REVIEW: I really enjoyed Only One Lie by Audrey J. Cole. In fact, most of her books have captivated my imagination while reading them making it impossible to put them down. This was the first Historical book by Ms. Cole and right at the top of my list for favorite genres. I was so excited to jump into this book. I finished it a bit ago but, with Christmas preparations, I’m a little behind right now. 

For the first try at Historical Fiction, I’m giving her a huge A+ for effort. I loved the story and the history of women in aviation that really got it’s start during the Second World War. Women had a big part of ferrying planes for the war effort. They also became instructors for future women pilots. I especially liked this part of the book and how the main character went about trying to acheiving her dream against her parents wishes. The hoops she had to jump through and the difficulty of it all. 

There was a kidnapping and a few murders, a cheating spouse and a love story and the power that money brings is all in this book. There is a lot going on and the characters will keep you interested. You want to know what they are up to. Some of them are pretty downright awful. The main character is Vera and I took a liking to her right away. My grandma was named Vera and I could very well see her in this role. She was a spitfire and was not afraid to be a pioneer in her line of business. 

If you are looking for a book that is not your typical book, this one is it. If you don’t read a lot of Historical Fiction, Only One Lie is a good way to get your feet wet. It is not heavy on the history. It is just lightly mixed in the batter. There was so much going on in Vera’s life and the she handled herself well. I highly recommend this book! Until next time…Happy Reading! 

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I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

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SYNOPSIS: From the author of The Pilot’s Daughter and The Final Hunt comes a thrilling, suspense-driven mystery set in World War II-era Seattle.

Seattle, 1942. News of the war is interrupted by the kidnapping of young Max Ellis, heir to the wealthiest banking family on the west coast. When the boy’s parents comply with the ransom demands, the kidnapper is found dead and Max remains missing.

For newlywed Vera Chandler, the story hits close to home—her husband Hugh is just six months into his job as the Ellis’s private pilot. Within days, Hugh is deployed to the Pacific as a navy pilot, while Vera’s flying instructor and best friend joins the Women’s Auxiliary Ferrying Squadron. Left alone, her parents’ words haunt her: If you really wanted to serve your country, you wouldn’t have dropped out of nursing school.

In an exchange for a favor Vera can’t refuse, she is pulled into the Ellis family affairs by the desperate mother of the missing child. The Ellis family, Vera learns firsthand, is as dangerous as they are rich. Soon, she is in a race to save the child’s life, and it could be the only way she can save her own.

REVIEW: Love and War is the fourth book in the Virginia Vineyards Series by Ashley Farley. I believe this is the last one in this series. We’ll have to wait to see what Ms. Farley brings us for our enjoyment next. I’m not sure if there will be another spin off of this series or if we are going to get another delicious series to immerse ourselves in. Whatever it is, I am sure it will be good. I haven’t read anything of hers that I didn’t like.

Love and War was actually Love and War. Someone receives a proposal but, with it comes a move at an inopertune time. Someone, finds out her husband is not who he said he was. War comes in when Daniel, the Patriarch of the family, decides to retire and starts a competition for head of his empire. Who is so ruthless to pit his own children against each other?

The characters are the ones I’ve learned to care for and who I have enjoyed following in this series. It is always hard to say goodbye to the characters we have come to know and love. Some of them I don’t love so much. I won’t miss them. This book was a good ending to the series. It had it all. I can’t tell you everything because I don’t want to give away any spoilers. I had a hard time putting this book down. It was a page turner.

If you haven’t read this series, I would encourage you to pick up all four books and get ready to enjoy yourself. Especially if you received some Christmas money or a gift card that is burning a hole in your pocket! Until next time…Happy Reading.

Don’t forget to support the authors you read by leaving a review!

I received a copy of this book from the author. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

To follow my blog, click on the heading of any blog post. This will bring up just that blog and you will see a follow button on the bottom right hand corner. Thank you!

SYNOPSIS: Casey’s hopes are high for a marriage proposal. Luke hints one is coming soon, but he has different plans for their future together. When he finally pops the question, Casey must choose between Luke and her new family and dream career.

The trouble in Hazel’s marriage is not what she thinks. Not even a baby can fix this problem. When the discovery of her husband’s dirty little secret leaves her hurt and confused, she makes a devastating choice that could haunt her for life.

Daniel, who will soon retire as head of the family’s vineyard, sets in motion a campaign to determine his successor. War breaks out between the Love siblings as they vie for the position. But there’s more at stake than the vineyard’s future. Lives are threatened, romances are doomed, and family ties are severed in this dramatic series conclusion.

REVIEW: Christmas Longings by Ev Bishop is book 15 in the Soul Sisters at Cedar Mountain Lodge series. You must know by now that I love this series and all of these books have been winners in my estimation. I bought the final books I needed to get caught up with this series. They were already out so, I will be posting my reviews of them shortly. I’m so excited to say I have read all of the books. I hope the series continues. I have grown to know and love so many of the characters and I know it will be hard to say goodbye.

WOW! Ev Bishop knocked it out of the park with this one. It is so good in so many ways. 

The main characters were new.  The ones we have already met were in the background or made cameo appearances except for one. Nell McMurphy is the main character and she meets a man named Owen. Special circumstances brought them together and he has a pretty wonderful family except for one daughter who thinks Nell might be a gold digger. We get to know Stevie’s birth mother a little more and what she has been through. If you remember, her name is Marilyn and she is married to one of Owen’s sons.

I want to tell you all of the details of this book but, I can’t give away all of the fun. I really enjoyed this installment. It is full of Christmas activities at Cedar Mountain Lodge, new and old loves, memories of days gone by and it is just a very special story. These books aren’t long and they are perfect to fill a quiet evening snuggled in your favorite reading chair. I highly recommend them. Unitl next time…Happy Reading!

Don’t forget to support the authors you read by leaving a review!

I received a copy of this book from the author. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

To follow my blog, click on the heading of any blog post. This will bring up just that blog and you will see a follow button on the bottom right hand corner. Thank you!

SYNOPSIS: Random circumstances brought them together. Love made them family.

Christmas has been a hard time of year for 73-year-old Nell McMurphy since her daughter Katie passed away, but now that she’s a widow, retired, and has lost her beloved old dog? It’s excruciating. She wants to be strong, to find some way to carry on and to do something with meaning while she still has time left, but she is just so tired, so very, very tired.

Needing to flee memories, she books a stay at Cedar Mountain Lodge, a beautiful remote ski resort, where she plans to hide away from the holidays. Before she retreats, however, she’s determined to go through with her personal annual memorial for Katie, part of which involves handing out her daughter’s favorite treats to homeless people. While doing so, Nell runs into a man named Owen, who is far too interested in her well-being for her liking, and a woman named Marilyn, who runs an art therapy class and whose family runs a local soup kitchen. Nell enjoys the encounter, but it underscores her deep loneliness.

Arriving at Cedar Mountain Lodge, she is shocked when chance throws her, Owen, Marilyn, and family together again. As she spends more time with Marilyn and her daughter Stevie, her longing for family and connection intensifies. And as she gets to know Owen, she is appalled by the desires he kindles.

It might be better to have loved and lost than to never to have loved at all . . . but Nell can’t handle any more loss, so where does that leave her?

If you’re a fan of heartwarming second-chance holiday romances with later-in-life heroes and heroines, along with a few furry friends, you’ll love this volume of the Soul Sisters at Cedar Mountain Lodge series!

✓ Don’t miss a Soul Sisters book – download them all today!

Book 1: Christmas Sisters – perma-FREE prologue book
Book 2: Christmas Kisses by Judith Keim
Book 3: Christmas Wishes by Tammy L. Grace
Book 4: Christmas Hope by Violet Howe
Book 5: Christmas Dreams by Ev Bishop
Book 6: Christmas Rings by Tess Thompson
Book 7: Christmas Surprises by Tammy L. Grace
Book 8: Christmas Yearnings by Ev Bishop
Book 9: Christmas Peace by Violet Howe
Book 10: Christmas Castles by Judith Keim
Book 11: Christmas Star by Tess Thompson
Book 12: Christmas Joy by Judith Keim
Book 13: Christmas Shelter by Tammy L. Grace
Book 14: Christmas Secret by Violet Howe
Book 15: Christmas Longings by Ev Bishop

REVIEW: Are you tired of Winter and ready to put Christmas away? Well, hang on to your hats! There is a new series getting ready to set sail. It is the exciting new Sail Away Series. The first book is called Welcome Aboard and it is the first chapters of all the books to give you a taste of what is coming. I just finished it and I can’t wait for the rest of the books to be rolled out. The books will all be stand alones and the only thing tying them together is they all take place on a cruise ship. How fun is that?

There are several of them that caught my attention right away. I can’t wait to read all of them and see all the exotic places we will travel to with all of these characters. I know there are some of them that will definitely grab your attention. The circumstances of each character and why she decided to go on a cruise by herself is interesting and something all of us may have experienced at some time in our lives. That is why I think there is something for everyone in this new series. 

I have really enjoyed the series I have been reading that are written by multiple authors. Not only do you get to sample some new authors you may not have read before, you may also get to read some of your favorites. I call that a win win situation. How about you?

The first book Welcome Aboard releases January 1, 2023. That is about the time we will have or are thinking of taking down the Christmas decorations and we will need a little pick me up. I think a cruise might do the trick! The Sound of the Sea sets sail on February 1st and it looks to me like the books release weekly. So, get Christmas packed up soon and get ready to sail. Until next time…Happy Reading!

I received a copy of this book from the authors. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Don’t forget to support the authors you love by leaving a review! 

To follow my blog, click on the heading of any blog post. This will bring up just that blog and you will see a follow button on the bottom right hand corner. Thank you! 

SYNOPSIS: Set sail to new adventures and escapes with eight best-selling authors in the exciting new Sail Away series!

Pack your bags and get ready to set sail on a variety of cruise ships…all without leaving home! Experience the waves, the wind, and the call of the birds in the Sail Away series with a sneak peek of the Sail Away Series in this prologue novella. Each bestselling author will take you on a sea adventure filled with friendship, healing, some romance, and all the heartfelt storytelling you crave.

★ Don’t miss a Sail Away book! ★
Book 1: Welcome Aboard – prologue book
Book 2: The Sound of the Sea by Jessie Newton
Book 3: Uncharted Waters by Tammy L. Grace
Book 4: A Not So Distant Shore by Ev Bishop
Book 5: Caroline, Adrift by Kay Bratt
Book 6: Moonlight On the Lido Deck by Violet Howe
Book 7: The Winning Tickets by Judith Keim
Book 8: Lost At Sea by Patricia Sands
Book 9: The Last Port of Call by Elizabeth Bromke

REVIEW: I want to say that So Long, Chester Wheeler by Catherine Ryan Hyde was a fabulous book but, for many reasons I find it hard to say that. It’s kind of like saying you had a fabulous time at a funeral. It is something that does not ever come out of your mouth. But…I really have to say it. So Long, Chester Wheeler was a fabulous book. I even found myself chuckling in places. There were parts that were hard to read and parts that made me really sad. This book pulled out all the feels.

Lewis is the main character and becomes the caretaker of the old man next door who is dying of lung cancer. Lewis, the main character, agrees to take him cross country to see his ex-wife. Because it is his dying wish, Lewis can’t seem to say no. This becomes a trip that is both funny, sad, poignant.

We read about the indignity of end of life, the honor of helping someone through it, coming to terms with death. Lets put it this way, there is a lot to think about and this book will actually make you stop in your tracks and think about your future and the future of your loved ones. I volunteered with Hospice for a while. It was an honor I won’t soon forget and this book brought back the memory of those folks to me.

This is a worthwhile book and one I would recommend for everyone to read. I think if we live long enough, it is something we will all experience. Chester was a sad man and lived a hard life. Although, it was one he brought on himself, it should make us concious of how we treat people and who we choose to keep in our lives. Pick up your copy today. It was one of the best books I’ve read in a long time. I’ve read a lot of good books this year and since I started reviewing. I choose what I read wisely. This book is in a class by itself. Until next time…Happy Reading!

Don’t forget to support the authors you read by leaving a review!

I received a copy of this book from #LakeUnionPublishing, #Netgalley and the author. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

To follow my blog, click on the heading of any blog post. This will bring up just that blog and you will see a follow button on the bottom right hand corner. Thank you!

SYNOPSIS: Unlikely road trip companions form an unexpected bond in an uplifting novel about the past—lost and found—by the New York Times and #1 Amazon Charts bestselling author.

Lewis Madigan is young, gay, out of work, and getting antsy when he’s roped into providing end-of-life care for his insufferable homophobic neighbor, Chester Wheeler. Lewis doesn’t need the aggravation, just the money. The only requirements: run errands, be on call, and put up with a miserable old churl no one else in Buffalo can bear. After exchanging barbs, bickering, baiting, and pushing buttons, Chester hits Lewis with the big ask.

Lewis can’t say no to a dying wish: drive Chester to Arizona in his rust bucket of a Winnebago to see his ex-wife for the first time in thirty-two years—for the last time. One week, two thousand miles. To Lewis, it becomes an illuminating journey into the life and secrets of a vulnerable man he’s finally beginning to understand. A neighbor, a stranger, and a surprising new friend whose closure on a conflicted past is also just beginning.

So Long, Chester Wheeler is an uplifting novel about looking deeper into the heart and soul to form bonds with the last people we’d expect—only to discover that they’re the ones who need it most.