Month: August 2020

White Rose of Avalon by Kelley Heckart

On By BarbaraIn Barb's Reviews, Paranormal / FantasyLeave a comment

White Rose of Avalon: An Arthurian RomanceMy rating: 3 of 5 stars

Series: Standalone
Publication Date: Re-Released 2/14/20 – Originally Pubbed: 11/16/2007
Number of Pages: 186

If you like the fey, magic, and King Arthur, this might be just the book for you. The reimagined tale of Arthur, Guinevere, Merlin, Lancelot, etc. is interesting, but it just isn’t my cup of tea. So, I’ll tell you a bit about the story itself and not comment too much on my like (or not) of the overall story. I will also mention that I sort of felt as if the ‘story’ was just a means to tie the sexual interludes together. They were definitely a lustful lot.

The power and influence of the Goddess is waning and with the advent of most of the ‘human’ lands falling to the Christians, the faeries now exist on Avalon hidden behind impenetrable mists.

Morgaine, Queen of Faeries, is desperate to regain the Goddess’s faith in her and to protect Avalon – at all costs. She’ll manipulate and sacrifice anything or anyone to further the interests of Avalon – and that includes those she loves.

Morgaine and Lancelot have been lovers for years – and they do love each other. However, Morgaine keeps sending Lancelot away from Avalon on missions as a warrior to gain allies for Avalon – and Lancelot keeps going because he has a wandering, restless soul. Still – their love continues, no matter how often or how long Lancelot is away. That is – until a love potion goes horribly wrong.

Morgaine has orchestrated an alliance between Arthur and the Faeries. She will assure that Arthur becomes High King if he will take a queen from the Faeries. All is going as planned until Morgaine decides to assure they have a strong love bond by producing a potion for them to drink on their wedding day. Except – they aren’t the only ones who end up getting a sip of the potion. OOPS! Lancelot was just so thirsty after a bout of lovemaking with Morgaine that he sipped whatever liquid was sitting around. OOPS!

Lancelot couldn’t understand his intractable longing for Gwenhwyfar. He knows in his logical mind that he loves Morgaine – but – he feels mesmerized by Gwenhwyfar. Thus begins the betrayals and heartbreaks in this story. So many people – manipulated in so many ways – were hurt and even died.

This didn’t feel like a romance to me – and maybe it wasn’t meant to be. It felt more like a tragedy of sorts. While it sort of had a HEA – too many people died – and I really didn’t feel like Morgaine deserved a happy ending of any sort.

If you like a lot of steam and you also like Arthurian tales, you might like this read.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Book Blitz – Murder In The East End by Jennifer Ashley

On By BarbaraIn Barb's Reviews, Historical Mystery, Victorian Era (1837-1901)Leave a comment

Murder in the East End (Kat Holloway Mysteries #4)Barbara’s rating: 5 of 5 stars

Series: Kat Holloway Mysteries #4
Publication Date: 8/4/20
Number of Pages:320

The ONLY problem with devouring this book in one sitting – as I did – is that I now have to wait a year for the next one. I always have great intentions – of reading the books in this series slowly and savoring each word – but I’m weak and can never put them down once I start reading. The writing is excellent, the plot is tight and perfectly paced, and the characters are full and interesting. I love that we learn more and more about Kat and Daniel in each new book – and their relationship deepens. Daniel is one of the most enigmatic characters I’ve ever read and I can hardly wait to learn his full story. Then, of course, there are the returning secondary characters that we already love, but get to know better with each new book. Definitely, a wonderful ensemble cast within a compelling and exciting mystery.

Kat Holloway is a gifted cook in an aristocratic home – and she also has a soft, giving heart and a penchant for solving mysteries. When Kat learns that it is suspected that children are missing from London’s Foundling Hospital, she determines to get to the bottom of the mystery. Are the children missing, or aren’t they? If they aren’t missing, then, where are they? If they are missing, then, where are they and how did they end up missing? Kat’s greatest fear is that they’ve somehow ended up in the clutches of flesh peddlers and she’ll stop at nothing to rescue them from that fate.

Kat knows she cannot do it alone and asks for help from Daniel McAdam. Daniel has been her friend for several years and yet she still doesn’t know his full story. She knows she admires him; she knows he has some loose connection to Scotland Yard, but she knows very little of his early history. She’ll learn more in this book and even meet his ‘brother’. (It will be interesting to see in that brother has any roles in upcoming books.)

The search intensifies when a lovely nurse from the foundling home disappears. What could have happened to young Nurse Betts? Several days later, Daniel discovers that her body is in the morgue at Scotland Yard. She was literally beaten to death and Daniel’s brother, Errol Fielding, a vicar, is incensed because he had a tendresse for the young woman.

Kat and Daniel definitely have their hands full trying to keep Fielding in check and still uncover the fate of the children as well as the murderer of Nurse Betts. They’ll need all of their friends to help them – James, Bessie, Tess, Lady Cynthia, Mr. Elgin Thanos, Bobby – and new friend Miss Townsend. Of course – all of the investigating and crime-solving have to be worked around so Mrs. Bywater, Kat’s employer, is unaware of what is happening below stairs in her home.

This was an exciting, unputdownable read and I hope you enjoy it as much as I did. You certainly cannot go wrong when you have such engaging characters solving such intriguing mysteries. I did like that there was move movement on the romantic front between Kat and Daniel, but it is definitely moving too slowly to suit me. I can hardly believe that I now have to wait a year for the next installment!

I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.