Fun

More this and that. January 07, 2023

/ For the Love of Books / Leave a comment

I took the plunge. It has taken a while to get to this point. I follow a number of people on YouTube and several of them start out their long form podcast there and then part way through takes it over to Rumble to finish. They encourage all of us to switch over with them (they were streaming simultaneously on Rumble to keep that audience up-to-date) so far, I’ve never followed along.

I’ve heard varying opinions on the site since it all started. I follow Dave Rubin pretty much every day and he is forever encouraging us to try it out. He and his brother-in-law started Locals as an alternative to YouTube and it seemed good but was lacking something that Rumble had so, they joined forces. On the front end they look separate but on the back end, in ways I don’t understand, they are connected and they are better together we are told.

Today I decided to check it out to see how it works. It appears they have come a long way. The setup is similar to YT and I was able to easily find people I wanted to follow.

They also promote videos they think you might be interested in. I like the way it works at this point and decided to sign up and stick around.

It’s easy to see they are looking for content providers because that is the first sign-up page we come to. The thought of making videos has crossed my mind over the last year or two but life has been consumed with family here visiting and the idea soon faded into the back ground. I’ll have to see if it will come back to the front and demand to be heard once everyone is gone.

One of the observations someone made today was that things seem to be freer on Rumble. Several popular contributors found their audience grew faster and larger there than it did on YT. The difference must be in the way they promote their subscribers.

Content is on my mind. By necessity it will have to be presented differently. It will take a lot of thought to figure this out. Maybe I should make the book focus smaller and my this-and-that thoughts bigger.

There are many subjects I currently avoid, partly due to the audience showing up on my site and partly due to worry over what is acceptable and what is not. I didn’t want to take a chance on being shut down.

I would probably attract a different audience over there and the allowances for differing opinions are better on Rumble/Locals.

Here’s a rabbit trail.

Whenever someone wants a certain group of people to be in unity thinking the same way, my favorite thought is always about the cars we drive, the sports teams we love, and the side of the sink we work from.

It makes me laugh because how many people do you know who love the same make of car, love the same sports team, and always wash dishes from left to right.

Fierce family feuds have developed over less than these three things. I think it’s hilarious whenever someone expects us to all think the same way, and be happy about it. There is a better chance of water flowing up hill.

All that to say differing opinions are inevitable, just like the resulting fireworks when opinions clash sometimes.

The raging battle in my mind is Ford or Chevy?

Never Ford!

I’ve owned a number of other makes but never a Ford. I’m proud of it but don’t usually say it out loud around the multitude of guys driving Ford pick-up trucks. They’ve explained why they make that choice but I still don’t get it.

I have to say, though, that I’m not very loyal to Chevy either. I think all six (or ten) of the cars I’ve\we’ve owned through the years have been different makes. I’ve even owned and loved a looked-down-upon Dodge. It was small and cute with a stick shift (or was it column) and went really fast. My favorite was a Mazda 626 but it met a sad end when it was kissed by an elk. Somehow, I ended up with the never-to-be-tolerated Oldsmobile. After 10 years I still don’t love it although I will admit it is a good ride and handles well in winter driving.

My son thinks it handles too well. He doesn’t live where there is winter. While he was here, he wanted to do some fish tailing, or maybe donuts, but the car wasn’t coopperating like he wanted it to. He loves my car; he keeps borrowing it.

I think I’ve pretty much exhausted that rabbit trail.

My car was similar to this but didn’t have the spoiler on the back or the vents on the hood. And it was a gold color. Mazda 626. And could it ever go on the hills. I loved that car. Vroom Vroom.

This and that November 25, 2022

/ For the Love of Books / 3 Comments
Photo by Karolina Grabowska on Pexels.com

It’s Friday night and all is quiet on the western front, as they used to say. Probably because it is a holiday weekend in the US. There are reruns on the news videos, and not much showing up for books, or even blog posts for that matter.

Canada’s Thanksgiving was earlier in October so this is just a normal week for us.

It has been busy in my work space. There were government red-tape filing deadlines happening this month so the push was on to get it done. My part is finished and now there is just the paperwork cleanup, that will be a chore. It will be wonderful to have it done though.

So, I should have been here typing but I ended up finishing a book. It never fails, what was supposed to be a brief look always turns into so much more. Not that I’m sad about it or anything.

While I enjoyed the time spent reading, in some ways this book was hard to handle, especially in places, I’m never sure why that is exactly. Maybe it’s the voice of the story. Some books do that to me. I have to walk away at times, long enough for the emotions to even out so I can go back to it.

On the plus side though, what I loved most about the book was the construct of the story. I have not read another story that was framed the way this one was. It more than made up for the distressing tense moments.

There were red herrings and the ending was definitely a surprise. But not a shock. Between that and the great characters it was a good read.

I would happily recommend this to mystery lovers anywhere.

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

Sarah: Cold Case Murder Mystery Series

Investigating cold case murders comes with a deadly price…

After a life-threatening home invasion, Ava Montgomery refuses to let her fear stop her from investigating cold case murders and she throws herself back into work.

Her next case: the murder of fifteen-year-old, Sarah Lewis.

This time, Ava has a connection to the case, a boy she grew up with: Elite performer and Olympic athlete, Jaxson Wells. Handsome, successful, and currently the lead suspect.

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

Book two in this series is next on the list (latest download) but I think for a new read I will start a book that was suggested several days ago and I noticed it came up again today. I think it is still a bargain too if you are interested.

Turbulence (A Kennedy Stern Christian Suspense Novel Book 5)

Facing doubts and terror at forty thousand feet …

Kennedy can’t wait to spend winter break in Alaska. Unfortunately, her vacation might end up cut short before her plane ever lands. As terror unfolds in the air, Kennedy stops worrying about reaching her destination. For now, her biggest challenge is just to stay alive

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

I’m ready to flop on the couch and check out this new read. If I can manage to stay awake long enough. Relaxed and warm is a recipe for sleep.

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

I stared to say. . .

Have a good weekend.

Then I wanted to say remember even crappy weekends have bright spots in them but I thought I should find a less offensive word to use. I figured I would google the word looking for better sounding synonyms. I had to laugh at what instantly came up.

Crappy Tire. That’s what we loving use referring to Canadian Tire. An everything kind of hardware store that we love to mock. It was a shock to see it at # 1 spot in the search engine. Too funny.

A fun way to end the post. A good laugh.

Happy Reading y’all.

Free and bargain books November 15, 2022

/ For the Love of Books / Leave a comment

We have books today. One so far anyway, and it’s free. BookRunes brought this one to our attention. I see we’ve read and enjoyed quite a few books from this author in the last two years.

Sealed with Courage: A Christian K9 Romantic Suspense (Called To Protect Book 1) 

Risking their hearts and their lives while protecting the innocent…

Will they find the kidnapped boy in time?

Sign language teacher Aubrey Clark feels responsible when ten-year-old Lucas goes missing. She’s determined to find her deaf student and knows more than she should from reading the lips of the man involved in the boy’s disappearance. Now she’s in the killer’s crosshairs too. Aubrey has little choice but to accept Navy SEAL Mason Gray’s protection, grateful for his help in searching for Lucas.

Mason’s last op as a Navy SEAL had gone sideways, leaving him deaf in one ear and hard of hearing in the other. But he’s not going to let his handicap prevent him and his K9 scent tracker, Bravo, from rescuing a deaf child. Mason has never balked at putting his life on the line for his country or to ensure the safety of women and children. But risking his heart? That wasn’t supposed to be part of the plan . . .

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

LPC Free Books has a FREE suggestion for us too that looks interesting. I have one book in my collection from this author and now I’m looking forward to reading this one.

After the Rain

Debra Hart is moving on. Maybe. Hopefully. One day.

As a radio show host, Debra spends her mornings as Miss Lonely Heart on air, empathizing with all the broken hearts in the Denver metro area. She spends her evenings watching old musicals and trying not to think about the guy who broke up with her and subsequently fell in love with one of her best friends. Alone in a new city, Debra questions where she belongs and who she is now.

When she stumbles into the indie music scene, Debra meets singer Ben Price. Rock star appeal, with a day job as a worship pastor, Ben is everything Debra wants to avoid. But he’s determined to be her friend, and it so happens she could really use one. Because try as she might, nothing seems to erase the anger and betrayal she feels.

It’s time for a new dream. But how does she start over when the pieces of her broken past remain lodged in her heart?

“Brandy Bruce has weaved together a bittersweet tale that had me laughing and crying within a mere three words. Filled with loss, love, and beautiful life, After the Rain will forever be in my heart, sitting on my shelf of favorites.” ~V. Joy Palmer, Author of Love, Lace, and Minor Alterations

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

1531 Entertainment also has a bargain suggestion for us. One I’m not planning to download but will still recommend, especially if you like classic mystery. I’ve read and enjoyed many Agatha Christie novels through the years and my appetite for her books has been more than satisfied but I can still enthusiastically declare that she is worth reading.

At Bertram’s Hotel: A Miss Marple Mystery (Miss Marple Mysteries Book 10) 

At Bertram’s Hotel the intrepid Miss Marple, on holiday in London, must solve a deadly mystery at the end of a chain of very violent events.

An old-fashioned London hotel is not quite as reputable as it makes out to be.…

When Miss Marple comes up from the country for a holiday in London, she finds what she’s looking for at Bertram’s Hotel: traditional decor, impeccable service, and an unmistakable atmosphere of danger behind the highly-polished veneer.

Yet, not even Miss Marple can foresee the violent chain of events set in motion when an eccentric guest makes his way to the airport on the wrong day.…

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

Just for kicks, I went back to examine my Amazon book collection (it’s up to 4169 already) and sorted by the oldest to see when I started. (Spring of 2012.)

I was checking out the books from back then and noticed one by Oscar Wilde The Importance of Being Earnest. I’m not seeing the same cover, and there are lots of them, but this one sums it up well if I remember rightly.

The Importance of Being Earnest: A Trivial Comedy 

This blurb comes with a different cover but it still fits.

The Importance of Being Earnest, A Trivial Comedy for Serious People is a play by Oscar Wilde. First performed on 14 February 1895 at the St James’s Theatre in London, it is a farcical comedy in which the protagonists maintain fictitious personæ to escape burdensome social obligations. Working within the social conventions of late Victorian London, the play’s major themes are the triviality with which it treats institutions as serious as marriage, and the resulting satire of Victorian ways. Some contemporary reviews praised the play’s humour and the culmination of Wilde’s artistic career, while others were cautious about its lack of social messages. Its high farce and witty dialogue have helped make The Importance of Being Earnest Wilde’s most enduringly popular play.

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

I did enjoy the humor in reading this play and I still remember the fun experience.

The title makes me smile and immediately reminds me of another favorite old line. Not sure where it originated from but it’s probably old enough to be public domain.

“You be Frank and I’ll be Ernest”

On that lighthearted note . . .

Happy Reading y’all

Current read September 03, 2022

/ For the Love of Books / 2 Comments

I love it. It’s a mystery with all sorts of skulduggery and tension. There are great characters with deep secrets and broken relationships. Things change as we mature and sometimes childhood friendships have a difficult time surviving adulthood. The story is awesome with many twists and turns but the element that makes it special for me is the author’s sense of humor. Delightful scenarios and dialogue to bring on smiles and even laughter.

It’s still a bargain price, grab it quick. It’s so entertaining you will be glad you did. One of the characters is probably fashioned after the author. Very funny.

To Steal a Heart (The Bleecker Street Inquiry Agency Book #1)

After a childhood as a street thief, Gabriella Goodhue thought she’d put her past behind her until a fellow resident at her boardinghouse is unjustly accused of theft. In the middle of breaking into a safe that holds the proof to prove her friend’s innocence, Gabriella is interrupted by Nicholas Quinn, the man she once considered her best friend–until he abandoned her.

After being taken under the wing of a professor who introduced him into society and named him as heir, Nicholas is living far removed from his childhood life of crime. As a favor to a friend, Nicholas agreed to help clear the name of an innocent woman, never imagining he’d be reunited with the girl he thought lost to him forever.

As Gabriella and Nicholas are thrown together into one intrigue after another, their childhood affection grows into more, but their newfound feelings are tested when truths about their past are revealed and danger follows their every step.   

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

Haven’t seen much today in regard to bargain books and certainly nothing I was tempted to read. Tomorrow is another day though.

Right now, I’m headed back to laundry and reading, we are at a good part and I need to know what is going on. A new character has been introduced and it’s unclear how he fits into all of this with a bunch of crazy ladies.

Happy reading y’all.

Bargain books August 09, 2022

/ For the Love of Books / Leave a comment

BookBub has an interesting suggestion from an author on my favorites list.

Her First Love: A Christian Veteran Romance (Patriot Peak Book 2)

Can an attraction turn into a forever love?

Israel Martinez was attracted to Tiffany the first time he saw her, so much so that when he gets out of the military, he decides to make Courage, Colorado his home. But will she return his feelings or will he be forced to look elsewhere?

Tiffany’s only desire has been to be a mother for as long as she can remember, but none of the men she’s dated have supported her desire. When she meets Israel, she wonders if finally she’s found the right man, but when she receives news that throws her world upside down, will she throw it all away?

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

1531 Entertainment has a suggestion with an author new to us, although we have read this author three times recently.

Crystal Clear: A Contemporary Small-town Interracial Christmas romance (Romance In The Rockies Book 5)

It’s Crystal Clear he’s never going to risk his heart again and she risks hers too easily. But stuck in this small town for Christmas, can they unwrap the true gift of love?

Sheltered accountant Ena Chinen aches to prove herself after being sequestered on her family’s island resort. But when she attends a conference in Colorado Springs weeks before Christmas and her new “boyfriend” steals, not her heart, but her car, purse, and laptop, all she proves is how naïve she is. So how can she go home and tell her family she’s compromised their business by losing a laptop with sensitive information?

Noah Buzz works well with his hands, but he’s never managed to work with his heart. As the small town’s only contractor, he builds love into the community with every project he takes on, but he won’t risk that love to a woman’s rejection again. So, he’s constructed a wall around his heart—and any walls he builds are meant to last a lifetime. But when Ena shows up, how could he not offer to help the fragile stranger track down an elusive thief?

As they work to recover her lost belongings, neither expects to recover their hearts and fall in love. Can they trust their feelings and build a lasting relationship, or will their fears leave them alone forever?

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

Browsing I came across a bargain from an author we’ve seen often but not so much lately. I’m in chapter two reading the sample and this will definitely be my next read. It may even replace my current read. It’s definitely more exciting, at this point anyway. The story line does have a lot pf promise.

No Fake Dating for a Cowboy (Escape to Cowboy Crossing Book 1) 

Small-town romance with faith, humor, and more than a dash of danger!

A woman in jeopardy, a cowboy turned small-town cop grieving his fiancée, and a relationship too real to be fake… Escape to Cowboy Crossing, where people care about each other, romances are sweet and swoony, and six cowboy brothers with hot Irish blood fall in love when they least expect it.

When her foster siblings are in danger, former policewoman Jessie Ashford makes sure their temporary home in a small town far from their home place is fortress strong. After her ex shot at her, her heart is just as tough and secure. But when a local cop helps investigate suspicious incidents that threaten her friends’ safety, her defenses start to crumble. Yet, abandoned so many times, can she open her heart again before it’s too late?

While Jessie wears a chip on her shoulder, Ronan O’Neill wears his heart on his uniform sleeve. He’s already lost one woman he loved to a dangerous profession and is still reeling. But Ronan can’t let something happen to the mysterious newcomer. Will she take his heart when she leaves? Because she’ll do anything to protect the secret that spans many years—or die trying.

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

It has been another good book day.

Happy Reading y’all

Bargain books July 30, 2022

/ For the Love of Books / Leave a comment

I’m back. It’s been great spending the last two weeks camping with my kids and their kids. Good times. Even with the wild thunder storms. I’m sad to see it end, it has been an awesome experience for us all to be together again for the first time since 2018. Six years is a long time in the life of a child. They have all become young adults or are close to it. Camping is done but we still have a few more days before they all head home, and we are making the most of it.

Along with enjoying family, it’s time to get back to book browsing and I am looking forward to it too. The read and enjoyed list has grown too and that will need to be shared soon as well.

This first current suggestion was from 1531 Entertainment, in Regency genre with an author unknown to me. It looks interesting and worth a chance.

Lord of Worth (Ladies of Worth series Book 3)

London 1776: Lord Worth is busying himself restoring his family fortunes and burying any feelings he still harbours for the woman who rejected his proposal.

The fact that the lady in question—Lady Rebecca Fairing—happens to be his sister’s best friend, his niece’s godmother, and present at every Societal gathering of consequence is… unfortunate.

Meanwhile Rebecca fears she made the wrong decision in rejecting James Worth, but when he assures her he won’t be renewing his proposal, she is forced to accept her choice. It doesn’t take long for the eligible Lord Worth to attract other suitors, among them Lady Sophia, daughter to Society’s most notorious gossip, Lady Goring.

Rebecca knows she must step aside and allow James to find happiness, but when she senses all is not as it seems in the Goring family, she can’t help but intervene.

As James and Rebecca work together to unearth Societal secrets, deal with scheming matriarchs, and face villainous highwaymen, they find themselves more in each other’s company than ever before.

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

BookBub also has an interesting suggestion. We have seen this author before but not very often. I’m looking forward to experiencing her again.

The Crushing Depths (Coastal Guardians Book #2)

When an accident claims the life of an oil-rig worker on the first drilling platform off the North Carolina coast, Coast Guard investigators Rissi Dawson and Mason Rogers are sent to take the case. Tensions surrounding the oil rig are high and the death has everyone on edge. Environmental activists are threatening to do whatever it takes to stop the structure from being completed, while rumors are being whispered about ancient curses surrounding this part of the ocean.

Mounting evidence shows the death may not have been an accident at all. Was he killed by one of the activists or, perhaps more frighteningly, a member of his own crew? Rissi and Mason have to sort through not only a plethora of suspects, but also their own past and attraction to each other.

Just as the case seems like it’ll break open, worse news arrives. A tropical storm has turned their way and soon they’re cut off from any rescue–and right where the killer wants them. It’s a race to discover his identity before he eliminates the threat they pose.

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

My current read is a delight. I love stories with angels and guardian angels, they add a new dimension with abilities far beyond those of us poor humans. They can appear and disappear at the most unexpected times and say and do things that leave us shaking our heads. Angels add a whole new level of possibility to any story and it’s usually a fun ride. It is definitely fun in this collection. I’m reading number four of seven.

Albert the angel is on assingment!

Because let’s face it, sometimes romance needs a little help …

Albert: Angel Box Collection One

Watching the Wrangler: 

Arabella Simpson’s family lived a nomadic life. Now they were in Creede, Colorado and it was no different than other place they’d stayed and high-tailed it out of. But, she had to admit, the scenery was beautiful and in more ways than one.

If she didn’t stop watching the wrangler at the neighboring ranch, they might have to vamoose for a reason other than her father’s gambling habit. Can two people determined not to fall in love find it? Maybe with a little help from one of Albert’s friend, Hansel, they can …

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

The angels are doing a good job, so far they have managed to be successful in all their assignments. It will be fun to see how this one will go.

I will see you again soon.

Happy reading!

This and that, July 08, 2022

/ For the Love of Books / Leave a comment
Photo by Kampus Production on Pexels.com

This is a just a start talking kind of day. With no book suggestions and no hot topics rolling around in my head I’ve got nothing.

Well, there is one topic consuming many of my thoughts the last few months. It centers around a few possible ideas for the rest of my life, or at least a good chunk of it.

The favorite idea at the moment involves selling my house and buying an RV, one that is big but not too big and insulated well enough to be an all season recreational vehicle. It could be my home as I travel the country visiting friends and family. Have house – will travel.

It’s not an idea unique to me, it seems to be a new trend in a certain segment of the population. The beginning of this whole idea for me was prompted by a decision to leave my solitude behind and be out and about, among people. I was thinking a year of travelling maybe. The plan has grown far beyond that now.

To move forward with this idea I need to investigate a big vehicle like this to see if I even feel comfortable driving it. A test drive has to be on hold for now though because this is the summer all my kids are in town. We have plans. Next weekend we are heading out camping. In tents. It will be fun.

I was looking forward to a ladies kayaking afternoon but it might not be a good idea for me to go with them. My tail bone is still sore from the two hours spent with one of my grandsons last weekend. I noticed the seat had no padding but like the novice that I am it didn’t occur to me until it was much too late to be concerned. We had a good time and I wouldn’t change a thing. I loved the experience and he was happy just to be on the water.

Most of my activities this week involved sitting, aggravating the sore bone even more. I need a stand up desk. Hmmm. I don’t think that would work well in an RV.

The picture above is along the lines of what I’m thinking of only a little bigger.

But, back to the present…

I had a good time tonight pulling overgrown weeds in my front flower bed. With all the rain and then heat we’ve had this summer everything has grown like a jungle. I’d swear you could watch them grow. It’s a good thing it’s the weekend, I hope to get lots cleaned up and looking pretty over the next two days.

I’m planning to enjoy the weekend. Wishing you a great weekend too.

Photo by Spencer Gurley Films on Pexels.com

This looks a bit like the lake we were on.

I had beginners luck (not knowing what I was doing) and my jeans were soaked from water falling off the paddles. Who knew they shouldn’t be raised so high.

Read and enjoyed. June 27, 2022

/ For the Love of Books / Leave a comment

This story turned out to be every bit as good as expected.

And, I’ve added this new, and new-to-me author to my favorites list with no waiting around for a second experience before deciding. It was well written and fun, The intricate pattern of interaction between multiple characters (family, friends, and fellow workers) held up to the very end.

There were many cool aspects to the story but the one standing out most for me was the story within the story. Savannah was an acquisitions editor and a wannabe writer. In the end it was hard to tell where the story I was reading and the story she was writing ended. The blend was so subtle. Which one was which or are they both the same? That’s the question I’m left with. It’s a good question, I like it.

Meet Me in the Margins 

Savannah Cade’s dreams are coming true. The Claire Donovan, editor-in-chief of the most successful romance imprint in the country, has requested to see the manuscript Savannah’s been secretly writing while working as editor herself—except at her publishing house, the philosophy is only highbrow works are worth printing and commercial fiction, particularly romance, should be reserved for the lowest level of Dante’s inferno. But when Savannah drops her manuscript during a staff meeting and nearly exposes herself to the whole company—including William Pennington, new publisher and son of the romance-despising CEO herself—she races to hide her manuscript in the secret turret room of the old Victorian office.

When she returns, she’s dismayed to discover that someone has not only been in her hidden nook but has written notes in the margins—quite critical ones. But when Claire’s own reaction turns out to be nearly identical to the scribbled remarks, and worse, Claire announces that Savannah has six weeks to resubmit before she retires, Savannah finds herself forced to seek the help of the shadowy editor after all.

As their notes back and forth start to fill up the pages, however, Savannah finds him not just becoming pivotal to her work but her life. There’s no doubt about it. She’s falling for her mystery editor. If she only knew who he was.

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

I forgot to mention; this book kept me reading far too late and would have kept me longer but common sense won out while there was sill a little night left.

Excellent book. Looking forward to more.

Bargain book June 24, 2022

/ For the Love of Books / Leave a comment

1531 Entertainment has a bargain suggestion that sounds like it will be a lot of fun. This is our first introduction to this author too.

Meet Me in the Margins

Savannah Cade’s dreams are coming true. The Claire Donovan, editor-in-chief of the most successful romance imprint in the country, has requested to see the manuscript Savannah’s been secretly writing while working as editor herself—except at her publishing house, the philosophy is only highbrow works are worth printing and commercial fiction, particularly romance, should be reserved for the lowest level of Dante’s inferno. But when Savannah drops her manuscript during a staff meeting and nearly exposes herself to the whole company—including William Pennington, new publisher and son of the romance-despising CEO herself—she races to hide her manuscript in the secret turret room of the old Victorian office.

When she returns, she’s dismayed to discover that someone has not only been in her hidden nook but has written notes in the margins—quite critical ones. But when Claire’s own reaction turns out to be nearly identical to the scribbled remarks, and worse, Claire announces that Savannah has six weeks to resubmit before she retires, Savannah finds herself forced to seek the help of the shadowy editor after all.

As their notes back and forth start to fill up the pages, however, Savannah finds him not just becoming pivotal to her work but her life. There’s no doubt about it. She’s falling for her mystery editor. If she only knew who he was.

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

That’s all we have for today but it looks interesting enough to make up for being the only one.

My current read is an engaging story and I do like it. My disappointment is in the writing style. I prefer show rather than tell and this author uses tell. I will keep on with it because I want to know what happens, not just how it ends.

Ben in Love: A Ben Mitchell/Titus Ray Thriller (Ben Mitchell/Titus Ray Thrillers)

I’m this far along in the story.

Ben’s love life is complicated . . .
Ben claims to be in love with Kamila Hanim, the daughter of an exiled Muslim cleric, who’s been accused of trying to overthrow the Turkish government. Titus doesn’t believe him. He thinks Ben is in love with Jennifer, another CIA operative. Can Ben’s feelings for Jennifer survive his deception?

Ben’s love life is confusing . . .
After Titus decides to put Ben under surveillance, he follows him to a compound in northern Virginia, where he discovers Ben is entangled in a duplicitous joint operation involving the FBI and an operative from Titus’s past. Will Titus be able to share his newfound faith with an old enemy?

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

It’s Friday. It’s hot, muggy, and thunder/lightening stormy. A good day for reading.

It was stormy and rainy earlier today with unfulfilled promises of more. Heavy duty noises are starting up in the heavens and looking at the swollen clouds much more is on the way.

At least I don’t have to water.

There is always a silver lining.

Happy reading this weekend y’all.

Bargain books May 03, 2022

/ For the Love of Books / Leave a comment

1531 Entertainment has a suggestion we were introduced to last year. I’m thinking it was a good read but can’t be 100% sure. Maybe if I thought on it longer the memory fog would clear. We will consider it again anyway. Seems to me there were a satisfying number of humorous moments.

The Perfect Spy: A Clean Romantic Suspense (An Untapped Source Book 1)

She’s got the best undercover crew. But will a sinister secret undo them?

Kate Ross has lost way too much in the last six months. With her mother’s death from breast cancer, an agent she handled killed on the job, and her career in jeopardy, the beleaguered CIA officer’s faith in God seems like another casualty. So she’s relieved to be offered a shot at redemption by managing an innovative team of “mom spies”… until they saddle her with a more experienced man as a babysitter.

Battling self-doubt and a loss of confidence in her espionage skills, Kate directs a smoothly successful first mission for the unit. But just as she opens up to her kind and encouraging supervisor, she suspects he’s withholding key information when the subject of their next assignment is his ex-wife. And the only solution to her predicament may be prayers she has no expectation will be answered.

Can Kate find the guiding light to solve the case before her personal crisis threatens national security?

The Perfect Spy is the thrilling first book in the An Untapped Source romantic suspense series. If you like undeniable chemistry, page-turning tension, and Christian values in action, then you’ll love Amy Martinsen’s fast-paced novel.

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

This author has two more interesting bargains that I have not read. After the first chapter in one of them I’m hooked. I need to know what happens next!

The Secret Obituary Writer: A Clean Small Town Romantic Comedy 

She’s the biggest secret in town.

Lizzy’s secret job is to write obituaries that tell the truth. 
She loves it. The town loves it. No one wants this messed up.

But the details of a mysterious death may expose her identity and ruin everything. 

Jackson’s a handsome detective who can help. 
He also has dimples . . . and a few secrets of his own.

Can their budding attraction survive?
Will Lizzy’s job remain hush-hush? 

The Secret Obituary Writer is a laugh-out-loud, heart-warming romance that feels good to the very last page!

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

The Secret Obituary Writer: Book Two – A Clean Small Town Romantic Comedy

Secrets are hard to keep in a small town.

Lizzy’s the biggest secret in town and everyone loves it.

But when a threatening note demands Lizzy’s identity, she and her detective boyfriend, Jackson, must take drastic steps to keep Lizzy safe.

And when the threats escalate, they must ask the hard question: is this the end of the secret obituaries?

The Secret Obituary: Book Two is a fun read full of plot-twists, with a HEA you don’t want to miss!

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

Lately I’ve been happy with the relative scarcity of new books, it’s a good thing to slow things down a bit for my growing pile. Sometimes the excitement of new books will override every speck of whatever good intentions there are available.

Books that cause excitement are the best.