Pilgrim Footprints : on the Sands of Time by Sylvia Nilsen

Link to Tour Page: http://hfvirtualbooktours.com/pilgrimfootprintsonthesandsoftimetour
Tour Hashtag: #PilgrimFootprintsVirtualTour

Publication Date: December 2, 2013
LightEye Editions
Paperback; 396p
ISBN-10: 2917183349 A few months after Richard FitzUrse and his fellow knights murder Thomas Becket in Canterbury Cathedral, Lord Robert and Lady FitzUrse are instructed by King Henry to make a penitential pilgrimage to the tomb of Saint James the Greater in Spain in order to earn redemption for his disgraced family.
William Beaumont has made a promise to his dead mother and younger sister to go on a pilgrimage to save their souls. William is secretly in love with Alicia Bearham, niece of Lord Robert. He is overjoyed when he is asked to accompany the family and their servants on their three-month pilgrimage.
They face many adversities, dangers, and an attempted murder on the long and hazardous journey across England, France and Spain. Who is trying to kill Sir Robert and Alicia? What does the gypsy woman they meet in Paris mean when she predicts that Alicia and William are destined to be soul mates, but only when the eleventh flaming star returns to the skies and the water carrier rises over the horizon? One fateful night, a shocking event changes their lives forever.
Review:
Four Stars
* copy received from Historical Fiction Virtual Tours for an honest opinion
I absolutely loved “Pilgrim Footprints” by Syvia Nilsen. I was born in Santiago de Compostela and have spent many summers there.  I know the significance of the pilgrimages and the masses of people that cross France and Spain to set foot in the Catedral de Santiago de Compostela.  Given this background I thought that Nilsen really captured the spirit of “el camino”.  I loved that, as a reader, we got to witness William’s evolution from a young boy to young man.  The mystery behind who was trying to kill Alicia and Lord Robert really added to the intrigue.  Even though I already have a connection to the pilgrimage I was invested in William’s journey. His love for the Alicia added to the romantic aspect of the story.  It is impossible to participate in the pilgrimage and remain unchanged, the same can be said of Nielsen’s work “Pilgrim Footprints”.  It is a beautiful journey.  

Buy the Book

Amazon UK Amazon US (eBook) Amazon US (Paperback) Book Depository Fishpond Waterstones

About the Author

Sylvia Nilsen, well known in the Camino world for her ‘amaWalker blog’ is a South African freelance writer who has been published in numerous local and international publications.
She has worked as a research agent and editor for a UK-based travel guide publisher and produced several African city and country guides.
Sylvia has walked over 5,000 km of pilgrimage trails in Europe including Paris to Spain, the Camino Frances from St Jean Pied de Port and Roncesvalles to Santiago, from Lourdes to Pamplona, el Ferrol to Santiago, Santiago to Finisterre and from Switzerland to Rome on the Via Francigena. She also walked from Durban to Cape Town as part of the ‘Breaking Free’ team in aid of abused women and children. Sylvia has served as a volunteer hospitalero in Spain and is a Spanish accredited hospitalero trainer having trained over 40 people to serve as volunteers in Spain. She was the Regional Co-ordinator for the Confraternity of St James in South Africa from 2003 to 2010.
In 2009 she started amaWalkers Camino (Pty) Ltd and takes small groups of pilgrims on three weeks walks of the Camino Frances in Spain.
For more information on Sylvia Nilsen please visit her website.  You can also find her on Facebook.

Virtual Book Tour Schedule

Monday, February 24
Review at Flashlight Commentary
Spotlight & Giveaway at Historical Fiction Connection
Tuesday, February 25
Interview at Flashlight Commentary
Thursday, February 27
Spotlight & Giveaway at Kinx’s Book Nook
Friday, February 28
Guest Post at A Bookish Libraria
Monday, March 3
Review at A Chick Who Reads
Guest Post at Mina’s Bookshelf
Tuesday, March 4
Review at Historical Fiction Obsession
Review & Giveaway at Broken Teepee
Wednesday, March 5
Review at Oh, for the Hook of a Book
Thursday, March 6
Interview at Oh, for the Hook of a Book
Friday, March 7
Review at Reading the Ages
Monday, March 10
Review & Guest Post at Just One More Chapter
Tuesday, March 11
Review at The Most Happy Reader
Wednesday, March 12
Review at Staircase Wit
Spotlight & Giveaway at So Many Precious Books, So Little Time
Thursday, March 13
Review at Svetlana’s Reads and Views
Friday, March 14
Interview at Layered Pages
Monday, March 17
Review at Book Nerd
Tuesday, March 18
Interview & Giveaway at Let Them Read Books
Wednesday, March 19
Guest Post at Kelsey’s Book Corner
Thursday, March 20
Review at From L.A. to LA
Friday, March 21
Spotlight at Passages to the Past