Countdown to publication - one day to go

Only one more day! Even Choccy's getting excited - but he may have over-reacted a tad!

To whet your appetite, here's a short excerpt from the Prologue. It takes place in the distant past, although most of the novel is set in present day Wales

There had been something very special about the filly Rhiannon found as a motherless foal in the mountains and raised until fully grown. She named her Seren, meaning ‘Star’, for the perfect diamond-shaped star on her face. Seren needed no breaking-in or training, but allowed Rhiannon to sit on her back as soon as she was mature enough to take a rider. No one else could ride her, not even Sion Sienco. Now she could only hope the mare would carry her to Sion in time. 

She cast one last, swift look over her shoulder at the only home she had ever known. The cottage receded into the distance, appearing forlorn in the soft moonlight before melting into the darkness. She could almost believe the cottage knew she would never return. With a sigh, she turned her head to concentrate on the rough road ahead.  

Thoughts of the injured animals the villagers, or their children, would bring to the cottage for her to heal flashed into her mind, and hot tears stung her eyes. Her spells and herbs could heal most injuries provided they were not too severe. Now she would no longer be able to help them. Nor would she be able to use her gift of matchmaking to help the maidens in the village find their one true love. “Oh Sion,” she whispered, “Sion, where are you when I need you?” 

RELEASE DATE 5th May 2025

Countdown to Publication Day - Only two more days to go!

 

Two more days until publication  day and I'm getting excited!  I will be doing a blog tour from the 8th May, to celebrate, with some special prizes for a lucky winner. More about that nearer the time though.

May is a lovely time of year, with all the buds on the trees and spring bulbs and flowers bursting into bloom - and some things have been early this year owing to the unusually warm spring. I have some lavender in my garden and it is already full of buds. Lavender plays an important part in my book - the scent surrounds the little cottage and it is connected to the young girl, Rhiannon, who lived there hundreds of years ago.

THE MATCHMAKER'S MARE

Available on Amazon and other online stores on 5th May 2025

Countdown to Release Day - Three days to go

Huw - the horse-mad young son of the hero in 'The Matchmaker's Mare'

Shadows in the Spring Spotlight and Review

Two souls bound together but lost in time. Until now.

AD 80

Duro of the Iceni tribe escaped life as an enslaved gladiator and is now finally home in Britannia with one thing on his mind: vengeance. For 20 years he has sought the Roman legionary who destroyed his family. What he didn’t expect was Gisel: a fierce Germanic woman with long white-blonde hair, forced into slavery by the Romans. Hypnotised by her spirit and her beauty, Duro frees Gisel and slowly tries to win her trust as they work together to complete his quest.

Present Day

Mackenna Jackson returns to Bath  with a broken heart, thanks to rockstar Blue Daniels. Luckily she can still count on Blue’s former bandmate Jonah Miller as a listening ear. But Jonah has secretly been fighting stronger feelings, drawn to Mac’s quiet confidence and gorgeous white-blonde hair. As they explore the area, memories they can’t quite explain flood them both.

Is the spark between Mac and Jonah in fact a sign of something much deeper – a love enduring through millennia – or can it all be an illusion?

Purchase Link - https://geni.us/SITS

Author Bio 

Christina Courtenay writes historical romance, time slip/dual time and time travel stories, and lives in Herefordshire (near the Welsh border) in the UK. Although born in England, she has a Swedish mother and was brought up in Sweden – hence her abiding interest in the Vikings. Christina is a Vice President and former Chair and of the UK’s Romantic Novelists’ Association and has won several awards, including the RoNA for Best Historical Romantic Novel twice with Highland Storms (2012) and The Gilded Fan (2014) and the RNA Fantasy Romantic Novel of the year 2021 with Echoes of the Runes. SHADOWS IN THE SPRING
(dual time historical romance published by Headline Review 24th April 2025) is her latest novel. Christina is a keen amateur genealogist and loves history and archaeology (the armchair variety).

Social Media Links –

Website:  http://www.christinacourtenay.com

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/christinacourtenayauthor?fref=ts

Twitter/X:  https://twitter.com/PiaCCourtenay

Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/ChristinaCourtenayAuthor/

Bluesky:  https://christinacourtenay@bsky.social

My Review

Once again Kristina Courtenay draws us into her world - in this case, two worlds, as she seamlessly moves from Roman Britain to the present day, with alternating chapters. Unlike most of the books I've read and enjoyed by this author, Shadows in the Spring is not a 'time slip' per se, but this story has a hint of re-incarnation and there is a definite connection between Duro and Gisel in Roman times and Mack and Jonah in the present day. As always, Kristina Courtenay immerses the reader in both worlds and the characters are beautifully drawn and easy to relate to. The re-incarnation aspect is never overstated, but as their relationship deepens into romance, and artifacts such as a gold coin, and the ring Mac inherited from her aunt, lead them to realise that perhaps love lasts through the ages, not just for one lifetime and that they might have a mystical connection with Duro and Gisel. The story is obviously very well researched, and at times I felt that I was travelling back to Roman Britain myself, and the descriptions of the buildings, food and day to day life were totally believable. I thoroughly enjoyed this novel and have no hesitation in recommending it and giving it five stars.

#BookQW

 This Wednesday's word is 'jaw' and Megan is sifting through some sketches she's been working on.

(Only five days to go until publication day!)

The Matchmaker's Mare   

Publication Date 5th May 2025

Pre-order HERE: 

Countdown to publication day

Six days to go!

These are mountains in Wales like the Mynydd y Graig,  up which Rhiannon and Sion fled in the prologue to THE MATCHMAKER'S MARE

A difficult ride in fine weather - but there was a snowstorm coming which made their journey even more dangerous...

How dangerous is told in the Prologue of The Matchmaker's Mare

available for  PRE-ORDER NOW