Review/Giveaway: There is Always a Tomorrow by Anna Belfrage

There is Always a Tomorrow is the ninth book in Anna Belfrage’s time slip series featuring time traveller Alexandra Lind and her seventeenth century husband, Matthew Graham. 

It is 1692 and the Colony of Maryland is still adapting to the consequences of Coode’s Rebellion some years previously. Religious tolerance in the colony is now a thing of the past, but safe in their home, Alex and Matthew Graham have no reason to suspect they will become embroiled in the ongoing religious conflicts—until one of their sons betrays their friend Carlos Muñoz to the authorities. 

Matthew Graham does not leave his friends to rot—not even if they’re papist priests—so soon enough most of the Graham family is involved in a rescue attempt, desperate to save Carlos from a sentence that may well kill him. 

Meanwhile, in London little Rachel is going through hell. In a matter of months she loses everything, even her surname, as apparently her father is not Master Cooke but one Jacob Graham. Not that her paternity matters when her entire life implodes. Will Alex and Matthew be able to help their unknown grandchild? More importantly, will Rachel want their help?

Publication Date: November 5, 2017

Timelight Press

eBook & Paperback; ISBN: 9781788039666

Series: Graham Saga, Book #9

Genre: Historical Fiction/Time-Slip

*****

It is always a pleasure reading one of Anna Belfrage’s books. With book 8 (To Catch a Falling Star) in the series I thought that was the last of Matthew and Alex but alas book 9 was published earlier last month. 

Why do I enjoy this series so much? Well, there are many reasons, so in no particular order let’s start with the setting and time period. As a lover of historical fiction I love it when an author takes me back in time, where I can get a good feel of the era with the lifestyle, lay of the land and the political/religious tension in the air. Which is exactly what happened here. Not only am I entertained but educated at the same time, in this case as I was unaware of the religious strife that took place. 

Secondly, Alex and Matthew Graham, though it saddens me to say these are fictional characters, the author has made me care about them, they are an authentic family where life isn’t always kind. 

Thirdly, the author's writing, Anna Belfrage is one of my favourites, it isn’t hard for me to get lost in her books. I sit for a few minutes and then wham, it’s an hour later. 

In There is Always a Tomorrow, the family feels the betrayed by one of their own, they struggle to support friendships, heal over loses and welcome someone who doesn’t reciprocate . There is a lot going on in this book and with a brood of offspring it makes sense, but it isn’t done in an overwhelming way. While most of the story takes place in the US, with 2 sons and granddaughter in England the story weaves back and forth. 

Now the big question, will there be a book 10? While the ending was fitting with no cliffhangers I will admit to that there are a few lose ends that need to be tied up. If my feelings for the Grahams are like this I can assume the author’s is doubly so and she won’t leave things hanging when it comes to the offspring of Matthew and Alex. 

This one can work as a stand alone but I highly recommend starting at the beginning of this series with A Rip in the Veil. 

Thanks to Amy at HFVBT and Anna Belfrage for a copy of this book (which in no way influenced my opinion).

Amazon US | Amazon UK | Barnes & Noble | IndieBound

Anna was raised abroad, on a pungent mix of Latin American culture, English history and Swedish traditions. As a result she’s multilingual and most of her reading is historical- both non-fiction and fiction. Possessed of a lively imagination, she has drawers full of potential stories, all of them set in the past.

She was always going to be a writer – or a historian, preferably both. Ideally, Anna aspired to becoming a pioneer time traveller, but science has as yet not advanced to the point of making that possible. Instead she ended up with a degree in Business and Finance, with very little time to spare for her most favourite pursuit.

Still, one does as one must, and in between juggling a challenging career Anna raised her four children on a potent combination of invented stories, historical debates and masses of good food and homemade cakes. They seem to thrive…

 For years she combined a challenging career with four children and the odd snatched moment of writing. Nowadays Anna spends most of her spare time at her writing desk. The children are half grown, the house is at times eerily silent and she slips away into her imaginary world, with her imaginary characters. Every now and then the one and only man in her life pops his head in to ensure she’s still there.

 Other than on her website, www.annabelfrage.com, Anna can mostly be found on her blog, http://annabelfrage.wordpress.com – unless, of course, she is submerged in writing her next novel.

You can also connect with Anna on Facebook, Twitter and Goodreads.

Giveaway

During the Blog Tour we will be giving away 2 ebook and 2 paperback copies of There is Always a Tomorrow!

To enter, please enter via the Gleam form below.



  There is Always a Tomorrow

indieB.R.A.G. Book Blitz - The Graham Saga by Anna Belfrage

I am thrilled to be part of this blitz for the Graham Saga by Anna Belfrage, it is one of my very favorite series out there.  

About the Graham Saga

This is the story of two people who should never have met – not when she was born three centuries after him. But sometimes impossible things happen, and so Alex Lind ends up at the feet of Matthew Graham. Life will never be the same for Alex – or for Matthew.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

In Revenge and Retribution, Alex has seen her son, Samuel, carried away by the Susquehannock Indians, led by Qaachow. In the below, she is sitting with another of her sons, David, when on the other shore of the river she sees something…

They lapsed into a comfortable silence, watching as the sun transformed the frosted trees into prisms of magical colour. It was very quiet, the migrating birds long gone, and the remaining sparrows and thrushes keeping low to the ground, or at least going about their business without expending energy on making noise. A crow cawed, it cawed again, and then it was all absolute stillness.

David shifted closer to her. The frost on the log had melted under her, dampening her skirts, but she was reluctant to move, and so, apparently, was he. There was a far-off rustling, and the crow called again. The shrubs on the other side of the river parted; a group of men stepped out on the further shore.

“Indians!” David breathed.

“Samuel,” Alex groaned simultaneously, and now she was on her feet, because he was there, her son, standing only fifty feet from her, side by side with Qaachow. Oh God, my boy, he’s brought my boy home, she thought, and her arms went out in an embracing gesture. Samuel took a tentative step in her direction, but Qaachow said something to him, and he ducked his head and stepped back into the forest.

“No!” Alex was already wading through the shallows, ignoring the iciness of the water. “No! Goddamn you, Qaachow! Give me my boy back!” Her eyes burnt into the Indian chief, but he didn’t reply, gesturing to his men to deposit the sorry bundle they were carrying by the water’s edge. Alex slipped, and had to swim furiously against the ice-cold current.

“Mama!” David was shrieking in fear behind her, but Alex didn’t care. She was going after her boy; she had to fetch him home. She slipped again, and the waters closed over her head. Jesus! It was cold!

She resurfaced, spitting like a drowning cat. Samuel was rushing towards the water, and before he could be stopped, he had thrown himself in, buckskins and all, to come to her aid.

“Samuel! Oh God, Samuel! Get back, son.” Alex had her head over the water, wiping at her hair with an arm that was unbearably heavy. Her fingers, she couldn’t feel her fingers. But her eyes locked into Samuel’s, and she smiled. Down she went again, her mouth filling with water. A weak kick, and her head broke the surface.

“I love you, Samuel,” she gargled, before being tugged under by the current, and once again she heard David’s frantic ‘Mama’ from somewhere behind her. But she was almost there, only yards separated her from her son, and then there were arms around Samuel and he was being carried away.

“Mama!” he screamed. “Mama!”

Alex sank, her legs useless in the cold. Other hands took hold of her, and she was half carried, half dragged to lie panting and shivering on the shore. By her nose were a pair of moccasins, and, following them up, she found the legs, the torso and then, finally, the face of Qaachow.

“My son,” she croaked. “I want my son back. You’ve had him long enough, and I die, you hear. Every day without him, I die!”

“A year,” Qaachow reminded her, backing away.

“Curse you, Qaachow!” Alex managed to get up on her knees. “May your seed fail; may your children and grandchildren wither and die; may your people fall into sickness and suffer iniquity and pain. All of this until my son is returned to me.”

Qaachow looked completely taken aback, staring at her with something like fear in his eyes. She rose, tried to wipe her face free of the tendrils of hair that were plastered across it. From the forest came Samuel’s voice, calling for her, for his brothers, his da. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see the other shore where Matthew was standing surrounded by their sons, Jacob already stripping off his clothes.

“I love you, Samuel!” she bellowed. “I love you, son, you hear?”

“Mama!” he yelled back, and then there was the distinctive sound of a slap. Alex stumbled towards the sound, but was rudely shoved to land on the ground. Before she had managed to get back on her feet, the Indians were gone.

“Mama?” Jacob materialised by her side. “We have to get you across and inside.” Alex was shivering so hard she could barely walk, but followed him, dazed and obedient, to the water’s edge.

“They left something,” she mumbled through a mouth too stiff to talk properly with.

“Aye,” Jacob answered. “Mark and John are taking care of it.” Alex inhaled loudly when she re-entered the water. This cold? The current curled itself round her legs, but she managed to keep her footing a good way out, and Jacob was there to help her. Somehow, she was back on their side where Matthew swept her into a cloak and led her back home, David tagging after.

“I saw him,” she said. “Our boy, Matthew. I saw him, and he was tall and strong.” And then she burst into tears.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Had Anna been allowed to choose, she’d have become a professional time-traveller. As such a profession does as yet not exists, she settled for second best and became a financial professional with two absorbing interests, namely history and writing. These days, Anna combines an exciting day-job with a large family and her writing endeavours.

When Anna fell in love with her future husband, she got Scotland as an extra, not because her husband is Scottish or has a predilection for kilts, but because his family fled Scotland due to religious persecution in the 17^th century – and were related to the Stuarts. For a history buff like Anna, these little details made Future Husband all the more desirable, and sparked a permanent interest in the Scottish Covenanters, which is how Matthew Graham, protagonist of the acclaimed The Graham Saga, began to take shape.

Set in 17th century Scotland and Virginia/Maryland, the series tells the story of Matthew and Alex, two people who should never have met – not when she was born three hundred years after him. With this heady blend of romance, adventure, high drama and historical accuracy, Anna hopes to entertain and captivate, and is more than thrilled when readers tell her just how much they love her books and her characters.

Presently, Anna is hard at work with her next project, a series set in the 1320s featuring Adam de Guirande, his wife Kit, and their adventures and misfortunes in connection with Roger Mortimer’s rise to power. The King’s Greatest Enemy is a series where passion and drama play out against a complex political situation, where today’s traitor may be tomorrow’s hero, and the Wheel of Life never stops rolling. 

The first instalment in the Adam and Kit story, In the Shadow of the Storm, will be published in the autumn of 2015.

Other than on her website, Anna can mostly be found on her blog – unless, of course, she is submerged in writing her next novel.

 

Author Links:

Website

Twitter

Facebook

Amazon

 Book Giveaway & Tour Schedule.

 

To Catch a Falling Star by Anna Belfrage (Book Tour)

To Catch a Falling Star is the eighth book in Anna Belfrage’s series featuring time traveller Alexandra Lind and her seventeenth century husband, Matthew Graham.

Some gifts are double-edged swords …

For Matthew Graham, being given the gift of his former Scottish manor is a dream come true. For his wife, Alex, this gift will force her to undertake a perilous sea journey, leaving most of their extensive family in the Colony of Maryland. Alex is torn apart by this, but staying behind while her husband travels to Scotland is no option.

Scotland in 1688 is a divided country, torn between the papist Stuart king and the foreign but Protestant William of Orange. In the Lowlands, popular opinion is with Dutch William, and Matthew’s reluctance to openly support him does not endear him to his former friends and neighbours.

While Matthew struggles to come to terms with the fact that Scotland of 1688 bears little resemblance to his lovingly conserved memories, Alex is forced to confront unresolved issues from her past, including her overly curious brother-in-law, Luke Graham. And then there’s the further complication of the dashing, flamboyant Viscount Dundee, a man who knocks Alex completely off her feet.

All the turmoil that accompanies their return to Scotland pales into insignificance when a letter arrives, detailing the calamities threatening their youngest daughter in Maryland – at the hand of that most obnoxious minister, Richard Campbell. Matthew and Alex have no choice but to hasten back, no matter the heartache this causes.

Will they make it back in time? And what will Richard Campbell do?

Publication Date: April 7, 2015
SilverWood Books
Formats: eBook, Paperback

Series: Book Eight, The Graham Saga
Genre: Historical Fiction/Time-Slip

It is no secret that this is one of my favorite series.  I have been staring at this book for a couple weeks now with mixed feelings.  To sit and crack this baby open would mean the beginning of the end, but then there is that need to find out what is going to happen when Matthew and Alex travel back to Scotland.  The synopsis does a great job outlining what is about to take place.  

Any author that tackles a series is really putting a lot of pressure on themselves.  Especially with 8 books in the Graham Saga Anna Belfrage needs to keep us, the reader, engaged.  She needs to create a story line that needs to be just as good if not better then the previous one.  The characters need growth and change in a realistic manner.  Was I nervous that this wouldn't happen in To Catch a Falling Story?  Not in the least, I know Anna and her writing talent, this was such a fitting conclusion taking away some of the pain of its ending.  

Traveling back to Scotland both Alex and Matthew need to confront their past in ways not expected in a country not the same as they left it.  The religious tensions cause much damage to the family and well as dealing with a brother that caused so much damage to his life.  This isn't the 'happy ever after' that Matthew envisioned.

Alex has a past she is forced to deal with and the dashing Viscount Dundee isn't helping matters.

I could go on about life in Scotland but because not all is mentioned in the synopsis I am not going to mention it here, suffice to say I enjoyed that part of the story, it was unexpected but in a way necessary.  There is closure here and fresh beginnings, there is heartache and healing.

Anna's writing style is such that you just get lost in the words.  It's like you are catching up with old friends as this story reveals itself.  Though I am sad to see the Graham Saga end, I take comfort that the author has not stopped writing and look forward to what is coming next.

This is a series that I highly recommend, available in ebook and paperback format.

Graham Saga Titles

Book One: A Rip in the Veil
Book Two: Like Chaff in the Wind
Book Three: The Prodigal Son
Book Four: A Newfound Land
Book Five: Serpents in the Garden
Book Six: Revenge & Retribution
Book Seven: Whither Thou Goest
Book Eight: To Catch a Falling Star

I was raised abroad, on a pungent mix of Latin American culture, English history and Swedish traditions. As a result I’m multilingual and most of my reading is historical – both non-fiction and fiction.

I was always going to be a writer – or a historian, preferably both. Instead I ended up with a degree in Business and Finance, with very little time to spare for my most favourite pursuit. Still, one does as one must, and in between juggling a challenging career I raised my four children on a potent combination of invented stories, historical debates and masses of good food and homemade cakes. They seem to thrive … Nowadays I spend most of my spare time at my writing desk. The children are half grown, the house is at times eerily silent and I slip away into my imaginary world, with my imaginary characters. Every now and then the one and only man in my life pops his head in to ensure I’m still there. I like that – just as I like how he makes me laugh so often I’ll probably live to well over a hundred.

I was always going to be a writer. Now I am – I have achieved my dream.

For more information, please visit Anna Belfrage’s website and blog. You can also find her on Facebook, Twitter, and Goodreads.

To Catch a Falling Star Blog Tour Schedule

Monday, April 7
Review at Just One More Chapter
Excerpt at Rainy Day Reviews
Guest Post at What Is That Book About

Tuesday, April 8
Guest Post at Just One More Chapter

Wednesday, April 9
Review & Giveaway at So Many Books, So Little Time
Spotlight at Unshelfish

Thursday, April 10
Excerpt & Giveaway at So Many Precious Books, So Little Time

Friday, April 11
Spotlight at Caroline Wilson Writes

Monday, April 14
Review at A Bibliotaph’s Reviews
Interview at Becky on Books

Tuesday, April 15
Review & Guest Post at With Her Nose Stuck in a Book

Wednesday, April 16
Review at CelticLady’s Reviews

Thursday, April 17
Review at Book Nerd

Friday, April 18
Spotlight & Giveaway at View From the Birdhouse

Monday, April 21
Review at Oh, For the Hook of a Book

Tuesday, April 22
Spotlight at A Literary Vacation
Interview & Excerpt at Oh, For the Hook of a Book

Wednesday, April 23
Review at Griperang’s Bookmarks

Thursday, April 24
Interview & Giveaway at Griperang’s Bookmarks

Friday, April 25
Spotlight at Historical Fiction Connection

Monday, April 28
Spotlight & Giveaway at Passages to the Past

Tuesday, April 29
Review, Excerpt, & Giveaway at A Virtual Hobby Store and Coffee Haus

Wednesday, April 30
Spotlight & Giveaway at Let Them Read Books

Thursday, May 1
Review at A Chick Who Reads
Review & Giveaway at Broken Teepee

Saturday, May 3
Review at Quirky Book Reviews

Monday, May 5
Review at Beth’s Book Nook Blog

Tuesday, May 6
Review at Layered Pages
Spotlight at Long Ago Love

Wednesday, May 7
Review at Mari Reads
Review at Dianne Ascroft Blog

Thursday, May 8
Review at Flashlight Commentary

Whither Thou Goest by Anna Belfrage (Book Tour)

Whither Thou Goest is the seventh book in Anna Belfrage’s series featuring time traveller Alexandra Lind and her seventeenth century husband, Matthew Graham.

In their rural home in the Colony of Maryland, Matthew and Alex Graham are still recovering from the awful events of the previous years when Luke Graham, Matthew’s estranged brother, asks them for a favour.
Alex has no problems whatsoever ignoring Luke’s sad plea for help. In her opinion Matthew’s brother is an evil excuse of a man who deserves whatever nasty stuff fate throws at him. Except, as Matthew points out, Luke is begging them to save his son – his misled Charlie, one of the Monmouth rebels – and can Charlie Graham be held responsible for his father’s ill deeds?

So off they go on yet another adventure, this time to the West Indies to find a young man neither of them knows but who faces imminent death on a sugar plantation, condemned to slavery for treason. The journey is hazardous and along the way Alex comes face to face with a most disturbing ghost from her previous life, a man she would much have preferred never to have met.

Time is running out for Charlie Graham, Matthew is haunted by reawakened memories of his days as an indentured servant, and then there’s the eerie Mr Brown, Charlie’s new owner, who will do anything to keep his secrets safe, anything at all.

Will Matthew deliver his nephew from imminent death? And will they ever make it back home?

Publication Date: November 1, 2014
SilverWood Books
Formats: eBook, Paperback

Genre: Historical Fiction/Time-Slip
Series: The Graham Saga

*****

( my copy provided from author as part of this book tour)

Taking place after the traumatic events that took of Revenge & Retribution, I was really anxious to get my hands on this book.  How was my favorite family coping with the aftermath and consequences of that horrible time?  This reader really needed to know.  In saying all this you can read each of these books as a stand alone, but I am pretty sure that if you read one you will want to go back and read this whole series.

The Grahams are a real, honest, hard working, down to earth family.  There is never a full moment with Alex and Matthew, which continues in Whither Thou Goest.  What I really love about this book (and actually the whole series) is the genuine portrait of Colony American.  The harsh elements of living off the land, with the Indians, runaway slaves, religious expectations, inadequate medical knowledge are always put to the test.  With this book the author takes it a step further and gives us a look at indentured slaves in Jamaica and Barbados, something that I was not familiar with at all. 

Anna Belfrage's writing style is one of my favorites.  I can sit with her books and next thing I know it's an hour later, it's so easy to get lost in this saga.  Her characters are well developed and the authors vast knowledge of this time period is evident here. Not to be rushed but enjoyed I know I will be very disappointed when this series ends.  But to earn 5 stars from me means it's a book that I can see myself rereading, so yes I can see me enjoying this series again.

 

Graham Saga Titles

Book One: A Rip in the Veil
Book Two: Like Chaff in the Wind
Book Three: The Prodigal Son
Book Four: A Newfound Land
Book Five: Serpents in the Garden
Book Six: Revenge & Retribution
Book Seven: Whither Thou Goest
Book Eight: To Catch a Falling Star (March 2015)

I was raised abroad, on a pungent mix of Latin American culture, English history and Swedish traditions. As a result I’m multilingual and most of my reading is historical – both non-fiction and fiction.
I was always going to be a writer – or a historian, preferably both. Instead I ended up with a degree in Business and Finance, with very little time to spare for my most favourite pursuit. Still, one does as one must, and in between juggling a challenging career I raised my four children on a potent combination of invented stories, historical debates and masses of good food and homemade cakes. They seem to thrive … Nowadays I spend most of my spare time at my writing desk. The children are half grown, the house is at times eerily silent and I slip away into my imaginary world, with my imaginary characters. Every now and then the one and only man in my life pops his head in to ensure I’m still there. I like that – just as I like how he makes me laugh so often I’ll probably live to well over a hundred.
I was always going to be a writer. Now I am – I have achieved my dream.

For more information, please visit Anna Belfrage’s website and blog. You can also find her on Facebook, Twitter, and Goodreads.

Whither Thou Goest Blog Tour Schedule

Tuesday, December 2
Review at Broken Teepee
Spotlight & Giveaway at Teddy Rose Book Reviews Plus More

Wednesday, December 3
Review at Just One More Chapter

Thursday, December 4
Review at Oh, For the Hook of a Book
Review at With Her Nose Stuck in a Book

Friday, December 5
Guest Post at Oh, For the Hook of a Book

Monday, December 8
Review at So Many Books, So Little Time
Guest Post at What Is That Book About

Tuesday, December 9
Review at Book Nerd

Wednesday, December 10
Review at CelticLady’s Reviews

Thursday, December 11
Review at Griperang’s Bookmarks
Review at A Bibliotaph’s Reviews

Friday, December 12
Review at Dianne Ascroft’s Blog

Monday, December 15
Review at Kincavel Korner
Review at Beth’s Book Nook Blog

Tuesday, December 16
Review at Layered Pages
Review at A Chick Who Reads

Wednesday, December 17
Review at Flashlight Commentary

Thursday, December 18
Interview at Flashlight Commentary

A Rip in the Veil by Anna Belfrage

On a stifling August day in 2002, Alexandra Lind is thrown several centuries backwards in time. She lands at the feet of Matthew Graham - an escaped convict making his way home to Scotland in this the year of our Lord, 1658.

Matthew doesn't quite know what to make of this concussed and injured woman who has seemingly fallen from the skies. What is she, a witch?

Alex gawks at this tall, gaunt man with hazel eyes, dressed in what to her mostly looks like rags. At first she thinks he might be some sort of hermit, an oddball, but she quickly realises the odd one out is she.

Catapulted from a life of modern comfort, Alex grapples with this new existence, further complicated by the dawning realisation that someone from her time has followed her here - and not exactly to extend a helping hand.

Potential compensation for this brutal shift in fate comes in the shape of Matthew - a man she should never have met, not when she was born three centuries after him. He quickly proves himself a willing and most capable protector, but Matthew comes with baggage of his own, and on occasion it seems his past will see him killed. At times Alex finds it all exceedingly exciting, longing for the structured life she used to have.

How will she ever get back? And more importantly, does she want to?
 

Paperback, 370 pages

Published 2012 by matador 
(book from my personal library)
****

It is no secret that I am a big fan of the Graham Saga.  I started with book 3, The Prodigal Son and continued on to book 6, Revenge & Retribution.  I had no problem getting immersed in these books, even though not reading books 1 & 2.  Another chapter in this series has just been released, Whither Thou Goest and I will be reviewing that on Dec. 3rd.  Once I read the synopsis I felt it was time to read the first 2 books, it just seems that much of the newest reflects things that happened in beginning.

A Rip in the Veil is book 1 and it's a great introduction to Alex, Matthew and his wicked evil brother Luke.  One of the things I liked about this book was getting a closer look at Alex, how she traveled back in time, those she left behind and what makes her tick.  It's not just a case of 'oops here I am" kinda time travel, it's an interesting twist that carries over the whole series.

It didn't take long to get drawn into this story, the authors writing style is very familiar to me now, it is smooth and right to the point.  There isn't any extra filler or pages of text that just take up space, but just a smooth storyline that quite often had this reader losing track of time while reading.

Book 2 is Like Chaff in the Wind, with my review coming on Nov 26th.

Waiting on Wednesday: Whither Thou Goest by Anna Belfrage

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event that is hosted by Jill  at  Breaking the Spine and spotlights upcoming releases that we’re eagerly anticipating.   

   This week I am waiting for:

one of my favorite series

 

Paperback

Expected publication: December 2014 by Silverwood Books

Whither Thou Goest is the seventh book in Anna Belfrage’s series featuring time traveller Alexandra Lind and her seventeenth century husband, Matthew Graham.

In their rural home in the Colony of Maryland, Matthew and Alex Graham are still recovering from the awful events of the previous years when Luke Graham, Matthew’s estranged brother, asks them for a favour.

Alex has no problems whatsoever ignoring Luke’s sad plea for help. In her opinion Matthew’s brother is an evil excuse of a man who deserves whatever nasty stuff fate throws at him. Except, as Matthew points out, Luke is begging them to save his son – his misled Charlie, one of the Monmouth rebels – and can Charlie Graham be held responsible for his father’s ill deeds?

So off they go on yet another adventure, this time to the West Indies to find a young man neither of them knows but who faces imminent death on a sugar plantation, condemned to slavery for treason. The journey is hazardous and along the way Alex comes face to face with a most disturbing ghost from her previous life, a man she would much have preferred never to have met.

Time is running out for Charlie Graham, Matthew is haunted by reawakened memories of his days as an indentured servant, and then there’s the eerie Mr Brown, Charlie’s new owner, who will do anything to keep his secrets safe, anything at all.

Will Matthew deliver his nephew from imminent death? And will they ever make it back home?

What are you waiting for?

 

Waiting on Wednesday: Revenge & Retribution by Anna Belfrage

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event that is hosted by Jill  at Breaking the Spine and spotlights upcoming releases that we’re eagerly anticipating.   

   This week I am waiting for:   

Book 6 in the Graham Saga - Revenge & Retribution by Anna Belfrage

(I started this series at book 3, you can read them as a stand alone.  But if you are like me and become attached to this family, well you'll just want to start from the beginning).

I think my mouth was left hanging open with that last little sentence of book 5 (Serpents in the Garden) and I did a 'high 5' to myself when I found out about this book.  Be sure to come back on Aug 15th when I review it.

 

 

Paperback, 390 pages

Published July 1st, 2014 by Silverwood Books

 'Revenge & Retribution' is the sixth book in Anna Belfrage's time slip series featuring time traveller Alexandra Lind and her seventeenth century husband, Matthew Graham. 

Life in the Colony of Maryland is no sinecure - as Alex and Matthew Graham well know. But nothing in their previous life has prepared them for the mayhem that is about to be unleashed upon them. 

Being labelled a witch is not a good thing in 1684, so it is no wonder Alex Graham is aghast at having such insinuations thrown at her. 

Even worse, it's Matthew's brother-in-law, Simon Melville, who points finger at her. Not that the ensuing hearing is her main concern, because nowadays Alex's entire life is tainted by the fear of what Philip Burley will do to them once he gets hold of them. 

On a sunny May afternoon, Philip finally achieves his aim and over the course of the coming days Alex sees her whole life unravelling, leaving her family permanently maimed. As if all this wasn't enough, Alex also has to cope with the loss of one of her sons.

 Forcibly adopted by the former Susquehannock, Samuel is dragged from Alex's arms to begin a new life in the wilderness. How is Alex to survive all this?

 And will she be able to put her damaged family back together?

What are you waiting for? 

Excerpt & Giveaway: Serpent in the Garden

 This is one of my favorite series and today I am thrilled to share this excerpt that Anna Belfrage so graciously provided.  

After reading be sure to enter to win a copy of this book.

It had to be said: Philip Burley had a certain flair to him, in everything from how he carried himself to how he was dressed, impeccable linen contrasting nicely with the deep blue of his dashing coat. That didn’t endear him one whit to Alex, and, in particular, not when he popped up most unexpectedly just as she was leaving the apothecary, her daughters trailing after her.

“Mrs Graham,” Philip said, bowing. Alex controlled the urge to turn on her heel and run. Never, ever show him how much he scares you, she admonished herself, just stare him in the eyes. Except that she didn’t want to, unnerved by the penetrating, assessing look in them – as if he was putting a value to her, estimating how much she might be worth should he sell her.

“Mr Burley, how unfortunate to find you still so very much alive.”

He laughed, shaking his head so his signatory lock of black hair fell over his left eye.

“Why, Mrs Graham, one could think you don’t like me much.”

“Like you? I hate your guts, Philip Burley, and to my dying day, I’ll regret not serving you toadstools the first time we met.”

His eyes lightened into impenetrable ice. “Well, you didn’t, did you? And so, here I am.” He glanced over her shoulder, studying her girls with interest. “See?” he said, directing himself to the Philip lookalike that had appeared beside him. “Quite pretty, aren’t they?”

Walter Burley grunted, his eyes stuck on Sarah.

“We’re partial to fair girls,” Philip said. “In particular to young, fair girls.”

“You ...” Alex swung at him, Philip ducked, and came up grinning, eyes like flint.

“Don’t,” he warned, and, at a snap of his fingers, yet another Burley brother materialised, this one so badly scarred Alex knew he had to be Stephen. She threw a look over her shoulder, relaxing somewhat at finding the street busy. Should they try anything, she’d scream – or stab them with her new knitting needles. Still, they were far too close, with Walter more or less drooling over Sarah. When he made as if to touch her daughter, Alex flew at him, slapping him hard over his wrist.

“Don’t you lay a finger on her. Do that, and I’ll—”

“... do what, Mrs Graham?” Philip purred.

“Kill him,” she replied, staring into those eyes as firmly as she could. It only made him laugh.

A hand at her waist, and Alex’s shoulders dropped an inch or two, safe now that her husband stood beside her.

Philip regarded Matthew, a jeering light in his eyes. “Not as afraid now as when we met last?” He chuckled at the responding wave of angry red that suffused Matthew’s face. “You should be afraid, because someday we’ll make you pay for Will.”

“You can try,” Matthew said.

“Oh, we can do more than try.” Philip looked Alex up and down a couple of times. “You have a comely wife. What a pity she’ll soon be a widow.” He smirked. “And, once she is, then who is to stop us from taking what we want?” He nodded in the direction of Sarah.

Rage rose red before Alex’s eyes. She didn’t stop to think. She set down her basket, hitched up her skirts, and kicked Philip, swiping his legs from under him. Philip’s smirk became a surprised squawk, converting into a grunt when he crashed to the ground. Walter rushed forward, shoving Alex so hard she fell. Matthew’s fist drove into Walter’s gut. Walter wheezed like a punctured accordion and doubled up. Stephen cursed and went for Matthew. By now, Philip had regained his feet, and in his hand was a knife.

Alex regained her feet. She raised her arms and crouched to achieve balance, immensely grateful of the time she had spent on upholding her martial arts skills – even if one man and one woman against three determined Burleys didn’t feel like good odds. Why was no one interceding? Why were the people of Providence content to watch, instead of putting a stop to this? And where were her girls? She wheeled, tried to smile reassuringly at her girls, standing very close together. Sarah squeaked, pointing, and Alex turned just in time to see Philip lunge at Matthew.

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Serpents in the Garden by Anna Belfrage (Book Tour)

After years of hard work, Matthew and Alex Graham have created a thriving home in the Colony of Maryland. About time, in Alex’s opinion, after far too many adventures she is really looking forward to some well-deserved peace and quiet.
A futile hope, as it turns out. Things start to heat up when Jacob, the third Graham son, absconds from his apprenticeship to see the world – especially as Jacob leaves behind a girl whom he has wed in a most irregular fashion.

Then there’s the infected matter of the fellow time traveller Alex feels obliged to help – no matter the risk. Worst of all, one day Philip Burley and his brothers resurface after years of absence. As determined as ever to make Matthew pay for every perceived wrong – starting with the death of their youngest brother – the Burleys play out a complicated cat and mouse game, and Alex is thrown back into an existence where her heart is constantly in her mouth, convinced as she is that one day the Burleys will achieve their purpose.

Will the Burleys succeed? And if they do, will the Graham family survive the exacted price?
Serpents in the Garden is the fifth book in Anna Belfrage’s time slip series featuring time traveler Alexandra Lind and her seventeenth century husband, Matthew Graham.

Publication Date: March 1, 2014
SilverWood Books
Formats: Ebook, Paperback 

This is book 5 in the Graham Saga.  Having gotten to know the family in books 3 and 4 sitting down with Serpent in the Garden was like getting together with old friends and catching up on their lives.  Even though I began this series with book 3 my enjoyment of this series was not hampered at all (books 1 & 2 are patiently waiting for me).

In the past I have read series that seem to just go on and on with the material stretched and situations getting unbelievable and yea even ridiculous. It's a heavy burden for authors that write series, to keep the story from getting boring and outlandish. Which is totally not the case here.  Anna Belfrage has written a book that had me captivated from the start, the story lines were original, fitting the time period and environment accurately. The author has made me full in love with Alex, Matthew and their family, they are real and genuine.

I loved the fact that there were no wasted words or fullers in this book.  You know the words that just seem to take up space with no real relevance to the flow of the book and at times you might even skim over.  None of that in this book, everything flowed together perfectly and at the right speed, right to the end.

Oh and that very last paragraph, yea I can't wait till Retribution comes in August. 

Graham Saga Titles

Book One: A Rip in the Veil
Book Two: Like Chaff in the Wind
Book Three: The Prodigal Son
Book Four: A Newfound Land
Book Five: Serpents in the Garden
Book Six: Revenge & Retribution (coming August 2014)
Book Seven: Whither Thou Goest

 

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About the Author

I was raised abroad, on a pungent mix of Latin American culture, English history and Swedish traditions. As a result I’m multilingual and most of my reading is historical – both non-fiction and fiction.
I was always going to be a writer – or a historian, preferably both. Instead I ended up with a degree in Business and Finance, with very little time to spare for my most favourite pursuit. Still, one does as one must, and in between juggling a challenging career I raised my four children on a potent combination of invented stories, historical debates and masses of good food and homemade cakes. They seem to thrive … Nowadays I spend most of my spare time at my writing desk. The children are half grown, the house is at times eerily silent and I slip away into my imaginary world, with my imaginary characters. Every now and then the one and only man in my life pops his head in to ensure I’m still there. I like that – just as I like how he makes me laugh so often I’ll probably live to well over a hundred.
I was always going to be a writer. Now I am – I have achieved my dream.

For more information, please visit Anna Belfrage’s website.  You can also find her on Facebook or follow her on Twitter.

Virtual Book Tour Schedule

Monday, March 24
Review at Flashlight Commentary
Tuesday, March 25
Interview at Flashlight Commentary
Wednesday, March 26
Review at Just One More Chapter
Thursday, March 27
Excerpt & Giveaway at Just One More Chapter
Friday, March 28
Interview at Mina’s Bookshelf
Spotlight & Giveaway at Passages to the Past
Monday, March 31
Review at Oh, for the Hook of a Book
Spotlight & Excerpt at bookworm2bookworm’s Blog
Tuesday, April 1
Guest Post at Oh, for the Hook of a Book
Wednesday, April 2
Interview & Giveaway at Let Them Read Books
Thursday, April 3
Review at CelticLady’s Reviews
Review at So Many Books, So Little Time
Friday, April 4
Review at Dianne Ascroft
Guest Post at So Many Books, So Little Time
Monday, April 7
Review at Svetlana’s Reads and Views
Review & Giveaway at Broken Teepee
Tuesday, April 8
Review & Giveaway at The Most Happy Reader
Interview at Historical Fiction Connection
Wednesday, April 9
Review & Giveaway at A Chick Who Reads
Guest Post & Giveaway at MK McClintock Blog
Thursday, April 10
Review & Guest Post at Kincavel Korner
Friday, April 11
Review at Griperang’s Bookmarks