Happy Friday & welcome to First Line Friday hosted at 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 delighted to feature the first line The Seaside Homecoming by Julie Klassen.
FIRST LINE(S)
May 1820
Bleak. The weather, her mood, her life. Miss Claire Summers pulled back the dusty velvet curtain and looked out onto another dreary Edinburgh day.
ABOUT THE BOOK
Pub Date Dec 03 2024
A surprise homecoming tests the bonds of sisterhood as a hidden past comes to light . . .
Disgraced eldest sister Claire Summers has been living in exile as companion to a stern great-aunt in Scotland. About to lose her place and longing to be reconciled with her estranged family, Claire sees an advertisement from someone looking for a “respectable female partner” in a Sidmouth boarding house. Is it a sign? She answers the ad, hoping she has not made another reckless mistake. When she meets the handsome, secretive proprietor, she wonders what he’s hiding and if he’s any more trustworthy than the nobleman who betrayed her years ago. Claire is drawn to him even though she fears he will reject her when he discovers her genteel façade hides a less-than-respectable past.
Meanwhile, the Summers family learns their great-aunt has died and Claire has disappeared without a word. The sisters rally together to find their lost sibling, but will their unexpected reunion heal old wounds and rekindle their bonds . . . or deepen the divide?
Return to the captivating Devonshire coast as the Summers sisters navigate romance, second chances, and the enduring strength of sisterhood in the face of adversity.
I have been waiting for this book to be available for what seems like forever. Will this be making it onto your to read pile? What currently in your hands to read?
Wendy Tyler’s marriage ended when she discovered her ex-husband, Mike, had got his much younger new partner, Chloe, pregnant. Wendy’s over Mike, but suddenly she fears her own daughters will find a new baby much more exciting that their old mum…
A chance encounter…
But when Wendy bumps into Chloe at St Piran’s, it’s clear something is troubling the fragile young woman. Wendy doesn’t want to be sucked into Chloe and Mike’s relationship, but she can’t help worrying that Chloe needs someone to turn to.
A lesson in love.
And when Wendy realizes that Chloe is more fragile than any of them realised, she knows she has to step up. She might not love Mike anymore, but Chloe is about to join their family and Wendy can’t just stand by. Sometimes life is hard, but the easiest lessons are built on a solid foundation of love.
I think for most people it’s human nature to want to help others when we can. Having read all the books in the series this is what I love about the book, not only it’s originality with it’s mainly hospital setting but I love seeing the helping and hopeful spirit the carers give others in and out of the hospital.
This series provides a warm, fuzzy feeling of goodness and a coming together of characters that are there for each other. So many of the characters in this book have been in all of the books and it’s great to see an update of their lives in each book. As in each book there is some drama, but you can’t have real life without some glitches and things going on.
The book deals with love and loss, heartache and happiness, sisterhood and strong family ties and knowing you don’t have to be born into a family to have that strong family bond. Recommended and looking forward to the next installment in the series.
I was given a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions expressed are my own.
VISIT OTHER BLOGS ON THE TOUR
MEET THE AUTHOR
Jo Bartlett is the bestselling author of over nineteen women’s fiction titles. She fits her writing in between her two day jobs as an educational consultant and university lecturer and lives with her family and three dogs on the Kent coast.
232 pages Wild Heart Books publisher Oct 8,2024 publish date
ABOUT THE BOOK
When death visits Coronado, will secrets of the past keep them from uncovering the truth?
Her entire life, Eleanore Wainright has been molded to fit the ideal society wife in the glittering world of New York’s elite. Her father’s aspirations for her are clear: marry a man of wealth and status, and secure their family’s future. But when she arrives at the Hotel del Coronado with intentions to do just that, Eleanore’s carefully laid plans are thrown into disarray when she comes face to face with Thomas Harding, the man who shattered her heart and disappeared without a trace.
Working as a bellboy at California’s newest and most prestigious resort, Thomas never imagined crossing paths with Eleanore again, let alone amidst the backdrop of a suspicious death.
As the investigation continues and tensions rise, Eleanore and Thomas are forced to confront not only the ghosts of their past but also the secrets that threaten to destroy their future and the futures of those they hold dear. With the eyes of New York’s elite upon them, they must choose between the responsibilities they’re expected to fulfill and the love they’ve always yearned for, risking everything in the process.
MY THOUGHTS
Gilded Age romances are full of glitz and glamour and this one is no exception. I enjoy books taking place during this time period. I also enjoy historical fiction based on fact as this one is. It’s a fun way of having the past come alive.
Eleanore Wainright is expected to marry in an arranged marriage her father has set up. Becoming a high society wife will ensure she marries a man of her father’s choosing, one of wealth and status and also ensure the family’s fortune.
Though her heart had been broken several years ago, to please her father she decides to go along with this arranged marriage. Upon arriving at the Hotel del Coronado she is shocked to see a man she though would stay in her past, Thomas, the man who broke her heart and disappeared.
I enjoyed seeing how mysteries unraveled, and secrets became not so secret. Surprising things are revealed and tempers flare. Can all involved put this behind them and come to a compromise?
This second chance romance had me hoping against hope all would turn out for the best with our newly reunited couple. Very enjoyable story with well-developed characters and I also enjoyed the descriptive setting. Will be reading again.
I was given a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions expressed are my own.
Nora’s city life isn’t exactly working out how she planned. She’s stuck in her best friend’s tiny boxroom and hasn’t yet found that dream bookish job. But when she’s forced to return to her hometown of Little Harbour, Nora’s life takes an unexpected plot twist. Her estranged sister needs her help and the beloved family bookshop of her first love, Alex, is about to go out of business.
Alex knows a trip home to his dad and The Book Nook is long overdue. If only his own life wasn’t such a complete and utter mess he’d have visited by now. But then he hears Nora Bell is back in town and it’s the push he needs to change everything.
When the two meet again it’s clear the spark of attraction still burns bright, but their unresolved past overshadows any possible future. Can they work together to save the bookshop and find their fairytale ever after, or will hidden secrets and surprising truths keep them apart?
Perfect for fans of second chance romances, dreamy bookshops and escapist seaside settings!
ONLY AVAILABLE TO THOSE WHO SIGN UP TO KATIE GINGER’S MAILING LIST:
Author Bio – Katie Ginger writes romantic comedies as Annabel French for Avon, HarperCollins and historical fiction as Emma Royal for Century, Penguin Random House. When she’s not writing she spends her time reading, looking after her family and volunteering as Vice Chair or the Romantic Novelists’ Association.
260 pages Black Odyssey Media September 24,2024 publish date
ABOUT THE BOOK
A prominent romance author has a slump in her love life and book sales, but a chance encounter with a hot firefighter helps her reignite her muse in this swoony holiday romance, perfect for book romantics.
Saira Wright is a prominent Black romance author who has been signed to the most prestigious publisher of African American works, Brownstone Literature. Her career has been successful for the past five years. However, she’s in a slump, and so are her sales and reviews. The romance she has been known for seems to be zapped out of her stories . . . and her love life.
Eager to get Saira back on top of the charts, her publisher has given her an ultimatum—write a chart-topping holiday romance or be dropped from the publishing house. There’s only one problem: Saira strongly opposes penning holiday books. To her, they are cliché and off-brand, but with her career on the line, she’s forced to give it a shot. To capture the spirit of the holidays, she books a vacation in the most “Christmassy” town she can find.
Sharing the other side of her rented duplex is the owner, Dorian Black, a volunteer firefighter, and the town’s little league football coach. He’s also “Mr. December” in the firefighter’s annual fundraising calendar . . . and every woman’s dream. Years ago, Dorian was happily married to the love of his life until cancer took her away from him. Still coping with the loss, a romantic relationship is the furthest thing from his mind. However, when he encounters his new tenant for the holiday, sparks fly and a fire is ignited that not even he can extinguish.
As the two navigate through various encounters, holiday festivities, and a snowstorm, will the magic of Christmas help them rediscover a long-awaited connection?
MY THOUGHTS
Saira Wright, a famous author of Black romance books has a huge following and is signed with a top publisher of African American works. She’s quite surprised one day when she receives a call from the publishing house saying they want a Christmas romance book from her. Ms Wright doesn’t do Christmas books, but her sales have taken a slump just like her love life. She has a choice, write that best-selling Christmas romance or her contract is gonzo. Needing a little inspiration, she goes to the best Christmassy town she can think of.
Renting a half of a duplex with the owner on the other side is no problem, that is until she sees who it is. Mr. December on the firehouse calendar, Dorian Black. Firefighter, football coach and widow.
He’s not looking for a relationship, he’s had plenty of people try to matchmake for him, but his late wife’s memory is still too strong. When Saira and Dorian meet though it’s as though they were made for each other in this spicy winter romance.
Saira seems to fit right in with the folks in town and all his friends as if she’d been there for a lifetime and he feels the same way. I enjoyed seeing the interaction between the two as the sparks ignite bright. I think she has all the inspiration she needs for this upcoming romance book.
Loved this uplifting full of great humor book. Filled with the holiday season you’ll want to read this more than once.
I was given a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions expressed are my own.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Charity Shane’ holds a Bachelor degree and a Juris Doctor degree. Author. Higher Education Leader. Legal Expert. Creator.
Writing stories that create feelings through her words is her true passion. Her soul sings AA romance and urban romance fiction.
To date, she has published over twenty books, including #1 Bestsellers in African American Fiction. Charity Shane’ is dedicated to giving readers robust and diverse stories centered around love.
Love is the passion behind each of her stories. By crafting characters that are relatable and by creating feelings with words, Charity Shane’ has a little something for everyone.
Still watching Downtown Abbey, on Season 4 parts one and two of last episode. I was saddened to hear of the death of Dame Maggie Smith. I think she is my favorite character in this show.
Stacking The Shelves is all about sharing the books you are adding to your shelves, may it be physical or virtual. This means you can include books you buy in physical store or online, books you borrow from friends or the library, review books, gifts and of course ebooks! And audiobooks. Don’t forget audiobooks! Hosted at Reading Reality.
In other words, if you can read it or if it can be read to you – no matter how you got it – it belongs in Stacking the Shelves.
The books I’ve added to my shelf this week are:
NETGALLEY BOOKS
Have any of these made it to your want to read shelf? Thanks for stopping in. Enjoy your day.
Happy Friday & welcome to First Line Friday hosted at 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 delighted to feature the first line of The Garden by Nick Newman. This is a new to me author and I look forward to getting into it.
ABOUT THE BOOK
A darkly beautiful, eerie, hypnotic novel about two elderly sisters living alone at the edge of the world.
In a place and time unknown, two elderly sisters live in a walled garden, secluded from the outside world. Evelyn and Lily have only ever known each other. What was before the garden, they have forgotten; what lies beyond it, they do not know. Each day is spent in languid service to their home: tending the bees, planting the crops, and dutifully following the instructions of the almanac written by their mother.
When a nameless boy is found hiding in the boarded house at the center of their isolated grounds, their once-solitary lives are irrevocably disrupted. Who is he? Where did he come from? And most importantly, what does he want?
As suspicions gather and allegiances falter, Evelyn and Lily are forced to confront the dark truths about themselves, the garden, and the world as they’ve known it.
G.P. Putnam’s Sons
Publication date February 18, 2025
FIRST LINE(S)
Somebody had moved the beehive. Evelyn couldn’t understand how it had happened. It was at a slight angle to the others, like it had been shoved, and beneath each of its wooden feet there was a shallow red trench in the earth. An animal? A storm? It couldn’t have been.
Does this sound like one you’d add to your reading list? Thank you for your visit today.
416 pages Bethany House publishers August 20, 2024 publication date
ABOUT THE BOOK
Treva Zimmerman finds herself at a crossroads in life after a heartbreaking failed relationship. Returning to Lancaster County to visit her Amish grandparents and elderly aunt, Treva plans to leave her Plain heritage behind for a fresh start in Alaska. Torn between the expectations of her community and her own desires, she seeks to follow her own path–but all that changes when her aunt Rosene suffers a heart attack.
As her aunt recounts her own past–a poignant journey through Cold War Germany and a fervent desire to escape her Plain life to search for a lost love–Treva is determined to discover the whereabouts of Rosene’s former sweetheart. Amid the turmoil, their former farmhand Gabe Johnson returns unexpectedly, throwing Treva’s plans into further disarray.
While working hard to save the farm and explore her own destiny, Treva confronts her deep-rooted ties to her heritage and must decide if she will embrace her family’s legacy or break free from the pressures of her past to forge a life of her own.
MY THOUGHTS
By Evening’s Light is the third and final book in the Amish Memories series. I enjoyed all three books in the series and fully recommend you read this series in order to get the full backstory with all the characters. This is told as a dual timeline story.
Though taking place in an Amish community and incorporating the Amish culture into the book it is not strictly an Amish story. A character comes back from a missionary trip to Haiti not having expected things to work out the way they had.
We are transported back in time with a storytelling Aunt who tells of her struggles and joys during WWII in Germany. I enjoyed how well the series was researched by the author, making for a fascinating and entertaining series.
The characters are well developed and perfectly imperfect with their own struggles and joys. I enjoyed reading their faith journeys.
I was given a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions expressed are my own.
About the Author
Leslie Gould is a Christy Award-winning and #1 bestselling author of more than 48 novels, including four Lancaster County Amish series. She holds a bachelor’s degree in history and an MFA in creative writing. She enjoys church history, research trips, and hiking in the Pacific Northwest. She and her husband live in Portland, Oregon, and have four adult children and two grandchildren. Learn more at LeslieGould.com.
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