historical romance – Sydney Winward

Guest Author Marilyn Barr and Book Review: Dance to a Wylder Beat

He wasn’t comfortable in his skin before she crawled under it. Now he burns…

My Review

To sum this book up in one word…HILARIOUS. I’ve read and loved other works by Marilyn Barr, but I don’t think I have laughed this much while reading a book in a long time. Nartan and Olive spark each other’s tempers in the most amusing ways.

I absolutely loved Olive as a character. She has that “don’t mess with me or I’ll mess back” sort of attitude. Or to better explain her by using a quote from the book: “No one pulls a bait and switch on Olive Muegge without feeling the crack of my switch in return.”

The details within the pages were incredible, and I appreciated the way the author laid out the setting for us and immersed us in a culture that is not often written about. With American Indian roots in my own family history, I really enjoyed seeing the culture brought to life in a fun paranormal way.

I definitely loved this book, and I’m looking forward to reading other books in this series as well.

My rating: 5 stars

July 21, 2021July 21, 2021 by Sydney Winward

Book Review of Thief of My Heart by Karla Kratovil

My Review

During the day, she’s a fine lady with a large family and a chaotic house filled with dogs. At night, she’s a cat burglar, stealing beautiful jewelry from the unsuspecting wealthy. But her life turns upside down when she robs the wrong house. Or perhaps the right house.

What a ride! Karla Kratovil creates such a unique but loveable heroine in Thief of My Heart. She’s fearless, extraordinary, and she’s not afraid to get her hands dirty if that means creating a better life for her siblings. And of course, the DUKE. Need I say more? I already fell in love with Andrew in Captain of My Heart, and this book has lived up to my expectations and more. I enjoyed seeing the characters in the first book in this series return for another adventure full of danger, secrets, and of course, love.

I really enjoyed this book and I am looking forward to reading Caroline’s story next!

My rating: 5 stars

April 6, 2021April 6, 2021 by Sydney Winward

Judith Sterling’s New Release Return of the Raven

Book Blurb

Margaret, Lady Ravenwood, is trapped in a loveless marriage and firmly entrenched in the medieval world. Along comes Griffin Nightshade, a historian from the future whose soul resonates with hers. He persuades her to return with him to the 1950s, but heeding her heart means courting danger from a curse that could spell her doom.

Haunted by his parents’ sudden deaths, Griffin knows all too well the pain born of love lost. He guards his emotions, but Margaret delves deep and goes straight to the soul. She’s hard to resist…and harder to set free.

The heart’s desire and history’s demands don’t always agree. Yet true love is eternal.

February 18, 2021January 30, 2021 by Sydney Winward

Book Review of Marrying Miss Marshal by Lacy Williams

My Review

Lacy Williams has quickly become one of my favorite authors. I’ve read a few of her contemporary books, and I was excited to start her historical series. Marrying Miss Marshal was a sweet romance, a tale of two very different people connected by the same group of bad guys. I loved witnessing the way they came together and watching as the slow-burn romance unfolded.

One thing that bothered me was the lack of communication where upholding the law was concerned. For example, Chas overheard a very important conversation and could have prevented something catastrophic from happening, but…he didn’t. The bad guys were clear who they were from the beginning, so that wasn’t much of a surprise.

However, I did enjoy the book overall, and it was fun to see Lacy Williams writing in another genre than of what I’ve read so far. I would be interested to see how the rest of the books tie in with the exciting world the author has created.

My rating: 4 stars

February 16, 2021 by Sydney Winward

Book Review of Return of the Raven by Judith Sterling

My Review

Can love break her curse? Will she find happiness in the future?

Judith Sterling weaves an intricate tale as she ties together the entire series in this last book, Return of the Raven. Each book in the series has led up to an incredible tale of love and family. You can’t help but to root for Margaret and Griffin as the story progresses.

There are many twists and turns in the story, with awesome reveals that are only hinted at in the other books. You will laugh and cheer and cry as you read. Definitely a satisfying ending to a series well-done!

My rating: 5 stars

February 12, 2021February 12, 2021 by Sydney Winward

Book Review of Shadow of the Swan by Judith Sterling

My Review

He wants a wife. She wants protection. When the two feel a pull toward the other, will only a spiritual union be possible?

This tale of letting go of past pain and hurt and finding love is so sweet. Constance is a very hesitant and wary bride while Robert is kind and patient. Judith Sterling has a knack for creating deep and interesting characters, and you can’t help but love them as they go on their own journeys to become their best self.

Shadow of the Swan is a great addition to The Novels of Ravenwood, and I’m really looking forward to reading the next installment in the series.

My rating: 5 stars

February 5, 2021February 3, 2021 by Sydney Winward

Book Review of Soul of the Wolf by Judith Sterling

My Review

This book surprised me. After reading the first book in the series, I expected Soul of the Wolf to be just as serious and intense as Wulfstan’s character, but I was pleasantly surprised to find it to be quite the opposite. Jocelyn and Wulfstan were such a funny, well-suited pair. They had me laughing throughout the entire book. Especially where all of Jocelyn’s antics were concerned when trying to gain the attention of her new husband.

One of my favorite parts of this book was Jocelyn. She was fiery and headstrong, not afraid to go after what she wanted. She drove Wulfstan crazy in all the right ways. I seriously loved this book, and I’m looking forward to finding out what the next book in the series has in store.

My rating: 5 stars

February 4, 2021February 2, 2021 by Sydney Winward

Book Review of The Vampire with a Blanket of Stars by Susan Hanniford Crowley

My Review

Despite this book being in the paranormal genre, it was very realistic to me. The way certain people acted in certain situations made sense, and the build up to the ending was done well. The author did a great job at pulling the reader inside the book with an interesting tale and great characters.

Although this is the first book I have read in this series, I was able to understand what was going on and how the other characters fit into the story. If you like historical mixed with modern traditional vampires, then you would love this book.

My rating: 4 stars

January 27, 2021 by Sydney Winward

Top 5 Historical Books I’ve Read This Year

A Foreman’s Unplanned Bride by Blythe Carver

I’ve read the first book in this series, and it was great. This book surpassed all my expectations. It made me laugh. It gave me the warm fuzzies. I loved the characters and the setting. If you haven’t read a book by Blythe Carver, I highly recommend it. I’m looking forward to reading the rest in this series.

Read my review here.

Forget Me Not by Sarah M. Eden

Sarah M. Eden has been a long-time favorite author of mine after I read her Longing for Home Series. I’ve never read anything in the Georgian Era before, and this book was a pleasant surprise. It made me FEEL. So much. My heart broke. I cried. I laughed. If you want to go on an incredible emotional journey, this is a great book for that.

Read my review here.

Solving Sophronia by Jennifer Moore

Can you guess what immediately captured my attention about this book? Yep, it was the beautiful cover! Murder mysteries aren’t usually on my to-read list, but I’m definitely glad I read this one. Jonathan quickly became my favorite character, and some of his scenes had me laughing up a storm. The romance between these two is so adorable.

Read my review here.

Letters and Lies by Colleen L. Donnelly

From the very first page, this book took me on an emotional journey filled with love, laughter, and heartache. There are so many little details that the author kept bringing back into the story that really added to the emotion.

Read my review here.

Captain of My Heart by Karla Kratovil

There is so much to say about this incredible book by Karla Kratovil. The details were fantastic. I loved the relationship between Jack and Vivian. Vivian’s character had me busting a gut on multiple occasions. If you love a good slow-burn romance in a historical setting, this perfect for you. I’m looking forward to reading #2 in this series!

See my review here.

December 30, 2020 by Sydney Winward

The Wild Rose Press Launches a New Series! A Wylder Christmas Is One of the First

I’m super excited about the Wylder West Series that The Wild Rose Press just launched! Not only do they have stunning covers, but they have incredible characters and a fun setting. Sarita Leone’s newest release, A Wylder Christmas, is one of the first four to start out the series. Learn more about the book below!

December 2, 2020December 1, 2020 by Sydney Winward