reading

A new author, and bargain books April 29, 2023

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The beauty of reading collections? The discovery of new-to-me authors. I’m currently reading a 10 book collection and Liz Bradford did an awesome job of writing the story I’ve just finished. I need to check her out and maybe find more of her books. I see she was listed in another collection in my library but that’s all the exposure I’ve had, that I remember anyway. There could have been other collections with her stories but, sadly, they don’t always show up in my searches. I’ve explored some of the books she’s written and found one that is a bargain, it sounds interesting and it’s 465 pages, what could be better than that for a solid introduction.

Small Town Danger: 10 Full-Length Romantic Suspense & Mystery Novels is my current read. It’s still a bargain and definitely worth the reading time. Liz’s book in the collection? #2 Swept Away

The book I’m about to download?

NOT ALONE: The Detectives of Hazel Hill – Book One

When single moms are turning up dead, Police Detective Rebecca Palmer will stop at nothing to bring the killer to justice.

Detective Rebecca Palmer is hunting a serial killer bent on inflicting a warped sense of Biblical judgment. But, with so few clues, she struggles to catch his trail. The killer’s obsession with murdering single moms grips Rebecca’s heart with profound intensity, since she herself is a single mom. Will she be able to stop him before he takes another mother away from her child?

Jared Johnson fought crime as a detective on the streets of Chicago but has decided to trade the inner city for the simpler life of the south. His brother said Hazel Hill, North Carolina is a great place to live, and Jared is willing to test his brother’s claims. But is the move just another stop as Jared runs from his past, or will Hazel Hill be the place his restless soul can finally settle down?

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That’s it for the moment.

Free and bargain books April 28, 2023

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I’m told a group of authors have decided to take turns offering a free book for a few days each week. This is one of them. I’ve not read this author so I’m happy for the chance, a new favorite could be coming out of this experience.

Springtime in Magnolia Bloom : A Magnolia Bloom Novel Book 3

The MacInnes sisters, different in every way…except for how much they need each other.

Alyssa’s country music career was a dream come true. But lately, something’s off. The words, the notes, the passion…they’ve abandoned her. Now, it’ll take some serious soul searching—and maybe a little help from her family to rediscover her muse and figure out what to do next…

Bailey won’t be denied what she wants. Not ever again. And she’ll do whatever it takes to make sure her daughter reaches her full potential, too. But with all her careful planning comes sacrifice—for both of them. Is the cost of security more than Bailey’s willing to pay?

Cammie is at rock bottom. She lost her husband, her law practice, and her fancy lifestyle practically overnight. It’s time for this former wild child to make some hard decisions and figure out what she truly wants from life—and from love…

Alyssa, Bailey, and Cammie aren’t asking for happily ever after endings, but with sisterly love and the magic of Magnolia Bloom, anything is possible…

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Another bargain book showed up along with the above. I don’t think I’ve read this author either, but I could be wrong. Maybe in paperback, way back when.

Tomorrow’s First Light: (Texas Promise Book 1)

Marrying a stranger to keep the woman’s siblings out of an orphanage is one thing, but when more children than expected pour out of the stagecoach, what’s a man to do?

Nervous about meeting her fiancé for the first time, Ellie Spritzer’s lifelong hope of finding love is about to end—or rather, begin. She never imagined her quest for love would take her to the other side of the country with all eight of her siblings in tow, but after her mother dies unexpectedly, what choice does she have? At least the man she’s been writing for the past year is still willing to marry her and take in her siblings… or so she thinks until she arrives in the dusty town of Twin Rivers, Texas.

Growing up an orphan, Sam Owens never had a place to call home or a family to love. So if his wife-to-be needs to bring three of her siblings with her, he has no complaints about having a ready-made family. But his mail-order-bride doesn’t arrive with three. She arrives with eight.

Sam can’t make himself turn away children in need. But as a beginning rancher, he doesn’t have the resources to care for so many people. When sinister forces threaten the things Sam and Ellie both hold dear, can they figure out how to keep their fledgling family together, or will they lose the very things they cherish most?

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Another author I’ve read maybe once.

Secret Mountain Hideout (Love Inspired Suspense)

From the RITA and Carol Award finalist: Staying hidden in a remote Colorado town has kept her safe—until now . . .

A remote Colorado mountain town and a fake identity have been Ashley Willis’s safe haven since she fled after witnessing a murder—but now the killer has found her trail. Desperate and terrified, she’s prepared to run again . . .

But Deputy Sheriff Chase Fredrick won’t let her. With the lawman by her side, can she face danger head-on . . . and live long enough to bring a murderer to justice?

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I was going to quit after this last one (above), but I couldn’t resist this next one. This is from an author I have read, many times over the years.

Blind Trust (Second Chances, Book 3)

Two weeks before he was to marry Sherry Grayson, Clint Jessup disappeared without a trace. Now, suddenly, eight months later, he’s back with no word of explanation. Only an impossible request: trust him. Trust him despite the devastating past. . .and an inexplicable and increasingly frightening present. Whatever secret Clint is hiding, it’s changed him. And it’s about to change Sherry, sweeping her and Clint into a terrifying whirlpool of pursuit and intrigue–one where death and deliverance teeter on a razor edge of circumstance that can either restore or forever destroy Sherry’s faith not only in Clint, but in others, and perhaps in God himself.

Blind Trust is part of the Second Chances series by award-winning suspense novelist Terri Blackstock. Combining fast-paced reading with realistic characters and situations, Second Chances takes readers to where the conflict between good and evil becomes the proving grounds of faith.

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This is probably a time where I should have been more selective to keep the numbers down. Oh well, I’ll do my best to hurry through them.

I’m leaving in a hurry with my eyes closed, just in case.

Free book April 27, 2023

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Browsing paid off with a FREE book from an newly acquired friend. This will be the third book we’ve read from this author.

Lakehouse Promises (Laurel Cove Series Book 1)

Carolina Johnson had the life everyone wanted. A solid marriage of twenty years. A gorgeous house in the most desirable neighborhood. Friends at the country club. Yet, somehow, she always felt the other shoe would drop.

And drop it did! When she discovered her husband’s affair with a girl half his age. Even more devastating, she’s pregnant.

Now divorced, she has to start over in a lake house with too many issues to list, a neighbor who doesn’t like her and zero friends. To make matters worse, her outrageously rude former mother-in-law shows up and expects to spend a few days.

At forty years of age, Carolina has to start her life over from scratch and draw on the last vestiges of strength she has to make a life for herself.

A new life, new problems, and new relationships…can Carolina find out what matters the most in life and discover what true love really looks like? Or will she refuse to let go of the past and the bitterness that threatens to steal her happiness?

This women’s divorce fiction book will have you rooting for the heroine and everything she has to overcome.

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I think I might toss aside my current new read in favor of this one. Afterall, there’s no law saying I can’t do it. I will promise to finish the abandoned book next. Unless something else catches my attention. Hmmm. Maybe I will promise to finish the rejected book soon, that should be doable.

Nothing else catching my interest at the moment.

Read and enjoyed April 26, 2023

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It’s clear-out time once again. I’m looking at the titles trying to remember enough to offer an opinion and it’s not working for me. I do know that I didn’t keep anything not enjoyed. There were three or four that were barely finished and instantly removed from my device. Hopefully for the rest of them things will be a little clearer as we work our way through them.

Collections were prolific for some reason this season and I was happy about it. The first three containing 9 books each were well worth the read in my estimation. Probably even #1 on my favorites list this time.

Next up, three Romantic Suspense novels enjoyed.

A mixture to finish off. 10 more books

My current read has been passed over, and over, and over, in my search for a new read. Probably the title/cover/genre didn’t inspire me in the moment. It may turn out to be a surprise, an overlooked treasure. Hopefully. Haven’t read enough to give me any clues about that yet.

Plans overheard, a bargain to devise…but is it playing with fire?

In 1849 Mercer County, Kentucky, beautiful Clara Stanton loses her sight, freedom, and fiance after a horse-riding accident. In the throes of her desperation, her family leaves her to recover in the capable hands of an elderly widow while they travel to England without her.

New minister, Daniel Merrick, weary from scandal, is unwittingly led by blind Clara into the most important mission of his life. But will she dare to soar beyond the limits those around her deem safe?

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A Free collection April 2, 2023

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It’s a good day. We have a FREE six book collection of full length stories from some of our favorite authors. It will be available for a limited time only, they tell me.

A Hopeful Heart

This collection from six of your favorite Christian and women’s fiction authors includes 1200+ pages of stories that will tug at your heartstrings and keep you turning pages. This anthology is perfect for a weekend of binge reading.

MEMORIES AT FRIENDSHIP INN by Jessie Newton

AJ, Robin, Alice, Eloise, and Kelli are leaving for college after seven years of close friendship, sharing secrets, and surviving high school. Each has their own reason for wanting to leave or stay in Five Island Cove, and each has a future that’s wide open…

LACY by Sharon Srock

Lacy Fields had everything: a loving husband, a daughter she adored, and a granddaughter on the way. When a tragic accident wipes it all away, will she drown in her grief or can God heal her heart?

TOUCH OF INNOCENCE by Robin Patchen

Grace avoids emotional ties and lives like a hermit, but when her young neighbor needs help, Grace has no choice but to get involved, even if it means risking her own safety…

BEYOND THE SHADOWS by Robin Lee Hatcher

Loneliness and grief stalk Deborah Haskin after her husband’s death, but hope eases her pain when she marries Gideon. After their marriage, Deborah discovers a devastating secret…

SHATTERING SECRETS by Chautona Havig

Emily wants to give one little boy his Christmas wish: find his father. But going on this search might just rip apart a family forever…

SECRETS AND SACRIFICE by Juliette Duncan

Grace O’Connor arrives in the Scottish Highlands hiding a secret. She finds a community of caring Christians and a handsome ex-military Paratrooper with baggage of his own. When the walls she built to protect her heart come tumbling down, she must discover who the real Grace is…

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There is a free Book 1 of another series, it looks interesting and I’m going to check out.

Welcome Aboard (Sail Away Series Book 1) 

Set sail to new adventures and escapes with eight best-selling authors in the exciting new Sail Away series!

Pack your bags and get ready to set sail on a variety of cruise ships…all without leaving home! Experience the waves, the wind, and the call of the birds in the Sail Away series with a sneak peek of the Sail Away Series in this prologue novella. Each bestselling author will take you on a sea adventure filled with friendship, healing, some romance, and all the heartfelt storytelling you crave.

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That’s it for the moment.

Bargain books. April 23, 2023

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First up is one from one of my top ten favorite authors. I loved this book, the way this man thinks and writes, and have to mention his books whenever I see them.

Water from My Heart: A Novel

New York Times bestselling author Charles Martin’s breathtaking novel of love and redemption.

Charlie Finn had to grow up fast, living alone by age sixteen. Highly intelligent, he earned a life-changing scholarship to Harvard, where he learned how to survive and thrive on the outskirts of privileged society. That skill served him well in the cutthroat business world, as it does in more lucrative but dangerous ventures he now operates off the coast of Miami.

Charlie tries to separate relationships from work. But when his choices produce devastating consequences, he sets out to right wrongs, traveling to Central America where he will meet those who have paid for his actions, including a woman and her young daughter. Will their fated encounter present Charlie with a way to seek the redemption he thought was impossible — and free his heart to love one woman as he never knew he could?

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On to new books. There is only one so far.

Web of Deceit (Agents Under Fire)

When FBI Agent Kaitlyn Knight discovers her brother-in-law is Vyper—the notorious cyber-criminal and murderer wanted by the FBI—Kait doesn’t question her duty to arrest him. But when he murders her sister in front of her, leaving her infant niece motherless, Kait vows to hunt him down and bring him to justice while raising the baby.

Three years later, and not even a whisper of a lead in her search, Kait is about to give up hope of ever finding Vyper. All of that changes when he goes on a murderous spree taunting Kait with clues that she and homicide detective Sam Murdock must solve before her devious brother-in-law takes another life.

As the body count rises, Sam discovers the killing spree is really about striking back at Kait. He must put everything on the line—including the relationship he’s developed with Kait—to ensure her safety. The killer is waiting, watching her every move—and he won’t stop until he’s exacted his revenge and reclaims his rights to raise his daughter.

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I’ll be back later if anything else interesting shows up.

Bargain books April 21, 2023

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Another good book day.

Expert Witness Rachel Dylan

Sketch artist Sydney Berry has testified in many trials as an expert witness, but nothing could have prepared her for what was next. As a key witness in a high-profile murder case, Sydney is targeted in a drive by shooting on the courthouse steps, putting her life in danger.

United States Marshal Max Preston thinks he knows the real reason why Sydney is in danger, and he fights to get her to safety. Sydney refuses to be a victim and is determined to testify in the murder trial to help secure a conviction. But as the threats keep coming, she has no choice but to accept Max’s offer of protection even if it means learning to trust again because of the dark secrets of her past. As the threats against her life continue to mount, Sydney won’t back down from returning to the courtroom to give her testimony, but is taking the stand worth risking her life?

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There is another one.

Calculated Risk: Christian Romantic Suspense (Triumph Over Adversity Book 1)

He carries the burden of his mistakes.

The wounds on Jason Gonzalez’s body are nothing compared to the ones on his heart. The former Marine avoids getting close to anyone new, especially his gorgeous next-door neighbor. Until he hears a scream coming from her house in the middle of the night.

Her enemies are too numerous to count.

Addison Foster escaped an abusive marriage and has become an advocate for others. When an intruder breaks into her home and nearly kills her, Addison is rescued by an unlikely protector. But the threats against her aren’t over and she needs help.

Danger around every corner.

Jason makes it his mission to keep Addison safe, but keeping her out of his heart proves impossible. As the threats increase, there’s no room for mistakes. Will his calculated risk pay off or will it end in tragedy?

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That’s it for now.

Free book April 20, 2023

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I’m excited. BookBub has a free suggestion, one that has gotten off to a dramatic start. Lots and lots of drama in the first few pages. This one will be next up for sure.

Promise Forever (Harland Creek Series Book 3) 

Growing up in Harland Creek, Gabriela Jackson was the girl all the guys wanted and all the girls wanted to be. Until one tragic night that rocks the entire town and leaves her the object of scorn.
Unable to stay in a place where the entire town hates her, she signs a modeling contract with an elite New York agency just to get away.
She soon discovered the darker side of beauty. After refusing to compromise her morals, she’s labeled as difficult and black balled in the industry. With nowhere else to turn, she returns to Harland Creek. But her homecoming is far from warm.

Judgmental stares. Incessant gossip behind her back. Hurtful preconceived notions. Now, more than ever, Gabriela is determined to prove only she can define who she is as a person.

Colin Bennet left his scandal-riddled family in England to forge his own respectable path in life. The small town charm of Harland Creek seemed the perfect place to open a book store, and focus on penning his first novel. Turns out that second part would be far easier if American women weren’t falling all over him simply because of his accent.

But there is one who seems uninterested in his worldly charms. An intoxicating beauty with razor sharp wit, striking intelligence and a damaged reputation.

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I did check around a little to see if there was something else. Maybe later there might be something, we’ll see.

Free and bargain books April 17, 2023

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Happy Monday! My day is getting off to a good start with a few more book suggestions. BookBub, BookRunes and LPC Free Books have all come through today although two of them suggest the same book. No matter, two works for me.

One book I’ve settled on by virtue of past enjoyment of the author. The other author is new to me but the premise sounds interesting and the price is right, so I’ll take a chance, eyes wide open.

I’ll start with the familiar author. Dan has written many books in my collection but this Joe Boyd series is a first for me. Nice.

An Inconvenient Death (Joe Boyd Suspense Series Book 2)

Lieutenant Joe Boyd takes his family on a much-needed camping trip in the beautiful lakefront woods outside of town. But a leisurely trail walk with Chance, their new dog, goes haywire when he breaks loose. When they finally reach him, he’s digging furiously. What the dog finds, turns their vacation upside down and launches Joe and his partner into a puzzling cold case homicide from the late 1980s.

As they begin to unravel the evidence—aided by two women from a local writer’s group—things point to an unlikely set of culprits. Their identities—if known—would shock the entire town. Some people will do anything to keep a thirty-year-old secret from seeing the light of day.

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So, happily, An Inconvenient Death led me to this next book by another author frequently found on this site. Another welcomed surprise.

Terminal Velocity (Last Chance Downrange Book 4)

Joseph is the name they’ve given him. Before that, he was Casper—a trained killer. Now he’s been sidelined to a summer camp retreat center, and if he doesn’t make this work he’ll get kicked out of the Accountant’s Office program for good. The only problem is this retreat center is a hotbed of decades old mystery and murder—and missing treasure.

Medical Examiner Sarah Carlton wants to make chief. When the boss orders her to take a “vacation” volunteering at the retreat center she’s not exactly jazzed. But she’ll use the down time to work on the drug overdose deaths she’s been puzzled by lately. Until the nightmare from her past shows up in her cabin, and everything crashes in on her.

With Sarah the target of a deadly group, Joseph is the only one with the skills to keep her safe. But how can it possibly all be connected? Is this about a new drug about to hit the market…or decades old missing treasure?

Together they’re going to find out. No matter if it costs them everything.

This stand-alone story is part of the accountant’s office series, Last Chance Downrange.
An all-new setting. An all-new set of characters.

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Following Terminal Velocity, another new book has surfaced from an author also frequently seen here. This is a very good day. I’m thinking, based on recent experience, the memory of it may have to last me for a while.

Relative Justice 

For the attorneys at Cobb and Cobb, the pursuit of justice is about more than legal expertise; it’s a family matter.

David Cobb is not a typical lawyer—he’s more interested in dispensing God’s wisdom than pertinent legal advice. High-stakes litigation is way outside his comfort zone.

For many years Zeke Caldwell has been concocting home remedies made from natural ingredients found in the coastal marshes near Wilmington, North Carolina. One of his remedies proved so effective that he patented it with the help of David’s father. Now he suspects a big drug company has stolen his formula. What he doesn’t know is that the theft has deeper, more evil roots.

When Zeke asks David to help fight the drug company, David knows the suit is beyond his expertise and experience. But his sister-in-law, Katelyn Cobb, is a rising star attorney in a prestigious Washington, DC, law firm. The courtroom is her second home. Could she help? Would she even consider it?

Life’s circumstances compel the lawyers to face, not only patent piracy, but personal obstacles and struggles that threaten to rip apart the fabric of the family. The fight for Zeke requires all the relatives to unite for justice.

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Finally, this is the second free suggestion from the original list. Not sure how this one will pan out but I’m looking forward to trying it out.

Going to the Water 

A Place and a Story That Will Take Your Breath Away

Mama always said our lives were ghost stories—metaphors—to hide the truth behind.

And so begins the struggle Isla Weehunt—wife of wealthy chicken farmer, Scott Weehunt—encounters to keep her family buried in the past and her secrets well hidden. But plans, no matter how well thought out, have a way of taking their own paths.

Isla receives a call late one Friday night that rocks her perfectly crafted life. Velvet, her estranged sister of seventeen years, has died in what appears to be an arson, leaving behind a teenage son, Randal, and a tangled mess of murder and chaos. Isla never thought she would return to Nantahala, to the sweet, rugged gorge of her childhood. And taking her nephew into her life was certainly never on her agenda. The thought of conversing with her mother, devastated by Alzheimer’s, seems out of reach. But there are questions that need answering about Velvet’s death and hidden stories that go back generations.

Isla’s life will change whether she embraces it or not.

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It’s been a good day!

Bargain books today April 12, 2023

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It has been awhile, or at least it seems like it, since we’ve had any new books to download.

BookBub brought this one to us this morning. I’m late noticing it’s a Christmas novel. I don’t think it matters much though, it’s probably not a strong element of the story. Melanie Snitker is on my list of appreciated authors, a definite plus.

Finding Grace: A Single Dad Christmas Romance (Love’s Compass Book 6)

Beth was determined to remain single…until Tyler and his daughter remind her of the family she used to dream of.

Single dad Tyler Martin can’t be more grateful to the woman who finds his missing daughter. Even though he feels a spark between them, falling in love is a risk he shouldn’t take. Too bad chance encounters and his stubborn heart keep trying to convince him otherwise.

After escaping a nightmarish relationship, Beth Davenport is content with her safe and blessedly normal life. Yet something about Tyler and his adorable daughter makes her wish for more. With the walls around her heart finally starting to crumble, she’s afraid of a future she can’t predict.

Can they let go of their fear and trust God to lead them to the love they desperately need?

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Browsing, yielded another interesting find. I’ve read and enjoyed this author once before.

Finding Love in a Stagecoach: An Inspirational Romance Novel 

Sarah Nesmith is the nineteen-year-old daughter of a well-to-do family, beautiful and outspoken, nonetheless respectful of her parents’ wishes. Ever the dutiful daughter, when her father expresses his intentions to marry her into an advantageous marriage, she reluctantly agrees. During her trip to meet her betrothed, she unexpectedly finds herself growing fond of her chivalrous driver, wondering if her fiancé in Texas is anything like him.

Will she let her overflowing emotions shape her destiny?

Tyler Hatfield has given up on marriage, persuaded that no woman is capable of loving him for who he is, but rather for the glowing gold in his pocket. When his father agrees to an arranged marriage, Tyler comes up with a plan to see for himself what kind of woman his wife-to-be really is. He pretends to be nothing more than her stagecoach driver, escorting her to her destination and thus getting to know her true colors. What he discovers turns his world upside down…

Can she be the exception to his rule that will give new life to his withered heart?

Their otherwise uneventful journey is derailed by an attack by outlaws and a kidnapping that threatens Sarah’s safety and Tyler’s only chance to love. In this complicated situation, the two of them must find a way to unfold their hidden feelings and save both their lives and their hearts. Will they survive the dangers and get their happy ending or will they be doomed to a bitter one?

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Another interesting collection showed up for me. All different authors and it’s FREE. 1173 pages, can’t beat that.

Small Town Love Story: 9 Small Town Stories by USA Today Bestselling Authors

Get books in nine different series, from nine amazing, USA Today bestselling authors! In this bundle, you’ll (of course) get small towns and fun side characters, but also diverse, younger, older, military, and SWOON-WORTHY heroes!

Do you love that small-town feel where you know everyone, and everyone knows you? Fit right in with this escape away from city life, where heroes better have manners, the town busybody knows all your business, and every guy has known every girl his whole life. Grab this boxed set and don’t miss SMALL TOWN LOVE STORY!

Whole Latte Love by USA Today Bestselling Author Kari Trumbo:

The Marine’s Marriage by USA Today Bestselling Author Liz Isaacson: 

Not Until Christmas by USA Today Bestselling Author Valerie M. Bodden:

One Thursday Morning by USA Today Bestselling Author T.K. Chapin: 

Her Best Friend by USA Today Bestselling Author Hannah Jo Abbott:

A Thousand Words by USA Today Bestselling Author Mandi Blake:

Rescued By Love by USA Today Bestselling Author Cami Checketts: 

Second Chance Sweethearts by USA Today Bestselling Author Liwen Y. Ho:

Ask You Later by USA Today Bestselling Author Jan Thompson:

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It has turned out to be a good day for new books.

Collections have been a good thing for me lately too. I’ve read and enjoyed most of the first three of four recent downloads and I’m still loving them. I’m a quarter of the way through the third 9 book collection. They are still bargain priced if you are interested.

The current book is called Stolen Secrets: Legacy of Lies.

Fat Tuesday 1972, a floater surfaces in Sheriff Colin McDonald’s parish, south of New Orleans. The body–a Russian diplomat throws local and Federal law enforcement into chaos. Sheriff McDonald isn’t excited to have the FBI stepping into his investigation, but knows his parish doesn’t have the funds to sort out this mess and deal with all the prickly silliness of international negotiations. Jessica Franklin, one of the first female FBI agents, heads the task force looking into the Russian’s death. Jessica is a talented, no nonsense woman, who isn’t sure about this laid-back Cajun sheriff, who calls her Chere, but the man knows his parish and gives her views a fair hearing. Lt. Gabriel Fontenot of the Louisiana State police is also assigned to the task force and runs into an old girlfriend, Amy Prejean, who is working with the Russian Mission on grain shipments. As Gabe, Jessica, and Colin work the case, odd and seemingly unrelated things surface which pull local residents into the tangled web the KGB has created in the Big Easy. With time winding down, the tangled threads of the truth lead to the Prejean warehouse where old sins are revealed… Who will survive the confrontation? And what will the fallout be?

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Happy Reading!