I’m absolutely delighted to have Suzanne Snow on the blog today!
Hi Georgia, thank you for including me on your blog to write about these three books!
You’re very welcome. Over to you, tell us all about your first book:
The book I’d most like to have written is Dark Fire by C.J. Sansom, the second in his Shardlake series. I’m a huge fan of historical crime and for me Sansom brings the Tudor world so magnificently to life. Matthew Shardlake is a superb character; a principled lawyer navigating the political and religious turmoil of the time. In this book he is trying to keep a low profile whilst defending a young woman accused of murder and finding both difficult.
Thomas Cromwell gives Shardlake an assignment he does not want, to locate the formula for Greek Fire so Cromwell can use it for his own ends. Even though Cromwell is barely on the page in person, Sansom uses his presence and the implicit threat to Shardlake if he fails, brilliantly. The heatwave, the sights, sounds, smells, a sense of fear and the city of London are almost characters in themselves, and when I’m reading the book, I become part of Shardlake’s world with a glimpse into how Tudor times might actually have felt.
A new writer to me. Off to investigate! Now tell us about the book you find most inspiring:
The Perfect Present by Karen Swan was the first of her books that I read, and it remains my favourite because I found it so inspiring. The character of Laura is a jeweller who prefers to keep her world small and private, until she’s commissioned to make a very personal charm necklace as a gift from a husband to his wife.
To make the charms Laura has to step out of her world and into theirs, and the story takes the reader deep into their lives as secrets and desires are revealed. I love the emotion Karen brings to her writing, and how she creates love stories with no obvious place to go. Karen’s books transport me to worlds I’m not familiar with and she has her own shelf on my bookcase!
Ah, I’ve just bought The Christmas Postcards by Karen Swan. I’ve a feeling she might become a new favourite writer!
And now tell us about your latest release. You always have such tempting covers!
The third book is Wedding Days at Halesmere House, which is published by Canelo on 2nd February. This is the second book in my Love in the Lakes series, and it’s Lizzie and Cal’s second chance at first love:
The last thing on Lizzie’s mind is catching the bouquet…
Events planner and maid of honour Lizzie Martin knows her best friend Gemma is making the right decision for her wedding. After the original venue catches fire, and a space opens up at Halesmere House, it makes complete sense to move the wedding to the Lake District artists’ residence. But Lizzie has painful memories of Halesmere…
When she bumps into Cal, her first love, she is forced to confront the past. Now a sought-after blacksmith, Cal has his own studio at Halesmere and the two must find a way to get along if this wedding isn’t going to be a complete disaster.
It soon becomes apparent that their attraction hasn’t waned, but can Lizzie put their shared past behind her and learn to trust the man who left her once before?
It sounds fabulous. I love the sound of a blacksmith hero!
Here’s some background about Suzanne:
Suzanne writes contemporary and uplifting fiction with a vibrant sense of setting and community connecting the lives of her characters. A horticulturist who lives with her family in Lancashire, her books are inspired by a love of landscape, romance, and rural life.
Her first novel in the Thorndale series, The Cottage of New Beginnings, was a contender for the 2021 RNA Joan Hessayon Award and she is currently writing the Love in the Lakes series for Canelo. Suzanne is a member of the Romantic Novelists Association and the Society of Authors.New subscribers can download an introduction to Cal from Wedding Days at Halesmere House and keep up to date with monthly reader offers when they join her mailing list:
https://bit.ly/IntroducingCalRyan
Thank you for coming on and sharing your three books, Suzanne. Huge luck with your new release!
Linky things here:
Thank you so much for inviting me and your good wishes, Georgia!
I too love the Shardlake series, Suzanne. I wish he would write some more.
And thanks for the other book suggestions to add to my list.
Lovely having you on! x