Waiting for the Rancher ~ Review

Waiting for the Rancher

High Country Ranch #1

By Jody Hedlund

Maverick Oakley just wants to make everything all right. Unfortunately, everything goes wrong when his best friend's bride-to-be gets pre-wedding jitters. Now, Sterling wants to kill him, and the rest of the Oakley family has made him public enemy number one. Everyone that is except Hazel.

For years, Hazel crushed on her big brother's best friend. But she knows Maverick will never see her as anything other than another little sister. But still, she has her dreams. And at least she can work with Maverick as she helps care for the High Country Ranch's mares and foals. 

Maverick is still mourning the loss of his pa and his ma's decline. Worse, he blames himself for it all. And now that he's ruined his friendship with Sterling, he has no one to lean on—no one except Hazel. Years ago, he promised Sterling that he would never pursue a relationship with Hazel. But something about Hazel is just so right.

Waiting for the Rancher is the first book in Jody Hedlund's new series, High Country Ranch, which follows the Oakley siblings. This series is a companion series to her Colorado Cowgirls. There is plenty of romance for those who love that in their historical fiction (kissing and flirting). This is a case of friends to something more with plenty of roadblocks standing in the way. And who doesn't love a book with horses in it? I know I love horses (I have 10). But those familiar with the author's work won't be disappointed, and if you've never read her before, what better way to introduce yourself to her work than with the first book in a new series.

I was provided a complimentary copy of this book with no expectations but that I provide my honest opinion. All thoughts expressed are my own.

About the Book:

In the high country of Colorado,
there’s nothing more important than loyalty . . . except maybe love.

Hazel Noble loves her job managing the mares at High Country Ranch. As the foaling season begins, she gets to spend even more time with the horses . . . and with her secret crush, Maverick Oakley, the owner of High Country Ranch and her brother Sterling’s best friend.

When Maverick unwittingly ruins Sterling’s wedding, he goes from best friend to worst enemy. With the rift between their families, Maverick is faced with the possibility of losing Hazel, and he can no longer deny how much he’s always cared about her. The trouble is that he and Sterling made a vow not to court each other’s sisters, and he doesn’t want to break his word and cause further problems.

Maverick gathers the courage to speak with Sterling about their vow, but Sterling demands that he stay away from Hazel. When a tragic accident strikes, Maverick is forced to finally choose where his loyalties lie—with his best friend or his best friend’s sister. After pushing Hazel away, will he be too late to win her heart?

• Charming flirt
• Best friend’s sister
• Friends to more
• Secret crush
• Emotional scars
• Unexpected injury
• Horse ranch

*All of the High Country Ranch series books are sweet, closed-door romances with plenty of sizzle. The inspirational themes are light, and the book's main focus is romance.

Highcliffe House ~ Review

Highcliffe House

Proper Romance

By Megan Walker

Highcliffe House is a story of first impressions and misjudgments as Anna Lane and Graham Everett are forced to work together when Anna's father has her fill in for him when researching a potential investment opportunity. An opportunity that could be the making of Graham as he seeks to find a permanent means of earning an income to provide for his mother and sisters.

For the last three years, Anna and Graham have been polite to one another but dislike each other. A week spent together in one another's presence is something to endure. At least that seemed to be the case until Graham's little sister Tabs (Tabitha) befriended Anna. Suddenly, the two see one another in a new light.

But new light or not old feelings and old grievances are hard to change, especially when money is involved.

This was a delightful addition to the Proper Romance collection from Shadow Mountain. This book has a Regency setting with an enemies-to-friends-to-something-more feel to it. I loved how the story progressed in a back-and-forth between Graham and Anna's POV. It was interesting to see how they both changed. And then disaster strikes, and all seems lost. I love how challenges arise, and one is left wondering just how everything will be put to rights or if despair will take hold. Highly recommended to fans of clean reading Regency and Historical Romance.  

I was provided a complimentary copy of this book with no expectations but that I provide my honest opinion. All thoughts expressed are my own.

About the Book:

The daughter of a wealthy investor and a handsome young businessman clash in this enemies-to-lovers romance from the author who brought you Lakeshire Park.

1813, Brighton, England
When Anna Lane offered her heart to Alexander Lennox, she did not expect to learn he had secretly promised his suit to another. Hurt and embarrassed, Anna begs her father to take her to the seaside where she can escape the gossip of the ton and recover, but her father insists they remain in London so he can attend to some business. Feeling the sting of rejection again, Anna longs for the day when she can dictate her own future and find a companion who will love her for who she is.

Born into modest circumstances, Graham’s hard work and ability to spot a good investment has allowed him to provide for his mother and younger sisters. Now, with a new opportunity in his sights, Graham approaches Mr. Lane, his business partner and mentor, hoping to persuade him to travel to Brighton to close the deal. Graham must act fast or else he might lose his chance to turn his meager earnings into permanent financial stability.

To Graham’s relief, Mr. Lane is interested in his proposal, but he counters with one of his own. He has business elsewhere, so Anna—whom he trusts with his business affairs—will accompany Graham to Brighton, and if she gives a good report, he will invest. Both Anna and Graham hesitate. Though they have a passing acquaintance through Anna’s father, the two have never truly got along. Anna feels that Graham is only interested in money, while Graham feels that Anna is stubborn and self-absorbed.

The two reluctantly travel to Brighton together, and Anna is determined to find fault with every inch of the seaside town—including Graham. She is tired of feeling like a pawn being moved about by other people’s desires. But while staying at Highcliffe House and seeing the kind and gentle way Graham treats his family, Anna wonders if there is more to her rival than she thought.

But it will take more than a day at the beach for these two headstrong hearts to admit that if they set aside their misconceptions about each other and be vulnerable enough to share their true selves, they might have a chance at real love

Love on a Whim ~ Review

Love on a Whim

Cape Cod Creamery #3

By Suzanne Woods Fisher

First off I have to say I just love the cover of this book - the cake, the pastel colors of sunrise (or sunset) it just drew me to the book. Yes, I know don't judge a book by it cover but it can certainly be the first step towards picking out a book. And this cover does the book justice as the author takes us back to Cape Cod for a third visit. This time Dawn Dixon's BFF Brynn Haywood is the central character.

Brynn has done something totally out of character - she got married to a man she met hours before. Yikes! And that's exactly how she's now feeling. And Dawn, being Dawn, wants to fix everything, even if it means ignoring everything Brynn wants. Because Dawn knows best, even if everyone else thinks she basically a control freak. 

But Brynn's arrival in Cape Cod couldn't have come at a better time as Linc Hayes, the Dixon family friend, estranged family is "in town" for Linc's daughter's wedding. Can you see where this is going? Yeah, everyone is going to have to pitch in to pull off this wedding, because there is a mom-zilla of the bride thing going on. And all the while Brynn is trying to figure out just where she wants her life to be headed.

This is the final book in the series, but it can be read as a standalone title if you haven't read the previous books. It was actually really good and it was interesting to see Dawn in action again. I have to admit I would not want her for a friend - I can just imagine what she'd find wrong with my life (inner cringe) and want to fix. I love how Cape Cod brought changes to the lives of so many, by visiting they were able to take a look at their lives from a different perspective and "reset" their lives so to speak. And did I mention I love the cover!

I was provided a complimentary copy of this book with no expectations but that I provide my honest opinion. All thoughts expressed are my own.

About the Book:

Brynn Haywood's impulsive marriage to a man she'd known less than 24 hours leaves her with deep regret. She flees to Cape Cod, finding refuge with her loyal friend, Dawn Dixon. As Brynn grapples with her emotions, Dawn acts swiftly, eager to help secure a lawyer for her through her mother Marnie's good friend, Lincoln Hayes. However, Lincoln's preoccupation with his daughter's lavish wedding brings unexpected challenges.

The arrival of Lincoln's estranged son, Bear Hayes, stirs the waters further. Alarmed by his father's extravagant generosity toward the Dixon family, Bear ignites friction between Marnie and Lincoln. As the wedding day arrives, Lincoln vanishes--and an unwelcome guest makes a surprise appearance.

Bestselling author Suzanne Woods Fisher delights with this sweet story of love, family, and the unpredictability of life.

Memorial Day and Its Personal Cost

 Memorial Day always brings to mind my Dad. 

He served yet his service caused irreparable damages that wouldn't be seen for many years.
These damages were stealthy, damaging as they made their way throughout his body.
By the time there were physical signs it was already too late. But efforts were made,
we had hope that maybe he could hold on a little longer. Maybe a new treatment would be
discovered. But his service in Vietnam exposed him to Agent Orange. And it worked all too
well. It affected him on a cellular level, altering tissue, lying in wait, and taking his life too soon.
He was only in his 50s and never had the opportunity to see his daughters step into the roles that
life would offer them. His love of the written word had an impact and I appreciate the love of
book he shared with me.
I wish you had been able to write the books you had planned to.
May the words I share be a legacy to honor both you and our Heavenly Father.

Sheltered by the Doctor ~ Review

Welcome to the Blog + Review Tour for 

Sheltered by the Doctor by Danielle Grandinetti, 

hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

Sheltered by the Doctor
Harbored in Crow's Nest #5
By Danielle Grandinetti

Dr. Nick Matrone has made Crow's Nest his home; he just wishes people would stop judging him because of his Italian heritage. One person who doesn't seem to hold it against him is Mindy Zahn.

Mindy doesn't want to be a waitress, but she needs to help her family survive the less productive years that the farm's been having. And she's tired of men thinking she's morally loose because of her job. 

Nick is different, his looks are respectful, but she knows once he learns that she uneducated and illiterate he'll think her beneath him. But when her little sister Mabel is left behind when her parents suddenly leave town, Mindy needs help though she's loath to admit it.

But when danger comes to her door literally, Mindy will need to accept the help of her friends and the plan that they come up with to keep her and Mabel safe. But for the plan to work, she just might break her heart. But can she and Nick pretend to have a relationship that they don't have but both want? Um, hm, you know where this is going. But who's to say if it is a good thing or just another danger magnet that could get them both killed.

Danielle Grandinetti is a skilled weaver of Historical fiction with touches of romance and mystery to capture and engage one's attention. And I'll be honest: I live in Wisconsin and love reading about it. Now, this is the fifth book in the series, but it can be read and enjoyed without reading the previous books, as there are only a couple of scenes that reference previous interactions between other characters. All-in-all, it is a good read and one I would recommend without hesitation to anyone 13 years and up.

I was provided a complimentary copy of this book with no expectations but that I provide my honest opinion. All thoughts expressed are my own.

About the Book

Title: Sheltered by the Doctor
Series: Harbored in Crow's Nest #5
Author: Danielle Grandinetti
Publisher: Hearth Spot Press
Release Date: May 21, 2024
Genre: Christian Historical Romantic Suspense

A fake relationship might keep her safe, but will it break their hearts? 

Wisconsin, 1931—Mindy Zahn can’t understand why her parents deserted the family farm, leaving her mute younger sister in her care. Until her mother’s cryptic warning to keep her sister safe becomes a life-threatening task. 

Searching for that elusive something to ease his weary heart, Dr. Nick Matrone is drawn to the cheery Mindy. He would never presume to bring such a sweet woman into his beleaguered past, so friendship is all he can offer. Except, he doesn’t expect needing to save her life. 

As the danger grows, they both must battle through physical and emotional wounds to have a hope of their counterfeit relationship becoming true. 

Welcome to Crow’s Nest, where danger and romance meet at the water’s edge.

PURCHASE LINKS: Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop | BookBub

More Books in This Series

   

   

---

About the Author

Danielle Grandinetti is an award-winning inspirational romance author fueled by tea and books. As a FHLCW Reader’s Choice and Selah Award Finalist, she mixes romance, suspense, and history to bring her stories to life. Originally from the Chicagoland area, she now lives along Lake Michigan’s Wisconsin shoreline with her husband and their two young sons. Find her online at daniellegrandinetti.com.

Connect with Danielle at daniellegrandinetti.com to follow her on social media and sign up for email updates.

---

Tour Giveaway

One (1) winner will win a Crow's Nest Prize Bundle, which includes a print copy of Confessions to a Stranger, a Crow's Nest canvas tote, a Crow's Nest paperback notebook, and Crow's Nest stickers!

The full tour schedule is linked below. The giveaway begins at midnight on May 22, 2024, and will last through 11:59 PM EST on May 29, 2024. The winner will be notified within 2 weeks of the close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or risk forfeiture of the prize. US only. Void where prohibited by law or logistics.

The giveaway is subject to JustRead Publicity Tours Giveaway Policies.

Enter Giveaway

---

Follow along at JustRead Tours for a full list of stops!

Hunting Justice ~ Review

Hunting Justice 

Elite Guardians: Savannah #2

By Sami Abrams 

     and Lynette Eason

Dr. Jonah Harris has just been handed a problem and it could get him killed. Wanting to protect the memory of his mentor Jonah reaches out to his best friend Noelle Burton. Jonah needs her discretion and her her skills as an ex-detective and her connections as an Elite Guardian. What he never expected was that by helping him she was putting herself in danger too.

Noelle has been keeping a secret. A big one, one she knows will keep her from ever finding love and the family she's always dreamed of having. And now her past is about to intersect with a series of dark crimes. Crimes that someone is intent on staying hidden in the shadows.

But Jonah and Noelle will have to face their pasts and the pain they hold if they hope to stop a killer before it is too late. And maybe by confronting their demons they may have a future they never thought possible.

This is the second book in the spin-off series Elite Guardians: Savannah. This book offers all the suspense and twists one came to expect and appreciate from the previous series Elite Guardians and Elite Guardians Collection. The story is engaging and leaves one wondering at times what's next as the danger ratchets up throughout until the conclusion.

I was provided a complimentary copy of this book with no expectations but that I provide my honest opinion. All thoughts expressed are my own.

---

Available to purchase at: Sunrise Publishing Amazon 

About the Book:

A dark secret puts them in the crosshairs of a relentless killer…

Ex-detective and current Elite Guardian Noelle Burton survived a horrifying attack by a serial killer as a child. Now, determined to put the scars of her past behind her, she’s intent on helping the Elite Guardians set up shop in her hometown of Savannah, Georgia. More, she’s wondering if her friendship with Dr. Jonah Harris, an ex-ER doctor turned medical examiner, might be more. But he has his own demons to fight—namely guilt over the death of his wife.

So, maybe not.

Meanwhile, Jonah can’t ignore the growing desire he feels for Noelle. If only he knew he wasn’t going to destroy their friendship…

And then, tragedy strikes—the sudden death of a colleague rocks his world, and Jonah knows that there’s more to the incident than meets the eye. In fact, he may have been the intended target. Now he needs Noelle…not just as a friend, but as a protector.

Noelle will have to protect Jonah, while not letting their friendship spark into something more, and Jonah will have to unravel the threat that stalks him. Clues lead them down a dark path, revealing unsettling connections to a series of unsolved crimes. And when they stumble upon the chilling possibility of a serial killer lurking in the shadows, all Noelle’s nightmares come back to life.

Then the unthinkable occurs—the killer strikes again, targeting someone close to them. Noelle and Jonah race against time to expose the truth and capture the killer…and when their friendship becomes something deeper, it’s clear they have everything to lose.

Don’t miss this gripping story of resilience, trust, and the power of love in the exhilarating second book of the Elite Guardians: Savannah.

An Ocean of Courage and Fear ~ Review

An Ocean of Courage and Fear

By Jerry Borrowman

This book opens on December 7, 1941, before word of the attack on Pearl Harbor had reached anyone outside of Hawaii. Word of the utter destruction of the US Naval fleet stationed and docked shocked the world. And those who were serving are about to have their world forever altered, going from a state of peace in the Pacific Ocean to a state of war in mere minutes. 

This book mixes fictional characters with the historical events adding more depth and bringing the reader's emotions into play as the fears and uncertainty pull the Pacific nations into the war. We are introduced to Lieutenant Commander Justin Collier, assigned to the USS Salt Lake City, and his wife Heidi, who volunteers as a nurse following Pearl Harbor. But there are so many more people whose lives are changed as the United States and Japan are drawn into war, a war that will cost many much. 

The title An Ocean of Courage and Fear describes the emotions those onboard the naval ships have to deal with daily during the days of World War 2. I appreciated that the author provided a listing of which characters were fictional and which were historical. The book takes us from December 1941 into June 1945. The USS Salt Lake City along with Honolulu is the main setting, and getting a glimpse of life aboard a heavy cruiser during a time of war is interesting, especially as when the book opens war is mere minutes away though no one is aware of it.

This book would be of interest to those who are into World War 2 or Naval history. This would be an excellent selection for a High School book report when the topic is Historical fiction. Events aren't glamorized but are presented in a way so as to engage the reader's interest throughout.

I was provided a complimentary copy of this book with no expectations but that I provide my honest opinion. All thoughts expressed are my own.

About the Book:

Based on survivor accounts, this gripping novel opens days after the attack on Pearl Harbor. It details three years of sea battles that spanned between Hawaii and the shores of Okinawa with the crew of one of the most decorated ships of the Pacific War.

Onboard the heavy cruiser USS Salt Lake City, Lieutenant Commander Justin Collier is out to sea when Japan attacks the United States. Upon his return to Honolulu, the gravity of the war begins to change him, as does every subsequent mission, including a rare beach landing with an Army infantry division. He fears his wounds of war, both physical and mental, will be incurable.

Meanwhile, on the day of the attack on Pearl Harbor, volunteer nurse Heidi Collier feels overwhelmed by the number of casualties. She watched the bombing as she huddled with her two children in front of their home, hoping that her husband aboard the USS Salt Lake City was safe.

Lieutenant Riley Bracken feels the sudden g-force of his catapult-launched observation floatplane with each harrowing mission. Alerting the USS Salt Lake City of enemy ships gives him purpose, which is why no one can know about his recent bouts of vertigo. He can’t risk losing what he loves most.

Fifteen-year-old Al Jowdy lied about his age in order to join the Navy. Whatever he believed Navy life would be was shot out of the water—twice—when his ships were torpedoed. Now aboard the Salt Lake City, he hopes his luck hasn’t run out.

An Ocean of Courage and Fear reveals the harrowing, true, never-before-told events that surrounded the crew of the USS Salt Lake City as they endured all the major action in the Pacific War.