Free book January 29, 2022

BookRunes has a FREE romance suggestion for us.

Choices of the Heart: A Sweet Romance (Three Sisters Resort Book 1)

Marianne (Mari) Wright and her two sisters are thrust from an average life into the heart of luxury.

Their wealthy uncle leaves them the Emerald Resort, in a prime spot near St. Simons Island in Georgia.

Mari meets Dexter (Dex) Scofield during a wedding reception at the resort. She sees something special in him and they become friends.

Mari makes it her personal mission to unmask a mysterious stranger lurking around the resort. When Dex realizes what Mari is up to, he offers to help the impulsive woman, wanting her to stay safe.

Will their adventure bring them together, or will it kill their chance at love?

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

Current read: is by a favorite author with an exceptional gift. It amazes me the way Staci Stallings can write a slow moving story that is 344 pages long and yet I can hardly bear to put it down. I need to know what happens next. It is definitely a gift.

Whisper If You Have To

Secrets. Alison Prescott has collected a boatload of them in her short lifetime. Moving to a new school in a new town was supposed to fix everything; however, when she meets a new set of friends, keeping those secrets might just ruin everything.

Chad Dourozette has the world by the tail as his crazy T-shirts proclaim every day, but Chad has deeply held secrets of his own. When Chad meets Alison whose life looks absolutely perfect from the outside, will he have the courage to try to win her heart, or will the secrets they both carry keep them apart forever?

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

Have a good rest of the weekend.

Happy Reading!

Free books January 24, 2022

BookBub has a sweet FREE suggestion for us

Gift of Grace: A Sweet Holiday Romance (Gifts of Christmas Book 1)

Sometimes the best gifts

Are those freely given from the heart . . .

Ready to begin a new life far away from the sad memories of the Civil War, J.B. and Nora Nash head west on the Oregon Trail. They settle into the small community of Pendleton, Oregon, on a piece of land where they’re excited to build a future and their dreams together.

A devastating tragedy leaves them both reeling as they draw further and further apart. Nora blames J.B. for her unhappiness while he struggles through his own challenges. Only a miracle can bring them through their trials and reunite them for Christmas.

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

LPC Free Books has a FREE suggestion.

Hummingbird by D. Stearman

She feels like a misfit. Who is she? Where does she belong? Is she Lexa, Alexandra, or someone else? Forced to commit a crime, she flees south of the Border—and a vindictive bounty hunter follows her. Will she escape? Find redemption? Learn who she really is and where she belongs?

Her answers lie hidden in a tiny seaside village where wandering hummingbirds rest their wings.

“From the moment the story begins, Hummingbird is fast paced. Not once is the reader left behind or snoring with boredom. The author keeps the story moving like a pulse rate. The characters are believable, and the main character is well developed. The reader learns to deeply care about Lexa over the course of the novel. One can tell the author is familiar with his setting, too. I felt like I was there—in Mexico. Over all, a interesting and compelling novel.” ~ Goodreads review.

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

Browsing uncovered this FREE offering.

The Indentured Queen: Contemporary Christian Romance (Crowns & Courtships Book 4)

King Benjamin is about to have control of his own home for the first time in his life. By evicting his uncle, he can finally become the ruler he was meant to be.
Finally live up to the legacy handed down to him, beginning with King Alfred the First, and embodied in his own father, King Alfred the Second.
But revenge is a dish best served cold – or at least lukewarm – and his uncle’s revenge comes just two days later when a press release announces Benjamin’s engagement.
To a modern-day scullery maid.

Katrín Jónsson took over her mother’s debt to the Eyjanian royal family as soon as she turned eighteen. Five years down. Only ten – or more – to go.
Until the king offers her a way out.
Marry him, in name only, for a year, then disappear. Her indenture will be paid off – and, more importantly, her mother and brother will be taken care of for life.
The wedding won’t change anything about her life because no one will know the truth of their arrangement.
A disconcerting incident softens Katrín’s heart toward the usually impassive king. But, even as she begins to fall for the man he could become, she wonders if she’ll ever be more than The Indentured Queen?

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

Have a good day and …

Happy Reading.

Current read January 23, 2022

I’m reading a book I can barely put down. It is well written and an awesome story.

It is also still Free, you should grab it quick before it disappears.

When You Look at Me (A Pleasant Gap Romance Book 2)

An unexpected mother-to-be
A romance-leery composer
And a forgotten melody from the past that holds the keys to their futures

When Julia Jenkins’ great aunt dies and leaves her a Victorian mansion with decades of secrets, Julia never expects to unearth a World War 2 espionage mystery. Struggling with her own past since an assault left her pregnant, her future as a solo parent leaves her dreams uncertain. The inheritance from her great aunt gives Julia the ability to take a step back into her future, but also sends her into the discovery of a love story she’d never anticipated. As she goes through her aunt’s treasured possessions, Julia uncovers some oddly written piano music with a musical code she can’t decipher on her own. Not to worry, introverted Englishman and composer, Henry Wright, is thrust on the scene by a pair of homespun matchmakers who know the ‘right’ man for Julia’s wounded heart.

Henry arrives in Pleasant Gap with the task of composing the soundtrack for his best mate’s newest film. The Jenkins’ family’s southern welcome and gregarious personalities set his reticent nature on edge, but he’s inexplicably drawn to his gentle and music-loving hostess, Julia. Uncertain how to build a friendship with the wounded woman, and rather hopeless in communicating well through words, the bond of music becomes a bridge between her uncertainty and his awkwardness.

But her broken past and his families’ expectations build a wall much greater than the cultures that separate them. As they work together to solve a musical mystery from the grave, will an unlikely romance from the past inspire their hearts to trust in a God who’s written the perfect melody for their lives?

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

With these two, there will be three five star books in a row.

In the Unveiled Series the author has a gift for playing our heart strings with a wide variety of emotions. I think if I had anything to say about this book it would be just that, it was deeply emotional across all three books.

The Domino Effect was also an intense experience. It was very well written and engaging.

I loved them both and when the current read is finished I will be able to say I loved it too. I don’t get to say that nearly as often as I would like to.

Happy Reading y’all

Free and bargain books January 22, 2022

The day is almost over and I’m finally getting to books.

BookBub has a couple of suggestions. One is an author I’ve never read but would like to take a chance on. The other is a book read and enjoyed five or six ears ago. New first.

Best Friend Hero: Hometown Heroes A-Z (Born In Texas Book 2) 

From best friends, to high school sweethearts, to barely talking… He knows he was a fool to let her go. Unfortunately, it’s going to take a miracle to convince her to give him a second chance.

Brody Anderson and Star Corrigan made all the superlatives in their high school yearbook, right down to being voted the Most Romantic Couple. But life happened, tragedy struck, and they drifted apart. No, it’s actually worse than that. He allowed his pride to push her away.

Now that he’s back on his feet after a near-crippling accident and his ranch is finally turning a profit, Brody can’t get Star out of his mind. More than anything, he wants her back. It won’t be easy convincing her to date him again, though — especially while running the new bed-and-breakfast on his ranch. Not to mention how much of his time his newfound cousin, Crew, is demanding these days after a few brushes with the law. Nor is he overly thrilled about Crew’s former prison buddy who’s been hanging around and the trouble he brings.

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

It seems I’ve shared this book a few times. I had forgotten that little piece of information, but I can still remember reading the book. If I had the chance I would read it again.

Shelter (Shelter Trilogy Book 1)

She begged God to rescue her. 

He said, “Go.” 

So she headed out into the blizzard. In a car that wasn’t exactly hers, with a dog who wasn’t exactly a rat terrier, she drove. Until she ran out of gas in the small Maine town of Mattawooptock. Mattawoopwhat? What on earth is God thinking? 

But it is there, in a weird little bathroom in a weird little church in a weird little town that Maggie Hansen finds herself. And as God would have it, she finds a lot more than that.

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

This next one from BookRunes is an author I’ve read and enjoyed a number of times. I’m looking forward to this book too. It is FREE.

When You Look at Me (A Pleasant Gap Romance Book 2)

An unexpected mother-to-be
A romance-leery composer
And a forgotten melody from the past that holds the keys to their futures

When Julia Jenkins’ great aunt dies and leaves her a Victorian mansion with decades of secrets, Julia never expects to unearth a World War 2 espionage mystery. Struggling with her own past since an assault left her pregnant, her future as a solo parent leaves her dreams uncertain. The inheritance from her great aunt gives Julia the ability to take a step back into her future, but also sends her into the discovery of a love story she’d never anticipated. As she goes through her aunt’s treasured possessions, Julia uncovers some oddly written piano music with a musical code she can’t decipher on her own. Not to worry, introverted Englishman and composer, Henry Wright, is thrust on the scene by a pair of homespun matchmakers who know the ‘right’ man for Julia’s wounded heart.

Henry arrives in Pleasant Gap with the task of composing the soundtrack for his best mate’s newest film. The Jenkins’ family’s southern welcome and gregarious personalities set his reticent nature on edge, but he’s inexplicably drawn to his gentle and music-loving hostess, Julia. Uncertain how to build a friendship with the wounded woman, and rather hopeless in communicating well through words, the bond of music becomes a bridge between her uncertainty and his awkwardness.

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

Happy Reading y’all

Free and bargain books January 17, 2022

BookBub has an intriguing FREE Mystery suggestion for us.

Target For Terror: An International Thriller (Security Specialists, Inc. Book 1)

“If you leave on your own, you’ll be dead by morning.”

Critical Care Nurse Natalia Sokolova can’t ignore former FBI Agent Sloan Dryer’s dire warning. After the Deputy Prime Minister of Russia dies under her care, her house explodes in front of her eyes and now she’s found her best friends brutally murdered. Ironically, the only bright spot in this nightmare is Sloan’s bad Ukrainian accent and his willingness to protect her.

Sloan is convinced that someone wants to kill Natalia and when he finds a link to her family, he’s not sure who they can trust. As they run for their lives, and from the attraction simmering between them, they uncover a terrorist plot that could bring the nation to its knees. Time is running out. Can Sloan and Natalia save their country and their future, before it’s too late?

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

LPC Free Books also has a FREE suggestion

Retribution Road

Gabe Jones—an underwater investigative diver with an unusual gift—has a way of finding trouble. This time though trouble finds him.

Carol Evans helped Gabe Jones survive his last adventure. Now they are a couple and Carol needs his help. Carol’s son, Paul, has made some decisions recently that have led him straight into a deep dark world of trouble. His disappearance has the whole family questioning what this kid has been up to and who exactly is the dead girl in his truck, which was submerged in a watery tomb. As they try and unravel Paul’s disappearance, the answers they uncover lead them on the chase of a lifetime that crosses state lines and national borders.

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

Happy Reading …

…on this grey day that looks to be hiding a snow storm.

The Weather office agrees and is warning there is a significant dump of that dry blowing stuff coming our way tonight.

I’d better head to the grocery store soon to stock up while I still can.

Free book January 15, 2022

BookRunes has an interesting suggestion for us this morning.

Whisper If You Have To

Secrets. Alison Prescott has collected a boatload of them in her short lifetime. Moving to a new school in a new town was supposed to fix everything; however, when she meets a new set of friends, keeping those secrets might just ruin everything.

Chad Dourozette has the world by the tail as his crazy T-shirts proclaim every day, but Chad has deeply held secrets of his own. When Chad meets Alison whose life looks absolutely perfect from the outside, will he have the courage to try to win her heart, or will the secrets they both carry keep them apart forever?

A new adventure from #1 Best Selling Christian Romance Author, Staci Stallings begins now...

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

This is all I have, for the moment anyway. If anything else shows up I’ll let you know.

Happy Reading…

…on this blustery and cool, but not cold, Saturday.

Free and bargain books January 06, 2022

BookBub and 1531 Entertainment have bargain suggestions for us. I’ve read the first one. The second one is new to me.

Runaway Tide (Sea Glass Inn Book 2)

“You meant the world to him, cara mia …”

Meg finds herself at a crossroads when ex-flame, Jackson Riley, becomes her boss. She had made a promise to Jackson’s late father to stay working for the chain of inns, but how can she now?

After years away, Jackson has something to prove … to his family and to Meg. But after mounting conflicts with one of Jackson’s family members bubble over, Meg must decide if her promise is worth keeping.

Will a spontaneous trip to the ancient city of Florence, Italy have the power to reignite lost love? 

Or push Jackson and Meg even farther apart?

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

The Dress Shop on King Street (Heirloom Secrets Book #1)

Harper Dupree has pinned all her hopes on a future in fashion design. But when it comes crashing down around her, she returns home to Fairhope, Alabama, and to Millie, the woman who first taught her how to sew. As Harper rethinks her own future, long-hidden secrets about Millie’s past are brought to light.

In 1946, Millie Middleton–the daughter of an Italian man and a Black woman–boarded a train and left Charleston to keep half of her heritage hidden. She carried with her two heirloom buttons and the dream of owning a dress store. She never expected to meet a charming train jumper who changed her life forever . . . and led her yet again to a heartbreaking choice about which heritage would define her future.

Now, together, Harper and Millie return to Charleston to find the man who may hold the answers they seek . . . and a chance at the dress shop they’ve both dreamed of. But it’s not until all appears lost that they see the unexpected ways to mend what frayed between the seams.

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

My current read is enjoyable and it is still FREE. I’m not too far into it but I’m definitely engaged in this story with it’s characters.

Her Hope Discovered (Welcome to Ruby Book 1)

Is the sure thing worth risking for the possibility of maybe?

Charla Winthrop, a savvy business woman seeking a permanent lifestyle change in small-town Ruby, learns that things aren’t always what they appear when she takes up residence in a house steeped in charm and a hint of mystery.

Rumor has it that Sam Packard the town carpenter is her go-to guy for home remodeling, but can Charla convince him to help her—with no strings attached, of course?

Alone far too long, Sam’s prayed that God would send him a wife and a mother for his daughters. However, the new Ruby resident is hardly what he imagined. A new place to call “home,” the possibility of what might be, and the answer to someone’s prayers unite this unlikely pair with the help of the town’s residents.

Nestled in the Ozarks’ hills and hollows is Ruby, Missouri, a quaint, cozy town where “neighbor” is merely another word for “friend.” Ruby will charm and delight as will her quirky, lovable characters who will steal your heart, but hand it right back—with whipped cream and a cherry on top. Savor your new friends’ sorrows and successes in the community where offbeat is perfect and mishaps and mayhem never tasted so good.

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

Happy Reading!

Free and bargain books January 05, 2022

BookBub has a mystery collection for us. There are three books and I’ve read one of them. I’ve met and enjoyed the other two authors, but have not read these books.

The Cost of Betrayal: Three Romantic Suspense Novellas 

In Dee Henderson’s novella “Betrayed,” Janelle Roberts is freed–thanks to people she doesn’t know–after serving six years of a twenty-year sentence for a murder she did not commit. But a murderer is still at large, and Janelle needs to be somewhere safe with someone she can trust. She may not survive another betrayal.

In Dani Pettrey’s “Deadly Isle,” Tennyson Kent is trapped on the isolated island of her childhood by a storm surge, and she is shocked when the typically idyllic community turns into the hunting grounds of a murderer. Cut off from any help from the mainland, will she and first love Callen Frost be able to identify and stop a killer bent on betrayal before they become the next victims?

In Lynette Eason’s “Code of Ethics,” trauma surgeon Ruthie St. John saves the life of Detective Isaac Martinez. After a betrayal leads to him getting shot and then attacked while in recovery, Isaac is now a key witness determined to testify. But someone is intent on silencing him–and those around him–forever. Together, Ruthie and Isaac go on the run, desperate to escape the killers hunting him. 

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

BookRunes has a FREE suggestion with an author new to me. After reading the first few pages I’m excited about reading this one.

Her Hope Discovered (Welcome to Ruby Book 1) 

Is the sure thing worth risking for the possibility of maybe?

Charla Winthrop, a savvy business woman seeking a permanent lifestyle change in small-town Ruby, learns that things aren’t always what they appear when she takes up residence in a house steeped in charm and a hint of mystery.

Rumor has it that Sam Packard the town carpenter is her go-to guy for home remodeling, but can Charla convince him to help her—with no strings attached, of course?

Alone far too long, Sam’s prayed that God would send him a wife and a mother for his daughters. However, the new Ruby resident is hardly what he imagined. A new place to call “home,” the possibility of what might be, and the answer to someone’s prayers unite this unlikely pair with the help of the town’s residents.

Nestled in the Ozarks’ hills and hollows is Ruby, Missouri, a quaint, cozy town where “neighbor” is merely another word for “friend.” Ruby will charm and delight as will her quirky, lovable characters who will steal your heart, but hand it right back—with whipped cream and a cherry on top. Savor your new friends’ sorrows and successes in the community where offbeat is perfect and mishaps and mayhem never tasted so good.

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

Visiting with four tall grandsons for a day was a wonderful and exhausting experience. I can hardly wait to do it again.

Sleep is looking very attractive right about now though, so I’m going to say…

Happy Reading!

Until tomorrow.

Free and bargain books January 03, 2022

LPC Free Books has several FREE suggestions. They both showed up in 2019 and they are on my read and enjoyed list.

Hidden Things (Faded Photographs Book 2)

Kylie had her life all planned out—with marriage to Matthew and a “happily-ever-after” in their sleepy Wisconsin hometown. But when she opens a wedding invitation and a decades-old faded photograph falls out, she uncovers a side of her mother Kylie never suspected.

As she digs into the past, Kylie uncovers a whole world of hidden surprises, including grandparents she never knew existed. Suddenly, Kylie faces a choice between two worlds—and doesn’t feel she fits in either. As the past changes, so does her future with Matthew.

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

A Place Called Morning

Mae Demaray retreats from life after her young grandson dies accidentally while under her care.

What was once a quiet life in an old clapboard house on a quiet Minneapolis street, rich with the hues of security and love, is now shattered. But a decades-old family secret, based on an unlikely friendship over the years, brings redemption and restoration once it is revealed.

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

1531 Entertainment has a bargain mystery for us. I’ve read and enjoyed this book too.

Threads of Suspicion (An Evie Blackwell Cold Case)

Evie Blackwell’s reputation as a top investigator for the Illinois State Police has landed her an appointment to the governor’s new Missing Persons Task Force. This elite investigative team is launched with plenty of public fanfare. The governor has made this initiative a high priority, so they will have to produce results–and quickly.

Evie and her new partner, David Marshal, are assigned to a pair of unrelated cases in suburban Chicago, and while both involve persons now missing for several years, the cases couldn’t be more different. While Evie opens old wounds in a close-knit neighborhood to find a missing college student, David searches for a private investigator working for a high-powered client.

With a deep conviction that “justice for all” truly matters, Evie and David are unrelenting in their search for the truth. But Evie must also find answers to the questions that lie just beneath the surface in her personal life.

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

Happy Reading y’all

Free and bargain books December 30, 2021

Two suggestions; a Romance with deadly secrets from BookBub and a Mystery from 1531 Entertainment. I’ve read and enjoyed both of these books.

Almost Forever (Hanover Falls Series Book 1)

Unearthing a lost memory may cause her to lose everything
she holds dear… but could it also set her free?

Bryn Hennesey, a volunteer at the Grove Street Homeless Shelter, was there the night the shelter burned to the ground and five heroic firefighters died at the scene. Among them was Bryn’s husband, Adam. Like the rest of the surviving spouses, she must find a way to begin again. But she must do so living with a horrible secret.

Garrett Edmonds’s wife, Molly, was the only female firefighter to perish in the blaze. As her husband, it was Garrett’s job to protect the woman he loved… How can he go on in the face of such unbearable loss and guilt?

And what started the fire that destroyed the dreams and futures of so many? Investigators are stumped. But someone knows the answer.

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

Truth Stained Lies (Moonlighters Series Book 1) 

Cathy Cramer is a former lawyer and investigative blogger who writes commentary on high-profile homicides. When she finds a threatening note warning her that she’s about to experience the same kind of judgment and speculation that she dishes out in her blog, Cathy writes it off as mischief . . . until her brother’s wife is murdered and all the “facts” point to him. The killer has staged the crime to make the truth too far-fetched to believe. Working to solve the murder and clear her brother’s name, Cathy and her two sisters, Holly and Juliet, moonlight as part-time private investigators. Juliet, a stay-at-home mom of two boys, and Holly, a scattered ne’er-do-well who drives a taxi, put aside their fear to hunt down the real killer.

Stakes rise when their brother’s grieving five-year-old son is kidnapped. As police focus on the wrong set of clues, the three sisters and their battered detective friend are the only hope for solving this bizarre crime, saving the child, and freeing their brother.

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

My current read: I’m liking it, but sadly, it falls short of loving-it. The last few reads have been the same. Some less liked than others. Three in a row were hopped, skipped and jumped, quickly to the end. Some were given three stars, mainly because the same thoughts, discussions, and deliberations, kept happening over and over. One book was filled with scenarios that added nothing significant to the storyline.

So back to the current read; So far I’m reading all of it, which is a good sign.

Christmas Mercies: A Christian Holiday Romance Novel (Little River Village Christmas Book 1)

For Janice Michaels, the bane of her career as a music teacher is preparing students for the annual winter holiday program. Christmas has brought nothing but grief and loneliness for the past decade, after she lost her beloved husband to a fatal car accident. Hearing holiday music day after day during the first few months of the school year is like constantly ripping the scab off an unhealed wound.

Determined to keep her husband in her heart, she has kept a fortress around it, allowing only one woman in as a true friend, and avoiding anything more than a passing acquaintance with any man.

Until Timothy Fielding, the maintenance man at the apartment complex where she lives, comes along. He happens to love the Christmas season. When circumstances – and Janice’s best friend, Kayla – draw them together, he struggles to keep his growing feelings for Janice at bay. He has his own secret past that he’s sure would repel any woman, once she found out about it.

But his desire for love and companionship win out, and he does his best to knock down the walls around Janice’s heart. But even when she finally relents and agrees to spend more time with him, she continues to resist opening her heart back up to Christmas.

Because the death of her husband is only the beginning of the tragedy surrounding the day.

In the meantime, Lucille Masterson, the great-grandmother of Janice’s star pupil, makes a shocking discovery that almost causes her to ruin Christmas for her family. Again. But then she realizes that if she would face her fear, she could finally release the burden she’s been carrying for the past ten years. What she doesn’t know is that it would release a horrible burden for the very person she’s afraid to face…

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

This book is still free.

Happy Reading y’all