historical fiction

Bargain books September 19, 2022

/ For the Love of Books / Leave a comment

BookRunes has a bargain suggestion for us and I’m excited about it. I’ve not read this author but I’m hooked on the first few pages and can’t wait to read the rest.

Searching for Anna: A Clean, Historical Christian Romance (Love in Lansing Book 1)

An impoverished seamstress. A wealthy suitor. An entangled past that could tear them apart.

A historical Christian romance from debut author Jenifer Carll-Tong.

As the Great War rages in Europe, Anna Gibson struggles to make ends meet as a seamstress in a small dress shop in Lansing, Michigan. She is content with her life. Or, so she thinks. However, a handsome suitor from her former life unexpectedly reappears, and she finds herself questioning her future when he begins to open doors to her past.

Warren Mallory has never taken life too seriously…until now. Suddenly, he is very serious about finding the amber-eyed beauty that has haunted his thoughts since she left him standing alone on that street corner. And once he has, he doesn’t plan to let her vanish again.

But even as fate draws them together, the sparks of chemistry are doused when a mysterious package and a long-hidden secret threaten to drive them apart. Can Anna forgive the past in order to be with Warren, or will pride and misconceptions make her walk away from the only man she has ever loved?

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

1531 Entertainment has several suggestions for us. One new to us, one we’ve seen before but have not read.

Under the Hibiscus (Suamalie Islands)

Do you have to give God two-weeks’ notice when you quit the ministry?

After a lifetime of being her father’s right-hand girl, Ezra gets a small taste of freedom during her friend’s honeymoon visit to the Suamalie islands and decides enough is enough. All she needs is to find a replacement secretary, teacher, project manager, accountant… et cetera.

In fact, what he needs is a wife.

Scott Keil intended to serve the Lord on St. Alyn Island for life. He just never intended to do it without his wife. So, when his daughter begins balking at being saddled with a ministry she never signed up for, he knows he needs to find a replacement for her. And well, she’s right. A wife who loves organization and serving the Lord would be the perfect solution.

But only one woman interests him and loves his ministry nearly as much as he does. Natalie Dershem—the event planner at St. Alyn’s newest resort. Why did she have to be nearly as young as his daughter… and so intriguing?

Under the Hibiscus is the introductory Christmas “noella” in the brand-new, Suamalie Islands Series from Celebrate Lit Publishing. Grab this May/December Christmas romance today.

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

A Lady in Attendance

Five years in a New York state reformatory have left a blemish on Hazel’s real name. So when she takes a job as Doctor Gilbert Watts’s lady in attendance in 1898, she does so under an alias. In the presence of her quiet and pious employer, Hazel finds more than an income. She finds a friend and a hope that if she can set her tarnished past in order, she might have a future after all.

As Gilbert becomes accustomed to the pleasant chatter of his new dental assistant, he can’t help but sense something secretive about her. Perhaps there is more to this woman than meets the eye. Can the questions that loom between them ever be answered? Or will the deeds of days gone by forever rob the future of its possibilities?

Rachel Fordham pens a tender tale of a soft-spoken man, a hardened woman, and the friends that stand by them as they work toward a common purpose–to expunge the record of someone society deemed beyond saving–and perhaps find love along the way.

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

This last one, it turns out I did read half of it and abandoned it. Maybe the growing list of partly read books had gotten so long that I gave up on them and moved on. I will give this one another shot to see what’s what.

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

Hold on a minute, we aren’t done yet.

I found another had-to-have bargain, you guys. I couldn’t pass it up. Mainly because I’m hooked after a few pages and have to know what happens next.

Hiding in Montana (Rocky Mountain K-9 Unit Book 3)

A fugitive at large…

This K-9 is on his trail.

To save a woman from being kidnapped, Officer Chris Fuller and his K-9 partner, Teddy, have no choice but to let the fugitive they’re tracking get away. But when the escaped murderer returns to hunt tour pilot Lexie McDaniels again, Chris knows the attempted kidnapping wasn’t a chance encounter. Lexie won’t be safe until he catches the criminal…but are her secrets what is endangering them all?

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

I’m out of here, before anything else shows up.

Happy Reading y’all

Bargain books September 17, 2022

/ For the Love of Books / Leave a comment

Not much happening today with books. BookBub has a couple of suggestions we’ve seen before, which is actually good for me right now. I don’t need any more books at the moment. I will share them again though, just to have something to say.

I do remember reading these, I liked them both but the second one was my favorite.

See Me : A sweet, faith-filled fake engagement story

It’s love at first sight when reclusive inventor Jesse Buckley meets unemployed music teacher Bronte, moonlighting as a take-out delivery driver. Okay, so splattering guacamole and sour cream over them both wasn’t the best way to impress the woman he hopes to make his wife, but from here on the only way is up, right? Still, maybe offering her a job as his chauffeur and personal assistant wasn’t one of his best ideas.

It means he’ll see her almost every day, sure. It also means, as one of his employees, she’s out-of-bounds. Besides, though he’s had to admit to his failing eyesight, he hasn’t told her yet that one day he’ll become completely blind. And he’s managed to keep the little fact he’s one of the wealthy owners of the business a secret, letting her believe he’s just another staff member.

Desperate to untangle the mess a con man left her life and her finances in, Bronte gratefully said yes to the job Jesse offered her. Spending most of her time with a sweet, kind, handsome guy she could easily fall head-over-heels for wasn’t supposed to be part of the deal. After all, the last man she thought loved her stole everything she had. Her home, her inheritance, her music, her faith, and most of all, her trust in her own judgment. A new love isn’t on her wish list, especially when she can’t shake the feeling Jesse’s hiding something from her.

What neither counted on was Jesse’s ailing grandmother and her determination to see him settled with the right woman. First she beguiles them into a fake engagement neither will admit they want to make real. Then she maneuvers them into accompanying her on a trip to Chapel Cove to visit his former PA, Nai. Could it be, the spring vacation in a small Oregon seaside town will bring love, renewed faith, and God’s sweet healing for them all?

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

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. 

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

A large chunk of my time today was spent on YouTube. It was good in a way, but in some ways it was a waste of time. The content was repetitive in many cases. I can’t say it added value to my life but I enjoyed my time. It’s addictive which is the whole point I’m guessing. There are some sites that do add value to my life, I need to develop the habit of spending more time with them and less on the other ones.

At this point I’d better go read a book for a while. Get this current one finished, I’m so close to the end.

If I can get it done then I get to see what comes up next. I don’t take them in order, That’s no fun. It’s more fun to browse and see what catches my interest. I think I would avoid reading if I had to stick to the order they arrived. Being forced to read something sounds like drudgery.

This way it’ll be a nice (hopefully) surprise.

Happy Reading!

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

Bargain book part two September 13, 2022

/ For the Love of Books / Leave a comment

Things have changed. I stumbled on an interesting bargain book so we have something new after all. On top of that it is time travel and Sci-Fi. I have read and enjoyed this author in the past and the first few pages look good so I’m excited about this one.

Come Back to Me (Waters of Time Book #1)

The ultimate cure that could heal any disease? Crazy.

That’s exactly what research scientist Marian Creighton has always believed about her father’s quest, even if it does stem from a desire to save her sister Ellen from the genetic disease that stole their mother from them. But when her father falls into a coma after drinking a vial of holy water believed to contain traces of residue from the Tree of Life, Marian must question all of her assumptions. He’s left behind tantalizing clues that suggest he’s crossed back in time. Insane. Until Marian tests his theories and finds herself in the Middle Ages during a dangerous peasant uprising.

William Durham, a valiant knight comes to Marian’s rescue and offers her protection . . . as his wife. The longer Marian stays in the past, the more she cares about William. Can she ever find her father and make it back to the present to heal her sister? And when the time comes to leave, will she want to?

Bestselling author Jody Hedlund is your guide down the twisting waters of time to a volatile era of superstition, revolts, and chivalry in this suspenseful story.

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

Too bad it’s so close to time for lights out. The temptation to read is rather high right now. But I won’t. Too many late nights in a row already this week.

Once more. . .

Happy Reading y’all.

Read and enjoyed September 09, 2022

/ For the Love of Books / Leave a comment

Three books in a row, great books. Every one of them kept me reading much too late at night but the last one read was the best one. They were well written (less-well is a distraction to me. that’s the trouble with reading so many books, it’s easy to become picky about likes and dislikes,) and there was a satisfying amount of meat on the bones of the story.

There were a few things in each book that were less than thrilling but in the long run they were minor when stacked up against the good. Best one first.

Buried Cold Case Secrets (Deputies of Anderson County Book 1)

Recovering her missing memories

could be the key to solving a murder

Searching for her best friend’s remains could help forensic anthropologist Melanie Hutton regain her memories of when they were both kidnapped—unless the killer gets to Melanie first.

For her safety, Melanie must rely on Detective Jason Cooper, who still blames her for his sister’s death. Can Jason set the past aside to solve the cold-case murder…and shield Melanie from the same fate?

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

This next story turned out to be much better than expected. A pleasant surprise, indeed. It may even be a tie for first place on this favorites list, now that I refresh my memory of the story.

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.

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

Last but not least another good book.

Risky Ambition (Vanishing Ranch Book 3)

Former Navy fighter pilot Nate Casper, also known as Ghost, splits his time between flying jet-setting celebrities around the world and volunteering to help with rescues at Vanishing Ranch. When movie star Chesney Blake books a trip with him, Ghost sets aside his attraction to her in order to remain professional.

But when his flight plan gets waylaid by a barrage of bullets, putting Chesney in danger, his intention of keeping his distance takes a nosedive.

Chesney Blake needs a break before filming her next movie. But when her getaway erupts into nothing short of chaos and her pilot transforms into her protector, her vacation plans are forgotten. Does someone really want her dead? Or was she even the intended target?

As more incidents threaten their safety, Chesney and Ghost set out to uncover the truth. But as they get closer to finding answers, Chesney is faced with a fate worse than she ever imagined—even worse than death itself.

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

The last two are still on at bargain prices if you are interested.

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 September 02, 2022

/ For the Love of Books / Leave a comment

1531 Entertainment has a couple of bargain suggestions for us.

This first one is an author we’ve read and enjoyed multiple times.

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.  

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

It looks like book 2 in this series is also on at a bargain price. I can’t resist it.

To Write a Wrong (The Bleecker Street Inquiry Agency Book #2) 

Miss Daphne Beekman is a mystery writer by day, inquiry agent by night. Known for her ability to puzzle out plots, she prefers working behind the scenes for the Bleecker Street Inquiry Agency, staying well away from danger. However, Daphne soon finds herself in the thick of an attempted murder case she’s determined to solve.

Mr. Herman Henderson is also a mystery writer, but unlike the dashing heroes he pens, he lives a quiet life, determined to avoid the fate of his adventurous parents, who perished on an expedition when he was a child. But when he experiences numerous attempts on his life, he seeks out the services of the eccentric Bleecker Street Inquiry Agency to uncover the culprit. All too soon, Herman finds himself stepping out of the safe haven of his world and into an adventure he never imagined.

As the list of suspects grows and sinister plots are directed Daphne’s way as well, Herman and Daphne must determine who they can trust and if they can risk the greatest adventure of all: love.

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

The second suggestion from 1531 Entertainment is an author I’ve not read. The intro looks good so I’m taking a chance on this one. This will be a thriller, I’m guessing.

Buried Cold Case Secrets (Deputies of Anderson County Book 1)

Recovering her missing memories

could be the key to solving a murder

Searching for her best friend’s remains could help forensic anthropologist Melanie Hutton regain her memories of when they were both kidnapped—unless the killer gets to Melanie first. For her safety, Melanie must rely on Detective Jason Cooper, who still blames her for his sister’s death. Can Jason set the past aside to solve the cold-case murder…and shield Melanie from the same fate?

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

A good looking lineup just in time for the long weekend, last one of summer.

Happy Reading!

Short and sweet August 31, 2022

/ For the Love of Books / Leave a comment

I lost track of time, so caught up in the story.

I have two books to share. The regency mystery/romance from yesterday and a current romance set in modern day.

My favorite thing about the Regency read, aside from the great story was the setting. I love large old places filled with mysterious histories, hidden stairs, tunnels, and secret rooms. The other nice thing about the era is the opportunity for scenarios that would never work in our day and age. This story was full of all of that.

When Miss Rebecca Lane returns to her home village after a few years away, her brother begs for a favor: go to nearby Swanford Abbey and deliver his manuscript to an author staying there who could help him get published. Feeling responsible for her brother’s desperate state, she reluctantly agrees.

The medieval monastery turned grand hotel is rumored to be haunted. Once there, Rebecca begins noticing strange things, including a figure in a hooded black gown gliding silently through the abbey’s cloisters. For all its renovations and veneer of luxury, the ancient foundations seem to echo with whispers of the past–including her own. For there she encounters Sir Frederick–magistrate, widower, and former neighbor–who long ago broke her heart.

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

My favorite thing about this story was the author’s careful treatment of the heartache, hopes, wishes and loves of each character. The main characters were well developed but so were many of the rest of the large family. I couldn’t put this down. It received 5 stars too.

A baby’s future hangs in the balance, sparking a heart-rending mystery. Why didn’t Cash’s sister leave him guardianship of her daughter?

Instead, she leaves her infant in her friend Jane’s care. Though a lifelong friend, Jane isn’t family. And the baby is the only family Cash has left. He insists on being involved in raising his young niece. In the midst of this, strange things start happening at Jane’s dress shop. Can the two overcome their differences–and perhaps build a new family together? Only if his heart of stone can be softened. From a Carol Award-winning author: a faith-filled, second chance romance with a touch of mystery.

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

Must go before I turn into a pumpkin.

Happy Reading y’all

Read and enjoyed August 30, 2022

/ For the Love of Books / Leave a comment

This was a good reading week. Three good books in a row. Well four actually, if we count the current read.

This first one was my favorite. It kept me glued to the book until the end when it was awarded my illusive five stars. I think the interactions of the characters drew me in the most. They were real, mature in their attitudes and actions, and down to earth in their view of life. The story was plausible, interesting, and moved along at a good pace. And bonus, it was full of tense, hair-raising moments.

This book is still a bargain, grab it quick. Lisa has a number of other books on at a bargain price too, not sure how long they will last. I have most of them already so I’m good.

Hunted

Danger around every corner.

When zoologist Elise Tanner is brought home to re-open a zoo destroyed by flood, she takes on more than she bargained for. This single mom is determined to set up her son Chase for his future, but the cost might prove too high when she runs into the last man she wants to see again.

US Marshal Jonah Rivers is the head of a Fugitive Apprehension Task Force hunting Elise’s brother. When a threat brings them together, both Elise and Jonah must contend with their shared past. There isn’t a moment of his life she wasn’t a part of…until she married his brother. Connected by grief and the betrayal of his family, the future they want is just out of reach.

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

This next one was awesome too. The thing I liked best about this one was the story. The characters were great but the story grabbed me and held on. It did not end anything like what I expected, at least not until the last few pages when significant clues were dropped. Even at that though, the why and the resolution I did not see coming. Awesome ending. Unique.

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.

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

This next one is with a favorite and prolific author. I’ve downloaded 63 of her books in the last 10 years and read all but 15 of them. Chautona writes in a number of different styles but the one I like the best is mystery. It could be that I am a mystery fan but I think it’s her voice . . . it’s different when she is writing in this genre. I like it, a lot. I’ve read book 1 and now I need to read book 2.

Justified Means (The Agency Files Book 1)

How could she not be terrified?

When Erika Polowski is abducted from her bed and held captive without explanation, she has one goal. Get away before they kill her.

Keith Auger’s job as an agent is to keep Erika safe—even if it means keeping her locked in an abandoned cabin in the middle of nowhere. At gunpoint..

What should be a routine “involuntary extraction” goes south when someone finds out where they’re hiding. Add to that a coworker with a chip on her shoulder and too many unexplained “accidents,” and it all adds up to one unlikely, terrifying explanation..

There’s a mole in The Agency..

He’s promised to protect her, but can Erika trust a man whose job it is to hold people against their wills? Does his deep faith make it any better or just a whole lot creepier?

And just who wants Erika dead anyway?.

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

I think I’ll save my current read for another post.

Or maybe I’ll share the cover now and share my thoughts in another post.

I’m a little surprised with how well I’m enjoying this read.

Shadows of Swanford Abbey

The medieval monastery turned grand hotel is rumored to be haunted. Once there, Rebecca begins noticing strange things, including a figure in a hooded black gown gliding silently through the abbey’s cloisters. For all its renovations and veneer of luxury, the ancient foundations seem to echo with whispers of the past–including her own. For there she encounters Sir Frederick–magistrate, widower, and former neighbor–who long ago broke her heart.

When the famous author is found murdered in the abbey, Sir Frederick begins questioning staff and guests and quickly discovers that several people held grudges against the man, including Miss Lane and her brother. Haunted by a painful betrayal in his past, Sir Frederick searches for answers but is torn between his growing feelings for Rebecca and his pursuit of the truth. For Miss Lane is clearly hiding something. . . .

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

This was a perfect day to share read books, mainly because there were no suggestions that interested me. I didn’t think they would interest most of you either. Tomorrow may be better.

Until then,

Happy Reading