Free and bargain books May 15, 2020

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It happened again. So I’m wondering. Why do most female lead characters wear scoop neck tops these days?  More importantly – why is it necessary for me to know this?

Maybe it takes awhile for these often-used words to work their way through the system enough to be recognized as tired.

My eyes tend to glaze over when they encounter wardrobe descriptions, Terms like casual, classy, slovenly, paint pictures in my mind. Minute descriptions, not so much. Once in a while there is a reason why we need to know how a character is dressed, but mostly… it matters little to the story.

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A FREE book suggestion.

Two O’clock Slump (The Hartfield Mysteries Book 3)

two o'xlock slump

Amazon quote:

It’s time for Alexa’s bi-annual trip to her hometown. In the wake of her dear friend’s arrest and her recent engagement, the trip should have been a welcome diversion. However, her trips to California’s Mojave Desert only bring pain and reminders of why she moved halfway across the country in the first place.
Any hope for a quiet rest away from the drama of recent months disappears as an alarm clock in the hotel room next to hers awakens her at two o’clock in the morning.
To her astonishment, Alexa finds herself under suspicion for the murder. When the evidence piles up against her, Joe decides it’s time for her to leave. While Alexa stays “off the grid” and out of the hands of her hometown police, Joe works quickly to find who is really responsible.

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BookRunes has a FREE Fiction suggestion for us.

I AM My Beloved Caryl Mcadoo

I am My Beloved

Amazon quote:

The wisdom of this world is foolishness to God.
How could the wisest man ever to live turn away from following God? The key is in Ecclesiastes and the Song of Songs that King Solomon wrote after his return to the Lord. Who was the Shulamite? And why did he call her his sister spouse? Only God knows the answer, but the wisest man who ever lived left clues. You will never forget reading this anointed story and may find yourself setting it down to wipe tears away or simply worship the great I AM.

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I’m currently reading and enjoying Just as I Am and it’s still a bargain at $0.99

Just As I Am: (Unfailing Love Book 1)

 

Just as I Am

 

Quote:

Adeline Rhodes has spent years locked away in a New Orleans apartment controlled by her criminal boyfriend. After a daring escape, she realizes just how far she has grown from the things in which she once believed.

Declan King has lived a life of solitude and duty for the U.S. Army. When the deaths of his grandparents bring him home to his family farm, he is forced into contact with people who know too much about his past to simply leave him alone.

When Adeline’s past catches up to her, the two strangers find themselves thrust into a fake relationship to protect Adeline from her vengeful ex. As their chance meeting begins a journey that heals old wounds, they struggle to stay ahead of the danger and deny their growing attraction to each other.

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This is a holiday long weekend for us and the weather is promising to be nice and warm. I’m excited about attaching the weeds poking through in the flower beds. Of course, I’m looking forward to reading time too!

I hope life is looking a little better for you and your’s, like our’s is here. Restrictions have been relaxed somewhat and we can meet in small groups. Stay safe.

Happy Reading to you too.

Free and bargain books May 14, 2020

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BookRunes has a FREE suggestion for us today. It appears this is part of a series written with various authors. They are stand alone stories but sometimes their characters will  show up briefly in each other’s books.

A Lily Blooms (Cutter’s Creek Book 4)

A Lily Blooms

Amazon quote:

Lily used to dream of marrying her math tutor, James.

When she interrupts his wedding, her dreams die as her embarrassment rises.

Five years later, he’s back and wants to know how Lily knew his wife was not what she claimed to be?

Can the Lord bring together two broken hearts?

Especially when her parents and the little town seem so against it?

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Book 1 in the same series is still FREE as well. I can remember reading and liking this one in January.

That Healing Touch (Cutter’s Creek, Book 1)

The Healing Touch

Amazon quote:

Jack Carlson spied for the union army for four, long years and what did he get for his trouble? Blindness. Battered by the war and lost without his sight, he seeks refuge in Cutter’s Creek, Montana. There he hopes to heal his bitter heart. But he’s going to need a lot more help than what he can come up with. His cousin, the local preacher, thinks so too and sends off for a mail-order bride for him, praying a wife will do the trick.
Willow Bennett has been in love with the same man all her life. As a young girl she followed Jack Carlson and his friends until they managed to out run her. As a young woman…well, a girl can dream, can’t she? Imagine her surprise when she becomes a mail-order bride and discovers Jack is her intended! That’s not the only surprise she gets in this story of forgiveness, hope and love.

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A FREE novella from an author we have seen before.

Out of the Storm (Beacons of Hope)

Out of the Storm

Amazon quote:

Having grown up in a lighthouse, loneliness is all Isabelle Thornton has ever known–and all, she assumes, she ever will know. But when her lightkeeper father rescues a young man from the lake, her sheltered world is turned upside down.

Bestselling author Jody Hedlund’s Out of the Storm is her first ever novella and introduces readers to Beacons of Hope, a new series set in the 1800s amid the romance, history, and danger surrounding the Great Lakes lighthouses of Michigan.

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I’ve just started a new book and it is still a bargain $1.28.  It’s too early to form an opinion.

Montana Dawn (McCutcheon Family Series Book 1)

Montana Dawn

Amazon quote:

When Luke McCutcheon finds Faith Brown about to give birth in her rickety wagon, his first instincts are to ride for help. Instead, he stays and delivers a beautiful baby girl. Unable to leave the pretty young widow and her little son and newborn unprotected in the Montana wilderness, he brings them along on his family’s cattle drive, to the absolute delight of the other friendly cowboys. 

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Happy Reading

Bargain books May 13, 2020

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BookBub has a bargain suggestion for us. I’ve read one other book by this author, I need a memory refresher on the experience so this is good.

Just As I Am: (Unfailing Love Book 1) ($0.99)

Just as I Am

Amazon quote:

Adeline Rhodes has spent years locked away in a New Orleans apartment controlled by her criminal boyfriend. After a daring escape, she realizes just how far she has grown from the things in which she once believed.

Declan King has lived a life of solitude and duty for the U.S. Army. When the deaths of his grandparents bring him home to his family farm, he is forced into contact with people who know too much about his past to simply leave him alone.

When Adeline’s past catches up to her, the two strangers find themselves thrust into a fake relationship to protect Adeline from her vengeful ex. As their chance meeting begins a journey that heals old wounds, they struggle to stay ahead of the danger and deny their growing attraction to each other.

Declan will do anything to protect her, and failure isn’t an option when Adeline’s life is on the line.

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Browsing unearthed an author I’ve not read, with a unique story that looks interesting. Historical fiction.

No Turning Back by Joanne Wilson Meusburger ($1.32)

No Turning Back

Amazon quote:

In 1898, Alex Meissen, son of a wealthy Austrian bureaucrat, falls in love with beautiful Katy Thannen, the household maid.

Forbidden to marry, Alex devises a plan for them to sail to America to begin a new life together. When the plan fails, there is no turning back. Alone in New York City, Katy faces a devastating dilemma.

If Alex finds her, can they start over considering the secret she now bears?

No Turning Back is a lovely old-fashioned historical love story. It is an action packed, thought-provoking and entertaining page turner.

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A search for recently-read author Kristy K James brought me to this bargain book. I decided to take a chance on it because I liked her other book A Fine Mess.

The Daddy Pact (The Coach’s Boys Series Book 1) ($1.41)

The Daddy Pact

Amazon quote:

A murdered groom. An unexpected baby. A vengeful father. Can the killer’s brother save the day?

Raised in foster homes, when Jess Bentley promised, ‘til death do us part,’ she envisioned many happy decades building a family with Frank. But a desperate drug addict in a dark parking lot ended those dreams before the honeymoon was over. Convinced the empty place in her heart will never heal, she’s ready to give up—until she discovers their brief marriage resulted in a surprise pregnancy.

All Dan Mulholland wants following his brother’s arrest is to relieve the guilt that’s tearing him up inside. He is determined to help the widowed bride in any way he can, especially when he learns she’s carrying her dead husband’s child … and her wealthy father-in-law intends to take the baby.

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I can hardly believe how short this list is considering the time it took, searching and reading first chapters. I rejected more than I kept, it seems. Oh well, it was a fun adventure.

I hope your week is going well and you are having a fun time reading too.

 

 

 

Free and bargain books May 12, 2020

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BookBub has a bargain suggestion for us on this fine day.

Second Chance Summer: Encore Edition ($1.38)

Second Chance Summer

Amazon quote:

When Rachel Shaw and Jack Fletcher meet on a sunny Georgia barrier island, it seems like the perfect start to a romance.

There’s just one problem—neither is the least bit interested in falling in love. They’re simply looking for peace, and time to work through their losses.

But Rachel’s Aunt Eleanor and Fletch’s Gram have a few surprises in store for these two wound-ed souls—and as they enlist their help restoring a vacation cottage for one of Gram’s charities, might these endearing matchmakers pave the way for Rachel and Fletch to discover the charms of the Golden Isle…and each other?

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It’s a slow day for new Free and bargain suggestions so I’ll share some of my recently read and enjoyed. I’ve just finished this one and it’s still a bargain at $1.31 

Some Enchanted Evening: (Men of KWESTT Book 1)

Some Enchanted Evening

Amazon quote:

Kellan Campbell, principal singer with chart-topping musical group KWESTT, longs for roots and a family to call his own, but he’ll settle for a vacation from the fast-paced, demanding life of touring. Shedding his well-known stage persona to avoid recognition, he heads for a backwoods Missouri campground to rest and recuperate in the great outdoors. But his attempts at avoiding people are stymied by the campground’s energetic, quick-witted manager. He’d be annoyed if he wasn’t starting to look forward to her company and crazy sense of humor.

JoyAnne loves her job as manager of the flourishing family campground. After being tossed upside down and shattered, her life is finally feeling safe, predictable, and secure. And she’s determined to stay right where she’s at, doing what she does best—ensuring guests enjoy their camping experience.

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Next read-and-enjoyed is…

Protected (Jacobs Family Series Book 2) ($1.37) this one is my favorite.

Protected

Amazon quote:

When Erin Jacobs receives a desperate call in the middle of the night, she thinks she is rescuing an animal. But from the beginning, this case is not what she expected.

Erin Jacobs doesn’t hesitate to jump into rescue mode when she receives a desperate call in the middle of the night. As owner of the Noah’s Ark Animal Shelter, it’s her job to rehabilitate and find new homes for animals. But from the moment she answers the phone, she knows that this case is different.

A woman’s frantic plea.
Directions to a deserted hunter’s cabin.
The demand that she come alone.
All culminate into the moment when she is standing on a dilapidated porch in the middle of the woods and looking down into a washtub at an infant child.

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Lastly…. this one is still FREE

Blast from Her Past 

Blast from Her Past

Amazon quote:

After a disastrous failed engagement, Sydney Hampson is leaving her past—and her faith—behind to focus on her career instead. However, following through with her new, albeit misguided, resolution proves easier said than done when former classmate, and reformed bully, Grant Williams signs on with her company, and they must work closely together.

Grant Williams gave up his teenage antics years ago, and now he’s looking forward to a future that includes a strong relationship with God. When he realizes he’ll be working with none other than Sydney Hampson—the girl he had a secret crush on throughout high school—he couldn’t be more thrilled. Until he discovers she’s not the same caring, compassionate woman she used to be.

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I’m currently reading Called to Protect (Blue Justice Book #2) but it has gone back to full price.

Called to Protect

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Hopefully this list helps a little.

Until tomorrow…

Happy Reading!

Free and bargain books May 11, 2020

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BookBub has a FREE suggestion for us today.

If These Walls Could Talk (Joe Boyd Suspense Series Book 1)

If these Walls Could Talk

Amazon quote:

(This is a “Sequel Series” to the Jack Turner Suspense Series – picks right up after Book 4 but can easily be read first)

In Book 1 of the new Joe Boyd Suspense Series, Lt. Joe Boyd and his partner Hank Jensen have been tasked with creating a brand new Cold Case Squad for the Culpepper Police Department. Hoping to garner some much-needed positive publicity, their captain asks them to solve a string of unsolved murders from the 1980’s. Before they get far, Joe is interrupted with an alarming request from his good friend, Professor Jack Turner. Jack and Rachel believe they have stumbled upon evidence of a horrific crime dating back to the early 60’s, when their lake front house was built. Now it looks like Joe’s first case—instead of creating good publicity—might expose a terrible scandal involving a prominent Culpepper family’s ugly secret, one they’ve managed to keep hidden for over 50 years.

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Book 1 in the initial series referenced above is a bargain right now ($1.30) and is one of my read-and-enjoyed from a few years ago.

When Night Comes (Jack Turner Suspense Series Book 1)

When Night Comes

Amazon quote:

Jack Turner comes back to Culpepper to give a series of lectures for his old history professor. Within days, he starts having bizarre experiences at night. Like he’s traveling back in time, experiencing the epic events in his lectures firsthand. He has no control over these experiences and can’t make them stop.

Joe Boyd thought he’d left big city crime back in Pittsburgh when he took a detective job in Culpepper, Georgia, a sleepy southern college town. His peaceful life ends when two students turn up dead in two weeks. The coroner is saying natural causes, but something doesn’t add up.

Rachel Cook, a teaching assistant at Culpepper, can’t believe Jack is back in her life again. She’s had a crush on him since she was fourteen, but Jack never knew. He instantly seems attracted to her, but she can tell…something is deeply troubling him.
Watching all this from a distance is Nigel Avery. He’s certain this experiment’s about to unravel. It’ll be his job to tie up all the loose ends when it does.

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Another read-and-enjoyed is currently FREE for us to enjoy.

Deadly Alliances Candle Sutton

Deadly Alliances

Amazon quote:

Milana Tanner, deputy for the US Marshals, at your service. I have no past, so don’t ask. And now my future is uncertain, too.

It wasn’t that long ago that everything was fine. My life might’ve even been similar to yours. Until my adopted brother, part of the only family I’ve ever known, joined countless others who call themselves witnesses. As in the “I witnessed a murder and now some really nasty people are trying to kill me” type of witness.

My brother’s under federal protection. I have to say I never saw this coming.

The people after my brother have hired the Shadow of Death to kill him. That’s not the assassin’s real name, of course, but it’s what everyone in law enforcement calls him. No one’s seen this guy and lived to describe him. The man – or woman, no one really knows for sure – could be anyone, anywhere.

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Happy Reading y’all

Free and bargain books May 10, 2020

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BookRunes has a FREE suggestion

Blast from Her Past

Blast from Her Past

Amazon quote:

After a disastrous failed engagement, Sydney Hampson is leaving her past—and her faith—behind to focus on her career instead. However, following through with her new, albeit misguided, resolution proves easier said than done when former classmate, and reformed bully, Grant Williams signs on with her company, and they must work closely together.

Grant Williams gave up his teenage antics years ago, and now he’s looking forward to a future that includes a strong relationship with God. When he realizes he’ll be working with none other than Sydney Hampson—the girl he had a secret crush on throughout high school—he couldn’t be more thrilled. Until he discovers she’s not the same caring, compassionate woman she used to be.

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A bargain found along the way…

Baxter Family Bakery: (Arcadia Valley Romance) ($1.39)

Baxter Family Bakery

Amazon quote:

Four siblings work together to start their own locally sourced bakery in idyllic Arcadia Valley and they all find their match along the way.

Loaves & Wishes: Inheriting her friend’s Bed and Breakfast in Idaho is a second chance to succeed, but falling for the farmer next door wasn’t in the plan.

Muffins & Moonbeams: Past hurts and insecurity mean they both prefer the background, but a chance at love shines a light too bright to escape.

Cookies & Candlelight: Micah Baxter has enjoyed the year he’s worked in his family’s bakery in Arcadia Valley, even if his siblings are all finding love, leaving him the odd man out. When Micah delivers the cookies Serena ordered for an event at her pottery studio, the attraction between them is hard to deny. But so are their differences. What will it take for a former starlet to find love with an average Joe?

Donuts & Daydreams: Police officer Gloria Sinclair had her life in order until Jonah Baxter moved to Arcadia Valley. Now their friendship has sparked feelings that threaten her tightly-guarded secret. Can Jonah learn to see beyond her devastating revelation, or will they be stuck with a relationship made of donuts and daydreams?

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Another bargain boxed set

Romance from the Heart Boxed Set ($1.39)

Romance from the heart

Amazon quote:

The Quintana siblings are too busy saving their struggling family restaurant to fall in love… Four heartwarming, small-town Western stories of intense attraction, shocking secrets, and the twisty path to the altar.

Sheltered Hearts: A jilted bride gets stranded in a snowstorm with a handsome restaurant cook who’s not what he seems to be.

Secrets of the Heart: When a single mom returns to her hometown to manage the farm-to-table remake of a struggling Mexican restaurant, she must work closely with the handsome ex who broke her high-school heart.

Wise at Heart: He’s an old friend. She’s his nanny. There’s a spark. It would all be so romantic… if she weren’t keeping such a terrible secret.

Joy of My Heart: Will the overprotective Quintana brothers stand by while their little sister falls in love with a mysterious older man?

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One last bargain book

The Pepper In The Gumbo (Cane River Romance Book 1) ($1.29)

The Pepper in the Gumbo

Amazon quote:

Alice Augustine runs the oldest bookstore in the historic district of Natchitoches and believes technology is the root of most problems. If only more people would turn off the Tv and shut down the computer, the world wouldn’t be in the mess it’s in. She wishes she could get the teens she loves to step away from the screens and hold on to their Creole culture. The only person who seems to understand her passion for classic literature is the mysterious website owner, Browning Wordsworth Keats.

Paul Olivier comes back to his home town determined to show the people of Cane River that he’s not the poor, nerdy kid he once was. He’s made a fortune designing video games and opening a giant electronics store right in the snooty historic district will be the crowning glory of his career. Unfortunately, one bookish anti-tech fanatic has decided to do everything she can to keep that from happening. Even worse, she doesn’t know that in cyber space, they’re kindred spirits.

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Currently reading book 2 in this collection

Garden Grown Romance: The Complete Collection (Arcadia Valley Romance) ($0.99)

Garden Grown Romance

The Garden Grown Romance series is Valerie Comer’s contribution to the multi-author Arcadia Valley Romance series, where a foodie culture and romance grow hand-in-hand in a small town with a big heart. In this stand-alone sub-series, Grace Fellowship repurposes a pair of derelict greenhouses and their attached lot, while providing a setting for garden grown romance!

 

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Today is Mother’s Day. A special day set aside to honor our mothers. My mother is no longer with us so all I can do is remember her in my heart. Instead, I’m grateful to my daughter/daughters-in-law for being such great moms to my grandchildren.

Maybe I should have searched for stories centered around mothers. To bad I didn’t think of it in time. Next year.

In the meantime I have a few phone calls to make.

Happy Reading!

 

 

 

 

Free and Bargain books May 09, 2020

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BookBub has a bargain suggestion for us. I like offering opinions but can’t on this one as I’ve not seen it before.

Star Rising: A Coastal Hearts Novel ($0.99)

Star Rising

Amazon quote:

Star Youngblood has always been a fighter–a necessity after her mother married a monster of a man. Now, she’s finally on the path to the stable life she’s always wanted. Her employer, Priscilla Kelly, is a sweet woman ravaged by rheumatoid arthritis, and Star will do anything to help her. Even if that means going toe to toe with Mrs. Kelly’s neglectful son.

After being betrayed on the mission field and devastated by the tragic death of his father, Paul Kelly gave up on God. He lives life on his own terms, biding his time as a corporate pilot until he can save enough money to begin his own flight school closer to home. His mother is all he has left, and he wants to be near her. He just didn’t expect her health to decline so quickly. When he discovers his mother has taken in a stray—a woman he’s not at all sure can be trusted—his protective instincts kick into high gear. Paul’s handled a lot of turbulence, but he’s never gone up against a force like Star.

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BookRunes has a FREE suggestion for us. I can’t offer an opinion on this one either.

A Fine Mess: A Love Inspired Romance

A Fine Mess

Amazon quote:

She would sacrifice anything for those she loved…

Annie Blake put her life on hold to care for her mother when she was diagnosed with cancer. She didn’t consider it a sacrifice as much as a labor of love. But then she learns that her father has done something completely out of character, not to mention criminal, in a misguided attempt to save the life of his wife. Annie realizes she will have to give up more than just a job and an apartment this time. To save him from going to prison, she will have to give up her freedom.

His life was going according to plan – until the day she showed up…

The last thing Ian McCann expected was the bombshell the daughter of an employee dropped in his lap at the start of the three-day weekend. She needed help, and plenty of it. She also needed it immediately, and hoped he would be able to help. He knew that he could, he just wasn’t sure he was prepared to give what it would require to fix everything.

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This list is short today but tomorrow could be better.

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I was currently reading a book but gave up on it minutes ago. It was okay in a way but not okay enough to hold my interest.

It was long on attraction and short on story. That gets old after a few books and it’s a downhill slide from there. I’ve passed the few books mark many moons ago and the slick slide has been happening more and more often lately.

Partly because I read and move on so quickly – it’s hard to remember what was not liked and I find myself caught, again.

I’ve decided it would be smart to keep a list of disappointments to avoid wasting time in the future. My list is called Short on story – Long on PDA (Public Displays of Affection).  It’s on paper. In a journal next to my keyboard. It won’t be showing up here any time soon if you are hoping to see it. Certain authors just will not be seen as often any more.

I love a good story, one that is worth my reading time and adds value to my life. That’s what I’m looking for and what I hope to find for you.

I have a few lists going on these days, to avoid getting caught with undesirables. I’ll tell you about some of the others another time.

In the meantime…

Happy Reading!

Bargain books May 08, 2020

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We have a nice crop of bargain books this time. There is one suggestion from Bookbub, several from 1531 Entertainment, the last two just sort of showed up. Bookbub will be first, Lynette Eason is one of my favorites.

Called to Protect (Blue Justice Book #2) ($0.99)

Called to Protect

Amazon quote:

For the past year, Chloe St. John has been working as a K-9 cop with her German shepherd partner, Hank. After being dumped by her fiancé for another woman, Chloe has decided that Hank is just about the only male she likes. She’s over the whole romance thing and focuses her attention on doing her job. Because a serious case of human trafficking with connections to her missing cousin just landed in her lap.

When US Marshall Blake MacCallum’s daughter goes missing, he’s ordered to kill the judge he’s protecting and tell no one about his daughter’s disappearance or she will die. Blake races against the clock to rescue his daughter while Chloe and Hank are asked to be a part of the task force assembled to bring down the traffickers. Chloe finds herself attracted to the silent, suffering man, but thanks to her previous bad judgment, she wonders if she can trust him. And can Blake trust himself around this firecracker of a woman?

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From 1531 Entertaiment

Garden Grown Romance: The Complete Collection (Arcadia Valley Romance)  ($0.99)

Garden Grown Romance

Amazon quote:

Sown in Love: A real estate consultant charged with repurposing two abandoned greenhouses bumps heads — and hearts — with a garden center owner. (Formerly known as Sow in Love as part of the Romance Grows in Arcadia Valley multi-author collection, now out of print.)

Sprouts of Love: An overzealous community garden manager delivers more than the food bank manager can handle. Can love sprout amid the tsunami of vegetables?

Rooted in Love: A divorcé with a set of rambunctious twins falls for the boys’ daycare administrator, but does he deserve another chance at love?

Harvest of Love: She runs a bookstore. Reading isn’t really his thing… but will he lose her if he admits the reason why?

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Montana Dawn (McCutcheon Family Series Book 1) ($1.28)

Montana Dawn

Amazon quote:
When Luke McCutcheon finds Faith Brown about to give birth in her rickety wagon, his first instincts are to ride for help. Instead, he stays and delivers a beautiful baby girl. Unable to leave the pretty young widow and her little son and newborn unprotected in the Montana wilderness, he brings them along on his family’s cattle drive, to the absolute delight of the other friendly cowboys. 

Luke,third son of Montana’s wealthy McCutcheon family, is different from his brothers. As the offspring of a Cheyenne warrior, he carries a chip on his shoulder for all to see. His flashing eyes and handsome face make Faith feel she’s stepped into some long-ago tale where men cherish their women–and keep them safe. If only she could trust him! Faith is on the run, and although she’s pampered and protected by Luke and his family, she just can’t risk the consequences of sharing the details of her past–one that’s hunting to take her back to the nightmare she’s just escaped. Happy-ever-afters are for fairy-tales,she reminds herself sternly as her heart feels the warm pull of his. Still, she can’t help but dream of a loving family, a home to call her own, a beautiful and bright…Montana Dawn

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Two more found browsing. They look like fun.

The Art of Eavesdropping (The Sidekick’s Survival Guide Book 1) ($1.39)

The Art of Eavesdropping

Amazon quote:

Missionary kid Elliot Ransom is restless after moving from her beloved Amazon home to a wealthy DC suburb. Though Storm River, Virginia, is beautiful, it’s also a playground for haughty politicians and wealthy playboys. She’s never felt so out of place.

Becoming an assistant to a hotshot private investigator changes everything . . .

Expecting to help with filing and background checks, Elliot is shocked when she’s catapulted into the frontlines of a murder investigation instead. While trying to prove their client innocent, she’s forced from the administrative role she usually plays. The change is surprisingly invigorating.

Learning the art of investigating shouldn’t be so dangerous . . . but this case just might be as dicey as the new town Elliot is living in. Could a little harmless eavesdropping lead to a big disaster?

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Book 2 will be out soon and is a bargain on pre-order.

The Perks of Meddling (The Sidekick’s Survival Guide Book 2)   ($1.43)

The Perks of Meddling

Amazon quote:

She’s determined to work this case—with or without permission . . .

Investigator-wannabe Elliot Ransom doesn’t have much clout with the PI firm that recently hired her. When she meets a woman whose “riffraff” sister is missing, Elliot can’t resist the undeniable urge to help—despite her boss’s stern warning to stay away.

As Elliot digs deeper, the underbelly of wealthy Storm River bubbles to the surface—along with more dangerous enemies. Following the advice found in her father’s old journal, Elliot tracks the killer—like a jungle cat tracking its prey.

But the more she uncovers, the more of a target she becomes. Could a little harmless meddling lead to such a vast amount of trouble?

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This will be a fun weekend, reading wise, I’m pretty sure.

Happy Reading!

Oh yeah, almost forgot. I’m currently reading …

Broken Butterfly

Broken Butterfly: A Paradise Novel Book 2 

Still a bargain $0.99

Free and bargain books May 7, 2020

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BookBub has a FREE suggestion for us today. It’s already on my read-and-enjoyed list.

A Soldier’s Promise: (Crystal Lake Series Book 2)

A Soldier's Promise

Amazon quote:

Reeling from a broken engagement that resulted in a small town scandal, ER nurse Julie Crain just wants to be left alone over the Fourth of July Holiday weekend. But when single dad, Derek Ryerson and his young daughter need a place to stay to recuperate from a car accident, Julie can’t ignore their plight. She knows she needs to protect her heart, but little Lexi needs love and support.

Derek is the strong silent type, insisting on helping despite being injured. He seems too good to be true, and maybe he is. Because she soon realizes the former soldier has a secret that could tear them apart forever.

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Browsing unearthed another read-and-enjoyed bargain from a year ago.

For Love of Liberty (Silver Lining Ranch Series Book 1)  ($1.31)

For Love of Liberty

Amazon quote:

A Match Made in Heaven?
Or Someplace a Whole Lot Warmer?

She’s stubborn, educated, and looking
to give women the vote.
He’s bullheaded, successful, and looking
to give her a piece of his mind.
But when things heat up, they just may give each other
a piece of their hearts.

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I’ve mentioned this FREE book several times and can’t help but mention it again. I think it’s the message of hope that keeps drawing me back. Or, maybe it’s because I would like to believe in a love like that.

A Woman of Fortune (Texas Gold Collection Book 1)

A Woman of Fortune

Amazon quote:

You never know what you’re really made of until you lose everything.

Texas socialite Claire Massey is living the dream—designer clothes, luxury cars, stunning homes. But everything comes crashing down when her charming cattle broker husband is arrested for fraud. Suddenly she finds herself facing attorneys, a media frenzy, and a trail of broken hearts. Betrayed and humiliated, Claire must maneuver incredible odds to save her family—and discover a life worth living.
Author Kellie Coates Gilbert delivers a story both poignant and emotionally gripping that celebrates the kind of fortune that lasts.

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Can you believe it, I’ve downloaded fifteen books from Liz Isaacson. This bargain will make sixteen.

Falling for Her Boss: (Horseshoe Home Ranch Romance Book 1) ($.31)

Falling for her boss

Amazon quote:

The ranch foreman, the fiery new designer he hires, and an old flame that could burn them both…

Jace Lovell only has one thing left after his fiancée abandons him at the altar: his job at Horseshoe Home Ranch. He throws himself into becoming the best foreman the ranch has ever had—and that includes hiring an interior designer to make the ranch owner’s wife happy.

Belle Edmunds is back in Gold Valley after she lost her job at a prestigious design firm in California. She’s working for a conglomerate, but she’s desperate to build a portfolio that she can use to start her own firm in Montana. She applies for the job at Horseshoe Home, and though Jace and Belle grew up together, they’ve never seen eye to eye on much more than the sky is blue.

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I think this new list makes a good start to our reading day.

Happy Reading y’all!

My first attempt at fiction.

/ For the Love of Books / 3 Comments

I think I’m changing my mind.

I read fiction almost exclusively and still — I have a strong conviction there is not one  single story inside me.

It seems I could be wrong. Maybe it would even happen again. It’s only a micro story.

It all starts when I feel inspired to suggest a story prompt to a few friends. One friend is quick to offer several attempts but he isn’t quite catching the vision I have in mind. I want a few paragraphs (at least) showing heart stopping emotion. It could be fear, but it could easily be another emotion. The prompt is …. rounding the corner his/her heart stopped.

Now, I’m feeling the need to put my vision on paper somehow, as an example.

I’ve had a few months to let this idea percolate and since I’ve promised our writers group something for critique this week…

Maybe pressure is not a bad thing.

I’m pretty happy with just coming up with a fiction story never mind whether it’s any good or not. Actually, I think it’s not too bad for a newbie. They say you begin to sound like those you hang out with. They also say if you want to write, read. I seem to have the reading part well in hand. It has helped abundantly.

So… here’s my little story.

GRAMMA!

Kicking at the occasional pebble or clump of grass as he left school behind, Benny was in no hurry to get home. It was Friday. He had the whole weekend ahead of him. Freedom. No worries about homework or stern teachers. School was okay but there were lots of other things he liked better. Time with his friends, and baseball – that was fun. His team has a game tomorrow and some batting practice tonight would be good if he wants to be ready to do his part. They need to win if they expect to stay in the tournament.

He wasn’t paying much attention to life around him as he concentrated on his weekend baseball plans. The fire truck rushing by several streets over barely even registered. It wasn’t until he rounded the corner and recognized the house on fire that his heart stopped. GRAMMA!

It was his grandmother’s house. He broke into a run. He had to get to her. She would have trouble getting out of the house by herself, he had to help her.

He was almost there when a strong arm wrapped around his waist and hauled him off his feet. NOOOO. He kept screaming as he twisted and kicked, desperate to get loose. The next thing he knew he was behind a fire truck with tears streaming down his face. Gramma!

He hadn’t noticed all the fire trucks, ambulance, police cars, or people running everywhere. His ears didn’t pick up on the big burly fireman trying to talk to him. They kept moving toward an ambulance where he could see someone with an oxygen mask sitting on the stretcher. Gramma!

He was so scared the very sight of her couldn’t stop his tears. Did this mean she was okay? He had to know. The minute his feet touched the ground he raced past everyone and was beside her before anyone could object. She looked like she was ok. She was sitting up and hugged him tight but the man looking after her said they were taking her to the hospital to be checked out. The smoke, there’d been too much smoke before the fireman was able to carry her out.

This brought a new worry. Gramma was going to the hospital and they said he couldn’t go with her. What was going to happen to him? The house was burnt but he couldn’t stay there alone anyway. Soon he decided someone else must have thought about this too. Mrs. Carter, Grandma’s next-door neighbor, came over to say he could stay with her tonight. They’d have to see but they might even be able to pop up to the hospital for a quick visit before bed.  Supper would be macaroni and cheese with wieners. Oh… his favorite, how did she know?

As he slowly drifted off to sleep a new worry crept into his thoughts. If the house is too damaged to live in what will happen? Where would Grandma stay and how would her house get fixed? Could it be fixed?

The next morning after a yummy breakfast Benny and Mrs. Carter headed to the hospital, Grandma was coming home today. He could hardly wait to see her and make sure she was alright.

Just outside her door he spied them. MOM! DAD! How did they make it home so quickly from their week away? Someone must have called them.

Whew. Now he could relax. Mom and Dad were here and they would know what to do. Should he tell them how scared he was?

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Writing this was fun, I hope inspiration hits me again one day. Today is a slow day for books and slow makes it a good day to post this. My goal with this story was to make you feel something. Did it work?

Happy Reading!