A farewell to Imperial Istanbul

 

A Farewell To Imperial İstanbul

Set against the majestic backdrop of Imperial Istanbul in the aftermath of the First World War, A Farewell To Imperial Istanbul is a captivating tale of family, duty and the resilience of the human spirit.

İstanbul, 1922: As the Ottoman Empire crumbles in the wake of the Great War, the fate of the Imperial capital and the House of Osman come under threat. Emboldened following their victory in the Turkish War of Independence, the Turkish Nationalist Government in Ankara abolishes the Ottoman Sultanate, marking the end of over six centuries of Ottoman rule. The Ottoman Caliphate endures for now, but Istanbul, stripped of its Imperial mantle, mourns its lost glory. Prince Nihadfears for the nation and the fate of the Imperial family, while his son, Prince Vâsıb, envisions a hopeful future defined by peace following the signing of the Treaty of Lausanne. 

As the new Republic of Türkiye emerges from the ashes of the once-mighty Ottoman Empire, Istanbul and the Ottoman Dynasty confront the crossroads of history, their destinies entwined with the shifting tides of the Bosphorus. Yet, amidst these perilous currents that separate East and West, where the deep waters threaten to engulf the city’s Imperial past and sweep away its soul embodied by the Imperial family, the Ottoman Dynasty must navigate a new and uncertain course.

The history of the Turks and their vast and powerful Empire has been intertwined with the Ottoman Dynasty for over six hundred years. But can the Imperial family survive the tempest of change as the world enters a new era?

 

Purchase Links 

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Author Bio – Ayşe Gülnev Osmanoğlu is a member of the Ottoman Imperial family, being descended from Sultan Murad V through her grandfather, and from Sultan Mehmed V (Mehmed Reşad) through her grandmother. After reading History and Politics at the University of Exeter, she obtained an M.A. in Turkish Studies from SOAS, University of London, where she specialised in Ottoman History. Her debut novel, The Gilded Cage on the Bosphorus was published in 2020.

 

Ayşe Osmanoğlu lives between Türkiye, France and the United Kingdom with her husband, five children and two cats. Her research and literary works concentrate on the late Ottoman period, exploring narratives embedded in her imperial heritage.

Social Media Links – https://www.facebook.com/ayseosmanogluauthor

https://www.instagram.com/aysegulnevsultan/

https://twitter.com/AyseGulnev

Author Website: www.ayseosmanoglu.com

 

Giveaway To Win an A Farewell to Imperial İstanbul prize bundle… (Open to UK Only)

The list of prizes is below:

 

• Paperback signed copy of A Farewell to Imperial İstanbul
• Scented Candle from the Imperial İstanbul Collection – Scent: Harem Garden (Jasmine, Rose & Orange Blossom)
• Black matchsticks
• Traditional Rose Turkish Delight
• A Farewell to Imperial İstanbul postcard
• Set of four A Farewell to Imperial İstanbul bookmarks

 

*Terms and Conditions –UK entries welcome.  Please enter using the Rafflecopter box below.  The winner will be selected at random via Rafflecopter from all valid entries and will be notified by Twitter and/or email. If no response is received within 7 days then Rachel’s Random Resources reserves the right to select an alternative winner. Open to all entrants aged 18 or over.  Any personal data given as part of the competition entry is used for this purpose only and will not be shared with third parties, with the exception of the winners’ information. This will passed to the giveaway organiser and used only for fulfilment of the prize, after which time Rachel’s Random Resources will delete the data.  I am not responsible for despatch or delivery of the prize.

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My Review

This is not so much a novel as an, at times, slightly fictionalised account of the last days of the Ottoman Empire. The fact that much of the source material has been gleaned form the author's own family make it an interesting read.

The descriptions of the palaces, the delicious food, the scents and smells of Istanbul really bring the story alive as they are described in such intricate detail. However, at times I felt this was to the detriment of the characters. With a cast list running to several pages it was difficult even so to keep track of the lesser characters let alone identify with any of the major characters. This aside, from a historical point of view, I feel I understand much better the reasons behind the end of the Ottoman Empire and the creation of a new country, Turkey, and it seems incredible to think this all took place around 100 years ago.

I thought the afternote was very poignant about how all the family members were scattered around Europe and the Middle East and I can't help wondering what happened to them all.

This is a perfect book for anyone with an interest in the Ottoman Empire, or who simply enjoys being whisked away to another era. 

Far from home

 

Far from Home

The secrets of the past will unlock her future…

Working in the fast-paced foreign exchange market in Canary Wharf, Amy never expected her job to drive her to collapse. With her doctor advising she take a month off work, when Amy receives a solicitor’s letter informing her of a surprise inheritance in Italy, the timing couldn’t be more perfect.

But who on earth has left her a house in the sleepy Tuscan hills?

As she gets to know the town and its inhabitants, Amy discovers more about the mysterious man who named her in his will. Shocking family secrets come to light, leaving Amy questioning the life she knew.

The town of Sant’Antonio holds more than just secrets. Here, Amy meets Adam, a renowned TV journalist whose documentaries take him to dangerous places. But as their attraction grows, so do Amy’s worries. Her life is in England, while Adam’s is untethered and under constant threat…

An emotional, heartwarming love story full of family drama and quirky locals.

 

Purchase Link - https://mybook.to/WilliamsFarFromHome

 

Author Bio – 

Author Bio – I’m a man. And a pretty old man as well. I did languages at university a long time ago and then lived and worked in France and Switzerland before going to Italy for seven years as a teacher of English. My Italian wife and I then came back to the UK with our little daughter (now long-since grown up) where I ran a big English language school for many years. We now live in a sleepy little village in Devonshire. I’ve been writing almost all my life but it was only ten years ago that I finally managed to find a publisher who liked my work enough to offer me my first contract.

The fact that I am now writing escapist romance is something I still find hard to explain. My early books were thrillers and historical novels and I now also write cozy crime, but my first love has always been romance. Maybe it’s because there are so many horrible things happening in the world today that I feel I need to do my best to provide something to cheer my readers up. My books provide escapism to some gorgeous locations and descriptions of food to make you drool.

 

Social Media Links –

Website: www.tawilliamsbooks.com

Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/tawilliamsbooks

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TrevorWilliamsBooks/

My Review

Sometimes it's good to escape into a book, even if realistically we know that the chances of a stranger leaving us a house in Italy are remote to impossible. When this happens to Amy, her life is turned upside down as she evaluates what she really wants from life.

It seems that she can't have her cake and eat it. On the one hand she wants to return to a job she loves, even though it is very stressful. On the other hand, much as she would like to stay in Italy, she needs to carve out some kind of path for herself if she is to stay. Add Adam into the mix and there is another complication. The author manages to bring it all neatly to a mutually satisfactory conclusion. 

One Greek Summer Wedding

 

One Greek Summer Wedding 

 

Love is in the air…

When singer Cara is invited to a big, fat Greek wedding in Corfu, she sees it as a mixed blessing: some time to heal on the beautiful Greek island with her aunt will be a tonic, but it’s going to stir up memories – of before Seb ghosted her and disappeared off the face of the earth.  

Akis Diakos, brother of the groom, should be looking forward to planning the bachelor party, but burdened by the weight of family expectation, his mind is elsewhere: he has a decision to make – one that could, apparently, ruin his little brother’s life forever. 

When Cara learns that her aunt Margot brought her here under false pretences, she’s faced with a dilemma. She’s not sung in public since that fateful day at Eurovision when her life fell apart, and she’s not planning to now. But with Akis’s encouragement, it’s time for both of them to face up to their fears. 

And who knows – maybe this beautiful duet will also lead to a beautiful romance? 

From the queen of Greek romance comes a story that will heal those heartstrings and make you believe in love again…

Purchase Link - https://mybook.to/OneGreekSummersocial

 

Author Bio – 

Mandy Baggot is an international bestselling and award-winning romance writer represented by Tanera Simons of The Darley Anderson Literary, TV and Film Agency.

Mandy is best-known for her laugh-out-loud romantic comedies featuring strong heroines, gorgeous heroes and always that happy-ever-after!

The winner of the Innovation in Romantic Fiction award at the UK's Festival of Romance, her novel, One Wish in Manhattan, was also shortlisted for the Romantic Novelists' Association Romantic Comedy Novel of the Year award in 2016. Mandy's books have so far been translated into Bulgarian, Czech, German, Hungarian and Italian.

Mandy loves the Greek island of Corfu where she has a home. She also loves wine, cheese, Netflix, handbags and horse racing. Also a singer, she has taken part in ITV1's Who Dares Sings and The X-Factor. Most recently, Mandy took part in BBC1's Ready Steady Cook with Greek celebrity chef, Akis Petretzikis.

Mandy is a member of the Society of Authors and splits her time between living in Wiltshire, UK and Corfu, Greece.

Visit Mandy's website at www.mandybaggot.com

Social Media Links –  

 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mandybaggotauthor

Twitter: https://twitter.com/mandybaggot

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mandybaggot/

Newsletter Sign Up: https://bit.ly/MandyBaggotNews

Bookbub profile: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/mandy-baggot

My Review

I loved the characters in this book, especially Cara and her aunt Margot. Mandy Baggot has drawn the perfect relationship between the two as little by little we find out what binds them together. Add in a romantic Greek hero, Akis, with a life-changing decision to make and his slightly bonkers family and you have a perfect story. Set on beautiful Corfu too so what more could you want? Except perhaps quick tour of Santorini? Altogether a win-win for me.

 

Murder on the Italian Riviera

 

Murder on the Italian Riviera

A brand-new cozy crime series set in gorgeous Tuscany...It's murder in paradise!

An ex-con…

Private investigator Dan Armstrong is no stranger to working with criminals, but when he’s approached for help by Bianca Moretti, he’s on high alert. Bianca is intelligent and beautiful, and Dan likes her, but he also once sent her to prison…

A suspicious death…

Bianca explains that a guest has been found dead at her father’s luxurious and private retreat on the beautiful Italian Riviera. The police are sure the death is accidental, but Bianca is convinced the man’s been murdered. Dan’s sure he can get to the bottom of things…as long as Bianca is telling him the whole truth.

A very revealing case!

But when Dan arrives at the resort, he's in for a shock. He finds that the place is a naturist retreat, and everybody is walking around stark naked! Dan is determined to discover the truth, but this is going to mean revealing a whole lot more of himself than he expected.

Can Dan sniff out the truth about this case before Oscar's cold wet nose causes havoc?

Purchase Link - https://mybook.to/italianrivierasocial

Author Bio – 

I write under the androgynous name T A Williams because 65% of books are read by women. In my first book one of the (female) characters suggests the imbalance is due to the fact that men spend too much time getting drunk and watching football. I couldn't possibly comment. Ask my wife...

I've written all sorts: thrillers, historical novels, short stories and now I'm enjoying myself hugely writing romance and whodunnits. Romantic comedies are what we all need from time to time. Life isn’t always very fair. It isn’t always a lot of fun, but when it is, we need to embrace it. Murder mystery is all very well, but it needs to put a smile on your face, so that's why I like to inject some humour. I'm having a lot of fun writing the Armstrong and Oscar cozy mystery series set in sunny Italy. They are all standalone books but if you really want to do it properly, start with the first one in the series, Murder in Tuscany. If my books can whisk you away to gorgeous locations, put a smile on your face and maybe give your heartstrings a tug, then I know I’ve done my job.

I‘ve lived all over Europe, but now I live in a little village in sleepy Devon, tucked away in south west England. I love the place. That’s why you’ll find leafy lanes and thatched cottages in many of my books. Oh, yes, and a black Labrador.

I've been writing since I was 14 and that is well over half a century ago. However, underneath this bald, wrinkly exterior, there beats the heart of a youngster. My wife is convinced I will never grow up. I hope she's right.

Social Media Links –  

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TrevorWilliamsBooks/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/TAWilliamsBooks

Newsletter Sign Up: https://bit.ly/TAWilliamsNews  

My Review

Be prepared to bewhisker away to the beautiful Italian riviera in this latest Dan Armstrong mystery. After a guest is fund dead in her father's hotel pool, Bianca seeks Dan's help, convinced that the police are wrong. Somewhat wary of her motives as it was Dan who helped to put Bianca in prison several years ago in London, he accepts the challenge.

In an Agatha Christie style denouement, all the suspects are ordered to remain at the hotel, which is in fact a nudist retreat, as one by one Dan and his faithful lab interrogate them. The only problem, any one of them could have a motive leaving Dan suspecting everyone.

The ending is cleverly done and I didn't see it coming. A great mystery and a great read.

A Greek Island Escape

 

A Greek Island Escape

Can a Greek escape be the start of something special?

Xanthe Fox has it all: a famous, drop-dead gorgeous boyfriend, a dream career and bright future – until heartbreak sends her life into a tailspin.

So when Xanthe’s Greek godmother unexpectedly leaves her a villa on the sumptuous island of Kefalonia, Xanthe jumps at the chance to put her life in London on hold and escape to the island hideaway to rethink her future.

The break allows Xanthe the time to explore her passions, sift through her feelings and discover more about her estranged Greek family while renovating her godmother’s enchanting Villa Aster.

But not everyone is happy to see her. Unfazed by her hostile neighbours and after making a mortifying mistake with a sexy builder, Xanthe is equally charmed by Kefalonia and a handsome, brooding gardener.

Chasing dreams, taking chances and saying ‘yes’ has the potential to turn Xanthe’s life upside down, but will a summer escape allow her to sparkle once more?

Purchase Link - https://mybook.to/greekislandsocial

Author Bio – 

Kate Frost is the author of romantic escape novels including bestsellers The Greek Heart, The Baobab Beach Retreat and The Amsterdam Affair, plus One Greek Summer, An Italian Dream, An Island in the Sun and One Winter's Night published by Boldwood. They're uplifting, heartwarming stories of love, romance, hope, new beginnings and second chances featuring different characters in beautiful locations. 

Social Media Links –  

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/katefrostauthor

Twitter https://twitter.com/katefrostauthor

Instagram https://www.instagram.com/katefrostauthor/

Newsletter Sign Up: https://bit.ly/KateFrostNewsletter

Bookbub profile: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/kate-frost

 

My Review

This book is pure escapism. If you have visited beautiful Kefalonia, you will enjoy revisiting some gorgeous locations, and if you haven't then this book will make you want to hop on a plane.

Kate Frost has a gift of bringing characters and location alive and in this book she does both. I thoroughly enjoyed the slow burning romance between Xanthe and her hostile gardener. Greece is a magical place that does help healing to take place. I also loved the ending. Without giving too many spoilers away, not the one you might expect but one which works.

So, be prepared to escape for a few hours to a magical place with some wonderful locations and characters.