Month: November 2020

Free and bargain books November 16, 2020

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Monday is turning out to be a good day for book suggestions. With such abundance this morning we’ll look at BookBub and 1531 Entertainment today, saving LPC Free Books for tomorrow. They are scheduled to be free until the 20th so we have the time.

BookBubs FREE suggestion

Signs of Life: A Haunting and Spellbinding Contemporary Christian Thriller (Signs of Life Series Book 1)  FREE

Amazon quote:

Rogan Sneed . . . Portland’s Worst Nightmare

High school teacher Tyson Cooper is just dismissing his class when a student flashes his phone. “Another shooting, Mr. C.”

And this one is too close to home. Tyson races to Pioneer Square . . . but he’s too late. The light of his life has been snuffed out–and so has his faith.

Veteran Portland PD Investigator Wayne Deetz, two years shy of retirement, is charged with leading the interrogations. When he meets 19-year-old shooter Rogan Sneed face-to-face, his life is changed eternally.

Will Tyson settle for anything less than the death penalty in the case against Rogan Sneed? He’s bent on justice and will do anything to make Rogan pay for the pain he inflicted on himself and the city of Portland that rainy, haunting May day.

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1531 Entertainment bargain book suggestions: The author of this first one has shown up on my TBR list seven times so far in 2020. This makes eight. I’ve read book #1 in this series. Aiming for Love

Woman of Sunlight (Brides of Hope Mountain Book #2) 

Amazon quote:

After years of isolation on top of Hope Mountain, Ilsa Nordegren may finally be ready to leave. Raised to fear the world, Ilsa and her sisters never planned on coming down, but when the Warden family arrived in need, they had to help. And it may cost them everything.

Having made his fortune, Mitch Warden returned home and found the family homestead abandoned. In a land grab, a ruthless cattle baron had forced his family to escape up the mountain, and when he follows, the last thing he expects is to fall smitten to a black-haired woman who dresses like Robin Hood.

Warden is intent on helping his family reclaim their land, but doesn’t realize the risks his past has brought. Dangerous men have tracked him, and rather than risk innocent lives, he’s determined to end the danger. But that means a journey to the city–and when Ilsa insists on joining him, the mismatched pair suddenly find themselves on a venture they’ll never forget.

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The House at the End of the Moor 

Amazon quote:

What Can a London Opera Star and an Escaped Dartmoor Prisoner Have in Common?
 
Opera star Maggie Lee escapes her opulent lifestyle when threatened by a powerful politician who aims to ruin her life. She runs off to the wilds of the moors to live in anonymity. All that changes the day she discovers a half-dead man near her house. Escaped convict Oliver Ward is on the run to prove his innocence, until he gets hurt and is taken in by Maggie. He discovers some jewels in her possession—the very same jewels that got him convicted. Together they hatch a plan to return the jewels, clearing Oliver’s name and hopefully maintaining Maggie’s anonymity.

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I’m currently reading & enjoying

Faith in Abertillery: Historical Romance (Women of Courage Book 2) 

South Wales, 1905. Faith only believes in the certainty of pain and suffering. Born with a club foot and harboring a dark secret, the barmaid can’t escape her sinful past. But after the country’s religious revival puts her out of a job, hope sparks when a handsome aristocrat gallantly offers her a second chance.

Lord Geoffrey Driscoll fears his estate will run out of money before he can find a suitable bride. However, the devout nobleman can’t keep his mind off the stunning redhead despite her lowly status. As the attraction between them grows, Lord Driscoll is torn between his need for a wife of means and his heart.

As Faith falls for Lord Driscoll’s kindness, she wishes that she could erase the sinful past that stands in the way of their union…

****************

This is a paradoxical morning moment. The sun is shining, clouds are gently rolling through, and it’s snowing lightly. Makes life fun.

Currently it’s -10c and it looks like it will be a quiet day weather-wise. Maybe there will be more cheerful sunshine moments yet today. Here’s hoping.

Enjoy the books.

Until tomorrow…

Happy Reading.

Story Prompt – Red

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Story Prompt is hosted by Confusing Middle’s – Sunday Scribblings

RED

I know this will come as a shock to you but the first place my mind went with this prompt was Books and Movies.

Who could forget The Hunt for Red October (Jack Ryan Universe Book 1) 

I will admit I haven’t read the book but I am in possession of (and have watched) the movie (I do own movies I haven’t watched, just sayin’.)

Somewhere under the freezing Atlantic, a Soviet sub commander has just made a fateful decision. The Red October is heading west. The Americans want her. The Russians want her back. The chase for the highly advanced nuclear submarine is on—and there’s only one man who can find her…
 
Brilliant CIA analyst Jack Ryan has little interest in fieldwork, but when covert photographs of Red October land on his desk, Ryan soon finds himself in the middle of a high-stakes game of hide-and-seek played by two world powers—a game that could end in all-out war.

*********************

The next movie assaulting my memory is The Scarlet Pimpernel

I will admit, I have not read this book either but I have seen the movie. Or at least one version of it. One of my daughter’s college friends was a lover of the classics and was a collector of the movies. This particular movie has been made and remade, a few times. One detail we all remember with a smile is the favorite exclamation of the foppish main character in one of the versions. Well, SINK me! I’ve no idea where that expression comes from but we thought it was pretty funny.

Amazon quote:

The Scarlet Pimpernel is the first novel in a series of historical fiction by Baroness Orczy, published in 1905. It was written after her stage play of the same title enjoyed a long run in London, having opened in Nottingham in 1903.

The novel is set during the Reign of Terror following the start of the French Revolution. The title is the nom de guerre of its hero and protagonist, a chivalrous Englishman who rescues aristocrats before they are sent to the guillotine. Sir Percy Blakeney leads a double life: apparently nothing more than a wealthy fop, but in reality a formidable swordsman and a quick-thinking master of disguise and escape artist. The band of gentlemen who assist him are the only ones who know of his secret identity. He is known by his symbol, a simple flower, the scarlet pimpernel (Anagallis arvensis).

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The next remembrance is a story by Francine Rivers. I did read this book but several decades ago. It must have made a big impact if it still springs to mind after so many years. Francine Rivers was a huge favorite so it’s not surprising that I still remember.

The Scarlet Thread: A Novel (The Historical Christian Fiction Story of Two Women, Centuries Apart, Joined through a Journal from the Oregon Trail)

Sierra Madrid’s life has just been turned upside down when she discovers the handcrafted quilt and journal of her ancestor Mary Kathryn McMurray, a young woman who was uprooted from her home only to endure harsh conditions on the Oregon Trail.

Though the women are separated by time and circumstance, Sierra discovers that many of the issues they face are remarkably similar . . . and uncovering Mary Kathryn’s story may help her write the next chapter of hers.

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More recently I’ve been reading A Scarlet Cord by Deborah Raney

In the four years since her husband’s death, Melanie LaSalle’s life has been consumed with managing the family design firm and caring for her five-year-old daughter, Jerica. The possibility of a new relationship is the last thing on her mind. But when Melanie meets Joel Ellington, a new staff member at her church, she is instantly attracted to his warm spirit.
As their friendship deepens, however, Melanie is troubled by something she can’t quite understand or explain. Joel past seems to be off-limits, even to Melanie. Because of her growing feelings for him, Melanie pushes her doubts away. But when Joel disappears, along with the contents of a church bank account, she can no longer ignore her suspicions.
Now, torn between her feelings for Joel and the evidence mounting against him, Melanie faces a heart-wrenching decision: to forget the man who gave her reason to love again or to trust Joel enough to give him her heart.

********************

One thing for sure… it was easy to find many book and movie titles using some version of Red. Maybe next I should look at pink. Pink Panther, for sure

Bargain books November 14, 2020

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Today’s bargain suggestions come from BookBub and 1531 Entertaiment. Three authors new to me. I can’t guarantee a good read with any of them but after checking out the first few pages I’m definitely hopeful.

All the Stars: (Unfailing Love Book 5)

Amazon quote:

Gaining her trust won’t be easy. Earning her love will be nearly impossible.

Leah Manning is working to get back on her feet after her ex-husband disappeared one night, leaving her to raise their infant daughter alone. When a trip to a hardware store has her literally falling into the arms of its handsome owner, his charms are hard to resist. But he’s a stranger, and, to her, that means he can’t be trusted. Can she learn to let her faith be stronger than her fear?

Brian Matthews has never met a stranger. A friend to everyone he meets, he can’t understand why Leah is determined to keep him at a distance. He only wants to help, but she can’t accept that he only has the best intentions. It’s a good thing his love is patient.

Leah isn’t ready to let the love she feels for Brian override years of fear, and he’s tired of spending lonely nights playing songs on his guitar to fill the silence. What will it take to show Leah that Brian is the answer to her prayers?

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Faith in Abertillery: Historical Romance (Women of Courage Book 2)

Amazon quote:

South Wales, 1905. Faith only believes in the certainty of pain and suffering. Born with a club foot and harboring a dark secret, the barmaid can’t escape her sinful past. But after the country’s religious revival puts her out of a job, hope sparks when a handsome aristocrat gallantly offers her a second chance.

Lord Geoffrey Driscoll fears his estate will run out of money before he can find a suitable bride. However, the devout nobleman can’t keep his mind off the stunning redhead despite her lowly status. As the attraction between them grows, Lord Driscoll is torn between his need for a wife of means and his heart.

*****************

Hearts on the Road: Diana Lesire Brandmeyer

Amazon quote:

She’s running from the past. He’s aiming for the future. Can they stop moving long enough to find love?

Randi refuses to invite a man into her life. But when a charming minister steps into the cab of her truck, everything changes. How can Randi consider a new relationship when her heart is still crushed from the past?

As a budding preacher, Matthew knows it’s his calling to minister to truckers. But when he’s partnered to join Randi on a long-haul trip he wonders if his desire to be in her life is God’s choice or his? Could God be pulling him off the road and into Randi’s arms?

A shake up at home forces Randi off the highway unexpectedly, putting the brakes on her unsettled feelings for Matthew. Caught between her fears and her heart Randi wonders if it’s safe to keep driving their relationship forward. When life pulls them in opposite directions, can Randi and Matthew find the road to a one-way romance?

******************

Currently, I’m finishing up a thoroughly enjoyable book. It is still at bargain price too. This author was new to me and it turned out to be a good experience.

Beyond Repair: (Eron Outsiders Book 3) 

Her past is a string of bad choices. Is falling for a wanted ex-gang member one more?


Hiding from her troubled past, Jules Demski sequesters herself in the mountains of Eron, Colorado, the only place she’s ever felt safe. Her solitude is shattered when an injured man staggers into her family’s barn.
Burned once and still in repair, the last thing she needs is another criminal on her hands. If she can only convince her heart of this, she just might be able to resist the interloper’s charm.


Former gangster Lorenzo Macedo has cleaned up his act, but now he’s running for his life. He stumbles upon a barn just as a bullet pierces his body.
Jules appears standoffish and cold, but the tender way she nurses Lorenzo reveals a soft-hearted, passionate woman aching for her own wounds to be healed. No woman has ever set his blood on fire like Jules, but he has nothing to offer her except a life on the run.
Can Jules and Lorenzo find redemption in the small town, or are their lives Beyond Repair?

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I’m looking forward to one of these three new books as my next read. I think it will be difficult deciding which one but maybe I’ll try Hearts on the Road first.

It’s been a good day for new books. I’m hoping you thinks so too.

Happy Reading y’all

Free and bargain books November 12, 2020

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BookBub has a FREE suggestion for us this time.

Into the Darkness (Daring Escapes Book 1)

Amazon quote:

Adventure. Betrayal. Murder.
Dead? Kate Collier refuses to believe her brother and last remaining family member died in the Brazilian rainforest. Determined to find the missing biochemist, she launches an expedition to find him.

A.C. Slader’s past is as dark and turbulent as the Amazon. Consumed with his own problems, when Kate tries hiring him to find her no-doubt deceased brother, he turns her down cold. The last thing he needs is to fight his way through an impassable jungle for a woman who wouldn’t know a stick from a snake. Only when he narrowly rescues her from an attack before she’s even left the relative safety of the town does he realize that without his help, she’ll get herself killed.

Together, they begin a perilous journey that will test the limits of their faith and each other…

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There were a couple of enjoyable new authors in the collections I mentioned yesterday. I was hoping to find more from them to see what a full novel would be like. There was one regular length book at a bargain price (my favorite way to try out unfamiliar authors) which is nice and I’m looking forward to it.

A Long Way to Run

Amazon quote:

Sometimes the path to love is a long way to run…

Olympic-caliber running hopeful Riley Dalton lost his left leg from the knee down in the noblest of ways: saving a trapped woman whose car was engulfed by fire. Years removed from that life-changing moment, he returns home to Dunberry, Michigan, searching for the pathway to a new life.

Riley’s high school sweetheart, Jennifer Bailey, understands the process of reinvention. Heartbreak and corporate theft sent her scampering from New York straight back to her small-town roots. In Dunberry, she’s established a clothing boutique that allows creativity to flow while she regroups.

Reunited, Riley and Jennifer spearhead the creation of a community sponsored running team while they chase demons both physical and emotional. As Riley trains for the Mobility Impaired division of the Boston Marathon, the past rises to haunt him, and a professional opportunity is presented to Jennifer that plays to her goals but endangers everything she’s reestablished with the only man she’s ever loved.

Will love be enough to cover the distance between them?

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I’m currently reading and enjoying

A Scarlet Cord 

In the four years since her husband’s death, Melanie LaSalle’s life has been consumed with managing the family design firm and caring for her five-year-old daughter, Jerica. The possibility of a new relationship is the last thing on her mind. But when Melanie meets Joel Ellington, a new staff member at her church, she is instantly attracted to his warm spirit.
As their friendship deepens, however, Melanie is troubled by something she can’t quite understand or explain. Joel past seems to be off-limits, even to Melanie. Because of her growing feelings for him, Melanie pushes her doubts away. But when Joel disappears, along with the contents of a church bank account, she can no longer ignore her suspicions.
Now, torn between her feelings for Joel and the evidence mounting against him, Melanie faces a heart-wrenching decision: to forget the man who gave her reason to love again or to trust Joel enough to give him her heart.
Exploring themes of the importance of truth, loyalty, and trust, A Scarlet Cord illustrates that who we truly are depends little on outward appearances and solely on our relationship with God, and on the fact that through faith in Him, we can find places of comfort, healing, and selfless love.

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A Scarlet Cord is a big book, 360 pages, and Deborah Raney is one of the few authors I know who can write a long story and have enough to say to actually pull it off. No filler in her stories, to bulk them up.

It will be interesting to see if I make it through though.

Between work challenges and the disturbing things going on in the world right now it’s difficult to settle down enough to concentrate for any length of time.

Evil has a way of bullying victims into submission and it feels like that’s what’s going on in our world right now. I’m praying evil won’t win. I’m hoping many others are joining in praying this way too.

I don’t know where the threat is coming from or who is behind it but our lives and way of life could depend on the final outcome. We need to be aware and prayerful. I know it’s not just me thinking this way, I’m hearing other sane voices expressing the same concern.

Watch and pray.

If you’ve never prayed and don’t know how. The Creator of the Universe hears every prayer, without exception. Just say what’s in your heart.

******************

Until tomorrow

Happy Reading

Read and Enjoyed.

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I was thinking. Often I make the comment about having no opinion on whether a book is good or not (when it’s something or someone new to me) but I rarely follow up on it after I’ve read the book.

Maybe it’s important or maybe it’s not, I don’t know, but the thought crossed my mind like it should at least be considered. I haven’t decided yet if it really matters but maybe I should comment, in the meantime.

A couple of days ago we had two Christmas collections, each written by the same four authors. I had no opinions then. At this point the read experience is still fresh in my mind and now I do.

I did like both collections. All eight books were good but my favorites were books one and two in each collection.

On reflection, I think it was mostly tone of voice that made the difference for me. Author personality showed through and some were more appealing than others.

Some included an abundance of detail that seemed less than important to the story, and I’m not a fan, so there was that too.

Anyway, I loved half of them and liked all of them.

The common theme running through the eight books was intriguing and did give these collections something to set them apart from the usual Christmas romance stories. It was definitely a cool idea that worked, Kudos for that.

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There are more read & enjoyed to be mentioned but time is running out so I’ll save them for another day.

Sadly, it was a slow day for book suggestions so there’s nothing interesting to share with you. Maybe tomorrow will be better.

In the meantime, if you need something to read and haven’t downloaded these collections check them out, they are probably still at bargain prices and they are worth the read,

Until tomorrow,

Happy Reading!

A little of this, a little of that

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No books today, not yet anyway. Still, I feel agitated with the need to write something. This will be a just-write-something day and see-where-it-goes.

To be honest it’s been a stressful day, filled with a number of unexpected official news conferences. Political and health officials together, specifically to tell us; as of 12:01 Thursday morning our province is on total covid lockdown. Every thing non essential is to be closed. Essential services only but operating at reduced capacity.

Stay at home as much as possible, associate only with the members of your household. One person running errands.

This will be in place for a month at least but probably longer.

It’s been coming for a while and would have been here sooner, maybe, except officials were trying to give us a chance to get it right and flatten the curve without such drastic measures. Unfortunately, we haven’t been able to do the hard work to get it done. Our province, Manitoba, has the highest positive numbers in the country and deaths are massive compared to the low numbers we had in the spring. I think we had eight in the spring compared to one hundred fourteen now. At the moment we have 5390 active cases. On a per capita basis that’s high.

Personally, this doesn’t affect me very much with of my hermit-like lifestyle, but I still feel very sad it has come to this again. It’s hard on the economy and it’s hard on the health care system, to say nothing of what it’s doing to peoples lives.

Never before have I heard doctors banding together to speak out publicly, about anything. If they are speaking out now, asking for a shut down before things get out of hand, it’s serious and I’m glad we are listening to them.

All of this sounds distressing, on the one hand, but on the other hand there is something hopeful about what we are going through right now.

For me, I’ve always likened the hard places of life to Boot Camp. You know, a military training camp for new recruits, with strict discipline. The purpose of boot camp is to whip us into shape so we can take on challenging tasks.

I think what we are going through right now is a little like boot camp. As a society we have gotten soft and spoiled, we’d not last long if we were faced with a major challenge. Not very long at all for some of us.

Life has no guarantees. We never know when tragedy will strike. Or if not tragedy then some other event that calls for courage and bravery. To think we are being called to get off the couch and develop some skills has a hopeful feel to it. If we develop muscles and strength during this pandemic, it means we will have a fighting chance if we happen to one day be faced with something bigger and unexpected.

So, to be honest – I take this situation seriously but I’m not feeling fearful. I’m feeling hopeful that we will come out the other side of this stronger and more resilient. Ready to stand up and fight for our lives if we need to.

I’m hoping most of us will look at this as the opportunity that it is. A chance to grow, and develop new skills. Skills you may need in an unexpected moment that could change your life.

I’m doing it. Embracing the chance to grow.

Speaking of growing … our writers group is having a Zoom meeting on Saturday and I agreed to present a review, probably about something related to writing.

This is a growing experience for me, especially if it involves non-fiction. I’ll probably share it here and you can help decide if it worked or if I should keep my day job. lol

I’ll be keeping my day job either way (just in case my boss is listening.)

Free and bargain books November 09, 2020

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Fickle, fickle, weather. A few weeks of unseasonable cold with heavy frost and snow. Until yesterday. It was +21c yesterday. Today… it’s -4c. How are we supposed to successfully adjust to such drastic flip-flop changes. I’m freezing, must add another layer, again.

At least yesterday was wonderful and much appreciated. It was a lovely day to tackle the last of the much needed yard clean up. It was warm and pretty and I hated to have my energy end before the day did.

I wonder if the warm memory will be enough to carry me through to next spring… probably not.

On the bright side … We have some enticing suggestions today.

This first one, suggested by BookBub, is written by a popular author on my TBR list.

The collections next in line, suggested by 1531 Entertainment, are written by authors new to me. The stories look interesting and I’m always keen to experience someone new.

A Scarlet Cord  is FREE. Deborah Raney writes thought provoking stories always worth reading.

Amazon quote:

In the four years since her husband’s death, Melanie LaSalle’s life has been consumed with managing the family design firm and caring for her five-year-old daughter, Jerica. The possibility of a new relationship is the last thing on her mind. But when Melanie meets Joel Ellington, a new staff member at her church, she is instantly attracted to his warm spirit.
As their friendship deepens, however, Melanie is troubled by something she can’t quite understand or explain. Joel past seems to be off-limits, even to Melanie. Because of her growing feelings for him, Melanie pushes her doubts away.

When Joel disappears, along with the contents of a church bank account, she can no longer ignore her suspicions.
Now, torn between her feelings for Joel and the evidence mounting against him, Melanie faces a heart-wrenching decision: to forget the man who gave her reason to love again or to trust Joel enough to give him her heart.

*****************

Now, something on the lighter side … by comparison. Bargains too.

Love at Christmas Inn: Collection I

Amazon quote:

Nestled into five beautiful acres just outside Hope Creek, Tennessee, Christmas Inn is an unforgettable place known for its joyful atmosphere and festive setting. Holiday decorations adorn each room. Trees glittering with ribbons and ornaments, gorgeous wreaths, velvet stockings and pine-scented candles brighten visitors’ stay at this vacation spot dedicated to Christmas all year, every year. The resort offers all the usual enticements plus one unique amenity…love. The little white chapel behind the inn, built by the Christmas family in the 1890s, boasts bell tower bells that toll when couples fall in love.

But Christmas Inn has fallen on hard times. The chapel bells haven’t rung for many years, and this Christmas may be the final celebration at the resort…unless love finds its way home.

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Love at Christmas Inn, Collection 2

Amazon quote:

Nestled into five beautiful acres just outside Hope Creek, Tennessee, Christmas Inn is an unforgettable place known for its joyful atmosphere and festive setting. Holiday decorations adorn each room. Trees glittering with ribbons and ornaments, gorgeous wreaths, velvet stockings and pine-scented candles brighten visitors’ stay at this vacation spot dedicated to Christmas all year, every year. The resort offers all the usual enticements plus one unique amenity…love. The little white chapel behind the inn, built by the Christmas family in the 1890s, boasts bell tower bells that toll when couples fall in love.

Every year people come to the inn looking for their Christmas spirit. Sometimes they find love too. Will the bells ring again this year?

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This has been a good day for new books. All of them new to me, for a nice change.

Stay warm (or cool – depending where you are) and safe. We are experiencing a second wave of Covid that has gotten out of hand. I’m staying home, venturing out every other week or so. Hopefully things are better where you are but if not stay safe.

Enjoy reading,

I will be.

Along with a warm bowl of creamy potato vegetable soup.

Bargain Books November 08, 2020

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Another Christmas collection with a bargain price. One nice thing about these collections, the authors shift places from year to year, It keeps things fresh. Some we see often, others not so much.

Hearts Aglow: Four Christmas Novella Romances (The Christmas Lights Collection Book 5) 

Amazon quote:

♥ Potato Flake Christmas: by Cathe Swanson ♥

Matchmaker, matchmaker, who’s getting matched?

Both at crossroads in their professional lives, Claire and Jeffrey don’t need the matchmaking shenanigans of her grandmother or his great uncle. 

Although Jeffrey has fond memories of Christmas on the beach, Claire just can’t imagine Christmas in a land filled with cactus and a different kind of sand. Can’t we order a freak snowstorm from some online retailer somewhere?

Love is alive in the desert this Christmas.

♥ All I Want  by Toni Shiloh ♥

When Angel is tasked to decorate Bishop’s place, she longs to be seen for the woman she’s become. He just wants to get through Christmas with his daughter and get on with his perfectly ordered life. Time together changes everything as her heart unexpectedly touches his.

♥ Snow Crossed Letters: by Chautona Havig ♥

“…waitin’ for the matchmakin’ man with the (mail) bag…”

When packages go awry in a series of snowstorms that bury Rockland in multiple layers of white two residents find cheering the elderly to be a big surprise!

♥ This and Every Christmas  by Jaycee Weaver ♥
Christmases past and present collide in a humorous yet bittersweet tale of a widowed tree-farm owner and his daughter’s music teacher as they collaborate to create a future worthy of her family’s wacky traditions and his family’s legacy.

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Nothing else popped up as interesting. On the bright side though, this collection does include four books. Much better than just one.

Currently. I’m finishing up my latest read. It’s been good but I enjoy a faster pace. It’s been a little tough sticking with it long enough to reach the end. It has 362 pages but could easily have been cut back by 100 pages without damage to the story. It was a still good experience though.

A Family to Call Ours: (Front Porch Promises Book 4)

Young widow Tara Madsen has spent the last two years dealing with her eight-year-old daughter’s battle with cancer. Now a new job means the opportunity to give Hailey the best Christmas ever, but the arrival of Caleb Fitzpatrick, her employers’ son, and overreaching authorities put that goal in jeopardy.

Caleb returns to his small Massachusetts hometown with one mission—to make sure another charlatan doesn’t take advantage of his parents and their generosity. When he meets Tara, the new receptionist at the family business, he is immediately on guard. A pretty blonde fooled him once before, and he will make sure it doesn’t happen again.

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Maybe tomorrow will be better for awesome suggestions.

Happy Reading.

Bargain books November 07, 2020

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Today is another day of discovery. In the one-thing-led-to-another file a new-to-me author appeared and I’m excited to read a couple of her books.

All of these are bargain books and the first one to set things in motion was a BookBub suggestion. A collection by an author we’ve seen before.

Sisters by Design, books 1-3

Amazon quote:

Mac
After separating herself from the oppressive cult where she was raised, Mackenzie Soeurs has two dreams: to give her son Riley a better life than she had, and to live in peace, as far from the harsh God of her past as she can get.

Dane Cooper, Garfield’s former bad boy and groom left at the altar, can’t deny his initial attraction to Mackenzie. Neither can he resist the urge from God to mentor her delinquent son. How can he guard his battered heart and still give Riley the same second chance he was given? 

When Jesse, Charley, Randy, and Alex signed up for Mac’s first fitness class, they were looking for someone to whip them into physical shape.

Randy
Her soft side is buried deep… 
After surviving a traumatic childhood, Miranda Franklin grew up tough, fast, and convinced of her inability to ever nurture a child. Eli Page is the only man to earn Randy’s trust. For him, she will face her worst fear—spend a day caring for his granddaughter. When the unthinkable happens, Randy realizes she’s the same as her mother was—a monster. 

How can he choose…? 
Widower Eli Page devoted the last fifteen years of his life to raising his daughter Celeste. Now it’s time for his happiness. His future. But six weeks before his wedding to Randy, Celeste skips town, leaving her one-year-old daughter for Eli to raise. Randy wants no part in raising a child—but how can she expect him to turn away his own granddaughter? 

Charley
A MOTHER’S WORST FEAR 
Charlene Hubbard wanted the dream—a loving husband, a fulfilling career, and a few kids. When it looked like she’d have to settle for two out of three, God dropped a child into her empty arms. For fifteen years Charley kept the secret of that adoption close, fearful that the truth would make her less of a mother in the eyes of the child she loves. 

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Next on the list, two books

COMPLEX: A Sweet Small town Standalone Romance (Eron Outsiders Book 1)

Amazon qote:

The detective’s mother has gone missing. Her family is the prime suspect in her disappearance…

After ten years away, Sofia Wise returns home to mourn the loss of her grandmother, and she’s desperate to reconnect with her family.
When a dark, devastatingly handsome stranger shows up on her family’s doorstep, Sofia takes one look and is tempted to make her visit permanent. The problem is, the town’s detective is suspicious of her entire family, and it might take some convincing to prove that she’s more interested in the man himself than in the complex case at hand.

Trevor Freeman is a hardworking detective for the town of Eron. When his mom disappears, he blames the Wise family and will stop at nothing until they are brought to justice —that is, until Sofia Wise blows into town. The mysterious, beautiful member of the notorious Wise clan complicates everything, distracting him from his investigation and threatening to steal his heart.

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Beyond Repair: A Sweet Small town Standalone Bad Boy Romance (Eron Outsiders Book 3)

Amazon quote:


Hiding from her troubled past, Jules Demski sequesters herself in the mountains of Eron, Colorado, the only place she’s ever felt safe. Her solitude is shattered when an injured man staggers into her family’s barn.
Burned once and still in repair, the last thing she needs is another criminal on her hands. If she can only convince her heart of this, she just might be able to resist the interloper’s charm.


Former gangster Lorenzo Macedo has cleaned up his act, but now he’s running for his life. He stumbles upon a barn just as a bullet pierces his body.
Jules appears standoffish and cold, but the tender way she nurses Lorenzo reveals a soft-hearted, passionate woman aching for her own wounds to be healed. No woman has ever set his blood on fire like Jules, but he has nothing to offer her except a life on the run.
Can Jules and Lorenzo find redemption in the small town, or are their lives Beyond Repair?

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I’m definitely enjoying my current read. It’s fun and still a bargain. I like their quirky humor and snappy comebacks.

Christmas at the End of Main Street (A Nestled Hollow Romance Book 2) 

All either of them wants for Christmas are some jingle bells, to deck the halls, and for everyone to stop finding them dates.

Macie Zimmerman would love to get married and start a family. But after so much searching, she’s sick of having hope that something will work out. All she needs is a good six months of no dating– time she could spend building her business, Paws and Relax, and hanging out with the animals who show her all the love she needs– to be able to face it again. If only she can keep everyone in town from trying to find her a husband.

High school teacher Aaron Hall plans to never get married. He got engaged once, and it turned out as awful as his parents’ marriage had. But that doesn’t stop all his married friends from trying to convince him otherwise. And worst of all, his students are now determined to find him a wife before the end of the school year.

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It’s Saturday, I’m going to get comfortable and read awhile before tackling a few chores.

Enjoy the day.

Happy Reading!

Bargain books November 06, 2020

/ For the Love of Books / Leave a comment

I’m browsing for books today, with some success I might add. All three are bargain at prices too.

This first one I’ve read in a collection somewhere, can’t recall where but I do remember the story. I liked it a lot.

A Song to Call Ours: (Front Porch Promises Book 5)

Amazon quote:

Amanda Reynolds has always dreamed of being a songwriter and recording artist, so she drops out of music school and heads for Nashville. But when her car breaks down in a tiny eastern Tennessee town, her dreams take a big detour.

Mitchell Cunningham loves running his garage and repairing cars in his small hometown. But Amanda’s appearance makes him reconsider his priorities, especially the one about staying away from any woman who doesn’t share his small-town dreams.

When a big break in the Nashville music scene comes Amanda’s way, what will Mitch do to keep from losing the woman he loves?

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This next one is in the same series but, thankfully, it’s one I haven’t read yet. Glancing through the first few pages I think it will be next on my TBR list.

A Family to Call Ours: (Front Porch Promises Book 4)

Amazon quote:

Young widow Tara Madsen has spent the last two years dealing with her eight-year-old daughter’s battle with cancer. Now a new job means the opportunity to give Hailey the best Christmas ever, but the arrival of Caleb Fitzpatrick, her employers’ son, and overreaching authorities put that goal in jeopardy.

Caleb returns to his small Massachusetts hometown with one mission—to make sure another charlatan doesn’t take advantage of his parents and their generosity. When he meets Tara, the new receptionist at the family business, he is immediately on guard. A pretty blonde fooled him once before, and he will make sure it doesn’t happen again.

Will Tara’s sincere and giving nature soften Caleb’s heart and help him learn to trust and love again?

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Or maybe this one, it looks interesting. Everything about this book is new to me, I’m excited by new.

Christmas at the End of Main Street (A Nestled Hollow Romance Book 2

Amazon quote:

All either of them wants for Christmas are some jingle bells, to deck the halls, and for everyone to stop finding them dates.

Macie Zimmerman would love to get married and start a family. But after so much searching, she’s sick of having hope that something will work out. All she needs is a good six months of no dating– time she could spend building her business, Paws and Relax, and hanging out with the animals who show her all the love she needs– to be able to face it again. If only she can keep everyone in town from trying to find her a husband.

High school teacher Aaron Hall plans to never get married. He got engaged once, and it turned out as awful as his parents’ marriage had. But that doesn’t stop all his married friends from trying to convince him otherwise. And worst of all, his students are now determined to find him a wife before the end of the school year.

This Christmas, Macie and Aaron are teaming up to make everyone believe they’re dating each other so they’ll quit trying to line them up with others. But as this fake relationship takes them to holiday parties, events around town, and his school’s winter formal, and “fake” starts to feel “real,” can they overcome the obstacles in their way?

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I’m currently reading book two of this collection. Just started actually. I’m tempted to put this read aside in favor of today’s books but maybe I’ll persevere a little longer first. I had trouble relating to the characters in book one but with different author, different main character maybe it will go better this time.

Something Borrowed: Christmas Weddings Collection 

Book two:

All the Moore by Toni Shiloh — Leilah Anderson has been living behind the screen to hide her disability, then she meets Reggie Moore face-to-face. Can their relationship survive the truth and distance between them?

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This has been a good day for books, I’m pleased. I hope you are too.

Happy Reading y’all