Book Review: A Life Renewed by Olivia Rae

 

Welcome to the Blog + Review Blitz for A Life Renewed by Olivia Rae, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

About the Book

Title: A Life Renewed 

Series: Secrets of the Queens #1 

Author: Olivia Rae 

Publisher: HopeKnight Press 

Release Date: April 2, 2020 

Genre: Christian Historical Romance

In 1554, Lady Jane Grey, "The Nine Days' Queen" was executed for high treason. But what if, instead of feeling the blade on her neck she secretly survived?

Escaping execution, Lady Jane hides as a peasant girl in a principality in Germany. She loves the simple life and never wants to return to England. But her benefactor, a power-hungry German prince, wants to march on London and place her on the English throne again, thereby increasing his dominance in Europe. If she doesn't agree with his plan, her beloved childhood nurse will be put to death. Desperate for help, Jane must put her trust in the mysterious spy Asher Hayes. 

Asher Hayes is done rounding up Protestants for "Bloody Mary" and wants nothing more than to live a quiet life as a farmer and expunge the blood of many from his hands. Except Queen Mary isn't done with him yet. She throws his father, mother, and sister into prison on false charges in order to force him to accept one last mission - find and kill Lady Jane Grey. But when Asher discovers Lady Jane isn't a threat to the throne as he believed her to be, he faces a devastating decision - does he sacrifice his family for the woman who reigns in his heart?

PURCHASE LINKS: Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | BookDepository | BookBub

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My Thoughts

A Life Renewed by Olivia Rae entertained me with its secrets, danger, and romance.  The plot clipped along nicely, and I enjoyed the mystery of wondering who knew what, who was lying, and who would betray who. Despite the life-threatening situations of several characters, I found the story fun and adventuresome. It was a pleasure to watch Ella/Jane and Asher fall in love.

Per the author’s note, the prologue of A Life Renewed is historically accurate, but the rest of the novel derived from the question: What if Lady Jane Grey survived her execution? With creative liberty, the author conjured a plausible way for Jane to survive and hide amidst the conflicts between Catholics and Protestants of the time. The novel reverberates with Jane’s call to embrace peace and respect others. It’s a timeless message that our modern culture should consider.

A Life Renewed by Olivia Rae starts the Secrets of the Queens series and is a keeper for my bookshelf. I look forward to more intrigue, danger, and romance in the subsequent novels. Four stars!

 

Disclosure of Material Connection: I was provided a copy of this book by the author or publisher. All opinions in this review are my own.

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About the Author

Olivia Rae is an award-winning author of historical and contemporary inspirational romance. She spent her school days dreaming of knights, princesses and far away kingdoms; it made those long, boring days in the classroom go by much faster. Nobody was more shocked than her when she decided to become a teacher. Besides getting her Master’s degree, marrying her own prince, and raising a couple of kids, Olivia decided to breathe a little more life into her childhood stories by adding in what she’s learned as an adult living in a small town on the edge of a big city. When not writing, she loves to travel, dragging her family to old castles and forts all across the world.

Olivia is the winner of the Angel Awards, New England Readers’ Choice Award, Golden Quill Award, American Fiction Award, Illumination Book Awards, and the Southern Magic Award. She has also been a finalist in many other contests including the National Readers’ Choice Awards. She is currently hard at work on her next novel.

Connect with Olivia by visiting oliviaraebooks.com to follow her on social media or subscribe to email newsletter updates.

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Tour Giveaway

(1) winner will receive a Book Gift Box including the books A Life Renewed & Salvation, a $25 Amazon gift card, 3-pack notebooks, CCB cheese dip mix, English Holdsworth chocolates, Lavender Essential Oils, Sandalwood-scented wax cubes, Handmade soap, Red Current Cassis Candle, Silk Scarf, and Olivia Rae Swag!

Full tour schedule linked below. The giveaway begins at midnight January 11, 2023 and will last through 11:59 PM EST on January 18, 2023. Winner will be notified within 2 weeks of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or risk forfeiture of prize. No shipping restrictions. Void where prohibited by law or logistics.

Giveaway is subject to the policies found here.

Enter Giveaway Here

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Follow along at JustRead Tours for a full list of stops!