Second Sentence Saturday: Homecoming for Christmas | @ciaratknight #BookTeaser #HolidayRomance

SECOND SENTENCE SATURDAY is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by Jess of From Me to You ... Video, Photography, & Book Reviews. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab the novel/novella your currently reading or previously read
• Open to the first page of Chapter 1 or its Prologue
• Share the SECOND sentence from that page
• Share the novel/novella's title & its author, so that other participants can add that novel to their TBR Lists if they want

** This site is a participant in various affiliate advertising programs through Amazon.com, Rakuten Marketing, Commission Junction, IndieBound, Smashwords, Book Depository, and more that are designed to provide a means for Jess to earn minimal advertising fees by showcasing the areas you can purchase the corresponding products that Jess discusses within her blog posts. Basically Jess earns from qualifying purchases.
More specifically Jess partners those websites' programs and you should be aware that they may collect personal information when you interact with their sites. The collection and use of this information is subject to their own privacy policies.
You can check out Rakuten Marketing's privacy policy here: https://rakutenmarketing.com/legal-notices/services-privacy-policy/ **

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MY Second Sentence Saturday :

"Homecoming for Christmas" [Christmas Mountain Series, Book 1] by Ciara Knight - [Amazon Book Link]

Week #36 of When & Where am I Wednesday | #BookTuber #HistoricalRomance @JenniAuthor @HarlequinBooks

WHEN & WHERE AM I WEDNESDAYS are a weekly bookish memes, hosted by Jess of From Me to You ... Video, Photography, & Book Reviews. Anyone can play along! To participate here's what you need to do:

• Based on the book your currently reading -- tell us when and where you are in your book, and possibly what "you're" (meaning the characters) doing or who "you" (meaning the characters) are with.
• Try NOT to include spoilers!!!
• Make sure to share the book information [title, author and/or book cover] so if someone likes what you write they can add that book to their TBR list.
• Please mention From Me to You ... Video, Photograph, & Book Reviews as to where you heard about this collaboration meme.

#TeaserTuesday: The Earl's New Bride | @francesfowlkes #BookTeaser #RomanceBooks

TEASER TUESDAY is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by Jess of From Me to You ... Video, Photography, & Book Reviews.
Anyone can play along! Just share a teaser from a novel you've previously read or are currently reading! Just do the following:

• Grab the novel/novella your currently reading or previously read.
• Find a teaser/excerpt that you like from that novel/novella that is between a single sentence to three sentences to share.
  • Write it out or create your own teaser meme too.
• Share the novel/novella's title & its author, so that other participants can add that novel to their TBR Lists if they want.

Feasted On: Wild Lords and Innocent Ladies Series, Book 1 | #BookReview @laratemple1

- This was an ARC Read -
Available Formats through Amazon: Kindle Edition, Hardcover, Paperback & Mass Market Paperback
File Size: 2421 KB | Hardcover Print Length: 384 Pages
Paperback Print Length: 368 Pages
Mass Market Paperback Print Length: 288 Pages
Publication Date: November 1, 2017 | Language: English
Publisher: Harlequin : Historical
ASIN: B06Y5RPVJX | ISBN-10: 0263074641, 0263926141 & 0373299540
ISBN-13: 978-0263074642, 978-0263926149 & 978-0373299546
Main Genre(s): Historical Romance, Regency Romance
Format Jess Read This Novel In: eBook - MOBI File
Jess Obtained This Book Through: NetGalley

"Lord Hunter's Cinderella Heiress" [Wild Lords and Innocent Ladies Series, Book 1] by Lara Temple

Author's Book Description : Betrothed...to the wrong man!

Building a life away from her bullying family, schoolmistress Helen Tilney now needs to convince her childhood sweetheart she's a worthy bride. Standing in her way is Lord Hunter—the man Nell has just discovered she's betrothed to!

Hunter's offer of marriage to Nell came out of guilt, and now seems less than appealing! So when she asks for his help to win another man, he agrees. Until their lessons in flirtation inspire a raging desire that has Hunter longing to keep Nell for himself...

Book 1 in the Wild Lords and Innocent Ladies trilogy

My Book Review : 4 out of 5 stars! Four years ago, during difficult times in both their lives, Lord Hunter (Hunter/Gabe/Gabriel) decided to get into an agreement with Nell (Helen)’s father that stated that once she became 21 yrs old they would get married. Well it was an agreement that Hunter did in hopes of helping Nell’s life in the long-run, but it was also an agreement that Nell’s father never told her about until her 21st Birthday. Therefore, when Nell is informed about this change in her life she is not happy and finds a way to change her circumstances. Thankfully, Hunter agrees to the changes but everything comes at a price. Now they both have to decide what is most important to them and what are they are willing to sacrifice for their future “happiness.”

This was a VERY enticing tale about following your heart no matter the cost. In addition, I liked how Ms. Temple used various forms of PTSD with her characters and showing how they overcame those issues during that time-period (both good and bad ways).

Second Sentence Saturday: Her Secret Amish Child | #CherylWilliford #BookTeaser #ChristianFiction

SECOND SENTENCE SATURDAY is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by Jess of From Me to You ... Video, Photography, & Book Reviews. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab the novel/novella your currently reading or previously read
• Open to the first page of Chapter 1 or its Prologue
• Share the SECOND sentence from that page
• Share the novel/novella's title & its author, so that other participants can add that novel to their TBR Lists if they want

** This site is a participant in various affiliate advertising programs through Amazon.com, Rakuten Marketing, Commission Junction, IndieBound, Smashwords, Book Depository, and more that are designed to provide a means for Jess to earn minimal advertising fees by showcasing the areas you can purchase the corresponding products that Jess discusses within her blog posts. Basically Jess earns from qualifying purchases.
More specifically Jess partners those websites' programs and you should be aware that they may collect personal information when you interact with their sites. The collection and use of this information is subject to their own privacy policies.
You can check out Rakuten Marketing's privacy policy here: https://rakutenmarketing.com/legal-notices/services-privacy-policy/ **

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MY Second Sentence Saturday :

"Her Secret Amish Child" [Pinecraft Homecomings Series, Book 1] by Cheryl Williford - [Amazon Book Link]

Second Sentence Saturday: Christmas at Seashell Cottage | @DonnaAlward #BookTeaser #RomanceBooks

SECOND SENTENCE SATURDAY is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by Jess of From Me to You ... Video, Photography, & Book Reviews. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab the novel/novella your currently reading or previously read
• Open to the first page of Chapter 1 or its Prologue
• Share the SECOND sentence from that page
• Share the novel/novella's title & its author, so that other participants can add that novel to their TBR Lists if they want

** This site is a participant in various affiliate advertising programs through Amazon.com, Rakuten Marketing, Commission Junction, IndieBound, Smashwords, Book Depository, and more that are designed to provide a means for Jess to earn minimal advertising fees by showcasing the areas you can purchase the corresponding products that Jess discusses within her blog posts. Basically Jess earns from qualifying purchases.
More specifically Jess partners those websites' programs and you should be aware that they may collect personal information when you interact with their sites. The collection and use of this information is subject to their own privacy policies.
You can check out Rakuten Marketing's privacy policy here: https://rakutenmarketing.com/legal-notices/services-privacy-policy/ **

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MY Second Sentence Saturday :

"Christmas at Seashell Cottage" [Jewell Cove Series, Book 1.5] by Donna Alward - [Amazon Book Link]

Feasted On: The Holley Sisters of Thornthwaite Series, Book 1 | #BookReview @katehewitt1

- This was an ARC Read -
Available Formats through Amazon: Kindle Edition & Paperback
File Size: 3703 KB | Paperback Print Length: 180 Pages
Publication Date: October 12, 2017 | Language: English
Publisher: Tule Publishing
ASIN: B074199G9Z | ISBN-10: 1947636553 | ISBN-13: 978-1947636552
Main Genre(s): Holiday Romance, Contemporary Romance
Format Jess Read This Novel In: eBook - MOBI File
Jess Obtained This Book Through: NetGalley

"A Vicarage Christmas" [The Holley Sisters of Thornthwaite Series, Book 1] by Kate Hewitt

Author's Book Description : Welcome to Thornwaite, a quaint village tucked up in England’s beautiful but rainy Lake District… where homecomings happen and surprises are in store for the four Holley sisters...

Anna Holley, the third of four sisters, has always felt a little bit forgotten. A family tragedy when she was a child had her retreating deep into shyness, and social anxiety kept her on the fringes of the cozy chaos of the busy vicarage.

After several years away from home, Anna returns for Christmas... and an important announcement from her father. As much as she once loved the village, coming back is hard and puts Anna's social capabilities to the test.

Avoiding her sisters’ bossy questions, she heads out to the local pub one night, and meets a handsome stranger nursing a pint. Somehow, unburdened by expectations, Simon seems like the perfect person to spill all her secrets to—including a hopeless, long-held crush on her sister’s boyfriend. Confident she’ll never see him again, Anna returns home... only to discover the next day that Simon is actually her father’s new curate!

Anna is beyond mortified, but Simon won’t let her retreat into her usual shyness—and for once Anna is forced to confront the past, and all the fears and feelings she’d tried so long to hide. But with his own heartache that needs to heal, can Simon help Anna to make this the most magical Christmas either of them have known?

My Book Review : 4 out of 5 stars! Ever since a tragic accident took place when Anna was young, she has struggled with crippling anxiety and stuttering issues. So much so that she has tried her best, in various ways, to hide it from everyone, even though she hasn’t always been successful. She has stayed away from her close-knit hometown for the past three years because of her issues. However, at her parent’s request, she returns home for the Christmas holidays, and into a world of drama that begins the day she arrives home. That happens to also be the day that she meets Simon, a man who has just moved to her hometown, who she spills a majority of her secrets too. Yet, Simon doesn’t stay a stranger for long, which leads Anna into a future she had never dreamed for herself ... but is it the better path for her or will it come at another cost?

This novel was not what I was expecting.

Disappointmentville: Christmas Mountain Series, Book 1 | #BookReview #CiaraKnight

- This was an ARC Read -
Available Formats through Amazon: Kindle Edition & Paperback
File Size: 2627 KB | Paperback Print Length: 168 Pages
Publication Date: October 23, 2017 | Language: English
Publisher: Self-Published
ASIN: B076C8V8QK | ISBN-10: 1688285016 | ISBN-13: 978-1688285019
Main Genre(s): Holiday Romance, Contemporary Romance
Format Jess Read This Novel In: eBook - MOBI File
Jess Obtained This Book Through: NetGalley

"Homecoming for Christmas" [Christmas Mountain Series, Book 1] by Ciara Knight
(Originally published as "Homecoming in Christmas Falls" Book 1 of Return to Christmas Falls Series which is what it was called when this reviewer read it.)

Author's Book Description : Eight years after fleeing Christmas Mountain because of a high school prank gone wrong, Ashley Brooks receives a mysterious letter from her mentor asking her to come home. She arrives to face all she left behind—her family, her friends, and the rich boy she’d loved who would never date the girl from the wrong side of town.

Brent Donnelly, high school jock, brainiac, and dutiful son did everything right until the day Ashley returns to Christmas Mountain. With one look at the girl who got away he questions all his life choices, including following in his father’s footsteps in the family business.

Faced with a potentially devastating decline of tourism in their hometown, Brent and Ashley must work together to save the magic of their town, but when Ashley discovers he still has feelings for her best friend she must finally face the real reason she left Christmas Mountain—to try to heal her broken heart.

My Book Review : 2 out of 5 stars. The day of Ash’s (Ashley) high school graduation, she and her best group of friends pull a prank that lands them in jail. That incident changes her life drastically as she moves away from home without telling anyone, but her parents, the following morning and has stayed away from her hometown ever since. Now about eight years later, she returns home at the request of her high school mentor and in the process pick up the pieces of past relationships with friends and more. Yet, will she be able to reconcile with her friend and longtime crush, Brent, or will their insecurities and other people keep them apart for good?

I had been drawn into this novel’s book description from the beginning but what sealed me reading it was when I was looking for a novel to read for the 12 Days of Cozmas read-a-thon. And at first glance I thought this novel was perfect for me.

Disappointmentville: Pinecraft Homecomings Series, Book 1 | #BookReview #CherylWilliford

Format Jess Read This Novel In: Mass Market Paperback
Mass Market Paperback Print Length: 282 Pages
Publication Date: April 1, 2017 | ISBN-13: 978-0-373-89920-3 | Language: English
Publisher: Harlequin : Love Inspired
Genre: Amish Romance, Contemporary Romance, Christian Romance
Jess Obtained This Book Through: My Aunt Pam's Bookshelf located at my Parent's House

"Her Secret Amish Child" [Pinecraft Homecomings Series, Book 1] by Cheryl Williford

Author's Book Description : An Amish Second Chance

Newly widowed Lizbeth Mullet has a secret: she's never told anyone the true identity of her son's father. Not even now that she's come home to Pinecraft and the man in question is her new landlord. Fredrik Lapp may not know Benuel is his son, but the two soon form an unmistakable bond. And seeing Fredrik again stirs feelings Lizbeth had worked hard to bury. With Fredrick's affections resurfacing, too, the burden of Lizbeth's secret is only getting heavier. Revealing the truth could mean a lifetime of happiness together—or the loss of her second chance at forever.

My Book Review : 2 out of 5 stars. Lizbeth is an Amish widow who is escaping her life in Ohio and moving back to where she grew up in Pinecraft, Florida. While establishing herself back into the community she grew up her life takes a sudden twist when she learns that her feelings for Fredrik (her older brother’s best friend) is still there. But if they get to close her big secret will be exposed so would it all be worth the heartache?

This novel ... oh this novel ...

Made the Grade: It Must Be Christmas: Three Holiday Stories by Jennifer Crusie, Donna Alward, & Mandy Baxter | #BookReview @JennyCrusie @DonnaAlward @MandyJBaxter

- This was an ARC Read -
Available Formats through Amazon: Kindle Edition & Paperback
File Size: 903 KB | Mass Market Paperback Print Length: 384 Pages
Publication Date: October 4, 2016 | Language: English
Publisher: St. Martin's Press : Paperbacks
ASIN: B01CXON5TS | ISBN-10: 1250106370 | ISBN-13: 978-1250106377
Main Genre(s): Holiday Romance, Contemporary Romance, Romance Anthologies
Format Jess Read This Novel In: eBook - MOBI File
Jess Obtained This Book Through: NetGalley

"It Must Be Christmas: Three Holiday Stories" by Jennifer Crusie, Donna Alward, & Mandy Baxter

Author's Book Description : Previously published stories from New York Times bestselling author Jennifer Crusie, Mandy Baxter, and Donna Alward, these hot romantic stories share the spirit of love this season. It’s the most wonderful time of the year, when love is in the cold and frosty air―and desire reaches the boiling point...

Hot Toy
From New York Times bestselling author Jennifer Crusie comes a hilarious, sexy story about a determined shopper who grabs the last action figure off the shelf, only to find herself plunged into the arms of a sexy secret agent. Mayhem under the mistletoe ensues. Business as usual this Christmas season...right?

Christmas with the Billionaire Rancher
Nate wants to stay away from all the women who want his money in Mandy Baxter’s story set deep in the heart of Texas. But when gorgeous do-gooder Chloe Benson comes knocking at his door―in search of funds for her charity―Nate can’t ignore the passion he feels for her. Maybe love is priceless after all?

Christmas at Seashell Cottage
’Tis the season in Jewell Cove when local doctor Charlie Yang finds her quiet, steady life disrupted by both an abandoned baby in the nativity manger and ex-SEAL Dave Ricker. Are these turn of events too good to be true? Or is Christmas working its magic―for real?

My Book Review : For this full book I give it 3.25 out of 5 stars! Though I couldn't get into all of the novels that were included in this anthology, what I did read I enjoyed! All three are sweet contemporary small town romances that I recommend to those who are interested in that style of book genres.