Q4 2021 Free eBooks, competition and a book review

Nov 27, 2021 10:03 pm

Merry Christmas

I know it's early to be giving seasons greatings, but this is my nearest newsletter to Christmas! Christmas is approaching, whatever you're doing this festive season, I wish you well and hope you have a wonderful time. I also wish for you a 2022 filled with love and laughter. Merry Christmas everyone x

In today's email you can find the usual stuff, books that can be picked up for free or reduced, a book competition, and my latest book review.

On offer!

Grace in Mombasa inspired by a true story.

Inspirational and uplifting and a multi-award winner, including IAN Book of the Year Finalist for outstanding Christian Fiction. The Wishing Shelf Awards said: A moving, superbly written historical saga. An award winner, that is highly recommended. Chistian Historical Fiction reduced, currently only $0.99/£0.99, or it is free to read if you have Kindle Unlimited.

US Link .......... UK Link ........... CA Link ........... AUS Link

A chance to win...

Christmas Newsletter Giveaway! I'm sorry to say the Kindle Fire giveaway was cancelled by the organisers. I'm doing my own giveaway instead. Enter for a chance to win 3 of my signed paperbacks, a prayer journal and a keyring. Keep or giveaway as a gift. CLOSING DATE 4th DEC, don't miss out!

Enter Here!

The winner of the Grace in Mombasa paperback and a chance to be a character in my next book is Rina from Rhode Island, Congratulations Rina! Happy reading!

My latest book review

Parting the Veil by Paulette Kennedy

A gripping, Gothic, historical romance

What I loved. Kennedy’s penmanship is exquisite. The pose flows with ease, the pace is perfect, characters dynamic and the plot… well rather gripping! OK, I have to say that there isn’t a plot under the sun that hasn’t already been penned by master storytellers. All that remains are a variation of times, settings, names and personalities. So, what makes one story stand out above others? For me, its descriptions that allow you to ‘see’ what’s going on, and characters that are memorable. Parting the Veil excels on both these points. I was hooked, from beginning to end. I ended up taking a holiday (the benefits of being self-employed!) and hardly moved from the sofa until I’d turned the last page. I was pulled into Eliza’s strong personality – and foolish decision-making! I sighed over the romantic relationship with Malcolm. Think Barbara Cartland for that dark, dashing, but poverty-stricken lord. But make it more modern; as this is not a sweet romance, this is passionate and feisty. Love making is referred to but not described in detail, which I greatly appreciated. It is too easy, I think, to think a book, film or TV series will get more viewings if you immediately throw in a ‘scene’ – does my head in! Havenwood Manor is portrayed beautifully, and the whole book is extremely atmospheric. It’s an insta-love for Eliza and Malcolm, but their histories are both laden with secrets and sadness that threaten their chance of happiness. To top it off, the house is haunted, and Eliza must figure out if they are reaching out to help or harm her. The ending had my heart pounding! A really great story.

What I didn’t like. There were a few things that irritated me about this book, especially the language, I guess being British myself means I know without a shadow of a doubt that ‘darling’ in this book was inappropriately used, and that a male member of the aristocracy would never call a working man ‘mate.’ ‘Mate’ is very lower class terminology. This emphasizes my belief that you should really take care when you are writing about a place you hardly know, research just doesn’t always cut it. There were also a few (really not many) swear words, which I thought were unnecessary. When you’ve written a great story (and I did really enjoy this story) then there is no need to embellish it with offensive words. Lastly, really this story had enough in it to keep you interested. I didn’t feel the mention of same-sex attractions did anything to enhance the story at all; it felt like it had just been dropped in so the book would be in mode. I’d still give it 5 stars!

Review warning: Before you rush off and buy any book that someone reviews you should read the free sample chapters provided on Amazon, this way you can decide for yourself if this book is your cup of tea or not. Happy reading everyone!

Parting the Veil - Historical Romance

US Link .......... UK Link ........... CA Link ........... AUS Link

$4.99 or £3.29

Or free to read on Kindle Unlimited

232 Amazon .com reviews 4.3 star rating at time of reviewing

A Christmas Read Review

Christmas Cake Day by Juliet Brilee

A small town, second chance at love, festive read.

If you want to curl up on the sofa and completely switch off for a few hours, then this is the Christmas read for you! It’s light, extremely easy to read, and it’s a festive feel-good book too!

Olivia Brighton is driving away from a cheating husband. She really loved him (despite his awful character) and is rather heart-broken. Before going home, and facing a criticizing mother, she asks to spend Christmas holidays with her cousin Anna, and her husband Mark. Welcomed into their warm home and hearts, Olivia settles down to all things Christmassy, including one day dedicated to the baking of cakes. I could ‘smell’ the nutmeg and cinnamon! So much so, that although I hadn’t planned to cook a homemade Christmas Cake this year, I found myself rushing off to the shops for the ingredients, that night it was our home that oozed all the lovely odors of Christmas!

Into Olivia’s life walks Trevor Weston, bighearted hunk who works at the Sacred Haven Center for people with disabilities. The romance (and stumbling blocks) are familiar and obvious, but still it made me smile as I watched their relationship grow. This is a pleasant, feel-good novel.

Christmas Cake Day - Sweet Romance

US Link .......... UK Link ........... CA Link ........... AUS Link

$2.99 or £2.19

Or free to read on Kindle Unlimited

114 Amazon .com reviews 4.3 star rating at time of reviewing

I am only planning to do 4 newsletters a year, so if you enjoyed the review and would like to receive more, then please join up to my blog where I post reviews of my favourite reads only. https://www.Tntraynor.uk