Chanticleer Book Reviews

Author: nicola-slade

  • Chatelaine 2023 Hall of Fame Celebrating Romantic Fiction

    Chatelaine 2023 Hall of Fame Celebrating Romantic Fiction

    Need more Romance in your life? Read These!

    The Chatelaine Awards are here to bring you the best in books about Love in all its forms.

    Photo of dried roses, and books.

    ***Submit your Novel today***

    You have until August 31st to share your Love Story and enter the 2023 CIBAs!

    book award for Romance Novels The Chatelaine Awards

    Everyone deserves more love, and we’ve got lots of it for you to read! Steamy (Not Spicy), Historical and more! Other categories also include romantic themes, but if you’re looking for Romance- look no further!

    Lets take a look at the Grand Prize Winners for the Chatelaine Award

    Operation Mom
    By Reenita Hora

    Master storyteller Reenita Malhotra Hora’s YA romance Operation Mom: My Plan to Get My Mom a Life and a Man takes us on a charming journey through the life of one teen, Ila Isham.

    Hora introduces Ila and her best friend Deepali, two boy-crazy teens on a summer quest. Readers will fall in love with the smart, sassy, angst-filled, rebellious Ila. A typical teenage girl, Ila lives in Mumbai with her mom and Sakkubai, their house manager. Ila’s mother calls her obsessed, but that seems unfair. Is she obsessed just because her every waking minute is spent thinking of Ali Zafar, famous pop icon, singer, and heartthrob? Or is she obsessed with fellow classmate Dev?

    No, Ila couldn’t be taken with Dev because he’s one of three young men that her best friend Deepali is juggling in her summer experiment of exploring her “feminine mystique.” This turn of phrase becomes just one of many opportunities for Hora’s humor to shine as Ila remarks, “That’s a book by Gloria Steinem . . . no Betty Friedan.” Deepali’s response? “Yaar. Don’t be so literal.” The delightful balance between Ila’s book smarts versus Deepali’s street smarts carries us through Hora’s expertly crafted story.

    Read More Here

     

    The Long Desert Road Cover

    The Long Desert Road
    By Alex Sirotkin

    Alex Sirotkin’s debut novel, The Long Desert Road, navigates the emotional arcs of life in contrast with the greater expanse of the cosmos. Here a young woman must face her addictions while the people around her try to move beyond her backlash.

    We meet Henry Spinoza, a 44-year-old quirky science writer. He ponders his life as half over, looks for the right woman, and wonders if there isn’t more to existence.

    For twenty years, Henry, a science writer, has been researching a non-fiction book on the universe that he intends to write. Henry’s feeling “bored, boring, and budget-conscious…the trifecta of gloom,” as he puts it. But in the middle of this ennui, his sister-in-law invites him to dinner, along with her divorced friend, Isabel Dalton, an attorney, and “the setup is afoot.”

    Read More Here

    When the Wind Chimes Cover

     

    When The Wind Chimes
    By Mary Ting

    In When the Wind Chimes by international best-selling author Mary Ting, Kate Summers wants to make this Christmas extra-special for her older sister, Abby, and four-year-old nephew.

    A year ago, she’d given up Christmas with her family to spend the holiday with her boyfriend, Jayden, whom she had caught cheating on her the next day. Not only is she hoping to erase that memory, but she also has another even more important reason to make this Christmas special.  A few months after her disastrous break-up with Jayden, her brother-in-law, Steve, passed away from cancer, so Abby and Tyler will be spending their first Christmas alone.

    After taking a leave from her job as a graphic designer in LA, Kate flies to Poipu, Kauai, determined to make this an amazing holiday, but on her way to her sister’s house, she meets a mysterious man, who gives up his cab for her. Kate can’t get the handsome stranger out of her head, and when she sees him again in her sister’s art gallery–and destroys his expensive shirt with paint–she is both mortified and excited.

    Read More Here

     

    The Skeptical Physick
    By Gail Avery Halverson

    In the second in a series by author Halverson, an aristocratic, intellectually curious young woman has fallen in love with a young physician, a commoner whose radical experimentations have jeopardized his reputation. The couple is just recovering from the professional and personal rigors of dealing with London’s plague victims when the city is overwhelmed by fire. Their services are needed now more than ever.

    Supported by mentor hospital administrator Father Hardwicke in his medical endeavors, Simon McKensie is finally on the verge of marrying the woman he adores, Catherine Abbott. Even the wealthy, protective Aunt Viola has come to terms with the fact that, though she might not approve the match on social grounds, she sees that Catherine will be happy with Simon.

    If winning her aunt’s approval and administering aid to plague victims wasn’t enough, just days before their planned nuptials, a fire breaks out that threatens to delay them yet again. Worse, Catherine sustains a severe injury on her way to the hospital to help Simon treat burn victims. It seems that there may not be a wedding. But Simon acts quickly and effectively to save the life of his beloved, exchanging wedding vows with her even as she is barely recuperating from her accident.

    Read More Here

    The House At Ladywell
    By Nicola Slade

    A surprise bequest, a cryptic benediction, and a box of long-lost letters thrust Freya Gibson in the middle of a life-changing mystery. As the personal assistant to successful novelist Patrick Underwood, Freya never takes a vacation. She believes herself content to be surrounded by the hustle and bustle of London, keeping Patrick on track and reigning in her newly discovered and completely uncertain feelings for her boss.

    When Freya inherits a house from a heretofore unknown relative, she isn’t sure what to do. What’s more, the house comes with a clause preventing the immediate selling off of the relic. Freya has no choice but to visit the estate, still reasonably sure she will rid herself of the property; until, of course, she sets foot in the ancient home in Ramalley.

    With Patrick gone on a business trip to the US, Freya decides to spend a week getting to know her new home and the village nearby. She quickly decides she wants to keep the enigmatic house with the enormous stone mantle, former church windows, and hand-carved hares. Still, as she falls in love with the house, she uncovers evidence that Violet, her cousin, and the former owner, knew a great deal more about Freya than Freya knows about herself. With each step closer to the truth, the house seems to draw her closer in a protective grip, perhaps giving her a chance at a new future.

    Read More Here

     

    Now that you’re set on your next reads, what are you waiting for? The only way to join this amazing list of Chatelaine Winners is to submit today!

    Those who submit and advance will have the chance to win the Overall Grand Prize of the CIBAs and $1000!

    Submit to the CIBAs Today!

    Now is your chance to touch the hearts of readers everywhere. Your Romance story deserves to be discovered, and you can submit to the 2023 Chatelaine Awards by the end of the month. Don’t miss this chance to give your book the recognition it deserves.

    The Chatelaine Awards is your chance to shine!

     

    The 2022 Grand Prize Winners from CAC23!

    And remember! Our 12th Anniversary Chanticleer Authors Conference (CAC24) will be April 18-21, 2024, where our 2023 CIBA winners will be announced. Space is limited and seats are already filling up. Sign up and see the latest updates here!

     

  • Happy JOLABOKAFLOD! Wishing you a Merry & Bright Holiday Season!

    Happy JOLABOKAFLOD! Wishing you a Merry & Bright Holiday Season!

    There is a beautiful Icelander holiday tradition that we are growing quite fond of here at Chanticleer.

    The small Nordic island, with a population of only 329,000 people, is extraordinarily literary. They love to read and write. According to Rosie Goldsmith of the BBC, “The country has more writers, more books published and more books read, per head, than anywhere else in the world.”

    Many Icelanders give books as Christmas gifts as part of Jolabokaflod, and from Christmas Eve until New Years there is an unspoken reading frenzy.

    Iceland’s National Treasures And High Literacy Rate

    Icelanders are obsessed with preserving their language.  You will find that the bestselling teen novels –Twilight, Harry Potter, Hunger Games, etc. – have all been translated to Icelandic.

    Books and literacy are huge in Icelandic culture. To properly understand it, you have to realize that our national treasures are not really beautiful buildings or famous art pieces or collections like so many other countries have. They are manuscripts, preserved on sheepskin, for hundreds and hundreds of years.

    Reading is very important for us, both in schools and in society in general. The literacy rate is somewhere around 99%. I don’t believe there is anyone in Iceland that doesn’t know how to read unless there are some specific challenges or disabilities involved. – The Uncorked Librarian .com

    And, of course, knitting also goes along with this beloved tradition and so does hot chocolate!

    Jolabokaflod or  Yule Book Flood  happens once a year on Christmas Eve in Iceland. The flood begins with the release of a catalog of new publications from the Icelandic Publishers Association. And it is distributed FREE to each and every Icelandic home.  The majority of books sold in Iceland are sold from September to early November. Of course, these books are in print. E-pubs are not given. This tradition started in 1944.

    The Icelanders even have a popular TV show, Kiljan, that is entirely devoted to books. Authors appear on prime TV shows. Book readings and author events are treated like rock star events. 

    “In Iceland book lives matter in every sense of that phrase: The shelf-life of the book, the lives in the book, the life of the writer and the life of the reader. God bless the Jolabokaflod.” ~Hallgrimur Helgason

    To an Icelander, the very best Christmas present is a book! This tradition hails from WWII when many items and food were rationed.  These sentiments may always have existed, in one way or another, since Icelanders have been saga-nerds for thousand of years. 

    Loved ones gather – perhaps virtually this year – and gift one another books. What happens next? They spend the night reading together. What a delightful holiday tradition!

    Jolabokaflod – Christmas is the time where you snuggle up and read your presents.

    We thought you might like to see some of our top holiday-themed books – just in case you would like to have your own Jolabokaflod…

    So, snuggle in and preview some of our favorite books for the season. Let’s share some book love!

    Happy Holidays to you and yours!

    Love of Finished Years by Gregory Erich Phillips

    From the riveting opening that takes place in NYC’s Lower East Side’s sweatshops until its gripping conclusion, this enthralling novel vividly portrays the desperate times of German immigrants landing at Ellis Island in 1905 in search of a better life. Love of Finished Years by Gregory Erich Phillips is one of Kiffer Brown’s favorites for the holidays. She cites the novel’s heartwarming WWI Christmas Eve scene that takes place in the trenches in the heat of battle as unforgettable.

    Oscar’s Christmas Wish by Veronica Fischer

    Since it’s Christmas time, clever Oscar decides to write a letter to Santa and ask for the spots he so desperately wants. Fearing his request won’t reach the North Pole in time, Oscar decides to take it there himself. He meets many a character en route and learns some new lessons. A beautifully illustrated and wonderfully told children’s Christmas story of the importance of being yourself. Highly recommended.

    Nicola Slade’s Christmas at Ladywell

    With the loveliest prose and sharp humor, Slade offers the best Christmas gift for her readers with this gem of a book. Whether it’s 1390, 1543, 1825, or the present day, there’s a mystical sisterhood at Ladywell that bridges time, a linking of strong women who tend home and hearth and pass on the secrets of the land. The past re-emerges into the blissful bustle of Freya’s current life as she learns of a family connection with King Richard III. Is this connection tied to a future event? Will the secrets of the past travel to the future?

    An exquisitely written English tale set for Yuletide cheer. A book to curl up with during the holidays. Highly recommended.

    My Christmas Attic by Dennis Clausen

    For anyone who’s ever fought a battle and held onto the promise of hope, here is a heartfelt story of a boy whose endless desire for Christmas changes not only him but his entire world. This story has the makings to be a seasonal classic! Plausible fantasy with a clear connection to our national past composed by a practiced wordsmith, My Christmas Attic can be appreciated as a classic seasonal saga with a cinematic quality that speaks of broader possibilities.

    Chasing Cleopatra: A Novel of Love, Betrayal, and Suspense by Tina Sloan

    Cleopatra’s lustful affair with young Jake Regan becomes more complex as she discovers his presence in Hawaii is due to a Christmas holiday vacation with his (Norman Rockwellesque) family. Mother and his two brothers have arrived. Jake’s dad is expected to arrive at any moment from yet another far-flung business trip. But the coup d’état is that Jake’s longtime girlfriend, who also is en route, is expecting wedding bells to be announced at the gathering. It becomes obvious that Cleo and Jake’s unrelenting passion will have an impact on the Regan family. 

    A steamy, fast-paced suspense novel that will take you on a get-away armchair vacation to Hawai’i!  

    Combining a romance novel with a thriller is not easy, but Chasing Cleopatradelivers the goods with plotting as intricate as a silver spider’s web.

    Merry Christmas and a Happy PTSD by Christopher Oelerich

    Merry Christmas and a Happy PTSD by Chris Oelerich is highly recommended for those who suffer from PTSD, for the family members and friends of those who suffer, and for those who are simply interested in having a greater understanding beyond what is reported in the popular press about this debilitating disorder. Oelerich’s methods to overcome PTSD are plain-spoken and practical, with an overall message of optimism for those with PTSD.

    This is a very personal, no-holds-barred, yet ultimately, empowering discussion of PTSD and its effects on those who suffer from it. The author hopes thatMerry Christmas and a Happy PTSDwill be used as a tool to reduce PTSD symptoms in others who suffer from it so that they, too, can live healthier and happier lives.

    We wish you a very merry and warm Holiday Season!

    If you would like to read more book reviews to discern the perfect selections for your own Jolabokaflod click here to read more Chanticleer Book Reviews!

    If you think we should include your book (must have been reviewed by Chanticleer Reviews) in this article, please email us with the title, your pen name, and the pages that have the holiday scenes and email us at AuthorOutreach@ChantiReviews.com

    The Chaicleer Rooster logo wearing a santa hat

  • JOLABOKAFLOD – an Icelandic Tradition -CHANTICLEER’S HOLIDAY BOOKs PICK – See Our Top of the List Holiday Themed Books! –

    JOLABOKAFLOD – an Icelandic Tradition -CHANTICLEER’S HOLIDAY BOOKs PICK – See Our Top of the List Holiday Themed Books! –

    There is a beautiful Icelander holiday tradition that we are growing quite fond of here at Chanticleer.

    Jolabokaflod or  Yule Book Flood  happens once a year on Christmas Eve in Iceland. The flood begins with the release of a catalog of new publications from the Icelandic Publishers Association. And it is distributed FREE to each and every Icelandic home.  The majority of books sold in Iceland are sold from September to early November. Of course, these books are in print. E-pubs are not given.

    The Icelanders even have a popular TV show, Kiljan, that is entirely devoted to books. Authors appear on prime TV shows. Book readings and author events are treated like rock star events. 

    “In Iceland book lives matter in every sense of that phrase: The shelf-life of the book, the lives in the book, the life of the writer and the life of the reader. God bless the Jolabokaflod.” ~Hallgrimur Helgason

    To an Icelander, the very best Christmas present is a book! This tradition hails from WWII when many items and food were rationed.  These sentiments may always have existed, in one way or another, since Icelanders have been saga-nerds for thousand of years. 

    Loved ones gather – perhaps virtually this year – and gift one another books. What happens next? They spend the night reading together. What a delightful holiday tradition!

    Jolabokaflod – Christmas is the time where you snuggle up and read your presents.

    We thought you might like to see some of our top holiday-themed books – just in case you would like to have your own Jolabokaflod…

    So, snuggle in and preview some of our favorite books for the season. Let’s share some book love!

    Happy Holidays to you and yours!

    Love of Finished Years  by Gregory Erich Phillips

    From the riveting opening that takes place in NYC’s Lower East Side’s sweatshops until its gripping conclusion, this enthralling novel vividly portrays the desperate times of German immigrants landing at Ellis Island in 1905 in search of a better life. Love of Finished Years by Gregory Erich Phillips is one of Kiffer Brown’s favorites for the holidays. She cites the novel’s heartwarming WWI Christmas Eve scene that takes place in the trenches in the heat of battle as unforgettable.

    Oscar’s Christmas Wish by Veronica Fischer

    Since it’s Christmas time, clever Oscar decides to write a letter to Santa and ask for the spots he so desperately wants. Fearing his request won’t reach the North Pole in time, Oscar decides to take it there himself. He meets many a character en route and learns some new lessons. A beautifully illustrated and wonderfully told children’s Christmas story of the importance of being yourself. Highly recommended.

    Nicola Slade’s Christmas at Ladywell

    With the loveliest prose and sharp humor, Slade offers the best Christmas gift for her readers with this gem of a book. Whether it’s 1390, 1543, 1825, or the present day, there’s a mystical sisterhood at Ladywell that bridges time, a linking of strong women who tend home and hearth and pass on the secrets of the land. The past re-emerges into the blissful bustle of Freya’s current life as she learns of a family connection with King Richard III. Is this connection tied to a future event? Will the secrets of the past travel to the future?

    An exquisitely written English tale set for Yuletide cheer. A book to curl up with during the holidays. Highly recommended.

    My Christmas Attic by Dennis Clausen

    For anyone who’s ever fought a battle and held onto the promise of hope, here is a heartfelt story of a boy whose endless desire for Christmas changes not only him but his entire world. This story has the makings to be a seasonal classic! Plausible fantasy with a clear connection to our national past composed by a practiced wordsmith, My Christmas Attic can be appreciated as a classic seasonal saga with a cinematic quality that speaks of broader possibilities.

    Chasing Cleopatra: A Novel of Love, Betrayal, and Suspense by Tina Sloan

    Cleopatra’s lustful affair with young Jake Regan becomes more complex as she discovers his presence in Hawaii is due to a Christmas holiday vacation with his (Norman Rockwellesque) family. Mother and his two brothers have arrived. Jake’s dad is expected to arrive at any moment from yet another far-flung business trip. But the coup d’état is that Jake’s longtime girlfriend, who also is en route, is expecting wedding bells to be announced at the gathering. It becomes obvious that Cleo and Jake’s unrelenting passion will have an impact on the Regan family. 

    A steamy, fast-paced suspense novel that will take you on a get-away armchair vacation to Hawai’i!  

    Combining a romance novel with a thriller is not easy, but Chasing Cleopatra delivers the goods with plotting as intricate as a silver spider’s web.

    Merry Christmas and a Happy PTSD by Christopher Oelerich

    Merry Christmas and a Happy PTSD by Chris Oelerich is highly recommended for those who suffer from PTSD, for the family members and friends of those who suffer, and for those who are simply interested in having a greater understanding beyond what is reported in the popular press about this debilitating disorder. Oelerich’s methods to overcome PTSD are plain-spoken and practical, with an overall message of optimism for those with PTSD.

    This is a very personal, no-holds-barred, yet ultimately, empowering discussion of PTSD and its effects on those who suffer from it. The author hopes that Merry Christmas and a Happy PTSD will be used as a tool to reduce PTSD symptoms in others who suffer from it so that they, too, can live healthier and happier lives.

    We wish you a very merry and warm Holiday Season!

    If you would like to read more book reviews to discern the perfect selections for your own Jolabokaflod click here to read more Chanticleer Book Reviews!

    If you think we should include your book (must have been reviewed by Chanticleer Reviews) in this article, please email us with the title, your pen name, and the pages that have the holiday scenes.

  • CHATELAINE Book Awards for Romantic and Romance Fiction – 2019 CIBAs

    CHATELAINE Book Awards for Romantic and Romance Fiction – 2019 CIBAs

    book award for Romance Novels The Chatelaine AwardsCongratulations to the First Place Category Winners and the Grand Prize Winner of the CHATELAINE Book Awards for Romance and Romantic Fiction novels, a division of the 2019 CIBAs.

    The Search for the Best New Romantic and Romance Books!

    Chanticleer International Book Awards is celebrating the best books featuring romantic themes and adventures of the heart, historical love affairs, a little steamy romance, paranormal, young adult, mystery, and any other genre with a romantic theme. We love them all.

    The 2019 Chatelaine Book Awards First Place Category Winners and the CHATELAINE Grand Prize winner were announced at the Virtual Chanticleer Authors Conference that was broadcast via ZOOM webinar the week of September 8-13, 2020, from the Hotel Bellwether in Bellingham, Washington.

    Janet Shawgo, author of Find Me Again – 2014 Chatelaine Grand Prize Winner announced the 2019 Chatelaine Book Awards.

    This is the OFFICIAL 2019 LIST of the CHATELAINE Book Awards First Place Category Winners and the CHATELAINE Grand Prize Winner.

    Congratulations to All!

    • T.K. Conklin – Threads of Passion
    • Jule Selbo – Find Me in Florence 
    • Gail Avery Halverson – The Skeptical Physick 
    • Michelle Cox – A Veil Removed
    • Heather Novak – Headlights, Dipsticks, & My Ex’s Brother
    • Kari Bovee – Grace in the Wings
    • Joanne Jaytanie – Salvaging Truth, Hunters & Seekers
    • L.E. Rico – Mischief and Mayhem
    • HONORABLE MENTION: JP Kenna – A Terrible Freedom *

    The Chatelaine Book Awards
    2019 Grand Prize Winner is
    The Skeptical Physick by Gail Avery Halverson

     

     

    This is the digital badge for the 2018 Chatelaine Grand Prize Winner – The House at Ladywell by Nicola Slade.

    How to Enter the Chatelaine Book Awards?  September 30, 2020 is the last day to enter the 2020 Chatelaine Book Awards.

    The 2020 Chatelaine Book Awards winners will be announced at CAC 21 on April 17, 2021.

    Then we will accept submissions into the 2021 CHATELAINE Book Awards until September 30, 2021. 

    Don’t delay! Enter today! 

    A Note to ALL the WINNERS: The coveted CIBA Blue Ribbons will be mailed out starting in October. We will contact you with an email to verify your mailing address and other items. We thank you for your patience and understanding.

    If you have any questions, please email info@ChantiReviews.com == we will try our best to reply in 3 or 4 business days.

     

  • SPOTLIGHT on CHATELAINE and Its Hall of Fame Authors – Romance Novels & Romantic Fiction in all its Forms!

    SPOTLIGHT on CHATELAINE and Its Hall of Fame Authors – Romance Novels & Romantic Fiction in all its Forms!

    Chanticleer Book Reviews is seeking today’s best books featuring romantic themes and adventures of the heart, historical love affairs, perhaps a little steamy romance, we will put them to the test and choose the best among them.

    Find out more about the stunning beauty that Dante Rossetti painted, Jane Morris, at the end of this blog post.

     

    Do you have a romance novel or manuscript ready for readers?

    Do you want to see how it stands up to others in its category?

    Then don’t delay! The CHATELAINE Book Awards division is accepting submissions from both recently published and complete manuscripts in romance and romantic fiction. But this year we’ve moved our deadline – to keep you on your toes!

    The new deadline for the Chatelaine Awards is AUGUST 31, 2020! 

    That’s right, the last day for submissions into the 2020 Chatelaine Book Awards is August 31, 2020. So, if you love Piña Coladas – and getting caught in the rain… I mean, if you like writing about those things, and other things having to do with matters of the heart, including these:

    The Chatelaine Awards Categories are:|
    Contemporary Romance
    Historical Romance
    Adventure & Suspense
    Romantic Steamy/Sensual (Not Erotic)
    Inspirational/Restorative

    Send them in today! What are you waiting for?

    Click here for more information and submission form! 

    Don’t Delay! Enter Today! 

    Insiders’ Tip: Other genre divisions of the Chanticleer International Book Awards have romance categories as well. Multiple submissions of the same work to a variety of  CIBA writing competitions divisions are accepted. Check out our divisions here. 

     

     

     

     

    Please join us in congratulating and reading these top works in this diverse range of all reads Chatelaine: Romance, Chick-Lit,  Women’s Fiction, Inspirational, Suspenseful, and, of course, Steamy and Sensual in the
    CHATELAINE HALL of FAME!

    Nicola Slade took home the Chatelaine Grand Prize Ribbon in 2018 for The House at Ladywell.

    Congratulations to the 2018 CHATELAINE Book Awards for Romantic Fiction  First in Category Winners!

     

    Leigh Grant’s MASK OF DREAMS  took home the Chatelaine Grand Prize Ribbon for 2017.

    The First Place Category Winners of the CIBA 2017 CHATELAINE Awards:

     

     

     

     

     

      M.A. Clarke Scott’s The ART of ENCHANTMENT took home the 2016 Chatelaine Grand Prize.

     

    The First Place Category Winners of the CIBA 2016 CHATELAINE Awards:

     

    Nicole Evelina’s DAUGHTER of DESTINY took both the Chatelaine Grand Prize and the OVERALL Grand Prize winner for 2015.


     

    The First Place Category Winners of the CIBA 2015 CHATELAINE Awards:

     

    Janet Shawgo’s FIND ME AGAIN won the 2014 Chatelaine Grand Prize.

    Find Me Again Janet Shawgo

    The First Place Category Winners of the CIBA 2014 CHATELAINE Awards:

    Kate Vale’s CHOICES was awarded the 2013 Chatelaine Grand Prize and took home the OVERALL Grand Prize for best book of the year!

     

    The First Place Category Winners of the CIBA 2013 CHATELAINE Awards:

    • Historical Romance: The Lily and the Lion by Catherine T. Wilson & Catherine A. Wilson
    • Southern Romance: Swamp Secret by Eleanor Tatum
    • Mystery: The Hourglass by Sharon Struth
    • Jane Austen Inspired: Pulse and Prejudice by Colette Saucier
    • Paranormal: Crimson Flames by Ashley Robertson
    • Christian Inspirational Romance: Chasing Charlie by C. M. Newman
    • Restorative: A Path through the Garden by Nancy LaPonzina
    • Classic Bodice Ripper: To Dare the Duke of Dangerfield by Bronwen Evans

     Who will win the CHATELAINE Book Awards Blue Ribbons for 2020?

    The judging rounds will commence in August! Submit your works today!

    The last day for submissions into the 2020 Chatelaine Book Awards is August 31, 2020. Winners will be announced at our CAC21 conference – scheduled for April

    Click here for more information and submission form! 

    Don’t Delay! Enter Today! 

    And remember our Insiders’ Tip: Other genre divisions of the Chanticleer International Book Awards have romance categories as well. Multiple submissions of the same work to a variety of  CIBA writing competitions divisions are accepted. Check it out here!

    A little information about the Chatelaine Book Awards icon:

    Romance Fiction Award

     

    We feel that Dante Gabriel Rossetti’s Pre-Raphaelite painting of Jane Morris (muse and wife of William Morris) in a Blue Silk Dress captures the many moods of the Chatelaine division of the Chanticleer International Book Awards.  Jane Morris (nee Jane Burden—little is known about her childhood but that it was poor and deprived) was known for her keen intelligence. William Morris fell in love with her when she sat for him as a model. She was privately tutored to become a gentleman’s wife upon their engagement. It is said that she was the inspiration for George Bernard Shaw’s character Eliza Dolittle of My Fair Lady fame. The Blue Silk Dress was painted in 1868 by Rossetti and it currently resides in the Society for Antiquaries of London.  She was 29 when Rossetti painted it. Rossetti and Jane Morris became closely attached until his death in 1882. To read more about the fascinating Jane Morris, click on this Wikipedia page.

  • CHRISTMAS at LADYWELL, A Time for Secrets by Nicola Slade – Historical Mystery/Thrillers/Suspense, Two-Hour Literature & Fiction Shorts, Family Life Fiction

    CHRISTMAS at LADYWELL, A Time for Secrets by Nicola Slade – Historical Mystery/Thrillers/Suspense, Two-Hour Literature & Fiction Shorts, Family Life Fiction

    Christmastime in the English countryside, what could be cozier? Nicola Slade casts a charming spell on the reader with her novella, Christmas at Ladywell, A Time for Secrets. The main character Freya Wellman, jolly with the holiday spirit, has much to do to ready her ancient home, Ladywell, for yuletide guests. She happily juggles tasks to ready an adjoining cottage for a visit from a famous American actor and his girlfriend. Freya also cares for her small daughter, Violet, and visits with friends and an interesting assortment of townspeople. Most eagerly, she awaits the arrival of her smart and funny husband, a successful scriptwriter who’s been in America working on a film with the actor.

    It’s a busy, festive time, and the reader is more than happy to witness all this gaiety at Ladywell. Of course, that name invites inquiry, one answered by stories that are nestled like Russian dolls in this exquisite book. Freya’s ancestral home is brimming with secrets and enchantment conjured over centuries. While Freya isn’t visited by the ghosts of Christmas past, present, and future, the reader is treated to three fabulous historical tales that chart the experiences of previous inhabitants of this wondrous place of potent, healing waters, invisible flowers, and a legendary, loyal hare.

    Whether it’s 1390, 1543, 1825, or the present day, there’s a mystical sisterhood at Ladywell that bridges time, a linking of strong women who tend home and hearth and pass on the secrets of the land. The past re-emerges into the blissful bustle of Freya’s current life as she learns of a family connection with King Richard III. Is this connection tied to a future event? Will the secrets of the past travel to the future?

    With the loveliest prose and sharp humor, Slade offers the best Christmas gift for her readers with this gem of a book. Those who read her prior work, The House at Ladywell, will undoubtedly want to read Christmas at Ladywell, but this novella also works marvelously as a separate book. So, put the kettle on, get comfy by the fireplace, let the cat snuggle on your lap, and settle in for a cheerful read that befits the season!

  • The HOUSE at LADYWELL by Nicola Slade – Clean & Wholesome Romance, Romantic Comedy, Romantic Suspense

    The HOUSE at LADYWELL by Nicola Slade – Clean & Wholesome Romance, Romantic Comedy, Romantic Suspense

    Badge for Grand Prize Chatelaine Awards for The House at LadywellA surprise bequest, a cryptic benediction, and a box of long-lost letters thrust Freya Gibson in the middle of a life-changing mystery. As the personal assistant to successful novelist Patrick Underwood, Freya never takes a vacation. She believes herself content to be surrounded by the hustle and bustle of London, keeping Patrick on track and reigning in her newly discovered and completely uncertain feelings for her boss.

    When Freya inherits a house from a heretofore unknown relative, she isn’t sure what to do. What’s more, the house comes with a clause preventing the immediate selling off of the relic. Freya has no choice but to visit the estate, still reasonably sure she will rid herself of the property; until, of course, she sets foot in the ancient home in Ramalley.

    With Patrick gone on a business trip to the US, Freya decides to spend a week getting to know her new home and the village nearby. She quickly decides she wants to keep the enigmatic house with the enormous stone mantle, former church windows, and hand-carved hares. Still, as she falls in love with the house, she uncovers evidence that Violet, her cousin, and the former owner, knew a great deal more about Freya than Freya knows about herself. With each step closer to the truth, the house seems to draw her closer in a protective grip, perhaps giving her a chance at a new future.

    Slade elegantly weaves the stories of all those who benefited from the waters of Ladywell’s actual well into the rich narrative. Lovers of history will relish the retelling of so many stories from various periods that shaped and were shaped by the area. From an adolescent Roman deserter to a broken-hearted WWI soldier, the stories not only show the residents of the area but also the tapestry of England at each telling. Ladywell drew the sick, the needy, and those looking to begin again, just as our modern protagonist does.

    Freya’s story interweaves with the historical tales that serve to explain some aspect of the house or village. Through the historical details and period dialogue, the short excerpts rendered are just as rich as the main plot.

    Reinvention and rebuilding are significant themes in Freya’s story as well as the house’s story. Damaged by an abusive relationship and the death of both parents, Freya discovers much about herself as she does about Ladywell through the investigation of her new home. While searching through her cousin’s belongings, she finds more questions than answers, and she must search deep within herself to find the strength to pursue the truth of her parentage as well as how her birth was arranged.

    As she learns to lean more on Patrick, she discovers that he needs her as much as she needs him. Just like her new relationship with Ladywell, the love she and Patrick share both new and comfortably worn.

    The House at Ladywell by Nicola Slade won Grand Prize in the CIBA 2018 Chatelaine Awards for Romantic Fiction.

     

  • The Chanticleer International Book Awards Grand Prize and First Place Category Winners 2018 (CIBAs)

    The Chanticleer International Book Awards Grand Prize and First Place Category Winners 2018 (CIBAs)

    We are deeply honored to announce the 2018 Winners of the Chanticleer International Book Awards (The CIBAs). The winners were recognized at the annual Chanticleer Authors Conference and Awards Banquet Ceremony on Saturday, April 27, 2019, at the luxurious Hotel Bellwether, Bellingham, Wash.

     

     

    We want to thank all of the authors and publishers who participated in the 2018 Chanticleer International Book Awards (the CIBAs). Each year, we find the quality of the entries and the competitiveness of the division competitions increasing exponentially. We added a new level to the judging rounds in 2018—the SemiFinalists. The CIBA judges wanted to add Semi-Finalists as a way to recognize and validate the entries that were not selected for the very few First Place Award positions within each genre division.

    PublishDrive, a global distribution platform, and Hindenburg Systems, audiobooks and podcasts software, awarded more than $30,000 (cash value) in additional prizes to the 2018 Chanticleer International Book Award winners. Thank you!

    A Recap of the CIBA Selection Process

    • There are 16 divisions of the CIBAs: 14 fiction genre divisions and 2 non-fiction divisions.
    • First Place Category award winners were selected for each one of the 16 divisions from an overall field of  titles that progressed to the Semi-Finalists positions from the Shortlists, the Long List, and the infamous beginning slush pile rounds.
    • One Grand Prize award winner was selected from the First Place Category Award Winners for each of the 16 CIBA divisions.
    • One Overall Grand Prize award winner was selected from the 16 divisions of Grand Prize Award Winners

    All CIBA Semi-Finalists in attendance at the CIBA awards ceremony were recognized with their respective division at the CIBA awards ceremony along with receiving a Semi-Finalist ribbon and digital badge and a significant discount to attend the Chanticleer Authors Conference.

    Additional Prize from the DONALD MAASS LITERARY AGENCY

    An additional prize was awarded to the 2018 CIBA Grand Prize Award Winners by the Donald Maass Literary Agency (that represents more than 150 novelists and sell more 100 novels each year to leading publishers in the U.S. and overseas). Donald Maass has offered “a high priority submission” process opportunity to the 2018 Grand Prize CIBA winners and a “priority submission” process opportunity to the 2018 CIBA 1st Place Category winning titles for consideration by his agency.

    An email will go out to all 2018 CIBA grand prize award winners prior to June 10, 2019 with instructions, links, and more information about the awards packages. We appreciate your patience. As stated in the Semi-Finalist notification email, “One does not need to be present at the CIBA ceremony and banquet to win. But it sure is a lot more fun!”

    And now to present the 2018 Chanticleer International Book Awards Grand winning titles and their authors who were announced on April 27, 2019, at the CIBA ceremony and banquet.

    You read testimonials from the 2019 Chanticleer Authors Conference and the CIBAs Banquet and Ceremony at  https://www.chantireviews.com/chanticleer-conference/conference-testimonials/

    Cygnus Award for Science Fiction

    The CYGNUS Book Awards for Science Fiction Grand Prize Winner

    The Korpes File by J.I Rogers took home the 2018 CYGNUS Book Awards for Science Fiction Grand Prize Ribbon.

    View the 2018 CYGNUS 1st Place Category Winners at https://www.chantireviews.com/2019/04/29/cygnus-book-awards-for-science-fiction-novels-the-grand-prize-winner-and-first-place-category-winners-2018-cibas/

    The JOURNEY Book Awards for Narrative Non-Fiction

    From Liberty to Magnolia: In Search of the American Dream by Janice S. Ellis took home the 2018 JOURNEY Book Awards for Narrative Non-Fiction Grand Prize Ribbon! 

    View the 2018 JOURNEY First Place Award Winners at https://www.chantireviews.com/2019/04/30/journey-book-awards-for-narrative-non-fiction-the-grand-prize-winner-and-first-place-category-winners-2018-cibas/ 

    Cozy Mystery Fiction Award

    The M & M Book Awards for Mystery and Mayhem

    A PROMISE GIVEN by Michelle Cox took home the M&M Book Awards for Mystery & Mayhem Grand Prize Ribbon

    View the 2018 M&M First Place Award Winners at https://www.chantireviews.com/2019/05/01/the-mm-book-awards-for-mystery-and-mayhem-grand-prize-division-winner-and-first-place-category-winners-2018-cibas/

    Gertrude Warner Children's Chapter Books

    The GERTRUDE WARNER Book Awards for Middle-Grade Readers

    A manuscript titled The PORTALS of PERIL by Jules Luther took home the Gertrude Warner Book Awards for Middle-Grade Readers

    View the 2018 Gertrude Warner First Place Award Winners at https://www.chantireviews.com/2019/05/04/the-gertrude-warner-book-awards-for-middle-grade-readers-grand-prize-and-first-place-catergory-winners-2018-cibas/

    Dante Rossetti Awards for YA Fiction

    The DANTE ROSSETTI Book Awards for Young Adult Fiction

    WHISPERS by Lynn Yvonne Moon took home the Dante Rossetti Book Awards for Young Adult  Fiction

    View the 2018 Dante Rossetti First Place Award Winners at https://www.chantireviews.com/2019/05/05/the-dante-rossetti-book-awards-for-young-adult-fiction-grand-prize-and-first-place-category-winners-2018-cibas/

    Pre 1750 Historical Fiction Award

    The CHAUCER Book Awards for pre-1750s Historic Fiction

    The SERPENT and The EAGLE  by Edward Rickford took home the CHAUCER Book Awards Grand Prize Blue Ribbon

    View the 2018 Chaucer First Place Award Winners at https://www.chantireviews.com/2019/05/05/the-chaucer-book-awards-for-pre-1750s-historical-fiction-grand-prize-and-first-place-category-winners-2018-cibas/

    Post 1750s Historical Fiction AwardThe GOETHE Book Awards GRAND PRIZE WINNER for Post-1750s Historical Fiction

    The Lost Years of Billy Battles by Ronald E. Yates took home the Goethe Grand Prize Ribbon

    View the 2018 Goethe First Place Category Award Winners at https://www.chantireviews.com/2019/05/07/the-goethe-book-awards-for-post-1750s-for-historical-fiction-grand-prize-and-first-place-category-winners-2018-cibas/

    Western Pioneeer Civil War Fiction AwardThe LARAMIE Book Awards GRAND PRIZE WINNER for Western Fiction

    Blood Moon: A Captive’s Tale by Ruth Hull Chatlien took home the Laramie Grand Prize Ribbon. 

    View the 2018 Laramie First Place Category Award Winners at https://www.chantireviews.com/2019/05/06/the-laramie-book-awards-for-western-fiction-grand-prize-and-first-place-category-winners-2018-cibas/

    Romance Fiction AwardThe CHATELAINE Book Awards  GRAND PRIZE WINNER for Romantic Fiction

    The House at Ladywell by Nicola Slade took home the 2018 Chatelaine Grand Prize Ribbon

    View the 2018 CHATELAINE First Place Category Award Winners at https://www.chantireviews.com/2019/05/07/the-chatelaine-book-awards-for-romantic-fiction-grand-prize-and-first-place-category-winners-2018-cibas/

    Early Readers and Picture booksThe LITTLE PEEPS Book Awards GRAND PRIZE WINNER for Early Readers

    The Tooth Collector Fairies: Home from Decay Valley by Denise Ditto took home the Little Peeps Grand Prize Ribbon

    View the 2018 LITTLE PEEPS First Place Category Award Winners at https://www.chantireviews.com/2019/05/08/the-little-peeps-book-awards-for-early-readers-grand-prize-and-first-place-category-winners-cibas-2018/

    Thriller Suspense Fiction Award The Clue Book Awards GRAND PRIZE WINNER for Mystery Suspense & Thriller Novels

    California Son by Timothy Burgess  took home the Clue Grand Prize Ribbon

    View the 2018 CLUE First Place Category Award Winners at https://www.chantireviews.com/2019/05/08/the-clue-book-awards-for-mystery-suspense-thriller-novels-grand-prize-and-first-place-category-winners-cibas-2018/

    The OZMA Book Awards GRAND PRIZE WINNER for Fantasy Fiction Novels

    Dragon Speaker by Elana A. Mugdan took home the OZMA Grand Prize Ribbon

    View the 2018 OZMA First Place Category Award Winners at https://www.chantireviews.com/2019/05/09/the-ozma-book-awards-for-fantasy-fiction-novels-grand-prize-and-first-place-category-winners-cibas-2018/

    Paranormal Fiction AwardsThe PARANORMAL  Book Awards GRAND PRIZE WINNER for Supernatural & Paranormal Novels

    The Madwoman of Preacher’s Cove, a manuscript by Joy Ross Davis took home the Paranormal Grand Prize Ribbon

    View the 2018 PARANORMAL First Place Category Award Winners at https://www.chantireviews.com/2019/05/09/the-paranormal-book-awards-for-supernatural-paranormal-novels-grand-prize-and-first-place-category-winners-cibas-2018/

    The Global Thriller Book Awards GRAND PRIZE WINNER for Lab Lit & High Stakes Thriller Novels

    The Moving Blade by Michael Pronko
    took home the Global Thrillers Grand Prize Ribbon

    View the 2018 Global Thriller First Place Category Award Winners at https://www.chantireviews.com/2019/05/09/the-global-thriller-book-awards-for-lab-lit-high-stakes-thriller-novels-grand-prize-and-first-place-category-winners-cibas-2018/

    The SOMERSET Book Awards for Contemporary, Literary, Satire Novels

    Hard Cider – a novel by Barbara A. Stark-Nemon
    took home the Somerset Grand Prize Ribbon

    View the 2018 SOMERSET First Place Category Award Winners at https://www.chantireviews.com/2019/05/10/the-somerset-book-awards-for-contemporary-literary-satire-novels-grand-prize-and-first-place-category-winners-cibas-2018/

     The Instruction & Insight Book Awards GRAND PRIZE WINNER for Non-Fiction, Non-Narrative

    Explore Europe on Foot by Cassandra Overby took home the Instruction & Insight Grand Prize Ribbon

    View the 2018 I & I First Place Category Award Winners at https://www.chantireviews.com/2019/05/10/the-instruction-insight-book-awards-for-non-fiction-non-narrative-grand-prize-and-first-place-category-winners-cibas-2018/

    CONGRATULATIONS to Ronald E. YATES for The LOST YEARS of BILLY BATTLES (Book 3 of the Finding Billy Battles Trilogy) taking home the CHANTICLEER OVERALL Grand Prize for BEST BOOK in the 2018 CIBAS

    “…the reader experiences that all too rare sense of complete transport to another world, one fully realized in these pages because the storytelling is so skillful and thoroughly captivating.” 

     

    The photo below is of Ronald E. Yates with his GOETHE Grand Prize Ribbon and his Chanticleer Overall Best Book Ribbon

    “Reading a Book is Like Life: You Live it One Page at a Time.” (Ron Yates) Ron is a former foreign correspondent and Professor Emeritus of Journalism, Dean of the College of Media and is an award-winning historical novelist. Read more about this Pulitzer nominated journalist and Chanticleerian by clicking on this link.

     

    Twelve of the Sixteen Grand Prize Division Winners were present to receive their ribbons on stage at the 2018 Chanticleer International Book Awards Ceremony.

    We will post more photographs and information. Do check back and subscribe to the Chanticleer Reviews e-news letter.

    We have exciting news for the Chanticleer Community on the horizon so do stay tuned!  

    You know you want a coveted Chanticleer Reviews Blue Ribbon! 

    Submit your works (manuscripts or novels published after or on January 1, 2017, are accepted) to the prestigious Chanticleer International Book Awards today! Entries are being accepted into the 2019 CIBAs in all 16 divisions.

    Be sure to register early for the 2020 Chanticleer Authors Conference that will take place on April 16, 17, 18, & 19, 2020 with the 2019 CIBA banquet and ceremony scheduled to take place on Saturday, April 18th, 2020 at the luxurious Hotel Bellwether in Bellingham, Wash.

    An email will go out to all 2018 CIBA award winners prior to June 10, 2019, with instructions, links, and more information about the awards packages. We appreciate your patience. As stated in the Semi-Finalist notification email, “One does not need to be present at the CIBA ceremony and banquet to win. But it sure is a lot more fun!”

    As always, please contact us at Chanticleer@ChantiReviews.com with any questions, concerns, or suggestions!

    We have begun planning for the 2020 Chanticleer Authors Conference (April 16, 17, & 18, 2020) and the 2019  CIBA Banquet and Ceremony that will take place on April 17, 2020, at the Hotel Bellwether, Bellingham, Wash.

  • The CHATELAINE Book Awards for Romantic Fiction – Grand Prize and First Place Category Winners – 2018 CIBAs

    The CHATELAINE Book Awards for Romantic Fiction – Grand Prize and First Place Category Winners – 2018 CIBAs

    Romance Fiction AwardWe are excited and honored to officially announce the Grand Prize Winner and the First Place Category Winners for the 2018 CHATELAINE Book Awards at the annual Chanticleer Authors Conference and the 2018 Chanticleer International Book Awards ceremony. This year’s ceremony and banquet were held on Saturday, April 27th, 2019 at the Hotel Bellwether by beautiful Bellingham Bay, Wash.

     

    We want to thank all of those who entered and participated in the  2018 Chatelaine Book Awards for romantic fiction, a division of the Chanticleer International Book Awards (the CIBAs).

    Sharon Anderson, the author of the award-winning of Curse of the Seven 70s  and winner of the 2014 Chanticleer Novelette Competition for the Stone God’s Wife announced the 2018 Chatelaine Award Winners at the Chanticleer International Book Awards Banquet and Ceremony.

    PublishDrive and Hindenburg Systems awarded additional prizes to the 2018 Goethe Book Award winners. Thank you!

    Congratulations to the 2018 CHATELAINE Book Awards for Romantic Fiction  First in Category Winners!

    • Allurement Westward by J.P. Kenna
    • Blame it on the Bet by L.E. Rico
    • Wrapped in the Stars by Elena Mikalsen
    • A Promise Given by Michelle Cox
    • Persuading Lucy by Felicity Beadsmoore/Tammy Mannersly

    And now for the 2018 Chatelaine Book Awards  GRAND PRIZE WINNER for Romantic Fiction:

    The House at Ladywell by Nicola Slade took home the 2018 Chatelaine Grand Prize Ribbon

     

     

     

     

    An email will go out to all First Place Category Winners and Grand Prize Winners with more information, the timing of awarded reviews, links to digital badges, and more before May 31st, 2019 (approximately four weeks after the awards ceremony). Please look for it in your email inbox.

    When we receive the digital photographs from the Official CAC19 professional photographer, Dwayne Rogge of Photo Treehouse, we will post the photographs of CHATELAINE award winners on this page.

    Click here for the link to the  CHATELAINE Semi-Finalists.

    This post will be updated with photos and more information. Please do visit it again!

    The deadline for submissions into the 2019 Chatelaine Book Awards is August 30, 2019 Midnight (PST).

    Our next Chanticleer International Book Awards Ceremony will be held on Saturday, April 18th, 2020, for the 2019 CIBA winners.

     Enter your book or manuscript in a contest today!