Must Read Monday #1- A Change of Fortune by Jen Turano

Hi Readers, Happy Memorial Day! ( and Happy unofficial start of the summer!) Just wanted to take a second to show you one of my favorite books and my latest Must Read; A Change of Fortune by Jen Turano!

From the Back Cover

Lady Eliza Sumner is on a mission. After losing her family, her fiance, and her faith, the disappearance of her fortune is the last straw. Now, masquerading as Miss Eliza Sumner, governess-at-large, she’s determined to find the man who ran off with her fortune, reclaim the money, and head straight back to London. Much to Mr. Hamilton Beckett’s chagrin, all the eyes of New York society–all the female ones, at least–are on him. Unfortunately for all the matchmaking mothers and eligible daughters, he has no plans to marry again, especially with his hands full keeping his business afloat and raising his two children alone. When Eliza’s hapless attempts to regain her fortune put her right in Hamilton’s path, sparks instantly begin to fly. The discovery of a common nemesis causes them to join forces, but with all their plans falling by the wayside and their enemies getting the better of them, it will take a riot of complications for Hamilton and Eliza to realize that God just might have had a better plan in mind all along. 

About the Author

Before I give you basic info about the author, I want to let you know that I had the pleasure of meeting Jen at this year’s CFRR (Christian Fiction Readers Retreat) and she was hilarious! I’m always nervous talking to the authors that write my books because their attitude could impact how often I read their books and Jen was so sweet! She immediately started joking and talking to me like I was one of her best friends – which I really appreciated since as I mentioned before, I was incredibly nervous (nervous may be an understatement)

Jen Turano, author of A Change of Fortune, A Most Peculiar Circumstance, and A Talent for Trouble, is a graduate of the University of Akron with a degree in Clothing and Textiles. She is a member of ACFW and lives in a suburb of Denver, Colorado.


Hope you guys have a great day and thanks for stopping by! If you’re still reading this… you are AWESOME! Comment below with one thing you look forward to doing in the Summer and/or what is one of your favorite books? (because seriously, we can’t just pick one!)

Happy Reading! 😊

First Line Friday #4 – The Red Door Inn by Liz Johnson

Happy Memorial Day Weekend Readers! Hopefully you have time to sit back and read a book… in between all the cookouts and barbeques and if so, I have a great book for you to check out! My First Line Friday is…

The change in Marie Carrington’s pocket wouldn’t pay for a ferry ride across the Northumberland Strait to Prince Edward Island, let alone a bus ticket to anywhere else in the world.

This book is one of my favorites! It’s one that I could reread over and over and never get tired of. This first line is very thought-provoking because you have to wonder what she is running from, since it’s obvious she doesn’t have any money or plans for where she’s going

From the Back Cover

Marie Carrington is broke, desperate, and hoping to find sanctuary on Prince Edward Island while decorating a renovated bed-and-breakfast. Seth Sloane moved three thousand miles to help restore his uncle’s Victorian B and B–and to forget about the fiancée who broke his heart. He wasn’t expecting to have to babysit a woman with a taste for expensive antiques and a bewildering habit of jumping every time he brushes past her. The only thing Marie and Seth agree on is that getting the Red Door Inn ready to open in just two months will take everything they’ve got–and they have to find a way to work together. In the process, they may find something infinitely sweeter than they ever imagined on this island of dreams

About the Author

Liz Johnson is the author of more than a dozen novels, including A Sparkle of Silver, A Glitter of Gold, The Red Door Inn, Where Two Hearts Meet, and On Love’s Gentle Shore, as well as a New York Times bestselling novella and a handful of short stories. She makes her home in Phoenix, Arizona.

What are you reading this weekend?              I would love for you to comment below with the first line of your book and what you think about it. If you want see what other first lines readers are sharing, head on over to Hording Books.

Happy reading! 😊

On a Summer Tide by Suzanne Woods Fisher – Review

Hi Readers – Happy Monday! I know that as always, Monday’s are busy, so I’ll only take a few minutes to share this with you. My latest Must Read is a contemporary romance novel which is not my typical genre to read, nevertheless, it was AWESOME!

On a Summer Tide by Suzanne Woods Fisher is the story of Camden, Blaine and Maddie Grayson, three sisters who just found out that their dad sold thier childhood home and bought a little island off the coast of Maine. Although he told them that it had always been his dream to fix the little camp on the island, they’re worried that something might be wrong with thier dad … possibly early dementia? Arriving at Three Sisters Island, they all experience a bit of culture shock, when they realize that there’s no WIFI, the power cuts on and off and their new home is in the middle of nowhere. However, the more time each of them spend on the island, the more they’re able to catch a glimpse of their father’s vision for the camp and it makes them want to stay and help him, but they can’t make the island their home because they all have things they need to get back to right? With an island this beautiful, a handsome schoolteacher for Cam’s son, and a job opportunity for both Blaine and Maddie, why would they ever want to leave?

From the Back Cover

Sometimes love hurts–and sometimes it can heal in the most unexpected way. Camden Grayson loves her challenging career, but the rest of her life could use some improvement. “Moving on” is Cam’s mantra. But there’s a difference, her two sisters insist, between one who moves on and one who just keeps on moving. 

Cam’s full-throttle life skids to a stop when her father buys a remote island off the coast of Maine. Paul Grayson has a dream to breathe new life into the island–a dream that includes reuniting his estranged daughters. Certain Dad has lost his mind, the three sisters rush to the island. To Cam’s surprise, the slow pace of island life appeals to her, and so do the locals. One in particular: Seth Walker, the scruffy island schoolteacher, who harbors more than a few surprises. 

So what did I think?

First of course the bookish details.

This is Mrs Fisher’s first contemporary romance novel and it’s the first book in the Three Sisters Island series. I was surprised and a bit intrigued when I heard about this book, because I really like her Amish fiction and wanted to see how she did in this genre. I want to go on record saying that I LOVED it – I think it might be my favorite book by her. I never highlight or underline things in my books, but I found myself finding quotes and pages that I had to highlight so I could find them easier. One of the things I really liked about the story was that each of the sisters had their own struggles and issues (so relatable), yet the very thing that was pulling them apart, ended up being one of the things that helped them grow closer to each other. I Seriously cannot wait until the next book!!! Overall I rate the book 5 out of 5 stars ***** (Can I give it more??)

For more info on this book or any of Suzanne Woods Fishers other books, here’s the link! https://suzannewoodsfisher.com/

Just wanted to say thanks to Revell for allowing me to read and review this book in exchange for a free copy. All opinions and views are my own and I was not given the book for a favorable review, just an honest one!

What are you reading?

I’d love to know if you’ve read this book, what did you think and if not, has this book made it on your TBR pile?

Happy Reading!😊

First Line Fridays #3

Hi Readers, the weekend is finally here!!!

Just wanted to take a second to show you another amazing book, by giving you another First Line Friday!

It is never a happy day when an eight-year old girl’s cheesecake lands in the dirt, and she certainly doesn’t take kindly to the laughing little boy who put it there.

Screenshot_20190517-171057_GoogleThis hilarious first line is from A Noble Masquerade by Kristi Ann Hunter, which is one of my FAVORITE books. It’s the story of Miranda Hawthorne who writes her journal pages in the form of letters addressed to her brother’s best friend and she keeps them in a trunk under her bed that way she’ll never send them; however, when one of her most personal journal pages are accidentally sent to a Duke, she must face the hilarious and unexpected results.

From the back cover
Lady Miranda Hawthorne acts every inch the lady, but inside she longs to be bold and carefree. Approaching spinsterhood in the eyes of society, she pours her innermost feelings out not in a diary but in letters to her brother’s old school friend, the Duke of Marshington. Since she’s never actually met the man, she has no intention of ever sending the letters and is mortified when her brother’s mysterious new valet, Marlow, mistakenly mails one of the letters to the unsuspecting duke.
Shockingly, this breach of etiquette results in a reply from the duke that soon leads to a lively correspondence. Insecurity about her previous lack of suitors soon becomes confusion as Miranda finds herself equally intrigued by Marlow, a man she has come to depend upon but whose behavior grows more suspicious by the day. As the secret goings-on at her family’s estate come to light, one thing is certain: Miranda’s heart is far from all that’s at risk for the Hawthornes and those they love.

 

About the author 

Kristi Ann Hunter graduated from Georgia Tech with a degree in computer science but always knew she wanted to write. Kristi is the author of the Hawthorne House series and a 2016 RITA Award winner and Christy Award finalist. She lives with her husband and three children in Georgia. Find her online at http://www.kristiannhunter.com.

 

What are you reading this weekend?               I would love for you to comment below with the first line of your book and what you think about it so far,

AND if you want see what other first lines readers are sharing, head on over to Hording Books.

Happy reading! 😊

In Too Deep by Lynn Blackburn – Review

Hi Readers, Happy Monday! Hope you all had an amazing Mother’s Day weekend. Wanted to take a few minutes to share another Must Read with you guys and this time it’s a different genre – Romantic Suspense (Christian Fiction, of course)

The next book to make it on my must read list is In Too Deep by Lynn H. Blackburn!

Dr. Sabrina Fleming is a computer expert who’s been assisting the Carrington County Sheriff’s office for about two years. During that time, she had the pleasure of getting to know Investigator Adam Campbell and they immediately became friends – very good friends, nothing more, nothing less. One Sunday afternoon, Sabrina is asked to go to a crime scene where it appears someone drove their car off a bridge. After arriving on the scene, Sabrina discovers that the case became very personal to Adam because the victim had written a message that said “They killed me, ask Adam Campbell.” When Sabrina asks Adam about the victim, he tells her that he met the victim earlier that week when she’d tried to meet with him, but he had to reschedule because his schedule was full. Being tasked with searching the victim’s computers, Sabrina finds that the victim appeared to have been a good upstanding citizen… on the surface. When she starts digging deeper into the victim’s life, she stumbles on something horrible, something evil, something that’s been happening right under everyone’s noses.

Investigator Adam Campbell has been slowly falling in love with Dr. Sabrina Fleming ever since he met her; however, she doesn’t appear to have the same feelings; however, he now has bigger things to worry about then his love life or rather the lack thereof. It’s really bugging him that the victim tied him to the crime and he doesn’t know how he’s connected. Then, while assisting Sabrina with researching the victim’s past, they find a connection between the victim, Adam’s family and a possible human trafficking ring; however, the more they uncover, the more danger they seem to find – especially after Sabrina is attacked multiple times. The message seems clear, stop investigating or they would be stopped, by whatever means necessary.


This is the second book in the Dive Team Investigations series; however, it could also be read as a stand alone. I really, REALLY enjoyed reading the first book in the series and have been looking forward to reading the sequel for awhile and I was not disappointed. I enjoyed diving deeper into Adam and Sabrina’s stories (they were introduced in the first book; however they were side characters so we didn’t get to know much about them) and I loved watching their relationship transition from being just friends to- (oops! can’t put any spoilers) There are a lot twists and turns within the story and the intriguing plot keeps going until the very last word on the last page. When I finished the book, I felt like I’d been served a plate of non- stop action with a side of mystery. Overall I rate the book 5 out of 5 stars! *****

As always, thanks for checking out my latest Must Read! Would this be a book that you would read? Or if you’ve already read it, did you like it or were there parts you didn’t like? Leave a comment below, I’d love to know what you think!

Happy Reading! 😊

First Line Fridays #2

Hi Readers, it’s friday!!

I know the weekends can get busy, so I’ll keep this short. Just wanted to take a second to wish all the moms out there a Happy (early) Mother’s Day and to share the first line of another awesome book, this one is by Regina Jenning

“If she’d known there were so few washrooms in Indian Territory, Hattie Walker wouldn’t have drunk three cups of coffee at breakfast that morning.”

This very relatable first line is from The Lieutenants Bargain by Regina Jennings. What you may not know is shortly after this line, Hattie’s stagecoach gets robbed and she gets captured by Indians! I won’t say anymore, besides telling you that it’s an AWESOME book, with some of the funniest moments I’ve read in a long time.

From the Back Cover

She Was Supposed to Be Gaining Independence. 
What She Found Was Even Better . . . 

Hattie Walker dreams of becoming a painter, but her parents want her to settle down. As a compromise, they give her two months to go to Denver and place her works in an exhibition. Her journey is derailed when a gunman attacks her stagecoach, leaving her to be rescued by a group of Arapaho . . . but she’s too terrified to recognize them as friendly. 

Confirmed bachelor Lieutenant Jack Hennessey has long worked with the tribe and is tasked with trying to convince them that the mission school at Fort Reno can help their children. When a message arrives about a recovered survivor, Jack heads out to retrieve her–and plead his case with the chief once more. 

He’s stunned to run into Hattie Walker, the girl who shattered his heart years ago, but quickly realizes he has a chance to impress her. When his plan gets tangled through translation, Jack and Hattie end up in a mess that puts her dreams in peril and threatens to destroy his life’s work. 

About the Author

Regina Jennings is a graduate of Oklahoma Baptist University with a degree in English and a history minor. She is the author of numerous novels, including For the Record, A Most Inconvenient Marriage, Sixty Acres and a Bride, andCaught in the Middle, and contributed a novella toA Match Made in Texas. She now lives outside Oklahoma City with her husband and four children and can be found online at http://www.reginajennings.com

So what are you reading? Get in on the First Line Friday fun by leaving a comment below with the first line of the book you’re reading!

AND if you want see what other first lines readers are sharing, head on over to Hording Books.

Happy Reading! 😊

The Artful Match by Jennifer Delamere -Review

Happy Monday Readers! I’m not sure why, but I find it so hard to get out of bed on Mondays, especially when I supposed to wake up early and go to work. So I thought, besides starting your day in God’s word, what better way to start your week than to discover a new book or if you’ve already read it, commenting about why you liked or disliked it and if it made it on your must read list.

So, my first Must Read is The Artful Match by Jennifer Delamere!

The Artful Match is the story of Governess and rising artist, Cara Bernay. Cara and her sisters were raised in an orphanage when they were younger and because of her upbringing, she loves watching and helping kids. Unfortunately after a near-fatal accident with the child she was watching, she promises the Lord that she’ll never work with kids again. Out of work and homeless, Cara decides that she has no choice but to go live with one of her sisters; however, when she arrives at each of their homes, she finds that they are both traveling. At her wits end and unsure of where she’s going to live, she is blessed to meet Langham Burke, another rising artist who just got one of his paintings into the Grosvenor Gallery. Wanting to mentor Cara and knowing of a potential job opportunity, Langham befriends Cara and helps her find a place to stay. While having dinner with Langham and his friends, Cara has the opportunity to meet his older brother Henry, the Earl of Morestowe. At first glance she can see that he’s a handsome, but stern man who is trying to force his brother back to what he called a respectable life.

Henry is suspicious of Cara from the moment he first saw her with Langham. He can see that she’s a good influence for his brother but, with her mysterious past that she won’t talk about, he wonders if she’s trying to befriend Langham for his money and position. He decides to keep his eye on her and is surprised by her kind and caring heart. He was amazed at how well she got along with his eight year old ward, Amelia; however, he does find it strange that Cara loves to be around Amelia; however, refuses to become her governess. As they spend time together, both Cara and Henry find themselves drawn to each other, but when both of their secrets come to light, will they choose to follow their heart or will their secrets tear them apart?

First I want to tell you that this book is the third one in the London Beginnings series and although it’s part of a series, it can be read as a standalone because I read it as one. It’s a historical fiction set in the year 1881 and I found all the historical facts that were intertwined in the story fascinating! I really liked the way the main character had her faults, but as the story progressed, she started to overcome them and in the process changed everyone around her. The characters were well written and had a lot of depth to each one, but my favorite were Henry and Cara (no surprise there;)) My favorite part of the book was the end and not for the reason you think. This book had my favorite kind of ending, the kind where, when you finish it, you sit back with a huge smile on your face because everything worked out better then you thought it would. Overall, I give this book 5 out of 5 stars ***** and will have to check out the other two in the series!

Thanks for checking out my latest Must Read, would this be a book that you would pick up? If you’ve already read it, did you like it or were there parts you didn’t like? Leave a comment below, I’d love to know what you think!

Happy Reading! 🙂

First Line Fridays #1

For my first post EVER, I thought I would get in on the fun by posting the best first line I’ve ever read.

“If my life were a book, no one would read it. “

This first line is from Wonderland Creek by Lynn Austin and it’s a charming book about a girl who reads too much (is that even possible???) and is suddenly thrown into the real world. I LOVE that the main character’s name is Alice and she ends up in Wonderland Creek. If you want to check it out, here is more info about the book!

From the Back Cover

I was perfectly content with my life–that is, until the pages of my story were ripped out before I had a chance to live happily ever after.


Alice Grace Ripley lives in a dream world, her nose stuck in a book. But the happily-ever-after life she’s planned on suddenly falls apart when her boyfriend breaks up with her, accusing her of living in a world of fiction instead of the real one. To top it off, Alice loses her beloved library job because of cutbacks due to the Great Depression. 

Longing to run from small-town gossip, Alice flees to the mountains of eastern Kentucky to deliver five boxes of donated books to the tiny coal-mining town of Acorn, a place with no running water, no electricity, and where the librarians ride ornery horses up steep mountain passes to deliver books. When Alice is forced to stay in Acorn far longer than she planned, she discovers that real-life adventure, mystery–and especially romance–may be far better than her humble dreams could have imagined.

About the Author

Lynn Austin, a former teacher who now writes and speaks full time, has won six Christy Awards for her historical fiction. One of those novels, Hidden Places, has also been made into a Hallmark Channel movie. Lynn and her husband have raised three children and make their home near Chicago, Illinois.

So what are you reading? Get in on the First Line Friday fun by leaving a comment below with the first line of the book you’re reading!

AND if you want see what other first lines readers are sharing, head on over to Hording Books.



See you next week, Happy Reading 🙂