Monday, 4 May 2026

Escape of the Grand Duchess by Susan Appleyard




Yarde Book Promotions Book of the Year 2025

Escape of the Grand Duchess
By Susan Appleyard


Publication Date: 27th July 2025
Publisher: Ingenium Books Publishing Inc.
Page Length: 412
Genre: Biographical Historical Fiction 

Escape of the Grand Duchess by Susan Appleyard is a gripping historical novel that shatters the notion that royalty is synonymous with privilege and ease. At its heart is Grand Duchess Olga Alexandrovna, the youngest sister of Tsar Nicholas II—a Romanov who defied a doomed destiny and survived.

Unlike her ill-fated brother and his family, Olga’s story is one of resilience, sacrifice, and daring escape. Trapped in a loveless marriage to a reckless gambler—who harbours secrets of his own—she finds hope in the arms of a dashing army lieutenant. But before she can claim her own happiness, she must first endure the brutal realities of World War I, where she serves as a nurse on the frontlines.

As the Russian Empire teeters on the brink of collapse, the infamous Siberian mystic Rasputin tightens his grip on the imperial court, setting the stage for revolution. With the Bolsheviks seizing power and the Romanovs marked for death, Olga faces an impossible choice: risk everything to stay or flee into the unknown with her true love and their children.

Rich in historical detail and driven by an unforgettable heroine, Escape of the Grand Duchess is a sweeping riches-to-rags tale of survival, love, and the strength it takes to forge a new life in the face of unimaginable upheaval.

Pick up your copy of
Escape of the Grand Duchess

Susan Appleyard



Susan was born in England, which is where she learned to love English history, and now lives in Canada in the summer. In winter she and her husband flee the cold for their second home in Mexico. Susan divides her time between writing and her hobby, oil painting, although writing will always be her first love. She was fortunate in having had two books published traditionally. Since joining the ebook crowd, she has published nine books, some of which have won various awards.

Posted by at No comments:

Saturday, 2 May 2026

Rough Diamond - Rough Justice by Avien Gray



 Rough Diamond - Rough Justice 
By Avien Gray


Publisher: Avien Gray
Page Length: 446
Genre: Political Thrillers & Suspense / Historical Fiction

After a first kill, MI5 Agent and erstwhile photographer Cain becomes an undercover, extra-judicial killer for a secret Bureau.

Recovering from injuries sustained protecting the Royal Family, Cain embracesa new life and romance in sun-drenched Australia, leaving his past life behind.

But when tragedy strikes, he is on the move again. This time to a new career in the world of diamond dealings in Florida.

Curiosity takes Cain to the diamond world in South Africa, where his past finally catches up with him, the criminal world allies against him and he becomes a killer again.

In Cain's action-packed escapades, a spectacular betrayal takes him into the rigours of a Chinese prison where the truth about his past begins to unravel.

Aided by a loyal band of friends from the shadowy world of intelligence, he delivers his own particular brand of rough justice.

However, with enemies closing in on all sides, will Cain prevail?

Pick up your copy of
Rough Diamond, Rough Justice 
HERE!

Avien Gray

Avien Gray, the English author behind Rough Diamond – Rough Justice, brings a wealth of experience to his gripping debut novel. Born in the UK, Gray has led a dynamic, bachelor’s life marked by an impressive array of skills and global adventures. He has a driver’s license, motorbike license, and pilot’s license. His physical discipline extends to martial arts, where he earned a karate black belt, complemented by a lifelong passion for photography that captures the world through his discerning lens.

Gray’s rumoured travels paint the picture of a man unbound by borders. He is said to have spent many months in Saudi Arabia, Australia, the USA, South Africa, Europe and China. This rich tapestry of experiences infuses his writing with authenticity, lending a vivid, worldly edge to the thrilling narrative of his complex protagonist: a man called Cain.

Avien and his best friend shared a flat and went out with various female friends together. They had a great time. As it says in the book when Cain is talking with his best friend: a Royal Protection Officer.

 ‘We will have to write that book when we retire,’ Cain said.

 They looked at each other with knowing smiles – for a long few seconds.

 ‘All those secrets,’ said Jerry. ‘Perhaps we will.’

 And time moved on.

But in real life, his best friend tragically died – leaving Avien to write their book alone.

Connect with Avien Gray:


Posted by at No comments:

Friday, 1 May 2026

The Irish Yankee (The Dawn of America series Book 1) by Regan Walker

 


The Irish Yankee
(The Dawn of America series Book 1)
By Regan Walker


Publication Date: 3rd September 2025
Publisher: Patriotic Books Publishing
Page Length: 324 Pages
Genre: Historical Fiction

Winner of the Gold Medal in the Readers' Choice Awards!

In June 1775, amid the Revolutionary War’s early stirrings, Irish Yankee Jeremiah O’Brien, seizes a British armed schooner off the Maine coast to thwart the cargo of lumber she was escorting from reaching British forces in Boston. Inspired by this daring victory, Jeremiah abandons his lumber business to command privateer vessels, relentlessly pursuing British merchant ships across dangerous waters.

Defying the British navy’s tightening grip on the Massachusetts coast, he risks his life and his ships to capture many prizes. Yet his greatest battle may lay onshore: winning the heart of Elizabeth Fitzpatrick, a fiercely independent woman who loves the freedom he fights for. Only a man worthy of the title “the hero of the Lexington of the Sea” could earn her love and prove himself worthy of her strength.


Start your reading adventure HERE. 
Read with #KindleUnlimited

 Regan Walker



Regan Walker is an award-winning author of more than twenty historical novels spanning the Regency, Georgian, Medieval, and Revolutionary eras. With meticulous research and a storyteller’s eye for drama, she transports readers from the cobblestones of early nineteenth-century London to the intrigues of eighteenth-century France, from Scotland’s mist-shrouded Highlands to ships riding dangerous seas. From spies, smugglers, and pirates to masked balls and opulent palaces, her novels reveal the courage, faith, and love that endure through history’s most turbulent days.







Posted by at No comments:

Thursday, 30 April 2026

Infidel: The Daughters of Aragon (Six Tudor Queens) by Nicola Harris

 




Infidel: The Daughters of Aragon 
(Six Tudor Queens)
By Nicola Harris


Publication Date: 5th March 2026
Publisher: ‎Independently Published
Print Length: 268 Pages
Genre: Biographical Historical Fiction | Tudor Fiction | Historical Fiction

Born in the glittering courts of Castile and Aragon and forged in the shadow of war, Catalina de Aragón grows up surrounded by queens, rebels, and explorers. She is her mother’s last daughter, the final jewel of a dynasty built on conquest and faith, and the one child Isabella of Castile cannot bear to lose.

But destiny has already claimed Catalina.

Promised to Prince Arthur of England since childhood, she is raised to bind kingdoms, soothe old wounds, and carry the hopes of an empire across the sea. Yet, Spain fractures under rebellion, grief, and the ruthless zeal of its own rulers.

From the burning streets of Granada to the storm lashed Bay of Biscay, Catalina and her sisters must navigate a treacherous path shaped by ambition, betrayal, and the dangerous love of men who fear the power of queens. She learns to read cyphers, to read hearts, and to stand unbroken even as her childhood is stripped from her piece by piece.

And when she finally sails for England armed with her mother’s lessons, her father’s steel, and the ghosts of the Alhambra at her back, Catalina steps into her fate not as a girl, but as a force.

A princess.
A survivor.
A daughter of Aragon.

Infidel is the story of a young woman raised for greatness and destined to reshape the fate of nations. This is Catalina, as she has never been seen before. She is fierce, vulnerable, and unforgettable.

A sweeping, intimate portrait of sisterhood, survival, and the making of a dynasty, Infidel reveals the hidden lives of a woman whose courage shaped the Tudor world.

Start your reading adventure HERE.
 Read with #KindleUnlimited

Nicola Harris



I’ve always been a writer, but it was only when illness forced me to stop everything that I finally had the time to write a novel. After decades of misdiagnosis, I learned I was born with a serious genetic condition, not rare, but profoundly misunderstood. The clues were there from birth, and suddenly, a lifetime of struggle made sense.

Writing became my lifeline: a way to step beyond my pain, to shape my experience into a story, and to find meaning where there had once been only endurance.

I have a lifelong love of children, Counselling, and Psychotherapy Theory and history.








Posted by at 1 comment:

Wednesday, 29 April 2026

Highland Arms (Highland Chronicles Tales Book 1) by Cathie Dunn



Highland Arms
(Highland Chronicles Tales Book 1) 
By Cathie Dunn


Publication Date: 11th November 2016
Publisher: Ocelot Press
Page Length: 205 Pages
Genre: Scottish Historical Romance

A Highlander with a dangerous cause. 
A Lowland Lady in disgrace. 
Sizzling romance in the Highlands.

Betrayed by her brother’s lies, Catriona MacKenzie is banished from her home to her godmother’s manor in the remote Scottish Highlands. While her father ponders her fate, Catriona’s insatiable curiosity leads her into trouble – and straight into the arms of a notorious Highland rogue.

Five years after an ill-fated Jacobite rebellion, Rory Cameron smuggles cattle and weapons to raise money for another uprising – until Catriona uncovers a deadly plot against him. When she inadvertently exposes his activities, Rory is faced with a decision that could save their lives, or destroy them both.

But is he running out of time?

Excerpt

Yes, she’d just have to convince Auntie Meg—and Rory Cameron—that she simply had to stay.

Her mind made up, she rose and wrapped a thick blanket around her shoulders. As her bare feet touched the wooden floor, she hissed at the chill. With no maid to call upon, she left her room and went downstairs in search of the kitchen. The thought of a warming cup of tea raised her spirits. Then she’d continue to set her plan into motion.

She pushed the kitchen door open and stopped short. Standing by the mullioned window, in front of a large bowl overflowing with water, was Rory Cameron. He turned as he heard the door. Catriona caught her breath and grabbed the handle, letting go of the blanket. 

Water dripped over his head and down his torso, trickling in small rivulets over his kilt held by a broad belt with a round silver buckle in a Pagan design of interlacing swirls. The light curls of hair on his tanned chest glistened with moisture. His shoulder-length hair was unbound, falling softly over taut muscle. A dry smile told her she was staring at him. Again. 

She swallowed hard. “I...” She stuttered. “I’m so sorry, Mr Cameron.” She averted her gaze to her feet. “I was just going to heat up water for my tea. I didn’t mean to interrupt.” 

The insufferable man laughed as he grabbed a piece of cloth and began to pat himself dry. “I don’t think you did.” He shook his head, sending strands flying before rubbing it vigorously. “And it’s Rory, remember?” He grinned. 

Catriona stood rooted to the spot. Words failed her. Her mouth went dry. 

“But tell me,” he went on, “do you always venture into the kitchen so early? If so, you’d better get dressed next time.” 

Transfixed by his mocking gaze, her cheeks heated as she became aware of her own state of undress. What an impression was she giving him, with her hair falling loosely over her shoulders, and the blanket only barely covering her modesty? 

Oh, dear God, the blanket! 


Ready to escape to the Highlands?
Available now on #Kindle, Paperback, and #KindleUnlimited. Pick up your copy HERE.



Cathie Dunn is an Amazon-bestselling author of historical fiction, dual-timeline, mystery, and romance. She loves to infuse her stories with a strong sense of place and time, combined with a dark secret or mystery – and a touch of romance. Often, you can find her deep down the rabbit hole of historical research…
 
In addition, she is also a historical fiction book promoter with The Coffee Pot Book Club, a novel-writing tutor, and a keen reviewer on her blog, Ruins & Reading.
 
After having lived in Scotland for almost two decades, Cathie is now enjoying the sunshine in the south of France with her husband, and her rescued pets, Ellie Dog & Charlie Cat. 

She is a member of the Historical Novel Society, the Richard III Society, the Alliance of Independent Authors, and the Romantic Novelists’ Association.

Connect with Cathie: 

Posted by at No comments:

Rescued by the Rakish Lord by Sarah Mallory




Rescued by the Rakish Lord
By Sarah Mallory


Publication Date: April 23rd, 2026
Publisher: Harlequin Mills & Boon
Pages: 276
Genre: Historical Romance

A man of such dubious reputation…

that he was called Devil Blackbourne!

When Lord Deveril Blackbourne meets Selina Wynter, he is intrigued. For she has all the accomplishments of a lady, but the fiery temper and spirit of a tavern maid! Then she is abducted by a dastardly suitor, and Deveril—for all his roguish reputation— can’t stand idly by… 

Lord Deveril is Selina’s least likely rescuer, but when they’re stranded together in a snowstorm and her reputation is at risk, he surprises her with a gallant proposal! Deveril’s no honourable suitor, yet his actions say otherwise…

Just who is the real Devil Blackbourne? Selina’s determined to find out!


Start your reading adventure HERE.


Sarah Mallory



Sarah Mallory is an award-winning author who has published more than 40 historical romances with Harlequin Mills & Boon. She loves history, especially the Georgian and Regency.

She won the prestigious RoNA Rose Award from the Romantic Novelists Association in 2012 and 2013 and nominated in 2022. She also won the RNA’s Romantic Historical Novel Award in 2024 for The Night She Met the Duke. Sarah also writes romantic historical adventures as Melinda Hammond.

Sarah was born in the West Country but lived for many years on the Yorkshire Pennines, taking inspiration from the wild and rugged moors. Then in 2018 she fell in love with Scotland and ran away to live on the rugged North West Coast, which is proving even more inspiring!





</
Posted by at 1 comment:

Tuesday, 28 April 2026

The Wastrel's Daughter by Arabella Brown

 



The Wastrel's Daughter
By Arabella Brown


Publication Date: 13th April 2021
Publisher: Independently Published
Print Length: 268 Pages
Genre: Historical Fiction / Regency Romance

A chaste, entertaining Regency novel. 

Left with nothing but debts after their father’s death, Anne and Polly Selby have no choice but to let the house and seek employment, bidding farewell to a genteel life. 

Anne becomes a governess – but is dismissed within weeks, though not before losing her heart to a debt-ridden gamester.

Polly, companion to testy, demanding Lady Thrutchbeck, falls seriously ill. Recovering, she finds herself courted by a gentleman she has never met.

Does Polly's suitor intend marriage, or does he only want a sympathetic ear for his memories of his dead wife? Will Anne's rake truly reform, or is he merely making empty promises? Is there a chance for their happiness? And what has happened to the mysterious valise mentioned by their father in his last words?


Head back to the Regency world and start your reading adventure HERE.

Arabella Brown


Arabella Brown is a pen name of Henye Meyer. Mrs. Meyer has published a number of books for a specific niche market, so to differentiate, she uses Arabella Brown for Regencies and other types of fiction such as SF and genre stories. All of her writing is absolutely clean. She loves writing historical fiction but occasionally has dreams too interesting to resist turning into stories.

Mrs. Meyer was born in North America but now lives in the U.K. in a Victorian semi-detached bungalow, an unusual configuration. It has a larger garden (mostly vertical) than you expect to find in the city, which she keeps as nature-friendly as possible, attracting a wide variety of birds as well as foxes (of course), newts, hedgehogs, and deer.

Mrs. Meyer has an exceptionally tolerant husband, children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and a lively sense of humor.

Posted by at No comments:

Monday, 27 April 2026

The Enemy's Wife by Deborah Swift



 

The Enemy's Wife
By Deborah Swift


Publication Date: April 6th, 2026
Publisher: HQ Digital
Pages: 380
Genre: Historical Fiction

'A fast-paced, beautifully written, and moving story. Refreshing to read a book set in a different theatre of war. Wartime Shanghai jumped off the page'
CLARE FLYNN


A poignant story of the impossible choices we make in the shadow of war, for fans of Daisy Wood and Marius Gabriel.


1941. When Zofia’s beloved husband Haru is conscripted into the Imperial Japanese Army, she is left to navigate Japanese-occupied Shanghai alone.

Far from home and surrounded by a country at war, Zofia finds unexpected comfort in a bond with Hilly, a spirited young refugee escaping Nazi-occupied Austria.

As violence tightens its grip on the city, they seek shelter with Theo, Zofia’s American employer. But with every passing day, the horrors of war and Haru’s absence begin to reshape Zofia’s world – and her heart.

Can she still love someone who has become the enemy?

Head back to wartime Shanghai today:

Amazon UK

Amazon US

Amazon CA

Amazon AU

Kobo

Audio


Deborah Swift


Deborah used to be a costume designer for the BBC, before becoming a writer. Now she lives in an old English school house in a village full of 17th Century houses, near the glorious Lake District. Deborah has an award-winning historical fiction blog at her website www.deborahswift.com. 

Deborah loves to write about how extraordinary events in history have transformed the lives of ordinary people, and how the events of the past can live on in her books and still resonate today.

Her WW2 novel Past Encounters was a BookViral Award winner, and The Poison Keeper was a winner of the Wishing Shelf Book of the Decade.
Posted by at 1 comment:
Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)