Sunday, October 7, 2018

"A Tale of Two Hearts" by Michelle Griep - Book Review, Blog Tour, and Giveaway

About the Book

A Tale of Two Hearts cover
Book Title: A Tale of Two Hearts
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

"A Tale of Two Hearts" is the second book in the Once Upon a Dickens Christmas series, but it is able to be read alone and still make sense. I enjoyed this book. I could picture the settings and could envision myself there. I found the book engaging and kept me wanting to read. I liked Mina and Will and rooted for them to find their happily ever after. The quotes at the beginnings of the chapters were fun. The setting was interesting and made me want to look more into life in that time period. I look forward to reading more books from Michelle Griep.

About the Author

Headshot Michelle GRIEPMichelle 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.

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 RomanceOctober 2
The Avid ReaderOctober 2
Genesis 5020October 3
The Power of WordsOctober 3
Just CommonlyOctober 3
Baker KellaOctober 3
Among the ReadsOctober 4
Fiction AficionadoOctober 4
Godly Book ReviewsOctober 4
Inklings and Notions , October 4
MultifariousOctober 6
Texas Book-aholicOctober 6
RemembrancyOctober 7
Splashes of Joy , October 7
Back Porch ReadsOctober 8
A Reader’s BrainOctober 8
Simple Harvest ReadsOctober 9 (Guest Post from Mindy Houng)
Mary Hake, October 9
Carpe DiemOctober 9
Britt Reads FictionOctober 10
Luv’N Lambert LifeOctober 10
By The BookOctober 11
Book by BookOctober 11
BigreadersiteOctober 11
More Of HimOctober 12
Pause for TalesOctober 12
With a Joyful NoiseOctober 12
Have A Wonderful Day , October 12
Bibliophile ReviewsOctober 13
Vicky SluiterOctober 14
Daysong Reflections , October 14
Henry HappensOctober 15
All-of-a-kind MomOctober 15

Giveaway

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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

"A Tale of Two Hearts" is available in paperback:
  • Series: Once Upon a Dickens Christmas (Book 2)
  • Paperback: 192 pages
  • Publisher: Shiloh Run Press (September 1, 2018)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 1683222598
  • ISBN-13: 978-1683222590
  • Product Dimensions: 5.6 x 0.9 x 7.9 inches

and in Kindle edition:
  • File Size: 1049 KB
  • Print Length: 192 pages
  • Publisher: Shiloh Run Press (September 1, 2018)
  • Publication Date: August 15, 2018
  • Sold by: Amazon Digital Services LLC
  • Language: English
  • ASIN: B07D46MW97

I got a free copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own and given voluntarily. No compensation was received for my review. 

2 comments:

Sandra Watts said...

Thanks for hosting. Looks like it will be a good book.

Debra Branigan said...

Thank you for the review and posting. It is appreciated.