MBS Blogoversary SPOTLIGHT #17 Author Danielle Thorne

SPOTLIGHT: AUTHOR DANIELLE THORNE

I met Danielle through The Sweetest Romance Authors Group. Danielle writes Historical Romance. One of my early 2009 reviews was for a contemporary romance, Turtle Soup.
Today I posted a review for her most recent Historical Romance, Josette.

The Privateer   By Heart and Compass   The Cupid Diaries: Moments in Time


I asked each author to answer two questions for their spotlight.
The first I asked and the second they provided

Question #1:  Why do you write/what do you hope your readers get from your books?

A:  I love to create adventures and characters that find themselves, and I strive to incorporate unique settings that make the reader want to visit there. A bit of a tree hugger, I try to work environmental awareness into my themes. I care deeply about people and the planet. I guess you could say I try to share the love.

Southern Girl, Yankee Roots

Poetry Collection

Question #2: What do you enjoy most about Regency romances? The clothes, the countryside, or the society? 

A:  I admire the Regency era because of etiquette and expectations. It was also a time of great Naval power, and I love the Age of Sail. This was a time when men were gentlemen and women were ladies. It took courage to find love and to marry for it. It took courage, for a woman to stand up and be independent. People visited one another more, letter-writing was an art. Despite the hardships of this century, especially for the poor, life was lived with a simplicity centered around nature and the arts. I could have done without the corsets, but I adore the dress of the period. How I love an empire-waisted gown!

Please visit Diane at her links below.

For extra credit you can comment at one of her blog links or email her to say "Hi" and "Thank you" for the support and giveaway.
Website
Blog

Giveaway donated by Danielle:
eBook copy of the new release, Josette.

OPEN WORLDWIDE.
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Book Review: Josette by Danielle Thorne

A lovely Regency!

Josette by Danielle Thorne

• Paperback: 184 pages
• Publisher: Whimsical Publications, LLC (December 1, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 193616731X
• ISBN-13: 978-1936167319

 Genre: Historical Romance
My Rating: 4.5 of 5.0

Product Description
Josette Price sees her future in Beddingfield Park. While her brother, George, needlessly pursues a naval career, Josette promises to watch over their beloved parents and the Beddingfield Park estate. Nothing would make Josette happier than to see her sister and her self settled within the palings of Beddingfield. But dark, brooding Captain Carter rides into their lives with news that ruins everything: George has been lost at sea.

Learning the Park is entailed to their cousin, Edward, Josette must decide between marrying her fickle relation or helping her besotted sister trap him in her stead. Before a decision can be made, will Captain Carter and his delightfully spinsterish relatives stop the Price girls from making a choice that would be the greatest tragedy of all?

Review: This is a charming and engaging story.

Josette is a beautiful, strong young woman who has always taken care of those around her. She is not a frivolous miss but rather one who will go walking without her bonnet so she can feel the sun and air on her face. That doesn’t mean she hasn’t learned her lady skills. She is quite capable to handle a crisis and she plays the pianoforte with beauty and feeling. All in all she is a young lady with quiet passion. She and her brother George had a close and joyfully warm relationship.

Captain Carter is a ruggedly handsome fellow who was the superior officer to Josette’s likeable and exuberant brother, George. Unfortunately the Captain has brought the bad news that George has been lost at sea. Josette holds the Captain responsible for the loss. Without George, Josette’s beloved home, Beddingfield Park, will go to their young cousin, Edward.  A perfect solution would be for Edward to marry Josette.  At first Josette’s younger sister agrees that is the solution to keeping the family at the manor, but then Amy starts to develop feelings for Edward.

Although Captain Carter has a good poker face, you soon suspect that he is enamored of Josette if only she would get over her anger and forgive him. Josette is opinionated and stubborn and makes you want to stomp your feet at her negative behavior. Amy is young, a bit whiny and annoying but the role plays perfectly in the story. Each of the characters is well developed and they fit well in the Regency plotline. There are a few unexpected side shoots in the plot but for the most part it is a bit predictable. Still, the charming characters make it fun to get where the story needs to go.

The author does a lovely job of building sexual awareness and yet keeping the story on a completely sweet heat level. The writing is descriptive and flows well. The author evokes a range of emotions from sadness, mirth, despondency, and joy. The entire package is an easy, charming read. A great choice especially for historic romance fans.

xxx

The pdf of this book was provided by the author for an honest review.

See Danielle's Blogoversary Author Spotlight and Giveaway posted today.

Review of Turtle Soup by Danielle Thorne

The orginal of this review is posted at Single Titles CataRomances

Title: Turtle Soup
Author: Danielle Thorne
Publisher: Awe-Struck Publishing
BUY LINK
Author website: Danielle Thorne
# of pages: 161 pages
Genre: Contemporary romance
Release Date: August 30, 2009
ISBN: 978-1-58749-183-2
Reviewed by: MarthaE

Blurb: Sea turtles may be endangered but after an encounter with marine biologist, Jack Brandon, nothing will stop Sara Hart from naming her deli Turtle Soup. When Jack takes a job at the nearby Georgia Aquarium, Sara finds the environmental poster boy at her door, hungry and carrying a chip on his shoulder. Neither thinks the other has what it takes, until a scuba class reveals what lies beneath the surface. It will take food, friends, and a little help from Mother Nature, to help them see that making a difference isn’t all numbers and glory. It must begin with love.

REVIEW: Sara has saved and planned for many years to set up her own deli in Atlanta. She has found a spot just a few blocks away from the Georgia Aquarium. Sara names her eatery “Turtle Soup” after she learns that the rude, arrogant fellow she met at the airport is Jack Brandon who heads the Aquarium exhibit for the endangered sea turtles.

Jack is a pretty hard headed marine biologist who spends part of his time managing the Sea Turtle foundation and exhibit and part of his time relaxing in the Caribbean away from the noisy rush of Atlanta. He doesn’t have time to deal with a snappy lady who doesn’t seem to respect his beloved turtles!

Sara lost her parents to a drowning car accident when she was young. Jack has suffered a loss too. Both characters are pretty self reliant, slow to trust and reluctant to share about their pasts. They start out like oil and water that just won’t mix. Fate has other plans in mind for them though if cupid can just get his arrows past their prickly protective shells! As they face their fears, their spicy antagonism slowly turns into sweet passion. But there are rough waves along the way before they can have smooth sailing!

The battle between these strong and well defined characters is fun to follow! As a plus, the author presents lots of scuba detail through Sara’s lessons with Jack and his fellow instructors. This is a very entertaining, hate turned to love, sweet romance! I highly recommend this story as a fun read and look forward to reading more books by Ms. Thorne!

This is my Tuesday R&R review at SaSR.