Author: deanne01

I am an avid reader and reviewer. I am open for review requests please contact me at Cnnamongirl at aol dot com. I work with big name publishers and indie publishers alike. I am on launch and street teams and have MANY NetGalley and GoodReads reviews up. I love all animals and I am a vegetarian. Thank you for joining me here.

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 Reunion Beach: Stories Inspired by Dorothea Benton Frank by various authors-Review

About The Book

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER!

In this warm and moving anthology, a group of bestselling authors and writers pay tribute to legendary, larger-than-life New York Times bestselling author Dorothea Benton Frank and her literary legacy.

Inspired by the title Dorothea Benton Frank planned for her next book—Reunion Beach—these close friends and colleagues channeled their creativity, admiration, and grief into stories and poems that celebrate this remarkable woman and her abiding love for the Lowcountry of her native South Carolina—a land of beauty, history, charm, and Gullah magic she so brilliantly brought to life in her acclaimed novels. 

From Elin Hilderbrand, #1 New York Times bestselling author, a sequel to Summer of ’69.

From Adriana Trigiani, New York Times bestselling author, comes a heartwarming, humorous interview from the hereafter with Pat Conroy and Dorothea Benton Frank, two beloved icons of Southern literature.

From Patti Callahan, bestselling author of Becoming Mrs. Lewis and Surviving Savannah, comes The Bridemaids, a story about a trip to the South Carolina beach.

From Mary Alice Monroe, New York Times bestselling author, Mother and Child Reunion, a heartwarming story set under the warm South Carolina sun.

Reunion Beach also features letters, short stories, poems, and essays from:

  • Mary Norris, New York Times bestselling author and staff writer for The New Yorker
  • Cassandra King Conroy, bestselling and award-winning author of Tell Me A Story
  • Nathalie Dupree, James Beard Award-winning cookbook author
  • Marjory Wentworth, former Poet Laureate of South Carolina
  • Gervais Hagerty, author of In Polite Company
  • Jacqueline Bouvier Lee, Peter Frank, Victoria Peluso, and William Frank

Infused with Dorothea Benton Frank’s remarkable spirit, Reunion Beach is a literary homage and beautiful keepsake that keeps this dearly missed writer’s flame burning bright.

Grab A Copy Here

My Thoughts

Reunion Beach was to be the title of Dorothea Benton Frank’s next title but sadly this larger-than-life beloved author was diagnosed with a fast-acting disease that claimed her life several months later.
She had many friends in the publishing industry and made all around her feel at ease.
The authors of this book collaborated on writing this title to honor her life by writing essays,stories,poems,sharing recipes and sharing memories.
I enjoyed all of the memories, but I’d have to say Adriana Trigiani’s story of Postcards from Heaven was my favorite. It is written as if it’s from her best writing friend Pat Conroy who passed before Dorothea. In his own way he did not leave her behind as he kept in touch. He sent post cards from heaven.
Nathalie Dupree, award winning cookbook author shares recipes for foods and drink.
This is a warm and moving anthology paying tribute to New York Times bestselling author Dorothea Benton Frank.

Pub Date 27 Apr 2021
I was given a complimentary copy of this book.
All opinions expressed are my own.

The Authors

Thank you for visiting today. I was inspired to read this today because I am on vacation this week in OBX, the Outer Banks are beautiful and it’s so peaceful. We are in Corolla,NC today. Have a beautiful day.

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Cocoa Magic-Picture Book, ages 4-7 by Sandra Bradley-Review

About The Book

In a cozy 1920s chocolate shop, the special ingredients in each perfect treat are empathy, generosity, and thoughtful acts of kindness.

Eight-year-old Daniel cherishes the hour he spends every morning helping his Great-Uncle Lewis in his chocolate shop. They mix, temper, pour, and mold. “It’s magic, my boy,” Uncle Lewis says. And Daniel agrees. When a new girl named Sarah joins his class, Daniel sees how lonely she is and begins sneaking chocolates into her desk. Seeing Sarah light up after each treat is wonderful…but then Daniel starts noticing other classmates with troubles. Soon he is hiding more and more chocolates until the exciting day when everyone in class receives one, even the teacher! The best part is, no one knows it’s him.

But then, when Daniel is the one feeling sad and alone, who will know to comfort him?

In Cocoa Magic, Gabrielle Grimard’s rich and nostalgic illustrations transport readers to a cozy 1920s chocolate shop and a stiff brick schoolhouse that somehow learns to be warm as well.  In her text and her closing author’s note, clinical social worker Sandra Bradley celebrates the wonders that happen when someone meets another person’s need to be seen and understood—even through the smallest act of kindness. 

credit

My Thoughts

Set in the 1920’s. When Daniel is eight years old he becomes an apprentice to his uncle at his chocolate shop. He loves learning from his uncle and who doesn’t love the taste of chocolate?
Mixing up the many varieties of chocolate he learns there is more than cocoa beans in chocolate. There are special ingredients in these perfect treats and they are empathy, generosity, and thoughtful acts of kindness.
When a new lonely girl joins his classroom he brings her a golden boxed delicately wrapped chocolate hidden in her desk. This not only brightens her up but brings her out of her shell ready to help others. He does this for other children day after day. His doing this shows how the magical ingredients, empathy, generosity, and thoughtful acts of kindness spreads among the whole school and teaches this to all the children.
This is a positive book for young children. The vintage illustrations are charming and visually appealing for children. Children will enjoy how happy the children are in the book which in turn will make them feel good. This would make a very nice gift for children.

Pub Date 8 Nov 2022
I was given a complimentary copy of this book.
All opinions expressed are my own.

About The Author

Sandra Bradley is a chocolate lover, a clinical social worker and therapist, and a children’s book author. Her first picture book, Henry Holton Takes the Ice, was a finalist for the OLA Forest of Reading Blue Spruce Award and the Maine Chickadee Reader’s Choice Award. Born in Toronto, Sandra earned her Bachelor of Arts (Honours) and her Master of Arts at Queen’s University in Kingston, Ontario, then earned her Master of Education (Counselling) from the University of Auckland in New Zealand. Today Sandra is back in the Kingston area where she lives on the beautiful Rideau Canal with her New Zealander husband, Grant, and their three teenage kids. Sandra has yet to temper chocolate successfully, but she’s finally nailed chocolate brownie pie. 

What type of chocolate did this post make you crave? We all love chocolate right?

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The Cowboy Cookie Challenge (Twilight,Texas #13) by Lori Wilde-Review

About The Book

New York Times bestselling author Lori Wilde returns to Twilight, Texas, with a delicious love story about a sexy cowboy and a love-shy nurse determined to win the Christmas Cookie Bake-off challenge. 

He’s sexy, single, and he can bake!

Roan Sullivan is the answer to Jazzy Walker’s prayers. The doting single dad is also fresh off his win on a popular cooking show and a whiz at campfire cooking, so who better to help her win this year’s annual cookie bake-off? With his help, Jazzy is sure she can finally take first prize right out the grasping hands of Andi Browning, the gal who stole her fiancé right from under her nose.

A widower with a four-year-old daughter, Roan tells himself there’s a million reasons not to help Jazzy. She’s too kind, too optimistic, and could do so much better than hitching up with a curmudgeon like him. But every time she draws near, he can’t help but wonder if he could open his heart and love again.

As the holidays come closer, the magic of Twilight starts to weave its spell…and soon it’s not just the competition that’s heating up, it’s the hot sizzle between Roan and Jazzy. 

My Thoughts

The Cowboy Cookie Challenge is the thirteenth book in the Twilight,Texas series. This is such a fine series. I have really enjoyed the books I’ve read in this series. Twilight,Texas is a beautiful place that you will definitely want to visit.
A charming small town pediatric nurse Jazzy Walker meets Roan Sullivan when he brings his daughter in to be treated. Yes Roan is attracted to Jazzy but he’s still grieving the loss of his wife,doing the single daddy thing to his 4 year old daughter and just happens to be ten years older than Jazzy.
I loved the daughter she has such a fun,mischievous personality.
Now not only is this guy good looking , he can bake too. Actually he’s just won a baking competition and is encouraging Jazzy to enter the cookie baking contest with something that’ll really catch their attention. I had never heard of baking cookies over a campfire, sounds like you need a special technique but it sounds like a sure fire winner to me.
I loved the slow burn relationship Jazzy and Roan had and seeing their characters develop.
This couple has quite the chemistry.
This is a wonderful series!

Pub Date: 25 Oct 2022
I was given a complimentary copy of this book.
All opinions expressed are my own.

Grab A Copy Here

More in the series

About The Author

Lori Wilde is an award-winning, New York Times, USA Today, and Publishers’ Weekly bestselling author of 97 works of romantic fiction. Her writing has won numerous awards and her books have been translated into 26 languages, with more than four million copies of her books sold worldwide. Her series The Wedding Veil Wishes inspired three movies from Hallmark starring Lacey Chabert, Autumn Reese, and Alison Sweeney. The movies broke viewing records for Hallmark.

Lori is a registered nurse with a BSN from Texas Christian University, along with a Master in Liberal Arts from the same university. She holds a certificate in forensics and is also a certified yoga instructor. A sixth-generation Texan, Lori lives with her husband, Bill, in the Cutting Horse Capital of the World.

What are your favorite titles by this author?

Thank you for stopping by. Have a peaceful day.

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Top Ten Tuesday-Favorite Fall Words on book covers.

Top Ten Tuesday was created by The Broke and the Bookish in June of 2010 and was moved to That Artsy Reader Girl in January of 2018. It was born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together. Today’s topic is Favorite Words. I’m going to tweak the topic and make it my own by going with the topic Favorite Fall Words on book covers.

Wind-we get lots of wind in the Fall.

A brand new Cornish romance from Kate Ryder, author of Beneath Cornish Skies and Secrets of the Mist.

Kat Maddox has had her fair share of terrible relationships. And after discovering that her latest boyfriend has been hiding an entire other life from her, it’s time for a fresh start.

Spiced Chai is a delicious Fall drink

A charming, relatable small-town setting and a cast of complex characters sets Alex Erickson’s Bookstore Café Mystery series apart from the cozy pack—and this time the stakes are higher than ever, as bookstore owner Krissy Hancock becomes the target of escalating attacks. Smart and masterfully plotted, will appeal to fans of Leslie Meier, Cleo Coyle, and Carolyn Hart.

Hot Cocoa is delicious in Fall and Winter both.

In a cozy 1920s chocolate shop, the special ingredients in each perfect treat are empathy, generosity, and thoughtful acts of kindness.

Plentiful harvest in the Fall

She thought he was arrogant. He thought her walls would never come down. Then they fell in love.

Forever walking the line between passion and conflict, Laurel and Gavin’s relationship ended in divorce after years of miscommunication and unmet expectations. Now pursuing their own separate lives and careers, the two are content . . . though not completely happy.

Cooking new Fall recipes is always fun.

t’s time for a savory soirée—but something sinister is stewing—in Raquel V. Reyes’s second delightful Caribbean Kitchen mystery, perfectly delicious for fans of Mia P. Manansala.

Fall festivities are underway in Coral Shores, Miami. Cuban-American cooking show star Miriam Quiñones-Smith wakes up to find a corpse in her front yard. The body by the fake tombstone is the woman that was kicked out of the school’s Fall Festival the day before.

Hickory trees make me think of Fall.

From the USA Today bestselling author of Midnight at the Blackbird Cafe comes Heather Webber’s next charming novel, In the Middle of Hickory Lane!

Emme Wynn has wanted nothing more her whole life than to feel like part of a family. Having grown up on the run with her con artist mother, she’s been shuffled from town to town, drawn into bad situations, and has learned some unsavory habits that she’s tried hard to overcome. When her estranged grandmother tracks her down out of the blue and extends a job offer—helping to run her booth at an open-air marketplace in small-town Sweetgrass, Alabama—Emme is hopeful that she’ll finally be able to plant the roots she’s always dreamed of. But some habits are hard to break, and she risks her newfound happiness by keeping one big truth to herself.

Fall and Sunflowers 🙂

Fans of Carolyn Brown and B.J. Daniels will adore this slice of Americana delivered with warmth, endearing characters, and authentic Texan flair. The legendary New York Times and USA Today bestselling author brings a sense of nostalgia to the town in this delightful journey of second chances.

Jessica Ann McKenzie—“Jam” to everyone in Honey Creek—has fulfilled her dream of owning the best restaurant for miles around. Serving candlelit dinners to every couple in town on Valentine’s Day is a reminder of another dream, one she’s just about given up on. Until, that very night, Sergeant Tucson Smith clambers out of the muddy river and onto her land, bringing the promise of something they’ve both been searching for.

Apple orchards are the perfect Fall thing for a cool day in Fall.

Feel the sun on your face on a Somerset terrace overlooking golden fields and wild meadowland, and watch as romance beckons and long-hidden secrets are revealed…

When twenty-seven-year-old Posy arrives at picture-perfect Oleander House in the Somerset village of Astercombe, she is enchanted. Adopted when she was just a baby, Posy is excited to re-connect with her birth family and help out on the family cider farm with its old stone walls and bees buzzing in the hedgerows.

As warm and frothy as a spiced pumpkin latte on a crisp autumn day, this trio of magically romantic tales set in the charmingly festive small town of Moonbright, Maine is the perfect Halloween indulgence from National Bestselling Authors Marina Adair, Kate Angell and Stacy Finz!

In Moonbright, Maine, there’s a pumpkin on every porch, fresh brewed apple cider in every cup—and the sweetest sorcery in the air…

Every autumn, Moonbright, Maine, is the picture of charm with its piles of crisp leaves, flickering jack-o’-lanterns … and a touch of the sweetest kind of enchantment. 

Witches, goblins, the occasional ghost—they’re all sure to be spotted at the annual Halloween parade, where adults and children alike dress in costume to celebrate Moonbright’s favorite holiday. And no place has more seasonal spirit than Bellaluna’s Bakeshop, a family business steeped in traditional recipes, welcoming warmth—and, legend has it, truly spellbinding, heart-melting treats …

What do you think of my choices this week? Will you be reading any of these?

Have a terrific Tuesday and thanks for stopping by.

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#Halloween Vibes #Autumn Tricked In October (Pine Ridge #2) By Starla DeKruyf-Review

About The Book

In this best-friends-to-lovers romance, mistaken identity leads to a Halloween hook-up that might not be so mistaken after all.

After losing her husband last winter, the thought of hosting a Halloween couples costume party is the furthest thing from Kelsey O’Henry’s mind. Besides raising three young children, managing O’Henry’s Bar and Grill, and caring for her alcoholic mother, she has more important things to worry about. Like the stack of unpaid business loans that threaten the bar’s existence. As well as her newfound feelings she’s developed for her best guy friend.

Davis Vance is tired of being followed around by cameras. He misses the days before he and his twin brother became “Renovation Dudes”—hosts of an HGTV show. When Davis learns Kelsey could lose the bar at the end of the fall season, he sees it as an opportunity to not only help his friend, but as a way out of renewing his HGTV contract.

There’s just one problem—lately Davis’s feelings for Kelsey have been less friendly and more romantic. And on the night of the bar’s Halloween party, both Kelsey and Davis can no longer ignore their desires. Will their passionate evening be a one-night stand—only a flicker of heat during the crisp autumn, or will she risk her pride and accept his help?

Pumpkin patch in autumn.

My Thoughts

I am a cover lover. I’ll admit to judging a book by it’s cover. There are so many book options out there so an appealing cover makes me much more likely to want to grab a book to read and this one did it for me.
This book is perfect for this time of year. It has such a Fallish/Halloweenish vibe all the way through it and it was great.
Tricked in October has a woman who lost her husband last winter. She has so much going on she’s tripping over her own feet trying to get it all done. She has three young children,an alcoholic mother who also runs a bakeshop that she wants her to help manage, a bar she’s about to lose because of back bills and more. O’Henry’s Bar and Grill was her late husband’s bar and though Kelsey O’Henry runs it because it’s been in her husband’s family a long time she feels she should pass it down to her children but it’s giving her more stress than she can handle.
Throw in her best guy friend Davis Vance, she seems to be falling for him. With her responsibilities she really doesn’t need this complication.
Davis and his twin brother are filming a HGTV show and are recognizable now. One twin enjoys the extra attention from women,one does not.
Davis has been friends with Kelsey for a long time and would love to move this relationship to a more personal level but will the timing be right or will the Halloween chill be in the air between them?
Loved the Fall vibes in this and will be looking forward to read more by this author.

Pub Date 25 Oct 2022
I was given a complimentary copy of this book.
All opinions expressed are my own.

Grab A Copy Here

Books In This Series

About The Author

Starla DeKruyf started writing when she still had words left to say and everyone stopped listening. Her love of romance novels began when she borrowed her friend’s copy of Tiger Eyes by Judy Blume and kept it hidden from her mom. When she’s not slinging coffee, volunteering with youth, or taxiing her kids around, you can find her jamming out to her playlists and writing her next swoony romance, usually by hand. She lives in Spring, Texas, with her husband, three children, an English Mastiff, and a rescue pup.

Have a great day. Thanks for stopping by.

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It’s Monday What Are you Reading?

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? a place to meet up and share what you have been, and are about to be reading over the week. It’s a great post to organise yourself. It’s an opportunity to visit and comment and er… add to your groaning TBR pile! So welcome in everyone. Join The Book Date for more participants.

I haven’t been able to get as much reading done as usual this past week. We’ve been taking the kids to the DMV for permit tests and going to get the driver’s permit physicals. Throw in a library stop and having an electrician come in to do some work after we got our new counter tops put in. Another son has a drivers test scheduled for Thursday this week. We’ll also go to the gym every other day. I did 2 blog tour posts this past week and have a Halloween read to post today. I hope your week has been great and you’ve been able to get some reading time in.

What I Read Last Week

Welcome to the little Irish village where Christmas celebrations are in full swing! Twinkling lights, cosy fires and big mugs of hot chocolate are in abundance as Shannon Kelly returns home to the Shamrock Inn. Will this be the year she finds the man of her dreams or is she destined to be forever unlucky in love?

Mollie Sheehan has spent much of her life striving to be a dutiful daughter and honor her father’s wishes, even when doing so has led to one heartbreak after another. After all, what options does she truly have in 1860s Montana? But providing for her stepfamily during her father’s long absences doesn’t keep her from wishing for more.

When Sharmila discovers her late friend, Thomas, has gifted her the holiday of her dreams, she can’t pack her bags fast enough. Arriving in Pineford, it’s everything she’d ever hoped for and more.

Libararian Tru Beckett, ardent defender of the printed word, is about to find out that keeping murder checked out of her beloved library is much harder than she thought…

What I Am Currently Reading

A comprehensive, medically-tested eating and lifestyle program–including 40 delicious recipes–to balance nutrition and sustain weight loss, tailored to women in perimenopause or menopause.

Christmas has come early to the beautiful Poconos resort that’s the setting for the American Baking Battle’s holiday special, where chef Courtney Archer is on hand to sample festive fare—and lift the lid off a killer…

Six ambitious bakers are competing for glory and a grand prize, showcasing their most delicious candies, cookies, and desserts. Courtney detects some on-set grinchiness from her coworkers, especially judge Shannon Collins, but she’s hoping the sweet treats will restore everyone’s festive spirits. That Christmas wish swiftly fizzles when assistant director Kinzy Hummel is found strangled—with an apron from Shannon’s new product line…

Up Next From The Reading Pile

A captivating story about long-lost family secrets that will whisk you away to the village of Sandy Cove on the gorgeous Irish coast.

Edwina is looking for a fresh start. So when a friend suggests she renovates a series of coastguard cottages in the tiny village of Sandy Cove, she wonders if the beautiful Irish seaside town might be her chance for a new beginning.

In this humorous and heartwarming romance, sparks fly between a woman who can’t wait to leave a wintry New England island, and a widower who would do anything to stay.

Travel magazine writer Celeste Bell is in a terrible mood. Not only was her flight to the Caribbean diverted to a Massachusetts island, now it looks like she’ll have to spend Christmas there. Single and still mourning the loss of her mother a year earlier, Celeste is desperate to avoid any emotional entanglements and all holiday festivities. She just doesn’t feel like celebrating.

What do you think of my choices for this week? Do you plan on reading any of these?

Have a marvelous Monday and thanks for stopping by.

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#Bookouture Blog Tour for Christmas In The Little Irish Village by Michelle Vernal

Christmas in the Little Irish Village: A page-turning Christmas romance to fall in love with by Michelle Vernal

Welcome to the little Irish village where Christmas celebrations are in full swing! Twinkling lights, cosy fires and big mugs of hot chocolate are in abundance as Shannon Kelly returns home to the Shamrock Inn. Will this be the year she finds the man of her dreams or is she destined to be forever unlucky in love?

Thirty-four-year-old Shannon is heartbroken following an unexpected break up. Seasonal joy is the last thing on her mind, as she wonders if she’ll ever find the kind of long-lasting love she’s always dreamed of. Even the comforting distractions of her big Irish family can’t cheer her up. Then things get even worse when Shannon slips over on the ice and finds herself red-faced in the arms of a gorgeous American man…

Despite the embarrassing encounter, Shannon can’t help wondering who the handsome stranger is. She soon finds out when James Cabot takes a room at the Shamrock Inn. Their second meeting is equally disastrous when she gives James the tour – without realising her skirt is tucked into her knickers! Shannon isn’t sure how she’s going to survive living under the same roof when she has such a talent for making a complete eejit of herself, and resolves to avoid their new guest at all costs.

But when Shannon discovers James is in Ireland because he’s claiming to be the long-lost grandson of her elderly neighbour, Maeve Doolin, she is immediately suspicious. Shannon has known kind Maeve since she was a little girl and feels protective of her, so she’s determined to find out the truth. Even if it means spending more time with James…

The two of them end up getting closer than she’d bargained for when they take a tour of Emerald Bay and end up snowed in together. But just as James begins to make Shannon’s heart melt with his cheeky grin and awful carol singing, a shocking secret threatens to shatter the growing romance between them.

Can Shannon trust James? And will she get the happily-ever-after she’s been hoping for this Christmas?

This gorgeous festive romance is the perfect cosy read to snuggle up with this Christmas. Fans of Nicola May, Trisha Ashley and Debbie Macomber will love this wonderfully uplifting novel.

Buy link: https://geni.us/B0BBNGK43Bsocial

My Thoughts

You will get the full Irish experience while reading this one. Being that my ancestors came over on a boat from Galway I knew this one was the perfect read for me.
You’ll be immersed in the authenticity of the Irish humor,foods and settings.
An American guy,an Irish gal snowed in together with an elderly neighbor it looks like love may be a blooming in this charming rom-com. When secrets are revealed though it just may send that fledgling romance south . This book is just lovely, so entertaining. The humor is great and had me laughing out loud. Heart-warming and charming, so looking forward to the next in this series.

Pub Date 14 Oct 2022
I was given a complimentary copy of this book.
All opinions expressed are my own. 

Check out The Other Blog Participants

About The Author

Michelle Vernal is a New Zealand author who writes stories that will take you onto the page with her characters and make you feel part of their lives. She writes with humour and warmth, and her readers describe her books as unputdownable, feel good and funny. Her writing has been likened to Maeve Binchy but with a modern-day vernacular. In 2015 she was shortlisted for the Love Stories Award. In 2020 she won the Reader’s Favorite Gold Medal Award for Chick lit, and in 2021 was shortlisted for the Page Turner Book Awards.

Author social media:

Twitter: https://twitter.com/MichelleVernal

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/michellevernalnovelist/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/michellevernalnovelist

Website: https://www.michellevernalbooks.com/

Newsletter sign up: https://www.bookouture.com/michelle-vernal

Thanks for stopping by have a terrific weekend.

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First Line Friday

Happy Friday & welcome to the First Line Friday hosted by Reading Is My Super Power! It’s time to grab the book nearest to you and leave a comment with the first line. Today, I’m featuring the first line of Steeped In Secrets by Lauren Elliot.

And my first few lines are………..

Shayleigh Myers or Shay as her friends and family called her,hopped out of the black Explorer into what was a typical cloudless California late August morning. She gazed at her surroundings,finding it hard to she was actually back in the small town she thought she had left behind forever.

About The Book

From the USA Today bestselling author of the Beyond the Page Bookstore Mysteries, the first installment in a new series featuring Shay Myers, intuitive gemologist and owner of a New Age tea and crystals shop in beautiful coastal California’s Monterey Peninsula.

Flat broke and divorced, intuitive gemologist Shay Myers has changed since leaving her artsy hometown of coastal Bray Harbor sixteen years ago. But when she moves back under strange circumstances, old instincts may be the only key to spilling the tea on a deadly mystery.

Even with her life in ruins in New Mexico, Shay feels uneasy about settling into the small seaside town where she grew up on California’s Monterey Peninsula and taking over an estate bequeathed to her by Bridget Early, a woman she had barely known. Her heightened senses—an empathic gift she’s had since childhood—go into overdrive upon touring Crystals & CuriosiTEAS, Bridget’s eclectic tea and psychic shop brimming with Irish lore and Celtic symbols. They reach a boiling point when Shay looks up to discover a stranger’s body sprawled across the shop’s greenhouse roof . . .



With her new business a crime scene and questions brewing over Bridget’s so-called accidental death, Shay fears she’s also inherited the attention of a killer. The terrifying realization sets her on an impractical investigation for answers aided by her sister, an elusive pure-white German Shepherd, a strikingly handsome pub owner who speaks in a gentle brogue, and a misunderstood young woman with perceptive talents of her own. As Shay struggles to figure out her true purpose in Bray Harbor and the powerful connection she has with the tea shop, she must trust her judgment above all else to identify a ruthless murderer and save herself from becoming victim number three.

Grab A Copy Here

304 pages Kensington Cozies November 29,22 publish date

Would you read this one?

Let me know in the comments what your first line Friday is

Have a fantastic Friday and thanks for stopping by.

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Beneath The Bending Skies By Jane Kirkpatrick-Review

About The Book

Mollie Sheehan has spent much of her life striving to be a dutiful daughter and honor her father’s wishes, even when doing so has led to one heartbreak after another. After all, what options does she truly have in 1860s Montana? But providing for her stepfamily during her father’s long absences doesn’t keep her from wishing for more.

When romance blooms between her and Peter Ronan, Mollie finally allows herself to hope for a brighter future–until her father voices his disapproval of the match and moves her to California to ensure the breakup. Still, time and providence are at work, even when circumstances are at their bleakest. Mollie may soon find that someone far greater than her father is in control of the course of her life–and that even the command to “honor thy father” has its limits.

New from New York Times bestselling author Jane Kirkpatrick, Beneath the Bending Skies is a sweeping story of hospitality, destiny, and the bonds of family.

My Review

I have read quite a few books by Jane Kirkpatrick over the years but not all of them yet.
What I absolutely love about them is the authenticity of them. You won’t get the run around with her books or a bunch of fluff. Many of her books, like this one are based on true events and people.
They are so well researched and written you’ll understand what she is talking about.
The characters just come alive the way she writes about them.
I loved Mollie and Peter’s story. The book had many layers to it, happy and emotional times.
At this time period in this historical novel a woman and a wife as well has really no say and has to listen to her father/husband.
Mollie is a strong woman who has really gone through a lot but yet she still perseveres.
The story is uplifting, Mollie changes with her situations trying to stay ever optimistic and encouraging.
The setting and character development are phenomenal . The author knows how to do historical perfectly and is one of my absolute favorite writers of this genre.
Highly recommended! 

Grab Your Copy Here

Paperback 352 pages Publication Sep 06,2022 Revell Books

About The Author

If you’d like more information about me, please come visit my website at http://www.jkbooks.com and click on my blog. My dog also has a blog and you can find out what it’s like to be Bodacious Bo, too. A monthly newsletter called Story Sparks is my way of sharing books about authors I enjoy as well as commenting on life and love. You’ll find out more about me than you probably ever wanted to know!

One item not listed on my lists of books is my selection included in an anthology called “Crazy Woman Creek: Women Rewrite the American West” published by Houghton Mifflin I also have a piece in Storytellers II, a book published a few years ago by Multnomah Press and a few short selections in Daily Guideposts of a few years back. My first novella, “The Courting Quilt” is part of a collection that made the New York Times bestsellers September 2011 in a collection called Log Cabin Christmas. The rest of my writing, as they say, is history. Or it was until my first contemporary came out this fall. Called Barcelona Calling, it’s the story of a writer who loses her way as she seeks fulfillment thinking she’ll find it with fame. It’s a laugh out loud book according to reviewers. I hope you’ll enjoy it.

Have you read anything by this author? Will you be reading this book?

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The Twelve Wishes of Christmas by Ruby Basu-Book Birthday Blitz-Blog Tour

Source:Rachel Random Resources

About The Book

When Sharmila discovers her late friend, Thomas, has gifted her the holiday of her dreams, she can’t pack her bags fast enough. Arriving in Pineford, it’s everything she’d ever hoped for and more.
But she’s in for another surprise, because Thomas has left her with one last request: if she completes his Christmas wish list of festive activities, her chosen charity will receive a big donation. Or so Sharmila thinks.
…He’s there to reclaim his family’s legacy
Little does she know, she’s set to inherit Thomas’s estate too, much to his nephew Zach’s disbelief. Determined not to see his family’s legacy left to a stranger, he’s come to Pineford to do whatever it takes to stop Sharmila from fulfilling that list.
When Sharmila and Zach meet, neither are prepared for sparks to fly. For Sharmila’s sworn off love, and Zach doesn’t trust her. But with every passing wish they find themselves growing closer. And amongst the twinkling town lights and fallen snow, Sharmila can feel her heart opening up to Zach. But when she learns he’s been keeping a secret from her, can Sharmila forgive him and get the happy-ever-after she’s always wished for this Christmas? 

My Review

This is truly what a Christmas book should be. Such a feel good,happy book it would be the perfect Hallmark movie. It has all the elements a Christmas book should have.
You’re not going to care if it’s snowing out while you read this as the atmosphere of the book will warm you while snuggling into your warm blanket and sipping hot chocolate.
Sharmila has been gifted a very special Christmas gift from her late friend Thomas,a trip to America to spend the holiday season in Pineford to experience a what she’s always wanted, a small-town American Christmas.
There is a catch though she must do his wish-list of festive activities. Now here is where the fun comes in. I loved reading the descriptions of the fun activities from the wish-list she must do, from sledding and tree lighting to parades to parties,pumpkin pies and puzzles to sledding,hot chocolate,caroling and more. She’s having a blast this Christmas, American style.
When she completes these tasks she’ll have a generous donation gifted to the charity of her choice. or so she thinks.
I loved the characters Zach and Sharmila. Sharmila has sworn off men after she lost her previous boyfriend to a medical crisis. She can’t afford to open her heart to love again.
Zach keeps his identity secret from Sharmila, that he is Thomas’s nephew because others have treated him differently when they knew he comes from money.
He tries to sabotage Sharmila’s wish list plans so she’s not able to finish and tries to stay away from her. When they find themselves falling for each other will they allow their broken hearts to heal or will this Christmas be a lonely time for them both?
Wonderful holiday read!

Pub Date 13 Oct 2021
I was given a complimentary copy of this book.
All opinions expressed are my own.

About The Author

Ruby lives in the beautiful Chilterns with her husband, two children, and the cutest dog in the world. She worked for many years as a lawyer and policy lead in the Civil Service.As the second of four children, Ruby connected strongly with Little Women’s Jo March and was scribbling down stories from a young age. A huge fan of romantic movies, Star Wars, and Marvel, she loves creating new characters and worlds while waiting for her superpowers to develop.

Published by HQ Digital, The Twelve Wishes of Christmas is available for purchase through the links here.

For more information visit Ruby’s website, follow her on Twitter @writerrb01, or find her on Instagram, Facebook and TikTok.

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