What would you do for your country?
Welcome to one of the August 10th stops on the blog tour for 1956 Love & Revolution by J. A. Boulet with Goddess Fish Promotions. Be sure to follow the rest of the tour for spotlights, reviews, more guest posts, and a giveaway! More on that at the end of this post.
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Author Guest Post
My favorite scene in this book
There are so many wonderful scenes in this book, some romantic, chilling and violent too. But I think the one that stands out the most to me is a combination of all three. Maybe it was the circumstances or maybe it was because the characters decided upon the scene, not I, lol.
It is near the climax when Elona and her lover are in the midst of the revolution. They wake up on the floor in a room on the second floor and they make love in the early morning. What struck me are the polar opposites. Elona has been yearning to be with this man for so long and feels guilty that she is cherishing waking up next to him every morning. Why? Because the revolution war is what made their union possible.
Her lover feels the same and hurriedly makes love to her every morning regardless of the toils of daily war and she accepts him with open arms.
The mornings are always dark, cloudy and quiet until the first shots of the revolution are heard. It is in stark contrast to the love they have both found.
I will include a brief passage so you understand more. I am trying not to give too much of the story away so I have omitted some details.
They spent several moments like this, cradling each other and imagining their future together. It would soon be dawn, and she knew he would be fighting again today. His arm had healed remarkably quickly, and he was back commanding the insurgents on a daily basis. Elona felt so proud of him, but she was also scared that he would return as a casualty again. It broke her heart every morning when he left.
He pulled away from her briefly and looked into her eyes. “This seals our fate,” he said.
“Are you sure?”
“I have never been so sure of anything in my life before,” Laszlo replied.
Then an explosion rocked the street outside.
Thank you for following my book tour and I hope you enjoy 1956 Love & Revolution!
About the Book
1956 Love & Revolution
by J. A. Boulet
Published 5 June 2023
Genre: Historical Fiction
Page Count: 276
Add it to your Goodreads TBR!
What would you do for your country?
In 1955, a group of uncommon people meet by chance. During the final year of Rákosi’s iron fist rule, Imre Nagy’s reforms are repealed, plunging Hungary back into economic ruin.
A university student, a cleaner, a Hungarian soldier and several others find themselves drawn toward each other as their love for their country is tested. In the fall of 1956, political strife deepens as the students begin demanding reform.
How far will they go to save Hungary? Well-researched, politically charged and fast-paced, 1956 Love & Revolution will lure you into the lives of everyday Hungarians who risked everything for their country.
Amazon US | Amazon CA | Amazon UK
Excerpt
It must be the AVH, the State Protection Authority. She had her documents with her but was always fearful of the AVH. They could do anything to Hungarians, it seemed, without cause. They even confiscated anti-communist families’ homes and sent the people to camps. The AVH was no better than the Gestapo.
Elona stayed in the shadow of the alleyway as the officers appeared, walking casually down the deserted street. There were four men in full uniform with differing colours. They were smoking cigarettes and chatting amicably. Her heart skipped a beat as one man looked directly in her direction.
She tried to keep as still as possible while the men continued their conversation.
“Imre Nagy needed to go,” one man said. “He’s nothing but trouble to this country.”
“We have enough trouble just doing our jobs to keep the peace here,” another man countered. “After Stalin’s death, our entire society is beginning to unravel.”
The third officer nodded but didn’t add to the conversation. He was quiet and reserved, with an almost intelligent look to his face.
Elona was fascinated by his face. She stared at him from the dark corner of the alleyway and found herself entranced by his mannerisms. He had a gentle but strong gait. Something about him told her that he was in charge. He must be a Colonel or something.
Elona grimaced and chastised herself. She was a married woman! She shouldn’t be gawking at an officer!
“You are quiet tonight, Colonel Laszlo,” the fourth policeman said. “Nothing to add? You are always so reserved about politics.”
Laszlo nodded down the street. “I think there is someone in that alleyway, Jozsef.”
All four men glanced in the same direction.
Elona knew she had to do something. She couldn’t just stay in the alleyway, and she couldn’t run. So she grabbed her bucket, stepped out onto the street and began to confidently walk home. Her back felt like it was on fire from all the eyes on her. She continued walking, once slowing down to adjust her mop so they could clearly see that she was just a cleaning lady.
The first tall officer shouted. “Halt! Get your papers out.”
The four men approached her as she stopped and fumbled in her bag nervously. She had nothing to be nervous about, Elona told herself. She had been stopped before at 4 am.
The group closed in. She had her documents ready, and her arm stretched out with the papers in her hand.
Laszlo was in the lead and stopped directly in front of her.
About the Author
J. A. Boulet is the passionate author of five historical fiction novels. Her newest novel, 1956 Love & Revolution, is a chilling standalone book about the 1956 Hungarian uprising. A highly anticipated release scheduled for June 5, 2023, this is a book that the author holds close to her heart.
J. A. Boulet was raised in the aftermath of the Hungarian Revolution. Her father was a Hungarian soldier who fought bravely during the 1956 uprising. He escaped and was granted asylum in Canada. Ms. Boulet’s mother also fled from the revolution shortly after. The couple met, fell in love and built a family in Saskatchewan.
J. A. Boulet was born decades later. Raised in a refugee family with strong morals has provided J. A. with the foundation to which she has stood behind all her life. Ms. Boulet began writing poetry at a very young age and progressed to short stories and novels easily. She quickly became a history geek and became fascinated with ancestry and the rough path of immigration. J. A. published her first book in 2020 and has since published one to two books annually. She writes with an unsettling realism, grabbing your emotions and refusing to let go. 1956: Love and Revolution is a book you won’t be able to put down.
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Giveaway Alert!
a Rafflecopter giveaway| June 22 | Hope. Dreams. Life… Love | June 29 | Literary Gold |
| July 13 | Sandra’s Book Club | July 20 | Lisa Haselton’s Reviews and Interviews |
| July 27 | Kenyan Poet | July 27 | Long and Short Reviews |
| August | 3 Fabulous and Brunette | August 10 | Travel the ages |
| August 10 | Westveil Publishing | August 17 | The Avid Reader |
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Thank you for sharing your guest post, bio and the book details, I have enjoyed reading about you and your work and I am looking forward to reading this story
You are welcome! I hope you enjoy the book 💕💕
Thank you for hosting today.
The cover looks really good. Sounds like a book that I would enjoy.