Seasons Series Blog Tour and Giveaway!

Welcome to the Seasons series (by Robin E. Mason) Blog Tour and giveaway, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

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About the Seasons series
Goodreads | Amazon

The southern town of Saisons lies at the crossroads between North and South, progressive and genteel antebellum life. Between East and West, between history and heritage, and new frontiers. Downton Abbey meets Gone With the Wind.

It’s 1912, in a world where slavery is dying and women’s rights are rising, and four young women who once shared a bond—and experienced a tragedy—question their own truths.

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Title: The Long Shadows of Summer
Author: Robin E. Mason
Publisher: Bird’s Nest Books
Release Date: August 31, 2017
Genre: Inspirational Historical Fiction/Southern Fiction

Mercedes has always been an avid reader and devours each new Sherlock Holmes mystery as soon as she gets her hands on them. When one of her friends comes to her, Mercedes vows to keep Simone’s secrets and uncover the truth.

But as Mercedes plays detective to her friends’ questions, she discovers something far more shocking—she herself is not who she thought she was.

Purchase Links: Goodreads | Amazon

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Title: The Tilting Leaves of Autumn
Author: Robin E. Mason
Publisher: Bird’s Nest Books
Release Date: November 22, 2017
Genre: Inspirational Historical Fiction/Southern Fiction

Scarlett was the shrinking violet in the group. Faithful to her friends, and hiding secrets of her own. When Mercedes steps in to rescue her, she unknowingly plucks the thread that unravels Scarlett’s whole world.

But as Scarlett strives to hold fast to what is familiar the fabric of her life continues to come undone and secrets that are best kept hidden are exposed.

Purchase Links: Goodreads | Amazon

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Title: The Silent Song of Winter
Author: Robin E. Mason
Publisher: Bird’s Nest Books
Release Date: February 20, 2018
Genre: Inspirational Historical Fiction/Southern Fiction

When all the noise has gone silent, all that is left is her song.

Pearl had lived under the impossible taskmaster of perfection. Nothing she does or ever did pleased her mother. And nothing she ever did could disappoint her father.

Caught up in the mystery of her friend’s curious—and secretive—return, Pearl wrestles with her own decisions, and flees lest her own secrets are exposed.

Purchase Links: Goodreads | Amazon

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Title: The Whispering Winds of Spring
Author: Robin E. Mason
Publisher: Bird’s Nest Books
Release Date: May 17, 2018
Genre: Inspirational Historical Fiction/Southern Fiction

Amidst the clamor of confusion, can she hear the whisper of her memories?

Simone Dubois’ life was unraveling. All she had known and held dear was gone from her. At ten, all she wanted was to escape beneath the black waters of the Edisto River. She couldn’t know her whole life would be stolen from her.

When she returns to Saisons sixteen years later, she has no memory of ever having been there. Not even that it was her birthplace. Enlisting the help of her childhood friend, Mercedes—whose name stayed with her, if in shadowy dreams only—Simone encounters misty memories, and stirs up more mystery than she started with.

Purchase Links: Goodreads | Amazon

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My Thoughts:

“We were so different, each of us, and yet we shared a friendship and a bond that was uncommon.”

Four friends. A stolen watch. A secret room. One returns from the dead.

This series is like a Cinderella story mixed with an American version of Downton Abbey. I would label these books as historical woman’s fiction. They are not romances—several of the friends are already married and raising families. These stories take you on an intimate journey into their personal lives as the secrets they have held for years begin to unravel at the return of a “long-deceased” friend.

“The four of us girls, two debutants and two servants. What could we possibly have in common? Truly, we had much in common. We shared like dreams, to be loved and cherished, to marry and raise a family. I, at least, of the four of us, had that.”

While the author does a masterful job at the descriptions and the twists and turns of the storyline, I found the sexual contexts too overwhelming with rape, fornication, and marital intimacy. In addition, the author allows the Lord’s name to be repeatedly taken in vain in both French and English. I intended to review the entire series, but only managed to read books 1, 2, and half of book 3.

These books could have benefited from a cast list. There were so many characters to keep straight between the abovestairs families and the belowstairs servants. Also, there were a lot of French words used in the story, so a language guide may have been useful.

Book one and two are very long, 400 to 500 pages, while books 3 and 4 are around 300.

Book two, Scarlett’s point of view, is very raw and deals with such difficult issues as rape and abuse.

The lies, mystery, and suspense are well threaded and revealed throughout the books. I felt that the character’s personalities and personal struggles were well developed.

I had a challenging time placing the setting, while it spoke of alligators, swamps, and marshlands, but also antebellum mansions. It also mentioned such cities as Atlanta, Savannah, and Charleston, eventually I pieced together that the town of Saisons, is in South Carolina.

For those who are looking for something raw, real, and ‘not a romance,’ I think these definitely fit the bill. For those who prefer a more innocent, fairytale love story, these are not the books for you.

There was one quote that touched my heart, taken from “The Long Shadows of Summer” book one of the series.

“I’m no lady, Tante. A piece of paper does not make it so.”

“Non, the paper, non. But notre Dieu, He does. He sees you as a lady, indeed as royalty. Did not He make the way for you to belong to Him? If notre Dieu believes you are royalty, who can say otherwise?”

If our Father, the King of Heaven, has deemed us as daughters of the King, why should we think of ourselves as anything less?

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About the Author

I’ve always had voices—er, stories in my head. I once said I should write them all down so someone could write them someday. I had no idea at the time that someone was me!

I have been writing since 1995, and began working in earnest on my debut novel, Tessa in 2013. Meanwhile, I cranked out a few dozen poems, made countless notes for story ideas, and earned my BFA in Interior Design. I lived with depression for many years, and the inherent feelings of worthlessness and invisibility; I didn’t want to be who I was and struggled with my own identity for many years. My characters face many of these same demons.

I write stories of identity conflict. My characters encounter situations that force the question, “Who am I really?” For all who have ever wondered who you are or why you’re here, my stories will touch you in a very real—maybe too real—and a very deep way. I know, I write from experience.

CONNECT WITH ROBIN: website | blog | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | Instagram

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Robin E. Mason is offering a Seasons series prize pack for her tour! ONE winner (US only) will receive:

• a packette of Saisons Plantation tea
• a Seasons series mug
• a Seasons bookmark (handmade by the author)
• Seasons notecards (also handmade by the author)
• 4 pairs of earrings (one pair to represent each book)
• AND winner’s choice of (1) signed print copy of Seasons book of choice OR kindle copies of all 4 books!

Giveaway will run from midnight June 11, 2018 through 11:59pm June 18, 2018. It is subject to the policies found here.

Enter via the Rafflecopter giveaway below.

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Click on the banner below for a full tour schedule & more chances to win!