Fun Friday!

 

WOW {Warm Oven Wednesday}

 

All Is Calm, All Is Bright: A Colleen Coble Christmas Collection by Colleen Coble

 

  

Book Description: Return to two of Colleen Coble’s most beloved settings—Bluebird Ranch and Hope Beach—for holiday romance and mystery!

All Is Calm

It’s going to be an unexpectedly romantic Christmas at Bluebird Ranch.

Brendan Waddell has always considered Bluebird Ranch a little piece of heaven: an idyllic ranch that pairs abused children with abused horses, run by one of his Marine buddies. Now, it seems just the place to spend Christmas recovering from an on-the-job injury.

Lauren Everman first came to the ranch as a foster kid, but now knows it’s the perfect hideout. As the witness to a murder, Lauren needs somewhere to lie low. Her beauty immediately catches Brendan’s attention—but so does her secretive behavior. This Special Ops Intel man knows a woman on the run when he sees one. Can he trust her, or is she putting the ranch at risk? One thing is certain: he’s going to do everything he can to keep her safe so he can see what magic Christmas brings.

All Is Bright

A romantic Christmas wedding at Tidewater Inn gives Delilah’s unique gifts a chance to shine. But will her light be snuffed out before the bride and groom say “I do”?

As manager of the Tidewater Inn, Delilah Carter has been planning a spectacular Christmas wedding for her friend, Elin Summerall. But when Delilah’s car is forced off the road and into the ocean, she finally has to admit that the strange phone calls she’s been receiving lately may be more than just pranks.

Sheriff Tom Bourne has always had a soft spot for Delilah, and he’s determined to protect her. He hopes to win her heart by giving her the surprise gift of a lifetime . . . but first he has to make sure nothing happens to her before Christmas Day.

My Thoughts:  The Christmas reads are coming in...yay!  

Coleen Coble has two great novellas in one sweet book. 

The first novella, All Is Calm, is full of suspense.  Ironically, all is not calm at Bluebird Ranch.  Lauren Everman comes to the ranch to hide out.  She remembers the ranch from her days as a foster child. And Brendan Waddell comes to the ranch to visit friends. 

Brendan feels "love at first sight for Lauren.  But as he gets to know her he knows she is hiding something.  

A great short story full of suspense and mystery!

Then All Is Bright is the story about Delilah.  Delilah wants her friend to have the dream wedding she always wanted.  Sheriff Tom Bourne has admired Delilah and wants to protect her...he also wants to win her heart.  He plans a great surprise for her.  

Another great suspense short story with wonderful characters that come to life in the pages of a great read!

This book would make a nice Christmas card for someone who needs a lift during the holidays.

• Publisher: Thomas Nelson 
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0718037820
• ISBN-13: 978-0718037826

WOW {Warm Oven Wednesday}

 

 

 I've had a difficult time finding a non candy advent calendar so when I saw this one on Pinterest I knew I could make it.  It's pretty self explanatory {No directions} And it looks like fun.

Amish Christmas at North Star: Four Stories of Love and Family (Four Authors)

 

  

Book Description:  One night four lives entered the world by the hands of an Amish midwife, just outside North Star, Pennsylvania. 

Rebekah’s babies, as they are called, are now grown adults and in four heartwarming novellas each young person experiences a journey of discovery, love, and the wonder of Christmas.

Guiding Star by Katie Ganshert

Curiosity gets the best of Englisher Chase Wellington when he investigates the twenty-five-year-old disappearance of an Amish baby. When he finds adventurous Elle McAllister in Iowa will his discoveries upend her world? 

Mourning Star by Amanda Flower

Eden Hochstetler slips from her parents’ fudge shop to investigate the death of her friend Isaac Yoder.  Who is guilty? Isaac’s handsome great nephew Jacob, an angry Englisher, or someone else?

In the Stars by Cindy Woodsmall

Kore Detweiler has nursed his broken heart, avoiding North Star after Savilla Beiler suddenly rejected his love.  But when he is called to return home, he and Savilla must join forces to keep a family together.

Star of Grace by Mindy Starns Clark and Emily Clark

Andy Danner left North Star to work in construction in a new Amish settlement in Louisiana. His little brother devises a scheme to bring Andy home for Christmas, and unwittingly unleashes the power of forgiveness in an old widower’s life.

My Thoughts:  Amish Christmas at North Star features some of my favorite authors.  It was a happy day when this book came in the mail!  

North Star, Pennsylvania is a busy place with four babies being born.  These are the stories of Rebekah's Babies:

Guiding Star was the first story I had read by Katie Ganshert.  This short story is actually a mini mystery.  An Amish baby went missing twenty-five years ago and Englisher Chase Wellington decides to cure his curiosity and find out where this baby has "gone to".  An interesting little mystery.

The second mini mystery is by one of my favorite Amish mystery authors, Amanda Flower.  In Mourning Star, Eden decides she will investigate the death of her friend Issac.  I loved this mystery!

Cindy Woodsmall writes about Kore and Savilla In the Stars.  This was a nice short romance.  

Lastly, Mindy Starns Clark and Emily Clark penn a sweet story about love and forgiveness in Star of Grace.

Amish Christmas Star at North Star is a wonderful Christmas read for Amish fans!  A not.to.be.missed read!

 

Book Description:  On a solo ski vacation in Canyon Mines, Colorado, Tucker has a love-hate relationship with his wealth, spending indiscriminately while skiing fearlessly and preparing to conquer the overgrown slope of Hidden Run, a dangerous run not attempted in decades. As genealogist Jillian tries to uncover enough of Tucker’s family tree to understand his charming nature but reckless resolve, Jillian’s equally charming father, Nolan, cajoles Tucker into giving him ski lessons to get him talking about the suspicious circumstances surrounding his grandfather’s life in St. Louis in the 1930s. 

On the surface, Tucker’s family’s history seems too perfect. The secret may lie in the sealed envelope Tucker carries with him at all times—even on the ski slope. When no one can find Tucker to tell him the fiancée he never mentioned turned up in Canyon Mines, they realize he must be off attempting to ski Hidden Run alone in a snowstorm. And they may be too late. 

My Thoughts:  I read the first book, The Inn At Hidden Run, but it just didn't grab me.  So when I saw the title to this second book I decided to give it another go.  So glad I did because this second story was so interesting and although it wasn't suspenseful, the mystery was great.

Tucker is quite a wealthy young man who spends his money mostly on pleasure things to fill an empty life.  But when he goes to Colorado to ski and to conquer the Hidden Run slope that no one has attempted to conquer in years because of the danger, Tucker meets Jillian and her father.  

Jillian soon realizes that Tucker's family history seems to be too good.  And  why does Tucker carry a sealed envelope in his pocket?

Jillian smells a case and decides to investigate.  All is not as it seems.

Fun Friday!

 

WOW {Warm Oven Wednesday}

 

Deadlock (FBI: Houston) by DiAnn Mills

 

 

Book Description:  Two murders have rocked the city of Houston. Are they the work of a serial killer, or is a copycat trying to get away with murder?

That is the question facing Special Agent Bethany Sanchez, who is eager for her new assignment in violent crimes but anxious about meeting her new partner. Special Agent Thatcher Graves once arrested her brother, and he has a reputation for being a maverick. Plus, their investigative styles couldn’t be more opposite: he operates on instinct, while she goes by the book.

When hot leads soon fizzle out, their differences threaten to leave them deadlocked. But an attempt on their lives turns up the heat and brings them closer together, and a third victim might yield the clue that will help them zero in on a killer. This could be the case of their careers . . . if they can survive long enough to solve it.

My Thoughts:  I've been waiting for this book!  I've read all of the FBI: Houston books.  Each book is about a different crime and different agents that work on the cases.  But  all the crimes take place in Houston, Texas.

Special Agent Bethany Sanchez and Special Agent Thatcher Graves couldn't be more different in their approaches to solving crimes.  She goes by the law and he goes by what he believes/feels.  They are placed as a team to solve two murders that have rocked Houston.

As their leads fizzle out it seems that this case becomes a deadlock...nothing is happening.

But then a third victim and an attempt on the agents lives turns up the heat on this case.

As the agents begin to rely on each other and trust each other.  They realize that their opposite ways of solving crimes can actually help them solve the crimes. 

Once again Houston FBI has some of the best agents in literary fiction!

Again, DiAnn Mills has written fantabulous story!  

• ISBN-10: 1414389957
• ISBN-13: 978-1414389950

All Is Calm, All Is Bright: A Colleen Coble Christmas Collection by Colleen Coble

 

Book Description: Return to two of Colleen Coble’s most beloved settings—Bluebird Ranch and Hope Beach—for holiday romance and mystery!

All Is Calm

It’s going to be an unexpectedly romantic Christmas at Bluebird Ranch.

Brendan Waddell has always considered Bluebird Ranch a little piece of heaven: an idyllic ranch that pairs abused children with abused horses, run by one of his Marine buddies. Now, it seems just the place to spend Christmas recovering from an on-the-job injury.

Lauren Everman first came to the ranch as a foster kid, but now knows it’s the perfect hideout. As the witness to a murder, Lauren needs somewhere to lie low. Her beauty immediately catches Brendan’s attention—but so does her secretive behavior. This Special Ops Intel man knows a woman on the run when he sees one. Can he trust her, or is she putting the ranch at risk? One thing is certain: he’s going to do everything he can to keep her safe so he can see what magic Christmas brings.

All Is Bright

A romantic Christmas wedding at Tidewater Inn gives Delilah’s unique gifts a chance to shine. But will her light be snuffed out before the bride and groom say “I do”?

As manager of the Tidewater Inn, Delilah Carter has been planning a spectacular Christmas wedding for her friend, Elin Summerall. But when Delilah’s car is forced off the road and into the ocean, she finally has to admit that the strange phone calls she’s been receiving lately may be more than just pranks.

Sheriff Tom Bourne has always had a soft spot for Delilah, and he’s determined to protect her. He hopes to win her heart by giving her the surprise gift of a lifetime . . . but first he has to make sure nothing happens to her before Christmas Day.

My Thoughts:  The Christmas reads are coming in...yay!  

Coleen Coble has two great novellas in one sweet book. 

The first novella, All Is Calm, is full of suspense.  Ironically, all is not calm at Bluebird Ranch.  Lauren Everman comes to the ranch to hide out.  She remembers the ranch from her days as a foster child. And Brendan Waddell comes to the ranch to visit friends. 

Brendan feels "love at first sight for Lauren.  But as he gets to know her he knows she is hiding something.  

A great short story full of suspense and mystery!

Then All Is Bright is the story about Delilah.  Delilah wants her friend to have the dream wedding she always wanted.  Sheriff Tom Bourne has admired Delilah and wants to protect her...he also wants to win her heart.  He plans a great surprise for her.  

Another great suspense short story with wonderful characters that come to life in the pages of a great read!

This book would make a nice Christmas card for someone who needs a lift during the holidays.

• Publisher: Thomas Nelson 
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0718037820
• ISBN-13: 978-0718037826