Two professional reviews for A Touch of Texas Irish

I'm excited about these reviews from Night Own Reviews and Long and Short Reviews.

• 4½ Stars by Night Owl Reviews

• Author: Linda LaRoque
• Review by: Bemiown
• Genre: Romance
• Tags: 
  • * Rom: Historical
  • Western
• Publisher: The Wild Rose Press, Inc.

"The pace is steady and it allows the reader to think about what the

 characters should do, according to the reader's thinking. That's 

what was so good about the book. You get to decide along the way,

what you think should happen and as you turn the pages, you find 

out if you're right. That place in your heart for Sam and Aileen 

gives an emotional air to the book. Grab a copy and find out what 

happens in Aileen's and Sam's marriage."

 by Long and Short Reviews
A Touch of Texas Irish by Linda LaRoque
Publisher: The Wild Rose Press
Genre: Historical
Length: Full Length (217 pages)
Heat Level: Sensual
Rating: 4 stars

Reviewed by Camellia

A death, a dreadful demand, and a deceptive departure took Aileen Lynch from her home in misty, green Ireland to the arid Fort Stockton area of Texas.

The reader is swept along with the emotional and physical turmoil of eighteen year old Aileen Lynch as she, with the help of the lawyer who controls her money, avoids marrying or being mistress to Brian MacAuley, the man her “Da” owes gambling debts to. She goes to America to stay with the lawyer’s relatives. Here she meets the widower Dr. Samuel Walker from Texas.

Her new life begins in what is to be a “marriage of convenience” to protect her and to give Walker’s young son Tad a mother. Good reading finding out how this works out. As Aileen works to win over Tad and to make a home that feels like it is hers, she has an adversary in Ruth, a relative of Samuel’s deceased wife, who had planned to be Samuel’s wife.

The gentle love story that threads its way through all the day to day activities is predictable but still a joy to read. The twists and turns of events and the shocking climax makes for “gotta finish this” kind of reading. There is a shocker that brackets the total story that stands out – if would be a spoiler if I told!

Linda La Roque’s smooth, straight-forward writing style is a pleasure to read. The research is thorough for the modes of travel in the late nineteenth century, for the attitudes of the people about the Irish, and many other details that make A Touch of Texas Irish seem real.

Enjoyable Reading!

Thanks for Reading. I hope you'll pick up a copy.

Linda

www.lindalaroque.com

A TOUCH OF TEXAS IRISH is out! Visit me on GET LOST IN A BOOK

Hello Readers,

I'm thrilled to announce that A Touch of Texas Irish is now available in both print and ebook at The Wild Rose Press (it's on sale for $2.50) and Amazon.

Don't forget the contest for the James Avery bracelet. See previous blog posts for information.

Today I'm a guest on Get Lost in a Story. Hop on over. Aileen, my Irish heroine is answering the interview questions. Please join me where I'm giving away 5 digital copies of When the Ocotillo Bloom.

Blurb:

Heiress Aileen Lynch has just lost her mother to cancer, but her spendthrift stepfather insists she must cancel his gambling debts by marrying his disreputable associate. Fleeing Ireland with the help of her mother’s lawyer, she lands in Boston to stay with friends and is attracted to one of their visitors. Doctor Samuel Walker is in town to attend a medical conference. When he meets the lovely young Irishwoman he is quite taken with her and, at his colleague's entreaty, marries her and takes her home to Texas with him to keep her safe. Sam rationalizes that he doesn’t need a wife but he does need a mother for his son. While Aileen strives to earn Sam’s affection, he vows never to risk Aileen’s safety or his heart—he’ll not father a child and watch Aileen die in childbirth as his first wife did. And falling in love is not in his plans.

Thank you for stopping by. I hope you'll pick up a copy of A Touch of Texas Irish and I'll be extremely grateful if you'd leave a an honest review when you finish.

Many thanks,

Linda
www.lindalaroque.com

Contest for A Touch of Texas Irish—James Avery prize

A Touch of Texas Irish will be released on March 8, 2017. The ebook is available for preorder now on Amazon.

Details on how to win this beautiful bracelet and shamrock hearts charm will be posted soon.

I'll also be giving away 5 E-books.

Please watch my blog for details.


Heiress Aileen Lynch has just lost her mother to cancer, but her spendthrift stepfather insists she must cancel his gambling debts by marrying his disreputable associate. Fleeing Ireland with the help of her mother’s lawyer, she lands in Boston to stay with friends and is attracted to one of their visitors.

Doctor Samuel Walker is in town to attend a medical conference. When he meets the lovely young Irishwoman he is quite taken with her and, at his colleague's entreaty, marries her and takes her home to Texas with him to keep her safe. Sam rationalizes that he doesn’t need a wife but he does need a mother for his son.

While Aileen strives to earn Sam’s affection, he vows never to risk Aileen’s safety or his heart—he’ll not father a child and watch Aileen die in childbirth as his first wife did. And falling in love is not in his plans.

Thanks for reading!

Happy Reading and Writing,

Linda
www.lindalaroque.com

Coming in March—A Touch of Irish Texas

Heiress Aileen Lynch has just lost her mother to cancer, but her spendthrift stepfather insists she must cancel his gambling debts by marrying his disreputable associate. Fleeing Ireland with the help of her mother’s lawyer, she lands in Boston to stay with friends and is attracted to one of their visitors. Doctor Samuel Walker is in town to attend a medical conference. When he meets the lovely young Irishwoman he is quite taken with her and, at his colleague's entreaty, marries her and takes her home to Texas with him to keep her safe. Sam rationalizes that he doesn’t need a wife but he does need a mother for his son. While Aileen strives to earn Sam’s affection, he vows never to risk Aileen’s safety or his heart—he’ll not father a child and watch Aileen die in childbirth as his first wife did. And falling in love is not in his plans.

Stay tuned for a contest to celebrate the release of A Touch of Texas Irish. I'll be awarding one winner a James Avery charm bracelet with a shamrock charm.

Happy Reading and Writing!

Linda

www.lindalaroque.com

I'm Convalescing Again—Shamrocks and Travel Trailers

This is the second time in just over two years that I've been off my feet. This time I tripped over a parking stop and landed on my left knee fracturing the patella and tibia. After six days in a stabilizing brace, I saw the orthopedic doctor. After more x-rays he put me in another brace and I'm to go back in three weeks. I'm so grateful I don't need surgery.

You'd think sitting around I'd be able to get a lot of writing done, but I'm not comfortable so haven't made much progress. I don't hurt, I just can't relax.

@Alexander Raths on Dreamstime.com

I'm working on two stories at the same time. One is a Historical Western Romance that takes place in 1890. The Irish heroine is fleeing Ireland to get away and hide from her step-father. My working title is A Shamrock in Texas.

The horseshoe in the picture was supposed to symbolize Texas. From my reading I learned, it, along with the four-leaf clover, symbolize luck. When used as a decorative piece, if the shoe is open to the bottom, you can lose all you've gathered. Turn it open side up, to fill it up again.

@3quarks on Dreamstime.com

The second story is a Women's Fiction set in current time Dallas. My working title is It's My Turn. I can't tell you much about it or I'll be giving away the story line. I will say it involves a retro pink travel trailer and though serious, has some humorous moments.

I've had this "thing" for a travel trailer lately, especially a retro one, and my husband keeps saying "No." He'd rather stay in a motel, and truthfully I do to, but I think they're so cute and I miss those earlier days. We had a travel trailer when the kids were young, but let's face it, they can be a lot of work. Plus you need a place to park them and you need special insurance to cover damage.

I hope you'll leave me a comment today. I'm particularly interested in your interest in travel trailers, especially those retro one. If I could pick anyone I wanted, I'd chose one that is turquoise and white and pull it with a 1957 turquoise and white Thunderbird. Of course I couldn't pull a very big trailer but that's okay.

What would you chose. Look at the pictures on Pintrest.

Happy Reading and Writing,

Linda
www.lindalaroque.com

Continued—The Gift of the Gab—Our trip to Ireland

Day 5 of Ireland Trip—Dingle Peninsula and Blasket Centre—a beautiful part of Ireland showcased in two movies, "Ryan''s Daughter" and "Far and Away." The scenery is wonderful. 

                                                    

We stopped at a lady's house known as "Old Mary." Her home overlooked the peninsula and there were old ruins and one of the Christian monastic beehive huts. (You can see one to the right of the house.) Their exact date of being built is not known, but it is believed they were tied to the Early Christian Period. Mary charges two euros to walk the land around her home and tour the ruins. She uses the money to visit her daughter in the states once a year.

Dingle Peninsula

Blasket Islands

Blasket Islands can be seen from the peninsula and have an interesting history. Two miles from land, they were inhabited until 1953. Check out this website to read the history of the inhabitants.
http://www.kerryholiday.co.uk/blaskets.html
After a lunch of fish and chips, we had time to shop and sample Murphey's Ice cream shop. I had Bailey's Coffee and Cream. Delish! Our guide said they had an oatmeal flavor that was very popular. I took a sample and it was very good, but coffee is my favorite.

The Yankee Clipper

Day 6 of our Ireland Trip—We visited the Foynes Flying Boat Museum and toured the Yankee Clipper, a flying boat that made trips from Europe to the States and other countries. I was amazed, didn't know such a mode of travel existed in the 1930s and early 1940s. It was here the first true Irish Coffee originated. After our tour, we learned the correct method (see earlier posting on recipe) and were treated to a glass. Google Foynes Flying Boat Museum and take a tour by viewing the pictures. They even had a honeymoon suite.

Irish Coffee—Cheers

Larry in the Pilots chair of the Yankee Clipper

After a scenic drive through Limerick to Ennis, we checked into The Temple Gate Hotel and at 2:30 departed for the Cliffs of Moher, a majestic wall of rock that plunges to the Atlantic Ocean. What beauty nature bestows on us. It's hard to imagine spots such as this exist.

We ended our tour with a banquet at Knappogue Castle with a fun medieval-style banquet. The lords and ladies, in full period dress, served and entertained us with spoofs, song, and dance.

We boarded our bus for home at 9:00 the next morning. It was much smoother sailing on our return trip.

Unfortunately, the few pictures we got at the castle were not good or nonexistent, but I'm getting some from a friend and will fill in as soon as possible.

Larry wearing his Tam

It was a wonderful trip, one of a lifetime, and now I want to see northern Ireland, Scotland, England, and Wales. I know—want, want want!

 

For a recipe to make authentic Irish Coffee, visit

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/original-irish-coffee-recipe.html

Thanks for stopping by.

Linda

www.lindalaroque.com

Do You Have the Gift of the Gab? Our Trip to Ireland

I've always wanted to visit Ireland and when the opportunity arose to go with a group of people I know, I couldn't resist. It wasn't hard to talk Larry into it, though he hates long flights. Actually, I'm not crazy about them either but we managed once we finally boarded a plane.

Excited and ready to fly.

Waiting.

We ran into a few snags, however. Our plane to Dulles was delayed several times due to weather and because there were 39 in our group, no other flight or airlines had that many seats available. So, we were put up by the airlines in a beautiful hotel and given food vouchers.

Finally on a plane.

The next morning we cheerfully headed out to catch our flight. We'd been rerouted to Newark. We arrived in Newark in good spirits. The air of good humor didn't last long. Our flight was delayed time and time again. Of course, the bad weather played a huge factor. We didn't even have a plane at the gate. The pilot and stewardesses were also waiting. When our plane finally pulled up to the tarmac, the place exploded with cheers and whistles. I couldn't help but notice the grins on the pilot's faces. Within a  short time, we were taking off. And the plane was huge and not full which allowed many people to lay down across three, others curled up in two.

Our first sight of Ireland.

Yea! We're in Dublin!

We were met by our CIE Tours bus driver at the airport and shuttled to our hotel. There we were met by our guide, a lovely Irish lass named Subina. She must have kissed the Blarney stone as she definitely has the gift of the gab. Very knowledgeable of the area, she kept us entertained with local folklore, jokes, and of course, history. 

Me in front of the Davenport

Day one of Ireland trip. Arrived at our hotel (Davenport Hotel)—a lovely historic facility. We were greeted with a full Irish breakfast. Since we'd lost a full day, we had to see a lot in a shorter period of time. After a brief break and we were back on the bus traveling through the fashionable shopping areas of Grafton and Nassau. Saw Dublin's famous elegant Georgian squares and caught a glimpse of the figures of the Famine Memorial. Toured parts of Dublin Castle. Returned to hotel for a welcome dinner. 

Dublin Castle

Our room at the Davenport

It's interesting to note that none of the hotels we stayed in were air-conditioned, however, we were always comfortable. If too warm, we asked for a fan and slept wonderfully!

The famous Guinness!

Day two of our tour. We visited the Irish National Stud and saw some of the finest stallions and learned about breeding. It's interesting to note that they do not do any artificial insemination as feel it weakens the strain. So, you can imagine how much the stud fee costs for these animals. If the mare doesn't get pregnant, there is no fee. On the grounds at the stud farm they had Japanese Gardens to portray life from birth to death. That afternoon we visited Guinness and enjoyed a pint. Burp! Worst stuff I've tasted in a while. That evening we went to Taylor's Three Rock Pub for dinner and a lively show with traditional Irish music, dancing, and story-telling. We were served Irish Coffee which could become a favorite for me. A jigger of whisky, hot coffee, and whipped cream.Yummy! 

Our guide.

Retired race horses used only for stud.

Listening to our guide.

Day three—Waterford Crystal and Kinsale Walk. At Waterford Crystal we watched master craftspeople blow and cut glass, saw examples of the many trophies they'd made for events, and elegant pieces kept for display. We checked into our hotel, the Actons Hotel and then joined a local guide at the harbor to learn the history of the harbor town. I've included pictures of the narrow, but colorful streets. We decided you had to be healthy and in good shape to live in Ireland as everything is on a hill.

Day four of our trip to Ireland—Blarney Castle. No, I didn't kiss the Blarney Stone as couldn't have hiked up the narrow curved stairway, plus I already have the gift of the gab. But I did take a peek in the dungeon. Nasty place and very damp. Before boarding our bus, I made a run through the Blarney Woollen Mills and purchased a few items. Next stop was Killarney where we enjoyed a relaxing Killarney Jaunting Car ride through Killarney National Park to Ross Castle. I loved the jaunting car and talking with our driver. During the summer months he drives visitors around and during the off season he farms. Interesting man and so informed about the area. We stopped to take a short tour of Ross Castle before returning to town. After fish and chips at a local pub, we stopped at the South Pole Inn in Annascaul for a drink. My first taste of Irish Cider, but not my last!  

 

Ross Castle

Larry & I with jaunting car horse Bob.

I tried to make the diagrams large enough so if you click on them you can see the detail and read the descriptions.

We had a wonderful but fun four days. In the next day or two I'll post about our last two days.

Thanks for stopping by and Happy Reading!

Linda
www.lindalaroque.com