Mischief and Manors by Ashtyn Newbold

When Annette Downing and her mischievous little brothers are sent to Kellaway Manor for the summer, she hopes for a relaxing escape. But Annette finds her closeted heart in jeopardy when reunited with the handsome Owen Kellaway, a childhood acquaintance and respected gentlemen. When Owen is enlisted to help the boys with their behavior, Annette wonders if he has just as much mischief up his sleeve as her brothers. Bound by a promise she made to her late parents, and amid a frightening mystery, Annette faces a difficult decision when she finds herself falling for Owen's charm…

 * Amazon * Goodreads * Deseret Book *

I love a good regency romance and this one surely kept my interest and made me smile.  This book felt a bit like a breath of fresh air as it was a bit different than the usual regency's I read.

Annette is a protector.  Circumstances have led her to a most undesirable place with a vicious aunt and two young brothers to take care of.  Annette has shored up the walls of her heart to survive except when it comes to her mischievous brothers who are her whole world.  I loved watching Annette and her brothers thrive under gentler care.  The smiles and happiness that came as a result of a little kindness made all the difference.  For Annette, it meant that those walls of defense slowly came tumbling down.  It was a sweet process and one I enjoyed very much.

The little brothers brought humor and levity to many situations and Owen was a champion in my opinion.  I just loved him.  The characters really make this book come alive and the added bit of intrigue and mystery was a bonus.  

This is the first book I have read by this author and I will be keeping my eye on her for future books.  

Content:  Clean, some mentions of abuse

- I received a copy of this book free from the publisher.  I was under no obligation to give a positive review and all opinions expressed are my own.

The Prophecy: A Young Adult Romantic Fantasy (The Healer Series Book 4) by C.J. Anaya

Armed with memories of her past life and the identity of her true soul mate, Hope is bound and determined to fulfill her destiny and heal the veil...on her own terms, that is. Unfortunately, Hope's inability to play by the rules causes a rift in the group and discord with Tie. Dark forces are at work fighting to tear them apart, while Victor, Ms. Mori, and Dr. Fairmont attempt to understand Tie's role in saving the world.

Hope's inability to sense the veil, Angie's visions of loved one's deaths, Kirby's vulnerability, and an unwanted bond with a dangerous kami are certain to prevent her from ending the conflict once and for all. The group needs answers found in an ancient prophecy and written in a language few understand.

And they have no idea where it is...

And Amatsu's servants are hunting them...

And the veil is failing...

 * Goodreads * Amazon * Everywhere Else *

This is the fourth book in the Healer Series.  You really, really need to read these books in order as they all build upon each other.  This is the perfect time to get started on this series because the box set containing the first three books is free right now on Amazon.  Yay!!

This series is a mash up of so many different things-  Asian mythology with Gods and Goddesses, supernatural creatures, fantasy elements, and romance.  It has great forward momentum and it's hard to put down.

In this fourth book it was nice to have everyone together again, in the same realm, fighting together to save the day.  It's the culmination of the previous books, setting the stage for the final show down.  And what a show down it was!  All the pieces started falling into place and everyone had to sacrifice to get to the end.

I've really enjoyed this series.  I read through the first three quickly and then had to wait a whole two months for this last book.  Waiting = Torture.  :)  This book was worth the wait to finally have some closure.  There are still some loose ends here- especially regarding Angie- that I'm hoping will spark a new series maybe?  Or at least another book focusing on Angie and her new love triangle.  Here's to hoping!!

Content:  Mild swearing, intense kissing, some violence

- I was given a copy of this book for free.  A positive review was not required and all opinions expressed are my own.

A Christmas Kiss (Kissed by the Bay, #5) by Susan Hatler

Harper Avery is a jaded divorce attorney who loves helping her clients move on to better things. After all, they’ve struggled enough being in an unhappy marriage. When one client’s soon-to-be ex-husband suddenly says he wants a second chance with his wife, Harper’s dubious, certain that her client is just going to get hurt again.

Despite his career as a divorce attorney, Gabriel Hart still believes that love can work miracles. Sure, there are no guarantees, but he totally supports his client’s efforts to reconcile with his wife—even if it means Gabriel has to go head-to-head with Harper to keep her from ruining the couple’s chances.

With the holidays approaching, husband and wife set out to see if they can work through their issues, while Harper decides to spend the long Christmas weekend at her friend’s cabin in Lake Tahoe. Only when she gets there, someone is already occupying her last-minute rental—Gabriel Hart. Both refuse to give up their holiday retreat. Will their adversarial working relationship make for a stressful weekend? Or will the magic of Christmas sprinkle them with a love that can beat the odds?

 * Goodreads * Amazon *

This book is overflowing with all that is sweet and romantic in the perfect wintery Christmas setting - Lake Tahoe!  (I love Lake Tahoe!  I actually prefer it in the summer though- I'm a girl that doesn't like to be cold.)

I think Gabriel is perfectly named for the angel that he is.  He stole the show with his thoughtfulness and kindness in this book.  I just loved him.  Harper is a bit more jaded then Gabriel and has a harder time letting go and allowing herself to feel.  Opposites definitely attract in this case!

This is a short story so it's over before you know it but I felt like I had all the arch and elements need to be fully invested.  This was a fun diversion and the perfect romantic story for the holiday season.  Grab a cup of hot chocolate, your favorite snuggy blanket and settle in for a fun, romantic treat!

Content:  Clean

- I received a copy of this book from the author.  I was under no obligation to write a positive review.  All opinions expressed are my own.

Winter Sky by Chris Stewart

In a bombed-out Polish village during World War II a young resistance fighter finds that he is suddenly alone and trapped between two opposing armies. He is one of Poland's "Devil's Rebels" fighting desperately to save his homeland, but an injury has erased his memory and his only possession is a torn photograph of a couple he assumes are his parents. The woman appears to be holding the hand of a young child whose image has been ripped off. Could the child be him?

Caught in the crosshairs of the retreating German army and the advancing Russian forces, the village holds nothing but destruction and despair until a mysterious young woman offers a small glimmer of hope that may represent his last chance - news of a refuge train departing from a nearby town headed for American installations at the border. But complications arise when the resistance fighter is betrayed by his own countryman and hunted by German SS Officers who are determined to kill him before they retreat. Desperately searching for a home and family he can't remember he is persuaded to rescue two children who are doomed to die without his help.

As time runs out the former rebel is faced with an impossible choice. Standing at the crossroads of saving himself or risking his life for strangers, what would motivate a young man at the brink of salvation to make one more sacrifice?

 * Amazon * Goodreads * Deseret Book *

I have been reading a lot of Christmas books lately but none like this one.  This book is not fluffy or even sweet.  It was actually really hard for me to read and I'll tell you why.  War is ugly and awful.  The devastation and loss pulls at my heart and just makes me sad.  This book depicts so much of the realities of war and I'll be honest in saying that I struggled reading it.  But, as with most of the most awful things in the world, you find stories of men and women who display courage and kindness.  They shine in the darkness that surrounds them.  That is what happens in this book.

This book takes us back to WWII and the less focused on Polish people.  A people caught in the cross hairs of the battle between Germany and Russia.  For one young man, a rebel resistance fighter, this is his own personal nightmare.  He is strong and he is brave.  He is fighting to stay alive.  It's an amazing tale of heroism and sacrifice.

This book is on the shorter side and didn't take me long to read.  I had a hard time putting it down because the story is so compelling, but I had to because my emotions were battered.  As a mother, a wife and a daughter, I cannot even begin to imagine some of the horrors described in this book.  But out of this book also comes the emotion of gratitude for what I have.  Much of what I have comes at a price that I didn't pay.  I am a recipient of freedom and prosperity because of many others and I am indebted and grateful.

Winter Sky is not your typical Christmas story, but it will bring to a better place in the end.  I'm so glad I had the chance to read it.

Content:  Violence

- I received a copy of this book, free from the publisher.  I was under no obligation to post a positive review.  All opinions expressed are my own.

Wrong Brother, Right Match (Anyone But You #3) by Jennifer Shirk + $20 Giveaway!

Wrong Brother, Right Match
Anyone But You #3

By: Jennifer Shirk

Releasing December 5, 2016
Entangled Bliss

Matchmaking guru Kennedy Pepperdine’s life is perfect. Perfect job. Perfect friends. Perfect boyfriend. Except...when she gets trapped in an elevator with a handsome stranger, she accidentally confesses a secret: maybe her perfect boyfriend, Justin, isn’t so perfect for her after all. But a matchmaker should be able to successfully match herself, right? Thankfully, she’ll never see the handsome stranger again. Until she heads home with Justin for the holidays and learns that the sexy stranger is none other than Justin’s older brother, Matt.

Matt Ellis is trying to be on his best behavior for his mother—it is Christmas, after all. But when he recognizes the beautiful woman from the elevator—the one he hasn’t been able to stop thinking about for months—his best behavior is being held by a thread. Matt’s always sacrificed for his family, and nothing is more important than their happiness, but the more time he spends around Kennedy, the more he wonders if her supposed "right match" might just be the wrong brother.

 * Amazon * Goodreads * B&N * Entangled *

Love, love, love, love!  Here I give you my biggest dreamy, happy sigh.  <SIGH>  If you are looking for the perfect holiday romance to snuggle in with this month (Or today.  It really should be today because honestly?  Why wait?!) then look no further because this is your book.  I inhaled this book.  It was so fun to read.  I kind of want to go back and read it again.  If I had time, I totally would.

Kennedy has a growing business and the perfect boyfriend.  After all, he was her perfect match and Kennedy is in the business of knowing such things.  Then Kennedy finds herself stuck in an elevator with a handsome stranger and what happens?  A kiss of course.  A zingy, heart stopping kiss that neither participant can forget. 

Matt is so swoon worthy.  Even when he is being ornery to Kennedy upon first seeing her at his family's house for Christmas, he is swoony.  I just LOVED Matt.  He is so good to his family and he is so good to Kennedy.  Well, after said ornery business is over.  Matt was so easy to like and so easy to root for.

Jennifer Shirk is one of my favorite authors in the clean romance world.  Her characters have great personality and I'm always drawn to them.  I follow Jennifer Shirk and I'm always watching for new books by her.  I think this one is my new favorite!

Content:  mild swearing, kissing, casual drinking

- I received a copy of this book for free.  A positive review was not required and all opinions expressed are my own.

Enjoy the following excerpt!

Matt looked at his sister. “What do you think?”

“We can let her in on the secret,” Caitlyn said with a huge grin. “She’s definitely one of us.”

Matt hesitated. “Okay. The truth is…we all hate the fruitcake.”

“I knew it!” she exclaimed then frowned. “But I don’t understand. Why pretend to like it, then?”

“Honestly? Because none of us has the heart to tell her the truth. It makes her so happy. She’s one of the two percent who actually enjoys it.”

“And your dad,” she added. “He liked it, too. Your mom said so.”

 Matt shook his head gravely. “No, he hated it the most.”

 Kennedy blinked then looked to Caitlyn. “He did?”

“Yup.” Caitlyn shrugged. “Like Matt said, we didn’t have the heart to make her feel bad on Christmas. At least this time she didn’t put any figs or dried pineapple in it. That was a particularly bad year. Although Justin tolerated it the best out of all of us.”

Kennedy cracked a smile. “So your mom goes through all this trouble of making a fruitcake every Christmas and she’s the only one who eats it?”

“Oh, no,” Matt assured her. “We’ll all choke down a slice. You, too, since you’ll soon be part of the family. And we’ll all tell her how great it is. It’s tradition.”

“Tradition,” Caitlyn echoed firmly.

Kennedy laughed. Oh my, if she didn’t already love this family, this aspect of it only endeared them to her more. “Well, your secret is safe with me. I love traditions myself.”

“That’s good,” Caitlyn said, cracking herself up, “because you and Matt are standing under the mistletoe.”

What?!

Kennedy cautiously looked up as if to find the Sword of Damocles dangling over her, but instead found a small green ball of mistletoe tied up with ribbon. Crap! Her gaze dropped to Matt, who held a gleam of interest in his eyes, and her cheeks caught fire.

“Oh, well, that’s a silly tradition,” she said hurriedly, “I mean, we don’t have to do that.” Do we?

Barbara walked back into the room. “What don’t you have to do?”

Caitlyn pointed to the ball. “Matt and Kennedy are under the mistletoe.”

“Oh, how nice,” Barbara said, clasping her hands. “Kiss her, Matt. It’s Christmas after all.” 

Matt glanced at Kennedy and stiffened, but without further argument leaned in to her. Her heart fluttered like a hummingbird in anticipation. She caught the pleasant scent of pine and soap on his skin as he brushed his lips against her cheek, hovering for just a few brief seconds before he was once again at a safe distance from her. Such a simple kiss, yet her emotions whirled and skidded.

“I’d better get going,” Matt murmured, backing into the door.

His mom frowned. “Are you okay, dear? Maybe you should sit down a bit first.”

“No, I need to get kissing—er, going. I need to go.” His gaze reluctantly returned to hers, and his voice dipped. “I’ll see you tomorrow night?”

She nodded, not trusting her voice. Then he was out the door as if suddenly spooked.

Unfortunately, she knew exactly how he felt.

Jennifer Shirk has a bachelor degree in pharmacy-which has in NO WAY at all helped her with her writing career. But she likes to point it out, since it shows romantic-at-hearts come in all shapes, sizes, and mind-numbing educations.

She writes sweet (and sometimes even funny) romances for Samhain Publishing, Avalon Books/Montlake Romance and now Entangled Publishing. She won third place in the RWA 2006 NYC's Kathryn Hayes Love and Laughter Contest with her first book, THE ROLE OF A LIFETIME. Recently, her novel SUNNY DAYS FOR SAM won the 2013 Golden Quill Published Authors Contest for Best Traditional Romance.

Lately she's been on a serious exercise kick. But don't hold that against her.

Website | Facebook | Twitter | GoodReads

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Silver River Secrets by Linda Hope Lee + $50 and Book Giveaway!

Silver River Secrets
by Linda Hope Lee
Adult Contemporary Romance
Mass Market Paperback & ebook, 384 pages
December 1st 2016 by Harlequin Heartwarming

Tragedy made them strangers. The truth could change that…

Lacey Morgan's grandmother is the only reason she has to ever set foot in Silver River. Her hometown is populated with too many ghosts and memories. Too many painful reminders. Including Rory Dalton.

In all her brief visits over the past ten years, they've barely spoken. Locked on opposite sides of the tragedy that tore their lives apart, they buried their feelings along with their parents. But this trip is different. She will stay a little longer. Dig a little deeper. And try to solve the mystery that has kept them from the truth…and each other.

Goodreads│Amazon│Barnes & Noble│Harlequin

Lacey is determined to prove her father innocent in a murder that was committed ten years ago.  Even though he was found guilty, convicted and sent to prison where he later died, Lacey believes in his innocence.  I had to admire Lacey's determination.  Everyone was against her and tried to dissuade her but Lacey pushed on because that was what her heart was telling her to do.  I also loved that Lacey never became rude or mean, even when it seemed she could justifiably do so.

If I had just one word for this book it would probably be gentle.  Harlequin Heartwarming line is perfect for a gentle, clean romance.  This book has a bit of mystery thrown in but it never became heart pounding or intense.  It stayed well within the gentle and calm boundaries.  It was maybe a little too gentle and calm for me.  I would have liked to have been drawn in a bit more with my emotions but overall this was a good book.

Content:  Clean

- I was provided a free copy of this book from Prism Book Tours.  All opinions expressed are my own.

Linda Hope Lee writes contemporary romance, romantic suspense, and mysteries. She enjoys traveling especially to small towns in search of story ideas. She's also an artist, specializing in watercolor, pen and ink, and colored pencil. Photography provides inspiration for both her writing and her art. She lives in the Pacific Northwest, where many of her stories are set.

Website│Goodreads│Facebook│Twitter

On Tour with Prism Book Tours.

Tour Schedule

November 29th: Launch

November 30th: Mommabears Book Blog

December 1st: Katie's Clean Book Collection

December 2nd: I Am A Reader & Heidi Reads...

December 3rd: Zerina Blossom's Books

December 4th: Rockin' Book Reviews & Falling Leaves

December 5th: Getting Your Read On

December 6th: Grand Finale

Tour Giveaway

- 1 winner will receive a $50 Amazon eGift Card & copy of SILVER RIVER SECRETS by Linda Hope Lee (print if US, ebook if international)

- 3 winners will receive a copy of SILVER RIVER SECRETS by Linda Hope Lee (print if US, ebook if international)
- Open internationally
- Ends December 12th

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Liberty (Citizens of Logan Pond, #2) by Rebecca Belliston

Live free or die . . .

Chicago is burning, a rebellion rises, but that’s the least of Carrie’s concerns. Patrolman Simmons is assigned new partners who threaten the security and secrecy of Carrie's clan. Tensions are high, lines are drawn, and Carrie feels a wedge growing between her and Greg.

Haunted by past mistakes and impending tragedies, Greg knows he should distance himself from Carrie. He knows he should let her love the patrolman who can save her and her siblings, especially with money and resources dwindling. But knowing and doing are different matters. He's busy hatching a plan to salvage things when his citizenship backfires, and he’s asked to do the unthinkable. In this stunning follow-up to Life, loved ones are lost, allegiances are tested, and old enemies plot revenge. At every turn, the citizens of Logan Pond must ask:

What price would you pay for the liberty of those you love?

 * Goodreads * Amazon *

This is the second book in the Citizens of Logan Pond series.  I would highly recommend reading the first book, Life, before you delve into this book.  The books are dependent on each other and you would be missing so much if you didn't read them in order.  This is a dystopian book, set in the future of America.

I had a hard time with the main character, Greg, in the first book.  I didn't like him very much.  I have to admit that he grew on me a bit in this book but he still isn't my favorite.  I am grateful for the gentle shift in his attitude though.  It was much easier to find and attach myself to those redemptive qualities in this book.

This book brings all kinds of hardship and struggle to the characters of Logan Pond.  The story line really picks up and tensions increase.  It was like the first book was completely meant to introduce characters and set the stage for this book.  I did enjoy this book more than the first and boy, did it leave off in a doozy of a way.  Talk about a cliffhanger!  I will be picking up the third book in this series for sure.  It's on my review schedule for the first week of January and I'm looking forward to the climactic conclusion!

Content:  Some violence but otherwise clean.

I was given a copy of this book by the author.  A positive review was not required and all opinions expressed are my own.