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