In May...

... I read:

• N-W by Zadie Smith
• A French Affair by Katie Fforde
• As You Wish by Eloisa James
• A Family Scandal by Zoe Miller
• Bad Mothers United by Kate Long
• Austenland by Shannon Hale
• A Cottage By The Sea by Carole Matthews
• Midnight In Austenland by Shannon Hale

... interviewed Tom Winter & Nicola May

... hosted giveaways for The Wish List by Jane Costello, The Bow Wow Club by Nicola May and a goody bag from Jane Lark

... had guest posts from Pauline Wiles, Susi Osborne, Ros Rendle and Jane Lark

... and chose my Cover Star and Book Of The Month

Book Of The Month - May

I've read some fantastic books since starting this blog and I'd like to give some of them a bit more recognition. So I've decided to add a new feature to the blog and give a special mention to one outstanding book each month. Feel free to add your thoughts of the chosen book in the comments below or even recommend an outstanding book of your own.

 

May

 

 

 

With This Kiss

Lady Grace Ryburn is in love with a dashing young lieutenant, Colin Barry,

but she turns away, thinking that Colin is in love with her sister.

Should Colin throw propriety to the winds, imitate his pirate father,

and simply take what he most desires?

 

Seduced by a Pirate

After years at sea, Sir Griffin Barry comes home to claim his wife.

But is Phoebe his wife, if their marriage was never consummated?

As an infamous pirate, Griffin claimed and kept gold and jewels . . .

but this is one treasure that will not be so easy to capture.


As You Wish is made up of two novellas; With This Kiss and Seduced by a Pirate. Both stories are connected, though they take place eleven years apart, and I thought they were fun - and a little bit naughty - stories that you could read in a day or two. As You Wish is the first book by Eloisa James that I've read but I enjoyed it and would definitely read more.


You can click here to see my review over on Novelicious or click here to see all 'Books Of The Month'.


Guest Post & Giveaway: Jane Lark

Illicit Love is inspired by the memoirs of a real courtesan. But while I’ve developed the historical setting of Illicit Love through reading letters and memoirs, which you can hear all about on my history blog, my writing has developed through the years I’ve spent building up an understanding of people, through personnel management. 

An abiding theme has always come through to me, in my research, as I read the words written by people hundreds of years ago, that although the world about them, and the rules they lived by were different, people thought and felt as we do now.

In the years I’ve worked in learning and development and people management. to do this well, I’ve had to establish a level of emotional intelligence, an understanding of people, and learn how they think and respond.

We are all very individual, but, there’s a theory, a theory I believe in through observation, that there are four categories of personality. These were defined all the way back in ancient Greece. The four humours are Melancholia, Sanguine, Choleric, Phlegmatic. They were named by Hippocrates, and this early definition forms the basis for most modern studies on psychology.

And, yes, that is where our word ‘humour’ comes from, Hipocretes classification of personality. 
So how does this sort of theory impact in my writing? Well, none of us fall into one of these humours, we are a mix of them, but we do tend to have one we lean more towards. The personalities, accompanying these humours are described as;

Sanguine = Courageous, hopeful sociable, pleasure seeking and amorous

Choleric = Passionate, energetic, easily angered and bad tempered.

 Melancholic = Introverted, organized, despondent, sleepless and irritable,

Phlegmatic = Calm, unemotional, shy, constant and loyal

Although the full theory is more complex than this, this gives you taste. So imagine now, when building my characters, I have before me, many squares, like puzzle pieces, except they do not have a definite place, I can move them around and put them in any order to make a picture. So I can build my characters from all these pieces and make them all a little different.

And having worked with so many people observing their ‘humours’ and how they respond, and act, speak and move, in comparison to these, I have a huge archive of practical experience to bring my written characters to life too.

So now you are wondering about the characters of Illicit Love. Ellen, is a mix of Sanguine and phlegmatic, and Edward is a mix of Choleric and Melancholic. Which one is their predominant humour? I’ll leave you to read it and decide.

So now then, have a think, what ‘humours’ can you spot in other characters you’ve read, or people you know? And if you had to create a character, what squares would you put together to develop their picture. Then you have to think how that might mean they react, think and feel.

About Illicit Love 

‘Hiding her self-deprecating smile behind her fan, Ellen glances over its top at the gorgeous man across the table. Is it very wrong for her sinful body to want a man like that? How would it feel? How would it feel to be free from her so-called protector for an hour or two and play his games with a man of her choice? Choice was a holy grail; a cup fallen woman longed to drink from. And she’d love defying Lord Gainsborough.

As though pulled by an invisible cord winding between them, Lord Edward’s gaze lifted to her while he contemplated Lord Gainsborough’s call. His eyes widened, darkening, perhaps reading hers, and what appeared to be amusement twitched his lips before he looked back at his cards.’

Trapped under the reign of a cruel keeper, Ellen Harding longs to be free. Under his oppression, her soul and conscience have died while her body lives on, fulfilling his dissolute desires. She is empty––a vessel––deaf to the voice of morality and blind to shame.     

When her eyes are drawn to a beautiful man for no other reason than his looks, she imagines what it would be like to escape her chains for a night by giving her body to him.

But Edward Marlow is kind and gentle when he touches her, and her subconscious whispers, this man could be her salvation. Yet how can he help her when she has secrets which prevent her freedom?

Edward is restless, lonely, and a little angry with his lot in life—it is his only excuse for being drawn to another man’s mistress. The woman’s dark hair and pale eyes are striking, and he cannot take his gaze off her while she watches him over the top of a fan with an illicit intent in her eyes. 

 Once he’s known her, he cannot forget her, and once he’s seen the evidence of her supposed benefactor’s brutality, he wants to help her. But how can he when she will not run any more than she will speak of her past?

When a desperate Ellen finally relents and shocks Edward from his sleep, he doesn’t hesitate, he helps her flee .He just doesn’t know he’s running headlong into the secrets of her past.

Can love redeem a life of sin?

In the words of Harriette Wilson, the real 19th Century courtesan, who inspired this love story, ‘and then - and then - and then…’

 If you read, Illicit Love, I value feedback, so please leave a review on Amazon or Goodreads, or any other site you like, and you can also let other readers know what you think on the Illicit Love Book Club page.

I hope you enjoy it.


Thank you for this chance to speak about, Illicit love, Mama J hearts. I appreciate the opportunity to share the things which have inspired me.

Jane Lark  

Website http://www.janelark.co.uk/index.html
Blog http://janelark.wordpress.com/
Facebook http://www.facebook.com/Janelarkauthor
Twitter https://twitter.com/JaneLark



You can win a signed copy of Illicit Love plus the goodies pictured.

To enter, simply fill in the form below and leave a 'pick me' comment.

UK entries only please

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Giveaway Winner: Signed Copy of The Bow Wow Club by Nicola May

Thank you to everyone who entered or tweeted about the giveaway. Rafflecopter has picked a winner at random and the winner is:


Helen M

Congratulations Helen and thank you again to everyone who entered. I'll be hosting another giveaway tomorrow!

Giveaway Winner - The Wish List by Jane Costello

 

Thank you to everybody who entered the giveaway or tweeted about it. If only I had a magic wand to make all the wishes in the comments come true!

Rafflecopter has randomly selected a winner from all the entries and that winner is:

Gillian H

Congratulations, Gillian and thank you again to everyone who entered. Don't forget you can still enter to win a signed copy of Nicola May's The Bow Wow Club and I'll be hosting another giveway on Wednesday.

A French Affair by Katie Fforde

 

 

Sisters Gina and Sally know nothing about antiques so they're a little overwhelmed when their aunt Rainie leaves them her stock and pitch in the French House in her will. The French House, owned by the perpetually grumpy Matthew, is an antiques centre within the village of Granmore-on-the-green, where stall holders rent space to sell their pieces. Rainie has left the sisters a little money to start them off and a challenge to make a profit.

 

With the help of Matthew, the sisters decide to give it a go but it is Gina who really rises to the challenge, learning the art of antiques by getting stuck in at the French House and at markets and fairs. Gina is starting to fall in love with both the antiques trade and her new colleague, Matthew when she discovers the French House is in trouble. If Matthew loses the antiques centre, a business he inherited from his father, Gina, Matthew and the other stall holders will lose their livelihoods. Not willing to sit back and lose everything she has worked hard for, Gina hatches a plan to save the centre.

 

A French Affair is a lovely, light read that thankfully isn't too laden with antiques, despite the the storyline as, like Gina in the beginning, I know nothing about antiques. It is much more about saving the failing business and thwarting its enemies, such as Yvette, Matthew's vindictive ex. There is also the matter of Gina's attraction to Matthew. The course of true love certainly doesn't run smooth in this book!

 

In the beginning, Gina and Sally seem very close as sisters so I was quite shocked by Sally's attitude part way through and couldn't believe how selfish she was being. Sally is the more laid back and fun of the sisters but this did put me off her for a while. I also wish Matthew could have been a bit softer around the edges and less stubborn at times. I know he's under a lot of stress due to his failing business and money worries but I would have liked to have warmed to him a little more.

 

Overall, I enjoyed the book and liked how Gina breathes new life into both the French House and its owner.

 

 

Thank you to Century for sending me a copy to review.

Guest Post - Ros Rendle

“Don't walk behind me; I may not lead. Don't walk in front of me; I may not follow. Just walk beside me and be my friend.”
― Albert Camus

 To have the sympathy, empathy, compassion, enjoyment and trust of others is so important to me, both within my family and with others. Such is the value of friendship.

My life is (probably) a mix of serendipity and (hopefully) a touch of sagacity. That happy accident mixed with a touch of (maybe) clever judgement is what I would like to think I have achieved but there is often something that smacks me in the mouth when least expected. I remain an optimist as far as friendships are concerned, however, because they are always there to support.

 In my book ‘Peace of Time’, Jenny, the protagonist, had to make one of the most difficult decisions of her life. She knew she couldn't put it off any longer. What should she do? Life was so complicated. This is a contemporary romance featuring marriage and health issues that many readers will recognise. Discover unexpected twists in the plot and realistic, likeable characters. Her friendships play key roles throughout.

My mum was a published author several times over. She always urged me to ‘get the book out’ but I always seemed too busy with work and family life. Now has been the time to do it and I have thoroughly enjoyed the whole process from research to writing, finally, the last page! Whilst she is no longer physically here I have dedicated my first book to her – a good friend as well as my mum.

 

 

I am currently half way through my second book and have ideas for two more. I think I need more TIME!

Finally, a favourite friendship quote of mine is the following:                                       

“Piglet sidled up to Pooh from behind. “Pooh?" he whispered.
"Yes, Piglet?"
"Nothing," said Piglet, taking Pooh's hand. "I just wanted to be sure of you.”
― A.A. Milne,


Peace of Time is available now as a paperback here or as an ebook here
You can contact the author on twitter: @ros_rendle