historical fiction

Free and bargain books July 31, 2021

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BookRunes has a FREE suggestion for us today. This is a long book by an author I’ve not read before. The reviews look good though.

Training Lord Somerset (The Heart of Dorset Series: Book 1) A Clean & Sweet Regency Historical Romance Novel

Amazon quote:

He will see past her scars; she will look past his fear to the brave soul inside…But are their hearts strong enough to seize their one chance at happiness?

A terrible accident left Lydia Stanley in charge of her younger siblings and a Duchy to boot! Two years later, the scar on her face is the only reminder of the day she lost everything: her parents, her innocence, and all marriage prospects…

As the new Earl of Somerset, Humphrey Berkeley is expected to know everything about running an estate. But his father’s indifference towards his youngest son has left Humphrey not only emotionally traumatized but also untrained in running an estate…

The late Duke of Dorset’s steward-and daughter- seems like the perfect tutor for the young Earl, but their business arrangement never included falling in love…

Will they find it in them to conquer their inner demons and claim their happiness, or will they succumb to fear and live forever in misery…?

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My current read has just been started so it’s a little early to tell but I’ve enjoyed other books by this author so I’m expecting good things. It’s still on offer at a bargain price.

Fatal Strike

There’s a killer on the loose in Galveston, targeting law enforcement officials and using a fatal injection of snake venom to take them down. Authorities have reasons to believe the Veneno gang is behind the hits, and FBI Agents Leah Riesel and Jon Colbert team up to track down those responsible. Their best lead is an eyewitness who identifies a young man dumping the third body on a church doorstep. But their suspect has gone into hiding, and those closest to him are reluctant to reveal anything that might help investigators find him.

As Leah and Jon check connections among the victims and dig deeper into motives, they discover appearances may be deceiving. Someone is desperate to keep their secrets hidden, and Leah and Jon must face their greatest fears in order to stop the next fatal strike.

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Happy reading …

… on this Saturday with weather that can’t decide what it wants to do or be.

Read and enjoyed July 30, 2021

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This collection was my favorite recent read and there was even a favorite in the midst of these six. Book 5 Sharp as Steele was, without question, my favorite. I managed to finish the whole thing sooner than expected as books 3 and 6 appeared somewhere else along my reading path and I didn’t feel the need to read them more than once.

Tightrope by Mary Alford and more

Amazon quote for book 5:

SHARP AS STEELE
A too handsome for his own good private investigator.
A stalker who claims she is his.
A new job turns deadly.
A final confrontation could end it all.
Can Lana and Lance out run a man filled with an insane desire to claim Lana as his own?

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What’s next? It’s a tough decision.

Maybe I’ll try the Western cowboy style read this time. I’m looking for a single book rather than a collection for a read or two. It should help things move along a little faster, hopefully. I don’t believe I’ve read this author before either. I’ll try and let you know what it as like.

Cassandra and the Cowboy (Texas Treasures Book 1) 

Cassandra Pickett is one prayer away from giving up on God.

The tragic death of her father and the devastating results of the Great Drought of 1886 have centered the family ranch in the crosshairs of the Goose Neck Ridge Bank of Texas. Desperate to save the Triple P, Cassandra sees only one option: marriage to Phillip Brigham, the local cattle baron, who has promised to repay her father’s loan.

Matt Atkins is a man driven by his mission.
When the enigmatic cowboy shows up looking for a job, he convinces Cassandra that he’ll be an asset to the ranch. As they work side by side, Cassandra’s feelings for Matt deepen, and she envisions the possibility of marrying for love, not for necessity. But her dreams are shattered when she discovers that Matt harbors a hidden agenda for the Triple P. Will Cassandra have to turn to Phillip after all, or will God take the shards of her broken dreams and create something beyond what she dared hope for?

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Happy reading y’all.

Free and bargain books July 30, 2021

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BookBub has several bargain book suggestions for us. I’ve read and enjoyed book 1 in this first series and I’m looking forward to this new one even though it’s book 4. They are stand alone and don’t have to be read in order which is very nice.

The Captain’s Quest (The Leeward Islands Series Book 4) 

Amazon quote:

Innocent mistakes can have dire consequences. 

Pricilla Middleton only attended the Lemoore house party to keep her friend out of trouble. Now, her only chance to keep from becoming a gossip column headline is to sneak aboard her brother’s ship and pretend she’d been visiting him instead of taking part in the debacle. Before she can speak to her brother, the ship sets sail, and the man in charge is not at all who she expects.

Captain Tobias Prescott, son of an infamous war hero, has been assigned on a critical mission to deploy warships in St. Kitts for battle in New Orleans. Unfortunately, his orders require him to assume command of a friend’s ship, and he must weigh anchor the instant the former captain is escorted down the gangplank. When they reach open waters, the last thing he expects is to find a woman hiding in the captain’s cabin, yet his mission is too urgent to return her to England.

The Middleton name has always brought Tobias trouble, and Pricilla is no exception. As the waters clear and the temperature warms, the danger escalates too. Yet Tobias discovers the intuitive and strong woman who struggles to hide her anxiety is nothing like her disloyal brother. He may lose the opportunity to help his country, but perhaps he can still save the woman who’s rescued his heart.

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Second Chance Love (Pinecrest Book 1)

Amazon quote:

Eight years should have been long enough to overcome the hurt and humiliation of being left at the altar, but when Jillian Rodgers walks back into Sam Lawson’s life he has to grapple with those feelings again. Worse yet, he can’t stop thinking about her.

Jillian Rodgers has returned to her hometown to help care for her mother. Facing Sam again is hard, but Jillian wonders if her return could mean a second chance for them.

In a small town their paths often cross, and despite Sam’s vow not to make the same mistake, he finds himself falling for her all over again. But Jillian hasn’t been completely honest about her life. When that comes to light, can he still forgive and forget? Can they have a second chance at love?

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BookRunes has a FREE suggestion for us, from an author I’ve not read before.

Cassandra and the Cowboy (Texas Treasures Book 1) 

Amazon quote:

Cassandra Pickett is one prayer away from giving up on God.

The tragic death of her father and the devastating results of the Great Drought of 1886 have centered the family ranch in the crosshairs of the Goose Neck Ridge Bank of Texas. Desperate to save the Triple P, Cassandra sees only one option: marriage to Phillip Brigham, the local cattle baron, who has promised to repay her father’s loan.

Matt Atkins is a man driven by his mission.
When the enigmatic cowboy shows up looking for a job, he convinces Cassandra that he’ll be an asset to the ranch. As they work side by side, Cassandra’s feelings for Matt deepen, and she envisions the possibility of marrying for love, not for necessity. But her dreams are shattered when she discovers that Matt harbors a hidden agenda for the Triple P. Will Cassandra have to turn to Phillip after all, or will God take the shards of her broken dreams and create something beyond what she dared hope for?

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Happy Reading!

Good morning. July 26, 2021

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It is a good morning … even though we have had no new interesting bargain suggestions yet today. Who knows, something may show up later. If it does I’ll be sure to share with you.

It has been a good weekend for reading. It’s been much too hot to spend time working outside, this meant even more time for reading. Very good news for reducing my over full TBR pile. I’ve lost track of how many books were conquered but there were at least three or four. Some were shorter than others.

One stood out above the rest and I wouldn’t mind reading the sequel. I found this story difficult to put down, which was a good thing given my goal to make it through as many books as possible before the weekend was over.

The Accidental Guardian (High Sierra Sweethearts Book #1)

When Trace Riley finds the smoldering ruins of a small wagon train, he recognizes the hand behind the attack as the same group who left him as sole survivor years ago. Living off the wilderness since then, he’d finally carved out a home and started a herd–while serving as a self-appointed guardian of the trail, driving off dangerous men. He’d
hoped those days were over, but the latest attack shows he was wrong.

Deborah Harkness saved her younger sister and two toddlers during the attack, and now finds herself at the mercy of her rescuer. Trace offers the only shelter for miles around, and agrees to take them in until she can safely continue. His simple bachelor existence never anticipated kids and women in the picture and their arrival is unsettling–yet enticing.
Working to survive the winter and finally bring justice to the trail, Trace and Deborah find themselves drawn together–yet every day approaches the moment she’ll leave forever.

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Two more read recently, but prior to the weekend. I’ve enjoyed both of these and don’t think I’ve shared them yet.

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Currently, I’m reading a four book collection. I finished book 1 this morning and have moved on to book 2. In some collections each book will have new characters, in this one it’s a continuation of the group story. Same people doing life with a different focus in the leading roles.

Southern Hearts Series: Books 1 – 4 

Book 2 Going Up South

No one told him he had a son. Actor Dylan Conner is furious. Not only has he been left out of his child’s life, the baby boy has been given another man’s last name. Determined to be a better father than the sorry guy who’d left him and his mother, Dylan fights to ensure a significant place in his son’s life. Unfortunately, his bad-boy reputation overshadows his good intentions.

Only one woman in this small town sees beyond his Hollywood image. And he’s falling for her. Too bad she’s the custody mediator.

After her scandalous divorce in the small town of Oxford, Mississippi, attorney Cassie Brooks has no intentions of practicing law again. The humiliating experience left a bitter taste for love, marriage, and her profession. Now friends need Cassie’s help in a custody negotiation, and her role demands she remain objective. 

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There will be a part two post if anything else shows up.

In the meantime…

Happy Reading

Most recent favorite book July 24, 2021

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This was a stay up all night reading kind of book. I wasn’t sure, going in, if I’d like it so it was a wonderful surprise to find I loved it.

31 Kisses (Christmas Fiction) 

Amazon quote:

When one plus one equals thirty-one…

It happens every day.
Guy meets grandpa–and girl.
Guy knocks grandpa off ladder
Guy kisses girl to make it “all better.”
Every day.
For a month.
Just your normal, average, all-American romance…

Meet Chessie and Carson. She goes “all out” for Christmas (and every other holiday including Columbus Day, Cinco de Mayo, and Flag Day); he doesn’t own a single thing that could be considered decorative–unless you count the stickers he stuck to his dresser back when he was three.

Neither of them have ever had a serious relationship; both are opposed to frivolous expressions of affection. How on earth did they get tangled up in a “kiss-a-day-during-December” pact?

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Chautona has a view of life that is uniquely her and it adds a special flavor to her books. I don’t always get Chautona’s humor or even the way she has the character’s think and interact. This time I totally got it. All the way through. It was perfect. Most of what happened was unexpected and it added a depth to the story that kept me reading.

I loved this book.

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My current read is a historical romance set back in the days of wagon trains, settlers, and the wild wild, west. It’s not quite as engaging as 31 Kisses but it has still captured my attention. I don’t think I can afford to read all night again tonight though.

The Accidental Guardian (High Sierra Sweethearts Book #1)

Amazon quote:

When Trace Riley finds the smoldering ruins of a small wagon train, he recognizes the hand behind the attack as the same group who left him as sole survivor years ago. Living off the wilderness since then, he’d finally carved out a home and started a herd–while serving as a self-appointed guardian of the trail, driving off dangerous men. He’d
hoped those days were over, but the latest attack shows he was wrong.

Deborah Harkness saved her younger sister and two toddlers during the attack, and now finds herself at the mercy of her rescuer. Trace offers the only shelter for miles around, and agrees to take them in until she can safely continue. His simple bachelor existence never anticipated kids and women in the picture and their arrival is unsettling–yet enticing.
Working to survive the winter and finally bring justice to the trail, Trace and Deborah find themselves drawn together–yet every day approaches the moment she’ll leave forever.

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Happy Reading

This and that July 22, 2021

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I have no new suggestions today. Some days are just like that and I’ve decided I’m OK with it.

I think my goal for the moment needs to be – reduce the line up of books waiting to be read.

It’s gradually gotten out of hand and I’m finding it overwhelming, if I’m being honest. I can hear someone saying – it took you long enough. What can I say. I’m a sucker for books 🙂 Anyway, I purposely haven’t done a deep dive today looking for bargains.

Moving on,

The last number of weeks I’ve spent a significant amount of time watching podcasts and while I’ve enjoyed them I’m realizing there is a down side to this kind of indulgence. Many (not all) of the sites I’ve subscribed to are built around the state of world news. Between opinions and an over abundance of information there comes a point where enough is too much. I feel weighed down, and distracted. There are other things requiring my attention and I haven’t been able to do them justice.

This blog has been affected the most by this stealing of reading/writing time. My mind feels foggy and empty. It takes a good amount of thinking time to have something to say. It takes input too. The trouble with the podcasts is the political subject matter. I don’t write about politics and the abundance of input produces no fruit in my world.

Reading, on the other hand, always spurs some kind of usable thinking.

I’m going on a podcast diet, cutting way back on time spent and it’s helping. With more time devoted to reading, the fog seems to be lifting enough to make comments.

During last nights post, I found I’d inadvertently started a new read with the novella belonging between books 1 and 2 in the Culper Ring series. I was too far into it to avoid the spoiler so I went ahead and finished it. Going back to the beginning, I’m now half way through book one and while the novella has given away one aspect of the ending it hasn’t spoiled the whole book for me. It is still a good read with lots of unexpected action.

Another decision in the back-to-reading restrictive diet was concerning my TBR list of neglected Non-fiction downloads.

Earmarking an hour devoted to Non-fiction reading seemed like a reasonable way to make some headway. The Power of Writing It Down is my pick for current read and I’m almost to the end of the first chapter.

This read definitely takes more work, that’s for sure. The author packs every single page full with thoughts, concepts, and information. A number of things stood out for me, right from page one.

I need time to chew on them before I can make comment.

There was one thought towering above the rest, though.

Research shows that thought patterns and tasks performed thousand of times create a rut or neural pathway and without conscious thought the mind automatically goes there. It’s discouraging to think that without thought these ruts lead us to unhealthy places. On the plus side: research also shows that with conscious choosing of different, healthier paths, performed enough times, over time they can overwrite and replace the old unhealthy paths.

This idea resonates with me more than usual. I think it’s because, even before reading this book, I’ve found myself practicing new patterns of thought and actions this summer. I’ve noticed myself making different decisions and choices and I’m pretty happy thinking about what it means going forward. I’ve been praying for healing and it appears to be on the way.

Read and current reads

Happy Reading y’all

Read and enjoyed July 21, 2021

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This was my favorite read of the week. A story full of family secrets.

Going in, I never would have guessed how far they extended.

It seemed like many of the secrets started with a particular tragedy. If that heart breaking event could have been prevented, life would have been so much different. That was the general opinion.

But would it have, really?

On the surface you would think so but further down the road, the truth of that seemed much less likely.

There was nothing predictable about this story. The secrets seemed to multiply as the story went on. Details were allowed to filter out a little at a time. In some ways it was frustrating but mostly it was appreciated.

The characters were well developed and one couldn’t help but be drawn into their emotional struggles.

I could never have predicted the ending. A couple of details, maybe, but not the overall picture. Very nice.

Things Left Unsaid

Amazon quote:

An emotional novel of family, friendship and forgiveness from Courtney Walsh, the New York Times bestselling author of Hometown Girl.

Lyndie St. James is thrilled that her best friend, Elle, is getting married but unprepared for the emotional storm of the wedding week and returning to her childhood summer home of Sweethaven. The idyllic cottage community harbors some of her best—and worst—memories. It’s not only the tragic death of her childhood friend Cassie that has haunted her for ten years, it’s the other secrets she’s buried that have kept her from moving on.

But Lyndie isn’t the only one with secrets.

Cassie’s mother, father and brother, still struggling with the loss, have been drifting further and further apart. And Elle herself, the last to see Cassie alive, carries an impossible burden of guilt. Now reunited, each of them has a choice: to reveal the truths of that night or continue to live in its shadow. That means embarking on a personal journey of the heart—to escape the darkness and all its regrets and to finally come to terms with the past and, especially, with each other.

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I would definitely read this book again.

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Currently I’m reading a book I shouldn’t be, I don’t think.

It’s a short story, I’m already 1/4 of the way through. I’m not entirely sure what is going on yet as details are being doled out sparingly.

Pulling up the cover to include in this post, I realize my mistake. It’s a novella, meant to be a bridge between book 1 and 2 in the series. Oops.

Book 1 begins only 10 years earlier. Now, I’m not sure if I should stop and read book 1 first or carry on and take my chances.

I think I will be taking my chances.

I’m intrigued with the novella, I’m looking forward to book 1 being just as engaging.

I’ll let you know how it goes.

Happy Reading!

Free and bargain books July 17, 2021

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BookBub has a bargain suggestion for us. I’ve seen this author before, she writes some interesting stories and this one looks promising.

The Rose of Winslow Street

Amazon quote:

Romance and Drama to Capture the Heart in This Emotional Tale

The last thing Libby Sawyer and her father expected upon their return from their summer home was to find strangers inhabiting a house that had been in their family for decades. Widower Michael Dobrescu brought his family from Romania to the town of Colden, Massachusetts with a singular purpose: to claim the house willed to him long ago. Since neither party has any intention of giving up their claim, a fierce legal battle ensues between the two families.

When important documents go missing from the house, Libby suspects Michael is the culprit. Determined to discover the truth behind the stolen papers, Libby investigates, only to find more layers of mystery surrounding Michael and his family. Despite their rivalry, Libby finds herself developing feelings for this man with the mysterious past.

As a decision about the house looms in the courts, Libby must weigh the risks of choosing to remain loyal to her family or give her heart to a man whose intentions and affections are less than certain.

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This first book led to another that caught my interest. I’ve read this author as well but it’s been a while. I’m excited about this story because I’m partial to lady spies.

Ring of Secrets (Culper Ring Book 1)

Amazon quote:

This exciting romantic spy novel from Roseanna M. White combines fascinating cloak-and-dagger secrets with a tale of love and intrigue during the Revolutionary War.

Winter Reeves is an aristocratic Patriot forced to hide her heart amid the Loyalists of the City of New York. She has learned to keep her ears open so she can pass information on British movements to Robbie Townsend, her childhood friend, and his spy ring. If she’s caught, if she’s hung for espionage…well, she won’t be. Robbie has taught her the tools of the trade: the wonders of invisible ink, drop locations and, most importantly, a good cover.

Bennet Lane returns to New York from his Yale professorship with one goal: to find General Washington’s spy hidden among the ranks of the elite. Searching for a wife was supposed to be nothing more than a convenient cover story for his mission, but when he meets Winter, with her too-intelligent eyes in her too-blank face, he finds a mystery that can’t be ignored.

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This next one is a FREE novella that bridges books 1 and 2 in the Culper Ring series

Fairchild’s Lady (Culper Ring) 

Amazon quote:

This bonus romantic novella is set in the intervening years between Ring of Secrets and Whispers from the Shadows by Roseanna M. White.

In 1789 General Isaac Fairchild travels across the Channel on a very special assignment. After surviving the American Revolution, he is now gathering information on life at King Louis XVI’s court. But he must also locate a countess and her grown daughter and escort them back to England before revolution explodes in France.

He knows danger is in the task set before him, but when he meets the beautiful Julienne, a new peril beckons him deeper into the intrigue of Versailles.

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This has been an excellent day for books.

In the meantime, I have a little writing on my mind. I’ll let you know if it turns into anything.

Happy Reading

Read and enjoyed July 16, 2021

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It’s time to do another read and enjoyed post.

I don’t have a favorite of the week this time but all four were still good reads.

Of these first two, Rock and a Hard Place was my favorite. There was substance to the story, the characters were well developed. The story moved along well and was believable. There was more angst than I would like but aside from that it was a good experience.

The next two were also good reads but my favorite was Faith in the Mountain Valley. The secrets were revealed layer upon layer, which is the best, in my estimation. There was a great cast of characters and in the end I loved them all. Even the villains.

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I’ve just started a new book. I’m not far enough along, though, to make a judgement call on the story but since it’s by one of my favorite authors I’m expecting to love it. It is still a bargain too.

I won’t make it through this read as quickly as I did on the last four. This one is nearly 400 pages long.

I’m not complaining.

Oath of Honor (Blue Justice Book #1) 

Police officer Isabelle St. John loves her crazy, loud, law-enforcement family. With three brothers and two sisters, she’s never without someone to hang out with–or fight with. And she knows they’ll be there for her when things get tough. Like when her partner is murdered and she barely escapes with her own life.

Determined to discover exactly what happened, Izzy’s investigation sends her headfirst into a criminal organization, possibly with cops on the payroll–including someone from her own family. With her dead partner’s handsome homicide detective brother Ryan shadowing her every move, Izzy’s head is spinning. How can she secure justice for her partner when doing so could mean sending someone she loves to prison? And how will she guard her heart when the man she’s had a secret crush on for years won’t leave her side?

With her signature fast-paced, edge-of-your-seat action, Lynette Eason invites readers into a captivating new series where justice is a family affair.

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Happy Reading on a happy Friday.

Mind you it’s nearly over. Maybe I should just say have a good weekend!

Free and bargain books July 15, 2021 Part Two

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On to part two…

1531 Entertainment has several bargain suggestions for us. I’ve read many books from both authors and I’m more than happy to see them here today.

The Accidental Guardian (High Sierra Sweethearts Book #1)

Amazon quote:

When Trace Riley finds the smoldering ruins of a small wagon train, he recognizes the hand behind the attack as the same group who left him as sole survivor years ago. Living off the wilderness since then, he’d finally carved out a home and started a herd–while serving as a self-appointed guardian of the trail, driving off dangerous men. He’d
hoped those days were over, but the latest attack shows he was wrong.

Deborah Harkness saved her younger sister and two toddlers during the attack, and now finds herself at the mercy of her rescuer. Trace offers the only shelter for miles around, and agrees to take them in until she can safely continue. His simple bachelor existence never anticipated kids and women in the picture and their arrival is unsettling–yet enticing.
Working to survive the winter and finally bring justice to the trail, Trace and Deborah find themselves drawn together–yet every day approaches the moment she’ll leave forever.

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I’m always happy about seeing a new Christy Barritt book.

The Cottage on Ghost Lane: a romantic mystery thriller (The Beach House Mystery Series Book 1)

Amazon quote:

Each house has a history. Each person has a secret. Each turn of events leads to danger.

Come back to me.

Cole Dalton’s wife, Caroline, had the words etched onto a pendant for him. Each time he deployed overseas as a military bomb tech, she stitched the pendant into his uniform. Cole returned safely from the battlefield . . . only to bury his wife after a tragic car accident.

Cole moves into their beachside cottage to both heal and find closure after Caroline’s death. But on the first day he arrives, he finds an intruder searching for something and desperate enough to kill.

Mysterious incidents continue to occur, leading Cole to ask: Was Caroline hiding something in the months before she died? But what? And why?

As danger closes in and a storm lingers off the coast, Cole must find answers. But ghosts of the past have a stranglehold on him. With his heart on the line, he must overcome the grief haunting him . . . or his story will become part of his cottage’s tragic history.

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BookRunes has a FREE suggestion for us, an author I’ve never read. It does look interesting though, and the price is right for taking a chance.

An Agent for Amaryllis 

Amazon quote:

Trouble always seems to find her. If only he hadn’t been raised to help a maiden in need. Will they find strength in each other and the courage to love?

June 1878

Amaryllis Flanders—Amy for short—is tired of her sister, Jessica, constantly reprimanding her for her boyish ways. She wants to be involved in more than mindless housework or helping to tend her sister and brother-in-law’s babies. With her friend, Sarah’s, wedding taking place in Denver, Colorado, Amy can hardly wait to leave her home in Virginia and begin a grand adventure. But even she has no idea of the harrowing experience it will be.

Derrick Baldwin doesn’t know what hit him. He was engaged to Sarah Packard until she decided to marry her childhood friend. Now that the wedding’s been called off, he’s glad to see all of his guests leaving. He just wants to be left in peace. But the maddeningly spirited and foolish Amy unwittingly became the recipient of a mysterious package, and now, the package has suddenly disappeared. Whoever sent it wants it back, and they’re willing to kill to get it. The only way he can keep Amy safe is to become a Pinkerton agent and help her solve the case, hopefully before their luck runs out—or before he realizes that he has fallen in love with her.

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Happy Reading y’all