Friday, June 5, 2026

Join us in celebrating the exciting first *Book Birthday* of Daughter of Mercia, a compelling dual-timeline story by Julia Ibbotson #TimeSlip #HistoricalFiction #RecommendedReading



Daughter of Mercia


Dr Anna Petersen Mysteries #1

by Julia Ibbotson


*First Book Anniversary Blog Tour*


A brand-new Anglo-Saxon time-slip full of mystery and romance.

Echoes of the past resonate across the centuries as Dr Anna Petersen, a medievalist and runologist, is struggling with past trauma and allowing herself to trust again. When archaeologist (and Anna's old adversary) Professor Matt Beacham unearths a 6th century seax with a mysterious runic inscription, and reluctantly approaches Anna for help, a chain of events brings the past firmly back into her present. And why does the burial site also contain two sets of bones, one 6th century and the other modern? 

As the past and present intermingle alarmingly, Anna and Matt need to work together to solve the mystery of the seax runes and the seemingly impossible burial, and to discover the truth about the past. Tensions rise and sparks fly between Anna and Matt. But how is 6th century Lady Mildryth of Mercia connected to Anna? Can they both be the Daughter of Mercia?

For fans of Barbara Erskine, Elena Collins, Pamela Hartshorne, Susanna Kearsley and Christina Courtenay.




Praise for Daughter of Mercia:

“Ibbotson’s prose immerses you in the vivid world of the Anglo-Saxon era, richly layered with sensory detail that brings both the past and present timelines to life. I could feel the atmosphere—the cold stone and the wind on the hills. Her writing weaves the two eras seamlessly, connecting people across time and creating a mysterious, slow-building tension that keeps you turning the pages.”
~ Alis Page, Reviewer, 5*

“... an atmospheric, and wonderfully immersive, novel that has it all: characters with their own conflicts, both in the past and the present; a mystery that links the eras; the intrigue of Mildryth's fate and Anna's secrets; and all within the fascinating setting of archaeology.”
~ Ruins & Reading, 5* Review





This title is available to read on #KindleUnlimited.



Julia Ibbotson


Julia Ibbotson is fascinated by the medieval world and the concept of time. She is the author of historical mysteries with a frisson of romance. Her books are evocative of time and place, well-researched and uplifting page-turners. Her current series focuses on early medieval time-slip / dual-time mysteries.

Julia read English at Keele University, England, specialising in medieval language / literature / history, and has a PhD in socio-linguistics. After a turbulent time in Ghana, West Africa, she became a school teacher, then a university academic and researcher. Her break as an author came soon after she joined the RNA’s New Writers’ Scheme in 2015, with a three-book deal from Lume Books for a trilogy (Drumbeats) set in Ghana in the 1960s.

She has published five other books, including A Shape on the Air, an Anglo-Saxon timeslip mystery, and its two sequels The Dragon Tree and The Rune Stone. Her latest novel is the first of a new series of Anglo-Saxon dual-time mysteries, Daughter of Mercia, where echoes of the past resonate across the centuries.

Her books will appeal to fans of Barbara Erskine, Pamela Hartshorne, Susanna Kearsley, and Christina Courtenay. Her readers say: ‘Julia’s books captured my imagination’, ‘beautiful story-telling’, ‘evocative and well-paced storylines’, ‘brilliant and fascinating’ and ‘I just couldn’t put it down’.

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Have a sneak peek between the pages of What the Ocean Brings by Tonya Ulynn Brown #HistoricalRomance #HistoricalFiction #IrishEmigration #RecommendedReading



What the Ocean Brings


by Tonya Ulynn Brown


Quebec, Canada, 1847. While trying to escape the Potato Famine, shipwrecked Irish immigrant Breanna Clarey awakens injured and alone on an unfamiliar beach. To make matters worse, she has been separated from her family, and her friend, Crow, is lying dead at her feet. But when Dawson Roberts, a reclusive fisherman with a guarded past and big dreams for his future, finds Breanna, he puts his plans on hold to offer her shelter and help find her family.

But life for an Irish immigrant isn't easy. Facing a deadly quarantine station, dangerous immigration officials, and grief over her missing family, Breanna struggles to exert her independence and navigate her new world. While Breanna confronts an unknown future, Dawson is plagued by a painful past. They each must determine their own course, even if it means ignoring the pull they have on each other.

When the future takes an unexpected turn, only the ocean that has brought them so much devastation can help them find their way back to where they belong.





Louis was still spewing obscenities when the bell rang again. Charlie threw a punch but missed, and Breanna reckoned it had something to do with him not being able to see very well. When he swung a second time and missed, Louis took advantage of the opportunity and punched him in his ribs. Charlie bent over trying to catch his breath, and Louis hit him again in the same spot.

Charlie fell to the ground with a thud. Breanna thought for sure that was all the man would be able to take, but he scrambled to get up again. However, before his feet could gain purchase, Louis kicked him in the ribs.

“That’s dirty!” Dawson shouted, pointing his finger and grabbing the rope. He would have climbed back in the ring if Ames hadn’t caught him and pushed him back. By this time, half the audience was shouting so loudly in protest that she couldn’t hear the count.

Breanna knew they had reached 30 when Louis stumbled over to his corner and grabbed his shirt. Charlie was still lying on the floor, and Clarice was at his side trying to help him up. Everyone was shouting, and there was great confusion. She looked to Dawson for an explanation, but he had climbed into the ring and was shouting at the referee.

“Double or nothing!” he parlayed as he pulled his suspenders off his shoulders and began unbuttoning his shirt. “Let me fight him,” Dawson haggled.

More shouting followed, and Breanna watched in horror as Dawson removed his shirt and stepped up to the line.

“What is happening?” she cried to no one in particular, but a woman standing next to her with a long cigarette hanging out of her mouth said, “Honey, it looks like your man is about to fight King Louis.”

When others started realizing there would be another fight, they began passing money back and forth, and everyone placed their bets. Clarice helped Charlie to the side of the ring, but he could barely stand.

“Oh, Charlie, I am really sorry. Will ye be needing a doctor?” 

Charlie didn’t answer for a moment. When he had finally caught his breath, he said, “I can’t leave now. Dawson is going to fight.” 

“But why? I don’t understand what is happening.”

“I’d venture to say, he bet money on my fight. It must have been a pretty penny for him to go after Louis like that.” 

Breanna gasped in disbelief. “His boat money.” 

Charlie looked at her through his one good eye and shrugged. She felt tears stinging her eyes as she turned back to the ring. 

Suddenly, Dawson was there in front of her. He grabbed her by her upper arms and pulled her toward him. Placing a quick kiss on her lips, he shouted, “Wish me luck.”

Breanna reeled from the contact. Rocking back on her heels, she steadied herself with the ropes that squared off the fighting ring. She watched as Dawson stepped up to the line again, stretching and flexing his arms to loosen up. That is when she finally noticed him.

She had never seen Dawson without his shirt on. In all the weeks that she had lived in his house and worked alongside him on his boat, he had always been fully clothed. His chest and arms were just as big as Charlie’s, but instead of the thick patch of ginger-colored hair on his chest, Dawson’s hair was dark, matching that on his head. He sported two tattoos, one on each side of his chest, but they were obscured by his suspenders, and she couldn’t make out what they were. She stared in fascination.

When the bell rang, it was obvious that Dawson had a clear advantage. Louis was tired, and Breanna was surprised that he had even agreed to this second fight. Yet, he still put up a good fight, and by the time it was over, Dawson had a split brow, two broken ribs, and his money back. Louis went home with a broken nose and humiliation.








Tonya Ulynn Brown


Tonya Ulynn Brown is an award-winning historical romance author who writes emotionally rich tales of ancient castles, treacherous plots, and forbidden love. With a deep passion for the turbulent histories of England and Scotland, she brings the past vividly to life through stories where danger and desire walk hand in hand.

Tonya holds a master’s degree and teaches Reading and Writing at the elementary level. Fueled by iced coffees, beautiful books, and an enduring obsession with Mary, Queen of Scots, she fills her days writing, teaching, and researching the lives of long-dead monarchs and other historical figures.

Most of all, she loves spending time with her husband, two sons, and one very spoiled French bulldog.


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Thursday, June 4, 2026

Shining a bright audiobook spotlight on The Agincourt King by Mercedes Rochelle #MedievalFiction #audiobook #RecommendedListening



The Agincourt King – Audiobook


Plantagenet Legacy Series

by Mercedes Rochelle




From the day he was crowned, Henry V was determined to prove the legitimacy of his house.

His father's usurpation weighed heavily on his mind. Only a grand gesture would capture the respect of his own countrymen and the rest of Europe. He would follow in his great-grandfather Edward III's footsteps, and recover lost territory in France. Better yet, why not go for the crown?

Poor, deranged Charles VI couldn't manage his own barons. The civil war between the Burgundians and Armagnacs was more of a threat to his country than the English, even after Henry laid siege to Harfleur.

But once Harfleur had fallen, the French came to their senses and determined to block his path to Calais and destroy him. By the time the English reached Agincourt, they were starving, exhausted, and easy pickings. Or so the French thought.

Little did they reckon on Henry's leadership and the stout-hearted English archers who proved, once again, that numbers didn't matter when God was on their side.




Universal Buy Link:

All titles in the series are available to read on #KindleUnlimited.





Mercedes Rochelle


Mercedes Rochelle is an ardent lover of medieval history, and has channeled this interest into fiction writing.

Her first four books cover eleventh-century Britain and events surrounding the Norman Conquest of England. The next series is called The Plantagenet Legacy about the struggles and abdication of Richard II, leading to the troubled reigns of the Lancastrian Kings. 

She also writes a blog: HistoricalBritainBlog.com to explore the history behind the story.

Born in St. Louis, MO, she received by BA in Literature at the University of Missouri St.Louis in 1979 then moved to New York in 1982 while in her mid-20s to “see the world”. The search hasn’t ended!

Today she lives in Sergeantsville, NJ with her husband in a log home they had built themselves.

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Monday, June 1, 2026

Book of the Week: West of Santillane by Brook Allen #HistoricalFiction #AmericanHistoricalFiction #RecommendedReading



* Book of the Week *

West of Santillane


by Brook Allen



Desperate to escape a mundane future as a Virginia planter’s wife, Julia Hancock seizes her chance for adventure when she wins the heart of American hero William Clark. Though her husband is the famed explorer, Julia embarks on her own thrilling and perilous journey of self-discovery.


Gazing ever westward, Julia possesses a hunger for knowledge and a passion for helping others. She deeply loves Will’s strength and generous manner, but, like her parents, he’s a slave owner, and she despises slavery. Still, her love for Will wins out, though he’s unaware of her beliefs.


She finds that St. Louis has few of the luxuries to which she is accustomed. It harbors scandalous politicians and miscreants of all types. As her husband and his best friend, Meriwether Lewis, work to establish an American government and plan to publish their highly anticipated memoirs, she assumes the roles of both wife and mother. She is also drawn into the plight of an Indian family anxious to return to their own lands and becomes an advocate for Will’s enslaved.


In time, Julia’s clandestine aid to the Indians and Will’s enslaved draws unwanted attention, even placing her at odds with her husband.


Danger leads her to embrace the courage to save herself and others through a challenge of forgiveness that will either restore the love she shares with Will or end it forever.



Praise for West of Santillane:

"Stunning. With meticulous research and top-notch storytelling, Brook Allen brings an unsung heroine of American history to vivid life. West of Santillane offers a mesmerizing portrait of the Lewis and Clark Expedition's star players, told from a woman's perspective. This is a tale to savor, and at its heart is the complicated, brave, and big-hearted Julia Hancock Clark. Kudos to Brook Allen for rescuing William Clark's little-known wife from the shadows of history. A thoroughly satisfying read. Highly recommended."
~ Amy Maroney, author of the Sea and Stone Chronicles

"An unforgettable journey through the eyes of Julia Clark, West of Santillane crackles with energy, discovery, and the courage to confront the unknown. A beautifully written, empathetic novel of Lewis and Clark and the woman who shared their journey, West of Santillane delivers on every frontier.
Extraordinary."
~ Elizabeth St.John, award-winning author of The Godmother's Secret

'"West of Santillane" is not just an account of historical events but also a story of love, resilience, and self-discovery. Brook Allen successfully blends romantic, historical, and adventurous elements, offering readers a captivating and memorable reading experience. The book is a warm recommendation for those who appreciate well-documented historical fiction and engaging life narratives.'
~ The Historical Fiction Company



Universal Amazon Link


This title is available to read on #KindleUnlimited.






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