Tag: romance

The Dragon Tree (Dr DuLac series Book 2)
A haunting medieval time-slip.
Echoes of the past resonate through time and disturb medievalist Dr DuLac as she struggles with misfortune in the present. She and Rev Rory have escaped to the island of Madeira on a secondment from their posts, yet they are not to find peace – until they can solve the mystery of the shard of azulejo and the ancient ammonite. Viv’s search brings her into contact with two troubled women: a
noblewoman shipwrecked on the island in the 14th century and a rebellious nun at the island convent in the 16th century. As Viv reaches out across the centuries, their lives become intertwined, and she must uncover the secrets of the ominous Dragon Tree in order to locate lost artefacts that
can shape the future.
For fans of Barbara Erskine, Pamela Hartshorne, Susanna Kearsley, Christina Courtenay.

(for A Shape on the Air) “In the best Barbara Erskine tradition …I would highly recommend this novel” -Historical Novel Society
(for the series) “Julia does an incredible job of setting up the idea of time-shift so that it’s believable and makes sense” – book tour reviewer
“The idea of being able to ‘feel’ what happened in the past is enticing … The sense of the island is really wonderful … Julia brings it to life evocatively” – Joanna Barnden
“an engaging and original time-slip novel that keeps the reader turning the pages…the characters are authentic and the mystery is neatly woven between the centuries … seamless time transitions”
– Melissa Morgan
Purchase

Julia Ibbotson is fascinated by the medieval world and the concept of time. She sees her author brand as a historical fiction writer of romantic mysteries that 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 (Endeavour) 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 work in progress is the first of a new series of Anglo-Saxon 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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Goodreads

My thoughts: it took me a bit longer to get into this second time travelling adventure, perhaps because it opened on such sadness, or maybe because I haven’t been to Madeira (although I’ve certainly eaten the cake) and don’t know a lot about it or Portuguese history in general. Portugal is that bit further and seems to have wisely stayed out of various mix ups in history that England, France and Spain seemed determined to have. Sensible place really.

But as Viv starts to connect more with the island’s history, Ana and her descendants, finding out more about the turbulent past and the casual erasure of the (most probably) real original settlers – the Moors, and their influences, I enjoyed it more. Viv is reeling for a tragedy and she and Rory are drifting from each other, each in their own private pain.

Moving to Madeira might seem an extreme way to handle grief, but I can see the desire for a place that doesn’t hold the sad memories the way their home in the UK does. Viv’s research has moved forward too – into a later part of the medieval period- the reign of the English Edward III, who doesn’t come across too well in Ana’s memories, shared by Viv. His wife, Philippa of Hainault is an interesting figure and I would have liked a tiny bit more of her.

I didn’t embrace this book as enthusiastically as A Shape in the Air, which is a shame, although I did find it interesting and want to look at some wider medieval history. Book 3, The Rune Stone, will be reviewed later this week, so stay tuned.

*I was kindly gifted a copy of this book in exchange for taking part in the blog tour but all opinions remain my own.

A Shape on the Air (Dr DuLac Book 1)
A haunting Anglo-Saxon time-slip of mystery and romance.
Can echoes of the past threaten the present? They are 1500 years apart, but can they reach out to each other across the centuries? One woman faces a traumatic truth in the present day. The other is
forced to marry the man she hates as the ‘dark ages’ unfold.
How can Dr Viv DuLac, medievalist and academic, unlock the secrets of the past? Traumatised by betrayal, she slips into 499 AD and into the body of Lady Vivianne, who is also battling treachery. Viv must uncover the mystery of the key that she unwittingly brings back with her to the present day, as echoes of the past resonate through time. But little does Viv realise just how much both their lives across the centuries will become so intertwined. And in the end, how can they help each other
across the ages without changing the course of history?
For fans of Barbara Erskine, Pamela Hartshorne, Susanna Kearsley, Christina Courtenay.

“In the best Barbara Erskine tradition …I would highly recommend this novel” -Historical Novel Society
“Amazing …a really great book …I just couldn’t put it down” -Hazel Morgan
“Well-rounded characters and a wealth of historical research make this a real page-turner” – Amazon review
“Enthralling” -Amazon review
“Julia does an incredible job of setting up the idea of time-shift so that it’s believable and makes sense” – Amazon review
“Viv/Lady Vivianne … lovely identifiable heroine in both time periods….I love her strength and vulnerability. And Rory/Roland is simply gorgeous!” – Melissa Morgan
“gripping … a very real sense of threat and danger, an enthralling mystery … a wholly convincing romance, across both timelines” – Anne Williams
Purchase

Julia Ibbotson is fascinated by the medieval world and the concept of time. She sees her author brand as a historical fiction writer of romantic mysteries that 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 (Endeavour) 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 work in progress is the first of a new series of Anglo-Saxon 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’.

Amazon Author page Author website & blog Facebook Twitter Instagram
Pinterest Goodreads

My thoughts: if you’ve been loitering around here long enough you’ll know by now that I am a massive history nerd, I love historical fiction and have a particular passion for the period between the end of Roman occupation and the medieval period (I will not be using the term that rhymes with fark fages) as well as the medieval period itself. While there isn’t a huge wealth of recorded detail of the period, writing being very primitive, mostly done by priests (the Romans however kept very detailed records) and paper expensive. So we have to use our imaginations a fair bit.

Which is why we get such fun books, like this and Christina Courtney’s books (although they’re set a bit later when the Vikings were settling in Britain) complete with time travel and mythical figures who may or may not have been real to some extent (yes, I’m talking about King Arthur, especially as Viv in this book is related very distantly to Nimue, the Lady of the Lake, who gave him Excalibur).

Viv has just had her heart broken by a horrible little man, when she first starts to time slip, finding herself in the body of Lady Vivianne, a Briton, herself hostage to another horrid man, who plans to forcibly marry her and cement his theft of her lands, titles and people, after her parents’ brutal deaths. But both modern Viv and historic Vivianne are tough women, smart and capable and surrounded by good friends who want to help them get back what’s theirs.

Thankfully Viv’s friends don’t immediately think she’s lost it, although they’re a little sceptical, but less so once hunky vicar (a thing I have never seen despite a lifetime of involvement in various bits of the church, including working for it and being educated by it – supposedly) Rory steps into the frame. Turns out he’s a fellow time traveller, who’s own equivalent avatar is Sir Roland, Lady Vivienne’s handsome friend (convenient that!).

Look, I loved this book, it’s a lot of fun, there’s lots of history, some romance, the women aren’t soppy but strong and stand on their own two feet, with excellent pals around them (even if, like Tilly, they’re a bit nuts) and I can’t wait to share the rest of the series with you – book 2 tomorrow!

*I was kindly gifted a copy of this book in exchange for taking part in the blog tour but all opinions remain my own.