Yarde Reviews & Book Promotion

Tuesday, 13 January 2026

Till Taught by pain by Susan Coventry

Till Taught by pain

By Susan Coventry

Publication Date: November 4th, 2025

Publisher: Regal House Publishing

Pages: 310

Genre: Historical Biographical Fiction

Inspired by the groundbreaking discoveries of ether and chloroform anesthesia, William Stewart Halsted pursues a surgical career with ruthless ambition, daring to perform operations deemed impossible by his peers. His reputations skyrockets with each bold success—until his quest for an effective local anesthetic leads him to inject himself with cocaine.

Caroline, the niece of Confederate General Wade Hampton, seeks to escape the constraints of post-war South Carolina by training as a nurse. When she takes a position at the prestigious Johns Hopkins Hospital, she finds herself captivated by the brilliant yet troubled chief of surgery, Dr. Halsted.

Till Taught by Pain is a poignant exploration of love and sacrifice, as Caroline grapples with the difficult choice between enabling her husband’s addiction and supporting his pioneering career. As their lives intertwine, both must confront the consequences of ambition, the nature of love, and the toll of personal demons on their shared dreams.

Praise

“Susan Coventry pulled me in quickly to this intriguing and shocking late 19th century story of early medical research and the challenges it brought to personal and professional relationships. The gripping love story carries emotional pain along with the compelling facts surrounding the famous Dr. William Halsted and Caroline Hampton. Till Taught by Pain taught me of the gratitude and sympathy owed to these two historical figures from whom we learned so much. A wonderful novel.”

Leigh, Amazon 5* Review

“Especially for those interested in medical history, TILL TAUGHT BY PAIN by Susan Coventry will be a winner. The late-1800s framework gives a rather shocking picture of how much was yet to be learned concerning the surgical theatre.”

Speedy Grandma, Amazon 5* Review

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Susan Coventry

Susan Coventry is a retired physician with a lifelong historical fiction obsession. Her first novel, The Queen’s Daughter, was a YA historical set in the Middle Ages. For Till Taught by Pain, she switched from YA to adult novels and moved on from Medieval Europe to turn-of-the-20th century U.S..

She lives in Louisville, KY with her historian husband, Brad Asher.

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Monday, 12 January 2026

The Angel Maker (Hartford Manor Book 2) by Marcia Clayton

The Angel Maker

(Hartford Manor Book 2)
By Marcia Clayton

Publication Date: 12th December 2020

Publisher: Sunhillow Publishing

Page Length: 379

Genre: Historical Fiction

1884 North Devon, England

When carpenter, Fred Carter, finds a young woman in dire straits by the roadside, he takes her to the local inn where she gives birth to a daughter. Charlotte Mackie is an unmarried mother and has run away from home where she would have no sympathy from her strict parents. A few days later, Fred takes Charlotte to her aunt’s house and does not expect to see her again.

When their paths unexpectedly cross, Fred finds Charlotte is distraught as her aunt has arranged an adoption behind her back. Charlotte is desperate to find her baby, and Fred promises to help. However, they are unprepared for the sinister discoveries that lay before them. Set alongside the absorbing detail of country life and budding village romances, dark forces are at work, which ultimately test the bravery and resourcefulness of the whole community.

The Angel Maker is the sequel to The Mazzard Tree and the second novel in a compelling series that follows the lives and loves of the villagers of Hartford. A rare treat for lovers of historical fiction.

Praise

“The Angel Maker (Hartford Manor Book 2)” by Marcia Clayton is a captivating continuation of the Hartford Manor series. This novel beautifully explores the journeys of its characters as they navigate the challenges and triumphs of Victorian England. With rich descriptions and a compelling narrative, Clayton artfully integrates themes of hope, resilience, and familial bonds, making it a delightful read for fans of historical fiction. This instalment not only deepens the saga but also introduces new complexities and heart-warming moments that will resonate with readers. This book comes highly recommended.

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Marcia Clayton

A farmer’s daughter, Marcia Clayton, was born in North Devon, a rural and picturesque area in the far South West of England. When she left school, Marcia worked in a bank for several years until she married her husband, Bryan, and then stayed at home for a few years to care for her three sons, Stuart, Paul, and David.

As the children grew older, Marcia worked as a Marie Curie nurse caring for the terminally ill and later for the local authority managing school transport. Now a grandmother, Marcia enjoys spending time with her family and friends. She is a keen researcher of family history, and this hobby inspired some of the characters in her books. Marcia and Bryan are keen gardeners and grow many of their own vegetables.

An avid reader, Marcia can often be found with her nose in a book when she should be doing something else! Her favourite genres are historical fiction, romance, and crime books. Marcia has written five books in the historical family saga, “The Hartford Manor Series”, and is working on the sixth. Besides writing books, Marcia produces blogs to share with her readers in a monthly newsletter.

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Antonius: Son of Rome (The Antonius Trilogy, Book 1) by Brook Allen

Antonius: Son of Rome

(The Antonius Trilogy, Book 1)
By Brook Allen

Publication Date: 15th March 2019

Publisher: Brook Allen

Print Length: 416 Pages

Genre: Ancient World Historical Fiction

For over two-thousand years, Marcus Antonius—Marc Antony—has been one of history’s most controversial men. His story was buried with him and written by his enemies. Now his entire saga is revealed in a compelling trilogy by Brook Allen.

After young Marcus Antonius’s father dies in disgrace, he yearns to restore his family’s honor during the final days of Rome’s dying Republic. Marcus is rugged, handsome, and owns abundant military talent, but upon entering manhood, he falls prey to the excesses of a violent society. His whoring, gambling, and drinking eventually reap dire consequences. Through a series of personal tragedies, Marcus must come into his own through blood, blades, and death. Once he finally earns a military commission, he faces an uphill battle to earn the respect and admiration of soldiers, proconsuls, and kings. Desperate to redeem his name and carve a legacy for himself, he refuses to let warring rebels, scheming politicians, or even an alluring young Egyptian princess.

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Brook Allen

Author Brook Allen has a passion for history. Her newest project, West of Santillane spotlights history from a little closer to home. It’s the story of Julia Hancock, who married famed explorer, William Clark. Each character of this thrilling, adventurous period was researched throughout southwest Virginia and into Kentucky, Missouri, Montana, Idaho, and North Dakota. It launches in March of 2024.

Brook belongs to the Historical Novel Society and attends conferences as often as possible to study craft and meet fellow authors. In 2019, Son of Rome won the Coffee Pot Book Club Book of the Year Award. In 2020, it was honored with a silver medal in the international Reader’s Favorite Book Reviewers Book Awards and also won First Place in the prestigious Chaucer Division in the Chanticleer International Book Awards, 2020.

The Antonius Trilogy is a detailed account of the life of Marcus Antonius—Marc Antony, which she worked on for fifteen years. The first installment, Antonius: Son of Rome was published in March 2019. It follows Antony as a young man, from the age of eleven, when his father died in disgrace, until he’s twenty-seven and meets Cleopatra for the first time. Brook’s second book is Antonius: Second in Command, dealing with Antony’s tumultuous rise to power at Caesar’s side and culminating with the civil war against Brutus and Cassius. Antonius: Soldier of Fate is the last book in the trilogy, spotlighting the romance between Antonius and Cleopatra and the historic war with Octavian Caesar.

Though she graduated from Asbury University with a B.A. in Music Education, Brook has always loved writing. She completed a Masters program at Hollins University with an emphasis in Ancient Roman studies, which helped prepare her for authoring her Antonius Trilogy. Brook teaches full-time as a Music Educator and works in a rural public-school district near Roanoke, Virginia. Her personal interests include travel, cycling, hiking in the woods, reading, and spending downtime with her husband and big, black dog, Jak. She lives in the heart of southwest Virginia in the scenic Blue Ridge Mountains.

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The Relic Keeper by Heidi Eljarbo

The Relic Keeper

By Heidi Eljarbo

Publication Date: November 18th, 2025

Publisher: independently published

Pages: 142

Genre: Late Renaissance Historical Fiction

Inspired by Gerrit van Honthorst’s masterpiece, The Adoration of the Child, and the novel Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens.

Italy, 1620.

Angelo is an orphan, lonely and forgotten. Having been passed on from one family to the next, he ends up as a common thief, subject to and under the thumb of a ruthless robber called Tozzo.

Angelo knows no other life and has lost hope that any chance of providence will ever replace his lonely, misfortunate existence. When he loses his master, his livelihood is shaken. Tozzo’s plunder is hidden in a safe place, but what will happen if someone comes after Angelo to get their hands on the stolen relics? More than that, he feels threatened by words he’s heard too many times; that he’ll always remain unforgiven and doomed.

One day, a priest invites Angelo to help with chores around the church and rectory and, in exchange, offers him room and board. Padre Benedetto’s kindness and respect are unfamiliar and confusing, but Angelo’s safety is still a grave concern. Two older robbers have heard rumors about the hidden treasures and will stop at nothing to attain them.

With literary depictions and imagery, Angelo’s story is a gripping and emotional journey of faint hope and truth in seventeenth-century Italy—an artistic and audacious tale that crosses paths with art collector Vincenzo Giustiniani and the powerful Medici family.

Using invisible threads, Heidi Eljarbo weaves together her fictional stories with historical figures and real events. The Relic Keeper is similar in tone to books by Geraldine Brooks, Tracy Chevalier, Deborah Swift, and Laura Morelli.

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Heidi Eljarbo

Heidi Eljarbo grew up in a home full of books, artwork, and happy creativity. She is the author of historical novels filled with courage, hope, mystery, adventure, and sweet romance during challenging times. She’s been named a master of dual timelines and often writes about strong-willed women of past centuries.

After living in Canada, six US states, Japan, Switzerland, and Austria, Heidi now calls Norway home. She lives with her husband on a charming island and enjoys walking in any kind of weather, hugging her grandchildren, and has a passion for art and history.

Her family’s chosen retreat is a mountain cabin, where they hike in the summer and ski the vast white terrain during winter.

Heidi’s favorites are her family, God's beautiful nature, and the word whimsical.

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Website • Twitter / X • Facebook • Instagram • Pinterest

BookBub • Amazon Author Page • Goodreads