romance – Page 3 – The Spine View

Daughter of the Reich by Louise Fein

Set in prewar Germany, this poignant story of a young girl just coming into adulthood will have you gritting your teeth at the injustices and cheering at her bravery. It is a fast paced and dramatic tale that portrays the lives of people swept up in the growing power of Hitler and his SS. A story that will leave you gasping in the end.

Hetty Heinrich is the daughter of a very powerful SS officer. As such, she is expected to be the perfect German girl. This is basically having good moral standards and marrying a “good” German man to produce as many children as possible for the Thousand Year Reich. She wants none of this. Instead, she wants to be a doctor. This is a frequent argument with her father, who views Hetty as a willful child that is spoiled and allowed to much freedom.

Hetty is left with no choice other than to be that good Germany girl her father wishes and assist the Reich in any way she can. The restraints chaff on her. Therefore, it comes as no surprise that when she runs into Walter, an old friend of her brother’s, that she starts secretly meeting him. The meetings must be secret because Walter is a Jew, even though Walter once saved Hetty from drowning when she was a child. If they are found out it will not go well for either of them.

Walter tells Hetty about the terrible things that are happening to Jews. At first, she is reluctant to believe him. She has been told over and over again how Jews lie, cheat and steal. How can she trust a Jew when they are so bad? Slowly, as they fall in love, she begins to see the truth of what is really happening. Then comes a day when Walter’s family is imprisoned and Hetty must make a choice that may cost her everything.

There is a lot to love in this story, from the elegantly written prose to the heart-breaking truths of one of the darkest times in recent memory. For me at least, the most notably thing is how power does corrupt and how easily people can be seduced by lies of government. Because of what we now know happened to the Jews and others that tried to resist Hitler it made the story more intense.

There was great character development with Hetty. I loved seeing how she went from a naïve teenage to a courageous and brave young woman. The author also did a lovely job with all the layering of emotions. She guides the reader deftly through a wide range and intensity of emotions. I felt rung out by the end of the story.

The only thing I wished for was more of an ending. It seemed a little rushed and I felt there was more to the story. Everything else was so good that in hindsight this is really such a minor thing.

This book is definitely a good choice for a historical book club. There are lots of topics that would be interesting to explore further. Also, a great choice for readers of period romance and WWII books. If you only read a few historical fiction books in the near future, I recommend that this should be one of them.

I received a free copy from the publisher in exchange for my honest review.

A Beggar’s Kingdom by Paullina Simons

A Beggar’s Kingdom, by Paullina Simons, is the second book in the End of Forever Saga. In it we continue to follow Julian and Josephine’s story, as it continues thru time, as the soul mates try to defy their fate. The author has given us some of her best work in this epic tale of heart break and enduring love. It is the kind of story that will touch you and stay with you long after the end.

Julian is devasted that he was not able to save Josephine in his previous attempt to join her younger soul in the past. Despite the failure, and the consequences of that, he is determined to try again despite the risks and the odds stacked against him. I do not want to say more on the fear of giving away too much. I want the reader to be as surprised and shattered as I was by the twists and turns this story takes.

First thing I would like to note is that you need to read book one before this one. While the author does a good job of recapping what occurred in book one, it is not enough to understand the depth of Julian and all the events that lead to the opening of book two. In short, it is the detail of the characters and events that make this series and you don’t want to miss out on any of it. In fact, I am so enthralled by the story I am going to jump right into book three.

My favorite thing about Ms. Simons stories is the attention to detail. The way she sets a scene and the depth of her characters always keep me coming back for more and this book is no exception. I totally felt Julian’s devotion to Josephine and his devasting loss when he failed to save her. In this story there are plenty of twists of fate that will keep you engaged and you will marvel in wonder at Julian’s devotion and tenacity.

I highly recommend this book to readers that love to be sweep away in a story. It the kind of story that is so emotionally raw it left me rung out and I loved every minute of it.

For Those Who Dare by John Anthony Miller

For Those Who Dare, by John Anthony Miller, is a riveting, fictional account of a young woman’s desperate plea for help to escape being trapped in East Berlin after the government erects a wall to keep its citizens in. Eloquently told by an author adept at developing characters who draws you into the story.

Kirstin Beck has been thinking for months about escaping to West Berlin were her grandmother, and a daughter she was forced to give up years ago, lives. On the night she plans on escaping, the East German government unspool razor wire and erect the first barrier to separate East from West. She barely manages to escape the clutches of the police.

From her apartment she can see into West Berlin. So close and so unobtainable. She just has to find a new way to get out. Then one evening she see a young man in a window across the wall in West Germany. She holds up a sign with two words, “Help Me”. Can she depend on this stranger to assist her? There is Stasi in West Berlin. What if he is one of them?

On the West side of the wall Tony Marino is a young American writer working on a series of books called a History of Nations. He is currently conducting research for his book on Germany when he reads the plea of Kristin. Something about her and the plea moves him. With funding and the blessings of his editor he devises a plan to dig a tunnel into the East. It will be dangerous and there will be plenty of opportunities to get caught. Yet he feels compelled to help.

This is one of those books that will have you sitting on the edge of your seat. The plan is daring and so very dangerous. There is only one way for it to go right and a thousand ways for it to go wrong. This made for a story with lots of tension, which resulted in me reading well beyond my bedtime. Then the ending, fabulous is the only word I can think of describe it. It totally took me by surprise. So well done!

In addition, I loved the characters especially Kirstin. She went through so much in her young life but was still so brave. I also appreciated how the author used the minor characters to help round out the story.

At this point, I need to mention that the story is loosely based on a real tunnel escape from East Berlin. I remembered watching a documentary some years ago about it and I did a little research. It was interesting to learn a little bit about the inspiration for this book. The author used the basic facts to weave an imaginative and fictional story that will be sure to delight readers.

I highly recommend this book, especially to people that love historical stories that are grounded in fact. I received a free copy in exchange for me honest review.

Dreamland by Nancy Bilyeau

Dreamland, by Nancy Bilyeau, is a historical fiction murder mystery. Set on Coney Island in 1911 before WWI when prejudice against immigrants runs high. A lovely tale of privilege during the time of robber barons. It is a glimpse into our past when women were considered fragile and more of a decoration than an asset.

Peggy Battenberg is a young heiress to a family that has made their fortune in mining. Her pears include names like Rockefeller and Vanderbilt. You would think that with great privilege would come great freedom. But not in the world where women have as yet to earn the right to vote. The men still rule the women of the upper class as surely as past kings have ruled England.

Peggy is somewhat head strong and has managed to wrangle her family into allowing her to work at a bookstore. Her attempt at some semblance of freedom is swiftly brought to an end when her Uncle enters the bookshop one afternoon in a whirlwind. He demands her presence for the summer at the Oriental Hotel, just a short distance from Coney Island. Peggy has no choice but to pack her things and move to the grand hotel along with her sister, mother and other family members and leave behind the job she is fond of.

Once at The Oriental she discovers the allures of Dreamland, an amusement park, on Coney Island. At Dreamland she meets Stefan a young Russian artist that captivates her and she falls in love. Something that her family would not approve of if they knew. But things are not all fun at Dreamland and when young women are found murderer in the vicinity Peggy starts to see a connection between them and her. Then to her horror the police arrest Stefan for the murders. Peggy knows he is innocent, and she is starting to suspect she knows the murderer. Since the police are not interested in finding the real murderer, she sets out to solve the crime.

I loved the descriptive prose. The author vividly described, as if she lived it, the hotel and all its luxuries as well as the atmosphere of family and social pressures that young women felt during that time. She also shows you the differences between class and what anonymity money was able to buy the ultra-wealthy.

I also loved the characters. The main character of Peggy was strong and determined. Her younger sister Lydia that I felt so sorry for, even though she had so much in terms of physical comforts, her life was lacking in many ways. Even the characters with minor roles, like Ben and Stefan were thoughtful portrayed and their actions were true to the period.

The plot is a little slow, but then the book is really about the characters and the action took a back seat to them. Yet, there was enough going on to keep me interested and though I suspected who the killer might be the ending was unexpected.

I highly recommend this book, especially if you liked history fiction stories such as We Were the Lucky Ones and A Fine Imitation. The prose and characters make this book and you need to read this book sooner rather than later. I received a free copy in exchange for my honest review.

A Heart So Fierce and Broken by Brigid Kemmer

A Heart So Fierce and Broken is the second installment in the Cursebreakers series by Brigid Kemmerer. The author once again uses her amazing talent to continue the saga of Emberfall. A world where loyalty and friendships will come into question. This is a world you will want to visit again and again.

Grey is missing, and Rhen and Harper fear that upon killing Lilith he is stuck in our world. No one knows that he is in hiding and working as a stable boy. His job has always been to protect the king at all costs. Now he hides to protect the king because he fears what will happen if anyone finds out he can do magic. He is afraid to admit to himself that there is truth in the rumors about a true heir to Emberfall.

Grey believes that Rhen should be the heir to Emberfall. Now that Rhen has Harper by his side the kingdom should start to thrive again. Yet, there is still the threat of Karis Luran. Therefore, when the king’s men finally find Grey and through a strange turn of events he ends up of the wrong side of the fence. He will have to choose sides. Will he be loyal to Rhen or to Emberfall?

There is much to love in this story. First, I was so glad we finally learned more about the stoic Grey. His character was underdeveloped in the first book and now I have a true sense of who he is. In addition, there were several new characters introduced in this book that helped round out the story. The author is particularly adept at adding those minor characters that enhance the story. Kudos to her for a job well done.

The plot was just as good at the first book and there were several surprises that I was not expecting. The pace of the book was relatively fast. There was only one spot I felt the story could have moved a little faster. However, I get that it had to happen in order for the character development to occur and it is so minor thing. In the end, I appreciated the characters more because of it and can easily call it was a willing sacrifice.

A Heart So Fierce and Broken is such an imaginative, entertaining story I know you will fall in love with the characters and the world, just as I did. I highly recommend this book to all lovers of fantasy. If you have not done so already, I suggest you read the first book in the series, A Curse So Dark and Lonely, beforehand because you don’t want to miss out on anything in this delightful tale.

I received an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

A Curse So Dark and Lonely by Brigid Kemmerer

A Curse So Dark and Lonely by Brigid Kemmerer is a coming-of-age story that I can only be described as a cross between Ground Hogs Day and Beauty and the Beast. It is hands down one of the best fairy tales I have read in a while. Meant as a retelling, it goes above and beyond the original.

Prince Rhen of Emberfall has been cursed to relive the same autumn season of his eighteenth year over and over again by a powerful enchantress. To break the curse, all he has to do is make a girl fall in love with him. Of course, the enchantress throws a further twist into her game by having Rhen turn into a terrible monster at the close of each season. Despite this, Rhen has been arrogant enough to believe it would be easy. Born of privilege he is used to everything being easy. As season after season goes by with no true love, he is losing hope and now he is running out of time because the enchantress has said this will be the last season.

Grey, Rhen’s Caption of the Guard and protector, is given the ability to cross over to our world. At the beginning of each season he brings back a girl for Rhen in the hopes that it will be the one this time. With the stakes even higher this season, he must get the right girl. However, fate is against him when a girl with a limp prevents him from returning to Emberfall with the intended girl. Instead Grey is forced to abduct Harper.

Harper has not had an easy life. She was born with cerebral palsy and limps profoundly. Her father has deserted the family and left enormous debts with a loan shark. And to top it off, her mother is dying of cancer. Her brother is the only thing good thing right now in her life. He is actually working for the loan shark to pay off the debt. So, when Grey abducts her, her main concern is not in helping Rhen but returning home before her mother dies. Therefore, Rhen is going to have to pull off a miracle to break the curse.

I am totally in love with this book. I liked everything about the book, the prose, plot, characters and world building were so, so good. I can’t think of anything that I didn’t like about the book, which is unusual for me. Even with books I love, there is normally some little nitpicky thing I don’t care for, not the case here.

Of course, the characters were my favorite part. The author did a wonderful job of making me love them all. It is such a fabulous thing when I totally get the characters. The plot is also worthy of a comment since it worked so well with the characters and there was enough intrigue and twists to keep me reading and engaged. I just had to know how Harper was going to handle things once she found out about the true nature of the curse. Totally looking forward to reading book two.

I highly recommend this book to lovers of fantasy and fairy tales. This is a book that should be at the top of TBR list.

The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern

The Night Circus, by Erin Morganstern, is an amazing debut novel. This is one of my favorite books this year, maybe in several years. The story is magical, imaginative and totally entertaining. If this is a debut novel, think what the author still has in store for us!

Celia Bowen is the daughter of a famous magician. She has been in training with her father from an early age. Therefore, it comes as no surprise that when Le Cirque des Reves auditions magicians she shines and is quickly hired. But the circus is more than just a circus. It is a competition between two young magicians, Celia being one of them.

For Celia and Marco, the competing magician, the rules of the competition have always been vague. They know the circus is the venue but they are not sure how a winner will be determined. They each craft fantastical shows under the black and white stripped tents. A magical feast for the eyes and senses. There is just one little, tiny problem, Celia and Marco fall in love and in this story there can only be one winner.

I dare not say more, least I ruin this fantastic story. What I can tell you is, I was hooked within the first five pages. The book has all the things I love from a great read: outstanding plot, awesome characters, and surprising twists and an overall air of magic.

If prose could sparkle this book would glow. Every time I picked the book up, I felt like I was walking into it instead of just reading about the characters, locations, etc. Not often does a book do this to me and it is a very special thing when it does.

As I mentioned above, this book is among my favorites reads this year. Not only was the story interesting and new, the author’s prose was effortless. If you have not had the opportunity to read this yet, I don’t know what you are waiting for.

I received a free copy in a Read It Forward giveaway.

The Bookshop on the Shore by Jenny Colgan

Pub. Date: 25-Jun-2019
Rating: 4.5 Stars

I was in the mood for a fun, light read and that is exactly what I got with The Bookshop on the Shore by Jenny Colgan. The story is uplifting and warm, that centers around the meaning of family with a dash of romance and a little mystery thrown in. It made for a lovely reading experience, total escapism.

Zoe is a young mother living in a tiny flat in London with her son Hari. Hari’s father is mostly absent from their lives and provides no financial support. She is barely getting by and is one disaster away from being homeless.

Despite her circumstances, Zoe is determined to provide the best she can for Hari. Therefore, when she sees an ad for a nanny to three children in Scotland she jumps at the chance. Her hope is this will provide a more stable home life for Hari. In addition to the job as nanny, she also takes a day job running a mobile bookshop for a mother-to-be who is confined to bed rest until her baby is born.

She quickly finds that both jobs are more than she bargained for. The book van’s patrons are reluctant to buy from someone other than Nina the van’s owner. This forces Zoe to get creative in order to keep the business afloat. The 3 children she is nanny to had been described as “gifted” when “troubled” would have been a much better word to use. How will she make all of this work?

I adored the quirky characters. It seemed that even the minor characters had something unusual, or flawed, about them that endeared them to me. Either as in the case of Zoe, her intelligence that I felt hindered her common sense sometimes and, at times, left her unsure of herself, to Nina’s obsessiveness. I admired Zoe’s resilience and that she was unflappable. She had to be in order to tackle all the challenges she faced. I do wish I had understood Ramsey a little better. I know this book was not his story, yet I could not help wanting to know just a little more about him.

The plot was not the strongest I have read, but there was enough tension to keep me reading. I found myself wanting to know how Zoe was to going to handle Ramsey’s brood of hellions. I almost excepted them to play nasty tricks on Zoe, like put a snake in her bed. Some of what they did I thought was rather mild. The pacing of the plot was good and there was one revelation at the end I was not expecting that gave a little spice to the story.

Overall this is a solid feel good story and I recommend this lovely gem to readers of all kinds, especially those who like books that fall into the Women’s Fiction genre and Romance. Also, if you are looking for a beach read this book would be a perfect choice.

I received a free copy from the publisher, via Library Thing’s Early Reviewer program, in exchange for my honest review.

The Bowes Inheritance by Pam Lecky

Guest Review by J.A. Miller:

The Bowes Inheritance, by Pam Lecky, has all the elements of a great book: compelling characters, a riveting plot, subplots that twist and turn, romance, intrigue, heartache and surprises. Set in Dublin and England in the late 1800’s, the story revolves around two impoverished sisters who inherit an estate in England – and all the unexpected drama that comes with it – from an uncle they never knew existed. I loved the book and so will you.

Book Blurb:

Dublin 1882: When determined but impoverished Louisa Campbell inherits a large estate in the north of England, from an uncle she didn’t even know existed, it appears to be the answer to her prayers. Her younger sister, Eleanor, is gravely ill, and believing that the country air will benefit her, they decide to take up residence at Bowes Farm, situated on the Cumberland coast.

However, they soon realise that all they have inherited is trouble. Their uncle had managed to alienate almost everyone in the area and worst of all, was suspected of being a Fenian activist. His reputation leaves Louisa and Eleanor battling to gain acceptance in polite society, especially with Nicholas Maxwell, their handsome neighbour and local magistrate. His father was cheated out of the farm during a card game fifteen years before and he is determined to get the property back.

Louisa unearths secrets from their family’s past that threaten their future while the spectre of their mysterious benefactor overshadows everything. When a Fenian bombing campaign comes close to home, Louisa finds herself a chief suspect and must fight to clear her name. She must dig deep to find the courage to solve the mysteries that Bowes Farm holds before their lives are destroyed. And most importantly of all, will she be able to finally trust and love the man who is surely her sworn enemy?

John Anthony Miller was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to a father of English ancestry and a second-generation Italian mother. Motivated by a life-long love of travel and history, he normally sets his novels in exotic locations during eras of global conflict. Characters must cope and combat, overcoming their own weaknesses as well as the external influences spawned by tumultuous times. He’s the author of the historical thrillers, To Parts Unknown, In Satan’s Shadow, When Darkness Comes, and All the King’s Soldiers, as well as the historical mystery, Honour the Dead. He lives in southern New Jersey with his family.

The Tiger Catcher by Paullina Simons

A truly heart-breaking and enthralling story is the only way to describe The Tiger Catcher by Paullina Simons. It is a gratifying romance story and it explores the lengths to which a person will go to be with the one they love.

Julian is living a happy and successful life in Los Angeles. He is surround by family and friends that love him and has a long-standing girlfriend that everyone expects him to marry. Then a chance encounter, at a New York City theatre, with a young girl named Josephine changes everything.

When Julian returns to L. A. he can’t stop thinking about Josephine. Then one day she waltzes right into his life and his heart. As far as Julian is concerned the world has not only stopped but melted away. He is so absorbed with Josephine that he forgets to go to work or write his daily Mr. Know-It-All newsletter. Yet, the fates have other plans and when Josephine is lost to Julian, he falls into a stupor and nothing is able to bring him back to reality.

Julian dreams frequently of Josephine. In his dreams, he is always at a café and she sees him and is walking towards him but is never able to reach him. He believes that the café is in London. Therefore, he moves to London in search of her. After a year and a half, and many miles of walking London’s streets for the café in his dream, he is no closer to answers than he was in L. A. That is until he meets a shaman who gives Julian the means to find Josephine. There is a catch, the trip is dangerous and he will have to give up everything and everyone he knows and loves.

I loved the characters in this book. Julian was especially well done. I liked how the author showed us the depth of his love and then the pain and sorrow of his loss. It was raw and very real to me. In addition, the story had just enough fantasy and realism to suit my tastes.

The only negative I found was the plot. It dragged a little in the middle. Ms. Simons’s writing is always a little on the verbose side; however, here it was a bit heavy handed. Despite this, I was already so invested in the story that I had to know what happened. Therefore, I rushed to get to the end and then I had to noodle on the book for a bit before I picked up another one. It is always a good sign when a book makes me ponder for a bit after I finish it.

I enjoyed this book a lot. I also feel it is not in the same league as The Bronze Horseman, which is one of my all-time favorites. Tough I still found the story compelling and entertaining. I am looking forward to the next installment in the series and I hope the wait is not too long.

The Tiger Catcher is the perfect book for fans of The Time Traveler’s Wife, Paullina Simons and/or romance with a touch of magic.

I received a free copy from the publisher, via Library Thing’s Early Reviewer program, in exchange for my honest opinion.