Tag: historical romance

This Chick Read: The Lost Plot (The Invisible Library #4) by Genevieve Cogman

Irene and Kai are drawn into the middle of dragon politics when The Library requests that they search and find a young Librarian who may have crossed a forbidden line. The Library is a neutral entity not getting drawn into choosing sides between the dragons and Fae. This young Librarian, Evariste, seems to have been hired by a dragon to find a book for his Queen. However, when Irene and Kai reach 1920’s New York they realize that all is not as it seems and they may need to help Evariste get out of the situation he has been drawn into.

I have loved the different settings that past Invisible LIbrary books have been set, but I’ll admit, 1920’s New York created more drama, intrigue and romance than any of the other worlds. Granted, it is a world that is familiar. Prohibition,mobsters, flappers and fedoras ruled the day and watching Irene and Kai familiarize themselves with the era was fun  and at times frivolous. Frivolity wouldn’t be a word I’d use to discuss any of the previous plots, so it seems the author had fun with this setting as much as I did reading about it. As soon as Kai and Irene stepped through the doors into this era the story moved at a quick clip and I was enthralled.

Irene and Kai’s relationship has slowly evolved over the four books. Yes, he is still her apprentice, but you can tell that they care for each other more than teacher and student. As this plot revolves around dragon politics, something that Kai can’t get involved in because that would shift their relationship away from the safety of teacher / student and would also endanger the neutrality of the Library, there was more of a sense of urgency to the plot.  They are always facing danger and making difficult choices but the possibility of a shift to a different kind of relationship was exciting and something I had been looking forward to but thought would never happen.

The Lost Plot has been my favorite in the series so far. The 1920’s setting gave the story more humor and fun, the political nature of the story line made the drama more intense and the conclusion to the plot was very well played out and satisfying. ❤️❤️❤️❤️❣️

I received a copy of this book through NetGalley for my honest review and it was honest.

The Lost Plot Click this link to purchase! The Lost Plot (The Invisible Library Novel) Copyright 2018 Deborah Kehoe The Reading Chick All Rights Reserved

On By deborahkehoeIn A Hot Chick Who Reads

This Chick Read: The Duchess Deal (Girl Meets Duke #1) by Tessa Dare

The Duke of Ashbury was disfigured in the war by a bomb blast. Hiding away from the world, he glowers at his staff from the safety of his library only venturing out at night to vent his temper on the miscreants of London. Emma Gladstone, a vicar’s daughter, now seamstress living on her own in London, dares to brave the Duke in order to gain payment for the wedding gown she tailored for his ex fiancee. Although he is scarred, she isn’t frightened by his appearance, and bravely negotiates payment. The Duke, not one to look a gift seamstress, er horse in the mouth, decides that she will do as a wife and strikes a deal. After all, he must see that his line continues since he doesn’t want his idiot relative to inherit his estate.

This tale takes on the beauty and the beast theme but crosses it with a more modern wounded warrior trope that is now popular in more contemporary novels. I liked the novelty of a historical romance novel exploring the wounded warrior theme. Tessa Dare did not scrimp on the adjectives used to describe this Duke. He was burned down one side with patches of hair on his head. His looks were not romanticized and yet Emma was not frightened, nor turned off by his looks. In fact, she still viewed him as strong, intelligent and Duke-ish, despite those scars. I really liked Emma’s attitude!  She flirted, teased, and yes vamped it up for this Duke. She made him love her, despite viewing himself as a “monster”. Just as the beast in the fairy tale “Beauty and the Beast”, he braved showing himself off to the world and in his mind facing ridicule and worse in order to make sure she was safe from harm. This is a hero I can get behind!

I loved these two as a couple. Their verbal sparring was fun, and the heat factor, oh my!  These two burned up the pages!

❤️❤️❤️❤️

The Duchess Deal

Click this link to purchase! The Duchess Deal: Girl Meets Duke

Copyright 2017 Deborah Kehoe The Reading Chick All Rights Reserved

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This Chick Read: Why Do Dukes Fall in Love? (Dukes Behaving Badly #4) by Megan Frampton

Indeed, why does anyone fall in love? Michael, the Duke of Hadlow is way too busy being Duke-ish to concentrate on his love life. He is determined to not rest on his Duke-ish laurels and spends most of his time in business pursuits. He doesn’t have patience for small talk or common courtesies, so going to a ball and meeting a woman isn’t high on his list. Lucky for him, a woman, in the guise of a much needed secretary falls in his lap. Edwina, recently widowed and needing to support she and her daughter Gertrude, interview for the position of the Duke of Hadlow’s secretary. Edwina, having invested her previous husbands money successfully before her brother in law mis-managed and lost it all, is very bright. A trait that the Duke finds extremely attractive. Of course, the fact that she is gorgeous doesn’t work against her either. To give the Duke credit though, it is her mind he is the most attracted to and the fact that she isn’t offended by his discourteous disposition.

I’m sure the names Edwina and Gertrude were common names historically, however, it did seem odd to me that their names seemed old fashioned yet, the Duke’s name was the more current and very common Michael. Ok, does this have anything to do with the plot or whether I liked or disliked the book? Not really, other than it was jarring to hear the name Michael in concert with the names Edwina and Gertrude. But, I’m letting myself get sidetracked… I liked quite a few things about this novel.

  1. Edwina, although gorgeous, was liked because she had a brain. Very unusual for this time!
  2. Gertrude at six, had quite a few things in common with the Duke. They were both impolite, asked too many questions, and weren’t concerned with how others perceived them.
  3. I loved how when Edwina would teach Gertrude how to be polite, use please and thank you, consider how she would like to be treated as how she should treat others… The Duke was learning at the same time. Kind of a reverse pygmalion.
  4. Edwina, decided to give in to her widowy (word?) rights. You betcha. She was going to sleep with the Duke!

There was a bit of humor in the telling of Edwina and Michael’s ( don’t their names sound funny?) story.  There was a LOT of passion. The Duke, although insensitive, did learn and get less insensitive. He also (finally) saw Edwina’s worth and fought for her. As the hero should in all historical romances! This was my first novel by Megan Frampton and I liked her writing style! I also love a happy ending, and by the end of the book, I definitely knew why this particular Duke fell in love. ❤️❤️❤️


Click the link to purchase!  Why Do Dukes Fall in Love?: A Dukes Behaving Badly Novel

Copyright 2017 Deborah Kehoe The Reading Chick All Rights Reserved

I am a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites

On By deborahkehoeIn A Hot Chick Who Reads

This Chicks Sunday Commentary: Has Anyone Read…?

Don’t you just hate when you have read a great book and the ending was so controversial or confusingand you just want to talk about it with someone and NO ONE HAS READ IT? I know, it’s happened to all of us. In fact, this is one of the reasons I became a blogger! However, in my reviews I rarely give away the ending or talk about a twist. So, how do we talk about anything and everything in a book?

 In the comments section of a book discussion post. 

I will occassionally write a post that is intended to be a discussion about a book that I hope someone else has read and had the same questions, or has had different questions and has been dying to discuss with someone! These will fall on Sundays and I’ll title them Has Anyone Read… because I just need to discuss this book! 

Has anyone read A Gentleman from Moscow? I loved this book and will also be posting a review but wanted to talk about it with people. There were so many things that made me think! FYI- I will be talking about the ending of this book so if you haven’t read this wonderful novel please don’t spoil it for yourself. STOP HERE!

  1. Alexander Rostov- a Count by birth and up to the start of this book had a privileged upbringing, wrote a poem that was political in nature, and was put under house arrest in a hotel in Moscow for the rest of his life. Harsh!  Here’s my first question. Alexander seemed to accept this punishment as his due. He never fought it or tried to just wander out the door for an adventure. If you were imprisoned in a hotel would you react as he did? 
  2. He befriends a female child while she and her father were living in the hotel. Nina appears briefly as a teenager then a young adult. Suddenly, she appears and drops off her daughter Sophia at the hotel to live with Alexander. Then she drops off the face of the earth. We never hear what happened to her? Did I miss something? Did she die? Did she just abandon her daughter? 
  3. I loved how Anna came into Alexander’s life again and again. Why did he never reveal his relationship with her? He was a gentleman so did he think he was protecting her? After all, in that age (1920-late1940’s) society probably wouldn’t look very favorably on her for involving herself with an unmarried man confined to a hotel. 
  4. I loved the ending of this book. I loved the comparisons to Casablanca and how the Count outmaneuvered everyone so that Sophia could ask for asylum from the US embassy while in Paris. But then what happened to her? Are we to assume that she never saw the Count again? That she would give up her papa? I didn’t see that one coming! What do you think happened to her?
  5. Who was the woman at the end of the book? I’m assuming it was Anna who stood up from the chair, but it also could’ve been Sophia? It could have been the very absent Nina too. But I think it was Anna. Oh, what a great ending, I just wish it had been more definitive!

Has anyone else read this book? Do you have any thoughts about what I wrote above? Do you have any topics that you’d like to discuss about A Gentleman From Moscow? Speak up! Let’s discuss this fabulous book! 

Until next Sunday,

Deb


 Click this link to purchase!  A Gentleman in Moscow: A Novel

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This Chicks Sunday Commentary: My Five Most Memorable Reads

I think we can all admit that we read to escape reality. Whether we want an hour’s break from our kids, a small break from poor health, or a story to help forget about our every day problems at work or home.  When we pick up that perfect book, you know, the one that immediately grips you, immersing you in another world and other peoples lives, you savor that world and don’t want that story to end. Now, I am no spring chicken and have read thousands of books in my lifetime. I’ll admit that most I don’t remember, but the books below are books that stuck with me no matter the age I read them. I’d like to share these books with you.

1) The Hobbit – J. R. R. Tolkien

I have read this book several times in my teen and young adult years and it is superb. However, this book makes my most memorable list because it was the book my mom chose to read to me when I was a toddler before going to bed. I’ll admit, as an adult I wonder what my mom was thinking because this book is kind of scary for a young kid! But, I can still hear her reading it to me and I hope I always will. This is also where my love of fantasy novels stems from.


Click this link to purchase this book! The Hobbit

2) Watchers -Dean Koontz

I read this novel when I was a teenager and a little more brave in my reading choices. Dean Koontz writes semi-scary fantasy/horror/mystery novels. Truly, each of his novels is in a different genre. Watchers is about a man who finds a golden retriever while taking a hike. This golden retriever is super intelligent and with his help a mystery is solved. I remember LOVING this dog! I don’t remember a lot of the plot but do remember how awesome this book was and how much I like it. In fact, now that I’m thinking about it, I think I need to re-read this one! Have you read this book? What did you think?

Click this link to purchase! Watchers

3) Harry Potter and the Sorceror’s Stone- J.K. Rowling

When I read the first Harry Potter book I was completely blown away by the fact that this was a young adult book. It was my first young adult book read while being an actual adult who wasn’t young. The world building was amazing, the relationships real, and the problems, even if filled with magical adventures, rang true to life. I totally wanted to write after reading this book and kept reading the series as it came out.


Click the link to purchase! Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone

4) Guilty Pleasures – Laurell K. Hamilton

This is the first novel in the Anita Blake series. My aunt lent them to my sister and I and I read books 1-5 while on a vacation touring plantations in Virginia and Maryland with my sister and mom. Talk about immersing yourself in a book! I can remember staying up until 2am to finish those novels. Vampires by night, plantations by day. It was hard to keep straight at time! LOL. However, I was addicted. Anita was one kick ass heroine and I still like that character, although the more recent books have become too much about how much sex she has and less about the bad guys she’s fighting. Those first books in the series are great though, and I’d really recommend them to anyone.


Click the link to purchase! Guilty Pleasures (Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter: Book 1)

5) A Promise of Fire -Amanda Bouchet (The Kingmaker series)

This is the most recent book I’ve read on the list. It is a totally original historical fantasy/romance novel. I took a greek mythology class in college and have remained fascinated with those gods and their progeny. This series is set in a world where those gods are real and our heroine is fighting against her fate, and finds true love while doing it. This book captured my attention and became my whole world while reading it. I reviewed it and the second book in the series Breath of Fire and gave them both five stars. They are original, have swashbuckling action, and swoonworthy characters. Read them, I promise they will not disappoint! I loved them so much I had the author sign the books and I have them in my library. No, you can’t borrow them!


Click this link to purchase! A Promise of Fire (The Kingmaker Chronicles)

There are so many books that have helped me escape the realities of life or that have created amazing memories for me. I haven’t even touched on Outlander by Diana Gabaldon or the Mercy Thompson series by Patricia Briggs! Oh, and my most recent discovery, Written in Red by Anne Bishop! See, I could go on and on, but for the sake of time, both yours and mine, I’ll hold it to five.

What are the books you’ve read that have helped you create a great memory or helped you escape from your life? I’d love to hear about them!

Until next Sunday!

Deb

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This Chick Read: A Purely Private Matter (Rosalind Thorne Mysteries #2) by Darcie Wilde

Rosalind Thorne was brought up a young lady comfortable living in the upper eschelon of English Society. However, due to some unfortunate circumstances (her father swindled money and ran away) she is left living on the edge of society, still accepted but only as a companion. She makes her living giving advice and investigating matters for women, using her connections to maneuver through somewhat murky circumstances. In A Purely Private Matter, a friend introduces a woman to her whose husband is suing her for having an affair, one that she says she didn’t have. Rosalind, while investigating her claim finds herself in the center of an unsavory murder mystery and a partner of sorts to  Bow Street runner Adam Harkness.

I am really enjoying this series. It’s a little slower paced than I’m used to, however, the intricacies of society are fascinating. Rosalind, having been brought up comfortably, is adept at using her influence and is skilled at asking questions and putting all of the pieces together. She is paired up again with runner Adam Harkness, and we are given some insight into his hesitations at taking their relationship further because of the differences in their background. Her childhood sweatheart Devon, the Duke of something or other (I can’t remember, sorry!) is also still in the picture and Rosalind is torn between the two men. She is also almost single handedly figuring out the puzzle of who is the murderer. This novel has a slow wit and charm and the characters are unique and interesting. I’m definitely interested in reading the third novel.  ❤️❤️❤️❤️


Click link to purchase! A Purely Private Matter (Rosalind Thorne Mystery, A)

Copyright 2017 Deborah Kehoe The Reading Chick All Rights Reserved

I am a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

On By deborahkehoeIn A Hot Chick Who Reads

This Chick Read: The Irish Warrior by Kris Kennedy

The Irish Warrior is a historical romance with a smart and sassy heroine named Senna. Senna was a modern woman born in the wrong era.  When her father starts gambling away their money Senna starts a business breeding sheep to create a strain of very durable wool.  She is just able to keep up with the debtors demands with her lucrative business but wants to take it to the next level, which is unusual in a time when women weren’t more than chattel. Senna reaches out to Lord Rardove, in Ireland, seeking a business partner for her sheep venture. When she arrives in Ireland, she finds an evil man who plans to take her hostage and marry her because she is the daughter of the last Wishme dye master. A dye that creates a beautiful blue color, but also when in powder form creates an explosive. He plans to use that explosive to defeat the Irish and gain favor with his king.  Senna is no shy miss and is determined to not fall prey to his plans. She meets eyes across the room with an Irish Rebel captive, Finian o’Melaghlin, chief councilor to the O’Fail king, and determines that she will help him escape if he will help her get back to England. Finian accepts her help, but has a plan of his own.

This book started off quick, the characters easy to define as good or evil, and Senna and Finian had an instant connection and were very easy to like. Senna was a lady, and Finian treated her as one, but also treated her as an equal partner in crime. This was no bodice ripper, but a historical romance with a slow building relationship. Kris Kennedy filled the pages with clever dialogue and two characters who had a rapport that jumped off the pages. This time in history told from an Irish perspective, was particularly fascinating. Whether Senna could or couldn’t make the Wishme dye, the fate of Ireland, and  Senna and Finian’s relationship all contributed to an exciting storyline that I stayed up reading from start to finish.

❤️❤️❤️❤️❣️

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Click link to purchase! The Irish Warrior

Copyright 2017 Deborah Kehoe The Reading Chick All Rights Reserved

I am a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

On By deborahkehoeIn A Hot Chick Who Reads2 Comments

This Chick’s Sunday #Giveaway #3! 

Today we are traveling home from our vacation. It was fun being away, but we are ready to be at home, missing our dog Nash, and our cat Sam. Did they survive with our pet sitters? I’m sure everything went fine! Tomorrow we are back at work and going back to our normal routine, but wait! I have one last celebratory giveaway? Lets take a look at what’s in this last box.

BOOKS:

Love Between the Lines– Adult Coloring book for book lovers


Fall in love all over again with this adult coloring book featuring 45 hand-drawn illustrations inspired by romance novels from bestselling writers Colleen Hoover, Anna Todd, S.C. Stephens, Abbi Glines, K. Bromberg, Jodi Ellen Malpas and more. Sit back, grab your pens and markers, and get ready to explore LOVE BETWEEN THE LINES.

In the pages of this book you will find:
· Designs to help you relax and reduce stress

· Hidden images and book quotes

· Each design printed on a separate page

· Elaborate drawings as well as quickie pages for when you just have a few minutes to color

Illustrations inspired by the works of:
Anna Todd, Jodi Ellen Malpas, Colleen Hoover, S.C. Stephens, Abbi Glines, K. Bromberg, Claire Contreras, Jillian Dodd, Amy Harmon, Tiffany King, R.K. Lilley, Molly McAdams, Tara Sivec, Alessandra Torre, Mia Sheridan, J. Sterling, Katy Evans, Emma Chase, S.L. Jennings, K.A. Linde, Beth Ehemann, Tarryn Fisher, Karina Halle, Helena Hunting, Leisa Rayven, Madeline Sheehan, Harper Sloan, and K. A. Tucker
A Sky Full of Stars by Samantha Chase


He’s always looked to the stars

Now she’s the brightest light in his universe.

Brilliant astrophysicist Dr. Owen Shaughnessy feels more connected to the cosmos than to people. He’s great with calculations, but when he leads a team of scientists to study a famous meteor shower, he doesn’t factor in his free-spirited artist assistant Brooke Matthews.
Polar opposites in personality, the friction between Owen and Brooke threatens to derail the project. But the beauty and mystery of the night sky draw them together—and she’s going to surprise him in ways the stars never could.
The Spinster’s Guide to Scandalous Behavior by Jennifer McQuiston


Free-spirited Lucy Westmore isn’t yet a spinster, although she fully intends to be. Fortunately, an eccentric aunt has left her both a diary detailing the secrets to spinsterhood and a cottage in Cornwall. Unfortunately, an insufferable marquess is angling for her prize! Turning Lord Thomas Branston down flat should be easy. So why does this man who won’t take no for an answer make Lucy’s body and soul sigh yes?

Thomas knows the real value of Heathmore Cottage, and he has no intention of letting some silly Society miss get her hands on it. He’ll simply have to charm Lucy into selling. But the clever young woman he encounters, first in London, then en route to Cornwall, stands stubbornly on her own two (quite lovely) feet. And now, Thomas can think only of sweeping her off them.

Sealed with a Kiss by Caitlyn O’Leary


Relationship Advice from Six Navy Seals?

When Billy Anderson decided to ask Rebecca Barnes to the Valentine’s Day Dance, he had no idea that he would be getting relationship advice from six Navy SEALs. While these guys have the looks do they really have a clue to how to get Rebecca out of the friend zone and into the girl friend zone?

A Girl In Need
There is more going on with Rebecca than she is willing to share. She needs help. As much as she wants to go out with Billy she just can’t. There is just too much going on in her life that she doesn’t think she can share, nor does she think she can ask for help.

A White Knight in the Making
When Billy realizes the situation Rebecca is in, he’ll stop at nothing to help her, this includes calling in the men of Midnight Delta. He knows Drake, Mason, Darius, Finn, Clint and Jack will go above and beyond the call of duty to help the young woman he cares for. But will it be enough to ensure that Rebecca is safe and happy? And will he and Rebecca ever make it to that dance?

Behind the Scenes by Jen Turano


Miss Permilia Griswold may have been given the opportunity of a debut into New York high society, but no one warned her she wasn’t guaranteed to “take.” After spending the last six years banished to the wallflower section of the ballroom, she’s finally putting her status on the fringes of society to good use by penning anonymous society gossip columns under the pseudonym “Miss Quill.”
Mr. Asher Rutherford has managed to maintain his status as a reputable gentleman of society despite opening his own department store. While pretending it’s simply a lark to fill his time, he has quite legitimate reasons for needing to make his store the most successful in the country.
When Permilia overhears a threat against the estimable Mr. Rutherford, she’s determined to find and warn the man. Disgruntled at a first meeting that goes quite poorly and results in Asher not believing her, she decides to take matters into her own hands, never realizing she’ll end up at risk as well.

As Asher and Permilia are forced to work together and spend time away from the spotlight of society, perhaps there’s more going on behind the scenes than they ever could have anticipated.

Edge of Truth by Brynn Kelly (Hardback!)


Tensions sizzle in this electrifying novel guaranteed to capture your heart and take your breath away. Fans of Julie Garwood, Suzanne Brockmann and Jayne Ann Krentz will devour this action-packed, emotionally stunning tour de force, where every page reveals another damning secret and another daring gamble.

Rotting in an African dungeon is the last place journalist Tess Newell expected to find herself. Held hostage by the terrorist group she’s been investigating, Tess’s salvation—and temptation—arrives in the form of another prisoner. A French Foreign Legionnaire with a sinful smile and too many secrets to be anything but dangerous. Yet she knows he’s her only hope of surviving.
The Legion is the only family Flynn has. His sanctuary and his purgatory, after years spent in hell. When a mission goes south and Flynn is captured, it’s not the enemy that worries him, but rather the brazen, alluring reporter whose prying questions threaten to bring down his world—and the walls he’s built around his heart.
Yet after a daring escape, Flynn must risk it all and go on the run with Tess to retrieve the evidence she needs. The chemistry between them threatens to detonate but, with the enemy fast closing in, time is running out to unravel the truth from the lies in this deadly conspiracy…

And the SWAG!

One beautiful handmaid jeweled book ark from Julie Johnstone

One Filthy Rich mouse pad from Raine Miller

One swag bag from Hildie McQueen

One eyeglass cloth from Nikki Sloane

One bag of swag from Kimberly Griffiths Little

One lip balm

One pink Naughty and Nice bag.

For entry into this giveaway please click on the link below. US only, sorry!

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This Chick Read: Flame in the Mist (Flame in the Mist #1) by Renee Ahdieh 

Mirako is on her journey to become the bride in an arranged marriage to the younger son of her emperor when she and her company is attacked with everyone dying but her. On her own in the forest Mirako decides to investigate who had killed her retinue and ends up infiltrating their group. Of course, she can’t do this as a girl so she decides to disguise herself as a young boy and discovers the freedom a change in sex brings.

Renee Ahdieh writes in a lyrical style that was totally appropriate to the time and story she was telling and rivaled the beauty of the covert art on her book. Her descriptions really gave the setting an otherworldly feel that matched an era that was royally majestic and colorful, which hid the squalor of its poor. Mirako as a girl was seen as strange and odd. While not unattractive, she was a girl who asked questions and showed intelligence in a time where girls were to be seen and not heard and femininity was prized above all else. Mirako as a boy was allowed to use her brain and in fact her intellect was rewarded. It’s no wonder that when she infiltrated the Black Clan the lines between right and wrong were blurred. She makes friends and yes, she finds love, but her duty to her family keeps clouding thoughts of what would bring her happiness. Would leaving honor and duty behind bring her joy? Those are the decisions she finds herself making in this book.

This was a beautiful book to read and very easy to go all in emotionally. Who doesn’t want to root for a girl to be honored for her intellect, find true love and fight the bad guys? Right on!

❤️❤️❤️❤️❣️


Click the link to purchase! Flame in the Mist

Copyright 2017 Deborah Kehoe The Reading Chick All Rights Reserved

I am a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

On By deborahkehoeIn A Hot Chick Who Reads4 Comments

This Chick Read: An Extraordinary Union (Loyal League) by Alyssa Cole #Giveaway

This Giveaway has ended. Congrats to the winner!

An Extraordinary Union gives us a glimpse of Civil War era south through the eyes of Elle Burns, a former slave who is an undercover spy on a plantation, working for the Union. I am used to reading historical novels through rose tinted glasses. Caucasian lady, Duchess or lower class girl catches the eye of her also caucasian Duke, Viscount, or sometimes club owner. They meet, don’t want to fall in love, but lust after each other. An Extraordinary Union was a refreshingly honest interracial historical romance. Elle as a spy, is undercover in the role of slave. It was seriously disturbing to read about how slaves were treated as property and animals. How slave women were abused by owners, mistresses and guests, and how their voices were not heard. It also gave impetus to Elle’s character, and why she would put herself back in this subjugated position to fight for others freedom.

Malcolm, her love interest, is an undercover Pinkerton detective, also working for the Union. He is a guest in Elle’s household, there to try to retrieve information from the plantation owner about soldier movements in the area. He and Elle meet, and there is an immediate attraction. However, they both struggle against that attraction because of society’s mores. Elle’s self hatred for being attracted to Malcolm, a white man, made this book ring true and those honest feelings invested the reader in the outcome of that relationship. Rooting for them against all odds. The fact that Malcolm’s background as an immigrant from Scotland, where his family was forced to flee for their lives gave them a commonality that added to his character and gave the reader an understanding of why they would risk their lives for each other. An Extraordinary Union, indeed.

There was more to this book than the interracial relationship. It was also part suspense, mystery and action thriller. Overall, a very good story. However, for me, it was the love story that was told with such honesty that made me enjoy it so much.

❤️❤️❤️❤️

GIVEAWAY- A copy of An Extraordinary Union signed by the author! (US only) expires 6/5/17

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Click the link to purchase! An Extraordinary Union (The Loyal League)

Copyright 2017 Deborah Kehoe The Reading Chick All Rights Reserved

I am a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

On By deborahkehoeIn A Hot Chick Who Reads