The Ties That Bind (Kristen McKendry)

After losing both parents at a young age, Daniel McDonald grew up disconnected from his family history. Now, as he approaches the birth of his first child, he feels deeply unsettled about his severed familial bonds. Before Daniel can feel ready to be a father himself, he knows he must unravel the painful mystery of his past and make peace with what he finds.
This quest begins as Daniel discovers the story of his grandmother, a woman of great faith who wanted nothing more than to have her family sealed together eternally, but whose untimely death led to the scattering of her offspring. Daniel’s journey of understanding unfolds as he forms new connections with relatives he never knew he had and gains long-lost insight about the difficult circumstances that entangled his family tree. From a past riddled by abuse, abandonment, and alcoholism, Daniel comes to see himself and his future in a promising new light.
Inspired by actual people and events, this novel poignantly imparts unforgettable lessons about love and loss, choice and accountability, and the everlasting ties that bind generations.

This is another quick read. I loved it because it compared the life story of a guy living in this decade to his grandparents living in harder times. I love the family history story behind this book.

Agent in Old Lace (Tristi Pinkston)

Shannon Tanner has it all—a perfect family, a perfect job, and a perfect boyfriend. Or so she thinks. What Shannon doesn’t know is that her boyfriend, Mark, is stealing money from her father and making millions doing it. When Shannon learns Mark’s secret, he turns on her, and Shannon’s life abruptly goes from perfect to perilous.
In an effort to protect Shannon, the FBI assigns their only female agent to go undercover as her personal bodyguard. But when the agent breaks her leg the day before the assignment, they turn to the next best thing: their top agent, Rick Holden—in a dress.
Quote from Agent in Old Lace: Life seems safe again for Shannon with Rick by her side and Mark apparently gone for good. Then Shannon gets word that her best friend has been kidnapped, and it becomes clear that Mark isn’t going to stop any time soon. Shannon realizes the only way to save herself and her friend—and stop Mark once and for all—is by sending Rick, her only source of protection, away. Can Rick save Shannon before it’s too late?
Tristi Pinkston’s contemporary novel debut promises to entertain and uplift her fans and new readers alike

This was a quick read of just under 200 pages. The characters were humorous. I loved this story.

The Last Waltz (G G Vandagriff)

The heroine of The Last Waltz, Amalia Faulhaber, comes onstage as an innocent socialite with a strong personality in the nervous splendor of the last days of the Hapsburg Empire. It is the "Golden Age" of music, art, fashion, cuisine, and drama.
Amidst the sparkle and neuroses of Vienna, Amalia has been educated in the fine art of flirtation by her aristocratic grandmother and in matters of conscience by her socialist uncle. She shapes and is shaped by her relationships with the men in her life—a Prussian soldier, a Polish doctor, and an Austrian baron--always remaining faithful to her own growing ideals. The story of Austria's descent into fascism is counterbalanced by the developing love that she feels for her husband with whom she has a "marriage of convenience." As flawed characters are transformed, the theme of the piece emerges as the redemptive power of love.
The book is a virtual journey into the events before, during, and after World War I. An understanding of this period is critical for us to comprehend why democracy failed in Germany and Austria. This understanding lays the foundation for a true perspective of present domestic politics and international relations with the Western and Eastern European Countries.

This book is divided into multiple sections. I hard a really hard time staying focused in the first section, but it was necessary to build you up for the rest of the story and to give you an understanding of who each of the characters are. I enjoyed the book by the end.

Pathway Home (Michele Ashman Bell)

After just one year of a blissful marriage, Cami Gardner is alone, mourning the loss of her departed husband. She's struggling to continue down the pathway of life, searching for a reason to feel alive again.
But on a seemingly ordinary summer night, a group of mysterious strangers checks into the Sea Rose Bed and Breakfast that she tends with her grandfather. One is a handsome man with eyes that hold a glimpse of pain . . . something Cami recognizes from her own heart. The others speak of a lost treasure, the legend of Spanish gold buried somewhere along the nearby coastline.
For Cami, the future holds an adventure more exhiliarating and perilous than anything she's ever imagined. And, with tensions nearing their breaking points, she'll be forced to make a choice that may cost her her very life. She's also about to take the most perilous journey of all-- inviting someone else onto the pathway she's walked alone for so long . . . and her heart may never be the same.
Comments about Pathway Home from the author:
It was wonderful to come back to Seamist and the wonderful characters from the book, "Love Lights the Way". I fell in love with the Oregon coast as I did research for that first book and through the encouragement of readers, and my own longing to return to the coast, I wrote the long awaited sequel, "Pathway Home".
There's something mystical, magical and romantic about the setting in this book and the atmosphere just seemed to lend itself to a story of mystery, adventure and romance. I enjoy the characters of this book and was happy to let the grow and find closure to each of their lives. I think that the greatest story in this book is the strength each character gains as they learn to resolve issues and heartaches from their past and finally find faith to move forward, with hope.
This is a message I know we all need at some point in our lives, so hopefully this story can uplift and inspire readers, as well as captivate and entertain them.
One word of warning, fight the urge to skip to the back of the book and read the ending. I guarantee, you'll be happy with the ending, but you're in for some great surprises and a lot of mystery and fun. You may get a tug at her your heartstrings and even get teary eyed in a few spots, but it's all worth it.
Thanks to all the wonderful requests for more of Ashlyn and Cami. I appreciate reader input and you never know, one of your ideas or suggestions is bound to show up somewhere in one of my books, so stay in touch and don't hesitate to contact me with suggestions. Enjoy!

I really enjoyed this book, it was one of those I couldn't put down until it was finished. The murder mystery even gave me chills a couple of times when you felt like you were in Cami's shoes. I am going to have to find out what other book has Ashlyn and Cami's story in it and definately read it.

Eyes of a Stranger (Carol Warburton)

The year is 1907, and Matthew Cameron has questions no one in his small Mormon settlement can answer. But answers come fast and furious when a man who looks eerily like Matthew saves him from a deadly attack. Rafael, the rescuer, may be charming, but he is also a ruthless exploiter. When Matthew refuses to cross a moral line, Rafael begins to destroy all that Matthew holds dear. Angry and alone-armed only with his unfailing belief in God-Matthew struggles to start a new life. Faced with a disturbing past, along with bitter racism in his new community, Matthew is surprised to find his sole defender is a beautiful, spirited young woman. Against the wishes of everyone around them, Matthew and Sabra begin to fall in love. When Sabra's life is jeopardized, Matthew must make some final choices: between love and hate, between right and wrong, and between life and death. Carol Warburton, master of LDS historical fiction, delivers a sweeping novel of suspense, adventure, and romance that is sure to keep readers breathlessly turning the pages of this unforgettable story.

This was a very good love story.

Forget Me Not (Michele Ashman Bell)

Dalton McNamara is returning to the country where he was held in brutal captivity, to the place where his leg was crudely amputated, to the land where his friends died. Dalton is on his way to Vietnam. But this time it will be different. This time his new wife Paige and his daughter Skyler are with him. Together, they are on a mission of healing and hope—a trip that will quickly become the adventure of a lifetime.
The McNamaras are in search of Skyler’s Vietnamese mother’s family, a journey that will wind them through a remote countryside where people still struggle to survive—even if it means working outside the law. Soon the Daltons discover that becoming too friendly with some people can be dangerous, even Lethal, especially if you are American.

I have really enjoyed this family's story and adventure. I am hoping there is a book 3 in this series to continue on with their adventures.

Key Trilogy Series (Nora Roberts)

Key Of Light

Fate brings three women together for a chance to unlock their deepest desires. Mallory has the soul of an artist and an eye for beauty. She must find the Key of Light -- on the first of three dangerous quests that could fulfill her destiny...or forever destroy her life.

Key Of Knowledge

Following hot on the heels of the first installment in Roberts's Key trilogy, this second book (following Key of Light) continues the story of three contemporary female friends chosen to free the souls of ancient demigoddesses called the Daughters of Glass. This time, the heroine is Dana Steele, a librarian who is sure that the key she's seeking lies in a book. As she begins her search, Dana renovates Indulgence, the gallery-cum-salon-cum-bookstore she is opening with her friends Malory Price and Zoe McCourt. She also spends sometimes passionate, sometimes vexing time with Jordan Hawke, the thriller writer who broke her heart years earlier when he abandoned her and their small Pennsylvania town of Pleasant Valley to seek fame in New York. Dana slowly realizes that the love they once felt for each other has not died-and that Jordan's writing is inextricably entwined with her supernatural quest. In the end, Jordan must join with Dana to fight the spells of the sorcerer Kane and fulfill the terms of her quest.

Key of Valor

Zoe is about to discover her true courageous spirit. She must find the key of valor--on the last of three dangerous quests that will force her to confront her darkest fears ... or suffer immeasurable loss.

A little let down by this series. I enjoyed the first one and was expecting more of the following two. The characters were okay but I had a hard time bonding with them.

Touch The Dark (Karen Chance)

Like any sensible girl, Cassie tries to avoid vampires. But when the bloodsucking Mafioso she escaped three years ago finds Cassie again with revenge in mind, she's forced to turn to the vampire Senate for protection.

The undead senators won't help her for nothing, and Cassie finds herself working with one of their most powerful members, a dangerously seductive master vampire- and the price he demands may be more than Cassie is willing to pay.

I really liked the story basis in this one. The author didn draw out some scenes and gave a little bit too much information (you start to feel bored) in some areas.

Sensual scene.

Dancing Shoes and Honky-Tonk Blues (LuAnn McLane)

Despite her two left feet, waitress Abilene Harper joins a reality TV dance competition and cha-chas and rumbas her way into the heart of the TV audience-and into the arms of her sexy dance instructor.
I was a little disappointed in this book. I really enjoyed Redneck Cinderella so maybe I set myself up for the disappointment. This one was too involved in the physical attraction and didnt have quite as much humor.
Some sex scenes, obviously.

Sentinels: Jaguar Night (Doranna Durgin)

At dusk he prowled the Southwest, a huge, sleek black jaguar with startling blue eyes and a man's thoughts. A shape-shifting Sentinel, Dolan Treviño projected an intensely animalistic aura that hid the scars of his past. Yet as fierce as his pride was, this immensely powerful guardian needed the intuition and spirit of an innocent horse trainer to find redemption.The moment he set foot on her ranch, Meghan Lawrence rejected the shape-shifter's protection--but she couldn't turn her back on her family legacy. Her mother had died protecting a magical manuscript that the Sentinels' dark counterparts would now do anything to recover. With an unbreakable will and all-consuming passion, only Dolan possessed the strength to save Meghan. But was she strong enough to tame the beast within?

I liked the story but was disappointed with where it left off. It was definitely a book meant to build up to the next in the series.

Some sex.

Seducing The Viscount (Deborah Raleigh)

Illegitimacy is no obstacle for Ian Breckford. Darkly handsome and thoroughly charming, he has bedded his way through London's most exclusive society. Yet this pleasurable existence has lately seemed a trifle dull-a fact soon remedied by a visit to his father's estate, where his aunt has acquired a delightful new companion. Mercy Simpson may be shy, but she is also sharp-witted and stubborn, especially when persuading Ian to relieve her of her innocence.
Ian's arrival presents the opportunity for Mercy to experience uninhibited sensual adventure before she returns to her spinster life. Ian's extraordinary skill is everything she dreamed a lover might offer-and everything she can never hope to keep … unless her brazen seduction can ignite a true, lasting passion.

Not sure how I feel about this book. I enjoyed the characters. The basis for the story wasnt bad but it just didnt grab me like I prefer my books to.

Very sensual scenes!

City of Ashes (Cassandra Clare)

Clary Fray just wishes that her life would go back to normal. But what's normal when you're a demon-slaying Shadowhunter, your mother is in a magically induced coma, and you can suddenly see Downworlders like werewolves, vampires, and faeries? If Clary left the world of the Shadowhunters behind, it would mean more time with her best friend, Simon, who's becoming more than a friend. But the Shadowhunting world isn't ready to let her go — especially her handsome, infuriating, newfound brother, Jace. And Clary's only chance to help her mother is to track down rogue Shadowhunter Valentine, who is probably insane, certainly evil — and also her father.
To complicate matters, someone in New York City is murdering Downworlder children. Is Valentine behind the killings — and if he is, what is he trying to do? When the second of the Mortal Instruments, the Soul-Sword, is stolen, the terrifying Inquisitor arrives to investigate and zooms right in on Jace.How can Clary stop Valentine if Jace is willing to betray everything he believes in to help their father?
In this breathtaking sequel to City of Bones, Cassandra Clare lures her readers back into the dark grip of New York City's Downworld, where love is never safe and power becomes the deadliest temptation.

Enjoying this series!