The Chocolate Lady (94 KP) rated The Lost Vintage in Books
Oct 5, 2020
The Chocolate Lady (94 KP) rated Carnegie's Maid in Books
Oct 5, 2020
The Seekers (The Kent Family Chronicles Book 3)
9.0
Rate It
Book
Abraham Kent serves his country by helping to pacify the Indian threat on the frontier, but when he...
Historical Fiction
Leanne Crabtree (480 KP) rated Widdershins (Whyborne & Griffin, #1) in Books
Sep 6, 2019
I'm a bit picky with my historical reads. But since this would be my first full length mm historical romance, I thought I'd give it a go. And it turned into something I really enjoyed. It was paranormal and action packed and romantic. I couldn't ask for more, really.
I really liked both Griffin and Whyborne. Griffin was the sort of bad boy of the Victorian era I would never have guessed existed and Whyborne was the smart, bookish type that liked to be invisible to everyone around him. Except that wasn't possible with Griffin. He noticed him and accepted him and it was kinda sweet.
The storyline was very engaging and I was continually cheering my two guys on to figure it out and to get that person or other. And at the end I almost cried. I cant go into details without spoiling it but this is not some boring, average historical fiction based mm romance. It's very good.
The Du Lac Chronicles (The Du Lac Chronicles #1) by Mary Anne Yarde
8.0
Rate It
Book
A generation after Arthur Pendragon ruled, Briton lies fragmented into warring kingdoms and...
Historical Fiction Historical Fantasy Historical Romance
The Moonlight School
9.5
Rate It
Book
Haunted by her sister's mysterious disappearance, Lucy Wilson arrives in Rowan County, Kentucky, in...
Historical Fiction Christian Fiction Fiction Adult Fiction Romance
The Unravelling
10.0
Rate It
Book
When Tartelin Brown accepts a job with the reclusive Marianne Stourbridge, she finds herself on a...
Historical fiction Literary fiction
ClareR (5681 KP) rated Shield of the Rising Sun (Path of Nemesis #3) in Books
Sep 8, 2020
The story is told by three characters: Albinus, his son Faustus, and Faustus’ uncle, Calvus. The battle scenes, mainly from Albinus’ point of view, were gory (I like this - I know, probably a bit odd!) and the politics with all the infighting and back-stabbing was fascinating. How did anyone ever feel safe at this time? I’ll answer that: if they were clever, they NEVER felt safe!
This story shows the true reach of the Roman Empire - there are scenes in Britain, Germany and Egypt, as well as in Rome. It frankly amazed me how quickly Roman soldiers seemed to be able to travel - and mostly (if not solely) on foot!
The main characters were all three very likeable men, who had me rooting for them throughout - even though it was pretty obvious what would happen to one of them from the start )I’m giving nothing away here!).
I enjoy reading a lot of historical fiction, and it’s not often that I read books set in the Roman period. I don’t know why, there’s no reason I can think of, and this makes me realise that I really should read more! If, like me, you’re a fan of historical fiction, then you’ll enjoy the rich descriptions and history packed story within the pages of this book.
Many thanks to The Pigeonhole for serialising this book, and to Adam Lofthouse for joining in and commenting in the margins!
ClareR (5681 KP) rated The Darkest Sin in Books
Dec 4, 2023
This story picks up not long after book 1, and Aldo is called to a convent that has had reports of an intruder. This isn’t a harmonious convent, though. There are opposing ideas on what sort of convent it should be (with some very unchristian nuns!), and it has it’s share of secrets.
Meanwhile, Constable Carlo Strocchi has taken his new wife home to introduce her to his mother, and he happens to stumble across the remains of a rather unpopular former officer of the city’s criminal court. And it looks as though he has been murdered.
I love this blend of historical fact and fiction: the Medici’s and the roles of nuns (to be enclosed or not?), the inequalities in Italian society at the time, women’s roles and lack of power, the structure of authority and how the catholic church ruled supreme (and not particularly morally). Aldo is the bastard son of a wealthy man, and when he is ‘reunited’ with his family, he’s not exactly welcomed back with open arms. He does however meet his niece, and she is far more accepting of him, even if it is, I think, a way of getting her own way!!
This is such an atmospheric read, and is thoroughly addictive. There are enough twists, turns and threats to Aldo’s life to make it very difficult to put the book down!
So is Aldo a threat to my love of Giordano Bruno or Matthew Shardlake? Err, nope, but he’s joining them - and if you like either of these, you’ll love Aldo Cesare!
A Rising Man
9.0
Rate It
Book
The winner of the Harvill Secker/Daily Telegraph crime writing competition. Captain Sam Wyndham,...
Crime historical fiction fiction