Book Recommendation - A Beautiful Disguise

 

Roseanna M. White has made her way to the forefront of my "to read" list when it comes to historicals. Because she creates vivid imagery with her words and opens the door to actually "see" into the past, created wonderful characters that you can't help but want to get to really "know" and includes mystery and intrigue true to the times, her stories are ones that keep me turning pages to see what will happen. Though her stories always include romance, the romance elements are always well done enough for this non-romance lover to even enjoy. A Beautiful Disguise is among my favorites in the romance department and the hero of this novel is among my favorites as well. Here's a bit about the story:

1909

Left with an estate on the brink of bankruptcy after their father’s death, Lady Marigold Fairfax and her brother open a private investigation firm marketed to the elite . . . to spy on the elite. Dubbed The Imposters, Ltd., their anonymous group soon becomes the go-to for the crème of society when they want answers delivered surreptitiously. But the many secrets Marigold learns about her peers pale in comparison to her shock when she and her brother are hired to investigate her best friend’s father as a potential traitor.

Sir Merritt Livingstone has spent a decade serving the monarch in the most elite guard, but when pneumonia lands him behind a desk in the War Office Intelligence Division just as they’re creating a new secret intelligence branch, he’s intent on showing his worth. He suspects a man of leaking information to Germany as tensions mount between the two countries but needs someone to help him prove it, so he turns to The Imposters, Ltd. No one knows who they are, but their results are beyond compare.

Lady Marigold is determined to discover the truth for her friend’s sake, and she’s more determined still to keep her heart from getting involved with this enigmatic new client . . . who can’t possibly be as noble as he seems.

As part of the author's launch team, I was able to do a Q&A session with the author herself. Here's how that went:

1. What was the inspiration for this story/series?

 The original idea for the Imposters series actually came to me in a dream! Only one I can say that about. ;-) I woke up knowing there was a story about investigators who moved among the elite and called themselves The Imposters, Ltd. I had an image of some derring-do and hijinks and knew a brother and sister were involved. Took me a couple years to flesh it out from there, but I took the sibling-aristocrats part for book 1 and saved another aspect of that original dream for book 2, introduced some circus aspects that were SO much fun, and then got excited too when I realized MI5 (England’s first intelligence branch that combined military and police) was founded then as well, giving me the perfect way to have a hero involved in it.

 2. Who was your favorite character to write and why? Which character do you best relate to?

 Honestly, my favorite character is Leonidas, a retired circus lion. Not that I relate most to him, but how can I resist a lion character? Otherwise, in this story I really loved developing the siblings relationship between Yates and my heroine, Marigold. So I’m going to cheat and name the two of them. I don’t think I’m really like any of the characters per se, but I enjoyed writing them all!

 3. What was the most interesting thing you learned in your research for this story?

 There was so much new-to-me stuff in this one! But I think the most fascinating tidbit was learning that there was a genuine spy-mania going on in England in the first decade of the 1900s, and it was all because of a novelist! William Le Queux’s books, all about German spies invading England, were so popular that the general populace was constantly reporting “suspicious” activity…which is turn was part of what forced England to up its intelligence game, to counteract all these false reports. How cool is that?

4. What are you hoping readers will glean from this story?

 One of the themes through the book is Lady Marigold choosing and crafting a public persona that she at once enjoys and resents. She needs that mask to protect her family…but she also just wants to be seen and understood. My prayers is that through her, we can all see that we do that—everyone. Everyone picks the “them” society will see…but everyone wants to be truly known too. How can we make an effort to know people better—and how can we open ourselves up to be truly known?

5. The Imposters reminded me a bit of the American Pinkerton agency in that they were well known for getting results. Did England actually have such an organization?

 The Imposters are 100% fictional (so far as we know, mwa ha ha ha), but the country certainly has a history of private investigators like the Bow Street Runner in the 19^th century, and the popularity of the fictional Sherlock Holmes proves that investigators remained a fascination well into the 20^th century.

 6. Is there any "behind the scenes" fun or trivia you'd be willing to share with my readers?

Well in addition to spy mania and the formation of MI5 that I’ve already mentioned, I also had a blast incorporating high fashion. Haute couture was just entering the scene around this time, with Coco Chanel opening her first boutique in Paris in 1909. This is when we first really began to see extravagant styles on runways that then had “accessible” counterparts for most women to wear. Lady Marigold sets herself apart, however, by wearing the extremes…only hers don’t come from Paris. They come from her own attic, with the help of a retired circus costumer.

 7. Did anything surprise you in the story as you were writing? Or did anything you learned change the trajectory of the story?

 Two big things happened during the editing process, actually. First, my villain changed. I can’t tell you how, exactly, but originally it was all laid out in very straight lines and there was no surprise. That bugged me even as I turned it in, and when my editors asked for some work to the ending, I said, “Okay, let’s just totally rewrite this part.” And I did. The other rather hilarious one is more the trajectory of the whole series. One of the main secondary characters, Lavinia, was originally only intended to be in this book…but my editors “can’t wait for her story in book 3.” Uh…well…okay then. Sure. Lavinia in book 3! LOL. (I’d originally intended to introduce a whole new female lead, but their assumption about Lavinia led me to a new idea I absolutely adore.)

 8. What is coming next and when can we expect it?

Next up is book 2 in The Imposters, A Nobel Scheme, which focuses on the two Imposters who are clearly at odds in book 1—Gemma and Graham. We learn their history as they work together (under duress) to rescue a kidnapped boy. It will release in March 2024. And then, between that and book 3 in the series, I have a Christmas story coming as well! The Lady of Sugar Plum Manor is a Nutcracker-meets-Downton-Abbey sort of story and will be coming in time for the 2024 holiday season.

So excited for both of these upcoming releases!

Roseanna M. White is a bestselling, Christy Award winning author who has long claimed that words are the air she breathes. When not writing fiction, she’s homeschooling her two kids, editing, designing book covers, and pretending her house will clean itself. Roseanna is the author of a slew of historical novels that span several continents and thousands of years. Spies and war and mayhem always seem to find their way into her books…to offset her real life, which is blessedly ordinary. 

This book is set to release August 22, 2023. Check it out wherever you buy your books! For more information, check out the following links:

Roseanna M White's website: https://www.roseannamwhite.com/

Roseanna M. White's facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/RoseannaMWhite

My full 5 star review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/5247140983

Book Recommendation - Positively Penelope

 

Pepper Basham is steadily gaining traction as a go to rom-com author for me.  Of the books of hers I've read, the Skymar books are my favorites. Set in epistolary style, the books follow the Edgewood family and their correspondences with each other. I've really enjoyed the family dynamics portrayed in these books and the sarcasm and humor found within. Though I've never coined the term "book boyfriend" personally before, that may be changing as I find myself crushing a bit on Luke Edgewood, the grumpy sarcastic big brother. (He reminds me a great deal of my husband, so there's that). Every time Luke responds to a text or email though, I found myself in a fit of giggles. I don't honestly know that I've ever laughed out loud so much in one book as I did this one. This book will definitely be a contender for "top read of 2023" for me. This is book 2 in the Skymar series, but can be read on its own. Fans of the first book, Authentically, Izzy will be familiar with the Edgewood family personalities, the fictional land of Skymar and the overall writing style. Here's a bit about the book:

Told mostly through letters, texts, and email, this contemporary romance will charm its way into hearts as Penelope rescues a theater and discovers her true self in the process.

Penelope Edgewood is practically positive in every way, so when, fresh out of college, she is awarded a paid internship to help save a century-old theater on the island of Skymar, she jumps at the chance. After all, a crumbling theater needs the special touch of someone who reveres all things vintage and adores the stage.

Unfortunately, not everything is as it seems at Darling House Theatre. Finances are in shambles, the local theater group is disenchanted, and the two brothers, Matt and Alec Gray, can’t seem to see eye-to-eye about how to run their theatrical business. So, of course, it’s the perfect place for Penelope to shine her own personal brand of sunshine.

With a little help from GK, the person emailing her encouragement along the way, she puts all her heart into helping the Grays save Darling House. But between Matt’s ever-present skepticism, Alec’s tendency to treat Penelope a little too much like the “princess” she thinks she wants to be (until someone actually started treating her that way), a grandfather who is stuck in his grief, and a mysterious person stealing Penelope’s marketing ideas, she’s not sure her optimism is enough to make a happily-ever-after of her own story, let alone The Darling House’s.

Between an adorable little girl, a matchmaker, a sea monster or two, and a copious amount of musical references, can Penelope draw enough confidence from her faith, her family, and her adoration of all things Julie Andrews, to find the thief and save the theater . . . without getting her heart broken in the process?

Because I follow the author on social media, I've got some extra "scoop" to share with you. Ms. Basham lost her dad quite suddenly last year. Her dad was her biggest cheerleader and read all of her books (including this one - it was the last one he read), but when reading he would frequently text her about how "Rambo" should come and save the day. It was a running inside joke between them. There's a part in this story where she pays tribute to her dad when Luke suggests how Rambo could come and save the day. It made me a bit misty-eyed when I read that part, as well as making me chuckle. 

I thoroughly enjoyed this story. If you're not a fan of epistolary novels or stories that change voice periodically, you may want to set this aside though, as it does venture back between epistolary and story mode. I feel like the transitions were well marked and fluid, and it better told the story than fully in one mode or the other, but I've seen reviews from others who differ with that. 

This book releases August 1, 2023 wherever books are sold. Be sure to grab your copy! I, for one, am REALLY looking forward to Loyally, Luke, coming next year! Squee! For more information, check out the following links:

Pepper Basham's website: https://pepperdbasham.com/

Pepper Basham's Instagram page: https://www.instagram.com/pepperbasham/

My full 5-star review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/5247142638