Posts Categorized: julie daines

Havencross Blog Tour and Giveaway

07 Aug, 2017 by in covenant, julie daines Leave a comment

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

Havencross Blog Tour and Giveaway

Havencross

by Julie Daines
on August 1, 2017
Genres: Adult, Regency
Pages: 240
Format: Paperback
four-stars
Source: Covenant
Buy the BookGoodreads
When a shocking scandal involving her father spreads through London society, Elaine Cardinham and her parents are forced to retreat to their country home in Cornwall for refuge. But Havencross is no sanctuary for Elaine. She is haunted by the mysterious disappearance of her brother and the heartbreak she left in her wake all those years ago.

It has been five long years since Gareth Kemp last saw Elaine when she rejected his marriage proposal. Her reappearance convinces him of one thing: he has never stopped loving her. To put his feelings for her aside, he focuses his attention on the dangerous smuggling plaguing the Cornish coast. As Elaine attempts to run from her past, she ventures ever closer to a dangerous truth and Gareth may be the only one who can save her from a deadly finish.
Havencross banner

What I loved:

The setting and the descriptions of the countryside, legendary history. The relationship between the main characters. The story is told in alternating points of view between chapters.

What I struggled with:

I have mixed feelings about Havencross only because the last few chapters were too action/ drama driven for my taste. There is moderate violence and a bit of a dark tone which overshadows the romance and plot.

I wished for more: 

Character development and tales of the piracy, Arthurian legend. They make a sneak peek, but the legends never get fully fleshed out.

Loved

The cover and the premise!

Blog Tour Schedule

The Giveaway

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Willowkeep Blog Tour and Giveaway

16 Jun, 2016 by in covenant, julie daines 1 comment

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

Willowkeep

by Julie Daines
Published by Covenant on June 1, 2016
Genres: Adult, Regency
Format: Paperback
four-stars
Source: Covenant
Buy the BookGoodreads
Charlotte Darby’s ship is sinking. Penniless and alone, she is struggling to care for herself and her young sister in the harsh seaport town of Hull. But when a solicitor from London brings news that she is the heir to a vast estate in Kent, it seems her days of rough seas are over. Willowkeep is prosperous and grand, far too much for a shipping merchant’s daughter to manage, and she quickly comes to rely on the help of Henry Morland, the estate’s kind and handsome steward.

Henry has worked hard his entire life, but all the money he’s saved won’t be enough to get his father out of debtor’s prison. And Henry’s fondness for Charlotte and her sister is only another reminder of his low status and lack of wealth. Though he is willing to do whatever it takes to keep Charlotte happy and looked after as the county’s wealthiest lady, she can never be his.

Courted by a charming man of the ton, threatened by those who want her money, and determined to keep her sister safe from the same fate that cost her the rest of her family, Charlotte must face some heartrending decisions. For no matter the size of the fortune, life—and love—are never smooth sailing.

I’ve always been a fan of Regency Romance, but Willowkeep adds a completely new perspective. A young woman, abandoned by her parents and left to raise her special needs sister alone. Charlotte doesn’t live in the best of neighborhoods, down by the docks. She and her sister are desperate as their funds and resources are running out. Along comes a solicitor with a surprising announcement that raises the station of both sisters and transports them to their own estate. Henry Morland, the family steward has also lived a hard life and is carrying the transgressions of his father on his back, trying to repay insurmountable debt. Both main characters are not the genteel society we usually read about, but commoners making their way to something better.

With plot twists and historical elements speckled in the story line through letters to Anne Boleyn, this story has much to offer. The bond between siblings is beautiful as is the hope that someone “different” can make their own way. The author explores children with disabilities and the way they were and can be harshly treated versus the caring selflessness of a family member. The book cover was perfect, but the design I struggled with a bit. I found the willow leaves at the beginning of each chapter a bit distracting. Overall, though, I very much enjoyed Willowkeep, the dialogue, the development and the unique point of view.

Content: clean, little violence.

About the Author

Julie Daines was born in Concord, Massachusetts, and was raised in Utah. She spent eighteen months living in London, where she studied and fell in love with English literature, sticky toffee pudding, and the mysterious guy who ran the kebab store around the corner.

She loves reading, writing, and watching movies—anything that transports her to another world. She picks Captain Wentworth over Mr. Darcy, firmly believes in second breakfast, and never leaves home without her verveine.

To learn more about Julie Daines or to contact her, visit her website at www.juliedaines.com

 

Blog Tour Schedule

The Giveaway

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Love Unexpected Blog Tour & Review

15 Jan, 2015 by in blog tour, covenant, Jennifer K. Clark, julie daines, melanie jacobson Leave a comment

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

Love Unexpected Blog Tour & Review

Love Unexpected: A Storybook Romance

Published by Covenant on January 1, 2015
Genres: Adult, Clean Romance, Contemporary
Pages: 176
Format: Paperback
three-half-stars
Source: Covenant
Buy the BookGoodreads
They say a rose by any other name would smell as sweet, but as mistaken identities abound, three heroines will put this age-old adage to the test! Showcasing a trio of LDS fiction’s finest authors, Love Unexpected: A Storybook Romance is a heartwarming collection of short stories that begs the question: can true love really conquer all?

Storybook Romance by Melanie Jacobson —New York City book editor Ellie Hanover has discovered a groundbreaking manuscript that may be just what she needs to save her job. But when her anonymous correspondence with the author begins to develop into more than a professional relationship, Ellie is left wondering if her real find is actually Mr. Right.

He Loves Me Not by Jennifer K. Clark —When Kenedee spies her boss leaving flowers on her desk, she’s swept into a whirlwind of infatuation. If only he didn’t have a girlfriend . . . Undeterred, the young woman enlists in the scheme her employer’s brother has put in motion for the company’s sake in hopes that she can win over the man of her dreams. But even foolproof plans can go awry.

Fools of Us All by Julie Daines —The course of true love is never smooth, as Jane discovers when a case of mistaken identity results in a date with the man she’s admired from afar for years. But she knows all too well that masquerading as her twin sister can only go on for so long before the truth comes out.
love unexpected

 

Review

This is a short collection of three novellas that can easily be read in one day. They are light and clean by well-known LDS fiction authors. The cover is cute for Valentine’s Day.

Melanie Jacobson’s contribution follows the saga of a New York editing professional  who has just lost her boss and does NOT get along with the uppity woman taking his position. She’s relegated to the small, menial tasks of a new worker and basically demoted to a slush pile minion. When a manuscript comes in written by an Afghanistan correspondent with depth and feeling, things get interesting! This was my favorite of the three shorts 🙂

Jennifer K. Clark’s saga is set in Moab between three workers of a river rafting company. I couldn’t quite buy the love triangle or scheming going on and it wrapped up way too neatly. It is a fun setting and circumstance though.

And lastly, Julie Daines addresses two tough subjects, domestic violence and taking care of a terminally ill parent in the book’s final chapters. I loved the doctor and character Mac. There is a bit of drama which I had a hard time stomaching. Nothing too violent, but malevolent circumstance none the less.

I recommend this one for adults. It is written with characters more in adult and new adult roles. Great carpool read where I could read a few pages and pick up like I never left the stories!

Blog Tour Schedule

 

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