While We Were Dating (The Wedding Date #6) by Jasmine Guillory

Two people realize that it's no longer an act when they veer off-script in this sizzling romantic comedy by New York Times bestselling author Jasmine Guillory.

Ben Stephens has never bothered with serious relationships. He has plenty of casual dates to keep him busy, family drama he's trying to ignore and his advertising job to focus on. When Ben lands a huge ad campaign featuring movie star Anna Gardiner, however, it's hard to keep it purely professional. Anna is not just gorgeous and sexy, she's also down to earth and considerate, and he can't help flirting a little...

Anna Gardiner is on a mission: to make herself a household name, and this ad campaign will be a great distraction while she waits to hear if she's booked her next movie. However, she didn't expect Ben Stephens to be her biggest distraction. She knows mixing business with pleasure never works out, but why not indulge in a harmless flirtation?

But their lighthearted banter takes a turn for the serious when Ben helps Anna in a family emergency, and they reveal truths about themselves to each other, truths they've barely shared with those closest to them.

When the opportunity comes to turn their real-life fling into something more for the Hollywood spotlight, will Ben be content to play the background role in Anna's life and leave when the cameras stop rolling? Or could he be the leading man she needs to craft their own Hollywood ending?

I had liked the other books in this series, but I felt like this storyline was a bit predictable. Plus,  I felt like this book had a lot more sexual encounters throughout it & it made me feel a bit uncomfortable. If the author continues this series to a book 7 or beyond, I hope that they aren't as sex driven as this one. 

 

The Sanatorium (Detective Elin Warner #1) by Sarah Pearse

 

Half hidden by forest and overshadowed by threatening peaks, Le Sommet has always been a sinister place. Long plagued by troubling rumors, the former abandoned sanatorium has since been renovated into a five-star minimalist hotel.

An imposing, isolated getaway spot high up in the Swiss Alps is the last place Elin Warner wants to be. But Elin's taken time off from her job as a detective, so when her estranged brother, Isaac, and his fiancée, Laure, invite her to celebrate their engagement at the hotel, Elin really has no reason not to accept.

Arriving in the midst of a threatening storm, Elin immediately feels on edge--there's something about the hotel that makes her nervous. And when they wake the following morning to discover Laure is missing, Elin must trust her instincts if they hope to find her. With the storm closing off all access to the hotel, the longer Laure stays missing, the more the remaining guests start to panic.

Elin is under pressure to find Laure, but no one has realized yet that another woman has gone missing. And she's the only one who could have warned them just how much danger they are all in... 

This book sounded promising, but I felt like it got a bit predicable. The overall storyline seemed good and it had promise.  I know this is the first in the series & I hope that that the 2nd novel will be better & get more in depth. I feel like this book was more to introduce the characters & personalities. 

Pack Up the Moon by Kristan Higgins

Every month, a letter. That's what Lauren decides to leave her husband when she finds out she's dying. Each month, she gives Josh a letter containing a task to help him face this first year without her, leading him on a heartrending, beautiful, often humorous journey to find happiness again in this new novel from the New York Times bestselling author Kristan Higgins.

Joshua and Lauren are the perfect couple. Newly married, they're wildly in love, each on a successful and rewarding career path. Then Lauren is diagnosed with a terminal illness.

As Lauren's disease progresses, Joshua struggles to make the most of the time he has left with his wife and to come to terms with his future--a future without the only woman he's ever loved. He's so consumed with finding a way to avoid the inevitable ending that he never imagines his life after Lauren.

But Lauren has a plan to keep her husband moving forward. A plan hidden in the letters she leaves him. In those letters, one for every month in the year after her death, Lauren leads Joshua on a journey through pain, anger, and denial. It's a journey that will take Joshua from his attempt at a dinner party for family and friends to getting rid of their bed...from a visit with a psychic medium to a kiss with a woman who isn't Lauren. As his grief makes room for laughter and new relationships, Joshua learns Lauren's most valuable lesson: The path to happiness doesn't follow a straight line.

Sometimes heartbreaking, often funny, and always uplifting, this novel from New York Times bestselling author Kristan Higgins illuminates how life's greatest joys are often hiding in plain sight.

 

The reviews I read for this book on goodreads.com had mixed feelings. Some of them related it to the movie of P.S, I Love You. I thought it sounded interesting & decided to listen to it. I liked how there were two different readers so I could get more into the story & feel the feelings the author was trying to convey.  It is stories like this one that make me think of what would happen if I were to pass before my husband & if he could cope & deal with our life & kids.  This couple didn't have any kids, but we do, which would make things harder in a way.  I know if I lost my husband that I would feel lost.  He completes me in a way that no one else has. So if you like a story of love and lost and starting over, then this would be a good read for you. 

Three Sisters (The Tattooist of Auschwitz #3) by Heather Morris

A promise to stay together.

An unbreakable bond.
A fierce will to survive.

From international bestselling author Heather Morris comes the breathtaking conclusion to The Tattooist of Auschwitz trilogy.

When they are girls, Cibi, Magda and Livia make a promise to their father - that they will stay together, no matter what.

Years later, at just 15 years old, Livia is ordered to Auschwitz by the Nazis. Cibi, only 19 herself, remembers their promise and follows Livia, determined to protect her sister, or die with her.

In their hometown in Slovakia, 17-year-old Magda hides, desperate to evade the barbaric Nazi forces. But it is not long before she is captured and condemned to Auschwitz.

In the horror of the death camp, these three beautiful sisters are reunited. Though traumatised by their experiences, they are together.

They make another promise: that they will live. Their fight for survival takes them from the hell of Auschwitz, to a death march across war-torn Europe and eventually home to Slovakia, now under iron Communist rule. Determined to begin again, they embark on a voyage of renewal, to the new Jewish homeland, Israel.

Rich in vivid detail, and beautifully told, Three Sisters will break your heart, but leave you amazed and uplifted by the courage and fierce love of three sisters, whose promise to each other kept them alive. Two of the sisters are in Israel today, surrounded by family and friends. They have chosen Heather Morris to reimagine their story in her astonishing new novel, Three Sisters.

I read the first in the series, The Tattooist of Auschwitz, back in the summer of 2020. It was really well written & I loved reading the story.  When I found out about this one I knew I had to read it.  I had put it on hold via audiobook but the wait was really long. I found a physical copy at my library & thought I would start reading it while I was waiting for the audiobook.  I finished the entire book before the audiobook became available.    

I loved reading about these 3 sisters & their experiences.  I tried to picture what they saw & felt as they endured the concentration camps, but I don't think anyone can really picture the horrors of what it was really like unless you were actually there.  I enjoyed how it was more than just their time in the camps & how it also showed their life was like & became afterward. How their families changed, grew & was affected by their time in the camps.  This is a book I would highly recommend to anyone. 

It's Better This Way by Debbie Macomber

After divorce shatters her family, one woman's struggle to pick up the pieces finally leads to a new beginning--but is the past truly behind her? #1 New York Times bestselling author Debbie Macomber explores the powerful intersections of love and family in this poignant novel.

It's been nearly six years since Julia Jones had her heart broken. After her husband became involved with another woman, she did everything she could to save their marriage, to no avail. Their two daughters continue to stand by Julia in the wake of their father's behavior--and they've had a tough time getting along with the other woman who became their stepmother. Distraught after selling the family home, Julia moved into a condominium complex that offers the warmth and charm of a fresh start. Now, having settled into her new community and sold her successful interior design business, she's embraced a fulfilling new life, one that doesn't seem to need a man in it. Her beloved father's trusty saying is ringing truer than ever: It's better this way.

But when Julia meets a handsome new resident in the building's exercise room, she can't help but be drawn to him. Heath Johnson is a welcome change from the men she's encountered on the occasional--mostly disastrous--dates her sister has eagerly planned for her over the years. As she and Heath, a divorcé himself, begin to grow close, their friendship blossoms into a love neither of them had expected. However, they soon realize that combining families, even with four adult children, presents inevitable challenges.

When a dramatic revelation threatens the happiness they've found, Julia and Heath must reconcile their love for their children with their love for each other. If they can't, their bright future together may be nothing but a dream.

I have read other books by this author & have enjoyed them. They are good, clean romances that also seem to relate to real life people & situations. The way she tells the story comes across neatly & easy to visualize the story.  I like the plot line and the dramatic revelation & how divorce can be messy on the couple as well as if the children are involved, whether they are adults or not. 

 

So Many Beginnings: A Little Women Remix by Bethany C. Morrow

Four young Black sisters come of age during the American Civil War in So Many Beginnings, a warm and powerful YA remix of the classic novel Little Women by national bestselling author Bethany C. Morrow.

North Carolina, 1863. As the American Civil War rages on, the Freedmen's Colony of Roanoke Island is blossoming, a haven for the recently emancipated. Black people have begun building a community of their own, a refuge from the shadow of the old life. It is where the March family has finally been able to safely put down roots with four young daughters:

Meg, a teacher who longs to find love and start a family of her own.

Jo, a writer whose words are too powerful to be contained.

Beth, a talented seamstress searching for a higher purpose.

Amy, a dancer eager to explore life outside her family's home.

As the four March sisters come into their own as independent young women, they will face first love, health struggles, heartbreak, and new horizons. But they will face it all together.

This was a fun retelling of the story of little women and during the time of the Civil War when they are freed black people, They live together in a community & continue to grow & learn.  Their storylines take a different direction than the original March sisters, but this is a unique way of it being re-told.    A solid 3 stars. 

 

The Engagement Embargo (Meet Me at the Altar #1) by Samantha Chase

Four failed engagements. One year-long hiatus on women.

Elliott Sullivan loves being in love, but after his latest romantic disaster, his friends and family finally put their foot down—no relationships or proposals for at least a year. Ready for his heart not to be squashed under another sexy high-heel, he agrees to fully embrace life as a perpetual bachelor. Which should be easy—especially when he recruits his sister’s best friend for help. Surely he won’t fall for her, no matter how perfect she seems…

Skylar isn’t sorry to see Elliott’s latest relationship go up in flames. She’s had a crush on him for as long as she remembers—not that anything can ever happen there. So when Elliott asks for her help to stop him from breaking his dating embargo, she jumps at the chance. They’ve spent time together before and nothing has come of it. So what could possibly go wrong this time?

Sticking to his embargo would be fine if all this time with Skye wasn’t making Elliott wonder if maybe the perfect girl had been in front of him all along. 

This is another chick flick story & a bit predictable.  But overall the storyline was cute & I'm glad that they realized you can be friends first which can lead to more feelings & not just jumping into a relationship just because you don't want to be alone. 

 

Darling by K. Ancrum

A teen girl finds herself lost on a dangerous adventure in this YA thriller by the acclaimed author of The Wicker King and The Weight of the Stars—reimagining Peter Pan for today’s world.

On Wendy Darling’s first night in Chicago, a boy called Peter appears at her window. He’s dizzying, captivating, beautiful—so she agrees to join him for a night on the town.

Wendy thinks they’re heading to a party, but instead they’re soon running in the city’s underground. She makes friends—a punk girl named Tinkerbelle and the lost boys Peter watches over. And she makes enemies—the terrifying Detective Hook, and maybe Peter himself, as his sinister secrets start coming to light. Can Wendy find the courage to survive this night—and make sure everyone else does, too?

Acclaimed author K. Ancrum has re-envisioned Peter Pan with a central twist that will send all your previous memories of J. M. Barrie’s classic permanently off to Neverland.

This was not the way I expected this story to go.  I know of Peter Pan, Wendy, Tinkerbelle from the story of Peter Pan & Neverland, but the way this author made it come out was so different.  When Peter's secret comes out & the roles of everyone it was crazy & from then I had to know how it finished.  So if you like a story that is reimagined, then this is for you.

 

A Question Mark Is Half a Heart by Sofia Lundberg

 

Elin has the perfect life. A successful photographer, she lives in New York with her husband Sam and their seventeen-year-old daughter, Alice.
But something has always been missing…

When Elin receives a letter from her childhood friend Fredrik on the Swedish island of Gotland, memories come flooding back: of a past she has tried to forget, and a terrible secret she has shared with nobody - a secret that made her flee the island, and never return.

Torn between past and present and afraid the truth will destroy her family, Elin sets out on a journey to another continent, but also to another time and another life.

The description of this book caught my eye & it sounded like an incredible book. As I started listening to it I felt like it was hard to follow & keep track of the characters and the story line. I considered quitting it for a while but decided to keep listening on. About 2/3 of the way into the story the pieces all started to fit together & made sense. It is a story of finding out who you are & where you came from & running from your past until it catches up with you. 

Love at First by Kate Clayborn

 

Sixteen years ago, a teenaged Will Sterling saw—or rather, heard—the girl of his dreams. Standing beneath an apartment building balcony, he shared a perfect moment with a lovely, warm-voiced stranger. It’s a memory that’s never faded, though he’s put so much of his past behind him. Now an unexpected inheritance has brought Will back to that same address, where he plans to offload his new property and get back to his regular life as an overworked doctor. Instead, he encounters a woman, two balconies above, who’s uncannily familiar...

No matter how surprised Nora Clarke is by her reaction to handsome, curious Will, or the whispered pre-dawn conversations they share, she won’t let his plans ruin her quirky, close-knit building. Bound by her loyalty to her adored grandmother, she sets out to foil his efforts with a little light sabotage. But beneath the surface of their feud is an undeniable connection. A balcony, a star-crossed couple, a fateful meeting—maybe it’s the kind of story that can't work out in the end. Or maybe, it’s the perfect second chance...

This was a cute story of an unlikely romance.  As a teenager he heard her talking & became interested by this mysterious girl.  He didn't think as he came back as an adult years later that she would still be living in the building.  I liked listening as the story unfolded. My favorite part was the first poetry reading & the detail that went into that scene. 

Strawberry Shortcake Murder (Hannah Swensen #2) by Joanne Fluke

 

When the president of Hartland Flour chooses cozy Lake Eden, Minnesota, as the spot for their first annual Dessert Bake-Off, Hannah is thrilled to serve as the head judge. But when a fellow judge, Coach Boyd Watson, is found stone-cold dead, facedown in Hannah’s celebrated strawberry shortcake, Lake Eden’s sweet ride to fame turns very sour indeed.

Between perfecting her Cheddar Cheese Apple Pie and Chocolate Crunchies, Hannah’s snooping into the coach’s private life and not coming up short on suspects. And could Watson’s harsh criticism during the judging have given one of the contestants a license to kill? The stakes are rising faster than dough, and Hannah will have to be very careful, because somebody is cooking up a recipe for murder…with Hannah landing on the “necessary ingredients” list. 

The 2nd book in the Hannah Swenson mystery murder series.  This is a great mystery & uses characters from the first book so you can continue to get to know them & see what role they play in the book and perhaps will play on future installments.  I liked the recipes featured in this book & even I had a hard time figuring out the killer until the end. 

Hooked on You (Maple Falls #1) by Kathleen Fuller

When her grandmother injures herself sliding into third base, Riley McAllister must return to her small hometown to help run the family yarn store in this sweet, lighthearted romantic comedy.

Riley McAllister left the small Arkansas town of Maple Falls after graduating high school, hoping to make it big in New York as a mixed media artist. She’s still pursuing her dream when her grandmother begs her to come home and help her manage the store while she recovers from a broken leg she got after sliding into third base during a church softball game (she was safe, by the way). Riley agrees, planning to convince her grandmother to sell the old shop and retire so Riley can get back to the big city. New York is where she belongs, not some hick town that doesn’t even have a decent coffee shop.

Hayden Price’s life hasn’t turned out as he expected either. He still works in the hardware store his family has owned for several generations after his chance to make it out of Maple Falls ended when he blew out his pitching arm during a minor league game. Stuck with debt from college and a broken engagement, he decides to make the best of things when he comes back to Maple Falls and puts together the town’s first church softball team--with him as coach, of course.

Riley and Hayden went to high school together but ran in totally different circles. In fact, it’s safe to say they hated each other. Will that change when the softball team unexpectedly brings them together? Or will the pain and disappointment of their past failures keep them from discovering love in Maple Falls? 

This was another cute little read, and as all chick flick books seem to go, girl and guy meet, get to know each other & in the end fall in love.  And while I already know how this will end, I like hearing the author's words & how they get here.  I found out that there will be a 2nd in the series released next year & I will be reading it. 

 

I'll Keep You Close by Jeska Verstegen

Jeska doesn't know why her mother keeps the curtains drawn so tightly every day. And what exactly is she trying to drown out when she floods the house with Mozart? What are they hiding from?

When Jeska's grandmother accidentally calls her by a stranger's name, she seizes her first clue to uncovering her family's past, and hopefully to all that's gone unsaid. With the help of an old family photo album, her father's encyclopedia collection, and the unquestioning friendship of a stray cat, the silence begins to melt into frightening clarity: Jeska's family survived a terror that they've worked hard to keep secret all her life. And somehow, it has both nothing and everything to do with her, all at once.

A true story of navigating generational trauma as a child, I'll Keep You Close is about what comes after disaster: how survivors move forward, what they bring with them when they do, and the promise of beginning again while always keeping the past close.

I saw the review on goodreads and they were fairly high, so I thought I would give it a try. While this book was fast paced, it was hard to follow at times from her train of thought.  I liked how it dealt with family history & her trying to figure out her family & why her Mom is the way she is. 

 

The Return by Nicholas Sparks

In the romantic tradition of Dear John and The Lucky One, #1 New York Times bestselling author Nicholas Sparks returns with the story of an injured Navy doctor -- and two women whose secrets will change the course of his life.

Trevor Benson never intended to move back to New Bern, NC. But when a mortar blast outside the hospital where he worked as an orthopedic surgeon sent him home from Afghanistan with devastating injuries, the dilapidated cabin he inherited from his grandfather seemed as good a place to regroup as any.
Tending to his grandfather's beloved bee hives while gearing up for a second stint in medical school, Trevor isn't prepared to fall in love with a local . . . and yet, from their very first encounter, his connection with Natalie Masterson can't be ignored. But even as she seems to reciprocate his feelings, she remains frustratingly distant, making Trevor wonder what she's hiding.

Further complicating his stay in New Bern is the presence of a sullen teenage girl, Callie, who lives in the trailer park down the road from his grandfather's cabin. Claiming to be 19, she works at the local sundries store and keeps to herself. When he discovers she was once befriended by his grandfather, Trevor hopes Callie can shed light on the mysterious circumstances of his grandfather's death, but she offers few clues -- until a crisis triggers a race that will uncover the true nature of Callie's past, one more intertwined with the elderly man's passing than Trevor could ever have anticipated.

In his quest to unravel Natalie and Callie's secrets, Trevor will learn the true meaning of love and forgiveness . . . and that in life, to move forward, we must often return to the place where it all began.

Nicolas Sparks has the imagination to do it yet again.  The stories he comes up with are fun to read & get you into the characters lives & feel for them.  As I was reading I kept feeling like I could see it playing out in my mind.  I like the bit of mystery in it as Callie plays a big role in his life once she gets hurt & how it leads to truths about his grandfather.   Great read. 

 

Chocolate Chip Cookie Murder (Hannah Swensen #1) by Joanne Fluke

 

Discover the delicious mystery that started it all!

No one cooks up a delectable, suspense-filled mystery quite like Hannah Swensen, Joanne Fluke's dessert-baking, red-haired heroine whose gingersnaps are as tart as her comebacks, and whose penchant for solving crimes one delicious clue at a time has made her a bestselling favorite. And it all began on these pages, with a bakery, a murder, and some suddenly scandalous chocolate-chip crunchies. Featuring a bonus short story and brand new, mouthwatering recipes, this limited edition of the very first Hannah Swensen mystery is sure to have readers coming back for seconds.

Hannah Swenson already has her hands full trying to dodge her mother's attempts to marry her off while running The Cookie Jar, Lake Eden, Minnesota's most popular bakery. But once Ron LaSalle, the beloved delivery man from the Cozy Cow Dairy, is found murdered behind her bakery with Hannah's famous Chocolate Chip Crunchies scattered around him, her life just can't get any worse. Determined not to let her cookies get a bad reputation, she sets out to track down a killer.

Who would have the sheer audacity and the motive to kill the most punctual delivery man Hannah ever had? Topping the list is the high school football coach. What exactly was his wife doing, making the rounds with the milkman? Could Max Turner, owner of Cozy Cow Dairy, have had a secret he didn't want to share with his top employee? The more Hannah snoops, the more suspects turn up. Why has Lake Eden's most prominent prodigal son, Benton Woodley, just resurfaced? And what about the mysterious Mr. Harris who seemed interested in buying the property next to the dairy, but then disappeared? This is one murder that's starting to leave a very bad taste in Hannah's mouth. And if she doesn't watch her back, Hannah's sweet life may get burned to a crisp.

Filled with a healthy sprinkling of humor and a delightful assortment of nuts, CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIE MURDER serves up a great new mystery series and introduces a delicious, down-home sleuth that mystery readers will surely savor for years to come.

When looking for my next book to read I came upon this one. I like a good mystery & the fact it added recipes that are do-able are a bonus.  I thought the storyline sounded familiar & as I was listening to I realized that I had seen this movie a while back that I had gotten from the library.  Even though I didn't remember who the murderer was, it was fun to hear the story play out again.  There are quite a few books in this series & I plan to read and/or listen to them all. 

Sunflower Sisters (Lilac Girls #3) by Martha Hall Kelly

 

Lilac Girls introduced readers to Caroline Ferriday, an American philanthropist who helped young girls released from Ravensbruck concentration camp. Now, in Sunflower Sisters, Kelly tells the story of her ancestor Georgeanna Woolsey, a Union nurse who joins the war effort during the Civil War, and how her calling leads her to cross paths with Jemma, a young enslaved girl who is sold off and conscripted into the army, and Ann-May Wilson, a southern plantation mistress whose husband enlists.

Georgeanne "Georgey" Woolsey isn't meant for the world of lavish parties and demure attitudes of women of her stature. So when the war ignites the nation, Georgey follows her passion for nursing during a time when doctors considered women a bother on the battlefront. In proving them wrong, she and her sister Eliza venture from New York to Washington, D.C., to Gettysburg and witness the unparalleled horrors of slavery as they become involved in the war effort.

In the South, Jemma is enslaved on the Peeler Plantation in Maryland, where she lives with her mother and father. Her sister, Patience, is enslaved on the plantation next door and both live in fear of LeBaron, an abusive overseer who tracks their every move. When Jemma is sold by the cruel plantation mistress Anne-May at the same time the Union army comes through, she sees a chance to finally escape--but only by abandoning the family she loves.

Anne-May is left behind to run Peeler Planation when her husband joins the Union Army and her cherished brother enlists with the Confederates. In charge of the household, she uses the opportunity to follow her own ambitions and is drawn into a secret Southern network of spies, finally exposing herself to the fate she deserves.

Inspired by true accounts, Sunflower Sisters provides a vivid, detailed look at the Civil War experience, from the barbaric and inhumane plantations, to a war-torn New York City to the horrors of the battlefield. It's a sweeping story of women caught in a country on the brink of collapse, in a society grappling with nationalism and unthinkable racial cruelty, a story still so relevant today.

This is the 3rd book from this Author and I have really enjoyed her writing.  I had seen the first book, Lilac Girls  a while back & put it on my to-read list.  Then when I finally got around to reading it, I enjoyed it immensely.  This 3rd book is about the time of the Civil War and still goes into the history of an ancestor of the first novel.  I liked listening to the stories of Anne-May and Jemma & their experiences & try to see the story from their eyes.   Awesome read that I give 5 stars.  

The Flatshare by Beth O'Leary

 

Tiffy and Leon share a flat
Tiffy and Leon share a bed
Tiffy and Leon have never met…

Tiffy Moore needs a cheap flat, and fast. Leon Twomey works nights and needs cash. Their friends think they’re crazy, but it’s the perfect solution: Leon occupies the one-bed flat while Tiffy’s at work in the day, and she has the run of the place the rest of the time.

But with obsessive ex-boyfriends, demanding clients at work, wrongly imprisoned brothers and, of course, the fact that they still haven’t met yet, they’re about to discover that if you want the perfect home you need to throw the rulebook out the window…

This was a cute little story. It had a fun aspect that they shared an apartment but never see each other. But when they do meet it changes everything.  It is fun to hear their sticky notes to one another as well as the storyline for the brother who was in Prison.  Great read for a fun, fast-paced chick flick story. 

Isabelle and Alexander by Rebecca Anderson

 

Manchester, 1850

Isabelle Rackham knows she will not marry for love. Though arranged marriages have fallen out of fashion, hers has been settled for some time. Alexander Osgood is handsome, well-known, and wealthy, but he is distant and aloof, spending much of his time at his textile mill.

Moreover, Northern England is nothing like Isabelle's home in the Lake Country, and her marriage is far from the fairy tale she expected. Conversations with Alexander are awkward, when they happen at all, and Isabelle struggles with loneliness.

Sensing his wife's unhappiness, Alexander brings Isabelle to his country estate. During their time together, the couple begins to build a friendship, opening up to each other about the details of their lives. But when a tragic accident leaves Alexander unable to walk, their fledgling relationship is tested.

Isabelle is determined to see to her husband's recovery, and in caring for him, she discovers within herself an untapped well of strength and courage. In learning to rely on each other, the couple has an opportunity to forge a love connection that they both have longed for but never dreamed could be. 

This book to me reminded me a bit of a book called, "Me Before You". I also know from other readings and learnings that arranged marriages are hard, especially when you do not know a lot about the other person & you don't love them when you marry them. Pretty much all you have to go off of is a picture that was sent.   This story dealt a lot with his illness & trials of getting better. It also dealt with Isabelle finding out who she was and who she wanted to be in the long run. 

A Reluctant Bride (The Bride Ships #1) by Jody Hedlund

 

After facing desperate heartache and loss, Mercy agrees to escape a bleak future in London and join a bride ship. Wealthy and titled, Joseph leaves home and takes to the sea as the ships surgeon to escape the pain of losing his family. He has no intention of settling down, but when Mercy becomes his assistant, they must fight against a forbidden love.

I thought this story was easy to predict.  Maybe part of it was the narrator of the audiobook, but it just made it seem like while Mercy was innocent and poor, it made her come off a little childlike and uneducated.  In my mind I did see her as very compassionate, loyal and brave, but the book made it hard to see other things. I knew this was a romance from the description and the way they come together was better than I thought it would be.  Give it 3 stars. 

A Daring Sacrifice (An Uncertain Choice #2) by Jody Hedlund

 

The only thing harder than fighting for what’s right…is fighting their feelings for each other.

For three years, the Cloaked Bandit has terrorized Wessex, robbing the nobility by knifepoint and a well-placed arrow. But little does anyone know, this bandit is in fact Juliana Wessex, the rightful ruler of the land and a girl her tyrannical uncle—the current Lord Wessex—believes was killed along with her father.

Juliana has become skilled at hiding from Lord Wessex in the forest, using her stolen goods to provide food and shelter to the peasants her uncle has taxed into poverty. But when she robs Collin Goodrich, her red hair betrays her true identity. Lord Collin remembers Juliana from their childhood—and challenges her to stay on his estate for a week in hopes she will leave her thieving ways and become a proper lady once more. Juliana is intrigued by Collin and his charms, but only time will tell if he can overcome her distaste of the nobility—as well as win her heart.

I liked the aspect of this being a story like Robin Hood, but I did feel like the romance part of this story was a little cheesy. I liked the challenge aspect it, but I found the overall storyline a little expected and predictable.  I would give it 3 stars. 

Come Back to Me (Waters of Time #1) by Jody Hedlund

 

The ultimate cure that could heal any disease? Crazy.

That's exactly what research scientist Marian Creighton has always believed about her father's quest, even if it does stem from a desire to save her sister Ellen from the genetic disease that stole their mother from them. But when her father falls into a coma after drinking a vial of holy water believed to contain traces of residue from the Tree of Life, Marian must question all of her assumptions. He's left behind tantalizing clues that suggest he's crossed back in time. Insane. Until Marian tests his theories and finds herself in the Middle Ages during a dangerous peasant uprising.

William Durham, a valiant knight comes to Marian's rescue and offers her protection . . . as his wife. The longer Marian stays in the past, the more she cares about William. Can she ever find her father and make it back to the present to heal her sister? And when the time comes to leave, will she want to?

Bestselling author Jody Hedlund is your guide down the twisting waters of time to a volatile era of superstition, revolts, and chivalry in this suspenseful story.

I found this book just while perusing the available audiobooks and the cover caught my eye. The description sounded promising enough. I thought this was a great story & I was really rooting for her the whole way through.   I found out that this is just the first one in the series. I can't wait to see the next one to find out what happens to her sister. 

Midnight Sun (The Twilight Saga #5) by Stephenie Meyer

 

When Edward Cullen and Bella Swan met in Twilight, an iconic love story was born. But until now, fans have heard only Bella's side of the story. At last, readers can experience Edward's version in the long-awaited companion novel, Midnight Sun.

This unforgettable tale as told through Edward's eyes takes on a new and decidedly dark twist. Meeting Bella is both the most unnerving and intriguing event he has experienced in all his years as a vampire. As we learn more fascinating details about Edward's past and the complexity of his inner thoughts, we understand why this is the defining struggle of his life. How can he justify following his heart if it means leading Bella into danger?

I had heard from others that when they got it and read it that it was just an okay book. I had purchased this on pre-order when because I am a Twilight fan & wanted to read it & add it to my collection.   This was a longer read via audiobook & since I already knew the main storyline it was fun to hear it from the author's mind to see what she envisioned for him to feel.  During this I also decided to watch the Twilight Movie.  And seeing some of the scenes, it made it better in the long run.  So any Twilight fans, I would recommend this one to add to your collection. 

The Beautiful Pretender (A Medieval Fairy Tale #2) by Melanie Dickerson

What happens when a margrave realizes he’s fallen in love with a servant?

The Margrave of Thornbeck has to find a bride, fast. He invites ten noble-born ladies from around the country to be his guests at Thornbeck Castle for two weeks, a time to test these ladies and reveal their true character.

Avelina is only responsible for two things: making sure her deception goes undetected and avoiding being selected as the margrave’s bride. Since the latter seems unlikely, she concentrates on not getting caught. No one must know she is merely a maidservant, sent by the Earl of Plimmwald to stand in for his daughter, Dorothea.

Despite Avelina’s best attempts at diverting attention from herself, the margrave has taken notice. And try as she might, she can’t deny her own growing feelings. But something else is afoot in the castle. Something sinister that could have far worse—far deadlier—consequences. Will Avelina be able to stop the evil plot? And at what cost?

This had a fun feel to this book as a medieval fairy tale.  It tells of the story of a servant girl who must pretend to be her lady. She doesn't want to do it, but she is guilted into it to keep the rest of her family safe. But while she tries to keep in the background, circumstances change that and she has caught the eye and heart of the margrave. But when he finds out, will he forgive her?