thriller

Free and bargain books part 2 Oct 30th

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A new source for FREE and bargain books is Readers are Leaders found at email bookhub@inspireafire.com if you’d like to sign up.

Some of these book deals expire Nov 1 so I’m sharing quickly.

There were other books in the list but they didn’t all come up at the advertised price. Some were available on carriers other than Kindle, my only source is Kindle.

You may find it helpful to subscribe to this list directly if some of the other options would work for you.

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Mac (Ladies of Garfield Book 10)

Amazon quote:

After separating herself from the oppressive cult where she was raised, Mackenzie Soeurs has two dreams: to give her son Riley a better life than she had, and to live in peace, as far from the harsh God of her past as she can get. At least that was the plan until her son got hauled to jail for theft and she lost the mother she never truly understood. In the darkest moments of her life, Mac finds herself surrounded by a group of Christian women she can’t understand and a handsome man, willing to take her son under his wing.

Dane Cooper, Garfield’s former bad boy and groom left at the altar, can’t deny his initial attraction to Mackenzie. Neither can he resist the urge from God to mentor her delinquent son. How can he guard his battered heart and still give Riley the same second chance he was given?

When Jesse, Charley, Randy, and Alex signed up for Mac’s first fitness class, they were looking for someone to whip them into physical shape. What they found was a woman bound by a cruel history, suffering through a tragic present, and in desperate need of a friend…or four.

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This next FREE one sounds interesting. I checked to be sure and it is fiction.

Messenger Lillian Duncan

Amazon quote:

Life is perfect in NewAmerica.
No crime.
No poverty.
No war.
No discrimination.

Life is perfect as long as you’re a loyal citizen.
Life is perfect as long as you follow The Guardian Rules without question.

All religion has been banned, even uttering the name of God is a crime punishable by death. Magdalena Denton is an unlikely messenger, but when a patient braves the consequences to tell her The Guardians have deceived everyone about God, she’s determined to discover the truth.

Life is perfect in NewAmerica until the moment you wonder…is there a God?

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Seasoned: A Love Story

Amazon quote:

Two years after the death of her husband, Essie White continues to battle loneliness. Her romance-writing daughter suggests that her mother try online dating. Essie pushes back. True, soul-level love, only comes along once. Still, some male companionship would help pass the days.

Widower Lou Rizzo isn’t seeking love, either. He’s seen the horrors of war and the heartbreak of loss that follows when death rips apart a relationship. Once in a lifetime is enough. Still, a little companionship would help pass the days. Using an alias to safeguard his identity, he reluctantly accepts his friend’s dare and posts his profile on the dating site.

Essie and Lou meet, and their initial attraction soon develops into a friendship neither wants to lose. Lou, however, must confess his part in a decades-old incident that he feels Essie will not understand or be able to forgive. She, too, harbors secrets that may jeopardize their future together.

As the relationship grows, each must decide whether to reveal the truth about their past mistakes. Will fears and regrets ruin their chance to love again? Seasoned is a timeless love for the ages.

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Dead Man’s Watch (The Watch Series Book 2) 

Amazon quote:

SAVING ONE LIFE IS LIKE SAVING THE WHOLE WORLD

Half-sisters Kathryn Frasier and Cece Goldman stumble into another mystery in this second book in the Watch series. When a former acquaintance of Kathryn’s is accused of murder, she and Cece go on a mission to prove his innocence by finding the real killer. But things are never what they seem in this tangled web, and Kathryn’s spunky determination to solve the mystery pushes her closer and closer to a deadly climax.

Join the adventure as these two young women commit themselves to live up to the quote from the Jerusalem Talmud: “Whoever saves a life, it is considered as if he saved an entire world.”

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Three of the books are new to me. One of the authors is too. It’s a good day for fresh reading material afterall.

Happy Reading y’all

Free and bargain books October 19, 2020

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1531 Entertainment has an interesting offer for us.

I look forward to this is collection every year at this time, it’s becoming a tradition. And it’s always at a bargain price too. The stories are stand alone but connected in small ways. The final book ties them all together.

Five Gold Rings (Crossroads Collection Book 7)

Amazon quote:

Some of today’s best-selling Christian authors weave five completely new, unique, interconnected stories where once jilted lovers find worth more precious than gold.

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.

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LPC Books has a few FREE and one bargain suggestion for us. I enjoy the first author and I’m looking forward to this. And the others … except for the two I’ve read.

Things We Once Held Dear 

Amazon quote:

New Yorker Neil Sadler returns to his hometown of Mason, Ohio, where the small-town was rocked by the suspicious death of Helen Syfert, the mother of Neil’s friend, Mary.

As the pair reconnects, Neil learns their once-close relationship hasn’t survived the tragedy of Mary’s loss. In time, though, the couple finds that what pushed them apart years ago now seems to be pulling them together. Still, Neil finds himself struggling to recover from a more recent loss, one he keeps tucked in his heart.

While the mystery of Helen’s death remains unsolved, finding closure will require opening old wounds, mending broken relationships, and facing new fears.

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Devil in the Dust 

Amazon quote:

June 1933: — Their small Oklahoma town is dying. Lillian remembers how acres and acres of wheat once waved under jewel-blue skies. Now the dirt stretches across the flat land as far as she can see.

Though Emma’s husband is missing, she keeps house — and keeps her five children fed as best as she can — even as her hopes fade. But when the days stretch to weeks, she considers the possibility that he will never come home. Left with the likelihood of losing their farm, and the ever-present pangs of hunger, she is forced to consider opportunities that, under normal circumstances, no woman should ever have to contemplate.

Jessie, Emma’s oldest daughter, completes her daily chores with tired repetition. Forced to wear her mother’s shoes to avoid the humiliation of bare feet, she watches the dead, dirt road for signs of life.

And then he arrives in his new car and shiny shoes and generous way with gifts and money. Much to the dismay of her mother he catches Jessie’s eye.

Lillian knows he’s too smooth, too willing to help, and much too eager to spend time with a girl less than half his age. But what’s to say he is not the miracle they all prayed for? In times of desperation the wind carries more than one kind of evil.

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The Last Summer

Amazon quote:

For twenty-something Sara Witherspoon and her group of friends, a perfect Southern summer includes lake-house getaways, wedding planning, outdoor concerts, and a dash of romance. But for these seven friends who love each other like family, this year, summer rolls in with changes for everyone.

Sara’s longtime crush, Luke, has been her best friend for as long as she has been a part of the group. When Luke begins seriously dating another of their friends, Sara’s forced to deal with her hurt and jealousy, while outwardly try to support them both.

While Sara comes to terms with her own heart and her friends’ relationships, an unexpected handsome pilot from North Carolina and an old flame are thrown into the mix. Knowing her heart suddenly becomes much more complicated.

But as time unfolds and friendships begin to unravel, Sara and the others are presented with the reality of what a season of change does to old friendships and new love interests.

Does growing older mean growing apart?

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This Quiet Sky

Amazon quote:

There is nothing extraordinary about Tucker O’Shay’s dreams.
Go to college. Become president. Fall in love.
And pretend like he has enough time to get it all done.

Sixteen-year-old Sarah Miller doesn’t expect anything out of the ordinary when she begins her first day at the one-room-school house in her new hometown of Rocky Knob. But when she meets seventeen-year-old Tucker O’Shay—the boy with the fatal illness who volunteers to tutor her in algebra—she finds herself swept up in a friendship that changes the way she sees the world and a love that changes her life.

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I know what I’m reading next. This Quiet Sky

That is, if I remember.

I’m currently reading an eight book collection but I’m only on book 2. That’s a lot of water under the bridge before I get to the next book.

Maybe when I finish book 2 I’ll have to take a little detour through the new book before going back to the collection. A little break could be a good thing.

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It’s been another awesome book day. I hope you are feeling as happy as I am over this new selection of good reads.

I haven’t had much reading time today so I’m off to see what’s happening in the world of murder and mayhem.

Happy Reading y’all

Bargain books October 16, 2020

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BookRunes mentioned a newly published bargain box set we are seeing fairly often lately. I may as well mention it again too. It’s near the top of my TBR list but I haven’t started it quite yet.

Dangerous Deceptions: A Romantic Suspense Boxed Set Collection

Amazon quote for the first three books:

Lethal Outbreak: Lisa Harris & Lynne Gentry

Virus hunter Aiden Ballinger believes the source of the lethal outbreak that decimated a remote Tibetan village came from disturbing the permafrost. Desperate to rebury it before it buries the world, Aiden enlists Rachel Allen, a beautiful epidemiologist. But while Aiden and Rachel pursue the cure—and their feelings for each other—someone is hunting them. Whoever wants them dead will not stop until they are silenced.

Collision Course: Elizabeth Goddard

His cover blown, FBI Special Agent Reg Jacobson finds refuge on the other side of the country, but trouble follows him when he faces off with a woman from his past. Private Investigator Nicole Weatherly, hired to catch a thief, suspects Reg. When the bullets fly, Reg and Nicole must escape secrets from their pasts before their futures collide.

Glimmer in the Darkness: Robin Patchen

When Cassidy learns another child has been kidnapped from her hometown, she’s convinced the man who took the girl she’d been babysitting seven years earlier is behind the recent abductions. She alone holds the key to finding him. Though James blames Cassidy for his sister’s death, he’ll help if there’s a chance to save a child’s life. Can Cassidy and James identify the serial killer in time to rescue his latest victim?

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Browsing, I noticed a bargain for Book 2 in a new series I’m excited about.

Breakwater Protector (Saltwater Cowboys Book 2) 

Amazon quote:

Lizzie McCreary needs to disappear. As danger stalks her, she escapes to windswept Cape Corral with her eight-year-old son, Preston. The isolated island offers her a desperate hope for safety.

Saltwater cowboy Dash Fulton isn’t looking for love. Yet when he rescues a woman and boy from the woods, he immediately feels a bond with the two. He can sense the pair are harboring secrets. The question is, what are they?

Dash has secrets of his own, and pressure continues to mount for him to come clean. But as he’s caught up in the peril surrounding Lizzie and Preston, his own problems become a low priority. He can’t let anyone hurt the sweet single mom and her precocious son. 

As more details come to light, will wounds from the past ultimately drive Lizzie and Dash apart? Or will the man chasing Lizzie destroy any hope for the future?

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Book 1 in the Saltwater Cowboys series is still a bargain too so it’s a good time to get them both.

He’s trying to forget. She’d give anything to remember.

Officer Levi Sutherland wants to protect the wild horses of Cape Corral and keep the island residents safe. But memories of his deceased wife haunt him at every turn and make him long for a fresh start. When a woman washes ashore with a bullet wound and no memories, Levi knows he can’t leave until he discovers what happened to her.

The woman—whose necklace reads Dani—captures Levi’s attention like no one has in a long time. But which side of the law is she on? Could Dani be mixed up with other mysterious incidents happening on the island?

Together, can the two find answers and create new memories? Or will secrets tear them apart and destroy a future as uncertain as Dani’s past?

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I was excited to see two more Christy Barritt books on at pre-order bargain price. On further investigation, it seems I’ve already ordered them. I’m highly disappointed, I was hoping to have discovered something new.

I’ll mention them again anyway, maybe you will be inspired too.

I’m sure they will be new to me by the time they arrive in February. I will probably have forgotten again.

Shock and Awe (Lantern Beach Guardians Book 2)

Safe and Sound (Lantern Beach Guardians Book 3)

I’m thinking Christy Barritt probably appears in my downloads more often than most other authors.

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I’m currently still reading Mistletoe and Murder, up to book 5 I think.

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Happy reading y’all!

You may have noticed cold in the categories, that’s because it’s what it is these days, cold. Freezing overnight. Even though it’s only mid October.

I wouldn’t have been surprised to see heavy frost, but a skiff of snow this morning was a shock, I have to say.

It is pretty though. I’m a bit of a sucker for pretty

Free and bargain books October 15, 2020

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I’m back. With a FREE book suggestion courtesy of BookBub and it’s one I’ve not read. Even better.

Ever Caring (Family Promises Book 1)

Amazon quote:

He lost his wife.

She gave up her baby.

Can these troubled souls find true love beneath their secrets?

Attorney Tate Truscott is ready for a fresh start with his grief-stricken daughter. After the widower and his eight-year-old move to a new town, he hopes creating a commemorative photo album will help ease the girl’s suffering. But when she makes fast friends with the scrapbook shop owner who is helping her with the album, Tate is stunned to find himself attracted to the kind woman.

Renee Albertson is guilt-ridden over the accident that crippled her mother and forced her to give up her newborn for adoption. Desperate to sell everything to finance her mom’s experimental treatment, Renee’s torn when a handsome dad and his melancholy daughter come to her store for help. And as the grieving pair find their way into her heart, she wonders if she’ll ever have the family of her dreams.

As the attraction between them deepens, Tate is wary of revealing his less-than-perfect marriage that lies behind the idyllic photos. And Renee fears that divulging her tragic secret will destroy any hope for a future with Tate.

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I stumbled on a good looking mystery/thriller I want to read. It’s a limited time bargain so be sure to be quick if you are interested.

Flight Risk

Amazon quote:

Savannah Daniels has worked hard to build her law practice, to surround herself with good friends, and to be the loyal aunt her troubled niece can always count on. But since her ex-husband’s betrayal, she has trouble trusting anyone.

Jett Glover’s father committed suicide over a false newspaper report that ruined his reputation. Now a fierce champion of truth, Jett is writing the story of his journalism career—an international sex-trafficking exposé that will bring down a celebrity baseball player and the men closest to him, including Savannah’s ex-husband.

When Jett’s story breaks, tragedy ensues. Then a commercial airline crashes, and one of Savannah’s clients is implicated in the crash. Men connected to the scandal, including her ex, begin to die amid mysterious circumstances, and Savannah’s niece becomes an unwitting target.

Against their better instincts, Jett and Savannah join ranks to sort the facts from fiction. But can Savannah trust the reporter who threw her life into chaos? And can Jett face the possibility that he’s made the biggest mistake of his life?

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One more awesome bargain I need. It’s book 5 in the series. I’ve read book 1 and now I can’t pass up #5. This is the conclusion to the family saga and it’s about the only girl in a house full of boys.

I’m good with reading the end before the middle.

The middle three books are at a reduced price too and it is very tempting… but… I have to realistic. Which is painful at a time like this.

Ruby Jane: The Montana Marshalls 

Amazon quote:

She loved…and lost.

Ruby Jane never thought she’d meet the man of her dreams while running from the police in Russia. That he’d steal her heart on a train to Siberia. But loving a former CIA officer comes with a price…a life of danger. A life of high stakes.

A life where he simply disappears…

He has no memory of the man he was.

Mack Jones has no memory of his past…just the dark sense that he is hiding. And, he wants to stay that way. Mack likes the life he’s built in a small tourist town, tucked away beyond the mountains, and has no desire to dig around in the gray areas of his memory.

When his place of business catches fire and Mack rescues the owner, he makes the news, which of course alerts the past he’s hoping to outrun.

The only person who can help him is a mysterious woman he doesn’t remember.

But a woman he desperately needs.

The surprising, thrilling conclusion to the Montana Marshalls series.

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I’m currently reading a mystery/romance collection (still a bargain) and it’s been the inspiration for today’s search. I’ve been checking out some of the authors and I did find treasure.

Mistletoe and Murder: A Christmas Suspense Collection 

Danger and suspense await you this Christmas season in Mistletoe and Murder: A Christmas Suspense Collection featuring 10 individual novellas of suspense from some of today’s most talented Christian Suspense authors.

Come with us on a heart-racing journey through the holidays as USA Today, Christian Booksellers Association, and ECPA Bestselling authors Mary Alford, Adam Blumer, Liz Bradford, Vicki Hinze, Shaen Layle, Loree Lough, Nancy Mehl, Cara Putman, Lynn Shannon, and Virginia Vaughan, weave tales of suspense that will have you flipping pages well into the new year.

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I hope you find some treasures here too. This is a 5 star line-up of books today, I’m very excited.

Happy Reading y’all

Read and enjoyed – middle of October 2020 edition

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It`s time once again to clear out my read & enjoyed folder.

This first one was an excellent read and it is still a bargain, grab it quick before it goes away.

Rescued by the Hero: (Heroes of Freedom Ridge Book 1)

The hardest part about this fake relationship is hiding it from her brother. Especially when it doesn’t feel fake.

Joanna Drake can’t wait to escape to Freedom Ridge for the holidays. She needs to put hundreds of miles between her and her creepy coworker who won’t seem to take no for an answer. When she runs into her brother’s best friend at the ski resort, every relationship gets complicated.

Aiden Clark is shocked to find out that his best friend brought his little sister along on vacation, especially when he finds himself interested in getting to know her. When she asks him to play along as her boyfriend to ward off an unwanted pursuer, he wholeheartedly agrees despite his friend’s warnings to stay away from her.
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Another one thoroughly enjoyed.

Blue Columbine: (Grace Revealed Book 1)

Best friends—maybe more—until addiction shatters everything.
Andrew Harris needs a fresh start. His alleged drinking problem cost him his job, sending him back to his childhood home in Colorado. Discovering his childhood sweetheart is still there—and still the girl he’d adored—Andrew gains new confidence that he’ll overcome the failings that had caused his downfall before.

Jamie Carson values her faith above all else. However, the loss of her mother has opened a nagging loneliness. After reuniting with Andrew—a boy she thought she’d once loved—the ache of solitude subsides, though his rejection of the faith she thought they’d shared is troubling.

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One more favorite. It is still a bargain too.

Behind the Lies (The Northern Lights Book 2)

With nowhere else to go but a house bequeathed to her from an old friend, Olivia Morgan finds herself back in Oak River. The small town holds memories of abuse, neglect, and sorrow, but also stirs up longings she’d thought were long buried.

She thinks she can live in seclusion, but resisting the kindness of an elderly neighbor, her tenacious younger sister, and the magnetic attraction of the most handsome man she’s ever seen, is undoing the best of intentions.

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I have a large handful still needing to be mentioned but for space reasons we need to move right along. I`m really sorry about that. Covers only for these ones.

I really liked the first two, that`s why they are at the top of this section.

(please excuse the apostrophe, it is doing something weird and I do not know how to fix it.)

I enjoyed the rest of them too. Some a little more than others but….

I decided not to mention the few I didn`t like. The rest are all worth mentioning.

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I`m currently reading and enjoying a ten book collection and it is still a bargain. Grab it quick. I think you will like it.

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Happy Reading everyone.

LPC Free books October 12, 2020 – part two

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LPCBooks has a nice selection of FREE books for us.

Fear Is Louder Than Words: Her stalker taught her fear. Her suspicions taught her terror

Amazon quote:

Her stalker taught her fear. Her suspicions taught her terror.

Rochelle Cassidy has the perfect life as a radio talk show host in the Detroit market, but her celebrity status doesn’t stop an angry listener from wanting her … dead. Ed McGrath’s ideal life as a pro-hockey player doesn’t include a damsel in distress until the night he discovers Rochelle being attacked in a deserted parking structure.

Circumstances throw them together in more ways than one when Rochelle’s producer plays matchmaker. A sick boy, a corrupt politician, and questionable medical practices put more than merely Rochelle in danger, and still, her attacker shadows her every step.

Will Ed be able to break through her trust issues in order to protect her, or will she continue to see him as Detroit’s bad boy athlete? Her life and his depend on it.

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When You Come Home 

Amazon quote:

War took Daphne Kelley’s young husband from her, but it couldn’t keep Raymond – and his abiding love – from being with her when she needed him most.

Taking its title from a poem Daphne sent her soldier-husband during World War II, When You Come Home tells of the couple’s young love in the heartland of America on the brink of war, and of the crushing uncertainty and fear they feel as they find themselves a ripped apart. Through pain and worry, the grieving young wife finds that her faith provides hope and healing amidst the uncertainty of war.

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The Yuletide Angel: A mysterious benefactor … a secret guardian … and a love sweeter than grace.

Amazon quote:

It’s the 1890s in Meadowmead and someone is venturing out at night to leave packages at the homes of the needy. Dubbed “The Yuletide Angel,” no one knows the identity of this mysterious benefactor.

No one, except Hugh Barnes, a confirmed bachelor who finds himself drawn to the outwardly shy but inwardly bold Violet Madison, a young woman who risks her safety to help others.

When Violet confesses her fear of eviction from her childhood home, Hugh longs to rescue her. His good intentions are thwarted, however, when Hugh’s estranged brother shows up in town … and in Violet’s company.

But Violet faces an even bigger threat. A phantom figure lurks in the shadows, prepared to clip the wings of her Yuletide Angel.

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Hummingbird  D. Stearman

Amazon quote:

She feels like a misfit. Who is she? Where does she belong? Is she Lexa, Alexandra, or someone else? Forced to commit a crime, she flees south of the Border—and a vindictive bounty hunter follows her. Will she escape? Find redemption? Learn who she really is and where she belongs?

Her answers lie hidden in a tiny seaside village where wandering hummingbirds rest their wings.

“From the moment the story begins, Hummingbird is fast paced. Not once is the reader left behind or snoring with boredom. The author keeps the story moving like a pulse rate. The characters are believable, and the main character is well developed. The reader learns to deeply care about Lexa over the course of the novel. One can tell the author is familiar with his setting, too. I felt like I was there—in Mexico. Over all, a interesting and compelling novel.” ~ Goodreads review.

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A bargain book from the summer is still available and since it’s one of my favorites I think it’s worth mentioning again.

Saltwater Cowboy: An Edge of Your Seat Christian Romantic Suspense Novel with Wild Horses and an Isolated NC Island (Saltwater Cowboys Book 1)

Amazon quote:

He’s trying to forget. She’d give anything to remember.

Officer Levi Sutherland wants to protect the wild horses of Cape Corral and keep the island residents safe. But memories of his deceased wife haunt him at every turn and make him long for a fresh start. When a woman washes ashore with a bullet wound and no memories, Levi knows he can’t leave until he discovers what happened to her.

The woman—whose necklace reads Dani—captures Levi’s attention like no one has in a long time. But which side of the law is she on? Could Dani be mixed up with other mysterious incidents happening on the island?

Together, can the two find answers and create new memories? Or will secrets tear them apart and destroy a future as uncertain as Dani’s past?

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One of these books is new to me. Humingbird. I’m looking forward to checking it out.

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Happy Reading…

…on this Canadian Thanksgiving long weekend.

Unlike the destructive snow storm of a year ago, today we are enjoying blue skies, green lawns, and moderate temperatures.

We are deeply thankful.

Excellent bargain books October 09, 2020

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To start us off, 1531 Entertainment has some bargain suggestions.

One Royal Christmas: A Heartwarming Holiday Romance

Amazon quote:

His Majesty Jonah Harrison Archer Davies VI has just endured the worst year of his life . . . and he’s convinced he’s no longer fit to rule Concordia. Not now . . . but maybe someday. Taking advantage of an obscure law that allows him to temporarily abdicate his throne, he transfers short-term power to his younger brother and retreats to Tinsel, Vermont. Perhaps in this tucked-away town, with its enchanting Christmas decorations and unusual media ban, Jonah will discover the peace and privacy he needs to heal, find his vision for his country . . . and somehow believe himself worthy of the crown.

Eight years ago, Rowan Bell dropped out of college and sacrificed her dream of traveling the world to keep a promise to her dying grandmother–to care for Tinsel’s charming library. But the antiquated Cape Cod cottage that has housed the library for decades is falling apart around her, and Tinsel’s city leaders have arranged to relocate the library. Desperate to keep her grandmother’s legacy alive–and hopefully hush the longings of her restless heart in the process–Rowan hatches a plan to preserve the historic house. Help comes in the most unexpected form when a handsome bookworm–a king!–appears in Rowan’s life.

Drawn together under Tinsel’s Christmastime spell, Rowan and Jonah work to secure the library’s future, even as they grapple with all the uncertainty in their own futures. But when a national crisis calls Jonah home, it’s not only his claim to the throne that’s in danger, but their two hearts which had only begun to hope again.

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Behind the Lies (The Northern Lights Book 2)

Amazon quote:

With nowhere else to go but a house bequeathed to her from an old friend, Olivia Morgan finds herself back in Oak River. The small town holds memories of abuse, neglect, and sorrow, but also stirs up longings she’d thought were long buried.

She thinks she can live in seclusion, but resisting the kindness of an elderly neighbor, her tenacious younger sister, and the magnetic attraction of the most handsome man she’s ever seen, is undoing the best of intentions.

Pulled into using her artistic talents to help the police in the disappearance of a young violin player, Olivia finds that reconnecting with the canvas and her camera might just be the lifeline she needs to survive coming home.

Will old enemies and new ones drive her over the edge, or can she finally make peace with the past and see beauty spring up from the ashes?

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Following the suggestion string on Amazon, a few more excellent bargain choices popped up. I don’t think they will last long so jump quickly before the good prices disappear.

Not Until Someday: A Christian Romance (Hope Springs Book 7)

Amazon quote:

She’s waiting for her someday. He thinks his has already come and gone.

After spending the past five years caring for her ill grandfather, Grace Calvano is eager to honor his memory by turning his stately old house in Hope Springs into a bed-and-breakfast. All she has to do is fend off her mama, who keeps pressuring her to come home to Tennessee, marry the new youth pastor, and start raising a passel of children. Sure, Grace wants to settle down and marry someday. But only when God sees fit to send Mr. Right her way. Until then, she’s content to wait.

After a career- and relationship-ending injury, former NFL quarterback Levi Donovan is sure his someday has already come and gone. Returning to Hope Springs for the summer to help out at his dad’s construction company is not his idea of a bright future. But maybe it will be a chance to make up for lost time with his brother—and to make his dad proud at last.

The day Levi shows up to help renovate her bed-and-breakfast, Grace is sure of one thing—she and God must have gotten their wires crossed when she asked him to send Mr. Right to her doorstep. Because the motorcycle-riding, football-playing bad boy is the very definition of Mr. Wrong.

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Once a Thief: An International Christian Romantic Suspense (Protector Sweethearts Book 1)

Amazon quote:

She sets a thief to catch a thief. Will he also steal her heart?
Private investigator Helen Hu must team up with reformed art thief Reuben Costa to rescue her mother, who has vanished while trying to make amends for stealing some bejeweled eggs connected to the Amber Room.

Set in Greece and Italy, Once a Thief is Book 1 in USA Today bestselling author Jan Thompson’s Protector Sweethearts Christian romantic suspense series of books that showcase Private Investigator Helen Hu, her associates, and friends. This collection is a spinoff of Jan’s Savannah Sweethearts beach romance and Vacation Sweethearts travel romance collections.

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I’m so excited. Every book is new to me this time. I’ve not seen or read any of them before and I can hardly wait.

I’m hoping you will find some great choices here too.

It’s Friday….

Happy Reading

…for the weekend… and everyday, really.

Books read & enjoyed October 07, 2020

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I have a few books to share but somehow I think they have all been mentioned recently in passing, so pardon me if I’ve said any of this before. Hopefully you don’t remember either if I did.

Sometimes I totally love a bunch of books in a row. (I know you can’t have a bunch in a row because bunches never stand it a row, they are always crowded together in a heap, but hey, that’s what’s in my head and I can’t help but go with it. I know you know what I mean anyway, you’re smart that way)

Then sometimes I read a bunch and only love a few of them. That’s how it was this time.

I also have to say, liking a book is usually very personal. Kind of like favorite colors. Not everyone loves pink.

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This first book was one I skimmed through rather quickly. Not really my cup of tea. But still, not a bad read at all. I gave it three stars.

Will of Steel

When the truth behind her husband’s death comes to light, Jordan will need strength as strong as steel to survive.
Jordan Regent finds herself a widow, running her husband’s steel business. One night while sorting through her husband’s things she discovers a secret that threatens her future. As her life unravels, Jordan must hold on to her faith and fight to survive.
Ryder Foster is a lawyer who offers to help with her husband’s business as well as personal affairs. As they search for the truth behind her husband’s death, their attraction to each other creates complications and the threat to Jordan increases. Will Ryder be able to help her face the threat and will Jordan be able to let go of the past?

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This next one I did enjoy, more than I thought I would. I tried once and abandoned it but my second attempt worked, well. I gave this one four stars.

The Maid of Fairbourne Hall

Pampered Margaret Macy flees London in disguise to escape pressure to marry a dishonorable man. With no money and nowhere else to go, she takes a position as a housemaid in the home of Nathaniel Upchurch, a suitor she once rejected in hopes of winning his dashing brother. Praying no one will recognize her, Margaret fumbles through the first real work of her life. If she can last until her next birthday, she will gain an inheritance from a spinster aunt–and sweet independence. But can she remain hidden as a servant even when prying eyes visit Fairbourne Hall?

Observing both brothers as an “invisible” servant, Margaret learns she may have misjudged Nathaniel. Is it too late to rekindle his admiration? And when one of the family is nearly killed, Margaret alone discovers who was responsible. Should she come forward, even at the risk of her reputation and perhaps her life? And can she avoid an obvious trap meant to force her from hiding?

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I liked this book collection but I know I’ve mentioned it multiple times so I will leave it at that. I gave this one five stars. That alone will tell you tell this was my favorite.

The If I Run Series: If I Run, If I’m Found, If I Live

Casey knows the truth. But it won’t set her free.

Casey Cox’s DNA is all over the crime scene. There’s no use talking to police; they’ve failed her abysmally before. She has to flee before she’s arrested . . . or worse. The truth doesn’t matter anymore.

But what is the truth? That’s the question haunting Dylan Roberts, the war-weary veteran hired to find Casey. PTSD has marked him damaged goods, but bringing Casey back can redeem him. Though the crime scene seems to tell the whole story, details of the murder aren’t adding up.

Casey Cox doesn’t fit the profile of a killer. But are Dylan’s skewed perceptions keeping him from being objective? If she isn’t guilty, why did she run?

Unraveling her past and the evidence that condemns her will take more time than he has, but as Dylan’s damaged soul intersects with hers, he is faced with two choices: the girl who occupies his every thought is a psychopathic killer . . . or a selfless hero. And the truth could be the most deadly weapon yet.

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This next one is still a bargain if you are interested. I liked this book but only gave it three stars and I can’t remember why. I know there was a reason because I don’t give three very often. Four stars is the norm. Probably details and thoughts repeated too many times.

Hopeful Cowboy: A Mulbury Boys Novel (Hope Eternal Ranch Romance Book 1) 

Nathaniel Mulbury is released early from his six-year term in prison to care for his brother’s four-year-old son. Dealing with grief over his brother’s death and continued guilt for his role in the embezzlement scheme that landed him in jail, Nate has one more problem. He’s never been a father and has no idea how to take care of Connor.

Make that two problems: He’s released, but only to the care of Hope Eternal Ranch, a work-parole ranch run by the beautiful and smart Ginger Talbot. He’s never been a cowboy, and he’s got no room in his life for a woman.

Ginger has dealt with plenty of men like Nate, even if the sparks between them don’t just come from his background. She’s not falling for a handsome face and a nice pair of biceps again. After all, most prisoners have plenty of time to work out.

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I’m going to look around a little for bargains, if I find any I’ll put them in a separate post.

Hope to see you soon!

Happy Reading

Free books October 05, 2020

/ For the Love of Books / Leave a comment

LPC Books has FREE books for us this afternoon.

The Spindle Chair (The Barn Church Series Book 1)

Amazon quote:

“At once beautiful and haunting … a story you won’t soon forget”. ~ Ann Tatlock, Award-winning author of Once Beyond A Time, a Christy Award winner

Laurie Crane is happily married, yet she aches to have a child. During her husband’s moments of quiet sadness she senses a void she believes only a child can fill. Pierce wants a child, too and has spent years praying alongside his wife. But he has no idea that a “yes” from God will unearth long-buried memories and bring their marriage to the brink of catastrophe. What happens when “happily-ever-after” becomes more than you can bear?

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Among the Poppies 

Amazon quote:

The ideal lady wears lace, speaks quietly, and never—under any circumstances—fixes an automobile. But Gwyn Ruthers has never cared two snaps about being the ideal lady. With the war to end all wars exploding across the English Channel, she leaves behind her restrictive life as a chauffer’s daughter to serve in an all-female ambulance unit in France. She’s not about to let her social status or gender prevent her from serving her country. Not even a handsome captain can distract her from her mission. Most of the time.

Captain William Crawford wouldn’t wish the ravages of war on any man, much less the captivating woman who insists on driving into battle instead of staying safely at home. He can’t deny that the troops need more medical help, but not when it puts innocent women in danger. How can he lead his men against the Jerries while worrying about Gwyn’s safety?

Bound together by circumstances, Gwyn and William can’t stop the love growing between them. Can their relationship survive, or will it become another casualty of war?

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Chasing the Butterfly

Amazon quote:

From a vineyard in the south of France to the sophisticated city of Paris, Ella Moreau searches for the hope and love she lost as a young girl when her mother abandoned the family. Through a series of secret paintings, her art becomes the substitute for lost love—the metaphor of her life. But when her paintings are discovered, the intentions of those she loves are revealed.

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Thankfully, I’ve read & enjoyed all three of these FREE books. My TBR list is already struggling without adding any more. The upside is, I have lots of choices so I’m not complaining too loudly.

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Currently I’m on book two of a three book collection. This is a continued story series, definitely not stand alone, but I’m enjoying it.

The If I Run Series: If I Run, If I’m Found, If I Live 

Book 2

If I’m Found

In this riveting sequel to the USA TODAY bestseller If I Run, evil lurks, drawing Casey out of the shadows . . . but there is light shining in the darkness.

Casey Cox is still on the run, fleeing prosecution for a murder she didn’t commit. Dylan Roberts—her most relentless pursuer—is still on her trail, but his secret emails insist he knows the truth and wants to help her. He’s let her escape before when he had her in his grasp, but trust doesn’t come easily.

As Casey works to collect evidence about the real murderers, she stumbles on another unbearable injustice: an abused child and a suicidal man who’s also been falsely accused. Casey risks her own safety to right this wrong and protect the little girl from her tormenters. But doing so is risky and may result in her capture—and if she’s captured, she has no doubt she’ll be murdered before she ever steps foot in a jail cell.

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Happy Reading…

…from one happy lady. This day warmed up considerably after the cold snap we’ve been having the last while. It was a lovely day to get out and work on yard cleanup before the snow flies.

I haven’t heard any snow predicted yet for this year but we are remembering last year at this time. A gigantic winter storm blew through dumping huge piles of snow, taking out thousands of trees, and causing massive power outages.

The early frost we’ve been having this last week or so seems like a piece of cake compared to the weather we had this time last year.

Not knowing what the weather will do from one year to the next is actually a blessing sometimes.

A knee jerk reaction – do you ever have them?

/ For the Love of Books / Leave a comment

It keeps happening and I have no idea why. It happened again today.

Jerry Jenkins, author of dozens of books, loves to encourage writers to become the best they can be. He often puts out free mini courses and today I was gong to read the newest one. It’s called Breaking down the 7 main story elements. To write a story you have to be a writer.

That thought right there, being a writer, was the trigger to an intense, visceral, emotional, knee jerk, negative reaction. I know, it seems like that’s overkill on the descriptive words but that’s about how it is, Fight or flight. Just short of a melt down. This happens to me fairly often with this writer idea and I have no idea why. It makes no sense that I can see. I’m sure there must be a mental health professional out there somewhere, though, who could tell me why.

It’s funny because I have this denial thing going on and yet I’ve spent years working on my communication skills. More recently I’ve joined a writers group, started this blog, read whatever catches my eye teaching me how to be a better writer, and even started a little fiction story. Go figure.

So, after some settling down time, I read through the tutorial and took notes on Jerry’s material about 7 main story elements.

The presentation was encouraging to me in several ways.

First; I’m stalled out on the story I’m writing, have been for awhile now. As I read what Jerry had to say, some things began to come together in my mind. I know where I need to go next with my characters.

Second and more importantly; it helped in regard to Book Reviews. I love books, some more than others. I love in different ways, for different reasons. The challenge is to put words to emotional responses. The struggle to express myself has caused me to dislike and avoid book reviews.

I’m discovering that instructions on the how and why of writing is helping me understand both what makes a story relatable and what is happening in the writing of the story for it to draw me in so completely.

A discussion of the story elements and the words used to describe them has also helped tremendously. It’s getting easier to move past simply I love this book and on to compiling a list for the reasons why I love this book.

I’m still feeling inadequate to understand and express my thoughts about books, but it’s getting better. I’m excited about that. The attempt with this post is probably helping me more than you.

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The most enjoyable part in the learning to write process, for me anyway, is the reading of excellent books. They say to be a great writer we must read extensively. I am all over that.

My most recently read & enjoyed book is The Maid of Fairbourne Hall 

Jerry Jenkins talked about the importance of describing the setting in layers throughout the story as opposed to a full description prior to stepping into the story itself.

Layers is the operative word here and this book did that.

The other thing this book did was make the story real, transporting me to a different time and place.

It’s a good thing this was Saturday and I could stick with it to the end.

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Currently, I’ve selected a series that’s been on my TBR list since the middle of July. After a few pages I’m hooked and since Terri Blackstock is a long time favorite I’m looking forward to this.

The If I Run Series: If I Run, If I’m Found, If I Live 

If I Run … book 1

Casey knows the truth. But it won’t set her free.

Casey Cox’s DNA is all over the crime scene. There’s no use talking to police; they’ve failed her abysmally before. She has to flee before she’s arrested . . . or worse. The truth doesn’t matter anymore.

But what is the truth? That’s the question haunting Dylan Roberts, the war-weary veteran hired to find Casey. PTSD has marked him damaged goods, but bringing Casey back can redeem him. Though the crime scene seems to tell the whole story, details of the murder aren’t adding up.

Casey Cox doesn’t fit the profile of a killer. But are Dylan’s skewed perceptions keeping him from being objective? If she isn’t guilty, why did she run?

Unraveling her past and the evidence that condemns her will take more time than he has, but as Dylan’s damaged soul intersects with hers, he is faced with two choices: the girl who occupies his every thought is a psychopathic killer . . . or a selfless hero. And the truth could be the most deadly weapon yet.

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Writing this post has been helpful in working things out in my mind. I’m hoping it’s managed to make a little sense for you in reading it.

Check out JerryJenkins.com if you are interested in hearing more from him.

In the meantime…

Happy Reading!