Christmas by the Sea, book #21

Just finished this book up today ... sweet little end to our Christmas season!


When Wendy Harper inherits her family's beachside cottage in Seaside, Maine, she sees it as a way to finally pay off the debts that have mounted since her husband died. But before it can be sold, the neglected property must be renovated. She and her 12-year-old son Jackson move in--temporarily, she reminds him--in order to do the work themselves, even though Christmas is coming. The charming town, along with local craftsman Caleb Colton, pulls on both Wendy and Jackson, who even registers himself for school in a bid to get his mom to move them there permanently. Wendy knows that the most responsible thing to do is to sell the cottage and return to Ohio, but the lure of the sea is hard to resist.  (picture and description at Amazon)

Here's a new year to stories to read!

O:)
Melissa

Baby, It's Cold Outside, Book #20

So this book is not at all what I anticipated it being, but what a delightful surprise it was.  I didn't realize until the end how neatly it copies the story of The Mitten, a Ukrainian fairytale,  (Which, for the record, I seriously thought Jan Brett wrote!  :) ) It is a little dark at times, and might take you a bit to get into, but it is 100% worth it!

Five near-strangers. One snowstorm. A Christmas that none of them will ever forget. Dottie Morgan has no desire to share her home or her heart over the Christmas holidays. After all, her Christmas spirit froze over when Dottie lost her son in World War II. Alone and bitter, she’d like nothing more than to hide and let the Christmas season pass her by. After serving as a mechanic the Army’s motor pool, Violet Hart returned home to a community that didn’t quite know what to do with her. She’s not a soldier, but she’s not the girl-next-door, either. She’s resigned herself to being the spinster of Frost, Minnesota.  Former soldier Jake Ramsey is on a mission—return the letters written by Violet to his best friend, lost in battle. But Jake has been in love with Violet for years—about as long as he’s been keeping a secret that just might break her heart.  And then there’s Gordon Lindholm, the farmer from across the field who harbors his own grief—and love—for the woman he can’t forget.  When a blizzard of the decade traps Dottie in her home, along with Violet, Jake, Gordon and a wandering child in need of rescue, the strangers must band together to survive. And in doing so, they just might discover the magic of Christmas and a miracle that will heal all their hearts.  (picture and description from Amazon)  

Trust me, you will want to add this to your Christmas reading list!

O:)
Melissa

Last Christmas in Paris, Book #19

Its pretty sad that I have only read 19 books so far this year, but it has BEEN A YEAR!!!!  At least all of the ones I have read have been good!

This one was no different.  I honestly didn't remember what it was about, but it was on list of Christmas stuff to read it, so I got lucky it was cheap on Amazon for my paperwhite.  It wasn't really about Christmas all that much, and it was much longer than I thought, but once I finished this morning, I was on the floor.  It was just so much, so much love, so much history, so much reality of WW1, so much .... highly recommend!!

August 1914. England is at war. As Evie Elliott watches her brother, Will, and his best friend, Thomas Harding, depart for the front, she believes—as everyone does—that it will be over by Christmas, when the trio plan to celebrate the holiday among the romantic cafes of Paris.But as history tells us, it all happened so differently… Evie and Thomas experience a very different war. Frustrated by life as a privileged young lady, Evie longs to play a greater part in the conflict—but how?—and as Thomas struggles with the unimaginable realities of war he also faces personal battles back home where War Office regulations on press reporting cause trouble at his father’s newspaper business. Through their letters, Evie and Thomas share their greatest hopes and fears—and grow ever fonder from afar. Can love flourish amid the horror of the First World War, or will fate intervene?  Christmas 1968. With failing health, Thomas returns to Paris—a cherished packet of letters in hand—determined to lay to rest the ghosts of his past. But one final letter is waiting for him… (picture and description at Amazon)

Now on to really Christmas books that happen at Christmas!

O:)

Melissa

The Mastepiece, book #18

Needless to say, its been a while since I finished a book.  Also needless to say, starting a new book for book club with 512 pages may not have been the best idea.  Also also needless to say, between work still being quite time consuming and fall TV shows starting back, its taken me a good bit to finish this book.  

BUT!  I finally finished today and it was worth it!  Francine Rivers rarely disappoints and while I had some trouble getting into it, once I was in I was hooked. Allow yourself plenty of time to read it and you will not be disappointed!

A successful LA artist, Roman Velasco appears to have everything he could possibly want―money, women, fame. Only Grace Moore, his reluctant, newly hired personal assistant, knows how little he truly has. The demons of Roman’s past seem to echo through the halls of his empty mansion and out across his breathtaking Topanga Canyon view. But Grace doesn’t know how her boss secretly wrestles with those demons: by tagging buildings as the Bird, a notorious but unidentified graffiti artist―an alter ego that could destroy his career and land him in prison.

Like Roman, Grace is wrestling with ghosts and secrets of her own. After a disastrous marriage threw her life completely off course, she vowed never to let love steal her dreams again. But as she gets to know the enigmatic man behind the reputation, it’s as if the jagged pieces of both of their pasts slowly begin to fit together . . . until something so unexpected happens that it changes the course of their relationship―and both their lives―forever. (picture and description from Amazon)

Now it's time to read Christmas books!

O:)
Melissa

Now and Then and Always, book #17

Wow but wow.  It may look like I haven't read as much lately which is unfortunately true. Work has kept me swamped but this was so good I read myself to sleep (which took all of five minutes!) every night!!

“It was just a house. Just a weathered old house in a hidden grove, shuttered and still . . . ” Last year, after traumatic circumstances forced her from her job as a nanny, Mara Bristol finally found a place to belong—the winsome Everwood Bed & Breakfast at the edge of Maple Valley, Iowa. For months, she’s helped its owner, Lenora, maintain the ramshackle property despite their shortage of guests. But when Lenora fails to return from a month-long trip and the bank threatens foreclosure, Mara worries she’s once again alone . . . abandoned . . . about to lose the only true home she’s ever known. Detective Marshall Hawkins is no closer to whole today than he was two years ago . . . the day his daughter died. Between his divorce, debilitating migraines, and a dependence on medication, his life is falling apart. And when a reckless decision on the job propels him into administrative leave, he has no other plan but to get in his truck and drive. A one-night stay at the Everwood was supposed to be just that. But there’s something about the old house—or maybe its intriguing caretaker—that pulls him in. Together, Mara and Marshall set out to save the Everwood. But its secrets run deeper than they could’ve imagined. As they renovate the house and search for its missing owner, they’ll each confront the pain that brought them to the Everwood in the first place . . . and just maybe discover a faith and love to help them carry on. [pic and description at Amazon]

Here's hoping I can wait A VERY LONG TIME to read the next one in the series [it doesn't come out until next year :(  ]

Happy Reading!

O:)
Melissa

Amish Outsider, book #16

Loved this sweet little goodie by a new author!  But unfortunately have to wait until April 2020 to read the next in the series!!

In the wake of his estranged wife’s murder, widower Michael Forster returns to the Amish community he’d left as a teen. He wants a fresh start for himself and his daughter, Allie, away from those who still believe he’s guilty. In River Haven, a quieter life seems possible. If only Allie’s Amish schoolteacher, Catherine Brandt, was easier to ignore.


A problem solver by nature, Cathy can tell Allie’s withdrawn demeanor isn’t due to shyness. But getting through to Allie also means breaching her father’s hardened defenses. What starts as persistence soon grows into an attraction neither Cathy nor Michael saw coming. When the past suddenly threatens both his daughter and the woman he loves, Michael must risk everything to save them. (picture and description from Amazon)

Happy Reading!!

O:)
Melissa

Seamless, book #15

Loved, loved, loved this Bible Study I quickly did!  Since our dear Lifeway stores are going out of business :( I grabbed this book up because I had had my eye on it for a good while.  Katie actually did this earlier this year and really enjoyed it.  Neither of us watched the videos that went with it, but we didn't feel like we missed anything.  There may have been extra nuggets we didn't get, but not watching the videos did not take anything away from it.  

Even though I may not have learned too much new from it, I loved her easy writing style that made you feel like she was actually at the table having coffee with you.  She honestly admits she is not a Bible scholar, but you can tell she did extensive research, with probably only about 1/4 or less of what she learned actually in the book.  Her purpose for the book was not an in depth study, but more of an overview of how all the stories in the Bible fit together in God's big plan for us, His beloved bride.

I would highly recommend this book to anyone who may not have had as much time in the Word - or new Christians - or old Christians who may never have gotten it - to see how all the stories come together with one purpose.  

In 7 sessions, Seamless covers the people, places, and promises of the Bible, tying them together into the greater story of Scripture. Whether you've grown up hearing Bible stories or you're exploring Scripture for the first time, the full story of the Bible can be overwhelming. Experience the Bible as a whole as you gain clarity and confidence in your understanding of Scripture. Discover a biblical context that reshapes and brings to life stories from the Old and New Testaments. (picture and description - and more info - at Lifeway Stores)

I am now simultaneously trying to finish up my book club book AND some of my book club buddies and I are starting a new Bible Study!!

Keep Reading!

O:)
Melissa