About the Book: 
Rebel Spy
by Veronica Rossi
Publisher: Delacorte Press
Release Date: June 23rd 2020
Genre: Young Adult, Historical Fiction

Synopsis:
A reimagining of the story behind Agent 355--a New York society girl and spy for George Washington during the Revolutionary War--perfect for fans of Tatiana de Rosnay's Sarah's Key and the novels of Julie Berry.

Rebellious Frannie Tasker knows little about the war between England and its thirteen colonies in 1776, until a shipwreck off her home in Grand Bahama Island presents an unthinkable opportunity. The body of a young woman floating in the sea gives Frannie the chance to escape her brutal stepfather--and she takes it.

Assuming the identity of the drowned Emmeline Coates, Frannie is rescued by a British merchant ship and sails with the crew to New York. For the next three years, Frannie lives a lie as Miss Coates, swept up in a courtship by a dashing British lieutenant. But after witnessing the darker side of the war, she realizes that her position gives her power. Soon she finds herself eavesdropping on British officers, risking everything to pass information on to George Washington's Culper spy ring as agent 355. Frannie believes in the fight for American liberty--but what will it cost her? Inspired by the true "355" and rich in historical detail and intrigue, this is the story of an unlikely New York society girl turned an even unlikelier spy.

Review: 
Frannie Tasker spent her days diving for wrecks in the Grand Bahamas in 1776.  After her mother's death, Frannie is left with her step-father Sewal who abuses her and now wants to take her to be his wife.  Frannie takes an opportunity to escape with a shipwreck that she spots, and assumes the life of a woman aboard who drowned.  There were no survivors of the wreck and everyone believes that Frannie, now assuming the role of Emmaline Coates, is a miracle.  Frannie is swept away upon a British merchant ship on its way to her new home-and war in New York.  Frannie takes upon the task of learning to be a highborn lady who is soon to inherit.  Frannie shares her secret only with Asa Lane, a rebel being held on the ship.  Frannie plays her role well, three years later she is fully accepted as Emmaline and is ready to be married off.  Her chosen suitor, British Lieutenant James Duncan sweeps her off her feet and talks a lot about his role in the British Army.  Frannie soon finds a way to feel more like herself, as a spy for George Washington known as Agent 355, codename Lady.  


Agent 355 was a real spy for George Washington in the Culper Spy Ring known for helping with the arrest of Major John André.  While little is known of the real Agent 355, I absolutely adored Veronica Rossi's creation of Frannie.  From her time diving for wrecks in the Bahamas to her grand escape on the merchant ship, playing the part of Emmaline perfectly and her rediscovery of her sense of adventure by joining the Culper ring, Frannie had me amazed.  Frannie's life as both a wrecker and a lady of privilege creates a wide contrast as well as an additional layer of suspense of someone unmasking her carefully built disguise. As much as I loved the story of Frannie helping the rebels with her Spy ring, I further enjoyed the constant struggle within Frannie of becoming Emmaline and staying Frannie.  The romance between Frannie and Asa was sweet and added another layer of tension as she courted Duncan alongside rekindling her feelings for Asa.  Most of all, I enjoyed learning about the Culper Spy ring and their influence in the Revolutionary War.  Through her spying, Frannie finds her spirit, purpose and identity.  With an intriguing plot, in-depth characters and a heart-pounding ending, Rebel Spy amazingly recreates one of history's unknown women. 


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

BOOK LINKS
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/50201740-rebel-spy
Amazon: https://amzn.to/3aQcjHM
B&N: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/rebel-spy-veronica-rossi/1134237329?ean=9781524771225
iTunes: https://books.apple.com/lu/book/rebel-spy/id1484298170
Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Veronica_Rossi_Rebel_Spy?id=wOO3DwAAQBAJ&hl=en_US

AUTHOR INFORMATION

VERONICA ROSSI is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of the UNDER THE NEVER SKY series. She was born in Rio de Janeiro, grew up in California, and graduated from UCLA. She lives in the San Francisco Bay Area with her husband and two sons, one of whom just surpassed her in height. Find her online at veronicarossi.com or on Twitter at @rossibooks.


AUTHOR LINKS
Website: http://veronicarossi.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/rossibooks
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4637369.Veronica_Rossi
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rossibooks/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Veronica-Rossi-Author-139136976179726/

About the Book: 
​THE WOMAN IN THE GREEN DRESS
BY TEA COOPER
Publication Date: June 16, 2020
Thomas Nelson
Paperback, eBook, & AudioBook
Genre: Historical Fiction/Mystery


A cursed opal, a gnarled family tree, and a sinister woman in a green dress emerge in the aftermath of World War I.
After a whirlwind romance, London teashop waitress Fleur Richards can’t wait for her new husband, Hugh, to return from the Great War. But when word of his death arrives on Armistice Day, Fleur learns he has left her a sizable family fortune. Refusing to accept the inheritance, she heads to his beloved home country of Australia in search of the relatives who deserve it more.

In spite of her reluctance, she soon finds herself the sole owner of a remote farm and a dilapidated curio shop full of long-forgotten artifacts, remarkable preserved creatures, and a mystery that began more than sixty-five years ago. With the help of Kip, a repatriated soldier dealing with the sobering aftereffects of war, Fleur finds herself unable to resist pulling on the threads of the past. What she finds is a shocking story surrounding an opal and a woman in a green dress. . . a story that, nevertheless, offers hope and healing for the future.
This romantic mystery from award-winning Australian novelist Tea Cooper will keep readers guessing until the astonishing conclusion.

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Praise
“Readers of Kate Morton and Beatriz Williams will be dazzled. The Woman in the Green Dress spins readers into an evocative world of mystery and romance in this deeply researched book by Tea Cooper. There is a Dickensian flair to Cooper’s carefully constructed world of lost inheritances and found treasures as two indomitable women stretched across centuries work to reconcile their pasts while reclaiming love, identity and belonging against two richly moving historical settings. As soon as you turn the last page you want to start again just to see how every last thread is sewn in anticipation of its thrilling conclusion. One of the most intelligent, visceral and vibrant historical reads I have had the privilege of visiting in an age.” —Rachel McMillan, author of The London Restoration

“Refreshing and unique, The Woman in the Green Dress sweeps you across the wild lands of Australia in a thrilling whirl of mystery, romance, and danger. This magical tale weaves together two storylines with a heart-pounding finish that is drop-dead gorgeous.” —J’nell Ciesielski, author of The Socialite


Review: 
Armistice Day should have been full of joy for Fleur Richards; however, her day turns to despair as she receives a letter that her husband Hugh has become a casualty of war.  With the notice, Fleur also discovers that she has been named next of kin for Hugh's inheritance in Australia.  Now, Fleur ventures to Australia alone and must unravel the mystery of her husband's estate. 


Sixty-six years earlier Della Atterton lives a quiet life practicing her craft of taxidermy on the remote Mogo Creek in New South Wales until Captain Stefan von Richter comes crashing into her life.  Stefan is tracking down what he believes to be Australia's first opal.  The quest for the opal will bring both fortune and turmoil into his life as well as the life of his 

Told from dual timelines, this haunting mystery pulled me into the wonders of Australia.  The story did take me a little time to get into as I figured out how the two storylines were connected.  I was more drawn towards Fleur's story and her daring, courageous and caring nature.  Her strength shone as she set out across the world alone to learn about Hugh.  Fleur's drive to figure out Hugh's origins and the mystery of the Curio Shop she inherited were fueled with passion.  In the earlier timeline, Della's character echoed Fleur's sentiments; however, I was drawn into Stefan and Bert's quest and relationship even more.    Cordelia's character heightened the mystery as I tried to figure out her angle and motivations.  Most of all, I enjoyed the descriptions of Australia.  I was surprised at the dark history of the rampant attacks and racism on the native people of Australia; however, it is always good to learn about. The ending expertly wrapped  the two timelines together and satisfied the mystery.  

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

​About the Author

Téa Cooper is an award-winning, bestselling author of Australian historical fiction. In a past life she was a teacher, a journalist and a farmer. These days she haunts museums and indulges her passion for storytelling.
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About the Book: 
It is the winter of 1942, and the world is at war. A few Jewish musicians attempt to flee the Nazi death grip, each desperately trying to navigate his own path to safety. With the courageous aid and kindness of strangers, they soon find themselves in Rome, where under the highly secret help of the Vatican, they are hidden in Bellafortuna, a small village in Sicily. The residents of Bellafortuna welcome them and care for them, and for a fleeting moment, the horrors the musicians are facing are forgotten while residing in the beautiful, idyllic landscape of Sicily. But word soon reaches the small village that Italy has surrendered, now making Germany at war with Italy. War quickly comes to the village as the Germans storm into Sicily to repel the Allied advance. As Bellafortuna becomes front and center in the raging war, the villagers rise as one to try and protect and save the Jews hiding in their midst. Failure to keep them hidden will mean death to those under their protection…and perhaps even to the villagers themselves.
An intricately plotted and meticulously researched novel, Saving the Music demonstrates how, in the face of death and unspeakable horror, the strength of the human spirit of ordinary people can shine bright through the darkness.
​
Buy the Book: 

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Advance Praise
​“In Saving the Music, author Chip LoCoco writes of the efforts undertaken by common villagers, priests, and even a Pope to protect Jews from the Nazis. He vividly depicts the horrors faced by the Jews as they confront the Holocaust. Filled with real heroism and high drama, this book brings perspective and depth to its subject. It’s an exciting read on an important topic, and I strongly recommend it.” -Ronald Rychlak, Author of Hitler, the War, and the Pope

“This is a well-composed novel that captures key moments of the Holocaust as it relates to the Italian people. I highly recommend it.” -Professor Vincent Lapomarda, S.J., Author of The Jesuits and the Third Reich

“This is a well-researched novel and reflects the situation as it then existed, hopefully, never to return.” -Fr. Peter Gumpel, S.J., postulator of the cause of beautification for Pius XII
​
“Chip LoCoco’s novel, Saving the Music, is a realistic fact-based story of pain, fear and true heroism. The premise is solidly grounded on documented facts of the actions of the Catholic Church under the Pontificate of Pope Pius XII down to priests and individual Catholics. Saving the Music is an exciting and engrossing read, which joins the list of wonderful truth-based books of late that is shedding light on the truth ending the worst character assassination of the 20th Century. Bravo.” -Gary L. Krupp, Author of Pope Pius XII and World War II- The Documented Truth
​

Review: 
 As the war rages on in 1942, a group of Jewish musicians are being rounded up onto trains by Nazis. Through the relentless work of resistance members and friends, they are hidden away and freed from the trains.  At the same time Pope Pious XII is debating what to say publicly about the massive loss of life at the hands of the Nazis.  Making the difficult decision to retain neutrality, Pope Pious XII quietly assists in the relocation of thousands of Jews, including a special group of musicians.  With the assistance of Father Biaggio Sanguinetti, the group of fifteen Jews finds a new home and new identities in the small Italian town of Bellafortuna where they find how to create music together.  When the German's occupy Bellafortuna, the residents use their ingenuity to keep everyone safe and when the Nazi's threaten the Roman Ghetto, the Pope's network and the Italian people come together to save as many people as they can.


Saving the Music is a beautiful story of hope and fear during World War II.  Set in the fictional village of Bellafortuna, Sicily, the stories of several characters from A Song for Bellafortuna are continued, but it is not necessary to read beforehand. The theme of music is strong within the story and is what brings everyone together regardless of religion or language and keeps spirits high during the darkest of times.  The characters are all wonderfully created and quickly became people that I cared about.  The writing skillfully showcased the beauty of Bellafortuna and the resident's immense capacity to care for others.  While Bellafortuna is fictional, the actions of the Italian people and Pope Pious XII were very real.  Reading about the Pope's difficult decisions that were made to save lives, all while receiving criticism for not speaking out against Hitler's atrocities was profound showing that true heroes do not act in order to receive praise, but will gladly risk themselves in order to do what is right.  
This book was received for free in return for an honest review. 

About the Author

Chip LoCoco was born and raised in New Orleans. His first novel, Tempesta’s Dream, became an Amazon Bestseller.

His second novel, Bellafortuna, has been nationally recognized, being named a Short List Finalist in the William Faulkner Writing Competition and awarded the B.R.A.G. Award in Historical Fiction. Mr. LoCoco is a member of the Italian American Writers Association.

His newest work, Saving the Music, which is Book 2 of his Bellafortuna Series, was just recently released.

Chip, who is an attorney, is married to his wife of over 20 years, Wendy. They have two children, Matthew and Ellie and a beagle, named Scout. They reside in their beloved city of New Orleans, where if you try to find them on a Sunday in the Fall, they will be somewhere rooting on their Saints.

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