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
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
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
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
Sweet, quick read while I was in a Denise Hunter mood. Finished out the Callahan brothers series.
Riley Callahan’s plans to reveal his secret feelings for his best friend are derailed when his life is drastically altered in Afghanistan. Watching the love of his life fall for his brother was enough to send Riley straight to boot camp. But over a year later, he’s officially a marine, and Beau and Paige are no longer an item. When Riley’s tour in Afghanistan is up, he intends to confess his feelings to Paige and win his best friend’s heart once and for all. But all that changes when an IED takes the life of a comrade and leaves Riley an amputee. Now he’s heading home, injured and troubled. His plans to win Paige are a distant dream. She deserves so much more than the man that’s left. All he can do now is put some healthy distance between them. But upon his return he discovers his family has arranged for him to stay with Paige. Paige is a nurturer at heart and happy to take care of her best buddy. By all appearances Riley is adjusting miraculously well to his disability. But as the days pass, Paige begins to see that the smiles and laughter are just a mask for the pain he’s hiding. To make matters worse, her job is in serious jeopardy. The animal shelter that she’s poured her heart into has lost its funding, and she has three months to come up with the money needed to save it. As the weeks wear on, Paige’s feelings for Riley begin to shift into uncharted territory. Why is she suddenly noticing his arm muscles and the way his lips curl at the corners? Will she be able to deny her feelings for another Callahan brother? And will Riley let his heart heal so he can let Paige in? (picture and description from Amazon)
Deciding whether to take a reading break since I have been going nonstop for the last few weeks or just get right back in...
Happy Reading!
O:)
Melissa
Similar to the other book I read, but different just the same. Loved this for sure!!
When her grandmother goes missing from the family beach house, Maddy and her estranged sisters converge in Sea Haven, North Carolina. Being with uptight Nora and free-spirited Emma in the home where their family broke apart is a struggle Maddy is not in the mood to face, especially since she's recovering from her ex-boyfriend's betrayal. As the sisters wait for word of their grandmother, they begin to pack up the family belongings--and unpack memories of the idyllic summers of their childhood. But with those memories come long-buried secrets, and Maddy discovers that all was not as it appeared that last summer in Sea Haven. Meanwhile, Gram's neighbor, Connor Sullivan, seems overly interested in Gram's whereabouts. Maddy is drawn in by his quick smile and steady gaze in spite of herself. Undercurrents of jealousy and resentment threaten to pull the family under again, maybe for good this time. As tensions rise, the sisters must find a way to accept each other for the women they've become--and Maddy must decide if falling in love again is worth the potential heartbreak. (picture and description from Amazon)
Hope by Book Club Buddies love it as much as I did!
O:)
Melissa
Poignant. Fitting. Sad. Happy. Sigh ...
After the tragic death of Butch Browning's wife, Jenny, four families begin to realize how precious―and fleeting―their time together is. Each is at a different stage in life: Butch is facing single parenthood. The O'Reillys are expecting their first child. The Andersons are approaching an empty nest, and the Buckleys are so focused on providing their children with everything that they've forgotten what they truly need. With just eighteen summers before their children are grown, how do they make the most of that time when life so often gets in the way? As summer flies by, each of these parents must learn about guilt and grace . . . and when to hold on to their kids and when to let go. (picture and description at Amazon)
Keep reading!
O:)
Melissa
