Books I read in September........

 Mademoiselle Eiffel by Aimie K. Runyan

Claire Eiffel, the beautiful, brilliant eldest daughter of the illustrious architect Gustave Eiffel, is doted upon with an education envied by many sons of the upper classes, and entirely out of the reach of most daughters. Claire’s idyllic childhood ends abruptly when, at fourteen, her mother passes away. It’s soon made clear that Gustave expects Claire to fill her mother’s place as caregiver to the younger children and as manager of their home.

As she proves her competence, Claire’s importance to her father grows. She accompanies him on his travels and becomes his confidante and private secretary. She learns her father’s architectural trade and becomes indispensable to his work. But when his bright young protégé, Adolphe Salles, takes up more of Gustave’s time, Claire resents being pushed aside.

Slowly, the animosity between Claire and Adolphe turns to friendship…and then to something more. After their marriage in 1885 preserves the Eiffel legacy, they are privileged by the biggest commission of Eiffel’s career: a great iron tower dominating the 1889 World’s Fair to demonstrate the leading role of Paris in the world of art and architecture. Now hostess to the scientific elite, such as Thomas Edison, Claire is under the watchful eye not only of her family and father’s circle, but also the world.

When Gustave Eiffel’s involvement in a disastrous endeavor to build a canal in Panama ends in his imprisonment, it is up to Claire to secure her father’s freedom but also preserve the hard-won family legacy.

Claire Eiffel’s story of love, devotion, and the frantic pursuit to preserve her family’s legacy is not only an inspired reflection of real personages and historical events, but a hymn to the iconic tower that dominates the City of Lights.

This was an okay book.  Interesting to learn about the family behind the architect Gustave Eiffel, whose company built the Eiffel tower.  Part fiction, part non fiction.  

This is the same author who wrote "The School for German Brides," and that was a good book.

The Innocent by David Baldacci

America has enemies - ruthless people that the police, the FBI, even the military can't stop. That's when the U.S. government calls on Will Robie, a stone cold hitman who never questions orders and always nails his target. But Will Robie may have just made the first - and last - mistake of his career...

It begins with a hit gone wrong. Robie is dispatched to eliminate a target unusually close to home in Washington, D.C. But something about this mission doesn't seem right to Robie, and he does the unthinkable. He refuses to kill. Now, Robie becomes a target himself and must escape from his own people.

Fleeing the scene, Robie crosses paths with a wayward teenage girl, a fourteen-year-old runaway from a foster home. But she isn't an ordinary runaway -- her parents were murdered, and her own life is in danger. Against all of his professional habits, Robie rescues her and finds he can't walk away. He needs to help her.

Even worse, the more Robie learns about the girl, the more he's convinced she is at the center of a vast cover-up, one that may explain her parents' deaths and stretch to unimaginable levels of power.  Now, Robie may have to step out of the shadows in order to save this girl's life... and perhaps his own.

Really good fast paced book.  Can't say I have read any of this author's books before, but I certainly will now.  First book in the series.

Fall I Want by Lyra Parish

Autumn

The brokenhearted billionaire visits Cozy Creek to escape. I never expected to become his fake girlfriend or fall madly in love...but here we are.

My first impression of Zane Alexander isn't great. The second is worse, but when he uses his powers of persuasion to get me to hang out with him, I can’t say no. We quickly go from familiar strangers to flirty friends.

When my ex returns, Zane flawlessly pretends to be my boyfriend to protect me. He’s so damn good at it, I almost believe it.

I don’t know when our relationship moves from pretending to passionate, but I catch feelings. As our exes desperately crawl back into our lives like zombies, I realize there is only one man for me, and (f)all I want is him.

Zane

Everything changes the moment I see her. Autumn's enchanting gaze makes my heart race, so I push her away to protect myself. Immediately, I regret it. But when I find her standing in my haunted house, I convince her to be my friend. She begrudgingly agrees.

As the leaves transform and Cozy Creek's fall festivities come alive, our playful charade blossoms into something more.

The lines between real and pretend begin to blur, and I find myself falling under her spell.

I should keep my broken heart in check, but instead, I fight for love that feels like magic.

This woman is all I've ever needed and (f)all I want. 

This is first book in the Cozy Creek collection.  All six books are written by different authors and all are standalone books.  I enjoyed the book, but did think it was a bit "raunchy" for me!!!  Bit predictable but a light hearted book and a quick read.

Will You, Won't You Want Me by Nora Zelevansky

Marjorie Plum never meant to peak in high school. She was Queen Bee. Now, 10 years later, she's lost her sparkle. At her bleakest moment, she’s surprised by renewed interest from a questionable childhood crush, and the bickering with her cranky boss—at a potentially game-changing new job—grows increasingly like flirtatious banter. Suddenly, she’s faced with a choice between the life she always dreamed of and one she never thought to imagine. With the help of a precocious 11-year-old tutee, who unknowingly becomes the Ghost of Marjorie Past, and a musician roommate, who looks like a pixie and talks like the Dalai Lama, Marjorie struggles with the ultimate question: Who does she want to be? Nora Zelevansky’s Will You Won’t You Want Me? is a funny, often surprising, novel about growing up when you are already supposed to be grown.

A typical "chick-lit" book.  Fun and fast read, and I really enjoyed it.

"Party Girls Die in Pearls, by Plum Sykes"

It’s 1985, and at Oxford University, Pimm’s, punting, and ball gowns are de rigeur. Ursula Flowerbutton, a studious country girl, arrives for her first term anticipating nothing more sinister than days spent poring over history books in gilded libraries—and, if she’s lucky, an invitation to a ball.

But when she discovers a glamorous classmate on a chaise longue with her throat cut, Ursula is catapulted into a murder investigation.

Determined to bag her first scoop for the famous student newspaper Cherwell, Ursula enlists the help of trend-setting American exchange student Nancy Feingold to unravel the case. While navigating a whirl of black-tie parties and secret dining societies, the girls discover a surfeit of suspects. From broken-hearted boyfriends to snobby Sloane Rangers, lovelorn librarians to dishy dons, none can be presumed innocent—and Ursula’s investigations mean that she may be next on the murderer’s list.

I preferred the other book I read of Plum Sykes back in June/July of this year.  This was okay, I gave it a 3 out of 5 on Goodreads.  Will say I didn't figure out who the murderer was until close to when it was revealed.  Made me glad I never went to Oxford University.....but then I never went to any university!! 🤷

Educated by Tara Westover

One of the most acclaimed books of our time: an unforgettable memoir about a young woman who, kept out of school, leaves her survivalist family and goes on to earn a PhD from Cambridge University

Born to survivalists in the mountains of Idaho, Tara Westover was seventeen the first time she set foot in a classroom. Her family was so isolated from mainstream society that there was no one to ensure the children received an education, and no one to intervene when one of Tara’s older brothers became violent. When another brother got himself into college, Tara decided to try a new kind of life. Her quest for knowledge transformed her, taking her over oceans and across continents, to Harvard and to Cambridge University. Only then would she wonder if she’d traveled too far, if there was still a way home.

I received this book as part of the free giveaway from Indigo bookstore.  I have read it before, and I enjoyed it as much as the first time around.  This book makes you think.....and brings to mind that you can choose your friends, but you are stuck with your family whether you like it or not...LOL

The True Love Bookshop by Annie Rains

In this powerful romance and celebration of friendship, a widow relies on the crucial support of her friends to help guide her through her grief and open herself up for love once again.

For Tess Lane, owning Lakeside Books is a dream come true, but it’s the weekly book club she hosts for the women in town that Tess enjoys the most. The gatherings have been her lifeline over the past three years since her husband’s mysterious death. Tess has tried to move on, but when River Harrison shows up on her doorstep, all her lingering questions come rushing back.…

River, a former marine turned private investigator, was her husband’s best friend, and seeing him again is a reminder of everything Tess lost. At first, she tries to ignore him, but Tess comes to realize that this is her chance, once and for all, to find the answers that have troubled her for years.

With the support of her friends, Tess joins River on a journey of discovery that leads them to the edges of Somerset Lake and on a road trip down the Carolina coast. Although their adventure isn’t always easy, Tess starts to find the joy in life again. But when secrets surrounding her husband’s death are finally revealed, can Tess find it in her heart to forgive the mistakes of the past … and maybe even open herself up to love again?

When I was around half way through this book, I had the feeling I had read this book before?  However I looked on both this blog and my book review blog and nothing came up.  It was a good story with enough twists in it to keep you entertained.  A light book to read, with enough in it to keep you interested.

Little Voices by Lisa Brandt

Melanie Watson accepted that some dreams simply weren't meant for her.

Years spent putting family first left little room for ambition, and she was convinced her opportunity for something bigger had passed. Then a chance encounter changes everything, thrusting her into a world she never imagined and opening doors she thought were permanently closed.

Now, Melanie must decide whether she's brave enough to embrace the future she's always wanted—or risk losing it all.

A heartwarming story about second chances, self-discovery, and the courage to pursue a dream at any age.

I won this book in a Giveaway on Goodreads.  I will say I struggled to read it and was close to giving up on it.  Then the character Barry appeared in the book and things picked up and it turned out to be a good book.  I just couldn't understand what was going on to start with, however there are a couple of twists in the book and it all makes sense in the end.  A very imaginative book, but too slow of a start for me.

The Lipstick Bureau by Michelle Gable

1944, Rome. Newlywed Niki Novotná is recruited by a new American spy agency to establish a secret branch in Italy's capital. One of the OSS's few female operatives abroad and multilingual, she's tasked with crafting fake stories and distributing propaganda to lower the morale of enemy soldiers.

Despite limited resources, Niki and a scrappy team of artists, forgers and others—now nicknamed The Lipstick Bureau—find success, forming a bond amid the cobblestoned streets and storied villas of the newly liberated city. But her work is also a way to escape devastating truths about the family she left behind in Czechoslovakia and a future with her controlling American husband.

As the war drags on and the pressure intensifies, Niki begins to question the rules she's been instructed to follow, and a colleague unexpectedly captures her heart. But one step out of line, one mistake, could mean life or death…

A fictional story written about true events of the war.  It was pretty ingenious how they operated in that department.  It was an action filled book, but does have a sad ending to it......

Again a mixed bag of books I read in September.  My favourite book, The Innocent by David Baldacci.  My least favourite, probably Little Voices by Lisa Brandt, that was just an odd book...LOL

Books I read in August.......

 The Memory Keeper's Daughter by Kim Edwards

Kim Edwards’s stunning novel begins on a winter night in 1964 in Lexington, Kentucky, when a blizzard forces Dr. David Henry to deliver his own twins. His son, born first, is perfectly healthy, but the doctor immediately recognizes that his daughter has Down syndrome. Rationalizing it as a need to protect Norah, his wife, he makes a split second decision that will alter all of their lives forever. He asks his nurse, Caroline, to take the baby away to an institution and never to reveal the secret. Instead, she disappears into another city to raise the child herself. So begins this beautifully told story that unfolds over a quarter of a century—in which these two families, ignorant of each other, are yet bound by the fateful decision made that winter night long ago.

This book took me a while to immerse myself into.  However, I am so glad I kept reading as the more I read it, the better the book got.  Well worth the read.

Yesteryear by Caro Claire Burke

I reviewed this book on this post here.

She Didn't See It Coming by Shari Lapena

When a beloved wife and mother disappears, a luxurious condo building transforms into a potential crime scene, and the investigation begins: Can the detectives find her before it's too late?  Bryden and Sam have it all: thriving careers, a smart apartment in a luxury condominium, supportive friends and a cherished daughter. The perfect life for the perfect couple.

Then Sam receives a call at his office. Bryden—working from home that day—has failed to collect their daughter from daycare. Arriving home with their little girl, he finds his wife’s car in the underground garage. Upstairs in their apartment her laptop is open on the table, her cell phone nearby, her keys in their usual place in the hall.  Except Bryden is nowhere to be seen. It’s as if she just walked out.

How can she have disappeared from her own home? And did she even leave the building at all?  With every minute that passes—and as questions swirl around their community—Bryden and Sam’s past seems a little less perfect, their condominium less safe, their friends, neighbours and relatives no longer quite so reliable . . .

This book was quite a page turner, with many twists and turns in it.  I felt another book could be written to finish off the story of what happens next to a couple of characters.  I picked up a damaged copy of this book at a big discount that is why I bought it.  Thoroughly enjoyed it and will have to read more of her books in the future.

The Maze by Nelson DeMille

In his #1 New York Times bestseller Plum Island, Nelson DeMille introduced readers to NYPD Homicide Detective John Corey, who we first met on the back porch of his uncle’s waterfront mansion on Long Island, recovering from wounds incurred in the line of duty.

Six novels later, The Maze finds Corey on the same porch, having survived new law enforcement roles and romantic relationships—wiser and more sarcastic than ever. Corey is restless and looking for action, so when his former lover Detective Beth Penrose appears with a job offer, Corey has to once again make some decisions about his career—and about reuniting with Beth.

Inspired by the real-life Gilgo Beach murders, The Maze takes us on a dangerous hunt for an apparent serial killer who has murdered nine—and maybe more—sex workers and hidden their bodies in the thick undergrowth on a lonely stretch of beach.

As Corey digs deeper into this case, he comes to suspect that the failure of the local police to solve this sensational mystery may not be a result of their incompetence—it may be something else. Something more sinister.

I had a mixed reaction to this book.  On one hand this book was a fast read, as the way it was written it made you read fast, as everything was happening at such a fast pace.  It made you feel exhausted just trying to keep up with it all. Due to that you were kept on your toes the whole time wondering what was going to happen next.

I did find the lead up to the main story took too long in my eyes.  The main character John, his dry sense of humour was a hit with me.   This is the 6th book about John Corey, but works as well as a stand alone book.

When we finally got to the "meat and potatoes" of the story, it wrapped up too fast to my mind.  I enjoyed the book, but I wouldn't run out and read more of this series.

Broken Anchor by Paul Feist

Here is a link to the author.  I bought this book as he is a "local author," so I thought I would support him.  This book was okay.  I feel as though it's more a man's cup of tea than a woman's.  I think it was just more what it was about that would appeal more to a man than a woman.

Kiss Her Goodbye by Lisa Gardner

A young mother haunted by war, determined to make a fresh start. But sometimes, the sins of the past aren't so easy to escape.

Recent Afghan refugee Sabera Ahmadi was last seen exiting her place of work three weeks ago. The local police have yet to open a case, while her older, domineering husband seems unconcerned. Sabera's closest friend, however, is convinced Sabera would never willingly leave her three‑year old daughter. At her insistence, missing persons expert Frankie Elkin agrees to take up the search through the broiling streets of Tucson. Just in time for a video of the young mother to surface—showing her walking away from the scene of a brutal double murder.

Frankie quickly realizes there's much more to the Ahmadi family than meets the eye. The father Isaad is a brilliant mathematician, Sabera a gifted linguist, and their little girl Zahra—she has an uncanny ability to remember anything she sees. Which given everything that has happened during the girl's short life, may be a terrible curse. When Isaad also disappears under mysterious circumstances and an attempt is made on Zahra's life, Frankie realizes she must quickly crack the code of this family's horrific past.

Someone is coming for the Ahmadis. And violence is clearly an option. When everything is on the line, how far would you go to protect the ones you love?  Frankie is about to find out.

I have nothing negative to say about this book.  It was so good and I read it in a day, as I couldn't put it down.  The cast of characters made it so interesting, as was the topic of the book.  I need to find more of the "Frankie Elkin's" books; liked her as a leading character.

The Da Vinci Code, by Dan Brown

While in Paris, Harvard symbologist Robert Langdon is awakened by a phone call in the dead of the night. The elderly curator of the Louvre has been murdered inside the museum, his body covered in baffling symbols. As Langdon and gifted French cryptologist Sophie Neveu sort through the bizarre riddles, they are stunned to discover a trail of clues hidden in the works of Leonardo da Vinci—clues visible for all to see and yet ingeniously disguised by the painter.

Even more startling, the late curator was involved in the Priory of Sion, a secret society whose members included Sir Isaac Newton, Victor Hugo, and Da Vinci, and he guarded a breathtaking historical secret. Unless Langdon and Neveu can decipher the labyrinthine puzzle—while avoiding the faceless adversary who shadows their every move—the explosive, ancient truth will be lost forever.

I picked this book up in a thrift store while my mother was here for 50 cents I think.  As it's a book I had never read, so thought I would give it a go.  It wasn't the worst book I have ever read, but will say a lot of the "technical" stuff went right over my head.  I did spend most of the book saying to myself, "this can't be right, it's the total opposite of what I'd been brought up on; religion wise."  Not that I can claim to be religious but I do believe in God. 

Anyhow, I can now say I have read the book.  For anyone who has read the book and watched the movie, which one was better?

So all in all another mixed bag of books that I read in August.  Yesteryear is probably one that I remember the most, as I loved the ending.  My least favourite was probably a tie between Broken Anchor and The Da Vinci Code.

One of the best books I have read in a while..........

 Yesteryear by Caro Claire Burke

I picked up a damaged copy of this book during a "moonlight sale" in a town where we were visiting the other week.  I had seen it advertised and it looked interesting.  Thought it would be a book I would enjoy.

Prior to reading this, I thought it would be pretty straight forward, but the more I got into the book, the more the author twisted the storyline, until at the end, you went wow, I wasn't expecting that.

I understand where the author got the idea about the "influencer" part of the story from, in fact I could see from "which influencer's" she based her main character on, Ballerina Farm and The Pioneer Woman, just to name a couple.  I will say the main character, Natalie got on my nerves after a while, but I just had to read more, as I didn't understand the going back to the 1800's part of the story.

I gave it a very solid 4 out of 5 stars.  However, there was a lot of mixed reviews about this book.  Was it worth all the hype?  A bit, because despite reading a week or two ago, I am still thinking about it.  The ending was what made the book for me, I could never have predicted the ending..........

Have you read it?  If so what are your thoughts?

Books I read in April

There are quite a mixed bag of books this month.  I was sick so got more read than I planned and I also decided to read some books that have been laying around for a while, which I had bought but never read.

"Every Time We Say Goodbye, by Natalie Jenner"

In 1955, Vivien Lowry is facing the greatest challenge of her life. Her latest play, the only female-authored play on the London stage that season, has opened in the West End to rapturous applause from the audience. The reviewers, however, are not as impressed as the playgoers and their savage notices not only shut down the play but ruin Lowry's last chance for a dramatic career. With her future in London not looking bright, at the suggestion of her friend, Peggy Guggenheim, Vivien takes a job in as a script doctor on a major film shooting in Rome’s Cinecitta Studios. There she finds a vibrant movie making scene filled with rising stars, acclaimed directors, and famous actors in a country that is torn between its and its potentially bright future, between the liberation of the post-war cinema and the restrictions of the Catholic Church that permeates the very soul of Italy.

As Vivien tries to forge a new future for herself, she also must face the long-buried truth of the recent World War and the mystery of what really happened to her deceased fiancé. Every Time We Say Goodbye is a brilliant exploration of trauma and tragedy, hope and renewal, filled with dazzling characters both real and imaginary, from the incomparable author who charmed the world with her novels The Jane Austen Society and Bloomsbury Girls.

This is a lovely book that takes us into the movie industry in the 1950's in Italy.  There are two stories one that has Vivien as the main character and the other La Scolaretta.  It took a long while to figure out what one had to do with the other. 

The book really brought home the traumatic effect World War Two had on people.  It also shows how powerful the Catholic Church was/is in Italy.  This is the third book in a series by this author.  I haven't read the first two, but it's just as good as a stand alone book.  A well worth read.

"And All The Phases of The Moon, by Judy Reene Singer"

Aila Cordeiro absolutely cannot take on an abandoned pit bull. So why is she suddenly filling food bowls for the wounded stray and opening her seaside home to him? Maybe it’s the sadness in the pup’s eyes, a sorrow that mirrors her own. But caring for another is not on Aila’s agenda anymore. As the sole owner of the general store in a Cape Cod tourist town, she has enough on her hands. Besides Aila can’t love anyone ever again. Not since her husband—her heart—boarded a boat with her beloved father two years ago, never to return . . .

Of course, life is what happens while you’re making other plans. Now instead of solitude and grief, Aila is suddenly at the center of controversy in the small town. And the only person on her side, besides her best friend, is a stranger whose heart might be more battered than her own. Ex-Navy seal Sam Ahmadi has seen his share of misfortune, which is why Aila never expects him to be the one to show her how to live again in the face of shattering loss. How to hope for the happiness you once dreamed of . . .

Really good read.  It features, small town prejudice's and gossip, racism and a pit bull!!  Couldn't decide at first what the controversy was going to be, but it soon became apparent.  As someone who grew up in a small town, I totally got how things can easily be blown up out of proportion.  

The racism side of things is on topic for things that are happening in the world at the moment.  Again close minded people making a decision about people, on how they look, without getting to know them first.

I have had this book a while, so not sure if you buy it now.

"My Name is Mary Sutter, by Robin Oliveira

Mary Sutter is a brilliant young midwife who dreams of becoming a surgeon. Eager to run away from recent heartbreak, Mary travels to Washington, D.C., to help tend the legions of Civil War wounded. Under the guidance of two surgeons, who both fall unwittingly in love with her, and resisting her mother’s pleas to return home to help with the difficult birth of her twin sister’s baby, Mary pursues her medical career against all odds.

Rich with historical detail—including cameo appearances by Abraham Lincoln and Dorothea Dix, among others—My Name Is Mary Sutter is certain to be recognized as one of the great novels about the Civil War.

I have to say I didn't have high hopes for this book, as I have zero interest in the Civil War.  We learned only the very basic history of it in the UK.  So as far as details about the Civil War which was featured in this book, I had no knowledge of it.  I read through it all but wasn't familiar with the people.

However, as far as the story of Mary Sutter was concerned it was so good.  She is a fictional character, but I am quite sure there were women who did what she did during the Civil War.  How she was portrayed was perfect.  However all through the book I kept saying, wash your hands to stop transmitting dirt between one patient and another!!!  So many lives would have been saved.  Very interesting book and well worth reading.

"Slated for Death, by Elizabeth J. Duncan"

When the body of well-liked and respectable Glenda Roberts is discovered at the bottom of a former slate mine, now a busy tourist attraction, pandemonium erupts in the North Wales town of Llanelen. Penny Brannigan finds herself drawn into the investigation when jars of her house-brand hand cream are found among counterfeit inventory Glenda and her sister were selling.

Police are convinced that the mine operator whose asthmatic son suffered an almost-fatal attack due to the merchandise is responsible for Glenda's death. But Penny's not so sure. A visit to Glenda's mother only deepens her conviction that a hidden family secret is the real reason for the murder.

Elizabeth J. Duncan's Slated for Death is a wonderful traditional mystery with snappy dialogue, lively characters and an enchanting setting.

This is what I call a "shopping list," book.  It's a light read that doesn't require a lot of concentration, therefore you can be thinking what you need when you got shopping while reading it 😏

I have never read any of the Penny Brannigan mysteries, and you don't have to read prior books to figure out what's going on.  I loved where the book was set, it brought back wonderful memories of holiday's in Wales.  I figured out "Who-dun-it."  It was a lovely book to read on a quiet day.  Will look out for more of her books.

"Nothing Daunted, by Dorothy Wickenden"

In the summer of 1916, Dorothy Woodruff and Rosamond Underwood, bored by society luncheons, charity work, and the effete men who courted them, left their families in Auburn, New York, to teach school in the wilds of northwestern Colorado. They lived with a family of homesteaders in the Elkhead Mountains and rode to school on horseback, often in blinding blizzards. Their students walked or skied, in tattered clothes and shoes tied together with string. The young cattle rancher who had lured them west, Ferry Carpenter, had promised them the adventure of a lifetime. He hadn’t let on that they would be considered dazzling prospective brides for the locals.

Nearly a hundred years later, Dorothy Wickenden, the granddaughter of Dorothy Woodruff, found the teachers’ buoyant letters home, which captured the voices of the pioneer women, the children, and other unforgettable people the women got to know. In reconstructing their journey, Wickenden has created an exhilarating saga about two intrepid women and the “settling up” of the West.

This was an interesting book, about two society girls who wanted a different life from the privileged life they were living.  It goes into great detail about their lives; in fact too much detail in that a lot of the back story could have been left out.  Things that should have taken maybe a paragraph to explain took pages to describe.

However, what these ladies did and how they enriched their pupils lives was a good thing. If you like a book about the early 1900's out West in the States, this is a book for you.  Thanks to reading this book, I ended up ordering "Letters of a Woman Homesteader, by Elinore Pruitt Stewart.

"River Justice, by BJ Daniels"

Brand Stafford has long felt he didn’t quite fit in with his siblings. Now he has the DNA evidence to prove his real father is the Staffords’ ranching rival, Holden McKenna. That secret does more than complicate his family—it’s also made him the prime suspect in a kidnapping. His unlikely ally in clearing his name is Birdie Malone, newly arrived in Powder Crossing in search of answers of her own.

Impetuous and stubborn, Birdie has a knack for pulling Brand out of his comfort zone. Suddenly this rule-following cowboy is determined to do what he knows is right, whether that’s tracking down a kidnapper or finally giving away his heart. Even if he has to put everything on the line to do it…

This book was okay.  I didn't guess who was behind the kidnapping.  It's the third book in the Powder River Series.  I hadn't read any of the other books.  It's good as a stand alone book.  I won't be rushing out to read the other's in the series.  If you like books that involve cowboy's this book is for you!!

"Dreaming in Chocolate, by Susan Bishop Crispell"

With an endless supply of magical gifts and recipes from the hot chocolate café Penelope Dalton runs alongside her mother, she is able to give her daughter almost everything she wants. The one sticking point is Ella's latest request: get a dad. And not just any dad. Ella has her sights set on Noah Gregory, her biological father who's back in town for a few months – and as charming as ever.

Noah broke Penelope's heart years ago, but now part of her wonders if she made the right decision to keep the truth of their daughter from him. The other, more practical part, is determined to protect Ella from the same heartbreak. Now Penelope must give in to her fate or face a future of regrets.

This book was an okay read.  I enjoyed the will they or won't they get back together aspect of the story.  Ella's a cute kid.  I just couldn't get on board with the "magic" part of the story, but I don't read fantasy/magical books anyway.  Also I wish the ending would have been better.  You are left wondering what will happen next.

Overall an easy read, but not a book I will remember.

"Clair De Lune, by Jetta Carleton"

With its atmospheric story of small-town dreams and romance, Clair de Lune weaves an irresistible spell of longing, hope, love, and nostalgia. A newly discovered novel by Jetta Carleton, Clair de Lune will delight the legions of readers who have treasured her first—and, until now, only—published novel, The Moonflower Vine. A book of unsurpassable literary fiction, Clair de Lune is sure to strike a chord with readers of Nancy Turner's These Is My Words, Alice McDermott's After This, and Audrey Niffenegger's The Time Traveler's Wife.

This novel is set in Missouri in 1941 just before America joins the second world war.  Allen (female) is the lead character, just setting out in her career as a teacher in a small town College.  The story follows her through the first year of teaching there, and the relationships she forms with her fellow faculty and students.

Honestly, not sure what to think about this book.  It had me both bored to tears in some parts and then wanting to know what happens next in others.  I have no idea when or where I bought this book, but it was on my bookshelf.  Will I remember it, probably not.  I gave it a 2 out of 5 stars, not my cup of tea.  I have never heard of this author either?

"Agony of the Leaves, by Laura Childs"

In the latest novel from the New York Times bestselling author of Scones & Bones, Indigo Tea Shop owner Theodosia Browning finds herself in hot water when a body surfaces at the grand opening of Charleston’s Neptune Aquarium…

The opening of the aquarium is a major Charleston event, and Theodosia has been hired to cater the private party to honor dignitaries and big-buck donors. Things are going swimmingly—until Theodosia discovers a body entangled in a net, drowned in one of the aquarium’s state-of-the-art tanks.

To make matters worse, the victim is Theodosia’s former boyfriend, Parker Scully. The EMTs think Parker’s drowning was an accident, but when Theodosia notices what look like defense wounds on his hands, she realizes that someone wanted Parker dead. The police aren’t keen on her theory, so if she wants Parker’s killer brought to justice, Theodosia will have to jump into the deep end and start her own investigation…

This is the 13th book in the Tea Shop Mystery series.  These are a quick light hearted read; read the book over two days.  I have probably read the prior twelve books in this series and some of the others later in the series.

I enjoy that they are set in Charleston, South Carolina, a place I love.

I enjoy the whole tea shop concept, and the recipes featured in the back of the book.

I enjoy the characters; all are well thought out.

I also enjoy how the author throws in a lot of red herrings, to make you think various people "did it!"

For more of Laura Childs books, you can see them here.

"Foster, by Laura Keegan"

It is a hot summer in rural Ireland. A child is taken by her father to live with relatives on a farm, not knowing when or if she will be brought home again. In the Kinsellas’ house, she finds an affection and warmth she has not known and slowly, in their care, begins to blossom. But there is something unspoken in this new household—where everything is so well tended to—and this summer must soon come to an end.

Winner of the prestigious Davy Byrnes Award and published in an abridged version in the New Yorker, this internationally bestselling contemporary classic is now available for the first time in the US in a full, standalone edition. A story of astonishing emotional depth, Foster showcases Claire Keegan’s great talent and secures her reputation as one of our most important storytellers.

This is a novella, so 89 pages long, and a quick read.  Set in rural Ireland, a little girl is sent to her aunt and uncle's for the summer as her mother gets ready to have another baby, there are at least 3 other siblings left at home with her parents.

At her aunt and uncle's home she is shown love and caring that she's not shown at her own home.  She come's into her own, but at the end of summer she has to go home.  The way this book ends, you're not sure what's going to happen next.

People seem to love this book.  I was on the fence.  I did want the girl to stay at her aunt and uncle's house as she would have had a better up bringing, but that's just me.  As I said it was a quick read; another book going to be donated!

"The Orphan Sister, by Gwendolen Gross"

Clementine Lord is not an orphan. She just feels like one sometimes. One of triplets, a quirk of nature left her the odd one out. Odette and Olivia are identical; Clementine is a singleton. Biologically speaking, she came from her own egg. Practically speaking, she never quite left it. Then Clementine’s father—a pediatric neurologist who is an expert on children’s brains, but clueless when it comes to his own daughters—disappears, and his choices, both past and present, force the family dynamics to change at last. As the three sisters struggle to make sense of it, their mother must emerge from the greenhouse and leave the flowers that have long been the focus of her warmth and nurturing.

For Clementine, the next step means retracing the winding route that led her to this very moment: to understand her father’s betrayal, the tragedy of her first lost love, her family’s divisions, and her best friend Eli’s sudden romantic interest. Most of all, she may finally have found the voice with which to share the inside story of being the odd sister out...

This book got better the more pages you read.  I found it interesting about the twin/triplet aspect of the story and how they can read one another's mind's.  As I am not a twin, I wondered how much of that is true?

Clementine, did come over as a bit of a whiner.  Her twin sisters were high achievers, whereas she was just wandering along in life trying to find her place.  I felt the storyline was to much back and forward in time for me to grasp all the time.  I started on this book, then picked another book up and came back to it.

Would I suggest you read this book?  Probably not, it was on my bookshelf, so I read it because it was there..........

"Stay Sweet, by Siobhan Vivian"

Summer in Sand Lake isn’t complete without a trip to Meade Creamery—the local ice cream stand founded in 1944 by Molly Meade who started making ice cream to cheer up her lovesick girlfriends while all the boys were away at war. Since then, the stand has been owned and managed exclusively by local girls, who inevitably become the best of friends. Seventeen-year-old Amelia and her best friend Cate have worked at the stand every summer for the past three years, and Amelia is “Head Girl” at the stand this summer. When Molly passes away before Amelia even has her first day in charge, Amelia isn’t sure that stand can go on. That is, until Molly’s grandnephew Grady arrives and asks Amelia to stay on to help continue the business…but Grady’s got some changes in mind…

This book was on my bookshelf, not sure why as this is more of a High School age group book.  However, it was a pleasant read bringing an independent woman sort of theme to it.  Small business owners would get a kick out of this book.  Liked how they searched high and low for the recipes, while Amelia tries to figure them out.

One thing that was missing from the book, were actual ice cream recipes.  I would have loved that.

"You had me at Chateau, by Portia Macintosh"

After her editor tells her she needs to "up the spice" in her books (literally Amber's worst nightmare...), she is at a crossroads with what to do with her career.

When the opportunity arises to go on a writer's retreat at an exclusive ch'teau in the beautiful French Alps Amber reluctantly agrees, hoping a change of scenery will help with inspiration.

But while she tries and fails to spice up her writing - with the unhelpful guidance of the eccentric romance writers at the chateau - she meets two leading men who cause her own real-life romantic comedy to unfold...

This was one of those feel good, laugh out loud, romantic/comedy books.  Plenty of warm gooey feelings along with a great does of comedy.

A light read, one you don't have to concentrate to me on to understand, and a quick read.  Got it on clearance at the bookstore for $3, so a good deal.