Release: May 11th 2020
Format: Ebook
Publisher: Bowker
Source: HF Virtual Book Tours
Find it at: Goodreads, Amazon, Kindle,
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England, 1643. The Civil War has created a great divide between those who support King Charles and those who would rather see his head on the block. Young Scot Colin Blackburne finds himself caught in the middle when Parliamentarians murder his mother because of his father’s allegiance to the king. As further punishment, the family goes to Yorkshire as indentured servants.
His master mistreats him and a Parliamentarian soldier torments him as well. Colin vows to take up arms for the king and seek vengeance against the men who killed his mother. The only bright spot in his life is his unexpected, and forbidden, friendship with his master’s daughter, Emma Hardcastle.
With her father constantly away on campaign and with her mad mother , Emma is drawn to Colin and his brother, Roddy. She introduces them to her troubled neighbor Alston Egerton, who has a clandestine relationship with Stephen Kitts, the soldier out for Colin’s blood.
As they all become entangled in a twisted web of love, jealousy, desire, and betrayal, the war rages on around them. Colin is resentful at being forced into servitude and forbidden from being with the woman he loves. So, he puts his plan for vengeance into motion, though it will have disastrous consequences for all of them.
Secrets come out tearing apart the relationships .With the country teetering on the brink of ruin, Emma fights to survive. Alston has no choice but to confront his demons. Colin must decide whether his burning desire to fight for justice is worth sacrificing a future with the woman he loves.
About the Author:
Donna Scott is an award-winning author of 17th and 18th century historical fiction. Before embarking on a writing career, she spent her time in the world of academia. She earned her BA in English from the University of Miami and her MS and EdD (ABD) from Florida International University. She has two sons and lives in sunny South Florida with her husband. Her first novel, Shame the Devil, received the first place Chaucer Award for historical fiction and a Best Book designation from Chanticleer International Book Reviews. Her newest novel, The London Monster, will be released in January 2021.
Shame the Devil Review:
This book is easily one of the best historical fiction novels I have read in a while! I could not put it down and simply LOVED it!
I cannot express how much I enjoyed reading this. The author did a fantastic job in writing this saga. In fact, how do I even categorize it? Is it a saga? Historical? Dramatic? Soap opera-esque? It’s all of the above and so much more.
The story hooks to you to it from the first page, when Colin and Roddy’s life changes after they mother dies. From there, we get introduced to numerous characters like Emma, Alston and Stephen and intertwined in their affairs. There’s revenge, betrayal, scandals, secrets, and just about everything I love to read in a novel. If I had to pinpoint a favorite, I would have to say Alston stole my heart. I loved the taboo and toxic relation he has with Stephen, how he has to fight his own battles, and felt so bad for him at times. Also, I hated Stephen so much! Emma and Colin’s romance was written so well. As you can see, I got so invested with the characters that I didn’t want it to end.
Moreover, I also loved how the story-lines takes place using the English Civil War as the backdrop. I have read only a few books about this era and I always find it fascinating surrounding Charles and Cromwell. From reading the story, you can clearly see the amount of details the author put in to make the landscape authentic. The characters, the dialogues, the language, the settings etc. make you feel like you are living in that era.
Overall, I love this book, and can’t wait to read more of the author’s works!
Giveaway
During the Blog Tour, we are giving away 3 paperback copies of Shame the Devil by Donna Scott! To enter, please use the Gleam form below.
The giveaway is open to US residents only and ends on September 22nd. You must be 18 or older to enter.
Book Tour Schedule
I am thrilled to be hosting a spot on the Shame the Devil by Donna Scott Blog Tour hosted by HF Virtual Book Tours. Check out my post and make sure to enter the giveaway!
