The World at Home by Ginny Kubitz Moyer

THE WORLD AT HOME is Ginny Kubitz Moyer's wonderful historical love story from She Writes. A description is below:

"San Francisco in 1944 is a bustling place, a revolving door of soldiers and sailors passing through on their way to the war in the Pacific. Twenty-year-old Irene Cleary, however, is not going anywhere. Although she’d love to travel, the seamstress shop she inherited from her mentor keeps her firmly rooted in the only city she’s ever known. She pours her energy into dressmaking and volunteers for the war effort by dancing with servicemen at the USO.

But Irene’s life is transformed when she designs a gown for Cynthia Burke, the socialite whose new marriage to Max, a handsome Chicago businessman, is the talk of the Nob Hill elite. As Irene is drawn into the Burkes’ glamorous, troubled orbit, and as she becomes absorbed in making costumes for the first American performance of a ballet called The Nutcracker, she finds herself on the threshold of exhilarating, perilous new worlds . . . and the most surprising discoveries of all will be the ones about herself...

San Francisco in 1944 is a bustling place, a revolving door of soldiers and sailors passing through on their way to the war in the Pacific. Twenty-year-old Irene Cleary, however, is not going anywhere. Although she’d love to travel, the seamstress shop she inherited from her mentor keeps her firmly rooted in the only city she’s ever known. She pours her energy into dressmaking and volunteers for the war effort by dancing with servicemen at the USO.

But Irene’s life is transformed when she designs a gown for Cynthia Burke, the socialite whose new marriage to Max, a handsome Chicago businessman, is the talk of the Nob Hill elite. As Irene is drawn into the Burkes’ glamorous, troubled orbit, and as she becomes absorbed in making costumes for the first American performance of a ballet called The Nutcracker, she finds herself on the threshold of exhilarating, perilous new worlds . . . and the most surprising discoveries of all will be the ones about herself..''

..an affecting tale of an orphan seeking fulfilment and love in 1944 San Francisco....Moyer expertly weaves in flashbacks to Irene’s hardscrabble time in the orphanage, her excitement at USO dances, and poignant details of what happened with Johnny....an evocative picture of life during wartime.

ginnymoyer.org—PUBLISHERS WEEKLY

“…An engaging home front war novel….”—KIRKUS REVIEWS

BIO:

GINNY KUBITZ MOYER is a California native with a love of local history. A graduate of Pomona College and Stanford University, she’s the author of the novel THE SEEING

GARDEN, which won Silver in the Foreword INDIES Book of the Year Award in Historical Fiction. Fiction; the novel A GOLDEN LIFE, a Kirkus Reviews Best Indie Book of 2024. She lives in the San Francisco Bay Area with her husband, two sons, and one rescue dog. Learn more at ginnymoyer.org.

Kate's War - Linda Stewart Henley

If you like historical fiction, you're going to want to pick up Linda Stewart Henley's new book - Kate's War.

What's it about? 

"Set in a London suburb during the first year of WWII, KATE’S WAR by Linda Stewart Henley gives us the moving story of Kate Murphy and her family as they grapple with possible bombings and invasion. This novel is inspired by a little-known event from 1940 in which Henley’s father participated.

At twenty, after much preparation and while still mourning the end of her first romance, Kate is ready to leave home to pursue a singing career, long her dream. Her biggest hurdle is overcoming severe breathing problems that plague her when nervous.

But just when she is ready to tell her family of her imminent departure, Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain declares that Britain is at war with Germany. 

As Kate re-orients to staying home and once again teaching choir at the local school, she’s approached by the mother of one of her pupils, a Jewish German refugee. The mother asks that Kate take care of her daughter if anything happens. When the little girl’s parents are deported in the dead of night and the child comes to her for help, Kate taps into a core of courage she never knew she had.

In her finest book yet, Linda Stewart Henley explores the challenges of new adulthood in the midst of war, the protection of children during violent conflicts, keeping dreams alive, and young love. Kate’s War is beautifully written, poignant, and a gripping tale of bravery and hope."

You can connect with Linda on her website. As well as on Facebook. 

Giveaway - The California Wife - Kristen Harnisch.

Kristen Harnisch has just released The California Wife, the sequel to her debut novel, The Vintner's Daughter. And I have a copy to giveaway to one lucky reader!

What's it about?

"In the sweeping, poignant sequel to The Vintner’s Daughter, the Lemieux family’s ambition to establish an American winemaking dynasty takes Sara and Philippe from pastoral Napa to the Paris World’s Fair and into the colorful heart of early 20th-century San Francisco.

It is 1897, and Sara and Philippe Lemieux, newly married and full of hope for the future, are determined to make Eagle’s Run, their Napa vineyard, into a world-renowned winemaking operation. But the swift arrival of the 20th century brings a host of obstacles they never dreamed of: price wars and the twin threats of phylloxera and Prohibition endanger the success of their business, and the fiercely independent Sara is reluctant to leave the fields behind for the new and strange role of wife and mother.

An invitation to the World’s Fair in 1900 comes just in time to revive the vineyard’s prospects, and amid the jewel-colored wonders of Belle Époque Paris, Sara and Philippe’s passion is rekindled as well. But then family tragedy strikes, and, upon their return to California, a secret from Philippe’s past threatens to derail their hard-won happiness in one stroke.

Sara gains an ally when Marie Chevreau, her dear friend, arrives in San Francisco as the first female surgery student to be admitted to prestigious Cooper Medical College. Through Marie, Sara gets a glimpse of the glittering world of San Francisco’s high society, and she also forges friendships with local women’s rights advocates, inciting new tensions in her marriage. Philippe issues Sara an ultimatum: will she abandon the struggle for freedom to protect her family’s winemaking business, or will she ignore Philippe and campaign for a woman’s right to vote and earn a fair wage?

Fate has other plans in store in the spring of 1906, which brings with it a challenge unlike any other that the Lemieux family or their fellow Northern Californians have ever faced. Will the shadow of history overwhelm Sara and Philippe’s future, despite their love for each other? In The California Wife, Kristen Harnisch delivers a rich, romantic tale of wine, love, new beginnings, and a family’s determination to fight for what really matters—sure to captivate fans of The Vintner’s Daughter and new readers alike.'

Cr: Alix Martinez 

"Kristen Harnisch drew upon her extensive research and her experiences living in San Francisco and visiting the Loire Valley and Paris to create the stories for The California Wife  and her first novel, The Vintner's Daughter. Ms. Harnisch has a degree in economics from Villanova University and currently resides in Connecticut with her husband and three children."

You can connect with Kristen on:  ||  Website  ||  Facebook  ||  Twitter ||

“Kristen Harnisch’s follow-up to her wine-soaked debut, The Vintner’s Daughter, is just as sumptuous as her first offering. . . . This vital, sweeping story is delivered in Harnisch’s silky, upscale prose. Much like a fine glass of wine, The California Wife is a highbrow indulgence that is tasteful, captivating and heady.”—The Globe and Mail

“Harnisch’s lyrical descriptions underscore the beauty of winemaking, political activism, and even surgery. Combined with her first novel, The California Wife feels like the second season of a period miniseries, best enjoyed with a glass of zinfandel.”—Booklist

If you'd like to read The California Wife, I have a copy to give away to one lucky reader. 

Enter using the Rafflecopter form below. 

Open to US and Canada, no PO boxes please. Ends June 11/16.

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Giveaway - True Stories at the Smoky View - Jill McCroskey Coupe

True Stories at the Smoky View is Jill McCroskey Coupe's first novel. It has just released - and I have a copy to giveaway to one lucky reader!

From the publisher, She Writes Press:

"After attending the funeral of her estranged friend Skip in Knoxville, Tennessee, Vrai (short for Vraiment), a forty-something art history librarian with sons of her own, rescues ten-year-old Jonathan, who has been abandoned with no shoes in the funeral home parking lot. The Blizzard of 1993 strands this unlikely duo at the Smoky View Motel, where, motivated in part by the unsolved murders of Jonathan’s parents, they begin to uncover the truth about Skip’s death. With elements of mystery and intrigue, True Stories at the Smoky View is primarily a novel about relationships: the love Vrai feels for her husband and sons, all of whom have left home; her friendship with Skip, which she begins to see in a new light; and her deepening bond with Jonathan. For Vrai and Jonathan, this is a story of mutual rescue―one that results in new lives for them both." Read an excerpt of True Stories at the Smoky View.

“…riveting….Coupe handles this complex tale of troubled romance, broken families, redeeming friendship, and inexplicable evil with intelligence, grace, and grit. This exhilarating debut novel brims with honesty, charm, heart, and good humor.”—John Dufresne, author of No Regrets, Coyote

"A former librarian at Johns Hopkins University, Jill McCroskey Coupe has an MFA in Fiction from Warren Wilson College. She grew up in Knoxville, TN, and now lives in Baltimore." You can connect with Jill on her blog and follow her on Facebook.

Enter to win a copy of True Stories at the Smoky View using the Rafflecopter form below. Open to US and Canada, no PO boxes please. Ends April 23/16.

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The Vintner's Daughter - Kristen Harnisch - Review AND Giveaway

The Vintner's Daughter is Kristen Harnisch's debut novel. The beautiful cover and a blurb by one of my favourite historical authors, Roberta Rich, convinced me to pick up the book. 

Seventeen year old Sara Thibault's father is a vintner in the Loire Valley, France in 1895. With no sons, he has passed on his knowledge to Sara, who hopes to continue the family legacy. But when her father dies, and her sister marries badly, Sara's vision of the future quickly changes. The sisters run to America where Sara eventually wends her way to the Napa Valley wineries.

Historical fiction fans are going to enjoy this one. Harnish has chosen a different and quite interesting platform for her novel. The descriptions of wine making techniques were all new to me. The vineyard settings and methods were richly drawn and well researched. Part of the novel takes place in New York City and this setting is also well portrayed. This is a time period and place I enjoy, so the US setting was my favourite. Harnisch touches on social issues of the time as well - the Suffragette movement and Prohibition.

But at it's heart, The Vintner's Daughter is a character driven novel. Sara is a protagonist that the reader can't help but root for. She's facing insurmountable odds, but her loyalty, drive and feisty spirit carry her forward. Oh, and did I mention the romantic elements? Uh huh. In addition to the dastardly brother in law, there's another brother who is the opposite side of the coin. And he just happens to be a vintner....

Harnisch has taken a familiar story of family loyalty, loss, love and redemption and given it her own stamp with the wine element. Fans of historical romantic fiction will enjoy The Vintner's Daughter - best enjoyed with a glass of wine. Read an excerpt of The Vintner's Daughter.

"Kristen Harnisch's ancestors emigrated from Normandy, France, to Canada in the 1600s. She is a descendant of Louis Hebert, who came to New France from Paris with Samuel de Champlain and is considered the first Canadian apothecary. She has a degree in economics from Villanova University and now lives in Connecticut. The Vintner's Daughter, her debut novel, is the first in a series about the changing world of vineyard life at the turn of the century." You can find Kristen on Facebook

If this sounds like a book you'd like to read, I have a copy to giveaway to one lucky reader. Simply leave a comment (and a contact method) to be entered. Open to US and Canada, no PO Boxes please. Ends September 27/14.

The Promise - Ann Weisgarber- Review AND Giveaway

I read Ann Weisgarber's debut novel, The Personal History of Rachel Dupree, in 2011 and was immediately captured by her storytelling. (my review)

Weisgarber's latest book, The Promise, did the same, holding me from first page to last.

Catherine Wainwright is a talented pianist, making her own way in 1899 Ohio. But she makes the mistake of believing a man's interest in her is true. She is marked as a fallen woman and shunned by her family, friends and acquaintances. The man has no intention of leaving his wife. With no one willing to hire or work with her and her debts mounting, Catherine's plight grows increasingly desperate. She casts about for a man that has not heard of her background, sending out letters to renew ties. One man replies - Oscar Williams. Oscar left Ohio as a young man and eventually landed in Galveston, Texas where he makes his living as a farmer. His wife Bernadette has just died, leaving him to raise their four year old son Andre. A local girl, Nan Ogden made Bernadette a promise - to look after Andre. But when Oscar brings home Catherine as his new wife, worlds, emotions and more collide.

Weisgarber has again created very strong, but different, female characters in Catherine and Nan. Both are well drawn, but I found myself drawn more to Nan. Her down to earth, practical attitude belies a caring heart. She is astute enough to sense the attraction between Catherine and Oscar and realize what is inevitable. I had a harder time with Catherine. Although her character transforms as the relationships between the three main characters evolve, I still had a difficult time accepting her.

"Oscar ate with the neighbour men and danced with the women, rural unrefined people, but that hadn't mattered to him. He enjoyed their company. He was without pretense and this, I realized, was what drew me to him."

She, however, is pretending, hiding her past and the desperate need to flee circumstances of her own making.

The narrative is alternated between Catherine and Nan, giving us an insider's view of each woman's thoughts. Interestingly, Oscar is never given a voice of his own. Rather, we learn of and about him from each woman's point of view.

Weisgarber again draws on historical events to set the backdrop for her novel. I was unaware of the geography and history of Galveston Island. (I did, of course, have to Google it after I finished the book.) 1900 Galveston was home to one of the US's greatest natural disasters. A hurricane inundated the island and city, killing 6,000 people in the span of a few hours. This event is pivotal to Weisgarber's story.

The setting is a character in the book as well, the heat and the storm almost tangible in Weisgarber's beautifully descriptive passages. Weisgarber has written a story rich with emotion, detail and history - definitely a recommended read. Read an excerpt of The Promise.

The Promise has been shortlisted for the Walter Scott Prize for Historical Fiction. The winner will be announced June 13, 2014. The other authors on the shortlist are Kate Atkinson, Eleanor Catton, Jim Crace, Andrew Greig, and Robert Harris. The Personal History of Rachel Dupree was long listed for the Orange Prize and short listed for the Orange Award for New Writers.

I have a copy of The Promise to give away to one lucky reader. Simply leave a comment (and a contact method) to be entered. Open to US and Canada. No PO boxes please. Ends June 7/14.