The Candy Cane Cottage: A Holiday He Always Loved Her Romance (Christmas House Romances Book 5), book #48

 

Another adorable book in this precious series.  It was a little hard to get into, but once I did I loved it!

Real estate mogul and Army Reserve officer Jeremy Houston has finally achieved success. So much so, he's ready to go back to his hometown, wintry Wilder River, to find out whether Danica Denton—the girl who hates him most in all the world—will give him one last chance.

After all, the restraining order should have expired by now, right? And no one could actually prove he intentionally vandalized her sister's wedding.  If Danica, spunky owner of The Candy Cane Cottage, can finally see Jeremy for who he's become, she might fall for him.

Or she might push him into the freezing river.  However, when he arrives in the mountain town, an accident has made Danica completely forget Jeremy’s mistakes—and everything else.  Jeremy must choose—can he try to woo Danica while she can't remember the Old Jeremy? Or would that be wrong?  For a magical, snowy world of Christmas romance, chemistry, charm, and a sweet dose of amnesia-laced holiday humor and love, it's The Candy Cane Cottage.  (picture and description at Amazon)

I have started the next one in the series and after this there are three that I have not read.  I have the paperback of one, but the others I would have to purchase.  Also, there are now only a few days left until the new year.  A decision will have to be made as to whether I will plow through and finish the series, even if it means going into January -- or if I will stop and save the others until next November.  Even as I type this I feel certain I know what I will do :)

Merry Christmas!

Melissa

The Mechanics of Mistletoe, book #47

 

Well, I wasn't ready to move on from my sweet little series I was reading through this Christmas, but it was a book club book and I try very hard to read what is suggested.  So I did.  It was very confusing at first, as based on the cover it looked like the main characters were your typical young folks. But no!  The girl was in her late 30s and the guy was in his early 40s!  So that threw me right there.  I think if I had of read this at a different time I might have enjoyed it more, but it also doesn't mean I'm going to read the other 13 books in this series.  However, I did realize I already have one of them purchased in my Paperwhite content.  It might not be so bad to read during another time of year.

Bear Glover can be a grizzly or a teddy, and he's always thought he'd be just fine working his generational family ranch and going back to the homestead alone. But he's had a crush on Samantha Benton for a while now, and he's decided it's time to do something about it.  But his first date with Sammy is a spectacular disaster. He's embarrassed and doesn't call her back, but when three tornadoes hit Three Rivers, his first thought is of the beautiful woman he'd really like a second chance with.  Sammy feels like she has to be the strong one in her family. Ever since her sister and her husband died, Sammy's taken care of Lincoln, her sister's son, and her aging parents. And three tornadoes?  They've only added the weight of the world to Sammy's shoulders. School's been canceled, and she has nowhere for her eight-year-old to go.  Bear knows exactly what to do with an eight-year-old boy on a ranch, and he offers to take Lincoln up to Shiloh Ridge Ranch with him every day. Bear has a lot of contacts in town, and he's able to help Sammy and her parents get cleaned up and back in their houses in record time. In fact, Bear has an answer for everything—which only makes Sammy feel weak. And she hates nothing more than feeling weak.  (picture and description from Amazon)

Now back to our regularly scheduled sweet Christmas series ....

Keep Reading!

Melissa

The Peppermint Drop Inn: A Sparkling Holiday Romance (Christmas House Romances Book 4), book #46

 

History buff and blacksmithing enthusiast Bryony had very good reasons for dumping Colton two years ago.  Dumbfounded CEO Colton has no idea what those reasons could be. Things had been going so well before her demolition day struck. He'd even bought a ring!  Now, the exes work together daily, restoring the historic houses in town--while their relationship's history bubbles just beneath the surface.  When Colton’s meddling sister insists Colton show up at their family holiday gathering fake-engaged, can a holiday at a pink Victorian house give Colton a chance to rebuild love with the woman he lost?  He needs a Christmas miracle.  (picture and description at Amazon)

Time to read the book for Book Club!

Melissa

The Holiday Hunting Lodge: A Blizzard Romance (Christmas House Romances Book 3), book #45

 

Music composer Jesse Parrish has a dream contract! He’s been signed to write the soundtrack for a film with award potential. This one job could make his whole career. Twelve themes, all due to the producer at Christmas—but he’s completely blocked. He doesn’t have a single theme, let alone twelve.  He needs to get out of Vancouver and somewhere he can think.  Aspiring private pilot Mattie Daines has been crushing on Jesse since before he started dating Mattie’s older sister. His music makes her heart sing—but what kind of creep-o falls in love with her sister’s boyfriend? That’s half the reason she’s been working as an outdoors guide anywhere but Vancouver for the past couple of years.  When Mattie hears that Jesse is desperate for a private plane to take him to a friend’s mountain lodge, she leaps at the chance, if only to prove that she can be around him without her knees going weak.  Mattie whisks Jesse off to the mountains in her plane, but when bad weather threatens the flight, will this dangerous plane ride also threaten Mattie’s firm resolve not to let feelings for Jesse back into her life? (picture and description at Amazon)

Happy Thanksgiving!! 

Melissa

The Sleigh Bells Chalet: A Small-Town Christmas Romance (Christmas House Romances Book 2), book #44

 

Hotel owner Ellery Hart’s business is on the rocks. Rooms are empty, the lobby is ugly, and a huge loan payment is due. Unless she can pay, she will lose her grandpa’s legacy, the Bells Chalet. While her mom would have her marry the rich banker who is holding the hotel’s title ransom, that idea is beyond unacceptable.  Ellery needs brilliant business solution. But how to make one happen fast?  Bing Whitmore has been running the family business, Whitmore Thoroughbred Stables, on his own. But when his heart is broken by two females—horses, that is—he is thrown for an emotional loop, and all he wants to do is quit. Sell the stables. Never look at another horse again.  Instead, his cousin convinces him to take a vacation. They travel nine hours to the quietest hotel he can find—the Bells Chalet. Meeting a beautiful hotel owner makes this escape better than he could have hoped. When Ellery needs help, Bing wants to do anything to make her smile, even if it means helping her fill the perfectly serene hotel with more guests. But when he learns that her hotel-saving plan involves the very thing he’s traveled so far to avoid, can Bing put aside his pain and help Ellery save her grandpa’s business and the jobs of the employees she loves?  (photo and description at Amazon)

Absolutely loving this cute series!

Melissa

The Christmas Cookie House: A Sweet Holiday Romance (Christmas House Romances Book 1), book #43

 

See how fast and fun these books are?!?  I love them, it's like visiting a Christmas Town with fun characters like the ones in Hope Harbor.

Former bookshop keeper Leela Miller is back in Massey Falls. Her mom passed away last spring, and she's home taking care of her ailing father. Now, Leela is desperate to fill Mom’s shoes in the Ladies’ Auxiliary by chairing the Cookie House fundraiser. The hitch: mean-eyed Mrs. Coldicott refuses to host the event at her Society Row home as planned.  Leela must find a new venue big enough and fancy enough to draw in customers, or Mom's event might get canceled. There's only one perfect place: the Layton Mansion.  New vet school graduate Jay Wilson has been remodeling the Layton Mansion since he inherited it this summer. It’s almost Christmas, and the house is nearly ready to flip!  If he can get a good price for it, he can buy a partnership at a veterinary clinic out of town. However, by stipulation of the will, Jay can't sell the house until he cleans out the attic.  Jay needs help completing the enormous task before his deadline. The beautiful Leela will eagerly help—if he agrees to allow her to use the house for her event. But, when Jay learns that the Cookie House event is the same day as his sale deadline, will he sell the house out from under the girl he might just be falling in love with?  (picture and description from Amazon)

Today I have a lot of work to do around the house (it IS Saturday, after all!) and some presents to wrap!  But I still can't wait to get started on the next one ...

Happy Christmas Reading!

Melissa

Yuletide Manor: A Small-Town Bakery Romance (Christmas House Romances Book 10), book #42

 

This adorable series of books was on my Amazon Book Wish List but one day I noticed them at my Mother-in-Law's house and I was like, "Hey!  I was wanting to read those!"  She had borrowed them from her sister (who, oddly enough, is my mom's best friend from Indy, but that is another story) and told me to take them and just give them back when I was done.  So just like that I got several free books to read!

Artisan baker Natalie Tanner is the last person who should plan a wedding. She can’t even plan a dinner party for three. But when her little sister’s Christmas wedding preparations fall apart back in Massey Falls, it’s up to Natalie to return to her hometown and give it her best.  To her shock, the wedding venue is Yuletide Manor. Yes, it's her childhood dream mansion, but it belongs to Hunter Hawthorn, who humiliated her and broke her teen-aged heart.  Hunter Hawthorn has agonized for years over his cruel mistake. Little does he know, he’s going to finally get his chance to apologize. But will Natalie accept?  With gorgeous snow festivals, Christmastime family traditions, and a beautiful wedding at moonrise, Yuletide Manor is the perfect place to spend a cozy afternoon of reading.  (picture and description from Amazon)

Of course, I didn't realize I started with the last one in the series, but they don't really go in order.  I'm almost done with the next one I started, and it is the first one, so maybe I can get on track now.  

I just love Christmas books!!

Happy Reading!

Melissa

Amazing Grace (Hymns of the West #3), book #41

 

As you may or may not notice, this is actually the third book in the series  we read last month for Book Club.  I didn't really care for the other book, but the other girls absolutely loved it and really wanted to read another one.  So we agreed to this one, because it sounded a little better than the second once.  I must admit it wasn't quite as bad as the first, or maybe I just got used to it.  

Amid the chaos of his own soul, Caleb finds solace in the secret letters from a widow and her young daughter. Their unabashed faith in God convicts him and increases his inner struggles, but he keeps writing anyway.  Maggie, driven by a fierce desire to provide for her daughter, Rachel, steps into the world of mail-order brides. With every tick of the clock, their future becomes more uncertain. If Maggie fails to secure a future, Rachel may not survive through the next year.  Can Caleb learn to trust God despite his past? Can Maggie and Rachel hold onto their faith despite all their trials? What will happen when they meet in person? (picture and description at Amazon)

So for our FHS Book Club, they decided to go ahead and pick one book to read over Thanksgiving and another to read over Christmas.  I am supposed to be reading these books to expand my horizons, but I also love to read Christmas books in November and December.  And neither of the books are Christmas books.  I thought maybe I would read one of them, but the one I would be interested in reading is the one for November.  So I guess those are out for this go around.

I have a large stack of Christmas books calling my name and I can't wait to get started on them TONIGHT!!!

Tis the season for reading!

Melissa

Starfish Pier (Hope Harbor #6), book #40

 

I can't believe I only have one book left in this series now!  However, I understand that there will be a new one out next Spring.  But I have thoroughly loved hanging out with all these folks!

A year ago, ex-Delta Force operator Steven Roark left the rigors of combat behind to run fishing charters in Hope Harbor, decompress, and talk some sense into his kid brother. Business is good--but making peace with his past is more challenging than he expected.  First-grade teacher Holly Miller leads a quiet, low-profile existence--until she's recruited to advocate for a cause that's dear to her heart. When she solicits Steven's assistance, sparks fly--especially after they find themselves on opposite sides of an issue that disrupts their placid seaside community.  As these two seemingly incompatible souls search for common ground, might they discover a deeper connection--and find that love can banish darkness and light the way to a future filled with promise?  (picture and description at Amazon)

It's really time to start reading Christmas books next week, but I still have a few "regular" books to finish before I can start with those.

Keep Reading!

O:)

Melissa

A Mighty Fortress (Hymns of the West #1), book #39

 

What sounded to be a good book ended up being a bust.  Or maybe, since I hadn't read this author before, I didn't know what I was getting into. Although this book was published in 2013, it read more like a Grace Livingston Hill book (written in the early 1900s).  She has written several books in this series, as well as various other series.  Probably not reading any more of hers.  

Joshua and Ruth Brookings travel by stagecoach to finally join their parents in Montana. Attacked by murderous outlaws, the teens barely escape with their lives and must survive in the rugged wilderness of Wyoming and Montana all while escaping the man who's hunting them.  Seven years ago, Jed Stuart ran away from home and joined Tom's gang. Jed is tired of the lawlessness and wants out. The only problem? He is the boss's right-hand man and will never be able to leave. And what's one more stagecoach robbery, anyway?  Can Joshua lean on God's strength to keep himself and his sister alive until they find a town? Will Jed be able to face his anger or will it consume him completely? All three are running—the hunter and hunted. What will happen when they meet again?  Dive into a thrilling tale of suspense, resilience, and redemption. (picture and description at Amazon)

Just because you get a bum book, though, doesn't mean you should stop reading! :)

Melissa

Sandpiper Beach (Hope Harbor #3), book #38

 

Another sweet unexpected couple from Hope Harbor :)

Hope Harbor police chief Lexie Graham has plenty on her plate raising her son alone and dealing with a sudden rash of petty theft and vandalism in her coastal Oregon hometown. As a result, she has zero time for extracurricular activities--including romance. Ex-con Adam Stone isn't looking for love either--but how ironic is it that the first woman to catch his eye is a police chief? Yet wishing for things that can never be is foolish.  Nevertheless, when Lexie enlists Adam's help to keep a young man from falling into a life of crime, sparks begin to fly. And as they work together, it soon becomes apparent that God may have a different--and better--future planned for them than either could imagine.

On Tuesday we meet for the Faculty Book Club and Thursday will be regular Book Club!  I'm so excited!!

Keep Reading!

Melissa

Blackberry Beach (Hope Harbor #7), book #37

 

It never gets old in Hope Harbor ...

Katherine Parker is on the cusp of having everything she ever wanted--fame, money, and acclaim. So why isn't she happy? In search of answers, she comes incognito to Hope Harbor on the Oregon coast for some R&R. Maybe in her secluded rental house overlooking the serene Pacific she'll be able to calm the storm inside.  Coffee shop owner Zach Garrett has found his niche after a traumatic loss--and he has no plans to change the life he's created. Nor does he want to get involved with his reticent new neighbor, whose past is shrouded in mystery. He's had enough drama to last a lifetime. But when Katherine and Zach are recruited to help rehab a home for foster children, sparks fly. And as their lives begin to intersect, might they find more common ground than they expected . . . and discover that, with love, all things are possible?  (Picture and description at Amazon)

Gonna squeeze in another one before I start on our Book Club book!

Keep Reading!

Melissa

Piece de Resistance, book #37

 

Aah, the thrilling conclusion!  This author kept me entertained all the way through all three books, right up until the end of this one.  And it ended just the way I hoped it would, although it was a little touch or go there for a while.  I highly recommend this sweet little series; at about 300 pages each they are quick and fun reads!

Having earned her chef's hat, Lexi Stuart bids au revoir to her glamorous and deliciously satisfying pastry mentorship to find life unexpectedly complicated.  She's now in charge of a high-end catering bakery, but there's a catch: she must make this lavish bakery a successful business in just a few short months. In over her head and at a loss for creative marketing ideas, Lexi can't compose the perfect recipe for success.  Stir in a complicated relationship with her French beau, then add a dash of romance with her down-to-earth lawyer, and life suddenly contains more oh là là than Lexi can handle.  (Picture and description at Amazon)

Now it's time to hunt for a new Book Club book!

Keep reading!

Melissa

Bon Appetit, book #36

 

The story continues!  Thanks to a day in bed with a migraine and the fact that it only had 290 pages, I whipped through this one pretty quick.  It was just as quirky and fun as the last one, leaving you hanging right up until the last chapter.

Lexi Stuart is risking it all. Saying au revoir to the security of home, her job, and her could-be boyfriend, she embarks on a culinary adventure in France to fulfill her dream of becoming a pastry chef.  Life in her new quaint French village should be everything she dreamed of, but settling in isn't nearly as easy as she imagined. Her optimism is greeted with both acceptance and resistance in the people and culture around her—soft and crusty at the same time— like the best baguettes. Determined to gain her footing, she presses into her work, meets new friends, and makes the acquaintance of a child named Celine and Celine's attractive, widowed father.  As Lexi lives her dream, she realizes she can have anything from life's patisserie display window, but not everything. How will she choose?  (picture and description at Amazon)

I'm kinda sad to read the last book because I don't want the fun to end, but I very curious to see how it will end for Lexie!

Keep Reading!

Melissa

Let Them Eat Cake, book #35

 

While I'm in between books before Book Club next week, I decided to read this fun book and let me tell you, it was *sweet* 😊  I hope I have already purchased the second book because I'll be ready to pick it up tonight!

What do you do when you've got a degree in French and absolutely no job prospects? Of course, you slide into your favorite French bakery for a café crème! When a lighthearted conversation with the manager of the local patisserie turns into a job offer, Lexi Stuart gladly accepts.  She indulges in tasty pastries and wins over skeptical coworkers, but the glamour is minimal, and the pay is less than generous. Trouble by the handful is stirred into her life as she juggles the flirtatious baker she has her eye on and a handsome young executive who likes Lexi even more than her Napoleons.  As she folds together dilemma and delight, Lexi learns that trying to fulfill everyone else's expectations is not satisfying. Instead, she must risk everything safe and comfortable to find out if the dream is within her reach.  (Picture and description at Amazon)

Keep Reading!

Melissa

Double Indemnity, book #34

 

Sigh, it's been a while since I read a Robert Whitlow book and I wasn't sure about going from Hope Harbor to World War II to this, but it took right off and I was sold in the first chapter!  He never fails to disappoint!

This was an actual paperbook I read for a change.  For my birthday/Mother's Day I was in Jackson and Katie took me to Books-A-Million and bought me two books! 😀This was one of them.  I am debating about reading the other one next.  I think it is called something like The Beach in Autumn so I was going to wait until it cooled off a bit, but since it is 81 degrees today in mid-September I might have to wait.  

Matt and Elena Thompson present the picture of perfection. But their enviable life isn’t all it seems. Their marriage is on the rocks, and financial disaster looms. Then Matt is killed in a hunting accident, and the questions and accusations begin to mount.  Attorney Liz Acosta, newly arrived in the mountains of north Georgia after graduating from law school, plans to get some job experience on her resume before returning home to seek a position with a big-time firm. Intellectual pastor Connor Grantham isn’t sure that shepherding a rural congregation is what he ultimately wants to do with his life. Drawn to philosophy, theology, and nature, he’s beginning to feel more at home in north Georgia—especially after he meets the brilliant and energetic Liz.  While Liz and Connor spend more time with each other and discover just how compatible two people from wildly different backgrounds can be, they’re also being drawn into the shadowy world of Matt and Elena Thompson. As the couple’s marriage counselor, Connor finds himself in the middle of their explosive arguments. As Elena’s attorney, Liz is caught in the tailspin created by Matt’s death.  Together, Connor and Liz attempt to solve the mystery of what really happened to Matt. If his death is ruled an accident, then the double indemnity clause in his life insurance would go into effect, essentially doubling the payout. But as Liz sorts through the legal paperwork of who stands to gain an immense sum of money from Matt’s death, Connor is accused of the unthinkable with much more at stake than millions of dollars. (picture and description from Amazon)

I could always go back to Hope Harbor to finish the last few few books, or I could jump around to something else.  Hhm...

Keep reading!

Melissa

Artifice, book #33

 

This book is pretty different than most I read, but we are starting a new faculty book club at school and of course I am not going to pass up that opportunity!!  Luckily, this book ended up being pretty good in the end.  Here is my emoji walk through of the book:

😐😒😔😕😟😭😭😥😞😱😮😩😬😧😤😍

Isa de Smit was raised in the vibrant, glittering world of her parents' small art gallery in Amsterdam, a hub of beauty, creativity, and expression, until the Nazi occupation wiped the color from her city's palette. The "degenerate" art of the Gallery de Smit is confiscated, the artists in hiding or deported, her best friend, Truus, fled to join the shadowy Dutch resistance. And masterpiece by masterpiece, the Nazis are buying and stealing her country’s heritage, feeding the Third Reich's ravenous appetite for culture and art.  So when the unpaid taxes threaten her beloved but empty gallery, Isa decides to make the Nazis pay. She sells them a fake--a Rembrandt copy drawn by her talented father--a sale that sets Isa perilously close to the second most hated class of people in Amsterdam: the collaborators. Isa sells her beautiful forgery to none other than Hitler himself, and on the way to the auction, discovers that Truus is part of a resistance ring to smuggle Jewish babies out of Amsterdam.  But Truus cannot save more children without money. A lot of money. And Isa thinks she knows how to get it. One more forgery, a copy of an exquisite Vermeer, and the Nazis will pay for the rescue of the very children they are trying annihilate. To make the sale, though, Isa will need to learn the art of a master forger, before the children can be deported, and before she can be outed as a collaborator. And she finds an unlikely source to help her do it: the young Nazi soldier, a blackmailer and thief of Dutch art, who now says he wants to desert the German army.  Yet, worth is not always seen from the surface, and a fake can be difficult to spot. Both in art, and in people. Based on the true stories of Han Van Meegeren, a master art forger who sold fakes to Hermann Goering, and Johann van Hulst, credited with saving 600 Jewish children from death in Amsterdam, Sharon Cameron weaves a gorgeously evocative thriller, simmering with twists, that looks for the forgotten color of beauty, even in an ugly world.  (Picture and description at Amazon)

So here's the deal.  In the back recesses of  my mind I vaguely remember another book I read that had to do with taking the Jewish babies to save them.  And many of the details from that part of the book were very familiar to me, thus making me think that that part was based on true stories of locations.  But what book was it?!?  I went back throught almost ten years of  book here on the blog and I only have one that might have had this part in it, Chateau of Secrets. I feel like maybe it wasn't, but to save my life I can't find anything else that would match up.

I'll be curious to see what the others think of it!

Happy reading!

Melissa

Exodus and Z is for Moose, books 31-32 AND THE END OF ROUND ONE OF READ THROUGH THE ALPHABET!!!

 

Let's talk about Exodus first.  This is a cheat book for X because I could not find anything that seemed the least bit interesting.  It was early in the year when I read it, but I did still read a X book.  If you want to see overviews of Exodus, check out Bible Project's version Part One here and Part Two here.

So this book (might) be considered a cheater too, but not necessarily.  All I had to do is read it, so the fact that I was sitting in Barnes and Noble reading it doesn't really make it a cheat, right?  Even if I put it back on the shelf? :)  

This one was really fun and while I would love to attach the pictures I took of some of the pages, the library scientist in me knows that is a very illegal thing to do.  :(  Alas, reading it was very enjoyable and reminded me of how much fun I had reading books to my kids and to other kids in libraries and classrooms.  I can't wait to have grandkids to read to!!  

Zebra thinks the alphabet should be simple. A is for Apple. B is for Ball. Easy! But his friend Moose is too excited to wait his turn, and when M isn't for Moose (Mouse gets the honor), the rest of the letters better run for cover.  Exuberant and zany storytelling brings to life two friends and one laugh-out-loud comedy of errors that's about friendship, sharing, and compromise. (picture and description from Amazon)

I thought I might be wondering what to read next, but we now have a Staff Book Club at work (which of course I joined!) and the first book we are reading starts with A.  So there you go.

Never stop reading!

Melissa

A Question of Destiny, book #30

 

A cute, fun Q book that I didn't even know I had on my Paperwhite!

In this Christian contemporary romance, Lucy O’Brien is about to be given ten million dollars and a chance to live a life she never imagined. Will this new found wealth be Lucy’s undoing, or can she rise above the temptations within high society and choose to become a nobler version of herself? And will the solitary Andrew Whitfield—a man who watches over Lucy as she adapts to her new lifestyle—cause her to close the door on her dreams or be the key that opens the rest of Lucy’s destiny? (picture and description at Amazon)

Look later today for my X and Z book, making me DONE! ~ now it's time to start over! 😃

Always reading,

(and watching TV and cross-stitching!)

Melissa

Windswept Way (Hope Harbor #9), book #29

 

Ahhh, back to Hope Harbor!  I wasn't sure I would like this book, but of course I did!  

Buying a haunted house was never in Ashley Scott's plans, but when an intriguing opportunity drops into her lap after a major setback, she finds herself trekking cross-country to Hope Harbor on the Oregon coast to launch a new life.  Wounded warrior Jonathan Gray isn't sure what to make of the attractive woman on his reclusive older neighbor's isolated property, but her presence is none of his business--until she enlists his help with an ambitious project. When Jonathan finds his interest in the new arrival becoming more personal than professional, however, his defenses go up. There's no room in his life--or his heart--for romance.  Yet as these three hurting people join forces to restore life, laughter, and love to a historic estate that has known too much sadness, they may also find healing, hope, and happiness for themselves. (picture and description at Amazon)

We are starting a new Faculty Book Club at work and I can't wait!  I'm sure the books will be different than ones I'm used to, but it will be fun to meet new people!

Keep Reading!

Melissa

Yesterday's Tides, book #28

 

I seem to be jumping around here at the end of the alphabet, but I am SO CLOSE to finishing!  It's exciting, but then I have to decide what order I want to read the next ones.

This book was a 10/10!!!  I wasn't sure I would like it or not, but the more I got into it, the more I couldn't put it down!  Highly recommend!

In two world wars, intelligence and counterintelligence, prejudice, and self-sacrifice collide across two generations.  In 1942, Evie Farrow is used to life on Ocracoke Island, where every day is the same--until the German U-boats haunting their waters begin to wreak havoc. And when special agent Sterling Bertrand is washed ashore at Evie's inn, her life is turned upside down. While Sterling's injuries keep him inn-bound for weeks, making him even more anxious about the SS officer he's tracking, he becomes increasingly intrigued by Evie, who seems to be hiding secrets of her own.  Decades earlier, in 1914, Englishman Remington Culbreth arrives at the Ocracoke Inn for the summer, never expecting to fall in love with Louisa Adair, the innkeeper's daughter. But when war breaks out in Europe, their relationship is put in jeopardy and may not survive what lies ahead for them.  As the ripples from the Great War rock Evie and Sterling's lives in World War II, it seems yesterday's tides may sweep them all into danger again today.  (Picture and description from Amazon)

Next up I'm going back to Hope Harbor!

O:)

Melissa

Pelican Point (Hope Harbor #4), book #27

 

Another fun book from Hope Harbor!  I highly recommend this series if you haven't started yet!

A crumbling lighthouse is not part of the inheritance Army doctor Ben Garrison expects to claim when he journeys to Hope Harbor. Fresh out of the service, he wants only to unload the tower of bricks, decompress from years of treating battlefield trauma, and prepare to launch his civilian career.  Hope Harbor Herald editor Marci Weber has other ideas. She may not be a Hope Harbor native, but the small Oregon seaside town has become home--and she's determined to save the Pelican Point landmark.  Sparks fly as the two go head-to-head over the fate of the lighthouse. But when they start to cooperate, a different kind of fire ignites. And as they work together, might Hope Harbor heal the hearts of these two romance-wary souls?  (picture and description at Amazon)

Keep up that Summer Reading!  

O:)

Melissa

The Vigilante's Bride, book #26

 

I have loved reading the Hope Harbor books, but man it feels good to get back to the 1800s wild west with cowboys, indians, and fair maidens forced into a world she knows nothing about but pulls herself together for a life she never knew she needed!  

Robbing a stagecoach on Christmas Eve and kidnapping a woman passenger is the last thing Luke Sullivan expects to do. He just wanted to reclaim the money stolen from him, but ends up with a feisty copper-haired orphan thrown over his shoulder who was on her way to marry Sullivan's bitter enemy.  Emily McCarthy is an orphan out of options. Forced to marry because she was too old for her orphanage, she doesn't take kindly to her "rescue." Still she trusts God can turn any situation to good especially when it seems Sullivan may just be the man of her dreams. But Sullivan's crossed a dangerous man unused to losing and Emily may just be the prize he's unwilling to sacrifice. (picture and description at Amazon)

This author was new to me but I was pleasantly surprised. My friend Marsha wouldn't like it because there is a lot of description in it, but you know me ~ I love having that to make me FEEL like I'm really there!  I'll have to check out what else she has written.  (You know, to add to my 500 books already on my Paperwhite! 😄)

Happy Reading!

Melissa

Sea Glass Cottage (Hope Harbor #8), book #25

 

Ahh, back to Hope Harbor! If you haven't read any of these, you need to!  Although you can read them in any order, it probably helps to read them that way.  However, I am apparently hopping around.  

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?  (Picture and description at Amazon)

Some good quotes from this book:

p86 ~ Charley quoting Thomas Jefferson " 'I like the dreams of the future better than the history of the past.' "

p222 ~ Charley  "A mighty hand governs the eternal clock."

p223 ~  Charley "As my abuela used to say when I was a boy in Mexico, coincidence is nothing more than a small miracle in which God chooses to remain anonymous."

p225 ~ Charley again ( of course ;) ) "... when it comes to people, listening with the heart can improve our odds of arriving at a soun conclusion."

Next I'm back to "V" since my alphabet got all mixed up.  I've already started and I love being back with my pioneers and indians! :)

Keep up that summer reading!

Melissa

Untangle Your Emotions, book #24

 

So, this book was NOT on my list of books to read this summer.  Even though it is a "U" book, and I was almost "U" I had another book in mind I was excited about reading.  But some of my very favorite podcasters and friends Fran & Angela from Rambling Through Everyday Life encouraged us read it and attempted a summer Book Club with it.  Click here for the first video from that.

The book was good, and did give me several things to think about.  

How often have you heard, “Don’t let your emotions get the best of you”? But what if instead of ignoring our feelings, we noticed them, named them, and let God use them to draw us closer to Himself and others?

Many of us need to unlearn damaging messages about our emotions. We’ve been taught, for example, that emotions are untrustworthy, when, in fact, God can use them to help us see where we need His healing. 

In Untangle Your Emotions, Jennie Allen uses scientific research, biblical insight, and her own story to help you 

● exchange stuffing, dismissing, or minimizing your emotions for a five-step process to know what you feel and what to do about it

● debunk the myth that feelings are sinful by learning how emotional maturity leads to deeper connection with God and others

● live emotionally healthy by applying biblical wisdom and therapeutic research that works whether you self-identify as “emotional” or not

● sit with feelings that are confusing and painful by discovering the depth of God’s love and compassion for you

Feelings aren’t something to fix; they are something to feel. As we discover how to name and navigate our emotions, we’ll learn how they can draw us closer to the God who built us—soul, mind, and heart.  (picture and description at Amazon)

Now back to Hope Harbor for our next Book Club book!

Keep reading!

Melissa

Terri, book #23

 

This book was a slow start, but once I finally got into it I found it quite enjoyable.  Good enough to go back and read the other ones in the series?  Not anytime soon, but maybe later.  

She’s always longed for more…  Running a thriving daycare keeps Terri Hayes busy. Add a new foster daughter to the mix and Terri shouldn’t have time to want more—but she does. At twenty-nine, her biological clock is ticking away. When a busted pipe floods her home, she finds temporary sanctuary in a basement apartment—one that just happens to be owned by her long-time crush, single dad Steve Evans.

Is he ready to date again?  Steve is widower, a father of two teenaged girls, and a successful writer. His life is full, but he wouldn’t mind exploring a romance with Terri. But when lines of communication get crossed, the budding relationship grounds to a halt.

Two matchmakers to the rescue…  Iris and Samantha Evans want a stepmother and have set their sights on Terri. Their matchmaking includes equal parts prayer and deception. Will their scheming result in the wedding of their dreams, or will the harsh confrontation between Steve and the parents of Terri’s foster child be an obstacle they can’t overcome?  (book and description from Amazon)

Since the non-fiction book I referenced before actually starts with "U" and I am half way through and book club isn't until next week, I decided to focus on it and finish it before jumping into whatever our picker chooses next week!

Keep Reading!

Melissa