Earl Crush by Alexandra Vasti

 

Book Information

Right girl, wrong Earl

Wallflower heiress Lydia Hope-Wallace's secret life as the anyonymous author of seditious political pamphlets has led her into a correspondence with the charming Earl of Strathrannoch. When she learns he's in dire financial straits, Lydia sets out for Scotland to offer him a marriage of convenience.

Arthur Baird, Earl of Strathrannoch, is stunned when a bewitching stranger offers him her hand in marriage - but when he realizes that his traitorous brother has been writing to her under his name, he's bloody furious.

Desperate to track down his estranged sibling, Arthur needs Lydia's help. What he doesn't need? The attraction that burns hotter each moment they spend together. As Lydia slips past his defences, Arthur will have to risk everything to keep her safe - even his heart.

Earl Crush is a sophisticated and delightful historical romance.

With strong characters, witty dialogue and an intriguing plot this book provides a fun and adventurous read.

I enjoyed Lydia and Arthur's first meeting. It was full of humour involving mistaken identity and a very gruff Arthur. I loved how nice Arthur turned out to be and how quickly he began pining after Lydia and his little bit of jealousy over the feelings he perceives she has for his brother.

The espionage storyline lent a suspenseful edge to the book but what I enjoyed most was the slow burn romance.

I loved the audiobook version of this book. The dual narration was excellent and made the characetrs and the story come to life. It was so easy to listen and get immersed in the performance. A wonderful production.

Buy on Audible

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Hive (Madders of Time, Book 1) by DL Orton (TheWriteReads Blog Tour)

 

Book Info

Genre: Science Fiction

Age Category: Adult

Number of Pages: 350 Pages

Publication Date: May 6, 2025

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/222567665-hive 

Storygraph: https://app.thestorygraph.com/books/92ec58c7-fbb5-45cf-b7ab-23c42ea9f4e9 

Amazon: https://a.co/d/bnN8PN1 (Canada) https://a.co/d/7AiywJA (USA) https://amzn.eu/d/1P5EFIe (UK)

Blurb

What if saving the future meant rewriting the past?

In a dying world overrun by microdrones, humanity's last survivors cling to life inside the Eden-17 biodome. Isabel Sanborn knows her time is running out, but one desperate plan might give humanity a second chance. With the help of Madders, an enigmatic AI built from the memories of a brilliant physicist, Isabelle sends Diego Nadales—the love of her life—35 years into the past. His mission? To change the course of history and prevent their world's collapse. 

When Diego arrives in the vibrant yet fragile Main Timeline, he's forced to confront ghosts of the past, including a younger, ambitious version of Isabelle. As he battles to shape a better future, Diego must navigate a delicate web of relationships and events without destroying the very fabric of time. 

Brimming with suspense, heart-pounding action, and a poignant love story that transcends time, Madders of Time - Book One is a breathtaking science fiction adventure. Award-winning author DL Orton weaves a tale that explores sacrifice, resilience, and the timeless power of love. 

Fans of The Time Traveler's Wife and Dark Matter will find themselves captivated by this unforgettable journey through parallel worlds and intertwining destinies. 

The clock is ticking. Can love survive the collapse of time itself? 

Prepare to lose yourself in the first installment of the Madders of Time series—a story that will keep you turning pages and leave you hungry for more.

In the opening scenes of Hive, sometime in the future, Diego and Isabelle are old and living in bleak times. They are the only human survivors holding out in a dying biodome under attack from microdrones. Isabelle is dying, meaning Diego will be left all alone with only the AI system to talk to. When Isabelle discovers a way to allow one person to travel back in time and change the past, she sends Diego so that he can at least live out his final years in a better time, even if he fails to make the desired impact on their future timeline. Time travel brings its own pitfalls, as there are ethical implications for interfering in the past. Even small things can have a rippling effect. The entry logs from the AI system, Madders, are helpful to keep track of the main deviations in the timeline.

I would be the last person to say I understand anything about quantum physics, multiverses and parallel universes. However, that being said, I didn't need to understand it. All the science stuff seemed plausible and presented in an easy manner, allowing me to continue on my merry way without needing to overthink anything. I liked how modern issues are addressed in the book, from climate change, AI technology and the use of technology in warfare and other nefarious purposes.

At the heart of this book is a story of love and sacrifice. The main characters, Diego and Isabel, are beloved characters from the earlier Between Two Evils series. Having read those books, I knew that Diego and Isabel are destined for each other, so I didn't need a lot of relationship building for their younger selves. However, another reader unfamiliar might feel that spark missing and find their relationship rushed.

The story is told from the point of view of three main characters, Isabel, Diego, and Professor Matthew Hudson. I enjoyed the three perspectives as they gave insight into what was happening at different locations. I felt all the tension, pent-up frustration, and worry for his niece that the Professor was feeling. I really enjoyed the dark humour that he reverted to in tense situations, but it was Cassie who really lightened the mood with her snarky wisecracks and her brilliant but tough-as-nails persona.

A thought-provoking and emotional rollercoaster of a story. Themes of sacrifice, resilience, second chances, regret, and the power of love will resonate with all readers.

Hive ends in a cliffhanger so you finish the book wanting to immediately start the second. I've checked so you don't have to- the second book 'Jump' will be out in November 2025.

Thanks to the author for sending an early copy of the book and for The Write Reads for organising the blog tour and creating the marketing materials.

About the Author

The BEST-SELLING AUTHOR, D. L. ORTON, lives in the foothills of Colorado where she and her husband are raising three boys, a golden retriever, two Siberian cats, and an extremely long-lived Triops. Her future plans include completing the books in the BETWEEN TWO EVILS series followed by an extended vacation on a remote tropical island (with a Starbucks).

When she’s not writing, playing tennis, or helping with algebra, she’s building a time machine so that someone can go back and do the laundry.

Ms. Orton is a graduate of Stanford University’s Writers Workshop and a past editor of “Top of the Western Staircase,” a literary publication of CU, Boulder. The author has a number of short stories published in online literary magazines, including Literotica.com, Melusine, Cosmoetica, The Ranfurly Review, and Catalyst Press.

Her debut novel, CROSSING IN TIME, has won numerous literary awards including an Indie Book Award and a Publishers Weekly Starred Review. It was also selected as one of only 12 Great Indie Stars by BookLife’s Prize in Fiction.

Good Trouble: The Selma, Alabama and Derry, Northern Ireland Connection 1963-1972 by Forest Issac Jones (Blog Tour)

Book Info

Genre: Non-Fiction

Age Category: Adult

Number of Pages: 200

Publication Date: April 1, 2025 

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/220456296-good-trouble 

Storygraph: https://app.thestorygraph.com/books/528c74fd-2baf-4bbf-bdfb-c55843105378 

Amazon: https://a.co/d/fa7AIGn (Canada) https://a.co/d/iIdVkZR (USA) https://amzn.eu/d/by31a9v (UK)

Good Trouble will show the strong connection between the Black Civil Rights Movement in the United States and the Catholic Civil Rights Movement in Northern Ireland – specifically the influence of the Montgomery to Selma march on the 1969 Belfast to Derry march through oral history, based on numerous interviews of events leading up to both marches and afterwards. This is close to the author’s heart as both of his parents marched to integrate lunch counters and movie theatres in Salisbury, North Carolina, in 1963 as college students. His mother was at the 1963 March to Washington where Martin Luther King gave his ‘I Have a Dream’ speech.

Award winning author Julieann Campbell (On Bloody Sunday) wrote the introduction for Good Trouble, looking back at her times growing up in Derry, in the heart of the Catholic Civil Rights Movement. Jones travelled to Dublin, Belfast and Derry to conduct interviews for the book. In all, he did fifteen interviews with people who were involved in the movement in Northern Ireland (including Billy McVeigh – featured in the BAFTA winning documentary, Once Upon A Time In Northern Ireland) and in the United States (including Richard Smiley and Dr. Sheyann Webb-Christburg – both were at Bloody Sunday in Alabama and on the Selma to Montgomery march among others). Jones was also able to talk with Eamonn McCann (he took part in the Belfast to Derry march in 1969; he was the John Lewis of Northern Ireland).

Unlike most books on Northern Ireland, this goes into detail about the connection and the influence between the two movements. Also, most focus on Bloody Sunday and not the pivotal incidents at Burntollet Bridge and the Battle of the Bogside. Building off of unprecedented access and interviews with participants in both movements, Jones crafts a gripping and moving account of these pivotal years for both countries.

Being born after Bloody Sunday, the Troubles were the backdrop to my childhood. I was aware that the civil rights movement in the US inspired protest here, having learned 'We Shall Overcome' in primary school, but it was only when I was seventeen doing my degree at Queens that I came to realise how embedded the influence was. Even then, in the late 90s, Black Civil rights chants and slogans were used in every student protest, no matter the cause.

Good Trouble is a very accessible historical narrative, very easy to read and get caught up in. By interviewing witnesses and highlighting the heightened emotions and feelings of the people, it transports the reader to these terrifying events, made even more terrifying by being aware that this was their reality, not fiction.  

The author does a good job of condensing a few hundred years of Irish history- from colonisation and English oppression, 1916, Michael Collins and the War of Independence, Partition to the Troubles and doesn't get too bogged down in the nitty gritty details. What I loved most about this book was the human element and their voice. The author was meticulous in his research, and I was pleased to see emphasis on the trailblazers who made a lasting impact in the quest for equality in Northern Ireland, e.g. John Hume, Bernadette Devlin, and Eamonn McCann. 

The author provides a very personal account of what life was like before and during the Civil Rights movement in the US. Family history and interviews with his parents, who were actively involved, are a precious testament to the struggles of all who strived for change. Reading about the cruelty inflicted on the marchers on the Edmund Pettus Bridge was heart-wrenching. It's a stark reminder of the depths of intolerance and the immense courage it took to confront it.

For those interested in the subject matter but who shy away from heavy historical or academic texts, this is a good one to start with. Learning about these periods can give us valuable context for the challenges we face today. Every person in Ireland, including the ceasefire babies who didn't learn about it in school, should be reading this book, especially now in the current climate and rising undercurrent of intolerance and anti-immigrant sentiment fuelled by social media fear-mongering. Texts like this serve as vital lessons, not just about the past, but also about the ongoing need to be vigilant against injustice and to actively challenge prejudice in all its forms. It underscores the importance of empathy and understanding the human cost of discrimination, intolerance and division.

About the Author

Forest Issac Jones is the author of the upcoming Good Trouble, a historical examination about the connection between the US Black Civil Rights movement and the Catholic Civil Rights movement in Northern Ireland. 'An insightful and compelling examination of a terrible period in our shared histories" (Brian McGilloway), it focuses specifically on the influence of the 1965 Montgomery to Selma march on the 1969 Belfast to Derry march through oral history, based on numerous interviews from people who were there on the front lines.

He is an award-winning author of nonfiction and essays, specializing in the study of Irish history, the US Civil Rights movement, and Northern Ireland. His latest essay, 'The Civil Rights Connection Between the USA and Northern Ireland' was awarded honorable mention in the category of nonfiction essay by Writer's Digest in their 93rd annual writing competition in 2024.

In addition, Forest is a member of the Historical Writers Association, Crime Writers of Color, and the James River Writers.

Death at the Highland Loch (Lady Poppy Proudfoot #1)by Lydia Travers. Narrated by Sarah Barron

 

Move over, Inspector! Lady Poppy Proudfoot is here to solve her very first case.

Scotland, 1924: When Lady Poppy Proudfoot travels to the Highlands for a midsummer party, the last thing she and her fellow guests expect is for a body to wash up beside the loch.

Despite protests that it could have been an accident, Poppy is convinced it’s murder and decides to dust off her law degree and hunt for clues. But when the police arrive, the grumpy Inspector MacKenzie dismisses her evidence, insisting a crime scene is no place for a Lady. The nerve!

With the help of her trusted Labrador, Major, Poppy begins to unpick the case. But she soon has two mysteries to solve, as her host Lady Constance Balfour claims a diamond and emerald bracelet has been stolen. Could the two cases be linked? Was it Freddy the footman, a favourite of her ladyship? Or American actress Miss Cornett, with a keen eye for jewels? Or with such a dazzling guestlist, was someone from the local village tempted into the grounds by the party?

When a woman bearing an uncanny resemblance to Poppy is attacked, she realizes that someone wants her off the case. Someone connected to Balfour House is a murderer and a thief, but who? And can Poppy solve the mystery before she, too, washes up beside the loch?

A warm, unputdownable page-turning historical whodunnit, perfect for fans of Helena Dixon, Verity Bright, T.E. Kinsey and Catherine Coles.

Lydia Travers is a new to me author and I was delighted to start this brand new series.

Set in 1920's Scotland, it follows lady Poppy Proudfoot and her dog Major as they find themselves embroiled in investigating events involving murder and missing jewellery.

Poppy is a young wealthy widow and excited to begin a new path in life. She is particularly interested in sleuthing and is inspired by the work of fellow female investigators.

A country house party is a classic setting for a cozy mystery and the Highlands hold a charming appeal and picturesque backdrop.

The story has an intriguing plot as it involves more than one murder and a secondary mystery of missing jewellery. The local inspector, grumpy but good looking, is initially dismissive of her attempts to steer the investigation but as time goes by he begins to tolerate and reluctantly take heed of her ideas.

I loved Poppy's role in finding out what happened to the missing jewellery. It showed her skills in interviewing people and following a lead with tenacity even if it did put her in danger. She also solved it without the help of a man. 

Regarding the murder, there were plenty of red herrings and suspects with interesting backstories to weave through  and again Poppy was always a step or two ahead of the inspector. I liked how their relationship slowly developed from aloof disinterest to light flirting by the end of the book and I'm looking forward to see their friendship grow as the series progresses. 

There was quite a lot of drama at the end when all the pieces pulled together revealing the murderer providing an exciting and satisfying conclusion to Poppy's first case.

I found the story extremely easy to get caught up in with the excellently performed narration. There was a nice soft, barely there Scottish lilt to the narrator's voice which added to the charm and general feel of the story.

Death at the Highland Loch will be released in audio on the 19th of May

Audible