Month: December 2020

Change of heart

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It’s a woman’s prerogative to change her mind, or so they say. I need to tell you I have changed my mine.

Yesterday I complained about a current read with an agenda. I did know it had a major agenda but downloaded it anyway. I wanted to see what the author had to say. I didn’t expect the major player, (non-fiction,) to be hung on a minor player, (a fiction story.)

The non fiction portion was significant. It turned out to be a theological study built on the framework of the chemistry professor Emily Worth‘s questions. Noah Shepherd was a theology professor at the same secular university and Emily’s friend recommended him as someone able to answer her many questions.

Noah went into greater detail than expected and I will admit I read very little of it. The real reason I quickly skimmed was – textbook learning does not work for me. It never has. I know this to be true by the completed two years of a three year Bible college course. I felt a distinct lack of disappointment when my college experience was cut short due to lack of funds. Many of my friends would be horrified with my attitude.

At one point in their discussions Noah made the comment about some of his answers coming from post graduate material. No wonder I was zoning out.

Anyway, I persevered with the story and eventually my appreciation for the book changed.

I stumbled across a few paragraphs of casual conversation where Noah was encouraging Emily in how the material he shared would apply to her situation. There were several light-bulb moments when his words resonated with me, fitting perfectly with where I am in life. I love it when that happens. Those few moments made the whole read worth while for me.

I think the beauty of a story in the background was ease of transition from one subject to another. He could end the days discussion after giving her enough to chew on. It was kind of a Cliff’s Notes treatment of a huge subject. Seamless.

So there we are, I’ve set the record straight and I feel better. Now I will share the book with you. Maybe you enjoy text book learning and would appreciate this mini theology course.

Immortality 

Amazon quote:

If you had a free summer, how would you fill it? Chemistry Professor Emily Worth is working with friends at Bishop Space Repair, Inc who are repairing satellites in space via repair robots. She’s finishing a design for a new type of battery. And she’s also doing some traveling to explore the Rocky Mountains. It’s going to be an enjoyable three months. A relatively new Christian, she wants to know God better than she does now and that, too, is part of her summer plans. What she hadn’t considered was a summer romance, but walks into one compliments of God who has been richly blessing her. This is the story of Emily Worth and Noah Shepherd. It’s also a story of God’s romance with us through Jesus for God has purposed in His heart to love us forever. Dee Henderson is the author of numerous novels

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My current read is heavy too. It’s all fiction but it deals with addictions and spiritual warfare.

A Harmony for Steve (Romantic Suspense) (Song of Suspense Series Book 4) 

Amazon quote:

Christian contemporary singing sensation, daughter of Christian radio and media family counselor icons, HARMONY HARPER, has spent her entire life serving God. From teen sensation to celebrated adult Christian contemporary music artist, she regularly plays sold-out concerts everywhere she goes. Nearing thirty, and nearing burnout, Harmony heads to her mountain cabin hideaway to commune with Christ and compose some new music.

Hard rocker STEVE SLAYER faces an ultimatum: keep rocking life the hard way and watch his organs fail due to addictions, or, sober up – for real this time – and live. Hiding out in the mountains of Oregon, he spends weeks detoxing. Finally strong enough to venture into town, he comes face to face with Harmony. Over the next several weeks, the two become unlikely friends as Steve learns to love and trust God, and mutual attraction surprises them both.

Once news of their budding romance reaches the world, no one is happy. Not her people – not his people. Then letters written in blood start arriving. An attack on a concert threatens more than just their lives. Harmony and Steve realize the threats might just be real

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

It has been a slow day with book suggestions. I’ve spent most of the day reading, my energy levels are not the greatest today and I haven’t felt like searching. Maybe tomorrow.

Just think. In a few hours it will be 2021.

Happy New Year!!!

Happy Reading!

Bargain books December 30, 2020

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BookBub has a bargain suggestion to help us close out the year. This author was part of a recent collection downloaded and enjoyed. Five Gold Rings

A Harmony for Steve (Romantic Suspense) (Song of Suspense Series Book 4) 

Amazon quote:

Christian contemporary singing sensation, daughter of Christian radio and media family counselor icons, HARMONY HARPER, has spent her entire life serving God. From teen sensation to celebrated adult Christian contemporary music artist, she regularly plays sold-out concerts everywhere she goes. Nearing thirty, and nearing burnout, Harmony heads to her mountain cabin hideaway to commune with Christ and compose some new music.

Hard rocker STEVE SLAYER faces an ultimatum: keep rocking life the hard way and watch his organs fail due to addictions, or, sober up – for real this time – and live. Hiding out in the mountains of Oregon, he spends weeks detoxing. Finally strong enough to venture into town, he comes face to face with Harmony. Over the next several weeks, the two become unlikely friends as Steve learns to love and trust God, and mutual attraction surprises them both.

Once news of their budding romance reaches the world, no one is happy. Not her people – not his people. Then letters written in blood start arriving. An attack on a concert threatens more than just their lives. Harmony and Steve realize the threats might just be real.

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

1531 Entertainment has a bargain suggestion for us, a much different read than the one above. An author new to me, a nice chance for an introduction.

Finders Keepers (The Jane Barnaby Adventures Book 1)

Amazon quote:

It should have been a simple job. All archaeology student Jane Barnaby had to do was pick up a box her professor needed and deliver it to him at his dig site, along with his new car. Yes, his office was in Oxfordshire, and his dig site was in Spain, a trip of 1,400 miles across three countries and two bodies of water. Still, it should have been simple.

And it was, until Jane discovered she picked up the wrong box by mistake. Not the one with boring pottery samples, but instead the one with priceless ancient Egyptian artifacts. The one that a team of international art thieves is after.

Now she’s chasing – and being chased by – the thieves. And she’s picked up a pair of passengers who claim they can help her outwit them, get her professor’s pottery back and return the artifacts to their rightful owner. If only she could figure out which one of them is working with the thieves and which one she can trust in this high-stakes game of finders keepers.

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The jury is out for me on this next author. Several books from one of her other series showed up on my TBR list and I was unable to make a successful connection with them. This series seems quite different, I want to give it a try to see if it is a better experience.

One Day Gone: A Mylas Grey Mystery (Mylas Grey Mysteries Book 1)

Amazon quote:

Mylas Grey is a private investigator but don’t call him a private detective.

That title belongs to his father—not to him.

Mylas is the Chief Investigator for Senator Davis Allen, the chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee. His job is to do background investigations for the President’s judicial nominees, and that’s the only kind of investigation he’s interested in doing.

But then Lizzie, the Senator’s daughter, goes missing from her campus apartment.

And suddenly, just like that, Mylas finds himself back in his hometown of Columbia, Missouri, investigating her disappearance as if he were a run-of-the-mill private detective.

Nothing about the investigation is easy.

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I don’t really want to talk about my current read. It has a strong agenda, that’s why; and I’m not a fan. It has a weak story line, a spin off of another book I did enjoy and because of that I want to see how the story ends. To be fair, though, I did know there was an agenda when I downloaded and I wanted to see what the author had to say. I think I figured it was a teaching book only. I’m fussy y’all.

I’m trying to decide where to go next but I’m feeling ambivalent about the current choices. Maybe it’s just the mood I’m in. I am leaning toward something from the last couple of download days though.

In the meantime…

Happy Reading

Book Review – Undetected

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If I had a 100 Favorites book list this would be on it. This is the 480 page book mentioned yesterday as my possible next read. Once started, I’m no longer sure why it took me so long to get around to it. I imagine I thought it was a stressful thriller when really (by comparison) it’s a milder romance.

Undetected

Amazon synopsis:

When asked what he does for a living . . .

Commander Mark Bishop is deliberately low-key: “I’m in the Navy.” But commanding the ballistic missile submarine USS Nevada, keeping her crew trained and alert during ninety-day submerged patrols, and being prepared to launch weapons on valid presidential orders, carries a burden of command like few other jobs in the military. Mark Bishop is a man who accepts that responsibility, and handles it well. And at a time when tensions are escalating around the Pacific Rim, the Navy is glad to have him.

Mark wants someone to come home to after sea patrols. The woman he has in mind is young, with a lovely smile, and very smart. She’s a civilian, yet she understands the U.S. Navy culture. And he has a strong sense that life with her would never be boring. But she may be too deep in her work to see the potential in a relationship with him.

Gina Gray would love to be married. She has always envisioned her life that way. A breakup she didn’t see coming, though, has her focusing all her attention on what she does best–ocean science research. She’s on the cusp of a major breakthrough, and she needs Mark Bishop’s perspective and help. Because what she told the Navy she’s figured out is only the beginning. If she’s right, submarine warfare is about to enter a new and dangerous chapter.

I was sad when this story ended. That’s my only complaint.

On the other hand, there are so many things about this book that I loved.

It was definitely engaging.

The research that must have gone into this story is mind boggling. The extensive technical descriptions of life on a armed submarine were highly detailed and believable, to me anyway. I found the life and discoveries of a scientific genius were also detailed and believable. The third part of all this involves the interactions of the characters. The relationships were complex and surprising in the unexpected way they played out.

There were 480 pages and every one of them was savored. Well, almost every one, there may have been a handful of scattered pages describing scenes on the sub where I skimmed a little. The need to read every single page doesn’t happen to me very often but it did for sure this time.

There was a mountain of technical information but at no point did I feel like I was being fed or educated. Dee Henderson has the show-not-tell method conquered.

When I think about the deep complexity of every aspect of this story, I am left shaking my head in wonder. I cannot imagine what it would take to write like this. I would guess that depth in a book is reflective of depth in the author, I think it would be difficult to write what isn’t in you to begin with. Dee Henderson has it in spades.

I was in love with the characters and the life they were living (with all it’s stresses and challenges) I did not want the book to end.

And that’s how it should be.

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

I’m not sure where I will go next, This reading experience will be a hard act to follow. I think I need to savor it a bit before deciding on the next book.

Going forward, I’m tempted to start a 100 Favorite Books list with Undetected as the first added to the lineup.

Read and enjoyed Christmas edition.

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This first one was my favorite. Judging by the title I was expecting a fluff kind of read but that’s not what happened. It was a thought provoking experience. All the way around it was a good time. It is still bargain priced if you are interested. The stories are all connected in someway and I love the way they’ve pulled it altogether.

Five Gold Rings (Crossroads Collection) 

Amazon quote:

Christmas Mercy by Jaycee Weaver
As the web of lies that kept Rob away from Vera and their daughter unravels, the months following his return test their capacity for mercy, forgiveness, and a second chance at love.

The Seven Year Glitch by Hallee Bridgeman
Seven years earlier, Timothy left Leanne at the altar stealing years of happiness. Leanne rescues him from a rooftop in a floodplain and it is clear there is much more to the story. Can their love redeem the hurts of the past to rescue their future?

Laughing All the Way by Lesley Ann McDaniel
When Jessica’s friends put her up to “fixing” their commitment phobic co-worker, Conner, she doesn’t take them very seriously. Conner doesn’t know whether to laugh at Jessica or tell her to mind her own business.

Ghosted at the Altar by Chautona Havig
After his fiancée, Brenna, abandons Mitchell on their wedding day, she insists she loves him and still wants to marry him. As truths come to light, her little sister, Lauren, turns sleuth to solve the mystery of why Brenna ghosted Mitchell at the altar.

Five Gold Rings by Amanda Tru
When three relationship-challenged couples wish for Christmas weddings, commitment coach, Oliver, teams up with a wedding planner, TeraLyn, to help make their marriage dreams come true.

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

I liked this next one too. This short read is still a bargain.

Relentless: A Raven Remington 

You’ve read about her in the Worst Detective Ever mystery series. Now Raven Remington comes to life in this novella that’s written as if it’s a TV show.

An ex-CIA operative. A top-secret mission. Danger that lurks at every turn.

Raven Remington is facing her most challenging mission: protecting the man who may have killed her sister. The former spy is still trying to integrate into life as a civilian and figure out whom to trust. With each passing day, the task becomes more difficult.

Can Raven figure out who is trying to assassinate the man—the senator—she’s been tasked to protect . . . or will surprises hidden just below the surface destroy life as she knows it?

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Another great short read that is still a bargain.

Ride with Me: A clean, sweet, faith-filled, small-town romance, where life begins at forty.

Hotel magnate Henry Scott lives life in the fast lane. True to form, when his great-uncle leaves him property and a Victorian house in Chapel Cove, he takes a weekend drive, only intending to stay long enough to evaluate his new found assets. If they aren’t a viable option for the next Scott Leisure Resort, he just might consider selling to the couple who’d expressed an interest in buying the old place. After all, if not for them, he would never have known about this last part of his great-uncle’s will, sealed for almost a decade.

When her new neighbor rolls into town, Tash Thornton is less than impressed. Not only is the man presumptuous and audacious, he’s downright egotistical. His grand plans for the property adjoining her stables, tack shop, and riding school do not bode well for her business.

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

The rest were excellent as well.

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

Currently, I’m between reads. I’ve finished all of the newest downloads that caught my attention. I’ll take a look at some of the earlier downloads, maybe I can knock off another older one. Seems fair to me.

I like this author, I’ve been reading her for years. The only reason I have put this one off is the intensity of this genre, and the length. I love long books but… it’s 480 pages. I think I’m hooked and it is relaxed Christmas week, I can afford to spend the time.

Undetected by Dee Henderson

When asked what he does for a living . . .

Commander Mark Bishop is deliberately low-key: “I’m in the Navy.” But commanding the ballistic missile submarine USS Nevada, keeping her crew trained and alert during ninety-day submerged patrols, and being prepared to launch weapons on valid presidential orders, carries a burden of command like few other jobs in the military. Mark Bishop is a man who accepts that responsibility, and handles it well. And at a time when tensions are escalating around the Pacific Rim, the Navy is glad to have him.

Mark wants someone to come home to after sea patrols. The woman he has in mind is young, with a lovely smile, and very smart. She’s a civilian, yet she understands the U.S. Navy culture. And he has a strong sense that life with her would never be boring. But she may be too deep in her work to see the potential in a relationship with him.

Gina Gray would love to be married. She has always envisioned her life that way. A breakup she didn’t see coming, though, has her focusing all her attention on what she does best–ocean science research. She’s on the cusp of a major breakthrough, and she needs Mark Bishop’s perspective and help. Because what she told the Navy she’s figured out is only the beginning. If she’s right, submarine warfare is about to enter a new and dangerous chapter.

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

Happy Reading …

on this lazy winter day. An excellent day for kicking back with a good book.

A little this, a little that, at Christmas

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This is story prompt Sunday. The word was Jolly. I feel happy and jolly, but totally pulled a blank when it came to anything jolly worth writing about. It’s not a great day for book suggestions either so it will be a this and that kind of a blog day.

I’m good with it. Many thoughts are busily floating through my mind at the moment. As usual, I don’t have any of this planned out. It will be another lets see where we end up post. I’m currently feeling upbeat and I’m pretty sure the post will sound that way too. I don’t want to take a chance with the good vibes I’ve got going on.

I will admit, briefly, that the lead up to this week was anything but jolly. There were a number of emotionally charged things going on and it all brought me to a place where, for days, I just wanted to cry. I couldn’t figure out why. I thought maybe if I gave in to the need the pressure would ease. There were no tears, so that idea was of no value. One thing did help, I counted up all the stresses over the previous week. That explained a lot. Once you get past a certain number a melt down is inevitable.

I worried that a lock-down covid Christmas would only make things worse. Thankfully the opposite happened.

It all began on the 21st when things started out sideways. My daughter-in-law talked about a video call at 4 pm, my eldest and his family. When it didn’t come at four as suggested I thought it wasn’t happening after all. Part way through a piece of blueberry pie my cell phone rang with a video call. No time for primping. I can laugh about it now.

Our whole family gets along well and has a lot of fun together but, scattered all over the country we don’t see each other very often. None of us are good with phone calls either. When we do talk though, it goes on for hours. After three hours I’d seen most of the house and talked with everyone in the house. It was just what I needed.

The next night we had scheduled a full family Zoom call. The first one we’ve ever had as a group and it was four hours of awesome. Nothing fancy or spectacular just the simple joy of being together and seeing each other. I think a few grandkids and a spouse or two may have checked out after awhile and left us to it.

I think part of the reason we were all fully in the moment was the recent loss of an extended family member. It reminded us of the fragility of life. Some of us are not getting any younger and the sudden, unexpected passing could have been any one of us. It sounds like we are going to commit to regular monthly visits while we still can. Just not four hours long. I’m couldn’t be happier about the promise of more visits.

Christmas Eve I delivered gifts to my daughter’s family in the city. I didn’t plan to stay long with covid restrictions in place but I was there long enough to see most of another family Zoom call with the extended side of the family. They enjoy each other immensely too and it was a treat to experience their interactions.

I enjoy all of the families my kids have married into. I feel very blessed. Most, if not all of us, find it easy to allow others into our family circles and it’s awesome.

So, aside from conversations I had fun with gifts this year.

I usually just give the teen-aged boys money. I’m a lousy shopper and I want them to be happy. I fully intended to use that method again this year but at the last minute changed my mind and ordered something. It wasn’t a new thought, I’ve been wanting to do it for awhile now but waffled.

I gave them a family Christmas card explaining that I decided to spend their money for them, the gift would be arriving before the 31st and it is a secret. I know they will love the gift. In the meantime curiosity is driving them crazy. It’s a good thing I’m not with them or they would be dragging it out of me. Anticipation is a good thing sometimes.

Included in the bag with the card was a couple of big bags of variety junk food, flavored chips, and three books. Big books.

Several years ago when their cousins (my other grandkids) were visiting I gifted them with a couple of full bags of books. My goal was to find stories they could get hooked on and from there develop a love of reading. I had selection help from a nerdy, teen-age book-lover sales clerk so I knew the options offered were good.

I held back three books (all part of a series with stand alone books) waiting for them to be in need of more reading material. Middle boy is the book lover, boys one and three – not so much… not yet anyway. The distress over the thought of such long books was hilarious. Their dad said he would give oldest boy fifty dollars if he read the whole 600 pages. (If dad was serious about the reward I think I will make a contribution to the incentive. Must check it out.)

Their reaction was no surprise and I didn’t take it personally. Reading is such an important skill, I wanted to do my part to provide tempting reading material. One day they will find a book they love. Aside from that, it gets easier with practice so any book they read will take them in the right direction.

I know they will be happy with the gift when it arrives, It will have them forgetting all about books, I’m sure.

I was unsure how I would feel about coming home to an empty house at this time of year. Usually I would stay with them for a few days to make the most of the season.

Once in a while, when I return from a family visit, grief at being alone will hit me like an unexpected tidal wave. It didn’t happen this time. I think there were several reasons. My emotional tank was refilled with the many hours spent with my family. (virtual works for me.) At the same time someone was praying for me. A friend mentioned I have been on her mind lately and she’s been praying for me even though she had no idea what the need was. I can still feel the comfort of her prayers wrapped all around me. I am grateful beyond words.

It was in answer to my prayers too. Earlier in the week I had cried out to God in my despair and he answered me. (there is a bible verse that says it like that). The change was so dramatic it feels like a miracle.

So, that’s my story. It has been an unexpectedly good Christmas and I still feel good.

(I hope the same for you)

Bargain books for Christmas Day

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If we are alone on this covid Christmas a good book is a wonderful friend. BookBub has a couple of awesome bargain suggestions for us.

This first one is from an author frequently on my TBR list. All three books in the collection are new to me.

Kennedy Stern (Christian Suspense 3-Book Box Set 1)

Amazon quote:

Three full-length suspense novels from multi-award winning Christian novelist Alana Terry. A three-in-one bundle of suspense and page-turning excitement as missionary kid Kennedy Stern faces more danger, mystery, and controversy than she knows how to handle.

Confronted with questions of underage abortion, plagued by a stalker and paralyzing PTSD flashbacks, and eventually caught in the center of a police brutality scandal, Kennedy discovers that her first year at Harvard University involves a lot more than passing a few lab classes and fulfilling her premed requirements.

With her parents serving North Korean refugees overseas, Kennedy befriends a loving and highly opinionated pastor, his hospitable and encouraging wife, an eccentric but respectful roommate whose worldview is drastically different from Kennedy’s, and a foreign lab partner who’s harboring a grave secret he’d do just about anything to keep from being exposed.

The Kennedy Stern Christian suspense series tackles controversial issues facing the church today and brings them to light in a way that encourages questions and fosters discussions without ever turning preachy or heavy-handed.

Find out why readers from all faiths and denominations, all walks of life, and all sides of the political spectrum are devouring this thought-provoking series from edgy Christian fiction author Alana Terry, who has won awards from Women of Faith, Grace Awards, The Book Club Network, Readers’ Favorite, and many others.

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This next collection is from an author I have read once or twice. I think it is worth a shot, for sure.

Piercehaven Box Set: The Complete Series 

Amazon quote:

Piercehaven (Book 1)

A new teacher. A dark secret. A bunch of kids caught in the middle. 

Emily has just moved to a remote Maine island, but it feels like a different planet. Everything seems to be a mystery. Is her new job really in danger? Is the gorgeous lobsterman really interested in her? Is it possible an entire town is that obsessed with basketball? 

Windmills (Book 2)

Piercehaven Power wants to erect two windmills on Chicken Hill. Some islanders will do anything to stop this from happening. Will the controversy rip this tight-knit community apart? Can Emily’s new softball team put this small Maine island back together again?

Trespass (Book 3)

A young lobsterman is missing. Is it foul play? And why is James acting so weirdly? Emily is trying to plan a wedding, but does she really know the man she’s about to marry? Does she really know anyone on the island?

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

Currently, I have a number of books on the go but haven’t managed to get caught up in any of them. They are left stranded on the side of the reading-highway.

Instead of giving them second chances at this moment, I’m going to start reading a new collection downloaded back in October. It includes some favorite authors and is still a bargain if you are tempted.

Five Gold Rings (Crossroads Collection) 

Amazon quote:

Christmas Mercy by Jaycee Weaver
As the web of lies that kept Rob away from Vera and their daughter unravels, the months following his return test their capacity for mercy, forgiveness, and a second chance at love.

The Seven Year Glitch by Hallee Bridgeman
Seven years earlier, Timothy left Leanne at the altar stealing years of happiness. Leanne rescues him from a rooftop in a floodplain and it is clear there is much more to the story. Can their love redeem the hurts of the past to rescue their future?

Laughing All the Way by Lesley Ann McDaniel
When Jessica’s friends put her up to “fixing” their commitment phobic co-worker, Conner, she doesn’t take them very seriously. Conner doesn’t know whether to laugh at Jessica or tell her to mind her own business.

Ghosted at the Altar by Chautona Havig
After his fiancée, Brenna, abandons Mitchell on their wedding day, she insists she loves him and still wants to marry him. As truths come to light, her little sister, Lauren, turns sleuth to solve the mystery of why Brenna ghosted Mitchell at the altar.

Five Gold Rings by Amanda Tru
When three relationship-challenged couples wish for Christmas weddings, commitment coach, Oliver, teams up with a wedding planner, TeraLyn, to help make their marriage dreams come true.

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

As I struggle to keep my eyes open I’m having second thoughts about timing. I definitely need a power nap first.

I have this electronic Christmas Advent Calendar from my daughter-in-law and it includes some addicting games. About midnight last night, a few quick games seemed like a good idea. Too bad I couldn’t resist just one more, I could have been asleep before the winter sun came up on the third shortest day of the year.

It was fun and I’m not driving anywhere, so it’s all good.

I’ll start the new read after a nap.

In the meantime,

Happy Reading y’all

Merry Christmas!

FREE and bargain books December 24, 2020

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It’s Christmas Eve Day! For the moment I am feeling festive in this less than normal time in our lives. Festive moments are good. I like them a lot. The last hour was spent listening to an inspiring podcast about story telling and the importance of regaining our sense of wonder. It was a lot to take in and I plan on listening to it again, probably more than once. My joy in this moment is a direct result of that experience, at a time when I really needed it.

I had no plans to share this podcast with you but here it is anyway. Harris III speaks to the cynical and shares why a sense of wonder can be restored and why it is so important in leadership and in story telling.

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So, back to books – FREE and bargains.

BookBub has a suggestion for us and it is a story that was part of a collection downloaded recently. I’ve read this book and it was excellent. It’s FREE today, this is a good time to take advantage of the opportunity.

A Christmas Homecoming (Sunriver Dreams Book 2)

Amazon quote:

Can the mystery of Christmas unite two hurting hearts?

Bailey Calderwood gives all she has to her job as an interior design assistant, but her best isn’t good enough for her demanding, bed-ridden boss. For some unexplained reason Mona has turned against her. At least not everyone is out to get her. A mysterious admirer is sending her cards and flowers. Could it be her boss’s son who’s recently returned home in time for the holidays?

Stephen Belafonte rushes home from France to be with his mother after her stroke, and is surprised by the rift between his mom and Bailey, her assistant. When his mom demands he fire Bailey, he’s torn between respecting his mother’s wishes and doing what’s best for the family business. Can Stephen find a way to heal the rift in his family as well his own heart, or will he be forced to let Bailey go?

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BookRunes also has a FREE suggestion, one I’ve read and enjoyed.

Gift of the Magpie

Amazon quote:

Award-winning author Amanda Larrowe has shut off communication with friends and family to meet her next book’s deadline. But as storms move into Richmond, Virginia, Amanda learns that Camden Lancaster, a high school sweetheart, has moved in across the street.

After ten years, Amanda’s heart still smarts from the humiliating aftermath of their perfect high-school Valentine’s Day date. Camden may have transformed into a handsome, amiable man, but his charming smile doesn’t win her trust—and certainly not Amanda’s heart. When Cam doesn’t recognize her on their first two encounters, she thinks it’s safe to be his fair-weather neighbor.

Boy is she wrong.

Amanda is about to learn that first loves and broken hearts can sometimes lead to second chances … and a crushing pain that last forever.

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I’m currently reading and almost finished, a book that is still a bargain.

Season of Hope 

Amazon quote:

When a shocking revelation shatters her family and her faith,
will truth prevail and mend what was broken?

Life is good for Ronnie Coborn.

She’s newly married to a man who loves her and dotes on her daughter. A man handpicked by Ronnie’s father, a popular pastor at a megachurch who’s been married to her mother for forty years.

Yes, life is good.

Until a shocking revelation exposes the fact that everything in her idyllic life—her marriage, family, and faith—is based on a lie.

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

Happy Reading …

… on the Christmas Eve Day.

Wishing you Peace.

Bargain books December 23, 2020

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Browsing has unearthed a few treasures for us today. Stumbling on this pre-order collection started the whole thing.

Save the Date: A Christian Romance Anthology of Faith-Filled Weddings

Some of the authors are familiar to me. I’m looking forward to experiencing the rest.

Amazon quote:

One epic collection. Twelve weddings to remember. RSVP for your front-row seat to inspirational romances that last a lifetime.

Hallee Bridgeman, Kari Trumbo, T.K. Chapin
Chautona Havig, Shoshanna Gabriel.
Dori Harrell, Liwen Y. Ho, Lisa M. Prysock, Camy Tang
Jan Thompson, Marion Ueckermann, Jaycee Weaver

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Season of Hope

Amazon quote:

When a shocking revelation shatters her family and her faith,
will truth prevail and mend what was broken?

Life is good for Ronnie Coborn.

She’s newly married to a man who loves her and dotes on her daughter. A man handpicked by Ronnie’s father, a popular pastor at a megachurch who’s been married to her mother for forty years.

Yes, life is good.

Until a shocking revelation exposes the fact that everything in her idyllic life—her marriage, family, and faith—is based on a lie.

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The Secondary Inheritance 

Amazon Quote:

An inheritance leads Anna to relocate to Lake Tahoe, the city where her heart was broken by Bryson, the only man she ever loved. Family secrets emerge, along with a new relationship, but she doesn’t know if she can trust Bryson not to hurt her again.

Realizing most of her family have passed away, Anna decides to become a foster parent with the hopes of adopting a baby. When baby Ember is placed with her, all her hopes and dreams are wrapped up in the child, and she’s told it’s a slam-dunk adoption case.

That is until Delilah, the child’s birth mother, shows up and decides she wants her baby back.

Neither women expect to form an unlikely friendship, but nothing is impossible with God’s love. With both of their futures hanging in the balance, will Anna and Delilah be able to find peace in the path forward?

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Anther pre-order

Everything Behind Us: A Murphy Brothers Story (Book 3)

Amazon quote:

Neither wants to relive the past, but they need each other to face the future.

Connor Murphy lives by a code of honor and service. Dignified, duty-bound, and responsible, he’s spent the past eight years as a single enlisted airman, determined never to mess up another person’s life the way he did Sadie’s. As long as he follows orders, does his job well, and avoids romantic entanglements, he’ll do just fine. Of course, that last part was easier before Sadie rolled back into town.

Sadie Allen never intended to return to Sugar Pine—her hometown hosts too much regret—but she can’t face her health crisis alone. Not with a four-year-old depending on her. Even so, Connor Murphy’s proposal of a marriage of convenience wasn’t exactly what she had in mind. She can’t fault his reasoning—her prognosis is grim and her son could use a father—but her heart aches at the thought of a marriage without romance. Especially to the one man she’s never gotten over.

The day-to-day challenges of Sadie’s illness are enough to strain the strongest relationships, let alone one hastily conceived in the shadow of past mistakes. Will the pressure be too much for their marriage to withstand, or will they allow God to forge something beautiful through their pain?

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This has been a good day for interesting new books.

Happy Reading!

Read and Enjoyed December 22, 2020

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My favorite read in this batch was fun. I think that’s what I liked most about it, the quirky sense of humor. It was also a cute story. It had substance rather than fluff but was still cute. It’s still a bargain too.

Spare Change by Aubrey Mace

Twenty-three and single, Riley thinks resolutions should be fun, not hard. Just before midnight, she vows to make the easiest resolution ever: save her pennies and at the end of the year, buy something nice for herself. Easy! …Or is it?
Working at a cancer treatment center can change one’s perspective, and before long Riley decides to donate her extra money to cancer research rather than reward herself. At first her resolution is her own secret, but all too soon the nurses figure out her plan, and then things really begin to get out of hand!
As people through the hospital, and then the town, begin to get involved, Riley finds herself at the front of the fund-raising campaign. She also finds herself face-to-face with Paul, the grouchy but cute bank teller. But can she overcome the memory of a failed relationship – and can he do the same? And who is the secret admirer who keeps leaving pennies and notes for her to find?

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There are three more recently read I may as well mention now too. All three are solid favorites

Fatal Winter: Clean Romance Mystery (Northern Shore Intrigue Book 3) This one was five stars.

Bookstore owner, Sylvie Patterson and Detective Ridge Matthews share hidden pain over the long ago tragedy that marked them both. But he’s only aware of part of her unspoken feelings. She knows her love for him has no future because of the breach over his younger brother’s death. Besides he lives hours away in Madison working as a state homicide detective. And after his brother’s tragic accident, Ridge shut down emotionally and keeps his distance from any reminder, especially Sylvie who witnessed the event.

When Sylvie’s cousin Ginger returns from Alaska to write her PhD dissertation, she moves into the apartment above Sylvie’s store. The evening Ginger arrives, she ends their final conversation with these cryptic words: Sylvie, I am going to wow you with a big surprise tomorrow!

Ridge has come to town to pick up the boy he’s assumed guardianship of. He visits Sylvie’s store to pick up Ben. When Ridge and Sylvie discover Ginger’s dead body, his boss orders him to stay and solve the murder. Ridge isn’t happy. He had planned on delivering the boy to a boarding school and go on with his life. Yet break-ins and odd occurrences—most connected to Sylvie and her family—keep him in town, the last place he wants to be. He’s forced to stay with his parents who have never dealt with the past, a constant reminder of what he couldn’t prevent. Plus he’s forced into contact with Sylvie. She’s farther along in reconciling with the past tragedy. Against his will, he begins to crave her company, her peace. The barriers between them crumble, stirring him to want more, feel more.

Worst of all though, Detective Matthews cannot discover any motive or solid clues for her cousin’s murder. Yet because of the continuing violence toward Sylvie’s family, he suspects that another murder might be coming. However, Sylvie refuses to believe that she might be next. What if she’s wrong? Can Ridge stand to lose her too? Why not download this page-turner today?

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The next two awesome books are by the same author.

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I’m loving my current read. I love the story but the best thing about this book is it doesn’t remind me of any other story I’ve ever read.

Ride with Me: A clean, sweet, faith-filled, small-town romance, where life begins at forty.

Hotel magnate Henry Scott lives life in the fast lane. True to form, when his great-uncle leaves him property and a Victorian house in Chapel Cove, he takes a weekend drive, only intending to stay long enough to evaluate his new found assets. If they aren’t a viable option for the next Scott Leisure Resort, he just might consider selling to the couple who’d expressed an interest in buying the old place. After all, if not for them, he would never have known about this last part of his great-uncle’s will, sealed for almost a decade.

When her new neighbor rolls into town, Tash Thornton is less than impressed. Not only is the man presumptuous and audacious, he’s downright egotistical. His grand plans for the property adjoining her stables, tack shop, and riding school do not bode well for her business.

Love thy neighbor, the Bible teaches—those people who cross your path each day. But with Henry Scott owning the land right next door, Tash fears God may expect her to show him a double portion of love.

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Happy Reading.

Check out some of these books. I think they are all still at bargain prices. They are definitely worth more, no question.

Bargain books December 21, 2020

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Favorite Mystery author Christy Barritt has a couple of bargain books I’ve not seen before.

Taken by Dark: A Carolina Moon novella 

Amazon quote:

Widowed single mom Willa Summers can’t deny that something strange is going on in her North Carolina hometown. She fears her pregnant sister-in-law, singer Daleigh McDermott, is the target of mysterious threats. Little does Willa know that she’s the one in danger.

When Declan Donovan shows up in the house next door, things seem to turn from bad to worse. Declan broke Willa’s heart more than a decade ago when he deserted her and chose a career with the FBI over small-town life with her. But now he may be the only one who can help keep everyone safe.

Declan must get to the bottom of things before the mysterious threats become reality. As the darkness closes in, everything Willa holds dear may be snatched from her—including a second chance at love. Will she be overtaken by the dark or will she escape its clutches in time?

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Relentless: A Raven Remington Novel

Amazon quote:

You’ve read about her in the Worst Detective Ever mystery series. Now Raven Remington comes to life in this novella that’s written as if it’s a TV show.

An ex-CIA operative. A top-secret mission. Danger that lurks at every turn.

Raven Remington is facing her most challenging mission: protecting the man who may have killed her sister. The former spy is still trying to integrate into life as a civilian and figure out whom to trust. With each passing day, the task becomes more difficult.

Can Raven figure out who is trying to assassinate the man—the senator—she’s been tasked to protect . . . or will surprises hidden just below the surface destroy life as she knows it?

*Relentless is based on the fictional TV show starring Hollywood starlet Joey Darling from The Worst Detective Ever mystery series.

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One more interesting bargain I’ve not seen before.

A Wish for Christmas

Amazon quote:

 How hard can it be to entertain a house full of guests without revealing they are at the wrong Inn? Mila needs money to satisfy the bank. All she has to do is give them a holiday they won’t forget and not fall in love with Garrett Donnelley and his family.

     Mila Vunderberg is in desperate need of money to save her family home. Left caring for an ailing grandmother who spends her days searching for a “treasure” that doesn’t exist, she has been forced to sell off pieces of her lineage to make ends meet. A blizzard blows in help in the form of a family looking for the perfect Christmas. 

     Garrett Donnelley’s family surprises him with the gift of a perfect Christmas in New York. When the driver drops them off at a beautiful home on the Hudson River, they are welcomed like family. Enchanted by Mila, Garrett sees visions of a future with her, but his hostess has secrets that threaten everything he cherishes.

     One man believes the treasure is real, and the Donnelley family is in his way. Mila and her treasure will be his one way or another.

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My current read: it’s still a bargain

Driftwood Danger (Saltwater Cowboys Book 5)

He’s on one side of the fight to preserve Cape Corral. She’s on the other.

Abigail Ferguson wakes up in a strange place with bruises on her face and her hands bound. Someone is trying to teach her family a painful lesson and using Abigail as a pawn. When she’s able to call for help, only one person comes to mind—law enforcement officer Grant Matthews.

Grant has been crazy about Abigail since they met. But her wealthy family is a long-standing enemy of locals, and dating her would feel like a betrayal to the community he serves. However, when Abigail is abducted and needs his help, nothing will stop him from rescuing and protecting her. 

As Abigail’s captor makes it clear he has more dastardly deeds planned, Grant and Abigail work together to try to find answers. But their growing feelings—and the obstacles between them—might put Abigail in even more danger. Can the two figure out this man’s identity before it’s too late? Or will the clever madman taunting Abigail stop at nothing to achieve what he wants?

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Happy Reading!