Comfort Songs by Kimberly Fish is a gorgeous tale of love, forgiveness, and redemption. I am an avid reader of romances, and though Comfort Songs is in a different vein from those I usually read (think mass market paperbacks *wink*), it is most definitely a love story with a whole lot of heart. A love story doesn't only need to be between two people, sometimes it is about a family, and that's what this is. It's not a perfect family by any means, but whose family is?

AJ owns a lavender farm in Comfort, Texas. She also takes care of her grandmother, Inez, since she has onset dementia. AJ's divorced parents do not offer much support and that is sadly something that AJ is used to at this point in her life. Her parents used to be musically famous, but after a disastrous divorce, well, there was a fall from grace (so to speak). Once her family returns, one by one to the farmhouse, AJ finds herself having to maneuver around her parents while still trying to live her life. 

Comfort Songs is one of those books that tugs at the heartstrings (ha! pun totally intended). It brings the reader to care, not only for AJ, but for this family unit that is determined in one way or another to stay in each others' lives. It's through the strong character of AJ that we realize just how deeply scarred she is, how much her grandmother's illness is affecting her, and how much her parents have created and stirred in her life. But it is also through her that we learn about that family love and the concept of forgiveness. I found this book impossible to put down because Fish made this story so detailed with it's characters that it made me wanting more. I needed to know what was going to happen! I believe that reading this book gives the reader a sense of "grounding" for the reader - as if the tale is therapeutic for not only the characters but the reader as well. 

I definitely recommend ​Comfort Songs as it is sure to provide a great story to enjoy, but also to reflect upon for times to come. 

VISIT THE OTHER GREAT BLOGS ON THE TOUR:
10/22/19
Review
Momma on the Rocks

10/22/19
BONUS Promo
All the Ups and Downs

10/23/19
Review
Reading by Moonlight

10/23/19
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KayBee's Book Shelf

10/24/19
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Sybrina's Book Blog

10/25/19
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Sydney Young, Stories

10/25/19
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Bibliotica

10/26/19
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That's What She's Reading

10/27/19
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Book Fidelity

10/28/19
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The Book Review

10/28/19
Review
Missus Gonzo

10/29/19
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Forgotten Winds

10/30/19
Review
The Clueless Gent

10/30/19
Review
StoreyBook Reviews

10/31/19
Review
Hall Ways Blog

10/31/19
Review
Carpe Diem Chronicles

Historical fiction time! I feel like celebrating every time I get the opportunity to read one of these, seriously. I don't ever pick them for myself (like, when I'm perusing Thrift Books or Barnes & Noble), so I appreciate being given the opportunity to do so through LSBBT blog tours!

Beyond the Horizon is a fictional book set during WWII, but it does involve real places and events. Specifically, this novel is about Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASP), the group of women who assisted the military during combat. I had absolutely no idea that this group of women existed, so I was especially ecstatic to find out about this wonderful group of women through this beautifully told story. 

There are several characters in Beyond the Horizon, but the story itself centers around Eva. It begins with the process of learning to fly with the help of her friend Harry. Both Eva and her friend Nina apply and are accepted to WASP and it begins this tale of learning how to maneuver life outside of their community and into the much larger world of combat and flying. 

Ella Carey has done a gorgeous job of writing a story that not only gives us a singular example of strength and courage in the character of Eva, but also gives us intricately woven story of a group of women who fight against the odds. Beyond the Horizon transports the reader to the time of WWII, but it also takes us to a time where women were learning their way in the world and their discovery of the freedom that was there to grasp. I am, above all, a character-driven reader. This novel answers that call most definitely. I can feel that these characters are almost tangible. Perhaps it's the backdrop of flying and the military, but it is entirety of Carey's writing that brings life to these characters. And it goes without saying that the backdrop and story of this novel is as intense and intricate as the characters we come to love. 

Page-turning and fantastically written - all readers should pick up this novel!

VISIT THE OTHER GREAT BLOGS ON THE TOUR: 
10/17/19 
Promo 
Texas Book Lover 

10/17/19 
Promo 
Hall Ways Blog 

10/18/19 
Review 
Sydney Young, Stories 

10/19/19 
Excerpt 
Forgotten Winds 

10/20/19 
Review 
Bibliotica 

10/21/19 
Character Interview 
Story Schmoozing Book Reviews 

10/21/19 
Excerpt 
Chapter Break Book Blog 

10/22/19 
Guest Post 
Nerd Narration 

10/23/19 
Review 
StoreyBook Reviews 

10/23/19 
Review 
Book Fidelity 

10/24/19 
Excerpt 
That's What She's Reading 

10/24/19 
Scrapbook 
All the Ups and Downs 

10/25/19 
Review 
Reading by Moonlight 

10/26/19 
Review 
Carpe Diem Chronicles 

10/26/19 
Review 
The Clueless Gent ​

Smoke in Her Eyes
 (The Wanderer #2)
by Anna Belfrage

 Synopsis

Six months ago, Helle Madsen would have described herself as normal. Now she no longer knows if that terms applies, not after her entire life has been turned upside down by the reappearance of not one, but two, men from her very, very distant past. 
Helle Madsen never believed in mumbo-jumbo stuff like reincarnation—until she came face to face with Jason Morris, a man who purportedly had spent fifty lives looking for her. Coping with being reunited with the lover from her ancient past was one thing. Having Sam Woolf, her vindictive nemesis from that same ancient past join the party was a bit too much. Suddenly, Helle finds herself the reluctant heroine of a far-flung, time-transcending epic story, one in which pain and loss seem to play a very big part.
This time round, Jason and Helle are determined to make it to the happily ever after. Unfortunately, Sam Woolf will stop at nothing to crush them. That ride into the golden sunset seems awfully far away at times…

Review

I was happy to receive the opportunity to read and review And Belfrage’s book, The Smoke in Her Eyes. I’m always on the lookout for new authors - especially when the blogs contain romance! I found these characters, Helle, Jason, and Sam, to be sick unique and fascinating characters. Each had their very distinct personalities - good or bad. Anyone who reads my blog knows that I am very character-driven in the stories I love to read and Belfrage’s writing did not disappoint. I found Helle to be my favorite - such a fantastically written female protagonist. She’s strong and Easy to relate to; at the same time, she’s flawed. The flaws are something to add to her character to make her seem more real. 

This book can definitely be enjoyed as a stand-alone. However, I would definitely recommend reading the first in the series, A Torch in His Heart. Reading it completely would definitely encourage the reader to enjoy, not only the characters, but also the adventurous lives that these characters find themselves in! 
 

I'm continuing my quest to read more cowboy romances. I find that easing myself into a genre is always best when I have an anthology collection to help me. I had read a work by Linda Broday before, but I was eager to dive into the works by other authors as well. What I found in these stories were a collection ranging from the community-oriented, sweet and clean, and even the second chance trope! I have to be honest, I've been all about the second chance tropes lately, so I was very happily surprised to find one in One Snowy Christmas Eve by Anna Schmidt. Christmas in Paradise seemed to go over my head a bit, but that is mostly because it is meant to accompany Roseanne Bittner's other work, Paradise Valley. Either way, I enjoyed her writing and flow! I felt that Leigh Greenwood's story, A Fairy Tale Christmas, could have been a story much longer than a novella - maybe an idea for something else in the future? I haven't read one of Greenwood's books before, but I wouldn't mind diving into that. Broday's A Christmas Wedding was a bit of a palate cleanser as well as a novella in need of a full fledged story because it was not just about a couple and/or one woman really - it was about a community of characters all worthy of more detailed attention. Margaret Brownley's A Love Letter to Santa really made my heart warm up and it reminded me of all the Christmas stories I love to read and watch as we get closer to Christmas. It was a sweet reading that anyone could enjoy. And finally Amy Sandas' Through the Storm gave me a bit of that rakish character that I'm used to reading in all of my other historical romances! It was welcomed and definitely stood out from the other stories. In fact, that is something I commend this collection for - each story was quite unlike the one before or after it. I never felt like I was reading something repetitive (which can happen in this genre). If anything, this collection made me wish for more of each authors' works. I will make sure to look for them in the future (and the back-list bump)!

VISIT THE OTHER GREAT BLOGS ON THE TOUR:
10/15/19
Book Trailer
Carpe Diem Chronicles

10/15/19
BONUS STOP
Hall Ways Blog

10/16/19
Review
Book Fidelity

10/17/19
Author Spotlight
That's What She's Reading

10/18/19
Review
Chapter Break Book Blog

10/19/19
Author Spotlight
All the Ups and Downs

10/20/19
Author Spotlight
StoreyBook Reviews

10/21/19
Review
Reading by Moonlight

10/22/19
Author Spotlight
The Page Unbound

10/23/19
Review
Missus Gonzo

10/24/19
Review
Forgotten Winds
​

The Widow of Rose House
by Diana Biller

Synopsis

A young widow restores a dilapidated mansion with the assistance of a charming, eccentric genius, only to find the house is full of dangerous secrets in this effervescent Gilded Age romantic comedy debut
It’s 1875, and Alva Webster has perfected her stiff upper lip after three years of being pilloried in the presses of two continents over fleeing her abusive husband. Now his sudden death allows her to return to New York to make a fresh start, restoring Liefdehuis, a dilapidated Hyde Park mansion, and hopefully her reputation at the same time.
However, fresh starts aren’t as easy as they seem, as Alva discovers when stories of a haunting at Liefdehuis begin to reach her. But Alva doesn’t believe in ghosts. So when the eccentric and brilliant professor Samuel Moore appears and informs her that he can get to the bottom of the mystery that surrounds Liefdehuis, she turns him down flat. She doesn’t need any more complications in her life—especially not a handsome, convention-flouting, scandal-raising one like Sam. Unfortunately, though Alva is loath to admit it, Sam, a pioneer in electric lighting and a member of the nationally-adored Moore family of scientists, is the only one who can help. Together, the two delve into the tragic secrets wreathing Alva’s new home while Sam attempts to unlock Alva’s history—and her heart.
Set during the Gilded Age in New York City, The Widow of Rose House is a gorgeous debut by Diana Biller, with a darkly Victorian Gothic flair and an intrepid and resilient American heroine guaranteed to delight readers.

Review

I don't know if I've read anything quite like The Widow of Rose House. It has everything I love from historical romances like the smart, handsome male protagonist, Same, and the down on her luck but fierce female protagonist, Alva. The only thing that could have made it better, and did, was the inclusion of background spookiness with tales of hauntings. Talk about the perfect book to read during Halloween time!

Biller's writing is atmospheric and flows so smoothly. It had me turning the pages, eager for more of the romance (this book is heavier on the romance than the scary bits). The backdrop of rumored hauntings adds to the feeling the story gives the reader. I truly enjoyed Alva's character - her wit and fierceness really did the story for me. I've found myself disliking stories where the female protagonist(s) are meek and/or always clinging to their counterpart (male or otherwise). Alva gave me none of those feelings and I love her (and Billings) for it! 

Please pick this book up this month! It's the perfect reading for those who want a dose of spookiness in their background!