Category: Singing Librarian Book Tours

Author Interview | Conversing with #HistRom novelist Mindy Burbidge Strunk about the Somerstone #RegencyHouseParty series and her novel which continues our journey into Somerstone itself: “Mistaken Identity”!

Posted Saturday, 24 November, 2018 by jorielov , , , , 0 Comments

Conversations with the Bookish badge created by Jorie in Canva

Hallo, Hallo dear hearts, I am taking part in a special series of interviews!

I recently had the joy of sharing with you a conversation about my fascination and appreciation for #HistoricalRomances when I shared my interview with Rebecca Connolly! She wrote the Spinster Chronicles – of which I am reading the first two installments of her series this November! However, anchoured to the joyfulness of discovering her stories, this Autumn I had the pleasure of finding out about *Somerstone!* and the Regency House Party series!

This is one of those uniquely styled *round robin!* stories wherein each new author who steps into the story-line is picking up the threads of the previous author’s installment! Similar in the vein of why I am enjoying reading the Return of the Blackwell Brothers? Herein as we get a lovely introduction to Somerstone through a series of interviews and conversations I crafted together with the authors who make up this new series set in the Regency – one of my eras of preference for #HistRoms – we get to sort out what inspired the authors as they wrote their individual installments but also, get the chance to learn more about how the series was assembled!

Publishers (or in this case, the writers themselves!) create these nifty ‘mini-series’ and serial round robins not just to create a more unique environment for the reader to explore but also for their authors! There are several of these within my beloved #LoveINSPIRED Suspense I am slowly making my way through and finding out there is one for the Regency was truly a lift of joy to find! Especially as like most Regencies – when there is a ball or a formal party afoot, there is generally a heap more going on than what is generally taken on appearance alone! Where tucked away secrets can percolate to the surface and where everyone either knows someone directly or indirectly through their peerage, family or friends!

The beauty of course is going story by story, seeing how the arc of the series will continue to increase in climax and how each new writer who steps into an installment will put their own spin on the established narrative. The points of view could change or the mannerisms of the character(s) themselves could feel altered a bit – but if the whole of the mini-series maintains its rhythm and internal heart of centre, what you will discover dear hearts is a smashingly lovely respite to curl inside as the hours melt off the clock!

As this is a promotional tour focusing on the Digital First status of the novellas, I opted to host the series of interviews in lieu of reviews as I am eager for each of the novellas to become released into print. Although in theory, they might have already released – I haven’t checked on all the statuses when I shared my first interview in this series! It will take me a bit to gather them but I might also, lean on my local library to see if they might want to add this series to their card catalogue ahead of when I can bring a set home! Then, I shall have the same pleasure of joy of disappearing inside this series start to finish, finding what the readers on this blog tour have discovered and beyond! For the Regency holds a dear spot in my bookish heart!

May your #AutumnReads be as excitingly awesome as mine are becoming!

Fun Stuff for Your Blog via pureimaginationblog.com

Mistaken Identity by Mindy Burbidge Strunk

Conrad Pinkerton, the Marquess of Kendal, despises society; the scheming, the guises, and the games they play. And yet, for his twin brother, he agrees to a temporary guise of his own, pretending to be his brother for a house party. Playing the fop should be easy, as long as he keeps everyone at a distance. But when he meets Jessica Standish, he wishes she didn’t think he was someone else.

Jessica Standish has never been considered worthy by the ton and now that she and her mother are penniless, the chances of a good match seem out of reach. Even the matchmaking schemes of the Countess Du’Breven seem doomed to failure. This house party will change nothing, though it’s hard not to hope when she sees Lord Ian again. The connection between them grows, though he seems so different from the man she remembers.

With his family name and fortune on the line, Conrad knows he should leave with his secret intact. After all, how can she truly love him if she thinks he’s someone else?

These novels and stories set in Somerstone within the Regency House Party series were first serialised via RegencyHouseParty.com and were thus independently published afterwards.

Regency House Party: @RegencyParty | Instagram | Facebook Group

 Add to LibraryThing

Published on: 21st August, 2018 | ISBN: 978-1718197114

Formats Available: Paperback and Ebook

Converse via: #Somerstone + #RegencyHouseParty OR #Regency and #HistRom

Fun Stuff for Your Blog via pureimaginationblog.com

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Posted Saturday, 24 November, 2018 by jorielov in 19th Century, Bits & Bobbles of Jorie, Blog Tour Host, Historical Romance, Indie Author, Romance Fiction, Singing Librarian Book Tours, Sweet Romance, the Regency era

Author Interview | Conversing with #HistRom novelist Heidi Kimball about the Somerstone #RegencyHouseParty series and her novel which continues our journey into Somerstone itself: “An Unlikely Courtship”!

Posted Saturday, 17 November, 2018 by jorielov , , , , 0 Comments

Conversations with the Bookish badge created by Jorie in Canva

Hallo, Hallo dear hearts, I am taking part in a special series of interviews!

I recently had the joy of sharing with you a conversation about my fascination and appreciation for #HistoricalRomances when I shared my interview with Rebecca Connolly! She wrote the Spinster Chronicles – of which I am reading the first two installments of her series this November! However, anchoured to the joyfulness of discovering her stories, this Autumn I had the pleasure of finding out about *Somerstone!* and the Regency House Party series!

This is one of those uniquely styled *round robin!* stories wherein each new author who steps into the story-line is picking up the threads of the previous author’s installment! Similar in the vein of why I am enjoying reading the Return of the Blackwell Brothers? Herein as we get a lovely introduction to Somerstone through a series of interviews and conversations I crafted together with the authors who make up this new series set in the Regency – one of my eras of preference for #HistRoms – we get to sort out what inspired the authors as they wrote their individual installments but also, get the chance to learn more about how the series was assembled!

Publishers (or in this case, the writers themselves!) create these nifty ‘mini-series’ and serial round robins not just to create a more unique environment for the reader to explore but also for their authors! There are several of these within my beloved #LoveINSPIRED Suspense I am slowly making my way through and finding out there is one for the Regency was truly a lift of joy to find! Especially as like most Regencies – when there is a ball or a formal party afoot, there is generally a heap more going on than what is generally taken on appearance alone! Where tucked away secrets can percolate to the surface and where everyone either knows someone directly or indirectly through their peerage, family or friends!

The beauty of course is going story by story, seeing how the arc of the series will continue to increase in climax and how each new writer who steps into an installment will put their own spin on the established narrative. The points of view could change or the mannerisms of the character(s) themselves could feel altered a bit – but if the whole of the mini-series maintains its rhythm and internal heart of centre, what you will discover dear hearts is a smashingly lovely respite to curl inside as the hours melt off the clock!

As this is a promotional tour focusing on the Digital First status of the novellas, I opted to host the series of interviews in lieu of reviews as I am eager for each of the novellas to become released into print. Although in theory, they might have already released – I haven’t checked on all the statuses when I shared my first interview in this series! It will take me a bit to gather them but I might also, lean on my local library to see if they might want to add this series to their card catalogue ahead of when I can bring a set home! Then, I shall have the same pleasure of joy of disappearing inside this series start to finish, finding what the readers on this blog tour have discovered and beyond! For the Regency holds a dear spot in my bookish heart!

May your #AutumnReads be as excitingly awesome as mine are becoming!

Fun Stuff for Your Blog via pureimaginationblog.com

An Unlikely Courtship by Heidi Kimball

One can only be careless with so many hearts before he ends up breaking his own.

Lord Anthony is an outrageous flirt with a devil-may-care attitude. The last thing on his mind is settling down. When the Countess Du’Breven invites him to her house party, promising to see him married, Anthony finds the prospect diverting and accepts. But when he meets a damsel in distress unwilling to accept his help, Anthony realizes his attraction to her may be his downfall.

Isabel Townshend is at her breaking point, caring for her ailing father and her innocent younger sister. She has a family secret to protect and no time for handsome young men, even at a house party with so many eligible bachelors. When Lord Anthony disturbs her well-laid plans, Isabel realizes her determination to protect her family may cost her future happiness.
With hearts at odds and defenses drawn, will Isabel and Anthony be able to put aside their differences and find love at last?

An Unlikely Courtship is one of five books set in the Regency House Party Series. While each is a stand alone story, watch our characters mingle together with others from the books in the series. The stories can be read in any order.

These novels and stories set in Somerstone within the Regency House Party series were first serialised via RegencyHouseParty.com and were thus independently published afterwards.

Regency House Party: @RegencyParty | Instagram | Facebook Group

 Add to LibraryThing

Published on: 19th August, 2018 | ISBN: 978-1719812603

Formats Available: Paperback and Ebook

Converse via: #Somerstone + #RegencyHouseParty OR #Regency and #HistRom

Fun Stuff for Your Blog via pureimaginationblog.com

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Posted Saturday, 17 November, 2018 by jorielov in 19th Century, Bits & Bobbles of Jorie, Blog Tour Host, Historical Romance, Indie Author, Romance Fiction, Singing Librarian Book Tours, Sweet Romance, the Regency era

Author Interview | Conversing with #HistRom novelist Michelle Pennington about the Somerstone #RegencyHouseParty series and her novel which begins our journey into Somerstone itself: “The Unwanted Suitor”!

Posted Sunday, 11 November, 2018 by jorielov , , , , 0 Comments

Conversations with the Bookish badge created by Jorie in Canva

Hallo, Hallo dear hearts, I am taking part in a special series of interviews!

I recently had the joy of sharing with you a conversation about my fascination and appreciation for #HistoricalRomances when I shared my interview with Rebecca Connolly! She wrote the Spinster Chronicles – of which I am reading the first two installments of her series this November! However, anchoured to the joyfulness of discovering her stories, this Autumn I had the pleasure of finding out about *Somerstone!* and the Regency House Party series!

This is one of those uniquely styled *round robin!* stories wherein each new author who steps into the story-line is picking up the threads of the previous author’s installment! Similar in the vein of why I am enjoying reading the Return of the Blackwell Brothers? Herein as we get a lovely introduction to Somerstone through a series of interviews and conversations I crafted together with the authors who make up this new series set in the Regency – one of my eras of preference for #HistRoms – we get to sort out what inspired the authors as they wrote their individual installments but also, get the chance to learn more about how the series was assembled!

Publishers (or in this case, the writers themselves!) create these nifty ‘mini-series’ and serial round robins not just to create a more unique environment for the reader to explore but also for their authors! There are several of these within my beloved #LoveINSPIRED Suspense I am slowly making my way through and finding out there is one for the Regency was truly a lift of joy to find! Especially as like most Regencies – when there is a ball or a formal party afoot, there is generally a heap more going on than what is generally taken on appearance alone! Where tucked away secrets can percolate to the surface and where everyone either knows someone directly or indirectly through their peerage, family or friends!

The beauty of course is going story by story, seeing how the arc of the series will continue to increase in climax and how each new writer who steps into an installment will put their own spin on the established narrative. The points of view could change or the mannerisms of the character(s) themselves could feel altered a bit – but if the whole of the mini-series maintains its rhythm and internal heart of centre, what you will discover dear hearts is a smashingly lovely respite to curl inside as the hours melt off the clock!

As this is a promotional tour focusing on the Digital First status of the novellas, I opted to host the series of interviews in lieu of reviews as I am eager for each of the novellas to become released into print. Although in theory, they might have already released – I haven’t checked on all the statuses as of yet when I was ready to share this first interview! It will take me a bit to gather them but I might also, lean on my local library to see if they might want to add this series to their card catalogue ahead of when I can bring a set home! Then, I shall have the same pleasure of joy of disappearing inside this series start to finish, finding what the readers on this blog tour have discovered and beyond! For the Regency holds a dear spot in my bookish heart!

May your #AutumnReads be as excitingly awesome as mine are becoming!

Fun Stuff for Your Blog via pureimaginationblog.com

The Unwanted Suitor by Michelle Pennington

When Cornelia Greystock received a proposal from Sir James Hawkston, she couldn’t bear it. It had been inspired, she knew, from pity and remorse—not love. Unable to face him afterward, she leaped at an offer of employment from the Countess, Lady Du’Breven. Serving as her companion, Cornelia struggles to adjust to the change in her social status, but the hard work distracts her from her broken heart. That is, until the Countess decides to hold a summer house party at her family estate and invites Sir James.

Sir James has never recovered from his disappointment when Miss Greystock refused his proposal and then fled, according to her family, to live with an unheard-of aunt in Ireland. When he grudgingly accepts an invitation to Lady Du’Breven’s house party, however, he is astounded to find Miss Greystock there. One thing is certain—this time he’ll court her the way he always should have. He is almost certain she returns his feelings, but he must tread carefully. If she refuses his proposal a second time, it would not be gentlemanly to ask a third. As time grows short and she continues to hold him at arms-length, will he find a way to at last win her hand?

These novels and stories set in Somerstone within the Regency House Party series were first serialised via RegencyHouseParty.com and were thus independently published afterwards.

Regency House Party: @RegencyParty | Instagram | Facebook Group

Add to LibraryThing

Published on: 27th August, 2018 | ISBN: 9781719915731

Formats Available: Paperback and Ebook

Converse via: #Somerstone + #RegencyHouseParty OR #Regency and #HistRom

Fun Stuff for Your Blog via pureimaginationblog.com

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Posted Sunday, 11 November, 2018 by jorielov in 19th Century, Bits & Bobbles of Jorie, Blog Tour Host, Historical Romance, Indie Author, Romance Fiction, Singing Librarian Book Tours, Sweet Romance, the Regency era

Author Interview | Conversing with #HistRom novelist Rebecca Connolly about her wickedly curious Spinster Chronicles Romance series!

Posted Tuesday, 6 November, 2018 by jorielov , , , , 0 Comments

Conversations with the Bookish badge created by Jorie in Canva

Hallo, Hallo dear hearts, remember how much I *love!* Historical Romances!?

IF you’ve been visiting with me for awhile now, you’ve noticed a particular appreciation for Historical Fiction & the lovely niche of Historical Romance floating into my archives here at Jorie Loves A Story! This is because I was charmed by the Historical past eons ago in childhood wherein I first picked up my very first #HistRom round the age of eight or nine – the exact year alters depending on which day I remember gathering those Victorian & Regency Christmas novella anthologies! Those gentle stories of yesteryear centred inside two eras of British History I fell head over heels in love with at *first sight!* became the moment where my bookish heart could not get enough Historical Romances in my life!

I believe Historical Romances should keep in mind the people in power, the situations of the world during the specific time period being explored and of course, keeping mindful of living persons whilst having the internal time-line of the story altered in scope against the known one in History. Some writers alter historical time for literary time which is generally alright for me if it is done in such a way to be believable within their story.

When it comes to Historical Romance, I am not reading it strictly to learn about ‘history’  per se but rather want to feel caught in the joy of the relationship being built against the historical backdrop it is placed. Which tracks well with the choices I make in which Historical Romance authors draw my eye towards their works of literature! In this particular instance, what drew me into a curiosity about the Spinster Chronicles is the curious point of entrance into the women whose lives are at the centre of the series! It is a unique perspective but also an interesting premise – of how thread a series out of a particular set of circumstances and yet, leaving the door ajar for these women to find their happier-ever-afters as well!

I hope you will enjoy your visit today – learning more about the writer’s (Ms Connolly’s) writing process, a few insights into her series (the Spinster Chronicles) and perhaps, you’ll pick up a new read you hadn’t found previously! I was originally meant to feature the first novel in this series “The Merry Lives of Spinsters” but opted instead to run my interview early as the novels were delayed reaching me by Post. However, I have wonderfully lovely news to share with my readers – guess what the postman brought Jorie *today?!* Ooh, could it be the Spinsters? Ooh, I think it could! I can’t wait to share my ruminative thoughts on behalf of this delightful new series I am overly eager to begin reading! You’ll find my reviews of both novels coming to Jorie Loves A Story as soon as I get the proper chance to devour them!

May your #AutumnReads be as excitingly awesome as mine are becoming!

Fun Stuff for Your Blog via pureimaginationblog.com

The Spinster and I by Rebecca Connolly

Poor, unfortunate Spinster…

Prudence Westfall, spinster, has unexpectedly had the greatest misfortune of all: she has inherited a fortune, and is now an heiress. But as a Spinster, and a stammering shy one, nothing could be worse than having a bevy of suitors pay her attention.

Opportunity strikes at a house party when the most unlikely person offers the perfect solution. Camden Vale is no gentleman, and he’s not prone to saving anyone, but something about Prue changes all that. When his offer to befriend her extends beyond the house party, and his feelings extend beyond expectation, no one is more surprised than he. Except, perhaps, for the other Spinsters, and they have much to say on the subject.

Published By: Phase Publishing (@PhasePubLLC)

Add to LibraryThing

Published on: 1st November, 2018 | ISBN: 9781943048700

Formats Available: Paperback and Ebook

Converse via: #SpinsterChronicles, #Regency and #HistRom

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Posted Tuesday, 6 November, 2018 by jorielov in 19th Century, Bits & Bobbles of Jorie, Blog Tour Host, Historical Romance, Indie Author, Romance Fiction, Singing Librarian Book Tours, Sweet Romance, the Regency era

Blog Book Tour | “Love and Secrets at Cassfield Manor” by Sarah L. McConkie, a lovely new #Regency Rom of the lovely imprint #PureRomance (by Cedar Fort)

Posted Saturday, 22 September, 2018 by jorielov , , , 0 Comments

Book Review badge created by Jorie in Canva using Unsplash.com photography (Creative Commons Zero).

Acquired Book By: I have been hosting blog tours with Cedar Fort Publishing and Media for several years now, wherein their new blog tour publicist (Ms Sydney Anderson) also runs her own publicity touring company: Singing Librarian Book Tours (or SLB Tours for short!). I happily joined her team of book bloggers as a hostess in late Spring, 2018 wherein my first tours with her as a hostess began Summer, 2018. I appreciate reading INSPY literature and was happy to find these are most of the stories she is showcasing through SLB Tours! Most of her authors are published through Cedar Fort, though she does work with authors who are either Self-Published or Indie published through different publishers as well.

I received a complimentary copy of “Love and Secrets at Cassfield Manor” direct from the publisher Sweetwater Books (an imprint of Cedar Fort Publishing & Media) in exchange for an honest review. I did not receive compensation for my opinions or thoughts shared herein.

Fun Stuff for Your Blog via pureimaginationblog.com

To find out why I love Sweet Romances and the #PureRomance imprint you might like to check out my previous postings for Cedar Fort blog tours, wherein I related my love of Historical & INSPY stories on a previous blog tour featuring To Suit a Suitor, however, I have happily been reading the offerings of this particular imprint for quite a long while now. The stories which still stand out are as follows: ‘Willow Springs’, ‘The Darkest Summer’, ‘Unexpected Love (anthology)’ and ‘The Second Season’.

To follow through my readings, be sure to scroll through this tag Pure Romance!

Fun Stuff for Your Blog via pureimaginationblog.com

A small insight into why I previously loved reading Julie Matern’s debut #Regency Rom earlier this year:

A strength of Ms Matern is allocating Regency realism to parlay into her #HistRom The Secret of Haversham House – whereby, you feel as if you can settle into her narrative rather easily without feeling as if something is misplaced or left out. She delights the reader who appreciates the Regency, as she has definitely spent time researching and reading the era to give us the visual clues we’re accustomed to finding whilst delighting our romantic side as well!

It is how she endears you to the journey back towards finding Francesca from the perspective of her grandfather which is what intrigues you the most! You get lost in his fervent attempts to uncover the lost information, the small bits of truth lingering in the minds of those still hanging onto life where their memories are nearly as lost as time itself. His hopefulness and his dedication to find Francesca are achingly real. You can feel his vexation with himself, for the errors of the past, the mistakes he hadn’t realised he had made and the anguish of grief which threatened to be his end.

Similarly, when Ms Matern turns the tables a bit on Francesca’s father (her adopted father: Mr Haverhsham) we view his life from his father’s point-of-view – seeing the lengths the upper class will go to ensure a winsome match for marriage, where even when a party is of independence thought and mind; there can be manipulations afoot. What struck me of interest in this segue, is how well in-tuned Matern is with the inner workings of the ton – how they justified their actions and how everything boiled down to status, wealth and stablity of one’s legacy.

I am definitely in favour of reading more of her Regency Romances and/or Historical Romances if she chooses to write outside the Regency era. She has an old world style and a foresight for how to tell a story which feels as if it were published in the 19th Century rather than the 21st! The only thing which threw me a bit were when she wrote ‘Mr.’ instead of ‘Mr’ and I had longed to see some of the words spelt in Old English vs Contemporary American as they would have befitted her vision for this novel even moreso than how it was initially told. However, despite those omissions what I loved the most is the credibility in telling an adoptive story and search for oneself at a time when entering adulthood lies on uncertain ground.

Matern was the last #PureRomance release I read, as this has become an imprint with the publisher I am keenly excited about seeing more stories published!

Fun Stuff for Your Blog via pureimaginationblog.com

Blog Book Tour | “Love and Secrets at Cassfield Manor” by Sarah L. McConkie, a lovely new #Regency Rom of the lovely imprint #PureRomance (by Cedar Fort)Love and Secrets at Cassfield Manor
by Sarah L. McConkie
Source: Direct from publisher via SLB Tours

Wealthy socialite Christine Harrison’s life seems perfect until the man she planned tomarry, Mr. Davenport, proposes to someone else. Heartbroken, Miss Harrison vowsnever to love again, and to distract herself, she sets out to rescue a fallen youngwoman. Little does she know that her journey will reveal more than she expected about her friends, her seemingly perfect life, and her own heart.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Historical Romance, Sweet Romance



Places to find the book:

Borrow from a Public Library

Add to LibraryThing

Find on Book Browse

ISBN: 9781462129188

Also by this author: Book Spotlight: The Promise of Miss Spencer

Also in this series: Willow Springs, Sophia, The Second Season, To Suit a Suitor, Mischief & Manors, Unexpected Love, Lies & Letters, The Darkest Summer, The Secret of Haversham House, Enduring Promises of the Heart, Book Spotlight: The Promise of Miss Spencer


Published by Sweetwater Books

on 14th August, 2018

Format: Trade Paperback

Pages: 272

Published By: Sweetwater Books (@SweetwaterBooks),
an imprint of Cedar Fort, Inc (@CedarFort)

Available Formats: Paperback, Ebook

Fun Stuff for Your Blog via pureimaginationblog.com

Converse via: #Regency or #RegencyRomance, #HistFic or #HistoricalRomance

#SweetRomance OR #HistRom

→ #LoveAndSecretsAtCassfieldManor OR #CassfieldManor

About Sarah L. McConkie

Sarah L. McConkie

From writing an award-wining tale of a dragon falling from the stars in the 3rd grade to regency romance written at thirty, Sarah McConkie has always had a passion for creating intriguing stories. After years of singledom looking for romance (and teaching Junior High Choir to fill up real life), Sarah began a Master’s degree in Literacy.

When love finally found her, she married and became a wife and eventually a mother. After tucking in her own little princess one January evening she determined to attempt her life-long dream to write and publish a novel.

Using her many years of experience in the single realm, a robust knowledge of regency classics, and a love of all things old fashioned and proper, Sarah wrote Love and Secrets at Cassfield Manor. She now lives with her own Mr. Right and her two daughters, and believes providing stimulating and moral stories promotes literacy in a world which needs more readers. This is her first novel.

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Reading this book contributed to these challenges:

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Posted Saturday, 22 September, 2018 by jorielov in Bits & Bobbles of Jorie, Blog Tour Host, Coming-Of Age, Debut Author, Debut Novel, England, Fathers and Daughters, Historical Fiction, Historical Romance, Indie Author, Inheritance & Identity, Life Shift, Postal Mail | Letters & Correspondence, Romance Fiction, Singing Librarian Book Tours, Sisterhood friendships, Sweet Romance, The London Season, the Regency era, Women's Fiction