historical fiction

More read and enjoyed. March 27, 2023

/ For the Love of Books / Leave a comment

Just now finished this one. It’s another 5 star read and to my great disappointment it ended much too soon. It could have easily gone on a few more chapters.

There were strong elements of the story that were familiar enough to make me think I had read this before. On the other hand there were also unfamiliar elements. Mostly, I think it was a new story but I’m not one hundred percent sure about that. I loved the story anyway and I’m glad to have read it, either way.

Searching for Anna: (Love in Lansing Book 1)

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?

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

This next one did not rate as high in my estimation. I gave it four stars. The story was enjoyable, I had no complaints there. It just couldn’t hold my attention as well as the previous book. When I consider the reason for that, it comes down to the writing, or maybe more fairly, it comes down to the editing. Many of the lines shaking my attention were easily fixable and I so wanted to do it. It wasn’t a waste of time though, I did enjoy the story…

Two life changing events have adversely affected Jade’s work performance and her boss insists she take all of her three months accumulated vacation time to grieve and recuperate.

Returning to the scene of happier days and deep regret, Daniel is at the end of his rope, hoping somehow to make things right.

Beach House Promises (Brighton Beach Retreat Series Book 1)

Jade Brighton can’t take much more. Her life has already been upended, leaving her and her daughter in desperate need of recovery time. So they pack their bags and head to the family beach house to recharge and recover.

Daniel Barnhill has spent his life lamenting the one who got away. In a desperate attempt to escape his father, Daniel heads for the small town of Blackstone Cove. Not only is he surprised to find her again, but he also can’t believe she has a child.

Can Jade and Daniel rebuild what they once had or has time and life pushed them too far apart?

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

I thought I had my next read picked out but if I did it’s disappeared. Maybe it would be good to try another partially started World War II story. Hopefully it will work for me this time, some stories are just tough to get into. If it doesn’t work, I will at least read the ending, I can do that much.

Shadowed by a Spy (Suspicious Shores Book 2) 

When Lexie Smithfield boards the early morning Long Island train to Manhattan in 1942, she feels safe having left the threat of danger behind her at Jekyll Island. Little does she know, the four men who boarded the train with her are Nazi spies sent to wreak havoc in the United States.

Did the so-called Smithfield family curse follow her to New York?

What will happen to Lexie when she innocently befriends one of the spies and gets involved in the spy ring? And with her fiance Russell overseas, who will protect her?

Books read and enjoyed March 25, 2023

/ For the Love of Books / Leave a comment

I wasn’t sure about choosing strictly Romance novels for the most recent downloads but they turned out to be a very good choice. Great characters and well thought out story lines in all of them.

Hooked By Love: The Pattern of Piney Series Book One

This one earned a solid 5 stars for keeping me up reading half the night. I loved the quirky and brokenhearted Reesa. In spite of her pain she had a soft heart that was determined to provide for and protect her fatherless daughter. She couldn’t help herself, she had to be there for anyone else crossing her path too, including the fierce bear of a neighbor. He didn’t know what to do with her spontaneous and tight hugs. His grandmother said Reesa was good for him and set out to dabble in a little matchmaking.

Synopsis.

Determined to provide a wonderful life for her daughter, single mom, Reesa Tate, makes a gutsy move to a cabin in the forests of Piney, Arkansas. Not only is it a short distance away from her estranged parents, but it’s overseen by an odd man that she can’t quite figure out.

Theodore Whitley grew up in Piney. After his dreams of playing college ball were shattered, he found himself sliding into a comfortable life in his hometown. A comfortable and quiet life, at least, until Reesa Tate shows up. Something about the woman gets under his skin, and Theo finds the more he gets to know her, the more he doesn’t mind.

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

The Secret Life of Lady Evangeline (Secrets Book 1) 

Another book I couldn’t bear to put down. It was all because of the awesome characters — and the hazardous lives they lived. Plus, having what it took to meet the challenges only added to their allure. At the beginning Robin Hood is a lady and so are her merry men. As days went on, though, their eyes were opened to the reality of threats on their lives and their property. That’s when things changed.

Fierce warriors were sorely needed . I couldn’t help but hold my breath and cheer them on.

This story wasn’t strictly Romance but it was well loved.

Synopsis

Everyone believes Lady Evangeline is dead…her survival depends on it.

If not for Lady Evangeline’s secret training in weaponry, her corpse would be rotting in a ditch. Instead, she finds refuge in a crumbling abbey—and new purpose. With her child dead and her husband lost to the lies of a devious plotter, Evangeline vows to fight for the starving widows and children in the villages surrounding the abbey. Masquerading as a nun by day, and an armed vigilante by night, she will free these people no matter what it takes.

Lord Henry Stanton still grieves the death of Evangeline. How can he ever shed the weight of guilt over not protecting his beautiful wife? She never even had the chance to know their precious baby girl, now healthy and thriving. Though he failed to keep Evangeline safe, he will stop at nothing to protect their daughter from the intrigue and corruption threatening not just the royal court, but the whole land.

When the worst happens, Henry must join forces with a nun—or is she Evangeline? They must overcome lies, treachery, and a broken marriage to save their innocent daughter—and the country—before it’s too late.

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

I’m currently reading another Romance book I can’t put down. I’ll tell about it soon.

Bargain books March 17, 2023

/ For the Love of Books / 1 Comment

Here we are again. This day didn’t seem too promising, just the way the last few have been, until I stumbled over something that looked intriguing. Medieval is a nice change from our usual Regency fare. As far as I can tell this author is also unknown to me. I think it’s always a welcome gift to meet and experience another author.

The Secret Life of Lady Evangeline (Secrets Book 1)

If not for Lady Evangeline’s secret training in weaponry, her corpse would be rotting in a ditch. Instead, she finds refuge in a crumbling abbey—and new purpose. With her child dead and her husband lost to the lies of a devious plotter, Evangeline vows to fight for the starving widows and children in the villages surrounding the abbey. Masquerading as a nun by day, and an armed vigilante by night, she will free these people no matter what it takes.

Lord Henry Stanton still grieves the death of Evangeline. How can he ever shed the weight of guilt over not protecting his beautiful wife? She never even had the chance to know their precious baby girl, now healthy and thriving. Though he failed to keep Evangeline safe, he will stop at nothing to protect their daughter from the intrigue and corruption threatening not just the royal court, but the whole land.

When the worst happens, Henry must join forces with a nun—or is she Evangeline? They must overcome lies, treachery, and a broken marriage to save their innocent daughter—and the country—before it’s too late.

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

Another book popping up for me today looks promising. I’m hearing that distressed young people are searching for meaningful connections with God. Max Lucado has been a popular and well loved author for years and has a way of making God real to us. One of his books is available at a special rate today. It talks about having hope in this turbulent and distressing world we live it. We all need a little of it, or maybe a lot of it, these days and I’m hoping this book will help with that.

Unshakable Hope Devotional: Building Our Lives on the Promises of God

What kind of life are you building?

Do you want to be unshakable in a shaky world?

You can build your life on the enduring promises of God.

If you have a problem, God has a promise. These promises stand the test of time, and they weather life’s biggest storms. In this special companion devotional based on the teaching series, Unshakable Hope by Max Lucado, Max will guide you through the powerful promises found in God’s word and show you how to make them your own. You can go from knowing God’s promises to believing God’s promises.

In this life, we will face trials and storms, but it is in our toughest moments that God’s promises prove themselves true. Because God’s promises are unbreakable, our hope can be unshakable. We have an airtight, holy contract with Him. When the world rages around you, you can stand with Unshakable Hope.

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

It has been nice to be back with a few suggestions after yet another of my many breaks from daily blogging. I’ve often been absent from this site but haven’t stopped reading, and will be back soon to share some of the books I’ve finished.

I hope you are still reading as well. There are so many great benefits to be had from this enjoyable activity.

Happy Reading!

Bargain book March 13, 2023

/ For the Love of Books / Leave a comment

It has been awhile since we’ve met like this.

It feels like forever since the last time we had a new book to add to our reading list and I’m excited to see one today. Not only is it a new book but it’s a new-to-me author as well. The endorsements look encouraging.

The Dark Guest: A Standalone Christian Romantic Suspense novel (The Cold War Legacy Book 1)

When Violet Lundy isn’t cleaning rooms at Happy Hills Assisted Living Facility, she loves spending her free time with resident Rainer Kopecek. Hearing his stories of the dangerous life he led behind the Iron Curtain in East Berlin makes her own life seem more tolerable. But when Rainer is found dead and his room in disarray, Violet suspects foul play.

Dr. Henry Silverton lives among his books, teaching and writing about the Cold War. A letter about an East German traitor known only as “The Wolf” propels Henry out of academia and into Violet’s life. Together, they embark on a perilous quest to uncover the truth about Rainer’s death and the traitor’s identity.

Can Violet and Henry uncover the secrets of the past before one of them ends up as The Wolf’s next victim?

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

There are still slim pickings when it comes to bargain books this morning. It seems they go in cycles and this is the downstroke.

I have several books on the go when it comes to reading. You know how that goes, the cream of the crop has been exhausted and the rest are not as compelling at this moment. Maybe it’s just me and the place I’m at these days. What appeals some days doesn’t appeal today. Whatever it is I’m determined to finish them. I take comfort in knowing I’m probably not alone in this state of affairs.

Here are the three I’m currently bouncing between.

Well that is not working so well for me.

The first one, it turns out, is not available on Kindle any more. I purchased it in 2015 but haven’t read it and now when I search for the picture and descriptive blurb it is unavailable without a deep dive. At least it is still contained in my library of books and there is a blurb available about the paperback. Books come and they go, it looks like. Probably more often than we know.

When trusting others only leads to pain and rejection, and loving ends only in loss, what will it take to restore hope again? Shamed by the uncovered truth about her missing husband’s secret life, Cora Buchanan sets out on a road trip for home to mend her broken relationship with her parents. When her car breaks down, she’s stranded in a small Georgia town. While staying at the struggling Southern Hope Ranch, she meets little Susie O’Reilly, who unexpectedly fills a void in Cora’s heart. But Rex, Susie’s rugged cowboy father who lost his wife a year earlier, seems to go out of his way to either confront or avoid Cora.

It doesn’t help her comfort level that the news continues to report missing and murdered women in the area. Cora has no idea just how close to home the crimes will hit…or how much the sweet sound of the meadowlark’s song at the ranch will impact her future. Plunge into pure romance with a twist of mystery. Set in the charm of contemporary small-town Georgia. By the beloved author of To Dance Once More.

So, it looks like Sherri has written other books and there is still an Intertwined series of three or four books but Song of the Meadowlark is no longer part of it.That’s probably why it has disappeared. Maybe at some point I will run across her again. to check out the series.

I can see why it has been removed, the serial killer aspect is not a strong part of the story. It would take a complete overhaul to make that happen. It was probably less work to leave it start over.

Here are the other two I’m working on. One is non-fiction.

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

I’ll be back if anything else shows up.

Happy reading.

Read and enjoyed March 02, 2023

/ For the Love of Books / Leave a comment

It’s that time again. Time to clear out the big pile of enjoyed books. There is one thing very different about the list this time though.

I found myself giving out an unprecedented number of five stars. I’m not sure what I was thinking except that I couldn’t come up with a good reason not to.

Maybe it has something to do with downloading fewer books. Choosing to be more selective. Whatever it is I’m liking it.

My favorite stories all have something different about them. Not a whiff of familiarity. This first one had that brand new smell. Of course there were elements similar to other stories but the way it was all put together was new. The rest were just as good, each in their own way.

A Castaway in Cornwall 

Set adrift on the tides of fate by the deaths of her parents and left wanting answers, Laura Callaway now lives with her uncle and his disapproving wife in North Cornwall. There she feels like a castaway, always viewed as an outsider even as she yearns to belong.

While wreckers search for valuables along the windswept Cornwall coast–known for its many shipwrecks but few survivors–Laura searches for clues to the lives lost so she can write letters to next of kin and return keepsakes to rightful owners. When a man is washed ashore after a wreck, Laura acts quickly to protect him from a local smuggler determined to destroy him.

As Laura and a neighbor care for the survivor, they discover he has curious wounds and, although he speaks in careful, educated English, his accent seems odd. Other clues wash ashore, and Laura soon realizes he is not who he seems to be. Despite the evidence against him, the mysterious man might provide her only chance to discover the truth about her parents’ fate. With danger pursuing them from every side, and an unexpected attraction growing between them, will Laura ever find the answers she seeks?

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

The Legacy of Rose Bodeen (Silver Cross Ranch Legacy Series Book 1) 

Imagine opening a long-forgotten trunk to find diaries written by your foremothers. Four generations of thoughts, heartaches, challenges and triumphs. What lessons did they write inside the yellowed pages? What lessons could they gift you now?

THE LEGACY OF ROSE BODEEN – Book One of the Silver Cross Ranch Legacy

Rose Bodeen is a hard-living kind of girl who can out-ride any hand on the ranch. After being jilted, she sets out for adventure and finds it with Bill Cody’s Wild West Extravaganza. Yet the land draws her back like warm sun draws flowers from the ground in spring, just as her sweet Mama said it would the day she rode away. With matter-of-fact conviction and bull-headed determination, she strives to survive during the fast-changing times that follow—The Great War, the fight for a women’s right to vote, the Industrial Revolution, the high-kicking Roaring Twenties followed by the Great Depression and yet another devastating world war. She celebrates thrilling triumphs and endures deep tragedies, along with losses that go hand-in-hand with loving. With hard-won faith, Rose comes to accept what she calls God’s anvil time that hammers and hones her into all she’s meant to be.

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

Edgewater Road (The Rumors in Ross County Series Book 1)

The first in a new series from New York Times bestselling author Shelley Shepard Gray, Edgewater Road invites us into a world of family mysteries, small-town secrets, and perhaps a little romance along the way.

When Jennifer Smiley’s grandmother, Ginny, leaves her an old farmhouse on Edgewater Road in seemingly quiet Ross County, Ohio, Jennifer can’t pass up the opportunity for a new beginning. Almost immediately she meets a group of men who generously help her move in. When she realizes that they work for Lincoln Bennett, her next-door neighbor, she’s intrigued. Lincoln is gorgeous and has dark, lapis-blue eyes she could get lost in … but he doesn’t seem all that friendly. She’s torn between getting to know him and sticking with the solitude she knows so well. Maybe she could let down some of those walls she’s built around her emotions?

Lincoln Bennett likes to keep his head down and get his work done. He’s been to prison and he knows that a lot of folks don’t take kindly to a man with that kind of history. Plus, he’s busy helping other ex-cons get back on their feet. But when he meets Jennifer, he can’t help but feel an instant attraction. Will she be able to look past his unsavory history? Will she be able to accept the men he’s working so hard to help?

While Jennifer gets to know Lincoln and his friends, she also begins to unravel her grandmother’s story, putting together the pieces from scraps of memories and things she finds in her new home. She soon discovers that Ginny Smiley harbored some dark secrets on Edgewater Road—and that those secrets include both Lincoln and her own absent father. Is learning the truth worth the heartache it could bring?

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

The rest , we will run through them quickly. The were all excellent reads though.

It has been a good week or so.

My current read is shaping up nicely.

A Vote of Confidence: Historical Romantic Fiction (Beneath Sweet Western Skies) 

Well, that’s it for now. I haven’t checked my emails yet looking for suggestions. You can be sure I will be back if anything good shows up.

Happy Reading!

Free books February 27, 2023

/ For the Love of Books / Leave a comment

We are back. BookBub has an interesting FREE suggestion for us. From another one of our popular authors. A rivalry. This could be exciting.

A Vote of Confidence: Historical Romantic Fiction (Beneath Sweet Western Skies) 

Who says a woman can’t do a man’s job?

Put up or shut up! Complaining about Bethlehem Springs’ dissolute mayoral candidate, Gwen Arlington is challenged to take on the role herself. For seven years, she’s carved out an independent life in the bustling mountain town of Bethlehem Springs, Idaho, teaching piano and writing for the local newspaper. But now she’s a single woman running for mayor — and in 1915 this decision is bound to stir up trouble.

Morgan McKinley is fed up with the delays that hinder the construction of New Hope Health Spa, a place where both rich and poor can come for rest and healing. New to the area, he’s determined that serving as mayor would help him push through his agenda for progress.

Gwen and Morgan each want to prove they are the most qualified candidate, not only to voters but to each other, and so sparks fly as the two campaign. Although Morgan has learned to guard his heart as fiercely as Gwen guards her independence, could they learn to be allies instead of adversaries?

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

BookRunes also has a FREE suggestion, this time with an author I have not heard of. She has a number of other bargain books too I see. Must check them out. Later.

This one sounds intense and intriguing.

After Night Falls: Walking away from everything, she sought shelter on the river…vanished almost completely out of sight & then he found her. (Secrets of the River Book 1)

Tragedy, secrets, and heartache. It’s been the story of her life for years. Abigail knew that she should be afraid of him…but she wasn’t. Not even when he told her who he was…and why he was there.

She’d taken a job on the cruise ship years ago with the thought that if she was never in any one place for very long she would be safe. No one would ever think to look for her here.

At least that’s what she believed.

Gabe had suspected for a couple of days that something wasn’t quite right. He’d taken this particular job thinking it would be a simple deal and tied up quickly and easily. Too bad the client had been less than forthcoming. That never worked well for anyone involved.

Then there was the additional fact that Abigail wasn’t anything like what he’d been led to expect once he found her. But then nothing about this job was turning out the way he expected it would and least of all…Abigail.

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

For a minute there it looked like there would be more than two new books for us but nope.

We do have books though, so we won’t complain. Conveniently, I’m between reads, one of these just may be next up.

The read file is becoming crowded again so we will have to be back soon for a clearing out.

These free books have a short time limit, they say, so there is a need to move fast.

Happy reading

Free book February 22, 2023

/ For the Love of Books / Leave a comment

Don’t you love it when you read the first pages of a book and fall in love with the writing? The picture being painted draws you in even though the real story hasn’t yet appeared. Now you are hoping the story lives up to the expectations birthed in you with the picture. That’s what I’m hoping.

I love the beginning of this new book suggestion. The author is new to me so I don’t know what to expect. I hope the story is every bit as good as the letter setting the scene.

A determined woman leaving a will with stipulations that will infuriate controlling men and maybe even the strong women who are recipients of the inheritance. From the tone of the letter accompanying the will, we get the impression there are good reasons for what would seem like unreasonable demands.

There are journals and the series follows the lives of at least four generations of lady ranchers. Strong women, all of them.

This suggestion was courtesy of BookRunes.

The Legacy of Rose Bodeen (Silver Cross Ranch Legacy Series Book 1)

Imagine opening a long-forgotten trunk to find diaries written by your foremothers. Four generations of thoughts, heartaches, challenges and triumphs. What lessons did they write inside the yellowed pages? What lessons could they gift you now?

Rose Bodeen is a hard-living kind of girl who can out-ride any hand on the ranch. After being jilted, she sets out for adventure and finds it with Bill Cody’s Wild West Extravaganza. Yet the land draws her back like warm sun draws flowers from the ground in spring, just as her sweet Mama said it would the day she rode away. With matter-of-fact conviction and bull-headed determination, she strives to survive during the fast-changing times that follow—The Great War, the fight for a women’s right to vote, the Industrial Revolution, the high-kicking Roaring Twenties followed by the Great Depression and yet another devastating world war. She celebrates thrilling triumphs and endures deep tragedies, along with losses that go hand-in-hand with loving. With hard-won faith, Rose comes to accept what she calls God’s anvil time that hammers and hones her into all she’s meant to be.

The Silver Cross Ranch Legacy weaves the lessons of history into the lives of four mothers and daughters who fight the odds, and sometimes each other, to defend their way of life. With stubborn tenacity and hard-won faith, the women learn the beauty in their differences, the power of forgiveness, and create hope for the future with the reassurance that each step taken during life’s sometimes rugged journey leads to a bright coming home.

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

That’s all we have at the moment, for interesting book suggestions, but I will be back if anything else shows up.

My current read definitely has my attention at the moment.

Three Missing Days (The Pelican Harbor Series Book 3)

Police Chief Jane Hardy’s teenage son has been accused of a horrific crime—and three days of Jane’s memories have been stolen from her. In the gripping third installment of the Pelican Harbor series, the truth is finally coming out.

Chief of Police Jane Hardy plunges into the investigation of a house fire that claimed the life of a local woman as well as one of the firefighters. It’s clear the woman was murdered. But why? The unraveling of Jane’s personal life makes answers for the case even more difficult to find.

Then Jane’s fifteen-year-old son is accused of a terrible crime, and she has to decide if she can trust her ex, Reid, to help her prove Will’s innocence—and if she can trust Reid with her heart.

Three days of Jane’s past are missing from her memory, and that’s not all that’s been stolen from her. As she struggles to find the murderer and clear her son’s name, finding out what happened in those three days could change everything.

It all started with one little lie . . . but the truth is finally coming out.

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

Happy Reading!

Read and enjoyed. February 12, 2023

/ For the Love of Books / Leave a comment

Today is my son’s birthday! He is miles and miles away from me but at least we have social media to share birthday greetings. He is also near other parts of the family so it’s still a good day for him.

*********

Down to business. It’s time to clear out the growing collection of read books once again. It’s not easy to buckle down and get it done because I keep finding myself hooked on true crime videos. Very distracting. I’ve split the screen, maybe that will help keep me working. Maybe, no guarantees.

Most of today’s videos have been about booking drunk and disorderly in jail but this last one is about a cult family in a traffic stop. They are pulling a trailer with a bunch of kids inside. At least it is one huge family (they think) and not a child trafficking situation, (we hope.)

Last week I watched a long interview with a woman (#2 wife) who was excommunicated from the community for a minor made-up infraction but wasn’t allowed to take her five children with her. Her biggest fear was that the group leader would marry off her daughters to older men while still at an early age. Usually age 12 – 16 or so. They gather together a bride group and move them to another place where they are chosen by someone from a group of men. Hopefully that is not what is going on here. I feel bad for the girls and their mothers if it s.

The biggest problem this group will likely have will be created by resisting police officers when asked to exit the vehicle and identify themselves. It looks like they are also breaking multiple traffic laws by having unsecured passengers. The trailer has blankets on the floor, no seats, no windows. Could be a fatal situation if anything ever went wrong with such a flimsy trailer.

It’s over now, at least they stopped sharing the video, not sure how it all ended. I’ll resist looking to see if there is a next installment.

Anyway, on to books.

Not sure which one was my favorite anymore but I will try to figure it out.

This first one (on the left) was one of my favorites, it was a five star read.

Again, the next two (also on the left) were also favorite five star reads. Amazing, because I don’t usually have so many excellent reads this close together. It’s been a good week.

I’ve been more selective lately, maybe that has made a difference too. I’m not settling for some of the less appealing books just to have something to share with you.

I’m liking this new way of doing things much better.

Looking through what’s coming next I see there are still about a dozen partially read books near the top of the list. It would be a good plan to move some of them along a little faster. Probably need to jump to the end and move on.

My current read, on the other hand, will likely turn out to be another five star read as well. I’m having a hard time staying away from it. This was yesterday’s new book and I will soon be done with it. Check it out, it’s a good book.

Cold Dead Night (Brand of Justice Book 1)

Alright, there were no more interruptions and I got it done.

As a treat I think I will make a nice salad and finish reading my book.

Happy reading!

Bargain book February 06, 2023

/ For the Love of Books / Leave a comment

It looks like the no-book dry spell has come to an end, 1531 Entertainment has a suggestion for us. It’s such a good one that I will be abandoning my current read in favor of this one. Book two in this series was in the lineup a month ago so we know by experience that this read will be just as good.

Tough as Steele: (Steele Guardians – Book 1)

Searching for an abducted woman…
Detective Londyn Steele is thrown into the deep end when she’s assigned to find an abducted socialite. Problem is, her family’s company, Steele Guardians, was supposed to protect the family matriarch at her eightieth birthday party when she disappears, and Londyn fears her investigation will expose problems in her family’s company and bring them down. Especially when County Detective Nate Ryder declares jurisdiction over the scene, and Londyn must take a back seat in one of the most important cases she’s ever investigated.

Could put them in a deadly killer’s crosshairs.
Londyn has no choice but to work with Nate and bristles at his interference at first, but soon forms a working truce so they can combine forces to locate this missing woman before it’s too late. As they search for leads, emotions he hasn’t felt since before his service as a Navy SEAL come to the surface. He credits Londyn for unearthing the guy he used to be before his military service, and Londyn can barely fight her attraction for him. But when they fear the socialite was murdered and the killer is still hunting, seeking another prey, their feelings for each other have to be put on hold to stay alive.

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

Although now that I read a bit more in my current book I may have to change my mind about ditching it for this new one. And now that I remember the current read is a three book collection maybe a compromise would be in order. Take a break after book one and then come back for the other two. Definitely worth thinking about.

Black Hills Song: A Sweet Historical Romance Set in the Black Hills

After losing their Ma and Pa to a tragic illness, Ezekiel Wagner and his brothers are plagued by a mysterious addendum in their will. A threat against the only family they have left forces them to risk everything to save their aunt’s life before the curtain closes on the construction of her opera house.

Tender Melody

As an orphan, Martha never had a family. When she is falsely accused and loses her position, she’s left penniless and desperate. Desperate enough to consider Ezekiel’s marriage of convenience offer. The business arrangement will benefit them both, but will she end up falling in love with the honorable man who saved her from poverty?

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

That’s all I have for today but I could be back soon. My already-read list is getting out of hand again and needs some clearing out.

Until then. . .

Happy reading!

Bargain books and PTSD, January 30, 2023

/ For the Love of Books / Leave a comment

We have books. Hopefully more than one. After today’s search.

BookBub has the first good suggestion. We’ve read earlier books in this series so this is a welcome addition to our expanding library.

A Home in Cranberry Cove (Cranberry Cove Series Book 4)

Madison Mitchell will never trust a man again. The love of her life broke her heart and married a French chef. Now she throws herself into her work at The Inn at Cranberry Cove. When she accidentally tangles with the manager of a nearby fishing supply store, she suspects the handsome guy is hiding something.

Micah Collins flees Sacramento seeking solace in the seaside village in Washington state. But he discovers an enemy has followed him to Cranberry Cove. He must endure frightful threats at the same time keeping his previous life secret. When Madison finds herself in danger, Micah blames himself.

Madison and Micah are haunted by someone from Micah’s past, but is the culprit the real enemy or should they look elsewhere? Will they find a future together?

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

Next, an interesting book showed up in the suggestion strip. A total change in time period.

A Mosaic of Wings (Dreams of India)

It’s 1885, and all Nora Shipley wants, now that she’s graduating from Cornell University as valedictorian of the entomology program, is to follow in her late father’s footsteps by getting her master’s degree and taking over the scientific journal he started. The only way to uphold her father’s legacy is to win a scholarship, so she joins a research expedition in Kodaikanal, India, to prove herself in the field.

India isn’t what she expects, though, and neither is the rival classmate who accompanies her, Owen Epps. As her preconceptions of India–and of Owen–fall away, she finds both far more captivating than she expected. Forced by the expedition leader to stay at camp and illustrate exotic butterflies the men of the team find without her, Nora befriends Sita, a young Indian girl who has been dedicated to a goddess against her will.

In this spellbinding new land, Nora is soon faced with impossible choices–between saving Sita and saving her career, and between what she’s always thought she wanted and the man she’s come to love.

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

1531 Entertainment has a suggestion that I want to be next up on my reading list. I’m hooked from the beginning.

Dangerous Beauty: A Novel 

Liliana Vela hates the term victim. She’s not a victim, she’s a fighter. Stubborn and strong with a quiet elegance, she’s determined to take back her life after escaping the clutches of human traffickers in her poor Mexican village. But she can’t stay safely over the border in America–unless the man who aided in her rescue is serious about his unconventional proposal to marry her.

Meric Toledan was just stopping at a service station for a bottle of water. Assessing the situation, he steps in to rescue Liliana from traffickers. If he can keep his secrets at bay, his wealth and position afford him many resources to help her. But the mysterious buyer who funded her capture will not sit idly by while his prize is stolen from him.

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

It has turned out to be a very good book day and I’m one happy book lover, I have to say.

I may even be tempted to speed quickly through the current read to get to this new book just a little sooner.

Temperatures have dropped and the sun is shining brilliantly. It hard not to look up on a day like today. The sunshine provides a good blow to the winter doldrums, cabin fever, and all that.

Have a great reading day. I certainly plan to.

I’m still here, thinking on this last book and why it appeals to me so much.

I’m guessing the short answer could be that a strong, abused and vulnerable woman has been rescued by a resourceful, compassionate, but deeply angry man. Rescued being the operative word.

Probably because of any word that could be applied to my life, rescued is the very first word on the thankful list. To be honest, I haven’t really considered the idea in much depth, until now, thinking about this new book. But it’s true. When ever the subject of my early life comes up, the very first thought always is, where would my brothers and I have been if we were not rescued as pre-teens.

I do think of my life in depth at times, when it seems appropriate. Much healing has come from being willing to face the terror of my past.

The other day I was thinking about how far I’ve come in this journey. I’m not that little girl any more.

And yet the healing is incomplete, the damage runs deep and there is residue that will go with me to the grave.

I’m grateful for the rescue, I’m grateful for the major healing gained over many decades. I still don’t lead the life of a normal woman but close enough.

Besides, what is normal anyway?