A Reader's Opinion: Love Practically

Vivid descriptions of ancient castles, misty moors, and rugged mountains transport the reader back in time to be immersed in the world of Love Practically by Nichole Van.

Highlights: 3 Great Things About Love Practically

1. The rich historical backdrop of Scotland serves as a beautiful and moody backdrop for the protagonists' individual growth and tender romance.
2. The protagonists' personalities, inner conflicts, and apparent chemistry.
3. A satisfying resolution to all elements of the story.

The hero and heroine don't have an easy time in Nichole Van's lovely historical romance novel set in Scotland. The male lead begins as a hero, but when we meet him again, he is far from perfect and battling several inner demons. The female lead is kind and patient throughout, and truly, I thought she deserved sainthood at a few points. Her strength of character and will made her all the more likable. 

Fox undergoes a transformation throughout the book that is truly inspiring and hard-won. Leah has her battles, which all begin and end with her beloved Captain Fox.

The slow-burning romance between the protagonists builds gradually, allowing readers to experience the intensity of their feelings and the raw passion that ignites between them, all while keeping the sexy stuff behind closed doors. The tender moments are all the more precious when they happen because of the struggles they each face. I found myself rooting for them from the very beginning.

The author did a lovely job of bringing the time period to life, and I felt completely immersed in the world she created. Touches of mystery are hinted at, yet to this reader, it is primarily a love story.

This story has a lot of sadness, but hope and love overpower and eventually overcome it.

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About the Book

Love Practically by Nichole Van

(Retailer Description)

As a young woman, Leah Penn-Leith fell hopelessly in love with Captain Fox Carnegie—the only irrational mark on her decidedly sensible life. Fox, unfortunately, did not return her regard.

Their story should have ended there. After all, Fox left for India. And Leah returned home to Scotland to rear her much younger brothers.

But twenty years later, Fox appears on Leah’s doorstep—older, scarred, and world-weary—proposing a marriage of convenience between them. He needs a mother for his young ward, and Leah, with her capable good sense, comes highly recommended. What woman could say No to such a proposal? Not Leah. Fox has always wreaked havoc on her ability to think rationally.

After their marriage, Leah confronts the chaotic reality of Fox’s life. His castle, ten miles up a rugged Highland glen, is shambolic. His ward, Madeline, is a precocious handful. Fox’s time in India is shrouded in rumor and mystery. Worst of all, Fox himself is distant and broken, his personality as altered as his scarred body.

Throughout it all, Leah is left with two questions: What happens to a woman after her most-cherished fantasy comes true? And can a marriage, begun in practicality, transform into something deeper? Something like . . . love.

Book 1 of 4: The Penn-Leiths of Thistle Muir

Publisher: ‎Fiorenza Publishing

Publication: ‎March 23, 2022

Book Type: ‎Novel

Kindle • Paperback • Bookshop • Audible

Disclaimers: A copy of this book was NOT provided by the author or publisher. It came from the reviewer's personal library. This review is the opinion of the reviewer and does not necessarily represent the opinions of all other reviewers (past, present, future) who review for Books and Benches. Because we do not have a professional editor volunteer, this post was edited with help from ProWritingAid or Grammarly. The review, and all opinions/thoughts within, are the reader's. Affiliate links are in use on this post. If you click on an Amazon or Bookshop link, and make a purchase, this site will earn a small commission.

A Reader's Opinion: Journey to Bongary Spring

 Amidst Scotland's rolling hills and shimmering lochs, unfolds the tale of Journey to Bongary Spring, a clean historical romance novel by Kasey Stockton.

Highlights: 3 Great Things About Journey to Bongary Spring

1. A sweet love story set in a captivating historical era with elements of loyalty and sacrifice.

2. The complexities of family and community.

3. A satisfying resolution to the love story.

At the heart of the story lies Isobel McEwan, a spirited woman yearning for a life she does not believe she can have, with a man she desperately needs to forget, all while accepting a future that goes against her heart. Kieran Buchanan cares only for revenge, but as he discovers, life often has other plans.

As Isobel embarks on an unconvential and ill-conceived journey to Bongary Spring, a healing well, Kieran is tasked with fetching her home. Obstacles lurk along the way, threatening their safety and testing the limits of their newfound connection.

The novel's writing is lyrical and creates a vivid tapestry of the Scottish landscape and its inhabitants. The romance between Isobel and Kieran is sweet and tender, blossoming in the adversity they face. Their interactions are filled with sweet chemistry and heartwarming moments. Keiran is perhaps my favorite, more so because of his flaws and his patience.

Journey to Bongary Spring offers a charming story, engaging characters, and a captivating setting that will transport you to a bygone era. The novel's clean nature makes it suitable for all readers, and its sweet and easy-to-read style makes it a nice choice for a cozy evening in.

Note: Although Isobel and Keiran's love story is complete, this book ends on a cliffhanger. A big one. Now, I don't mind a good cliffhanger, really, especially since there is another book. I only wish the second book was about the secondary character who most intrigued me in book one. Alas, I must wait for book three (but I will read book two).

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About the Book

Journey to Bognary Spring by Kasey Stockton

(Retailer Description)

He only has eyes for revenge, and she only has eyes for him.

Isobel McEwan has been beholden to her chief for eight years—ever since he took her in and gave her a home after her parents died. So when he asks her to marry a rival laird to aid the clans in finding peace, she has little choice but to agree to his request. The only problem: she’s desperately in love with another man.

To free herself from the burden of unrequited love before entering into a marriage of convenience, Isobel devises a plan to journey to the healing well that has helped so many others, certain that if she can drink from its spring, she will be healed from her lovesickness for Kieran and prepared to marry the rival laird. But her chief will never willingly let her go, so she must sneak out in the dead of night and cross through dangerous lands alone.

After watching a rival clan kill his father in an ambush, Kieran Buchanan’s only ambition in life is to see them pay for what they did. Biding his time until he can accomplish his goal, Kieran dedicates his life to helping his uncle’s clan train and defend themselves. He’s sworn fealty to his uncle, so when the man asks him to track down Isobel and bring her home, he complies.

With the man she loves close on her tail, Isobel must hurry to the spring if she has any hope of callusing her heart against him. But what can she do when he catches up to her on enemy territory?

Book one in the Myths of Moraigh Trilogy. The books are not stand-alone novels and must be read in order for full comprehension, but each novel has its own satisfying love story.

Book 1 of 3: Myths of Moraigh Trilogy

Publisher: ‎Golden Owl Press

Publication: ‎August 30, 2021

Book Type: ‎Novel

Kindle • Paperback • Hardcover

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Disclaimers: A copy of this book was NOT provided by the author or publisher. It came from the reviewer's personal library. This review is the opinion of the reviewer and does not necessarily represent the opinions of all other reviewers (past, present, future) who review for Books and Benches. Because we do not have a professional editor volunteer, this post was edited with help from ProWritingAid or Grammarly. The review, and all opinions/thoughts within, are the reader's. Affiliate links are in use on this post. If you click on an Amazon or Bookshop link, and make a purchase, this site will earn a small commission.

Through Ethan's Eyes: Life at Hawk's Peak

Life at Hawk's Peak with Ethan Gallagher

Days at Hawk's Peak begin before the sun rises over the mountains to bathe the valley in dull gold hues. The clouds like to make an appearance up this way, but we get enough sun peaking through to warm the bones on a cool summer day. Trees dot the landscape and fill the forests scenting the air with pine. The freshness manages to overpower the cattle when they're off grazing in the high pastures. Closer to home, the scent of freshly turned hay is carried through the wind.

Read the full post HERE.

Mini Post: Ignite Your Spirit

Ignite your spirit with life's adventures. Embrace the unknown, step out of your comfort zone, and savor the exhilaration of new experiences.

Dive into the depths of new surroundings, allowing yourself to grow and evolve through each unique opportunity that comes your way.

Read full post at https://www.mkmcclintock.com/post/mini-post-ignite-your-spirit.

Two Healers, a Brighter Tomorrow - FIND ME IN THE STARS

 “Larimore's ability to engulf a reader into a tale... is brilliantly done.”

5-star Highly Recommended Award of Excellence ~ Historical Fiction Company

Separated by miles, connected by the stars, two healers forge their destinies in a quest for a brighter tomorrow.

Inspired by a true story, this refugee's tale of sacrifice, separation, and abiding love unfolds in the Cévennes Mountains of Languedoc, France, 1697. A sweeping adventure during the time of Louis XIV's oppressive rule and persecutions, this compelling narrative follows the intertwined destinies of two remarkable protagonists, Amelia Auvrey, a mystic holy-woman healer, and Jehan BonDurant, an apothecary from a noble Huguenot family, in a riveting tale of enduring love, faith, and the search for light in the darkest of times. 

Amelia and Jehan are fierce champions of tolerance and compassion in their cherished Cévenole homeland, a region plagued by renewed persecution of Huguenots. The escalated danger forces their paths to diverge, each embarking on their own dangerous journey toward survival and freedom. The Knights Hospitaller provide protection and refuge for Amelia and her ailing sage-femme grandmother, even as they come under suspicion of practicing witchcraft. And, to avoid entanglement in a brewing rebellion, Jehan joins a troupe of refugees who flee to the Swiss Cantons seeking sanctuary—a journey that challenges his faith and perseverance. Jehan arrives to find things are not as he expected; the Swiss have their own form of intolerance, and soon immigrants are no longer welcome. The utopian Eden he seeks remains elusive until he learns of a resettlement project in the New World. 

During their time apart, Amelia and Jehan rely on a network of booksellers to smuggle secret letters to each other—until the letters mysteriously cease, casting doubt on their future together. Jehan is unclear if Amelia will commit to joining him, or if she will hold fast to her vow of celibacy and remain in the Cévennes. Seemingly ill-fated from the start, their love is tested to its limits as they are forced to navigate a world where uncertainty and fear threaten to eclipse their unwavering bond. 

As a stand-alone sequel to the award-winning The Muse of Freedom, a bestseller in Renaissance Fiction, Find Me in the Stars is based on true events in the life of Jean Pierre Bondurant dit Cougoussac--an unforgettable adventure where love and light endure against all odds.

This title will be available on #KindleUnlimited.

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Meet the Author

Jules Larimore is the author of emotive, literary-leaning historical fiction with a dose of magic, myth, and romance to bring to life hopeful human stories and inspire positive change. She is a member of France’s Splendid Centuries authors’ collaborative, a board member of the Historical Novel Society of Southern California, and lives primarily in Ojai with time spent around the U.S. and Europe gathering a rich repository of historical research in a continued search for authenticity.

 

Website | BookBub | Amazon | Goodreads

 

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Book Title: Find Me in the Stars
Series: a Cévenoles Sagas novel - Book Two in the Huguenot Trilogy
Author: Jules Larimore
Publication Date: March 20th, 2024
Publisher: Mystic Lore Books
Page Length: 328
Genre: Renaissance Historical Fiction / Women’s Fiction

 

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PRAISE FOR THE MUSE OF FREEDOM

Book One in the Huguenot Trilogy

“AN ENGROSSING STORY about fiercely independent people... This ABSORBING TALE of religious strife creates a vivid world that will draw readers in... ”
~ Kirkus Review

"BRILLIANTLY TOLD. A story that will stick with you long after you've turned the last page. FRESH AND COMPELLING. As relevant now as it was then."
~ Janet Wertman, author of the Seymour Saga trilogy

"Larimore's LUSH, VIBRANT PROSE and SHARP EYE FOR HISTORICAL DETAIL at once transported me back to Occitan haunts and castles. A must-read for anyone who loves novels set in that alluring region of southern France."
~ Glen Craney, author of The Fire and the Light

"This story WILL CAPTURE YOU and not let go. History and DEFTLY-CRAFTED STORYTELLING rolled into one."
~ Rozsa Gaston, author of the Anne of Brittany Series

“WONDROUS FIRST NOVEL. Jules is an alchemist, drawing on the poetic power of words, assembling a colorful combination of characters to authentically explore the landscape of the human heart; its yearnings, boundaries, expectations and limitations.”
~ Elijah Alexander, actor (Atticus Aemillius on The Chosen TV series)

CHARACTERS ARE WELL-DEVELOPED AND LIKABLE, forming easy connections with the reader, and the structure... FLOWS BRILLIANTLY, providing a well-defined combination of history and escape... themes of love and acceptance stream through, along with a very enjoyable depiction of noble and rural life in 17th century France. VERY HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.
~ Historical Fiction Company, five star award of excellence

“COMPELLING CHARACTERS... thought-provoking themes of religious freedom, love and loyalty, incredible fortitude, and courage in the face of persecution.”
~ Reader’s Favorite five-star review