Free

A little this and that September 25, 2022

/ For the Love of Books / Leave a comment

This has been a slow book day and we only have one suggestion, and it’s free. Several years ago this was on my read and enjoyed list. A good book.

Bitter Autumn: Clean Romance Mystery (Northern Shore Intrigue)

“an edge of your seat-do not expect to put it down adventure!”

When Grey returns to his small Wisconsin hometown on the shore of Lake Superior to care for his beloved great-aunt, he’s determined to seek forgiveness for his past. But as he falls into an unlikely romance, danger looms on the horizon…

But one truth many don’t realize until it’s too late—vengeance can be dangerous. A suspenseful love story of redemption and second chances from a Carol Award–winning author, you don’t want to miss.

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

My new read is one of our recent downloads. I’m quite enjoying the experience. Sometimes there is a sameness in stories that leave you feeling like you’ve read it before. That is missing this time. The story feels fresh to me in so many ways

Western Hearts: A Sweet Cowboy Romance (Cowboys of Aspen Valley Book 1)

Two promises.
Two tests of faith and love.

Kip made a promise to his dying brother, but cowboy life didn’t prepare him to run a ranch, deal with a rebellious kid sister, and raise twin boys.

Upon first meeting, Kip mistakes Nicole for the new housekeeper hired so his kid sister can avoid her work, then he realizes her true purpose is taking the boys away.

Nicole has a will from her sister – the boys’ mother – giving custody of the twins to her father. Not willing to tear the kids away from everything familiar, she agrees to stay for a getting-to-know-you period.

But the boys aren’t the only ones she’s getting to know, and Nicole finds herself falling for the ruggedly handsome cowboy.

Can something beautiful grow between them or will cross-purposes kill what could be before it truly begins?

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

What do you know. I didn’t expect to talk about books today and look what happened anyway. Probably because my nose has been in a book more today than it has in weeks and that’s where my thoughts are.

Winter is coming soon and I was out pruning one of the smaller trees. It was overtaking the flower bed and was it a heavy job, at least it was for me. Now I’m relaxing with a book giving my muscles a chance to recover, I’m feeling very pleased to have that chore done, we could have snow in another four weeks and it would be too late.

Thinking back, it seems like the leaves were already falling by this time last year. We have had so much rain this summer that the grass is still green and the trees are not letting go of their leaves. When they do come down there will be a massive pile. Although, the tree pruned today lost all it’s branches including leaves so that will be one small pile that won’t need to be raked.

It was a sunny, warm day to be out in the yard and it was a mood lifter.

I have to specify it was sunny and warm because around here it can very easily be sunny and cold. There could be another warm day yet this year but we can’t count on it. Make the most of what you have sounds like a good idea to me. Not that I always do but at least my intentions are good.

Have a good week.

Happy Reading!

Current read September 16, 2022

/ For the Love of Books / Leave a comment

No new books today, and I’m OK with it. I’m thinking you may be as well, after the monstrous pile we had yesterday.

I’ve been reading some today but time has been limited with other things going on.

It’s a bit of a conundrum, trying to decide about this current read. The story line is good but the interaction between characters is quite unsettling. The main characters are planning a wedding, lead busy lives, and have constant contact with co-workers and friends. It seems like there are always unfulfilled needs for time alone, but along with that there doubts in my mind about the strength of their relationship. Maybe that’s by design or maybe it’s just weak thought processes in these two. I’m thinking I will be skipping through the chapters to alleviate some of the frustration. There are definitely unresolved issues on both sides and I’m not sure they are aware of them.

Fort Point (Maine Justice Book 2) 

An ill-fated class reunion at Fort Point. . . Maine’s most famous author is murdered the night after the reunion. A classmate turns up dead a few days later, apparently drowned at Fort Point. What does a cold case burglary have to do with the deaths? And did a third classmate really commit suicide? The Priority Unit solves its most challenging case, relying on wits, hard work, and faith. Meanwhile, Jennifer Wainthrop plans her wedding but manages to hand the detectives some important clues. Detective Harvey Larson is offered a job he doesn’t want, until he learns the police chief has had a tragic accident. Captain Mike Browning is on vacation in Maine’s far north, and proves a difficult man to track down. Harvey and Jennifer continue their faith journey and romance while untangling the evidence. Despite many obstacles, the Priority Unit is once again serving up Maine Justice.

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

Reading this blurb, I’m not so sure the relational tension is planned. It could be character development that is to blame. I’m not very far into the book so I will have to keep reading to find out.

How are things at your house?

It is raining here once again. Lots of thunder and lightning last night. We have had more than our fair share of rain this year but at least we don’t have to water much. I love that part.

It’s Friday and a good day to stay inside and read. Besides, the day is almost over. There is little need to feel guilty even though I sort of do. I’ll finish a couple of tasks and that will help.

Happy Reading at your house.

Later.

Free and bargain books September 15, 2022

/ For the Love of Books / Leave a comment

We have books. Well, one to start with anyway. BookBub has a FREE suggestion. Browsing through the first few pages, I’m excited to give it a shot. This author has showed up on our reading lists a number of times in the last two or three years and I have positive memories of the experience.

Forgive and Remember (Greater Life Romance Book 1) 

A new kindergarten teacher. The five-year-old’s single dad. All that stands between them is one heavy secret.

Shelby Beaton is brand-new to the small coastal town of Hartport. She’s not running from her pain. She’s running toward an opportunity to serve God at Freedom Academy.

When danger threatens the small school, Lincoln Kallock brings his security team to protect the students. He quickly notices his daughter’s new teacher. She’s beautiful, kind, and brave.

She wants nothing to do with him. But fate keeps pushing them together, and despite her icy walls, she starts to warm up to him. Can he convince her to share her burden, so he can help her heal?

For readers who enjoy faith-filled romances, including those by: Becky Wade, Valerie M. Bodden, Brooke St. James, and Kimberly Rae Jordan.

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

There is more.

1531 Entertainment has bargain suggestions from authors we have seen before, often in fact. I’m looking forward to both of them. We’ve recently downloaded books 1 & 2 in this series and now we have book 3

To Disguise the Truth (The Bleecker Street Inquiry Agency)

When a man arrives at the Bleecker Street Inquiry Agency, anxious to hire them to find a missing heiress, Eunice Holbrooke realizes her past has finally caught up with her . . . and that she may no longer be able to hide under the disguise that has kept her safe for so long.

Arthur Livingston’s goal in life is to make his mark on the world as a mining industrialist, but after the man who could help him achieve his goal is murdered, Arthur feels compelled to seek justice for the family–but he’s left with more questions than answers after the eccentric Bleecker Street Inquiry Agency refuses to take on his case.

Desperate to conceal her real identity and avoid the irritatingly handsome Arthur, Eunice takes on a different case that requires her to go deep undercover and entangles her in one troublesome situation after another. When other secrets come to light, Eunice has no choice but to confront her past, hopeful that it will set her free but knowing it could very well place her life–and the lives of those she loves–in jeopardy.

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

Switching genres yet again.

Western Hearts: A Sweet Cowboy Romance (Cowboys of Aspen Valley Book 1)

His brother’s dying wish was that Kip take care of his sons.

Nicole has come to take them away from the only home they’ve known.

Nicole has the law on her side in the form of her sister’s will giving their father guardianship of the boys.

Kip isn’t letting the boys go without a fight. But Nicole is proving to be a beautiful distraction that feeds his lonely heart.

While Nicole spends time with her nephews, she comes to know the ruggedly handsome cowboy better. In Kip she sees a man whose love and devotion for his family is what she’s always yearned for from her adoptive father. And Kip’s kisses only confuse her more.

However, when an earth-shattering secret is revealed, it threatens to take down their fragile relationship and change everything they thought was true. Can Kip and Nicole’s relationship stand this test? Or will it pit them against each other in a challenge to their faith, family alliances and love for each other?

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

This has been another good book day.

I have an eclectic taste in books, I’m sure you’ve noticed. I’m happy about it because that little habit keeps me from being bored. I couldn’t read nearly as many books if each one was like the next one. I do like some more than others, like mysteries for instance, but the change in genre is like a palate cleanser. It makes the read that much sweeter if there has been a change in taste in there somewhere.

Hopefully this will be a good day for more than just me.

Happy reading y’all

You have to love English.

Pallet, palette, palate.

I’m glad I checked first, so, sew, sow glad

Free and bargain books September 14, 2022

/ For the Love of Books / Leave a comment

This is turning into a good book day. For starters, BookRunes has a FREE suggestion for us.

Christmas Still

It’s Christmas 1918 and Lottie Webster has faced a pandemic and a war that have caused one heartache after the next for her family. Trying to mother her grieving nieces and help her shell-shocked husband, celebrating Christmas is the last thing on Lottie’s mind. But when her brother returns home from the front, his holiday “surprise” threatens to ruin not only Christmas but the fragile peace left in Lottie’s life.

Ada Unser is alone and starving in war-ravaged Germany when she gets an unexpected opportunity to escape, but she must risk everything and step into the unknown. Will her courage be rewarded with a loving family or resentment and scorn? And will her cherished Christmas traditions bring her new family together or tear them further apart?

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

Browsing was fruitful. Years ago one of my favorite authors was Mary Stewart, it has been a long time since the last read so I am excited to see her again.

One of her books made an unforgettable impression on me. It was Airs Above the Ground: The suspenseful, romantic story that will sweep you off your feet . It is not a bargain but I can’t help but mention it anyway. The part I loved best was the dancing horses. Airs above the ground was a reference to these amazing animals. The title was pretty memorable too.

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

Here is the bargain today. A book I haven’t read yet and look forward to.

Wildfire at Midnight: The classic thriller you will not be able to put down

The tense, twisty murder mystery which will have you on the edge of your seat, from the author of Madam, Will You Talk?/font size>

‘Mary Stewart is magic’ New York Times

Following a heart-breaking divorce, Gianetta retreats to the Isle of Skye hoping to find tranquillity in the island’s savage beauty.

But shortly before her arrival a girl’s body is found on the craggy slopes of the looming Blue Mountain, and with the murderer still on the loose, there’s nothing to stop him from setting his sights on Gianetta next . . .

Praise for Mary Stewart:

‘There are few to equal Mary Stewart’ Daily Telegraph

‘One of the great British storytellers of the 20th century’ Independent

‘A natural successor to Jane Austen and Charlotte Bronte’ Guardian

‘Total heaven. I’d rather read her than most other authors’ Harriet Evans

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

One more book, this time from an author I’ve never read. I’ve tried to discover whatever I could in making a decision. Everything looks good so far.

I hate deciding only to find it wasn’t a good choice. Sometimes it too hard to tell ahead of time and I just have to take a chance. More times than not it works out OK. My expectations are high today. What I have seen has a very different feel though and I can’t get rid of the little niggle of doubt. Hopefully all will be well.

A Flicker of Light

Secrets are like pennies. Everybody’s got one, even the poorest among us.

For generations, the Jensens have raised their families in the small Montana town of Moose Creek, where gossip spreads faster than the wind. Yet some secrets need to be told.

When twenty-one-year-old Bea discovers she’s pregnant on the heels of her husband losing his job, she’s forced to admit she needs help and asks her dad for a place to stay. But past resentments keep her from telling him all that’s going on.

Mitch Jensen is thrilled to have a full house again, though he’s unimpressed with Bea’s decisions: dropping out of college, marrying so young–and to an idealistic city kid, of all things. Mitch hopes to convince Bea to return to the path he’s always envisioned for her, but she’s changed since her mom died. And he refuses to admit how much he’s changed, too, especially now that he might be losing his mother as well.

Grandma June is good at spinning stories, but there’s one she’s never told. Now that her mind is starting to fade, her time to tell it is running out. But if she reveals the truth before her memories are gone forever, the Jensen family will never be the same.

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

Three new books, I’m very excited.

I hope you are too.

Happy reading y’all

Free books September 12, 2022

/ For the Love of Books / Leave a comment

This is a day for FREE books.

The first one is a BookBub suggestion. I’ve read this author but it’s been awhile and I can’t remember what the experience was like. This will be a refresher. Book 1 was on the list already.

Fort Point (Maine Justice Book 2)

An ill-fated class reunion at Fort Point. . . Maine’s most famous author is murdered the night after the reunion. A classmate turns up dead a few days later, apparently drowned at Fort Point. What does a cold case burglary have to do with the deaths? And did a third classmate really commit suicide?

The Priority Unit solves its most challenging case, relying on wits, hard work, and faith. Meanwhile, Jennifer Wainthrop plans her wedding but manages to hand the detectives some important clues. Detective Harvey Larson is offered a job he doesn’t want, until he learns the police chief has had a tragic accident. Captain Mike Browning is on vacation in Maine’s far north, and proves a difficult man to track down. Harvey and Jennifer continue their faith journey and romance while untangling the evidence. Despite many obstacles, the Priority Unit is once again serving up Maine Justice.

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

LPC Free Books has a couple of suggestions we’ve seen before. I’ve read and enjoyed both of them.

Tempest: The Veil Chronicles, Book One

For eighteen-year-old Lexi, freedom is a luxury. She’s spent her life evading capture for a genetic gift that feels more like a curse. Her bulletproof immunity and monstrous disfigurement is of great interest to a secret organization, but they aren’t the only ones. A cryptic tip alerts Lexi that something else hunts her—something darker.

Desperate to enjoy her life before it’s too late,Lexi leaves the protective cocoon her parents created for her and signs up for art classes at her local college. There she meets Conner, who is confined to a wheelchair, and they become friends who are willing to share each other’s secrets. But a chance encounter with Connor’s foster brother Killian changes everything.

Killian shares the same mysterious secret within his blood as Lexi. Their fateful meeting sets off a chain reaction of catastrophic events that exposes the terrifying truth—Lexi is a celestial queen of a bygone race. Connor is their last royal heir, and Killian is a half-breed abomination hated for his very existence. With Connor kidnapped by an ancient god determined to rid the world of the stain of humanity, Lexi and Killian find themselves under the protection of the secretive Order of Kings.

Lexi believes she’s been thrown into a world of myths and legends, but things are not as they seem. Lexi becomes convinced the Order is keeping dangerous secrets that threaten not just her but all of mankind.

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

Hidden Danger (When Darkness Falls Book 3)

When Carley Sutherland receives a frantic call for help, she races to a desolate park to meet her best friend. On a dimly-lit park bench, Carley’s friend fumbles in her handbag for her phone. She has a picture of a couple arguing, a picture of a woman who was later found dead in a ditch. Before Carley can examine the picture her friend took of the secretive encounter, a dark SUV stops near the bench. The window rolls down. A gunshot rips the silence. Carley’s friend tumbles from the bench, dead.

No need to wait for the second shot. Carley’s on the run, now, with a target on her back.

Wounded Army vet, Blake Richards, recuperates stateside while awaiting new orders. He doesn’t want to jeopardize his recovery or risk further injury, but at the sound of gunshots, his training kicks in. Blake ducks behind a tree and drops to one knee, scanning the area around him. A shadowy figure darts down a path. A woman nervously looks back over her shoulder. Hunkered down, he waits until the last second and then grabs her by the waist. With his hand clasped over her mouth, he pulls her to safety.

Blake doesn’t need to get involved with any woman, particularly one as beautiful and intriguing as Carley Sutherland. But he may be Carley’s only hope of staying alive. And she may his only hope of finding peace and healing amidst hidden dangers.

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

This has been a good day. One new book in the mix makes it good.

I’m about to finish today’s current book, looking forward to what comes next.

Happy Reading!

Free and bargain books September 05, 2022

/ For the Love of Books / Leave a comment

BookBub has a FREE suggestion for us. An author and book we’ve seen before, in a Christmas collection. I think it was probably a good read but I don’t remember much after reading that many books in a row. I just remember enjoying the collection. I may have to read this book again along with you.

A Beautiful Mess (The Mosaic Collection)

A single mother’s journey from bitterness to forgiveness.

Nearly four years ago, Erin Belden’s happy life became a shattered mess. After her husband admitted to an affair and that a child had been conceived, he left her and their young daughter for his new family. Now, she’s finally ready to put the pieces of her life together. She’s set to launch her own business and even thinks her heart might be open to romance—should the right man come along.

But just when everything seems to be lining up, she receives a devastating call: her ex-husband and his wife have been killed in a car accident, and Erin is listed in their will as their daughter’s legal guardian.

How can she be a mother to the child—let alone love the child—who broke up her marriage? Does she have the courage to start over yet again and turn this mess into a mosaic of beauty?

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

1531 Entertainment has a bargain suggestion by one of our favorite authors. Two books in one, books we’ve not read. Bonus!

Protecting Her Daughter and Under the Lawman’s Protection

After someone attempts to abduct her daughter, single mom Zoe Collier flees to a remote ranch for safety. But when the would-be kidnappers follow them to Wrangler’s Corner, Zoe must figure out why somebody wants Sophia. Quick-witted and caring, local vet Aaron Starke is just the type of man she needs in her corner. And he might be her partner for keeps…if they can find the truth without losing their lives.

FREE BONUS STORY INCLUDED IN THIS VOLUME!

Under the Lawman”s Protection by USA TODAY Bestselling Author Laura Scott

For SWAT team negotiator Isaac Morrison, safeguarding Leah Nichols and her young son is his most challenging mission yet. Leah’s brother—his best friend, Shane—has gone missing while working undercover. Now it’s up to Isaac to shield mother and child from Shane’s enemies. He’ll need his best protection skills against their formidable adversary. Because he can’t risk losing the little family who has stealthily claimed his heart.

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

Not to bad for a holiday Monday.

Happy Reading.

Free books August 29, 2022

/ For the Love of Books / Leave a comment

We may have books today! It will be exciting if we do.

BookBub has a FREE suggestion for us, one we read and enjoyed three years ago.

Flight 259: A Contemporary Christian Romance Novel (The Hope Series Book 1)

Life has not been fair to Jenna Davis. After losing everything she considered her world three years ago, her only hope has been holding on and trying to survive. When she finally decides she must find a way to go on with life, she boards a plane destined to visit a friend across the country. But she hadn’t counted on meeting a handsome stranger and his young son on the flight, nor could she have prepared herself for what life would throw at her next. Can Jenna find love again after tragedy strikes or is she destined to go from one tragedy to another forever?

Scott Browning was devastated when his marriage broke up. With his young son, Lane, he is learning to pick up the pieces and go on with life. On his way home from a visit to his parents, Scott meets a young woman who will change everything, just before his own life is thrown into question. Most couples think about love at first sight. Could this one be love at first death?

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

FREE suggestions from LPC Free Books. I read this first one two years ago but don’t remember much so can’t really comment.

The Last Summer

For twenty-something Sara Witherspoon and her group of friends, a perfect Southern summer includes lake-house getaways, wedding planning, outdoor concerts, and a dash of romance. But for these seven friends who love each other like family, this year, summer rolls in with changes for everyone.

Sara’s longtime crush, Luke, has been her best friend for as long as she has been a part of the group. When Luke begins seriously dating another of their friends, Sara’s forced to deal with her hurt and jealousy, while outwardly try to support them both.

While Sara comes to terms with her own heart and her friends’ relationships, an unexpected handsome pilot from North Carolina and an old flame are thrown into the mix. Knowing her heart suddenly becomes much more complicated.

But as time unfolds and friendships begin to unravel, Sara and the others are presented with the reality of what a season of change does to old friendships and new love interests.

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

Another one I read and enjoyed several years ago. This is a favorite author.

The Bargain

Ten articles in eight days is a tall order for any journalist, even for Polk Award winner Connor Reedly. But with a dying wife and an empty bank account, the promised payment of $250,000 is hard to turn down. More so, his enigmatic employer, Mason Becker, has insinuated Connor’s acceptance of the job will result in a supernatural healing of his beloved wife.

The people of Hailey, California—the subjects of Connor’s charged articles—are a secretive group, not willing to open up to strangers. When shots are fired and Connor is running for his life, he demands Mason answer his questions: Why are the articles so important? Is anyone going to publish them? Where is the money coming from? How can he be so confident that the completion of the articles will heal his wife?

Nothing in Connor s vast journalistic adventures—not Katrina, not September 11th, not even his first-hand experience in the genocide in Darfur—could prepare him for the answers Mason gives. Now, it seems, the lives of everyone in Hailey—including his wife’s—are in his hands.

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

I’m excited we have free books. I’m sort of sad I’ve read them all. I’m not truly sad though because I still have lots to choose from.

There are some recently read and enjoyed needing to be shared soon and a current read that is awesome. Next post.

In the meantime,

Happy Reading

Free and bargain books August 28, 2022

/ For the Love of Books / Leave a comment

This has been a fruitful browsing day and I’m thrilled. It started with a FREE suggestion from BookRunes. This is book 2 in the series, we read and enjoyed book 1 back in January.

Songs of the Heart: Beach House Romance (Three Sisters Resort Book 2)

Sue Wright finds love, but life is determined to prevent her from keeping it.

Sue is a hardnosed woman who knows what she wants and has no time for games. But after she and her sisters take over the Emerald Resort, she is confronted by the one man capable of melting that harsh exterior and changing her life forever.

Sue dives in, reckless and eager to experience those things she has long denied herself. But not everyone is happy. Jealousy soon rears its ugly head, forcing Sue to stand up for herself and her new love. She must push back with everything she has if there is any chance of keeping her relationship alive, but not even the support of her sisters may be enough.

Sue soon questions if he is the one for her. If he is, how far will she go to keep him?

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

The next two showed up while browsing. Yes!

The Memory House

The inspirational story of two women whose lives have been destroyed by disaster but find healing in a special house.

When Beck Holiday lost her father in the North Tower on 9/11, she also lost her memories of him. Eighteen years later, she’s a tough New York City cop burdened with a damaging secret, suspended for misconduct, and struggling to get her life in order.

When a mysterious letter arrives informing Beck that she’s inherited a house along Florida’s northern coast, she discovers something there that will change her life forever. Matters of the heart only become more complicated when she runs into handsome Bruno Endicott, a sports agent who has never forgotten their connection as teenagers. But Beck can’t even remember him.

Decades earlier, widow Everleigh Applegate lives a steady, uneventful life with her widowed mother after a tornado ripped through Waco, Texas, and destroyed her new, young married life. When she runs into her former high school friend Don Callahan, she begins to yearn for change. Yet no matter how much she longs to love again, she is hindered by a secret she can never share.

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

Sealed with a Christmas Promise: A K-9 Romantic Suspense (Called To Protect Book 7)

After months of searching, former SEAL turned cop Bryce Flynn and his K9, Kirby, has finally found Callie Burgess. He needs to question her about her former boyfriend, a member of the Desert Death Rays motorcycle gang, who was recently murdered. But when shots are fired through the window of the diner where she’s working, he realizes she’s in danger too.

After being betrayed by a police officer in the past, Callie doesn’t trust cops. But when a gunman comes after her, she has little choice but to accept Bryce’s promise to protect her. Her life is in shambles—no money, no job, no place to live. The only redeeming factors are the stray puppy she’s found and Bryce himself.

As the Christmas holiday approaches, will Bryce keep Callie safe and convince her to give love a chance?

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

It has been a good book day. There may even be more, I’m still trying to decide.

I’ll be back.

In the meantime . . .

Happy Reading

Free books August 22, 2022

/ For the Love of Books / Leave a comment

BookBub has a FREE suggestion for us this time. It could be good. I’m not sure, but the price is right to give it a try.

Even Forever: A Clean Western Romance (Boulder Creek Romance Book 1)

The last thing Rosalie Tomkin wants is another man trying to control her life.

Rosalie’s abusive jailbird father and her ne’er-do-well brother have cured her of that. Not even the wealthy visitor staying in her beleaguered mother’s boarding house can tempt her. She plans to leave Boulder Creek as soon as she can scrape together the funds to do so, and when she does, she won’t ever look back.

Michael Randolph is in a high-stakes competition for the family business and intends to beat his half-brother, no matter what. So when an innocent encounter with Rosalie threatens to cost him everything he hopes to achieve, he’s willing to pay the price demanded by her no-good father. Even if it means marrying a damsel in distress.

Strangers placed in an impossible position, Michael and Rosalie can agree on one thing. Neither of them wants to stay together any longer than they must. What they don’t know is that fate might have a better future in store for them than either could imagine.

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

LPC Free Books has a FREE suggestion for us (they aren’t always free.) I’ve read other books by this author but I don’t believe I’ve read this one. Unless it was in a collection somewhere. It does sound a little familiar. I’ll give it a shot and see.

Mountain Man (Finding Love in the Blue Ridge Mountains Book 2) 

A “Briskin” had dared to trespass on forbidden Maxwell land—and that spells trouble.

Meera Briskin is determined to find out for herself whether the Maxwells are the unmitigated rogues she has been taught to hate. The long-standing feud between the two families that began three generations ago—the result of a chestnut tree blight brought in from the Far East—is still very much alive.

Posing as a participant at a writers’ conference held at the famous Chestnut Lodge, run by none other than Elliot Maxwell, Meera soon is caught in the web of her own deception. Should she admit to being a Briskin and face immediate expulsion? Or should she linger, knowing that with each passing day that her feelings for her enemy grow stronger?

There’s madness in these mountains—and in the heart of one Briskin daughter.

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

I’m moving on to the next read. This is my second try to find something to hold my attention. The first one was WWII era, I have read too many of them and find it’s not easy to engage anymore.

I think I’ll try a mystery instead.

Wow, it’s been on my list since April 2021, how did that happen? I’m guessing there were other Lyn Cote books in the recently read pile and I needed a change

Spring’s Storm: Clean Romance Mystery (Northern Intrigue Book 6) 

Thea’s new next door neighbor turns her small town and her life upside down.

Trace is handsome, successful and committed to helping others. He’s a mover and shaker. She’s a quiet piano teacher. Yet opposites attract, don’t they?

Bad things begin happening on Trace’s property and troublemakers compete with each other to stop him in his mission to provide a new place for kids.

All the while Thea is caught in the middle–between the people she’s known all her life and this new man in town. When and how will the nastiness end? And will it end before someone gets hurt? Badly?

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

Supper is sounding really good right about now.

Supper and a good book.

Happy Reading y’all

Free book suggestion August 21, 2022

/ For the Love of Books / Leave a comment

BookRunes has a FREE suggestion for us by a man I have never read. It seems I downloaded but didn’t read two of his Young Adult stories in 2013. This one is adult fiction although I see by his booklist he has written extensively for children and teens.

The first few pages of today’s book caught my interest so I’m looking forward to this read.

Men writing romance novels seems like an oxymoron to me and curiosity has me wondering what it will be like. I’ve read a few over the years and so far they have been a pleasant surprise. I expect this will be as well.

When I stop and think about it, many of my favorite authors over the decades have had a romantic element in their stories and I didn’t think twice about it. Must be I’ve gradually become jaded by contemplation of life’s experiences. I look forward to it anyway.

The Duet

Four hands. Two hearts. One song.

When widower Gerrit Appeldoorn takes his granddaughter to piano lessons one day, he finds himself drawn to her music teacher, a woman unlike any he has known. It’s an unlikely attraction. He’s a retired dairyman with mud on his boots; Joan Horton is a world traveler and former piano instructor at New York’s prestigious academy of music. Not quite “beauty and the beast,” but close.

Even so, Gerrit slowly begins to open his heart to Joan, to music, and to the possibilities that may be found in both. Yet as their relationship deepens, Gerrit faces crises concerning his family and farm, and Joan confronts a dark secret that threatens her future. While coping with these challenges, neither can predict how their duet will sound as they practice the music of renewed hope and second chances.

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

Last night I was trying to pick a new read and had three possibles. I settled on the Regency Romantic Suspense and it turned out to be a good choice. It has the perfect blend (in my estimation) with the suspense element being the stronger of the two. Two thirds of the way through and I’m still loving it.

A Perilous Plan: A Regency Romantic Suspense (Imperiled Young Widows Book 1)

Penelope Hammond finds herself a widow at the age of twenty-three, having been married five years to a man she barely knew. Her husband, David Hammond, Lord Hampstead, was a member of the House of Lords who rarely said more than a few words to her in a week’s time–and often did not come home at night.

Henry Gilchrist seems to know more about her husband than she does–that he was unfaithful to her with a young Frenchwoman who Penelope thought was her friend, that his gambling problem had sunk him deeply in debt, and that he had stolen some very important plans that could put the entire country in danger. And now both the French and the English governments think she knows where these plans are.

Penelope had no idea that her husband stole secret plans and intended to sell to the French, but no one seems to believe her, except Henry Gilchrist. When she starts to fall in love with the handsome young Member of the House of Commons, will he be too embittered from a former lost love to accept his own growing feelings? But first they must save themselves from those who would do them harm, or there will be no future for them, either together or apart.

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

It has been a good book day. A good reading day too.

Happy Reading y’all