Spotlight on Intomesee: In Pursuit of a Passionate Life by Maha Erwin

Publisher: Maha Erwin
Pub. Date: June 29th, 2016
Pages: 257

Genre: Women's Fiction / Chick Lit


What if you brought bad karma into the bedroom? To turn your awful luck into awesome, everything must change, including you, your lover and your habits.

Aimée Fitzgerald is naturally blessed with the unique combination of beauty and brains but, much to her chagrin, she’s cursed with being single and unlucky in love. Experiencing many failed relationships, her New Year’s resolution is to rejoice in her singlehood. She pushes well past her comfort zone in the heart of San Francisco, the birthplace of free love.

When she lures a supremely narcissistic colleague to her Victorian “pink lady” home, expecting no more than a few hours of guiltless fun, their binge-crazed one-nighter takes a turn for the worse. Haunted by the bleak aftermath, she drowns her sorrows in a lethal cocktail of quick fixes.

On a mission to lift her spirits, her lifelong friend, Kasey Moore, escorts Aimée to an extravagant launch party promoting the libido-enhancing drug Intomesee. She falls madly in lust with the gutsy and charming host, Salvatore Rossi, whom goes by the name Matador. He isn’t exactly the poster boy of fidelity, but his zest for la dolce vita offsets his blatant disregard for the unspoken rules of dating. No stranger to the pleasure principle, Matador introduces Aimée to alternative expressions of intimacy, all the while painting her gloomy life passionately red.

Will Matador break down Aimée’s guard, curing her fears of rejection and betrayal? Or will she tumble deeper into her existential crisis? If she snubs his advances, she might follow in her mother’s footsteps, trapped in a sex-starved marriage, feeling underappreciated and overwhelmed. Did she overlook any other options to reclaim her autonomy and dignity? The answers lie within a liberating journey, which demands all her imagination, resourcefulness, and trickery.

Praise for Intomesee

"Intomesee is true to the old-time raunchy spirit of San Francisco, neither predictable nor puritanical. The humor is totally one-of-a-kind Maha-Erwin – quirky, offbeat, and satirical. You will be hooked! And you will be laughing… hard! The characters are so real and likable, reading it I kept feeling as if I could find them sitting around my local café. Aimee is not your mother’s strong female protagonist. ; ) She’s real, flawed, colorful, and has a heart of gold. I think this book teaches perseverance, sassiness, and above all, to be true to your heart. And it will no doubt jump-start more than a few marriages! Every young woman has a bit of Aimee in her, and many navigate their romance path along a zigzag past one or two Matadors. You find yourself rooting for Aimee all the way through. And frequently doubled over crying from laughing." – Amazon Reviewer

"If you’re looking for a different kind of chick lit, look no further. Aimee has a unique balance of emotional grit, common sense, and foolishness uncommon among the main characters of the genre. The layered storylines are unpredictable but keep you thinking about your own life, the mistakes you’ve made along the way, and how you pushed through to change the circumstances you willfully created." – Goodreads Reviewer

Buy the Book

Amazon

About the Authors

Maha Erwin are wife and husband writers. Born travelers possessed by wanderlust, they met during a two-month safari from Cape Town to Nairobi in 2010. Friends and strangers alike encouraged them to write the story of how they fell in love, but only years later did they dream up a somewhat romanticized version of their coming together, immersing themselves into the magical world of

fiction. Producers and directors at the 2013 American Film Market were raving about their indie film script but expressed serious words of warning: without attaching a bestselling novel, financing it would be impossible. Maha Erwin accepted the challenge and morphed into aspiring novelists. While gallivanting around the globe, the seeds of creative stories continued to grow, blossoming into deliciously funny flowers. By 2016, the page count of their chick lit series exploded sevenfold from the original 120-page screenplay. Much of their inspiration is derived from the quirky and unforgettable moments they experienced during their extended stays in wild Amsterdam, exotic Bangkok, civilized Belgrade, beautiful Cape Town, tropical Miami, bustling New York City, luxurious Punta del Este, cultural Rome, stylish San Francisco, jungle-covered Siam Reap, culinary Sicily, beachy Split, and spiritual Ubud. Next year, they will host intensive writers’ retreats in the Czech Republic - to pluck aspiring writers out of their world full of distractions, and to immerse them into a little bubble, floating around forested trails, tranquil lake shores, and sunny terraces.

Learn more about Maha Erwin on their website, and connect with them on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Goodreads. You can also get a taste of their travels in the video below:

Review: The Perfect Neighbors by Sarah Pekkanen

Publisher: Washington Square Press
Pub. Date: July 5th, 2016
Pages: 352


How well do you ever really know the family next door?


Bucolic Newport Cove, where spontaneous block parties occur on balmy nights and all of the streets are named for flowers, is proud of its distinction of being named one the top twenty safest neighborhoods in the US. It’s also one of the most secret-filled.

Kellie Scott has just returned to work after a decade of being a stay-at-home mom. She’s adjusting to high heels, scrambling to cook dinner for her family after a day at the office—and soaking in the dangerous attention of a very handsome, very married male colleague. Kellie’s neighbor Susan Barrett begins every day with fresh resolutions: she won’t eat any carbs, she’ll go to bed at a reasonable hour, and she’ll stop stalking her ex-husband and his new girlfriend. Gigi Kennedy seems to have it all together—except her teenage daughter has turned into a hostile stranger and her husband is running for Congress, which means her old skeletons are in danger of being brought into the light.

Then a new family moves to this quiet, tree-lined cul-de-sac. Tessa Campbell seems friendly enough to the other mothers, if a bit reserved. Then the neighbors notice that no one is ever invited to Tessa’s house. And soon, it becomes clear that Tessa is hiding the biggest secret of all.

What Did I Think About the Story?

I became a lifelong fan of Sarah Pekkanen after reading her first novel, The Opposite of Me, and have since gotten every book she's written when it comes out (you can read my reviews of most of them here: The Best of Us, These Girls, All is Bright, Love, Accidentally, Beginning Again). Any fan will tell you that Sarah has an astounding ability to really make you feel for her characters, and to present stories filled with both humor and heartache in a style all her own. I haven't read a story by her yet that I didn't love, including her newest The Perfect Neighbors.

The overriding feeling I kept going back to as I read The Perfect Neighbors was the fact that these women and their neighbors felt more real than a lot of my own neighbors do! I could completely picture myself grabbing a drink with Kellie, Susan, Gigi, and Tessa as we talked about what was going on in our lives (or most of it) and laughed at the curmudgeonly old neighbor to one side and the gossipy busybody to the other. It got to the point that I found myself wanting to reach in and shake them when I saw them going down a dangerous path or hug them when they hurt. I absolutely loved these women and was able to find something of myself, even if just a little, in each one and the struggles they individually tried to work through.   

I'm still not sure how Sarah Pekkanen does it, but she took me once again on an emotional rollercoaster that had me laughing one minute and  sniffling the next. Not only do these women make you laugh at times (especially Kelly and Gigi), but most chapters begin with these quick Listserv email strands from various neighbors that I found so funny...and so like something I would be reading if we had that service in my neighborhood! But interspersed with the comical parts of this story are some pretty heavy subject matters, all dealt with in very real and tender ways. Across the story we see these women grapple with insecurities, infidelities, and a wide range of concerns for their children, from the normal issues that come as children grow to possible abuse. Any parent will get a little hitch in their heart as these women and their husbands try to do everything they can for their families, sometimes with unexpected consequences, both good and very, very bad.

It's probably time for me to stop fangirling over this novel and its wonderful author, but I know I won't be able to forget about these women for a while (maybe we can see them show back up in a short story? Huh? Please?!). If you haven't already, pick up Sarah Pekkanen's novels. I cherish each one I've read.

What Did I Think About the Cover?

I really like it. First off, pink happens to be my favorite color, so that combined with the vibrant green makes it eye-catching to me. Secondly, since the story is about what is really going on behind these neighbors' closed doors, the idea of someone peeking into that secrecy is fitting (although that doesn't actually happen in the story and I can't imagine our women being that sneaky). Finally (and something that means a lot to my whacky sometimes-OCD brain), the fact that all the covers of Sarah's books compliment each other and look good together on my shelves is a plus.


My Rating: 5.0/5.0

I won a paperback copy of The Perfect Neighbors (thank you Kathy Nolan and Sarah Pekkanen!) All opinions expressed in my review are my honest and unbiased opinions.

 

 

You can find more information and reviews of the book, as well as information regarding where to purchase a copy, on Goodreads.

 

 



Spotlight on Time and Regret by M.K. Tod + Tour-wide Giveaway!!

Release Date: August 16, 2016
Lake Union Publishing
eBook & Paperback; 366 Pages

Genre: Historical Fiction


Read an Excerpt


When Grace Hansen finds a box belonging to her beloved grandfather, she has no idea it holds the key to his past—and to long-buried family secrets. In the box are his World War I diaries and a cryptic note addressed to her. Determined to solve her grandfather’s puzzle, Grace follows his diary entries across towns and battle sites in northern France, where she becomes increasingly drawn to a charming French man—and suddenly aware that someone is following her…

Through her grandfather’s vivid writing and Grace’s own travels, a picture emerges of a man very unlike the one who raised her: one who watched countless friends and loved ones die horrifically in battle; one who lived a life of regret. But her grandfather wasn’t the only one harboring secrets, and the more Grace learns about her family, the less she thinks she can trust them.

Praise for Time and Regret

“With fluid prose and a keen eye for detail, M.K. Tod takes readers on a decades-spanning journey of wartime loss, family secrets, and, ultimately, redemption.” – Holly Smith, Managing Editor, Washington Independent Review of Books

“Spiced with mystery and a spark of romance, TIME AND REGRET is an immersive journey into one man’s brave but terrifying slog through the killing fields of France and Flanders during WWI. Tod’s prose brims with exquisite atmospheric detail, drawing the reader into an unforgettable story.” – Juliet Grey: author of the acclaimed Marie Antoinette trilogy

“Time and Regret, equally captivating and suspenseful, presents well-drawn characters who strive to resolve past mysteries and overcome present obstacles. M.K. Tod is an impressively gifted storyteller who creates relatable conflicts and believable dangers. Highly recommended!” – Bestselling author Margaret Porter

“Hugely satisfying – impossible to put down.” – Elizabeth St. John author of The Lady of the Tower
“Time and Regret is something as rare as a treasure hunt with heart. Between the gritty trenches of World War I, the romantic allure of present-day France, and the cut-throat New York arts scene, M.K. Tod has spun a gripping family drama that delves deeply into the effects of war on the human soul and takes us on an intriguing journey of self-discovery. It is a book rich in hard-won wisdom and crucial historical insights, and Tod’s perceptive voice leads us unfaltering through some of the darkest chapters in human history to a very satisfying conclusion.” – Anne Fortier author of The Lost Sisterhood

Buy the Book

 

Amazon US | Amazon UK | Amazon CAN | Barnes & Noble | IndieBound

 

 

About the Author

 

 

Time and Regret is M.K. Tod’s third novel. She began writing in 2005 while living as an expat in Hong Kong. What started as an interest in her grandparents’ lives turned into a full-time occupation

writing historical fiction. Her novel Unravelled was awarded Indie Editor’s Choice by the Historical Novel Society. In addition to writing historical novels, she blogs about reading and writing historical fiction on www.awriterofhistory.com, reviews books for the Historical Novel Society and the Washington Independent Review of Books, and has conducted three highly respected reader surveys. She lives in Toronto, Canada, with her husband and is the mother of two adult children.

For more information visit M.K. Tod’s website. You can also find her on Facebook, Twitter, and Goodreads.

It's Giveaway Time!!!

 

 

To enter to win a paperback copy of Time and Regret by M.K Tod please see the GLEAM form HERE. Two copies are up for grabs!

 

Rules

 

Giveaway ends at 11:59pm EST on August 31st. You must be 18 or older to enter.

 

Giveaway is open to US residents only.

 

Only one entry per household.

 

All giveaway entrants agree to be honest and not cheat the systems; any suspect of fraud is decided upon by blog/site owner and the sponsor, and entrants may be disqualified at our discretion.

 

Winner has 48 hours to claim prize or new winner is chosen.

 

 

Good Luck!!

 

 

Time and Regret Blog Tour Schedule

 

 

Tuesday, August 16

Review at Diana’s Book Reviews
Spotlight at Passages to the Past

Wednesday, August 17

Guest Post at The Silver Dagger Scriptorium

Thursday, August 18

Review at Creating Herstory
Review at Flashlight Commentary

Friday, August 19

Spotlight at What Is That Book About
Interview at Flashlight Commentary

Monday, August 22

Review at A Chick Who Reads
Review at Curling up by the Fire

Tuesday, August 23

Review at The Book Return

Wednesday, August 24

Spotlight at Broken Teepee

Thursday, August 25

Interview at Let Them Read Books

Friday, August 26

Review at A Bookaholic Swede
Review at Dianne Ascroft Blog (Author)

Sunday, August 28

Review at Carole’s Ramblings

Monday, August 29

Spotlight at A Literary Vacation

Tuesday, August 30

Review at Bookramblings
Guest Post at The Gadoury Dreamer

Wednesday, August 31

Review at History From a Woman’s Perspective

 

 

 



The Tip of My Wish List: Novels Set During WWI

To change things up this year, I've decided to do a monthly post on 5 books from my insane wish list that I am most excited about getting to. Some might be new, some old and some out of print...my wish list has it all! I'll pick a theme each month and share my wish list post on the last Friday of the month. I know a number of excellent reviewers who will be doing similar posts and I'll be sure to link to their posts as well so you can see all the goodies we're excited about and, hopefully, add a few new book to your own wish list.


For August I'm going with books that take place during WWI. I've read more about WWII but am finding myself drawn more and more towards this first Word War that seemed to change the landscape of the world and war forever.

  I'll link the titles to Goodreads where you can read reviews and find the various ways to purchase a copy of the books if they sounds like your style. I really hope you enjoy and let me know if you've read any of these or have others you would add to the list.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

At Break of Day



In the summer of 1913, the world seems full of possibility for four very different young men.


Young Jean-Baptiste dreams of the day he'll leave his Picardy home and row down-river to the sea.

Earnest and hard-working Frank has come to London to take up an apprenticeship in Regent Street. His ambitions are self-improvement, a wife and, above all, a bicycle.

Organ scholar Benedict is anxious yet enthralled by the sensations of his synaesthesia. He is uncertain both about God and the nature of his friendship with the brilliant and mercurial Theo.

Harry has turned his back on his wealthy English family, has a thriving business in New York and a beautiful American wife. But his nationality is still British.

Three years later, on the first of July 1916, their lives have been taken in entirely unexpected directions. Now in uniform they are waiting for dawn on the battlefield of the Somme. The generals tell them that victory will soon be theirs but the men are accompanied by regrets, fears and secrets as they move towards the line.

We That Are Left


Two sisters, born into privilege, are forced to make their way in a world turned upside down by war. One man transforms them both.


 1910. Jessica and Phyllis Melville have grown up at Ellinghurst, a family estate fraught with secrets. A headstrong beauty, Jessica longs for London — the glitter and glamour of debutante life — while bookish Phyllis dreams in vain of attending university. Into their midst walks Oskar Grunewald, a frequent visitor fascinated by the house but alternately tormented and ignored by the Melville children. Oskar seeks refuge in Ellinghurst’s enormous library. Meanwhile Theo, the adored Melville brother, eclipses everyone around him.

The Great War arrives to devastate and reshape their world. In a country unrecognizable from the idylls of their youth, the Melville sisters struggle to forge new paths without the guidance of the old rules. But Oskar’s life has become entwined with theirs once again, in ways—both immediate and unimaginable-- that will change all of their futures.


With elegance and insight, in prose characteristically “stirring and seductive” (The Economist) Clare Clark brings us a new story of a kind of old family whose reckoning with change will haunt and resonate for many generations.

Tides of Honour


A novel of love, loss, and honour amidst the horrors of war and its aftermath.


It’s 1916, and the last thing Nova Scotian soldier Danny Baker expects to find in war-torn France is the love of his life. Audrey Poulin is alone in the world, and struggling to survive the war in the French countryside. When Audrey and Danny meet and fall in love, it seems like the best version of fate.

But love is only the beginning, as Danny loses a leg in the Battle of the Somme, and returns home to Halifax with Audrey, only to discover that he’s unable to leave the war behind. Danny and Audrey struggle with their new life together, and must face not only their own internal demons, but a catastrophe that will soon rip apart everything they think they know about themselves and each other.

Genevieve Graham, author of Under the Same Sky and Sound of the Heart, brings her passion for weaving history and fiction together in a seamless tale that will capture and enthrall the reader.



The Soldier's Wife


Ruby and Jimmy Hawkins are sure their love will last forever, despite Jimmy being sent to Gallipoli only weeks after their marriage. Amid the desperate battles of the Dardanelles, Jimmy dreams of the future they planned together and writes Ruby letters full of love and longing.

Back in Sydney, Ruby must face challenges she never could have imagined as a young country bride. Finding a place in the city and taking a job as a bookkeeper in a timber merchant's yard, she discovers that working in a man's world is fraught with complications, especially when her employer suffers a devastating loss and she is expected to take the reins.

When Jimmy returns wounded in both body and spirit, he and Ruby come close to losing everything in the aftermath of war. They must find a new way to live and to love if their marriage is to survive.




Meadowlands: A World War I Family Saga


The comfortable, upper-class lives of the aristocratic Barsham family are set to change forever with the onset of World War I.


August, 1914. The silver wedding celebrations of Sir George Barsham, MP, and his wife, Lady Adelaide, are overshadowed by the declaration of war with Germany. Over the following months, as the male estate workers head for the Front and the maids disappear to work in the newly-opened munitions factory, the Barsham family's comfortable, aristocratic lifestyle is set to change forever.
Determined to do his bit for King and country, James Barsham enlists as an officer and heads for Flanders, leaving Lady Adelaide's maid Polly devastated. To Lady Adelaide's dismay, her younger daughter Millie learns to drive an ambulance: a most unladylike skill. Meanwhile Millie's sister Gina finds fulfilment in helping the local wives and children, left destitute while their husbands are away fighting.

During the course of the war, with devastating loses, the strength of character of the four Barsham siblings will be tested as never before. They will encounter hardship, danger, heartache and unexpected love.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Check out these lovely blogs for more books to add to your wish list:



Stephanie at Layered Pages has a variety of gorgeous books to add to her wish list HERE.

Holly at 2 Kids and Tired has a great list of autobiographies she's looking forward to HERE.

Magdalena at A Bookaholic Swede has 4 novels featuring The Romanovs HERE.

Erin at Flashlight Commentary is sharing historical novels set in India HERE.

Heather at The Maiden's Court has 5 novels featuring the wives of famous men HERE.

Review: Root, Petal, Thorn by Ella Joy Olsen + Giveaway!!

Publisher: Kensington Publishing
Pub. Date: August 30th, 2016
Pages: 320 pages

 

In this beautifully written and powerful debut novel, Ella Joy Olsen traces the stories of five fascinating women who inhabit the same historic home over the course of a century—braided stories of love, heartbreak and courage connect the women, even across generations.

Ivy Baygren has two great loves in her life: her husband, Adam, and the bungalow they buy together in one of the oldest neighborhoods in Salt Lake City, Utah. From the moment she and Adam lay eyes on the home, Ivy is captivated by its quaint details—the old porch swing, ornate tiles, and especially an heirloom rose bush bursting with snowy white blossoms. Called the Emmeline Rose for the home’s original owner, it seems yet another sign that this place will be Ivy’s happily-ever-after…Until her dreams are shattered by Adam’s unexpected death.

 Striving to be strong for her two children, Ivy decides to tackle the home-improvement projects she and Adam once planned. Day by day, as she attempts to rebuild her house and her resolve, she uncovers clues about previous inhabitants, from a half-embroidered sampler to buried wine bottles. And as Ivy learns about the women who came before her—the young Mormon torn between her heart and anti-polygamist beliefs, the Greek immigrant during World War II, a troubled single mother in the 1960s—she begins to uncover the lessons of her own journey. For every story has its sadness, but there is also the possibility of blooming again, even stronger and more resilient than before…

 

 

What Did I Think About the Story?

 

 

I'm not ashamed to admit I was instantly drawn to Root, Petal, Thorn by the cover. It is just so beautiful, I couldn't help but want to learn more about it. Then reading the synopsis, and loving stories with multiple timelines as much as I do, I knew I needed to read this book. What could Ivy learn from her home and it's previous inhabitants that could possibly help her get over the grief of losing her husband? It turns out quite a lot, and not necessarily what I first assumed.

Ella Joy Olsen fairly gutted me from the very first page as the story begins with Ivy waking up and remembering that her husband is dead. She's been struggling through the healing process while she, and her two kids, continue to ache with their loss. This hit me pretty hard as I imagine I would react in much the same way, and it made me instantly connect with Ivy. Even with this connection, however, I have to say that Ivy wasn't my favorite character (she was great, just not my favorite). There are a number of incredible women sprinkled throughout the history of Ivy's house, and each of them brought a unique perspective to not only the overall story being told but to the time, place, and experiences they lived in.

The various women's stories are told in alternating chapters and my favorite storyline within Root, Petal, Thorn was that of Lainey Harper, a mother (who lived in Ivy's home in the late 60s until Ivy's family moved in) fighting to keep her sanity so she can keep custody of her daughter, while also trying to keep a part of the passion that defines her alive through her art. I found these chapters to be especially poignant as the author did an exceptional job at showing the internal and external struggles both Lainey and her daughter went through due to Lainey's  mental illness. Anyone who's known someone who's struggled with mental illness or dealt with manic depression themselves will be able to appreciate this struggle as it unfolds and long for Lainey to be able to find a good stable balance.

Along with this storyline there are women who tackle a myriad of situations - following their heart vs. following what their church and family tell them to do, struggling with the emotions of sending a beloved son off to war, losing a mother at a young age and trying to learn to live without her - and I can't imagine anyone not finding something to relate to or empathize with between these different stories. Some are dealt with and explored more than others, but I think each had its place within the greater story arc and all came back around to the general theme running through them all: in each story of heartache there is a touch of hope, and in each happy story there is a thread of sadness. That is the way of the world and, once a person realizes this, they can survive anything.

Root, Petal, Thorn is a powerful novel, one made up of a patchwork of stories that, while they don't necessarily all fit together neatly, all have a common balance of emotions and epiphanies wrapped up together in one home throughout time. I think just about anyone can find something to enjoy within this story, but I'd especially recommend it to anyone who enjoys an intimate look into the lives of strong, determined women.

 

What Did I Think About the Cover?

 

 

Well as I said above, this cover was what first drew me to the story. It is absolutely gorgeous, I  just love everything about it! Blurring the focus on the woman allows this to feel like it could be any of the women we meet within the pages. And the roses could be from the Emmeline rosebush that plays a prominent part in the story.

 

 

My Rating: 4.0/5.0

 

 



Thank you to Kensington Publishing for providing me with a free copy of Root, Petal, Thorn in exchange for an honest review! Continue below for information about the book, the author, and how to enter to win a copy of the book for yourself!

 

 

Advanced Praise

"Five women. Five complicated lives. One house where they all live over a period of one hundred years. In this story, the walls talk. Wonderful, compelling saga."-- Cathy Lamb, author of My Very Best Friend 

"Root, Petal, Thorn is the perfect addition to a librar-ian’s toolkit of recommended reads for book clubs looking for a lively discussion."-- Deborah Ehrman, Librarian and Deputy Director, Salt Lake City Public Library System. 

"Olsen is an emerging voice to watch for in historical and contemporary women’s fiction." -- Aimie K. Runyan, author of Promised to the Crown

Buy the Book

 

 

Kensington Books | Amazon | Barnes and Noble | Indiebound | Books-A-Million

 

 

About the Author

 

 

Ella Joy Olsen lives in Salt Lake City, Utah, in a century old brick bungalow with her husband and
three children. She spent nearly a decade on the Board of Directors for the Salt Lake City Public Library system (and even more years browsing the stacks), and is a member of Women's Fiction Writers and the best book club ever, (SLC Bibliophiles).

Learn more about Ms. Olsen and her writing on her website, and connect with her on Facebook and Twitter.

 

 

It's Giveaway Time!!

 

 

Thanks to Lulu at Kensington Publishing I have one copy of Root, Petal, Thorn to giveaway (open to US/CAN only)! All you have to do is enter your name and email address on the giveaway form HERE. Please be sure to leave both your name and your email on the form so I can contact you if you are my winner (no email address, no entry!). For extra entries you can follow the blog in various ways (links are on the right hand sidebar) and leave the name/email you follow with on the form. That's it!


Please Note: When verifying the extra entries I've noticed that some people are saying they follow me in certain ways that they, in fact, do not. I want to give extra entries to those that are actually taking the time to follow my blog, so please double check that you are in fact following me before saying you do. This verification is becoming a time consuming process so I will begin to remove all extra entries for those that I find are not being honest.

I'll use a random number generator to pick a winner on August 30th, 2016 and will announce the winner here as well as email the winner. The winner will have 48 hours to respond to my email with their mailing address. If you have already won this giveaway on another site please let me know so I can pick a new winner and give someone else a chance to win a copy of this great book.


You can also check out Ella Joy Olsen's guest post about Forging Fiction via Family Folklore HERE.






Spotlight on Madame Presidentess by Nicole Evelina + Tour-Wide Giveaway!

Publication Date: July 25, 2016
Lawson Gartner Publishing
eBook & Paperback; 400 Pages

Genre: Historical Fiction

*Winner: U.S. Women’s History category – 2015 Chaucer Awards for Historical Fiction*

 

 

Forty-eight years before women were granted the right to vote, one woman dared to run for President of the United States, yet her name has been virtually written out of the history books.


Rising from the shame of an abusive childhood, Victoria Woodhull, the daughter of a con-man and a religious zealot, vows to follow her destiny, one the spirits say will lead her out of poverty to “become ruler of her people.”

But the road to glory is far from easy. A nightmarish marriage teaches Victoria that women are stronger and deserve far more credit than society gives. Eschewing the conventions of her day, she strikes out on her own to improve herself and the lot of American women.

Over the next several years, she sets into motion plans that shatter the old boys club of Wall Street and defile even the sanctity of the halls of Congress. But it’s not just her ambition that threatens men of wealth and privilege; when she announces her candidacy for President in the 1872 election, they realize she may well usurp the power they’ve so long fought to protect.

Those who support her laud “Notorious Victoria” as a gifted spiritualist medium and healer, a talented financial mind, a fresh voice in the suffrage movement, and the radical idealist needed to move the nation forward. But those who dislike her see a dangerous force who is too willing to speak out when women are expected to be quiet. Ultimately, “Mrs. Satan’s” radical views on women’s rights, equality of the sexes, free love and the role of politics in private affairs collide with her tumultuous personal life to endanger all she has built and change how she is viewed by future generations.

This is the story of one woman who was ahead of her time – a woman who would make waves even in the 21st century – but who dared to speak out and challenge the conventions of post-Civil War America, setting a precedent that is still followed by female politicians today.

Buy the Book

 



Amazon | iTunes | Kobo | Smashwords

 

 

About the Author

 

 

Nicole Evelina is an award-winning historical fiction and romantic comedy writer. Her most recent novel, Been Searching for You, a romantic comedy, won the 2015 Romance Writers of America (RWA) Great Expectations and Golden Rose contests.

She also writes historical fiction. Her debut novel, Daughter of Destiny, the first book of an Arthurian
legend trilogy that tells Guinevere’s life story from her point of view, was named Book of the Year by Chanticleer Reviews, took the Grand Prize in the 2015 Chatelaine Awards for Women’s Fiction/Romance, won a Gold Medal in the fantasy category in the Next Generation Indie Book Awards and was short-listed for the Chaucer Award for Historical Fiction. The sequel, Camelot’s Queen is out now.

Nicole is one of only six authors who completed a week-long writing intensive taught by #1 New York Times bestselling author Deborah Harkness. Nicole has traveled to England twice to research the Guinevere’s Tale trilogy, where she consulted with internationally acclaimed author and historian Geoffrey Ashe, as well as Arthurian/Glastonbury expert Jaime George, the man who helped Marion Zimmer Bradley research The Mists of Avalon.

Nicole is a member of and book reviewer for The Historical Novel Society, and Sirens (a group supporting female fantasy authors), as well as a member of the Historical Writers of America, Women’s Fiction Writers Association, Romance Writers of America, the St. Louis Writer’s Guild, Women Writing the West, Broad Universe (promoting women in fantasy, science fiction and horror), Alliance of Independent Authors and the Independent Book Publishers Association.

Her website/blog is http://nicoleevelina.com and she can be found on Twitter as well as on Pinterest, Facebook, Goodreads, Instagram and Tumblr.

It's Giveaway Time!!

 

 

To enter the Madame Presidentess Giveaway for a paperback of the book and/or Victoria Woodhull Bumper Sticker, please see the GLEAM form HERE. 3 winners will receive a copy of the book and a bumper sticker. 7 winners will receive the Victoria Woodhull Bumper Sticker.

 

 

 

 

Rules

Giveaway ends at 11:59pm EST on August 26th. You must be 18 or older to enter.

 

Giveaway is open to US residents only.

 

Only one entry per household.

 

All giveaway entrants agree to be honest and not cheat the systems; any suspect of fraud is decided upon by blog/site owner and the sponsor, and entrants may be disqualified at our discretion

 

Winner has 48 hours to claim prize or new winner is chosen.

 

 

Good Luck!!

 

 

Madame Presidentess Blog Tour Schedule

 

 

Monday, July 25

Tour Kick Off at Passages to the Past

Tuesday, July 26

Spotlight at Just One More Chapter

Wednesday, July 27

Spotlight at Broken Teepee

Thursday, July 28

Guest Post at Let Them Read Books

Friday, July 29

Spotlight at A Bookaholic Swede

Monday, August 1

Review at History From a Woman’s Perspective

Tuesday, August 2

Guest Post & Excerpt at The Silver Dagger Scriptorium

Wednesday, August 3

Review at The Book Junkie Reads

Thursday, August 4

Interview at The Maiden’s Court

Monday, August 8

Review at The Book Connection (First Chapter Review)

Tuesday, August 9

Spotlight at CelticLady’s Reviews

Saturday, August 13

Review at One Book Shy of a Full Shelf

Tuesday, August 16

Review at First Impressions Reviews

Wednesday, August 17

Review at Creating Herstory

Thursday, August 18

Spotlight at What Is That Book About
Guest Post at Creating Herstory

Friday, August 19

Review at Diana’s Book Reviews

Monday, August 22

Review at Jorie Loves a Story
Spotlight at To Read, Or Not to Read

Tuesday, August 23

Review at 100 Pages a Day

Wednesday, August 24

Review at Book Nerd
Spotlight at A Literary Vacation

Thursday, August 25

Review at Bookramblings

Friday, August 26

Review at A Bookish Affair

 

 

 



Guest Post with Ella Joy Olsen, Author of Root, Petal, Thorn + Giveaway!!

I am so excited to welcome author Ella Joy Olsen to A Literary Vacation today! My review of her debut novel, Root, Petal, Thorn will go live in two days and I am so excited to share it with you! In the meantime, please enjoy Ms. Olsen's guest post below. And be sure to read on after the post for more information about the book, the author, and how you can enter to win a copy of Root, Petal, Thorn for yourself!

 

 

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Forging Fiction via Family Folklore

By: Ella Joy Olsen

 

Like many authors, I pick up bits and pieces of my fictional stories from real life, like the “pretty” rocks my son collected when he was five. Eventually he collected so many tiny, beautiful stones he had to continually carry a backpack. And inevitably that pack became so heavy I was forced to carry it every time we went out. But that’s another story.

While writing my debut novel, Root, Petal, Thorn, I collected a variety of story pebbles from a treasure trove of family lore, and used them to build the foundation of the book. It’s far from a memoir, but many of my story nuggets came from time spent with my grandparents, and though my grandma wouldn’t tell me much about her own life, she loved to talk about her mother (my great-grandmother and namesake). If I was asked to describe Great-Grandma Ella’s life, the first thing I would do is pare it down to a series of noteworthy events. 

 

1) When she was seven years old, everyone in her church class (except her) died of diphtheria.

2) Her mom died in childbirth when Ella was eleven, leaving her an only child who was then raised by her father and her maternal grandmother.

3) That grandmother (who was my great-great-great grandma) was the third wife to her best friend’s father. In other words, she was an unenthusiastic polygamist wife. She bore him eleven children. One of them was Ella’s mother, who died.

4) Great-grandma Ella married and became pregnant right before her husband left for WWI. He died in France from influenza and never met his daughter (my grandma).

 

 

As an impressionable child, I considered each of these life-changing circumstances with no small amount of hand-wringing. I was named after my great-grandma; might I not also suffer her fate? In fact, after learning exactly what diphtheria was, I tried more than once to convince my mom I could feel my throat constricting, even going so far as to gasp helplessly for a doctor before collapsing onto my bed. She didn’t buy it.

Decades later (having barely survived diphtheria), I put my hands to the keyboard and wove many of these legends in to narrative lore. While I wrote, I got to thinking: Why do readers seek out traumatic events in the stories they read? And why am I, myself, most interested in exploring the bleaker parts of a story?

According to a study conducted by The Ohio State University (2012), “People seem to use [narrative] tragedies as a way to reflect on the important relationships in their own lives – to count their blessings – which helps explain why tragedies are so popular with audiences. Despite the sadness they induce; [narrative tragedies] result in an overall increase in happiness.” Case in point: In the bestselling novel by Kristin Hannah, The Nightingale, both sisters suffer tremendous loss, yet at the end (no spoilers…don’t worry) the reader is overcome with the continuity of their love, come what may. I wiped a tear after finishing this traumatic tale and closed it with a satisfied sigh.

 
Here’s the beauty of fictionalizing harrowing family history and embarrassing secrets. I love family stories, but my collected stones were un-cut gems, because most events are like the list above: fact-filled. Perhaps distressing to learn about, but they lack emotional context. The end of many a true story is dreadful or, even worse for the teller-of-stories, boring. But the fiction author is free to expand upon their tidbits of ancestry and explore possible consequences using a range of emotional details. The author is free to ask, “What if?”

So how to get away with it? The intent is not to harm, obviously, but to expand. In mixing up the events, changing the names, throwing in a few more characters, and altering the most-telling of details, the truth and consequences (so to speak) can be explored and no one can cry foul. You can explore your family history and have your happy ending (or your disastrous one) and no one can sue for slander. No one can say you didn’t get the story right. Because, of course, you didn’t. You wrote a fictional story. This, for me, is so much more fun than writing a memoir.

I challenge you to read Root, Petal, Thorn, or any of your other favorite novels. Then take a closer look at the author bio or acknowledgments. See if you can find a little fact in the fiction. Because no matter how implausible the story, there is always a whisper of truth.

 

 

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Publisher: Kensington Publishing

Pub. Date: August 30th, 2016

Pages: 320 pages

 

In this beautifully written and powerful debut novel, Ella Joy Olsen traces the stories of five fascinating women who inhabit the same historic home over the course of a century—braided stories of love, heartbreak and courage connect the women, even across generations.

Ivy Baygren has two great loves in her life: her husband, Adam, and the bungalow they buy together in one of the oldest neighborhoods in Salt Lake City, Utah. From the moment she and Adam lay eyes on the home, Ivy is captivated by its quaint details—the old porch swing, ornate tiles, and especially an heirloom rose bush bursting with snowy white blossoms. Called the Emmeline Rose for the home’s original owner, it seems yet another sign that this place will be Ivy’s happily-ever-after…Until her dreams are shattered by Adam’s unexpected death.

 Striving to be strong for her two children, Ivy decides to tackle the home-improvement projects she and Adam once planned. Day by day, as she attempts to rebuild her house and her resolve, she uncovers clues about previous inhabitants, from a half-embroidered sampler to buried wine bottles. And as Ivy learns about the women who came before her—the young Mormon torn between her heart and anti-polygamist beliefs, the Greek immigrant during World War II, a troubled single mother in the 1960s—she begins to uncover the lessons of her own journey. For every story has its sadness, but there is also the possibility of blooming again, even stronger and more resilient than before…

Advanced Praise

"Five women. Five complicated lives. One house where they all live over a period of one hundred years. In this story, the walls talk. Wonderful, compelling saga."-- Cathy Lamb, author of My Very Best Friend 

"Root, Petal, Thorn is the perfect addition to a librar-ian’s toolkit of recommended reads for book clubs looking for a lively discussion."-- Deborah Ehrman, Librarian and Deputy Director, Salt Lake City Public Library System. 

"Olsen is an emerging voice to watch for in historical and contemporary women’s fiction." -- Aimie K. Runyan, author of Promised to the Crown

Buy the Book

 

 

Kensington Books | Amazon | Barnes and Noble | Indiebound | Books-A-Million

 

  

About the Author

Ella Joy Olsen lives in Salt Lake City, Utah, in a century old brick bungalow with her husband and
three children. She spent nearly a decade on the Board of Directors for the Salt Lake City Public Library system (and even more years browsing the stacks), and is a member of Women's Fiction Writers and the best book club ever, (SLC Bibliophiles).

Learn more about Ms. Olsen and her writing on her website, and connect with her on Facebook and Twitter.

 

It's Giveaway Time!!

Thanks to Lulu at Kensington Publishing I have one copy of Root, Petal, Thorn to giveaway (open to US/CAN only)! All you have to do is enter your name and email address on the giveaway form HERE. Please be sure to leave both your name and your email on the form so I can contact you if you are my winner (no email address, no entry!). For extra entries you can follow the blog in various ways (links are on the right hand sidebar) and leave the name/email you follow with on the form. That's it!


Please Note: When verifying the extra entries I've noticed that some people are saying they follow me in certain ways that they, in fact, do not. I want to give extra entries to those that are actually taking the time to follow my blog, so please double check that you are in fact following me before saying you do. This verification is becoming a time consuming process so I will begin to remove all extra entries for those that I find are not being honest.

I'll use a random number generator to pick a winner on August 30th, 2016 and will announce the winner here as well as email the winner. The winner will have 48 hours to respond to my email with their mailing address. If you have already won this giveaway on another site please let me know so I can pick a new winner and give someone else a chance to win a copy of this great book.

 

 

 







Audiobook Review: The End of Everything by Megan Abbott

Publisher: Blackstone Audio, Inc.
Pub. Date: July 7th, 2011
Length: 8 hours, 31 minutes

Genres: YA / Mystery / Crime Drama / Suspense / Fiction

Synopsis

Thirteen-year-old Lizzie Hood and her next-door neighbor Evie Verver are inseparable, best friends who swap clothes, bathing suits, and field-hockey sticks and between whom-presumably-there are no secrets. Then one afternoon, Evie disappears, and as a rabid, giddy panic spreads through the balmy suburban community, everyone turns to Lizzie for answers. Was Evie unhappy, troubled, or upset? Had she mentioned being followed? Would she have gotten into the car of a stranger?

Compelled by curiosity, Lizzie takes up her own furtive pursuit of the truth. Haunted by dreams of her lost friend and titillated by her own new power at the center of the disappearance, Lizzie uncovers secret after secret and begins to wonder if she knew anything at all about her best friend.

What Did I Think About the Story?

I've never been a  huge fan of Young Adult novels, but when this Kindle/Audiobook combo went on sale I thought it sounded like an interesting enough audiobook to give a go on my commute to work. I've become quite a sucker for a good mystery, and the promise of finding out what really happened to Evie and what these characters could possibly be hiding was a huge draw. I'm glad to say the story provided me with hours of entertainment, as well as an interesting coming-of-age tale that I wasn't quite expecting.

I think the "big mystery" surrounding what really happened to Evie and the effects her disappearance has on everyone around her - especially Lizzie - and it's aftermath was well done if somewhat underwhelming from what I was expecting. It kept me listening as I was pretty sure what was unfolding was not the whole truth. Lizzie herself was such an interesting character, not only because the story is told from her point of view but because her growth outshines everything else for me, including Evie. This girl, who's in that awkward point in life when you're not really a girl but not yet a woman, thinks she knows so much about life but really knows so little and ends up making some horrific choices that change everything, all in the name of doing what she thinks is right for her best friend. I found it so sad to see Lizzie's magical illusions about her friend and her friend's family fall apart once she discovers the truth. Her innocence seems to disappear before the reader's eyes, and as everyone knows you can't un-know what you learn. This end of innocence ends up happening for more characters than just Lizzie, but it's Lizzie's struggle in growing up and facing the truths before her that I really enjoyed.  

The other big aspect that I enjoyed was the narrator herself. For me, a huge part of really enjoying an audiobook is the voice and talent of the narrator (or narrators if you're lucky enough to get more than one). The narrator of The End of Everything was phenomenal (Emily Bauer), having the perfect voice to represent a girl in her early teens. Beyond her ability to make me believe she was this young girl, she did an excellent job of keeping up a constant urgency and tension in her voice, making me feel like the strain and uncertainty always in the background of the story was going to burst open at any minute. 

At the end of the day, I found The End of Everything to be more of a coming of age story than a solid mystery. I did enjoy that we actually find out what happened to Evie, however it seemed somewhat anticlimactic compared to what I was expecting from the description. However I still found it quite enjoyable and I was impressed enough with the writing style of the author to have added more of her books to my wish list. 

What Did I Think About the Cover?

I like it, although I don't think it represents the story as well as it could. The colors are pleasant and I like the idea of one of our main girls (I like to think it's Lizzie) being sort of incapsulated in this silent world of water away from the realities actually happening around her, but I think I might be stretching to find meaning in the image.

My Rating: 3.5/5.0

I purchased the Kindle/Audible audiobook versions of The End of Everything for my own collection. You can read more reviews about the book and find links to where you can purchase your own copy on Goodreads. 

Interview with M.K. Tod, Author of Time and Regret

 

I am so excited to have M.K. Tod on A Literary Vacation today! She writes wonderful historical fiction, and her  newest novel, Time and Regret, sounds phenomenal! Please enjoy her interview and continue after for  more information about Time and Regret and its lovely author.

 

 

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Hello, M.K, and welcome to A Literary Vacation! To start things off, can you tell us a little bit about your newest novel, Time and Regret?

It’s wonderful to be here on your blog, Colleen. Many thanks for asking about Time and Regret. I like to think of it as Mystery + War + Romance and it’s a dual-time story with action taking place in the early 1990s as well as during World War One. Here’s the official blurb: When Grace Hansen finds a box belonging to her beloved grandfather, she has no idea it holds the key to his past—and to long buried secrets. In the box are his World War I diaries and a cryptic note addressed to her. Determine to solve her grandfather’s puzzle, Grace follows his diary entries across towns and battle sites in northern France, where she becomes increasingly drawn to a charming French man—and suddenly aware that someone is following her.

 

 

 

The concept of the novel sounds fascinating, especially the fact that the main character is following clues left by her late grandfather to discover long buried secrets from the past. Where did you come up with the idea for the story?

 

 

 

I love telling this anecdote! The idea came while travelling in northern France with my husband Ian to visit the battlefields, monuments, cemeteries, and museums dedicated to World War One. We had dinner one night at a café in the small seaside town of Honfleur. Shortly after the waiter poured our first glass of red wine, I wrote a few words in a small notebook I had with me.

“What are you writing?” Ian said.

“An idea for a story,” I replied.

Refusing to be put off by my cryptic response, Ian persisted. “What’s the idea?”

“Nothing much. Just thought it might make a good story to have a granddaughter follow the path her grandfather took during World War One in order to find out more about him.”

Ian took on a pensive look and no doubt had another sip of wine. “You could include a mystery,” he said.

Now, you should know that mysteries are my husband’s favorite genre. Indeed, I suspect mysteries represent at least eighty percent of his reading. So I played along. “What kind of mystery?”

And that was the birth of Time & Regret, as ideas tumbled out and the basic plot took shape. Needless to say, the bottle of wine was soon empty.

 

 

What a wonderful way for a story to begin! What sort of research did you conduct when writing Time and Regret? Have you ever traveled to the locations discussed in the story before or during the writing process?

The trip I mentioned above provided a significant base of research for the novel. There is no substitute for being there, seeing the landscape, people, villages and towns; hearing the sounds of a summer night or the church bells calling parishioners to mass; smelling the food being prepared at a small café and cheeses available for sale in a market square; watching a man shrug his shoulders in that oh-so-typical French fashion. Beyond travel, I had already amassed a large collection of documents, fiction, and non-fiction books for my earlier novels and was able to reference these again. And I spent ages investigating a certain 19th battalion of the Canadian army that saw action from spring of 1915 to the end of WWI so I could accurately and authentically create scenes for my fictional character Martin Devlin.

Was there anything that shocked or surprised you during the research process? Is there anything in particular that you learned and found interesting that didn’t end up making it into the story?

Almost everything I have learned about World War One is shocking. It was truly a gruesome war with casualties in the tens of millions, however, an aspect that surprised me is the amount of time soldiers spent waiting for something to happen. And the camaraderie men found with one another was heart warming to read about. Some say that men fought more for their friends than for their countries and I can believe that statement. In some ways, anger fuelled my writing and I wrote many war scenes that are now ‘on the cutting room floor’. In terms of Grace’s more present day storyline, I found a lot of material about the New York City art world that was fascinating. But you can’t incorporate everything!

Is there anything in particular that draws you to historical fiction? Are there any particular times in history you gravitate towards or do you just enjoy history in general?

From my early teenage years, I’ve loved reading historical fiction. I love the way it transports me to another time and place and the things I learn about history. What really got me started writing this genre is a story I wanted to tell about the lives of my maternal grandparents. I’m not someone who has always wanted to write – in fact I disliked English and History in school. But when I went digging into my grandparents’ lives and the history they lived through, I became hooked on telling their story (fictionalized, of course). Since my grandfather fought in and survived WWI, I investigated that era thoroughly and felt I had to tell stories to honor those who served both on the battlefield and the home front.

What does a typical day (if there is one) look like for you? How do you balance writing with the rest of your life?

I’m incredibly fortunate to have discovered writing after thirty years in business and I’ve become obsessed with it. However, there are days when I fear that my balance is out of whack! Days when I write from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. and barely notice the passing hours. And beyond whatever novel I’m working on, I blog, conduct surveys, do book reviews and occasionally write feature articles. But then there’s life: my husband, adult children who still need their mother from time to time and whom I always want to see, and friends and family. And lately there’s a delightful grandson to spend time with. I’ve come to see writing as a balancing act – at times the balance tips towards the writing side at others to the life side. Perhaps we should recast ‘writing life’ as writing + life?

 

A lot of authors have become huge on social media, not only promoting their work but interacting with their readers and offering up giveaways, book recommendations, etc. Are you a big proponent of using social media in this way? How do you prefer to interact with your fans?

 

In today’s world readers expect to interact with authors. They get annoyed when an author hides behind their agent or publicist. As a relatively new author, I’m in the early stages of developing a fan base. Readers will find my email in each novel I have written – it’s mktod [at] bell [dot] net, by the way – plus links to me on Facebook, Twitter and Goodreads. I consider it an honor when a reader reaches out to me via any of these media and I always respond. Every few months I check Amazon and Goodreads to see if new reviews have been posted and I always thank each reader for taking time to comment on my novels, even if they’re less than enthusiastic. In general, I prefer to use social media to discuss historical fiction and to bring books I’ve enjoyed and authors I admire to the attention of other readers rather than use it as a megaphone to shout about my own novels.

 

I’ve noticed that a lot of authors are also big readers. When you have time for leisure reading what sorts of books do you gravitate towards? Have you read anything good lately?

 

Setting aside non-fiction, which I often read for research purposes, at least 80% of my reading is historical fiction. I’m diverse in terms of authors and time periods and I often choose an era or part of the world I know nothing about or I choose an author who has been mentioned as a favorite in one of my surveys. A few recent favorites: The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah, Circling the Sun by Paula McLain, The Secret Chord by Geraldine Brooks, The Lady of the Tower by Elizabeth St. John, Call to Juno by Elisabeth Storrs, and The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion.

I have most of those books on my wish list already, but I'll check out Call to Juno too! Are you working on any other books that we can look forward to reading in the future?

 

How nice of you to ask, Colleen! My next novel – working title Camille and Mariele – is set in 1870s Paris. I had no idea what a turbulent time this was in French history until I began my research and discovered the Franco-Prussian war (Prussia is now part of Germany), the siege of Paris when the Prussians who had defeated Napoleon III surrounded Paris and starved the city into submission, and the Paris Commune which followed the siege and was almost as fierce and destructive as the original French revolution. Caught in the midst of this chaos, two very different women become close friends.

 

Oh, wow, Camille and Mariele sounds so good! I had no idea 1870s Paris was so turbulent either, so now I want to know more!

Thank you so much, M.K., for stopping by! Everyone, find  more information about Time and Regret below. Enjoy!

 

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Release Date: August 16, 2016
Lake Union Publishing
eBook & Paperback; 366 Pages

Genre: Historical Fiction

 

A cryptic letter. A family secret. A search for answers.

When Grace Hansen finds a box belonging to her beloved grandfather, she has no idea it holds the key to his past—and to long buried secrets. In the box are his World War I diaries and a cryptic note addressed to her. Determine to solve her grandfather’s puzzle, Grace follows his diary entries across towns and battle sites in northern France, where she becomes increasingly drawn to a charming French man—and suddenly aware that someone is following her.

From her grandfather’s vivid writing and Grace’s own travels, a picture emerges of a many very unlike the one who raised her: one who watched countless friends and loved ones die horrifically in battle; one who lived a life of regret. But her grandfather wasn’t the only one harbouring secrets, and the more Grace learns about her family, the less she thinks she can trust them.

 

 

Praise for Time and Regret

 

 

“With fluid prose and a keen eye for detail, M.K. Tod takes readers on a decades-spanning journey of wartime loss, family secrets, and, ultimately, redemption.”-- Holly Smith, Managing Editor, Washington Independent Review of Books
 

 "Spiced with mystery and a spark of romance, TIME AND REGRET is an immersive journey into one man’s brave but terrifying slog through the killing fields of France and Flanders during WWI. Tod’s prose brims with exquisite atmospheric detail, drawing the reader into an unforgettable story.
-- Juliet Grey, author of the acclaimed Marie Antoinette trilogy


"Time and Regret, equally captivating and suspenseful, presents well-drawn characters who strive to resolve past mysteries and overcome present obstacles. M.K. Tod is an impressively gifted storyteller who creates relatable conflicts and believable dangers. Highly recommended!-- Bestselling author Margaret Porter
 

 

“Hugely satisfying - impossible to put down.” -- Elizabeth St. John, author of The Lady of the Tower

 

“Time and Regret is something as rare as a treasure hunt with heart. Between the gritty trenches of World War I, the romantic allure of present-day France, and the cut-throat New York arts scene, M.K. Tod has spun a gripping family drama that delves deeply into the effects of war on the human soul and takes us on an intriguing journey of self-discovery. It is a book rich in hard-won wisdom and crucial historical insights, and Tod’s perceptive voice leads us unfalteringly through some of the darkest chapters in human history to a very satisfying conclusion." Anne Fortier, author of The Lost Sisterhood

 

 

Purchase Time and Regret

 

 

Amazon US | Amazon UK | Amazon CAN | Barnes & Noble | IndieBound

 

 

About M.K. Tod

 

 

M.K. Tod began writing while living as an expat in Hong Kong. What started as an interest in her grandparents’ lives turned into a full-time occupation writing historical fiction. Her novel Unravelled was awarded Indie Editor’s Choice by the Historical Novel Society. In addition to writing historical novels, she blogs about reading and writing historical fiction at www.awriterofhistory.com.

 

Her latest novel, TIME AND REGRET will be published by Lake Union on August 16, 2016. Mary’s other novels, LIES TOLD IN SILENCE and UNRAVELLED are available from Amazon, Nook, Kobo, Google Play and iTunes. She can be contacted on Facebook, Twitter and Goodreads or on her website www.mktod.com.