Can't Wait Wednesday! One Fine Day

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 just love the cover of this expect-to-be-sweet story, coming May 24th.

About the book: One Fine Day

A second chance for a first love…

Chloe Beason LaRue left Hearts Bend after high school, determined to never look back. She shed her unrequited crush on Sam Hardy, moved to Paris, went to pastry school, found a good job, fell in love, and got married. She was happy in France. Then her husband tragically died. Now, Chloe just wants to move forward…but when her mom’s health is in jeopardy, Chloe heads right back to Hearts Bend where she’s hired as head baker for Haven’s, the premier bakery in town. She has no idea that moving home will push her right into the arms of the man who broke her heart.

Nashville Titans quarterback Sam Hardy has left Hearts Bend and not looked back. He has too many broken memories. But when he’s sidelined by an injury, he desperately needs to invest in something to safeguard his future. Haven’s Bakery is up for sale—and his business partner believes the deal is too good to pass up. He has no idea that the owners have hired the one girl he can’t seem to forget…and the last thing he expects is to be her boss.

Back in Hearts Bend for the first time in ten years and thrown together at Haven’s Bakery, Chloe and Sam have a second chance at first love. Indeed, the more time Sam spends selling pastries, the more he sees a new future. But when Paris beckons Chloe back, where does her heart belong? Can they find the recipe for leaving regrets behind and start something new?

Escape to Hearts Bend for a sweet story of romance, faith, and an unexpected happy ending.

What are you waiting on this week?

Review: Sea Glass Cottage

Sea Glass Cottage by Irene Hannon
My rating: 💛💛💛

This was a sweet story about forgiveness and reconciliation - not only of old or broken relationships, but also reconciliation with God for more than one character. But it was also a story about learning to trust again.

I enjoyed all the characters we’ve met in this visit to Hope Harbor. From the serious Jack, in-need-of-a break, Christi to the two different seagulls. I liked how Christi’s care and love for others just spilled through on the pages.

“But even when people give up on God, his love never wavers. He just opens his arms and waits to welcome his children back, with all their faults. Reconciliations in the human realm can be difficult, but with God there’s no risk of failure or rejection.”

Another heartwarming story in a small town on the coast of Oregon we all have come to love!

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

View all my reviews

About the book:

Christi Reece is desperate. The one-time golden girl's life has tarnished, and a cascade of setbacks has left her reeling. She needs help, and she's certain Jack Colby is in a position to provide it.

When she shows up in Hope Harbor, however, Jack wants nothing to do with the woman who betrayed him. He's built a new life on the Oregon coast--and there's no room in it for Christi, even after she takes refuge in a charming but mysterious cottage nearby. Yet it soon becomes apparent his opinion of her may need revising . . . especially when he ends up needing her help.

Can these two hurting souls make peace with their past and open their hearts to a new beginning?

Come home to Hope Harbor--where hearts heal . . . and love blooms.

Bestselling and award-winning author Irene Hannon delivers another heartwarming and romantic story set in the enchanting seaside community of Hope Harbor that is loved by readers the world over. Once you visit, you'll never want to leave.

About the author:

Irene Hannon, who writes both contemporary romance and romantic suspense, is the author of more than

50 novels. Her books have been honored with three coveted RITA awards from Romance Writers of America (the “Oscar” of romance fiction) and she is a member of that organization's elite Hall of Fame. She has also received a Career Achievement award from RT Book Reviews for her entire body of work. Other awards for individual books include National Readers' Choice, HOLT Medallion, Daphne du Maurier, Retailers Choice, Booksellers' Best, and Reviewers' Choice from RT Book Reviews. She is also a two-time Christy award finalist.

A former corporate communications executive with a Fortune 500 company, Irene now writes full time. To learn more about Irene and her books, visit www.irenehannon.com.

Review: To Disguise the Truth

To Disguise the Truth by Jen Turano
My rating: 💛💛💛💛

This was another fun book by Jen Turano and readers finally discovered the truth about Eunice she was hiding under her widow veils.

The humour fans have come to love and enjoy by this author was back in this third and final book in the series, but the author also highlighted some serious historical facts in this story as well - sane woman being taken to asylums by rich husbands just to get them out of the way for one.

I enjoyed the mystery of Eunice’s past we get to solve and loved watching the chemistry between Eunice and Arthur, especially because the characters was unaware.

Loved catching up with all the characters we’ve met and Daphne was definitely my favourite throughout the series.

Looking forward to catching up on this author’s backlist, since this series was the first I’ve finished by this author.

*I listened to the audiobook on Scribd.*

Review book 1: To Steal a Heart

Review book 2: To write a wrong 

View all my reviews

About the book:

When Arthur Livingston arrives out of the blue at the Bleecker Street Inquiry Agency, anxious to hire the agency to seek out a missing heiress, Eunice Holbrooke realizes her past has finally caught up with her.

Having fled from the scene of her grandfather's murder seven years before, Eunice is a lady with secrets--the most important that she is the missing heiress Arthur is seeking. She has no intention of allowing him to learn she's been disguising herself, especially when she has reason to believe Arthur could hold her responsible for her grandfather's death.

In order to avoid Arthur and conceal her real identity, Eunice takes on another case that requires her to go deep undercover. With secrets from the past--and Arthur--appearing wherever she looks, she wonders how she will ever uncover the truth behind her grandfather's murder. Will what she discovers set Eunice free or place her in peril's way?

About the author:

Named One of the Funniest Voices in Inspirational Romance by Booklist, Jen Turano is a USA Today Best-Selling Author, known for penning quirky historical romances set in the Gilded Age. Her books have earned Publisher Weekly and Booklist starred reviews, top picks from Romantic Times, and praise from Library Journal. She’s been a finalist twice for the RT Reviewers’ Choice Awards and had two of her books listed in the top 100 romances of the past decade from Booklist. When she’s not writing, she spends her time outside of Denver, CO. Readers may find her at www.jenturano.com - https://www.facebook.com/jenturanoaut... , https://www.instagram.com/jenturanoau... or on Twitter at JenTurano@JenTurano.

Monthly Recap: April 2022

 

 I first saw this monthly reflections idea on: Christian bookshelf reviews

April was another crazy month at work, but with all the public holidays I did manage to get a lot of reading in.  Some of my reviews are just a bit behind:

What I've read:

(Reviews can be found under Book Review tag)

Paperback:

Did not manage to finish my paperback - due to the need to work at night or loadshedding which meant Kindle reading time.

What I would like to read in May:

Currently Reading:

Upcoming reads (hopeful):

Did I buy any new books?

Bought:

Oops - stress buy!

Did I read everything I wanted too?

No, had to carry over a lot to May:

ARC/Netgalley update:

ARC/Netgalley books downloaded this month:

ARC/Netgalley books read and reviewed:

How was your month?

Top Ten Tuesday: One-Word Reviews for the Last Ten Books I Read

 

 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.

This one is a bit challenging, especially to not repeat the same word for all!

1.  Sea Glass Cottage

Reconciliation

2.  Chasing Hope

Running

3. A Cry from the Dust

Bones

4.  Shadowed Loyalty

Mafia

5.  Guilty Blood

Conspiracies 

6.  To Disguise the Truth

Fun

7.  The Catch

Conclusions

8.  The Fairchild's Lady

Secrets

9.  Yours Is the Night

Lyrical

10.  Willow

Powerful

Review: What Remains True

What Remains True by Nancy Naigle
My rating: 💛💛💛

This is a new-to-me-author and overall, I liked this story. It took me a while to really get into the story, but as I got to know the characters, I found myself more invested in the story.

There was a few turns of events I did not see coming which helped the story remain interesting.

There was one major problem I had which for me personally kept this from a 4-star. The male lead, Adam, acknowledged previous intimate relationships and he made a comment that he and Mary Anna did not sleep together very loosely, and at the same time he is a Christian and volunteers with the youth. I know we all are sinners, made mistakes, have a past and are forgiven, however, that promise comes with repentance and turning our back to sin. Through what I've read, I did not get that message/feeling that Adam is repentant and in fact turned his back to that life. God made intimacy to enjoy between a husband and wife, but the message I got through Adam is: just be careful, which is not in line with God's word.

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

View all my reviews

About the book:

An uplifting novel about new beginnings disguised as failed plans and the joy of falling in love all over again, from USA Today bestselling author Nancy Naigle.

Merry Anna Foster just moved to Antler Creek, North Carolina. It's not a forever move, just a little sabbatical following an ugly divorce that destroyed her self-confidence. A three-month bet with her freeloading ex-husband, intended to prove she can live on less, has Merry Anna shedding her high-expense, demanding lifestyle to live simply. Now she has just two goals: win the wager and say yes to new opportunities. Soon she finds herself renting a small place in town, working in a gift shop on Main Street, and loving every minute of her low-key, no-major-responsibility life.

Adam Lockwood is the most eligible bachelor in town, but that doesn't mean he's available. The rodeo-loving owner of the Antler Creek Feed Mill is laser-focused on his goals, and they don't include settling down...yet. He is curious about the quiet woman who just arrived in town, though. There's an immediate spark between them, almost as if they'd known each other before.

But not long into their new friendship, Adam is unexpectedly thrust into solo parenting his young daughter he's never met, leaving Merry Anna questioning his motives--while struggling with her own growing attraction toward him. To complicate things further, Merry's ex-husband shows up and desperately tries to reconcile their relationship. Merry Anna must trust her restored confidence and follow her heart to make a choice. And she may end up surprising everyone--including herself.

About the author:

USA TODAY Bestselling author, Nancy Naigle, writes love stories from the crossroad of small town and suspense.

With a career spent on the cutting edge of technology in the banking industry, she never let go of her dream to write. Now she works full-time writing stories that are a calming blend of community, family, and the simple things in life. She writes the kind of stories she hopes will provide an escape from the hectic day-to-day in the make believe worlds she creates.

Review: Shadowed Loyalty

Shadowed Loyalty by Roseanna M. White
My rating: 💛💛💛💛

People were never just their sins.

Fans of Roseanna M White will fined this book different than what they are familiar with, however, it is just as good, entertaining and impactful.

Readers who prefers character growth books, will love this one. The growth of the main female lead was evident through this book, and where she started out as this naïve and bit spoiled girl in the beginning, she ended as a strong, insightful women who found her way to true love and God's light in her world of darkness.

Lorenzo - now, if you love dashing gentlemen who loves unconditionally, but also has and owns up to his own faults, you will love Enzo. I loved his solid faith and how he was the perfect example of what it means to "Love the sinner, not the sin".

forgiveness isn’t a ticket you buy, a one-time thing bought and paid for. Forgiveness is the train you choose to ride through life’s journey. You have to stay on it, even though sometimes you don’t know where it’s taking you. You have to trust it to protect you from the elements that rage outside—and inside.

There was love triangles, love interests, murder, action and some very lost characters, all which added to the mystique and danger of the Mafia world, but the author did a great job of shining God's light through it all.

Definitely worth a read for fans of this author.

I would have loved an epilogue though.

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

View all my reviews

About the book:

Sabina Mancari never questioned her life as the daughter of Chicago’s leading mob boss until bullets tear apart her world and the man she thought she loved turned out to be an undercover Prohibition agent. Now she sees how ugly the underworld can be. Ambushes, bribes, murder, prostitution—she thought her beloved Papa was above all that, but clearly he isn’t. What does that mean, though, for her and their family? Maybe Lorenzo, the fiancé who has barely paid her any attention in the last two years, has the right idea by planning to escape their world.

All his life, Lorenzo’s family assumed he would join the Church, but he has different ideas—marrying Sabina and pursuing a career in the law. But despite his morals, he knows at the core he isn’t so unlike his father and brothers, which has always terrified him. Has he, in trying to protect Sabina from his flaws, in fact harmed her? It sure seems that way when he realizes he all but forced her into the arms of the Prohibition Agent now bent on tearing her family apart at all costs. But how can they rebuild what has so long been neglected…and do it in the shadow of the dark empire of the Mafia?

Shadowed Loyalty, set amid the glitz and scandal of the Roaring Twenties, examines what love really means and how we draw lines between family and our own convictions, especially when following the one could mean losing the other.

About the author:

Roseanna M. White is a bestselling, Christy Award nominated author who has long claimed that words are

the air she breathes. When not writing fiction, she’s homeschooling her two kids, editing, designing book covers, and pretending her house will clean itself. Roseanna is the author of a slew of historical novels that span several continents and thousands of years. Spies and war and mayhem always seem to find their way into her books…to offset her real life, which is blessedly ordinary. She and her family make their home in the beautiful mountains of West Virginia. You can learn more about her and her stories at www.RoseannaMWhite.com.
see also Roseanna White

Also see:  Author Discovery: Roseanna M White