Style and the Solitary by Miriam Drori (guest post + #giveaway)

 

I'm delighted today to invite you to celebrate the first book birthday for Style and the Solitary, a murder mystery by Miriam Drori. You have a chance to win one of the author's books, and read a guest post on bursting myths about social anxiety. 

Style and the Solitary

An unexpected murder. A suspect with a reason. The power of unwavering belief.

A murder has been committed in an office in Jerusalem. That’s for sure. The rest is not as clear-cut as it might seem.

Asaf languishes in his cell, unable to tell his story even to himself. How can he tell it to someone who elicits such fear within him?

His colleague, Nathalie, has studied Beauty and the Beast. She understands its moral. Maybe that’s why she’s the only one who believes in Asaf, the suspect. But she’s new in the company – and in the country. Would anyone take her opinion seriously?

She coerces her flatmates, Yarden and Tehila, into helping her investigate. As they uncover new trails, will they be able to reverse popular opinion?

In the end, will Beauty’s belief be strong enough to waken the Beast? Or, in this case, can Style waken the Solitary?

 

Purchase Link - mybook.to/styleandthesolitary

 

Author Bio –

When Miriam Drori says she loves to perform, people don’t believe her. When she says she’s not shy, they think she’s delusional. The fact is, things ain’t what they seem. A witch called social anxiety took away her ability to be spontaneous, but it didn’t change her exhibitionist nature. You need to watch her dancing or speaking before an audience to understand that.

 

Fortunately, she has found an outlet for her thoughts in writing, a solitary activity with multiple recipients. She never doubted her ability to write, but only in recent years has she managed to gather her views and observations together into papier-mâché balls worth throwing far and wide.

 

If you ignore the witch, life has been good to Miriam, especially since she made the decision to move from the UK to Israel. She has a wonderful husband, three lovely children and a delightful house. She loves to read, travel, hike and dance. She has worked in computer programming and technical writing, and now enjoys the freedom and versatility of creative writing. And she believes passionately in raising awareness of social anxiety.

Social Media Links –

Facebook, Twitter, Goodreads, Pinterest, Instagram, Wattpad and website/blog.

Amazon page: Author.to/MiriamDroriAtAmazon

Please welcome Miriam Drori, today she is talking about social anxiety.

Bursting Myths About Social Anxiety

I’ll begin with the same introduction I wrote for Reading Tonic. I don’t write solely about social anxiety, but, as it happens, the three books currently available all involve social anxiety. My (unavailable) romance and historical fiction don’t mention it and neither do any of my short stories.

But in researching and talking about social anxiety, I’ve come across several misconceptions, and I’d like to share some of them.

‘Social Anxiety’ is Just a Label

Older people, in particular, hate labels. Not all older people – I should probably say not all of us – but many. They say that in the old days, we didn’t have all those labels (which is true) and therefore people were happier (which is not). They say that nowadays, people hide behind labels; that they use labels as excuses for not tackling their problems. I think it’s more that people with problems hid themselves away so well that those label haters were unaware of them.

I think labels are good, when used properly. Labels help us to find others who struggle with similar problems, to share and support each other. They help us to find professional help. Most of all, they tell us we are not alone.

Social Anxiety is a Choice

Another misconception is that people choose to have social anxiety, and therefore they can choose not to have it, just like that (she says, snapping her fingers).

They apparently don’t realise that, along with social anxiety, comes embarrassment, stress, fear and many other negative feelings. It attracts ridicule, or simply causes others to ignore the sufferer.

No, no one chooses to have social anxiety.

Social Anxiety = Extreme Shyness

This one tends to be true; most people with social anxiety are also shy. They generally believe they were always shy, and their shyness developed throughout their childhood, leading to social anxiety.

However, that’s not true universally, and I’m a case in point. I was never shy, and that’s probably what enabled me to ‘come out’ and even deliver talks about social anxiety.

Social Anxiety = Autism

People who’ve heard a little about social anxiety could be forgiven for comparing it to autism. After all, in both cases, sufferers struggle to fit into society. And, either as a consequence of that or as a cause of it, they generally don’t talk a lot.

However, there’s at least one big difference. People with autism find it hard to understand what others are feeling or thinking, while those with social anxiety understand too well.

Conclusion

I hope I’ve opened up a window on social anxiety. Those three books of mine open doors.

·         Social Anxiety Revealed (non-fiction): a guide to social anxiety, written by me and many fellow sufferers, who agreed for their words to be quoted on condition that they remained anonymous.

·         Cultivating a Fuji (uplit), in which the main character is completely unsuited to the task he is given, of representing his company in Japan.

·         Style and the Solitary (cosy crime), in which the character is arrested for murder and unable to defend himself.

 

Giveaway to Win 5 x PB copies of Cultivating a Fuji by Miriam Drori (Open INT)

 

 

*Terms and Conditions –

Worldwide entries welcome.  

Please enter using the Rafflecopter box below.  

The winner will be selected at random via Rafflecopter from all valid entries and will be notified by Twitter and/or email. 

If no response is received within 7 days then Rachel’s Random Resources reserves the right to select an alternative winner. 

Open to all entrants aged 18 or over.  

Any personal data given as part of the competition entry is used for this purpose only and will not be shared with third parties, with the exception of the winners’ information. 

This will passed to the giveaway organiser and used only for fulfilment of the prize, after which time Rachel’s Random Resources will delete the data.  

I am not responsible for despatch or delivery of the prize.

Please note that this giveaway will appear through several blogs taking part in the Book Birthday Blitz.

Chez Maximka has no access to the data collected, and is not involved in the selection of the winner or dispatch of the prize.

Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

The Perfect Holiday by T.J. Emerson

 

"I watched numerous episodes of Dreams in the Sun, the programme where couples venture abroad to find their ideal holiday home. I couldn't help picturing myself and Helen living such a life. Long, lazy days by the pool. Boozy lunches in the square of some picturesque village or market town. Heaven".

The Perfect Holiday by T.J. Emerson is a tense, convincing psychological thriller.

Olivia and Julian Griggs are having a good time at their villa in Spain, with the fabulous views of the Mediterranean, "stretching into the distance like a big blue dream". 

While Olivia is used to the moneyed lifestyle, Julian comes from a humble background. Four years earlier he was caring for his disabled first wife Helen, not knowing what the future holds in store for them. 

The timeline alternates between the "before" and "after". We get to know Julian as he cares for his wife, who's been left severely disabled after a car crash. He has also been a carer for his father for many years previously. Julian had to cope with responsibility from a early age, and life as a carer was all that he knew.

One dark night, while Julian was away from home, someone has broken into their Edinburgh home and murdered Helen in her sleep.  The money he received from the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority has enabled him to set up a charity in his wife's name, Helen Griggs Award, which has become a success. 

And then Olivia comes into his life. She encourages Julian to write a memoir and share his story.

In his memoir about his life as a carer, Julian ponders, "Hard as it may be to believe, the accident made the bond between us stronger than ever... it is difficult to accept, that, to this day, her murder remains unsolved. It is an apparently motiveless crime... The lack of closure has left questions that may never be resolved: who killed my wife and why?"

The touching memoirs propel Julian into the public eye even further. 

Life with Olivia is worlds apart from his previous life. The new lifestyle suits Julian. They enjoy the unhurried pace of the Spanish holidays, with the relaxed siesta in the heat, long walks by the sea, seclusion of their villa, cooling swims in the pool and delicious Spanish food. Life couldn't be better, until the chance encounter with Gabriel.

Gabriel is a handsome man, much younger than both Olivia and Julian. He has a striking tattoo of angel's wings on his back. This meeting will change everything. The Spanish idyll will turn into a dangerous cat and mouse game. 

Will Gabriel's wings be that of an angel of death? Will any of them emerge alive from this treacherous game?

The Perfect Holiday is an intense suspence, compellingly creepy and dark. The atmosphere of growing tension is pulsing with menace and hostility. The skilful narrative reveals that things are not always what they seem.

The dreary routine of the carer is chillingly accurate and authentic, describing "the burden of responsibility, the social isolation, the missed opportunities..." The author's portrayal of the strain on being the carer rings true, it's not just the physical side of sleepless nights and 24/7 care, but the psychological effect, the emptiness of seeing no way out. 

Julian appears devoted to his wife, caring and loyal. But he is also resentful and unethical.

From the moment Gabriel appears, you know he is a sinister character. As the story progresses, his personality acquires a more menacing and disturbing intensity.

The big reveal is unwrapped quite early in the plot (first third of the book), and then it's less of a mystery, and more of a (im)morality play.

If you enjoy vacation-gone-downhill thrillers while lounging on the beach or by the pool, The Perfect Holiday is for you.

This post is part of the blog tour for The Perfect Holiday.

Many thanks to T.J.Emerson and Rachel's Random Resources for my e-copy of the book!

Purchase Link - https://amzn.to/3GHeugH

Author Bio –

T.J. Emerson's debut psychological thriller was published by Legend Press and received brilliant reviews. Her short stories and features have been widely published in anthologies and magazines, and she works as a literary consultant and writing tutor. Her latest psychological thriller, The Perfect Holiday, will be published by Boldwood Books in April 2022. She lives in Scotland.

Social Media Links –

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

Twitter https://twitter.com/TraceyJEmerson

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

Newsletter Sign Up: https://bit.ly/TJEmersonNews

The Last King by M.J. Porter (book excerpt + #giveaway)

I'm delighted to introduce a new exciting historical novel, with a fascinating main protagonist.

You have a chance to read an excerpt from the book and also take part in the giveaway to win a hardback copy of the book.

 The Last King

From author M J Porter comes a thrilling new hero.

They sent three hundred warriors to kill one man. It wasn’t enough.

Mercia lies broken but not beaten, her alliance with Wessex in tatters.

Coelwulf, a fierce and bloody warrior, hears whispers that Mercia has been betrayed from his home in the west. He fears no man, especially not the Vikings sent to hunt him down.

To discover the truth of the rumours he hears, Coelwulf must travel to the heart of Mercia, and what he finds there will determine the fate of Mercia, as well as his own.

Purchase Link - https://books2read.com/u/31RBva

Author Bio – I'm an author of historical fiction (Early English, Vikings and the British Isles as a whole before the Norman Conquest, as well as two 20th-century mysteries). I was born in the old Mercian kingdom at some point since 1066. Raised in the shadow of a strange little building, told from a very young age that it housed the bones of long-dead Kings of Mercia and that our garden was littered with old pieces of pottery from a long-ago battle, it's little wonder that my curiosity in Early England ran riot. I can only blame my parents!

I write A LOT. You've been warned!

Find me at www.mjporterauthor.com and @coloursofunison on Twitter.

Social Media Links – 

https://linktr.ee/MJPorterauthor

The Last King

Excerpt

 

Intro: This scene occurs not long after Coelwulf has returned to Kingsholm, his home, and discovered that he must become Mercia’s king in the light of King Burgred fleeing Mercia when faced with the Raiders (Vikings). But, Mercia has more enemies than just the Raiders. (It also shows some of the humour that lightens the tone of these characters in perilous situations).

 

Within sight of Gloucester, I rein Haden in, my warriors following my actions. I turn to Edmund, my confusion reflected in the wrinkles on his forehead, his mouth hanging open.

“What the hell?” His words speak for us all.

“Am I really seeing that?” I demand to know. “Tell me I’m not really seeing that.”

“You’re really seeing that,” Edmund replies, Icel beside him. His face mirrors Edmund’s shocked one as well.

“Bloody hell,” I shake my head, aghast.

Of all the things. Well, this was not what I was expecting to see. Not in Gloucester.

And not right now.

“Stupid fools,” Icel’s voice rumbles with his distaste, and I agree with him.

“Why would they do that?”

“Because they’re idiots.” Edmund’s voice is filled with part admiration and part outrage. I share his feelings.

“Just what we need. Stupid Gwent Welsh Raiders on top of everything else.”

“What shall we do?”

“Kill them,” I state flatly. I’ve fought the Welsh men of Gwent almost as many times as I have the Raiders. Admittedly, I’ve never had to fight the Welsh and the Raiders in the same week, or even month.

The smoke that fills the air doesn’t come from the settlement of Gloucester itself, still seemingly protected behind its three ancient Roman walls. But on the quayside, the settlement is threatened.

“Why would they burn the bloody bridge?”

It makes no sense, but then, the Welsh of Gwent make no sense to me most of the time.

“It seems they mean to cut off their own noses to spite themselves.”

Without the wooden bridge, that links Gloucester with the Mercian lands on the eastern side, the Welsh will have to use ships to cross the Severn if they wish to trade with the inhabitants.

“Right, stupidity or not, let’s go and see if anyone needs killing on our side of the river.”

Kneeing Haden, I steer him quickly inside Gloucester. It seems our return has been expected, and the wooden gates are quickly flung open, the street just about deserted as we ride through it.

The town, like so many others in Mercia, is far from overpopulated other than by churches. In no time at all, my men and I are milling around close to the burning bridge.

The heat is surprisingly intense as yellow flames lick their way along the wooden struts.

I’ve nodded to those people I know as I lead my men on, the looks of relief on those faces, assuring me that Gloucester fears this new attack.

Edmund joins me, his hand already on his seax, death in his eyes, as we reach the quayside. He hates the Welsh. All of them. No matter their king or place of birth. If I allow him to, he’ll kill all of the men marooned on this side of the bridge and not think twice about it.

I watch with mild interest as the twenty or so Welsh warriors realise they’re not alone.

The tongue they speak is a gabble of too many syllables. But I’ve not lived all my life so close to the Welsh borderlands without learning some of the language.

A tight smile touches my cheeks.

It seems that facing me today was not their desire.

“Why?” I shout across the void, aware Icel has taken over the role of organising the men in light of Edmund’s seething hissing beside me. The man is quite unmanageable where the Welsh are concerned.

One man steps forward. His long hair is tied back behind his neck, his beard and moustache trimmed close to his face. He wears excellent battle wear, but it’s not going to help him if he needs to swim the Severn, for all it’s much narrower here than downstream.

The man’s Adam apple bobs, as he swallows heavily, his eyes widening with fear. I don’t know what Icel’s doing behind me, but I decide it’s probably Edmund’s wild features that cause so much concern.

“My Lord, My Lord Coelwulf.”

“Yes, and who are you?”

“I am Cadell ap Merfyn.”

“Well then, welcome to Gloucester, Cadell ap Merfyn.”

His grimace almost makes me smile.

“I.” He stops, and I wait, my hands still on the harness of my horse. The smell of the choking fumes of the treated, burning wood, is threatening to bring tears to my eyes. Any moment now, I think the flames will cover the twenty Welsh warriors, perhaps using it as a cover to slip back across the Severn.

Maybe, I consider, there’s a ship waiting for them.

But, Cadell’s nervousness speaks to me of an enormous mistake.

“I. Well we. Well, it was our intention to trade in Gloucester. It seems that our enemies thought differently.”

Ah, now this I can understand.

“Did they, by any chance, wait for you to cross into Gloucester and then set the bridge aflame?”

Relief washes over Cadell’s face, making him almost handsome if I avoid looking at his too sharp chin and elongated nose.

“How did you know? Did they tell you?” A touch of fury slips from Cadell’s tongue.

“No, we didn’t know. But you know, we have enemies too.”

From across the bridge, as the smoke blows clear for a heartbeat, I can actually make out a warband jeering at the enemy. Edmund growls, but I reach out and touch his hand, asking for a calmness that’s never easily found where the Welsh are concerned.

“Is that all of you?” I demand to know, jerking my head to indicate the warriors surrounding their spokesperson.

“Yes, yes,” the head bobs too quickly.

“No fools are hiding along the quayside, in the boats or storehouses.”

The quayside could play host to five hundred enemy warriors, and I’d be none the wiser.

“No. We are all here.” But he turns, hesitant to show me his back, and picks out the faces of the men who serve him.

I shake my head, meeting Icel’s amused eyes to the side of me.

“Edmund, do you want to take yourself off somewhere else. I think I need to speak to this Cadell.”

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Giveaway to Win a Hardback Copy of The Last King (Open INT)

*Terms and Conditions –

Worldwide entries welcome.  

Please enter using the Rafflecopter box below.  

The winner will be selected at random via Rafflecopter from all valid entries and will be notified by Twitter and/or email. 

If no response is received within 7 days then Rachel’s Random Resources reserves the right to select an alternative winner. 

Open to all entrants aged 18 or over.  

Any personal data given as part of the competition entry is used for this purpose only and will not be shared with third parties, with the exception of the winners’ information. 

This will passed to the giveaway organiser and used only for fulfilment of the prize, after which time Rachel’s Random Resources will delete the data.  

I am not responsible for despatch or delivery of the prize.

Please note that this giveaway appears through several blogs, taking part in the blog tour. Chez Maximka is hosting the Rafflecopter gadget for free for the purposes of book promotion. 

I have no access to the data collected, and am not involved in the selection of the winner and dispatch of the prize.

Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Rainbows End in Ferry Lane Market by Nicola May (review + #giveaway)

"Glanna had found rainbows magical from when she was just five years old. Whenever one appeared, her dad would look across the estuary from Riversway and tell her that, "Rainbows end in Ferry Lane Market, dear Glanna." And that if she was a good girl and went to sleep straight away every night, the fairies who lived at the end of the rainbow would one day lead her to her very own pot of gold, which would not be money, but happiness".

"Glanna was so grateful for her God-given talent. Through art she could express herself, release her pain and give shape and colour to her memories, hopes and regrets, with that ever-present symbol of hope, the rainbow".

Rainbows End in Ferry Lane Market by Nicola May is a heartwarming treat from one of the bestselling authors.

This is book three in the popular series, set in Cornwall. You can catch up with book one, Welcome to Ferry Lane Market, and book two, Starry Skies in Ferry Lane Market. The latest book in the series reads as a standalone.

Glanna Pascoe, aka the Rainbow Painter, is fast approaching forty. She runs a little art gallery in Ferry Lane Market in Cornwall, which is called Hartmouth Gallery. Until recently she lived without any responsibilities, partying and enjoying a carefree life.

As she says herself, "I drank, partied and slept my way around it... There wasn't exactly a lot of sightseeing involved. I was so young then and took it all for granted. In fact, when I look back, it's all rather a blur. What I need now is to find some peace".

Her life is chaotic. "Through the first three years of her thirties, still supported purely by the ugly currency of money instead of love, Glanna Pascoe's cycle of addiction and indulgence began to spiral out of control".

Rather than taking responsibility for her own actions, Glanna holds her dysfunctional upbringing and her parents' separate lives accountable for her own misguided lifestyle. Her snobbish mother is a sex-obsessed, selfish woman, who'd rather spend time with an endless string of much younger lovers than pay attention to her troubled offspring.

The descending spiral of alcohol-fuelled existence ends up with a much-needed stop-off at the rehab, after which Glanna moves back home from London, to live close to her parents. That's when she opens the gallery and starts to pursue her artistic career in earnest.

Glanna is still nursing her broken heart. Two years previously after a drink-fuelled ONS, she leaves her partner. Oliver is considerate and caring, but he wants a stability and a family, which Glanna cannot commit to. She is not a maternal type, and children are not on her agenda. They want different things in life. Just because she is approaching forty, and everyone around seems to be having babies, Glanna doesn't want to conform.

When visiting the Modern Tate in London, Glanna compares her life to the giant Babel exhibit. "Why, when in relationships, did most people speak in different tongues? Why had she been such a fool as to let a man like Oliver Trueman slip through her fingers?" (I find this comparison very apt, as it's true, most relationships are akin to the Babel tower. We often speak in different tongues).

Once installed in her little apartment above the gallery, with her whippet Banksy, Glanna feels like something is missing from her life. Pining after Oliver seems pointless. 

There is another man who catches her eye, an elusive Cornish artist, "the one, the only, and the extremely talented and very mysterious, Mr Isaac Lowen Benson".. To protect himself, he prefers the life of a recluse. Glanna and Isaac find that they are soulmates, who can share their inner thoughts and aspirations. Her feelings for Isaac are growing.

She starts a new initiative based in her art gallery, a life-drawing class, with nude models, which will make the locals clasp their pearls.

Events are happening in a rapid succession for Glanna: there is a theft from the gallery, and her ex re-appears in her life, her parents' complicated relationship is reaching a nadir.

Now that Glanna is sober and committed to her art, will she be able to forgive herself and find romance again? Will she find that elusive pot of happiness at the end of the rainbow?

There is a whole set of supporting secondary characters, from Glanna's snobbish, bordering-on-caricature mother who sees herself as the local Lady Chatterley to her loyal and caring father who after years of being single is tentatively entering the dating scene again, from Glanna's new friend Jen who is torn between London and Cornwall, to mischievous Banksy in its colourful sparkly collar.

This book tackles one of the vital issues, of the pressure the society puts on women to become mothers, and invalidating those who choose to live their lives child-free. I think all of us can relate to that and tell stories of random people, sometimes strangers, asking inappropriate questions whether we have children, plan to have, or even whether we don't have children because we don't want or can't have them.

Alongside the main romance plotline, I enjoyed the story of the reclusive artist the best. The descriptions of his remote cottage, the studio and amazing sea views are evocative and emotionally charged. Though his sister Lizzie appears only through Isaac's narrative, you can't but feel moved by her story. Isaac is a caring person, a tormented soul who is committed to looking after his beloved sister. In a way, he was the character I cared the most.

I can't say I warmed to Glanna. I appreciated her honesty, and love of art. But in real life we are so different that we wouldn't enjoy each other's compeny, though I might admire her Cornish paintings. And I wasn't amused by the numerous sexually explicit jokes that are on the same level as that of the inebriated hen party gang (banter among the characters). It probably makes me sound like Mrs Whitehouse.

Rainbows End in Ferry Lane Market is a warm and witty story, with a real feel-good factor, with some giggles and even a few raised eyebrows. This is an endearing tale of love and friendship. Perfect for a long summer's day.

I missed reading the first two books in the series, and must catch up on my reading, preferably in summer, to put me in the mood for our Cornish vacation.

I believe a special mention should go to John Meech, the artist who created the cover illustration for the book. I love the light watercolour palette of the harbour with the boats, and the picturesque village. And I can't wait to visit Cornwall again and smell the salty air, feel the sand under my feet and eat the biggest Cornish ice cream.

This book review is part of the blog tour for Rainbows End in Ferry Lane Market.

Many thanks to Nicola May, Hodder and Rachel' Random Resources for my copy of the book!

Praise for Nicola May!

'This book will twang your funny bone & your heartstrings' - Milly Johnson
'A fun and flighty read' - Sun
'A funny and fast-paced romp - thoroughly enjoyable!' WOMAN Magazine
'One of those books that I can't stop thinking about way after I've read it! - Kim The Bookworm
'This book is so addictive that you will literally lose 3 hours of your life, and you won't care!' - Cara's Book Boudoir

Readers love Nicola May, too!

'A FABULOUS must-read' - 5 STARS
'An excellent book of friendship - with a little wickedness!' - 5 STARS
'Good for the soul' - 5 STARS
'I loved it and devoured it in a matter of days' - 5 STARS
'A wonderful, feel-good novel with some grit thrown in' - 5 STARS
'Marvellous, beautiful and heart-warming' - 5 STARS
'Sea, sand and sex - a soppy delight' - 5 STARS
'A truly lovely book' - 5 STARS
'Fun and whimsy, plus a dog!' - 5 STARS

Purchase Links

UK - – https://www.amazon.co.uk/Rainbows-End-Ferry-Lane-Market-ebook/dp/B09LLLD89V

US - https://www.amazon.com/Rainbows-End-Ferry-Lane-Market-ebook/dp/B09LLLD89V

Author Bio – Nicola May writes 'chick lit with a kick' and is the internationally bestselling author of eleven romantic comedies. All have appeared in the Kindle bestseller charts. The Corner Shop in Cockleberry Bay became the best-selling Kindle book in the UK across all genres in January 2019 and March 2020 respectively. It was also the second best-selling eBook of 2019 in the UK. Nicola's books have also been sold in many languages.

 

Social Media Links – 

@nicolamay1  @hodderbooks – Twitter

@author_nicola @hodderbooks  Instagram

 

Giveaway to Win PB copies of Rainbows End in Ferry Lane Market for you and a friend (Open to UK only)

*Terms and Conditions –

UK entries welcome.  

Please enter using the Rafflecopter box below.  

The winner will be selected at random via Rafflecopter from all valid entries and will be notified by Twitter and/or email. 

If no response is received within 7 days then Rachel’s Random Resources reserves the right to select an alternative winner. 

Open to all entrants aged 18 or over.  

Any personal data given as part of the competition entry is used for this purpose only and will not be shared with third parties, with the exception of the winners’ information. 

This will passed to the giveaway organiser and used only for fulfilment of the prize, after which time Rachel’s Random Resources will delete the data.  

I am not responsible for despatch or delivery of the prize.

Please note that this giveaway is being promoted on several blogs as part of the blog tour.

Chez Maximka is hosting the Rafflecopter gadget for free for the purposes of the book promotion.

I do not have access to the data collected, and am not involved in the selection of the winner or dispatch of the prize.

Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

P.S. The art print used in the photo as a prop is a painting of the Cornish artist A.Giddens who has an art gallery in Perranuthnoe.

The Lost Boy of Bologna by Francesca Scanacapra (review + #giveaway)

 "Rinaldo invented a thousand reasons why he had ended up at the orphanage. He was certain that his mother had not really abandoned him, but simply mislaid him. He was convinced that she was looking for him and therefore it was only a matter of time until he was found. He would know immediately who she was because she would be wearing the other emerald earring".

The Lost Boy of Bologna by Francesca Scanacapra is a genuinely gripping historical novel, set in Bologna before and after WWII. This is Book 1 of the Bologna Chronicles.

Last year I reviewed Paradiso by Francesca Scanacapra, and it was one of my top ten favourite books of the year. The author has a singular talent to tell a truly compelling story, with complex characters, and a plotline set against the atmospheric authentic background.

The latest historical tale has certain elements of the picaresque novel, as it depicts a lovable but roguish character, from the low echelons of the society, though there are no traces of satire or comedy here. The genre of the narrative is closer to drama/tragedy.

Bologna, 1929.

The story starts with a heart-breaking scene of a young girl giving birth on her own. Mimi is determined not to give up her baby, but as an unmarried mother, the chances of her raising a child on her own are minimal. 

Mimi is poorly prepared for life, and has no experience of babies. She had never even held one. She has a very basic idea of what to expect during the labour, having read the midwifery book in the library by stealth. When the baby is born, he is jaundiced and poorly. Mimi is terrified to ask for help, as she knows that most likely the Child Welfare Service will take the baby from her. 

"The thought of Leonardo being taken and given to someone else, or being raised in an orphanage when he wasn't really an orphan, terrified Mimi. Nobody could ever love Leonardo as much as she did".

When the porrly baby has a fit and turns blue, the tragic young mother believes him to be dead. She blames herself for his death, and overcome with grief, leaves him in a crate in the room she has rented with a single emerald earring to pay for his funeral. She flees in despair, accepting that her actions will haunt her for as long as she lives.

What Mimi doesn't realise is that the baby is still alive. The starving boy is found by one of the neighbours, a kind worker at the brush factory. Rinaldo Rossi is caring, but he is what we would classify now as having special needs. He is easily intimidated, and cannot talk much. When questioned by the police, he comes up with the first name he could think of (he gives his own name for the baby, with the surname of Scamorza, as he had the smoked cheese for lunch).

And thus the incredible life of Rinaldo Scamorza begins.

After spending several years in the orphanage and waiting for his mother to come and claim him, little Rinaldo ends up in the household of a cruel foster parent. Ada Stracci is exceptionally nasty. She is abusive and greedy, and manages to dupe the welfare inspectors by transforming herself into an attentive and benevolent foster parent. The house is spotlessly clean (as children clean it), she takes them to the church regularly, and that's all that matters.

The children are starved, have to work long hours, and when they reach a certain age, Ada procures her charges for brothels, claiming the girls have found jobs and moved out. 

Growing up in the atmosphere of fear and cruelty, little Rinaldo is befriended by another orphan, the child of the prostitute, beautiful Evelina. Two of them care for each other, share the food and stories, and play together, when they have a chance. The bond between them is strong. Evelina is his big sister.

Shortly after her thirteenth birthday, Evelina is taken away. She is sold into prostitution by despicable Ada. Rinaldo feels alone, powerless and detached, his life had collapsed. "The longing he felt for Evelina was worse than any longing he had ever felt for his mother. Evelina was the only person in the world whom he knew with absolute certainty loved him. They had promised that they would always take care of one another, but he had failed her".

As he grows up, Rinaldo tries to survive in the harsh circumstances, where nobody cares whether he lives or dies. Against all odds, he manages to sustain himself. Hard work doesn't guarantee to be a cure for poverty. "All Rinaldo wanted was a degree of comfort in his life, the basic dignities of a hot dinner every night and a soft bed with clean sheets, but these humble aspirations seemed as out of reach as the moon".

When he finds work as an errand boy in the local brothel, he encounters his Evelina again. Rinaldo is overcome with joy, now that he knows where she is, he could help her get away. His naive plans of a brighter future for the broken Evelina border on foolish. To help her escape the life of exploitation, he sends her into another dark circle of misfortune. Evelina disappears without a trace this time.

As Italy begins to slowly emerge from the shadows of the WWII, and the economy pulls itself together, Rinaldo is able to change his life for the better. His business endeavour becomes a success. He works hard, and is a fair employer, but he is still lonely and broken-hearted. Rinaldo cannot stop thinking about Evelina and what's happened to her. And his mother is also always on his mind.

The Lost Boy of Bologna is a quietly powerful story of love, loyalty, betrayal and redemption. Scanacapra brings the pre- and after-war Bologna into vivid, credible life.  

I found this book riveting and poignant, the characters still haunt me. Despite the tragic plotlines, it is an uplifting read. I liked the way the storylines of different secondary characters emerged in the first chapters to intersect through the book, and to finally merge in the end. 

Potential triggers: child abuse/prostitution, graphic sex scenes, death in fire, sadism etc.

This review is part of the blog tour for The Lost Boy of Bologna.

Many thanks to Francesca Scanacapra, Silvertail Books and Rachel's Random Resources for my copy of the book!

Purchase Links

UK - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Lost-Boy-Bologna-Absolutely-historical-ebook/dp/B09TL4VCQT

US - https://www.amazon.com/Lost-Boy-Bologna-Absolutely-historical-ebook/dp/B09TL4VCQT

Francesca Scanacapra was born in Italy to an English mother and Italian father, and her early childhood was spent in Bologna, the city whose rich history has been the inspiration for the Bologna Chronicles series of novels. Francesca’s adult life has been somewhat nomadic with periods spent living in Italy, England, France, Senegal and Spain. In 2021 she returned to her native country and back to her earliest roots to pursue her writing career full time. She now resides permanently in rural Lombardy in the house built by her great-grandfather which was the inspiration for her Paradiso Novels.

Social Media Links –

Twitter https://twitter.com/FrancescaScana2

Insta @francescascana2

Giveaway to Win 5 x PB copies of The Lost Boy of Bologna (Open to UK Only)

*Terms and Conditions –

UK entries welcome.  

Please enter using the Rafflecopter box below.  

The winner will be selected at random via Rafflecopter from all valid entries and will be notified by Twitter and/or email. 

If no response is received within 7 days then Rachel’s Random Resources reserves the right to select an alternative winner. 

Open to all entrants aged 18 or over.  

Any personal data given as part of the competition entry is used for this purpose only and will not be shared with third parties, with the exception of the winners’ information. 

This will passed to the giveaway organiser and used only for fulfilment of the prize, after which time Rachel’s Random Resources will delete the data.  

I am not responsible for dispatch or delivery of the prize.

Please bear in mind that this giveaway is running through several blogs taking part in the blog tour.

Chez Maximka is hosting the Rafflecopter gadget for free for the purposes of the book promotion. I have no access to the data collected, and am not involved in the selection of the winner and dispatch of the prize.

Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Keeper's Lodge by Tracy Martin-Summers

 

"Mike felt like he was in a time capsule every time he entered that goddam lift, reliving the same scene over and over. He hoped today they would get some answers".

"They continued along the gravel drive surrounded by woodland on either side until they came to a large clearing. "Over there," said Paul, pointing to what was presumably the lodge set high up on the side of the mountain range. It looked absolutely breathtaking, set amongst the most magnificent backdrop of forest land.

"Picture postcard isn't it," said Mike..."

Keeper's Lodge by Tracy Martin-Summers is a chilling psychological detective thriller. This is the final book in the trilogy, and what a thoroughly gripping ending it is.

Though possible to read as a standalone, to understand all the intricacies of the horrifying storyline and the dynamics between the main characters, I would strongly recommend to start with the first book, Gordon Square. The trilogy as a whole builds remarkably, with plenty of twists and turns.

Detective Sergeant Mike Brugge is trying to trace the missing person, a psychiatric patient with severe mental health issues. Rachel Blossom is a young woman with a multiple personality disorder, who has vanished over a year ago, and Keeper's Lodge is her last residential address.

Keeper's Lodge is a Scandinavian-style retreat, nestling in the mountains. This seemingly idyllic location offers a place for patients with mental illness to recover and get integrated back into society. The place is independently owned, but who is behind the project? Who is financing it, and what is their gain?

Rachel Blossom has completely slipped off the grid, and her trail has gone cold. In the year before her disappearance she has been monitored by assigned nurses, who deemed her fit for independent living.

Mike is adamant that given Rachel's history, their approach was unethical and a failure of duty, "Rachel Blossom's identity disorder appears to have outwitted you all and her former institution. She has managed to manipulate all the nursing staff that attended her into thinking that she is of sound mind. Frighteningly, it is possible that her most dangerous and domineering personality ego is the dominant one, and this will most likely lead to disaster".

Were the nurses following her progress incompetent and made a series of blunders, leading to Rachel's disappearance? Or is there something even more sinister going on?

We encounter again Detective Sergeant Mike Brugge and his team, including Detective Constabe Mel Brugge (Mike's wife), and Detective Sergeant Paul Osman, as they dig for the information and explore the evidence.

On top of the investigation, Mel and Mike have to deal with serious personal issues.

All the psychological threads interweave into a disquieting, menacing picture. Mike's search leads him to the disturbing answers to the mystery and more of blood-curdling horror.

Like the previous books in the series, Keeper's Lodge is a page-turning thriller, intricately plotted and poignant. It is a dark study of human nature at its most perturbing.

This review is part of the blog tour for Keeper's Lodge.

Many thanks to Tracy Martin-Summers and Rachel's Rando Resources for my copy of the book!

Purchase Links

UK - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Keepers-Lodge-Tracy-Martin-Summers/dp/1800942931/

US - https://www.amazon.com/Keepers-Lodge-Tracy-Martin-Summers/dp/1800942931/

Author Bio

Tracy was born in Harrow Weald, Middlesex in 1964, growing up in a loving family home. She married her first husband in 1990, has two grown up children and a granddaughter.

 She studied a variety of topics via module learning, embarking on City and Guilds and NVQ courses, ranging from a brief spell in hairdressing to administration and now works for a utility company in North West London.

 Tracy has numerous hobbies consisting of landscape painting to landscape gardening and always likes to paint the scene, even if it’s changing the colour scheme, yet again, within her home.

 Tracy has always enjoyed writing and used to write short stories for her own children's amusement but it has only been in the last few years that she has taken this more seriously and has gone on to write her first debut crime detective Novel called Gordon Square.

 Tracy married her second husband in 2014 and now lives in Bedfordshire in a sleepy hamlet where she writes whenever she gets a spare moment.

 

Social Media Links – 

 www.tracymartinsummers.co.uk & www.tracymartinsummers.com

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