Acquired Book By: I am a regular tour hostess for blog tours via Cedar Fort whereupon I am thankful to have such a diverse amount of novels and non-fiction titles to choose amongst to host. I received a complimentary copy of “To Suit a Suitor” direct from the publisher Sweetwater Books (imprint of Cedar Fort, Inc) in exchange for an honest review. I did not receive compensation for my opinions or thoughts shared herein.
Why I am drawn into Sweet Romances & Historical Roms:
I’ll admit – I love being swirled into a Historical Rom and the tenderness of a Sweet Romance! If I hadn’t, I wouldn’t be able to say with pure joy how much I *adore!* watching the Hallmark Channel + their secondary channel for Movies & Mysteries! There is something quite magical about how infusing your heart and mind into a light-hearted (sometimes a bit more dramatic) Romance that can set your heart afire for positivity! I think this is why most of us love to return into these worlds – where innocence is not shameful and where propriety and honour reign. It’s the world of where gentleman are mindful of their manners, act accordingly and women can be strongly fierce as we are today but get to wear such interestingly intricate clothes!
Sometimes there is more historical fact inside a Hist Rom, where the structures of society inflict certain disadvantages towards personal freedom or the right to marry whomever you choose – such as history would reflect, but within the tome of this special niche of Romance, I find my heart simply loves to reach into the pages of where writers are writing a story that is wicked delightful to read – set in a world that is how we’d hope the past would be presented to us if we travelled backwards and full of the delights or woes of being single ahead of marriage.
In contrast to most Historical Roms, the Sweet Romance side of the ledger falls primarily under the INSPY heading – where faith-based story-lines offer an additional layer of sweetness and where the characters are open about their walk in faith during the narrative. I love reading both variants – either mainstream or INSPY – as who wouldn’t want to soak inside a Romance set in the historical past? And, of course, I’m one to openly lament quite often – if it’s a Regency, a Victorian or an Edwardian there is a super strong chance I’m going to find it! Laughs.
Notation on the size of this novel: As what you cannot see from the digital book cover is that this wicked lovely Historical Rom is in portable pocket size edition! You can easily grab a copy to take with you whilst seeking a Romance you can travel with but without the angst of having a bulky paperback weighing you down! I personally love portable pocket size editions – something I shall be talking more about in December! They make you smile by their quaint size but it’s the possibilities of where and when you can read them that are wicked!
To Suit a Suitor Subtitle: Pure Romace
Don't set your sights on him,
It will only lead to heartache."
Much to her mother's annoyance, Julia North can't catch a husband. After what seems like the hundredth suitor, Julia leaves London to visit a distant cousin, hoping to forget about husband hunting for a time. She inadvertently finds herself in the society of Henry Chamberlain, the most desirable gentleman in Somersetshire. With every young lady in town competing for his attention, Julia assumes she doesn't have a chance. What she doesn't know is that her desire to avoid Henry's attention may be the very thing that catches it. . .
Converse on Twitter via: #INSPYRom, #SweetRomance, #HistRom + #Regency
About Paula Kremser
Paula Kremser focused on a career in science for a few years after graduating from Brigham Young University. Several years later when she moved with her young family to England, Paula seized the opportunity to focus on her love of the Regency Era. The enchantment of the aristocracy and the fascinating stories from every stately home she visits have been both research and inspiration for her first novel. Paula lives with her husband and four children in a charming village nestled in the Chiltern hills in Buckinghamshire.
For a hilarious look-see behind-the-scenes of how this photograph was captured read her Outtakes post! I believe that the photograph that was chosen captures her 'in the moment' with a spark of joy. Sometimes the best photographs are the ones we do not overly plan but rather happen spontaneously!
I have a special surprise for you today! The beautiful Regency I read recently granted me the opportunity to interview the authoress about our mutual love and adoration for the Regency era! This author originally contacted me about her debut novel “The Second Season” and I was so very delighted by the news of it’s publication – as the Regency is one of those eras that I fell in love reading about during my childhood hours where Romance & the era of the Regency seemed to walk hand-in-hand together!
I enjoyed being exposed to the regalia of the upper classes, the hardship of the lower classes and the beautiful courtship of the singletons – not all was glossy or rosy, mind you, but for the most part, it was the ‘allure’ of an era where propriety won over deceit and where marriage was not as a straight of an arrow to pitch forward for your own hand as one might hope! There were so many rules of etiquette young women had to navigate round it’s a miracle there were as many matches as history records!
Imagine my good cheer than, realising that this was going to be one novel I was nearly certain I’d find unputdownable as I had a good vibe by the author via her blog already! I was not disappointed – she wrote an unorthodox Regency – by the standards of the genre and by what I’ve been gathering of the rest of the blog tour – however, this is the true gift she gave us all! Something uniquely different – a new perspective, a new telling of a Rom that you think you understand all the moving parts, but there are things at play that simply need time to be explained.
For me, it not only held my attention but I liked that I had mixed reactions about Lady Hopkins – she wasn’t quite as hard-edged as she appeared but she wasn’t without her angst either! She was a complex woman – built out of her circumstances & the misguidings of a mind troubled by assumptions that she may or may not have fully been in the right to have! This is what makes for good fiction and especially for a dramatic Historical – those cunning human emotions & the tangible way in which life effects all of us!
I truly hope you’ll love settling inside our conversation – pausing to read my reflections afterwards on behalf of the novel and letting me know your thoughts or opinions after both your readings! All thoughts are welcome – including those of you who may have had a different takeaway than I did whilst reading the novel! Grab a cuppa and enjoy!
Enjoy a reading of excerpts from the novel in this book trailer:
When did you first read the collective works of Jane Austen and what did you appreciate about them the most once you had? Was it the era (Regency), the style of the story itself or the way in which she wrote about society and Romance together!?
Chapman responds: I first read all of Jane Austen’s novels when I was 22, though it should have been much sooner. Not only did I miss out by not reading Austen’s works earlier, but I grew up watching Collin Firth as Mr. Darcy in Pride and Prejudice, Gwyneth Paltrow in Emma, and Kate Winslet as Marianne in Sense and Sensibility. I should have known better!
Books are almost always better than the movie, and Austen’s books are no different. From the time I started her first novel to the time I finished her last, only a week had gone by. I ate them up and loved every second. I loved the romance and the society, the scenes that Austen brought to life, the realness of the characters, but my favorite was all that Jane Austen had to say about human nature. I found myself chuckling to myself, as in every story I found similarities in her characters to those that I knew in my own life. Read More
Acquired Book By: I have been a blog tour hostess with Cedar Fort for the past two years, wherein I took a brief hiatus from hosting before resuming this August 2016. I appreciate the diversity of the stories the Indie publisher is publishing per year, not only for fiction and non-fiction but for healthy eats within their Front Table Books (cookbooks). I appreciate their dedication to writing general market, INSPY reads and LDS focused stories across the genres they publish.
I was selected to be a part of the “The Second Season” blog tour wherein I received a complimentary copy of “The Second Season” direct from the publisher Sweetwater Books (an imprint of Cedar Fort Inc.) in exchange for an honest review. I did not receive compensation for my opinions or thoughts shared herein.
On my fanciful attachment to the Regency:
Recently, I have been able to bring my love of the Regency to my blog – by featuring several #newtomeauthors who are writing the types of stories that I simply love reading! The Regency has such a long history with me, as I have previously disclosed but what engages me the most is the way in which writers are bringing the Regency to life – each story is slightly different than the last, and although there are clearly inspirations from the authors who made the Regency come alive for us originally, what I appreciate is the personality of the writer which translates through their story-telling!
In this instance, I was looking forward to curling up inside a sweet story surrounding a girl’s experiences at the Season and surroundings of the ton which may or may not prove to her liking! It’s such a curious proposition – to meet and find a willing match of minds & hearts during one Season of being presented to society!?
Ooh the drama and the felicity of that idea is what gets my attention time and time again, as for each girl presented the circumstances surrounding her alter and change! This is truly the joy for me in reading the stories! Finding the heart of the character’s journey and the joy in seeing how each author in turn made her mark upon the Regency itself!
The Second Season Subtitle: Even the perfect match might not be enough to win her heart
Caroline is not looking forward to this year's season in London. Her mother already has schemes for her marriage prospects - and none of them include love. Caroline has second thoughts when a dashing young duke pursues her, but he's not the only young man she has found herself falling for. Caught between ambition and desire, Caroline may gamble her heart away without realising it...
Converse via: #Regency + #Romance or #SweetRomance
About Heather Chapman
Heather Chapman currently resides in Soda Springs, Idaho, with her husband and four children. She graduated magna cum laude from Brigham Young University. Heather has worked in various administrative assistant roles and as an event planner. Heather has also worked as a piano accompanist and piano teacher on the side. She currently spends her time writing and working as a stay-at-home mother.
I am a regular tour hostess for blog tours via Cedar Fort whereupon I am thankful to have such a diverse amount of novels and non-fiction titles to choose amongst to host. I received a complimentary copy of “Summer Campaign” direct from the publisher Sweetwater Books (imprint of Cedar Fort, Inc) in exchange for an honest review. I did not receive compensation for my opinions or thoughts shared herein.
Inspired to Read:
I discovered Ms Kelly’s writings whilst I hosted the blog tour on behalf of ‘Softly Falling’, wherein I found a most delightful story-teller who took historical fiction to a new level of appreciation for what you can find inside the genre for compelling fiction with realistic story-lines. I even appreciated the compassion and clarity she gave to the diversity of her characters, as much as the compassionate way in which she approached telling her character’s story.
Summer Campaign
Everyone agrees that Miss Onyx Hamilton is about to make a perfect match. The overwhelmingly respectable vicar Andrew Littletree is so taken by her virtue and beauty that he's willing to overlook the scandal clouding her birth and her lack of family and funds.
But then handsome Major Jack Beresford comes galloping into Onyx's sheltered life. Because of his wealth and aristocratic blood, Onyx knows it's highly improbable that he would ever ask for her hand. Fortunately, the laws of probability have no effect on what Onyx is ready to give this supremely unsuitable gentleman... her heart.
New and longtime fan alike will relish this delightful regency romance from the true master of the art. Charming, sweet, and full of fun, it's simply impossible to stop reading.
Carla Kelly is a veteran of the New York and international publishing world. The author of more than thirty novels and novellas for Donald I. Fine Co., Signet, and Harlequin, Carla is the recipient of two Rita Awards (think Oscars for romance writing) from Romance Writers of America and two Spur Awards (think Oscars for western fiction) from Western Writers of America. She is also a recipient of a Whitney Award for Borrowed Light, My Loving Vigil Keeping and Softly Falling.
Photo Credit: Marie Bryner-Bowles, Bryner Photography
I was selected to be a tour stop on the “Death Comes to London” virtual book tour through Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours. I requested the first novel in the series to better understand the flow of continuity and the origins of the Kurland St. Mary mysteries series of which Kensington sent me a complimentary copy of “Death Comes to the Village”. I read both novels back to back for the blog tour and was not obligated to post a review for the first novel. I received a complimentary copy of “Death Comes to London” direct from the publisher Kensington Books, in exchange for an honest review. I did not receive compensation for my opinions or thoughts shared herein.
I sometimes find curious extra bits tucked inside my review book parcels, and this time around Kensington surprised me with a few things: a bookmark for “Death of a Dog Whisperer” by Laurien Berenson replete with the ENTIRE series listing on the opposite side of the bookmark! How lovely! I am going to be seeking this series out via my local library! My grandmother was keen on the series (at least I am thinking she was! I only remember there was a cookery mystery series she loved to read and I felt it was this one?) but it was the Double Fudge Brownie recipe bookmark which whet an interest to see when in 2015 I can borrow “Chocolate Chip Cookie Murder” to sort it out for myself! And, ooh yes! I am going to bake these brownies too! Which girl do you know wouldn’t savour a ‘free’ chocolate maddeningly rich brownie recipe!? The third surprise was a postie (postcard) annoucement for Kat Martin’s “Against the Sky” February release — on the flipside, it reflects her Alaskan series! However a rather buff agent of the law is on the cover of “Against the Sky” also set in Alaska (perhaps their the same series?) and I happily read “first time in print”! Ooh how lovely – perhaps it was an e-book previously!? (as an aside I found a tweet which answers my questions! see below this review!) Thank you, Kensington for whetting the whistle of my curiosity with these lovelies!
Inspired to Read:
As I have expressed recently, my love and passion for reading cosy mysteries are twofold: I appreciate the ones which take-on a particular historical setting and thereby become a part of the emerging sub-genre “Cosy Historical Mysteries” of which I defined a bit underneath this tour’s author’s guest post; all the while I appreciate the traditional cosy mysteries which harken back to the grandmother of the genre itself Agatha Christie! (read my thoughts on Dame Christie via my tour stop for The Monogram Murders) The Regency is a era of folly and mirth of joyful readings for me — I positively adore reading romances set during the Regency era and the fact this particular mystery series is set within a tranquil and quaint village outside of London; well, you can well imagine how wicked happy I was to request to be on the blog tour! I believe as you read my review of the first novel Death Comes to the Village prior to reading this review of the sequel you shall understand fully why I am drawn into reading cosies!
I read this installment with my newly given reading marker with the cutest hound dog and a stack of books seen on the front side of the Death of a Dog Whisperer bookmark! I had forgotten to mention there is a wicked lovely puzzle you can play with the cover art for “Death Comes to London” on the author’s website! Read More
Reading this book contributed to these challenges: