**GIVEAWAY** and Review – The Girls of Mischief Bay by Susan Mallery

👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽 – 5 applauding hands

My first Susan Mallery book and I absolutely LOVED every minute spent reading it!! Seriously, I was immersed in this book, and when it was finished I was so impressed that it’s still sitting prominently in my book room because I can’t bear to part with it. That’s how much I loved it. I have a small collection of Susan Mallery’s books because I’d heard she’s a great writer, and because her marketing skills are top notch, but I still hadn’t read any of them mainly because of other reading commitments. Then two things happened: 1) I was surprised with a free mass market paperback copy of The Girls of Mischief Bay because I follow Susan Mallery’s Facebook group, and (2) my author buddy, Jill Weatherholt, suggested that I read a Susan Mallery book because she thought I’d like it. Consequently, I resolved to read her book. I am so glad I did! Thank you, Jill, for the recommendation. And thank you, Susan Mallery, for your generosity in providing me with a free book to enjoy. Since I already owned The Girls of Mischief Bay, I’m giving away my gifted copy (see below for details).

The Girls of Mischief Bay is about three women who became friends while attending yoga classes at the yoga studio that one of the women owns. Since there is approximately a ten year age difference between each woman, they are at different stages in their lives and dealing with various challenges incidental to their particular age group; some major and some fairly common, but nevertheless difficult. We learn how each woman responds to her particular plight, and how the friends rally together to support one another during each others’ times of distress. The process of working on their trials reveals their strengths, vulnerabilities and ultimately the outcomes of their situations.

I absolutely LOVED this book!! I laughed, I cried and I stayed up nights eager to know what would happen next with Pam, Shannon and Nicole. I connected with Pam’s character, and I was inspired by the wisdom that she imparted to her friends. I had an inkling that Pam’s wise words possibly echoed Susan Mallery’s own treasures of knowledge and wisdom acquired over the years. That’s just my guess. The emotional parts of this book were so eloquently written I wish I could tear out the pages and read them over and over again. But I dare not destroy this precious book. Incredible writing.

In conclusion, I liked everything about this book and I didn’t want it to end. When it was over I teared up and marveled at the perfect ending. I already ordered and received the next book in the series because I have to know how these ladies move forward with their lives. That’s how invested I’d become with these characters. Highly recommended.

Giveaway!! (U.S. only)

New Mass market paperback copy of The Girls of Mischief Bay with book sleeve and fabric bookmark

To enter for a chance to win the above prize pack which includes a copy of Susan Mallery’s The Girls of Mischief Bay, a book sleeve made by yours truly and a homemade bookmark, like this post and answer the following question:

Have you ever read a book(s) by Susan Mallery, and what did you think of it? Which Susan Mallery book or series do you recommend? (Optional)

Winner will be announced in the coming weeks when COVID-19 restrictions are lifted and I’m able to visit the post office to mail out the prize.

Thanks for visiting Cozynookbks. 🤗

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The Rancher’s Twins by Carol Ross

💚💚💚💚💚 5-stars

Single father and owner of the JB Bar Ranch, Jon Blackwell, needs help. Badly. His twin girls, aged five, can’t keep a babysitter, and Jon doesn’t have time to supervise them while working his cattle ranch. In addition, he’s having to make decisions regarding his grandfather’s ranch since he’s run off somewhere with his fifth wife, Zoe, leaving behind unpaid bills and frustrated employees. So Jon requests a nanny with a country background, only to be sent a city girl from Philadelphia. He doesn’t have time to train her, and he’s not about to experience a repeat performance of his ex-wife’s disdain for ranch life. So despite how attractive she is, and how well she gets on with his girls—teaching them, cooking delicious meals, organizing things, etc., he decides it’s necessary to let her go. Lydia is devastated, not only because she feels qualified for the job, but because she’s harbouring a secret and needs the seclusion of the Montana ranch and nanny job to stay safe. Lydia manages to talk her employer into giving her two weeks to convince him that she can learn to be everything he needs. Will she succeed in convincing him to let her stay, or will her past catch up to her and sabotage her plans?

I absolutely adored this rancher story!! It immediately drew me in and then it captured my heart. Jon’s twin girls were absolutely adorable. Here’s an excerpt of dialogue between them and their new nanny, Lydia…

“You don’t look nothin’ like a old pear.”

Lydia looked at Genevieve. “Excuse me?”

“It’s noth-ing, Gen,” Abby said. “Not nothin’.”

“I know that, Abby, but I like the way Tom says nothin’.”

Abby rolled her eyes at her sister. “Well, I think you should say you don’t look anything like an old pear.” Face taut with concentration, she studied Lydia. “But she’s right, you don’t.”

“Who told you I did? And are we talking about fruit or boots?”

“Tom,” Gen answered.

“Fruit,” Abby said.

“Tom said I look like an old pear?” Lydia asked.

Abby explained, “No, Tom said we were getting an old pear. It’s a fancy name for nanny.”

Ah. Lydia smothered a laugh. “Actually, it’s au pair not old pear.”

Gen frowned. “Oh. What’s an oh pear? That don’t make no sense.”

I enjoy learning about new things when I read, and this book gave me a glimpse into the difficult life of cowboys. They work hard from sun up to sun down. Jon had to keep those animals in line and cared for, assist with calving, mend broken fences, and the list goes on and on. I liked to envision him riding his horse.

I loved so much about this book: the suspense of Lydia’s past threatening to catch up with her; Jon, the handsome, rugged cowboy 😍; the farm animals and ranch dogs; the secondary characters. It all worked, and the story flowed seamlessly from beginning to end.

Thank you, Carol Ross, for a complimentary copy of The Rancher’s Twins. In exchange I have provided an honest review.

Have a great weekend everyone! And thanks for visiting cozynookbks. 😊

Now That You Mention It by Kristan Higgins – **TOP PICK**

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5-Stars

First I want to say that Kristan Higgins is hilarious. I spit out my drink more than once while reading this book. Hysterical. Her witty internal dialogue cracked me up too.

This was my first Kristan Higgins book and it was amazing. If it’s any indication of how well written her other books are, then she’s a new favorite author.

Here’s a little synopsis…

Poor Nora Stuart. Growing up her life was tragic for so many reasons, so she immersed herself in academics, determined to excel and thus win the coveted Perez scholarship to Tufts University, wherein she’d be gone from the town that ignored and taunted her. If that weren’t enough, she finds herself the most hated citizen of her native Scupper Island, Maine, through no fault of her own. But she eventually got her life together and became an attractive, successful doctor with a swoon-worthy boyfriend, great friends and an apartment she loved. Things were going great in her adult life until a “big bad event” happened and turned her safe, comfortable little world upside down. In addition, Nora has been devastated by her boyfriend, Bobby, when she overhears him talking about their imminent breakup while flirting with a colleague as Nora lay semi-conscious in the ER after being hit by a van. Hurt (both mentally and physically) and discouraged, she immediately ends the relationship and takes a trip back to Scupper Island, where her mother still lives, and where the folks still remember what happened to make her the most hated citizen there. Nora plans to convalesce on the island while attempting to forge a bond with her taciturn, stoic mother. Nora’s beloved father left their family when she was a young girl, never to be heard from again, and she hopes to get information that will lead to his whereabouts after all of these years, and hopefully come to finally understand from her mother why he left. Her teenage niece, Poe, lives with Nora’s mother, since Nora’s sister, Lily, is in jail. Poe isn’t the least bit enthused about her aunt’s visit. Undeterred, Nora presses on, determined not to allow her niece or her sister, who has made it clear that she’s not interested in hearing from her, or Scupper Island’s residents, further ruin her stint there. Can Nora find her true self and the love, acceptance, security and happiness she so desperately craves?

The highly-developed characters, which is what I loved most about this book, along with the vivid scenes bring this story to life in a way that will make it dwell indelibly in your memory-bank long after you’ve finished reading it. It was poignant, yet simultaneously humorous, suspenseful, and emotional. There was a bit of zany romance too. It seemed to have a little of everything, and it all fit together perfectly. Kristan Higgins is one hip lady, and she writes in a way that anyone, regardless of background, could easily relate to her storytelling. It was unputdownable and never dragged. I highly recommend it.

Thank you so much, Netgalley, and HQN Books, for a free e-ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review which I have given.

Have you read any books by Kristan Higgins? What did you think? Thanks, as always, for visiting. And have a wonderful day!

WWW Wednesday, October-25-2017

WWW Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Sam at Taking on a World of Words. The three W’s are:

What are you currently reading?
What did you recently finish reading?
What do you think you’ll read next?

The idea is for book lovers to share their answers to these questions with other book enthusiasts. Just leave the link to your own WWW Wednesday post in the comments section. No blog? No worries. Just answer the questions in the comments section for others to enjoy. Here’s mine…

Currently Reading:

Under an Adirondack Sky

Harlequin Heartwarming books are sweet, tender romances that I always find time to read since they are great stories but without the draining effect of some other books.  So when I’ve finished a particularly angst-ridden or psychologically challenging read, a Heartwarming book is just the thing for me. And sometimes I just go on a Heartwarming binge since I enjoy them so much.

Killer Jam

I love Cozy Mysteries, especially during the colder months for some unknown reason, so I chose Killer Jam to read since it’s been on my TBR pile for some time.

Recently Finished:

Heart’s Refuge

I loved this book! It was just what I needed. I can’t get enough of that sweet cover!! That dog is so cute!! The protagonist won me over in this book. Cheryl Harper writes great stories.

What I might read next:

Planted

Planted is a cozy mystery book that I received for an honest review from the author. It sounds interesting and I’m looking forward to reading it.

So there you have it.  What do you think about my selections?  This is my first WWW Wednesday so it might be slow going at first with regard to commenters.  But hopefully it will gain momentum as time goes on.  I’m really interested in what everyone else is reading, has read or plans to read, so please share your WWW Wednesday post, or just comment below.  So…..

Enjoy!!

Review: His Hometown Girl

His Hometown Girl by Karen Rock

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️ Jodi Chapman has a real dilemma on her hands. A single parent to her 4-yr. old autistic son Tyler, she wants desperately for him to attend Wonders Primary, a school with staff that’s trained to give specialized help to children like Tyler.  The problem is tuition is $16,000 a semester and Jodi doesn’t have that kind of money. She can’t even count on her low-life ex-husband who abandoned his family because he couldn’t deal with having a son with autism. To make matters worse he’s looking to decrease his child support payments. Just when things are beginning to look hopeless Jodi’s boss assigns her to a project that involves buying up farms for the company, Midland Corp., from struggling farmers in her home town of Cedar Bay, Vermont. If she can acquire 5,000 acres of farmland she will get a bonus and promotion that will enable Tyler to attend Wonders Primary.  But in the process will she lose the respect of her former boyfriend and nemesis, Daniel Gleason, whom she left behind in Cedar Bay 10 years prior without explanation?
Karen Rock wrote a beautiful wholesome romance story of love, redemption and healing.  While conflicts in life are inevitable, help can be attained when we’re willing to look in the right direction and accept it.  His Hometown Girl will tug at your heartstrings with its intimate look at autism, the value of close-knit community in times of hardship, and the realization that things are not always what they may appear to be; that assuming what seems to be the obvious is not always right.
If you’re looking for a sweet romance read with a little conflict, a bit of stubbornness and just the right amount of love, you’re sure to enjoy His Hometown Girl. I loved it!!

View all my reviews

Mountains Apart by Carol Ross

💚💚💚💚💚 I adored this book!! The storyline, setting, characters and conclusion were all well developed, and I remember thinking on several occasions how I couldn’t believe this was the author’s first novel. I thought it was so well written. There were laugh-out-loud moments, some treachery and deceit, and of course a sweet romance. The story flowed so nicely—I never felt bored. When you can get lost in a story you know it’s a winner, and since that’s what Mountains Apart did for me, I’d call it a winner. I recommend it to anyone who loves great wholesome romance novels.

A Minute on the Lips

A Minute on the Lips by Cheryl Harper
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

💛💛💛💛💛  A Minute on the Lips by Cheryl Harper gave me exactly what I’d expect from a wholesome romance book, and thus I am awarding it 5 stars. In it we find a small town with quirky characters, a little mystery, a lovable grandma, a confused female Sheriff, a cat named Mojo and a bit of tender romance, all the makings of a satisfying heartwarming story; and so it was. I was able to get lost in the story, the romance aspect was believable, and the characters were interesting. I highly recommend this book to anyone who appreciates fast-moving, sweet romance books.

View all my reviews

The English Wife

The English Wife by Doreen Roberts

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Generally, when perusing books for my next great read I’m instinctively drawn to authors who incorporate anything British into the plot line. This is why my interest was piqued when I came across The English Wife (at PaperbackSwap), a Harlequin NEXT imprint which I’ve since learned is now defunct. The picture of the lovely thatched-roof cottage with a bicycle leaning up against it, in what appeared to be the English Countryside, sucked me right in. And was I glad that in this case you most certainly COULD judge a book by its cover. The English Wife was a comforting, light, swift-moving read. I finished it in a few days and absolutely adored it. It’s about a middle-aged American woman who learns, after her husband unexpectedly dies, that he’s willed her a cottage in England that she never knew existed after being married 27 years. Was her marriage a lie? Will she have the courage to face her fears and go to England to investigate this new development in her life? Can she forgive her dead husband for keeping a possible life-altering secret from her for so many years? The English Wife will satisfactorily answer all of these questions. So what are you waiting for? If you like books that contain secrets, a bit of mystery, a little romance, and the English, it’s very likely you’ll be pleased with this book.

This book was a part of my personal library.

View all my reviews

The Promise of Rain

The Promise of Rain by Rula Sinara
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

💛💛💛💛💛 I thoroughly enjoyed The Promise of Rain. The story is about a young woman, Anna, who lives in Kenya with her four year old daughter, Pippa, and works at the Busara elephant research and rescue camp. She is devoted to her work there and intends to raise her daughter in Kenya. The problem is she forgot to mention her plans to the child’s father. In fact, she neglected to inform him that his child even exists! When he makes this discovery he wants to take his daughter back to the states to live with him, and that’s where the drama begins. From this point on we gradually learn of the many challenges each of the main characters faced growing up, which ultimately affected their own relationship with each other as adults. I found it all to be very emotionally engaging; it didn’t suffer from any lulls in the storyline and the ending was completely satisfying. The setting, on Kenya’s Serengeti, took my imagination on a thrilling, scenic ride that I didn’t want to get off of. The descriptions of the breathtaking scenery and awe-inspiring views made me feel as though I was right there on the vast plains of the Serengeti myself among the wildlife and Acacia trees.

This book was beautifully written and I would not hesitate to read another by Rula Sinara. Simply wonderful.

View all my reviews