Elizabeth Camden

Dear Readers,

There is something about Elizabeth's writing that makes me love reading her books.  I kind of stumbled on her after hearing her titles recommended at a sales conference I went to.  She sounded like someone I would like to read, and now I have read most of her books.  I think I missed one and when I have time I need to go back and read it. In the meantime, her latest release, Beyond all Dreams, reminded me why I liked reading her in the first place.  Nothing like romance, mystery and history all rolled into one book to make a wonderful Sunday read.

Anna O'Brien works as a map librarian at the Library of Congress.  She is happy with her quiet and predictable life.  That all starts to change when she comes across a mystery about a ship that disappeared at sea.  The more she tries to figure out what happened to the ship, the more it becomes clear that someone is hiding something.  

Anna turns to Luke Callahan for help.  He is one of the most powerful congressmen in America, but his career has always contained a hint of scandal so he is eager to take on a cause that might help rid that from his past.  Together they find themselves involved in something that is much bigger than they planned on. 

Even though this is a work of fiction, Elizabeth shares details of what she loosely based her book on.  I don't want to give those details here as it gives away part of the storyline and actually give you clues as to what is happening before you need to know. :-)

I recommend Elizabeth's books to anyone looking for a gentle read that has a bit of a mystery to it.  Nothing too gruesome, but something that engages your mind in a way that a straight historical/romance won't.  They are one of those wonderful reads that when I pick it up on a sunny Sunday afternoon, I can get it read before the day is over and that is a wonderful thing.

Happy Reading,

Elizabeth Camden

Dear Readers,

Against the Tide by Elizabeth Camden is her third book in as many years.  She kind of surprised most readers with her romantic suspense historical stories.  I personally wasn’t really expecting to like her books, but like them I do.

In her other two books you get hints of both Christian Bane and “the Professor.”  This is the book where their stories come to light along with who they are and why their stories are important to us.  The story is set in Boston in the 1890’s during the height of the Opium trade here in America.  Opium was a drug of choice for most pharmacists and doctors of that time.  

Bane, as he is known by those who work with him, has made it his life’s mission to stop not only the illegal importing of opium, but also the prescribing of opium all together.   He knows the damage it can do even if used completely innocently.   That puts him in the sights of the person who is doing the most trading in Opium, Bane’s old mentor, the Professor.  

Lydia has never met anyone so infuriating as Bane, but also he is someone who she is very much attracted to.  She wants and needs security and Bane knows that as long as the Professor is hunting him it is something he cannot offer Lydia. 

Once again Elizabeth writes and interesting story about America’s history that I don’t know much about.  I am sure some of it was taught in class at one point or another, but I also feel that the large Opium trade and use was not something that most history teachers are probably willing to teach about. Either way I found this a nice little read.

Happy Reading

Elizabeth Camden

Dear Readers,

Elizabeth Camden is new to the fiction market.  Her first book, The Lady of Bolton Hill released this year in June.  It has done very well for a first book of an unknown author.  I haven't had a chance to read it, so when I had a chance to read her second book, The Rose of Winslow Street, I quickly took it (they are not a series).

Libby, short for Liberty, and her father recieve notice that someone has moved into their house and claimed the house is theirs, not the Sawyer's.   Michael has brought his family all the way from Romania and lays claim to the house because it belonged to his long lost uncle.  He needs a safe place to start over, but gives very little reason why, he just plows ahead to provide for his sons and sister.  This does not win him any friends.   

When an unlikely friendship developes between Libby and Michael, her father feels betrayed, but Libby finds herself accepted and loved by Michael and his whole family.  Michael knows that his uncle wanted him to have the house for a reason, but he can't figure out why.  When they are kicked out of the house by the courts, Michael begins to wonder if he will ever understand why his uncle left him the house.   

I wasn't sure how much I was going to like this book, but I really did enjoy it completely.  It is a sweet little romance with a bit of a mystery to it.  It is not a complicated mystery and it isn't even the main storyline, but it does make the book more interesting.  Elizabeth also adds a couple different things to the book that make this not just a "regular" historical romance.  She actually gives Libby the inablility to read.  So even though she is a very talented artist, she is looked at as stupid because of her inablility.  Which is just an different approach to a character.  

This book would be a perfect read for those longer winter nights, when all you want to do is curl up in front of the fire with a warm cup of hot chocolate.

Happy Reading

P.S. Elizabeth's books are available at Baker Book House or by request at bakerbookstore.com