Fiction

Bargain books March 23, 2023

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Do you ever feel like hiding from the world? That’s how I’ve been feeling, and behaving lately. Hiding from as much of the world as I can. I’ve even been in the process of letting this blog go. Things have changed and for some reason we don’t have the traffic we once did. I’m feeling like what’s the use? Until tonight, for just a moment or so, I wanted to make an effort.

With one of today’s suggestion emails I was drawn into checking out some bargains and came across a couple of romance type books that will be a light read. There was one catching my eye and I decided to download it but not bother sharing.

I can’t tell if people like the lightweight romance novels or feel they are a waste of time. I’m inclined to assume most people think they are a waste of time and resist bothering with downloading them.

I read through the first chapter or so of this book, looked at a few more suggestions and found another similar book but with a different author. I thought why not? and decided to download both books, just for me.

I intended to just walk away after hitting the buy button but then I remembered. One purpose of the blog was to keep track of the books I buy. If I quit, then what? So here I am sharing my finds with you once again, anyway. I can’t say I’m unhappy with the decision. It actually feels good to do this. My heart feels a little lighter and I want to smile.

Connection with another person, or two or three, has an unexpected positive impact on our emotional well being. I know we don’t have an actual connection but I’m sharing my heart, that’s important, and if you are reading this you are hearing my heart. Hopefully it’s a positive experience for you too. Maybe you feel encouraged and want to smile too. I hope so.

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Anyway, here are my finds for today.

The Loner’s Wife: Small Town Bachelors – Book 2

They said she had burnout, but she had lost so much more…

Gloria Danvers is a planner and a numbers woman. She has a tragedy she can’t reconcile, so she’s decided to walk away from her six-figure job, corporate politics, and finance finagling to be a Yoga instructor. Starting over can be costly and after she just invested in her brother’s new business her funds are low to start her Yoga studio. When she tries to get funding her past comes back demanding to be dealt with.

They thought he was eccentric; he was waiting for someone who saw him

Reid Chance understood that love was a precursor to abandonment and pain. His mom loved someone so much he and his sister landed in foster care. His ex-girlfriend loved his money and left when she found out he wanted a prenup before marriage. He funded startups but he was at home on the land with his horses wallowing in the peace, until a woman with a plan makes him reconsider the love equation.

Neither one of them wanted to deal with the past, but they’ll have to settle old accounts if they want the payout of love.

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Before I get to the second book I found there is a free book from this first author that looks interesting and is new to me. Another good opportunity.

Finding Home: Hidden Treasures Book 1

Everett Stansi had gotten all of his dreams except one. Now that
Ava Pearson was divorced maybe he’d have a chance at that dream too.

A treasure worth having is a treasure worth fighting for.

Nothing moves gossip quicker than a good-looking man taking up with a discarded gem.
That’s what Ava’s friends call her, a true gem. But Ava can’t see how that’s true when
her marriage of twenty years ends. She’s not finding much to shine about these days.
Until she finds friendship with a man who really sees her…Everett.

But as their relationship grows, so do the tales. Gossip is fierce around here.
And their careers and reputations hang on what those gossipers say. Will the tale-tellers
find gold in their story, or trash?

Everett is the only man in Treasure, California, who can see the gem she truly is.

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Last but not least…this is an author new to me. I’m not sure what to expect but I’m hopeful.

Hooked By Love: The Pattern of Piney Series Book One

Determined to provide a wonderful life for her daughter, single mom, Reesa Tate, makes a gutsy move to a cabin in the forests of Piney, Arkansas. Not only is it a short distance away from her estranged parents, but it’s overseen by an odd man that she can’t quite figure out.

Theodore Whitley grew up in Piney. After his dreams of playing college ball were shattered, he found himself sliding into a comfortable life in his hometown. A comfortable and quiet life, at least, until Reesa Tate shows up. Something about the woman gets under his skin, and Theo finds the more he gets to know her, the more he doesn’t mind.

Can Reesa and her daughter find happiness in Piney?

And can Theo open his heart to new possibilities?

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These books will provide a relaxing less intense read for a change and I’ll admit I’m looking forward to it.

This has been a good night. It has turned out to be a pleasant interlude, one I’m happy not to have missed out on.

I hope this will mean Happy Reading for you too.

Bargain books March 17, 2023

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Here we are again. This day didn’t seem too promising, just the way the last few have been, until I stumbled over something that looked intriguing. Medieval is a nice change from our usual Regency fare. As far as I can tell this author is also unknown to me. I think it’s always a welcome gift to meet and experience another author.

The Secret Life of Lady Evangeline (Secrets Book 1)

If not for Lady Evangeline’s secret training in weaponry, her corpse would be rotting in a ditch. Instead, she finds refuge in a crumbling abbey—and new purpose. With her child dead and her husband lost to the lies of a devious plotter, Evangeline vows to fight for the starving widows and children in the villages surrounding the abbey. Masquerading as a nun by day, and an armed vigilante by night, she will free these people no matter what it takes.

Lord Henry Stanton still grieves the death of Evangeline. How can he ever shed the weight of guilt over not protecting his beautiful wife? She never even had the chance to know their precious baby girl, now healthy and thriving. Though he failed to keep Evangeline safe, he will stop at nothing to protect their daughter from the intrigue and corruption threatening not just the royal court, but the whole land.

When the worst happens, Henry must join forces with a nun—or is she Evangeline? They must overcome lies, treachery, and a broken marriage to save their innocent daughter—and the country—before it’s too late.

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Another book popping up for me today looks promising. I’m hearing that distressed young people are searching for meaningful connections with God. Max Lucado has been a popular and well loved author for years and has a way of making God real to us. One of his books is available at a special rate today. It talks about having hope in this turbulent and distressing world we live it. We all need a little of it, or maybe a lot of it, these days and I’m hoping this book will help with that.

Unshakable Hope Devotional: Building Our Lives on the Promises of God

What kind of life are you building?

Do you want to be unshakable in a shaky world?

You can build your life on the enduring promises of God.

If you have a problem, God has a promise. These promises stand the test of time, and they weather life’s biggest storms. In this special companion devotional based on the teaching series, Unshakable Hope by Max Lucado, Max will guide you through the powerful promises found in God’s word and show you how to make them your own. You can go from knowing God’s promises to believing God’s promises.

In this life, we will face trials and storms, but it is in our toughest moments that God’s promises prove themselves true. Because God’s promises are unbreakable, our hope can be unshakable. We have an airtight, holy contract with Him. When the world rages around you, you can stand with Unshakable Hope.

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It has been nice to be back with a few suggestions after yet another of my many breaks from daily blogging. I’ve often been absent from this site but haven’t stopped reading, and will be back soon to share some of the books I’ve finished.

I hope you are still reading as well. There are so many great benefits to be had from this enjoyable activity.

Happy Reading!

Bargain book March 13, 2023

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It has been awhile since we’ve met like this.

It feels like forever since the last time we had a new book to add to our reading list and I’m excited to see one today. Not only is it a new book but it’s a new-to-me author as well. The endorsements look encouraging.

The Dark Guest: A Standalone Christian Romantic Suspense novel (The Cold War Legacy Book 1)

When Violet Lundy isn’t cleaning rooms at Happy Hills Assisted Living Facility, she loves spending her free time with resident Rainer Kopecek. Hearing his stories of the dangerous life he led behind the Iron Curtain in East Berlin makes her own life seem more tolerable. But when Rainer is found dead and his room in disarray, Violet suspects foul play.

Dr. Henry Silverton lives among his books, teaching and writing about the Cold War. A letter about an East German traitor known only as “The Wolf” propels Henry out of academia and into Violet’s life. Together, they embark on a perilous quest to uncover the truth about Rainer’s death and the traitor’s identity.

Can Violet and Henry uncover the secrets of the past before one of them ends up as The Wolf’s next victim?

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There are still slim pickings when it comes to bargain books this morning. It seems they go in cycles and this is the downstroke.

I have several books on the go when it comes to reading. You know how that goes, the cream of the crop has been exhausted and the rest are not as compelling at this moment. Maybe it’s just me and the place I’m at these days. What appeals some days doesn’t appeal today. Whatever it is I’m determined to finish them. I take comfort in knowing I’m probably not alone in this state of affairs.

Here are the three I’m currently bouncing between.

Well that is not working so well for me.

The first one, it turns out, is not available on Kindle any more. I purchased it in 2015 but haven’t read it and now when I search for the picture and descriptive blurb it is unavailable without a deep dive. At least it is still contained in my library of books and there is a blurb available about the paperback. Books come and they go, it looks like. Probably more often than we know.

When trusting others only leads to pain and rejection, and loving ends only in loss, what will it take to restore hope again? Shamed by the uncovered truth about her missing husband’s secret life, Cora Buchanan sets out on a road trip for home to mend her broken relationship with her parents. When her car breaks down, she’s stranded in a small Georgia town. While staying at the struggling Southern Hope Ranch, she meets little Susie O’Reilly, who unexpectedly fills a void in Cora’s heart. But Rex, Susie’s rugged cowboy father who lost his wife a year earlier, seems to go out of his way to either confront or avoid Cora.

It doesn’t help her comfort level that the news continues to report missing and murdered women in the area. Cora has no idea just how close to home the crimes will hit…or how much the sweet sound of the meadowlark’s song at the ranch will impact her future. Plunge into pure romance with a twist of mystery. Set in the charm of contemporary small-town Georgia. By the beloved author of To Dance Once More.

So, it looks like Sherri has written other books and there is still an Intertwined series of three or four books but Song of the Meadowlark is no longer part of it.That’s probably why it has disappeared. Maybe at some point I will run across her again. to check out the series.

I can see why it has been removed, the serial killer aspect is not a strong part of the story. It would take a complete overhaul to make that happen. It was probably less work to leave it start over.

Here are the other two I’m working on. One is non-fiction.

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I’ll be back if anything else shows up.

Happy reading.

Read and enjoyed March 02, 2023

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It’s that time again. Time to clear out the big pile of enjoyed books. There is one thing very different about the list this time though.

I found myself giving out an unprecedented number of five stars. I’m not sure what I was thinking except that I couldn’t come up with a good reason not to.

Maybe it has something to do with downloading fewer books. Choosing to be more selective. Whatever it is I’m liking it.

My favorite stories all have something different about them. Not a whiff of familiarity. This first one had that brand new smell. Of course there were elements similar to other stories but the way it was all put together was new. The rest were just as good, each in their own way.

A Castaway in Cornwall 

Set adrift on the tides of fate by the deaths of her parents and left wanting answers, Laura Callaway now lives with her uncle and his disapproving wife in North Cornwall. There she feels like a castaway, always viewed as an outsider even as she yearns to belong.

While wreckers search for valuables along the windswept Cornwall coast–known for its many shipwrecks but few survivors–Laura searches for clues to the lives lost so she can write letters to next of kin and return keepsakes to rightful owners. When a man is washed ashore after a wreck, Laura acts quickly to protect him from a local smuggler determined to destroy him.

As Laura and a neighbor care for the survivor, they discover he has curious wounds and, although he speaks in careful, educated English, his accent seems odd. Other clues wash ashore, and Laura soon realizes he is not who he seems to be. Despite the evidence against him, the mysterious man might provide her only chance to discover the truth about her parents’ fate. With danger pursuing them from every side, and an unexpected attraction growing between them, will Laura ever find the answers she seeks?

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The Legacy of Rose Bodeen (Silver Cross Ranch Legacy Series Book 1) 

Imagine opening a long-forgotten trunk to find diaries written by your foremothers. Four generations of thoughts, heartaches, challenges and triumphs. What lessons did they write inside the yellowed pages? What lessons could they gift you now?

THE LEGACY OF ROSE BODEEN – Book One of the Silver Cross Ranch Legacy

Rose Bodeen is a hard-living kind of girl who can out-ride any hand on the ranch. After being jilted, she sets out for adventure and finds it with Bill Cody’s Wild West Extravaganza. Yet the land draws her back like warm sun draws flowers from the ground in spring, just as her sweet Mama said it would the day she rode away. With matter-of-fact conviction and bull-headed determination, she strives to survive during the fast-changing times that follow—The Great War, the fight for a women’s right to vote, the Industrial Revolution, the high-kicking Roaring Twenties followed by the Great Depression and yet another devastating world war. She celebrates thrilling triumphs and endures deep tragedies, along with losses that go hand-in-hand with loving. With hard-won faith, Rose comes to accept what she calls God’s anvil time that hammers and hones her into all she’s meant to be.

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Edgewater Road (The Rumors in Ross County Series Book 1)

The first in a new series from New York Times bestselling author Shelley Shepard Gray, Edgewater Road invites us into a world of family mysteries, small-town secrets, and perhaps a little romance along the way.

When Jennifer Smiley’s grandmother, Ginny, leaves her an old farmhouse on Edgewater Road in seemingly quiet Ross County, Ohio, Jennifer can’t pass up the opportunity for a new beginning. Almost immediately she meets a group of men who generously help her move in. When she realizes that they work for Lincoln Bennett, her next-door neighbor, she’s intrigued. Lincoln is gorgeous and has dark, lapis-blue eyes she could get lost in … but he doesn’t seem all that friendly. She’s torn between getting to know him and sticking with the solitude she knows so well. Maybe she could let down some of those walls she’s built around her emotions?

Lincoln Bennett likes to keep his head down and get his work done. He’s been to prison and he knows that a lot of folks don’t take kindly to a man with that kind of history. Plus, he’s busy helping other ex-cons get back on their feet. But when he meets Jennifer, he can’t help but feel an instant attraction. Will she be able to look past his unsavory history? Will she be able to accept the men he’s working so hard to help?

While Jennifer gets to know Lincoln and his friends, she also begins to unravel her grandmother’s story, putting together the pieces from scraps of memories and things she finds in her new home. She soon discovers that Ginny Smiley harbored some dark secrets on Edgewater Road—and that those secrets include both Lincoln and her own absent father. Is learning the truth worth the heartache it could bring?

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The rest , we will run through them quickly. The were all excellent reads though.

It has been a good week or so.

My current read is shaping up nicely.

A Vote of Confidence: Historical Romantic Fiction (Beneath Sweet Western Skies) 

Well, that’s it for now. I haven’t checked my emails yet looking for suggestions. You can be sure I will be back if anything good shows up.

Happy Reading!

Free books February 27, 2023

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We are back. BookBub has an interesting FREE suggestion for us. From another one of our popular authors. A rivalry. This could be exciting.

A Vote of Confidence: Historical Romantic Fiction (Beneath Sweet Western Skies) 

Who says a woman can’t do a man’s job?

Put up or shut up! Complaining about Bethlehem Springs’ dissolute mayoral candidate, Gwen Arlington is challenged to take on the role herself. For seven years, she’s carved out an independent life in the bustling mountain town of Bethlehem Springs, Idaho, teaching piano and writing for the local newspaper. But now she’s a single woman running for mayor — and in 1915 this decision is bound to stir up trouble.

Morgan McKinley is fed up with the delays that hinder the construction of New Hope Health Spa, a place where both rich and poor can come for rest and healing. New to the area, he’s determined that serving as mayor would help him push through his agenda for progress.

Gwen and Morgan each want to prove they are the most qualified candidate, not only to voters but to each other, and so sparks fly as the two campaign. Although Morgan has learned to guard his heart as fiercely as Gwen guards her independence, could they learn to be allies instead of adversaries?

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BookRunes also has a FREE suggestion, this time with an author I have not heard of. She has a number of other bargain books too I see. Must check them out. Later.

This one sounds intense and intriguing.

After Night Falls: Walking away from everything, she sought shelter on the river…vanished almost completely out of sight & then he found her. (Secrets of the River Book 1)

Tragedy, secrets, and heartache. It’s been the story of her life for years. Abigail knew that she should be afraid of him…but she wasn’t. Not even when he told her who he was…and why he was there.

She’d taken a job on the cruise ship years ago with the thought that if she was never in any one place for very long she would be safe. No one would ever think to look for her here.

At least that’s what she believed.

Gabe had suspected for a couple of days that something wasn’t quite right. He’d taken this particular job thinking it would be a simple deal and tied up quickly and easily. Too bad the client had been less than forthcoming. That never worked well for anyone involved.

Then there was the additional fact that Abigail wasn’t anything like what he’d been led to expect once he found her. But then nothing about this job was turning out the way he expected it would and least of all…Abigail.

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For a minute there it looked like there would be more than two new books for us but nope.

We do have books though, so we won’t complain. Conveniently, I’m between reads, one of these just may be next up.

The read file is becoming crowded again so we will have to be back soon for a clearing out.

These free books have a short time limit, they say, so there is a need to move fast.

Happy reading

Free book February 23, 2023

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That turned out well! An unexpected pleasure. On a whim, I decided to check out one of our regular authors to see if she has anything new coming up. Her pre-order price is always a bargain. Nothing new there but wouldn’t you know someone else has a surprise bargain.

A few days ago I read book 1 in a series by an author new to me. I loved it. Well, today book 2 in the series is not just a bargain but it’s FREE. How exciting is that?

Battered Justice (Tucker and McKenna, FBI Book 2) 

When a fellow agent is shot south of Baltimore, FBI Special Agents Jake Tucker and Cass McKenna lead a team to find the shooter. Soon the agents are targeting a low-level street gang. Jake keeps finding evidence linking the gang and drugs to a nearby casino, one Senator Chase Westfield helped get approved.

Chase is the new husband of Jake’s ex-wife, Tam. Tension builds between the two men as Jake discovers Chase is abusing Tam–and putting Jake’s kids at risk. Soon they’re on a collision course from which only one can emerge.

“Battered Justice” is the sequel to “Bloody Point.”

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Here is book 1 if you’d like to start there. I loved it and gave it a precious and sparingly awarded five stars. The synopsis doesn’t do this book justice, it was way better than I expected.

Bloody Point (Tucker and McKenna, FBI Book 1)

Looking for some peace in her life, FBI Special Agent Cassidy McKenna leaves the Bureau, retreats to a sailboat on the Chesapeake Bay, and struggles with the recent death of her husband and her shaken faith in God. When her former partner, Jake, is assaulted and nearly killed and then her marina is torched, Cass knows she must find out why.

She believes the crimes are connected and unofficially investigates, not knowing that she is both the hunter and the hunted. She must connect the evidence, help Jake deal with his brain injury, and find the perpetrator before she becomes the next victim.

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This has been a slow book day but I will keep my eyes open in case anything else shows up.

Maybe I should mention the most recent Christy Barritt book that showed up in my mailbox in the middle of the night. Release day.

Desperate Rescue (Vanishing Ranch Book 10)

Vanishing Ranch founder Charlie Soldier is closer than ever to discovering who orchestrated the hotel bombing that killed hundreds of people and ultimately led to her father’s death. But as she and her team tighten the noose, the culprit threatens to expose secrets that could destroy Charlie.

Monroe Davis, Charlie’s right-hand man, has been sidelined with life-threatening injuries. His extended hospital stay has made his future feel uncertain, and he knows he needs to make some changes. But first, he needs to recover so he can protect the woman he loves.

As everything Charlie cares about comes under attack, she desperately tries to hold her world together. But the entire Vanishing Ranch team will need to intensify their efforts to ensure their operation isn’t ruined—as well as their lives and the lives of those they help.

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Happy Reading y’all

Free book February 22, 2023

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Don’t you love it when you read the first pages of a book and fall in love with the writing? The picture being painted draws you in even though the real story hasn’t yet appeared. Now you are hoping the story lives up to the expectations birthed in you with the picture. That’s what I’m hoping.

I love the beginning of this new book suggestion. The author is new to me so I don’t know what to expect. I hope the story is every bit as good as the letter setting the scene.

A determined woman leaving a will with stipulations that will infuriate controlling men and maybe even the strong women who are recipients of the inheritance. From the tone of the letter accompanying the will, we get the impression there are good reasons for what would seem like unreasonable demands.

There are journals and the series follows the lives of at least four generations of lady ranchers. Strong women, all of them.

This suggestion was courtesy of BookRunes.

The Legacy of Rose Bodeen (Silver Cross Ranch Legacy Series Book 1)

Imagine opening a long-forgotten trunk to find diaries written by your foremothers. Four generations of thoughts, heartaches, challenges and triumphs. What lessons did they write inside the yellowed pages? What lessons could they gift you now?

Rose Bodeen is a hard-living kind of girl who can out-ride any hand on the ranch. After being jilted, she sets out for adventure and finds it with Bill Cody’s Wild West Extravaganza. Yet the land draws her back like warm sun draws flowers from the ground in spring, just as her sweet Mama said it would the day she rode away. With matter-of-fact conviction and bull-headed determination, she strives to survive during the fast-changing times that follow—The Great War, the fight for a women’s right to vote, the Industrial Revolution, the high-kicking Roaring Twenties followed by the Great Depression and yet another devastating world war. She celebrates thrilling triumphs and endures deep tragedies, along with losses that go hand-in-hand with loving. With hard-won faith, Rose comes to accept what she calls God’s anvil time that hammers and hones her into all she’s meant to be.

The Silver Cross Ranch Legacy weaves the lessons of history into the lives of four mothers and daughters who fight the odds, and sometimes each other, to defend their way of life. With stubborn tenacity and hard-won faith, the women learn the beauty in their differences, the power of forgiveness, and create hope for the future with the reassurance that each step taken during life’s sometimes rugged journey leads to a bright coming home.

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That’s all we have at the moment, for interesting book suggestions, but I will be back if anything else shows up.

My current read definitely has my attention at the moment.

Three Missing Days (The Pelican Harbor Series Book 3)

Police Chief Jane Hardy’s teenage son has been accused of a horrific crime—and three days of Jane’s memories have been stolen from her. In the gripping third installment of the Pelican Harbor series, the truth is finally coming out.

Chief of Police Jane Hardy plunges into the investigation of a house fire that claimed the life of a local woman as well as one of the firefighters. It’s clear the woman was murdered. But why? The unraveling of Jane’s personal life makes answers for the case even more difficult to find.

Then Jane’s fifteen-year-old son is accused of a terrible crime, and she has to decide if she can trust her ex, Reid, to help her prove Will’s innocence—and if she can trust Reid with her heart.

Three days of Jane’s past are missing from her memory, and that’s not all that’s been stolen from her. As she struggles to find the murderer and clear her son’s name, finding out what happened in those three days could change everything.

It all started with one little lie . . . but the truth is finally coming out.

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Happy Reading!

Free and bargain books February 20, 2023

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Good afternoon! At least it is afternoon in my part of the world. Good morning/day/evening/night, to the rest of the world. I can’t seem to help but be aware that life is never in the same time slot for all of us.

Maybe that is a good thing. Noticing there is life outside the confines of my small world.

There are many countries showing up, at one time or another, as viewers of my posts. I enjoy exploring, visiting online maps and pictures, finding information for what to me feels like exotic destinations. It’s amazing how many beautiful places there are in this world of ours.

I’m also aware of the impossibility of ever experiencing all there is to see in real life. One experience drives this fact home for me. In an online search for a small island country in the southern hemisphere I came across a travelogue type video. It was unprofessional, shot by a visiting traveler, which may have added to the feeling of wanting more, so much more.

The area he was visiting was obviously a popular resort area but it was also densely populated with locals. The winding streets were narrow with shoulder to shoulder buildings. The whole island appeared to be inhabited from shore to shore. It was beautiful and interesting. I wanted him to slow down so we could have a better chance to take it all in and at the same time I wanted it to last much longer so we could cover more ground.

I knew for sure in that moment there would be no way in this life time to see everything there is to see in the world. I could also tell that videos are not a bad way to go. It isn’t the same as being there but … more travel miles can be packed into our lifetime if we do it while sitting in front of a screen. No airport waiting rooms, no long road trips, no expensive tickets and hotel rooms.

It will be a while before I forget that video experience.

There is another question coming out of it all, still rattling around in my head. How in the world do they survive on a small relatively flat island, in the middle of the ocean, covered from shore to shore with buildings? What happens when tropical storms arrive? How do they escape destruction? Maybe there is something about the location that deflects the storms? Sheltered in some way by other islands? Maybe they are not in the path of prevailing winds?

I will probably never know the answer but will still wonder.

If I remembered what country it was, I could ask. I think I know but I’m not very sure. I’ve researched too many of them.

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This has turned out to be a rambling post. Must get back to books since we have a few suggestion emails today.

This first one is from BookBub. The first book in this series showed a few months ago and I did read it but don’t remember what I thought about it. She does seem to write on a higher level than some, that is a good recommendation right there.

Unfortunate Homecoming: a clean romantic suspense novel (Jeopardized Reunions) 

Renovating the old family home and living on the quiet Magnolia River in Magnolia Springs, Alabama sounded perfect to Shaun Bartley. But when trespassing treasure hunters threaten not only his life but his ex-wife’s life too, will he fight for what is his or forfeit the fortune in order to save their lives?

After ten years on the Okefenokee Swamp as a fishing guide, Shaun Bartley returns home to conduct tours on the Magnolia River and to renovate his great great-grandfather’s old home. When Deputy Fire Marshal and volunteer fire fighter Sierra Beaumont, Shaun’s ex-wife, warns him about deadly treasure hunters who will kill for a chance to explore his property, he thinks she’s trying to run him out of town. When he discovers she’s pregnant with twins by her recently deceased second husband, Shaun can’t help but want to be there for her. But Sierra’s heart has been broken twice, and she’d rather raise the children alone than be abandoned again.

Shaun must deal with his past and find a way for Sierra to forgive him or risk losing any chance he may have at winning back her heart. Since keeping her safe means keeping her far from his home and the trespassers, yet she is the Fire Marshal assigned to his case, it will take a miracle for them to survive.

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1531 Entertainment has a new Christy Barritt mystery for us.

Not on My Botch (The Worst Detective Ever Book 11)

She never thought she’d have to fight for the leading role in her own life . . .

Actress Joey Darling enjoys playing the part of Detective Raven Remington on her TV show Relentless. But for now, she’s enjoying some downtime with her new husband, Jackson Sullivan.

Joey’s peace is shattered when a woman comes into town, who not only looks and sounds like Joey, but who claims to actually be Joey. The resemblance is uncanny, but Joey has blundered her way through too many real-life episodes to let some impersonator ruin her life. She sets out to unmask this imposter and put an end to the woman’s charade.

But the real-life plot isn’t wrapped up in a nice, tidy bow like on TV. The case of her stolen identity soon turns into a dangerous fight for survival.

Will Joey have the chance to write the script for her own life? Or will her plans be botched one final time?

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One more interesting suggestion showed up in today’s browsing session. An author we see often, including having read the first two books in this series.

Three Missing Days (The Pelican Harbor Series Book 3) 

Police Chief Jane Hardy’s teenage son has been accused of a horrific crime—and three days of Jane’s memories have been stolen from her. In the gripping third installment of the Pelican Harbor series, the truth is finally coming out.

Chief of Police Jane Hardy plunges into the investigation of a house fire that claimed the life of a local woman as well as one of the firefighters. It’s clear the woman was murdered. But why? The unraveling of Jane’s personal life makes answers for the case even more difficult to find.

Then Jane’s fifteen-year-old son is accused of a terrible crime, and she has to decide if she can trust her ex, Reid, to help her prove Will’s innocence—and if she can trust Reid with her heart.

Three days of Jane’s past are missing from her memory, and that’s not all that’s been stolen from her. As she struggles to find the murderer and clear her son’s name, finding out what happened in those three days could change everything.

It all started with one little lie . . . but the truth is finally coming out.

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

Still thinking about the questions coming out of the travel video…

Maybe the sight of old well maintained sturdy buildings hugging the shores should be an answer to the question of surviving tropical storms. It doesn’t appear that they have been flattened anytime in recent memory. That right there is a very comforting thought.

Til next time

Happy Reading.

One free book and a bargain February 18, 2023

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It’s a start. One free book. We may even find a few more, if we’re lucky. BookRunes is today’s suggester, our only suggester in fact.

Is suggester even a word? I hope so because I like it. Goggle says it is so we are good.

This author is unknown to us, although I’ve think I’ve seen her name somewhere before. I was sure she was on my download list. Hmmm.

It appears this will be a first time reading one of her books and it’s always a joy to discover someone new to me. It could be another name to be added to my growing list of great authors.

Bloody Point (Tucker and McKenna, FBI Book 1) 

Looking for some peace in her life, FBI Special Agent Cassidy McKenna leaves the Bureau, retreats to a sailboat on the Chesapeake Bay, and struggles with the recent death of her husband and her shaken faith in God. When her former partner, Jake, is assaulted and nearly killed and then her marina is torched, Cass knows she must find out why.

She believes the crimes are connected and unofficially investigates, not knowing that she is both the hunter and the hunted. She must connect the evidence, help Jake deal with his brain injury, and find the perpetrator before she becomes the next victim.

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Browsing, I came across a bargain book. This author I’ve read twice before but haven’t added her to any lists. Maybe I will have formed an opinion and added her to a list this time, hopefully.

Oceans of Mercy: A friends-to-lovers romance (Magnolia Island Book 1)

Marine biologist and aptly nicknamed “Shark Girl,” Allie Jameson has always been the peacemaker of her five siblings, preferring to fly under the radar and only making waves when it comes to her questionable dating choices.

Boat captain and Allie’s long-time best friend Knox Parker is struggling with his feelings for the girl who has been there for him through the good and the hard. He knows he has feelings for her, but can he risk their friendship to tell her?

Knox has been a strong and steady presence in Allie’s life for as long as she can remember, their friendship spanning the test of time and multiple tragedies for them both. Still, as Allie begins to grow as a person and in her faith, she realizes she’s let those around her fight her battles for her for far too long. It’s time for her to step up and stand up for herself, but old habits die hard for Knox who has been her protector since childhood.

Just as Allie and Knox navigate the growing pains of their changing friendship and feelings for one another, a routine dive reopens a long closed missing person case that has deeply personal ties to Allie’s family. At the same time, an unexpected career opportunity for Allie thrusts her into the spotlight and stretches their friendship to the point where they must either bend or break.

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There was something I read in one of my recent books that caught my attention. It was a comment about adding spices to coffee for a better taste experience. It seemed like an interesting idea except they didn’t include amount sizes. I decided to give it a try and guessed at how much cinnamon and chocolate to add.

I’m not entirely sure if it worked. Mainly because I have no idea what it should taste like. How do I know if the result was even close to the target taste. Also, I had to use chocolate chips because I am out of powdered cocoa, which could be a problem.

I didn’t love it but it was a decent cup of coffee. Although my coffee loving sons would probably turn their noses up at it as an experiment gone wrong. Maybe it would be a good idea to do a few searches looking for recipes before I try this again.

I’ve been hiding in books today, trying to bring down my stress levels. Mostly it’s working. The fact it’s the weekend, a long one at that, has helped significantly.

I try my best not to worry over things but even good intentions are not enough sometimes.

One thing for sure, this too shall pass. Everything comes to an end at some point, nothing in life lasts forever. In some cases this is good, in some cases not so good.

Another thing we can be sure of, though, is this; it will never be all one or the other. Bad will come to an end just as often as good. Hopefully even more often than good.

There is one thing I can say about my current situation, it’s not about anticipating bad. It’s more about change. Coming at me from several different directions. Change can be good, and I know that right now the changes coming my way do look to be good. It’s the stress of it. Probably because I don’t see a target date for it all to be accomplished.

On the other hand maybe it’s good I can’t see the end date. Maybe the time frame and the workload to make it happen would add even more stress.

Sometimes ignorance really is bliss.

So, my coffee is done. I’m going back to my book to bury my head in the sand for a little while longer.

Hopefully there is Happy Reading to you too.

Free and bargain books February 16, 2023

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We would have had two free books today but one of them was a good example of less-than-good writing. The second paragraph was all it took for me to make the decision.

The equivalent of one bite before pushing the plate away.

This makes me sad. Reading the synopsis, the story could have been a good one. Two things could have been helpful in making it better. One would be editing, or maybe better editing, and most importantly, time spent perfecting her craft.

There are several things that a person could do to accomplish this. One of the very best things an aspiring writer can do to is to read voraciously.. Well written books and nothing less. We will find ourselves reflecting the habits of an accomplished writer, and that is a good thing.

This is a fact of life for all of us, we begin to sound like the people we hang out with whether we want to or not. Just to show how this can work, unintentionally. This month, I’ve been spending endless hours hanging out with a murder trial. Yesterday, on an office email, I found myself saying let me rephrase the question.

This mimicking can be a good thing or a bad thing depending on our choice of companions.

Hopefully I’ll lose the lawyer lingo.

Although, reflecting on the strategizing conversation with my boss yesterday, I was pleased to see the progress I’ve made toward the ability to express ideas clearly and concisely. I attribute this growth to the people I’ve spent time with (mostly in the pages of a book) and to the conscious practicing of my craft (trying to achieve explanations that make sense.)

I could be writing instruction manuals. There’s a thought.

I’m still a work in progress though. It takes me hours to write a lengthy email with detailed instructions.

So, here is our one free book.

From This Day Forward: Encore Edition (Heartland Homecoming Book 1) 

They thought their marriage was over—
but can forgiveness open the door to a new future?

After his surgical career ends in tragedy and his marriage shatters, Dr. Sam Martin leaves Philadel-phia for a new life in Oak Hill, Missouri. But he’s never stopped loving the woman who stole his heart. Determined to win her back, Sam invites Cara to recover at his home after she suffers a trauma of her own.

Desperate to find a way to conquer the panic attacks that are paralyzing her, Cara accepts—though she wants no part of the husband who betrayed her. Deep in America’s heartland she discovers a changed man—but can she and Sam find a way to build a new future from the ashes of their past?

In this HOLT Medallion winner, bestselling author Irene Hannon takes readers on an uplifting journey that illustrates the healing power of love…and hope.

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Another interesting suggestion showed up on this journey, book two in a series we’ve seen before.

Sylvia’s Journey: Betrayals & Beginnings (Seeds of Faith Book 2)

The beach. A kidnapping. An agonizing secret.

Prosecuting Attorney Sylvia Mason has no idea her latest case will have ever-lasting consequences that change her life forever. As a widow, she’s had two years to learn to live with heartache but is unprepared for what’s to come.

Alvin Griffin is a former Navy officer turned part-time preacher. He’s stuck by Sylvia’s side after the death of her husband, even though she pushes him away at every turn.

Will Alvin wait on Sylvia, or has she hurt his already battered heart too many times?

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Well, that’s it for today as far as books go.

I hope it is a good reading day for you too.