A Knight of Her Own (Rogues of Rouen #2) by Oberon Wonch

Release: January 23rd, 2017
Romance Subgenre: Historical Romancee
Series: Rogues of Rouen

Sir Drogo LaForce has spent a lifetime chasing the family honor and wealth denied him by his bastard birth. A clever scheme to uncloak a traitor against the Crown finally promises to win him everything he desires…Lady Isabel has been in hiding ever since an evil Norman lord killed her father and usurped her English lands. But her plot to avenge her father and free her people is threatened when a mysterious Norman knight abducts her with plans to use her for espionage.

Drogo’s fascinating captive is nothing like he anticipated. Outspoken but innocent, Isabel reluctantly submits to Drogo’s tutoring in the spymaster’s craft, as well as the art of making love. But their potent attraction nearly leads to disaster. In the end they must decide between their dueling appetites for riches and revenge…or love.

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Curated Soundtrack

Music in the Middle Ages is still a mystery of sorts. Even though there are some written records of Medieval secular music, the notation was different than todays, the concept of harmony was different and even the instruments were different. So in choosing music for this historically-accurate playlist eveyrone needs to keep in mind that this music, probably isn't really historically accurate. However, it's just about as historically-accurate as you can get for this timeframe given our limited knowledge and understanding of the time.

I kinda love our modern interpretations of Middle Ages music. It's a bit purer and less "fluffy" than the Renaissance and Baroque eras that followed. The music takes me to the celebrations and dinner in castles and keeps all over Europe. I hope this playlist helps you get in the mood for A Knight of Her Own!

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What did you think of A Knight of Her Own?
Are there any songs that remind you of Sir Drogo LaForce, Lady Isabel and their HEA?

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About Oberon Wonch

Oberon Wonch has engaged in a love affair with books for as long as she can remember. Penning her own stories from an early age, she later earned a degree in World Literature while studying several languages—all in order to learn what makes a tale endure the ages, but really just to read more books. Her very favorite stories—both to read and write—are those that celebrate the happily-ever-after.

An avid gardener and armchair archaeologist, she grew up in northeast Ohio but now lives in Indiana with her college sweetheart husband and two very joyful little dogs.

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Love For All Seasons: Four Inspirational Historical Romance Novellas by Stacy Henrie

Love For All Seasons

Release: November 9th, 2016
Romance Subgenre: Historical Romance, Inspirational Romance

If you like the inspirational historical romances of Deanne Gist and Lauraine Snelling, you’ll love USA Today bestselling author Stacy Henrie! With four novellas—one for each season of the year—you’ll find a heartwarming collection of couples from a simpler time in America who discover the redeeming powers of faith and love.

A Long Winter Kiss
As Samantha and Rex’s childhood friendship matured into young love, they promised their hearts to one another, even as Rex headed off to war. But their hope for a bright future was shattered when Rex succumbed to his belief that the horrors of war had made him a man no woman could love. Now he has returned, and Samantha must help Rex see that he still has much to give—and much more to gain—by replacing fear with faith and opening himself to love.

An Unlikely Spring Courtship
Tempest worked hard to secure her independence as a woman running her own mercantile, so when Bram has the audacity to open a competing shop in a town with only enough room for one, Tempest is driven to despair. And then to retaliation. But when tragedy strikes their community and threatens everything they both hold dear, will they be able to recognize that what they share is far more important than what separates them?

A Summer for Love
Loralee’s life has changed dramatically in the eight years since she’s last seen the resort town of Bayocean, but one thing that has never changed is her feelings for Wyatt, a man she promised to meet at the resort on a specific day if they were both still unattached. When Wyatt appears on that date, as hopeful and uncertain as Loralee, the two must see if an old and abiding love has outlasted the changes wrought by time—and begin to build a new life together.

Romance in Autumn
Phoebe and James grew up together but apart in the same beautiful mansion, he as the son of the owners, she as the daughter of a servant. In the years since Phoebe’s fortunes have changed dramatically, and she carries the dream of one day owning the mansion that is still close to her heart. Until James—now a deeply compelling man—delivers the bad news that securing the purchase will be all but impossible. As Phoebe reluctantly relinquishes her dream, she will also look deep into her soul to learn that a true home might exist in her budding love for James.

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Theme Songs

Does anyone else just adore a good anthology? They are so satisfying and the HEA’s just make such an impact when they are lined up in quick succession. When I heard that Stacy Henrie was releasing an anthology in November I quickly added it to my Goodreads list. I knew I had to pick up this book! Henrie’s work has been pivotal to me as a romance reader. Her book Hope at Dawnintroduced me to inspirational, historical romance and opened up an entirely new sub-genre to my romance reading tastes. I found Hope at Dawn and the entire Love & War series at Christmastime last year and I’ve been an avid inspirational historical reader ever since.

Love For All Seasons is an anthology in which there are four stories (one for each season). They are all inspirational and historical, but the time periods and characters in each story are not linked at all. I’ve chosen a historically accurate song, or work, for each of Henrie’s seasonal novellas.

A Long Winter's Kiss
Set in post-Civil War Michigan in 1861, A Long Winter’s Kiss is the story of Samantha and Rex. This second-chance romance takes place primarily over the Christmas season and involves some Christmas cheer and gift delivery. For A Long Winter’s Kiss, I’ve chosen the song “We Wish You a Merry Christmas” because it’s specifically mentioned at one point in the story.






“We Wish You a Merry Christmas" from An English Folk Christmas











An Unlikely Spring Courtship
This novella was SO GOOD guys! Set in 1867 Idaho, Tempest and Bram’s story was funny, and cute and altogether very charming. These two are both mercantile owners and they are duking it out in business full tilt. However, they just can’t help but fall in love with each other’s ingenuity and work ethic. An Unlikely Spring Courtship is a bit of opposites attract romance in terms of personalities so that hooked me right from the beginning. I chose Carmen’s "Bizet" for this novella since Bram took Tempest to the opera at one point. "Bizet" was a popular opera post-Civil War and there were several companies that toured the US via the railroad system performing works (such as "Bizet"). You can read more about opera in America after the civil war here.






“Bizet: Carmen"












A Summer for Love
Oh, Lorealee and Wyatt! Also a second-chance romance A Summer for Love is set in Oregon in 1922. Loralee is a singer and Wyatt owns a successful logging company, but they knew each other and fell in love years earlier when Loralee was a servant at a resort in which Wyatt was staying. Break out the tissues for this one, it’s certainly an emotional endeavor! For A Summer of Love I’ve chosen Marion Harris’ “Look for the Silver Lining”. Marion Harris was a popular singer in the early 1920’s and this song is something that Loralee would have, perhaps, sung as she toured the US and Europe.






“Look for the Silver Lining" by Marion Harris












Romance in Autumn
Yet another second-chance romance (are you sensing a theme) Romance in Autumn is Phoebe and James’ story. This novella is set in Rhode Island in 1905. A bit like A Summer for Love, Phoebe used to be a servant for James’ family. Now, years later, she is attempting to make a life for her mother and herself by buying the home in which they once lived and served. For Romance in Autumn, I chose a waltz. Waltzes were immensely popular in the late 1800s for big, ballroom parties (like James’ family would have held). As such, I’ve chosen “Die Schönbrunner” a waltz by Joseph Lanner. Lanner was an Austrian composer whose work helped propel the Viennese waltz to popularity in America (along with Johann Strauss). More information on Waltzes in the early 1900s can be found here.






“Die Schönbrunner” by Joseph Lanner

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About Stacy Henrie

USA Today bestselling author Stacy Henrie is the author of western romances and the Of Love and War series, which includes Hope at Dawn, a 2015 RITA Award finalist for excellence in romance. She was born and raised in the West, where she currently resides with her family. She enjoys reading, road trips, interior decorating, chocolate, and most of all, laughing with her husband and kids. You can learn more about Stacy and her books by visiting her website at stacyhenrie.com.

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Just Like Heaven (Smythe-Smith Quartet #1) by Julia Quinn

Mini-Review and Curated Soundtrack

I’ve been doing a lot of historical rereads over the past week and I restumbled upon Just Like Heaven by Julia Quinn. Just Like Heaven is one of my favorite Quinn novels. Sure, I like the Bridgerton’s series (who doesn’t), but something about Honoria and Marcus just makes me swoon. Friends-to-lovers is a trope I could read all day, everyday, and Just Like Heaven certainly plays into my weakness. By the time of the musicale at the end of this novel I’m dying for Marcus and Honoria to just get on with it already.

The playlist I’ve created for Just Like Heaven is full of pieces that the Smythe-Smith Quartet actually could have played in any given year. The instrumentation of the pieces on the playlist may not be exactly what the Smythe-Smith ladies attempted, but all of songs were popular “parlor music” or “drawing room songs” in the Regency. The list consists of classical sonatas along with several Irish and Scottish tunes that were popular at the time (in the right setting, of course, due to the political undertones). The three movements of the Mozart piece that the Quartet played at the musicale in Just Like Heaven are the first things on the list.

I rate this book:

What did you think of the Just Like Heaven?
Are there any songs that remind you of Honoria, Marcus and their HEA?

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Tycoon by Joanna Shupe

{I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.}

Review and Curated Soundtrack

Tycoon is a prequel novella to the new Knickerbocker Club series by Joanna Shupe. The series is set during the Gilded Age in the late 1800’s and revolves around a group of New York industrialists (that are extremely powerful and wealthy). Tycoon primarily takes place in a private rail car after Clara coerces Ted into sharing his accommodations with her. Ted, recognizing that Clara is in trouble, sets off to figure out what Clara is hiding. Chaos assuredly ensues.

I really enjoyed Tycoon (like really, really enjoyed Tycoon). I found Clara to be competent and clever, Ted to be generous and charming, the plot to be thoroughly intriguing and the setting to be entertaining. It was easy to get lost in this novella and I’m finding myself interested in reading more about the time period, the music, the rail cars and the Knickerbocker Club world. The next book comes out in a few months and it’s already on my radar for later this Spring.

Although there was no music mentioned in Tycoon and I’m unable to find reference to any music on the trains of the Gilded Age, Ted would certainly have been exposed to a lot of music due to his occupation and place in society. During the Gilded Age, music appreciation was just beginning to rise. The wealthy went and saw the opera (which Ted actually mentions at the end of the book) with some frequency and music was openly enjoyed and discussed within “high society”. As such, I’ve created my Tycoon Curated Soundtrack based on what Ted and Clara may have heard at the opera after their wedding and throughout their HEA. I really found it immensely enjoyable to look up information on the Metropolitan Opera during the late 1800's. There are an abundance of resources regarding music in this time period and the pictures and descriptions of the Metropolitan Opera building are just stunning. All of the operas in the playlist were actually performed at the Metropolitan Opera or another New York venue during the Gilded Age!

I rate this book:

What did you think of Tycoon? Are there any songs that remind you of Ted, Clara and their HEA?

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