Tag: historical fiction

ARC Book Review: Along a Breton Shore by Arlem Hawks

GoodeyReadsLeave a comment

Rating: ★★★★★
Audience: Historical Romance
Length: 368 pages
Author: Arlem Hawks
Publisher: Shadow Mountain
Release Date: June 6th, 2023
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

A soldier and a young woman, on opposite sides of the revolution, must run for their lives across a war-torn France in this gripping novel of friendship, love, and survival.

France, 1794

Maxence Étienne, a soldier for the République, believes fiercely in the revolution that is bringing liberty to France. But even though the monarchy has fallen and Maxence is part of a great cause, he is still searching for a place to belong.

Armelle Bernard is a young woman from Breton whose father was sentenced to death for hiding counterrevolutionaries. She decides to confront the priest who betrayed her father, and as the conflict escalates, she herself is ordered to be executed—an order to be carried out by Maxence.

Maxence has seen his share of violence and bloodshed, but he also carries a tragic secret and can’t bring himself to carry out his assignment. In allowing Armelle to escape, he is forced to combat a fellow soldier, who dies in the struggle.

Though Armelle and Maxence are strangers and on opposite sides of the revolution, they find themselves united as fugitives of the new republic. Now they must find a way to trust each other as they search for a path to peace, and to freedom.

Thank you to Shadow Mountain for an ARC.

LOVED.

There is something incredibly soothing about Arlem Hawks writing style. It is slow paced in all the best ways. I kept continually wanting to pick this up to know what happens next + taking my time with it to savor all of the goodness.

I adored this grumpy x sunshine duo of Maxence and Armelle. I can’t even begin to pick a favorite moment because I feel attached to them all. From the disasterous meeting to being chased by soldiers and learning new things about each other (and themselves), it’s all there. All of the beautiful character growth and hard things that make this book sing.

The setting is unique. Being apart of the French Revolution I learned a lot!! Especially with the notes at the end to further explain details and facts from this time period.

Alongside the main characters (and it’s dual POV y’all!!) the side characters were great too. I loved the roles the others played and was very anxious to get to the happy ending. Another fantastic historical romance read by an auto-read author.

Overall audience notes:

  • Historical Romance
  • Language: none
  • Romance: kisses
  • Violence: high
  • Trigger/Content Warnings: battle themes, near executions (and mentions of executions), near death experiences, gun violence, surgery, loss of loved ones, imprisonment

Instagram || Goodreads || The StoryGraph

ARC Book Review: The Heart’s Choice (The Jewels of Kalispell #1) by Tracie Peterson and Kimberley Woodhouse

GoodeyReadsLeave a comment

Rating: ★★
Audience: Christian Historical Romance
Length: 336 pages
Author: Tracie Peterson and Kimberley Woodhouse
Publisher: Bethany House
Release Date: May 16th, 2023
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

After witnessing a wrongful conviction as a young girl, Rebecca McCutcheon–the first female court reporter in Montana–is now determined to defend the innocent. During a murder trial, something doesn’t sit well with her about the case, but no one except for the handsome new Carnegie librarian will listen to her.

Librarian Mark Andrews’s father sent him off to college hoping he would take over the business side of the family ranch. Mark would rather wrangle books than cows, but when a patron seeks help with research in hopes of proving a man’s innocence, Mark is immediately drawn to her and her cause.

In a race against time, will Rebecca and Mark be able to find the evidence to free the man before it’s too late?

Escape to Kalispell, Montana, for a daring and romantic tale from the talented pens of bestselling authors Tracie Peterson and Kimberley Woodhouse.

Thank you to Bethany House for the ARC.

DID NOT CLICK.

I gave this an honest try and did enjoy the first 30-40% of it. Then some stuff went downhill and I never recovered my attachment to the story. I struggled with the way some of the faith elements were addressed and handled that ultimately let to a disconnection from the novel. There might have been some reasoning with the time period? But it didn’t work for me.

The romance between Mark and Rebecca was pretty sweet. They had some cute moments and really seemed to connect with each other across the board. I liked their happy ending and their unique career paths in the early 1900’s.

With the little bit of mystery and multiple points of view it kept the general plot progression moving. There was a bit of a full circle moment that was nice to see and while this didn’t work for me I think it could work for others.

Overall audience notes:

  • Christian Historical Romance
  • Language: none
  • Romance: kisses
  • Violence: moderate
  • Trigger/Content Warnings: murder, poisoning, attempted murder

Instagram || Goodreads || The StoryGraph

Book Review: The Serpent’s Curse (The Last Magician #3) by Lisa Maxwell

GoodeyReadsLeave a comment

Rating: ★★★☆ (3.5)
Audience: Historical Fiction + Magical Realism
Length: 768 pages
Author: Lisa Maxwell
Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Books
Release Date: April 13th, 2021
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Evade the serpent.

Heed the curse.

Rewrite the present.

Esta isn’t a stranger to high-stakes heists. She’s a seasoned thief who has no reservations about using her affinity for time to give her an edge, and she’s trained her whole life for one mission: travel back to 1902 New York, steal the ancient Book of Mysteries, and use its power to destroy the Brink and free the Mageus from the Order’s control.

But the Book held a danger that no one anticipated—Seshat, an angry goddess was trapped within its pages. Now that terrible power lives within Harte, and if given the chance, Seshat will use Esta to destroy the world and take her revenge.

Only Esta and Harte stand in her way.

Yet in their search to recover the elemental stones needed to bind Seshat’s power, Esta and Harte have found themselves stranded in time with a continent between them. As Esta fights to get back to Harte, the Order is no longer the only obstacle standing in her way.

Saving Harte—and magic itself—will put even Esta’s skills to the test. And all the while, another danger grows, one more terrible than both Seshat and the Order combined…

BETTER.

I liked this a lot more than book two.

The pacing felt more consistent throughout 800 pages rather than a drag out situation of me trying to pick the book up to continue reading. The first half was definitely slower, with at least a much quicker paced back half. I was hoping for more action overall (it somehow lacked in this area??). There were plenty of new developments for the story at least.

Namely that there was finally a time change!! I’ve been stuck on the fact that the two sets of characters have only been separated by two years so I was excited to have a bigger gap with more opportunity to explore new areas and new/old characters alike. I still have so many questions, and it’s enough for me to want to continue the series.

I loved that some romantic development occurred after 2000 pages of waiting. Good heavens. THEN HARTE HAD TO OPEN HIS MOUTH. He’s my favorite character, easy. That boy has some groveling to do and may have blown the next book wide open. I am really curious to see where the (last??) book goes!

Overall audience notes:

  • YA Historical Fiction + Magical Realism
  • Language: a little
  • Romance: closed door
  • Violence: high
  • Trigger/Content Warnings: loss of loved ones, explosions, weapons violence, incapacitating illness, kidnapping, physical violence, alcoholism, child abuse, racism, xenophobia, suicide ideation

Instagram || Goodreads || The StoryGraph

ARC Book Review: In This Moment (Timeless #2) by Gabrielle Meyer

GoodeyReadsLeave a comment

Rating: ★★★★★
Audience: Christian Historical Romance
Length: 416 pages
Author: Gabrielle Meyer
Publisher: Bethany House
Release Date: May 2nd, 2023
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Maggie inherited a gift from her time-crossing parents that allows her to live three separate lives in 1861, 1941, and 2001. Each night she goes to sleep in one time period and wakes up in another. Until, that is, she turns twenty-one, when she will have to forfeit two of those lives–and everyone she knows in them–forever.

In 1861, Maggie is the daughter of an influential senator at the outbreak of the Civil War, navigating a capital full of Southern spies and wounded soldiers. In 1941, she is a Navy nurse, grappling with her knowledge of the future when she’s asked to join a hospital ship being sent to Pearl Harbor. And in 2001, she’s a brilliant young medical student, fulfilling her dream of becoming a surgeon, yet unable to use her modern skills in her other paths.

While Maggie has sworn off romance until she makes her final choice, an intriguing man tugs at her heart in each era. The mysterious British gentleman. The prickly, demanding doctor. The charming young congressman. She’s drawn to each man in different ways, only complicating the impossible decision she must make, which looms ever closer.

With so much on the line, how can Maggie choose just one life to keep and the rest to lose?

Thank you to Bethany House for a gifted copy.

LOVED THIS SO MUCH.

This book took me on a JOURNEY y’all. And I loved every moment. I read the first book as an audiobook so I wasn’t quite sure how it would translate to me reading in print, but don’t worry, Meyer’s crafts beautiful stories no matter the media.

I loved seeing how Maggie worked through deciding which place would be best for her to stay. Each time period is in a critical war era and clearly so much research has been done to bring the historical aspects to life. The transitioning chapters kept the pacing going and had me on pins and needles wondering what would happen next.

The romance starts off as a bit of a love square, but never fear, I loved the way each time period and love interest was handled. Even when I became undecided between the two I really appreciated how everything worked out in the end. It felt true to each of the characters.

I loved this book so much. I just have to say it again. The faith journey also hit me in the soul. I liked that it didn’t feel preachy or forced, but rather more real and impactful.

I AM SO EXCITED FOR THE NEXT BOOK.

Overall audience notes:

  • Christian Historical Romance
  • Language: none
  • Romance: kisses
  • Violence: mild-high
  • Trigger/Content Warnings: war themes (Civil War, Pearl Harbor and 9/11), loss of life, chronic illness (celiac disease)

Instagram || Goodreads || The StoryGraph || TikTok