Welcome to the Blog + Review Tour for The Rare Jewel of Everleigh Wheaton by Susan L. Tuttle, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!
About the Book
Title: The Rare Jewel of Everleigh Wheaton
Series: The Treasures of Halstead Manor
Author: Susan L. Tuttle
Publisher: Kregel
Release Date: January 16, 2024
Genre: Women's Fiction / Romance
In her search for a rare gem, will Everleigh end up uncovering the true treasure of her heart?
Personal care nurse Everleigh Wheaton knows it only takes a few well-placed lies to ruin a reputation. She's experienced it time and time again. But there's a silver lining to repeatedly proving herself: she's confident and self-reliant.
When she loses yet another job and an enigmatic stranger offers her a potential way out, she's game. After all, she loves a good mystery, and an invitation to visit the legendary Halstead Manor is irresistible. But she's not about to let her guard down--especially with the other women who received the same invitation.
A strange voice on the phone tells them he's gathered the three of them to work together as treasure hunters. The first assignment requires Everleigh to be a traveling nurse for retired FBI agent Gertrude Levine, who has one cold case she just can't let go of: the Florentine diamond that went missing when the Austrian Empire fell.
With Everleigh's keen ability to solve puzzles, Natalie Daughtry's vast knowledge of history, and Brooke Sumner's connections to the antiques world, they're bound to track down the diamond. Except that Gertie's nephew, Niles Butler, doesn't trust Everleigh's innocent act . . . even if he finds himself falling for her. Worse, Everleigh's walls of self-preservation may doom the entire team.
Hints of real-life historical events combined with contemporary characters make this first book in the Treasures of Halstead Manor series a masterful blend of romance, mystery, and strong female friendships. Readers of authors like Denise Hunter and Nicole Deese who enjoy unfolding relationships and the organic discovery of God's love will relish this new series.
PURCHASE LINKS: Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | ChristianBook | Bookshop
About the Author
Connect with Susan by visiting susanltuttle.com to follow her on social media and sign up for email updates.
Author Guest Post
The Rare Jewel of Everleigh Wheaton was a new type of story for me to write. I was inspired early on by an article on the Florentine Diamond. As I read, I recalled that I’d heard aspects of the story once before when I’d traveled to Vienna. I remembered the palaces I’d toured and what I’d learned about the royal family who’d lived there. My history and mystery loving heart started to run with thoughts as to what could have happened to that diamond.
Around this same time, I was brainstorming story ideas with a writer friend. I had loved crime solving TV shows as a child, one of which was Charlie’s Angels. With that in mind, I began to envision three women today who worked for a mysterious boss. That story idea begged another question, what would bring all these people together? And could I incorporate my love of history with these new characters taking space in my head?
What followed led to the beginning stages of The Rare Jewel of Everleigh Wheaton. I read more on the Florentine Diamond and the last Emperor and Empress of Austria, Charles and Zita Habsburg. Their story intrigued me! Forced to flee Austria with their seven children—and an eighth on the way—they didn’t know where to go. It was thought they’d taken the crown jewels (a collection the Florentine Diamond belonged to) with them through the help of Baron Bruno Steiner, but somewhere along the way those jewels went missing. Had Bruno stolen them? Or did they remain with the Habsburgs? Tragedy struck shortly after the family left Austria. Charles grew ill and passed away, leaving Zita a single mother without a home. Some believe she held onto the jewels to support herself and the children. Others believe Bruno double-crossed the family and sold them for his own gain.
All of these open-ended questions allowed my writer brain to thrive. I loved putting my own fictional spin on real-life happenings. My cast of characters grew right along with the story. I was able to weave together history, romance, and mystery in ways I hadn’t had the opportunity to use before in my writing. It challenged me but also made for a fun, fresh experience. Hopefully, you’ll enjoy reading this story as much as I did writing it.
Tour Giveaway
(1) winner will win a signed, print copy of The Rare Jewel of Everleigh Wheaton + book-themed goodies!
Full tour schedule linked below. The giveaway begins at midnight January 15, 2024 and will last through 11:59 PM EST on January 22, 2024. Winner will be notified within 2 weeks of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or risk forfeiture of prize. US only. Void where prohibited by law or logistics.
Giveaway is subject to JustRead Publicity Tours Giveaway Policies.
Follow along at JustRead Tours for a full list of stops!
I love this post!
ReplyDeleteI love Susan L. Tuttle's books. I chose my first one of her books based on the cover.
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