Ming’s Christmas Wishes

Posted on by Cathy

About Ming’s Christmas Wishes

ming's christmas wishes

Ming wishes for three things at Christmas. First, to sing in the school Christmas choir. Second, to have a Christmas tree like the one in the department store window. And third, to feel she belongs somewhere.

As a daughter of immigrants in 1930s California, Ming is often treated differently than other children at school. She’s pointedly not invited to sing in the Christmas choir. At home, when Ming lobbies her parents for a Christmas tree, her mother scolds her for trying to be American. Ming doesn’t seem to fit in anywhere: she’s not quite American enough at school, not quite Chinese enough at home.

Seeing his daughter’s unhappiness, Pop takes her into the mountains to visit a wise old friend. Always happy for an adventure with her kind father, Ming hopes to persuade Pop to bring home a mountain pine to be their Christmas tree. But he has something else in mind, something that will help Ming draw strength from nature, from their Chinese heritage, and from deep and enduring family ties.

Inspired by family stories.

My review

It’s that time of year. The best time of year to read Christmas picture books to your kids. I love a good Christmas picture book. And this one is so good!

I love that this author showed a different type of Christmas. Ming is a little Chinese girl. All she wants to do is to fit in. To have a Christmas tree. And to have a traditional American Christmas. Unfortunately, her mother wants nothing to do with that.

I love the relationship that Ming appears to have with her father. He takes her to visit some older Chinese men. And they tell Ming about their past and Chinese traditions. I love the way Ming’s father is able to weave these traditions into their family’s celebration as a way for Ming’s wishes to come true. And to keep her mother happy at the same time.

This book will become one of your Christmas favorites! I can’t wait to read it year after year.

I was sent a copy of Ming’s Christmas Wishes as a gift from the publisher. All opinions are my own.

Purchase links

Amazon – Deseret Book

What to read after Ming’s Christmas Wishes

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Stockings, Snow, and Mistletoe

Posted on by Cathy

About Stockings, Snow and Mistletoe

Stockings, Snow and Mistletoe

Two full-length Christmas romances to snuggle up with and swoon over. Both are full of heart, humor, hope, and all the magic of Christmas, wrapped up in one holiday-filled collection.

Christmas at the End of Main Street:

All either of them wants for Christmas are some jingle bells, to deck the halls, and for everyone to stop finding them dates. This Christmas, Macie and Aaron are teaming up to make everyone believe they’re dating each other so they’ll quit trying to line them up with others. But as this fake relationship starts to feel real, can they overcome the obstacles in their way?

A Kiss at Christmas:

Kelli wants a perfect little Christmas. Parker just wants to ignore it. Both believe they’re going to be spending the holidays alone. Until the owner of the company they both work for—a man who has a secret knack for matchmaking—invites a dozen employees to celebrate Christmas on the beach. Can they get past their workplace rivalry and take a chance that might just be imperfectly perfect?

Fall in love with these sweet holiday-filled romances! 

My review

I’m a big fan of the way Meg Easton writes her books. They are just like Hallmark movies and they make me happy. And this one has two books in it, so it’s doubly good!

Christmas at the End of Main Street features Macie and Aaron. This book made me smile so much. I loved the chemistry between these two characters. But they had both sworn off dating and marriage. So, of course, they team up and decide to fake date each other. This brings so much hilarity to the plot. I loved it!

I loved both of the characters. Macie is the kind of person to do anything for anyone. She’s constantly trying to make people happy with her dogs. Aaron is a teacher. I really liked the way he was with the kids he taught. And it was so funny when they decided they were going to help him get married before the end of the school year. I also loved that these two learned a lot during their time together.

Then we’ve got A Kiss at Christmas. Kelli and Parker work together. And they are constantly pranking each other. That was so funny! They are each going to be alone for Christmas. But they get invited on a company retreat. And thrown together.

I loved the way these two fell for each other. Even though they thought they’d already given the other a chance. This was a sweet story that I loved!

I loved both of these, go grab your copy!

I borrowed a copy of Stockings, Snow, and Mistletoe using my Kindle Unlimited subscription. All opinions are my own.

Purchase link

Amazon

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Bound in Shallows

Posted on by Cathy

About Bound in Shallows

bound in shallows

It’s the week before her wedding, and Natalie Marsh doesn’t have a moment to spare. But when a potential donor requests a meeting regarding Natalie’s mental health clinic, the soon-to-be-bride makes time for the conversation—especially since that donor is tied to a tragedy in the life of Natalie’s fiancé, Gideon: eight years ago, Gideon’s roommate Travis died of a drug overdose. Now Travis’s mother wants to honor his memory by helping others avoid the same fate. It is a noble request that soon turns into a nightmare.

As wedding celebrations ensue, old friends renew acquaintances. But what begins as a party of wedding guests becomes a cast of suspects when the discovery of a bloodstained knife puts them all under the spotlight. Things are taking a deadly turn, leading Natalie and Gideon to a horrifying realization: all those years ago, Travis didn’t overdose—he was murdered. And his killer is willing to take deadly action to silence anyone who suspects the truth.

My review

I don’t read a lot of thrillers. Stephanie Black books are the closest I get. I have to read these when it’s light outside. She does such a great job of writing them, that if I tried to read them at night, I’d terrify myself. This one continues a series, I would definitely read them in order. They won’t make as much sense out of order.

This one features Natalie and Gideon. They’re getting ready to get married. As they deal with all the last minute details of their wedding, they also have to deal with many people around them dying. Most of them friends. I have to be amazed at the terrible luck Natalie and Gideon have with deaths. They always seem to be the main suspects, even if they have alibis.

I love that the reader only knows as much as Natalie and Gideon do in this one. That makes it doubly thrilling and hard to figure out just who is the murderer. I would not have guessed exactly who it was. The plot of this one kept me on the edge of my seat. I loved it!

I was sent a copy of Bound in Shallows as a gift from the publisher. All opinions are my own.

Purchase links

Amazon – Deseret Book

Giveaway

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Live Life Deliciously

Posted on by Cathy

About Live Life Deliciously

live life deliciously

AS A FORMER FOOD EDITOR AND STYLIST with Martha Stewart and food director of Ladies’ Home Journal magazine, Tara knows how to create and showcase gorgeously themed meals for every lifestyle and occasion.

In her first cookbook, she shares more than 120 delicious showstopping recipes that are designed to impress. From leisurely weekend brunches spent over burrata cheese with grilled peaches and orange zest chimichurri to easy weeknight rice bowls with carrot-ginger dressing to a mouthwatering Italian crostata baked tart, Tara explains how to put together and master several special go-to dishes from the culinary capitals of the world to add to your repertoire.

The book also features a section where she provides a basic recipe which can then be easily transformed into two or three new recipes to make meal planning a breeze during busy weeknight schedules.

Live Life Deliciously with Tara Teaspoon shows serious foodies how to present food as an interesting and beautiful culinary experience with dishes that taste as delicious as they look.

My review

I am always in the mood for a good cookbook. I love to read about food, recipes and peoples lives. This one by Tara Teaspoon has a lot of interesting features. I really enjoyed reading about her. I had never actually heard of her before.

That being said. Her recipes seemed a little bit over the top for me. I like to make a dinner that tastes good, is quick and easy to make, that I don’t have the ingredients for. I don’t love having to buy things I’ve never heard of or are hard to find. To me, that’s just a pain.

I did love that she had lists of pantry staples and essential equipment. And it was fun to read the little headings to each recipe. I made a biscuit recipe from this book. It was really good, my family enjoyed them. And I want to try her recipe for Focaccia bread.

I was sent a copy of Live Life Deliciously as a gift from the publisher. All opinions are my own.

Purchase links

Amazon – Deseret Book

What to read after Live Life Deliciously

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Sunsets and Stables

Posted on by Cathy

About Sunsets and Stables

Sunsets and Stables

Mirabelle brings romance alive every Harvest Festival for her guests, but she’s bent on staying single. Will she fall in love before the last leaf falls?

After breaking up with a jerk of a fiancé, Mirabelle Mason used her life savings and then some to follow her dream hosting horseback rides in the mountains. When a social media influencer chooses her stable as a backdrop for a “surprise” marriage proposal, she’s destined to go viral.

All is likes and love until the half-million-dollar engagement ring goes missing. If Mirabelle doesn’t find the diamond in a week, the influencer will destroy her reputation, and she’ll go viral for all the wrong reasons.

Having been forced to retire from the FBI for going after the wrong billionaire, Danny Cabrera is biding his time as a small-time, small-town security guard. He needs to focus on getting his career back in New York, not on helping the chaotic woman covered in horse manure find a trinket in the wilderness. Except he’s got a knack for getting to the truth and he still likes saving the day.

Determined not to make the same mistake twice, Mirabelle has sworn off men. Only the clock is ticking, and she finds herself needing Danny—and even more worrisome, wanting him. Can she find the ring and love without losing herself?

My review

Here’s another great book in the Harvest Ranch Romance series. I’ve loved each of these that I’ve read. They can be read in any order, they stand alone really well. I was excited to read this one, because it includes a mystery. A good mystery pulls the reader in so well. The author did a great job with this.

I loved Mirabelle. She is the kind of woman who knows how to just be her. And she does a great job of that. I would love to go on one of her trail rides. They sound perfect, a ride at sunset with the one you love. And it includes dinner. But that’s where the mystery comes in. An extremely expensive engagement ring is stolen. And the woman it was stolen from is threatening Mirabelle.

She does the only thing she can do. She tries to find someone to help her find it before it’s too late. That’s when she meets Danny. He’s a former FBI agent in town for festival security. It was kind of funny how opposite these two were. And how Danny kept insisting that Mirabelle knew the thief, which made her so mad. Watching these two fall in love was really fun!

And they do eventually solve the mystery. I didn’t see the ending coming. It was great!

I borrowed a copy of Sunsets and Stables using my Kindle Unlimited subscription. All opinions are my own.

Purchase link

Amazon

What to read after Sunsets and Stables

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Falling Inn Love

Posted on by Cathy

About Falling Inn Love

falling inn love

She only wanted to come home, wallow in misery, and eat chocolate.

Then he showed up.

Kate thought two weeks in Harvest Ranch would be happy and nostalgic, but that was before she got fired.

By her boyfriend.

Scratch that, ex-boyfriend. At least now she’s back on the market, ready for the next disaster—er, romance—to come along.

Freddie’s at the top of his game, and pretty much has it all. Except Kate, the cute but annoying innkeeper, makes him see there’s nothing and no one in his life he really loves.

When they both run into trouble, a weird and uncomfortable understanding forms: if they work together, they might get what they want. Risking public humiliation and professional ruin is totally worth the risk.

What’s not worth it? Falling in love.

A sweet, clean romantic comedy full of heart, sizzle, and some labradoodle frizzle.

My review

I’m loving this series. There are so many fun characters. And the fall festival. It’s perfect for this time of year!

Kate has come back to Harvest Ranch to help her parents while they’re on vacation. Only she lost her boyfriend and her job right before she left. So she’s uncertain what will be next. I loved the way Kate was up for almost anything. And she’d do almost anything to save her parents inn, The Cornucopia. Including masquerading as a famous author with a dog. And the dog hates her. This was so funny! It really made the book a hoot.

Freddie is the kind of guy who is doing something he’ll tolerate. But he doesn’t love it. Maybe because of his pushy father. That man was awful! But he ends up in a bind when the author he represents has an emergency and can’t come to Harvest Ranch for the events that have been set up. I loved how he thought of Kate and the inn at first. The whole place seemed to be out of Podunkville. But he had to help Kate with some of her projects to fix things up. And the inn turned around.

I had to laugh at the inn and all the characters who ran it. It was just fun! I want to visit Harvest Ranch! It just seems like a great place.

This one is part of a series, but you can read them in any order. They’re all great!

I borrowed a copy of Falling Inn Love with my Kindle Unlimited subscription. All opinions are my own.

Purchase link

Amazon

What to read after Falling Inn Love

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As Long As You Love Me

Posted on by Cathy

About As Long As You Love Me

as long as you love me

After fifteen years, straight-laced Brennon Ashworth is finally over his high school crush. Or so he thought.

After his best friend signs him up for speed dating, he inadvertently compares every woman to Molly, the carefree and vivacious girl who broke his heart. Ever since she left, he has done everything he can to make life predictable so he isn’t hurt again, even if that means life gets a little boring. When Molly shows up out of the blue, his carefully controlled life is thrown into chaos, and the masks he’s been wearing no longer seem to fit. She knows him better than anyone, so he can’t hide from Molly like he does the rest of the world. And that terrifies him.

When his pseudo-family, the Davenports, are in trouble, Brennon reluctantly teams up with Molly to find the truth and prays she isn’t lying when she says she won’t hurt him again.

Because he’s as much in love with her as ever, and he’s not sure he can survive another heartbreak.

As Long As You Love Me is a mostly stand-alone clean contemporary romance (but works better with the rest of the Simple Love Stories).

My review

I loved the book Simplicity by Dana LeCheminant. It made me really excited to see that she has a lot more books. I need to read them all! And even better is that this book features characters that I loved from Simplicity. That always makes me happy! After having read these out of order, I’d say it’s better to read them in order. I always like knowing the backstory on characters and I missed that. I’m going to have to read the others soon.

I loved the way this one is all told from Brennan’s point of view. You don’t see that a lot. Usually if the book is from only one perspective, it’s the female’s. But it really just worked with this book. I liked Brennan. So many things he did made me smile! It was funny how he got songs stuck in his head.

I wasn’t quite sure what to think of Molly. There were an awful lot of things she did that seemed really suspicious. I thought he maybe should have gone for another of the women he’d met at the speed dating event he was forced into. But…characters never listen to what I think. And I did end up liking Molly when I understood her a little bit more.

This one has a hint of mystery to it. And I loved that! It really made the story line pop off the page for me. You should definitely read this author’s books if you haven’t yet!

I was sent an e-copy of As Long As You Love Me as a gift from the author. All opinions are my own.

Purchase link

Amazon

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Only Her Amnesiac, Fake Fiancé

Posted on by Cathy

About Only Her Amnesiac, Fake Fiancé

only her amnesiac fake fiance

A famous actor with amnesia; his sassy agent who will protect him at all costs.


Bennett Pike has loved one woman his entire life. Unfortunately she’s his agent, manager, and best friend who pushes him to date and pose with a different woman each night.


Sariah Bohme has been blackmailed since she was eighteen. If she keeps paying her stepdad each month and proves that she’s not in love with Bennett she can keep him safe.


When Bennett gets knocked out with a tire iron and wakes up with amnesia will it be their chance to finally fall in love or will the monster waiting in the shadows destroy them both?

My review

There’s something really satisfying about reading a book by Cami Checketts. Maybe it’s that her books are really quickly and easily read. I love that! And I love that they suck me in for a little bit and make me forget about the world. It’s nice.

This one features Sariah. I loved her character. She is really in love with her friend and boss, Bennett. But because of her step-father, she feels she has to stay away from him. When she finally feels like she’s at a place she could move forward, Bennett is attacked. And in danger.

Sariah is really brave in this one. She stands up to her step-father and the danger as best she can. And she’s kind of on her own because of Bennett’s injury.

Bennett made me laugh! I loved how even though he didn’t remember who he was, bits of his personality showed through in the things he said. I haven’t known anyone with amnesia, I wonder if that’s how it would really be? If you know, leave me a comment on this post, if you want to.

I loved the setting of this one. I could almost feel the cold and snow of Montana as I read it.

This is a great book that I didn’t want to put down. Don’t forget to grab your own copy!

I borrowed Only Her Amnesiac, Fake Fiancé using my Kindle Unlimited subscription. All opinions are my own.

Purchase link

Amazon

What to read after Only Her Amnesiac, Fake Fiancé

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Falling for Your Best Friend’s Twin

Posted on by Cathy

About Falling for Your Best Friend’s Twin

Falling for Your Best Friend's Twin

There are a million and one reasons why I shouldn’t fall for my BFF’s twin…

Too bad love isn’t reasonable.

Zane is my total opposite. He dates a steady string of women who are nothing like me.

And there’s no way I would risk Zoey’s friendship over my teensy, tiny crush on her brother.

But when Zane hires me to help fix a glitch with his startup’s software, I run into two problems:

1. Someone on the inside seems to be sabotaging it.

2. Working with Zane every day sends my feelings into overdrive.

My master plan is to sniff out the rat, help Zane save the company, and get out while my heart is still intact. No biggie.

But somehow, I get roped into an investors’ spa trip. Which means spending a whole weekend with Zane and sharing a room with his date.

Kill. Me. Now.

This might serve to destroy my crush once and for all.

If it doesn’t destroy me first.

My review

I LOVE a good romantic comedy, especially right now. This one by Emma St Clair is one of my favorites that I’ve read lately. I LOVED everything about it. Her characters, plot and the situations the characters were in were just so funny!

Abby’s group of roommates made me smile. I can’t wait to get to know all of them. Sam is writing a book and asks all of her friends to get into a relationship with a trope that she can use in a book, then she’ll write about it. Right, just get into a relationship like that. The funny thing is that Abby does. With her best friends twin brother.

I love Abby. She’s a tech nerd who always wears clothes that are a little crazy. She has her own quirks. They are so funny. But they’re just her. Abby ends up working for Zoey, the best friend, twin brother Zane. Only, Abby has had a crush on Zane for forever. And sparks fly right away.

Zane is a serial dater, but a really good guy. I liked the way he was so straight laced to Abby’s crazy. These two just fit.

I loved everything about this one. Can’t wait to read the next book!

I was sent an e-copy of Falling For Your Best Friend’s Twin as a gift from the author. All opinions are my own.

Purchase link

Amazon

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The Gentleman and the Thief

Posted on by Cathy

About The Gentleman and the Thief

the gentleman and the thief

From the moment Hollis Darby meets Ana Newport, he’s smitten. Even though he’s from a wealthy, established family and she isn’t, he wishes he could have a life with her by his side. But Hollis has a secret: the deep coffers that have kept his family afloat for generations are bare, so he supports himself by writing penny dreadfuls under a pseudonym. If not for the income from his novels, he would be broke.

Ana Newport also has a secret. Though she once had a place in society thanks to her father’s business, bankruptcy and scandal reduced the family fortune to nothing more than a crumbling town house. So Ana teaches music during the day, and at night she assumes the identity of the “Phantom Fox.” She breaks into the homes of the wealthy to reclaim treasures she feels were unjustly stolen from her family when they were struggling.

When Hollis’s brother needs to hire a music tutor for his daughter, Hollis recommends Ana, giving him a chance to spend time with her. Ana needs the income and is eager for the opportunity to get to know the enigmatic gentleman. What neither of them expects is how difficult it will be to keep their respective secrets from each other.

When a spree of robberies rocks the city, Ana and Hollis join forces to solve the crimes, but working together deepens the affection between them. After all, who better to save the day than a gentleman and a thief?

My review

Sarah M Eden’s books are some of my very favorites! If you haven’t read The Lady and The Highwayman yet, make sure to start there. You can read this on it’s own, but I think it’ll make more sense with that one read first.

This one features Hollis and Ana. I loved these two characters so much. They are a bit of an unlikely match. But at the same time, they just work.

Ana is a teacher of music at a girls’ school by day. But she has a darker side by night. It’s not as dastardly as it sounds. but she is a thief. She’s only stealing back treasures that were her own. But…the law would see it differently, I’m afraid. What do you think? Tell me in the comments if you’d like.

Hollis is a member of the Dread Penny Society. And as such, he lives a double life as well. I liked the way he was. Hollis always has wanted to be more involved in the society, but they see him as a proper gentleman and a bit of a joke sometimes. That makes him try harder than he would in a normal circumstance. And he writes Penny Dreadfuls too!

I love the way this book includes two Penny Dreadfuls. They both mirror the plot just a little bit. And it’s just a fun bit inserted into the story. One happens to be written by Hollis.

I love the dangerous aspect of the plot. There is danger for both Ana and Hollis because of what they get themselves caught up in. But they work well together. And the ending was satisfying.

I can’t wait to see what this author comes up for her next book in this series!

I was sent a copy of The Gentleman and the Thief as a gift from the publisher. All opinions are my own.

Purchase link

Amazon – Deseret Book

Book Trailer

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