Friday, 26 October 2018

[CRUSHING ON THE COP Blog Tour] Review + Excerpt


Crushing on the Cop
(Blue Collar Brothers #2)
By Piper Rayne
Release Day: Oct. 25, 2018

DESCRIPTION

Cristian Bianco has two things against him—he’s a police officer and he’s a police officer in the 18th District…meaning my dad is his boss.

Growing up as the Commander’s daughter and having his magnifying glass focused on everything I did was more than I could handle.

Now, I’m out on my own, living by my own rules. Well, mostly. The ‘job’ I created for myself has me in some hot water and my exit strategy isn’t exactly working out how I’d hoped.

Which is why when my best friend bids on Cristian for me at a charity bachelor auction, I’m not having it. A man in blue is only going to be one thing for me—a problem.

Except after his brother starts dating my best friend he becomes harder to ignore. The eight-pack abs. The sense of style only a girl like me can appreciate. The way he puts his family first. It all adds up to make him one irresistible prospect and has me wondering if he knows how to use those handcuffs the right way—by locking my wrists to his headboard.

GET YOUR COPY NOW!



REVIEW

I've said it before and I'll keep saying it every single time that I review one of their books, but I absolutely LOVE Piper and Rayne's books! The stories, the characters, the writing...I think everything is fabulous and I always eagerly wait for the release of their books! The Blue Collar Brothers series has probably been my most anticipated out of all their series though! Ever since we met the Bianco brothers back in the Bedrooms Games series I've been super excited and eager to see them all find love! I adored Mauro and Maddie's story in Flirting with Fire...and I was sooooo excited to get Cristian and Vanessa's story next...and let me tell you...it. did. not. disappoint! 

One of my favourite things about Piper Rayne's books is the fact that they always set up trilogies where the characters' stories tie in with each other. I love that I continue to see the characters as their friends (or in the Bianco brothers' case: siblings) also find love...I'm an absolute sucker for cameos and group dynamics in my romance books, so the fact that they do this so well is something that I love every single time. It makes the story even better and it means that I don't have to let the characters go right away, too! I also love that in later series, some of their couples from previous books will make cameos, too. ;) 

So...obviously I loved that I got to see more of Mauro and Maddie in CRUSHING ON THE COP...but let's be real here, I was really the most excited to get to see more of Cristian and Vanessa! I love all of the Bianco brothers, and I really love the three girlfriends in this series, too, but I loved that in CRUSHING ON THE COP we got to see beneath Cristian's stoic and strong front...we got to see him be vulnerable, honest, and open with Vanessa and I loved that! I also loved seeing Vanessa's growth! She was so closed off at the beginning of the story and seeing her open up to Cris was amazing...and we finally learned her secret! It defintely wasn't what I expected, but I loved that Piper and Rayne were able to surprise me...and all of the conflicts in this book were wrapped up in a really realistic way, which I freaking loved! Too often in romance everything is all drama, drama, drama, but in this one the relationship was so real and I genuinely enjoyed seeing Cris and Van challenge each other, and I loved the chemistry between them--it was super sizzling! 

Along with Cristian and Vanessa's fabulous chemistry, I loved all of the other dynamics in this story! The friends and siblings were wonderful together and I loved their interactions! I also loved seeing all of the family dynamics! I love seeing all of the Biancos together...especially all of their scenes with Ma, and I really loved seeing Vanessa's relationship with her dad shift by the end of the story. :) Then of course, I also loved seeing the guys at work! In the first book we got to see the firefighters in action, and in this one we got to see Cris interact with his partner and some of the other cops in the precinct. It was pretty neat to see, and it definitely has me intrigued and hoping that we'll be getting some of the Bianco brothers' coworkers in some of Piper Rayne's future novels. ;)

Overall, I absolutely loved CRUSHING ON THE COP! I loved Cristian and Vanessa so much, and am extremely excited for the final book in this trilogy: ENGAGED TO THE EMT. Lauren and Luca have the whole hate-to-love thing going on and I'm super here for that! I'd highly recommend this series (and any other Piper Rayne book!) to anyone who love rom-coms, especially if you're a fan of steamy stories with a lot of heart! ;)


EXCERPT

     “Not on duty tonight, officer?” I insert sarcasm into my tone because being a bitch will make it easier for him to keep his distance.

     “Well, Miss Flanagan, I’m off for two days if you’re wondering.”

     I step away from the keg allowing the lingering guys who are talking about hockey a chance to fill their cups.

     “That leaves me open for that date.” He cocks an eyebrow.

     My head falls back in defeat. “There is no date. You have a pass. Most guys would love the chance to get out of a date with the person who wins them at an auction.”

     He sips his beer. “I’m not most guys.”

     I sip my beer and don’t respond. He’s right. He’s not most guys. Most guys don’t look like he does. That or I’ve been hanging around the wrong places.

     “Some might say that most women would love to go on a date with a police officer.”

     “I’m not most women.”

     He laughs. One that heats my insides and makes him even more attractive. I know I’m going to be visualizing him the next time I pull out my Unicorn Cock vibrator, but I’ll deal like I always do.

     “I agree,” he says when he finishes laughing.

     “Perfect. Then it’s a deal. No date.” I smile and turn on my heel heading toward the bonfire.

     “Whoa.” His hand gently grabs my arm.

     I spin back around.

     “You know that’s not what I was saying. Come on, Vanessa. I need your dad off my back. One date. It’s not going to kill anyone.”

     I purse my lips, trying to figure out how I’m going to get him to let this topic go. I’ve had one police officer dictating my entire life already, I don’t need another.

     “Just lie,” I say with a shrug.

     His strong shoulders sag a bit and he shoots me a look like ‘give me a break.’ His eyes are those of an innocent man who probably always does the right thing. I’m doing him a favor keeping him at arm’s length.

     “Fine,” I say when the silence stretches out.

     He smiles.

     I hold a finger up into the air. “You do one thing tonight that you’d never normally do and I’ll go out with you.” I smirk. Let’s see Mr. Squeaky Clean take me up on that offer. I’m picturing my victory already.

     “What?” He screws his face up then sips his beer.

     I cross my arms around my middle, waiting for him to say no way so that I can move on. “You heard me. One spontaneous thing. Here. Tonight.”

     “Like what?” he asks, his eyes scanning the area around us that I now realize is quickly emptying out. Half these people probably have babysitters to get home to.

     I shrug. “That’s for you to decide.”

     His forehead bunches. “What do you want me to do? Jump over the fire or some shit like that?”

     “I’d prefer if you didn’t end up in the emergency room, so no, I don’t expect you to jump over a roaring fire. That would ruin Maddie and Mauro’s night.”

     A pissed off look crosses his face and he downs most of his beer.

     “That’s it, let’s go, Cris. It’s two against two and I need a guy.” Luca, Cristian’s little brother, twirls a soccer ball on his finger as he steps up to us. Lauren follows behind with a girl I don’t recognize.

     “What?” Cristian glares over at his brother. “I’m not playing soccer tonight in the pitch dark.”
     He has a point.

     “Come on Cris. Lauren says she can score five goals on me.” Luca glances over to Lauren who has a shit-eating grin on her face, and he rolls his eyes.

     Cristian blows out a breath. Lauren saddles up to my side, kicking the soccer ball from Luca’s hands. She does some fancy footwork then kicks the ball in the air before catching it. That girl has coordination I do not.

     “The answer is no. Find Bentley, he’s over there.” He points toward the bonfire.

     Luca must know his brother never does something he doesn’t want to do because he barrels away from us without a word.

     “What’s going on over here?” Lauren asks, walking backward, twirling the soccer ball on one finger like Luca was moments ago.

     “Nothing,” I say.

     “Lauren, what’s the craziest thing I can do tonight?” Cristian hollers out and Lauren’s feet stop, staring at me over his shoulder.

     She knows this game. We play it often. Well, not since college when guys tend to think they can say hello and you’ll be falling all over them. There’s nothing wrong with making them work to impress you a little. It builds character. LOL.

     Lauren being Lauren pretends to think about it. In the past, we’ve had guys shave their heads or their eyebrows, dress in girl’s clothing, striptease with a pair of girl’s panties on. God knows what Lauren’s going to recommend.

     “You’re a smart boy, Bianco. Turn the tables,” she says. “What’s the worst thing you could do to Vanessa tonight?”

     I flip her off. Nice friend I got there. Who wants her?

     A devilish smile creeps onto Cristian’s lips. “Anyone tell you, you’re a fucking genius, Lauren?”
     She laughs. “All the time. Tell your brother for me though.”

     Luca comes over, stealing the soccer ball from her hands, while a guy tripping over his own feet follows behind. The girl and guy standing on the sidelines watching Lauren and Luca argue about who goes first.

     “So, Officer Bianco, what will it be?” I cock a hip and a brow.

     “Maybe a date with you isn’t worth the embarrassment?” He steps closer and I back up an inch, unease setting in as his demeanor grows more confident and sure.

     I shrug. “That’s fine. I’m happy to split ways now.”

     He takes another giant step forward and sips the remaining beer from his cup, tossing it down to the grass, his gaze intense and set on whatever he’s about to do.

     “What are you doing?” I ask, my voice weaker than I’d prefer.

     We’re chest to chest now because he’s taken me by surprise and I forgot to flee with his approach. Okay and maybe his eyes mesmerized me. A little. Not much.

     “I’m going to do the one thing I didn’t think I’d do tonight.” His voice has dropped an octave and we’re alone in the darkness of the forest now where the warmth of the bonfire has disappeared. A cold chill runs across my cheeks until Cristian’s hands land on either side of my face. “I’m going to kiss you.”

     His lips fall to mine. Did I say it was cold? It’s not. It’s warm. Cristian’s mouth on mine steals the chill from my body. I should knee him in the balls or at least push him away, but I don’t. Instead, my lips betray me and move in time with his. I wrap my arms around his neck and I rise to my tiptoes, kissing him back.

     His arms cradle me flush against his body, his tongue exploring mine and under the canopy of the forest, away from any prying eyes, Cristian Bianco sets my body on fire.

     I love breaking other people’s rules, but I’m not sure about breaking my own.
* I also shared some teaser graphics yesterday for the release day of Crushing on the Cop! You can find them in my post, HERE.*


ABOUT THE AUTHORS:

Piper Rayne, or Piper and Rayne, whichever you prefer because we’re not one author, we’re two. Yep, you get two USA Today Bestselling authors for the price of one. Our goal is to bring you romance stories that have "Heartwarming Humor With a Side of Sizzle" (okay...you caught us, that's our tagline). A little about us... We both have kindle’s full of one-clickable books. We're both married to husbands who drive us to drink. We're both chauffeurs to our kids. Most of all, we love hot heroes and quirky heroines that make us laugh, and we hope you do, too.

Connect with Piper Rayne:


Join our newsletter and get 2 FREE BOOKS!
 - http://bit.ly/2tsNcpP 


Be one of our unicorns: http://bit.ly/2snaBtK


What do you think?
Does CRUSHING ON THE COP sound like a book you'd enjoy?
At this point, I will read ANYTHING that Piper and Rayne come up with...what about you who are some of your auto-buy authors?

Thursday, 25 October 2018

[Release Day Blitz] CRUSHING ON THE COP (Blue Collar Brothers #2) by Piper Rayne


Woo hoo!!! Exciting news! The second book in Piper Rayne's Blue Collar Brothers series, CRUSHING ON THE COP, is out today!!! 

If you're a fan of sexy, sweet, and funny romance books and you haven't read one of Piper Rayne's books yet then you really do need to check them out! I've absolutely loved every single one of their books that I've read and I think that the first book in this series, FLIRTING WITH FIRE, was probably my top favourite so far! I'm currently reading CRUSHING ON THE COP...and you guys, it is soooooo good!!!! 

Keep on scrolling for the book descriptions, buy links, and some sexy teasers! ;)


CRUSHING ON THE COP
Blue Collar Brothers Book 2
BY: PIPER RAYNE 

Release Date: October 25, 2018!

AVAILABLE NOW!
Cristian Bianco has two things against him—he’s a police officer and he’s a police officer in the 18th District…meaning my dad is his boss.

Growing up as the Commander’s daughter and having his magnifying glass focused on everything I did was more than I could handle.

Now, I’m out on my own, living by my own rules. Well, mostly. The ‘job’ I created for myself has me in some hot water and my exit strategy isn’t exactly working out how I’d hoped.

Which is why when my best friend bids on Cristian for me at a charity bachelor auction, I’m not having it. A man in blue is only going to be one thing for me—a problem.

Except after his brother starts dating my best friend he becomes harder to ignore. The eight-pack abs. The sense of style only a girl like me can appreciate. The way he puts his family first. It all adds up to make him one irresistible prospect and has me wondering if he knows how to use those handcuffs the right way—by locking my wrists to his headboard.

GET YOUR COPY NOW!



TEASERS

If that description and sexy cover hasn't sold you yet, check out these fantastic teasers! 

(Hot Tip: If you want to see these teasers even bigger, just present the ctrl/command key (depending on if you're a PC or Mac person, respectively) and right click to open them up in a new tab in all their full size glory! ;D)



ABOUT THE AUTHORS:

Piper Rayne, or Piper and Rayne, whichever you prefer because we’re not one author, we’re two. Yep, you get two USA Today Bestselling authors for the price of one. Our goal is to bring you romance stories that have "Heartwarming Humor With a Side of Sizzle" (okay...you caught us, that's our tagline). A little about us... We both have kindle’s full of one-clickable books. We're both married to husbands who drive us to drink. We're both chauffeurs to our kids. Most of all, we love hot heroes and quirky heroines that make us laugh, and we hope you do, too.

Connect with Piper Rayne:


Join our newsletter and get 2 FREE BOOKS!
 - http://bit.ly/2tsNcpP 


Be one of our unicorns: http://bit.ly/2snaBtK


What do you think?
Is anyone else a bigtime Piper Rayne fangirl? ;)
Is CRUSHING ON THE COP on your TBR?

Thursday, 11 October 2018

[Release Day Blitz] PLAYER by Staci Hart




Player, an all-new sexy, standalone romantic comedy from Staci Hart, is LIVE!

I should have known it was only a game.


I should have known he was too good to be true.

He’s nothing but a player...

He’s a player.

He plays the bass with expert fingers. He plays women with intoxicating charm. And he’ll play me with the ease of a virtuoso.

Who better to teach me to play than the master himself?

I’m his model student, front row, pencil sharp. Pick up lines? I’ve got them. Free drinks? By the dozen. Kissing? Let me grab my chapstick.

But the most valuable lesson I’ve learned is that there’s so much I don’t know. Like why his touch sets off a chain reaction straight to my nethers. Or how I’m certain each kiss is the best I’ll ever have, until the moment his lips take mine again.

There’s so much I don’t know.

Like the fact that I’m only a bet.

But we are what we are. He’s a player, through and through.

And I’m the fool who fell in love with him.
Download your copy today or read FREE in Kindle Unlimited!

Add to Goodreads: http://bit.ly/2PwVrfH


About the Author

STACI HART has been a lot of things up to this point in her life -- a graphic designer, an entrepreneur, a seamstress, a clothing and handbag designer, a waitress. Can't forget that. She's also been a mom, with three little girls who are sure to grow up to break a number of hearts. She's been a wife, though she's certainly not the cleanest, or the best cook. She's also super, duper fun at a party, especially if she's been drinking whiskey.

From roots in Houston to a seven year stint in Southern California, Staci and her family ended up settling somewhere in between and equally north, in Denver. They are new enough that snow is still magical. When she's not writing, she's reading, sleeping, gaming, or designing graphics.

Connect with Staci:

Stay up to date with Staci by joining her mailing list:
http://stacihartnovels.com/get-the-newsletter/

Join Staci’s Reader Group Here:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/stacihart/


Ever since I caught a glimpse of the cover for Player, I've been eagerly waiting for it to release...and romance fans, the day is here! Player is out now! 

I'm extremely excited for this book. The cover may have lured me in, but that description sounds fantastic!

Who else can't wait to read Player
Are you picking up your copy today? ;)

Monday, 17 September 2018

[FLIRTING WITH FIRE Blog Tour] Review + Excerpt


Flirting With Fire
(Blue Collar Brothers #1)
By Piper Rayne
Release Day: Sept 13

DESCRIPTION

Everyone knows that if you play with fire you’ll end up getting burned…

What happens when you attend a first responder’s bachelor auction with your best friends? Well, if your name is Madison Kelly like me, your friends end up bidding on a date for you with your high school crush.

That’s right. Even back when I was ‘Fatty Maddie’ to all my classmates, I had eyes for the quarterback of our football team. Not like I was the only one.

Mauro Bianco may fight fires for a living, but he still sets my heart ablaze. One look at the rugged, muscular man he’s turned into and I want to slide down his pole.

One date. That’s all I’m committed to. A few hours and I can tuck him back into that tattered old shoebox in my closet.

As always, the universe has other plans. I never would’ve predicted that in a matter of days he’d turn from my dream guy into my enemy.
Add to Goodreads: https://bit.ly/2mhVmz8
GET YOUR COPY NOW:

Add to Most Anticipated Romance for September 2018:
https://bit.ly/2LbKb5G

REVIEW

Oh my, my, my! I still remember when I stumbled upon my first Piper Rayne book...Dirty Talker. I was hooked immediately, and I've been a huge fan of their books ever since! Each time they introduce a new series, I get excited all over again, and I've been eagerly waiting for their Blue Collar Brothers series ever since we met the Bianco brothers in their Bedroom Games series...let me tell you, this series was completely worth the wait! ;)



As the oldest Bianco brother, it makes sense that Mauro's book came first, and I'm so glad that we got to got to know him better because he is absolutely amazing! He's more than just a super sexy firefighter, he's also sweet, caring, and willing to do absolutely everything he can for the people that he cares about. I loved every single second of Flirting with Fire, and I loved every single moment between Mauro and Maddie! Maddie was also phenomenal! She was caring, considerate, and just genuinely nice! As someone who identifies as "nice" and can sometimes fall into the "people pleaser" territory, I completely related to her, and I loved seeing her find happiness with Mauro. I also loved that with these two we got a bit of snippets into their past because they're crossed paths in high school. It made for an unexpected, but very sweet addition to the story and I loved it!

As far as the romance goes, it was everything I could have possibly hoped for! It was sweet, and the pacing of the story was perfect for these characters! I also loved that along with the romance, we got to see Mauro's relationship with his family, and Maddie's relationship with her besties! I'm really looking forward to seeing how that evolves in the rest of the series, and I definitely cannot wait for the next book...October 25th...hurry up and get here. ;)

Overall, I thought that Flirting with Fire was amazing! It was sweet, sexy, super funny, but still full of so much heart! I absolutely loved Mauro and Maddie! Their romance was so freaking wonderful, and I can't wait to dive into the next two books in this series, Crushing on the Cop and Engaged to the EMT featuring Mauro's younger brothers, Cristian and Luca, and Maddie's best friends, Vanessa and Lauren. If you love sweet, yet sexy rom-coms full of heart, then you definitely don't want to miss this book! ;)


EXCERPT

       My brothers widen their stances, share a look of amusement and cock their eyebrows at me.

       “Hate to break it to you, but Maddie didn’t bid on you. Lauren did.” Luca laughs while Cristian chuckles.

       “I’m going out with a Madison and she didn’t go to our high school. Which reminds me.” I pull out my phone.

       “Maddie is Madison, you idiot,” Luca says. “Her and Lauren were in my year.”

       “I went to high school with Madison?” I try to let her face come back to me, and though I can picture her bright blue eyes and long chestnut hair, nothing about her is familiar from high school.

       “Yes, but she definitely wasn’t hanging out at the bonfires and football pep rallies.” Luca grabs his helmet off his bike. The only responsible thing I’ve seen him do in the last few years.

       “Well, shit and she doesn’t even want to go out with me? Her friend bid on me?”

       Luca straddles his bike with a grin. I look over to Cristian, but he’s putting his shirt back on and starts fiddling with his earbuds. They obviously think this conversation is over.

       “Yeah, but we’re all in the same boat.” Cristian’s thumb moves over his phone screen. “Maddie’s awesome and I think you’ll have a good time with her.”

       “She seemed pretty quiet and way too accommodating,” I say.

       Luca kicks his stand up, letting the bike rock a little under him.

       Cristian’s hands freeze on the screen of his phone. “And that’s bad?” he asks.

       “I want a woman who knows what she wants. Has her own damn opinions. Doesn’t just agree with everything I say.”

       Cristian peeks over his shoulder, a look of amusement that matches Luca’s. “You want a girl to come up and grab your nuts?”

       “I want a girl who knows what her favorite food is, has an opinion about where she wants to go for dinner, likes whatever sports team she likes and doesn’t default to my favorites.” I stuff my hands into my pockets, digging out my keys for my truck.

       “Well then, Maddie might not be the one. Like I said, she’s nice.” Cristian slaps me on the shoulder.

       “Treat her good though, okay?” He inserts one earbud.

       “What do you think I’m going to do, leave her in Garfield Park?”

       He puts his other earbud in. “That’s not even funny man. I have a friend in that district and the shit that goes down there...” He shakes his head.

       Cristian loses the entire point of my statement—the fact I’m not a jackass. I’m not Luca.

       “It’s one date,” I say. “And who knows, maybe she’s nice but still has a wild streak.”

       Christian again glances over to Luca who’s smiling like he’s fucking Mickey Mouse.

       “Well, good luck on your date,” he says.

       Cristian jogs away and Luca’s bike starts up.

       I head to my truck.

       The conversation is over, but I’m curious now.

       Where’s my damn yearbook?


ABOUT THE AUTHORS:

Piper Rayne, or Piper and Rayne, whichever you prefer because we’re not one author, we’re two. Yep, you get two USA Today Bestselling authors for the price of one. Our goal is to bring you romance stories that have "Heartwarming Humor With a Side of Sizzle" (okay...you caught us, that's our tagline). A little about us... We both have kindle’s full of one-clickable books. We're both married to husbands who drive us to drink. We're both chauffeurs to our kids. Most of all, we love hot heroes and quirky heroines that make us laugh, and we hope you do, too.

Connect with Piper Rayne:


Join our newsletter and get 2 FREE BOOKS!
 - http://bit.ly/2tsNcpP 


Be one of our unicorns: http://bit.ly/2snaBtK


Well, well! I've finally read the first book in the Blue Collar Brothers series, which I've been excited for since I first met the Bianco brothers in Piper Rayne's Bedroom Games series, and they were certainly worth the wait! :D

I'm super excited for more of this series, but what about you?
Does Flirting with Fire sound like something you'd enjoy?
If you've read it, what did you think?

Friday, 7 September 2018

[THE LOST QUEEN Blog Tour] Review + Written Piece


The Lost Queen (The Lost Queen Trilogy #1) by Signe Pike
Source: ARC from Simon & Schuster Canada to participate in blog tour.
Publisher: Touchstone
Release Date: September 4, 2018
Number of Pages: 576 (Hardcover)

DESCRIPTION

Mists of Avalon meets Philippa Gregory in the first book of an exciting historical trilogy that reveals the untold story of Languoreth—a powerful and, until now, tragically forgotten queen of sixth-century Scotland—twin sister of the man who inspired the legendary character of Merlin.

Intelligent, passionate, rebellious, and brave, Languoreth is the unforgettable heroine of The Lost Queen, a tale of conflicted loves and survival set against the cinematic backdrop of ancient Scotland, a magical land of myths and superstition inspired by the beauty of the natural world. One of the most powerful early medieval queens in British history, Languoreth ruled at a time of enormous disruption and bloodshed, when the burgeoning forces of Christianity threatened to obliterate the ancient pagan beliefs and change her way of life forever.

Together with her twin brother Lailoken, a warrior and druid known to history as Merlin, Languoreth is catapulted into a world of danger and violence. When a war brings the hero Emrys Pendragon, to their door, Languoreth collides with the handsome warrior Maelgwn. Their passionate connection is forged by enchantment, but Languoreth is promised in marriage to Rhydderch, son of the High King who is sympathetic to the followers of Christianity. As Rhydderch's wife, Languoreth must assume her duty to fight for the preservation of the Old Way, her kingdom, and all she holds dear.

The Lost Queen brings this remarkable woman to life—rescuing her from obscurity, and reaffirming her place at the center of the most enduring legends of all time.

REVIEW

I've been a fan of stories about Merlin and King Arthur for as long as I can remember, so when I first heart about The Lost Queen and how it centres partially around the man who is believed to be the inspiration for Merlin and his twin sister, Languoreth, I was extremely excited to pick it up! :)

While it wasn't quite what I expected, I still really, really enjoyed The Lost Queen! The world-building and descriptions were fabulous, and the characters were great! I did find the story dragged a bit at times, which I kind of expected because it's an epic, and there weren't as many Arthurian aspects to the story as I'd hoped there would be. I feel like that aspect of the story may be coming more in the later books of this trilogy, but I was kind of hoping for more right from the start. I did enjoy Languoreth's perspective though, and it was extremely fascinating to see the world through her eyes at different ages.

Along with loving the descriptions and world-building, I loved all of the characters. Languoreth was fierce, loyal, and strong, and I loved seeing how her perspective changed throughout the story. I also absolutely loved her brother Lailoken, and I really loved the bond between them. The Lost Queen was packed full of amazing secondary characters, and I really did love so many of them. They were extremely well flushed out, and they all felt so real. I really loved Languoreth and Lailoken's father, Morken...and I loved his relationship with Languoreth, too. And their cousins, Brant and Brodyn, and foster brother, Gwenddolau—all of them were amazing and I loved seeing how they all connected. Seriously all of the family parts of this book had my heart all twisted up because it was just so good...and then there was the romance! As I'm sure everyone knows by now, I'm a sucker for romance, so I loved the little romantic subplots. It isn't a big element of the story, but I adored every second of it!

Finally the story itself! As I mentioned, some parts were a little slow, but other parts were extremely intense and I was so anxious and just had to keep reading...I had to know what happened next! Even though I've always been a fan of Arthur and Merlin, I'm definitely not familiar with the true history that inspired their tales, and I was blown away by just how much detail was in The Lost Queen. The research elements were phenomenal, and it really does feel like you're experiencing everything through Languoreth's perspective. I'm definitely intrigued and excited to see where this trilogy goes next!

Overall, I really enjoyed The Lost Queen! I did find that it was a bit slow at times, but I thought that the world-building, characters, descriptions, and the story itself were extremely well done! I'd recommend The Lost Queen to readers who love historical fiction, especially if you enjoy epic tales and any-and-all-things to do with Merlin!


WRITTEN PIECE

TOPIC: What was your inspiration for writing, The Lost Queen?

    I’d already been studying Celtic history and tracing the roots of Celtic folklore intensively for a memoir I’d written by the time I wandered into a tiny bookshop in Glastonbury, England. Browsing the shelves, I came across a copy of a non-fiction book called Finding Merlin by Adam Ardrey and bought it on a whim. In it Ardrey presents compelling evidence that the legend of Merlin is based on a real man named Lailoken who lived in sixth-century Scotland. He wasn’t a wizard who shot magic from his fingertips. He was a politician and son of a powerful petty king. He was a warrior and an academic. This felt real to me, and I wanted to learn more. It was in Ardrey’s book I read that Lailoken had a sister – a twin. Her name was Languoreth, and she would go on to become one of the most influential women of early medieval Scotland. Tragically, she’d been almost completely forgotten. The Lost Queen.

    I began to do my own research, and the more I learned about Languoreth and the historical events she experienced in her lifetime, the more determined I became to tell her story. I was fascinated by the fact that while Merlin/Myrddin is someone we assume is a figment of myth, Languoreth can be traced with significantly more historical confidence. We find Languoreth recorded in ancient king lists as the wife of a Brythonic/Brittonic ruler named Rhydderch Hael, who scholars agree ruled from Clyde Rock in the late sixth to early seventh centuries. There are children descended from the union of Rhydderch and his wife, their names are recorded in ancient Welsh triads as well as historic genealogies. But who Languoreth truly was—and what she experienced in her lifetime as one of the most powerful women in her era—had been buried under the weight of passing centuries. I couldn’t stop thinking about this woman Languoreth and the epic times she lived through: the epic battle that tore her family apart, the Anglo-Saxon encroachment, and the first ever politico-religious acts of violence her people would have likely experienced. Moreover, in today’s world, when powerful female role models must be brought forth and honored now more than ever, I thought it a travesty that Languoreth had been written out of history, her incredible story never told.

    When I first began researching Languoreth, there was a passion that ignited me, but mostly my work was driven by a visceral sense of sadness over the difficult times in which she lived, and a great sense of injustice that her life had been forgotten. I don’t believe writers find stories. I believe stories find us. And the way in which this story found me left me with little choice as to whether or not I was going to write it. I believed it was time Languoreth stepped from the mists of history to take her place in our hearts, our minds, and our memories.

ABOUT SIGNE PIKE

SIGNE PIKE was born in born in Ithaca, NY, and graduated from Cornell University with her Bachelor of Science in Communication. 

She worked as an acquisitions editor at Random House and then Penguin, before leaving to write her first book, Faery Tale: One Woman's Search for Enchantment in a Modern World. Pike has spent the past ten years researching and writing about Celtic history, myth, folklore and tradition. Her love of history, the great outdoors, early medieval and ancient archeology, and her dedication to historical accuracy has made her social media feeds an informative delight to her readers.

Signe teaches seminars and workshops internationally on writing and publishing, as well as on folklore and tradition. Her writing has been published by SalonCharleston City Paper, Book Riot and NPR.org. She currently lives in Charleston, South Carolina, where she writes full-time.

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What do you think?
Does The Lost Queen sound like something you'd like to read?

And what did you think of Signe's piece on her inspiration for The Lost Queen?
Have you ever been inspired the way that Languoreth inspired Signe?