THE DESERT SHEIKH has won a top award!

Reviews can be nerve-wracking. Will the reader like it? Love it? Hate it? Everyone has different tastes and opinions, and that's good as it makes life more interesting; won't it be boring if we were all the same! However, I don't think any author likes to read a negative review, especially when it can have an impact on what a lot of other readers think. Therefore, when I received an email from the extremely popular site, The Romance Reviews, saying they had just posted a review of The Desert Sheikh, I was a bit nervous about clicking on the link to see it. Luckily, I needn't have worried.  Not only did the reviewer give it 5 stars, but The Desert Sheikh has also been awarded the site's Top Pick!

Here's an excerpt from the review:

This is a fast-paced and exotic tale of true love. I was instantly enraptured by the beautiful imagery and captivating characters. The story is full of twists and turns that will have you on the edge of your seat in anticipation. 

For an exciting romance check out THE DESERT SHEIKH trilogy!

You can read the rest of it here.

Thank you Katie Codie, the reviewer from Curse of the Bibliophile, and thank you Romance Reviews!

Get Unlimited FREE Books

If you love to read, you might find that it's an expensive habit, with some novels costing up to $16 each! Does that mean you have to cut back on your reading? Of course not. With recent developments in technology, there are now many ways in which you can get an unlimited number of free books! Here are some of the main ones:

1) Get Free Ebooks on Amazon
Many authors give away their books for free for a few days in order to gain more readers and exposure. If you don't have an ereader, you can download reading apps from Amazon for free that let you read ebooks on your computer or phone (click here for details).

Great Book Giveaway! Win a copy of Prismatic by Sarah Elle Emm

I've just finished reading Sarah Elle Emm's latest novel, Prismatic, and loved it! This is what I said about it on Amazon and Goodreads:

Prismatic is about a group of teenagers in the not-so-distant future of 2050, living at a time when the USA is ruled by a despotic President, Elizabeth Nicks, and divided up into zones according to race. The worst of these zones are the mixed race ones, in particular Indy Mixed Zone, where every possible comfort and human right has been taken away, including schools, hot water and nutritious food. People, including children, are made to work long hours producing goods and food for the other zones and countries.

An Austrian Summer – a perfect piece of paradise

I just love Austria!  The castles, the cakes, the coffee houses and the balls where you can waltz the night away like some kind of heroine in a Regency romance!  However, there is more to Austria than just these things; there are also the Alps.  The book ‘An Austrian Summer: A Young Person’s Guide to Innsbruck and the Stubai Valley’ covers an area of Austria that is still surprisingly untouched.  In fact I hesitated about writing this post as the more people that know about this part of Europe, the more people will visit and the quicker this perfect part of the world will be become ruined.  However, this book is so lovely that I felt compelled to write something.

Who Else is There? What happens when the good guys go bad?

There are many things I have worried about over the years.  Some are fairly trivial, like how do you caramelise a good crème brȗlée without a blow torch?  Others are more serious, like how would we survive a nuclear war?  One of my more serious worries is what would you do if you were framed for a murder and either you couldn’t prove your innocence, or for some reason the police were corrupt and therefore convicting you unfairly?  ‘Who Else is There’ is a murder mystery which partly deals with the latter problem: corrupt police.  Who can you turn to if you can’t trust the police? 

Big Sister Babysister - Helping girls with difficult issues

My last blog post, Born Different, was about a book that focused on a boy struggling with the challenges of being a teenager.  However, what can we do to help today's children and teenagers better cope with the many difficulties that they face?  The book, Big Sister Babysitter, tries to do just that.  Targeted at 9 to 12 year old Christian girls, it aims to show them not only how to cope with having a new baby in the family, but also the joys of having a younger sibling.

Born Different – A different type of fairytale

BORN DIFFERENT by Faye Aitken-Smith is an inspirational fairytale about a boy with wings who can either conform or decide to fly: he decides to fly and the book is his story.

This is the book description:

I’ll like you if you like me. I won’t like you if you don’t like me. I’ll hate you if you hate me. I’ll love you if you love me, but then maybe again I won’t, as love rarely follows any kind of rules.

His Leading Lady - Romance in the West End of London

We LOVE the West End of London - nothing like a great play, ballet or opera - and here's a book based on some of the behind-the-scenes drama, HIS LEADING LADY by Paula Martin.

This is the Amazon product review:

Jess Harper's predictable life is turned upside down when she discovers that Lora, her twin sister, has disappeared. It's just a week before rehearsals are due to start for a new West End musical in which Lora has the lead role. Jess decides to pose as her sister in order to save Lora's career. This brings her into close contact with arrogant theatre director Kyle Drummond. Attraction sparks between them but there's also evidence that he had been dating Lora. So is Jess simply a substitute - in real life as well as in the show? And what will happen when Lora eventually returns?

This is what the reviewers say (and there are HEAPS of great reviews!):

His Leading Lady is the perfect e-read for summer, whether you are waiting for kids at swimming lessons or relaxing on the beach. Paula Martin knows theater, and she's created an exciting backdrop for a sizzling love story. 

also

I will be quite honest and say that I was taken in by the first chapter and it was hard to put my Kindle down until I'd finished reading the entire novel!! Paula has brilliantly written a page turner that dives the reader head first into romance, intrigue and mystery, set in England's Theatrical West End.

What do I say:

London - what a great place!  The world of the London West End sounds like a wonderful setting for a story.  The reviewers love it and I'm sure I will too!

Eleanor of Aquitaine - Great historical romance

'The Queen's Pawn' and 'To Be Queen: A Novel of the Early Life of Eleanor of Aquitaine' by Christy English both deal with Eleanor of Aquitaine.  Eleanor was a woman who lived at the time of Robin Hood and was the wife and mother of many kings, including King John ('bad King' according to '1066 and All That') and Richard the Lionheart.

This is what the Amazon product review says about 'The Queen's Pawn':

A historical novel of the legendary Eleanor of Aquitaine and the one person she loved more than power-her rival for the throne. At only nine, Princess Alais of France is sent to live in England until she is of age to wed Prince Richard, son of King Henry II and Queen Eleanor of Aquitaine. Alais is an innocent pawn on the chessboard of dynastic marriage, her betrothal intended to broker an uneasy truce between the nations.

Estranged from her husband, Eleanor sees a kindred spirit in this determined young girl. She embraces Alais as a daughter, teaching the princess what it takes to be a woman of power in a world of men. But as Alais grows to maturity and develops ambitions of her own, Eleanor begins to see her as a threat-and their love for each other becomes overshadowed by their bitter rivalry, dark betrayals, conflicting passions, and a battle for revenge over the throne of England itself.

This is the Amazon product review for 'To Be Queen':

With captivating and lyrical prose, the author of The Queen's Pawn delves into the early life of the legendary Eleanor of Aquitaine...Duchess at fifteen, Eleanor of Aquitaine marries the King of France. But will she find that she must pay too high a price to be queen?

Although Louis VII is enamored of his bride, the newly crowned king is easily manipulated by forces in the Church. Trapped in a loveless marriage, Eleanor fights for her freedom and for the love of her life. In the arms of Henry of Normandy, Eleanor may finally find the passion she longs for, and the means to fulfill her legacy as Queen.

What the reviewers say:

"An astonishing debut! Christy English spins an unforgettable tale of dangerous splendor..." --C. W. Gortner, author of THE CONFESSIONS OF CATHERINE DE MEDICI

"...Treachery, betrayal, lust-and an unusual and compelling love story, beautifully told." --Karen Harper, author of THE QUEEN'S GOVERNESS

"... one of the best written and captivating historical fiction novels of the year... "To Be Queen" is a historical fiction novel you will not want to miss!" --Pittsburgh Historical Fiction Examiner

What I say:

Eleanor of Aquitaine was an amazing woman.  If you love the Tudors and Robin Hood, have a look at some medieval romance and intrigue.  Get both of these books and read them! 

Big Backpack - Little World. Travel writing from an inside point of view

Personally I love to travel, but there is so little (holiday) time and it's such a big world.  However, for a bit of armchair travelling, here's a book from someone who has really seen the world from a local point of view: BIG BACKPACK - LITTLE WORLD by Donna Morang.

The is what the Amazon product review says:

In 2000 Donna Morang sold all her earthly possessions and left the United States to teach ESL (English as a second language). Join her as she travels to three continents, and twelve countries. Step into her classroom and teach English in Mexico, Nicaragua, Colombia, and Vietnam, or vacation with her in Spain, Thailand, and Cambodia. Fall in love with her students learning English, the special street kids, some crazy bartenders, and fellow backpackers. Meet new friends and hear their stories, or laugh with a romantic man or two from around the world. Venture into the countryside to dance with local people, drink moonshine, explore caves, fish for marlin, catch buckets of squid, or squirm as she eats strange bugs and worms. Hold her hand as she explores new city streets and countries-- often lost, once robbed, or tremble when guns are pointed at her, as she crosses one more border. Donna Morang, teacher and traveler has done this and more with a smile and a gusto for life. She definitely knows how to experience life as a true adventurer. This book is NOT about a woman going in search of herself, or looking for a better life. She already knows that life is beautiful, and she lives it to the fullest

This is what the reviewers say:

We have just thoroughly enjoyed this book.Cottentop has a real fun, interesting life story that only a tough Montana gal can tell. Donna we just loved your book. Thanks

What I say:

Sounds like 'Eat, Pray, Love' without the sickly bits.  An interesting bit of travel writing!

Handcuffs and a Pyramid of Satin - Christian romance with a twist

HANDCUFFS and a Pyramid of Satan

The product review on Amazon says:

Kelly had a wonderful marriage. So why was she so restless? Determined to get that elusive spark back in her life, Kelly takes off to her birthplace of Frankfurt, Germany, for the adventure of a lifetime. There she is befriended by the ever so charming David, who immediately appoints himself as her translator and tour guide. Kelly is so totally in love with her husband, but finds herself wishing he were more like her new friend David. But it isn't long before Kelly realizes that life is not always greener on the other side of the fence. In fact, it can be downright deadly!

The reviewers say:

I can recommend this novella to anyone who is looking for a light Christian themed romance story.

I say:

This book sounds like a must read for people who like a good classic romance.  I am certainly adding it to my list of books to read this summer.

Share the success

After less than a month of blogging, I'm thrilled to see that I've had over 1,000 page views! It would be great to share this audience with other authors.  If you're a writer and would like to tell people about your book, let me know, I'd love to hear from you.  Write a comment to this post, or if you'd like to say a bit more, email me with details e.g. a book extract, or a good review, plus details of where people can buy your book and I'll try to do a posting about it.  Let's work together to help each other to achieve success! 

Classic romance

Many thanks to Romance Novel Junkies for reviewing 'The Royal Sheikh' .  In short, they thought the book was 4/5 stars and likened it to 'a classical romantic read'.  The also said that 'If you feel in the mood for something romantic, nothing hardcore, then this could be your read' which I think is a good summary of the book.  It's the type of romance that you could share with your mum.  In fact, I did share it with my mum! Click here if you want to read the full review on Amazon.

We love a good classic romance!  In fact there are a lot of classics that we like, such as a Kelly handbag, a Chanel suit, a Rolls Royce, a Tiffany's diamond braclet, a Hermes scarf, the list goes on (only wish I had some of them!)