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If a Poem Could Live and Breathe: A Novel of Teddy Roosevelt’s First Live by Mary Calvi: A Book Review

If a Poem Could Live or Breathe: A Novel of Teddy Roosevelt’s First Love Author: Mary Calvi Genre: Historical Fiction, Romance Publisher: St. Martin’s Press Release Date: 2023 Pages: 320 Synopsis: A fact-based romantic speculative novel about Teddy Roosevelt’s first love, by Mary Calvi, author of Dear George, Dear Mary .      Studded with the real love letters between a young Theodore Roosevelt and Boston beauty Alice Lee―many of them never before published― If a Poem Could Live and Breathe makes vivid what many historians believe to be the pivotal years that made the future president into the man of action that defined his political life, and cemented his legacy.       Cambridge, 1878. The era of the Gilded Age. Alice Lee sets out to break from the norms of her mother’s generation. Women are fighting for educational opportunities and exploring a new sense of intellectual and personal freedom. Native New Yorker, Harvard student Teddy Roosevelt, is on his own journey of discovery, and
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The Secret Book of Flora Lea by Patti Callahan Henry: A Book Review

The Secret Book of Flora Lea Author: Patti Callahan Henry Genre: Historical Fiction Publisher: Atria Books Release Date: 2023 Pages: 364 Source: Netgalley/Publisher in exchange for an honest review. Synopsis : When a woman discovers a rare book that has connections to her past, long-held secrets about her missing sister and their childhood spent in the English countryside during World War II are revealed.      In the war-torn London of 1939, fourteen-year-old Hazel and five-year-old Flora are evacuated to a rural village to escape the horrors of the Second World War. Living with the kind Bridie Aberdeen and her teenage son, Harry, in a charming stone cottage along the River Thames, Hazel fills their days with walks and games to distract her young sister, including one that she creates for her sister and her sister alone—a fairy tale about a magical land, a secret place they can escape to that is all their own.      But the unthinkable happens when young Flora suddenly vanishes while p

Marmee by Sarah Miller: A Book Review

Marmee Author: Sarah Miller Genre: Historical Fiction Publisher: William Morrow Release Date: 2022 Pages: 427 Source: Netgalley/Publisher in exchange for an honest review. Synopsis: From the author of Caroline, a revealing retelling of Louisa May Alcott’s beloved Little Women , from the perspective of Margaret “Marmee” March, about the larger real-world challenges behind the cozy domestic concerns cherished by generations of readers.       In 1861, war is raging in the South, but in Concord, Massachusetts, Margaret March has her own battles to fight. With her husband serving as an army chaplain, the comfort and security of Margaret’s four daughters— Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy—now rest on her shoulders alone. Money is tight and every month, her husband sends less and less of his salary with no explanation. Worst of all, Margaret harbors the secret that these financial hardships are largely her fault, thanks to a disastrous mistake made over a decade ago which wiped out her family’s fortune

Of Manners and Murder (Dear Miss Hermione Mystery #1) by Anastasia Hastings: A Book Review

Of Manners and Murder (Dear Miss Hermione Mystery #1) Author: Anastasia Hastings Genre: Historical Fiction, Mystery & Suspense Publisher: Minotaur Books Release Date: 2023 Pages: 304 Source: Netgalley/Publisher in exchange for an honest review. Synopsis : 1885: London, England. When Violet's Aunt Adelia decides to abscond with her newest paramour, she leaves behind her role as the most popular Agony Aunt in London, "Miss Hermione," in Violet's hands.  And of course, the first letter Violet receives is full, not of prissy pondering, but of portent. Ivy Armstrong is in need of help and fears for her life. But when Violet visits the village where the letters were posted, she finds that Ivy is already dead. She'll quickly discover that when you represent the best-loved Agony Aunt in Britain, both marauding husbands and murder are par for the course. My Review: Adelia runs an advice column called Dear Miss Hermione. One day Adelia quits her role as Miss

The Lone Fox by Evelyn Roland: A Book Review

The Lone Fox Author: Evelyn Roland Genre: Historical Fiction, Mystery & Suspense Publisher: IndieSummer Press Release Date: July 22, 2023 Pages: 324 Source: This book was given to me by the author in exchange for an honest review. Synopsis : Nothing is ever amiss in the nineteenth-century city of Northampton. That is, until Miss Roberts is mysteriously found dead.      Against the advice of young Officer Bentley, the victim’s closest friend—Miss Lydia Alderidge—takes it upon herself to solve what the police refuse to accept as murder. However, as the unlikely pair of detectives fall deeper into the case, more and more baffling deaths create a perilous mystery, and the answers they need cross paths with a devious family.      But will the murderous fox be rooted out before anyone else suffers?            My Review: When Lydia Alderidge’s best friend mysteriously dies, the police believe that it was suicide. Lydia is the only one who suspects foul play. She sets out to find who murd

Cover Reveal of Becoming Madam Secretary by Stephanie Dray

     I’m thrilled to share the cover of Stephanie Dray’s super anticipated new novel,  Becoming Madam Secretary! It goes on sale March 2024. Becoming Madam Secretary traces the life of one of America’s unsung heroes: Frances Perkins. Frances Perkins was the first female Cabinet secretary, who helped pulled the nation out of the Great Depression. Becoming Madam Secretary sounds really exciting, and I can't wait to read it Here is the synopsis for Becoming Madam Secretary :        After moving to New York and throwing herself into the social scene, Frances Perkins met such people as millionaire socialite Mary Harriman Rumsey, then-budding author Sinclair Lewis, and the brilliant but troubled reformer Paul Wilson (with whom she falls deeply in love). Frances meets a young lawyer named Franklin Delano Roosevelt at a tea dance and over the next twenty years, they will form a historic partnership that will carry them both to the White House. Preorder at Penguin Random House   and Amaz

The Blackthorn Queen (Eagles and Crows #1) by Melanie Karsak: A Book Review

Blackthorn Queen (Eagles and Crows #1) Author: Melanie Karsak Genre: Historical Fiction, Fantasy Publisher: Clockpunk Press Release Date: July 25, 2023 Pages: 338 Source: This book was given to me by the author in exchange for an honest review. Synopsis : From ancient henges to windswept mountains, dive into a world where pagan gods rule, powerful priestesses weave magic, and fierce Celtic tribes battle for dominance.      Britain, AD 38, Princess Cartimandua—Carti—of the Brigantes tribe faces an uncertain future when her father’s sudden death ignites turmoil. Suspicion falls on the Crow People of the Votadini tribe, straining the fragile peace between the factions.      But they’re not the only ones bearing a grudge.      A tangled web of political games soon unfolds. When enigmatic Prince Cormag of the Votadini shows the princess unwanted attention, the Brigantes’ alliance with the Carvetti is shaken. Cartimandua’s dream of marrying gallant Prince Venutiux of the Carvetti is put at