Tag: #authorsocialmedia

Feature Post and Book Review: The Librarian of Burned Books by Brianna Labuskes

The Librarian of Burned Books is a captivating WWII-era novel about the intertwined fates of three women who believe in the power of books to triumph over the very darkest moments of war.

Book Description

Following the success of her debut novel, American writer Althea James receives an invitation from Joseph Goebbels himself to participate in a culture exchange program in Germany. For a girl from a small town in Maine, 1933 Berlin seems to be sparklingly cosmopolitan, blossoming in the midst of a great change with the charismatic new chancellor at the helm. Then Althea meets a beautiful woman who promises to show her the real Berlin, and soon she’s drawn into a group of resisters who make her question everything she knows about her hosts—and herself.

Paris 1936. She may have escaped Berlin for Paris, but Hannah Brecht discovers the City of Light is no refuge from the anti-Semitism and Nazi sympathizers she thought she left behind. Heartbroken and tormented by the role she played in the betrayal that destroyed her family, Hannah throws herself into her work at the German Library of Burned Books. Through the quiet power of books, she believes she can help counter the tide of fascism she sees rising across Europe and atone for her mistakes. But when a dear friend decides actions will speak louder than words, Hannah must decide what stories she is willing to live—or die—for.

New York 1944. Since her husband Edward was killed fighting the Nazis, Vivian Childs has been waging her own war: preventing a powerful senator’s attempts to censor the Armed Service Editions, portable paperbacks that are shipped by the millions to soldiers overseas. Viv knows just how much they mean to the men through the letters she receives—including the last one she got from Edward. She also knows the only way to win this battle is to counter the senator’s propaganda with a story of her own—at the heart of which lies the reclusive and mysterious woman tending the American Library of Nazi-Banned Books in Brooklyn.

As Viv unknowingly brings her censorship fight crashing into the secrets of the recent past, the fates of these three women will converge, changing all of them forever.

Inspired by the true story of the Council of Books in Wartime—the WWII organization founded by booksellers, publishers, librarians, and authors to use books as “weapons in the war of ideas”—The Librarian of Burned Books is an unforgettable historical novel, a haunting love story, and a testament to the beauty, power, and goodness of the written word.

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/61190260-the-librarian-of-burned-books?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=YbHUssQfgo&rank=1

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My Book Review

RATING: 5 out of 5 Stars

THE LIBRARIAN OF BURNED BOOKS by Brianna Labuskes is an emotionally moving and provocative story that is about the important topics of censorship, the loss of freedoms and hate during this period from history that is as important today as it was then. Three women narrate their very different stories from pre-WWII Germany to Paris and then the United States in 1944.

Young American writer Althea James and Hannah Brecht meet in Berlin in 1933 and their story is told by Althea. Hannah Brecht is Jewish and a lesbian who has fled Germany and in 1936 is in Paris working at the German Library of Burned Books before the Germans invade. Vivian Childs is in New York in 1944 and working to fight an amendment to a bill that censors Armed Service Editions shipped to the millions of service men overseas. As Vivian works to set up a rally to fight censorship and gain attention to her battle, she unknowingly is about to shine a light on other’s secrets and change all their lives forever.

I am surprised this is the debut novel from this author. Even carrying three different storylines at different times and locations, the narratives never seemed to lose focus. The historical research is evident, and I was checking out actual pictures on-line of the Book Burning Memorial in Germany when I finished. And when I finished, I was so moved I had tears in my eyes and had to grab a tissue. Each of the women in this story are believable characters with very different journeys and yet their love of books brought them all together. There is a budding lesbian romance in this book and descriptions of the liberal cabarets in pre-WWII Germany which some may find offensive as well as some graphic violence.

This is a intriguing historical fiction tale that I could not put down. If you love books and abhor past and present censorship, I believe you will love this book as much as I did. I will be looking for future books by this author.

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Author Bio

Born in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, Brianna Labuskes graduated from Penn State University with a degree in journalism. For the past eight years, she has worked as an editor at both small-town papers and national media organizations such as Politico and Kaiser Health News, covering politics and policy. Her historical romance novel, One Step Behind, was released by Entangled Publishing. She lives in Washington, DC, and enjoys traveling, hiking, kayaking, and exploring the city’s best brunch options. Visit her at www.briannalabuskes.com.

Social Media Links

Website: https://briannalabuskes.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/briannalabuskes

Twitter: https://twitter.com/brilabuskes

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/brianna-labuskes

Feature Post and Mini Book Reviews: The McKenzies of Ridge Trail Series by Lori Foster

Hi, everyone!

Today I am sharing my Feature Post and Mini Book Reviews for THE McKENZIES OF RIDGE TRAIL series by Lori Foster. Three exciting romantic suspense books featuring a tight knit family of vigilantes working to stop human trafficking in their area of Colorado.

The McKenzies of Ridge Trail

Book 1: No Holding Back
Book 2: Stronger Than You Know
Book 3: Watching Over You

Below you will find book descriptions, my mini book reviews, and the author’s bio and social media links. Enjoy!

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Book Description

Trucker Sterling (Star) Parson is no stranger to the challenges a woman faces, both in her industry and in life. But she can take care of herself. She’s never needed—or wanted—a man around…until she meets Cade McKenzie. The take-charge bar owner sets off all kinds of alarm bells for Sterling, but he also sets her heart racing.

Cade’s lived in Ridge Trail long enough to know trouble when he sees it, and the moment Sterling—Star—walks into his bar, he knows trouble’s come to call. Secrets run deep in the small town and Cade can tell Star’s got as many as he does, leaving him itching to uncover every last one. But finding common ground will mean trusting one another, further feeding an intense attraction that’s growing impossible to resist.

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My Mini Book Review

NO HOLDING BACK (The McKenzies of Ridge Trail Book #1) by Lori Foster is a thrilling, fast paced romantic suspense which introduces the McKenzie family and their unique family business. This first book in the series features the eldest son, Cade McKenzie and the unique woman who captures first his interest and then his heart.

Cade and Sterling “Star” have both had to deal with the emotional devastation of human trafficking in their lives. Cade was an Army Ranger until he returned home with a medical discharge and became involved in his family’s fight. Star escaped and survived her trafficking, with major trust issues, but she refuses to be broken and works on her own to help others escape from traffickers while seeking revenge.

I love these two together and how Cade took the necessary time to gain Star’s trust while both danced around how much they were willing to reveal to each other. I always love a strong heroine and Star more than fits the bill, physically and in the way she stands up to Cade’s alpha tendencies and his father’s domineering attitude. All the members of the McKenzie family are fully fleshed. The plot is full of suspense and danger but is also interspersed with humor and smokin’ hot sex scenes that are explicit, but not gratuitous. The discussions of human trafficking are handled realistically and do include scenes of violence.

I highly recommend this emotional romantic suspense!

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Book Description

Kennedy Brooks has spent years learning how to protect herself, and empowering other women to do the same. Still, there are some hazards that can’t be predicted. That includes Reyes McKenzie, who owns her local gym. Strong, capable, and watchful, he seems like the one man who might understand her past. For once, Kennedy is tempted to let her guard down—something she’s vowed never to do.

The moment petite, fiercely determined Kennedy walked into his gym, Reyes knew that she carried secrets. What he didn’t expect was that she could tell the same about him. When trouble tracks her down, she turns to Reyes, unleashing a maelstrom of protective instinct and mutual desire. But will her need for him end when the danger does, or will they take the ultimate risk—on each other?

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Mini Book Review

STRONGER THAN YOU KNOW (The McKenzies of Ridge Trail book #2) by Lori Foster is another exciting romantic suspense in the McKenzies of Ridge Trail series. This story features the second McKenzie son, Reyes who has been trained his entire life to fight against human traffickers with his family and the woman who has turned her experience of being trafficked into empowering other women.

Reyes McKenzie runs a gym in the seedier part of town to gather intel on human trafficking activity that he and his family can act against. Kennedy Brooks uses Reyes’s gym to work on her self-defense skills and even though she is intrigued by Reyes, she wants nothing to do with him until she returns from a conference and finds her apartment building on fire and two men lurking by her Uber. Reyes’ protective instincts kick in and Kennedy will be staying with him until they can discover who is after her.

Reyes is a wonderful hero with his protectiveness of Kennedy, and I loved his continual wise-cracking and needling of others. Kennedy is a strong heroine, not so much physically, but with her strength and caring for others which makes the inclusion of Jodi, another trafficking survivor, a great example of her caring. The romance in this story is a slow burn with Reyes not believing he would ever find true love, but once they get together, hot, hot, hot. The suspense plot moves at a fast pace and does have realistic descriptions of violence against women. I liked catching up with Cade and Star’s relationship and I also enjoyed learning more about Reyes’s father and Bernard in this book.

Another wonderful addition to the series and I highly recommend this exciting romantic suspense!

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Book Description

While investigating a criminal network, Detective Crosby Albertson keeps crossing paths with members of the highly trained, suspiciously well-informed McKenzie family. They’re always one step ahead of him—especially their alarmingly attractive intel specialist, Madison. And Crosby needs to find out why.

Madison McKenzie is the tech and surveillance whiz of her family’s operation. A recent case introduced her to Detective Albertson. She finds herself irresistibly drawn to the sexy and mysterious cop. There’s just one problem. He’s a detective and her family’s work is secret. When Crosby starts digging for information about the McKenzies, Madison’s got to get him off the scent…while keeping him at a safe distance.

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My Mini Book Review

WATCHING OVER YOU (The McKenzies of Ridge Trail Book #3) by Lori Foster is the third gripping romantic suspense in the McKenzies of Ridge Trail series. This story features the youngest and only female McKenzie, Madison and her continuing interest in the local detective who suspects the McKenzie’s are involved in more than strictly legal activities in their dealings with human traffickers.

Madison McKenzie is a tech prodigy and assists her father and brothers in their fight against human traffickers. Her infatuation and frank back and forth with Crosby Albertson is entertaining and leads to an intense build-up of sexual tension. Crosby Albertson, no longer a detective, is now working for Madison’s father. Madison and Crosby must decide if all the family secrets can be overcome. When a secret from his private life is uncovered and endangered, he finds he is more in line with McKenzie family justice than worrying about the legal system.

This is my favorite romance story of the three McKenzie siblings. Madison is a great heroine who is talented, physically strong, forthright, and yet vulnerable. Crosby is an alpha hero who is struggling with his law-and-order beliefs versus the McKensie vigilante beliefs. His love of Madison, family, and any he considers family makes the crossing of the line a decision he must make as they are threatened. It is great when the family comes together, not only to defeat human traffickers, but in leisure at the family mansion to catch up with all the character’s current lives. This suspense plot is as fast paced as the others, but this book has a bit more romance with not only Madison and Crosby coming together, but also Parrish, Madison’s father, and Silver. This is the last book in this series, and I am sorry to see it end.

I highly recommend this final romantic suspense in this series!

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Author Bio

 Lori Foster is a New York Times, USA Today, and Publishers Weekly bestselling author with over 10 million books sold. She received the Career Achievement Award from RT Book Reviews and her books have been chosen as editors picks by Amazon multiple times. Foster is actively involved in charity work, and all of the author proceeds from her anthologies have gone to various organizations, such as the Animal Adoption Foundation, the Conductive Learning Center, and One Way Farm. She lives in Ohio with her high school sweetheart.

Social Media Links

Author Website

Twitter: @LoriLFoster

Facebook: Lori Foster

Instagram: @lorilfoster

Blog Tour/Feature Post and Book Review: Signs of Life by Chris Towndrow

Hi, everyone!

Today I am sharing my Feature Post and Book Review for SIGNS OF LIFE by Chris Towndrow on this Overview Media Blog Tour.

Below you will find a book blurb, my book review, the author’s bio and social media links. Enjoy!

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Book Blurb

What time can’t heal, love will.

Arizona, 1878. When long-time widower Earl finds an injured deaf youth on the prairie, he reluctantly decides to help the boy as compensation for not being there to save his own wife and baby from a Mojave raiding party years earlier.

He lodges the youngster – “Bill” – with a local widow, Laura, whose daughter is deaf. Soon, sign language and shared loss deepen their friendship and begin his healing. Together, they stand firm against the town’s prejudices, led by the boorish Mayor Potter.

But just when Earl believes his life has turned a corner, and he is ready to embrace love for this new woman, he learns the truth about his lost family.
As his dark past threatens to return, Earl must face his own guilt and prejudice or risk losing everything all over again.

Can Earl overcome his past failings and face down danger?
Will Laura’s kindness and faith be repaid?
Can the boy’s mistakes be fixed?
Will love prevail?

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/75723601-signs-of-life?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=63vqqIPZAN&rank=2

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My Book Review

RATING: 4 out of 5 Stars

SIGNS OF LIFE by Chris Towndrow is an engaging western historical fiction with romantic elements, friendship, family, and prejudice set in Arizona in 1878.

This story tells the tale of widower, Earl who lost his wife and infant son in an Indian raid and becomes an embittered man. When Earl and his friend find a boy in the desert, Earl is reluctant to help him especially when they discover the boy is deaf, but they do take him into the nearby town and to a widow, Laura, who has a deaf daughter.

As Earl fights not only his own prejudice, but the prejudice he discovers in town, he discovers a shocking fact about not only the boy they saved, but about the family he lost.

This is a very character driven story that is an entertaining read, but not quite what I was expecting. I was expecting more of a Zane Grey stylized story, but this book is written in short chapters like a modern-day thriller. The scenes of town life felt realistic, and the dialogue also felt appropriate to the period. Earl’s character growth and evolving emotions felt believable and his road to forgiveness is a major theme. All the other characters are well drawn and add depth to the story. I am an avid romance reader and there are romantic elements woven into this story, but I would not consider this a romance. It is a western fiction first with the romance leading to healing in Earl’s story arc.

Overall, an appealing character driven western historical fiction.

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Chris Towndrow – Author

Author Bio

Chris Towndrow has been a writer since 1991.

He began writing science fiction, inspired by Asimov, Iain M Banks, and numerous film and TV canons. After a few years creating screenplays across several genres, in 2004 he branched out into playwriting and has had several productions professionally performed. This background is instrumental in his ability to produce realistic, compelling dialogue in his books.

His first published novel was 2012’s space opera “Sacred Ground”. He then changed focus into “hard” sci-fi books, and the Enna Dacourt pentalogy was completed in 2023.

He has always drawn inspiration from the big screen, and 2019’s quirky romantic black comedy “Tow Away Zone” owes much to the film canon of the Coen Brothers. This has been his most well-received book to date, and spawned two sequels in what became the “Sunrise trilogy”.

His first historical fiction novel, “Signs Of Life”, was published by Valericain Press in 2023.

In 2023, Chris returns to his passion for writing accessible humour and will devote his efforts to romantic comedies. The first of these scripts is currently in development.

Chris lives on the outskirts of London with his family and works as a video editor and producer. He is a member of the UK Society of Authors.

Social Media Links

Website: www.christowndrow.co.uk

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ChrisTowndrowAuthor

Twitter: https://twitter.com/TowndrowBooks

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/towndrowbooks

Book Review: Because of You by Jessica Scott

RATING: 5 out of 5 Stars

BECAUSE OF YOU (Coming Home Book #1) by Jessica Scott is an emotional contemporary romance and the first in the Coming Home series featuring a badly wounded military Sergeant coming home from Iraq and the nurse who cares for him but has scars of her own. I cannot believe I have not read any of these books previously because they are so well written with everything I want in a romance and the lives of the military personnel are so realistically portrayed.

Sergeant First Class Shane Garrison takes the care, training, and safety of his men very seriously. Four months into the surge in Iraq, he is seriously injured by an IED and shipped back home to the hospital at Ft. Hood. With one arm in a cast and both legs in pin traction, he is afraid he will never get back to his men.

Jen St. James is a nurse at Ft. Hood’s hospital and has taken care of many soldiers returning home. When she sees Shane in the hospital there is still an attraction that was there when they met at a deployment party before he shipped out. Jen pushes Shane to fight not only to heal physically, but to find how to move forward. But Jen is hiding scars from a battle of her own and needs to learn to move on, also.

I could not put this book down! Shane and Jen were both compelling main characters that kept me on their emotional roller coaster from their first meeting until the end of the book. The secondary characters are just as vividly drawn and believable. I was pulled into the lives of them all. The author shines a realistic light on many of the daily problems facing military personnel and their family members. The dialogue was stark and graphic on some difficult topics, but also had moments of humor. The romance progressed at a believable pace with the emotional trust that had to be achieved with eventual sex scenes that were explicit, but not gratuitous.

I highly recommend this contemporary military romance! One good thing about finding this series now is that I have several more books already available to read in the series.

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About the Author

Jessica Scott is the USA Today bestselling author of novels set in the heart of America’s Army. She is an active duty army officer, a veteran of the Iraq war, is the mother of two daughters, a small zoo consisting of too many cats, dogs and the occasional domesticated rodent, and wife to a retired NCO.

Her stories are centered on soldiers returning from the nation’s wars and their struggles and triumphs and come from her personal experiences as a soldier, a mother and a military wife. She and her family are currently wherever the army has sent her.

She’s also written for the New York Times At War Blog, PBS Point of View Regarding War, and IAVA. She deployed to Iraq in 2009 as part of Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF)/New Dawn and has had the honor of serving as a company commander at Fort Hood, Texas twice.

She holds a Ph.D. in Sociology and she’s been featured as one of Esquire Magazine’s Americans of the Year for 2012.

Social Media Links

Website: www.jessicascott.net

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JessicaScottAuthor

Twitter: https://twitter.com/JessicaScott09

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jessicadscott09/

Mini Book Review: The Great Jewel Robbery by Elizabeth McKenna

Book Description

Mystery with a splash of romance…

Chicago Tribune reporters Emma and Grace have been best friends since college despite coming from different worlds. When Grace is assigned to cover an annual charity ball and auction being held at a lakeside mansion and her boyfriend bails on her, she brings Emma as her plus one. The night is going smoothly until Emma finds the host’s brother unconscious in the study. Though at first it is thought he was tipsy and stumbled, it soon becomes clear more is afoot, as the wall safe is empty and a three-million-dollar diamond necklace is missing. With visions of becoming ace investigative journalists, Emma and Grace set out to solve the mystery, much to the chagrin of the handsome local detective.

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/52092490-the-great-jewel-robbery?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=VIWT7xcvap&rank=1

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My Mini Book Review

RATING: 4 out of 5 Stars

THE GREAT JEWEL ROBBERY (A Front Page Mystery Book #1) by Elizabeth McKenna is the start of a new cozy mystery series featuring two best friends who are reporters on the Chicago Tribune. This story has an easy to read writing style, amusing new main characters, and some surprises along the way.

Emma and Grace have very different life experiences but have been best friends since college and both now write for the Chicago times. Emma writes for the sports page and Grace writes for the society page. When Grace is assigned to cover a charity auction and ball and her date drops out, Emma becomes her plus one for the weekend. When the disappearance of the main jewelry collection for the auction is discovered, Grace sees this as her chance to get off the society page and become an investigative reporter, while Emma agrees to help, she keeps having run ins with handsome local detective.

This is a fast-paced cozy mystery with plenty of suspects and red herrings. Emma and Grace are very likable protagonists, and I enjoyed the differences in their backgrounds did not matter to their friendship. The pace was consistent throughout and the conclusion tied up all the loose threads.

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About the Author

Elizabeth McKenna’s love of books reaches back to her childhood, where her tastes ranged from Nancy Drew and the Hardy Boys to Stephen King’s horror stories. She had never read a romance novel until one Christmas when her sister gave her the latest bestseller by Nora Roberts. She was hooked from page one (actually, she admits it was the first love scene).

Her novels reflect her mercurial temperament and include historical romances, contemporary romances, cozy mysteries, and dark mysteries. With some being “clean” and some being “naughty,” she has a book for your every mood.

Elizabeth lives in Wisconsin with her understanding husband and Sidney, the rescue dog from Tennessee. When she isn’t writing, reading, editing, or walking the dog that never tires, she’s sleeping.

Social Media Links

Website: https://elizabethmckenna.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ElizabethMcKennaAuthor

Twitter: https://twitter.com/ElizaMcKenna

Book Tour/Feature Post and Book Review: The Whispering Women by Trish MacEnulty

Hi, everyone!

Today I am sharing my Feature Post and Book Review for THE WHISPERING WOMEN (Delafield & Mallory Investigations Book #1) by Trish MacEnulty on this Black Coffee Book Tour.

Below you will find a book description, my book review, an about the author section and the author’s social media links. Enjoy!

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Book Description

Born into a once-wealthy Manhattan family, Louisa Delafield survives by doing the one thing she’s suited for: writing a society column. But in January 1913, the death of a police matron in a bombed brownstone convinces Louisa to write about darker subjects. “Muckraking” goes against her upbringing, but once her blinders are off, she can’t continue to protect the privileged.

Ellen Malloy came to America to escape the priests who told her she would go to hell for loving women. However, her job as a debutante’s personal maid affords her no opportunity for a life, much less for finding love. After witnessing the death of a fellow servant during an illegal abortion, she flees her comfortable position in fear for her life.

When the two women are brought together by New York’s top bomb squad cop, Louisa and Ellen dive into a dangerous world of gangsters, bordellos, and back-alley abortions to find the connection between Ellen’s friend and the dead police matron. Their investigation makes them the target of powerful forces who will stop at nothing, even murder, to bury the truth.

This book is a timely reminder of an era when the legal system and social norms prevented women from enjoying the freedom to control their own destinies.

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/62132095-the-whispering-women?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=uewO4Z5efO&rank=1

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My Book Review

RATING: 5 out of 5 Stars

THE WHISPERING WOMEN (A Delafield & Mallory Investigation Book #1) by Trish MacEnulty is the first book in an exciting historical mystery series featuring two very different young women in early 20th century New York who come together to fight against injustice. This is a story set over a hundred years ago and is yet eerily relevant to the present.

Louisa Delafield was born into a Manhattan society family. Due to her father’s murder and her family’s financial downfall, she now earns her living and is supporting her mother by writing a society column for The Ledger. Ellen Mallory came to America from Ireland and is a lady’s maid to a young debutante. When Ellen witnesses the death of a fellow servant during an illegal abortion, she finds she must flee her position in fear of her life.

Louisa and Ellen stories converge as Louisa looks to discover why a police matron was blown up while investigating an abortionist and Ellen is running from those Louisa is investigating and wants to seek revenge for her friend. The two must learn to navigate the social class system to discover a way to combine their strengths and find the power to bring powerful evil into the light.

I loved this story and both Louisa and Ellen are great protagonists. Louisa and Ellen are well developed, and their differences make them a good pair that you want to succeed. You can tell the research into early 1900’s New York life and society is extensive and the descriptions pull you right into the story. The plot is well paced, and the investigation is believable. So many of the topics in this plot, such as illegal abortion, women’s rights, and LGBTQ issues are as discussion worthy then as they are today.

I highly recommend this wonderful start to a new series with memorable strong main characters, and I am looking forward to seeing where this author takes them next.

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About the Author

The Whispering Women is Trish MacEnulty’s debut as a historical fiction novelist. She has previously published four novels, a short story collection, and a memoir. A former Professor of English at Johnson & Wales University in Charlotte, NC, she currently lives in Florida with her husband, two dogs, and one cat and teaches journalism.

Social Media Links

Website: https://trishmacenulty.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100055362621397

Twitter: https://twitter.com/pmacenulty

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/trish-macenulty