Just For Fun Challenge » Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book

Murder Talks Turkey by Deb Baker – My April Just For Fun Book!

Apr 302013

Murder Talks Turkey:
A Gertie Johnson Murder Mystery
3rd Book In Series
Cozy Mystery
CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform (July 1, 2011)
Paperback: 266 pages
ISBN-13: 978-1463514747
E-Book File Size: 300 KB
ASIN: B00513NH0G

Spring in Upper Michigan (Yooper) means TURKEY HUNTING TIME!!! and not all the blinds are being used for hunting. Of course when the local credit union is robbed at gunpoint no one is talking about turkeys. Why would you plan a robbery in a town where everyone is armed and ready? The plan falls apart when the gunman is shot dead but somehow the money is still missing.

“Faster than you can say “Tom Turkey,” Gertie, Cora Mae, and Kitty are on the case, in this hoot of a whodunit.”

Dollycas’s Thoughts
Gertie Johnson is such a wonderful character that always tickles my funny bone. Her and her Trouble Busting friends trying to help the sheriff solve the crime will have you laughing from beginning to end.

Well written stories with fantastic characters in crazy situations. This entire series is so much fun to read. Light, entertaining and a great escape. These Yooper stories are a real treat.

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About This Author

Deb Baker was born in the Michigan Upper Peninsula but now lives in Southeastern Wisconsin and she writes murder mysteries. Deb started out writing short stories and knew mystery was her genre when her husband pointed out that all my stories involved women killing their husbands. So far, she has written four Gertie Johnson Backwoods (Yooper) mysteries, a companion cookbook to go along with it, and a Christmas Adventure, four Dolls To Die For, and three Queen Bee mysteries as Hannah Reed. Book 4 in that series was released in December 2012.

All of her books were published traditionally. When they went out-of-print (except the bee series is still going strong), she asked for her rights back. Then she had the covers redesigned (She didn’t get cover rights back because those belong to the artist) and reissued them herself. Which she is really glad about because publishers don’t seem to give books much time to find readers.

She loves gardening, all things about nature, cooking, reading mostly mysteries but she recently discovered young adult, every sci-fi/fantasy movie that comes along, and spending time with friends and family.

She also blogs every Wednesday with The Cozy Chicks, and just started a group on Facebook with Julie Hyzy and Lorraine Bartlett. The Story Sisters Facebook page already has over 550 “LIKES”.

You can connect with her on Facebook, Twitter, or Goodreads

You can also connect with her alter ego, Hannah Reed, who is younger and claims she is smarter than I am. Find her hanging out at her Facebook Page (where she talks mainly her books) or her Facebook Profile Page (where she socializes).

*This book was from my private collection.

My March Just For Fun Read – Sizzling Sixteen by Janet Evanovich

Mar 262013

Sizzling Sixteen
(Stephanie Plum Novels)
16th in Series
Cozy Mystery
Published by St. Martin’s Press (June 22, 2010)
Hardcover: 320 pages
ISBN-10: 0312383304
E-Book File Size: 331 KB
ASIN: B003GYEGMU

Trenton, New Jersey, bounty hunter Stephanie Plum has inherited a “lucky” bottle from her Uncle Pip. Problem is, Uncle Pip didn’t specify if the bottle brought good luck or bad luck….

BAD LUCK:
Vinnie, of Vincent Plum Bail Bonds, has run up a gambling debt of $786,000 with mobster
Bobby Sunflower and is being held until the cash can be produced. Nobody else will pay to get Vinnie back, leaving it up to Stephanie, office manager Connie, and file clerk Lula to raise the money if they want to save their jobs.

GOOD LUCK:
Being in the business of tracking down people, Stephanie, Lula, and Connie have an advantage in finding Vinnie. If they can rescue him, it will buy them some time to raise the cash.

BAD LUCK:
Finding a safe place to hide Vinnie turns out to be harder than raising $786,000. Vinnie’s messing up local stoner Walter “Moon Man” Dunphy’s vibe, running up pay-per-view porn charges in security expert Ranger’s apartment, and making Stephanie question genetics.

GOOD LUCK:
Between a bonds office yard sale that has the entire Burg turning out, Mooner’s Hobbit-Con charity event, and Uncle Pip’s mysterious bottle, they just might raise enough money to save Vinnie and the business from ruin.

BAD LUCK:
Saving Vincent Plum Bail Bonds means Stephanie can keep being a bounty hunter. In Trenton, this involves hunting down a man wanted for polygamy, a Turnpike toilet paper bandit, and a drug dealer with a pet alligator named Mr. Jingles.

GOOD LUCK:
The job of bounty hunter comes with perks in the guise of Trenton’s hottest cop, Joe Morelli, and the dark and dangerous, Ranger. With any luck at all, Uncle Pip’s lucky bottle will have Stephanie getting lucky—the only question is . . . with whom?

Dollycas’s Thoughts
After book 15 I needed a little break from Stephanie Plum. The movie was o.k. but didn’t really entertain me as much as the first books did. But this month I needed to chose a book to read for the Just For Fun Challenge and this one just called out to me. I read it on a Sunday afternoon and found myself laughing out loud at Lula and Grandma’s antics. It’s funny since the movie when I read about Lula my mind pictures Sherry Shepherd but none of the other actors from the movie fill my mind the way she does. She wasn’t my first choice of an actress to play that role but she pulled it off.

This story featured Vinnie getting kidnapped and all three girls Stephanie, Connie and Lula tracking him down and rescuing him. These girls pull out all the stops using stink bombs and fried chicken to get their man, and they just kept getting into a whole heap of trouble. Morelli or Ranger and his men seem to always show up just in the nick of time to save them.

After this many books the ending is pretty predictable but the story is always crazy, fun and entertaining. Books 17, 18 and 19 are waiting patiently on my TO-BE-READ Shelf. They may pop up in future Just For Fun Reads.

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*This book was from my personal collection.

Berried to the Hilt by Karen MacInerney – Just For Fun February

Just For Fun Challenge, Reviews 2013 5 Responses »

Feb 282013

The reason I started the Just For Fun Challenge was because of books like Berried to the Hilt. I read the first three Gray Whale Mysteries and picked up #4 and placed it on my To-Be-Read Bookshelf and then review books overwhelmed my books to be read for pure pleasure. When I saw that Book #5 in this series, Brush with Death was being released in May I quickly moved this book to the top of the stack.

Berried to the Hilt
(The Gray Whale Inn Mysteries)
4th in Series
Cozy Mystery
Midnight Ink (November 8, 2010)
An Imprint of Llewellyn Worldwide Ltd.
Cover Design by Donna Burch
Trade Paperback: 278 pages
ISBN-13: 978-0738719665
E-Book File Size: 1707 KB
ASIN: B0045I6CRI

Berried to the Hilt (Gray Whale Inn Mystery, #4)

Cranberry Island is full of excitement. A sunken ship has been found off the coast. Could it be a pirate ship? The Black Marguerite belong to one of the most notorious pirates of the 17th century is said to have vanished without a trace. Or is it the Myra Barton, the ship of island sea captain Jonah Selfridge? It doesn’t take long and the island is crawling with treasure hunters and marine archaeologists. Natalie Barnes is happy because it’s great for business. The Gray Whale Inn only had one booked guest before the ship was found.

Then a body is found floating near the wreck and it’s one of Natalie’s new guests. She finds herself immersed in the world of pirates and sunken treasure. Will her snooping lead her to the killer? Or will she end up a guest down in Davy Jones locker?

Dollycas’s Thoughts
I love this series. I jumped right in and read the whole thing in one sitting.

This is another series that adds a little history to the mix of the mystery. In the last installment a 150 year old skeleton was found in a lighthouse. This time it’s pirates, sunken treasure and a ghost ship. That gives so much depth to the story.

The characters are so relate-able, friends you would love to sit down and visit with. Plus who would not like to “escape” for a couple of weeks to Cranberry Island. It sounds like a glorious relaxing place, sans the murders, of course. Then there is the food, oh the food. My only complaint is that samples are not served with this story because everything sounds so delicious. But the author does include recipes!!

Karen MacInerney writes a well crafted mystery for those of us who love the cozies. I can’t wait to get my hands on Brush with Death. It hits bookstores on May 8th.

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About This Author
Karen is the author of the Gray Whale Inn mystery series (the first of which, Murder on the Rocks, was nominated for an Agatha award for Best First Novel) and the Tales of an Urban Werewolf trilogy, featuring reluctant werewolf Sophie Garou.

When she’s not toting children to or from activities, teaching writing classes, or hitting the Hike and Bike trail, you can often find Karen at her local coffee house working on her next book. She lives in Austin with her husband, two children, and a house rabbit named Bunny.

To Find out more about Karen and her books visit her website here.

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This book was from my private collection.

Review: Hounds Abound by Linda O. Johnston

Just For Fun Challenge, Read - A - Latte 150 Challenge, Reviews 2013, Where Are You Reading Challenge 2 Responses »

Jan 292013

This was my January Just For Fun Book. The Just For Fun Reading Challenge is a challenge I host over at GoodReads. Participants agree to read 1 book each month JUST FOR FUN! Reviews are optional and there are very few crossovers allowed to other challenges. These are books you have picked up that you want to read but just haven’t been able to because of other commitments. This challenge is all about clearing just 12 books from your huge stack of books waiting to be read. There is still time to join the group. Click on this link! Hurry the group will close on Thursday January 31 to new participants!!!

Hounds Abound
(A Pet Rescue Mystery)
3rd in Series
Cozy Mystery
A Berkley Prime Crime Mystery
The Berkley Publishing Group (April 3, 2012)
Published by The Penguin Group
Cover Illustration by Jennifer Taylor/Paperdog Studio
Cover Design by Rita Frangie
Mass Market Paperback: 304 pages
ISBN-13: 978-0425247051
E-Book File Size: 463 KB
ASIN: B005GSYYJO

Lauren Vancouver is the administrator at HotRescues, a No-Kill Animal Shelter in Los Angeles, California, but she works with a whole network of groups and people to save and protect our furry friends. Save Them All is a new shelter that is a place for those handicapped and senior pets that need more care and are extremely hard to place in loving homes. Lauren is thrilled about this new shelter and it all ready to help Bella Frankovick promote her new venture anyway she can. Then Bella’s husband is murdered and Bella is the prime suspect. To help Save Them All, Lauren must help Bella prove her innocence and get a leash on the real killer.

Dollycas’s Thoughts
Again Linda O. Johnston shines a light on another pet issue, handicapped and senior pets. They may have issues but can live without pain and a pretty good quality of life. They just need to find the right homes. Save Them All Shelter sets up the perfect bridge between the two.

She wraps this information is a clever mystery for amateur sleuth Lauren to solve with plenty of distractions to keep the reader guessing. These are wonderful characters that connect through their love of animals and become friends and maybe a bit more.

Pet lovers will love this story and you may even want to rescue a pet yourself.

Your Escape With A Good Book Travel Agent

Stop back on February 6. Linda will be my guest For Cozy Wednesday! Her latest Pet Rescue Mystery Oodles of Poodles comes out February 5.

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This was from my private collection.

Dec 302012

The Sunday Salon used to be a meme but was getting so huge it became unmanageable, so it is now a Facebook group that has become an informal week in review
gathering place for bloggers.
It is also a place to share our thoughts about things of a bookish nature.

So Happy Sunday Everyone!

I can’t believe how quickly 2012 flew by. The biggest events for me happened in April and December when my new grandchildren were born. I known their parents won’t agree but the months went pretty fast. I am looking forward to spending as much time with them and 5 year old Kaden and the rest of my family as I can in 2013. I am also excited about 2013 in my blog world. I think it is going to be an awesome year for books and sharing my thoughts with all of you. What are you looking forward to in 2013??

Weekly Recap December 24 – 29

Monday – It’s Monday! What Are You Reading?
Tuesday – Just For Fun 2012 Challenge Wrap Up
Wednesday – Cozy Wednesday Special Cozy Giveaway
Thursday – Me Before You by Jojo Moyes Spotlight With Giveaway Me Before You: A Novel hits stores tomorrow and I highly recommend it. It is a powerful story that hit me on a personal level but I feel everyone will be touched by this story and it would be an excellent book club selection for the discussions it will start.
Friday – My Best Reads of 2012 This was a hard list to put together because I read so many wonderful books this year.
Saturday – Saturday Surfin’ – Recipes – Romance Challenge and Favorite Reads.

December Wrap Up

Reading Challenge 2012

I finished 2012 reading 222 books. So I completed this challenge and the Outdo Yourself Challenge with some to spare even with going 48 hours this week without reading a word.

I have not seen anyone running a Total Number of Books Reading Challenge for 2013. Please let me know if you know of one.

December Totals
16 Books – 4808 Pages – 2460 KB
2012 Totals – 222 Books – 65744 Pages – 28682 KB

More 2012 Challenges Completed

17 / 19 Challenges. 89% done!

197 / 197 books. 100% done!

20 / 20 books. 100% done!

8 / 12 free e-books. 67% done!

Fell Short on this one

25 / 25 e-books. 100% done!

51 / 51 States. 100% done!

18 / 18 Outside the U.S.A. 100% done!

12 / 12 cozies. 100% done!

13 / 13 cozies. 100% done!

6 / 6 cozies. 100% done!

6 / 6 books. 100% done!

2 / 2 series. 100% done!

26 / 26 books. 100% done!

5 / 5 books. 100% done!

12 / 12 books. 100% done!

6 / 6 books. 100% done!

8 / 8 books. 100% done!

24 / 24 books. 100% done!

12 / 10 books. 120% done!

0 / 3 books. 0% done!
This was a personal challenge to read 3 books from the year I was born.
I failed miserably. I am not going to try in 2013.

So I was successful at all but 2 challenges. Not a bad year.

mail call314

Due to the New Years Holiday January Cozies have a release date of 12/31/2012.
I was getting worried because the review copies had not arrived yet last week.
They finally arrived Thursday.

These books also arrived for review:

and

Mary Daheim will be here January 30 for Cozy Wednesday!

This was a huge post!

Looking forward to an awesome 2013 full of great reads!!

Your Escape With A Good Book Travel Agent

Just For Fun 2012 – My Wrap Up Post

Just For Fun Challenge 1 Response »

Dec 252012

just for fun 2012

12 Books JUST FOR FUN in 12 Months

I cleared these books from my To-Be-Read Bookshelf

1. The Aloha Quilt – Jennifer Chiavernini

2. Wild Goose Chase - Terri Thayer

3. Old Maid’s Puzzle – Terri Thayer

4. The Darling Dahlias and The Cucumber Tree by Susan Wittig Albert

5. Blackberry Summer by RaeAnne Thayne

6. Funeral Food by Kathleen Taylor

7. Swapping Paint by Joyce and Jim Lavene

8. Calamity Jane by Kathleen Bacus

9. Betting on Hope by Kay Keppler

10. Then Came The Evening – Brian Hart

11. In The Land of Second Chances by George Shaffner

12. The Alpine Uproar by Mary Daheim

Challenge Complete December 17, 2012

This challenge is super easy. Just read 1 book a month for fun!
No book that you have to review. A book that has been screaming at you from your shelf. A e-book you just had to have but never are able to squeeze it in to your busy schedule. The series you tarted but just haven’t finished.

just for fun 2013

I host this challenge over at GoodReads to make it easy for both bloggers and non bloggers. Sign-ups for Just For Fun 2013 are open until January 31, 2013. Then the group closes to new members. You can find all the details here or here.

Your Escape With A Good Book Travel Agent

Just For Fun Reading Challenge 2013

Just For Fun Challenge 1 Response »

Nov 172012

January 1, 2013 – December 31, 2013

As bloggers we are all on timetables to
read books, get reviews posted, host giveaways, etc.
But we also travel around to other blogs and see books we would just like to read
because of their recommendation or the cover or title catches our interest.
The Meme hosted by Sheila at Book Journey “It’s Monday! What Are You Reading?”
adds more books to my Wish List and To-Be-Read pile every week.

As followers you get our recommendations, win books from us,
pick up books at the library or buy them at a store.
But our lives are so busy these books sometimes sit in our To-Be-Read piles for months or even years.

12 books in 12 months JUST FOR FUN!!!!!!!!!!

This is my third year hosting this challenge.
Like last year is will again be held over at GoodReads where you can post and track your own progress.

CLICK HERE to go to the Just For Fun Challenge page at GoodReads.

Then just start a thread, WITH YOUR NAME AS THE TOPIC OF YOUR ORIGINAL POST.
Select the proper folder using your first initial.
Then copy and paste this:
I am committing to read just one book for fun each month!
JANUARY
FEBRUARY
MARCH
APRIL
MAY
JUNE
JULY
AUGUST
SEPTEMBER
OCTOBER
NOVEMBER
DECEMBER

All book formats are allowed, printed, audio, e-book.

There is a 3 day grace period after each month to post your book for that month.

This group will close to new members January 31, 2013 so you must sign up to participate before then.

Each month you will edit your original post to add the book you read for that month.

You Must Read One Book For Fun Each Month.
You can only add one book to your list per month. There will also be make up months where you can go back and books to months you may have missed. These will be announced during the year.

I hope you enjoy this challenge and
hope I help you clear at least 12 books from the rising stacks.

Bloggers: Please grab the button and put it on your blog to show your participation and provide a link to http://www.goodreads.com/group/show/83915-just-for-fun-reading-challenge-2013 so others can join.

I apologize for not having a button code for you to grab. For some reason I keep getting errors.

Happy Reading Everyone!!!

Your Escape With A Good Book Travel Agent

Review: Then Came Evening by Brian Hart

Just For Fun Challenge, Reviews 2012, Where Are You Reading Challenge 1 Response »

Oct 302012

Then Came the Evening: A Novel
Contemporary Fiction
Published by Bloomsbury USA (December 22, 2009)
Hardcover: 272 pages
ISBN-13: 978-1608190140

Bandy Dorner, home from Vietnam, awakes with his car mired in a canal, his cabin reduced to ashes, and his pregnant wife preparing to leave town with her lover. Within moments, a cop lies bleeding on the road.

Eighteen years later, Bandy is released from prison. His parents are gone, but on the derelict family ranch, Bandy faces a different reunion. Tracy, his now teen-aged son, has come to claim the father he’s never known. Iona, Bandy’s ex-wife, has returned on the heels of her son. All three are damaged, hardened, haunted. But warily, desperately, they move in a slow dance around each other, trying to piece back together a family that never was; trying to discover if they belong together at all.

Dollycas’s Thoughts

I picked up this book for its setting. I needed a book set in Idaho for my Where Are You Reading? Challenge. I was pleasantly surprised by this solid debut.

These characters are broken and raw. Damaged by the circumstances of their lives and poor decisions they make their way back to the homestead in rural Idaho. Brandy from prison, Tracy wanted more out of his life, and Iona because her son needed her and frankly there was nothing in her life away she couldn’t leave behind.

The story is dark and gritty and a bit intense in places. It is very well written. Never having been to Idaho the author took me there with his vivid descriptions. When I think of Idaho I think beautiful and serene. Hart takes us to the places a tourist would never see.

I am surprised this is the only book by the author. I would love to read more of his writing.

Your Escape With A Good Book Travel Agent

About This Author
Brian Hart was born in central Idaho in 1976. He’s worked as a carpenter, welder, drywall hanger, dishwasher, commercial fisherman, line cook, and janitor. In 2005 he won the Keene Prize for Literature, the largest student literary prize in the world. He received an MFA from the Michener Center for Writers in 2008. Then Came the Evening is his first novel.

*This book was from by personal collection.

Review: Swapping Paint by Joyce and Jim Lavene

Just For Fun Challenge, Reviews 2012 2 Responses »

Jul 282012

Swapping Paint
(Stock Car Racing Mysteries)
Book 1
Published by Midnight Ink (May 7, 2007)
An Imprint of Llewellyn Publications
Cover Design by Kevin R. Brown
288 pages
ISBN-13: 978-0738710204

Glad Wycznewski lives for three things: NASCAR, cold beer and his passionate wife Ruby. Glad is a retired cop from Chicago and Ruby has left her job as a beautician so that they can follow the racing circuit in their RV. The newlyweds, married last year at the racetrack in Somona, have just arrived in North Carolina for the Coca-Cola 600. The track is just down the road from Ruby’s hometown.They are excited because Ruby’s brother, Bobby, a rookie driver, may be one of the lucky 43 racing in the 600.

The race week excitement hits the wall when another rookie driver is found dead and Bobby becomes the number one suspect. Glad wants to stay out of the locals way but Ruby has other ideas. She is determined to track down the real killer. They throw caution to the wind and shift their investigation into overdrive so they can put the murderer behind bars before the checkered flag waves.

Dollycas’s Thoughts

I am a huge NASCAR fan and this series had been on my wish list for way too long. There was no Cup race last Sunday so I spent my time reading this book instead of watching a race. I loved this book and it is going on my keeper shelf.

Glad and Ruby make an awesome team. Ruby is sassy, stubborn and her mouth has no filter. These traits can all mean trouble when investigating a murder. Thankfully Glad is smart with wonderful detective skills and very patient. They are perfectly suited for each other even if they are a generation apart in age. They clearly adore each other and their dialogue is funny and natural.

Other than the main characters I would have to say Ruby’s dad, Zeke, was my favorite character in this story. Zeke’s only love besides his family is fast cars. He has worked for almost every race car driver in the business. That was until he broke his back 5 years ago. He is now confined to a wheelchair and doesn’t even go to the races anymore. Like me he is worried about how people will treat him in his disabled state. I hope he realizes like I did that the those that care about you, won’t care about the chair, and those that treat you differently weren’t your friends in the first place. I really identified with this character.

Jim and Joyce Lavene are wonderful writers. This is just one of their mystery series. I have enjoyed everything I have read that they have written and plan to read them all. I hope you will join me! Their current mystery series’ are the Missing Pieces Mysteries and the Renaissance Faire Mysteries. Both series have new installments coming soon.

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About These Authors

Jim and Joyce will be Guest Posting Here on September 19!!

Check out the webpage for a complete list of books here.

Like them on Facebook here.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. Receiving a complimentary copy in no way reflected my review of this book. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Review: Blackberry Summer by RaeAnne Thayne

Just For Fun Challenge, Reviews 2012 5 Responses »

May 242012

Blackberry Summer (Hqn)
Hope’s Crossing Series
1st in Series
HQN Books

Set in Hope’s Crossing, Colorado. Claire Bradford is the owner of a successful bead shop. She is a single mom with two kids living a predictable life. She has no time for romance. At least that is what she keeps telling herself. So why does her best friend’s younger brother Riley seem so darn sexy and hot? He has returned to be the the new chief of police of this boring little town when he was some big shot on the police force in California. It just doesn’t make sense.

A string of robberies leads to a tragic accident that forces Claire to accept help from her friends, even from Riley McKnight. The accident ends up affecting the whole town. Things get ugly when it is found teenagers are involved in the robberies and it starts to rip the town apart.

A mysterious “Angel of Hope” inspires a small group and then the whole town to plan an event to help bring everyone back together. A bit of romance also starts to blossom making for a very interesting summer.

Dollycas’s Thoughts
I was swept away by many things in this book. The friendships of the people who visit Claire’s shop, the long term relationships of the people of Hope’s Crossing, seeing someone you have known all your life differently after time has passed, and the effect the “Angel of Hope” has on this town.

If I was ever lucky enough to win the lottery or come into a great deal of money I would want to be just like the “Angel of Hope”, helping people anonymously with things they need. The way the angel inspired the people of Hope’s Crossing was really uplifting.

The characters in this story are so engaging and well developed. You want to be part of everything they are doing.

I haven’t read Harlequin in quite awhile because they were started to feel the same story just with different names but that is definitely not the case with this story. This book is about so much more than the romance. Claire needs to break out of a life she has trapped herself in. Riley has so many reasons for coming home and for staying away as long as he did. Claire’s mother has issues that need to be dealt with. Claire’s ex-husband and his new younger, pregnant wife live right in town. Thayne interweaves and blends all their lives together wonderfully along with many other residents of the town of Hope’s Crossing. I love the way she writes and her descriptions of people and places were a delight. I will be reviewing the next book in the series Woodrose Mountain later today.

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*This book was from my private collection.