Lake Season. Denise Hunter. #TLCBookTours

Publisher: Thomas Nelson
Date: 12th November 2019
Source: TLC Book Tours via NetGalley

 

Lake Season is the first book in a new series by Denise Hunter set in Bluebell NC. A family of three – two sisters and a brother work to bring to reality their parents dream of opening a bed and breakfast place near a lake. Unfortunately their parents  never could realise the dream themselves as they lost their lives in an accident.

Molly the elder of the girls is a book lover and swoons whenever she hears the name of a certain male author. Unbeknown to her said author is struggling to meet his latest deadline and is in her town looking for a muse and inspiration. But… he keeps his identity secret and writes under a different name. Both of them have a few family issues, yet on the whole are well adjusted young people.

As they put the final touches to the house a letter from the sixties is found in the wall. (The building in one of its former lives was a Post Office). This letter sets Molly off wanting to find out about Lizzie and the man the letter was written to.  By this time Adam (the author) has arrived at the bed and breakfast and he helps. And so begins a journey that will led them to some surprising news and as well, along the way they grow as people.

So there is a pleasant setting, a mystery, some identity deception and kind warm hearted characters. The story pans out satisfactorily and of course – happily! Those looking for a gentle, heart warming romance would certainly enjoy this book.

Connect with Denise

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

Purchase Links

Amazon | Books-A-Million | Barnes & Noble

 

 

Other book reviews from the Tour.

Tuesday, November 12th: Bewitched Bookworms

And tomorrow

Thursday, November 14th: Run Wright

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? a place to meet up and share what you have been, and are about to be reading over the week. It’s a great post to organise yourself. It’s an opportunity to visit and comment and er… add to your groaning TBR pile! So welcome in everyone. This meme started on J Kaye’s blog and then was hosted by Sheila from Book Journey. Sheila then passed it on to Kathryn here at The Book Date.

Jen Vincent, Teach Mentor Texts, and Kellee of Unleashing Readers decided to give It’s Monday! a kidlit focus. If you read and review books in children’s literature – picture books, chapter books, middle grade novels, young adult novels or anything in those genres – join them.

A quiet reading week! I didn’t even start my audiobook, I love a lot of silence and I just need to get started then I’ll get into it!

I went to the movies again this past week which is unusual for me but that’s the way it is. I went to see JoJo Rabbit directed by Taika Waititi – he plays the imaginary HItler in the movie. I thought it was well done, I am not sure whether it is showing overseas. It was in the Toronto Movie Festival earlier in the year.

What I read last week:

Carmel Harrington is my new favourite author. I can’t see her books in the shops here but thanks to the Book Depository I get to read her. Tells a good Irish story and this one will be on my top favourites for the year.

What I am reading now:

One I bought recently.

And hopefully I’ll get started on The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek!

Up next:

A review book

 

Last Week’s Posts

Meant to be Yours.  Susan Mallery

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Meant to be Yours. Susan Mallery

Published:Harlequin
Date. 22nd October 2019
Source. Publisher via NetGalley

Meant to be Yours is #7 in Susan Mallery’s Happily Inc series. However it can easily be read as a stand alone, although I am sure readers of the series will be very happy to catch up with other previous characters.

Happily Inc is a town that has come to life because it caters for specialty destination weddings. In this book we meet Renee, who is one of the actual wedding coordinators. She helps plan all the details and sees it through to the end. She is a lovely down to earth person, except that she has a big hang up about her mother. She loves her very much but can’t cope with a special ability her mother has. Renee has decided that while she plans others weddings, marriage isn’t for her.

Jasper is a writer, ex military who has seen far too much for any human being and has been deeply changed by his war experiences. He believes he can never marry because he is far too damaged and won’t be good in a committed relationship.

They meet! And are about to have all their pre suppositions challenged!

I loved the pet aspect to this book, it added warmth and charm, It also challenged our two – Renee and Jasper to see things differently. I liked the friendship aspect to the story, the women were there for Renee, the men for Jasper – and that was something new for him, now he has friends to turn to. And the love story is sweet.

I wasn’t so enamoured by the wedding planning business. How many ways to add zest to a wedding! What’s wrong with plain ordinary! It bored me somewhat.  However this town has certainly found a way to form a community and make a living which is great.  For those who enjoy a small town romance.

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading?

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? a place to meet up and share what you have been, and are about to be reading over the week. It’s a great post to organise yourself. It’s an opportunity to visit and comment and er… add to your groaning TBR pile! So welcome in everyone. This meme started on J Kaye’s blog and then was hosted by Sheila from Book Journey. Sheila then passed it on to Kathryn here at The Book Date.

Jen Vincent, Teach Mentor Texts, and Kellee of Unleashing Readers decided to give It’s Monday! a kidlit focus. If you read and review books in children’s literature – picture books, chapter books, middle grade novels, young adult novels or anything in those genres – join them.

Well I seem to be busy at present. I guess that’s what going into Spring does!

Last week I went to the movies to see Ride Like a Girl. It was directed by Rachel Griffiths who was one of the sisters in the TV series Sisters and Brothers. It was about the first woman to win the Melbourne Cup – a horse race that many Australians and New Zealanders stop to watch on the first Tuesday in November. Whether we are horse racing enthusiasts or not.

It was an inspiring movie and I loved the story and the scenery. She is still quite young and is now a trainer. She was the youngest of ten and had one brother who has Down’s syndrome. He became a strapper (someone who grooms and cares for the horses) and he played himself in  the movie. Delightful.

What I read last week:

What I am reading now:

 

And I am about to start listening to…

Up next:

 

Last Week’s Posts

All About Evie Cathy Lamb

Connect 5  Books November/December

A Texas Kind of Christmas. Jodi Thomas

October Wrap Up

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October Month Wrap Up

Total books read this month: 15

Authors Come From:

Canada: 2
USA: 9
Australia 2
England 1

New to me authors:

Marjan Kamali
Katherine Reay
Charlie Lovatt

Reading Challenge Update:

This month I completed my Goodreads Challenge.

I am on track with the library challenge and I may or may not make the audiobook challenge.

Reading Club Update:

I read The Bookman’s Tale by Charlie Lovatt as part of the Modern Mrs Darcy Book Club. I read it as a slow read for the month and have to say while I got a little lost in places it was a really good read.

I read At The Mountain’s Edge by Genevieve Graham for the Emilie Richards Reading Challenge – this month it was a book set in Canada.

I read The Last Voyage of Mrs Henry Parker by Joanna Nell as part of the Hachette Australia Books with Heart Facebook group book club.

Top Book for October

Set in a bookshop. This was one I was really happy I had bought and that there is the possibility of one day picking it up and rereading it. Most of my reads this month were 3 and 4 star reads, I think this was my only 5 star read.  Thanks to Katherine P for her review that led me to it.

 

Looking forward to reading in November

I don’t have any specific books I am looking forward to in November but I am looking forward to choosing some off my own shelf!

Main Reading Goals for November…

Complete the Modern Mrs Darcy Reading Challenge

Incoming Books for October

Purchased

.

Library Books

From NetGalley or Edelweiss

Audio Books from Audible

Joining up with Nicole at Feed Your Fiction Addiction

A Texas Kind of Christmas

Published: Kensington Books
Date: 29th October 2019
Source: Publisher via NetGalley

A Texas Kind of Christmas has three novellas by three authors. They are loosely linked by place and year. The first is by Jodi Thomas, and here we are taken to the Texas frontier with a mixture of ranchers, lawmen, supposed outlaws, hotel staff and a young woman about to choose her husband.  She has a wealthy father who just wants to see her married off and happy, but her step mother has nasty intentions. She eventually makes her choice as does Katie one of the hotel maids.

Birdie’s Flight by Celia Bonaduce is the second story. We meet Birdie or Bridget, just arrived in Dallas needing a job. Thanks to a few serendiptious happenings she finds one as a seamstress. We also meet the capricious Charlotte who is looking for that perfect dress for the dance. Birdie is fleeing someone, just who and why we have to read on to find out. By the end of the story both girls find the one they love.

Spirit of Texas  by Rachel Miles gives us a ride through Texas to Dallas on a coach along with Eugenie who has come from England to seek out and bring home her mother.  Asher has been designated to guide her to Dallas to the St Nicholas hotel. Its a story of second chances and a ride through the wild country side.

These stories have plenty of a western feel and are a load of adventure and fun. They are short but each of them is satisfying and I felt did not suffer from being a novella.  I picked this book up because of the name of Jodi Thomas, however I have to say I enjoyed each story – all so well written and engaging.

Connect Five Books – November/December

Join me for 2019 in Connect Five – Books.

 

Congratulations to Bev at Beverley Baird  for Sept/October. She’ll be choosing her book soon.

The last couple of months here are some of the connections readers made.

• Ocean/Water Theme
• Weather Seasons Theme
• Anne Bishop Books – The Others Series
• Five by Sarah MacLean
• Titles with Four Letters
• Brides and British nobility
• Five Books by Francis Beeding
• Five books exploring Diversity
• Louisa May Alcott book Theme
• Summer Theme
• Five books by Victor Bridges

This month readers linked up via blogs, twitter and Goodreads. Which was so cool and readers – so simple!

Remember you didn’t need to sign up for this challenge you can just join in as you see you have five connections.

When you have five that connect in whatever way you are able to group them then link up. How might you do this?  One of these ways is good.

• Write and link up a blog post
• Share the five books on Instagram and link up
• Have a Goodreads shelf and link that up – this may be a little different but maybe use it in combination with a comment would be helpful.
• Or… if you belong to none of these places, share five books in a comment.

What’s the Challenge?

To look for connections between books you read. There will be  many connections that just float over our awareness. Let’s see can we raise that a bit, whether its fairly surface level or something deeper.

If you need some guidelines for this then see the original post. Connect Five Books.

Remember:

• A book can only be used once for this challenge in the year.
• The books must be read in 2019.
• Books can be carried over until you have five of something. It may take a few months to gather five of something.
• You may have  many connections of five to link up . So if you have two groups of five then you can link up twice and so on within a month.
• You may just link one group of five during the year, or many each month. It depends on how many connections you come across!
•  Use the hashtag  #connect5books2019 if sharing on social media.

When?

Every second month I will post a link up on the last Wednesday of the month. This one will finish on the last day of December.

#connect5books2019

A Giveaway

For those who have a five book connection and link up there will be a random prize draw for one reader who will win a book of their choice for that month from the Book Depository.

At the end of the year there will be one draw as well for all those who have participated during the year –  a book of choice from the Book Depository up to the value of $18 U.

Please remember to link to the actual post/place where you have the five connections.

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All About Evie. Cathy Lamb

Published: Kensington
Date: 29th October 2019
Source: Publisher via NetGalley

Evie has premonitions, unbidden they come to her and show her what is going to happen to a person. It drives her crazy because if they are bad she wants to save the person and stop whatever is about to befall them.  Sometimes she saves someone, stops the awful thing happening, other times she experiences powerful guilt that she couldn’t stop it.

Evie runs a bookshop, she is passionate about it, look out if you haven’t read a book lately! She loves animals, and has quite a variety of them, often she has rescued them from mean circumstances. She loves to eat healthily – like ice cream because it has protein and nutritious milk origins.  She adores her sister Jules and loves her mother and aunts. She is so in love with Marco, the vet, but for some unfathomable reason sees no future with this.

Evie’s Mom and two aunts are wacky! They provide much of the comic relief, a bit like the clowns in a Shakespearean play. They love flowers, and the hats they make and wear are outrageous. They drove me a little silly to be honest, but… their hearts are full of love.

And we do need a little comic relief because there is a dark side to this story. We meet Betsy and Johnny, and they are in a very dark horrible place. Prison to be exact. Some of the prison scenes are gut wrenching.

Cathy Lamb in All About Evie explores family, love, friendship, cruelty, heartache and twisted prejudices. It’s entertaining and funny with sad depths. However it’s ultimately  uplifting redemptive  and a celebration of life – a worthwhile read.

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading?

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? a place to meet up and share what you have been, and are about to be reading over the week. It’s a great post to organise yourself. It’s an opportunity to visit and comment and er… add to your groaning TBR pile! So welcome in everyone. This meme started on J Kaye’s blog and then was hosted by Sheila from Book Journey. Sheila then passed it on to Kathryn here at The Book Date.

Jen Vincent, Teach Mentor Texts, and Kellee of Unleashing Readers decided to give It’s Monday! a kidlit focus. If you read and review books in children’s literature – picture books, chapter books, middle grade novels, young adult novels or anything in those genres – join them.

And we come towards the end of October! Hope all that celebrate Halloween enjoy it.

Our Spring weather continues to be capricious. I drove into the city in the most stinking heavy rain one day, bumper to bumper and hardly able to see where I was going. Yucky.

I also got some time to read, quilt and do a bit of gardening, earthing up the potatoes that are appearing. I need to plant beans, I am a bit behind. I only like going out on sunny days!

What I read last week:

One audio completed and enjoyed.  A Texas Kind of Christmas was for review and At the Mountain’s Edge was from my own shelf. All good reading.

What I am reading now:

Oops, accidentally picked this up for review  so am now forging ahead!

And an audio book I bought months ago when there was a sale or something!  Cute cover.

Up next:

A library book

 

Last Week’s Posts

One Wish.  Jodi Thomas

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One Wish. Jodi Thomas

Published: Kensington Books
Date: 29th October 2019
Source: Publisher via NetGalley

One Wish is a novella written by Jodi Thomas with her trademark Texan setting and characters. And there is a canyon! Yes I associate canyons with Jodi’s books.

Maggie has a general store in town – she is all alone her parents having died. One evening bad men storm her store and it is only due to Sam Thompson’s quick thinking that she is saved from them. Needing to get Maggie to safety because the outlaw may gun for her, Sam takes her deep into the canyon he calls home. Oh my I loved the description of how his home is built.

It’s a novella so things move fast, there is action,  we meet a few other delightful characters, a couple who are mean and nasty and one surprising character who arrives at the right moment.

It’s a warm delightful little story and I revelled in it as I read.