Anna Fairweather's resolution to delve further into the death of her father is interrupted by a fresh murder investigation. When a dinner party at the home of the attractive Jerome Townson ends in violence, it is up to Anna to get to the truth.But with even her own employer a suspect, will Anna uncover a darker secret than she bargained for, one that could change her life forever?

Death stalks the guests at a seaside resort...

While staying at Brighton with the formidable old Mrs. Montford, Anna Fairweather witnesses a drowning. Suspecting the "accident" is something more sinister, Anna begins a search for the truth - and the killer.

Does a belligerent brother-in-law carry an old grudge? Is the victim's grieving husband a little too quick to move on? With an entire hotel full of suspects, Anna must uncover the secrets, and the motives, the hotel guests and employees are desperate to hide. But with the clock ticking, will Anna get to the bottom of the mystery - or find herself at the bottom of the ocean?

When Anna attends a play at a London theatre, death soon follows. Working together with Jerome Townson, Anna must locate a murderer before time runs out. But even as she searches for the truth, Anna continues to be haunted by secrets from her past. A final revelation might just hold the answer to everything...

A portrait of death...

Anna has barely had time to settle in at the Montford town home in London, when she is drawn down a new path of danger. After she witnesses a stabbing in an alley, it's up to Anna to find the killer - before the killer finds her.

When suspects abound, Anna must delve into the art world and the personal life of the victim, searching for the truth. Will the reintroduction of her employer's attractive nephew, Jerome Townson, complicate matters? And will the stirring of old shadows from her past blind Anna to the dangers of the present?

Anna Fairweather stands on the brink of discovering the answers to questions that have haunted her since childhood. Still, danger looms over her... When Anna, Jerome, and Mrs. Montford journey from London to Venice in search of a missing person, a train conductor turns up dead. Can Anna capture the murderer before they reach their destination?

At a 1921 garden party, murder is on the menu...

The sudden death of her employer sets loyal maid Anna Fairweather on a dangerous quest for justice. Discovering who killed the quarrelsome Colonel will require joining forces with the victim's attractive nephew, Jerome Townson, but is the charming Mr. Townson hiding darker motives than anyone guesses?

A formidable dowager, an incompetent Chief Constable, and a host of greedy relations become obstacles in Anna's search for the truth. Will the head butler and the other inscrutable household servants become her allies? Or will Anna face her ultimate fate - and a ruthless killer - alone?

Sometimes the simplest of choices can have the most devastating of consequences.
Sometimes falling in love can be a curse.
Sometimes being the hard man is the hardest job.

Hungary, 1949. George, Eva and Zoltan. Three people trying to live by the rules within a system that demands total obedience.

George, a rising star of Hungarian football, is told to throw a game. Faced with an impossible dilemma, George has to decide - to risk everything to fulfil his dream or, for the sake of his future, obey the rules.

Eva, reeling from the tragedy of losing her baby, Anastasia, falls in love at a time when love is fraught with danger.

Zoltan works for the secret police where having a heart is a sign of weakness. A torn man trying to suppress the good within him, his job takes him further and further from the things he values most.

Seven years later, in 1956, their destinies collide as Hungary erupts into revolution. Secrets can no longer be hidden as loyalties are pushed to the limit.

Set against the violent backdrop of suppression and revolution, Anastasia is a tale of people caught in the machinations of history, where the choices you make determine your fate. And at the heart of the novel, the unseen presence of Anastasia.

"Characters come alive -- you get into their heads. They are empathetic or cruel and heartless, but always interesting. There is the dark side of human nature as well as its opposite."

"Skilfully developed with a suspenseful plot which keeps the story moving."

"The characters are very human, and the descriptions of these tragic events make for an excellent read."

"Impactful. Heart-wrenching. An important read."

Rupert Colley is the founder, editor and writer of the bestselling 'History In An Hour' series of ebooks and audio, published by HarperCollins.

Historical fiction with heart and drama.

About the Author
Colley, Rupert: - "Rupert Colley was born one Christmas Day, which means, as a child, he lost out on presents. Nonetheless, looking back on it, he lived a childhood with a "silver spoon in my mouth" - brought up in a rambling manor house in the beautiful Devon countryside. It's been downhill ever since. He was a librarian for a long time, a noble profession. Then he started a series called History In An Hour, "history for busy people", which he sold to HarperCollins UK. Rupert now lives in London with his wife, two children and dog (a fluffy cockapoo) and writes historical fiction, mainly 20th century war and misery. Historical fiction with heart."

"...exciting and breathtaking...a triumph of courage and womanhood."  —Readers' Favorite

In 1778, war is men's business. That doesn't stop Anna Stone from getting involved in the fight.

As the wife of a preacher-turned-soldier, a healer, and mother of three, Anna knows her place in this world. She tends to things at home while her husband and brothers fight for liberty. But when her loved ones face starvation at Valley Forge, she refuses to sit idly by.

Armed with life-sustaining supplies, Anna strikes out alone on horseback over 200 miles of rough and dangerous terrain. Despite perilous setbacks along the way, sheer determination carries her toward her destination. When she learns of a plot to overthrow General Washington, her mission becomes more important than ever. With the fate of the American Revolution in her hands and one of the conspirators hot on her trail, Anna races to deliver a message of warning to Valley Forge before it's too late.

Based on events in the life of the author's sixth-great-grandmother.

More Reviews: 

The Historical Fiction Company Book of the Year Contest, Honorable Mention 

"...vivid and authentic detail...Lawson makes all the trials of the American Revolution come alive." —Jodi Daynard, author of The Midwife's Revolt

"This novel is a grand and rollicking revolutionary adventure undertaken by a young mother and brave American patriot." —Historical Novel Society, Editor's Choice Selection

"Ms. Lawson takes us back in time, but also connects the reader and history by showing the same kinds of conflicts affecting people then and today...a remarkably compelling read." —The Historical Fiction Company

Author Bio:

Tracy Lawson's passion for storytelling led her first into the world of dance and educational theater. She now has three nonfiction books and six novels to her credit, and in her latest, Answering Liberty's Call, she blends extensive genealogical and historical research into a page-turning thriller. A Cincinnati native, Tracy splits her time between homes in Ohio and Texas. She and her husband have one grown daughter.

"...elements of magic and mystery abound....Tanner also does an admirable job weaving in politics and mythology of a bygone people. A complex and promising start to a new fantasy series." —Kirkus Reviews 

"History truly comes alive under the pen of author Linnea Tanner, but there’s also plenty of room left for characters to breathe and develop under watchful narration. The plot is stellar: well-thought-out and executed with a great sense of beat and pacing as each moment of both the romance arc and the curse is portrayed. Overall, an un-put-down-able fantasy adventure from start to finish."  —Readers' Favorite

"An engaging historical fantasy, Apollo's Raven by Linnea Tanner is a captivating tale of triangles [and an] epic Celtic tale of magic and a curse.“ —2019 Pencraft Book of the Year Award

A Celtic warrior princess is torn between her forbidden love for the enemy and duty to her people. Award-winning Apollo's Raven sweeps you into an epic Celtic tale of forbidden love, mythological adventure, and political intrigue in Ancient Rome and Britannia. In 24 AD British kings hand-picked by Rome to rule are fighting each other for power. King Amren's former queen, a powerful Druid, has cast a curse that Blood Wolf and the Raven will rise and destroy him. The king's daughter, Catrin, learns to her dismay that she is the Raven and her banished half-brother is Blood Wolf. Trained as a warrior, Catrin must find a way to break the curse, but she is torn between her forbidden love for her father's enemy, Marcellus, and loyalty to her people. She must summon the magic of the Ancient Druids to alter the dark prophecy that threatens the fates of everyone in her kingdom. Will Catrin overcome and eradicate the ancient curse. Will she be able to embrace her forbidden love for Marcellus? Will she cease the war between Blood Wolf and King Amren and save her kingdom?

SCROLL FOR SAMPLE!

 

More Reviews: 

2020 Readers' Favorite Bronze Medal Fiction Magic/Wizardry

2019 PenCraft Best Book of the Year Award

2018 New Apple Book Awards: Official Selection Fantasy

2018 eLit Book Award: Silver Medal Fantasy/Science Fiction

2017 Global Ebooks Award: Bronze Medal Fantasy/Historical

2017 New Apple Book Awards: Official Selection Historical Fiction and Cross Genre

"...a captivating tale of triangles; love, lust and espionage, friend, foe, and spies., barbarians, civilized Rome and spiritual-supernatural beings. The author's knowledge of the mythology and the history of 43 AD Celtic tribes is astounding as she weaves a tapestry of intrigue, a Gordian knot of rivalry and a love story." —Authors Reading (2019 Pencraft Book of the Year Award)

"...a historical fantasy with strong elements of romance, political intrigue, and magic. Many surprising twists enrich the historically drawn plot. Points of view shift between different characters effectively, heightening the tension from one moment to the next." —Historical Novel Society Review

"If you're looking for something entertaining with a fast, action-paced rhythm, Apollo's Raven by Linnea Tanner is a definite must. For a women who is trying to figure out where she belongs in her world, this tale is relatable to other young women in our timeline who are also trying to figure out where they belong." —Literary Titan (Gold Book Award) 

"... a soaring epic that carries its audience on an adventure full of ancient magic, passionate romance, and political intrigue."  —IndieReader (Indie Approved)

"The historical romantic fantasy takes readers to 24 AD to the Southeast Coast of Britannia, blending magic, romance, and politics into a satisfying tale of one determined Celtic woman who must choose between doing her duty and following her heart." —BlueInk Review

"Apollo's Raven is a good introduction to what life was like for the Celtic Brits when the Romans invaded. The plot is intriguing, and the forbidden love angle adds to the punchiness of the story." —Author Luciana Cavallaro

"An unpredictable, spellbinding tale, made so much richer by the historical integrity of the research carried out by the author, Linnea Tanner." —Author Ann Frandi-Coory 

"...an enticing avalanche of one revelation after another....I like to think of this story as a huge metaphor for history rewriting itself through fiction and allowing individuals to take charge of their own destinies."  —OnlineBookClub.org

"a rapturous read that mixes Celtic mythology into a good historical romance." —Foreword Reviews 

  

Author Bio:

Award-winning Author Linnea Tanner weaves Celtic tales of love, magical adventure, and political intrigue into the backdrop of Ancient Rome and Britannia. Since childhood, she has passionately read about ancient civilizations and mythology which held women in higher esteem. Of particular interest are the enigmatic Celts who were reputed as fierce warriors and mystical Druids. 

Depending on the time of day and season of the year, you will find her exploring and researching ancient and medieval history, mythology and archaeology to support her writing. As the author of the Curse of Clansman and Kings series, she has extensively researched and traveled to sites described within each book. 

A native of Colorado, Linnea attended the University of Colorado and earned both her bachelor's and master's degrees in chemistry. She lives in Windsor with her husband and has two children and six grandchildren.

 

Book Excerpt:

Chapter 1: Raven’s Warning

24 AD, Southeast Coast of Britannia

Princess Catrin reined in her horse at the edge of the precipice overlooking the sea below to study the pattern of her raven’s flight, seeking an omen. Her dream of the skull-faced moon, bleeding crimson, still plagued her. It was as if she had glimpsed both into her soul and into the future, yet she did not know how to interpret it.

The Raven, her animal guide, shot like an arrow into the thickening mist that partially obscured the sun. The sudden nip of a cool, salty breeze made her shiver. Longing for the disappearing sun’s warmth, she nestled into her plaid cloak and focused on the bird’s aerial acrobatics, first diving at the sheer cliff, then darting up. This close to the edge, one misstep of her horse could dash them both onto the jagged rocks below. Only her raven, a divine messenger, had the power to overcome such a fall and rise into the heavens to soar with the gods.

The Raven disappeared into the fog. Out of the haze, the red-striped sail of a flat-bottom ship suddenly appeared. Driven mainly by oars, it thrust to and fro in the turbulent water; it was unlike the deep-hulled vessels of seafaring merchants powered by air currents over their sails. At the bow of the ship was a strange looking beam shaped like a bird’s beak.

Catrin’s gaze followed the Raven’s movement beyond the white cliffs, where more striped sails were emerging from the mist. She counted ten, but there might be more. A chill feathered up her spine.

Could these be warships?

From the distance, she could not determine the total number of ships or the country of their origin. She needed to see through her raven’s eyes for that. But to do so, she had to be alone to meld her thoughts with the Raven. Uneasy that her sister, Mor, and their companion, Belinus, might disrupt her connecting to the Raven, she scanned a clump of brambles some distance down the grassy slope where she had left them. A few weeks back, the couple had met at the Beltane’s spring festival and had since become intoxicated with each other.

Catrin was still rankled that Belinus had tricked her into weapons training. His real purpose had come to light the evening before, when he told her to wait on the hillside so he could finish practicing with Mor. A warm blush spread across Catrin’s face as she imagined their legs entangled with each other. Did they think that she was deaf and blind and that she was too dimwitted to understand what they were doing? The king would not think kindly of it if one of his trusted warriors charged with training his daughters for battle was seducing one of them.

Now barely discerning the couple through the thick brush, she surmised they were again fully occupied with each other, leaving ample time for her to take the next step with her raven before they again joined her.

She dismounted and raised her sword, a signal for her raven to return. The large bird swooped toward her like a dark shadow. She lifted an arm on which the bird landed. Its midnight-black plumage contrasted sharply with her fair skin and gold braided hair. On the threshold of womanhood, she felt closer to this creature than to many of her own kind. Still, she hesitated connecting with the bird.

A few years back, she had told her father of her ability to see the present and future through the Raven’s eyes. She desired to be a Druidess. He denied her request to be trained in the spiritual order, saying, “I have decreed that no one in my family can use the powers of the Ancient Druids.”

When she asked why, he responded with a grim frown. “The magic is too unpredictable and often alters in deadly ways. Foresight is not a gift but a curse in our family.”

The king’s answer confounded Catrin, but she dared not defy him openly or get caught when she secretly practiced her new mystical ability that the Raven had shown her.

The Raven first sought me out, she reasoned in favor of using her newly discovered powers. I must heed the Raven’s warning. If I am to assess the danger the ships pose, I need to study them up close.

She had to hurry, though. The fire between her sister and Belinus would soon cool.

Catrin lifted her arm and looked to the Raven, considering her decision. “What do I have to fear from you? I am a Cantiaci warrior.”

The Raven cocked its head and gawked at her, as if ready to answer her question.

She asked, “Did the sun god send me an omen about the warships offshore?”

When the Raven mumbled some gibberish, she tapped its beak. “What does that mean?”

The Raven screeched, bobbing up and down. She smoothed its ruffled feathers. “Do you know why the ships are here?”

The Raven grew still on her arm. She winced, recalling the image of the blood moon in her dream. She asked, “Do they plan to attack?”

The Raven nodded excitedly, as if in response. Encouraged, she asked, “If I saw through your eyes, could I learn who they are and the reason they’re here?”

The creature tilted its head sideways, the signal for her to enter its mind.

She hesitated. “What if Father learns that I've taken this next step? Will he punish me for disobeying him … for ignoring his warning?”

The Raven shrieked and arched its wings. She chuckled. “That is right. He did say to study the enemy before each encounter, but never hesitate in battle. That’s what I’m doing—exactly what my father expects. I’m finding out if enemies are aboard the ships, but to do so, I must see through your eyes.”

Catrin again hesitated. Once before, when she had melded and disconnected from her raven guide, she lost consciousness. It took awhile for her head to clear after that episode. If that happened again, it could spell disaster so close to the precipice.

She stepped away from the cliff ’s edge and stared into the Raven’s eyes, which glowed like amber gems. The bird’s talons emitted a bolt of electric heat into her arm. A light flashed in her mind, and the Raven’s essence permeated her core being. She knew that she had entered the Raven’s prescient mind.

The landscape appeared blurry until she adjusted to the Raven’s eyesight. Brightly colored wildflowers dazzled her with purple hues that she was unable to detect with her human eyes. A thrill rushed through her veins as she sensed the bird’s breast muscles contracting to flap its wings. When the Raven began its thrust into flight, she felt the misty air lift its outstretched wings.

When the Raven soared toward the channel, she could see her human form standing as motionless as a statue on the emerald hilltop clasped to the jagged precipice. The sheer chalk cliffs formed an impenetrable wall against the crashing waves. Beyond the cliffs, there was a sparsely vegetated shoreline toward which several ships were sailing and where other vessels were moored. Armored infantry-men were disembarking, wading to the shore, and marching across the beach. On higher ground, soldiers set up tents in a square encampment. One of the guards had a lion’s head covering his helmet. In his hands was a pole with a silver eagle on top. She assumed it meant powerful animal spirits were guiding them.

A palatial tent in the center of the encampment caught her eye. Its outside walls were made of twined linen sheets, violet and red, brocaded with eagles. Surrounding the central structure were crimson banners, each emblazoned with the sun god in a horse-driven chariot. At the tent’s flapped entrance were two foreign noblemen attired in purple-trim white togas. Another man, towering over the foreigners, wore a rustic toga and plaid breeches—garments that nobles from her kingdom typically dressed in. From the back, he looked familiar, his thick coppery hair draped over his shoulders like a lustrous wolf pelt.

To confirm her suspicions that she knew this tall, brawny man, Catrin directed the Raven to circle around, so she could get a closer look. When the man’s ghostly, disfigured face came into view, her heart wrenched. She recognized her half-brother, Marrock.

Grotesque images of ravens pecking tissue out of his face flashed in her mind. For seven years, she had believed herself safe from him, but there he was—a specter arisen from the cold ashes of her nightmares.

Why has he returned with an army?

A sense of doom crawled all over her when Marrock’s head tilted back, as though he knew her essence was flying overhead. His blue-green eyes began glowing and changed to the same amber-gem color as her raven whenever she harnessed its magical power. The Raven’s muscles suddenly paralyzed, freezing its wings. A strong force pulled her through a crevasse in the Raven’s mind and hurtled her into a tunnel of brilliant gold light.

She plummeted, tumbling out of control, toward a black portal in the center of a rainbow-colored arch.

Chapter 2: Secret Magic

Just before Catrin burst through the portal, she found herself lying on familiar, yellow-flowered grass on the cliffs. Above her, the Raven’s wings disappeared into a gray haze. A shiver of panic as sharp as needles prickled down her back.

Was this what my father meant about the magic being unpredictable?

With the landscape settling around her, she inhaled the briny air and felt her own world again. Still, a burning tingle lingered in her arm as questions barraged her mind.

Did Marrock do this to me? Did he somehow sense I was spying on him by using my raven’s eyesight? Did he put me into another world? Is this the deadly magic my father warned me about—the double-edged blade that others who detect my raven-sight can do me harm?

A woman’s shrill voice startled Catrin. She rolled on her back to find her sister, Mor, looking down at her, the reins of her bay horse in hand. Gusty wind swirled Mor’s ebony tresses around her face, which was etched with concern.

“What happened?” asked Mor. “Your horse was loose. From a distance, I saw a raven on your shoulder as you collapsed.”

“I slipped and fell,” Catrin said, trying to wrap her mind around what had just happened. “Help me up.” She grasped Mor’s extended hand and pulled herself to her feet. Still light-headed, she teetered while brushing the chalk from the cliff stones off her leather chest armor.

“Did that raven do something to you?” Mor asked. “Before you collapsed, you appeared frozen; your arms twisted over each other like broken wings. It was as if you left this world and became some-thing else. A wraith or a soulless corpse comes to mind.”

Catrin glanced around, thinking it odd that Belinus was not with her sister. Assuming he was nearby, she looked beyond Mor, but there was no sign of him.

“Why don’t you answer me?” Mor snapped. “This is the second time I’ve seen this happen to you this week. You know what Father said. You are not to do magic with that raven.”

The image of Marrock with the foreign troops flashed in Catrin’s mind, and she blurted, “I saw warships offshore. Marrock is leading them!”

Mor scanned the ocean channel, now thick with rolling fog. “I don’t see anything.”

Catrin pointed northward. “Look beyond the cliffs.”

Mor shielded her eyes with a hand to search again. A moment later, she gave Catrin a dubious frown. “There is too much fog to see clearly. When did you see Marrock?”

“A bit ago—” Catrin suddenly realized it could have been quite some time since she had been in the Raven’s mind.

Mor gripped Catrin’s arm and pulled her closer. “Did your raven cast a spell on you, and you imagined this? People say your raven makes you mad!”

Catrin bristled. “That is utter nonsense! I only connect to the Raven when I need its help and have complete control over it.”

When Mor’s jaw dropped, Catrin realized she had let her secret slip out. She bit her lower lip, but it was too late to take the words back. Upon further consideration, she didn’t know how to convince Mor of the threat posed by Marrock and the foreign army unless she disclosed her use of forbidden magic. She finally admitted, “When-ever I need help—like … like seeing something in the distance—I can enter the Raven’s mind and see through its eyes.”

“Explain exactly what happens when you see through its eyes,” Mor said. “Do you shape-shift into a raven?”

“My human vision turns off when I switch to the Raven sight. I can see below me when it flies. The Raven also sends me dreams of the future. Last night, I dreamt the moon turned into a bleeding skull. I took this as an omen that our kingdom is in grave danger. When I saw Marrock with foreign soldiers, I confirmed this was true.”

Mor paused, as if trying to absorb what Catrin had just said. “Merchant ships are always sailing near the coastline. How could you even tell they were warships from the distance?”

“Armed soldiers were disembarking from vessels moored on the beach beyond the cliffs—”

Mor interrupted. “Nobody can see that far, even through raven eyes.”

“Let me finish!” Catrin snapped. Mor’s lips clamped into a scowl as Catrin continued. “My raven flew over the bay, where I saw hundreds of soldiers setting up camp on shore. That is where I saw Marrock!”

“I find your tale truly hard to believe,” Mor said, shaking her head.

“I’m not a liar,” Catrin insisted. “We must heed the Raven’s omen. Soldiers would not be with Marrock unless he plans to attack us. We need to warn our father.”

“Warn him of what?”

“Marrock is back with a foreign army!” Catrin declared. “Remember, sister, Marrock swore to slay everyone in our family when Father banished him seven summers ago.”

“You’ve made a bold claim without proof.” Mor exclaimed. “I never saw Marrock with my own eyes and, for that matter, I never saw any warships. What if you’re wrong? You don’t have any evidence that he is plotting to attack our kingdom. Father will be furious when he discovers you used your raven’s magic. Besides, I want to stay here and finish training with Belinus.”

Catrin could feel her face flush with anger. Train with what—his sword? She pointed to herself. “I’ll accept the blame if I’m wrong, which I’m not. We must go back now!”

Mor put her hands on her hips. “I’m not leaving until I see these phantom soldiers and ships with my own eyes.”

Catrin, noticing her sister suddenly glance up, turned and spotted Belinus waving from the adjacent hilltop to signal weapons had been set up for practice. The last thing she wanted was for Mor to persuade him to stay so they could finish their tryst before slinking back home. Mor had lost all sense of propriety with a common warrior.

Of all days to practice, I should be warning Father!

When Mor pulled the reins of the bay and began walking away, Catrin yanked her by the arm to halt her. “What are you doing?”

Mor spun toward Catrin. “Belinus is set to go. I am getting your horse ready, so you can practice spear throwing."

Catrin wagged her head in disbelief. “Didn’t you hear what I just said? We must go now and tell Father what we have seen.”

Mor glared. “I don’t take orders from someone who practices black magic with a raven. You see things nobody else can.”

Catrin ripped the reins from her sister’s fingers. “I don’t care what you think. I’m going. If Father asks me why you are not with me, I will tell him about your little meeting with Belinus.”

“And what do you mean by that?”

Wordlessly, Catrin mounted her bay and stared at her red-faced sister.

“Answer me!” Mor shouted.

Catrin pointed to the spear on the grass. “Hand me that lance.

I’ll tell Belinus about what I saw. You can load up your weapons and join us.”

Mor flung the spear up to Catrin.

Catrin adjusted the weapon and kicked her horse into a gallop. Gale breezes from the channel stung Catrin’s eyes as she drove her horse near the cliff’s edge and up the ridge to where Belinus was waiting. With thoughts running wild about a possible attack by Marrock, she ignored the perils of the precipice and the rocks below. With spear in hand, she clamped her legs against the horse and threw it.

The metal tip pierced the raven’s image on a shield that Belinus was holding. Clad in leather breeches and chain mail, he yelled, “Why did you do that? I wasn’t ready.”

Catrin halted in front of him. “We need to get back! Warships have landed; Marrock is leading them!”

Belinus gave a shocked look. “Marrock? Warships? Where?” Catrin pointed northward. “In the nearby bay.”

Hearing horses approaching, Catrin turned and found her sister riding the black stallion and leading a pack horse.

Mor huffed. “Why didn’t you wait for me? You’re lucky I don’t have to scrape your smashed bones and flesh off the rocks.”

“No time to argue!” Catrin snapped. She ordered Belinus, “See to the weapons. I’ll explain everything to you on our way back to the village.”

Mor blazed at Catrin as Belinus packed the weapons. After he mounted his horse, he told Catrin, “With the coming fog, it may be difficult to see the ships on our way home. Ride with me and tell me more about what you saw.”

Catrin rode with Belinus on the pathway while Mor followed them. As they descended the grassy hilltop, Catrin told Belinus about the warships and Marrock's return. Belinus appeared alarmed, glancing all around. He asked Catrin more questions and suggested they take a closer look at the seashore.

They directed their horses into a darkening forest in the valley. When they rode out of the woods and approached the beach, thick fog was swallowing the ships in the bay and marching out of the haze were soldiers heading their way.

Catrin glanced back at Mor. “See … there is the danger.”

Mor’s shoulders stiffened. “Keep riding.”

Belinus rode ahead and kept his hand on his sword’s pommel. “Follow me. Don’t look scared. These are Romans!” 

Shop the Curse of Clansmen and Kings Series

A chance meeting between the sheltered daughter and the forward-thinking son of rival Victorian families sparks a forbidden romance in USA Today bestselling author Mimi Matthews's fourth book in her acclaimed Somerset Stories series.

Shy and stammering Meg Burton-Smythe has spent the whole of her life living on the fringes of local society. She's more comfortable with her daydreams than she is with people. But when a dashing, golden-haired hero rides to her rescue one morning, she dares to hope that her dreams might finally come true. There's only one problem: her handsome rescuer is the son of her father's sworn enemy.

Ivo Beresford doesn't believe in clinging to the past. Freshly returned from a lengthy grand tour, he's looking to the future, eager to spearhead the building of a new railway extension in Somersetshire. But an unexpected encounter with Meg Burton-Smythe, the isolated only daughter of his parents' oldest foe, sets the past and the future colliding.

Resolved to put ancient grudges to rest-at least where innocent young ladies are concerned-Ivo encourages lonely Meg to embark on a secret friendship. After all, what harm can a friendship do? It isn't as though there's any danger of the two of them falling in love...

"A highly ambitious, engaging, and evocative novel and a hauntingly captivating read." -The Sunday Independent

What happens when a woman is haunted by the sins of her foremothers--and the men who betrayed them?

Facing the birth of her child, and single motherhood, Jo Devereux has spent the last six months in Mucknamore, the small hometown that she ran from twenty years ago, investigating her family's troubled past.

A trunk of letters and diaries left by her grandmother and great- aunt reveals a heartbreaking legacy of bitter secrets - secrets that have haunted the women in her family for four generations.

Now she must find out the ultimate truth Who really killed her great uncle? What secrets and lies lay under her mother's and grandmother's unshakeable silence?

And then there is Rory... her childhood love and the son of her family's sworn enemies. Could Jo's mission to uncover the truth be the key to a possible future together? Or will it be their undoing?

As she pieces together the poisonous fragments of the past, Jo must now face up to what knowing the truth means for her future-- or risk losing everything all over again.

Read this haunting, heartbreaking saga of love, loss, and secrets in a country and a family ravaged by all kinds of intimate war.

About the Author
Ross, Orna: - One of the 100 most influential people in publishing. The Bookseller ORNA ROSS is an award-winning Irish novelist and poet--and an international advocate for independent authors. She writes and publishes a wide range of books: inspirational poetry, literary-historical fiction, and publishing guides. A vegan, mindful runner, daily meditator and f-r-e-e-writer, Orna lives and works in London. When not writing, she runs the global non-profit Alliance of Independent Authors, ALLi (ally with an i) with Philip, her husband and co-director.

Nobility. Garden parties. Luxury. Prestige.
War breaks out. Merry Hall and its male heirs are now at stake.

From the time of William the Conqueror, the Beaumonts have enjoyed the privileges of wealth and position. Their pleasure is to be nothing more than farmers and knights of the realm.

Nevertheless, with the dawn of the twentieth century, a stray artillery shell slays the current baronet and Thomas Beaumont finds himself the new incumbent, but with no farming knowledge, his first instinct is to run. However, the family motto reads: Where there is a will there is a way. Sir Thomas finds his way and by the end of the Great War, the future looks brighter for him and his four young sons. Merry Hall is once again safe.

AND, then another deadly crisis raises its ugly head This time it's not up to Sir Thomas. Can the Beaumont brothers safeguard their legacy and can they honour their ancestors?

If you like fast-paced, action-packed historical novels, then you will love Peter Rimmer's Bend with the Wind, a story that will keep you reading long into the night. It's not your traditional WW2 novel but one filled with business, sex, courage and a family with a determination to win no matter what.

Summer, 1946. When Boston reporter Jerry Canavan is sent down to cover the Newport Bermuda yacht race, the trip feels more like a reunion than an assignment. He stays at the luxurious home of Cam McShane, a classmate from Boston College, and runs into his childhood friend Paul Crump, who is an MP at the U.S. Army base.

For the three young veterans, Bermuda is like a tropical paradise. Cam hangs around the bars at night, socializing with other ex-pats and planning to start a business. Paul patrols downtown Hamilton and dreams of falling in love. With the war finally over, everyone wants to start living again, and the sailboat race is a symbol of the island's future and the return of tourism.

Jerry tries to stay focused on his work until he meets Gabrielle, a beautiful and mysterious French girl who lives next door. But romance isn't his only distraction because before the yachts even cross the finish line, the lives of his friends have started to unravel. Cam's drunken philandering has a much darker side, and Paul's relationship with a local black girl causes a scandal.

As Jerry's time grows short, he learns a shocking truth about Gabrielle's family. Only then does he realize that Bermuda is not all sunshine and Rum Swizzles. People may have flocked there to forget the past, but the war and its consequences are something no one can escape.

Author Bio:

Jonathan Cullen grew up in Boston and attended public schools. After a brief career as a bicycle messenger, he graduated from Boston College with a B.A. in English Literature (1995). During his twenties, he wrote two unpublished novels, taught high-school in Ireland, lived in Mexico, worked as a prison librarian, and spent a month in Kenya, Africa before finally settling down three blocks from where he grew up.

He currently lives in Boston (West Roxbury) with his wife Heidi and daughter Maeve.

His extraordinary debut, Those Across the River, was hailed as "genre-bending Southern horror" (California Literary Review), "graceful and] horrific" (Patricia Briggs). Now Christopher Buehlman invites readers into an even darker age-one of temptation and corruption, of war in heaven, and of hell on earth... And Lucifer said: "Let us rise against Him now in all our numbers, and pull the walls of heaven down..." The year is 1348. Thomas, a disgraced knight, has found a young girl alone in a dead Norman village. An orphan of the Black Death, and an almost unnerving picture of innocence, she tells Thomas that plague is only part of a larger cataclysm-that the fallen angels under Lucifer are rising in a second war on heaven, and that the world of men has fallen behind the lines of conflict. Is it delirium or is it faith? She believes she has seen the angels of God. She believes the righteous dead speak to her in dreams. And now she has convinced the faithless Thomas to shepherd her across a depraved landscape to Avignon. There, she tells Thomas, she will fulfill her mission: to confront the evil that has devastated the earth, and to restore to this betrayed, murderous knight the nobility and hope of salvation he long abandoned. As hell unleashes its wrath, and as the true nature of the girl is revealed, Thomas will find himself on a macabre battleground of angels and demons, saints, and the risen dead, and in the midst of a desperate struggle for nothing less than the soul of man.

Two generations from one family face heartbreak and injustice in this poignant and emotional novel inspired by true events.

Married to her dream man, and with a baby on the way, Dr Mia Sato's life is in perfect order.

When her beloved grandmother has a fall, the photograph clutched in her hand prompts Mia to ask questions her grandmother isn't willing to answer. Then she cries out a confession that rocks Mia to her core and leads her to make a shocking discovery of a past filled with lies, broken families and forced child migration.

Mary Roberts is a poor gutter child living in a council house in 1950's London. When she and her sister are given away to an orphanage by their mother, they could hardly imagine the turn their lives were about to take.

Harry Evans is an orphan who finds himself with Mary and her sister on a ship bound for Australia. To a farm for children, where abuse and neglect are rife. A journey that will change their lives forever, and from which they'll never return.

Based on one of Britain most secret and shameful real-life scandals in which over 100,000 British children were forcibly deported to Canada, South Africa, and Australia over several decades. Lilly Mirren's heartbreaking, captivating and ultimately uplifting tale reminds us that no matter where the journey leads us, our heart will always find its way home to those we love.

For readers of Before We Were Yours and Where the Crawdad Sings.

Author Bio:

Lilly Mirren is a USA Today bestselling author. She lives in Brisbane, Australia with her husband and three children.

She always dreamed of being a writer​ and is now living that dream. When she's not writing, she's taxiing her children to various after school activities, visiting her parents at the beach, or drinking coffee with friends.

Her books combine heartwarming storylines with achingly realistic characters readers can't get enough of.

Death of a 130 year Oligarchy.

Volume 2 in The Dung Beetles of Liberia series.

In April of 1979, Ken Verrier and his wife, Sam, return to Liberia to buy diamonds. They did not return to get caught up in a rice riot and a coup de'etat. But that's what happens. Ken witnesses and unwittingly participates in a period of Liberia's tumultuous yet poorly documented history---the overthrow of the Tolbert presidency and ultimately the end of the Americo-Liberian one hundred thirty-three years of political and social dominance.

Details of President Tolbert's assassination are sketchy, but through Ken's association with his Americo friends from the past, the CIA agents he meets, and the Liberian military he is forced to deal with, a believable scenario emerges.

While describing the once beautiful country and a kind and generous people, Meier intertwines terrifying tales of the atrocities committed that account for the future pain of an entire nation.

About the Author
A retired Aviation Safety Inspector for the FAA, Daniel V. Meier, Jr. has always had a passion for writing. During his college years, he studied history at the University of North Carolina, Wilmington (UNCW) and American Literature at the University of Maryland Graduate School. In 1980 he published an action/thriller with Leisure Books under the pen name of Vince Daniels.

Dan also worked for the Washington Business Journal as a journalist and has been a contributing writer/editor for several aviation magazines. In addition to Blood Before Dawn, he is the author of its prequel, the award-winning novel, The Dung Beetles of Liberia, as well as two other highly acclaimed novels published by BQB Publishing.

BODYGUARD OF DECEPTION: A NOVEL OF SUSPENSE

VOLUME ONE OF THE WORLD WAR TWO TRILOGY

By Samuel Marquis

#1 Denver Post Bestselling, Award-Winning Author

Praise for Bodyguard of Deception

"Bodyguard of Deception grabbed my attention right from the beginning and never let go. The character development is excellent. Samuel Marquis has a knack for using historic details and events to create captivating and fun to read tales."--Roy R. Romer, 39th Governor of Colorado

"Readers looking for an unapologetic historical action book should tear through this volume." -- Kirkus Reviews

"Old-time spy buffs will appreciate the tradecraft and attention to detail, while adventure enthusiasts will enjoy the unique perspective and setting for a WWII story. As Marquis throws in everything but the kitchen sink, he turns this well-told, if byzantine adventure novel into a combination of The Great Escape, Public Enemies, a genuine old-time Western, and a John Le Carr novel."--Blueink Review

"The world hangs in a delicate balance in the heart-pounding World War Two Trilogy opener, Bodyguard of Deception by Samuel Marquis. Put together with an intricate plot to follow and a commitment to realistic detail, there's a lot going for the read...a wonderfully nail-biting experience with good characters and solid intrigue."
--SP Review - Four-Star Review

"As usual, Marquis's descriptions are vivid, believable, and true to the time period...Bodyguard of Deception is an intriguing launch to his new trilogy."--Dr. Wesley Britton, Bookpleasures.com (Crime & Mystery)

"Bodyguard of Deception is a unique and ambitious spy thriller complete with historical figures, exciting action, and a dastardly villain. Fans of prisonbreak plots will enjoy this story of a loyal German struggling to save his homeland."--Foreword Reviews

"A fast-paced, riveting WWII espionage thriller. Bodyguard of Deception is as good as the best of Daniel Silva, Ken Follett, Alan Furst, and David Baldacci and brings back fond memories of the classic movie The Great Escape and Silva's finest novel, The Unlikely Spy."--Fred Taylor, President/Co-Founder Northstar Investment Advisors and Espionage Novel Aficionado

Can the American and British Allies stop a vaunted German spymaster and his U-boat-commander brother from warning Hitler's High Command about the Allies' greatest military secret? It is a secret that could win the war for Germany--or, at the very least, delay the outcome for years with an inestimable cost in bloodshed, physical destruction, and suffering. And it is a secret that the two contentious brothers must grapple with within their own Wehrmacht ranks, as they bring U.S. and British intelligence to their knees on America's doorstep with the clock to D-Day ticking down. From a U-boat on the frigid North Sea to a brutal British interrogation center in heart of London to a remote German-POW camp and the world-famous Broadmoor Hotel overlooking the high plains and snow-dusted mountain peaks of Colorado, Bodyguard of Deception will keep you guessing until the final chapter. The first book of #1 Denver Post Bestselling, Award-Winning Suspense Author Samuel Marquis's World War II Trilogy.

“Through an intricate weaving of characters, Knipfer constructs an engaging story that doesn’t just live on the printed page, but the characters speak to your heart.” —Readers’ Favorite

Set in the early twentieth century, single mother, Petra Livingston, and her young son, Jefferson, have come home to Broken Birch Bay, Minnesota braving the town gossips over her sordid past.

Spurred by contention with her dad, Petra takes a job at a local cafe, working for her independence and meets Don De Muir, who worms his way into her heart-which she swore she'd never give away again.

Thrilled to have her ally and sister, Petra, back home, Honey sets aside her mom's disappointment in her and plans her wedding to a local fisherman, Jeb Spangler, a man with a broken past and a temper. However, as the time draws near, Honey gets cold feel, reevaluating her feelings for Jeb.

Will Petra allow Don past her defenses? Will Honey and Jeb move forward into their future or be derailed by what comes between them? Will it be one of the sisters, a boyfriend, or a parent who lifts their hand to protect another, taking a life in the process?

Told in a split-timeline of prison diary entries and narrative, fans of Christian mystery, Christian historical fiction, and clean romance will relish this unique mystery.

More Reviews:

“Knipfer masterfully weaves a small-town historical drama, peppered with a sharply crafted whodunit, resulting in a rustic and remarkably engaging work of pastoral historical fiction.”  —Self-Publishing Review

”Written in a way that evokes all kinds of emotions. Knipfer does a fabulous job of weaving a story full of suspense, love, tension, and mystery.” —KC Hart, bestselling author of the Katy Cross mystery series

Author Bio:

Jenny Knipfer lives in Wisconsin with her husband, Ken, and their pet Yorkie, Ruby. She is also a mom and loves being a grandma. She enjoys many creative pursuits but finds writing the most fulfilling. 

Shop the Sheltering Trees series

Is gold worth gambling for when death is at stake?

A fragile peace is broken and James Carregan is called to action. All thoughts of finding a suitable wife evaporates. Months later, the Shona rebellion quelled, James finds himself crossing paths with power-hungry Gavin Morgan, the son of his old friend, Rhys.

With an irresistible proposition, James and his new acquaintance leave the Morgandale Estate for Cape Town. Becoming the toast of the town, Gavin hosts a series of bacchanal parties attracting high-ranking British officers and beautiful women alike... Including the scintillating Sonny, James's love interest.

But despite his new-found fame and fortune, Gavin senses a war brewing between the British and Boers. Young Morgan makes plans to deal with both sides... Treason punishable by death if discovered. As tensions mount and fighting breaks out, Gavin and James are forced into a series of lies and deceptions to hide his complicity.

In matters of love and war, fortune favours the brave. But with Sonny waiting in the wings, James must decide if his loyalty to his old friend Rhys justifies betraying his country...

Carregan's Catch is the next chapter in an epic saga immersing readers in British colonial Africa.

"Fantasy fans will take a dive dive in this lavishly detailed story." -Kirkus

Despite the success of their first adventure, Thurmond and his companions, Sarah, Roscoe, and Torgul, are out of money and about to be expelled from their new home at Grimsgard. The only solution-a raid on Castle Sathas, the home of an infamous witch-cult.

To get there, they must undertake a long and perilous overland journey through a wilderness rife with ruthless bandits, voracious wolf packs, and greedy robber-knights. Along the way, their every step is shadowed by an unseen nemesis bent on their destruction.

Beset by treacherous landscapes and deadly enemies, it seems their quest is doomed to fail. And even if they win through, will they survive the ancient evil waiting in Castle Sathas?

Throat-gripping and unpredictable, Castle of the Red Contessa takes the reader on a heroic quest of rousing medieval adventure.

About the Author
MacKenzie, Robert John: - Robert John MacKenzie is an experienced educator with an abiding enthusiasm for medieval history and literature. He has traveled extensively throughout Europe, exploring museums, castles, and battlefields. After living for years in Asia and Europe, he now resides in northern California.

Elizabeth Bennet and Fitzwilliam Darcy come from two different worlds. She loves her country estate existence. He was born for London’s high society. If his aunts have anything to say about it (and they always do), Darcy’s future depends on finding a bride with connections to the nobility. 

Can Darcy and Elizabeth overcome their families, fears, and the constant berating of London’s gossipmongers to follow their hearts?

Author Bio:

E.M. Storm-Smith is a mother, wife, attorney, former engineer, and literature lover. A lifelong obsession for books drove her to create stories of her own. Several years into the journey of writing about characters she loved, E.M. decided to take her passions to the world and see what happened.

When she’s not writing, E.M. is spending her time reading others’ books—preferably somewhere with lots of sunshine—traveling, and cooking things.

She dreams of marrying a nobleman. Too bad he's only pretending to be one.

Cecilia Cosgrove's beauty opens doors and hearts everywhere she goes. With a marquess courting her, the status and wealth her family is counting on her to obtain is finally within her reach-until she meets Jacques Levesque, the French nobleman who immediately pegs her as affected and superficial. While piqued and offended, Cecilia secretly begins to wonder whether he might not have a point.

Poor French migr Jacques Levesque has been disguised as a French nobleman for almost as long as he can remember, trying his hardest to keep his head down in a society obsessed with rank and high birth. But when Cecilia Cosgrove comes into his life, he finds it hard to maintain his fa ade-or to want to.

While Cecilia struggles between the desire to please others and the wish to pursue her own course, Jacques's interest in her provokes a powerful enemy intent on taking him down. With love, acceptance, and the future on the line for them both, Cecilia and Jacques must decide whether a life lived behind a mask is any life at all.

“Colonial America comes to vivid life in this nuanced, engaging historical novel.” —BookLife

Great for fans of Willa Cather and Amy Belding Brown’s Flight of the Sparrow.

Inspired by a shocking incident in eighteenth century America, award-winning and internationally acclaimed Chateau Laux is the story of Lawrence Kraymer, a young entrepreneur from a youthful Philadelphia, who chances upon a French aristocrat and his family living on the edge of the frontier. 

Born to an unwed mother and raised by a disapproving and judgmental grandfather, Lawrence is drawn to the close-knit family. As part of his courtship of one of the patriarch's daughters, he builds a château, igniting memories of a past that should have been left alone and setting in motion a course of devastating events he could not have anticipated. 

More Reviews:

2021 IAN Book of the Year Awards, Gold Medal for Outstanding Historical Fiction
2021 Coffee Pot Book Club Book of the Year Award, Gold Medal for Historical Fiction Set in America
2021 Historical Fiction Company Awards, Silver Medal for Historical American Fiction
2021 Readers' Favorite Book Award Winner, Bronze Medal for Historical Event/Era Fiction
2021 American Book Fest’s Best Book Awards, Finalist for Cross-Genre Fiction
2021 B.R.A.G. Medallion Honoree

“A haunting, eloquent, and engaging historical drama." —Kirkus

“This beautiful piece of storytelling set in colonial times that will forever touch a reader's heart and soul…. The writing in Chateau Laux is excellent, but what is most remarkable is the storytelling…. It is a miracle of sorts, that the world is given such a beautiful work.” —Mark Zvonkovic, author of A Lion in the Grass

“…a bittersweet story of tragedy, found family, and reconciliation…an engrossing novel set during colonial times.” —Foreword Reviews

“Loved it!…. I recommend this book for fans of early American history and its connection to France.” —Jessica Lucci, award-winning author of the Watch City trilogy; Reedsy discovery

“…it is not just a novel that Loux has penned, but a masterpiece, a rose among thorns, a chateau among farmhouses. With such a keen sense of human life and emotion, David Loux brings to life a story that threatens to mesmerise with scenes of pure, unrestrained delight and scenes that will pull at your heartstrings and have you reaching for the tissues.” —The Coffee Pot Book Club

“…a brilliant portrayal of ambition, tragedy, and reconciliation...[an] engaging historical masterpiece…inspired by real events…. The plot was unpredictable and shocking…. Poignantly written, Chateau Laux effortlessly blends history and culture with recurring concepts of good and evil.” —Onlinebookclub.org

“…a timeless, entrancing, compelling and elegant work of art.” —Historical Fiction Press  

“A nascent nation, in all its moral complexities, is apprehended through the lives of members of an isolated middle colonies community on the edge of the frontier in this moving and important historical novel.” —MaryEllen Beveridge, author of After the Hunger: Stories

“Readers seeking an absorbing historical novel of transformation, tragedy, rebirth, and renewed relationships set against the backdrop of 1700s frontier America will find Chateau Laux a gripping story of love, loss, and survival that's made even stronger for its roots in real events. It's a riveting read that requires no prior familiarity with eighteenth century history in order to prove compelling.” —Midwest Book Review

“Chateau Laux portrays its historical settings and characters with skill and excellence. The story is well-developed and all its elements are skillfully achieved. I highly recommend it.” —Edith Wairimu, Readers' Favorite

“Chateau Laux is a sweeping historical novel that transports the reader to the height of religious oppression and bigotry in Europe in the eighteenth century and across the seas to the burgeoning, seeming freedom of the New World: the bustling colony of Philadelphia... I thoroughly enjoyed Chateau Laux and can highly recommend it.” —Grant Leishman, Readers' Favorite

“…a dramatic story fraught with intense suspense. Based on actual people and events, this gripping novel held me on the edge of my seat from the first page until the last…. Caught up in the stunning story, I couldn't put the book down for anything, not even dinner. It is an extraordinary book, and I recommend it to everyone who loves stories filled with action, drama, and love.” —Susan Sewell, Readers' Favorite

“If you're itching for a well-written historical fiction novel based on real events, Chataeu Laux is the book for you.” —Pikasho Deka, Readers' Favorite

“…a thought-provoking historical novel that everyone will love. It bordered on love, grief, betrayal, loyalty, compassion, survival, and guts. The plot was brilliant and refreshing, while the story was unusual yet unique…. I loved this novel, and the flawless editing influenced my beautiful reading experience.” —Jennifer Ibiam, Readers' Favorite

Author Bio:

David Loux is a short story writer who has published under pseudonym and served as past board member of California Poets in the Schools. Chateau Laux is his first novel. He lives in the Eastern Sierra with his wife, Lynn.

“Charming, heartwarming...whimsical and pleasingly old-fashioned throughout.” —Kirkus 

Christmastime 1939 introduces the reader to the Christmastime series. Set in Brooklyn, we meet the young widow Lillian Hapsey and her two sons, Tommy and Gabriel. Even though the Christmas season is just around the corner, Lillian has no Christmas spirit. Alone, unhappy with her job, and plagued by financial concerns, Christmas has become a burden to her.

Overshadowing everything is the war in Europe. Despite the setbacks, Lillian is determined to give her sons a happy Christmas. Can she rekindle her girlhood love for the holiday season? Rediscovering her touchstone just might be the key to unlocking the excitement and magic of Christmas.  

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Author Bio: 

Linda Mahkovec is the author of World War II historical fiction, short stories, and contemporary novels.

Themes of love, family, and home dominate her stories, and though they may be set against the backdrop of war or deal with the disappointments in life, the overarching feel is uplifting and hopeful. Threads that run through her work are the search for beauty and meaning, and the artistic female character—whether she is a painter, a gardener, or simply someone who lives creatively and seeks connection.

Mahkovec was born and raised in a small town in Illinois. She then spent several years in the San Francisco Bay area and Seattle, and for the past thirty years has lived in New York City. She has a PhD in English, specializing in Victorian literature. She has previously published as Agnes Irene.

Book Excerpt:

Home. Almost a week since Lillian Hapsey returned from her sister’s house upstate, and things were exactly the same. The inspiration or revelation or solution she had hoped for hadn’t happened. She hadn’t thought her plans through. Instead, she had trusted that everything would fall into place, and now here it was—Christmas was almost upon her, and she had no Christmas spirit at all.

She let Tommy and Gabriel splash in the bathtub a little longer than usual. It gave her a chance to sort her thoughts, and to enjoy the hot water bottle on her lower back without the boys asking too many questions. She rested her feet on the small embroidered footstool and rubbed her legs.

A pile of clothing to be mended sat next to her, but she had no desire to get started on it. She frowned at her fatigue—it can’t have anything to do with age, surely, she told herself. Thirty-four isn’t exactly old. It must be the extra hours I’ve been putting in at work.

The small sketchbook she carried with her everywhere lay open on her lap. She paged through the drawings she had made from the visit to her sister’s—rows of trees in the orchard with a few old apples and leaves clinging to the branches, her sister Annette knitting by the fireplace, a swing that hung from an old oak tree, another of Annette kissing her sleeping baby. Lillian’s face softened at the memories. It had been a good trip.

She moved the hot water bottle to her lap and savored the stillness of the moment—a contrast to the busy week. It had begun with the train ride home from upstate, then back to her routine of scheduling babysitters for Tommy and Gabriel, and keeping up with her work at the department store. Now that Thanksgiving was behind them, the Christmas season had begun in earnest.

She leaned her head back against the couch and closed her eyes, wondering how she would muster up the energy and enthusiasm to get her through the season. The radiator rattled and whistled with coming steam. A soothing warmth began to fill the living room, chasing the cold away. She sank deeper into the couch, giving in to her weariness. The hissing and shshing of the radiator grew louder and louder, accompanied by the gurgling in the pipes. A peaceful oblivion overtook her.

After several minutes, the radiator sounds lowered to a sputter. Then a whisper. Then a soft, warm silence filled the small room. Broken by sounds of laughter and splashing from the boys.

Lillian opened her eyes and realized that she had dozed off. That won’t do, she thought.

She sat up straight and looked about her. She couldn’t help but compare her tiny Brooklyn apartment to her sister’s rambling old house on the orchard with a lovely view out of every window—the flower beds and vegetable garden in the back that still showed a bit of color, the charming old cider house, the country road leading into town. From the upstairs bedroom window, the view was like stepping into a painting—softly undulating farmland dotted with red barns and white farmhouses, the orchard stretching out to the west, and in the distance, patches of woods and a small stream that sparkled in the sunlight.

And the sunsets! The golden light over the orchard swelled her heart each time she saw it. She often ran upstairs as the day was fading in order to catch it, making excuses as she suddenly left the room. “Just getting something from upstairs,” or “I think I’ll fetch my sweater.” Not that she had to hide anything, she simply wanted those few minutes all to herself, to better take in the powerful stirring of beauty and longing. It was a reminder of girlhood dreams and all the things she was going to do with her life. She and Annette were raised in a town not far from the orchard and being upstate always plunged her into the past when she was young and full of dreams, before she and Annette had married and moved away.

Lillian shook away her thoughts and lifted a few items from the pile of clothes—three pairs of trousers, a few dresses, and a skirt.

“Tommy, Gabriel! Time to finish up!” 

She threaded a needle and draped the first pair of trousers over her lap. Mrs. Harrison from the dry cleaner down the street was kind enough to throw a little business her way. It wasn’t much, but it helped to supplement her earnings from the department store.

She pushed the needle through the woolen hem, trying to recapture the glimmer of Christmas excitement she had felt up at her sister’s. A few days after Thanksgiving, Annette had begun to unpack some of her decorations. The children had caught her enthusiasm as they pulled out garlands and the crèche set and red ribbons.

Lillian smiled in memory of the afternoon they sat at the kitchen table with the children and prepared sliced oranges to dry for ornaments, and made clove and orange pomander balls. The scent of fresh citrus and cloves filled the kitchen while the kids sang Christmas songs and laughed when they made up the words they couldn’t remember. And the evening when they sat in front of the fire, the kids sprawled on the floor, cutting pictures out of the catalogs—until Annette’s husband, Bernie, sent them all running and squealing when he crawled into the room growling and pawing like a bear.

Her smile deepened at the memory of rocking Annette’s youngest, five-month-old Abigail. Was there any greater sweetness than holding a baby as it smiled up at you and kicked its legs and shook its tiny fists in joy?

She set her sewing down. Is that what was making her sad? Knowing that she would never have another child? Or was it the nostalgia of being at Annette’s? Or was she just tired?

Spending Thanksgiving this year with Annette and Bernie, rather than Christmas as she usually did, had seemed like a good idea at the time. But now Lillian felt a stab of dread at the mere thought of facing the Christmas holiday alone.

No need to fear Christmas, she thought, picking up her sewing again. She would simply follow Annette’s advice, and start with their mother’s Christmas recipes. That would put her in the holiday spirit. And then hang the stockings, and get a tree, and…

She glanced over at the time.

“Hurry up boys! Your show will be on soon.”

The bathtub was soon gurgling as the plug was pulled and the water drained. She heard Tommy and Gabriel opening and shutting drawers as they pulled out their pajamas.

“Don’t forget to brush your teeth!”

Lillian cast another glance at the living room. There wasn’t a single sign of Christmas. She would have to get started.

Oddly enough, it would be their first Christmas together in Brooklyn. They had always celebrated the holiday upstate. Especially after Tom died, Annette had insisted that Lillian and the boys spend Christmas with her and Bernie and their growing family. With Tommy eight years old now, and Gabriel five, all their Christmas memories were from the orchard.

Lillian set her sewing down and brought the hot water bottle to the kitchen. This would be an important Christmas, and instead of preparing for it, she had spent these past few days filled with worry—missing Annette, hoping the landlord wouldn’t raise the rent, and fretting about the new manager at work, Mr. Hinkley. He had never liked her, and when Mrs. Klein finally retired and he was promoted, he made his feelings abundantly clear. He still resented the older manager’s preference for Lillian.

No need to ruin her evening thinking about him, she thought, sitting back down. The trip to Annette’s was supposed to be a prelude to Christmas. But Lillian felt no surge of excitement. She wasn’t in the mood for Christmas and would be glad when it was over. Everything felt wrong.

And of course, underlying everything, was the dark shadow cast by the war in Europe. The news reports grew more frightening with each passing day. She had believed that war would be averted. That Hitler would be appeased. But when he invaded Poland in the fall, England and France had declared war. Where would it all end?

She stared out and worried about a world controlled by Nazis and Fascists. Worried that the U.S. would be pulled into the war—or worse, that they would be attacked by Nazis. First bombed, then invaded, then…

"A charming, heartwarming tale of two people looking for a second chance at love and family. [Mahkovec] remarkably conveys Droom's transformation, [and] readers will enjoy the novel's detailed imagery, which has a whimsical and pleasingly old-fashioned quality throughout." —Kirkus Reviews

Set in New York City against the backdrop of impending war, Christmastime 1940 tells the story of an unlikely romance between a struggling young mother trying to make a fresh start and a man who has lost his connection to humanity.

The curmudgeonly Charles Drooms is perfectly content with his life as the owner of a successful accounting firm. However, when the beautiful widow, Lillian Hapsey, and her two young sons move down the hall from him, his narrow world is shaken. Three forces—Lillian, the Christmas season, and a mysterious little boy—converge to stir up powerful memories, pushing Drooms to make some life-altering decisions.

Author Bio: 

Linda Mahkovec is the author of World War II historical fiction, short stories, and contemporary novels.

Themes of love, family, and home dominate her stories, and though they may be set against the backdrop of war or deal with the disappointments in life, the overarching feel is uplifting and hopeful. Threads that run through her work are the search for beauty and meaning, and the artistic female character—whether she is a painter, a gardener, or simply someone who lives creatively and seeks connection.

Mahkovec was born and raised in a small town in Illinois. She then spent several years in the San Francisco Bay area and Seattle, and for the past thirty years has lived in New York City. She has a PhD in English, specializing in Victorian literature. She has previously published as Agnes Irene.

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