Month: July 2023

Awesome Bargain books July 28, 2023

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I’m so excited about this BookBub suggestion. This is the latest, book 7 in the series, and I’ve been hoping it would show up one day soon. We’ve read and enjoyed the first six books and now we are more than ready for this one. Davis Bunn always writes a story worth reading and I can hardly wait.

Shell Beach (Miramar Bay Book 7)

A man adrift . . .
 
Noah Hearst is leaving a life he’s spent twelve years building. Professionally, a losing battle for his job after a hostile takeover. Personally, signing away his marriage in a split that was a long time coming. Now, the difficult part: deciding who he is, what he wants, and where to go next. Maybe it’s time to realize a dream that’s carried him through hard times: owning a boat. Traveling the ocean, exploring new ports, embracing the endless horizon. Blissful. Impractical. Impossible? For now, the dream alone gives Noah the strength to move forward . . .
 
An unexpected lifeline . . .
 
Jenna Greaves is an end-of-life nurse, devoted till her charges’ final breath. She’s been called a confidante, a surrogate daughter, and a best friend. She is all those to Dino Vicenza, a secretive millionaire who refuses to even speak with his greedy and impatient family. Gradually Jenna becomes Dino’s only confidant, and something far more out of the ordinary; she shares the old man’s passion for sailing the open seas. With his passing comes an unexpected bequest: a luxury yacht that invites Jenna to break free of old chains, if only she might find someone to help steer her toward new horizons.
 
One twist of fate and Noah and Jenna are brought together in the most unexpected way to navigate their future—and discover more about life, each other, and themselves than they ever imagined.

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Sheep Gate Publishing has a pre-order suggestion that will be out next year. It’s a long time out and I know I will forget I’ve ordered it but it looks interesting. I think I should go for it. Many of the authors we’ve seen before and some look new.

(OK, something happened and everything from here on to the end disappeared. I hate it when that happens. I can’t remember everything I slaved over so I’ll do a scaled down version and let you in on the books I ended up ordering)

Many apologies but at least we have books. What else matters in the end!

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This is a pre-order.

Summer Suspicions: Ten Christian Romantic Suspense Novels 

Escape into a world of love, mystery, and faith with these ten Christian romantic suspense novels. Today’s bestselling Christian fiction authors are bringing you ten page-turning, action-packed adventures filled with unforgettable characters, adrenaline-pumping mysteries, and heartwarming romance.

Summer suspicions lurk everywhere in small towns and in the countryside, as well as in the cities and on the coast. Cowboys, protectors, former military, single moms, pastors, good friends, sheriffs, missing children, hostages, fugitives, heroes, villains, and more, all in one limited-edition boxed set collection just for the summer of 2024 only.

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Texas Cold Case Threat (Quantico Profilers Book 1)

When a cold case turns hot,

an isolated ranch goes from refuge…to crime scene.

After a murderer sends her taunting letters, FBI behavioral analyst Chelsey Banks retreats to a friend’s ranch—and interrupts the housekeeper being attacked. When evidence connects the break-in to a cold-case serial killer, Chelsey’s best friend, Texas Ranger Tack Holliday, needs her help. With Tack at her side, this could be Chelsey’s chance to catch two killers—unless one of them gets her first.

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Last one

Rescue Mission (Rocky Mountain K-9 Unit Book 8)

A missing baby’s trail has gone cold.
But this K-9 unit has one last lead…

With a baby still missing after months of searching, Rocky Mountain K-9 Unit handler Lucas Hudson and his furry partner must protect the only witness as she recovers from amnesia. But the kidnapper wants Kate Montgomery silenced—permanently. Now hiding in the icy Montana mountains might be the key to their survival and to triggering Kate’s memories of the night baby Chloe Baker disappeared…

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That’s it for today. Until next time.

The read pile is overflowing again so that will appear soon, hopefully.

New books July 25, 2023

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We start the day out with a couple of authors new to us. The reviews look good and I couldn’t say no even if I wanted to. LPC Free Books gets the credit as the main suggester today.

Still Waters (Low Country Series Book 1)

Welcome to Edisto Beach where the days are slow and the past is never far away…

Recent graduate Cora Anne Halloway has a history degree and a plan—avoid her own past. Then her beloved grandmother requests one last summer at Still Waters, the family cottage on Edisto Beach.

Despite difficult memories lingering among the oak canopies and gentle tides, Edisto tempts her with forgiveness—especially since Nan hires Tennessee Watson to oversee cottage repairs. A local contractor dedicated to the Island’s preservation from development, Tennessee offers Cora Anne friendship and more, if she can move beyond her guilt over his father’s death.

For this young woman on the cusp of a new life, peace with her past means reconciling her family and her Edisto memories. But acceptance of her story may mean loving the man determined to preserve a history she’d rather forget.

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Next in line . . .

Becalmed: A Carolina Coast Novel (Carolina Coast Stories Book 1)

With her days chock full—designing jewelry for the shop she co-owns with her best friend, sailing her sharpie, and hanging out with girlfriends—Tadie Longworth barely notices she’s morphing into the town’s maiden aunt. When Will, a widower with a perky daughter named Jilly, limps into town in a sailboat badly in need of engine repairs, Tadie welcomes the chance to help. Her shop becomes Jilly’s haven while Will hunts boat parts, and Tadie even takes the two of them sailing. It’s the kind of thing she lives for, and it’s a welcome distraction from the fact that her ex-boyfriend Alex, aka The Jerk of Jerks, is back in town. With his northern bride. Oh, and he’s hitting on Tadie, too.

Those entanglements are more than enough, thank you very much, so it’s almost a relief when a hurricane blows into town: at least the weather can match Tadie’s mood. When Will and Jilly take shelter in her home, though, Tadie finds herself battling her attraction to Will. Even worse, the feeling is mutual, tempting them all with what-ifs that petrify Will, who has sworn never to fall in love again. Mired in misunderstanding, he takes advantage of the clear skies and hauls Jilly out of there and back to his broken boat so fast, Tadie’s head spins.

With the man she might have loved gone, and the man she wishes gone showing up on her doorstep, Tadie finds herself like a sailboat with no wind; becalmed, she has to fight her way back against the currents to the shores of the life, and the man, she wants.

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I stumbled over another interesting author we’ve not read before. Happily, this story popped up for me while browsing, keeping us from being done with only two books, which would be disappointing.

Dangerous Obsession (The Security Specialists Book 3)

She has a stalker on her tail—and a devoted security expert at her side: “Will keep readers guessing and turning the pages.” —RT Book Reviews

Security Specialist Wilder Flynn wastes no time putting behavioral expert Cosette LaCroix under his 24/7 protection when her stalker finds her in Atlanta. Ex-Navy SEAL Wilder keeps Cosette close to guard her from the quickly escalating threats and attacks.

But can he accomplish the mission without breaking his strict code against dating employees of his world-renowned company, Covenant Crisis Management? Or putting his heart and life at risk?

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Last but not least, we have a free novella by this new author. We are even experiencing variety in genres with this new suggestion, which is awesome.

Under the Honey Moon: A Honeyhaven Romance (The Honeyhaven Series Book 1)

A honeymoon cottage reunites a pair of childhood friends. Can it offer them a future filled with a happily-ever-after?

When B&B owner Juliet Miller’s childhood crush shows up on her doorstep, she thinks he’s come to honor a pact and pop the question. But he’s already engaged and offers her a bargain she can’t turn down. Bowie Nichols has always seen Juliet as a friend until shifting feelings has him second guessing whether or not he’s marrying the right woman.

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I’m looking forward to this new batch of books while I’m still working my way through the last batch. One of them was irresistible and I couldn’t help but move it to the top of the pile, giving it preferential treatment.

With all the unexpected twists and turns in plot this was definitely worth the read.

False Security

Alex Pierce needs Laney Winters to help him prove neither of them is responsible for the millions of dollars that went missing after Laney arrested him for bank robbery five years ago. Besides Laney not believing he truly repented in prison, there’s the problem of the real thief trying to kill her and the police department treating her like a dirty cop.

With the possibility of another crime being pinned on them, Laney finally teams up with Alex to save her life. If only she could trust him with her heart, as well.

It’s a short read with lots of drama. Check it out.

I love this book, July 23, 2023

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I love this book so much I have to stop and tell someone. I’m glad you stopped by.

Two thirds of the way through and I know I will be looseleft when I turn the last page. Looseleft is one of the many emotionally charged words used in this book. That’s one of it’s fascinating aspects, words.

They also often mention the phrase, Looseleft in the Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows. I’m still trying to wrap my head around that concept. A Google search tells me that contrary to my incorrect assumptions this is a real book written by John Koenig, published in 2021.

Looseleft is the bereft feeling of loss at the end of a good book when the characters stay behind and we have to leave to go on without them. This will be a book like that for me. Sad, sad, sad, when it’s over. But glad for the way I expect it to end for the characters.

Harper inherited a thriving bookstore from an aunt she thought hated her. Harper loves books (understatement of the century) but is lacking in social skills (also a gross understatement) and struggles with the responsibilities of a new occupation.

Noah recently discovered he was a father as a result of a brief relationship with someone he hasn’t seen in years. Now he is struggling to learn how to be a dad to his grieving son. Bennie’s life has not been easy since the loss of his dying mother, As a result of his unfortunate experiences there are unexpected pot holes popping up all over their road of life and Noah is grateful for every one of them that Harper is able to smooth over.

Bennie is a sensitive little boy and can read people as well as Harper can, she is very good at it. They understand each other and Bennie’s adoring looks tell the whole world he is smitten with her. Harper would readily but secretly admit it’s mutual.

Complicated is a weak word to use to describe the dynamics going on with the characters. The bumpy relationships work well on so many levels with these three, Noah, Harper, and Bennie. It will be nice to see their relationship work out the way I think it will but not so easy to see my time with them come to an end.

Twice Sold Tales (Bookstrings Book 1)

If only owning a bookstore didn’t mean dealing with people.

No one was more surprised than Harper Brevig when Great Aunt Lorene (not “Lori,” thank-you-very-much) died and left her least favorite niece her bookstore–including a prime piece of real estate in downtown Red Wing, Minnesota.

Making a go of the place shouldn’t be too hard. With her library science degree, she should be set. Then again, the website describing library degrees had said it would teach her excellent communication skills. It had not. Could she get a partial refund?

Still, owning the building should mean crazy-low overhead to offset her less than optimal “book-side” manner.  Ahem. So when yet another huge bill arrives, and she starts getting twitchy about the low bank balance, Harper does the only thing she can think of.

Enter Milton Coleridge. He’d been excited about the possibilities of the store last year, but Harper had sent him packing before he could talk to her about them.  Now he has a chance to make a difference. But she’s right. She’s bleeding money, and it doesn’t make sense!

Milton’s job is to figure out what’s going on, plug the financial leak, and maybe… do a little matchmaking. That dad with the adorable little boy would be good for her… and she’d be good for him. Probably.

A solid five stars in my experience.

Surprise, and things July 22, 2023

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Last post, I promised I’d found another interesting book to share. I did and I clicked order sooner than usual. I was that confident. Oops. I didn’t notice the book was only 100 pages long and the story was spread over 4 short books. Normally I avoid short books like the plague. Oh well, I did want to read the story so what can I say. I’ll be more careful next time. In the meantime, here it is. . . the first installment anyway. Not sure I will read the rest.

Last Seen at Lighthouse Lane (An Outer Banks Mystery Book 1)

Laura Williams hasn’t stepped foot in her hometown since she was old enough to leave.

But when a doctor calls about her mom’s declining medical condition, she has no choice but to return home and look after her.

Besides, it couldn’t be as bad as living in a city with the man who broke her heart. 2 weeks before their wedding.

As a 35-year-old journalist, hanging onto her job by a thread, and healing from a broken heart, Laura goes back to North Carolina to take care of her mom, agreeing to take on any stories that come her way.

When she arrives, the small-town is on edge because a thirteen-year-old girl has gone missing from Lighthouse Lane…again.

Memories come flooding back, and it all sounds eerily similar to when Laura’s best friend went missing from that exact location 17 years ago…

It gets more complicated when she realizes she knows the missing girl’s father. Harry Matthews, who is just as handsome as she remembers.

Laura makes it her mission to do whatever it takes to help Harry find his daughter.

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While we are on the subject of short books, I came across one from another author I like and thought why not? I have one short book, may as well go for two. On the bright side, I think with this one the story is complete and that makes me very happy. I’m looking forward to both of them.

False Security

Alex Pierce needs Laney Winters to help him prove neither of them is responsible for the millions of dollars that went missing after Laney arrested him for bank robbery five years ago. Besides Laney not believing he truly repented in prison, there’s the problem of the real thief trying to kill her and the police department treating her like a dirty cop.

With the possibility of another crime being pinned on them, Laney finally teams up with Alex to save her life. If only she could trust him with her heart, as well.

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On a totally different topic . . . I love words, I’m always on the lookout for good ones. I found one the other day. It was from a conversation with a character in a book. She was expressing her disdain for what she considered drivel (nonsense). She had no time for it. would not spend precious time on it.

What a great word. I try to avoid drivel at all costs so shouldn’t have to use it often but I like it just in case I do.

I think I should start keeping track of these great words, though, because as I try to think back over recent treasures they’ve all disappeared from my memory. Every last one of them. Hopefully, they will come back just when I need them.

I need to get reading now. An author I follow had a special offer for her email followers. In honor of her birthday she made many of her books available as free for a day. I downloaded 26 of them and challenged myself to read most of them before I move on. Not sure I won’t be lured away by recent downloads, like these ones today, but I’ll try. This lady is prolific and over the years I’ve downloaded 110 of her books. There are still more. I’m on the fourth one of this recent batch and need to keep moving before I lose steam.

Her books aren’t always my favorites, mainly because sometimes I can’t relate to her characters. Some of her books I love though and so I’m glad to have them.

Chautona Havig is her name, I’ve mentioned her many times over the course of this blog and I’m happy to do it again.

New book suggestions July 22, 2023

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This is catch-up day. Neglected suggestion emails are back-logged and need attention, especially since the first email I looked at just now had an attractive recommendation. This could turn out to be a good day for books! Let’s hope. This first one is suggested by BookBub and it looks like we’ve read other books in this series so it won’t be entirely new.

The Art of Rivers: A Coastal Hearts

Rivers Sullivan bears both visible and invisible scars—those on her shoulder from a bullet wound and those on her heart from the loss of her fiancé during the same brutal attack. Not even her background as an art therapist can help her regain her faith in humanity. Still, she scrapes together the courage to travel to St. Simons Island to see the beach cottage and art gallery she’s inherited from her fiancé. When she stumbles upon recovering addicts running her gallery, she’s forced to reckon with her own healing.

After the tragic drowning of his cousin, James Cooper Knight spends his days trying to make up for his past mistakes. He not only dedicates his life to addiction counseling, but guilt drives him to the water, searching for others who’ve been caught unaware of the quickly rising tides of St. Simons. When he rescues a peculiar blond woman and her sketch pad from a sandbar, then delivers this same woman to his deceased grandmother’s properties, he knows things are about to get even more complicated.

Tragic circumstances draw Cooper and Rivers closer, but they fight their growing feelings. Though Cooper’s been sober for years, Rivers can’t imagine trusting her heart to someone in recovery, and he knows a relationship with her will only rip his family further apart. Distrust and guilt are only the first roadblocks they must overcome if they take a chance on love.

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BookRunes has a suggestion we’ve not seen and it will be an introduction to another author new to us. The ratings and reviews look good too.

Heiress of Comrie

When Ismay finds herself in Crieff, Scotland, without coins to give the tax man for her small estate, she resorts to stealing a horse and selling it to a cattle drover during the early morning hours of the day. After paying her debt, she wastes no time fleeing to her home and property in the highlands to avoid retribution.

Though hanging on the gallows is no longer a punishment for horse thievery in Scotland, in 1810, Ian MacAllen isn’t about to allow a wee tinker’s daughter to swindle him out of his horse and money without paying him back in full for the amount. He quickly turns his horse in the direction of Comrie to find Ismay and settle the matter between them.

Grizel Hawthorne, a wealthy noblewoman, is furious when she sees, Ismay, a blue-eyed lass with raven-dark hair and rosy cheeks, working to pay off a debt to Ian at his estate. Grizel is determined to find a way to oust the young woman from Ian’s home and out of his life for good.

Ismay holds her father’s necklace in her hand as she eyes the inscription on the back. What was it he’d tried to tell her on his deathbed? Who was the mysterious old woman, Morag Duffy, and what ties did she have to Ismay’s past? How might Ismay rely on her faith in God to find out the truth of the matter?

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Sheep Gate Publishing has a suggestion from an author we’ve read and enjoyed a number of times in 2023.

Over the Horizon: Horizon Series, Book 1

Alone in 1870s Idaho Territory, Paisley Abbott has nowhere to turn. With no other options, she finds herself consenting to an unconventional, but mutually beneficial agreement.

During an unplanned return to his family’s farm, prodigal Tyler Shepherdson inherits three orphans. When Tyler finds a woman hiding in the back of his wagon, an idea begins to form and he makes a rash decision that results in perhaps one of the most spontaneous marriages of convenience ever.

Despite an unorthodox beginning to their marriage, will Paisley and Tyler trust God as they forge ahead to create a home for three children? Will love arise from a desperate situation?

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Then there is a suggestion for a box set from another author we have enjoyed a number of times. It looks like the story of the same couple is spread over all four books. I will have to go back and reread book 1, we read it back in 2019 and a refresher would be in order.

A Time For Everything Series Box Set Books 1-4

Following her husband’s untimely death, Wendy Miller’s life revolves around her adult children, but when she accepts an invitation to her late husband’s grandmother’s birthday party in London, she meets a dashing, silver-haired Texan cowboy in Dublin who captures her heart.

Bruce McCarthy did his best to hold his family and ranch together after his wife died in a car accident ten years before, but following a recent health scare, he decides to live every day as if it were his last and books a flight to Ireland to find his Irish family.

The captivating woman he accidentally spills coffee on one morning stirs something inside him, and Bruce wonders if God might be giving him a second chance at love…

As they meet again in London, Paris and Venice, their friendship grows deeper, but while Bruce is eager to take their friendship further, Wendy is unsure if her adult children will accept a new man in her life, especially when one of them still blames God for allowing her father to die prematurely.

If Wendy can trust God to take care of the details, and Bruce can overcome his fears of his cancer returning, they may just discover that you’re never too old to fall in love…

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Well, I’m finished but not finished. Some of the suggestion strips look like they really need to be explored. Maybe something good will pop up and we will have a follow up post, we may even see each other again before the day is done. I have a good feeling about this.

New bargain books July 17, 2023

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Browsing today is fun. Let’s see what we can find.

I decided on one I’ve seen before, an easy decision after reading and enjoying book 1 in the series. I wasn’t ready to take a chance on it at first sight but I’m good now. I was worried a prequel would be a short read but it actually has 344 pages which makes me very happy.

Chasing Freedom: The Prequel (Against All Enemies Book 3) 

How far would you be willing to go if you were chasing freedom?

When Allie Santiago, international scholar at Oregon State University, and her family are captured and labor trafficked by the same drug cartel that drove her father from Mexico, she learns the cartel thugs plan to sell her to human traffickers. Allie escapes, running a marathon through the mountains of Northern California, and collapses in the arms of Jeff Jacobs, a disgraced Olympic decathlete who wants to regain both his honor and his former glory. When Jeff’s actions engage the FBI and US Marshals to protect Allie and free her family from the cartel, a war breaks out in the mountains along the Oregon-California border.

Will Jeff’s efforts enable the two to survive and their budding relationship to grow? Not unless he can keep Allie and her family out of the black hole known as asylum detention. And the reward he now seeks for his efforts, Allie’s love, might evaporate like his dream of Olympic gold once Allie learns about Jeff’s scandalous past.

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There is another prequel from a favorite author and it looks interesting too.

Target: A prequel story (Denver FBI) by Lisa Phillips

Special Agent Liam Conners is the only witness to his neighbor’s abduction: the Chloroform Killer has struck again. But when his neighbor, Andrea James, returns from a business trip, they realize the killer’s mistake—her sister has been abducted in her place.

Now the killer is coming for Andrea, and Liam and his partner are the only ones standing in the way. Can they catch the killer and protect the target?

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For a moment I thought we were done and then two more showed up. They are part of a series we’ve been reading, how can we pass that up? The chance to read the last two books.

Sanctuary Deceived (WITSEC Town Book 4)

Thrust from their home, Bolton Farrera and Nadia Marie Carleigh are isolated from everyone they trust, and Bolton can barely walk. In need of experimental surgery, Bolton has exactly one thing on his mind: getting to the stash he hid years ago. But the man Bolton put in jail has escaped, and the hunt for revenge is on. Nadia Marie knows God put her with Bolton so she could help him. But when Bolton’s past catches up to both of them, the cost is high. Nadia must choose between what she thought the future would hold, and the reality she’s faced with. She must love unconditionally, even if she has to walk away from the one thing she wants. Bolton must protect the people he cares about, and maybe even admit the real truth about who he is. Even if uncovering his deception means he loses everything.

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Sanctuary Forever (WITSEC Town Book 5)

Gemma inherited a secret when Hal Leonard died–along with the knowledge that he was her father. Now it’s her job to guard what Hal had hidden in the radio station. But when Gemma reveals the secret to her best friend, Pastor Dan Walden, they discover a link to Dan’s late father. Can Dan put his memories of the old man’s anger to rest, or will his past be the blade that tears the town of Sanctuary apart? In this final installment of the Sanctuary series old rivals clash, new foes leave their mark, and a ghost from the past returns in this explosive climax.

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Ok, that’s it for today. Not bad at all, I have to say. I’m looking forward to reading them all, equally. It doesn’t always happen that way and I love it when it does.

Missed one, July 15, 2023

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Too many distractions today. I forgot about the plan to buy book 2 to go along with one of today’s new books. I could say oh well and move on but that idea doesn’t work for me this time. Here it is…

Poppy’s Path to Love: Women’s Fiction – Inspirational Romance (Great Smoky Mountain Getaways Book 2)

When a job for a full-time nanny/housekeeper is posted in Langdon, NC, Poppy Delacorte is quick to apply. Jumping at the opportunity to move after a public shaming by her deceitful ex-boyfriend, she accepts the offer.

When she arrives at her destination, Poppy learns there’s been some kind of mix-up at the agency and her new employer refuses to hire her because she’s not a gray-haired older woman. Something about younger women working for him and vying for the next Mrs. Jordan Perry position. But before she can even make arrangements to figure out what to do or where to go next, Jordan seeks her out and offers her a temporary arrangement since he has no one to watch Katrina.

Poppy is secretly relieved with the reprieve, vowing to be the perfect nanny/housekeeper so that it becomes a permanent arrangement.

Jordan leaves on business—which in turn, leaves Poppy and Katrina trying to muddle through their new relationship and life. Except she doesn’t always get it right, discovering that teaching and nannying are two very different jobs.

Will Poppy need to move on and keeping searching for the place where she belongs and God’s plan for her life, or could this be where she finally puts down roots?

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We were settled on Romance in the last post but a must-have mystery has surfaced. A change to a different genre won’t be a bad thing. This is book three and since we’ve read book two in this series it’s an opportunity that can’t be missed

Dangerous Depths (Aloha Reef Series Book 3)

Sometimes life’s most precious treasure lies at Dangerous Depths.

Leia ditched a promising medical career to settle on a secluded island of Hawaii. She ditched Bane, too, and he’s come to the island to find out why. He’s also in search of a fortune rumored to lie offshore. But an act of sabotage that pushes Bane closer to Leia plunges them both into a tangle of emotion—just as a series of threatening events grip the island.

Theft, a friend’s death, a bizarre intruder, hints of a second treasure . . . and even murder—how can they sort it all out when everyone on the island has something to hide?

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I’m quitting now, before things get any more out of hand. Between the two posts today we have 12 new books.

I’m between reads so it’s wide open for the chance to pick one of them next. I’ll let you know how it goes. Poppy’s Path looks interesting.

New books, Romance, July 15, 2023

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It looks like this could be a Romance kind of day. While browsing through the usual suggestion emails a couple of interesting books popped up, with authors new to us. Now, it’s interesting on two levels.

Sorrento Girl (The Historic Hotels Collection)

It’s 1938, and Ann Brooks has big dreams of her new life as a Seattle College coed. She’s left the old-fashioned ways of her small country town behind to pursue higher education and a teaching career.

But not everyone is ready for change.

Society still preaches that a woman’s place is in the home. Some refuse to see Ann as an equal deserving of an education — let alone a career — and Ann’s friends think school is simply a springboard to pursue a marriage of wealth and convenience.

When Ann meets Paul, an aspiring journalist with strong ideas of his own, she learns an unexpected lesson in courage and discovers what it really means to live her dreams.

Will Ann give up everything she thought she wanted for love? Or can she have it all?

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Juliet’s Journey to Love: Women’s Fiction – Inspirational Romance (Great Smoky Mountain Getaways Book 1)

Escape to the Great Smoky Mountains…

Juliet isn’t sure of God’s plan for her life, but the opportunity to serve as the leader of the Freedom and Faith small group, helps her to feel needed, like she belongs. The group plans to hike sections of the Appalachian Trail, using the back to nature approach to grow closer to God. Determined to succeed, Juliet leads two other women on a hike, but when she falls ill and they’re days away from the exit point of their planned journey, her friends must call 911.

When a man shows up looking more like a grizzly bear than a rescuer, she’s forced to accept his help. Loner extraordinaire, Jake wants them gone. Except when Juliet and her friends are ready to leave, it’s Jake who succumbs to the illness, and this time it’s Juliet to the rescue.

In the process, she discovers a man with a heart and a past. Her failure to lead the group prompts her to renew her efforts to be needed, and she’s determined to help Jake get through more than his illness. When she learns of an opening at the medical clinic in Hollow Creek, she applies, knowing it would give her a reason to stick around town and give her time to help Jake get his life back on track.

Her methods aren’t always squeaky clean, but her heart is in the right place. When Jake finds out the truth, the walls come tumbling down. Can the two of them muddle through the past and their own issues to work out their differences?

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The Complete Blueberry Beach Box Set Books 1-8

Escape to Blueberry Beach in this charming collection of sweet, heartwarming romances!

Book 1 – Yesterday’s Treasures: When Lindy leaves her workaholic husband and moves with her teenage daughter to their summer cottage on the shores of Lake Michigan, will she find joy and healing with the help of her new neighbors in the town of Blueberry Beach? And when it comes down to a choice between her bright new future or the value of yesterday’s treasures, does her husband dare to hold out hope that he can win her back?

Book 2 – Tomorrow’s Blessings: Dealing with her husband’s departure, her son’s leukemia diagnosis, and an unexpected pregnancy from a short, sweet summer fling, can Anitra navigate the complexities of her life and find hope with the support of her friends and neighbors in Blueberry Beach?

Book 3 – Beautiful Forevers: Can Gage and Zariah’s relationship, which seems too good to be true, survive the outrageous actions of Zariah’s teenage niece, Macie, who’s caught in a crime spree in Blueberry Beach? And will the small community ever feel safe again?

Book 4 – Precious Memories: Although dealing with a mysterious illness that has depleted her energy and left her listless, can Laura find a future with the mysterious stranger who rents the small apartment above her grandfather’s shop in Blueberry Beach?

Book 5 – Misty Mornings: What will happen when Leiklyn reunites with her high school friends after eighteen years to renovate the Manor they bought for $1, only to discovers her daughter’s explosive secret? Will Leiklyn’s own dark secret come to light?

Book 6 – Sweet Afternoons: Can Willen overcome perfectionism and learn that she’s worthy of love? And how will Drake Jensen, a Hollywood leading man who wants to disappear, choose between Hollywood and the new life that could be his, especially when he falls in love with a woman determined to make him her enemy?

Book 7 – Magical Twilights: Can a broken woman, who has a lot of regrets, sins, and secrets, and a pastor with a secret past of his own, find love and forgiveness in Blueberry Beach despite their troubled histories?

Book 8 – Tender Mercies: Can Bev and Bill, who lost their baby and broke up when they were fifteen, find their soulmates and a family in their fifties, after a long-held secret from the town’s pillar is disclosed and directly affects them, destroying everything they thought they believed?

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Today is a good day for authors we don’t see as often, or ever. The stories look pretty good too.

Clearing out the read pile, July 12, 2023

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One thing I really enjoyed about these first books – they were situations unlike anything I’ve read recently, and I loved them. There were several others standing out for me this way too but I’m not sure I can identify them again. Too many read after them and my memories have become foggy. Everything included in this list was excellent and a great experience, though. There were a few others that didn’t measure up and won’t be shared.

A Christmas to Remember was definitely a different and highly enjoyable read.

My current read is Within These Gilded Halls and I’m still trying to decide if I love it.

One more enjoyable read that I missed including.

That’s it for now.

New book suggestions July 10, 2023

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It’s catch-up time, for the build-up of regular suggestion emails. With my nose in a book most of the weekend, emails were not on my radar and things have gotten a little out of hand. I see some of the mentions are still available and one seems interesting. Maybe there will be more than one. That would be awesome.

We’ve read this first author several times and it’s nice to see her again. BookBub is responsible for this suggestion.

Grave Pursuits (Pennsylvania Parks Book 1) 

When a hiker goes missing and Emily discovers a skull, she finds herself targeted by a dangerous serial killer, putting her faith and love to the test. As the case gains national attention, Emily turns to her high school sweetheart and seasoned detective, Wade Brunner, for help in this Christian mystery thriller. Together, they embark on an exciting adventure, uncovering sinister secrets lurking in the park and solving a small-town mystery.

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This next one is an author we’ve seen several times and it will be a light read for a change of pace after the last one. Sounds like fantasy. A BookRunes suggestion.

A Christmas to Remember

Time for a Little Christmas Magic?

It’s December in small-town Indiana, and the life of nineteen-year-old Ellie Amerson has been turned upside down. Her mother remarried, and Ellie is no longer welcome in her own house. Sent to Grandpa’s cozy home, she finds a comforting refuge but is handed a detailed project. Can she complete the tasks in time? Her job at the diner has demands of its own.

When a mysterious cat named Trance appears, Ellie begins to have unusual dreams, too vivid to be imagined. She is shocked to learn the places where Trance had taken her are real. In the shadowy time between times, she discovers a handsome young man who desperately needs her help. The more she learns about him, the fonder her heart grows. Can she put the pieces together and save him before time runs out, or will she be lost from her world forever? What will this Christmas bring?

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So, browsing produced this next one. I’m interested for more than one reason but one is that we’ve read book 3 in this series, so why not read book 2 and see what it is about?

Love on Ice (Original Six Hockey Romance series Book 2)

She’s focused on winning gold. He wants to lose the player tag. Can a fake relationship become something real?

Aussie short track skater Holly Travers has one goal – make the Vancouver Games, no matter what it takes. She has no time for distractions, even if they come in the handsome form of her Canadian best friend’s twin brother. This hockey player may say he’s not a player, but can she trust him?
Brent Karlsson has one goal – make his sister’s best friend realize he’s a changed man and she should give him a chance. When a set-up in Hawaii helps these two opposites realize they have more in common than they thought, what happens when he wants to turn their fake relationship into something real? And how can a relationship work when these two elite athletes never see each other and live on opposite sides of the world?

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Another complete change of pace from BookBub. We’ve read a number of books from this author but very few quite like this one.

Keeping Bailey (A Forever Home Novel Book 4)

Through no fault of her own and after spending her entire life with an owner she loves, Bailey’s life is turned upside down. She’s dropped off at the Humane Society where Kim Harper works as the Animal Behavior Manager. Alone and confused, Bailey shuts down completely. She won’t eat or even acknowledge anyone who reaches out to her. Kim knows older dogs are hard to re-home. If Bailey can’t come out of this, it will be impossible.

A retired widow named Rhonda Hawthorne volunteers at the shelter. Rhonda’s dog recently passed away after a long and full life. Rhonda can’t even think about getting another one but hopes doing this will give her a chance to be around dogs, make a small difference in their lives, but without making a permanent commitment. Soon she decides to do whatever she can to help Bailey, before it’s too late. What life-changing difference will this decision create in her own life?

Kim Harper is also wondering about something else…will Ned, the boyfriend she loves, ever get serious and pop the question?

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Last but not least, from a final browse. This will be a new experience with an author new to us. The first chapter has sealed the deal for me.

Within These Gilded Halls: A Regency Romance

Hidden treasure and betrayal mingle with unexpected love within the walls of Avonthorpe Hall.

After studying art under Miss Drake, a renowned painter, Phoebe Radcliff is certain she can finally move beyond the childish mistake that’s kept her away from home. She is thrilled when Miss Drake employs her to complete a complicated ballroom renovation.

Everything changes, however, the moment Miss Drake is murdered. With her last breath she imparts the location of a clue to Phoebe. Can the biggest secret of Avonthorpe Hall be true—the rumored treasure real? Phoebe is tasked to finish her work in the ballroom by Miss Drake’s infuriatingly regimented yet all-too-handsome nephew, Lt. Graham Burke. Determined to fulfill the promise she made to her beloved teacher to find the treasure, Phoebe also works to uncover the truth about Miss Drake’s death—and she must do so before Lt. Burke leases the house.

But dark shadows line the gilded halls of Avonthorpe, and soon enough Phoebe realizes she’s not the only person who knows about the clues. What’s worse, she needs Lt. Burke’s help to stay ahead of whoever is hard on her heels. If only she weren’t so attracted to him.

Caught up in a deadly race for answers, Phoebe must find a way to breach the shroud of lies that surrounds every last resident in the house and, more importantly, face a past she’s been running away from for far too long.

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Five new books! A very nice way to start off the week.

Before heading into today’s search I was having trouble settling on a new read. This new list is looking entirely too enticing.

As for next post, the read pile is building into the double digits and needs to be cleared out again. Sounds like a good plan to me.

See you again soon.