The Cowboy Whisper by Sabrina Sol

 After her last disastrous competition went viral, Olympic hopeful Veronica del Valle spent three years healing – and hiding. Finally ready for another shot, Veronica agrees to train at an under-the-radar, family-run ranch in tiny Esperanza, California. The living accommodations? Sparse. High-end equestrian equipment? Zero. What Rancho Lindo does have is stable manager Tómas Ortega, a brooding, handsome cowboy who offers Veronica unsolicited advice during her training sessions. Advice that, infuriatingly, turns out to be right every time.

The only thing Tómas cares about are his horses and saving his family’s ranch—and not their new boarder, who makes it clear she’s not happy with his stables. So he’s shocked Veronica offers to pretend to be his girlfriend when Tomas’s ex comes back to town. All she wants in return is some after-hours training. He soon realizes Veronica is nothing like he imagined, and the harder he falls, the more he worries, because Veronica’s Olympic dreams will eventually take her away from Rancho Lindo – and from him.

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Amazon.com: The Cowboy Whisperer: 9781538722329: Sol, Sabrina: Books

Sabrina Sol is the chica who loves love. She writes steamy romance stories featuring smart and sexy Latinas in search of their Happily Ever Afters. She lives in Southern California with her husband, three kids, two Beagles and one very lazy Bulldog. Sabrina is also part of a larger, extended Mexican family whose members are NOT the source of inspiration for her characters. Or so she tells them.

The House on Mulberry Street by Jeannie Chin

 

For these two small-town best friends, sharing a kiss might be the worst mistake of their lives—or the best thing that's ever happened to them.

Between helping at her family’s inn and teaching painting, Elizabeth Wu has put her dream of being an artist on the back burner. But her plan to launch an arts festival will boost the local Blue Cedar Falls arts scene and give her a showcase for her own work. If only she can get the town council on board. At least she can rely on her dependable best friend Graham to support her. Except lately, he hasn’t been acting like his old self, and she has no idea why.

Graham Lewis has been secretly in love with Elizabeth forever, but it’s past time that he faces the cold, hard truth: vivacious, amazing Elizabeth will never see him as anything but a platonic pal. He’s going to help her get the festival off the ground, but after that he needs to forget his one-sided crush. Until one impulsive kiss changes everything. Can they really rebuild their entire relationship—and the festival—from the ground up? Or will it all come crashing down?

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Amazon.com: The House on Mulberry Street: 9781538753668: Chin, Jeannie: Books

Jeannie Chin writes contemporary small town romances. She draws on her experiences as a biracial Asian and white American to craft stories that speak to a uniquely American experience.

She is a former high school science teacher, wife to a geeky engineer, and mom to an extremely talkative kindergartener. Her hobbies include crafting, reading and hiking. 

This was a fun read and I love this cover so much. It's a fast read and one you are going to want to share with all your friends.                                     The Mary Reader received this book from the publisher for review. A favorable review was not required, and all views expressed are our own.

The true Love Bookshop by Annie Rains

 

For Tess Lane, owning Lakeside Books is a dream come true, but it’s the weekly book club she hosts for the women in town that Tess enjoys the most. The gatherings have been her lifeline over the past three years since her husband’s mysterious death. Tess has tried to move on, but when River Harrison shows up on her doorstep, all her lingering questions come rushing back.…

River, a former marine turned private investigator, was her husband’s best friend, and seeing him again is a reminder of everything Tess lost. At first, she tries to ignore him, but Tess comes to realize that this is her chance, once and for all, to find the answers that have troubled her for years.

With the support of her friends, Tess joins River on a journey of discovery that leads them to the edges of Somerset Lake and on a road trip down the Carolina coast. Although their adventure isn’t always easy, Tess starts to find the joy in life again. But when secrets surrounding her husband’s death are finally revealed, can Tess find it in her heart to forgive the mistakes of the past … and maybe even open herself up to love again? 

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The True Love Bookshop: Rains, Annie: 9781538710050: Amazon.com: Books

Annie Rains is a USA Today Bestselling author of small town contemporary romance full of hope and heart. After years of dreaming about being an author, Annie published her first book in 2015 and has been chasing deadlines and happy ever afters for her characters ever since. When she isn’t writing, Annie is usually spending time with her husband and 3 children, bingeing Netflix, or reading a book by one of her favorite authors. Sign up for Annie’s newsletter to stay informed about new releases and sales: https://landing.mailerlite.com/webforms/landing/j4b9d8

You can find Annie online at www.annierains.com or on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram at @annierainsbooks 

My Thoughts...                                                                                                  I love books about books with a little bit of romance in the mix. This was such a fun read and a sad read at the same time. My heart broke for Tess but I was  happy to read the ending. River was so dreamy he was a hit in my book. This is a must read and I recommend this book. The Mary Reader received this book from the publisher for review. A favorable review was not required, and all views expressed are our own.

The Secret Letter By Debbie Rix

 Inspired by a true story, this historical novel is a heart-wrenching, unforgettable tale of one young girl who refuses to give up on what she believes in and the strength of human kindness in a time of unimaginable heartbreak.

London, 2018: When ninety‑four‑year‑old Imogen receives a letter addressed to her in neat, unfamiliar handwriting, she notices the postmark is stamped from Germany—and it sends shivers down her spine . . .
 
Germany, 1939: Thirteen‑year‑old Magda is devastated by the loss of her best friend Lotte, cruelly snatched from her and sent to a concentration camp—the Star of David sewn on her faded brown coat. As the Nazis’ power takes hold, Magda realizes she’s not like the other girls in her German village—she hates the fanatical new rules of the Hitler Youth. So she secretly joins The White Rose Movement and begins to rebel against the oppressive, frightening world around her.

But when an English bomber pilot crashes nearby, she is faced with an impossible choice: risk the safety of her family or save a stranger and make a difference in the devastating war that has claimed the lives of so many. Little does she know, her actions will have the power to change the life of another girl, on the other side of enemy lines, forever.

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Amazon.com: The Secret Letter: 9781538708330: Rix, Debbie: Books

Debbie Rix has written seven novels, the latest of which - 'The German Wife' - was published on 13th January 2022. As an ex-journalist, historical accuracy is key, and she strives to weave her stories around real life events. 'The research process is vital,' she says. 'I work on the principle that if I find something fascinating, then so too will my readers.'

Her novels have been published in several languages - including Italian and Czech and her 5th novel 'The Secret Letter' is now available in paperback in bookstores across America. It will also soon be published in Russia.

Debbie spends a lot of time in Italy and that country is the setting for 5 of her 7 novels. When not travelling she lives in the Kent countryside with her journalist husband, children, chickens and four cats. She began her career with the BBC - initially as the news reader on Breakfast Time, thereafter appearing as a presenter and reporter on a variety of factual and light entertainment television series. She had a spell as an Agony Aunt, and has also written about gardens and gardening - one of her private passions.

My Thoughts...

Sweeping between Germany and England this was a can't miss read. A coming-of-age story set during the war.

Dix really has a way with her words, the emotions shine on each page.

I recommend this 4-star read. I love books based on true stories.

The Mary Reader received this book from the publisher for review. A favorable review was not required, and all views expressed are our own.

Dream Keeper By Kristen Ashley

 

He’s perfect—but he can’t be hers.

Pepper Hannigan is determined to keep any romance off the table—and out of her bedroom—while her daughter Juno is still young. Sure, a certain handsome commando is thoughtful, funny, and undeniably hot, but Pepper’s had her heart broken before, and she won’t let it happen again. Not to her or her little girl, even if this hero could melt any woman’s resolve.

Augustus “Auggie” Hero can’t deny his attraction to beautiful, warm-hearted Pepper or how much he wants to make a home with her and her little girl, but Pepper’s mixed signals have kept him away. That is, until Juno decides to play matchmaker. Her efforts finally bring Pepper into his arms, but they expose the danger Pepper is in. To protect Pepper and Juno, Auggie will have to live up to his last name and prove happy endings aren’t just for fairy tales.  

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Dream Keeper: Ashley, Kristen: 9781538733950: Amazon.com: Books

Kristen Ashley is the New York Times bestselling author of over seventy romance novels including the Rock Chick, Colorado Mountain, Dream Man, Chaos, Unfinished Heroes, The ’Burg, Magdalene, Fantasyland, The Three, Ghost and Reincarnation, Moonlight and Motor Oil, Mathilda SuperWitch, Dream Team, Wild West MC and Honey series along with several standalone novels.

She’s a hybrid author, publishing titles both independently and traditionally, her books have been translated in fourteen languages and she’s sold over four million books.

Kristen recently released CHASING SERENITY, the next novel in the River Rain Series, the story of Chloe and Judge. River Rain is a series that Kristen created with her readers during the COVID pandemic. She will continue writing this series with her readers, polling them about characters, plot points, pets, and anything else on which they can collaborate. If you're interested in casting your vote when she writes the next River Rain, be sure to subscribe to her newsletter and follow Kristen on Facebook.

Kristen will round out 2021 with the next Dream Team novel, DREAM KEEPER, releasing on November 30, 2021.

Kristen, born in Gary and raised in Brownsburg, Indiana, was a fourth generation graduate of Purdue University. Since, she has lived in Denver, the West Country of England, and she now resides in Phoenix. She worked as a charity executive for eighteen years prior to beginning her independent publishing career. She now writes full-time.

Although romance is her genre, the prevailing themes running through all of Kristen’s novels are friendship, family and a strong sisterhood. To this end, and as a way to thank her readers for their support, Kristen has created the Rock Chick Nation, a series of programs that are designed to give back to her readers and promote a strong female community.

You can learn more about Kristen and the Rock Chick Nation on her website: www.KristenAshley.net 

To All the Dogs I've Loved Before By Lizzie Shane

 

First love gets a second chance when a mischievous dog finds a way to keep fetching the town librarian’s high school sweetheart in this charming small-town romance.

The last person librarian Elinor Rodriguez wants to spend time with is her first love, Levi Jackson, but it seems her mischievous rescue dog has other ideas. Without fail, Dory slips from the house whenever Elinor’s back is turned. And in Pine Hollow, calls about a dog herding cars on Main Street go straight to Levi. The quietly intense lawman broke Elinor’s heart once, and now she’s determined to move on, no matter how much she misses him.

As the kid who barely graduated—and still struggles to hide his dyslexia—Levi always believed that Elinor was way out of his league. Even though he ended their engagement all those years ago, Elinor still takes Levi’s breath away whenever he sees her. But with a little help from a four-legged friend, Levi and Elinor may just get the second chance they deserve.
 

Includes the bonus novella I’ll Be Home for Christmas by Hope Ramsay! 

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Amazon.com: To All the Dogs I've Loved Before: 9781538735947: Shane, Lizzie: Books

Contemporary romance author Lizzie Shane was born in Alaska and still calls the frozen north home, though she can frequently be found indulging her travel addiction. Thankfully, her laptop travels with her and she has written her way through all fifty states and over fifty countries.

Lizzie has been honored to win the Golden Heart Award and HOLT Medallion, and has been named a finalist three times for Romance Writers of America’s prestigious RITA Award®, but her main claim to fame is that she lost on Jeopardy!

For more about Lizzie and her books, please visit http://www.lizzieshane.com. Happy reading!

My Thoughts...

This was a fun read. But then again I love dogs.

Looking for a fast fun read, you just found it.

The Mary Reader received this book from the publisher for review. A favorable review was not required and all views expressed are our own.

The Inn On Sweetbriar Lane By Jeannie Chin

 

June Wu always has it all together—only now, she’s in over her head. Her family’s inn desperately needs guests, her mother’s medical debts are piling up, and the surly, if sexy, stranger next door is driving away the customers she has left! When he asks for June’s help, though, she can’t say no. After all, his new bar could be just what the upcoming Pumpkin Festival needs to bring in more tourists. But with the fierce attraction between them, will working together be playing with fire?

Ex-soldier Clay Hawthorne prefers being on his own. He’s moved to Blue Cedar Falls for one reason—to carry out his best friend’s dream of opening a bar in the hometown he’ll now never return to. But the town’s business association is trying to stop Clay’s progress. June soon becomes his biggest supporter, and while their partnership is supposed to be only temporary, for the first time Clay wants something permanent—with June. Can two total opposites really learn to meet each other in the middle? 

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The Inn on Sweetbriar Lane: Includes a Bonus Novella: Chin, Jeannie: 9781538753606: Amazon.com: Books

My Thoughts...

I love a sweet romance and that is exactly what this is.

My first book by chin, I can not wait to see what she has for us next.

The Mary Reader received this book from the publisher for review. A favorable review was not required and all views expressed are our own.

The Orphan House Ann Bennett

 Two women uncover the secrets of the past in this emotional and poignant story that’s perfect for fans of Lisa Wingate and Kristina McMorris.

 
1934: Connie Burroughs loves living in the orphanage that her father runs in the English countryside. Exploring its nooks and crannies with her sister, hearing the pounding of a hundred pairs of feet on the wooden stairs, having a father who is doing so much good. But everything changes the day she sees him carrying a newborn baby that he says he found near the broken front gate. A baby she recognizes . . .

Present Day: Arriving at her father’s beloved cottage beside the Thames, Sarah Jennings is hoping for peace and quiet, and an escape from her difficult divorce. But when she finds her father unwell and poring over boxes of files on the orphanage where he was abandoned as a child, she decides to investigate his elusive past herself.

The only person left alive who lived at Cedar Hall when Sarah’s father was there is Connie Burroughs, but Connie sits quietly in her nursing home for a reason. The sewing box under Connie’s bed hides secrets that will change Sarah’s life forever, uncovering a connection between the two women that has darker consequences than she could ever imagine. 

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The Orphan House: Bennett, Ann: 9781538707517: Amazon.com: Books

Ann Bennett was born in Pury End, a small village in Northamptonshire, UK and now lives in Surrey. Her first book, A Daughter's Quest, originally published as Bamboo Heart, was inspired by her father’s experience as a prisoner of war on the Thai-Burma Railway. The Planter's Wife (originally Bamboo Island) a Daughter's Promise and The Homecoming, (formerly Bamboo Road), The Tea Panter's Club and The Amulet are also about the war in South East Asia, all six making up the Echoes of Empire Collection.

Ann is also author of The Runaway Sisters and The Orphan House, published by Bookouture. The idea for that book came from researching her great-grandfather, Brice Bennett, who was headmaster of a county school for pauper children in Wargrave, Berkshire.

The Lake Pavilion, set in British India in the 1930s and wartime England, will be published in April 2021.

The Christmas Village By Annie Rains

 Once upon a Christmas, she gave him her heart. This year, he'll have to win it back again . . .

 
When Lucy Hannigan returned to her childhood home in Somerset Lake, one of the first things she did was join the local book club. And thank goodness, because now that Lucy’s first Christmas without her mother is bearing down upon her, she can use all the help and support she can get.  Especially when she has to take in a tenant and the only person interested is Miles Bruno, her ex-fiance.

Lucy’s friends keep teasing her about the way Miles is trying to make up for his mistakes but forgiving and forgetting isn’t coming easily to Lucy. With bills piling up and her mother’s finances in disarray, however, Lucy isn’t in any position to say no.

As the small town prepares for the holidays and competition heats up in the Merriest Lawn decorating contest, Lucy can’t help feeling like a Scrooge. Her mom loved the holidays and won the contest each year, but as much as Lucy would like to carry on the tradition, she isn’t sure she has it in her to deck the halls this holiday.

Yet when Miles shows up with tons of tinsel, dozens of decorations, and lots and lots of lights, Lucy begins to wonder if maybe the spirit of the season will finally mend her broken heart. 

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The Christmas Village (Somerset Lake, 2): Rains, Annie: 9781538703472: Amazon.com: Books

Annie Rains is a USA Today Bestselling author of small town contemporary romance full of hope and heart. After years of dreaming about being an author, Annie published her first book in 2015 and has been chasing deadlines and happy ever afters for her characters ever since. When she isn’t writing, Annie is usually spending time with her husband and 3 children, bingeing Netflix, or reading a book by one of her favorite authors. Sign up for Annie’s newsletter to stay informed about new releases and sales: https://landing.mailerlite.com/webforms/landing/j4b9d8

You can find Annie online at www.annierains.com or on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram at @annierainsbooks 

My Thoughts...

I devoured this fantastic Christmas cozy read. I could not put it down. Small towns are a dream to read about and Rains has some of the best characters. This is a 5 star must read. I can't wait to read it again.

The Mary Reader received this book from the publisher for review. A favorable review was not required and all views expressed are our own.

When a Rogue Meets His Match By Elizabeth Hoyt

Return to New York Times bestselling author Elizabeth Hoyt's signature drama and intrigue, where two enemies will discover if their marriage of convenience can survive -- 'til death do they part.

Ambitious, sly, and lethally intelligent, Gideon Hawthorne has spent his life clawing his way up from the gutter. For the last ten years, he's acted as the Duke of Windemere's fixer, performing the duke's dirty work without question. Now Gideon's ready to quit the duke's service and work solely for himself. But Windermere tempts Gideon with an irresistible offer: one last task for Messalina Greycourt's hand in marriage.

Witty, vivacious Messalina Greycourt has her pick of suitors, so when her uncle demands Messalina marry Mr. Hawthorne, she is appalled. But Gideon offers her a devil's bargain of his own: protection and freedom in exchange for a true marriage. Messalina feigns agreement and plots to escape their deal. Only the more time she spends with Gideon, the more her fierce, loyal husband arouses her affections. But will Gideon's final deed for Windemere destroy the love growing between them? 

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When a Rogue Meets His Match: Includes a Bonus Novella (The Greycourt Series, 2): Hoyt, Elizabeth: 9781538763568: Amazon.com: Books

Elizabeth Hoyt is a New York Times, USA Today and Publishers Weekly bestselling author of historical romance, including reader favorite, The Raven Prince. She also writes deliciously fun contemporary romance under the name Julia Harper. Born in New Orleans, but raised in the frigid winters of Saint Paul, Minnesota, Elizabeth was fortunate to travel extensively when she was growing up and lived in St. Andrews, Scotland; Oxford England; and Kawasaki, Japan. She went to the University of Wisconsin, Madison, where she not only earned a degree in anthropology but also met Mr. Hoyt. Some years later, after a short pause to birth and raise two children, Elizabeth realized that she really wasn't qualified to do anything but Make up Stories and started writing.

Elizabeth now lives in Minneapolis, Minnesota with three untrained canines, a garden in constant need of weeding, and, of course, Mr. Hoyt.

A Rogue to Remember By Emily Sullivan

 After enduring five interminable seasons, Lottie Carlisle has had enough of shallow London society, her boring little life, and her uncle Alfred's meddling. When he demands she accept a proposal by the end of next season or else he will choose a husband for her, she devises a plan: create a scandal shocking enough to make her unmarriageable and spend her spinsterhood far enough away in the countryside where no one will ever recognize her.

Alec Gresham hasn't seen Lottie since he left his childhood friend without a word five years ago. So he's not surprised to find her furious when he appears on her doorstep. Especially bearing the news he brings: her uncle is dying, her blasted reputation is still intact, and Lottie must return home. As they make the journey back to her family estate, it becomes increasingly clear that the last five years hasn't erased their history, nor their explosive chemistry. Can Lottie look past her old heartache and trust Alec, or will his secrets doom their relationship once again?

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A Rogue to Remember (League of Scoundrels, 1): Sullivan, Emily: 9781538737309: Amazon.com: Books

Emily has been an avid reader and writer since childhood and in 2019 won RWA’s Golden Heart award for Best Historical Romance.

She has both a BA and MA in English and her writing has been featured in a variety of print and online publications, including The Southampton Review and The Toast.

Her debut novel, A Rogue to Remember, is the first in a new series coming in March 2021 from Grand Central Forever.

A life-long New Englander, Emily shares her home with her husband, shelves of books, and a piano she should really use more.

Find Emily online:

Twitter: @Paperbacklady
Instagram: Paperbacklady
Website: www.emilysullivanbooks.com

West End Earl By Bethany Bennett

 

While most young ladies attend balls and hunt for husbands, Ophelia Hardwick has spent the last ten years in disguise. As the land steward for the Earl of Carlyle, she’s found safety from the uncle determined to kill her and freedoms a lady could only dream of. Ophelia’s situation would be perfect—if only she wasn’t hopelessly attracted to her employer.

Calvin, Earl of Carlyle, is determined to see his sister married this season. And he’ll do it with the help of his trusted right-hand man. But when he finds out Ophelia's secret, and that her life is in danger, his priorities change. Their attraction is passionate, all-consuming, and if they aren’t careful, it could turn downright deadly—for both of them. 

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West End Earl (Misfits of Mayfair, 2): Bennett, Bethany: 9781538735701: Amazon.com: Books

Bethany Bennett grew up in a small fishing village in Alaska where required learning included life-skills like cold-water survival, along with several other subjects that are utterly useless as a romance writer. Eventually settling in the Northwest with her real-life hero and two children, she enjoys mountain views from the comfort of her sofa, wearing a tremendous amount of flannel, and drinking more coffee than her doctor deems wise.