtNK502mdkkHS7tcMBxRUvUhxZ9gfXeZNCDiyKyN0uT7RKii6zRVQGAIY_pbJ_WVpffpXlFUXVSBAnzrExckxbFrk70VeDv_UPzJhAgLXGX_MxrRrTjUkxO_9HxYK95KC1IzzkJZ9Y7Q7FokBVLMsFE/s1600/RR%20Helen.png" width="200" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://greatreadsandtealeaves.blogspot.com/" style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic;">Visit Helen @ Great Reads & Tea Leaves</a></div><p></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. The quoted material may have changed in the final release.</span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" />Helenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10799087370126326415noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3102594967020232402.post-56220949425048620002024-02-25T02:34:00.003-05:002024-02-25T02:35:48.600-05:00Review: Chasing the Horizon<p dir="ltr" id="docs-internal-guid-b90821e4-df2d-7ce2-83dc-6fbb3301a98f" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMVXWFWGWGOP6tmrES_Ce6X-SC-Sf4mYQpRHl43NH7DM2CuezK5DvQWfmBO0X-fkorj5rWZoEwVAfqGpdTunyYUVV6Do39I_95NKYf5dEa6xwvY4hv3Mrr89LTEBmeHTV_x4XsllBe5XqwBDjJvwCQSrQrxInWDejkuqB82GUoyz7sM3mF65gTvSrMu5E/s1500/Chasing%20the%20Horizon%20cover%202024.jpeg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="971" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMVXWFWGWGOP6tmrES_Ce6X-SC-Sf4mYQpRHl43NH7DM2CuezK5DvQWfmBO0X-fkorj5rWZoEwVAfqGpdTunyYUVV6Do39I_95NKYf5dEa6xwvY4hv3Mrr89LTEBmeHTV_x4XsllBe5XqwBDjJvwCQSrQrxInWDejkuqB82GUoyz7sM3mF65gTvSrMu5E/s320/Chasing%20the%20Horizon%20cover%202024.jpeg" width="207" /></a></div><p dir="ltr" id="docs-internal-guid-b90821e4-df2d-7ce2-83dc-6fbb3301a98f" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" id="docs-internal-guid-b90821e4-df2d-7ce2-83dc-6fbb3301a98f" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Title: </span><span style="color: #212529; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Chasing the Horizon</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Author: </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mary Connealy</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Publisher: </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">13th February 2024 by Bethany House Publishers</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Pages: </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">304 pages</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Genre:</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Christian, Historical Fiction, Romance</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rating: </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">4.5 crowns</span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Synopsis:</span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Her only chance at freedom waits across the horizon</span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Upon uncovering her tyrannical father's malevolent plot to commit her to an asylum, Beth Rutledge fabricates a plan of her own. She will rescue her mother, who had already been sent to the asylum, and escape together on a wagon train heading west. Posing as sisters, Beth and her mother travel with the pioneers in hopes of making it to Idaho before the others start asking too many questions.</span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Wagon-train scout Jake Holt senses that the mysterious women in his caravan are running from something. When rumors begin to spread of Pinkerton agents searching relentlessly for wanted criminals who match the description of those on his wagon train, including Beth, she begins to open up to him, and he learns something more sinister is at hand. Can they risk trusting each other with their lives--and their hearts--when danger threatens their every step?</span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">My Thoughts</span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 2pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I have a newly acquired love of Westerns thanks to Taylor Sheridan’s TV series, </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">1883</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. So I was delighted to return to this period of American history and embark on another wagon trail to Oregon - in fact, one of the last ones thanks to the new rail line which would see wagon trails become obsolete. </span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 2pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“You seemed to want to be away from trouble, too,” he added. “Did that trouble follow you all the way out here?”</span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 2pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This is the first book in a new series by Mary Connealy. It covers a few themes with a range of primary and secondary characters which made this read multidimensional. Firstly is the journey on the wagon trail itself. As one can imagine there are plenty of hardships, majestic scenery and day-to-day life on the trail with these true pioneers working together when times are tough.</span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 2pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘They rolled into and across the prairies of Wyoming. For days, weeks, months, the horses and cattle plodded on. The early excitement among the pioneers had been given a quick death … Now it faded to dull drudgery as each day stretched out the same. The only break in the sameness came when terrible storms whipped across the plains. Then they longed for the boring sameness to return.’</span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 2pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Secondly, there is a fabulous plot with mother and daughter escaping and running away from an all controlling husband/father. Underpinning this is the awful recount of how the husband had placed Eugenia ‘Ginny’ in an insane asylum for no other reason than a form of control. This is the story of their escape and how they felt that moving West was their only hope of freedom.</span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 2pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘So they were leaving trouble behind. So be it. Many who headed west were doing the same. Just so long as they didn’t bring trouble with them’</span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 2pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Finally, there is some romance which is very understated. I like that the focus remains on the above two factors. The thrill of being on the run deserves precedence but all up, the tale is well balanced and most engaging. Be warned - there are some incomplete storylines especially regarding secondary characters. This book definitely lends itself to future installments, however, this was a story I could easily follow and a series I would willingly return to. </span></p><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqO24mtAM_mOTBqS4jlA9QFoxf0SzMeHEDtwBpFeNX-7BxPtGvj2UAv_p9_yWPAKO-UtotgbvUcHCcvtzIDJj_CEDdF0PO6Rhh0CS1YA3Dh79MQ6kiNQO9iwwPeO8dFAlt7l-sXXBZ7lkpr8T5_HUPm8AagoX18LkWHswj5w6Upirb85SJ877OllmlZJI/s200/RR%20Helen.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="136" data-original-width="200" height="136" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqO24mtAM_mOTBqS4jlA9QFoxf0SzMeHEDtwBpFeNX-7BxPtGvj2UAv_p9_yWPAKO-UtotgbvUcHCcvtzIDJj_CEDdF0PO6Rhh0CS1YA3Dh79MQ6kiNQO9iwwPeO8dFAlt7l-sXXBZ7lkpr8T5_HUPm8AagoX18LkWHswj5w6Upirb85SJ877OllmlZJI/s1600/RR%20Helen.png" width="200" /></a></div><br /><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><a href="http://greatreadsandtealeaves.blogspot.com/">Visit Helen @ Great Reads & Tea Leaves</a><br /></span></div><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. The quoted material may have changed in the final release.</span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><script data-pin-hover="true" src="//assets.pinterest.com/js/pinit.js" type="text/javascript"></script>
Helenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10799087370126326415noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3102594967020232402.post-30575896449596380842024-02-21T20:48:00.003-05:002024-02-21T20:49:04.893-05:00Review: The Bookshop by the Loch<p dir="ltr" id="docs-internal-guid-c543ef71-ce7d-320d-f6e8-63a7a8cfdfde" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6lmw0hce8Btp504LCuhMzeCt1HDvweAq5UCQtjSXbqf-4Rl6UGRvHMXJUiAGkSNRe0h4Q9JdMPje-OgnSjeue2UmHxzarwlkc_vKxnWlIvxaejOnNa7YVBnpKylfHI0c-FhezMYrujGx6EIkGg4cY9iraQYSWfBL4dqLbele99D_3djQzoDQ22ivBCMA/s458/IMG_0299.jpeg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="458" data-original-width="300" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6lmw0hce8Btp504LCuhMzeCt1HDvweAq5UCQtjSXbqf-4Rl6UGRvHMXJUiAGkSNRe0h4Q9JdMPje-OgnSjeue2UmHxzarwlkc_vKxnWlIvxaejOnNa7YVBnpKylfHI0c-FhezMYrujGx6EIkGg4cY9iraQYSWfBL4dqLbele99D_3djQzoDQ22ivBCMA/s320/IMG_0299.jpeg" width="210" /></a></div><p dir="ltr" id="docs-internal-guid-c543ef71-ce7d-320d-f6e8-63a7a8cfdfde" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Title: </span><span style="color: #1e1915; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Bookshop by the Loch</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Author: </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Julie Shackman</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Publisher: </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">31st January 2024 by HarperCollins UK, One More Chapter</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Pages: </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">362 pages</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Genre:</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> General Fiction (Adult) | Romance | Women's Fiction</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rating: </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">4 crowns</span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Synopsis:</span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The brand new Scottish spring escape from bestselling author, Julie ShackmanLexie Dunbar is a book lover. And her favourite place in the world is her local bookstore, Book Ends. So when she hears that it’s going to be sold, Lexie decides she needs to do something to help.</span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Lexie’s plan to save the ailing shop is fully underway until gorgeous-but-grouchy artist Tobias Black arrives on the scene determined to turn the bookstore into an art gallery. Lexie is horrified, the last thing the quaint town of Bracken Way needs is a pretentious artist, even if he does seem to charm everyone but her.</span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Tensions continue to rise until Tobias discovers a shocking secret that shows they might have more in common than they realise. As sparks fly, can Lexie and Tobias work together, or will opposing ideas get in the way of them finding their very own happy ever after…</span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">My Thoughts</span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 2pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I am always up for a book about books and especially one set in a bookshop, so Julie’s latest was always going to be on my radar. This is the sixth book in the Scottish Escapes series, I have not read previous ones but can confirm that this is easily read as a standalone. </span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 2pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“You know what books mean to me. I don’t have to tell you how important I think reading is … At Book Ends, I hope I can encourage people who’ve never picked up a book before, to give reading a try.”</span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 2pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I thought this was going to be light and romantic - which in some aspects it was - but there was much more to this read than that. It definitely starts off that way and the enemies to lovers trope was ringing out strongly. However, the further along you read it becomes very clear there are multiple threads to this story. Julie has a few pokers in this fire and does a good job interweaving them and ultimately tying them all together. To be honest, I felt there were a few too many complications and removing one of them would have added to the overall credibility of the story. </span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 2pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">If I had to make a decision on the theme, I would suggest that this is a book primarily about families and the many dramas and complications that often come with that. Under this heading topics of illness, separation, grief, adoption are some of the stronger themes rather than the romance which takes a back seat. </span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 2pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘You grab happiness with both hands when it comes along - and never let go.’</span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 2pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">If family dramas are something you enjoy reading about and how life presents opportunities for starting over, then </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Bookshop by the Loch</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> in the beautiful Scottish Highlands is calling your name. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 2pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 2pt; text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicUHQ92RbEMgag_0tsfUeQ1DjYluZ2lh4gsVjZE1_rh9q1uZ466MnkQWWup5LFcSK5OL9JlKlCGAdtWlFh9a2GEhRkTTc1T-AwKe0ARkCDNTkTiudXk34yjEMEFD8wSdMAeJk0lTCsE3ZZe_2Dba7u8f4MFtS7SLER0dQ-PRQ-K-HE4xp-dZb432zEV9g/s200/RR%20Helen.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="136" data-original-width="200" height="136" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicUHQ92RbEMgag_0tsfUeQ1DjYluZ2lh4gsVjZE1_rh9q1uZ466MnkQWWup5LFcSK5OL9JlKlCGAdtWlFh9a2GEhRkTTc1T-AwKe0ARkCDNTkTiudXk34yjEMEFD8wSdMAeJk0lTCsE3ZZe_2Dba7u8f4MFtS7SLER0dQ-PRQ-K-HE4xp-dZb432zEV9g/s1600/RR%20Helen.png" width="200" /></a></div><br /><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="http://greatreadsandtealeaves.blogspot.com/">Visit Helen @ Great Reads & Tea Leaves</a><br /></span><p></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. The quoted material may have changed in the final release.</span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" />Helenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10799087370126326415noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3102594967020232402.post-86223962754526975632024-02-12T02:35:00.002-05:002024-02-12T02:35:59.311-05:00Review: The Uncharted Flight of Olivia West<p dir="ltr" id="docs-internal-guid-74f9561a-9c3a-fb33-6e95-0df96903514b" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimWfLQRUkwDrh6YvbZ9PHKbSCYPo4yXRfQ6IqlyKAAa_w-n2hS21uOO0l9sZ_BIITn9lhSl-9DP_IKeSMcws59ageswdnEQu1dESnoEMEC2DT7jfAUrdjsnD66j5qQTpgSVdt32pxK3uiUk06Q1EkOo7NQcxge41tKcHoGf7pNJlYO7R1qID5js5q1cQc/s648/IMG_6270.jpeg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="648" data-original-width="423" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimWfLQRUkwDrh6YvbZ9PHKbSCYPo4yXRfQ6IqlyKAAa_w-n2hS21uOO0l9sZ_BIITn9lhSl-9DP_IKeSMcws59ageswdnEQu1dESnoEMEC2DT7jfAUrdjsnD66j5qQTpgSVdt32pxK3uiUk06Q1EkOo7NQcxge41tKcHoGf7pNJlYO7R1qID5js5q1cQc/s320/IMG_6270.jpeg" width="209" /></a></div><p dir="ltr" id="docs-internal-guid-74f9561a-9c3a-fb33-6e95-0df96903514b" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Title: </span><span style="color: #212529; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Uncharted Flight of Olivia West</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Author: </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Sara Ackerman</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Publisher: </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">7th February 2024 by Harlequin Australia & Mira</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Pages: </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">384 pages</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Genre:</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> historical fiction, women’s fiction </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rating: </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">4 cups</span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Synopsis:</span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">An extraordinary story, inspired by real events, of a female aviator who defies the odds to embark on a daring air race across the Pacific, perfect for fans of Great Circle and Her Last Flight.</span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">1927. Olivia "Livy" West is a fearless young pilot with a love of adventure. She yearns to cross oceans and travel the skies. When she learns of the Dole Air Race––a high-stakes contest to be the first to make the 2,400 mile Pacific crossing from the West Coast to Hawai'i—she sets her sights on qualifying. But it soon becomes clear that only men will make the cut. In a last-ditch effort to take part, Livy manages to be picked as a navigator for one of the pilots, before setting out on a harrowing journey that some will not survive.</span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">1987. Wren Summers is down to her last dime when she learns she has inherited a remote piece of land on the Big Island with nothing on it but a dilapidated barn and an overgrown mac nut grove. She plans on selling it and using the money to live on, but she is drawn in by the mysterious objects kept in the barn by her late great-uncle––clues to a tragic piece of aviation history lost to time. Determined to find out what really happened all those years ago, Wren enlists the help of residents at a nearby retirement home to uncover Olivia’s story piece by piece. What she discovers is more earth-shattering, and closer to home, than she could have ever imagined.</span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">My Thoughts</span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 2pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Unchartered Flight of Olivia West</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> is a superb read. Inspired by real events with a dual time narrative that is sure to both engage and thrill readers. In the historical timeline of 1927 is Olivia ‘Livy’ West who defies the odds to become one of the first female aviators embarking on a race across the Pacific Ocean. The more contemporary timeline of 1987 sees Wren who is down on her luck but finds she has inherited a remote piece of land in the Hawaiian islands. How the two timelines come together is well worth the read. </span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 2pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘The whole world narrowed down to a pinhead, the words thundering in her ears. If there was one thing Olivia West knew about herself, it was this: tell her she couldn't do something and she would prove you wrong, whatever the cost.’</span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 2pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Stories of remarkable women from history are always gratifying and this one is no exception. Banned as a pilot but gaining a spot on 1927 aircraft to be navigator for the dangerous Dole Derby Race from San Francisco to Hawaii, Livy proves herself time and again. This is a story that is full of action, adventure, determination, strength and survival. Wren’s story from 1987, though not as strong, still proves to be the perfect addition for events to unfold. </span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 2pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘… when they banked again and began another nosedive. That was when Livy understood that they only had one shot at making it out alive - she had to get herself into the pilot seat.’</span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 2pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This tale has it all - action, adventure and romance. If this plot and period appeals, you are sure not to be disappointed. Through the tears and triumphs, through the race and romance, </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Uncharted Flight of Olivia West</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> is sure to win many fans the world over. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 2pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 2pt; text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNXDrYXyvTafIeas7GfRjPjXhrp4IeHUzyBg5lMnXPAB3SjH6lrH_8hz7KCKJeOd4_ZTC6ou3xpB37I4xhPxVnWCGjBBLbNo71fk_f63BeKEAjG-0RZpCWHJHRfC5mN1EDBCWrkLcIbGK96jIwXHg4B-CpBgtC2j-PiRyUXC6asQneXeKGt1WAuFCLSvA/s200/RR%20Helen.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="136" data-original-width="200" height="136" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNXDrYXyvTafIeas7GfRjPjXhrp4IeHUzyBg5lMnXPAB3SjH6lrH_8hz7KCKJeOd4_ZTC6ou3xpB37I4xhPxVnWCGjBBLbNo71fk_f63BeKEAjG-0RZpCWHJHRfC5mN1EDBCWrkLcIbGK96jIwXHg4B-CpBgtC2j-PiRyUXC6asQneXeKGt1WAuFCLSvA/s1600/RR%20Helen.png" width="200" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://greatreadsandtealeaves.blogspot.com/" style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt;">Visit Helen @ Great Reads & Tea Leaves</a></div><p></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. The quoted material may have changed in the final release.</span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" />Helenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10799087370126326415noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3102594967020232402.post-58915888798178961352024-02-11T03:06:00.002-05:002024-02-11T03:07:01.839-05:00Review: The Secrets of Crestwell Hall<p dir="ltr" id="docs-internal-guid-54b2526c-9731-7108-6968-b1c8337939dd" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL4ePPYim5aelsW8F2LDAx3HrOKheyCFVCK9UWz5jPLALsHXITqtwzgrWPTmAez9J3iPvOgoBi-QtA4hg1WlL8UU24Y3BaMzE_7sZ2n00XqA0VjtbxssH8GZUr8YrIIhGUgsKsoQULqloxM9tvwqC8pAr2G7Dn7khxl0niKMHPQBe-FFxryMY9LOWsSiA/s1500/IMG_1326.jpeg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="973" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL4ePPYim5aelsW8F2LDAx3HrOKheyCFVCK9UWz5jPLALsHXITqtwzgrWPTmAez9J3iPvOgoBi-QtA4hg1WlL8UU24Y3BaMzE_7sZ2n00XqA0VjtbxssH8GZUr8YrIIhGUgsKsoQULqloxM9tvwqC8pAr2G7Dn7khxl0niKMHPQBe-FFxryMY9LOWsSiA/s320/IMG_1326.jpeg" width="208" /></a></div><p dir="ltr" id="docs-internal-guid-54b2526c-9731-7108-6968-b1c8337939dd" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Title: </span><span style="color: #1e1915; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Secrets of Crestwell Hall</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Author: </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Alexandra Walsh</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Publisher: </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">24th January 2024 by Boldwood Books</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Pages: </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">386 pages</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Genre:</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> General Fiction (Adult) | Historical Fiction | Women's Fiction</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rating: </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">4 crowns </span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Synopsis:</span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘A king adorns the throne… He has no subtlety, no grace but he does not deserve to die in the way that has been planned and this is why we shall stop them, our men, our kin and save us all.’</span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">1605</span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Bess Throckmorton is well used to cunning plots and intrigues. With her husband Sir Walter Raleigh imprisoned in the Tower of London, and she and her family in a constant battle to outwit Robert Cecil, the most powerful man in the country who is determined to ruin her, Bess decides to retreat to her beloved home, Crestwell Hall. But there she is shocked to hear talk of a new plot to murder the king. So, unbeknownst to their menfolk, the wives of the plotters begin to work together to try to stop the impending disaster.</span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Present Day</span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Isabella Lacey and her daughter, Emily, are excited to be starting a new life at her aunt’s home, Crestwell Hall in Wiltshire. During renovations, Isabella discovers an ancient bible that once belonged to Bess Throckmorton, and to her astonishment finds that it doubled as a diary. As Isabella reads Bess’s story, a new version of the Gunpowder Plot begins to emerge - told by the women.</span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">When Emily’s life is suddenly in terrible danger, Isabella understands the relentless fear felt by Bess, hundreds of years ago. And as the fateful date of 5th November draws ever closer, Bess and the plotters’ wives beg their husbands to stop before a chain of events is set into action that can only end one way…</span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">My Thoughts</span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 2pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I have read and thoroughly enjoyed all of Alexandra’s books. If you love English history, particularly the Tudor/Stuart era, then this is most definitely the author for you. </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Marquess House</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> series was an extraordinary feat in reimagining aspects of Tudor history. This time, Alexandra tackles </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">the infamous Gunpowder Plot of the 17th century which is also inclusive of a contemporary timeline.</span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 2pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘We must persuade them away from the horror of this plot. They are good men who have become misguided. In the misery of the past years with the plague and the disappointments of King James’s Catholic policy, they’ve forgotten that their lives are happy and there are people who love them.’</span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 2pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In a nutshell Alexandra considers whether the wives of the conspirators in the Gunpowder Plot of 1605 knew what was going on? Guy Fawkes is the name most associated with this event, however, Elizabeth (Bess) Throckmorton (wife of Sir Walter Raleigh who was being held in the Tower of London) is who Alexandra shines the spotlight on. There are plots swirling around her and Bess must look to protect those she loves from being implicated to rid England of its unpopular King. In the present day, Isabella discovers Bess’s diary and faces a mysterious modern day/contemporary danger herself. </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">It proved fascinating reading but be warned, it is an intriguing and complex read. For those who love a good conspiracy theory look no further.</span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 2pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘…breathing in the atmosphere, imagining she could hear snippets of conversations from centuries gone by as she perambulated through the rooms …. Bess is giving me an entirely new perspective on the Gunpowder Plot,’</span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 2pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The dual narrative once again works well as the author has really done her research in an attempt to make the whole plot appear plausible! Love it! On the flip side however, there are A LOT of details, names and places and you really had to be thinking straight with the large (and I mean large) assortment of characters (all real though - which is actually mind blowing when you think about it). However, sometimes it did read a little like a history text book of ‘who’s who’ from the period. </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The book is about history, mystery, and romance, with a twist on the famous Gunpowder Plot of 1605.</span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 2pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘Do you think we women are deaf?’ she hissed, anger giving her courage. ‘Or that we are fools? We have known for months that the men of the family have been plotting a heinous crime and we have done our best to save you from yourselves.’</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 2pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 2pt; text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3TiqGyCYVaZoq5gbRM2MraA8FJf3LjRRXymlL_MlhQDv619WbN8vydFuohq9gsDd2JDYnR2xseGkwAaqnWkGDNDvd-O9QAc0sopoLP6cZcx9hHDtz4ndDvI6h-ZfBW_d48Xn1aj9qqpQyqt-v1RBRf5qEv6OdFIKgQY912GpFfEgO3e7I2ig9KbgabWE/s200/RR%20Helen.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="136" data-original-width="200" height="136" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3TiqGyCYVaZoq5gbRM2MraA8FJf3LjRRXymlL_MlhQDv619WbN8vydFuohq9gsDd2JDYnR2xseGkwAaqnWkGDNDvd-O9QAc0sopoLP6cZcx9hHDtz4ndDvI6h-ZfBW_d48Xn1aj9qqpQyqt-v1RBRf5qEv6OdFIKgQY912GpFfEgO3e7I2ig9KbgabWE/s1600/RR%20Helen.png" width="200" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://greatreadsandtealeaves.blogspot.com/" style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic;">Visit Helen @ Great Reads & Tea Leaves</a></div><p></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. The quoted material may have changed in the final release.</span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" />Helenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10799087370126326415noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3102594967020232402.post-71850896536844341242024-02-04T01:17:00.004-05:002024-02-04T01:17:51.414-05:00Review: The Foxhole Victory Tour<p dir="ltr" id="docs-internal-guid-e57c47b6-72be-314d-5816-aa361ee43b09" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNRzC0vRzI1XGMIA_H8fM7pTEPl-qAx1m6rJWDOaglYmacFgfcKeIcMfQWKrc5DRw2E0ep2JCabc09IEGX9y_TG9Qnk5K_fIVRzXqsdFDEs1gQkPgmPwN4NeHths9HGxiDzMJtXSG9bxZhINAg3YfSxiW3Frfu7HQUgeVc0mFmPr6CWPqgkQHCYhQmOpI/s1500/The%20Foxhole%20Victory%20Tour%20cover%202024.jpeg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="971" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNRzC0vRzI1XGMIA_H8fM7pTEPl-qAx1m6rJWDOaglYmacFgfcKeIcMfQWKrc5DRw2E0ep2JCabc09IEGX9y_TG9Qnk5K_fIVRzXqsdFDEs1gQkPgmPwN4NeHths9HGxiDzMJtXSG9bxZhINAg3YfSxiW3Frfu7HQUgeVc0mFmPr6CWPqgkQHCYhQmOpI/s320/The%20Foxhole%20Victory%20Tour%20cover%202024.jpeg" width="207" /></a></div><p dir="ltr" id="docs-internal-guid-e57c47b6-72be-314d-5816-aa361ee43b09" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Title: </span><span style="color: #1e1915; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Foxhole Victory Tour</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Author: </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Amy Lynn Green</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Publisher: </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">23rd January 2024 by Bethany House Publishers</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Pages: </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">400 pages</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Genre:</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Christian | Historical Fiction | Romance | WW2</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rating: </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">4</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">5 crowns</span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Synopsis:</span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In World War II, worlds collide when performers across the United States unite to tour North Africa in a USO variety show.</span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Vibrant and scrappy Maggie McCleod tried not to get fired from her wartime orchestra, but she can't keep from speaking her mind, so an overseas adventure with the USO's camp show seems like the perfect fresh start. Wealthy and elegant Catherine Duquette signs with the USO to leave behind her restrictive life of privilege and to find out what happened to the handsome pilot whose letters mysteriously stopped arriving.</span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The two women are joined by an eclectic group of performers--a scheming blues singer, a veteran tap dancer, and a brooding magician--but the harmony among their troupe is shattered when their tour manager announces he will soon recommend one of them for a new job in the Hollywood spotlight. Each of the five members has a reason to want the contract, and they'll do whatever is necessary to get it. As their troupe travels closer to combat in Tunisia, personal crises and wartime dangers only intensify, until not only their careers but also their lives are on the line.</span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">My Thoughts</span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 2pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I have read a great deal about WWII but never a book about those who went overseas to entertain the troops. Straight away the mind goes to Bob Hope or Marilyn Munroe (although she was in Korea not WWII). </span><span style="color: #1e1915; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Foxhole Victory Tour </span><span style="color: #1e1915; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- apart from its stunning cover - looks at the unsung heroes who endured difficult conditions to entertain the troops on </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">USO’s Foxhole Circuit.</span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 2pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘She’d spent most of her life trying to do what other people wanted. This was her golden opportunity, and she was going to take it.’</span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 2pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This is not the glamour associated with tours by Marlene Dietrich, Bob Hope, or Carole Lombard. </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This story recounts the lives of performers in a USO troupe, why they signed up and how their lives changed in the Summer of 1943 in North Africa. Amy Lynn has done fabulous research (there is a great Author’s note at the end about the historical events behind the novel, inclusive of great questions for a book club group) about the conditions, atmosphere and dangers for all involved. </span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 2pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘Suddenly, the uniforms they wore seemed to come with more responsibility. They weren’t play acting for a costume ball. This really was the US Army, and that meant the potential for danger.’</span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 2pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">All up I found this to be a super story both inspiring and impactful for all concerned on this particular USO tour in WWII. It tells the backstory for the main characters and has themes of friendship and family, desire and danger, with a little bit of romance. This is a Christian book with subtle nods to God and faith, especially in troubled times. It slotted in really well with Maggie’s struggle with her Salvation Army upbringing and her father’s refusal to accept her brand of music.</span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 2pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I most definitely recommend </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Foxhole Victory Tour </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">for a unique look at a different side of WWII and the challenges for organising such a tour and the brave entertainers who partook. It was a rare thing to travel through North Africa and appreciate the impact of war as Amy Lynn expertly captured the settings. This book has it all - fun and laughter, friendship and love, setting and history - for readers of this time period you are sure to enjoy this unique perspective on WWII. </span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 2pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘No, their little variety unit wasn’t famous, and they still missed notes and lost their voices and complained about the weather. They sure didn’t have the glamour and star power of the bigger Hollywood tours, or an entourage to help with makeup, hair, and costuming. But they were brave enough to fly into bitter headwinds in biplanes that looked like five-and-dime models, determined enough to give one more encore after a long day of travel, and ordinary enough to remind the soldiers of home. And it turned out that’s all the troops needed.’</span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. The quoted material may have changed in the final release.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p class="s6" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="s7" style="font-family: Arial; font-weight: bold; line-height: 16.799999px;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp7hyphenhyphenp9Myj1JXtzRYiGcjk-mwLLToJmZ_WDRQmr4Ew01btSsVk2YTPttsKIGM0qAtH-poC5tefGC_wm0sJiCjGnWMcRH-9OXU2UeezRjqfW2bz4iK7nLvFQg13-SqEUEoFkCzzgn81ryl0BFlvVswHFibBkxHBKDZuTouqYqoZbZd4pDmuujgPgLQsQ-I/s1080/The%20Foxhole%20Victory%20Tour%20Book%20Tour%20Graphic%20V4.jpeg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp7hyphenhyphenp9Myj1JXtzRYiGcjk-mwLLToJmZ_WDRQmr4Ew01btSsVk2YTPttsKIGM0qAtH-poC5tefGC_wm0sJiCjGnWMcRH-9OXU2UeezRjqfW2bz4iK7nLvFQg13-SqEUEoFkCzzgn81ryl0BFlvVswHFibBkxHBKDZuTouqYqoZbZd4pDmuujgPgLQsQ-I/s320/The%20Foxhole%20Victory%20Tour%20Book%20Tour%20Graphic%20V4.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><br /><p></p><p class="s6" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="s7" style="font-family: Arial; font-weight: bold; line-height: 16.799999px;">QUICK FACTS</span></p><div class="s10" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8px; margin-left: 54px; margin-top: 0px; text-indent: -18px;"><span class="s8" style="font-family: Symbol; line-height: 14.4px;">• </span><span class="s9" style="font-family: Arial; font-weight: bold; line-height: 14.4px;">Title</span><span class="s5" style="font-family: Arial; line-height: 14.4px;">:</span><span class="s9" style="font-family: Arial; font-weight: bold; line-height: 14.4px;"> </span><span class="s5" style="font-family: Arial; line-height: 14.4px;">The Foxhole Victory Tour: A Novel</span></div><div class="s10" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8px; margin-left: 54px; margin-top: 0px; text-indent: -18px;"><span class="s8" style="font-family: Symbol; line-height: 14.4px;">• </span><span class="s9" style="font-family: Arial; font-weight: bold; line-height: 14.4px;">Author</span><span class="s5" style="font-family: Arial; line-height: 14.4px;">:</span><span class="s9" style="font-family: Arial; font-weight: bold; line-height: 14.4px;"> </span><a name="_Hlk96784101"></a><a name="_Hlk83486970"></a><span class="s5" style="font-family: Arial; line-height: 14.4px;">Amy Lynn Green</span></div><div class="s12" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 54px; margin-top: 0px; text-indent: -18px;"><span class="s8" style="font-family: Symbol; line-height: 14.4px;">• </span><span class="s9" style="font-family: Arial; font-weight: bold; line-height: 14.4px;">Genre</span><span class="s5" style="font-family: Arial; line-height: 14.4px;">:</span><span class="s11" style="line-height: 14.4px;"> </span><span class="s5" style="font-family: Arial; line-height: 14.4px;">Historical </span><span class="s5" style="font-family: Arial; line-height: 14.4px;">Fiction, WWII Fiction</span><span class="s5" style="font-family: Arial; line-height: 14.4px;">, </span><span class="s5" style="font-family: Arial; line-height: 14.4px;">Inspirational Fiction</span></div><div class="s10" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8px; margin-left: 54px; margin-top: 0px; text-indent: -18px;"><span class="s8" style="font-family: Symbol; line-height: 14.4px;">• </span><span class="s9" style="font-family: Arial; font-weight: bold; line-height: 14.4px;">Publisher</span><span class="s5" style="font-family: Arial; line-height: 14.4px;">: </span><span class="s5" style="font-family: Arial; line-height: 14.4px;">Bethany House Publishers (</span><span class="s5" style="font-family: Arial; line-height: 14.4px;">January 23</span><span class="s5" style="font-family: Arial; line-height: 14.4px;">, 202</span><span class="s5" style="font-family: Arial; line-height: 14.4px;">4</span><span class="s5" style="font-family: Arial; line-height: 14.4px;">)</span></div><div class="s10" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8px; margin-left: 54px; margin-top: 0px; text-indent: -18px;"><span class="s8" style="font-family: Symbol; line-height: 14.4px;">• </span><span class="s9" style="font-family: Arial; font-weight: bold; line-height: 14.4px;">Length:</span><span class="s5" style="font-family: Arial; line-height: 14.4px;"> </span><span class="s5" style="font-family: Arial; line-height: 14.4px;">(400</span><span class="s5" style="font-family: Arial; line-height: 14.4px;">) pages</span></div><div class="s10" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8px; margin-left: 54px; margin-top: 0px; text-indent: -18px;"><span class="s8" style="font-family: Symbol; line-height: 14.4px;">• </span><span class="s9" style="font-family: Arial; font-weight: bold; line-height: 14.4px;">Format</span><span class="s5" style="font-family: Arial; line-height: 14.4px;">: </span><span class="s5" style="font-family: Arial; line-height: 14.4px;">T</span><span class="s5" style="font-family: Arial; line-height: 14.4px;">rade </span><span class="s5" style="font-family: Arial; line-height: 14.4px;">P</span><span class="s5" style="font-family: Arial; line-height: 14.4px;">aperback</span><span class="s5" style="font-family: Arial; line-height: 14.4px;">, </span><span class="s5" style="font-family: Arial; line-height: 14.4px;">eBook</span><span class="s5" style="font-family: Arial; line-height: 14.4px;">, & </span><span class="s5" style="font-family: Arial; line-height: 14.4px;">A</span><span class="s5" style="font-family: Arial; line-height: 14.4px;">udiobook</span><span class="s5" style="font-family: Arial; line-height: 14.4px;"> </span></div><div class="s10" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8px; margin-left: 54px; margin-top: 0px; text-indent: -18px;"><span class="s8" style="font-family: Symbol; line-height: 14.4px;">• </span><span class="s9" style="font-family: Arial; font-weight: bold; line-height: 14.4px;">ISBN</span><span class="s5" style="font-family: Arial; line-height: 14.4px;">: </span><span class="s5" style="font-family: Arial; line-height: 14.4px;"></span><span class="s5" style="font-family: Arial; line-height: 14.4px;">978-0764239571</span></div><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></p><div class="s10" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8px; margin-left: 54px; margin-top: 0px; text-indent: -18px;"><span class="s8" style="font-family: Symbol; line-height: 14.4px;">• </span><span class="s9" style="font-family: Arial; font-weight: bold; line-height: 14.4px;">Tour Dates</span><span class="s5" style="font-family: Arial; line-height: 14.4px;">: </span><span class="s5" style="font-family: Arial; line-height: 14.4px;">January 22</span><span class="s5" style="font-family: Arial; line-height: 14.4px;"> </span><span class="s5" style="font-family: Arial; line-height: 14.4px;">–</span><span class="s5" style="font-family: Arial; line-height: 14.4px;"> </span><span class="s5" style="font-family: Arial; line-height: 14.4px;">February 5, 2024</span></div><div class="s10" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8px; margin-left: 54px; margin-top: 0px; text-indent: -18px;"><span class="s5" style="font-family: Arial; line-height: 14.4px;"><br /></span></div><div class="s10" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8px; margin-left: 54px; margin-top: 0px; text-indent: -18px;"><span class="s5" style="font-family: Arial; line-height: 14.4px;"><br /></span></div><div class="s10" style="font-size: 18px; line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8px; margin-left: 54px; margin-top: 0px; text-indent: -18px;"><span class="s5" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; line-height: 14.4px;"><p class="s6" style="font-size: 18px; line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8px; margin-top: 0px; text-indent: 0px;"><span class="s7" style="font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 16.799999px;"><br /></span></p><p class="s6" style="font-size: 18px; line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8px; margin-top: 0px; text-indent: 0px;"><span class="s7" style="font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 16.799999px;"><br /></span></p><p class="s6" style="font-size: 18px; line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8px; margin-top: 0px; text-indent: 0px;"><span class="s7" style="font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 16.799999px;">PURCHASE LINKS</span></p><p class="s17" style="font-size: 18px; line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center; text-indent: 0px;"><a href="https://amzn.to/4aT7e1w"><span class="s16" style="color: blue; font-size: 12px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 14.4px;">AMAZON</span></a><a name="_Hlk93660399"></a><span class="s9" style="font-size: 12px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 14.4px;"> </span><a name="_Hlk111811788"></a><span class="s9" style="font-size: 12px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 14.4px;">|</span><span class="s9" style="font-size: 12px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 14.4px;"> </span><a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-foxhole-victory-tour-amy-lynn-green/1143717360?ean=9780764239571"><span class="s16" style="color: blue; font-size: 12px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 14.4px;">BARNES & NOBLE</span></a><span class="s9" style="font-size: 12px; 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She worked in publishing for six years before writing her first historical fiction novel. She and her husband live in Minnesota, where she teaches virtual classes on marketing at writer’s conferences, engages with book clubs, and regularly encourages established and aspiring authors in their publication journeys</span><span class="s5" style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 14.4px;">.</span></p><p style="font-size: 18px; line-height: 21.6px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-indent: 0px;"><span style="line-height: 21.6px;"> </span></p><p class="s3" style="font-size: 18px; line-height: 21.6px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center; text-indent: 0px;"><a href="https://www.amygreenbooks.com/"><span class="s16" style="color: blue; font-size: 12px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 14.4px;">WEBSITE</span></a><span class="s9" style="font-size: 12px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 14.4px;"> | </span><a href="https://www.facebook.com/amygreenbooks/"><span class="s16" style="color: blue; font-size: 12px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 14.4px;">FACEBOOK</span></a><span class="s9" style="font-size: 12px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 14.4px;"> | </span><a href="https://www.instagram.com/amygreenbooks/"><span class="s16" style="color: blue; font-size: 12px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 14.4px;">INSTAGRAM</span></a><span class="s9" style="font-size: 12px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 14.4px;"> |</span><span class="s11" style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 14.4px;"> </span><a href="https://www.bookbub.com/authors/amy-lynn-green"><span class="s16" style="color: blue; font-size: 12px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 14.4px;">BOOKBUB</span></a><span class="s9" style="font-size: 12px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 14.4px;"> |</span><span class="s9" style="font-size: 12px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 14.4px;"> </span><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/20019324.Amy_Lynn_Green"><span class="s16" style="color: blue; font-size: 12px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 14.4px;">GOODREADS</span></a></p></span></div><div class="s10" style="font-size: 18px; line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8px; margin-left: 54px; margin-top: 0px; text-indent: -18px;"><span class="s5" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; line-height: 14.4px;"><br /></span></div><script data-pin-hover="true" src="//assets.pinterest.com/js/pinit.js" type="text/javascript"></script>
Helenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10799087370126326415noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3102594967020232402.post-68627626861721122392024-01-25T03:44:00.003-05:002024-01-25T03:45:39.780-05:00Review: A Shadow at the Door<p dir="ltr" id="docs-internal-guid-dad815a4-3fc7-fda8-fdba-72574fea7ba8" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1yReDqhSRAFHkqkoN2qhM0QF1Wl4l-R63ssrOJ0UM402e8Y6Zw6zZfX-dms_nxgWTA_BpUpJcXdowVnfydIP_3lbRFzFi3bDgqepzTkMOvbPKbRHXCLqxDhDUQ9OCr1c5AIBEErYQDbk01SoRJIVNXr012aYeHG-HCXK7SU8A-bJV54FRxXDzbXiQ5qQ/s648/IMG_1285.jpeg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="648" data-original-width="424" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1yReDqhSRAFHkqkoN2qhM0QF1Wl4l-R63ssrOJ0UM402e8Y6Zw6zZfX-dms_nxgWTA_BpUpJcXdowVnfydIP_3lbRFzFi3bDgqepzTkMOvbPKbRHXCLqxDhDUQ9OCr1c5AIBEErYQDbk01SoRJIVNXr012aYeHG-HCXK7SU8A-bJV54FRxXDzbXiQ5qQ/s320/IMG_1285.jpeg" width="209" /></a></div><p dir="ltr" id="docs-internal-guid-dad815a4-3fc7-fda8-fdba-72574fea7ba8" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Title: </span><span style="color: #1e1915; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">A Shadow at the Door</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Author: </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Jo Dixon</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Publisher: </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">3rd January 2024 by Harlequin Australia, HQ & MIRA</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Pages: </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">400 pages</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Genre:</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #172b4d; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">crime, mystery, thriller</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">My Rating: </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">4 crowns</span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Synopsis:</span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">From the bestselling author of The House of Now and Then comes a vividly portrayed story that reveals the darkness of greed and desire where people will stop at nothing to get what they want. No matter the cost ...</span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">After a brutal attack and the breakdown of her marriage, life has taught former TV star Remi Lucan that it's safer to not rely on anyone. Instead, she's buried herself in Hobart, transforming her dilapidated sandstone house back to its former splendour, and it has been her proudest achievement. Better than her short-lived acting career. Definitely better than being a smile-on-command trophy wife. But when she runs out of money, her wealthy ex-husband tries to force the sale of the property and Remi realises her only option is to lower her defences and take in tenants. At first her biggest problem is adjusting to the intrusion of two unlikely housemates, but when a series of 'accidents' turns ugly, it becomes clear these incidents are more than pranks. Someone is out to get Remi, and they won't stop until they destroy her...</span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">My Thoughts</span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Atmospheric Tasmania provides the perfect setting for this engrossing psychological thriller. Herein, Jo Dixon provides strong characters that readers will become invested in and find themselves eagerly turning the pages. This is a quick and wonderfully escapist read. </span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 2pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘Her beautiful home was also her sanctuary. She wasn’t leaving. Here, she’d finally felt safe and at peace.’</span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">For me, the greatest strength of this book is the contrasting cast of believable characters. The villains may be a little too villainous, however, Jo provides an eclectic and realistic mix of characters that really cements the tale and is sure to appeal to a wide range of readers. Good writing has you suspecting multiple people and even though I worked out early on who it might be - there is still much to unfold in the timing and events to a fitting conclusion. My favourite characters were the housemates, both very different, but added real depth and reality to the storyline. </span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 2pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘She was alone in her old house with barely enough superficial interaction to keep her from becoming a shuffling, mumbling hermit. It wasn’t social or glamorous, but it was the life she had chosen. And still wanted.’</span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">A Shadow at the Door</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> is Jo’s second novel and now firmly establishes her as a writer you will keep coming back to. The pacing is good and even though you may guess correctly early on, there are plenty of twists and turns scattered throughout to keep you fully engaged to the very end. This book hooks you from the outset with the second half really bringing it home. Mystery and thriller lovers are sure to enjoy this one. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNWx9azDIPHiRf_kvusy6CmhAkGE7ahub4D6UAOIgEYreIU1h_D2VfGjsAZ0sGwKLmsjMz73Blx62y9IiudP5HEfKQKvUTBABVknK4V-dSZWwU4gH_x3NG_IdzbnS3bOUuYTOxRaGZKf-wSprcoobF4PA88OsLKmR49RwfXVMXeh8fnf-7EnGwRY6ZUWI/s200/RR%20Helen.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="136" data-original-width="200" height="136" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNWx9azDIPHiRf_kvusy6CmhAkGE7ahub4D6UAOIgEYreIU1h_D2VfGjsAZ0sGwKLmsjMz73Blx62y9IiudP5HEfKQKvUTBABVknK4V-dSZWwU4gH_x3NG_IdzbnS3bOUuYTOxRaGZKf-wSprcoobF4PA88OsLKmR49RwfXVMXeh8fnf-7EnGwRY6ZUWI/s1600/RR%20Helen.png" width="200" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://greatreadsandtealeaves.blogspot.com/" style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt;">Visit Helen @ Great Reads & Tea Leaves</a></div><p></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. The quoted material may have changed in the final release.</span></p>Helenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10799087370126326415noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3102594967020232402.post-47762001432270557152024-01-19T02:28:00.002-05:002024-01-19T02:28:49.661-05:00Review: Diva <p dir="ltr" id="docs-internal-guid-28ff6c51-209b-ccc8-57ef-7a6c5ed015c3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi9qJFFGJvlQCrcfnheC1IpnFAPR5vi_7gWxNji0oGY8q1lhfalLMH0ZvjSr6yGnEYimsXVApfJCF-sv39HnV-AQ15CeMgslONwNv-nrFrK7mdAcnjigpxjPRBg-1vqXJgWIuGaLXAYak_Rm5KlX98VJ_rxvA1Pq_XbhKfTELW901fz28jrrkIkUkN24M/s1350/IMG_1313.jpeg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1350" data-original-width="900" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi9qJFFGJvlQCrcfnheC1IpnFAPR5vi_7gWxNji0oGY8q1lhfalLMH0ZvjSr6yGnEYimsXVApfJCF-sv39HnV-AQ15CeMgslONwNv-nrFrK7mdAcnjigpxjPRBg-1vqXJgWIuGaLXAYak_Rm5KlX98VJ_rxvA1Pq_XbhKfTELW901fz28jrrkIkUkN24M/s320/IMG_1313.jpeg" width="213" /></a></div><p dir="ltr" id="docs-internal-guid-28ff6c51-209b-ccc8-57ef-7a6c5ed015c3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Title: </span><span style="color: #1e1915; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Diva</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Author: </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Daisy Goodwin</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Publisher: </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">23rd January 2024 by St. Martin's Press</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Pages: </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">336 pages</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Genre:</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Historical Fiction (Adult) | Romance </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rating: </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">4.5 crowns</span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Synopsis:</span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">New York Times bestselling author Daisy Goodwin returns with a story of the scandalous love affair between the most celebrated opera singer of all time and one of the richest men in the world.</span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In the glittering and ruthlessly competitive world of opera, Maria Callas was known simply as la divina: the divine one. With her glorious voice, instinctive flair for the dramatic, and striking beauty, she was the toast of the grandest opera houses in the world. But her fame was hard won: Raised in Nazi-occupied Greece by a mother who mercilessly exploited her golden voice, she learned early in life to protect herself from those who would use her for their own ends.</span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">When she met the fabulously rich Greek shipping magnate Aristotle Onassis, for the first time in her life, she believed she’d found someone who saw the woman within the legendary soprano. She fell desperately in love. He introduced her to a life of unbelievable luxury, showering her with jewels and sojourns in the most fashionable international watering holes with celebrities like Elizabeth Taylor, Richard Burton, and the Duke and Duchess of Windsor.</span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And then suddenly, it was over. The international press announced that Aristotle Onassis would marry the most famous woman in the world, former First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy, leaving Maria to pick up the pieces.</span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In this remarkable novel, Daisy Goodwin brings to life a woman whose extraordinary talent, unremitting drive, and natural chic made her a legend. But it was only in confronting the heartbreak of losing the man she loved that Maria Callas found her true voice and went on to triumph.</span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">My Thoughts</span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 2pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Daisy Goodwin is renowned for taking famous women and beautifully combining fact and fiction. I especially refer to (Queen) Victoria which was then made into a delightful TV series. On this occasion she presents Maria Callas, world famous opera singer and definite diva. Add into her story names such as Aristotle Onassis, Jacqueline Kennedy, Winston Churchill, Marilyn Munroe, Princess Grace and this is certainly an all star cast. Shamefully I admit I knew little about Maria so I was thrilled to go on this literary journey. </span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 2pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“One day, I am sure, you will be a great diva, one of the greatest sopranos the world has ever known, and you will think you are immortal.”</span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 2pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Daisy Goodwin gives readers front row seats to everything from backstage at the opera, to being on Aristotle’s boat, to dinners with Grace Kelly in Monte Carlo to the famous Marilyn Monroe's Happy Birthday performance at President Kennedy’s concert. There is backstory given to her family relationships and Maria’s search for love and acceptance. This was a woman who was dedicated to her profession, respecting her ‘God given’ talent and going to extreme lengths to care for her voice. I gained much respect for her and, despite fame and fortune, felt her life was incomplete in some ways. Being famous for the woman who Onassis discarded to marry Jackie Kennedy, there is much more to Maria’s life story than that. </span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 2pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘… the two Golden Greeks were a celestial couple who transcended earthly morality.’</span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 2pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The research Daisy has undertaken throughout must be acknowledged in getting details accurate - everything from opera performances, to fashion, to celebrity events. Her writing slowly captures readers attention until they are onboard and eager to see how life would play out for the famous Maria Callas - whether it be the many triumphs or the many tragedies throughout her life. </span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 2pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The fan shrugged. “Whatever happens there will be drama. It is Callas, after all.”</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 2pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 2pt; text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIX6KM85fkrptPHpXCOHl5dvupOF661hV2xH_RV_ys_33XIiQ_BsjYRBbo4iBoT7aZd_u9Tru-Y2gztuQxhmoPAjK9UzatpylPxVJ0T4g2b_dmnIm2DQh_xJbQpfNKA2NxJQ80kfSEZJVAx3fQ9V5dmQ4QRgTTC99w2FiNHQNxV9-S3Od5Oklo_ilnXC0/s200/RR%20Helen.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="136" data-original-width="200" height="136" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIX6KM85fkrptPHpXCOHl5dvupOF661hV2xH_RV_ys_33XIiQ_BsjYRBbo4iBoT7aZd_u9Tru-Y2gztuQxhmoPAjK9UzatpylPxVJ0T4g2b_dmnIm2DQh_xJbQpfNKA2NxJQ80kfSEZJVAx3fQ9V5dmQ4QRgTTC99w2FiNHQNxV9-S3Od5Oklo_ilnXC0/s1600/RR%20Helen.png" width="200" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://greatreadsandtealeaves.blogspot.com/" style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic;">Visit Helen @ Great Reads & Tea Leaves</a></div><p></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. The quoted material may have changed in the final release.</span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" />Helenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10799087370126326415noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3102594967020232402.post-14288439491407701192024-01-08T00:05:00.003-05:002024-01-08T00:06:32.821-05:00Review: Everyday Enlightenment<p dir="ltr" id="docs-internal-guid-6bb6f092-e770-1c55-216c-d67995e41894" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyfNgHejLTqGEPSMoPHSm-z1Pt3Sdi-u3Q1DmY2HMmtuQTeGRE2BqnbGxNX-_NrPVSLl9aA_jWNZlBFtBaDq20oAKbSYNfj63lW_Xo3rZIC3sn910qfskDoWC1Ir6rWTrzUwMHQQn4a1K7i3irPHZLBcW43077W5pLzRo6Q8vk4mb-u9KC7DtzIo-n9YY/s2764/IMG_1302.jpeg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2764" data-original-width="1807" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyfNgHejLTqGEPSMoPHSm-z1Pt3Sdi-u3Q1DmY2HMmtuQTeGRE2BqnbGxNX-_NrPVSLl9aA_jWNZlBFtBaDq20oAKbSYNfj63lW_Xo3rZIC3sn910qfskDoWC1Ir6rWTrzUwMHQQn4a1K7i3irPHZLBcW43077W5pLzRo6Q8vk4mb-u9KC7DtzIo-n9YY/s320/IMG_1302.jpeg" width="209" /></a></div><p dir="ltr" id="docs-internal-guid-6bb6f092-e770-1c55-216c-d67995e41894" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Title: </span><span style="color: #1e1915; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Everyday Enlightenment</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Author: </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Luke McLeod</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Publisher: </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">27th December 2024 by Hachette Australia</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Pages: </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">305 pages</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Genre:</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #172b4d; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">nonfiction, self help, meditation</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">My Rating: </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">4 crowns</span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Synopsis:</span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1f2a37; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Peace. Calm. Mindfulness. Enlightenment.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1f2a37; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">These are appealing concepts, but they never seem like they're within grasp of the everyday person. With all our responsibilities in life, most of us are doing our best just to keep up, let alone have time to find that elusive 'inner calm'.</span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1f2a37; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Luke McLeod knows all about this. He's an everyday person. He's a son, a husband and a friend, trying to find some balance in his everyday life just like everyone else. There is one thing, though, he knows for sure has improved his quality of life every single day.</span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1f2a37; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Meditation.</span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1f2a37; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Luke used to believe meditation wasn't for him but has now become one of Australia's leading meditation experts helping thousands of 'everyday' people, just like himself, enjoy meditation in an easy, down-to-earth way.</span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1f2a37; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Everyday Enlightenment contains encouragement, support, guidance, advice and short meditations to help you start, enjoy and embrace your meditation journey. Let Luke help you find some of that inner peace and calmness without having to move to the mountains and become a monk. Let him show you how the secret to living an enlightened life is hidden within the ordinary and the everyday - it will be one of the best things you ever do.</span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">My Thoughts</span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 2pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Everyday Enlightenment</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> is a breath of fresh air, your own personal mentor gently directing you on how to see things differently and get the most out of this precious life. </span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 2pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘ … real richness of life is found when the ordinary starts to become extraordinary.’</span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 2pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Luke divides the book into three stage, three steps to a better understanding of your life:</span></p><ol style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-inline-start: 48px;"><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="color: #1e1915; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; list-style-type: decimal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 2pt;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">relief by developing inner calmness from our incessant thinking mind through observation </span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="color: #1e1915; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; list-style-type: decimal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">healing and liberating inner restraints, clearing any emotional weights through introspection</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="color: #1e1915; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; list-style-type: decimal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">happiness comes from expanding and uniting all of your senses - opening of awareness</span></p></li></ol><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 2pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘It’s about working on yourself. Pulling back all the layers that have built up over time and getting yourself to a point that you feel calm, confident and content.’</span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" id="docs-internal-guid-30477a1e-e774-8ce4-877c-b84740fa3795" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 2pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Luke’s book is very easy going reading, accessible for all levels especially those who may be embarking on a mindfulness journey and wondering how to even begin. His style is very engaging, down-to-earth and accessible. Luke provides practical examples, good analogies (eg. our mind is like a gearbox - love that one!) and usable introductory meditations.</span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 2pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘ … never underestimate the power of what five to ten minutes spent in this neutral gear of the mind can do.’</span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 2pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Everyday Enlightenment</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> is about finding a deeper meaning and understanding to life. Meditation helps lift the fog and provide more peace, calm and enlightenment for everyday living. </span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 2pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘Our purpose is not to work out what we are here to do, but to experience who we are.’</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 2pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 2pt; text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2JdoJet8Hld-q5gJCr6cye6sP1wvF4BRSuODDezDkHjjjXvpU4x5LonpZ066MBp-NDgsS5vPmte2VNROj6BdIKAP8EFuuEJUzI6WdVDzfUHxh_YtLghNU2qBEy7OaBTIxikDip0NXDw0cRJWyR664Ds5rw9_pzvSE7ScSxGN637g5_fQdvTLPxQOcc2E/s200/RR%20Helen.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="136" data-original-width="200" height="136" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2JdoJet8Hld-q5gJCr6cye6sP1wvF4BRSuODDezDkHjjjXvpU4x5LonpZ066MBp-NDgsS5vPmte2VNROj6BdIKAP8EFuuEJUzI6WdVDzfUHxh_YtLghNU2qBEy7OaBTIxikDip0NXDw0cRJWyR664Ds5rw9_pzvSE7ScSxGN637g5_fQdvTLPxQOcc2E/s1600/RR%20Helen.png" width="200" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://greatreadsandtealeaves.blogspot.com/" style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic;">Visit Helen @ Great Reads & Tea Leaves</a></div><p></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. The quoted material may have changed in the final release.</span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" />Helenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10799087370126326415noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3102594967020232402.post-25976506047617341292024-01-07T02:55:00.002-05:002024-01-07T02:56:42.118-05:00Review: The Search Party<p dir="ltr" id="docs-internal-guid-f71187cd-e2d7-be54-4927-7599f76435e5" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV1D5Wq0HdP8XwcqP9gBko1UrLiJGOunPixO6E0Gh6AHK-Fm2hEjEySpQgU5rNCaAcVwQTyGq8mOBy7yOHHDS_8pPsOkixpPBmr0LhbDKOUWNcKwvn-HqeTqnddrADkBmSeYQZE__9T3DgEwHAbAnr3M5JOrDW8Id68UIOnLtOw57LR0bm9RZ1wMCs0oM/s2150/IMG_1270.jpeg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2150" data-original-width="1400" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV1D5Wq0HdP8XwcqP9gBko1UrLiJGOunPixO6E0Gh6AHK-Fm2hEjEySpQgU5rNCaAcVwQTyGq8mOBy7yOHHDS_8pPsOkixpPBmr0LhbDKOUWNcKwvn-HqeTqnddrADkBmSeYQZE__9T3DgEwHAbAnr3M5JOrDW8Id68UIOnLtOw57LR0bm9RZ1wMCs0oM/s320/IMG_1270.jpeg" width="208" /></a></div><p dir="ltr" id="docs-internal-guid-f71187cd-e2d7-be54-4927-7599f76435e5" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Title: </span><span style="color: #1e1915; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Search Party</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Author: </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Hannah Richell</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Publisher: </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">3rd January 2024 by Simon & Schuster Australia</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Pages: </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">352 pages</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Genre:</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> mystery, thriller, suspense</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rating: </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">4</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">5 crowns</span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Synopsis:</span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Five old friends reunite for an idyllic glamping holiday on the rugged Cornwall coast, but tensions rise when a storm leaves them stranded and someone goes missing. Max and Annie Kingsley have left the London rat race with their twelve-year-old son to set up a glamping site in the wilds of Cornwall. </span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Eager for a dry run ahead of their opening, they invite three old university friends and their families for a long-needed reunion and a relaxing weekend. But the festivities soon go awry as tensions arise between the children (and subsequently their parents), explosive secrets come to light, and a sudden storm moves in, cutting them off from help as one in the group disappears. </span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Moving between a police investigation, a hospital room and the catastrophic weekend, The Search Party is a propulsive destination thriller about the tenuous bonds of friendship and the lengths parents will go to protect their children.</span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">My Thoughts</span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 2pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I have read and loved Hannah’s previous books, so it was with great anticipation that I opened </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Search Party</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> and I was not disappointed. Such a well written and atmospheric story that will have you frantically turning pages to a most fitting and suspenseful ending. </span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 2pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘She keeps asking herself, how could one weekend spiral so dreadfully out of control?’</span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 2pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Basically this is a glamping trip that goes horribly wrong! Told from multiple points of view and moving back and forth in time, Hannah is very clear on character voice and timelines (she even includes a list of names) and pay attention to chapter dates so as never to be confused. The two timelines are the weekend away itself and then interspersed with police interviews in the aftermath. This is such an extremely clever technique in drip feeding character and plot clues along the way. </span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 2pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘Maybe their reunion weekend had brought the wildest, truest sides out in all of them - one way or another.’</span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 2pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Three families are partaking in this glamping experience for the weekend and the various dynamics between the characters and has much to do with how events play out. There are disagreements, past histories, missing campers all played against a raging storm on the Cornwall coast. Tension builds, tempers fray, friendships are strained and it all comes to a raging and violent conclusion inline with the storm. </span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 2pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘It was as if the elemental wildness of the place had got under his skin, altered him. All his emotions rising to the surface.’</span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 2pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Search Party</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> is such a suspenseful and entertaining read you will find it hard to put down. There are many dramas and unfolding layers that will keep you on the edge of your seat and guessing to a fitting conclusion. </span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 2pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘In that moment, twenty years of friendship, of camaraderie, of pints in pubs and late-night bonding over music, of toasting each other’s weddings and children, of standing shoulder-to-shoulder through life’s ups and downs went skittering away on the wind.’</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 2pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 2pt; text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2_AVegPfjMxWXXiAi3OSFsKdqki5LLWd1_9f_NeR8pBoGJZt-lKyymyRJN8YNAMo98Ji9w87wvbJ8M-YddUUHVwNvSBiIuMwGKtXLqjvLxY6OUh8mhGbgWEo43ecIHVb2vsdlVjIVDeXeRn7roEDkVVnIuMKVq6_9iuVMzzTi-pf5ANsL7H9p22RkpFo/s200/RR%20Helen.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="136" data-original-width="200" height="136" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2_AVegPfjMxWXXiAi3OSFsKdqki5LLWd1_9f_NeR8pBoGJZt-lKyymyRJN8YNAMo98Ji9w87wvbJ8M-YddUUHVwNvSBiIuMwGKtXLqjvLxY6OUh8mhGbgWEo43ecIHVb2vsdlVjIVDeXeRn7roEDkVVnIuMKVq6_9iuVMzzTi-pf5ANsL7H9p22RkpFo/s1600/RR%20Helen.png" width="200" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://greatreadsandtealeaves.blogspot.com/" style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic;">Visit Helen @ Great Reads & Tea Leaves</a></div><p></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. The quoted material may have changed in the final release.</span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" />Helenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10799087370126326415noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3102594967020232402.post-1011023761069240932023-12-31T02:22:00.003-05:002023-12-31T02:23:20.191-05:00Review: Heart of the River<p dir="ltr" id="docs-internal-guid-c4d0f717-bebe-4c4e-d2b5-5055d9959b01" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPvKJPmq7jA0x7hGrbq2EX12yY2tLAD8bq-lGAUgKSJMC8B_kx7uTykf2DRcYEonehFuBvbjG1D9vX_lLhxdrbumPKJeCZ6N34uw6q0gWpQRSEepV8Z23cxqrAdUY4OecF-nAvuD7FlD34j_98m7PnVGs08n0NZt7jmwhgM5e1L5RHAz2QEmCR_wC58Dk/s648/IMG_1271.jpeg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="648" data-original-width="424" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPvKJPmq7jA0x7hGrbq2EX12yY2tLAD8bq-lGAUgKSJMC8B_kx7uTykf2DRcYEonehFuBvbjG1D9vX_lLhxdrbumPKJeCZ6N34uw6q0gWpQRSEepV8Z23cxqrAdUY4OecF-nAvuD7FlD34j_98m7PnVGs08n0NZt7jmwhgM5e1L5RHAz2QEmCR_wC58Dk/s320/IMG_1271.jpeg" width="209" /></a></div><p dir="ltr" id="docs-internal-guid-c873de63-bec0-e237-0fb9-7b3dbe03bfc8" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Title: </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Heart of the River</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Author: </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Cheryl Adnams</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Publisher: </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">3rd January 2024 by Harlequin Australia, HQ & MIRA</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Pages: </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">336 pages</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Genre:</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #172b4d; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Historical Fiction | Romance | Women's Fiction</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">My Rating: </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">5 crowns</span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Synopsis:</span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">As floodwaters rise, can their love bring a fractured community together?</span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mildura, Northern Victoria - 1956</span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Isabel Hayward has ambitions of being a great chef. But cooking for the locals at the country pub she and her mother run doesn't really allow for experimenting with haute cuisine.</span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">When she meets local Italian farmer Matteo Sorrenti, their connection is instant and intense - much to the displeasure of Ross Burrows, one of the region's wealthiest sons, who has been keen on Isabel since they were kids.</span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Isabel and Matteo's blossoming relationship has challenges to overcome: their cultural differences, prejudice, Ross's jealousy, and the worst flood in Australia's history.</span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">As the Murray River rises to its peak, threatening the Sorrentis' farm and the Haywards' pub, secrets are revealed that show Matteo, Isabel and Ross are inextricably linked by their fathers' wartime experiences. Will the secrets their fathers kept threaten Isabel and Matteo's relationship? Or can their love break down the remnants of prejudice left behind by the war?</span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">My Thoughts</span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 2pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I went into this book purely for the setting. I love the Murray River and was excited to have a tale centred around the famous flood of 1956. What I was most certainly pleasantly surprised by was the breadth and depth of this tale and how much I came to love it. I highly recommend </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Heart of the River</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. </span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 2pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘Abandoned livelihoods that stood as a reminder to the crowd of mourners just what the mighty Murray, usually a giver of life, could take away at the whim of Mother Nature.’</span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 2pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Cheryl has undertaken some incredible research into this period of Australian history from cuisine, to immigration, to the various idiosyncrasies of the day, to the huge task of preparing for an all time high flood of a mighty river. It’s powerful, it’s poignant and it is historical fiction writing at its best. Everything from the setting, to the plot, to the cast of characters is to be commended in this book. </span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 2pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘I don’t like people judging me, or anyone else, based on stupid things like culture or what someone does for a living. You’ve suffered with jabs about your culture, I’ve suffered with jabs about being a barman’s daughter.’</span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 2pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">There are so many highly engaging themes in this story: life on the land and farming; running the local pub; the mighty Murray and living so close when floods threaten; internment camps in Australia during WWII; the life of immigrants in Australia inclusive of post war resentments and prejudices; cooking and following your passion; a romance between two wonderful characters; and to top it all off, a really solid mystery. </span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 2pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘While there is life, there is hope,’ Gia translated. ‘We have been through a lot. But you must always face what comes at you head on. Challenge gives life its flavour, and flavour is everything to Italians.’</span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 2pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">You could not have a more appropriate title that truly sums up this book. </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Heart of the River </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">truly encapsulates - literally and figuratively - how everyday life and indeed life during a natural disaster, brings community together demonstrating real heart. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 2pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 2pt; text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS5vAdeWyVtQENAaVQpOAwvecwgc6XM9IQdolD84ZjP4uHK5dlvnsOPG14wjSWSI15XT6yGFbfWSzh2UiPYlZdsGIuZ1MLdxu-47uK4J4upleDwFMLeF9xHRk1OeWopb9_YKLBn5HGCBOQhKXps0fHApQfOwSkDEiwmA-KadwReZqiE37YFHNNkS5mhPA/s200/RR%20Helen.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="136" data-original-width="200" height="136" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS5vAdeWyVtQENAaVQpOAwvecwgc6XM9IQdolD84ZjP4uHK5dlvnsOPG14wjSWSI15XT6yGFbfWSzh2UiPYlZdsGIuZ1MLdxu-47uK4J4upleDwFMLeF9xHRk1OeWopb9_YKLBn5HGCBOQhKXps0fHApQfOwSkDEiwmA-KadwReZqiE37YFHNNkS5mhPA/s1600/RR%20Helen.png" width="200" /></a></div><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 2pt; text-align: center;"><br /></p><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://greatreadsandtealeaves.blogspot.com/">Visit Helen @ Great Reads & Tea Leaves</a></div><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><p></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. The quoted material may have changed in the final release.</span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" />Helenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10799087370126326415noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3102594967020232402.post-8276332595889765502023-12-30T03:00:00.002-05:002023-12-30T03:01:30.785-05:00Review: Love, Just In<p dir="ltr" id="docs-internal-guid-bce5a5ea-b9ba-aefb-a933-b2fe4a446f30" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlOvpeH2qw3dFedpq5r_d0PeQWu7Y-BQCh0d5jqGxYsG25ZcvpBy3mTbixtliEDl7sbbYswCZzPyeZWBlMgK3ZE4fS8jrhTyV18vudns6f57NWx3wCb5cgkgCqoj7600BJgLKaJJNIs2-_jDuMq7_p_xTUc4B1Zvl8Xf-iC6S2fYilZSlz-NRLV1GFfKE/s689/IMG_5952.jpeg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="689" data-original-width="445" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlOvpeH2qw3dFedpq5r_d0PeQWu7Y-BQCh0d5jqGxYsG25ZcvpBy3mTbixtliEDl7sbbYswCZzPyeZWBlMgK3ZE4fS8jrhTyV18vudns6f57NWx3wCb5cgkgCqoj7600BJgLKaJJNIs2-_jDuMq7_p_xTUc4B1Zvl8Xf-iC6S2fYilZSlz-NRLV1GFfKE/s320/IMG_5952.jpeg" width="207" /></a></div><p dir="ltr" id="docs-internal-guid-23483f9e-b9bd-b508-d64e-1dac2c54130f" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Title: </span><span style="color: #1e1915; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Love, Just In</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Author: </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Natalie Murray</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Publisher: </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">3rd January 2024 by Allen & Unwin</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Pages: </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">460 pages</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Genre:</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> General Fiction (Adult) | Contemporary Romance </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rating: </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">4 crowns</span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Synopsis:</span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In the vein of Emily Henry's You and Me On Vacation , Love, Just In is a friends-to-lovers romance with all the tropes that romance readers love best.</span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Sydney TV news reporter Josephine "Josie" Larsen is approaching 30 and coming dangerously close to failing at life. Lost in a vortex of other people's career milestones, engagement parties, and baby showers, Josie is perennially single, abandoned by her globetrotting family, and invisible to her boss - except for the one time he tuned in while she was mid-panic attack on live TV. As a punishment, Josie is shipped off to cover another reporter's six-month leave at a regional bureau in Newcastle.</span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">But Josie has more waiting for her in Newcastle than yawn-inducing stories about bicycle lane protests. The city is also the domain of Zac Jameson - her best friend since high school. This should be a happy turn of events, but Zac has barely spoken to Josie for the past two years. Not since his fiancee tragically died in his arms in a car accident and he left Sydney to try and cope with his grief.</span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Now thrown back into each other's lives, Josie and Zac have to navigate their neglected friendship and secret attraction to each other while struggling with their careers and mental health.</span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Hilarious, sexy and heart-warming, this is the perfect romcom to sit on the shelves alongside Emily Henry, Sally Thorne and Ali Hazelwood.</span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">My Thoughts</span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 2pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Love, Just In </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">by Natalie Murray (comes out 3rd January) is a wonderful contemporary romcom. In fact, there is much more to this tale than its bright cover and promise of friends-to-lovers trope. Of course one always appreciates some steamy romance but to have some real in-depth, realistic issues addressed was a real game changer in my appreciation of this book. </span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 2pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘It’s time to admit that my life isn’t made up of a series of adorable little ducks sitting in a perfect row. My ducks are injured and losing feathers, and one possibly has a bung eye, but that’s OK. That’s me, stumbling through life.’</span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 2pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Both Josie and Zac fit the bill as leading characters with the quick witted banter and fun encounters but it is balanced beautifully with some much heavier topics which bring a real credence to this book. Written from Josie’s point of view, readers are presented with the long term history of this friendship and how the feelings of both evolve over time. I really did like the ‘Colleen Hoover-esque’ epilogue from Zac’s POV which I thought was a winner. </span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 2pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘… anxiety can affect anyone, anywhere - even when you’re doing something you love.’</span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 2pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">So apart from all the romcom elements both Josie and Zac bring individual trauma’s to this friendship. That brings depth to these emotional connections with both elements of joy and sadness. For many, these traumas could be triggers, however, I found the love and honesty to be refreshing and encouraging. Some of the issues covered include health and cancer scares, living with anxiety and grief.</span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 2pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘I need to stop thinking about what I’ve lost and start thinking about what I’ve found.’</span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 2pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">All up I found Natalie’s book to be a truly thoughtful and a well considered narrative - a perfect balance of friendship and love, anxiety and honesty. This is a contemporary romance you will want to try and find yourself happy that you did. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 2pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 2pt; text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpj8jYH4EUTwFawXmmMxyBaS5frG9d719VMrUYevd5Eui0ooPkO6zHO-tY_q_NPCrj4vYWLm56qPBqio10JEG65v5YYlwXrJLFbXig9NbT_YzKTsGnUDYQb3B4oNL1fW0oN1E2Udxc8uO0_NWQHV32qX8bf0hCpP7Utc-P3r41yW8pCkN0k2AV8gCai1o/s200/RR%20Helen.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="136" data-original-width="200" height="136" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpj8jYH4EUTwFawXmmMxyBaS5frG9d719VMrUYevd5Eui0ooPkO6zHO-tY_q_NPCrj4vYWLm56qPBqio10JEG65v5YYlwXrJLFbXig9NbT_YzKTsGnUDYQb3B4oNL1fW0oN1E2Udxc8uO0_NWQHV32qX8bf0hCpP7Utc-P3r41yW8pCkN0k2AV8gCai1o/s1600/RR%20Helen.png" width="200" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://greatreadsandtealeaves.blogspot.com/" style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt;">Visit Helen @ Great Reads & Tea Leaves</a></div><p></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. The quoted material may have changed in the final release.</span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" />Helenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10799087370126326415noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3102594967020232402.post-8900040840398057902023-12-29T03:05:00.002-05:002023-12-29T03:06:38.052-05:00Review: The Phoenix Crown<p dir="ltr" id="docs-internal-guid-04b6a37f-b498-fb60-2145-05b7224526db" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPVCbccXPYJK4nd55dJ2Ldm13KNrhhcFEtixGDGxwGtxqFDZKZolikSgD9VlIxu1eStC37AKRiwVC1s6kZQjrsc1a0p0VE9-eGXSHw9ULLotiOF9-95G8unEAMmJ4BI2JOAJVfyyeM20Fj-cS3qdiq3CLJDuMHCox2fuuLMGCgBnobjSKwEoWgU5wJo1A/s648/IMG_4775.jpeg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="648" data-original-width="430" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPVCbccXPYJK4nd55dJ2Ldm13KNrhhcFEtixGDGxwGtxqFDZKZolikSgD9VlIxu1eStC37AKRiwVC1s6kZQjrsc1a0p0VE9-eGXSHw9ULLotiOF9-95G8unEAMmJ4BI2JOAJVfyyeM20Fj-cS3qdiq3CLJDuMHCox2fuuLMGCgBnobjSKwEoWgU5wJo1A/s320/IMG_4775.jpeg" width="212" /></a></div><p dir="ltr" id="docs-internal-guid-aa22ef9b-b49b-ff34-73c6-0b51a2b533ee" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Title: </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Phoenix Crown</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Author: </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Kate Quinn and Janie Chang</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Publisher: </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">15th February 2024 by HarperCollins Publishers Australia</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Pages: </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">384 pages</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Genre:</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> historical fiction, mystery</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">My Rating: </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">4 crowns</span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Synopsis:</span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Versailles, 1912. At the height of an intoxicating Paris summer, a mysterious American millionaire attends a sumptuous costume ball with his bride, on whom he has bestowed the legendary Phoenix Crown—a priceless relic of Beijing’s fallen Summer Palace. The party of the century kicks off with three hundred guests, nine hundred bottles of champagne—and one quest for justice that spans two continents and six years.</span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">San Francisco, 1906. In a bustling city of newly minted millionaires and hopeful upstarts, four very different women cross paths: a resourceful Chinatown embroideress desperately searching for her lost love, a silver-voiced soprano who performs alongside Enrico Caruso, a mysteriously disappeared artist, and an independent female botanist obsessed with collecting a rare flower that only blooms at night. One man seemingly holds the key to their questions: Henry Thornton, the charming railroad magnate whose extraordinary collection of Chinese antiques includes the Phoenix Crown.</span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The women’s lives are thrown into chaos when the San Francisco earthquake rips the city apart and Thornton disappears . . . leaving a mystery in his wake that reaches further than anyone could have imagined.</span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">My Thoughts</span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Anything penned by Kate Quinn is worthy of your attention. On this occasion, </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Phoenix Crown</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> has a unique cast of female characters at its heart that is sure to draw readers in. There is an opera singer, a botanist, a painter and a Chinese seamstress who find their lives thrown together and must learn to overcome major obstacles to find justice.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘Take four women as different as four women could be - an opera singer in her thirties, an emaciated artist from the Bronx, a capable middle-aged scientist, a Chinese seamstress not even twenty.’</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This book is of course jointly written with Kate and Janie Chang and I am happy to report that their collaboration is seamless. Although not as rich as I have found Kate’s individual books to be, </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Phoenix Crown </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">flowed easily with complimentary writing styles that would make it difficult to pick individual contributions. The book is well researched with focus on topics including opera singing, San Francisco at the turn of the century with a particular focus on the earthquake of 1906. Perhaps the most powerful themes surrounded the treatment of Chinese immigrants and women. The Author’s Notes at the end provided great insight into both their inspiration for the tale and fact versus fiction. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘Phoenix Crown. Two words to spark a flurry of telegrams across oceans and continents. Two words to spark frenzied plans, hasty boat tickets, memory-fueled nightmares.’</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Phoenix Crown </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">does a wonderful job of transporting readers to another place and time. It may at times lack the sophistication we have come to expect from Kate alone, however, it does a superb job highlighting a variety of topical issues. If stories of female friendship coming together and supporting one another to undergo self discovery appeals to you then certainly this book is most entertaining. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Oh, a phoenix crown … This must’ve belonged to an empress. Or a royal consort.” Only women from the royal family could’ve owned such a headdress.”</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTvjk4xWbuud5Qsuq2MU1OZK8r6xJjuv7ck1DeuWm8Ggb0Qv_27TPr_1YxZWEsReZIn81lxOQA2aBk_rZmKo2z_2CIFZYom75iE18-MCt_HXDmDse1CWFvxPhGG6p55hZ3S36865KkGpRtGxH1zs4svI4enUhE_CTQKPofWUJzsO-WxTmIwFfwVTAQ5XQ/s200/RR%20Helen.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="136" data-original-width="200" height="136" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTvjk4xWbuud5Qsuq2MU1OZK8r6xJjuv7ck1DeuWm8Ggb0Qv_27TPr_1YxZWEsReZIn81lxOQA2aBk_rZmKo2z_2CIFZYom75iE18-MCt_HXDmDse1CWFvxPhGG6p55hZ3S36865KkGpRtGxH1zs4svI4enUhE_CTQKPofWUJzsO-WxTmIwFfwVTAQ5XQ/s1600/RR%20Helen.png" width="200" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://greatreadsandtealeaves.blogspot.com/" style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic;">Visit Helen @ Great Reads & Tea Leaves</a></div><p></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. The quoted material may have changed in the final release.</span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" />Helenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10799087370126326415noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3102594967020232402.post-87569832804255205272023-12-27T00:44:00.001-05:002023-12-27T00:44:50.410-05:00Review: Sunshine through the Rain<p dir="ltr" id="docs-internal-guid-e1bd4bf1-a9c9-7e3a-cb15-a378e8c60e88" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKduWBVXbCFzXI6yoTuaFrcNq5eY3CGGas62eWXZorH8JQXAD9Y474OqrchoK2MToFaFVURZYXJld0ohxaKbus11EoOG4jXiBGo3QZgg2cLZYpe_QYzBF-P9hSDCm6MrKTWbbAH9KV-21yWqPs3uPM81drLUOIx2wpvPlgs66VgMXMEbkGhAjHxzxp5qM/s648/IMG_0295.jpeg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="648" data-original-width="424" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKduWBVXbCFzXI6yoTuaFrcNq5eY3CGGas62eWXZorH8JQXAD9Y474OqrchoK2MToFaFVURZYXJld0ohxaKbus11EoOG4jXiBGo3QZgg2cLZYpe_QYzBF-P9hSDCm6MrKTWbbAH9KV-21yWqPs3uPM81drLUOIx2wpvPlgs66VgMXMEbkGhAjHxzxp5qM/s320/IMG_0295.jpeg" width="209" /></a></div><p dir="ltr" id="docs-internal-guid-7de7a70b-a9cd-56c8-df59-14b67ab03445" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Title: </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Sunshine through the Rain</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Author: </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Penelope Janu</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Publisher: </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">29th November 2023 by Harlequin Australia, HQ & MIRA</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Pages: </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">416 pages</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Genre:</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #172b4d; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">romance, women’s fiction</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">My Rating: </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">4 crowns</span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Synopsis:</span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">For readers of Karly Lane, Fleur McDonald, Maya Linnell and Rachael Johns - a heartfelt and fresh rural romance about trust, hope and finding your place in life from an award winning and much loved author.</span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Country vet Primrose Cartwright knows more about heartache than most but in the close-knit community of Ballimore, she's found a place to call home. Prim has her work and the love of her sisters, and she doesn't need anything else - certainly not Blake Sinclair. The new vet in town, Scotsman Blake has a love-them-and-leave-them reputation. He is curiously protective of Prim, but his privileged upbringing and jet-set life are nothing like her own. Prim has tried - and failed - at the dating game. Even if there's a burning attraction between them, the last man she could ever trust is Blake. Blake finds Prim fiercely independent, vulnerable, and unlike any other woman he has ever known. But Prim won't tell him her secrets unless he tells her his own, and Blake's pain is buried deep. Will Prim's determination to unravel the mystery that threatens her career bring Prim and Blake together or tear them apart? As the storm clouds gather, can Prim and Blake confront their painful pasts and create a future together? Will they find the sunshine through the rain?</span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">My Thoughts</span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 2pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Penelope always guarantees an engaging read with her books - I absolutely loved </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Shelter From the Storm</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, so I couldn’t wait to read this third book on the Cartwright sisters, Prim. This tale kept me engaged from beginning to end.</span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 2pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘Phoebe on one side, Patience on the other. Just the three of us. They know me. I know them. I trust them.’</span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 2pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">With much on offer, this really is more than your standard rural romance. Of course, there is a lovely relationship with a wonderful leading man but it is clearly evident the research that Penelope has gone into for this book. There is an engaging mystery with an environmental issue which I always fully appreciate about Peneolope’s books. The details concerning ethical farming and the use of hormones with a UN agent even getting involved was topical.</span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 2pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">As always the Australian Outback is on display with life in a small rural town and the community that comes together in times of need. A special aspect that Penelope often includes is for all the animal lovers out there - on this occasion Prim being a vet, there is a range of animals and one cannot help but be moved by her advocacy for animal rights and welfare. Add onto that details on veterinary procedures and the life of animals kept in a zoo and there is much to appreciate and take on board.</span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 2pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘I remember everything. The needing and wanting and craving. The finding and keeping and sharing. The sunshine through the rain.’</span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 2pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Yet for me I was captured by the themes concerning childhood trauma and facing/overcoming fears, especially with issues surrounding Prim’s stutter and the impact - past and present - of that. This was a wonderful novel about healing and being brave enough to go after your dreams. With tensions brewing, family dramas, animal welfare, </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Sunshine through the Rain</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> is a highly engaging read.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 2pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 2pt; text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipfcxSuuso9eoXecpwZ_ROP3HqHNpZqrjFKPOFioIdkJKLOql7miLK6E4S07wawkw7OvDsB-8E-xGeCcTXqZjr-2IHXyRJhd344JWgpYHVeb-eN5J9efCHcxjEiEaX6ZgVrPQv9wxSb8gFgud1fPnX4z6pgS1UHo6VNDjVb-8fw6JN7gat1-5cmZK9FVA/s200/RR%20Helen.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="136" data-original-width="200" height="136" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipfcxSuuso9eoXecpwZ_ROP3HqHNpZqrjFKPOFioIdkJKLOql7miLK6E4S07wawkw7OvDsB-8E-xGeCcTXqZjr-2IHXyRJhd344JWgpYHVeb-eN5J9efCHcxjEiEaX6ZgVrPQv9wxSb8gFgud1fPnX4z6pgS1UHo6VNDjVb-8fw6JN7gat1-5cmZK9FVA/s1600/RR%20Helen.png" width="200" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://greatreadsandtealeaves.blogspot.com/" style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;">Visit Helen @ Great Reads & Tea Leaves</a></div><p></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. The quoted material may have changed in the final release.</span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" />Helenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10799087370126326415noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3102594967020232402.post-36958914283479596732023-12-04T02:52:00.001-05:002023-12-04T02:52:41.242-05:00Review: The Frozen River<p dir="ltr" id="docs-internal-guid-3512bf6c-33cb-d16a-5df8-e46e4802a8f6" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbChSdqwZMRDV0482s0WhtwVxEI2KHou_X7FuytpkUYPmCGfsEiZUKWKA5l2xQReW9rfSHyVUWJb6W6pvNN-SLzemcvtNaZVE5ZQz3Z2ragLcn0TSfR05madQOrzRYigM8Ven4Soc9ZpeLOH-oe15-nYyV0SsE4w7GPB5_zWUlHA6-abXwgM26bu2awcU/s2141/IMG_1187.jpeg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2141" data-original-width="1400" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbChSdqwZMRDV0482s0WhtwVxEI2KHou_X7FuytpkUYPmCGfsEiZUKWKA5l2xQReW9rfSHyVUWJb6W6pvNN-SLzemcvtNaZVE5ZQz3Z2ragLcn0TSfR05madQOrzRYigM8Ven4Soc9ZpeLOH-oe15-nYyV0SsE4w7GPB5_zWUlHA6-abXwgM26bu2awcU/s320/IMG_1187.jpeg" width="209" /></a></div><p dir="ltr" id="docs-internal-guid-3512bf6c-33cb-d16a-5df8-e46e4802a8f6" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Title: </span><span style="color: #1e1915; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Frozen River</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Author: </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ariel Lawhon</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Publisher: </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">1st November 2023 by Simon & Schuster Australia</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Pages: </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">432 pages</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Genre:</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> General Fiction (Adult) | Historical Fiction | Mystery & Thrillers</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rating: </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">5 crowns</span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Synopsis:</span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">From the bestselling author of Code Name Hélène comes a gripping historical mystery inspired by the life and diary of Martha Ballard, a renowned 18th-century midwife who investigates a shocking murder that unhinges her small community.</span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Maine, 1789: When a man is found entombed in the frozen Kennebec River, Martha Ballard is summoned to examine the body and determine cause of death. As the local midwife and healer, Martha is good at keeping secrets. Her diary is a record of every birth, death and debacle that unfolds in the town of Hallowell. In that diary she has also documented the details of an alleged rape that occurred by one of the town’s most esteemed gentlemen – the same man who has now been found dead in the ice. </span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">While certain townspeople are eager to put both matters to rest, Martha suspects that the two crimes are linked, and that there is more to both cases than meets the eye. Over the course of one long, hard winter, whispers and prejudices mount, and Martha’s diary lands at the centre of the scandal, threatening to tear both her family and her community apart. </span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In her newest offering, Ariel Lawhon brings to life a brave and compassionate unsung heroine who refused to accept anything less than justice on behalf of those no one else would protect. The Frozen River is a thrilling, tense and tender story of a remarkable woman who had the courage to take a stand, and in the process wrote herself into history.</span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">My Thoughts</span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 2pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘The frozen river alters every facet of life for those who live along it, yet the judges take the inconvenience as a personal slight.’</span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 2pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I first came across Ariel with her book, </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Flight of Dreams</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (about the Hindenburg disaster) in 2016 - it was brilliant. Then in 2020 I read, </span><span style="background-color: #fefdfa; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Code Name Hélène</span><span style="background-color: #fefdfa; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (about Nancy Wake) - once again, brilliant. It is therefore needless to say, I was filled with anticipation about her latest even though I knew nothing of a midwife from 1789 in post revolution America. I do now - and boy! I will not soon forget it. </span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 2pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘I cry. Mostly for Rebecca and the tiny, unwanted beating heart deep within her womb. But also for myself. And our daughters. And for every other woman who lives, suffers, and dies by the mercurial whims of men.’</span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 2pt;"><span style="background-color: #fefdfa; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Frozen River</span><span style="background-color: #fefdfa; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> is, in a nutshell, outstanding historical fiction. It is based on fact stemming from the diary of one midwife born in 1735, one Martha Ballard. Martha wrote a daily diary - short facts recording births, deaths, the weather etc. Let us be clear, Ariel states herself that this is her version of “</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">what could have happened in this woman’s life. It is not a biography, nor do I claim to be an historian. I’m simply a storyteller, and I have felt, for fifteen years, that Martha’s story is worth telling.” </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Let me tell you … it is!</span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 2pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Memory is a wicked thing that warps and twists. But paper and ink receive the truth without emotion, and they read it back without partiality.”</span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 2pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Regaled here is one long, brutal winter in 1789 that marked a decidedly momentous time for the community of Hallowell. Yes, this is a tale of the everyday life of living in a small post-Revolution community with a definite focus on the plight of women. However, so so cleverly tied into this is a murder mystery of the highest calibre that will have you guessing to the very end. </span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 2pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“I simply ask that Mr. Sewall record in the official court documents that there are contradicting views as to the cause of Mr. Burgess’s death. One that states accidental drowning.” I pause for effect. “And one that states murder.”</span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 2pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The detail and specifics that Ariel delivers to her readers is nothing short of spectacular. Be sure to take time to truly sink into Ariel’s, </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘Author Notes’</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> at the conclusion. Martha is such an extraordinary character and I have so much respect for her courage and the women she sought to care for and represent. I also reveled in the very special relationship she has with her husband, Ephraim. </span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 2pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘We are in the twilight years of a long love affair, and it has recently occurred to me that a day will come when one of us buries the other. But, I remind myself, that is the happy ending to a story like ours. It is a vow made and kept. Till death do us part. It is the only acceptable outcome to a long and happy marriage, and I am determined not to fear that day, whenever it arrives. I am equally determined to soak up all the days between.’</span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 2pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Frozen River</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> is a definite stand out book for me in 2023 and I highly recommend it to all as it ticks so many boxes. It is complex yet clear in regaling readers about a very special woman from history. If a tale rich in research of a time, place, people and intrigue. Sound inviting? Do yourself a favour and read it. </span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 2pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘I cannot say why it is so important that I make this daily record. Perhaps because I have been doing so for years on end? Or maybe - if I am being honest - it is because these markings of ink and paper will one day be the only proof that I have existed in this world. That I lived and breathed. That I loved a man and the many children he gave me. It is not that I want to be remembered, per se. I have done nothing remarkable. Not by the standards of history, at least. But I am here.’</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 2pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 2pt; text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqv57nc5E6F1oZzZcDTNWGQwJpKrHDb4xfZAQ7mvmq1pkfvSuTipe1OJq1uTOd4lupRqw-Swkul43GCuDaKosrVEE5cVg2aKt4CjAAcLEjXkQ2DP1jKRb0xDAVPhOXMrGlIAC5VmJlT_U17Hd4qC1V7hPf0Q23UN_JUYDvF5VYXeRw_L9MOMrXc9Slca8/s200/RR%20Helen.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="136" data-original-width="200" height="136" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqv57nc5E6F1oZzZcDTNWGQwJpKrHDb4xfZAQ7mvmq1pkfvSuTipe1OJq1uTOd4lupRqw-Swkul43GCuDaKosrVEE5cVg2aKt4CjAAcLEjXkQ2DP1jKRb0xDAVPhOXMrGlIAC5VmJlT_U17Hd4qC1V7hPf0Q23UN_JUYDvF5VYXeRw_L9MOMrXc9Slca8/s1600/RR%20Helen.png" width="200" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://greatreadsandtealeaves.blogspot.com/" style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic;">Visit Helen @ Great Reads & Tea Leaves</a></div><p></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. The quoted material may have changed in the final release.</span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" />Helenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10799087370126326415noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3102594967020232402.post-63115509582096372202023-11-28T00:31:00.004-05:002023-11-28T00:32:42.984-05:00Review: The Milliner of Bendigo<p dir="ltr" id="docs-internal-guid-57422a70-1466-9a9c-e607-579997eb2645" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl950pWRPhBEX5OXypMIDRia8fp1cABsBz2dVT8nYZX_LxhDr2y598PlQI57-hF1UUJMFLutVa8DPamriVUVmEs_yiBd3JKiqcT3f4hOj0c22aiYzpotRCn-3ymtRQiWL3zJvHpH4l7pih-qFopvXT81v6JXWx3CKhjMMp9kmMoavdf4VNQRZTZZSKljs/s648/IMG_1176.jpeg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="648" data-original-width="424" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl950pWRPhBEX5OXypMIDRia8fp1cABsBz2dVT8nYZX_LxhDr2y598PlQI57-hF1UUJMFLutVa8DPamriVUVmEs_yiBd3JKiqcT3f4hOj0c22aiYzpotRCn-3ymtRQiWL3zJvHpH4l7pih-qFopvXT81v6JXWx3CKhjMMp9kmMoavdf4VNQRZTZZSKljs/s320/IMG_1176.jpeg" width="209" /></a></div><p dir="ltr" id="docs-internal-guid-57422a70-1466-9a9c-e607-579997eb2645" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Title: </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Milliner of Bendigo</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Author: </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Darry Fraser</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Publisher: </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">29th November 2023 by Harlequin Australia, HQ & MIRA</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Pages: </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">400 pages</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Genre:</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(23, 43, 77); font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #172b4d; font-family: Georgia, serif;">historical fiction</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">My Rating: </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">5 crowns</span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Synopsis:</span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Trouble with the law, a missing sister, and a growing attachment to the wrong man - Evie Emerson has a dangerous path ahead of her... an exciting and twisty historical mystery and adventure from a bestselling Australian author.</span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">1898: Bendigo, Victoria: Evie Emerson has worked hard to build a fashionable clientele for her hats. But when an ex-paramour employs underhanded tactics after his attempt to coerce an engagement fails, Evie's reputation is in tatters. On the heels of having to put a case together to defend herself in court, Evie's life is thrown into further turmoil when the disappearance of her sister takes her to Cobram. Roving reporter Fitzmorgan O'Shea has troubles of his his involvement in uncovering police corruption has placed a target on his back. And while Fitz is hunting a new story in Cobram his problems collide with Evie's when his research exposes malicious intimidation and threats designed to make local landholders give up their properties. For Raffety Dolan, he accepted long ago it's Fitz Evie loves - and his feelings will remain unrequited. But when a disgraced ex-policeman comes searching for revenge, Raff is ready to go save his friends. There, on the banks of the mighty Murray, with so much misunderstood history and secrets between the three friends - plus the legitimate threat of being shot at - will they survive long enough to discover the truth?</span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">My Thoughts</span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 2pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘Evie had told her that it was one of her creations and reached into her purse to give the lady her card: “Miss Evie Emerson, Milliner of Bendigo.’</span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 2pt;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Darry Fraser is at the top of her game with her latest Australian historical fiction writing, in fact, I think this may be her best yet! </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Milliner of Bendigo</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> is another wonderful tale to immerse yourself in with a strong female lead in male dominated colonial Australia. I love the fact that in each of her novels, Darry takes her female lead and explores with them at a time when women were on the cusp of acquiring some form of independence. Into this Darry can always be relied upon to weave an intriguing mystery with just the right amount of romance.</span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 2pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘For goodness’ sake, I’m a milliner from Bendigo. A hat maker. A ladies’ fashion stylist, not a gun-toting circus performer.’</span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 2pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The leading lady on this occasion is Evie Emerson and gosh … does she have a lot to contend with. This is no one dimensional tale … there are multiple threads that Darry so expertly brings together with cliffhanger chapter endings until you reach a fitting conclusion. Not only is Evie a passionate artiste, a milliner with exquisite skill but she demonstrates throughout this tale she has the strength and tenacity to support family and friends in her fight with more than one foe. I applaud Darry for seamlessly weaving together topics ranging from women’s rights, to menopause (let me just reach for my fan), to corrupt local officials and cops, from siege’s and murder and the sadly hidden life of being gay at the turn of the century. </span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 2pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘…we’re not staying in here like simpering ninnies. We’re going to front them. We’re going out that window.’ Of course we are.’</span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 2pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Darry takes her readers back to 1898 with adventures through some of Victoria’s wonderful country towns - Bendigo, Ballarat, Echuca and Cobram - all featured in this tale that has many twists and turns. It was an absolute delight for readers of historical fiction and anyone who loves a tale so rich in its tapestry. Darry is certainly the master at capturing and putting to paper the Australian landscape and the Mighty Murray River. Adventures include hardships of living off the land, water usage and control of the river, transportation on paddlesteamers, to horseback and even a train ride to Cobram. Darry grants us a wonderful travel pass back into colonial times. </span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 2pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘..the river itself was a living, breathing entity—calm and meandering, vibrant and dangerous, moody and mysterious. A whole different world.’</span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 2pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I cannot let it pass without noting that r</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">eaders of Darry’s other books will be more than pleased to learn that the wonderful character of Bendigo Barrett is back providing invaluable assistance into the investigations to refute liable claims against Evie. </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">If you like to escape to a time long gone, a time when women attempted to exert some form of independence against a background of murder and corruption balanced with heartache and romance, then this will be the book for you. Life wasn’t easy for women who were often regarded as male property and I admired the few who banded together to fight justice. </span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 2pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘I always find it exhilarating when women band together to fight a common enemy.’</span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 2pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">If you enjoy good Australian historical drama/romance then you will appreciate a few hours in this story Darry offers. I found it to be her best yet - it’s lots of fun. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 2pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 2pt; text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHxt3zyswufEwGdakU4MPEtDCN_G290hfN_NPrNwN_Lo8FOlUmItNeJDkW9w_JsElDr_WxHzusX52DVQAM-SAoBXnrRKMmdbo6Dbg1I8IR8VuXvAdlPHwJ84OVEhOxc-ITCgO6jbuEUfqFKbX8D5Pk-jNZUNQ-v9PA2dkWyyR3iZpxBgNyViN9cTsp-NM/s200/RR%20Helen.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="136" data-original-width="200" height="136" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHxt3zyswufEwGdakU4MPEtDCN_G290hfN_NPrNwN_Lo8FOlUmItNeJDkW9w_JsElDr_WxHzusX52DVQAM-SAoBXnrRKMmdbo6Dbg1I8IR8VuXvAdlPHwJ84OVEhOxc-ITCgO6jbuEUfqFKbX8D5Pk-jNZUNQ-v9PA2dkWyyR3iZpxBgNyViN9cTsp-NM/s1600/RR%20Helen.png" width="200" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://greatreadsandtealeaves.blogspot.com/" style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt;">Visit Helen @ Great Reads & Tea Leaves</a></div><p></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. The quoted material may have changed in the final release.</span></p>Helenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10799087370126326415noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3102594967020232402.post-87195112948573092292023-11-26T22:42:00.002-05:002023-11-26T22:42:51.006-05:00Review: Emergency Exit Only<p dir="ltr" id="docs-internal-guid-603d0c10-0edb-8888-e535-e1661a43a3f4" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFuN5E2eN2sklPkGC5J4OE3Q7A9Y8JVXJ6Fc82IFFILSjPJSP5RvNFA6tSkMkaS7PZZArmkGY83wHRu92PG3S_x8IVU8acF9KSuUnHbjtplZz8oe_lPvDrXb8G-w_S6nPYBXcXqDdNzJ-tVw7rRnzPMjWKFtD36mnN_mk_Ic0dkbhGbmH9BbNRd5Gkmn4/s648/IMG_1211.jpeg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="648" data-original-width="424" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFuN5E2eN2sklPkGC5J4OE3Q7A9Y8JVXJ6Fc82IFFILSjPJSP5RvNFA6tSkMkaS7PZZArmkGY83wHRu92PG3S_x8IVU8acF9KSuUnHbjtplZz8oe_lPvDrXb8G-w_S6nPYBXcXqDdNzJ-tVw7rRnzPMjWKFtD36mnN_mk_Ic0dkbhGbmH9BbNRd5Gkmn4/s320/IMG_1211.jpeg" width="209" /></a></div><p dir="ltr" id="docs-internal-guid-603d0c10-0edb-8888-e535-e1661a43a3f4" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Title: </span><span style="color: #1e1915; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Emergency Exit Only</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Author: </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Michelle Upton</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Publisher: </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">29th November 2023 by HarperCollins Australia</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Pages: </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">352 pages</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Genre:</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> contemporary, romance</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rating: </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">5 crowns</span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Synopsis:</span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">No evacuation plan, no safety net.</span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Amelia's quitting the daily grind to find her fantasy job.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">But a shocking secret from the past shows her that where there's smoke, there's fire ... And sometimes you just have to save yourself.</span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Amelia Harris has played it safe all her life - but when a minor accident lands her in hospital, she dramatically quits the tedious office job she's had for a decade.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">At a loss at what she wants to do next - and fast running out of cash - Amelia tries her hand at the dream jobs she's always fantasised about. Soon she's shadowing a thrilling cast of characters and professions - as a journalist, a florist, a wedding planner, a zookeeper, and more. Life couldn't be more exciting, especially when she meets the man of her dreams.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">But when her mother, Toni, drops a truth bomb about their family, Amelia's whole world tilts on its axis. Meanwhile, each new job starts taking on a life of its own. Has she created a monster?</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">As she's about to find out, where there's smoke, there's fire, and sometimes you just have to save yourself.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">A hilarious, big-hearted story about second chances from the author of Terms of Inheritance.</span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">My Thoughts</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘Gary gasped. 'She's not!'</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Craig bounced on his toes. "She is!' he squealed. 'She's doing it!'</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Amelia evil-eyed her work colleagues as she marched past her desk and then did the thing she'd fantasised about doing for months. She pushed the bar on the emergency exit only door and opened it. Bright sunshine filled the office, and a piercing alarm rang out. Craig jumped up and down and pumped his fist in the air.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">"You tell 'em, honey. You show 'em what you're made of!'</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">…</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">There was no going back.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">WOW! WOW! WOW! I thought Michelle had hit the ball out of the park with her debut novel, </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Terms of Inheritance</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. I loved it. So I thought, could she do it again? You betcha! </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Emergency Exit Only </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">came as such a fantastic surprise - I found it to be the perfect blend of reality and life lessons with a splash of humour and romance.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘… talking about burnout and the importance of taking time to check in with yourself and ask if the life you've created is still working for you.’</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">At first I thought, ‘oh here we go … whiny, pedantic Amelia might really get on my nerves’. But gosh - her journey was sublime! Michelle has this incredible skill at combining lessons and laughter, morals and mayhem! The more I got into this book, the more I could not put it down. My highlighter was working overtime and my smile broadened as I turned each page to its fitting conclusion. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">When I interviewed Michelle (see the blog) on writing </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Terms of Inheritance</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, she explained how the story allowed her to reflect on the many lessons she had learnt and the growth that ensued. I can see how once again she has put these life lessons to work through the challenges Amelia gives herself in trying to discover how to live her best life. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">'I told myself it was normal. For twenty years, I convinced myself that was how everyone felt. I thought, everyone is anxious, everyone is tired, so why would I be any different? I thought if I could just make it to the weekend, I could carve out some time for me, and then I'd feel better, but of course, that was never enough.'</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">There is just so much to takeaway from this book but for me, Michelle’s tale spoke loudly about stepping out of your comfort zone in order to experience real growth. That you have to let go of what you know in order for life to happen to you - challenge you, exhaust you, reward you. This is a truly wonderful story - so real and relatable. A story of how a person is never too old to start afresh and learn to be true to yourself, especially when overcoming both internal and external forces. That letting go, forgiving and moving on are crucial and that your life’s attitude can determine so much. </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Emergency Exit Only</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> …. read it. You won’t regret it. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘She suddenly realised she had only one life to live, one chance to experience what it was like to be human. She had one opportunity to bear witness to it all. It was like she'd been asleep her whole life, and now, at thirty-five, she'd finally been jolted awake. Her mum had been right. This was an awakening.’</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwbpKmUndb6KL0yJX59Wns5uUshHg5_e6Dj9Dq_m3nedmSEDgTtcYx9yxMxtPwKix4kNllR0Ttm4eWK-7eF6aY-ns2awZQjb34BIs0z-atwAw0LKnFTz3T81EmDB5zQArzJ7HaaTXETAwm5ou-5LtKGBAw5xwnj6dnaN60Nvl4cEd-FC-WP5PTpkmyUm8/s200/RR%20Helen.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="136" data-original-width="200" height="136" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwbpKmUndb6KL0yJX59Wns5uUshHg5_e6Dj9Dq_m3nedmSEDgTtcYx9yxMxtPwKix4kNllR0Ttm4eWK-7eF6aY-ns2awZQjb34BIs0z-atwAw0LKnFTz3T81EmDB5zQArzJ7HaaTXETAwm5ou-5LtKGBAw5xwnj6dnaN60Nvl4cEd-FC-WP5PTpkmyUm8/s1600/RR%20Helen.png" width="200" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://greatreadsandtealeaves.blogspot.com/" style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic;">Visit Helen @ Great Reads & Tea Leaves</a></div><p></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. The quoted material may have changed in the final release.</span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p>Helenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10799087370126326415noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3102594967020232402.post-66894714536431436282023-11-26T02:14:00.004-05:002023-11-26T02:18:05.556-05:00Review: The House That Joy Built<p dir="ltr" id="docs-internal-guid-8f27d3fa-0a77-bd47-717c-6ee8f51458b0" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghv0tgJRtP-2isx-rWp7OwM8DyM3fLU6x9iWk7H4rAPMf2O1Nyr9tt6lon7FdqaYDhwckLwaGGiR8JaOQHOD73X_Y1hGrCpWidWAYd9zzcBB4X6F80ptSZ6dS-p4Mqlz3A0WEjgqaXt0Qvs5pgKHPnBbSWYyzuJmrGTVWZfa5WZ1yUdq2hVnGDdYU9v_M/s648/IMG_1213.jpeg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="648" data-original-width="477" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghv0tgJRtP-2isx-rWp7OwM8DyM3fLU6x9iWk7H4rAPMf2O1Nyr9tt6lon7FdqaYDhwckLwaGGiR8JaOQHOD73X_Y1hGrCpWidWAYd9zzcBB4X6F80ptSZ6dS-p4Mqlz3A0WEjgqaXt0Qvs5pgKHPnBbSWYyzuJmrGTVWZfa5WZ1yUdq2hVnGDdYU9v_M/s320/IMG_1213.jpeg" width="236" /></a></div><p dir="ltr" id="docs-internal-guid-8f27d3fa-0a77-bd47-717c-6ee8f51458b0" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Title: </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #1e1915; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The House That Joy Built</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Author: </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Holly Ringland</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Publisher: </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">29th November 2023 by 4th Estate AU</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Pages: </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">288 pages</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Genre:</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> nonfiction, self help, creativity</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rating: </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">3.5 crowns</span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Synopsis:</span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">An uplifting, powerful and inspiring book about breaking through fear and finding joy through creativity, from bestselling author, Holly Ringland.</span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The House that Joy Built is about how to give ourselves permission to be creative. It explores two big the fear that can block our creativity, and the permission we can meet that fear with - to not just create, but to revel in the life-changing wonder and joy of doing so. It offers a jump-start for the nervous heart of anyone whose desire to create is overruled by fear.It is a book for those people who yearn to write, as well as people who find their creativity gardeners, carpenters, sculptors, jewellery-makers, florists, songwriters, dancers, cooks, painters ... anyone who wants to make something but doesn't because they're afraid. Afraid of feeling vulnerable, of criticism and judgement from others, of not being good enough, of not having enough, of having 'bad' ideas, of being too much.It is for everyone who has ever felt stuck creatively, for those who don't know how to begin, for those who feel they have so much welling up inside and are just trying to find a way into themselves. This book is an openhearted clarion call to experience the joy and freedom of creating.</span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">My Thoughts</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Holly Ringland, author of </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Lost Flowers of Alice Hart</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> and </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Seven Skins of Esther Wilding </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">has penned her first nonfiction book,</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> The House That Joy Built. </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Here Holly details a very personal recount of both the power and pleasure that comes from giving ourselves permission to create. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This is a personal account in some respects, as Holly details her own steps through trauma, grief and even the seemingly simple self doubts surrounding daily living. She balances this with detailed ways of our innate need to create in whatever form that may take for each person. Holly speaks of the inner country of creativity and returning to the things you often loved to do as a child.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">At times raw but also inspiring, Holly encourages readers to take back control of one’s creativity and carve both the time and space for it in this busy world. It is essential to a truly fulfilling life. </span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Truth: at any age, at any time we can decide anew to return to the home of creativity inside ourselves.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Truth: it can be frightening to return.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Truth: the choice to create because we love to do it is ours.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Truth: it’s always fearful. Always joyful.</span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Welcome. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKBoFiqeLlowwq0MQ69E5GcG4YMR0Ot6ah2QyRuOUEWmN0rAQ4d7zXp1i6e0kFxjr_nJrp37PLgIxpkNNMdHn7ReEaE2K4vdOlZEcmvpghEUy8x7SggAOVKZXkTPa-_IX0T-lDXwvzI-l2bfFjNxLpeWRiK6UXIaEqVW7ifBdx8Fl38HniynawPzeDqTQ/s200/RR%20Helen.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="136" data-original-width="200" height="136" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKBoFiqeLlowwq0MQ69E5GcG4YMR0Ot6ah2QyRuOUEWmN0rAQ4d7zXp1i6e0kFxjr_nJrp37PLgIxpkNNMdHn7ReEaE2K4vdOlZEcmvpghEUy8x7SggAOVKZXkTPa-_IX0T-lDXwvzI-l2bfFjNxLpeWRiK6UXIaEqVW7ifBdx8Fl38HniynawPzeDqTQ/s1600/RR%20Helen.png" width="200" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://greatreadsandtealeaves.blogspot.com/" style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic;">Visit Helen @ Great Reads & Tea Leaves</a></div><p></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. The quoted material may have changed in the final release.</span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p>Helenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10799087370126326415noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3102594967020232402.post-48884127661230225382023-11-22T02:31:00.002-05:002023-11-22T02:31:51.071-05:00Review: Love Me Do<p dir="ltr" id="docs-internal-guid-a2c2c91e-f5ec-732b-20a9-71da3ac45f44" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh30EaP8mItoOAzQMSnQvZ9zVOtz2o7myDHmSngIr46OYkVoB2hvvtBEQ_tX_jAqf2x-56IOHUb3uSH2ETc15nShjY9pdRr4t9GdDfecV6dlvpkTf2DNcz1tGM0hM-sOkEn3GqzYPrson6RrFTxWFhDCnNPLh3fKxLh3h-sbsaXfaUIKrwWF3jek0_jiLA/s648/IMG_5601.jpeg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="648" data-original-width="422" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh30EaP8mItoOAzQMSnQvZ9zVOtz2o7myDHmSngIr46OYkVoB2hvvtBEQ_tX_jAqf2x-56IOHUb3uSH2ETc15nShjY9pdRr4t9GdDfecV6dlvpkTf2DNcz1tGM0hM-sOkEn3GqzYPrson6RrFTxWFhDCnNPLh3fKxLh3h-sbsaXfaUIKrwWF3jek0_jiLA/s320/IMG_5601.jpeg" width="208" /></a></div><p dir="ltr" id="docs-internal-guid-a2c2c91e-f5ec-732b-20a9-71da3ac45f44" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Title: </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Love Me Do</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Author: </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Lindsey Kelk</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Publisher: </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">23rd November 2023 by HarperCollins Publishers Australia</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Pages: </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">384 pages</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Genre:</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #172b4d; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Entertainment | General Fiction (Adult) | Romance</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">My Rating: </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">4.5 reviews</span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Synopsis:</span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">She may have given up on love – but she can still play Cupid for somebody else . . .</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Lovelorn Brit Phoebe Chapman has barely set foot in her sister’s house in the Hollywood Hills when she’s swept up by lovable Bel, her sister’s personal trainer, and handsome Ren, the sweet and sensitive carpenter next door.</span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Bel has a head-over-heels crush on Ren but Ren has no idea Bel even exists. Certain that the two of them are meant to be together, Phoebe offers to play matchmaker.</span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Caught up with writing love letters and an unexpected friendship with a reclusive 82-year-old film star, Phoebe finds herself falling for the real Los Angeles – but is that all she’s falling for?</span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">A feelgood, sunshine-filled, friends-to-lovers romcom, Love Me Do is a dreamy summer love story, perfect for fans of Christina Lauren and Emily Henry.</span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">My Thoughts</span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Lindsey Kelk strikes again! This is just plain ol’ romcom at its best! I loved her </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘</span><span style="background-color: #fefdfa; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">On a Night Like This’</span><span style="background-color: #fefdfa; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> and hoped this book would bring the same feelings. Well, I am happy to report I think it does and perhaps even surpasses the ‘LOL’ and life journey moments. I am here for it. I am happy to say that Lindsey is quickly moving to my instant read author list. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘Last time I checked, there wasn’t a regulatory committee that agrees on one single, official definition.’ ‘I think you’ll find there is,’ I scoffed. ‘It’s called the internet and it convenes daily.’</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Phoebe visits her sister in LA for a couple of weeks, trying to keep her mind off her ex and his upcoming wedding. Phoebe is such a relatable character with concerns and anxieties that I am sure many of us can relate to. These may be serious concerns or simply riotous in nature but gosh! It makes for enjoyable reading. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘All words had power; the ones we read, the ones we spoke and the ones we listened to. I understood that now. We had to be careful which ones we let in.’</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I love that it is not all about the romance - there is a lot more to Lindsey’s books I am discovering. This is just as much a journey of self discovery with the romantic element not the main focus. Delightfully this is more about being true to yourself, not changing to please others in an effort to live your best life. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘No one knew what went on behind closed doors. How many other women spent their evenings uploading smiling photos while tears streamed down their faces? How many other women thought putting pictures of the good times out in the world would bring them back around again? Was it manifestation or self-delusion?’</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I loved all the characters in this book whether it be in isolation, as pairs or in a group - quite an accomplishment when you think about it. Shout out to Myrna especially for bringing all the iconic status. Also, this book is a nod to Los Angeles and I loved the inviting descriptions of attractions that were not the natural go-to’s.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘A smile carved faint lines around his mouth. ‘LA is whatever you want it to be,’ he replied. ‘You get out what you put in. Most people don’t see what you saw, they stick to the shiny surface, but if you dig a little deeper that’s where the good stuff is.’</span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Love Me Do</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> is pure escapist fun - light and bright. A delightful story that will make you laugh, it will make you cry (in laughter more than likely) and it will take you on an amazing journey with fun characters to visit parts of LA that were really enjoyable. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvqzmUpmNeeoh4q_v2WjdJFFrqYhSxP72mFj91-i1F1CFSBReUsMHqfhsiKv0qPQ80mcyExhWFSid4hu6mZTrFnEHSN91kA5V_PZbnoBXh1Sg_tO3Dsqhcq9zT5gYRvjMVIur6_IXMc4OaD3FIiImAcRNg1eflFEy3FZi2Hctr3cwY3Tq1sHVt-KB286Y/s200/RR%20Helen.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="136" data-original-width="200" height="136" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvqzmUpmNeeoh4q_v2WjdJFFrqYhSxP72mFj91-i1F1CFSBReUsMHqfhsiKv0qPQ80mcyExhWFSid4hu6mZTrFnEHSN91kA5V_PZbnoBXh1Sg_tO3Dsqhcq9zT5gYRvjMVIur6_IXMc4OaD3FIiImAcRNg1eflFEy3FZi2Hctr3cwY3Tq1sHVt-KB286Y/s1600/RR%20Helen.png" width="200" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://greatreadsandtealeaves.blogspot.com/" style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt;">Visit Helen @ Great Reads & Tea Leaves</a></div><p></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><br /></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. The quoted material may have changed in the final release.</span></p>Helenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10799087370126326415noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3102594967020232402.post-84253419356327837812023-11-21T02:03:00.002-05:002023-11-21T02:04:14.701-05:00Review: Code Name Butterfly<p dir="ltr" id="docs-internal-guid-d43c412b-f0ad-feb3-8cb7-77159c11ff3e" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFcAbgxlRUirXxQg3UGADG7uB4fE6KAr-HhgBFvWzbjeZjKeekOeH7-1TM5E-HBz0XrTrgD3JZFtbsoeZzD2z8GIM5vzjJVtatof-TfxuZwmVDTOdUNKz0Q0LyAfCcX4kVUEayYCrZ-F8w3cHtI2aHUDtgRU6ZbLUIDU97zJ-Qg8lQCyO__Nvc2ZaxTGI/s500/IMG_1196.jpeg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="326" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFcAbgxlRUirXxQg3UGADG7uB4fE6KAr-HhgBFvWzbjeZjKeekOeH7-1TM5E-HBz0XrTrgD3JZFtbsoeZzD2z8GIM5vzjJVtatof-TfxuZwmVDTOdUNKz0Q0LyAfCcX4kVUEayYCrZ-F8w3cHtI2aHUDtgRU6ZbLUIDU97zJ-Qg8lQCyO__Nvc2ZaxTGI/s320/IMG_1196.jpeg" width="209" /></a></div><p dir="ltr" id="docs-internal-guid-d43c412b-f0ad-feb3-8cb7-77159c11ff3e" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Title: </span><span style="color: #1e1915; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Code Name Butterfly</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Author: </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Embassie Susberry</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Publisher: </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">9th November 2023 by Avon Books UK</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Pages: </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">432 pages</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Genre:</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> General Fiction (Adult) | Historical Fiction</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rating: </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">4 crowns</span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Synopsis:</span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Inspired by the incredible true story of Josephine Baker in the French Resistance, this is a heart-wrenching, unforgettable tale of the strength of the human spirit in the darkest days of World War II.</span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Paris, 1941. Journalist Elodie Mitchell has found bohemian Paris a huge culture a shock compared to her hometown of Chicago – but she loves the new-found freedom she's felt walking its streets. That is until the threat of Nazi occupation starts to loom larger by the day.</span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">After a mysterious man invites her to a Josephine Baker show, Elodie is perplexed but dazzled by the decadence of the performance. But when Elodie is mistaken for Josephine and whisked backstage, she realises that the star's glamorous shows have been hiding a darker, far more important movement than anyone could have possibly imagined.</span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">As Elodie gets embroiled in a whisper network of spies working to resist the occupation of France, she is given an assignment to go undercover as Josephine's cousin. Her mission? To gather crucial information that will protect not only the country she now calls home, but all the people within it who she has grown to love so dearly – and getting caught is not an option.</span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">A heart-breaking wartime epic of love, bravery, survival and one woman’s stand against prejudice in all its forms.</span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">My Thoughts</span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 2pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Code Name Butterfly </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">is a </span><span style="background-color: #fefdfa; color: #1e1915; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">historical fiction set in France at the beginning of World War II. Although the story begins and ends in present time with Elodie’s descendants, it is for the most part concerned with the WWII period. </span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 2pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: #fefdfa; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“… if you do the things you were placed on this earth to do, you will die, knowing that you lived.”</span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 2pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Elodie Mitchell is an American student and journalist living in Paris who is invited to see fellow American entertainer, Josephine Baker. Elodie, unwittingly, has been sought after to join a secret intelligence group that revolves around the social events Josephine gains access to. I was unfamiliar with Josephine Baker and enjoyed learning both the fictional and actual fame that surrounded her. Both Josephine and the fictional Elodie were strong female characters staying true to their ethos and philosophy. </span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 2pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: #fefdfa; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“I’m still trying to figure that out but it came down to doing something I can be proud of when I look back on my life.”</span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 2pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The story is rich in research and I appreciated this fresh lens of African Americans with the author seemingly accurately capturing what life would have been like at this time. The story does move somewhat slowly with drama not really unfolding until the latter pages and then things happen rather quickly. However, there are so many interesting layers to this book from the resistance movement, to life at this time seen through different cultures, to a little bit of romance. I also appreciated both the realism and overarching life themes presented throughout. </span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 2pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: #fefdfa; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“I believe what you put into the world is what you get out of it. I put a lot of goodness and light into those around me. I want to make this world a better place.”</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 2pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: #fefdfa; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 2pt; text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn6IIs7RXih-RwJ7O5N9QCH7VpapxeN0MjdVmT2LSTFFe2yV1OC76F4kjZOMT0iX0_bDap9Zjr_gtbjKDHaPSBbfSSz3W1CS4o5LOsR6LQ9gweEDOElRHuwWnybU2Kvt7NO1rjaswraBHZcrAzkkfoQW7yDrRLjFFHq8aPRKNx0v6UBP35L5wcCjyhGOQ/s200/RR%20Helen.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="136" data-original-width="200" height="136" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn6IIs7RXih-RwJ7O5N9QCH7VpapxeN0MjdVmT2LSTFFe2yV1OC76F4kjZOMT0iX0_bDap9Zjr_gtbjKDHaPSBbfSSz3W1CS4o5LOsR6LQ9gweEDOElRHuwWnybU2Kvt7NO1rjaswraBHZcrAzkkfoQW7yDrRLjFFHq8aPRKNx0v6UBP35L5wcCjyhGOQ/s1600/RR%20Helen.png" width="200" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://greatreadsandtealeaves.blogspot.com/" style="background-color: #fefdfa; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic;">Visit Helen @ Great Reads & Tea Leaves</a></div><p></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. The quoted material may have changed in the final release.</span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" />Helenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10799087370126326415noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3102594967020232402.post-74285228210917479392023-11-07T02:38:00.002-05:002023-11-07T02:39:11.835-05:00Review: The Talented Mrs Greenway<p dir="ltr" id="docs-internal-guid-5f3077b7-a8b5-577e-9d5b-40b200d8da4e" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsjz9MGaIKpm98-pWJyx_BYIIePip2bL787GHaDw5pPxmhmdWHIGb_kfbmKRfWXXA8Qij44H98EBlVq8Bij6XMHzEtnrCM9P2LnXj7ilCXwFyW0VUlw28fABiUI6iIapxFhSTQn96R3cJjfPX9uyX6nYnCdqX7Io8sxIYbGV94s8dFBA7ibXGc64CPk3A/s648/IMG_1193.jpeg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="648" data-original-width="424" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsjz9MGaIKpm98-pWJyx_BYIIePip2bL787GHaDw5pPxmhmdWHIGb_kfbmKRfWXXA8Qij44H98EBlVq8Bij6XMHzEtnrCM9P2LnXj7ilCXwFyW0VUlw28fABiUI6iIapxFhSTQn96R3cJjfPX9uyX6nYnCdqX7Io8sxIYbGV94s8dFBA7ibXGc64CPk3A/s320/IMG_1193.jpeg" width="209" /></a></div><p dir="ltr" id="docs-internal-guid-5f3077b7-a8b5-577e-9d5b-40b200d8da4e" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Title: </span><span style="color: #1e1915; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Talented Mrs Greenway</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Author: </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Tea Cooper</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Publisher: </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">1st November 2023 by Harlequin Australia, HQ & MIRA</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Pages: </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">350 pages</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Genre:</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> historical fiction </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rating: </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">4.5 crowns</span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Synopsis:</span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">From a bestselling Australian author, this compellingly realised novel brings to life the story of an enigmatic figure, wife to feted colonial architect Francis Greenway, and asks, whose hand really shaped Sydney? Who is the talented Mrs Greenway?</span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">1814 Sydney When Mary Greenway, freshly arrived from the old country, steps into the maelstrom of Sydney Town with three children at her skirts, she has high hopes of a new beginning, despite having little money and a husband in irons. After all, the sudden death of her sadistic first husband has meant freedom from her gilded cage and Francis Greenway is an architect of some promise, under the protection of Admiral Phillip himself. Mary herself is a woman of great resources and an even greater creative passion, a passion that will surely burn through anything that the filthy, burgeoning, vitality of colonial Sydney can throw at her. Soon ensconced in a tiny cottage in George Street, Mary sets about moulding a life for her family from the unpromising clay of this new colony, with a determination fired in equal parts by guilt for her disastrous past action that nearly brought ruin to them all and desire to see her true calling realised. When she is befriended by Elizabeth Macquarie it seems that fate is smiling on them with the promise of a better life in her grasp. But fate is a difficult mistress and with past secrets to keep, and current betrayals on the brink of discovery, the stakes are higher than ever. With Mary's grip on this new life slipping, will her past lies come back to haunt her?</span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">My Thoughts</span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Tea Cooper has delivered once again! Just like in her </span><span style="background-color: #fefdfa; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">previous works, Tea’s latest offering, </span><span style="background-color: #fefdfa; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Talented Mrs Greenway</span><span style="background-color: #fefdfa; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, is yet another engaging and masterfully crafted story. Not only does </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Tea’s latest tale provide a truly engaging story about the early days of colonial Sydney but also she melds fact and fiction to present yet another strong female character from history. </span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 2pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘Is there any way I can help?’ </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 2pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘You? How can you help? I am the government architect.’ </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 2pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘And I am the architect’s wife.’</span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Tea is to be congratulated for presenting such a rich and comprehensive tale. The settings both in England and Australia are authentic, particularly with the incorporation of real life events such as those occurring during Governor </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Macquarie’s leadership.</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> It is the everyday cultural feel of everything from the early days of George Street, to unmade roads, to the humid heat of a Sydney summer - Tea effortlessly includes the reader seamlessly into her riveting tale.</span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 2pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘… her name may never be recorded but nothing, nothing could take away this moment, the sense of achievement and pride coursing through her.’</span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">What is truly special here is how little Tea had to go on. Yes, this is a thoroughly researched tale of Sydney’s early days, however, of Mary Greenway herself, Tea had little to go on. To so cleverly reimagine how events could have played out was a masterstroke! I knew of Francis Greenway (loved the eccentric take on this man) and his role as architect in many of the early constructed buildings. So, how imaginative and brave to take a few facts and turn it around into a completely believable tale, weaving fiction and fact together, to present the woman behind the man. Well done Tea!</span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 2pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘We may not be able to publicly admit your role but it should be acknowledged between ourselves. My talented wife - what would I do without you?’</span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">From strong protagonists, to family and social drama , to taking in the early days of colonial Sydney - I can highly recommend the tale that is, </span><span style="background-color: #fefdfa; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Talented Mrs Greenway.</span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 2pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘Perhaps in one hundred years’ time she too would be remembered.’</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 2pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 2pt; text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiQq_voEfpESVhl_M74U-UmBo7tnDHtHVMZNfD3beR_jG5k1Lg7YzPKzhGfmG6hVwzvYYXpnElE5h15DuT4ZKb1nhYeOJ0NcXdSU_FxyrIqsFlJDSiq4qiKS-rHqHtJDxxEbrlzb4Yrprz_Guf0rZBPoGT1cJGRqO_gTtR8MSpow21A5hhMhjpwDHnKj8/s200/RR%20Helen.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="136" data-original-width="200" height="136" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiQq_voEfpESVhl_M74U-UmBo7tnDHtHVMZNfD3beR_jG5k1Lg7YzPKzhGfmG6hVwzvYYXpnElE5h15DuT4ZKb1nhYeOJ0NcXdSU_FxyrIqsFlJDSiq4qiKS-rHqHtJDxxEbrlzb4Yrprz_Guf0rZBPoGT1cJGRqO_gTtR8MSpow21A5hhMhjpwDHnKj8/s1600/RR%20Helen.png" width="200" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://greatreadsandtealeaves.blogspot.com/" style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic;">Visit Helen @ Great Reads & Tea Leaves</a></div><p></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. The quoted material may have changed in the final release.</span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p>Helenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10799087370126326415noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3102594967020232402.post-67545015067709394652023-11-01T03:16:00.002-04:002023-11-01T03:16:54.667-04:00Review: A Woman of Courage<p dir="ltr" id="docs-internal-guid-88904dbe-89ba-8eb3-aed4-1ea300152b71" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1H7qE0Lq4iJoWWBo8-bLyJMKt4H7t_0a67Azk5rRXjh7rOBb6OhBShGiLCsAUE1TMhqhsBmD118QzY7F4-HDuwIT1nJtKSMYGyhN6CHEixReurcg9jug12Z18uXANus1-Yw45161Jk_lKw73SKuQIQLcK7Qf00nfv3QncSGNN9RgOCtTzLWnwKt7DUN4/s648/IMG_1179.jpeg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="648" data-original-width="424" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1H7qE0Lq4iJoWWBo8-bLyJMKt4H7t_0a67Azk5rRXjh7rOBb6OhBShGiLCsAUE1TMhqhsBmD118QzY7F4-HDuwIT1nJtKSMYGyhN6CHEixReurcg9jug12Z18uXANus1-Yw45161Jk_lKw73SKuQIQLcK7Qf00nfv3QncSGNN9RgOCtTzLWnwKt7DUN4/s320/IMG_1179.jpeg" width="209" /></a></div><p dir="ltr" id="docs-internal-guid-88904dbe-89ba-8eb3-aed4-1ea300152b71" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" id="docs-internal-guid-88904dbe-89ba-8eb3-aed4-1ea300152b71" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Title: </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">A Woman of Courage</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Author: </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Tania Blanchard</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Publisher: </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">1st November 2023 by HarperCollins Publishers Australia</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Pages: </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">448 pages</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Genre:</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> General Fiction (Adult) | Historical Fiction | Romance</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">My Rating: </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">4 crowns</span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Synopsis:</span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">A gripping, moving story of love, tenacity and the right to be heard by bestseller Tania Blanchard, inspired by a true story</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">1890, Northern England. Hannah Todd dreams of a future where women have the right to vote. Fresh from her teaching studies in Durham, the university city, she joins her parents in a rural village, brimming with newly found passion and the groundswell towards women's suffrage unfolding in London. Working tirelessly to help women and children in the county, Hannah is determined to make the fight for the vote her life's work, adding her voice to the rising chorus across the nation and hopes of a new world and a new way of thinking. </span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">But soon she must fight a new, unexpected battle - that of the yearning of her own heart - and discovers that when power is threatened, darkness, brutality and dangerous, closely guarded secrets are never too far from the surface. How far can she go to fight for what's right? </span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">From the exciting, progressive hive of London to the traditional villages of the rural north, A Woman of Courage rings with the strength and struggles of women at time of momentous change ... and the choices one woman must make to help forge a new future. </span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">My Thoughts</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘The world was changing fast as we crept toward the new century and we were immersed in new modern ideas and opportunities. I for one was determined to evolve to live the life I wanted.’</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">A Woman of Courage</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> is the fifth novel by Aussie author Tania Blanchard and I was excited to read it as I have very much enjoyed her previous offerings. This is such a well researched tale of the fight for the right to vote. Set in such a different era from her previous works, Tania makes it so personable that the reader cannot help but become immersed in what life must have been like for women during this period. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘Is this suffrage talk?’ ‘Don’t, Mama!’ I said sharply. She just didn’t understand that I wanted a different life, a life where I could choose how I lived it.’</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Set in northern England in the 1890s, the reader follows Hannah’s struggles between her dreams and her family’s wishes. The 1890s is a period of social change in England with women asking questions and wanting more from their life - more freedom to choose its direction. Whether that be to marry or not, or whether to have children or not, or how to remove oneself from dangerous situations. Tania also touches on social changes in light of vaccinations, mental illness and things as basic to us as education for both the young and older generations. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘I was part of a new generation who wanted to be at the forefront of change.’</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The story moves in a different direction from Tania’s previous novels, on this occasion she is said to be inspired by her husband’s family stories. Once more she does another sensational job of melding fact and fiction. As in her previous works, Tania blends the events of the rights of women beautifully with a story bringing real heart and soul to a momentous period in history for women. With themes of family and ambition, dreams and heartbreak, I recommend lovers of historical fiction to take this journey with all the drama that this period brings with it. Looks like Hannah will get another opportunity to pursue the rights of women with Tania alluding to a follow up book in 2024 where Hannah’s passionate journey to achieve the vote for women will continue.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“… remember why you’re doing this. Not just for your own sanity and sense of self but for Annie. We’re doing this for the future of our daughters. One day they’ll understand and be proud of what we’ve done, no matter how difficult it might have been for us.”</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYAZvP7HUQGFmlmZr5qms8T6AzMsJ0SFY7XrKvg6VUDL62pli3CAi_sxiPuYXi5fxsWbwus2oib6ysYilNjfGyl-lt0nsGihafLbDIUvb6fWvhN5YOXn1gzLAbGFQCvzzQbxkGlKVlZNhIoMtDyYlIRLgfMrLuDL9FveeeQKIHJQnZ5pJmTRupRnFdGto/s200/RR%20Helen.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="136" data-original-width="200" height="136" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYAZvP7HUQGFmlmZr5qms8T6AzMsJ0SFY7XrKvg6VUDL62pli3CAi_sxiPuYXi5fxsWbwus2oib6ysYilNjfGyl-lt0nsGihafLbDIUvb6fWvhN5YOXn1gzLAbGFQCvzzQbxkGlKVlZNhIoMtDyYlIRLgfMrLuDL9FveeeQKIHJQnZ5pJmTRupRnFdGto/s1600/RR%20Helen.png" width="200" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://greatreadsandtealeaves.blogspot.com.au/" style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic;">Visit Helen @ Great Reads & Tea Leaves</a></div><p></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. The quoted material may have changed in the final release.</span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" />Helenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10799087370126326415noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3102594967020232402.post-15468286782138686002023-10-31T03:10:00.001-04:002023-10-31T03:10:25.915-04:00Review: Mrs Winterbottom Takes a Gap Year<p dir="ltr" id="docs-internal-guid-d0909983-848e-8c9d-7be8-bbc1bf299aa8" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGysX6og7EmgQvfHErP35XjG6smUgWYxgQe8Gdyl9SMm5xRPfOgMqQ9zNZ_0_y406iSbSO5O057cct_EvsmDT2lwnAYDkc2ZDL3La7yaoA1X-P_zHczD2oyUh-S-u2zXUoWqQmQuoY10qGzziNIC54RDTBEXxaFiMZoQJ5JQbZpqutD8UiWazsABYzgAA/s2763/IMG_0260.jpeg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2763" data-original-width="1803" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGysX6og7EmgQvfHErP35XjG6smUgWYxgQe8Gdyl9SMm5xRPfOgMqQ9zNZ_0_y406iSbSO5O057cct_EvsmDT2lwnAYDkc2ZDL3La7yaoA1X-P_zHczD2oyUh-S-u2zXUoWqQmQuoY10qGzziNIC54RDTBEXxaFiMZoQJ5JQbZpqutD8UiWazsABYzgAA/s320/IMG_0260.jpeg" width="209" /></a></div><p dir="ltr" id="docs-internal-guid-d0909983-848e-8c9d-7be8-bbc1bf299aa8" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" id="docs-internal-guid-d0909983-848e-8c9d-7be8-bbc1bf299aa8" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Title: </span><span style="color: #1e1915; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mrs Winterbottom Takes a Gap Year</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Author: </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Joanna Nell</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Publisher: </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">1st November 2023 by Hachette Australia & New Zealand</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Pages: </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">352 pages</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Genre:</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> women’s fiction, contemporary</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rating: </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">4 crowns</span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Synopsis:</span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">It's never too late for the adventure of a lifetime . . .</span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Heather Winterbottom has worked side by side with her husband as GPs in their idyllic rural practice for over forty years. But as the time comes to hang up their stethoscopes, the Winterbottoms discover that they have rather different visions of retirement . . .</span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Heather dreams of exploring the Greek Islands, of escaping the shackles of her routine life and embracing an exciting new adventure. Alan dreams of growing his own vegetables.</span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">When things come to a head at a family lunch, Heather announces that she has decided to take a year off. From her old life, from her marriage - from Alan. Alone in beautiful Greece, Heather embarks on her very own odyssey - complete with peak experiences, pitfalls and temptations. But what if coming home is the biggest adventure yet?</span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">My Thoughts</span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 2pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘What had happened to Heather Wilson, that young woman who’d been so full of dreams and plans? Heather wondered if she’d even recognise her if she passed her in the street … it was time to find another way to define herself, to find out who else she could be.’</span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="color: #1e1915; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mrs Winterbottom Takes a Gap Year </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">is the fifth novel by best-selling Australian author, Joanna Nell. Having read all Joanna’s novels, I continue to be impressed and grateful for the light she shines on this age bracket. She achieves a wonderful balance between whimsical and poignant as I turn each page, savouring every word of wisdom and humour all rolled poetically into one.</span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 2pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘For the next twelve months she was going to put herself first. If that made her selfish, then so be it. She’d waited long enough.’</span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">When Heather and her husband Alan - who have been married for over forty years - both retire from their local medical practice, they discover their dreams of retirement are very different. Alan is happy pottering in his garden, however, Heather dreams of so much more. This only scratches the surface of the many issues placed under the spotlight in this book - everything from the evolution of a long term marriage, to what entering the latter stages of life look like, family dramas, life adventures and how to build a meaningful life post retirement. </span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 2pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘They’d become co-administrators of their marriage rather than enthusiastic participants; housemates who shared the same bed.’</span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This is a great story with shades of </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Shirley Valentine</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> and full of Joanna’s usual heart and humour. It’s a tale of relationships - family and friends - learning to make the most of one’s life and staying true when listening to your heart. Have courage and make the most of these few precious years we have on this earth. I must also note Joanna’s nod to Homer’s, </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Odyssey</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> - wonderful. </span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 2pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘Part of her wanted to believe the epic poet was a woman, that women could have their own odysseys, and that however long the journey, however many adventures they had on the way, they would always find their way home.’</span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 2pt;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Once more I applaud Joanna for the spotlight she continues to shine on this age group. If you have not ever read one of Joanna’s books I encourage you to do so - the knowledge and expert understanding she brings keeps the stories surrounding this age bracket relevant and purposeful. Growing old may be a harsh reality, but it does not have to be at the expense of purposeful living. </span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 2pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘What is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?’</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 2pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 2pt; text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq4Pfcc3hiAQ6zCCzrmEMAvTJ-0RzrElGzvL7slKtprqfObi-YQLXyhwqFnhlbo5TdYMwFkzg26q3cCQuFU3k3SYfmgWkbVBYNQwjsZBXXMRkj2Zh96YCKi7MquB1dsmt_x3RBKGibGglP8FirBQOsZh52MWJ9tLL4-uGsBylF7y0y10vIzRyicLz703M/s200/RR%20Helen.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="136" data-original-width="200" height="136" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq4Pfcc3hiAQ6zCCzrmEMAvTJ-0RzrElGzvL7slKtprqfObi-YQLXyhwqFnhlbo5TdYMwFkzg26q3cCQuFU3k3SYfmgWkbVBYNQwjsZBXXMRkj2Zh96YCKi7MquB1dsmt_x3RBKGibGglP8FirBQOsZh52MWJ9tLL4-uGsBylF7y0y10vIzRyicLz703M/s1600/RR%20Helen.png" width="200" /></a></div><br /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="http://greatreadsandtealeaves.blogspot.com.au/">Visit Helen @ Great Reads & Tea Leaves</a><br /></span><p></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. The quoted material may have changed in the final release.</span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p>Helenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10799087370126326415noreply@blogger.com0