Tag Archives: #bookreview

Book Review: The Summer Before the War by Helen Simonson

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The Summer before the war II

Hardcover, 481 pages
Published March 22nd 2016 by Random House

East Sussex, 1914. It is the end of England’s brief Edwardian summer, and everyone agrees that the weather has never been so beautiful. Hugh Grange, down from his medical studies, is visiting his Aunt Agatha, who lives with her husband in the small, idyllic coastal town of Rye. Agatha’s husband works in the Foreign Office, and she is certain he will ensure that the recent saber rattling over the Balkans won’t come to anything. And Agatha has more immediate concerns; she has just risked her carefully built reputation by pushing for the appointment of a woman to replace the Latin master.

When Beatrice Nash arrives with one trunk and several large crates of books, it is clear she is significantly more freethinking—and attractive—than anyone believes a Latin teacher should be. For her part, mourning the death of her beloved father, who has left her penniless, Beatrice simply wants to be left alone to pursue her teaching and writing.

But just as Beatrice comes alive to the beauty of the Sussex landscape and the colorful characters who populate Rye, the perfect summer is about to end. For despite Agatha’s reassurances, the unimaginable is coming. Soon the limits of progress, and the old ways, will be tested as this small Sussex town and its inhabitants go to war.

My thoughts:

I admit I have not read many novels that center around World War I or the Great War-if you will. For that matter I have not studied in length this war as I have of the second War. So my curiosity was heighten when I read that this story takes place in 1914. This is the first book I have read by Helen Simonson and I am looking forward to reading her others.

There are several elements to this story that really grabbed me. The character development is one of them and a stunning language throughout. I found this to be a splendid account of life of a small village leading up to the war and how their lives began to change was really fascinating. Beatrice Nash is a character I look up to and admire. Truly I did not want to stop reading about her. Another theme was how this village took on refugees and explores a little of the attitudes and the coming together to support others in this changing time in history.

This story is full of smart wit with a flare of grandeur, simplicity and sensibilities all blended together. A variety cast of characters who will charm you, frustrate you and leave you wanting to never leave their company.

A must read!

I rated this book four stars and received a copy of this book through NetGalley for an honest review.

Stephanie M. Hopkins

Book Review: The Vintner’s Daughter by Kristen Harnisch

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The Vintners Daughter by Kristen Harnisch II

Paperback, 368 pages
Published June 17th 2014 by HarperCollins Canada

A captivating historical-fiction debut: ambition, betrayal and love take a spirited young woman from the verdant Loire Valley to turn-of-the-century Manhattan to the wide open spaces of California wine country

Loire Valley, 1895. When seventeen-year-old Sara Thibault’s father is killed in a mudslide, her mother sells their vineyard to a rival family, whose eldest son marries Sara’s sister, Lydia. But a violent tragedy compels Sara and her sister to flee to New York, forcing Sara to put aside her dream to follow in her father’s footsteps as a master winemaker.

Meanwhile, Philippe Lemieux has arrived in California with the ambition of owning the largest vineyard in Napa by 1900. When he receives word of his brother’s death in France, he resolves to bring the killer to justice. Sara has traveled to California in hopes of making her own way in the winemaking world. When she encounters Philippe in a Napa vineyard, they are instantly drawn to one another, but Sara knows he is the one man who could return her family’s vineyard to her, or send her straight to the guillotine.

A riveting, romantic tale of betrayal, retribution, love and redemption, Kristen Harnisch’s debut novel immerses readers in the rich vineyard culture of both the Old and New Worlds, the burgeoning cities of turn-of-the-century America and a spirited heroine’s fight to determine her destiny.

My thoughts:

I used to refuse to read Historical Romance for a long time. For many reasons I won’t go into here today but let me tell you, lately, I have been picking up some great ones. Vintner’s Daughter was the perfect choice for me. Though there are a few minor problems I had with the story that needs to be mentioned.

I found the story to be a bit overly predictable at times and I wanted some twist and turns to surprise me. In addition, I felt a couple of scenarios to the plot could have been a bit stronger and fleshed out more.

Though I love a strong female heroine’s in a story. They need to be flawed as well to make them believable. There were at times I felt Sara was too perfect to be true. Though I liked her a great deal and admired her courage and steadfastness.

One of the themes in the story was about the Suffragette movement and although-in my opinion-it played a back seat in the story, I found it an interesting addition and I would have liked it to play a stronger role. I am hoping it will in the sequel. We will see I guess.

Another theme weaved into the story was about the looming prohibition to come and how Sara and Philippe explores way around the survival of the wine industry is quite fascinating and intelligent. I am looking forward to the outcome of that-if it will be explored in the sequel. I hope.

I could feel the attraction between Sara and Philippe coming from the pages as their relationship grew. I liked how this was told and glad the author did not push their relationship too hard and too fast. Harnisch’s gives the right momentum and gives the reader time to enjoy the interaction between them.

I enjoyed the story and I felt there was some really strong character development. I thought the supporting characters were marvelous. Not only that, the story flowed well and I found myself thinking about the characters long after I put the book down. There is also the fact that the main story takes place in Napa Valley and I always find that reading about Vintners and the life they lead are highly interesting.

Harnisch gives the reader a grasp of what the 1800’s was like for women and provides the reader with insight of the grape-cultivation of wine. This is a great debut and I am anxious to read, The California Wife.

I have rated this book three stars and received a copy from NetGalley for an honest review.

Stephanie M. Hopkins

Book Review: Black Rabbit Hall by Eve Chase

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black rabbit hall

Afterwards, Black Rabbit Hall, their home, with its endless corridors and ancient creaking clocks, is a twisted and changed place, set to steal the last vestiges of their childhood and innocence. A home that not all of the Altons will be strong enough to survive.

Now, thirty years later, a message from one of the Alton children is discovered carved into an old oak tree. Could the tangled truth of that terrible summer finally creep into the light? Or should some secrets be left in the past for good?

My thoughts:

I’m just going to get right to the point. When I read a book that reveals secrets from the past, how those secrets are unfolded is important to the premise indicated in the book description. Though the secrets intrigued me, I’m not convinced it was executed as it could have been. Black Rabbit Hall is certainly not Manderley. I wanted to be haunted, to experience more of the endless corridors and ancient creaking clocks. To be swept away in the houses secrets and tragedy.

Though tragic strikes early on in the story, it wasn’t flushed out enough and it would just go on and on about the children’s life after the tragedy in the first half of the book. Which much of it was tedious reading. The elements to the tragic circumstance fell flat to me and was not suspenseful. I could not sympathize with the character’s loss.

It wasn’t almost half way in when it really became intriguing for me-when Lucian and Caroline made their entrance. The first half of the book and the second half is like night and day at that point. The authors narrative becomes stronger and begins to have a lyrical feel to it-if you will-and gives a better sense of the house and the characters emotional and actions.

In one scene, Lorna begins to explore the house. She walks through the ball room and chambers and she sees the remanence of the past. That was an exceptional scene. The first time I got a real feel of the true atmosphere of the house.

I respect the author’s efforts and there is a quality to the story that I liked for the most part. It just wasn’t enough to pull me in from the beginning. As I indicted above, it felt like the story really began almost half way through it before it took hold for me.

I do look forward to seeing what more the author has to give us in future stories and I do believe she is a good writer. I recommend my audience to read this book. I want to know your perspective to give it more balance and I would like to add that these are my experiences with the story. I am almost certain that many others will come away with a different experience entirely.

I’ve rated this book three stars.

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Stephanie M. Hopkins

Book Review: In the Shadows of the Mosquito Constellation by Jennifer Ellis

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In the shadows

In a world torn apart by economic collapse, Natalie and her husband Richard establish an island of relative safety on a communal farm. Death—by starvation, raiders, and sickness—stalks them daily, and their survival hinges on working together for the common good. But in a lawless land with no shortage of suffering, good is a malleable concept.

As the constant grind of survival and the frictions of farm politics expose the rifts in Natalie and Richard’s marriage, Natalie finds herself seeking refuge in the company of Richard’s twin, Daniel, a solitary man with little interest in politics.

In the face of ongoing external threats and simmering internal divisions, Natalie, Richard, and Daniel must each map the boundaries of their own loyalties and morality. In the Shadows of the Mosquito Constellation is a story of adventure, politics, and love in a brave new world where the rules have both changed, and stayed the same.

My thoughts:

I generally do not read apocalyptic stories. In the Shadows of the Mosquito Constellation captured my attention immediately. I’m pretty sure it was the cover art and then as I read the book description, I was fascinated with the concept of establishing life on a communal farm.

What makes this book believable is the economic collapse that happens in this story. It is all to real that food, gas and water could be sparse and lawlessness of nations could take place.

The story starts a bit slow but you could feel the tension growing. The shifting conflicts between the scenes was overwhelming at times but gave a clear picture of the hardships the people endured and their struggle for survival. Their inner strengths and even the smallest choices they made could have the biggest impact on their lives and everyone around them.

Natalie and Richard’s relationship was interesting to read about. They are married and opened their farm to establish a safe haven-if you will.

Richard is a politician, a typical one at that. Before the doom he would scoff at Natalie’s predictions and felt she worries too much. Well, when her predictions become reality, he takes the opportunity to take advantage of the situation and for the most part, for his own power and gain. He drips in total narcissism.

Natalie is pragmatic and has an admirable inner strength and Richard knows this and needs these qualities for a partner. I really liked the characterization of these two the most. Though at times I wanted to throttle both of them. For different reasons-of course. I think you will be interested in how their relationship turns out.

The author did a splendid job on in the exploration of humanity under these dire and abnormal conflicts. She shows us consequences and reactions the characters make in an extreme environment. Nicely done and I look forward to more stories by this author.

I have rated this book four stars.

I received a copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Stephanie M. Hopkins

Book Review: Murder Comes Calling by C.S. Challinor

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Murder comes calling

When four murders take place in a secluded English community, Scottish barrister Rex Graves is called on to lend his investigatory expertise. The only link between the victims is that their homes were up for sale. But when the local authorities arrest a shady house agent, letters written in blood on the bodies tip Rex off to a different kind of killer.

Digging into the past, Rex discovers that the victims were not who they appeared to be. For the first time, he’s not up against a lone operator. With his fiancee away on a cruise, Rex must race to solve the murder before she catches him indulging his forbidden crime-solving hobby . . . or before he becomes the latest victim.

My thoughts:

After reading this story, I was really torn with writing this review. While this story has much to recommend it, I wasn’t really thrilled with it. It was an okay read for me.

Rex Graves was about the only commendable character in the story and Malcolm annoyed me to no end. Rex is the perfect sleuth. Though Malcolm annoyed me, I sympathized with his situation. When Rex came on the scene, he pushed Malcolm to-get with it-if you will.

I love a good murder mystery and while the premise was interesting and I did become intrigued how the plot unfolds, I found several of the parts to be uninteresting. I wanted to be drawn in more. I might go back to the story in the future and see if my feelings change.

I rated this book three stars.

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley for an honest review.

Stephanie M. Hopins

Book Review: The Perfume Garden by Kate Lord Brown

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The Perfum Garden

High in the hills of Valencia, a forgotten house guards its secrets. Untouched since Franco’s forces tore through Spain in 1936, the whitewashed walls have crumbled, and the garden, laden with orange blossom, grows wild. Emma Temple is the first to unlock its doors in seventy years. Emma is London’s leading perfumier, but her blessed life has taken a difficult turn. Her free-spirited mother, Liberty, who taught her the art of fragrance making, has just passed away. At the same time, she broke up with her long-time lover and business partner, Joe, whose baby she happens to be carrying. While Joe is in New York trying to sell his majority share in their company, Emma, guided by a series of letters and a key bequeathed to her in Liberty’s will, decides to leave her job and travel to Valencia, where she will give birth in the house her mother mysteriously purchased just before her death. The villa is a perfect retreat: redolent with the exotic scents of orange blossom and neroli, dappled with light and with the rich colors of a forgotten time. Emma makes it her mission to restore the place to its former glory. But for her aging grandmother, Freya, a British nurse who stayed in Valencia during Spain’s devastating civil war, Emma’s new home evokes memories of a terrible secret, a part of her family’s past that until now has managed to stay hidden. With two beautifully interwoven narratives and a lush, atmospheric setting, Kate Lord Brown’s The Perfume Garden is a dramatic, emotional debut that readers won’t soon forget.

My thoughts:

On the Hills of Valencia, a house with secrets, and a garden that is so beautiful described you can almost smell the aroma coming through the pages. This evocative debut is brilliant! Let’s not forget love, ties of family, loss and war. Powerfully written and the author honors the reader with an emotional setting, time period, wonderfully written characters…long after I read this novel I continued to think of Freya, Rosa, Macu, Liberty, Emma and Joe. They are forever stamped in my mind.

This is one of the best stories I have read in 2015. What first drew me to this novel was the title and book cover. Then when I read the book description, I knew this would be a winner and it was. The story actually went beyond my expectations I had for it. I will definitely be reading this story again and I highly recommend it!

Five Star Rating

Stephanie M. Hopkins

Book Review: The Serpent Sword by Matthew Harffy

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The Serpent Sword Cover

BRITAIN 633 A.D. Certain that his brother’s death is murder, young farmhand Beobrand embarks on a quest for revenge in war-torn Northumbria. When he witnesses barbaric acts at the hands of warriors he considers his friends, Beobrand questions his chosen path and vows to bring the men to justice. Relentless in pursuit of his enemies, Beobrand faces challenges that change him irrevocably. Just as a great sword is forged by beating together rods of iron, so his adversities transform him from a farm boy to a man who stands strong in the clamour and gore of the shieldwall. As he closes in on his kin’s slayer and the bodies begin to pile up, can Beobrand mete out the vengeance he craves without sacrificing his own honour … or even his soul? 

My thoughts:

Seventh Century Britain has been a deep fascination for me of late and there are few authors who write about this period-in my opinion-that really draws me in. Three comes to mind and Matthew Harffy is one of them. The setting in this story is Northumbria and it is made up of two Kingdoms, Berninia and Deira. I really like those names for some reason. To give you a picture of how small these Kingdoms were, Deira was probably smaller than the county I live in the USA. Civilization at this time was so untamed, wild and dangerous. Savagery was not uncommon. While reading through this book, I couldn’t help but keep thinking that just to survive in a single day in the Dark Ages was a challenge to put it mildly.

In this story, you will find Beobrand’s challenges greater still. What he came against is-what’s the word I’m looking for-brutality more times than not it seemed like. His will to survive and find his brothers killers were extremely courageous and admirable. Especially during those times. You saw him become stronger not only in his resolve to bring justice for his brother but he had to grow up quickly. He really didn’t have a choice. He was a man of conscious and that is often put to the test in this story. One example is when he witnessed violence towards women. Those scenes were hard to read but I felt in this story it was relevant and I was able to get through it. Maybe I was little scathed…

There was a battle in the story that was a significant time in Britain and I really enjoyed reading about it. Matthew has a knack for writing historical events with such imagery and clarity. One can only think he portrayed this as if he was actually there. A sign of a good historical fiction writer is to take the reader to the setting, period and have them believe they’re actually witnessing it for themselves.

This story is a great achievement for a debut and it was well worth investing my time reading. Harffy pursues his writing endeavors with zeal, passion and creativity. So much so, you will be swept away to the Dark Ages. A powerful story, rich with history, conflict, politics, religions of that time, intense situations, danger, powerful characters and historical figures. If you are interested in the Dark Ages or looking for a first read in this period, this book is for you.

Stephanie M. Hopkins

Review: Godwine Kingmaker by Mercedes Rochelle

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Godwine Kingmaker

Harold Godwineson, the Last Anglo-Saxon King, owed everything to his father. Who was this Godwine, first Earl of Wessex and known as the Kingmaker? Was he an unscrupulous schemer, using King and Witan to gain power? Or was he the greatest of all Saxon Earls, protector of the English against the hated Normans? The answer depends on who you ask. He was befriended by the Danes, raised up by Canute the Great, given an Earldom and a wife from the highest Danish ranks. He sired nine children, among them four Earls, a Queen and a future King. Along with his power came a struggle to keep his enemies at bay, and Godwine’s best efforts were brought down by the misdeeds of his eldest son Swegn. Although he became father-in-law to a reluctant Edward the Confessor, his fortunes dwindled as the Normans gained prominence at court. Driven into exile, Godwine regathered his forces and came back even stronger, only to discover that his second son Harold was destined to surpass him in renown and glory.

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I’d like to first say that this period in English history is probably without a doubt my favorite. I am quite the critic when it comes to reading historical fiction during this extraordinary time…when I saw this book tour available for this book, I knew that I had to read this story. I wanted to know how seriously Rochelle takes her history and how she will portray this period and the people. I’d have to say I was thoroughly fascinated with her look into this time. She gives you a really good sense of it if you will. That’s what I want in a story. To be transported back.

This story centers on Harold Godwineson’s Father, Godwine. He became Earl of Wessex under King Canute. For those of you who don’t know, Canute is Danish by birth. He and his father conquered England. I highly recommend you read up on King Canute.

Anyhow, I really have never had an opinion about Godwine. I knew he was powerful and how he got his power. I have always been more interested in his son Harold-the last king of the Saxon rule. They were both two powerful men in their own right. Although what Godwine built for his families power was amazing! It really is extraordinary how he rose from his commoner status and how his family rose even further with Harold. This story shows Godwine’s power and intelligence-I think-perfectly. The story begins with him as a young boy who was befriended by the Danes. By chance really and was befriended by King Canute. This is that story and more. A brilliant story at that. Gosh there is so much to this story and I could go on and on about it. But instead of me doing that, I really encourage you to read the book.

I will caution those who are critical of authors for taking liberties regarding the historical aspects of a story. I will say this with a firm voice, “This is Historical Fiction!” I did spot some of that in this story and even asked the author about one particular scene via social media. How she explained it to me worked perfectly in her story. Matter of fact there is a part of history about a piece of land that Canute and Godwine was viewing and where Canute was telling Godwine about it is where she took some liberty. Still she kept it believable and I actually want to do further study on it. So thank you, Rochelle for including the scene in your story. Readers, I can’t tell you what it is because I don’t want to give spoilers….so go read it and find out!

I adore the authors writing style, premise, how she brought it all together. She knows how to write historical fiction and I can’t WAIT for the second book to come out. I hope it will be soon! I’m rating this book five stars. Thank you, Rochelle for a fine story. We readers of history do appreciate it.

Oh, and one last thing….I pretty much agree with Rochelle’s portrayal of the Normans! Ha! 🙂

Stephanie M. Hopkins

Available at

Amazon US

Amazon UK

About the Author

03_Mercedes-Rochelle-Author-265x300

Born in St. Louis MO with a degree from University of Missouri, Mercedes Rochelle learned about living history as a re-enactor and has been enamored with historical fiction ever since. She lives in Sergeantsville, NJ with her husband in a log home they built themselves.

For more information please visit Mercedes Rochelle’s website and blog. You can also find her on Facebook, Twitter, and Goodreads.

Godwine Kingmaker Blog Tour Schedule

Monday, April 20 Review at Svetlana’s Reads and Views Spotlight at Genre Queen

Tuesday, April 21 Review at Book Nerd Spotlight at Unshelfish

Wednesday, April 22 Review at Flashlight Commentary Guest Post & Giveaway at Let Them Read Books

Thursday, April 23 Interview at Flashlight Commentary

Saturday, April 25 Spotlight at With Her Nose Stuck in a Book

Tuesday, April 28 Spotlight at CelticLady’s Reviews

Wednesday, April 29 Review at Broken Teepee

Thursday, April 30 Guest Post & Giveaway at Teddy Rose Book Reviews Plus More Spotlight at The Writing Desk

Monday, May 4 Review at Impressions in Ink Character Interview at Boom Baby Reviews

Tuesday, May 5 Guest Post & Giveaway at Passages to the Past

Thursday, May 7 Review at Bookramblings Spotlight at The Never-Ending Book

Friday, May 8 Review at Layered Pages

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Book Review: Murder in the Queen’s Wardrobe by Kathy Lynn Emerson

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Murder in the Queen Wardrobe

A female spymaster will face mortal danger to protect her husband and her queen. . .

London, 1582: Mistress Rosamond Jaffrey, a talented and well-educated woman of independent means, is recruited by Queen Elizabeth I’s spymaster, Sir Francis Walsingham, to be lady-in-waiting to Lady Mary, a cousin of the queen. With her talent in languages and knowledge of ciphers and codes, she will be integral to the spymaster as an intelligence gatherer, being able to get close to Lady Mary just at the time when she is being courted by Russia’s Ivan the Terrible. However, there are some nobles at court who will do anything they can to thwart such an alliance; and Rosamond soon realises the extent of the danger, when a prominent official is murdered and then an attempt is made on both her and Lady Mary’s lives. In her quest to protect her ward – and her estranged husband – Rosamond must put herself in mortal peril.

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Hands down one of the best Historical Mystery Thrillers I have read this year by far. Where do I begin? This story captured my attention from the first page and that is a rare thing indeed. Emerson’s main character, Mistress Rosemond Jaffrey is and extremely educated, independent and strong women of her time. At first I wasn’t sure how her role as lady-in-waiting was going to work in this story but it was brilliantly played. All of the central characters in this story was written strong and even the behind the scene characters play an important role. Often times I read stories where there are characters that don’t add to the story one bit and this is not the case in this one. I don’t often say this because it’s a cliché but I was at the edge of my seat reading this story pretty much the whole time and I got annoyed when people would interrupt me from reading….*laughing*

One of the other things I find extremely important in a story is to leave the reader guessing who done it. Most times I guess the murderer right off the bat and that annoys me to no end. It wasn’t like that for this book. And the title and premise for this story is excellent!

When I read a book I want strong characters, dialogue, plot, setting, and intelligent writing. I found all this in Murder in The Queens Wardrobe. I am patiently waiting for more stories like this from Emerson and I want to read more adventure with Mistress Rosemond Jaffrey. She is my new favorite female character.

Who am I kidding….I hope that the author comes out with another story and soon! Highly recommend!

Stephanie M. Hopkins

Book Review: Death of a Dishonorable Gentleman by Tessa Arlen

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01_Death-of-a-Dishonorable-Gentleman-673x1024

Publication Date: January 6, 2015 Minotaur Books Formats: eBook, Hardcover

Genre: Historical Mystery

Lady Montfort has been planning her annual summer costume ball for months, and with scrupulous care. Pulling together the food, flowers and a thousand other details for one of the most significant social occasions of the year is her happily accepted responsibility. But when her husband’s degenerate nephew is found murdered, it’s more than the ball that is ruined. In fact, Lady Montfort fears that the official police enquiry, driven by petty snobbery and class prejudice, is pointing towards her son as a potential suspect.

Taking matters into her own hands, the rather over-imaginative countess enlists the help of her pragmatic housekeeper, Mrs. Jackson, to investigate the case, track down the women that vanished the night of the murder, and clear her son’s name. As the two women search for a runaway housemaid and a headstrong young woman, they unearth the hidden lives of Lady Montfort’s close friends, servants and family and discover the identity of a murderer hiding in plain sight.

In this enchanting debut sure to appeal to fans of Downton Abbey, Tessa Arlen draws readers into a world exclusively enjoyed by the rich, privileged classes and suffered by the men and women who serve them. Death of a Dishonorable Gentleman is an elegant mystery filled with intriguing characters and fascinating descriptions of Edwardian life—a superb treat for those who love British novels.

A Party for Winston, the second book in the series to be released in January 2016.

My Thoughts:

I had a real difficult time writing this review or starting it-if you will. I have two minds about this book. When reviewing a book that is a debut novel I take in a couple of considerations. Often times I come across debut novels that started off strong from the beginning and carried that same momentum throughout. For me, I have to say that this was not the case in this story. Now before you set a frown on your face, please hear me out. When I first saw this book. I was impressed with the title, book cover and premise. All three are fabulous! As I begun to read the story there wasn’t a character that was grabbing my attention-at first and I felt the character development needed to by flushed out a bit more in the beginning. It wasn’t until a little over half way through that the character development or the story really picked up for me. When it did, I was enthralled with the writer’s grasp of writing mystery. She did a brilliant job with weaving the mystery together and left me guessing throughout who done it. That is a sign of a brilliant mystery writer.

I enjoyed the relationship/partnership to solve the murder that developed between the housekeeper and the lady of the house! I love how that was told in the story. They make a great pair! I would have liked to have seen Lord Montfort play a bigger role in the story. I liked him and wanted to read more about him. I felt all the characters played an important role in the story. Great period and setting to write a mystery story and I will definitely be on the lookout for more books by this author.

Stephanie M. Hopkins

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About the Author

tessa arlen

TESSA ARLEN, the daughter of a British diplomat, had lived in or visited her parents in Singapore, Cairo, Berlin, the Persian Gulf, Beijing, Delhi and Warsaw by the time she was sixteen. She came to the U.S. in 1980 and worked as an H.R. recruiter for the Los Angeles Olympic Organizing Committee for the 1984 Olympic Games, where she interviewed her future husband for a job. DEATH OF A DISHONORABLE GENTLEMAN is Tessa’s first novel. She lives in Bainbridge Island, Washington.

For more information please visit Tessa Arlen’s website. Read Tessa Arlen’s blog at Redoubtable Edwardians. You can also connect with her on Facebook, Twitter, and Goodreads.

Subscribe to Tessa Arlen’s Newsletter.

Death of a Dishonorable Gentleman Blog Tour Schedule

Monday, January 5 Review at Reading the Past Review at Back Porchervations Review & Giveaway at Mina’s Bookshelf

Tuesday, January 6 Review & Giveaway at Unshelfish Spotlight & Giveaway at The Maiden’s Court

Wednesday, January 7 Review & Giveaway at To Read, Or Not to Read Spotlight at The Never-Ending Book

Friday, January 9 Review at Mel’s Shelves Guest Post on The Writing Desk Review at Back Porchervations

Saturday, January 10 Review at With Her Nose Stuck in a Book

Sunday, January 11 Review at Buried Under Books

Monday, January 12 Review at Flashlight Commentary

Tuesday, January 13 Review at Girl Lost in a Book Interview at Back Porchervations Spotlight & Giveaway at Let Them Read Books

Wednesday, January 14 Review & Giveaway at The Book Binder’s Daughter

Thursday, January 15 Spotlight & Giveaway at Passages to the Past

Friday, January 16 Spotlight at Just One More Chapter

Monday, January 19 Review at Beth’s Book Book

Tuesday, January 20 Review at The Lit Bitch Spotlight & Giveaway at Peeking Between the Pages

Wednesday, January 21 Spotlight & Giveaway at Teddy Rose Book Reviews Plus More

Thursday, January 22 Review at Musings of a Bookish Kitty

Monday, January 26 Review at A Literary Vacation Spotlight at CelticLady’s Reviews

Wednesday, January 28 Review at A Book Geek

Thursday, January 29 Spotlight at What Is That Book About

Friday, January 30 Review at The Maiden’s Court Review & Giveaway at The True Book Addict

Saturday, January 31 Review & Giveaway at The Calico Critic

Monday, February 2 Review at Book Nerd

Tuesday, February 3 Spotlight at I Heart Reading

Thursday, February 5 Review at Layered Pages

Friday, February 6 Guest Post & Giveaway at Historical Fiction Connection

Death of a dishonorable gentelman