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What Remains by Erryn Lee
Today I’m hosting ‘What Remains’ on the Coffee Pot Book Club Blog Tour. First, the fascinating blurb, perfect for the time of year, then I’ll showcase an excerpt from the author.
What Remains is a haunting dual-timeline mystery that bridges centuries-and secrets-between ancient Rome and the modern world.
Inês by Catherine Mathis
Today, I am delighted to host Catherine Mathis for the blog tour for her novel, Inês, the first book in her The Queens of Portugal Trilogy. Catherine has kindly provided an excerpt – please see below.
An heir to the throne, a gorgeous blonde lady-in-waiting, the king's trusted advisor. When a father and son don't understand each other, the son pays an outrageous price.
Love, jealousy, loyalty, and revenge roil the court of 14th century Portugal.
In this engrossing launch to the Queens of Portugal trilogy, Catherine Mathis gives a fresh take on the tale of Pedro and Inês, Portugal's real-life Romeo and Juliet. Pedro's father would not have been king if not for his trusted advisor, Gonçalves. Once king, he wants no part in neighboring Castile's royal convulsions though his son, Pedro, befriends powerful Castilians.
The all-consuming drive of the king is to ensure his line rules Portugal for centuries to come. He needs legitimate, strong heirs. The Infante Pedro loves a woman not deemed worthy to wear the crown as queen. Between father and son is Gonçalves, the king's powerful, unquestioned counselor who is mentor to the son. Both Gonçalves and Pedro seek the attention of Inês.
There is a horrific cost to winning the love of Inês. She will not release her grip on Pedro until he keeps the two sworn oaths he made to her. Can Pedro do the impossible to satisfy Inês?
Inês is based on real people and events, exploring a cultural touchstone of Portuguese history.
Outback Odyssey, by Paul Rushworth-Brown
I’m pleased today to be hosting Paul Rushworth-Brown for the blog tour of his novel, ‘Outback Odyssey’. Please take a look at the excerpt from the novel, which is further down this post.
1950s Australia. In the wake of war and dislocation, young Yorkshireman Jimmy journeys to the outback, chasing escape but finding something far more dangerous: the truth of himself and the land he now calls home.
What begins as a story of survival becomes a profound allegory of belonging, silence, and identity. As Jimmy collides with love and betrayal, he also encounters the enduring wisdom of the First Peoples — knowledge that most outsiders are too frightened to face, let alone write about.
Outback Odyssey is sweeping and cinematic, a novel of resilience threaded with unexpected twists and allegorical depth. Already under consideration for a screenplay adaptation, it peels back the myths of Australia’s past to reveal what lies beneath: the unspoken histories, the inherited traumas, and the courage it takes to walk a path that others fear.
