The House at the End of the Moor

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RANDOM RETRO READ

GRIEP, MICHELLE

THE HOUSE AT THE END OF THE MOOR

What can a London opera star and an escaped Dartmoor prisoner have in common?

Opera star Maggie Lee escapes her opulent lifestyle when threatened by a powerful politician who aims to ruin her life. She runs off to the wilds of the moors to live in anonymity. All that changes the day she discovers a half-dead man near her house.

Escaped convict Oliver Ward is on the run to prove his innocence, until he gets hurt and is taken in by Maggie. He discovers some jewels in her possession -- the very same jewels that got him convicted. Together they hatch a plan to return the jewels, clearing Oliver's name and hopefully maintaining Maggie's anonymity.

My Review:

Woohoo -- I waited forever (impatiently and maybe a little bit crankily) for this book to release in audible format. And it finally has!!! Narrated by Pearl Hewitt no less. I love the way she performs a story. She captures the characters' personalities and brings the setting alive. Absolutely a joy to listen to. 

And this story!!!! I'm all fuzzymuddled and  twitterpated, still basking in that elusive bibliophile afterglow that lingers after an exceptionally good read. I'm not sure quite how to describe it since there are so many particular points I'd like to discuss but then this review would morph into a book report and we can't have that! Though, there's enough meat and potatoes content and swoonalicious moments to make The House at the End of the Moor an excellent Book Club selection...just sayin'. 

So...everything I expected this read to be delivered in an unexpected way. Isn't that clear as mud? I'll try to explain.

There's a bit of a Les Mis vibe going on with the over-zealous pursuit by a fanatical constable. Shudder. Brutally villainous and doggedly determined to clap chains on Oliver and lead him back to prison. 

Then there's Maggie's mysterious past that is slowly revealed in painstakingly measured snippets. I was about jumping out of my skin before all was finally revealed! The whole story is infused with the kind of Gothic chill that's guaranteed to induce spine tingles. 

Griep surprises at every turn. Just when I thought I had the plot figured out...I didn't. My guest-imates for next scenes were way off course! I love that she kept so many classical mystery elements while keeping them fresh.

And the way the relationship developed between Maggie and Oliver! Be. Still. My. Heart. Both shrouded in secrets, sometimes working at cross purposes as they remain wary and cautious. Rich layers in both their character arcs astounded me. Once again the author metes out reveals with excruciatingly exquisite pacing. And the way she shows aspects of their characters...I was...and still am...entranced. In fact, I dreamed about Oliver and Maggie last night and its been a few days and a couple of books since I finished their story but these characters are still taking up space in my mind! That's the mark of a master writer.

And if all that isn't enough the inspirational thread woven throughout is so moving and pertinent and redemptive. As essential to the story as the romance and the suspense.

Well worth the wait for the audible edtion. I'll definitely listen to this one again...and again...and again!

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

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

If you would like a chance to win a copy of The House at the End of the Moor, leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoread AT yahoo DOT ca. If you add your email to a 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 August 14 2021. Offer open to International Readers. Good luck!

The Thief of Blackfriars Lane

 

GIVEAWAY

GRIEP, MICHELLE

THE THIEF OF BLACKFRIARS LANE

There's often a fine line between a criminal and a saint

Constable Jackson Forge intends to make the world safer, or at least the streets of Victorian London. But that's Kit Turner's domain, a swindler who runs a crew that acquires money the old-fashioned way -- conning the rich to give to the poor. When a local cab driver goes missing, Jackson is tasked with finding the man, and the only way to do that is by enlisting Kit's help. If Jackson doesn't find the cabby, he'll be fired. If Kit doesn't help Jackson, he'll arrest her for thievery. Yet neither of them realize those are the least of their problems.

My Review:

*In honour of this stupendous tale I've researched some Victorian slang to incorporate into my review. Seriously, how did these words go out of fashion? Mini dictionary provided at end of the review but I think you'll understand from context. (I know this is all kinds of bookish nerdiness but, really, is anyone surprised?)

I am awash with 'enthuzimuzzy'over this captivating story as my 'gigglemug' surely testifies. I can't stop grinning. Or swooning. In between bouts of the 'morbs' because it's all over for me now. :-( 

If you are a fan of Sarah M. Eden's Dread Penny Society series or even Roseanna M. White's Shadows Over England series (though this one is in a later time period), you will love The Thief of Blackfriars Lane!

Griep weaves a tantalizing tale of struggle and survival in Victorian London's treacherous underworld. Jackson is thrust into the 'skilamlink' dealings of nefarious characters -- including one very beguiling and elusive female Robin Hood. The connection between these two is why toe-curls were invented! The banter caged in their fiery stand-offs is delicious! And the way they warily circle around each other, gradually learning to trust is all kinds of romantical divine!

Tons of action and adventure and a complicated plot fraught with danger and betrayal along with some very clever surprise twists kept me in a 'mad as hops' state right through to the exciting conclusion.

I listened to the audible edition narrated by Nan McNamara and loved every blessed second!

*Victorian Slang mini-dictionary

enthuzimuzzy - enthusiasm 

gigglemug - habitually smiling face

got the morbs - temporary melancholy

skilamalink - secret, shady, doubtful

mad as hops - excitable

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

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

If you would like a chance to win a copy of The Thief of Blacfriars Lane, 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 January 9 2021. Offer open to International Readers. Good luck! 

Once Upon a Dickens Christmas : 3 Charming Christmas Tales Set in Victorian England

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GRIEP, MICHELLE
ONCE UPON A DICKENS CHRISTMAS

Three delightful Christmas tales from beloved storyteller Michelle Griep.

Pour yourself a cuppa, get lost in the merriment of the season, and enjoy a Dickensian Christmas in three stories from fan favorite Michelle Griep.

12 Days at Bleakly Manor: Brought together under mysterious circumstances, Clara and Ben discover that what they've been striving for isn't what ultimately matters. What matters most is what Christmas is all about...love.

A Tale of Two Hearts: Pleasure seeker William Barlow needs a wife immediately to gain his uncle's inheritance, and Mina Scott is just the girl to make him look respectable -- too bad she turns him down. Ought he give her a second chance?

The Old Lace Shop: Recently widowed Bella White is finally freed from the domination of the overbearing men in her life, but when she enters into a business partnership with the handsome Edmund Archer, she begins to wonder if marriage is worth a second chance.

My Review:

A spectacular collection of Christmas tales that do Charles Dickens proud. Each novella is infused with holiday warmth and delicious feel-goods. Perfect stories that celebrate the season in traditional style. There's angst aplenty and plot twists galore on the way to three breath-snatching happily ever afters that will make your toes curl. Love the Christmasy familiar Victorian setting and Elizabeth Gaskell flair to these stories. They honestly read as 100 + year old classics! Definitely a collection I'll be revisiting each year. And I especially enjoyed the audible version. There's something so delectable about having a Christmas story read to you. Perfect accompaniment to holiday baking and gift wrapping!

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

If you would like a chance to win a copy of Once Upon a Dickens Christmas, 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 September 21 2019. Offer open to International Readers. Good luck!

Ladies of Intrigue

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GRIEP, MICHELLE
LADIES OF INTRIGUE

Ladies of Intrigue : can truth and love prevail when no one is as they appear?

The Gentleman Smuggler's Lady (c2017) - Cornish Coast, 1815 - When a prim and proper governess returns to England from abroad, she expects to comfort her dying father -- not fall in love with a smuggler. With Helen Fletcher keep Isaac Seaton's unusual secret?

The Doctor's  Woman (c 2016) - Dakota Territory, 1862 - Emmy Nelson, daughter of a missionary doctor, and Dr. James Clark, city doctor aspiring to teach, find themselves working side by side at Fort Snelling during the Dakota Uprising. That is when the real clash of ideals begins.

A House of Secrets (c2017) - St. Paul, Minnestoa, 1890 - Ladies' Aide Chairwoman Amanda Carston resolves to clean up St. Paul's ramshackle housing, starting with the worst of the worst: a "haunted" house that's secretly owned by her beau -- a home that's his only means of helping brothel girls escape from the hands of the city's most infamous madam.

My Review:

An alluring collection of previously published novellas. I hadn't read any of them before so I was in seventh heaven. These heroes and their heroines kept me in fits of swoons and toe-curls. High-spirited women who are the perfect match for their adventuring men. Lots of clashing wills and sparks flying! Sheer delight! And the joy of witty banter made me giddy. Have to confess that The Gentleman Smuggler's Lady is my favourite of the three stories because...well...Regency! Smugglers on the Cornish Coast! Really, do I have to say more? But the American stories are almost as good.

A perfect collection for discerning fans of Historical Romance.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:  

If you would like to win a copy of Ladies of Intrigue, 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 July 27 2019. Offer open to International Readers. Good luck!

The Noble Guardian

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GRIEP, MICHELLE
THE NOBLE GUARDIAN

Samuel Thatcher : Gynical Lawman, Mysterious Protector, Nobel Guardian

Life couldn't be better for Abigail Gilbert -- but it's been a long time coming. Having lived with a family who hated her, love is finally within reach. Abby embarks on a journey across the English countryside to marry of the most prestigious gentlemen bachelors in the land -- until highwayman upset her plans and threaten her life.

Horse patrol captain Samuel Thatcher arrives just in time to save Abby. But to him she's simply another victim in a job he's come to despise. Tired of the dark side of humanity, he intends to buy land and retire.

Abby pleads with him to escort her on the rest of her journey. He refuses until she offers him the thing he desperately needs to achieve his goal: money. Delivering her safely will earn him more than enough to settle into a quiet life.

So begins an impossible trek for the cynical lawman and the proper lady. Each will be indelibly changed by the time they reach her betrothed, if they don't kill one another first -- or fall in love.

My Review:

Sqqqqqueeeeeealllll! Swoonilicious Regency alert! Third and final (sob!) book in Michelle Griep's Bow Street Runners series! And it comes complete with a cynical, brooding, taciturn hero to send readers into a rush of romantical delirium. Heavy sigh and heart palpitations. Samuel Thacker definitely possesses toe-curling qualities. His rigid sense of justice makes it impossible for him to ignore a lady in distress and Abby is definitely that. Naively so. And stubborn to boot. Love his befuddlement when she stands up to him. And then there's baby Emma, a heart stealer in every scene, especially when the stern captain falls under her spell.

Lots of action and adventure and more than a hint of danger, including some knockout fight scenes, make this a page-turner of a reader. With plot twists galore! The kind of escape read made for a lazy summer afternoon.

Sidenote: I had a bit of an issue with what I felt were inappropriate uses of the Lord's name in the beginning of the book. Not quite out right blasphemy -- like " Oh my..." but using God in the context of an exclamation, not in the form of a petition and not quite a curse, but used in a casual way. And it's strange because they all occurred within the first 72 pages and then the remaining 241 pages were perfectly fine. There were only six phrases but they jarred me out of the story each time.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

If you would like a chance to win a copy of The Noble Guardian, 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 July 20 2019. Offer open to International Readers. Good luck!

The Innkeeper's Daughter

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GRIEP, MICHELLE
THE INNKEEPER'S DAUGHTER

Threats from abroad mean nothing when their's danger at home.

Officer Alexander Moore goes undercover as a gentleman gambler to expose a high stake plot against the British crown in 1808 -- and he's a master of disguise, for Johanna Langley believes him to be quite the rogue...until she can no longer fight against his unrelenting charm.

All Johanna wants is to keep the family inn afloat, but when the rent and the hearth payment are due at the same time, where will she find the extra funds? If she doesn't come up with the money, there will be nowhere to go other than the workhouse -- where she'll be separated from her ailing mother and ten-year-old brother.

Alex desperately wants to help Johanna, especially when she confides in him, bu his mission -- finding and bringing to justice a traitor to the crown -- must come first, or they could all end up dead.

It's a race against time for them both.

My Review:

Squeep! (that's when a book is so good your ecstatic bibliophile screams of  joy mesh squeals and eeps into a particularly piercing squeep of delight.) My heart's all aflutter and my fainting couch has had a workout after reading The Innkeeper's Daughter. Think Regency with a Dickenish flare and a twist of sinister intrigue. I mean...I can't even....

A bow street runner who will go to any lengths to get his man? That's Alex -- dedicated professional until Johanna catches his eye...and his heart. Talk about conflict! He's acting one way while feeling something completely different. But he can't always keep up that devilish rogue persona and when he breaks out of character and does something kind and noble. Or teasing and flirtatious. Oh. My. Stars.My knees buckle and my temperature rises.And that's pretty much the way Johanna reacts too, though she's appalled at displaying such weakness.

Of course there are a ton of complications and so much intrigue my head was spinning. Was anyone who they appeared to be? Other than Johanna and her rapscallion little brother, that is. I had tons of fun suspecting absolutely everyone of pretty much anything sinister. lol Michelle Griep has one scary cunning mind to think up all the twists and turns in this plot!

A page-turning delight of a read!

Oh -- and though it doesn't mention it anywhere, this book has connections with Brentwood's Ward. Nothing so major that you'd be lost without reading that one first. Just some nice tie-ins that are sure to thrill book nerds like me.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

If you would like a chance to win a copy of The Innkeeper's Daughter, leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoreadATyahooDOTca. If you add your email to a 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 Sunday March 18 2018. Offer open to International Readers. Good luck!

The Captive Heart

GIVEAWAY

GRIEP, MICHELLE
THE CAPTIVE HEART

The American wilderness is no place for an elegant English governess...

On the run from a brute of an aristocratic employer, Eleanor Morgan escapes from England to America, the land of the free, for the opportunity to serve an upstanding Charles Town family. But freedom is hard to come by as an indentured servant, and downright impossible when she's forced to agree to an even harsher contract -- marriage to a man she's never met.

Backwoodsman Samuel Heath doesn't care what others think of him -- but his young daughter's upbringing matters very much. The life of a trapper in the Carolina backcountry is no life for a small girl, but neither is abandoning his child to another family. He decides it's time to marry again, but that proves to be an impossible task. Who wants to wed a murderer?

Both Samuel and Eleanor are survivors, facing down the threat of war, betrayal, and divided loyalties
that could cost them everything, but this time they must face their biggest challenge ever...love.

My Review:

Smelling salts - check
Fainting couch - check
Extra stuffing for the cushions on the fainting couch - check
water bottle to keep hydrated - check
chocolate (to soothe ravaged nerves) - check

Just a few recommendations for your not-looking-up-until-I-reach-the-end reading kit. You'll want to be well stocked before you embark on this incredible journey. Samuel and Eleanor's story held me captive and turned my heart to mush.

There's something so emotionally appealing about a marriage of convenience story. This hero and heroine come from very different worlds but are thrown together in tumultuous times just before the American revolution. I have to stop saying this isn't a favourite time period of mine because I keep reading novels that blow me away with their rich historical details and heart-wrenching romance. The Captive Heart is exactly that kind of book.

Eleanor is victimized in a world that favours men. Samuel has fallen victim to his past. Two broken people find the strength to carve a place for themselves in a restless frontier. It isn't easy and Samuel and Eleanor spend a lot of time battling each other in a desperate bid to guard their wounded hearts. But there are times when they band together against an outside foe. Page-turning madness full of gripping action and aching tenderness.

And, oh, be still my heart, Papa Samuel is the stuff curled toes are made of! Devoted, besotted, protective. A doting father to sweet, impish little Grace. He would do anything for his little girl -- including marrying a stranger to ensure her future. A mesmerizing, heart-in-throat story ensues. Delicious to the very last word.

Giveaway Opportunity:

 If you would like an opportunity to win a copy of The Captive Heart please leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoread AT yahoo DOT ca. If you post a comment and add your email address please use AT and DOT instead of @ and . to protect yourself from spammers. If you enter the draw via email please remember to put the title in the subject line so it's easier for me to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Sunday March 19 2017.  Offer open to international readers. Good luck!

Brentwood's Ward

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Grieps, Michelle
Brentwood's Ward

It takes a criminal to find one, and Nicholas Brentwood is just the man for the job. Reformed in more ways than one, the rough-around-the-edges Brentwood is a member of the Bow Street Runners, London's early nineteenth century fledgling police force. There's none better than Brentwood at catching the felons who ravage the city's streets, and there's nothing he loves more than seeing justice served.

Beautiful and beguiling, Miss Emily Payne is not the sort of miscreant Brentwood usually hunts down. When he is assigned as her bodyguard. he vows to protect her for her father's enemies, who will stop at nothing to carry out their mission fueled by greed and revenge.

All her life, Emily has longed for love, but it remains beyond her grasp. This season she's determined to find a husband, which is quite the undertaking with a hound-dog guardian like Brentwood watching her every step. If he would just give her some measure of freedom, she is sure she could win the heart of society's most eligible bachelor.

Emily's headstrong persistence, challenges Nicholas in ways he doesn't expect, but of one things he's certain -- of all the cunning criminals he's dealt with in the past, this time he's met his match.

My Review:

This was such a fun read in a menacing sort of way! A Regency that packs a wallop. If you combined Dickens with Austen and added a dash of Sherlock Holmes you'd come close to describing Griep's writing style as her imagination runs rampant through the pages of this book. She certainly grabbed my attention -- from the complex, sinister plot to the rapid fire pacing, I could barely catch my breath. Just when I'd think things were calming down...they weren't! The author definitely reveals the darker side of Regency London in an all too realistic way. Honestly, my head was spinning and my voice was hoarse from shouting dire warnings at the oblivious heroine.

Miss Emily Payne could be a...well, real pain. When we first meet her she is sheltered, definitely spoiled and extremely obstinate. As circumstances change and real life infiltrates her protective bubble she stretches and grows into a woman of strength and compassion and....okay she stays obstinate but that's Nicholas's problem now.

Speaking of the hero -- insert swoon here. I was smitten the minute we met. Rough around the edges yes, but there's a noble heart beating in that manly chest. He believes in justice (though not always mercy) and is passionate about his work as a Bow Street Runner. That whole angle is utterly fascinating and at the roots of an organized police force in London. History in the making.

Brentwood's Ward has received rave reviews from a multitude of big name authors and I heartily agree with their assessment. I only wish the publisher had given the author another thirty pages or so because the ending did seem to come upon me in a rush. Some of the threads had to be tied up with  dialogue after the fact rather than the reader actually witnessing them first hand.

All in all a brilliant (and edgy) blend of suspense and historical and I enjoyed every minute of the read.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

If you would like an opportunity to win a copy of Brentwood's Ward please leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoreadATyahooDOTca. If you post a comment and add your email address, please use AT and DOT instead of @ and . in the address to protect yourself from spammers. If you enter the draw via email please remember to put the title in the subject line so that it's easy for me to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Sunday January 25 2015. Offer open to international readers. Good luck!