Source: Forever

#BookReview Lady Codebreaker by K.D. Alden @KDAldenAuthor @readforeverpub @grandcentralpub #ReadForever #Forever2024 #KDAlden #LadyCodebreaker

#BookReview Lady Codebreaker by K.D. Alden @KDAldenAuthor @readforeverpub @grandcentralpub #ReadForever #Forever2024 #KDAlden #LadyCodebreaker Title: Lady Codebreaker

Author: K.D. Alden

Published by: Forever on Mar. 12, 2024

Genres: Historical Fiction

Pages: 432

Format: Paperback

Source: Forever

Book Rating: 9/10

Fans of Kate Quinn and Kristina McMorris will love this gripping historical novel based on the true story of the woman who used her codebreaking skills to bring down Prohibition gangsters and WWII Nazis, and who ultimately helped found the present-day NSA.

Grace Smith has never been one to conform to society’s expectations. She flees small-town Indiana to seek adventure—and finds more than she bargained for when she’s hired by an eccentric millionaire to learn codebreaking. Soon she’s using those skills to help head the government’s fledgling cryptanalysis unit.

During Prohibition, Grace takes up the fight against rumrunners—not to mention Al Capone himself. And as the country careens from one Great War to another, it’s Grace who must crack the secrets of foreign governments, catch spies, and derail saboteurs . . . before it’s too late.

With wry wit and sheer grit, she forges her own path as a codebreaker, wife, mother. She’s spent a lifetime going up against powerful men and winning. But as war rages and the stakes grow impossibly high, Grace faces a truly impossible choice: her family or her country?


Review:

Moving, alluring, and intense!

Lady Codebreaker is a thrilling, captivating tale set from 1917 to 1958 that takes you into the life of Grace Smith, a young American girl who, after leaving her small home town in the hopes of something more, finds herself learning cryptanalysis, having a distinguished career, and marrying a loyal, successful man all during a time of chaos and upheaval and two world wars.

The prose is rich and vivid. The characters are intelligent, brave, and strong. And the plot is an insightful, compelling blend of life, loss, secrets, surprises, heartbreak, betrayal, politics, power, friendship, and romance.

Overall, Lady Codebreaker is an intricate, passionate, fascinating tale by Alden based on real-life events that transports you to another time and place and immerses you so thoroughly into the personalities, feelings, and lives of the characters within it that you can’t help but be fully absorbed and invested.

 

This novel is available now.

Pick up a copy from your favourite retailer or from one of the following links.

             

 

 

Thank you to Forever and Grand Central Publishing for gifting me a copy in exchange for an honest review.

 

About K.D. Alden

K.D. Alden is the pseudonym of an award-winning author who has written more than twenty novels in various genres. She has been the recipient of the Maggie Award, the Book Buyer’s Best Award and an RT Reviewer’s Choice Award. A Mother’s Promise is her first historical novel.

K.D. is a graduate of Smith College, grew up in Austin, Texas, and resides in south Florida with her husband and two rescue greyhounds.

Photograph by Christhopher Hawke.

#BookReview The Disappearance of Astrid Bricard by Natasha Lester @HBGCanada @readforeverpub @grandcentralpub #ReadForever #ReadForever2024 #NatashaLester #TheDisappearanceOfAstridBricard #HBGCanada

#BookReview The Disappearance of Astrid Bricard by Natasha Lester @HBGCanada @readforeverpub @grandcentralpub #ReadForever #ReadForever2024 #NatashaLester #TheDisappearanceOfAstridBricard #HBGCanada Title: The Disappearance of Astrid Bricard

Author: Natasha Lester

Published by: Forever on Jan. 30, 2024

Genres: Historical Fiction

Pages: 464

Format: Hardcover

Source: Forever, HBG Canada

Book Rating: 9/10

Three generations. One chance to prove themselves. Can the women of the Bricard fashion dynasty finally rewrite their history?

French countryside, Present  Blythe Bricard is the daughter of famous fashion muses but that doesn’t mean she wants to be one. She turned her back on that world, and her dreams, years ago. Fate, however, has a different plan, and Blythe will discover there is more to her iconic mother and grandmother than she ever knew. New York, 1970:  Designer Astrid Bricard arrives in bohemian Chelsea determined to change the fashion world forever. And she does―cast as muse to her lover, Hawk Jones. And when they’re both invited to compete in the fashion event of the century―the Battle of Versailles―Astrid sacrifices everything to showcase her talent. But then, just as her career is about to take off, she mysteriously vanishes, leaving behind only a white silk dress.

Paris, 1917:  Parentless sixteen-year-old Mizza Bricard has made a to be remembered on her own terms. Her promise sustains her through turbulent decades and volatile couture houses until, finally, her name is remembered and a legend is born―one that proves impossible for Astrid and Blythe to distance themselves from.


Review:

Astute, heartbreaking, and mysterious!

The Disappearance of Astrid Bricard is a tender, intriguing tale that takes you on a journey into the lives of three generations of Bricard women. Mizza, a young Paris assistant and muse to Christian Dior who spends the wartime helping the resistance; Astrid, a bold, headstrong designer who uses all her energy to try to step out of the shadow left by her mother and prove the journalists wrong once and for all by showcasing her true talent at the 1973 Battle of Versailles Fashion Show, and Blythe a mother of two who, after being abandoned by both her famous parents, dreams of making a success of her own sustainable-fashion brand and perhaps finally discovering what really happened on that night so long ago when her mother seemingly disappeared without a trace.

The prose is vivid and expressive. The characters are talented, tormented, and resilient. And the plot, including all the subplots, intertwine and unravel into a poignant, simmering tale of familial dynamics, drama, emotion, secrets, love, loss, lies, heartbreak, introspection, passion, inequality, injustice, and the misogynistic world of fashion.

As most of you know, I am a huge fan of Natasha Lester and have read almost every novel she has ever written, and The Disappearance of Astrid Bricard is without a doubt another compelling, romantic, affecting tale by Lester but one with perhaps a little more grit, depth, and layers than we’ve had the pleasure of seeing from her before.

 

This novel is available now.

Pick up a copy from your favourite retailer or from one of the following links.

         

 

 

Thank you to HBG Canada & Forever for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.

 

About Natasha Lester

Natasha Lester is a USA Today, internationally best-selling author. Prior to writing, she worked as a marketing executive for L’Oreal, managing the Maybelline brand, before returning to university to study creative writing.

Her first historical novel, the bestselling A Kiss from Mr Fitzgerald, was published in 2016. This was followed by Her Mother’s Secret in 2017 and The Paris Seamstress in 2018. The French Photographer is her latest book (note: this will be published as The Paris Orphan in North America in September 2019).

Natasha's books have been published in the US, the UK, Australia and throughout Europe. She lives in Perth, Western Australia with her 3 children and loves travelling, Paris, vintage fashion and, of course, books.

Photograph courtesy of Goodreads Author Page.

#BookReview Never Met a Duke Like You by Amalie Howard @readforeverpub @grandcentralpub #ReadForever #ReadForeverPub #ReadForever2023 #NeverMetaDukeLikeYou #AmalieHoward #TamingoftheDukes

#BookReview Never Met a Duke Like You by Amalie Howard @readforeverpub @grandcentralpub #ReadForever #ReadForeverPub #ReadForever2023 #NeverMetaDukeLikeYou #AmalieHoward #TamingoftheDukes Title: Never Met a Duke Like You

Author: Amalie Howard

Series: Taming of the Dukes #2

Published by: Forever on Nov. 14, 2023

Genres: Historical Romance

Pages: 384

Format: ARC, Paperback

Source: Forever

Book Rating: 9/10

Clueless meets Bridgerton in this spicy opposites-attract Regency romance from “a must-read author” (Jodi Picoult, #1 New York Times bestselling author).

Lady Vesper Lyndhurst is beautiful, clever, and popular. Afforded every luxury as a duke’s daughter, she fills her days with friends, intrigues, and a self-professed knack for matchmaking. She may have sworn off love for herself, but she is rather excellent at arranging it. 

Faced with an insolvent estate, the Duke of Greydon has no choice but to return to England in a final attempt to revive his family’s fortunes. He’s been gone for years, happy to have escaped his mother and the petty circles of the ton. To his dismay, not much has changed, including the beautiful and vexing heiress next door.  

But when an accident of fate traps the friends-turned-enemies in an attic together, the explosive attraction between them becomes impossible to ignore and even harder to resist. They are total opposites and their lives don’t align in the slightest, but fate, the ultimate matchmaker, appears to have other plans . . . 


Review:

Amusing, enticing, and adventurous!

Never Met a Duke Like You is a heartwarming, playful romp that sweeps you away to England and into the life of Lady Vesper Lyndhurst, a clever young woman who, although doesn’t believe in a happy ever after for herself, is more than happy to matchmake those around her even the dashingly handsome Duke of Greydon who once spurned her affections and broke her heart and who would much rather spend his day studying bones than wooing potential brides.

The prose is smooth and light. The characters are loyal, supportive, and endearing. And the plot is a delightfully enchanting tale full of friendship, family, societal expectations, tricky situations, tender moments, desire, and romance.

Overall, Never Met a Duke Like You is a fast-paced, passionate, highly entertaining read by Howard that is the second book in the Taming of the Dukes series and a novel that I absolutely adored.

 

This novel is available now.

Pick up a copy from your favourite retailer or from the following link.

            

 

 

Thank you to Forever and Grand Central Publishing for gifting me a copy in exchange for an honest review.

 

About Amalie Howard

AMALIE HOWARD is a USA Today and Publishers Weekly bestselling novelist of “smart, sexy, deliciously feminist romance.” The Beast of Beswick was one of Oprah Daily’s Top 24 Best Historicals to Read. She is also the author of several critically acclaimed, award-winning young adult novels. An AAPI/Caribbean-born writer, her books, interviews, and articles have been featured in Entertainment Weekly, Oprah Daily, Seventeen, and Ravishly Magazine. When she’s not writing, she can usually be found reading, being the president of her one-woman Harley Davidson motorcycle club #WriteOrDie, or power-napping. She currently lives in Colorado with her family.

Photo by Kristoff Lutchman.

#BookReview Twisted Secrets by Katee Robert @readforeverpub @grandcentralpub #ReadForever #ReadForever2023 #KateeRobert #TwistedSecrets #TheOMalleysSeries

#BookReview Twisted Secrets by Katee Robert @readforeverpub @grandcentralpub #ReadForever #ReadForever2023 #KateeRobert #TwistedSecrets #TheOMalleysSeries Title: Twisted Secrets

Author: Katee Robert

Series: The O'Malleys #3

Published by: Forever on Sep. 19, 2023

Genres: Contemporary Romance, Romantic Suspense

Pages: 336

Format: Paperback

Source: Forever

Book Rating: 8/10

New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Katee Robert continues her smoking-hot series about the O’Malleys-wealthy, powerful, and full of scandalous family secrets.

Greed. Ambition. Violence. Those are the “values” Olivia Rashidi learned from her Russian mob family-and the values she must leave behind for the sake of her daughter. When she meets Cillian O’Malley, she recognizes the red flag of his family name . . . yet she still can’t stop herself from seeing the smoldering, tortured man. To save her family, Olivia sets out to discover Cillian’s own secrets, but the real revelation is how fast-and how hard-she’s falling for him.

Plagued by a violent past, Cillian is more vulnerable than anyone realizes. Anyone except Olivia, whose beauty, compassion, and pride have him at “hello,” even if she’s more inclined to say good-bye to an O’Malley. While his proposal of sex with no strings seems simple, what he feels for her isn’t, especially after he learns that she belongs to a rival crime family. Cillian knows that there is no escape from the life, but Olivia may be worth trying-and dying-for . . .

Previously published as The Indecent Proposal.


Review:

Steamy, charged, and action-packed!

Twisted Secrets is a dramatic, spicy tale that features the independent Olivia Rashidi, who, after growing up as the illegitimate child of Russian mob boss Andrei Romanov, is determined to do whatever it takes to keep her daughter away from the family business, even if it means having to ask for help from the sexy, broody Cillian O’Malley who is not only part of a prominent crime family himself but more than capable of breaking her heart while protecting her life.

The writing is sultry and intense. The characters are troubled, hesitant, and driven. And the plot is a tight, tantalizing tale full of desire, temptation, chemistry, uncertainty, danger, deception, violence, sizzling romance, familial drama, secrets, and organized crime.

Overall, Twisted Secrets is a hot, edgy, suspenseful addition to the O’Malleys series by Robert that has all the elements I’ve come to know and love in her novels, including a fierce heroine, an attentive alpha male, and a fast-paced, seductive, can’t-get-enough-of storyline.

 

This novel is available now.

Pick up a copy from your favourite retailer or from the following link.

     

 

 

Thank you to Forever & Grand Central Publishing for gifting me a copy in exchange for an honest review.

 

About Katee Robert

Katee Robert is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of contemporary romance and romantic suspense. Entertainment Weekly calls her writing “unspeakably hot.” Her books have sold over a million copies. She lives in the Pacific Northwest with her husband, children, a cat who thinks he’s a dog, and two Great Danes who think they’re lap dogs.

Photo courtesy of Author's Website.

#BookReview My Rogue to Ruin by Erica Ridley @readforeverpub @grandcentralpub #ReadForever #ReadForever2023 #MyRoguetoRuin #EricaRidley #TheWildWynchesters

#BookReview My Rogue to Ruin by Erica Ridley @readforeverpub @grandcentralpub #ReadForever #ReadForever2023 #MyRoguetoRuin #EricaRidley #TheWildWynchesters Title: My Rogue to Ruin

Author: Erica Ridley

Series: The Wild Wynchesters #4

Published by: Forever on Sep. 12, 2023

Genres: Historical Romance

Pages: 352

Format: ARC, Paperback

Source: Forever

Book Rating: 9/10

The riotous Wynchester family has taken on a new case to expose a forger, but the prime suspect isn’t at all what he seems in this captivating Regency romp from a New York Timesbestselling author.

Lord Adrian Webb is a no-good, roguish, rakish scoundrel of the first order, which is why his father sends him to the Continent and cuts him off without a farthing. When (penniless) in Rome, what’s a disgraced gentleman to do, but dabble in some light forgery? After all, better to leave the original works of art where they belong instead of some English snob’s drawing room. But soon his scheme snowballs out of control, and a blackmailer is out to ruin him.

The Wynchester family is known for their daring capers to help those in need. Until now, Marjorie has always let her siblings take the lead when it comes to planning undercover work. But someone in London is trying to pass off counterfeits and this time she’s the only one with the skill needed to find the culprit. Her investigations lead her straight to Lord Adrian Webb. But every time Marjorie thinks she’s figured Adrian out, she learns something new that turns all her assumptions on their head. He’s a sinner. A saint. A heartless scoundrel. A loyal brother. A liar. A good kisser. Er…wait… She can’t afford to lose herself in the passionate embrace of a man she’ll have to turn over to the magistrate as soon as the case is closed.


Review:

Adventurous, spicy, and fun!

My Rogue to Ruin is a mysterious, engaging tale that sweeps you away to London during 1818 and into the life of Marjorie Wynchester, a kind, unique young woman who embarks on a mission to use her artistic talents to do whatever it takes to take down a local swindling pawnbroker with a side business in counterfeiting coins, even if it means having to work alongside the handsome, disgraced Lord Adrian Webb who has a past littered with scandal and a pile of troubles of his own.

The writing is witty and light. The characters are resourceful, clever, and endearing. And the plot is a humorous, compelling tale full of family, friendship, tricky situations, scheming behaviours, awkward moments, secrets, attraction, desire, and romance.

My Rogue to Ruin is an amusing, lighthearted, entertaining tale by Ridley that I thoroughly enjoyed and which is the fourth novel in a series, The Wild Wynchesters, that I absolutely adore.

 

This novel is available now.

Pick up a copy from your favourite retailer or from the following link.

            

 

 

Thank you to Forever and Grand Central Publishing for gifting me a copy in exchange for an honest review.

 

About Erica Ridley

Erica Ridley is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of historical romance novels. When not reading or writing romances, Erica can be found riding camels in Africa, zip-lining through rain forests in Costa Rica, or getting hopelessly lost in the middle of Budapest.

Photo courtesy of Forever website.

#BookReview What’s a Duke Got to Do With It (Synneful Spinsters #2) by Christina Britton @cbrittonauthor @readforeverpub @grandcentralpub #ReadForever #ReadForever2023 #ChristinaBritton #WhatsADukeGotToDoWithIt #SynnefulSpinisters

#BookReview What’s a Duke Got to Do With It (Synneful Spinsters #2) by Christina Britton @cbrittonauthor @readforeverpub @grandcentralpub #ReadForever #ReadForever2023 #ChristinaBritton #WhatsADukeGotToDoWithIt #SynnefulSpinisters Title: What's a Duke Got to Do With It

Author: Christina Britton

Series: Synneful Spinsters #2

Published by: Forever on Jul. 11, 2023

Genres: Historical Romance

Pages: 368

Format: Paperback

Source: Forever

Book Rating: 8.5/10

Four years ago, a scandal cost Miss Katrina Denby everything. Now, companion to the irascible Lady Tesh and in possession of wonderful friends, she believes her luck has finally changed. Until the man responsible for her ruination returns to England and promptly dies in a fall from her bedroom window. Now the life she had begun to build for herself is in shambles. And not only is she ostracized and vilified, but her friends are suffering as well because of their association with her. Katrina will do anything to gain respectability again and protect those she cares for. But her plans to marry one of the few men who will still have her despite the stain on her name and lack of fortune are thrown into turmoil with the arrival of the only man Katrina ever loved. A man who is now about to become engaged to another.

Sebastian Thorne, Duke of Ramsleigh, was a carefree rogue when he first met and began to fall in love with Katrina. But his father’s horrible actions forced him to give up on his dreams of a future with her. Now, after years of trying to save the dukedom, there is only one option left: to marry, and marry well. But though he has nearly secured the woman—and her fortune—necessary to protect the people who are counting on him, his future father-in-law sends him on one final errand to earn his blessing. What Sebastian doesn’t expect while seeing that job through, however, is Katrina—or that his feelings for her have not faded. In fact, they have only grown stronger, Katrina’s hold on his heart even more powerful than before. With both of their futures on the line and so many lives at stake, will their passion for one another lead to the ruin of them both—or give them a happiness they never dared to dream of?


Review:

Playful, passionate, and charming!

What’s a Duke Got to Do With It is a heartwarming, enticing tale that sweeps you away to the Isle of Synne during 1821 and into the life of Katrina Denby, a kind young woman who, after having her reputation left in tatters due to the careless amorous actions of the Lord of Landon and having consigned herself to the role of companion to Lady Tesh, has her life turned upside down when after four years of absence she finds herself face-to-face with the only man she’s ever wanted more with, the dashingly handsome Duke of Ramsleigh, Sebastian Thorne, who unfortunately at present seems to be doing whatever he can to secure his engagement to a wealthy heiress in order to save his own dukedom from financial ruin.

The prose is sweet and light. The characters are loyal, supportive, and engaging. And the plot is an entertaining tale full of family, friendship, societal expectations, tricky situations, tender moments, desire, trust, steamy romance, and second chances.

Overall, What’s a Duke Got to Do With It is a swoon-worthy, uplifting, delightful read by Britton that I absolutely devoured and which is a fantastic addition to what is hands down another must-read series for me by one of my all-time favourite historical romance authors.

 

This novel is available now.

Pick up a copy from your favourite retailer or from the following link.

            

 

 

Thank you to Forever & Grand Central Publishing for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.

 

About Christina Britton

Christina Britton developed a passion for writing romance novels shortly after buying her first at the tender age of thirteen. Though for several years she turned to art and put brush instead of pen to paper, she has returned to her first love and is now writing full time. She spends her days dreaming of corsets and cravats and noblemen with tortured souls.

She lives with her husband and two children in the San Francisco Bay Area. A member of Romance Writers of America, she also belongs to her local chapter, Silicon Valley RWA, and is a 2017 RWA® Golden Heart® Winner.

Photograph courtesy of Author's Goodreads Page.

#BookReview Dark Succession by Katee Robert @readforeverpub @grandcentralpub #ReadForever #ReadForever2023 #KateeRobert #DarkSuccession #TheOMalleysSeries

#BookReview Dark Succession by Katee Robert @readforeverpub @grandcentralpub #ReadForever #ReadForever2023 #KateeRobert #DarkSuccession #TheOMalleysSeries Title: Dark Succession

Author: Katee Robert

Series: The O'Malleys #1

Published by: Forever on May 9, 2023

Genres: Contemporary Romance, Romantic Suspense

Pages: 336

Format: Paperback

Source: Forever

Book Rating: 8/10

The New York Timesbestselling author of Radiant Sin delivers a smoking hot series about the O’Malley familywealthy, powerful, dangerous and seething with scandal.

Teague O’Malley hates everything associated with his family’s name. And when his father orders him to marry Callista Sheridan to create a “business” alliance, Teague’s ready to cut ties once and for all. But then Teague actually meets Callista, sees the bruises on her neck and the trauma in her eyes and vows he will do everything in his power to avenge her.

Everyone knows the O’Malleys are dangerous. But Callie wasn’t prepared for his brand of lethal grace and coiled power. His slightest touch scorches through her. But the closer they get, the more trouble they’re in. Because Callie’s keeping a dark secret—and what Teague doesn’t know could get him killed.

Previously published as The Marriage Contract.


Review:

Menacing, sultry, and romantic!

Dark Succession is a provocative, edgy tale that takes you into the lives of two main characters, Callista Sheridan, a young woman with little to say in who she will marry when her father is determined to use his last living heir to form a strong alliance with one of the other more powerful Boston families, and the handsome, intelligent Teague who would be more than happy to have absolutely nothing to do with any of his families illegal and nefarious underworld activities.

The writing is crisp and taut. The characters are relentless, committed, and powerful. And the story starts with a bang and never lets up as it takes you on a suspenseful thrill ride full of twists, turns, deception, familial drama, tender moments, red-hot chemistry, violence, and mafia rivalry.

Overall, Dark Succession is a dark, action-packed, passionate tale by Robert that kept me on my toes, packed a good punch of spice, and ultimately left me intrigued for a little more O’Malleys.

 

This novel is available now.

Pick up a copy from your favourite retailer or from the following link.

     

 

 

Thank you to Forever & Grand Central Publishing for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.

 

About Katee Robert

Katee Robert is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of contemporary romance and romantic suspense. Entertainment Weekly calls her writing “unspeakably hot.” Her books have sold over a million copies. She lives in the Pacific Northwest with her husband, children, a cat who thinks he’s a dog, and two Great Danes who think they’re lap dogs.

Photo courtesy of Author's Website.

#BookReview One Night with the Duke by Jodi Ellen Malpas @readforeverpub @grandcentralpub #ReadForever #ReadForever2023 #JodiEllenMalpas #OneNightwiththeDuke #BelmoreSquareSeries

#BookReview One Night with the Duke by Jodi Ellen Malpas @readforeverpub @grandcentralpub #ReadForever #ReadForever2023 #JodiEllenMalpas #OneNightwiththeDuke #BelmoreSquareSeries Title: One Night with the Duke

Author: Jodi Ellen Malpas

Series: Belmore Square #1

Published by: Forever on Apr. 18, 2023

Genres: Historical Romance

Pages: 304

Format: Paperback

Source: Forever

Book Rating: 8/10

A #1 New York Times bestselling author delivers a sexy and scandalous Regency romance about an adventurous woman and the mysterious son of a Duke who finds his way into her life—perfect for Bridgerton fans.

Eliza Melrose has always cherished her independence. And when she and her family lived in the countryside, it was easy to slip out for a midnight ride, write articles for her father’s newspaper, and otherwise do as she pleased. But now that they’ve moved to the heart of fashionable London, her every move is scrutinized and judged. Worse yet, her father wants her to wed and take her proper place in society.

But Eliza wants nothing to do with marriage. And when the new Duke of Chester moves into his family’s long-abandoned home across the square, her journalistic instincts immediately kick in. Are the rumors true—did he really kill his family? Is he as rakish as everyone says? The more Eliza finds out, the more she wants to know. Because the duke is a fascinating study of contradictions—reclusive and arrogant, fiercely protective and deeply passionate. But those who dance too close to the fire often get burned. And as the undeniable flame between them ignites, the only question is: Who’s holding the match?


Review:

Scandalous, witty, and enticing!

One Night with the Duke is set in London during 1816 and features the handsome, enigmatic Duke of Chester, Johnny Winters, whose sudden mysterious return is laced with rumours and familicide accusations and whose dark secrets and scrupulous plans may be upturned after he crosses paths with the kind, determined Eliza Melrose who may be betrothed to another but whose charms, independence, and fiery spirit will be extremely hard to resist.

The prose is amusing and light. The characters are clever, focused, and passionate. And the plot is a push-pull tale of family, friendship, societal expectations, scheming behaviour, tricky situations, desire, intrigue, and steamy romance.

I’ve had the chance to read quite a few Jodi Ellen Malpas’ erotic romance books over the years and really enjoyed them, so when I heard she was writing a historical romance novel I was over the moon, and One Night with the Duke did not disappoint. It’s an alluring, edgy, captivating tale by Malpas that left me entertained, satisfied and eager to read whatever scandals the residents of Belmore Square manage to get mixed up in next. 

 

This novel is available now.

Pick up a copy from your favourite retailer or from the following link.

            

 

 

Thank you to Forever & Grand Central Publishing for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.

 

About Jodi Ellen Malpas

#1 New York Times Bestselling Author Jodi Ellen Malpas was born and raised in England, where she lives with her husband, her boys, and Theo the Doberman. She is a self-professed daydreamer and has a terrible weak spot for alpha males. After writing in secret for too long, Jodi exploded onto the scene in 2012 with her debut novel This Man, starring the prolific Jesse Ward.

Writing powerful love stories with fierce, memorable characters is her passion–a passion that has taken her on an amazing journey into the limelight of romantic fiction. Her work is now published in more than twenty-five languages across the world.

Photo Courtesy of read-forever.com.

#BookReview The Three Lives of Alix St. Pierre by Natasha Lester @HBGCanada @readforeverpub @grandcentralpub #ReadForever #ReadForever2022 #NatashaLester #TheThreeLivesofAlixStPierre #HBGCanada

#BookReview The Three Lives of Alix St. Pierre by Natasha Lester @HBGCanada @readforeverpub @grandcentralpub #ReadForever #ReadForever2022 #NatashaLester #TheThreeLivesofAlixStPierre #HBGCanada Title: The Three Lives of Alix St. Pierre

Author: Natasha Lester

Published by: Forever on Jan. 10, 2023

Genres: Historical Fiction

Pages: 432

Format: Hardcover

Source: Forever, HBG Canada

Book Rating: 10/10

New York Times bestselling author Natasha Lester delivers an unforgettable story of an orphan turned WWII spy turned fashion icon in Paris—perfect for fans of Kate Quinn and Fiona Davis.
 
Alix St. Pierre. An unforgettable name for an unforgettable woman. She grew up surrounded by Hollywood glamor, but, as an orphan, never truly felt part of that world. In 1943, with WWII raging and men headed overseas to fight, she lands a publicity job to recruit women into the workforce. Her skills—persuasion, daring, quick-witted under pressure—catch the attention of the U.S. government and she finds herself with an even bigger assignment: sent to Switzerland as a spy. Soon Alix is on the precipice of something big, very big. But how far can she trust her German informant…?
 
After an Allied victory that didn’t come nearly soon enough, Alix moves to Paris, ready to immerse herself in a new position as director of publicity for the yet-to-be-launched House of Dior. In the glamorous halls of the French fashion house, she can nearly forget everything she lost and the dangerous secret she carries. But when a figure from the war reappears and threatens to destroy her future, Alix realizes that only she can right the wrongs of the past …and finally find justice.

Review:

Sincere, vivid, and engaging!

The Three Lives of Alix St. Pierre is a gripping, heartfelt story set predominantly in Switzerland and France between 1942 and 1947 that takes you into the life of Alix St. Pierre, a young woman who spends the last few years of the war working for the OSS as a spy in Bern helping to create a secure courier line for the Italian partisans, and the next few years post WWII working as hard as she can to make the new Maison Christian Dior a worldwide phenomenon as his Directrice of the Service de la Presse while also using her spare time to hunt down the Nazi informant who shattered her world and left her responsible for the needless slaughtering of nine lives, two of whom she deeply cared for.

The prose is polished and eloquent. The characters are driven, tormented, and resilient. And the plot, including all the subplots, intertwine and unravel effortlessly into a sweeping saga of life, loss, heartbreak, betrayal, secrets, espionage, danger, survival, tragedy, friendship, and a touch of romance.

As a historical fiction lover for the past few years Natasha Lester’s books have been some of my all-time favourites, and even though I didn’t think it was possible to love another one of her books more than the ones I’ve already read, she proved me wrong. The Three Lives of Alix St. Pierre is an unbelievable story that captured me from the very first page, and not only did I devour it, I absolutely loved it!

This novel is available now.

Pick up a copy from your favourite retailer or from one of the following links.

            

 

 

Thank you to HBG Canada & Forever for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.

 

About Natasha Lester

Natasha Lester is a USA Today, internationally best-selling author. Prior to writing, she worked as a marketing executive for L’Oreal, managing the Maybelline brand, before returning to university to study creative writing.

Her first historical novel, the bestselling A Kiss from Mr Fitzgerald, was published in 2016. This was followed by Her Mother’s Secret in 2017 and The Paris Seamstress in 2018. The French Photographer is her latest book (note: this will be published as The Paris Orphan in North America in September 2019).

Natasha's books have been published in the US, the UK, Australia and throughout Europe. She lives in Perth, Western Australia with her 3 children and loves travelling, Paris, vintage fashion and, of course, books.

Photograph courtesy of Goodreads Author Page.

#BookReview The Lost Children by Shirley Dickson @ReadForeverPub #ReadForever #ReadForever2022 #ShirleyDickson #TheLostChildren

#BookReview The Lost Children by Shirley Dickson @ReadForeverPub #ReadForever #ReadForever2022 #ShirleyDickson #TheLostChildren Title: The Lost Children

Author: Shirley Dickson

Published by: Forever on Jul. 26, 2022

Genres: Historical Fiction

Pages: 368

Format: Paperback

Source: Forever

Book Rating: 8.5/10

For readers of Natasha Lester and Pam Jenoff comes a poignant and heart-wrenching tale of two orphans in a world at war, with only each other to rely on—but can their bond survive the shocking truth of their past?
 
England, 1943: Home is no longer safe for eight-year-old twins Molly and Jacob. Night after night, wailing bombs and screeching planes skim the rooftops overhead. Their mother, Martha, has no choice but to evacuate them to the safety of the countryside, even if it means she might never see them again. At the train station, she gives Jacob a letter, telling him only to read it if they are in danger.

In the country, Molly and Jacob must adjust to life with strangers. But then the unimaginable happens. Martha is killed in an explosion, leaving the twins all alone in the world. Motherless and destitute, the siblings face the grim reality of life in an orphanage.

The time has finally come for Jacob to open the letter. What secret does it hold, and could it change the course of their tragic fate? Because if they are together, they can survive anything—but what if they are torn apart?


Review:

Immersive, heart-tugging, and sweet!

The Lost Children is a captivating, heartwrenching tale set in England during 1943 that takes you into the lives of eight-year-old twins Molly and Jacob who, after losing their grandmother and with their mother away working to make ends meet, are sent to the British countryside to live for the duration of the war, until tragedy strikes once again and more permanent lodgings, security, and love are required.

The prose is vivid and smooth. The characters are resilient, brave, and endearing. And the plot is a poignant tale about life, loss, family, secrets, separation, desperation, tragedy, grief, friendship, physical disabilities, and the horrors and hardships of war.

Overall, The Lost Children is a hopeful, heartwarming, moving tale by Dickson that is a wonderful choice for anyone who would love to be swept away into a well-written historical fiction novel told uniquely from the children’s perspectives.

 

This novel is available now.

Pick up a copy from your favourite retailer or from one of the following links.

         

 

 

Thank you to Forever and Grand Central Publishing for gifting me a copy in exchange for an honest review.

 

About Shirley Dickson

Shirley Dickson lives under the big skies of Northumberland, United Kingdom with her husband, family, and lucky black cat. She wrote her first short story at the age of ten for a childrens’ magazine competition. She didn’t win but was hooked on writing for a lifetime. For many years she wrote poetry and short stories and got many rejection slips. Shirley decided to get serious about writing novels when she retired. The Orphan Sisters is her first published novel. Shirley says she is a prime example of “never give up on your dream.”