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Lake of Widows

Book Title: Lake of Widows

Series: Book 2 of The Women of the Lake trilogy (all standalones). Book 1: Lake of Echoes

Author: Liza Perrat

Publication Date: 19/10/2024

Publisher: Perrat Publishing

Pages: 345

Genre: Historical Women’s Fiction

Twitter handle: @cathiedunn @MaryLSchmidt

Instagram Handle: @liza_perrat_author @thecoffeepotbookclub

Hashtags: #HistoricalFiction #WomensFiction #DualTimeline #HistoricalFrenchFiction #BlogTour #TheCoffeePotBookClub

Tour Schedule Page: https://thecoffeepotbookclub.blogspot.com/2024/11/blog-tour-lake-of-widows-by-liza-perrat.html

Book Title and Author Name:

Lake of Widows

by Liza Perrat

Blurb:

Three women. One shared struggle. Can they survive?


1970. When Adrienne Chevalier’s perfect life in a chic quartier of Lyon unravels, she flees to rural Sainte-Marie-du-Lac to escape her controlling husband, Emile.

Taking refuge at the idyllic L’Auberge de Léa, Adrienne befriends Blanche Larue, who is herself trapped by her husband’s infidelity. Adrienne begins to understand the subtle strictures that keep women chained across generations.

But to what diabolical lengths will Emile go to reclaim his wife? And can Blanche find the courage to choose truth over appearances?

1914. Suzanne Rossignol bids farewell to her beloved husband as he marches off to war. Through Suzanne’s journal entries, Adrienne discovers that the damaged soldier who returns from the trenches is a stranger, leaving Suzanne to navigate a home-front battlefield.

Join Adrienne, Blanche and Suzanne on their emotional journeys amidst the tranquil French countryside as they fight to escape the shackles of tradition and abuse. Their stories, bridging half a century, are bound by a timeless struggle.

A heart-wrenching blend of historical and women’s fiction, Lake of Widows explores the complexities of marriage, family secrets and self-discovery in 20th-century France.

Perfect for fans of Kristin Hannah and Kelly Rimmer.

Buy Link:

Universal Buy Link: https://books2read.com/u/bPnrKz

Author Bio:

Liza grew up in Wollongong, Australia, where she worked as a general nurse and midwife.

After meeting her French husband on a bus in Bangkok in 1988 and, three children and many pets later, she has now been living in a rural village in France for thirty years.

She works part-time as a medical translator, and editor, and as a novelist.

For newsletter signups, Liza offers her award-winning short story collection for free: Friends and Other Strangers: https://books2read.com/u/mleND9

Author Links:

Website: www.lizaperrat.com

Facebook Author Page: https://www.facebook.com/Liza-Perrat-232382930192297

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/liza_perrat_author/

Book Bub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/liza-perrat

Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B008385OF2

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5779584.Liza_Perrat

This entry was posted on December 4, 2024. 1 Comment

The Enchanted Faerie Realm Too

Book Link

From Amazon:

Where the magic of poetry and the enchantment of faeries intertwine.

In this third installment in “The Enchanted Faerie Realm” series, readers embark on a whimsical journey through the wondrous world of faeries and the beauty of language, as every verse sparkles with the essence of fantasy.

This book and the first two are delightful introductions to the magic of poetry and celebrations of the timeless allure of faeries. Captivating illustrations bring the faerie realm to life and invite readers to immerse themselves in the wonder of imagination.

Plus, each book in this series explores different facets of poetic expression. This book, “The Enchanted Faerie Realm Too,” takes a delightful journey exploring the intricacies of Types of Rhymes and Sound Devices in a section in the back along with pages to write poetry and a Create Your Own Faeries craft.

Perfect for young dreamers and poetry enthusiasts, “The Enchanted Faerie Realm Too” inspires wonder, creativity, and a love for the written word.

My Review:

Top reviews from the United States

Mary Schmidt

5.0 out of 5 stars Sweet rhyming book for kids and adults

Reviewed in the United States on December 2, 2024

Verified Purchase

I found this book about fairy realms and rhyming verse to be perfect for children and adults. The beautiful illustrations deliver the feeling of being in different fairy realms. The verbiage included delivers words to enchant and explain what fairies do in different seasons. The name of flowers and other things such as “pull up a mushroom” for use as a chair evoke children’s imaginations. Five shiny gold stars.

Knight & Dey

Book Link

From Amazon:

Kathryn Knight has it all – a beautiful home, a loving husband, and a successful job as a theatre sister at St Anne’s hospital. Life is good. Finley Dey is a surgeon and the new hospital director. He’s tragically lost his family in an accident and has come to England to make a fresh start. He’s also stunningly attractive. Despite the guilt she feels for betraying her husband, Kathryn and Fin are thrown together, lust and desire grasping every clandestine opportunity. But a prediction from a psychic unnerves Kathryn and soon deceit, denial and ultimately death knock her world off its axis, turning her perfect life upside down.

My Review:

What a love story/hospital setting/probable murder and more.

Well, this novel was unique, for sure! Love comes in many forms, but with a great love one also has great loss, if a loved one dies, whether a natural death or a murder. Life can flip anytime, and what you thought was, never was at all. The psyche of the antagonists were interesting and to read their respective thoughts were bewildering. The protagonists also had bits of antagonistic traits and makes for a great read.

A Woman Scorned

Book Title:           A Woman Scorned

Series:                             The Hartford Manor Series

Author:                 Marcia Clayton

Publication Date:           18th October 2024

Publisher:             Sunhillow Publishing

Pages:                             334

Genre:                            Historical Fiction / Family Saga / Historical Romance

Twitter Handle:   @MarciaC89111861 @cathiedunn @MaryLSchmidt

Instagram Handle:    @marciaclayton97 @thecoffeepotbookclub

Bluesky Handle:   @marciaclayton.bsky.social @cathiedunn.bsky.social

Hashtags:   #HistoricalFiction #FamilySaga #Victorian #HistoricalRomance #BlogTour #TheCoffeePotBookClub

Tour Schedule Page :          https://thecoffeepotbookclub.blogspot.com/2024/11/blog-tour-a-woman-scorned-by-marcia-clayton.html

Book Title and Author Name:

A Woman Scorned

By Marcia Clayton

Blurb:

1886 North Devon, England

Lady Lilliana Grantley has been seriously ill with typhoid, a disease that recently claimed her husband Edgar’s life and that of his long-time lover, Rosemary Gibbs. Now recovering at last, the lady wastes no tears on her husband but is determined to wreak revenge on his two illegitimate children.

Embarrassed for years by his affair with Rosemary, a childhood sweetheart living nearby, she has falsely accused Sir Edgar’s daughter, Millicent, of the theft of a precious brooch and wants to see her jailed or hung.

Fortunately for Millie and her little brother, Jonathan, their granny, Emily, insisted they leave home as soon as she heard of Sir Edgar’s death, for she knew his widow would seek revenge. The old lady was soon proved right, and Lady Lilliana, furious the two youngsters were nowhere to be found, evicted the old woman despite the fact she, too, was dangerously ill.

After a long and hazardous journey to North Devon, Millie and Jonathan were united with some long-lost family members who made them welcome and gave them a home. However, aware that Lady Lilliana has put a price on Millie’s head, they know they are not yet out of danger. Despite this, they are determined to find their granny, Emily, who seems to have disappeared.

Aided by her long-time lover, Sir Clive Robinson, Lady Lilliana is determined to find Millie and Jonnie and get them out of her life once and for all, but how far will the embittered woman go?

A Woman Scorned

Snippet 1

Excerpt from Chapter 2

Brampford Speke, a peaceful little village situated only a few miles from the bustling city of Exeter, would probably not have existed at all, but for the position of Grantley Manor, for farm labourers were always in demand on the large and prosperous estate. The village was surrounded by green rolling hills and picturesque scenery, and despite the bitter temperature that morning, the vicar was content with his lot.

Gregory Swann was an elderly man, born in the village some seventy years earlier and raised to follow in his father’s footsteps as a man of the cloth. Indeed, he still lived in the same house he had been born in and knew the only way he would ever want to leave would be carried out feet first. Kissing Edith, his wife of more than fifty years, goodbye, he crossed the icy yard to the stable, where he saddled his pony and set off to visit his parishioners.

Despite his warm hat, scarf, and gloves, the portly man shivered violently in the sub-zero temperatures, and his breath hung in the air. The grass and hedgerows glistened with a hard frost, and ice covered the village pond where a couple of ducks skidded on the surface, futilely seeking a morsel to eat.

He planned to visit several needy folk that day, some physically unwell, others depressed with their daily struggle for survival, and a few simply lonely and who would benefit from seeing a friendly face. He decided his first port of call would be to Ollie and Agnes Darch.  Shortly before Christmas, the Darches had suffered from typhoid, a disease which had carried many to their graves, causing him and the local undertaker much work over the festive period. Thankfully, the couple had recovered, and the epidemic appeared to be over, but he had heard that Ollie was now suffering from lumbago. 

Buy Link:

Universal Buy Link: https://mybook.to/AWomanScorned

All the books in The Hartford Manor Series can be ordered from any bookshop.

Author Bio:

Marcia Clayton writes historical fiction with a sprinkling of romance and mystery in a heart-warming family saga that stretches from the Regency period through to Victorian times.

A farmer’s daughter, Marcia was born in North Devon, a rural and picturesque area in the far South West of England. When she left school at sixteen, Marcia worked in a bank for several years until she married her husband, Bryan, and then stayed at home for a few years to care for her three sons, Stuart, Paul and David.

As the children grew older, Marcia enrolled in a secretarial course, which led to an administrative post at the local college. Marcia progressed through various jobs at the college and, when working as a Transport Project Coordinator, was invited to 10 Downing Street to meet Tony Blair, the then Prime Minister. Marcia later worked for the local authority as the Education Transport Manager for Devon County Council and remained there until her retirement.

Now a grandmother, Marcia enjoys spending time with her family and friends. She’s a keen researcher of family history, and this hobby inspired some of the characters in her books. A keen gardener, Marcia grows many of her own vegetables. She is also an avid reader and enjoys historical fiction, romance, and crime books.

Marcia has written six books in the historical family saga, “The Hartford Manor Series”. You can also read her free short story, “Amelia”, a spin-off tale from the first book, “The Mazzard Tree”, by downloading the story here: https://marciaclayton.co.uk/amelia-free-download/

In addition to writing books, Marcia produces blogs to share with her readers in a monthly newsletter. If you would like to join Marcia’s mailing list, you can subscribe here: https://marciaclayton.co.uk/

Author Links:

Website:      https://marciaclayton.co.uk/

Twitter:      https://twitter.com/MarciaC89111861

Facebook:   https://www.facebook.com/marciaclaytonauthor

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/marciaclayton97/

Bluesky:      https://bsky.app/profile/marciaclayton.bsky.social

Book Bub:            https://www.bookbub.com/authors/marcia-clayton

Amazon Author Page:   http://viewauthor.at/MarciaClayton

Goodreads:   https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/20429025.Marcia_Clayton

This entry was posted on December 3, 2024. 4 Comments

Madeline’s Boy

Book Title: Madeline’s Boy

Series:  Convict Birthstain Collection

Author:  Sara Powter

Publication Date:  November 13th 2024

Publisher: Pacific Wanderland Publications (through Amazon)

Pages: 224

Genre:  Historical Fiction / Christian Historical Fiction

Any Triggers: – There is domestic violence and attempted murder, but subtle.

Twitter Handles: @SaraPowter @cathiedunn @MaryLSchmidt

Instagram Handles:  sarapowter2251 @thecoffeepotbookclub

Hashtags: #ChristianHistoricalRomance #HistoricalFiction #ConvictBirthstainCollection #BlogTour #TheCoffeePotBookClub

Tour Schedule Page: https://thecoffeepotbookclub.blogspot.com/2024/11/blog-tour-madelines-boy-by-sara-powter.html

Book Title and Author Name:

Madeline’s Boy

By Sara Powter

Blurb:

England 1830s to New South Wales 1840  

The race to protect an orphaned Boy

All is not straightforward when money and titles are involved.

Orphaned, afraid and on the run, Chip must Flee.

Madeline was his mother’s best friend. Maddie now needs to keep her charge safe and alive. She must give up her life to protect the boy she has loved since birth.

Months after Chip’s parents’ demise, Maddie sets out to deliver Chip to his Uncle Humphrey, who lives in Sydney. Through him, she meets Chip’s friend Tim, who falls for Maddie— but will they find happiness?

The menacing presence soon finds Chip, and Maddie needs to hide him again. They are moved from hidden farms to secret valleys, ending up in an aboriginal encampment.

Can Tim find a way to be with Maddie? And if so… Will Chip ever be safe?

Buy Links:

Universal Buy Link: https://mybook.to/MadelinesBoy

Barnes and Nobel: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/Sara%20powter

The Bookshop Org: https://bookshop.org/search?keywords=Sara+Powter

Author Bio:

Sara Powter lives on the NSW Central Coast. Her childhood was spent with her parents, mainly travelling up and down the East Coast of Australia, fishing, shell collecting, and doing some of her education through correspondence schooling.

With a passion for science, she worked as a Scientific Assistant in the Entomology Department of the Department of Agriculture. She married Stephen soon after leaving there, and they spent 30 years in Ministry in the Newcastle Anglican Diocese in NSW, only retiring at the end of 2020.

When ‘Covid 19’ hit, time was available to pen some of the stories she’d wanted to write for some time. Within twelve months, eight stories were finished, and ideas for more were coming (after four years, she had recently completed her twenty-eighth book). These stem from her passion for Colonial Australia, her convict ancestors, and the fantastic country’s remarkable history!

Sara wrote these as she wished to complete one of her mother’s unfinished manuscripts. The series prequel, “Dancing to Her Own Tune,” is now completed and ties in Sheila Hunter’s Australian Trilogy with Sara’s Lockley series and many others. All are Clean Australian Historical Fiction.

But… Watch for more in The Hunter to Macquarie Collection and The Convict Birthstain Collection.

Author Links:

Website: www.sarapowter.com.au

Twitter:  https://x.com/SaraPowter

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063887262514

LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/sara-powter-450b6b145/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sarapowter2251/

Book Bub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/sara-powter

Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Sara-Powter/author/B08X4K9VM1

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/13548072.Sara_Powter

YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCrRC4aFyyiVAMy5ZLTTQUEw

This entry was posted on December 2, 2024. 2 Comments

Miami 2024!

One week later and I finally write this blog post. Last Friday through Sunday was spent in Miami. The book awards was special. No doubt about that. This was also my final visit to Miami as my health dictates what I can do. But, I walked that stage to honor my step-dad in his untimely death in winter 1982 and for his three children who were robbed of their father since 1982. They needed closure! The only way for that to happen was to write this shout 76 page book full of insanity that led up to his death – all in real life.

I was used as Her Aibi for real. Disgusting, sad, vicious, my mother’s infamy and jealous psychological issues remained until her death. Book is .99 cents. Is it shocking? Yes. Truth? Yes. Untreated mental illness? Yes? Did she use me as Her Alibi? Definately! Sad? Yes. Did she shoot him? Yes. Did she get away with it? Yes. Justice was NOT served at all. Everywhere I went while down there, I gave honor to my step-dad. I wanted his story told, and he needed his story told and for his children to finally have some closure on their dad’s death.

Was it crazy last weekend? Yes. But the closure desparately needed was obtained. If you would like a free copy and learn Harold’s story, let me know at this link. Thank you! Have a blessed weekend.

This entry was posted on November 29, 2024. 1 Comment

The Paris Portrait

Media Kit

Book Title: The Paris Portrait

Series: A Fabiola Bennett Mystery

Author: Heidi Eljarbo

Publication Date: 12th November 2024

Publisher: independently published

Pages: about 200, but it has not been formatted yet

Genre: Historical Mystery, Dual-timeline, Historical Fiction,

Twitter Handles: @HeidiEljarbo @cathiedunn

Instagram Handles: @authorheidieljarbo @thecoffeepotbookclub @MaryLSchmidt

Hashtags: #HistoricalMystery #ArtHistory #DualTimeline #CozyMystery #BlogTour #TheCoffeePotBookClub

Tour Schedule Page: https://thecoffeepotbookclub.blogspot.com/2024/10/blog-tour-the-paris-portrait-by-heidi-eljarbo.html

Book Title and Author Name:

The Paris Portrait

by Heidi Eljarbo

Blurb:

Fabiola stumbles upon a clue that indicates a royal portrait went missing almost two hundred years ago. Is this true, or is there substance to the rumor?

Paris, France, 1973.
After an enjoyable but dusty road trip, Fabiola and her friends, Pippa and Cary, arrive in a small village on the outskirts of Paris to spend a few days with Fabiola’s brother Eivind and his family.

On their first evening there, Eivind shows Fabiola an ancient recipe book he bought at an auction. The book is filled with old writing, and he asks Fabiola to decipher the pages. After the others have gone to bed, she spends hours reading and is gripped by the last pages that have nothing to do with recipes for baked goods and stews. Certain the author was a famous portrait artist at the time of the French Revolution, Fabiola and her friends set out on a treacherous investigation, dodging murderers and thieves to learn the truth.

Versailles, France, 1789.
Élisabeth Louise Vigée Le Brun— portraitist and close friend of the extravagant queen of France, Marie Antoinette—has already painted thirty portraits of the queen. Her contemporaries compare her to the old Dutch masters, calling her one of the greatest portrait painters of her time.

But outside on the streets, Paris is becoming more perilous with every day that passes. Madame Le Brun would be a fool to think the rumors of a revolution will pass, and aristocratic life will continue as before.

Amid the turmoil, she paints one final portrait of Marie Antoinette, knowing well her association with the queen could cause her to be arrested or executed. As chaos and riots in Paris turn to violence, Madame Le Brun flees with her young daughter, hoping her royal friend and the portrait will be safe.

This is Heidi Eljarbo’s third dual timeline novel about Norwegian art historian Fabiola Bennett—a captivating spin-off from her much-loved Soli Hansen Mysteries.

Buy Links:

Universal Buy Link: https://books2read.com/u/3nPAjB

This title is available to read on #KindleUnlimited.

Author Bio:

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 their Wheaten Terrier in any kind of weather, hugging her grandchildren, and has a passion for art and history.

Author Links:

Website: https://www.heidieljarbo.com/

Twitter: @HeidiEljarbo

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authorheidieljarbo/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/authorheidieljarbo/

Pinterest: https://no.pinterest.com/heidieljarbo/

Book Bub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/heidi-eljarbo

Amazon Author Page: https://amazon.com/author/heidieljarbo

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/16984270.Heidi_Eljarbo

Newsletter: https://www.heidieljarbo.com/newsletter

This entry was posted on November 28, 2024. 2 Comments

Impact Books Awards

Dear Mary,

I am delighted to extend my heartfelt congratulations to you for being selected as a winner at the International Impact Book Awards! Your exceptional talent, dedication, and creativity have set you apart in a competitive field, and it is an honor to recognize your remarkable achievement.

This award is a testament to the impact your work has made in the literary world. Your story, your voice, and your commitment to excellence have resonated with readers and judges alike, and we are proud to celebrate your success. Winning this award is not just a moment of recognition but a significant milestone in your journey as an author—a reflection of the countless hours, passion, and perseverance you’ve invested in your craft.

Your success is truly remarkable, and we are honored to have your work as part of our award-winning collection. Whether in person or from afar, we look forward to celebrating your achievement and supporting you as you continue to make an impact in the literary world.

Once again, congratulations on this well-deserved recognition. We are excited to celebrate with you and to help you seize the opportunities that come with this prestigious award.

Warm regards,

Nim Stant

CEO and Founder
International Impact Book Awards 

Book Link Only 99 cents!

This entry was posted on November 26, 2024. 2 Comments