Memories are Made of This ( June Francis)

Liverpool, 1954. Young Jeanette Walker often wonders what became of her mother who disappeared without trace during a wartime bombing raid thirteen years before. Was she killed outright, or did she run off with another man, as tyrannical Great Aunt Ethel insists?  Embarking on a dual mission to find out what really happened to her mother and to track down the handsome stranger who came to her rescue, Jean is little prepared for the hornets' nest of family secrets and lies that her investigations will stir up.

If you like history/mystery/love stories, this one has a little of all of that.

A Virgin River Christmas (Robyn Carr)

Last Christmas Marcie Sullivan said a final goodbye to her husband, Bobby. This Christmas she’s come to Virgin River to find the man who saved his life and gave her three more years to love him.

Fellow marine Ian Buchanan dragged Bobby’s shattered body onto a medical transport in Fallujah four years ago, then disappeared as soon as their unit arrived stateside. Since then, Marcie’s letters to Ian have gone unanswered.

Marcie tracks Ian to the tiny mountain town of Virgin River and finds a man as wounded emotionally as Bobby was physically. But she is not easily scared off. As Marcie pushes her way into his rugged and reclusive life, she discovers a sweet but damaged soul beneath a rough exterior.

Ian doesn’t know what to make of the determined young widow who forces him to look into the painful past and, what’s worse, the uncertain future. But it is, after all, a season of miracles and maybe, just maybe, it’s time to banish the ghosts and open his heart.

Originally published November 2008.

I thought this was a cute love story.  I think it would be an experience to live the way that Ian does.  Just shows you do what you have to to make it in life.

A Creed Country Christmas (Linda Lael Miller)

Celebrate the holidays with the Creed forefathers—Montana men who built the family homestead and established a legacy of love…

In the unforgiving Montana wilderness of 1910, widowed rancher Lincoln Creed is up against more than rustlers, wolves and the coming winter storms. His young daughter has needs beyond the beans and bacon he can barely cook. Lincoln must find little Gracie a governess, a lady who can teach and cook—yet won't set her sights on him.

Disowned for her refusal to marry, twenty-five-year-old Juliana Mitchell shares the love in her heart with her young students at the underfunded Indian school. When she meets Lincoln and Gracie, her response to the handsome rancher makes her realize she's not against marriage after all.

She longs to help, yet the two orphaned brothers in her care need her. But in the season for miracles, Providence just might find a way to bring Juliana, the boys and the Creed family together for Christmas Eve….
As you can tell I have been in the mood for some holiday stories.  I loved this book and would like to read more about the Creed boys.  Warning there is one descriptive love scene towards the end of the book but it isn't drawn out to long.

Silver Bells (Sadie Hart)

Every year, the Christmas Carousel in South Howle takes a beating, and every year, Dash Bartholomew tenderly brings it back to life. It’s a job he started fifteen years ago, when Dash became Dasher, one of Santa’s reindeer, and accepted the worn leather harness now hanging on the hooks at the back of the carousel barn. The one with its beautiful, silver bells that once made the most wondrous sound in the world, and now lay quiet.

That is, until Merry, a young, homeless woman wanders in looking for a place out of the cold. Unlike Dash, she can hear the sweet chimes of the bells, proving to him that it’s not the harness that’s broken. As Christmas draws near, Dash finds himself drawn to Merry and her quiet, stubborn pride. However, unable to hear the sleigh bells Dash isn’t sure what Christmas this year will bring, only that the magic in that harness is far less important than the woman he’s come to love.

This is a cute Christmas short love story.

The Christmas Letters (Lee Smith)

In The Christmas Letters, three generations of women reveal their stories of love and marriage in the letters they write to family and friends during the holidays. It's a down-home Christmas story about tradition, family, and the shared experiences of women.

Here, in a letter of her own, Lee Smith explains how she was inspired to write this celebrated epistolary novel:

Dear Friends,

Like me, you probably get Christmas letters every year. I read every word and save every letter. Because every Christmas letter is the story of a life, and what story can be more interesting than the story of our lives? Often, it is the story of an entire family. But you also have to read between the lines with Christmas letters. Sometimes, what is not said is even more important than what is on the page.

In The Christmas Letters, I have used this familiar format to illumine the lives, hopes, dreams, and disappointments of three generations of American women. Much of the story of The Christmas Letters is also told through shared recipes. As Mary, my favorite character, says, "I feel as if I have written out my life story in recipes! The Cool Whip and mushroom soup years, the hibachi and fondue period, then the quiche and crepes phase, and now it's these salsa years."

I wrote this little book for the same reason I write to my friends and relatives every holiday--Christmas letters give us a chance to remember and celebrate who we are.

With warmest greetings, Lee Smith

This was a cute story and it was fun watching this family grow through the decades through the Christmas letters written by the women of the family.

A Christmas Beginning (Anne Perry)

Whatever the season, a new novel by bestselling author Anne Perry is always a wonderful gift, but her holiday novels are particularly special treats, and A Christmas Beginning is a deeply felt story of passion and redemption.
Superintendent Runcorn of Scotland Yard is spending Christmas on the wild and beautiful island of Anglesey off the north coast of Wales. On one of his solitary strolls, the lonely bachelor stumbles upon a lifeless body in the village churchyard. The unfortunate victim is quickly identified as Olivia Costain, the local vicar’s younger sister.
In life, Olivia had been a free spirit, full of charm and grace. For Runcorn, she is a haunting reminder of Melisande Ewart, the one woman he’s never been able to forget. Everyone on Anglesey is quick to insist that only a stranger to the island could have committed the heinous crime. But the evidence proves otherwise, and the unpopular work of discovering who among Olivia’s friends and neighbors–and numerous eligible suitors–is a ruthless killer falls to Runcorn. A plebian outsider in the drawing rooms of the snobbish local gentry, Runcorn never dreams that the key that will unlock the secrets of Olivia’s life and death may also, miraculously, open the door to a new future for himself.

I did not care for this book.  I had a really hard time connecting with the characters.  I was also really in the mood for another Christmas Book and this book barely even mentioned it being Christmas time, maybe this was part of the reason I didn't enjoy it.  I will have to try another of her books and see if it is just her writing style that I couldn't connect with.

The Christmas Wedding (James Patterson)

The tree is decorated, the cookies are baked, and the packages are wrapped, but the biggest celebration this Christmas is Gaby Summerhill's wedding. Since her husband died three years ago, Gaby's four children have drifted apart, each consumed by the turbulence of their own lives. They haven't celebrated Christmas together since their father's death, but when Gaby announces that she's getting married—and that the groom will remain a secret until the wedding day—she may finally be able to bring them home for the holidays.
But the wedding isn't Gaby's only surprise—she has one more gift for her children, and it could change all their lives forever. With deeply affecting characters and the emotional twists of a James Patterson thriller, The Christmas Wedding is a fresh look at family and the magic of the season.

I loved this cute Christmas story.  I love Gaby's personality and her children remind me of me and my siblings when we are all together.  Definitely recommend this book for this holiday season.

High Country (Jennie Hansen)

A terrible car accident left Laura fatherless, injured, and at a loss for many memories of her life before the accident. But when she and her cousin Bruce are going through their Aunt Alice’s papers after her death, Bruce finds a certificate that will change Laura’s life forever: a marriage certificate. With her name on it. The doctors told her she wouldn’t be able to remember a lot of things, but how could she forget getting married?

Laura is shocked even further when she finds out she is the heir to her father’s fortune and his ranch, High Country. As she discovers the secrets about her past that Aunt Alice had kept so well hidden from her, Laura is determined to get back what is rightfully hers. But trying to regain the beautiful house and land from a stubborn cowboy, Paul “Mac” Burgoyne, who claims to be her husband, is more than she bargained for.

In this gripping novel, best-selling author Jennie Hansen presents a fresh set of realistic, entertaining characters who learn the importance of forgiveness, faith, and love in the face of discord and misunderstanding. Once you start reading High Country, you won’t want to put it down.

This book was so good, that I couldn't put it down and had to read the whole thing in one day.  It was a good mix of modern day life mixed with a western love story.

 

The Heirs of Southbridge (Jennie Hansen)

When tragedy strikes Southbridge plantation, young Clayton and his brother, Travis, are forced from the only home they’ve ever known. Fleeing the drunken rage of their grandfather, with bounty hunters and horse thieves thick on their trail, the boys and their father try to eke out a lonely life as fugitives and cowboys. As Clayton nears adulthood, his greatest desire is for a strong and stable family, but his father’s death and his brother’s departure leave him more alone than ever. Seeking for roots, Clayton visits Southbridge en route to college and kneels on his mother’s grave, only to be accosted by a gun-wielding girl named Lucy, whose father will stop at nothing to make the plantation his own. Can Clayton realize his deepest desires of marrying the woman he loves, having a family, and reclaiming the plantation that is his rightful heritage?

 

I loved the girl Lucy in this book.  After I read the book and started looking into other books by Jennie, I found that the book I read recently "River once flowed" is the story of Travis' life after he and Clayton separated.

If I Should Die (Jennie Hansen)

One morning on a routine jog, Kallene’s running partner, Linda, confides that she’s filing for divorce. The next morning, she’s gone without a trace, leaving behind her frightened young daughter. Since Linda’s enraged husband refuses to notify the police, Kallene steps in to initiate a missing person search, not knowing it would soon become a murder investigation — or that she’d soon fall for the charming lead detective. With Linda’s handsome brother also on her mind, Kallene must navigate the rapids of a double romance as well as the deepening suspicion in her upscale Utah neighborhood. Intrigue turns to danger as Kallene faces the consequences of hasty judgments. And when startling new evidence casts Linda’s murder as the work of a determined killer, Kallene needs the intervention of unlikely heroes to avoid being the next victim.

I really enjoyed this book.  Jennie did an awesome job at introducing multiple possibilities in this murder mystery.

Through Cloud and Sunshine (Dean Hughes)

Nauvoo was supposed to be the kingdom of God on earth, but Will and Liz Lewis are learning that it takes more than dreaming of Zion to make it a reality. Sickness, poverty, and just plain human nature add to the struggles for the Lord's people, but every now and then a glimpse of heaven shines through. Just when things are starting to get settled, though, the old problems start rearing their heads, leaving Will and others wondering if they will be there to reap the harvest they have so carefully sown. Meanwhile, Jeff and Abby—in modern-day Nauvoo—are dealing with challenges of their own. As their newborn baby fights for his life, they must come to grips with their personal faith. Can they, like their ancestors, continue to trust in God when there seems to be no trace o Him in their trials? Beloved novelist Dean Hughes skillfully interweaves the stories of two couples separated by five generations and 150 years, providing a unique perspective on Church history and showing how much we can learn from those who went before us.

I am really enjoying this series, but I am a church history junkie.  Can't wait for the next book in the series. This book just shows that we all go through trials, they may not be exactly the same but they require the same faith and dedication to get through them.

Where the River Once Flowed (Jennie Hansen)

New Mexico, 1879 — The Sebastian Hacienda is a lucrative and coveted ranch deep in the fertile wilderness of New Mexico, a property held for generations by the powerful Sebastian family. After the death of his son and heir, proud and formidable Don Sebastian has only one hope for the preservation of his land: his beautiful young granddaughter, Iliana. Desperate, he makes a shocking deal — the property will be sold to Ross Adams, an American cowboy, on the condition that he marry the stunning young Iliana and bequeath the land to her sons. A bargain is struck, but not everyone is pleased with the outcome. Neighboring rancher Ben Purdy has his eye on pretty Iliana — and on ownership of the Sebastian Ranch. In his ruthlessness, Purdy is willing to go to terrible lengths to acquire them both, even if it means destroying everything in his path . . . Utah Territory, 1891 — Travis Telford was born to be a cowboy. He left his family to chase the dream of someday owning his own ranch, but years of nomadic living as a ranch hand have proven taxing. After several seasons of horse trading with the American owner of the Sebastian Ranch, Travis finds his life dramatically altered by a routine stop at the property. He finds the ranch in chaos and the rancher’s beautiful widow Iliana in the midst of a turbulent land battle. His instinct to protect Iliana is undeniable, and as the danger mounts, only their reliance upon each other has the power to save them.

This wasn't one of my favorite love stories by Jennie Hansen, but it was okay to read once. 

The Dukes Undoing (G G Vandagriff)

Meet the Duke of Ruisdell, the unlikely hero of this traditional Regency Romance, after the manner of Georgette Heyer and Candice Hern.The duke has just returned wounded from the Napoleonic wars. He is weary, cynical, and very bored. Known as the worst rake in England, he finds he has no interest in upholding that distinction, when his friend, the Marquis of Somerset, proposes a bet: “Five thousand guineas says that seducing Miss Elise Edwards will cure your ennui.” Because his friend has just lost a packet to him, he agrees that the bet be posted in White’s famous Betting Book.The following day, while walking in Green Park, he spies a mysterious young woman, veiled, and obviously grieving. A disembodied voice, sounding strangely like that of his late adjutant, informs him, “The jig is up. That is the girl you are going to marry!” He scoffs, but is nevertheless intrigued by something about the slight figure. He even sketches her and asks if he can be of assistance to her. She declines his offer kindly.At the opera that evening, he is captivated by a beauty across the Opera Hall. He hears the same voice, saying the same thing. The marquis informs him that the woman in question is Miss Elise Edwards. When he meets her, he recognizes her voice as that of the woman in the park. Now she is surrounded by a surfeit of ex-fiance’s, one of them dangerously unbalanced. Ruisdell discovers an actual bond between them which renders him honor bound to protect her.Thus begins a train of unstoppable events–dangerous, humorous, devilish, and amorous–that carry his life along at such a pace that the duke soon knows not whether he is on his head or his heels. And then there is that bet . . .Enjoy this delicious romance that will carry you back to the Regency period in English history, where manners were dictated by strict rules of fashion. It is the Jane Austen era, populated by gentlemen and ladies of leisure. These books are best enjoyed with a box of chocolates, and are guaranteed to enliven any boredom (ennui) that you may be experiencing!

I was way excited to see that GG Vandagriff came out with another book.  She is one of my favorite authors.  This book was very different from her other books, but I still enjoyed it.  It is a very short book of only about 180 pages, so it is a good book if you only have a day or so to read.

The Winds and The Waves (Dean Hughes)

Will Lewis is stuck. the class system in England in the 1840s seems destined to keep him in his place as a poor tenant farmer who cannot improve his lot and will never be able to marry the woman he loves. But the "new religion" that is sweeping through congregations of the United Brethren, Will's church, may hold the key to the better life he longs for. As he listens to the preaching of Wilford Woodruff, he almost dares to hope for the Zion the young Apostle describes.

Will's struggles to believe and to face the rigors of immigrating to an unknown land are paralleled by the modern-day story of Jeff and Abby, a young married couple facing challenges of their own. When Jeff begins digging into his family history, he finds himself particularly drawn to "Grandpa Lewis," an ancestor whose life was more like his than he would have imagined.

The skillful interweaving of these two stories brings Church history to life while demonstrating how much we can learn from those who went before us. Anyone who has ever faced the winds and the waves, in some form, will love this novel.

If you love pioneer church history, especially Nauvoo history, you will love this book.  It is the 1st of at least 3 in a series.

Hometown Girl (Michele Ashman Bell)

Jocelyn Roger's life is in a rut. Maybe she should step outside her comfort zone and move to Milford Falls, where she has inherited her grandmother's house. With the encouragement of the other Butterfly Girls, Jocelyn musters her courage and starts a new life. However, when she arrives in the small town that holds both good and bad memories for her, she discovers the house in worse shape than she expected, and getting repairs done is anything but easy, especially when it comes to dealing with Jack Emerson, a man who seems to be agitated by Jocelyn and everyone else within a fifty mile radius. To make matters worse, she has begun to worry that moving back to the place where she once spent a troubled summer will expose the deep personal secret she has kept hidden for fourteen years. But Jack also has a a hidden secret that has prevented him from getting close to anyone in a long time. And now it seems that interfering neighbors may prevent both Jack and Jocelyn from moving forward with their lives. Join the Butterfly Girls in this charmingly romantic story that shows sometimes it takes a leap of faith to land on your feet.

This is Book #2 of the Butterfly Box Series ...

Distant Heart (Tracey Bateman)

Toni Rodden has escaped a life of prostitution and vows she'll never let a man control her again. After months on the wagon train, she's finally earned her place, albeit grudgingly from some, and has found a surrogate family in Fannie Caldwell and her two siblings. For the first time she can taste freedom and the possibilities of a new life. But as Fannie prepares to marry wagon master Blake Tanner, Toni realizes how alone she is and questions whether she'll ever find acceptance, or true love.

Despite Toni's conviction that no man will be able to see beyond her marred past, Sam Two-Feathers, the half-Indian wagon scout and acting preacher for the train, seems to know of a love that forgives sins and values much more than outward appearances. Will Sam have the confidence to declare his love? Will Toni be able to trust in a love that can forgive even the darkest past?

The Wishing Garden (Anita Stansfield)

Anita Stansfield’s clutch on the world of Mormon romantic fiction got a little stronger with the release of her newest novel, “The Wishing Garden.”

After venturing into historical fiction with her last several books, Stansfield returns to modern times as she tells the story of a dejected mother seeking to build a new life after a string of tragic events.

Following a catastrophic car accident that robbed her of the lives of her husband and one of her adopted twin daughters, Mary Cranford-Bewkes reluctantly returns home to live with her dying father. A cruel and bigoted man, Mary absorbs his abuse and intolerance while caring for him only so that she and her daughter — a beautiful Hispanic 6-year-old — will have a place to live.

When Mary hires a handsome man more than 10 years her junior to transform the estate’s neglected gardens, she accidentally disrupts the careful balance of her life. Whit, a practicing member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, with Mexican heritage, is immediately drawn to Mary as well as her daughter, forcing her to face emotions she had deeply buried.

However, as her feeling for Whit begin to take shape, unsettling events draw Whit’s troubled past to the forefront, leaving Mary to wonder if the tender gardener is really what he seems. She must rely on the truth in her feelings or the mounting evidence, as well as her father’s ugly prejudice, might drive the couple apart.

“The Wishing Garden” highlights Stansfield’s love of exploring her characters' emotions and underlying motivations. The book is full of deep sentiment, and romantics will be absorbed by the heartache Mary and Whit have each battled. The characters are lovable and interesting, making them easy to follow.

While the story does seem a bit slow to develop, the angst and loathing provided by Mary’s father pull readers to her defense, truly drawing them into the book. Once the action picks up, the tale gallops through twists and intriguing turns involving not only romance but assault, gang turf wars and courtroom drama.

Stansfield’s fans will surely enjoy this unique addition to her flourishing literary collection. - Deseret News

The Chimney Sweep Charm (Marcia Lynn McClure)

There was the muffled sound of audience members standing up, and Baylee and Candice turned to look behind them."Holy smokes!" Baylee breathed."It's like a Navy SEAL convention or something," Candice added.And it was! Baylee couldn't believe that over twenty-five of the people in the orientation audience were tall, dark, handsome, buff guys dressed all in black. Each man stood with his feet apart and hands held at his back-similar if not exactly like a military "at ease" stance."They're all packing heat too," Baylee whispered to Candice as she noted all the holstered sidearms."I guess Mr. O'Sullivan wants to be prepared," Candice said."I suppose you girls are all wowed now, right?" Tate said from the front row."Let's see," Candice began, looking to Tate and feigning an expression of thoughtfulness. "Let's say I'm being assaulted by some weirdo in the street...and who am I going to look to for protection? One of these guys?" she said, nodding toward the security staff. "Or you, Tate? You...who freaked out in June when we were in New York and you thought some guy was looking at you funny. You freaked out and slammed Megan's finger in the door and cut it off! Who do you think I'm going to trust?""It was an accident, and you know it," Tate grumbled. Baylee did know it. Still, she found her eyes glancing down the row of chairs in front of her to Megan-to the missing first joint and fingertip on her right hand."Yeah, it was," Candice admitted. "But you still cared more about yourself than Megan. The guy was stalking Megan...not you. Real heroic, Tate. Way to go to instilling a sense of confidence in me that you would have my back.""Whatever," Tate grumbled, turning around in his seat to pout."Thank you," Brian said to his men. Baylee watched as the security staff sat down in unison. "So there you have it...our extra security staff for the next two months. As I said, if you need assistance...just grab a chimney sweep."Baylee giggled. "Grab a cab, grab a snack...grab a chimney sweep."Candice giggled too. "And you know what? I just figured out what I want for Christmas.""Absolutely," Baylee agreed. "I'll never ring 'Chim Chim Cher-ee' with the same mental pictures again."

This is a quick love story set at Christmas Time ... If you want a quick book to sit down to a one day read.

Before the Dawn (Dean Hughes)

When the bishop calls Leah Sorensen to be Relief Society president, her first impulse is to assume he is joking. "They'd all vote against me if you put my name up," she tells him, "and I'd vote with them."
She's prickly and proud, a farm widow who doesn't get along with the town women at all. Why would the Lord want her?
Because it's 1932, the depth of the Great Depression, and, as the bishop tells her: "You lost your husband and you didn't give up. You know how to survive hard times, and some women in our ward don't. I'm not looking for a nice church lady right now. I'm looking for someone with some grit, and that's what you've got."
But will grit be enough when the opposition begins?

I fell in love with Leah, she reminds me of many women in my life... Just shows people are put in the right place at the right time for reasons we will never know, we are also all given different trials because we all have different personalities and can make certain trials work for our own needs.

Passage on the Titanic (Anita Stansfield)

Ella Brown grew up in one of London’s privileged homes, with all the comforts and luxuries that money can buy. But when sudden financial reversals strike her household, leaving her father dead by his own hand and her mother broken by trauma, Ella is forced from a life of safety and abundance to one of scarcity and fear. Clinging to survival on the filthy streets of the city, she’s betrayed by her only friend and burdened by an ill-fated pregnancy. By the time Ella arrives at the hospital in premature labor, she desperately needs an angel of mercy, and one soon arrives: Irene Corbett, a Mormon midwife who has come to London for advanced medical training at the great sacrifice of her family. Irene soothes Ella’s pain as she births a son, who lives only minutes, helps her back on her feet, and joins her on a voyage to America on the ship Titanic—where epic disaster rips the two friends apart. Bereaved and alone, Ella finds comfort and healing in the care of rescue crewman Jonathan Moreau and his loving family. But will the dark weight of Ella’s past destroy her delicate hopes for the future? Bestselling author Anita Stansfield delivers a story of compassion, hope, and survival set against a backdrop of the greatest tragedy of the early twentieth century

If you like Titanic history, this was a new point of view of what happened that night and the after affects that the survivors had to suffer through.