I really like what I’m seeing from some of the new – or relatively new – authors on the scene. There’s a lot of originality out there, and some damn good writing too. Follow My Lead is a great example of this trend. It’s a well-written road romance that takes place primarily in Bavaria and…
World War II is an oft-neglected era in romance novels, yet one that has a lot of potential for dramatic and intense storylines. The setting of 1939 Germany in Dangerous Allies was a major draw for me, and while the story used the setting effectively and had a decent romance and a prevalent inspirational religious…
Betty Lake couldn’t be more excited for her future – a girl with little money and no formal training, she never thought she’d travel much beyond her own front door. But the war gave women a chance to do things they had never done before, and she is getting to travel with the USO to…
It’s not often I read a book set in the Renaissance period, so imagining the characters’ dress and dwellings was a bit difficult as I began reading The Promise – or it was until I realized that its historical setting is the same as the TV series The Tudors. (I never miss an episode). Historical…
Where does Medallion Press find its debut authors? This is the second time in a fortnight I have read a debut novel published by this house, and each time I have been overwhelmed by the quality of the writing, by the fascinating characters, and by the authors’ happy disregard of the usual formulas of historical…
Laughter of Dead Kings is the long-awaited final episode in Elizabeth Peters’ Vicky Bliss series. While I found it to be an enjoyable read, my appreciation must be placed within the context of being a longtime fan of Ms. Peters’ Amelia Peabody series, as well as a more recent fan of this one. Vicky Bliss…
I have long thought 1900 an arbitrary cut-off for determining what is and what is not a historical romance since the early years of the 20th century are filled with many events and settings perfect for drama and romance. In Perfidia, Elspeth McKendrick (who also writes as Morag McKendrick Pippin) takes the unlikely setting of…
Castle of the Wolf certainly delivers a refreshingly different setting, but the characters and the story have a regrettably familiar feel. Still, for readers craving a story not set in Regency England, this book might well hit the spot. The plot involves Cissy Fussell, a young woman destined to be a poor relation living on…
Writing a review of The Book Thief, I am burdened by a sense of “What’s the point?” This book has already received copious amounts of positive press; The New York Times, Kirkus, Horn Book, The Washington Post, and Publisher’s Weekly, among others, have given it glowing reviews. What insight can I really add to this…
The good news is that Donna Lea Simpson’s Awaiting the Moon takes place in 1795 (Translation: Not the Regency) in a remote area of Germany (Translation: Not England). Even better, the author does a terrific job of making the reader feel as if she, too, is isolated in a mysterious castle in a foreign country…