Month: March 2022

More bargains March 31, 2022

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Today’s current read ended with an ad for the book next in the series. Irresistible. We actually met Maddox in newly read book 2.

Maddox (Lantern Beach Blackout: Danger Rising Book 3)

He’s on the case . . . and she’s his prime suspect.

Former Navy SEAL Maddox King’s latest assignment for Blackout is to obtain information on a possible domestic terrorist operation. To do so, he must go undercover as a maintenance man at an estate owned by real estate tycoon Seymore Foggerty.

Taryn Parsons is his prime suspect. The woman was plucked out of obscurity to become Mr. Foggerty’s personal assistant. Beneath her innocent demeanor, does she have ulterior motives and plans to gain from the man’s wealth and connections?

Maddox has trouble believing Taryn is guilty. But someone is trying to kill Mr. Foggerty and has plans for his property. Maddox is running out of time to find answers, and with more suspects than he can count, this assignment may be his most challenging yet . . . for his heart and his skills.

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There were several other bargains crossing paths with us but this one stood above the rest.

It promises fun humor.

Time After Tyme

WITH TIME ALL THINGS ARE REVEALED

Nancy Drew meets Tom Sawyer in this delightful and thought-provoking romp through the third book in The Watch Series of clean mysteries. Secret codes and university intrigue combine to give Kathryn Frasier and Cece Goldman a new and puzzling mystery to solve. But things get dicey when two misguided young girls wander into the middle of the investigation and decide to solve it themselves.

Can Kathryn and Cece decipher the codes and protect the youngsters before the killer strikes again?

“Delightfully clever!” — Jodie Renner, author of the award-winning writing guide Fire Up Your Fiction.

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Enjoy!

Free books March 31, 2022

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BookRunes has a FREE suggestion for us. Another author we’ve not seen before. Awesome.

Second Chance in Summit County (Summit County Series Book 1) 

They both declared themselves done with romance and love. God had other plans.

Her marriage, career, and reputation crashed around her and eliminated the little trust she had left in herself to make good decisions. She packed her bags, shook the dust off her feet, and started driving, begging God to tell her where to go. When He led her to a charming little northern Michigan town, she started recreating her life from scratch—without men.

His world turned upside down when he lost the love of his life and had to start over as a single father. Now playing both mother and father to his little girl, he’s built his life around taking care of her and protecting his heart from ever being hurt like that again. Love is not a part of his life anymore.

God has a better idea.

Can two people who have sworn off love stop fighting their attraction long enough to see that God is working? Can they trust Him enough to risk giving happiness a second chance?

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BookBub has a FREE suggestion from an author we’ve enjoyed often over the years. This looks intriguing.

The Discovery

Gerard Warner was not only a literary giant but a devoted family man. When he dies he leaves his Charleston estate to his grandson, Michael, an aspiring writer. Michael soon discovers an unpublished manuscript his grandfather had written, hidden from everyone but clearly intended for Michael to find. Michael reads an exciting tale of Nazi spies and sabotage, but this story is very different from all of Gerard Warner’s other books. It’s a love story.

As Michael delves deeper in, he discovers something that has the power to change not only his future but his past as well. Laced with suspense and intrigue, The Discovery is a richly woven novel that explores the incredible sacrifices that must be made to forge the love of a lifetime.

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Not too shabby today. Two free books.

I’m 2/3 of the way through my current read. It has been a pleasure and it’s still a bargain.

Dylan (Lantern Beach Blackout: Danger Rising Book 2)

Former Navy SEAL Dylan Granger’s new assignment requires him to use both his tactical abilities and his acting skills. Hired by Katie Logan’s father, his job is to protect the gutsy university professor while concealing his identity. To maintain his cover, he takes the unassuming role of her new assistant.

Katie—a disgraced reporter—has stumbled upon a lead she can’t ignore. Now it’s clear someone is targeting her, but she refuses to back down. Her handsome new assistant is a welcome distraction from the chaos. But Dylan’s skillset goes way beyond his job description, and Katie begins to suspect there’s more to Dylan than he’s letting on.

Dylan’s mission can’t be disclosed—not if he wants to keep Katie safe. But as his feelings for her grow and the danger increases, keeping his secret becomes more of a challenge than he ever imagined. With innocent lives on the line, Dylan must choose between protecting Katie or saving others.

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Happy Reading y’all

Read and enjoyed March 30, 2022

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Three books and the first one was my favorite.

Catching Katie: A Novel 

Katie is strong willed and unconventional. Definitely raising eyebrows everywhere she goes. There are many restrictive expectations put on the women of her day and Katie defies pretty much all of them. University – where women are the oddity, arriving back in town driving a motor car… unescorted. All of it scandalous. Even more so when she hops out of said motor car wearing bright pink bicycling bloomers, showing off her stockinged calves. It is more than her scandalized audience can bear.

The only one not running from Katie is her lifelong best friend. He knows all of her quirks and supports her vehemently, even when he would rather not. They’ve been on many wild childhood adventures together, this day is just an extension of all that.

I loved the way the story unfolded. Katie is caught up in the cause she vowed to support with her life. Then finds herself in a tough place when conflict develops between her pledge to the cause and her blossoming love for her best friend.

Experiencing history in a story like this is enlightening and in this case, enjoyable.

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My next favorite was…

Charming the Troublemaker (Mitchell’s Crossroads Book 2) 

This story was enjoyable and engaging. Both characters have experienced hard places in their lives. Trust and insecurities prove to be mountainous obstacles for each of them at times. But then, tense keeps the story interesting.

The story line was unremarkable, other books use similar bones. It was a good thing the details worked to make it unique.

Why didn’t I love this like the first one? There were too many repetitive scenes. I confess to scanning through many pages aiming for the good parts.

I did like the read though and I have enjoyed other books by this author. I don’t recall this experience with other Basham books so it’s likely just not one of her better books. It was good enough though, that in good conscience I couldn’t help but give it 4 stars.

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This next one I gave 3 stars. The three stories in the collection were OK but they were basically all the same. Maybe if I hadn’t read them in one sitting I’d think differently. But then again, maybe not.

Carsen Brothers of Sweet Rivers Ranch Books 1-3

At first it reminded me of past reads and it took awhile to figure out if I had or hadn’t read some of them already. The details were different enough to finally convince me this was a new read.

There were six brothers in this series. Unrelated by blood they still developed tight knit relationships as a band of adopted brothers. There wasn’t one healthy romantic relationship among them and it’s easy to see why they unanimously decided to be done with love and marriage. Breaking the pact was unthinkable.

Their beloved adoptive father’s tender heart was committed to family and he wanted that for his boys. For a legacy to live on there must be offspring. You get the picture.

To their collective horror, their dad succumbed to cancer, leaving an iron-clad will specifying all six brothers must be married within twelve months for them to receive ownership of the ranch they love. How could he do this to them?

Not my favorite style of writing but I’m not sorry to have stuck with it to the end. (albeit with lots of skimming)

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I’m between books and think my next read will be the latest Christy Barritt mystery. This one is still a bargain. Check it out.

Dylan (Lantern Beach Blackout: Danger Rising Book 2)

Happy reading y’all

Free and bargain books March 29, 2022

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BookBub has an interesting suggestion for us.

Shattered Treasure 

Addison Morgan has spent years ignoring the broken pieces of her past that etched deep scars in her heart, scars that left her vulnerable to remain in a relationship with an unfaithful boyfriend. Her feelings for him have been fading for months, and after he betrays her again while she’s still hurting over the untimely death of her sister, Addison causes a car accident involving a teenage girl.

Police Officer Logan Tant is devastated when his sister’s in an accident involving a drunk driver. And he’s determined to bring the driver to justice. When he finds out the driver has befriended his sister and family, his anger escalates. It isn’t until he meets Addison face-to-face that the truth becomes blurred and there’s an unstoppable connection that draws him to her.

When Addison falls for Logan, her ex-boyfriend seeks to reclaim her at all costs, leaving her abused and with a life-altering choice to make that will change the course of her relationship with Logan and both of their lives forever.

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BookRunes has a FREE suggestion

Coming Home: The Route Home: Book 1

He was her first love…
… And the reason she left.
Now she’s falling for him.

In 1881 Oregon, Becca Wilson is a successful university student, determined to be a modern woman and not a resident of the frontier boomtown she grew up in. With her brother’s death, she needs the help of his best friend to find justice. But can she avoid rekindling her feelings for him?

Seth Blake wants answers about his best friend’s suspicious death. But will it come at the expense of his secret? Can he make the choice between justice and love?

As the stakes get higher, Seth must keep both himself and Becca alive long enough to offer a future to this woman he’s fallen in love with. And win her forgiveness.

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1531 Entertainment has an interesting suggestion.

Uncertain Spring: Clean Romance Mystery (Northen Shore Intrigue Book 5) 

By starlight, a frantic dog leads Lois to a young woman lying in the snow, unconscious…

In the morning, the girl is diagnosed with a state of dis-associative fugue, a form of amnesia. No ID, no car, no clues. Taking in the nameless young woman and her dog, grandmother Lois finds an ally in the local vet, Dr. Jacob. Attraction sparks but isn’t falling in love only for the young?

And why isn’t anyone searching for the young woman? Or is someone?

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These look like good books, something to be excited about.

Happy Reading!

Free books today March 28, 2022

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1531 Entertainment has a FREE suggestion for us.

FIRE: Contemporary Christian Romantic Suspense (Spiritual Warfare Series Book 3)

When a violent gang re-organizes, an undercover cop could lose everything…including the woman he loves.

Following a gang war, the undercover cop known as Patriot is forced to flee his hometown and assume a new identity. When the gang re-organizes and threatens a friend, Patriot—now a firefighter—returns to face them.

Chloe Swearingen confines herself to the fast pace of the ER and away from interpersonal relationships—for a reason she keeps to herself. But when she helps save a gangster’s life, she’s thrown into a cauldron of relationships from which she can’t escape.

Then a series of fires target Chloe, her church and her friends, and she and Patriot must risk their lives to bring an end to the forces of darkness arraigned against them.

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LPC Free Books has a FREE suggestion for us. I remember reading and enjoying this book.

Midnight Is My Time

Loner Andy Mayer is on the run from a past he cannot escape and headed into a future he cannot foresee. But along the way he meets Missy, a mysteriously gifted and blind woman, whose senses point him in the right direction.

Andy and Missy need to get to Maine but it seems every force in the universe is against them. Navigating a post-apocalyptic landscape, the two fight their way north where they eventually come face to face with an enemy so powerful it will take their collective efforts to defeat it. And only then will they both realize the true purpose of their journey.

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Two good books. Awesome.

Happy Reading!

Alarming! March 27, 2022

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There are ten bills coming up for vote in California next week. They are publicly available for viewing. But they are not widely known. These bills are truly alarming.

These bills were publicly discussed in the tonight’s informational meeting live streamed at the trucker’s convoy in Maryland.

The discussion re: these bills can be found at the 8:33 mark in the video.

Please watch this and pass it on to everyone you know. If they pass it won’t stop with California. I’m in Canada and I’m horrified. I can’t do anything from up here but I can spread the word to my small audience hoping you will pass it on far and wide.

Watch at the 8:33 minute mark to hear the ten items up for vote.

Pass it on.

These truckers are heading to California in the next few days to help spread the word.

God help us!

Well, that didn’t work. March 27, 2022

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Photo by George Milton on Pexels.com

The goal was/is to post everyday but I messed up, again. I was distracted, playing a computer game while listening to a live streamer.

Oh no!!!

Five minutes wasn’t much but I gave it my best shot. I moved fast but apparently not fast enough. Hitting publish at 11:59 didn’t do it for me. Oh well, there would be no worrying about today’s post being on time. (big smile)

While I would like to have a perfect record, the world won’t end if I don’t manage to post everyday. The new plan is to cut myself some slack, still try but don’t stress. It’s much too late to change some habits. Besides I like being lost in whatever is going on in my little world. Usually a book or a three hour podcast.

Three hours sounds daunting but I really like hearing about things that are new to me. Some of the posts are fresh every time; like Carey Nieuwhof, his is usually only an hour long but he has interesting guests and he is an exceptional interviewer. No two podcasts of his are alike and even when he has repeat guests it’s because they have more to talk about. Carey is a long time favorite.

Then there is the three hour podcaster who is new to me, his You Tube name is Viva Frei. He is quite the character and he hangs out with other interesting characters. He is a lawyer turned hopeful politician and since he didn’t win his first try at an election he has turned serious attention toward his online presence. Most of the conversations center around politics and legal situations. His co-host is an American lawyer who is also his friend and business partner. These guys are both characters and will, in small ways, be shocking to some, I’m sure. That’s all part of their charm. Wild haircuts, blind dogs and cigars they can’t light up. They are highly intelligent and knowledgeable. “Boring” quickly kills my interest but so far I’m still watching and enjoying these guys and their guests.

The third one gaining the most attention from me is a podcaster I’ve mentioned often. She is from Ottawa and covered the Trucker’s Freedom Convoy there, never having done such a thing before. Her brother started the channel and enlisted her help with streaming 24 hours a day. Charlotte was out on the streets late at night in freezing weather walking blocks and blocks so we could see what was going on. To warm up she would find truckers or others on the ground to hear about their stories and why they were there.

As events in Ottawa wound down the American effort was started. Once their convoy reached Maryland Charlotte traveled down, for an indefinite period of time, to report on what is happening with them.

Her abilities have blossomed with the experience she is gaining as a live streamer. It’s not as easy as she makes it look. Charlotte is nineteen and a university student with a deep well of resolve and determination. This morning she left Maryland to return to Toronto to write exams. This gal is amazing. She has acquired a loyal and devoted audience who pay attention to where she is, what she eating (or if she is eating), and who in her presence is paying attention to her. She has a ton of moms and dads watching out and worrying over her. They do it because she has captured their hearts. She appreciates and relates well to her audience. Actually, even the in-person people she is hanging out with everyday are vigilant in making sure she is OK.

The channel shared with her brother is ZOT. The plan after exams is to cover the story in the next place that needs it. The US convoy may even see her again.

There are a ton of live streamers out there and ZOT is one of the best, both Charlotte and her brother Matt have worked hard to make it successful.

There is much going on out there that is never mentioned in mainstream media. This is an amazing opportunity for potential journalists. Right now it’s easy to break into the industry and gain experience and a following with the new and modern ways of reaching people. Grass roots people want to know what is going on in their world. It’s amazing that polls show some of these podcasters have larger audiences than mainstream media. This is totally mind blowing.

Charlotte is unsure of what her future holds but journalism is definitely on her radar and we all know she would excel if that was her choice.

So there you have it, another unplanned fixation. lol

It was fun.

I wonder is this qualifies as scribbling? (this weeks weekly prompt from Sunday Scribblings)

It felt like scribbling. lol

Thought for the night March 26, 2022

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Photo by Yan Krukov on Pexels.com

Sometimes the goal we’ve set for ourselves does not materialize but something better does.

It’s easy to feel discouraged when the hoped for outcome does not happen. Watching something unfold I’m hearing this sentiment express.

As a uninvolved observer I’m seeing community happening where there was little to none. Individuals are being reminded of what can happen when they work together as a team.

It’s inspiring to this uninvolved observer.

Free and bargain books March 25, 2022

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BookBub has a bargain book collection to share with us. Another author I’ve never met but look forward to meeting.

Carsen Brothers of Sweet Rivers Ranch Books 1-3

Carsen Brothers of Sweet Rivers Ranch Books 1-3 (Sweet Clean Marriage of Convenience Western Romance Series). Three inspirational, sweet, clean, marriage of convenience western romances in one edition. This inspiring collection includes: Her Christmas Cowboy, Her Cowboy Hero, and Her Fake Fiancé Cowboy.

This description is short and sweet and doesn’t fulfill our need for detail. It’s a good thing I read the first two chapters in the sample.

Six adopted boys have become tight knit brothers with loving adopted parents. The boys loved and appreciated them enough to do anything for them. That is until the reading of the will. All six of them have been unlucky in love and now the will insists all of them must be married before any of them can inherit the family ranch. Oh, and they have one year to make it happen. Between the short time frame and thick protective walls around their hearts life is looking bleak.

We know all six have to be married but at the moment we’ve only met one possible woman. Her story is a dying grandfather with a desperate wish to see her married before he dies. The trouble is, that is probably only a month away with his cancer in the final stages.

That’s all I have out of the first two chapters. We will have to read on for the bigger picture.

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BookRunes has a FREE suggestion for us. One more author new to me.

Broken Trails: A second chance sweet western romance (The Montana Trails Series Book 1)

A lonely cowboy finds a second chance at love. But her time is running out. Can they find love before it’s too late?

Nathan Rourke lost almost everything he holds dear. What he still has, he’ll do anything to keep.

His Montana ranch is not just a place, it’s his home and what’s left of his family. He’s holding his own, making it work.

But then high-school sweetheart Emma reappears … and suddenly this cowboy’s life is as rough as a ride on an untamed bronc.

Emma Benson left high school without a word to Nate, rather than admit she was too ill to go on. Now she’s desperate to prove she’s more than the disease that keeps her dependent on her family and friends.

And she craves just one more chance at love. Nate embodies the promise of a life free from the confines of her small world. But will loving her mean he must give up his own freedom? 

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My current read is:

Over the Waters

“Dr. Botox” to the bored rich women of Chicago, plastic surgeon Max Jordan is shocked by his son Joshua’s decision to focus his medical degree and talent on Haitian orphans. Embittered by Joshua’s sudden death, Max searches for resolution in the place his son called home—an orphanage outside of Port au Prince.

The selflessness of Joshua’s coworkers stuns Max. He is particularly taken with American volunteer Valerie Austin, whose dream of a tropical honeymoon has been crushed, replaced by a stint working in the impoverished orphanage. But Valerie’s view of Joshua’s sacrifice—and her own—challenges everything Max knows. Have the doors to his gilded cage finally opened to a freedom he’s never known?

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I’m a little more than half-way through and it is a good read. It is nothing like my expectations either which is a pleasant surprise.

This has been a good week for new books and that means we will have many great reading options for the weekend.

Looking forward to it. Hope you are too.

Happy reading y’all

Free and bargain books March 24, 2022

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BookBub has a FREE suggestion for us. Another author who has been around awhile.

Catching Katie: A Novel

Katie Jones is committed to fighting for the cause of woman’s suffrage. She has no time for romance, especially not with her best friend Ben Rafferty. But when Katie’s column in Ben’s newspaper stirs things up, sparks begin to fly. Ben is set on winning Katie over, but Katie is just as determined to stay true to her 1916 feminist ideals. With such strong obstacles in the way, their relationship can’t possibly progress. Unless somehow love finds a way…

“You can run all you want, Katie. You still can’t run away from your feelings or from my love. Not today. Not ever.” With determination in his voice, he added, “I will catch you, Katie.”

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While Catching Katie entertains us with an appealingly feisty heroine and a tender love story, author Robin Lee Hatcher is not afraid to challenge us with thought-provoking issues and valid spiritual insights. A truly enjoyable read! — Cindy Swanson, host of Weekend Rockford radio show.

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1531 Entertainment has bargain suggestions. This author is new to me, it’s nice to meet her and experience her writing.

Pride, Prejudice and Poison: A Jane Austen Society Mystery

This charmingly bookish cozy mystery sees an antiquarian bookstore proprietor use her sense and sensibility to deduce who killed the president of the local Jane Austen Society

Erin Coleridge’s used bookstore in Kirkbymoorside, North Yorkshire, England is a meeting place for the villagers and, in particular, for the local Jane Austen Society. At the Society’s monthly meeting, matters come to a head between the old guard and its young turks. After the meeting breaks for tea, persuasion gives way to murder—with extreme prejudice—when president Sylvia Pemberthy falls dead to the floor. Poisoned? Presumably . . . but by whom? And was Sylvia the only target?

Handsome—but shy—Detective Inspector Peter Hadley and charismatic Sergeant Rashid Jarral arrive at the scene. The long suspect list includes Sylvia’s lover Kurt Becker and his tightly wound wife Suzanne. Or, perhaps, the killer was Sylvia’s own cuckolded husband, Jerome. Among the many Society members who may have had her in their sights is dashing Jonathan Alder, who was heard having a royal battle of words with the late president the night before.

Then, when Jonathan Alder narrowly avoids becoming the next victim, Farnsworth (the town’s “cat lady”) persuades a seriously time-crunched Erin to help DI Hadley. But the killer is more devious than anyone imagines.

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Two more books to add to our reading list. It’s a good day.

Happy Reading!