Thursday, February 5, 2026

Yarde Book Promotions "Blog Tour" The Relic Keeper by Heidi Eljarbo


Italy, 1620.

Angelo is an orphan, lonely and forgotten. Having been passed on from one family to the next, he ends up as a common thief, subject to and under the thumb of a ruthless robber called Tozzo.

Angelo knows no other life and has lost hope that any chance of providence will ever replace his lonely, misfortunate existence. When he loses his master, his livelihood is shaken. Tozzo’s plunder is hidden in a safe place, but what will happen if someone comes after Angelo to get their hands on the stolen relics? More than that, he feels threatened by words he’s heard too many times; that he’ll always remain unforgiven and doomed.

One day, a priest invites Angelo to help with chores around the church and rectory and, in exchange, offers him room and board. Padre Benedetto’s kindness and respect are unfamiliar and confusing, but Angelo’s safety is still a grave concern. Two older robbers have heard rumors about the hidden treasures and will stop at nothing to attain them.

With literary depictions and imagery, Angelo’s story is a gripping and emotional journey of faint hope and truth in seventeenth-century Italy—an artistic and audacious tale that crosses paths with art collector Vincenzo Giustiniani and the powerful Medici family.


Publication Date: 18th November 2025
Publisher: Independently Published
Page Length: 162
Genre: Historical Fiction

Review

If you’ve ever wanted a story that draws you deep into a world of survival, moral choices, and the quiet but fierce power of human kindness, The Relic Keeper is the perfect read. From the very first page, I was pulled into Angelo’s harsh, precarious life. He’s not a polished hero — he’s a boy shaped by circumstance, forced to steal relics for the cruel and cunning Tozzo, and navigating a world that seems determined to keep him down. And yet, despite the shadows surrounding him, Angelo is clever, wary, and quietly searching for a way to rise above the life he’s been handed.

What makes this story truly compelling is the presence of Padre Benedetto. The priest isn’t a dramatic saviour; he’s steady, patient, and quietly transformative. From the moment he enters Angelo’s life, he offers guidance, shelter, and trust instead of judgement. It’s through Benedetto’s calm wisdom and unwavering kindness that Angelo begins to see that his past doesn’t define him — his choices do. Watching their relationship grow felt so heartwarming, and I found myself cheering for Angelo’s small victories as he learns to trust, hope, and even forgive.

Angelo’s journey to Rome adds another layer of wonder and discovery. Experiencing the city through his eyes — the bustling streets, the unfamiliar sounds, and the richness of new possibilities — makes his growth feel vivid and real. Visiting Gerrit van Honthorst’s studio and seeing Adoration of the Christ Child through Angelo’s perspective is one of the story’s most striking moments. His unguarded reaction to the painting shows how beauty and art can reach even the most guarded heart, opening doors to emotions and understanding he has never allowed himself before.

Eljarbo’s writing is immersive without being overwhelming. The story moves at a thoughtful pace that allows Angelo’s growth to feel earned and believable. Even the quieter moments carry weight — the choices, the doubts, and the small acts of courage all feel vital to the story. There’s tension, moral struggle, and occasional danger, but the book never loses sight of its heart: the transformative power of patience, kindness, and human connection.

The Relic Keeper is a tender, emotionally rich, and deeply satisfying read. It blends historical context, personal growth, and small but profound moments of hope into a story that lingers long after the final page. Angelo’s journey, guided by the quiet brilliance of Padre Benedetto, is unforgettable. If you enjoy historical fiction with heart, depth, and hope woven throughout, this is one you won’t want to miss.

Five Stars


HEIDI ELJARBO grew up in a home full of books, artwork, and happy creativity. She is the author of historical novels filled with courage, hope, mystery, adventure, and sweet romance during challenging times. She’s been named a master of dual timelines and often writes about strong-willed women of past centuries.

After living in Canada, six US states, Japan, Switzerland, and Austria, Heidi now calls Norway home. She lives with her husband on a charming island and enjoys walking in any kind of weather, hugging her grandchildren, and has a passion for art and history. Her family’s chosen retreat is a mountain cabin, where they hike in the summer and ski the vast white terrain during winter.

Heidi’s favorites are her family, God's beautiful nature, and the word whimsical.



Wednesday, February 4, 2026

The Coffee Pot Book Club "Blog Tour" The Witch of Godstow Abbey by Lady Harriet and Dr. Peter Stephenson


A widowed academic investigating strange historical practices gets drawn back in time and into the year 1299 in Oxford. Join a cast of compelling characters-nuns, novices and outsiders-as they battle the forces of darkness. Enter their struggle against evil, clandestine organizations. Join their life-threatening fight to protect each other, be willing to die for each other, and occasionally fall in love.

Will heroic love and righteous pursuit of justice triumph? Will the horror-inducing villain be found out and overthrown? Or will the courageous troop of those fighting for what is good be overpowered and taken captive?

Set in Oxford, England, in the year 1299, a struggle takes place between the sisters of the local convent and a strange, terrifying local evil society. They discover a secret organization of men who perform unspeakable deeds. The lives of several sisters are in danger.

Join Mother Alice, Sister Agnes and Isabel, along with Lady Beatrix and Lady Harriet, as they confront and do battle with an evil, secret society intent on attacking them, taking over the convent and sacrificing a young woman.

If you love stories that keep you turning pages while imparting fascinating accounts of the past, this latest mystery in the "Murders in the Abbey" series will tingle your spine.


Excerpt

From Chapter 7 - A Novice’s Guilt

Half-hidden behind the great carved figure of Saint Peter, adjacent to the chapel’s massive doors, stood one of the new novices —a slip of a girl, her form small and slight beneath the folds of her habit. Beside her, a small brazier smoldered, the scent of incense thick upon the air. Yet something about the scene was amiss.

The girl muttered low in a tongue unfamiliar to Isabel—words neither Latin nor any prayer spoken within these walls. She drew further into the shadows, listening intently as the novice continued her strange recitation. Isabel’s breath stilled, and her heart quickened. 

Then, the girl reached within her robe and drew forth a Book of Hours, her personal devotional, a thing of reverence meant for holy contemplation. 

Lifting her face toward the brazier’s wavering glow, she spoke again in that strange and unfamiliar tongue, the cadence ringing with an eerie reverence:

"Enaid goleuni, diflanna!
Tyrd, dywyllwch du, galwant y meistri.
Gair ofnadwy, gwana!
Tân du, llynca’r geiriau, llynca’r goleuni!"

(Soul of light, vanish!
Come, black darkness, the masters call.
Dread word, weaken!
Black fire, devour the words, devour the light!) 

Isabel pressed herself deeper into the shadows, forcing herself to listen, forcing herself to remember every word. Something about the language—harsh, ancient, and almost frightening in its reverence—vexed her sorely.

Then, without hesitation, the girl tore several pages from the book and thrust them into the brazier.

The flames roared high, licking greedily at the parchment as a thick, black smoke curled upward. A foul, acrid stench filled the passage, cloying and heavy, unlike the sweet resins of the incense meant for holy devotion.

Lady Harriet

Lady Harriet holds the legal title “Lady of the Manor,” as defined under English law, and traces her ancestry to Charlemagne’s royal line.
A lifelong reader and devoted genealogist for nearly fifty years, Harriet has always had a passion for stories, whether they are buried in the past or found in the pages of a good book. She is the co-author of We Are Manx, a self-published family saga that explores her Manx heritage and the history of the Isle of Man in rich detail.

She’s also a photographer who prefers being behind the lens, a word lover addicted to word games, and a fan of wooden jigsaw puzzles. She has traveled extensively, with a deep appreciation for history, diverse cultures, and the unexpected joys that can be found away from home. Her career spanned volunteerism, real estate, and systems administration, but now she happily devotes her time to more creative pursuits.

As she puts it: “I’m old enough for Medicare, but not quite old enough to get a birthday card from King Charles—were I a Brit.”

The Witch of Godstow Abbey, written in partnership with Dr. Peter Stephenson, marks her first (but certainly not last) foray into historical fiction. With photography, she creates books of images; with storytelling, she creates images made of words.

Dr. Peter Stephenson

Dr. Peter Stephenson has written or contributed to over twenty books, all but one of which are non-fiction technical books. He has published over 1,000 papers in technical journals, technical trade journals, and peer-reviewed legal journals. One of his peer-reviewed papers has over 15,400 downloads.

In addition to writing, Dr. Stephenson has been playing blues and Americana music for 70 years. It is through that performing, and after earning a PhD from Oxford Brookes University, that he was given the appellation “Doc” by the owner of one of his performance venues.

Having visited Oxford several times and being employed by a UK company in nearby Malvern, it was only natural that he would set his tales in Oxfordshire. His academic experience in Oxford town sealed the deal and resulted in his first historical novel, The Whispering Dead of Rewley Abbey—Book 1 in the “Murders in the Abbey” series—which reached the Amazon Kindle bestseller list and won a Pencraft award for literary excellence in the winter of 2025. He now writes with his collaborator and writing partner, Lady Harriet.

Dr. Stephenson lives with two Savannah cats on a pond in Auburn Hills, Michigan. Starting a “new” career at the age of 80, Doc reckons that he has only about the next 20 years to finish the series and retire – again – perhaps this time to Oxford.

Author Links:




Yarde Book Promotions "Blog Tour" The Relic Keeper by Heidi Eljarbo

Italy, 1620. Angelo is an orphan, lonely and forgotten. Having been passed on from one family to the next, he ends up as a common thief, sub...