The Bookshop at Peony Harbor (An Aster Island Novel) by Rosie Summers – 5 Stars

 

Eloise Paisley went through a bad divorce; she was left with a cottage that had been in the family forever.  Just when she thinks she may have to sell it she receives a letter from her Grandmother who has been dead for 20 years with a deed for a bookshop on Main Street that is in such bad shape everyone assumes there is a shed there.  Eloise wants to open the bookshop again so much.  She needs help from her three children.  Will she have to sell the bookshop in order to keep the cottage to stay near her children or will she be able to breathe new life into the decrepit book shop.  Boy if I received a letter from my Grandmother I would be so excited and would wonder as she did where it came from after all those years.  Who sat on it and sent it just as she needed it?  Come read about the Paisley family on Aster Island and their struggle with the Bookshop at Peony Harbor, you’ll be glad you did!  Great book.

 

I received this book in the kindle format from NetGalley.com.  I was not required to write a review if the book is good, I will always write one. This book was great.  The opinions and words above are my own freely given.  #TheBookshopAtPeonyHarbor #NetGalley #RosieSummers

Description from NetGalley.com:

Eloise Paisley needs cash, and she needs it fast. Thanks to an unexpected divorce, Eloise is low on funds, and if she doesn’t figure out a way to make ends meet—soon—she’ll lose the beachfront cottage that’s been in her family for over three generations.

Then one morning, out of the blue, Eloise receives a mysterious letter from her grandmother who has been gone for over twenty years. Inside the envelope is the deed to a rundown bookshop on Main Street—a gift for Eloise. Is she up to the task of breathing life into the almost-derelict building, or will she have to sell the beloved property so she can afford to stay on the island near her children?

Fortunately, Eloise isn’t alone in her decision. She’s got three grown children on her side, though each has problems of their own.

Jack, the eldest, is running his own company. Despite his success, he finds that something in his life is missing. Next is Lilah, a mother of two young children whose husband has been spending unexplained late nights at the office, and she’s determined to find out why. The youngest, Angelica, is a free spirit traveling the world for her career. But when she encounters an old flame at home, is it enough to draw her back?

Come visit the Paisley family on Aster Island and follow their journey as they explore new love and second chances, as they travel far and return home, and as they throw their hearts and souls into making a dream come true.

 

Rose Gardner’s Florist by Bonnie Dee – 4 Stars

I really enjoyed this book.  I was up reading it during the night instead of sleeping.  It really held my interest.  I like reading a story based during a year that is very different from the present.  Reading about the romance between the working-class girl who did manage to open her own florist shop and a man who has grown up with and owns quite a bit, a cultivated chap was an enjoyable read.  Rose doesn’t feel she has a chance with this gentleman, he’s out of her league and at first meeting she isn’t attracted to him at all.  At first meeting he’s tongue tied around her, he finds himself attracted to her and doesn’t know what to do.  The characters are likeable, and well developed.  I wanted to get to keep reading to find out how Rose and Will work out their differences.  Rose finds herself asking Will for help in saving a young woman from her guardian.  She soon finds that Will has a lot more going for him than he seemed at first meeting.  A fairly light book with enough going on that you want to keep reading.  I gave it 4 Stars.

I received this book in the kindle format free from Netgalley.com.  A review was not required.  The words and opinion of the book above are my own freely given.

#RoseGardner’sFlorist #BonnieDee #NetGalley

 

Description as found on NetGalley.com:

Romance blooms between a common flower girl and a cultivated gentleman.

Rose Gardener is a common flower girl from Covent Garden, whose grandest wish has come true in the opening of her own florist shop. Despite years of belittling by an unsupportive family, she is proud of her achievement, yet self-doubt lingers under the surface when she is faced with a chance at romance. Surely the quiet, bookish gentleman who buys posies from her could not possibly be interested in a working-class girl.

Struck by the lovely proprietress of a local florist, Will Carmody finds one pretext after another to purchase flowers so he might exchange pleasantries with her. A shy, awkward fellow dedicated to scholarly pursuits has no business fostering lovelorn dreams about a vivacious young lady with a bright future. Will thinks he has little of interest to offer her.

When a young woman threatened by her guardian unburdens herself to Rose, the florist becomes her ally in solving the predicament. But it will take Will’s steady presence and support to face down a dastardly scoundrel.  During their quest for justice, two wallflowers grow stronger and more confident under the bright sunlight of love.

The Moonlight School by Suzanne Woods Fisher – 5 Stars

Those of us who take reading for granted should not.  Reading this book brought so many feelings to the forefront for me.  I have read a few books about the people of the hill country, in different areas,  and this book made me so appreciative of those things I have in my home and my life.  Lucy Wilson goes to help out Cora Wilson Stewart at first to ride a horse (she didn’t know how to ride when she first came to the mountain) into the country and to help the people write letters to others and to read letters those who received them.  These adults can’t read and write, and they live in such primitive conditions.  Yet they are so full of pride for what they do have.  She ends up helping Cora to put together a school for adults, that takes advantage of the time when the children aren’t in school.   Also, when the adults aren’t needed to work in their fields.  This helps give Lucy a purpose, as she has been at loose ends ever since her sister disappeared and years later her Father remarried.  She also meets Brother Wyatt with his unusual way of writing music down with words so that the people can follow them when he leads singing get togethers.  This book is so full of reasons to read it, you won’t want to put it down, you’ll be horrified by the way the people live, their speech, and yet proud of them as they do so much with so little.  Pick this book up!  You’ll not be disappointed.

 

I received this book in the kindle format through NetGalley.com and the words above were my own freely given not required by NetGalley.
#TheMoonlightSchool #SuzanneWoodsFisher  #NetGalley

 

Description

Haunted by her sister's mysterious disappearance, Lucy Wilson arrives in Rowan County, Kentucky, in the spring of 1911 to work for Cora Wilson Stewart, superintendent of education. When Cora sends Lucy into the hills to act as scribe for the mountain people, she is repelled by the primitive conditions and intellectual poverty she encounters. Few adults can read and write.

Born in those hills, Cora knows the plague of illiteracy. So does Brother Wyatt, a singing schoolmaster who travels through the hills. Involving Lucy and Wyatt, Cora hatches a plan to open the schoolhouses to adults on moonlit nights. The best way to combat poverty, she believes, is to eliminate illiteracy. But will the people come?

As Lucy emerges from a life in the shadows, she finds purpose; or maybe purpose finds her. With purpose comes answers to her questions, and something else she hadn't expected: love.

Inspired by the true events of the Moonlight Schools, this standalone novel from bestselling author Suzanne Woods Fisher brings to life the story that shocked the nation into taking adult literacy seriously. You'll finish the last page of this enthralling story with deep gratitude for the gift of reading.

The Newcomer by Mary Kay Andrews - 5 Stars

 

Mary Kay Andrews never fails to keep me involved in her books to the very end.  This book didn’t disappoint, I didn’t want to put it down and hated it when it was time to go to bed and my kindle ran out of juice.  I do a lot of reading on it lying next to my sleeping husband.  Then he wonders why I want a nap the next day.  This book had great characters and was so well written, it sure doesn’t have to be a beach day when you read it, but you’ll wish you were there.  I am not going to write a about the story because the description as found on NetGalley.com covers the story.  Just don’t pass by this book if you get the chance to buy it, you’ll enjoy it from beginning to end.  It has suspense, mystery, some romance, and the beach!  What more could you want?

 

I received this book through NetGalley.com free in the kindle format.  I am not required to write a review, although I usually do, I like to help out authors and readers.  The review was my own, thoughts on the book were mine!  #TheNewcomer #MaryKayAndrews #NetGalley

 

Description From NetGalley.com:

Summer never ends with MKA

In trouble and on the run...

After she discovers her sister Tanya dead on the floor of her fashionable New York City townhouse, Letty Carnahan is certain she knows who did it: Tanya’s ex; sleazy real estate entrepreneur Evan Wingfield. Even in the grip of grief and panic Letty heeds her late sister’s warnings: “If anything bad happens to me—it’s Evan. Promise me you’ll take Maya and run. Promise me.” So Letty grabs her sister’s Mercedes and hits the road . . .

With a trunkful of emotional baggage...

and her wailing four-year-old niece Maya. Letty is determined to out-run Evan and the law, but run to where? Tanya, a woman with a past shrouded in secrets, left behind a “go-bag” of cash and a big honking diamond ring—but only one clue: a faded magazine story about a sleepy mom-and-pop motel in a Florida beach town with the improbable name of Treasure Island. She sheds her old life and checks into an uncertain future at The Murmuring Surf Motel.

The No Vacancy sign is flashing & the sharks are circling...

And that’s the good news. Because The Surf, as the regulars call it, is the winter home of a close-knit flock of retirees and snowbirds who regard this odd-duck newcomer with suspicion and down-right hostility. As Letty settles into the motel’s former storage room, she tries to heal Maya’s heartache and unravel the key to her sister’s shady past, all while dodging the attention of the owner’s dangerously attractive son Joe, who just happens to be a local police detective. Can Letty find romance as well as a room at the inn—or will Joe betray her secrets and put her behind bars? With danger closing in, it’s a race to find the truth and right the wrongs of the past.

Shadows Of The White City - Jocelyn Green - 4 Stars

 

This book was written during the time of the World’s Fair, which was well researched.  Sylvie Townsend is working at the Fair and she has finally a family of her own, she took in a Polish immigrant Rose Dabrowski and they are very happy. She believes this to be true, until one day Rose disappeared when she was supposed to be taking her violin lesson.  She never showed up.  As her daughter is 17 and hasn’t been gone long enough, she is brushed off by the authorities.   Sylvie goes on a search of her own with the help of Rose’s violin instructor.  The book is full of the Worlds Fair, the characters are well written, there is mystery, suspense and in the end a little romance. 

 

I received this book through NetGalley.com free in the Kindle format.  The review above was written with my own words and thoughts, not required by NetGalley.com.    #ShadowsOfTheWhiteCity #JocelynGreen  #NetGalley

 

Description

The one thing Sylvie Townsend wants most is what she feared she was destined never to have--a family of her own. But taking in Polish immigrant Rose Dabrowski to raise and love quells those fears--until seventeen-year-old Rose goes missing at the World's Fair, and Sylvie's world unravels.

Brushed off by the authorities, Sylvie turns to her boarder, Kristof Bartok, for help. He is Rose's violin instructor and the concertmaster for the Columbian Exposition Orchestra, and his language skills are vital to helping Sylvie navigate the immigrant communities where their search leads.

From the glittering architecture of the fair to the dark houses of Chicago's poorest neighborhoods, they're taken on a search that points to Rose's long-lost family. Is Sylvie willing to let the girl go? And as Kristof and Sylvie grow closer, can she reconcile her craving for control with her yearning to belong?

 

From This Moment by Kim Vogel Sawyer – 5 Stars

 

There are some great laugh out loud moments with the character Lori, she is full of life, although very insecure as she has big red hair and is over weight and has eating issues.  Those have come from her Father being critical of her very much every day after her mother dies.  She doesn’t feel she is worthy of love, but when she meets the new youth minister, she is so attracted to him.  He has come to Kansas to serve as the youth minister after losing his fiancée’ suddenly in a car accident.  He’s taken the job to get a fresh start, but he can’t seem to get his confidence in God back and is really struggling in embracing his new life.  This book had me drawn in from the beginning, I learned a bit while reading it.  I love books by this author and Kim Vogel Sawyer didn’t disappoint me with this book.

 

I received this book in the kindle format from NetGalley.com.  My words and opinion of this book are my own freely given.  #FromThisMoment #NetGalley #KimVogelSawyer

 

The lost ring brings together two wounded souls--a youth minister haunted by the past and a spunky church custodian--in this heartwarming romance from the bestselling author of The Librarian of Boone's Hollow.

Growing up in the foster care system, Jase Edgar always dreamed of one day starting his own family. But his fiancée's untimely death shattered his plans. Moving to Kansas and serving as a youth minister should be a fresh start, but he can't seem to set aside his doubts about God's goodness long enough to embrace his new life.

Newly-appointed church custodian, Lori Fowler is battling her own challenges. Her strained relationship with her father and her struggles with overeating convince her she's not worthy enough for love. When an Amish weaver enlists their help locating the owner of a ring found among the donated clothing she uses as fabric, Jase and Lori find themselves drawn to each other. But will they be able to release the past and move forward from this moment into a joyful future?

An Ordninary Life by Amanda Prowse - 5 Stars

  was drawn into this book from about page three.  I walked around my house tending to things but reading as I went along. I couldn’t put it down.  It was very well written, the story very well plotted out, everything seemed to flow.  I wanted to see how it was going to end very much from the beginning.  I became invested in the characters and wanted to keep reading.  If you are looking for a good book to pick up, this one won’t disappoint you.  It has suspense, romance, danger……Great story.

 

I received this book from NetGalley.com in the kindle format.  My words and opinion of this book are my own freely given. #AnOrdinaryLife #AmandaProwse #NetGalley

 

 

Description

From the bestselling author of The Girl in the Corner comes a tale of love, loss—and one last extraordinary dance.

Christmas Eve, 2019. Ninety-four-year-old Molly lies in her hospital bed. A stroke and a fall may have broken her body—but her mind is alive with memories.

London, 1940s. Molly is a bright young woman, determined to help the war effort and keep her head up despite it all. Life becomes brighter when she meets and falls in love with a man who makes her forget everything with one dance. But then war forces her to make an unforgettable sacrifice, and when she’s brought to her knees by a daring undercover mission with the French Resistance, only her sister knows the secret weighing heavily on Molly’s heart.

Now, lying in her hospital bed, Molly can’t escape the memories of what she lost all those years ago. But she is not as alone as she thinks.

Will she be able to find peace—and finally understand that what seemed to be an ordinary life was anything but

What A Dog Knows by Lisa Wilson – 5 Stars!

Ruby is a traveling physic who learns she can hear dog’s thoughts.  Out of no where she met a little dog that seemed lost in the rain, she takes him in and hears the dog.  She decides to stay in the town for a while, Harmony Farms, until she can find out who the dog really belongs to.  She ends up staying there, every time she plans on leaving things happen to keep her there.  This book is so interesting.  I’ve always found psychics to have a mystique about them and this book was so well written the characters were so interesting and well developed that I couldn’t put the book down.  It was really interesting to this person who has never even owned a dog or any pets.

 

I received this book free in the kindle format from NetGalley.com.  My opinions and words about this book are my own, freely given.  #WhatADogKnows #NetGalley #LisaWilson

 

Description

From New York Times bestselling author Susan Wilson comes What a Dog Knows, another heartwarming novel about humans and the dogs that change our lives.

Ruby Heartwood has always lived a life on the move. As a traveling psychic, she makes her living working at carnivals and festivals and circuses around New England. It's a life Ruby has made peace with—settling in one place has never been for her. She needs no one, and no one needs her.

Until one night, when she is camped by the side of the road in her trusty Volkswagon "Westie" van, a fierce thunder and lightning storm erupts. In the middle of the downpour, she hears a distinct voice telling her to "let me in." In jumps a little black and white dog, and to Ruby's astonishment, she can hear the dog's thoughts. Has she been struck by lightning? Did the storm do this? Is she losing her mind?

It turns out, Ruby can hear many dogs' thoughts. She decides to set up semi-permanent residency in the town of Harmony Farms, until she can sort out what is going on, and who the little dog, Hitch, belongs to. But some people in Harmony Farms don't want her there. And it seems that events keep preventing Ruby from leaving. What secrets is this town keeping? Why was she meant to find this dog? And what has Ruby really been running from, all these years?

 

The Healer – Lisa Fougere – 5 Stars

This was a very interesting book! It’s about a young woman, Leah, who has the gift of healing.  She can put her hands on someone see where the problem is in their body and make it just go away, or improve remarkably.  The book was very well crafted, with great characters, suspense, and some humor.  She realized at a very young age that she could see things about people.  If they were going to die, or if they were very sick.  It’s very engrossing and I highly recommend this read to everyone.  Looking for a new book to crack the cover on, this is the one for you!

 

I received this book in kindle format from NetGalley.com and the thoughts I’ve expressed in regard to the book are my own, freely given.

#TheHealer. #LisaFougere.

 

Description as found on NetGalley.com

Leah has a gift. The ability to heal others with the touch of her hands. This should be a dream come true, but her world begins to crumble under the weight of such a responsibility. With so many desperate people, how can one woman possibly help enough? Especially when there are those who seek to tear her down. Leah fights to control a situation evolving at lightning speed, and threatening life as she knows it.

The Burbs and the Bees by Cathryn Fox - 5 Stars

A really cute story!  I had some laugh out loud moments from this story.  The author really laid out a nice read, one that keeps you involved in the story and keeps you wanting to read on and not do anything else.  I was totally engrossed. I learned some things I never knew through the story line also! The description of the book is laid out below, as found on NetGalley.com.

I received the book in the kindle format through NetGalley.com  My opinion and thoughts on the book are entirely my own and freely given. #TheBurbsandtheBees.  #NetGalley.   #CathrynFox.

Description as found on NetGalley.com:

I just inherited an apple orchard in Nova Scotia.

That’s definitely a sentence I never would have imagined saying in my life.

I’ve only ever been a socialite from New York, but that orchard is my chance to prove to my family, and myself, that I can do more. Be more. I may not exactly know what I want out of life yet, but I’m determined to stick to something—and no, I’m not talking about the bee farmer next door.

Here’s what I know. If I can’t tough out one full month of a rooster waking me at sunrise, a poolhall parrot with a foul mouth, and a llama that swings both ways, not only will I lose my self-respect, I’ll lose my trust fund too.

Here’s what I don’t know. Why my neighbor with the bad attitude and a whole lot of sexy seems hell bent on sending me home. Well screw him. Not literally, of course. Except I just stumbled into his apiary, and got a look at the head beekeepers…stinger.

 

Shoulder Season by Christine Clancy – 5 Stars!

 This takes place in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin.  Nineteen-year-old Sherri Taylor, goes with a friend to the new Playboy Resort to interview for a job.  She is the most unlikely of people to ever get a job there, but she does and the book just keeps getting more interesting and engrossing as the story goes on.  She learns a lot during her years there, and is caught up in things she would never have imagined doing while growing up.  There are some surprises in the book and I did like the ending.  One of those books you don’t want to put down.  I really enjoyed it and gave this book 5 Stars.

I received the book in kindle format through NetGalley.com.  My thoughts on the book are my own and freely given.  #ShoulderSeason #ChristineClancy #NetGalley

Description as found on NetGalley.com:

A dazzling portrait of a young woman coming into her own, the youthful allure of sex, drugs, and rock and roll, and what we lose—and gain—when we leave home.

The small town of Lake Geneva, Wisconsin is an unlikely location for a Playboy Resort, and nineteen-year-old Sherri Taylor is an unlikely bunny. Growing up in neighboring East Troy, Sherri plays the organ at the local church and has never felt comfortable in her own skin. But when her parents die in quick succession, she leaves the only home she’s ever known for the chance to be part of a glamorous slice of history. In the winter of 1981, in a costume two sizes too small, her toes pinched by stilettos, Sherri joins the daughters of dairy farmers and factory workers for the defining experience of her life.

Living in the “bunny hutch”—Playboy’s version of a college dorm—Sherri gets her education in the joys of sisterhood, the thrill of financial independence, the magic of first love, and the heady effects of sex, drugs, and rock and roll. But as spring gives way to summer, Sherri finds herself caught in a romantic triangle—and the tragedy that ensues will haunt her for the next forty years.

From the Midwestern prairie to the California desert, from Wisconsin lakes to the Pacific Ocean, this is a story of what happens when small town life is sprinkled with stardust, and what we lose—and gain—when we leave home. With a heroine to root for and a narrative to get lost in, Christina Clancy's Shoulder Season is a sexy, evocative tale, drenched in longing and desire, that captures a fleeting moment in American history with nostalgia and heart.

 

A Timeless Christmas by Alexis Stanton – Narrated by Kate Rudd - 5 Stars!

A really charming audiobook about two people from two different centuries.  Meg Turner works for a home that was turned into a museum, or part of it was.  She meets a man, Charles Whitley, from the past who suddenly turns up, he was the owner of the house.   He had it in his will that if he died, the house, at least part of it was to be turned into a museum.  He liked to work on clocks, while working on one he was suddenly in his home but it was decorated for Christmas and strangers were walking through it with a tour guide.  Meg and the others who work in the home, seemed to accept his getting thrown into the future fairly readily.  That was kind of strange to me.  Although the rest of the story was basically a pretty enchanting Christmas story, with a bit of time travel thrown in.  I did like the narrator, she moved along at a good pace and I liked her voice, she did assign a different voice for the man in the story, the rest she read in her regular voice.  It worked.  I enjoyed being able to go about my chores in the house and still be able to read a book.  This was my first audiobook and I really enjoyed it. 

 

I received this audiobook from NetGalley.com, my thoughts on this book are my own and are freely given.  #ATimelessChristmas. #NetGalley.

 

Description as found on NetGalley.com:

Soon to be a Hallmark Original Movie!

They’re from two different centuries, but they’re perfect for each other.

Megan Turner is in love with the past. As a tour guide at a beautiful historic mansion, she tells visitors about its original owner, Charles Whitley. An inventor and businessman in the early 1900s, he rose from poverty to wealth…only to disappear without a trace. Charles was always intrigued by the future. He just never expected to go there. But when he repairs a mysterious clock he bought on his travels, he’s transported to the twenty-first century, with his home decorated for Christmas and overrun by strangers. Charles is determined to find a way back to his own era, especially when he learns about what happened after he left. But as Megan introduces him to the wonders of smartphones, pizza, and modern holiday traditions, they both feel a once-in-a-lifetime connection. Could it be that, somewhere in time, they belong together? This magical holiday romance includes a free Hallmark original recipe for Stuffed Crust Italian Pizza.

My Final Breath by Paige Dearth – 5 Stars

 

This was an unusual story.  I really had no idea what the book would be about when I received it.  I know what proxy by Munchausen is.  This is the story of Molly 12 years old who spent her last four years on this earth in and out of hospitals when she was home, she was sick.  She would get worse and then have to return to the hospital.   Her Mother seems to care very much for her, she takes care of her and seems to be by her side 24/7 when she is ill.  Molly loves her Mom.  Then Molly dies and wakes up in Limbo where her guardian makes her watch all of the things her Mother did to her to make her sicker, so that she could bask in the light of admiration from all the nurses, doctors, neighbors, teachers etc.  She was evil incarnate and Molly has too watch it all before she can leave Limbo and go on to Heaven.  Then she finds out that she is not the only victim in this plot and really struggles against acceptance of her fate, which she must do before she can move on.  Really a creepy sort of book.  That Mother did things I would never dream of doing.  I don’t know how she even thought of those things.  The book is riveting and you can’t put it down.  Also, as it is being told, the story of Molly, by the guardian in Limbo showing her scenes from her life.  Unreal, a must read!

I received this book free from Good Reads in the kindle format and my opinions and comments are my own and freely given!

 

Description as found on Good Reads:

An unbearable tragedy. A life cut short. A dead girl searching for truth.

Twelve-year-old Molly suddenly wakes up dead in Limbo after spending four years in and out of hospital beds. Fearful of being forgotten by her family, she wants nothing more than to return to Earth, until her guardian exposes the grim truth about her demise.

Devastated, Molly learns everything she believed about her life and death was a lie. But the greatest blow arrives when Molly discovers she isn’t the only one who suffers from unexplained ailments.

Unable to reach the living, Molly can only hope for an intervention to prevent the same terrible consequence from happening again.

My Final Breath is a suspenseful psychological thriller about an intolerable offense ripping a family apart. If you like twisted tales of loyalty, deception, and intentional acts of evil then you will love this gripping story

Searching For Rose – Dana Becker – NetGalley – 4 Stars

 

This was the most unusual and spellbinding book I’ve ever read that involve the Amish people.  It was an unusual read.  I read it fast, it was one of those you didn’t want to put down and I didn’t see some of the twists and turns coming.  I would recommend it to anyone who like to read about the Amish or like to read mysteries.  The characters were well written and the storyline was really good.  It was a little slow starting up but it soon sped up.  It doesn’t have as much of the Amish people in it as the cover makes you believe, but the main character helping her search for her sister is Amish.

 

I received this book through NetGalley.com in kindle format free.  I wasn’t required to put up a review, although that is the wish.  The thoughts and opinions of this book were mine freely given.  I gave it four stars.

 

Description as found on NetGalley:

Courageous and vulnerable, April has survived Philadelphia’s tough city streets. But when her sister disappears, April’s search will lead her to the Pennsylvania Amish countryside—where the peaceful setting belies a brand of danger all its own . . .
 
With a childhood shattered by alcoholism and abandonment, April learned the hard way to trust only herself and her younger sister, Rose. But suddenly, Rose is gone without a word—and April’s purpose in life is to find her. She has only one ally: Joseph Young, a handsome Amish man with whom she’s struck up an unlikely flirtation in the bakery where she works. He’s knowledgeable, steadfast—and when they join forces, April’s life takes a radical turn . . .
 
In the heart of Amish farm country, April and Joseph grow closer. Yet April fears there’s no future for them. Especially when vicious, too-personal warnings and strange attacks make her wonder just whom Joseph is really trying to protect. And as her unconventional investigation roils a community with much to conceal, April will find some secrets are killer—and some dreams may be too lethal to trust . . .

Nothing Short of Wondrous by Regina Scott - 5 Stars

 

Reading this book made me want to go to Yellowstone!  They describe the beautiful area so well and I’m sure it is just as scenic now.   It is based in 1886 and is based in Yellowstone.  The US Cavalry control of Yellowstone to protect the trees and the animals that live there.   Kate Tremaine is a widower that runs a hotel with her son.  This is a love story, as well as a historical novel and is written so well that I’m sure it will encourage many to go and visit Yellowstone!  The book is also Christian based. I really enjoyed reading about what it took back then to protect the park from poachers and vandals.  It was Nothing Short of Wondrous!

 

I received this book in the kindle format from NetGalley.  My thoughts and comments are my own and freely given.  I gave the book 5 stars. 

 

Description

It is 1886, and the government has given the US Cavalry control of Yellowstone. For widowed hotelier Kate Tremaine, the change is a welcome one. She knows every inch of her wilderness home like the back of her hand and wants to see it protected from poachers and vandals.

Refused a guide by Congress, Lieutenant William Prescott must enlist Kate's aid to help him navigate the sprawling park and track down the troublemakers. But a secret from his past makes him wary of the tender feelings the capable and comely widow raises in him. As they work together to protect the park and stand firm through injustice and tragedy, they may just find that two wounded hearts can share one powerful love when God is in control.

The Christmas Swap by Melody Carlson – 4 Stars

 

Two families decide to switch houses for Christmas.  One is in Arizona the other is in Colorado.  Tyler decided to stop back at home before meeting his family in Arizona and meets one of the family members that will be doing Christmas at his home, Emma.  He’s so struck by her that he decides to put off leaving for Arizona in order to get to know her better so he stays in the Guest House out back that had been turned into his studio for his singing career.  Of course he never leaves!  This is a wonderful little Christmas story, a novella, that speeds you along in the story.  Just the right length for the busy days leading up to Christmas.  Melody Carlson does Christmas and Romance very well and I gave this book 4 stars!  Pick it up and read it.  There are all of the great feels you are looking for in a Christmas story.

 

I received this book free through NetGalley.com in the kindle format.  My opinion was freely given.

 

Description

All Emma Daley wants this holiday season is a white Christmas. But the young teacher and struggling musician sure can't find that in sunny Arizona. Luckily, there's someone living in a perfect mountain home in the Colorado Rockies looking to make a vacation trade this year.

Tyler Prescott is an in-demand songwriter and talented musician who put his own singing career on hold to write songs for celebrity acts to perform. When his mother convinces him to do a vacation trade for Christmas, he never imagined one of the houseguests would be so sweet--or so strikingly pretty. Naturally, he decides to stick around, and, to get better acquainted, he poses as the house's caretaker. But when Emma's friend Gillian discovers his true identity and sets her sights on him, things
get . . . messy.

Fan favorite Melody Carlson is back with another delightful Christmas tale to warm your heart on those cold winter evenings.

 

The Paris Library – A Novel – Written by Janet Skeslien Charles - 5 Stars

 This was a most compelling read. It’s a book rich with the history and stories of true characters who lived and worked at the American Library in Paris during World War II. Most of them librarians and their lives as they spun out during that time, many of them very brave as they worked so hard to share books with their members. This novel connects Odile Souchet as her life plays out in Paris during this time, and her life after the war when she meets her neighbor a young girl (Lily) who has a love of language as she does, in Montana 1983. The book spends much time going back and forth from Paris 1939’s Odile and her story with Lily in Montana 1983. The book is rich with the history of the time, the war, the people and literature. It really does teach a lot about the consequences of our choices and how they effect ourselves and those around us. The novel has a lot to teach us, it’s one of those books you may want to go back and read again to make sure you didn’t miss anything!

I received this novel in the kindle format through NetGalley.com. I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. #TheParisLibrary #NetGalley

Description as found on NetGalley.com -
Based on the true World War II story of the heroic librarians at the American Library in Paris, this is an unforgettable story of romance, friendship, family, and the power of literature to bring us together, perfect for fans of The Lilac Girls and The Paris Wife.

Paris, 1939: Young and ambitious Odile Souchet has it all: her handsome police officer beau and a dream job at the American Library in Paris. When the Nazis march into Paris, Odile stands to lose everything she holds dear, including her beloved library. Together with her fellow librarians, Odile joins the Resistance with the best weapons she has: books. But when the war finally ends, instead of freedom, Odile tastes the bitter sting of unspeakable betrayal.

Montana, 1983: Lily is a lonely teenager looking for adventure in small-town Montana. Her interest is piqued by her solitary, elderly neighbor. As Lily uncovers more about her neighbor’s mysterious past, she finds that they share a love of language, the same longings, and the same intense jealousy, never suspecting that a dark secret from the past connects them.

A powerful novel that explores the consequences of our choices and the relationships that make us who we are—family, friends, and favorite authors—The Paris Library shows that extraordinary heroism can sometimes be found in the quietest of places

The Key To Love by Betsy St. Amant – 4 Stars – Netgalley.com

 

Kind of a quirky romance set mostly in a bakery where Bri Duval works for two aging owners. She hopes she’ll be able to keep the bakery after they no longer wish to work, she doesn’t dream of going anywhere other than that bakery and she wants to live a love life like that of her parents who are deceased.  She’s had them on a pedestal for years.  Then a handsome travel writer for Trek Magazine rolls into town to write about the bakery and the lovelock wall she created behind the bakery that mimic’s that of the famous Parisian one.  She created that to help the struggling bakery, and as an homage to her parents and their love story that played out in Paris so many years ago.

The writer Gerard Fortier didn’t want to write this story but he does want to get his promotion so he’ll do as he’s told and get the story even though he seems to not like sweets, or Bri Duval, or so he tells himself.  This is an unexpectedly sweet romance with two people who keep telling themselves they have no attraction to each other.  You’ll have to read the story which has many good things to say about itself to find out how things work out.  I recommend it, if you are looking for something that’s somewhat of a sweet diversion in your otherwise boring pandemic day.

I received this book in kindle format from NetGalley.  I was not required to give a review or a positive review, the words and opinions of this book are my own freely given.  #TheKeyToLove #NetGalley

The only thing Bri Duval loves more than baking petit fours is romance. So much so, she's created her own version of the famous Parisian lovelock wall at her bakery in Story, Kansas. She never expects it to go viral--or for Trek Magazine to send travel writer Gerard Fortier to feature the bakery. He's definitely handsome, but Bri has been holding out for a love story like the one her parents had, and that certainly will not include the love-scorned-and-therefore-love-scorning Gerard.

Just when it seems Bri's bakery is poised for unprecedented success, a series of events threaten not just her business but the pedestal she's kept her parents on all these years. Maybe Gerard is right about romance. Or maybe Bri's recipe just needs to be tweaked.

Novelist Betsy St. Amant invites you to experience this sweet story of how love doesn't always look the way we expect--and maybe that's a good thing.

You Can’t Catch Me – Catherine McKenzie - 5 Stars

This book grabs you from the first page and you want to keep reading until the last.  It kind of sits in your brain and you keep thinking about it once it’s ended.  The characters were well written and interesting and the mystery and suspense were there as well.  Catherine McKenzie hasn’t ever let me down, at least not yet in any of her books.  They were always a great yarn and delivered as promised.  I absolutely recommend this book to those who love a good mystery!

I received this book free in the kindle format from NetGalley.com.  I wasn’t required to write a review positive or otherwise.  The opinions expressed are my own freely given.  #YouCantCatchMe.  #NetGalley.

 

A riveting new novel of suspense about a disgraced young journalist caught up in a grifter’s game, and the trail of identically named victims she uncovers, from the instant bestselling author of I’ll Never Tell and The Good Liar.

Assumed identities. A con game. Unwitting victims.

After being fired from her investigative journalism job for plagiarism, Jessica Williams is looking for a break from the constant press coverage. She decides to escape for a week to a resort in Mexico boasting no connections to the outside world. While waiting at the airport for her flight, she encounters a woman with the exact same name, who she dubs Jessica Two. Drawn together by the coincidence, they play a game of twenty questions to see what other similarities they share, and exchange contact information.

A week later, Jessica returns home and discover that large cash withdrawals have been made from her bank account. Security footage from the bank confirms her suspicions—Jessica Two has stolen her money. She goes to the police, only to be told that the crime is a low priority. Frustrated, she meets up with a trusted old friend, Liam, who is an investigator. When the two Google “Jessica Williams,” they get thousands of hits—Jessica was the most popular girl’s name in 1990 and Williams is almost as ubiquitous as Smith. Convinced that this isn’t the first time this scam has been run, Jessica is determined to catch the imposter, and writes a Facebook post hoping to chase down some of Jessica Two’s other victims. When she gets a number of responses, she sets a plan in motion to catch the thief, encountering a string of identically named victims along the way.

Then, the threatening messages start arriving.

Filled with incredible twists and turns, You Can’t Catch Me is a tantalizing, character-driven exploration of how far people will go to get revenge.

Looking For a Cowboy by Donna Grant – NetGalley – 5 Stars

This book had suspense, romance, passion, and great characters!  I loved the book.  It was a very fast read. Kind of edge of your seat in places.  I was disappointed when the story ended.  I believe there will be a follow up to the book.  I would buy it! I gave this book 5 Stars!

I received this book at no cost through NetGalley.com in the kindle format.  I wasn’t required to write a review nor was I paid to do so. The words I wrote about the book were my own and freely given.
#LookingForACowboy. #NetGalley

Description

A cowboy finds love in the most unlikely place in New York Times bestseller Donna Grant's newest Heart of Texas novel, Looking for a Cowboy.

A beautiful stranger has come to Clearview, asking questions that are nobody’s business. Cooper Owens also wasn’t born yesterday. He knows that this out-of-towner is hiding a dark secret of her own. Much as he knows he should head in the other direction, he can’t make himself turn away. . .

P.I. Marlee Frampton always wanted to lead a nice quiet life, working as a cop in her local police department. But that dream came to an end when her sister was murdered—and her baby kidnapped. Now Marlee’s come to Texas to investigate the Harpers, who may be linked to shady adoption agencies. Cooper can’t believe that his friends could be involved in anything so sinister...and soon he makes it his mission to help Marlee discover the truth—and keep her safe in his arms.

“Filled with passion, suspense, and strong characters.”—Rendezvous with Romance on My Favorite Cowboy (5 stars)

The Woman In The Green Dress written by Tea Cooper – 3 Stars

I read the book in the evening before going to bed.  Then my kindle gave out. I had to wait for a new one to finish this book.  I was really struggling to keep with the book as she would be with one character from one time period and within the same chapter in the next paragraph, she would have changed time periods and characters without any break.  At least that is the way it came in kindle format.  Very hard to get caught up in, I never thought I would finish it.  I got used to the changing format when I got the new kindle and returned to the book the last half of the book seemed to move much faster and be more interesting.  I usually don’t mind stories that change time periods and characters but this was handled in such a strange way I didn’t enjoy it.  There was a ton of research that went into the book, much of the interesting things for me were in the latter half of the book and I don’t want to give it away.  This really wasn’t the book for me although from the reviews I saw that people loved it or really had a hard time with it.  I gave it three stars because I did find interest in it eventually but kept putting it down before my kindle gave out.  I fall into the latter category where the book just wasn’t for me.  Therefore, the three stars.  It may be the book for you if you enjoy these time periods and mysteries and don’t mind changing story lines mid chapter.  If you do give it a go.  It’s a slow starter but picks up very much towards the end.

I received this book through NetGalley and wasn’t required to write a review or to give it a positive one.  I wasn’t paid to read the book.  The words above are my own and freely given.

Description as found on NetGalley.com:

A cursed opal, a gnarled family tree, and a sinister woman in a green dress emerge in the aftermath of World War I.

After a whirlwind romance, London teashop waitress Fleur Richards can’t wait for her new husband, Hugh, to return from the Great War. But when word of his death arrives on Armistice Day, Fleur learns he has left her a sizable family fortune. Refusing to accept the inheritance, she heads to his beloved home country of Australia in search of the relatives who deserve it more.

In spite of her reluctance, she soon finds herself the sole owner of a remote farm and a dilapidated curio shop full of long-forgotten artifacts, remarkable preserved creatures, and a mystery that began more than sixty-five years ago. With the help of Kip, a repatriated soldier dealing with the sobering aftereffects of war, Fleur finds herself unable to resist pulling on the threads of the past. What she finds is a shocking story surrounding an opal and a woman in a green dress. . . a story that, nevertheless, offers hope and healing for the future.

This romantic mystery from award-winning Australian novelist Tea Cooper will keep readers guessing until the astonishing conclusion.

“Readers of Kate Morton and Beatriz Williams will be dazzled. The Woman in the Green Dress spins readers into an evocative world of mystery and romance in this deeply researched book by Tea Cooper. There is a Dickensian flair to Cooper’s carefully constructed world of lost inheritances and found treasures as two indomitable women stretched across centuries work to reconcile their pasts while reclaiming love, identity and belonging against two richly moving historical settings. As soon as you turn the last page you want to start again just to see how every last thread is sewn in anticipation of its thrilling conclusion. One of the most intelligent, visceral and vibrant historical reads I have had the privilege of visiting in an age.” —Rachel McMillan, author of The London Restoration 

“Refreshing and unique, The Woman in the Green Dress sweeps you across the wild lands of Australia in a thrilling whirl of mystery, romance, and danger. This magical tale weaves together two storylines with a heart-pounding finish that is drop-dead gorgeous.” —J’nell Ciesielski, author of The Socialite

Full-length historical story with both romance and mysteryStand-alone novelIncludes Discussion Questions for Book Clubs

The Librarian Of Boone’s Hollow – Kim Vogel Sawyer – 5 Stars

I loved this book I couldn’t put it down.  I love reading everything by this author and this book did not disappoint.  I’ve read another book about a librarian who delivers books by horse, but this book was very much different.  It was also as interesting in a very different way.  She puts a different slant on the subject, there is a love interest, conflict and jealousy.  Really a fun read I do recommend it to everyone!

I received the book from WaterBrook & Multnomah through NetGalley.com in the Kindle format.  I wasn’t required to write a review or paid to do so.  The words above are my own and freely given.

Description as found on NetGalley:

A traveling librarian ventures into the mining towns of Kentucky on horseback—and learns to trust the One who truly pens her story—in this powerful novel from the best-selling author of A Silken Thread.

During the Great Depression, city-dweller Addie Cowherd dreams of becoming a novelist and offering readers the escape that books had given her during her tragic childhood. When her father loses his job, she is forced to take the only employment she can find—delivering books on horseback to poor coal-mining families in the hills of Kentucky.

But turning a new page will be nearly impossible in Boone's Hollow, where residents are steeped in superstitions and deeply suspicious of outsiders. Even local Emmett Tharp feels the sting of rejection after returning to the tiny mountain hamlet as the first in his family to graduate college. And as the crippled economy leaves many men jobless, he fears his degree won’t be worth much in a place where most men either work the coal mine or run moonshine.

As Addie also struggles to find her place, she’ll unearth the truth about a decades-old rivalry. But when someone sets out to sabotage the town’s library program, will the culprit chase Addie away or straight into the arms of the only person who can help her put a broken community back together?

Growing Season (Book #1) by Melanie Lageschulte (Goodreads Author) – 4 Stars

After 25 years of working in the big city, Melinda Foster mut leave her job, big downsizing and no new jobs to be found. She and all of her friends are at a loss.  She receives a call from her Aunt and Uncle who own a small-town hardware store in Iowa. It’s been in the family forever and they really need her help as her Uncle had an accident and had to have surgery, he won’t be running the store any time soon and her Aunt can’t run the store as he needs much taking care of.  She sublets her place for the summer and turns up to help out. She finds a place out in the country with a for rent sign, a beautiful farmhouse that needs some TLC, when she calls, she decides to go and see it.  She agrees to take care of the place in exchange for a really low rent and finds that she’ll be taking care of the owner’s dog who has a main role in the book, along with chickens, sheep and a garden.  The owner agrees to go to the nursing home where his brother is living, he’s lost his room mate and is starting to lose his memory.  They feel if he goes there, he may want to stay there and also that he will help his brother remember some of the past and the present by being his room mate and helping him out.  The owner doesn’t want to leave his farm unless he feels his dog will have a keeper that will care about him and that someone will take care of the far with as much care as he would.  There are some twists and turns and I have always lived in a big community of Michigan and have family also in Iowa.  I always said after one visit that I would never return.  This book gave me more insight into small town living/country living and I see more why my family once moving there enjoys living there.  I still don’t plan to move, at 61 I don’t see a big change in my future but you never know. 

I thoroughly enjoyed the book.  I received it in a kindle format for free and my words above were my own freely given. I wasn’t required to give a review and wasn’t paid for my review.  I would love to read the next book in the series, “Growing Harvest!”

Enjoy the first novel in a heartwarming rural fiction series! Melinda Foster is already at a turning point when the "for rent" sign beckons her down a dusty gravel road. Facing forty and downsized from her copywriting job at a Twin Cities ad agency, Melinda is struggling to find her way forward when a phone call brings her home to rural Iowa. It's not long before Melinda is living in a faded farmhouse, caring for a barn full of animals, and working at her family's hardware store in the community of Prosper, whose motto is "The Great Little Town That Didn't." And just like the vast garden she tends under the summer sun, Melinda soon begins to thrive. Filled with memorable characters, from a big-hearted farm dog to the weather-obsessed owner of the local co-op, "Growing Season" celebrates the challenges and joys of rural life.