​About Cocoa Beach
• Paperback: 400 pages
• Publisher: William Morrow Paperbacks;
Reprint edition (May 15, 2018)

The New York Times bestselling author of A Certain Age transports readers to sunny Florida in this lush and enthralling historical novel—an enchanting blend of love, suspense, betrayal, and redemption set among the rumrunners and scoundrels of Prohibition-era Cocoa Beach.
Burdened by a dark family secret, Virginia Fortescue flees her oppressive home in New York City for the battlefields of World War I France. While an ambulance driver for the Red Cross, she meets a charismatic British army surgeon whose persistent charm opens her heart to the possibility of love. As the war rages, Virginia falls into a passionate affair with the dashing Captain Simon Fitzwilliam, only to discover that his past has its own dark secrets—secrets that will damage their eventual marriage and propel her back across the Atlantic to the sister and father she left behind.
Five years later, in the early days of Prohibition, the newly widowed Virginia Fitzwilliam arrives in the tropical boomtown of Cocoa Beach, Florida, to settle her husband’s estate. Despite the evidence, Virginia does not believe Simon perished in the fire that destroyed the seaside home he built for her and their young daughter. Separated from her husband since the early days of their marriage, the headstrong Virginia plans to uncover the truth, for the sake of the daughter Simon never met.
Simon’s brother and sister welcome her with open arms and introduce her to a dazzling new world of citrus groves, white beaches, bootleggers, and Prohibition agents. But Virginia senses a predatory presence lurking beneath the irresistible, hedonistic surface of this coastal oasis. The more she learns about Simon and his mysterious business interests, the more she fears that the dangers that surrounded Simon now threaten her and their daughter’s life as well.


Purchase Links
HarperCollins | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Review:
Virginia Fortescue bravely maneuvered her Red Cross ambulance through artillery fire and nighttime rescues during World War I. While transporting patients, Virginia meets British army surgeon, Captain Simon Fitzwilliam.  Virginia is enchanted, but hears rumors that he is already married.  However, Captain Fitzwilliam is enchanted and promises Virginia a divorce from the wife he was forced to marry for family money.  The two are married in secret, but Virginia hears of more devastating rumors about her husband and decided to return to her father's home after the War.  Virginia soon gives birth to a wonderful baby daughter, Evelyn and continues to receive letters from Simon who is renovating a family orchard and running a shipping company in Cocoa Beach, Florida.  It isn't until a letter arrives that informs Virginia of Simon's death that she travels to Cocoa Beach to take over the business that she discovers the true nature of the lies and deceptions of the Fitzwilliam family.


Cocoa Beach proved to be irresistible as soon as I dug in; combining the elements of danger in the prohibition age with romance and a menacing mystery. I have read Beatriz Williams' other books with some of the same characters, including Virginia and was glad to pick up her story again.  While I loved The Wicked City and A Certain Age, it is not necessary to read those first.  Virginia enters the scene in Cocoa Beach like a fighter; as a woman in 1922 and now a widow, Simon's lawyer figures she will be uninterested in the business that Simon carried out.  Virginia makes it known that "...my wishes are your business now..." and I knew that Virginia would be a formidable character.  I enjoyed that the writing switched back and forth between Virginia and Simon's time during World War I and 1922 in Cocoa Beach.  Through these scenes I was able to know Virginia as a hero and an independent woman, I was also able to form an opinion about Simon. I was amazed at Virginia's fortitude as an ambulance driver and appreciated the compassionate love story despite the many times others attempted to derail it.  The mystery is written with many layers and twists, I thought I knew where it was heading, and yet other elements kept getting thrown in for surprise after surprise.  I was also pleased to see that the story will most likely continue as there is a cliffhanger at the end.

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

About Beatriz Williams
A graduate of Stanford University with an MBA from Columbia, Beatriz Williams spent several years in New York and London hiding her early attempts at fiction, first on company laptops as a communications strategy consultant, and then as an at-home producer of small persons, before her career as a writer took off. She lives with her husband and four children near the Connecticut shore.
Find out more about Beatriz at her website, and connect with her on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Campaign hashtags: #cocoabeach #beatrizbinge
Accounts to tag: @authorbeatriz, @williammorrowbooks, and @tlcbooktours

TROUBLE IN GLAMOUR TOWN
BY S.R. MALLERY
Publication Date: November 12, 2017
eBook & Paperback; 202 Pages
ISBN-13: 978-1979566070
Genre: Historical Fiction/Romance/Mystery


 About the Book:
Murder. Corruption. Romance. Movie stars. A modern day TV shoot ‘em up?
No. It’s 1926 Old Hollywood, and a film producer is gunned down in cold blood. In comes Rosie, a pretty bit-player, who, in spite of her stage-mother’s expectations, just longs to be happy. Silent screen idols Clara Bow, Gloria Swanson, Lon Chaney, and Rudolph Valentino float in and out, as Los Angeles’ corruption is exposed, the era described, and a chase to find the killer revs up before there’s another hit.

“Trouble in Glamour Town is very historically accurate, portraying the real workings of the Hollywood sleaze, dishonesty and corruption happening at that time. S.R. Mallery is a gifted author who drew me into the story from the first word and kept me reading until the very last page…Trouble in Glamour Town is an old fashioned type of murder mystery story and is a very good read.” – Trudi LoPreto for Readers’ Favorite

AMAZON US | AMAZON UK

Review:
Rosie Paige is an actress in 1926.  She has been pushed into the rush of 1920's Hollywood by her mother, Beatrice who believes that making Rosie a starlet will solve all of her own problems.  Rosie would much rather spend time with her pets and her boyfriend, Eddie who helps out on set.  When the Chester Harris is suddenly shot and killed on the set of a movie Rosie is in, Eddie is considered a prime suspect.  However, with several similar shootings in the past, the police department needs to solve the case quickly and is willing to blame just about anyone in order to call the crime solved exposing the corruption, greed and political influences of the time.

Trouble in Glamour Town is a fast-paced historical mystery set within the mystique of 1920's Hollywood.  This book caught my attention right from the start with an intense look at the murder from the killer's point of view.  After that moment, we still have no idea who committed the crime and the mystery builds.  From that point, Rosie took center stage.  She is a strong character from the start making herself stand apart from the other Hollywood starlets that she is surrounded by.  Despite Rosie's strength of character, she struggles to find her independence due to her dedication to her mother.  Beatrice is the ultimate stage-mother taking a job as a seamstress to be close to Rosie as well as get all the inside gossip.  Beatrice also uses the guilt of Rosie's father leaving them to oversee the comings and goings of Rosie's life along with their superintendent, Walt.  Along with the murder mystery and the suspense of having Eddie as a suspect, this was also a coming of age story for Rosie.  The shooting acted as a jumping point for Rosie to think about getting out of the corruption of Hollywood; she begins to think about her own dreams rather than her mother's and push back.  The mystery itself grows gradually until the end. Along with adding suspense, the killing exposes many nuances of the time period including prohibition, sexuality, and crime.  With an exciting and unexpected conclusion, Trouble in Glamour Town provides a fun and fast historical mystery. 

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

About the Author
S.R. Mallery, two-time READERS’ FAVORITE Gold Medal Winner, has been labeled nothing short of ‘eclectic’. She has been a singer, a calligrapher, a quilt designer, and an ESL teacher. As a writer, History is her focus and is woven into her stories with a delicate thread. When people talk about the news of the day, or listen to music, her imagination likens the story to a similar kind of news in the past and is conjuring up scenes between characters she has yet to meet.
S.R. Mallery’s books include The Dolan Girls, Genteel Secrets, Unexpected Gifts, Sewing Can Be Dangerous And Other Small Threads, Tales to Count On, and Trouble in Glamour Town.
For more information, please visit S. R. Mallery’s website. You can also find her on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Goodreads.

​
OWEN (THE TUDOR TRILOGY #1)
BY TONY RICHES
Publication Date: July 26, 2015
Preseli Press
eBook & Paperback; 318 Pages
Genre: Historical Fiction

Based on the true story of a forgotten hero, OWEN is the epic tale of one young man’s incredible courage and resilience as he changes the course of English history.

England 1422: Owen Tudor, a Welsh servant, waits in Windsor Castle to meet his new mistress, the beautiful and lonely Queen Catherine of Valois, widow of the warrior king, Henry V. Her infant son is crowned King of England and France, and while the country simmers on the brink of civil war, Owen becomes her protector.
They fall in love, risking Owen’s life and Queen Catherine’s reputation—but how do they found the dynasty which changes British history – the Tudors?
This is the first historical novel to fully explore the amazing life of Owen Tudor, grandfather of King Henry VII and the great-grandfather of King Henry VIII. Set against a background of the conflict between the Houses of Lancaster and York, which develops into what have become known as the Wars of the Roses, Owen’s story deserves to be told.

Owen – Book One of the Tudor Trilogy is a new addition to story of the Tudors in the historical fiction tradition of C J Sansom, Conn Iggulden, Philippa Gregory and Hilary Mantel.
​
AMAZON US | AMAZON UK | BARNES AND NOBLE

Review:
After the Welsh revolt of  Owain Glyndŵr, Owen Tudor is taken into the English Court as a servant.  He soon finds himself appointed as Keeper of the Wardrobe to the newly widowed Queen  Catherine of Valois.  In his position, Owen finds himself close to the lonely Queen as he runs the ins and outs of her daily life.  He is also very close with the infant King, Henry.  Owen is soon asked to spy on the Queen for the appointed Protector of the Realm, Duke Humphrey of Gloucester.  With loyalty to the Queen first and foremost, Owen lets Catherine know of the duplicity and becomes one of her most trusted men.  As the infant King grows, Queen Catherine's position becomes less stable and Owen stays beside her.  Through a secret marriage, children, a sorrowful death and an English uprising, Owen Tudor's lineage will become essential to England's future.

As someone who loves all things Tudor, I did not know much about Owen Tudor except for his parentage of Edmund and Jaspar.  Not much historical fact is known about Owen Tudor's life; however, Tony Riches has done a wonderful job filling in.  Rich detail of the time period and everyday life in Queen Catherine's household gives background for their romance to take place and for the Tudor lineage to begin.   One of the themes throughout the book is Fortune's Wheel.  Fortune's Wheel turns many times for Owen throughout his life.  I was continuously surprised at his ability to get back on his feet after tragedy or bad luck fell upon him: Owen marries Queen Catherine, but in secret, they are in hiding for many years, have several healthy children, but one birth will take Catherine's life, Owen receive the pardon of the King, but is still imprisoned.   Through Owen's eyes I had an honest look at Queen Catherine, a young woman who showed strength and resilience throughout her life but fell to the same illness as her father, Charles VI of France.  I was also very interested in Owen and Catherine's third son, Owen, who may or may not have lived.  Overall, an exciting and engrossing foundation to the Tudor trilogy.
​
This book was received for free in return for an honest review.

​JASPER (THE TUDOR TRILOGY #2)
BY TONY RICHES
Publication Date: March 22, 2016
Preseli Press
eBook & Paperback; 360 Pages
Genre: Historical Fiction

Following the best-selling historical fiction novel OWEN – Book One of The Tudor Trilogy, this is the story, based on actual events, of Owen’s son Jasper Tudor, who changes the history of England forever.
England 1461: The young King Edward of York has taken the country by force from King Henry VI of Lancaster. Sir Jasper Tudor, Earl of Pembroke, flees the massacre of his Welsh army at the Battle of Mortimer’s Cross and plans a rebellion to return his half-brother King Henry to the throne.
When King Henry is imprisoned by Edward in the Tower of London and murdered, Jasper escapes to Brittany with his young nephew, Henry Tudor. Then after the sudden death of King Edward and the mysterious disappearance of his sons, a new king, Edward’s brother Richard III takes the English Throne. With nothing but his wits and charm, Jasper sees his chance to make young Henry Tudor king with a daring and reckless invasion of England.
Set in the often brutal world of fifteenth century England, Wales, Scotland, France, Burgundy and Brittany, during the Wars of the Roses, this fast-paced story is one of courage and adventure, love and belief in the destiny of the Tudors.
​
AMAZON US | AMAZON UK | BARNES AND NOBLE

HENRY (THE TUDOR TRILOGY #3)
BY TONY RICHES
Publication Date: May 17, 2017
Preseli Press
eBook & Paperback; 320 Pages
Genre: Historical Fiction


Finalist for the Amazon Storyteller Award 2017

Bosworth 1485: After victory against King Richard III, Henry Tudor becomes King of England. Rebels and pretenders plot to seize his throne. The barons resent his plans to curb their power and he wonders who he can trust. He hopes to unite Lancaster and York through marriage to the beautiful Elizabeth of York.
With help from his mother, Lady Margaret Beaufort, he learns to keep a fragile peace. He chooses a Spanish Princess, Catherine of Aragon, as a wife for his son Prince Arthur. His daughters will marry the King of Scotland and the son of the Emperor of Rome. It seems his prayers are answered, then disaster strikes and Henry must ensure the future of the Tudors.

“A fine end to a superbly researched and well-written trilogy, one I would recommend to anyone with an interest in this period of history.” Best-selling author Terry Tyler

“Henry was a hazy, cold impression in my mind, but Tony Riches fills him out, gives him intelligence, compassion, human frailty, and a consuming love of country, and I ended the book with great admiration for this man.” Author Noelle Granger

AMAZON US | AMAZON UK | BARNES AND NOBLE

About the Author: 

Tony Riches is a full-time writer and lives with his wife in Pembrokeshire, West Wales. After several successful non-fiction books, Tony turned to novel writing and wrote ‘Queen Sacrifice’, set in 10th century Wales, followed by ‘The Shell’, a thriller set in present day Kenya. A specialist in the history of the early Tudors, he is best known for his Tudor Trilogy. Tony’s other international best sellers include ‘Warwick ~ The Man Behind the Wars of the Roses’ and ‘The Secret Diary of Eleanor Cobham’.

For more information please visit Tony’s website and his blog The Writing Desk. He can also be found on Facebook, Twitter, and Goodreads.

About Good Neighbors
Hardcover: 256 pages
Publisher: Twelve; 1 edition (February 6, 2018)

A searing portrait of suburbia, friendship, and family strained by a devotion to false appearances.

In an idyllic suburb, four young families quickly form a neighborhood clique, their friendships based on little more than the ages of their children and a shared sense of camaraderie. When one of the couples, Paige and Gene Edwards, adopt a four-year-old girl from Russia, the group’s loyalty and morality is soon called into question. Are the Edwards unkind to their new daughter? Or is she a difficult child with hidden destructive tendencies?
As the seams of the group friendship slowly unravel, neighbor Nicole Westerhof finds herself drawn further into the life of the adopted girl, forcing Nicole to re-examine the deceptive nature of her own family ties, and her complicity in the events unfolding around her.“I haven’t been captivated by a story like this in so long. The tension, the complexity, the obsession over status; how one hopes to be seen by others versus how one fears one is seen…

GOOD NEIGHBORS is a stunning, shocking, entertaining, and thought-provoking look at humanity. I want everyone to read this book.”? Julia Fierro, author of The Gypsy Moth Mother and Cutting Teeth

“Riveting…GOOD NEIGHBORS exposes the dark underbelly of seemingly perfect families and friendships in this compulsively paced suburban thriller.”? Bethany Ball, author of What To Do About The Solomons


Purchase Links
Amazon | Books-A-Million | Barnes & Noble

Review:
In the idyllic suburb of Fair Lawn of group of neighbors has formed a loose friendship based on their proximity in their cul-de-sac and their children's age.  However, each neighbor has carefully hidden secrets or simply pieces of their past that they have kept to themselves if it does not fit into the cookie cutter lifestyle that they have envisioned.  When one set of neighbors, Paige and Gene unexpectedly announce that they will be adopting a four-year-old girl from Russia, they upset the fragile structure that the neighbors have become used to.  When the adopted Winnie comes into her life, neighbor Nicole can't help but become attached.  Nicole quickly puts aside all of Paige's strange behaviors in order to become close to Winnie.  As time passes Paige's behavior and Winnie's behavior don't seem to line up, other neighbors notice and the friendships become strained. Nicole doesn't want to see what she does not want to believe.  Bonds break,hard questions have to be asked of the neighbors and decisions made about the neighbors around them.  

This was a very insightful and ominous look into the everyday life of people around us.  In reading, nothing out of the ordinary really happens.  Narrated from Nicole's point of view, there is a feeling of anxiety and strain cast over all the interactions.  We are never quite sure if everything is all right or if Nicole just wants it to be that way.  She tries to keep the group of neighbors together as a group of friends despite what they really think of each other.  Through Nicole's eyes Paige is someone who she would like to see as cooky but harmless, however, even when Nicole describes Paige, it seems like she is trying to hide something from herself.  When Winnie enters the picture, perceptions begin to tilt.  Something just seems off; but because of the fragile nature of the friendships created, no one really seems to dig into what it is and get the full story.  I thought this was very interesting and opened up a lot of questions about what I would do in this situation, do you decide to be nosy and possibly embarrass yourself, or do you ask the tough questions and figure out the truth no matter what?  Throughout the story there is also a plot line of how Nicole's life is not as perfect as she presents, I really wish this was developed more or each neighbor's secrets were revealed.  With and exciting and unexpected ending, Good Neighbors is an exciting and uneasy look into the lives of others.

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

About Joanne Serling
Joanne Serling’s fiction has been nominated for a Pushcart Prize and has appeared in New Ohio Review and North American Review. She is a graduate of Cornell University and studied and taught fiction at The Writers Studio in New York City. She lives outside of New York with her husband and children and is at work on her second book.

Connect with Joanne
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