BookBub

Bargain books May 04, 2021

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We have a few more bargains than usual today which is very nice, and they look to be top shelf which makes it even better.

1531 Entertainment has two suggestions. One is a new-to-me author and I’m really looking forward to meeting her. The other suggestion is from a favorite author I’m happy to see again.

The Butterfly and the Violin (A Hidden Masterpiece Novel Book 1)

Amazon quote:

A Mysterious painting breathes hope and beauty into the darkest corners of Auschwitz–and the loneliest hearts of Manhattan.
Manhattan art dealer Sera James watched her world crumble at the altar two years ago, and her heart is still fragile. Her desire for distraction reignites a passion for a mysterious portrait she first saw as a young girl–a painting of a young violinist with piercing blue eyes.
In her search for the painting, Sera crosses paths with William Hanover–the grandson of a wealthy California real estate mogul–who maybe the key to uncovering the hidden masterpiece. Together Sera and William slowly unravel the story behind the painting’s subject: Austrian violinist Adele Von Bron.

A darling of the Austrian aristocracy of 1942, talented violinist, and daughter to a high-ranking member of the Third Reich, Adele risks everything when she begins smuggling Jews out of Vienna. In a heartbeat, her life of prosperity and privilege dissolves into a world of starvation and barbed wire.

As Sera untangles the secrets behind the painting, she finds beauty in the most unlikely of places: the grim camps of Auschwitz and the inner recesses of her own troubled heart.

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Haven of Swans: (previously published as Abomination) (Rock Harbor)

Amazon quote:

A beautiful woman stands by the side of the road, barefoot and bleeding, a child in her arms. Someone just tried to kill her, but she wouldn’t recognize him if she saw his face. She doesn’t even remember her own name.

A suburban cop surveys a kitchen in disarray—a woman and child missing, a chilling note. This crime scene is unlike any he has ever seen.

The man who calls himself Gideon waits and plans. He sees himself as a destroyer of evil, one who rids the world of abominations. He has already killed five. He will kill again.

And somewhere in the wilderness, in a secret geocache near where the wild swans gather, lies the unspeakable clue that links them all together.

Michigan’s rugged and beautiful Upper Peninsula is the setting for this absorbing tale of love and loss, beauty and terror, grievous sins and second chances. A deftly woven thriller from the bestselling author of the Rock Harbor novels.

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BookBub has a suggestion. It’s romance that may turn out to not be a light read. I’ve enjoyed this author before though so I’m looking forward to finding out what this book is all about.

Daisy’s Decision: A Christian Romance (Dixon Brothers Book 4)

Amazon quote:

Ever since the sixth grade, Daisy Ruiz loved Ken Dixon from afar and spent her entire youth pining for him. Ken, the youngest of identical triplet brothers, never even noticed her crush.

Today, Daisy lives her life serving her loved ones and her family’s ministry, Gálatas Seis, where she acts as Executive Director. As the daughter of a youth pastor, she understands the importance of ministry and teaches a women’s Bible study. The sudden discovery that she’s pregnant—and her baby’s lying married father wants nothing more to do with her or the baby—threatens her ministry and her entire reputation.

Solemn, sober, solitary, and silent, Ken grew up in a mission-minded family and consistently seeks ways to serve society in the name of the Savior. He goes to Gálatas Seis with an offer to aid a family in need and recognizes his former youth pastor’s daughter leading the organization. While shocked at the chance meeting, the instant attraction he feels surprises him even more.

When Ken asks her out on a date, Daisy realizes her childhood dreams have literally come true after all this time. Even though she just found out she is pregnant, Daisy tells herself that just one little date won’t hurt anything.

But when they go out again and again, she soon finds herself in a full-blown relationship with hearts on the line. She can’t keep her secret much longer. Does she tell Ken about the baby? Can Ken love her baby, too? Or will he abandon her like the baby’s father did? Daisy has a decision to make.

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I’m excited about this next one, it was in the suggestion strip and looks different from anything we’ve read so far.

The Fifth Avenue Story Society 

Amazon quote:

Five strangers get the chance to rewrite their stories… 

Executive assistant Lexa is eager for a much-deserved promotion, but her boss is determined to keep her underemployed.

Literature professor Jett is dealing with a broken heart, as well as a nagging suspicion his literary idol, Gordon Phipps Roth, might be a fraud.

Uber driver Chuck just wants a second chance with his kids.

Aging widower Ed is eager to write the true story of his incredible marriage.

Coral, queen of the cosmetics industry, has broken her engagement and is on the verge of losing her great grandmother’s multimillion-dollar empire.

When all five New Yorkers receive an anonymous, mysterious invitation to the Fifth Avenue Story Society, they suspect they’re victims of a practical joke. No one knows who sent the invitations or why. No one has heard of the literary society. And no one is prepared to reveal their deepest secrets to a roomful of strangers.

Yet curiosity and loneliness bring them back week after week to the old library. And it’s there they discover the stories of their hearts, and the kind of friendship and love that heals their souls.  

“This captivating story full of heart, soul, and humor kept me turning pages until midnight to finish it. Rachel weaves the perfect amount of tension and opens possibilities to keep the reader pondering long after the story is over.  I loved it!” —Francine Rivers, New York Times bestselling author.

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I’m excited about today’s treasures, I hope you are too.

Happy Reading.

My favorite cover is the last one. It must be the window and the books!

Bargain books April 30, 2021

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BookBub has an awesome suggestion for us from one of my long time favorite authors. I’ve read many of Dee Henderson’s books but I don’t think I’ve read this one, I’m pretty sure it will be next in line.

Full Disclosure by Dee Henderson

Amazon quote:

Ann Silver is a cop’s cop. As the Midwest Homicide Investigator, she is called in to help local law enforcement on the worst of cases, looking for answers to murder. Hers is one of the region’s most trusted investigative positions.

Paul Falcon is the FBI’s top murder cop in the Midwest. If the victim carried a federal badge or had a security clearance, odds are good Paul and his team see the case file or work the murder.

Their lives intersect when Ann arrives to pass a case off her desk and onto his. A car wreck and a suspicious death offer a lead on a hired shooter he is tracking. Paul isn’t expecting to meet someone, the kind that goes on the personal side of the ledger, but Ann Silver has his attention.

The better he gets to know her, the more Paul realizes her job barely scratches the surface of who she is. She knows spies and soldiers and U.S. Marshals, and has written books about them. She is friends with the former Vice President. People with good reason to be cautious about who they let into their lives deeply trust her. Paul wonders just what secrets Ann is keeping, until she shows him the John Doe Killer case file, and he starts to realize just who this lady he is falling in love with really is…

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Sadly, nothing else exciting made itself known to me so this new one is it.

My current read is still a bargain. It’s definitely a different story line than I’ve ever read, which is a big plus in my estimation.

Never Forget the Past: A Clean Romantic Suspense (The Men of Fire Beach Book 3) 

Amazon quote:

A firefighter’s life torn apart by unspeakable crimes in bestselling author Lorana Hoopes’s new page turning novel of romantic suspense…

Could you let your family believe you were dead if you thought it was the only way to save them?

Five years ago, Billy “Bubba” Campbell had a different name, but after narrowly escaping an attempt on his life, he fakes his death and leaves town to keep his family safe. He’s adjusted to life in Fire Beach, but when Makenna re-enters his life, he is forced to make a gut-wrenching decision: Continue living his lie or return to his hometown to help her catch the killer.

Captain Makenna Drake believed she was saving Matt Fisher’s life when she convinced him to leave his life behind, but now the fires have started again. As the only victim to survive, she hopes seeing Matt will fluster the killer enough to make a mistake. But can she protect him this time or will the killer finish the job started five years ago?

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Later.

Bargain books April 28, 2021

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BookBub has a suggestion for us with one of our favorite authors.

Never Forget the Past: A Clean Romantic Suspense (The Men of Fire Beach Book 3) 

Amazon quote:

Could you let your family believe you were dead if you thought it was the only way to save them?

Five years ago, Billy “Bubba” Campbell had a different name, but after narrowly escaping an attempt on his life, he fakes his death and leaves town to keep his family safe. He’s adjusted to life in Fire Beach, but when Makenna re-enters his life, he is forced to make a gut-wrenching decision: Continue living his lie or return to his hometown to help her catch the killer.

Captain Makenna Drake believed she was saving Matt Fisher’s life when she convinced him to leave his life behind, but now the fires have started again. As the only victim to survive, she hopes seeing Matt will fluster the killer enough to make a mistake. But can she protect him this time or will the killer finish the job started five years ago?

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This next book was suggested yesterday and the suggester’s name escapes me. It’s definitely still a bargain.

Flying Fossils (Women of Fossil Ridge Book 1)

Amazon quote:

“Some women play bingo and go quietly into the night. My mother steals cars and breaks out of Alzheimer’s units.”

From USA TODAY bestselling Author Lynne Gentry comes this heartwarming peek inside a mother/daughter relationship turned upside down.

My aging mother is proof that not every southern woman is sweet tea and sympathy. Momma can’t remember which road to take when she has to drive from her ranch to the small town where she grew up. But she can recount every detail of the day I broke her heart. Her inability to forgive me has made her as crusty as the tiny fossils that cover the river’s limestone bluffs. After wasting twenty-five years trying to chip away this hurt, I finally decided it was just easier to stay away.

Then Momma fell and broke her hip. I flew home to try to mend fences with her one more time. Her refusal to let me take her back to Washington DC to convalesce left me no choice but to leave her in an assisted living center in Texas. I regret telling her that I thought her memory lapses meant it was time to sell the ranch. The moment she was strong enough to manipulate her walker, she stole a car and broke out of rehab. Just to prove me wrong. Again.

Now Momma is missing and I’m sandwiched between two impossible choices: stay in DC with my troubled teenager or go to Texas to find my demented mother. Either way, I feel like I’ve already lost.

The story of the Slocum women is the story many of us are facing. Navigating the care of an aging parent while parenting our own children is never easy. Some days you just have to laugh to keep from crying.

This series serves up a generous helping of laughs and hope. It’s a touching addition to your collection of southern small-town, generational authors like Ann B. Ross, Jan Karon, and Beth Hoffman.

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Currently I’m reading and enjoying an author new to me, it is still a bargain and so are books 1 & 3 in the series. This is definitely holding my interest.

Every Secret Thing (Acts of Valor, Book 2): Romantic Suspense

Amazon quote:

Former NFL Player Turned Navy SEAL Battles Life and Death for Love and Justice in the Christian Romantic Suspense, Every Secret Thing, by Rebecca Hartt

–Present Day, Virginia Beach, Virginia–

Navy SEAL Lt. Lucas Strong isn’t about to let his platoon leader, Lt. Mills, go to prison for a crime he didn’t commit. It’s their retiring commander who should face court-martial for amassing stolen weapons. With the evidence proving the commander’s guilt destroyed, and every witness dead, Lucas must find his only remaining hope, Charlotte Patterson, a gutsy NCIS intern with a photographic memory–missing but believed alive.

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Another interesting book showed up just when I thought I was done.

Copycat Killer (True Blue K-9 Unit: Brooklyn Book 1)

Amazon quote:

Murder strikes close to home for a new K-9 unit in Brooklyn

When a double homicide is strikingly familiar to a twenty-year-old cold case, Detective Nate Slater is rattled by the parallels. With a child as the only witness, he and his K-9 partner must protect little Lucy and her aunt, Willow Emery. Nate’s rough past means he always keeps an emotional distance…but in this case getting closer is the only way they’ll all survive.

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OK, I’m going to stop looking now.

If you have opinions on any of the authors shared here I would appreciate hearing about it. It would be help me make good choices, to know your likes and dislikes. I’m guessing on somethings and could be wrong. Please leave comments. Much appreciated.

Happy reading.

Bargain books April 24, 2021

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BookBub has a bargain suggestion that looks good. I’ve read and enjoyed books 1 and 5 in this series and that’s a good recommendation.

Pawleys Island Paradise boxset, Books 1 – 3 

 

Amazon quote:

Boxset contains these books:

  • Book 1: Roadtrip to Redemption — Her escape brought her home.

Leslie Malone faces an empty, lonely summer. Her marriage is over. Her daughter is overseas, living her dream. Her students are enjoying a carefree summer break. What’s the purpose of her life if she’s not a wife, mother and teacher? The idea of a roadtrip beckons her. Aimless wandering? Or inspired discovery? A woman of faith, she asks God for His guidance, then does her best to follow His direction.

Hank Harrison is a quiet man, good with his hands, but short on words. He’s paid a heavy price for not forgiving his son for horrible mistakes made years ago, mistakes with vast consequences. Hank recognizes Leslie as an answer to his prayers, and together, they begin to mend their futures.

  • Book 2: Tide to Atonement — Life knocked him down. Faith raised him up.

Jeremy Harrison served his time — ten years in prison paid his debt to society for bad business practices. Now released, his plan for rehabilitation is clear: put his faith in God, work hard and put his past mistakes behind him. The last thing he wants is to be featured in a magazine article about ex-cons who successfully re-acclimated into society. Worse still, the gorgeous reporter takes an instant dislike to him.

Emma Jean Slotky knows that one of the interviewee names in her new magazine article assignment sounds familiar. Her dad helps her figure out why — Jeremy Harrison was responsible for the destruction of his employer and ultimately, Emma’s family, all those years ago. How can Emma possibly face the man who ruined her family with professionalism, and not disappoint her boss?

  • Book 3: Journey to Fulfillment — Let no man put asunder

A traumatic family event. Distinctly opposite ways of dealing with it between husband and wife. Instead of joyfully celebrating the safe return of their kidnapped daughter, Tom and Marianne are struggling to understand why they’ve landed on polar opposites of this parenting issue.

Accepting her husband’s approach would require Marianne to disown a beloved family member. That can’t be God’s will.

Accepting his wife’s approach would require Tom to relive past mistakes made by his own father that he forever swore he’d never repeat.

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I’m currently reading a new book from yesterday. I’m only just starting chapter three so it’s too early for an opinion but I’ve loved all her other books and expect to enjoy this one too. It sounds like the bad guy in this story is one scary dude.

Axel: a clean romantic suspense (Lantern Beach Blackout: The New Recruits Book 2) 

Women are missing. Private security firm Blackout must find them before another victim disappears.

Axel Hendrix likes to live on the edge. That’s why being a Navy SEAL suited him so well. But after his last mission, he cut his losses and joined Blackout instead. His team’s latest case involves an undercover investigation on Lantern Beach.

Olivia Rollins came to the island to escape her problems—and danger. When trouble from her past shows up in town, she impulsively blurts she’s engaged to Axel, the womanizing man she’s seen while waitressing. Now, she may not be the only one in danger. So could Axel.

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I feel like I’m copy and pasting things in all the wrong places and it’s hard to find what I think I’ve done. I’m having trouble staying awake long enough to finish this and that is likely a contributing factor to my sleep deprived, drunken journey through this post. If things are weird… my apologies.

I’m not confident I can keep my eyes open long enough to read before lights out but I’m sure going to try.

It’s fiction, it doesn’t matter if I can’t read it right, it’ll be fun anyway.

Happy Reading and a good night.

Bargain books April 21, 2021

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BookBub has two bargain suggestions for us. One I’ve read and one not. In that order.

Bitter Autumn: Clean Romance Mystery (Northern Shore Intrigue Book 2)

Amazon quote:

Will anyone in his hometown ever forgive him for what he did?

A changed man, Grey Lawson returns home on parole after serving seven years of his sentence.

The only reason he’s coming home to small town Winfield on the shore of Lake Superior is to care for his great-aunt Elsie who raised him.

He can’t believe he didn’t realize seven years ago that everything he did affected this good woman. But will his return cause her more grief?

Create trouble for new deputy sheriff Trish Franklin whose father has reason to hate Grey? But one truth many don’t realize until it’s too late—vengeance can be dangerous.

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While looking at this book I happened across book 4 in the same series, also at a bargain price. How awesome is that?

Spring’s Storm: Clean Romance Mystery (Northern Intrigue Book 4)

Amazon quote:

Sometimes the storm takes you with it~
Thea Glenheim’s new next door neighbor turns her small town upside down.

Trace Della’s handsome, successful and committed to helping high risk boys.
And he’s changing things in ways a lot of people don’t like.
One in particular.

Bad things begin happening on Trace’s property and troublemakers compete with each other to stop him in his mission to provide a place for kids who need help.

All the while Thea is caught in the middle–between the people she’s known all her life and this new man in town. He’s a mover and shaker. She’s a quiet piano teacher. Yet opposites attract, don’t they?

But when and how will the nastiness end? And will it end before someone gets hurt? Badly?

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This is the second BookBub suggestion. It is looking very interesting.

Every Secret Thing (Acts of Valor, Book 2): Romantic Suspense

Amazon quote:

Former NFL Player Turned Navy SEAL Battles Life and Death for Love and Justice in the Christian Romantic Suspense, Every Secret Thing, by Rebecca Hartt

–Present Day, Virginia Beach, Virginia–

Navy SEAL Lt. Lucas Strong isn’t about to let his platoon leader, Lt. Mills, go to prison for a crime he didn’t commit. It’s their retiring commander who should face court-martial for amassing stolen weapons. With the evidence proving the commander’s guilt destroyed, and every witness dead, Lucas must find his only remaining hope, Charlotte Patterson, a gutsy NCIS intern with a photographic memory–missing but believed alive.

Freed by a real-life hero, Charlotte Patterson is happy to join the fight, certain the corrupt commander murdered her supervisor. But her detailed memory is fading fast, and Lucas’s belief that God has everything under control could get them killed; Charlotte knows first-hand God doesn’t oversee everything.

Now with mercenaries hot on their heels, taking on a man protected by rank becomes deadly, pushing Lucas and Charlotte ever closer, turning their friendship into something much more and leaving Charlotte with just one prayer; that Lucas is right…God really is the master planner.

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I’m so excited. Browsing the suggestion strip, I found that books 1 and 3 in this series are also bargain priced. I’m going for it.

Returning to Eden (Acts of Valor, Book 1): Romantic Suspense

Amazon quote:

Presumed Dead, Navy SEAL Returns Home to Fight an Unseen Enemy in the Christian Romantic Suspense, Returning to Eden, by Rebecca Hartt

–Present Day, Virginia Beach, Virginia–

A dead man stands on her doorstep.

When the Navy wrote off her MIA husband as dead, Eden came to terms with being a widow. But now, her Navy SEAL husband is staring her in the face. Eden knows she should be over-the-moon, but she isn’t.

Diagnosed with PTSD and amnesia, Navy SEAL Jonah Mills has no recollection of their fractured marriage, no memory of Eden nor her fourteen-year-old daughter. Still, he feels a connection to both.

Unfit for active duty and assigned to therapy, Jonah knows he has work to do and relies on God, who sustained him during captivity, to heal his mind, body, and hopefully his family.

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Cry in the Wilderness (Acts of Valor, Book 3): Romantic Suspense

Amazon quote:

Navy SEAL Finds Freedom, Love and Redemption in the Christian Romantic Suspense, Cry in the Wilderness, by Rebecca Hartt

–Present Day, Broken Arrow, Oklahoma–

Rachel LeMere is certain she’ll never love again. It’s taken three years to move past the tragic death of her husband and high-school sweetheart, Blake.

Rachel’s adoptive brother, a military lawyer, has managed to gain shared custody of her twelve-year-old son, Liam. Forced to live with her brother and endure his cruelty, Rachel promises her son they will escape to freedom and a new life. If only she can convince Blake’s best friend, Saul, to help them escape.

Legendary Navy SEAL Saul Wade is headed to Oklahoma to reclaim the ranch where he grew up. It’s bad enough Saul has to face his tragic past. Honor also demands he risk his entire career by helping a woman he scarcely knows.

What begins as a debt to a friend sets Saul on a journey of forgiveness, healing, and love. But when evil threatens his and Rachel’s burgeoning relationship, Saul is forced to make a life-changing decision—remain America’s top sniper or allow God’s grace to give him a whole new reason for living.

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Well, it’s been a good day for books, I’m looking forward to reading all of them. It doesn’t always happen this way and I like it when it does.

I’ll save my current read to share tomorrow, just in case I’m short on something to talk about.

In the meantime…

Happy Reading

P.S. If for some reason these books don’t come up for you, keep trying. I don’t know what’s going on with their system these days but these books are there somewhere, that’s for sure

Free and bargain books April 20, 2021

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BookBub has a bargain suggestion for us and a free book in the same series showed up as well.

Sandover Beach Melodies (Sandover Island Series Book 3)

Amazon quote:

She broke her own rules: you can’t fall in love when you’re on the run…

Sandover Island seems like the perfect place for Mercer to escape her past, but she knows it’s only a matter of time until it finds her. She isn’t safe, not even in Beau’s strong arms, as tempting as they are.

The harder Beau pushes at Mercer’s walls, the stronger they seem to be. She gives him an inch, then steps back a mile. He knows she’s worth the fight, if only she will give him her trust.

Just as Mercer finally starts to give in, the truth of her past barrels into her present. The question isn’t whether their love will survive, but will Mercer…

Trigger warning: This book deals with the topic of past domestic abuse, with little graphic detail.

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Sandover Beach Memories (Sandover Island Series Book 1)

Amazon quote:

She didn’t come home to find love, but it had been waiting there for her all along…

When Jenna returns to Sandover Island after her mother’s death, her past and future intersect in ways she couldn’t imagine. Specifically with her high school nemesis, Jackson.

As much as she’d like to, Jenna can’t seem to avoid Jackson’s smirking and frustratingly attractive face. She doesn’t know why he’s pulling this new, nice-guy act, but she isn’t buying.

And if it isn’t an act, Jenna might really be in trouble…

Jackson has loved Jenna for half his life, and he won’t let her leave Sandover again without letting her know. Too bad she still sees him as the punk he was in high school.

Every kindness he tosses her way, she lobs back like a grenade. Jackson can see how high she’s built her walls to keep out the pain.

Good thing he’s prepared to scale them. No matter how long it takes...

Sandover Beach Memories is the first of a series of Christian beach romances following a group of friends and their interconnected stories. Fall in love with Sandover today!

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Another bargain showed up from the same author and it looks like it will be fun with a humorous twist.

Falling for Your Fake Fiancé: a Sweet Romantic Comedy (Love Clichés Sweet RomCom Book 3)

Amazon quote:

What happens when the man I love to hate becomes the man I must pretend to love?

I can’t seem to escape Thayden Walker and his infuriating charm.

Even his mother and his Great Dane seem bent on playing matchmaker.

But I’m totally immune.

Until I’m presented with an offer that puts my ability to withstand him to the test.

If I marry Thayden, all my student debt goes poof, and he’ll take over the family firm.

There’s so much more at stake than money or a job, especially when I start to see the man beneath the mask.

Playing house with Thayden is the most dangerous game of all.

And we’re both set up to lose more than we could ever win.

Unless we’ve been on the same side all along …

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My latest read and enjoyed was ….

Argosy Junction (The Rockland Chronicles) 

This has to be one of my favorites from this author and it is still FREE if you hurry.

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

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

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

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

Lose yourself in the pages of Argosy Junction and fall in love with Matt, Lane, and the entire Argosy family today.

They say that love conquers all, but Matt knows better. Without faith, love hasn’t got a chance.

Bargain book April 17, 2021

/ For the Love of Books / 1 Comment

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Amazon quote:

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

The musician…

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

The muse…

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

The minuet of their lives…

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

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

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

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

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

I could love this book though.

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I’ll let you know how it goes.

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668 pages is a lot of pages for one book.

It’s the TBR pile that’s killing me.

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

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

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

I need my head examined.

Free and bargains books April 15, 2021

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

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

Amazon quote:

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

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

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

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

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

Hope Eternal Ranch Romance: Three Sweet Contemporary Western Romances

Amazon quote:

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

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

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

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

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

Going undercover is Bella’s only hope.

Her mission?

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

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

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

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

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

But more than that—can love survive a lie?

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That’s all I have for today.

Happy Reading

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

Bargain books April 14, 2021

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

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

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

Amazon quote:

Going undercover is Bella’s only hope.

Her mission?

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

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

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

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

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

But more than that—can love survive a lie?

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

Strands of Truth

Amazon quote:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Amazon quote:

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

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

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

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

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

Out of Hiding 

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

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

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

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

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

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

Happy Reading!

Free book April 11, 2021

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

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

Amazon quote:

Secrets to Healing and Wholeness

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

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

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

Discover how to:

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

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

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

Cover Girls by T.D. Jakes

Amazon quote:

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

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

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

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

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

Mind Games (Kaely Quinn Profiler Book #1) 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Happy reading y’all