Tag: a.l. sowards

ARC Book Review: Bridge of Betrayal (Falcon Point Historical #3) by A.L. Sowards

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Rating: ★★★★
Audience: Historical Romance
Length: 310 pages
Author: A.L. Sowards
Publisher: Covenant Communications
Release Date: March 3rd, 2026
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Sometimes it takes a small deception to uncover the truth.

England, 1954

Anna Lang lost everyone she loved during the Second World War—except her cherished music teacher, Esther Haymann. When Miss Haymann dies under suspicious circumstances and rumors of suicide swirl, Anna doesn’t want to believe them. Her doubts intensify when she catches a stranger rifling through Miss Haymann’s papers, claiming a link between her death and that of renowned scientist Alan Turing.

Arthur Cavendish, a former prisoner of war in Korea, can’t completely escape the nightmares of combat and captivity. Nor can he forget that Dr. Turing’s advice once saved his life, so Arthur is determined to get to the bottom of his associate’s alleged suicide, even if it involves trespassing and danger.

When a suspicious fire nearly kills Arthur and Anna, they form a reluctant alliance to clear their mentors’ names. From shadowy corners of seaside resorts to the guarded gates of a secret government agency at Hanslope Park, Anna and Arthur chase elusive clues—and wrestle with their growing attraction for each other. With divergent goals and hidden secrets, a future together seems unlikely. Yet as more and more pieces of the puzzle fall into place, a sinister pattern unfolds, and they find that their hearts are not the only things at risk. Uncovering the truth might cost them their lives.

Thank you to the publisher and the author for a gifted copy.

BEAUTIFUL STORY.

This was incredibly easy to fly through. I loved being back with these characters and getting to see Anna’s story. Her growth in learning to let go of the things she couldn’t hold on to was full of strength. I love reading about resilient characters. And I really liked the spy mission vibes of this one!

I loved the connection between Arthur and Anna. It had the essence of being what the other person needed, while also meeting each other where they were on their path. The soft moments combined with the protective hero moments are always my favorite.

The historical points were great and it was interesting to see a 1950’s England and how perilous things still were post WW2. It’s well research and in combination with the author notes at the end I felt like I learned a lot (and that’s one of my favorite aspects of historical fiction books).

Overall audience notes:

  • Historical Fiction Romance
  • Language: none
  • Romance: kisses
  • Violence: moderate
  • Content warnings: gun violence, physical altercations, PTSD, war themes and multiple mentions of torture (recounted), near death experiences, loss of loved ones

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ARC Book Review: Against a Crescent Storm (The Balkan Legends #3) by A.L. Sowards

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Rating: ★★★★★
Audience: Historical Romance
Length: 368 pages
Author: A.L. Sowards
Publisher: Shadow Mountain
Release Date: November 4th, 2025
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

The Serbs defied the world’s most powerful ruler, and now Danilo and Maja must fight to save their people and their newly forged love before the sultan exacts his revenge.

The Balkans, 1389

Three years ago, Danilo’s people won their freedom from the hated Ottoman Empire, but with enemies on every side, the Serbs’ hard-earned peace remains fragile. Knowing the sultan will soon come for revenge, Danilo sets out to gain key allies for the coming war—and to escape the haunting grief of personal loss.

War has orphaned Maja and her brother, but they’ve moved forward from tragedy by crafting religious mosaics. Yet after being cheated and robbed, they are desperate for help. Rescue comes from Danilo, the man who once saved them from slavery to the Turks.

Danilo and Maja are soon drawn together by shared grief and affection, but complications arise on every side. A Hungarian noble suspects them of conspiracy. An Ottoman spy, Iskandar, is consumed by a vendetta against Danilo and a dangerous obsession with Maja. And a pending marriage alliance pits Danilo’s heart against his duty. As rumors of treason weaken Christian unity, hope of victory in the Balkans grows dim. Allies and enemies converge on the fields of Kosovo, where an epic battle will shape the destiny of nations for centuries to come.

Thank you to Shadow Mountain and the author for a gifted copy.

WORTH THE WAIT.

Oh I loved getting Danilo’s story!! Diving back into the history behind this trilogy is brutal and at times, hard to read, but the hope and love infused within these characters make turning the pages easy.

It was a reckless adventure through a period of time that is lesser known. And I always LOVE reading historical fiction when its about time periods I don’t often hear about. I love how deeply this was researched and all of those pieces woven into the fictional characters.

I adored Danilo and Maja. A.L. Sowards continues to write insta-connection incredibly well and I often find myself mesmerized by the depth of the romance. I also loved getting to see the couples from previous books and where there lives ended up as well.

This was a story brimming with hope and heart and the depths one will go for those they love. I admire many of these characters. The intensity of the action will have you flipping pages and begging your favorites to make it out okay. One for the books!!

Overall audience notes:

  • Historical Romance
  • Language: low
  • Romance: kisses
  • Violence: high
  • Content warnings: attempted sexual assault, kidnapping, murder, weapons violence, loss of life and war themes, grief

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ARC Book Review: Roads of Resistance (Falcon Point Historical #2) by A.L. Sowards

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Rating: ★★★★★
Audience: Historical Fiction
Length: 370 pages
Author: A.L. Sowards
Publisher: Covenant Communications
Release Date: July 15th, 2025
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

The line between enemy and ally can shift in a heartbeat.

1940

After her father is murdered, fifteen-year-old Ingrid Lang flees her home in Austria only to become separated from her siblings and stranded in the Dutch city of Arnhem with a pair of broken legs. Her future would be bleak if not for the kindness of a local doctor and his daughter Anita van der Veen. But before Ingrid can finish her healing and continue her journey to find her brother and sister, the forces of Nazi Germany overrun the Netherlands, leaving her trapped in an enemy occupation.

Four years later, Gerrit Hendriks, wanted by the Gestapo for his work with the underground, flees to his grandfather’s home in Arnhem, where he finds Ingrid and the van der Veens deeply ensconced in the local resistance. But suspicion, prejudice, and conflicting beliefs soon leave Ingrid and Gerrit at odds with each other.

As Ingrid and Gerrit gather intelligence for the Allies, smuggle airmen and other refugees to safety, and plan acts of defiance against the Nazis, irritations soften and teamwork blossoms. They soon realize that if they want to have any hope of outsmarting a German intelligence officer with a tie to Ingrid’s past, they’ll have to work together. As Ingrid and Gerrit begin to recognize just how much they mean to each other, they find themselves in the middle of an enormous airborne operation, and the imminent battles have the potential to change everything—for Ingrid, for Gerrit, and for the Netherlands.

Thank you to the author and the publisher for the gifted copy.

ABOUT TOOK ME OUT.

A.L. Sowards continues to be one of my favorite historical authors and this was another book that took me on an intense journey. I love the way that A.L. pulls out these complex characters and getting to see many angles of the war and how it effected everyone for years to come.

I just loved Gerrit and Ingrid. There are so many nuanced things I could discuss about them independently and as a couple that I could fill pages with. The resilience and strength and the willpower each step took as the years stretched was empowering to read. I love their love.

A.L. never shies away from the intensity and brutality of war and that was once again present here. I liked the Netherlands setting because it’s one I don’t know as much about and only added to the story. Sowards knows how to craft an amazingly intricate and beautiful book and it wrenches my heart every dang time.

Overall audience notes:

  • Historical Fiction
  • Language: none
  • Romance: closed door
  • Violence: high
  • Content warnings: WW2 themes (starvation, mentions of concentration camps, work camps and more), loss of life, weapons violence, physical violence, loss of a baby, grief/depression depiction

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ARC Book Review: Beyond the Crescent Sky (The Balkan Legends #2) by A.L. Sowards

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Rating: ★★★★★
Genre: Historical Romance
Length: 368 pages
Author: A.L. Sowards
Publisher: Shadow Mountain
Release Date: January 7th, 2025
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Helena is a healer. Ivan is her prisoner. Caught in the crossfire of war, they must choose: loyalty, or love.

The Balkans, 1383

A sudden conflict between Serbs and Greeks has forced Ivan to join his brother and fight with the Serbian army. On the battlefield, Ivan is wounded and captured by the hostile Greeks, becoming a hostage in a deadly bid for power.

Helena, a Greek midwife, is tasked to care for Ivan, a request that will not only test her healing abilities but also her loyalty. Though war has made her reluctant patient an enemy, she can’t help but forge a connection with him, yet falling in love with him could turn her world upside down and brand her a traitor.

As the Ottoman Empire extends its grip into the Balkans, events beyond their control force Ivan and Helena to choose between loyalty to their families and people or following the longings of their hearts.

Award-winning historical novelist A. L. Sowards creates an engaging world of overlords and spies, rebellions and battlefields, and forbidden love.

Thank you to A.L. Sowards and Shadow Mountain for my gifted copy.

MY HEART.

I feel like I barely survived this book y’all. It took my heart out of my chest, smashed it on the ground a few times, and then picked up all the pieces and put it back together. So you know, YOU SHOULD READ IT TOO. This really took me on a historical journey. I love that the author doesn’t shy away from the hard truths of life in a different time period. It is not a linear path. The crossroads are imminent and the valleys are deep. But I loved how Helena and Ivan climbed the mountain together. As many times as it took, to find each other again.

It’s a slower paced book that really builds the journey. I loved the multiple points of view. There’s something about getting the antagonist POV that helps seal the deal on a great read. I loved seeing the mindsets and interpretations of the time period and setting. It’s gritty and the emotions are raw and also incredibly romantic.

I loved seeing how everything came together in the end. The hits kept coming and the characters kept rising. And that’s what it is all about. I CAN’T WAIT for book three!!!

Overall audience notes:

  • Historical Romance
  • Language: none
  • Romance: closed door
  • Violence: moderate
  • Content Warnings: miscarriage (from a fall), many childbirth scenes (and loss of mother/child moments as well), war violence and battle themes, blood/gore/injury depictions

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