Review: A Siege on her Heart

 

Cover art by Liz Kazandzby

Book blurb (from Amazon):

Ana María Bailon believes her heart is as shattered as the burning city she flees. Once bold and brilliant in her father’s war councils, she now carries a secret child and a soul scorched by the siege of San Sebastián. When an English captain offers a hurried marriage and safe passage to a foreign land, Ana wonders if she is walking toward healing or a new form of heartbreak.

Captain Peter Ashmore lives with memories that stalk him like smoke from a burning town. Honor compels him into a marriage of convenience, yet every glance from his Spanish bride stirs a longing he fears he does not deserve. As they travel to his English estate and step into a world of drawing rooms and whispered judgments, Peter grapples with guilt, desire, and a God he worries has turned away.

In the quiet rooms of Abbeygate, Ana starts to trust the gentle man beneath the scarlet uniform, but nightmares, secrets, and grief threaten every fragile step. Peter feels himself falling for the courageous woman he vowed to shield, even as the truth of her past and his role in the siege loom over them both.

Can Ana and Peter confront the ruin behind them and choose a love that rebuilds what war tried to destroy?

Review:

The best part of this book is the unique setting that provides an unexpected and well-done history lesson. The author places her characters inside their world with wisdom and compassion. The Battle of San Sebastian is interesting enough that I ended up down a rabbit hole to explore this piece of European history. What a mess it was. 

Ana and Peter make for good protagonists. I loved that Peter got in a mess made out of his own chivalry. Their merging of culture and belief in a complex, war-torn world is likely to resonate with readers.

Parts of this book are very toned-down for the intended audience. Most of the terrors of war happen off page. We start the book well into the story in order to avoid what might make readers uncomfortable, which ignores a lot of the history that Ana would've experienced. I have mixed feelings about marketing this book as a romance. To me, it is an historical fiction with a romantic subplot. I understand that romance sells better, but I think categorizing it that way undersells this story where the times they are set in largely drive the drama. Fans of historical romance won't be disappointed - but fans of historical fiction might pass this by when they would otherwise have picked it up.

While I'm being nitpicky, the cover art is lovely but mundane. I have seen something similar on dozens of books. For such a unique story, it was not given quite the cover it deserved.

However, for the intended audience, this is a lovely story. It has more depth than most Regency romance. The characters deserve their happy ending. It is a lovely book for a Sunday afternoon.

Purchase Information:

Amazon link: https://www.amazon.com/Siege-Her-Heart-Jessica-Brousseau-ebook/dp/B0G5292ZJ4 

This book is widely distributed online and in local bookstores.

Thanks to Cedar Fort Publishing for the Advanced Reader copy of this novel. 

Cover reveal: The Heart-Shaped Box

 Cover reveal goes here

Review: Dark Is the Night

In Nazi-occupied Holland, a mother and son fight to survive.

When his sister Lotte dies of blood poisoning, Casper Van Doujke leaves his island home of Terschelling for Amsterdam. Blaming himself for Lotte’s death, he studies to become a doctor.

Meanwhile, his mother Elske Van Doujke’s quiet mourning for her daughter is interrupted when the Nazis occupy Terschelling. When a face from the past returns to the island, Elske has a final chance of happiness. But can she take it?

Mother and son join the Dutch resistance, risking everything for their people as they live through occupation and famine. In her remote cottage, Elske shelters young Dutch men trying to escape to England and Allied airmen attempting to avoid capture. In Amsterdam, Casper works as a doctor for the resistance and falls in love with the fiancée of his cell’s leader.

But when the war threatens those closest to them, Elske and Casper are forced to make impossible choices just to survive.

Review

First, I love this book art. So beautiful. I want it to have enough readers that they can publish a version where the green and vines bleed onto every page. The space between the characters is also *chef's kiss* for echoing the feel and complexity of the story. Absolutely gorgeous. My inner book dragon wants a copy on my shelf to love forever.

This story of Elske and Casper Van Doujke is heartbreaking. Set in occupied Holland during World War II, there aren't many happy stories to tell. This mother and son team desperately tries to stay on the kinder side of humanity while the world falls apart around them.

Expect a slow read that aims for you to love the characters before you endure the torture of what evil times do to good people. The author does not shy away from the terrifying troubles of the day - and the horrible deeds done by devils and man. This is a fairly dark tale though the author allows goodness to shine through when it can.

Purchase Links

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Dark-Night-Nazi-occupied-Holland-survive-ebook/dp/B0FR4XTW45

https://www.amazon.com/Dark-Night-Nazi-occupied-Holland-survive-ebook/dp/B0FR4XTW45

Author Bio – Since I was a little girl, I’ve always written stories (which I kept in a shoe box beneath my bed). Having cerebral palsy, I found an escape in writing and I still do. After doing a BA (Hons) in English and French and an MA in Modern Languages Research, I trained to be a newspaper journalist. I now work as a teaching assistant in a primary school where I share my love of writing with the children I teach. In my free time, I spend every moment I can writing. Escaping to the past, especially World War II, helps me cope with the stresses of life in the present. 

https://www.instagram.com/rachelevansauthor/

Review: Celebrations at the Beach Hotel

 

Sisters Alice and Annie have always been close but will a man come between them?

Annie and Alice love their life working at the Beach Hotel together and each is thrilled to have finally found a sweetheart. Yet the path of true love never did run smooth, and they soon find themselves facing conflict and strife. Could love come between them and the bond they share?

Meanwhile, as men start to come home from the war, the women have to work out how to keep their jobs, although they are delighted to be back with their beaus. Soon, wedding bells ring out in Littlehampton.

Will everything be made right in time for Christmas?

Review

Francesca Capaldi writes captivating historical fiction sagas. I recommend taking the time to read the Beach Hotel saga. The rich historical detail, complexity of characters and sweet romances are sure to delight most of my followers. In this finale, the Great War has ended and the characters look forward with hope to a world of peace and prosperity. But first, they have to figure out who want in that future. I enjoyed the story - it's sweet and a good conclusion for the characters - though I agree with other reviewers that it felt a little rushed. This could simple be because I didn't want it to end!

This book is the conclusion to the Beach Hotel saga. While you can read it as a standalone, it will lack some of the emotional satisfaction that comes when you have known and loved these characters throughout the series.

Purchase Link:

Amazon https://amzn.to/4gTi5fj

Kobo: https://bit.ly/4765y3M

If you are interested, here are the titles in this saga:

A New Start at the Beach Hotel

 (2023) – Set in 1914, following chambermaid Edie Moore.

All Change at the Beach Hotel

 (2023) – Set in 1915, following waitress Lili Probert.

Dark Days at the Beach Hotel

 (2024) – Set later in the war, following manager's wife Helen Bygrove.

Love and Loss at the Beach Hotel

 (2024).

Stormy Skies at the Beach Hotel

 (2025) – Following chambermaid Fanny.

Celebrations at the Beach Hotel

 (2026) – The series finale set in 1919. 

Author Bio –

Francesca Capaldi has enjoyed writing since she was a child, largely influenced by a Welsh mother who was good at improvised storytelling and an Italian father who loved history. She is the author of historical sagas, short stories and pocket novels.

The first novel in the Beach Hotel series, A New Start at the Beach Hotel, won the Romantic Saga Award at the Romantic Novelists' Association Awards in 2024. The first novel in the Wartime in the Valleys series, Heartbreak in the Valleys, was shortlisted for the Historical Romantic Award in the RoNAs in 2021.

Francesca was born and brought up on the Sussex coast, went to London to do a history degree, but has lived for many years in Kent with her family and a cat called Lando Calrission.

Social Media Links –

Facebook: @ FrancescaCapaldiAuthor

Twitter: @ FCapaldiBurgess

Instagram: @francesca.capaldi.burgess

Tiktok: @francesca.capaldi.author

Website: francesca-capaldi.com

 

Guest Post: Viking She Couldn't Crave

 Welcome to a guest post by Sarah Rodi, author of The Viking She Shouldn't Crave

Why Forbidden Love is one of my favourite tropes

For me, there’s something irresistible about forbidden love. It’s the spark that shouldn’t ignite, the touch that shouldn’t linger, the longing that defies duty or danger. As a writer, I’m drawn to that moment when two people realise they should walk away, but they can’t bring themselves to do so.

Forbidden love heightens every feeling. Desire becomes sharper. Stakes become higher. Choices become heavier. It forces characters to confront who they are, what they believe and what they’re willing to risk.

This is exactly why I wrote a story of forbidden love for my latest historical romance, The Viking She Shouldn’t Crave. Set in 10^th century Constantinople, the bishop’s daughter, Helena, is chosen at the prince’s bride show. Marianos must marry to sire an heir, and Helena must wed to save her family from financial ruin, but during their first moments alone, the prince’s charming façade drops and Helena’s ideas of a romantic union are shattered.

Enter the Prince’s formidable Varangian commander, Viggo. He is kind to Helena, despite his belief that she is marrying the prince for wealth and status. As Viggo helps her to win over the prince’s affections, she soon discovers it is not the prince’s heart, but that of his right-hand man she cares about. Every glance becomes charged, every encounter dangerous, and Viggo is torn between duty and desire. He must resist temptation or risk losing his life – he also needs the wedding to take place to receive his coin and help his pregnant sister...

What I love most about writing two characters who are forbidden from falling in love is how it forces them to grow. In The Viking She Shouldn’t Crave, both Viggo and Helena must confront their pasts, their loyalties and their fears. Their connection pushes them to evolve, to question, and ultimately, to risk everything for love.

I hope you enjoy reading my new romance as much as I enjoyed writing it.

 

 

Review: Poole of Light

 

A coal-mining town. A flicker of light. A boy who dreams of more.

Spennymoor, 1913. When ten-year-old Jem Poole sees a moving picture for the first time, it ignites a spark. Raised in a northern coal-mining town marked by grief and hardship, he begins to dream of more than soot and survival. He dreams of light.

Through war, reinvention, and the golden age of British cinema, Jem rises to national success, building a legacy of silver screens and stories that define a generation. But when a figure from his past reappears, long-buried memories resurface, and he must confront the truth of the life he has built – and the memories that never let go.

Set against the backdrop of twentieth-century Britain, Poole of Light is a richly layered historical debut about ambition, identity, and the stories that shape us.

Perfect for readers who enjoy:

·       Character-driven historical fiction with emotional depth

·       Coming-of-age novels set in 20th-century England

·       Themes of legacy, reinvention, and quiet redemption

·       Authors like Jo Baker, Kristin Hannah, Amor Towles and Anthony Doerr

 

Book One in The Poole Legacy — a literary historical trilogy exploring ambition, identity, and legacy across generations.

Also available as an eBook: Bright Light, a companion short story set during the events of this novel.

Review

This blazing, cinematic historical fiction follows Jem Poole as he transitions from coal miner's son to filmmaker. 

RJ verity has a gift for making characters come to life in historical settings. She makes her settings shine and connects them beautifully to the decisions made by her characters. I knew nothing about the cinema scene in Leeds in the 1930s but her words created a setting that helped me feel familiar with the unknown. 

This is the first book in a trilogy, so expect some backstory and lengthier introduction phase than a standalone novel. I didn't find it cumbersome, but it did seem that the story didn't really take off until midway through the novel. Jem is an emotionally complex character, so expect to love and hate him in degrees as you follow his story.

Overall, another strong entry by RJ Verity. Her fans will be thrilled, and if you aren't a fan already - what are you waiting for? 

Purchase Link

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Poole-Light-Book-One-Legacy-ebook/dp/B0FJ6BDBSH

https://www.amazon.com/Poole-Light-Book-One-Legacy-ebook/dp/B0FJ6BDBSH

Author Bio –

RJ Verity grew up in Yorkshire and studied at King’s College London before spending more than twenty years in financial services across Asia. She now lives in Guernsey with her endlessly patient husband and their spirited ten-year-old Labradinger. When she’s not writing or reading, she can often be found exploring the island’s rugged coastline.

She is currently working on The Poole Legacy, her debut trilogy of historical novels. The first book in the series, Poole of Light, is out now.

Social Media Links –

https://www.facebook.com/AuthorRJVerity

https://www.instagram.com/rjverity/

https://x.com/RJVerity

https://bsky.app/profile/rjverity.bsky.social

https://www.pinterest.com/RJVerityAuthor/

Here's my Goodreads link:

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/239076062-poole-of-light

A universal link to my Amazon page:https://mybook.to/poole-of-light 

The map: https://www.rjverity.com/1930s-leeds 

The book club kit: https://www.rjverity.com/bookclub 

And the blog link:https://www.rjverity.com/blog 

Review: Don't Forget the Crazy

 

Her lists are life or death.
“If it’s on the list, I have to do it.”

Milli Morgan lives by her lists. Groceries, goals, organising her boss – nothing escapes being ticked off her ever-growing to-do lists. Order brings her comfort; control keeps the chaos at bay. Everyone can rely on Milli.

Until the day new items start appearing on her list in red ink.

At first, she blames stress. A prank. Someone playing mind-games. But one instruction on the list refuses to be erased and demands to be completed.

A command so terrible she would have to be crazy to tick it off.

Don’t Forget the Crazy is a dark psychological suspense short story about obsession, perfection, and the dangerous pressure of always being “the good girl.” Fans of Gillian Flynn, Lisa Jewell, Patricia Highsmith, and Shirley Jackson will devour this chilling portrait of order unravelling into darkness.

Review

Much like the notebook in Death Note, Milli Morgan has a paper problem. Her to-do list has taken on a mind of its own and it doesn't always have good intentions. The psychological drama follows Milli as she tries to decide if she dares defy a system of her own making. The journey is intriguing and the ending satisfying. In addition, as a novella, you can easily squeeze it in between your own to-do items on that infernal, commanding list. 

This novella is recommended for anyone who has wondered if their organization was the very thing driving them crazy. With a compelling commentary on our modern rat race, Don't Forget the Crazy will leave you with a strong impulse to have a do-nothing day...just to make sure you still can.

Purchase

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0G1KPBK1N

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0G1KPBK1N

Giveaway

Follow Lucy Kaufman on Instagram by 24^th December 2025 to win an Audrey’s solid milk chocolate Scaredy Cat (UK entrants only).

Author Bio –

Lucy Kaufman is an award-winning author, playwright, audio dramatist and poet. 40 of her plays have been performed professionally around the UK and Australia, to critical acclaim. She has lectured in Playwriting and Screenwriting for Pen to Print and Canterbury Christ Church University and is a mentor at The Writing Coach. Originally from London, she now lives by the sea with her husband, sons, dogs and cats.

 

Social Media Links –

Insta: kaufmanlucy

Insta: https://www.instagram.com/sepiainkpublishing/

www.sepiaink.co.uk