Hello sweeties! I’ll be sharing my review for Promised by Leah Garriot, a Proper Romance novel from Shadow Mountain Publishing which releases today. Garriott’s debut novel is a beautifully written and delightful clean romance story with loveable characters and a wonderful and fun plot. I absolutely enjoyed reading this book and I hope you’ll decide to add this book on your TBR and grab your copy today.

Published: February 18, 2019

Publisher: Shadow Mountain Publishing

ISBN: 9781629726144

Retail Price: $15.99  Page Count: Paperback, 368

Genre(s): Fiction, Romance, Regency

Book Design: © Shadow Mountain

Cover Photo: Elina Simeonova/Trevillion Images; Mukul Banerjee/Shutterstock.com

Art Direction: Richard Erickson Design: Heather G. Ward

 

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Margaret Brinton keeps her promises, and the one she is most determined to keep is the promise to protect her heart.

Warwickshire, England, 1812

Fooled by love once before, Margaret vows never to be played the fool again. To keep her vow, she attends a notorious matchmaking party intent on securing the perfect marital match: a union of convenience to someone who could never affect her heart. She discovers a man who exceeds all her hopes in the handsome and obliging rake Mr. Northam.

There’s only one problem. His meddling cousin, Lord Williams, won’t leave Margaret alone. Condescending and high-handed, Lord Williams lectures and insults her. When she refuses to give heed to his counsel, he single-handedly ruins Margaret’s chances for making a good match—to his cousin or anyone else. With no reason to remain at the party, Margaret returns home to discover her father has promised her hand in marriage—to Lord Williams.

Under no condition will Margaret consent to marrying such an odious man. Yet as Lord Williams inserts himself into her everyday life, interrupting her family games and following her on morning walks, winning the good opinion of her siblings and proving himself intelligent and even kind, Margaret is forced to realize that Lord Williams is exactly the type of man she’d hoped to marry before she’d learned how much love hurt. When paths diverge and her time with Lord Williams ends, Margaret is faced with her ultimate choice: keep the promises that protect her or break free of them for one more chance at love. Either way, she fears her heart will lose.

A Delightfully Charming, Beautifully Written, and

Irresistibly Endearing Love Story 

I am so utterly and wholeheartedly smitten with this book. Promised by Leah Garriot is a such a charming and wonderfully written romance story and I enjoyed everything about it.

After reading the first few pages, I knew that I would love this book and I honestly really did. The writing is exquisitely beautiful and I was absolutely enamored with Garriott’s storytelling that I could not put the book down. I loved the setting and descriptions, the pacing is amazing and there was never a dull moment, and the plot is so satisfyingly entertaining. I also really enjoyed the Jane Austen feel of the story. Garriott did a fantastic job creating a story that is reminiscent of a famous classic author while still standing on its own with a promising storyline that surprises and does not disappoint. With plenty of drama, banter, humor, heartbreak, romance, and unexpected twists and turns, this precious book definitely had me enthralled and hooked the entire time.

The characters are perfectly flawed and likeable. They’re also relatable in many ways as they make mistakes, learn from them, and grow continuosly throughout the story. They each have their own loveable quirks, charm, and complexities which made them such fascinating characters. Margaret and Lord Gregory Williams are both amazing leads and I absolutely adored them. I loved their chemistry from the start and I couldn’t wait to see their interactions and how their relationship will be. I don’t want to give too much away and spoil the fun, but I just want to say that there are plenty of swoony feels, heart-melting scenes, and beautiful moments that make this story amazingly interesting and a delight to read.

There are so many things I loved and enjoyed about this book and if I could discuss them all, I really would. If you enjoy historical romance stories or those similar to Pride and Prejudice, then I think you’ll really want to check this book out. The writing is exceptional and I can honestly say that I’m going to be adding this on my favorite books for 2020. There’s plenty of scenes that will make you smile and laugh, some are a bit cheesy and cringy, and others are just perfectly adorable. The characters are likeable and intriguing and the relationships between the them are so interesting and fun. I enjoyed the humor and bantering and the storyline overall is well done, exciting, and filled with so many heartfelt moments. I really loved this book and I hope you will too.

Delightfully witty, absolutely charming, and wonderfully romantic, Promised by Leah Garriott is filled with so many lovely and sweet moments that absolutely warmed my heart.  The writing is refreshing and addictive, the characters are relatable and loveable, and the plot is irresistibly fun and engaging. With twists and turns that kept me on my toes and turning the pages, Leah Garriot impressed me with her debut novel and I cannot wait to read more from her.

I received an advance reader copy of this book from the publisher, Shadow Mountain Publishing, in exchange for a fair and honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Though she earned degrees in math and statistics, Leah Garriott lives for a good love story. She has resided in Hawaii and Italy, has walked the countryside of England, and owns every mainstream movie version of Pride and Prejudice. She’s currently living her own happily ever after in Utah with her husband and three kids. Leah is represented by Sharon Pelletier at Dystel, Goderich, and Bourret.

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Hello sweeties! Today, I’ll be sharing my review for The Wish and The Peacock by Wendy Swore. This was such a fun, adorable, charming, heartfelt, and beautiful children’s story about loss, family, friendship, hope, and realizing that home is wherever you go as long as you’re with the people you love.

Published: February 4, 2020

Publisher: Shadow Mountain Publishing

ISBN: 9781629726083

Retail Price: $16.99  Page Count: Hardcover, 304

Genre(s): Middle Grade, Juvenile Fiction, Social Themes

Book Design: © Shadow Mountain

Cover Illustration: Brandon Dorman

Art Direction: Richard Erickson Design: Sheryl Dickert Smith

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Paige’s favorite family tradition on the farm is the annual bonfire where everyone tosses in a stone and makes a wish. This time, Paige’s specific wish is one she’s not sure can come true: Don’t let Mom and Grandpa sell the farm.

When Paige’s younger brother finds a wounded peacock in the barn, Paige is sure it’s a sign that if she can keep the bird safe, she’ll keep the farm safe too. Peacocks, after all, are known to be fierce protectors of territory and family.

With determination and hard work, Paige tries to prove she can save the farm on her own, but when a real estate agent stakes a “For Sale” sign at the end of the driveway and threatens everything Paige loves, she calls on her younger brother and her best friends, Mateo and Kimana, to help battle this new menace. They may not have street smarts, but they have plenty of farm smarts, and some city lady who’s scared of spiders should be easy enough to drive away.

But even as the peacock gets healthier, the strain of holding all the pieces of Paige’s world together gets harder. Faced with a choice between home and family, she risks everything to make her wish come true, including the one thing that scares her the most: letting the farm go.

Charming, Delightful and Heartwarming Tale About Loss, Hope and Family

The Wish and the Peacock by Wendy Swore is a fun and wonderful children’s story filled with farm animals, adventure, endearing friendships, and heartwarming moments. Swore masterfully creates a believable and relatable narrative that’s not only entertaining, but also beautifully touching in many ways.

Paige is dealing with her grief over losing her father. As she goes about taking care of her family farm like her dad used to do, Paige finds out that her mother and grandfather has agreed to sell their farm. She wants nothing more than to stay in the home where she grew up and keep the one connection she has with her father. When her younger brother, Scotty, finds a wounded peacock in the barn, Paige is determined not only to protect the bird, but also their family farm, which she obviously loves with all her heart. With Scotty and her best friends, Mateo and Kimana, by her side, Paige does everything she can to scare the real estate agent and every potential buyers and save her family farm.

This was such a charming and heartfelt story. I absolutely loved the farm setting and all the animals. It reminded me of all the good memories I have with my dad when I was a little girl visiting our province in the Philippines. I definitely felt a little sad since my dad has been gone for a few years, but just thinking about every moment we shared during those times also made me smile and warmed my heart. I love when books do that and surprisingly, this did that and so much more. For a children’s book, I wasn’t expecting to feel so much, but I did and it was just so lovely. I also really enjoyed the lighter side of the story. The scheming and playful pranks were fun to read about. There’s definitely plenty of humorous parts, light and sweet moments, a few heartbreaking scenes, and so many touching ones. I also love that I actually learned some interesting facts about animals and farming.

Paige is such a loveable and fascinating heroine. I adore her so much and the little tomboyish girl inside me definitely related with her. I loved her spunk, determination, and heart. I really enjoyed her character arc and watching her realize that moving on and changes does not mean forgetting or letting go… that home isn’t a place, but rather being with the people you love.

The side characters are amazing and likeable. I love Scotty with all my heart and just wanted to snuggle with him. His love for books and reading is so adorable. I also love Paige’s grandfather and her best friend, Mateo and Kimana, are awesome and very supportive. Overall, the cast is great and they all added intrigue and made the story interesting and engaging.

Wendy Swore managed to make me smile, laugh, and touch my heart in ways I didn’t expect. The Wish and the Peacock is definitely a beautiful feel good children’s story, but more than that, the themes and lessons learned is compelling, important and relatable. This lovely book is truly a delightful and precious read and I honestly can’t recommend it enough. I’m sure readers of all ages would find something to love about this and enjoy it just as much as I did.

I received an advance reader copy of this book from the publisher, Shadow Mountain Publishing, in exchange for a fair and honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Wendy S. Swore and her family are farmers. She writes part-time, particularly in winter when her farming chores give her time to plant seeds in her imagination. She is a member of SCBWI. She was named the Idaho Farm Bureau District 1 Woman of the Year in 2018.

Visit the author at WendySwore.com

 

 

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