historical fiction

Bargain books December 10, 2022 Part two

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Another irresistible bargain book showed up as I was snooping around. More historical fiction, this time involving a different war with ships on the high seas. And definitely with romance.

A Heart Adrift: A Novel

A Virginia chocolatier and a privateering sea captain collide once more after a failed love affair a decade before. Will a war and a cache of regrets keep them apart? Or will a new shared vision reunite them?*****

It is 1755, and the threat of war with France looms over colonial York, Virginia. Chocolatier Esmée Shaw is fighting her own battle of the heart. Having reached her twenty-eighth birthday, she is reconciled to life alone after a decade-old failed love affair from which she’s never quite recovered. But she longs to find something worthwhile to do with her life.


Captain Henri Lennox has returned to port after a lengthy absence, intent on completing the lighthouse in the dangerous Chesapeake Bay, a dream he once shared with Esmée. But when the colonial government asks him to lead a secret naval expedition against the French, his future is plunged into uncertainty.

Will a war and a cache of regrets keep them apart, or can their shared vision and dedication to the colonial cause heal the wounds of the past? Bestselling and award-winning author Laura Frantz whisks you away to a time fraught with peril–on the sea and in the heart–in this redemptive, romantic story.

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Another intriguing book showed up in the suggestion strip and after reading the whole sample I’m hooked. This one will be my next read, unless I’m distracted and forget about it. It’s been known to happen.

Expecting Danger (Small-Town Guardians Book 2)

Kate has been on the run from the men who killed her husband and left her for dead—which isn’t easy considering she’s eight months pregnant—but now they’ve found her. Again. Still reeling from her late husband’s betrayal, the last thing Kate wants is the help of a handsome stranger.

Security expert, Jacob Jones, is still grieving the loss of his pregnant wife, and he’s not ready to move on. But when he thwarts an attempted abduction of the beautiful Kate, he finds himself inexplicably drawn to her. Despite her reluctance, he’s determined to do whatever it takes to save her, including giving up his own life.

Kate’s only option is to take a leap of faith and allow Jacob to help her. But can she trust him to keep her and her unborn baby alive? Or will he fail her like everyone else in her life?

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Book one in this series is still a bargain too. I see I’ve read this one already. They are standalone stories so it’s safe to read them out of order.

Hidden Danger (Small-Town Guardians Book 1)

All Maggie Jones wants to do is sell her late father’s property and get out of Whitehaven, Texas as fast as possible—before she runs into the one man she’s spent the past six years avoiding. Someone has other plans for her, though. Sinister plans. And when a seemingly harmless act of vandalism turns into a series of menacing threats, she has no choice but to turn to last person on earth she wants to see for help.

Sheriff Cody Smith never expected to see Maggie again, especially after he’d broken her heart all those years ago. Maybe this is the second chance he’s always wanted. But when he realizes Maggie’s in grave danger, he intends to keep her safe at all costs. With lines from an old nursery rhyme as their only clue, he needs to find out who’s behind this deadly game before the rhyme ends and Maggie’s time runs out. Can he protect her, catch the bad guy, and make amends for past wrongs? Or will old wounds get in the way?

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That’s it for tonight.

Happy Reading!

Bargain book December 10, 2022

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It has been a good day. Family has arrived for the Christmas season and life is good.

Not only that but we have an interesting bargain suggestion today.

At dinner tonight family wanted to know if bargain books were worth reading and I assured them that the ones I choose are. I figure that with thousands of books read over the last decade and a half that makes me an experienced and discerning reader. I share what I am willing to read and I can say it has to be a book that is worth my time to make it on to my reading device.

Cheap doesn’t necessarily mean poorly written.

Many authors use price breaks as a way to attract buyers for their books. Usually it will be one of the books in a series, to get us hooked so we will buy the rest. Over time another book in the series will be offered as incentive too so patience works well.

I’m always on the look out for 4 and 5 star books and mostly that’s what we get. Occasionally one of them will be a disappointment but I keep track of author experiences and try to avoid future disappointments.

It’s kind of like food, where you discover awesome restaurants and ever after make you dining choices based on those experiences. I know a good book when I see it and avoid the not-so-great books as much as possible. There are many talented writers out there that are worth our time and money.

I can guarantee (most of the time) quality writing for a good experience.

What I can’t guarantee is a genre you will love every time. There is no accounting for taste (as they say) and we all love differently. Sorry about that.

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Today’s suggestion from BookBub looks interesting. It’s historical, set during war time, a theme we have seen often lately. This story looks to have a fresh approach and so I’m inclined to give it a try.

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.

Master of WWII-era fiction Sarah Sundin invites you onto the streets of occupied Paris to discover whether love or duty will prevail.

Happy Reading

Read and enjoyed December 09, 2022

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It has been an awesome run of good reads.

I’m still basking in the emotions of the last read. It was well written, original and engaging, Another book I couldn’t bear to put down. If you enjoy historical fiction I can highly recommend this book. I award 5 stars sparingly, to keep them meaning something. This book was definitely deserving of 5*****.

On Sugar Hill (The Georgia Magnolias Book 2)

To make ends meet, the Fitzgerald women must open their home as a boardinghouse, but will the secrets they uncover prove their undoing?

The day Cora Fitzgerald turned sixteen, she fled Sugar Hill for the bright lights of New York City, leaving behind her senator father’s abuse. But just as her career takes off, she’s summoned home.

The stock market has crashed. The senator is dead. Her mother is delusional, and her mute Aunt Clara pens novels that expose the town’s secrets. Then there’s Boone Robertson, who never knew she was alive back in high school but now manages to be around whenever she needs help.

And the Fitzgerald women need a lot of help, indeed. They are forced to find a way to make ends meet, whether it’s mining for gold or doing what Southern women have done for generations in times of need—turning their home into a boardinghouse.

But will the people of Cora’s past keep her from returning to a brilliant future?

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Reading a book a day makes it difficult to keep alive a detailed memory of the read. It doesn’t mean the experience wasn’t meaningful or fully engaging. It was for all of them. They were all a fine-dining experience.

Even this next collection received a high rating. Often times there is a relatively wide difference in the quality of writing in a box set. I can see why. A multi book collection is a good opportunity for writers with differing levels of experience to gain exposure. Expecting the usual and not getting it is why the high quality was a welcome surprise. Paying attention to the authors involved would have lowered the surprise level, but where’s the fun in that?

Destination Christmas (The Christmas Lights Collection) 

Kiss Me on Christmas by Sarah Monzon

Single mom Kaitlyn Stafford has never considered Christmas a balancing act, but when her sister calls with the news that she’s getting married in less than two weeks—on Christmas Day—that’s exactly what the holiday looks like becoming. Helping with the out-of-state wedding will be fun. The challenge will be doing so while accommodating her neurodivergent son’s need to keep every single one of their Christmas traditions while they’re away from home. It’ll be tricky, but she can do it.

At least, that’s what she thinks before her son’s favorite YouTuber, Beckett Walsh, shows up on the scene, knocking her world off-kilter with his speaking glances and knowing smiles. How on earth is she supposed to pull off her balancing act when her world’s just tilted on its axis?

Christmas Camp by Cathe Swanson

Julia is eager to prove herself in her first job as project manager for the family’s charitable foundation, but she expected it to be something more meaningful than creating a winter wonderland Christmas vacation for snow-deprived southerners. Why is this project so important to her grandmother?

Tom doesn’t understand why anyone would want to renovate his uncle’s broken-down Wisconsin deer camp, either, but if it will save the old man’s home and business, he’ll help the ambitious city girl put together the most cliché-filled Christmas ever.

Not Another Christmas by Jaycee Weaver

The palm trees and beaches of Florida are far from her chaotic family as Cindy Sinclair can get. Her anticipated promotion is the perfect excuse not to come home for the holidays… until she’s passed over and the job is given to none other than her childhood nemesis.

This far from New Mexico, Nick Hoover never imagined he’d beat Cindy out for a job. Again. He’s messed up her plans since the day they met, but this time, Nick is determined to prove he never wanted to be her enemy. If only she’ll let him.

When their reignited adolescent rivalry gets out of hand, their boss insists they both go home, face the hurts of their pasts, and bury the hatchet once and for all. With help from her meddling family, this could be the Christmas they quit clashing and give love a fighting chance.

The Hearts of New Cheltenham by Chautona Havig

The only way not to break her best friend’s heart is to get someone else to steal it.

Jarod doesn’t need a month off and certainly not halfway across the country. His best friend doesn’t agree. She’s been researching places for him to go and has found him a perfect match on a dating website who just happens to live in New Cheltenham. It’s a match made online until she begins to wonder if she’s made a mistake trying to offload him on someone else.

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Now it’s time to decide on a next read. Some days the choices are harder to make than others, that’s today.

Here are the three I’m looking at.

Decisions, decisions, decisions . . .

I love having so many good choices.

Happy Reading y’all

Free book December 07, 2022

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It has been a slow few days, book-wise, but we have a suggestion today that looks like it could be interesting. We don’t see stories with this angle very often.

Postmark From the Past 

In November 1989, Emily Patterson receives a red envelope in her mailbox. It’s a letter from Mark who declares his love for her and says he’s coming for her if he makes it home alive. But who is Mark?

There is no return address and the postmark is 1968. The letters continue to turn up in her mailbox and she wonders if someone is playing a cruel joke. It’s Christmas time and her friends say it is the season for miracles. Can she risk her heart to find a miracle in the Postmark from the Past?

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Nothing else is showing up for us tonight so I will share my last awesome read and my new current read.

This was a keep-me-up-all-night book. It was well written and original, short on guns and killing but long on mystery. The characters were well developed and some were less like-able than others, which is always a good thing. Did I mention this was a keep me up late book? I’m feeling it today, that’s for sure.

Trial and Error

A small-town lawyer has been searching for his daughter for eighteen years. Now a local girl has gone missing, and he’s determined to find them both—no matter the cost.

Buddy Smith built his law practice around tracking down missing children. After all, he knows the agony of being separated from a child. Not long after his daughter’s birth, her mother took her and ran away. Buddy hasn’t seen either since.

Gracie Blaylock has known Buddy her entire life, and now that she is clerk of court for the county, their paths cross frequently. When Gracie hears that a teenager is missing, she knows Buddy is the one for the case.

The missing girl’s parents are desperate for answers. Together with Gracie and Mayleah—the new detective in town—Buddy chases every lead, hoping to reach the missing teen before it’s too late. While he pursues one girl, he uncovers clues that could bring him closer to the daughter he thought he’d lost forever.

Master storyteller Robert Whitlow will keep you guessing in this gripping legal drama while also reminding you of the power of God’s restoration.

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I’ve just started this new book, barely started, but it’s caught my attention. For the moment anyway, and hopefully for much longer. To the end would be good

. On Sugar Hill (The Georgia Magnolias Book 2)

To make ends meet, the Fitzgerald women must open their home as a boardinghouse, but will the secrets they uncover prove their undoing?

The day Cora Fitzgerald turned sixteen, she fled Sugar Hill for the bright lights of New York City, leaving behind her senator father’s abuse. But just as her career takes off, she’s summoned home.

The stock market has crashed. The senator is dead. Her mother is delusional, and her mute Aunt Clara pens novels that expose the town’s secrets. Then there’s Boone Robertson, who never knew she was alive back in high school but now manages to be around whenever she needs help.

And the Fitzgerald women need a lot of help, indeed. They are forced to find a way to make ends meet, whether it’s mining for gold or doing what Southern women have done for generations in times of need—turning their home into a boardinghouse.

But will the people of Cora’s past keep her from returning to a brilliant future?

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Have a good night, or day depending on where you are in the world.

Happy Reading too.

I really hope I am helping to push you toward a love of reading. Find a book like the one that kept me up all night and you can’t help but fall in love with the experience.

Read & enjoyed, free book December 05, 2022

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I have a couple of books I’m excited to tell you about but first we have one bargain suggestion from LPC Free Books. It’s by an author we’ve seen before and I don’t know about you but I haven’t read them. Well, I did read one of the four but that was three years ago and my memory of it is gone.

This one today sounds interesting, at least the few pages of the sample I read, and I want to take a chance on it. The price is right so why not, it’s the perfect time. I love the cover.

On Sugar Hill (The Georgia Magnolias Book 2) 

To make ends meet, the Fitzgerald women must open their home as a boardinghouse, but will the secrets they uncover prove their undoing?

The day Cora Fitzgerald turned sixteen, she fled Sugar Hill for the bright lights of New York City, leaving behind her senator father’s abuse. But just as her career takes off, she’s summoned home.

The stock market has crashed. The senator is dead. Her mother is delusional, and her mute Aunt Clara pens novels that expose the town’s secrets. Then there’s Boone Robertson, who never knew she was alive back in high school but now manages to be around whenever she needs help.

And the Fitzgerald women need a lot of help, indeed. They are forced to find a way to make ends meet, whether it’s mining for gold or doing what Southern women have done for generations in times of need—turning their home into a boardinghouse.

But will the people of Cora’s past keep her from returning to a brilliant future?

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So, the books I’m excited about — I’ve read other books in the series and I’ve met and enjoyed these characters before. This time though they are even more engaging. Keep me up all night reading engaging.

The first one was yesterday and the second one is today.

This blind private investigator/retired cop is believable and brilliant. His partner suits him well. She is younger, a smart lawyer turned investigator, and dabbles in high-stakes real estate investments (which definitely adds the opportunity for a few unexpected twists and turns.)

The stories are well written, original, and fun, but with depth. I’m 2/3 of the way through today’s read and can’t wait to get back to it.

Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells…Rifle Shells?

Blind private investigator Steve Smiley and his partner hear a rifle shot. Hordes of Christmas shoppers scatter. A famous big-game hunter drops to the sidewalk. They grab the beautiful teen who was arguing with the man and flee to safety. Bella, the adopted daughter of the victim and a celebrity in her own right, shows no emotion over the murder. Her one passionate request: find her birth parents.

Smiley and McBlythe’s search intertwines with the murder investigation of Bella’s adopted father again and again—and uncovers a shocking secret. Like it or not, they must first identify the killer in order to discover the truth about Bella’s adoption.

A host of suspects line up like Santa’s reindeer. Can the determined investigators tie a ribbon on the case? Will Bella have the best Christmas ever—or will death and heartache be the only presents under the tree?

You’ll love this page-turning mystery—it has more twists and turns than stripes on a candy cane.

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Try them out. They lean toward cozy but with more substance, which to my way of thinking is a perfect fit.

Happy Reading

Bargain book December 03, 2022

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Oh my goodness! Christmas is arriving way too fast. The being-ready panic is starting to close in. Probably because more family than usual will be here this year and that means a different normal. It will be good, we are very excited to be together this Christmas.

When I’m not thinking of Christmas I’m thinking of books and that’s where my mind is now, A change in subject was needed.

So, BookBub has a suggestion that is quite the departure from our regular fare. We’ve not seen this author before either and a quick look leaves us with no idea what to expect. I’m up for giving it a try to see what it is all about.

Reading some of the reviews it seems a trigger warning is in order due to heavy subject matter — abuse, and victimization. They did say it was handled well and in general was a needed conversation but for some readers it was a shock, they would have been better prepared with a warning.

The Girl Who Could Breathe Under Water: A Novel

The best fiction simply tells the truth.
But the truth is never simple.

When novelist Kendra Brennan moves into her grandfather’s old cabin on Hidden Lake, she has a problem and a plan. The problem? An inflammatory letter from A Very Disappointed Reader. The plan? To confront Tyler, her childhood best friend’s brother–and the man who inspired the antagonist in her first book. If she can prove that she told the truth about what happened during those long-ago summers, perhaps she can put the letter’s claims to rest and meet the swiftly approaching deadline for her next book.

But what she discovers as she delves into the murky past is not what she expected. While facing Tyler isn’t easy, facing the consequences of her failed friendship with his sister, Cami, may be the hardest thing she’s ever had to do.

Plumb the depths of the human heart with this emotional exploration of how a friendship dies, how we can face the unforgivable, and how even those who have been hurt can learn to love with abandon.

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If you need a complete change of pace at this point, BookBub has another suggestion I wasn’t going to mention, we’ve seen so many like it in the last while.

On the other hand, maybe this will be a welcome change after the heavy tone of the first book.

Marrying a Cowboy Collection 

Curl up and enjoy four full-length novels—over one thousand pages of sweeping Christian historical romance. Fall in love with the cowboys who tamed the west and the brave young women who tamed them.

Wagon Train Baby
Donna Grace needs a husband. The only way for her to travel to Santa Fe is by accepting a marriage of convenience and journeying by wagon train. Will the dangers and joy of the trail soften her heart to the man who was only supposed to be hers until she returned home?

Jake’s Honor
Connie has always been the responsible one. When her sense of duty puts her at odds with rancher Jake Hooper, she’ll do everything in her power to prod the stubborn man into doing right by his daughter. Only spending time with the man ignites soft emotions she’s tried for a long time to do away with…

Loving a Rebel
Flora Kinsley has a rebellious streak a mile wide. When her penchant for trouble leads her to be stranded in a snowstorm with Kade Thomas, she’ll have to step lightly to avoid the parson’s trap—unless Kade can convince her to take a chance on love.

Dillon
Abigail Thompson needs help. And a place to stay. When she’s taken in by a rancher and his wife, she knows she can make a fresh start for herself and her unborn baby. What she didn’t expect was to fall for one of the rancher’s adopted sons…

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Currently…

I did go for one of yesterday’s books after all. I’m half way through and having trouble staying away from it.

Life Flight (Extreme Measures Book #1)

“An edge-of-your-seat suspense thriller from start to finish.”–Library Journal (so true.)

EMS helicopter pilot Penny Carlton is used to high stress situations, but being forced to land on a mountain in a raging storm with a critical patient–and a serial killer on the loose–tests her skills and her nerve to the limit. She survives with FBI Special Agent Holt Satterfield’s help. But she’s not out of the woods yet.

In the ensuing days, Penny finds herself under attack. And when news reaches Holt that he may not have gotten his man after all, it will take all he and Penny have to catch a killer–before he catches one of them.

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I’d better do some supper, and some vacuuming while trying to stay away from the book. Well, reading always goes with food.

And vacuuming needs lots of breaks to let my muscles recover. Any excuse works!

Hope your day is more productive than mine.

No I don’t, I hope you are having trouble breaking away from your book too.

Happy Reading!

Free and bargain books November 18, 2022

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It’s Friday again. It’s unbelievable the way the weeks fly by. I’d like to say stop the ship, I want to get off but life would move on for everyone else at breakneck speed and when I look closely at the picture that thought conjures up, me left behind in a fractured world, I think I’d better cancel that request. Hopefully the wish granting genie wasn’t paying attention to the beginning of this discussion.

Books, now there’s a safe topic for us.

BookBub has an interesting suggestion. It goes with a book suggestion we read and enjoyed a year ago.

Christmas at Cranberry Cove (Cranberry Cove Series Book 3) 

Ryder Langston retires from commercial fishing and manages Blake Sloan’s supply stores. When the owner of the inn in Cranberry Cove hires a new executive chef, Ryder is intrigued by the tall woman with ebony hair who hides a dark family secret.

Juliette Duplay must flee from her French roots and her past when a family member turns against her. She’d like to blend into the American culture but can’t escape danger even in the small community of Cranberry Cove.

Can Ryder and Juliette unravel the mystery in time to celebrate Christmas at Cranberry Cove?

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1531 Entertainment has an intense and attractive suggestion for us.

Cruise to Death

When opera singer Riley Williams agrees to sub as a musical-theater performer on a luxury Rhine/Moselle River boat cruise, she gets more than she bargained for. Not only does she have to come up with 250 Broadway songs, she must dance with the male passengers. Dance—the subject she nearly failed in her conservatory courses, and the cause of her recent flop in an opera house. To make matters worse, she overhears two terrorists at a café in Antwerp, Belgium, discussing the transfer of deadly Agent X to the highest bioterrorist bidders.

Interpol Agent Jacob Coulter, an anti-terrorism desk analyst in Brussels, Belgium, insists on serving as an undercover agent after his best friend Noel is murdered by terrorists from the cell he infiltrated in Brussels. Shortly before Noel dies, he manages to tell Jacob snippets of the terrorists’ plans. Plans that seem to involve the same river boat cruise Riley is on. When Interpol learns of Riley’s encounter with terrorists at the café, Jacob’s supervisor insists he work with her to identify the terrorists and retrieve Agent X. But their relationship is fraught with distrust because of Riley’s suspicious past and a romantic attraction neither of them wants.

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This one showed up again this week. Too many good books lately, I’ve not had a chance to read this one yet.

Courting Misfortune (The Joplin Chronicles Book #1)

Calista York needs one more successful case as a Pinkerton operative to secure her job. When she’s assigned to find the kidnapped daughter of a mob boss, she’s sent to the rowdy mining town of Joplin, Missouri, despite having extended family in the area. Will their meddling expose her mission and keep Lila Seaton from being recovered?

When Matthew Cook decided to be a missionary, he never expected to be sent only a short train ride away. While fighting against corruption of all sorts, Matthew hears of a baby raffle being held to raise funds for a children’s home. He’ll do what he can to stop it, but he also wants to stop the reckless Miss York, whose bad judgment consistently seems to be putting her in harm’s way.

Calista doesn’t need the handsome pastor interfering with her investigation, and she can’t let her disguise slip. Her job and the life of a young lady depend on keeping Matthew in the dark. 

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Happy Friday y’all

Free and bargain books November 15, 2022

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

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

Risking their hearts and their lives while protecting the innocent…

Will they find the kidnapped boy in time?

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

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

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

After the Rain

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Importance of Being Earnest: A Trivial Comedy 

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

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

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

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

“You be Frank and I’ll be Ernest”

On that lighthearted note . . .

Happy Reading y’all

Checking in November 14, 2022

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This is a no-book day. Not sure where the normal suggestion emails went to on this Monday.

I needed something to do so I spent some time browsing through Amazon. There were a few that looked interesting, at first anyway, but the interest didn’t last long enough to choose any of them.

On the bright side I did finish both books in the current series we talked about yesterday. I wasn’t sure about the second book but it did turn out well. Now I wish I had Book 3.

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The other day I mentioned an experimental idea I had for maintaining interest in collections. Reading the 4 or 5 books of a collection all in a row can become boring. I was thinking if I read one book out of each (I have 5 on the go currently) and kept doing that until all five were done, maybe the experience would be more positive. So far it seems to be working. Sort of like taking a bit of salad in between bites of steak or potatoes helps keep the flavors from becoming boring.

Here are three I have been working on at the moment. Well the first two I have been, the third has been sadly neglected for months on end and needs to be moved on one way or the other.

I’ve moved up to Book 2 in the Prairie Brides collection and it’s good.

I may even just stay with these three, that may be enough of a change to get it done. Besides, I’m dragging my feet on two of them. I may decide to skip them altogether.

I’ll let you know how it goes.

That’s it for tonight.

Happy Reading.

A bargain book November 12, 2022

/ For the Love of Books / Leave a comment

BookBub has a suggestion I would like to explore. I don’t think I have read this author.

Courting Misfortune (The Joplin Chronicles Book #1)

Calista York needs one more successful case as a Pinkerton operative to secure her job. When she’s assigned to find the kidnapped daughter of a mob boss, she’s sent to the rowdy mining town of Joplin, Missouri, despite having extended family in the area. Will their meddling expose her mission and keep Lila Seaton from being recovered?

When Matthew Cook decided to be a missionary, he never expected to be sent only a short train ride away. While fighting against corruption of all sorts, Matthew hears of a baby raffle being held to raise funds for a children’s home. He’ll do what he can to stop it, but he also wants to stop the reckless Miss York, whose bad judgment consistently seems to be putting her in harm’s way.

Calista doesn’t need the handsome pastor interfering with her investigation, and she can’t let her disguise slip. Her job and the life of a young lady depend on keeping Matthew in the dark.  

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Nothing else has presented itself today, I did spend time exploring too but it wasn’t helpful.

On another subject, I’ve come up with a possible solution

Recently, we’ve downloaded a number of collections. There is a problem arising out of consumption of that many similar books in a short space of time. Even with different authors there often is a sameness destroying the positive reading experience. I’ve decided to try something new to see if it helps. The new plan involves reading one book from each collection with a stand-alone book in there somewhere, then cycling through the group of collections until they are all complete. Lately I’ve been giving up half way through and I’m hoping this will keep me from doing that.

I’ll let you know how it goes.

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Currently I’m reading a mystery/thriller after one cycle through 4 collections. A welcome change of pace.

One Little Lie (The Pelican Harbor Series Book 1) 

Bodies are showing up everywhere, mostly in strange but telling ways. The killer seems to be handing out retribution. Some of it is meant as distraction.

The killer is dropping hints. He (assuming it’s a he) has plans to keep the authorities insanely busy until the real target is revealed. It’s hard to say at this point what the end game is but it seems to be aimed at the newly appointed chief of police. Maybe.

This story will keep me going for a while, it has the page count of nearly three books in some collections. I’m not complaining. I’m not skipping through any pages either.

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I’m happy reading. I hope you are too.