Wednesday, December 6, 2017

An apology & a recommendation

Hello, my dear followers and readers!

First of all, I would like to apologize for this so very long absence. The last part of the year is always the toughest, and I was overwhelmed by projects and exams in school, in addition to some health issues I’ve been dealing with, so I practically didn’t have time to read. I do miss it, of course, my to-read pile kept growing before my eyes, but I just couldn’t do it justice for a very long time. But now that I’m free, I’ll be heading on to the next fantasy world as soon as I can. I’m just taking a few days off after the last week of school to catch my breath, have some rest, and disconnect from the hurries and research, and everything that happens when you deliver two or three projects on the same week.

With that said, I would love to introduce you to someone today. As you know (or maybe not), I have a very active presence on Pinterest, and I’m constantly sharing new books and recommendations from all genres, as I would like everyone to be able to find characters, and worlds, and all this stories that speak to them, as it has happened to me so many times, and still does. I do this through my own boards, but mostly, I can get it even further thanks to my friend, the author Josephine Blake.


She let me in her group boards, Clean Romance and What’s EVERYONE reading?, and even when she knows that I never respect the pin limit, because I get a little bit too excited with all the new books I find every day, she still hasn’t kicked me out, which for me, it’s pretty amazing, and practically a hug. 

That is why today I want to introduce you to this wonderful person, through her beautiful work. Josephine Blake is an insanely talented historical fiction and romance writer from Portland, whose first novel, Dianna, appeared on the shelves in 2016, and since then she has written many sweet and clean books that have received an amazing response from the reading community. As a thank you for her generosity, her patience, her writing advice, and overall her great predisposition, I’d love to share with you some of her novels, so you can get to know her, meet her wonderful characters and love stories, and live a unique experience. Don’t forget to visit her as Josephine Blake in Pinterest, and of course, in her blog, A Word From Josephine Blake, where she shares all kind of content, from news about her work, to free samples of her writing, and, of course, you can find her novels, in paperback or Kindle format, available in Amazon, the Book Depository, AbeBooks and Kobo.

Don’t worry, I will list some of the links below, you will be able to access them directly by just clicking on the book title, and voilá! So you know, in the spirit of the next Christmas, a book is always the best present for someone you love (and if you don’t, a deodorant will be just fine – believe me, I know).

With that said, here we go. Great books from a great person!




A pull here. A tug there. Something is calling out to Dianna from a distance. 

While her younger sister begins planning her marriage to the son of a wealthy business man, Dianna discovers a yearning within her soul the likes of which she has never known. Having brushed aside the many suitors presented to her over the course of her adolescence, Dianna refuses to fall quietly into spinsterhood. 

Her cravings for adventure and change overpower her strong sense of logic and she journeys forth to marry a man she knows only from a handful of letters. 

This change is good.This is the life for her. Isn't it?



Charlotte Brittler is content. Unlike her elder sister, Dianna, who headed west in search of a life of adventure, Charlotte thrives in the bustling, overcrowded Manhattan streets. If she could only find a husband, her life would be complete.

When the son of a local oil baron captures Charlotte’s hard-won interest, her most basic instincts come into play, and Charlotte is swept away down a path full of secrets and intrigue, in a twisting game that threatens her very heart. 

Logan Drexel is the son of a professional con man. Nothing more and nothing less. His father has gambled away his grandfather’s company, wasting any funds they bring in on maintaining an appearance of exuberant wealth to the Manhattan society. 
Charlotte Brittler is his only chance. 

Logan knows that if he is to recover his dignity—and his family’s good name—he needs money, and a lot of it. So, he promises himself one more con. One last time, he will seek to deceive someone for monetary gain. If he can marry Charlotte, every debt collector can be safely swept under the rug, and he can escape the clutches of a father that has used him time and time again. 

But Charlotte is not a prize to be won. She’s a furious, flame-driven storm that will stop at nothing to get what she wants, and Logan quickly realizes that the tables have turned. When he set out to steal Charlotte Brittler’s heart, he never banked on losing his own. 



Noelle Brittler’s task is simple. Marry and marry well. 

And yet…. 

Emboldened by the successful marriages of her four elder sisters, Noelle is determined that she will have nothing but perfection in a suitor. She lives her day-to-day life, planning parties, organizing charity events and taking slow, wistful turns around the garden, burdened with dreams of a future that she feels is slipping away from her. 

Kenneth Black is anything but perfect. Destitute from a young age, Kenneth has managed to make a name for himself. His Bakery, La Petite Paradis, is frequented by adverse clientele. He feels that even the wealthiest of lives can be made a little richer with the taste of something sweet. 

When Kenneth rescues a young, attractive woman from a terrifying encounter, he never expects to find himself presented with an invitation to one of the most coveted events of the year— a 50th birthday celebration for the girl’s mother, one Samantha Brittler. 

The Brittlers are notorious amongst the lower class for their wealth and standing. While Thomas Brittler, the owner of Brittler Steel, is a self-made man, just as Kenneth is, Kenneth is under the impression that he would not be welcomed at this event as himself, the lowly town baker. 

Aided by the intoxicating Miss Noelle Brittler, he adopts the character of a well-known architect. Their plan seems to be working well, that is, until certain costly items begin disappearing beneath the noses of the many wealthy guests in attendance. There are cries of theft and everyone is looking for someone to blame… 

As tensions rise and passions come to fruition, the pressure is on to find the thief and clear his name. He can’t have Noelle, but he’d sooner be tossed out on his ear than let her think him a thief.



In 1888 London, Isabel Vanderton is facing down the society gossips with defiance and indifference. As the only child of Marcus Vanderton, she is the rightful heir to the Vanderton fortune, and whomever dares to marry her would inherit the lot, winner take all.

As rumors of her ill-health circulate, Isabel finds herself encountering suitor after suitor, no doubt hoping to win her hand—and her inheritance—before she passes to an early grave. 

An endless wave of greedy suitors is not the only thing Isabel has to contend with. Her legs are failing her, her body is weak, and she is being haunted by a man of such breath-taking beauty that he cannot possibly exist. 

But exist he does. Terrified of slipping into madness, Isabel tries to ignore the pull he has over her mind and her body as she suffers through encounter after encounter with a man no one but she can see.

Death is impatient. 

Since Isabel’s mother died thirteen years ago, he has watched her. He has haunted her for years, and now he has come to claim what is rightfully his. He will have Isabel at any cost.

Determined, Death sets out on a careful game of seduction that threatens Isabel’s very sanity. She will succumb to him, or she will suffer the consequences.

As Isabel bargains desperately for her soul, Jack the Ripper stalks the London streets, endangering everything and everyone Isabel holds dear. 



Clara Cartwright is not beautiful. She is small of stature and childlike in appearance. She is also nearly eighteen years of age. A fact that never fails to amaze the ladies of Firbranch, Montanna, the small town at the base of Mount Blackmore, where her family has lived for as long as Clara can remember. Resigned to the fact that her elder sister, Greta, can catch the eye of any boy she fancies, while Clara herself is often still mistaken as a schoolgirl, she hides from the people of the town. Rarely venturing out for social functions and finding solace in the pages of her many books. Each beautifully bound edition, a gift from her father. 

A tough and intelligent man, Clara’s father, Patrick Cartwright, works as a lapidary, collecting precious gems and selling them to the highest bidder. Although—in Clara’s mind—he is an adventurer. 

He excels at his chosen profession, traveling far and wide across the country, but always home for Christmas. 

Then comes the telegram. From far across the snow-covered Mount Blackmore, Clara’s father has sent word that the mountain pass has been snowed shut. He’s staying with a friend until the pass clears, but he will miss Christmas.  Heartbroken at the news, Clara resolves to do anything she can to help bring her father back home in time for the Holidays. Even if that means enlisting the help of the deplorable local fur-trapper, Charles Donahue.

Charles isn’t interested in guiding persistent little Clara over Mount Blackmore in the dead of winter, but when the stubborn young woman ventures out on her own, he is forced to follow. Reckless, irritating, and sarcastic, Charles can understand why Clara Cartwright has not yet found a husband. She has a spark of defiance and stubbornness that most men would find off-putting. Charles, however, sees it as a challenge. An attractive little challenge indeed.
***

This is just a sneak peek, I promise Josephine has a lot of ther titles, among novels and novellas, that I didn't feature here for a question of spoilers, and space. I really hope you like it, and  give her a chance. If historical fiction and romance are your thing, then Josephine Blake is your author! I promise you will love her! 




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