Book Review and Giveaway: Beyond the Shadow of Canderlay Manor by Dee Julian

This is a delightful read with mystery, danger a touch of ghosts and sweet engaging characters.

 Beyond the Shadow of Canderlay Manor
by Dee Julian

• File Size: 833 KB
• Print Length: 312 pages
• Page Numbers Source ISBN: 1494876965
• ASIN: B00HQ8LM4M

Genre: Historical Romance
My Rating: 4.5 of 5.0

Book Description
Publication Date: January 7, 2014
In Regency England, Morgan Spence sets his mind upon achieving two goals. Acquiring his father’s abandoned ancestral estate and finding a wealthy bride to foot the bill for its restoration. Having accomplished the first part of his plan, Morgan moves into the neglected manor and soon discovers he’s not alone.

Afraid for her very life, Isabelle Lindley is forced into seclusion by the disfigured ruffian who burned her cottage and chased her into the forest. For the last three months she’s been hiding in a secret room at Canderlay Manor, depending upon the kindness of an old caretaker. When the new owner takes up residence, Belle tries to frighten him off by pretending to be a spirit, but the hoax backfires and nearly ends the man’s life.

After a near fatal accident, Morgan isn’t sure if he’s dealing with a ghost or clever intruder. When he discovers the truth, his plans for the future sail slightly off course, leaving him more determined than ever to avoid losing his heart.

Review:
Isabelle Lindley is a mostly proper Vicar’s daughter. She is certainly caring and kind-hearted even if she does have a bit of a mischievous streak. Isabelle has been hiding in the secret rooms of the unoccupied Canderlay Manor since her cottage was burned and she escaped into the woods. Isabelle used to live in the Manor with her beloved uncle and she is aided now by the old caretaker, Samuels, who is helping her until she comes of age to collect her inheritance.

Morgan Spence has always dreamed of purchasing back the manor that was his childhood home. Now that he has succeeded he stops by to access the condition of the old estate. It is a dark, stormy night and he isn’t sure if the lights he sees flickering in the Manor are real or the result of rumored ghosts. Checking more closely he stumbles upon evidence of an intruder but is startled into falling over a banister when he turns to find a ghostly apparition.

Morgan’s friend and brother-in-law, Bartholomew, chalks it up to a night of drink but Morgan is convinced that someone is hiding, especially when he begins to smell roses in certain rooms. Morgan is glad to take the old caretaker on as his house servant and more delighted to discover that Samuels is cook, groom, foreman and able to fill most other positions too.

Morgan is concerned about finances to repair and refurnish the home and plans to marry an heiress to make up the funds he will need. Although his head-strong sister, Margaret, shows up with furnishings to fill the house he still feels he will have to repay her.

Belle finds it hard to remain hidden and when she is discovered, Margaret recognizes her and knows something is wrong. Morgan isn’t ready to trust the minx but begins to fall for her sweet innocence and caring nature. When Belle is threatened again a story of bribery and murder orchestrated by a man of the ton is slowly revealed. But they dare not accuse a nobleman without clear, strong evidence.

Isabelle is a delightful character with a wonderful mix of naivete and stubborn determination. Morgan is practical and warm. The behavior, as well as the pairing, of Belle and Morgan makes for many smiles and chuckles. The villains are quite properly nasty and I enjoyed the action as the mystery was unraveled. This reads smoothly with it’s engaging characters and mysterious plot. It is one of those stories that I was eager to read but sad to finish. I have enjoyed all of Ms. Julian’s books which have likable characters, a good plot with some suspense and a wonderful sense of warmth. I highly recommend these historical romances!

I received this ebook from the author for an honest review.

ENTER THE GIVEAWAY: The author has generously offered an ebook copy of this charming story for Giveaway!

ENTRY FORM HERE
Don't forget to fill in the form for entry!
I have noticed a few commenters who forgot to enter through the Form.

For 3 Extra Bonus entries comment on the review OR
visit the author's website and tell me something you like/learned there.

* This contest is open WORLDWIDE.
* This contest will close 10 PM (Central) February 28, 2014.
The winner will be randomly selected from all entries.
WINNER WILL BE ANNOUNCED after February 28, 2014.
Winners will have 72 hours to respond by email or the winners form linked in the announcement.

Surprise Gift From Author Dee Julian

Author Dee Julian is making a very generous gift. She has asked me to award an ebook choice of her books to all of the entrants from the Promise Me Giveaway!  If you entered that Giveaway and would like to choose an ebook copy of Promise Me or The MacGregor's Daughter, two wonderful historical romances, please fill in the Winner's Acceptance Form to select either book and I'll send the information on to Dee.  Please reply within 72 hours. 
Thank you Dee!

Book Review and Giveaways: Promise Me by Dee Julian

This is a lovely historical romance that kept me eagerly reading.

Promise Me

by Dee Julian

• Paperback: 248 pages
• Publisher: CreateSpace (February 19, 2012)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1475047975
• ISBN-13: 978-1475047974

Also available in Kindle and other ebook formats
     Genre: Historical Romance
     My Rating: 4.5 of 5.0

Book Description

Publication Date: February 19, 2012

After a hasty promise to her dying fiancé jeopardizes the future of his illegitimate child, Lady Leah Sheridan vows to make amends for the gentleman’s lack of honor by personally seeing to his son’s financial needs. When the boy’s heartless mother abandons him, Leah finds herself nearing a disastrous scandal. To make matters worse, her fiancé’s older brother returns to England demanding answers she swore never to divulge.

As soon as the Duke of Chase meets the woman his deceased brother had intended to wed, he is unexpectedly captivated by the lady’s beauty, but he quickly suspects she is hiding a secret, making him more determined than ever to discover the truth behind his brother’s fatal accident.

Will Leah break her promise and confide in the only man who can keep her safe?

Review:

Leah’s fiance died in an accident immediately after revealing he had an illegitimate son. Leah promised that she wouldn't tell his grandmother.  Leah has been paying the greedy mistress to take care of the child even though Leah’s clandestine selling of jewels and trips out of town are providing fodder for the local scandalmonger, Irma Crandle.

The Duke, Nicolas, returns to the stunning news of his brother’s death. He overhears rumors making him suspicious of Ms. Sheridan’s role in the ‘accident’.  He rushes to meet a beautiful woman stepping out of the ballroom but his attitude becomes hostile as soon as he learns it is the mysterious Ms. Sheridan.

Leah is summoned to meet with the mistress but arrives to find the sick child has been abandoned. In spite of her promise, Leah decides it is time to take the child to her fiance’s family.  Too bad she follows the poor advise of her best friend, Anne, the Duke’s cousin, who encourages Leah to wait a few days before revealing the truth.

Nicolas follows Leah while another cheeky fellow, Trinity, is spying on her for Ms. Crandle. The Duke continually jumps to negative conclusions and struggles with his strong attraction to Leah.

This story is driven by the characters as they weave their way through rumors, half truths and misconceptions. Leah is a likeable character as a lovely, kind young woman with an air of sadness due to her lose of love and twisted rumors. She longs for love and a home but sees Nicolas as a man who likes his life: “Uncluttered. Unemotional. Unattached.” Nicolas is arrogant and impulsive in his judgments, but he has undeniable loyalty and tenderness with his family. The eccentric gossip hound and the roguish Trinity are two quirky characters who add humor to the story.  Nicolas’ grandmother and Leah’s sister, Kat, are also likeable characters with some meddling tendencies. There is a bit of intrigue with the mistress’s conniving and the threats of gossip that could ruin Leah’s reputation.

Ms. Julian writes an engaging story with a nice, easy flow. The romance is sweet but there is strong conflict and sensual tension that keeps the story interesting. I also enjoyed Ms. Julian’s first novel, The MacGregor’s Daughter (see my review here). I recommend both stories to those who enjoy historical romance with sweet romantic tension and a quick pace.

~~~~~~~

Anne helps Leah admit her feelings for Nicolas:

"Does your heart beat faster whenever Nicolas is near?"
"Yes."
"And when his dart eyes watch you?"
"I feel as though I'm the only woman in the room."
"He speaks and...?"
"His voice creates shivers that slowly dance down my spine until they reach my toes."
"His touch?"
"Takes my breath away."
Location 2439.

Thank you to the author, Dee Julian, for providing this lovely book to read and review.

I will add this to my ARC challenge list.

Ms. Julian is providing several prizes for giveaway!

First Place gets choice of Print or ebook copy of Promise Me.

Second Place will win an ebook copy of The MacGregor's Daughter and a mouse pad.

TO ENTER THIS GIVEAWAY FOR A CHANCE TO WIN ONE OF THESE PRIZES:

1. Visit the Author's website and tell me something you found interesting OR comment on my review.

2.  For two extra entries, check out my previous interview series with Dee Julian and come back here to make a comment on something you learned in the interview.

3.  For an extra entry, become a follower or tell me if you are already a follower.

4.  For two extra entries, blog, facebook, tweet (any of those networks!) about this giveaway and tell me where you did.

It isn't necessary to use separate entries unless you want them in different chronological order.
(Six total entries possible.)

THERE WILL BE TWO GRAND WINNERS.

* This contest is only open WORLDWIDE entries. 

* Limit one win per household.

* This contest will close 10 PM (Central) on April 20, 2012.
The winner will be randomly selected from all entries and announced on April 21 with 72 hours to complete the winners' form.

Winner of The Macgregor's Daughter eBook!

Thank you to all who commented on the interviews with Dee Julian and who entered the
 Giveaway of The Macgregor's Daughter.  Thank you to Ms. Julian for donating the eBook for a winner!


 AND THE WINNER selected by Random.org IS:

BUSY BEE!

I hope you will enjoy the book and come back and let us know your thoughts on it!

Interview Chat with Author Dee Julian - Part Four Conclusion: A Few Personal Questions!

Once again please help me welcome author Dee Julian, author of The Macgregor's Daughter, for the conclusion our chat.

If you didn't get a chance to read the earlier chats you can check them here:
Part One: The Writing Process.
Part Two: The Book - with an excerpt link.
Part Three: The Publishing Process - with the trailer.

M: When you are reading for pleasure, what is the one thing that will make you put down the book and quit reading?

Dee: In my particular genre, I’d have to say weak characters. Especially female ones. I admire a woman, real or imaginary, who respects herself and others. Confidence is very sexy, and it grabs your attention very quickly. It’s hard to get through a book when you find yourself disliking one or both of the main characters, and all you’re thinking is, “This person has no redeeming qualities. Why didn’t the author just kill her off?” For me, it’s almost as bad as watching a low budget horror movie where the girl’s struggling along a dark corridor, and for some reason she never looks behind her but every now and then timidly calls out, “Is anyone there?” Yes, sweetie, the bad guy is, and he’s coming up behind you with a butcher knife in his hand. Oh, and guess what? You just gave away your position. Goodbye.

M:  Oh My Goodness! LOL! I totally agree that kind of idiotic behavior drives me nuts!

What is the most unique thing about you?

Dee:  Hum…this stopped me for several minutes, because I don’t usually look at myself with that sort of question in mind. I have numerous idiosyncrasies, (just ask my husband) but none that would be considered unique. If I’m special at all, it should be because I am a one-of-a-kind person in God’s eyes. Yes, I can live with that.

M:  Lovely answer!

Tell us a little about your next book or WIP please!

Dee:  Sure, and thanks for asking. Promise Me is a few months from being finished. It is set in 1866 England. No Scottish dialect. Here’s bit of a teaser:

A hasty promise to her dying fiancé jeopardizes Lady Leah Sheridan’s future as well as her reputation. One year later, the deceased man’s older brother returns to England demanding answers. With an innocent child’s future resting solely in her hands, Leah has no choice but to break her promise. And pray her heart does not suffer the same fate.

M:  Ohhh- I am glad it won’t be too long before I get a chance to read another of your books!!

Dee:  A delightful chat, Martha. Thanks for inviting me.

Thank YOU Dee for joining me as my first interviewee! Thanks for answering all my nosey questions and thanks too for offering your book as a giveaway! Best wishes for continued success with The Macgregor’s Daughter and with the release of Promise Me!

Don't forget to check out the review and enter the Giveaway for a copy of the book!

Interview Chat with Author Dee Julian - PART THREE - THE PUBLISHING PROCESS! And check out the Trailer!

Here I am once more chatting with Dee Julian author of The Macgregor's Daughter for Part Three of our “series” interview.
Dee and I discussed her writing process in Part One of the interview and the book in Part Two.

PART THREE - QUESTIONS ABOUT THE PUBLISHING/PROMOTING PROCESS:

M:  How difficult was it for you to get to a point of getting your book published?

Dee:  Extremely. It took about nine years. In my experience, most traditional publishers do not wish to invest in unpublished authors who haven’t proven themselves. My question is…how do you prove yourself if you cannot get published? RWA contests? Been there, done that. Even won or finaled in several, but nothing came of it. Now, most of these same publishers no longer accept unsolicited manuscripts. In other words…get an agent. But getting an agent is no easy task. Ninety percent of the ones I queried from the Predators and Editors website several years ago did not respond. It was very frustrating, to say the least.

M:  Wow. I am sorry to hear how difficult it was/is in the publishing field. I am sure glad that you persevered because I think The Macgregor’s daughter was a wonderful book and deserves to be available to the public.

Do you enjoy promoting your book and do you do anything special to promote?

Dee:  I have to confess, Martha. I don’t like promoting at all. It takes away from my writing time, plus I’m very ignorant in regards to the promotions business. If I had a ton of money, I’d hire an expert. Instead, I roam the romance groups, adding an excerpt here and there. I also ask for reviews from reputable reviewers like you, Martha. Thank you for your hard work and dedication in this area. I also enter contests such as The New Covey Cover Awards or the YouGottaRead book trailer awards. (I didn’t win, but you can find my book trailer below) I’ve just recently done a book signing at the local library, and I donated several ebooks to a local book club. They loved the story and invited me to their monthly meeting. I had a great time with those ladies!

M:  It seems that promoting is a whole other task that authors have to master. I think that library and book store signings can be fun but that is more work too.

The Cover for The Macgregor's Daughter is beautiful - did you have any input in getting the cover?

Dee: Thank you, Martha. I've gotten so many nice comments about this book cover, and I'm proud to say that I did have some input. After I signed the contract with Wild Child Publishing, they sent me a form asking me to describe in detail what I wanted on the cover. That part was easy because I'd had a particular cover stored in my head for several years. I completed the form then emailed it to their cover artist, Valerie Tibbs of Graphics by Design. I have to give her most of the credit. She was wonderful. We must have had a psychic connection at some point because she created exactly what my mind saw...with one exception. She hadn't included Pegasus. I explained to her how important it was (for me) to have that horse on the cover, and I'm very happy she found him. 


M:  I'm glad he is there as he is beautiful.  Speaking of beautiful, here is the very lovely trailer:

Please check in next Wednesday for the final installment with some personal questions.
And don't forget to check out the review and enter the Giveaway for a copy of the book!

Interview Chat with Author Dee Julian - PART TWO- About The Macgregor's Daughter!

Please welcome again Dee Julian author of The Macgregor's Daughter for Part Two of our “series” interview. If you missed last Friday, Dee and I discussed her writing process in Part One of the interview.

Now we continue with PART TWO - QUESTIONS ABOUT THE BOOK:

M: Can you summarize The Macgregor’s Daughter in one sentence?

Dee:  The character or the book? (grin) If you’re referring to the book, I’d have to say: ‘Strong-willed lass meets English gent turned spy who thinks he knows exactly what he wants.’

M:  Oh, good one. I was referring to the book although Dreya would be fun to describe too. That sounds like a good one-liner for this historical.

Do you have a favorite scene in the book?

Dee:  There are several really, but I’d have to say the dungeon scene is my very favorite. I enjoyed letting Lucian play the bad guy for once, and he did it with wicked abandon. Example…the light kiss to Dreya’s lower lip before he left her gagged and tied to a chair, alone in the darkness of the dungeon.

M:  Yes. That was rather wicked. But it was a bit of a turn about since she locked him in the dungeon first.

Your story has some very thick Scottish brogue in it – did you do any special research for that? Have you had any feedback about this aspect of the book?

Dee:  There’s a website that offers English to Scottish translations, so that part was fairly easy though time consuming. One of the proofers for this story wanted a more authentic read, and my editor agreed. I had a few reservations about the change at first, but I also wanted an authentic read and decided to go along. I’m sure the dialect caused a few frowns, and I apologize for that, but once you get the hang of it, it’s not so difficult. And, hey, after you read The Macgregor’s Daughter, you can brag to all your friends that you’ve learned a second language.

M:  I didn’t know that about the website translations. I really enjoyed the brogue. It was fun for reading…although I sure couldn’t follow it when I tried to listen with the mechanical voice on Kindle2.

What do you think readers will like best about The Macgregor’s Daughter?

Dee:  I hope they enjoy everything about this book, but if I had to choose one thing, I’d like my readers to admire the way Dreya and Lucian faced their differences before finally deciding to let love overcome those difficulties. I think that’s a lesson for all relationships. 


Here is an excerpt when Dreya and Lucian first meet.

Don't forget to check out the review and enter the Giveaway for a copy of the eBook!

Interview Chat with Author Dee Julian - PART ONE!

I hope you will help me welcome Dee Julian author of The Macgregor's Daughter for a “series” interview.

I know from personal experience that it is hard sometimes to get time to read a long interview blog, so I hope you will like this format even if you have to come back several times to read the entire interview. And if commentors ask questions, I think Dee will be gracious to answer those for the next post if not in the immediate chat.

The interview will be in four parts:
Friday October 2, 2009 Part One – Questions about the writing process.
Wednesday October 7, 2009 Part Two – Questions about the book.
Friday October 9, 2009 Part Three – Questions about the publishing/promoting process.
Wednesday October 14, 2009 Part Four – A few personal questions!

PART ONE - QUESTIONS ABOUT THE WRITING PROCESS:

M:  Dee, The Macgregor’s Daughter is your debut novel and I am curious - what made you want to write in the first place?

Dee:  Movies that ended badly. Totally opposite from the romance books I’d read, these flicks did not end with the hero and heroine walking off into the sunset holding hands. They ended with break-ups or death. To me that’s not a romance. It’s a tragedy. Sure, sometimes that’s real life, but when I’m nose deep in a good book, I don’t want real life. I want fantasy. I finally realized that the only way to get a disappointing movie out of my head was to think up a really great ending. That strange ritual just naturally led me to creating a story of my own.

M:  Now that is an inspiration I had never heard!! But I see your point Dee. I guess that’s why I read more than I watch movies.

Would you say you write from experiences or imagination?

Dee:  Both, I think. The experience comes into play when I’m molding my characters. The hero and heroine must be bold, brave, honorable, and strong though slightly vulnerable. I have to be familiar with those characteristics to instill them. Of course, I don’t follow this rule when it comes to the bad guy or villain. He can be as mean and as nasty as he wants to be. The imagination begins after my characters personalities are set. I simply place them in a certain setting or story line then allow them to take over. Sometimes they wake me up in the middle of the night begging to be heard. I’ve learned to keep a pen and pad on my nightstand just for these little impromptu visits.

M:  Ha! Dee – I think I saw that nastiness in Pirate Quinn! Funny too that I have met (online) several authors who seem to do a lot of work at night!! Do you suppose authors are insomniacs?

Dee:  Probably. With me, late nights are the only time I get my mind all to myself.

M:  I think lots of us can relate to trying to find time to get our minds to ourselves... although I never heard it put that way.  *G*

Did you need any help staying motivated or getting any element of your story to cooperate?

Dee:  For the most part, no. Unless you count my critique partner, Elaine. She stayed on me constantly about ‘getting more writing done’ or ‘getting that book finished.’ She is tenacious and kept me well on track. But sure…there were times when I wondered if I would ever get published and a few times I wanted to give up. Every writer has gone through this phase at one point or another because no one likes receiving rejection letter after rejection letter. Then there was the occasional writer’s block, but that never lasted long.

M:  So nice you have a critique partner you can rely on to push you a bit.

Why did you write historical romance and do you have plans to write in any other genres?

Dee:  I feel comfortable writing in the historical genre because I am truly fascinated with history. The eighteenth and nineteenth centuries seem to have cornered my muse. I try to stay away from any time period below the seventeenth century. The verbiage would be the challenge there. As to the question of switching to another genre…probably not. “Stick with what you know,” I’ve always been told. Oh, I enjoy a good paranormal from time to time, but I’m just not creative enough to come up with those kinds of spooky tales.

M:  Since I really enjoyed your historical I have no problem with you sticking with this genre! :)

**********************

Come back and join us next Wednesday October 7, 2009 for Part Two – Questions about the Book!  And click on the title link above for the review and Giveaway!

Review and Giveaway for The Macgregor's Daughter!

This is an abbreviated version of my review of The Macgregor’s Daughter posted at You Gotta Read Reviews. Click on the book title to see the full review!

Author: Dee Julian.
Publisher: Wild Child Publishing
Buy Link

Rating: You GOTTA Read
Reviewed by: MarthaE

Blurb: In 1776 England, American born Anadreya Macgregor is branded a spy by the arrogant Marquis of Canderlay. Despite her pleas of innocence, he refuses to listen and has her imprisoned. Aided by the Scottish father she never knew, Dreya escapes to Dragon's Breath Castle.
Five years later, the laird is missing and a badly injured Frenchman washes ashore. Dreya is wary of the blind and amnesic man, though something about him is hauntingly familiar. Is he an ally or a ruthless mercenary who stumbled upon her father's smuggling activities?
The stranger's vision and memory gradually return and Dreya discovers her fate and the continued existence of her clan might very well be in his hands. As the web of deception binding them together unravels, both are in danger of losing everything. Including their hearts.

Review: This is a remarkably engaging historical debut! Full of action, mystery and romance! This is a book that catches your attention from the get go and keeps you turning pages to find out what happens!!

Dreya is a wonderfully bold and strong young woman. ....
Any stranger at Dragon’s Breath is suspect and Dreya doesn’t know what to do with the injured “gentleman pirate” found on the rocks.

....[Lucian] is pretty arrogant under all circumstances which creates a heightened tension between him and Dreya. A pleasant friendship develops between them during his weeks of recuperation but there still isn’t total trust. Then Lucian risks his life to save Dreya’s dog. So why does she lock him in the dungeon after that?

.... While [escaping, Lucian] locks Dreya in the dungeon which convinces her that he will betray her family and clan. ....

Is Lucian aiding the pirates? Will he give evidence against Macgregor? Or will he go back and somehow rescue the intrepid Scottish lass?

The author brings these characters to life and surrounds them with a beautiful, rugged setting and a good mysterious plot. The action starts from the first few pages and continues to the end. I would describe the romance as lightly sensual which confirms to me that it is not necessary to have even steamy interaction to have a good story. This is a great entertaining read and I highly recommend it!

TO ENTER THE GIVEAWAY:

Author, Dee Julian has graciously agreed to give a free eBook as a giveaway!

1. Comment here - if you can think of something Scottish to say that might be fun - but I won't require it! However, you must include your email address, so that I can contact you if you win.

2. For an extra entry, become a follower or tell me if you are already a follower.

3. For another entry, share this giveaway on your blog, my space, facebook or Twitter and tell me where you shared it.

4. I will be posting an interview with Ms. Julian starting tomorrow October 2! To keep the posts shorter I am splitting it into a series. If you comment or ask a question on any of the interview posts that will be another entry!

5. You may make all entries in a single comment or separate comments. Since I have realized that I have to put names/entries on a list for numbering anyway, posting separtely doesn't make a difference unless you post at different times so your numbers are not consecutive!

There will make four total entries possible.

This contest is open to anyone who can download an eBook!

This contest will close Midnight (Central) on Friday, October 23, 2009. The winner will be randomly selected from all entries and announced October 24.