Sunday Blessings ~ 5/24/20

Carol at Slater's Funny Farm hosts a Sunday Blessing link up.  

I thought:  what better way to bless and be blessed than with scripture and prayer.  The following are taken from Serenity for a Woman's Soul 2020 Creative Planner for this week.

~~~~~~~~~

"So then, let us aim for harmony in the Church and try to build each other up."

Romans 14:19 NLT

Father God, bless us with a deep, abiding love for You as our sovereign Lord and for one another in the body of Christ.

~~~~~~~~~

Blessings,

Colletta

Book Haul ~ 5/23/20

This week I added the following books to my TBR "shelf":

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Linking up to:  Stacking the Shelves, The Sunday Post, Sunday Salon,  Mailbox Monday



Happy Reading!

Book Giveaway ~ The Maid of Fairbourne Hall by Julie Klassen ~ Ends 5/29/20

Since starting to read on my Kindle, my physical TBR shelf has been sadly neglected.

So, over the next few weeks, I'll be having some book giveaways!

Some are contemporary and some are historical.  Some are gently read and some are brand spanking new!  There will be single books and there will be whole series.  But, they all need someone to love them and read them.

~~~~~~~~

The first giveaway will be for:

Blurb:

To escape a scheme to marry her off to a dishonorable man, Margaret Macy flees London disguised as a housemaid. If she can remain unwed until her next birthday, she will receive an inheritance, and with it, sweet independence. But she never planned on actually working as a servant. And certainly not in the home of Nathaniel and Lewis Upchurch--both former suitors.

As she fumbles through the first real work of her life, Margaret struggles to keep her identity secret when suspicions arise and prying eyes visit Fairbourne Hall. Can she avoid a trap meant to force her from hiding?

Brimming with romance and danger, The Maid of Fairbourne Hall takes readers inside the fascinating belowstairs world of a 19th-century English manor, where appearances can be deceiving.

~~~~~~~~~

To enter the giveaway:

*Mandatory-  Leave a comment telling me how to contact you if you are the winner.

*Extra-  Follow my blog and leave a second comment telling me that you do and how :)

The giveaway will run until 11:59pm EST, May 29, 2020.  The winner will be emailed on May 30th.

Colletta

First Lines Friday, 56 and BBH ~ 5/22/20

Today's "First Lines" and "56" are from:

First Lines

Candace McLachlan stuck her arm out of the truck window and leaned back against the headrest with a sigh.  "No other part of the country is more beautiful than Montana."

 Page 56

"I don't think Ray wants or needs to talk to you."  Sarah turned to look at him for confirmation, but he couldn't move.  He couldn't breathe.

 Q.  If you own an eBook, would you also purchase a print copy as well? (submitted by Tabatha @ Broken Soul Reviews)

 A.  No.  I don't reread books so there would be no point in purchasing a print copy of a book I've already read.  When I read a print book, I pass it on to a fellow book lover and don't look back :)

Colletta 

Also linking up to:

 

Journal Entry ~ 5/21/20

A few sentences about each day...

May 13, 2020 - May 19, 2020

Wed/13 ~ Kaylee got home from work early.  Sunday she'll start working 10 hour days/6 days a week.  I think she's doing well and adjusting.  I'm adjusting too :)  I felt a bit lazy today and didn't walk on the treadmill as planned.  Now I need to walk the next four days to get my fitpoints before weigh in day next Monday.

Thurs/14  ~ Our County is going "Yellow' tomorrow!  I'm dreaming of a Hobby Lobby trip :)  Laken needs to get one of her friends a 13th Birthday gift and Hobby Lobby is a great place for gifts.  I love wandering around looking for great finds!

Fri/15 ~ Kaylee got her very first paycheck today.  My baby has grown up.  We sat down with her "budget binder" and went over the few expenses she has.  She was able to put a sizable chunk into savings and still have a pretty good amount of spending cash.  I'm so proud of how hard she's working. 

Sat/16 ~ We went to Sundae's!  They finally opened on Friday but it was jam-packed so we decided to wait until today to go.  I got a peanut butter sundae and it was scrumptiously delicious :)  Yesterday was Laken's last day of 7th grade.  I now officially have an 8th grader!  One more year and then comes High School!  Oh my!

Sun/17 ~ It was so wonderful to be back at Church!  Aunt Donna and Kaylee sang a special song called "Nobody"  They did an excellent job.  Kaylee works until 1am tonight.  I think I'm going to have to take a short nap and then wait for her to get home.

Mon/18 ~ Doug and I went for groceries this evening instead of in the morning.  The store nwo says that masks are not "required" but are "appreciated".  I was so tempted to take mine off so I could breathe easier but I didn't.  We stopped at the farmer's market and got flowers to plant in the flower pots on the deck.  Laken is excited to plant them!

Tues/19 ~ It was nice to get back into my morning routine of walking on the treadmill.  This afternoon we planted the flowers in the flower pots.  It was nice to dig into the dirt.  The wind was ridiculous though.  My patio umbrella blew out of the table and up over the roof of the house.  I  had to track it down...

Until next week,

Colletta

Book Review ~ A Storybook Love by Amelia Sinclair

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Title:  A Storybook Love by Amelia Sinclair

Series: McLachlan Family Romance Book #2

Pages:  

Date Published:  April, 2020

Publisher:  ???

 Blurb:

Candace McLachlan is beyond excited to return to Minnow, Montana for her brother's wedding. As an overworked English teacher, she's in desperate need of a summer vacation. But even twelve years after her parents' divorce, she's surprised to discover there's one family in town still bitter against her own.

Ray Heathcliff has no interest in romance, so he mostly keeps himself busy running the family bookstore. After the drama of his sister's failed marriage, followed by losing his wife and his mom, Ray can't handle anymore heartbreak. And though he knows Candace should be off limits, he can't seem to stay away from her.

Minnow is alight with preparations for the McLachlan wedding, and Ray is sure the romantic atmosphere is what keeps drawing him back to Candace. But after a few illicit kisses and family brawls, Ray has to make a decision: will he open his heart to love again, or is theirs a forbidden romance that will never be?

My Thoughts:

Amelia Sinclairs "McLachlan Family Romance" series has been a fun journey so far.  I've now read the first two books of the series and am hooked!  I'm so excited that there are two more brothers in the McLachlan family to read about.

I didn't know how the author would reunite the McLachlan and Heathcliff families after all the tension that has been between them.  It reminded me of "Romeo and Juliet" and also the "Hatfields and McCoys"!  

Ray was a widower so it was also interesting to read as he opened himself back up to love after heartbreak.  Candace was immediately drawn to Ray and they had a lot of commonalities.  Ray owned a bookstore and Candace was an English teacher.  There were lots of fun literature references.

This was a quick read, perfect for a lazy afternoon or evening.  I thoroughly enjoyed reading "A Storybook Love".

I would recommend reading this series in order to get the full back-story.

I downloaded this book through Kindle Unlimited.

On to the next book!

Colletta

Wondering Wednesday ~ Getting to Know Me ~ 5/20/20

Welcome to Wondering Wednesdays hosted by A Baker's Perspective, a weekly post to learn more about me and other bloggers.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Today’s questions is – what is your favorite thing to do besides reading?

My Answer - 

There are many things I like to do other than reading.  Some are blogging (of course), crocheting, baking, cooking, journaling and oddly enough, budgeting.  I also enjoy watching youtube videos from my favorite youtubers but I haven't been doing much of that lately.

Here are a few of my creations:

What are some of your favorite things to do??

Colletta

In the Kitchen ~ Irish Stew

This week's new-to-me recipe from the Gooseberry Patch "Recipes for Comfort" cookbook is "Irish Stew".

I'm a meat-and-potatoes kinda girls so this stew was right up my alley!

I served it with crescent rolls, a vegetable and a fruit.

This recipe was so easy to make and was so delicious!  It will definitely be made again and again :)

Irish Stew

5 potatoes, peeled and chopped
1 lb ground beef, browned
1 cup water
1/2 cups all purpose flour
2 T Chili powder
1 tsp garlic powder

Place potatoes and beef in a Dutch oven.  Add water and bring to a light boil.

Add remaining ingredients and simmer on low for about 45 minutes.

Makes 4 servings.

Next Saturday I'll be sharing an easy recipe for "Creamed Dried Beef"!

Have a great weekend!

Colletta

Book Review ~ Love in the Bargain by Kasey Stockton

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Title:  Love in the Bargain by Kasey Stockton

Series: Women of Worth Book #1

Pages:  240

Date Published:  April 26, 2019

Publisher:  Kindle Unlimited?

 Blurb:

A vow to remain unwed ​and a bargain designed to find her a husband.
What could possibly go wrong?

Elsie and her two best friends made a childhood vow to never marry.

But when Elsie begins her first season in London, her mother presents her with an irresistible bargain: if she says yes to each and every man’s invitations and still remains unattached by the end of the season, she will receive her inheritance and become a free woman.

She is thrown into the spotlight by increasing attention in the newspaper gossip articles, and keeping her end of the bargain seems impossible—especially when her best friend’s tyrant of a brother, Lord Cameron, begins to make advances that Elsie literally cannot refuse.

The gossip grows increasingly malicious, leaving destroyed reputations and broken homes in its wake, and Elsie can’t seem to escape its focus. But it’s her own blossoming feelings for Lord Cameron that pose the greater threat. If she can’t keep him out of her heart, she’s sure to compromise the bargain, break her vow, and lose her one shot at freedom for good.

My Thoughts:

"Love in the Bargain" is the first book in the "Women of Worth" Series by Kasey Stockton.

I'm truly not sure how I felt about this book.

The first half of the book was setting up the characters for the series but it felt like forever before the story really started rolling.  There really wasn't much of even a hint of romance until over halfway through the book.

One of my issues is the book was written in first person from the POV of Elsie.  Personally, I prefer third person stories where I get to know what is going on in multiple character's heads.  For so much of the book, I felt like I was in the dark because I truly didn't have a clue what was going on except for Elsie's POV.

I did truly enjoy the premise and the characters.  Once the story got going (about 50% through) I couldn't put it down because I had to know what in the world was going on!  lol  At some points, I was so confused!

The last chapter or two were the best, where everything was coming together I finally got to know what was going on with Rosalynn and Freya.

I will definitely give the second book in the series a go :)

I read this book through Kindle Unlimited.

On to the next book!

Colletta

A Simple Woman's Daybook ~ 5/19/20

Looking out my window:

As I write this Monday evening, it is a bit dreary but warm at about 65F.

I am thinking:

I am thinking that I still have a lot to do this evening.  Doug and I just got back from getting groceries and I still haven't exercised, read my devotions, or tracked my food on WW.  I still have to go pick Laken up from her friend's house so I don't think the treadmill is going to happen today...

I am thankful:

I am thankful that we were able to go back to Church yesterday.  It was wonderful seeing everyone even if we had to "social distance".

One of my favorite things:

One of my favorite things is reading regency romance novels :)

I am creating:

I am still creating a granny square blanket using the following colors in Redheart Ombre and white.



I joined the first 4 rows and have 2.5 more rows completed in various stages of assembly.  I really need to get them all joined soon!

I am wearing:

I am wearing blue capris, a blue and tan patterned shirt and my trust flip flops.

I am reading (read) /watching (watched) / listening to:

I discovered this author with the first book of the "Ladies of Devon" series.  I then found this series "Women of Worth" and have the whole series downloaded.  I'm enjoying this first book of the series :)

I am hoping:

I am hoping that I can complete the 20 Books of Summer 2020.  I've committed to reading 20 books between June 1st and September 1st.  It is going to be tight but I'd really like to finish the entire challenge.  See my sidebar for more info on #20booksofsummer20 .

I am learning:

We learned that Kaylee got 3 A's and 2 B's this Spring Semester!  I'm so proud of her for finishing strong even though she started working full time the last few weeks of the semester.  We also learned that Laken got all A's for the school year.  She's now finished with 7th grade!  My babies are growing up!

In my kitchen:

Over the weekend we tried another new recipe called "3 Cheese Penne".  It had Italian sausage, sauce, penne and of course 3 different cheeses.  I'll be sharing the recipe sometime soon!

Shared Quote:

"As it is written: "There is no one righteous, not even one." "

Romans 3:10

A moment from my day:

A sneak peek a the 3 Cheese Penne :)

Have a Blessed Day!

Colletta

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? ~ 5/18/20

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? is a place to meet up and share what you have been, and are about to be reading over the week.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

What I read last week (click on the picture to read my review):

~~~~~~~~~~~~

What I'm Reading Now:

I've been in a regency romance kick lately and am finding some wonderful new-to-me authors.  Kasey Stockton is one of them!  Isn't this cover gorgeous?

Blurb:

A vow to remain unwed ​and a bargain designed to find her a husband.
What could possibly go wrong?

Elsie and her two best friends made a childhood vow to never marry.

But when Elsie begins her first season in London, her mother presents her with an irresistible bargain: if she says yes to each and every man’s invitations and still remains unattached by the end of the season, she will receive her inheritance and become a free woman.

She is thrown into the spotlight by increasing attention in the newspaper gossip articles, and keeping her end of the bargain seems impossible—especially when her best friend’s tyrant of a brother, Lord Cameron, begins to make advances that Elsie literally cannot refuse.

The gossip grows increasingly malicious, leaving destroyed reputations and broken homes in its wake, and Elsie can’t seem to escape its focus. But it’s her own blossoming feelings for Lord Cameron that pose the greater threat. If she can’t keep him out of her heart, she’s sure to compromise the bargain, break her vow, and lose her one shot at freedom for good.

~~~~~~~~~~~

.
What I'm Reading Next:

I've seen reviews of books by this author and am very interested in giving this book a go.  It is the first book in the "Sidekicks Survival Guide" series and sounds really interesting and fun!

Blurb:

Elliot Ransom isn’t living her best life.

Moving halfway across the world and leaving behind a community she loves has left Elliot restless. Though Storm River, Virginia, may be beautiful, the river town is also a playground for haughty politicians and wealthy playboys. As a missionary’s daughter who’s struggling to help pay her sister’s medical bills, Elliot feels nearly invisible.

Needing a change, she takes a new job with a hot shot private investigator. Little does Elliot know she won’t be doing filing and background checks—she’ll be in the field. As her new boss begins training her to be his sidekick, she finds herself surprisingly invigorated but also cautious of the man’s methods.

On her first assignment, she finds evidence that could prove their client, a professional athlete accused of murder, is innocent. The problem is that the real killer may have seen Elliot’s face—and now someone is watching her every move.

Can Elliot keep this new career a secret from her worry-prone mother? Did she put her family in danger when she took this new job? Learning the art of investigating shouldn’t be so dangerous . . . but this case just might as dicey as the new town she’s living in.

What are you reading?

Colletta

Also linking up to:

Sunday Blessings ~ 5/17/20

Carol at Slater's Funny Farm hosts a Sunday Blessing link up.  

I thought:  what better way to bless and be blessed than with scripture and prayer.  The following are taken from Serenity for a Woman's Soul 2020 Creative Planner for this week.

"So the Churches were strengthened in their faith and grew larger every day."

Acts 16:5 NLT

God, thank You for my Church.  I love the people who gather there together in Your name.

~~~~~~~~~

Blessings,

Colletta

Book Review ~ The Right Time for Love by Amelia Sinclair

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Title:  The Right Time for Love by Amelia Sinclair

Series: McLachlan Family Romance Book #1

Pages:  

Date Published:  February, 2020

Publisher:  ???

 Blurb:

You never forget your first kiss...

Hannah Hayes loves her quiet life in Minnow, Montana, but when a lightning strike damages the town hall clocktower, Hannah is put in charge of hiring a contractor for the repairs. She knows the best choice is someone the town is slow to accept, but he's also the guy Hannah has tried for years to forget.

Jeremy McLachlan is hesitant to return to Minnow. His parents' divorce rocked the small town and left lots of bitterness, so he only goes back for the occasional visit to his grandma. But the familiar voice on the other end of the phone is intriguing enough that he accepts the clocktower project.

When Hannah is also given the responsibility to start a fundraiser for the repair costs, she gets even closer with Jeremy. Her instinct is not to trust him, from personal teenage experience, but she can't help wishing he would come back for good, that she could be his reason to stay.

My Thoughts:

Amelia Sinclair is another new-to-me author that I discovered through Kindle Unlimited.  Her writing style was amazing and she even used the word "twitterpated" which I loved!  The story was a quick, clean read.

"The Right Time for Love" is the first book in a new series and I love reading the first book of a new series and getting to know the characters and the area.

Minnow is the small town where Hannah and Jeremy grew up and where Hannah still lives.  The town itself is quite the character.  Minnow reminds me of my own small town of around 1000 people except we don't have a bell tower :)  We do have a Church that rings the bell occasionally though!

Jeremy was a lady's man growing up in Minnow and had to earn Hannah's trust.  I really thought he had changed but then there is a scene with "Elaine" (the next door neighbor) that just didn't gel.

Hannah was painfully shy in the beginning of the book.  Even throughout the entire book she has issues with self-worth and confidence.  I still am kinda confused by Hannah's apology toward the end of the book.  But you'll have to read it to learn more.  I don't want to give too much away.

The author did a wonderful job setting up the new series with the town, the townspeople and the McLachlans.  I really look forward to reading more about the McLachlan Family.

BTW, I really like when the book cover matches the contents and this one did :)

On to the next book!

Colletta

Stacking the Shelves ~ 5/16/20

Stacking The Shelves is all about sharing the books you are adding to your shelves, may it be physical or virtual. This means you can include books you buy in physical store or online, books you borrow from friends or the library, review books, gifts and of course ebooks!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I'm really enjoying the ease of downloading books and reading on my Kindle!  This week I added the following to my shelf:

  

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Also linking up to: The Sunday Post, Sunday Salon,  Mailbox Monday



Happy Reading!