This looks like a fun read. Hilarious even. And it’s FREE.
Rodeo and Juliet: Sunny Ridge, Montana Book 1
Amazon quote:
Rodeo has never been closer to achieving his dream of buying his own ranch. But when his trick horse—his partner in every performance—falls for the lovely Juliet and refuses to leave her side, Rodeo’s plans go up in smoke. How can Rodeo persuade his stubborn horse to change his mind? Especially when Rodeo finds himself drawn to Jules, too…
Juliet is the careful twin, content to play it safe. She’s not interested in Rodeo—or his horse. But the more time she spends with the stubborn cowboy, the more she realizes there are hidden depths he doesn’t show anyone else. But feeling compassion for the man doesn’t mean she’s falling for him… does it?
Rodeo needs Jules’s help to convince his matchmaking horse to perform. Can these two put aside their pasts and embrace a future that fulfills dreams they won’t admit to?
**************************
I’ve read the first chapter and I think I may have to cancel my afternoon plans to read the rest.
I’ve not read another story even remotely like this one. Crazy horse.
Several days ago I shared the helpful video I had the good fortune to run across. It was an interview with Jennifer Kolari and can be found here.
I’m still thinking about some things she shared that impacted me most.
I did take notes but they are in the form of phrases, just enough to remind me of the thoughts I didn’t want to forget. I won’t be able to share the clear or complete explanations contained in the video. I refer you back to the video for that wealth of information. (This is my disclaimer: much hereafter is on me, the author can’t be blamed for any issues or misunderstandings. I do want to give her credit for the good parts though.)
One of the first significant phrases was “your body keeps the score”. There are many reasons why our brains do not retain memories, especially of traumatic events, but our bodies remember everything Jennifer says. I have never thought about it quite like that before (stored in the body rather than in the brain) but I have always been convinced that some part of me does remember all the things I don’t or won’t.
Another point, in regard to the out of proportion reactions we often have to people, situations, comments etc. — we need to find healing before we can learn how to respond rather than react. I totally get this. I’ve been working on it in my life for quite some time and lately have seen positive changes in my thoughts and actions. I appreciate what she is about to say on how to go about doing this.
Jennifer says “to heal it you’ve got to feel it.” I agree, and to do that we have to give ourselves permission to feel our emotions. Most of us have learned to push down and bottle up our feelings. Typically, over time the feelings fester and eventually erupt into something much worse than they were originally.
So here’s the part I’ve not heard expressed quite this way. She says we feel love with our heart and we feel fear with our gut. I guess I haven’t really thought about the heart response because the feelings there would be positive and pleasant. I have definitely noticed negative changes in the gut though. When I’m feeling anxious things definitely do not feel pleasant in my digestive area.
She says one of the reasons for this concept to be plausible is due to neurons.
Apparently both the heart and the gut have neurons, who knew. I did a little internet research and here’s what I found.
According to several sources, including sciencemag.org the gut contains millions of neurons and is directly connected to the brain. The vagus nerve is one of the largest nerves carrying messages back and forth at a dizzying rate. The site linked above is as recent as 2018. If we feel fear or anxiety there will be a reaction in the gut. For some of us it morphs into painful intestinal disorders and other similar diseases.
The heart similarly has a large number of neurons but it also has it’s own nervous system and brain. Sometimes called the little brain according to heartmath.org. In 1991 a scientist made this discovery. The heart and the head brain are also sending a dizzying number of message back and forth.
Wow! I have to say this little bit of exploration done in order to speak intelligently to Jennifer’s comments regarding the gut and the heart, has opened up a whole new world of information. It’s calling out to me, to look into it more and more thoroughly.
Bottom line for the original subject of this post; to be emotionally healthy it helps to understand how the heart and gut are tied to our thoughts and memories. We feel love in our heart, we feel fear in our gut. When we react to people rather than respond, which part of our body is involved? Most often it will be fear, the gut. The next question is what happened to us to cause this reaction? How is it tied to our early life, what traumatized us. A dog? Lost? Abused? What?
Jennifer’s point is that if we can figure out the originating event and allow ourselves to feel the irrational fear it will lose it’s power over us and we can move on. Feel the fear of the dog, the bully, the dark, whatever it is.
Here’s a little teaser about the heart brain.
I’m not sure if I have been able to stay on subject well enough to make sense but I hope so.
I think the main take away is that our emotional well being affects our physical well being. After that, it becomes a vicious cycle. Learning to read the signs and figuring out what to do to alleviate/repair issues and memories, can be life changing.
Check out the interview and the other links to learn more about this fascinating subject.
BoobBub has a FREE suggestion for us from an author who shows up here often. I have read this, one of the thirty downloads I have from Staci Stallings.
White Knight: A Contemporary Christian Romance Novel (The Courage Series, Book 2)
Amazon quote:
Hoping for some excitement and a little extra money, A.J. Knight signed up to be a Houston EMT. However, when he did, he never thought about the life-and-death situations he’d be put into or the lives that he might be called on to save. Worse, he never so much as considered the lives that might be lost under his watch.
Eve Knox understands what it’s like to have life ripped away in an instant. After the death of her first and only love in an unimaginable tragedy, she is struggling to go on with a life that seems to have been stripped of its former meaning. Hurting and alone, Eve knows her friends are just trying to help her cope, but their attempts to fill the void in her heart are starting to smother the spirit she once had. She sees no point in searching for love a second time, what happens when a second-chance love shows up in a way she never saw coming…
*************************
LPC Books has two FREE suggestions for us, I’ve read the first one.
Sticks and Stones (The Barn Church Series Book 2)
Amazon quote:
Since childhood, Julie Matthews has felt closest to God when singing. Mere days away from realizing her lifelong dream of singing professionally, she awakens in a hospital room unable to speak. Suddenly her dreams and God seem distant.
Rick Matthews supports his ambitious wife, but has no solution for the constant tension between them. During Julie’s recovery, Rick becomes Julie’s caregiver and their marriage undergoes a wonderful change–they rediscover each other.
But as Julie’s voice grows stronger, unseen wounds surface and years of unhealthy habits begin again to pull them apart. Faced with losing their newly rekindled love, Julie and Rick are forced to evaluate the state of their marriage and how their dysfunction has affected their marriage and their children.
Sticks and stones may break bones, but words can crush the spirit.
****************************
I think I had trouble getting into this next one as I’m being told I’ve not read it. It probably hit a little too close to home. The abuse part.
The Sanctum by Pamela Ling Cable
Amazon quote:
“Pamela King Cable has created an unforgettable heroine in Neeley McPherson, a remarkable young woman of such courage and spunk that she dares to stand against unspeakable abuse and injustice not only for herself but also for her beloved caretaker, Gideon. Fleeing a horrendous life, Neeley discovers the true meaning of family, forgiveness, and love in a wolf sanctuary, which becomes a central metaphor for the difficult journey we all must undertake to find our way home. Thoroughly enjoyable book!” ~ Cassandra King Conroy (Pat’s wife) – Bestselling author of Moonrise, The Same Sweet Girls, and The Sunday Wife“
This inspirational tale thrills with a tight plot, lyrical scene descriptions, and complex characters. Pamela Cable leaves readers aching for more.” ~ Julie Cantrell, New York Times bestselling author.
“I would compare The Sanctum to Harper Lee’s To Kill A Mockingbird. Set in the deep south during the Civil Rights Era, this book tackles such issues as racial discrimination and abuse.” ~ Kimberly A. Liston-McCabe
In the ongoing quest to find and feature books written by men, I have one more author for us to explore.
When I started on this theme yesterday I was thinking my list of male authors read-and-enjoyed was fairly short. Today I’m finding myself constantly thinking oh right, I forgot about him. The list is growing longer by the hour.
I probably have read today’s author somewhere along the way but it hasn’t been in recent memory. I’m looking forward to this experience.
The introduction to today’s book smacks of a more-than-meets-the-eye vibe and I find I want to read more.
The Trial
Amazon quote:
A lawyer ready to die takes one final case…the trial of his life.
Attorney Kent “Mac” MacClain has nothing left to live for. Nine years after the horrific accident that claimed the life of his wife and two sons, he’s finally given up. His empty house is a mirror for his empty soul, it seems suicide is his only escape. And then the phone rings.
Angela Hightower, the beautiful heiress and daughter of the most powerful man in Dennison Springs, has been found dead at the bottom of a ravine. The accused killer, Peter Thomason, needs a lawyer. But Mac has come up against the Hightowers and their ruthless, high-powered lawyers before — an encounter that left his practice and reputation reeling.
The evidence pointing to Thomason’s guilt seems insurmountable. Is Mac defending an ingenious psychopath, or has Thomason been framed–possibly by a member of the victim’s family? It comes down to one last trial. For Thomason, the opponent is the electric chair. For Mac, it is his own tormented past–a foe that will prove every bit as deadly.
***************************
Have you read this author before? What did you think of him?
I just watched the most amazing and helpful video podcast I’ve seen in a long time and I just had to share. It’s called The Superpower of the Calm Technique with Jennifer Kolari. I like learning how to do life better and how deal with triggers and reactions. This was so helpful.
She is qualified, wise, and articulate. Such a educational and eyeopening experience listening to/watching what she has to say about learning to respond rather than react. Conflicts in a relationship will loose their steam if we practice her techniques. They’ve done some role plays to demonstrate the way it will work. It was interesting to see how the calming influence changed the dynamics even in a pretend situation. Very cool.
Some of the concepts she presents I`ve kind of heard before but she explains things with new information I’ve not heard and it all makes such good sense.
Carey Nieuwhof introduces it this way – Jennifer Kolari on How to Deal with Irrational People, Customers and Team Members, and the Superpower of the CALM Technique.
Usually Carey`s interviewees have written a book but they didn`t talk about it this time although she has written at least one. In a YouTube search I found she has a lot of content related to parenting although she does a lot of corporate consulting as well.
I’m positive you will find this helpful in life’s situations if you are into good emotional health and productive relationships. Check it out.
There are male authors showing up on my favorites list but in all honesty the vast majority of books featured on this blog are from women authors. I’ve been wracking my brain for names and can’t come up with more than a couple of handfuls. Most of the writers coming quickly to mind are people I’ve read in the last 10 years and I know there were many others prior to that. I am sure with a little more time many others would come to mind. To feature more of them I need to be intentional in seeking them out.
I decided to focus today’s deep dive on men and I’ve come up with a couple of writers I’ve not seen much of. I’m not going to share more than one at a time though or I may run out of material for future posts. I’m hoping that isn’t the case but you just never know.
Looking at the pricing on their books it seems to be structured differently for some of them. Maybe they don’t come up as bargains often enough for me to have noticed them. With that in mind, I think it would be a good idea to explore the possibility of ebooks through the public library. It would definitely help open up new possibilities. They may even have recommendations for me.
This first one is an author I’ve not read but a quick examination of his book has me wanting to.
Dead Lawyers Tell No Tales
Amazon quote:
Landon Reed is an ex-quarterback convicted of organizing a points-shaving scheme. During his time in prison, he found forgiveness and faith and earned his law degree. Now he longs for an opportunity to prove his loyalty and worth. “Be careful what you ask for.“
Harry McNaughton is one of the founding partners of McNaughton & Clay—and the only lawyer willing to take a chance employing an ex-con-turned-lawyer. Though Landon initially questions Harry’s ethics and methods, it’s clear the crusty old lawyer has one of the most brilliant legal minds Landon has ever encountered. The two dive into preparing a defense for one of the highest-profile murder trials Virginia Beach has seen in decades when Harry is gunned down in what appears to be a random mugging. Then two more lawyers are killed when the firm’s private jet crashes. Authorities suspect someone has a vendetta against McNaughton & Clay, leaving Landon and the remaining partner as the final targets.
As Landon struggles to keep the firm together, he can’t help but wonder, is the plot related to a shady case from McNaughton & Clay’s past, or to the murder trial he’s neck-deep in now? And will he survive long enough to find out?
***************************
I’m hoping you will check out this author with me. Chime in with your favorite authors too.
Happy Reading.
Remember, I’m looking for clean.
Clean doesn’t mean boring. Not interested in boring.
This was a good story but not a favorite. Not a very good lead-off for something to do with a favorite author.
I’ve read many of her books and have positive thoughts whenever I see her name come up. But the truth is, not every book written is going to be the author’s best one. It wasn’t all bad though, really.
Vanished in the Night (Wrangler’s Corner Book 6) is the book in question.
The Amazon quote is really short so I’ll use it.
After saving Kaylee Martin from abduction and delivering her baby boy on the side of the road, Dr. Joshua Crawford can’t get them out of his mind.
Unfortunately, neither can Kaylee’s violent stalker. He’ll stop at nothing to get to the new mom and her child. Can Joshua keep them safe so they can become the family he’s dreamed about?
******************
It was a good story, when I stop and reflect honestly. It was well put together and had new and interesting twists and turns. I mean they weren’t entirely new, it was the variations that were new and fresh.
I enjoyed the characters. They were well developed and not always as they seemed. Which was good for the advancement of the story.
So, I enjoyed the read. Mostly. There was one just one frustrating element. I know it happens in real life. We get lost in our heads, fixated on certain aspects that we worry to death. It works in real life but in a book it’s annoying, reading the same pieces of information over and over. It’s OK to reflect real life, but it pays to look at things from a reader’s perspective, to avoid frustrating them.
Overall, I liked the book and Lynette Eason is not in any danger of removal from my favorite authors list.
Now that I’ve said my piece I can figure out what I’d like to read next.
A little this, a little that, and a whole lot of not-much.
Have you ever noticed how sometimes recharging a device seems to take forever? I have and I was inclined to blame it on the device? It was frustrating, especially since it was a new purchase and my expectations were high. It turns out I was experiencing misplaced blame. This afternoon my Kindle was taking forever and I couldn’t wait long enough for it to finish. Tonight, having to plug it in already, it charged in record time. I guess the fault lies with the power grid not the device or the power cords.
It could even be the fault of neighboring power hogs. I wonder who that could be? Hmmmm. I know it’s not me, a couple of lights and a laptop is all I’ve got going on.
I’m sad, as I sit here blogging and looking out the window at the darkness of night. A couple of months ago it would be getting dark just about now, not this full on night thing. Summer is on it’s way out. That’s why I’m sad. To think it has gone by so quickly.
It’s a good thing, I didn’t put my Christmas tree away. In another two or three months it will be time to put it up again, this way I don’t have to bother. Besides I like using it as a shield to hide behind. Privacy screen.
I’m excited, in a couple of weeks two of my young relatives will be moving back to Canada, specifically to the area where I live. I can hardly wait to see them. I’m sad that I didn’t meet the criteria for them to spend their two week self-isolation at my house.
This will be a great adventure for them. And an even bigger adjustment as they have never lived here, they left as babies. I think they have been dreaming of it for a long while though. Coupled with early onset adulthood I think they are ready for what comes next in their lives. Living with their same-age cousins won’t hurt either.
Overall, I’m happy with life.
Now I just have to figure out what book I wish to read next.
Maybe I will give this one a try. It looks to be filled with spies and intrigue.
The Captain’s Quest (The Leeward Islands Series Book 4)
Innocent mistakes can have dire consequences.
Pricilla Middleton only attended the Lemoore house party to keep her friend out of trouble. Now, her only chance to keep from becoming a gossip column headline is to sneak aboard her brother’s ship and pretend she’d been visiting him instead of taking part in the debacle. Before she can speak to her brother, the ship sets sail, and the man in charge is not at all who she expects.
Captain Tobias Prescott, son of an infamous war hero, has been assigned on a critical mission to deploy warships in St. Kitts for battle in New Orleans. Unfortunately, his orders require him to assume command of a friend’s ship, and he must weigh anchor the instant the former captain is escorted down the gangplank. When they reach open waters, the last thing he expects is to find a woman hiding in the captain’s cabin, yet his mission is too urgent to return her to England.
This will be short and sweet. No long explanations or opinions. They say short is popular in some crowds. Works for me tonight.
So, I have four books to share and I liked all of them. I can tell because it didn’t take me very long to get through them all.
Currently I’m reading and enjoying book 2 in the First Responders series by Susan Sleeman. Book 1, Silent Night Standoff is pictured above.
It took me a while to realize what that building was on the cover of Silent Night Standoff. It’s actually an old fire-hall, which seems much more appropriate than the old estate house that I thought it was. It was gifted to the county as a residence for the special first responders team and by the description it sounds like an awesome place.
BookBub has a suggestion for us, a book that’s been in my file since 2013. It says I’ve read it but scanning the first few pages I have to say I’m not remembering. It’s on it’s way to my device for a refresher.
The Forever Stone (The Dumont Chronicles Book 1)
Amazon quote:
The paperweight—a summons to courage . . . A new home, new love, new fears . . . and a mystery. How will she face the challenge? And what does God have in mind? ~ Madeleine, a young widow, is determined to break free from her paralyzing memories and controlling family.
The paperweight, a gift from her father, spurs her to declare independence, and she joins her aunt’s house-restoration project in the Pine Barrens of New Jersey. Two men enter her life, bringing joy, conflict, and danger. She’ll need courage to fight the treachery she discovers, and faith to step into a new life of promise. Can she do it?
THE DUMONT CHRONICLES
The Dumont family, French Huguenots, settled in New Jersey during Colonial days. Certain Dumont women led adventurous lives, and they held in common the gifts of artistry, courage, and a growing faith in God. Madeleine Dumont Burke is one of them.
*************************
1531 Entertainment has a suggestion from a mystery writer we see often.
Rosemary Cottage (The Hope Beach Series Book 2)
Amy came to Rosemary Cottage to grieve, to heal, maybe even find love. But there’s a deadly undertow of secrets around Hope Island . . .
The charming Rosemary Cottage on the beach offers Amy Lange respite she needs to mourn her brother, Ben. She’s even thinking of moving her midwife practice to the Outer Banks community. It’s always been a refuge for her and her family. She also wants to investigate Ben’s disappearance at sea. Everyone blames a surfing accident, but Amy has reason to wonder.
Coast Guard officer Curtis Ireland has lost a sibling too. His sister, Gina, was run down by a boat, leaving him to raise her infant daughter. If anyone knew who little Raine’s father was, Curtis could lose his beloved niece. Yet he can’t help being drawn to Hope Beach’s new midwife, Amy. He even agrees to help her investigate what happened to both Ben and Gina.
Can two grieving people with secrets find healing on beautiful Hope Island? Or will their quest for truth set them at odds with each other…and with those who will go to any length to keep hidden things hidden?
For the Love of Books 