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Bargain books November 14, 2020

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Today’s bargain suggestions come from BookBub and 1531 Entertaiment. Three authors new to me. I can’t guarantee a good read with any of them but after checking out the first few pages I’m definitely hopeful.

All the Stars: (Unfailing Love Book 5)

Amazon quote:

Gaining her trust won’t be easy. Earning her love will be nearly impossible.

Leah Manning is working to get back on her feet after her ex-husband disappeared one night, leaving her to raise their infant daughter alone. When a trip to a hardware store has her literally falling into the arms of its handsome owner, his charms are hard to resist. But he’s a stranger, and, to her, that means he can’t be trusted. Can she learn to let her faith be stronger than her fear?

Brian Matthews has never met a stranger. A friend to everyone he meets, he can’t understand why Leah is determined to keep him at a distance. He only wants to help, but she can’t accept that he only has the best intentions. It’s a good thing his love is patient.

Leah isn’t ready to let the love she feels for Brian override years of fear, and he’s tired of spending lonely nights playing songs on his guitar to fill the silence. What will it take to show Leah that Brian is the answer to her prayers?

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

Amazon quote:

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.

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Hearts on the Road: Diana Lesire Brandmeyer

Amazon quote:

She’s running from the past. He’s aiming for the future. Can they stop moving long enough to find love?

Randi refuses to invite a man into her life. But when a charming minister steps into the cab of her truck, everything changes. How can Randi consider a new relationship when her heart is still crushed from the past?

As a budding preacher, Matthew knows it’s his calling to minister to truckers. But when he’s partnered to join Randi on a long-haul trip he wonders if his desire to be in her life is God’s choice or his? Could God be pulling him off the road and into Randi’s arms?

A shake up at home forces Randi off the highway unexpectedly, putting the brakes on her unsettled feelings for Matthew. Caught between her fears and her heart Randi wonders if it’s safe to keep driving their relationship forward. When life pulls them in opposite directions, can Randi and Matthew find the road to a one-way romance?

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Currently, I’m finishing up a thoroughly enjoyable book. It is still at bargain price too. This author was new to me and it turned out to be a good experience.

Beyond Repair: (Eron Outsiders Book 3) 

Her past is a string of bad choices. Is falling for a wanted ex-gang member one more?


Hiding from her troubled past, Jules Demski sequesters herself in the mountains of Eron, Colorado, the only place she’s ever felt safe. Her solitude is shattered when an injured man staggers into her family’s barn.
Burned once and still in repair, the last thing she needs is another criminal on her hands. If she can only convince her heart of this, she just might be able to resist the interloper’s charm.


Former gangster Lorenzo Macedo has cleaned up his act, but now he’s running for his life. He stumbles upon a barn just as a bullet pierces his body.
Jules appears standoffish and cold, but the tender way she nurses Lorenzo reveals a soft-hearted, passionate woman aching for her own wounds to be healed. No woman has ever set his blood on fire like Jules, but he has nothing to offer her except a life on the run.
Can Jules and Lorenzo find redemption in the small town, or are their lives Beyond Repair?

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I’m looking forward to one of these three new books as my next read. I think it will be difficult deciding which one but maybe I’ll try Hearts on the Road first.

It’s been a good day for new books. I’m hoping you thinks so too.

Happy Reading y’all

Free and bargain books November 12, 2020

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BookBub has a FREE suggestion for us this time.

Into the Darkness (Daring Escapes Book 1)

Amazon quote:

Adventure. Betrayal. Murder.
Dead? Kate Collier refuses to believe her brother and last remaining family member died in the Brazilian rainforest. Determined to find the missing biochemist, she launches an expedition to find him.

A.C. Slader’s past is as dark and turbulent as the Amazon. Consumed with his own problems, when Kate tries hiring him to find her no-doubt deceased brother, he turns her down cold. The last thing he needs is to fight his way through an impassable jungle for a woman who wouldn’t know a stick from a snake. Only when he narrowly rescues her from an attack before she’s even left the relative safety of the town does he realize that without his help, she’ll get herself killed.

Together, they begin a perilous journey that will test the limits of their faith and each other…

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There were a couple of enjoyable new authors in the collections I mentioned yesterday. I was hoping to find more from them to see what a full novel would be like. There was one regular length book at a bargain price (my favorite way to try out unfamiliar authors) which is nice and I’m looking forward to it.

A Long Way to Run

Amazon quote:

Sometimes the path to love is a long way to run…

Olympic-caliber running hopeful Riley Dalton lost his left leg from the knee down in the noblest of ways: saving a trapped woman whose car was engulfed by fire. Years removed from that life-changing moment, he returns home to Dunberry, Michigan, searching for the pathway to a new life.

Riley’s high school sweetheart, Jennifer Bailey, understands the process of reinvention. Heartbreak and corporate theft sent her scampering from New York straight back to her small-town roots. In Dunberry, she’s established a clothing boutique that allows creativity to flow while she regroups.

Reunited, Riley and Jennifer spearhead the creation of a community sponsored running team while they chase demons both physical and emotional. As Riley trains for the Mobility Impaired division of the Boston Marathon, the past rises to haunt him, and a professional opportunity is presented to Jennifer that plays to her goals but endangers everything she’s reestablished with the only man she’s ever loved.

Will love be enough to cover the distance between them?

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I’m currently reading and enjoying

A Scarlet Cord 

In the four years since her husband’s death, Melanie LaSalle’s life has been consumed with managing the family design firm and caring for her five-year-old daughter, Jerica. The possibility of a new relationship is the last thing on her mind. But when Melanie meets Joel Ellington, a new staff member at her church, she is instantly attracted to his warm spirit.
As their friendship deepens, however, Melanie is troubled by something she can’t quite understand or explain. Joel past seems to be off-limits, even to Melanie. Because of her growing feelings for him, Melanie pushes her doubts away. But when Joel disappears, along with the contents of a church bank account, she can no longer ignore her suspicions.
Now, torn between her feelings for Joel and the evidence mounting against him, Melanie faces a heart-wrenching decision: to forget the man who gave her reason to love again or to trust Joel enough to give him her heart.
Exploring themes of the importance of truth, loyalty, and trust, A Scarlet Cord illustrates that who we truly are depends little on outward appearances and solely on our relationship with God, and on the fact that through faith in Him, we can find places of comfort, healing, and selfless love.

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A Scarlet Cord is a big book, 360 pages, and Deborah Raney is one of the few authors I know who can write a long story and have enough to say to actually pull it off. No filler in her stories, to bulk them up.

It will be interesting to see if I make it through though.

Between work challenges and the disturbing things going on in the world right now it’s difficult to settle down enough to concentrate for any length of time.

Evil has a way of bullying victims into submission and it feels like that’s what’s going on in our world right now. I’m praying evil won’t win. I’m hoping many others are joining in praying this way too.

I don’t know where the threat is coming from or who is behind it but our lives and way of life could depend on the final outcome. We need to be aware and prayerful. I know it’s not just me thinking this way, I’m hearing other sane voices expressing the same concern.

Watch and pray.

If you’ve never prayed and don’t know how. The Creator of the Universe hears every prayer, without exception. Just say what’s in your heart.

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Until tomorrow

Happy Reading

Free and bargain books November 09, 2020

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Fickle, fickle, weather. A few weeks of unseasonable cold with heavy frost and snow. Until yesterday. It was +21c yesterday. Today… it’s -4c. How are we supposed to successfully adjust to such drastic flip-flop changes. I’m freezing, must add another layer, again.

At least yesterday was wonderful and much appreciated. It was a lovely day to tackle the last of the much needed yard clean up. It was warm and pretty and I hated to have my energy end before the day did.

I wonder if the warm memory will be enough to carry me through to next spring… probably not.

On the bright side … We have some enticing suggestions today.

This first one, suggested by BookBub, is written by a popular author on my TBR list.

The collections next in line, suggested by 1531 Entertainment, are written by authors new to me. The stories look interesting and I’m always keen to experience someone new.

A Scarlet Cord  is FREE. Deborah Raney writes thought provoking stories always worth reading.

Amazon quote:

In the four years since her husband’s death, Melanie LaSalle’s life has been consumed with managing the family design firm and caring for her five-year-old daughter, Jerica. The possibility of a new relationship is the last thing on her mind. But when Melanie meets Joel Ellington, a new staff member at her church, she is instantly attracted to his warm spirit.
As their friendship deepens, however, Melanie is troubled by something she can’t quite understand or explain. Joel past seems to be off-limits, even to Melanie. Because of her growing feelings for him, Melanie pushes her doubts away.

When Joel disappears, along with the contents of a church bank account, she can no longer ignore her suspicions.
Now, torn between her feelings for Joel and the evidence mounting against him, Melanie faces a heart-wrenching decision: to forget the man who gave her reason to love again or to trust Joel enough to give him her heart.

*****************

Now, something on the lighter side … by comparison. Bargains too.

Love at Christmas Inn: Collection I

Amazon quote:

Nestled into five beautiful acres just outside Hope Creek, Tennessee, Christmas Inn is an unforgettable place known for its joyful atmosphere and festive setting. Holiday decorations adorn each room. Trees glittering with ribbons and ornaments, gorgeous wreaths, velvet stockings and pine-scented candles brighten visitors’ stay at this vacation spot dedicated to Christmas all year, every year. The resort offers all the usual enticements plus one unique amenity…love. The little white chapel behind the inn, built by the Christmas family in the 1890s, boasts bell tower bells that toll when couples fall in love.

But Christmas Inn has fallen on hard times. The chapel bells haven’t rung for many years, and this Christmas may be the final celebration at the resort…unless love finds its way home.

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Love at Christmas Inn, Collection 2

Amazon quote:

Nestled into five beautiful acres just outside Hope Creek, Tennessee, Christmas Inn is an unforgettable place known for its joyful atmosphere and festive setting. Holiday decorations adorn each room. Trees glittering with ribbons and ornaments, gorgeous wreaths, velvet stockings and pine-scented candles brighten visitors’ stay at this vacation spot dedicated to Christmas all year, every year. The resort offers all the usual enticements plus one unique amenity…love. The little white chapel behind the inn, built by the Christmas family in the 1890s, boasts bell tower bells that toll when couples fall in love.

Every year people come to the inn looking for their Christmas spirit. Sometimes they find love too. Will the bells ring again this year?

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This has been a good day for new books. All of them new to me, for a nice change.

Stay warm (or cool – depending where you are) and safe. We are experiencing a second wave of Covid that has gotten out of hand. I’m staying home, venturing out every other week or so. Hopefully things are better where you are but if not stay safe.

Enjoy reading,

I will be.

Along with a warm bowl of creamy potato vegetable soup.

Bargain books November 07, 2020

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Today is another day of discovery. In the one-thing-led-to-another file a new-to-me author appeared and I’m excited to read a couple of her books.

All of these are bargain books and the first one to set things in motion was a BookBub suggestion. A collection by an author we’ve seen before.

Sisters by Design, books 1-3

Amazon quote:

Mac
After separating herself from the oppressive cult where she was raised, Mackenzie Soeurs has two dreams: to give her son Riley a better life than she had, and to live in peace, as far from the harsh God of her past as she can get.

Dane Cooper, Garfield’s former bad boy and groom left at the altar, can’t deny his initial attraction to Mackenzie. Neither can he resist the urge from God to mentor her delinquent son. How can he guard his battered heart and still give Riley the same second chance he was given? 

When Jesse, Charley, Randy, and Alex signed up for Mac’s first fitness class, they were looking for someone to whip them into physical shape.

Randy
Her soft side is buried deep… 
After surviving a traumatic childhood, Miranda Franklin grew up tough, fast, and convinced of her inability to ever nurture a child. Eli Page is the only man to earn Randy’s trust. For him, she will face her worst fear—spend a day caring for his granddaughter. When the unthinkable happens, Randy realizes she’s the same as her mother was—a monster. 

How can he choose…? 
Widower Eli Page devoted the last fifteen years of his life to raising his daughter Celeste. Now it’s time for his happiness. His future. But six weeks before his wedding to Randy, Celeste skips town, leaving her one-year-old daughter for Eli to raise. Randy wants no part in raising a child—but how can she expect him to turn away his own granddaughter? 

Charley
A MOTHER’S WORST FEAR 
Charlene Hubbard wanted the dream—a loving husband, a fulfilling career, and a few kids. When it looked like she’d have to settle for two out of three, God dropped a child into her empty arms. For fifteen years Charley kept the secret of that adoption close, fearful that the truth would make her less of a mother in the eyes of the child she loves. 

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Next on the list, two books

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

Amazon qote:

The detective’s mother has gone missing. Her family is the prime suspect in her disappearance…

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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Beyond Repair: A Sweet Small town Standalone Bad Boy Romance (Eron Outsiders Book 3)

Amazon quote:


Hiding from her troubled past, Jules Demski sequesters herself in the mountains of Eron, Colorado, the only place she’s ever felt safe. Her solitude is shattered when an injured man staggers into her family’s barn.
Burned once and still in repair, the last thing she needs is another criminal on her hands. If she can only convince her heart of this, she just might be able to resist the interloper’s charm.


Former gangster Lorenzo Macedo has cleaned up his act, but now he’s running for his life. He stumbles upon a barn just as a bullet pierces his body.
Jules appears standoffish and cold, but the tender way she nurses Lorenzo reveals a soft-hearted, passionate woman aching for her own wounds to be healed. No woman has ever set his blood on fire like Jules, but he has nothing to offer her except a life on the run.
Can Jules and Lorenzo find redemption in the small town, or are their lives Beyond Repair?

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I’m definitely enjoying my current read. It’s fun and still a bargain. I like their quirky humor and snappy comebacks.

Christmas at the End of Main Street (A Nestled Hollow Romance Book 2) 

All either of them wants for Christmas are some jingle bells, to deck the halls, and for everyone to stop finding them dates.

Macie Zimmerman would love to get married and start a family. But after so much searching, she’s sick of having hope that something will work out. All she needs is a good six months of no dating– time she could spend building her business, Paws and Relax, and hanging out with the animals who show her all the love she needs– to be able to face it again. If only she can keep everyone in town from trying to find her a husband.

High school teacher Aaron Hall plans to never get married. He got engaged once, and it turned out as awful as his parents’ marriage had. But that doesn’t stop all his married friends from trying to convince him otherwise. And worst of all, his students are now determined to find him a wife before the end of the school year.

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It’s Saturday, I’m going to get comfortable and read awhile before tackling a few chores.

Enjoy the day.

Happy Reading!

Free and bargain books November 05, 2020

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I can’t believe how quickly the days are marching by. Nov 5th already, yikes. Christmas will be here next week at this rate.

I think a contributing factor to this sense of speed is books. When you’re lost in a book three hours feels like fifteen minutes. You finally look up, check the clock and realize the afternoon is half over, okay, mostly over, and you missed it all.

I wouldn’t change a thing. Anyway, let’s get on with the search here.

BookBub has a FREE suggestion for us. A collection of five books. Looks interesting.

Books 1-5 Collection : After, New Beginnings & The Excellence Club Christian Inspirational Series (Abundant Hope Book 1)

Amazon quote:

Book 1 – AFTER – Candace had a stunning voice but he plotted her downfall and the loss of her faith. When she falls before thousands, will shame win, or will her newfound faith in Jesus build her a new platform?

Book 2 – JABEZ – Born into a family where support was lacking, will his dreams fall before it began? Or will an encounter with a pastor change the direction of his life and destiny?

Book 3 – AFTER 2 – Blinded by tears, broken by rejection, and caught at her wits end, Blossom mistakenly plunges her car into the Potomac River and isn’t sure whether she will survive. Will she drown or can she be rescued before it’s too late? Will she trust God to carve her a fresh start while sinking to the bottom of the Potomac?

Book 4 – AFTER 3 – Harboring a secret that torpedoed every chance at finding love, can she trust God to lead someone who accepted her…including her challenge? His grief for a tragedy soured his choice to live. After his chance encounter with her, a future filled with sorrow seemed like a choice. Would he accept hope?

Book 5 – HER UNDYING FAITH – Sharon Parsons is no stranger to being different. However, she did not expect to fall in love with a man who not only didn’t share her faith, but any faith at all. When her heart gets deeply in love, and their faith differences more stark and impossible to ignore, what ends – his faithlessness or their marriage?

Dive into this beloved series by USA Today bestselling author Joy Ohagwu, hailed as a top 17 Christian Fiction Author, stories applauded by thousands, and hope-filled adventure and don’t stop until you flip the last page. 

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On the lighter side, maybe, there is a bargain Christmas Romance collection in the lineup. I think I’ve read some of these authors in other collections but I’m not sure. This will be an adventure.

Something Borrowed: Christmas Weddings Collection 

Amazon quote:

Old friends, new loves, and a borrowed tiara.

Always Been Yours by Jaycee Weaver — Hanady’s planning her dream wedding, but her injured best friend Keenan isn’t the groom. If she can’t see she’s marrying the wrong guy soon, his leg won’t be the only thing broken.

All the Moore by Toni Shiloh — Leilah Anderson has been living behind the screen to hide her disability, then she meets Reggie Moore face-to-face. Can their relationship survive the truth and distance between them?

A Holly, Bolly Christmas by Mikal Dawn — A dream wedding venue at Christmas? Sign Chahna Kapoor up. Even if her fiancé doesn’t know it…

Somehow, This Christmas by Teresa Tysinger — When not-so-merry mishaps threaten wedding planner Cate Forsyth’s holiday wedding and reputation, will her own happily ever after with sweetheart Noah Bennett melt away?

A Promise So Sweet by Andrea Boyd — Lydia Osborn hasn’t heard from her ex in ten years, so imagine her surprise when he shows up proposing marriage. Tis the season for love?

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I’m currently reading, enjoying, and almost finished …

Cape Corral Keeper (Saltwater Cowboys Book 3)

They agreed to marry. But they never agreed to fall in love.

When Cape Corral Fire Chief Dillon McGrath saves a woman wearing a wedding dress from drowning, he knows he’ll have a great story to tell the guys at the station later. He never expected to get personally involved in the woman’s plight to stay alive.

Gracie Loveland had no choice but to run only moments before saying “I do” to her manipulative fiancé. Staying would have ultimately meant her death at the hands of the cruel man. Desperation, along with a dormant feistiness, surfaces as she fights to survive.

Only one plan might keep Gracie safe and help Dillon preserve the island’s wild horses. The idea seems crazy, but Dillon and Gracie can think of no other options. However, a foe from Gracie’s past is closing in, determined to get what he wants regardless of whose life he destroys in the process.

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This has been a good day for books. I hope you are finding something you like in this new selection.

I think it’s time to go read a little before lights out, find out how it all ends.

Happy Reading to you too.

Bargain book October 30, 2020

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BookBub has an interesting bargain suggestion and at the moment I think it is going to be my next read.

Magnolia Storms (Coastal Hearts Book 1) 

Amazon quote:

Maggie Marovich couldn’t save her father or her home from Hurricane Katrina, but she’s dedicated her life to meteorology so she can warn others when the monster storms approach. Except…she works three hours inland and rarely risks returning to her childhood hometown of Ocean Springs, Mississippi. Both her single-parent sister and the ship pilot Maggie once loved refused to leave the Coast, despite Maggie’s requests. Now a hurricane’s headed toward Mississippi, and Maggie’s sister is seriously injured, leaving Maggie little choice but to head south—into the storm.

The water and tides flow through Josh Bergeron’s veins, and he can’t imagine giving up piloting—even for the love of his life, the infuriating Magnolia Marovich. He tried to move on without her, marrying and having a child. But after his wife abandons him and his little boy, his career choice is threatened by the weight of his parental responsibilities. Moving next door to Maggie’s sister and sharing their child care seems like the perfect set-up. Until Maggie blows back into town.

Being forced to lean on Josh for help washes up the wreckage in Maggie’s faith. Where was God during the destruction of Katrina? Why do some prayers seem to go unanswered? Between the hurricane looming in the Gulf and another gale raging in her heart, can Maggie overcome her past and find the trust to truly live?

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My current read is both funny and serious at the same time which makes it quite enjoyable. It’s a short book so it won’t take long to finish and move on.

The Thing about Mustard Seeds: A Cozy Christian Romance

Amazon quote:

They watched a man die.

It’s been many years since Gentry and Rosling visited their hometown. It’s been even longer since they spoke to each other. When they were only children, they witnessed a murder. The pain of that day drove a wedge between them and has haunted them ever since.

Now, Gentry is the pastor of the local church—the same church where Rosling has taken over her dying grandmother’s duties. Together again in their small Southern town, the two adults wrestle with their faith. Gentry’s faith is strong, while Rosling struggles to believe at all. As they come face-to-face with the pain of their childhoods, they must learn how to be whole again, even when healing seems impossible.

Heartbreaking and inspirational, The Thing about Mustard Seeds is a tale of redemption in the face of insurmountable odds.

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I’m sad about the slow trickle of interesting books these days.

In truth, I probably shouldn’t be. (In a very selfish and self-centered kind of way, of course.) There are 216 unread books currently sitting on my Kindle. A faster trickle would mean an even bigger build-up in that list.

Available reading time has greatly diminished in the last month or so. The work load of my day job has increased dramatically. From a mental health point of view this is actually a good thing, I’m counting my blessings.

On the other hand, more work hours make it harder to keep up with a daily posting routine. My head is in the wrong space to have much to say about books and related subjects. It takes time I don’t have to get back into the zone.

I’m enjoying the season anyway, just the way it is. Nothing lasts forever. Grasp it fully while it’s here. That’s my motto and it serves me well.

In the meantime…

I’m still wishing you all,

Happy reading!

I won’t forget to keep posting every chance I get.

Free and bargain books October 20, 2020

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

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

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

Amazon quote:

Heat Level: Low
Laugh Level: High

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

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

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

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

Someone to Blame 

Amazon quote:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

This Quiet Sky

Amazon quote:

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

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

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

Next time.

Free and bargain books October 15, 2020

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I’m back. With a FREE book suggestion courtesy of BookBub and it’s one I’ve not read. Even better.

Ever Caring (Family Promises Book 1)

Amazon quote:

He lost his wife.

She gave up her baby.

Can these troubled souls find true love beneath their secrets?

Attorney Tate Truscott is ready for a fresh start with his grief-stricken daughter. After the widower and his eight-year-old move to a new town, he hopes creating a commemorative photo album will help ease the girl’s suffering. But when she makes fast friends with the scrapbook shop owner who is helping her with the album, Tate is stunned to find himself attracted to the kind woman.

Renee Albertson is guilt-ridden over the accident that crippled her mother and forced her to give up her newborn for adoption. Desperate to sell everything to finance her mom’s experimental treatment, Renee’s torn when a handsome dad and his melancholy daughter come to her store for help. And as the grieving pair find their way into her heart, she wonders if she’ll ever have the family of her dreams.

As the attraction between them deepens, Tate is wary of revealing his less-than-perfect marriage that lies behind the idyllic photos. And Renee fears that divulging her tragic secret will destroy any hope for a future with Tate.

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I stumbled on a good looking mystery/thriller I want to read. It’s a limited time bargain so be sure to be quick if you are interested.

Flight Risk

Amazon quote:

Savannah Daniels has worked hard to build her law practice, to surround herself with good friends, and to be the loyal aunt her troubled niece can always count on. But since her ex-husband’s betrayal, she has trouble trusting anyone.

Jett Glover’s father committed suicide over a false newspaper report that ruined his reputation. Now a fierce champion of truth, Jett is writing the story of his journalism career—an international sex-trafficking exposé that will bring down a celebrity baseball player and the men closest to him, including Savannah’s ex-husband.

When Jett’s story breaks, tragedy ensues. Then a commercial airline crashes, and one of Savannah’s clients is implicated in the crash. Men connected to the scandal, including her ex, begin to die amid mysterious circumstances, and Savannah’s niece becomes an unwitting target.

Against their better instincts, Jett and Savannah join ranks to sort the facts from fiction. But can Savannah trust the reporter who threw her life into chaos? And can Jett face the possibility that he’s made the biggest mistake of his life?

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One more awesome bargain I need. It’s book 5 in the series. I’ve read book 1 and now I can’t pass up #5. This is the conclusion to the family saga and it’s about the only girl in a house full of boys.

I’m good with reading the end before the middle.

The middle three books are at a reduced price too and it is very tempting… but… I have to realistic. Which is painful at a time like this.

Ruby Jane: The Montana Marshalls 

Amazon quote:

She loved…and lost.

Ruby Jane never thought she’d meet the man of her dreams while running from the police in Russia. That he’d steal her heart on a train to Siberia. But loving a former CIA officer comes with a price…a life of danger. A life of high stakes.

A life where he simply disappears…

He has no memory of the man he was.

Mack Jones has no memory of his past…just the dark sense that he is hiding. And, he wants to stay that way. Mack likes the life he’s built in a small tourist town, tucked away beyond the mountains, and has no desire to dig around in the gray areas of his memory.

When his place of business catches fire and Mack rescues the owner, he makes the news, which of course alerts the past he’s hoping to outrun.

The only person who can help him is a mysterious woman he doesn’t remember.

But a woman he desperately needs.

The surprising, thrilling conclusion to the Montana Marshalls series.

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I’m currently reading a mystery/romance collection (still a bargain) and it’s been the inspiration for today’s search. I’ve been checking out some of the authors and I did find treasure.

Mistletoe and Murder: A Christmas Suspense Collection 

Danger and suspense await you this Christmas season in Mistletoe and Murder: A Christmas Suspense Collection featuring 10 individual novellas of suspense from some of today’s most talented Christian Suspense authors.

Come with us on a heart-racing journey through the holidays as USA Today, Christian Booksellers Association, and ECPA Bestselling authors Mary Alford, Adam Blumer, Liz Bradford, Vicki Hinze, Shaen Layle, Loree Lough, Nancy Mehl, Cara Putman, Lynn Shannon, and Virginia Vaughan, weave tales of suspense that will have you flipping pages well into the new year.

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I hope you find some treasures here too. This is a 5 star line-up of books today, I’m very excited.

Happy Reading y’all

Free book October 08, 2020

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BookBub has a FREE suggestion for us and the reviews are positive. That’s a good recommendation for a book centered around addictions and the struggles of complex relationships.

Blue Columbine: (Grace Revealed Book 1)

Amazon quote:

Andrew Harris needs a fresh start. His alleged drinking problem cost him his job, sending him back to his childhood home in Colorado. Discovering his childhood sweetheart is still there—and still the girl he’d adored—Andrew gains new confidence that he’ll overcome the failings that had caused his downfall before.

Jamie Carson values her faith above all else. However, the loss of her mother has opened a nagging loneliness. After reuniting with Andrew—a boy she thought she’d once loved—the ache of solitude subsides, though his rejection of the faith she thought they’d shared is troubling.

With Jamie by his side, Andrew believes he can become a better man. Jamie feels the pull of Andrew’s affection, which is dangerous as she also sees that he is captive to an addiction he chooses not to acknowledge. She is as determined to remain his friend as he is set on in his attempt at self-reformation to win her heart.

As Andrew continues to pursue an intimacy Jamie knows she must guard against, blurring line between loyalty and love, things get complicated—until a devastating blow shatters their relationship.

For Jamie, one thing becomes clear: Andy needs a miracle, and she can’t be it.

Will Andrew allow the hand of grace to redeem his legacy of addiction, or will he and Jamie both remain casualties of heartbreak?

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I didn’t see anything I wanted and hadn’t read, so we have another one book night. I have a feeling today’s book won’t be a quick read, though, and will last like a full meal.

I see I’ve read other books by the same author and on the strength of that I’m looking forward to this one too.

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My current read is from a favorite author. The story line is fresh and different and I love that. This may be my favorite read this week.

Boy oh boy, some of these bargains disappear quickly. This one sure did. One needs to move quickly or miss out.

They say tension keeps the reader engaged. This novel definitely has tension and it’s not the frustrating kind. That right there makes it a winner in my estimation.

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

Grey Lawson returns home after serving a seven-year sentence for vehicular homicide while under the influence. The only reason he’s coming home to Winfield is to care for his great-aunt Elsie who raised him. He can’t believe that he didn’t realize seven years ago that everything he did affected this good woman. But now will his return cause her more trouble in the small Lake Superior town?

Trish Franklin, the first female deputy in the county, walks a tightrope too. As a law officer, she should see Grey only as an ex-con. On the other hand, she is the niece of the man Grey’s reckless action killed. As unlikely as it is, Trish finds herself attracted to Grey. He always seems to appear when she needs him to help with her family which is in crisis.

As she finds herself drawn to this good, repentant man, she faces the challenge of dealing with her intractable, bitter father. And a rash of copycat accidents in the eerie fog-shrouded evenings mimic Grey’s original crime. People wonder is Grey acting out some sick compulsion of his own. How can Trish solve this series of near fatal accidents before someone is seriously injured or killed? And sort out her feelings for the man her father hates? Don’t miss this edge of your seat mystery!

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I’m going back to my book. Maybe finish I can it before lights out.

Happy Reading!

Bargain book for September 30, 2020

/ For the Love of Books / Leave a comment

Here’s an interesting looking story suggestion from BookBub. It is a lonely-only but it appears to be worth the investment of time and money, and that makes up for everything. The first few pages have me hooked and I think it has pushed to the head of the line to be my next read.

Hopeful Cowboy: A Mulbury Boys Novel (Hope Eternal Ranch Romance Book 1)

Amazon quote:

Nathaniel Mulbury is released early from his six-year term in prison to care for his brother’s four-year-old son. Dealing with grief over his brother’s death and continued guilt for his role in the embezzlement scheme that landed him in jail, Nate has one more problem. He’s never been a father and has no idea how to take care of Connor.

Make that two problems: He’s released, but only to the care of Hope Eternal Ranch, a work-parole ranch run by the beautiful and smart Ginger Talbot. He’s never been a cowboy, and he’s got no room in his life for a woman.

Ginger has dealt with plenty of men like Nate, even if the sparks between them don’t just come from his background. She’s not falling for a handsome face and a nice pair of biceps again. After all, most prisoners have plenty of time to work out.

But there’s something different about Nate that calls to her softer side, if only she’d let him in. If only she knew how to let anyone in… But Ginger is jaded for good reason, and she’s not going to risk losing Hope Eternal Ranch—or her heart—again.

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Currently, I’m reading a seven book collection and I’m about to start book 5. So far, I’ve been impressed with the writing and the story lines. With a couple of the books I did some skimming but the others were excellent and all of the stories were worth reading.

‘I Choose You’ Contemporary Romance Collection

The one I’m about to read…

The Broken Trail by Christa MacDonald

Katherine takes a job in smalltown Maine to break away from the toll of secrets she’s buried. With evidence of shady dealings on her job, there’s nothing relaxing about it. Maybe it would be easier if she wasn’t so distracted by Captain MacAlister.

Mac has enough to deal with from poachers to drug crime. But when he meets Katherine, he’s drawn in by her intelligence and strength, despite getting burned by her quick temper. If only their scars didn’t threaten to tear them apart. Two wary hearts must soften to have any hope of making it down the broken trail to love.

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That’s it for tonight.

Happy Reading!

I can’t believe that in 15 minutes it will be October 1st.