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Madame Pommery

3/30/2023

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About the Book: 
MADAME POMMERY 
BY REBECCA ROSENBERG
Publication Date: March 21, 2023
Lion Heart Publishing
Genre: Historical Fiction


Champagne, France, 1860. Madame Pommery, an etiquette teacher and orphanage founder, loses her husband and is forced to support her family. With no experience, the forty-year-old widow decides to make champagne. Her unique vision is to change it from a sweet dessert beverage to a dry, crisp wine to be enjoyed anytime. When champagne makers refuse to teach her their craft, she forges ahead on her own and secretly begins the excavation of champagne caves under the Reims city dump.

Soon after, her son and her entire crew are conscripted to fight the Franco-Prussian war, leaving Madame Pommery alone to struggle with her champagne dreams. After Napoleon and a hundred thousand French troops are captured, the Prussians invaded France, and Prussian General Frederick Franz occupies Madame Pommery’s house as his army headquarters. Undaunted, Pommery uses her secret wine caves to hide the Francs-Tireurs, resistance fighters for France, while she plans to build a spectacular castle winery above the caves.

But when her former lover, a Scottish Baron, unexpectedly proposes marriage, Madame Pommery must choose between nobility and her passionate quest for fine champagne and the most beautiful winery in the world.

Based on a true story, Madame Pommery is a heroic novel about a mother and widow who fights the Prussians, the social class system, champagne patriarchs, and champagne tastes to create a champagne legacy.

“The sun-drenched vineyards of France, a real-life heroine who against all odds refuses to give up her dreams… and champagne. What’s not to love?” Barbara Davis, Best-selling author of The Echo of Old Books
​

AMAZON

Review: 
Madame Alexandrine Pommery faces a devastating loss in 1860 France.  Her husband, Louis, passed suddenly and left Alexandrine in debt.  With her son, Louis to support through school and young daughter Louise to care for, Alexandrine quickly turns her attention from grief to survival in order to support her family.  Alexandrine decides to create what she enjoys, Champagne.  However, she does not want to create just any Champagne, Alexandrine enjoys a drier Champagne, easier to drink anytime.  With determination and drive, Madame Pommery sets on her quest.  However, the Franco-Prussian War intervenes as her home is turned into headquarters for a Prussian General.  With her son and employees fighting for France, Alexandrine puts her resources to use and hides the Resistance.  When the war ends, Alexandrine has a new set of problems, but still focuses on her vision of a Champagne empire. 

Madame Pommery is a riveting historical fiction novel based on the real life Champagne Widow, Jeanne Alexandrine Louise Pommery, creator of Brut Champagne.  The writing effortlessly recreated the beauty of the Champagne region, the Pommery home and the chalky crayeres. From the beginning, I immediately loved Alexandrine's character.  She is a woman of immense strength who went with her instincts and against common practices of her time.  Alexandrine is also immensely caring while being fiercely independent.  It was interesting to see how much Alexandrine helped her community, even while she was struggling, she maintained an orphanage, gave employment to women and created funds to help her employees.  I didn't know a lot about the Franco-Prussian War and saw the effects on the French people through Madame Pommery's point of view.  I was continuously impressed with her abilities to aid the Resistance and keep her business afloat during the War. Madame Pommery is a powerful story of an amazing woman who revolutionized Champagne. 


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About the Author
​

California native Rebecca Rosenberg lives on a lavender farm with her family in Sonoma, the Valley of the Moon, where she and her husband founded the largest lavender product company in America. A long-time student of Jack London’s work and an avid fan of his daring wife, Charmian, Rosenberg is a graduate of the Stanford Writing Certificate Program. Her books include: GOLD DIGGER, the Remarkable Baby Doe Tabor, The Secret Life of Mrs. London, Lavender Fields of America, and the Champagne Widows series.

For more information, please visit Rebecca’s website and blog. You can also find her on: 
 Amazon, BookBub,  Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Goodreads.

Madame Pommery
​Blog Tour ScheduleTuesday, March 21
Review at Amy’s Booket List
Wednesday, March 22
Review at Books, Cooks, Looks
Thursday, March 23
Review at A Girl Reads Bookss
Friday, March 24
Excerpt at The Book Junkie Reads
Monday, March 27
Review at Novels Alive
Review at Book Reviews and More
Tuesday, March 28
Review at With A Book In Our Hands
Thursday, March 30
Review at 100 Pages a Day
Friday, March 31
Review at Reading is My Remedy
Monday, April 3
Review at My Reading Getaway
Friday, April 7
Review at History from a Woman’s Perspective
Monday, April 10
Excerpt at I’m Into Books
Friday, April 14
Review at Novel Nerd Blog
Wednesday, April 19
Excerpt at Books, Cooks, Looks
Thursday, April 20
Review at CelticLady’s Reviews
Friday, April 21
Review at Passages to the Past
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The Vanishing at Castle Moreau

3/27/2023

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About the Book: 
  • Title: The Vanishing at Castle Moreau
  • Author: Jaime Jo Wright
  • Genre: Historical Suspense, Historical Romance, Inspirational Fiction
  • Publisher: Bethany House Publishers (April 4, 2023)
  • Length: (384) pages
  • Format: Hardcover, trade paperback, eBook, & audiobook 
  • ISBN: 978-0764238345
  • Tour Dates: March 27 – April 10, 2023
 
BOOK DESCRIPTION
A haunting legend. An ominous curse. A search for a secret buried deep within the castle walls.
In 1870, orphaned Daisy François takes a position as housemaid at a Wisconsin castle to escape the horrors of her past life. There she finds a reclusive and eccentric Gothic authoress who hides tales more harrowing than the ones in her novels. As women disappear from the area and the eerie circumstances seem to parallel a local legend, Daisy is thrust into a web that could ultimately steal her sanity, if not her life.

In the present day, Cleo Clemmons is hired by the grandson of an American aristocratic family to help his grandmother face her hoarding in the dilapidated Castle Moreau. But when Cleo uncovers more than just the woman's stash of collectibles, a century-old mystery and the dust of the old castle's curse threaten to rise again . . . this time to leave no one alive to tell the sordid tale.

Award-winning author Jaime Jo Wright seamlessly weaves a dual-time tale of two women who must do all they can to seek the light amid the darkness shrouding Castle Moreau.

PURCHASE LINKS
AMAZON | BARNES & NOBLE | BOOK DEPOSITORY | BOOKSHOP | GOODREADS


Review: 
Castle Moreau was built in Midwestern Wisconsin by a wealthy fur trapper in the 1800's.  A young Ora Moreau was it's first inhabitant. Shortly after the Castle is completed, Ora is visited by a ghostly woman who tells her stories at night.  Years later, Ora is a famous author of Gothic stories.  A young orphaned woman, Daisy, answers a posting for a housemaid at the mysterious Castle.  .  When she arrives at Castle Moreau, Daisy hears stories of vanished women and meets the fierce Ora herself.  Daisy soon finds herself part of the mystery of Castle Moreau.  In the present day, Castle Moreau still carries the mystery of vanished women, most recently in the 80's.  Cleo Clemmons is another woman escaping a tortured past and answers an advertisement for a house organizer for the aging Virgie Tremblay, the ancestor of Ora.  Cleo arrives to a much larger task than she ever imagined and is almost immediately wrapped into the last known disappearance at the Castle.  

The Vanishing at Castle Moreau is a surprising Gothic mystery.  Told in three time periods, from the views of a young Ora in 1801, Daisy in the 1870's and Cleo in the present day, each woman's story shared a common thread of escape. I was immediately pulled in from the first chapter where Ora first meets the phantom woman.  I was equally as entranced with Daisy's story, working for an aging Ora while figuring out the mysteries of the missing Hester May and Elsie and Cleo's story of finding Anne and helping Virgie.  The writing of The Vanishing at Castle Moreau is masterful, creating a mysterious atmosphere, but not necessarily one of danger.  The women's stories pulled me deeper into the Castle, exposing little bits of the truth at a time and weaving a story of defiance through time.  I was equally impressed by the male characters in the story, carrying on the legacy, even when it was a detriment to themselves.  Castle Moreau seems to give people what they didn't know they needed without them knowing.  Overall, The Vanishing at Castle Moreau is a  thoughtful, women-centered,  and surprising Gothic mystery. 

This book was received for free in return for an honest review. 

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AUTHOR BIO

Jaime Jo Wright is the author of eight novels, including Christy Award and Daphne du Maurier Award-winner The House on Foster Hill and Carol Award winner The Reckoning at Gossamer Pond. She's also the Publishers Weekly and ECPA bestselling author of two novellas. Jaime lives in Wisconsin with her cat named Foo; her husband, Cap'n Hook; and their two mini-adults, Peter Pan and CoCo.
​
WEBSITE | INSTAGRAM | FACEBOOK | TWITTER | BOOKBUB | GOODREADS
 

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The Haunted Lost Rose

3/23/2023

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About the Book: 
Some secrets should stay hidden. If they come to light, darkness could weaken even the strongest of families.


Real estate agent Charlotte O'Donohue never looks forward to Mondays. Usually, a couple cups of coffee will fix her mood, but today an unexpected voice directs her to a dead body. She's going to need a bigger cup, and it better be caffeinated!

When the dead body happens to be your client, the scandal could jeopardize her brother's business, but Charlotte is more worried about a mysterious stranger who decides she's the number one suspect. He seems familiar and dangerous. He knows she has a secret, and Charlotte will do anything to keep the truth from him. How could he possibly understand that she can hear the dead?

Ghostly whispers from a spirit who haunts the large Kansas City mansion warns of more danger to come for Charlotte, her family, and for the stranger. But as Charlotte discovers a key to one mystery, another one appears...one that could reveal more than a murderer but a long-forbidden love.

The haunted and the living seem to be conspiring against the spunky real estate agent, throwing her into a love of her own that shakes her to the core.

When long hidden secrets expose lost loves, two intertwined families are placed in jeopardy in Charlotte's Voices of Mystery.
​

Publication Date: March 17, 2023
ASIN: B0BSVM9H5T
ISBN: 

Language: English
Length: 252 pages
Genre: Paranormal Cozy Mystery/Romance
Buy Link:  https://mybook.to/HauntedLostRose
​Other Stores: https://books2read.com/u/3Joj5E/

Review: 
Charlotte O'Donohue is a real estate agent trying to close on the large sale of the Taylor club.  However, as she enters the house to meet her client, Charlotte finds his dead body, a fresh rose and hears the voice of the house's former inhabitant, Rose Taylor.  Charlotte has always had the ability to hear ghosts and Rose Taylor wants to tell her something.  Before Charlotte can figure out Rose's message, she is accused of being a suspect in the murder.  To top it off, Max Shaw, a childhood friend of Charlotte's brother, is back in town and is now a United States Attorney somehow connected to the case.  With Max on her case and in her head, Charlotte tries to prove her innocence while trying to solve the mystery of the Taylor Club.  


The Haunted Lost Rose is a paranormal mystery with a touch of romance.  I was really interested in Charlotte's ability to talk to ghosts, especially Rose.  I wish they could have had more conversations.  Through Charlotte's investigation, a little of the history of the Taylor Club is revealed, I would have loved to know more about Rose and her adventures.  Max and Charlotte seem like an odd couple from the start and everyone seemed to push them together, I think they could have figured things out on their own and definitely had some natural chemistry.  I was very happy when Max and Charlotte were able to trust one another a little more and combine their secrets in order to begin unravelling the mysteries of Taylor Club.  


This book was received for free in return for an honest review. 

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Kansas City, Missouri native C.L. Bauer is the author of three series in mystery genres. Originally a reporter, Bauer worked through jobs in marketing and advertising, to eventually take over the reins of her family’s century old business, Clara’s Flowers. Many of the stories used in her books are based on true events from years in the wedding and event flower world.
​

You can reach C.L. Bauer on all social mediums, Goodreads, and through her website, www.clbauer.com. You can check out her flower designs at www.clarasflowers.com

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The Secrets of Constellations

3/20/2023

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Young Adult Romance

Date Published: 02-14-2023

Publisher: Fire & Ice YA (Melange)


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The Secrets of Constellations was selected by Barnes and Noble as a Top Indie Book for February and March, and on Amazon, it hit #1 Best Seller and #1 New Release in Teen & YA Adoption. 

 It’s been sixteen years since Norae Whelan’s adoption. She’s conquered her past by baking her way through her challenges. All that’s left is culinary school, until a unique stranger offers her an opportunity to learn the truth of her birth and with it, the trial of facing down what she thought she left behind. 

Her birth mother’s hometown is a place where memories hide beneath the floorboards of an eclectic house. Inheriting a house and all its mysteries is one thing. The instant attraction to Orion Reise is another. There’s only one problem. Orion’s blind, and the reason behind it lurks through the downtown streets, dying to take him away. 

With the end of summer fast approaching, Norae must make some big decisions. She’ll have to decide if falling in love with Orion is worth the price of letting go of her past and embracing a potentially, disastrous future. 



Review:

Norae was adopted at 2 years old, at 18 she loves her life with her adoptive parents, even if they are a little weird sometimes. Norae is applying to culinary school to pursue her dream of opening a bakery when she receives a visit from her birth mother's solicitor. Norae's birthday mother, BJ, has died and left Norae her house, under the condition that Norae lives there for three months before she decides what to do with it. Norae sees this as the perfect opportunity to find out about her past and then sell the house to pay for culinary school. However, Thatchor House has other plans for Norae when she arrives to find a house full of eccentric tenants.

The Secrets of Constellations is a heartfelt and emotional Young Adult story about finding what you need. Norae enters Thatchor house with a concrete plan, but has to quickly shift when she learns of all the others living there that BJ has taken in. Norae's journey is moving as she gets to know all the residents that BJ has taken. As Norae learns about each of the residents, she uncovers a little bit more about her birth mother. Norae is particularly drawn to Orion, a 19 year old who is blind and carrying around some heavy secrets. Norae and Orion have a tumultuous three months as Norae decides what to do with Thatchor house and Orion's past comes to a head. I really enjoyed the story line, but I do wish Norae had more growth in herself, she seemed to affect growth in those around her more than focusing on herself. With that, I really enjoyed the mix of characters at Thatchor house along with their occupations and issues that they faced.

This book was received for free in return for an honest review.

 

 


  About the Author

S. H. Clark is a romance author in the following sub-genres: young adult, contemporary, horror, and fantasy.

Clark lives in Southern California with her two cats and her beloved coffee maker. When she's not writing, which is rare, she's an elementary school teacher on one of California's Native reservations. She holds multiple secondary degrees, including an MFA in Creative Writing, has a bookshelf overflowing with paranormal romances, and loves to write to the sound of a thunderstorm.

It's been said Clark has attempted to conjure Cadbury Cream Eggs with her Harry Potter wand.

 

Contact Links

Website

Facebook

Twitter

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Instagram

 

Purchase Link

Amazon

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Smashwords

Apple

B&N

 

 

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    Author

    Hi there! I'm Stephanie and I obviously love reading.  As, the title suggests, I read at least one hundred pages a day.  I enjoy most book genres; however, my favorites are historical fiction, fantasy, science fiction, thriller, horror and YA.  I also read a lot of non-fiction science and gardening books for my occupation.  I enjoy reviewing books and as always, any book that I receive for free is read in return for my honest review.  

    ​https://share.simonandschuster.com/stephanierhildreth

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