[Blog Tour Review & Giveaway]* The Queen's Maid of Honour (The French Orphan #4) by Michael Stolle

The year is 1643. The scheming Cardinal Mazarin is now Prime Minister of France, but on the other side of the Channel, unrest in England grows daily, as civil war is erupting. As the political situation in England deteriorates, the royal court flees London for Oxford, and King Charles is desperate to secure both funding and troops to come to his aid.

Mazarin, every bit as devious as his predecessor, Richelieu, engages the services of François de Toucy to save the Queen of England, a former royal princess of France. François and his friends will set sail for England, in a quest to ensure the safety of the queen.

Whilst François is walking a diplomatic tightrope across the political cauldron of the royal court, his friend Armand falls desperately in love with the Queen’s Maid of Honour, a lady as beautiful as she is cunning.

Soon the friends find themselves deeply entangled in a deadly combination of cut-throat politics, disasters on the battlefield and bitter machinations at court over love and war and the struggle between Protestants and Catholics that threaten to spell only death and disaster. 
Summary & Cover taken from Goodreads.com
Length: 425 pages (Paperback)
Source: Review Copy
Genre: Historical Fiction
Available Formats: Print/E-book
Publication Date: March 30th 2016
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Buy Links:  AMAZON US AMAZON CAN AMAZON UK AMAZON AUS/NZ

What an ending to a great series.
I just finished this one today and I'm still taking in the ending, so bear with me, this is a really short review.
I really enjoyed seeing Fancois grow in this novel with the help of his friends. Both France and England are in the midst of major political upheaval in this one and there's a whole lot of out with the old and in with the new in terms of people coming to power and people being ousted (some none to gently or well...alive that is).
There was a lot going on in The Queen's Maid of Honour. I was expecting the pace of the story to perhaps slow down what with this being the final book in the French Orphan series but to my surprise it kept the frantic (in a great way) pace up right until the very end which I truly appreciated. I think that if the novel had gone at a slower pace the sense of urgency that prevailed for many of the scenarios in the story would have suffered.
I feel like Michael Stolle pulled out all the stops in this volume. The writing was crisp, edgy and very well detailed. The characters were well thought out and I felt that they were very well developed, we saw the final results of all that they'd been working towards whether that end be good or bad but things wrapped up very well for me.
Again, I'm still trying to formulate more comprehensive thoughts on this one so stay tuned for an updated review with extra notes. If this sounds like a series you would like to try check out my reviews for the other 3 books in this series which are linked in the sidebar and don't forget to enter the giveaway for a copy of book one.

Author Bio:

Born and educated in Europe, Michael has always been intrigued by the historical setting and the fact that what makes us human was as true in the 17th century as it is now.

He has been reading and writing about history for longer than he cares to recall...

Author Links: 

GOODREADS

Giveaway:

To win a paperback copy of The French Orphan (Book One) by Michael Stolle, please enter via the Gleam form below. Three copies are up for grabs!

Rules:

– Giveaway ends at 11:59pm EST on February 11th. You must be 18 or older to enter.

– Giveaway is open to residents in the US, UK, and CANADA only.

– Only one entry per household.

– All giveaway entrants agree to be honest and not cheat the systems; any suspect of fraud is decided upon by blog/site owner and the sponsor, and entrants may be disqualified at our discretion.

– Winner has 48 hours to claim prize or new winner is chosen.

French Orphan Series

[Blog Tour Review & Giveaway]* Under the Spell of The Serenissima (The French Orphan #3)by Michael Stolle

The third in the French Orphan series follows the exploits of Pierre, former penniless orphan who discovers he is heir to the de Beauvoir inheritance.

So far, Pierre has found friends in unexpected places, been surprised by love, learned the true meaning of friendship, discovered the extent of human cunning and depravity and dodged numerous attempts by his closest family member to despatch him to the next world.

In Under the Spell of the Serenissima Pierre’s search for the third Templar ring continues, but as ever, his path is not a smooth one. Pierre and Armand, along with Jean and Edoardo, are making for Venice, unaware that others too are racing towards the beautiful city, some intending to help, others with far more sinister motives.

As the various characters are drawn inexorably towards Venice, a conclusion will be played out that must decide Pierre’s fate, one way or another…

Summary & Cover taken from Goodreads.com

Length: 302 pages (Paperback)

Source: Review Copy

Genre: Historical Fiction

Available Formats: Print/E-Book

Publication Date: December 15th 2013 by CreateSpace

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Buy Links: AMAZON US AMAZON CAN AMAZON UK AMAZON AUS/NZ

You don't have any idea how much I've enjoyed my trips back in time in Michael Stolle's French Orphan series. 

In Under the Spell of the Serenissima, we see things really begin to heat up politically and personally for Pierre, and his best friend Armand. We see both of them really grow into men in this installment and earnestly try to leave their youthful fancies behind. We see where the furture may come to lead these two and it made me wonder if they had a future supporting each other and made me want to bash their heads together more than once over some disagreements. However, I did enjoy that there was a bit more conflict between our two lads in this one because they are best friends we also see how each of them is being pulled in so many directions that I found it dizzying. 

That being said, the book wasn't chaotic don't get me wrong there was a lot going on but I by the time I finished it I could begin to see where it was all headed and what might just be the outcome. One thing I think was a great push for this installment was that I saw that not just the main characters grown and evolve but many of the main supporting cast like Marie, Jean and Nicholas as well. We begin to see what everyone elses motivations are and I thought it was refreshing that they came more to the forefront in this volume since they play such a large part in the story.

We also see the treacherous political machinations begin to reach a head, and there was plenty of heart pounding moments in which I thought the jig might be up but I was pleasantly surprised to see how our young hero Pierre bounced back in the face of adversity.

This was a welcome edition in this series and I'm glad to say that the momentum has not let up. This one truly lives up to the standard that the first two books put in place. If you haven't checked this series out (my reviews for books one and two are located in the sidebar), than I highly suggest doing so if you want a book that's a mixture of historical fiction, political thriller and adventure novel.

Stay tuned for tomorrow's review of the final book in this series!

Author Bio:

Born and educated in Europe, Michael has always been intrigued by the historical setting and the fact that what makes us human was as true in the 17th century as it is now.

He has been reading and writing about history for longer than he cares to recall...

Author Links: 

GOODREADS

Giveaway:

To win a paperback copy of The French Orphan (Book One) by Michael Stolle, please enter via the Gleam form below. Three copies are up for grabs!

Rules:

– Giveaway ends at 11:59pm EST on February 11th. You must be 18 or older to enter.

– Giveaway is open to residents in the US, UK, and CANADA only.

– Only one entry per household.

– All giveaway entrants agree to be honest and not cheat the systems; any suspect of fraud is decided upon by blog/site owner and the sponsor, and entrants may be disqualified at our discretion.

– Winner has 48 hours to claim prize or new winner is chosen.

French Orphan Series

[Blog Tour Review & Giveaway]* The Secrets of Montrésor (The French Orphan #2) by Michael Stolle

  Summary:

The Secrets of Montrésor is the eagerly awaited sequel to The French Orphan, and continues the story of young Pierre de Beauvoir… 
Coming into a fortune at any age brings huge responsibility, but when you’re an inexperienced teenager, it seems that surprises are waiting for you around every corner. 
Pierre, former orphan and now Marquis de Beauvoir, may have claimed his inheritance, but life is never that simple. For a start, he needs to learn pretty quickly exactly who to trust and who to keep at arm’s length. For example, how do you work out (and survive….) the changing motives of the most powerful man in seventeenth-century France, Cardinal Richelieu? And then what do you do when the people you should be able to trust try to deliver you into the hands of your worst enemy? And then there’s the small matter of a sacred quest to Italy… 
Fortunately for Pierre he has his best friend Armand to support him as he gets to know his chateau at Montrésor, its people and… its secrets. (Armand, of course, has his own agendas to pursue, usually involving a pretty face and a willing smile.) 
Far from being certain, Pierre’s future has yet to be settled and Pierre will have to draw on his own innate talents as well as those of the people around him to ensure he survives, as his enemies are just waiting to seize their opportunity.

Summary & Cover taken from Goodreads.com

Length: 298 pages (Paperback)

Source: Review Copy

Genre: Historical Fiction

Available Formats: Print/E-book

Publication Date:  November 12th 2012

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Buy Links:  AMAZON US AMAZON CAN AMAZON UK AMAZON AUS/NZ

What a splendid follow up to The French Orphan did The Secrets of Montrésor turned out to be. I have to confess after the strong start in book one I was met with that all too familiar fear of the sequel would measure up to my expectations, suffice it to say these worries were thankfully unwarrented.

In The Secrets of Montrésor we are again hot on Pierre's heels as he accompanied by his ever faithful friend Armand as they come to terms with Pierre's new station and all that that position entails, including his dastardly cousin Henri. Henri, as you can imagine is none to pleased at being ousted from the inheritance of the title of Marquis and true to form has some odious plans for his dear new found cousin. Thus locking this one into being just as full of twists, turns and adventure and as full of side stepping on Pierre and Armand's parts as the first book.

I thought it was quite engaging and I felt completely wrapped up in the story. There was much more focus on the politics at play in France than there was in the first book which is saying something. The political machinations were a very big part of the first novel and the further we get into them in this book the more I want to see where Pierre and Armand will end up. I also appreciated the author's rich attention to detail in describing the sights and sounds of the world Pierre and Armand were launched into along with Jean, Pierre's personal servant. It was good to see all the characters growing, finding their footing and I am looking forward to seeing what they all get into in terms of Henri, the Cardinal Richelieu's plans.

Many secrets were unfolded in this volume, but I'm still left wondering as to where certain plot lines are going and some major secrets remain not only unanswered at the end of this book, but I feel have ballooned in importance. 

I'd recommend this to any who want to follow up reading The French Orphan, and if you haven't read The French Orphan (which I reviewed yesterday) than I highly suggest reading my review and if it suits your fancy buy it. This is a series that must be read in order so I do not, repeat do not advise jumping in with this one.

Author Bio:

Born and educated in Europe, Michael has always been intrigued by the historical setting and the fact that what makes us human was as true in the 17th century as it is now.

He has been reading and writing about history for longer than he cares to recall...

Author Links: 

GOODREADS

Giveaway:

To win a paperback copy of The French Orphan (Book One) by Michael Stolle, please enter via the Gleam form below. Three copies are up for grabs!

Rules:

– Giveaway ends at 11:59pm EST on February 11th. You must be 18 or older to enter.

– Giveaway is open to residents in the US, UK, and CANADA only.

– Only one entry per household.

– All giveaway entrants agree to be honest and not cheat the systems; any suspect of fraud is decided upon by blog/site owner and the sponsor, and entrants may be disqualified at our discretion.

– Winner has 48 hours to claim prize or new winner is chosen.

French Orphan Series

[Blog Tour Review] You're the Cream in My Coffee by Jennifer Lamont Leo

Summary:

In 1928, Chicago rocks to the rhythm of the Jazz Age, and Prohibition is in full swing. Small-town girl Marjorie Corrigan, visiting the city for the first time, has sworn that coffee's the strongest drink that will pass her lips. But her quiet, orderly life turns topsy-turvy when she spots her high school sweetheart--presumed killed in the Great War--alive and well in a train station. Suddenly everything is up for grabs.

Although the stranger insists he's not who she thinks he is, Marjorie becomes obsessed with finding out the truth. To the dismay of her fiancé and family, she moves to the city and takes a job at a department store so she can spy on him. Meanwhile, the glittering world of her roommate, Dot, begins to look awfully enticing--especially when the object of her obsession seems to be part of that world. Is it really so terrible to bob her hair and shorten her skirt? To visit a speakeasy? Just for a cup of coffee, of course.

But what about her scruples? What about the successful young doctor to whom she's engaged, who keeps begging her to come back home where she belongs? And what, exactly, is going on at the store's loading dock so late at night?

Amid a whirlwind of trials and temptations, Marjorie must make a choice. Will the mystery man prove to be the cream in her coffee--the missing ingredient to the life she yearns for? Or will he leave only bitterness in her heart?

Summary & Cover taken from Goodreads.com

Length: 292 pages (Paperback)

Source: Review Copy

Available Formats: Print/E-book

Genre: Christian Historical Fiction

Publication Date: September 15th 2016 by Smitten Historical Romance/Lighthouse Publishing of the Carolinas

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There's something about the holiday season that makes me want to read feel good stories. They don't have to be really cheerful a but they do have to have a good story with a character I really like and a good ending. 

You're the Cream in My Coffee was just what I needed to read this past weekend. I enjoyed reading this historical fiction novel set in the roaring 20s during the height of prohibition in Chicago. I'm not sure whether I've read anything set in this time period before so I was quite excited to give it a try and Jennifer Lamont Leo did a lovely job imparting the feel of the era into her book in terms of how people talked and in her descriptions of the characters, and surroundings and she definitely has me interested in reading more books set in the time period so thanks to the author for getting me hooked on a new era. 

I really enjoyed Marjorie's story. It was an interesting one about a small town Idahoan girl who left home for the big city and ended up getting a lot more than she bargained for in her quest for answers about her long lost love and what she is and isn't willing to do to get those answers. Her story was told in a fun way and flowed very well, and I found myself really liking Marjorie. She seems like a character that while a bit naive for my tastes sometimes, was someone I could see being friends with. She may have been a bit lost in the big city but I did enjoy her slips and stumbles along the way, she seemed like a real person to me and I really enjoyed seeing her change not just outwardly but mentally as she grew throughout the book. 

I found the rest of the cast of characters to be well rounded as well. They played their roles in Marjorie's tale in finding love and her true self very well. There were lots of laughs in this book and I found myself really getting invested in how everything was going to turn out in the end and the ending (which you'll have tot read about on your own) was just what I wanted. 

I found this to be just what the doctor ordered and I'm glad to have given this book a try. The inside of the book more than matches the delightful cover of this book and I can't wait to read more of Jennifer Lamont Leo's books in the future. If you're interested in a good clean read that will leave you feeling uplifted and like you've just gotten back from a trip 90 years in the past than I highly suggest you giving this romantic read a try.

Really Liked It

★★★★

*I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review

Buy The Book:

AMAZON 

BARNES & NOBLE 

 BOOKS-A-MILLION 

 INDIEBOUND

About the Author:

With a passion for all things historical, Jennifer Lamont Leo captures readers’ hearts through stories set in times gone by. She is also a copywriter, editor, and journalist. An Illinois native, she holds a deep affection for Chicago and its rich history. Today she writes from the mountains of northern Idaho, where she shares her home with her husband, two cats, and abundant wildlife.

For more information, please visit Jennifer’s website and blog. You can also follow her on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Goodreads.

*[Blog Tour Review] The Tiger Queens: The Women of Genghis Khan by Stephanie Thornton

Summary:

In the late twelfth century, across the sweeping Mongolian grasslands, brilliant, charismatic Temujin ascends to power, declaring himself the Great, or Genghis, Khan. But it is the women who stand beside him who ensure his triumph....
After her mother foretells an ominous future for her, gifted Borte becomes an outsider within her clan. When she seeks comfort in the arms of aristocratic traveler Jamuka, she discovers he is the blood brother of Temujin, the man who agreed to marry her and then abandoned her long before they could wed.

Temujin will return and make Borte his queen, yet it will take many women to safeguard his fragile new kingdom. Their daughter, the fierce Alaqai, will ride and shoot an arrow as well as any man. Fatima, an elegant Persian captive, will transform her desire for revenge into an unbreakable loyalty. And Sorkhokhtani, a demure widow, will position her sons to inherit the empire when it begins to fracture from within.

In a world lit by fire and ruled by the sword, the tiger queens of Genghis Khan come to depend on one another as they fight and love, scheme and sacrifice, all for the good of their family...and the greatness of the People of the Felt Walls.
Summary & Cover taken from Goodreads.com
Length: 496 pages (Paperback)
Source: Review Copy
Available Formats: Print/E-book
Publication Date: November 4th 2014 by NAL Trade

I swear, Stephanie Thornton can do no wrong. I've been a fan of her novels since I first read her novel The Secret History: A Novel of Empress Theodora last year, and loved her sophomore novel, Daughter of the Gods: A Novel of Ancient Egypt as well. I reviewed both of those and my review for The Secret History can be found here and my review of Daughter of the Gods can be found here. I was so excited to be on the tour roster for this because she never disappoints in her novels.

I've never read historical fiction set in Mongolia, but as always Stephanie Thornton brought the setting and the period to vivid, brilliant life and she tackled the story with a passion that clearly shines through in the writing. I love how each of her books has a strong heroine as our main character, often I find women are left out of the history books and I've enjoyed her fictionalized accounts of these very real women. They are strong, intelligent, and ruthless when it comes to those they love and I love that.

Since this one was set in an unfamiliar setting, I went into the reading very excited because I love reading about new places, and commend her for chosing yet another exotic, if not turbulent place and period to write about. I've got the very vaguest knowledge of Ghengis Khan, and so in reading this I  learned that he was married to Borte, one of our heroines in this colourful tale of love, loss and betrayal on the Mongolian steppes and there was plenty of all three to go around for our four heroines in the story of the Tiger Queens.

I was really surprised about the fact that the story was told by four different women, as I've grown used to only having one heroine to concern myself with and if it had been any other author I would have been concerned about tying the story together through so many points of view but it was meticulously weaved together where each of the women; Borte, Alaqai, Fatima and Sorkhokhtani tell their sides, but seeing how everything fit together as a whole was fantastically done and it was nice seeing the women behind the great Khan.

Rich with historical detail, wonderfully depicted setting and extremely intense and strong leading ladies The Tiger Queens is just another example of Stephanie Thornton's being a powerhouse in the historical fiction arena, this is one I read in one setting and couldn't put down so if you love historical fiction and strong women check out this, or one of her other novels because she's an excellent author that every one should try out especially if you're in the mood that will suck you in and keep you reading for hours.

*I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my free and honest review. All thoughts and opinions expressed herein are 100% my own.

Loved It!
★★★★★

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 To purchase the book via IndieBound  CLICK HERE

  

 

Author Bio:

 

Stephanie Thornton is a writer and history teacher who has been obsessed with infamous women from ancient history since she was twelve. She lives with her husband and daughter in Alaska, where she is at work on her next novel.
“The Secret History: A Novel of Empress Theodora” and “Daughter of the Gods: A Novel of Ancient Egypt” are available from NAL/Penguin. “The Tiger Queens: The Women of Genghis Khan” will hit the shelves November 4, 2014, followed by “The Conqueror’s Wife: A Novel of Alexander the Great” in November 2015.

 

*[Blog Tour Review] The Bitter Trade by Piers Alexander

 

Summary:

 

The Bitter Trade is a historical adventure set during the Glorious Revolution: Rebellious silk trader Calumny Spinks must become a coffee racketeer and join the conspiracy against the King to save his father’s life.

In 1688, torn by rebellions, England lives under the threat of a Dutch invasion. Redheaded Calumny Spinks is the lowliest man in an Essex backwater: half-French and still unapprenticed at seventeen, yet he dreams of wealth and title.

When his father’s violent past resurfaces, Cal’s desperation leads him to become a coffee racketeer. He has just three months to pay off a blackmailer and save his father’s life - but his ambition and talent for mimicry pull him into a conspiracy against the King himself.

Cal’s journey takes him from the tough life of Huguenot silk weavers to the vicious intrigues at Court. As the illicit trader Benjamin de Corvis and his controlling daughter Emilia pull him into their plots, and his lover Violet Fintry is threatened by impending war, Cal is forced to choose between his conscience and his dream of becoming Mister Calumny Spinks.  

Summary & Cover taken from Goodreads.com

Length: 448 pages (Paperback)

Source: Review Copy

Available Sources: Print/E-book

Publication Date: June 26th 2014 by Tenderfoot (first published April 3rd 2014)

 

I'm kind of ashamed to say that the majority of historical fiction novels I have read have women as the main characters, I think this is because I've always been interested in how women lived and love seeing how they're represented in historical context. Every once in awhile though I get the urge to read a good old fashioned adventure story about a male character trying to make his way in the world and that is exactly what Calumny Spinks represents to me.

 

I enjoyed reading The Bitter Trade so much because I enjoyed reading a novel about a regular guy. He wasn't a lord, or anything really noble, just a poor man's son who wants to be apprenticed into a trade and eventually earn the title of "Mister" and secure his place in society. These are big dreams for our 17 year old protagonist but he's got a cunning mind and he's actually one of those characters who reveals his true self, in terms of strengths and weaknesses in layers. I liked that Calumny was a character I saw evolve in the story.  I have to say though, that I wasn't the biggest fan of Calumny for a good chunk of the book. His feeling sorry for himself and whiney was starting to get to me, but like I said I saw him change and grow so I applaud the author for giving the character some realistic qualities by not making him an easy guy to like.

 

The story was a thrilling one. There was mystery, political intrigue, betrayal and treason a foot with young Calumny Spinks in the center of it all due to some long kept family secrets held by his father Peter (who was a curmudgeon, but an interesting character). As well as a very wide variety of other criminals both high and lowborn alike. I never knew where the story was headed and I enjoyed the thrill of trying to figure it out even though I would often be surprised where it actually went. London in the 1600s on the brink of a revolution was a dangerous place to be and the way Piers Alexander depicted it was brilliant. The sights, sounds and smells (lets face it London didn't smell great then) all came alive for me in the reading of this extremely well written debut. I wait to see how the story continues.

 

I'd recommend this novel for all those who enjoy historical fiction but want to really delve into the London underbelly of the 1600s with a great cast of characters, and a fascinating story that is both easy to follow and enthralling.

 

*I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my free and honest review. All thoughts and opinions expressed herein are 100% my own.

 

Really Liked It!
★★★★

To "Like" Piers on Facebook CLICK HERE

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To become a "Fan" of Piers  on Goodreads CLICK HERE

To visit Piers' Website CLICK HERE

To purchase the book via Kobo CLICK HERE

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To purchase the book via Amazon CLICK HERE

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To purchase the book via Barnes & Noble CLICK HERE

 

 

 

Author Bio:

Piers Alexander is an author and serial entrepreneur. After a successful career as CEO of media and events companies he became a Co-Founder and Chairman of three start-up businesses. In 2013 he was awarded the PEN Factor Prize for The Bitter Trade. He is currently working on the sequel, Scatterwood, set in Jamaica in 1692.



 

 

*[Blog Tour Review & Giveaway] The Crystal Cage by Merryn Allingham

Summary:

Captivated…or captured?

Appearances don't always reveal the truth. Grace Latimer knows this better than most. Illusions of commitment and comfort have her trapped—until bohemian adventurer Nick Heysham charms his way into her world. Commissioned to recover a Great Exhibition architect's missing designs, he persuades her to assist in his research. The mystery of the Crystal Palace seduces Grace, and once she discovers clues about a forbidden Victorian love affair, she's lured into the deep secrets of the past…secrets that resemble her own.

As Grace and Nick dig into the elusive architect's illicit, long-untold story, the ghosts of guilt and forbidden passion slip free. And history is bound to repeat itself, unless Grace finds the courage to break free and find a new definition of love…
Summary & Cover taken from Goodreads.com
Length: 264 pages (E-book)
Source: Review Copy
Available Formats: E-book
Publication Date: August 4th 2014 by Harlequin E (first published January 1st 2014)

If you had asked me to read a book that takes place in two very different times a few years back I probably would have turned you down. I wasn't much of a fan of the whole split timeline thing back then and I suppose it's because to me I find that that the story has to be just so to really work for me and in the Crystal Cage I loved the way the author used this style of story telling.

For me though, because there are two stories being told that are bound so tightly together that I often find it hard to describe the story without giving to much away so if I'm to brief it's all because I try not to stick spoilers in my reviews.

As you've gathered I'm a huge fan of how this story turned out. When I first got the invite for the book I was so excited, I loved the premise but thought that it would actually be a bit of a lighter read (nothing wrong with a light Historical), but The Crystal Cage had much more substance to it and that was a major factor if not the major factor that made me such a fan.

There was more than just a love story in this 264 page volume, there were two love stories in fact and a pretty well fleshed out mystery that had it's fair share of plot twists that kept me on my toes and I liked that Grace and Nick had a bit of a treasure hunt on their hands when it came to the lost architectural plans. I like how both history, mystery and romance were mixed together the way it was because it made the characters all that much more likeable.

Grace, I found was a little bit of an enigma for a good bit in the book. I didn't not like her but she was like a riddle that I had to figure out, and I enjoyed that she had layers to her character, just like Nick. I also very much enjoyed Alessia's character as well since she was a large part of the story as a whole and how all the characters were different and played off each other.

While it wasn't a light read, it wasn't too heavy and I enjoyed the pace at which the story moved. I didn't once get bored and managed to polish this one off in a couple glorious hours of relaxing. As a debut, I'd say that the author Merryn Allingham is an author that I'm going to have to watch out for in the future because her story telling was wonderful.

Author Bio:

My father was a soldier and most of my childhood was spent moving from place to place, school to school, including several years living in Egypt and Germany. I loved some of the schools I attended, but hated others, so it wasn’t too surprising that I left half way through the sixth form with ‘A’ Levels unfinished.
I became a secretary, as many girls did at the time, only to realise that the role of handmaiden wasn’t for me. Escape beckoned when I landed a job with an airline. I was determined to see as much of the world as possible, and working as cabin crew I met a good many interesting people and enjoyed some great experiences – riding in the foothills of the Andes, walking by the shores of Lake Victoria, flying pilgrims from Kandahar to Mecca to mention just a few.
I still love to travel and visit new places, especially those with an interesting history, but the arrival of marriage and children meant a more settled existence on the south coast of England, where I’ve lived ever since. It also gave me the opportunity to go back to ‘school’ and eventually gain a PhD from the University of Sussex. For many years I taught university literature and loved every minute of it. What could be better than spending my life reading and talking about books? Well, perhaps writing them.
I’ve always had a desire to write but there never seemed time to do more than dabble with the occasional short story. And my day job ensured that I never lost the critical voice in my head telling me that I really shouldn’t bother. But gradually the voice started growing fainter and at the same time the idea that I might actually write a whole book began to take hold. My cats – two stunning cream and lilac shorthairs – gave their approval, since it meant my spending a good deal more time at home with them!
The 19th century is my special period of literature and I grew up reading Georgette Heyer, so when I finally found the courage to try writing for myself, the books had to be Regency romances. Over the last four years, writing as Isabelle Goddard, I’ve published six novels set in the Regency period.
Since then, I’ve moved on a few years to Victorian England, and I’ve changed genre too. The Crystal Cage is my first novel under the name of Merryn Allingham. The book is a mystery/romantic suspense and tells the story of a long-lost tragedy, and the way echoes from the past can powerfully influence the life of a modern day heroine. The next few Allingham books will see yet another move timewise. I’ve been writing a suspense trilogy set in India and wartime London during the 1930s and 1940s, and hope soon to have news of publication.
Whatever period, whatever genre, creating new worlds and sharing them with readers gives me huge pleasure and I can’t think of a better job.

 

Really Liked It!
★★★★

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