Tag Archive for: The Cozy Book Blog by Diane-Lyn

Press Release: The Yellow House in the Mountains, Glen Hileman

Hello Readers and Followers,

Thank you for visiting!  Below please find a press release for the book, The Yellow House in the Mountains by Glen Hileman (release date March 1, 2024).  I wish to thank Jackie Karneth at Books Forward for the invite.  This is an inspiring true story.  I hope you all enjoy this stop and the rest of the tour!  Best, Diane-Lyn

Son’s novel honors parents lost to 2020 East Troublesome Fir

Grand Lake, CO–Based on a remarkable true story, Glenn Hileman’s “A Yellow House in the Mountains” (March 2024) honors the lives of his parents, Lyle and Marylin, who were lost to Colorado’s East Troublesome Fire, by showcasing the love, faith and determination which guided them through difficult times.

By the end of the day on October 21, 2020, more than 193,000 acres and over 400 homes were consumed in the East Troublesome Fire, Colorado’s fastest-moving fire in history. Lyle and Marylin understood living in their mountain paradise had risks, and their approach to the oncoming fire was consistent with their approach to other challenges in their lives–they faced it together.

An awe-inspiring novel based on a love story like no other, “A Yellow House in the Mountains” traces Lyle and Marylin’s relationship from their high-school sweetheart days to their 68-year marriage. Filled with a sense of the couple’s ambition and determination, “A Yellow House” will leave readers with a strengthened resolve to overcome life’s challenges and embrace life’s miracles.

“A Yellow House in the Mountains”

Glenn Hileman | March 1, 2024 | GLH2 Holdings | Narrative Nonfiction

Hardcover | ISBN: 979-8-9888228-1-3 | $27.95

Paperback | ISBN: 979-8-9888228-0-6 | $18.99 

Ebook | ISBN: 979-8-9888228-2-0 | $12.99

GLENN HILEMAN: Glenn is the CEO of Highmark School Development and has spent over fifteen years living in Bountiful, Utah. His love of Grand Lake, Colorado led to him purchasing his parent’s home in 2020. His family is actively working to restore the property from the devastation of the East Troublesome Fire. In doing so, they hope to honor the legacy of his parents. Learn more about Glenn at: www.yellowhouseinthemountains.com .

In an interview, Glenn Hileman can discuss:

  • The lasting impact of the East Troublesome Fire in Colorado, which was the fastest growing fire in the state’s history
  • Why it was important to tell Lyle and Marylin’s story, as the only two lives lost to the fire
  • The powerful lessons he learned from Lyle and Marylin, and the real-life miracles that touched their lives
  • Why he’s planning on restoring the property Lyle and Marylin lost to the fire
  • What he hopes readers will take away from “A Yellow House in the Mountains”

An Interview with

Glenn Hileman

  • Why did you decide to share Lyle and Marylin’s story with the world? 

Their lives were filled with remarkable experiences that can inspire others. Through their commitment to one another and with faith, they overcame numerous obstacles in life and left a legacy worthy of remembrance. A love story, “A Yellow House in the Mountains” provides relatable examples of how to navigate life.

 

  • Do miracles really happen?

Miracles occur frequently but may be overlooked or mislabeled as coincidences. Lyle and Marylin’s story contains several examples of miracles. Some of their encounters were immediate while others played out over a sixty-eight year marriage. Their story will touch the hearts of many that look to understand our purpose in life and the role miracles play.

 

  • How did Lyle and Marylin overcome life’s challenges?

An unwavering commitment to their marriage provided Lyle and Marylin with the strength to get through hard times. They believed their relationship could endure through eternity and that working together, they could improve and grow. 

 

  • What lessons will readers learn from Lyle and Marylin?

Challenges and adversity are a normal part of life and often provide our greatest opportunities for growth. Personal improvement takes effort and having the support of loved ones helps facilitate change. Our potential in life is magnified as we collaborate with others, especially with family and friends.

 

  • What should readers know about you?

Perhaps the greatest written insights into my life are contained within the pages of the book. Like my parents, I lean heavily on my family and faith to navigate life.

Love in the Archives, a patchwork of true stories about suicide loss – Eileen Vorbach Collins

                                                    Hello Followers,

Lydia

I first learned of Eileen Vorbach Collins’ story on Today.com.  As an educator and mother, it left me heartbroken, fearful and wanting answers. I want to thank Eileen Vorbach Collins for sharing her journey with the world, and for helping to break down the stigma surrounding mental illness and suicide.

Lydia was a beautiful, highly intelligent, talented and nature-loving fifteen year old girl.  But on December 18th, 1999, she ended her life.  It goes without saying that Lydia’s decision shattered everything, absolutely everything,  for those who loved her. In Love in the Archives,  her mother shares Lydia’s story and her own journey in the aftermath of an unthinkable tragedy.

Love in the Archives is a collection of essays that not sequential, although the timeline of events is clear. Straight from the heart, Eileen’s gift of words so authentically presents the impact of suicide and the incomparable grief of losing a child.  Facing anniversaries,  second-guessing every decision, the haunting whys, whys, whys – and eventually finding ways to honor Lydia’s memory, learning to hope and laugh again. One year at a time.

Collins opens up intimately about her grief, but does so in neither a textbook nor a self pitying sort of way.  Instead, she presents her grief as her own, unapologetically rejecting societal rules for grieving.  She writes, “For all the experts who think we should be over it, I’m going to light up my brain with images of you (Lydia) as often as I can. You’re my addiction and I’ll cry if I want to.”

Lydia was gifted, and her gifts were both a blessing and a burden. Her high school advisor said of Lydia, “Her profound intelligence compelled her to see the contradictions, evils, and hypocrisies of the world with terrifying clarity. Worse for her was her exquisite sensitivity to the pain in the world”.  Collins writes about her daughter’s burden of perspicacity. As I read this memoir, it became clear that Lydia thought deeply, felt deeply and loved deeply.  She was highly reflective and acutely aware of our fractured world – to the point where it hurt. To the point where her pain was intolerable.

Collins details a multi-dimensional view into her life. She candidly describes her own painful childhood and the embarrassment she felt over her mother’s illnesses; childhood shame that later morphed into guilt and regret. She shares the struggles of an interfaith marriage, a difficult divorce, the complexities of single parenting, and the pain of unimaginable loss. Collins interweaves nature and symbolism into her chapters, creating a lovely balanced work honoring a beautiful life that ended too soon.

I will never forget something that was said many years ago when I dropped my daughter off for her first day of  first grade.  I stood among a group of other moms on the playground , each of us saying our goodbyes and waving as our children were lined up and gently herded into the building. “Well,” said the mother standing next to me, “society has got them now.” She was right. One thing that parenting has taught me is that, despite our best efforts, we ultimately have very little control over what our children will face.  Social pressures and peer cruelty, expectations, and genetics all play a significant role in our children’s lives and happiness.  Lydia could have been anyone’s daughter. None of us are immune.  As parents, we do our absolute best to protect our children, but there are so many other moving parts in their lives – much of which we will never even know about.

Love in the Archives is an extremely well written and gripping account of a mothers pain and resilience following a horrific loss. Her account is raw, poignant and honest. Love in the Archives is a must read for all parents, educators, and clinicians.  I highly recommend this book.

I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review. My opinions remain my own.

                Every time a bell rings, an angel gets their wings.

Life, and Other Inconveniences, Kristan Higgins

Synopsis: Life and Other Inconveniences

Emma London never thought she had anything in common with her grandmother, Genevieve London.  The regal old woman came from wealthy New England stock, but that didn’t protect her from life’s cruelest blows: the disappearance of her young son, followed by the premature death of her husband.  But Genevieve rose from those ashes and built a fashion empire respected the world over, burying her grief in her work, even if it meant neglecting her other son.

When Emma’s own mother died, her father abandoned her on Genevieve’s doorstep. The matriarch took her in and reluctantly raised her — until Emma got pregnant her senior year of high school. Genevieve kicked her out with nothing but the clothes on her back…but Emma took with her the most important London possession: the strength not just to survive but to strive. And indeed, Emma has built a wonderful life for herself and her teenage daughter, Riley.

So what is Emma to do when Genevieve does the one thing Emma never expected of her and, after not speaking to her for nearly two decades, calls and asks for help?

Diane-Lyn’s Review:

There were parts of Life and Other Inconveniences that I liked, and other parts I could have done without.  Overall, this was a good read that I’d recommend. I enjoyed the balanced themes of struggle and strength, choices and forgiveness, love and dysfunction.  I found myself  drawn into the perfectly imperfect lives of this high-caliber family, complete with their own plethora of tragedy, burdens, and secrets. Most gripping was the heart wrenching, unsolved mystery of Genevieve’s beloved son, Sheppard. Higgins did a brilliant job of pulling the reader into Genevieve’s journey of torment and heartbreak, longing for her son with no answers about what happened, where he was, or even if he was dead or alive.

Each chapter is written through the point of view of the main characters, giving each a “voice” that allowed the reader to know them more deeply; to tap into their raw emotions and to understand the histories that shaped them.  These shifts were both poignant and seamless.  Well done!

This novel was good overall, but not perfect.  There were several points in the story where I found the relationship between Emma and her teenage daughter, Riley, to be a bit nauseating in a too good to be true sort of way. Emma and Riley never fought. In fact, Riley was a teenager who never disagreed with her mother, behaved perfectly, was always in a good mood, and even held her mother’s hand.  In what world are teenage girls that easy and agreeable? I would have better appreciated this relationship if it had been more realistic, messier, and more relatable. It just felt very out of touch and contrived.

Of course, in any story line,  it makes sense for an author to bring characters together into romantic relationships. But again – this felt forced. contrived, and a bit too perfect.  In fact, there were times during the second half of the book when it felt more like I was watching an episode of The Love Boat than reading a novel.

All in all, Life and Other Inconveniences is worth reading.  Lighthearted at times, heavy at others, this novel is well balanced.  It offers a complex cast of characters that form a flawed, yet likable, family – all struggling to understand each other, all just doing their best. Check it out!

Happy New Year!

Best, Diane-Lyn

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When the Stars Go Dark, Paula McLain

Hello Subscribers and Visitors of The Cozy Book Blog by Diane-Lyn,

Welcome back! Oh, it has been quite a while since I’ve posted, and I apologize for the hiatus. Life has thrown all kinds of monkey wrenches my way lately, as life often does. As an educator, I am grateful for these summer months and the chance to catch up, regroup, and share more reviews with you. Today, I offer Paula McLain’s When the Stars Go Dark. The novel is set in 1993 in a small, coastal California town; a community caught in the grips of the Polly Klaas murder and the disappearances of other young girls. I hope you enjoy my review, and thank you visiting The Cozy Book Blog by Diane-Lyn!

Best, Diane-Lyn

Synopsis (from When the Stars Go Dark)

Anna Hart is a seasoned missing persons detective in San Francisco with far too much knowledge of the darkest side of human nature. When tragedy strikes her personal life, Anna flees to the Northern California village of Mendocino to grieve. She lived there as a child with her beloved foster parents, and now believes it might be her only refuge. Yet the day she arrives, she learns that a local teenage girl has gone missing.

The crime feels frighteningly reminiscent of the most crucial time in Anna’s life, when the unsolved murder of a young girl devastated Mendocino, and changed the community forever. As past and present collide, Anna realizes that she has been led to this moment. The most difficult lessons of her life have given her insight into how victims come into contact with violent predators. As Anna becomes obsessed with saving the missing girl, she must accept that true courage means getting out of her own way and learning to let others in.

Review: The Cozy Book Blog by Diane-Lyn

I was excited to dive into this novel. The subject matter appealed to me (I’m intrigued by cold cases), as did the 1993 setting (I was young and into my first few years of teaching; a time when children were still allowed to be children, no cell phones, no standardized testing…). Anyway, I was drawn in; excited to be fully captivated and absorbed in what appeared to be a highly gripping read. The book had so much potential, but for me, it fell flat. I’m left disappointed and bored. Here are my thoughts:

  • Anna survives a traumatic childhood only to be struck again with tragedy and loss as an adult. These particulars were helpful in understanding a wounded protagonist and the anguish that shaped her. She did hit the jackpot with a great set of foster parents, but there were so many unnecessary details about them that it slowed down the pace of what should have been a brisk plot. Over time, it just became a boring, overly wordy distraction that consumed too many chapters.
  •  I really wanted to like Anna. I tried so hard to connect with her character; to empathize with the direction she needed to take following an unthinkable tragedy. However, Anna’s decision to travel across the country and throw herself into another family’s crisis felt contrived, unrealistic, and made it difficult to understand or relate to her on any level.
  • There were way too many characters coming in and out of plot. I found this confusing and often had to go back in the book to remind myself of who these people were as it was difficult to keep track of them all.
  • The whole whodunnit theme was predictable, weak, and lacked intrigue. I didn’t feel any rising tension or a big “pow” at the end, which is required in a novel of this genre.

This was my first Paula McLain novel. I’ve heard amazing things about The Paris Wife, so I may give that one a try; but this one just didn’t grab me. To be fair, there were things about When the Stars Go Dark that did hit the mark. I loved the way McLain embedded real life cases of that time frame (Jaycee Dugard, Polly Klaas) into her fictional story line. This gave an otherwise dull novel some energy and depth. McLain had clearly researched the subject area, profiles of predators, and the impact of trauma. She was able to successfully embed this knowledge into a wide array of characters. I just wish it could have been enough for me.

In Conclusion…

When the Stars Go Dark held great promise, but the execution lacked any semblance of a “wow” factor. Frankly, it was slow and boring. There were far too many confusing shifts and extraneous details, making this a frustrating read. I just cannot recommend this one.

Meh.

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New Release: The Beautiful Misfits, Susan Reinhardt

Hello and thank you for visiting The Cozy Book Blog! Below please find my review of The Beautiful Misfits (Regal House, March 2023), written by humorist Susan Reinhardt. This novel is the poignant story of a mother’s unrelenting determination to reach her opioid addicted son. I want to thank Jackie Karneth at Books Forward for the ARC and the opportunity to read and review this unforgettable novel.
Best, Diane-Lyn

Synopsis & Musings by Diane-Lyn

Oh, the joy of families. We see it all around us. The social media posts celebrating graduations, weddings, holidays; featuring beautiful pictures of perfect, smiling faces standing in front of marble fireplaces looking. Just. So. Damn. Happy. But remember folks, maybe the grass is always greener because your neighbor’s lawn is fake, right?  Or, as the saying goes, don’t compare your insides to somebody else’s outsides. Isn’t that what they say?

Of course, nobody wants their inner crisis to be broadcast for the whole world to see. But that is exactly what happened to news anchor Josie Nickels when her whole world exploded in a very public way.  A few drinks and a story that hit too close to home fueled an on-air outburst; a massive spillage of her troubled family life resulting from her son’s opioid addiction. And it all happened on live TV. The meltdown cost Josie a career and drove her son, Finley, out of her life. With her whole world in shambles, the disgraced local celebrity takes a job at a cosmetics counter in a department store. Struggling to pick up the pieces of her shattered life and repair her broken family, Josie must adjust to her new reality and find the strength to fight for her son without enabling his addiction.

More Musings & Review by Diane-Lyn:

Susan Reinhardt is an award-winning fiction writer who understands exactly what it means to mother a drug addict. She writes from the heart and yet manages to interweave quirky characters and humor at appropriate times to create a well-balanced, beautifully written novel.

Beautiful Misfits is a fictional account of a mother in the throes of an adult child’s opioid addiction, and a society telling her that she is to blame. She is the ex-wife of an unsupportive, enabling husband – and the daughter of a critical and narcissistic mother. This is the story of a heartbroken mother who stops breathing every time the phone rings because she wonders if it is “the call”.  Beautiful Misfits is an honest, gripping novel about a mother’s determination to save her son as she wrestles her own demons.

What I love about Reinhardt’s writing is her ability to create a real and relatable protagonist. Josie is an authentically flawed, yet remarkably strong woman who refuses to give up on her son.  I loved her! Beautiful Misfits is an education in the drug epidemic and a frank look at faulty, inadequate rehab programs.  It is a journey through family dysfunction, workplace bullying, love, forgiveness and hope. The lovely southern setting and array of eccentric characters (including an angelic elderly babysitter) brings a lightness to an otherwise serious novel. Poignant yet funny, Beautiful Misfits won me over from the first page and had me intrigued until the very end. Highly recommended!

                                   Big Pharma pushed it, doctors prescribed it, and genetics pollinated it. 

– Susan Reinhardt, The Beautiful Misfits

Order your copy now…

To purchase your own copy of The Beautiful Misfits, click here: Amazon. This is an affiliate link, which only means that when you click the link and purchase the book, I receive a tiny commission at no additional cost to you. Happy reading!

 

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A Gentleman Will Never….Forget A Lady, Emily Windsor

Hello readers, followers and visitors! Welcome back to Diane-Lyn’s Cozy Book Blog! I am pleased to be today’s stop on the book blast tour for Emily Windsor’s new release, A Gentleman Will Never….Forget a Lady. Many thanks to Amy Bruno at Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours for the invite. Enjoy reading all about this intriguing new historical fiction romance! Best, Diane-Lyn

A GENTLEMAN WILL NEVER…FORGET A LADY
BY EMILY WINDSOR

Publication Date: December 1, 2022

Genre: Regency Romance
Series: The Governess Chronicles, Book 3

Synopsis:

Get swept away to a romantic and rugged land in this joyful and heart-warming Christmas tale…

Having lost her beloved, Lord Tristan, to a storm at sea, Lady Gwen Evans is planning a life of travel, writing books on her adventures.
But will the arrival of a dark, scarred gentleman one December’s eve disrupt all her plans?

With wassailing on frosty nights, dragon myths in the snowy Welsh hills, a rather unladylike list of D.I.S.G.R.A.C.E. and Hide and Seek in the seductive dark, this will be a Christmas never to forget…

‘Witty and wonderful. The storyline is unique and intriguing. And the amount of love in this story is absolutely beautiful.’ ★★★★★ Once Upon A Time

“Christmas is but a few weeks away. A time for wonder.”

Praise for ‘A Gentleman Will Never…Forget a Lady’

‘The only word that could describe this book is enchanting. I loved every moment.’ ★★★★★ Reading Rebel Reviews

‘…brimming with emotion. Filled with wonderful characters, secrets, longing, healing, new beginnings, ghouls, wassail… ’ ★★★★★ Flippin’ Pages

‘An achingly beautiful novel… I LOVED this book!’ ★★★★★ Gloria’s Happily Ever Afters

‘…breathtakingly resplendent. You will become just as enchanted with Windsor’s creations as I have been because it’s utterly magical.’ ★★★★★ sammstormborn reviews

‘Emily Windsor continues to write beautiful stories, and I was totally captivated by this one, as Tristan and Gwen found their way back to each other. I love the warmth, the family connections, and the satisfying resolution, which occurs during the Christmas holiday, the season of miracles.’ ★★★★★ Roses Are Blue Romantic Fiction Reviews

AMAZON US | AMAZON UK

About the Author

Emily Windsor grew up in the north of England on a diet of historical romance and strong tea.

Unfortunately, you couldn’t study Regency slang, so she did the next best thing and gained a degree in Classics and History instead. This ‘led’ to an eight-year stint in engineering.

Having left city life, she now lives in a dilapidated farmhouse where her days are spent writing, fixing the leaky roof, battling the endless vegetation and finding pictures of well-tied cravats.

NEWSLETTER | AMAZON | FACEBOOK AUTHOR PAGE | BOOKBUB | GOODREADS | FACEBOOK GROUP | PINTEREST | INSTAGRAM

Book Blast Schedule

Monday, December 19
Dive Into a Good Book

Tuesday, December 20
Reading is My Remedy

Wednesday, December 21
History from a Woman’s Perspective

Thursday, December 22
Gwendalyn’s Books

Friday, December 23
Booking With Janelle

Monday, December 26
Passages to the Past

Tuesday, December 27
Novels Alive and The Cozy Book Blog

Wednesday, December 28
CelticLady’s Reviews

Thursday, December 29
Coffee & Ink

Friday, December 30
Michelle the PA Loves to Read

Saturday, December 31
Lisa Everyday Reads

 

Fever, Janet Gilsdorf

I received a complimentary copy of Fever from Beaufort Books in exchange for an honest review.

Synopsis by Diane-Lyn:

It is 1984. The United States is hosting the summer Olympics. Prince’s When Doves Cry becomes the number one song of the year. Indira Gandhi is assassinated. President Reagan is elected for a second term. And the AIDS epidemic makes headlines as it just starts to rear its brutal head in America.

Dr. Sidonie (“Sid”) Royal is a brilliant scientist with a complicated personal life. In need of a break, she travels with a friend to Promissao, Brazil; never expecting that the trip would become a turning point in her life and career. A mysterious illness is sweeping the area. Small children are experiencing bizarre symptoms and then dying within days – with no explanation. Tragedy, heartache, and debilitating fear grip the community as the illness continues to claim more young lives. Sid, still haunted by a family tragedy of her own, goes on a mission to find answers despite limited resources. The race against time intensifies when the major, well-funded Global Health Agency gets involved, creating an all-consuming pursuit that takes over Sid’s life and threatens her reputation.

Review by Diane-Lyn:

Author Janet Gilsdorf is a scientist and physician herself, and she combines her knowledge of microbiology with a tremendous gift of words to create a stunning novel. Gilsdorf’s writing is poignantly descriptive and emotional, yet it integrates complex scientific information in layman’s terms. The book flows smoothly, is well-written and well-organized. Chapters are sequential and alternate between settings – shifting mainly between Michigan and Brazil. Fever tackles multiple social issues; the traditional expectations of women, AIDS and the shame of homosexuality in the 1980s, tragedy, and complicated family relationships. Set in 1984, Fever takes us back to a time when certain technology didn’t exist and progressivism was still in its infancy.

Sid’s character is strong and unconventional; dedicated to her work and somewhat disengaged emotionally. I enjoyed her unapologetic refusal to be pigeonholed into a traditional woman’s role. Living life on her terms takes a toll on Sid’s already rocky relationship with her mother, and causes strife with boyfriend, Paul. Her working relationship with Eliot, a brilliant yet gruff scientist, provided an interesting dynamic that is interwoven throughout the novel.

Fever is a captivating novel about a young, passionate scientist who finds the courage to risk everything and persevere against all odds. It is a story of broken families, scientific breakthroughs, love, and resilience. Gildorf provides a descriptive view of life across cultures, and presents the fascinating world of science. Fever is a riveting book that I recommend. Well done!

“The children kept dying, a nonstop march of toddlers to the grave, and no one knew what was going on or how to stop it.”  Janet Gilsdorf, Fever
**To purchase your copy of Fever, click here: Amazon. Please note that this is an affiliate link, which only means that when you click the link and make a purchase, I receive a tiny commission at no additional cost to you. Happy reading!

Review: Beyond the Crushing Waves, Lilly Mirren

Beyond the Crushing Waves Synopsis by Diane-Lyn:

London, 1950’s: Mary and Lottie Roberts are poor sisters living in London’s slums with their abusive, negligent mother. When their mother meets a man, she’s determined to begin a new life with him; one that doesn’t include her children. She sends the girls away to the Fairbridge Farm School, an agricultural program in Australia. The children are promised a better life filled with happiness, opportunity, and an education. What they got was quite the opposite. The girls become part of a brutal slave labor force and are subjected daily to abuse, molestation, and life in deplorable conditions. Their only source of comfort is Harry, an orphan boy and friend with a sad story of his own. They find comfort in each other, but the cruelty of their new world changes their lives forever.

Present Day: Dr. Mia Sato is happily married and expecting her first child. After she discovers a mysterious photograph from the past belonging to her grandmother, she yearns to know more about her family history. In an emotional moment, her grandmother blurts out a huge, dark secret – but then shuts down and avoids Mia’s questions. Mia is determined to find out what happened and goes on a quest for answers.

Review by Diane-Lyn:

Beyond the Crushing Waves is a well-written and well-researched historical fiction novel by Lilly Mirren. The book is based on actual events surrounding one of the most shameful and devastating scandals in Britain’s history; the migration and forced labor of approximately 150,000 children between 1922 and 1967. The original objective of the program was to get poor, orphaned children off the street and provide them with the necessary skills for a better future; a plan designed to benefit both the children and society. The children were sent away with the promise of an academic education and training in farm skills. However, many of the children came out of the program illiterate and traumatized. Mirren describes in poignant detail the level of neglect and abuse these children endured at the hands of tyrannical staff members, as well as the damage it caused for years to come.

The chapters alternate between the points of view of the three central characters – Harry, Mary and Mia. The time frame shifts between the past and present throughout, yet the novel maintains clarity and flows well over an almost seventy year span. I loved the progression of Harry, Mary, and Lottie from childhood into old age. Mirren did an excellent job of immersing the reader in a solid history of their hardships, and the strength it took for them to find their way out. Mya’s character, however, felt contrived and it was very difficult to understand her thought process and misplaced priorities. Her immature idealism felt forced and out of place. Her childish determination to mend the rocky relationship between her father and grandparents took center stage in her life. Even after giving birth to a baby with significant health issues, Mia’s obsession with her grandparents’ history and family strife continued. I loved this book, but found Mia’s character to be annoying, unrealistic, and unnecessary in this otherwise brilliant work. Still, the merits of Beyond the Crushing Waves far outweigh this flaw. The novel kept me so emotionally engaged that I found myself overlooking Mia and focusing more on its gripping historical context. Prior to reading this book, I had no idea that this scandal ever happened. Beyond the Crushing Waves was certainly an eye-opening experience for me in a heartbreaking sort of way. I appreciated the author’s thorough explanation at the end of the book about the real-life history of this cruel movement against children. Nothing grabs me more than a good historical fiction novel that offers a deep look into the past, combined with characters who give a voice to those most impacted. Bravo!

To purchase Beyond the Crushing Waves, click here: Amazon. Note that this is an affiliate link, which only means that when you click the link and purchase this novel, I receive a tiny commission at no additional cost to you. Happy reading!

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Guest Post: The Secrets of Ohnita Harbor by Patricia Crisafulli

Hello readers, and thank you for visiting The Cozy Book Blog! I am happy to be today’s stop on the virtual book tour for The Secrets of Ohnita Harbor by Patricia Crisafulli. Many thanks to Lisa Munley at TLC Books for the invite. Enjoy the guest post below, and thanks again for stopping in. Happy reading! Diane-Lyn

Synopsis:

Amid a mountain of rain-soaked donations to the Ohnita Harbor Public Library rummage sale, Gabriela Domenici finds a small box that contains an odd-looking cross. When the carved center turns out to be ivory and a clue links the cross to Catherine of Siena, a medieval saint, Gabriela turns to her expertise as an authenticator of historic documents to lead the quest to discover the truth about this mysterious object. But the cross isn’t the only secret in town: first, a beloved Ohnita Harbor resident is found floating in the harbor and then someone else is murdered on the library lawn. As Gabriela races to solve the mystery of the cross, she discerns between infatuation and what could be the start of true love. All the while, she must stay one step ahead of the danger that slowly encircles her.

Publisher: Woodhall Press (September 6, 2022)
Paperback: 394 pages

@triciacrisafulli @woodhallpress #TheSecretsofOhnitaHarbor #AnOhnitaHarborMystery #cozymystery #mystery #literaryfiction @tlcbooktours

Guest Post:

Cozy Mystery Research: Inventing the “Treasure”
By Patricia Crisafulli
In the opening scene of The Secrets of Ohnita Harbor, which launches my Ohnita Harbor
Mystery series (Woodhall Press, September 2022), a curious-looking cross turns up in the
donations pile for the library rummage sale. Immediately, librarian Gabriela Domenici must
draw on her background in authentication to figure where the cross came from and its worth.
From the earliest drafts, I could picture Gabriela opening a small, nondescript carton and
finding a blue velvet bag cinched with a gold cord. Inside is the cross… But what does it look
like? I tried gold with jewels, silver with cabochon-cut stones. But neither struck me as right.
It would take a flight to New York, a visit to two museums, a dropped glove, and a trip to
the bathroom to find my cross. In embracing this research, I experienced the thrill of the mystery
firsthand.
My first stop on that New York trip was the Morgan Library, which had been the home of
legendary financier and medieval art enthusiast J.P. Morgan. I saw an exhibition of Emily
Dickinson’s poetry, but no medieval crosses. On my way out, I stopped in the lobby to put on my
coat, dropped my glove, and stooped to pick it up. Straightening, I came eye-to-eye with a sign:
“Abbey of Saint Michael – Siena, Italy, 14th century.”
Inside the display case sat a chalice decorated with what looked like brightly colored
tiles, each depicting a different scene. That was it! I knew my cross in the novel had to look like
that chalice. I scanned the description again and got one more clue: basse-taille enameling.

Flash forward to the next day when I had booked a before-hours tour of the Metropolitan
Museum of Art. At the end of the tour, I asked the historian leading our group about examples of
basse-taille enameling. When she told me she hadn’t seen anything like that at the Met, I knew
I’d have to go somewhere else.
But first, I had to find the restroom. When I asked a guard for the closest one, I was
directed into the “Hall of Medieval Treasures.” I wandered past statues, cathedral gates,
carvings… and landed in front of a glass case filled with tiny brightly colored objects: basse-
taille enamels from the 14th and 15th century. On the wall behind that case stood a row of crosses
with the same design. There, in all their brightly colored beauty, were the prototypes for my
artifact at the heart of The Secrets of Ohnita Harbor.
Research made all the difference in bringing the artifact to life. More than that, I also
brought my own excitement for the discovery into the writing, connecting me even more closely
to my protagonist, Gabriela, as she follows one small clue to the next—to uncover the secret of
that cross.

Patricia Crisafulli is an award-winning author with a New York Times Bestseller to her credit.
Her first novel, The Secrets of Ohnita Harbor, is being published in September 2022 by
Woodhall Press.

TLC tour schedule:

Saturday, September 17th: The Cozy Book Blog – author guest post

Monday, September 19th: From the TBR Pile – author guest post

Saturday, September 24th: @abduliacoffeebookaddict23

Monday, September 26th: Bookchickdi

Wednesday, September 28th: @kristens.reading.nook

Thursday, September 29th: @paws.read.repeat

Friday, September 30th: @fashionablyfifty

Monday, October 3rd: Laura’s Reviews and @laurasreviews_1

Monday, October 3rd: @kenzathome

Tuesday, October 4th: From the TBR Pile

Thursday, October 6th: What is That Book About – author guest post

Thursday, October 6th: Kahakai Kitchen

Sunday, October 9th: Subakka.bookstuff and @subakka.bookstuff

Wednesday, October 12th: @thebookishalix

Wednesday, October 12th: @always_reading1

Friday, October 14th: @books.ashley.reads

Monday, October 17th: @welovebigbooksandwecannotlie

Monday, October 17th: She Just Loves Books and @shejustlovesbooks

Wednesday, October 19th: @booksandcoffeemx

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Feature: The Portraitist, Susanne Dunlap

Hello readers and followers! It is my pleasure to be a part of the virtual book tour for The Portraitist, a new release by Susanne Dunlap. This historical fiction novel is based on the true story of Adélaïde Labille-Guiard, an eighteenth-century artist. I want to thank Amy Bruno at HFVBT for the invite. Enjoy the tour and thank you for stopping into The Cozy Book Blog! Best, Diane-Lyn

THE PORTRAITIST: A NOVEL OF ADELAIDE LABILLE-GUIARD

BY SUSANNE DUNLAP

Publication Date: August 30, 2022
She Writes Press

Genre: Historical Fiction

Based on a true story, this is the tale of Adélaïde Labille-Guiard’s fight to take her rightful place in the competitive art world of eighteenth-century Paris.

With a beautiful rival who’s better connected and better trained than she is, Adélaïde faces an uphill battle. Her love affair

with her young instructor in oil painting gives rise to suspicions that he touches up her work, and her decision to make much-needed money by executing erotic pastels threatens to create as many problems as it solves. Meanwhile, her rival goes from strength to strength, becoming Marie Antoinette’s official portraitist and gaining entrance to the elite Académie Royale at the same time as Adélaïde.

When at last Adélaïde earns her own royal appointment and receives a massive commission from a member of the royal family, the timing couldn’t be worse: it’s 1789, and with the fall of the Bastille her world is turned upside down by political chaos and revolution. With danger around every corner in her beloved Paris, she must find a way to adjust to the new order, carving out a life and a career all over again—and stay alive in the process.

BUY THE PORTRAITIST

Praise

“An imaginative work that brings the story of a little-known artist to vivid life.” –Kirkus Reviews

“Deeply researched and imagined, The Portraitist offers a fascinating and dramatic plunge into the world of a brilliant female artist, struggling to make her mark before and during the turbulent and treacherous era of the French Revolution. I loved this novel.” –Sandra Gulland, international bestselling author of The Josephine Trilogy

“Written with breathless drama, The Portraitist follows the rise of the gifted portraitist Adélaïde Labille-Guiard in Paris during the last years of the late eighteenth century. The novel is a luminous depiction of Paris and those terrible times seen through the astute, compassionate eyes of a woman who had to paint. Every bit of lace, or royal carriage or bloody cobblestone is alive in the writing. The rain drumming on the skylight and a misbuttoned coat speak. Go to those streets with this book in your hand to follow her footsteps and those long-gone turbulent times will come alive to you as if they were yesterday.” –Stephanie Cowell, award-winning author of Claude and Camille

“In The Portraitist, Susanne Dunlap skillfully paints a portrait of a woman struggling to make her way in a man’s world — a topic as relevant today as it was in Ancien Regime France. Impeccably researched, rich with period detail, Dunlap brings to life the little known true story of Adélaïde Labille-Guiard, who fought her husband and society to make a name for herself as a painter to the royal family, the very apex of success– only to find everything she had built threatened by the Revolution. A stunning story of determination, talent, and reversals of fortune. As a lifelong Elisabeth Vigée-LeBrun fan, I am now questioning my allegiances!” –Lauren Willig, New York Times bestselling author of The Summer Country and Band of Sisters

“[The Portraitist is a] luminous novel of Adélaïde Labille-Guiard, whose livelihood and longing for respect are threatened by the institutions that deny women artists their due, compounded by the tumultuous events of the French Revolution. Deftly written and impeccably researched. Highly recommended.” –Michelle Cameron, award-winning author of Beyond the Ghetto Gates.

Giveaway

Enter to win a paperback copy or Audiobook of The Portraitist by Susanne Dunlap!

The giveaway is open to the US only and ends on September 8th. You must be 18 or older to enter.

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About the Author

Susanne Dunlap is the author of twelve works of historical fiction for adults and teens, as well as an Author Accelerator Certified Book Coach. Her love of historical fiction arose partly from her studies in music history at Yale University (PhD, 1999), partly from her lifelong interest in women in the arts as a pianist and non-profit performing arts executive. Her novel The Paris Affair won first place in its category in the CIBA Dante Rossetti awards for Young Adult Fiction. The Musician’s Daughter was a Junior Library Guild Selection and a Bank Street Children’s Book of the Year, and was nominated for the Utah Book Award and the Missouri Gateway Reader’s Prize. In the Shadow of the Lamp was an Eliot Rosewater Indiana High School Book Award nominee. Susanne earned her BA and an MA (musicology) from Smith College, and lives in Biddeford, ME, with her little dog Betty.

For more information, please visit Susanne Dunlap’s website. You can follow author Susanne Dunlap on Facebook, Twitter, Goodreads, Instagram, Pinterest, and BookBub.