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.