books read in april 2012

42 Rules for a Web Presence That Wins : Essential Business Strategy for Website and Social Media Success  by Philippa Gamse
This book is about the net and how to use it effectively in your business, your goals and strategies.
There is some advice at the beginning, basically to go to the experts.
The book starts with the net in the 1990's and I also found there was much there. Love how she targets a certain area and finds the expert with the right knowledge/answers and gives that to you.
Like how she uses the 'seeing is believing' concept when it comes to a web site.
With her knowledge and the clients she's helped in the past the book leaves you to believe, she's seen it before and knows how to get the most out of what you are doing-especially the one of the long-term nursing facility where the menu is listed daily, so those on the outside will know what their loved ones on the inside had for a meal.
Although not all 42 rules may apply to you, I do suggest you sit down and read through all of them, the words are so informative.
Even though an example might be about a business to make money if your site is for information sources only you may be surprised at just a simple thing about layout can also benefit your website.


 read 4/4 pub June 19, 2012 ISLAND APART by Steven Raichlen
ISBN: 9780765332387
Story of Ed and Claire. He lives on the island and everything he eats and uses is from the island. Nobody knows much about him as the tale goes on so he's known as the hermit.
Claire and her friend are summering at Sheilas house when Claire informs her that divorce from her husband and police charges against him make her not want to go back to NY. It's agreed she will stay on into the fall months to catch up on her reading for her publishing job and travel to Boston for chemo when needed.
Brings back memories of what it's like to live on the island where I grew up. Summer months and the island growing to 5times the population. Love the winter months the most where you get to learn about your neighbors and you barter with one another.
Love to hear of the history lesson as to the first inhabitants to the island.
The hermit travels the island on foot and we discover all the hidden treasures.
He found her on the beach knocked out after a bike accident and carried her miles to the ferry where ambulance was called. After she was better she would make food for him, breads, pies, etc and leave them just past the cemetery, he would arrive and get them and return the empty sack to her mailbox at the post office.
The ingredients used to make their lavish gifts came from the island where they probably were just a few feet from one another as they foraged for the fruits or nuts to make flour. Cooking and combination of what goes into a dish is just outstanding!
What Claire does is what I'd want to do, live on the island year round and read. And add in that Mary knits, I'd like to do that also. And being that it's on an island the smell of the ocean would be super.
Tender sex scenes are very loving and passionate. Like how they spend time investigating the island by car.
They each have secrets and the other finds out in time...
Medical and other studies cited are like a mystery solved.
Love and mysteries, nature scenes and island living got to me, priceless.




read 4/24 pub June 19, 2012    Midnight Promises by Sherryl Woods
SubTitle:         A Sweet Magnolia Novel
 ISBN:         9780778313489
Once again we find ourselves back in Serenity. This book concentrates on Karen and her marriage to Elliot. She still works in the kitchen of Sullivan's restaurant and he works at the corner spa helping where needed.
He's neglected to tell Karen, his wife about the funding he's going to get to start a man's gym in town with backing from the woman's spa.
Her ex mother in law, Frances is going through forgetfullness/Alzheimers and her friends are concerned.
There are other problems with the finances with others in the group also.
His sister is also going through marital problems. Others come to her aid in hopes they can fix them.
What a concept. the trip of a lifetime!
The Letting go of the past, forgiveness and moving on with your life and that of your family...
Love how the title of the book says it all.



 read 4/21 pub June 19,2012    Summer Nights by Susan Mallery
ISBN:         9780373776870
Annabelle Weiss was the dancer on the bar, in real life, she's the librarian, showing her friends the happy dance of the virgin. She had to raise money for her bookmobile at the festival and knows the dance of the horses might be the thing to learn and do it herself. She had divorced her author husband and had moved on.
He witnessed the dance but Shane Stryker was only on the bar for a beer and a burger, then he left. He is the horse whisperer and that is what attracted me to this book. Have seen many shows on documentary tv about them and what they accomplish.
It's just so fascinating. He was now divorced, having married the woman he thought he loved. He moved his horses from TN to Fool's Gold, stabling them at his mothers barns til his house and barns were ready.
His mother was gonna set him up with the librarian. he just wanted a regular woman to love him til he found out she was the red head dancer from the night before, the one who haunted him and his dreams at night.
Montana who was due any day with Simon's baby led the dog into the library. He was a tutor and helped relax himself when the children read to him.
All the females of Fool's Gold are helping Heidi with her wedding plans.
Jo's Bar should have the other room finished for such things as bridal showers and even weddings.
Annabelle was taking horse riding lessons using Charlie's horse and she did grasp onto the killer stallion and they went around the corral a bit til it was time to end the lesson. She couldn't believe the horse was a killer horse. He was so gentle with her on his back.
She was getting tingles when Shane caught her upon unmounting from the horse.
The deal: Her choice of household accessories for him and he was to teach little girls how to ride ponies.
He needs to reword most of what he says to her, he learns in time...
Subplot about Charlie and her past and her wishes arise and she talks to many about it.
Steamy hot sex scenes like riding a horse top off this novel that make it complete.
Love learning about the horses, races and other facts.


 
read 4/25 pub: April 10, 2012    I Only Have Eyes For You: The Sullivan Series by Bella Andre
 ISBN:         9781938127175
Sophie Sullivan, the town's librarian, has made sure her sisters wedding is going smoothly. Now she can concentrate on herself having fun finally. She's always had a crush on Jake but he is best friends with one of her brothers and she's been more like a sister than anything til the day of the wedding.
Jake McCann, Irish Pub owner, is serving at the bar and she helps out while he eats. She ends up sampling his kisses and wants more of that and of him. He has always watched out for her but with what she is wearing there is noway she is wearing a stitch of clothing under that curve hugging dress.
She has gone to his house and have nightlong hot steamy sex.
Several months later as she and her sister are finding out that another dear friend got engaged the day of the wedding, she determines she must be pregnant although protection was used.
When she tells him and that he's off the hook she agrees he's got one week to convince her to marry him.
Laughed out loud, something I don't do very often, when they are at the doctor's office, too funny!
During that one week she learns a lot about his life and he tells her about hers, as he was right there. She never knew he paid that much attention to her and what she liked.
Love not only the places he takes her to but the history of the area.
Health scare really has them talking to one another of the important things.
Reading the excerpts at the end about the other books in this series makes me believe that the whole family is a giving, caring, sharing one. Can't wait to read the others.


Spartina by John Casey
I first was interested in the 2nd book of this series and was happy to learn that I could still buy the first book.
It's about Dick and he is a fisherman and he also has worked in various jobs around the shipyard. He knows how to do a lot of
things besides being a fisherman, onshore and offshore and how to deliver boats to other locations, design his own boat but he
can't get the banks to loan him the money he needs to complete his big boat that he can then go offshore with to get the crab and
lobsters he needs that bring in the big bucks.
He takes on a job where he has to provide the seafood for 30 people on the beach that will have a clamboil in exchange the man will look at the boat he's building in the back yard, in hopes he will fund the rest of the building of his boat.
He tries to negotiate with Jackster but he wants a co signer. He continues to work getting red crab and swordifsh that brings in a lot of money.
Dick has started to hang around with the DEM agent for many reasons: he can't get the money to finish his boat, he's bored and the sex is good.
I saw how a clamboil is done in the backyard of a cousin one year: the rocks, seaweed and specially wrapped fish and onions and all kinds of other things that make the clamboil on the beach the best meal you've ever eaten.
Love the talk of how to sail the boat and all the nautical terms.
Legend of Indian wampum and how others think it was used as coins.
He takes his boat out to sea when the hurricane hits then makes his way home to deal with the aftermath...

compass rose by john casey
Dick Pierce is now focusing on the women in his life: his wife May.
Elsie the woman who born their daughter Rose. She allows him to bring the baby to his house for hours during her life as Dick has two boys at home. Everybody loves Rose.
Land deals, ship being broadsided and sinking, and some sex scenes make this a really good read about family life and living on the island and making a living from the sea.

Honest Illusions by Nora Roberts
A teen boy, Luke is out hustling and getting away with picking others pockets for money while they are at the carnival. The magic show interests him and he enters while also continuing to pick pockets. He's called upon to go on stage and be part of the trick.
After he is asked to return to the magicians (Max) room. He's been watching the child and tells him how much he took from others and where he hides it. The family has discovered some of his past and have sworn he will never be ill treated again.
Luke travels with the family onto other towns and when Lily is sick he gets to perform and make money at it. His dream of going to Miami is still in his mind. He is so fascinated by the craft of illusion and learning it.
They take another into their household but find out he's stolen from their friends shops so they oust him, while he's telling them he's had sex with the younger daughter.
They travel all over the world as a family to show others their shows of illusions while they steal things that are insured.


read 4/30  The Mother Road by Jennifer AlLee
First thing that interested me about his book was Route 66. Tom Brockaw had done a special on TV about the places on that route.
Natalie Marino married for 18 ears had the perfect welcome home dinner ready on the table when her husband came home from his business trip. Instead he informs her he's with his assistant and she is pregant and he, Tony wants a divorce.
She is a Christian romance writer, how to books about marriage and how will others see her now that she won't even be married?
Jade her assistant helps pack up and move his clothes to the porch and even finds her a lawyer.
Nat stops at her sisters apartment an hour away and finds her things packed, a bruise under her eye and 4 months pregnant. She convinces her their Dad needs them to come home to see their Mother while she may still remember who they are.
The start out at Santa Monica Pier and travel along Rt 66 to get to their parents home in Illinois.
Upon after an elderly couple take a video of them standing near the sign they find out their car with all of Lindsay's belongings is stolen.
They get a nice convertible with a radio as a loaner.
Fascinating thing is the travel agent has highlighted all the places along 66 that they just must stop at. While Nat is videotaping she reads along from the tour guide so I feel like I'm seeing/hearing about the places as if I am right there.
As the sisters have not been in contact with one another the trip is going to be a long one especially when Lindsay is 4 months pregnant and always has to use the bathroom.
Sleep in a Wigwam has got to be the ultimate thing to do driving cross country! Sisters are bonding and talking more as they also sightsee along their journey.
Upon arriving home they see for themselves what the disease has done to their mother.
They have a lot to work through but with faith anything is possible....


North of Heartbreak By Julie Rowe
9781426893629
Willa is a trained nurse and has many settlements in the wilds of Alaska. She has run away from society as her ex husband not only beat her but made her lose the baby and any further chance of having a baby.
She does not trust any man now but wants to try again with a new pilot that is sent there to help with the other pilots.
They start out by just kissing and she tolerates that. They go out on emergencies that puts their own life in danger but they only want to help the ones they are called to the area to help.
She almost faints when she sees the bear is after him Liam and has visions of him lying in blood.
Like how the terms of the local tribes and their clothes is explained, makes me feel like I'm there with them. How they use trees and smoke as signals and other things I've learned about the tribe.
Like how they explain why the bears are further inland, makes sense if you're familiar with the area.
When Liam tells her why she should know who he is from the TV reports he has to tell her why as she never has time for TV.
When his father comes to pay a visit things get out of control and he thinks Willa is after his sons money like the last female.
These two have a lot to work through to get to the point of being civil to one another in the plane on an emergency trip.
She just had one thing to tell him and she knew he'd run back down to the southern US for good.
Sex scenes are an added plus to this wilderness novel.



where the wild things are by maurice sendak
illustrated very colorful children's book about a boy being sent to bed wearing his wolf costume and he dreams of what he can do.
His room turns into a forest and he sails to another world where the animals are terrible. he tames them and leads them to have fun.
after a while he gets hungry and heads for home he can smell the food cooking. He arrives back from his sailing adventure and he is back
in his own room and he has a hot meal at his desk.
B000F2C704


a chair for my mother by vera b. williams.
about a little girl and how she goes to where her mom works at the diner. she has chores there and she saves her money for a new chair for her mom. they have a huge container and are able to fill it up and he travel by bus to go find a chair for their mom and  that she liked and was comfortable. they lost everything when their other house burned up. neighbors brought them everything they needed
for their new apartment.

mama's little duckling 
illustrated very colorful children's book about how a duck is ready to let her little ducking start venturing out to see the world. she tells her to be aware of the bad things out there, in the water, on the shore and in the air.
the duckling does see these things and remembers what her mama told her and is able to get back home where she is safe.
 
not a box by antoinette portis
about a rabbit that likes to image  about a box but it is not a box at all.
sometimes it is a spaceship, another time they are on top of the mountain.
 


ice cream sunday
 illlustratred, very colorful children's book about ice cream and how it is a
special treat when the man in the van comes around to the neighborhood. it shows a lot of
different flavors and a lot of different toppings that you can use.

silly monster abc
illustrated very colorful children's book about the abc's and how a monster goes with every letter of
the alphabet. these are not known monsters but made up names and the other things on the page
show what that letter also stands for.

what is blue at the zoo
illustrated very colorful children's book that is also a guessing game where it shows just a portion of
an animal that you would find at the zoo. it then shows them int heir own part of the zoo. it is for
children around the world as some animals from other countries are shown as well..

little miss snot monster
illustrations and is about a family: the little boy and his friend watch the baby sister lucy pick her nose and
eat it. she then turns into a snot monster and she grabs others and eats their snots and then eats them.  the boys must find the golden tissue up in the clouds where the giant lives and when the super hero zack lets monkey boy be the hero they go together to find the tissue. when the monster is just about to take another child they hold the tissue up to her nose and she turns back into herself, little lucy.  was surprised that now my grandson is no longer picking his nose after reading this story, sot that's one good thing that happened.


the cat in the hat by dr. seuss
this is about a girl and boy and how they sit in their home while their mother went to townn. a cat walks in and wants to have fun with them.
the fish is not for it at all and tells him to leave. the children play with different things and the whole house turns into a mess and they see
their mother about to walk in the door when the cat calls upon things one and thing two to help clean up the mess. they do it before the mom walks
in the door and the cat leaves. the ending question is do you tell your mom what you did while she was gone or just say you looked out the window all day.....



read 4/14 pub aug 2012  Are You Sleeping Little One? by Author:  Hans-Christian Schmidt and Cynthia Vance
Illustrated, very colorful children's book that shows a mother with her young infant animal. There are the typical animals and the
not so typical making it a bit uniqure in that this is a book for children all around the world.  Words are easy for the young
ones who are just starting out to read. This is one of the better books i've read that shows the pairs.
SBN:         9780789211231



Bannon Brothers: HONOR by  Janet Dailey
Didn't expect this type of book from the author-I've been catching up with another of her series.
After the wedding there is a car crash and Linc thinks she has been killed. She had lent her yellow car with the black stripe to her girlfriend.
Kenzie goes into hiding at the gun range where she feels protected while she and Christine's family try to find out the answers as to who made her go off the road causing the accident.
She thinks they really meant for her to be the one to crash. She finds more clues at her friends house and with the hlep of Linc Bannon they go further with the investigation. He
belongs to a government agency and doesn't use his credentials often. He finds some bugs and sweeps other places to make sure she remains safe.
She hears from a nurse that is stateside for a few hours that has more information as to why their friend was sabotaged in the war. She has more leads to follow now to try to solve the
whole thing.
Love the link in there about knitting and how it can relax you. It sure does! Reading about the dog handlers and their healing powers was interesting.
Action packed with romance. Lot of weapon technical things along with the protective vests that military soldiers wear was a great combination.




 The Lifeguard by  Deborah Blumenthal
 ISBN:         9781453247334
This book first appealed to me because of the water scene and then the words Rhode Island in the summary of the book. I am from there and wanted to read this to find out
if I knew of any place they spoke of. Love the water and the shells so this is a familiar scene to me.
The prologue starts out with her standing in the water, on the edge and the undertow making her fall, she can't get a hold of her footing, it's like quicksand and she ends up away from the shore where noone is paying attention to her yells of help.
Sirena arrives in Rhode Island to spend the summer with her aunt. Her parents are working out the details of a divorce and they thought the best place was for her to get out of the middle of it.
She lives on a beach and goes daily, sketching on her towel. She has some interest in the lifeguard as he is so cute.
Her aunt Ellie is a writer and likes to write about ghosts.
They talk about the female ghost and Sirena learns the story of the ghost.
She volunteers at the hospital and first day there's a little boy that comes in and it scares her. She also sees a teenage girl jump on the back of the lifeguards motocycle. She follows the boys progress over the next few weeks.
She also meets an 80 yo man, Antonio who has his own gallery and she explores, and works side by side with the artist, and confesses the theft.
She remains grounded with letters from her friend Marissa who is stuck at camp all summer.
Love learning about healing powers of plants, stingray bites, very fascinating.
What happens next is the whole story, what one perceives what happens and what really happens is all divulged and why.



  Shelter by Frances Greenslade
ISBN:         9781451661101
Starts out when Maggie was being told from her dad how to build a shelter. He used to work in Oregon but traveled north to BC to live off the land and avoid the Korean draft. He had come over from Ireland and had enough battles.
He knew many ways to make a shelter and she watched.
Scene at the homefront reminded me of when we first moved to the island-we had to carry our 5 gallon buckets of water up the hill 300 yards and we had no heat for the first several months, outdoor bushes for the bathroom.
After their fathers death they move to a camp where Irene, the mother cooks for those who come to camp. After summer they move in with a local woman who can do/fix anything. After a time they have to leave there and Irene puts the
kids in a home with friends of the family-The Edwards while she goes to the logging camps to cook. no kids allowed but her kids will be able to attend school.
When Ted develops cancer she spends time with him in the hospital where he's on morphine for the pain. He tells her all about her father. She and her sister now work after school and their mother's last letter stated she wasn't feeling very well.
They stopped receiving money after that.
Maddie plans a weekend trip to try to find her mother, along with her sister and meet up with some crazy people while hitchhiking.
When Jennie gets pregnant from a boy who's left the area. Bea makes a call and ships her out to a home for unwed mothers run by nuns.
She finally tracks down someone who knows Irene's past and divulges secrets to her in hopes it will lead her to find her mother...
Love all the descriptions about the meadows of flowers and other nature. Also learning what they used to keep the deer out of the garden, gonna have to try it.
Canasta talk is cool to read about. Quilt making and the patterns from the Indian tribe women.






read 4/15 BRIDGE OF SCARLET LEAVES by Kristina McMorris
Really enjoyed all the learning in this book. Starts out with a brother and sister(TJ and Maddie) who each have a friend (jo and Lane). The male friend (Lane) is Japanese and he has fallen in love with Maddie.
Back in the 1940's marriage between two different racial groups was taboo, but they went and got married anyways hiding it for a while from others. The day they returned to their home town from their honeymoon
was the day that Japan bombarded Hawaii at Pearl Harbor. From there the book follows each of the four as they struggle to get through the hard times of their lives and how they strive to get it all back together
once. This book takes you all over the world and I really liked how you could feel you were there with the descriptions of the surroundings and what was going through each of their minds.
TJ is the baseball pitcher and his best friend is Lane til TJ finds out Lanes's married his sister.
Maddie is a violist and has scholarships to pay her way at the Juilliard School of Music in NY but plans change.
Her best friend Jo sticks by her in good and hard times and plays for the womans baseball league during the war.
Lane is torn between camps, the war, his Japanese heritage and loving his American wife.
War, food rations, birth, death, POW and farming bring this book together ending with an explanation of the stars in the sky that two are looking at from different places in the world.
Love the Japan inspired recipes at the end also. Found myself wanting this book to continue on as I didn't want it to end.




read 4/3 pub May 29, 2012 Against the Sun The Raines of Wind Canyon by Kat Martin
ISBN: 9780778313502
Jake Cantrell's job was to watch over Ian Dumonds granddaughter while the Saudia Arabia sheik was in town with his family.
Sage Elizabeth didn't think she needed a bodyguard.
She's engaged to Phillip so Jake is not a threat to getting serious over.
Interesting to learn so much about Muslims and their customs.
Sage has them lined up to shop one day where the stores they want to visit will shut down to the public while they are there.
Another trip is to the family ranch to ride horses and stay overnight. Then onto the talks of the sale-the main reason why the Sheik is there.
Jake follows some of the son and cousins talk about drugs, shipment and money and doesn't like the sounds of it. He thinks as he's been away from
the country for a long time that he's gotten the words translated wrong.
His other ex Marine friends are close by and have helped with guarding and escorting when he's needed them.
Sage's friend Rina likes Alex, one of the extra men but she's living with Ryan who's away for a few days.
Sage was slowly but surely forgetting about Phillip and concentrating more on Jake, she had only kissed him once.
Missing person, drugs, betrayals, bombs going off and sex are just a few more things to look forward to in this book.
Just when you think the whole book is done, finish has been written, other things have come to light ...


Circular Knitting Workshop Essential Techniques to Master Knitting in the Round
by Margaret Radcliffe
First starts out with what looks like colorful doll sweaters and vests as if I needed any enticing to continue on.
Like the comparisons it shows from circular to straight knitting, the ribbings.
Hands on diagrams make it easy to see so you can do what they are talking about in each chapter.
Multiple means of casting on and working with magic loop method is described along with binding off methods.
A chapter I was looking forward to was the converting flat knitting to circular. I just really like to knit with
circulars, especially on a plane so I'm not apt to lose one of my 4 double pointed needles.
Shows basic chart knitting if you need a refresher or are a newcomer to that method of following a pattern.
Patterns for potholders, bags and hats are included.
Love just the different patterns and am thinking of another baby afghan I have to make this week looking at the diamond pattern vs. the one I am currently using will be a nice selection.
Always am telling my blind friend that you can knit with needles and make  a circle but that you'd have to then sew up the seam-she can't do the circulars but this book gives me another idea on how to achieve it.
Shawls and scarves, socks and mittens and gloves, vests and sweaters. Something for everybody in this book, beginning or experienced knitter.
Other abbreviations, glossary and index are at the back of the book.



Beach Lane by Sherrryl Woods
Susie is very good friends with Mack and their life is moving along. He has just started his new buiness and has
hired a past girlfriend and he often regrets that choice, as do other relatives.
We are cuaght up with the rest of the family and their plans for the upcoming year and they mix with what's going
on with Susie's health problems. Given the choices they can't go back so forward they go on.




The Best of Me by Nicholas Sparks
Dawson works on the oil rigs in the Gulf of Mexico, 30 days on, 30 days off and has his money sent to places nobody could ever find if they tried.
When he was younger he fell in love with her, she was from the other side of the tracks and her father and mother held the college education over Amanada's head.
Instead of going to unknown places with Dawson when school ended she took off to college, met her husband, now a dentist and an alcoholic with 3 kids, and one also had died from cancer.
He ended up in jail for an accident and he would send money to the the wife and kids of the guy he felt he killed. He had met Amanda through Tucker, who he lived with and had given him
a job fixing cars. Tucker had lost his wife recently and having Dawson there was good for him.
When Tucker died they both came to town and got time to talk to one another and were given instructions on the memorial service Tucker had wanted private and what to do with the things he owned.
Dawson was still having nightmares of an explosion that occurred on the oil rig. He keeps seeing the guy at different places, he knows he is seeing things and when he looks again the man is not there.
While at the cabin he tells her about his cousins, they are mean tempered.
She must return home and deal with family life again. 
Love how the book all comes together at the very end, thus giving the title of this book true meaning.





Crossroads by Fern Michaels
Once again the godmothers are thrown together to solve a mystery.
The security along with the presidential pardons they were handed scattering them all over the world, even though they are now brought together their help is needed.
Mira feels out of sorts, not happy with anything she is doing. So she heads back to the grand house.
Mira and Charles at the grand house are at odds with one another. She is just not happy with anything that is going on in her life. Something is missing, her friends.
When the girls all get together again and track down the fugitive, the men also get together and come to aide them in their endeavors leading them all over the states.


Once More with Feeling by Emilie Richards
Elisabeth gave up her career to raise her son Grant and to entertain her husband Owen's clients.
He is a world known architect and their son left home to live near where he teaches in the Bronx.
She is at odds with herself just writing her one column a month and knows if she had continued with
her career she'd be as good and famous as Gypsy Dugan is on her talk show.
Then the car crash happens and it seems as if Elisabeth is living in the body and life of Gypsy but she knows nothing of her life or career and she attempts to keep track of what's going on with the real body of Elisabeth still in the hospital.
She does not remember her apartment, simple cuz she is not Gypsy but she strives to get better and do Gypsy's job as if it was her own. Dating scene is another major problem as she's been married for too many years to count when the last time she
went out on a date.
Some one is still after Gypsy according to messages left and being followed and them going through her security but she tries not to think of that as she gets back to the career she never had.
After another life altering health issue she reaches out to her best friend ever Marg and explains what has happened and hopes she will help her with Elisabeth.
Love all the technical things in the background of producing a TV show, ah the things one learns.
Layout of the gardens with trees and landscaping is very knowledgeable.
Love reading about all the glamour of the high end lifestyle of Owen and his wife. I can just dream for a bit.
Like how the ending goes and how it's all connected to the title.


Only Mine by Susan Mallery
Dakota Hendricks practices psychology in Fool's Gold and meets up with Ben.
She can never have children due to her cancer.
Fin Anderson is there to pick up his twin brothers so they can finish their last semester of college.
They are in the reality show and want to follow a lead for Hollywood when they are done there. They don't want to join the family business either but never told him.
Her adoption papers come through and she gets the baby which changes her life a lot.
Steven had hooked up with Arreila and their conversation was on national TV but Fin hadn't heard the whole conversation. They did meet up and talk like brothers.
When she divulges a health issue to him, he reacts without thinking...


Finding Perfect by Susan Mallery
Pia O'Brien has inherited Crystals eggs and Raoul offers to be her pregnancy buddy. He was best friends with Keith who was married to Crystal who came down with cancer and gave the eggs to Pia after her death.
He is an ex football player and has the time and money to make things happen, besides having a heart of gold. We also get to catch up with the others in the town.
Due to the fire Raoul has offered his camp to the town to use for their school til it can be made habitable.
Dakota helps with that coordinating and transforming the camp.
Denise talks about dating again at her age!
She is having 3 babies at one time and he's wrapped up with the foster system as a boy's foster parents are nowhere to be seen/heard from.
News spreads fast about the upcoming wedding and the town is ready for the auction-men are put on the block and are auctioned off for one night. Then the dinner and dance for the rest of the night. And the mayor
meets a reality TV show producer that wants to bring bachelors to the town and tape it.



Almost Perfect by Susan Mallery
Liz, an author and her son, Tyler have to head to Fool's Gold to take care of her brothers two girls. He's in prison and his wife has split from the scene.
She had run away pregnant and had told the father of her child but a letter was written to her telling her to never come back. The father had never gotten the letter.
Ethan Hendrick is trying to make amends while she tries to find out from her brother in prison what happened with the girls mother.
She gains some friends in the town but others have nothing good to say about her and her decisions of the past.
She has talked to her brother in prison and she will fix the house up, rent or sell it and move all the kids back to the big city and bring them for weekend visits.
She had some really good news from the local college that made things worth while again.


Already Home by Susan Mallery
Includes recipes at the end.
Divorced sous chef Jenna is now back home living with her mother. She has rented space for her store and has Violet to help.
Just letting others watch how a recipe is done isn't making it. Violet tells her to let the woman participate in making the item and after having them buy the ingredients there, make it and get to take it home hits the jackpot.
Erin was the one who had cheated on her with a younger woman and he had called her to tell her somebody had called looking for her.
Jenna's real parents show up on the scene and her family that actually raised her try to smooth things over between them all.
Another part of this book is Violet's dating and her past. Both her and Jenna are now dating and things are going well at the store so much they hire more part timers.
Love the ideas they have for the store and that it works. Hope recipes are included at the back.
I have many connections to this book: cooking, fashion and knitting store right next door are my favorites.


read 4/20 pub: May 28, 2012 Snowbound with a Stranger by Rebecca Rogers Maher
ISBN:         9781426893803 
Danie, a nurse, divorced, 38 was on her way up the mountain with several other regulars and one she had never seen. She needed the time to clear her head of all the deaths, sickness and sadness that went with her job.
She let the last in line know she was going to find some underbrush to go pee and rejoin them. When she returned to the trail the footprints in the snow had vanished. She was there alone, a fork in the path, hours later she figured she had taken the wrong path.
Hours later the newcomer had found her and walkie talkied to the others who were at the hotel that they were heading to the cabin, an hour hike away in the blizzard condiitons.
Lee is an social working dealing with oncology patients and has watched many die. He loves the cabin and spends time there often to get away from the misery and pain.
They pass the time by playing scrabble and talking to one another. Each has thoughts of sex as they will be there for several days and each finds the other attractive.
Sexual hot steamy sex makes this a perfect read, any time of the year.
Love the scenery and facts about hiking as I like these things also.
Cabin is to die for. I could live there forever!
Awesome read!


Sweet Tea and Secrets by Nancy Naigle
Jill and Garrett grew up living in the same town but she got a career opportunity in another state and went for it.
Upon her grandmother dying she moved back to town to deal with the property and ran into her long lost friend.
Just simple free things one could do to
show their affection towards one another was priceless.
In her will the grandmother, Pearl had plans for them to live together and then after a set period of time if it hadn't worked out
they could separate and divide the proceeds. Some of her land would go to him for his dream, Bridal Path Estates a charity for children.
While he heads out of state to deal with his business problem she heads back to where she works for Hase Foundation and her boyfriend to
tell him she has to leave. What she finds when she arrives is beyond shock.
House breakin's and other dangerous attempts as she searched in the attic, papers from her grandfather that she never even knew about-trying
to find the connection with it all.
Hearing about the treasure hunter and his fortune and how they go about discovering what it is and where.
Poisoned food, fires and more to get her out of her house are enough to combat. And she doens't know why these things are happening.
Love that I have a connection with Blacksburg, knitting, gardening and pearls.
Love recipes at the end.

Always the Designer, Never the Bride by Sandra D. Bricker
ISBN: 9781426732232
Audrey always dreamed of a wedding dress and the ceremony with her grandmother helping. She had the fashionasta bug and had relocated to NY where the action was, after her grandmother had passed away leaving her an inheritance that was almost gone.
She was on her way to Carly's wedding in atlanta-her best friend with hopes upon her return somebody would have bought her wedding dress gown design.
JR arrived on his motorcycle to be Devon's best man and has kept glancing at her through lunch.
When the ladies went to watch Carly try the gown on agian Audrey fears she has cut it to make it different.
Tragedy, Kim, hotel millionaire heiress doesn't like the design Audrey has drawn for her, she wants to see Carly's dress on the bride. Kim wants Carly's dress.
Ah the recipe for the wedding cake is included and others!
Love new things I learned: Marine Corps tradition at the wedding, technology of ordering at the 50's style diner.
And the ceremony takes place but a health issue arises... a major one.
Must be something in the water or the air, everybody is getting married.
Party was extended a few more days for them to enjoy their time together, giving those not married time to connect with their love interests.
Single people were at the Inn and before they knew what hit them, they were in love and some were getting married.
Each chapter starts out with important information about a specific topic of the wedding.
Like how the production of a wedding dress is done between Audrey and Kat working together to make it all happen. There are so many little details that in the long run are going to make it what they need it to be.
Shame they don't have a lot more time together as each of them must go back to their corners and work obligations.


BaSatai: Outside In by Suzan Battah
Fascinating story line. I do watch Grimm on TV and it's one of our favorite shows, love the different shape shifters there.
In this story a baby was sent to Earth to be raised by a very old man. He brought her up as if she was his own. Fast forward to high school and strange things have started happening.
She is the chosen one but she doesn't feel she is the one at all. She starts to see things that might or might not be there and she now has protection from the evil ones. Some are trying
to be her Guardian, another wants her to be connected to him, others just want to guide her and help her learn her new craft.
Armani has so much to learn about the rules, laws and her tribe.
Training has started now and the descriptions of what each can do and show her and explain how she can do it is vey descriptive.
Love the battles and how they show off what each of them can do individually and as a team.
Can't wait for the next one in this series!