The Christmas Snow Globe by Sibylle Delacroix

 

A delightful children’s Christmas book. The illustrations are beautiful and the story is right out of a child’s imagination. I loved it so much that I bought a copy to read to my grandchildren.

Reach for the Stars by Maxine Morrey

 

The crash and burn of Felicity’s London life is the beginning to an adventure she never would have imagined. Selling her London condo and buying a sight unseen farm in the countryside ushers in a life completely different for her. It also brings Jesse, a man of depth and true character. A captivating story from start to finish.

The Sirens by Emilia Hart

 

A beautifully told story of the bond of sisters hundreds of years apart. The two sets of sisters have an unusual characteristic: they live on land but yearn to be in water. Being in water is problematic as water causes their skin to flake and painfully peel. The two current time sisters have dreams of the other two, of the hardships they faced and of the arduous journey they made captive on a ship from Ireland to Australia. 

The enduring qualities of sisterhood bind the sisters together and their experiences create an unbelievably engaging story.

Rumble Strips by Dylan Higgins

 

An overworked, job weary man meets an enthusiastic barista at an airport coffee bar. She relates stories of her time on a coffee farm in Guatemala. Her desire to return coupled with his work weary mind bring them to exit life in the States and embark on a journey to change. The adjustment to life in Guatemala for him is arduous and good. Their love flourishes among the kind and generous natives. 

To me, it seemed the relationship formed rather quickly with only twice a week meetings in the airport. Time jumped without due notice. What seemed like a week was a month, a month a year. The descriptions of Guatemala are wonderful. There is quite a bit discussion of coffee bean harvesting.

The Dreidl Disaster by Stacey Agdern

 

Love takes center stage in this story of a mayor and a PR fixer working together to save an in danger event. Chemistry is instant for Liv and Artur when they meet. She is the one for him and he for her but there is a lot of work to be done first.

Unexpectedly Yours by C. Chilove

 

Two families have formed an ugly, fraught relationship over the years. The son and daughter of their opposing families have found a deep connection that never should have been. The ups and downs of their budding relationship are all centered around the family hatred. Will the family bondage of the family loosen enough to allow them to survive as a couple?

An emotional tale like Romeo and Juliet in a modern setting.

Eddie Winston is Looking for Love by Marianne Cronin

 

What an absolutely wonderful and tug on your heart strings novel. Eddie is ninety and has never been kissed. Bella is nineteen and grieving the death of her boyfriend. They meet when she drops off her boyfriend’s effects at the charity shop where Eddie works. As their friendship develops and grows, you learn about them and see the closeness grow. It is a touching look at two unlikely individuals helping each other with life.

The Mirror by Nora Roberts

 

The second book in The Lost Bride Trilogy does not fail. Sonya, Cloe, Trey, and Owen learn more about the events of the past history of the house and the curse of Hester Dobbs. Hester is pure evil and trapped in the Lost Brides Mansion to her own accord. She creates havoc and noise. Sonya and Cloe are determined to find out the key to ending the curse and every tidbit of information begins to build on ideas. 

I eagerly anticipate the last book to tie it all together.

Tough Luck by Sandra Dallas

 

A completely delightful and very often funny book. There are unsavory sections; they do not make the book sad. The main character is Haidie Richards, a hard scrabble and, by her account, great liar, fourteen year old. She and her younger brother are put in an orphanage by her older, money grubbing, gambling brother when their mother dies. Haidie believes that her father, who left them to work mines in Colorado, is alive and deeply missing them. Haidie concocts a plan to get herself and her brother free from the orphanage and their adventure across the plains begins. Haidie is a character and so very enjoyable to read. It is her telling the story that creates a memorable novel.

Wanted: A Cowboy for Christmas by Anne McAllister

 

The story is close to a second chance romance but the first chance did not happen. It could have though. Allison was a young teen when she met older Jess on her grandfather’s Colorado ranch. When he dies, Allison finds herself back at the ranch with Jess. She cannot hide her feelings for him. Jess is battling his own for her. When the unexpected happens, emotional chaos begins. Great story.

A Legend in the Baking by Jamie Wesley

 

August and Sloane. She has crushed on him since her teens. He also crushed on her but pushed the feelings way down and married someone else. Thrown together for a social media blitz, their chemistry is way over the top. They are still in denial. A Spicy and fun romance.

The Wrangler's Christmas Gift by Roxanne Snopek

 

The events at Christmas bring together the lost children of Heather to celebrate the season and witness a wedding. Finding out that they were triplets was devastating for the triplets and even more impacting for their mother Heather. In this story, coming together can be a time for healing and acceptance. Heather’s guardianship daughter, Em, is in fear of losing Heather to her biological children even though Heather assures her of her love. A former foster child of Heather, Colt, estranged from both Heather and Em, is also part of the healing and of restoring his place with Em. Throw in a huge surprise, this book is a wonderful telling of family, Christmas, and love.

Christmas Baby for the Cowboy by Jamie K. Schmidt

 

Spicy and sweet tale of a mother, a father, a baby and their struggles. As financial worries pile up, Taylor and Loretts work to find ways to make ends meet. Loretta has doubts springing up about their relationship. Taylor is as sure as ever.

A wonderful story of their relationship and of them making mistakes and always trying to find their way together.

A Southern Christmas by Susan Sands, Sinclair Jayne, and Laurie Beach

 

A Southern Christmas is a wonderful set of novellas. Each novella has a special nod to the South at Christmas. The stories are engaging, captivating, and full of romance.

The Cowboy's Miracle Baby by Barbara Ankrum

 

Oh, how I loved this story of developing love and the complications that might arise. The impetus for the love is an abandoned baby that binds a widow and his six year old daughter to the woman the baby is left to. The joy of their budding feelings is hampered by the fact that he is a temporary vet and destined to leave when his time is up. The pull to stay is strong and the desire to set down roots is starting to form. If only there was a way.

Wrapped Up in Christmas Love by Janice Lynn

 

An emotional story that will fill your heart with hope of a heart hugging ending. The story is filled with the love of family, the fears of decisions, and the determination to overcome obstacles and roadblocks.

The Cowboy's Family Christmas by Kaz Delaney

 

Joey (Joanna) and Nash were deeply in love. He broke her heart when he left to protect her. Coming back, Val is not ready to trust that he will not leave again no matter how much he pleads his case. Plus, she is pregnant with their baby so there is another person to be concerned with. Danger still surrounds Nash and he is determined to dig through everything to find the true guilty party. Can Joey rebuild her trust in Nash? Is his love true? A captivating story.

The Christmas Cowboy by Eve Gaddy

 

A marriage of convenience is on for pregnant Val and Liam. For Val, it is a way for her baby to be born in marriage, just not to the biological father. For Liam, it is a way to persuade his widowed mother to remarry. Things are great for Val and Liam until the baby’s father starts making huge waves.

Widow's Walk by Raemi A. Ray

 

A delightfully sinister mystery with bodies piling up at an overnight dinner celebration. It seems no one is safe and everyone is trapped in a Chappaquiddick mansion. The ending is a total surprise.

Stuck in Second Gear by Carmen Reid

 

A journey of a lifetime begins with a single step. For Lucie, it is a journey to her ex husband's wedding. Traveling through France with her very pregnant daughter and her neurodiverse nephew, things get exciting. The journey has bumps and bruises as it continues bringing new emotions and life changing decisions. A thoroughly engaging novel.

Rolling Toward Clear Skies by Catherine Ryan Hyde

 

An engaging story that looks at the complications of a family that changes when orphan teen girls are adopted. The two biological teen sisters resent the addition of the girls and their behavior reflects their resentment and their privilege. It is a telling remark and contrasts with the behavior of the adopted daughters. Their mother struggles with her own lack of judgment in raising her biological daughters, indulging their every whim. The road to creating a cohesive family is long and painful. 

Catching A Christmas Cowboy by Leah Vale

 

Such a sweet and cute romance. Emma works with the Girls and Grit ranch with the broncos. Noah is just discharged from the Seals. Both have insecurities about life and work. They have chemistry together but he feels he has nothing to offer. There is love building if they can only reach out and grab hold.

Like Mother, Like Mother by Susan Rieger

 

A completely engrossing story of the lives of a mother, her daughter, and the mystery of her mother’s life. The conversations are short and to the point. The narration follows the same pattern. It is loaded with successes and disappointments. I thoroughly enjoyed the story and the format.

The Tuscan Diary by Anita Chapman

 

A cute story of how a soldier’s lost diary brings renewed life to a young journalist. The diary was lost during WWII and the grandson of the man who had the diary returns it to a woman in a small English town. Her granddaughter is tasked with reading the diary. The reading begins a journey for her of discovery and love.

I would rate it higher but there is too much rambling and filler than I considered necessary.

Framed by John Grisham and Jim McCloskey

 

I read through three of the recounts of innocent victims convicted of crimes they did not commit. I was unable to read any more as the ineptness and racism in each crime turned my stomach as they should to anyone who reads this book. I can say that if true crime and proving the innocence is something you would read, this book would be number one on the list.