Most Anticipated Historical Romance

 By Kelly Bridgewater

Historical Romance books that will be published from January 1st through April 30, 2025 that I can not wait to read. 

All covers come from Goodreads. 

When Stars Light the Sky by Elizabeth Camden

Midnight on the Scottish Shore by Sarah Sundin

Tempest at Annabell's Lighthouse by Jaime Jo Wright

The Curious Inheritance of Blakely House by Joanna Davidson Politano

This Promised Land by Cathy Gohlke

I love this genre. What other books are you looking for to? 

Joanna Davidson Politano: The Elusive Truth of Lily Temple

By Kelly Bridgewater

Peter Driscoll, an underground investigator to the wealthy, has never met anyone like Lily Temple. The beautiful silent-film actress spins fairy tales and plays frivolous roles in front of the cine-camera, but beneath the costumes and stage makeup is a woman with a quick wit--and a murky past.

Peter has been tasked with locating the legendary Briarwood Teardrop, an exquisite sapphire, which Lily wears beneath her gown. In order to stay close to her and hopefully unravel the mystery of her story--and the sapphire--Peter employs Lily's help on a case, which leads to a useful partnership. But as they are investigating together, Peter is also investigating Lily. The closer he gets to the truth, the more danger they face. And the closer he gets to Lily, the clearer it is that he needs her even more than she needs him.

Award-winning author Joanna Davidson Politano whisks you away to Edwardian England in 1903 for a whimsical and layered tale that treads the crooked line between real and make-believe.

 

My Thoughts:

The Exclusive Truth of Lily Temple by Joanna Davidson Politano is a story about fairy tales and searching for the gardener in the middle of the garden. At first, readers may be confused as the story presents a number of storylines that had me scratching my head. What was reality? What is going on? As the story moves along, the fuzzy lines become clearer, and the story starts to move forward. The character of Lily Temple is diverse, creative, and sees the world through rose-colored glasses. Stories are her guiding light to help her see the world. Peter Driscoll, the hero, is straight forward, but something draws him to Lilly. The plot features a little bit of mystery that is sprinkled and woven through the pages as the story skips along. I love the ending and how Politano ties everything together, but I want to see justice done. Oh, well. Overall, The Exclusive Truth of Lily Temple by Joanna Davidson Politano is a unique, yet different way of showing how important the gardener is in our life and orchestrating our lives.

I received a complimentary copy of The Exclusive Truth of Lily Temple by Joanna Davidson Politano from Revell Publishing, but the opinions stated are all my own.

My Rating; 4 out 5 stars

Purchase: The Exclusive Truth of Lily Temple

Most Anticipated Historical Romance Spring 2024

By Kelly Bridgewater

The title says it all.

Here are the Most Anticipated Historical Romances for Spring 2024: (All Images come from Goodreads.)

Night Falls on Predicament Avenue by Jaime Jo Wright

Embers in the London Sky by Sarah Sundin

While the City Sleeps by Elizabeth Camden

If the Boot Fits by Karen Witemeyer

Set in Stone by Kimberely Woodhouse (From Amazon)

Elusive Truth of Lily Temple by Joanna Davidson Politano

The Sleuth of Blackfriars Lane by Michelle Griep (From Amazon)

All My Secrets by Lynn Austin

What about you? Know of any other books that I should add to this list.

Joanna Davidson Politano: The Lost Melody

 By Kelly Bridgewater

When concert pianist Vivienne Mourdant's father dies, he leaves to her the care of an adult ward

she knew nothing about. The woman is supposedly a patient at Hurstwell Asylum. The woman's

portrait is shockingly familiar to Vivienne, so when the asylum claims she was never a patient

there, Vivienne is compelled to discover what happened to the figure she remembers from

childhood dreams.

The longer she lingers in the deep shadows and forgotten towers at Hurstwell, the fuzzier the line

between sanity and madness becomes. She hears music no one else does, receives strange

missives with rose petals between the pages, and untangles far more than is safe for her to know.

But can she uncover the truth about the mysterious woman she seeks? And is there anyone at

Hurstwell she can trust with her suspicions?

Fan-favorite Joanna Davidson Politano casts a delightful spell with this lyrical look into the

nature of women's independence and artistic expression during the Victorian era--and now.

My Thoughts:

The Lost Melody by Joanna Davidson Politano features another story in an Asylum. Currently,

this has become quite a trend for novels. The plot features a woman that was on a mission to

discover her latest gifted ward, but instead, her life turns upside down when she becomes a

patient herself at Hurstwell Asylum. Using the joy of music, Politano shows how music can

soothe the savage beast and bring “crazy” people out of their madness for a little bit of a dose of

reality. The story was magically crafted, filled with many turns and twists as the heroine tries to

discover what is really going on and adventuring through the entire property of the Asylum. Not

really much about any romance. Shows the horrors of what these asylums and how women are

treated. I enjoyed the story and enjoyed spending time in the pages of this novel. If readers are

interested in this idea, they could pick up Hope Beyond the Waves by Heidi Chiavaroli and The

Bright Unknown by Elizabeth Byler Younts.

I received a complimentary copy of The Lost Melody by JoAnna Davidson Politano from Revell

Publishing, but the opinions stated are all my own.

My Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Purchase The Lost Melody

Most Anticipated Historical Romance Fall 2022

 By Kelly Bridgewater

Another addition of my most anticipated Historical Romance novels published from September 1, 2022 through December 31, 2022. 

Here they are: (All images come from  unless noted!)

The Lost Melody by Joanna Davidson Politano

The Bridge of Blackfriars Lane by Michelle Griep

Within These Gilded Halls by Abigail Wilson

The Secrets of Emberwild by Stephanie McGee

The Brilliance of Stars by J'nell Ciesieskli

The Sisters of Seaview by Julie Klassen

In Love's Time by Kate Breslin

What about you? Looking forward to any of these books. Would you add any more?

Joanna Davidson Politano: A Midnight Dance

 By Kelly Bridgewater

All theater romances are tragedies. Ella Blythe knows this. Still, she cannot help but hope her own story may turn out different than most--and certainly different than the tragic story of the Ghost of Craven Street Theater. Yet as she struggles to maintain her tenuous place in the ever-shrinking ballet company, win the attentions of principal dancer Philippe, and avoid company flirt Jack, Ella cannot deny the uncanny feeling that her life is mirroring that of the dead ballerina.

Is she dancing ever closer to the edge of her own tragic end? Or will the secrets that are about to come to light offer release from the past?

Mystery and romance make the perfect dance partners in this evocative story from fan-favorite Joanna Davidson Politano.

 

My Thoughts:

A Midnight Dance by Joanna Davidson Politano is a dark Victorian novel thrown in the world of ballet. Filled with intrigue and a hunt for the truth from the past, the heroine seeks to find out the answers to who she really is and what actually draws her closer as the story dives deeper. I loved watching the hunt for the individual desire and learning who they actually are. The story features a mystery that was nicely handled and had many different layers to unfold as the story moved along. Diving into the world of Victorian ballet was different, yet interesting all at the same time. There is some romance but it nicely shadows the plot of the story. Overall, A Midnight Dance by Joanna Davidson Politano is an exciting novel with many different endings that I enjoyed watching.

I received a complimentary copy of A Midnight Dance by Joanna Davidson Politano from Revell Publishing, but the opinions stated are all my own.

My Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Purchase A Midnight Dance

Most Anticipated Historical Fiction

 By Kelly Bridgewater

Another publishing season is about to occur. For this post, I will share my most anticipated Historical Fiction, usually in Historical Romance. (All images come from Goodreads unless noted!)

The Mistletoe Countess by Pepper Basham

A Midnight Dance by Joanna Davidson Politano

A Picture of Hope by Liz Tolsma

Once Upon a Wardrobe by Patti Callahan

As Dawn Breaks by Kate Breslin

Shadows of Swanford Abbey by Julie Klassen

What about you? Anything else to add?

Joanna Davidson Politano: Finding Lady Enderly

By Kelly Bridgewater

Raina Bretton is a rag woman in London's east end when a handsome stranger appears in a dank alley and offers her a glittering smile and a chance for adventure. Rothburne Abbey has a unique position for her, one that will take her away from her hardscrabble life and give her a chance to be a lady. Things she could only dream of might be coming true. But some dreams turn out to be nightmares.

Though Raina has traded squalor for silk and satin, something about the abbey is deeply unsettling. As she wrestles with her true identity, the ruin, decay, and secrets she finds at the heart of the old mansion tear at her confidence and threaten to reveal her for who she really is. Only one man stands between her and the danger that lurks within--and only if he decides to keep her biggest secret hidden.

From Amazon

My Thoughts:

Finding Lady Enderly by Joanna Davidson Politano is a mixture of My Fair Lady and Jane Eyre. With a hint of mystery and a transformation, Politano takes a character completely out of her element and allows her good qualities to shine on the page. Politano knows how to capture a setting and a use of language to tell a wonderful story. The plot definitely kept me flipping the pages. I couldn't wait to see when the real Lady Enderly would grace the pages and what she had to say for herself. I really wanted to know why she was missing and why they had to hire Raina to fulfill her duties. The heroine, Raina  doesn't really change. Even though the outward appearance changes with her trying to become a countess, her good natured character of taking care of the downtrodden didn't really change. It was there in the beginning of the story and stayed there to the very end. Overall, Finding Lady Enderly was a wonderful way to spend a couple of days. I believe fans of the women literary classics might enjoy this novel. If you enjoyed Politano's other two novels than you might enjoy this one too.

I received a complimentary copy of Finding Lady Enderly by Joanna Davidson Politano from Revell Publishing, but the opinions stated are all my own.

My Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Purchase Finding Lady Enderly

About the Author:

From Amazon

Joanna Davidson Politano freelances for a small nonfiction publisher but spends much of her time spinning tales that capture the colorful, exquisite details in ordinary lives. Her debut novel, Lady Jayne Disappears, releases October 3 from Revell. She lives with her husband and their two babies in a house in the woods and shares stories that move her at www.jdpstories.com.(Taken from Amazon.)

Worst Couples in Books

By Kelly Bridgewater

Valentine's Day.

The holiday that is all about love. What a wonderful holiday! If you are a romantic at heart. Not so much for me. I show my husband I love him every day, so I really don't need a holiday to force myself to buy him a gift. Usually, we don't buy each other gifts. It doesn't rank pretty high for us.

So I thought I would do something different to celebrate Valentine's Day.

Today, I'm sharing the book couples that I read that I saw no chemistry and wondered why the author allowed them to date and then fall in love. I didn't find their romance believable at all.

Without any further ado, here are the worst couples written in books, as least in my opinion:

(Disclaimer: If you agree, don't be mean with your comments. This is MY OPINION. Also, every picture comes from Amazon unless noted.)

Darkwater Secrets by Robin Carroll

 

A Rumored Fortune by JoAnn Davidson Politiano

 

Lady of a Thousand Treasures by Sandra Byrd

From Goodreads

What about you? What couples did not work for you?

Joanna Davidson Politano: A Rumored Fortune

By Kelly Bridgewater

Tressa Harlowe's father did not trust banks, but neither did he trust his greedy extended family. He kept his vast fortune hidden somewhere on his estate in the south of England and died suddenly, without telling anyone where he had concealed it. Tressa and her ailing mother are left with a mansion and an immense vineyard and no money to run it. It doesn't take long for a bevy of opportunists to flock to the estate under the guise of offering condolences. Tressa knows what they're really up to. She'll have to work with the rough and rusticated vineyard manager to keep the laborers content without pay and discover the key to finding her father's fortune--before someone else finds it first.

Award-winning author Joanna Davidson Politano welcomes readers to Trevelyan Castle, home of the poorest heiress in Victorian England, for a treasure hunt they'll not soon forget.

From Amazon

My Thoughts:

I have read Joanna Davidson Politano's first novel, Lady Jayne Disappears, and it was like nothing I ever read before. Chalked full of mystery and a unique Victorian voice. So of course, when I read the synopsis on her second novel, A Rumored Fortune, I couldn't wait to dive into a treasure hunt in a castle in the Victorian era. Unfortunately the book fell flat for me.

Politano does a fabulous job at creating the setting and allowing me to experience the world of Trevelyan Castle. The house and the surrounding city sparkled on the page. Politano dives into the characters' emotions at the right time and the right place. Sometimes a little too much. She does write the main character of Tressa Harlowe in first point of view, but the hero, Mr. Vance, in third point of view.

I enjoy the ability of Tressa to see past the outward appearance of all the other characters. She looks for the best in others and wants to settle everything up right, either with the employees who work for her families vineyard or the debts her father has accumulated. Meanwhile when Mr. Vance enters the story, he is on the hunt for treasure to right the wrongs done to his small hometown. By the end of the novel, he realizes he doesn't have to hurt someone else to accomplish these little tasks.

What is better than a hunt for treasure during the Victorian era in a castle? I really couldn't wait to see how the story develop. But for me, it was slow going. The way the story is written, the story focuses more on the emotions of Tressa than the treasure hunt. Every time, it seemed, she came on the scene, she was more focused on Mr. Vance and her budding relationship with him or what she should do with Andrew than worried about hunting for the rumored fortune. She did focus on the treasure hunt at times, but I think she should be doing more to find the treasure than she did.

At the beginning of the novel, Tressa seemed immature in her reasonings for a relationship, but by the end of the novel, she finally realized what makes a man a man. Someone who is willing to help someone without any known reward. Tressa leaned on God more to fulfill her purpose in life.

Overall, A Rumored Fortune by Joanna Davidson Politano is a neat idea with the race for the treasure and the mysteries behind the house, but it fell flat for me. The plot didn't move fast enough, and most of the story focused on the romance of Tressa than the treasure left by her father. If you like  historical romances like The Secret of Pembrooke Park by Julie Klassen, then this might be the book for you.

I received a complimentary copy of A Rumored Fortune by Joanna Davidson Politano from Revell Publishing, but the opinions stated are all my own.

My Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

From Amazon

About the Author:

 Joanna Davidson Politano freelances for a small nonfiction publisher but spends much of her time spinning tales that capture the colorful, exquisite details in ordinary lives. Her debut novel, Lady Jayne Disappears, releases October 3 from Revell. She lives with her husband and their two babies in a house in the woods and shares stories that move her at www.jdpstories.com.(Taken from Amazon)