The Orchid Hour
by Nancy Bilyeau

Publication Date: August 10, 2023
Lume Books

Genre: Historical Thriller

 

 

There is a certain hour, in the dead of night, when the orchid’s scent can put you under a spell…

“Nancy Bilyeau has created a beautifully layered and utterly seductive tale… and, at its living, tender heart, a strong-willed and magnetic heroine.” – Emilya Naymark, author of Behind the Lie, finalist for the 2023 Sue Grafton Award

Nancy Bilyeau, author of The Crown and The Blue, returns with a tantalizing novel about one woman caught up in a secret nightclub that one can only reach through a certain florist on a cobblestone street.

New York City, 1923. Zia De Luca’s life is about to be shattered. Having lost her husband to The Great War, she lives with her son and in-laws in Little Italy and works at the public library. But when a quiet poetry lover is murdered outside the library, the police investigation focuses on Zia. After a second tragedy strikes even closer to home, Zia learns that both crimes are connected to a new speakeasy in Greenwich Village called The Orchid Hour.

When the police investigation stalls, Zia decides to find her own answers. A cousin with whom she has a special bond serves as a guide to the shadow realm of The Orchid Hour, a world filled with enticements Zia has shunned up to now. She must contend with a group of players determined to find wealth and power in New York on their own terms. In this heady atmosphere, Zia begins to wonder if she too could rewrite her life’s rules. As she’s pulled in deeper and deeper, will Zia be able to bring the killers to justice before they learn her secret?

To be published August 10, 2023, in the U.S., the UK, Canada, and Australia, in original paperback and ebook.

The pre-order is on a special discount for the ebook: geni.us/TOHPre-Order

Praise for Nancy Bilyeau’s Other Books

The Crown:
“Bilyeau deftly weaves extensive historical research throughout, but the real draw of this suspenseful novel is its juicy blend of lust, murder, conspiracy, and betrayal.”
—O, The Oprah Magazine, pick of the month

The Blue:
“Definitely a winner!”
—Kate Quinn, author of The Diamond Eye

Dreamland:
“I could practically taste the salt-water taffy and smell the ocean air as I read Bilyeau’s latest, set in 1911 Coney Island. Beautifully written and impeccably researched, DREAMLAND is a rollicking ride.”
—Fiona Davis, author of The Magnolia Palace

About the Author

Nancy Bilyeau is a historical novelist and magazine editor based in New York. She wrote the Joanna Stafford trilogy, a trio of thrillers set in Henry VIII’s England, for Simon & Schuster. Her fourth novel is The Blue, an 18th-century thriller revolving around the art and porcelain world. Her next novel is Dreamland, set in Coney Island of 1911, to be published by Endeavour Quill on January 16, 2020. A former staff editor at Rolling Stone, Entertainment Weekly, and InStyle, Nancy is currently the deputy editor at the Center on Media, Crime and Justice at John Jay College and contributes to Town & Country, CrimeReads, and Mystery Scene magazine.

To learn more, go to www.nancybilyeau.com. You can follow Nancy on Facebook, Twitter, BookBub, and Goodreads.

Cover Reveal Schedule

Wednesday, February 15
Passages to the Past

Thursday, February 16
I’m Into Books
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Impressions In Ink
My Reading Getaway

Friday, February 17
Miranda’s Bookscape
Dive Into a Good Book

Saturday, February 18
One Book More
CelticLady’s Reviews

Sunday, February 19
The Book Junkie Reads

Monday, February 20
The Lit Bitch
Books In Their Natural Habitat
History from a Woman’s Perspective

Tuesday, February 21
Bookworlder
Amy’s Bookshelf

Wednesday, February 22
Reading is My Remedy

The Rose of Washington Square: A Novel of Rose O’Neill, Creator of the Kewpie Doll
by Pat Wahler

Publication Date: January 20, 2023
Evergreen Press

Genre: Historical Fiction

 

 

She set out to make her way in a man’s world, rising from obscurity into one of the most famous women of her era.

Self-taught artist Rose O’Neill leaves the Midwest for New York in 1893, determined to become an illustrator in a field dominated by males. Mindful of her duty to the impoverished family she left behind, Rose’s obligations require her to yield to the men who hold the reins of her career; as well as the men she grows to love.

Yet despite every obstacle facing her, she excels at her craft, eventually designing a new character, the Kewpie. Her creation explodes into a phenomenon, but Rose’s disenchantment with the status quo fosters new ambitions. She must decide whether to remain within the boundaries dictated for her, or risk everything she’s gained to pursue the creative and personal passions that ignite her soul.

With grit and tenacity, Rose O’Neill blazed an unforgettable path during the tumultuous times of the early 20th century.

Available in eBook

Praise

“Rose O’Neill was a trailblazer of her time, and her life is a testament to the power of perseverance in the face of impossible odds.”
—Kathleen Grissom, New York Times bestselling author of The Kitchen House

“A classic reinvention of the life of Rose O’Neill, the creator of the iconic Kewpie doll.”
—Nina Romano, award-winning author of The Secret Language of Women

“From start to finish, this story honors the talent, devotion to family, and the success that was such a huge part of Rose O’Neill’s life.”
—Readers’ Favorite

About the Author

Pat Wahler is a Missouri native and avid reader. She is winner of Western Fictioneers’ Best First Novel of 2018, a Walter Williams Award winner, and the winner of Author Circle Awards 2019 Novel of Excellence in Historical Fiction for I am Mrs. Jesse James.

Pat has also authored a three-book contemporary romance series-the Becker Family Novels, and two holiday-themed books; all named Five-Star Readers’ Favorites. A frequent contributor to the Chicken Soup for the Soul anthologies, Pat is an avid reader with a special passion for historical fiction, women’s fiction, and stories with heart. She makes her home in Missouri with her husband and two rescue critters—one feisty Peek-a-poo pup and a tabby cat with plenty of attitude.

Website | Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | BookBub | Goodreads

Blog Tour Schedule

Monday, February 20
Review at Dive Into a Good Book

Wednesday, February 22
Interview at Passages to the Past

Friday, February 24
Feature at The Caffeinated Bibliophile

Monday, February 27
Excerpt at Books & Benches

Tuesday, February 28
Review at Girl Who Reads
Review at Reading is My Remedy

Wednesday, March 1
Review at Novels Alive

Monday, March 6
Review at Little But Fierce Book Diary

Giveaway

Enter to win a $25 Amazon Gift Card!

The giveaway is open to the US only and ends on March 6th. You must be 18 or older to enter.

Rose of Washington Square

A Duke at the Door
by Susanna Allen

Publication Date: August 23, 2022
Sourcebooks Casablanca

Genre: Historical Romance/Regency
Series: Shapeshifters of the Beau Monde, Book 3

 

 

Fans of Bridgerton won’t want to miss this steamy paranormal historical romance from author Susanna Allen! The Regency has gone wild in the third book in the Shapeshifters of the Beau Monde series, featuring:

• A shifter duke who’s been denying his lion form
• The beguiling lady who sees the truth
• A ticking clock that could mean the end for the duke
• The irrefutable love that might save them both

After being captured and held captive in a traveling menagerie, Alwyn Ap Lewin, Duke of Llewelyn, refuses to shift into his lion form. The longer he denies his inner lion, the sicker he gets, but he’d rather die free than be captive ever again.

The denizens of Lowell Close live in fear and suspicion of Alwyn―except for lady apothecary Tabitha Barrington. Tabitha, alone, can help the shapeshifting duke, and with her by his side, the Wild Lion of Wales discovers he has something to live for, and to fight for, after all.

“Entertaining and charming… Allen continues to claim new territory in the world of paranormal Regency.” ― Kirkus Reviews

Amazon | Barnes and Noble | IndieBound

About the Author

Suse moved to Ireland for twelve months — in 1998. Having gained a Master of Philosophy in Irish Theatre Studies from the Samuel Beckett Centre, Trinity College, she embarked on a career in theatre criticism, eventually moving into feature writing on all things cultural, as well as lifestyle-oriented subjects for major Irish titles across newsprint and magazines.

​Writing as Susanna Allen, she is the author of a Regency Era Historical-plus-Shifters series, The Shapeshifters of the Beau Monde; published by Sourcebooks. The first two titles, A Wolf in Duke’s Clothing and A Most Unusual Duke, are available now; A Duke at the Door debuts in August 2022.

That Magic Mischief, originally published by Crimson Romance, has been reissued by Ally Press.

Writing as Susan Conley, she is the author of Drama Queen and The Fidelity Project, both published by Headline UK. Her memoir, Many Brave Fools: A Story of Addiction, Dysfunction, Codependency… and Horses is published by Trafalgar Square Books and recounts the growth and insights she acquired after having taken up horse riding as an adult, post-divorce.

Suse is living her life by the three Rs: reading, writing and horseback riding, and can generally be found on her sofa with her e-reader; gazing out a window and thinking about made-up people; or cantering around in circles. She loves every minute of it!

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Goodreads

The White Sails Series: Special Hardback Omnibus
by Emma Lombard

If Bridgerton and Pirates of the Caribbean had a love child.

Are you a fan of sweeping romantic adventures?
Do you fall for tall, brooding Naval Officers?
Love a feisty female lead who makes you yell aloud?

Then hop aboard Emma Lombard’s hardback Collector’s Edition of The White Sails Series, and batten down the hatches!

But Why?

Well, firstly, let me tell you what my Kickstarter campaign isn’t. It isn’t a plea for donations, it’s not a beg for money, and it’s not just another retailer.

Okay, so what is it then?

Kickstarter is a wonderful way for me to give more to my fans.

It allows fans access to a special collector’s edition that is not (and will never be) available from online retailers.

It allows fans to have each and every copy personalised, which is just not doable on retailers.

It also allows fans a more intimate view of the story behind my series.

And best of all, it allows fans to get involved in my next series, whether through an exclusive sneak peek of the first draft or even having a character named after them.

Oh, and did I mention there’s an opportunity to win the original oil painting of the cover?

Where else in the world do you get all this extra cool stuff thrown in just because you bought a book?

What’s in it for you, Emma?

Without wanting to sound too cheesy, I’m beside myself to put such a pretty book out in the world. I’m mean, just look at that dreamy sunset! I’m not going to lie, I love a chunky book. This collector’s edition fulfils my ultimate author dream—to be able to hold (and smell) a weighty tome. I’m not the only one—I’ve had folks walk up to my books at the market and pick them up just to smell them! My kind of peeps!

I know it’s taboo to talk about money, but the pledges received for this campaign will help me recoup some of the upfront expenses that I have already laid out, like editing, book cover design, audiobook narration, and it will give me the momentum I need to invest in those same services for my next series, The Gold Hills Series.

You’ll be helping keep the indie publishing ecosphere turning, which in turn lets me keep creating more stories.

So, what’s The White Sails Series about?

One of my readers described it best: If Bridgerton and Pirates of the Caribbean had a love child.

The idea for this series was born from a tiny nugget of family gossip that my grandmother shared with me. She told me how my 3x great grandmother left her well-to-do family in England to elope with an English sea captain, and live aboard his ship with him.

I took the basic concept of this story and had a blast creating an entirely fictitious imagining of what it might have been like for a woman to live aboard a ship in those days. Quite ironic considering that I get terribly sea-sick myself.

Curious? Never seen what a Kickstarter campaign looks like?

Just looking: Take an exclusive pre-launch look at Emma’s campaign to see it in detail, click HERE.

Note: clicking on this link will not sign you up to anything, it’s simply an exclusive behind-the-scenes look.

To follow the campaign: Open the campaign, and click ‘Notify me on launch’ button at the top of the page

Note: this will not commit you to any pledges, it’s how you will be able to have ring-side seats to watch the campaign play out.

Giveaway

Batten down the hatches, m’lovelies, for a chance to win an exclusive, personalised, hardcover Collector’s Edition of The White Sails Series: Fill out the entry form HERE.

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The Genes of Isis
by Justin Newland

Publication Date: August 28, 2018
Troubador/Matador

Genre: Historical Fantasy

 

 

Akasha is a precocious girl, born into a world where oceans circulate in the sky waters. She dreams of releasing the Surge, the next evolutionary step for an embryonic human race. But it’s dormant, trapped inside every human.

Horque is a Solarii, a tribe of angels who’ve manifested in human form and settled in ancient Egypt. Desperate to return home, they must first undo the devastation caused by the Helios, another tribe of angels who came to Earth to deliver the Surge and instead left humanity on the brink of extinction and sired a race of interspecies monsters: the hybrids.

When Akasha foretells the falling of the sky waters and falls in love with Horque, her life becomes an instrument for apocalyptic change.

Amazon US | Amazon UK

 

 

About the Author

JUSTIN NEWLAND’s novels represent an innovative blend of genres from historical fiction and crime, to supernatural thrillers and mystery. His stories deal with the themes of war, religion, evolution and speculate on the human’s spiritual place in the universe.

Undeterred by the award of a Doctorate in Mathematics from Imperial College, London, he found his way to the creative keyboard and conceived his debut novel, The Genes of Isis (Matador, 2018), an epic fantasy set under Ancient Egyptian skies.

Next came the historical fantasy, The Old Dragon’s Head (Matador, 2018), set in Ming Dynasty China in the shadows of the Great Wall.

His next historical fantasy, The Coronation (Matador, 2019), speculates on the genesis of the most important event in the modern world – the Industrial Revolution.

His fourth, The Abdication (Matador, 2021), is a supernatural thriller in which a young woman confronts her faith in a higher purpose and what it means to abdicate that faith.

His work in progress is a two-book series, The Island of Angels, set in Elizabethan England. The first novel, The Mark of the Salamander, explores the significance of Francis
Drake’s circumnavigation of the world. The second, The Midnight of Eights, culminates in the repulse of the Spanish Armada in 1588.

He was born three days before the end of 1953 and lives with his partner in plain sight of the Mendip Hills in Somerset, England.

Website | Facebook | Goodreads

Giveaway

We have two copies of The Genes of Isis by Justin Newland up for grabs!

The giveaway is open internationally and ends on March 10th. You must be 18 or older to enter.

The Genes of Isis

The Baronet’s Lady Biologist
by Alissa Baxter

Publication Date: February 28, 2023
Vinspire Publishing

Genre: Traditional/Sweet Regency
Series: The Linfield Ladies Series, Book 3

 

 

Georgiana Linfield is a lady biologist who is determined to travel the world. Upon arriving in London for the Season, she decides the best way to fulfil her dreams is to find an amenable husband to indulge her every whim. Refusing to give up her interest in natural history for a dull domestic life, she sets out to forge a different path for herself.

When her father’s elderly cousin asks her to set his natural history collection in order, she accepts his request with joy. However, the task brings her into almost daily contact with his godson, Sir Giles Tavistock, a renowned entomologist, who regards her with some suspicion. When Sir Giles discovers her skills as a scientific illustrator, he asks her to sketch his South American butterfly collection, and they forge an uneasy truce.

Their tenuous connection is shattered, however, when Sir Giles believes a rumour casting Georgiana in a far from flattering light. Vowing to have nothing more to do with him, she keeps him at a distance. But when the baronet’s butterflies attract unwanted attention, a series of events unravel that make Georgiana wonder if the famous collector might have done the impossible and captured her heart.

Amazon | Barnes & Noble

About the Author

Alissa Baxter wrote her first Regency romance during her long university holidays. After travelling the world, she settled down to write her second Regency novel, which was inspired by her time living on a country estate in England. Alissa then published two chick lit novels, The Truth About Clicking Send and Receive (previously published as Send and Receive) and The Truth About Cats and Bees (previously published as The Blog Affair).

Many years later, Alissa returned to her favourite period with her Linfield Ladies Series, a trio of Regency romances that feature women in trend-setting roles who fall in love with men who embrace their trailblazing ways…at least eventually. Alissa currently lives in Johannesburg with her husband and two sons. She is a member of The Beau Monde – Regency Fiction Writers.

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Goodreads

Blog Tour Schedule

Tuesday, February 28
Excerpt at The Lit Bitch
Feature at Coffee and Ink

Wednesday, March 1
Review at Reading is My SuperPower
Feature at Books, Ramblings, and Tea
Feature at Books in Their Natural Habitat

Thursday, March 2
Excerpt at What Is That Book About

Friday, March 3
Review at Historical Fiction With Spirit

Monday, March 6
Review at Bookworlder

Tuesday, March 7
Feature at I’m Into Books

Wednesday, March 8
Review & Excerpt at Elodie’s Reading Corner

Tuesday, March 14
Feature at CelticLady’s Reviews

Thursday, March 16
Excerpt at Lisa Everyday Reads
Interview at Jorie Loves A Story

Saturday, March 18
Review at Passages to the Past

Giveaway

Enter to win a $25 Amazon Gift Card!

The giveaway is open to the US only and ends on March 18th. You must be 18 or older to enter.

The Baronet’s Lady Biologist

A Shape on the Air
by Julia Ibbotson

Publication Date: October 9, 2021

Genre: Historical Mystery
Series: Dr. DuLac, Book 1

 

 

For fans of Barbara Erskine, Pamela Hartshorne, Susanna Kearsley, Christina Courtenay

Can echoes of the past threaten the present? They are 1500 years apart, but can they reach out to each other across the centuries? One woman faces a traumatic truth in the present day. The other is forced to marry the man she hates as the ‘dark ages’ unfold.

How can Dr Viv DuLac, medievalist and academic, unlock the secrets of the past? Traumatised by betrayal, she slips into 499 AD and into the body of Lady Vivianne, who is also battling treachery. Viv must uncover the mystery of the key that she unwittingly brings back with her to the present day, as echoes of the past resonate through time. But little does Viv realise just how much both their lives across the centuries will become so intertwined. And in the end, how can they help each other across the ages without changing the course of history?

Available on Amazon

Praise for Julia Ibbotson and A Shape on the Air

“In the best Barbara Erskine tradition … I would highly recommend this novel” Historical Novel Society

“Amazing …a really great book …I just couldn’t put it down” Hazel Morgan

“a beautiful tale … a must-read for fans of time-slip and time-travel” Cathie Dunn

“gripping, with a very real sense of sense of threat and danger, an enthralling mystery focused on hidden treasure, a wholly convincing romance, all across both timelines! Anne Williams

“Lovely identifiable heroines in both time periods … I love the strength and vulnerability” Melissa Morgan

“Meticulously researched and wonderfully evocative. Loved it!” Anne Harvey

About the Author

Acclaimed, award-winning author Julia Ibbotson is fascinated by the medieval world and the concept of resonances across time. She read English at Keele University, England (after a turbulent but exciting gap year in Ghana, West Africa) specialising in medieval language, literature and history, and has a PhD in socio-linguistics. She wrote her first novel at 10 years of age, but became a school teacher, then an academic as a senior university lecturer and researcher.

She has published a number of books, including memoir, children’s medieval fantasy, a trilogy set in Ghana, and medieval time-slip, as well as academic works. Apart from insatiable reading, she loves travelling the world, singing in choirs, swimming, yoga and walking in the countryside in England and Madeira where she and her husband divide their time.

Website | Blog | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Goodreads

Blog Tour Schedule

Monday, February 13
Review at 100 Pages a Day

Tuesday, February 14
Review at The Book Countess

Wednesday, February 15
Feature at I’m Into Books
Feature at Books, Ramblings, and Tea

Thursday, February 16
Feature at CelticLady’s Books
Review at History from a Woman’s Perspective

Friday, February 17
Review at Novels Alive

Monday, February 20
Review at Bookworlder
Feature at Tammy Reads

Tuesday, February 21
Feature at Books, Cooks, Looks
Interview at Jorie Loves a Story

Wednesday, February 22
Feature at What Is That Book About

Thursday, February 23
Feature at Carole’s Ramblings

Friday, February 24
Feature at Coffee and Ink
Feature at Reading is My Remedy

Giveaway

Enter to win a copy of A Shape on the Air by Julia Ibbotson!

The giveaway is open to the US only and ends on February 24th. You must be 18 or older to enter.

A Shape on the Air