Saturday, January 16, 2021

Review, Guest Post, and Giveaway: Sing Until You Die by Carole Brown

 



About the Book

 


Book: Sing Until You Die

Author: Carole Brown

Genre: Historical romantic suspense

Release Date: October 15, 2020

From childhood up, Claire Anne Rayner has despised the man who’s like a brother and son to the rest of the Rayner House residents. But when she puts her musical training on hold and begins singing to the troops as a means of helping support and encourage them, she is pulled into a mysterious spy’s efforts to destroy a certain high-ranking man.

Wills Mason is loved by everyone but Claire who cannot forgive him for his and her sister’s unmerciful, youthful teasing. But now, grown up and serving as a civilian spy, Wills must prove that Claire is not willingly relaying messages to the enemy, as his colonel believes, even when all evidence points that way. And can he prove he’s changed and can be trusted to cherish her heart as she deserves to be loved?

 

Click here to get your copy!
                                                                                                                                                                      
My Thoughts:

Sing Until You Die was a page turning story of spies, duty, love, and family. Taking place during World War 2, everyone is on edge and must be careful as to whom to trust. Wills Mason has just been given the assignment to find out if Claire Anne Rayner is a spy. A spy?! Not only has he grown up with Claire and is best friends with her sister, he is in love with her. How could she be a spy?

Claire was a character that my heart broke for. She is the youngest in her family, and though spoiled (like a pet she feels), she is lost and a little bit sad. She loves her family but she at times did not feel like she fit in. And growing up with her sister Josie and Wills who tormented and teased her a lot, I could definitely understand her standoffishness with Wills and why she could not trust him. And when her singing career seems to be taken over by everyone else, that is just something else to make her feel like a failure.

Wills has some things he needs to work through. He does love Claire very much and I like that he strives to fix what is broken between them. Not to rush her, but be there for her in ways he never was. Though his intentions of winning her over and wooing her are complicated by his job of uncovering if she is a spy.

This was a good read to escape present life and I look forward to more of author Brown's stories.

I was provided a copy of this novel from the author. I was not required to post a positive review and all views and opinions are my own.

About the Author


Besides being a member and active participant of many writing groups, Carole Brown enjoys mentoring beginning writers. An author of ten books, she loves to weave suspense and tough topics into her books, along with a touch of romance and whimsy, and is always on the lookout for outstanding titles and catchy ideas. She and her husband reside in SE Ohio but have ministered and counseled nationally and internationally. Together, they enjoy their grandsons, traveling, gardening, good food, the simple life, and did she mention their grandsons?

 

More from Carole

A Grip on the Story by Carole Brown

Unlike books one and two of The Spies of WWII series (With Music in Their Hearts and A Flute in the Willows), I couldn’t get a handle on where to go with Claire Anne Rayner and Wills Mason’s story in Sing Until You Die. I knew their names, knew their careers, but the plot evaded me until it was time to write the novel. And then…

 

Slowly the plot opened up:

  • How Claire was using her career
  • What was being asked of Wills by his colonel
  • The conflict between the two main protagonists
  • The protagonists’ personalities
  • Who the spy was
  • Why revenge was being sought by the foreign spy

 

The more I wrote, the more I loved these two faulty, but loveable characters. Were they perfect? No. Were they determined to do what they felt was their duty, what they knew was their calling? Yes and yes.

Claire, as a child and teenager, faced thoughtless and sometimes cruel teasings because of over zealousness from certain family and friends. In her youthful mind, she felt loathing for those hurting her and knew she’d never forgive those involved.

Wills, on the otherhand, as a youth, was bound to prove he was one better than his best friend. Nothing was too dangerous or too extreme for him to try. No matter how others might feel…

Yet, through loving family and friends, these two grew into adulthood as caring, serious, and  individuals determined to succeed in their separate pursuits. The only thing they needed to do was ask for forgiveness and forgive. Could they lay aside their accusations for each other and do it? Would they realize that past feelings and thoughts about the other might just be wrong?

I worked hard at showing the slow and sometimes painful process of their achieving that. But tying in the insidious spy, thrust these two adorable, but different, characters into each others’ lives. That brings about the question:

Will the web of deceit the mysterious German spy is weaving destroy their one chance of happiness with each other, or can they both let go of the past and work together to bring the spy to justice?

Blog Stops

Locks, Hooks and Books, January 4

Jodie Wolfe – Stories Where Hope and Quirky Meet, January 5 (Author Interview)

Ashley’s Clean Book Reviews, January 5

deb’s Book Review, January 6

Inklings and notions, January 7

Betti Mace, January 8

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, January 9

Texas Book-aholic, January 10

For Him and My Family, January 11

Connie’s History Classroom, January 12

Tell Tale Book Reviews, January 13 (Author Interview)

Sara Jane Jacobs, January 13

Artistic Nobody, January 14 (Guest Review from Joni Truex)

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, January 15

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, January 16

Pause for Tales, January 17

Giveaway



To celebrate her tour, Carole is giving away the grand prize package of a music-themed tote bag a 4-piece set of bird/flower coasters, a $25 Amazon gift card, and a signed copy of Sing Until You Die!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.

https://promosimple.com/ps/1052f/sing-until-you-die-celebration-tour-giveaway

5 comments:

  1. I liked the review, sounds like a good read.

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  2. This book sounds very interesting.

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  3. Wonderful review! Sounds like one not to miss. Thank you for sharing.

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  4. Thank you for sharing your thoughts on this book, it sounds like an excellent read

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