Year: 2021

So glad I did, it is good after all

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Earlier today I was stressing over the suggestion of a long book (668 pages) and an author I couldn’t remember if I liked or not.

I decided to take a chance and I’m so glad I did. It’s not everyone that can pull off a book of that length. So far she is doing it. This is a complex story. Tons of well developed characters with lots of drama. I can see it will take 600 plus pages just to get it all in. I’m on page 114 and we are just getting started.

If you enjoy complex stories you need to check this out.

His Longing Heart: Returning Home to St. Simon’s Island… A Christian Small Town Beach Romance (Seaside Chapel Book 1)

He is a struggling violinist living in poverty. She is a billionairess violin collector with a trust fund. Living in two different worlds, will their unexpected romance last?

The musician…

Six years ago, Ivan McMillan was a budding crossover violinist on a world tour with his pianist sister. His career was cut short when Grandpa Otto died suddenly, leaving Grandma Yun saddled with enormous medical bills that ate up all their savings. In the midst of Ivan’s struggle to provide for his elderly grandmother and to save their family home from foreclosure, he finds himself falling in love with his billionairess friend, whose lifestyle he cannot afford.

The muse…

After Brinley Brooks’s ex-boyfriend abandons her due to her vow of purity, the twenty-something heiress goes home to St. Simon’s Island to spend time with her family and to accept her life as a single woman. At her sister’s birthday party, Brinley is mesmerized by a violinist friend, Ivan, when he plays one of Bach’s orchestral suites. Music therapy or not, her heart starts to seek its own second movement in her love life. Or is she just lonely? One thing leads to another, and Brinley enters Ivan’s world of material poverty and spiritual wealth.

The minuet of their lives…

When one of Ivan’s worst fears comes to pass, he feels obligated to show Brinley what it means to be a Christian living through adversity. However, trusting God is the last thing on his mind as the crisis affects his career, his life, his family, and his relationship with Brinley. Ivan cannot let her see how far he has sunk. What is a Christian man to do?

His Longing Heart is the first novel in USA Today bestselling author Jan Thompson’s Seaside Chapel Christian small town beach romance series. This book is the updated second edition of the previously published Share with Me.

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I’ve been checking out the rest of the series and they all look interesting, if they are anything like book 1.

Bargain book April 17, 2021

/ For the Love of Books / 1 Comment

BookBub has a bargain suggestion for us. It looks interesting but it’s over 600 pages long, not many can pull off an engaging book with that many pages. How many words should have been chopped? Should they have been chopped or do they all work?

Records show I’ve downloaded ten books from this author and I’ve read seven. Most of the downloads were between 2012 and 2017 and memories of those reads are vague. There were two since 2020 and I’ve read one. Not sure why that is except this author’s name comes up on my Tell-Not-Show list (which is not a good thing) and the unread book has disappeared from my device. Maybe that’s why she made the list.

Before I checked my likes and dislikes lists for her name I read the first few pages. Definitely Show not Tell. People put a lot of effort into first pages (usually) so that doesn’t necessarily mean a lot. Things could easily go downhill from there and sometimes do, quite dramatically.

668 pages is a huge time commitment, do I really want to do this? Then there is the fact that this is an updated version of a 2015 publication. Maybe that means a big improvement in style?

There could be a chance she made my list unfairly. Nine of the books in my library were Romance and the recent unfinished book was Mystery. Maybe I let one bad experience influence me more than I should have. Maybe I need to give her another chance, possibly in a genre that is more comfortable for her.

There is no law that says I have to read the whole book if it isn’t working for me. There’s no law that says I can’t cut to the end and at least see how it all ends if I really have to know. Maybe in fairness I should take another chance to see if I’ve misjudged her. It’s only a $1.24 after all.

His Longing Heart: Returning Home to St. Simon’s Island… A Christian Small Town Beach Romance (Seaside Chapel Book 1)

Amazon quote:

He is a struggling violinist living in poverty. She is a billionairess violin collector with a trust fund. Living in two different worlds, will their unexpected romance last?

The musician…

Six years ago, Ivan McMillan was a budding crossover violinist on a world tour with his pianist sister. His career was cut short when Grandpa Otto died suddenly, leaving Grandma Yun saddled with enormous medical bills that ate up all their savings. In the midst of Ivan’s struggle to provide for his elderly grandmother and to save their family home from foreclosure, he finds himself falling in love with his billionairess friend, whose lifestyle he cannot afford.

The muse…

After Brinley Brooks’s ex-boyfriend abandons her due to her vow of purity, the twenty-something heiress goes home to St. Simon’s Island to spend time with her family and to accept her life as a single woman. At her sister’s birthday party, Brinley is mesmerized by a violinist friend, Ivan, when he plays one of Bach’s orchestral suites. Music therapy or not, her heart starts to seek its own second movement in her love life. Or is she just lonely? One thing leads to another, and Brinley enters Ivan’s world of material poverty and spiritual wealth.

The minuet of their lives…

When one of Ivan’s worst fears comes to pass, he feels obligated to show Brinley what it means to be a Christian living through adversity. However, trusting God is the last thing on his mind as the crisis affects his career, his life, his family, and his relationship with Brinley. Ivan cannot let her see how far he has sunk. What is a Christian man to do?

His Longing Heart is the first novel in USA Today bestselling author Jan Thompson’s Seaside Chapel Christian small town beach romance series. This book is the updated second edition of the previously published Share with Me.

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668 pages is a lot of pages… that’s like three normal books…

Oh well, it’s done. I hit the purchase button.

My TBR pile is 30 pages x 8 books long. That could be where the angst is coming from.

I could love this book though.

***

***

I’ll let you know how it goes.

****

668 pages is a lot of pages for one book.

It’s the TBR pile that’s killing me.

I hope I love this book and then I’ll be wishing it was longer.

Read with me, I need company on this crazy journey.

How can you tell I’m going into this kicking and screaming. I have no idea why I’m doing this except I liked the first few pages and now I have to know.

I need my head examined.

Free and bargain books April 16, 2021

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BookRunes has a FREE suggestion for us from a frequent flyer author on this blog. It appears I downloaded this book in 2012 but after checking out the first page I don’t think I’ve ever read it. I will be reading it this time, it’s already on it’s way to my latest Kindle. I can’t believe I’ve downloaded 55 books from this author. Actually I guess I can since she has been doing Freebie Fridays forever it seems. Sign up to her newsletter or Face Book page to hear about them.

Argosy Junction (The Rockland Chronicles)

Amazon quote:

With a past more like a tragic ballad than a sweet love song, Lane’s life is about to change forever.

Montana—rugged, wild, and full of sheep that Matt Rushby had never imagined in his childhood dreams. Much to his relief, the local rancher’s daughter arrives just in time to save him from certain death by sheep smothering.

If only her family’s faith could have survived that fate.

They’ve left the local church, rejected God, lost their first Love. What had once been a close-knit fellowship of believers became a restrictive cult, and Lane wants nothing more to do with them or their God.

He didn’t mean to fall in love with her. She can’t let herself love someone who belongs to Jesus. The inner-city man meets rancher’s daughter and shakes up their lives.

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1531 Entertainment has a bargain suggestion for us. It’s been awhile since I’ve read a novel from this era, I think I’m due and this one is appealing to me at the moment. This author is new to me and that adds extra intrigue.

A Clever Alliance: A Regency Romance (Regency Brides: A Promise of Love Book 1)

Amazon quote:

Lady Madalene Ramsbury has been summoned home from Miss Bell’s Finishing School to some unfortunate news. In three weeks, she is to be married to a man she’s never met. Rather than face a life she does not want; she flees from her own engagement party and elicits help from a most unlikely source.

Society’s golden boy, Everett, the Marquess of Northampton, was outraged when a young woman suddenly appeared in his curricle. Was she attempting to trap him into an unwanted marriage? It would be just like some overzealous mother to put her up to such a ploy. However, it doesn’t take long for him to discover that Madalene is unlike any woman he has ever known.

With her reputation in shambles, Lady Madalene and Everett hatch a plan to solve both of their problems, a fake engagement. But as they spend time together, they realize more is on the line than just a blossoming friendship. And with danger ever present from her jilted suitor, Everett and Madalene find themselves relying on one another in ways they’d never imagined… but can they trust each other with their hearts?

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Another interesting bargain from this new author popped up on the suggestion ribbon.

Saving Lord Berkshire: A Regency Romance (Regency Matchmakers Book 1) 

Amazon quote:

After losing her fiancé to a terrible accident, Miss Katherine Blackmore found contentment as a matchmaker to the members of Society. Working alongside her sisters, they strive to secure the most unlikely people with love matches. Everything is perfect until an infuriating lord steps into her office, turning her world upside down.

Edward Simpson, the Marquess of Berkshire, has a problem. His sister needs to marry, and quickly. When he approaches Miss Blackmore to hire her services, he does so poorly and ends up soundly insulting her. Luckily, he fares better with his second attempt.

Edward is boorish. Katherine is headstrong. Though their relationship begins on rocky footing, they soon realize that they need each other if they want to save Edward’s sister from making a horrible mistake. But Katherine works hard to keep Edward at a distance, even if he is worthy of her heart. Can Edward prove to Katherine that he is the man for her, or will he lose her forever?

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I’m currently reading a new book from another favorite author.

Safe and Sound (Lantern Beach Guardians Book 3)

A call for help draws Police Chief Cassidy Chambers deep into a wooded, isolated area on Lantern Beach. What she finds shakes her to the core—a friend is bleeding out, and his last words before dying are: They know.

Figuring out who killed her friend and what his final words meant becomes Cassidy’s mission. Have members of the notorious gang that placed a bounty on her head discovered her new life? Or is someone else trying to teach her a twisted lesson?

Elements from past investigations surface and threaten more than one person’s safety. Cassidy and her husband, Ty, must make sense of the deadly secrets that unfold at every turn. If not, the life they’ve built together might come to a permanent end.

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I’ve just finished reading and enjoying the latest book from Christy Barritt, a spin off from Safe and Sound: The Lantern Beach Guardians series. It is the start of a new Lantern Beach series, Lantern Beach Blackout. It’s still a bargain, grab it quick.

Rocco: a clean romantic suspense novel (Lantern Beach Blackout: The New Recruits Book 1)

Former Navy SEAL and new Blackout recruit Rocco Foster is on a simple in and out mission. But the operation turns complicated when an unsuspecting woman wanders into the line of fire.

Peyton Ellison’s life mission is to sprinkle happiness on those around her. When a cupcake delivery turns into a fight for survival, she must trust her rescuer—a handsome stranger—to keep her safe.

Rocco is determined to figure out why someone is targeting Peyton. First, he must keep the intriguing woman safe and earn her trust. But threats continue to pummel them as incriminating evidence emerges and pits them against each other.

With time running out, the two must set aside both their growing attraction and their doubts about each other in order to work together. But the perilous facts they discover leave them wondering what exactly the truth is . . . and if the truth can be trusted.

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I’m looking forward to these new books. It’s going to be a good weekend!

Happy reading y’all

Free and bargains books April 15, 2021

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BookBub has a FREE suggestion for us today. This appeared in a collection awhile back so I’ve read and enjoyed it.

A Single Spark: A Christian Contemporary Romance (The Spark Brothers Book 1)

Amazon quote:

A pop singer running from his past. A deejay who’s given up on men. And the wrong number text that sparks disaster and romance.

Former boy band hottie, Aiden Spark, distanced himself from everything he valued—faith, family, and fame—when he lost his girlfriend. A decade later, he’s still hiding behind his grief when he accidentally texts a woman who’s all too curious about his identity.

Burned by the men in her life, deejay Abby Dearan has chosen to focus on her newfound faith in God and use her radio presence for good. Her plans are thwarted though when a text message—and the irritating man who sent it—won’t leave her in peace.

Aiden can’t forget the woman who reminds him so much of his first love; Abby can’t remember the last time a man made her feel so beautiful. To make matters worse, it’s impossible to avoid one another when their siblings and friends—not to mention, divine intervention—keep pushing them together. Will the sparks igniting between them end up in flames or romance?

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BookBub also has a bargain suggestion. Again, it’s one I’ve read but you may enjoy it too.

Hope Eternal Ranch Romance: Three Sweet Contemporary Western Romances

Amazon quote:

Hopeful Cowboy: He’s struggling to step into his new role as a single dad. She’s trying to keep her ranch operational and her heart intact. Can Nate and Ginger build forever out of heartache?

Overprotective Cowboy: Can Ted and Emma face their pasts so they can truly be ready to step into the future together? Or will everything between them fall apart once the truth comes out?

Rugged Cowboy: He’s a cowboy mechanic with two kids and an ex-wife on the run. She connects better to horses than humans. Can Dallas and Jess find their way to each other at Hope Eternal Ranch?

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Currently I’m reading a book I have reason to hurry through. I may start jumping chapters soon. I find it predictable. It’s still a bargain, maybe you will like it better than I do?

All of You, Always (Walker Beach Romance Book 1)

Going undercover is Bella’s only hope.

Her mission?

Convince Ben to sell his inn, and she’ll get the information needed to locate the family she’s never known.

Should be simple, right? After all, he’s behind on his mortgage, and a recent earthquake has rocked the town—and his finances. His beachfront property is ripe for the picking.

But the big-city executive didn’t count on him being so stubborn. So rooted in family and tradition and everything that small-town America stands for.

She also didn’t count on him being so attractive and wounded and … good.

And Bella has to wonder if the ends really justify the means.

But more than that—can love survive a lie?

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That’s all I have for today.

Happy Reading

P.S. Actually, for today I’m glad I’ve read these books. It means my TBR pile has not grown any bigger. (big sigh of relief lol)

How do I do it?

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Photo by Andrea Piacquadio on Pexels.com

A commenter, Sheri Dye from ReadBetwixtWords , after my last post with read and enjoyed asks “You read all of these? In April?.. I’m so jealous! 😂”

The answer popping into my head would be much too long for the comment box so I promised a post.

Normally I would read while eating my breakfast but this subject was much too engaging. Every second was spent thinking of all the things I wanted to say in reply.

So, how do I do it? Well, it’s complicated but not a bad thing. I have to say that because my first response to the question puts a big smile on my face, I think it’s pretty funny and I LOVE reading. When I think about it from the listener’s perspective, though, it sounds pathetic.

I am, for the most part, happy with my life. Even if I could do things differently I probably wouldn’t.

There are two major contributing factors to my lifestyle. I’m an introvert and I’m a survivor with hermit tendencies. Translated that means I have major trust issues. Home is safe so I stay home. A lot. I venture out several times a month, maybe. It’s covid, where would I go anyway? lol To be honest, life looks about the same for me now as it did pre-covid. Really, there’s nothing new to see here.

So, we’ve established, I have no life and it’s just me. My life can be ordered however I like and if I choose reading over housework no one complains.

On the realistic side though, I do still have a job and I’m grateful. It adds purpose to my life and gives me contact with the outside world, limited though it may be. I work remotely and spend all of my working time online.

Aside from my job and must-do things to keep myself alive and comfortable, I can do pretty much whatever I want.

So, how do I read so many books?

First of all, no TV. I didn’t watch it anyway and let the subscription go.

I read every second I’m not compelled to be doing something else. I’m addicted, what can I say.

On average I read a book a day. Some don’t really take all that long. For others I’ve developed some habits and learned some tricks.

I try to keep moving. It’s easy to drop back to a stroll when it should be a quick-step. If a book turns out to be the one where every word needs to be read, I give it the respect it deserves and slow down to savor the experience. Not many books are like that though.

Then there are the choices of speed reading or skimming.

Speed reading, I try but don’t use it much as it’s not often that I need to remember everything I’ve just read.

Skimming, I let my eyes quickly run down the middle of the page and at the bottom ask myself “Did I miss anything important?” If no then I keep going like that until a page shows up that deserves a closer look. Practice makes this an effective tool.

There are some things I flat out do not read.

Detailed descriptions of all kinds. What people are wearing. Surroundings. Some scenes between characters. Now and then a description sets the stage for future actions but mostly they do not. It takes more effort than I care to give for me to visualize whatever it is.

I avoid thought patterns and conversations. Sometimes the story is fixated on internal struggles and the same narrative happens over and over. Not worth my time to read it over and over.

Hop, skipping, jumping.

If the story moves slowly, I’ll skip paragraphs, pages and finally chapters. I’ll hop ahead a chapter, or two or three, at a time, stopping long enough to see what’s happening. Not much? Move on. Something? Stay awhile. If things are really bad I’ll jump to the last chapter or two where there is generally a story summary.

I love to read slowly and savor a book, if it deserves that kind of treatment. Honestly, most often they do not. There’s nothing wrong with giving it time if that’s what you want and at the same time, there’s nothing wrong with hurrying on through.

To read a book a day, I have to remind myself I don’t have time to sit and chat, I have to keep moving.

In a way this has become like a job to me. If I want to have something to say on this blog everyday I have to put in the time. If I download books and want to know about authors I’ve not read I have to find ways to keep up.

To summarize, if you want to read like I do: have no life and do not read every word.

It’s not perfect by any means but I love my life.

So, that’s how I do it!

And that picture? Totally me, sitting at my table for hours on end 🙂

Read and enjoyed middle of April 2021

/ For the Love of Books / 6 Comments

It’s time to clear out some of the backlog of finished reads, once again.

This first one was a fun read. Definitely a different twist on a romance story. Autumn MacArthur does come up with well crafted stories regularly, always worth reading.

Forget Paris: Sweet and clean Valentine’s Day Christian romance in Paris and London with an anti-romance heroine! (Love In Store Book 5) 

Zoe’s determined to prove that romance is an illusion and love based on it doesn’t last. Though when she meets Gabe Ross, there to fulfil his mother’s dying wish by placing a lovelock on a bridge for her and his father, even she finds it hard to resist the most romantic city in the world on the most romantic day of the year.

An impulsive challenge to try a psychological experiment isn’t part of her research plan.

Especially when it feels like more, much more, for both of them.

Zoe tells herself their one wonderful day together proves nothing, only gives more evidence her theory is right.

But on her return to London, she discovers she needs Gabe’s help to learn the biggest lesson of all, that love does last.

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I really liked this next story too. It held my attention, was believable and was a story worth reading. It didn’t feel like any other story I’d read and that’s a very good thing.

Run With My Heart: Sweet, Christian Christmas Romance: (A Texas Tornadoes Single Author Sports Romance book 2) (Texas Tornados)

Pro football player Tucker Jackson has a chip on his shoulder. His mother died when he was young, his father threw himself into his work, and the team he now plays for is in danger of losing their season.

His anger drives him to a bar where an ensuing fight earns him service at a community center. Can he find a way to tame his ire before it destroys his dreams forever?

Shelby Doll has a heart for kids, but the community center she runs is short on funds. Tucker Jackson is her last hope to keep the doors open, but will he leave her in a lurch when it matters the most?

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This next one is about the life of a young Jewish woman from the Bronx who found herself with a singing career back in the hippie days of the seventies, the child of Holocaust survivors.

Eventually she married into a bluegrass family and music became a lifelong way of life for her and her family.

Life is always affected by dramatic experiences of all family members and Lily’s was no different. She shares both the good and the painful, but mostly the good.

I enjoyed this book even more because I have closely followed her family’s career or the last decade or two.

You Don’t Cry Out Loud: The Lily Isaacs Story 

An unforgettable autobiography of Lily Isaac, the daughter of Holocaust survivors who rejected her Jewish heritage for a life with Jesus Christ and a music career.

Throughout her music and that of her children, who together form the beloved and multi-award winning group The Isaacs, you hear the resonating inspirational legacy of this family’s faith. Fans struggle to put the book down and are captivated by:

  • An autobiographical look at Lily’s life, from being a Jewish folk singer to serving as vocalist and matriarch of The Isaacs
  • The powerful account of her struggle with a once unknown faith and how she finally “cried her way to God from the church’s back pew”
  • The incredible insights behind heartbreaking moments which were her greatest opportunities of faith.

Whether surviving breast cancer or a challenging career, Lily’s steady refrain has been one of God’s constant love, comfort, and strength. Her story of survival is raw and compelling. It will inspire your Christian faith and help to put your own personal struggles in perspective.

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Now for a bunch that were read and enjoyed. It will be a just glimpse to fit them all it.

There’s more but I think this is enough for today.

Happy reading y’all

Bargain books April 14, 2021

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We have books. I am so excited. It’s been feeling like a long dry spell. I know it’s not really been that long but to me a day or two feels loooong. I start to go through book withdrawal.

So, first, on the lighter side, BookBub has a suggestion for us. This author is new to me. The first page starts out well so I’m going to take a chance.

All of You, Always (Walker Beach Romance Book 1)

Amazon quote:

Going undercover is Bella’s only hope.

Her mission?

Convince Ben to sell his inn, and she’ll get the information needed to locate the family she’s never known.

Should be simple, right? After all, he’s behind on his mortgage, and a recent earthquake has rocked the town—and his finances. His beachfront property is ripe for the picking.

But the big-city executive didn’t count on him being so stubborn. So rooted in family and tradition and everything that small-town America stands for.

She also didn’t count on him being so attractive and wounded and … good.

And Bella has to wonder if the ends really justify the means.

But more than that—can love survive a lie?

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

Next, 1531 Entertainment has a suggestion. Colleen Coble is right up there near the top of my favorites list, I never pass up the chance for one of her books.

Strands of Truth

Amazon quote:

Suspense, romance, and generational secrets meld when a DNA test helps Harper Taylor locate the family she’s always longed for . . . but has it also put her in the crosshairs of a killer? 

Harper Taylor is used to being alone—after all, she grew up in one foster home after another. Oliver Jackson finally took her under his wing when she was a runaway teenager, and now Harper pours her marine biology knowledge into Oliver’s pen shell research. But she’s never stopped wishing for a family of her own.

When a DNA test reveals a half-sister living just two hours away, Harper is both hopeful and nervous. Over warm cinnamon rolls, Harper and Annabelle find striking similarities in their stories. Is it just a coincidence that both their mothers died tragically, without revealing Harper and Annabelle’s father’s name? 

Oliver’s son Ridge still sees Harper as a troubled teen even all these years later. But when Oliver is attacked, Ridge and Harper find themselves working together to uncover dangerous secrets that threaten to destroy them all. They must unravel her past before they can have any hope for the future. 

Strands of Harper Taylor’s childhood are resurfacing—but will the truth save her . . . or pull her under? Suspense, romance, and generational secrets meld in this engrossing new novel from USA

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Another favorite author. That may be a bit of an understatement since there are 34 Christy Barritt books in my downloads library.

Rocco: a clean romantic suspense novel (Lantern Beach Blackout: The New Recruits Book 1)

Amazon quote:

Former Navy SEAL and new Blackout recruit Rocco Foster is on a simple in and out mission. But the operation turns complicated when an unsuspecting woman wanders into the line of fire.

Peyton Ellison’s life mission is to sprinkle happiness on those around her. When a cupcake delivery turns into a fight for survival, she must trust her rescuer—a handsome stranger—to keep her safe.

Rocco is determined to figure out why someone is targeting Peyton. First, he must keep the intriguing woman safe and earn her trust. But threats continue to pummel them as incriminating evidence emerges and pits them against each other.

With time running out, the two must set aside both their growing attraction and their doubts about each other in order to work together. But the perilous facts they discover leave them wondering what exactly the truth is . . . and if the truth can be trusted.

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Currently, I’m reading and thoroughly enjoying a book by an author I’ve loved before.

Out of Hiding 

After witnessing the brutal murder of her parents as a child, Sadie Lane was placed into Witness Protection. Now as an adult, she has a thriving business as a private investigator, but her biggest case is yet to come.

Sadie’s on the hunt to find the man who killed her parents—a brutal crime boss running a dangerous and corrupt syndicate.

Her quest for justice collides with FBI Special Agent Kip Moore who is targeting the organized crime network.

Sadie can’t trust anyone with her secrets—even Kip, but she must work with him to get the killer who forever changed her life. Sadie must put her faith in Kip even when it seems impossible to trust anyone.

The secrets of her past catch up to her when she stares into the eyes of the murderer. Can she keep her true identity secret long enough to bring the killer to justice?

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I hope you all are half as excited as I am to have more new books.

Happy Reading!

So much wisdom, so much empathy

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This is a deeply touching interview filled with wisdom, understanding and empathy. And hope. So much hope. I have to share.

I hope you find it as comforting as I did. In these difficult days we need to hear voices filled with wisdom and hope.

Rick Warren has experienced unbelievable pain. Toward the end of the video he shares what it was like to live through it. He puts heavy emphasis on living through it.

This interview is posted by a gifted podcaster Carey Nieuwhof. He knows how to ask questions that will mine the depths and bring out the best in his guests. Always a blessing to the listener.

May you feel as blessed as I do right now.

Read and enjoyed April 12, 2021

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Lots of meat to chew on with this read. T.D. Jakes always has many thought provoking things to add to any story and this was no exception. He gives us an in-depth look at four woman types and the hardest one for me to read was the one most like me. All of the women were hurting in one way or another, that’s the way life is. Difficult patches in life are inevitable. It’s what we do with them that will make or break us.

T.D. Jakes doesn’t hold back, he tells it raw and real. He doesn’t expose us and then leave us hanging out to dry. He leaves us with answers (not always the ones we want to hear but answers nevertheless) and points us to hope. Some people will tear us all apart pointing out the broken places then walking away. He doesn’t ever tear us apart, rather he sheds a light in the dark places to help us see the important things we are missing. His goal is to help us choose a better way.

The broken among us have bought into lies we’ve been told over and over. His novel is one more tool in the arsenal to help us break out of our prison of lies.

He is a great story teller. Everything he is trying to share is woven into the fabric of the story making it strong. The best kind.

Cover Girls by T.D. Jakes

This compelling novel follows four women as they learn to balance children, estranged husbands, boyfriends, and problems at work through their faith in God.

Michelle, Tonya, Mrs. Judson, and Miz Ida. African-American, white, rich, poor — they seemingly have nothing in common. Yet every day they face the complex realities of twenty-first-century urban life as they try to balance their needs with their belief in God. Through the course of a year, these women must come to terms with the past, discover their true identities, and recognize the unexpected miracles that reveal God’s all-encompassing love.

These four women entertain us and invite us to join in their lives. As they welcome us, they also introduce us to the men in their lives. The men play supporting roles, adding color and zest to the lives of the Cover Girls.

Bishop Jakes knows the struggles real women encounter and the losses that make it difficult to face the future. He brings compassionate insight and deep wisdom to this novel and proves that he is not only a gifted preacher, but a born storyteller.

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Currently, I’m into a lighter read. It’s not fluffy by any means, just lighter by comparison.

Run With My Heart: Sweet, Christian Christmas Romance: (A Texas Tornadoes Single Author Sports Romance book 2) (Texas Tornados) 

A football player who’s lost. A woman in danger of losing all she loves. Could he be the Christmas Miracle she’s been praying for?

Pro football player Tucker Jackson has a chip on his shoulder. His mother died when he was young, his father threw himself into his work, and the team he now plays for is in danger of losing their season.

His anger drives him to a bar where an ensuing fight earns him service at a community center. Can he find a way to tame his ire before it destroys his dreams forever?

Shelby Doll has a heart for kids, but the community center she runs is short on funds. Tucker Jackson is her last hope to keep the doors open, but will he leave her in a lurch when it matters the most?

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Happy Reading!

Free book April 11, 2021

/ For the Love of Books / Leave a comment

BookBub has a FREE suggestion for us today. I have a lot of respect for this author. He has a tender heart filled with wisdom and has a gift for sharing encouragement. I don’t know his full story but he must have one the way he can relate to our pain. He has written many books and has a robust online presence. It adds a new dimension to the impact of his message if you can experience the visual version of his wisdom.

Naked and Not Ashamed: It’s Time to Reveal What God Longs to Heal 

Amazon quote:

Secrets to Healing and Wholeness

Can you present your hurts and failures to  God without shame?

In this classic bestseller, Bishop T.D. Jakes brings encouragement that casts out the fear of vulnerability before God. When you can stand before God, unashamed, you can receive the healing He freely offers.

From the pain of a sick body to the sadness of a dying relationship, from the crushing blow of betrayal to the mental torment of reliving past mistakes—God longs to set you free and release cleansing rivers of mercy, forgiveness, and restoration into every hurting part of your life!

Discover how to:

  • Rest in God’s healing power as you honestly give Him your pain, fear, and hurt.
  • Live your life with confidence because you’ve learned how to break the power of guilt and shame.
  • Boldly access the power of Jesus’ blood and apply it to every area of brokenness you are facing. 

When you open your failures and hurts to God, He will open the floodgates of healing over you!

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T.D. Jakes has written many books, most of them non-fiction but there are a few novels mixed in. I’ve never read any of them but one caught my eye as I breezed past.

Cover Girls by T.D. Jakes

Amazon quote:

This compelling novel follows four women as they learn to balance children, estranged husbands, boyfriends, and problems at work through their faith in God.

Michelle, Tonya, Mrs. Judson, and Miz Ida. African-American, white, rich, poor — they seemingly have nothing in common. Yet every day they face the complex realities of twenty-first-century urban life as they try to balance their needs with their belief in God. Through the course of a year, these women must come to terms with the past, discover their true identities, and recognize the unexpected miracles that reveal God’s all-encompassing love.

These four women entertain us and invite us to join in their lives. As they welcome us, they also introduce us to the men in their lives. The men play supporting roles, adding color and zest to the lives of the Cover Girls.

Bishop Jakes knows the struggles real women encounter and the losses that make it difficult to face the future. He brings compassionate insight and deep wisdom to this novel and proves that he is not only a gifted preacher, but a born storyteller.

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Currently, I’m reading an engaging thriller. My favorite of the week from an author I’ve previously enjoyed at least four times. This experience has not disappointed and I am very happy. This book is still FREE so check it out if you enjoy thrillers and clean novels.

Mind Games (Kaely Quinn Profiler Book #1) 

Kaely Quinn’s talents as an FBI behavior analyst are impossible to ignore, no matter how unorthodox her methods. But when a reporter outs her as the daughter of an infamous serial killer, she’s demoted to field agent and transferred to St. Louis.

When the same reporter who ruined her career claims to have received an anonymous poem predicting a string of murders, ending with Kaely’s, the reporter’s ulterior motives bring his claim into question. But when a body is found that fits the poem’s predictions, the threat is undeniable, and the FBI sends Special Agent Noah Hunter to St. Louis.

Initially resentful of the assignment, Noah is surprised at how quickly his respect for Kaely grows, despite her oddities. But with a brazen serial killer who breaks all the normal patterns on the loose, Noah and Kaely are tested to their limits to catch the murderer before anyone else–including Kaely herself–is killed.

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This has definitely been a slow week for great book suggestions that fit my free or bargain criteria.

I use this criteria for several reasons and I can’t figure out which one is more important. It’s a tie, I think.

For one thing, I use it as the only unemotional way I can come up with to narrow down the possibilities. I use clean as a filter too but it still leaves far to many choices. To be honest I can’t keep up with all of the downloads as it is. I need a filter with muscle.

I suppose I could resort to not ordering every book I mention but that creates another problem. I want to offer books that I know are worth the read. I can’t do that if I don’t read them or know the authors from previous reads.

The other reason, for the most part, that I stick to free and bargain is budget. It would be really easy for me to go over board on spending without restrictions of some sort.

The other thing I like about free and bargain is that it gives me a chance to liberally experience unknown authors. This privilege has been a blessing in so many ways. My favorite authors list has grown to be unbelievably long.

I’m hoping by focusing on free and bargain suggestions it will give you a chance to read books you might not otherwise too. It is so much fun to discover new loves.

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Happy reading y’all