I don't like admitting this, but there was something about the cover of this book that turned me off so much I almost didn't read it. I'm very happy I recognized my own folly. The book is a wonderfully told historical romance. Is also has a unique twist in that in includes short stories written by some of the characters within the pages. I am nearly finished with the fourth book in the series and have number five on standby. I can't wait to see how it ends.
Elizabeth Black is the headmistress of a girls school in 1865s Victorian London. She is also a well-respected author of silver-fork novels, stories written both for and about the upper-class ladies of Victorian society. But by night, she writes very different kinds of stories - the Penny Dreadfuls that are all the rage among the working-class men. Under the pseudonym Charles King, Elizabeth has written about dashing heroes fighting supernatural threats, intelligent detectives solving grisly murders, and dangerous outlaws romancing helpless women. They contain all the adventure and mystery that her real life lacks.
This is an author I've followed for several years. Her last few books took a turn I didn't like, adding "edgier" content. This book marks a departure from her publisher and a return to a sweet story with characters I could really root for. I'm hopeful it was the publisher pushing those sour notes from the villain's perspective, and I can look forward to fun stories in the future.
Beauty & the Beast in 1891 Texas.Once known among New York's elite as the American Adonis, Everett Griffin now lives as a recluse in the wilds of Texas. The treachery of a former admirer left his face and his spirit riddled with scars, so he hides himself away, his only companions a trio of trusted servants and an oversized dog. Locals whisper of the beastly man who lives in the gloomy manor outside of town and his tendency to attack anyone who dares approach. Everett relishes his fearsome reputation and uses it as a shield to guard his privacy. Until…
Most of what I read is fluffy and romantic. I like to sprinkle in some nonfiction to stretch my brain and maybe learn something. This one takes a close look at Biblical references to Peter, examining angles I haven't seen before. While not always a page-turner, it had so much information I wanted to take my time with it anyway.
The papacy is no stranger to controversy. In many ways it's Catholicism's defining doctrine but also its most divisive. From medieval pontiffs who acted like princes to a modern pope whose every casual statement sets off a social-media firestorm, there has been plenty for non-Catholics to criticize and for the faithful to feel anxious about. We profess that Jesus made St. Peter the visible head of his Church on earth and that his successors throughout the ages are guided by the Holy Spirit to govern, teach, and sanctify it. How can we strengthen this belief in the papacy in the…
This isn't my most recent book. I've released ten since this one came out in 2019. But the ebook version of this one is currently FREE, and the rest of the series is already available. That means you don't have to wait to read more if you like this one. Here's the blurb:
Welcome to Andauk. A church in this small Ohio town has been trying to establish a young adult ministry for many years. Finally, one woman thinks she has the perfect idea and the perfect pair of young adults to lead it, Ruth Ziebert and Gabriel Chadwick.
Ruth is pretty sure this team is not a good idea. It isn’t Gabriel’s fascination with antiques and antiquated tech that bothers her. What bothers her is the fact that they share a very awkward history.
Gabriel wants to work with Ruth whether it’s a bad idea or not. He’s ready to embrace the past and get their old relationship moving in a new direction.
