CROWN OF DUST by C.F.E. Black, Reviewed by Kim #ReleaseDay

Crown of Dust is book 2 in the Scepter and Crown series by C. F. E. Black. I absolutely loved Shield of Shadow (the prequel novella) and Blade of Ash (book 1), so I had really high hopes for Crown of Dust. I am happy to say that this story exceeded all of my expectations! I loved it from start to finish and I seriously need book 3! I mean seriously, as in right now! I am still in shock at how this book ended! I did not see it coming!

I really love the characters in this series! I love how Aly and Red have not only grown personally, but how their bond with each other has grown and I cannot wait to see where things go in book 3! While I love both Aly and Red, I must admit Grey is my absolute favorite character. He steels every scene that he is in and I am so glad that he has his own novella, which I will be reading soon!

While I can’t say much about what happens in this story because I don’t want to go into spoiler territory, I will say that it’s nicely paced, with many twists and turns, and builds up to a powerful and unexpected climax.

I highly recommend reading this series in order because you will get so much more out of it and the prequel novella really explains who Aly is, her past and how she came to be where she is at. I highly recommend this series! It’s clean YA fantasy at its best!
*I purchased this book and was given a complimentary copy. This is a clean read.

BackCover Blurb:
The enemy is dead. The battle has only just begun.

Red and Aly thought they had eliminated the greatest to their lives, but as they return from their trip north, a new enemy rises from within their own ranks, threatening to rip Red and Aly apart.

Lord Benedict Alexander has a distant claim to the throne, and he will do everything in his power to usurp Red’s rule before the official coronation at summer’s end. Convinced Red was corrupted by his trip into the Canyon, Lord Alexander fights to destroy Red’s kingship, and with it, Red’s Binding to Aly.

Now Red must earn the trust of his countrymen, not only to retain his throne and continue his fight against Kassia and the Canyon, but to keep Aly as well, for Aly is bound to serve the crown, no matter who wears it.

Fight for the crown. Fight for love. Or lose them both.

HillCity Press, November 1, 2022

Buy CROWN OF DUST in digital ebook or paperback at Amazon

 

PASSAGES OF HOPE by Terri J. Haynes, Reviewed by Paula Shreckhise #ReleaseDay

“Living around so much history makes you feel your importance and your insignificance.”

Gracie has inherited a house in Philadelphia from her Gran. But it is not without its problems such as back taxes and a relative who is not pleased that she got the house. She wants to turn it into a yarn shop which her Gran supported. While renovating to accommodate her shop, she happens on a secret room. This is what connects the dual timeline. We go back and forth from 1855 to the present and see what part this house plays in the Underground Railroad. Each time period was unique and interesting, and kept me turning pages.

Olivia was a strong lady in a dangerous time since she and her husband, a doctor, were free blacks. They had to watch every step lest a slave catcher try to capture them and sell them .

Added to the present day story was a sweet romance. What a nice touch that Gracie and Clarence grew closer while he helped her research the history of her house. In a letter that Gran left for her, Gracie finds reassurance in spite of the turmoil. “You have God. And trust me. He is enough... You are loved with a love that has traveled down through history and arrived at your heart.”

Excellent writing. Another fantastic addition to the Doors to the Past series.
*I received a complimentary copy of this book from Barbour Review Crew. I was not required to post a favorable review. All opinions are my own.*5 stars and a solid faith thread 

BackCover Blurb:
Discover the Story Behind a Secret Passageway

Walk through Doors to the Past via a new series of historical stories of romance and adventure.

Gracie Kingston begins renovations on the Philadelphia house inherited from her grandmother and finds a secret room. It is connected to a house nearby, the home of William Still, the man known as the father of the Underground Railroad. As she researches, she discovers a mystery in her house’s ownership. In 1855, Olivia Kingston helps a mother and her young child by hiding them in a secret room in her home. As she helps, she learns that there may be an impostor conductor in their community. As Gracie’s and Olivia’s stories intertwine, they learn the meaning of sacrifice and love.

Barbour Publishing, October 31, 2022

Available in digital ebook, paperback, and audiobooK

Buy PASSAGES OF HOPE AT Amazon, Christianbook .com, or Baker Book House

Don’t miss other great books in the Doors to the Past series:
The Lady in Residence by Allison Pittman
Hope Between the Pages by Pepper Basham
Bridge of Gold by Kimberley Woodhouse
Undercurrent of Secrets by Rachel Scott McDaniel
Behind Love's Wall by Carrie Fancett Pagels
High-Wire Heartbreak by Anna Schmidt
Love's Fortress by Jennifer Uhlarik
A Promise Engraved by Liz Tolsma
Laura's Shadow by Allison Pittman
Passages of Hope by Terri Haynes
In Spotlight and Shadow by Rachel Scott McDaniel
The Keys to Gramercy Park by Candice Sue Patterson

 

THE PREMONITION AT WITHERS FARM by Jaime Jo Wright, Reviewed by Paula and Rebecca

PAULA'S REVIEW:
Wow, Jaime Jo Wright has done it again. She has taken a controversial creepy subject and managed to give a solid Christian slant to it.

Perliett in 1910 and Molly in the present are connected through murders and an old farm. “The past always seems to collide with the present.” Molly is struggling with grief after multiple miscarriages but is suddenly thrown into an old mystery when she and her husband Trent buy an old farmhouse with secrets. “Grief is a shadow man that follows us into our futures and swallows it up if we let him.” Perliett has lost her devout father. Her mother falls into spiritualism in order to connect with him in the afterlife. Peeliett is torn, trying to reconcile that with what she knows about the Bible. “Why. The unanswerable question of the ages.” Only God can show them the answers and He uses Dr. George Wasziak as a stable force in Perliett’s life.

See how Ms. Wright weaves together the past and the present in a creepily intriguing way. Always pointing us to the real Truth and the real God and His redemptions.
*I received a complimentary copy of this book from Bethany House on behalf of the author. I was not required to post a favorable review. All opinions are my own.* 5 stars and. A solid faith thread

REBECCA'S REVIEW:
"When death came to visit, no one ever prepared tea and cookies."
Perliett Van Hilton's mother, a spiritualist in the rural farming community of Kilbourn, Michigan was frequently in demand following the "death", "departing" . . . "murder" of a loved one, but after Eunice Withers' body was found bludgeoned to death in the family's cornfield, interest in communicating with the spirits of those who had stepped over to the other side took a decided uptick. Perliett on the other hand wasn't quite sure of her mother's abilities to communicate with the dead and deemed herself to be a healer of the living, incessantly butting heads with the local physician, George Wasziak, who sternly warned Perliett that just because she carried around an old apothecary box didn't mean that she could save anyone . . . apparently even herself, for it soon became apparent that the killer had turned his attention on Perliett.

Decades later Molly Wasziak and her husband Trent purchase a beautiful, but aging farm property, hoping to fulfill their dreams, or possibly to restore the ones that had already been destroyed. Sadly, Molly's depression following multiple miscarriages had become nearly debilitating. It wasn't long before the dilapidated old farm seemed to come alive, even in its state of disrepair. From the basement made of broken tomb stones to the strange sounds and visions that Molly was hearing and seeing, Molly sensed that her new surroundings were trying to communicate with her in some way. And then the unthinkable happens; a young woman is found murdered along the edge of their road. What kind of history was trying to repeat itself in this place?

If I didn't have complete and utter trust in this author's ability to weave a hair raising tale with a faith filled conclusion, I might have lifted not one, but two eyebrows as this story began to unfold. All the questions. So many questions. Ones that most of us have asked ourselves at one point or another but never voiced. Indeed, what a fragile barrier exists between what is seen and what is not seen, yet only God resides in both life and death, the author of truth, the finisher of our faith . . . we grieve, yet not without hope, even though there will always be things that we cannot explain or fully understand. What a fabulous, fascinating story!

"Truth was valuable and not to be trifled with."
*I purchased a copy and was under no obligation to provide a positive review. 

BackCover Blurb:

The voices of the past cannot stay silent forever.

In 1910 Michigan, Perliett Van Hilton is a self-proclaimed rural healer, leaving the local doctor convinced she practices quackery. It doesn't help that her mother is a spiritualist who regularly offers her services to connect the living with their dearly departed. But when Perliett is targeted by a superstitious killer, she must rely on both the local doctor and an intriguing newcomer for assistance.

In the present day, Molly Wasziak's life has not gone the way she dreamed. Facing depression after several miscarriages, Molly is adapting to her husband's purchase of a peculiar old farm. A search for a family tree pulls Molly deep into a century-old murder case and a web of deception, all made more mysterious by the disturbing shadows and sounds inside the farmhouse.

Perliett fights for her life, and Molly seeks renewed purpose for hers as she uncovers the records of the dead. Will their voices be heard, or will time forever silence their truths? 

Bethany House Publishing, October, 2022

Available in digital ebook, paperback, and hardcover

Buy PREMONITION AT WITHERS FARM at Amazon, Christianbook .com, or Baker Book House

 

 

MARY by Shannon McNear, a #CelebrateLit Tour with review by Paula Shreckhise

About the Book

Book: Mary

Author: Shannon McNear

Genre: Historical/Christian/Romance Fiction

Release date: October, 2022

Worlds Collide Along the Shores of the Outer Banks

Immerse yourself in the “what if” questions related to the Lost Colony of Roanoke. What if an English boy and a native girl met in the wilderness? The push-and-pull between two very different worlds begins as one seeks simple friendship and the other struggles to trust. And can it—dare they—allow it to be more?

Sparks fly between Mushaniq, free-spirited daughter of Manteo, and Georgie Howe, whose father was brutally murdered by undiscovered native warriors before they’d been on Roanoac Island a full week. As Georgie struggles to make sense of his life and to accept that not all they call “savage” are guilty of his father’s death, Mushaniq grapples with her own questions about who Manteo has become. As tentative friendship becomes more, forged in the fire of calamity and attack upon their community, both must decide whether the One True God is indeed who He claims to be and whether He is worthy of their trust.

Click here to get your copy!

PAULA'S REVIEW:
Shannon McNear has the ability to craft a story rich in history. She deftly spins a tale of what could have happened to the Lost Colony of Roanoke, Virginia in the late 1500s. She reaches back in history and steeps the story in the traditions of native tribes of long ago as they interact with the colonists from England. It must have been so hard with the language barrier and the differing beliefs about God. But Ms McNear brings the past alive with the portrayal of English Georgie and Mushaniq, daughter of a chief.

The story parallels Elinor, the first book in the series, and fleshes out facts and tells the story from a different perspective. Ms. McNear captures the child like acceptance of faith in Christ by the natives. Her descriptions of a coming of age ceremony and a correlation to baptism is very well put.

An interesting custom was giving a milk name to an infant and the taking of an adult name when one was deemed grown-up enough. The conversion of Mushaniq/Mary was very moving.

This was an excellent foray into the distant past. It showed how faith was communicated long ago and how the truth of the Gospel remains.

Do we know what happened to the Lost Colony of Roanoke? No, but this author does a commendable job of: suppose it was this?
*I received a complimentary copy of this book from Barbour on behalf of the author and through Barbour Review Program. I was not required to post a favorable review. All opinions are my own.*5 stars and a strong faith thread

About the Author

Transplanted to North Dakota after more than two decades in Charleston, South Carolina, Shannon McNear loves losing herself in local history. She’s a military wife, mom of eight, mother-in-law of three, grammie of two, and a member of ACFW and RWA. Her first novella, Defending Truth in A Pioneer Christmas Collection, was a 2014 RITA® finalist. When she’s not sewing, researching, or leaking story from her fingertips, she enjoys being outdoors, basking in the beauty of the northern prairies. Connect with her at www.shannonmcnear.com, or on Facebook and Goodreads.

More from Shannon

Why did I write Mary? The series started as an idea suggested by my editor and soon became something of an obsession. This installment was inspired partly by the Legend of the Coharie, a fragment of the very murky history surrounding the Roanoke Colony and the Lumbee people of North Carolina. According to this legend, George Howe, the son of the colonist by same name who was brutally murdered a few days after their landing on Roanoke Island, married a daughter of Manteo, the Native man who traveled twice to England, later led a group of the colonists inland for refuge and eventually became an ancestor of the Lumbees. Then, as my Lost Colony research expanded, my interest in the nuances of two cultures meeting and blending grew into a desire to pay tribute to what might have been the first (and possibly only) example of European and Native peoples living together in peace. Imagine if this had been the defining moment of our country’s founding?

As usually happens, fictional characters (even those based on historical figures) sooner or later run away with the story—and that’s the part I find most exciting! I hope you, the readers, also enjoy this tale of Mushaniq (squirrel in Carolina Algonquian) and Georgie, which serves as both a parallel story and sequel to Elinor.

Blog Stops

Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, October 26

Remembrancy, October 27

Inkwell Inspirations, October 27

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, October 28

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, October 28

Texas Book-aholic, October 29

Hallie Reads, October 29

Inklings and notions, October 30

For Him and My Family, October 30

deb’s Book Review, October 31

To Everything There Is A Season, October 31

Locks, Hooks and Books, November 1

Holly’s Book Corner, November 1

Betti Mace, November 2

Ashley’s Clean Book Reviews, November 2

Connie’s History Classroom, November 3

Mary Hake, November 3

Bizwings Blog, November 4

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, November 4

Tell Tale Book Reviews, November 5

A Reader’s Brain, November 6

Sylvan Musings, November 6

Through the Fire Blogs, November 7

Pause for Tales, November 8

Spoken from the Heart, November 8

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Shannon is giving away the grand prize package of a $25 Amazon e-gift card and a copy of the book!!

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/22447/mary-celebration-tour-giveaway

EXPLOSIVE CHRISTMAS SHOWDOWN by Darlene L. Turner, Reviewed by Kim #ReleaseDay

Explosive Christmas Showdown by Darlene L. Turner started with a bang - literally! - and didn’t let up until the final page was turned. This story kept me on my toes the entire time I was reading it! I could not figure out who the bomber was or why he was killing what seemed like such random people.

Of course, as I usually do, I thought everyone was guilty at one point or another as I was reading, but I was totally surprised at how things turned out in the end.

I really liked Zac and Olly as a couple and I hated the secrets they had kept from each other, one that actually caused their earlier breakup. I did like that Zac’s secret, his reason for breaking up with Olly, was actually legitimate. Many times when this trope is used the reason for the break up is not really legitimate. In this case I could understand his thinking.

The action in this story is basically nonstop, yet believable. I love how Ms. Turner is able to write so much action without making the detectives look inept, which is a pet peeve of mine. She also doesn’t mind taking out a person or two, which always surprises me. There was one time in the story my jaw literally dropped.

If you like you romantic suspense with nonstop action and likable characters, this story will be right up your alley! In fact, any of Darlene Turner’s stories will be!

*I received a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions are my own. The faith thread is light. 4.5 stars. 

 

BackCover Blurb:

A bomber brings terror to Christmas

as the presents go tick…tick…boom.

With criminal investigative analyst Olive Wells at the center of a bomber’s dangerous game, she’ll do anything to catch the culprit—even work with her ex-fiancé and his K-9 detector dog. But with the Christmas rampage drawing ever closer, Zac Turner’s convinced the attacks are personal. Can they piece together their ties to the bomber…before another gift explodes?

From Love Inspired Suspense: Courage. Danger. Faith.

Crisis Rescue Team

Love Inspired, October 25,2022

Available in digital ebook and paperback at Amazon, or Christianbook .com

THE BELLE OF BELGRAVE SQUARE by Mimi Matthews, #Austenprose Tour with Review by Debra Marvin

 

A BookBub Best Romance of 2022

A London heiress rides out to the wilds of the English countryside to honor a marriage of convenience with a mysterious and reclusive stranger.

Tall, dark, and dour, the notorious Captain Jasper Blunt was once hailed a military hero, but tales abound of his bastard children and his haunted estate in Yorkshire. What he requires now is a rich wife to ornament his isolated ruin, and he has his sights set on the enchanting Julia Wychwood.
 
For Julia, an incurable romantic cursed with a crippling social anxiety, navigating a London ballroom is absolute torture. The only time Julia feels any degree of confidence is when she’s on her horse. Unfortunately, a young lady can’t spend the whole of her life in the saddle, so Julia makes an impetuous decision to take her future by the reins—she proposes to Captain Blunt.
 
In exchange for her dowry and her hand, Jasper must promise to grant her freedom to do as she pleases. To ride—and to read—as much as she likes without masculine interference. He readily agrees to her conditions, with one provision of his own: Julia is forbidden from going into the tower rooms of his estate and snooping around his affairs. But the more she learns of the beastly former hero, the more intrigued she becomes…

 

Debra's Review
As a fan of Mimi Matthews’ fiction, I eagerly looked forward to the next in the Belles of London Series, The Belle of Belgrave Square, after so enjoying The Siren of Sussex. After all, I’m basically an auto-buy fan of Ms. Matthews.

And, before I go further, I admit to being an exclusive audiobook ‘reader’. To me, nothing beats being read to while I relax, drive, or do mindless work (aka housework or quilting). Good narrators are so important to a story and when a publisher goes the extra step and provides two excellent narrators to a romance, it’s so much more enjoyable.

All that said… Ms. Matthews’ heroine in The Belle of Belgrade Square was almost a risky choice. Julia came on scene sweet, kind, and a pushover, dominated by her parents to her own detriment, and she suffered social anxiety (okay, that we really do understand!). I say ‘almost’ risky, because done well, as WAS accomplished here, Julia represented readers that don’t always have the clever come back, the social ease, or headstrong boldness that is almost demanded by the publishing industry for fictional heroines. As gentle as she was, our hero was gruff and uninterested in anyone’s good opinion, other than Julia’s.
 

As an author myself, I have the horrible habit of trying hard to figure out the plot points coming, instead of just sitting back and enjoying the story. I can report that just when I was wondering if I’d get any plot surprises, I most definitely found myself pleased to watch them roll out.

Julia and her mysterious suitor, Jasper Blunt, made an excellent pairing. The romance wasn’t forced, but full of emotion and longing. (This is a 'clean' romance full of passion but readable by any age and sensitivity.) Jasper had secrets that continued throughout the story but we just knew there’d be reason to overlook all the hinted darkness until that satisfying ending.

Regardless of plot or characters (certainly a huge factor in a book’s success), there is the bonus—known to Ms. Matthew’s fans—that sinking into one of her stories will always bring a complete change of virtual address. If I didn’t know better, I’d think she’d hung out in her 19th century settings just to provide such pleasant immersion. 

I’d definitely recommend The Belle of Belgrave Square. But don’t stop there. Ms. Matthews has a deep backlist of ‘carry-me-away’ historical romances with not-your-ordinary heroines and heroes! 

 

PURCHASE LINKS

AMAZON | BARNES & NOBLE | BOOK DEPOSITORY | BOOKSHOP | GOODREADS

 

AUTHOR BIO

USA Today bestselling author Mimi Matthews writes both historical nonfiction and award-winning proper Victorian romances. Her novels have received starred reviews in Publishers Weekly, Library Journal, Booklist, and Kirkus, and her articles have been featured on the Victorian Web, the Journal of Victorian Culture, and in syndication at BUST Magazine. In her other life, Mimi is an attorney. She resides in California with her family, which includes a retired Andalusian dressage horse, a Sheltie, and two Siamese cats.

WEBSITE | TWITTER | FACEBOOK | PINTEREST | BOOKBUB | GOODREADS

 

VICTORIAN READING ROOM

Join Mimi at her Victorian Reading Room Facebook Group for exclusive access as she shares her love of writing, historical romance, Victorian fashion, brooding heroes, independent heroines, and of course, her beloved pets!

READ AN EXCLSUIVE INTERVIEW WITH MIMI MATTHEWS

Discover intriguing insights into The Belle of Belgrave Square and Mimi’s writing life in this exclusive interview at austenprose.com.

GIVEAWAY

Mimi has generously offered a fabulous giveaway that book tour participants can add to their post and on social media. Here are the details:

 

Giveaway period: October 3 – October 30

 

Terms & Conditions: Giveaway hosted by Mimi Matthews. No Purchase Necessary. Entrants must be 18 years or older. Open to US residents only. All information will remain confidential and will not be sold or otherwise used, except to notify the winner and to facilitate postage of the book to the winner. Void where prohibited

Giveaway Details:1 winner (selected at random by Rafflecopter) receives a paperback copy of The Belle of Belgrave Square, signed and annotated by the author with personal comments, underlining of her favorite lines, and other highlights by Mimi Matthews.

Giveaway is open from 12:01 am Pacific time 10/03/22 until 11:59pm Pacific time on 10/30/22.

The winner will be announced on Mimi's blog on 10/31/22.

ENTER HERE:

 

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

FALLING FOR THE COWGIRL by Jody Hedlund, Reviewed by Paula Shreckhise

 

More McQuaid adventures as this book focuses on Ivy, the only girl who wants to prove herself to her brothers. So she competes as a man in riding and roping contests hoping to earn money to buy her own ranch. Re-enter Jericho Bliss who once meant so much to Ivy but ran off to Chicago in order to save McQuaid brother Dylan.

Lots of danger and intrigue as Jericho tracks down a mean outlaw. Add in hidden treasure and the stakes rise. Not to mention Ivy and Jericho still have feelings for each other that they try hard to deny.

Ms. Hedlund has crafted a stubborn, hardheaded heroine. Ivy has to be so she can stand up to her four brothers. Jericho is a very capable hero but he has a stubborn streak too! Now if only they can listen to God and channel that stubbornness into determination.

See the sparks fly in the cowboy/cowgirl romance. With a final chapter as a sneak peek into the next book about Dylan, this is just the book for a cozy fall day. 

*I received a complimentary copy of this book from Bethany House on behalf of the author. I was not required to post a favorable review. All opinions are my own.*4 stars and a medium faith thread

BackCover Blurb:

Years ago, he shattered her heart. Now she must trust him with her life.

As the only girl in her family, and with four older brothers, Ivy McQuaid can rope and ride with the roughest of ranchers. She's ready to have what she's always longed for--a home of her own. She's set her heart on a parcel of land south of Fairplay and is saving for it with her winnings from the cowhand competitions she sneaks into--but her dream is put in jeopardy when the man she once loved reappears in her life.

After two years away, Jericho Bliss is back in South Park as an undercover Pinkerton agent searching for a war criminal. He has no intention of involving a woman in the dangerous life he leads, but one look at Ivy is all it takes for him to question the path he's set out for himself.

Even though Jericho tries to resist his longtime attraction to the beautiful and vivacious Ivy, he finds himself falling hard and fast for her. In the process, his worst fear comes true--he puts her smack-dab in the middle of danger. With Ivy's life in the balance, will Jericho give her up once again, or will he find a way back to her, this time forever?

Bethany House Publishing, October, 2022

Available in digital ebook, paperback, hardcover, and audiobook:

Buy FALLING FOR THE COWGIRL at Amazon, Christianbook .com, or Baker Book House

SECRET LIVES by Anna Jensen, Reviewed by Paula Shreckhise

"What did you do in the war Granny?"

I have been fascinated by cryptography used during WWII for a long while. I loved this book that is dual time, recounting Grandma Alice during the war at a secret place in Britain where she decodes vital transmissions. The modern time tells of a visit by granddaughter Rosie as she tries to uncover what Alice really did because Alice never talks about it.

The journey that Alice takes from the first crossword puzzle in The Times, unfolds naturally and gives interesting details into code breaking and every day lives of the girls who would help in the war effort. “In this invisible war, she was not just a backroom girl with a helpful brain, lending a hand when allowed; in this conflict, every decision she took made an impact, rippled beyond herself.”

I would love to visit Bletchly Park sometime but this foray into the past reveals an intriguing story of what it must have been like for one of the code breakers during a critical time. The more recent timeline shows how a secret, long buried can bring generations together.

Totally absorbing story, well worth the read.

*I received a complimentary copy of this ebook from the author. I was not required to post a favorable review. All opinions are my own.*5 stars and a slight faith thread

 

BackCover Blurb:
February 1942
Alice Stallard, encouraged by her two friends, submits her entry to the Daily Telegraph prize crossword – a crossword she solves in record time. She thinks nothing more about it until called into the study of her Cambridge University professor where she’s invited to an interview at the mysterious Bletchley Park near Bedford.
Once at Bletchley Park, Alice is confronted with the Official Secrets Act and months of training for a job no one will talk about. After being moved from one training centre to another, her final posting is to Station 53a of the Special Operations Executive – Winston Churchill’s ‘Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare’.
But what of when the War is over? Will Alice keep her promise of silence?

February 1998
A-levels loom on the horizon for 18-year old Rosie Mason. She had expected her favourite subject to be History but instead is finding it dull and lifeless. Perhaps the drama and romance she was hoping for can be found elsewhere – in her grandmother’s memories. But Gran is reluctant to share any war stories, changing the subject at every one of Rosie’s questions.
Determined to conquer Gran’s reticence, Rosie decides to spend her long post-exam holiday with her grandparents. After days of trying, Gran agrees to show Rosie a few photos -- and the first edition copy of C S Lewis’ The Screwtape Letters.
Only when Rosie stumbles on a handwritten note tucked between the pages of Screwtape does the silence of decades threaten to unravel. 

Available in digital ebook and paperback at Amazon