Series Colorado Cowboys 352 pages Bethany House publishers February 14, 2023 publish date
About The Book
With danger drawing ever closer, their only hope of saving their futures lies in each other.
As a midwife, Catherine Remington is successful in bringing new life into the world, but she’s failed one too many times in finding true love. When she’s accused of a murder she didn’t commit, she’s forced to flee to Colorado to honor a patient’s dying wish by delivering a newborn infant to his father.
The repentant prodigal Dylan McQuaid is finally back in Fairplay. As sheriff, he’s doing his best to prove to the town he’s a changed man and worthy of their trust. When a woman shows up with an infant son he didn’t know he had, Dylan is left with only complicated choices on what to do next.
Having grown attached to Dylan’s son, Catherine doesn’t want to part ways with the infant, but what she doesn’t bargain for is how easily she’ll fall for the charming sheriff, or how quickly the past will catch up with her and put their love and lives in danger.
This is one author that I absolutely cannot pass up her books. She has such talent that she writes in several genres as well. Each equally good. This is the last book in the Colorado Cowboys series, and I have loved each book in this series. Please, don’t ask me to pick a favorite in this series because I simply couldn’t do it. Each story is different than the others but yet has some of the same threads running through it. In this one there is deception, death, running from the law, being framed, an unexpected baby, and the past not staying there, in the past. I loved midwife, Catherine Remington’s character, she is an upstanding woman given some bad breaks and who goes through a mistaken identity. I also enjoyed Dylan McQuaid’s character, despite him being the prodigal son he is now back in the family fold trying to make things right. He hopes to prove his new and trustworthy self by becoming the sheriff of Fairplay. Furthering the showing of how mature he’s become when he is presented with the proof of something in his past that has caught up with him, he admits to his past and willingly makes things right. Though most of the story focused on Catherine and Dylan we also are treated to Dylans brothers, sister and nieces and nephews in the book. I love the characters in this big happy family, and you better believe they have each other’s backs, but they also expect each other to play fair as well and to do their part. I can’t wait to read more by this author.
I was given a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions expressed are my own.
What makes you want to read The Last Chance Cowboy?
Q. Do you use other sources for ARCs besides NetGalley?
A. I do use NetGalley for most of my ARC’s. I belong to several blog tour groups, I do launch teams for authors, belong to street teams, get contacted by publishers and authors who would like me to read and review their books. Some I agree to some not. I have tried BookSirens but haven’t been impressed with their selection.
What about you?
Let me know in the comments what sources you use for your arc reads.
Also known as The Story of the Aged Mother, this Japanese folktale tells the story of an unkind ruler who issues cruel orders, including one demand that all old folks are to be abandoned and left to die. Basho tells a poignant story about a mother and her son and their love for one another.
Long, long ago there lived at the foot of the mountain a poor farmer and his aged, widowed mother. They owned a bit of land which supplied them with food, and they were humble, peaceful, and happy.
Shining was governed by a despotic leader who though a warrior, had a great and cowardly shrinking from anything suggestive of failing health and strength. This caused him to send out a cruel proclamation. The entire province was given strict orders to immediately put to death all aged people. Those were barbarous days, and the custom of abandoning old people to die was not uncommon. The poor farmer loved his aged mother with tender reverence, and the order filled his heart with sorrow. But no one ever thought twice about obeying the mandate of the governor, so with many deep and hopeless sighs, the youth prepared for what at that time was considered the kindest mode of death.
Just at sundown, when his day’s work was ended, he took a quantity of unwhitened rice which was the principal food for the poor, and he cooked, dried it, and tied it in a square cloth, which he swung in a bundle around his neck along with a gourd filled with cool, sweet water. Then he lifted his helpless old mother to his back and started on his painful journey up the mountain. The road was long and steep; the narrow road was crossed and re-crossed by many paths made by the hunters and woodcutters. In some place, they lost and confues, but he gave no heed. One path or another, it mattered not. On he went, climbing blindly upward — ever upward towards the high bare summit of what is known as Obatsuyama, the mountain of the “abandoning of the aged.”
The eyes of the old mother were not so dim but that they noted the reckless hastening from one path to another, and her loving heart grew anxious. Her son did not know the mountain’s many paths and his return might be one of danger, so she stretched forth her hand and snapping the twigs from brushes as they passed, she quietly dropped a handful every few steps of the way so that as they climbed, the narrow path behind them was dotted at frequent intervals with tiny piles of twigs. At last the summit was reached. Weary and heart sick, the youth gently released his burden and silently prepared a place of comfort as his last duty to the loved one. Gathering fallen pine needles, he made a soft cushion and tenderly lifted his old mother onto it. Hew rapped her padded coat more closely about the stooping shoulders and with tearful eyes and an aching heart he said farewell.
The trembling mother’s voice was full of unselfish love as she gave her last injunction. “Let not thine eyes be blinded, my son.” She said. “The mountain road is full of dangers. LOOK carefully and follow the path which holds the piles of twigs. They will guide you to the familiar path farther down.” The son’s surprised eyes looked back over the path, then at the poor old, shriveled hands all scratched and soiled by their work of love. His heart broke within and bowing to the ground, he cried aloud: “oh, Honorable mother, your kindness breaks my heart! I will not leave you. Together we will follow the path of twigs, and together we will die!”
Once more he shouldered his burden (how light it seemed now) and hastened down the path, through the shadows and the moonlight, to the little hut in the valley. Beneath the kitchen floor was a walled closet for food, which was covered and hidden from view. There the son hid his mother, supplying her with everything she needed, continually watching and fearing she would be discovered. Time passed, and he was beginning to feel safe when again the governor sent forth heralds bearing an unreasonable order, seemingly as a boast of his power. His demand was that his subjects should present him with a rope of ashes.
The entire province trembled with dread. The order must be obeyed yet who in all Shining could make a rope of ashes? One night, in great distress, the son whispered the news to his hidden mother. “Wait!” she said. “I will think. I will think” On the second day she told him what to do. “Make rope of twisted straw,” she said. “Then stretch it upon a row of flat stones and burn it on a windless night.” He called the people together and did as she said and when the blaze died down, there upon the stones, with every twist and fiber showing perfectly, lay a rope of ashes.
The governor was pleased at the wit of the youth and praised greatly, but he demanded to know where he had obtained his wisdom. “Alas! Alas!” cried the farmer, “the truth must be told!” and with deep bows he related his story. The governor listened and then meditated in silence. Finally he lifted his head. “Shining needs more than strength of youth,” he said gravely. “Ah, that I should have forgotten the well-known saying, “with the crown of snow, there cometh wisdom!” That very hour the cruel law was abolished, and custom drifted into as far a past that only legends remain.
Happy Friday & welcome to First Line Friday. In the comments leave your first line then visit Reading Is My Super Power to see other first lines and add your own. Today I am choosing a book still sitting on my tbr list that I hope to get to soon. Just look at its beautiful cover. My choice is Love and Lavender by Josi S. Kilpack.
The first line is…………
March 23, 1822
Hazel had not slept well. Her crippled foot ached, despite it having been propped on a pillow all night to help manage the swelling induced by traveling.
About The Book
Pub Date 02 Nov 2021Shadow Mountain Publishing
Hazel Stillman is a woman of rare independence and limited opportunities. Born with a clubbed foot, she was sent away as a child and, knowing her disability means a marriage is unlikely, she devoted herself to scholarship and education.
Now working as a teacher in an elite private girls’ school, she is content with the way her story has unfolded. When her uncle Elliott Mayfield presents her with the prospect of a substantial inheritance if she marries, Hazel is offended. What kind of decent man would marry for her money? Besides, she loves her freedom as a professional, respected woman. When she hears rumors of the school possibly being sold, however, she knows she must consider all her options.
Duncan Penhale has a brilliant mind and thrives on order and process. He does not expect to marry because he likes his solitary life, shared only with his beloved cat. When Elliott Mayfield, his guardian’s brother, presents him with an inheritance if he marries a woman of social standing, Duncan finds it intrusive. However, with the inheritance, he could purchase the building in which he works and run his own firm. It would take an impressive and intellectual woman to understand and love him, quirks and all.
Hazel and Duncan believe they have found a solution to both of their problems: marry one another, receive their inheritances, and then part ways to enjoy their individual paths. But when Uncle Mayfield stipulates that they must live together as husband and wife for one year before receiving their inheritances, Hazel and Duncan reluctantly agree. Over time, their marriage of convenience becomes much more appealing than they had anticipated. At the end of the full year, will they go their separate ways, or could an unlikely marriage have found unsuspecting love?
Cat Sneaks Into A Zoo And Becomes Friends With A Lynx
It doesn’t matter what kind of animal you are, friendships develop just the same. This couple of friends are the living proof: in St. Petersburg’s Zoo, a European lynx has become friends with a regular Russian cat.According to Love Meow, the feline was homeless and happen to find some food where the lynx lived. Not only was the lynx fine with sharing, they also became great friends.
“It seems as if the cat needs the lynx as much as she needs her”, says Love Meow. People explain that the cat considers the lynx to be her mother, as she was just a kitten when she made this unusual friend. The Zoo, seeing this friendship, adopted the cat so they could live together, as they still do.
Have a beautiful day and give your kitties a hug for me.
Can’t-Wait Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted at Wishful Endings, to spotlight and discuss the books we’re excited about. Generally, they’re books that have yet to be released.
This week I’m looking forward to reading upcoming release……………
352 pages Ballantine Books May 02, 2023 publication date
About the Book
A woman’s second act on the beautiful island of Nantucket delivers much more than she expected in this hopeful novel by New York Times bestselling author Nancy Thayer.
Heather Willette has a good life in Concord, Massachusetts—complete with a husband who runs his own business and a son to take up his mantle one day. But now that her marriage has fizzled out and Ross, her only child, is graduating from college and getting serious with his girlfriend, Heather wonders if that life is the one she really wants. Ready to seek out her own happiness and discover herself again, Heather decides to leave her husband and rent a cottage on Nantucket. And her plan is going perfectly—until Ross announces he’s moving to Nantucket to work at his girlfriend’s family’s construction business instead of going back home to work with his own father, like he’d promised. Worst of all for Heather, this means having to get along with her.
Kailee Essex is thrilled that Ross is willing to move to her hometown. She has big hopes for their happily ever after, especially now that her parents are finally showing interest in her career. She’s less thrilled, however, about his mother living nearby. Kailee has clashed with Heather since the day they met. But anything is possible in the summer sun and sea breezes of Nantucket—even reconciliation. And when change comes sooner than either Heather or Kailee expect, they must learn to overcome their differences to fight for the future they want.
With All the Days of Summer, beloved storyteller Nancy Thayer delivers a moving novel that explores the complexity of family, and the unexpected ways fate can guide you forward.
Which upcoming release are you looking forward to? Let me know in the comments.
Meet the Man Who Created a Theme Park for People with Special Needs
Gordon Hartman is the founder of Morgan’s Wonderland (shown above on right, photo credit: Morganswonderland/Facebook.com). It’s a 25-acre theme park in San Antonio, TX, with a twist. It operates as a non-profit because the 25 rides you’ll find here are accessible to those with disabilities. Or, as Hartman calls it, ultra-accessible™.
A view of Morgans Wonderland. Photo Credit: Facebook.com
Hartman has always followed an entrepreneurial spirit. He started a landscaping business when he was 15, bringing in enough money to start a home-building company before age 20.
At 23, Hartman owned a land development company. That business became the largest enterprise of its type in the city, leading him to be inducted into the local halls of fame for sports and business. It makes for a good story, but it gets even better.
He and his wife sold the company in 2005 to establish a foundation that lets children and adults pursue their dreams, even when cognitive or special needs are present. Morgan’s Wonderland was designed in 2010 and opened its doors in 2017.
It Started with a Family Vacation
Hartman and his family were on vacation in 2006. He observed his daughter wanting to play with two other vacationing children at a hotel swimming pool. Still, they didn’t want to interact with her while tossing a ball around because of her physical and cognitive special needs.
“I’ve made hundreds of speeches about why philanthropy is important,” said Hartman. “It’s not just about giving money. Those who are less fortunate also need time donations. I’ve found that donating my expertise to non-profit organizations allows them to grow and thrive, and that is gratifying.”
Hartman signed The Giving Pledge as part of this transformation, promising publicly that he’d give away his wealth.
“The cost of caring for a child or adult with special needs is staggering,” Hartman said. “This segment of society is largely overlooked, marginalized, and has no voice. Our mission is to make their world a little easier to navigate and enjoy – and to be their advocate.”
Morgan’s Wonderland Supports Numerous Diagnoses
You can’t miss the Whirling Wonder when arriving at Morgan’s Wonderland. This colorful Ferris wheel takes visitors high enough into the air to deliver a panoramic view of the park without being scary for most riders. It stands 5.5 stories tall, which makes it visible from the interstate. A dozen gondolas accommodate children and adults with wheelchairs. [[3]]
There’s an eight-acre lake at the theme park that visitors can tour by riding the Wonderland Express™. It carries multiple railcars equipped with wheelchair-accessible ramps.
The train is designed to accommodate even powered wheelchairs, taking visitors around the park for a fun ride.
Then there is the unique Sensory Village™ at Morgan’s Wonderland. This stop creates a community built on creative play and imagination. It’s an indoor area where five themed regions are available to explore, encouraging hands-on learning with a mindful design that encourages everyone to be curious and interact as they are comfortable.
The current Sensory Village includes a grocery store, an exploration station, and an interactive shadow room. Visitors can enjoy exploring a television newsroom or the Microsoft Experience, which features adaptable Xbox consoles and accessible technology.
“We need to close the gap between the rich and the poor, the sick and the healthy, and those with and without special needs,” said Hartman. “The private sector can step up more aggressively and address these inequities through better education, health care, and living conditions.”
Camping and Sports Are Part of the Morgan’s Wonderland Experience
Since the theme park’s opening, the Hartmans have added two different properties to this experience. The first is a fully inclusive sports complex that focuses on fun, fitness, and competition for athletes of any ability, while the second is a 102-acre campground on the northern outskirts of San Antonio.
“People come up to me all the time and say that they love my park,” said Hartman. “I tell them no – this isn’t my park. It’s everyone’s park.”
Hartman’s team consults with doctors and therapists to ensure each activity at one of their properties is inclusive. That proactive approach ensures that visitors can play and enjoy themselves in whatever way they prefer without being unsafe. Hartman says their zip line is an excellent example of this design, which takes visitors up 11 stories – even if they’re in a wheelchair or have a breathing apparatus.
“People have come from all 50 states and 121 different countries,” said Hartman. “I never anticipated the numbers we would have. That’s the culture here. It gives people an opportunity to do the things they never thought they could do.”
All ages and all abilities are welcome in the environment of inclusion. More information about Morgan’s Wonderland is available at https://morganswonderland.com.
Helen Tsang is tired of the pitying looks. From her parents, her friends, and even the bubble tea shop guy, who recognized her from the video. Almost one year ago, some loser couldn’t mind their own damn business and filmed an unsuspecting Helen’s very public break-up during what was supposed to be a romantic Valentine’s Day dinner. A video of her ex-boyfriend saying, “It’s not me, it’s you. You’re holding me back” went viral.
Desperate to give everyone something else to talk about and with Valentine’s Day approaching once again, she asks her long-time friend Taylor Li to be her fake boyfriend, just to prove that she’s moved on and hasn’t sworn off love. (Spoiler alert: She’s totally sworn off love.) Taylor is the perfect option—single for once, and for some godforsaken reason, he loves Valentine’s Day.
But Helen didn’t expect was how easy it would be to get Taylor on board, fitting right into the boyfriend-shaped hole in her life. All she wanted was a couple sickeningly sweet dates to fill her social feeds, not corny text messages of silly heart-shaped cakes, and bouquets of flowers that harbor hidden meanings. Wanting to be around his sunshine attitude and delicious forearms all the time? That definitely wasn’t expected.
With February 14 quickly approaching, it’s getting increasingly difficult to ignore her feelings, especially when she starts wishing it wasn’t all an act.
This is another book that published last month but I wanted to post it on Valentine’s Day because that just made sense. This was a quick and short read, clocking in at under 140 pages but it felt like a full length read. Helen Tsang absolutely dreads Valentine’s Day as last year on that day a very public break up happened. To make it worse it was recorded and then it went viral. During what was supposed to be a romantic dinner he says, “It’s not me, it’s you. You’re holding me back” First she is mortified then the anger sets in. When her mother and even the boba tea shop owner bug her about a boyfriend, she’s just had enough. Enter her long-time friend Taylor Li. He’s a friendly guy and will do just about anything for Helen even pretend to be her boyfriend just to stop the pitying looks Helen is getting. Over dinners, casual times and talks Helen decides and it seems Taylor is in on it too this fake boyfriend thing just isn’t working out. Nope! What was once fake dating has now become the real thing, not able to stop think about each other and the possibilities of what’s to come. I liked the story; it was a fun romance. The drawback for me was the frequent f bombs that were dropped. This is my first read by this author but if her other books have the same wording it’ll be a no go for me. In my opinion they add nothing of value to the story.
The Author
Jackie Lau decided she wanted to be a writer when she was in grade two, sometime between writing “The Heart That Got Lost” and “The Land of Shapes.” She later studied engineering and worked as a geophysicist before turning to writing romance novels.
Jackie lives in Toronto with her husband, and despite living in Canada her whole life, she hates winter. When she’s not writing, she enjoys cooking, hiking, eating too much gelato, and reading on the balcony when it’s raining.
That Artsy Reader Girl hosts Top Ten Tuesday now. It was born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together. Today’s topic is Love/Valentine’s Day Freebie. So once again I’m going to make the topic my own and list books with a mostly pink or red cover for Valentine’s Day.
“A luscious, layered story of inheritance, heartbreak, reinvention, and family. I adored this book.” —Kristan Higgins, New York Times bestselling author
When a deed to an apartment in Paris turns up in an old attic trunk, an estranged mother and daughter must reunite to uncover the secret life of a family matriarch—perfect for fans of The Little Paris Bookshop and The Beekeeper’s Daughter.
Perfect for fans of Kate Quinn, Kristin Harmel, and Pam Jenoff, this new historical fiction novel from an acclaimed author is based on true WWII stories of life in the Warsaw Ghetto during the Occupation and the women who served the Allies as agents and spies. Casting light into one of the darkest periods of World War II, this powerful book tells of two Jewish sisters– one imprisoned in Poland and the other who joins the Special Operations Executive in a daring attempt to free her family from the Nazis.
Based on a true story, a spellbinding historical novel about the world’s first female investigative journalist, Nellie Bly.
In 1887, young Nellie Bly sets out for New York and a career in journalism, determined to make her way as a serious reporter, whatever that may take.
But life in the city is tougher than she imagined. Down to her last dime and desperate to prove her worth, she comes up with a dangerous plan: to fake insanity and have herself committed to the asylum on Blackwell’s Island. There, she will work undercover to expose the asylum’s wretched conditions.
But when the asylum door swings shut behind her, she finds herself in a place of horrors, governed by a cruelty she could never have imagined. Cold, isolated and starving, her days of terror reawaken the traumatic events of her childhood. She entered the asylum of her own free will – but will she ever get out?
An extraordinary portrait of a woman ahead of her time, Madwoman is the story of a quest for the truth that changed the world.
The scent of roses is in the air while romance blooms in this gorgeously escapist Scottish-set love story, about finding your way back to the one you’ve never forgotten… Sure to capture the hearts of readers who love Debbie Macomber, Carolyn Brown and Fern Michaels.
It’s hate at first sight for the wedding planners…
It’s down to maid of honour Beth and best man Matt to plan a dream wedding for the absent bride and groom. Not only do they have to handle the bride’s sky-high expectations and their respective dysfunctional families, they also have to deal with each other – and so far, it’s not going well.
Fire-fighter Matt is far too laid-back for Beth’s liking, and Beth’s need to arrive half an hour early for everything is driving Matt crazy. But over the weeks, the arguing and animosity morphs into something else that feels fun and flirty…
With Beth’s father parading his new, half-his-age girlfriend around, her mother set on revenge, Matt’s family refusing to engage in the celebrations, and an addled grandmother thrown in the mix, is there any way Beth and Matt can make the wedding a success?
A funny and heartwarming romantic comedy for fans of Jo Watson and Sophie Ranald.
It’s Christmas time at the Weber Haus mountainside inn, where the official greeter, watcher, and matchmaker of the hotel’s resident humans is an adorably mischievous bundle of feline fluff named Snowball. Snowball takes her job very seriously –even if it means being a little more naughty than nice –and she’s ready to celebrate her third holiday season by making the purrrrfect match.
New York, 1938: Martha pulled the door of her Fifth Avenue apartment closed, her heart thumping, re-reading the telegram she’d been dreading. Her beloved sister Charlotte needed her help. She was alone in Paris, and the threat of Nazi invasion grew ever stronger. The time had come for Martha to make the bravest decision of her life. She needed to bring Charlotte home.
Can a new shop change the village’s future – and Rowena’s?
Single mum Rowena is always looking for ways for her and her four-year-old daughter, Nia, to live more sustainably. So, when she visits a zero-waste shop in Cardiff, she’s inspired to start one up in her own village, where local businesses and artisan shops are a core part of the community.
For Huw, it’s love at first sight when he bumps into Rowena, on the day he moves to Foxmore. But a series of misunderstandings keeps the two from getting closer, and now a conflict of interest over Rowena’s shop might put a stop to any fledgling romance…
When a figure from Rowena’s past makes a surprise appearance, both her shop and relationship with Huw are suddenly under threat. Can Rowena still realise her corner shop dreams and find love?
A gorgeously fun and feel-good cosy romance, perfect for fans of Sue Moorcroft, Holly Martin and Suzanne Snow.
The start of a BRAND NEW series from bestselling author Sarah Bennett.
On paper, Hope Travers has an idyllic life.
Living in a bustling farmhouse with her mum, aunt and uncles, cousin and too many dogs to count, surrounded by the breath-taking Cotswolds countryside, she knows she is privileged and protected.
But all families have secrets, and the Travers family are no exception. Their farmhouse sits in the grounds of the Juniper Meadows estate, passed down through the generations and now being made to pay its own way with a myriad of businesses and projects. When a construction crew uncover what appear to be historical ruins, the history of the Travers family is put under ever closer scrutiny as a dig gets underway.
Hope may have found a blossoming romance with local archaeologist Cameron Ferguson who is running the dig, but when things start to go wrong around the estate and family secrets begin to be revealed, Hope wonders if she’s made a big mistake in digging up the past.
Her life spanned ninety-five years and there were only two great loves in her life. The first is long gone. The second still stands as a testament to an extraordinary woman.
1916
Venice Arial is a product of the elite social class in New Orleans and under the strict control of her cruel and hateful mother, Lorraine. At twenty, Venice must obey the rules of social duty her mother sets, including going through with an arranged marriage to a man she barely knows. The golden days of youth are being stripped away and her only escape is the family’s summer home on the north shore of Lake Pontchartrain—her beloved Belle Haven.
When Venice visits Belle Haven in the last weeks of summer, her structured life is thrown off course by a poor local boy, Etienne Armand, who shows her a love she has never known. But to Lorraine, locals are low class, and a poor boy like Etienne is strictly forbidden. But how can Venice return to New Orleans with such strict rules and the isolation of her palatial prison? Venice has a major decision to make but will the raging war in Europe make it for her?
1991
Seventy-five years ago, Venice Arial made a dramatic decision that altered her life and her future. After living through so much history, her cherished memories along with the painful ones are fading. The Lost Generation must be remembered, and her personal story recorded. That foregone era was the harsh reality of her life. She had known great love, a crippling world war, lost love, and new beginnings but should she include the cruelty, selfish greed, and hurtful deception inflicted on her all those years ago?
This story of great love, war, and remembrance will grab your emotions and hold them until the very end.
What are your choices this week?
Have a beautiful day my friends. Spring will soon be here.
Vegan Book Blogger 