Free and bargain books February 20, 2021

Wow, do we have a bunch this time, lots of reading material for the weekend. First up is a BookBub suggested thriller and it sounds pretty intense. We will start out with heavy and quickly slide into lighter. A good way to finish for a change.

SAVING SARA: A JAMIE AUSTEN THRILLER (THE SPY STORIES Book 3)

Amazon quote:

Sara is missing in the Cayman Islands.

No one knows it. Except her abductors, of course.

Beloved CIA heroine, Jamie Austen, is sent to Tampico, Mexico, to rescue four girls, abducted on their senior class trips. 

Are the cases related?

All of Jamie’s skills are tested as she must overcome the powerful drug war lord, El Mata, his ruthless band of heavily armed killers, and a hurricane that’s bearing down on the Caribbean islands

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

Next up is a BookRunes FREE suggestion. More, intense with suspense.

FIRE: Contemporary Christian Romantic Suspense (Spiritual Warfare Series Book 3)

Amazon quote:

When a violent gang re-organizes, an undercover cop could lose everything…including the woman he loves.

Following a gang war, the undercover cop known as Patriot is forced to flee his hometown and assume a new identity. When the gang re-organizes and threatens a friend, Patriot—now a firefighter—returns to face them.

Chloe Swearingen confines herself to the fast pace of the ER and away from interpersonal relationships—for a reason she keeps to herself. But when she helps save a gangster’s life, she’s thrown into a cauldron of relationships from which she can’t escape.

Then a series of fires target Chloe, her church and her friends, and she and Patriot must risk their lives to bring an end to the forces of darkness arraigned against them.

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

A change of pace after intense suspense with the last author, Linda K Rodante. Romance will lighten things up a bit for us.

Second Chance Homecoming: A Sweet Christian Christmas Romance

Amazon quote:

After her divorce and all that led up to it, Sarah Emerson’s life consists of her son, her job, and the secret she carries. Maybe if she’d married the boy who proposed after Homecoming, things would be different now…

Philip Devereaux has had similar curveballs thrown his way, but he’s picked himself up and continued on. Occasionally, he remembers his first crush and the girl that made him laugh.

When a thrill ride at Disney World brings a surprise meeting, they both wonder about that special Homecoming. But with the distance between them and the hurt in both their lives, will a second chance be enough to awaken the dreams they once had? Or will it take the miracle of Christmas?

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

This looks good too.

A (kinda) Country Christmas: A Christian Holiday Romance (A Romance(ish) Novella Book 1)

Amazon quote:

Sadie Jenkins lives and breathes Christmas every, single day of the year. Owner of Bethlehem’s Boutique in the tourist mountain town of Gatlinburg, TN, she has no room for the bad boys of her past and devotes her whole life to the struggling boutique and her teenage daughter, Maribelle. She’s perfectly happy with her country-living life until he walks into her store.

Nate Myers travels the globe for his job and has the bank account to prove his success. The former “bad” boy is in town for a short visit with his sister and is determined to not get caught up in all the Christmas hype. But then he falls for the beautiful shopkeeper—quite literally.

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

Alaskan Refuge (Sweet Christian Romance Series)

Amazon quote:

Cassandra Stuart’s ministry is photography and she travels the world with journalists. Yet, God has her on a special assignment: find Kurt Halden. The elusive tycoon disappeared shortly after his fiancée died. Cassandra has information about his fiancée that will bring him vindication, and hopefully set him free from the past. When she meets him at his reclusive cabin in Alaska, she expects to encounter an aggressive, arrogant business genius. Instead, she finds a rugged, sincere man that could steal her heart. Somehow, she has to keep her feelings out of it. She’ll do what God sent her to do, then get back to her life. That’s the plan.

Kurt Halden despises reporters for the way they treated him when his fiancée died and he was accused of embezzling two billion dollars. To escape harassment, he moved to a beautiful yet desolate hideaway in Alaska where God has healed his heart and set him free from the corrupt man he’d become. In four years, he encountered only two people until he has to pull Cassandra Stuart from her crashed plane. He doesn’t trust her, yet he’s forced to house her until a rescue plane arrives. He tries to keep his guard up and hold tight to his secrets, but he finds it impossible not to fall in love with his uninvited guest. He knows God isn’t finished with him, and meeting Cassandra is only a diversion. So why is it that when she leaves, she’ll take his heart with her?

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

It’s funny how often it feels like I’ve added at least a dozen new downloads by the time I get through adding all of the possibles I have picked out. It’s a shock to realize there are no where near that many. Only five this time.

Mind you, five is still plenty, it’s just that I was excited to have more. My eyes are bigger than my stomach, obviously.

That’s OK, I’m excited about all of them this time and that’s a plus. I’m not sure if I can handle the first two, we’ll see, but the last three will go down well for sure.

I hope you are excited about some of these new picks too.

Happy Weekend Reading!

Free books February 18, 2021

Two FREE books today. One a suggestion from BookBub and the other from BookRunes

The first is from an author often seen in this space.

Within This Circle

Amazon quote:

After a tumultuous courtship, John and Julia Brighton have a second chance at happiness! With tragedy behind them and their children grown, they’re looking forward to a new and promising era in their lives.

Only, such a promise is never guaranteed. And life can change in a moment.

The Brightons’ lives are turned upside down when John’s daughter Jana abandons her husband, Mark, and three-year-old daughter. John and Julia reach out to young Ellie, to give the young couple time to heal, but how can they help this child, so confused and longing for Mommy? And how much sorrow and stress can both fledgling marriages endure?

Two very different couples, each with only their love and faith to guide them, can only pray that it will be enough.

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

The next one is a book included in a collection I downloaded and read last summer. It appears I liked it.

A Single Spark: A Christian Contemporary Romance (The Spark Brothers Book 1)

Amazon quote:

A pop singer running from his past. A deejay who’s given up on men. And the wrong number text that sparks disaster and romance.

Former boy band hottie, Aiden Spark, distanced himself from everything he valued—faith, family, and fame—when he lost his girlfriend. A decade later, he’s still hiding behind his grief when he accidentally texts a woman who’s all too curious about his identity.

Burned by the men in her life, deejay Abby Dearan has chosen to focus on her newfound faith in God and use her radio presence for good. Her plans are thwarted though when a text message—and the irritating man who sent it—won’t leave her in peace.

Aiden can’t forget the woman who reminds him so much of his first love; Abby can’t remember the last time a man made her feel so beautiful. To make matters worse, it’s impossible to avoid one another when their siblings and friends—not to mention, divine intervention—keep pushing them together. Will the sparks igniting between them end up in flames or romance?

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

I’m currently reading a mystery. Just barely started, actually. So far so good.

Deadly Commitment: 

Will the truth about her fiance be more unsettling than the stranger stalking her?

Danni Kemp fears she’s being stalked—but the truth is much more deadly. Her new fiance, Robert Evans, has a dangerous secret. The homeless man who is stalking her, Caleb, may prove to be her only escape from a hidden world of crime. Will she discover in time that neither Robert no Caleb are who they appear to be and the one person she fears may be the one person she needs to trust? 

The Deadly Secrets series drops the reader into the frightening world of illicit drugs, where ordinary lives are lost, and families are changed forever—and in a setting so commonplace you will wonder if you or someone you love could become the next victim.

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

That’s all I’ve got for today.

Happy Reading!

Read and enjoyed … mid February edition

Six books and I loved them all.

The first two were a nice surprise, the author was new to me and it was awesome experience. I’m looking forward to more from her somewhere in the future. I have to tell you, this was not a fluff romance, to say there were tense moments would be a grievous understatement.

P.S. Goodbye (Prequel Novella) (Restoring Heritage)

What if a woman who’s all about the goals and plans falls in love with man who no longer believes his life has a purpose? A novice life coach needs to cement her reputation with one great success story. When a wounded former Special Forces operator walks back into her life looking for a job, she decides to work with him—a win-win for them both.

​If Caroline Williams had her way, she’d help everyone in town find their purpose in life—unfortunately, no one seems to want her help. But she refuses to give up, and her new status as a certified life coach should provide her with some badly needed credibility. All she needs is her first client. When Grant Quinn walks in looking for a job, Caroline knows he needs more than that—he needs a new plan for his life. But when Grant refuses to be honest about his dreams and his struggles, Caroline’s business might come crashing down before it starts.

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

You Belong with Me (Restoring Heritage Book #1) 

Realtor Hannah Thornton has many talents. Unfortunately, selling houses in the town where her family name is practically poison isn’t one of them. When a business tycoon determines to raze historic homes in the small town of Heritage, Michigan, and replace them with a strip mall, Hannah resolves to stop him. She sets about helping Heritage win a restoration grant that will put the town back on the map–and hopefully finally repay the financial debt Hannah’s mother caused the town. But at first no one supports her efforts–not even her best friend, Luke.

Luke Johnson may have grown up in Heritage, but as a foster kid he never truly felt as if he belonged. Now he has a chance to score a job as assistant fire chief and earn his place in the town. But when the interview process and Hannah’s restoration project start unearthing things from his past, Luke must decide if belonging is worth the pain of being honest about who he is–and who he was.

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

The next three authors were all known to me and I loved these books. There was nothing simple about any of these stories, I think that was what I liked best about them.

The Lonesome Librarian: A Heartwarming Journey of Faith, Hope & Love (First Street Church Romances Book 5)

***

Small-town librarian Sally Scott’s life is made up of a series of tremendous heartbreaks.

Her parents died when she was young, the love of her life just married somebody else, and looking after her agoraphobic aunt means she can’t leave town despite having no true friends to confide in.

Only her beloved books provide any true escape, until a town outsider returns and causes her to question everything she once thought she knew about herself.

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

There was one thing spoiling this next experience for me. The abundance of detailed technical information. It was probably a detraction only because I’d read a similar book in the not too distant past and once was enough. The story was worth it though.

The Way of the Brave (Global Search and Rescue Book #1)

Former pararescue jumper Orion Starr is haunted by the memory of a rescue gone wrong. He may be living alone in Alaska now, but the pain of his failure–and his injuries–has followed him there from Afghanistan.

He has no desire to join Hamilton Jones’s elite rescue team, but he also can’t shirk his duty when the call comes in to rescue three lost climbers on Denali.

Former CIA profiler and psychiatrist Jenny Calhoun’s yearly extreme challenge with her best friends is her only escape from the guilt that has sunk its claws into her.

As a consultant during a top-secret mission to root out the Taliban, she green-lighted an operation that ended in ambush and lives lost.

When her cathartic climb on Denali turns deadly, she’ll be forced to trust her life and the lives of her friends to the most dangerous of heroes–the man she nearly killed.

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

The Island House (Brides & Beaches Romance Book 1)

Thirty-seven, recently divorced, and childless. That’s Charlotte when she disembarks from the plane in Getaway Bay. She wants to get away, that’s for sure. She thought the best way to do that was to buy a run-down house overlooking the bay, knowing she’ll need all her fixer-upper skills to get it in shape. Which is just fine. She’s hoping as she overhauls the house, she’ll get a life makeover too.

She was not expecting a tall, handsome man to be under the kitchen sink when she arrives at the supposedly abandoned house. She wasn’t expecting to get drenched when the non-plumber twists something the wrong way. And she certainly wasn’t expecting her heart to be well enough to feel anything for anyone.

But former Air Force pilot, Dawson Dane, has a charming devil-may-care personality, and Charlotte could use some carefree laughter in her life. But everything with Dawson isn’t sunshine and unicorns. He’s estranged from his family, though he does speak to one of his brothers. And he’s never committed to anything except his career, even choosing flying over an engagement years ago.

******

Aloha Hideaway Inn: A Sweet Beach Read (Getaway Bay Resort Romance Book 1) 

She’s got big plans for her tropical bed and breakfast, but the new high-rise resort in the bay is throwing a wrench into everything. So Stacey Stapleton does what any savvy businesswoman would do—she goes to spy on the resort stealing her business and ruining the beautiful Getaway Bay skyline.

Her undercover operation doesn’t do more than show her how flawless the Sweet Breeze Resort is—and that the owner is as handsome as he is smart.

Though annoyed by the new resort, Stacey focuses on Aloha Hideaway Inn, more determined than ever to give tourists the vacation of their lives. But when a tropical storm hits the bay, she and her guests have to take refuge in the high-rise hotel she hates.

Not only that, but the more time she spends with Fisher DuPont, the owner of Sweet Breeze, the more she has to admit that he’s not a monster.

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

These were all fun reads and some of them are even still at bargain prices. You should give them a try if they look interesting.

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

I’m between reads again and think I will go for a change of pace with a cowboy story.

Rafferty: Cowboy Trail Boss: Christian Historical Western Romance (The Kavanagh Brothers Book 9)

It’s chaos at the Kavanagh Ranch between cattle rustlers and his brother’s wives having babies Rafferty becomes the Trail Boss. He’s taking on the Chisholm Trail from Fort Worth, Texas to Abilene, Kansas. The trail is fraught with hardship and danger.

Just when Rafferty thinks he has everything under control he finds Mae along the trail and nothing in life has prepared him for her stubborn, feistiness. 

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

Happy Reading!

Bargain books February 16, 2021

BookBub has a great suggestion for us. This book appeared a year ago and it was a good read, definitely worth looking at again.

Diamond in the Rough (American Heiresses Book #2)

Amazon quote:

To save her family from financial ruin, Miss Poppy Garrison accepts an unusual proposition to participate in the New York social season in exchange for her grandmother settling a family loan that has unexpectedly come due. Ill-equipped to handle the intricacies of mingling within the New York Four Hundred, Poppy becomes embroiled in one hilarious fiasco after another, doomed to suffer a grand societal failure instead of being deemed the diamond of the first water her grandmother longs for her to become.

Reginald Blackburn, second son of a duke, has been forced to travel to America to help his cousin, Charles Wynn, Earl of Lonsdale, find an American heiress to wed in order to shore up his family estate that is in desperate need of funds. Reginald himself has no interest in finding an heiress to marry, but when Poppy’s grandmother asks him to give etiquette lessons to Poppy, he swiftly discovers he may be in for much more than he bargained for.

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

An interesting looking bargain showed up.

Love, Lies, & Typewriters: A Christian Historical Western Romance 

Amazon quote:

At the height of WWII, New York reporter Bryce Richard is tapped to promote the concocted romance of a wounded veteran and Wyoming cowgirl Lucy Daniels, all in order to sell war bonds.

But when Bryce falls in love with Lucy, he must stop her impending fake—but very legal—wedding by devising his own rugged proposal. Can this city slicker cowboy-up to the challenge? 

A heartwarming romance worthy of the Hallmark Channel, Love, Lies, & Typewriters is a funny, inspirational story about real love and real courage at a transformational time in America.

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

A new book coming soon. Another Christy Barritt book.

Safe and Sound (Lantern Beach Guardians Book 3) 

The thrilling conclusion to the Lantern Beach Guardian series!

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Happy Reading!

Story prompt – Valentine

Today’s story prompt … Valentine

What’s the first thing to pop into your head?

Bah-Humbug!

Just call me Ms Scrooge.

It’s true. I read romance novels, lots of them. I read them, enjoy them, and don’t believe a word they say.

Fairy tales, I tell you.

Ok. So I will admit, there are some people out there who truly do know how to love honestly and well. I will admit there are some but my head says they are few and far between.

I still say – Bah Humbug! And no ghost is going to be changing my mind!

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

Story Prompt is hosted by Sunday Scribblings

Read and enjoyed – mid February 2021

My favorite read this time was a Christmas anthology. The stories were great by themselves but a discovery at the end of the second story turned it all into something more.

The author of the second story, Eleanor Bertin, mentioned her blog link along with the usual information always offered at the end. Between her blog post and her bio, when I checked it out, I learned she lives only a few hundred miles from here and belongs to a writer’s group well known to some of our local group. When I shared what I’d found, a bunch of us couldn’t help getting excited about this. How often do you happen upon a book only to find you have such a close connection with he author.

Our regular monthly Zoom call happened today and Eleanor was able to be with us as our special guest. Not only does she write a good story she does an awesome job of reading it to us. We were blessed to have her.

I’m hoping this is a first of many more such events. It was fun and encouraging, for all of us I think.

A Star Will Rise: A Mosaic Christmas Anthology II

Amazon quote:

Christmas should be a time of wonder and expectation, but what if tragedy, illness, family secrets, or betrayal strip away every belief in what the future holds? And in a good and loving God?

When circumstances beyond their control dramatically alter their lives, can broken, betrayed, and disillusioned people rediscover their faith and come to see that God’s plans are far better for them than the ones they had imagined for themselves?

Brenda S. Anderson | A Christmas Homecoming
Eleanor Bertin | Love and Unexpected Stress Responses
Sara Davison | Sixty Feet to Home
Regina Rudd Merrick | The Twelve Days of Mandy Reno
Angela D. Meyer | Returning to Christmas
Marion Ueckermann | One Christmas Wish
Candace West | A Garland of Grace

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Another favorite this time, books 2 and 3 in the Last Chance County series.

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Then there was a set of three. Books 1 – 3 in the He Calls Me by Name series.

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and last but not least … in no particular order…

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As I was clearing out the read books it was a shock to see how far behind I am. Speed reading is a skill I need to master and use if I expect to have half a chance at winning the race with the TBR pile.

Happy Reading!

More bargains, found on BookBub’s weekly Top Ten list

Interesting bargains found on BookBub’s weekly Top Ten list. Even better, we don’t have these yet, at least I don’t.

One is from an author we’ve seen often, the other author has never been seen here. We are happy to meet her.

The Way of the Brave (Global Search and Rescue Book #1)

Amazon quote:

Former pararescue jumper Orion Starr is haunted by the memory of a rescue gone wrong. He may be living alone in Alaska now, but the pain of his failure–and his injuries–has followed him there from Afghanistan. He has no desire to join Hamilton Jones’s elite rescue team, but he also can’t shirk his duty when the call comes in to rescue three lost climbers on Denali.

Former CIA profiler and psychiatrist Jenny Calhoun’s yearly extreme challenge with her best friends is her only escape from the guilt that has sunk its claws into her. As a consultant during a top-secret mission to root out the Taliban, she green-lighted an operation that ended in ambush and lives lost. When her cathartic climb on Denali turns deadly, she’ll be forced to trust her life and the lives of her friends to the most dangerous of heroes–the man she nearly killed.

Her skills and his experience are exactly what’s needed to prevent another tragedy–but in order to truly set Orion free from his painful past, Jenny will have to reveal hers. They’ll have to put their wounds behind them to survive, but at what cost?

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

You Belong with Me (Restoring Heritage Book #1) 

Amazon quote:

Realtor Hannah Thornton has many talents. Unfortunately, selling houses in the town where her family name is practically poison isn’t one of them. When a business tycoon determines to raze historic homes in the small town of Heritage, Michigan, and replace them with a strip mall, Hannah resolves to stop him. She sets about helping Heritage win a restoration grant that will put the town back on the map–and hopefully finally repay the financial debt Hannah’s mother caused the town. But at first no one supports her efforts–not even her best friend, Luke.

Luke Johnson may have grown up in Heritage, but as a foster kid he never truly felt as if he belonged. Now he has a chance to score a job as assistant fire chief and earn his place in the town. But when the interview process and Hannah’s restoration project start unearthing things from his past, Luke must decide if belonging is worth the pain of being honest about who he is–and who he was.

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

I came across a FREE prequel for the above series. How cool is that?

P.S. Goodbye (Prequel Novella) (Restoring Heritage)

Amazon quote:

What if a woman who’s all about the goals and plans falls in love with man who no longer believes his life has a purpose? A novice life coach needs to cement her reputation with one great success story. When a wounded former Special Forces operator walks back into her life looking for a job, she decides to work with him—a win-win for them both.

​If Caroline Williams had her way, she’d help everyone in town find their purpose in life—unfortunately, no one seems to want her help. But she refuses to give up, and her new status as a certified life coach should provide her with some badly needed credibility. All she needs is her first client. When Grant Quinn walks in looking for a job, Caroline knows he needs more than that—he needs a new plan for his life. But when Grant refuses to be honest about his dreams and his struggles, Caroline’s business might come crashing down before it starts.

Wounded former Special Forces operator Grant Quinn understood the cost when he enlisted and served his country with pride. The scars on his face are reminders of what he lost, but he is moving on—now if he could just convince his family that he’s fine. When Caroline steps back into his life and offers to help find him a job in exchange for being her Guinea pig in her new life coaching business, he agrees. After all, what better way to show his family he’s okay than with a new, stable job? But when the anxiety he’s been running from ruins his one interview, his plans come crashing down. Can he trust Caroline enough to be honest about everything?

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

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

Bargain books February 12, 2021

BookBub has a bargain suggestion for us. It fits in well with Valentine’s Day coming up soon.

Vacation Sweethearts Books 1-3: Smile for Me, Reach for Me, Wait for Me (Vacation Sweethearts Bundle Collection Book 1)

Amazon quote:

Book 1: Smile for Me (The Bahamas) – International Biracial Romance

A deadline-driven workaholic assistant school principal who meticulously plans his schedule months in advance meets easygoing art teacher and studio potter with no sense of time, living her life as the seasons come and go. When they cross paths again at the Summer by the Sea Day Camp sponsored by his church in Nassau, Bahamas, how can they get along if they cannot see eye to eye?

Book 2: Reach for Me (Great Smoky Mountains) – International Romance with a Side of Suspense

He leaves his homeland to protect his family.
She flees her hometown to abandon hers. 

At a remote mountaintop retreat, an optimistic triple amputee veteran of the British Special Forces meets a pessimistic American beauty in the valleys of their lives.

Book 3: Wait for Me (Alaska Cruise) – Second Chance Romance with a Side of Suspense

A divorced single dad with full custody of his son made a promise he now has to keep: invite his ex-wife to enjoy their son’s birthday gift: a seven-day cruise in Alaska. Can two people who have given up on each other put aside their emotions to make their five-year-old son happy for a week? What could possibly go wrong in this Christian romance with a sidearm of suspense?

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

My current read is one I’m having trouble getting into. So many characters. Friends since high school, gathering in support of their teen years mentor in the death of her husband. Five friends with husbands, kids, and other friends, sliding in and out of the story. Mind boggling, trying to keep everyone straight.

I’m 1/4 of the way through book 1 and still have books 2 and 3. I will have to persevere. It does have some interesting bits going on, though. Lots of secrets to be uncovered.

The Lighthouse (Five Island Cove Book 1) 

After the death of a childhood loved one, 5 best friends reunite in the small coastal town of Five Island Cove.

One doesn’t expect to find love with a high school crush.

Another isn’t prepared to find the strength she needs to take control of her life.

And none of them are ready for the secrets they’ll uncover at the lighthouse...

As the truth comes to light, these five best friends will learn what really matters: friendship, family, and faith.

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

Happy Reading …

… on this chilly day. It seems the current extreme cold snap just does not want to leave us.

The good news is, it can’t last forever. This late in the season we are on the downhill slide toward spring.

At least the blue sky and sunshine is to be treasured.

Free and bargain books February 10, 2021

1531 Entertainment has a bargain suggestion for us with an author new to us.

The Grace Legacy (The Legacy Book 1) 

Amazon quote:

What do you do when the man you’re falling for is tasked with bringing your family to justice?

The daughter of one of the most notorious outlaws in the country, Karissa Jones has spent the last two years running from her past. With her sister Beth, she’s begun a new life for herself in Pine Creek, Texas.

US Marshal Matthew Carmichael is a man on a mission. For the last five years, he’s chased the Jones gang clear across the country.

As Matthew rides into town, Karissa’s as struck by his green eyes and steady manner as she is his marshal star. She’s spent much of her life hiding from men – and even more hiding from the law – but something about him makes her feel safe for the first time in her life.

When Karissa’s past catches up to her, and she finds herself kidnapped and brought straight into a den of outlaws, trusting herself and Matthew might be her only way out alive.

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

BookRunes has a FREE suggestion for us. We’ve been seeing this author fairly regularly.

Aloha Hideaway Inn: A Sweet Beach Read (Getaway Bay Resort Romance Book 1)

Amazon quote:

She’s got big plans for her tropical bed and breakfast, but the new high-rise resort in the bay is throwing a wrench into everything. So Stacey Stapleton does what any savvy businesswoman would do—she goes to spy on the resort stealing her business and ruining the beautiful Getaway Bay skyline.

Her undercover operation doesn’t do more than show her how flawless the Sweet Breeze Resort is—and that the owner is as handsome as he is smart.

Though annoyed by the new resort, Stacey focuses on Aloha Hideaway Inn, more determined than ever to give tourists the vacation of their lives. But when a tropical storm hits the bay, she and her guests have to take refuge in the high-rise hotel she hates.

Not only that, but the more time she spends with Fisher DuPont, the owner of Sweet Breeze, the more she has to admit that he’s not a monster.

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

And then there is another FREE book from the same author.

The Island House (Brides & Beaches Romance Book 1) 

Amazon quote:

Charlotte Madsen’s whole world came crashing down six months ago with the words, “I met someone else.”

Thirty-seven, recently divorced, and childless. That’s Charlotte when she disembarks from the plane in Getaway Bay. She wants to get away, that’s for sure. She thought the best way to do that was to buy a run-down house overlooking the bay, knowing she’ll need all her fixer-upper skills to get it in shape. Which is just fine. She’s hoping as she overhauls the house, she’ll get a life makeover too.

She was not expecting a tall, handsome man to be under the kitchen sink when she arrives at the supposedly abandoned house. She wasn’t expecting to get drenched when the non-plumber twists something the wrong way. And she certainly wasn’t expecting her heart to be well enough to feel anything for anyone.

But former Air Force pilot, Dawson Dane, has a charming devil-may-care personality, and Charlotte could use some carefree laughter in her life. But everything with Dawson isn’t sunshine and unicorns. He’s estranged from his family, though he does speak to one of his brothers. And he’s never committed to anything except his career, even choosing flying over an engagement years ago.

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

Currently, I’ve just barely started one with an author new to me. It is still FREE

Beyond I Do: A Contemporary Romance Novel

Amazon quote:

Marriage . . . it’s more than a happily ever after. Eternally more. 

Ainsley Meadows, raised by a hedonistic mother who cycles through jobs and relationships like wrapping paper on Christmas morning, falls into a predictable and safe relationship with Richard, a self-absorbed, socialite psychiatrist.

But as Ainsley’s wedding nears, a battered woman and her child spark a long-forgotten dream, a hidden passion. One that threatens to change everything, including her fiancé.

If she wants to embrace God’s best and find lasting love, this security-seeking bride must follow God with reckless abandon and realize that marriage goes Beyond I Do.

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

Today’s downloads are all about romance. We are getting closer to Valentines day.

Happy Reading y’all

Free and bargain books February 09, 2021

BookBub has a bargain suggestion for us. Melissa Storm is one of the enjoyable authors we’ve been following lately.

The Lonesome Librarian: A Heartwarming Journey of Faith, Hope & Love (First Street Church Romances Book 5)

Amazon quote:

Small-town librarian Sally Scott’s life is made up of a series of tremendous heartbreaks.

Her parents died when she was young, the love of her life just married somebody else, and looking after her agoraphobic aunt means she can’t leave town despite having no true friends to confide in.

Only her beloved books provide any true escape, until a town outsider returns and causes her to question everything she once thought she knew about herself.

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

BookBub had another suggestion, books 1 – 3 in a series by Jessie Newton. I didn’t recognize the name but the picture looked familiar. I had no idea how prolific this lady is. In checking things out I discovered she writes as three people and I have read two of them.

Jessie Newton writes as herself and is also published under Elana Johnson and Liz Isaacson.

Jessie is all about feel-good, heart warming women’s fiction, Elana specializes in clean romance, and Liz writes Christian romance. So far Elana Johnson is my favorite but then I haven’t experienced Jessie. I plan to remedy this. A number of her books are offered at bargain prices today, this is a perfect time to do a little research.

*******

The Lighthouse (Five Island Cove Book 1) 

Amazon quote:

After the death of a childhood loved one, 5 best friends reunite in the small coastal town of Five Island Cove. One doesn’t expect to find love with a high school crush. Another isn’t prepared to find the strength she needs to take control of her life. And none of them are ready for the secrets they’ll uncover at the lighthouse…

As the truth comes to light, these five best friends will learn what really matters: friendship, family, and faith.

Now a USA Today bestseller!

When Joel Shields dies, Robin Grover’s only goal is to get her four best friends back to Five Island Cove to celebrate the life of Kristen’s husband. She alone has stayed in the cove while everyone else couldn’t wait to get away. 

Alice Keller comes instantly, because her mansion in the Hamptons and her husband’s infidelity is smothering her. Not only that, but Kristen has always been like a mother to her, and she wants to support her.

Eloise Hall comes quickly too, because she’s not teaching at the university this summer, and she might as well visit her mother—and the house she secretly bought years ago. Her first night on the island, she runs into an old high school crush, and a flame ignites that hasn’t been there before.

But Kelli Thompson and AJ Proctor are more resistant, and as Robin, Alice, and Eloise uncover secret after secret in the books, journals, and files in Joel’s office, Robin becomes more determined to reunite them all. 

When Kelli and AJ finally arrive in the cove, the women are embroiled in secrets the lighthouse has hidden for decades. Robin tries to hold them all together, but she too breaks down and admits that her perfect-on-the-outside life isn’t so perfect.

As these 5 best friends work together to find the truth, they must learn to let go of what doesn’t matter and cling to what does: faith, family, and most of all, friendship.

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The Summer Sand Pact: Women’s Fiction with Heart (Five Island Cove Book 2)

Amazon quote:

Alice Kelton’s marriage is in shambles, and while she’s always thought she’d stay with her husband, after her last visit to the cove, she went back to the Hamptons and filed for divorce. She and her twins are moving to Rocky Ridge in Five Island Cove permanently, but she’s not telling anyone.

Robin’s husband is in Alaska for the summer, and she’s pretending she’s okay. Eloise comes back to the cove every couple of weeks so she can see her new boyfriend, though she’s growing tired of the distance between them. AJ broke up with her non-committal boyfriend, and she’s happier, freer, and open to another relationship, even though she lives in Atlanta.

Kelli brings her son to the cove this time, knowing her relationship with her husband is on the rocks and desperate to fix it. She plans to get some help from her sisterhood during the two weeks in the cove. When she’s followed to the beach house where the other women and their children have gathered, Kelli learns a dangerous secret thirty years in the making that could completely undo all the progress she’s made…

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The Cliffside Inn (Five Island Cove Book 3) 

Amazon quote:

With their different personalities and in their different states of mind, none of these best friends are prepared for the secret contained within the walls of The Cliffside Inn. They’ve survived tough situations before, but this might be the thing that tears them apart for good…

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This should keep us busy for awhile.

Happy Reading …

… on this, another chilly but very beautiful day.