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Free and bargain books January 09, 2021

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BookBub has a bargain suggestion and I’m happy to see it. There was a stage in my reading life when I read everything I could find by this author, Anne Perry. I’m not sure if I managed to uncover everything she wrote but I don’t think I missed much, if anything.

If I had to pick one thing I loved most about her books it would be that every word mattered. On top of that, I loved her characters and the situations they found themselves in.

Life goes on and things change. I’m not the same person I was upwards of twenty years ago, maybe her stories will strike me differently than they did back then. Writing styles have changed significantly. Somehow, though, I think her writing is timeless. I’ll have to re-read this book (I’m sure I’ve read it) to see if I still feel the same way.

Despite how her books may or may not strike me at this present time (memories become bigger-than-life in time.) looking through the internet, her books are still out there and very popular.

If you’ve not read Anne Perry, you really should.

Cardington Crescent (Charlotte and Thomas Pitt Series Book 8)

Amazon quote:

Charlotte Pitt defends her own sister against a murder charge in Victorian England, in a novel “suffused with atmosphere, emotion, and suspense” (Booklist).
 As Inspector Thomas Pitt works to resolve the case of a dismembered woman, his womanizing brother-in-law, George March, Lord Ashworth, is poisoned with his morning coffee at the country estate of his cousins. The primary suspect? Charlotte’s sister, Emily, the murdered man’s wife and Pitt’s sister-in-law. Charlotte and Pitt take on the March clan with the help of Great-aunt Vespasia, their formidable relative and a member of the clan, to break through the wall of deceit and silence. When Sybilla March, George’s suspected paramour, is found strangled by her hair and Emily is the one who found her, the case would seem hopeless—for anyone but the indomitable Pitts. Their pursuit of the truth takes them down a path of corruption, depravity, and murder, from the elegant townhouses lining fashionable Cardington Crescent to the horrifying slums of London.

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BookRunes has a FREE suggestion I know I’ve read. From another favorite author.

Strike the Match (The Teacup Novellas Book 2)

Amazon quote:

The last place twenty-four year old Keri McMillan wants to be is back home in Waterford Bay, Oregon. But after two years at prestigious New York University pursuing a degree in journalism, her bank account is drained. Keri is determined to move home for one year – and one year only— to make some serious money working for her dad’s log cabin company, but her goals all go up in smoke when the company’s new showcase home burns to the ground.

Six months ago, Grant Dawson bought the Waterford Weekly, a small newspaper in his father’s hometown. Burned out as a reporter for the L.A. Times and tired of all the inherent politics, he welcomed the slower pace of this Oregon coastal town and the more relaxed lifestyle producing a weekly paper. He enjoys being close to his dad again, a quiet man who captains a whale-sightseeing boat.

Grant is surprised at his unexpected interest in Keri, the niece of columnist Luby Sanders. He thinks Luby is a hoot and can’t help but adore her. But she’s also playing matchmaker, trying to interest him in her niece. When Keri shows up at a log cabin fire in the middle of the night, she’s not the geeky college kid he expected. But he’s not about to fall victim to Luby’s orchestrations.

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In fact all of the Teacup Novellas (books 1-5) are at a bargain price right now. I have the first four and I need the fifth as well.

A Christmas Peril (The Teacup Novellas Book 5)

Amazon quote:

Lucy Alexander’sTeacup Novellas were inspired by a collection of vintage teacups her Aunt Lucille bequeathed to her. She’s excited about writing the next book in the series, a Christmas tale loosely based on her aunt and uncle’s love story set in the 1940s. But when a hostage situation lands Lucy’s boyfriend in the hospital, she sets her work aside to keep a bedside vigil with Mark. As the long hours of waiting stretch on, Lucy starts to read her beloved aunt’s handwritten diary. Shocked to discover a frightening story so eerily similar to the one she’s living, Lucy longs to find hope and encouragement in the pages of Lucille’s diary.

December 1944 – “The most wonderful things seem to happen when you least expect them,” writes Lucille Alexander after a serendipitous meeting with Gary Reynolds, a handsome lieutenant home on leave from the war in Europe. The two are inseparable in the five precious days he has left before heading back overseas just weeks before Christmas. On their last morning together, Lucille accompanies Gary to the train station, already dreading the long separation ahead. But that would be the least of her worries after her brave lieutenant rushes to help an elderly woman in distress.

Lucy finds a strange solace in her namesake’s ink-stained journal. Though seventy years have passed between them, would their stories have the same ending?

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Browsing (I can never resist browsing) there is an interesting but unfamiliar author. After reading three chapters I’m going to take a chance. This will be my next read.

In fact, I think I will abandon and switch out my current read.

Keegan: A Clean and Wholesome Christmas Romance (Texas Rascal Book 1)

Amazon quote:

Iced in at Christmas

When a mysterious stranger shows up on Wren Matthew’s doorstep, sick and delirious—the timid high school teacher can’t leave him out in an ice storm. Not at Christmas. Even though she’s sworn off men, empathetic Wren has little choice but to let him. And never mind that electric chemistry surging between them.

Former cop Keegan Winslow has a dark secret and the last thing he wants to do is draw sweet Wren into his sordid world. But she’s given him a warm place to land in the raging storm and a kindness no one has shown him in a very long time.

But Keegan knows nothing can come of the love he’s found on her dairy farm in this small Texas town, because staying here will put her very life in danger.

KEEGAN is the first book in Lori Willde’s contemporary western romance series, Texas Rascals. If you like emotional, heart-tugging, wholesome holiday romance novels, you will love KEEGAN, from New York Times and USA Today bestselling author, Lori Wilde.

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Not a bad day for books. Not a bad day at all.

Happy Reading y’all

Bargain books January 01, 2021

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Happy New Year! I wonder how long it will take to shift over and get the date right. Muscle memory retrain time.

BookBub has a bargain suggestion for us, a three book collection. It appears I’ve downloaded books (including book one of this collection) from this author, Melissa Storm, and I’ve read the others but not this book one. It’s called The Loneliest Cottage, maybe I was shying away from lonely. I’m going for the collection and maybe it will be the push needed to get through and past book one.

Cottage, Light & Home: 3 Feel-Good Novels from the Sled Dog Series

Amazon quote:

These women are ready to take on the last great race… But they may be surprised where it leads them!

This USA Today bestselling series is now available in a special boxed collection for the first time ever. In Alaskan Hearts: Sled Dogs, three friends explore the world of dog-sledding and find themselves falling in love with the last men they ever expected to win their hearts.

Don’t miss the chance to lose your heart to a courageous team of sled dogs and the humans that love them in these three novels—The Loneliest Cottage, The Brightest Light, and The Truest Home—set against the breathtaking backdrop of the Alaskan wilderness.

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Several other Melissa Storm books showed up as bargains that I can’t resist.

The Sweetest Memory: (Alaskan Hearts Book 4) 

Amazon quote:

Ellie was lucky to survive what should have been a fatal accident. Unfortunately, she woke up with no memories of her past or what her life was before.

Recovery is slow, but each night she dreams of the same nameless, faceless man. It’s clear she loved him once, but she has no idea who he was or why he abandoned her in her hour of need. And as Ellie’s memories slowly continue resurface, she is horrified by the type of person she was before and questions how anyone could have ever loved her as she was.

Will she treat the accident as a second chance to right the mistakes of her past while forging a new future? Or will she risk everything that’s left in an attempt to reunite with the man that only her heart remembers?

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Saving Sarah: (The Gold Coast Retrievers Book 1)

Amazon quote:

A shy girl, a social guy, a second chance to get their stories right…

Sarah Campbell loves living vicariously through the residents at the Redwood Cove Rest Home. But when a surly patient insists she can’t die before “setting things right,” Sarah finds she may end up taking on far more than she ever bargained for… especially since all signs point to murder. Have she and her therapy dog Lucky stumbled upon the key to solving the most famous cold case in Gold Coast history?

Despite creating the world’s most popular social network, Finch Jameson lives a life of ashamed solitude. The last thing he wants is to draw attention to himself, but that’s exactly what happens when a distant relative delivers an earth-shattering confession in her dying days. Soon he finds himself more intrigued by the shy and beautiful nurse who’s committed to helping him solve his great-aunt Eleanor’s mystery than in the mystery itself. But will she ever let her guard down long enough to let him in?

Can Finch and Sarah work together to solve Eleanor’s big mystery before time runs out? And might redeeming Eleanor’s legacy somehow save them both in the process?

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I’ve read book 2 in this series.

The Long Walk Home: (The Church Dogs of Charleston Book 1)

Amazon quote:

Some say that whenever it snows in Charleston, God is giving a miracle to his most favorite of places. So, I reckon, the blizzard that bleached the entire sky that December must have been a blessing of epic proportions. It was certainly a miracle that I’d forgotten my cell phone after giving my Christmas Eve sermon and had to race back to the sanctuary in order to retrieve it.

Otherwise, how would anyone have ever known that right there in our famous nativity scene, a trembling, little Chihuahua had given birth to a litter of puppies? Yes, right there in the manger. O Holy Night for sure!

This is a story about how those special pups came to change our church—and all the people in it—for the better. Most especially my poor daughter, Abigail. Being the preacher’s kid is never easy. I know, because I grew up as one, too. But losing your spouse right while expecting to become a parent for the first time?

Well, that’s enough to make even the strongest of believers question God’s plans. I know I did. But then our Mama Mary Chihuahua and her Mini Miracles found us… And, well, I’ll let you read the story to find out what happened next!

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One more Melissa Storm and this one is FREE

The Second-Chance Waitress: (First Street Church Romances Book 2)

Amazon quote:

Small-town waitress Kristina Rose Maher wants to know why fairytales never happen for fat girls. When the doctor tells her she needs weight loss surgery to treat her diabetes, she sees this as a second chance to embrace life to the fullest and maybe even find a happily ever after all her own… Could the best friend who’s always been there for her be the prince she’s been hoping to find all along?

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One last one (a suggestion from BookRunes) and it’s also FREE. A total change of pace, it sounds intriguing enough to take a chance. I’ve not read this author so have no idea if it will be good or bad. As always, I’m anticipating and hoping for good.

Love Covers (Leaving Lennhurst Book 1) 

Amazon quote:

Two strangers hiding their own life-long secrets. Can pretending to be married…be that hard?

The town of Greenlock shuns the daughter of the mortician. Day after day, Lauren begrudgingly has to take over her father’s duties creating despondence in her tender heart.

Then a voice speaks from the morgue basement. A rough and tumble outlaw who’s supposed to be dead is still alive! For some unfathomable reason, Lauren agrees to help him stay dead.

Elias was raised at Lennhurst Asylum. Since he had no family or future, he jumped a half-served prison sentence and enlisted in the recent Civil War to wield explosives. From running and surviving all his life, all Elias promised anyone was loyalty. Love was out of the question. When Lauren mentions her longing to see her mother and sister in Colorado, for loyalty’s sake, he offers to take her on the arduous wagon train journey. Of course, it wouldn’t be proper not to be married while traveling together. Lauren and Elias, so vastly opposite; their charade should be easy and yet they never expected it to threaten their very lives.

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Eight new books. It seems like it’s always either feast of famine. Today is feast.

I’m excited about the appearance of diversity. I couldn’t make it through eight books with out it.

Happy New Year and happy reading

Bargain books December 30, 2020

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BookBub has a bargain suggestion to help us close out the year. This author was part of a recent collection downloaded and enjoyed. Five Gold Rings

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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1531 Entertainment has a bargain suggestion for us, a much different read than the one above. An author new to me, a nice chance for an introduction.

Finders Keepers (The Jane Barnaby Adventures Book 1)

Amazon quote:

It should have been a simple job. All archaeology student Jane Barnaby had to do was pick up a box her professor needed and deliver it to him at his dig site, along with his new car. Yes, his office was in Oxfordshire, and his dig site was in Spain, a trip of 1,400 miles across three countries and two bodies of water. Still, it should have been simple.

And it was, until Jane discovered she picked up the wrong box by mistake. Not the one with boring pottery samples, but instead the one with priceless ancient Egyptian artifacts. The one that a team of international art thieves is after.

Now she’s chasing – and being chased by – the thieves. And she’s picked up a pair of passengers who claim they can help her outwit them, get her professor’s pottery back and return the artifacts to their rightful owner. If only she could figure out which one of them is working with the thieves and which one she can trust in this high-stakes game of finders keepers.

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The jury is out for me on this next author. Several books from one of her other series showed up on my TBR list and I was unable to make a successful connection with them. This series seems quite different, I want to give it a try to see if it is a better experience.

One Day Gone: A Mylas Grey Mystery (Mylas Grey Mysteries Book 1)

Amazon quote:

Mylas Grey is a private investigator but don’t call him a private detective.

That title belongs to his father—not to him.

Mylas is the Chief Investigator for Senator Davis Allen, the chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee. His job is to do background investigations for the President’s judicial nominees, and that’s the only kind of investigation he’s interested in doing.

But then Lizzie, the Senator’s daughter, goes missing from her campus apartment.

And suddenly, just like that, Mylas finds himself back in his hometown of Columbia, Missouri, investigating her disappearance as if he were a run-of-the-mill private detective.

Nothing about the investigation is easy.

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I don’t really want to talk about my current read. It has a strong agenda, that’s why; and I’m not a fan. It has a weak story line, a spin off of another book I did enjoy and because of that I want to see how the story ends. To be fair, though, I did know there was an agenda when I downloaded and I wanted to see what the author had to say. I think I figured it was a teaching book only. I’m fussy y’all.

I’m trying to decide where to go next but I’m feeling ambivalent about the current choices. Maybe it’s just the mood I’m in. I am leaning toward something from the last couple of download days though.

In the meantime…

Happy Reading

Bargain books for Christmas Day

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If we are alone on this covid Christmas a good book is a wonderful friend. BookBub has a couple of awesome bargain suggestions for us.

This first one is from an author frequently on my TBR list. All three books in the collection are new to me.

Kennedy Stern (Christian Suspense 3-Book Box Set 1)

Amazon quote:

Three full-length suspense novels from multi-award winning Christian novelist Alana Terry. A three-in-one bundle of suspense and page-turning excitement as missionary kid Kennedy Stern faces more danger, mystery, and controversy than she knows how to handle.

Confronted with questions of underage abortion, plagued by a stalker and paralyzing PTSD flashbacks, and eventually caught in the center of a police brutality scandal, Kennedy discovers that her first year at Harvard University involves a lot more than passing a few lab classes and fulfilling her premed requirements.

With her parents serving North Korean refugees overseas, Kennedy befriends a loving and highly opinionated pastor, his hospitable and encouraging wife, an eccentric but respectful roommate whose worldview is drastically different from Kennedy’s, and a foreign lab partner who’s harboring a grave secret he’d do just about anything to keep from being exposed.

The Kennedy Stern Christian suspense series tackles controversial issues facing the church today and brings them to light in a way that encourages questions and fosters discussions without ever turning preachy or heavy-handed.

Find out why readers from all faiths and denominations, all walks of life, and all sides of the political spectrum are devouring this thought-provoking series from edgy Christian fiction author Alana Terry, who has won awards from Women of Faith, Grace Awards, The Book Club Network, Readers’ Favorite, and many others.

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This next collection is from an author I have read once or twice. I think it is worth a shot, for sure.

Piercehaven Box Set: The Complete Series 

Amazon quote:

Piercehaven (Book 1)

A new teacher. A dark secret. A bunch of kids caught in the middle. 

Emily has just moved to a remote Maine island, but it feels like a different planet. Everything seems to be a mystery. Is her new job really in danger? Is the gorgeous lobsterman really interested in her? Is it possible an entire town is that obsessed with basketball? 

Windmills (Book 2)

Piercehaven Power wants to erect two windmills on Chicken Hill. Some islanders will do anything to stop this from happening. Will the controversy rip this tight-knit community apart? Can Emily’s new softball team put this small Maine island back together again?

Trespass (Book 3)

A young lobsterman is missing. Is it foul play? And why is James acting so weirdly? Emily is trying to plan a wedding, but does she really know the man she’s about to marry? Does she really know anyone on the island?

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Currently, I have a number of books on the go but haven’t managed to get caught up in any of them. They are left stranded on the side of the reading-highway.

Instead of giving them second chances at this moment, I’m going to start reading a new collection downloaded back in October. It includes some favorite authors and is still a bargain if you are tempted.

Five Gold Rings (Crossroads Collection) 

Amazon quote:

Christmas Mercy by Jaycee Weaver
As the web of lies that kept Rob away from Vera and their daughter unravels, the months following his return test their capacity for mercy, forgiveness, and a second chance at love.

The Seven Year Glitch by Hallee Bridgeman
Seven years earlier, Timothy left Leanne at the altar stealing years of happiness. Leanne rescues him from a rooftop in a floodplain and it is clear there is much more to the story. Can their love redeem the hurts of the past to rescue their future?

Laughing All the Way by Lesley Ann McDaniel
When Jessica’s friends put her up to “fixing” their commitment phobic co-worker, Conner, she doesn’t take them very seriously. Conner doesn’t know whether to laugh at Jessica or tell her to mind her own business.

Ghosted at the Altar by Chautona Havig
After his fiancée, Brenna, abandons Mitchell on their wedding day, she insists she loves him and still wants to marry him. As truths come to light, her little sister, Lauren, turns sleuth to solve the mystery of why Brenna ghosted Mitchell at the altar.

Five Gold Rings by Amanda Tru
When three relationship-challenged couples wish for Christmas weddings, commitment coach, Oliver, teams up with a wedding planner, TeraLyn, to help make their marriage dreams come true.

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As I struggle to keep my eyes open I’m having second thoughts about timing. I definitely need a power nap first.

I have this electronic Christmas Advent Calendar from my daughter-in-law and it includes some addicting games. About midnight last night, a few quick games seemed like a good idea. Too bad I couldn’t resist just one more, I could have been asleep before the winter sun came up on the third shortest day of the year.

It was fun and I’m not driving anywhere, so it’s all good.

I’ll start the new read after a nap.

In the meantime,

Happy Reading y’all

Merry Christmas!

FREE and bargain books December 24, 2020

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It’s Christmas Eve Day! For the moment I am feeling festive in this less than normal time in our lives. Festive moments are good. I like them a lot. The last hour was spent listening to an inspiring podcast about story telling and the importance of regaining our sense of wonder. It was a lot to take in and I plan on listening to it again, probably more than once. My joy in this moment is a direct result of that experience, at a time when I really needed it.

I had no plans to share this podcast with you but here it is anyway. Harris III speaks to the cynical and shares why a sense of wonder can be restored and why it is so important in leadership and in story telling.

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So, back to books – FREE and bargains.

BookBub has a suggestion for us and it is a story that was part of a collection downloaded recently. I’ve read this book and it was excellent. It’s FREE today, this is a good time to take advantage of the opportunity.

A Christmas Homecoming (Sunriver Dreams Book 2)

Amazon quote:

Can the mystery of Christmas unite two hurting hearts?

Bailey Calderwood gives all she has to her job as an interior design assistant, but her best isn’t good enough for her demanding, bed-ridden boss. For some unexplained reason Mona has turned against her. At least not everyone is out to get her. A mysterious admirer is sending her cards and flowers. Could it be her boss’s son who’s recently returned home in time for the holidays?

Stephen Belafonte rushes home from France to be with his mother after her stroke, and is surprised by the rift between his mom and Bailey, her assistant. When his mom demands he fire Bailey, he’s torn between respecting his mother’s wishes and doing what’s best for the family business. Can Stephen find a way to heal the rift in his family as well his own heart, or will he be forced to let Bailey go?

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BookRunes also has a FREE suggestion, one I’ve read and enjoyed.

Gift of the Magpie

Amazon quote:

Award-winning author Amanda Larrowe has shut off communication with friends and family to meet her next book’s deadline. But as storms move into Richmond, Virginia, Amanda learns that Camden Lancaster, a high school sweetheart, has moved in across the street.

After ten years, Amanda’s heart still smarts from the humiliating aftermath of their perfect high-school Valentine’s Day date. Camden may have transformed into a handsome, amiable man, but his charming smile doesn’t win her trust—and certainly not Amanda’s heart. When Cam doesn’t recognize her on their first two encounters, she thinks it’s safe to be his fair-weather neighbor.

Boy is she wrong.

Amanda is about to learn that first loves and broken hearts can sometimes lead to second chances … and a crushing pain that last forever.

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I’m currently reading and almost finished, a book that is still a bargain.

Season of Hope 

Amazon quote:

When a shocking revelation shatters her family and her faith,
will truth prevail and mend what was broken?

Life is good for Ronnie Coborn.

She’s newly married to a man who loves her and dotes on her daughter. A man handpicked by Ronnie’s father, a popular pastor at a megachurch who’s been married to her mother for forty years.

Yes, life is good.

Until a shocking revelation exposes the fact that everything in her idyllic life—her marriage, family, and faith—is based on a lie.

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Happy Reading …

… on the Christmas Eve Day.

Wishing you Peace.

Bargain books December 18, 2020

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We have some nice bargains from favorite authors today and the first one of the books is new to me. It’s a good day when something is new.

Fatal Winter: Clean Romance Mystery (Northern Shore Intrigue Book 3)

Amazon quote:

Bookstore owner, Sylvie Patterson and Detective Ridge Matthews share hidden pain over the long ago tragedy that marked them both. But he’s only aware of part of her unspoken feelings. She knows her love for him has no future because of the breach over his younger brother’s death. Besides he lives hours away in Madison working as a state homicide detective. And after his brother’s tragic accident, Ridge shut down emotionally and keeps his distance from any reminder, especially Sylvie who witnessed the event.

When Sylvie’s cousin Ginger returns from Alaska to write her PhD dissertation, she moves into the apartment above Sylvie’s store. The evening Ginger arrives, she ends their final conversation with these cryptic words: Sylvie, I am going to wow you with a big surprise tomorrow!

Ridge has come to town to pick up the boy he’s assumed guardianship of. He visits Sylvie’s store to pick up Ben. When Ridge and Sylvie discover Ginger’s dead body, his boss orders him to stay and solve the murder. Ridge isn’t happy. He had planned on delivering the boy to a boarding school and go on with his life.

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There are three bargains from this next favorite author and I’ve read them all. They are worth a second look though.

Seagrass Pier (The Hope Beach Series Book 3)

Amazon quote:

Elin Summerall was one of the lucky ones. Not only did she get a heart transplant, but the donor was a perfect fit. A miraculously perfect fit.

But when Elin begins having violent flashbacks—and vivid dreams of being strangled—she realizes that she has been the recipient of more than just a new heart . . . Elin is remembering her donor’s murder.

Her strange affliction has attracted some unwanted attention: from the press, from the authorities . . . and from the killer himself. Now, living alone with her young daughter and aging mother, Elin is being stalked—by a man she’s only met in her nightmares.

The police are dubious of her story, but one off-duty FBI agent agrees to help her: Agent Marc Everton.

Now, in a remote cottage on Hope Island, Elin and Marc must probe the secrets buried in her borrowed heart. And there’s no time to waste. One man is desperate to silence her—before she remembers too much. 

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Twilight at Blueberry Barrens (A Sunset Cove Novel Book 3) 

Amazon quote:

Kate Mason has devoted herself to caring for her family’s blueberry barrens. But after her fields stop producing fruit, she’s forced to come up with alternative ways to make a living.

Renting out the small cottage on her property seems an obvious choice, but it won’t be enough. When entrepreneur Drake Newham shows up looking not only for a place to rent but also for a nanny for his two nieces, it’s almost too good to be true. And maybe it is—because Drake brings with him dangerous questions about who might be out to kill his family.

The more time Kate spends with Drake and the girls, the more difficult it becomes to hide her attraction to him. But a family crisis isn’t exactly the ideal time to pursue a romance.

Meanwhile, Kate learns that her uncle—in prison for murder—has escaped. Add to that a local stalker who won’t leave her alone, and Kate is looking over her shoulder at every turn. With threats swirling from multiple directions, she wonders if her blueberry fields will ever flourish again . . . or if this twilight is her last.

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Without a Trace (Rock Harbor Series Book 1)

From USA TODAY bestselling romantic suspense author Colleen Coble comes a riveting mystery that draws together a plane crash, a lost husband and son, a violent crime, and a mother and her search-and-rescue dog who will stop at nothing to bring the child home. 

It’s been months since the crash. K-9 search-and-rescue worker Bree Nicholls knows the chances of finding her husband and son in the vast wilderness of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula grow more remote by the day. But her heart and her faithful dog, Samson, demand she keep searching.

Deep in the woods a young boy wakes in a tiny cabin. He’s being nursed back to health by a reclusive woman, but he can’t figure out why she calls him by a name he doesn’t recognize. Or why she’s calling herself his mother. He wants to leave, but as winter sets in, his very life depends on her care.

Meanwhile, Bree’s relentless determination to find her family has uncovered a violent crime. With the help of Park Ranger Kade Matthews, she discovers the violence may be linked to the plane crash that took her family. Could solving the crime bring her peace with her own loss? Or, more incredibly, reunite her family?

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Happy Reading

Free and bargain books December 10, 2020

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BookBub has a FREE suggestion by one of my favorite authors. Deborah Raney has a gift for writing insightful stories around deep issues. I think I still have a paperback copy of this one on my bookshelf. A very moving story.

A Vow to Cherish

Amazn quote:

The battle they face will either ruin them
or bring the deepest fulfillment they could ever know.
When his precious wife receives a devastating diagnosis, John Brighton feels his world has fallen apart. As Ellen slips away from him day by day, their love is tested as never before. Desperately needing someone to confide in, John meets Julia Sinclair, a young widow who seems to understand his pain as no one else can. Torn between doing what he knows to be right and what his heart tells him surely can’t be wrong, John soon discovers that the heart cannot be trusted where true love is concerned.

A Vow to Cherish has impacted three generations of readers—first with the book from Bethany House Publishers and then through the World Wide Pictures film inspired by Deborah Raney’s novel. This newest edition of the novel brings home the profound message of the sacredness of marriage and the importance of the commitments we make in marriage.

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A Deborah Raney story that I have not read but want to. A Christmas novella.

Circle of Blessings 

Amazon quote:

Young Stella Bradford is determined to win the love of James Collingwood, her English professor at the university where Stella is studying to be an architect. But the object of Stella’s affection seems to hide a dark secret from his past, and even if Stella could capture his attention, she is certain her father would not approve of the match. But neither James, nor Stella has an inkling that his secret is woven into her own past in a way that will ultimately bring blessing to them both.

Inspired by a Raney family Christmas tradition, Circle of Blessings was first published in the novella collection A Currier & Ives Christmas in 2002 and then in A Prairie Christmas Collection in 2010.

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Angela Hunt has been a favorite author for many years and while this bargain book is not on the same level as what I would normally consider a bargain, I’m going to splurge – I really want to read this book. 350 pages means it will last long enough to make it worth while. It will definitely not be over before I’m ready.

The Elevator 

Amazon quote:

In the path of a devastating hurricane, three very different women find themselves trapped in the elevator of a high-rise office building. All three conceal shattering secrets—unaware that their secrets center on the same man.

The betrayed wife, eager to confront her faithless husband, with rage in her heart and a gun in her pocket…

The determined mistress, finally ready to tell her lover she wants marriage and a family…

The fugitive cleaning woman, tormented by the darkest secret of all…

As the storm rages ever closer, these three must unite to fight for their lives in the greatest test of courage—and faith—any woman could ever face.

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One more Angela Hunt book I want to read. It’s a bargain too and a different genre altogether.

Afton of Margate Castle (The Knights’ Chronicles Book 1)

Amazon quote:

Beautiful, headstrong Afton is taken from her parents at an early age and raised in the castle, a companion to the earl’s daughter. Schooled in the ways of kings and surrounded by splendor, Afton falls in love with the earl’s son, brave, Calhoun, her childhood protector.

But Calhoun’s mother, the Lady Endeline, has much different plans for him than marriage to a villein’s daughter. Suddenly Afton’s world is torn viciously apart. She is cast out of the castle, given to a man she fears and despises as a reward for his loyalty—an all too clear reminder that, for all her dreams, she is nothing but a villein.

Now all she has left is a burning desire for vengeance . . .

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It has been a good book day. I know already what will be next up on the reading schedule. The Elevator.

I’m still reading this book mentioned yesterday and it has turned out better than expected, That is a plus.

Happy Reading y’all

Check out these authors if you’ve never read them. I predict you will love them. Everyone I know does.

Bargain books December 08, 2020

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BookBub has a bargain suggestion for us. This author has shown up multiple times on my TBR list although I don’t remember much about her. I’ll try to pay attention this time.

A Mountain Christmas Romance (Wyoming Mountain Tales Book 4) 

Amazon quote:

Stripped of the family so important to his Viking heritage, Matthias Bjork is now on the hunt for his sister. Despite combing the entire Wyoming Territory, he hasn’t found any substantial leads regarding his sister’s whereabouts, but he has discovered a most unusual woman. This woodland nymph who’s come to work for his good friend in the quiet town of Mountain Bluff is like no one he’s ever met.

Opal Boyd has finally found the haven she’s longed for all her life, in a most unlikely place—working for a German couple in this remote Wyoming mountain town. She learned long ago that most men couldn’t be trusted, but when a mountain man stops in the boarding house where she works, he seems to have the respect and affection of the two people she’s learned to trust implicitly. And the more she comes to know Matthias, she struggles not to trust him the same way the others do.

When he shares the magical experience of his family’s traditional Viking Yule celebration, she can’t help but fall a little more in love with him each one of the twelve days of Christmas. But when Matthias’ search for his sister takes an unexpected twist, Opal is forced to make a choice that will alter the course of her life—no matter which answer she chooses. When Matthias’ decisions land Opal in danger, what must he sacrifice to rescue her?

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This next one is a bargain pre-release that will be out December 22nd. This is another author showing up often on my TBR list.

Ride with Me: A clean, sweet, faith-filled, small-town romance, where life begins at forty. (Chapel Cove Romances Book 10)

Amazon quote:

Hotel magnate Henry Scott lives life in the fast lane. True to form, when his great-uncle leaves him property and a Victorian house in Chapel Cove, he takes a weekend drive, only intending on staying long enough to evaluate his new found assets. If they aren’t a viable option for the next Scott Leisure Resort, he just might consider selling to the couple who’d expressed an interest in buying the old place. After all, if not for them, he would never have known about this last part of his great-uncle’s will, sealed for almost a decade.

When her new neighbor rolls into town, Tash Thornton is less than impressed. Not only is the man presumptuous and audacious, he’s downright egotistical. His grand plans for the property adjoining her stables, tack shop, and riding school do not bode well for her business.

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Then there is one more bargain book in the same series (different author but one I like). It’s been around for a while and I’ve passed it by each time because it’s described as slow paced. Not my favorite. This time I’m saying why not? I’m going for it. The first few page have me hooked, once again.

Adore Me: A small-town later-life second chances romance – clean, sweet, emotional, and faith-filled! (Chapel Cove Romances Book 9) 

Amazon quote:

Widowed sixty-something Paula Montana isn’t looking for a new love. Between her pancake restaurant, her volunteer work, and her adorable-but-ill granddaughter, she’s far too busy. Besides, when you’ve lost the man you shared fifty years of your life with, anyone new has a lot of memories to compete with.

Divorced seventy-something doctor Richard Stewart isn’t looking for love, or for family. His disastrous first marriage and a son who hasn’t spoken to him for fifteen years taught him it’s wiser to focus on work. He wasn’t cut out for relationships or for faith, and being an antisocial recluse suits him fine.

But when his son invites Richard to Chapel Cove for Christmas and he meets Mark’s new wife and stepdaughter, as well as Mark’s mother-in-law, Paula, things might change for both of them!

A slow-paced, gentle, heartwarming, and uplifting Christian older-couple second chances romance, with faith, love, and plenty of cooking. Includes a bonus recipe!

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I’m currently reading and enjoying a recent purchase. It has definitely been worth the read. It is a novella, pretty short, but at least it makes my read list grow more quickly these days.

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

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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This has been a good book day.

I’m glad because I’m in need of some happy moments on this not-so-great covid related day. Further restrictions are here, as expected, lasting until after Christmas. I can see the wisdom in their decisions but it’s just tough to hear how it needs to be. Some good books will help make my day(s) better

I’m hoping you liked these book selections too.

Happy Reading y’all

I’m glad I did a major grocery run yesterday. At least the basics will be good ’til after Christmas.

I know you will find this hard to believe but about the only things I spend money on these days are groceries and books. Shocking isn’t it? lol

Free and bargain books November 20, 2020

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Another good day for books. I was expecting a slow book day so this was a nice surprise.

BookRunes has a FREE suggestion. This book is all new to me, one more nice surprise.

Rachel’s Blessing – (Love in South Africa Book 1)

Amazon quote:

A South African adventure leads to a life-changing love… 

Thirty-one year old Rachel Wright is thrilled to be getting married. Unfortunately, her fiancé does not share her enthusiasm. When he suddenly breaks off their engagement for a life of adventure, British-born Rachel heads to South Africa for an adventure of her own.

Volunteering at a rural orphanage allows Rachel the breathing space she needs to refocus and have time alone with God. This rugged landscape brings fresh perspective and healing. The last thing on Rachel’s mind now, is romance.

And then she meets Eric, a local game ranger and the area’s most eligible bachelor.

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A BookBub bargain suggestion by a favorite prolific author.

Lifeline (The Security Experts)

Amazon quote:

Only a former navy SEAL can help a woman who is convinced her deceased former fiancé is alive—and out for revenge in this exciting suspense, part of The Security Experts series from USA TODAY bestselling author Christy Barritt.

“I did it for you.” The chilling words in the text message have Julianne Grace fearing for her life. She’s sure that her abusive ex-fiancé has killed two people—and that she’s the next target. But will anyone believe that her presumed dead ex is really alive? The only man who can help Julianne is cool, aloof security specialist Bradley Stone. Not only does she need his protection, but he’s also the link to finding answers about her ex-fiancé’s death. And the closer Bradley and Julianne get to the truth—and to each other, the angrier the madman after Julianne becomes. One wrong move and they could both fall prey to the killer’s deadly scheme.

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1531 Entertainment has a bargain collection suggestion for us. There are five books and I think I have read most of them along the way somewhere, in other collections I think. The good news for me, there is one completely new one.

Small-Town Christmas: Sweet, Faith-Filled, Clean Romances

Amazon quote:

SEASON OF LOVE. Opposites-attract romance! Feuding co-chefs have to put their differences aside before Christmas to give their siblings a great reception. A ruined wedding and failed business are not on the menu. But romance just might be…
SEASON OF AFFECTION. A woman in jeopardy, bodyguard, and second chance romance! A celebrity in peril and the small-town boy who crushed her heart years ago. Can a Christmas reunion bring them a second chance at love?

etc. etc. etc.

I’d show more but it’s rather long. Hopefully this is enough to catch your interest.

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Currently I’m reading and enjoying a book with an author new to me.

COMPLEX: A Sweet Small town Standalone Romance (Eron Outsiders Book 1)

After ten years away, Sofia Wise returns home to mourn the loss of her grandmother, and she’s desperate to reconnect with her family.
When a dark, devastatingly handsome stranger shows up on her family’s doorstep, Sofia takes one look and is tempted to make her visit permanent. The problem is, the town’s detective is suspicious of her entire family, and it might take some convincing to prove that she’s more interested in the man himself than in the complex case at hand.

Trevor Freeman is a hardworking detective for the town of Eron. When his mom disappears, he blames the Wise family and will stop at nothing until they are brought to justice —that is, until Sofia Wise blows into town. The mysterious, beautiful member of the notorious Wise clan complicates everything, distracting him from his investigation and threatening to steal his heart.

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Can you believe it. We had about 3 inches of snow last night and they’ve plowed our streets already. That’s what’s great about a small city, they can do these nice things for us. My friends and relatives in the big city are jealous.

I’m sure many of you are glad you live in warmer climates. Some of my kids are but I’m happy to see winter. I missed the snowy season with it’s crisp cold air when I lived in a moderate climate with mostly rain.

Besides, a cold winter day is the perfect time to curl up with a good book.

I’m gonna go do just that. It’s time to finish my current.

Happy Reading

Stay safe and warm.

Free and bargain books November 16, 2020

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Monday is turning out to be a good day for book suggestions. With such abundance this morning we’ll look at BookBub and 1531 Entertainment today, saving LPC Free Books for tomorrow. They are scheduled to be free until the 20th so we have the time.

BookBubs FREE suggestion

Signs of Life: A Haunting and Spellbinding Contemporary Christian Thriller (Signs of Life Series Book 1)  FREE

Amazon quote:

Rogan Sneed . . . Portland’s Worst Nightmare

High school teacher Tyson Cooper is just dismissing his class when a student flashes his phone. “Another shooting, Mr. C.”

And this one is too close to home. Tyson races to Pioneer Square . . . but he’s too late. The light of his life has been snuffed out–and so has his faith.

Veteran Portland PD Investigator Wayne Deetz, two years shy of retirement, is charged with leading the interrogations. When he meets 19-year-old shooter Rogan Sneed face-to-face, his life is changed eternally.

Will Tyson settle for anything less than the death penalty in the case against Rogan Sneed? He’s bent on justice and will do anything to make Rogan pay for the pain he inflicted on himself and the city of Portland that rainy, haunting May day.

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1531 Entertainment bargain book suggestions: The author of this first one has shown up on my TBR list seven times so far in 2020. This makes eight. I’ve read book #1 in this series. Aiming for Love

Woman of Sunlight (Brides of Hope Mountain Book #2) 

Amazon quote:

After years of isolation on top of Hope Mountain, Ilsa Nordegren may finally be ready to leave. Raised to fear the world, Ilsa and her sisters never planned on coming down, but when the Warden family arrived in need, they had to help. And it may cost them everything.

Having made his fortune, Mitch Warden returned home and found the family homestead abandoned. In a land grab, a ruthless cattle baron had forced his family to escape up the mountain, and when he follows, the last thing he expects is to fall smitten to a black-haired woman who dresses like Robin Hood.

Warden is intent on helping his family reclaim their land, but doesn’t realize the risks his past has brought. Dangerous men have tracked him, and rather than risk innocent lives, he’s determined to end the danger. But that means a journey to the city–and when Ilsa insists on joining him, the mismatched pair suddenly find themselves on a venture they’ll never forget.

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The House at the End of the Moor 

Amazon quote:

What Can a London Opera Star and an Escaped Dartmoor Prisoner Have in Common?
 
Opera star Maggie Lee escapes her opulent lifestyle when threatened by a powerful politician who aims to ruin her life. She runs off to the wilds of the moors to live in anonymity. All that changes the day she discovers a half-dead man near her house. Escaped convict Oliver Ward is on the run to prove his innocence, until he gets hurt and is taken in by Maggie. He discovers some jewels in her possession—the very same jewels that got him convicted. Together they hatch a plan to return the jewels, clearing Oliver’s name and hopefully maintaining Maggie’s anonymity.

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I’m currently reading & enjoying

Faith in Abertillery: Historical Romance (Women of Courage Book 2) 

South Wales, 1905. Faith only believes in the certainty of pain and suffering. Born with a club foot and harboring a dark secret, the barmaid can’t escape her sinful past. But after the country’s religious revival puts her out of a job, hope sparks when a handsome aristocrat gallantly offers her a second chance.

Lord Geoffrey Driscoll fears his estate will run out of money before he can find a suitable bride. However, the devout nobleman can’t keep his mind off the stunning redhead despite her lowly status. As the attraction between them grows, Lord Driscoll is torn between his need for a wife of means and his heart.

As Faith falls for Lord Driscoll’s kindness, she wishes that she could erase the sinful past that stands in the way of their union…

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This is a paradoxical morning moment. The sun is shining, clouds are gently rolling through, and it’s snowing lightly. Makes life fun.

Currently it’s -10c and it looks like it will be a quiet day weather-wise. Maybe there will be more cheerful sunshine moments yet today. Here’s hoping.

Enjoy the books.

Until tomorrow…

Happy Reading.