BLOG TOUR: The Strange Lives of Eleanor Teague - M K Hill

There's something wrong with Haddon Hall...

In 1876, Eleanor Teague lives in a lonely house far from the glamorous London Society she once knew. Confined to Haddon Hall by agoraphobia, bedevilled by nightmares of the death of her daughter, and haunted by the guilt of a terrible crime she committed, Eleanor depends on the household servants and on her husband Ezra, who is kind, patient… and controlling.

But when an apparition appears at her bedside, and mysterious voices urge her to find the 'Shadow House', she’s convinced an uncanny presence dwells within the walls of Haddon Hall, and that the staff are lying to her – they, in turn, fear she’s descending into madness.

As Eleanor’s world starts to fracture, the very foundations of Haddon Hall seem to shake. Why is the attic room locked? What is the Shadow House? Who is the strange woman in the woods?

The shocking truth will shatter everything Eleanor thought she knew about her life.

A haunting, high-concept thriller with a jaw-dropping twist, The Strange Lives of Eleanor Teague will enthral readers of John Marrs, Gillian McAllister and Stuart Turton. 

What did I think?

Wow!  What an absolute corker of a book!  It's not a spoiler to mention the jaw-dropping twist as it's stated in the blurb but it is MINDBLOWING!  

The main character of Eleanor Teague is complex and I really felt for her.  Not only is she grieving for her young daughter but she is filled with guilt over her death.  It's no wonder that she's frightened to leave the house.  Luckily for Eleanor, she lives in a large house with servants and her doting husband Ezra so she is well looked after...or so it would appear.

Mental health wasn't even considered in Victorian times so Eleanor is just seen as a weak and hysterical woman.  Haddon Hall is both her sanctuary and her prison and now it looks like it's haunted too.  Eleanor doesn't know what to believe or who to trust and the suspense and tension ramps up with every turn of the page.

Mind-bending, addictive and highly original, The Strange Lives of Eleanor Teague is completely unpredictable and incredibly suspenseful.  I was already hooked on the book when M K Hill delivered an ingenious twist that really pulled the rug out from beneath me and I take my hat off to you, sir!  The Strange Lives of Eleanor Teague is unmissable and highly recommended.

I received a digital ARC to read and review for the blog tour and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

My rating:

Buy it from:

Waterstones

Amazon

About the author:

M.K. Hill was a journalist and an award-winning music radio producer before becoming a full-time writer. He's written the Sasha Dawson series - The Bad Place, The Woman In The Wood - and the Ray Drake series - The Two O'Clock Boy and It Was Her - as well as acclaimed psychological thriller One Bad Thing, and the espionage thriller Zero Kill. He lives in London.

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BLOG TOUR: The General's Wife - Suzanne Dana

 

Some secrets don't stay buried, even beneath military honors

Margaret Stone appears to be the perfect military spouse—supportive, resilient, and respected as the wife of Brigadier General George "Rocky" Stone. But beneath her carefully composed exterior lies a past shadowed by tragedy and one fateful night that could destroy everything she's built.

When a blackmail letter signed "Swimbuddy1980" arrives, Margaret is forced to confront the truth about what really happened during a late-night swim at Coronado Beach nearly thirty years ago. As the threats escalate and her husband faces a career-defining deployment to Afghanistan, Margaret must navigate the complex loyalties of military life while fighting to protect the life she's crafted from the ashes of her troubled youth.

From a San Diego tattoo parlor to the formality of Marine Corps ceremonies, Margaret's journey reveals the resilience of the human spirit and the unique bonds forged through shared sacrifice in the military community.

In this compelling narrative of love, betrayal, and redemption, one woman discovers that while the past shapes us, it need not define us—and that true strength comes from facing the most painful truths of all.

What did I think?

The General's Wife is a wonderful debut novel that gives the reader a glance into US military life from a side you don't often see: that of the wives and partners.  The armed forces have such an important and difficult job but so do those they leave behind when they're deployed.

With reference to a secret in chapter one, I was immediately drawn into the story and just had to find out what was haunting Maggie from her past.  Maggie is a Brigadier General's wife and any scandal would be a detriment to his career progression.  That's why Maggie agrees to pay a blackmailer to keep her secret hidden but this means that she is hiding something else from her husband.

The secret is revealed to the reader through flashbacks to Maggie's youth and it broke my heart to see Maggie carrying this burden for so many years.  Secrets can fester if you try to bury them and it's true what they say about a problem shared but Maggie is terrified of the consequences and she doesn't know who she can trust.

I love secrets in a novel so I was hooked from the start and as much as I wanted to know what the secret was I was enjoying the whole story of Maggie's life, both past and present, just as much.  Maggie is such a strong character that I really came to care about her and she would definitely give us Brits a run for our money in the stiff upper lip stakes.

Completely captivating and incredibly intriguing, The General's Wife is filled with love, honour and respect.  It's a riveting story and it's so beautifully written that I wouldn't hesitate to recommend it.

I received a gifted paperback for the Rachel's Random Resources blog tour and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

My rating:

Buy it from:

Amazon UK

Amazon US

About the author:

Suzanne Dana is both a general’s daughter and a general’s wife. She graduated from San Diego State University with a degree in journalism and a secondary education credential in English. As a general’s wife, she moved nineteen times and supported her husband through eight deployments, including those to Iraq and Afghanistan. She currently sits on the Marine Corps Scholarship Foundation board as an Adjunct Director. She enjoys photography, travel, water sports, and volunteering at a local women’s shelter. She resides in Arizona with her husband. 

The General’s Wife is her debut novel.

Social Media Links – 

Website: http://suzannemdana.com/

Facebook: suzannemdana

Instagram: @authorsuzannedana

Giveaway:

Giveaway to Win 10 x signed copies of The General’s Wife (Open INT)

*Terms and Conditions –Worldwide entries welcome.  Please enter using the Gleam box below.  The winner will be selected at random via Gleam from all valid entries and will be notified by Twitter and/or email. If no response is received within 7 days then Rachel’s Random Resources reserves the right to select an alternative winner. Open to all entrants aged 18 or over.  Any personal data given as part of the competition entry is used for this purpose only and will not be shared with third parties, with the exception of the winners’ information. This will passed to the giveaway organiser and used only for fulfilment of the prize, after which time Rachel’s Random Resources will delete the data.  I am not responsible for despatch or delivery of the prize.

Win 10 x signed copies of The General’s Wife (Open INT)

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BLOG TOUR: A Daughter's Love - Nancy Revell

When Lucy’s estranged mother dies unexpectedly, her grief is overwhelming. Lucy was disowned when she married penniless horse-trainer Danny for love, leaving her blue-blooded family’s fortune in tatters. But Lucy always dreamed that one day, they’d reconcile.

So when her widowed father Edward begs her and Danny’s forgiveness for his part in their argument, she’s overjoyed. Newly pregnant, she’s determined to give her baby the family she longed for.

Danny, however, isn’t convinced: Edward’s mended ways feel too good to be true. But Lucy’s pregnancy is difficult, and she can’t hear his worries. Until the worst happens, and their fragile family is tested to its very limit…

Will love be enough to get them through?

 

What did I think?

A Daughter's Love is the third and final book in the Cuthford Manor series and I have enjoyed every beautifully written word.  You can read it as a standalone as there's enough of the backstory included to fill in any blanks that new readers might have but it is simply breathtaking when you have read the previous books.

Angie's siblings Danny and Marlene are the focus of this book as Danny starts his married life with Lucy and Marlene tentatively opens her heart to the possibility of love.  The Boulter family haven't had an easy life and it's not about to change any time soon with cracks appearing in Danny's marriage already and Marlene losing the man she loves to manipulative Mabel.

As much as I loved the majority of the characters, I really detested Mabel.  There's a line that sums Mabel up perfectly: "And what Mabel wanted, Mabel got."  You'd think Mabel was lady of the manor but she's just an employee at Cuthford Manor.  Poor Thomas doesn't stand a chance when Mabel sets her sights on him, probably just to spite Marlene more than anything.

I feel like I have watched this lovely family grow up over the years and I will miss them but the beauty of being a reader is that I can always pick up the books again and I plan to do just that.  Nancy Revell is a natural storyteller and I can't wait to see what she writes next.

Impossible to put down, incredibly entertaining and completely unmissable, A Daughter's Love is a fantastic family saga that I highly recommend.  An easy five stars - I absolutely loved it!

I received a gifted paperback for the blog tour and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

My rating:

Buy it from:

UK.Bookshop.org

Amazon

About the author:

Nancy Revell is the author of 12 titles in the bestselling Shipyard Girls series, which tells the story of a group of women who work in a Sunderland shipyard during WWII. Her books have sold more than half a million copies, across all editions, with the last book in the Shipyard Girl series a No.2 Sunday Times Bestseller. Before that, she was a journalist who worked for all the national newspapers, providing them with hard- hitting news stories and in-depth features. She also wrote inspirational true-life stories for just about every woman’s magazine in the country. Nancy was born and brought up in the North East of England and now lives in Oxfordshire with her husband, Paul.

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BLOG TOUR: Color of Fire (The Strange Eden Series Book 3) - Gina Giordano

“And I thought you were my savior in my darkest hour. How very wrong I was.”

1794: Devastated by the violent disappearance of her husband, Charles Sharpe, Eliza struggles to save Pleasant Hall from the hands of crooked creditors and the governor’s greed. In the aftermath of the attack, her husband’s enemies have branded him a traitor and declare him dead. 

But an unlikely source carries knowledge that he still lives, and he alone knows who has taken Charles. Eliza’s desperation drives her to form an alliance with the king of the underworld himself: Captain Hiram Bruin, a notorious man who is more pirate than privateer. 

Eliza’s death has been ordered by Lord Dunmore, and Bruin himself tasked with the deed. But Hiram Bruin has never been a man to follow orders. He offers her passage on his ship, the Fortuyne, and his personal protection. In her hour of distress, Eliza accepts—for she has no other choice.

Bruin takes Eliza on a wild and dangerous voyage from the island of New Providence to the wild and untamed Saba, and finally to England, where her journey started three years ago. 

Eliza endures her new sinister reality, one where death creeps ever closer, and quickly learns that the only monsters at sea are men. Ensnared by the salt air and damning secrets, one thing is startlingly clear: Bruin wants to take everything she holds dear. For the roots of revenge lie deep…

Will Eliza be able to save the life of her husband before it’s too late? What price is she willing to pay for his freedom? And can she escape this unimaginable nightmare, fueled by a man of unspeakable cruelty? 

 

What did I think?

Wow!  Consider my breath well and truly taken.  What a stunning conclusion to an outstanding series!  I have loved every single one of the Strange Eden books and it was very fitting to return Eliza to England where the story first started.  Color of Fire is the story of Eliza's dangerous journey across the sea in search of her missing husband.

After the heart-stopping cliffhanger in book two, The Island King, I raced straight on to Color of Fire as I couldn't wait to find out what happened next.  The dastardly governor Lord Dunmore has had enough of the Sharpes and orders the death of Eliza and her husband Charles.  When Eliza is told that Charles has been killed and men turn up at her door to take possession of her home, Eliza fights as much as she can as she is convinced that Charles is still alive.

Eliza joins forces with the man who is sent to kill her and Bruin takes Eliza away from her Caribbean home on his ship.  The high seas are a dangerous place to be though and Eliza finds that out pretty quickly.  I admired her fortitude and conviction that she would find Charles, despite Bruin having his own agenda. 

The storyline is riveting and the character's are so well developed they almost pop out from the page.  Some of the characters are actually based on real people and I found the author's note as fascinating and entertaining as the fictional tale.

Unmissable, unforgettable and unputdownable, Color of Fire is a fantastic historical fiction novel in a magnificent series.   I already want to read it again and really can't recommend it highly enough.

I received a gifted paperback for the blog tour and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

My rating:

Purchase link: https://mybook.to/coloroffire-zbt

About the author:

Gina Giordano always had an insatiable curiosity and a penchant for history. Born in New York City, she is a writer, artist, and a conjurer of the past. She holds a BA in history and a master’s degree in historical fiction from New York University, and has traveled to over sixty-five countries across the globe. When she is not climbing ancient ruins or exploring forgotten palaces, she enjoys swimming with sharks in remote pristine waters. Her debut novel, Strange Eden, was longlisted for the 2023 Bath Novel Award.

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The Ten Year Affair - Erin Somers

Two parents. Happily married. Just not to each other.

When Cora meets Sam at a baby group in their small town, the chemistry between them is instant and undeniable. But both are happily married, and neither is the type to cheat. So as their lives intertwine and the romantic tension between them heightens, Cora turns to her imagination: in her head, she and Sam pursue their feelings; in reality, they resist.

Yet as the fantasy affair grows ever more intoxicating, it can't help but cast Cora's everyday life - the mushroom problem in the bathroom, her daughter's new fascination with the afterlife, her husband's obsession with podcasts about the history of rope - in a new light. And when the boundaries grow increasingly blurred, she must decide what truly matters.

Razor-sharp, exhilaratingly honest and salted with an irresistible acerbic wit, The Ten Year Affair explores family life, fidelity and the roads not taken, and ultimately asks: do we really want our fantasies to come true?

 

What did I think?

The Ten Year Affair isn't perhaps the type of book I would usually pick up but I rather enjoyed it.  It's brutally honest and surprisingly witty so I found myself laughing out loud on a number of occasions but it has a serious subject at its heart: infidelity.

Although I didn't particularly like any of the characters I think I could understand them.  Cora escapes her mundane life as a wife and mother to a fantasy world where she's having an affair with Sam, a father she met at baby group.  It really made me think about what cheating is.  Are thoughts as bad as actions?

As the story progresses the affair doesn't just continue in Cora's head, it happens in real life but Cora finds that reality isn't a patch on fantasy.  You have to apportion some of the blame to Cora's husband Eliot, who pays very little attention to Cora, and Sam's wife Jules, who is having an affair of her own.  Both couples seem to conveniently forget that they have children though.

I did struggle at times with the 'in the fantasy world' and 'in reality' storyline as I couldn't remember what was happening in each one and it seemed to flick back and forth frequently.  I enjoyed the chapters set during the Covid-19 pandemic as it really highlighted the challenges people faced while forced to spend time with each other.  It is funny reading about people getting used to working from home and I'm sure a lot of people have many funny Zoom stories.

Witty, honest and thought-provoking, The Ten Year Affair is an interesting and entertaining read that is well worth picking up, even if it's just to feel smug about your own relationship.

 

I received a gifted hardback for the Adventures With Words readalong and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

My rating:

Buy it from:

UK.Bookshop.org

Amazon

BLOG TOUR: The Island King (The Strange Eden Series Book 2) - Gina Giordano

He once destroyed everything she loved. Now, only he can save her from ruin.

Can she forgive, and even love, her enemy?

In this dark, immersive tale, the author of STRANGE EDEN returns to colonial Nassau to continue the story of Eliza Sharpe’s volatile marriage to Charles Sharpe.

1792: In the aftermath of her lover Jean’s death, Eliza harbors a secret that threatens to make her fraught situation even worse. She is carrying his child. But when the clairvoyant slave Cleo comes to her aid, the solution holds devastating consequences.

Charles, meanwhile, is engaged in his own secret dealings. When he reveals his plans to Eliza, she is forced to do the unthinkable: to reframe the man she’s viewed for so long as an enemy, into an ally, perhaps even a friend.

Perhaps more.

Events directed by Lord Dunmore’s insatiable greed threaten to destroy their shaky reconciliation. Clandestine political meetings emerge as the other colonists seek an end to the corruption on the island, and they turn to Charles for leadership. But the governor of the Bahamas wants him dead, and he’s hired the perfect man for the deed.

Can Eliza forgive the man she once viewed as a monster? Or has the desperation and darkness that lurks within the walls of Pleasant Hall finally driven her to madness?

 

What did I think?

After reading Strange Eden, I couldn't wait to continue Eliza's story in book 2 and The Island King does not disappoint.  I couldn't put it down as I devoured every beautifully written word of this outstanding historical fiction novel.

As The Island King is a continuation of the story, it is better to have read Strange Eden but I think it could work quite well as a standalone because it does contain recaps.  It is worth reading the books in order though to really understand the characters and their personalities.  I adore book-loving Eliza but she has some challenges to face as a woman in the 18th century.

Gina Giordano's writing is very vivid and immersive as she draws the reader into her Caribbean saga.  This island is far from a paradise for Eliza with a husband she despises, a corrupt governor, oppressed slaves and vengeful spirits.  

Filled with drama, danger and a sprinkling of the supernatural, The Island King is an epic saga that swept me away to the Caribbean.  After the huge cliffhanger in The Island King, I can't wait to see how the story will conclude in Color of Fire and I don't have long to wait as I'm reading it next.

I received a gifted paperback for the blog tour and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

My rating:

Purchase link: https://mybook.to/islandking-zbt

About the author:

Gina Giordano always had an insatiable curiosity and a penchant for history. Born in New York City, she is a writer, artist, and a conjurer of the past. She holds a BA in history and a master’s degree in historical fiction from New York University, and has traveled to over sixty-five countries across the globe. When she is not climbing ancient ruins or exploring forgotten palaces, she enjoys swimming with sharks in remote pristine waters. Her debut novel, Strange Eden, was longlisted for the 2023 Bath Novel Award.

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BLOG TOUR: The Ice Angels - Caroline Mitchell

Ten years ago, in the depths of the Finnish winter, Detective Elea Baker’s daughter was taken—and never found.

Now, in the quiet streets of Lincoln, girls are disappearing again. When one is found on the cathedral steps, clutching a chilling clue linked to the decade-old abduction, there’s only one person who can solve the case: Elea.

Dragged back into her nightmare, she’s determined to bring her daughter home this time—no matter the cost.

But is she chasing a ghost, or on the verge of uncovering a truth that will shatter everything?

 

What did I think?

I always set aside some dedicated reading time when it comes to Caroline Mitchell's books as they are impossible to put down and The Ice Angels is no exception.  The cover must be coated in virtual super glue as this fantastic book wasn't leaving my hands until I'd read every word.

It's the first book in the Detective Elea Baker series and what an absolute belter it is.  It has a dual timeline and a dual setting following Elea's daughter Liisa's abduction 10 years ago in Finland and the current police investigation into a spate of similar abductions in Lincoln, UK. 

Elea is linked in many ways to both cases, not just through her daughter's abduction but also through her estranged husband Richard Swann who is investigating the disappearances in Lincoln and invites Elea to consult on the case.  Oooh I loved the tangled, messy history between this pair that added an extra layer of intrigue to the already gripping storyline.

Caroline Mitchell's history in CID makes the storyline authentic and realistic and her talent as an author creates a razor-sharp and blisteringly fast-paced plot filled with drama, tension and suspense.  I am so excited to read more in this series and will definitely keep my eyes open for more. 

Unpredictable, incredibly gripping and completely unmissable, The Ice Angels is an exceptional police procedural and a outstanding start to an exciting new series.  An easy five stars and a very highly recommended read.

I received a gifted paperback to read and review for the blog tour and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

My rating:

Buy it from:

UK.Bookshop.org

Amazon

About the author:

Caroline Mitchell is a New York Times, USA Today, Washington Post and international #No. 1 bestselling author who has sold over 2 million books . She originates from Ireland and now lives in a woodland village outside the city of Lincoln. A former police detective, she has worked in CID and specialised in roles dealing with vulnerable victims, high-risk victims of domestic abuse, and serious sexual offences. She now writes full time.

Her books have won first place as ‘Best Psychological Thriller’ in the US Reader’s’ Favourite Award Contest, been shortlisted for the International Thriller Writer Awards in New York and been shortlisted for ‘Best Procedural’ in the Killer Nashville awards and the Audie awards. Her crime thriller, Truth And Lies is a No.1 New York Times bestseller and has been optioned for TV.

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BLOG TOUR: A Brotherly Devotion - Jill Bray

York: July 1224

On a hot July night, Brother Clement is savagely murdered when returning from administering to Lady Maud de Mowbray.

Simon de Hale, Sheriff of Yorkshire, is in his office when Abbot Robert visits to inform him of the murder, and request that he take responsibility for investigating the killing.

Simon is unsure whether the murder is a crime against the Abbey, or if it is a more personal matter against the monk.

Commencing their investigation, Simon and his deputy, Adam, ride out to see Lady Maud de Mowbray at Overton - the last person to see Brother Clement alive. When they encounter her son, Roger de Mowbray, they both take an instant dislike to him.

Lady Mowbray reveals to Simon that she intends to leave her money to the Abbey, and Simon can see this being a motive for the monk’s murder, if her son was aware of this.

The investigation gathers pace and a murder weapon is found.

A banquet is held at the castle to honour the Royal Justice - during which, one of the guests is exposed as the murderer and apprehended. But that will not be the end of the story for Simon and his family.

 

What did I think?

I really enjoyed my visit to 13th century York in Jill Bray's debut novel, A Brotherly Devotion.  With a dual storyline of a murdered monk and an arranged marriage, it's intricately plotted and incredibly gripping.  I couldn't read fast enough to both discover 'whodunnit' and how the story would end.

Simon de Hale is the Sheriff of Yorkshire and he is arranging the marriage of his youngest daughter Katherine whilst investigating the murder of Brother Clement.  You'd think the murder investigation would be the most challenging but Katherine is a strong-minded young lady and she wants to marry for love, in fact she has found just the man and it's not the man her father has chosen.  

I loved Katherine from the start but really couldn't see a way out of her arranged marriage as the King's permission had already been granted.  What a quandary for Simon, especially when he is determined to bring the monk's killer to justice.  With a bucketful of red herrings strategically placed in the prose, I didn't guess who it was until very late on and the way that the killer is revealed is very reminiscent of Agatha Christie.

Atmospheric, authentic and riveting, A Brotherly Devotion is a fabulous debut novel and a must-read for fans of historical fiction.

I received a gifted paperback to read and review for the blog tour and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

My rating:

Buy it from:

Amazon UK

Amazon US

About the author:

Jill lives on the Island of Guernsey now, but is originally from Yorkshire. She has a love of early medieval history which led her to study the subject at Huddersfield College in the 1980's. Working in Leeds at the time, meant that she had access to the Yorkshire Archaeological Society on their late night opening and following research, she wondered what the lives of the people she read about were actually like. This started a love of writing historical fiction, but her initial stories were never sent to a publisher. Life and work then intervened and writing was put to one side. It was only following a workshop held by the Guernsey Literary Festival in 2024 on writing historical fiction, that her love of writing was reignited. Her first novel 'A Brotherly Devotion' was published in July 2025.

Social Media Links:

Facebook: Jill Bray – Author 

Twitter/X:  @JillBray67

Website: https://www.jillbray.co.uk

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BLOGATHON: A Woman Scorned - Jack Jordan

I'm taking part in the Compulsive Readers Jack Jordan Blogathon and I'm resharing my review of A Woman Scorned from 2018. 

Are you afraid? You should be.

The husband: in over his head with no way of knowing the truth.

The mistress: blinded by love, betrayed by her family...

The neighbour: will stop at nothing to protect the life he has fought to create.

The wife: a woman bent on revenge, but how far is she willing to go...?

Dark as night, this is a brilliantly plotted, gripping short story from the bestselling author Jack Jordan.

What did I think (in 2018)?

Jack Jordan is one of my favourite authors so it was like having a trip to 'excitement city' when he released a novella as I waited patiently for his next novel.  The writing as usual is superb but this book is SO good that the pages flick by so quickly and, being a novella, the whole experience is over far too quickly.  Yes, I'm a greedy reader and I want more Jack Jordan books!  I can almost hear Jack's fingers whooshing over the keyboard...as my wishes do sometimes come true!

So...A Woman Scorned...wow!  What a book, it is absolutely gripping and full of surprises.  I certainly wouldn't want to cross this scorned woman!  I positively whizzed through the book and although I wanted to savour every single word, I just couldn't read it fast enough.  Jack Jordan has that knack of giving you just enough Hansel and Gretel crumbs to follow whilst also releasing the handbrake on the runaway train so you can't read it fast enough before the breathtaking conclusion.  

Amber is one of those women that I would love to have as a friend but at the same time I would be frightened of saying the wrong thing to her.  At the flick of a switch she can go from being the perfect wife to a cold calculating woman bent on revenge.  I loved that about her though, how she gave the illusion that everything was fine when behind the scenes she was like 'I'll get you, you cheating b*stard'.

Having read as many books as I have, I did guess a little of the big reveal but I still enjoyed every single second of it.  Nobody can write with as much drama and unbridled tension as Jack Jordan and if you haven't discovered him yet, I urge you to pick up, not one but, all of his books right now!

A Woman Scorned is an absolute belter; thrilling, gripping and completely riveting, you won't be able to put it down!

I chose to read an ARC and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

My rating:

Buy it from:

Amazon




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BLOG TOUR: Strange Eden (The Strange Eden Series Book 1) - Gina Giordano

Everything familiar to Eliza has been ripped away. Even worse, the cruel deed was done by her own hands.

Nassau, Bahamas, 1791…

Eliza Sharpe, recently wed to a mysterious and brooding soldier, departs for the West Indies with him to begin their new life. Once there, she realizes their marital arrangement is ill-fated and that she has made a disastrous choice. Charles, the man she finds herself bound to, is nothing short of a monster.

On their very first night in New Providence, her innocence is irrevocably shattered. The walls of her new home hide a dark family secret, and Eliza realizes that the freedom she sought within marriage is a worse cage than the constraints she faced before.

Eliza struggles with her new existence, her exposure to Charles’ explosive temper, the brutality of slavery, and her isolation as she tries to grow accustomed to life on distant shores. The only source of comfort she finds is swimming in the startlingly clear ocean, an activity Charles expressly forbids.

As she attempts to flee her deteriorating situation, an unexpected encounter with a beguiling stranger named Jean offers a promise of escape. Despite the dark rumors that swirl around her recent acquaintance and his mysterious past, he captures Eliza’s interest, and ultimately, her heart―with deadly consequences.

On an island where nothing is as it appears, Eliza is confronted with the harsh realities of living on the fringe of empire, of womanhood, and the overt corruption that festers in the governor’s mansion on the hill. Will she ever be able to secure her freedom―and possibly even find redemption in love?

 

What did I think?

Wow!  What a fantastic book this is!  Strange Eden in the first book in the Strange Eden series and it has more than whetted my appetite to continue the story.  No review I write will do it justice so if you only read this far make sure to click the purchase link below as you definitely won't regret it. 

I knew I was going to like Eliza from the start as she is a book lover and I am smiling just thinking of how much she values her books; I have to say that I would have done exactly the same in her position.  The character that didn't endear themselves to me was her new husband Charles.  Charles and Eliza set sail to the Caribbean to start their new married life and, without giving anything away, it's not as idyllic as she hoped.

Oh if only I could have reached into the book, I would have been arrested for literary homicide as Charles is abhorrent.  Eliza is stronger than she realises though and she has a good moral compass which is why she struggles with the slavery on the island.  The class divide is shocking and disturbing as people are treated like possessions and of course where there is power there is treachery so Eliza may be fighting a battle she can never win.

Strange Eden is a relatively chunky book at 517 pages but I could have read more (and indeed I will as I'll be reading book two very soon).  Gina Giordano's writing is vivid and evocative as her beautiful words paint a colourful picture of the island and the characters.

Atmospheric, captivating and moving, Strange Eden is an enthralling saga that swept me away to an island that is certainly not paradise.  It's an impressive debut novel and a fantastic start to what I'm sure will be a compelling series.  Unputdownable and unmissable - an easy five stars and a very highly recommended read.

I received a gifted paperback for the Zooloos Book Tours blog tour and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

My rating:

Purchase link:

https://mybook.to/strangeeden-zbt

About the author:

Gina Giordano always had an insatiable curiosity and a penchant for history. Born in New York City, she is a writer, artist, and a conjurer of the past. She holds a BA in history and a master’s degree in historical fiction from New York University, and has traveled to over sixty-five countries across the globe. When she is not climbing ancient ruins or exploring forgotten palaces, she enjoys swimming with sharks in remote pristine waters. Her debut novel, Strange Eden, was longlisted for the 2023 Bath Novel Award.

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