Category: Modern British Literature

Book Review | “Turning the Tide” (Book No.1 of the Little Spitmarsh series) by Christine Stovell #ChocLitSaturdays

Posted Saturday, 22 October, 2016 by jorielov , , , 0 Comments

ChocLitSaturdays Banner Created by Jorie in Canva.

Why I feature #ChocLitSaturdays (book reviews & guest author features)
and created #ChocLitSaturday (the chat via @ChocLitSaturday):

I wanted to create a bit of a niche on Jorie Loves A Story to showcase romance fiction steeped in relationships, courtships, and the breadth of marriage enveloped by characters written honestly whose lives not only endear you to them but they nestle into your heart as their story is being read!

I am always seeking relationship-based romance which strikes a chord within my mind’s eye as well as my heart! I’m a romantic optimist, and I love curling into a romance where I can be swept inside the past, as history becomes lit alive in the fullness of the narrative and I can wander amongst the supporting cast observing the principal characters fall in love and sort out if they are a proper match for each other!

I love how an Indie Publisher like ChocLitUK is such a positive alternative for those of us who do not identify ourselves as girls and women who read ‘chick-lit’. I appreciate the stories which alight in my hands from ChocLit as much as I appreciate the inspirational romances I gravitate towards because there is a certain level of depth to both outlets in romance which encourage my spirits and gives me a beautiful story to absorb! Whilst sorting out how promote my book reviews on behalf of ChocLit, I coined the phrase “ChocLitSaturdays”, which is a nod to the fact my ChocLit reviews & features debut on ‘a Saturday’ but further to the point that on the ‘weekend’ we want to dip into a world wholly ideal and romantic during our hours off from the work week!

Coffee and Tea Clip Art Set purchased on Etsy; made by rachelwhitetoo.

Acquired Book By: I am a regular reviewer for ChocLitUK, where I hand select which books in either their backlist and/or current releases I would like to read next for my #ChocLitSaturdays blog feature. As of June 2016, I became a member of the ChocLit Stars Team in tandem with being on the Cover Reveal Team which I joined in May 2016. I reference the Stars as this is a lovely new reader contribution team of sending feedback to the publisher ahead of new book releases. As always, even if I’m involved with a publisher in this sort of fashion, each review is never influenced by that participation and will always be my honest impression as I read the story. Whether the author is one I have previously read or never had the pleasure to read until the book greets my shelf.

I received a complimentary copy of “Turning the Tide” from ChocLit in exchange for an honest review! I did not receive compensation for my opinions or thoughts shared herein.

Coffee and Tea Clip Art Set purchased on Etsy; made by rachelwhitetoo.

Why Jorie wanted to read a Contemporary Rom series:

I’ve had my eye on this series for awhile as I have wanted to read more of the ChocLit series which caught my attention. There is something quite alluring about boats, ships and life on the water – it isn’t often I find a series that is set against a lifestyle I always thought was quite keenly unique. I’ve read about how husbands and wives purchase a boat and take people on excursions whilst raising their children around the lively environment of living on the water vs land. There is an interesting concept there about how you can re-create how to live your life whilst endeavouring to explore a bit more than most could whilst anchoured to land.

This series is still in-progress I believe as there are two installments thus far released, I felt picking up the series in Autumn might be a wonderful time to soak inside a Contemporary Rom series as this is the season that most appeals to me personally, when the wrath of Summer ends. Sometimes I feel stories resonate with us on a seasonal level of curiosity, and for me, the changing climate of Autumn makes thinking about being ‘outside’ or ‘out on the water’ much more enticing than if I were to contemplate that during the Spring or Summer where the brute of the humidity and heat would kill the joy!

Also, too, I liked the title of this first novel in the series – as at different points in our lives, we’re each finding a way to ‘turn the tide’ and re-define our paths. I definitely wanted to see what would happen when two strong individuals came to heads and had to find a middle ground in order to work through the causticity of a development plan. I am purposely seeking out Contemporaries on a personal level of interest too, as sometimes I forsake the stories set in contemporary times for those of the historical past, thus, all three ChocLit stories I am currently reading are set in the modern day! I couldn’t be happier – as I am finding new Contemporary authors who are giving me exactly what I’m seeking out of this kind of style for Romance!

Coffee and Tea Clip Art Set purchased on Etsy; made by rachelwhitetoo.

 Book Review | “Turning the Tide” (Book No.1 of the Little Spitmarsh series) by Christine Stovell #ChocLitSaturdaysTurning the Tide

All’s fair in love and war? Depends on who’s making the rules.

Harry Watling has spent the past five years keeping her father’s boat yard afloat, despite its dying clientele. Now all she wants to do is enjoy the peace and quiet of her sleepy backwater. So when property developer Matthew Corrigan wants to turn the boat yard into an upmarket housing complex for his exotic new restaurant, it’s like declaring war.

And the odds seem to be stacked in Matthew’s favour. He’s got the colourful locals on board, his hard-to-please girlfriend is warming to the idea and he has the means to force Harry’s hand.

Meanwhile, Harry has to fight not just his plans but also her feelings for the man himself. Then a family secret from the past creates heartbreak for Harry, and neither of them is prepared for what happens next…


Places to find the book:

Add to LibraryThing

Find on Book Browse

Book Page on World Weaver Press

ISBN: 978-1-906931-25-4

on 1st June, 2010

Pages: 336

Published by: ChocLitUK (@ChocLituk)

Available Formats: Paperback, Audiobook, Large Print & E-Book

Order of Sequence of Little Spitmarsh series:

Turning the Tide by Christine StovellFollow a Star by Christine Stovell

Read the Synopsis for Follow a Star

Converse via: #Contemporary & #Romance + #ChocLit #LittleSpitmarsh

About Christine Stovell

Christine Stovell Photo Credit: Tim Jones

Winning a tin of chocolate in a national essay competition at primary school inspired Christine Stovell to become a writer! After graduating from University of East Anglia, she took various jobs in the public sector writing research papers and policy notes by day and filling up her spare drawers with embryonic novels by night.

Losing her dad to cancer made her realise that if she was ever going to get a novel published she had to put her writing first. Setting off, with her husband, from a sleepy seaside resort on the east coast in a vintage wooden boat to sail halfway round Britain provided the inspiration for her debut novel Turning the Tide and Follow a Star. Turning The Tide was a top 100 Bestseller with Amazon Kindle and spent months in the Top 10 Chart for Adult Contemporary Romance. Christine has also published numerous short stories and articles. Christine lives in Wales. Christine novels include: Turning The Tide, Move Over Darling and Follow a Star (July 2014).

Photo Credit: Tim Jones

Coffee and Tea Clip Art Set purchased on Etsy; made by rachelwhitetoo. Read More

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Posted Saturday, 22 October, 2016 by jorielov in #JorieLovesIndies, Bits & Bobbles of Jorie, Blog Tour Host, Britian, British Literature, ChocLitSaturdays, ChocLitUK, Debut Author, Debut Novel, England, Equality In Literature, Green-Minded Publishers, Indie Author, LGBTTQPlus Fiction | Non-Fiction, Modern British Author, Romance Fiction, Vulgarity in Literature

#ChocLitSaturdays | Author Q&A feat. Christina Courtenay’s #newbook “The Velvet Cloak of Moonlight” w/ an exclusive extract from the novel!

Posted Saturday, 15 October, 2016 by jorielov , , , 0 Comments

ChocLitSaturdays Banner Created by Jorie in Canva.

A few months ago, I had the pleasure of hosting Ms Courtenay’s Cover Reveal for this title, as I was quite smitten with the idea that the series I began to read starting with “The Silent Touch of Shadows” has been accumulating in titles leading up to to this wicked fourth release! I happen to fancy time slips, ghost stories and atmospheric psychological suspense novels – of which is happily residing inside this series, as it’s a combination of factors from the Rom Suspense genre intermixed with Paranormal Rom that whet such a thirst of interest inside me to read! I find that it’s such a wicked good read, you simply cannot stop at reading just one, but will happily delight in residence as you proceed through the series!

Being time slips, you know your in for an incredible ride, because you’re about to ‘slip’ through time’s arrow – anchoured to two individually unique eras of time, whilst being enveloped inside a riveting story-line that will quite literally put you on the edge of your seat! You never know quite what will unfold as you take those tentative steps to alight next to the lead characters, of whom are not always realising their walking such a unique path between the veils! There is a subtle nature to how the stories unfold – as you truly have to allow yourself to ‘let go’ of particulars – the ‘hows’ and ‘whys’ and simply get caught up inside the moment of discovery! Be willing to ‘go there’ with the characters and you’ll find yourself fully intrigued by what will happen next!

I had the opportunity to expand today’s exclusive extract with an impromptu author convo which I am most delighted about featuring, as I love this splice of loveliness inside Romance – it’s hard to pin-point what I love more, which is why I was inspired to launch a discussion about this series parlaying into the theme of today’s #ChocLitSaturday chat “Soul Mates, Ghosts & Time Slips in Romance”! Join us at 11am EST / 4p UK to discuss Ms Courtenay’s series & encourage the lively exchange of how this topic can be explored! Be sure to follow @ChocLitSaturday to get in on the chat, whilst keeping your eyes on our hashtag #ChocLitSaturday!

Fun Stuff for Your Blog via pureimaginationblog.com

Celebrating the Paranormal Romances of Christina Courtenay
& her “Shadows of the Past” series

Read the author’s thoughts on writing Time Slips via her Guest Post
(which focuses on this series)

The Silent Touch of Shadows began the series

The Soft Whisper of Dreams is the sequel to The Secret Kiss of Darkness

& The Velvet Cloak of Moonlight is the fourth in the series to release!

Fun Stuff for Your Blog via pureimaginationblog.com

On my Connection to Ms. Courtenay:

Two years ago, on the 26th of April, 2014, I created #ChocLitSaturday a weekly Rom chat to celebrate the novelists of ChocLitUK but also, to expand to include book bloggers, readers and writers of Romance who have a penchant for the genre as a whole. Ms. Courtenay started to become a regular fixture, and her encouraging conversations & ability to inspire others to converse freely throughout the chats put me at ease in my new role as a ‘Hostess’. She always seemed to know how to either start a topic or how to best suggest something to break the ice! I was always so very grateful to her and I am thinking I might have forgotten to tell her directly how much gratitude I had for her in those earlier chats! Over the weeks that have followed, I have found myself attached to each of my ‘regular’ chatters during the hour, and I consider Ms. Courtenay a bookish like-minded soul, as we tend to appreciate the same types of stories!

I am disclosing this, to assure you that I can formulate an honest opinion, even though I have interacted with Courtenay through our respective love & passion of reading inside the twitterverse whilst I host #ChocLitSaturday the chat and having previously read her time slip novels. I treat each book as a ‘new experience’, whether I personally know the author OR whether I am reading a book by them for the first time or continuing to read their releases as they are available.

Fun Stuff for Your Blog via pureimaginationblog.com

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Posted Saturday, 15 October, 2016 by jorielov in Blog Tour Host, Book Cover Reveal, Book Spotlight, British Literature, Castles & Estates, ChocLitUK, Gothic Literature, Gothic Romance, Indie Author, Modern British Literature, Paranormal Romance, Parapsychological Suspense, Romance Fiction, Romantic Suspense, Supernatural Fiction

Book Review | “Search for the Truth” by Kathryn Freeman #ChocLitSaturdays

Posted Saturday, 17 September, 2016 by jorielov , , 2 Comments

ChocLitSaturdays Banner Created by Jorie in Canva.

Why I feature #ChocLitSaturdays (book reviews & guest author features)
and created #ChocLitSaturday (the chat via @ChocLitSaturday):

I wanted to create a bit of a niche on Jorie Loves A Story to showcase romance fiction steeped in relationships, courtships, and the breadth of marriage enveloped by characters written honestly whose lives not only endear you to them but they nestle into your heart as their story is being read!

I am always seeking relationship-based romance which strikes a chord within my mind’s eye as well as my heart! I’m a romantic optimist, and I love curling into a romance where I can be swept inside the past, as history becomes lit alive in the fullness of the narrative and I can wander amongst the supporting cast observing the principal characters fall in love and sort out if they are a proper match for each other!

I love how an Indie Publisher like ChocLitUK is such a positive alternative for those of us who do not identify ourselves as girls and women who read ‘chick-lit’. I appreciate the stories which alight in my hands from ChocLit as much as I appreciate the inspirational romances I gravitate towards because there is a certain level of depth to both outlets in romance which encourage my spirits and gives me a beautiful story to absorb! Whilst sorting out how promote my book reviews on behalf of ChocLit, I coined the phrase “ChocLitSaturdays”, which is a nod to the fact my ChocLit reviews & features debut on ‘a Saturday’ but further to the point that on the ‘weekend’ we want to dip into a world wholly ideal and romantic during our hours off from the work week!

Coffee and Tea Clip Art Set purchased on Etsy; made by rachelwhitetoo.

Acquired Book By: I am a regular reviewer for ChocLitUK, where I hand select which books in either their backlist and/or current releases I would like to read next for my #ChocLitSaturdays blog feature. As of June 2016, I became a member of the ChocLit Stars Team in tandem with being on the Cover Reveal Team which I joined in May 2016. I reference the Stars as this is a lovely new reader contribution team of sending feedback to the publisher ahead of new book releases. As always, even if I’m involved with a publisher in this sort of fashion, each review is never influenced by that participation and will always be my honest impression as I read the story. Whether the author is one I have previously read or never had the pleasure to read until the book greets my shelf.

I received a complimentary copy of “Search for the Truth” from ChocLit in exchange for an honest review! I did not receive compensation for my opinions or thoughts shared herein. I previously had the joy of celebrating the Cover Reveal for this novel and I was most happy I could finally read the story!

Coffee and Tea Clip Art Set purchased on Etsy; made by rachelwhitetoo.

Why I was so very keen on reading this Contemporary!

My best friend from high school went into the Pharmacy Industry, and coincidentally we reconnected after a long search to find each other again whilst she was at the latter stage of graduating as a pharmacist. I still remember our long conversations on the phone about the particulars of what was involved with her studies and how her impression of pharmacy had changed since before she started her studies; as the industry wasn’t quite what she imagined it was to be. I could sympathise as sometimes our initial impressions about something does not match or hold up against further enquiries and research. I oft think about her as she has a demanding schedule of hours and responsibilities, I had hoped might have calmed down after her last promotion.

Even before we reconnected and I knew of her path, I sometimes have found myself intrigued to find stories of women who are working inside this field, as the last time I connected to a story, it was through an indie film starring Katherine Heigl (Side Effects | info on Wikipedia). What I appreciated about Search for the Truth is how it digs into the gritty realities of what is being created and how what is being created may or may not be conducive to keeping a Pharma company on the right side of ‘first do no harm’. I felt seeing how Freeman layered the story whilst building the relationship tension at the same time would prove to be a wicked good read, as it would be anchoured in the reality of an industry few write about and grounded by how life evolves out of ordinary hours. A good time to percolate drama and convincing situations where hard choices would surely need to be made!

I like reading romantic dramas sometimes over romantic comedies, because they dig into the harder issues and they takeaway a part of humanity that might always be cut clear and crystal; there are different ways to approach the stories, and seeing how a writer will make choices for her characters but also for her evolving story of intrigue is what holds me to the pages. I am quite eager to see this going into print (hopefully next year!) so that I can see how Tess finds her mission to uncover the truth might not be as easy to do as she first suspected it could be. The title alone points to the plausible path of finding that truth and supposition can be blinding.

-quoted from my Cover Reveal post for Search for the Truth

Coffee and Tea Clip Art Set purchased on Etsy; made by rachelwhitetoo.

Book Review | “Search for the Truth” by Kathryn Freeman #ChocLitSaturdaysSearch for the Truth
by Kathryn Freeman
Illustrator/Cover Designer: Berni Stevens
Source: Direct from Publisher

Sometimes the truth hurts…

When journalist Tess Johnson takes a job at Helix pharmaceuticals, she has a very specific motive. Tess has reason to believe the company are knowingly producing a potentially harmful drug and, if her suspicions are confirmed, she will stop at nothing to make sure the truth comes out.

Jim Knight is the president of research and development at Helix and is a force to be reckoned with. After a disastrous office affair he’s determined that nothing else will distract him from his vision for the company. Failure is simply not an option. As Tess and Jim start working together, both have their reasons for wanting to ignore the sexual chemistry that fires between them. But chemistry, like most things in the world of science, isn’t always easy to control.

Genres: Contemporary (Modern) Fiction (post 1945), Contemporary Romance, Realistic Fiction



Places to find the book:

Borrow from a Public Library

Add to LibraryThing

Book Page on ChocLitUK

ISBN: 9781781893029

Also by this author: Search for the Truth Cover Reveal, Before You Cover Reveal, A Second Christmas Wish Cover Reveal, Before You, A Second Christmas Wish

Published by ChocLitUK

on 7th July, 2016

Format: Paperback Edition

Pages: 288

Published by: ChocLitUK (@ChocLitUK)

Formats Available: Paperback and Ebook

Genre(s): Contemporary | BigPharma | Suspense | Corporate Espionage

Converse via: #ChocLit

About Kathryn Freeman

Kathryn Freeman

Kathryn was born in Wallingford, England but has spent most of her life living in a village near Windsor. After studying pharmacy in Brighton she began her working life as a retail pharmacist. She quickly realised that trying to decipher doctor’s handwriting wasn’t for her and left to join the pharmaceutical industry where she spent twenty happy years working in medical communications. In 2011, backed by her family, she left the world of pharmaceutical science to begin life as a self-employed writer, juggling the two disciplines of medical writing and romance. Some days a racing heart is a medical condition, others it’s the reaction to a hunky hero…

With two teenage boys and a husband who asks every Valentine’s Day whether he has to bother buying a card again this year (yes, he does) the romance in her life is all in her head. Then again, her husband’s unstinting support of her career change goes to prove that love isn’t always about hearts and flowers – and heroes can come in many disguises.

Coffee and Tea Clip Art Set purchased on Etsy; made by rachelwhitetoo.

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Posted Saturday, 17 September, 2016 by jorielov in #JorieLovesIndies, 21st Century, Blog Tour Host, British Literature, ChocLitSaturdays, ChocLitUK, Contemporary Romance, Espionage, Indie Author, Modern British Author, Modern British Literature, Modern Day, Realistic Fiction, Romance Fiction, Romantic Suspense, Vulgarity in Literature

Book Review | “Some Veil Did Fall” (Book No.1 of the Rossetti Mysteries) by Kirsty Ferry #ChocLitSaturdays

Posted Saturday, 30 July, 2016 by jorielov , , , 0 Comments

ChocLitSaturdays Banner Created by Jorie in Canva.

Why I feature #ChocLitSaturdays (book reviews & guest author features)
and created #ChocLitSaturday (the chat via @ChocLitSaturday):

I wanted to create a bit of a niche on Jorie Loves A Story to showcase romance fiction steeped in relationships, courtships, and the breadth of marriage enveloped by characters written honestly whose lives not only endear you to them but they nestle into your heart as their story is being read!

I am always seeking relationship-based romance which strikes a chord within my mind’s eye as well as my heart! I’m a romantic optimist, and I love curling into a romance where I can be swept inside the past, as history becomes lit alive in the fullness of the narrative and I can wander amongst the supporting cast observing the principal characters fall in love and sort out if they are a proper match for each other!

I love how an Indie Publisher like ChocLitUK is such a positive alternative for those of us who do not identify ourselves as girls and women who read ‘chick-lit’. I appreciate the stories which alight in my hands from ChocLit as much as I appreciate the inspirational romances I gravitate towards because there is a certain level of depth to both outlets in romance which encourage my spirits and gives me a beautiful story to absorb! Whilst sorting out how promote my book reviews on behalf of ChocLit, I coined the phrase “ChocLitSaturdays”, which is a nod to the fact my ChocLit reviews & features debut on ‘a Saturday’ but further to the point that on the ‘weekend’ we want to dip into a world wholly ideal and romantic during our hours off from the work week!

Coffee and Tea Clip Art Set purchased on Etsy; made by rachelwhitetoo.

Acquired Book By: I am a regular reviewer for ChocLitUK, where I hand select which books in either their backlist and/or current releases I would like to read next for my #ChocLitSaturdays blog feature. As of June 2016, I became a member of the ChocLit Stars Team in tandem with being on the Cover Reveal Team which I joined in May 2016. I reference the Stars as this is a lovely new reader contribution team of sending feedback to the publisher ahead of new book releases. As always, even if I’m involved with a publisher in this sort of fashion, each review is never influenced by that participation and will always be my honest impression as I read the story. Whether the author is one I have previously read or never had the pleasure to read until the book greets my shelf.

I received a complimentary copy of “Some Veil Did Fall” from ChocLit in exchange for an honest review! I did not receive compensation for my opinions or thoughts shared herein. It should be noted ‘Some Veil Did Fall’ was requested prior to the two teams I joined on behalf of ChocLitUK. I simply have become more active with the Reveal Team & begun my journey as a ChocLit Star in-between receiving this novel and the day my review posts.

Coffee and Tea Clip Art Set purchased on Etsy; made by rachelwhitetoo.

Why Jorie has such a hearty penchant for time slips & ghost stories:

For as long as I can remember, I have entertained a healthy appetite for the paranormal – especially in regards to Southern Gothic Literature, Paranormal Romance and Ghost Stories most definitely being at the top of the list of ‘must reads’ for my literary wanderings! It has taken quite a long while to sort out which authors truly whet a thirst of interest for me to read, as when I found the Ghost Harrison series by Heather Graham, I was truly thankful for the respite I found inside my ‘first!’ Graham novel: Ghost Walk set in New Orleans! Imagine my good fortune!? A ghost story and a romance all in one!

When I came to find out that Edith Wharton wrote ghost stories, I must say, I was rather chuffed to have found a copy of her paranormal stories through my local library’s ILL catalogue! As you can tell by the review I composed, I was quite wicked happy for the readings! More recently, I explored why I find the supernatural so very alluring when I reviewed Southern Haunts, an anthology series of Southern Gothic stories set in the realms of the paranormal! There simply is something to be said for that ‘elsewhere’ vibe to stories that bend time, setting, place and living history behind the backdrop of what cannot be seen but can surely be felt as being as real as the breath you see catch in a Wintry sky.

Now, when it comes to time slips, I’m equally motivated to soak inside a story that is hinged between timescapes and/or generational time intervals where characters or circumstances are equally tied together. One of the best impressions I had of how time can slip and affect characters so substantially as to directly affect the reader was within the story A Fall of Marigolds. If you want to read a story by an author whose conquered this genre with equal dexterity for writing convincing paranormal attributes into their back-stories, look no further than Christina Courtenay! My first reading by her was of The Silent Touch of Shadows wherein I was pleasantly taken for a wicked twist of an ending!

More recently I explored this theory in practice by my reading of The Memory Painter, where I was only slightly disappointed for the direction of the story’s core of heart, as it was the predictable route to go rather than the route less taken where I had hoped I’d venture instead. What gets me invested in both styles is the curious ‘unknowns’ that occupy the spaces between understanding what is physically happening to the character and how the mind can entreat inside an experience far outside the scope of where physical reality or science can explain it. This is one reason why I love watching episodes of The Ghost Whisperer as it’s a whole series in full pursuit of what walks between the veils of what is seen and unseen.

Coffee and Tea Clip Art Set purchased on Etsy; made by rachelwhitetoo.

Notation on Cover Art: I shrank this image down for my readers – as the copy of the cover art to use on my review is such a blaring bright pink, it hurts your eyes in the larger format! The interesting bit is that IRL the book is lovely to hold & to look at as it’s not glaring! I even loved how it’s a combination of hot pink with blocked black imagery – I know it’s a particular style of art but for the life of me it’s eluding me right now to remember what it’s called! Laughs. I’m not a pink girl either – so hats off to Ms Stevens for creating a cover that made me smile!

 Book Review | “Some Veil Did Fall” (Book No.1 of the Rossetti Mysteries) by Kirsty Ferry #ChocLitSaturdaysSome Veil Did Fall
by Kirsty Ferry
Illustrator/Cover Designer: Berni Stevens
Source: Direct from Publisher

What if you recalled memories from a life that wasn’t yours, from a life before…?

When Becky steps into Jonathon Nelson’s atmospheric photography studio in Whitby, she is simply a freelance journalist in search of a story. But as soon as she puts on the beautiful Victorian dress and poses for a photograph, she becomes somebody quite different…

From that moment on, Becky is overcome with visions and flashbacks from a life that isn’t her own – some disturbing and filled with fear.

As she and Jon begin to unravel the tragic mystery behind her strange experiences, the natural affinity they have for each other continues to grow and leads them to question … have they met somewhere before? Perhaps not just in this life but in another?

Genres: Gothic Literature, Ghost Story, Romantic Suspense, Thriller



Places to find the book:

Borrow from a Public Library

Add to LibraryThing

Book Page on ChocLitUK

ISBN: 9781781891612

Also by this author: The Girl in the Painting

Published by ChocLitUK

on 1st November, 2014

Format: Paperback Edition

Pages: 288

Published by: ChocLitUK (@ChocLituk)

Available Formats: Paperback, Audiobook, Large Print & E-Book

Order of Sequence of Rossetti Mysteries:

Some Veil Did Fall | Book One | Read more on Author’s blog

The Girl in the Painting | Book Two (Synopsis) | Read more on Author’s blog

Converse via: #RossettiMysteries + #ChocLit

About Kirsty Ferry

Kirsty Ferry

Kirsty lives in the North East of England with her husband and son. She won the English Heritage/Belsay Hall National Creative Writing competition in 2009 and has had articles and short stories published in Peoples Friend, The Weekly News, It’s Fate, Vintage Script, Ghost Voices and First Edition.

Her work also appears in several anthologies, incorporating such diverse themes as vampires, crime, angels and more.
Kirsty loves writing ghostly mysteries and interweaving fact and fiction. The research is almost as much fun as writing the book itself, and if she can add a wonderful setting and a dollop of history, that’s even better.
Her day job involves sharing a building with an eclectic collection of ghosts, which can often prove rather interesting.

Coffee and Tea Clip Art Set purchased on Etsy; made by rachelwhitetoo. Read More

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Posted Saturday, 30 July, 2016 by jorielov in #JorieLovesIndies, 19th Century, 21st Century, Art, Bits & Bobbles of Jorie, Blog Tour Host, Britian, British Literature, Castles & Estates, ChocLitSaturdays, ChocLitUK, Deaf Culture in Fiction, England, Equality In Literature, Flashbacks & Recollective Memories, Ghost Story, Ghosts & the Supernatural, Gothic Literature, Gothic Mystery, Gothic Romance, Green-Minded Publishers, Haunting & Ethereal, Indie Author, Modern British Author, Modern Day, Paranormal Romance, Parapsychological Suspense, Romance Fiction, Romantic Suspense, the Victorian era, Time Slip

Cover Reveal | A previously released e-book series is *now!* an #anthology of Christmas novellas arriving in PRINT via @ChocLitUK! The Christmas Kisses trilogy by Alison May!

Posted Tuesday, 26 July, 2016 by jorielov , , , , , , 0 Comments

Stories Sailing into View Banner created by Jorie in Canva.

If your a regular reader or frequent visitor of Jorie Loves A Story, you know I’ve been smitten with the novelists who publish their relationship-based Romances with ChocLitUK for a good two years now! I love being on the cusp of learning about a ‘new release’ whilst I remain patient to see if the Digital First new ChocLit novel will make it to a print release further down the road of it’s lifetime. I don’t mind the gaps between the ebooks and the print editions – as it’s always given me the pleasure of balancing my ‘next ChocLit reads’ to include both Front List and Back List offerings. Thus, I am enjoying being a member of the Reveal Team at ChocLit whilst it gives me a chance to introduce my readers to a variety of sub-genres within Romance I appreciate picking up to read!

On my new position as a ChocLit Star member: Whilst I am part of the ChocLit Reviewers having brought reviews & guest author features to Jorie Loves A Story for the past two years, I have recently become a part of the Cover Reveal Team, as disclosed when I hosted the first Reveal on behalf of Sheryl Browne’s ‘Learning to Love’. This new team works with ChocLit providing honest feedback on ‘projects’ such as title & book cover design choices as well projects in development on behalf of the publisher. I accepted being a ChocLit Star as I felt my love of the stories would be a good fit to give in-depth responses to the projects pitched to the Stars. Therefore, when I blogged about the cover for “Revenge is Sweet” it was the first reveal where my input as a ChocLit Star helped the reveal become possible!

Fun Stuff for Your Blog via pureimaginationblog.com

Imagine Jorie doing a wicked happy dance as she blogs this post!

Holly’s Christmas Kiss | originally released 6th December, 2013

Cora’s Christmas Kiss | originally released 7th December, 2014

Jessica’s Christmas Kiss | originally released 12th December, 2015

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There is such a lovely felicity about these cover designs – they happily visualise what I love about Winter; a proper dusting of snow, a wonderful pathway to walk with someone beside you and that glow of Wintry blissitude that simply cannot be overlooked as being one of the most stilling experiences you can endeavour to collect inside your memory bank! I love Winter by all accounts; even if, sadly I’ve never experienced a full Wintry repose in reality! I have travelled through Winter in the stories authors leave behind me to find and inside the shoes of characters whose hearty spirits are an equal match to how difficult Winter can become to survive.

Depending on which way you enter Winter through genre or styling of a character’s journey, there is a lot to be happily caught up inside as you curl into a snow-covered slice of living! What I loved most about how these novellas were illustrated as they paint the portrait of the lighter side of Winter; the spot of Winter that isn’t too vexing for it’s complications and it’s inconveniences but rather for it’s light-hearted grace to allow us a bit of revelry and joy!

They also happily convey what I love about reading Christmas Romances! There is a certain setting that appeals to you when your reading holiday stories and for me, if it’s a Christmas or holiday Rom, it must have heaps of snow! Especially the light kind, where you can still see the snowflakes capturing the fading light of the moon or caught in the shine of a streetlamp on it’s way down to you? Snow is romantic all of it’s own, but there is something to be said for walking in a light snow shower, talking to someone you know your growing more attached too by the second and simply being caught up in a season that has a zest of appeal for a girl who baked her skin silly in a climate where Summer ruled!

I love how all three women are walking inside of a park, dressed & trimmed for the Christmastide whilst having the pleasure of a park bench nearby if you wanted to simply soak in the ‘moment’ whilst enjoying the company of the bloke your falling in love with as time slips away as the snowflakes continue to fall! I love walking in downtown areas fully alive with the spirit of the traditions which are locally celebrated and on full display for a towne’s visitors! They way the lights dance against buildings and how the festive vibe is carried through the street poles displaying the Christmas wreaths & decorations!? Ribbons around trees or twinkle lights in shoppe windows; the tickling sensations of cinnamon & spiced candles or incense peppering through the cold crisp air as you window shoppe your way through a holiday scene? Ahh.. yes, Christmas is my favourite time of the year! And, these covers are bang-on brilliant at capturing what is so very alluring about reading a Romance during this seminal time of year!

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I’ve been itching to find out that the novellas of ChocLitUK would either be releasing in audiobooks and/or even more wickedly, *print!* editions – imagine my wicked awesomesauce excitement in seeing what arrived in my Inbox overnight! I’ve been offline quite unexpectedly for the past weekend – anyone whose kept a pulse alert on the climatic issues affecting my country (the USA) will have noticed our rising temperature degrees are at alarmingly highs; not only creating a difficulty for absences in rain (to counter drought &/or wildfires) but are proving harder to circumvent the ‘baked feeling’ you get against your skin whenever you exit a building!

I, on the other hand, have the added benefit of having issues with heat exhaustion – something I’ve experienced since childhood! I might have been bourne in a Southern clime but that doesn’t mean it’s agreed with me! I honestly loathe the sunshine & my happiest days are seriously overcast grey, cloudy and/or full-on rain showers (sans lightning!)! Give me a lovely sky absent of the sun & I will walk on sparklements of joy all day long!

This is why I was offline for the past three days, as I recovered from a bout of that craziness that was definitively due to naughty weather where humidity & the extreme temperatures of volcanic heat make me swelter into oblivion! Combined with the unexpected circumstances of Saturday, I honestly missed chattering with my mates during #ChocLitSaturday wherein I was most pleased my co-host Juli was able to rally everyone together & have a proper chat about love connections in Romance novels! I had fun re-playing the chat, and I hope those of you who might have missed it, did as well!

I normally release Cover Reveals early in the morning hours – however, I am switching from hosting ChocLit Cover Reveals on London time, to the morning hours of New York City (otherwise known as Eastern Standard!); ergo, outside of this one, as I was so itching to share the lovely news, I decided to forego the fact I *missed!* the hour to announce it properly – you’ll be finding my future ChocLit Reveals arriving during the eight o ‘ clock hour! As I have noticed this is a good time to ‘catch!’ those of you, of whom are following my bookish journey via my blog & my twitterverse exploits!

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Posted Tuesday, 26 July, 2016 by jorielov in Blog Tour Host, Book Cover Reveal, Book Spotlight, British Literature, ChocLitUK, Early Middle Ages [the Dark Ages] (1001-1300), Historical Fiction, Historical Romance, Indie Author, Modern British Literature