Bargaining for the Barrister Book Tour, Author Interview, Review and Giveaway

ABOUT THE BOOK

Louisa Cox is tired of fortune hunters pursuing her dowry. So when Lady Kellen offers to help her find an eligible suitor, Louisa eagerly accepts and makes a list of what she wants in a husband. The man selected is barrister Paul Sheldon. He may be a complete stranger, but he has one thing in his favor: he is unaware of her fortune. What Louisa did not anticipate was his curiousbehavior—or being so attracted to him.

When Paul catches wind of the matchmaking organization his mother and her friends are establishing, he pities the fellow who will be caught in their scheme—until he realizes he is to be their first victim. Horrified, Paul determines to thwart his mother’s plans by whatever means necessary. 

After meeting his intended, however, his increasing desire to be near her threatens to disrupt his convictions. Louisa is everything he could want in a wife, and when an unexpected adventure sets in motion the very plan he had determined to halt, he almost wishes his mother’s plot could succeed. But Paul harbors a secret and a past that make it impossible for him to give Louisa the life she deserves.

AUTHOR INTERVIEW

Life Is What It's Called - What makes this book stand out from the market?

Anneka R. Walker - Bargaining for the Barrister is not just another regency romance. It's a community coming together to bring about the happiness of two people. While the matchmaking mamas add a fun element, the two main characters steal the show with their strong voices and unique personal battles.

Life Is What It's Called - What inspired you to write this story?

Anneka R. Walker - The managing editor at my publishing house sent out a letter requesting more stories with strong family ties. I answered that call by creating my matchmaking mama series. I do pit my characters against their scheming mothers, but their intentions and responses are tied with love. The culture of today compared to the early 1800s differs greatly, but the motivations of wanting good things for our families continue. I hope my story captures that.

Life Is What It's Called - How many books can we expect to see from this series?

Anneka R. Walker - There will be a minimum of four stories with possibilities for more!

Life Is What It's Called - What do you plan to write next?

Anneka R. Walker - I am writing the end of the second book in this series right now! I think fans of Bargaining for the Barrister will love it!

Life Is What It's Called - What authors inspire you?

Anneka R. Walker - I have so many authors who have influenced my writing journey. Historically, Jane Austen, Charlotte Bronte, Charles Dickens and several of the romantic poets. I have my scriptural heroes too. The contemporary authors happen to be many of my critique partners and fellow authors at Covenant. Sarah Eden will always be someone I adore. She is as incredible a person as she is a writer. She was an early mentor and helped me believe in my writing.

Life Is What It's Called - What do you hope readers will gain from this story?

Anneka R. Walker - First, I hope they are entertained and feel a little lighter when they close the book. And secondly, I hope the morals resonate with them. Love is worth the effort, no matter the relationship or the challenges that come with it. And marriage, while unfortunately not afforded to all in this life, is still a union worth seeking and supporting.

Life Is What It's Called - What do you want your readers to know about you?

Anneka R. Walker - I'm a romantic at heart. You never would have guessed. I write quirky plots and awkward characters because it's true to me. I can dance in a public setting and embarrass my entire family, and I can introvert at home with the best of them. I'm a sucker for babies (especially my own), classic movies, and dark chocolate.

REVIEW

To be honest, I wasn't excited about the premise of this book...matchmaking during the Regency period is overdone. However, I was excited to read another book by Anneka Walker and she didn't disappoint me with this book. In Bargaining for the Barrister, I found that she gave a fresh take on matchmaking during the Regency period in her witty comedic style. There were twists, turns, and a few unexpected surprises in this story. I found it easy to read and a relaxing fun read. The characters were likeable. I found that they grew as the story went on and developed as they learn from their experiences. The writing pace was just right, and I felt like there was never a dull moment. There are a few characters that she sets up for the other books in her series and I already have my favorite that I can't wait to read. This book is clean, and I would feel comfortable letting a teen read. I don't want to spoil anything by saying too much...if you enjoy reading books during the Regency time period, I suggest checking this one out. Learn more here.

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Please note that I was given a free ebook to review. This post is in coordination with the publisher and the author. This post contains affiliate links that help support this blog.

The Kindness Machine Virtual Book Tour, Author Interview and Giveaway

The Kindness Machine

Written by Christina Dankert

Illustrated by Chad Dankert

Ages 4+ | 32 Pages

Publisher: Purple Butterfly Press | ISBN-13: 9781955119085

Publisher’s Synopsis: Creative and artistic 2nd-grade teacher, Mr. Wilson, wants to teach his students about kindness. Mr. Wilson creates The Kindness Machine, a special machine that shows the students exactly what they can do to bring kindness to their classroom and into their hearts! Instead of telling his students to “be kind,” which is something children hear from a very early age, they learn exactly what they can do in their own lives by pressing the special buttons. In the end, Mr. Wilson teaches his students that they each have their own Kindness Machine within them to help make kind decisions for others and themselves.

This creative, innovative, and fun teaching method will direct kids to be kind to one another in their classroom and beyond. The book includes discussion questions to help the reader consider not only kindness towards others but also kindness towards themselves, a lesson that is not always taught.

The Kindness Machine is a practical and innovative tool for teaching emotional literacy, kindness, and acceptance of self and others.

Available in hardcover, paperback, and as an ebook on Amazon or Bookshop.org. 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Christina Dankert is a second-grade teacher. She has a passion for literacy and believes that we can change the world by reading to the children in our lives. This is her debut picture book. She lives in Sylvania, Ohio, with her husband, Chad, and their two children. She has dreamed of collaborating with her husband to merge their two professions of educator and artist into one meaningful product. The Kindness Machine allowed that dream to come true.

Learn more about Christina at www.christinadankert.com.

AUTHOR INTERVIEW

Life Is What It's Called - What inspired you to write The Kindness Machine?

Christina Dankert - As a mother and a teacher, the concept of kindness is extremely important. I wrote The Kindness Machine to help spread kindness and shine a light on how simple, but necessary kindness can be. Writing this book allows me to reach more students and families beyond the four walls of my classroom. It is my goal to create a kindness ripple in homes and classrooms around the world.

Life Is What It's Called - What lessons do you want the reader to take away from reading your story?

Christina Dankert -The lesson that I want readers to take away from the story is that kindness to others and kindness to yourself are both important. I want parents, teachers and caregivers to walk away from the story knowing they are helping to lay a positive foundation for kindness. The concepts in the story are simple and are easy to implement. It is often through small acts of kindness that make a big difference. I want the reader or listener to walk away from the story knowing that kindness is their superpower.

Life Is What It's Called -  How can The Kindness Machine be used in the home and the classroom?

Christina Dankert - The Kindness Machine can be read at home as a feel good story and a way to start or continue a conversation about kindness. Since this book takes place in a classroom and promotes kindness, it would be an excellent book to add in a classroom or school library. The book will help spark whole group or small group discussions that can help start a school year as you build a classroom family, or be used as a mid-year reminder to why kindness to others and to yourself is important.

Life Is What It's Called - Why is it important to teach children about kindness?

Christina Dankert - We often expect people to innately be kind. However, kindness like so many other character strengths must be explicitly taught and modeled. When you teach children the importance of kindness through discussions, modeling, role play, etc., children have the opportunity to take the lessons learned or experiences they have witnessed, and continue to spread kindness as young adults and adults. Kindness becomes more tangible when children know what they can do to be kind and also what kindness looks and feels like.

Life Is What It's Called - Do you have any supplemental information that goes along with this book?

Christina Dankert - There are discussion questions at the beginning of the book for parents, teachers, counselors and caregivers to use. The questions are for before reading, during and after reading. These questions allow for the kindness conversation to continue beyond the text. In the heart of the book, there are little questions embedded in the bottom right hand corner of the page. These are one sentence questions that allow even the youngest listener to make a connection to their own life. I also have supplemental kindness content that can be found on my website or in my Teachers Pay Teachers store.

Life Is What It's Called - What is your background in education?

Christina Dankert - I have a bachelor's degree in Early Childhood K-5 and a master’s degree in Special Education. I have been teaching for 11 years with 10 of those years being in second grade. The Kindness Machine takes place in a second grade classroom.

Life Is What It's Called - Why is it important to expose children to literature?

Christina Dankert - I could talk about this for days! Literature, especially picture books, allow children to experience situations from the comfort of their own home or classrooms. To quote Neil Gaiman, "...a book is a little empathy machine." One of my favorite phrases I continue to hear in the publishing world is that a book should be a window and a mirror: A window into the lives of others and a mirror to reflect your own experiences. Not every book will contain both, but by reading or listening to a large variety of picture books, a child is able to experience a wide range of cultures, holidays, problems and solutions. A picture book provides a springboard for a child to safely ask questions and have a discussion on different topics. Diversity, equity and inclusion can not simply be buzz words. They must be words that carry meaning to allow children, and adults, to see that it is through our differences that make us beautiful, unique and should be celebrated.

Life Is What It's Called -  What are some of your next writing projects?

Christina Dankert - I am currently working on more children's book manuscripts. They all revolve around a character strength or positive message that I feel are important for children to read and listen to.

Life Is What It's Called -  What writers would you say influence your writing?

Christina Dankert -There are so many inspiring children's book authors. As a mother and a teacher, I read a lot of picture books and continue to learn about new books daily! Diane Alber, author and illustrator of The Little Spot series, creates adorable books on social emotional learning that provide tangible steps for children. It was important for me to include kindness actions that would be implemented immediately without prep.

Life Is What It's Called -  What sets The Kindness Machine apart from others on the market?

Christina Dankert - I was encouraged by a local librarian to read as many children's books on kindness before writing my manuscript. During my research, I was able to find plenty of other books about kindness. However, I was unable to find a book that not only focused on kindness to others but on kindness to ourselves. As adults, we often struggle with being kind to ourselves due to social media or constant comparisons. If we can teach children to really love themselves and who they are, I truly believe we can help raise the next generation with a more positive self image and a healthy focus on mental health. Including the concept of "love yourself" in my book, is the part I am most proud of. I hope each and every person reading this loves themself or is working on loving themself.

GIVEAWAY
Enter for a chance to win a classroom set of The Kindness Machine or one of five individual copies!

One (1) winner receives:

• A classroom set (30 copies) of The Kindness Machine will be sent directly to the winners' school of choice, along with autographed bookplates personalized for each student and the teacher.

Five (5) winners receive:

• A copy of The Kindness Machine, with bookplates autographed by author Christina Dankert

The Kindness Machine: Book Giveaway 

 This post is in partnership with The Children’s Book Review and Purple Butterfly Press.

Son of the Deep Review

 

ABOUT THE BOOK 

Orpheo never meant to disobey his father or betray his kind, but when he finds the young human woman weeping over the death of her own father, his compassionate heart moves him to comfort her.

All Rose ever wanted was to make her father proud, but after the mysterious Boy in the Sea eases her through her grief, Rose throws aside her reservations and vows she will find the boy and marry him.

As Rose despairs of ever finding him, Orpheo sells his voice to the Sea Witch and gives up his family in a desperate bid to fulfill their love and heal a hundred-year rift between their worlds. But restoration cannot be bought through black magic, and when Orpheo becomes human, Rose does not recognize him.

At the end of all hope, only great sacrifice can bring Rose and Orpheo a happily ever after.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
K. B. Hoyle’s love of good stories began when she stepped through a wardrobe at age six, and she never looked back. She is the multiple award-winning Young Adult author of THE GATEWAY CHRONICLES and THE BREEDER CYCLE. In addition to her many novels, she is a longtime columnist at Christ and Pop Culture, a sought-after voice in the areas of storytelling and culture, and she has contributed articles and essays to a variety of publications.

K. B. stays busy at her home in Wisconsin on a winding creek with her husband, their four sons, and the foxes, deer, woodpeckers, cardinals, grass snakes, hawks, and toads that frequent their land.

REVIEW

Son of the Deep shares an interesting twist on the classic "Little Mermaid" fairy tale. K. B. Hoyle replaces the traditional mermaid with a merman. The story also goes further into the tale by exploring the separation of the human and merpeople worlds as well as exploring backstories of all the characters. I found the storytelling to be instantly captivating and enjoyed the fresh retelling of such a classic story. The characters were interesting, and I enjoyed seeing the characters come alive with their different personalities and perspectives. Middle grade readers will enjoy seeing this world come alive. There is some mention of death and concubines that younger middle grade readers (lower elementary school) might not be mature enough to understand. Overall, I thought it was a fun read. To learn more about Son of the Deep click here.

Please note that I received a free pdf of the book to review, however, this is my honest opinion. This post contains affiliate links that help support this blog.

The Legend of Dream Giants Review and Author Interview

ABOUT THE BOOK

An orphaned giant named Berg is hoping to find just one person he can call friend. For many years, Berg has lived alone; the only reminders of his family are his mother’s satchel and his recurring dreams of a white bear who shares a magical sand from a fallen star.

Sometimes, when Berg feels lonely, he will risk entering a village to trade a smooth river rock or a feather for food. He’s really searching for kindness and companionship; but with every attempt he makes, people chase him away, thinking he is Ünhold—a giant and a monster.

In his travels, Berg comes upon a city made of iron, where he meets a little girl, Anya. To his amazement and delight, Anya knows about the magical dream-sand, too, and says she wants to be his friend.

The mayor also befriends Berg and enlists him to guard the city from the dangerous Ünhold. But Anya suspects the mayor has other plans for the young giant. Fearing the city isn’t safe, she warns Berg to flee. Confused and torn between his two friends, the young giant has to figure out where he can place his trust.

This tender and unique story-within-a-story is a riveting tale of loss, longing, adventure, being yourself, and finding the true meaning of friendship.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

DUSTIN HANSEN, an international award-winning video game developer, has been creating story and art for the children’s entertainment world for decades. He has also worked in theme parks, and as the Innovation Director for Hasbro, Inc. He is the author of the Microsaurs series, a graphic novel, My Video Game Ate My Homework, and a nonfiction bestseller, Game On! Video Game History from Pont and Pac-Man to Mario, Minecraft and More.

As a dyslexic writer, Dustin’s drive to combine visuals with the written word has been a thread throughout his career.

AUTHOR INTERVIEW

Life Is What It's Called - What inspired you to write this story?

Dustin Hansen - I began this book so many years ago, but the concept that I had back then still resonates with me today. I'm an artist, so quite often it's an image in my mind that kicks things off. For The Legend of the Dream Giants it was a moment were a brave young girl, sitting high up in a hay loft, speaks with a giant as if there were equals. I love the innocence and bravery that children bring when they meet new peers. That open, inviting love that sees through barriers that we often put in place culturally as we grow up. While this book on the surface is about Berg and his struggles, the relationship between Anya and the young giant is where the heart of the book resides.

This book has been with me for more than a decade, so over the years other things have influenced or inspired me to alter the flow of this story. It's fun as an author to watch a book mature and take shape, but it isn't always easy. I watched as my daughter was teased and nearly ruined at times by her peers as she attended school, for nothing more than her size and that she was different. It was heartbreaking. Unfair. Unjust. But there was still a drop of hope in the overwhelming river of bad feelings. A few special people that could see her for what she was. A beautiful and powerful force for good. So yeah, there's no doubt that she was an influence as well, even if it was after the book had already begun.

Life Is What It's Called - What do you think teens/preteens would like most about this book?

Dustin Hansen - I hope they'll enjoy the fantasy and magic of the star-blue-sand. I had a lot of fun dreaming up what soft-magic and hidden wonders the sand can offer. There's something great about holding something that you know will bring others joy. Writing and reading are such different approaches to a book that I'm excited to see what others think the sand might represent to them as readers. I have my personal take as the author, but I hope the sand takes on a new life as it enters the brilliant imagination of my readers.

Life Is What It's Called - How does this book stand out from the rest of the books on the shelves?

Dustin Hansen - I hope readers will find this book when searching for a new story that feels old. I've always been inspired by classic fairytales, fables and parables, and I know that that feeds my work today. There are universal truths between the covers of The Legend of the Dream Giants. Stories about finding important people in our lives that lift us, a modern day parable about the importance of empathy and getting to know others without prejudice, and of course, the how the power of love and family can come from unexpected sources.

Life Is What It's Called - What do you want readers to gain by this book?

Dustin Hansen - In short, more empathy. Okay, I know. A lot of people say that, but that's for good reason. I don't think there is a better medium out there for gaining empathy than a book. But in my story in particular, I hope they can take a moment to walk in Berg's giant shoes. (actually, he doesn't wear shoes, but ya know what I mean :) ).

One of the wonderful things fantasy books offer us is the ability to intake things beyond our personal experience. We'll never meet a giant in real life. Or at least I don't think we will. And hopefully we'll never witness the horrible things that Berg is put through at the hands of the humans in this story. He is put through things that a we couldn't withstand, but that is by design. It was hard for me as a writer to do what I did to Berg. He felt like family to me after a while. But I wanted to show in an exaggerated expression of what our prejudice can do if we allow it. It's ugly, what the people of Eisenstadt do to Berg. But it only takes one (or hopefully a few) brave people to let hope in, and I'm hoping that readers will see a bit of themselves in simplicity of Anya's friendship, and in the giant Unhold, who ends up showing his love in the most dramatic of ways. If I say anything more about that, this post will require a spoiler alert, and we don't want that, do we?

Life Is What It's Called - What are some of your next writing projects?

Dustin Hansen - Well, I have another book launching the same day as The Legend of the Dream Giants, believe it or not. The writing world is magical, the publishing world is unexplainable :). It's a non-fiction book for writers who love video games called The Greatest Stories Ever Played. I'm super proud of that book, and a lot of the concepts in that book helped shaped the writer I am today. Yeah, video games have made me a better writer. I know, right?

But I have another new project about an imaginary dog who arrives when people need him most that I'm not sure how to share with the world. And I'm deeply in love with another project about a young king who meets a enormous enormous, monkey who slices cheese from the moon, and a dark man made out of self doubt, anxiety and a flock of black birds. You know, the normal stuff.

Life Is What It's Called - How can this book be used in the classroom, homes, libraries, etc.?

Dustin Hansen - I've kind of covered this above, but the relationship between Berg and the people of Eisenstadt could be used to discuss how we assign preconceived ideas to people before we get to know them. Or perhaps, the power of half-truths and how they can be even more dangerous than lies.

Life Is What It's Called - How does this book appeal to both boys and girls?

Dustin Hansen - One of the many wonderful things about fantasy is that any reader is welcome to sit around the campfire. We've seen this with so many popular fantasy stories over the years. Part of this, in my opinion, is that we can get to experience the lives of non-human characters. Elves, dwarves, and in my case, giants. And being that most authors are human, writers often add at least some human traits to the fantastic creatures we create. I don't think gender really plays into how readers fall in love with a book. Or at least, not as much with readers in the upper MG space. I like to think that The Legend of the Dream Giants is adventurous, full of heart, and provides that careful reader that loves to dig beneath the surface for a few polished gems exactly what they are looking for.

REVIEW

The Legend of Dream Giants offers a lot to readers...a couple of takeaway morals and lessons, a good message overall, likeable characters, easy to read storyline, a few surprises and twists. The story seems like an instant classic to me. It's a twist on giants that I found to be very imaginative and creative. This book is something that you will want to keep and have in your home. It reads really well. I could easily read it out loud to my children (3, 6, and 8). I would classify it as a fantasy/fairytale. It reads like a fairytale to me, in that, it has a fantasy theme and a moral. There wasn't anything too scary or confusing for kids. This book could also be used in the classroom to discuss lies and half-truths, how the imagery and the story connect, preconceived perceptions and more. The story was clean. Overall, I felt like this was a really good book and I would recommend parents to check it out for their middle grader readers. I would like to see the author to expand this into a series and covering different fantasy creatures with this type of storytelling and imagination...mermaids, dragons, unicorns, trolls, goblins, etc. It's just such a good book and it's hard to find books that are age appropriate, clean, not to scary and that grabs your attention quickly. To learn more about The Legend of Dream Giants, click here.

Please note that I received a free copy of this book to review, however, this is my honest opinion. This post is in cooperation with Shadow Mountain Publishing. This post contains affiliate links that help support this blog.

Elijah Goes to Cleveland Virtual Book Tour and Giveaway

 

ABOUT THE BOOK

Elijah Goes to Cleveland

Written by Mark Darden

Illustrated by Anh Bui

Ages 4+ | 32 Pages

Publisher: Buckeye Muscle Media | 9871736703007

Publisher’s Synopsis: Elijah is in Cleveland visiting his grandparents when he finds out that his favorite music band will be performing at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. The tickets are free, but there is a catch: You have to do a scavenger hunt to find band members at various landmarks throughout Cleveland. With the help of his grandparents, will Elijah be able to secure tickets to see his favorite band perform? Pick up a copy of Elijah Goes to Cleveland to find out.

Click here to purchase. 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Mark Darden is an author, sports travel blogger, and Chief Content Creator for Buckeye Muscle Media, LLC. Since 2017, Mark has documented his sports travel adventures on his blog, buckeyemuscle.com. Originally from Cleveland, Mark’s first book is IT’S GAME TIME FOLKS!: Quest for 30, a travelogue of his journey visiting all 30 MLB ballparks during the 2017 season. He is a member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI) and the Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA).

For more information, visit https://buckeyemuscle.com.

AUTHOR INTERVIEW

Life Is What It's Called - Why did you decide to use Cleveland as a setting?

Mark Darden - Cleveland, Ohio, is my hometown. I believe that it was a good city for Buckeye Muscle Media's first children's book as it's not too large and it has great landmarks.

Life Is What It's Called - What inspired you to write this story?

Mark Darden - I was inspired to write this book as a challenge to see if I could write a children's book. I looked online and at the library to see what books were out there about cities in the United States. The inspiration for the scavenger hunt style of the book was based on a contest that Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio, used to run. They would give out free tickets to events by sending one of their interns to a landmark in the city. If you arrived at the landmark where the intern was located first, you would get tickets.

Life Is What It's Called - What do you think readers will find most appealing about this book?

Mark Darden - I believe that all readers will find educational and entertainment value while reading the book. You will learn about various landmarks that make Cleveland great while simultaneously going on an amazing adventure with drama, suspense, and humor.

Life Is What It's Called - Were any of the characters in the book inspired by real people?

Mark Darden - Almost all of the characters were inspired by real people from the entertainment world. Elijah is based on a younger version of myself, while the remaining characters were based on the following celebrities: Tim Reid, Phylicia Rashad, Carlos Santana, Travis Barker, Yolanda Brown, and Jon Batiste.

Life Is What It's Called - What sets this book apart from others on the market?

Mark Darden - I take great pride in informing potential customers that this book is independently published. The team that came together invested months in creating a book that could rival any book from a major publisher.

Life Is What It's Called - What do you want readers to learn from this book?

Mark Darden - The main goal of the book is for children to learn about the city of Cleveland and inspire them to explore the world. Travel can broaden your horizons, discover new cultures, and introduce fascinating people.

Life Is What It's Called - What have you learned from writing this book?

Mark Darden - The biggest lesson I learned is that you are only as good as the team surrounding you. This book had many talented people invest their time, energy, and talents to create the best possible product. Also, proofreading is essential to having a great book. One of the mistakes I made was not thoroughly going over the text in the draft copy, allowing some punctuation and spelling errors to slip through the cracks in the first batch of books. I did get those errors corrected for the next shipment of books.

Life Is What It's Called - What are your favorite landmarks in Cleveland?

Mark Darden - Some of my favorite landmarks in Cleveland are Edgewater Park, Progressive Field, Cleveland Museum of Art, and the USS Cod World War II submarine.

Life Is What It's Called - What are some of your next writing projects?

Mark Darden - Some of my next writing projects include expanding the "Elijah Goes to…" series to other cities in the U.S. and several sports-related works.

GIVEAWAY 

Enter for a chance to win one of ten autographed copies of Elijah Goes to Cleveland—5 books will have a gift card to one of the following places: Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Cleveland Museum of Art, West Side Market, Cleveland Metroparks Zoo, Karamu House!

Five (5) winners receive:

• A signed copy of Elijah Goes to Cleveland

• A gift card to one of the following places: Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Cleveland Museum of Art, West Side Market, Cleveland Metroparks Zoo, or Karamu House!

Five (5) winners receive:

• A signed copy of Elijah Goes to Cleveland

 Elijah Goes to Cleveland: Book Giveaway

The Thief and the Noble Blog Tour, Review, and Giveaway

ABOUT THE BOOK

As the daughter of a marquess, Lady Marian Russell is poised to impress in her first London Season. She is young, beautiful, and wealthy—but catching an eligible husband is the last thing on her mind. Marian is disillusioned with how the upper-class lives while the poor of London suffer, and she is determined to right this imbalance. When she comes face-to-face with a mysterious man who steals from arrogant aristocrats and redistributes the spoils to the poor, Marian recognizes a motivation that mirrors her own. She is determined to discover the true identity of the unscrupulous hero and offer her assistance.

When she unmasks the bandit, however, Marian is stunned: he is none other than the elusive Lord Robin Loxley. In exchange for her silence, Robin begrudgingly agrees to train the lovely Marian in the art of thievery, quickly realizing that his heart may be stolen next. But when Robin and Marian discover a copycat thief operating in London, they are faced with a foe whose purpose is far from noble. Amid distracting suitors, becoming champions of the poor, and a growing attraction they can’t ignore, can they expose the renegade pilferer without risking themselves—and each other?

REVIEW

The Thief and the Noble follows the spirit of Robin Hood during the Regency time period in this retelling. Before I started reading this book, I had expectations that it would follow along with the classic Robin Hood story with a band of robbers hiding in the woods and acting like highway men and I thought that the writer's writing style would be similar to her contemporary romance series (A Simple Love Story and Terms of Inheritance). My expectations skewed my reading of it at first because I had to adjust to the story being different from what I thought it would be. As I continued reading the story, I really enjoyed the characters and the plot. The characters change and develop as they learn more about each other and adjust their expectations. The story moves along at a good pace with action and adventure. I also really enjoyed the ending. Overall, I think this is a story that Regency romance readers will enjoy and find entertaining. To learn more about this book, click here.

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Please note that I received a free ebook to review, however, this is my honest opinion. This post also contains affiliate links that help support this blog.