An Irish Heart

This is my first read by Ms. Zack, and I'm inclined to read more of her books now. 

There's a case of mistaken identity. Lots of Irish flare. A wounded hero. Intriuge. And tons of heart. 

Escape to Ireland today. 

AMAZON

An Emerald Land -
An Unknown Double -

Successful advertising manager, Greta Conner travels to Ireland to fulfill a last wish from her mother. After arriving in Ireland, she is drawn to a colorful village named Angel’s Hollow. When a dark-haired stranger approaches and calls her by another name, Greta is intrigued to discover she’s the image of Aedan O’Riain’s ex-girlfriend. Does she have a close relative unknown to her?

Aedan can’t understand his misfortune. Along with near bankruptcy in his future, his ex is trying to fool him by claiming she’s Greta Conner from the States. Is it some sort of plot to further ruin his reputation? Adding to his angst, his brother, Reece, insists on dating Greta if Aedan will not. All will certainly be lost if Reece falls into her plans.

Angel’s Hollow becomes like home for Greta, and there’s no one her heart loves more than Aedan. But will an unknown twin threaten all she’s longed for?

The Day He Asked Again

I'm a pretty regular fan of Ms. Johnson's work. I'll read anything she writes because I know what I'm getting in advance: a well-crafted clean read with swoony kisses and lots of heart. 

Really loved the challenge of bringing this couple together when she lost her first husband to the sea and he's a coast guard captain. Talk about conflicts of the heart! 

As always, Ms. Johnson delivers. I've enjoyed other books in this series too. 

AMAZON

A Coast Guard captain would rather spend his time on the sea...unless he's with the woman he's been crushing on for months. If Dave asks just one more time, will Brooklynn give their second chance at romance another shot?

David Reddington has spent years in the Coast Guard, and his career brings him a lot of joy. But he’s lonely even surrounded by his crew, and he feels like he’s perpetually looking out to the ocean, hoping and wishing he could be as fulfilled on land as he is at sea.

Brooklynn Parrish lost her husband three years ago to an accident on the ocean, and she can’t bring herself to accept Dave’s invitations to dinner. Or lunch. Or even coffee. How he can go out on his ship each day baffles her, and she’s not willing to lose another loved one to the relentless ocean waves.

But Dave only has eyes for her, and when they get put together to organize Hawthorne Harbor’s Spring Fling, Brooklynn can’t deny the attraction between them. As they go through the bachelor auction, tour the blooming apple orchards, and judge the dessert bake-off, their relationship deepens and strengthens. 

Will she be strong enough to battle the unyielding ocean? Or will she lose her heart to another man destined for a catastrophe at sea?

The Italian Villa

I love books that take me to foreign countries and let me experience the food, culture, and climate. 

This one takes the reader to the high mountains of Italy, where we explore the imaginary town of Montevino and it's colorful characters. 

An excellent historical, slice of life, coming of age novel with a romantic thread that captures the reader and makes me wish for a visit to Italy. 

Heartwarming and hearttugging. A wonderful read. 

The only bits that through me out were the uses of British words/phrases in an Itlaian setting as I'm an American. 

Note: this does have a fade to black intimacy scene for those sweet romance readers out there. 

This is my first read by Ms. Sacerdoti. I would read another novel of hers. 

AMAZON

Callie, a lonely small-town waitress, is still reeling from the discovery that she’s adopted when she arrives in Montevino, Italy in search of answers – the keys to the stunning hillside villa she has just inherited clutched tightly in her hand. Inside the rusted gates, and through a large wooden front door dripping with sun-kissed flowers, Callie can’t decide if she’s more astonished by her new home or her first encounter with the mysterious young groundskeeper, Tommaso.

Wandering the villa barefoot at night, Callie finds a diary belonging to a woman named Elisa, wrapped in faded blue ribbon and hidden in her birthmother’s antique wardrobe. Page by page, Callie is swept away by its story of love, passion, heartbreak and betrayal as she reads how Elisa married her childhood sweetheart in secret before fleeing to the woods to join the resistance. They vowed to find each other again when the war was over, but history had other plans.

Callie is certain that her and Elisa’s lives are somehow connected, and that the truth about her family is hidden somewhere within the diary’s crinkled yellow pages. It gives her the courage to start asking questions around the close-knit village until, at long last, she feels her closed-off heart begin to open. Perhaps even enough to let someone in…

But when a devastating betrayal in the final pages of the diary unlocks a heart-breaking secret about who Callie’s mother really is, the chance for a new life shatters in front of her. Can she persuade the locals to forgive her past and accept the truth about her identity?

Who Wants to Marry a Mormon Girl?

This is a quick engaging read that's framed around The Bachelorette premise. 

On girl. Twenty guys. And things get intense fast! 

And it's a love triangle. 

Overall it's a fun read. You do need some basic Christian/Mormon (they don't go by that anymore) culture knowledge to understand what's going on. But don't let that stop you. It's helpful but not imperative. 

There is mention of alcohol and recreational drug use. 

AMAZON

One elegant leading lady and twenty hot guys. What could possibly go wrong?

Michelle knew she wouldn’t meet her forever husband on a reality dating show. This was just for fun. You never know what might happen when surrounded by twenty hot guys, none of whom shared her values.

Running from his past, Ashton rides the waves to the pinnacle of his career as a professional surfer. He’s just arrogant enough to think he stands a chance with the elegant leading lady playing the part of bachelorette on the dating show, Love Letters.

Until he figures out she’s a Mormon.

Even before he makes the mistake of calling her out in front of the other guys he knows she’ll never choose him. Good girls don’t choose bad boys and there was no way he could hide his secrets from Michelle. Or could he?

Neither Here Nor There

Mr. Bryson's books are funny and a good way to pass the time. This audiobook kept me entertained on a roadtrip. 

Great way to escape to Europe for a bit. Not was funny as some of his other novels. 

A few swear words. 

AMAZON

Bryson brings his unique brand of humor to travel writing as he shoulders his backpack, keeps a tight hold on his wallet and heads for Europe. Travelling with Stephen Katz - also his wonderful sidekick in A Walk in the Woods - he wanders from Hammerfest in the far north, to Istanbul on the cusp of Asia.  

As he makes his way round this incredibly varied continent, he retraces his travels as a student twenty years before with caustic hilarity. 

The Screaming Staircase

This is my first read by Mr. Stroud and it won't be my last. 

A friend recommended this to me on audiobook for a long drive and it was the perfect read. 

Plenty of intrigue and mystery. Great witty banter between the characters. Great fun trying to guess the twists and turns ahead of time and trying to work out how the characters would get out of their scrapes. 

Excellent narrator. 

Clean writing, as in no swearing. A few violent moments but that is to expected when dealing with the supernatural and it wasn't graphic or gratuitous. 

Good for the middle grade set and up. 

AMAZON

A sinister problem has occurred in London: all nature of ghosts, haunts, spirits, and specters are appearing throughout the city, and they aren't exactly friendly. Only young people have the psychic abilities required to see - and eradicate - these supernatural foes. Many different Psychic Detection Agencies have cropped up to handle the dangerous work, and they are in fierce competition for business.

In The Screaming Staircase, the plucky and talented Lucy Carlyle teams up with Anthony Lockwood, the charismatic leader of Lockwood and Co., a small agency that runs independent of any adult supervision. After an assignment leads to both a grisly discovery and a disastrous end, Lucy, Anthony, and their sarcastic colleague, George, are forced to take part in the perilous investigation of Combe Carey Hall, one of the most haunted houses in England. Will Lockwood and Co. survive the Hall's legendary Screaming Staircase and Red Room to see another day?

Listeners who enjoyed the action, suspense, and humor in Jonathan Stroud's internationally bestselling Bartimaeus books will be delighted to find the same ingredients, combined with deliciously creepy scares, in his thrilling and chilling Lockwood and Co. series.

The Protective Warrior

I don't know why I waited so long to read this. I love Ms. Checketts work. 

I'm not a necessarily a sucker for military men as leads but this book might convince me otherwise. I love the banter and chemistry between Ally and River. Goodnes that girl gets him in a lot of trouble. 

The characters aren't cliche or stereotypes. They have dark and painful places that need light and healing. I kept hoping it was time for bed so I could get back to the story. 

And now, I want to go to Hawaii and hike. Get a taco. And swim in a waterfall. 

AMAZON

A daughter escaping, a Navy SEAL sent to protect her, and the beautiful island that might prove more dangerous than her father.
Ally, daughter of the Duke of Gunthry, has spent her life terrified of her father and dreams of the day when she can escape his tyrannical rule.
When her mum helps her escape to the beautiful island of Kauai, Ally thinks she's found paradise and maybe more with the handsome River who keeps crossing her path.
But there are unexpected enemies lurking in the shadows. And no matter how tough River seems, no one can withstand the army her father will send when he discovers her location.
River Duncan is part of an elite security task force of ex-Navy SEALS. Little does he know his first assignment might prove irresistible to resist and protect. When he finds himself falling for the fun-loving Ally he plans to resign his position so they can join forces in their common goal of fighting human trafficking. River has never underestimated the enemy before, but is he fully prepared to protect and love Alexandria Gunthry?
Will River's protection and Ally's love be enough to conquer a lifetime of fear and responsibilities? Or will they be forced to give up on their dreams in the face of her sadistic and powerful father?