*[Blog Tour Review/Author Guest Post] On a Foreign Field: A Story of Loyalty and Brotherhood by Hazel B. West

Summary:

Sir Reeve Montgomery is an Englishman born and bred, proud of his heritage and the right to serve his country fighting against the Scottish rebels. But when the tide is turned unexpectedly during the Battle of Stirling Bridge, he is wounded by an English arrow, left for dead by his comrades, and taken captive by Wallace's army. Wounded, and alone on a foreign field, he knows he should expect nothing but torture and death at the hands of the Scottish rebels who are known to be complete savages.

But as he comes to know this tight brotherhood better, and sees Wallace's utter devotion to his men and the cause of freedom, Reeve begins to wonder whether the English are right to oppress them.

Faced with these troubling thoughts, Reeve must decide whether he will stay true to his king, or join this brotherhood of freedom fighters, thus turning his back on everything he has ever known or believed in.

This new novel by Hazel West is a thought-provoking, heartfelt read about the true meaning of loyalty and brotherhood.
Summary & Photo taken from Goodreads.com
Length: 360 pages
Source: Review Copy
Publication Date: July 25th 2012 by Createspace

Ahh, it was so nice for me to immerse myself in my favourite genre; historical fiction. Since I've started blogging I haven't had the opportunity to read as many historical fiction novels as I've wanted so I was really pleased when I got the book tour invite for On a Foreign Field. Plus the book is set in the time of William Wallace or as many of us have come to know him as "Braveheart". This is not another retelling of his life and times no siree. In this book Wallace is surprisingly not the main character. I know right? However, just because he isn't the main character it doesn't mean that the book is any less great.

I loved the writing style that the author implemented in telling this story. I've always been a fan of narrative style writing even though I know that it isn't always everyone's cup of  so this one worked out really great for me.

Right away I was sucked into the story and the way that the characters were laid out. The story was very engrossing and I felt that the characters were very well developed, I have to say I really enjoyed the fact that the story was not so much about William Wallace but the people who aided him in his struggle.

This book had it all. There was romance, political intrigue, espionage, war and murder. I loved the war bits because I feel that the author did such a great job bringing the battle to life I felt as though I were inside the book while the story was going on.

I truly enjoyed this historical fiction novel. You can tell that the author made a real effort to thoroughly research her novel and this came through in the writing. The night that I read this I kept nodding off, not out of boredom mind you but because I kept myself up until 4 am reading "just one more chapter". Needless to say one more chapter turned into me finishing the book and crashing until 11 am the next morning. I loved this book and I do hope more people give it a try. The book is so detailed and well written that I can't wait to see more from the author. I'd love to read more of her work.

I highly recommend this novel to those who enjoy historical fiction with a bit of everything added in. It makes for a great read on a rainy day and will absolutely help the hours go by faster.

*I received a free copy in exchange for my free and honest review. I was not compensated in any way and all thoughts and opinions expressed therein are my own.

 

Awesome, I loved it!
★ ★ ★ ★ ★

To become a fan of Hazel on Goodreads CLICK HERE

To visit Hazel's Website CLICK HERE

To purchase the book via Amazon CLICK HERE

To purchase the book via Barnes & Noble CLICK HERE

Also One RANDOM commenter on the tour will win a $25 AMAZON GIFT CARD

 

 

I'm pleased to have Hazel West onTurning the Pages discussing the:

Ten (Unofficial) Things You Should Know About Becoming a Published Author

1 There’s the moment you realize that ‘hey, this is my actual job now! Wait, does that mean I can’t goof off anymore and I HAVE to meet my deadlines?’ That of course all depends on whether you’re published through a company who WILL expect you to meet your deadlines or if you’re an indie author, where you will be able to make your own rules. But yes, you will have to work harder because fans will expect a second book. And a third. And if you’re really popular, a fourth!

2 The fan(s). Yes, you will get fan(s)! You know that one devoted fan who buys all your books (A.K.A, Grandma)? Well you have a duty to them (her) now. You have to keep writing!

3 The Coffee. This is especially true for self-published writers. I am going to warn you now that your coffee intake when you were brainstorming and writing is nothing compared to what it will be when you decide to publish your work. And if you didn’t drink coffee before, you can bet your best writing pencil that you will after all the hours of formatting and editing.

4 The beauty products you might have to invest in (which I didn’t). Don’t you love those glamor shots all those romance writers have on the backs of their books? Well, this is a sorry lie, no author really looks like this unless they have little elves to do all the hard work for them. Try doing five hours of formatting with Word and tell me you don’t look like a zombie in the morning. Eye drops are a writer’s best friends.

5 Having to write more and more books about a character you have grown to hate because all your fan(s) won’t shut up about him. This happened to Doyle with Holmes and to Agatha Christie with Poirot, it can happen to you too, so either prepare yourself to bite the bullet, or just make a character you love SOOOOO much! Either that or your can bribe the fan(s) with coffee and doughnuts/Pringles. And if bribery doesn’t work, remember my sign: “Please do not annoy the Writer. She may put you in a book and kill you.”

6 The frustration and sadness when no one buys your books. Yeah, it will take a while to get famous. Maybe your grandma might not even like the first book you write. I’m sorry, but that’s just the way it is sometimes. We can’t all be J.K. Rowling (Whose books I have never read, by the way ;-P)

7 The decisions. One book or two a year--one every three years? What should the cover look like (epic background or angsty guy will bloody sword--or both?) What kind of advertising should you do? Keep it real or add an odious e-book? Should I send Grandma a copy, or should I make her buy her own? See, there’s a lot to think about…

8 When all else fails, your books make great birthday presents for friends and family… Just make sure they give you a good review on Amazon and Goodreads or remind them to remember your sign as afore mentioned.

9 Make good friends. Some serious advice now. Find other people who write the kinds of books you do, they will be a great source of help in editing. For free. (Just kidding, you should totally pay them in coffee and free copies of your book!) And they might give you a good review. (Wait a second. Who REALLY wrote that terrible anonymous review?) They are also there so you know you’re not going insane when you have people talking in your head. Because every other writer understands what you’re going through whereas your normal friends and family might not…

10 And finally… well, how amazing it feels to hold your book in actual print and binding for the first time! It’s almost better than your first child because it doesn’t cry and keep you up at night--though that might be a controversial thought after you go through all the editing and formatting…

Goodreads Book Giveaway

On a Foreign Field

by Hazel B. West

Giveaway ends October 03, 2012.
See the giveaway details at Goodreads.

Enter to win

Temptation in a Kilt (Bad Boys of the Highlands #1) by Victoria Roberts

 

 

Summary:

 

She’s on her way to safety

It’s a sign of Lady Rosalia Armstrong’s desperation that she’s seeking refuge in a place as rugged and challenging as the Scottish Highlands. She doesn’t care about hardship and discomfort, if only she can become master of her own life. Laird Ciaran MacGregor, however, is completely beyond her control…

He redefines dangerous…

Ciaran MacGregor knows it’s perilous to get embroiled with a fiery Lowland lass, especially one as headstrong as Rosalia. Having made a rash promise to escort her all the way to Glengarry, now he’s stuck with her, even though she challenges his legendary prowess at every opportunity. When temptation reaches its peak, he’ll be ready to show her who he really is…on and off the battlefield.

Summary & Photo taken from Goodreads.com

Length: 352 pages (paperback)

Source: NetGalley ARC

Publication Date: September 4th 2012 by Sourcebooks Casablanca         

 

 

Now, it really isn't a secret that I have a wee obsession with highlanders and historical romances set  in Scotland so when this one came up for review on NetGalley I knew I had to get it and the good people at Sourcebooks Casablanca I got the chance to review it.

 

I read this one in just a few hours that's how much I enjoyed it. This was a fantastic read from debut author Victoria Roberts one that I literally could not put down. I think I stayed up until 4 a.m. reading this so by the time I was done I could bleary see my eyes were so bleary. At first I was ecstatic about finishing it so quickly then that turned to sadness because I realized I would have to wait forever for the second book to come out.

 

I really loved Rosalia's character  not to mention her name (I think it's a beautiful name) because she had such strength to her even though she grew up with abusive parents she didn't turn into a weak simpering idiot, instead she inherited the highland spirit from her father's side of the family along with the highland temper and she was able to dole out her fair amount of wrath when she wanted to which was something Ciaran learned very quickly.

 

The fact that Rosalia had such determination really endeared her to me and I love how Ciaran was taken aback by Roalia's independance and it was really funy how he reacted to that through out the novel. Plus the Rosalia and Ciaran didn't fall into the pit of Insta-love that's been plaguing novels and they actually fought their attraction to each other and took forever to admit they liked each other let alone loved each other made the book even better for me

 

This historical romance surprised me with the fact that there was an actual plot line to it because lets be honest here there are a lot of historical romances that really don't have much of a plot out there so this one was great to read. The fact that there was kidnapping and murder in it really made me love it more...wait...what does that say about me? Oh never mind. You know what I mean.  Plus this book was a CLEAN romance (No sexy time for Rosalia and Ciaran) which I was a little bit disppointed by but you know at the end of the day that hardly mattered they still had enough love and lust for each other the pages burned with it.

 

Victoria Roberts wrote a great highland historical romance with action, mystery and intrigue and I can't wait to read the second book in the series. I love her writing style and I hope that she continues to write for years to come because we all need a little romance in our lives even if it's through a book! The love that Rosalia and Ciaran have it sweet and strong and everything you want in a historical romance.

 

If you love historical romances I strongly suggest giving Temptation in a Kilt a try because of how different it is from a lot of other novels in this genre and it's a quick read. Perfect for a rainy fall afternoon. 

 

* I received a free copy of this book from the published via NetGalley in exchange for my free and honest review. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own and I was not compensated in any way.

 

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

To visit Victoria's Website  CLICK HERE

To visit and "Follow" Victoria's Blog CLICK HERE

To purchase the book via Chapters Indigo CLICK HERE

To purchase the book via Amazon CLICK HERE

To purchase the book via The Book Depository CLICK HERE

To purchae the book via Barnes & Noble CLICK HERE

 

Awesome, I loved it!

★ ★ ★ ★ ★
 

Sound of the Heart by Genevieve Graham *Review/Guest Post*

Summary:

From Genevieve Graham, author of Under the Same Sky, comes a sweeping romantic historical novel of one man’s strange gift and dangerous battles…
Dougal MacDonnell, a fierce warrior from the Highlands of Scotland, is able to hear the thoughts of other men and dream how the future will unfold. Devastated by the loss of his family during the Battle of Culloden in 1746, he fosters a deep hatred for the English. But when Glenna, the love of his life and a Scottish outlaw, is captured and shipped overseas, Dougal is forced to join an English army made of vanquished Scots. Now fighting on the side of his sworn enemies, he embarks on a journey that will take him across the seas to the colonies. There he will risk everything for the chance to find his true love.

Summary taken from Goodreads.com

Length: 336 pages (paperback)

Source: ARC provided by publisher

Publication Date: May 1st 2012 by Berkley Trade

A couple of months ago I was approached by the author to review her book as part of her blog tour, and of course I had to say yes because a lot of you know that this is my favourite genre. How could I refuse to read it?

I well and truly fell hard for Dougal MacDonnell, much like the same way that I fell for Diana Gabaldon's character Jamie Fraser. It was just that good of a book, it really was. I thought that Genevieve did a fantastic job of writing a book from the male point of view (for the most part) and was successful in the fact that while she created Dougal as a strong male lead he lacked much of the arrogance that is found in other books of this genre which was a great change.

What first grabbed me was the author's close attention to detail and by reading her book you can tell she chose her words carefully and laid out the plot, which in my opinion was fantastic. I love the rich landscape she presented and I particularly enjoyed the fact that it was set during the Battle of Culloden and the time after. I've always been interested in the history of Scotland and I'd love to pick Genevieve's brain about all she's learned.

The book while it's classified a a historical romance has a huge amount of adventure interwoven into it, and the adventure for me was what I loved most, that and the fact that Glenna is by no means a pushover and thank goodness she has brain and some backbone, when reading this you won't be met with the usual meek heroine which if you read the genre a lot is pretty much the norm.

Since this was my first time reading a book by the author I was was really surprised by how much I loved and enjoyed reading about Dougal and Glenna and I think that the fact that Genevieve took the time to ensure that the characters actually talked as they would have in the time period was fantastic. I've read several historical romances that have been set during the same time but the writers had the characters talking as though they were living in modern times which takes away from the book in my opinion.

I'm really glad that I had the opportunity to review Sound of the Heart for Genevieve because she's an excellent story teller. I really hope that she keeps writing because I can't get enough of her writing. There's just something magical about the way she writes that I love and to top it all off she's really nice!

I would have absolutely no problem recommending this book to anyone. Whether you're new to the genre or one that you've been reading for awhile this is a gem that really can't be missed. My only regret is that the author has a previously published book that I haven't read yet (but have it on hold at the library). I have a feeling that I'm going to speed write through that one as well. So basically if you're looking for a great read give this one a try. It's a great book to cuddle up with and read in your favourite spot. Hopefully it will enthrall you like it did me, so what are you waiting for? GO BUY IT!!

To visit Genevieve's website CLICK HERE

To follow Genevieve on Twitter CLICK HERE

To "Like" Genevieve on Facebook CLICK HERE

To become a fan on Goodreads CLICK HERE

To purchase the book via Amazon CLICK HERE

To purchase the book via Chapters Indigo CLICK HERE

To purchase the book via BookDepository CLICK HERE

To purchase the book via Barnes & Noble CLICK HERE

*I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for my free and honest review.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

A Must Read!

Author Guest Post:

Genevieve Graham

graduated from the University of Toronto in 1986 with a Bachelor of Music in Performance (playing the oboe). While on a ski vacation in Alberta, she met her future husband in a chairlift lineup and subsequently moved to Calgary to be with him. They have recently settled in a small, peaceful town in Nova Scotia with their two beautiful daughters. Writing became an essential part of Genevieve’s life a few years ago, when she began to write Her debut novel, Under the Same Sky. The companion novel, Sound of the Heart, will be in stores May 1, 2012.

Where does Historical Fiction come from?

Whether you are reading or writing, the world of books is filled with genres from which you can choose: childrens books, nonfiction, murder, suspense, romance, chicklit, and on and on. Yet when I sat down to tap away at my first book, I chose Historical Fiction. Why? I had never been a historian. In fact, I hadn’t ever been interested in history. But the books I’d been reading swept me up in adventures I needed to have, and I’d settle for nothing less.

It all began when my mother handed me a copy of “Outlander” by Diana Gabaldon. The genius of Gabaldon is that she can incorporate her incredible knowledge of the past, her gift of research, her creative instincts, and work it all into the most human characters I’ve ever read. Jamie and Claire—as well as anyone they meet—are real. Any one of Gabaldon’s millions of fans will agree with that. Yes, they are fictional. And yet they are as real in my mind as many of my flesh and blood friends.

Is that strange? Maybe. Don’t get me wrong. I’m well aware I can’t call them up and meet for a coffee. But they really do feel as if they existed at one time.

When I write, I have often said I am just the typist, the medium between the story and the keyboard. I feel the story rather than plan it. To me, quite honestly, the inspiration comes from somewhere else.

But … from where? Okay. Here’s the thing. My stories are set in the mid-18th century, so no one alive today was alive then. (I’m not talking about reincarnation or anything like that.) But people did (obviously) live back then. And they died. Those who believe we can communicate with spirits know it’s entirely possible to channel messages from beyond. Well, what I’m saying is that if I’m hearing these stories, channeling or whatever, couldn’t they be coming from someone who has passed? How do I know someone isn’t actually telling me their story?

That’s the magic for me when it comes to good historical fiction. When it’s written well, it’s so believable it feels like it actually happened. And though I know what I write is fiction, well, in truth … who’s to say it didn’t really happen?

The Bride and The Beast (Fairy Tales, #2) by Teresa Medeiros

Click here to see other books I'm reading for this challenge.

Summary:

Dear Reader,
I'd been prowling the crumbling ruins of Castle Weyrcraig for so long that I could no longer remember if I was man or beast. Then one stormy night the superstitious Highlanders of Ballybliss decided to leave a helpless virgin bound to a stake in the castle courtyard to satisfy my insatiable appetites. My demands might strike terror in the hearts of men, but this bold beauty dared to defy me. After she informed me that she didn't believe in dragons, I had no choice but to make her my prisoner—or risk being exposed to those I had sought to deceive with my dangerous masquerade. Soon I found myself stealing into the moonlit tower just to watch her sleep. Little does she know that beneath this beast's gruff exterior beats the passionate heart of a man. Gwendolyn Wilder may not believe in dragons, but I intend to use all my sensual wiles to teach her to believe in something even more magical—true love.
Eternally yours,Teresa Medeiros

Summary taken from Goodreads.com

So in The Bride and The Beast I went to the Scottish Highlands for my Around the World Challenge. This was my first time reading a book by this author and since I love me a story with a scottish highlander it was a no brainer that I should give this one ago. Especially when (THANK GOODNESS) the author didn't create a size 2 heroine that bared a resemblence to a Barbie Doll which is something that is seen all to often in romance novels.

I know the cover can be decieving because it looks just like any historical romance novel published in the 1990s but I like it. I mean I grew up reading romance novels that had the general 90's cover look. I actually enjoyed my time in Scotland though I didn't enjoy the story as much as I thought I would.

I did like the book but I thought that it wasn't as well thought it would be but then again it was a light bit of fluffy romance. What I thought was weird was that the author tried to make this into a retelling of the classic Beauty and the Beast story but it didn't seem like she put a lot of effort into writing that part as well as she could have and I wish she did a better job on that.

Overall I did enjoy the story but I thought that the male lead was an ass and a bit of an idiot but I was pleased to find that not only was Gwendolyn plus sized but she was smart too and had an ample dose of wit. I wish more authors would write heroines that are like this. However,  the writing was to blase to really emerse me in the writing and giving it the rating that I am because I have read better. Though I am glad that I gave this one a chance and will be reading other books by this author in the

Though I do recommend it because it's such a light read which is sometimes needed for all of us because we all just need to let our minds float away and read something easy and honestly it's a cute love story.

★ ★ ★ 1/2