Beauty Among Ruins

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CIESIELSKI, J'NELL

BEAUTY AMONG RUINS

In Ciesielski's latest sweeping romance, an American heiress finds herself in Scotland amid the fallout of the Great War, and a wounded Scottish laird comes face-to-face with his past and a woman he never could have expected.

American socialite Lily Durham is known for enjoying one moment to the next, with little regard for the consequences of her actions. But just as she is banished overseas to England as a "cure" for her frivolous ways, the Great War breaks out and wreaks havoc. She joins her cousin in nursing the wounded at a convalescent home deep in the wilds of Scotland at a crumbling castle where its laird is less than welcoming. 

Alec MacGregor has given his entire life to preserving his home of Kinclavoch Castle, but mounting debts force him to sell off his family history bit by bit. Labeled a coward for not joining his countrymen in the trenches due to an old injury, he opens his home to the Tommies to make recompense while he keeps to the shadows. But his preference for the shadows is shattered when a new American nurse comes streaming into the castle on a burst of light.

Lily and Alec are thrown together when a series of mysterious events threatens to ruin the future of Kinclavoch. Can they put aside their differences to find the culprit before it's too late, or will their greatest distraction be falling in love?

My Review:

Well now, that was both expected and unexpected and I loved every second of this read, rejoicing in some familiar tropes even as they morphed in surprising ways. There's tons I'd like to say and lots I won't  because...spoilers. But there's lots of meat to this gritty WWI novel that would be fun to hash out in a book club chat.

There's a kind of Beauty and the Beast vibe to Lily and Alec's romance. She's a spirited, lively, savor-every-moment distraction that Alec doesn't need. He's...well...beastly in some ways. Taciturn, moody and gruff (seriously -- a brooding Scottish hero? I am so in!!!!) As Lily puts it: "Do you always wake up on the wrong side of pleasant?" Bwahahaha!

I wasn't sure about Lily at first -- she seemed flighty and self-absorbed and such a product of her heiress status, ready to defy authority just to be contrary. But I soon discovered there was so much more to her impulsive actions. She's quite naive, really, and eager to help, just not always in the way the stern Matron expects her to. There's some great humorous moments thanks to Lily's impetuosity. And plenty of reasons for Alec to become exasperated and even more surly...but intrigued as well. And that's where the magic happens, in all this tantalizing romantical tension. Toe curls are inevitable and keeping smelling salts handy advisable. 

But there's treachery and danger afoot along with drama galore and the author kept me in an agitated state right to very the last word. Mercy, but I nearly had conniptions multiple times!

The only thing missing is a faith thread, which I discovered is deliberate. Thomas Nelson is encouraging/supporting some of its authors to write for the general market. They still have fiction authors who will be writing Christian Fiction, but they also have a number who I'd label clean reads with no obvious inspirational content of which J'Nell Ciesielski is one. 

It's a win/win for the publisher as they can increase their sales by appealing to a broader market which will, in turn, provide them the funds to continue supporting their Christian Fiction authors. I just wish they would market the clean reads differently so consumers expecting CF aren't caught unawares. 

If you'd like to learn more about this or just hear a fascinating interview with J'Nell Ciesielski, check out this great Because...Fiction podcast hosted by author Chautona Havig:

https://becausefictionpodcast.com/episode-42-a-chat-with-jnell-ciesielski

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

This giveaway a paperback or ebook copy -- winner's choice

If you would like a chance to win a copy of Beauty Among the Ruins, leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoreadATyahooDOTca. If you add an email to your comment, remember to use AT and DOT instead of @ and . in order to protect yourself from spammers. If you enter the draw via email, please add the title to the subject line so it's easy to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winners announced on Saturday April 3  2021. Offer open to International Readers. Good luck! 

The Socialite

GIVEAWAY

CIESIELSKI, J'NELL
THE SOCIALITE

Glamour, treachery, and espionage collide when an English socialite rushes to save her sister from the Nazis.

As the daughter of Sir Alfred Whitford, Kat has a certain set of responsibilities. But chasing her wayward sister, Ellie, to Nazi-occupied Paris was never supposed to be one of them. Now accustomed to the luxurious lifestyle that her Nazi boyfriend provides, Ellie has no intention of going back to the shackled life their parents dictate for them -- but Kat will stop at nothing to bring her sister home.

Arrested for simply trying to defend himself against a drunken bully, Barrett Anderson is given the option of going to jail or serving out his sentence by training Resistance fighters in Paris. A bar owner serves as the perfect disguise to entertain Nazis at night while training fighters right below their jackboots during the day. Being assigned to watch over two English debutantes is the last thing he needs, but a payout from their father is too tempting to resist. Can Barrett and Kat trust each other long enough to survive, or will their hearts prove more traitorous than the dangers waiting around the corner?

My Review:

I'm always amazed at the different approaches various authors bring to one topic. I'm a huge fan of World War II fiction and I don't think I've ever come across a novel with this unique approach -- the war, in occupied France no less, from the perspective of the upper class. Displaced English socialites who get an up close and personal look at life among the Nazi elite in Paris. Fascinating and chilling.

There's such a disconnect -- especially for Ellie who is so self-centered that she's willing to look the other way while living out her fantasies with her Nazi lover. Have to say, I'm not a fan. I just wanted to smack her upside the head...a lot. :-) (And, if I was her sister, I'd have left her there and hightailed it back to England when the going was good.)

So, Ellie is the catalyst that sets a series of events in motion and brings Kat running to the rescue -- only little sis doesn't want to be rescued. Spoiled brat! Gah, but that girl had me fussing and fuming! (Can you tell? I've talked more about her than the main characters! Taking a deep breath and focusing cohesive reviewer thoughts.)

This is Kat and Barrett's (squeeaaalll -- we'll get to him in a sec.) story. She's the eldest daughter of nobility. She always does what is expected, tamps down her individuality in order to abide by her father's dictates. And then she meets Barrett in the middle of occupied France and he challenges her to start thinking for herself. To open her eyes and see what is happening around her. Their relationship is volatile. Charged with passion and clashing wills and blocked by a chasm of class distinction. An emotionally sucker-punch kind of romance.

And now we come to Barrett (giddy, fan-girling sigh.) A rakish Celt with a Scottish burr? Yes please! Kat might be the one of noble birth but Barrett is the noble one. He's overcome a lot in his life and now he's charged with extracting two spoiled rich girls out of Paris. What starts out as a mission turns into something so much more complicated. And makes for a compelling read.

This is another Thomas Nelson (Christian publisher) that doesn't have any faith content. I would definitely not categorize it as Christian Fiction. It is clean, though there are some pretty steamy kissing scenes and some graphic violence.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

If you would like a chance to win a copy of  The Socialite leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoreadATyahooDOTca. If you add an email to your comment, remember to use AT and DOT instead of @ and . in order to protect yourself from spammers. If you enter the draw via email, please add the title to the subject line so it's easy to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Saturday May 2 2020 . Offer open to International Readers. Good luck

Among the Poppies

GIVEAWAY
RANDOM RETRO READ DAY!

CIESIELSKI, J'NELL
AMONG THE POPPIES

The ideal lady wears lace, speaks quietly, and never under any circumstances fixes her own automobiles. But Gwyn Ruthers has never cared two snaps for the ideal lady. With the war to end all wars exploding across the Channel, she leaves behind her restrictive life as a chauffeur's daughter to serve in an all-female ambulance unit in France. Rambling over bomb blasted roads is far from the exotic travel she had in mind, but not even a handsome captain can distract her from the purposes at hand. Most of the time.

Slogging through mud and a despair that no man should have to witness, Captain William Crawford stumbles over a woman -- quite literally -- who has the ridiculous notion to enter a man's fight along the Front. Why can she not sit patiently at home like all the other complacent women?

Bound together by circumstances beyond their control, Gwyn and William must fight to survive the battle raging all around them. Can their love survive or will it become another casualty of war?

My Review:

published in 2018

Downton Abbey on the battlefront. Gripping and gritty and gobsmackingly good!

What an amazing introduction to J'Nell Ciesielski's gifted storytelling! I'd seen her name popping up in connection with her soon-to-be released book and was intrigued enough to do a little digging online. Emerged triumphant with an audible version of Among the Poppies -- which, as far as I can tell, is her debut. It's brilliantly narrated by Gwyn Olson who brings this story to life with passion and flare and added so much to my listening enjoyment.

What a moving story! An insider's look at all the aspects of war -- including battle and hospital scenes. Those are heart-wrenchingly accurate but not gruesomely detailed, so faint-of-heart readers needn't worry. Be prepared to be emotionally affected though. This is the kind of book that has the power to transform.

Love Gwyn's scrappy determination and ambitious dreams. But she's rooted in reality too. Not that she could ever be truly prepared for the horrors and challenges she meets as an ambulance driver in France, but she's much more grounded than her upper class friend who views it  as more of a romantic adventure. Such a contrast between these best friends -- Gwyn, the chauffeur's daughter and Cecilia, daughter of the manor.

In fact, this whole story is about contrasts -- the sweet, yearning sense of wonder that comes from new love versus the stark, despairing brutality of war. The differences between class expectations. The disparity between male and female roles. Friendship versus foes. Moments of gaiety and laughter amidst the bleak backdrop of battle. Such a merciless emotional onslaught that left my readerly senses reeling.

An utterly captivating inspirational romance with heart and hope.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

If you would like a chance to win a copy of  Among the Poppies, leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoreadATyahooDOTca. If you add an email to your comment, remember to use AT and DOT instead of @ and . in order to protect yourself from spammers. If you enter the draw via email, please add the title to the subject line so it's easy to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Saturday November 23 2019. Offer open to International Readers. Good luck!