The Innkeeper's Daughter (Michelle Griep) – Review

~ About the Book ~

A London officer goes undercover to expose a plot against the Crown

Dover, England, 1808: Officer Alexander Moore goes undercover as a gambling gentleman to expose a high-stakes plot against the king—and he’s a master of disguise, for Johanna Langley believes him to be quite the rogue. . .until she can no longer fight against his unrelenting charm.

All Johanna wants is to keep the family inn afloat, but when the rent and the hearth payment are due at the same time, where will she find the extra funds? If she doesn’t come up with the money, there will be nowhere to go other than the workhouse—where she’ll be separated from her ailing mother and ten-year-old brother.

Alex desperately wants to help Johanna, especially when she confides in him, but his mission—finding and bringing to justice a traitor to the crown—must come first, or they could all end up dead.

Genre:  Historical Romantic Suspense
Release date:  1 March 2018
Pages:  320
Publisher:  Shiloh Run Press

Amazon US  //  Amazon AU  //  iBooks  //  Goodreads  //  Koorong

~ Excerpt ~

“Johanna.”
She jerked her face up, annoyed that he dared to use her Christian name—but more irritated that she wished he’d say it again, for her name on his lips was a curious balm. He studied her with an unwavering stare. “Let me help.” The knife in her hand weighed heavy. No, her whole soul did. Emotions she ought not be feeling right now swirled overhead and pressed down. He stood on the other side of the table, but the way his blue eyes caressed her, he might as well be holding her in his arms. She frowned. She’d been wise to avoid him the past two days. She bent, sawing off another slab of bread. “You are a guest here, sir. Not the hired help.”
“There’s only one person I know more stubborn than you.”
Finished, she set the knife down. “Yourself?”
He smirked. “You take on too much, you know.”
“I must. This inn is our livelihood.” She handed over the plate of bread and cheese.
He took it, yet he did not leave. Instead, a great sorrow furrowed his brow. “I am sorry your father is no longer here to help you. This is too much of a burden for you and your mother to shoulder alone.”
“While I appreciate the sentiment, the truth is we shouldered the burden long before my father died.” She pressed her lips shut. Why had she shared that? How did he manage to pull things from her she didn’t even know were buried deep in her heart?
“I am sorry to hear it. Did he suffer long?”
Suffer? The word circled like a vulture, ready to swoop and stab the barely healed scars left behind by her father. “The only thing my father suffered from was too much drink and a lying tongue. I abhor both!”
“So should we all.” His tone was soft, low, almost as if he spoke to himself.
“Well,” she lifted her chin, “I suppose what does not drive us into the ground only serves to make us stronger, hmm? Now if you’ll excuse me, I have a taproom to tend.”
She grabbed a cloth and whisked past him, wondering all the while how much stronger God thought she needed to be.

~ Review ~

A Regency spy novel? Yes, please! I’ve been wanting to read one of Michelle Griep’s novels for a while, but somehow, I’ve not managed to do so until now. And there were so many things I enjoyed about this novel, not least of which is the setting. I can’t tell you how much I loved having a rural, working-class setting. I mean, I love London ballrooms and country estates as much as the next Regency lover, but it’s such a small part of Regency England. It was great to get a glimpse into the grittier aspects of the time—although we do venture into the world of the upper classes on occasion, too.

This story is littered with colourful characters, from Johanna’s young brother Thomas, to the eccentric Mr Nutbrown and his puppet Nixie, to Mr. Quail and his rag-tag band of wandering musicians, and more. They all have a part to play in the development of the story, too, though I was kept guessing as to exactly what that role was until the latter part of the novel. And the plot! This is one of those stories that begins with a few seemingly unrelated strands that gradually get caught up in one another until you can’t pull on one without tightening the whole knot. And it gets hairy there at the end!

The other thing I loved about this story was Ms. Griep’s writing style. She handles words with finesse, and the random touches of droll humour that coloured the writing kept me thoroughly engaged.

My one slight disappointment was that the romance felt a little clichéd—particularly some of the romantic moments along the way. And there was one scene in particular that seemed completely out of character for Johanna, which of course happened at the worst possible time. But the other aspects of the story more than compensated for this, and I won’t be hesitating to pick up the next Michelle Griep novel that comes my way.

I received a copy of this novel from the publisher. This has not influenced the content of my review, which is my honest and unbiased opinion.

~ Guest Post by Michelle Griep ~

Celebrating Oak Apple Day
Spring is just around the corner, or maybe it’s in full bloom in your neck of the woods. Regardless, by this time of year, everyone is ready to celebrate. . .and nothing new is under the sun. For centuries people have been eager to welcome budding greenery and warmth.

In my recent release, The Innkeeper’s Daughter, I incorporated a spring holiday that’s been around for over 500 years in England, one you may never heard of.

Oak Apple Day.

This ancient celebration dates back to the year 1651. At the time, Charles II escaped the Roundhead army by taking cover in an oak tree. Everyone loved ol’ Charlie and was glad he lived, so in his honor, a new national holiday was born—one that in some parts of England is still celebrated today.

Another name for this annual event is Royal Oak Day and the festivities occur every May 29^th. Celebration traditions vary from parades to the ringing of bells, but one thing that is standard is that it’s a day to pin an oak leaf on your lapel. If you fail to wear one, you could end up getting pinched.
The hero in my latest release is kind enough to remind the heroine that she forgot to pin on her leaf, thus saving her from untoward pinches. Interested in hearing more about this gallant fellow and the forgetful miss? Here’s a blurb about The Innkeeper’s Daughter…

Tension is high with the threat of a Napoleonic attack in Regency England, but risk from abroad means nothing when there’s danger at home.
Officer Alexander Moore goes undercover as a gambling gentleman to expose a high-stakes plot against the crown—and he’s a master of disguise, for Johanna Langley believes him to be quite the rogue . . . until she can no longer fight against his unrelenting charm.

All Johanna wants is to keep the family inn afloat, but when the rent and the hearth payment are due at the same time, where will she find the extra funds? If she doesn’t come up with the money, there will be nowhere to go other than the workhouse—where she’ll be separated from her ailing mother and ten-year-old brother.

Alex desperately wants to help Johanna, especially when she confides in him, but his mission—finding and bringing to justice a traitor to the crown—must come first, or they could all end up dead.

It’s a race against time for them both.

~ About the Author ~

Michelle Griep has been writing since she first discovered blank wall space and Crayolas. She seeks to glorify God in all that she writes—except for that graffiti phase she went through as a teenager. She resides in the frozen tundra of Minnesota, where she teaches history and writing classes for a local high school co-op. An Anglophile at heart, she runs away to England every chance she gets, under the guise of research. Really, though, she’s eating excessive amounts of scones while rambling around a castle.

Michelle is a member of ACFW (American Christian Fiction Writers) and MCWG (Minnesota Christian Writers Guild). Keep up with her adventures at her blog “Writer off the Leash”, visit www.michellegriep.com or stalk her on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, or Pinterest.

~ Giveaway ~

To celebrate her tour, Michelle is giving away a grand prize of a signed copy of The Innkeeper’s Daughter and a $25 gift card from Barnes & Noble!!
Click below to enter. Be sure to comment on this post before you enter to claim 9 extra entries! https://promosimple.com/ps/cb72

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