Contact email: mesreads AT gmail.com
###Winner Announcement Posts are linked here.###

GIVEAWAYS ARE NOW LOCATED ON THEIR OWN PAGE - CLICK ON TAB ABOVE; Giveaways also linked on right sidebar.

Sunday, March 14, 2021

Sunday Words of Encouragement March 14, 2021

We followed our Sunday worship online again this morning. Pastor continues his series "Crash and Burn".  He reminded us that Hope is not lost for believers. The further away from the church they (the world) push, the more opportunity for the church to shine.

The enemy tries to destroy people (even disrupting their identity) to a point where they can’t see a way back to Him. God has answers! The last message encouraged us to purposely form and develop a relationship with people who don’t know Christ. Ignore the mess. (It's not our job to straighten out the mess.) Give them the message of Jesus!

Our citizenship is in heaven. If we focus on our life here, we may struggle with events around us.
Let’s consider the story of Jonah. In Jonah's world we see cultural decay; sinfulness; imminent crash and burn of a whole city – judgment from God. All parallels to our world situation today.

Jonah 1: 1-3.
God told Jonah to take a message from God to the people of Nineveh. Instead, Jonah ran the other way.
We see the same today: God tells us to take God’s message of Good News (and ultimate judgment) to people who are facing imminent death. Are we doing what God tells us?

Jonah 1: 7-13.

Jonah acknowledges that he has brought God’s wrath upon the ship he is on. He convinces the sailors to throw him overboard where he gets swallowed by a ‘big fish’.

Jonah Chapter 2 is Jonah’s prayer to God to be saved from the belly of the fish.

When Jonah was released from the belly of the fish, he followed God’s directive and went to Nineveh.
Jonah 3:3-10.
When Jonah warned the city, the people believed, responded and changed! Then God changed His mind and did not destroy the city.

Jonah got upset because God showed mercy! Obviously, Jonah was a flawed prophet. As are all of God’s people and messengers. God uses imperfect people to do great things for Him.

Did anyone ever grumble because their church got too big? Did anyone ever say “I like our group just as it is; I don’t want to grow.”

Jonah was worried about himself (he appeared to be a liar), more than about God’s victory.

POINT: When God’s people obey and go into their messed-up world, lives will be changed.

When we, the church believers, take God’s message to the world, lives will be changed! The Word of God will not be wasted! We need to share the message of life and Hope!
Daniel disobeyed man’s laws to follow God’s law. God protected him.

A Final Word:
Be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power. Put on all of God’s armor…Ephesians 6:10-11.

We have to look at people we disagree with and recognize that they are not our enemy. They are victims of the true enemy. Like Jonah, some would say, ‘Let them go to judgment.’
We need to resist the enemy and see all people with eyes of love.
Stand your ground…stay alert… pray in the Spirit at all times. Ephesians 6:11-18.

I found a couple of songs to choose from this morning.
This one speaks of revival and I felt it fits where we need to be: Awake!
Jonah 2:8-10
8“Those who cling to worthless idols
turn away from God’s love for them.
9 But I, with shouts of grateful praise,
will sacrifice to you.
What I have vowed I will make good.
I will say, ‘Salvation comes from the Lord.’”
10 And the Lord commanded the fish, and it vomited Jonah onto dry land.



Lord, forgive us – forgive ME – for failing to go and take your message to others. Change me, and change others.

Deliverance – Devoted To You

Saved From... Saved For!" — Heartlight®

Friday, March 12, 2021

Book Review: Frosted (Regency Retold #2) by M.C. Frank

This is an engaging, rich romance.
Frosted (Regency Retold #2)
by M.C. Frank

56058783. sy475
ASIN : B08L5PMRMY
Publication date : February 20, 2021
File size : 1508 KB
Print length : 362 pages
Genre: Fairy Tale, Romance
My Rating: 4.5 of 5.0.


Can two people hate each other more than these two?
She has a heart of stone. He is the notorious pirate every lady swoons for.
They have vowed never to meet again.

Captain Timothée Vaughn
Heart: Broken
Face: Gorgeous
Tone: Acidic
Pirate: Yes, he is
Marital Status: Forced into an engagement
Willing to: Break his own arm to escape his wedding tomorrow.

Lady Stella DeWinter:
Heart: Frosted
Face: Angelic but sad
Tone: Silent
Secrets: Many, but one in particular. A very dark one indeed.
Marital Status: Jilted Captain Vaughn right before their wedding, five years ago.
Willing to: Do anything to meet Timothée one last time.

Question: Why? (on earth)
Meeting place: The Frosted Ball.
What follows: Chaos. Noisy ballrooms. Starry skies. White flurries. Hungry kisses. Haughty stares. Frozen lakes. Shaking breaths. The truth. Finally.

Frosted is a heart-wrenching romance about a pirate and an ice-cold lady who seem to have hated each other for years, inspired by winter-themed fairytales like The Snow Queen and The Steadfast Tin Soldier. It is set in a witty, glittering Regency world made up of a little bit of Jane Austen, a little bit of Georgette Heyer, and a lot of a modern heart yearning for romance, passion and a tall gentleman with a smoldering gaze. This is a broken tale of beauty, dark secrets and love lost.
Frosted is the new enemies-to-lovers Regency novel that will melt your heart.


Review:
Timothée Vaughn had a difficult childhood growing up and losing his parents during the French revolution. He is sent to live with his English uncle who sends him off to boarding school. Like many young men at Eton, the moody man is more interested in play, drink and women, then in his studies. Then he travels to the countryside to spend Christmas with a classmate. There he meets a young woman, Stella, who changes his life.

Stella is a young woman who was taking care of her ailing father and enjoying her days of youthful independence. Unlike other young ladies her age, she isn’t focused on finding the right man for marriage. While out riding, Stella and a handful of friends meet a group of young men. One young man, Vaughn, is the most handsome man she has ever met but that doesn’t turn her head.

When Stella is thrown from her horse, Vaughn carries her home and waits to make sure she is alive. As the days pass, he falls head over heels and Stella warms to his attentions. After more time together during the summer, the pair are deep in a whirlwind romance. Vaughn returns to school and tries to focus seriously on his studies as he counts the days till they are to be married. Then he gets a letter from Stella terminating their engagement with little understandable explanation. She hides and refuses to see him. After repeated attempts, a devastated Vaughn heads off to the sea, maybe to drown. He learns that Stella marries a wealthy neighbor who dies on their honeymoon, leaving her the ‘icy’ widow, Lady DeWinter.

Five years later, Captain Vaughn, aka L’Ange Noir, injured during his privateering adventures, has become a wealthy, sought after bachelor. He has been trapped into an engagement and wants his friend to break his arm so he can avoid the wedding day. He is shocked when he discovers Stella in the shadows eavesdropping on his conversation. She begs him to help her with a task, but he refuses. Yet, now his overwhelming feelings – love despair, anger, hate – have been awakened. He is only more confused when Stella interrupts and stops his wedding. Why has she taken that action when she still refuses to see him?

Stella has a secret that she holds tight. She never meant to cause such pain to Vaughn (or herself), but she thinks it is necessary. She has worked hard to control her emotions and show a certain face to the world. Vaughn thought he had buried his emotions too, but his sensitive nature keeps surfacing when it comes to Stella.

This is a very emotionally rich romance (with a stunning cover too). The author takes some interesting liberties on grammar rules, but I felt they fit the story. I did get a bit frustrated by Stella's stubbornness, but I loved the quiet touches of faith that help these characters move forward. In addition to the lush emotions, the author shares some poignant observations regarding the growth struggles of the characters. She makes a particular statement about swimming and faith that is awesome: ‘Going past where your feet can touch… Swimming takes faith.” And what requires the greatest faith??? Read this luscious story to see what the characters discover.

Source: PDF Arc Received from author. This qualifies for 2019Author reading goal.

Martha's Bookshelf***Friday Pick Giveaway March 12, 2021

(I'm sorry this posted late. Our internet went out just as I published it for schedule this morning.)
Happy Friday! Spring is getting closer and the weather is getting warmer. Hmm - I need to look for some titles that fit Spring. :-)

TO ENTER FRIDAY PICK.

US Entrants: Leave a comment and tell me WHICH BOOK you would like to get from the Friday Pick lists.

INTERNATIONAL: Leave a comment indicating "Gift Card" (see further comments near the end of the post.)


CUT OFF TIME IS THURSDAY NIGHTS AT 9:00 PM CENTRAL so I do not have to stay up too late to do the winner post! I will randomly pick two winners to announce Friday mornings with the next Pick post.

Thank you to all who entered the March 5, 2021 Pick. There was no automatic win this week. Automatic wins are those who requested the book four times without other people asking for that book during those weeks. There was no title blocked.

CONGRATULATIONS
to Random.org picked Winners from March 5, 2021 Pick:
NATALIJA gets a GC
AND
BN100 gets Angel Face

All winners please fill in the Winner's Acceptance Form or email me to confirm your win, send your snail mail address information and let me know if you would like bookmarks - sensual, sexy or sweet bookmarks. {The form is new because Google changed their forms and the old one wasn't letting me print out the responses.}


Reading is Magical!
A literary poster found at Zazzle
on Pinterest

New Book Groups #92 and #93 November 13, 2020.
#92 (15 books):

The Promise by TJ Bennett
A Most Unsuitable Man by Jo Beverley
Alaskan Renegade by Kate Bridges
Killing Floor by Lee Child
The Tender Stranger by Carolyn Davidson
Her Wedding Wish by Jillian Hart
Heart's Desire by Ruth Ryan Hagan
Snowflakes on the Sea by Linda Lael Miller
Murder in Plain Sight by Marta Perry
One Perfect Rose by Mary Jo Putney
The Deputy's Duty by Terri Reed
No Ordinary Man by Suzanne Simmons
The Scot by Lyn Stone
The Abducted Heiress by Claire Thornton
Summer by the Sea by Susan Wiggs

Box #93 (14 books)

Three Complete Novels by Sandra Brown (Best Kept Secrets, Mirror Image, and Slow Heat to Heaven)
Select Editions Four Novels: Safe Harbor, The Analyst, Fallen Angel and Open Season
Seducing Mr. Darcy by Gwyn Cready
There's Only Been You by Donna Marie Rogers (personally signed)

The Celtic Riddle by Lyn Hamilton
For the Love of Pete by Julia Harper
The Irish Bride by Alexa Harrington

The Best Man by Kristan Higgins
Castles in the Mist by Jose Litton
When We Met by Susan Mallery

Thief of Hearts by Teresa Medeiros
Anne of Green Gables by Montgomery
Familiar Stranger by Sharon Sala
All of Me by Lori Wilde


New Book Group #91 October 2, 2020 - Suspense themed

SINGLES: Ten books in this box:
Senseless by Mary Burton
Indefensible by Pamela Callow
Fight or Flight by Natalie J. Damschroder
Final Appeal by Joanne Fluke
The Shape Shifter by Tony Hillerman
The Sinister Pig by Tony Hillerman Audiobook


PICK TWO  your choice (listed below the picture) Nora Roberts:

Born in Fire Audiobook Cassettes
Montana Sky
A Little Magic (
Sorry - I initially listed this as Dark Magic)
Valley of Silence
Inner Harbor and
Chesapeake Blue


New Book Group #90 June 19, 2020
Quite a few mysteries in this box.

SINGLES:
Siren's Song by Trish Albright (personally autographed)
Alias by Smy J. Fetzer
Angel Face by Suzanne Forster
Stalking the Puzzle Lady by Parnell Hall
Hot Sex by Janet Evanovich (Audio cassettes)
The Warrior by Frances Richey (poetry  hardcover)


New Book Group #89 March 6, 2020
Singles:
My Surrender by Connie Brockway
How to Tame a Modern Rogue by Diana Holoquist
Phoenix by A.J. Scudiere

New Book Group #88 November 8, 2019

Singles:
A Lady Never Tells by Candace Camp
Dawn of Redemption by Starla Childs


New Book Group #87 August 23, 2019

SINGLES:
Captain's Paradise by Kay Hooper
Open Season by Linda Howard AUDIO CASSETTES


New Book Group #86 June 7, 2019
Another group of variety from my shelves.
SINGLES:
Show No Fear by Marliss Melton
A Question of God's Balance (Vol 1) by Joseph Thek
King by Right of Blood and Might by Anna L. Walls


New Book Group #85 March 22, 2019
A variety from my shelves.

SINGLES:
Summer Skies by Judith Christenberry
Windfall (two stories) by JoAnn Ross
Daddy's Little Cowgirl (two stories) by Judith Bowen and Kimberly Raye
The Forever Year, Cold Pursuit, Lover's Lane and Temporary Sanity (Reader's Condensed)
ToxiCity by Libby Fischer Hillmann

New Book Group #84 December 15, 2018
Here are some Christmas titles to pick from.

SINGLES:
A Family for Thanksgiving
On this Holy Night
Christmas Haven
King Harold's Snow Job


New Book Group #83 November 30, 2018
(Starting bottom left and continuing up then down)
SINGLE
Seductive Secrets by Lynne Connolly
Seven Up by Janet Evanovich - Audio Cassettes
A Good Walk Spoiled by John Feinstein Audio Cassettes
Three Reader's Digest Condensed Books - each hardback:
Cold Harbour and The Courtship of Peggy McCoy
The Things We Do for Love, Three Weeks With My Brother, The Murder Artist and Night Train to Lisbon
Follow the Stars Home, Hunting Badger, The Quiet Game and Second Wind

New Book Group #82 November 9, 2018

SINGLES:
Magic Strikes by Ilona Andrews
Killing Time by Linda Howard
The Wedding Night by Barbara Dawson Smith

New Book Group #81 August 17, 2018

SINGLES
Best Laid Plans by Allison Brennan
Darkness Tell Us by Richard Laymon
Cooking Most Deadly by Joanne Pence


New Book Group #80 August 17, 2018
Note: The Final Judgment and
The Book of Fate are Audio Cassettes
SINGLES:
Summer’s Moon by Lacey Baker
The Final Judgment by Richard North PattersonAudio Cassettes
Firebird by Janice Graham
No Getting Over a Cowboy by Delores Fossen
The Book of Fate by Brad Meltzer Audio Cassettes


New Book Group #79 July 13, 2018
I found this box of books buried under some other boxes.
The Vanishing Act of Esme Lenox by Maggie O’Farrell
P.S. by Helen Schulman
Her Sexiest Surprise by Dawn Atkins (personally autographed)
Dakota Child by Linda Ford
Calling the Shots by Ellen Hartman
Promises, Promises by Amber Miller
This Time for Keeps by Jenna Mills
A Daughter’s Legacy by Virginia Smith
Another Man’s Baby by Kay Stockham


New Book Group #78 April 27, 2018
SINGLES
Blackberry Bush
Breaking Point
A Tangled Affair
Too Wicked to Love
Roses are Red Audio Cassettes


New Book Group #77 February 16, 2018- All gone

New Book Group #76 November 3, 2017
13 books remain of the original 37:
I finally Have them Listed!
Boots & Booties by Kristine Rolofson
Saucer the Conquest by Stephen Coonts
The Scorpion Seducer by Bonnie Vanak
Hell On Earth by David L. Porter
Riders of the Purple Sage by Zane Grey
The Glimpses of the Moon by Edith Wharton
Crisscross by Harmon Henkin
Maelstrom by Anne McCaffrey
Inhuman Condition by Clive Barker
101 Commonsense Rules for the Office by John R. Brinkerhoff


This shelf of 35 books are what is left from Groups #1 (11/27/09) through Group #75 September 29, 2017
(Title list reads left at bottom to right at top - 14 titles.)
Rehabilitation
Secret Blessing
Named of the Dragon
Aunt Erma's Cope Book
The Eye of the World by Robert Jordan
Bound by Destiny by Rayka Mennen


(Title list reads left at bottom to right at top - 21 titles.)
Plan of Attack by Dan Brown
(*Three One more very old books from my Gothics box.)
*The Man in the Garden by Paule Mason (1969 - yellowed)
Fire Dancer by Ann Maxwell
*Four One books are very old; pulled from a box of gothic novels I found.
*Maggie – Her Marriage by Taylor Caldwell (1953 very old, yellowed pages, some stain damage doesn't effect reading)
First Things First by Stephen R. Covey- Audio Cassette
Trilogy Of Mysteries Audio Book Shadow Prey, There Was A Little Girl, Smokescreen Audio Cassettes (NOT CDs)
Raintree Haunted by Linda Winstead Jones (spine creases)
The Shadowing by Joan Overfield
The Sweetheart Dance by Patti Ann Colt
BOX 4 2015 (reboxed from Boxes 47-53)
Undateable by Ellen Rakieten & Anne Coyle
Jezebel by Katherine Sutcliff
The Hidden Truth of Cytech's Randall Forty by Vickie Kennedy
Breakfast in Bed by Sandra Brown - Audio Cassette Tapes (link is for mass media version)
BOX 3 2015 (reboxed from Boxes 39- 47)
Shetland Summer by Janet Lynnford
BOX 2 2015 (reboxed from Boxes 24- 38)
The Trailsman: Texas Lead Slingers by Jon Sharpe
A Courtesans Guide to Getting Your Man by Susan Donovan and Celeste Bradley -- NOTE This book has dog bite damage; it is missing half back cover and the edges of pages in the back third of the book... it does not effect the text but I will understand if no one wants this one
An Honorable Man by Rosemary Rogers (spine creases)
The Willful Widow by Valerie King (spine wear)
Foundation (Foundation Novels) by Isaac Asimov
BOX #1 2015 (reboxed from Boxes 1- 23)
Ghost Writer (Shivers #3) by M.D. Spenser
Alien Chronicles - The Crimson Claw by Deborah Chester

If you saw the pictures posted of my bookshelves and boxes you know I do have lots of books! And that doesn't include the other eight or so boxes at my office!! And more books as I find deals too good to pass up! I am sharing my book bounty by these Friday Pick Giveaways.

I started Friday Pick on November 27, 2009 and in almost TEN years I have posted 91 groups of 16 books plus an additional 21 totaling 1,477 books available to find new homes! (As of November 6, 2020).

I am happy to say that so far about 1,354+ books have found new homes through this feature! YAY. [A year or so ago I posted I had reached 2000 books given away. As I calculated the numbers 11/2/17 I realized that had to be an error. I realized I went from 1098 to 2001 instead of 1101. Guess I was tired; sorry for the error.] I have to update my print out to check the exact number sent out - a few were never claimed. I periodically update the lists - deleting those won. You can still go to the Friday Pick list link to see older posts and the older lists book pictures if you want!

Note rules here regarding international entries.
Because postage to overseas can be prohibitive I am willing to give a $5.00 book certificate to international winners - Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Borders, ARe, TWRP, ClassAct Books, eTreasures, Desert Breeze, etc....you tell me where and I'll set it up. So for my overseas visitors, your comment may indicate a smaller book and I'll check postage or note your choice of gift card.

I learned that The Book Depository does not ship to everywhere. The postage for some of the books to faraway places runs between $7.00 and $10.00 and up. Since I would award $5.00 for The Book Depository to an international winner, as an alternative you may choose a smaller book and we will hope the postage will not exceed $6.00. If the postage is more, or if you want to pick a larger book and you are willing to pay any extra postage beyond the $6.00 I will work with you on that. This may not make a difference to many but if it helps one or two of you to give one of my books a home that will make me happy too. :o)

Repeating this helpful blog tip: You can right click on a link and you will be given the choice to open the link in a new window or tab so you do not navigate away from the screen you are on!! I use this all the time!

Wednesday, March 10, 2021

Audible Book Review: Black Ops, Expeditionary Force, Book 4, by Craig Alanson

I enjoyed this episode in this fav series.
Black Ops Expeditionary Force, Book 4
By: Craig Alanson
Narrated by: R. C. Bray

Black Ops audiobook cover art
Series: Expeditionary Force, Book 4
Length: 16 hrs and 44 mins
Release date: 09-26-17
Publisher: Podium Audio
Genre: Military Science Fiction, Space Opera
My Rating: 4.5 of 5.0 Overall; Story 4.5; Narration 5.0.


Publisher's Summary
The elite crew of the pirate ship UNS Flying Dutchman had a simple mission: determining whether the Thuranin are sending another starship to Earth. Along the way, they became sidetracked by securing a future for the UNEF troops on the planet Paradise. When asked whether Earth was now safe, their ancient alien AI responded "Not so much"...now they have to deal with the consequences.
©2017 Craig Alanson (P)2017 Podium Publishing.


Review:
Colonel Joe Bishop and the crew of the stolen, therefore pirate, ship UNS Flying Dutchman are hiding out in space, where the human species is supposed to have no presence unless under the control of one of the alien species. The Dutchman has been tasked to spy out whether there are any imminent threats to their home planet, Earth. Skippy, the alien AI shaped like a beer can who was rescued by Joe, has intercepted messages indicating that one of the alien enemy forces is negotiating to send another alien force to Earth. Now the less technically minded humans (‘monkeys’ as Skippy calls them) have to find a way to prevent the negotiations from going any further.

This mission, like all of their missions, needs some improbable but remarkably doable human planning, a bit of luck, and – mostly – the awesomeness of Skippy the alien AI. Things get dicey when Skippy investigates a dead Elder cylinder like his own and goes silent. The humans don’t have the knowledge to even maintain the ship they are on, much less use the worm holes properly to navigate stealthily in space. Skippy ‘created’ another AI to help monitor events, but he failed to program Nagatha (named for Agatha Christi and a particularly annoying trait of the new AI) on maintaining the ship so her help is limited.

As with the previous books, a big part of the fun of this series is the sarcastic banter between Skippy and Joe. The new character of Nagatha adds another element of amusement. This episode develops a few crew members more deeply while also continuing with several previously highlighted characters.

I totally love the action and the fun dialog. There is always suspense with each mission and I enjoy the creative and sometimes rather zany solutions that the lowly humans come up with to complete each step of the mission. There are expected and sad losses but the tension really increases when Skippy isn’t available to work his awesome ‘magic’. I am glad I have the book 5 in my library so I can pull it forward in a month or so to continue the adventures.

There is a strong friendship, love/hate relationship between Joe and Skippy. Any reader who is offended by belittling banter may not enjoy their barbs. However, there is a particularly moving sequence where Skippy acknowledges the creative illogic of the human species. I recommend this fun series to fans of military space opera (sans any romance).

Audio Notes: This series as narrated by R. C. Bray is a delight to listen to. He conveys the snarky Skippy personality, complete with arrogance, eye rolls, and head slaps. He provides a fun female voice for Nagatha, and delivers the human and alien characters with distinct voices. I plan to continue to listen for the best enjoyment of this series.

Source: 3/8/2020 Two For One Credit Sale at Audible. This qualifies for 2021TBR, 2021Audiobook and 2021Alphabet goals.

Prior book reviews:
Columbus Day (Expeditionary Force, #1) by Craig Alanson
Audible Book Review: Spec Ops, Expeditionary Force, Book 2 by Craig Alanson
Audible Book Review: Paradise, Expeditionary Force, Book 3 by Craig Alanson

Tuesday, March 9, 2021

#NetGalley Book Review: Time of the Rose by Bonita Clifton

This is a traditional (originally written in 1994) romance with suspense and time travel complications.
Time of the Rose
by Bonita Clifton

Time of the Rose (Twisted Rose Saga Book 1) by [Bonita Clifton]

ASIN : B08MBFY4GV
Publication date : December 12, 2020
File size : 2711 KB
Print length : 401 pages
Genre: Historical Fiction, Romance, Sci Fi & Fantasy, Time Travel
My Rating: 4.0 of 5.0.


This is the 2nd Edition of the compelling and beloved classic Time of the Rose, award-winning Holt Medallion finalist (Virginia RWA), dusted off, reimagined, with new material and *Bonus Epilogue, guaranteed to leave your head spinning! Prepare to feel good, laugh and fall in love...
A notorious gunslinger with a vendetta and an attitude. A divorced travel agent determined to heal. An extraordinary rose. 1878 and present-day are about to collide…
Colton Chase searches for the monster that murdered his parents. It’s been ten years and every day that passes only fuels his grit. When he plucks a single rare rose, a wicked thunderstorm catches him in its wrath, and after the clouds clear, his entire world has changed. Madison Calloway is on a business trip to Jackson Hole, Wyoming, when she quite literally stumbles into the biggest horse she’s ever seen. The rugged old man leading the animal looks like he stepped out of a historical Wild West catalog. Her love of antiques is piqued, and she strikes up a conversation.
He claims he’s from 1878 and she feels bad for him; clearly, he suffers from dementia. But there’s an uneasy undertone—everything from his clothes to his strange turns of phrase back up his story. So when another storm brews and he tells her he’s going back, she follows. The two find themselves in 1878 and the old man is gone—in his place a strapping young man, handsome, fascinating, and irresistible.
Can Madison adjust to life more than a century in the past, leaving behind the world she knows? Or will she return home and forever lose the man she’s falling for? Her biggest fears are realized when she’s abducted by Colt’s fierce enemy, and if she survives, this event may well send her running home for good.


Review:
Colton Chase is a gunslinger on a ten year vendetta to find and kill the man who murdered his parents. Recent cattle rustling brings Colton home to the family ranch that is being managed by his angry, dilatory, younger brother. Colton needs some down time to regroup. He rides to a favorite spot where he picks an unusual rose. He is caught in a wild storm and when he and his horse ride out of the mist, he discovers a new town that he didn’t know existed… because it didn’t in his time.

Madison is a twenty first century career woman who has invested her energy in her travel agency since her divorce from her cheating husband. She and her staff are visiting Jackson Hole, Wyoming for business. She is startled when she steps in front of a large horse and looks up into the eyes of an elderly cowboy who appears to be straight out of the historical west. The two are drawn to each other and Colton convinces Madison to spend a day out with him. She begins to see a young, rugged handsome cowboy rather than an elderly character. Colton is confused by his circumstances, but Madison fears he is suffering from dementia since he claims to be from 1878.

Colton is set on returning to his time and never expected Madison to accidentally follow him. Once she is there, Colton is ready to claim her as his wife. Madison isn’t so quick to commit to a backward time and she is still reluctant to let a man have any control in her life. Colton agrees to help Madison return to her time but first he has to follow a hot clue for his vengeance. Madison fears for his safety but in trying to help she gets captured. Can Colton save her and if he does will she agree to stay or still want to return to her own time, leaving him behind?

The time travel romance hit all the right genre buttons: Historical Fiction, Romance, Sci Fi & Fantasy. It is a romance with nice historical detail, a believable time travel trigger and well developed characters. I call this a ‘traditional’ romance as it contains some of the cliché’ description of the sexual encounters that I associate with romance from the 1990s. It was awkward to me, but it was still a nice story and easy read. I recommend this to fans of time travel romance who wouldn’t mind the older language and sexual descriptions.

Source: NetGalley 2020. This qualifies for 2021TBR, 2021NetGalley and 2021Alphabet goals.

LinkWithin

Related Posts with Thumbnails