All I Know, Holly C. LaBarbera

Hello Followers,
Many thanks to Simone at Books Forward for inviting me to share the new release, All I Know, by Holly C. LaBarbera. It comes out today (June 11, 2024).  Enjoy the preview and excerpt below!  Best, Diane-Lyn

Book Description:

Kai sees her life as a series of concentric circles—her twin brother Kade occupying the center sphere with her, their parents surrounding them in the next, and the Tyler family in the outer loop, a connection Kai plans to make official by someday marrying Josh Tyler. The Martins and Tylers share fun times together, but under the surface, they are two dysfunctional families struggling with alcoholism, depression, and abuse, all of which leads to a devastating event that knocks Kai off her axis and makes her doubt everything she thought she knew.

Years later, Kai and Josh fall in love, launching a life of travel and adventure, building on their shared history, yet also haunted by it. Kai revolves around Josh, hoping he will provide the gravity to secure her in the world, but realizing that she must find faith in herself to be grounded and whole.

Excerpt:

We’d been sledding all afternoon when the accident happened. I was nine years old that Christmas of 1981, and we were on the hill in front of my house, experimenting with combinations of people on variations of sleds, trying to find the perfect weight distribution to send us shooting down the slope at top speed.

         Dad and Rob Tyler were directing the action, as invested as any of us kids in getting the most thrilling run possible. I have no memory of them drinking, but given the lifetime of memories I do have, my guess is they probably were.

The Tylers were with us for the holiday, as usual. In a way, they were our extended family, the adults estranged from their families of origin for various reasons, although I purposely did not think of them as relatives yet. I was waiting for the day I believed was inevitable, the day I would marry Josh and make us an official family. Stephanie and I must have planned my wedding to her brother about a hundred times. I can picture us lying together under the covers with a flashlight, imagining my Princess Diana-inspired dress, layers of satin billowing around me like a poufy cloud, the one romantic kiss, the happily-ever-after of it all. Then we would be sisters, live next door to each other, and raise our daughters to be third-generation best friends.

I was always so sure about things, like my home and family, Santa Claus and summer vacation—and loving Josh Tyler. I knew him my whole life, and while there must have been a time before I thought about liking boys, I can’t actually remember not being in love with Josh. At twenty years old, I still love him, despite my disillusionment about most everything else.

Among the kids, Josh was the undisputed leader, and his brothers Bobby and Nick were his primary minions, a three-man pack of mayhem and mischief. Bobby was two years younger than Josh, Nick a year younger than Bobby, with me and Kade, my twin brother, a year after them and Stephanie Tyler a year after that, pretty much a kid a year, like a ladder of children.

So there we were, the day after Christmas, Dad and Kade and I trying to make the jump to light speed. Kade was obsessed with Star Wars, so everything we did in those days was translated into galactic terms. Kade was sitting in front of me on the toboggan, aka the Millennium Falcon, pretending to enter coordinates before we took off.

“C’mon, Kade,” I said, pushing my body up against him. “Let’s go already.”

“Traveling through hyperspace ain’t like dusting crops, kid. Without precise calculations we could fly right through a star or bounce too close to a supernova and that’d end our trip real quick,” Kade said, channeling Han Solo.

         I collapsed backward against Dad in impatience and irritation.

         “Okay, Chewie, hit it,” Kade finally said to Dad/Chewbacca, who pushed us off, and we went flying down the hill.

When the older boys took a turn on the toboggan, Stephanie and Kade and I traded off in pairs on an old wooden sled with red metal runners, which wasn’t as fast but was easier to steer. Stephanie and Kade were scared if we went too fast anyway, although I never was. I was fearless, invincible.

Dad proposed one last run on the big toboggan on an alternate, riskier course that was fresh snow but steeper, with more trees and obstacles. Josh was in because Josh was always in when my dad suggested something. Bobby, Nick, and I followed Josh’s lead as per usual. I was in the front of the toboggan, because we had learned that you went faster when the lightest person was in front and the heaviest person was in back. We started down the hill at top speed, and I was thrilled. With the wind making my eyes water and snow kicking up in my face, I couldn’t see anything, including the tree we were barreling toward. My dad pulled Josh off, Josh pulled Bobby with him, and Bobby pulled Nick, but Nick didn’t pull me off. It felt like the toboggan had taken flight, so light now with only me on it.

“Jump!” Dad yelled, echoed by everyone else screaming “Jump!” but I was deer-in-the-headlights at that point and couldn’t move.

I crashed straight into the tree.

My dad froze in terror when he saw the scarlet puddle forming around me in the snow. Josh was the one who picked me up and started running back to our house.

Rob grabbed my dad by his shoulders and shook him, yelling for him to pull himself together and pushing him in our direction.

Dad quickly caught up with us,  taking me from Josh, getting me home and then to the hospital, where he and Mom waited with me for hours before a skilled plastic surgeon sewed my bloody mess of a face back together, doing such a good job that I was left with only a hint of a scar on my bottom lip, where I’d bitten clean through. I needed twenty-seven stitches in total. My nose was broken and one cheekbone had a hairline fracture, all of which was painful but nothing that wouldn’t heal.

The rest of that week could have been horrible, but I actually remember it fondly. I was in pain, with bandages that were difficult to see around, and I was on a liquid diet because of my ripped-up lip, so all of that was terrible. But I also got a lot of attention. Kade never left my side. Dad made me his world-famous milkshakes, bringing them to me and quickly scurrying away, avoiding looking directly at my mangled face. Mom made sure I took my medicine and didn’t mess with my bandages, made me soup and slept next to me in case I needed anything in the night. One day she started reading to me from my favorite book, The Secret Garden, and when something else required her attention, Kade took over for chapter two. It was sweet of him to make the attempt, but he wasn’t a good reader, and it was tedious to listen to him try to sound out the words over and over. Josh overheard and offered to take a turn, spending hours over the next few days to read me the rest of the book, admitting how much he liked it once we finished.

Josh and Kade. My two guys.

All I Know is a debut novel by Holly C. LaBarbera.  Buckberg Mountain Books, Jun 11, 2024.

Press Release: The Yellow House in the Mountains, Glen Hileman

Hello Readers and Followers,

Thank you for visiting!  Below please find a press release for the book, The Yellow House in the Mountains by Glen Hileman (release date March 1, 2024).  I wish to thank Jackie Karneth at Books Forward for the invite.  This is an inspiring true story.  I hope you all enjoy this stop and the rest of the tour!  Best, Diane-Lyn

Son’s novel honors parents lost to 2020 East Troublesome Fir

Grand Lake, CO–Based on a remarkable true story, Glenn Hileman’s “A Yellow House in the Mountains” (March 2024) honors the lives of his parents, Lyle and Marylin, who were lost to Colorado’s East Troublesome Fire, by showcasing the love, faith and determination which guided them through difficult times.

By the end of the day on October 21, 2020, more than 193,000 acres and over 400 homes were consumed in the East Troublesome Fire, Colorado’s fastest-moving fire in history. Lyle and Marylin understood living in their mountain paradise had risks, and their approach to the oncoming fire was consistent with their approach to other challenges in their lives–they faced it together.

An awe-inspiring novel based on a love story like no other, “A Yellow House in the Mountains” traces Lyle and Marylin’s relationship from their high-school sweetheart days to their 68-year marriage. Filled with a sense of the couple’s ambition and determination, “A Yellow House” will leave readers with a strengthened resolve to overcome life’s challenges and embrace life’s miracles.

“A Yellow House in the Mountains”

Glenn Hileman | March 1, 2024 | GLH2 Holdings | Narrative Nonfiction

Hardcover | ISBN: 979-8-9888228-1-3 | $27.95

Paperback | ISBN: 979-8-9888228-0-6 | $18.99 

Ebook | ISBN: 979-8-9888228-2-0 | $12.99

GLENN HILEMAN: Glenn is the CEO of Highmark School Development and has spent over fifteen years living in Bountiful, Utah. His love of Grand Lake, Colorado led to him purchasing his parent’s home in 2020. His family is actively working to restore the property from the devastation of the East Troublesome Fire. In doing so, they hope to honor the legacy of his parents. Learn more about Glenn at: www.yellowhouseinthemountains.com .

In an interview, Glenn Hileman can discuss:

  • The lasting impact of the East Troublesome Fire in Colorado, which was the fastest growing fire in the state’s history
  • Why it was important to tell Lyle and Marylin’s story, as the only two lives lost to the fire
  • The powerful lessons he learned from Lyle and Marylin, and the real-life miracles that touched their lives
  • Why he’s planning on restoring the property Lyle and Marylin lost to the fire
  • What he hopes readers will take away from “A Yellow House in the Mountains”

An Interview with

Glenn Hileman

  • Why did you decide to share Lyle and Marylin’s story with the world? 

Their lives were filled with remarkable experiences that can inspire others. Through their commitment to one another and with faith, they overcame numerous obstacles in life and left a legacy worthy of remembrance. A love story, “A Yellow House in the Mountains” provides relatable examples of how to navigate life.

 

  • Do miracles really happen?

Miracles occur frequently but may be overlooked or mislabeled as coincidences. Lyle and Marylin’s story contains several examples of miracles. Some of their encounters were immediate while others played out over a sixty-eight year marriage. Their story will touch the hearts of many that look to understand our purpose in life and the role miracles play.

 

  • How did Lyle and Marylin overcome life’s challenges?

An unwavering commitment to their marriage provided Lyle and Marylin with the strength to get through hard times. They believed their relationship could endure through eternity and that working together, they could improve and grow. 

 

  • What lessons will readers learn from Lyle and Marylin?

Challenges and adversity are a normal part of life and often provide our greatest opportunities for growth. Personal improvement takes effort and having the support of loved ones helps facilitate change. Our potential in life is magnified as we collaborate with others, especially with family and friends.

 

  • What should readers know about you?

Perhaps the greatest written insights into my life are contained within the pages of the book. Like my parents, I lean heavily on my family and faith to navigate life.

Life, and Other Inconveniences, Kristan Higgins

Synopsis: Life and Other Inconveniences

Emma London never thought she had anything in common with her grandmother, Genevieve London.  The regal old woman came from wealthy New England stock, but that didn’t protect her from life’s cruelest blows: the disappearance of her young son, followed by the premature death of her husband.  But Genevieve rose from those ashes and built a fashion empire respected the world over, burying her grief in her work, even if it meant neglecting her other son.

When Emma’s own mother died, her father abandoned her on Genevieve’s doorstep. The matriarch took her in and reluctantly raised her — until Emma got pregnant her senior year of high school. Genevieve kicked her out with nothing but the clothes on her back…but Emma took with her the most important London possession: the strength not just to survive but to strive. And indeed, Emma has built a wonderful life for herself and her teenage daughter, Riley.

So what is Emma to do when Genevieve does the one thing Emma never expected of her and, after not speaking to her for nearly two decades, calls and asks for help?

Diane-Lyn’s Review:

There were parts of Life and Other Inconveniences that I liked, and other parts I could have done without.  Overall, this was a good read that I’d recommend. I enjoyed the balanced themes of struggle and strength, choices and forgiveness, love and dysfunction.  I found myself  drawn into the perfectly imperfect lives of this high-caliber family, complete with their own plethora of tragedy, burdens, and secrets. Most gripping was the heart wrenching, unsolved mystery of Genevieve’s beloved son, Sheppard. Higgins did a brilliant job of pulling the reader into Genevieve’s journey of torment and heartbreak, longing for her son with no answers about what happened, where he was, or even if he was dead or alive.

Each chapter is written through the point of view of the main characters, giving each a “voice” that allowed the reader to know them more deeply; to tap into their raw emotions and to understand the histories that shaped them.  These shifts were both poignant and seamless.  Well done!

This novel was good overall, but not perfect.  There were several points in the story where I found the relationship between Emma and her teenage daughter, Riley, to be a bit nauseating in a too good to be true sort of way. Emma and Riley never fought. In fact, Riley was a teenager who never disagreed with her mother, behaved perfectly, was always in a good mood, and even held her mother’s hand.  In what world are teenage girls that easy and agreeable? I would have better appreciated this relationship if it had been more realistic, messier, and more relatable. It just felt very out of touch and contrived.

Of course, in any story line,  it makes sense for an author to bring characters together into romantic relationships. But again – this felt forced. contrived, and a bit too perfect.  In fact, there were times during the second half of the book when it felt more like I was watching an episode of The Love Boat than reading a novel.

All in all, Life and Other Inconveniences is worth reading.  Lighthearted at times, heavy at others, this novel is well balanced.  It offers a complex cast of characters that form a flawed, yet likable, family – all struggling to understand each other, all just doing their best. Check it out!

Happy New Year!

Best, Diane-Lyn

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New Release: The Beautiful Misfits, Susan Reinhardt

Hello and thank you for visiting The Cozy Book Blog! Below please find my review of The Beautiful Misfits (Regal House, March 2023), written by humorist Susan Reinhardt. This novel is the poignant story of a mother’s unrelenting determination to reach her opioid addicted son. I want to thank Jackie Karneth at Books Forward for the ARC and the opportunity to read and review this unforgettable novel.
Best, Diane-Lyn

Synopsis & Musings by Diane-Lyn

Oh, the joy of families. We see it all around us. The social media posts celebrating graduations, weddings, holidays; featuring beautiful pictures of perfect, smiling faces standing in front of marble fireplaces looking. Just. So. Damn. Happy. But remember folks, maybe the grass is always greener because your neighbor’s lawn is fake, right?  Or, as the saying goes, don’t compare your insides to somebody else’s outsides. Isn’t that what they say?

Of course, nobody wants their inner crisis to be broadcast for the whole world to see. But that is exactly what happened to news anchor Josie Nickels when her whole world exploded in a very public way.  A few drinks and a story that hit too close to home fueled an on-air outburst; a massive spillage of her troubled family life resulting from her son’s opioid addiction. And it all happened on live TV. The meltdown cost Josie a career and drove her son, Finley, out of her life. With her whole world in shambles, the disgraced local celebrity takes a job at a cosmetics counter in a department store. Struggling to pick up the pieces of her shattered life and repair her broken family, Josie must adjust to her new reality and find the strength to fight for her son without enabling his addiction.

More Musings & Review by Diane-Lyn:

Susan Reinhardt is an award-winning fiction writer who understands exactly what it means to mother a drug addict. She writes from the heart and yet manages to interweave quirky characters and humor at appropriate times to create a well-balanced, beautifully written novel.

Beautiful Misfits is a fictional account of a mother in the throes of an adult child’s opioid addiction, and a society telling her that she is to blame. She is the ex-wife of an unsupportive, enabling husband – and the daughter of a critical and narcissistic mother. This is the story of a heartbroken mother who stops breathing every time the phone rings because she wonders if it is “the call”.  Beautiful Misfits is an honest, gripping novel about a mother’s determination to save her son as she wrestles her own demons.

What I love about Reinhardt’s writing is her ability to create a real and relatable protagonist. Josie is an authentically flawed, yet remarkably strong woman who refuses to give up on her son.  I loved her! Beautiful Misfits is an education in the drug epidemic and a frank look at faulty, inadequate rehab programs.  It is a journey through family dysfunction, workplace bullying, love, forgiveness and hope. The lovely southern setting and array of eccentric characters (including an angelic elderly babysitter) brings a lightness to an otherwise serious novel. Poignant yet funny, Beautiful Misfits won me over from the first page and had me intrigued until the very end. Highly recommended!

                                   Big Pharma pushed it, doctors prescribed it, and genetics pollinated it. 

– Susan Reinhardt, The Beautiful Misfits

Order your copy now…

To purchase your own copy of The Beautiful Misfits, click here: Amazon. This is an affiliate link, which only means that when you click the link and purchase the book, I receive a tiny commission at no additional cost to you. Happy reading!

 

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Finding Ashley, Danielle Steel

Finding Ashley – Synopsis by Diane-Lyn:

Finding Ashley is a story of love, loss and hope.

At sixteen and pregnant, Melissa was sent away to a convent and forced to give up her baby girl for adoption. In the years that followed, she never stopped wondering what happened to her daughter.

Years later, Melissa is an accomplished author, happily married, and the mother of a little boy. But when her young son, Robbie, is diagnosed with cancer and dies two years later, Melissa’s world shatters once again. Unable to cope with losing two children, she shuts down. Her once strong marriage crumbles, she stops writing and relocates to a remote New England town in order to isolate from the world. Her sister, Hattie, longs to give Melissa some peace and goes on a mission to find her long lost daughter; a mission that would change all of their lives forever.

Review by Diane-Lyn:

I have mixed feelings about this one. Finding Ashley was my first Danielle Steel novel and honestly, I’m disappointed. I expected so much more, but this just fell flat for me. I’ll start with the positives. There are certainly elements of Finding Ashley that were intriguing and moving. As a mother, I was gripped by Melissa’s losses and found her response to them equally heart-wrenching, yet understandable.  I also loved Steel’s candid portrayal of the Catholic Church’s adoption “baby mills” in the 1980’s, and her tackling of other real life issues in our world today; alcoholism, toxic families, rape, child death, deception, the #MeToo movement. These issues were intertwined smoothly and the story line flowed well.

All in all, this novel had so much potential; much of which was lost in a highly predictable chain of events leading to unrealistic outcomes. The book offered no big surprises, no shockers, no “punch”.  I lost interest after the first few chapters when I figured out the ending (and I was right). Then everything fell into place a little too quickly, and much too smoothly. To me, the characters were unrelatable and it felt like watching an episode of Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous instead of reading a novel about motherhood and loss. Huge Victorian houses, Chanel sweaters, flawless faces and perfect figures were all just a bit much. I liked Michaela’s character, but she, too, was too perfect and unscathed. Her character was so central to the plot, but very underdeveloped. I wanted to see her portrayed deeply and meaningfully; but it never got beneath the surface. The only character who felt somewhat “real” to me was Hattie. I did enjoy watching her develop and come to terms with her own past, but it wasn’t enough, Overall, the novel felt superficial, the characters lacked depth, and the outcomes seemed contrived. Danielle Steel is a highly successful writer and I wanted to love her, but Finding Ashley just didn’t grab me as I had hoped.

***If you want to give Finding Ashley a try, click this link (Amazon) to order your copy (or download for Kindle). This is an affiliate link, which only means that when you click the link and purchase the book, I receive a tiny commission at no additional cost to you. Happy reading!

 

Fever, Janet Gilsdorf

I received a complimentary copy of Fever from Beaufort Books in exchange for an honest review.

Synopsis by Diane-Lyn:

It is 1984. The United States is hosting the summer Olympics. Prince’s When Doves Cry becomes the number one song of the year. Indira Gandhi is assassinated. President Reagan is elected for a second term. And the AIDS epidemic makes headlines as it just starts to rear its brutal head in America.

Dr. Sidonie (“Sid”) Royal is a brilliant scientist with a complicated personal life. In need of a break, she travels with a friend to Promissao, Brazil; never expecting that the trip would become a turning point in her life and career. A mysterious illness is sweeping the area. Small children are experiencing bizarre symptoms and then dying within days – with no explanation. Tragedy, heartache, and debilitating fear grip the community as the illness continues to claim more young lives. Sid, still haunted by a family tragedy of her own, goes on a mission to find answers despite limited resources. The race against time intensifies when the major, well-funded Global Health Agency gets involved, creating an all-consuming pursuit that takes over Sid’s life and threatens her reputation.

Review by Diane-Lyn:

Author Janet Gilsdorf is a scientist and physician herself, and she combines her knowledge of microbiology with a tremendous gift of words to create a stunning novel. Gilsdorf’s writing is poignantly descriptive and emotional, yet it integrates complex scientific information in layman’s terms. The book flows smoothly, is well-written and well-organized. Chapters are sequential and alternate between settings – shifting mainly between Michigan and Brazil. Fever tackles multiple social issues; the traditional expectations of women, AIDS and the shame of homosexuality in the 1980s, tragedy, and complicated family relationships. Set in 1984, Fever takes us back to a time when certain technology didn’t exist and progressivism was still in its infancy.

Sid’s character is strong and unconventional; dedicated to her work and somewhat disengaged emotionally. I enjoyed her unapologetic refusal to be pigeonholed into a traditional woman’s role. Living life on her terms takes a toll on Sid’s already rocky relationship with her mother, and causes strife with boyfriend, Paul. Her working relationship with Eliot, a brilliant yet gruff scientist, provided an interesting dynamic that is interwoven throughout the novel.

Fever is a captivating novel about a young, passionate scientist who finds the courage to risk everything and persevere against all odds. It is a story of broken families, scientific breakthroughs, love, and resilience. Gildorf provides a descriptive view of life across cultures, and presents the fascinating world of science. Fever is a riveting book that I recommend. Well done!

“The children kept dying, a nonstop march of toddlers to the grave, and no one knew what was going on or how to stop it.”  Janet Gilsdorf, Fever
**To purchase your copy of Fever, click here: Amazon. Please note that this is an affiliate link, which only means that when you click the link and make a purchase, I receive a tiny commission at no additional cost to you. Happy reading!
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A Deadly Legacy, Malia Zaidi – Guest Post

Hello and welcome to The Cozy Book Blog by Diane-Lyn! I am so excited to be today’s stop on the virtual book tour for A Deadly Legacy, the new release by Malia Zaidi. Many thanks to Amy Bruno at Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours for the invite! Keep reading to learn about this intriguing historical mystery novel, and enjoy my special guest post by the author herself! Thank you again for stopping in and enjoy the tour!

**To stay up to date on all of my reviews and tour stops, you can subscribe to my blog by clicking the subscribe button on the right sidebar. Subscribing is free. You will be only notified of my new blog posts, which occur about once or twice a month. You will never be placed on additional mailing list.

Best, Diane-Lyn


A DEADLY LEGACY BY MALIA ZAIDI

Publication Date: March 15, 2022
Paperback & eBook

Genre: Historical Mystery
Series: A Lady Evelyn Mystery, Book 6

A few months after the Carlisle Detective Agency opened its doors, Lady Evelyn and her partner, Hugh, are twiddling their thumbs. The cases are slow to trickle in, leaving the detectives feeling uninspired. So, when Evelyn’s Aunt Louise asks her to join the local chapter of the Women’s Institute, she has no excuse to decline the invitation. Yet what she expects to be a tedious gathering, turns out to be anything but. She meets former suffragettes and outspoken women, eager for change, forcing Evelyn to reexamine her own prejudices. A decidedly less welcome surprise is the body she comes across only a few days later. Evelyn need hardly be a professional detective to recognize a murder when she sees one. Amid planning her wedding and navigating family affairs, she sets out to solve the case. The investigation takes Evelyn and Hugh into the past, examining the war years, which left the present far from untarnished. Is the victim’s history connected to her death? Could her involvement in the war have given someone a motive for murder? The questions pile up, and Evelyn and Hugh must race against the clock to discover the truth, before more lives are lost, not least, their own…

Guest Post by Author Malia Zaidi

The Struggle of Endless Possibilities

A part of what I love about reading and writing is that it can take you anywhere. New
worlds can be created, characters can be granted inhuman powers, adventure, true
love. There are no limits when it comes to fiction, but for a writer just this endless
opportunity can sometimes prove a bit of a burden.
My books, The Lady Evelyn Mysteries, are part historical fiction, part mystery,
and so they are grounded in facts in terms of setting and period details. However, when
it comes to what the characters do and where the story goes options are far more
unlimited. How to choose a path? For some writers, I know it helps to map out and plan
every chapter, to know precisely where the story will go, for others, outlines feel
constricting, and are ever changing to the point of being entirely useless. My own
process falls somewhere in between. I start with a rough outline, but all the details are
left for me to fill as I write. Sometimes it can be difficult to decide on a path to take and
tempting to veer away from it at times when a different possibility enters the equation.
The endless options can make writing daunting at times, but I find, once I get started, I
get a better feeling of what is right for the story and what isn’t. For my genre, there is
just enough certainty, just enough grounding in a world that already exists or existed,
that I cannot hurl myself too far from the right track. For other genres like fantasy or
science fiction, I imagine choosing a direction is far more challenging. A world that you
create from nothing can be anything, and therefore the story runs the risk of being
overfull. My advice is simply to go with your gut and keep writing. It can be a daunting
task sometimes, especially when your imagination is given completely free reign, but I
believe if a story is going to be told, the author will have a sense for what is right for it.

AMAZON | BARNES AND NOBLE | BOOKS-A-MILLION | INDIEBOUND | TARGET | WALMART

About the Author

Malia Zaidi is the author of The Lady Evelyn Mysteries. She studied at the University of Pittsburgh and at the University of Oxford. Having grown up in Germany, she currently lives in Washington DC, though through her love of reading, she resides vicariously (if temporarily) in countries around the world.

FACEBOOK | TWITTER | INSTAGRAM | GOODREADS

Blog Tour Schedule

Thursday, May 19
Review at Passages to the Past

Monday, May 23
Excerpt at Heidi Reads

Friday, May 27
Excerpt at The Caffeinated Bibliophile

Monday, May 30
Guest Post at The Cozy Book Blog

Tuesday, May 31
Review at Gwendalyn’s Books

Thursday, June 2
Guest Post & Excerpt at Older & Smarter

Saturday, June 4
Review at History from a Woman’s Perspective

Monday, June 6
Excerpt at bookworlder

Thursday, June 9
Excerpt at Coffee and Ink

 

 

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The Viscount’s Lady Novelist, Alissa Baxter

Hello, and welcome to The Cozy Book Blog by Diane-Lyn. I am thrilled to be today’s stop on the virtual book tour for The Viscount’s Lady Novelist by Alissa Baxter. Many thanks to Amy Bruno at Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours for the invitation. Below please find an excerpt and other information about this intriguing new novel. Thank you for visiting my book blog and enjoy the tour!

Best, Diane-Lyn

 

THE VISCOUNT’S LADY NOVELIST
BY ALISSA BAXTER

Publication Date: April 26, 2022
Vinspire Publishing

Genre: Historical Romance
Series: The Linfield Ladies, Book 2

Harriet Linfield is a lady novelist who has been disillusioned by love. She sets out to write more realistic tales about the emotion when she returns home to Linfield Court for the summer. Vowing to avoid any romantic entanglements along the way, she focuses instead on her writing and her plan to turn the estate she inherited from her uncle into a refuge for orphans.

Oliver, Viscount Wentford, is determined to restore his family fortunes. But his plans for the estate he inherited are in direct opposition to the wishes of Harriet, his new neighbour. Upon meeting her, Oliver is amused when, in response to his provocative comments, she informs him that she intends to make him the villain of her next book. But his amusement swiftly turns to dismay when circumstances align to show him in that exact light.

When an enemy comes back into Harriet’s life, she sees that love isn’t as clear-cut as the romantic tales she pens. But will the viscount manage to discard his villainous mantle to become Harriet’s real-life hero?

Excerpt:

“Will you be staying long in North Somerset?”
A slight smile touched his lips, but his solemn voice reflected no hint of humour. “My
man of business has hired a team of servants to make Greenacres liveable. I plan to move in
shortly, as I have business concerns to attend to there. I don’t wish to trespass on your parents’
hospitality for too long.”
“No, indeed, my lord. They are delighted to have you stay. Before you arrived at the
breakfast table this morning, Papa said he was eager to show you his natural history collection. It
is housed in what was, until recently, the southeast wing of the stables.”
“I look forward to viewing it.” He studied her for a moment and then spoke softly, “Poor,
harried Harry—surrounded by natural historians, and unable to escape.” He tucked her hand into
his arm and drew her closer to the colliery wall. “I gather your whole family calls you Harry?”
“My brothers and sister do…and some of my friends. But not gentlemen I barely know.”
He drew to a halt. “That is something I hope to remedy.”
“What is?” She eyed him warily.
“Barely knowing you.”
“Oh!” She blinked and then found herself quite unable to avoid speaking in a rush of
verbiage. “Let me show you our five-hundred-year-old oak while we wait for James.” She
pointed towards the other side of the colliery before walking ahead to the ancient tree. Looking
over her shoulder, Harriet found him close behind her. He stared at the majestic oak and let out a
soundless whistle. “A magnificent specimen.”
Up in these branches is a comfortable nook where I used to read The Juvenile Budget by
Anna Laetitia Barbauld as a little girl, and then later, much less—um—improving tales. I stole

many hours alone here, and my brothers and sister never discovered my hiding place.” With a
hesitant smile, she indicated her old hideout amongst the wide, crooked branches.
He leaned against the rough tree trunk and examined her closely. “Have you always felt
the need to retreat from the world?”
“I suppose I have.” She rubbed a gloved hand over her eyes. “I love my family, but in
order to maintain my equilibrium, I must withdraw from the clamour of communal life quite
frequently.”
“I had the opposite problem as a child before I was sent away to school.”
“I can’t imagine how very lonely you must have been, having no brothers or sisters to
play with.”
He shrugged. “Children grow accustomed to their situations, and I was used to being
alone.”
Pressing her lips together, she frowned. “Your parents were frequently away from
home?”
“My mother died when I was five from influenza. My father also contracted the illness
and never fully recovered. He was an invalid for the rest of his life.”
Tears welled up, and she blinked the moisture away.
“You have such a tender heart, Miss Linfield.” A smile flickered on his lips.
Harriet turned to one side. “It, well—it’s a tragic story.”
“With a sympathetic nature such as yours, life cannot be easy.” His voice softened.
“It is my greatest fault—feeling things too deeply.” She drew in a trembling breath.
“I wouldn’t call it a fault per se… But it wouldn’t do you any harm to develop some
armour. In a harsh world, it is the sensitive plants that are blighted first.”

Staring up at him, she shook her head. “It is difficult to change one’s nature.”
“Indeed. And natures such as yours have unique compensations. I forgot that.”
“Compensations?”
“A rich internal world and spiritual resources to draw upon in grim times. More robust
characters might lack those things.”

AMAZON | BARNES & NOBLE

Praise

“A charming love story set in the English countryside that’s grounded in impeccable research.” ~ Kirkus Reviews

“Alissa Baxter’s writing is period perfect.” ~ Mimi Matthews, USA Today bestselling author of The Matrimonial Advertisement

“This book is gorgeous!” ~ Rachel Burton, author of The Tearoom on the Bay

“A truly traditional Regency romance, with lots of witty banter, very reminiscent of Georgette Heyer. Recommended for anyone who likes a completely clean traditional Regency, with strongly authentic writing, historical accuracy and a satisfying romance. Baxter’s writing is excellent, and her dialogue, manners and settings are true to the era.” ~ Mary Kingswood, author of traditional Regency romances

“While immersing the reader in the mores and life of the Regency era, Alissa Baxter manages to write strong, independent heroines whom modern-day women will cheer and root for. Plus the addition of little details that wrap around the plot and the characters make reading her books all the more special because you never know when you might land on a little Easter egg morsel in the beautiful and engaging prose. Historicals with heart and engaging characters that read real—that’s what you get in Ms Baxter’s books.” ~ Zee Monodee, USA Today bestselling author

About the Author

Alissa Baxter was born in a small town in South Africa and grew up with her nose in a book on a poultry and cattle farm. At the age of eleven, she discovered her mother’s collection of Georgette Heyer novels. The first Heyer novel she ever read was Sylvester and she was hooked on Georgette Heyer after that. She read and reread her novels, and fell totally in love with the Regency period and Heyer’s grey-eyed heroes!

After university, where she majored in Political Science and French, she began writing her first Regency novel, before moving to England, which gave her further inspiration for her historical romances.

Alissa has lived in Durban and Cape Town but she eventually settled in Johannesburg where she lives with her husband and two sons. Alissa is the author of two chick-lit novels, Send and Receive and The Blog Affair, which have been re-released as The Truth About Series: The Truth about Clicking Send and Receive and The Truth About Cats and Bees.

Alissa’s Linfield Ladies Series features women in trend-setting roles in the Regency period who fall in love with men who embrace their trailblazing ways… at least eventually. The Viscount’s Lady Novelist is the second book in this series.

 

Thank you!

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Feeling Fate, A Memoir of Love, Intuition and Spirit, by Joni Sensel

Hello Readers,

Thank you for visiting The Cozy Book Blog by Diane-Lyn. I am thrilled to present a sneak preview of an intriguing soon-to-be released memoir – Feeling Fate by Joni Sensel. Enjoy the information, summary and excerpt below. Many thanks to Jackie Karneth at Books Forward for the invite. Thanks again for stopping in!  Best, Diane-Lyn

                                      Synopsis of Feeling Fate:

Intimate memoir reveals how a premonition of a loved one’s death led one woman to cherish their time together more fully

Joni Sensel’s true story of numinous experiences gives meaning to the unknown

SEATTLE, Washington – From nearly the start of their fairy-tale romance, Joni Sensel knew she would lose the man whose love changed her life. A dark premonition had warned her. Though she kept this secret in their short time together, upon his death she’s compelled to share it in a letter addressed to his spirit.

In “Feeling Fate” (She Writes Press, April 26, 2022) Sensel defends the insights of the heart regarding love, intuition, hints of an afterlife, and other experiences that defy logical explanation. 

A grief memoir with a paranormal twist, “Feeling Fate” explores how Sensel’s dark intuition magnified her love and gratitude for her partner before her premonition came true. Torn between faith and skepticism after the loss, Sensel is nearly undone by her grief—until further uncanny experiences help her defeat despair and find meaning in the irrational insights of the heart.

An intimate and soulful read with some playful humor, Sensel proves that sharing our spiritual and intuitive experiences can lead us to a more fulfilling, joyous understanding of life and love.

Excerpt from Feeling Fate:

Excerpt from “Feeling Fate” by Joni Sensel
My dearest Tony,
You’d been gone a couple of hours, but your body was still here. All six-foot-two of you
stretched out on the living room floor on the sheet the paramedics had used to carry you
downstairs. They’d banged your big feet and shoulders against the wall and balustrade. As I
followed them, I’d looked away. Pretended not to hear that clunking. Now I was crouched on the
step stool in the kitchen, clutching my robe around me and trying not to see your husk from the
corner of my eye. Your essence clung more to the kitchen cabinets you’d installed, the slate
gray appliances we’d picked out together, the wood grain flooring you’d removed and replaced.
But it’s a small house we shared, so your face loomed pale in my peripheral vision.
I hunkered over my knees, my position upright but fetal. I needed to be close to the floor.
Where it’s hard to fall down. The floor your body was laid out on. It kept us together. I
considered slipping down to the cold laminate and curling into myself there. Its chill seemed
inviting. But I didn’t want to make the volunteer EMTs, mostly strangers, any more
uncomfortable than they already looked.
They’d tried hard. For an hour. After my own thirty minutes of CPR on your chest. They
were kind. Several lingered until Mom or the medical examiner could arrive so I didn’t have to
wait by myself. You were gone. In the meantime, I had to make myself small, low to the ground,
so the Universe wouldn’t notice me there. It had made a bargain with me, and the price had
come due, but the real pain hadn’t hit yet. If I stayed small, maybe I could keep the pain smaller,
too.
Mom and Dad arrived, sliding open the door. A puff of cold came in with them, the air
chilled by the two feet of snow on the ground. I looked up but stayed down, my wrists pressed to
my chest.
Mom bent toward me. “I’m so sorry, honey.” She probably put an arm around me. I don’t
remember.
Tears choked my voice. “I’ve always known I wouldn’t have him for long.”
She straightened. “How did you know?”
She probably expected to hear of some illness, some diagnosis you’d had. There hadn’t
been one. The paramedics had not wanted to believe the bottle of aspirin in the kitchen
windowsill was there for our two arthritic dogs, not so you could thin your blood or treat splitting
headaches. They asked over and over when I told them the truth.
Their persistence stirred a childhood wound—aspirin and I have an ugly history—but I
understood why they kept asking. Nobody likes the grim fact that a strong, athletic man of fifty-
nine might die in his sleep, without the slightest warning, at 4:45 in the morning. Your only
health complaints were knees worn down by football and an old shoulder injury stirred by the
lifting you’d done to single-handedly build dormers onto our house. You didn’t even carry the
typical American’s spare twenty pounds. We’d pumped iron at our local gym twelve hours
earlier. We’d made love in front of the fire before heading upstairs to bed.
But when Mom asked how I knew our time would be short, I shrugged through my tears.
“I don’t know. Pre-birth contract?” The truth was too complicated to push out while weeping.
So I’m telling you instead, sweetheart. We never talked about this, though it was on my
mind often. I tried once to share this secret. But my bargain with the Universe was hard to bring

up. It seemed presumptuous to suggest I’d made a divine bargain for you as though you had no
say in our love. You were too self-possessed, too powerful a man for me to claim such a thing.
Even if I knew it was true.
More importantly, I was afraid to give my intuition weight. To put it in words. If I never
said what I knew, maybe it wouldn’t come true. Better yet, perhaps I was wrong, a kook for
believing divine forces made bargains.
Your death three years later confirmed my worst fears . . . while sliding rebar into the
intuitions that form my spiritual faith. I’m put in the strange position of having lost the one thing
in my life—you—that had convinced me of a benevolent Universe of wonder and love. And yet
your loss and our fairy-tale romance are also my best proof of spiritual truths—a capital-I
Infinite, divine forces of fate. If I’m to survive, I have to cling to that rebar. Searing or not, it
reminds me that a grander reality exists. My heart knew the truth, and I have to keep trusting it.
Through and beyond the despair of my grief.
I can no longer touch you or smell your scent on your pillow. My intuition, that most
maligned of the senses, is the only one I can lean on to keep your love close. As far as I know,
there were no other secrets between us. Please let me share this one with you now: all the hints
that accumulated on my big premonition, like coral building a reef. They added up to my
knowing. You gave me evidence you knew it, too, which kept us honeymooning for nearly four
years. That internal wisdom deserves to be honored. I have to explain what my heart knew, and
how.

About the Author:

Joni Sensel is a certified Grief Educator and the author of more than a dozen
books, including the memoir, Feeling Fate (April 2022), which Kirkus called, “A poignant,
engaging guide to healing that’s infused with valuable insights into dealing with grief.” She lives
in the Pacific Northwest. Learn more at https://www.jonisensel.com/

 

Click Amazon to purchase. Note that this is an affiliate link, which only means that when you click the link and make a purchase, I receive a tiny commission at no additional cost to you. Happy shopping!

Good Eggs, Rebecca Hardiman

Hello Readers,

If you have been following my blog for a while, you know that I tend to gravitate toward genres with darker, more serious themes. I love a poignant book that makes me think and feel deeply. I lean toward historical fiction that tackles tough times of the past, as well as page-turning mystery thrillers and weighty true stories. So, when I came across Good Eggs, I was unsure if Rebecca Hardiman’s lighthearted debut novel was going to grab me and hold onto me through 323 pages. After a brief internal debate, I decided to give it a chance and I must admit that I loved this book. It took a while for me to warm up, but before long I found myself truly enjoying the relatable Gogarty family craziness and the hysterical antics of eighty-three year old Millie. This is a fun book about family dysfunction; one that is sure to deliver a much-needed stress break to anyone who reads it. Enjoy my review of Good Eggs below. Best, Diane-Lyn

Synopsis by Diane-Lyn:

Despite the fact that Kevin Gogarty is unemployed, he has more on his plate than he can handle. His wife, Grace, often travels for work – leaving Kevin alone to deal with their four children. His teen daughter, Aideen, is an angry, rebellious young lady about to be shipped off to boarding school. He is at his wits end with his shop-lifting eighty-three year old mother, Millie, and her never-ending shenanigans. In an effort to help Millie get control of her behavior, he hires Sylvia, a young, energetic home aide. At first, Sylvia seems like the perfect companion for Millie. That is, until….

Review by Diane-Lyn:

Good Eggs is a generally feel-good novel focusing on the ups, downs and overall chaos of the Gogarty clan – a rowdy, dysfunctional, multigenerational Irish family. At center stage is Millie, a likable, spirited eighty-three year old grandmother determined to live life independently and on her terms. Her “terms” include shoplifting, belching loudly at the dinner table, an elaborate escape from an elder care facility, and kidnapping. Millie is hilarious, but Hardiman did a superb job of balancing this character by presenting a few somber pockets of her past. In doing so, she brought the reader back to Millie’s earlier life, a time that included some pain. These transitions were brief. They weren’t overdone and they didn’t distract from the overall mood of the novel. They just presented Millie as a whole person; a balanced character. Stubborn, fun loving, and boisterous – but also with a history of loss and heartache; a true survivor.

I loved Aideen’s character as well, and I felt for her throughout the book. Aideen, the less attractive, less admired fraternal twin of Nuala, is the angry “problem child” of the family. Her parents deal with this by shipping her off to boarding school, apparently never considering that this decision would only make her 100 times more angry (Duh!). Once there, she immediately latches on to another rebel and her problems escalate more than anybody could have ever imagined. There were definitely personality parallels between Aideen and Millie and it was great to see them connect and understand each other.

Kevin’s character is scattered, but he does his best to manage a high-maintenance family – all while having a midlife crisis of his own. His wife, Grace, is the sole bread winner of the family and needs to work in order to support everybody. However, her job involves constant traveling to exotic places, deeming her an absent parent and creating a very unbalanced parental dynamic. Grace’s character is not likable and seriously lacks appropriate priorities. She was an uninvolved parent, yet she couldn’t understand why her children wouldn’t share details about their lives with her. Then, in the midst of a family crisis, she responds to Kevin by saying, “…I’m at work and you’re the parent”. Oh yes, priorities.

I found Good Eggs to be light and humorous; heartfelt but not overly emotional. I loved how the novel tackled the issues that elders face today. I was able to connect with some of the family themes, which were well represented through the lenses of three generations. I enjoyed seeing the family come together in the end, despite all of the quirky bumps in the road. The twists and turns were, at times, unrealistic. However, these stretches didn’t seem inappropriate given the genre, and they even added to the hilarity of the novel. The book was well-organized and well-written, although I did enjoy the second half of the book more than the first. Fun, relatable and engaging, Good Eggs was a nice break from heavier themed books, yet still had plenty of substance on which to ponder. Bravo to Rebecca Hardiman for a debut novel that has it all!

I recommend Good Eggs to anyone looking for an entertaining book that offers some comic relief. To purchase your own copy of Good Eggs, just click this link: Amazon: Good Eggs. This is an affiliate link, which only means that when you click the link and purchase the book, I receive a tiny commission at no additional cost to you. Happy reading!