Blue Jeans and Coffee Beans by Joanne DeMaio
Bit confusing at the beginning where the characters are introduced as to what they do in the present day with tidbits of information about their past life-the summers they were all together.
After that it's easy to keep them straight and I love the book because of the feeling the salt air on my skin calms me.
Maris just buried her father and cleaned out his house and needs to go back to work in Chicago as a denim designer and Scott her intended. She watches some of the dvd's from the old 8mm movies and photos and discovers she may have a sister.
With the kids, Evan and Hailey and her laid back chef of a husband, Lauren is a painter and works part time and will rent a house on the water for many weeks in the summer and Kevin's not invited.
Jason Barlow is redoing the barn where he hopes to set up his architecture studio and with the pain from his prosthesis on his leg along with starting to remember the tragedy of his brothers death.
Eva and Matt are married. She's into real estate, shows houses on commissions. They have the teen Taylor and she's a handful. Her secret is she knows she has a birth mother, somewhere.
Everybody is linked together by Neil, Jason's brother. That one night in the summer when it happened. They all have to do something to get by it now
Love the scapes using paint and the sea things brought to life in various forms in the book.
Also love how the book gives you information as to the accident, the tragedy and it's in the present time also..
I've been putting off finishing this book as I will read for an hour and then do laundry so I can keep in my mind the things I've read mostly about the sea and the shore. I don't want the book to end.
Hunger Gamer by Suzanne Collins
Like the TV show Revolution they learn to survive on pure instinct. The game itself is explained and the rules as the book goes on. There are
different sections they must go through. They are housed in a houses where everything is at their fingers touch or just a whisper of what they want to eat and it arrives.
The training is described in detail. Love hearing of all the different weapons they are able to use to become familiar with. When all the districts pairs are released Catnus runs and hopes to get away
by herself. She finds food and water and hopes her friend Peter is faring as well as he is with a pack of others.
Plants that become food are interesting to learn about. Like hearing how she teams up with another from the agriculture district to survive.
Rules change so often and now there can be a boy and girl from the same district that can survive!
Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins
2nd part of the hunger games where Catnus and Peta must at all cost make others believe they are head over in heels love with one
another or the victory the acquired will be lost.
She's back in town with her family that works in the mines and she knows how others have contributed to her survival by the gifts she got during the games.
One way to keep safe is to marry Peta as they go back to the arena every year to defend themselves...
They are on the run again as things go wrong and they survive and try to help others.
Love the designed dresses and accessories and when she twirls. hate the ending. onto book 3...
Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins
The saga continues they see the damage and the district that is no longer. but there is another district now. Catnus returns for just a bit being watched by the hovercraft.
Others are kidnapped. She makes a list of commands and they talk and come to an agreement. She knows she can't go through this without Gale. And they can hunt on the outside.
It's just one of many deals they make in order to survive and keep their families safe.
They know the end is in sight, one of them has to be the true victor.
Must-Have Husband (Summer Grooms #1) By Ginny Baird
“Mac” McCormack is at his friend Hank's lodge and is going to do some hiking and camping. His store burned down and the insurance company says there's a clause about forest fires.
Connie Oliver is at the mountain with the girls. A girls weekend and she is then to be married. Problem is Walt has moved onto somebody new already and moved in with her.
Their grandfather raised all the girls and he wants to see this last one married wearing the hand me down wedding gown. He's just 80 now...
Mac's friend is always trying to set him up. Connie's sister is always trying to set her up, with a date.
Connie and her sister Linda are lost in the forest and it's raining and lightening. They search and walk around and find a campfire and a coffeepot brewing.
Love hearing how he kept the wood dry and hoisted his food up into the tree on a pulley, good skills.
Mysteries of a rope burn and a noose get hem thinking.... Connie wants to rent him and bring him to the family party in Napa where the family owns a winery. Linda doesn't think that's such a good idea.
Connie makes Mac the proposal and he accepts, he can use the money for his business, now he has to pretend to be her fiance. Love the grandfather's tradition on his birthday when it comes to the meal.
Such a fun light reading book to immerse myself into. Love the locale and tips for hiking..
When the magical dress arrives her mother has a new plan of action.... Love how the story is told and in only 59 pages. Another author would drag it out over 300 pages. Can't wait for the other books in this series.
Love Connie's choice of a career and the ending where the author tells us more about the book, tradition and the series.
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Sleepy Animals, a sleepy animals bedtime book by Gerald Hawksley
Illustrated very colorful children's book showing what an animal looks like before he closes his eyes to go to sleep, then the picture when he closes his eyes to sleep.
cow, horse, and a hen. pig, cat, dog , fish, frog, spider, bee, bear, squirrel, rabbit, sheep, duck, mouse, and the moon.
Never expected to see THIS many animals in one book, very nice collection.
Other book titles are included at the end.
I am a Bunny! A Children's Picture Book (Kids Reading!) by Amabel Pearl
Illustrated colorful children's book telling how a parent is to read the book to the child
doing specific things. The book itself shows a bunny and things he does everyday : eating a carrot,
playing football and decorating Easter eggs and other activities.
Plastic Gods by William Manchee
Read this series out of order by reading book #3 first which I loved. Then book #1 and I will read this book #2 now because I love the series.
This one concentrates on the two boys Erica and Richard have and bring up lightly the past.
Ryan has decided that yes he does want to follow in his dads footsteps and be a lawyer. Matt does also. One so he can help people, the other for the money.
Matt has decided to wed Lynn after knowing her a few weeks and they want to do bankruptcy law and tell Richard how they plan to do it and make a killing...they open a bankruptcy office, 3 divisions and get a $50k loan and now they owe with school debt over 100$k.
Love the travel to Alaska but threats start on his life. Many times over things really heat up. He gets set up many times, can he keep from the cartel?
All the information you gain about the credit card business and the interest/finance charges.
Lots of ideas, action and suspense, travel and family life.
After now having read all 3 books in this series I wish there was one when Erica and Richard were first starting their family-having the children. The series seems to have missed that period of time...
Jake by R.C Ryan
This book is mostly about Jake Conway and his growing up on the ranch, his mother died and his father is raising all the kids. He's so caring about animals that he is a local vet now.
On his way home from a call he plays his phone messages and travels to their next door neighbor's house, to see about the colt. Cory Stamford the 7 year old is caring for the colt that is lying down in the barn. Meg, flew in from DC, a half sister and the only relative left, she's a lawyer. Yancy up in the hills with the cattle has no clue of Porter Stamfords death yet.
She hopes to be able to auction up the house, ranch, everything and be back in DC in a weeks time, bringing Cory with her.
Love this series and the locale of Paintbrush and the previous books in the series. I feel like I know the characters and am brought up to date on what's going on with their lives.
His idea to move them all to his ranch might help find out some information from Cory, get closer to Meg and help treat the colt better.
Jake has a lot of admirers and they bake and deliver food to the family ranch. Love the banter among them all, wicked funny stuff.
The mystery of the boys mother just disappearing still had them worrying and wanting to find her...
Meg has mysteries also as the house is ransacked and her rental car tires slashed...
After the funeral she learns many things and is able to smile for a bit. With the dog giving birth they are able to share in a good time together. She contemplates whether she can go along with her fathers wishes by continuing with the working ranch and raising Cory there and maybe joining the local law firm...
But she's achieved so much in DC and would hate to just give that up...There is danger at the ranch with the break ins and she finds more of her fathers papers and goes through them to really find out what he was all about..
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Three Sisters by Susan Mallery
The three sisters houses each one owned by a different person.
Andi has just moved to the island to set up her pediatrician office, working at the local doctor office til her practice opens after renovating her house/office space.
Boston and Zeke are on one side of Andi. She is a textile artist with many medias, and he is a contractor, along with his brother Wade who lives on the island with his teen daughter.
On the other side of Andi is Colin and Deanna. He is a sales man traveling during the week, spends time with the 5 daughters they have. She works part-time at the craft shop, quilting, scrapbooking, knitting, etc.
Love the set up of the town as they have a yoga studio and a farmers market. Just sounds like the place one could just drop into and feel right at home. Love scenes are passionate.
Each of them have troubles to work through and with help from one another they might achieve just the peace they need inside.
Joy, pain, happy, sad you get to experience it all from different points of view. Love scenes are just right. Menu from the Inn and a recipe are included! There are quite a few characters and they are easy to keep straight because of the way they are introduced into the story.
The Three Sisters Houses to me symbolize the three women that live in the houses and how they become sisters due to communication and faith that you can fix anything...
Perfect Timing by Catherine Anderson
Harrigan family novel, this one stars Quincy and he along with the family is praying for Loni that they will find the right antibiotic to cure her leukemia.
After he finds an intruder, Cerra in the arena and has her arrested, his father Frank comes up with the family bible that does show what the woman had said-was true. The woman dressed in very old 1500 fashion and language told him what a perfect timing her being there is...
Loni sees visions and she'd know if the woman was a real druid or a fake.
Kind of funny to hear him explain what a refrigerator is, where water comes from, never mind all the electronics.
Loni is the clairvoyant that can link her to her past but for how long and who will ultimately pay the price...
This was my first Harrigan family novel and I felt I was brought up to date with the others, but not their full pasts. Loved hearing of the hen parties, too wicked fun!
Not sure if the others in the family saga deal with magic to this degree but I found it refreshing after the romance novels I've been reading.
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Must-Have Husband (Summer Grooms #1) By Ginny Baird
“Mac” McCormack is at his friend Hank's lodge and is going to do some hiking and camping. His store burned down and the insurance company says there's a clause about forest fires.
Connie Oliver is at the mountain with the girls. A girls weekend and she is then to be married. Problem is Walt has moved onto somebody new already and moved in with her.
Their grandfather raised all the girls and he wants to see this last one married wearing the hand me down wedding gown. He's just 80 now...
Mac's friend is always trying to set him up. Connie's sister is always trying to set her up, with a date.
Connie and her sister Linda are lost in the forest and it's raining and lightening. They search and walk around and find a campfire and a coffeepot brewing.
Love hearing how he kept the wood dry and hoisted his food up into the tree on a pulley, good skills.
Mysteries of a rope burn and a noose get hem thinking.... Connie wants to rent him and bring him to the family party in Napa where the family owns a winery. Linda doesn't think that's such a good idea.
Connie makes Mac the proposal and he accepts, he can use the money for his business, now he has to pretend to be her fiance. Love the grandfather's tradition on his birthday when it comes to the meal.
Such a fun light reading book to immerse myself into. Love the locale and tips for hiking..
When the magical dress arrrives her mother has a new plan of action.... Love how the story is told and in only 59 pages. Another author would drag it out over 300 pages. Can't wait for the other books in this series.
Love Connie's choice of a career and the ending where the author tells us more about the book, tradition and the series.
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red velvet cupcake murder by joanne fluke
Love these books by Joanne Fluke. If you pay attention you can almost solve the mystery as clues are given throughout, although a key one is left out so it can be the surprise at the end.
Love her relationship with Mike and Norman and hope she never marries. Andrea is busy in this one being the real estate agent of the condo's and the big party that Lisa and Hannah are catering. The cover of the book shows the red velvet cupcakes and they look too good to eat, even with the surprise inside each one.
Roger shows up at the gala with his fiancee Doctor Beverly who was in previous novels. That's gives the women of Lake Eden something to talk about... Super love the recipes. After reading a few of these books it gave me the confidence I needed to create a new cookie of the year by experimenting with ingredients.
Love catching up with what's going on with others. So easy to follow this series even with new characters. Also the police finalized the cinnamon bun mystery from the last book-that I had still recalled.
When Barbara is found on the floor, some think she is dead but she was rushed to the hospital and the next morning Hannah gets a call from her stating she knows who tried to kill her at the party the night before. She is to head over and talk to her at the hospital but she talks to Mike first to find out if he found any clues.
Hannah finds another body and now the questioning starts as all her friends try to help solve the mystery...Hannah is the prime suspect...
Love all the tips on baking and cooking as she hosts many meals when others just stop in to find out the latest on many of the cases still unsolved.
The twists and turns really are good in this book...
The Good Life by Susan Kietzman
Ann and her husband Mike have it all. The phone call from her mother forces her to help out.
She will have them live in the guesthouse after she's remodeled it til they are accepted at the nursing home/assisted living facility.
So many other things to see to: rent the parents house, and hire caregivers for her parents.
Ann and her family, among them 2 teens will live on the property in their own house and share a meal on Sunday. She's busy with her life and charity events.
One reason why I wanted to read this book is because it's about an elderly man who's going through dementia and as I have some family members going through it I hope to learn a bit about how to help them.
Hardships they all endure and some can see what the grandmother has gone through and help out. They make it through the holidays and one day the grandfather just up and leaves and now they have to go out in the cold to find him...
When the call comes about the opening they have many choices and decisions to make. Is it too late to be a family?
A Killing Touch by Nikki Duncan
The journalist Lana Quinn is hot on the trail of a new breakthrough but she needs the help of the team. They set up a meeting and it was Aiden Burgess that showed up. She explained to him her thoughts given the facts she had accumulated and they discussed it over lunch.
They had a fling, hot wild sex and it's on again. He will look into her theory but her ex, Nigel phones to say another body is being brought into the ME's office.
Hard with all the onslaught of names to figure out who's who til a few chapters in and then you realize there are teams of people working together.
Another female in the team wants everybody to be happy as a couple as she is and strives to get people hooked up.
The investigation goes on as she finds other clues and they all try to search for the common threads of all the deaths, the thing they have in common.
The others have all died due to an allergy reaction that someone is somehow injecting into them. Clues are coming in fast and she almost dies from being injected herself. Kind of like a warning to back off. Til Aiden finds out who her father is he's glad he called him.
More clues and more deaths and the number of suspects is dwindling...
Love the plants and what they mean to the human body..
A Killing Cupid by Nikki Duncan
She is the newspaper reporter with a column and she writes the annual Valentine warning to single females. The serial killer she was sure was going to attack again this year.
She had gotten wired from FBI Agent Aidan Burgess in hopes to get the guy this year.
He would kill a woman 6 days up to Valentines day and strike that day also. It had been going on for 3 years.
She knew Cupid was in her house and she knew she could back out, give up at anytime by saying the codeword.
The FBI was just next door. She needs to solve this mystery and get closure for all the dead women and their families.
The Perfect Hope by Nora Roberts
Hope Beaumont runs the Innsboro and when her ex boyfriend Jonathan comes back into town trying to get her to take him back she claims she's Ryder's girl now.
Love the magic in this Inn and how they solve the mysteries behind the ghost. Love catching up with the other members of the town, so close knit..
She missed the other females when she moved in a year ago, they had all lived in town now they had their own relationships and they moved out of town but ran their stores daily.
Ryder Montgomery is one of the brothers who are contractors.
When the ghost Lizzie locks them into a room and the only way to get out is to kiss, they do. When she tells her girlfriends about it I couldn't help but laugh out loud, for quite some time...
Love how they solve the mystery and the way things move forward...
Lace One-Skein Wonders 101 Projects Celebrating the Possibilities of Lace by Judith Durant
This follows the series of one skein wonders, in different formats: knit, crochet and now lace.
Love the sections, broken up into: head to toe( has things for heads, hands and feet), knits for kids (baby wear),
it's a wrap (scarves, cowls, shawls, wraps) and accessories(bags, headbands, etc), and for the home( pillows, bath sets, cozies). includes an appendix showing diagrams on many techniques and helpful information about certain stitching.
All the items are knit using a lacy pattern. There are MANY hats to select from. All are charted and written out with row by row instructions.
My favorites are the dishcloths in the bath sets. I like this book as a resource better than the standard knit one skein wonders because the patterns are challenging and not hard to follow.
Now and Forever by Danielle Steel
Ian Clark a writer and he's 10 hours from home and he's ready to go home, especially for sex. A woman who meets his fancy is attracted to him and he gives her a ride to work. She's a waitress at a bar.
Maggie invited him up for a drink, to her hotel room where she lives.
Jessie runs the boutique and she's been on a buying trip and after 3 1/2 weeks she's ready for her husband. They have so much.
The perfect life and everything.
Inspector Holton is in her shop and he's got questions about her Morgan, her car. He's there to tell her of an accident that occurred with her vehicle.
He would question Ian as he was the one driving the car...
He was being charged with rape and assault? She knew he had had flings but they were rare and quiet that they didn't even talk about them. She wasn't sure but she suspected.
What a mess she had to deal with just trying to get him out of jail, set bail and what Ian would have to say about the charges. Would she put up her house, car, your business?
What a tragedy she goes through as the trial starts...
The woman down the street, Astra who loves the style at the shop comes to her rescue and takes her away from the area to her mothers ranch til she gets a handle on things.
Love how she deals with everything and moves on with her life...
How Beauty Met the Beast (Tales of the Underlight #1) by Jax Garren
Jolie Benoit, the beauty, is a burlesque dancer and grad student. She is kidnapped and rescued by a voice she recognizes.
Wesley Haukon is the beast and he's trying to prove himself and fight for liberty.
When she comes to she realizes she's at his house and she doesn't freak out when she sees him in the flesh...
She is able to give them the link between the kidnappings, the 12 yo and herself.
They work together to locate Whitney but then he turns to his alliance, which is not her alliance...
Liked the plot but just not the locale, a lot of things were not really explained.
How Beauty Saved the Beast By Jax Garren
In this book again we have Jolie Benoit as the beauty and Sergeant Wesley Haukon is the beast. They have many things in common now and are working towards the same goal.
Still so much I don't follow in this series but thought I'd give this second book a chance. Sexual tension and learning new combat maneuvers is interesting.
The magic appeals to me, she has some he doesn't know about.
Like how I'm familiar with the characters, not only the main ones.
Like the action but I just don't get the underlight group and what they are all about. I need a primer.
Currant Creek Valley by Raeanne Thayne
Alexandra McKnight's new restaurant was almost ready to open. The book club members met there for lunch one day and showed them around. The man to finish the kitchen, Sam Delgado was
there sizing up the project before 3 other men would work starting the next day. She likes to take control of things and him being an Army Ranger is the one who needs to be in control.
Love the village here and it's fun to catch up with others and their relationships. The village has a bit of everything that makes it well rounded for anybody to live in.
He's got a life where his son is, at present his brother's and he doesn't want to get tangled up with the owner of the place-Alex but he's taking a liking to her...
When they find a dog while she's giving him a tour of the square, she decides to try to find the dogs home and keep him safe at her house. Her mother drops a bomb on her and all the relatives!
Especially love the trails and all the detailed descriptions throughout the book, makes me feel like I'm right there.
Harry has a proposition for him and he will bring his son to listen to what he has to say.
With the death of a neighbor their relationship also dies and although her place had just opened she got an offer that she can't refuse and it's in Deer Valley. She's going to move..
Mr. Brown Can Moo! Can You? by Dr. Seuss
Illustrated very colorful children's book showing you what Mr. Brown can do.
He can act and sound like so many silly combinations of animals it's truly a joy to read this because
it will leave you laughing so hard... Great for a rainy day.
Trains! Learn About Trains While Learning To Read - Train Photos And Facts Make It Easy! (Over 45+ Photos of Trains)
Molina, Monica
Illustrated colorful children's book showing all the different parts of the train and what they are used for.
Play a guessing game as you read the book asking the child to guess what part of the train is shown on the page.
As the story goes on it asks you to count different things.
I especially liked the scenery along the way..
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Asphalt Rollers: Big Compactors Squishing Hot Asphalt On The Jobsite! (Over 35+ Photos of Asphalt Rollers Working)
by Kevin Kalmer
Illustrated colorful children's book showing the different types of asphalt rollers
and the many other machines associated with laying out a new road.
I never knew half the things I learned about these machines: the other names they go by, water drums, millings, etc
This is one of the machines my dad never had in his arsenal of vehicles.
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The Winter of our discontent by John Steinbeck
Ethan runs the store and others approach him to take some cuts in the form of money. Everybody does it, bribes..
Mary his wife wants more for her and the kids. She has money from her family that she hopes he will turn into more by investing.
Others in town want him to buy some stocks and bonds, others want him to buy real estate.
He's quite happy with what he has and wants Mary to save the money for her future, if he's not around.
His boss tells him how to charge more money for food they sell by not cutting off fat or the bread edges..
Love the legend and talk of the widow's walk and the history of the whaling industry in the town.
Love the cave he found to really think about things..
His father had gambled their money away and he's very reluctant to gamble his wives money...
His children also are involved in a contest, write how you love America and they hope to win money..
He has the opportunity to change their lives...
Death Pact by William Manchee
Wanted to read this book because I had read book #3 in this series and although I knew the outcome there are many versions of the murder.
This book starts out with Richard Coleman and as a lawyer he's appointed to be a trustee for Erica. Her father Franklin has a huge estate. Problem is he dies and they fall in love and she's not yet 18. He makes money by investing
and her aunt wants a piece of the action. Somebody kills the aunt and Erica is charged with the murder.
After the trial Richard writes a book and then Erica writes her ending and it's not even the same murder. In the book I read one of their children has a girlfriend who wants to publish the book for them...
Liked this book and now to read the missing book of this series...
The Sins of the Mother by Danielle Steel
Olivia Grayson, head of the home furnishings regrets not having time for her kids. The annual family vacation she hopes makes up for it all...
Book concentrates on her 70th birthday family vacation where we learn about the children, now adults with families of their own and what they do in their lives.
Why they dread the vacation email announcement every year and what they like about it...a two week cruise with everything on board and then some. they cruised around the Mediterranean, St. Elba, Sardinia, Corsica...
They went through various storms at sea and the 37 foot yacht was rolling and crashing into the next wave.
Olivia spends a lot of time with the grandkids and offers one just finishing college a job at the factory...another confides in her about his sexuality...
Upon their return, she handles many problems with many of the divisions in other countries and looks forward to seeing the lawyer for the business.
Book alternates between all the brothers and sisters and their spouses to Olivia and her mother Mirabella.
Deaths, births, new careers, new loves, etc They are drawn together for their grandmothers' funeral and find themselves all together, something that's not happened even on the annual event vacation.
I found because of all the children the book a bit confusing as not a lot of time was really spent to get to know them-you do but it's scattered all over.
Love the book though.
The Golden Shore by David Helvarg
This book has so much to offer: the history of parts of the west coast, mainly CA and so many parts I was aware of and have been to and so many more I wasn't really aware existed there and the reason why they are there.
Love hearing how they rebuilt many parts from major disasters using their own resources.
To me this book is like a National Geographic encyclopedia of the area from earlier than the Ice Age and everything that shaped the coast and had any influence.
There is SO much knowledge you can gain from reading this.
Have watched and visited over the years various measures taken to bring back some fish to the area: dam near a power plant near Hurricane Ridge in the state of WA. Also very interesting to see the west coast with same issues as east coast had with fishing for whale and it's byproducts.
And most recently the overfishing til a species is just about deplete.
Love the references to John Muir and John Steinbeck, didn't know he played such a major role in things.
Chapters on the Navy and oil industry and how each of them has taken a part of the gold coast.
Parts of this are also better than a guided tour as details and names of other places to visit, where a tourist would never know about, are spoken about on the journey.
Besides the oceanographic and surfing there are throughout talks of saving the land, plastic bags and other garbage to preserve the land for the future.
Learning to Fly by Rachel Elizabeth Cole
Lot of stories with different subjects
Fallen Leaves
The grandmother that took in her husband as a child and raised him has fallen and in the hospital gets pneumonia and dies.
Her family is together and they learn how the father dies.
.
Listen to the Rain
Husband is overwhelmed with a new wife, baby on the way and he leaves work to apply for another job because he needs more money...
.
Caring for Lily
Looking for a daycare for Lily.
.
For Good and for Bad
She will always wonder about her old boyfriend even though now she is married...
.
Is This Seat Taken
Bus station where one is heading home from college and the other is on her way to LA.
.
Enjoyed this collection as it deals with everyday hardships..
Moonshell Beach by Joann Ross
Mary Joyce agrees to star in the Shelter Bay annual film show. She's an Irish actress.
JT Duchette is back from the war and is back home. He will provide security for the town event.
She has visions and many have come true. Her latest is of a warrior in a uniform...
Love catching up with the latest on the folks in the town. Love this series, it's so down to earth and inviting...
Story also concentrates on Cara, the sheriff and JT's brother Zeke who are to be married, sooner than planned.
Love all the news on the charity they all participate in... passionate love scenes and love the legends of the fisherman and their Irish sweaters.
Stephanie and Ethan are married finally but trouble comes to them...
Love the travel, what a surprise!
The Wanderer by Robyn Carr pub 3/26
New Thunder Point series, Cooper is new in town to find out why his friend Ben had died. He ran a diner/bar/souvenir shop and lived above it. On his way there Mac watched a S&R team get the climbers off the cliffs. He knows what they were up against as he flew helicopters in the war.
Sarah Dupre lived for several months in Thunder Point and flew for Search and Rescue for the Coast Guard.
She was able to move with her 16 yo brother who played quarterback to rid herself of her ex.
The book also follows the life of the deputy sheriff and backtracks to when his wife had left and walked out on them after having the 3rd child and how the whole town came to his aid to help raise them. His Aunt Lou does the meals and looks after the kids and is a teacher. She has a love interest who is a State Cop.
Rawley, Ben's vet friend handed him Ben's will giving him the place and a key to the building. He will stay and clean it up and he has decisions to make about it...
Cooper is also saving Landon's butt by just being there to protect him against the bullies in town. Landon is in a bit of a jam himself.
Also relationship between Gina the lady at the diner and the sheriff -Mac. Scott James the new doctor setting up his practice along with 2 young children and a 19 yo nanny. I won't even go into the other romances in just this one book, it's just way too much.
There's too much going on with all the people at one time...
Love that the mystery of solve about Ben...
On Christmas Eve by Thomas Kinkaid and Katherine Spencer
Caterer Betty Bowman has been too busy to worry about her life til she meets a Santa while on a job. Betty had joined Molly's catering company when Molly had a new baby.
Lucy is a nurse and after hours she helps in her husbands Charlie cafe, When a girl who's very sick with a cold is the last customer she talks Charlie into allowing Zoey Jones to come home with them.
Cape Light is not what it seems. Reminds me of a unique postcard life, so magical.
Love catching up with the others in town and how they all come together for everybody..
Berry was rescued with the tray spilling by Nathan, and then all night she wasn't able to see him in the crowd. He was the Santa! He also helps her with a car that won't start and follows her home on his way to the square tree lighting.
The Math Monster by Jennifer Hazen Buss
Was hoping to find a fun way for my grandson to learn math as he finds it a chore.
Denialle in school is asked to pass her homework in. It's not in her folder and she wishes she had a math monster who would do her
homework for her and her math tests. Next morning, running late she finds all her work, it's been done, she had done it but the surprise is still there and
he tells her she just needs confidence... Cute tale.
Angel's Landing by Rochelle Alders
Kara Newell social worker in NY has traveled to SC for the reading of a will. Taylor Payton's relative but she didn't know her father, who's left her the island, Angel's Landing on Cavanaugh island.
There were a lot of stipulations but she owns it all, she has to live there and restore it to its original state among other things.
Her lawyer David Sullivan will look after her best interests..
The sheriff Jeffrey Hamilton of Cavanaugh Island would look out for her while she's there checking things out for a week.
Other family members don't want her to have the estate and have done things to make her go away. She's staying there and renovating the estate with many plans she has.
Love the chat about the quilting. When lives are threatened she rethinks staying ...
Crazy Thing Called Love by Molly O'Keefe
Book first starts out with Maddy Baumgarten and Billy 14 years prior to the present day where she's walked away from him for the last time...
Present day: Billy Wilkins has just been benched at the end of the hockey season for the team he plays for in Dallas, TX.
She works as a reporter and hopes to move up to The Today Show and needs more big stories. The crew come up with one and she hates it: having a Billy total makeover.
What have they gotten themselves into as they spend some time together to work it all out. He knows what he did wrong in the past and she doesn't want a repeat of it.
Passionate love scenes help to tell the tale of their relationship and his hockey career along with her TV career. Brutal and honest at times...
She has no idea of what he's made of himself..The book returns to their past lifes' several times so you can understand what had happened to bring about such a response in the present day.
Very few characters in this book it's very easy to keep track of who is who.
On one TV appearance they spring a surprise on him and her, the one doing the show. There are many ramifications and the fallout is huge to all their lives...
What Daddy Did Today: A Father's Bedtime Story by Walter Wally
Very colorful children's book showing what one father does in his daily life. It's not the typical get in the car and drive to work and sit behind a desk.
This is very far from that. Starts with climbing a tree to rescue a cat, he climbs onto a lion because something else needs him to rescue them. This is very imaginative and shows a lot of different creatures.
Lot of good rhyming words also. Love the part about space, it's just right. We also find out what the father's best part of the day is.
Chapters about cookies, their type and utensils you'll need.
Love the section on decorating with colored frosting a sugar cookie, that's why I wanted to read this book.
There are many recipes and some I've done and like and consider this book to be the best of the best as far as cookies. They are basic and easy to make also
Storage and other internet sites are described also. Not many pictures of the cookies.
All She Can Be
Rita and Brett Bellamy were divorced. Her writing was paying off nicely and he couldn't handle that. She was lucky to get the house in NJ and the cabin in the Pocono Mountains where she was curently writing an historical romance novel.
She had the whole lake Happiness to herself as it was just fall all but for one renting the house at the bend in the lake, Twigg Petersen. He's a professor on sabbatical to write reports from his marine journeys around the world.
She recalls what each of the kids said about her divorce...
The guy in her life is Ian Martin and he's also her literary agent and he's due to pay her a visit.
She went into town and got some things to spoil herself with and 4 rooms of furniture, plants and groceries. Her kids never thought of her writing job as a job and want her to drop everything to babysit for 4-5 days while they go on a trip. She has to put her foot down and finish the book she's writing, she's on deadline.
Her male character is becoming more like Twigg than she realizes...and she can even describe a kiss they share...
She was still a slave to her kids, making doctor appointments for them, etc.
Her daughter comes to visit and is taken aback with her neighbor and that she's said no to other family members. She sure has changed...How much will she trust her friend with her daughter... The snow comes and so much of it at one time...
Hot steamy love scenes add to this story, love the locale and how it's described.
Love the family relationships and those of friends, wish this was a series.
All He Ever Desired by Shannon Stacey
This book follows Ryan Kowalski, his family owns and runs the local ski lodge and he helps when he can.
Lauren Carpenter is divorced and has a son and works at the local insurance agent. She ran into Ryan at the diner where Paige is waitressing.
They don't have a past history but her ex was his best friend...
He will help Josh who's broken his leg and is recuperating and doing some repairs to the Lodge
Her parents run the hardware store and Pat is heavily into knitting. Love the chatter about the yarn.
After they get the lodge fixed up Josh and the rest of the family can then sell it and each can go their own way. That's the plan but as the previous book I read I know that's not what happens...
Her son Nick is giving her a hard time with his school work and now his father is busy on the weekend he was to go with him...
Ryan just can't stop thinking about Lauren while he's trying to get some work done to the lodge..
Paige and Mitch are to be married and the librarian Hailey will give Lauren a ladies treat of the salon and get her a dress for the wedding. It's only a few weeks away but her son gets in trouble and
she has to concentrate on that. At the lodge Rose will be sure Nick does his homework then do chores for Nick and the crew to pay back for the damages...
Tensions heat up with Ryan and Dean over Lauren and Nick...
Love catching up with the whole family as they have come home for the wedding... Love this series!
Hot steamy sex scenes just add to this book...
Excerpts from 3 other books by others are included
Killer Crust by Chris Cavender
Sisters Maddie and Ellie run A Slice of Delight Pizzeria. One of their arch enemies Laughing Luggi has given them a chance to win 25k by competing against others at the new resort in town to promote his company and the new resort, Timber Ridge.
There are many stipulations and others have been cheated out of even competing. They must spend a few days at the resort, his expense but their boyfriend and lawyer husband Bob can join them at meals. They've met the other 3 couples who are all from NC also.
When Luigi gets murdered and the contest will continue they are asked by Kevin the cop to help solve the mystery. They had prior knowledge to a lot by just talking to others at meal time and before going to their rooms. They move into one of the luxury rooms as it has 2 bedrooms and they can compare notes and go about their next task.
They are also able to get help from Gina who they know from the area and her uncle has financed the huge luxury resort for her to run.
Many others think the contest is rigged and others think the judges have been paid off. They learn much with help from others and find themselves in digger than they could ever imagine...
Recipes at the end. First book I've read by Chris and I can't wait to read more of them.
THE ISLAND OF OPTIMISM - Happiness Is A Choice (HUGO THE HAPPY STARFISH - Island Adventures 3) by Suzy Liebermann
Illustrated very colorful children's book showing Hugo on an adventure and he comes across a few of his friends. They got discouraged because they thought the distance was too long.
He also noticed they had a brown color on their skin.
They kept telling him it was too far to go so he gave up and saw his reflection and noticed he was brown now also, like them.
His friend told him what had happened and why he turned to brown and he realized he just had to keep going on, with his dreams and plans.
Excerpts from other books are included at the end and some English/Spanish phrases are shown.
B009H93ZBQ
Rocket Boy My First Reader Collection - 6 books in one by Joy Findlay
This collection shows books that are about: shapes, another has numbers, colors, twinkle star, alphabet and the night sky.
What a great collection especially for boys. Love this illustrated very colorful collection, especially depicting the objects in the sky.
I never knew that twinkle little star had more than the one part. Every good job using space things for the alphabet!
Buffalo Soldiers (An Upstate New York Mafia Tale #2) by Nicholas Denmon
Love reading about the mob and their lives. When you first get into this book it's like a lot of problems others are attempting to fix but then you realize they are all tied to one.
Soon after the blast it all comes together just who is with who and why as they escape.
One passage I read that reminded me of why I like the author's style of words was when describing the sunset and I could feel the wind in my face, see the colors transpire in front of me and the smells and sounds of the area.
From the first page there is action and adventure and it never stops. As the tale is told the lives of those on the page not only come to life but you remember them from the previous book and there are other new people that mingle in with the others.
Love the locale of the steel mill and all the hidden passageways as some escape and some don't... Love the lead in to the next book in this series.
30 Delicious Ice Cream Cake Recipes By Lori Burke by Lori Burke
I always thought it was too hard to make these but after going through the book and the tips I found out that some might be a bit time consuming.
Even using low fat ingredients you can let your imagination go wild with the combinations of cookies, ice cream and toppings to create one of your own.
I especially like the simplest ones: ice cream and some syrup and some cookie crumbs.
Retro Family Recipes Old Fashioned Recipes from the 1960’s - 1990’s By: LeeAnne Jones
I baked in the 70's so many of these recipes I do remember making myself. One of my favorites is the cole slaw because it can be frozen to be used later.
Loved reading about what new invention had just come out and other facts and figures.
Fudge sounds so easy to make, I'll have to give this one a try!
Book is broken up into sections: desserts, meals, breads and side dishes.
FINDING HOME by Lois Greiman
Cass Carmichael has returned back home to the ranch in South Dakota. Her father has passed away and she hopes to spruce up the ranch and sell it to get back to her fiance and the city where they share an apartment that she pay for with her job as assistant secretary.
She's funding his college education and after he becomes a doctor they will put their money into her further education. Problem is she's putting all her time and money, what's left into the ranch. The lambs are birthing, the cows are birthing and the horses. There are ducks and other animals on the ranch that she just can't turn her back on.
She accumulates more strays, others will donate their time for a place to sleep and help out to learn and to push themselves into helping others.
When Bradley shows up for a night he talks her into the hotel stay and asks for not only the months rent but the next month as well.
I wanted to read this book because it's about not only horses which I want to learn all I can about but South Dakota. Never visited but like what I've read about it.
Also loved the setting of a table under a tree with light bulbs on, looks so inviting and cozy.
A stray, Emily helps in the kitchen and with the animals. They adopt the real estate agents daughter, well she pays to be there and that helps the animals with better food. She knows horses and helps them learn.
Hospital emergency and it draws them all together and we find out other mysteries that shed light on what happened.
Love how she takes what she has and turns it into something real good. It's everyday living on the ranch where things don't always go right.
The Goodnight Book by Cindy Bracken
Illustrated colorful children's book showing animals that are ready for bed.
A rhyming book for bedtime. Shows different animals and then a child with eyes closed.
Tidings Of Comfort And Joy by Davis Bunn
Love this story. Starts out with Marissa and she's bedridden and her family leave for their Hawaii vacation. She's to stay with her grandmother. It's been a year since her grandfather died.
She is recovering what some say is leukemia, some say it's hepatitis. Marissa has had it with tests and needles and her grandmother will protect her. Marissa has lost a Christmas without her family. So has her grandmother and
she tells Marissa the tale of her trip to England in 1945. She tells her the whole story of why she was there and what happened and why it drew her back to church and God and faith.
Knit Your Socks on Straight A New and Inventive Technique with Just Two Needles by Alice Curtis
Wanted to read this book because 1. I love knitting and 2. I've knit socks but need to improve my skill level and thought this is a different way to knit socks.
First are the basics and then different techniques and why they might work for some socks and sometimes other methods look better in the long run.
One thing I found most helpful was the discussion of the different heels and the different toe shapes. I've done a few just following a pattern on 4 needles.
Like the layout of the patterns and what is needed, gauge and just the cleanness of how it's all laid out in front of you.
Love the magnified stitch of each of the socks, and their very colorful playful names for the socks.
Most important to me as I can wear a man's size 10 shoe, love the variety of sizes available.
Fireside would be my favorite, elegant but simple stitching.
For the more challenging there are 5 patterns that are charted. The others are all row by row written instructions.
Great book, one for all levels and you can feel great about being able to make socks if you've dreaded the complications of making them. This book makes them an easy thing to do.
Comes with abbreviations and diagrammed glossary of how to do some techniques. The spiral bound book also would be great for not losing your place as the book can lie flat.
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Mistletoe Cowboy by Carolyn Brown
Sage Presley heads home in time for Christmas to help her grandmother out. Problem is she's left before the snow storm and in her place is a man who will take care of the cattle ranch before she returns in 3 weeks time, as per their agreement.
If he can handle the ranch she may just sell it to him. She is an artist and paints and sells most of her work in Colorado.
Creed Riley loves taking care of the ranch, they have no electricity or phone service but with propane and a wood stove they manage to prepare meals that are hearty.
They share with the chores. He always seems to arrive in the house with mistletoe in his hat and he wants a kiss.
They encounter many surprises...Loved hearing about the snowball fights, Christmas tree decorating and the baking. Hot steamy sex just adds to this book. Birthing of the snow children was wicked hilarious!
Love his version of the mistletoe and the berries. Not a typical romance book, it's so much more! This is a series but the books can be read as standalones.
My Cowboy Valentine by Jane Porter and Tanya Michaels
Be Mine Cowboy by Jane Porter
Cade is back in town after riding rodeo and he brings flowers to Rachel's grandmother only to learn she died years ago.
Rachel is there and has just finished decorating Mia's wedding cake but he thinks it's her wedding cake for her wedding the next day. He had his chance once. Larry at the diner sets him straight and he goes to visit with Rachel
to find she has a disabled child and she's lost her grandmother's house. Next day she can't deliver the cake her car dies. He rescues her and they go to pick up Tommy her son and he gets to learn more about her life now.
Love the time they spend together where he gets to learn about Tommy and how he can help him because of the research he's done and
Rachel gets to find out about him since they broke up many years ago.
To me the best part was learning about the disability and how to handle it with loving people around...
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Hill Country Cupid by Tayna Michaels
Tess Fitzpatrick ran the dance studio. She's going to help Nick Callhoun get a woman. His other brothers on the family ranch haven't done much better.
In return he can teach her about how to ride a horse and not be so afraid. They get to spend a lot of time together, usually in the company of his daughter, Bailey.
Because of that others think THEY are a couple, instead of Tess helping him get a higher level woman.
First they get his hair cut, then she pushes him into a clothing store where he is to ask the advice of the sales clerk. She goes off with Bailey for girl time. She teaches him everything to do on a date and it is backfiring...
Anything For You A Coming Home Short Story by Jessica Scott
Shane Garrison is back from the war recuperating. His physical therapist is Jennifer St. James who he now lives with. They have a loving caring relationship til he decides he might need to take the future into his own hands, but he does want to discuss it with her.
Hot steamy sex scenes only add to the intensity of their love for one another. She's got fears of him returning to the war and he does also but more about the cancer that may return in her body.
He never gets to bring it up first as she finds out and doesn't understand at all. Luckily Jen talks to her girlfriend and she has other ideas that might solve the problem they are faced with.
Love their meeting place to get away from it all and how they are able to listen to each others fears about the future and how to go about it so neither will get harmed.
They got each others backs....
Liked that there were only a handful of characters to concentrate on because then you can get inside their heads.
An excerpt BITTEN BY DECEIT by Shawntelle Madison is also included.
Remembrance by Danielle Steel
Saraina feels like she's been on the train for days and she has been. Others see the pain in her eyes...
She had lived 4 years with the sisters in upstate NY and now she was on her way back home. The war has ended and her home has been under terror.
She's back home but Sergio has sold all of her familys possessions and she knows she will get revenge.
She is hoping to get a job cleaning her old house...the house is being rented from the Army. A major is in residence. Margailla the old housekeeper will help her in her old house, her only family.
The major, Brad Fullerton is to be married to a woman in NY but he's taken a fancy to Saraina.
Problems arise when Patty comes to visit him and he knows he needs to break off the engagement. He sets things right and relocates her to Paris. They know when they arrive in the states there will be turmoil.
His mother has a plan that she hopes Saraina will on board for.
The book is divided into parts: early years and the survival years. After so much pain and sorrow she's had to get a job and watch her brother in law go to war.
Each of the parts have traumatic things occur and it makes the characters stronger as their lives go on.
Also the oldest daughter's life is highlighted as well.
All Fisherman are Liars by Linda Greenlaw
Dry dock bar is located in Portland, Maine. This book is about tales from others and her own from this bar and others along the coast.
We learn of her fishing career with Captain Alden and how over time they are BFF's. Life lessons are learned with nothing but open sea around you.
Excuses are listed at the beginning of each chapter as the subject changes.
Many trips and what happened are told and thoughts they did the best they could with what they had..
I Apologize by Bradley Booth
Tony runs a company in the city with help from his secretary, Maggie. She took it upon good authority that he'd end up like her dead husband if she didn't intervene. She commandeered the desk and told the others the job had been filled. She is an asset to his company and knows just the right things to say to others to get them to be a client of his.
He works mega hours as he has no other life now. He goes to the ballet often and other entertainment in the city. He ends up having dinner with a woman Christina and then they split ways. That night he sees her, she's the one world renown violinist for the symphony and she draws his attention. He does meet with her and before you know it he's attending her wedding day ceremony.
Problem is she leaves the man at the alter and with Maggie's help they are the ones to be married that day, elsewhere in front of their relatives. Their sexual journey and honeymoon start at Bermuda where the sky is the limit to whatever they want. Very heated sexual play. After several days they explore the island...
He tells her of his dreams and goals in life and there are many poems throughout the book. Steamy sex scenes as life goes on for the married couple. Things progress: cooking, new house, and work for them both keep them satisfied til she tells him her news. It's most unexpected and he's terrified for her. Seems he's been down this path before..
He seeks guidance from his friends and his driver..he is too bitter and blames himself for what happened in the past and knows that Christina has betrayed him.
He does open up to Harry and along with what he perceives to be God's wishes he can understand all that was meant to be: not a death but a celebration of life.
Love the detailed descriptions of the surroundings, travel and house furnishings, gardens, and glad one old man was able to break through to him...
A Wish for Christmas, A cape Light Novel by Thomas Kinkaid and Katherine Spencer
Lilian is recovering from her fall and her granddaughter and husband are going to move as they need time being newlyweds. The other daughters are local and usually drop whatever they are doing to come to her rescue. When they arrive it's to find that she's just lonely. She has a new love interest.
David is home from the war, injured and his nerves don't feel a thing, yet. His father has remarried to Julie and her daughter. Family runs the tree farm and he gets annoyed with the bell ringing..
Grace was cleaning out Digger, her father's attic and found about $30,000 and they decide to give it to less fortunate people who are local. She have a new refrigerator delivered to one who posted on the church bulletin board that hers was no longer working.
Rev. Ben is always a help to all.
Lillian and her friend have a medical emergency, David has a decision to make about more surgery and what to do with his personal life..
and Grace is having a blast with the gifts for others...
Love this series!
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