historical - No Apology Book Reviews

Windswept by Annabelle McCormack

October 20, 2021

Title: Windswept Author: Annabelle McCormack Series: Windswept Saga #1 story dragged, characters rather unlikeable I would like to thank Annabelle McCormack and NetGalley for allowing me to listen to a free audiobook ARC in exchange for an honest review. I have mixed feelings about this book. On one hand, it was incredibly well researched and I loved that McCormack explored an often overlooked area of WWI; it was an interesting change of scenery that lent itself to fascinating descriptions and …

Interview with Joanna Davidson Politano (A Midnight Dance)

October 2, 2021

Article and Interview by Elise Cooper A Midnight Dance by Joanna Davidson Politano brings to life a mystery involving the ballet. But the plot has more than a mystery. As with many ballet romances, there are tragedies. Combining history and the ballet culture during the 1830s, readers get suspense with a tinge of romance in a captivating plot. The story begins with the main character, ballet dancer Ella Blythe, finding some very old, but famously well-known crimson ballet slippers. She …

Interview with Ronald H. Balson (Defending Britta Stein)

September 24, 2021

Article and Interview by Elise Cooper Defending Britta Stein by Ronald H. Balson is a wonderful read. Although the book has some courtroom drama including legal strategy and loopholes, most of the story is Britta Stein’s recounting of the events leading up to and during World War II in Denmark. This is historical fiction at its best with bravery, betrayal, and redemption. Britta Stein is a 92-year-old Jewish Danish woman who emigrated to America. She is being sued for defamation …

Interview with Stephanie Marie Thornton (A Most Clever Girl)

August 13, 2021

Article and Interview by Elise Cooper A Most Clever Girl by Stephanie Marie Thornton brings to life in fictional form, the true story of Elizabeth Bentley, a Cold War double agent. Readers are presented with the psychology of a spy, the dangers, betrayals, and motivations. Bentley was an American citizen who spied for the Russians until she became an FBI informant. She was recruited by the American Communist Party to spy on fascists since she worked at an Italian library. …

Interview with Christina Baker Kline (The Exiles)

August 8, 2021

Article and Interview by Elise Cooper The Exiles by Christina Baker Kline brings to life five women in nineteenth century Australia. All faced similar hardships struggling for redemption and freedom in this new society. They were mistreated and taken from a culture they knew. These women were all brought to their new lives against their will but showed strength and courage. Evangeline, orphaned after her Vicar father died, found a job as a Governess. But the stepson living in the …

Interview with Renee Ryan (The Widows of Champagne)

July 16, 2021

Article and Interview by Elise Cooper The Widows of Champagne by Renee Ryan is the story of a family struggling to survive in Nazi-occupied France. Three widows who lost their beloved husbands must now protect their livelihood, the Chateau Fouche-LeBlanc vineyard in Reims, after it was requisitioned by the Nazis. The plot has wine merchant, Helmut Von Schmidt, now turned Nazi Captain in the Wehrmacht, requisitioning the LeBlanc home and stealing their wine for the German troops. Throughout the days …

Interview with Kelly Rimmer (The Warsaw Orphan)

June 12, 2021

Article and Interview by Elise Cooper The Warsaw Orphan by Kelly Rimmer is inspired by the real-life heroine who saved thousands of Polish Jewish children during WWII. It is a story that intertwines war, family, survival, and love with themes of injustice, revenge, compassion, and sacrifice. There are four main characters that represent the mindset of those who lived in Warsaw Poland from 1942 to the end of the war. Readers see a teenage boy in the Warsaw Ghetto, Roman, …

Interview with Amanda Quick (The Lady Has a Past)

May 22, 2021

Article and Interview by Elise Cooper The Lady Has a Past by Amanda Quick (the pen name for Jayne Krentz) is another winner. This historical novel explores California in the 1930s with riveting characters and a suspenseful mystery. The plot has private investigator Raina Kirk disappearing after spending a night with her boyfriend Luther Pell. Her apprentice, Lyra Brazier, Luther, and his private investigator Simon Cage realize that Raina has traveled to the plush spa resort of Labyrinth Springs Hotel. …

The Deadly Hours by Anna Lee Huber, Christine Trent, Susanna Kearsley, and C. S. Harris

March 23, 2021

Title: The Deadly Hours Authors: Anna Lee Huber, Christine Trent, Susanna Kearsley, C. S. Harris Series: n/a An intriguing premise that wasn’t pulled off very well I would like to thank Anna Lee Huber, Christine Trent, Susanna Kearsley, C. S. Harris, Kensington Books, and NetGalley for allowing me to read a free ARC in exchange for an honest review. Weapon of Choice by Susanna Kearsley – five stars I was pleasantly surprised to find I loved this novella, and I …

The Heir and the Enchantress by Paullett Golden

March 14, 2021March 14, 2021

Title: The Heir and the Enchantress Author: Paullett Golden Series: The Enchantresses #5 Fantastic characters more than compensate for the tired plot Much thanks to the author, who provided me with a free ARC in exchange for an honest review. I admit, I wasn’t as excited for Aunt Hazel’s story as I’d been for the others, mostly because I had a hard time imagining her as anything other than Aunt Hazel. But to my surprise, when I dove into this …