A Lasting Impression, book #2

 

Finally got back to a Tamara Alexander book!  This is the first one of the Belmont series, and if memory serves correct this is the first of her "homes" books ~ as in the ones from Belmont, Carnton, and Belle Meade.  This is the first of the Belmont series I have read and I thorough loved it!  Even though it was published 10 years ago, her writing then was just full and rich as it was in her last book.  

The thing that is so great about all these books is that even though they are in a series based on the home, they can still all be stand alones!  I still think I'm going to go ahead and find the next one to read, though!  And I'm anxous to go visit the Belmont Mansion since it's not far from where I live.

To create something that will last is Claire Laurent's most fervent desire as an artist. It's also her greatest weakness. When her fraud of a father deals her an unexpected hand, Claire is forced to flee from New Orleans to Nashville, only a year after the War Between the States has ended. Claire's path collides with that of Sutton Monroe, and she considers him a godsend for not turning her in to the authorities. But when they meet again and he refuses to come to her aid, she realizes she's sorely misjudged the man. Trading an unwanted destiny for an unknown future, Claire finds herself in the middle of Nashville's elite society and believes her dream of creating a lasting impression in the world of art may finally be within reach.  All that Sutton Monroe holds dear lies in ruin. He's determined to reclaim his heritage and to make the men who murdered his father pay. But what he discovers on his quest for vengeance reveals a truth that may cost him more than he ever imagined.  Set at Nashville's historic 1850s Belmont Mansion, a stunning antebellum manor built by Mrs. Adelicia Acklen, the richest woman in America in the 1860s, A Lasting Impression showcases the deep, poignant, unforgettable characters that set Tamera's stories apart and provides an inspiring love story that will capture readers' hearts and leave them eager for more.  (picture and description from Amazon)

Happy Reading!

Melissa

How May I Offend You, book #1

 

Doesn't this look like a good book to start the year off with? :)  Susannah is one of my favorites on Facebook, just calling it like it is, and throwing Jesus in there too.  She has written other books, but I haven't gotten around to them yet.  But this one really drew me in and I couldn't wait to get started on it!  

Don’t know how to respond to friends’ political rants on Facebook? USA Today bestselling author Susannah B. Lewis (creator of Whoa! Susannah) is back with another hilarious take on what so many people are thinking but are afraid to say aloud.

Hear Susannah’s hot takes on everyday topics such as:

Public displays of affection

T shirts with indecent images

And of course… politics

Millions of online fans have flocked to Susannah B. Lewis's hysterical, take-no-prisoners rants about her pet peeves in everyday life. Now, in How May I Offend You Today?, Lewis turns her trademark humor to ordinary events that work her nerves--from people who wear t-shirts with indecent images to public displays of affection in the plumbing aisle of Lowe's--while keeping a wry eye on herself and her own temptation to vent grievances "like a teenage girl in overalls and Birkenstocks."

Weaving together anecdotes from her distinctly Southern life with frequent references to the Bible, what she calls "our manual for living," Lewis says what many of us have thought, and in the process encourages us to stand firm in our views. The witty-yet-down-to-earth banter and uplifting, inspirational message of How May I Offend You Today? gives readers everywhere the boost necessary to make it through even their most trying days.  (picture and description from Amazon)

I have decided to start on my Tamara Alexander list and am working through a Belmont book first.  And tomorrow is book club so I'll get a new one to start on for that as well!  Books galore!!

"When trouble strikes, head to the library. You will either be able to solve the problem, or simply have something to read as the world crashes down on you."

Keep Reading!

O:)

Melissa