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I took a deep breath and listened to the old brag of my heart; I am, I am, I am. —Sylvia Plath
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Review: SMOKE ON THE WIND by Kelli Estes
Christina Boyd reviews SMOKE ON THE WIND by USA Today bestselling author Kelli Estes: "Smoke on the Wind is an engaging story about two mothers, centuries apart, connected by a shared path through the Scottish Highlands. USA Today bestselling author Kelli Estes creates a vivid setting—the rugged beauty of Scotland adds a strong sense of place, almost as if another character."

Christina Boyd
Sep 102 min read


Review: RELATIVE STRANGERS by A. H. Kim
Christina Boyd reviews A.H. Kim's "Relative Strangers," a heartfelt and insightful variation on Jane Austen’s "Sense and Sensibility," reimagined for the modern age.

Christina Boyd
Sep 33 min read


INTERVIEW: Margarita Longoria’s Anthology was Born from Words of Hate
Christina Boyd interviews Margarita Longoria, a nationally recognized, award-winning librarian, educator, speaker, and passionate advocate for diverse literature based in South Texas. A former English teacher, she holds a BA and MA in English, as well as a Master of Library.
She is the founder of Border Book Bash, a literary festival that celebrates teens and tweens of the Rio Grande Valley, and the editor of the acclaimed anthology Living Beyond Borders: Growing Up Mexican

Christina Boyd
Sep 15 min read


INTERVIEW: Nev March Hopes Readers Enjoy More Stories About Other Cultures
Christina Boyd interviews author Nev March. March is the first Indian-born writer to win Minotaur Books/Mystery Writers of America’s Award for Best First Crime Fiction. Her debut novel, Murder in Old Bombay, was an Edgar and Anthony finalist. Nev’s books deal with issues of identity, race, and moral boundaries. Her sequel, Peril at the Exposition, is set at the 1893 World’s Fair, during a time of conflict that planted the seeds of today’s red-blue political divide.

Christina Boyd
Aug 257 min read


Review: A TARNISHED CANVAS by Anna Lee Huber
Sophia Rose reviews A TARNISHED CANVAS by Anna Lee Huber. "A Tarnished Canvas" extends the Lady Darby mysteries to the thirteenth installment and remains fresh and engaging for long-time fans or for those just discovering the early Victorian era series about a female artist who once lived a macabre life with her first husband, but now shares a loving partnership with her husband, Gage, a professional inquiry agent.

Sophia Rose
Aug 204 min read


Favorite Jane Austen Scene by Laura Hile
Laura Hile, a favorite Austenesque author, takes us into a cherished scene from Jane Austen's EMMA—and explains why it resonates with her.

Christina Boyd
Aug 184 min read


Review: SHADOWS IN CHINATOWN by Jolie Tunnell
Guest Review Sophia Rose says of Shadows in Chinatown by Jolie Tunnell, "Not to be missed."

Christina Boyd
Aug 133 min read


Review: FINDING GRACE by Loretta Rothschild
Christina Boyd says of debut novel, Finding Grace by Loretta Rothschild, "A powerful and beautifully written story about forgiveness, love, and the courage it takes to confront the past, Finding Grace is a standout debut that delivers emotional weight and moral resonance in equal measure. Highly recommended."

Christina Boyd
Aug 102 min read


INTERVIEW: Kay Smith-Blum, Authenticity in Every Line
Christina Boyd interviews author Kay Smith-Blum. Kay Smith-Blum, a former fashionista, chaired Seattle’s first marketing campaign as a downtown business owner. She served as Seattle School Board President, a publicly elected position, between 2009 and 2013. An avid gardener, Smith-Blum founded Environmental Endeavors, the first greenhouse program in Seattle Public Elementary Schools. A fan of mid-20th-century history, Smith-Blum has penned two other manuscripts set in Texas..

Christina Boyd
Aug 45 min read


INTERVIEW: Helen Hollick Has Been Scribbling Stories Since She Was Thirteen
Christina Boyd interviews USA Today bestselling author Helen Hollick: Helen started writing as a teenager, but after discovering a passion for history, was published in 1993 in the UK with her Arthurian Trilogy and two Anglo-Saxon novels, one of which, The Forever Queen (USA title – A Hollow Crown in the UK) became a USA Today best-seller. Her Sea Witch Voyages are nautical-based adventures set in the early 1700s. She also writes the Jan Christopher cozy mystery series set du

Christina Boyd
Jul 285 min read


Review: THE FOURTH DAUGHTER by Lyn Liao Butler
REVIEW by Christina Boyd. Lyn Liao Butler’s The Fourth Daughter is a beautifully woven family saga that tenderly explores the unbreakable bond between grandmother and granddaughter, set against the rich cultural tapestry of Taiwan. From the very first page, you fall deeply in love with Liv, a rising chef in Manhattan whose life is suddenly upended by trauma, and her beloved Ah-Ma, whose past holds a heartbreaking mystery spanning decades.

Christina Boyd
Jul 153 min read


My Favorite Jane Austen Scene by L.L. Diamond
Popular Austenesque author L.L. Diamond shares why this scene from Chapter 23 in Jane Austen's Persuasion is her favorite.

L.L. Diamond
Jun 164 min read


Review: A MAD ENDEAVOR by GL Kriewald
Sophia Rose reviews "A Mad Endeavour: The Last Romance of Jane Austen" by GL Kriewald-- a look into the life and love our dear authoress might have had if she had not died at a tragically young age. It is a clean, low-angst, second-chance Regency romance suitable for any age and excellent for anyone who loves Jane Austen.

Sophia Rose
Jun 114 min read


Review: SEASONS OF WAITING by Christina Morland, Narrated by Elizabeth Grace
Audiobook review by Christina Boyd of author Christina Morland's Seasons of Waiting, narrated by Elizabeth Grace. In a field of many Austenesque romances, this is an incomparable book that has much to recommend. This is just the kind of story that has me coming back to Jane Austen-inspired books. One of my forever favorites!

Christina Boyd
May 273 min read


My Favorite Jane Austen Scene by Laurel Ann Nattress
Laurel Ann Nattress, author, editor, and blogger, shares her favorite Jane Austen scene, deftly defining the storytelling beats and why it still strikes a chord with her today.

Laurel Ann Nattress
May 195 min read


Review: THE SILVERSMITH'S PUZZLE by Nev March
Sophia Rose reviews The Silversmith's Puzzle by Nev March. this return to India was as taut and suspenseful on a personal level as I expected, and I fell more deeply in love with Captain Jim and Lady Diana as they faced ethnic and class hardships while helping her family. If you love authentic historical mysteries set in exotic and culturally rich locales, READ THIS SERIES.

Sophia Rose
May 74 min read


INTERVIEW: Jeannie Reed, a Professional Psychic, Gets Lost in Her Writing
Christina Boyd interviews author/medium Jeannie Reed. Her book, The Afterlife Book, is about her real-life experience living with a spirit.

Christina Boyd
May 53 min read


Review: AUSTEN AT SEA by Natalie Jenner
Christina Boyd reviews AUSTEN AT SEA by international bestselling author Natalie Jenner. Jenner shines constructing a vivid world where the societal struggles of the time are framed against Austen’s enduring legacy. The Stevenson sisters, Charlotte and Henrietta, are particularly compelling. Their journey is not merely across the Atlantic but a voyage of self-discovery, one that grapples with the harsh limitations imposed on women in the 19th century. The central question of

Christina Boyd
May 34 min read


INTERVIEW: Heidi Eljarbo’s Characters Fight for Truth, Justice, and Goodness
Christina Boyd interviews Norwegian historical mystery author Heidi Eljarbo.

Christina Boyd
Apr 285 min read


My Favorite Jane Austen Scene by Amy D'Orazio
Author Amy D’Orazio shares her favorite Jane Austen moment and breaks it down into five points why it continues to speak to her.

Amy D'Orazio
Apr 214 min read
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