Mistress of the Sea Review

Mistress of the Seas

Jenny Barden

Publisher: Ebury

Mistress Cooksley may be a wealthy merchant's daughter, but she blushes at my words and meets my eyes look for look. Yet I cannot hope to court her without fortune, and a dalliance with a pretty maid will not hinder me from my path. Captain Drake's endeavour might bring me gold, but I, Will Doonan, will have my revenge. 
The Spaniards captured my brother and have likely tortured and killed him. For God and St George, we'll strike at the dogs and see justice done. I thought I'd left Mistress Cooksley behind to gamble everything and follow Drake, and here she is playing the boy at the ends of the world. She's a fool with a heart as brave as any man's. Yet her presence here could be the ruin of us all...

Ellyn Cooksley is fed up of everyone expecting her to choose between two very boring and dull suitors and get married. Especially when the only man who makes her heart flutter is the frustrating Will Doonan, who has just signed up with Sir Francis Drake to find Spanish gold in the New World. So she sneaks aboard Drake’s ship dressed as a boy, not expecting to find herself so far from all she knows amongst pirates, escaped slaves, and the Spanish...

It’s a pleasure to find a historical fiction novel set in Tudor times that doesn’t focus on royalty and the English court. Not that the court hi-jinks aren’t fascinating but variety is the spice of life! Ellyn is the daughter of a merchant trader so has a slight advantage in that she has options in who she can marry but the limits of class at the time still means she can’t follow her heart. So instead she follows her father to sea and finds herself in the Spanish Caribbean.

I have mixed thoughts about this story...I liked Ellyn as a leading lady – she had quick wit and an independence that was unusual in that day and age. However, after a spirited start she spends a lot of time waiting for Will to come and rescue her. Will I had plenty of issues with as he never really put Ellyn first – he was not much of a hero to her really. It’s difficult to fully enjoy a historical romance if you don’t like one of the leading characters.

The story of Drake’s adventures in the Caribbean is fascinating and I really liked the battles and adventures they have - in fact I wish a lot more time had been spent on that rather descriptions of Ellyn’s days on various islands. There was a lot of waiting especially as the story takes place over three years and that slowed down the pace. However, the atmosphere and historical detail is vibrant and exhilarating and I would interesting in the next book Jenny Barden writes!

Recommended for fans of Philippa Gregory and Anne O’Brien. 7 out of 10

The Lady of the Rivers Review

The Lady of the Rivers (Cousin’s War #3)

Philippa Gregory

Publisher: Simon & Schuster

Descended from Melusina, the river goddess, Jacquetta has always had the gift of second sight. As a child visiting her uncle, she meets his prisoner, Joan of Arc, and recognizes her own power in the young woman accused of witchcraft. They share the mystery of the tarot card of the “wheel of fortune” before Joan is taken to a horrific death at the hands of the English rulers of France. Jacquetta understands the danger for a woman who dares to dream. Married to the Duke of Bedford, English Regent of France, Jacquetta is introduced by him to a mysterious world of learning and alchemy. Her only friend in the great household is the Duke’s squire Richard Woodville, who is at her side when the Duke’s death leaves her a wealthy young widow. The two become lovers and marry in secret, returning to England to serve at the court of the young King Henry VI, where Jacquetta becomes a close and loyal friend to his new queen.

This is the third book by Philippa Gregory set during the Plaganets periods and the start of the War of the Roses, but the first book chronologically speaking as it focuses on the life of Jacquette of Luxembourg, who becomes the mother of the White Queen, Elizabeth Woodville. Jacquette is a new figure in history – there hasn’t been much study of her life despite the extraordinary events she lived through and was a part of. As such this really feels fresh and original – it’s not a character I’ve ever met before in historical fiction and that is something truly original these days!

Jacquette is a strong woman at a time when women who tried to control their own destines were brought low quickly. The example of Joan of Arc, who Jacquette meets when she is young is imprinted on her and since then she struggles to balance her own wants and needs against duty and way the world works. It was such a complicated time when the true King of England is not strong enough rule or even know his own mind leaving the court a mass of intrigue and politics and the dukes and royal kinsmen vie for position and power. Friendships and loyalties change frequently and it is fascinating seeing Jacquette wade in these waters while protecting her own family and battling her conscience.

Another element that I really enjoyed was the relationship between Jacquette and Richard Woodville, her second husband. They married for love at a time when love was not required in marriage – unusual in itself. Even more wonderfully they remained in love and had a very large family to prove it! Most historical fiction set at this period has more politics than romance in marriage and I loved seeing the way their relationship grew, changed and evolved over the years.

With The Lady of The Rivers Philippa Gregory is back to her strengths brining to life an extraordinary woman at a fascinating time.  I wasn’t keen on The Red Queen, mostly as I disliked the main character, but now I have fallen for Historical novels again – and am I glad I have The Kingmaker’s Daughters, the fourth book in the Cousin’s War already on my TBR pile!

Recommended for fans of Victoria Lamb and Mary Hooper. 8 out of 10

Always There Review

Always There

Carol Ann Albright Eastman

Kindle Book

Shelby Lynn LeeMaster grapples with her recent “orphaned” life and how to let down her guard to fully experience true love, allowing it in to her heart without fear. The mother, Betheny LeeMaster, struggles with dying before she could teach and guide her children into adulthood. The daughter cannot break from her own fears, while the mother cannot forgive herself for leaving her children too soon. The different narrators, the mother in Heaven and the daughter on Earth, tell their stories in alternating chapters. Can the two women reconcile their fears and remorse before it’s too late, and Shelby loses the one man she’s destined to be with?

This isn’t my usual type of book but when Carol contacted me with a lovely email and told me what it was about I admit I decided to give it a chance. Having recently lost my mum, the story of a mother in heaven hoping she’d done alright by her children and a daughter on earth struggling to cope with more loss touched me.

Told in first person by both narrators it really allows us to get under the skin of each character – their hopes and fears and reactions to events. Being part of a large family, there are aunts and siblings everywhere, but despite that large support system both Shelby, the daughter and Bethany, the mother feel alone and different and both are grieving for what they have lost. I felt my heart go out to both ladies as life and loss have battered their hearts. They keep secrets – Shelby especially as she keeps locking her heart to new love in order to avoid the pain. Those feelings are not alien and the way they are dealt with is both moving and beautiful. At the same time the characters are fully rounded and I did enjoy a lot of the discussions between siblings and the feeling of family between them made me smile.

The writing is melodic and wonderful – it certainly doesn’t feel like a debut novel but a competent and inspiring author. I can’t help feeling the book was very personal to Carol as well. The story has a truly timeless quality to it and the unique way in which the afterlife is portrayed makes a lot of sense. While the story will pull at your heartstrings, it is not overwrought but beautifully done – invocative and realistic. I felt for the characters and just wanted to give Shelby a hug! I

Recommended for fans of Adriana Trigiani and Joanne Harris. 9 out of 10

The Girl You Left Behind Review

The Girl You Left Behind

Jojo Moyes

Publisher: Penguin

In 1916 French artist Edouard Lefevre leaves his wife Sophie to fight at the Front. When her town falls into German hands, his portrait of Sophie stirs the heart of the local Kommandant and causes her to risk everything - her family, reputation and life - in the hope of seeing her true love one last time. Nearly a century later and Sophie's portrait is given to Liv by her young husband shortly before his sudden death. Its beauty speaks of their short life together, but when the painting's dark and passion-torn history is revealed, Liv discovers that the first spark of love she has felt since she lost him is threatened...

I started reading this as a complete change from my usual paranormal, fantasy and YA reads – I wanted something to clear my head out and to stop seeing vampires in every dark corner. What I found was a fantastic insight into an overlooked era of history, a beautiful romance, and a morally grey court-case over stolen art which has become one of my favourite reads of the year.

My favourite part of the book is definitely the time spent in 1916.  Sophie and her sister are struggling to keep their family hotel and bar running behind the German lines in occupied France. Most books I’ve read set in that time period tend to focus on the atrocities taking place on the front, but seeing how life was like behind enemy lines for everyday French people is fascinating with the townsfolk treading a fine line under occupation and struggling to feed themselves something that is usually associated with the second world war. Sophie is strong woman of her time – having returned to her home town when her husband went off to war to help her sister and younger brother. She has to walk a fine line when the local Kommandant takes an interest in her. Sophie’s story is told in the first person which really lets you get under the skin of the character and the times and when the story jumps forward a hundred years after following Sophie for over 150 pages it does take some getting used to the third person narrative again.

The contemporary part of the novel is less dramatic and more soap-opera with Liv still struggling to get over the loss of her husband after four years, but the guy she meets in a bar happens to work as a specialist art-retrieval and his latest commission is a picture of Sophie sitting in Liv’s flat. However, Paul’s attempts to bring Liv out of her self imposed exiled are very sweet and I liked the way Liv seems to come life over the course of the book. The contrast between Liv coming to life and Sophie clinging onto life was a pleasing juxtaposition to the story. Towards the end the story moves between the two much quicker as Sophie’s completion has a direct impact on Livs.

I was completely enthralled from the beginning and just adored the historical story. Perhaps it was just the change in pace from my usual reads but the writing was engaging and the characters felt like friends by the end. A thoroughly entertaining read with a great mix of romance, mystery and history.

Recommended for fans of Sebastian Faulkes and Audrey Niffenegger 9 out of 10

We'll Always Have Summer Review

We’ll Always Have Summer (Summer I Turned Pretty 3)

-       Jenny Han

Publisher: RazorBill

Review Copy courtesy of RazorBill

It's been two years since Conrad told Belly to go with Jeremiah. She and Jeremiah have been inseparable ever since, even attending the same college-- only, their relationship hasn't exactly been the happily ever after Belly had hoped it would be. And when Jeremiah makes the worst mistake a boy can make, Belly is forced to question what she thought was true love. Does she really have a future with Jeremiah? Has she ever gotten over Conrad? It's time for Belly to decide, once and for all, who has her heart forever.

The final instalment of the perfect beach read – read ironically when I’m sat on a train in the middle of May rain! This was a near perfect end to a wonderful summer romance read. Time has moved on a couple of years with Belly now at the end of her first year at college and in a relationship with Jeremiah. But has she ever really gotten over Conrad? And is she seriously ready to commit to one of the Fisher boys?

Belly has grown up throughout this series and here you can see how all her experiences have made her into a capable young woman. She still has her whole life ahead of her. However, the Cousins beach-house still has a hold over her and so do the Fisher boys – one who broke her heart and one who has been there for her for the last two years. How do I review this without giving anything away..? I like Belly more here than I have done before – even if I don’t think she always makes the right decisions. This is the first time you get a glimpse of events from Conrad’s point of view and I like him more for understanding where he is coming from. Jeremiah doesn’t come across well – I lost a lot of respect for him as his actions throughout the book appear very selfish and self-centred.

Overall this was a yummy end to a wonderful contemporary YA romance – a great sunset over a perfect summer day.

Recommend for fans of Simone Elkeles and Joss Stirling. 8.5 out of 10.

It's Not Summer Without You Review

It’s Not Summer Without You (Summer I Turned Pretty 2)

-       Jenny Han

Publisher: RazorBill

Review Copy courtesy of RazorBill

Can summer be truly summer without Cousins Beach?It used to be that Belly counted the days until summer, until she was back at Cousins Beach with Conrad and Jeremiah. But not this year. Not after Susannah got sick again and Conrad stopped caring. Everything that was right and good has fallen apart, leaving Belly wishing summer would never come.But when Jeremiah calls saying Conrad has disappeared, Belly knows what she must do to make things right again. And it can only happen back at the beach house, the three of them together, the way things used to be. If this summer really and truly is the last summer, it should end the way it started--at Cousins Beach.

A second helping of Belly and Beck’s boys is like having a second helping of ice cream for dessert: sweet, tasty and melts in your mouth! It’s a year later and Belly is little more mature, if not entirely grown up. In fact she reminds me a lot of that Brittany Spears song, ‘No Longer a Girl, Not Yet A Woman’. She has loved Conrad for as long as she can remember but while their relationship hasn’t exactly worked she still jumps when Jeremiah asks for her help in finding Conrad when he goes missing.

This story is a bittersweet mix of first love and loss – there is a huge hole in the story where one character is more prominent by their lack. I couldn’t help but feel for all three of the main characters and Conrad especially as the older brother. He still feels and needs that support, but at the same time he doesn’t treat Belly right. He’s too mixed up. Jeremiah, by contrast is so sweet and needy – like a lost puppy. This is a wonderful roller-coaster of emotions that makes you cry, laugh and want to hug all the main characters. My main fault with this story is the lack of decision by the end – it doesn’t feel that Belly has made a choice, just accepted what was offered.

Recommended for fans of  Stephanie Perkins and Sarah Dressen. 8 out of 10  

Nothing But Trouble Review

Nothing But Trouble

-       Rachel Gibson

Publisher: UK – Corgi

Chelsea Ross knows she's a great actress. Which is lucky, as she's just got the toughest role of her life! Washed up from Hollywood and in serious need of some cash, Chelsea jumps at the $10,000 opportunity to act as 'carer' to famous hockey player Mark Bressler, currently injured after a car crash. After all, how hard can it be to play nice and pick up after an incredibly hot invalid in need of her tender loving care? Just three months of playing nurse and the cash is hers. But Mark Bressler doesn't need help. The moody hockey player's glory days may be over, but he has no intention of letting anyone aid his recovery, least of all the maddeningly cheerful Chelsea. He's determined to get her to quit – and Mark isn't the type to give in. But then again, neither is Chelsea...

I don’t read many contemporary romances. I like a little paranormal usually with my romance, or else I read chick-lit which has the focus on the funny side and the romance a little more PG. So I was very surprised when this turned out to be the fifth book in a romance series based on the Chinooks Hockey team. (I think the cover fooled me into thinking it was chick-lit!). Plus I’m British – I have no idea about hockey!! Luckily, the male lead here is actually a former hockey player who survived a serious car crash so the hockey side was minimal.

The writing was easy to get into, but I’m afraid I struggled to connect to either of the characters. Chelsea was independent and her personality shone through, but I never understood her need to be an actress... it never struck me why she wanted it so badly. Mark was a miserable, grumpy guy – understandably after what he’s been through. But his sudden switch to nice guy didn’t seem to be driven by anything more than lust. In fact, I could see the lust between Chelsea and Mark, but for me it never developed into a love I could believe in.

There are some sex scenes that are a little raunchy and I have to admit I did enjoy some of the early banter between Mark and Chelsea – the rapid squirrel had me chuckling out loud and his comments about her driving her very amusing. I guess it was when the characters got together that I lost interest in the story. There wasn’t anything that drove the story at that point. If you want a quick, smexy read though, then this is for you!

Recommended for fans of Jilly Cooper and Susan Donovan. 5 out of 10

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The Twisted Tale of Stormy Gale Review

The Twisted Tale of Stormy Gale

-       Christina Bell

Publisher: Carina Press

E-Arc Courtesy of netgalley & Carina Press

I'm a time pirate—born in 1810, now a 21st-century woman. I travel through time trying to right wrongs without disrupting the fragile balance between what is and what can never be. That's why it's vital that I go to 1836 and find the man who conned my brother out of his Time Travel Mechanism as quickly as possible. If the technology falls into the wrong hands, it could change the world as we know it. The notorious Duke of Leister definitely qualifies as the wrong hands. An amateur scientist of the slightly mad variety, he's bound to figure out how to use the TTM sooner rather than later. I knew this wouldn't be easy. But I wasn't counting on him being as sexy as hell. Or winding up chained to his bed...

The Twisted Tale is a fun time travel romance with a great leading lady. Stormy has a great voice having grown up both on the streets in the early 19^th century and in the 21^st century so she knows how to take care of herself and her innocent, trusting brother Bacon. When Bacon loses his Time Travel Mechanism in a game of cards, Stormy has to pose as a fortune teller to get the device back. However, the Duke certainly seems to have more than just his own fortune on his mind – and Stormy has to use all her womanly wiles to stay one step ahead.

This is a relatively short novella, but I was never bored and really enjoyed the banter between Stormy and the Duke as each tried to find out what the other was really up too. The romance was perhaps a little quick for my liking (I like some wooing first!), but felt in context for the story. As with a lot of Carina Press stories, I liked the fun element of the story and was in a much better mood by the end. A thoroughly enjoyable time travel romance that will lift the spirits and leave you with a smile on your face.

Recommended for fans of historical romance and Gail Carriger. 8 out of 10.   

Past Continuous Review

Past Continuous

-       Tony Bayliss

Publisher: UK – Sparkling Books

The sensitive, gifted but troubled young Matthew cannot get to grip with everyday life. He turns against his parents, whose separation leaves him shuttling back and forth between homes. Estranged from his peers, and clumsy with girls, he has difficulty in making friends, and achingly yearns for a girl with whom to share his body and mind. Meanwhile the bright and beautiful Sophie starts to get mysterious emails from the boy of her dreams...literally.

This is a hard review to write as the subject matter in this book is a lot deeper and serious than my usual light reading. But that’s not to say that Past Continuous isn’t entertaining – it makes you think both as you’re reading and after you’ve put the book down. And it isn’t always an easy read. Oh, the prose flows well enough and at the beginning there are enough short chapters to keep the pages turning. However, it isn’t long before you realise what you are reading is a question. A question on the purpose of life, what makes human and the meaning of life. And perhaps most importantly -  what makes us human?

The two main characters are both extremely bright, intelligent people but they both remain somewhat removed from other people and don’t tend to let others get close to them – this includes their parents as well as friends and lovers. While I could empathize with them to a certain extent I did feel their behaviour tended towards the selfish and didn’t think about how their acts would impact others. But this is an important element of the story and leads to those big questions that I mentioned. And their romance is by terms touching as they learn about each other and mysterious based on their unusual method of communication. I enjoyed being challenged while reading this and while my heart ultimately stayed with Matthew’s father – the most human character – I did enjoy the romance and various twists along the way.

With a haunting story and the ability to make you think while following an emotional and intelligent journey, this is a very good book that I hope more people pick up. Many thanks to the Slowest Bookworm, whom I won this copy from.

Recommended for fans of Jostein Gaarder and Alice Sebold. 8 out 10.

Time Raiders: The Avenger Review

Time Raiders – The Avenger

-          PC Cast

Publisher: UK – Mills & Boon Nocturne

Alex thought communicating with the dead was the worst of her troubles. She couldn’t have been more wrong!
She’s just been sent to 60 AD by a secret army unit to recover missing pieces of a medallion that could change the world.
Alex must use her gifts to entice Druid Caradoc into helping her. Yet soon she’s torn between duty and the man who’s been haunting her dreams. Returning to the present is the noble thing to do, but her heart tells her to stay in this enticing new world of goddesses and warriors.

This was the first Mills and Boon I’ve ever read -  romance isn’t my normal reading genre - and while this wasn’t bad I’m not going to be rushing out to buy any more. The main thing that attracted to this particular Mills & Boon book was the author – PC Cast. I loved her Parthelon series especially the first one – Divine by Mistake. (Small confession – I haven’t read any of the House of Night series yet but Marked in on my TBR pile). To be honest my love of Divine By Mistake is probably want held me back from enjoying The Avenger as much. Basically the story is very similar only instead of being dragged into another world our heroine, Lax is sent back to past where she discovers her affinity for a Goddess and learns to use her powers to over come the bad buys intent on defeating the good guys. And it’s not a bad story, but I have read it before – and I’m sorry to say Divine By Mistake did it better with more characters, more fun and a better emotional journey.

That’s not to say that The Avenger is bad – indeed it is easy to read and the story moves swiftly, but some areas are merely brushed over. Boudica and her daughters were good characters, vastly underused – a great introduction for all three but then they are just forgotten about as Alex focuses on her growing romance with Caradoc. There is a a lot of spirituality in the book, something that I don’t mind but not exactly what I was expecting. To be honest I was disappointed there wasn’t more steamy scenes – this is a Mills & Boon book after all! Overall, this is an perfect beach novel – light and fun but not a story that will linger with you for long. Personally, I’d recommend Divine By Mistake before The Avenger!

Recommended for Chick-Lit fans and Traci Harding fans. 5.5 out of 10