Deborah Swift's Blog, page 5

When her world shatters, she dares to trust a pirate. Will she survive what comes next?

The Pirate’s Physician is the story of Giuliana Rinaldi, a student at Salerno’s famed medieval medical school, whose lifelong dream of becoming a physician crumbles when her uncle and mentor dies suddenly.

Faced with an unwanted marriage to a ruthless merchant, Giuliana enlists the help of a Basque pirate and flees home for the dangers of the open sea.

Will she make it to Genoa, where her only remaining relative awaits? Or will this impulsive decision seal her own doom?

A delightful seafaring adventure packed with romance and intrigue, The Pirate’s Physician is a companion novella to the award-winning Sea and Stone Chronicles series of historical novels by Amy Maroney: Island of Gold, Sea of Shadows, and The Queen’s Scribe

REVIEW:

This is a fabulous historical novella full of action and intrigue, with a beautiful setting and much to interest anyone who likes books about herbalism or ancient medicine. Giulia Rinaldo, a student physician, is based on a real-life physician practising in the days when the ideas of Arabic medicine (and women in the profession) were far ahead of the time. Desperate to escape her old and ugly Florentine suitor who has a claim on her because of an inheritance, Giulia risks all to embark on a journey with Captain Eneko – a gorgeous and dashing pirate. The romance is very swoonworthy! The detail in this novella takes you firmly into her 15th Century world, with immersive descriptions of sea voyages, Mediterranean palaces, and danger and at every turn. All the characters are well-drawn and vivid, and I particularly enjoyed the maidservant Rosetta, who provided both comfort and grit. Wonderful escapism and highly recommended for a winter romantic read.

Praise for the Sea and Stone Chronicles:

“Island of Gold is a nimbly told story with impeccable pacing.” ~ Historical Novel Society, Editor’s Choice Review

“Sea of Shadows is stunning. A compelling tale of love, honor, and conviction.” ~ Reader’s Favorite Review

“The Queen’s Scribe is a vividly visual adventure set at the tumultuous court at Nicosia, where deathly intrigues match those of the Italian and French states. There is a constant sense of danger, sometimes stronger, at other times more subtle, that runs through the whole novel. It makes for nail-biting reading.”~ 5* Review, Ruins & Reading

Amy Maroney is the author of the award-winning Miramonde Series, the story of a Renaissance-era female artist and the modern day scholar on her trail.

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About Amy MaroneyAmy Maroney lives in the Pacific Northwest with her family, and spent many years as a writer and editor of nonfiction before turning her hand to historical fiction.Amy is the author of the Miramonde Series, a trilogy about a Renaissance-era female artist and the modern-day scholar on her trail. Amy’s new series, Sea and Stone Chronicles, features strong, talented women seeking their fortunes in the medieval Mediterranean.To receive a free prequel novella to the Miramonde Series, join Amy Maroney’s readers’ group at www.amymaroney.com.

 

Author Links:

Website • Twitter • FacebookInstagram • Pinterest • BookBubAmazon Author Page • Goodreads The post The Pirate’s Physician by Amy Maroney first appeared on Deborah Swift.

Curse of Clansmen and Kings, Book #1 *Apollo’s Raven will be FREE to download September 26th – 30th, 2024*September 26th, 2024Publication Date: January 20th, 2020 (3rd edition)Publisher: Apollo Raven Publisher LLCPages: 394Genre: Historical Fantasy / Historical FictionAudiobook Narrator: Kristin JamesA Celtic warrior princess is torn between her forbidden love for the enemy and duty to her people. 

AWARD-WINNING APOLLO’S RAVEN sweeps you into an epic Celtic tale of forbidden love, mythological adventure, and political intrigue in Ancient Rome and Britannia. In 24 AD British kings hand-picked by Rome to rule are fighting each other for power. King Amren’s former queen, a powerful Druid, has cast a curse that Blood Wolf and the Raven will rise and destroy him. The king’s daughter, Catrin, learns to her dismay that she is the Raven and her banished half-brother is Blood Wolf. Trained as a warrior, Catrin must find a way to break the curse, but she is torn between her forbidden love for her father’s enemy, Marcellus, and loyalty to her people. She must summon the magic of the Ancient Druids to alter the dark prophecy that threatens the fates of everyone in her kingdom.

Will Catrin overcome and eradicate the ancient curse? Will she be able to embrace her forbidden love for Marcellus? Will she cease the war between Blood Wolf and King Amren and save her kingdom?

Praise for Apollo’s Raven:“If you mingled the history and romance of Philippa Gregory with the magical fantasy of George R.R. Martin, the result just might be the fascinating Apollo’s Raven (Curse of Clansmen and Kings Book 1) by Linnea Tanner. Get ready for a journey filled with the desires of star-crossed lovers, the horror of a son polishing his own mother’s skull and the fantasy of humans becoming creatures as a tool to save their very humanity.”“Sorcery? Mythology? Forbidden love? An ancient curse? Yes, please! I fully enjoyed this epic tale of intrigue, deception, and love. The characters are developed well, while the plot leaves the reader wanting more.”Book Trailer:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oqSdT5wK4aIBuy Link:Universal Buy Link  This title is available to read on #KindleUnlimited.Series Titles’ Buy Links:Apollo’s Raven (Book #1)Dagger’s Destiny (Book #2)Amulet’s Rapture (Book #3)Skull’s Vengeance (Book #4)Series Links:Amazon USAmazon UKAuthor Links:Website • Facebook • Instagram • Twitter / X • PinterestAmazon Author Page • BookBub • Threads • LinkedIn • GoodreadsThe post Apollo’s Raven by Linea Tanner #CoffeePotBookClub #Spotlight #Free first appeared on Deborah Swift.

I have been meaning to get to this series for ages, but was prompted to read it by the fact I met Alison Morton at the Historical Novel Society conference, and that this book is now celebrating ten years of success. I know nothing about Ancient Rome except for being a bity of a mythology buff, but of course this didn’t matter because this book is set in the new land of Roma Nova – a place in which the Roman Empire still exists in a new incarnation.

Roma Nova is technically advanced – as you might expect when the engineers of Rome survived – and so the novel would also appeal to those that like reading science fiction as well as historical fiction. As a sort of outpost of the EU, Roma Nova has many political problems, and an army to deal with them.

The main protagonist is a Karen Brown, a New York office worker and park volunteer. The plot kicks off when forces outside her control mean she must relocate in a hurry to the land where her grandmother still lives – Roma Nova, which was founded sixteen hundred years ago by Roman exiles. Roman Nova is a matriarchal society with rules very different from the USA.

There is a very bad guy after her, Renschman, who is intent on getting hold of her inheritance – a multi-million business that the US government wants to get  control of, and keep in the US. Karen has several very scary run-ins with this guy, including being left to freeze to death, and it’s enough to make her want to take a chance on a new life.

After she flees to Roma Nova she meets her grandmother Nonna who is a lovely character, and a great foil for all the dangerous characters that she has to deal with. After a particularly frightening incident in which the bad guy tracks her down, she is persuaded to go on a boot camp of special training which will maker her a member of one of the foremost SAS type special forces. Thus begins her transformation from New York office girl to Carina Mitela, efficient fighting machine – and she certainly needs those skills!

There is a touch of romance, with Roma Nova native Conradus Tellus, a great big lion of a man, but this is more of a political thriller than a romance, and Carina more than holds her own in this relationship. The world-building is immaculately done, with the author’s enthusiasm to keep Rome not only alive but developing, evident on every page. This is a genre bending novel and the first of a series. If you like an action-packed thriller with a strong female protagonist and impeccable world-building, do give this a try..

BUYTHE BOOK  Barnes & Noble  Amazon  Waterstones Online or through your local bookshop. (UK link)

About Alison Morton

Alison Morton writes award-winning thrillers set in an imaginary European country where a remnant of the ancient Roman Empire still exists and is ruled by women who face conspiracy, revolution and heartache but with a sharp line in dialogue.

The Historical Novel Society selected SUCCESSIO, AURELIA, INSURRECTIO and JULIA PRIMA as Editor’s Choices. AURELIA was a finalist in the 2016 HNS Indie Award. SUCCESSIO featured as Editor’s Choice in ‘The Bookseller’.

Alison has misspent decades clambering over Roman sites throughout Europe, especially French ones. A former soldier and translator, she holds an MA History, blogs about history, social media and writing. Alison lives in Poitou in France, the home of Mélisende, the heroine of her two contemporary thrillers, Double Identity and Double Pursuit.

Find Alison at her website alison-morton.com

The post Inceptio by Alison Morton #AlternativeHistory #Rome #Thriller #Review first appeared on Deborah Swift.

The land of the Silures, 382 AD

Elen is a princess promised to a general of Rome. Macsen came to Wales seeking an alliance that would advance his quest for power.

Despite warnings her marriage is destined for heartache, Elen is determined to honour her vows.

But this union will change her destiny forever…

Camp Meadow, 2024

Cadi is a writer who has discovered Elen’s lost story. As she puts pen to paper, she hears the sound of ghostly marching feet.

Opening the gate to the ancient meadow behind her cottage, could the secret behind Elen’s fate lie closer than she thinks?

But someone is desperate to keep the past buried, plotting to destroy the meadow…

Can Cadi uncover Elen’s story before it’s lost to time?

REVIEW

I’ve read quite a few of Barbara Erskine’s books and this is one of her very best. It has all the ingredients her fans would expect; real history, myth and mysticism all sewn together into a gripping plot.

 

I love timeslip novels and this is one of the best, incorporating Roman history, the Welsh myths of the Mabinogion and a modern woman’s battle to save the very special landscape where she lives.The plot centres around a particular location, a field behind a cottage in a small village where it is possible that a Roman villa or palace once stood. There is a mysterious ‘wormhole’ in the field which enables people tp pass from present to past and vice versa when the veil between the worlds is thin.Cadi, a writer, is fascinated by this but discovers that a developer is about to build houses on this precious site.The developer turns out to be the main antagonist in the book, and someone who has had dealings with Cadi before and their relationship has what you might call ‘history’.Both the Roman aspect of the book and the modern day story are equally strong. Cadi and Elen are fantastic characters, each distinct and belonging to their respective periods, and I was particularly fond of Uncle Meryn, a professor who believes in the possibilities others won’t entertain! There is believable history behind the story and it has been thoroughly researched – immersing the reader in the detail of life thousands of years ago, as well as describing the detailed forensic and archaeological information of today.There are several other lovely characters in the book; Rachel the illustrator, Charles the academic and Kate the Vicar. The sense of community in the village location is very appealing, and I couldn’t help but root for all those who wanted to save the field from being built over.Special mention must go to Gemma the dog, who found the ‘otherworld’ first of all and lived to tell the tale (or should that be wag the tail?)!BUY THE BOOKThe post The Story Spinner by Barbara Erskine #Timeslip #Roman #Mabinogion first appeared on Deborah Swift.

Love audio? Here’s one for lovers of Medieval Historical Fiction.Listening Time: 11 hrs 54 minsNarrator: Alex LeeHow do you recover from the havoc wrought by history’s cruellest plague?It’s June 1349. In Meonbridge, a Hampshire manor, many have lost their lives to the Black Death, among them Alice atte Wode’s beloved husband and Eleanor Titherige’s widowed father. Even the family of the manor’s lord and his wife, Margaret de Bohun, has not entirely escaped.But, now the plague has passed, the people of Meonbridge must work together to rebuild their lives. However, tensions mount between the de Bohuns and their tenants, as the workers realise their new scarceness means they can demand higher wages and dictate their own lives.When the tensions deepen into violence and disorder, and the men – lord and villagers alike – seem unable to find any resolution, the women – Alice, Eleanor and Margaret – must step forward to find a way out of the conflict that is tearing Meonbridge apart.If you enjoy well-researched, immersive historical fiction, set in a turbulent and challenging time, with strong but credible female characters, you’ll love Fortune’s Wheel, the first of the MEONBRIDGE CHRONICLES.Praise for Fortune’s Wheel:“A thoroughly researched book, with care given to ensuring that the characters have 14th century attitudes and knowledge…gives a strong sense of the reality of the past.”~ Catherine Meyrick, author of Cold Blows the WindReading Buy Links:This novel is available to read on #KindleUnlimited.

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🎧 Listening Buy Links :Audiobook Buy Links:Audible UK / Audible US

Carolyn Hughes Author Links:

Website • Twitter • Facebook • BlueskyAmazon Author Page • BookBub • GoodreadsThe post Fortune’s Wheel by Carolyn Hughes #Audiobook #CoffeePotBookClub first appeared on Deborah Swift.

Carol McGrath gives us some insights into medieval Queenship.

Why Did Women Join the Crusades?

Why did women join Crusades? The importance of spiritual health during the medieval period cannot be underestimated. It was a way of cleansing the soul from the taint of sin, a penitential exercise and so there were female pilgrims. Yet, female visits to Holy Sites during menstruation was not acceptable to the Church. Monthly bleeding rendered women spiritually unpure. They were not deterred. One story circulated at the time concerning a woman who set out with her goose on the First Crusade- the goose led her and she followed it accompanied by a credulous crowd.

Outremer was lucrative for trade and during the era female sole traders especially from Genoa and Pisa moved to the cities of the middle eastern kingdom. Nuns visited and many stayed and established orders in the Holy Land. Queens travelled with spouses and since sexual relations continued whilst on Crusade pregnancies occurred. Joan of Acre, daughter to Edward I and Eleanor of Castile was famously born in Acre.There also had been an established royal family in Jerusalem for decades- a King and Queen and female nobility in Outremer, often widows and heiresses. Diplomatic marriages were made by Franks (European Christians) throughout the Holy Land. Noble women provided diplomatic support as Berengaria did in Rome after Richard I was imprisoned in Austria on his return from the Third Crusade. Queens Regnant were responsible for the defense of their territory against Muslim enemies. They recruited troops and organised campaigns. Queen Melisande of Jerusalem 1131-1153 ruled with her son Baldwin III. She sent a military force to relieve Odessa from the enemy. She was known to her contemporaries as “a wise and cautious woman with a manly heart”.Holy women joined the Crusades drawing authority from visions as evidence of piety. Women visionaries and recluses set up in Acre and Jerusalem. Some Crusade Chronicles invented stories about women crusaders to improve their narrative. Florina, daughter of Hugh of Burgundy was said to have died fighting in battle, late autumn 1097. She had hoped to marry the son of the King of Denmark if the expedition was successful. Their army was attacked by the Turks whilst crossing the Kingdom of Rhum (Turkey) but both were killed. The dates for this tale do not work and she would only have been fourteen years old. She was likely an invention as a moral warning to women of the dangers of going on Crusade. This story is in several chronicles including Albert of Achen. Marriage alliances united crusading families and marriages were not unknown between Muslims and Christians without either party converting.

The Lost Queen – Review

Another strong novel by Carol McGrath told mostly through the eyes of two women – Berengaria of Navarre, (Richard the Lionheart’s wife)  and Avelina of Middleton who sets out searching for her husband who was lost on a previous crusade, defending Outremer from Saladin’s forces. Both characters are fully realised and I particularly enjoyed meeting Berengaria, who like many women of the era was marrying for the convenience of political alliance.

Avelina’s strength is her determination, and she joins some nuns who are also travelling on pilgrimage and through a series of  serendipitous encounters they meet up with the Royal entourage of Eleanor of Aquitaine, who is escorting Berengaria to meet her son. As a Queen, Berengaria never sets foot in England (thus, The Lost Queen) and I knew little about her from the outset, and learned the history as I went along, on Berengaria’s shoulder as she navigates snow-capped Alps, attacks by assassins and all manner of hardships during her long travels to meet a man, who quite frankly, is far more concerned with military supremacy than he is with any wife. I also really empathised with her as she has to deal with Eleanor of Aquitaine, who came across as a real gorgon of a prospective mother-in-law. Avelina’s role in the story as Berengaria’s friend really helped the reader understand the power of female friendship in those times.

Carol McGrath has a great way of uncovering little known Medieval women with fascinating lives and this is no exception. Her depth of knowledge of the period is apparent in all the tiny details of clothing, crafts, setting and courtly life. and her attention to detail in the similes she chooses – such as ‘her back straight as a stiff reed growing on a riverbank’. Carol McGrath never strays from the period.

The courtly life of poetry, song and chivalry is contrasted with the violence and bloodshed of war. Berengaria’s court and life in the Kingdom of Jersusalem gives a real immersion into a different way of living and highlights the turmoil that existed between different religious persuasions and the power-mongering of rival states. The book serves to highlight how women were often left behind by their men, often with little news about what had become of them.

If you love carefully researched historical fiction, with total command of the detail and the history, this is a book for you.

Highly recommended.

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1191 and the Third Crusade is underway . . .

It is 1191 and King Richard the Lionheart is on crusade to pitch battle against Saladin and liberate the city of Jerusalem and her lands. His mother, the formidable Eleanor of Aquitaine and his promised bride, Princess Berengaria of Navarre, make a perilous journey over the Alps in midwinter. They are to rendezvous with Richard in the Sicilian port of Messina.

There are hazards along the way – vicious assassins, marauding pirates, violent storms and a shipwreck. Berengaria is as feisty as her foes and, surviving it all, she and Richard marry in Cyprus and continue to the Holy Land. England needs an heir. But first, Richard and his Queen must return home . . .

The Lost Queen is a thrilling medieval story of high adventure, survival, friendship and the enduring love of a Queen for her King.

Acclaim for Carol McGrath’s ROSE trilogy:

‘Powerful, gripping and beautifully told’ KATE FURNIVALL on The Silken Rose
‘A tour de force of gripping writing, rich historical detail and complex, fascinating characters’ NICOLA CORNICK on The Stone Rose
‘A beautifully narrated novel’ K J MAITLAND on The Damask Rose

The post Why women joined the Crusades – The Lost Queen by Carol McGrath #NewRelease #Medieval first appeared on Deborah Swift.

In sixteenth-century Venice, one young noblewoman dares to resist the choices made for herVenice in 1509 is on the brink of war. The displeasure of Pope Julius II is a continuing threat to the republic, as is the barely contained fighting in the countryside. Amid this turmoil, noblewoman Justina Soranzo, just sixteen, hopes to make a rare love marriage with her sweetheart, Luca Cicogna. Her hopes are dashed when her father decides her younger sister, Rosa, will marry in a strategic alliance and Justina will be sent to the San Zaccaria convent, in the tradition of aristocratic daughters. Lord Soranzo is not acting only to protect his family. It’s well known that he is in debt to both his trading partners and the most infamous courtesan in the city, La Diamante, and the pressure is closing in.After arriving at the convent, Justina takes solace in her aunt Livia, one of the nuns, and in the growing knowledge that all is not strictly devout at San Zaccaria. Justina is shocked to discover how the women of the convent find their own freedom in what seems to her like a prison. But secrets and scandals breach the convent walls, and Justina learns there may be even worse fates for her than the veil, if La Diamante makes good on her threats.Desperate to protect herself and the ones she loves, Justina turns to Luca for help. She finds she must trust her own heart to make the impossible decisions that may save or ruin them all.Buy the Book:Universal Buy Link  General Buy LinksAbout Gina: GINA BUONAGURO is the co-author of The Wolves of St. Peters, Ciao Bella and The Sidewalk Artist, as well as several romance titles under the name Meadow Taylor. The Virgins of Venice is her first solo novel. She has a BA in English from Villanova University in Pennsylvania and earned an MA in English from the University of British Columbia while on a Fulbright Scholarship. Born in New Jersey, Gina Buonaguro lives in Toronto.Find Gina:Website • Facebook • BookBubAmazon Author Page • LinkedIn • Goodreads The post The Virgins of Venice by Gina Buonaguro first appeared on Deborah Swift.

Past Encounters, the first book I ever wrote which is set in WW2  features the filming of Brief Encounter in 1945.  The site of the wartime filming on Carnforth station is close to my home, and the Heritage Centre there has a wealth of information about the film and its stars. The Heritage Centre has been featuring a free season of David Lean’s films. Lean’s many credits include quintessentially classic cinema experiences  – from Dr Zhivago to The Bridge over the River Kwai, from A Passage to India to Hobson’s Choice. And of course Brief Encounter.

By Apparent screencapture., Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?...

From Filmsite: Brief Encounter (1946) is director David Lean’s brilliantly-crafted, classic British masterpiece. It is one of the greatest romantic tearjerkers/weepers of all time, with a very downbeat ending. Lean’s film is a simple but realistically-honest, unsentimental, self-told social melodrama of the quiet desperation involved in an illicit, extra-marital love affair between two married, middle-class individuals over seven weekly meetings, mostly against the backdrop of a railway station. The romantic couple includes a wife/mother (stage actress Celia Johnson) looking for escape from her humdrum life and sterile marriage, and a dashing doctor (Trevor Howard in his third film). (Characteristics of film noir also abound within the film – unglamorous locations, rain-slicked streets, dimly-lit interiors and dark train passageways in a tale of doomed, unfulfilled and frustrated love.) The Guardian says attempts to parody Brief Encounter have failed:

Brief Encounter has survived such threats, because it is so well made, because Laura’s voiceover narration is truly anguished and dreamy, because the music suckers all of us, and because Celia Johnson and Trevor Howard are perfect.

The Radio 4 feature says that the timing of it, when so many men were returning from war, made the last few lines, ‘Thank you for coming back to me,’ particularly poignant. Do take a listen to the programme, it’s only half an hour but very informative if you love the film.

In my novel Past Encounters, first written under the pseudonym of Davina Blake, but now re-released under my other pen name,  I explore and echo the same themes as in the film. In my book, my female character, Rhoda, has her own interior monologues. Peter, her fiance, is told with more distance as he fights for his survival in a German POW camp. Both endure emotional and physical hardships during their separation during the long years of WWII. Like the film I was looking for a certain restraint in the writing.And if you are interested in my novel, here it is. Past Encounters is the winner of a BRAG medallion for excellence in independent fiction, and a BookViral Millennium Award for best novel of the era.About ‘Past Encounters’From the moment Rhoda Middleton opens one of her husband’s letters and finds it is from another woman, she is convinced he is having an affair. But when Rhoda tracks her down, she discovers the mysterious woman is not his lover after all, but the wife of his best friend, Archie Foster. There is only one problem – Rhoda has never even heard of Archie Foster.Devastated by this betrayal of trust, Rhoda tries to find out how and why her husband, Peter, has kept this friendship hidden for so long. Her search leads her back to 1945, but as she gradually uncovers Peter’s wartime secrets she must wrestle with painful memories of her own. For if they are ever to understand each other, Rhoda too must escape the ghosts of the past.Taking us on a journey from the atmospheric filming of Brief Encounter, to the extraordinary Great March of prisoners of war through snow-bound Germany, this is a novel of friendship, hope, and how in the end, it is the small things that enable love to survive.The post Past Encounters by Deborah Swift #WW2 first appeared on Deborah Swift.

The Curse of Maiden ScarsMaiden, Mother, Crone Trilogy A Yorkshire orphan struggling for opportunity against 18th-century odds reluctantly transforms into a Venetian courtesan during the Empire’s last days.Sixteen-year-old Renna Covert toils away in the shadows of a Yorkshire workhouse, her days filled with the mundane task of shelling cotton and the dangerous duty of scouting for punters. One fateful night, she crosses paths with two sailors and finds herself thrust into the heart of a chilling encounter at the local asylum.These harrowing experiences catalyze Renna’s journey, promising newfound opportunities and revealing long-buried family secrets. Yet, at every turn, powerful forces conspire to thwart her quest for truth, forcing her to abandon her scullery work and embark on a daring escape to Venice alongside her steadfast companions.In the labyrinthine alleys of Venice, Renna’s fate takes yet another twist. She is ensnared by a cunning Madam who trains her as a Venetian courtesan. But beneath the veneer of luxury lies a world fraught with danger, where Renna must rely on her wits and resilience to navigate the treacherous waters of deceit and betrayal.Set against the backdrop of Venice’s tumultuous Napoleonic invasion of 1797, this is a tale of a girl’s struggle for survival. It is a story of resilience, defiance in the face of adversity, and, ultimately, one young woman’s determination to reclaim her identity.

EXTRACT: The Curse of Maiden Scars

My story must have begun before life as a stray waif, but I didn’t know the tale. The cotton house takes in children as little as three—the unwanted offspring of criminals, crazies, and the contagious. By sixteen, we were expected to make room for younger sprogs and pursue meaningful work. It was weeks until my sixteenth birthday, and I didn’t have a plan. Choices for a girl like me were limited, so Camilla told me. I had some learning and hoped I might find a maid’s position. Whatever I was to become, I didn’t want it to include lurking about the seedy, dank Yorkshire streets like a wet cur.

A cackle of laughter echoed from inside the Inn that stood open behind me. A woman’s mound of blond hair tied in red, pink, blue, and black ribbons appeared in the window’s waving candlelight. She tossed her head back and let out a bright, spirited laugh as a burly man with a beard kissed her neck. I envied their intimacy. I longed to know such love and care.

Deep shivers tightened my sodden dress over my back, and a cough rattled through me. I was prone to illness. My lungs had never been strong. And the wetness only made things worse. I stuffed my head between my knees and swooned in lightheadedness. I closed my eyes and wished myself someplace warm and safe, dreaming of a small bed in a quiet room free of mold, surrounded by soft blankets, the amber light of candles, and a stack of leather-bound books with stories waiting for me to discover. Such a wish was only a fantasy to me—nothing in my real life resembled it.

Boot heels sounded beside me, ripping me out of my daydream. I lifted my head too quickly, and my vision faded darkly. Panic grew from the depths of my belly. Had I missed the opportunity to signal the workhouse strumpets, giving them time to sell their comfort for a copper?

A passerby kicked me and shot, “street rat.” He poured ale over my head and rolled with laughter. There was always laughter. I’d have kicked his feet out from under him if I hadn’t felt weakened from illness. I was accustomed to this sort of abuse, having scouted for culls since the age of eight, and wasn’t afraid to fight back if needed.

BUY THE BOOK  Universal Buy LinkAbout Nicolette CroftNicolette Croft can’t remember a time when she was not creating imaginary worlds inspired by her Hungarian and American ancestors. As a neuro-divergent learner, however, putting those stories to paper proved more challenging than imagining them. Because her determination would not allow her to settle, she pursued an English B.A. to improve her writing.Young motherhood also brought unexpected challenges, which motivated her to pursue graduate work in twice-exceptional learners and education. She would later add an M.A. degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling, specializing in neurodivergent people, trauma, and grief. Nicolette uses her natural gift of storytelling as an exploratory method for her clients.The Curse of Maiden Scars is also an outgrowth of her personal journey and marks her first publication as a novelist, having previously published short fiction. When not at her counseling practice or researching historical facts for her latest story, Nicolette shares treasured time with family, friends, and her husband. Whether writing, cooking, traveling, or learning, the act of creation is always at the center of her colorful life.Author Links:Website • Twitter • Facebook • Instagram  Amazon Author Page • Threads • Goodreads The post The Curse of Maiden Scars by Nicolette Croft #Gothic #Historical #CoffeePotBookClub first appeared on Deborah Swift.

Assisi, 1973.

On art historian Fabiola Bennett’s first day in Assisi, a local gentleman takes her aside to ask for advice about a painting that has wondrously appeared in the basilica’s bell tower.

So much for enjoying relaxing days filled with dining on pasta and gelato.

Soon, Fabiola and her besties, Pippa and Cary, are thrown into a shrouded mystery and caught up in a whirlwind of intrigue, theft, lies, and attempted murder, all of which overshadows the postcard-like charm of the small, historic town.

Rome, 1511.

Life is going well for Teodoro Nicoletti. Since he was a young man in Florence, he has worked and learned alongside the most-favored artist Raphael.

When Pope Julius II commissions Raphael to paint several frescos in the reception rooms of the Vatican Palace, Teodoro follows his master to Rome and discovers firsthand the admiration and rivalry between Raphael and two other reigning artists: Michelangelo and Leonardo da Vinci.

But the prickliest thorn in Teodoro’s side is his beloved Elisabetta’s father. The old man is determined to keep his youngest daughter from becoming Teodoro’s wife.

This is the second book in a new dual timeline series by Heidi Eljarbo—an intriguing spin-off from the much-loved Soli Hansen Mysteries.

Fans of Lucinda Riley, Rhys Bowen, Kathleen McGurl, Kate Morton, and Katherine Neville will love this cozy historical dual-timeline art mystery.

This title will be available to read on #KindleUnlimited.

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About Heidi Eljarbo

Heidi Eljarbo grew up in a home full of books, artwork, and happy creativity. She is the author of historical novels filled with courage, hope, mystery, adventure, and sweet romance during challenging times. She’s been named a master of dual timelines and often writes about strong-willed women of past centuries.

After living in Canada, six US states, Japan, Switzerland, and Austria, Heidi now calls Norway home. She lives with her husband on a charming island and enjoys walking in any kind of weather, hugging her grandchildren, and has a passion for art and history.

Her family’s chosen retreat is a mountain cabin, where they hike in the summer and ski the vast white terrain during winter.

Heidi’s favorites are her family, God’s beautiful nature, and the word whimsical.

Sign up for her newsletter at https://www.heidieljarbo.com/newsletter!

Author Links:

Website • Twitter • Facebook • Instagram • Pinterest

BookBub • Amazon Author Page • Goodreads

The post Trouble in Assissi by Heidi Eljarbo #CoffeePotBookClub #HistoricalMystery first appeared on Deborah Swift.