strong men

Books read and enjoyed March 25, 2023

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

Hooked By Love: The Pattern of Piney Series Book One

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

Synopsis.

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

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

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The Secret Life of Lady Evangeline (Secrets Book 1) 

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

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

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

Synopsis

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

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

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

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

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

Detransitioning is a thing January 09, 2023

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Detranistioners are speaking out. Their stories are horrific.

One young woman has accepted a number of interview invitations and it’s heart breaking listening to the way things have turned out for her.

One of the best interviews I’ve heard so far is with Jordan Peterson, a clinical psychologist. Not only is he able to ask intelligent and respectful questions to draw out her story but he is able to provide relevant information and explanations for questions coming to mind for both the young woman and the audience.

There is so much more I can think to say but hearing the interview would be a better way to go.

One other interview that I would rate in second place for the interviews I’ve heard so far is with Glenn Beck. His interview was also compassionate and thoughtful. He is not a doctor, that’s why Jordan Peterson has the advantage.

Heart breaking, is all I can say.

There are others in the same position but Chloe is the one I’ve watched so far.

I was talking to my daughter about this whole subject the other day, in relation to my grandson’s high school. She tells me the subject is prevalent in our schools already. And like everywhere else neither parents nor the conflicted young people are not being given the full picture about the real risks and consequences of the drugs and radical surgeries.

The saddest thing for me was when Chloe said that if she had known the risks involved with this treatment, she would never have said yes to what the health professionals wanted to do for her.

She was twelve when she first started down this path.

Now, still a teenager, Chloe wants to tell her story to save others from what her life has become.

It sounds like handling these treatments as an adult is less traumatic but not necessarily by much.

My own observation was that the consequence discussion was graphic, very personal, and unexpectedly surprising. I would never have dreamed what would rise up to be a problem for her.

I hope many of you will watch this and pass it on to spare others who may be in the position of making a decision without benefit of knowing the real risks.

This and that December 13, 2022

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What are my favorite physical activities you ask? Hmmmm. Well, I like to walk and read since I discovered I could. I don’t do it outside very often because it wouldn’t be safe. Losing myself in a story is risky, for a number of reasons.

I do enjoy losing myself in a book while circling my long, oval, dining room table. It’s easy to find myself on auto pilot, forgetting I’m still walking. That’s what you call good muscle memory keeping me on track without killing myself.

The other thing I like to do in the spring to get back in shape after an inactive winter is dig in my flower beds and clean up the debris of winter. The added bonus to restored muscle tone is the pleasure of a job well done. Everything looks so much better and it gives me joy.

It takes a deliberate effort to pay attention, remembering to move around more often.

I’ve been considering getting a device to count my steps maybe that would be motivate me to do better.

So the reason for this little conversation was the story prompt that’s been appearing lately at the top of each new post. This is my first attempt to take a stab at it. I am out of ideas and could use a little help getting the creative juices. That’s what happens by reading all the time, your mind zones out staring at words floating by.

I’m trying to finish up with my current read. The tension is getting to me and I want to be done. I did go to the beginning of the second last chapter to see if I would be ok with staying there to finish up, skipping over the rest. Nope. Had to go back to where I left off. At least I know they will make it home so I’ve gone back to where I left off.

The tension is because it’s World War Two, they are acquaintances, both Americans living in occupied France where Germany has taken over but they are not yet at war with the Americans.

He is a widow with a four year old daughter, she is a single woman, a ballerina turned bookstore owner having left the ballet to help out a friend.

Over time a friendship develops as Paul and his daughter frequent the bookshop. Inadvertently, they each become a quiet part of the resistance movement. It would mean prison or loss of life if they were ever found out.

To make a long story short, with new discoveries about each other they knew they had to be ready with an escape plan. It wouldn’t be if it was needed, it would just be a matter of when.

Pearl Harbor has been bombed, the US has entered the war and it’s time to flee occupied France to avoid interment camps. A nerve wracking feat made worse by having to split up for safety reasons. Lucie and little Josie will pass in their disguise as French mother and daughter but Paul still sounds like an American. This fact could put them and everyone around them in danger. Not acceptable.

That’s as far as I’ve gotten, at least I know they eventually made it to America, at least the ladies did.

At the moment they are still having to face armed soldiers at the many checkpoints. I will be happy when they finally board a ship bound for America.

Here is the visual for what I’m reading.

Until Leaves Fall in Paris

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

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

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I’m sure I have been guilty of spoilers, giving too much of the story away but hey, I doubt there are tons and tons of you waiting to read this book. Just a feeling I have, you know.

I’ve looked at the stats, I think we are safe.

Time is flying, must go. Morning comes early.

Not sure I’m awake enough to have avoided major editorial pitfalls.

No new books today but maybe tomorrow.

Happy reading.