Fire & Ice (Wild at Heart) by Mary Connealy

Book Description:  Bailey Wilde is one of the best new ranchers in the West. She's been living disguised as a man for a while, but when Gage Coulter comes to drive her off her homestead, he quickly realizes he's dealing with a woman--a very tough, very intriguing woman at that.

Gage is an honest man, but he didn't make his fortune being weak. He won't break the law, but he'll push as hard as he can within it. Five thousand acres of his best range land is lost to him because Bailey's homestead is located right across the only suitable entrance to a canyon full of lush grass. Gage has to regain access to his land--and he's got to go through Bailey to do it.

Spending a winter alone has a way of making a person crave some human contact. In a moment of weakness, Bailey agrees to a wild plan Gage concocts. Can these two independent, life-toughened homesteaders loosen up enough to earn each other's respect--and maybe find love in the process?

My Thoughts:  I love the cover of this book and knew that the content would be just as lovely...and I wasn't wrong.  

Fire and Ice by Mary Connealy is a fun read.  I love Bailey Wilde (and it's interesting that this is a Wild at Heart series and Bailey's last name is Wilde!)...hmmm.  

Bailey is/has been disguised as a man running a profitable ranch for sometime when Gage Coulter comes to drive her off of her own homestead, the homestead that Bailey she blood and tears for.  There is no way under heaven that Bailey is going to give up her hard earned living and her hard earned homestead.

Well, Gage soon figures out that he is up against a formidable rancher and lo and behold, the rancher is a WOMAN!

Gage has to reclaim some of the five thousand acres that Bailey has in her possession.  So, Gage comes with quite a plan and Bailey, in a moment of weakness, agrees to his plan. 

Once again Mary Connealy pens a fantastic and somewhat humorous western. 

A fun read for all western fans!  No "yuckiness" either. Mary Connealy includes faith and love of God in this great read!

*This book was provided for review by Bethany House*

• Series: Wild at Heart (Book 3)
• Paperback: 336 pages
• Publisher: Bethany House Publishers (October 6, 2015)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0764211803
• ISBN-13: 978-0764211805
• {Back of Book provided by Amazon.com}

COTT {Clash of the Titles} And the Winner Is . . . .

 Congratulations to...

Midnight on the Mississippi

by Mary Ellis

About the book:

What Lies Beneath the Black Water of the Bayou?

Hunter Galen, a New Orleans securities broker, suspects his business partner, James Nowak, of embezzling their clients’ money, but he’s reluctant to jeopardize their friendship. After James turns up dead, Hunter realizes his unwillingness to confront a problem may have cost James his life.

Nicki Price, a newly minted PI, intends to solve the stockbroker’s murder as she establishes herself in the career she adores. As she ferrets out fraud and deception at Galen-Nowak Investments, Hunter’s fiancée, Ashley Menard, rubs her the wrong way. Nicki doesn’t trust the ostentatious woman who seems to be hiding something, but is the PI’s growing attraction to Hunter—the police’s only suspect—her true reason for disliking Ashley?

As Hunter and Nicki encounter sophisticated shell games, blackmail, and death threats both subtle and overt, danger swirls around them like the mysterious dark water of the bayou. Only their reliance on faith and fearless determination give them hope they will live to see another day.

PURCHASE

Amazon

Barnes and Noble

What COTT voters had to say:

--I normally enjoy reading mostly Amish fiction. But, because Mary Ellis is such a wonderful writer, I would choose Midnight on the Mississippi.

--Mary Ellis, Looking forward to reading this.! Congratulations !

--Love to read books written by Mary Ellis. She writes great stories.

--Mary Ellis as with all your books i love this one too, you amaze me each time i read one of your books, they just get better and better

--Mary Ellis, wishing you much success with this one!

--Just love Mary Ellis writing style and always look forward to new releases !!

--Love your books, Mary! Best of luck with MIDNIGHT ON THE MISSISSIPPI!

--Go Mary Ellis! Your books are always wonderful

--Mary Ellis pulls you into the story in the first few pages!

--Mary Ellis, love her work. She writes a character so well, you can feel like you know them, and you can't wait to see what's on the next page.

About the author:

Mary has written twelve bestselling Amish fiction novel along with three historical romances. She is currently working on a romantic suspense series called Secret of the South mysteries for Harvest House Publishers. First of the series, Midnight on the Mississippi is set in New Orleans and was given 4 1/2 stars by RT Book Reviews. Book two, What Happened on Beale Street, is set in Memphis and will release in March. She is a former middle school teacher and lives in Ohio with her husband, dog and cat. She can be found on the Internet at her Website or on FaceBook.

WOW {Warm Oven Wednesday}

Bakeless Cake

1 14-oz. can sweetened condensed milk

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

1 small can crushed pineapple, undrained

40-50 vanilla wafers

1 8-oz. carton cool whip, thawed

2 cups sweetened, flaked coconut (we don't like coconut, so optional)

12-16 maraschino cherries, rinsed

Whisk together sweetened condensed milk and lemon juice in a small bowl until thoroughly combined. Mix in pineapple with juice and set aside.

Line the bottom of a small glass baking dish (8x8 or 7x10) with vanilla wafers. Pour all of the pineapple mixture over vanilla wafers then add another layer of vanilla wafers on top of pineapple mixture. Spread cool whip evenly on top of vanilla wafers then sprinkle with coconut. Top with cherries then cover and refrigerate at least 8 hours before serving.

{Kregel Blog Tour} The Methuselah Project: A Novel by Rick Barry (Author)

Book Description:  In World War II, German scientists began many experiments. One never ended. 

Roger Greene is a war hero. Raised in an orphanage, the only birthright he knows is the feeling that he was born to fly. Flying against the Axis Powers in World War II is everything he always dreamed―until the day he's shot down and lands in the hands of the enemy.

When Allied bombs destroy both his prison and the mad genius experimenting on POWs, Roger survives. Within hours, his wounds miraculously heal, thanks to those experiments. The Methuselah Project is a success―but this ace is still not free. Seventy years later, Roger hasn't aged a day, but he has nearly gone insane. This isn't Captain America―just a lousy existence only made passable by a newfound faith. The Bible provides the only reliable anchor for Roger's sanity and his soul. When he finally escapes, there's no angelic promise or personal prophecy of deliverance, just confusion. It's 2015―and the world has become an unrecognizable place.

Katherine Mueller―crack shot, genius, and real Southern Belle―offers to help him find his way home. Can he convince her of the truth of his crazy story? Can he continue to trust her when he finds out she works for the very organization he's trying to flee?

My Thoughts: When it comes to reading I enjoy books about WWII.  And The Methuselah Project is one "crazy" read!  I use the word crazy in the broadest sense of the word.  Simply because this book is labeled Christian Suspense but to me it was a little more like Christian Science Fiction.  

Did I enjoy this read?  A resounding YES!

One must think of what the word Methuselah means and then this story begins to click.

Roger Greene was born to fly and he does fly against the Axis Powers in WWII but his plane is shot down in enemy territory and this is where the story begins.

When the Allied bombs destroy the prison where he held captive he survives.  But not only is he a survivor but all his wounds miraculously heal and he never ages...seventy years later he still looks like a young man.

Roger finds that the Bible is the only anchor for his weary soul as he sometimes feels that he is going insane.

A great read as a "young" man tries to escape those who wish him harm and a beautiful young woman who tries to help him.

Quite a read!

*This book was provided for review by Kregel Publications*

Meet the Author:

Rick Barry has authored three novels (Gunner's Run, Kiriath's Quest, most recently The Methuselah Project) as well as hundreds of published articles, short stories, and devotional pieces. He speaks Russian and has visited Eastern Europe over 50 times. His experiences have included skydiving, mountain climbing, rappelling, camping in Russia, kayaking, wilderness hiking, white-water rafting, and visiting World War II battlegrounds. He believes that all experiences in life provide fuel for a writer's imagination. 

He enjoys speaking to school groups and has occasionally guest-taught writing classes for various colleagues. You can contact Rick through his author site, https://www.rickbarry.blogspot.com or via his Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorRickBarry.

• Paperback: 320 pages
• Publisher: Kregel Publications (September 27, 2015)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0825443873
• ISBN-13: 978-0825443879

A Moment of Weakness (Forever Faithful) by Karen Kingsbury

Book Description:  Had they found each other again after all these years, only to lose everything that matters most?

As children, Jade Conner and Tanner Eastman were best friends—until scandal drove them apart. Then, one golden summer, they find each other again.  Through endless days they share their hearts and souls and dreams of forever.  Then, in a moment of weakness, they make a decision that will tear them apart for nearly a decade.

In their own separate corners of the country, Jade and Tanner have become fighters for religious freedom. Now Jade’s unfaithful husband is determined to destroy her in a custody battle that will rock the nation and shake people’s understanding of faith and freedom. Could Jade lose her only child because of her faith? Only one man can help her in her darkest hour. And only one old woman knows the secret about that summer and the truth that can set them all free.

My Thoughts:  Karen Kingsbury writes another thought provoking story.  Ms. Kingsbury shows that Jade and Tanner are "flawed" Christians...people who love God but make a "mistake." 
Jade and Tanner have been best friends since childhood and then that one fateful night in an act of passion (they are committed to each other) but they made "that" one mistake of coming to together in intimacy before marriage...A Moment of Weakness!
Jade and Tanner live in different parts of the country.  But Jade's husband is unfaithful and is fighting her in terrible custody battle for their only child.  But there is one secret that Jade has not  with Tanner.  And one older woman who knows the truth.
Then Tanner enters into Jade's life...can forgiveness on both sides take place?  Can the secret that Jade has kept all these years help and heal or will it kill all love?
As only Karen Kingsbury can write here is a great story of sin, love, and forgiveness.

*This book was provided for review by Waterbrook/Multnomah*

• Series: Forever Faithful
• Mass Market Paperback: 464 pages
• Publisher: Multnomah Books (September 29, 2015)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1601428480
• ISBN-13: 978-1601428486

COTT {Clash of the Titles} August 2015 Releases Clash

Clash of the Titles presents four new end-of-summer reads! 
Peruse the images, read the blurbs, 
then vote on your favorite in the survey. 
I know which one is my favorite.

Enjoy, dear readers!

Children of When by Jennifer Redmile

To fulfill a prophecy, Raff, Leah, and Belle must find and reunite three missing pieces of an ancient amulet, and in the process learn to control and use their newly discovered unique Gifts. Dark forces conspire to prevent the resurrection of the Amulet, and the journey becomes one of survival...turning fourteen was NOT supposed to be this hard!

~~~~

Privileged by J. M. Downey

Katie Morris never imagined she might meet the son of the nation’s leaders or that he would strive to capture her heart with his promises of a happily-ever-after. However, a dark nature lurks inside her prince, which clashes with his charm. Will Katie be able to hang on to her fairy tale when the man she loves turns into the man she fears? 

~~~~

Midnight on the Mississippi by Mary Ellis

As a newly-minted PI and a New Orleans stockbroker encounter sophisticated shell games, blackmail, and death threats, danger swirls around them like the mysterious dark water of the bayou. Only their reliance on faith and fearless determination give them hope they will live to see another day.

~~~~

Unexpected Family by Jill Kremerer

When Tom Sheffield finds out he has a four-year-old daughter, he struggles to forgive his ex-wife, Stephanie. But as the three of them spend time together, Tom realizes he was also to blame for their failed marriage, and he'll do things differently...if Stephanie will give him a second chance.