Review: Just the Way You Are

Just the Way You Are by Pepper Basham
My rating: 💛💛💛💛

This was a lovely story set in Britain and America, about new beginnings and redemptions.

Eisley and Wes had a great connection from the start and the struggles in their relationship which was linked to their past histories was realistic.

I adored Eisley’s little girl and her tight family! I hope it is not the last time we see them.

View all my reviews

About the book:

Single mom, Eisley Barrett, prefers to keep romance housed within a centuries-old mystery, but when she travels to England to unearth the secret, an actor with a sordid past offers her heart a very different type of discovery.

Wes Harrison has a past he's ashamed to confess. Suspicious and cynical, he's managed to avoid romantic entanglements since a tragedy upended his career and life, that is until American Eisley Barrett comes along. Her authenticity and kindness upend his bitter assumptions and send his heart into unscripted territory.

When his past threatens to ruin a second chance at love, can some Appalachian matchmaking and letters from the grave salvage their unexpected romance?

Humor, love, mystery, cute kids, crazy families, and culture clashes make this Britallachian Romance a unique and delightful romantic comedy sprinkled with adventure.

About the author:

Pepper D Basham has been telling tales ever since she was a little girl. When her grandmother called her a “writer” at the age of ten, Pepper took it as gospel and has enjoyed various types of writing styles ever since. A native of the Blue Ridge Mountains, mom of five, speech-language pathologist, and lover of chocolate, Pepper enjoys sprinkling her native Appalachian culture into her fiction wherever she can. She currently resides in the lovely mountains of Asheville, NC, where she works with kids who have special needs, searches for unique hats, and plots new ways to annoy her wonderful friends at her writing blog, The Writer’s Alley.

Review: Belinda Blake and the Snake in the Grass

Belinda Blake and the Snake in the Grass by Heather Day Gilbert
My rating: 💛💛💛

An intriguing cosy mystery with a unique introvert who would rather spend her time pet sitting exotic pets than humans, this was a great first book in a new series.

There was a few twists and turns which kept me guessing and it was only until the last reveal that I realised all the parties who was involved.

I am looking forward to seeing what other mysteries Belinda and het exotic pets will find themselves in the middle off.

View all my reviews

About the book:

When exotic pet-sitter Belinda Blake moves into a carriage house in tony Greenwich, Connecticut, she’s hoping to find some new clients. Instead she discovers a corpse in the garden—and a knack for solving murders...

Belinda doesn’t rattle easily, but move-in day has been eventful, to say the least. The python in her care tried to slither to freedom—just as she met Stone Carrington the fifth, her landlords’ disarmingly handsome son. With the constrictor back in its cage, she heads out to the garden, only to discover a designer shoe poking out of the boxwood hedge—and it's attached to a woman’s dead body.

The victim was a Carrington family friend, and no one in their circle seems above suspicion. Between client trips to Manhattan and visits to her family in upstate New York, Belinda begins to put the pieces together. But even as she’s falling for Stone’s numerous charms, Belinda wonders if she’s cozying up to a killer. And soon, daily contact with a deadly reptile might be the least dangerous part of her life.

About the author:

Award-winning novelist Heather Day Gilbert enjoys writing mysteries and Viking historicals. She brings authentic family relationships to the page, and she particularly delights in heroines who take a stand to protect those they love. Avid readers say Heather's realistic characters—no matter what century—feel like best friends. When she's not plotting stories, this native West Virginian can often be found hanging out with her husband and four children, playing video games, or reading Agatha Christie novels.

Find Heather on Pinterest (heatherdgilbert), Instagram (@heatherdaygilbert), Twitter (@heatherdgilbert), and Facebook (heatherdaygilbert). You can find all her books at heatherdaygilbert.com.

Review: You're the Reason

You're the Reason by Tari Faris
My rating: 💛💛💛💛

This was my first book by Tari Faris and my first visit to heritage, Michigan but I plan to go back and catch up with all the character’s stories.

Seth had a lot of baggage from making bad decisions in his youth, and still faces the consequences of those decisions while trying to make a fresh start.

Grace physical challenges which led her on the path home and in Seth’s life and to answer the questions about why she dances, was real and to me a great contrast between the two characters, one where an absent parent led to poor decisions and one where one’s controlling parents impacted on your perceptions of love.

My favorite part was of a little girl saying she loves to dance because she is sure it makes God smile.

I really enjoyed this story of redemption, new beginnings and finding your way back to doing what God created you to do.

*I received a complimentary copy from the publisher. All opinions expressed are my own.*


View all my reviews

About the book:

How could she ever love the man blamed for her brother’s death? A novel of Redemption, Forgiveness, and Unrequited Love in this Home to Heritage novel.

"Tari Faris delivers a masterful blend of romance and redemption in this compelling tale that will tug at your heartstrings and inspire your soul. A must-read for anyone who believes in the power of second chances." USA Today best-selling author Susan May Warren

She never intended to return to Heritage.

When an injury sidelines her, Grace Howell leaves her life as a ballerina and returns to Heritage, Michigan, to heal. Teaching dance is just a temporary gig, until she finds herself unexpectedly charmed by small-town life and her growing attachment to Seth Warner, a man from her past with a troubled history of his own.

He’s back in Heritage as a changed man.

The last place Seth thought he’d return is Heritage, but a felony record has narrowed his options, compelling him back to a community that hasn’t forgotten his transgressions. Dreams of starting a Ninja Gym give him purpose, yet it’s his entanglement with Grace—the woman he once let slip away—that ignites his desire to stay. Is this his chance at redemption and to live out the love he’s always harbored?

But can they forget the past?

When Grace’s old ballet company offers her a chance to come back, she’s faced with a heart-wrenching pursue the dream she’s always known or stay with the community and man that have captured her heart, even as that love is put to the test.

But has Seth really changed?

Seth’s world is rocked by a confrontation that threatens to pull him back into the world he’s tried so hard to escape. He must fight to clear his name and protect his future with Grace, proving that his commitment to change is more than just talk.
With their happiness hanging by a thread, the decisions they make will define their fates and the heart of Heritage itself.

HOME TO HERITAGE
You’re the Reason
Here With Me
Christmas With You

RESTORING HERITAGE
P.S. Goodbye (prequel novella)
You Belong With Me
Until I Met You
While It Was Snowing (novella)
Since You’ve Been Gone
Upon a Midnight Snow (Christmas novella)

About the author:

I have been writing fiction for more than twelve years. It has been an exciting journey for this math-loving-

dyslexic girl. I had read less than a handful of novels by the time I graduated from college and I thought I would end up in the field of science or math. But God had other plans and I wouldn't trade this journey for anything. As someone told me once, God's plans may not be easy, and they may not always make sense but they are never boring.


In addition to my writing, I also work for My Book Therapy as a special project project manager and write for LearnHowToWriteAnNovel.com and you can find me blogging over there on occasion.

​When I am not writing or working, I spend time with my amazing husband. We have been married for fifteen wonderful years and have three sweet children. In my free time, I love coffee, rock hounding with my husband and kids, and distracting myself from housework.

Can't Wait Wednesday! The Summer of Yes

Can't Wait Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Wishful Endings that spotlights and discusses the books we're excited about that we've yet to read. Generally, they're books that are yet to be released. It's based on Waiting on Wednesday, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine.

I am looking forward to the story behind this cute cover:

About the book: The Summer of Yes

A near-death experience catapults workaholic junior editor Kelsey Worthington into changing her life--one yes at a time.

Kelsey Worthington always dreamed of being a writer, but she's settled into a routine of helping other people tell their stories in her job as a junior editor. She doesn't go outside of her comfort zone. Her relationships are safe. Her job is secure. Her existence is stable. And she's great with that.

And then, the accident.

While she's in the hospital overnight, she meets an older woman named Georgina Tate--a glass-ceiling-shattering, wildly successful businesswoman. Georgina sacrificed everything to become the woman she is today, but now, with a pair of failing kidneys and only a handful of months left to live, Georgina is forced to come face-to-face with her regrets. Kelsey is forced to reckon with her own list of "things I'll do someday," and she starts to ask a simple but life-changing What if I said yes to all the things I normally say no to? And The Yes Plan is born.

It takes some convincing, but Georgina finally agrees to go along with Kelsey on her Summer of Yes adventures. The two of them set off to see what might be out there waiting for them if they simply open themselves up to it. Together, they say yes to whatever comes their way--a whole day being tourists in their own New York City, dinner with strangers, a convertible that is far from practical but so much fun. But when Kelsey springs a surprise visit to Georgina's son Hayden and Georgina's ex-husband (who is not so much of an ex), the older woman is less than thrilled. But this is where the true journey begins.

Two stories of love, forgiveness, regret, romance, and finding a way to live a fearless life intertwine as these two women make an indelible impression on each other. And it all starts with a simple "yes."

What are you waiting on this week?

Review: Hidden in the Night

Hidden in the Night by Elizabeth Goddard
My rating: 💛💛💛

This third installment in the Missing Alaska series (each book can be read as a standalone), was intriguing, included a missing person, a murder, a lost manuscript with an unknown danger in trying to recover it, and a sweet building romance.

Though I enjoyed this story, for some reason I did not find it as suspenseful as the prior books in this series. For me the danger and action and suspense only really grabbed me in that can’t-put-down plot I love around the last 30% of the story.

Still, there was a lot happening which led to an action packed mystery.

*I received a complimentary copy from the publisher. All opinions expressed are my own.*

Review book 1: Counter Attack

Review book 2: Shadows at Dusk


View all my reviews

About the book:

At the behest of her ailing mother, former FBI special agent turned rare-book collector Ivy Elliott arrives in Alaska to secure an unpublished Jack London manuscript kept secreted away for decades. But when she arrives, she learns the manuscript is gone--taken by the granddaughter of the woman who possessed it. Ivy sets off in pursuit, not just to save the manuscript but to save the vulnerable girl, who was previously trafficked and has no idea what she's getting herself into.

Joining forces with Alaska State Trooper Nolan Long, Ivy must battle a blizzard, sabotage, and the worst of an Alaskan winter as the search goes on. But every answer they find only raises more questions--and the danger to their lives and to the missing girl may only be the tip of the iceberg.

Don't miss this breathtaking race for truth set amid the glorious--and deadly--Glacier Bay from USA Today bestselling author Elizabeth Goddard.

About the author:

Winner of an Inspirational Readers’ Choice Award in Suspense, Patricia Bradley lives in North Mississippi

with her rescue kitty, Suzy, and loves to write suspense with a twist of romance. Her Logan Point series is available at all on-line retailers and major bookstores. In September 2017, JUSTICE BURIED, the second book in the Memphis Cold Case Novels will release.

Her workshops on writing include online courses with American Christian Fiction Writers, workshops at the Mid-South Christian Writer’s Conference, ACFW Minnesota NICE and Memphis ACFW. When she has time, she likes to throw mud on a wheel and see what happens.

I love connecting with readers on my blog every Tuesday where I have a Mystery Question for them to solve: www.patriciabradleyauthor.com/blog
Twitter: @ptbradley1
FaceBook: www.facebook.com/patriciabradleyauthor
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/ptbradley/

Review: My Stubborn Heart

My Stubborn Heart by Becky Wade
My rating: 💛💛💛

This was an enjoyable contemporary story.

There were things I loved, some I adored and others I didn’t really liked. This all balances out to still bring a book which kept my interest, character growth with some lessons to take home, and a love story to root for.



View all my reviews

About the book:

A Sensational CBA Debut in Contemporary Romance. Kate Donovan is burned out on work, worn down by her dating relationships, and in need of an adventure. When her grandmother asks Kate to accompany her to Redbud, Pennsylvania, to restore the grand old house she grew up in, Kate jumps at the chance,takes a leave of absence from her job as a social worker, and the two of them set off.Upon her arrival in Redbud, Kate meets Matt Jarreau, the man her grandmother has hired to renovate the house. From the first moment she meets Matt, Kate can't help but be attracted to him--he's got a combination of good looks and charisma that draw and tug at her. But she knows there's zero chance of a romance between them. Matt's in love with his dead wife, and even if he weren't, Kate realizes that she's way too ordinary for him. For Matt Jarreau is no ordinary guy. Kate discovers that he was once a great NHL hockey player who left the sport when his wife--an honest-to-goodness former Miss America--was diagnosed with brain cancer. Matt's been hiding from people, from God, and from his past ever since. Yet Kate is absolutely determined to befriend him, to try to reach him, to help him in some small way.No, Kate's not looking for love. She knows better than that by now. But when the stilted, uncomfortable interactions between Kate and Matt slowly shift into something more, is God finally answering the longing of her heart? Or will Kate be required to give up more than she ever dreamed?

About the author:

Becky’s a California native who attended Baylor University, met and married a Texan, and settled in Dallas

with their three children and one Cavalier King Charles Spaniel. She loves penning sweet contemporary romances laced with sizzling chemistry, mystery, faith, banter, and humor. Her thirteen novels and five novellas have been recognized with a Carol Award, INSPY awards, and a spot in the Christy Award Hall of Fame.

When she’s not at her computer, you’ll find her power-walking her neighborhood, driving carpool, eating chocolate, doing yoga, or admiring her dog.

Connect with Becky via her website at BeckyWade.com, on Facebook as Author Becky Wade and on Instagram as BeckyWadeWriter.

Top Ten Tuesday: Books on My Summer 2024 To-Read List

Join in the Top Ten Tuesday fun! Top Ten Tuesday was created by The Broke and the Bookish in June of 2010 and was moved to That Artsy Reader Girl in January of 2018. It was born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together.

Here is my planned Summer reads:

1. At Your Request

2. Dark Ambitions

3. Twisted Lies

4. The Summer of Yes

5. What We Hide

6. Flashback

7. Colors of Truth

8. More Than Words Can Say

9. Formula of Deception

10. Into the Fire

Weekend Wrap-Up: June 16th

 

 

It’s Monday! What are you reading? is hosted by Book Date.

We had a busy week with the 4DaagseAvondsLopen - 4 evenings of 5km each of walking with the school, so we again relaxed over the weekend.

Finished

(Reviews can be found under Book Review tag)

Currently reading

Next up:

What are you reading this week?

Blog Posts Recap:

Here is my past week's Blog Posts.

Top Ten Tuesday

Can't Wait Wednesday

Book Spotlight Fridays!

Saturday Series Discovery

Adding to the Bookshelf:

Which Avid Reader do not add to their shelves! I try to limit mine to review books since I have so many owned on my TBR to read.  So did I add to my shelf this week? 

One ARC this week.

Bought: One Freebie

Book Spotlight Friday! Hidden in the Night

Book Beginnings and Friday56

Book Beginnings is a weekly meme hosted by Rose City Reader that asks you to share the first sentence (or so) of the book you're reading. Friday 56 is hosted by My Head is Full of Books and asks you to grab a book (any book), turn to page 56 or 56% in your e-reader and share a non-spoiler sentence or two.  First Line Friday is a weekly meme hosted by Reading is my Superpower that asks you to share the first sentence of the book you're reading.

This is book three and the final book in the Missing in Alaska series.

Hidden In The Night

About the book:

At the behest of her ailing mother, former FBI special agent turned rare-book collector Ivy Elliott arrives in Alaska to secure an unpublished Jack London manuscript kept secreted away for decades. But when she arrives, she learns the manuscript is gone--taken by the granddaughter of the woman who possessed it. Ivy sets off in pursuit, not just to save the manuscript but to save the vulnerable girl, who was previously trafficked and has no idea what she's getting herself into.

Joining forces with Alaska State Trooper Nolan Long, Ivy must battle a blizzard, sabotage, and the worst of an Alaskan winter as the search goes on. But every answer they find only raises more questions--and the danger to their lives and to the missing girl may only be the tip of the iceberg.

Don't miss this breathtaking race for truth set amid the glorious--and deadly--Glacier Bay from USA Today bestselling author Elizabeth Goddard.

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

Book Beginnings

Get in, get out...a blizzard's coming.

Friday 56

The crew members working to resolve this were under a lot of pressure.

My thoughts so far

I am still in the early sections of this story, but so far I am enjoying it.

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

Review: Deadly Proof

Deadly Proof by Rachel Dylan
My rating: 💛💛💛💛

This was my first Rachel Dylan legal suspense, and it won’t be my last.

I enjoyed all the legal facts, for example the discovery, which is usually a big part of a trial, was realistically portrayed. The suspense and danger give the reader the feeling that someone wants something to be hidden, to reveal small evidence of what it could be, keep the danger and pace fast.

The side characters also faced a few ethical challenges in trying to do everything to win their case, versus being ethical.

Kate’s struggle to also keep a friendship but doing what was right also felt realistic.

I enjoyed this legal suspense and am looking forward to the next book in the series.


View all my reviews

About the book:

In the biggest case of her career, attorney Kate Sullivan is tapped as lead counsel to take on Mason Pharmaceutical because of a corporate cover-up related to its newest drug. After a whistleblower dies, Kate knows the stakes are much higher than her other lawsuits.

Former Army Ranger turned private investigator Landon James is still haunted by mistakes made while serving overseas. Trying to forget the past, he is hired by Kate to look into the whistleblower's allegation and soon suspects that the company may be engaging in a dangerous game for profit. He also soon finds himself falling for this passionate and earnest young lawyer.

Determined not to make the same mistakes, he's intent on keeping Kate safe, but as the case deepens, it appears someone is willing to risk everything—even murder—to keep the case from going to trial.

About the author:

Rachel Dylan is an award-winning and bestselling author of legal thrillers and romantic suspense. Rachel

has practiced law for over a decade including being a litigator at one of the nation's top law firms. She enjoys weaving together legal and suspenseful stories. Rachel writes the Atlanta Justice Series which features strong, female attorneys in Atlanta. Deadly Proof, the first book in the Atlanta Justice series, is a CBA bestseller, an FHL Reader's Choice Award winner, a Daphne du Maurier Finalist, and a Holt Medallion Finalist. Rachel lives in Michigan with her husband and five furkids--two dogs and three cats. Rachel loves to connect with readers. You can find Rachel at www.racheldylan.com.

Can't Wait Wednesday! What We Hide

Can't Wait Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Wishful Endings that spotlights and discusses the books we're excited about that we've yet to read. Generally, they're books that are yet to be released. It's based on Waiting on Wednesday, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine.

I am a long time fan of Colleen Coble and am interested in what she and another great author are bringing together:

About the book: What We Hide

Savannah Webster is trying to find her way forward. She and her husband, Hez, have been separated since tragedy tore them apart and he began numbing his grief and guilt with alcohol. She returned to Tupelo Grove University, which her family helped found over a century ago, to teach history.

When Hez turns up in her classroom asking for a second chance, she rejects the idea immediately. But twenty-four hours later she’s under suspicion for murder, and since Hez is the best attorney she knows, she reluctantly asks him for help. They suspect the murder is tied to someone selling off the university’s pre-Columbian artifacts, but the secrets go much deeper than they realize.

The only hope they’ve got is each other, and they’re going to have to put their past behind them if they’re going to stay alive long enough to uncover all that’s hidden.

What are you waiting on this week?

Top Ten Tuesday: Bookish Wishes

 

 Join in the Top Ten Tuesday fun! Top Ten Tuesday was created by The Broke and the Bookish in June of 2010 and was moved to That Artsy Reader Girl in January of 2018. It was born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together.

Bookish Wishes:  Oh my, which Avid reader do not have a long wish list of books to buy.  I have so many different lists on Amazon, but if I have to choose, this will be the top 10(ish), because it is books I would like to complete series I have started and having to put on hold because I do not have the next book in the series: Wishlist

1.  The Journey of Runs-Far

2.  With Autumn's Return

3.  Finding Evergreen

4.  The Sound of Light

5.  One Wrong Move

6.  Chill Out, Josey: A Vintage Romantic Comedy

7.  More Than Words Can Say

8.  The Lost Boys of Barlowe Theater

9.  The Vanishing at Castle Moreau

10.  Night Falls on Predicament Avenue

Review: Flashover

Flashover by Megan Besing
My rating: 💛💛💛💛

If I could, I would have finished this book in one evening, giving up sleep and hiding away from real life.

Yet hope in Christ didn’t mean there would be no more hardships.

I enjoyed the history and underlying chemistry between Sophie and Houston and how the dangerous situations helped to reconcile their friendship. With some troubled teens and an undercover agent possibly in danger, readers are in for a wild ride.

Don’t let yourself think that you can mess up so much that you can ruin God’s plans. I don’t understand all that He does, but He knows the bigger picture.

I also loved all how the author just made the spiritual element flow within the story, with a few lessons to take home for each reader.

Give God a chance to see how He planned your life. It might surprise you what He does.

Looking forward to the next book, because it feels like there is plot not yet solved which build within each installment of the series.

Don’t hate me, but Sophie, you’re a runner. Sometimes the good things in life are scary at first. God wants you to seek Him when you’re fearful, not hide from Him. Sometimes the bravest thing to do is simply trust Him.

*I received a complimentary copy from the publisher. All opinions expressed are my own.*

Book 1: Flaspoint 

View all my reviews

About the book:

SECRETS. BETRAYAL. SACRIFICE.
THIS TIME, THEY'RE NOT JUST FIGHTING FIRE.

An original series created by bestselling authors Susan May Warren and Lisa Phillips.

She never expected her second chance to show up…

When her special ops brother was killed, Sophie Lamb left everything—and everyone—behind to start over. Now the owner of a ranch that rescues neglected horses, they’ve become her entire life. And sure, she’s still haunted by the death of her brother, but she doesn’t have time to miss those she’s lost—including her high school crush, Houston James, who she absolutely never thinks about. Okay, almost never.

In the middle of a wildfire….

Houston James can’t catch a break. Sure, he survived a house fire, and became a youth pastor, but a recent false accusation in ministry has sent him into a summer fighting fires. The last thing he expects is to find the girl he can’t forget…

When the blazing Montana wildfire threatens her ranch, Sophie refuses to abandon her rescued animals. But the last person she expects to show up and demand her evacuation is of course, Houston James.

Then her prized stallion goes missing, and she and Houston must work together to track him down before the fire catches up to them. And when they stumble upon a shocking discovery, they are forced to work together, and confront their heartbreaking past, if they hope to survive.

In this relentless fight against external threats and the ghosts of their pasts, Houston and Sophie stand on the brink of a second chance. But the fight isn’t over when the threat she left behind finds her…now, what will her second chance at love cost her?

Don't miss out on this gripping tale of survival and redemption in the heart-pounding second installment of the Chasing Fire: Montana series.

About the author:

Megan Besing adores reading, writing, and reviewing stories with happily-ever-afters. She’s received many awards, including being a multi-category finalist in ACFW’s Genesis and a winner of MCRW’s Melody of Love contest. Her debut Perfect for the Preacher released February 2018 in Barbour’s Mail-Order Brides Novella Collection.

She lives in Indiana with her husband and their children, where she dreams of the beach and drinks way too many Vanilla Cokes. Connect with Megan at www.meganbesing.com.