Thursday, June 27, 2019

"Andrew" blog tour

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About the Book

Andrew

Book: Andrew  
Author: Jennifer Beckstrand
Genre: Amish Romance  
Release Date: June 25, 2019

Andrew, Abraham, and Austin Petersheim’s family business has earned them the nickname The Peanut Butter Brothers. But if their matchmaking younger siblings have their way, all three may soon bear another title: husband . . .

Handsome, hardworking, and godly, Andrew Petersheim has always been sure of his place in his Wisconsin Amish community. He’ll be a welcome catch for the local girl who finally captures his heart. Mary Coblenz certainly isn’t that girl. Two years after “jumping the fence” for the Englischer world, she’s returned, unmarried and pregnant. Yet instead of hiding in shame as others in the community expect, she’s working at the Honeybee Farm, ignoring the gossips—and winning over Andrew’s eight-year-old twin brothers . . . For all Andrew’s certainty about right and wrong, it seems he has a lot to learn from Mary’s courage, grace, and resilience. She’s changing his notions about forgiveness and love, but will she in turn accept the challenge of starting over and choose to stay—with him?

My Review:
 I really enjoyed reading "Andrew" and am looking forward to the books about the other brothers.  I have read a lot of Amish fiction novels, but this one is different; I mean it is like the others in the way that the same Amish values are taught, however it addresses sin, forgiveness and different careers that I have read about.  The Petersheim brothers, or more commonly known as the Peanut Butter brothers, are all introduced but Andrew is the main focus of this one.  As Andrew spends more time with Mary, he learns a lot about life, himself and has to rethink some of his earlier thoughts and judgements.  Isn't that what we all need to do often though as it seems like we are all so quick to judge.  I found myself laughing out loud at times (often!) and agreeing with what the characters are learning and saying so much throughout the book.  There are hilarious moments, especially when it is the younger twin brothers playing a part.  Then there are the more serious moments when Mary and Andrew are having to deal with issues from the past.  Add in Bitsy and her wisdom and this is a wonderful book to sit down and get lost in.  I highly recommend this! 

Click here to grab your copy!
 

About the Author

Jennifer beckstrand

Jennifer Beckstrand is the two-time RITA-nominated, #1 Amazon bestselling Amish romance author of The Matchmakers of Huckleberry Hillseries, The Honeybee Sistersseries, and The Petersheim Brothersseries for Kensington Books. Huckleberry Summer and Home on Huckleberry Hill were both nominated for the coveted RITA® Award from Romance Writers of America. Jennifer has written twenty-one Amish romances, a historical Western, Jessie and James, and the nonfiction book, Big Ideas. She and her husband have been married for thirty-four years, and she has six children and seven adorable grandchildren, whom she spoils rotten.

 

More from Jennifer

If you enjoyed The Honeybee Sisters, you’re going to love The Petersheim Brothers, or the Peanut Butter Brothers as they’re known in their small Amish community of Bienenstock, Wisconsin. The Petersheim brothers work their small farm and make peanut butter. The idea for The Petersheim Brothers series came when two of my friends and I were creating The Honeybee Sisters Cookbook. My friend Alicia suggested I write a book about Peanut Butter Brothers, and the idea stuck. One of my favorite characters in my Amish romances is Aunt Bitsy, the irrepressible, unconventional woman who raised the Honeybee Sisters, tried to chase off all their suitors, and then lit fireworks at their triple wedding. In Andrew, the first book in the Petersheim Brothers series, Aunt Bitsy takes in a girl who has jumped the fence and wants to come back to the Amish community to have her baby. Aunt Bitsy is still protecting her dandelions and her bees, still dyeing her hair all sorts of bright colors, and still praying to Gotte right out loud. Andrew is about forgiveness, second chances, and learning to love. It will have you laughing and crying, and you might just fall in love with two of the most mischievous little boys in Wisconsin. Enjoy. In honor of the Peanut Butter Brothers, I want to share one of our favorite family recipes. These bars are perfect for picnics, parties, and potlucks. They’re easy and delicious!    

Peanut Butter Bars  

Cream together:

1 cup butter
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup sugar  

Blend In:

2 unbeaten eggs
1 tsp. baking soda
2/3 cup peanut butter
½ tsp. salt
1 tsp. vanilla  

Stir In:

2 cups flour
2 cups quick oats

Spread mixture in greased jelly-roll pan or large cookie sheet. Bake: 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes. Do not overbake. Remove from oven.    

Sprinkle on: 1 ¼ cups semi-sweet chocolate chips. Let stand five minutes.

For peanut butter mixture on top, combine:

½ cup sifted powdered sugar
¼ cup peanut butter
2 to 4 Tbs. evaporated milk

Mix well. The chocolate chips will melt on the bars. Spread melted chocolate evenly. Drizzle peanut butter mixture on top. Cool completely. Cut into bars.

Blog Stops

The Avid Reader, June 26
Moments, June 26
Bigreadersite, June 29
Genesis 5020, July 1
Mary Hake, July 5
Splashesofjoy, July 5
Vicky Sluiter, July 5
Quiet Quilter, July 9

Giveaway


To celebrate her tour, Jennifer is giving away a grand prize of a $20 Amazon gift card!!
Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter. https://promosimple.com/ps/e57a/andrew-celebration-tour-giveaway

*Thanks to Celebrate Lit for including me on this blog tour and for the complimentary copy of this book.*

Monday, June 24, 2019

"All Manner of Things"


Cover Art"All Manner of Things"is a novel that will draw you completely into the storyline and into the characters' lives and will leave you thinking about them long after you finish reading.  When Mike enlists and goes off to Vietnam, the world is in the midst of a tumultuous time and not just the world but in homes as well.  Annie is drawn back into the grief and drama that has been present for years when their estranged father is back once again.  I love how the story unfolds and is shared with letters written between the characters interspersed throughout.  This is an easy book to read as it flows so nicely and it is descriptive so therefore the setting and characters come to life; however it is heart-wrenching at times and yet so full of life other times.  I highly recommend this book as one that will leave you thinking and full of hope.               
*Thanks to the Revell Reads Blogger Program for the complimentary copy of this book.*

"A Reluctant Belle"

Cover Art
Book Description from the publisher:

Joelle Daughtry has a secret.
By day, the impoverished Southern belle has been helping her sisters in their quest to turn the run-down family plantation into a resort hotel after the close of the Civil War. But by night and under a male pseudonym, she has been penning articles for the local paper in support of constructing a school for former slaves. With the Mississippi arm of the Ku Klux Klan gaining power and prestige, Joelle knows she is playing a dangerous game.
Loyalties shift when Schuyler Beaumont, childhood enemy and current investor in the Daughtry House renovation, takes over his assassinated father's candidacy for state office. Joelle finds that in order to protect her family and her home, she and Schuyler will have to put aside their longstanding personal conflict and develop a united public front. The trouble is, what do you do when animosity becomes respect--and even love--if you're already engaged to someone else?

My Review:
I really enjoyed this latest historical romance novel from Beth White!  I really enjoy books and movies set during the Civil War ear and this is during the re-building after and the aftermath of the war and tensions that go along with that as well. Joelle is such a fascinating main character, she is strong, determined and yet finds herself questioning things as she is writing under false pretense and is making enemies because of her articles.  Schuyler is another great main character and I love how he is portrayed and his role in Joelle's life.  As their lives intertwine through business and as they spend more time together, their interactions change as do their hearts.  I love how their relationship and interactions are written and I wanted to keep on reading to find out what would happen next.  This is a great novel, not to be missed!
*Thanks to the Revell Reads Program for the complimentary copy of this book.* 

"The Pink Bonnet" blog tour!


The Pink Bonnet FB Banner

About the Book

The Pink Bonnet CoverBook: The Pink Bonnet  
Author: Liz Tolsma  
Genre: Christian Historical, Suspense  
Release date: June, 2019  

A Desperate Mother Searches for Her Child  

Step into True Colors—a new series of Historical Stories of Romance and American Crime Widowed in Memphis during 1932, Cecile Dowd is struggling to provide for her three-year-old daughter. Unwittingly trusting a neighbor puts little Millie Mae into the clutches of Georgia Tann, corrupt Memphis Tennessee Children’s Home Society director suspected of the disappearance of hundreds of children. With the help of a sympathetic lawyer, the search for Millie uncovers a deep level of corruption that threatens their very lives. How far will a mother go to find out what happened to her child?

My Review:
 This latest True Colors novel is a heart-wrenching, and terrifying read, but one that is so important as stories like this really did happen and it will make you hold your little ones just a little bit tighter.  I was not aware of Georgia Tann and the Memphis Tennessee Children's Home Society prior to reading Lisa Wingate's novel, "Before We Were Yours," and that opened my eyes to this horrible piece of history.  Now after reading "The Pink Bonnet" I have an even deeper understanding of this woman behind this scheme and I cannot even imagine this happening to me.  I immediately liked Cecile and found myself empathizing with her;  she is struggling on her own to raise her daughter, but this was never what she wanted or thought could have.  Enter in Percy, drawn to Cecile, and not confident that she is fine as Miss Tann said, and he cannot let that go without knowing the truth.  This is a story that will keep you turning the pages and totally engaged in the characters' lives all the way to the end.
 
Click here to purchase your copy.

About the Author

Liz Tolsma

Liz Tolsma is a popular speaker and an editor and the owner of the Write Direction Editing. An almost-native Wisconsinite, she resides in a quiet corner of the state with her husband and is the mother of three. Her son proudly serves as a U.S. Marine. They adopted all of their children internationally, and one has special needs. When she gets a few spare minutes, she enjoys reading, relaxing on the front porch, walking, working in her large perennial garden, and camping with her family.

More from Liz

A Desperate Mother Searches for Her Child

True, riveting stories of American criminal activity are explored through 6 unique stories of historical romantic suspense in the exciting new True Colors series. In book two, The Pink Bonnet, Widowed in Memphis during 1932, Cecile Dowd is struggling to provide for her three-year-old daughter. Unwittingly trusting a neighbor puts little Millie Mae into the clutches of Georgia Tann, corrupt Memphis Tennessee Children’s Home Society director suspected of the disappearance of hundreds of children. With the help of a sympathetic lawyer, the search for Millie uncovers a deep level of corruption that threatens their very lives. How far will a mother go to find out what happened to her child? Find out in The Pink Bonnet by Liz Tolsma. The True Crime Behind the Story Georgia Tann was a woman who ran an adoption agency in Memphis, Tennessee, from 1924 until 1950. It is estimated that, in that time, she kidnapped over five thousand children and sold them to the highest bidder. She even advertised the children in the newspaper, especially around the holidays. Some of the nation’s biggest celebrities adopted through Miss Tann, including Joan Crawford, Dick Powell, and June Allyson. Learn more about Georgia Tann HERE and visit www.TrueColorsCrime.com for more exclusive content.

Blog Stops

The Becca Files, June 20
Livin’ Lit, June 20
Mary Hake, June 23
Moments, June 24
Remembrancy, June 26
Emily Yager, June 26
Genesis 5020, June 27
Changed by Him, June 28
Bigreadersite, June 28
Pause for Tales, June 29
Hallie Reads, June 30
By The Book, July 2
amandainpa, July 3

Giveaway


To celebrate her tour, Liz is giving away a grand prize that includes a $25 Amazon gift card and a copy of The Pink Bonnet!! Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter. https://promosimple.com/ps/e331/the-pink-bonnet-celebration-tour-giveaway

*Thanks to Celebrate Lit for including me on the blog tour and for the complimentary copy of this book.* 

Tuesday, June 18, 2019

"The Noble Guardian" blog tour


The Noble Guardian FB Banner

About the Book



Book: The Noble Guardian  
Author: Michelle Griep  
Genre: Christian Historical  
Release date: June, 2019  

A Cross-Country Trip through Regency England Brings Intrigue, Rogues, and High Adventure  
The must-read conclusion to Michelle Griep’s Bow Street Runners Trilogy: Life couldn’t be better for Abigail Gilbert—but it’s been a long time in coming. Having lived with a family who hated her, it’s finally her time for love. Abby sets off on a journey across England to marry one of the most prestigious gentlemen in the land—until highwaymen upset her plans and threaten her life. Horse patrol captain Samuel Thatcher arrives just in time to save Abby. But she’s simply another victim in a job he’s come to despise. Tired of the dark side of humanity, he intends to buy land and retire. Abby pleads with him to escort her for the rest of her journey. He refuses—until she offers him something he desperately needs to achieve his goal. . .money. Delivering her safely will give him more than enough to buy property. So begins an impossible trek for the cynical lawman and the proper lady. Each will be indelibly changed by the time they reach her betrothed, if they don’t kill one another first—or fall in love.


My Review:
"The Noble Guardian" is such a good book!  It is the third in the series and personally I have not read the first two and I completely enjoyed this, and I will probably go now and read the first two, but I didn't feel as if I was missing out on anything by reading this one first.  However, I may realize I did after reading the previous two books!  Anyways, the characters are great, I really liked them and thought that the author did an incredible job with really bringing them to life.  Samuel is made out to be a hardened man just doing this job, but there is just so much more underneath his exterior.  Abby, sweet, trusting Abby, is looking for love and believes she has; luckily she uses her backbone to stand up for herself when she needs to!  This is a story that you will be swept up in! 



Click here to purchase your copy.
 

About the Author

Michelle Griep

Michelle Griep’s been writing since she first discovered blank wall space and Crayolas. She is the Christy Award-winning author of historical romances: A Tale of Two Hearts, The Captured Bride, The Innkeeper’s Daughter, 12 Days at Bleakly Manor, The Captive Heart, Brentwood’s Ward, A Heart Deceived, and Gallimore, but also leaped the historical fence into the realm of contemporary with the zany romantic mystery Out of the Frying Pan. If you’d like to keep up with her escapades, find her at www.michellegriep.com or stalk her on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest.  

More from Michelle

Highwaymen Aren’t All Glamorous

Highwaymen are often romanticized in historical romances, but the truth is these fella’s were generally not compassionate thieves at all. They were cutthroat robbers who sometimes killed. Here’s a brief history so that you’re in the know. The term “highwayman” simply means a thief who steals—usually at gunpoint—from travelers on the road. Not all, but some of those attacks turned deadly, the robbers not wishing to leave anyone behind who could identify them. Others wore masks for the same purpose. Long, deserted stretches of roads that were main thoroughfares were the particular favorite haunts of these men. Criminals would choose remote highways that supplied regular traffic going to and from major destinations, such as Hounslow Heath, about fifteen miles outside of London. To combat these villains, in 1805 the Bow Street Horse Patrol was created. There were about sixty men hired to protect travelers on the principal roads within sixty miles of London. Most of the men had served previously in a cavalry regiment. Their most successful achievement was to rid Hounslow Heath of highwaymen. And that’s where I got the idea for my hero, Samuel Thatcher, in The Noble Guardian. He’s a rough and tumble man who’s tired of life and the wickedness of man. Mostly he’s just biding his time until he retires—that is until he rescues Miss Abigail Gilbert from the clutches of one of the worst offenders of all…Shankhart Robbins. Sound like an adventure? It is. Settle back with your own copy and see what it’s like to ride the rugged heath in a carriage, bounding along—until you hear the crack of a pistol. Enjoy!

Blog Stops

Among the Reads, June 10
Genesis 5020, June 11
Carpe Diem, June 13
Wishful Endings, June 14
Stories By Gina, June 14
Hallie Reads, June 17
Moments, June 18
Bigreadersite, June 19
Remembrancy, June 20
Pause for Tales, June 21

Giveaway

 
To celebrate her tour, Michelle is giving away a grand prize that includes a $25 Amazon gift card and a copy of The Noble Guardian!!
Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter. https://promosimple.com/ps/e31b/the-noble-guardian-celebration-tour-giveaway


Monday, June 17, 2019

"Living Lies"




"Living Lies" is book #1 in Natalie Walter's Harbored Secrets series and this is an excellent book!  Seriously, if you enjoy reading romantic suspense, this is not one to miss!
Lane is tired and is hiding behind lies and struggling with depression, anxiety and just trying to care for her son on her own and live life day to day.  She is not prepared to find herself working with the new deputy in town, who also is her neighbor.  However, she was not planning to find a dead body.  Charlie is intrigued by Lane and her boy and he finds himself drawn to them, but also finds himself working in a professional capacity when a crime has happened.  Lane must decide how much she can share and at what cost.
This book is so well-written and I was surprised to see that it is Natalie's debut novel, but I have to add pleasantly surprised and I am eager to read what comes next!  The characters were so likable and I found myself empathizing with them and rooting for them.  The suspense and romance is woven together so nicely, and I found myself wanting to know what would happen next both with the investigation and with the characters' relationship.  This is a great novel to sit down with, and be prepared to not want to stop reading once you start!


*Thanks to the Revell Reads Program for the complimentary copy of this book.*

"Wooing Cadie McCaffrey"



When Cadie McCaffrey breaks up with her adorably oblivious boyfriend, he determines to win her back by pulling out every "foolproof" romantic comedy tactic he's ever seen. What could go wrong?


My Review:
First of all, the cover is cute, sweet and I love the blurb on the back cover as romantic comedies are my favorite kind-of movies!  However, I did not love this book as much as I thought and hoped I would.  Cadie and Will are fine individuals; however I did not feel a connection with them and I felt like I did not really get to know them on their own and as a couple.  They have been dating for years and yet, several things have been overlooked, not talked about and their interactions just seemed awkward at times.  I felt as if the story jumped around a bit as well and that made it hard for me to follow and really get into as well.  The characters have strong convictions, which I like, and they were tempted and did not stay as strong as they hoped to.  This is real-life which is refreshing to read struggles that are faced in real-life.  Overall, it is cute, but just not one of my favorites, but we all have our own personal styles and this just may be the book for you!


*Thanks to Revell Reads for the complimentary copy of this book.*







"The Number of Love" blog tour


The number of love FB banner

About the Book

The Number of Love

The Toughest Puzzle She’ll Have to Solve Might be the Wishes of Her Own Heart Three years into the Great War, England’s greatest asset is their intelligence network—field agents risking their lives to gather information, and codebreakers able to crack every German telegram. Margot De Wilde thrives in the environment of the secretive Room 40, where she spends her days deciphering intercepted messages. But when her world is turned upside down by an unexpected loss, she discovers for the first time in her life that numbers aren’t enough. Drake Elton returns wounded from the field, followed by an enemy who just won’t give up. He’s smitten quickly by the intelligent Margot, but soon the dangers of the war draw ever closer. Margot and Drake will have to work together to save themselves from the very secrets that brought them together.

My Review:
 "The Number of Love" is the latest novel from Roseanna M. White and it is a great historical romance read!  Margot is a genius in all things numbers, and she thrives in her role as a codebreaker, deciphering the codes that are sent by the Germans during the war.  Drake is intrigued by Margot when he meets her and sets out to get to know her more and also partners with her to solve the codes and save themselves and others in their perilous time.  I loved the relationship between Drake and Margot and how Drake is determined to win her heart, in nontraditional means, as Margot thinks in numbers.  The historical detail really brings this novel to life and the time period is so well portrayed.  I really enjoyed these characters and am looking forward to the second book in this series! 

Click here to purchase your copy.
 

About the Author

Roseanna 2018
 
Roseanna M. White is a bestselling, Christy Award nominated author who has long claimed that words are the air she breathes. When not writing fiction, she’s homeschooling her two kids, editing, designing book covers, and pretending her house will clean itself. Roseanna is the author of a slew of historical novels that span several continents and thousands of years. Spies and war and mayhem always seem to find their way into her books…to offset her real life, which is blessedly ordinary. You can learn more about her and her stories at www.RoseannaMWhite.com.
 

More from Roseanna

When I told my best friend and critique partner what book I was pitching next to my publisher, her response was something along the lines of, “That sounds awesome. Also, you’re crazy, and I do not envy you writing that one.” I laughed…and knew exactly what she meant. Because I was setting out to write a heroine who was a mathematician—which I am definitely not. A heroine who was utterly indifferent to love and marriage—which makes for a difficult story when one writes romance. A character who had an unshakeable faith—which has to be shaken at least a bit in order to make for growth throughout the story. And more, a character who has “issues,” let’s call it, that those familiar with such things will recognize…and which those who aren’t will probably think are quirks. I was setting out to write a story that would be challenging for me, every step of the way. And the result is a book I’m incredibly in love with and so happy to share with the world. The Number of Love is all about Margot, who thinks and even prays in numbers. Born and raised in Belgium, she and her family fled to England in 1914 when the Germans invaded her homeland. Thanks to her remarkable abilities with numbers and patterns, she’s now employed at Room 40, the Admiralty’s secret codebreaking branch. But as I was contemplating what sort of man could ever win Margot’s heart, I knew he had to be very different… someone active where she’s still. Someone outgoing where she turns inward. Someone who sees in her what she never can, and who believes she can grasp the dreams that society tells her are unbefitting a woman. This is how Drake was born—a field agent employed by Room 40. I can honestly say this is the only book I’ve ever written that required me to borrow my daughter’s algebra book while I was writing it, LOL. And though every single scene was a challenge, it was one I thoroughly enjoyed. I hope you’ll join me on the journey that Margot and Drake are on, which answer the question my husband cheekily asked more than once as I was writing it: what is the number of love?
 

Blog Stops

Among the Reads, June 17
Moments, June 17
The Avid Reader, June 18
Stories By Gina, June 18
Worthy2Read, June 19
Multifarious, June 21
Emily Yager, June 21
Bigreadersite, June 22
Simple Harvest Reads, June 22 (Guest post from Mindy Houng)
Genesis 5020, June 24
The Becca Files, June 26
Splashes of Joy, June 26

Giveaway

 
To celebrate her tour, Roseanna is giving away a grand prize of winner’s choice of TWO signed books, Fruit and Floral Flavors Sugar Shapes, and some Roseanna M. White swag!!
Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter. https://promosimple.com/ps/de86/the-number-of-love-celebration-tour-giveaway

*Thanks to Celebrate Lit for including me on this blog tour.*

Saturday, June 15, 2019

"Murder in the City of Liberty" blog tour

Murder in the City of Liberty FB Banner

About the Book

Murder in the City of Liberty Cover

Book: Murder in the City of Liberty  
Author: Rachel McMillan  
Genre: Christian Fiction, Historical  
Release Date: May 21, 2019

Hamish DeLuca and Regina “Reggie” Van Buren have a new case—and this one brings the war in Europe dangerously close to home. Determined to make a life for herself, Regina “Reggie” Van Buren bid goodbye to fine china and the man her parents expected her to marry and escaped to Boston. What she never expected to discover was that an unknown talent for sleuthing would develop into a business partnership with the handsome, yet shy, Hamish DeLuca. Their latest case arrives when Errol Parker, the leading base stealer in the Boston farm leagues, hires Hamish and Reggie to investigate what the Boston police shove off as a series of harmless pranks. Errol believes these are hate crimes linked to the outbreak of war in Europe, and he’s afraid for his life. Hamish and Reggie quickly find themselves in the midst of an escalating series of crimes that seem to link Boston to Hamish’s hometown of Toronto. When an act of violence hits too close to home, Hamish is driven to a decision that may sever him from Reggie forever . . . even more than her engagement to wealthy architect Vaughan Vanderlaan.

My Review:
I really enjoyed this second installment in the Van Buren and DeLuca mystery series!  The author does a fantastic job with bringing the story to life with the historical details of the time period and the descriptive way that she writes.  I love the setting of Boston and how the tension from war is evident as well as how society is changing, but also the baseball part of the story as well.  All of this tied together really creates a solid story that is engaging and full of intrigue.  Reggie is such a great character as she is independent and feisty, and I love both the working and personal relationship she has with Hamish and their interactions throughout the day and in the midst of sleuthing.  I highly recommend reading the first book as well as it is just as good, and of course you get to spend more time with these characters and get to know them even better!

Click here to purchase your copy.  

About the Author

McMillan Rachel

Rachel McMillan is a keen history enthusiast and a lifelong bibliophile. When not writing or reading, she can most often be found drinking tea and watching British miniseries. Rachel lives in bustling Toronto, where she works in educational publishing and pursues her passion for art, literature, music, and theater.  

Read the excerpt

Boston April 19 40 There really never was a good time to drown. But this particular April had been unseasonably cold and promised spring long in coming. The slosh of the Charles River warmed by ribbons of June sun would have been preferable to the crusted sludge of leftover ice rimming the harbor, or so thought Reggie Van Buren as she bobbed up and down like a buoy. A New Haven Van Buren ought to have perished an old, wealthy woman, tendrils of snow-white hair falling around a satin pillow, comforted in the knowledge that she would be interred in the family plot, her soul destined for paradise—not with water up to her nose, choking as it lapped in and out like a tide over her chattering teeth. But a New Haven Van Buren also might have had the propriety to insist upon the use of her given name and not the “Reggie” she so preferred. The Reggie she was just hearing now in a rather frantic yet familiar voice. “Reggie!” Hamish DeLuca’s panicked voice reached into the hollow dome of her cement cave. “Reggie!” “I was st-stupid. I s-slipped.” She treaded poorly, her arms feeling like gelatin, her form rather lacking the swimming skills she had learned informally alongside her family’s schooner on Regatta Day. Reggie strained to rise above the lapping water. She took turns treading and raising herself as high up on her toes as she could. Rotating and wondering why she failed to complete the ballet classes her parents enrolled her in as a child. Standing on tiptoe might have added inches to her height and allowed her to clear her mouth of the water. As it was, her calf muscles strained. She said something that came out in a series of bubbles before glugging, rising upward, and noticing for the first time how the fog from her icy breath rippled over the water. If she couldn’t understand herself, how would he? “S-slipped,” she said again, trying to make him out in shadow. “H-Hamish.” She tried again. Funny, usually he was the one with the stutter. Hamish DeLuca with the stutter and the bit of a handshake and that one pesky dimple and those big blue eyes. Her own eyes fluttered. Maybe she would never see him again. She would just slip under the water and rest her heavy eyelids. She blinked until a stream of torchlight buttered the dark walls, crystallizing the percolating water drips around her, and then the figure of her rescuer, whose blue eyes looked even more brilliant than usual in the eerie glow of the flashlight. Hamish dropped to his knees. “Take my hand.” “This didn’t turn out as I expected,” she chattered. “Reggie, we don’t have much time.” His voice rippled as he looked frantically at her and then over to the grille she had stared at since she got into the mess, watching the water level rise and fall and rise and fall until it made her dizzy. She clung to his hand a moment. “We should have gone with plan B.” Hamish growled. “We didn’t even have a plan A.” “You’re my hero, Hamish.” She patted his hand with her icy one. “It was so nice of you to come.” “Reggie, just take my hand.” “I’m stuck!” “What?” “M-my shoe.” Hamish said something she was altogether certain she had imagined in her half-frozen and very soggy state. And then, of course, he recklessly jumped in to get her.

Blog Stops

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Rachel is giving away a grand prize of both book in the series!!
Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter. https://promosimple.com/ps/e513/murder-in-the-city-of-liberty-celebration-tour-giveaway

*Thanks to Celebrate Lit for including me on this blog tour and for the complimentary copy of this book.*