One free book and a review January 14, 2021

January 14, 2021 / For the Love of Books / Leave a comment

BookBub has a FREE suggestion for us.

Forever After (Hanover Falls Series Book 2)

Amazon quote:

A fire killed his best friend and his lifelong dream of
BEING a firefighter. The same fire killed her husband AND
HER hopes for a family. Can new dreams replace old?

Lucas Vermontez was a proud firefighter like his father. Now, not only has he lost his father and his best friend, Zach, in the fire at the Grove Street homeless shelter, but the devoted rookie can no longer do the work he loves after being crippled in the tragic event. When friendship with his buddy’s beautiful widow turns into more, he wonders what he could possibly offer Jenna? Jenna Morgan is trying to grieve her husband’s death like a proper widow, but the truth is, she never really loved Zach. His death feels more like a relief to her. But that relief is short-lived when she loses her home and the financial support of her in-laws. Now the secrets of her past threaten to destroy her future.

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

Yesterday we had an interesting looking download but I wasn’t sure what to think about it. The author was new to me, the first chapter or two looked good but it was difficult to tell.

Amber Waves of Grace

Amazon’s synopsis:

After her father’s accident, Corrie Lancaster moves back to the family farm just in time to help with the harvest. With a bumper crop of wheat waiting, the farm’s only hired hand quits, leaving Corrie with no choice but to accept the help of her old boyfriend’s older brother, Aaron Tuttle. It seems like the perfect plan until Corrie realizes ex-flame Luke isn’t over her. But even with Luke’s apologies and attempts to rekindle their romance, Corrie can’t forget his past betrayal.

Between harvesting, keeping tabs on her younger siblings, and watching her parents’ marriage crumble, Corrie leans on Aaron for emotional support. Wading through jealousy was never on Corrie’s to-do list, but as she navigates the choppy waters, she finds herself falling for Aaron’s good looks and charming wit.

Just when Corrie thinks she has everything under control, a stranger seeking shelter comes to the farm, and an old nemesis returns for revenge. As destructive forces align against her, Corrie must decide which man’s love will bring her back to life and restore her faith in herself, her family, and her purpose.

I wasn’t sure abut it at first but it turned out to be a good choice.

It was well written with good character development. It was engaging in a can’t-put-it-down kind of way. Of my recently read books this is my favorite. My only complaint was the number of crisis points. When Author Jerry Jenkins teaches on the elements of an engaging story he lists the necessity of crisis. He tells you how many and the degree of severity needed (it needs to vary for interest sake.) Jessica Berg did a good job with this element of the story but there could have been one or two less, to be perfect. When the reader thinks not-another-one, you know there are too many.

Other than that I loved the book and was itching to tell you about it, even before I reached the end. I did finish first though, in case you’re wondering.

It’s still a bargain price if you are interested.

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

Two favorite things in one day, a podcast and a book, this was a very good day.

Read and enjoyed January 12, 2021

January 12, 2021 / For the Love of Books / Leave a comment

This first one was my favorite read this week. It was insightful, well written, with interesting well developed characters and a great story line. It was new and fresh, I’ve not read another story similar too it.

Everything Behind Us: A Murphy Brothers Story (Book 3)

Connor Murphy lives by a code of honor and service. Dignified, duty-bound, and responsible, he’s spent the past eight years as a single enlisted airman, determined never to mess up another person’s life the way he did Sadie’s. As long as he follows orders, does his job well, and avoids romantic entanglements, he’ll do just fine. Of course, that last part was easier before Sadie rolled back into town.

Sadie Allen never intended to return to Sugar Pine—her hometown hosts too much regret—but she can’t face her health crisis alone. Not with a four-year-old depending on her. Even so, Connor Murphy’s proposal of a marriage of convenience wasn’t exactly what she had in mind. She can’t fault his reasoning—her prognosis is grim and her son could use a father—but her heart aches at the thought of a marriage without romance. Especially to the one man she’s never gotten over.

The day-to-day challenges of Sadie’s illness are enough to strain the strongest relationships, let alone one hastily conceived in the shadow of past mistakes. Will the pressure be too much for their marriage to withstand, or will they allow God to forge something beautiful through their pain?

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

The next two were favorites as well

A Christmas Peril (The Teacup Novellas Book 5) and Because of You (Christmas Heirloom Novella Collection)

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

A few more read and enjoyed

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

There has not been much action from the usual sources for suggestions so I have nothing new to offer at the moment.

I’m between books again and I’ve read everything I was excited about. Maybe I should go back to a partially read collection. In this one collection it looks like I switched to another read while in the middle of a book instead of at the end of one. I don’t usually do that and I probably shouldn’t have this time. I have no idea what the book is about and it took awhile to figure it out. Now that I have, sort of, I’d better stick with it and finish.

It’s not that the collection isn’t good. Five suspense books in a row is just such a daunting task.

The Rock Harbor Mystery Collection: Without a Trace, Beyond a Doubt, Into the Deep, Cry in the Night, and Silent Night (Rock Harbor Series)

Without a Trace

Bree thinks a plane crash took the lives of her husband and young son, but her son Davy survived the accident. Can she find him before it’s too late?

Beyond a Doubt

Evidence of a violent crime in Bree’s basement causes police to re-open a cold case. Can she and her K-9 search dog, Samson, stop the killer before he strikes again?

Into the Deep

When Bree’s dog Samson goes missing, it’s just the beginning of her life turning upside down.

Cry in the Night

Bree and Samson discover a crying infant in the snowy Rock Harbor forest. But where are the baby’s parents? And how did she get there?

Silent Night

As Christmas day nears, Bree and her faithful search-and-rescue dog Samson follow the trail of a troubling mystery into the snowy forests of Rock Harbor.

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

Happy Reading

Free and bargain books January 09, 2021

January 9, 2021January 9, 2021 / For the Love of Books / Leave a comment

BookBub has a bargain suggestion and I’m happy to see it. There was a stage in my reading life when I read everything I could find by this author, Anne Perry. I’m not sure if I managed to uncover everything she wrote but I don’t think I missed much, if anything.

If I had to pick one thing I loved most about her books it would be that every word mattered. On top of that, I loved her characters and the situations they found themselves in.

Life goes on and things change. I’m not the same person I was upwards of twenty years ago, maybe her stories will strike me differently than they did back then. Writing styles have changed significantly. Somehow, though, I think her writing is timeless. I’ll have to re-read this book (I’m sure I’ve read it) to see if I still feel the same way.

Despite how her books may or may not strike me at this present time (memories become bigger-than-life in time.) looking through the internet, her books are still out there and very popular.

If you’ve not read Anne Perry, you really should.

Cardington Crescent (Charlotte and Thomas Pitt Series Book 8)

Amazon quote:

Charlotte Pitt defends her own sister against a murder charge in Victorian England, in a novel “suffused with atmosphere, emotion, and suspense” (Booklist).
As Inspector Thomas Pitt works to resolve the case of a dismembered woman, his womanizing brother-in-law, George March, Lord Ashworth, is poisoned with his morning coffee at the country estate of his cousins. The primary suspect? Charlotte’s sister, Emily, the murdered man’s wife and Pitt’s sister-in-law. Charlotte and Pitt take on the March clan with the help of Great-aunt Vespasia, their formidable relative and a member of the clan, to break through the wall of deceit and silence. When Sybilla March, George’s suspected paramour, is found strangled by her hair and Emily is the one who found her, the case would seem hopeless—for anyone but the indomitable Pitts. Their pursuit of the truth takes them down a path of corruption, depravity, and murder, from the elegant townhouses lining fashionable Cardington Crescent to the horrifying slums of London.

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

BookRunes has a FREE suggestion I know I’ve read. From another favorite author.

Strike the Match (The Teacup Novellas Book 2)

Amazon quote:

The last place twenty-four year old Keri McMillan wants to be is back home in Waterford Bay, Oregon. But after two years at prestigious New York University pursuing a degree in journalism, her bank account is drained. Keri is determined to move home for one year – and one year only— to make some serious money working for her dad’s log cabin company, but her goals all go up in smoke when the company’s new showcase home burns to the ground.

Six months ago, Grant Dawson bought the Waterford Weekly, a small newspaper in his father’s hometown. Burned out as a reporter for the L.A. Times and tired of all the inherent politics, he welcomed the slower pace of this Oregon coastal town and the more relaxed lifestyle producing a weekly paper. He enjoys being close to his dad again, a quiet man who captains a whale-sightseeing boat.

Grant is surprised at his unexpected interest in Keri, the niece of columnist Luby Sanders. He thinks Luby is a hoot and can’t help but adore her. But she’s also playing matchmaker, trying to interest him in her niece. When Keri shows up at a log cabin fire in the middle of the night, she’s not the geeky college kid he expected. But he’s not about to fall victim to Luby’s orchestrations.

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

In fact all of the Teacup Novellas (books 1-5) are at a bargain price right now. I have the first four and I need the fifth as well.

A Christmas Peril (The Teacup Novellas Book 5)

Amazon quote:

Lucy Alexander’sTeacup Novellas were inspired by a collection of vintage teacups her Aunt Lucille bequeathed to her. She’s excited about writing the next book in the series, a Christmas tale loosely based on her aunt and uncle’s love story set in the 1940s. But when a hostage situation lands Lucy’s boyfriend in the hospital, she sets her work aside to keep a bedside vigil with Mark. As the long hours of waiting stretch on, Lucy starts to read her beloved aunt’s handwritten diary. Shocked to discover a frightening story so eerily similar to the one she’s living, Lucy longs to find hope and encouragement in the pages of Lucille’s diary.

December 1944 – “The most wonderful things seem to happen when you least expect them,” writes Lucille Alexander after a serendipitous meeting with Gary Reynolds, a handsome lieutenant home on leave from the war in Europe. The two are inseparable in the five precious days he has left before heading back overseas just weeks before Christmas. On their last morning together, Lucille accompanies Gary to the train station, already dreading the long separation ahead. But that would be the least of her worries after her brave lieutenant rushes to help an elderly woman in distress.

Lucy finds a strange solace in her namesake’s ink-stained journal. Though seventy years have passed between them, would their stories have the same ending?

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

Browsing (I can never resist browsing) there is an interesting but unfamiliar author. After reading three chapters I’m going to take a chance. This will be my next read.

In fact, I think I will abandon and switch out my current read.

Keegan: A Clean and Wholesome Christmas Romance (Texas Rascal Book 1)

Amazon quote:

Iced in at Christmas

When a mysterious stranger shows up on Wren Matthew’s doorstep, sick and delirious—the timid high school teacher can’t leave him out in an ice storm. Not at Christmas. Even though she’s sworn off men, empathetic Wren has little choice but to let him. And never mind that electric chemistry surging between them.

Former cop Keegan Winslow has a dark secret and the last thing he wants to do is draw sweet Wren into his sordid world. But she’s given him a warm place to land in the raging storm and a kindness no one has shown him in a very long time.

But Keegan knows nothing can come of the love he’s found on her dairy farm in this small Texas town, because staying here will put her very life in danger.

KEEGAN is the first book in Lori Willde’s contemporary western romance series, Texas Rascals. If you like emotional, heart-tugging, wholesome holiday romance novels, you will love KEEGAN, from New York Times and USA Today bestselling author, Lori Wilde.

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

Not a bad day for books. Not a bad day at all.

Happy Reading y’all

Bargain books January 08, 2021

January 8, 2021 / For the Love of Books / Leave a comment

1531 Entertainment has a bargain suggestion for us by one of our favorite authors.

Generous Lies (Nutfield Saga Book 3)

Amazon quote:

He had no idea it was so bad.

Former FBI agent Garrison Kopp suspected his teenage son was in trouble, but a midnight summons to the ER reveals the drug problem is more serious than he thought. Desperate to get his son away from negative influences, he asks a beautiful and kind new friend who owns rental properties for a place to stay.

She’ll help, as long as she doesn’t have to risk anything.

Vacation homeowner Samantha Messenger is happy to provide Garrison and his son a lake cabin where they can regroup. She helps him search for a good rehab facility and tries not to hope for more than friendship. After what she’s been through, more isn’t an option, no matter what her heart wants.

Big trouble comes in tiny packages.

Sparks fly between them as Sam and Garrison work together to help the resistant teen. But that becomes the least of their problems when a package planted in Garrison’s car lures enemies to the idyllic cabin on the lake. With their lives—and love—on the line, can they protect all they hold dear?

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

The first bargain led to this next FREE prequel.

Chasing Amanda: A Finding Amanda Prequel

Amazon quote:

One followed her, one protected her

When Amanda leaves her waitressing job to return to campus one night, she’s followed by first one man, then another. Behind her, the men get into a scuffle, and she runs, not quite sure what just happened.

He must make sure she’s safe

Months after 9/11, Mark is about to ship out to Afghanistan. He’s not looking for romance, but the marines have trained him to listen to his gut. And his gut screams that the pretty waitress is in danger.

The stranger in the shadows

While Amanda and Mark learn to trust one another, a monster stalks his next target. Will Mark be able to save her a second time, or will the love he thought he didn’t want be ripped from his hands by violence?

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

1531 Entertainment has another bargain suggestion, if you like epic fantasy. I’ve not read this author but he does look like he could be interesting. Personally, I have a rather narrow view on fantasy likes and this one would be stretching things for me. I prefer a little less violence but I’m thinking not every one feels the way I do. I’ll mention this, anyway, in case it is something you would like it.

A Chance Beginning: Shadow’s Fire Book 1 (Dream Walker Chronicles Book 1)

Amazon quote:

Erik Eleodum never wanted to be a hero. Fate had a different plan.

Erik is content farming for his family for the rest of his life, while his brother and cousin can’t think of a worse fate. For different reasons, they leave the life they know behind. Soon, their world crashes down around them as they realize it is cruel, brutal, selfish, and violent. Now, they must not only rely on one another, but also on gypsies, thieves, mercenaries, dwarves, and a mage for their survival.

In the end, Erik will face danger, deceit, murder, death, evil, and – most terrifyingly – himself to become the hero he was always meant to be as an ancient evil many thought only a myth resurfaces.

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

BookRunes has an interesting FREE suggestion from a year and a bit ago. I’ve read it but don’t remember much, I’m bringing it back to my device for a refresher.

The Memory by Barbara Kaylor

Amazon quote:

Seven years ago, Elliot Starling fired Geneva Passion, a young sales rep in his company, accusing her of unethical conduct she vehemently denied. Now, due to a head injury from an auto accident, it is the only memory Elliot has of his life. Determined to find out why, he journeys to Geneva’s small hometown of Holly Park, Florida to confront her.

Shocked by Elliot’s arrival, Geneva is forced to deal with emotions that have troubled her for seven years, including her secret crush on the man who fired her. Stepping out on faith, Geneva agrees to help Elliot regain all his memories, but is that what they really want? Confusion, uncertainty, and hidden desires challenge their efforts to do the right thing as they draw close to each other.

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

Happy Reading….

… on this grey day, promising the possibility of a little freezing rain. So glad I don’t have to be driving on a day like this.

Read and enjoyed early January

January 5, 2021 / For the Love of Books / Leave a comment

Recently, we’ve downloaded a number of books by author Melissa Storm. I’ve read & enjoyed them all.

Cottage, Light & Home: 3 Feel-Good Novels from the Sled Dog Series

Three more …

Almost finished … The Second-Chance Waitress: A Heartwarming Journey of Faith, Hope & Love (First Street Church Romances Book 2)

Switching to multiple authors read & enjoyed

and one more … Second Chances: Inspirational Box Set

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

Christmas week was an excellent opportunity to do some reading and reduce the TBR pile. Not sure where or what the next read will be. Finishing a few partially-reads may be the way to go.

In the meantime…

Happy Reading!

Bargain books December 30, 2020

December 30, 2020 / For the Love of Books / Leave a comment

BookBub has a bargain suggestion to help us close out the year. This author was part of a recent collection downloaded and enjoyed. Five Gold Rings

A Harmony for Steve (Romantic Suspense) (Song of Suspense Series Book 4)

Amazon quote:

Christian contemporary singing sensation, daughter of Christian radio and media family counselor icons, HARMONY HARPER, has spent her entire life serving God. From teen sensation to celebrated adult Christian contemporary music artist, she regularly plays sold-out concerts everywhere she goes. Nearing thirty, and nearing burnout, Harmony heads to her mountain cabin hideaway to commune with Christ and compose some new music.

Hard rocker STEVE SLAYER faces an ultimatum: keep rocking life the hard way and watch his organs fail due to addictions, or, sober up – for real this time – and live. Hiding out in the mountains of Oregon, he spends weeks detoxing. Finally strong enough to venture into town, he comes face to face with Harmony. Over the next several weeks, the two become unlikely friends as Steve learns to love and trust God, and mutual attraction surprises them both.

Once news of their budding romance reaches the world, no one is happy. Not her people – not his people. Then letters written in blood start arriving. An attack on a concert threatens more than just their lives. Harmony and Steve realize the threats might just be real.

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

1531 Entertainment has a bargain suggestion for us, a much different read than the one above. An author new to me, a nice chance for an introduction.

Finders Keepers (The Jane Barnaby Adventures Book 1)

Amazon quote:

It should have been a simple job. All archaeology student Jane Barnaby had to do was pick up a box her professor needed and deliver it to him at his dig site, along with his new car. Yes, his office was in Oxfordshire, and his dig site was in Spain, a trip of 1,400 miles across three countries and two bodies of water. Still, it should have been simple.

And it was, until Jane discovered she picked up the wrong box by mistake. Not the one with boring pottery samples, but instead the one with priceless ancient Egyptian artifacts. The one that a team of international art thieves is after.

Now she’s chasing – and being chased by – the thieves. And she’s picked up a pair of passengers who claim they can help her outwit them, get her professor’s pottery back and return the artifacts to their rightful owner. If only she could figure out which one of them is working with the thieves and which one she can trust in this high-stakes game of finders keepers.

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

The jury is out for me on this next author. Several books from one of her other series showed up on my TBR list and I was unable to make a successful connection with them. This series seems quite different, I want to give it a try to see if it is a better experience.

One Day Gone: A Mylas Grey Mystery (Mylas Grey Mysteries Book 1)

Amazon quote:

Mylas Grey is a private investigator but don’t call him a private detective.

That title belongs to his father—not to him.

Mylas is the Chief Investigator for Senator Davis Allen, the chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee. His job is to do background investigations for the President’s judicial nominees, and that’s the only kind of investigation he’s interested in doing.

But then Lizzie, the Senator’s daughter, goes missing from her campus apartment.

And suddenly, just like that, Mylas finds himself back in his hometown of Columbia, Missouri, investigating her disappearance as if he were a run-of-the-mill private detective.

Nothing about the investigation is easy.

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

I don’t really want to talk about my current read. It has a strong agenda, that’s why; and I’m not a fan. It has a weak story line, a spin off of another book I did enjoy and because of that I want to see how the story ends. To be fair, though, I did know there was an agenda when I downloaded and I wanted to see what the author had to say. I think I figured it was a teaching book only. I’m fussy y’all.

I’m trying to decide where to go next but I’m feeling ambivalent about the current choices. Maybe it’s just the mood I’m in. I am leaning toward something from the last couple of download days though.

In the meantime…

Happy Reading

Read and enjoyed Christmas edition.

December 28, 2020 / For the Love of Books / Leave a comment

This first one was my favorite. Judging by the title I was expecting a fluff kind of read but that’s not what happened. It was a thought provoking experience. All the way around it was a good time. It is still bargain priced if you are interested. The stories are all connected in someway and I love the way they’ve pulled it altogether.

Five Gold Rings (Crossroads Collection)

Amazon quote:

Christmas Mercy by Jaycee Weaver
As the web of lies that kept Rob away from Vera and their daughter unravels, the months following his return test their capacity for mercy, forgiveness, and a second chance at love.

The Seven Year Glitch by Hallee Bridgeman
Seven years earlier, Timothy left Leanne at the altar stealing years of happiness. Leanne rescues him from a rooftop in a floodplain and it is clear there is much more to the story. Can their love redeem the hurts of the past to rescue their future?

Laughing All the Way by Lesley Ann McDaniel
When Jessica’s friends put her up to “fixing” their commitment phobic co-worker, Conner, she doesn’t take them very seriously. Conner doesn’t know whether to laugh at Jessica or tell her to mind her own business.

Ghosted at the Altar by Chautona Havig
After his fiancée, Brenna, abandons Mitchell on their wedding day, she insists she loves him and still wants to marry him. As truths come to light, her little sister, Lauren, turns sleuth to solve the mystery of why Brenna ghosted Mitchell at the altar.

Five Gold Rings by Amanda Tru
When three relationship-challenged couples wish for Christmas weddings, commitment coach, Oliver, teams up with a wedding planner, TeraLyn, to help make their marriage dreams come true.

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

I liked this next one too. This short read is still a bargain.

Relentless: A Raven Remington

You’ve read about her in the Worst Detective Ever mystery series. Now Raven Remington comes to life in this novella that’s written as if it’s a TV show.

An ex-CIA operative. A top-secret mission. Danger that lurks at every turn.

Raven Remington is facing her most challenging mission: protecting the man who may have killed her sister. The former spy is still trying to integrate into life as a civilian and figure out whom to trust. With each passing day, the task becomes more difficult.

Can Raven figure out who is trying to assassinate the man—the senator—she’s been tasked to protect . . . or will surprises hidden just below the surface destroy life as she knows it?

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

Another great short read that is still a bargain.

Ride with Me: A clean, sweet, faith-filled, small-town romance, where life begins at forty.

Hotel magnate Henry Scott lives life in the fast lane. True to form, when his great-uncle leaves him property and a Victorian house in Chapel Cove, he takes a weekend drive, only intending to stay long enough to evaluate his new found assets. If they aren’t a viable option for the next Scott Leisure Resort, he just might consider selling to the couple who’d expressed an interest in buying the old place. After all, if not for them, he would never have known about this last part of his great-uncle’s will, sealed for almost a decade.

When her new neighbor rolls into town, Tash Thornton is less than impressed. Not only is the man presumptuous and audacious, he’s downright egotistical. His grand plans for the property adjoining her stables, tack shop, and riding school do not bode well for her business.

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

The rest were excellent as well.

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

Currently, I’m between reads. I’ve finished all of the newest downloads that caught my attention. I’ll take a look at some of the earlier downloads, maybe I can knock off another older one. Seems fair to me.

I like this author, I’ve been reading her for years. The only reason I have put this one off is the intensity of this genre, and the length. I love long books but… it’s 480 pages. I think I’m hooked and it is relaxed Christmas week, I can afford to spend the time.

Undetected by Dee Henderson

When asked what he does for a living . . .

Commander Mark Bishop is deliberately low-key: “I’m in the Navy.” But commanding the ballistic missile submarine USS Nevada, keeping her crew trained and alert during ninety-day submerged patrols, and being prepared to launch weapons on valid presidential orders, carries a burden of command like few other jobs in the military. Mark Bishop is a man who accepts that responsibility, and handles it well. And at a time when tensions are escalating around the Pacific Rim, the Navy is glad to have him.

Mark wants someone to come home to after sea patrols. The woman he has in mind is young, with a lovely smile, and very smart. She’s a civilian, yet she understands the U.S. Navy culture. And he has a strong sense that life with her would never be boring. But she may be too deep in her work to see the potential in a relationship with him.

Gina Gray would love to be married. She has always envisioned her life that way. A breakup she didn’t see coming, though, has her focusing all her attention on what she does best–ocean science research. She’s on the cusp of a major breakthrough, and she needs Mark Bishop’s perspective and help. Because what she told the Navy she’s figured out is only the beginning. If she’s right, submarine warfare is about to enter a new and dangerous chapter.

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

Happy Reading …

on this lazy winter day. An excellent day for kicking back with a good book.

Bargain books for Christmas Day

December 25, 2020 / For the Love of Books / Leave a comment

If we are alone on this covid Christmas a good book is a wonderful friend. BookBub has a couple of awesome bargain suggestions for us.

This first one is from an author frequently on my TBR list. All three books in the collection are new to me.

Kennedy Stern (Christian Suspense 3-Book Box Set 1)

Amazon quote:

Three full-length suspense novels from multi-award winning Christian novelist Alana Terry. A three-in-one bundle of suspense and page-turning excitement as missionary kid Kennedy Stern faces more danger, mystery, and controversy than she knows how to handle.

Confronted with questions of underage abortion, plagued by a stalker and paralyzing PTSD flashbacks, and eventually caught in the center of a police brutality scandal, Kennedy discovers that her first year at Harvard University involves a lot more than passing a few lab classes and fulfilling her premed requirements.

With her parents serving North Korean refugees overseas, Kennedy befriends a loving and highly opinionated pastor, his hospitable and encouraging wife, an eccentric but respectful roommate whose worldview is drastically different from Kennedy’s, and a foreign lab partner who’s harboring a grave secret he’d do just about anything to keep from being exposed.

The Kennedy Stern Christian suspense series tackles controversial issues facing the church today and brings them to light in a way that encourages questions and fosters discussions without ever turning preachy or heavy-handed.

Find out why readers from all faiths and denominations, all walks of life, and all sides of the political spectrum are devouring this thought-provoking series from edgy Christian fiction author Alana Terry, who has won awards from Women of Faith, Grace Awards, The Book Club Network, Readers’ Favorite, and many others.

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

This next collection is from an author I have read once or twice. I think it is worth a shot, for sure.

Piercehaven Box Set: The Complete Series

Amazon quote:

Piercehaven (Book 1)

A new teacher. A dark secret. A bunch of kids caught in the middle.

Emily has just moved to a remote Maine island, but it feels like a different planet. Everything seems to be a mystery. Is her new job really in danger? Is the gorgeous lobsterman really interested in her? Is it possible an entire town is that obsessed with basketball?

Windmills (Book 2)

Piercehaven Power wants to erect two windmills on Chicken Hill. Some islanders will do anything to stop this from happening. Will the controversy rip this tight-knit community apart? Can Emily’s new softball team put this small Maine island back together again?

Trespass (Book 3)

A young lobsterman is missing. Is it foul play? And why is James acting so weirdly? Emily is trying to plan a wedding, but does she really know the man she’s about to marry? Does she really know anyone on the island?

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

Currently, I have a number of books on the go but haven’t managed to get caught up in any of them. They are left stranded on the side of the reading-highway.

Instead of giving them second chances at this moment, I’m going to start reading a new collection downloaded back in October. It includes some favorite authors and is still a bargain if you are tempted.

Five Gold Rings (Crossroads Collection)

Amazon quote:

Ghosted at the Altar by Chautona Havig
After his fiancée, Brenna, abandons Mitchell on their wedding day, she insists she loves him and still wants to marry him. As truths come to light, her little sister, Lauren, turns sleuth to solve the mystery of why Brenna ghosted Mitchell at the altar.

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

As I struggle to keep my eyes open I’m having second thoughts about timing. I definitely need a power nap first.

I have this electronic Christmas Advent Calendar from my daughter-in-law and it includes some addicting games. About midnight last night, a few quick games seemed like a good idea. Too bad I couldn’t resist just one more, I could have been asleep before the winter sun came up on the third shortest day of the year.

It was fun and I’m not driving anywhere, so it’s all good.

I’ll start the new read after a nap.

In the meantime,

Happy Reading y’all

Merry Christmas!

Read and Enjoyed December 22, 2020

December 22, 2020 / For the Love of Books / Leave a comment

My favorite read in this batch was fun. I think that’s what I liked most about it, the quirky sense of humor. It was also a cute story. It had substance rather than fluff but was still cute. It’s still a bargain too.

Spare Change by Aubrey Mace

Twenty-three and single, Riley thinks resolutions should be fun, not hard. Just before midnight, she vows to make the easiest resolution ever: save her pennies and at the end of the year, buy something nice for herself. Easy! …Or is it?
Working at a cancer treatment center can change one’s perspective, and before long Riley decides to donate her extra money to cancer research rather than reward herself. At first her resolution is her own secret, but all too soon the nurses figure out her plan, and then things really begin to get out of hand!
As people through the hospital, and then the town, begin to get involved, Riley finds herself at the front of the fund-raising campaign. She also finds herself face-to-face with Paul, the grouchy but cute bank teller. But can she overcome the memory of a failed relationship – and can he do the same? And who is the secret admirer who keeps leaving pennies and notes for her to find?

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

There are three more recently read I may as well mention now too. All three are solid favorites

Fatal Winter: Clean Romance Mystery (Northern Shore Intrigue Book 3) This one was five stars.

Bookstore owner, Sylvie Patterson and Detective Ridge Matthews share hidden pain over the long ago tragedy that marked them both. But he’s only aware of part of her unspoken feelings. She knows her love for him has no future because of the breach over his younger brother’s death. Besides he lives hours away in Madison working as a state homicide detective. And after his brother’s tragic accident, Ridge shut down emotionally and keeps his distance from any reminder, especially Sylvie who witnessed the event.

When Sylvie’s cousin Ginger returns from Alaska to write her PhD dissertation, she moves into the apartment above Sylvie’s store. The evening Ginger arrives, she ends their final conversation with these cryptic words: Sylvie, I am going to wow you with a big surprise tomorrow!

Ridge has come to town to pick up the boy he’s assumed guardianship of. He visits Sylvie’s store to pick up Ben. When Ridge and Sylvie discover Ginger’s dead body, his boss orders him to stay and solve the murder. Ridge isn’t happy. He had planned on delivering the boy to a boarding school and go on with his life. Yet break-ins and odd occurrences—most connected to Sylvie and her family—keep him in town, the last place he wants to be. He’s forced to stay with his parents who have never dealt with the past, a constant reminder of what he couldn’t prevent. Plus he’s forced into contact with Sylvie. She’s farther along in reconciling with the past tragedy. Against his will, he begins to crave her company, her peace. The barriers between them crumble, stirring him to want more, feel more.

Worst of all though, Detective Matthews cannot discover any motive or solid clues for her cousin’s murder. Yet because of the continuing violence toward Sylvie’s family, he suspects that another murder might be coming. However, Sylvie refuses to believe that she might be next. What if she’s wrong? Can Ridge stand to lose her too? Why not download this page-turner today?

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

The next two awesome books are by the same author.

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

I’m loving my current read. I love the story but the best thing about this book is it doesn’t remind me of any other story I’ve ever read.

Ride with Me: A clean, sweet, faith-filled, small-town romance, where life begins at forty.

Love thy neighbor, the Bible teaches—those people who cross your path each day. But with Henry Scott owning the land right next door, Tash fears God may expect her to show him a double portion of love.

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

Happy Reading.

Check out some of these books. I think they are all still at bargain prices. They are definitely worth more, no question.

Bargain books December 21, 2020

December 21, 2020 / For the Love of Books / Leave a comment

Favorite Mystery author Christy Barritt has a couple of bargain books I’ve not seen before.

Taken by Dark: A Carolina Moon novella

Amazon quote:

Widowed single mom Willa Summers can’t deny that something strange is going on in her North Carolina hometown. She fears her pregnant sister-in-law, singer Daleigh McDermott, is the target of mysterious threats. Little does Willa know that she’s the one in danger.

When Declan Donovan shows up in the house next door, things seem to turn from bad to worse. Declan broke Willa’s heart more than a decade ago when he deserted her and chose a career with the FBI over small-town life with her. But now he may be the only one who can help keep everyone safe.

Declan must get to the bottom of things before the mysterious threats become reality. As the darkness closes in, everything Willa holds dear may be snatched from her—including a second chance at love. Will she be overtaken by the dark or will she escape its clutches in time?

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

Relentless: A Raven Remington Novel

Amazon quote:

You’ve read about her in the Worst Detective Ever mystery series. Now Raven Remington comes to life in this novella that’s written as if it’s a TV show.

An ex-CIA operative. A top-secret mission. Danger that lurks at every turn.

Can Raven figure out who is trying to assassinate the man—the senator—she’s been tasked to protect . . . or will surprises hidden just below the surface destroy life as she knows it?

*Relentless is based on the fictional TV show starring Hollywood starlet Joey Darling from The Worst Detective Ever mystery series.

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

One more interesting bargain I’ve not seen before.

A Wish for Christmas

Amazon quote:

How hard can it be to entertain a house full of guests without revealing they are at the wrong Inn? Mila needs money to satisfy the bank. All she has to do is give them a holiday they won’t forget and not fall in love with Garrett Donnelley and his family.

Mila Vunderberg is in desperate need of money to save her family home. Left caring for an ailing grandmother who spends her days searching for a “treasure” that doesn’t exist, she has been forced to sell off pieces of her lineage to make ends meet. A blizzard blows in help in the form of a family looking for the perfect Christmas.

Garrett Donnelley’s family surprises him with the gift of a perfect Christmas in New York. When the driver drops them off at a beautiful home on the Hudson River, they are welcomed like family. Enchanted by Mila, Garrett sees visions of a future with her, but his hostess has secrets that threaten everything he cherishes.

One man believes the treasure is real, and the Donnelley family is in his way. Mila and her treasure will be his one way or another.

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

My current read: it’s still a bargain

Driftwood Danger (Saltwater Cowboys Book 5)

He’s on one side of the fight to preserve Cape Corral. She’s on the other.

Abigail Ferguson wakes up in a strange place with bruises on her face and her hands bound. Someone is trying to teach her family a painful lesson and using Abigail as a pawn. When she’s able to call for help, only one person comes to mind—law enforcement officer Grant Matthews.

Grant has been crazy about Abigail since they met. But her wealthy family is a long-standing enemy of locals, and dating her would feel like a betrayal to the community he serves. However, when Abigail is abducted and needs his help, nothing will stop him from rescuing and protecting her.

As Abigail’s captor makes it clear he has more dastardly deeds planned, Grant and Abigail work together to try to find answers. But their growing feelings—and the obstacles between them—might put Abigail in even more danger. Can the two figure out this man’s identity before it’s too late? Or will the clever madman taunting Abigail stop at nothing to achieve what he wants?

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

Happy Reading!