Books read Jun 29

The Winemaker's Wife by Kristin Harmel
Enjoying this read as I feel like I hit the jackpot, 2 stories in one book.
Ines is in France and wants to help not only the family wine business but also the resistance, by keeping Germans out.
Love hearing of the chambers underground, sound so cool to wander around.
They are also used in other ways.... she heads to her friends house sometimes spending the night and her path crosses with the Germans...
Story also follows Liv who's left her boyfriend and her aunt came to her rescue by taking her overseas.
She is fascinated by the grandmother's lawyer, who has papers for her. Liv has no idea what they are all about but one day at lunch the grandmother acts odd.
Liv is able to see the pictures on the walls and knows the grandmother was in one of the but is not sure of the connection.
At times very terrifying. Love how the stories come together, didn't see it happening at all!
Love this author's works, books are long but it's the story she tells that make it all super worth while. Can't wait to read more of her works.
I received this book from National Library Service for my BARD (Braille Audio Reading Device).

Loving Luke by Cecelia Dowdy
This story starts out with Kim and she had returned from the city where she had just gotten fired, along with everybody else and was helping her father at the family bakery.
Story also follows Luke and he's going through tough times as he lost his wife and is raising Lisa by himself. They get Kim to mentor Lisa at the bakery. Luke is trying to improve his life by taking college classes at night but he just can't do math.
He fixes the bakery oven by looking up things are youtube, love the technology mention, and he asks Kim to help him with calculus.
They do spend time at her father's house and when they wake him up he tells his daughter not to date Luke...
Love hearing of the things the girlfriends all day after the holidays, so precious.
I received this review copy from the author and this is my honest opinion.

Homeless for Christmas by  Hannah Miller
Amish story that starts out with Nancy and since her mother died leaving her and  her and her 3 brothers and father's he's not been the same. He spends money foolishly and they only rely on her working in handicraft shop.
She vents to her cousin often, she also owns the shop and both are good at handicrafts. The last week her father had traveled to buy some old buggies, he's to fix them up and sell them. Problem is he not only took rent money but they need to pay back the money to the Englishman.
She notices Will who's been doing things around Doreen's house for her as she is getting older and never married. Will had lost his wife after 2 years and he's been lonely and doesn't mind helping neighbors out.
When Nancy's dad shows up with the damaged buggies it's all she can do to yell at him. When he visits the owner of the house and comes back with bad news-they must leave as they don't have the money to pay him.
Besides moving in with Dorreen she also gets a job making meals for Will. She has listened to his problems and he to her problems. He wants to move forward and Nancy also takes a liking to him.
Harsh Christmas season and you wonder how they will make ends meet...
Enjoyed the story, a short one, easy to keep track of characters and storyline.






Tales from the viking age, captivating legendary and historical sagas by Matt Clayton
Enjoyed some of the legends and stories and some I found to be a bit confusing. So one man has 12 sons and they each have 12 sons and the names are the same in some cases and the story is only about one of them.
Loved the Vinland saga as it talks of the Norse and island up north and adventuring into Canada and things they find there.
Other works are highlighted at the end and offer of free books.




The Christmas Choice by Emma Ashwood
This story starts out with Penny and she's down on her luck. After her mother died her father took to drinking and ended up with no job.
He had found her money in the drawer that she was hoping to use for food.
On the way to church one afternoon she meets up with her old friend from embroidery school and Louisa wants to know of anybody who wants to be her maid as her last one  left as a mail order bride and she's totally happy and not returning.
Penny thought about it and liked the idea so she writes to a man in Montana and after several letters has agreed to marry him. he's told her about himself and he sounds pleasing.
When she arrives a ranch hand, Billy picks her up and she's delivered to the house where not only will her husband live there but his mother and his other brother.
Day she arrives there is a housekeeper and cook so she is relived she won't have to be their servant. She learns the truth the next day after she's married and things grow dire for her.
She does find a friend in Billy and after her spouse dies from drinking she leaves with Billy, keeping to the forest til they reach a new town where they get jobs and hope to survive.
They meet others who help them along their way and are given so much in return for just being their friend. Like to hear of sewing shop and outcome of her mystery.
Land and scenes are brought forth in the author's words, so descriptive.

Healthy Instant Pot pressure cooker cookbook by Daniel Cook.
TOC where recipes are not listed in any specific order.
Intro and free book offer.
  Different type of layout for recipes.
First page has the recipe title, servings and small color photo.
Next page has just the list of ingredients and you should be able to substitute for your healthier dietary needs: low sodium, low sugar, low fat and fresh vs. canned items.
Next page has just the directions.
There is NO nutritional information.
Found the recipes a bit over the top-a fancy one of a kind meal for a special event, not everyday meals.
Veal, lamb, and brisket are a few of the ingredients.





Pressure Cooker Cookbook: Irresistible, Quick, and Easy Recipes for Everyone by Vanessa Olsen
There are 4 separate books in this collection.
..




Pressure cooker cookbook: quick, easy and healthy recipes for nourishing and delicious meals
Recipes are broken up into meal and food categories.
Introduction talks about eating healthier by using a pressure cooker, history, parts of the cooker and converting recipes to a pressure cooker along with safety.
Each recipe starts with a title and servings, time to make and summary paragraph of the dish.
Ingredients are listed and you should be able to substitute for your healthier dietary needs: low sodium, low sugar, low fat and fresh vs. canned items.
Directions are given and some nutritional info, per serving: calories, protein, fat-NOT broken up into good or bad, carbs, and fiber.
There are NO pictures. Conversion charts at the end.
..


Book 2 Electric Pressure cooker cookbook: irrestible, quick and easy recipes for the whole family
Recipes are broken up into meals and food groups.
Intro has mostly same info as previous book.
Each recipe starts with a title, servings, time to make, summary paragraph of the dish.
Ingredients are listed and you should be able to substitute for your healthier dietary needs: low sodium, low sugar, low fat and fresh vs. canned items.
Directions are given and some nutritional info, per serving: calories, protein, fat-NOT broken up into good or bad, carbs, and fiber.
There are NO pictures...Conversion charts at the end.
..


Book 3 Electric pressure cooker cookbook
 delicious, fast and healthy recipes for deeply satisfying meals
TOC where recipes are listed by meal and food categories.
Intro is same as other books in this collection, with some photos.
Each recipe starts with a title, servings, time to make and summary of the dish.
Ingredients are listed and you should be able to substitute for your healthier dietary needs: low sodium, low sugar, low fat and fresh vs. canned items.
Directions are given and some nutritional info, per serving: calories, protein, fat-NOT broken up into good or bad, carbs, and fiber.
There are NO pictures. Conversion charts at the end.
...



Book 4: Amazingly tasty and healthy recipes for quick, easy and wholesome meals
 TOC where recipes are listed by meal and food categories.
Intro is same as other books in this collection, with some photos.
Each recipe starts with a title, servings, time to make and summary of the dish.
Ingredients are listed and you should be able to substitute for your healthier dietary needs: low sodium, low sugar, low fat and fresh vs. canned items.
Directions are given and some nutritional info, per serving: calories, protein, fat-NOT broken up into good or bad, carbs, and fiber.
There are NO pictures. Conversion charts at the end.

Sizzling Mexican Cuisine (Delicious Recipes Book 7) by June Kessler
This book starts out with a very short introduction and then table of contents where recipes are broken up into  meals and food categories.
Another introduction to Mexican cooking along with a color photo.
Each recipes tarts with a title, Mexican name and English name
Summary of the dish and then list of ingredients. You should be able to substitute for your healthier dietary needs: low fat, low sodium, low sugar and fresh vs. canned products.
Directions are given along with servings.
There are NO pictures, there is NO nutritional information.
Not every recipe starts at the top of a page.
 Links are listed at the end of other recipes but when I clicked on them I came up with an error page at amazon.
Like flavor combinations and want to try a few of the recipes.