Wednesday, October 3, 2018

A Tale of Two Hearts ~Giveaway~


About the Book



Book Title: A Tale of two Cities  
Author: Michelle Griep  
Genre: Christian Historical Romance  
Release date: September 1, 2018

Innkeeper’s daughter Mina Scott will do anything to escape the drudgery of her life. She saves every penny to attend a finishing school, dreaming of the day she’ll become a real lady—and catch the eye of William Barlow, a frequent guest at the inn. William is a gentleman’s son, a charming rogue but penniless. However, his bachelor uncle will soon name an heir—either him or his puritanical cousin. In an effort to secure the inheritance, William gives his uncle the impression he’s married, which works until he’s invited to bring his wife for a visit. William asks Mina to be his pretend bride, only until his uncle names an heir on Christmas Day. Mina is flattered and frustrated by the offer, for she wants a true relationship with William. Yet, she agrees. . .then wishes she hadn’t as she comes to love the old man. And when the truth is finally discovered, more than just money is lost. Can two hearts survive such a deception?

My Thoughts:    Mina has had her eye on Will since the first time she served him at her father's inn;  so when Will asks her to help him by pretending to be his bride, she jumps at the chance.  But as Mina and Will find out, deception brings on worries and more deception.   They soon learn that as the Bible says that truth will set you free.    There are many lessons in this novel.  One is to not lie, to be truthful in all things.  It's never good to keep secrets.  It's never a good thing to play with another's affections.    It is also a story of forgiveness and second chances.
 This was a fun book to read.  This is the second book in the series  "Once Upon a Dickens Christmas" and even though I haven't read the first one, it was easy to read and follow along.  The characters were fun, Mina being the main character is a sweet young woman who loves to read.  The readers are instantly drawn to her.  Then there are Will's cousins, which I found to be very comical and in some ways true to life.

 Michelle Griep is a wonderful writer, who holds the reader's attention and adds a little whimsy to the characters and story-line.

 I truly enjoyed this book and will be looking forward to reading more from Michelle Griep.  

 ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Click here to purchase your copy!

About the Author



Michelle Griep’s been writing since she first discovered blank wall space and Crayolas. She is the author of historical romances: The Captured Bride, The Innkeeper’s Daughter, 12 Days at Bleakly Manor, The Captive Heart, Brentwood’s Ward, A Heart Deceived, and Gallimore, but also leaped the historical fence into the realm of contemporary with the zany romantic mystery Out of the Frying Pan. If you’d like to keep up with her escapades, find her at www.michellegriep.com or stalk her on Facebook, Twitter, or Pinterest.

Guest Post from Michelle

Victorian Christmas Foods

So, it’s September, and you know what that means? It’s back to school. Pumpkin spiced everything is just around the corner. And it’s nearly time for cardigans and colored leaves. But besides all these autumn staples, it’s also time to start thinking about Christmas, because it will be here before you know it. How about this year you plan ahead to serve some traditional Victorian food? In my newest release, A Tale of Two Hearts, the heroine’s father is known for his annual oyster stew that he serves on Christmas Eve. Here’s a bit of the background on that tasty soup.
Victorian Oyster Stew
Oysters have been savored in Britain since the days of the Romans. By Victorian times, industrialization cheapened oysters to the point of them becoming a staple of the poor man’s diet and were a frequent fare served in public houses. This, however, depleted their abundance, and by the mid 1800’s, the natural oyster beds became exhausted, making it harder to find good oysters. While other foods were served as well on Christmas Eve, oyster stew was as common as goose or turkey. Another Victorian favorite that goes great on a crisp evening is good ol’ hot chocolate, though in Dickens’ England, it would’ve been called something else.
Drinking Chocolate
What we now call cocoa or hot chocolate was called drinking chocolate in the mid 1800s. This beverage was a favorite among Victorian ladies. You can find recipes for it even from the Regency era (early 1800s) and here is one for you to make at home. And last, but not least, who hasn’t heard of Christmas pudding? To our American ears, that sounds like a tasty dish that you’d eat with a spoon and slap a little whipped cream on top. Actually, it’s more like a fruit cake.
Christmas Pudding
Christmas pudding is quite a production, one that begins well before Christmas Day. In fact, it begins on Stir-Up Sunday, the last Sunday before Advent (which is five weeks before Christmas). This is why when Mina, the heroine in A Tale of Two Hearts, returns home from dinner at Uncle Barlow’s, and though it’s not yet Christmas, she sees the pudding moulds on the kitchen table. If these tastes and the accompanying smells still aren’t quite enough to get you in the Christmas spirit, then snatch yourself up a copy of the second book in the Once Upon a Dickens Christmas series. A Tale of Two Hearts is sure to get you in the mood.

Blog Stops

Creating Romance, October 2
The Avid Reader, October 2
Genesis 5020, October 3
The Power of Words, October 3
Just Commonly, October 3
Baker Kella, October 3
Among the Reads, October 4
Fiction Aficionado, October 4
Godly Book Reviews, October 4
Inklings and Notions , October 4
Multifarious, October 6
Texas Book-aholic, October 6
Remembrancy, October 7
Splashes of Joy , October 7
Back Porch Reads, October 8
A Reader’s Brain, October 8
Simple Harvest Reads, October 9 (Guest Post from Mindy Houng)
Mary Hake, October 9
Carpe Diem, October 9
Britt Reads Fiction, October 10
Luv’N Lambert Life, October 10
By The Book, October 11
Book by Book, October 11
Bigreadersite, October 11
More Of Him, October 12
Pause for Tales, October 12
With a Joyful Noise, October 12
Have A Wonderful Day , October 12
Bibliophile Reviews, October 13
Vicky Sluiter, October 14
Daysong Reflections , October 14
Henry Happens, October 15
All-of-a-kind Mom, October 15

Giveaway



To celebrate her tour, Michelle is giving away a grand prize of a $25 Barnes & Noble gift card!!
Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.

https://promosimple.com/ps/d4ef/a-tale-of-two-hearts-celebration-tour-giveaway



 I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review and the opinions I have expressed are my own. I am  disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

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3 comments:

  1. Elizabeth LittonOctober 4, 2018 at 8:55 AM

    Yay! I can't wait to read A Tale of Two Hearts! I've always loved Christmas stories.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Michelle GriepOctober 4, 2018 at 6:16 PM

    Thanks for the sweet review!

    ReplyDelete

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