I fell in love with Anna Belfrage’s writing upon discovering her King’s Greatest Enemy Series. Anna has a beautiful writing style: her descriptions painting such vivid pictures, her storylines keeping you on the edge of your seat.
Anna and I share many interests. If we ever meet, I envision singing, dancing, a bake-off (we’ll see who makes the best pavlova 😉), and much talk of books and travel. We will possibly discuss some deep meaning-of-life stuff. And if I visit her in Sweden, I will have to divide my time between Anna and her gorgeous new puppy, Asterix.
Anna, tell us about yourself in ten sentences or less.
I am a wannabee time-traveller with a huge romantic streak. When not day-dreaming about visiting other times, I write about fated love and time-transcending love. Seeing as I believe it is character-shaping to endure setbacks, challenges and the odd attempt on your life, my poor protagonists generally reach that Happily Ever After sunset rather the worse for wear. IF they reach it.
I do have a life outside of my writing: I work as a financial professional and I have a large and rather loud family that descends on our home to celebrate all sorts of holidays. On such occasions, I concentrate on cooking and baking – I am a mean baker and make a pavlova to die for. I am a firm believer in improving my craft by reading—a lot. To keep in shape, I walk a couple of hours every day,
Describe your idea of the perfect romantic date.
Me, hubby, a chilled bottle of white wine, a basket of goodies like olives, Spanish ham, French cheeses. We are on our little jetty, before us the lake lies like a gilded mirror, the colours of the sunset trapped in the still waters. And for once, there are NO midges—which effectively relegates this perfect romantic date to the realm of fantasy, but still…
The strangest food you’ve ever eaten:
Lamb’s eyes. Urk. The alternative was lamb’s testicles. In retrospect, I should have gone with the testicles.
What type/genre of books do you read?
I read very broadly. Everything from romance to crime. I have a major fondness for good historical fiction/romance and romantic suspense but will happily binge-read Lee Child’s books about Jack Reacher.
Your favorite book of all time:
Here be Dragons by Sharon K Penman.
If you were to write yourself as a character in one of your books, what would be that character’s most glaring personality quirk?
A tendency to interrupt.
One thing your character would never say.
“That’s okay, dearie. You go on out and save the world and I’ll sit here and wait for you.”
How did you come to write the type of books that you do?
I write what I like to read. My first series features a time-traveller and as it has always been a dream of mine to time travel, well, Alexandra Lind does it for me. Mind you, she isn’t exactly thrilled—at least not initially.
What are you working on right now?
I like working in many stories simultaneously, so at present I have FIVE WIPs. Time-wise, they span everything from the 13th century to the 21st. One is set in medieval Spain. The other in England and France a century or so later than the Spanish story. A third plays out in the last decade of the 17th century. The fourth is very firmly set in the here and now. The fifth is a time-slip, taking the early 18th century as its starting point.
What do you have in store for us in the near future?
Well, first of
Here’s some information about Anna’s latest book, Smoke In Her Eyes.
BLURB
Six months ago, Helle Madsen would have described herself as normal. Now she no longer knows if that terms applies, not after her entire life has been turned upside down by the reappearance of not one, but two, men from her very, very distant past.
Helle Madsen never believed in mumbo-jumbo stuff like reincarnation—until she came face to face with Jason Morris, a man who purportedly had spent fifty lives looking for her. Coping with being reunited with the lover from her ancient past was one thing. Having Sam Woolf, her vindictive nemesis from that same ancient past join the party was a bit too much. Suddenly, Helle finds herself the reluctant heroine of a far-flung, time-transcending epic story, one in which pain and loss seem to play a very big part.
This time round, Jason and Helle are determined to make it to the happily ever after. Unfortunately, Sam Woolf will stop at nothing to crush them. That ride into the golden sunset seems awfully far away at times…
Smoke in Her Eyes is the second in The Wanderer series, the story of Jason and Helle, who first met 3 000 years ago
I recently had the pleasure of reading Smoke In Her Eyes. Here’s my review.
Another beautifully written and gripping novel by Anna Belfrage.
The final paragraph of the blurb for Smoke In Her Eyes, the second book in The Wanderer Series by Anna Belfrage, is as follows: This time round, Jason and Helle are determined to make it to the happily ever after. Unfortunately, Sam Woolf will stop at nothing to crush them. That ride into the golden sunset seems awfully far away at times…
‘Awfully far away.’ You can say that again! This is the ultimate eternal “love” triangle. Although, what’s happening in Sam Woolf’s pointy area of the polygon has nothing much to do with love, but more to do with entitlement, possession and revenge. These three characters have been reincarnated repeatedly over millennia. So far, the happily ever after has escaped poor Jason and Helle.
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, Anna Belfrage writes a good villain. When I say good, I mean the villain is extremely bad, but Ms Belfrage just writes him so, so well.
As with all of Ms Belfrage’s books, this story is riveting, the writing is absolutely gorgeous, and you will be left wanting more.
One of the plot details I like is the fact that both Jason and Sam are aware of all the past lives, while Helle only remembers little snippets. She’s remembering more as time goes by and it’ll be interesting to see how much she recalls as the series continues.
One thing I’m hoping for is that Helle will finally come to terms with the idea that pretty much anything is possible when it comes to paranormal abilities. If she understands that she’s been reincarnated, and now believes Sam is capable of the trick he pulled in this book (I won’t mention it and spoil the story), she should be able to come to grips with whatever Sam Woolf throws at them in book three. I’m sure Mr Woolf has more tricks up his sleeve—dastardly man that he is. Helle’s stubbornness and refusal to believe the strange and extraordinary got her into a lot of hot water in this book.
I’m very much looking forward to book three. I can’t wait to find out what happens to Jason, Helle and Sam. I’m hoping something terribly awful happens to Sam Woolf.
I suggest you read book one (A Torch In His Heart) before reading this book. Helle and Jason’s story is an epic one. Readers should be involved in their journey from the very beginning. The first book has more flashbacks to the long, distant past, containing details that are not only extremely fascinating, but crucial to the understanding of the characters and the enjoyment of the series.
Smoke In Her Eyes is a wonderful, captivating story. I give it 5 stars.
EXCERPT
They were halfway to the parking lot when someone called Helle’s name. Coming towards them was Stapleton, his coat flapping behind him. Yet again, Helle was assailed by the image of a man in period costume—high boots, a large hat decorated with a feather. She suppressed a nervous giggle. It must be the way he walked.
“Leaving?” Stapleton asked when he reached them. He smiled fleetingly at Helle before fixing cold eyes on Jason. Wow. Helle took a step back. It was like crashing into a glacier.
“We are,” Jason replied calmly. His fingers twitched a couple of times, the only sign that he was affected by the policeman’s chilly gaze.
“We still have some questions,” Stapleton said.
“I thought I’d answered all of them.” Helle frowned. “And I still insist it was Sam Woolf who attacked us. Totally unprovoked.”
Stapleton sighed. “The man was in France, Ms Madsen. We have—”
“He was here!” Helle interrupted.
“Absolutely,” Jason agreed. “He was the one who shot me, Sergeant.”
Stapleton stood up straighter. “Inspector,” he corrected curtly. Helle shot Jason an irritated look. He already knew John Stapleton was a DI—she’d shown him his card. Jason’s mouth quirked into a little smile, at odds with the flinty look in his eyes as he studied Stapleton. “And as I was saying,” Stapleton continued, “there’s security footage of the crash in France.”
“And you’ve never heard of anyone tampering with footage before?” Jason gave Stapleton a patronising look. “Maybe the police remain stuck in another century.”
Why was he being so rude? Helle took his hand, surprised to find it so hot she dropped it just as quickly. Stapleton noticed, eyes flitting from Jason’s hand to Helle.
“Many people prefer to live in the past,” Stapleton replied smoothly. “I can assure you I’m not one of them.”
“Unfortunately,” Jason muttered, too low for Stapleton to hear. Or maybe not, given the ice in the policeman’s voice as he continued: “We will inspect the footage. But for now, it is word against word. Mr Woolf has informed us through his solicitor that he was not in England at the time.”
“But both of us saw him,” Helle protested.
“Two against one, you mean?” Stapleton smiled. “No, Ms Madsen, that is not how it works. No one is disputing someone shot Mr Morris—”
“That would be difficult to do,” Jason put in, lifting his hand to his bandaged head.
“…but on your word alone, it is impossible to tie Mr Woolf to the crime,” Stapleton continued, as if Jason hadn’t spoken. His phone rang, making him frown. “I have to take this,” he muttered, studying the display. “Can you come to the station tomorrow morning? At nine?” He didn’t even wait for an answer.
“Charming,” Helle said, sticking her tongue out at Stapleton’s departing back. She turned to Jason. “And why were you so rude to him?”
“Me?” Jason shook his head. “It was him, not me. Stuck up little bureaucrat.”
“He’s a policeman. He doesn’t exactly spend his days skulking behind a desk.”
“No?” Jason snorted. “How would you know?” He took her hand, and this time his fingers were back to normal temperature.
“You really dislike him, don’t you?” she asked.
“He reminds me of someone.” Jason stroked her knuckles. “Food?”
An early dinner had led to an early night, and Jason had fallen asleep midway through thinking about John Stapleton. While Jason had recognised him immediately as a cousin in one of his former lives, he was not entirely sure John had done the same, although the antipathy rolling off the man made him wonder. Jason sighed: the John of old was entitled to those feelings, but those events lay more than three centuries in the past.
He woke to pouring rain and his ringing phone.
“Nigel,” Helle said, handing it to him. She was in her gym clothes, her skin covered with a sheen of sweat.
“Hi,” Jason answered, his eyes on Helle conducting an impromptu little striptease in front of him.
“How are you feeling?” Nigel asked.
“I’m fine.” Jason blew stark naked Helle a kiss, smiling at how she wiggled her arse at him before disappearing into the bathroom.
“I didn’t want to call before,” Nigel went on. “Thought you might need some time, the two of you.”
Jason huffed. “You were at that LAN thing. Too immersed in your computer games to find time to call your best friend.”
Nigel laughed. “Touché.” He lowered his voice. “Heard anything regarding our little plan?”
“No.” Jason frowned. “Curtis said it will take time.”
“Bloody plods,” Nigel muttered. “Anyway, how about I bring you up to date?”
Jason hung up several minutes later, just as Helle emerged from the bathroom.
“So what did Nigel say?” She towelled her hair briskly.
“A lot.” His jaw tightened. “When were you going to tell me about Juliet?” Helle gave him a confused look.
“Juliet? Tell you what?”
He narrowed his eyes at her. Was she being purposefully obtuse? “That she’s alive to start with.”
“Oh shit!” She paled. “I forgot. I’ve been so wrapped up in you, in having you back, and I forgot you didn’t know.”
“You forgot?” he made an effort to keep his voice calm. “How on earth can you forget something like that? Damn it, Helle, I thought she was dead!” He frowned, angry with her, ashamed of himself for not having asked before. “She’s the closest thing I have to family, someone I love—a lot!” A shadow flew over her face, and it increased his irritation. He had no time for her childish jealousy, not now, when Juliet was… dear God! Nigel had been very precise, describing a woman covered in third-degree burns. It was doubtful whether she’d survive, Nigel had said, and even if she did…he’d left the rest unsaid.
“Okay, so I’m sorry!” Helle backed away from him. “I’m sorry that all I’ve been able to think about is you, that nothing else has mattered. Apologies for not having thought about your precious Juliet, but I’ve been too busy worrying about you, okay?”
“You don’t care that she’s in pain? That she’s hovering at death’s door?” He gave her a challenging look. Helle drew in a deep breath. He could almost see how she weighed her words.
“I’m sorry for her,” she said carefully, “and I wish she hadn’t been hurt.”
“But you don’t care.”
“Don’t twist my words.” She was dressing with fast, jerky movements. “Just because I don’t like her, it doesn’t mean I’m some sort of monster. So yeah, I care—but mostly because you do.” She dragged a brush through her wet hair, yanking it forcefully through her tangled curls.
“You’re damned right I do!”
She met his eyes. “I guess it’s lucky it wasn’t me who was shot, as that would have made things really difficult for you, right? You know, torn in two between me and her.”
“Don’t be silly,” he snapped.
“Don’t be such a bastard,” she retorted. “And by the way, that was the wrong answer.”
“Wrong? How wrong?”
“Figure it out for yourself.” She banged the door on her way out.
And you can find Anna Belfrage at these places:
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