Below are a sample of reviews of my books:
“I fell into this story in an instant and found myself thinking about the characters as I went about my day.”
“Thoroughly engaging!”
” I found this an expertly told tale. The transition from times past to times present and back again were smoothly-handled. I found the characters believable and their actions thoroughly understandable — what wouldn’t a parent do to save their child?.Recommended.”
“P.J. Roscoe has a real knowledge of history and of her local area and ties this in very well to create a beautiful story.”
“A book worth reading and I recommend it. The author has obviously given much time to research and has a profound knowledge of her subject.”
“I really must look out PJ’s other books. A great read!”
Reviewed By Susan Sewell for Readers’ Favorite
Between Worlds by P.J. Roscoe is a spine-tingling mystery novel about a woman who time slips into sixth century England. After missing for months, Emily is discovered at a grisly murder scene. She is wearing garments from another era and holding a sword that dates back to the sixth century. When she is found, Emily is lying in a pool of blood next to a headless man’s body, sobbing uncontrollably and screaming incoherently. Due to the trauma and the paranormal circumstances, Emily has selectively lost the use of her voice and her memory. Because she is the only suspect in the murder investigation, she is placed in a psychiatric hospital. The doctor’s objective is to get Emily to speak and admit to killing the victim. However, what Emily knows and has experienced isn’t believable. Emily is already in a psych ward, so how will she ever get out if she tells the truth?
Traveling back to the era of Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table is an enthralling venture into the thrilling historical novel, Between Worlds, by P.J. Roscoe. It is a gripping story that alternates between two different centuries. The contrast between the two different worlds is fascinating and skilfully done. The author takes the reader between the past and the present with ease, melding together a story of drama and passion. The captivating imagery of the settings enhances the plot and storyline, leading to an unexpected and twisted conclusion. This book is a brilliantly written, fast-paced, action packed novel. Its engaging characters bring the brutal and violent living environment of old London to life while touching on some of the horrific and unfair forms of modern day justice. I would recommend this book for more mature readers as it contains sexual situations and violence.
Reviewed by Viga Boland for Readers’ Favorite
If you’re a modern woman reading Diary of Margery Blake by PJ Roscoe, don’t be surprised if you cringe at what you read in Margery’s diary. Even though this is fiction, it’s based on historical facts, especially on society’s attitudes towards females in the 19th century. No matter what is happening with equality and sexual harassment issues today, you might just find yourself feeling lucky to be living now instead of then. For starters, if you were of marrying age, there was little comfort in being born into the upper class if you didn’t get to choose your future husband. In Margery’s case, her parents had decided that a marriage between her and their friend’s son, the handsome Captain John Harrison, was an ideal arrangement, and both sets of parents worked to bring this union about. There was little regard for either the bride’s or the groom’s preferences in a mate: the important thing was producing offspring, preferably males, to carry on the family names.
When we meet Margery through her diary, she is most unhappy, knowing that her future means being the wife of a man not of her own choosing. Once married, Margery’s unhappiness accelerates rapidly as her body is ravaged sexually and brutally by her husband on the wedding night and for months afterward. As much as it is about lust for him, it’s more about making her pregnant, and when Margery miscarries, both families see the loss as all her fault. When she tries to tell her mother what she is enduring at the hands of her husband, her mother turns a deaf ear. After all, it’s a woman’s lot in life to fulfill her sexual duty to her husband: she is his property; he can do with her whatever he wants. Sadly, even today, some men still look at women that way.
PJ Roscoe’s method of using a diary to enlighten readers about such attitudes and how it would have affected a nice young woman stuck in a loveless marriage, not of her own choosing, is very clever. We feel Margery’s pain and loathing for her husband even more acutely than if this were told using a conventional novel style. Surprisingly, as the story moves along, it becomes a true page turner, with twists we don’t see coming, even right up to the very end. Despite occasional verb/tense issues, it’s little wonder that Diary of Margery Blake is the 2017 Winner of the Marie M Irvine Literary Excellence Award for Historical Fiction. That recognition is well-deserved. Bravo!
Reviewed by Christian Sia for Readers’ Favorite
Where Rivers Meet by P.J. Roscoe is a tale filled with magical realism and characters that are exceptional and memorable. Abigail Lloyd is returning to the Welsh village where she spent many happy childhood years with her beloved Nan, and she does so with the hope of reconnecting with the joy and happiness she once experienced as a child. But what she finds are secrets about her childhood that make her question everything she ever knew. She is about to set out on a path she never thought of and find a destiny far different from anything she ever dreamed about. Cain’s world isn’t one for weak people and he knows that the woman he’s grown up secretly loving might not fit into it. But he has these weird glimpses into another life that connects him to her. Will he take the bold step and dare to go after her?
A gorgeous treat for fans of paranormal romance, Where Rivers Meet is evocative of Welsh culture, filled with words picked from the dialect and images that allow readers to visualize the geography, the locales, and the exotic places in which the story takes place. The beauty of the descriptive prose caught my attention right off the bat, with images like these: “The sun had left its warmth on the day. A slither of golden light streamed along the line of slate roofs while the rest of the small cottages lay in semidarkness within the shadow of the mountain. The pubs were busy with people laughing and smoking both inside and out.” Abigail is a gifted artist and the portrait of her soul is so beautifully done that it feels like a reflection of the world she inhabits. P.J. Roscoe is a writer who seems to write from the heart, exploring strong emotions in the characters and helping readers connect with exciting worlds. Themes of family, romance, and the quest for meaning in a world filled with mystery are beautifully developed in this spellbinding narrative.
Reviewed by Nicky Owle for Readers’ Favorite
Bronwen Mortimer, a shy young woman from Liverpool, set out to start her new life in the small village of Derwen. Running from her past and looking for a fresh start, she rents a small cottage from the Kenward family without knowing the village has secrets of its own. The village along with the Kenward family have been cursed for over 500 years leaving heartbreak and questions throughout its dark history. Only time will tell if Derwen’s newest resident Bronwen holds the key to breaking the curse. Will life in the small village ever be normal again? It would take Bronwen to step out of her comfort zones and put the puzzle pieces together to make life normal for her as well as for the small village and its residents.
P.J. Roscoe has created an intricate tale of past and present in the page turner “Echoes”. This unique book has the perfect balance of murder, mystery, sex and revenge. The author’s twisting tale kept me guessing all the way to the end. Although “Echoes” has some adult content I found it very hard to put the book down. I loved stepping into the past of the Tudor period with King Henry the VII. I liked to follow how P.J. Roscoe combined the modern day with the past, adding a little history into it. Roscoe has made a fascinating and enjoyable read. I am already looking forward to her next book.