The frog prince 20th anniversary edition by jane porter
In this story we find Holly, recently going through a divorce and she heads to the city. She knows she can do the job at custom events and she lands it. She is not too confident about her appearance and she does get help from others and forms some friendships. A lot of thoughts going through her mind as things happen. It all stems on the marriage that didn't last very long. He's not in love with her.
She does start dating but is not ready to move forward. She takes on a lot at work and is doing well til the kids event. She runs back home for a few days to recuperate but heads back to the city to get what's rightfully hers. Love the transformation she is able to make. Contains and epilogue also!
Received this review copy from Booksprout and this is my honest opinion.
Miss Moonchild Starbeam (The Seaside Saga Book 22) by Joanne DeMaio
Such a fun entertaining read. Love that you can catch up with everything that is going on with everybody from Stony Point.
Love hearing about the trip to CA, what descriptions. I can feel the wind there, water spray and the sunshine along with everything about the beaches.
So glad the girls get to go. So many secrets and not everyone knows them all.
Love that Maris has great news and more about the rowboat is uncovered, but not quite the whole story yet. Love how the whole clan stick together. Turmoil ahead as new beach laws will be put in place.....So emotional, fun, sad at times and overwhelming grief....
Can't wait for the next story.
Evergreen Christmas (Frosted Firs Ranch Book 1) by Janet Dailey
Story starts with Jordyn arrving in town, where she had pruchased a ranch for her horse breeding business. The groups of older woemn come to visit and find out all about her. They are in charge of the town's holiday events and she agrees to participle. She has a fir tree in her yard that decorated could win her prizes. Story also follows a neighbors farm where they grow the trees for everybody. Nate is the father of Roxie who Jordyn enjoys spending time with. Tucker is the brother of Nate. They all visit her especially Roxie who loves to learn about the horse. Nate and her agree not to get serious with one another and just stay friends. He's getting over the loss of his wife 6 year earlier, he doesn't think he will ever date again.
Winter events are fun and snowy and the whole town shows up. Like learning about all the events as they don't do them here in our town. Sounds like such a super fun place. Everybody is pushing Nate and Jordyn and she grows to love him and Roxie but .... you wonder if they will ever get together. Cute winter holiday read, so glad family is continuing stories from Janets' notes.
Received this review copy from Kensington Publishing via NetGalley and this is my honest opinion.
#EvergreenChristmas #NetGalley
Across the Ford: Phyllida Taylor
This story starts out with Katherine and her spouse Harry in London and they've been notified of her uncle's passing in Ireland. As her father is very sick she will be attending the funeral and also how the death happened and any details she can get.
She decides to take her time as things aren't coming together for her. She makes friends with many others and recalls the time she spent at the farm when she was younger.
SO many secrets through the years that come to light. She has a tragic encounter and then heads home to her dying father. He is happy to learn she is pregnant. She heads back to Ireland to finish her clue gathering.
Love hearing of the details of the farm, the lands, the gypsies, gun running and so much more.
She likes the garden she can tend to, etc.
Katherine is able to find out the rest of the family history and pieces go together to finish the puzzle.
Great story.
Received this review copy from Alkira Publishing and this is my honest opinion.
What I like about this series at Bramble House is the guests that stay there. their career are so diversified and some have a link to Marietta and have come back to claim it.
Some are getting over a loss and some have PTS and trying to get back to normal things: hikes along river walk, window shopping etc. Mix that in with the owners are having a baby and the testis are guests are there and room for baby isn't ready... Love catching up with townsfolk.
Love this read and can't wait to read more about careers of those that stay there. So much to learn.
Received this review copy from Tule Publishing and this is my honest opinion.
Counting Miracles by Nicholas Sparks
This story starts out with Tanner and he's heading to NC to find his bio dad. He grew up living with his grandparents and the last one he had just buried. She told him his father's name...His mother had died in childbirth. He grew up all over the world and joined a delta force type group. Loved helping others.
Story also follows an old man in Asheboro, NC, Jasper and his dog Arlo. He's concerned about the white deer, very illusive and always in danger, they can't blend in during seasons as well as brown deer. He tracks a few poachers down.. even talking to their father and it's all denied.
Story also follows Cassie and her mother Kaitlyn and the young boy Mitch. Kaitlyn is a doctor and makes house calls and helps with running daily bread food pantry.
Love hearing all the charity work. So much of their past lifes are discussed so you can collect all the information for yourself…
Like a type Sparks novel this one connects all these people together in the most fascinating way.
There is something for everyone in this book: romance, love, scary parts, mysteries, the morelss and so much more.
Received this review copy via Random House Publishing Group via NetGalley and this is my honest opinion.
#CountingMiracles #NetGalley.
The Christmas Cottage by Davis Bunn
Starts out with Olivia and she's taking her time along the highway to make it to Miramar. There is a storm that is keeping her from going faster. She's got everything she owns in the back of her car, mostly camera equipment as that's how she earned her living before the writer’s’ strike in Hollywood. She's returning to the place where she grew up.
Story also follow Dillon and he's a local guy now as he returned after his company failed. He needs to just keep busy and helps out with town FEMA reports so they can get money to help rebuild the devastated town. It's Christmas and even the local restaurant feeds everyone for free. There is no electric, some have generators. Everybody helps out with donations to impress the politicians that are coming to access the damage for themselves. They stay in a safe location due to all the damage to their houses.
Love what Dillon does to help others and how he finds he true love. Dillon and Olivia do spend time together as friends. Love how she is able to give gifts to others at such a dismal time. Love how they combine their resources and propose a sale to the builder who's been hounding them to sell for years. They have stipulations.
First time reading this author and love the details, very descriptive. Can’t wait to read more from this author.
Twists and turns and others have secrets also that help the story along. Comes out a lot different than how I expected it to end.
Received this review copy from Kensington Publishing Kensington via NetGalley and this is my honest opinion.
#TheChristmasCottage #NetGalley
Santa's Secret by Fern Michaels
Story starts out when 4 women meet and have many memories to share with one another. They vow to get together for the Christmas holidays and travel to Italy for the holidays.
Everything is taken care of: transportation, flight and living accommodations. They also decide they want to further explore Italy and surrounding countries.
Like all new words I've learned. Lots of travel, romance, food, fashion and history and architecture.
Each of the couples have their own plans and they will all meet for New years eve. So fun to tag along with them to explore.
Love that the parades are something another author wrote about in his own books of the area. Love gift the girls gift to the two elderly women, priceless. Some hair raising times and some trouble they find. Love how they make the best of out all circumstances they find themselves in. Recipes included. Fun to understand what the title means to the people in the book.
Received this review copy from Kensington Publishing Kensington via NetGalley and this is my honest opinion.
#SantasSecret #NetGalley
Sworn to Serve by Charlee James
This story starts out with Addy and she's just gotten a message about an accident with her twin brothers wife to be.
She rushed to the hospital all the way from Paraguay to help her brother. She lands and Ubers to the hospital where she meets her brothers team mate. Silver.
He really goes by Archer and he takes care of her when her brothers busy with his wife to be and recuperating from the tragedy.
She spends a lot of time with Arch and is able to get him to open up about his sister Quinn.
When she gets back to her country location and job she learns of a mutual mission with Navy SEALS and her and her mate Wyatt.
The mission becomes involved and things don't go according to plan but Addy is a huge help in the rescue of the women and children.
Wyatt wants to take another course along the water but she informs the SEALS she knows the river and it will make them have to leave the boat to walk over the land right into more danger.
The group go with her plan and they make it safely back to Virginia, USA. They are debriefed along the way all but Arch and Addy. They go to visit his mother for her birthday and learn of rocks thrown through windows at not only her house but Arch's as well.
The team is on the case also and fill them in on the debriefing and how ti all went down.
She ends up meeting with the Dr. in charge of her group and learns so much more that she has to make a decision. It's life and death and Arch is not right there for her.
Love how this ends. So entertaining, locations are new and descriptive, family opens up to Addy along with her brothers friends and families.
Love how you catch up with the others in the family and how the pizza joint is opening worked by handicapped kids.
Love the varieties of flavors.
Adult situations.
Another book in the series is excepted at the end.
Received this review copy from Tule Publishing and this is my honest opinion.
The Prodigal Brother Returns by Susan Lute
Story starts out with Malorie and she's a RN thats been hired by the brothers to tend to one of their own who got injured.
She walks in on them arguing and sets them straight. She and her two children are to live in a cottage nearby on the grounds of the ranch.
Blake has been summoned home after 15 years to help out with the ranch books as they are failing. Nathan is the injured one and Jonas does a lot with his lawyer business to help fund the ranch.
Blake wants to get more horses in, make amends with his brother from the last night he was there and wrecked their father's truck before he was banished.
Blake has an autistic son Timmy who he writes middle grade books about that the kids just love.
There are misunderstandings and misconceptions with relationships and at the end we find Malorie and her kids leaving ...
There are plans to help keep the ranch running, love hearing about them, so easy to do and will make some money for them.
It's a wonder who will end with the RN or if anybody will.... Great read.
Received this review copy from Tule Publishing and this is my honest opinion.
The Undercover Cowboy by Jamie K. Schmidt
Story starts out with Dolly and she's got a lot of jobs at the rodeo. She's not only in charge of the media but a lot of other hands on chores.
Love the petting zoo for the kids to enjoy.
She also works with Nash who's she's trying to make him into a cowboy to keep him involved in the circle of things.
His sister Shelby owns the company with Blevines who the FBI is investigating. Nash is now a PI and helping them out.
He and Dolly accumulate a lot of clues but there are so many suspects as there is a lot of people involved in the rodeo.
Love how they gather their clues. Story also follows her sisters who are involved in other riders in the rodeo. One sister paints and sets up her stand nearby.
Love how this comes full circle by the end. They each have secrets and they hold out til very last minute.
Never saw, by the title, how this would even play out. Great writing!
Adult situations. Can't wait to read more from this author.
Received this review copy from Tule Publishing and this is my honest opinion.
Cowboy Don't Go by Barbara Ankrum
This story starts out with Shay and she's helping the family with the new ranch ideas to earn money. She has her teen son Ryan there also. Liam and Camo also help out, her siblings. Their mother lives on the ranch also.
Liam hires Cooper to help with the design work of the cabins and help out with the horses. He bids on the horse Shay and Ryan had wanted and loads them into the trailer among others he acquired for the ranch rides.
He also is tending to his father after retrieving him from prison, his time has been served. He was wrongly accused of embleziling money from the company he worked for. There was also another partner but he was pronounced dead years ago.
When Coops father ends up in the ER and Shay hurries to help him out. Coop and his dad will stay at a cabin at their ranch and their mom Sarah will make sure he eats and takes care of himself. She also sees him to the doctor and he agrees to give it a try.
Adult situations.
What I like are the secrets that do come to light, fair and the food and prizes, training of the horses, rides into the area, the age groups of all involved and their struggles, the location and that I know most of the characters from other books I've read. Great read, had me guessing to the end.
Received this review copy from Tule Publishing and this is my honest opinion.
The Ultimate Surrender by Elsa Winckler
Story starts out with Hannah on a shot and she can't help herself. She's in a flowing dress and she just to twirl to make it fly up and encase her.
Little did she know who was watching. The photographer, Darryn shows up, she has to stay away from him. He photographs her with nobody else around and gets the perfect shots. Love hearing about their careers and family ties.
They do meet late but she also has a stalker that knows her every move.
She tries to escape but she surfaces again for the family. They connect on and off for many months and he knows she has his heart from the beginning.
She tries to elude the stalker and he tracks her down, burns down houses of place she was just at.
So terrifying but so loving as the whole family comes together to protect her.
So intense, as are bed scenes. Love travel scenes, all over the world.
Mention of the next book in the series at the end of this one.
Enjoyed this series because for the most part it took you out of the USA and love beach areas the most.
Received this review copy from Tule Publishing and this is my honest opinion.
This story starts out with Wilder and his family on the family ranch. His father Zeke has told them all he is dying and he wants grandkids. Wilder has no intentions of getting married to have kids. He loves his work on the ranch mending fences taking care of animals and anything else that needs to be done.
Story is also following Cat she works at her family general store at the Cowboy Point. Their families are similar to the McCoys and the Hatfields. An event occurred centuries ago between the 2 families and they still are very separated. Cat is out at the bar and sits next to Wilder and it all starts there. Love all the talk about the detailed descriptions of the different areas, the gossip that goes around because it is a small area - everybody knows everybody's business.
Adult situations. Really good read. Love this series.
Received this review copy from Tule Publishing and this is my honest opinion.
The Cowboy's Baby Surprise by Kaz Delaney
Story follows Evie who is a lawyer but also now taking care of her friends infant daughter Mia. Evie has to locate the father and deliver the baby and supplies to him.
Hope is going through breast cancer and at times she's doing well, other times NOT so well at all.
Evie heads out to the ranch where JD lives and just shows up one day. Well she had left a message with the voice recorder but how was she to know nobody checked that phone?
JD sees the delivery truck and then the woman with the baby. He's not slept in days, they are 4 men short on the ranch and so much has to be done.
She follows him into the house and she did find JD there, but is he the right one as he tells her how the parents named all the siblings JD, each with a different meaning.
He declares he is not he father at all.
She spends the night and is able to get a few hours’ sleep til the morning. She had studied you tube podcasts how to tend to a newborn. She does all she can loving the child.
Things don't go according to plan, she only wanted to stay 2 days. A call and made and nobody can contact the youngest JD who they think is the father.
Her and JD, Justin tend to the baby while he also works at the ranch. He shows them around some and they grow close to one another.
The local busybodies show up and tongues will be wagging...
He has a thing for her and her for him, but is it only if they get to keep and raise the child or did he want her for herself with no baby....
SO many secrets and twists and turns.
Great story.
Received this review copy from Tule Publishing and this is my honest opinion.
To Wrangle a Rancher by Kelsey McKnight
This story starts with Olivia who's in Ct and is heading to Montana when she learns she did not get the VP job in the family business, a cousin did.
She is concentrating on the Homes Magazine her grandmother loved and plans to renovate the whole house in Marietta and use magazine to boost subscriptions.
Story also follows Kit who lives next door the house and has been checking on it for years as it's lay vacant. Olivia and her 2 sisters show up in town and take up residency for a few days. They end up at the bar and the yearly male auction is taking place so they attend that and each gets a winning bid.
Love hearing about all the different shops in Marietta that I've not heard about yet and what they are all about.
Super love all the outdoor activities and the scenery, flowers and escapes others take to lose themselves.
The couple hit it off til they don't.....Just a quick fling til they part. Love what the locket represents and all the hidden places.
Enjoyed this book and can't wait to read about the other sisters stories in Marietta.
Adult situations.
Making a Texas Cowboy by Justine Davis
This story start with Jackson and he's a movie star on a tv series about Texas. He had lost his wife and they have a child Jeremy who's not talked since her death. Jackson is figuring out ways that might get him out of his shell and he starts talking to him about visiting his sister, Aunt Tris in Last Stand, TX.
he starts talking and asking a lot of questions and they just up and move. Jackson takes a month off on the show that is being filmed. They are welcomed to the new town and others know who he is, an outsider, so far.
He starts engaging with others and he becomes familiar sight around town. Jeremey is spending time at the horse ranch where Nicole is taking care of him, teaching him everything about horses. Her mom in a wheelchair still rides her horse. They have all kinds of special equipment for others who need it.
Adult situations. Love the community and what it means to be on the telephone tree, scenery, the real way ranches are run, not like in TV show, and what it means to wear a cowboy hat. it has to be earned. When the head of the movie shows up the boy runs away with his horse. During a lightening, thunder storm. The telephone tree is put into effect. All hands on to find the boy…..
Learned so many new words and more about tequila and military with their canines.
Can't wait to read more from this author.
Received this review copy from Tule Publishing and this is my honest opinion.
The Cowboy's Runaway Bride by Laurie LeClair
This story starts out with Connor and his gramps as they are riding around town and notice a wedding veil just flew out of the top of the limo. He was able to rescue it and return it to the bride. They had not expected an electric shock when their hands met.
Elizabeth Eve was there to get married to Gavin but she had overheard the reason he wanted to marry her-to get to her father's money. She hightailed it out of there to land in the back of a truck and she covered with a tarp. She had hit her head and just curled up and slept til the truck stopped.
She had no idea where she was but the man in front came to investigate the movement in the tarp.
The family welcomed her in, with just her wedding on and no other clothing or possessions. They gave her everything she needed.
Gramps needed Connor to head up to the base headquarters in the mountains and he took Eve with him. He helped her get over her fear of the horses and she learned so much with his guidance about the terrain, animals there and newborns. She even learned how to start the outside fire and cook food on the flames. They had both opened up a bit to each other but he still didn't know exactly why she had run away from the wedding.
Twists and turns and the unimaginable happens.
Great story, can't wait to read more from this author. So detailed descriptions, different age group problems and solutions, scenery, learning more about the local ranch and area.
The Cowboy's Christmas Wish by Kristine Lynn
In this story the family have hired a traveling vet Tessa who also lives at the ranch as she tries to solve why the herd is falling sick and how to eradicate it.
Family also puts in a call to Matt who is almost done with his vet degree. He's been gone for so many years but returns because they called.
He loves all the family gatherings and how he can help with the new vet also.
They get closer to one another. Adult situations.
Love hearing about Tessa's grandfather and her life with him and what he meant to her. She discloses this to Matt and he tells he some of his secrets.
They have an enormous outcome to the animal problem where the whole town could help.
Love the Christmas activities in town and her sweaters are talked about everywhere. Love catching up with the others in the family. such a treasure.
Can't wait to read more from this series, also good as a stand alone read.
Received this review copy from Tule Publishing and this is my honest opinion.
CHILDREN'S BOOKS
The Mystery of the Missing Jewels by Jessica Leigh Stevens
Love this story about Ned and his Uncle JIm as they discover clues to solve mysteries around town. Even though they both suffer with dyslexia their point of view helps them to solve mysteries. Love clues for coping with the disease while Ned is in school and how the teachers work with him, doing things differently so he can continue to learn.
They are still on the path to solve other mysteries.
Great read!
The Mysterious Graffiti Artist by Jessica Leigh Stevens
This book starts out with Ned and he's returning to school. He has a friend Phillippe and he likes to be the center of attention. The class calls him the graffiti artist but it's not him. It's up to Ned, his Uncle Jim and Phillippe to figure out from the clues who it really is. They are also able to collect clues for an old case Uncle Jim is working on. Love how each chapter has clues as to how to teach when one has dyslexia. The author is a teacher so her insights are right on. Can't wait to read more.
Received this review copy from BookSirens and this is my honest opinion.
Vijay visits a farm by Nadia Ronquillo
Colorful, children's educational story.
When Vijay arrives at the farm he just wants to play video games and hates the smells.
She starts showing him the animals at the farm and he really gets into enjoying it.
The farmers daughter takes Vijay out and is able to pet some of them.
He does not want to leave and his mom promises they can come another day.
Amazing that he really does enjoy being outside and can put the gaming machines away.
My rainy day by athena grace
Colorful, rhyming, children's educational story.
Story starts out with the child and it's a rainy day out so they must play inside.
They are bored and mom tells them to go find some toys to play with.
She starts looking around her room and does actually find toys to play with. A lot of them and she has so much fun and doesn't realize the day is almost over and it's time for bed.
Woe is Me...It's Autumn by Amy Dua
Story is about the animals and insects that are outside and it's turning colder.
Rhyming, colorful, children, educational story.
love that it encompasses everything from teh bee, caterpillar, squirrel, bear, etc
They all must eat and get food they will need for the winter months ahead.
So interesting and entertaining.
COOKBOOKS
The Complete Slow Cooker Collection: 50 Effortless Recipes for Heartwarming Home-Cooked Meals Across the Globe by James Stott
Short into about the book, full page color photographs of the meals.
TOC where recipes are listed.
Each recipe starts with a title,, prep, cook times and servings.
To left are list of ingredients and you should be able to substitute for your healthier dietary needs: low fat, low sodium, low sugar and fresh vs canned items. There are a lot of items you will need, be sure to have them all first.
Instructions are to the right hand side of the page. step by step.
Small color photo of bowl with finished item is under list of ingredients section.
Nutritional information per serving: calories, protein, carbs and and fat, NOT broken up into sat, poly, mono, etc.
Next page shows full page color image of the finished product.
What I like about this book is that there are everyday favorites and new ones to try.
Book ends with other works by the author.
Healthy treats in 10 minutes by Glenn Walton
Starts with table of contents where recipes are listed along with intro material.
Intro discusses all about making things healthy and why that is so important.
The recipes are divided into snacks which includes smoothies and shakes.
Each recipe starts with a title, medium size color photo and has a list of ingredients and you should be able to substitute for your healthier dietary needs: low fat, low sodium, low sugar and fresh vs canned items.
Instructions are given and there is NO nutritional information although the ingredients are healthy and fresh.
Some recipes included time to prepare and serve. Fruit salad would be my favorite. So many options and variations they suggest.
There is also a sweet section savory delights, mini sandwiches and wraps, kid friendly options, nutritious options for your favorite treats, and on the go snacks. Tips for meal prep are included at the end.
What I like is that the recipes are short, handful of fresh healthy items and so easy to put together and go.
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