Guest Post (and a Giveaway!): Sian Ann Bessey & The Call of the Sea

Welcome to the Blog + Review Tour for The Call of the Sea by Sian Ann Bessey, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours! I’m excited to have Sian on the blog today to share a little of her homeland with us!

THE CALL OF THE SEA by Sian Ann Bessey
GENRE: Inspirational Historical/Viking Romance
PUBLISHER: Covenant Communications
RELEASE DATE: November 1, 2022
PAGES: 318

On the eve of her betrothal to a nobleman she’s never met, Rhiannon seeks comfort on the shores of the sea she loves so well. But instead of offering peace to her uneasy heart, the ocean heralds doom with the arrival of dreaded Viking ships. A vicious raid leads to the death of her beloved father and leaves Rhiannon’s life in tatters. Heartbroken, she travels to Ynys Môn, where she takes up residence at the royal court of Owain Gwynedd.

Leif loves voyaging on the open water. As the son of a Viking chief, he’s accustomed to his people’s practice of plundering and looting. But when one of his companions ruthlessly kills an old man in front of the man’s beautiful daughter, Leif is haunted by the memory. Desperate to find forgiveness for the atrocity he allowed to occur, he’s offered a chance at redemption through the kindly teachings of an Irish priest and the unexpected arrival of a royal fugitive. Suddenly thrust into the midst of the Cymry’s political turmoil, Leif is reunited with the dead man’s daughter—Rhiannon. Forced to work side by side to uncover the truth behind the turmoil, they come to discover that love can grow from even the most tragic of beginnings. But with such incompatible backgrounds, surely a future together can never be theirs.

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a tour of Wales

by Sian Ann Bessey, author of The Call of the Sea

Although a small portion of The Call of the Sea is set in Ireland, the majority of the book is set in what is now Wales. In the 1140s (which is when this story takes place), the area was divided into the kingdoms of Gwynedd and Deheubarth. Very few books are set in this era or these locations, but for me it was a wonderful opportunity to share a little of my homeland with my readers.

Wales is unbelievably beautiful. It has green rolling hills and rugged gray mountains; long stretches of golden beaches and craggy, treacherous cliffs. Even now, there are over 600 castles in Wales, and so it’s not difficult to imagine the country as it would have been in medieval times.

I had to do significant research to make the descriptions of places in this book accurate, but having lived in Wales until my early twenties, I was able to draw upon my personal experience to fill in the kinds of details that bring a story to life.

A week before the book’s release, I returned to Wales, and I thought it might be fun to share a few of the photos I took there with you.

Sian Ann Bessey was born in Cambridge, England, but grew up on the island of Anglesey off the coast of North Wales. She left her homeland to attend university in the U.S. and earned a bachelor’s degree in communications with a minor in English.

She began her writing career as a student, publishing several magazine articles while still in college. Since then she has published historical romance and romantic suspense novels, along with a variety of children’s books. She is a USA Today best selling author, a Foreward Reviews Book of the Year finalist, and a Whitney Award finalist.

Although Sian doesn’t have the opportunity to speak Welsh very often anymore, she can still wrap her tongue around, “Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch.” She loves to travel and experience other cultures, but when she’s home, her favorite activities are spending time with her family, cooking, and reading.

Connect with Sian by visiting sianannbessey.com to follow her on social media or subscribe to email newsletter updates.

(1) winner will receive a signed copy of The Call of the Sea, $25 Amazon Gift Card, swag bundle (including stickers, bookmark, button, cross necklace), virtual book club kit, and ebook of The Heart of the Rebellion.

Full tour schedule linked below. The giveaway begins at midnight October 31, 2022 and will last through 11:59 PM EST on November 7, 2022. 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 the policies found here.

ENTER GIVEAWAY HERE

This giveaway is hosted by JustRead Tours, not RimSP
Follow along at JustRead Tours for a full list of stops!

What about you? What makes you want to read The Call of the Sea by Sian Ann Bessey?