Dorset, England, July 1804
Regina Scott has done it again! She has provided
entertaining fun characters with diverse and fully flavored personalities. In
England, the town of Dorset Grace-by-the-Sea is
small and dependent upon their local spa. It’s now equipped with a doctor, to
attract vacationers to boost local business sales. This is a tight community where
the residents watch out for one another—definitely not a place to keep secrets.
Unless you are French spies who may have infiltrated the area. That’s the
mystery, though. In the last book, local artist Abigail Archer was shot in the
arm and now has need of the spa doctor. Their foibles and strengths are like
oil and water. Could their needs be a possible connection? I can say no more—except
if you want to see the plot unravel and entertain, I encourage you to order an eBook
or novel of your own.
This is definitely a book about family, friends,
romance, and intrigue pulled together with mystery. How do you suppose Doctor
Linus Bennett will get along in Grace-by-the-Sea with his young son, Ethan? Napoleon’s
spies add tension as well as talk that there are press gangs close at hand.
Danger, misunderstandings, and romance will pull you into this tale that is
adorned with forgiveness, overcoming spirit, and hope!
I did receive a free copy of this story so that I
could write an honest review. And now,
you may discover if this is a valuable tale worthy of your time, which I
believe it is. The above comments are my true observations of Regina’s latest
novel. The last Grace-by-the-Sea story that I reviewed was on January 18, 2020,
and you may look there to see Regina’s answers to her interview and the photo
of the area she used to write THE ARTIST’S HEALER in the beautiful town of Grace-by-the-Sea,
England!
QUESTIONS FOR REGINA:
Have you read any historical accounts from anyone
dealing with those French spies?
Not the spies specifically, but I have read historical
accounts of the fear of invasion that swept England during those years.
Villagers all along the coast were watchful, expecting to see the French at any
moment. So adding some spies into the mix seemed appropriate for the story.
Do you know any artists whom you based Abigail’s
character on? (Your descriptions of her thoughts and observations are well
written. Insightful!)
When I was researching another of my books, Art and
Artifice, I read about Angelica Kauffman and Mary Moser, female painters
who helped found England’s famed Royal Academy of Art. So, I knew a bit about
what it took to create oil paintings at that time. I also had a dear friend who
has since passed, who was a talented artist. I relied on her stories to get the
feel of painting.
Are you a big city girl or a country girl? You have
this town so realistic!
Small town girl all the way! London was the only large
city I have visited where I felt at home. Right now, I live south of Seattle,
on the way to Mt. Rainier, and I love seeing her in the distance on the days
she is out. I always breathe easier when I am surrounded by fields and trees.
What extra info would you like to say about Ethan?
It was surprisingly difficult to write about an
introspective, creative childlike Ethan. Most of the children I know have been
remarkably resilient in times of trouble. But Ethan has been through a great
deal, so making him a bubbly sort seemed wrong. My youngest son is rather
introspective, and creative, though he has had few traumas in his life, for
which I am thankful! I used him as Ethan’s model.
What is your next novel called, and can you give us an
introduction to the storyline?
My next novel, out in October, is Nothing Short of
Wondrous, the second book in my American Wonders collection from Revell. Widowed hotelier
Kate Tremaine welcomes the U.S. Cavalry to protect Yellowstone. When her son is
kidnapped, she must work with world-weary Lieutenant William Prescott to rescue
the boy. Will they find that two wounded hearts can share one powerful love
when God is in control?
The next Grace-by-the-Sea story, scheduled for January
2021, will be The Governess’s Earl. Rejected by the man she loved,
quick-witted bluestocking Rosemary Denby is determined to win the position of
governess to the temperamental Lady Miranda, daughter of the Earl of Howland.
But is it the widowed earl who truly needs a lesson, in love?
Where do you wish your readers or potentially new
readers to connect with you?
Regina Scott's bio:
Regina Scott is the author of more
than 4550 historical romances set in Regency,
England; pioneer Seattle; and the Old West. A stickler for getting it right,
she’s sailed on a tall ship, driven four-in-hand, and learned to fence, all in
the name of research. She and her husband of more than 30 years live in the
South Puget Sound area, on the way to Mt. Rainier.
