Jane and the Waterloo Map by Stephanie Barron Blog Tour + GIVEAWAY

When I was first asked to join the blog tour for Jane and the Waterloo Map by Stephanie Barron, I was super excited. It’s been a while since I’ve read the other books in the Jane Austen Mysteries series, but I remember loving the idea of Jane Austen as a sleuth. It’s obvious that Jane was observant in real life, as her observations and commentary on the societal events of the day were both astute and very progressive. Therefore it’s not exactly a stretch to think that she would be observant enough to solve mysteries. From the great success that Barron has had so far, it’s clear that many other people agree with me and have loved to see Jane in this new and exciting role. This time we follow Jane as she embarks on an exciting treasure hunt that has very dangerous and real implications. (Below the book blurb and author bio are giveaway instructions so you can win your own copy!)

Book Blurb:

November, 1815. The Battle of Waterloo has come and gone, leaving the British economy in shreds; Henry Austen, high-flying banker, is about to declare bankruptcy—dragging several of his brothers down with him. The crisis destroys Henry’s health, and Jane flies to his London bedside, believing him to be dying. While she’s there, the chaplain to His Royal Highness the Prince Regent invites Jane to tour Carlton House, the Prince’s fabulous London home. The chaplain is a fan of Jane’s books, and during the tour he suggests she dedicate her next novel—Emma—to HRH, whom she despises.

However, before she can speak to HRH, Jane stumbles upon a body—sprawled on the carpet in the Regent’s library. The dying man, Colonel MacFarland, was a cavalry hero and a friend of Wellington’s. He utters a single failing phrase: “Waterloo map” . . . and Jane is on the hunt for a treasure of incalculable value and a killer of considerable cunning.

Jane and the Waterloo Map by Stephanie Barron
Soho Crime (2016)
Hardcover: 320 pages
ISBN: 9781616954253

Author Bio:

Stephanie Barron was born in Binghamton, New York, the last of six girls. She attended Princeton and Stanford Universities, where she studied history, before going on to work as an intelligence analyst at the CIA. She wrote her first book in 1992 and left the Agency a year later. Since then, she has written fifteen books. She lives and works in Denver, Colorado. Learn more about Stephanie and her books at her website, visit her on Facebook and Goodreads.

Grand Giveaway Contest

Win One of Three Fabulous Prizes

In celebration of the release of Jane and the Waterloo Map, Stephanie is offering a chance to win one of three prize packages filled with an amazing selection of Jane Austen-inspired gifts and books!

To enter the giveaway contest, simply leave a comment on any or all of the blog stops on Jane and the Waterloo Map Blog Tour starting February 02, 2016 through 11:59 pm PT, February 29, 2016. Winners will be drawn at random from all of the comments and announced on Stephanie’s website on March 3, 2016. Winners have until March 10, 2016 to claim their prize. Shipment is to US addresses. Good luck to all!

Kim’s Guest Review of Passionate Persuasion by Rosemary Clement-Moore

If you’re a fan of Jane Austen’s Persuasion but prefer your romances to take place in this century, let me tell you about Rosemary Clement-Moore’s novella Passionate Persuasion.

Alex realizes he messed up hugely years ago when he broke up with his college girlfriend Kiara. When life throws the two of them back together years later he knows he has to somehow win her back. Will he be able to repair the damage he did to Kiara’s heart and claim her for his own?

For a direct link to my review, click here.

Kim’s Guest Review of Most Truly: A Pride and Prejudice Novella by Reina M Williams

Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice is all about Elizabeth and Jane Bennet. Mary, Kitty, and Lydia Bennet exist as supporting characters that help demonstrate how different Elizabeth and Jane are from their sillier sisters and mother.

Recently several authors have felt (as I do!) that Mary and Kitty’s stories should be told. These women should be offered the chance to change and grow with proper tutelage to find their own happy ever after. Reina M. Williams is one of these authors, writing Most Truly: A Pride and Prejudice Novella, which gives Kitty a chance to showcase her new maturity while finding love.

I recently reviewed the novella for Austenprose, so for a direct link to my review, click here.

Kim’s Guest Review of Pirates and Prejudice by Kara Louise

If you’ve ever wondered what Fitzwilliam Darcy of Pride and Prejudice would be like as a pirate wonder no longer. Kara Louise has written a tale that puts Darcy aboard a ship on the high seas, while he pretends to be a well-known pirate captain. How he got there, why he agrees to the ruse, and how Elizabeth reenters his life are just three of the elements of this unique story you need to read about.

Creative, fun, and (at times) laugh-out-loud hilarious, Pirates and Prejudice is a story you’re going to want to get sucked into.

For a direct link to my review, click here.

Kim’s Guest Review of Mr. Darcy Came to Dinner by Jack Caldwell

My latest review for Austenprose is Mr. Darcy Came to Dinner by Jack Caldwell. The name Jack Caldwell may ring a bell for some of you. He is the author of Pemberley Ranch, a book that Todd and I both reviewed (see Todd’s/Mine.) Caldwell is one of the few male authors that exist in the Jane Austen fan fiction sphere. As such, he captures my attention with each novel he writes as he is able to offer male insight into Darcy’s mind (and let’s be honest, who wouldn’t want to know what that man was thinking?!)

Mr. Darcy Came to Dinner is a comedic retelling of Pride and Prejudice that lands Darcy in the living room of the Bennet household as he recovers from a broken leg. How did he got that broken leg? You’d have to ask Elizabeth’s adorable cat Cassandra! What ensues in the Bennet household as Darcy recovers is truly hilarious. I highly recommend this read!

For a direct link to my review click here.

Sam’s Review of Another Little Piece of My Heart by Tracey Martin

I wonder what it’s like to be Taylor Swift’s ex-boyfriend. I’m not talking about the likes of Joe Jonas or John Mayer. What about that high school kid with the pick up truck? The one whose pictures T-Swift so publicly burned on her first album. Do the people back home know him? Make sideways glances when they see him at the local diner? What’s his life like now? Does he keep it a secret or does he let the world know that he really does think of the curly-haired blonde whenever he hears a Tim McGraw song? Well, it seems that I’m not the only pop culture obsessed fangirl, because in Another Little Piece of My Heart (based on Jane Austen’s Persuasion), author Tracey Martin explores this very idea.

From Goodreads:

What if your devastating break-up became this summer’s hit single? In this rock-and-roll retelling of Jane Austen’s Persuasion, music can either bring you together or tear you apart.

At her dying mother’s request, Claire dumps Jared, the only boy she’s ever loved. Left with a broken family and a broken heart, Claire is furious when she discovers that her biggest regret became Jared’s big break. While Jared is catapulted into rock-star status, another piece of Claire’s heart crumbles every time his song plays on the radio.

The summer after her senior year, it’s been months since the big break-up, and Claire is just trying to keep her head down and make it through a tense trip to the beach with her family. But when Jared shows up, and old feelings reignite, can Claire and Jared let go of the past? Or will they be stuck singing the same old refrain?

What I loved about this book: it’s unapologetically YA. What I had trouble with about this book: it’s unapologetically YA.

Claire is a delight as a narrator. She is down to earth, unsure of herself, and still dealing with the aftermath of a bad break up. In a nutshell, she’s a girlfriend, someone you’ve known your whole life. Claire tries desperately to hide her past with Jared. She doesn’t want to be the girl who broke his heart. Imagine what Justin Bieber’s fans would do to a girl who hurt him? Yea. I wouldn’t want to be that girl. Unfortunately, when you’re dealing with someone famous the world seems a little smaller. His face is everywhere. The song is on the radio. How can you escape? It’s bad enough that Claire has to worry about running into this boy back home, but she should be safe while on vacation several states away, right?

This is where YA takes a few liberties. Of all the beaches in world, Jared, the superstar, just so happens to coincidentally be spending the summer at the exact same one as Claire? Also, he just so happens to be living in a college dorm with a buddy from home? With no security? With NO ONE TWEETING ABOUT IT? Yea. Right. That’s how I knew this was most certainly a fiction. It’s 2014. The hot guy with several Grammys to his name would never be able to camp out and write songs for an entire summer without people bombarding him. All Jared had to contend with was a few respectful and well-meaning fans who quietly asked for autographs and respected his privacy. Ok.

At its heart I have to say that this was a very well executed piece. I found myself very wrapped up in the story. My teenage self was all about it. I liked the idea of Claire’s story, the girl who made her ex-boyfriend’s fame possible.

We all know that the best writers of songs and books draw on their real life experiences. It’s what makes the stories so compelling; they are grounded in truth. What sometimes gets lost in translation is that there are actual, non-famous counterparts on the other sides of those stories. People with hopes, dreams, and feelings. Is it fair to vent on paper and become famous off of a shared life experience? Who is the owner of something that happened behind closed doors? If these are questions you want to grapple with on a Sunday afternoon I highly recommend this ah-dorable, fast paced tale.

4 out of 5 Stars

Another Little Piece of My Heart by Tracey Martin
Harlequin (2013)
eBook: 304 pages
ISBN: 9781459254749

Special thanks to Ms. Martin for my review copy!

Kim’s Guest Review of Maria Grace’s Given Good Principles Series

By now, you guys are well aware of the fact that I binge book series (you’ve read my Series Spotlight posts.) I read one, get hooked, and just have to keep binging.

One of my most recent binge-reads was Maria Grace’s Given Good Principles series. Of the four parts I read, the first two are prequels to Pride and Prejudice, book three re-imagines P&P, while book four is a sequel to P&P. Grace had some pretty ingenious ways of getting the characters to realize what their personality/character flaws were PRIOR to meeting each other.

For a direct link to my review, click here.

Kim’s Guest Review of Almost Persuaded by P.O. Dixon

Jane Austen has given us countless characters to love: Fitzwilliam Darcy, Elizabeth Bennet, Anne Elliot, Captain Frederick Wentworth, Elinor & Marianne Dashwood, and so many others. Sprinkled within the pages of her beloved novels she’s also given us many lesser-known, lesser-developed characters that readers have been able to flesh out and develop with their own imaginations. Author P.O Dixon has decided to take Mary King, “that nasty freckle-faced girl,” who was almost engaged to Wickham in Pride and Prejudice and write her story in Almost Persuaded.  My review of this short novella is my latest post over at Austenprose.

For a direct link to my review, click here.

Kim’s Guest Review of Consequences by C.P. Odom

My latest review for Austenprose is on one of the most unique Jane Austen fan fiction novels I’ve ever read, Consequences by C.P. Odom. The beginning of the second half of the book completely blew my mind! Not only was the book surprising in the direction its plot took, but it was written in a way that incited deep emotions while reading.

The book is fabulous and I heartily recommend you check it out!

For a direct link to my review, click here.

Kim’s Guest Post of Another Place In Time by Mary Lydon Simonsen

Mr. Darcy? Time travel? New Austenprose review? Check, check, and check!

Mary Lydon Simonsen (one of my favorite authors in the entire Jane Austen Fan Fiction sphere) recently published her newest novel, Another Place in Time. The premise of the novel has Darcy traveling to the future to find an Austen/Regency scholar that will help him in his bid to win the hand of Ms. Elizabeth Bennet. Darcy in modern times and Chris (the Austen/Regency scholar) in Regency times provides the perfect fodder for laughs as well as much soul-searching.

I truly think Another Place in Time is one of Simonsen’s best works to date. For a direct link to my review, click here.