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Review – Queen’s Gambit by Elizabeth Fremantle

Reviewed by Jennifer Joyce

It’s 1543 and Katherine Parr is widowed for the second time when her aging husband passes away after a long and agonising illness. Katherine and her 17 year old stepdaughter, Meg are called to court to visit Lady Mary. Still only 31, Katherine catches the eye of the king, who is seeking a new wife following the execution of Catherine Howard. Katherine doesn’t want to marry the king but has little choice in the matter, particularly as her ambitious brother urges her to become the next Queen of England, propelling the whole Parr family up the hierarchy.

Katherine finds herself becoming the sixth queen of Henry VIII, bringing timid Meg and their maid, Dot to court with her. The following years are spent dodging the king’s foul temper, hiding her disgust as she tries to provide another son for the king and attempting to keep in Henry’s favour as those around him conspire against her.

I quickly engaged with the characters within Queen’s Gambit and felt Katherine’s despair as Henry set his sights on her. Soon after her second husband’s death, Katherine meets Thomas Seymour and falls in love with him, however she isn’t permitted to marry for love. The king wants to marry Katherine and he always gets what he wants. I couldn’t imagine what it must have felt like to be so powerless, to have your life mapped out for you without any say in the matter. Religion and politics take over Katherine’s life and her marriage to Henry, and at times I feared what would happen to her (although from history, I partly knew) and her allies.

Review - Lord of Darkness by Elizabeth Hoyt

Reviewed by Jennifer Joyce

Megs and Godric married two years ago, but out of convenience rather than love and haven’t seen one another since their wedding day. Godric remained in London while Megs moved to Godric’s Cheshire estate. However, Megs is unexpectedly back in London, determined to carry out two tasks: find the murderer of her lover and true love, Roger and consummate her marriage to Godric in order to have a baby.

While Megs is still grieving for Roger, Godric is also consumed with grief for his first wife, Clara. While Godric went along with the wedding to Megs, he never planned on having a new wife in anything but name. He doesn’t want a wife on a day to day basis and he certainly doesn’t want to betray Clara by having one in his bed. Godric has been living a solitary life for the past two years so he isn’t pleased when Megs turns up, along with her Great-Aunt Elvina, Godric’s sister, Sarah and an array of staff to run Godric’s dusty old house. As well as disrupting his house, Megs’ arrival threatens to unveil Godric’s secret. For years, Godric has been leading a double life. During the day he is simply Godric St John, but at night he becomes the Ghost of St Giles, a masked avenger protecting the most violent streets of 1740’s London. Part of the reason Megs has travelled to London is to unmask the Ghost of St Giles and kill him because rumour has it that it was the Ghost who murdered her beloved Roger.

Review - Out of Sight Out of Mind by Evonne Wareham

Reviewed by Jennifer Joyce

Dr Madison Albi is on her way home from a work function when she finds a homeless man in an alley. Scared, the homeless man tries to attack Madison but he ends up unconscious on the floor. The man is injured and badly malnourished and Madison cannot leave him alone in the cold, dark alley, especially when she feels a connection to him. Madison is a scientist but she’s no ordinary scientist; she can read minds and the energy she feels while in the homeless man’s presence is more powerful than she’s ever experienced.

Upon waking, the homeless man reveals he has amnesia and can’t even remember his own name or how he ended up on the streets. Madison offers to help him recover his memory using her powers but neither of them is prepared for what lays hidden in his mind.

It took me a little while to get into the book, however my attention was grabbed as soon as Alec and Vic were introduced. The two men not only know all about the homeless man (who becomes known as Jay) and his memory loss but they know all about Madison and her powers too. Alec and Vic are made out to be the bad guys but there are so many twists and turns throughout the book that you don’t know who you can and can’t trust until the end.

Review - The Death Of Bees by Lisa O’Donnell

Reviewed by Jennifer Joyce

15-year-old Marnie and her 12-year-old sister, Nelly haven’t had a conventional upbringing having parents who are more interested in stuffing themselves with drink and drugs than filling the kitchen cupboards with food. Neglectful and abusive, Izzy and Gene aren’t mourned when they die. Marnie’s only worry is that she and Nelly will be taken into care and separated so the girls keep quiet about their parents’ death and bury them in the back garden.

Elderly neighbour Lennie is known as the local pervert so Marnie is reluctant to trust him when he shows concern for their welfare, assuming their parents have abandoned them. He offers food and love to the girls, but Marnie isn’t sure how long their secret can remain hidden, especially as Lennie’s dog is determined to dig up the bodies.

I wasn’t sure what to make of The Death Of Bees to begin with. Marnie, due to her upbringing, is a wayward teen, which shows in the tone of the book, but I soon grew used to her and, within a matter of pages, I was drawn into her story. The book is told from three perspectives; Marnie’s, Nelly’s and Lennie’s. All three are troubled by their pasts, but I liked how they came together and formed a grandfather/granddaughter bond quite quickly. Lennie needs somebody to care for while the girls crave a figure of authority to step in and guide them, taking care of them after so many years of neglect.

Review - The Good Life by Susan Kietzman

Reviewed by Jennifer Joyce

Ann Barons thinks she has the perfect life. The envy of the neighbourhood, Ann is glamorous and married to successful and handsome businessman Mike. Along with their teenage children, Ann and Mike live in a large, luxurious house and never have to worry about money. Ann spends her days working out at the gym, meeting friends for lunch and shopping. However, one phone call from her mother threatens to shatter Ann’s idyllic lifestyle.

 

Eileen has been struggling as her husband’s dementia deteriorates, but she has organised accommodation for them both at Meadowbrook, an assisted-living community. The only problem is Eileen and Sam need to wait a few months before they can move in and, as Eileen can no longer cope with Sam alone, she asks Ann if they can move in with her and the family temporarily. Ann doesn’t want the disruption of having them but agrees, putting them up in the guest house. Ann soon resents their presence as she finds it difficult to face what the illness is doing to her father, and her mother’s skills in the home only highlight Ann’s failings.

 

Review - The Forbidden Queen by Anne O’Brien

Reviewed by Jennifer Joyce

Despite being a princess, the daughter of French king Charles VI, Katherine de Valois grew up impoverished, squabbling with older sister Michelle over stale loaves of bread. At the age of five, Katherine is sent to live in a convent where is fed and clothed, but starved of love and affection. When the English king Henry V agrees to marry Katherine, she naively thinks the union will bring her the happiness and love she craves. However, for Henry, the move is purely political, the marriage creating a claim for the French throne, especially if Katherine produces a son and heir.

The marriage is not the happy ending Katherine hoped it would be as she finds herself in a foreign country with her new husband away in battle, leaving a pregnant Katherine alone and at the mercy of her gossiping ladies. But Katherine’s tale is far from over and only really begins after the death of Henry. Katherine feels she should be free to find love – true, reciprocal love – but, as the former Queen of England and mother to the heir, strict laws are imposed to prevent the queen from marrying again. Katherine refuses to live the rest of her life locked away in widowhood and is determined to defy those in power to finally find happiness and comfort.

Before reading The Forbidden Queen I had little knowledge of the time period and none at all of Katherine or the French Valois line, so I wasn’t sure how I would find the book. My doubts were soon put at ease and I quickly became enveloped in Katherine’s story. Told from Katherine’s point of view, it was easy to slip into her world and I immediately felt connected to her, feeling sympathy for how she was brought up in loveless poverty, forgotten about as her parents enjoyed the luxury royalty afforded them. I sometimes wished Katherine would pull herself together as she hankered after a happy marriage with Henry, something that clearly wasn’t going to happen. She was naïve in the beginning, but she grew stronger as the years passed, fighting for the life she wanted and deserved.

At over 600 pages, The Forbidden Queen is quite a hefty book, however I flew through it surprisingly quickly. It did dip a little in the middle for me, but it soon picked up and my interest was piqued once again. There are a lot of pages that focus on one character and Katherine has plenty of story to tell, both dramatic and heartfelt. I didn’t know anything about Katherine de Valois prior to reading The Forbidden Queen, but I enjoyed her story and would now love to learn more.

8/10
 
Anne O’Brien’s Website

Review – Rapture by J R Ward

Reviewed by Jennifer Joyce

Mels Carmichael is driving home from work one evening when she is involved in a car accident, running into a man who seems to appear from nowhere. Suffering from minor injuries, Mels is taken to hospital, where she tracks the man down.

Matthias is suffering in the depths of Hell when he finds himself alive and back on Earth, naked and in a cemetery. He’s hit by a car and when he wakes up in hospital, he can’t remember a thing from his past. Matthias asks reporter Mels to help him recover his memory and as the details of his past begin to trickle back into his mind, an attraction begins to grow between them. But Matthias’ past isn’t a pleasant one and is about to catch up with him as an attempt is made on his life. And whoever wants Matthias dead won’t give up until they succeed.

Rapture is a story of good vs evil as angel Jim Heron and demon Devina battle for Matthias’ soul. The book is full of action and passion, but I was left puzzled a lot of the time. Rapture is the fourth book of a series and, as I haven’t read the previous books, I felt like I was missing a piece of the puzzle. Things did become a little clearer as the book went on but I never felt fully up to speed, not even as I reached the end.

Review - His Dark Lady by Victoria Lamb

Reviewed by Jennifer Joyce

Lucy Morgan is one of Queen Elizabeth I’s ladies, favoured in court for her singing. Lucy has been at court since she was in her teens, but her place is put in jeopardy upon the arrival of William Shakespeare. Lucy and Will knew one another when they were younger, before Lucy arrived at court and when Will was just a boy. But Will is a man now, a man full of passion and desire aimed at Lucy. Lucy finds herself attracted to Will, but she must resist his charms for fear of upsetting the queen and finding herself dismissed from court.

Reigning over England isn’t an easy task for Elizabeth, battling with her Privy Council over the execution of her cousin, Mary Stewart, while dodging assassination attempts and dealing with her ailing health. To make matters worse, her beloved Robert Dudley, the only man she has ever truly loved, has married another woman in secret and without seeking her permission.

Plots to assassinate Elizabeth and place her catholic cousin Mary on the throne are rife, but the queen has many spies to intercept plans and infiltrate known groups of traitors. One such spy is Goodluck, guardian and protector of Lucy Morgan. When Goodluck accepts his latest mission, he risks his own life and unwittingly puts those he loves in the path of danger.

Review - The Specimen by Martha Lea

Reviewed by Jennifer Joyce

It’s 1859 and Gwen Carrick is painting on the Cornish beach near her home when she meets Edward Scales. Gwen lives with her sister Euphemia, a spiritualist who holds séances in their home on a regular basis. Gwen isn’t a fan of the séances and finds her oddly behaved sister hard work, so when Edward offers to take her away from England and Euphemia, she accepts.

Fast forward seven years, Edward has been murdered in his own home and Gwen is being accused of the crime.

The Specimen switches between Gwen and Edward’s adventures and the newspaper reports of the murder trial. How did the couple go from passionate meetings to Gwen being accused of his murder?

On the surface, The Specimen seems like an intriguing read, but I’m afraid it failed to grab me in any way. Gwen and Edward are supposed to be conducting a passionate affair, but I didn’t feel much of a connection or heat between the pair and Gwen had more feelings of disdain towards Edward than love. I never warmed to any of the characters in the book and I found myself feeling more and more confused as the story moved along.

6/10

Martha Lea's Author Page

Review - One Good Earl Deserves A Lover - Sarah MacLean

Reviewed by Jennifer Joyce

Lady Philippa Marbury – or Pippa as she prefers to be called – is about to be married to an Earl, a convenient match of equals rather than the result of passion or love. Her betrothed is a good man, even if he is a little dull and doesn’t seem very interested in his bride-to-be. Pippa has little reservation about marrying him, her only concern is the mechanics of marriage. Pippa is a woman of science and she knows the basics of sex and procreation through reading books, but she is determined to learn the more intricate details before she makes her vows.

Cross is the owner of a London casino and is used to dealing with gamblers and prostitutes, so it’s a shock when Lady Philippa arrives in his office asking for his help. Pippa has always been viewed as the odd member of the Marbury family, more interested in her plants and science than attending tea with the other ladies. Cross doesn’t find her odd, he finds Pippa fascinating – as well as frustrating. When Pippa asks for his assistance in widening her knowledge of sex, Cross cannot possibly comply. But as well as being odd, Pippa is also a very determined young woman and will stop at nothing to get her own way.

Review - The Midwife of Hope River by Patricia Harman

Reviewed by Jennifer Joyce

Though only in her mid thirties, Patience Murphy has endured enough drama to span several lifetimes. Originally named Elizabeth Snyder, Patience has changed her name and hidden her past to protect herself. Her mentor and best friend, Mrs Kelly, has died and now Patience is alone, working as a midwife in Liberty, a small town in West Virginia, and the surrounding area. Nobody knows about her past and Patience, wanting to keep her old alias buried, doesn’t allow herself to become close to anybody and lives in constant fear that she will be found out. Mrs Kelly was Patience’s only friend for a long time and so Patience puts up Bitsy Proudfoot when her employer can no longer afford to keep her on. She teaches young Bitsy about midwifery while Bitsy teaches Patience about gardening, hunting and fishing. Soon the two women form a bond and a strong relationship.

Set in 1929/30, just after the Wall St crash and the ensuing Depression, Patience struggles through poverty as she helps the women around her deliver their babies. Many cannot afford to pay Patience for her services, but she doesn’t turn any of them away.

Review - On Dublin Street by Samantha Young

Reviewed by Jennifer Joyce

Jocelyn had a traumatic childhood, growing up in foster care after the death of her parents. Once she turned 18, Jocelyn made a fresh start, moving from Virginia, US to Scotland. Never getting over the tragic death of her parents, Jocelyn keeps everybody at arm’s length and she doesn’t even confide in her best friend, Rhian. When Rhian moves away to London, Jocelyn is left without a flatmate so she begins searching for somewhere new to live, instantly falling in love with a luxurious flat on Dublin Street.

Jocelyn becomes close to Ellie, the other occupant of the flat, and even closer to Ellie’s brother. Braden is a strong, passionate man, wealthy and successful and used to getting what he wants. And he wants Jocelyn. But Jocelyn isn’t interested in forming relationships as she is too scared of losing somebody else. So Braden suggests an arrangement; no strings sex without any complicated feelings getting in the way. Jocelyn is attracted to Braden and so agrees, but the arrangement doesn’t work out quite as simply as planned. Jocelyn starts to feel more and more attracted to Braden and her past worms its way to the surface. Jocelyn must choose between protecting her heart from yet more pain, or putting her trust in Braden and risk being hurt again.

Review – Easy by Tammara Webber

Reviewed by Jennifer Joyce 

Jacqueline’s life is in turmoil when her boyfriend dumps her. Together for three years, Jacqueline followed Kennedy to his choice of college, a decision she now regrets. As well as losing Kennedy, Jacqueline has also lost the majority of her friends as they side with her ex and all but ignore her. And Jacqueline’s situation is made worse when she is attacked on her way home from a party. The assailant is a friend of Kennedy’s and Jacqueline has no means of escape until fellow student Lucas comes to her rescue. Jacqueline has never met Lucas before, but she is grateful for his help. She feels safe in Lucas’ company and, for the first time in three years, she is attracted to someone other than Kennedy.

Jacqueline finds it difficult to be around Kennedy so she misses a couple of weeks of the economics class they share, missing an important test. Jacqueline fears she is about to fail a class for the first time ever, but is fortunate when her professor is lenient and gives Jacqueline the chance to catch up, suggesting she contact tutor Landon Maxfield. Jacqueline and Landon begin to exchange emails and the tone quickly turns flirty. Jacqueline thought she would always be with her high school boyfriend and was devastated when the relationship ended, but her heart begins to heal with surprising swiftness. Jacqueline finds herself attracted to two men – one who is cool and detached, but also her saviour, and a man she has never met in person. But Jacqueline can’t concentrate on her love life completely as her attacker looms, still taunting her and unsettling her.

Review - Reason To Breathe by Rebecca Donovan

Reviewed by Jennifer Joyce

Emma isn’t a typical sixteen year old, she doesn’t hang out with friends, shopping and gossiping, nor does she date boys or go to parties. Emma studies hard, pushing herself more and more, and excels at sport because this is the only way Emma knows how to escape from the life she leads at the moment. Emma attends high school but instead of enjoying her youth, she hides away, trying to disappear. She doesn’t really live – she exists, biding her time before she can move away from college, away from the clutches of her abusive aunt. Then Emma can start to really live, to experience the kind of life her peers take for granted. She’ll be able to date and accept party invitations and have fun, but until then she will continue to blend into the background, counting down the days until she can make a bid for freedom.

Then Evan arrives at school. Good looking and oozing confidence, Evan could have focused on any of the girls at school, but he doesn’t focus on just any girl. It is Emma who catches his attention, who intrigues him. Evan is persistent, refusing to be deterred no matter what Emma throws at him. He is determined to win Emma round and her resolve starts to crumble.

Emma does have one friend at school. Sara knows Emma’s secret, the life she tries to conceal from those around her. She trusts Sara to keep her secret, but can she trust Evan? She barely knows him yet she can’t seem to keep away from him. Deciding the best way to keep Evan from discovering the truth about her is to keep him at arm’s length, Emma pushes him away. But staying away from Evan becomes increasingly difficult when Emma realises she is falling in love for the first time.