Another Wonderful Addition! 'Right Here Waiting' - Deep Haven Collection 6 - by Michelle Sass Aleckson & Susan May Warren

 

About the book:

He lives in a world of winter.

Sled dog musher and outdoor adventurer Nick Dahlquist doesn’t mean to be a loner—he just feels at home in the woods, with his dogs, and also online in his vlogging world, where he’s amassed nearly a million viewers. But he’s just a simple guy, with simple goals—care for his dogs, teach people how to survive the cold, and run the Iditarod. Unfortunately, life turns cold when his lead dog is injured, and he’s low on funds. Good thing he has LadyJHawk to chat with. She’s become an online friend he can turn to, and he’s starting to need her more than he’d like to admit. But the last thing he wants is for some random woman to show up on his doorstep…

She doesn’t belong in his world.

Chopper pilot and Texas gal Jae Lynn Washington has been following Nick’s DogQuest videos and Get Lost in the Woods vlogs since she inherited her deceased boyfriend’s military working dog. Three years later, his encouragement and help as online chat buddies have made her wonder if he could be more than a friend. What if she moved to Deep Haven? Would that be considered stalking, even if she had a bonafide job on the Crisis Response Team?

But she’s determined to try…

When Jae shows up in Deep Haven—and on Nick’s doorstep—he’s not at all the man she met online. The last thing she’ll do is tell him she’s really LadyJHawk. And when Nick is tapped to train the Crisis Response Team, he’s pretty sure that petite, summer-loving Jae won’t last a moment in the brutal cold—a fear he pours out to LadyJHawk. As their training takes a personal turn, their chilly start begins to thaw. But is he ready to shake off his online relationship for the one in real life? And if Jae tells him the truth, will it spook him back into the woods?

When a blizzard strikes, and the CRT is called out into the storm, it might be too late…

Cozy up to this delightful, wintery twist on You’ve Got Mail set in the snowy escape of Deep Haven.

My review:

I just love Deep Haven and the sense of community and family there and it was great to have one of my favorite plots, an online couple talking in real life and not knowing it, set there with so many other wonderful characters I've come to know and love!  The romance was sweet but I also love the depth to these stories as they both have some hang-ups they have to work through.  Nick feels like he lets people down, especially his family, and that he can never measure up after being disappointed in love.  Jae is looking for a place to belong and struggles with proving herself after moving constantly as a child and never fitting in.  They both have faith and there are some good messages about depending on God and God using the weak things.  There's also some great adventure and action.  I loved the dogs and have always wanted to go dogsledding!  This does work as a stand-alone but it makes the story richer having read the others and knowing who the rest of the characters are.  I highly recommend this book!

I received an ebook free from JustRead Tours.  I was not compensated for this review.  All opinions are my own.

'The Inn on Hanging Hill' - Beach House Mystery 2 - by Christy Barritt

 

About the book:

Lindsey Waters never wanted to return to the seaside inn where she grew up. Too many traumatic memories haunt the place, both from her childhood and from days gone by. But with guilt relentlessly chasing her after a tragic choice, she’s desperate for a fresh start.

Mysterious incidents begin plaguing the inn—dangerous incidents—that make it clear someone wants to scare Lindsey away. But why? Does it have anything to do with the two weeks missing from her memory when she was abducted at age twelve?

Childhood friend Benjamin Newsom seems like an answer to prayer when he shows up to work as a handyman. But something is different about him, something Lindsey can’t put her finger on. She’s certain Benjamin harbors secrets.

As peril continues to close in, Lindsey must decide if she wants to face her past or run. She doesn’t know whom she can trust, and whatever choices she makes will determine if she lives or if she becomes part of the inn’s tragic legacy.

My review:

This was a suspenseful, somewhat spooky book dealing with an inn's tragic history and with Lindsey's own questions about her abduction and why she can't remember anything about it.  There were a lot of moments that made me jumpy; this was definitely not boring!  There were secrets and you weren't sure who to trust.  More and more questions seemed to pile up.  There was some romance, also, and some action.  Both Lindsey and Benjamin were believers but something didn't add up with him.  Lindsey also had a good head on her shoulders and was incredibly brave to face her questions head on, even with someone threatening her.  I hadn't read book one and this worked well as a stand-alone.  This was an enjoyable romantic suspense that was a little spookier than most I've read.

I received an ebook free from JustRead Tours.  I was not compensated for this review.  All opinions are my own.

Free and Sale Kindle Books!

 

Free for kindle!

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Free for kindle!

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Only .99 for kindle!  Wonderful book!

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Fascinating and Inspiring! 'Carved in Ebony: Lessons from the Black Women Who Shape Us' - by Jasmine L. Holmes

 

About the book:

Elizabeth Freeman, Nannie Helen Burroughs, Maria Fearing, Charlotte Forten Grimké, Sarah Mapps Douglass, Sara Griffith Stanley, Amanda Berry Smith, Lucy Craft Laney, Maria Stewart, and Frances Ellen Watkins Harper

These names may not be familiar, but each one of these women was a shining beacon of devotion in a world that did not value their lives. They worked to change laws, built schools, spoke to thousands, shared the Gospel around the world. And while history books may have forgotten them, their stories can teach us so much about what it means to be modern women of faith.

Through the research and reflections of author Jasmine Holmes, you will be inspired by what each of these exceptional women can teach us about the intersections of faith and education, birth, privilege, opportunity, and so much more. Carved in Ebony will take you past the predominantly white, male contributions that seemingly dominate history books and church history to discover how Black women have been some of the main figures in defining the landscape of American history and faith.

Join Jasmine on this journey of illuminating these women--God's image-bearers, carved in ebony.

My review:

This was an incredibly fascinating book I didn't want to put down!  It was amazing learning about these women, some who endured against seemingly impossible odds, to teach, learn to read, even travel the world and spread the gospel!  I was blown away by their bravery in speaking out against racism, some during a time when they were considered the lowest of society.  Some gave speeches, wrote books, taught many and all influenced generations to come.  I liked how the author compared their experiences to hers and how she felt when she discovered their stories, many of whom she didn't know herself, and what she's learned from them.  She also chose women who had a strong faith in God and weren't just activists but, first and foremost, Christians.  I liked the little bios, along with quotes from their works or speeches and the influence they had.  I felt like I got a pretty good understanding of what made them tick, along with an inspiring message to follow where God leads and know He can use anyone in any circumstance.  I highly recommend this book for everyone, not just women or women of color.  There's much everyone can learn from them.

I received this book free from JustRead Tours.  I was not compensated for this review.  All opinions are my own.

A Season on the Wind - by Suzanne Woods Fisher

 

About the book:

Ben Zook was as free as a bird--until a chase for a rare White-winged Tern takes him to the one place on earth he planned to never return: his Amish home in Stoney Ridge.

Desperate for photographs of the elusive tern, Ben hires local field guide Micah Weaver, planning to "bag the bird" and leave Stoney Ridge before anyone recognizes him. But he neglected to plan for Micah's sister, Penny.

Ben had become Penny's spark bird during one long-ago summer, when she had introduced him to birding, even sharing with him a hidden eagle aerie. Penny always hoped Ben would come back to Stoney Ridge. Back to his Amish roots. Back to her.

The only problem? Ben has absolutely no memory of Penny.

My review:

This story started out slow for me but I ended up liking it pretty well as there was a twist and also ended up being very emotional and touching.  I liked the varied viewpoints as we have a professional birder who's been running away for years, the woman waiting for him all of that time, his cousin whose life has fallen apart and she doesn't know what to do and the young guide who can't find the words to tell a girl he's interested in her.  They've all experienced different hurt, from family or a church or a spouse and are at various stages of healing.  Some have turned away from God or never really knew him or are actively leaning on Him and listening for Him.  There's some romance and just a peaceful feel to the whole story.  I'm not much of a bird watcher myself but it was interesting learning about them and I can see how it would be exciting finding a rare one.  Forgiveness was a major theme for the story.  I also liked seeing characters from previous books set in Stoney Ridge show up.  I would recommend this story even if you don't love Amish stories as it had much to offer.

I received this book free from Revell.  I was not compensated for this review.  All opinions are my own.

Sweet Romance! 'Tacos for Two' - by Betsy St. Amant

 

About the book:

Two unlikely chefs. One life-changing contest. There can only be one winner . . . right?

Food truck owner Rory Perez may not be able to cook, but she's determined to keep the family business out of the red. An upcoming contest during a food truck festival seems like the best way to do it. The prize money could finally give her solid financial footing, freeing up her time to meet the man she's been talking to via an anonymous online dating site.

Jude Strong is tired of being a puppet at his manipulative father's law firm, and the food truck festival seems like the perfect opportunity to dive into his passion for cooking and finally call his life his own. If he loses the contest, he'll be back at the law firm for good, so failure is not an option.

But things are about to get . . . complicated. Rory's chef gets mono, forcing her to cook after all. And Jude discovers that his stiffest competition is the same woman he's been falling for online. Will they sacrifice the futures they've envisioned for the sake of love? Or will there only ever be tacos for one?

My review:

This was a fun, sometimes frustrating romance that made me crave tacos like you wouldn't believe!  I love food trucks and it was a funny idea to have someone own a food truck who can't cook!  I also love the plot of falling for someone online but having conflict with them in person and not realizing they're the same person.  I felt like Rory was also relatable because she loves the movie "You've Got Mail, " my favorite, and has some self-esteem and anxiety issues.  Rory definitely had more pressure and responsibilities than Jude.  I really felt for him and how he had to deal with his horrible family.  That I can't relate to and he seemed to have so much patience, both with them and with her as she really had some trust issues because of stuff in her past.  There was some references to his faith and I wished they would have discussed that more to make sure they were on the same page as I don't remember mention of hers.  There was some fun banter and sweet romance, even mention of Pride and Prejudice!  Her friends and cousin were also fun additions to the story and I liked that a girl with down syndrome was in the story as you don't see that very often.  She was also really funny!   I highly recommend this story!

I received a free ebook from Netgalley.  I was not compensated for this review.  All opinions are my own.

About the author:

           The Author

1. 

   Emilie Hendryx © EA Creative Photography

   Betsy St. Amant

   Betsy St. Amant is the author of more than fifteen inspirational romances, including The Key to Love, and a frequent contributor to iBelieve.com. She lives in north Louisiana with her husband, two daughters, a collection of Austen novels, and an...

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