books read in oct 2012

 books read in oct 2012

 Babycakes by Donna Kauffman
Morgan Westlake is hoping to get grant money to lead up the sea turtles that he wants to investigate. He, single, is in charge of his neice Lilly as her parents died in a car crash and he's just moved back to Sugarberry Island, Georgia.
Good to hear updates on others who live in town: Lani and Baxter's cookbook and other food related escapades are in full swing.
Love the scenery and contrast of nature on the island in the descriptions.
Kit Bellamy is there to run Babycakes, right next door to the bakery and there won't be any competition as they make different things. She also wandered into the wildlife buildings and learned about the sea turtles and has told Morgan she'd be willing to photograph the eggs hatching as she's done photo work before.
Not many know the reason why she's on the island and has run away after years in court battles over her family's recipe being given to her ex husband.
cupcake club is still going strong as are the aprons to die for!
Because of all their likes for the sea turtles they meet at the center quite often. To use crayons and they end up talking about themselves...
This book is hilarious at times and so down to earth with normal subjects.
Morgan is such a caring very patient father figure when it comes to Lilly. Love how the meeting of her grandmother Birdie went..
She does tell Morgan she wants to keep her distance from him because of his family name. He has no idea why though, yet...
Love the theme of the sea turtles and I learned so much about them and their environment.
At times the book is very confusing because of all the conversations going on with the townsfolk but things calm down after a bit.
Preparing for Thanksgiving is an ordeal! The most unique holiday tradition, didn't think it was gonna happen! Things heat up with relationships.
And the recipes at the end are gonna be SO much fun to make!ISBN-10: 0758280505
ISBN-13: 978-0758280503


 Postcards From Cedar Key by Terri DuLong
Wanted to read this book as I've been following the series and know there are many things I like about it. To me a good book is one that takes me places and I learn something new. This book has done that and so much more.
The knitting - there can never be enough books about knitting. Also the mystery and just the island living how everybody helps one another out when needed.
There is so much I love about this book: chocolates, knitting, crystals, soft shell crabs, fall foliage, spinning yarn, hurricane, charity community service, Pages and Paws program, mystery of the plant in the chocolate, Jordan Marsh Muffins and all the food.
Berkley Whitmore has postcards from her mom to her grandmother from the summer of 1972 when she had come to the island-Berkley as a 5year old stayed with her grandmother.
Now that she's cleaned out the house up north and has arrived at Cedar Key with postcards they do hold a clue as to what happened that summer and she starts asking around.
Neither would talk about that time and she feels she's missed a very important part of her life. Then again maybe some things in the past are better left alone....
Berkley Whitmore runs the chocolate shop:she has seashore themed chocolates and spins/sells her own spun yarn from her own alpacas at the local knitting store.
She also has invited her aunt-her mom's sister to come visit as she might have some photos or more clues.
One customer, a male, Saxton that comes in daily is becoming friendly and they share a meal once a week and with others take a cruise on the water. He has issues also as he's not seen his daughter in 20+ years now and after talking to Berkley is considering contacting her.
There are others who capture the storyline moving it along at just the right speed, never dull or boring. Even though there are a lot of characters in the book they do each play a small part in the whole scheme of things but it's not overpowering enough to take you away from the main plot. I love catching up to date with the others in the community and what everyone is doing to help others and the community out.
Such a relaxing book, hearing about the locals and how they clash and sometimes get along well.
Some parts of this book had me laughing out loud-this I do very rarely, and at times I sped up my reading to solve a mystery, and at other times my hands were clenched in annoyance as I've been through some of the scenes in real life.
Love how at the end everything comes full circle and how life continues on.


 When Snow Falls by Brenda Novak
ISBN:         9780778313717
Cheyenne Christensen never recalls it snowing in Whiskey Creek.
She recalls her mother Anita having cancer and she had to take care of the family herself, and tend to her moms' medicine.
The older daughter, Presley works at a casino. Least they are not begging on street corners or malls.
Eugene Crouch the PI had shown Presley pictures of Chey and her mother, why wasn't she in the picture also and why the different names?
Chey works at the B&B and they are trying to drum up business, maybe the murder of Mary Hatfield will be the trick.
Chey wasn't able to go on the cruise with her other girlfriends because she had no birth certificate and her mother wasn't sure where she was born...
Dylan is her first hookup at 31 years old. She really has a crush on Joe but her best girlfriend, Eve wants him for herself
She pesters her mom about where she was born, before she dies and she keeps saying Wyoming but Chey has checked all the towns to no avail. Her sister has kept her secret well...
Chey learns a lot more about Dylan when he loses a dart bet. he's got to answer 20 questions. She finally breaks down and tells him of her fears of her past.
Some unexplained things happen and Chey has decisions to make to move forward.


 My Kind of Christmas by Robyn Carr
ISBN:         9780778313854
Angela LaCroix had changed since her near death car accident. She was heading to Virgin River to spend time with her sister and she stood up to her mother when it came time to go back to medical school. She needed some time.
Her aunts Mel and Brie at Jack's bar were happy to see her and have her for a visit.
While collecting a few staples from the kitchen she saw Patrick Riordan leave the bar and got the scoop on him. Her plan is to stay in the cabin-in the woods, no TV and very slow net connection. Peace and quiet for a month.
The annual raising the Christmas tree, such events where the whole town came out to meet and greet each other.
Patrick is suffering from the combat and he looks in every day at his best buddy's wife Marie and their young son to be sure things are ok. He's the boys godfather.
She has a coffee with him when she finds him staring at her and they talk about their past lives, the hurt of being left and their job choices.
Love this town and being able to catch up with everybody that lives in it especially around the holidays.
They get to know one another pretty well, as they share their inner most thoughts and dreams with one another.
She is concerned because they are 10 years apart but he feels very close to her just talking because of the things she's gone through in her life.
Hot lovemaking only adds to this story. Paddy is due to leave on the 23rd and stop to see Marie for Christmas. Angie has to get on with her life also. The emergency has set her in motion as to what she needs to do.
Loved learning about a new medical treatment and can't wait to try it.. love the care and share that went into this book, it's not only about the holiday, this town always has magic and miracles, even when the WHOLE family descends upon them all..


 Merry Ex-Mas by Sheila Roberts
ISBN:         9780778313922
Icicle Falls and the bakery, Gingerbread Haus, Cass Wilkes is making gingerbread boys and girls for the holiday season.
All of their friends and family were sharing in this years Thanksgiving dinner.
Her daughter Cass announced her engagement and wedding plans for her daddy to walk her down the aisle, the daddy who was never there for her whole life. The wedding to take place the week before Christmas so her new husband could move them to his new job in Spokane.
Love the meaning of the ex in ex-mas in the title as this story does involve a few of the ex husbands.
Loved the first book about going on strike from doing it all and this one is going to be right up there with the laughs and tears and when things are running smoothly.
Ella and Jake are struggling with still living in the same house but they are divorced. They each have habits that get on the others nerves.  She is getting the house ready to sell by decorating it for the holidays and he in turn leaves dirty laundry and dishes around when the real estate agent comes by with potential buyers.
Love catching up with the others in town and what's going on in their life's.
Picture postcard Kincaid setting, breathtaking scenery and atmosphere.
Others having problems but it helps to talk with female friends and spend some time together, watching movies, drinking chocolate liquor beverages, discussing things. Men meet at the man's cave place.
Not much goes according to plan, tears when things go bad and laugh out loud when some things happen, along with recipes at the end, make this another worthwhile book from Sheila to read.
And another book due out April 2013!!!


 Resonance   by A.J. Scudiere
After reading Phoenix by the author I searched out and got several others of her books. She can tell a tale that holds your interest and are fascinating to learn about.
Book starts out with the southern and northern axis, poles and why over time things have needed realigning and why animals grow differently. The magnetism over time have reversed themselves, polarity shift in hot spots around the world.
Jordan and Jillian work at the CDC and are sent out on cases to determine if it's a new strain of a virus and/or how to treat it.
Jordan also has a relative that died, had had leukemia but died from a stomach flu from being in a coma.
David is a paleontologist and on a dig and he studies fossil remains.
Becky and her brother and sister are in East Tennessee and have found 6 legged frogs and don't know why yet.
As each of the stories go on, we find out more things are have gone haywire and each one of them investigates with hopes to figure it all out.
Love all the scientific analysis. Mind blowing at times..
Love all the travel locations and their descriptions.
As the story goes on relationships are built mostly due to the time two spend with one another.
This book follows how the outbreak effects people all over the world and what to do to combat it and afterwards.
What happens next is unforeseen and then only after coming out a handful are able to grasp what really happened.


 Forever Hers by Ednah Walters
This family saga continues with the story of Eddie, the cop. His mother had walked out on him, his sister and their father when she became famous as an author. He will never forgive her for that.
His family has tricked him into traveling to Sandpoint, Idaho to take care of the housekeeper of the house Baron and Kara own. He knows she is troubled and has really no idea what is wrong but he
will find out in time as he is there, on suspension from work for several weeks. He also meets up with other local cops who he lends a hand to in solving some hard cases.
Love the family atmosphere and the setting with the neighbors being so friendly. I laughed so hard when Eddie's family members show up to do some work-love the bantering they have for one another.
So happy to find that Amy is so strong in what she does, her work and in raising her child and is willing to go the distance to do more to safeguard them.
Also love how they get to know one another and then the family bombards their lives. Others who've not read the whole series might find their presence a bit overwhelming as there is a bunch of them. They will not hurt you, just go with the flow.
So many things I learned in this book and I was glad for the travel as I had just gone to Charlottesville a year ago and other new places.


 With Open Arms by Nora Roberts
love that there are two books included.
Song of the West
Samantha is in Wyoming and she's caring for her sister, Sabrina.
Sabrina and Dan have a day to themselves and she reluctantly goes off with Jake-he owns half the land in the state.
Another time she goes out on horseback by herself and doesn't notice the storm. Jake ends up finding her where she's passed out and he's brought her back to his ranch, where he's there by himself.
Things heat up with lovemaking while stuck inside with themselves for company.
Love the detailed descriptions of the scenery.
Things don't go so well when the storm hits and it's time for the baby to be born, the truck won't start and the phone is out. Leave it to
Samantha to get things done...
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Her Mother's Keeper
Gwen LaCross is there at her mothers's, Annabelle where she runs an inn. One of the men is Luke Powers and she's taken to him, the author.
Her mother was drawn to him and she is there to see what she sees in him cuz she knows it's wrong.
Louisiana bayou's hold a mystery and it brings her back in time. She works at Style in NYC where she's in charge of models and deadlines and Bradley is an artist and he wants her to sit for him.
She had broken up with Michael before she came to help her mother.
Falling into the water, while he saves the bucket of berries, and then the rain makes the clothes cling to her every curve. Tender love takes place and things move on from there.


 Two of a Kind By Nora Roberts
Two books in one!
Impulse
Stefan met her at the restaurant when he glanced over at her walking through the door. He immediately fell for her and she was so fresh and happy to be on vacation.
Rebecca had come from PA and had traveled to Greece and he was to be her personal guide after they chatted over a meal. Problem is she is falling in  love with him.
Love the places this book takes you to and the detailed descriptions.
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The Best Mistake
He's there, early, to see the apartment for rent. He works at the newspaper.
Zoey Fleming has the apartment and is just finishing the painting.
She has an 4 year old son. Hoop is talked into taking her son to the ballgame and he got a ball signed, and a shirt, etc.
She works at the flower shop and waitresses and when she tries to get a sitter Hoop steps up.
He found himself playing catch with the little boy and it was a treat if his mom was around...


Winner Takes All by Nora Roberts
2 books in one
Rules of the Game
Brooke Gordon never should've looked twice at Parks Jones. The agency wants him to endorse some clothes so Her and Claire went to the ballgame to do some research and watch him play.
Oh yea he'd be a perfect fit. She had a very bad breakup and wasn't interested in dating and being taken again.
Lovemaking at it's best really makes this a good read along with her job and his job.
Love the wedding gift but when the fire comes will they and their house survive...
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The Name of the Game
Johanna Patterson is dreaming of Sam Weaver, the actor. She is running the contest show and he's made a deal with her that if he wins the next 2 games, she will have dinner with him. He's very smart.
Love how to get away from the pressures of her job she gardens. Detailed descriptions about the colors and different flowers she has planted and takes care of herself.
Love the places he takes her to that she's never experienced.  He's on vacation now but she will be working many hours overtime during the same time. He gave her a gift that she can't resist.
 Although he is there for her in every way when her father has a medical emergency, she tells him about her past.


  Waiting for Nick by Nora Roberts
Frederica had left her hometown and headed to NYC where other relatives live. She is a lyricist and hopes to team up with Nick, who she's loved since they were kids.
She sets words to his tunes and Nick knows it's gonna be a hit, even them working together. They are cousins but it's complicated.
The family gathering brings them closer and further apart.
When Marla, a relative comes to the family after her husband has abused her and the kids, Fred ends up being attacked from him also.
She breaks off when he can't love her in the normal way.


 Table for Two by Nora Roberts
two books about chefs and romance in one.
Summer Desserts
Dessert chef Summer Linden falls in love with the owner Blake Coccoron, family owned hotels all over the world. He's got a proposition for her baking.
Perfection-she won't take anything but. It took her 3 hours to make that treat and she was used to doing that, traveling to make special treats for special high priced people.
He presented her with a challenge and then told her who he'd hire if she refused: an enemy of hers.
Lots of hot steamy sex along with the baking and organizational skills make this an excellent read.
When she gets injured her mother is around to help take care of her and that is driving her up the wall.
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Lessons Learned
Carlo Franconi is in love with her, the publicist. Juliet
Love the shopping trip in the middle of the night.
He's trying to make a meal from fresh ingredients and everything is going wrong. The wrong ingredients, they are not fresh and the table isn't going to
be strong enough. He is promoting his book by traveling to big cities and giving a demo of Italian pasta.
He indulges her when preparing her a meal when they don't have any promo plans for the rest of the day. Love all the travel and sounds as hectic as it was for them.
Hot steamy sex combined with the food makes this a great read.
Recipes included!


The Goodbye Quilt by Susan Wiggs
She is packing up to take her daughter, Molly to college. The drive from WY to CA will give them the time they need to say goodbye.
She's also working on a quilt for her with fabrics from days gone by, patches of dresses and other meaningful clothes. Molly says goodbye to her boyfriend, the dog, her father as they start out with the drive.
She wonders what she will do when she returns as she will be an empty nester. She contemplates the local quilt shop as it's for sale.
Love explanation of what quilting and family mean to the writer.
They have time to talk during the drive while Linda works on the quilt. Many times they run into others and open up to include them in with their new experiences.


 Jonny and Jeffy by J. Runyan
Illustrated very color children's book about two brothers and they go for a walk in the forest near their house and find a broken basketball hoop and
bring it home.  Until something got broke and then put their minds together and came up with "I've got a good idea".
146806391X


 TIME - BASIC SET (TODDLER'S VOCABULARY BOOSTER) by Mary Monette Barbaso-Crall
Illustrated colorful children's book showing the time. Not only is the time shown on the clock face
but also in digital format. Time from 1AM to 10AM.
B009CZUD7O

 A Snowglobe Christmas by Linda Goodnight and Lissa Manley
Love Christmas stories, the traditions and being together with family and friends and remember getting a snowglobe from my father upon his return from a business trip one year.
This includes two stories from two authors.
Yuletide Homecoming by Linda Goodnight
Snowglobe, Montana and Amy Caldwell is coming back home for the holidays, her mother's, Dana wish. She owns and runs The Snowglobe Gift Shoppe.
She now has a marketing degree from college and will help her mom run the store so she can semi-retire.
She left when Rafe Westfield handed her heart back to her. He headed to the Marines, 3 tours and was now back himself and lived in town.
She volunteers to help the pastor with the food and gift baskets this year and there is a long list as the times demand. She finds out Rafe is in charge of it all.
There is no avoiding him there and at her friend's gift swap party.
While taking a break from deliveries the baskets he asks for her help in where to build his new house, on the land he's showing her. She has so many ideas and what it would need.
Her mother is still trying to set her up with eligible bachelors.
With the events that take place in the shop one dark cold night Rafe lends a hand and the talk is of the Bible and the true meaning of Christmas.
Her mother has a good idea of what to do with the late night visitors...
When she gets lost in the snow she prays to God...
Bonus is the recipe!
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A Family's Christmas Wish by Lissa Manley
Owen Larsen and his 3yo daughter Jane arrive at the B&B to fix the leaking roof.
Jane Kincade and her 3 yo daughter Mia own and run the Snowglobe B&B.
He's only in town for a few more weeks, hopes to arive in WA state for a new job and life, since his wife Kristy died.
They come to an agreement as to how she will pay him, watch the kids and feed them and she hopes to have money to at least buy the materials needed for the roof.
Due to the holiday lighting on the square they all head to take in the sights and even a tight fitting sleigh ride with the girls. They are thrown together a lot more often due to the girls playing with one another.
Love how this story interacts with the previous one at the same timeframe.
She prayed to God when he and his daughter left and he prayed also when he went off the road...


 A Winter Wonderland by Fern Michaels, Holly Chamberlin, Leslie Meier, Kristina Mcmorris
ISBN:         9781420121445
Four stories about Christmas holiday season and from such well -known authors. What a treat!
A Winter Wonderland by Fern Michaels
Angelica Shepard not only is in off off Broadway shows but has to work at the nightclub tending bar to make ends meet before her big break.
Her agent called and she didn't get the job on the show and told her to take a holiday out west, skiing.
Dr. Parker North had just lost a little girl from a traumatic accident. He was seriously thinking of another career.
She's arrived at the cabin before midnight and missed the major blizzard, so far.
He's left town on his way to his friend's ski resort and should arrive by midnight.
She ends up giving him a ride to the penthouse condo and they don't hit it off. In her cabin she puts up a tree that is sitting there with ornaments, all are angels.
Although I've never been to Colorado I think I'm in for a treat with the skiing they plan to do, very detailed in some tips.
The ski accident brings him to her side and to the nearest hospital-the one he is the neurosurgeon for. She remembers seeing an angel as she was coming out of the blackout.
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The Joy of Christmas by Holly Chamberlin
Iris is just not into Christmas but went with Bess Wallis to the museum for the traditional carols. Her mother had passed away at the holidays.
Portland, Maine: Ben Tresch works at the museum.
Iris Karr has a studio where she designs jewelry among 40 other artists of all kinds.
Her mother was a scultopist before she had passed away and her wish was for Iris to marry before she died.
Love that DiMillo's floating ferry/restaurant is mentioned in this book as a place for Ben and Iris to meet to clear the air after they separated and live in the same section of town.
This place is the reason we still travel to Portland, Maine at least once a year.
Bess is able to draw out of Iris what happened with her and her mother and lent his ear..
Her friends try to get her out of her depressing mood as the holiday approaches..
Love the area and the detailed descriptions of the places in the city and with the love story this is a great book to read..
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The Christmas Thief by Leslie Meier
Toni Leone and Elizabeth Stone are everything a fashionista is and they love to shop the best.
They both work at the Cavendish hotel chains, the hotel in Florida. Elizabeth can't wait to get back to Maine for the Christmas holidays, snow, cold and roaring fire with relatives.
Problem is in 2 weeks time a huge multimillion dollar family and guests will descend upon the hotel for holiday events. This means no trip to Maine but Elizabeth gets a promotion for several weeks as one is on sick leave.
Elizabeth meets Chris Kennedy and from what he's told her she thinks he's one of THE kennedy's from MA. She had helped him with some information and he bought her dinner in return.
So cool to hear of the riches and how the rich do live.
 Love hearing of comparable charity events in Maine, I'd be with them vs the huge party where females get $1k ring.
Toni is rather miffed at not being able to make a delivery to a special guest and warns Elizaebeth she will get even with her.
The jewelry heist takes place and Elizabeth is blamed and her friend Chris.
To help her relax she swims at her complex pool. When she gets out of the pool, she has visitors and they are there to help her. Love how they go about trying to solve the mystery of who took the jewels.
Love this type of mystery book and will be looking for more from the author, especailly because of the location-Tinker Cove in Maine.
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The Christmas Collector by Kristina Mcmorris
I have read other books by this author and they are great!
Love hearing of the homemade doily and it's purpose.
Jenna Matthews spends what time she has with her mother.
Reece Porter is just back from London and at his girlfriend's Thanksgiving dinner, on the porch taking a break from all the noise and traditions.
Jenna is inventorying Mrs. Porters books and other collections and finds some old WW2 photos and she's told to just toss them out but Jenna thinks they should be kept.
Mrs. Porter is back at her house after spending some time at her son's house in the basement til it flooded. Her family wants her to sell the big old house.
Reece is upset when he finds Jenna is doing the inventory, dividing his grandmother's things into bags to throw away or keep or donate.
Jenna's mother also has a love interest-at her age and that upsets Jenna.
A medical emergency brings them working to help the older woman.
Love the mystery Jenna is able to uncover and the secrets Reece has hidden away for so long...
Priceless: what the women used their helmets for, in a pinch. Love hearing these types of tips and stories.

 Catch of the Day by Kristin Higgins
Maggie is in love with a priest, Father Tim. She Lives in Gideon Cove, Maine, just over 400 residents a year.
Owns and works at Jo's Diner and meets everybody that comes in so maybe she can get a date. Volunteer a lot also.
After going off the road and diving off her bike cut leg and it started to rain. Malone is the one who picked her up, he's her brothers friend, a lobster man
Maybe if she dates other it'll take her mind off the priest...
She has an identical twin and they think the same thing without talking. When Suzie changes her hair style the next time they see one another the other twin has done the same.
She does hook up with Malone and others find out and tease her. There are mysteries about him as it's said he beat up his wife and that's why she took off.
Others see her job at the diner as a chore but she finds the community needs her and she needs them...
Love the 'ah yea' dialect of a strong New England accent.
Sad to hear of her dog and his mishap but others are there to help her through it. Love when the priest tips off others that she's looking for a date.
Love the carnival and the events there.
When Malone is accused of being the father of Chantell's baby and now owning up to it, somebody cuts all his lines to his pots.
Maggie thinks the priest is the father. What a mess and trying to solve and fix everything is gonna be a mess.
What an amazing read this book is, light but kept my interest.

Jupiter James The chronicles of a Boy by James P. Markey and Dennis J Markey
Illustrated drawings of a boy who after everyone is asleep goes to his dads' ice cream truck and presses the red button that takes him into space.
The imagination is super. Once he finds a new planet and new friends and he tells you what happens there.
They ask him for help and he has to keep his mission a secret from everybody at home.
ISBN: 1469990830 ISBN-13: 978-1469990835


Mimi gets Mucky  by Dr. Howey
Illustrated drawings for children along with the story on the same page.
Mimi watches TV and it shows how to stack things. After the show she and her dad go outside: he to tend to the garden and Mimi to play.
Planting bulbs for flowers later, sowing grass seed makes Mimi get mucky.
In the bath they all get bubble beards.
 Then it's daddy's turn as he's mucky also. Also shows the other volumes of other books available from the same author.
B009BCMMBS



All About Boats from A to Z by David and Zara Aiken
Illustrated very colorful children's book all about all kinds of boats and water vessels.
Not only the different types but other things that are needed on them and what their job is: anchors,  bell, compasses etc.
What an awesome learning tool from A to Z.
Pictures come with not only what is being talked about but other nautical things: fish, poles, landscape, etc
Love the ending the best it encourages you to keep finding out and reading other books.
Super read!
isbn: 978-0764341847

Three River Ranch by Roxanne Snopek
ISBN:         9781622669707
Aurora McAllister is new to the town and has moved into a house without seeing it first. Rory is there with her therapy dog, Mistral.
Carson Granger has his mustang sanctuary and he's not about to get married to collect on his inheritance from his father. He shows up
and has no idea about the new renter but after talking to the real estate agent he makes a deal with Rory that she can stay at the newer
family house and do some paperwork and not pay money to stay there so he can concentrate on his mustangs health. Stormy is about to give birth.
and Rory is 7 months pregnant also, and her dog.
Love talk of how he cares for the dog during birth and what he has to do to get the grant for the endangered horses.
They spend a lot of time talking about their past and he helps her overcome her fear of horses.
They both get to share the birthing of the foal also and to see the stallion return the first time.
Carson states he will let the wild ones just go, on their own, in another week...
Rory is also close to birthing and it should be easy and instinct for her after watching the previous births but Carson has to leave to save other wild horses from being shot.
She finds out because maybe the way she addressees the envelop his grant application was not received in time. she has to fix it... and she knows who to go to...



 Dianna’s Way by John Catenacci ISBN: 978-0-985247-90-4
Book starts out with John meeting Dianna and getting to know one another. Very silly times at the very beginning-how he chose his parents.
They discuss religon and how it has helped guide them in the direction their lives have taken them.
Love what she does at the wedding with the stained heirloom placemat, such caring! Love how he surprises her at the end of the day.
Their early life together goes on with everyday normal things and some not so normal as they grow together over time.
Book is not only broken up into chapters but larger sections with dates enclosed. Like smaller chapters and they stay true to their headings.
The sections broken up by dates also tend to keep you on track with the storyline.
It's now 1990 and she's discovered a lump in her breast. This section is where after surgery she does get a second opinion, wish I had done that but I was so anxious to get it out of my body.
We learn about everything she and John go through as the time when she makes her decision as what to do. She has many wig stories and continues to work missing just hours on her schedule every so often.
Love how the story tells of all he does for her from his perspective and then we hear from her side.
Things are looking up as John gets a new job, and they agree to relocate, build a new house and Dianna can work anywhere with her career.
Love how they celebrate the different holidays in their new house and the quiet peace of sunset on the lake in the summer months.
Next section is discovering a lump under her arm and they go into defend mode once again to combat the problem.
Glad to learn of the drugs used and the many many forms of breast cancer there really are.
Love the pictures along the way.
Next part is keep on smiling along the way...
Besides learning all about breast cancer we are also able to follow John's career and how things have changed since he joined...
Love how finding her religion helps her to teach her granddaughter about charity and what a huge part it plays in her happiness and outlook in life..
Wow never knew this much about the drugs, their names and all the side effects.
Wish there was more dialog, when she's with her friends for support or she gives them support.
Love the detailed descriptions of the places overseas, stunning!
Like how John deals with all the medical things and everyday life...
Such a powerful, passionate, tearful, sorrowful, heartwarming story, thanks for sharing John.


Welcome to Carson Springs, Heaven on Earth by Eileen Goudge
Cora DeLarose is tending the store when Hank from the production company stops in to ask if he can use the store as a backdrop in the movie he's making.
He takes a fancy to Cora and will find out later if her husband will allow it.
Love the descriptions of the wildlife in the area and the overlook...
She lies when it comes time for her to go see the production in action. Her husband has said no to them filming the store front.
She learns from Hank that the movie is about a man who takes a wrong turn and ends up in heaven-their town.
She has feelings for Hank as he had kissed her goodbye and lied to her husband again as he took the kids to the carnival. She went to visit Hank at his cabin but he had other female company.
When she did get home from what she told her husband, the movie theater, she talks to him about their relationship...
Love where this book goes and it's the perfect beginning of the trilogy of Carson Springs..


On Lavender Lane by Joann Ross
Madeline, famous cookbook writer is back in Oregon after having been humiliated on tour for her new cookbook. Pictures of her ex with his new girl getting it on had made the net.
Lucas Chappy is the boy she had left to pursue her college education. He still lives there and fixes houses and is under contract to do her grandmothers who she will be living with for a while.
He is a former Navy Seal and after talking to his male friends he knows he has to bring Maddy up to date with what happened in his life...
She had lost both of her parents, and was back in Shelter Bay where her grandmother had raised her. Sophia hopes to open a restaurant to keep herself busy.
The story also follows another woman, Feebee, that is the name she chose before she went underground due to her past life. She has arrived in Shelter Bay and finds herself in the Haven House where everyone does something to make the place run smoothly, and most have come from abusive backgrounds.
Love the direction this book takes, along with the hot steamy romantic moves and sex.
Such a cool healing place....Love the caves!



Tribute by Nora Roberts
She has inherited her grandmothers farm, Cilla restores homes for a living.
The grandmother had committted suicide 30 years ago.
Her neighbor, Ford Sawyer, an author, Mr. Sawyer and his dog.
Mystery deepens when she finds some unsigned letters suggesting she was carrying a baby at the time of her death.
Love how she meets up with her father and they talk about her mother, she's on like her 5th marriage. He is happy she is back in the Shennadoah Valley again and they invite her to visit and have dinner.
The author next door pays attention to all the activity at her house.
Love the intriqic details of the miniscule renovations...
Love how he takes care of her by offering a room at his house and the use of his gym but when an accident occurs and her friend ends up hospitalized she takes matters into her own hands.
Hot steamy sex and the mystery of it all really make this an excellent read.


 Decked with Holly by Marni Bates
He needs a break from the band and will go on a cruise to relax and write new songs
She is on the cruise as it's her grandfathers birthday and he's raised her and the whole family will be there. She's dreading it after the fiasco with the elf costume when the kids lined up to have pictures taken with Santa at the mall. She was just trying to earn money to buy him a gift.
Her aunt and others in the family are always after her weight problem. it's just a problem for them...
Dominick, Nick, wishes he could just write lyrics like his other band member.
After they stare at each other across the dinner room, she leaves due to illness and he went back to his room to write more.
Change in plans with the cruise though and she walked into the wrong door, she's in his compartment and she had just thrown up in his bathroom..
Drama and extreme misunderstandings lead to a press conference where she is now his girlfriend...
They do get to spend some time together in public where he shares his love of the outdoors with her.
Lot of interference with her family members and jealous females that want him for themselves but she holds up against them.


Playing Dirty by Susan Andersen
Ava Spencer and Cabe were set together for a science project and it led to kisses in his car after classes.
Cade Valara had sex with her, yes her the overweight girl that didn't fit in but with just two of her girl friends.
Ava during lunch finds out he got $200 from a bet to having sex with the fat girl, her.
She put him down when she spoke in lunch...
13 years later she owns a mansion and has warmed up the house a bit, keeping the art and wine in their proper temperatures.
Gabe wants to rent the mansion for a documentary.  $60,000 and gardens of the past and he wants to hire her as the con-seigneur.
Poppin and Jane are also low on funds and allowing him to rent it for 6 weeks will help. Mrs. Agnes Walkett had left them the mansion and she had helped Ava after her high school troubles.
Her jewels were stolen when there was construction going on so the documentary will also focus on that mystery.
Her friends are all for the project but warn her to be careful with him..
Story also follows a guy that is working security and his connection to the jewels and their location.
Hot steamy sex scenes as they come together in their triumphs and defeats.
Lots of action, sex and mystery from the past make this an excellent read.
Now that I know this is a series I will get the others and gladly read them :}


  A Cold Creek Noel by RaeAnne Thayne
Caidy Bowman has brought her dog in to the vets, Ben Caldwell office to get fixed. He was gored from the bull after the bull had stepped on him.
Her sister in law runs the local Inn and her brother is the police chief and the other brother head of the fire dept.
She doesn't care much for the doctors bedside manners...
The Inn is where the vet and his 2 kids are staying and Ann Michaels is their nanny.
Caidy hopes to set the family and nanny/housekeeper up in one of her ranch houses that is not being used.
She is happy the family will have a home and a tree for Christmas as their house should be ready in a few weeks time.
She has her dog back now but has to call him at an ungodly hour because there's something wrong with the dog and they get to talking and before you know it, after he gets the dog under control, they are kissing.
Other members of the family have invited Ben and his kids over for Sunday dinner then a sleigh ride and she gets roped into going.
She finds herself thrown together with him and/or his kids, she wants to help them out also and hopes spending time with the kids making cookies will help.
That leaves them with plenty of time to talk about his wife that had died a few years ago.
Love all the homemade baking she does and how she lets others help. She and Ben spend a lot more time together and she opens up about her parents death..
Christmas Eve comes and once again her dog is sick and she hurries over to his house ... realizations take hold, good and bad...

 The Sweethearts Knitting Club by Lori Wilde
Twilight, Texas has a saying, throw a penny in and marry your sweetheart.
Jessie Callaway is back from prison, 10 years. He was caught selling drugs but he didn't do it
Flynn McGregor must break away from him, that's what her knitting friends have told her.
They knew one another in high school before he was taken away.
Beau, the sheriff had stopped her on her way home and was going to write her a ticket for not having her seat belt on and he pulled out a ring, he wants to marry her. he has asked 4 other times.
Flynn wanted a yarn shop, her mothers wish and she had wanted her to marry Beau. All she could think about was Jessie and the night she spent with him on the bridge.
Love the legend of the sweetheart tree and what she discovers.
Story brings us up to date with things that happened in the past.
Beau has agreed to cosign for her loan for the yarn shop til they find out who bought the building before she could...
Jessie has got a solution to her problem and she goes along with it...one night letting off steam playing mini golf they talk of things not discussed earlier as she learns he remembers a LOT about their time together.
Such turmoil between their pasts as he tries to explain to her that he was setup and he hopes to prove it to her...
She now has choices that don't depend on her taking care of everybody else...
Love the hot steamy sex scenes and how the knitters come to the rescue...
I realize this is a series and have the other books and glad I found time to read this very first one, can't wait to read the others.
Such community camaraderie and love what having the knitting club means to the members.



Catch of the Day Whitney Lyles, Beverly Brandt, Cathie Linz, Pamela Clare
4 books by 4 authors, hot steamy
 SO CAUGHT UP IN YOU by Beverly Brandt
Pam Greenly owns the bridal/floral shop, Bloomers and can't figure out why she had scheduled so many weddings for one week because there was something wrong with each of them.
She had hooked up with Michael Denton every time he strolled through town and she fell for it every time, it was such an awesome night.
Now the bridal magazine is doing a story on her designs and it has come out that Michael is gay and finds out Pam is the one who said it.
Her assistant Jessica has updated her web site with all kinds of local information...
Love how Pam handles all the mishaps, too funny!
He had wrote a book about how to hook a husband and left a copy on Pam's desk but she didn't do anything in the book.
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Heaven Can't Wait by Pamela Clare
Lucy and Will Frasier knew how to completely satisfy each other sexually..
He is the sportswriter and she's the feature editor at the same newspaper. She had gotten injured running one day and he had helped take her to the hospital.
She had invited me to dinner to repay him and that's all it took.
They were due to be married in a few weeks time...
She challenges him to give up sex til their marriage night and he takes up the challenge...
Pink cummerbunds if he lose and she'd have to wear the slutty wedding dress if she lost.
Her mother interferes with her wisdom...
When the explosion happens he's sure he's lost her...
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BRIDES GONE WILD by Cathie Linz
Quinn Hayes is a wedding planner, the extreme kind. He also is an ex con and is into slave trading.
Tasha, an investigative reporter is there to find out what happened to a couple that had just gotten married, they had disappeared into thin air.
Her sister had left with the wedding planner on the zipline from the hotel roof.
She helps him come up with a plan to throw them off from the men looking for their boss, who was a dead man.
Later Quinn sits in the bar with Tasha and her sister and tells them how he helped some escape on his senior trip for spring break.
The wedding does take place with a twist...
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THE WEDDING PARTY by Whitney Lyles
Meg is at a pre-wedding reception where there are not many bridesmaids there nor groomsemen.
She was singing with others and started doing the pony dance and her shoe went flying and probably hit Mason, yep he had showed up.
She took him back to his hotel and they were just getting ready to hook up when she stopped it and they talked about how it could go somewhere but they had both changed.
She's now on her way to Mexico for a girls only weekend and she gets stuck with other bridesmaids but she'd rather be in the other car...
Unforeseen things happen when she leaves the resort early with Mason to head back to the states...



  The Spirit of Christmas by Liz Talley
Mary paige Gentry was having quite the day when she stopped off at the convenience store to get a pair of glitzy socks for her uncles gift at the annual bash tonight.
She got the coffee for the homeless man near the dumpster and also gave him the socks for her uncle. He asked her name and wrote it on the paper he held and gave her a check for 2 million dollars as another man in the distance wrapped a cashmere coat around the man. She resembled the spirit of Christmas. She was to be the new poster girl for the campaign of the spirit of Christmas if she signed and cashed the check.
Brennan Henry runs MBH but his grandfather Malcolm Henry is in the picture still. Malcolm will get what he wants, he always does. He told Brennan to take Mary out for a cup of coffee so they could discuss strategies about the campaign. He takes the contracts to her house where she finally throws Simon out of her apartment along with his new girl.
Love the spirit of giving and not needing anything in return. it's what I do year round when I knit for other local organizations. There is no better feeling so I can imagine how Mary feels. Hope she can persuade Brennan to get over his troubles, they do talk while on kitchen duty and she learns why he really hates the holidays.
This story also follows the love interests of Malcolm...
Mary and Brennan are each having sexual thoughts and what their relationship could lead to, if they only let it... Love the idea Malcolm has for the big gala and how others need to be told what it's really all about.
Love banter her and Mitzi have when they want to have a girls day shopping.
Never had a motorcycle ride sound so erotic, whoa!
Brennan's cousin Asher steps in between them and talks to Mary, the mishap causes his grandfather to collapse and he has a medical emergency..
Great story, great sex.

Rescuing Christmas by Vicki Lewis Thompson, Cathertine Mann & Kathie DeNosky
3 books from 3 authors, animals around the holidays!
Holiday Haven by Vicki Lewis Thompson
Ben Rhodes worked behind the camera for KFOR and he was looking forward to the nights taping the PSA for The Haven, a no kill animal shelter..
Tansy Dexter is in charge of the center.
Her volunteer Rose made it a point to set up so Ben would be the one doing the retake photos of the dogs.
Ben, while there asks questions and I'm happy to learn right along with him, why things are done like they are, the housing for the animals in pentagon shapes, etc. He also gets to talk to many of the other volunteers.
All the female workers are all for Tansy getting together with Ben..
They can't figure out why he doesn't want a pet as he scratches the cats and they love him, whereas the cats would not go near other people at all.
Love the idea of the angel tree and how it can be used in any charity event.
He does volunteer to be the shelters photographer and that throws them together more often...
Love his idea, after they make love, they are talking and he comes up with an idea to fund the leaking roof and she's all for it...
With misunderstandings they broke up and even an emergency with an animal, could it be enough to bring them back together? After all it is Christmas time...
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Home for christmas by Catherine Mann
Shelby Dawson Conrad was there with the dogs to welcome her husband home from the war.
Alex and her were not getting along and hadn't been for over 4 months now and had contacted a lawyer about a divorce.
Her holiday would be spent driving adopted dogs from The Haven=a no kill animal shelter to their new homes.
Lots of arguing and they say things they don't really mean but they will both go on the doggie delivery trip before Christmas.
He doesn't want her out there by herself and she'd worry if he was by himself, so they will stick together.
After 8 years she had couldn't conceive and the infertility treatments were too expensive to keep trying.
Because they'd also have a cameraman/reporter with them they'd not be able to really talk out their differences.
Love how the story also catches us up on what's going on with others lifes at The Haven.
The trip had an emergency which brings them closer but they still have to get through attending Christmas day at her mothers..
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A Puppy for Will by Kathie DeNosky
Will Parker, divorced 3 years now, was the computer guru who had written the program for the animal adoptions, all the paperwork was now easy to fill in on the computer with a printout.
His grandmother, Rose worked at The Haven and was always trying to get him to take an animal home for the holidays.
She had raised him after his parents had died in a cr accident.
Marie Fairbanks also owns a floating house and she is neighbors with Will.
She invited everybody nearby to her Christmas Eve party, animals included...
She captures the wandering dog and returns him to Will and they each take an instant liking to one another and discover how the dog got out of the house...
Besides her dabbling in cooking recently, since her divorce, she is a writer, a software columnist..
Everybody warns him about the food prior to arriving at her party. There is SO much food left and after one taste he can see why her allergies have gotten in the way of her tastebuds.
He found out her secret and he was furious as he and Harley left on Christmas day...
When the dog goes missing ir brings them together til he's found and then they draw apart again, for the last time..



  Let It Snow...
A Blazing Bedtime Stories Holiday Collection, 2 stories for the holiday season
The Prince Who Stole Christmas by Leslie Kelly
Starts out with how a prince is trying to find a bride but all the maidens are only interested in his crown and palaces.
He's agreed to marry one of his parents choices if this last trip to find one for himself proves nil. He heads to New York.
Claire Hoffman runs the candy shop but her brother Freddy could easily eat all the profits.
He owes $10k = his gambling! She's just about making ends meet with the shop. she can't help him again.
Prince Philip Nadir and his bodyguard have arrived in NY and Phateen doesn't want him to rent the apartment cuz it was very shabby.
Freddy had rented the condemned apartment above the shop to the prince.
She thinks Philip is the thug coming to collect the money for Freddy's debts and he, from another planet finds her interesting and loves the chocolate she is melting.
After he licked the spoon he started kissing her next...
Besides sightseeing Philip is around to watch out for her so the thugs don't come and beat her up...
Wow the things he does with chocolate, talk about hot steamy erotic sex, whoa!
Deadline is Christmas eve, will she go to his world or will she stay with her brother at the candy shop???
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My True Love Gave To Me by Jannifer LaBrecque
Gertrude Brown  and Knox Whitaker were longtime buddies, she was raised next door to his grandmother.  Now that she had died Knox feels they should just move on with their own life's. His girlfriend doesn't understand their relationship so he just wants a clean break from Trudy.
Love hearing of all the towns traditions and the legends of the holidays.
Years later they meet for the festival and he's now a vet and she runs a flower business. His girlfriend Elsa is in the fashion industry and is a material type person.
While setting up the tree display she was so happy to see that his grandmothers ornaments had not been just tossed out. They almost kissed then but she pulled away. On the way to get her car he did stop the truck and kiss her and she wonders now if that was a wise thing to do.
They were scheduled to go visit the bison range, fly in and spend a few hours there.
When Trudie finds out Elsa and Knox had broken up over a week ago she felt better about kissing him.
Love the chat they have about what happened with his grandmother and how he was reluctant about things. She's just glad they are able to discuss it in the open.
Love how they resume the 12 days of Christmas presents for one another...
Love of love scenes in this one also, hot and steamy.
ISBN:  0373797273

 Christmas at Timberwoods by Fern Michaels
Hetater Andrews was in charge of the Timberwoods Mall security.
Angela Steinhart dad had designed the mall design and she had done a lot of the Christmas displays. She had redeemed herself after being caught at shoplifting while in high school.  When she had a premonition things did happen..
Angela goes to Heather to explain about her premonitions in hopes she could help..
The story continues and others become involved with the mystery of what Angela saw in the vision. They get her hypnotized and find out more information but the whole
thing doesn't come together til the very end.
She can't keep away from the mall and figures it out for herself.
During the turmoil she did spend several days with Charlie, a mall Santa and she loves the life of making meals for him and straightening out the house and their talks after dinner.
She is so separated from her mother and father because it's all about their image and money rather than their own daughter.
That's the main reason she bonds with Charlie, others have made fun of him also and she saved him one time...


 Cutting Loose by Susan Andersen
Jane Kerplinski and her 2 friends, Poppy and Ava inherit the mansion museum and run into some problems with the contractor.
Agnes Walkett appreciated the girls paying attention to her at the event a few nights ago. Usually teens did not go out of their way to talk to elderly people.
She loved the sisterhood and they loved the tea party they were invited to. The mansion sounds so cool and I am very happy to learn of all the hidden treasures and the gift of a diary to each.
Devlin Cavanaugh was the contractor but the last she had seen him he was jetlagged and had had a few too many to drink. She didn't have time to babysit him.
He knew of the treasured jewels also and that they were hidden. Nobody knows where the jewels are hidden.
Gordon is also helping to solve the mystery of the hidden jewels.  Story not only follows the mystery but the matters of the heart.
Great first read of this series. The other 2 books cover the other woman in the series, excellent reads!


After the Storm by Amy Knupp
I recall a storm, hurricane that did hit the island off the coast of Texas and saw on the news how devastating it was to some, while others houses were not touched at all.
This story starts out with the day of the hurricane and how Nadia Hamlin was just going back to get some records from the office then was gonna head off island to avoid the storm but she got stuck.
A local fireman Penn Griffin came to her rescue but he got caught in the debris but had saved her life.
He's now recuperating and his sister and his roommate hang around but can't get him to budge to get back in physical shape and the doctors have told him he will no longer be able to do his fireman job.
He's feeling sorry for himself and mopes around the apartment but he starts to get up and do things.
Nadia, I don't think feels too bad about him being injured, she carries on with her life but she does bring him food all the time and checks in and tries to get him to exercise by leaving the food in another room so he will have to get out of bed. Parts of her plan work...
He knows he needs to apologize to her he just has no idea what to do with the rest of his life but he helps her pass time when he can't sleep by texting her..
There is also a side romance, her mother Joyce...  Other characters only enhance the whole plot of things.
Love how he shows his mother around the fire explaining everything to her and why they do what they do.
Life with others go on and some stumble along the way as well.
Love how Nadia and Penn survive the sexual tension they've acquired and how they solve the problem.
Love how the fire draws his attention and he can't help but go back to it.
Got more out of this story that I thought. Felt it might be more of a typical boy meets girl, they fall in love, but there was so much more to this story than that.
Especially liked the indepth details of the fire scenes.


Burning Up by Susan Andersen
Macey O'James, big MTV star is helping her family working at the boarding house.
Gabriel Donovon, the fire chief is a man from her high school days and they heat up the town.
He eats his meals at the boarding house while his house is being built.
For a charity event they talk her into giving some time to the community at the fair event.
It's to raise money so the fire dept can be funded. She runs into others that were in the same high school and they have conflicts.
Like hearing things Gabe finds after fires are out and how he solves how they started..
He can't get her kiss out of his system and anytime he's close to her he prays for a call to put a fire out.
She goes to scout out a new location for the taping of the video, problem is somebody is behind her locking her in the upstairs bedroom, then she smells smoke and sees fire!
The fire dept. has a serious problem with arsonists and Gabe is hot on the trail of them...
The record gets set straight at the reunion as to the real truth of what happened when she was 17...
Love the bonus of the recipes at the end..with the storyline and hot steamy sex, this is a super read!


 A Wreath of Snow by Liz Curtis Higgs
Meg Campbell, a school teacher, is on her way to her house, the one Aunt Jean gave to you in the will after she died. Her brother had nasty things to say about this so she left before Christmas.
Gordon Shaw recalls the past where the curling stone he was using in the game had injured a 10 year old leaving him crippled for life, Gordon was drunk. He had returned back to Stirling with noone seeing him, Alan Campbell and was back on the train returning to Edinburgh to his newspaper job.
Love his grandmothers explanation of the word wreath. so fitting! And the tradition of when you give tapers as a gift. Love to learn new things.
He learned who she was when conversing with the conductor about their delay. The train may not get to it's location but the workers were clearing the ice from the tracks...
When the train crashes into snow he and others volunteer to help shovel the snow using any instruments they can which gives him a lot of time to think about his guilt of 12 years ago and how he needs to talk to Meg and ask forgiveness.
As they walk back to town they talk to one another finding out she can't wait to leave the area.
Love the quotes from various authors about the upcoming chapters, very fitting.
He does tell her who he is and he watches the facial expression as he asks for forgiveness. He wants to accompany her home and ask for theirs as well.
They have a surprise when they reach the town. How will he tell others of who he is.
There is also lots of talk of God and the real meaning of Christmas and religious services.
Love hearing of the traditional Victorian lightings.
Lot of light is shed on the circumstances of a lot of different situations that bring it all together..
Miracles do happen and they are even better at Christmas.
Love the ending and how all my other questions were answered by the author as to how she started the writing and other aspects of the book.
Bonus recipe at the end ties this into a nice little bundle to enjoy.


 HOBBIES - BASIC SET (TODDLER'S VOCABULARY BOOSTER) by Mary Monette Barbaso-Crall
Illustrated very colorful children's book showing different hobbies that children and adults can do starting with the simplest: reading books. Shows 10 different things you can do for a hobby and they are fun.


Something New by malena Lott
Love how the chapters are split between the 4 women who live in the same house.
Apple is their family last name as they have worked for the company over the years, each doing different jobs.
Appleisms at the beginning of some chapters have just the right amount of truth while being fun.
Maeve is the eldest-the one who has now lost her memory but remembers the Prince and the Pauper and all the musical scenes and the words to the songs. She loves the acting and often runs to the theater and hopes to reunite with Canty-he's the pauper.
Bess is the daughter of Maeve, mother of the two girls. Just recently divorced after 40 years and is at odds with one of her daughter's wedding plans. Death of her marriage and soon death of her mother, it's too much some days and she wants to start going through Maeve's things now. Maybe spark something that will make her remember who Canty is in the play so they can contact him.
Gwen is one of the girls, the one to be married and she's doing it on reality TV show til the day of the wedding. There's a lot going on here even behind the scenes.
Kelly is the other girl and she works nonstop for the family business. She also has given up on men and has selected her fathers baby and was injected with his sperm in hopes to become pregnant.
They all live in the same house together, sharing duties of taking care of the eldest, Maeve.
Love the travel and the descriptions of the high class items, shoes, bags, etc. and especially the gardens.
What happens next is the key to the rest of the book. It has potential to destroy them all, their relationships, life and work.
Like how when it first starts out it's the present day and as the story goes, it does travel back in time to help you understand what you need to find out.


 Dominic and the Magic Sandcastle by Janice Jarek
Children's book about a boy who takes a trip to visit with his grandmother in Hawaii.
The book describes in detail the plane ride and once he arrives in Hawaii along with his family. He has dreamed of building a sandcastle and it being magic.
Love the trick of the photography and the dolphin! His grandmother tells him of all the magic she's seen on the island: mermaid and a castle that came to life.
He dreamed of a knight and his princess in the castle and the moat and how the whole family had sat at a long table and got to eat while watching the knight fight in the arena and you got to select your favorite.
Problem when the waves come into shore. He talks about what happened next and decided to go play in the water.
The next day after completely finishing the castle and waited around but no magic happened so he went to play near the waters edge.
After 4 days his grandmother told him what he needed to do and the next day it did work. He went to show his older brother but he didn't see the magic at all...
At the end of his trip his grandmother gave him something to help him with the magic...


Baby Under the Christmas Tree by Teresa Carpenter
The book starts out with Elle Austin at Princess camp when she was a little girl and her friend gave her a notepad and told her to write down everything she could hear. All the ideas others were talking about.
That was the start of her career. She helped her dad with his job of athletic director by organizing everything associated with the teams. It got her to be the assistant where she was also the PR liaison for all the sports.
She loves order and lists and hates chaos. Being the deputy director of PR now with hopes to get her own PR firm by 35 and she's on track.
It's 2am and she is at the jail to bail them out. Maxwell-the Beast-Beasley is the leader of the pack. He does good PR and also bad PR.
When she drops Max off at his house a woman is there and hands him the bundle and leaves. It's his child, Troy.
She had NO idea he even had a child. Along with her boss Ray they devised a plan that might work to show Max in a good light so things would go his way when he was awarded full custody of the child.
His ex girlfriend was getting a lot of money and a house so she'd be able to take the child on occasion-when he traveled. She might catch wind of his plan and go to the press to show herself in a good light especially for the hockey team.
He was attracted to her and had even kissed her as they did the chores she had listed-legal dept, clothes shopping and then lunch at Old Town. Love this locale as I've heard it described in other books, fun place to be!
Her family birthday party finds them all together, some tense and some calm moments.
Everybody kept seeing them as Beauty and the Beast. After his ex girlfriend attacks Elle he has to make a decision as to what to do with the situation.
Elle concentrates on the big Gala event to keep her mind off Max and Troy but it's not really working out that way..
Great read with the sex scenes, hot and steamy.



 Bending the Rules by Susan Andersen
The ladies are painting Agnes Walkett's house as she's taken them under her wing.
Giving back allows them all to gain inner peace.
Poppie is doing posters and greeting cards when she catches the teens defacing the town walls.
She wants them to do community service. This follows the sisterhood and their lives.
Jason approaches the task of what the teens should do from a different angle.
They compromise and get so much more from the teens.
Besides he as a detective he has many resources to help him solve the problem of the jewelry heists, and along with her they can talk to the kids and find out the information they need to solve it.
The sexual tension they have about one another leads them each to discuss the problem with their respective friends...
The mystery of who is after one of the teens comes to light as they join forces to help her get out of her problems.
It also draws them closer as they solve it together..

Trade Secrets by Holly Rozner
I have always been fascinated by what happens in the pit and I do own stocks and bonds but leave it to others to know when to trade or sell them so I thought this would be a good detailed book to read all about the processes.
REMY MASTERMAN had lost her father to the Exchange and now she was there to try to learn the secrets it held and why her father, Harry Saks had taken his life.
Her husband Stuart was too busy to devote much time to her. He forbade her to buy a seat to trade but she did anyways and walked out on him.
In college she had studied the theater and knew all the background things to getting one on stage, fell in love and got dumped. She changed her major, dated Stuart and married him.
The book also follows Joey Fortunato as he was introduced to Zachary Silverman-her dad's boss, as Joey learns the business. His path crosses Remy's a few times...
The book also follows Jason Branson, his private and his public life and as his path crosses with Remy.
Remy gets distracted by Jason Branson and agrees to go to the dance with him. Joey watches out for her on the floor as others are taking advantage of her so he tries to teach her about the pit and trading.
Love the detailed descriptions of places surrounding where she is walking to, how a room is set up, etc
Love how she handles the problem with being the only female on the floor, it got all of their attention.
Ken and her love for him got in the way after her return from paris with Lara.
Monet gardens and the bridge brought them together as he photographed her. His real job is a consultant in financial circles.
They do spend time together, meeting in each others towns for a weekend. After the crash as she watched others lose everything they had
she took some time away and thought more about her plan of investigating about her father.
There is a major twist at this point and the story just takes off from here as we learn what is to come next you can't help but feel scared for Remy.
The crash effects everybodys' lifes and she finds out Ken has a secret that he can't even share with her once he moves to Chicago.
The other plan takes hold and it pans out. The enormity of the layers of deception are revealed at last...
What a super read, travel, romance, some sex, and the action and travel, what a great combination for a super good book to read!




read Oct 2012 The Fart That Saved Christmas by Jacob Morningside
 Adult Humorous Christmas Tale/Dec. 2012
Starts out where the reindeer are on strike. They tell Santa why too.
They had it with the rules, no cussing, no girls in the stalls, no leaving the toilet seat up and they are tired of dragging his sorry ass all over the place.
Cute rhyming tale for adults. They blame the elves and Mrs. Claus.
Santa has had it with the reindeer, they only work one night a year. He takes out his Vermouth and complains: he's had enough of going down sooty chimneys and he's tired of the laws he's getting a divorce and he's had it with Christmas.
After it happened the whole town came out worked together, there was no more tension.  It was a miracle!
I can see this being passed around at an adult party for all to say a page or two, while taking another swig. Total blast!


Her Miracle Man by Nikki Duncan
Children’s hospital administrator Ryland Davids was interested in event planner Jennalyn James.
Her sister Sabrina was admitted to the hospital and he had no time to spend with her. She didn't make it and he spent a lot of time with Sabrina and given her a promise to give the cd's to her sister after a while, after she passed away.
Jennalyn James is at an event she was in charge of and seeing that everything was in place and circulating to make sure the guests had everything they wanted when she was introduced to
Ryland as he wants to hire her for an event at the children's hospital.
Sabrina wants her to take the job offer he has: a miracle for every day of the month for the children in the hospital in December.
Such heartache but joy and caring are shown to the children: the care and that the administrator, as the clown knows their names, names with wagons.
He had made some secret promises to Sabrina also and he was going to make sure they came true.
As each miracle comes to life she is enjoying them also and smiles and laughs-her payment.
They do spend time together with the planning and the relaxing after and talk and she finds out his secrets as to why he's so dedicated to the children.
They enjoy the teasing and the making up with kissing afterwards.
The Christmas spirit is in full swing by just one person telling another, who tells another. They have volunteers all over town cooking, decorating and just helping where needed.
Love what the rocks mean, I used to collect them as well from all parts of the world that my friends would visit.
Such unique gifts that have the true meaning of the season. with hot boiling sex this is an excellent holiday read...
Glide to the end....Just when you think you know it's going to end happily ever after ...
Excerpts from a few other books are included at the very end.




Spinning Forward Cedar Keys Series by Terri dulong
Syndey Webster has just buried her physician husband and finds a sheriff at her house with an eviction notice to take efffect in 5 weeks time.
Her husband had gambled the house away without her knowing it. She had relocated to a B&B in Cedar Cover, Florida along with her dog Lilly.
She had met Allison in college and she advised her to move into the B&B where she was the cook.
To relax she took out her spinning wheel and other locals saw her and they were going to pay her to wind it into yarn so they could make a sweater from the fur of their favorite dog.
During the Thanksgiving Day Alison's friends come to eat and they all make Syndey feel at home. Her daughter, back up in the northeast still can't believe what's happened and that she allowed her dad to do that to her mother. She rather blames her mother for not keeping track of things.
She gets a new hairdo and a job locally and talks to the woman at the bank about a business for her potential yarn shop.
Characters are introduced and then you find out other details about them and it's easy to keep them straight.
Others tell her to go find her bio mother and there are mysteries about this during the book.
With her daughter's injury she will be moving into the tree house apartment with Syndey til she gets on her feet. Syndey's friends have set her up with dinner dates. There are quite a few men that she shows an interest in, for one reason or another and one, Noah Hale that just rubs her the wrong way in every regard.
There are a lot of goings on during the book that are small but combined together make the story a good one.



My Review:  The Memory Thief by Emily Colin Madeline Kimble is a mother and a wife in Boulder, CO. Love the story of how she met and dated her husband Aiden. He's off on another of his high climbing mountain adventures and has promised to come home, always to them.
Problem is the avalanche. Reason why I wanted to read this book is because we were traveling up the hill to Paradise at the top of Mt. Rainier in Washington state when the guards had just closed the road we were on due to an avalanche. We waited a bit of time before we could travel further up the hill as they cleared the road, waiting for signs of more movement.
Find the climbing fascinating to read about, would never want to do it, I just like to learn new things.
Nicholas ia a professor in NC that has survived a motorcycle crash and he has lost his memory. After he's left the hospital he has dreams of whiteouts and being in an avalanche and another path/lives. He researches and finds out about Madeline and Gabe and Aidens' lives together.
Scary for me as I don't know what I believe in the afterlife but was interesting to hear this one book about it and how the dreams played a big part in solving the mystery of it all.
Hate that he has to be betrayed by his girlfriend when he had found out the real truth.
Bit of romance, sex and adventure and faith play a part in this book.