It’s casual browsing day today and it’s been fun. By the look of the first treasures found (I’m needing some light reading) I thought today was going to be a Cowboy – Marriage of Convenience theme. Several books are like that but then I came across something interesting with a darker side to it. There went my lighter theme. Oh well, variety is nice.

A Marriage of Convenience in the Show Me State (Cowboy Crossing Western Sweet Romance Book 5) 

Amazon quote:

Zane Hudson just got custody of his four young children. Only problem is, he can’t watch his kids and run his farm, too. He needs a permanent housekeeper. He has every intention of hiring someone until…

Waverley Madris is two months behind on her rent and about to lose her house and her children. Getting stuck with handsome Zane Hudson and his four kids in the Diner bathroom seems like just the type of thing that was just her luck.

Except she emerges from that bathroom an engaged woman.

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Show Me a Marriage of Convenience: Small-Town Single-Father Cowboy Romance (Cowboy Crossing Romances Book 1) 

Amazon quote:

An ex-player cowboy with a little son, the boy’s shy plus-size aunt, and a reluctant modern marriage of convenience only the boy is excited about… A sweet, clean, wholesome romance with a happily-ever-after!

Kade agrees to a crazy proposal from the woman his child adores. But as a former foster kid, Kade learned to walk away before getting hurt. Can he now learn to stay and love?

Heather Johnson dreams of a real marriage with the man her sister abandoned. But the rumor is Kade might leave their small town again and take her darling nephew with him. She’s reluctant to trust a womanizer, husband or not. If she allows love for him to ignite her heart, will her marshmallow-soft heart become roasted and burned?

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This next one is in the serious category. There are many forms of abuse in our world today and this is one of them.

Shattered Dream (Prisoners of Hope Book 1)

Amazon quote:

Cassie True dreams of the day she can resume her music career. Only one thing stands in her way, a court-ordered rehab program sponsored by a religious cult determined to steal her soul.

Singer/songwriter Cassie True enters a rehab program that promises to change her life. And it does…in ways she never expected. Caught in a religious cult’s ever-constricting web, she fights not only for her sanity but for the freedom to form real friendships. She longs to put alcoholism behind her, finish the program and return to her career. But when her friend is forcibly separated from her husband by the cult leader and a young boy is abused at the cult’s elementary school, she can’t stand by and do nothing.

Bucking the system is dangerous and could result in dismissal from the program—and a return to jail. Can Cassie and her coworker, Corban Dahlstrom, toe the party line yet work together behind the scenes to help others escape the cult’s clutches? Will they be able to withstand the fiery backlash that’s sure to come? Does their budding romance have a chance in a world where an iron-fisted leader controls all relationships?

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One more in the serious category. This is a second look for me, at this suggestion. In many ways it will be a tough read but the topic is timely. The reviews tell me I should take a chance on this. The writer’s treatment of the subject makes all the difference and reviews suggest this has been treated well.

More Than Us by Dawn Barker

Amazon quote:

When parents disagree on how to care for their child, is it justifiable to take extreme measures?

Emily and Paul have a glorious home, money in the bank and two beautiful children. Since leaving Scotland for Paul to play football for an Australian team they have been blessed. But sadness lies behind the picture-perfect family – sixteen-year-old Cameron has battled with health troubles his entire life. There’s no name for what he has, but his disruptive behaviour, OCD and difficulty in social situations is a constant source of worry.

When Paul’s career comes to a shuddering halt, he descends into a spiral of addiction, gambling away the family’s future. By the time he seeks help, it’s his new boss Damien who recommends and pays for a rehab facility.

While Paul is away, Emily has to make a tough decision about their son. She keeps it from Paul knowing he’ll disapprove. And when a terrible accident reveals the truth, Paul takes his son and goes on the run, leaving Emily to care for fourteen-year-old Tilly, who unbeknown to her parents is fighting battles of her own.

Can the family join together for the sake of their loved ones, or will their troubles tear them apart?

What people are saying about More than Us:

‘Dawn Barker has the reader enthralled and reading as quickly as possible to find out what happens to the complex, flawed, yet endearing main characters.’ Reader review

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Of the four, the book I’m looking forward to most at this moment is the first one, I’m in need of a lighter read to brighter my day. I’m not sure why that is exactly, it just is. Moods seem to be like the weather, unpredictable and change at a moments notice.

Before I can get to the new read I must finish the current one…

I think this one isn’t helping my mood. Probably because the villain reminds me of someone in my past. I think maybe I’d better speed read through this one.

Other than all that it has been a good weekend. I enjoyed a fun visit with my family and a pleasant sunshiny drive to get there yesterday.

I hope the weekend has gone well for you too.

Happy Reading