historical fiction

Bargain books part two January 02, 2023

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As promised. I’m back with more interesting reads. This time they are authors we see often.

This first author has a 4 book series on at a bargain price, we will consider all four and I’m going to choose 2 in an attempt to keep my collection in hand. We’ve had an abundance of books today and my book bin is in danger of overflowing. There are more to come after these ones.

I choose Saving Wren: and Saving Grace: The Women’s Work Exchange

Wren Schmidt is devastated when her husband divorces her unexpectedly, leaving her with a son to raise on her own. Wren ignores the hushed whispers and shame cast upon her by the community to focus on caring for her son. She surprises everyone when she sells her first toy design to Fielding Toy company and secures a contract for more.
Between taking care of her son and working as an inventor, she has a lot on her plate. Wren has neither the time nor the interest to pursue a relationship. When her son asks for a replica of a competitor’s toy ship for Christmas, Wren finds herself working with the handsome inventor, Oscar Parker, to make his wish come true…

She is a woman desperate to save her family legacy…
Grace makes a deal with the local Women’s Work Exchange to sell her blown glass Christmas ornaments in hopes of making enough money to pay off her uncle and keep her legacy. Soon strange incidents lead Grace to fear for her life and her legacy.

He’s the lawyer hired to help her…
Scott Fielding is the lawyer hired to help Grace. Meeting her was a revelation. Grace is a gifted artisan with a heart for family. Something’s wrong with her uncle’s desperate attempts to claim the house and land. What is he after? Is there more to the story?

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Another one from the same author. It looked interesting. . . what can I say. I couldn’t resist. And it is not long either which helped me say yes.

In time for Christmas: A Clean Romantic Suspense 

Kidnapped and ransomed-one little boy is praying for help to get him home in time for Christmas.

It was supposed to be a girl’s night out, but something felt off about the teary-eyed little boy staring at her across the restaurant. Trinity trusts the urging of the Lord and follows her heart only to be caught up in a killer’s dangerous holiday plot.

Billionaire, Marek Reid, and his team are hot on the heels of the men who took his son. Marek knows more than most that if God brings you to it, he will bring you through it, but no one expects what happens next. A young woman steps in to protect the child and finds herself kidnapped before Christmas!

Can Trinity protect the child and escape before the killer exacts his terrible Christmas plan? Will Marek save them both before it’s too late?

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This next one looked too good to pass up. Especially since I’ve read and enjoyed two others in the series. On top of that it’s also short.

Sanctuary Hidden (WITSEC Town)

Previously published as part of the Team Love on the Run box set.

When Cyan Greene finds decades-old evidence hidden among her dead mother’s belongings she’s plunged back into a world of run and hide. NFL quarterback Nate Mason knows more than he should about the secret witness protection town of Sanctuary where Cyan grew up. He’s the perfect person to protect Cyan; except he doesn’t know a thing about being a bodyguard. When the mob catches up with them, and an old nemesis interferes, Nate is the only one who stands between the woman he’s come to care about…and the people trying to silence her forever.

WITSEC Town Series book 2.5

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This last one is also a book I’m having trouble resisting. I’ve read and enjoyed books 1 and 3 in this series and it seems only right to read book 2 while I have the chance.

Rosemary Cottage (The Hope Beach Series Book 2)

The charming Rosemary Cottage on the beach offers Amy Lange the respite she needs to mourn her brother, Ben. She’s even thinking of moving her midwife practice to the Outer Banks community, a place that has always been a refuge for her and her family. She also plans to investigate Ben’s disappearance at sea. Everyone blames a surfing accident, but Amy has reason to wonder.

Coast Guard officer Curtis Ireland has lost a sibling too. His sister, Gina, was run down by a boat, leaving him to raise her infant daughter. If anyone knew who little Raine’s father was, Curtis could lose his beloved niece. Yet he can’t help being drawn to Hope Beach’s new midwife, Amy, and he agrees to help her investigate what happened to both Ben and Gina.

Can two grieving people with secrets find healing on beautiful Hope Island? Or will their quest for truth set them at odds with each other . . . and with those who will go to any length to keep hidden things hidden?

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Eight new books today. It has been a good day, I hope you have enjoyed it even half as much as I have.

It’s time to move on to other needs. In the meantime . . .

Happy Reading!

First Book download of 2023 – January 02/23

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It’s the beginning of another new year. It’s exciting and all, the anticipation, wondering what the year will hold for us.The hardest part of every year though . . . remembering to date everything with the new number. It took long enough to stop using 2021 and now we have to leave 2022 behind.

After experiencing decades of new years you would think it would be easy.

What’s a new year without a new challenge, right?

Let’s forget about all this new year stuff and think about books.

New-to-me authors will be the theme for today, by the looks of it. There was a good suggestion from LPC Free Books and one thing lead to another and we have three new authors with books I can’t wait to read.

Laser Trap 

If you can’t invent it, steal it!

Engineering grad student Dan Butler discovers an unorthodox way to produce lasers of unprecedented power. When the malevolent bosses at StarWay Labs, who sell weapons to the international underworld, discover this, they kidnap Dan and demand he replicate his work in their secret lab.

Dan’s fellow grad student, Lana Madison, who Dan had hired to help him find a girlfriend, is alarmed at his disappearance. She forms a high-tech team with four of their friends to help the authorities rescue Dan. They make remarkable breakthroughs in tracking down his whereabouts while the criminal cadre at StarWay pushes Dan close to his breaking point. With millions of dollars and Dan’s life at stake, can he be rescued before it’s too late? Will he survive the Laser Trap?

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All That Really Matters (A McKenzie Family Romance)

2022 Christy and Carol Award Winner

Molly McKenzie’s bright personality and on-trend fashion and beauty advice have made her a major social media influencer. When her manager-turned-boyfriend tells her of an upcoming audition to host a makeover show for America’s underprivileged youth, all her dreams finally seem to be coming true. There’s just one catch: she has little experience interacting with people in need.

To gain an edge on her competitors, she plans to volunteer for the summer at a transitional program for aged-out foster kids, but the program’s director, Silas Whittaker, doesn’t find her as charming as her followers do. Despite his ridiculous rules and terms, Molly dives into mentoring, surprising herself with the genuine connections and concern she quickly develops for the girls–and Silas. But just as everything seems perfectly aligned for her professional future, it starts to crumble under the pressure. And as her once-narrow focus opens to the deep needs of those she’s come to know, she must face the ones she’s neglected inside herself for so long.

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The Lady of Galway Manor 

In 1920, Annabeth De Lacy’s father is appointed landlord of Galway Parish in Ireland. Bored without all the trappings of the British Court, Annabeth convinces her father to arrange an apprenticeship for her with the Jennings family–descendants of the creator of the famed Claddagh Ring.

Stephen Jennings longs to do anything other than run his family’s jewelry shop. Having had his heart broken, he no longer believes in love and is weary of peddling the “lies” the Claddagh Ring promises.

Meanwhile, as the war for Irish independence gains strength, many locals resent the De Lacys and decide to take things into their own hands to display their displeasure. As events take a dangerous turn for Annabeth and her family, she and Stephen begin to see that perhaps the “other side” isn’t quite as barbaric and uncultured as they’d been led to believe–and that the bonds of friendship, love, and loyalty are only made stronger when put through the refiner’s fire.

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There were other interesting books showing up in the suggestion bars but they are with authors we’ve seen before. I think they deserve a post all their own.

While I’m in the grove and the new books area all lined up for us I’ll move on to the second post of the day.

See you soon.

Read and enjoyed January 01, 2023

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Happy New Year everyone.

It has been a reading marathon for me in every spare moment this week and beyond.

Here are the covers for all of them. It was a good time.

Next read

A Deep Divide (Secrets of the Canyon Book #1) 

After being kidnapped as a child, heiress Emma Grace McMurray has seen firsthand the devastation that greed causes in the world, and she wants nothing to do with it. When she discovers her father has offered her up as a bargaining chip to expand his empire, she disappears into the night. Determined to stay hidden, even if it means always looking over her shoulder, she finds herself working as a Harvey Girl at the El Tovar Hotel.

When Ray Watkins arrives at the hotel on business, he is immediately captivated by the beauty of the Grand Canyon. Though his fame-seeking father aims to lure new investors to the Arizona Territory, Ray dreams of one day taking over the family business and doing good with the profits.

Ray immediately admires Emma Grace, and though an attraction begins to form, she can’t let go of the deep-rooted fear that he’s just like every other wealthy man she’s known. When suspicious activity follows Emma Grace and Ray to the El Tovar, they are pulled into a mystery that stirs up their worst fears. And as shocking revelations come to light, they are left to question all they thought to be true.

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Bargain books December 28, 2022

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A new-to-me author is first up today. The usual suggestion emails didn’t hold anything worthwhile (from my point of view) but at least they were a good jumping off place. This new book starts off well and I want to see where it all goes from here.

A Deep Divide (Secrets of the Canyon Book #1)

With her past behind her, she has nothing–and everything–to lose.

After being kidnapped as a child, heiress Emma Grace McMurray has seen firsthand the devastation that greed causes in the world, and she wants nothing to do with it. When she discovers her father has offered her up as a bargaining chip to expand his empire, she disappears into the night. Determined to stay hidden, even if it means always looking over her shoulder, she finds herself working as a Harvey Girl at the El Tovar Hotel.

When Ray Watkins arrives at the hotel on business, he is immediately captivated by the beauty of the Grand Canyon. Though his fame-seeking father aims to lure new investors to the Arizona Territory, Ray dreams of one day taking over the family business and doing good with the profits.

Ray immediately admires Emma Grace, and though an attraction begins to form, she can’t let go of the deep-rooted fear that he’s just like every other wealthy man she’s known. When suspicious activity follows Emma Grace and Ray to the El Tovar, they are pulled into a mystery that stirs up their worst fears. And as shocking revelations come to light, they are left to question all they thought to be true.

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This next one is from a three book series where we downloaded and enjoyed the first books two earlier this year. Happily, all three are at a bargain price today.

Northern Protector (Heroes of the Tundra Book 3)

Constable Ben Koper is still healing from the bear attack that almost killed him. Nine months after it happened, he returns to Churchill, Manitoba, a changed man—scarred more than just physically. PTSD is his new shadow, haunting his every step, and he can’t seem to kick the pain meds he shouldn’t need anymore. He’s determined to prove, to himself and his colleagues, that he’s still up to his job. Failure isn’t an option.

ER nurse Joy Gallagher spent the entire last winter texting with a healing Constable Koper. What started as friendly concern from this single mother has grown into full-fledged romantic feelings, and she’s eager to level up their friendship and introduce him to the idyllic comfort of small-town life. Until a teenager is murdered at a summer party. The crime is strikingly similar to the cold case murder of Joy’s foster sister, stirring old trauma Joy has never fully dealt with.

When another victim is snatched in town, Ben and Joy must confront their own demons, and join forces to track down an elusive killer. The race to rescue the next victim before it’s too late will test Ben and Joy to their limits. Can they survive their encounter with this heinous killer, or will the past destroy them.?

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This looks interesting. It’s another new-to-me author. A short book with an enticing opening chapter. I’m hooked, needing to know some things, although the book description does answer a number of them.

It’s not a stand alone novel so we won’t know the final outcome but at least it will be an introduction to the author, so there is that.

Second Chance Love: A Christian Clean Romance Novel (The Grand Bay Series Book 1)

Second Chance Love is Book 1 where Tracy Moore must endure one of her life’s greatest challenges when participating with her ex-fiancé, Paul, at her sister’s wedding.

Stuck with Paul for several days on a beautiful tropical island, Tracy struggles over old feelings for her ex-fiancé while doubts about her relationship with her current boyfriend Joseph creep to the surface.

But fate puts her present romance to the test when she and Paul are injured in a disastrous car accident, and Paul must abandon Tracy with her critical injuries to find help.

Paul Myers is the best man for his brother Kenneth’s wedding. But when he discovers he must interact with his ex-fiancé on an intimate tropical trip, he’s not sure he can suppress his intense feelings of love for her.

When an unfortunate accident causes them to become stranded on a deserted part of the island, Paul’s love for Tracy is put to the test. Can he find life-saving help for Tracy in time so they can have a second chance at love? Or will Paul fail to find a rescue team and lose the love of his life?

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In the end it has been an interesting book day, punctuated by an interesting YouTube podcast day. It’s so easy to get caught up in spending way too much time to the detriment of other planned activities. Namely focusing on finishing one book and starting another.

Watching YouTube does not, for the most part, contribute to my blog posts.

I’m feeling strongly about an argument happening just now in an interview. I’m dying to say my piece but the comments on that video have been turned off. I can see why, there were probably enough of them to crash the site.

I’m tempted to say my piece here but it is a hot button topic and I don’t want to start something I’m not well prepared for, something that could blow up on us. Maybe tomorrow if I’m still feeling strongly about the topic.

I can see both sides but in my mind each one is viewing the phrase from a different perspective. One is negative and wrong while the other is benevolent and responsible.

At the altar, she is not your’s to become property, a slave to own. She becomes your responsibility to love, cherish, protect, provide. Her father has provided all of that for her (in a perfect world) and, symbolically, he is handing off his responsibility to you, the groom.

That’s the short part of the conversation in my head. There is so much more to be said (that is highly positive.) Maybe it will come together for a future post.

For now. . . ownership and responsibility are two vastly different realities. One is onerous and the other can be heavenly.

Unfortunately some men do consider their bride as property and some don’t but don’t embrace responsibility either. Sadly, taking responsibility in this day and age is not something that comes naturally in many situations. Too bad, because if done for the right reasons it is a tree that will bear much good fruit.

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I feel a little better now but not completely done with the topic.

Back to books anyway. Need to read, that was today’s goal..

Happy Reading to you.

Merry Christmas December 26, 2022

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Christmas is a huge family time for us and it was especially nice this year with more of the family than usual able to be together. I know we will remember this special time for many years to come.

I am excited to be stocked up on new jigsaw puzzles and I’m looking forward to a new coffee flavor to enjoy along with them

The most important part of the season for us, though, was remembering and celebrating the birth of Jesus, The son of God. For years he has been an important part of our daily lives and we couldn’t handle the ups and downs of life without him. Even more importantly he didn’t come to earth to be there for a few of us, he came to be there for as many as want him to care about them. I’m grateful that he is as close as a whisper and he hears my heart even when I can’t find the words to express it.

After two nights away I need some sleep. An unfamiliar bed doesn’t make for a restful sleep, although a busy mind caused most of the problems, It’s good to be home.

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I think we need a picture to brighten this space up a little so I will share my current read. It is time travel London England 1854 to London 2014, incredibly different times to be living.

He ends up in 2014 unable to comprehend the drastic changes of 160 years. Three days later they both inadvertently end up back in 1854 where cultural norms create havoc for the uninitiated, which describes her perfectly.

There is so much more to be said but I don’t want to give too much away and spoil it for you.

This well written book is a joy to read and I can hardly wait to see how it all turns out. That’s if they survive the evil people following them around. It’s unclear what the intent is but it’s evident that loss of life is part of the plan.

The Never List: Love Across Londons Book One

Victoria Smith’s life seems dreary until someone knocks on a sealed door inside her London bookshop. When Tori discovers it’s not a ghost but a journalist from 1854, she accidentally strands him in 2014. Intrigued by the dapper and crusading Charles Stratford, Tori offers to help him locate a pendant that will reopen the door to his century. Even when their treasure hunt across London turns dangerous, Tori finds herself wishing that Charles could stay. But after losing her family a decade before, can Tori risk loving someone again, especially a man from 1854?

Lured into the future by a mysterious pendant, Charles Stratford must track down its counterpart to unlock the door between Londons. When the winsome Victoria Smith volunteers to join his search, Charles becomes smitten with the intrepid bookseller. He also uncovers an ancient struggle between two underground societies and becomes entangled in their secret intrigues. If Charles fails to return both pendants to 1854, he places his own London at risk. But how can he succeed when it means saying farewell to Victoria in 2014?

From modern-day Soho to 19th-century Mayfair, The Never List takes readers on a whirlwind tour of Londons new and old, as its time-crossed heroes search for a way to love each other within two centuries. It is the first book in the Love Across Londons series which should be read in order.

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This book is still a bargain if it appeals to you.

Happy Reading and Happy Holiday

Night all.

Bargain book December 22, 2022

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One book suggestion. Pretty skinny pickings today.

This author is new to me too so at least it will be an adventure. I love an adventure.

The Never List: Love Across Londons Book One 

“F. E. takes the reader on a fascinating journey between two Londons with danger or intrigue around every corner.” – Margarite Martin Gray, author of the Revolutionary Faith series

2018 Indie B.R.A.G. Medallion Honoree

Victoria Smith’s life seems dreary until someone knocks on a sealed door inside her London bookshop. When Tori discovers it’s not a ghost but a journalist from 1854, she accidentally strands him in 2014. Intrigued by the dapper and crusading Charles Stratford, Tori offers to help him locate a pendant that will reopen the door to his century. Even when their treasure hunt across London turns dangerous, Tori finds herself wishing that Charles could stay. But after losing her family a decade before, can Tori risk loving someone again, especially a man from 1854?

Lured into the future by a mysterious pendant, Charles Stratford must track down its counterpart to unlock the door between Londons. When the winsome Victoria Smith volunteers to join his search, Charles becomes smitten with the intrepid bookseller. He also uncovers an ancient struggle between two underground societies and becomes entangled in their secret intrigues. If Charles fails to return both pendants to 1854, he places his own London at risk. But how can he succeed when it means saying farewell to Victoria in 2014?

From modern-day Soho to 19th-century Mayfair, The Never List takes readers on a whirlwind tour of Londons new and old, as its time-crossed heroes search for a way to love each other within two centuries. It is the first book in the Love Across Londons series which should be read in order.

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There is one more, a novella from Christy Barritt. Another book in this series. Wow.

Troubled Tidings: a Christmas novella (Vanishing Ranch Book 8)

A blown tire on a lonely desert road leads to Christmas Eve trouble.

Vanishing Ranch chef Dean Burns just needed to pick up a few things for Christmas dinner. When his tire blows on the way home, he assures coworker Kota Perez that they’ll be back on the road in no time.

Dean soon realizes the flat tire was no accident, and the simple trip transforms into a terrifying fight for survival. Robbers known as the Roadside Bandits have set their sights on the pair, and Dean and Kota have no choice but to leave the truck and run for their lives, striking out on foot into the vast Arizona desert.

Will Christmas tidings turn deadly this year? Or will Dean and Kota manage to pull off the ultimate Christmas takedown?

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It has been a good day. Stolen moments for reading. Christmas gifts finished up. But best of all. . .

The picture for my new drivers licence turned out better than I hoped. At least the quick look I had made me happy. How often does that ever happen hey? A good day indeed.

I’m off to see if I can finish up the current read.

Happy Reading y’all

Read and Enjoyed December 21, 2022

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It has been a good reading week. The best kind.

Let’s get started.

The first one was a new-to-me book from a favorite author. Maybe I’ll find the other books in this series will have a familiar vibe to them but in the meantime this story was fresh and engaging.

Swept Away: A Squeaky Clean Honeymoon Novella (Book 11.5) (Squeaky Clean Mysteries)

Finding the perfect place for a honeymoon, away from any potential danger or mystery, is challenging. But Gabby’s longtime love and newly minted husband, Riley Thomas, has done it. He has found a location with a nonexistent crime rate, a mostly retired population, and plenty of opportunities for relaxation in the warm sun.

Within minutes of the newlyweds’ arrival, a convoy of vehicles descends on a nearby house, and their honeymoon oasis is destroyed like a sandcastle in a storm. Despite Gabby’s and Riley’s determination to keep to themselves, trouble comes knocking at their door—literally—when a neighbor is abducted from the beach directly outside their rental.

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This has also been a week of historical novels with pretty covers.

This next one covered many decades and generations. The author did an excellent job with this method of story telling.

Where the Last Rose Blooms (Heirloom Secrets)

Alice runs a New Orleans flower shop alongside her aunt, but thoughts of her mother, who went missing during Hurricane Katrina, are never far from her mind. After getting off on the wrong foot with a handsome yet irritating man who comes to her shop, Alice soon realizes their worlds overlap–and the answers they both seek can be found in the same place.

In 1861 Charleston, Clara is known to be a rule follower–but the war has changed her. Unbeknownst to her father, who is heavily involved with the Confederacy, she is an abolitionist and is prepared to sacrifice everything for the cause. With assistance from a dashing Union spy, she attempts to help an enslaved woman reunite with her daughter. But things go very wrong when Clara agrees to aid the Northern cause by ferrying secret information about her father’s associates.

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Three more excellent reads.

Promise Kept (Harland Creek Series Book 1)

Promise Kept (Harland Creek Series Book 1) a well written story.

The Ornament Keeper: A Novella This story had a different spin on it. Interesting and emotional.

****** Three more. *******

All excellent reads

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Today has not been the best day for new book suggestions but that’s OK. I know most of us are good for reading material already on hand.

I’m trying to decide what comes next. Some choices don’t look as exciting as the books read. Kind of like when you eat all the delicious looking food first and the rest is still waiting for you.

Half the time, looking at the cover, I don’t remember anything about the story and the title doesn’t always appeal to me either. That’s a problem. That’s about where I am again tonight. Nothing looks interesting. They might be though, that’s the thing.

It could go either way, really.

Maybe I should listen to a podcast and work on the new jigsaw puzzle for awhile.

Sounds like a good plan.

I’ll probably do all three, just wait and see.

Tomorrow.

Bargain books December 14, 2022

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I’m excited about this first one. It showed up when I looked for the BookBub suggestion which turned out to be one I’ve read. It’s starting out so well I want to abandon my current read in favor of this one. But I won’t, I’ll do the right thing and finish first.

Nothing Short of Wondrous (American Wonders Collection Book #2)

It is 1886, and the government has given the US Cavalry control of Yellowstone. For widowed hotelier Kate Tremaine, the change is a welcome one. She knows every inch of her wilderness home like the back of her hand and wants to see it protected from poachers and vandals.

Refused a guide by Congress, Lieutenant William Prescott must enlist Kate’s aid to help him navigate the sprawling park and track down the troublemakers. But a secret from his past makes him wary of the tender feelings the capable and comely widow raises in him. As they work together to protect the park and stand firm through injustice and tragedy, they may just find that two wounded hearts can share one powerful love when God is in control.

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The first book (the one I’ve read and enjoyed.) is an even better bargain.

Meg Pero has been assisting her photographer father since she was big enough to carry his equipment, so when he dies she is determined to take over his profession–starting with fulfilling the contract he signed to serve on an Army survey of the North Rim of the Grand Canyon in 1871. What she doesn’t realize is that the leader of the expedition is none other than the man she once refused to marry.

Captain Ben Coleridge would like nothing more than to leave without the woman who broke his heart, but he refuses to wait even one more day to get started. This survey is a screen for another, more personal mission, one he cannot share with any member of his team.

As dangers arise from all sides, including within the survey party, Meg and Ben must work together to stay alive, fulfill their duties, and, just maybe, rekindle a love that neither had completely left behind.

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That’s all I have a the moment. You know how that goes. There are good days and some not so good days.

Have a good evening, or morning depending on your time zone.

Happy Reading.

Free and bargain books December 12, 2022

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We have an interesting line up today. Nothing too serious, I don’t think so anyway. No murders and dead bodies this time. A number of new authors for us too.

First up, BookBub has a Christmas offering for us. We’ve seen Dan Walsh often lately.

Keeping Christmas

For the first time since their children were born, empty nesters Judith and Stan Winters spent Thanksgiving alone, without the kids and grandkids. It’s looking like Christmas will be the same.

Judith can hardly bear the thought and struggles even to decorate the house. But soon some wonderful and totally unexpected events turn things completely around, starting with that box of “ugly ornaments” (as Stan calls them). Could they be the key to rescuing their Christmas this year?

A “beautifully written story” for the holiday season, or any time of the year.

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LPC Free Books has a suggestion for us. Tis the season for Christmas stories. This is an author we have not seen so this will be a surprise.

The Ornament Keeper: A Novella

Award-winning author Eva Marie Everson wraps up a Christmas story of hope, love, and forgiveness just in time for the holidays. 

The Ornament Keeper, a contemporary Christmas novella, features Felicia and Jackson Morgan who are spending their first Christmas apart after twenty years of marriage. But a lifetime of gifted ornaments helps Felicia piece together the story of their marriage and the one mistake of unforgiveness she made before they said, “I do.”

Can these memory-filled ornaments reunite this family before Christmas? Only time will tell.

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Browsing, I discovered an offering from an author new to me. It’s always nice to meet someone for the first time.

Promise Kept (Harland Creek Series Book 1)

Lying on her job application wasn’t the best way to kick off her fresh start in a small town, but Heather Smith is out of options. She desperately needs the job, or she will soon be without a place to live. Even so, Heather truly likes Elizabeth Harland, the old woman who hired her as her caregiver, and is eager to work hard and prove she’s right for the task.

Now, if she could just figure out why a local farmer keeps casting suspicious glares her way...

Sure, Grayson McCade has his hands full with his farm. That doesn’t change the fact that he considers the residents of Harland Creek family, and he takes time to look out for them all. The second he learns a newcomer has been hired to care for Elizabeth, he worries the kind-hearted old woman is being scammed.

Acting on what he believes to be the best of intentions, he sets out to uncover the truth about Heather’s past. Will the secrets revealed tarnish Heather’s new start before it even begins? Or will Grayson help make Harland Creek the home her heart longs for?

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Another author new to us. Beautiful cover. I have high hopes for the story too.

Where the Last Rose Blooms (Heirloom Secrets)

“Tender and true, this novel draws you in from the first page.”–SUSAN MEISSNER, bestselling author of The Nature of Fragile Things

Alice runs a New Orleans flower shop alongside her aunt, but thoughts of her mother, who went missing during Hurricane Katrina, are never far from her mind. After getting off on the wrong foot with a handsome yet irritating man who comes to her shop, Alice soon realizes their worlds overlap–and the answers they both seek can be found in the same place.

In 1861 Charleston, Clara is known to be a rule follower–but the war has changed her. Unbeknownst to her father, who is heavily involved with the Confederacy, she is an abolitionist and is prepared to sacrifice everything for the cause. With assistance from a dashing Union spy, she attempts to help an enslaved woman reunite with her daughter. But things go very wrong when Clara agrees to aid the Northern cause by ferrying secret information about her father’s associates.

Faced with the unknown, both women will have to dig deep to let their courage bloom.

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A good day for new an interesting stories.

I’m enjoying the fascinating characters in my current read. It’s historical fiction and I think the main characters will turn out to be spies for the good guys. Haven’t gone far enough yet to discover how that all works though. It’s still a bargain if you hurry.

Until Leaves Fall in Paris

As the Nazis march toward Paris in 1940, American ballerina Lucie Girard buys her favorite English-language bookstore to allow the Jewish owners to escape. Lucie struggles to run Green Leaf Books due to oppressive German laws and harsh conditions, but she finds a way to aid the resistance by passing secret messages between the pages of her books.

Widower Paul Aubrey wants nothing more than to return to the States with his little girl, but the US Army convinces him to keep his factory running and obtain military information from his German customers. As the war rages on, Paul offers his own resistance by sabotaging his product and hiding British airmen in his factory. After they meet in the bookstore, Paul and Lucie are drawn to each other, but she rejects him when she discovers he sells to the Germans. And for Paul to win her trust would mean betraying his mission.

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It has been an excellent book day. I’d better get reading if I expect to keep up. Maybe have supper along with it. My favorite way to eat.

Happy Reading!

Bargain book December 11, 2022

/ For the Love of Books / Leave a comment

Since it’s 2 am I guess I’ll label this third post as December 11. I said I was done after #2 but it seems I lied lol.

I made the mistake of going back to verify the purchase of the last book (I hadn’t completed the purchase step, good thing I checked) and in the process found another one I had to say yes to. This is book #4 and I see we have had books 1 – 3 show up in 2021. They aren’t bargains anymore, sadly.

Rising From Ashes (Acts of Valor, Book 4)

Lt. Commander “Monty” Monteague hasn’t needed God since he was a boy. But now the accomplished, handsome SEAL is the only survivor of a rescue mission gone wrong. His men are dead; his face is badly scarred. Wounded and hurting, Monty seeks solace in all the wrong places, until his do-gooder neighbor intrudes on his isolation, heals him, and teaches him to reach for God, not a bottle.

Opal Bonheur isn’t just Monty’s neighbor; she’s his physical therapist. Having loved him from afar for years, Opal is determined to heal the warrior, physically and emotionally. What Monty needs is the faith that has sustained her through many a tragedy—and they aren’t over yet. As the past comes back to haunt Opal, Monty’s prayers for her protection might be the only thing to keep her alive.

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Maybe more will show up in the morning.

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Well it’s tomorrow afternoon and so far nothing else has shown up. Not that I’ve been looking all that hard aside from checking suggestion emails. (there were two with nothing we wanted)

The thing I have been doing today (and yesterday too) is spending time with one of my favorite inspiring podcasters. Carey Nieuwhof, he has a leadership podcast with the most interesting guests and amazingly insightful questions. I’m not in leadership but I love learning new things. I love walking away from the experience feeling deeply moved and fed.

It’s the mental equivalent of a well prepared healthy nutritious meal.

The subject of today’s choice of podcasts (I’m behind in watching so I’m binge watching to catch up.) was growing your audience. His guest for this video became a multi-millionaire helping clients with this aspect of their businesses. He has much to offer us as inspiration for developing a strategy for realizing our own hopes and dreams.

To be perfectly honest, I’m not that motivated to grow my audience even though I know I should be. I’m an introvert. I work hard at not being noticed. Which is pretty hilarious when you think about it. That’s why I don’t do emails (I did put an email address somewhere in my contact section but for some reason I didn’t bother to explore, it doesn’t show up.) It’s also why, generally speaking, I put personal thoughts etc at the end of posts rather than the beginning. Readers won’t see them without going to the end. Crazy I know, but this is who I am.

The question is why do I do this, and even hope for more readers, if I shy away from being seen?

It’s motivation. My passion is to inspire reading.

(If I can do it without drawing personal attention so much the better.)

Why this passion, you ask?

Because reading is a life giving, life changing experience. And statistics show that most people are not reading. A least not in any significant way. Many read less than one book a year. This is so much more than sad.

So, that is my deepest motivation, pushing you to fall in love with reading. Yes, fall in love. Avid readers are in love with books.

Falling in love with a book is like falling in love with a person — find the right one and it will happen.

For many their reading speed is a deterrent. Reading is like exercise, the more you do it the stronger you become. Keep reading, with practice your speed will improve. If you love a book, even better, your speed will automatically improve because you are in a hurry to find out what comes next.

So, bottom line, I want to inspire you to discover the joys of reading.

The discussion on why I promote books, without realizing any monetary compensation, will be the subject for another day.

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In case you enjoy teaching and inspiring podcasts I will share the link for this one here. Maybe you will discover useful tools and connections.

Happy Reading,

and maybe watching, too.

I could be preaching to the choir here as you are likely a reader if you frequent a blog site.

Maybe I can inspire you to inspire someone else in your life. That would be good.