More new books August 12, 2023

It’s feast week by the looks of it – and I’m not complaining, far from it.

Feast or famine is definitely a thing. Experience backs this up. I love feast but famine, while definitely not a favorite, balances things out for us. That will be next week.

So we have another box set suggestion, it’s from BookBub this time. We downloaded and enjoyed three books from this author last year. I think we’ve seen her name often in read-and-enjoyed multi-author collections too.

Heart Lake Box Set 1: Sweet, Small-Town Romantic Suspense Collection, Books 1-3 (Heart Lake Boxed Set) 

Winds of Change: Getting hired as a high school principal in her hometown is a dream come true in this sweet, enemies-to-lovers romance, except for one small detail — her ex is the new head of security…

Song of Nightingales: A billionaire heartbreaker turning over a new leaf and the small town family doctor he falls for — the one woman he can’t have in this opposites attract romance…

Perils of Starlight: A policeman who exclusively works the night shift to hide his scarred face, a lovely detective determined to solve a cold case, and the trail of clues that leads to an accidental attraction…

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Browsing showed up another interesting choice from an author we’ve enjoyed many times before. Both in stand alone books and multi-author collections. I’m excited to see this one.

The Cairo Curse (A Freddie and Grace Mystery Book 2)

Clue meets Indiana Jones with a fiction-loving twist only Grace Percy can provide.
 
Newlyweds Lord and Lady Astley have already experienced their fair-share of suspense, but when a honeymoon trip takes a detour to the mystical land of Egypt, not even Grace with her fiction-loving mind is prepared for the dangers in store. From an assortment of untrustworthy adventure-seekers to a newly discovered tomb with a murderous secret, Frederick and Grace must lean on each other to navigate their dangerous surroundings. As the suspects mount in an antiquities’ heist of ancient proportions, will Frederick and Grace’s attempts to solve the mystery lead to another death among the sands?

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This has been fun. Time to go back to, hopefully, finish my current read and move on to the new downloads I’m anxious to read.

Another new collection August 11, 2023

Today, it’s BookBub’s attractive suggestion. It’s only a 3 book collection this time not 7 or 10 like last time and this author is worth reading, sounds like a good deal to me.

The Legend of My Love: 3 Stand-Alone Novels (Stand-Alone Novels by Melissa Storm

Whether climbing ladders in the corporate world or taking care of things at home, every woman has a story to tell. This special collection of three unique stories by New York Times bestselling author Melissa Storm will speak to your heart and your mind in equal measure.

A Colorful Life weaves a captivating travelogue as three women journey to pick up the pieces of their broken lives at home and abroad.

A Mother’s Love shows just how far one mother will go–even in death–to protect her daughter from life’s hardships.

A Girl’s Best Friend proves that even the most unlikely duo can fall head over heels in love, provided there’s a cute corgi sidekick to help them find their way into each other’s arms.

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One more collection just appeared on my radar and I’m having trouble passing it up. Since we’ve enjoyed book 1 in this series it makes sense to go for all of them, right? It seems like I’m on a roll downloading box sets so what’s one more anyway.

Family Bonds Box Set – Rockyview Romances Season Two: A Collection of Sweet Cowboy Romances 

Rockyview Romances Season Two – Family Bonds
Seeking Home
A rancher who suffered a tragic loss. A tenacious single mother determined to rise above her past. Can these two find the courage to risk a new beginning?

Choosing Home
Being left at the altar has created a mistrust of men. He wasn’t able to save the woman he loved. Will their connection to a painful past help them find a future together?

Finding Home
He thought she chose her father and running his hotel over him. She thought he loved money more than her. Years later, can they fill the emptiness in their hearts?

Coming Home
At one time Naomi and Jess had been high school sweethearts until he abandoned her. Now he’s back, a reminder of their painful past. Jess doesn’t know how to prove he’s really changed. And Naomi carries a dark secret that could destroy any hope for their future. Will these wounded souls recapture their teenage passion?

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I’m spending time with mysteries again so I’ll be ready for binging on romance soon, these collections will make that easy. Always a good thing in my books. (no pun intended lol)

Filling out the series August 10, 2023

It’s a slow day for suggestions but browsing has been lucrative. There are two authors we’ve been following for some time and today’s the chance to add a few more books to the mix.

The first one; we’ve experienced four of the seven books in the series and today we get to download two more – books 4 and 5. I’m looking forward to the chance to read them.

Crashing Into Jake (Stryker Security Force Book 4) 

An injured ex-soldier struggling with being a bodyguard. A country music darling with an eerie stalker. Can he resist her allure to get the job done?

All Jake has ever wanted was to serve his country, get married, and raise a family.
When a mission goes wrong, leaving him with a prosthetic leg and raging nightmares, his plans for the future lie shattered like his career. He joins his brothers-in-arms at Stryker Security Force to help protect others, determined to find contentment in his job as a bodyguard — until protecting Chloe Rose makes him long for more.


Chloe Rose dreams of getting her break as the next country music superstar.
Though her parents would rather she buy her way in, Chloe will make it on her own or not at all.

An invitation to a Colorado music festival has Chloe believing her time has finally come. But when frightening messages arrive on her doorstep, she’s forced to hire protection. Jake is an attractive surprise, and sparks fly when he shows up.


Can Chloe trust Jake when the malicious attacks threaten all she’s worked so hard for? Will Jake’s disability keep him from saving Chloe and the love he’s found in her?

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Discovering Rafe (Stryker Security Force Book 5)

Her brother’s best friend has always held her heart. Now that she has his attention, will her happily ever after be ripped away?

Piper Fields finds contentment in managing her cousin’s music career from the safety and anonymity of staying behind the scenes.
Since her parents’ death at barely thirteen, Piper’s fear of losing others has kept her focused on caring for those she loves. Meanwhile, her own dreams have been left backstage. Not that it really mattered anyway. Her dreams were out of reach and so was her brother’s friend, Rafe Malone.


Rafe Malone approached life with a firm desire to safeguard those who couldn’t protect themselves and have fun in the process. That all changed the day a mission for the Army turned south, forcing him to take the life of a child soldier. Now, the jokester mask he wears to hide his pain is put to the test when his best friend’s sister needs his help. No matter how hard he tries to convince himself he shouldn’t taint her with his tarnished soul, her nurturing presence tempts him to break the bro code of staying away from your friend’s sister.

Can Rafe keep Piper safe when the evasive threat turns deadly? Will Piper trust what she’s discovered in Rafe or is it just another childish daydream?

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This next one is an author we’ve been following for awhile but we’ve only had book 1 in this particular series. Today, the chance is to buy the complete series in the box set and I’m delighted to have found it. There 1843 pages, how great is that?

Cold Harbor – The Entire Series Christian Romantic Suspense Collection

OVER ONE MILLION READERS HAVE ENJOYED SUSAN SLEEMAN NOVELS. NOW IT’S YOUR TURN with the entire Cold Harbor series. Readers are raving about Blackwell Tactical – a law enforcement training facility and protection services agency made up of former military and law enforcement heroes whose injuries keep them from the line of duty. When trouble strikes, there’s no better team to have on your side, and they would give everything, even their lives, to protect innocents.

Join the team as they investigate crimes and provide protection services for people whose lives are in danger and find love along the way. Now you can have all Seven of the bestselling Cold Harbor books for less than the price of 2 books. Cold Terror, Cold Truth, Cold Case, Cold Fury, Cold Fear, Cold Pursuit, and Cold Dawn.

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This has been quite the week for books. Two sets with a total of 17 books between them.

It’s tempting to keep looking but I’m going to quit now – quick, before I change my mind.

Yesterday we were blessed with Romance, today we are back to Mystery, my favorite.

It’s been a good day.

New books August 09, 2023

We have a new suggestion for an author we’ve read and enjoyed once before. This one is historical fiction and the first few pages have me wanting to read more. BookRunes has come through for us today with this idea.

Burgundy Gloves (Mighty One Book 1)

How can a God-fearing man be a Good Samaritan when a confusing young woman is making it impossible?
Levi Graham is a resilient, independent backwoodsman, who stumbles upon the injured young woman. Good Samaritan, he’s finding out the hard way, is not his best strength. In addition to caring for this beautiful, confusing woman, he encounters a robbery, a fire, visits from relatives, and the cabin’s previous owners, all disrupting his former peaceful life of solitude and trapping.
Suspended between two worlds, Allison Kent is helpless to find her way back home without hurting the kind and handsome man who has graciously taken her in.

Clutching her late mother’s Burgundy Gloves, Allison can only hope time will awaken her from this awful nightmare. Strange people, strange ideas and a strange young man looking long and ardent at her. How can she convince him she has nothing to give when she no place to call home? Will she rouse from the dark fog before she’s left to fend for herself?
Will her heart heal before she breaks his to pieces?

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It looks like this is it for today. It’s been fun browsing but one is all that’s showing up for me.

Well, that’s not entirely true. BookBub has a ten book box set suggestion that we’ve seen several times this week. One book is fine at the moment but I’m feeling reluctant to add ten more to my overloaded TBR pile all in one fell swoop.

On the other hand this collection is light-hearted romance. Maybe it would be a welcome change of pace from a long run of intense mystery.

There’s no law that says I have to finish the whole set.

OK, let’s do it.

Sweet Water Ranch Box Set Books 1-10 (Sweet Water Ranch Western Cowboy Romance)

Book 1 – The Cowboy’s Best Friend: He’s a cowboy with a billion dollar problem. His best friend can solve it, but it might break his heart.

Book 2 – The Cowboy’s Secret Baby: Will Ty pick up his cowboy hat and come back home? Can he convince Louise that he’ll stay this time?

Book 3 – The Cowboy’s Beauty: Can he trust her with his face? Because he’s very close to losing his heart.

Book 4 – The Cowboy’s Best Friend’s Sister: Should he follow the plan, or follow his heart?

Book 5 – The Cowboy’s Convenient Marriage: The cowboy’s not afraid of anything…except losing his heart again.

Book 6 – The Cowboy’s Fairy Tale: He’s the billionaire heir of Sweet Water Ranch. His family is throwing a ball and he must choose a wife.

Book 7 – The Cowboy’s Secret Romance: Called The Preacher, Clay Stryker has lived a life as straight as a North Dakota highway. He made a promise to her. And she’s riding west to make sure he keeps it.

Book 8 – The Cowboy’s Bargain Bride: Can love bloom between a woman who was forced to sell herself and the man who bought her to get her ranch?

Book 9 – The Cowboy’s Enemy: Can you love someone and hate them at the same time?

Book 10 – The Cowboy’s Mistletoe Kiss: Mack didn’t trust her, but he needed someone to help him with his nieces. She needed someone to help her put on the best Christmas festival Sweet Water had ever seen. Could they trust each other enough to work together? And what about that mistletoe kiss?

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New books August 05, 2023 Part Two

As promised, we are going for book 2 in the series that kept me up reading last night. Good job it is a short read too.

The main characters in this book played a big role in book 1 and I’m pretty sure they will not disappoint us in this one.

As well as this book there is also another good suggestion from this author and it’s regular length. It looks pretty tempting to me so it’s been added to my pile too.

.Here first is book 2 in the Honeyhaven series.

A Honey of a Christmas: A Honeyhaven Romance (The Honeyhaven Series Book 2)

They say opposites attract; it’ll take a Christmas miracle to keep this couple from killing one another!

Agnes Piercy is finally going to make her mark now that she’s in charge of the Honeyhaven Winter Wonderland. She’s created a new event this year—Santa’s Village—which will bring in tons of tourists and money for charities and church ministries, and secure her a full client list when she opens up her own event planning business. But things go haywire from the get-go, including her feelings for one Tuck Renner.

Tuck Renner has been tasked (against his will) with building the Santa’s Village which means taking orders from Miss Bossy Pants herself—Agnes Piercy. Sadly, she’s off to a seriously rocky start. Feeling sorry for her, and a lot sorry for himself having to hear about it day in and out, he vows to make this the greatest event ever. Except nothing goes as planned. But everything may end up exactly like it was meant to.

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And then the full length novel

Fatal Reunion (Love Inspired Suspense) 

To catch a ruthless criminal, a detective must learn to trust the woman who broke his heart in this suspenseful tale of romance, faith and forgiveness.

When her beloved grandmother is almost killed during a home invasion, Piper Kennedy isn’t surprised to find out she’s a suspect—especially with Luke Ransom is on the case. The handsome detective Piper once loved is convinced she’s hiding something. Given her crooked past—not to mention the way she was forced to betray him years ago—he has little reason to trust her.

But when attempts are made on Piper’s life, Luke will do anything to keep her safe. Working together to find out who wants her dead, they soon discover that the feelings they once shared are still very much alive. But it will take all their trust and faith to take on a criminal determined to keep them from the truth—not to mention a second shot at a future.

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A book suggestion popped up from a favorite and oft seen author, Christy Barritt, and it can’t be passed up in my estimation.

Shadow of Suspicion (Love Inspired Suspense)

A police detective works to clear a woman’s name and keep her alive in this inspirational romantic suspense novel by a USA Today bestseller.

First, computer specialist Laney Ryan’s accused of kidnapping her neighbor’s daughter—and now someone’s trying to kill her. The police don’t believe Laney’s story . . . except for Detective Mark James, whose instincts say Laney isn’t guilty.

Together, Mark and Laney must figure out who really abducted the teen and uncover why they’re framing Laney. But when their search for the truth turns deadly, Mark realizes his feelings for Laney aren’t strictly professional and that he’ll stop at nothing to keep her safe. With a dangerous suspect swiftly closing in, can they find the missing girl and clear Laney’s name . . . before their possible future together is fatally cut short?

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It has been a good day. I’m hoping there is something here that leads you to think so too.

It kept me up all night August 05, 2023

It was definitely a mistake to start a new book in the middle of the night. I was pushing it by trying to finish my current read before lights out; finishing and then moving straight on to a new book at that time of night was crazy. Especially since it turned out to be one to grab hold of my interest, not letting go easily. On the plus side, it was the start of the weekend and I could sleep all day if needed. I didn’t but maybe tonight will be early to make up for it.

We have seen other books with a similar premise but this one captured my attention in a way the others didn’t. Well developed, quirky and believable characters were a big part of it. The smooth story flow was a huge part too. The ending was unpredictable. I loved it.

This is still available at a great price, check it out. Book two is a great price too and it is mighty tempting.

Under the Honey Moon: A Honeyhaven Romance (The Honeyhaven Series Book 1) 

A honeymoon cottage reunites a pair of childhood friends. Can it offer them a future filled with a happily-ever-after?

When B&B owner Juliet Miller’s childhood crush shows up on her doorstep, she thinks he’s come to honor a pact and pop the question. But he’s already engaged and offers her a bargain she can’t turn down. Bowie Nichols has always seen Juliet as a friend until shifting feelings has him second guessing whether or not he’s marrying the right woman.

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This is the book I finished before starting the awesome read above. It wasn’t as compelling but it was still a very good read. The characters were believable and relatable. Some were not all that lovable. Most were though. There were sailboats, wild adventures, and relationships we wanted to see turn into something special.

It also had three times the number of pages.

Becalmed: A Carolina Coast Novel (Carolina Coast Stories Book 1)

When a Southern woman with a broken heart finds herself falling for a widower with a broken boat, it’s anything but smooth sailing.

With her days chock full—designing jewelry for the shop she co-owns with her best friend, sailing her sharpie, and hanging out with girlfriends—Tadie Longworth barely notices she’s morphing into the town’s maiden aunt. When Will, a widower with a perky daughter named Jilly, limps into town in a sailboat badly in need of engine repairs, Tadie welcomes the chance to help. Her shop becomes Jilly’s haven while Will hunts boat parts, and Tadie even takes the two of them sailing. It’s the kind of thing she lives for, and it’s a welcome distraction from the fact that her ex-boyfriend Alex, aka The Jerk of Jerks, is back in town. With his northern bride. Oh, and he’s hitting on Tadie, too.

Those entanglements are more than enough, thank you very much, so it’s almost a relief when a hurricane blows into town: at least the weather can match Tadie’s mood. When Will and Jilly take shelter in her home, though, Tadie finds herself battling her attraction to Will. Even worse, the feeling is mutual, tempting them all with what-ifs that petrify Will, who has sworn never to fall in love again. Mired in misunderstanding, he takes advantage of the clear skies and hauls Jilly out of there and back to his broken boat so fast, Tadie’s head spins.

With the man she might have loved gone, and the man she wishes gone showing up on her doorstep, Tadie finds herself like a sailboat with no wind; becalmed, she has to fight her way back against the currents to the shores of the life, and the man, she wants.

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There are a few more read and enjoyed to share too.

There are others but that will be another post.

Two new books July 31, 2023

Two books popped up today. Both of them with popular authors and one of them is prolific too.

Once Upon Nantucket: Encore Edition (Lighthouse Lane Book 1) 

They’ve loved and lost…
but does a new beginning await on magical Nantucket?

After fifteen years as a Coast Guard search and rescue specialist and a stint at headquarters, Lieutenant Craig Cole hopes to quietly finish out his career in his new assignment as commander of the Coast Guard station on Nantucket. But there’s nothing quiet about his clash with feisty red-haired charter fishing boat captain Katherine MacDonald, who does not appreciate a safety citation from one of the new hotshot commander’s underlings. As she and the commander go head-to-head, sparks fly…in more ways than one. But neither is ready for a heart-to-heart encounter. Yet as they come to know each other on magical Nantucket, might they find the courage to take a chance on love?


Publishers Weekly bestselling author Irene Hannon, described as “a master of character development” by Library Journal, has penned another tale of hope, healing, and love that will lift your heart and bolster your belief in happy endings—no matter the challenges that must be overcome.

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Fraser: A Navy Seal and a female bodyguard hunt for a princess on the run!/A Minnesota Marshalls novel (1) (The Marshall Family Saga Book 9)

Fraser Marshall is pretty sure his career as a Spec Ops fighter is over. Yes, he’s gone into private security, working for Jones, Inc, but his last gig ended with him wounded and taken captive. And those wounds just won’t heal. The last thing he wants to do is stick around his family’s winery pressing grapes. But what choices does he have?

The answer comes via a panicked phone call from his kid brother, Creed.

Help, Fraser. I’m in over my head…

Yeah he is, because he’s run away with a princess, with her bodyguard hot on the trail. And said bodyguard, Pippa Butler is going to hunt them down, no matter the cost.

Even if she has to join forces with a bossy, arrogant former American SEAL. But Pippa has her own set of lethal skills, and if Fraser gets in the way, she’ll leave him on the side of the road. Still, maybe he’s not a terrible side-kick. He is handsome, and he makes her laugh…

No, no, bad Pippa! She has no room for a man—an American—in her life. And Fraser hasn’t ever considered slowing down. Even if Pippa has him wondering if there is a different future ahead.

But there’s more to the story than a Romeo-and-Juliet runaway romance. Princess Imani has seen a murder, and the perpetrator isn’t going to let her get away. Will Fraser and Pippa find the couple first?

And if they do, can they work together to keep them safe?

It’ll be tough if their hearts get in the way…

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I’m excited and looking forward to these two.

Awesome Bargain books July 28, 2023

I’m so excited about this BookBub suggestion. This is the latest, book 7 in the series, and I’ve been hoping it would show up one day soon. We’ve read and enjoyed the first six books and now we are more than ready for this one. Davis Bunn always writes a story worth reading and I can hardly wait.

Shell Beach (Miramar Bay Book 7)

A man adrift . . .
 
Noah Hearst is leaving a life he’s spent twelve years building. Professionally, a losing battle for his job after a hostile takeover. Personally, signing away his marriage in a split that was a long time coming. Now, the difficult part: deciding who he is, what he wants, and where to go next. Maybe it’s time to realize a dream that’s carried him through hard times: owning a boat. Traveling the ocean, exploring new ports, embracing the endless horizon. Blissful. Impractical. Impossible? For now, the dream alone gives Noah the strength to move forward . .
.
 
An unexpected lifeline . . .
 
Jenna Greaves is an end-of-life nurse, devoted till her charges’ final breath. She’s been called a confidante, a surrogate daughter, and a best friend. She is all those to Dino Vicenza, a secretive millionaire who refuses to even speak with his greedy and impatient family. Gradually Jenna becomes Dino’s only confidant, and something far more out of the ordinary; she shares the old man’s passion for sailing the open seas. With his passing comes an unexpected bequest: a luxury yacht that invites Jenna to break free of old chains, if only she might find someone to help steer her toward new horizons.
 
One twist of fate and Noah and Jenna are brought together in the most unexpected way to navigate their future—and discover more about life, each other, and themselves than they ever imagined.

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Sheep Gate Publishing has a pre-order suggestion that will be out next year. It’s a long time out and I know I will forget I’ve ordered it but it looks interesting. I think I should go for it. Many of the authors we’ve seen before and some look new.

(OK, something happened and everything from here on to the end disappeared. I hate it when that happens. I can’t remember everything I slaved over so I’ll do a scaled down version and let you in on the books I ended up ordering)

Many apologies but at least we have books. What else matters in the end!

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This is a pre-order.

Summer Suspicions: Ten Christian Romantic Suspense Novels 

Escape into a world of love, mystery, and faith with these ten Christian romantic suspense novels. Today’s bestselling Christian fiction authors are bringing you ten page-turning, action-packed adventures filled with unforgettable characters, adrenaline-pumping mysteries, and heartwarming romance.

Summer suspicions lurk everywhere in small towns and in the countryside, as well as in the cities and on the coast. Cowboys, protectors, former military, single moms, pastors, good friends, sheriffs, missing children, hostages, fugitives, heroes, villains, and more, all in one limited-edition boxed set collection just for the summer of 2024 only.

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Texas Cold Case Threat (Quantico Profilers Book 1)

When a cold case turns hot,

an isolated ranch goes from refuge…to crime scene.

After a murderer sends her taunting letters, FBI behavioral analyst Chelsey Banks retreats to a friend’s ranch—and interrupts the housekeeper being attacked. When evidence connects the break-in to a cold-case serial killer, Chelsey’s best friend, Texas Ranger Tack Holliday, needs her help. With Tack at her side, this could be Chelsey’s chance to catch two killers—unless one of them gets her first.

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Last one

Rescue Mission (Rocky Mountain K-9 Unit Book 8)

A missing baby’s trail has gone cold.
But this K-9 unit has one last lead…


With a baby still missing after months of searching, Rocky Mountain K-9 Unit handler Lucas Hudson and his furry partner must protect the only witness as she recovers from amnesia. But the kidnapper wants Kate Montgomery silenced—permanently. Now hiding in the icy Montana mountains might be the key to their survival and to triggering Kate’s memories of the night baby Chloe Baker disappeared…

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That’s it for today. Until next time.

The read pile is overflowing again so that will appear soon, hopefully.

New books July 25, 2023

We start the day out with a couple of authors new to us. The reviews look good and I couldn’t say no even if I wanted to. LPC Free Books gets the credit as the main suggester today.

Still Waters (Low Country Series Book 1)

Welcome to Edisto Beach where the days are slow and the past is never far away…

Recent graduate Cora Anne Halloway has a history degree and a plan—avoid her own past. Then her beloved grandmother requests one last summer at Still Waters, the family cottage on Edisto Beach.

Despite difficult memories lingering among the oak canopies and gentle tides, Edisto tempts her with forgiveness—especially since Nan hires Tennessee Watson to oversee cottage repairs. A local contractor dedicated to the Island’s preservation from development, Tennessee offers Cora Anne friendship and more, if she can move beyond her guilt over his father’s death.

For this young woman on the cusp of a new life, peace with her past means reconciling her family and her Edisto memories. But acceptance of her story may mean loving the man determined to preserve a history she’d rather forget.

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Next in line . . .

Becalmed: A Carolina Coast Novel (Carolina Coast Stories Book 1)

With her days chock full—designing jewelry for the shop she co-owns with her best friend, sailing her sharpie, and hanging out with girlfriends—Tadie Longworth barely notices she’s morphing into the town’s maiden aunt. When Will, a widower with a perky daughter named Jilly, limps into town in a sailboat badly in need of engine repairs, Tadie welcomes the chance to help. Her shop becomes Jilly’s haven while Will hunts boat parts, and Tadie even takes the two of them sailing. It’s the kind of thing she lives for, and it’s a welcome distraction from the fact that her ex-boyfriend Alex, aka The Jerk of Jerks, is back in town. With his northern bride. Oh, and he’s hitting on Tadie, too.

Those entanglements are more than enough, thank you very much, so it’s almost a relief when a hurricane blows into town: at least the weather can match Tadie’s mood. When Will and Jilly take shelter in her home, though, Tadie finds herself battling her attraction to Will. Even worse, the feeling is mutual, tempting them all with what-ifs that petrify Will, who has sworn never to fall in love again. Mired in misunderstanding, he takes advantage of the clear skies and hauls Jilly out of there and back to his broken boat so fast, Tadie’s head spins.

With the man she might have loved gone, and the man she wishes gone showing up on her doorstep, Tadie finds herself like a sailboat with no wind; becalmed, she has to fight her way back against the currents to the shores of the life, and the man, she wants.

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I stumbled over another interesting author we’ve not read before. Happily, this story popped up for me while browsing, keeping us from being done with only two books, which would be disappointing.

Dangerous Obsession (The Security Specialists Book 3)

She has a stalker on her tail—and a devoted security expert at her side: “Will keep readers guessing and turning the pages.” —RT Book Reviews

Security Specialist Wilder Flynn wastes no time putting behavioral expert Cosette LaCroix under his 24/7 protection when her stalker finds her in Atlanta. Ex-Navy SEAL Wilder keeps Cosette close to guard her from the quickly escalating threats and attacks.

But can he accomplish the mission without breaking his strict code against dating employees of his world-renowned company, Covenant Crisis Management? Or putting his heart and life at risk?

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Last but not least, we have a free novella by this new author. We are even experiencing variety in genres with this new suggestion, which is awesome.

Under the Honey Moon: A Honeyhaven Romance (The Honeyhaven Series Book 1)

A honeymoon cottage reunites a pair of childhood friends. Can it offer them a future filled with a happily-ever-after?

When B&B owner Juliet Miller’s childhood crush shows up on her doorstep, she thinks he’s come to honor a pact and pop the question. But he’s already engaged and offers her a bargain she can’t turn down. Bowie Nichols has always seen Juliet as a friend until shifting feelings has him second guessing whether or not he’s marrying the right woman.

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I’m looking forward to this new batch of books while I’m still working my way through the last batch. One of them was irresistible and I couldn’t help but move it to the top of the pile, giving it preferential treatment.

With all the unexpected twists and turns in plot this was definitely worth the read.

False Security

Alex Pierce needs Laney Winters to help him prove neither of them is responsible for the millions of dollars that went missing after Laney arrested him for bank robbery five years ago. Besides Laney not believing he truly repented in prison, there’s the problem of the real thief trying to kill her and the police department treating her like a dirty cop.

With the possibility of another crime being pinned on them, Laney finally teams up with Alex to save her life. If only she could trust him with her heart, as well.

It’s a short read with lots of drama. Check it out.

I love this book, July 23, 2023

I love this book so much I have to stop and tell someone. I’m glad you stopped by.

Two thirds of the way through and I know I will be looseleft when I turn the last page. Looseleft is one of the many emotionally charged words used in this book. That’s one of it’s fascinating aspects, words.

They also often mention the phrase, Looseleft in the Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows. I’m still trying to wrap my head around that concept. A Google search tells me that contrary to my incorrect assumptions this is a real book written by John Koenig, published in 2021.

Looseleft is the bereft feeling of loss at the end of a good book when the characters stay behind and we have to leave to go on without them. This will be a book like that for me. Sad, sad, sad, when it’s over. But glad for the way I expect it to end for the characters.

Harper inherited a thriving bookstore from an aunt she thought hated her. Harper loves books (understatement of the century) but is lacking in social skills (also a gross understatement) and struggles with the responsibilities of a new occupation.

Noah recently discovered he was a father as a result of a brief relationship with someone he hasn’t seen in years. Now he is struggling to learn how to be a dad to his grieving son. Bennie’s life has not been easy since the loss of his dying mother, As a result of his unfortunate experiences there are unexpected pot holes popping up all over their road of life and Noah is grateful for every one of them that Harper is able to smooth over.

Bennie is a sensitive little boy and can read people as well as Harper can, she is very good at it. They understand each other and Bennie’s adoring looks tell the whole world he is smitten with her. Harper would readily but secretly admit it’s mutual.

Complicated is a weak word to use to describe the dynamics going on with the characters. The bumpy relationships work well on so many levels with these three, Noah, Harper, and Bennie. It will be nice to see their relationship work out the way I think it will but not so easy to see my time with them come to an end.

Twice Sold Tales (Bookstrings Book 1)

If only owning a bookstore didn’t mean dealing with people.

No one was more surprised than Harper Brevig when Great Aunt Lorene (not “Lori,” thank-you-very-much) died and left her least favorite niece her bookstore–including a prime piece of real estate in downtown Red Wing, Minnesota.

Making a go of the place shouldn’t be too hard. With her library science degree, she should be set. Then again, the website describing library degrees had said it would teach her excellent communication skills. It had not. Could she get a partial refund?

Still, owning the building should mean crazy-low overhead to offset her less than optimal “book-side” manner.  Ahem. So when yet another huge bill arrives, and she starts getting twitchy about the low bank balance, Harper does the only thing she can think of.

Enter Milton Coleridge. He’d been excited about the possibilities of the store last year, but Harper had sent him packing before he could talk to her about them.  Now he has a chance to make a difference. But she’s right. She’s bleeding money, and it doesn’t make sense!

Milton’s job is to figure out what’s going on, plug the financial leak, and maybe… do a little matchmaking. That dad with the adorable little boy would be good for her… and she’d be good for him. Probably.

A solid five stars in my experience.