Gina Rae Mitchell

The Secret of Drulea Cottage by Claire Kohler (Betwixt the Sea and Shore #1) | Review & $25 Giveaway

A book blog tour from Goddess Fish Promotions.

Thank you to the author, publisher, and Marianne & Judy at Goddess Fish for providing me the information for this tour.

Book Details

The Secret of Drulea Cottage by Claire Kohler
Series: Betwixt the Sea and Shore #1
Published by Independent on August 13, 2021
Genres: Fiction, Clean Romance, Historical Fiction, Historical Fantasy
Format: eBook
Pages: 325

Briony Fairborn, a midwife in eighteenth-century Scotland, comes from a family shrouded in scandal. Left with only one friend after her mother’s death, she has little hope of gaining any others, let alone finding a husband. Instead, Briony tries to live a quiet life and avoid her neighbours’ ridicule as much as possible.

But things in Everton take a drastic turn when a storm brings foreigners to the village docks.
On the night Santiago Mendes arrives, he comes with a broken ship, a broken leg, and a broken spirit that Briony finds herself profoundly drawn to. Her scarred heart slowly starts to open, and although Briony suspects he may be hiding something, she cannot help but dream of the possibility of love.

That is, until another stranger appears in town, intent on repaying a childhood debt. A dangerously handsome stranger who shows Briony that she’s even more different than she could have imagined. And that her past is far darker than she realized.

Magic, romance, and political intrigue collide as the secrets surrounding one Scottish woman begin to unravel. Secrets that she may not be ready to face.

Source: Goddess Fish Promotions, Kindle Unlimited, Received from the author or publisher for review.

 

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Purchase Links for The Secret of Drulea Cottage

Amazon     Amazon UK 

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Excerpt

Screams drew Briony from her state of shock. They pierced the darkness as terribly as the lightning hitting the ground.

Except ’tis na just hitting the ground anymore! She gasped at the sight of flames rising from the town below. Her neighbors were flying through the streets in a panic, and Briony could see why: the tailor shop and the McGuffs’ house were alight!

Fergus! Briony forgot about Niall and charged down the hill with nary a care for her own well-being. All she could focus on was the thought of the little boy potentially trapped and scared. She reached the burning house and stepped inside. “Hello! Fergus?! Is anyone in here?”

Most of the fire was above her, hungrily swallowing the thatched roof. The smoke was so thick within the confined space that Briony struggled to breathe. Only a few licks of flame had reached the floor, and they were quickly spreading toward the McGuffs’ table.

“H-Here!” came a voice. Whoever it belonged to was too hoarse to identify. Briony covered her mouth with her hand and made her way forward, edging around the blazing table.

Briony hastened into the back bedroom, her eyes flicking between the open window and two beds before landing on their target: Penelope McGuff. The woman was on the ground, facedown. The rest of the family was nowhere in sight.

“Mistress McGuff!” Briony dropped to her knees and grabbed the woman’s hand, but Penelope didn’t stir.

CRASH!

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My thoughts on The Secret of Drulea Cottage

The Secret of Drulea Cottage entertained me from start to finish.

I love a good historical fiction tale, and this started out well in that genre. However, the story ramped up with the addition of the magical elements.

Selkies rarely make appearances as the leads in a book, making Claire Kohler’s tale even more fantastic. By mixing two worlds, the author gave us twice the story and quadrupled the entertainment factor.

Secrets play a big part in the story. It seems every character is harboring a deep secret or two. As they are slowly revealed, the story comes to life in truly wondrous ways.

Santiago and Briony tug at your heartstrings as they struggle to overcome the past and resolve the obstacles standing in the way of their love. The many other characters add a richness of depth, making the tale mesmerizing. There are heroes and villains scattered throughout, and it’s up to you to figure out which is which. I confess I was often mistaken.

I highly recommend this tale whether you are looking for historical fiction or historical fantasy. I don’t believe you will be disappointed by this book. It’s hard to believe this is the author’s debut novel. I know I am certainly looking forward to reading the next book in the series.

I received a copy of the book for the tour. This review is my honest, unbiased opinion.

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Giveaway!

Claire Kohler will be awarding a $25 Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn winner via Rafflecopter during the tour.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Visit more stops on the tour for extra chances to win!

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