Two Free books today, they not quite as light as the cozy mysteries yesterday but will still be a good read.

BookBub has Because of the Rain, and BookRunes suggests Light Over Water.

Because of the Rain,  is one I downloaded and read in 2017 and it is FREE again.

Amazon quote:

ANNA’S LIFE CHANGES FOREVER ON ONE HORRIFIC NIGHT
WHEN SHE IS ASSAULTED AND LEFT FOR DEAD.

Anna Marquette has everything to live for. Her daughters are in college and, with the support of Paul, her loving husband, she is pursuing her dream of a career in counseling. Then one night, while on a trip to Orlando, the unimaginable happens. She takes a “short cut” to an evening out with Paul and is brutally assaulted.

She’s pregnant as a result. This book had a great impact on me, such that I can still remember reading it. Deborah Raney has a gift for creating characters that come alive, drawing in the reader until you feel like you are living in their skin, making the story that much more memorable, and impactful.

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Light Over Water, both the book and the author are new to me but it looks like it is worth taking a chance. It’s FREE too.

A partial Amazon quote for this historical novel:

Life in Little Cove is safe, familiar and sedate, until events an ocean away draw Sam Eliot and Alison Granger into a tightening spiral of tragedy, failure and betrayal. In April 1917 the United States enters the war in Europe. Sam and Alison are affected by the disintegration of their safe world as Sam enlists, only to experience a personal tragedy soon afterwards that affects his ability to cope as a soldier. Alison, the daughter of a doctor, remains at home in the Maine coastal village and becomes involved in a scandal that shakes her faith in God and humanity.

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Currently I’m still reading  the Resort to Love collection

I’m almost finished book 2 Eureka, California and I’m liking it even better than I liked book 1.

Amazon quote:

Adopted into a family of dysfunctional siblings, Genevieve Wilson doesn’t believe she’s capable of successful relationships, which makes her crush on the pilot at work feel safe. Matt Lake has a perfect life, girlfriend included, but the redhead who works at the Eureka airport makes him smile like never before. Will he give up the flawless life he planned in exchange for the messiness of love, and if so, will Gen risk more heartbreak?

It’s still a bargain at $1.31

Happy Reading!

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Christmas is only two more sleeps. Kids are excited.

I wasn’t going to bother putting up a tree, again, this year. Too much like work when I’d rather be reading a book. But then, a little inspiration hit yesterday. I have a box filled with pieces of pine garland already strung with lights from Christmases past. If one was hung  from the hook in this window, I could have a  tree, and the neighbors wouldn’t feel like Scrooge was living in the house with un-festive like windows.

Ok, so mostly I just wanted to have some lights in the window to make it look like someone cared, and since I have no idea where the wreath with the candle shaped light in it went to (probably tossed out in one of my many moves) I had to improvise.

There are definitely lights in the window now. I’m happy.

And, it won’t be a big job to take it all down.

I do actually like having the house all fixed up with lights and Christmas decorations. It’s like a mood lifter. It creates a fairyland ambiance and I like to sit with a book, listen to music, and drink it all in, for weeks and weeks. Something’s changed this last couple of years, I haven’t wanted to even bother.

I’m glad I felt inspired to make a bit of an effort this year. It makes me feel happy, well, at least happier. Every little positive step in the right direction helps.

There are so many good things to be grateful for in my life and yet the abusiveness of my early childhood overshadows all of it sometimes. It’s hard, facing up to reality, but it has turned out to be worthwhile in the end. I’ve made so many friends over the years that happened to have wounds like mine. Sharing stories together has made life for all of us easier, somehow.

Lately I’ve be blessed with another new friendship and it has connected me with a whole new circle of supportive people. Maybe that’s what’s contributed to me making more of an effort with the Christmas decorations all of a sudden. A new ray of light showed up in my life.

It always amazes me, when I share a little of my story with someone, to find they know exactly what I’m talking about. It’s easy to feel like no one understands and it’s a shock when they do. Earlier this month I shared something I never talk about and that’s what happened – she knew. It was amazingly freeing and validating. I have a feeling there is a lot more story sharing coming in my future. That’s a good thing.

There are a multitude of others feeling the kind of pain I do and I pray, always, that they  will discover supportive friends to share their stories with. That somehow there will be a ray of light, of hope, especially this time of year. They say one in four women experience abuse, I’m sure it’s higher than that. If you are one of them…

I’m wishing you, and every other hurting person – man or woman, the very best in this Christmas season. May you be open to connecting with someone else so you can experience a ray of hope too, both now and in 2020.

Janette