Book Review: Fate Finally Found Us: Tommy and Barbara Beal: A Compelling Story of Rock 'n' Roll, His Overcoming Addiction, and Rediscovering Love by Barbara Beal

  

 

Fate Finally Found Us: Tommy and Barbara Beal: A Compelling Story of Rock 'n' Roll, His Overcoming Addiction, and Rediscovering Love by Barbara Beal

Why I wanted to read this is because it's about music and it's the time frame I was growing up as a young adult.

Starts out with Barbara and her neighbor Tommy and just how compatible they are over the school years. They were there for one another throughout the good and bad times. As years go by, he serves in the military and life goes on.

Love hearing about the bands he brought to their tour destinations and the things he had to do to keep the occupants safe while he flew the jet.

Love hearing all about the bands music as they are some of my favorite bands as well. Such funny and touching stories.

Sad to hear of the demise of others from drugs and how it all effected Tommy. Barbara was right there for him when he needed her most, after a medical emergency. Such an entertaining book, so glad I was able to read this one!

Loved hearing about all the bands and what they do now.

Received this review copy from the publisher and this is my honest opinion. 

Nov 21 Book Review: The Wrangler's Christmas Gift by by Roxanne Snopek

   

The Wrangler's Christmas Gift by by Roxanne Snopek 

Reader note/caution should go before the book starts, NOT at the very end.

This is not a good love/feel Christmas story.

I was very confused when reading this book. I had not followed the series, nor the characters and the family dynamics. I learned a little bit more about things in the 40-50's and knew an aunt who went through raising her child herself as she was only 16.

The story that was very troubling for me to read. I can't watch special victims series on tv because of child neglect and abuse.

Touching story but I felt it had so much heartache, pain and tragedy til the truth comes out for all of them to discover.

I do like how it all plays out at the end, saving grace.

Reader note/caution should go before the book starts, NOT at the very end.

Received this review copy from Tule Publishing and this is my honest opinion.

 

Nov 19 Book Review: Wanted: A Cowboy For Christmas by Anne McAllister

  

Wanted: A Cowboy For Christmas (Cowboy, Come Home Book 6)by Anne McAllister 

Story follow Jess who works on the ranch with Nathan, the owner. His family had come and visited on and off for years.  After he dies the family comes in for the funeral and he reunites with Alison, Allie. She realizes that she has to just up and leave everything in NY and head to her grandfathers ranch...

She wants to learn everything about it and tags after Jess. She has hew oen ideas... They both have feelings for one another. Will
is read and both are surprised as to what is to happen to the ranch.

Love this story, so full of love, travel, ranch and managing it.

Received this review copy from Tule Publishing and this is my honest opinion. 

Nov 18 Book Review: Christmas Baby for the Cowboy by Jamie K. Schmidt

   

Christmas Baby for the Cowboy by Jamie K. Schmidt

Story starts with Loretta and her son She does all she can to keep him happy and healthy. She is an artist, a painter and her scenes of the rodeo have been noticed among the elite. She hopes to sell her paintings and pay off her debts within 5 years time. She's had a hard life but her sisters and parents keep her stable and help whenever they an.

Story also follows Taylor who has many jobs to help her out. He is a bull rider and has recently taken a job out of the country to show others how a real cowboy does things.

He does some things when he was not thinking straight and now he has to pay for them or maybe lose her forever.

Love how the paretns step in to help them out.

Great story and insight.

Received this review copy from Tule Publishing and this is my honest opinion. 

Book Review: The Viola Factor by Sheridan Brown

  

The Viola Factor by Sheridan Brown

Love this story because it's about the US history, salt mines, history and personal life and growth.

Viola starts out as a young woman teaching encompassing many states, VT, VA, etc. Like the parts where her teachings make a difference to those receiving them. She does lose her job when she attempts to teach a black boy, a slave how to read and write. She did not understand the rules of the state.

She finds other jobs and advances her career and ends up marrying a man who had lost his wife and she now inherits his ready made family. They do have children of their own.

The talks of their life, reading to one another, her work with the community, she style of landscaping and teaching others how to tend to it. 

Booker T. Washington was a child she took under her wing to educate him. Love hearing about the US presidents and rules of the land and how they effected her, her teaching, and her life.

Such an amazon, ententaining story of a strong woman. There is even a German favorite cookie recipe from the husbands family that I want to try. There are pictures, photos of letters, sketchings of various topics in the book. There are discussion questions at the end, resources are listed and even the slang of the language used..

Received this review copy from the publicist and this is my honest opinion.

 

Nov 14 Book Review: A Southern Christmas by Susan Sands, Sinclair Jayne, Laurie Beach

   

 

A Southern Christmas by Susan Sands, Sinclair Jayne, Laurie Beach 

This book contains 3 stories from three different authors. Super fun reads for the holiday season.

...

 A Georgia Christmas by Susan Sands

In the first book Merilee is a hairdresser and she has her own store in the small town  of Moonshine. The story also follows Randy who is a detective that has been hired by the local authorities. He is hiding a lot of secrets but he just want to keep her safe. She agrees to rent him the garage apartment and also installs  security cameras. It's quite the mystery what really happens and how welcoming the family is towards him until they realize he is hiding something from them.... Great details on the sceneras and especially the investigation strategies with security.

,,,

A Taste of Christmas Magic by Sinclair Jayne

This story follows the Mayes sister and their grandmother Millie. Love how this book came about and Jane Porter's small library outside her house.

In This story the grandmother needs to get one of the girls interested in following the family  magic traditions. One of them does speak up and takes on the task .  Chloe finds the magic love spell cookbook in her grandmother's small library.

Love hearing how  Chloe is able to get Rustin to help her cook for the huge holiday fundraiser.    The other girls help with other projects to make it a success. Family conflicts and who will end up with Rustin...

Love hearing about all the planning and how it's accomplished.

The love spell recipe book is just so precious to have something from her.

 

....

A Saltwater Christmas by  Laurie Beach

Allie has a new job as an enologist in the lab at the winery. She also has a new roommate, Sam. She asked for a female and got Same a male. She likes the things he does for her. He is ex military along with this trained dog. She doesn't do holidays and he has decorated everywhere. Like how the others at work treat her, as if she's one of them. Big huge community effort.

Love ending with the child rescued by unlikely things and family connection.

Received this review copy from Tule Publishing and this is my honest opinion.

 

Nov 19 Book Review: Cupid Tricks by Michelle Dayton

  

Cupid Tricks by Michelle Dayton

Story starts out with Jo and she has a group of other women who help the tech company. They are targeting married cheating husbands by enticing them with an affair with a single woman. They all have multiple personalities depending on the man they are targeting. They have plans in place for one who gets too close and wants more information about them.

Story also follows one of the subjects brothers, Jamie who knows who she is and has followed her around and approaches her at least once and they have a connection. The next time they meet he's trailed her to New Orlanes and when things get heated she gets called to help the other girls and he pitche in....She fears he is trying to take their group down.

Love how he really tracks her down and uses it to his advantage and she's willing... Kinda scary insistences but also thoughtful provoking events that you really have to be aware of and how to deal with them or you've been scammed.. Great details and lots of descriptions to the fashion, hairstyles and other things the women do to entice the men...It just all sounds so perfect, it can't last.

Received this review copy from Tule Publishing and this is my honest opinion. 

Book Review: The Pink Cadillac by Rebecca Harlem

  

The Pink Cadillac by Rebecca Harlem

This adult book is about a few characters and their desires. At times the story goes back in time to when they first met. How situations change throughout and the adult matters that arise. I felt it was amazing how some people went through others lives but in a different level of time it seems. They sense they've met but just can't really recall when it was.

Amazing how the car appears in each story, like someone lived in that time and how the characters are related. Their stories go back in time also where paths have crossed.

Adult situations. Very descriptive details.

Received this review copy from the publisher and this is my honest opinion. 

Nov 1Book Review The Cowboy's Miracle Baby by Barbara Ankrum

   

The Cowboy's Miracle Baby by Barbara Ankrum

Story starts out when Cami, the local teacher is with the students and they are practicing for the play they will put on for their family and friends this holiday season.

There are mishaps and she just wants the  day to end.

Story also follows Ella, Eloise who had lost her mother and is a student who stands up for herself. Her dad Gus is the local doctor, vet who comes to her rescue and the boy and his parents expect an apology. The little girl finds a live baby wrapped up in chairs and brings it to Cami's attention.

The adults take over and head to get supplies at the store then bring that all back to the ranch where her family is. 

Love the story follows the birth mother, her reasons, the age and generations of all in this saga and so happy to catch up with what the latest things are with them all.

So festive and the community is just so giving. Love the Santa gifts from Nick. What a surprise way this book goes. There are twists and turns and misunderstandings, but love completes it.

Received this review copy from Tule Publishing and this is my honest opinion.

 

Nov 12 Wrapped up in Christmas Love by Janice Lynn

 

  

Wrapped up in Christmas Love by  Janice Lynn

Isabelle  will make sure her sister will get the wedding she deserves. She will even find their father who they've not seen in 20 years to show up to walk her down the aisle.

Story also follows Zach  who is staying with Bodie. Zach also was a special forces military man but is getting out. We learn more about his work throughout the book. He is troubled and just trying to find himself again. He's taken with Isabelle and he loves to get a rise out of her. He wiggles his way into her life and helps volunteer his time also with the holiday festivities. Love hearing about the Quilts for Valor initiative and what it means to others who receive a hand made quilt. I have been involved in many volunteer positions but most with my knitting and crocheting for the troops. She won't even date a military man any longer because her father had left the family...Love how this one turns out, lost of twists and turns. Not predictable at all.

Great holiday read.

Received this review copy from Tule Publishing and this is my honest opinion. 

Book Review: An Angel for Christmas by Lara Van Hulzen

  

An Angel for Christmas by Lara Van Hulzen

In this Christmas holiday read we find Angelica and she has returned to where the family now lives. She is a remote person so she can work from any location. The story also follows Garrett who has a young child and the first time they bumped into one another he had a frown on his face and he continued to have her frown every time he saw her. She is taken with him and he finally comes around and is taken with her and they each loved a little girl. He has his own dreams in the past that he can do nothing about but he feels like he is trapped taking care of his father's bar and he really wants to work at a vineyard. She hopes that with her lifestyle and work that they can come to a mutual agreement and not rush or jump into the frying pan. Love hearing all about not only the holiday of Thanksgiving and the whole family gets together but also the Christmas decorations and everything they do to promote their company that does a lot of fund raising. Love this story and I can't wait to read about all the other couples that have gone before this one.

Received this review copy from the author and this is my honest opinion.

 

Book Review: Until I Met You (The Endicotts of Silver Bay Book 3) by Lara Van Hulzen

 
 

Until I Met You (The Endicotts of Silver Bay Book 3) by Lara Van Hulzen 

In this story we find Rachel planning more events for the town to build new things, her pet projects. Also follows Dominic and he's come to Silver Bay to join the family  that relocated from CT. The father has heart issues and the whole family is there to support them. During the event Dom gets a call and he has to leave before he can explain about the familys contribution monthly.

Love girls night out and singing, dancing in the rain, getting dunked in the water and so much more. So very festive and fun.

Things don't look good for Dom and Rachel as he heads off to be with his family.... he knows he will have to travel back to CT to handle the family business....

Super set of stories, can't wait to read more.

Book Review: Christmas Cakes and Kisses

  

Christmas Cakes and Kisses by Lara Van Hulzen

This story starts with Eva and she's a baker at the local bakery that Baylee runs. Her husband is  a baseball pitcher, Drew..

Story also follows Tyler who is Drews coach.

She has secretly applied for a cake cookoff in San Diego, CA and doesn't want her boss to know. She doesn't want conflict in case it all fails. She has a storefront planned out in town also.

Tyler knows his coaching for Drew is almost at an end as he will retire soon. Tyler starts looking at locations around town that he can set up a gym for everyone to use.

They both help out by making cookies with the local children at the center. The decorating is the real fun messy part...

Bexause of a problem Eva wasn't able to go to the cookoff but ....

So magical and warm. Very festive and entertaining. Can't wait to read more from this series. Love hearing all the experimenting with flavors in this book.

Received this review copy from the author and this is my honest opinion.

 

Book Review: Love at Meg's Diner by Lara Van Hulzen

 

 

Love at Meg's Diner by Lara Van Hulzen

In this story we learn all about Meg and how she runs the diner for 3 meals a day to the residents.

She has some old secrets and doesn't want them to come to light just yet. She stays away from firemen because of her past experiences. She has scars to proof it.

Story also follows Firefighter Chet and he donates a lot of his time to the community with events where they are trying to raise money for a project in the small tonw.

His family members are there Eva works in the bakery. They have family zoom meetings and there is talk of the father having heart issues, he needs to slow down so they must relocate from CT to Silver Bay.

So much holiday things going on and the food is described in detail, oh YUM. They get paired up to race together and at times she's ok with it, some times not so much. She talks to a local minister and feels better. She starts to tell others of the tragedy.

A fire breaks out during the event and he leaves but she is furious with him because of something she found out..... Can't wait to read more of this series. Great as a astandalone also.

Received this review copy from the author and this is my honest opinion. 

Nov 11 The Cowboy’s Family Christmas (The Halligans of Montana Book 2) by Kaz Delaney

 

 

The Cowboy’s Family Christmas (The Halligans of Montana Book 2)  by Kaz Delaney

Joanna Joey Halligan has returned to her family home and has a lot of things to do. She is almost due with her baby and she needs to tell the father and her family. She is woken up one night and she finds Nash in her living room, beat up really bad. There is a backstory to their relationship and he is just trying to protect her and everybody he knows. He is involved with the fraud scheme  and he knows it's his father who's to blame. Now to just nail him so he can get on with his life. Joey tends to his wounds and  then her brothers show up also and she is able to put them all in place. She has a midwife and she attends to Joey during fake pregnancy cramping... The men all get together and basically welcome Nash into the family as he is the father and they get the rest of the baby things for the room. The men were confronted by a mob and he has the brother behind him, and the sheriff told them to never come back to town...

Joey is very independent and Nash has to leave to keep her safe. He hopes to return from his dealings with a clear slat so he can get on taking care of her and their baby...

Love town festivities and how the families come together to give her a baby shower and so much more.

Received this review copy from Tule Publishing and this is my honest opinion.

 

Book Review: Mystery on the Hiking Trail: A Middle Grade Mystery Adventure by Jessica Leigh Stevens

  

Mystery on the Hiking Trail: A Middle Grade Mystery Adventure by Jessica Leigh Stevens

In this story we find the kids going on school related hikes. One batch goes with a teacher. The other goes with Uncle Len. Love that they have packed their knapsacks to everything they could possibly need in the wild.

There are so many insistences that raise alarm to Uncle Len. With help from the boys they are able to solve a few of them but also find other clues for the very old case they are also working on. Details are very exact and descriptive so much that I can see everything they are seeing and experiencing. So much activity and a great story for middle grade child. Love that the author explains the things the children learn while out in the woods. So helpful and will remain with them their entire life's.

More insights wrap up at the end of the book as to each chapter and what it brings to the whole story.

Can't wait to read more from this author and series.

 

Book Review: Just Love Her by Raz Mihal

  

Just Love Her by Raz Mihal

Very indepth discussions and thoughts on love and how the spirit and soul are involved. So much adoration for the spouse. You can see through her eyes to her soul and they are one in the same with one another. Sometimes its a daily devotional meditation type journal, other times its various times throughout the days, thoughts and memories of the hurt, pain but also love and praise.

Some excerpts from doctors in various entities.  Appreciate the years the doctors have researched various topics.   Correlations between God, physics, characters lines from a movie or music artist lyrics are also explained.

Received this review copy from the publisher and this is my honest opinion.

 

Book Review: Whisk of Dust by Sherman Kennon

  

Whisk of Dust by Sherman Kennon

This is a poetry lyrical book. I really liked that while I was reading all of the pages that really dealt with nature, the lighting, the sounds, and the smells it just really calmed me it put me in a nice place, very peaceful and at times energizing. Really great collection. I wish there were more from this author. I would definitely read more of their works.

Received this review copy from the publisher and this is my honest opinion. 

Nov 7 Book Review: The Christmas Cowboy by Eve Gaddy

   

The Christmas Cowboy by Eve Gaddy

Story is about Liam and he likes his best friends sister, has always.

Story also follows Vsl who informs him at a wedding reception that she's pregnant with anothers baby that is out of the picture. He proposes to her and she accepts. 

This will also help him get his mother off his back so she can continue her own life with another man she's taken to.

Twists and turns during this and love how it all plays out.

Great read, especially for the Christmas holiday.

Received this review copy from Tule Publishing and this is my honest opinion. 

Nov 6 Book Review: Widow’s Walk by Raemi A. Ray

 
 

Widow’s Walk by Raemi A. Ray

Love this series on Martha's Vineyard. This story starts out with Kyra and she's heading to a get together to celebrate Thanksgiving with her relatives form England. Her boss is also in the picture as they are formalizing a deal and it's the last stages... Family gathering goes great. then they are all invited to the other gathering, during a storm,  where they were was to be about 100 guests but not that many show up. There are a lot of surprises. Love the tour of the mansion and all the hidden passageways.  Bit creepy but so fascinated how the clues add up and they discover what happened to many at the party.

Can't wait to read more form this series, great as a stand alone also.

Received this review copy from Tule Publishing and this is my honest opinion. 

Nov 4 Book Review: Catching a Christmas Cowboy by Leah Vale!

 
 

Catching a Christmas Cowboy by Leah Vale!

What I like about this story is that Noah has returned to a family's ranch to recoup after leaving the Special Forces. He needs to keep busy and heal.  Story also follows Emma who works on his brothers ranch and tends to the horses. She is usually really good at her job but this one horse has her baffled. Noah works his charm on the horse and gets it to do everything.

Love hearing of the romantic getaways and the Christmas festivities in town. Such a small town but the whole town shows up to partake at the ranch where free events are going on. Fire emergency throws a wrench into things and before you know it Noah's parents have shown up and he's heading to their house to spend the day with them.... Emma feels really left out of his life but is there enough time to him to make things right?

Love this story and the whole family. Can't wait to read more

Received this review copy from Tule Publishing and this is my honest opinion.