Thursday, March 7, 2019

About the Book

Title: Ladies of Intrigue

Author: Michelle Griep

Genre: Christian Historical

Release date: February 2019

Publisher: Barbour

3 Page-Turners Under One Cover from Reader Favorite Michelle Griep!
Can truth and love prevail when no one is as they appear?

The Gentleman Smuggler’s Lady
Cornish Coast, 1815
When a prim and proper governess returns to England from abroad, she expects to comfort her dying father—not fall in love with a smuggler. Will Helen Fletcher keep Isaac Seaton’s unusual secret?

The Doctor’s Woman (A Carol Award Winner!)
Dakota Territory, 1862
Emmy Nelson, daughter of a missionary doctor, and Dr. James Clark, city doctor aspiring to teach, find themselves working side by side at Fort Snelling during the Dakota Uprising. That is when the real clash of ideals begins.

A House of Secrets
St. Paul, Minnesota, 1890
Ladies Aide Chairman, Amanda Carston resolves to clean up St. Paul’s ramshackle housing, starting with the worst of the worst: a “haunted” house that’s secretly owned by her beau—a home that’s his only means of helping brothel girls escape from the hands of the city’s most infamous madam.

About the Author

Michelle Griep has been writing since she first discovered blank wall space and Crayolas. She seeks to glorify God in all that she writes—except for that graffiti phase she went through as a teenager. She resides in the frozen tundra of Minnesota, where she teaches history and writing classes for a local high school co-op. An Anglophile at heart, she runs away to England every chance she gets, under the guise of research. Really, though, she’s eating excessive amounts of scones while rambling around a castle. Michelle is a member of ACFW (American Christian Fiction Writers) and MCWG (Minnesota Christian Writers Guild). Keep up with her adventures at her blog “Writer off the Leash” or visit michellegriep.com.

Guest post from Michelle

3 Reasons to Read Historical Fiction

Guest post by Michelle Griep

Believe it or not, some readers snub historical fiction, preferring instead to stick to contemporary reads. Several have good reason to, simply preferring one genre over another. But others have never given historical fiction a try. If you fall into that camp, here are some reasons you should consider reading a tale from the past.

Historical fiction books are not as boring as your high school history class.

Does the thought of endless names and dates make you break out into hives? Good news! Historical fiction is a painless way to glean some historic facts without mindless memorization. You can experience a different era and culture vicariously through heroes and heroines that live on the pages of yesteryear.

Makes for great conversation.

In a world that prides itself on keeping up with the Kardashians, dare to add a little cultural zest to your next dinner conversation. Reading historical fiction arms you with interesting tidbits of things that’ve happened in years gone by.

Because truth is timeless.

Some people yearn to go back to a simpler time. The truth is, though, that the grass isn’t necessarily greener on the historic side of the fence. People have had tough issues to deal with no matter the era. . .but therein lies a great reason to read historical fiction: truth is timeless. Be it ancient, biblical, medieval, Victorian, or anything in between, truth never changes.

In my new release, Ladies of Intrigue, you’ll experience all these things and more. Find out about the smuggling trade in Cornwall in The Gentleman Smuggler’s Lady. Learn about the rough and dangerous life on a military fort during the 1860’s in The Doctor’s Woman. Find out why the gilded age wasn’t as glittery as we often think in A House of Secrets.

Don’t be doomed to repeat history. Grab a cup of tea and master it with a great read!

I enjoy anthology books because they give you a variety of stories. It's like getting bonus books all in one beautifully crafted work. Each story takes you right into the action and the author has done a great job of giving vivid descriptions. I loved each story and hated to see them end. It's time to travel back in time and be introduced to characters that jump off the pages with realism.

The Gentleman Smuggler's Lady

I was hooked right at the beginning as a band of thieves come aboard a ship to take the cargo the ship had been transporting. To their surprise is a lady that they didn't know was there. Helen has traveled a great distance to care for her ailing father. She is rescued by one of the thieves and taken to her father. It was easy to feel her uncertainty as Isaac became her knight in shining armor. After all he was robbing the ship she was on and that does send up red flags.

Isaac is one of those characters that may cross the line in some areas of the law, but he is doing it for the better good of people. I loved his charismatic charm and his need to help others. Will Helen be able to forget Isaac's past and trust him? Isaac is someone I would love to have as a friend. His heart is big when it comes to those who have less than he does. I loved how he provided whatever Helen needed to care for her father. The story is enchanting and I loved how expressive the author was in describing the hearts of two people who face danger and secrets.

" We must put our trust in God alone, not in our own feeble attempts to enact justice."

The Doctor's Woman

Emmy has just suffered a great loss and is preparing to leave to go stay with her aunt. Her father was a well respected doctor and his loss will be felt by many. The story jumps right into action when a doctor is needed and Emmy decides she will help. I loved when she encounters the wounded soldier and suddenly is pushed aside by Dr. James Clark. They certainly don't agree on the treatment of the soldier, but Emmy pushes her pride aside . Dr. Clark is a man who is demanding at times and very opinionated. I loved the time period and how the author blends, humor, faith and pride into a story that captures the essence of life in the late 1860s. They will encounter the Sioux Indians, soldiers and danger as they try to work together. The description of what they encounter at the internment camp overwhelmed me. Their primitive doctoring is hard to read about while thinking of our modern medicine today. I especially liked reading about the medical procedures and how dedicated they both were to saving people who others thought as animals. The relationship between Emmy and James is swoon worthy. This is one story that has everything you would expect from an author gifted in writing strong characters with a fierce determination to help others.

" Then I pray that God will bring to you a special someone. As long as you're still breathing, there's always hope."

A House of Secrets

With this story, we are rewarded with how gifted the author is by writing descriptions like, "half -burned timbers reached into the night sky, dark on dark, like blackened bones trying to escape a grave." Amanda is swept away by her fiance , Joseph to attend their engagement dinner. To her surprise the carriage doesn't turn towards the place where the dinner is being held. I chuckled as Joseph tells Amanda they are making a detour to Hannah's Crow, which is a brothel. Joseph has a strong determination to see this place closed down. Amanda has her eyes on a building to restore it as a school for the poor children in the area. I loved the intrigue in this story as Amanda tries to find out who owns the building she wants. What is Joseph hiding from his fiance? This story is filled with secrets, learning to trust and two people who must find their way to the truth.

" You are loved. Trust in that. Believe in that."

I received a copy of this book from Celebrate Lit. The review is my own opinion.