Shortbread Shakedown (Christmas Cookies) by Sofia Aves

 

Acting Brigadier General Dominic Cage returns from deployment ro Afghanistan and is met at the airport by a mysterious blonde bombshell that kisses him and presses some cookies into his hands and then disappears.  Crusty Cage returns to his old office and digs in to spend the rest of the holiday leave catching up on work.  But soon one of his friends introduces him to a relative who just happens to be VIolet.  She proceeds to include him in Christmas plans with her family and has the man head over heels for her but very dubious about the whole famliy thing.  It comes around to them making a commitment to each other and him buying in to the whole house and furniture and belongings thing that he has avoided all these years with multiple warzone deployments.  

I felt like this could have been a full fledged, fleshed out story.  It was too condensed.  I loved the premise and the characters but the plot could have been more developed.  A happy story that left me wanting more . .

Wrapped Up in Christmas Hope by Janice Lynn

 

Morgan is a widowed mother of a five year old boy.  She has moved to Pinehill, KY, so her son can be raised around family.  Her son would love to be a firefighter when he grows up so he attaches himself to Andrew, a local firefighter.  Andrew is not looking for a relationship because he knows he can't do the family thing because he is planning to become a smokejumper which is a dangerous job and requires long periods of time away from home.  He is however, very attracted to Morgan and to her little boy.  Morgan doesn't want another relationship right now and especially not with a man with a dangerous job -- her first husband died that way.  But Morgan is also very attracted to Andrew.  This is a sweet Christmas tale about Christian values, family bonding, camaraderie between fellow workers and Christmas joy.  This is a great book to read during this holiday season for some fun relaxation.  

I voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book that I received from NetGalley.  All views expressed are only my honest opinion. 

Ever Constant (The Treasures of Nome Book #3) by Tracie Peterson, Kimberley Woodhouse

 

This is another wonderful book in this series set in Nome, Alaska. Whitney's two younger sisters are married, her father and his family have joined them in Alaska, her mother and grandfather have died and Whitney is finding the stress of being the oldest, but still unmarried, and ostensibly the head of the family, a little too stressful. Add to it the local unscrupulous owner of almost every property in Nome who is trying to court Whitney to get his hands on her inheritance. Whitney is more interested in the local doctor, Peter Cameron and helping him with all the deadly diseases spreading through the indigenous villages and the gold camps. This is an interesting slice of Alaska history and just an engaging tale. I suggest you pick up copies of Books 1 and 2 along with this one and have a reading marathon over the holidays.

I voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book that I received from NetGalley. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.

Her Darling Mr. Day (American Royalty #2) by Grace Hitchcock

 

Theodore "Teddy" Day has returned to New Orleans to his family's luxury riverboat business to try to heal from being jilted (for the 2nd time in his recent life) in New York. Flora Wingfield is a New York heiress that convinces her parents to visit a great aunt in New Orleans for the purposes of finding husbands for the five Wingfield daughters, of which Flora is the eldest. Flora's father is all in with this as he would like more connections to further his business interests. Flora has had a crush on Teddy for years. They have always been friends but soon they become business partners as well. Teddy is great at designing riverboats and Flora also has an interest in design. Together they are an unbeatable combination in designing boats for Teddy's business. They both realize they are in love but other suitors, more approved by Flora's father, are causing ripples in the process. This is a fun and exciting story full of interesting insights into the foibles of high society in the early 1900s.

I voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book that I received from NetGalley. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.

To Treasure an Heiress (The Secrets of the Isles #2) by Roseanna M. White

 

Beth Tremayne is an heiress in the Isles of Scilly. around 1900 who is interested in the pirate tales told by her grandparents told her along with other local lore.  She has enjoyed trying to track down pirate treasure and follow clues from records and stories.  Lord Sheridan. is a recent houseguest who is also fascinated with the tales Beth is researching and has the funds to get more exploration done.  Meanwhile, some less scrupulous aristocracy is trying to steal information from them and beat them to their dig sites.  As they work out this mystery with family and friends, they find an affinity for each other -- they are perfectly suited to each others' life styles and enjoy the same things.  This is a very entertaining story because Lord Sheridan has a marvelous sense of humor and also is a bit of an introvert that blurts out what he is thinking.  Totally enjoyable read!

I voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book that I received from NetGalley. All views expressed are only my honest opinion. 

All the Good Girls (Harry Hunter Mystery #1) by Willow Rose

 

The Harry Hunter Mystery Series contains 4 books:

1 - All the Good Girls

2 - Run Girl Run

3 - No Other Way

4 - Never Walk Alone

I voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book that I received from NetGalley. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.  This book contained a teaser for the next book and the next book also had a teaser so I ended up reading all four.  This was a great series!

I especially liked that Harry is a Christian with Christian mores and values.  He is also a loving and compassionate individual.  And he has more heartbreak than the average hero. His wife is in a coma when the story begins, his widowed father is helping him raise his daughter and his daughter is going through the usual teenage angst.  Harry is a dedicated homicide detective but in hindered by corrupt colleagues, office politics and a propensity for following leads he sees as crucial even against orders.  All Harry's family are likeable characters and this series kept me story bingeing right to the end.  I highly recommend this series.

Never Leave Me (Waters of Time #2) by Jody Hedlund

 

This is the second book in this series about time travel and a magic healing elixir. Ellen Creighton and Harrison Burlington were characters in the previous book and they are the focus of this one. This is a fascinating story which has some improbable twists that don't make it any less entertaining. If you're into time travel books, this series offers a different view of it than I have seen elsewhere.

I have voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book that I received from NetGalley. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.

Bone Deep: Untangling the Betsy Faria Murder Case by Charles Henry Bosworth, Joel Schwartz

 

This is a True Crime book about the murder of Betsy Faria in 2011 in Missouri. Her husband Russell was originally charged with the crime despite lack of evidence and even evidence to the contrary. Telling the tale is the actual defense attorney. This is a story that will make you angry that justice is not what it is purported to be in our country these days. But this story is written like the very best True Crime stories I have read and I can't fault the style or the research. I would recommend this book to all lovers of the True Crime genre.

I have voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book that I received from NetGalley. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.

Proposing Mischief (The Joplin Chronicles #2) by Regina Jennings

 

This is the second book in the delightful series by Regina Jennings highlighting the history of Joplin, MO.  Of course it is a work of fiction, but it includes some facts about Joplin's history and gives you the feeling of Joplin around 1900.  Maisie Kentworth, one of the Kentworth cousins we met in the last book, meets Boone Bragg, the owner of the mine skirting the Kentworth property.  She is trespassing in his mine when he discovers her.  She has just discovered a crystal cave.  Boone is being pursued by women looking for a rich husband and Maisie is being pursued by a man of questionable character and she longs to be free to go about as she wishes.  Her family is so set on protecting her from the man that she can't go anywhere.  Boone and Maisie come to a contractual agreement whereby they get married to protect each other.  You can imagine where that leads and I will leave it to your imagination.  The actual story is hilarious and I highly recommend you search it out for yourself.

I have voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book that I received from NetGalley. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.

 

The Mistletoe Countess by Pepper D. Basham

 

This story was highly entertaining! I don't know the last time I got so many giggles from a book. Grace is an American heiress whose father has made an agreement with Lord Frederick’s Percy -- his daughter's dowry for the Lord's title and position. The problem is Grace's older sister was to be the bride but she backed out at the last minute. Grace, always up for an adventure, volunteered to take her place. What ensued was all sorts of shenanigans and attempts to murder them both. Grace and Lord Frederick are both up for the task! I loved the characters in the story and the devotion of the two main characters to God and to each other. Such a fun book!

I have voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book that I received from NetGalley. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.

Calder Grit (Calder Brand #2) by Janet Dailey

 

The Calders are well known to Janet Dailey fans and so I'm sure that's why they dominate the title.  However, in this story they are minor characters.  Blake Dollarhide,and his family are the focus of this book.  When, Blake's half brother gets a local girl pregnant and leaves town, Blake steps in at his father's behest to marry Hanna Anderson’and secure the fate of his grandchild.  This is a cattlemen vs. farmers story that takes place around 1900 in Montana.  Even though this book was actually written by others since Janet Dailey is now deceased, it had all the great story telling of Janet's novels and I am anxious to follow this series.

I have voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book that I received from NetGalley. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.

Marry Me, Millie (Paradise Valley #1) by Amy Lillard

 

Millie has moved to Paradise Valley to help her aunt with her Bed and Breakfast.  Millie was recently widowed and realized very soon after that she was pregnant.  Henry King has come to Paradise Valley to help his grandfather on his farm and also get his grandfather ready to move to Oklahoma with the family and sell his house.  Throw in a local whoopie pie baking contest for fun and you have a great story.  I have to say all the whoopie pie flavors the ladies tried made me hungry.  I can't wait for the next book in this new series.  

I have voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book that I received from NetGalley. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.

Afraid by Lisa Jackson , Alexandra Ivy , Lisa Childs

 

In this series of suspense novellas, we meet three girls from wealthy families who were sent to St. Cecilia’s School for Girls in Austria by their families after family tragedies.  Now they are grown up and back home where their childhood traumas come home to roost.  I love how all three stories come together -- all three of these girls were friends at the school and all have to face their particular family problems in their adulthood.  Each story is well crafted and compelling in its own right.  I highly recommend this book for the great stories and for the fact you can read each one separately and not have to do a marathon to finish the book as with most suspense novels.  

I have voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book that I received from NetGalley. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.

And By Fire by Evie Hawtrey

 

Nigella Parker, Detective Inspector with the City Police and Colm O’Leary of Scotland Yard have been assigned to work on an arson / murder investigation in London that is in both of their jurisdictions. They used to be lovers, but now are strictly platonic. They know the suspect is an artist and they believe this all has something to do with Sir Christopher Wren’s work and other architects from 1666 after the Great Fire. There are many twists and turns here and the story goes back and forth between London in 1666 and London in present day. There is a lot of interesting history here. And, for my taste there is too much illicit sex.

I have voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book that I received from NetGalley. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.