addictions

Free and bargain books February 20, 2021

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Wow, do we have a bunch this time, lots of reading material for the weekend. First up is a BookBub suggested thriller and it sounds pretty intense. We will start out with heavy and quickly slide into lighter. A good way to finish for a change.

SAVING SARA: A JAMIE AUSTEN THRILLER (THE SPY STORIES Book 3)

Amazon quote:

Sara is missing in the Cayman Islands.

No one knows it. Except her abductors, of course.

Beloved CIA heroine, Jamie Austen, is sent to Tampico, Mexico, to rescue four girls, abducted on their senior class trips. 

Are the cases related?

All of Jamie’s skills are tested as she must overcome the powerful drug war lord, El Mata, his ruthless band of heavily armed killers, and a hurricane that’s bearing down on the Caribbean islands. 

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Next up is a BookRunes FREE suggestion. More, intense with suspense.

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

Amazon quote:

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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A change of pace after intense suspense with the last author, Linda K Rodante. Romance will lighten things up a bit for us.

Second Chance Homecoming: A Sweet Christian Christmas Romance

Amazon quote:

After her divorce and all that led up to it, Sarah Emerson’s life consists of her son, her job, and the secret she carries. Maybe if she’d married the boy who proposed after Homecoming, things would be different now…

Philip Devereaux has had similar curveballs thrown his way, but he’s picked himself up and continued on. Occasionally, he remembers his first crush and the girl that made him laugh.

When a thrill ride at Disney World brings a surprise meeting, they both wonder about that special Homecoming. But with the distance between them and the hurt in both their lives, will a second chance be enough to awaken the dreams they once had? Or will it take the miracle of Christmas?

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This looks good too.

A (kinda) Country Christmas: A Christian Holiday Romance (A Romance(ish) Novella Book 1)

Amazon quote:

Sadie Jenkins lives and breathes Christmas every, single day of the year. Owner of Bethlehem’s Boutique in the tourist mountain town of Gatlinburg, TN, she has no room for the bad boys of her past and devotes her whole life to the struggling boutique and her teenage daughter, Maribelle. She’s perfectly happy with her country-living life until he walks into her store.

Nate Myers travels the globe for his job and has the bank account to prove his success. The former “bad” boy is in town for a short visit with his sister and is determined to not get caught up in all the Christmas hype. But then he falls for the beautiful shopkeeper—quite literally.

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Alaskan Refuge (Sweet Christian Romance Series)

Amazon quote:

Cassandra Stuart’s ministry is photography and she travels the world with journalists. Yet, God has her on a special assignment: find Kurt Halden. The elusive tycoon disappeared shortly after his fiancée died. Cassandra has information about his fiancée that will bring him vindication, and hopefully set him free from the past. When she meets him at his reclusive cabin in Alaska, she expects to encounter an aggressive, arrogant business genius. Instead, she finds a rugged, sincere man that could steal her heart. Somehow, she has to keep her feelings out of it. She’ll do what God sent her to do, then get back to her life. That’s the plan.

Kurt Halden despises reporters for the way they treated him when his fiancée died and he was accused of embezzling two billion dollars. To escape harassment, he moved to a beautiful yet desolate hideaway in Alaska where God has healed his heart and set him free from the corrupt man he’d become. In four years, he encountered only two people until he has to pull Cassandra Stuart from her crashed plane. He doesn’t trust her, yet he’s forced to house her until a rescue plane arrives. He tries to keep his guard up and hold tight to his secrets, but he finds it impossible not to fall in love with his uninvited guest. He knows God isn’t finished with him, and meeting Cassandra is only a diversion. So why is it that when she leaves, she’ll take his heart with her?

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It’s funny how often it feels like I’ve added at least a dozen new downloads by the time I get through adding all of the possibles I have picked out. It’s a shock to realize there are no where near that many. Only five this time.

Mind you, five is still plenty, it’s just that I was excited to have more. My eyes are bigger than my stomach, obviously.

That’s OK, I’m excited about all of them this time and that’s a plus. I’m not sure if I can handle the first two, we’ll see, but the last three will go down well for sure.

I hope you are excited about some of these new picks too.

Happy Weekend Reading!

Free books February 18, 2021

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Two FREE books today. One a suggestion from BookBub and the other from BookRunes

The first is from an author often seen in this space.

Within This Circle

Amazon quote:

After a tumultuous courtship, John and Julia Brighton have a second chance at happiness! With tragedy behind them and their children grown, they’re looking forward to a new and promising era in their lives.

Only, such a promise is never guaranteed. And life can change in a moment.

The Brightons’ lives are turned upside down when John’s daughter Jana abandons her husband, Mark, and three-year-old daughter. John and Julia reach out to young Ellie, to give the young couple time to heal, but how can they help this child, so confused and longing for Mommy? And how much sorrow and stress can both fledgling marriages endure?

Two very different couples, each with only their love and faith to guide them, can only pray that it will be enough.

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The next one is a book included in a collection I downloaded and read last summer. It appears I liked 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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I’m currently reading a mystery. Just barely started, actually. So far so good.

Deadly Commitment: 

Will the truth about her fiance be more unsettling than the stranger stalking her?

Danni Kemp fears she’s being stalked—but the truth is much more deadly. Her new fiance, Robert Evans, has a dangerous secret. The homeless man who is stalking her, Caleb, may prove to be her only escape from a hidden world of crime. Will she discover in time that neither Robert no Caleb are who they appear to be and the one person she fears may be the one person she needs to trust? 

The Deadly Secrets series drops the reader into the frightening world of illicit drugs, where ordinary lives are lost, and families are changed forever—and in a setting so commonplace you will wonder if you or someone you love could become the next victim.

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That’s all I’ve got for today.

Happy Reading!

Free books February 08, 2021

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BookBub has a light but clean suggestion for us, FREE.

Make-Believe Fiancé: An inspirational romance (Make-Believe Series Book 1)

Amazon quote:

A billionaire cowboy, a divorced teacher with nowhere left to turn, and a fake engagement they thought would solve all their problems. They never meant to fall in love.

Gwen Alder is starting over — divorced and broke, she’s come to Billings, Montana for a new beginning. But waitressing in a roadside diner for the summer isn’t paying the bills, and she finds herself in over her head with no hope of catching up.

Heath Montgomery has it all — fame, fortune and a mega-watt smile, but one thing he doesn’t have is a date for his cousin’s wedding.

When they cross paths, Heath has an idea — what if he paid her to be his date? No strings, no complications, just a simple business transaction — a way to finally win his father’s trust, and get his parents off his back about settling down once and for all.

She’s poor and plain. He’s wealthy and arrogant.

They didn’t want anything more than a simple arrangement. They never planned to fall in love. But sometimes cupid has a mind of his own.

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LPC Books has several FREE suggestions too.

Beyond I Do: A Contemporary Romance Novel

Amazon quote:

Marriage . . . it’s more than a happily ever after. Eternally more. 

Ainsley Meadows, raised by a hedonistic mother who cycles through jobs and relationships like wrapping paper on Christmas morning, falls into a predictable and safe relationship with Richard, a self-absorbed, socialite psychiatrist.

But as Ainsley’s wedding nears, a battered woman and her child spark a long-forgotten dream, a hidden passion. One that threatens to change everything, including her fiancé.

If she wants to embrace God’s best and find lasting love, this security-seeking bride must follow God with reckless abandon and realize that marriage goes Beyond I Do.

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Deliver Me from Evil

Amazon quote:

One of the earliest novel series on human trafficking. A compelling read that will challenge and inspire you. 

Deliver Me from Evil introduces readers to Mara, an eighteen-year-old girl who has been enslaved for nearly ten years, having been sold by her parents in Mexico and then smuggled across the border into San Diego where she was forced into sexual slavery.

Readers will also meet 18-year-old, Bible-college-bound Jonathan and his 16-year-old sister, Leah, whose paths cross Mara’s and who become involved in her dramatic rescue.

Interwoven between the stories of Mara, Jonathan, and Leah is the heartbreaking story of another young woman in captivity in the Golden Triangle of Thailand, whose past life mysteriously connects to the young people in San Diego.

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We have the full spectrum here, from light to full-on serious. I was hoping to end on a lighter note but nothing presented itself in time. Maybe it’s better this way anyway. Some ideas need to be camped on for while. They deserve it.

Until tomorrow.

Happy Reading

Read and enjoyed February 03, 2021

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It’s time to mention my favorites reads again. There were varying degrees of like to be sure but they were all enjoyed.

Trial by Fire (Second Chances Book 3) (most recently read)

Faith is often tested by fire…

After his criminal trial is set to convene, Ace Anderson manages a daring escape from Federal custody. Keeping one step ahead of FBI Agent Samson Sinclair, he plots vengeance on the two women who put him behind bars.

Two very different women connected by the plans of one very evil man…

Ivy Sinclair, finally comfortable in her new marriage and confident her children are healing from the psychological wounds of the past, finds herself once again running and hiding from a man who wants her dead. She longs to be as strong and fearless as her friend. Will this new trial serve to toughen her up, or bring her to her knees where God can show her His strength alone is sufficient?

Brenna Blackman, recently engaged and juggling a ready-made family while running an open-door art studio for homeless teenagers, is suddenly bombarded by circumstances out of her control. A private investigator is caught snooping around her life and an enemy from her past is suddenly threatening to destroy everything and everyone she now loves. Will the old Raven rear her head in retribution, or will God use this trial to strengthen her trust in Him?

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Unexpected by Janice Cole Hopkins

(this was a good book)

Oliver Hartsell had no idea when he went to repair Mr. Austin’s windows that he’d end up proposing to the man’s daughter, but that’s exactly what happened.

He didn’t regret it because he’d been secretly in love with Marie for a long time. However, he doubts she feels the same way about him, but he’s determined that she will.

Yet, life has a way of throwing unexpected surprises.

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All in Good Time 

This was a good read. Centered around a heavy but carefully crafted topic.

With three rambunctious, young children, Melanie Lombardi can’t see beyond the day-to-day struggle to maintain her home and her sanity since her husband’s sudden death. A second chance at romance isn’t on her radar.

Brian Perella is done with dating, resigned to being the fun uncle and never the dad. Until he meets Melanie and her brood of lively kids on the sidelines of a Little League game.

But when Brian uncovers a co-worker’s secret, it re-ignites a temptation that Melanie can’t know about. It’s his secret to keep until an unexpected diagnosis brings everything to the surface, jeopardizing his future with Melanie and her children, who, when threatened by an unknown stalker, may need him now more than ever.

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A few more

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I’m currently reading …

Cherish Me: A clean, sweet, faith-filled reunion romance, plain heroine, scarred hero, in a small town where life begins at 40! (Chapel Cove Romances Book 3) 

All she ever wanted for herself was to be loved.

When her beloved aunt’s sudden illness sends Nai back to Chapel Cove to manage the town’s bookstore, her successful, independent, organized life in Texas seems a million miles away. Between a book-hoarding aunt, a leaky roof, unruly pets, wobbly faith, and flaky bookstore staff, the last thing she wants is to have to rely on local cop Mateo Rodriguez for help. Not when he’s the guy who broke her heart, convincing her to focus on her career, not romance.

Mateo, returned to the Cove to help his aging grandfather, never forgot his first love Nai or the one sweet kiss at sixteen that sent her running. Normally confident and capable, being around each other shoots them both back into their teenage shyness and insecurity.

They’ll need to overcome soul-deep hurts, lies they believe about themselves, learn to trust in God, and risk being vulnerable enough to accept their second chance at love at forty. Will a crisis bring them together — or tear them apart?

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Happy Reading y’all

Bargain books January 26, 2021

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BookBub has several bargain suggestions for us. This first one is book 3 and it seems I’ve read books 1 and 2 in this series. It’s been awhile and I don’t remember much, this will be a refresher.

Trial by Fire (Second Chances Book 3) 

Amazon quote:

Faith is often tested by fire…

After his criminal trial is set to convene, Ace Anderson manages a daring escape from Federal custody. Keeping one step ahead of FBI Agent Samson Sinclair, he plots vengeance on the two women who put him behind bars.

Two very different women connected by the plans of one very evil man…

Ivy Sinclair, finally comfortable in her new marriage and confident her children are healing from the psychological wounds of the past, finds herself once again running and hiding from a man who wants her dead. She longs to be as strong and fearless as her friend. Will this new trial serve to toughen her up, or bring her to her knees where God can show her His strength alone is sufficient?

Brenna Blackman, recently engaged and juggling a ready-made family while running an open-door art studio for homeless teenagers, is suddenly bombarded by circumstances out of her control. A private investigator is caught snooping around her life and an enemy from her past is suddenly threatening to destroy everything and everyone she now loves. Will the old Raven rear her head in retribution, or will God use this trial to strengthen her trust in Him?

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This next one looks like it deals with heavy topics. That’s not a bad thing even if it is tough reading.

All in Good Time 

Amazon quote:

With three rambunctious, young children, Melanie Lombardi can’t see beyond the day-to-day struggle to maintain her home and her sanity since her husband’s sudden death. A second chance at romance isn’t on her radar.

Brian Perella is done with dating, resigned to being the fun uncle and never the dad. Until he meets Melanie and her brood of lively kids on the sidelines of a Little League game.

But when Brian uncovers a co-worker’s secret, it re-ignites a temptation that Melanie can’t know about. It’s his secret to keep until an unexpected diagnosis brings everything to the surface, jeopardizing his future with Melanie and her children, who, when threatened by an unknown stalker, may need him now more than ever.

Catholic Christian contemporary romance.

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Currently it’s a lighter but still serious read. A change of pace after some of the recent books and I’m enjoying it.

Rugged Cowboy: A Mulbury Boys Novel (Hope Eternal Ranch Romance Book 3) 

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?

Dallas Dreyer was once a decorated surgeon. After getting involved in insurance fraud and then spending thirty months in a low-security facility, he gets released only to learn his wife of fifteen years has left their two children at her sister’s and fled the state. He’s determined to figure out how to be a single dad and do right by his kids, and he goes to Hope Eternal Ranch to attend the wedding of one of his best friends.

He meets Jessica Morales, the stable master at the ranch, and he’s instantly attracted to her. She has a big heart, a wide smile, and she’s great with his kids. Jess likes him too, but she’s wary of the rugged cowboy mechanic who doesn’t seem to know when it’s okay to take calls from his ex-wife and how to juggle all of his new responsibilities. Her horses, though, she gets, and since she’s never had a relationship that’s lasted longer than two months, she’s not sure she wants to take a chance with her heart.

When Dallas finds himself dealing with thugs who want him to pay off his ex-wife’s debt, he has to make difficult decisions to keep himself, his children, and Jess safe. That means dealing with his ex-wife and paying whatever price necessary to get dangerous men away from Hope Eternal Ranch.

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Happy Reading…

…on this bright sunny chilly day.

-26c, feels like -35c with the windchill.

It’s lovely sitting in the puddle of sunshine streaming in the window. It’s beautiful to look at. Cold, crisp and sparkly.

So happy to look and feel warmth, not the burn on every little patch of exposed skin.

I do know how to kill a mood. lol

It is beautiful, I love days like this.

Read and enjoyed January 24, 2021

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My very favorite read this week had depth and layers. Many layers. New discoveries appeared throughout the course of the book with the biggest one at the very end.

Reading this story was an emotional but enriching journey, with many tears along the way. Tears for both of us, the reader and the character. The thing I love most about these stories? There will be a line, a scene, an emotional event, that resonates with me and my life and sheds light on needs I may or may not realize I have. I’m grateful. I’ve not lived though cancer but I can relate to broken families and the effect it can have throughout a lifetime.

Aside from the value of whatever portion speaks to me, I loved this book for itself alone.

The Faded Photo

“Some things should be kept private.” Frances Snyder can never quite get her mother’s voice out of her head—how to be the perfect wife, the perfect mother. Frances’s home life is demanding, and while she’s busy seeing to everyone else’s needs, Frances doesn’t have the luxury of spare time.

So when she is diagnosed with breast cancer, she thinks that she can handle it on her own. Dealing with endless tests, brutal chemotherapy, and the looming specter of surgery, Frances chooses to face cancer on her own terms: alone. That is, until she finally understands that unexpected friendship—and unconditional love—can offer hope in the darkest hours.

With tenderness, grace, and flashes of humor, bestselling author Sarah Price draws upon her own experience as a breast cancer survivor to create a story about one woman’s determined and solitary journey into the unknown—in hopes that she’ll find her way back home.

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The next books were all awesome reads as well and I can highly recommend any of them,

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It has been the best. This reading week.

My current read is a major favorite too. It’s deep, with many layers. A struggle, a romance, a mystery, all rolled into one.

Stay with Me (Misty River Romance, A Book #1)

A mysterious letter alluding to a secret in her parents’ past brings Genevieve Woodward back to her Blue Ridge Mountains hometown, but she’s also in need of a break from a high-profile career that has left her dangerously burned out and concealing a powerful secret of her own. When she wakes inside an unfamiliar cottage to find the confused owner staring down at her, she can no longer ignore the fact that she needs help.  

Sam Turner has embraced his sorrow and his identity as an outsider. The solitary, disciplined life he lives on his historic farm is the life he’s chosen for himself. The last thing he wants is to rent his cottage to a woman as troubled as she is talkative. Yet, he can’t force himself to turn her away right when she needs him most. 

As Genevieve researches her family’s history and her and Sam’s emotions deepen, they will have to let go of the facades and loneliness they’ve clung to and allow light to illuminate every hidden truth.  

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This is story prompt day, I will have to shift gears to come up with something for Compliment.

Happy Reading!

Change of heart

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It’s a woman’s prerogative to change her mind, or so they say. I need to tell you I have changed my mine.

Yesterday I complained about a current read with an agenda. I did know it had a major agenda but downloaded it anyway. I wanted to see what the author had to say. I didn’t expect the major player, (non-fiction,) to be hung on a minor player, (a fiction story.)

The non fiction portion was significant. It turned out to be a theological study built on the framework of the chemistry professor Emily Worth‘s questions. Noah Shepherd was a theology professor at the same secular university and Emily’s friend recommended him as someone able to answer her many questions.

Noah went into greater detail than expected and I will admit I read very little of it. The real reason I quickly skimmed was – textbook learning does not work for me. It never has. I know this to be true by the completed two years of a three year Bible college course. I felt a distinct lack of disappointment when my college experience was cut short due to lack of funds. Many of my friends would be horrified with my attitude.

At one point in their discussions Noah made the comment about some of his answers coming from post graduate material. No wonder I was zoning out.

Anyway, I persevered with the story and eventually my appreciation for the book changed.

I stumbled across a few paragraphs of casual conversation where Noah was encouraging Emily in how the material he shared would apply to her situation. There were several light-bulb moments when his words resonated with me, fitting perfectly with where I am in life. I love it when that happens. Those few moments made the whole read worth while for me.

I think the beauty of a story in the background was ease of transition from one subject to another. He could end the days discussion after giving her enough to chew on. It was kind of a Cliff’s Notes treatment of a huge subject. Seamless.

So there we are, I’ve set the record straight and I feel better. Now I will share the book with you. Maybe you enjoy text book learning and would appreciate this mini theology course.

Immortality 

Amazon quote:

If you had a free summer, how would you fill it? Chemistry Professor Emily Worth is working with friends at Bishop Space Repair, Inc who are repairing satellites in space via repair robots. She’s finishing a design for a new type of battery. And she’s also doing some traveling to explore the Rocky Mountains. It’s going to be an enjoyable three months. A relatively new Christian, she wants to know God better than she does now and that, too, is part of her summer plans. What she hadn’t considered was a summer romance, but walks into one compliments of God who has been richly blessing her. This is the story of Emily Worth and Noah Shepherd. It’s also a story of God’s romance with us through Jesus for God has purposed in His heart to love us forever. Dee Henderson is the author of numerous novels

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My current read is heavy too. It’s all fiction but it deals with addictions and spiritual warfare.

A Harmony for Steve (Romantic Suspense) (Song of Suspense Series Book 4) 

Amazon quote:

Christian contemporary singing sensation, daughter of Christian radio and media family counselor icons, HARMONY HARPER, has spent her entire life serving God. From teen sensation to celebrated adult Christian contemporary music artist, she regularly plays sold-out concerts everywhere she goes. Nearing thirty, and nearing burnout, Harmony heads to her mountain cabin hideaway to commune with Christ and compose some new music.

Hard rocker STEVE SLAYER faces an ultimatum: keep rocking life the hard way and watch his organs fail due to addictions, or, sober up – for real this time – and live. Hiding out in the mountains of Oregon, he spends weeks detoxing. Finally strong enough to venture into town, he comes face to face with Harmony. Over the next several weeks, the two become unlikely friends as Steve learns to love and trust God, and mutual attraction surprises them both.

Once news of their budding romance reaches the world, no one is happy. Not her people – not his people. Then letters written in blood start arriving. An attack on a concert threatens more than just their lives. Harmony and Steve realize the threats might just be real

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It has been a slow day with book suggestions. I’ve spent most of the day reading, my energy levels are not the greatest today and I haven’t felt like searching. Maybe tomorrow.

Just think. In a few hours it will be 2021.

Happy New Year!!!

Happy Reading!

Bargain books December 06, 2020

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I needed a distraction after an emotional morning so I went book browsing. It paid off this time. I found a bargain pre-order on a new release for an enjoyed author and I’m excited. It will be out in February. Here I was hoping for sooner.

Tides of Duplicity (Coventry Saga)

Amazon quote:

A jewelry heist, a kidnapping, and a choice. When Fitz’s sister disappears, he’ll do anything to get her back, even if it means betraying the woman he’s come to love. 

Private investigator Fitz McCaffrey went to Belize on a case, bringing his teenage sister Shelby along with him. They have no good reason to leave the resort and hurry back to the harsh New England winter. They lost their parents, he lost his job as a cop, and they both need time to heal. Besides, when Fitz meets and spends time with the beautiful and charming Tabitha Eaton, he falls hard.  

But minutes after Tabby’s flight leaves, Fitz is summoned by a mobster who believes Tabby broke into the hotel safe the night before and made off with half a million dollars’ worth of jewels—and he has the video evidence to prove it. As Shelby’s guardian, Fitz has to focus on caring for his sister, whether Tabby is innocent or guilty. He refuses to help the man—until he learns the mobster has abducted his sister.  

The clock is ticking as Fitz scrambles to recover the jewels. If he succeeds, it’ll cost the woman he’s come to care for. If he fails, it’ll cost his sister’s life. 

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Next, I found a couple of bargain novellas by another favorite author. One is Historical while the other isn’t.

On the Wings of a Whisper: A serialized historical Christian romance. (Sonnets of the Spice Isle Book 1)

Amazon quote:

Stone Town, Zanzibar, Early 1866

RyAnne Hunter is determined to stop her father from leaving for the continent of Africa, where he plans to start a mission station. And she only has until morning. Tonight at the Harcourts’ Annual Ball will be her last chance to change his mind. She must succeed! Papa’s health, and her future, depend on her success. But, as if her task isn’t difficult enough, now the insufferable Captain Dawson has agreed to guide Papa’s expedition!

After spending six months at sea, Captain Trent Dawson only wants to think about rest and relaxation. However, when he’s recruited by a British naval officer to help put an end to a slave smuggling ring, the perfect opportunity presents itself in Dr. Hunter, who needs a guide to the Interior. Now if he can just help the doctor without spending too much time with the man’s troublesome and flighty youngest daughter.

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My Blue Havyn (Heart’s of Hollywood series Book 1)

Amazon quote:

When Havyn Jessup agreed to join her church’s building trip, she had no idea the man who broke her heart was coming as well. The last thing she wants is to spend time with the now internationally famous actor, Levi Carter. Even if it is in Africa, where he might, if God had any sense of justice, be eaten, one tiny bite at a time, by a pride of hungry lions. Two whole weeks. She’d never survive that long.

Levi is elated to learn that Havyn will be joining the building team. He had planned to look her up just as soon as he got home to tell her what a fool he’d been. But there is no time like the present. And what better place to ensure she would hear him than when she was strapped in at thirty thousand feet above sea level? Two short weeks. Could he convince her he was a changed man in that amount of time?

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Usually, I prefer regular length books but the attractive thing about shorter right now is I can plow through them so much faster. It will help clear up some backlog… maybe. One can hope.

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Currently I’m reading a story fraught with misery. Sort of like my story prompt post today. There is enough hope in it to keep me reading, though. I can relate to this story.

The Fragrance of Geraniums (A Time of Grace Book 1)

Amazon quote:

The Fragrance of Geraniums (A Time of Grace Trilogy, Book 1)

Told from multiple perspectives, this is a powerful story of three women – of the threads of mercy that connect them – and of heart-wrenching sorrows alchemized by the Heavenly Father’s overwhelming redeeming grace.

Rhode Island – 1934

A GIRL
Grace Picoletti has nothing going for her – but she’s determined to succeed in life, nonetheless. Born to severe destitution, she claws her way up from the pit of family shame and secrets. She avoids close friendships – even with the likable, persistent Paulie Giorgi…

A WOMAN
Despite her own agonizing emotional pain, childless Emmeline Kinner reaches out to a young woman so far beneath her. She could never have known whom else God would set in her path through her friendship with Grace…

A MOTHER
Long ago, Sarah Picoletti resigned herself to a loveless, abusive life – and she believes that her daughter Grace must inherit the same fate. Yet Sarah’s own soul cries out for the blessed peace and hope of which the radio minister speaks…

A multi-generational Christian women’s novel set during the U.S. Great Depression of the 1930s. (Also appropriate for older teens.)

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Happy Reading …

… on the tail end of this cheerful sunny day.

I can tell it’s chilly out there by the way people are dressed but that hasn’t seemed to stopped them any. Many are still walking past my window as I sit here typing this up for you. My window on the world.

Free and bargain books October 20, 2020

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BookRunes has a FREE Christmas suggestion by an author I’ve never read. I always (or mostly always) read the first few pages just to get an idea of what I’m in for. Sometimes I get the wrong idea but more often than not it turns out well and I’m left feeling glad about saying yes.

All that to say, I’m taking a chance on both of these books, just for starters. I say that because if I say only two then something else will be sure to show up before we’re done and I’ll be a liar and have to change this paragraph.

A Wish for Christmas (The Happy Holidays Series Book 3)

Amazon quote:

Heat Level: Low
Laugh Level: High

More than anything, India Ramone wants to give her daughter, her younger brother, and her elderly grandfather a Christmas they deserve. After the death of her mother, the last two years have been rough and money is tight. A full-time nursing student, she feels her prayers have been answered with the temporary job of personal assistant to John Laurencelli. The billionaire is rumored to be demanding and difficult but India soon realizes there’s more to him than bad press and weapons-grade dangerous good looks. But with everything on her plate, she doesn’t have time to be falling for her new boss.

John Laurencelli lives, eats, and breathes his business and making money. For his own reasons, he’s avoided Christmas for two decades. But it’s proving difficult this year when his new assistant wears vintage holiday aprons, hums Christmas tunes, and likes to spread good cheer. Despite his determination not to celebrate the season, it isn’t long before India opens his eyes to what’s missing in his life.

Can they overcome their fears and misgivings to make it a truly wonderful Christmas for each other?

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This next one comes via BookBub, it’s a bargain and a complete change of pace. The first was lighthearted. This one is not. But it does come highly recommended. I think I may have read this author once before but I’m not really sure.

Someone to Blame 

Amazon quote:

When a stranger wanders into a small coastal town, crimes suddenly multiply. Everyone is eager to find someone to blame . . .

In the wake of heartrending family tragedies, Matt and Irene Moore move with their fourteen-year-old daughter, Casey, to a small town. Their goal is to get far away from the daily reminders that leave each of them raw and guilt-ridden. Their hope is to find redemption, repair, and renewal. Instead, the threads that hold them together unravel even more. Breakers, a small community perched on the rocky coast of the Pacific Northwest, is draped with cold isolation that seems to mirror the hearts.

For the Moore family, blame is personal, harsh, and merciless … as their lives become entangled with this drifter and they have to face the truths they desperately want to hide from.

As they settle into their new life, old grief settles with them. Matt is always on edge and easily angered, Irene is sad and pensive, and Casey is confused and defiant. They’ve once more set the stage for calamity. Into this mix comes Billy Thurber, a young drifter with his own conflicts, whose life unexpectedly entangles with the Moores’. His arrival in Breakers parallels a rash of hateful and senseless crimes, and soon the whole town – eager for someone to blame – goes after Thurber with murderous intent.

Out of this dangerous chaos, however, the Moores find unexpected grace and healing in a most unlikely way. Author C. S. Lakin explores our need to assign reason and fix blame for the pain and grief in our lives. Though the circumstances are fictional, the emotions are real and universal, making Someone to Blame a great and inspiring read.

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Yesterday This Quiet Sky was one of our downloads and I said it would be next in line on my reading list – if I still remembered by the time I got to it.

I did get to it before I forgot. I made a special point of it

It wasn’t a long read. And I loved every minute of it, even though tissues were needed often. The author is amazing with this heart wrenching story. Her telling is so beautiful even while it makes you cry.

I would urge you to read it, it is worth every one of the five stars I gave it. A story that will touch you on such a deep and profound level does not come along very often.

This Quiet Sky

Amazon quote:

There is nothing extraordinary about Tucker O’Shay’s dreams.
Go to college. Become president. Fall in love.
And pretend like he has enough time to get it all done.

Sixteen-year-old Sarah Miller doesn’t expect anything out of the ordinary when she begins her first day at the one-room-school house in her new hometown of Rocky Knob. But when she meets seventeen-year-old Tucker O’Shay—the boy with the fatal illness who volunteers to tutor her in algebra—she finds herself swept up in a friendship that changes the way she sees the world and a love that changes her life.

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I would tell you what I’m reading now except it feels wrong to change the mood. I want to feel the memory of This Quiet Sky a little while longer.

Next time.

Podcasts about books – Bondi’s Brother

/ For the Love of Books / Leave a comment

A popular podcast format these days: interview guests with recently released books. Most of my favorite podcasts use this method and they come up with amazing guests. Everytime.

Added to that, the hosts of these popular podcasts have well developed interview skills aided by talent for connection with insightful questions.

There are five or six regulars on my watch list and Eric Metaxas Radio Show is one of them. (I know, it says Radio Show but it actually shows up on YouTube as a podcast. That confused me for awhile too.)

Earlier this week Eric interviewed an amazing man about the memoir he’s written outlining his experiences as a teen during World War II. A subject high on my radar since my early twenties. This interview and book built on all of the information I’ve taken in over the years and it was amazing to hear a man speak about living through things I have only read about.

It’s good to hear a first hand account and be reminded it would not be outrageous to think such a terrible thing could happen in the world again… if we are not careful.

The overriding motive behind WWII was a terrible thirst for power. The lethargy and lack of concern among the citizenry of the world allowed the power hungry to seize opportunities and even to invent opportunities, with little resistance.

Our world is experiencing power struggles once again. God forbid that our citizenry would allow it to happen a second time. How could we ever live through it, if it were to get that far again?

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The book featured in this podcast – author Irving Roth

Bondi’s Brother: A Story of Love, Loss, Betrayal and Liberation

Amazon quote:

The Roth family lived in Slovakia, had a prosperous business and two young sons, Irving and his older brother Bondi. Irving’s earliest memories are of the Catholic maid who was like a mother to him. Soon though, all that changed as laws made it illegal for a non-Jew to work for a Jew. His father was also forced to sell his business and the whole family had to wear Star-of-David yellow patches on their clothes. The family fled to Hungary and the boys sent to a boarding school. Later, the two boys were picked up, put on a cattle car and sent to a concentration camp.

All the horrors of the camp are described in excruciating detail – the hunger, the hard work, the constant fear. Always though the boys had each other until after a couple of years they were separated.

In spite of these hardships, Irving survived. Perhaps it was because he was only 15 years old, young enough and strong enough to somehow make it through. Liberation though was bitter-sweet because he never saw his brother again.

The book makes the horror very real. And it’s hard to believe how bad it really was. However it’s also a testament to the positive human spirit and the will to live. I will never forget this book. It will haunt my memories for a long time. Yes, the specific time and place have dissolved into history. But its legacy lives on and teaches the lesson that we should never take our easy lives for granted and we should appreciate what we have. – Linda Linguvic

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Eric Metaxas podcast interview of Irving Roth

A must watch, we could easily find ourselves here again.

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It’s good to be reminded of the evil in the world. We don’t want to be caught unaware like the proverbial frog in the pot of hot water.