Posts Categorized: josi s kilpack

Promises and Primroses Blog Tour

04 Sep, 2018 by in josi s kilpack, Shadow Mountain Leave a comment

I received this book for free from Shadow Mountain in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Promises and Primroses Blog Tour

Promises and Primroses

by Josi S. Kilpack
Published by Shadow Mountain on September 4, 2018
Genres: Adult, Clean Romance, Historical Fiction
Pages: 336
Format: ARC
Source: Shadow Mountain
Buy the BookGoodreads
Lord Elliott Mayfield has done his best to take care of his family, first his siblings and now his nieces and nephews. Unfortunately, he sees this new generation moving in the same direction of bad matches and scandalous relationships as the last. In hopes to change their course, he establishes a “marriage campaign” to motivate them to improve themselves through making respectable matches. With his heart in the right place, what could possibly go wrong?

Peter, Elliott’s eldest nephew, thinks the entire idea is ridiculous. A widower with two young daughters, he simply needs a governess, not a wife. Julia Hollingsworth certainly has the credentials and the experience, but is altogether too young and pretty for such a job. So why can’t he stop thinking about her?

Julia loves working as a governess, despite the objections of her mother, Amelia. And as it turns out, Amelia has a lot to say about the Mayfield men—none of it good. But Julia dismisses the rumors of ruined reputations and instead concentrates on helping Peter with his children and his fledgling business in canine husbandry. His kindness and gentleness is endearing—and increasingly attractive.

But Amelia, whose heart was broken thirty years ago by none other than Elliott Mayfield, is determined to prevent any relationship from blooming either between Peter and Julia—or between herself and Elliott.

Hearts and history collide as both couples must face their pasts and decide if risking it all is worth the promise of new love and a new future.

Julia is bound and determined to make it on her own without the interference of her overbearing mother as a governess. Her boss, Peter Mayfield has two young daughters to look out for after losing his wife and needs someone with just the right combination of talents. Each has a past to taint their prospect for a future together. The Mayfield name is tarnished by past misdeeds and Julia’s family is right in the thick of the hurt. Promises and Primroses addresses how to overcome society scandals to make one’s own path and decisions. With a theme of following your heart, there is a sweet friendship between Peter and Julia which blossoms into something more over time. They work together with animals and overcome personal doubts, to make a powerful pair.

Written from multiple perspectives, each chapter gives readers insight into what is going on with each character. I struggled with Julia’s mother Amelia because of how bitter and bossy she is. I am surprised that I genuinely enjoyed the details about animal husbandry and taking care of young pups. This looks to be the first in a series, so I’m excited to see what books two holds for the Mayfield family. Proper Romances by Shadow Mountain are some of my favorite reads because of the clean, and often historical content.

Divider

Miss Wilton’s Waltz Blog Tour

01 May, 2018 by in josi s kilpack, proper romance Leave a comment

Miss Wilton’s Waltz
by Josi S. Kilpack
352 Pages
Published May 1, 2018
by Shadow Mountain

A follow-up to Josi S. Kilpack’s bestselling Proper Romance title The Vicar’s Daughter.

Lenora Wilton has spent her life hiding behind the keys of her beloved pianoforte and the vibrancy of her younger sister, Cassie. But Lenora is ready for a change and travels to Bath to live with her Aunt Gwen and teach music at an all-girls’ boarding school. She is different in Bath—more comfortable with herself—and enjoys the freedom and independence of her new life there.

When Lenora meets Aiden Asher, she finds herself attracted to him, but her unexpected feelings become more complicated when she learns that Catherine—Lenora’s newest and most troublesome student in the school—is Mr. Asher’s niece. Catherine is a difficult student, and Lenora works hard to make progress with the girl.

When the chemistry between Lenora and Aiden increases, they share a passionate kiss by the River Avon, and Lenora feels it is the beginning of a new forever—until she learns that Aiden has withheld an important detail about his life that changes everything.

Lenora closes her heart to him, and Aiden, caught between his obligation and his heart, must do what he can to make amends. And Lenora, after years of hiding from everyone and everything, faces a decision only she can make.

Amazon* Goodreads

About the Author

Josi S. Kilpack hated to read until her mother handed her a copy of The Witch of Blackbird Pond when she was 13. From that day forward, she read everything she could get her hands on and credits her writing “education” to the many novels she has “studied” since then. She began writing her first novel in 1998 and has written twenty-five novels, one cookbook, and been part of multiple collaborations since then. She is a four-time Whitney Award winner and Best of State winner in Fiction. Josi currently lives in Willard, Utah, with her husband and children.

When Kensington Press picked up her first national women’s fiction novel, As Wide as the Sky, Josi was in need of a pen name to differentiate between her other genres. For years, Josi has been called Jessica Pack by people who hear her name but don’t know her. It made her new pen name easy to choose. As Wide as the Sky will be released in paperback sometime in 2018/

From her website.

Divider

The Lady of the Lakes Blog Tour

23 Jan, 2017 by in josi s kilpack, proper romance Leave a comment

The Lady of the Lakes Blog Tour

Lady of the Lakes

by Josi S. Kilpack
Published by Shadow Mountain on January 3, 2017
Genres: Adult, Historical Fiction
Pages: 336
Format: ARC
four-stars
Source: Shadow Mountain
Buy the Book
One is his first love. The other is his best love. Which will be Walter's true love?
Walter Scott has three passions: Scotland, poetry, and Mina Stuart. Though Mina is young and they are from different stations in society, Walter is certain their love is meant to be. For years, he has courted her through love letters. She is the sunshine of his soul.

Though Mina shares Walter's love of literature and passionate temperament, it's hard for her to know if she truly loves him or if she has only been dazzled by his flattery. When she meets the handsome and charming William Forbes, her heart is challenged. Who will she choose?

But as every poet knows, "The course of true love never did run smooth," and on a windy morning in the lake country, Walter meets Charlotte.

At twenty-six, Charlotte Carpenter believes she will never find love. After all, she is a Catholic-born Frenchwoman living in London with a family history shadowed by scandal. Though quiet, practical, and determined to live a life of independence, her heart longs for someone to love her and a place to call home.

Passion and promises collide as Walter, Mina, and Charlotte must each decide the course for their futures. What are they each willing to risk to find love and be loved in return?
Lady of the Lakes - Blog Tour Image

About the Author

Josi S. Kilpack hated to read until her mother handed her a copy of The Witch of Blackbird Pond when she was 13. From that day forward, she read everything she could get her hands on and credits her writing “education” to the many novels she has “studied” since then. She began writing her first novel in 1998 and has written twenty-five novels, one cookbook, and been part of multiple collaborations since then. She is a two-time Whitney Award winner and Best of State winner in Fiction. Josi currently lives in Willard, Utah, with her husband and children.

For more information about Josi or her books, please visit her blog, What is a Sundial In the Shade?

Divider

Lord Fenton’s Folly by Josi S Kilpack~ ARC Spotlight

09 Jul, 2015 by in alaac15, josi s kilpack, Shadow Mountain Leave a comment

I received this book for free from ALA, Shadow Mountain in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Lord Fenton’s Folly by Josi S Kilpack~ ARC Spotlight

Lord Fenton's Folly

by Josi S. Kilpack
Published by Shadow Mountain on October 6th 2015
Genres: Adult, Regency
Pages: 336
Format: ARC
four-stars
Source: ALA, Shadow Mountain
Buy the BookGoodreads
Lord Fenton is a gambler, a dandy, and a flirt—and he must marry or else he will be disinherited, stripped of his wealth and his position. He chooses Alice Stanbridge for two simple reasons: he once knew her as a young girl, and she is the least objectionable option available to him.

However, Alice has harbored feelings for Fenton since their first meeting ten years ago, and she believes his proposal is real. When she discovers it is not, she is embarrassed and hurt. However, a match with the most-eligible bachelor in London would secure not only her future but that of her family as well.

Determined to protect herself from making a fool of herself a second time, Alice matches Lord Fenton wit for wit and insult for insult as they move toward a marriage of convenience that is anything but a happy union. Only when faced with family secrets that have shaped Fenton’s life does he let down his guard enough to find room in his heart for Alice. But can Alice risk her heart a second time?

The brief: Lord Fenton’s Folly by Josi S Kilpack is one of the first books I picked up at ALA this year. I love the Shadow Mountain Proper Romance series and Regency Era historical fiction. In the vein of Sarah M. Eden’s books set in Regency era London.

The cover: Not my favorite

The readability: Picked it up and never put it down, no drags in plot.

The book: Witty banter, depth of character, real life issues.

Themes: Fidelity and love in marriage, societal jedgement, being a gentleman by example, loyalty, kindness

Content: Adult, clean, talk of extra marital affairs and marital relations

Overall: Loved

 

 

Divider

A Heart Revealed By Josi Kilpack~ Blog Tour and Review

10 Apr, 2015 by in adult, josi s kilpack, regency romance, Shadow Mountain Leave a comment

I received this book for free from Shadow Mountain in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

A Heart Revealed By Josi Kilpack~ Blog Tour and Review

A Heart Revealed

by Josi S. Kilpack
Published by Shadow Mountain on April 7, 2015
Genres: Adult, Clean Romance, Regency
Pages: 336
Format: ARC
four-half-stars
Source: Shadow Mountain
Buy the BookGoodreads
Amber Marie Sterlington, the Rage of the Season in Regency-era London, has her pick of men and she knows what she wants most in a husband: a title and a fortune. Why would she ever marry for something as fickle as love? And why would she ever look twice at Thomas Richards, a third son of a country lord?
But Amber's social standing is shattered by a rare disorder which causes the loss of her hair. Publicly humiliated and estranged from her shamed family, she is exiled to Yorkshire, facing a future she never expected in a circumstance far below what she has known all her life. Humbled and lonely, Amber wonders if isolation is for the best and questions what real love means until she finds a romantic path to a man who offers unconditional love.

Author Josi S. Kilpack, who is best known for her culinary cozy mysteries, tackles the difficult condition of alopecia in her latest, novel A Heart Revealed. Set in Regency Era London, this clean romance explores how a rich debutante, who was once queen of the ball, falls from social graces in battling a life altering condition.

Miss Sterlington turns heads with her fiery red hair, sparkling eyes and strong personality. She enjoys her season, coming out among the ton with many suitors falling on her every word. But when life hands her a cruel twist of fate, she is exiled to a small cottage, and a simple life she never imagined in her wildest dreams. Suzanne, her lady in waiting, has the task of following Amber Sterlington, and helping to re-shape her bratty attitude. Successful in her service and her attempts to reform her boss, Suzanne is a strong and likeable character. Sterlington’s parents on the other hand, need to go.

Readers will see a full character arc in he main heroine, as well a tiny bit of romance. Thomas Richards, gentlemen, is sick of the extravagant balls, the small hearted women he meets and the frivolity. But Miss Sterlington captures his attention. When circumstances throw them back together, he sees a change in her heart and can’t help but be even more drawn to the woman behind the mysterious disguise.

I truly enjoyed the message and the ending of A Heart Revealed. My favorite character was Thomas and I wish we could have seen more into his thoughts and actions. The kiss seemed a bit wild considering how slowly and carefully this relationship unfolded in the dark, but in the last chapters, it all comes together. I highly recommend this and the entire Proper Romance series for fans of clean Regency novels!

About the Author153344

Josi S. Kilpack hated to read until her mother handed her a copy of The Witch of Blackbird Pond when she was 13. From that day forward, she read everything she could get her hands on and accredits her writing “education” to the many novels she has “studied” since then. She began writing her first novel in 1998 and never stopped. Her novel, Sheep’s Clothing won the Whitney Award 2007 for Mystery/Suspense. Lemon Tart, the first book in the Sadie Hoffmiller Culinary Mystery series was a finalist in 2009. Josi currently lives in Willard Utah with her husband, children and super-cute cat.

Divider

Wedding Cake by Josi S. Kilpack~ Tour & Giveaway

23 Jan, 2015 by in adult, blog tour, culinary mystery, josi s kilpack, Shadow Mountain Leave a comment

 

Wedding-Cake-1

Blog Tour Schedule

1471748Wedding Cake by Josi Kilpack

After years of mysteries, murder, and mayhem, the big day has arrived, and Sadie wants nothing more than for her wedding to Pete to be completely uneventful. When she receives a threatening, anonymous text message just days before the ceremony, she’s determined not to let it interfere with the celebration she has carefully planned for months. But as the threat escalates from a distant fear to a frightening reality, Sadie realizes just how much she’s underestimated the situation. Desperate to put an end to the games, lies, and manipulation that has shadowed her life, Sadie, her fiance, Pete, and her children pull out all the stops. What they don’t know, however, is just how far Sadie’s nemesis is willing to go to make good on the thread she made to Sadie three years ago.

Will the wedding go off without a hitch, or will “’til death do us part” come far too soon? There’s no turning back for anyone in the riveting conclusion to this twelve-volume culinary mystery series.

Amazon * Deseret Book * Barnes & Noble

Josi culinary

The Culinary Mystery Series

Goodreads

Excerpt

            At the top of the stairs, Shawn knocked on the door and then put his ear against it, listening for any movement on the other side. Sadie was frozen just like Shawn for ten seconds until he pulled back. Shawn knocked again, paused again, and then tried the knob. It didn’t move in his hand. He looked down the stairs and shook his head at Sadie, obviously disappointed. He headed back down the steps and Sadie, in turn, started up them. They met at about the halfway point.

“I’ll play lookout for you,” Shawn said, his expression showing his reluctance to step out of the center ring. “I’ll call your phone with any alerts so make sure you answer it.”

Sadie nodded, then stepped ahead of him and continued up the narrow stairs while wondering where Jane was if she weren’t home. She’d hacked Sadie’s email less than an hour ago, where had she done it from? Or could she have been here when she’d done the hacking and then left in order to execute the next devious plan on her list? What that might be reminded Sadie of everything Jane had already done and the resulting fresh wave of anger helped solidify her motivation for being here.

At the top of the stairs Sadie pulled out her pick set and got to work. Apparently, picking a lock wasn’t as much like riding a bike as one might think; Sadie felt as though she were all thumbs and the summer heat didn’t help as the sun at her back made her increasingly uncomfortable. She finally got the lock on the doorknob undone but then let out a breath of frustration when she realized the deadbolt was engaged as well.

Deadbolts were already the hardest type of lock to pick, but this one was particularly tricky since it was rather old. The pins were either rusted or just stiff—Sadie doubted the landlord changed the locks between tenants, which was simply an unsafe practice, not to mention creating great difficulty for her attempts to break in. She wished she’d thought to grab her WD-40 from home. It wasn’t the best product to use in a lock—it got sticky as it dried and would probably ruin the lock entirely given a few weeks to pick up dirt, dust, and metal shavings from inside the casing—but it would work for the immediate situation and Sadie didn’t keep liquid graphite on hand like she should.

Finally, with sweat dripping from her hairline and down her back, she got the last pin to pull back and the lock opened. She looked down at Shawn as she turned the knob, surprised he hadn’t come up to help her. Not that he knew anything about picking locks, but simply because of the time it took her and the increasing anxiety that each second cost them both. He just nodded and waved her inside.

Sadie pushed the door open on well-oiled hinges—not a squeak or a grind to be heard—and then shut it quickly as she blinked in order to help her eyes adjust to the darkened interior. The mini-blinds had been twisted closed, muting the daylight that could otherwise filter in but also hiding her from anyone who might see her or notice the lights on. She flipped the light switch next to the door and took in the apartment. Calling this a second floor apartment was generous; she would refer to it as an attic space since both walls sloped with the roofline.

About the Author

Josi-300x199

Josi S. Kilpack hated to read until her mother handed her a copy of The Witch of Blackbird Pond when she was 13. From that day forward, she read everything she could get her hands on and accredits her writing “education” to the many novels she has “studied” since then. She began writing her first novel in 1998 and never stopped. Her novel, Sheep’s Clothing won the Whitney Award 2007 for Mystery/Suspense. Lemon Tart, the first book in the Sadie Hoffmiller Culinary Mystery series was a finalist in 2009. Josi currently lives in Willard Utah with her husband, children and super-cute cat.

Website * Twitter * Blog

 

The Giveaway

$25 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash

Ends 2/10/15

Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Divider