Friday, November 23, 2018

First Line Fridays


How was everyone's Thanksgiving yesterday?  I hope it was filled with lots of fun and time spent with family and friends.  If not though--I remember my college days of going to pick something up at Cracker Barrel--I hope the day was restful.

Were you able to read between the football games and turkey?  :)  I read a little bit from my Kindle books--just like Rory from Gilmore Girls, I always have a book with me.  Have a wonderful weekend and happy Black Friday shopping, Cyber Monday shopping, and most importantly, happy reading! 

Grab the book nearest to you and leave a comment with the first line!

Today I am going to post a line from: 

  A Convenient Engagement 
by Ashtyn Newbold 



And the first line is...

England, Summer, 1813

"Sunlight came even more rarely than silence through Amelia Buxton's second story window."  

Happy reading and happy Friday!   

Let me know your first line in the comments & then head over to Hoarding Books  to see who else is participating! 








Saturday, November 17, 2018

A Sparkle of Silver - My Review


This new book by Liz Johnson is a tale that connects two worlds--the past and the present.  What I love is that so much history, regarding the life of the main character's great-grandmother, is highlighted.  I have read several books which showcase the similarities between time eras, but this story was interesting, because it was helping family members get to know each a bit better.

Some of Millie's relatives are a bit of a mystery to her and her own grandmother's failing mind does not aid her in gaining any type of understanding regarding these puzzles.  She longs to take better care of her grandmother, and she hopes the life and legacy of her past can give her what she needs.  Yet will she be able to unravel the never-ending problems that seem to make up her life?  Who will help her win in this battle against time?  Despite what Millie does not know, she will soon begin to see how much a person's choices will either help or hinder their loved ones later in life.  Hopefully, her relatives left something behind, which will rescue her from her present troubles.  

This book is fiction, but I love that it does incorporate a bit of mystery.  You all know how much I love a good mystery!  The intrigue, which lives in Millie's past, gives readers a better understanding of why Millie is so desperate to know what came before her.  Many people might not be very interested in some old diaries, but Millie knows this is the only link she has to this unknown world.  If you love a challenging plot, I recommend checking out this book.  Happy reading everyone!


This review is my honest opinion. Thanks to Revell Books, a division of Baker Publishing Group, for my copy.

Ninety years ago, Millie Sullivan's great-grandmother was a guest at oil tycoon Howard Dawkins' palatial estate on the shore of St. Simons Island, Georgia. Now, Millie plays a 1920s-era guest during tours of the same manor. But when her grandmother suggests that there is a lost diary containing the location of a hidden treasure on the estate, along with the true identity of Millie's great-grandfather, Millie sets out to find the truth of her heritage--and the fortune that might be hers. When security guard Ben Thornton discovers her snooping in the estate's private library, he threatens to have her fired. But her story seems almost too ludicrous to be fiction, and her offer to split the treasure is too tempting to pass up . . .

Get ready for a romantic escapade through dark halls and dusty corners that will have you holding your breath and sighing with delight as two charming characters get caught up in the adventure of uncovering the past and finding their way to an unexpected future.






By day Liz Johnson is the marketing director for a radio network. She finds time to write late at night and is a two-time ACFW Carol Award finalist. Liz makes her home in Tucson, AZ, where she enjoys theater, exploring local history, and doting on her nieces and nephews. She loves stories of true love with happy endings. 

Find out more about Liz at: www.LizJohnsonBooks.com







Friday, November 16, 2018

First Line Fridays


Oh goodness, it is freezing here in the great state of Georgia!  How is the weather where you are?  Hopefully, if it is freezing there too, it is snowing.  :)  Snow always seems to make the cold weather better. 

I want to wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving!  I hope your month was lovely.  November was good for me, because I was able to watch dozens of Hallmark Christmas movies.  :)  Stay warm and happy reading! 

  Grab the book nearest to you and leave a comment with the first line!

Today I am going to post a line from: 

  Once Upon a Thanksgiving 
by Linda Ford and Winnie Griggs 



And the first line is...

Season of Bounty 
by Linda Ford 

Hopewell, Montana 

November 1890

"Kathleen Sanderson cracked open the door.  Before her stood a rough-looking man twisting a battered Statson in his hand." 

Happy reading and happy Friday!   

Let me know your first line in the comments & then head over to Hoarding Books  to see who else is participating! 
 







Saturday, November 10, 2018

The Unwanted Suitor - My Review


Series: Regency House Party
Genre:  Adult, Historical, Regency, Romance
Publisher: Indie
Publication date: September 2, 2018
            GOODREADS | AMAZON
When Cornelia Greystock received a proposal from Sir James Hawkston, she couldn’t bear it. It had been inspired, she knew, from pity and remorse—not love. Unable to face him afterward, she leaped at an offer of employment from the Countess, Lady Du’Breven. Serving as her companion, Cornelia struggles to adjust to the change in her social status, but the hard work distracts her from her broken heart. That is, until the Countess decides to hold a summer house party at her family estate and invites Sir James.
Sir James has never recovered from his disappointment when Miss Greystock refused his proposal and then fled, according to her family, to live with an unheard-of aunt in Ireland. When he grudgingly accepts an invitation to Lady Du’Breven’s house party, however, he is astounded to find Miss Greystock there. One thing is certain—this time he’ll court her the way he always should have. He is almost certain she returns his feelings, but he must tread carefully. If she refuses his proposal a second time, it would not be gentlemanly to ask a third. As time grows short and she continues to hold him at arms-length, will he find a way to at last win her hand?
Michelle Pennington writes clean, heart-pounding, sigh-inducing romance across multiple genres. Her books include Young Adult, Contemporary, Regency, and Fantasy. The genre might change, but her characters will always be falling in love.​
She spends her days quoting movies with her husband and making messes faster than her four kids. She also has a cat her kids call Boots, but is really Hessian Boots, the perfect Regency gentleman, complete with a snowy white cravat. She loves to make magic by stringing words together, but she also creates designer sugar cookies, sings loud in church, and kills too many house plants. ​


This is the first book I have read in the Regency House Party series, and it was wonderful.  If you enjoy period pieces, then you will love reading about the characters in this story.  What is most interesting about this tale though is that it is connected to four other works.  Five authors in total collaborated to write these books, and each one is connected; however, each story can be read alone and understood. 

Cornelia Greystock has lived a life of pleasure, but now finds herself working as a companion to a Countess.  Of course, this type of work is below her station, and even though things have been going somewhat well, she is soon found out by someone from her past.  Miss Greystock wants to be left alone to attend to her duties, but knows that her past still calls to her.  Will she be able to overcome certain scars in order to find her future? 

In an attempt to recover from his past mistakes, Sir James visits the home of a Countess—upon her invitation.  He believes the invite to be purely innocent until he runs into a certain lady.  Why would Miss Greystock be working as a companion?  Why would she be working at all?  He ponders this and the pains of his heart throughout his stay, as he hopes to find answers to all his questions.  Is it possible to find happiness again even when all hope seems to have disappeared? 

There are so many twists and turns in this tale that the reader will constantly be hoping all will turn out right in the end.  The characters are interesting, and as I have begun to read the other books, it is interesting to note you will see these names again.  The entire plot pivots around a house party—a party filled with surprises!  Will each person find love?  Will there be a happy ending for all who attend?  Make sure you check out each book to find out!  Happy reading! 


This review is my honest opinion. Thanks to Singing Librarian Books for my copy.



Enter the giveaway HERE.

Giveaway is subject to policies HERE.




Friday, November 9, 2018

First Line Fridays


For this week, I decided to highlight a mystery instead of a Christmas book.  I can't believe it's November already!  Yet, I did start playing Christmas music this past week.  :)  Has anyone started decorating their Christmas tree yet or watching Hallmark Christmas movies?  I have seen so many Instagram posts where people are already putting up their decorations, which sounds like a lovely idea.  Happy reading everyone! 

Grab the book nearest to you and leave a comment with the first line!

Today I am going to post a line from: 

  Buried in Books 
by Kate Carlisle 



And the first line is...

"'The name is Wainwright,' I said to the conference volunteer seated at the registration table before me.  'Brooklyn Wainwright.'"  

Happy reading and happy Friday!   

Let me know your first line in the comments & then head over to Hoarding Books  to see who else is participating!