** Blog Tour ** Tour Wars- Carla Luna

I’m delighted to be one of today’s stops on the final day of the blog tour for ‘Tour Wars.’

Ten days, two rivals, and a busload of tourists. How bad could it be?

For archaeologist Emilia Flores, landing a fellowship to work at the ancient ruins of Pompeii in Italy is a dream come true. The only catch? She’ll be digging alongside her infuriating nemesis, TJ Mayer, who’s been a constant thorn in her side.

TJ isn’t about to pass up the Pompeii project. Sure, he’ll be stuck working with Emilia, but he thrives on challenging her. And he hasn’t forgotten that secret kiss they shared at an archaeology conference last winter.

Though unearthing Pompeii’s treasures might be a dream, student debt is a nightmare that never takes a vacation. So, when TJ and Emilia are offered a lucrative side job to lead a ten-day tour through Southern Italy, they grudgingly agree to tackle it together.

Forced to set aside their animosity and work as a team, they forge an unexpected camaraderie. As the sparks between them ignite, their rivalry gives way to passion, making it easy to forget their years of fierce competition. But what happens when the tour ends and the real world steps in?

Tour Wars is a rivals-to-lovers, grumpy/sunshine romance featuring a nerdy cinnamon roll hero, a strong-willed Latina heroine, and plenty of hotel hijinks.

Purchase Links 

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0CP8LJM6Z

Barnes & Noble Nook: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/book/1144431106?ean=2940179274063

Apple: https://books.apple.com/us/book/tour-wars/id6473553658

Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1487404

UBL (Books2Read): https://books2read.com/u/m06vv0

Author Bio –

Carla Luna writes contemporary romance with a dollop of humor and a pinch of spice. A former archaeologist, she still dreams of traveling to far-off places and channels that wanderlust into the settings of her stories. Her passions include baking, Broadway musicals, whimsical office supplies, and pop culture podcasts. Though she has roots in Los Angeles and Vancouver Island, she currently resides in Cedarburg, Wisconsin with her family and her feisty Siberian cat.

Social Media Links –

Website:  https://www.carlalunabooks.com/

Twitter:  https://twitter.com/casacullen

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/CarlaLunaAuthor

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/carlalunacullen/

Amazon Author Page: https://amzn.to/3temHlw

BookBub Page: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/carla-luna

Review-

This is the fourth book of Carla’s I’ve had the pleasure of reviewing, having previously read two of the Blackwood Cellar series as well as Troy Story, the second book in this Romancing the Ruins series.

Although a continuation of the previous book, this can easily be read as a stand-alone. Set in and around Pompeii and Southern Italy, it piqued my interest straight away.

The author’s experience as an archaeologist comes through in the pages, from details of the excavations to descriptions of the ruins themselves, lending a real sense of authenticity to the narrative.

The tension between main characters Emilia and TJ and the obvious underlying attraction between them is the main thread of the storyline. The verbal sparring between them is highly entertaining but in this one I also loved the thawing in their animosity towards each other.

There are plenty of other characters who each bring something to the plot, from creepy Luca to the wonderfully nicknamed ‘Golden Girls’.

A thoroughly enjoyable, easy read which I found myself racing through.

With thanks to the author and Rachel at Random Resources for the opportunity to participate in the tour.

Earlier stops can be found here:

** Blog Tour ** Shadows in the Ashes- Christina Courtenay

I’m thrilled to be one of today’s stops on the final day of the blog tour for ‘Shadows in the Ashes.’

Brimming with romance, adventure and vivid historical detail, Christina Courtenay’s gripping dual- time novel travels from the present day to the fires of ancient Pompeii.

The sunlight caught her gold bracelet, sending a flash that almost blinded her. She closed her eyes, but jumped when the earth started shaking and there was an almighty boom behind her.

Present Day

Finally escaping an abusive marriage, Caterina Rossi takes her three-year-old daughter and flees to Italy. There she’s drawn to research scientist Connor, who needs her translation help for his work on
volcanology. Together they visit the ruins of Pompeii and, standing where Mount Vesuvius unleashed its fire on the city centuries before, Cat begins to see startling visions. Visions that appear to come from the antique bracelet handed down through her family’s generations…

AD 79

Sold by his half-brother and enslaved as a gladiator in Roman Pompeii, Raedwald dreams only of surviving each fight, making the coin needed to return to his homeland and taking his revenge. That is, until he is hired to guard beautiful Aemilia. As their forbidden love grows, Raedwald’s dreams shift like the ever more violent tremors of the earth beneath his feet.

The present starts eerily to mirror the past as Cat must fight to protect her safety, and to forge a new path from the ashes of her old life…

Purchase Links

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Shadows-Ashes-breathtaking-dual-time-author-ebook/dp/B0C42YW7W9/

https://www.amazon.com/Shadows-Ashes-breathtaking-dual-time-author-ebook/dp/B0C42YW7W9/

Author Bio –

Christina Courtenay writes historical romance, time slip and time travel stories, and lives in Herefordshire (near the Welsh border) in the UK. Although born in England, she has a Swedish mother and was brought up in Sweden – hence her abiding interest in the Vikings.

Christina is a former chairman of the UK’s Romantic Novelists’ Association, now a Vice President, and has won several awards, including the RoNA for Best Historical Romantic Novel twice with Highland Storms (2012) and The Gilded Fan (2014) and the RNA Fantasy Romantic Novel of the year 2021 with Echoes of the Runes.

SHADOWS IN THE ASHES (dual time/timeslip romance published by Headline Review 18th January 2024) is her latest novel.

Christina is a keen amateur genealogist and loves history and
archaeology (the armchair variety).

Social Media Links –

http://www.christinacourtenay.com

https://www.facebook.com/christinacourtenayauthor?fref=ts

https://twitter.com/PiaCCourtenay

https://www.instagram.com/ChristinaCourtenayAuthor/

Review-

Utterly captivating from the outset!

I confess that this is the first novel I’ve read by Christina Courtenay but I’m partial to an historical fiction novel, particularly if it’s set in Italy, or more specifically in this case, Pompeii.

The history and story of Pompeii and the eruption of Vesuvius has always fascinated me since early childhood and, having been fortunate enough to visit in 2012, I loved the opportunity to transport myself back there through the pages of this book.

The author writes with real historical authority, with meticulous attention to detail about the customs of the era. I also loved the inclusion of the Roman names for various items, rooms and buildings and often found myself highlighting words to discover their meaning.

It’s worth noting that domestic abuse and violent relationships feature heavily, particularly in the present day which could present a trigger for some readers, although it is referenced in the synopsis.

I found the time slip element and the parallels between past and present within the plot fascinating and extremely well written. The burgeoning romance between the characters was pitched perfectly as all struggled to cope with their overwhelming attraction to each other, despite their reservations due to past experiences.

I loved how the storyline flipped between past and present and from the perspective of one character to another as this definitely lead to a sense of ‘I just need to read one more bit to find out what happens next’.

A wonderful read!

With thanks to the author and Rachel at Random Resources for the opportunity to participate in the tour.

Earlier stops can be found here:

** Blog Tour ** From the Ashes- Melissa Addey

I’m thrilled to be one of today’s stops on the blog tour for ‘From the Ashes.’

They called it the Flavian Amphitheatre. We call it the Colosseum. Let the Games begin.

Rome, 80AD. A gigantic new amphitheatre is being built. The Emperor has plans for gladiatorial Games on a scale no-one has ever seen before.

But the Games don’t just happen by themselves. They must be made. And Marcus, the man in charge of creating them, has just lost everything he held dear when Pompeii disappeared under the searing wrath of Vesuvius.

Now it will fall to Althea, the slave woman who serves as his scribe, to ensure the Colosseum is inaugurated on time – and that Marcus makes his way out of the darkness that calls to him.

Can a motley crew comprising a retired centurion, slaves, a prostitute and an ex Vestal Virgin pull off the greatest gladiatorial Games ever seen? Or will they fail and find themselves in the arena as
punishment?

Time is running out to deliver an unforgettable spectacle.

From the Ashes is the first, fast-paced novel in the gripping new Colosseum series. Follow the quick- witted and fiercely loyal backstage team of the Colosseum through the devastation of Pompeii, plague and fire. This is historical fiction at its most captivating: both action-packed and tender.

Take a front row seat at the Colosseum’s inaugural gladiatorial Games.

Buy From the Ashes today.

Trailer Link – https://youtu.be/CbM54gjiT20

Purchase Link
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Ashes-Colosseum-Book-1-ebook/dp/B08W1TJWXH

https://www.amazon.com/ashes-colosseum-book-1-ebook/dp/B08W1TJWXH

Author Bio –

Melissa Addey writes historical fiction set in Ancient Rome, medieval Morocco and 18th century China. She is a fulltime self-published author and runs workshops for authors wanting to be entrepreneurial.

Her books have been selected for Editor’s Choice by the Historical Novel
Society and won the inaugural Novel London award. She has been the Leverhulme Trust Writer in Residence at the British Library, has a PhD in Creative Writing and works with the Alliance of Independent Authors on their campaigns.

If you’d like to try her writing, visit http://www.melissaaddey.com to pick up a free novella, The Cup.

Social Media Links –

https://www.melissaaddey.com where readers can get a free novella that starts another series (medieval Morocco).

https://www.facebook.com/MelissaAddeyAuthor

https://twitter.com/MelissaAddeyg

Review-

This was something of a departure from my usual reads, but I’ve always been fascinated with the story of Pompeii and so the synopsis immediately caught my attention.

I’m so glad it did! This is an exceptional tale; brilliantly told and worthy of many plaudits.

Written in a thoroughly engaging style but with a definite sense of historical accuracy, author Melissa Addey has created a piece of historical fiction that will live long in the memory.

I loved the fact that this was so much more than a recount of the building of the Flavian Amphitheatre (Colosseum) in Rome. It is a tale of loyalty, heartache, respect and integrity, whilst at the same time offering a perspective into some of the lesser known elements of Roman society at that time.

The portrayal of such strong female characters in Althea and Fausta, was particularly fascinating, supported by the seemingly forward-thinking for the time Marcus, who enabled them to flourish despite their perceived places in society as a slave and prostitute.

The detail surrounding the planning of the amphitheatre and the hundreds of civilians involved in bringing the ideas to fruition, as well as the description of the pestilence that threatened to scupper the endeavour was especially interesting and added a real human element to what is usually a glorified topic.

I note that this is penned as the first in a Colosseum series. I will certainly be keeping my eyes peeled for future releases!

With thanks to the author and Rachel at Random Resources for the opportunity to participate in the tour.

Further stops can be found here: