The perfect festive, feel-good love story from Jill Steeples
268 pages Boldwood Books publisher series Primrose Woods 2 of 3 October 04, 2022 publish date
About The Book
Abbey Carter, her boyfriend Sam and their trusty canine companion Lady, relish living in the picturesque village of Wishwell at the edge of their beloved Primrose Woods. The woods and the country park are full of activity as the festive season approaches.
Lizzie Baker is flat out at the Treetops café, serving all sorts of winter warmers, festive goodies and lashings of hot chocolate. And when her daughter and grandchildren arrive to stay, the run up to Christmas is set to be even more magical than she had expected.
Rhianna West has finally found the perfect man to fall in love with – if only Luke wasn’t moving away in the New Year.
As the snow falls on Primrose Woods, and the village of Wishwell sparkles with Christmas lights, could this be the year that every wish comes true for the three friends?
The Primrose Woods series by Jill Steeples is such a lovely series. The feel-good book is just what you’ll need at the end of your day. I read this while drinking my Tazo orange tea and what a wonderful relaxation it was. Not finding Australia living up to what they were expecting Lizzie’s daughter and two children just pop up on her doorstep to stay, it’s a surprising but thrilling moment. I enjoyed the relationships the women had with each other. They are close friends, sharing romance troubles and triumphs. Rhianna West has had a best friend for a long time, Luke. She sees him now as a romantic interest. If only he wasn’t moving so far away, and she sure doesn’t do long distance relationships. Abbey Carter has a fun and friendly dog. She and her boyfriend Sam love living on the outskirts of scenic Primrose Woods in the picturesque village of Wishwell. There are so many activities for them to do as a family. I enjoyed following each woman’s journey as they navigate day to day life and on again- off again relationships but yet are always the backbone in friendship for each other. I enjoyed the snowy setting and seeing the excitement of the anticipation of Christmas through the eyes of the children. There was such an exciting and wonderful surprise on Christmas Eve. An uplifting and positive book. I would recommend it.
Pub Date 04 Oct 2022 I was given a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions expressed are my own.
The Author
Jill Steeples is the author of many successful women’s fiction titles – most recently the Dog and Duck series – all set in the close communities of picturesque English villages.
Her novels are heart-warming, feel-good stories of new beginnings, friendship and love.
Jill’s brand new fiction series will be launched in February 2022 with Starting Over at Primrose Woods.
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?
329 pages Revell publisher February 7,2023 publish date
About the Book
Police Chief Autumn Long is fighting to keep her job in the quiet Alaska town of Shadow Gap when an unexpected string of criminal activity leaves her with a wounded officer, unexplained murders, and even an attack on her own father. Despite her mistrust of outsiders, she turns to Grier Brenner, a newcomer who seems to have the skills and training Autumn needs to face this threat to her community.
Grier is in Alaska for the same reason so many others are–to disappear–when Chief Long enlists his help. He emerges from the shadows and proves his mettle, but his presence in her life could be a deadly trap for them both. If his secret is exposed, all will be lost. And he’s not sure even Autumn could save him.
As the stakes rise and the dangers increase, Autumn and Grier must rely on each other to extinguish the deadly threats.
I saw the cover of the book several months ago and have been anticipating this read ever since and let me tell you it did not disappoint. This is the first book in a new series by Elizabeth Goddard, called Missing in Alaska. There is something special about books taking place in Alaska, it’s such a beautiful place, you need severe weather preparedness, avalanches can happen, and things can be hidden in the snow. Our main character is a woman Police Chief, Autumn Long. She is desperately trying to hold onto her job, but she has a lot going against her and in her town. There’s a stranger in town, he seems to be following her turning up everywhere she is, the criminal activity increases, and her father is almost fatally wounded. Is it connected to the stranger’s appearance or just a coincidence? A brilliant and cleverly written novel. I have long enjoyed the author’s writing style; she hooks you right from the start of the book and keeps you well entertained. I eagerly look forward to the next book in this series.
Pub Date: 07 Feb 2023 I was given a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions expressed are my own.
About The Author
With over one million books sold, Elizabeth Goddard is the USA Today and Publisher’s Weekly bestselling, award-winning author of over fifty romance novels and counting, including the romantic mystery, THE CAMERA NEVER LIES–a 2011 Carol Award winner. Four of her six Mountain Cove books have been contest finalists. Buried, Backfire and Deception are finalists in the Daphne Du Maurier Award for Excellence in Mystery and Suspense, and Submerged is a Carol Award finalist. A 7th generation Texan, Elizabeth graduated from North Texas State University with a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science and worked in high-level software sales for several years before retiring to home school her children and fulfill her dreams of writing full-time.
368 pages Avon publisher March 21, 2023 publish date
About The Book
A wedding brings a shocking surprise in New York Times bestselling author Lori Wilde’s newest Moonglow Cove novel. Perfect for fans of Susan Wiggs, Jill Shalvis, and Robyn Carr.
It wasn’t the wedding night she’d expected!
When Samantha said “I do” to Luca Ginelli, she knew she’d found a reliable soulmate—a strong, sexy man who’d stand beside her through thick and thin. And so she’d started her wedding day filled with joyful expectation, only to have her dreams shattered when the man she married years before shocking, unexpectedly, reappears, insisting she was still his wife!
Seven years before, Luca’s brother, Nick, had stubbornly set off in a sailing adventure, ignoring the pleas of his young bride and all common sense. He’d disappeared without a trace; everyone thought he was dead—but now he’s expecting to pick up where they’d left off. He’d once been Samantha’s “lightning strike,”—the person you know is the one from the moment you first see them.
But seven years is a long time and so much has changed. Now Samantha is faced with an impossible choice and no matter which decision she makes, it threatens to shred the very fabric of the one thing she holds most dear—family.
Once again, we are back in beautiful Moonglow Bay, Texas, such a charming place. With the breeze coming off of the water and all the friendly folks you’re going to want to stay awhile. I couldn’t even imagine the story line of this book. All the things that would be running through your head if it were to happen to you. You would be second guessing yourself and it would be quite a mess. A childhood filled with uncertainty comes to an end when insecure Samantha is adopted into a wonderful and loving family and her foster sister Piper becomes her best friend. They are closer than sisters. Starting at a new high school she and Piper meet Nick Ginelli, Piper is interested but he only has eyes for Samantha. After a whirlwind relationship they marry and have a baby, Destiny. This is a burning hot love, an immature love where they should have waited but were too into each other to wait. After a fight Nick goes out to cool off and spend time by himself. In the seven years that he’s been gone all they’ve found is his shipwrecked boat. He and his family were very close he would never just leave them. In the seven years that Nick has been gone, Samantha and Nick’s brother Luca have fallen in love. It should be the happiest day of her life, after waiting seven years for Nick to be declared dead she is free to marry again and it’s her wedding day, again. She is happy but bittersweet memories of Nick keep playing in her memory. On the wedding night after things start settling down, a huge uproar occurs! Before the marriage has a chance to be consummated, in walks Nick. There are many questions, many tears, much happiness. His family is thrilled. He had been shipwrecked on an island for seven years and just got rescued. Now where does this leave Samantha? Is she still legally married to Nick, is she actually married to Luca? The book will really grip you as Samantha works through who she should be with, it causes her many tears. She has a daughter with Nick, but he disappeared before she even got to know her father. I could not put this down, I had to see how it would work out and who if either of them she would choose. To me this sounds like a movie plot, and I loved this book. I can’t wait to see what the author comes up with next.
Pub Date 21 Mar 2023 I was given a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions expressed are my own.
The Series
It’s Jill Shalvis meets Susan Mallery in this gorgeous novel by New York Times bestselling author Lori Wilde about three sisters, one small town, a wedding, and the summer that changes everything.
Welcome to Moonglow Cove, Texas, a place where your neighbors know your name and the gentle waves of the Gulf of Mexico lap lazily against the sands. It’s a magical spot, especially in the summertime…
Once the town was the home of the Clark sisters—brought up by their grandmother at the Moonglow Inn. Nicknamed “The Moonglow Sisters”, as children they were inseparable. Then, a wedding-day betrayal tore them apart and they scattered across the globe and away from each other. But the sisters have at last come home…
There’s Maddie: smart, sensible, and stubborn. Shelley, who ran off to find her bliss. And Gia, a free-spirit determined to keep the peace. It’s her impending wedding that keeps them together…but Gia has a secret, and when her sisters find out all heck is going to break loose!
The Moonglow Sisters continues Lori Wilde’s trademark storytelling to create an unforgettable novel of family, betrayal, love, and second chances.
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.
Welcome to Pepper Bay. A small close-knit community where you’ll find chocolate box cottages, quaint shops, love drama, and a happily ever after.
Snuggle down with this cosy, feel-good, comfort read that whisks you away to a beautiful bay on the Isle of Wight – Perfect for fans of Christie Barlow, Phillipa Ashley, and Holly Martin.
The Pepper Bay books are standalone stories that intertwine with recurring characters. Best enjoyed when read in order,
Silver Blooms Flower Shop: Lexi and Bryce have never been friends. She views him as her childhood bully. So, she finds a way to stick it to the fancy-schmancy businessman by using his name as her pen name for the erotic romance books that she writes. That way, when potential clients try to check him out online, all they will see is fishnet stockings, sexy CEOs, and steamy sneak previews. But, when Not-Nice-Bryce comes back home to confront her, their past comes flooding back, and maybe it wasn’t as bad as she remembers.
Written in dual points of view, Lexi and Bryce. Having known each other since they were teenagers it’s helpful to see flashback of situations to when they were teens, so we have an understanding why they think/ do the things they do now. He was popular in high school; she was shy and got harassed a lot. In school when she was harassed, he would stick up for her, but she just didn’t see it as him liking her. She thought it couldn’t be possible because she felt like she was a nobody, and he was one of the popular guys. After he went away to college, she tried to forget him but just couldn’t. When he returns to Pepper Bay, she tries to play it cool. Does he still like her? She enjoyed her time working at Silver Blooms and is sorry to see that come to an end when she was a teenager. This is my first visit to Pepper Bay, and it was an enjoyable one. Filled with laughs, friendships, forgiveness, trust, family and romance this is one you’ll not want to miss.
Published February 1, 2023 I was given a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions expressed are my own.
The Author
Hello, I’m K.T. Dady. I’m the bestselling author of the Pepper Bay series. I’m also a chocolate lover, mum to a grown-up daughter, and a huge fan of a HEA. I was born and raised in the East End of London, and I’ve been happily writing stories since I was a little girl. When I’m not writing, I’m reading, baking cakes, or pottering around in my little garden in Essex, trying not to kill the flowers.
Thirty-five years ago, tragedy forced Bev Cooper to cut short her university studies and seek refuge in her hometown of Bellbird Bay. Today, as the owner of the thriving Pandanus Garden Centre and Café, Bev has moved beyond the past and is happy in her solitary existence.
Following the tragic death of his son’s wife, Iain Grant takes early retirement and moves with his devastated son and granddaughter to the peaceful coastal town of Bellbird Bay hoping it will provide the change of scene they all desperately need.
When Iain’s son accepts a position at Bev’s garden centre, the pair find themselves drawn into each other’s lives. But as they begin to enjoy an unexpected attraction, issues from the past threaten to derail their growing relationship.
Will the healing atmosphere of Bellbird Bay work its magic and provide a second chance in life, or will Bev find it too difficult to put the past behind her and enjoy her own happy ever after?
A heartwarming tale of family, friends, and how a second chance at love can happen when you least expect it.
My Thoughts
Finding Refuge in Bellbird Bay is the fifth book in the Bellbird Bay series. I have enjoyed all Bellbird Bay has to offer on my two visits there. Peace and solitude along the beach are here but if you’d like a little conversation there are friendly neighbors and a scenic view from the boardwalk. I think I’d enjoy a longer visit next time. Getting to know the people of Bellbird Bay, I feel at home here and have enjoyed the characters from both of the books I’ve read. Finding Refuge in Bellbird Bay starts off with Iain Grant taking an early retirement and moving with his son and granddaughter to Bellbird Bay after the tragic death of his son’s wife. Bev Cooper is the owner of garden shop and cafe Pandanus Garden Centre and Café. She has come a long way and worked hard to leave her past behind and is now back in her beautiful hometown of Bellbird Bay. Sometimes as much as we want them to those old memories won’t stay in the past. This is what happens when Iain’s son starts working at her garden shop with her. As Iain and Bev start to become acquainted their friendship looks like it may go into the romantic territory, but will past issues put a damper on things? First of all, I love how the romance focuses on an older couple, not all romances are young people. Older people enjoy romance very much as well. A truly heartwarming book focusing on friendships, trust, listening, understanding, giving second chances and family. This is a warm and huggable story.
Pub Feb 7, 2023 I was given a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions expressed are my own.
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About The Author
After a career in education, Maggie Christensen began writing contemporary women’s fiction portraying mature women facing life-changing situations, and historical fiction set in her native Scotland. Her travels inspire her writing, be it her trips to visit family in Scotland, in Oregon, USA or her home on Queensland’s beautiful Sunshine Coast. Maggie writes of mature heroines coming to terms with changes in their lives and the heroes worthy of them. Maggie has been called the queen of mature age fiction and her writing has been described by one reviewer as like a nice warm cup of tea – warm, nourishing, comforting and embracing.
From the small town in Scotland where she grew up, Maggie was lured to Australia by the call ‘Come and teach in the sun’. Once there, she worked as a primary school teacher, university lecturer and in educational management. Now living with her husband of over thirty years on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast, she loves walking on the deserted beach in the early mornings and having coffee by the river on weekends. Her days are spent surrounded by books, either reading or writing them – her idea of heaven!
224 pages Love Inspired Suspense publisher February 21,2023 publish date
About the Book
Sabotage in the mountains…
Can this K-9 sniff out the truth?
After surviving a sudden avalanche, mountain survival expert Jayla Hoyt and her search-and-rescue K-9 discover that it was no accident—someone deliberately triggered the mountain explosion. To uncover the culprit, she’ll have to partner with Alaska park ranger Bryson Clarke, a man she doesn’t trust. But when the investigators become targets, can they capture the criminal mastermind…before they’re buried alive?
From Love Inspired Suspense: Courage. Danger. Faith.
K-9 Search and Rescue
Book 1: Desert Rescue by Lisa Phillips Book 2: Trailing a Killer by Carol J. Post Book 3: Mountain Survival by Christy Barritt Book 4: Search and Defend by Heather Woodhaven Book 5: Following the Trail by Lynette Eason Book 6: Dangerous Mountain Rescue by Christy Barritt Book 7: Wilderness Hunt by Lisa Phillips Book 8: Alaskan Mountain Search by Sarah Varland Book 9: Alaskan Avalanche Escape by Darlene L. Turner
Very well written action and adventure right from the start. The book caught my attention on the very first page. This has nonstop action the whole way through. I really enjoyed seeing the close and respectful relationship the trainer and her dog had. You could tell they would always be there for each other. I enjoyed the setting of the book mostly taking place in the snow. The descriptions of the avalanches and how they start is pretty neat. Very enjoyable inspirational suspense. There are many sabotages on the mountains, the team narrowly escapes. Who is doing it and why? I was pretty surprised to see who the master mind of the whole plan was. Exciting romantic inspirational fiction that will keep you on your toes.
Pub Date: 21 Feb 2023 I was given a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions expressed are my own.
About The Author
Darlene L. Turner is an award-winning author and lives with her husband, Jeff in Ontario, Canada. Her love of suspense began when she read her first Nancy Drew book. She’s turned that passion into her writing and believes readers will be captured by her plots, inspired by her strong characters, and moved by her inspirational message. You can connect with Darlene at http://www.darlenelturner.com where there’s suspense beyond borders.
Which books have you read by this author? Does this sound like a book you’d want to read?
Have a wonderful day. Thank you for stopping by today.
381 pages Zondervan publisher February 7,2023 publish date
About The Book
During the most difficult season of her life, how could she know whether their meeting was a gift from God—or another temptation?
Maisy never expected that a Plain girl like her could have her heart stolen by an Englisch boy. But when her rumspringa ends and Maisy realizes she’s pregnant, the reality of their choices—and their differences—sets in.
Maisy knows she will never leave her faith to marry her baby’s father. But she also knows the road to acceptance as an unwed mother in an Amish community will be long and hard. To protect her family from the scandal, she goes to live with her cousin in Haven, Kansas, where she will have some solitude to figure out what kind of future she might have.
In Haven Maisy begins to find her way—thanks in no small part to Joshua Lapp, a Plain man who’s made it clear he isn’t bothered by her situation or ashamed to be seen with her, despite the bishop’s warnings. But Joshua has struggled with his faith ever since the death of his twin brother, leaving Maisy to wonder: How can two people who are so lost ever help each other discover Gott’s plans for their future?
I really have enjoyed every Kelly Irvin book I’ve read and this one has been no exception. The author has a way with words, penning such a realistic book. There are some very tough subjects dealt with here. It’s not a light easy read, it’s actually a rather emotional one.
A young plain woman, a young plain man and an Amish couple all have things they are dealing with, things that are not easy at all. Through God’s love, redemption, forgiveness and lots of talking it out they are able to get through.
Sometimes the way that is the best way is not the easiest way. This is a clean Amish romance and the third book in the Amish Blessings series but can be read as a stand-alone.
I found this to be an emotionally story written full of acceptance, hope, redemption, love, faith and finally accepting God’s forgiveness.
Pub Date: 07 Feb 2023 I was given a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions expressed are my own.
The Series
God always had a plan. But how could falling in love with an Englischer be God’s plan for one young Amish woman?
Young Cassie Weaver only wants what is expected of an Amish woman: a good Amish husband and a large family. But she’s happy as Job and Dinah Keim’s housekeeper, helping Dinah, who is losing her sight due to diabetes. For two decades the Keims have prayed for the salvation of their two children who left the community in a cloud of shame and mystery.
Mason knew there was more to his mother’s past than she let on, but nothing could have prepared him for learning about his Amish roots upon his mother’s sudden death. Even more surprising, his mother named her Amish parents, Job and Dinah, as guardians to her five children. Now Mason has to trust that this couple, and their pretty housekeeper, can take care of his younger siblings, even when all he wants is to take care of them himself.
As the children adjust to this new lifestyle, Mason finds himself pulled back to the Keims’ home. Yes, he wants to see his siblings, but it’s the conversations with Cassie that keep him coming back for more. Is there more to this Amish faith and how does it play into his own past? Cassie guards against her growing feelings for Mason, because there can be no happy ending for a Plain girl in love with an Englisch man . . . right?
Bestselling and award-winning Amish romance novelist Kelly Irvin is back with a heartwarming tale of the power of love to heal all wounds.
The Author
Best-selling novelist Kelly Irvin’s latest Amish romance, The Warmth of Sunshine, debuted in July. The second novel in the Amish Blessings series takes place in Yoder and Haven, Kansas. The series takes a look at adoption in Amish communities. The first book, Love’s Dwelling, won second place in the Selah Awards contest in the long contemporary romance category. The series follows the Amish of Sky Country series, which featured Amish communities in Northwest Montana affected by wildfires that destroyed thousands of acres in the state in recent years. The first book, Mountains of Grace, debuted in August 2019, and delves into the impact on not only an Amish man and woman, but also a smoke jumper, a sheriff’s deputy, and a young English woman forced to confront her past because of the fires.
Kelly also writes romantic suspense novels. Her most recent forays into this genre include Trust Me, Her Every Move and Closer Than She Knows, all set in San Antonio and South Texas. Publishers Weekly says of Closer Than She Knows, “this brisk, smoothly written thriller from Irvin pits court reporter Teagan O’Rourke, a murder mystery lover, against a cunning and vicious serial killer. Fans of serial killer fiction with a Christian slant will be satisfied.”
Of Tell Her No Lies, The Library Journal says, “Irvin creates a complex web with enough twists and turns to keep even the most savvy romantic suspense readers guessing until the end. Known for her Amish novels, this two-time Carol Award finalist shows that her talents span subgenres from tranquil Amish stories to rapidly paced breathless suspense.”
Kelly is also the author of the Every Amish Season series, which included four books that chronicle the lives of Amish widows who are in different seasons in their lives. These women are linked by life altering experiences that bring them together as wives, mothers, and grandmothers in the small town of Jamesport, Mo. The first book, Upon a Spring Breeze, received critical acclaim from the Library Journal: “A moving and compelling tale about the power of grace and forgiveness that reminds us how we become strongest in our most broken moments.”
Kelly Irvin is also the author of The Amish of Bee County series, which includes the critically acclaimed The Beekeeper’s Son. Publishers Weekly called the first book in the series a beautifully woven masterpiece and Romantic Times Magazine called Kelly a storyteller extraordinaire. It was followed by The Bishop’s Son and The Saddle Maker’s Son, which is an ECPA bestseller.
A two-time ACFW Carol finalist, Kelly’s novellas have been included in numerous anthologies, including An Amish Summer, The Amish Christmas Gift, An Amish Market, an Amish Christmas Love, and Amish Quilt, An Amish Reunion, An Amish Picnic, and An Amish Christmas Bakery.
She also penned the Bliss Creek Amish series and the New Hope Amish series, both published by Harvest House Publishers. Love Still Stands, the first book in the New Hope series, debuted in September 2012, and the follow-up, Love Redeemed, released March 1, 2014. The final book in the series, set in Branson, MO., was A Plain Love Song, released in July 2014.
The Bliss Creek Amish series, set in Kansas, includes To Love and to Cherish, A Heart Made New, and Love’s Journey Home.
In the New Hope series, familiar characters from Bliss Creek move to Missouri to start a new district and a new life.
The Kansas native is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers and the ACFW San Antonio local chapter Alamo City Christian Fiction Writers, as well as Sisters in Crime.
A graduate of the University of Kansas William Allen White School of Journalism, Kelly wrote nonfiction professionally for thirty years. She studied for three semesters at the University of Costa Rica, learning the Spanish language. As a journalist, she worked six years in the border towns of Laredo and El Paso, where she was exposed to culture and language that serves as fodder for her fiction writing. She has written hard news, features, entertainment pieces, restaurant critiques, editorials, and weekly columns. Writing awards include the Silver Star Award from the Texas Mental Health Association for articles pertaining to mental health and numerous awards in news, feature, and editorial writing from the Texas Press Association and Texas Press Women.
Kelly retired in 2016 from her position of 22 years as public relations manager for the San Antonio Parks and Recreation Department, where her duties included writing and designing an employee newsletter, writing news releases, collaborating on marketing campaigns, coordinating ribbon-cuttings and groundbreakings, coordinating press conferences, updating the web site, and acting as a media spokesperson.
Kelly has been married to photographer Tim Irvin for more than 30 years, and they have two young adult children and three grandchildren. In her spare time, she likes to write short stories, read books by her favorite authors, and visit the babies.
Three sisters separated by distance but bound by love
The Fry sisters enter the Roaring Twenties forever changed by their experiences during the Great War. Now, as each of their lives unfold in different corners of the globe, they come to realise that the most important bond is that of family.
Desperate to save the man she loves, Etta leaves behind the life she has made for herself in Capri and enters the decadent world of Parisian society with all its secrets and scandals.
Celie’s new life on the Canadian prairies brings mixed blessings – a daughter to adore, but a husband who isn’t the man who holds her heart.
In Egypt, Jessie’s world is forever changed by a devastating loss.
And back in London – where each of their adventures began – their mother Christina watches as the pieces of her carefully orchestrated existence begins to shatter…with implications for them all…
The Paris Sister Blog Tour 1st-7th February @Rachel’sRandomResources
An emotional family drama set during the Roaring twenties.
I have not read the first book in this series, instead jumping in at book two of three. I absolutely need to read book one now.
The book is very wordy at 480 pages, and I loved it. The more descriptive for me the better.
Set during the 1920's we can see woman are starting to stand up for themselves and not be dominated by men anymore.
There is strife, there is drama, as there is in every family but at the end of the day there is the love of family.
This book features three sisters and their mother. The women all live in different parts of the world, one in Canada, one in Egypt and one in Paris.
There is a lot going on in this story as it takes place over years. What I found to make it easier to follow is if you concentrate on each woman and their story rather than concentrate on too many characters at once.
I really enjoyed this historical fiction and learning about the different foods, languages and customs of each country.
The widowed mother has a secret her daughters must not find out. It happened during her younger days when she was not married. Living in London she must now face her past.
One of the daughters lives in Alberta, Canada amongst the wheat fields.
Another daughter lives in Cairo running a health clinic. Another daughter lives in Paris trying to forget her past.
I enjoyed seeing how the women and their mother communicated by letter. Though they may not agree on everything there is always love, communication and encouragement.
The book is very well researched. I felt as if I were right there in the story experiencing all this with the characters.
This is a wonderful, wonderful book. The next book can't come out soon enough for me!
Pub Date 03 Feb 2023
I was given a complimentary copy of this book.
All opinions expressed are my own.
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About the Author
Adrienne Chinn was born in Grand Falls, Newfoundland, grew up in Quebec, and eventually made her way to London, England after a career as a journalist. In England she worked as a TV and film researcher before embarking on a career as an interior designer, lecturer, and writer. Her debut novel, The Lost Letter, a timeslip love story set in Morocco, was published by Avon Books UK in 2019. Her second novel, The English Wife — a timeslip story set in World War II England and contemporary Newfoundland — was published in June 2020 and has become an international bestseller. Her third novel, Love in a Time of War, the first in a series of four books in The Three Fry Sisters series, was published in February 2022. The second book in the series, The Paris Sister, will be published in February 2023.
320 pages Barbour Publishing February 01, 2023 publish date
About The Book
Clue meets Indiana Jones with a fiction-loving twist only Grace Percy can provide.
Newlyweds Lord and Lady Astley have already experienced their fair-share of suspense, but when a honeymoon trip takes a detour to the mystical land of Egypt, not even Grace with her fiction-loving mind is prepared for the dangers in store. From an assortment of untrustworthy adventure-seekers to a newly discovered tomb with a murderous secret, Frederick and Grace must lean on each other to navigate their dangerous surroundings. As the suspects mount in an antiquities’ heist of ancient proportions, will Frederick and Grace’s attempts to solve the mystery lead to another death among the sands?
The Cairo’s Curse is a delightful sequel to The Mistletoe Countess by Pepper Basham in the Freddie and Grace Mystery series.
Will the magic of Christmas bring these two newlyweds closer together, or will the ghosts of the past lead them into a destructive discovery from which not even a Dickens’s Christmas can save them?
Mistletoe is beautiful and dangerous, much like the woman from Lord Frederick’s Percy’s past, so when he turns over a new leaf and arranges to marry for his estate, instead of his heart, he never expects the wrong bride to be the right choice. Gracelynn Ferguson never expected to take her elder sister’s place as a Christmas bride, but when she’s thrust into the choice, she will trust in her faithful novels and overactive imagination to help her not only win Frederick’s heart but also to solve the murder mystery of Havensbrook Hall before the ghosts from Frederick’s past ruin her fairytale future.
My Thoughts
"My darling, I have high hopes that not every scene in our future will be experienced with such life-threatening adventures."
If you enjoy high adventure, not quite knowing what the next page holds and breathtaking descriptions of Egypt that will have you believing you're there with the characters, you're going to love this book. Fraught with danger around every corner, suspense, romance and humor.
Before you read this one though do yourself a huge favor and grab "The Mistletoe Countess " to read which starts this series out. You're going to love it and it'll give you Freddie and Grace's backstory.
This may just be more of a honeymoon than Poor Freddie imagined. I hope you're ready for an adventure filled with camels, tombs, a jewel thief, and exciting digs. I don't read many books taking place in Egypt, this is only the second one I can think of, and it was an intriguing read.
Pub Date 01 Feb 2023
I was given a complimentary copy of this book.
All opinions expressed are my own.
The Author
Pepper Basham is an award-winning author who writes romance “peppered” with grace and humor. Writing both historical and contemporary novels, she loves to incorporate her native Appalachian culture and/or her unabashed adoration of the UK into her stories. She currently resides in the lovely mountains of Asheville, NC where she is the wife of a fantastic pastor, mom of five great kids, a speech-language pathologist, and a lover of chocolate, jazz, hats, and Jesus. Her nineteenth novel, Authentically Izzy, debuts in November with Thomas Nelson. She loves connecting with readers and other authors through social media outlets like Facebook & Instagram.
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