FRIDAY PHOTO

 Good morning, friends!

Winding up another month. Time just seems to fly, doesn't it?

Anna May Wong

courtesy of Pixabay

All my best!

~ Angela

REVIEW WEDNESDAY - A May Bride

 Good morning, readers!

I do apologize for the delay. I got up yesterday morning with a flu bug. Forming coherent sentences wasn't going to be popular. Much better today, so let's get into today's review.

Yesterday was the perfect day to curl up with a book... while I had jars of potato fries in the pressure canner. LOL Multi-tasking is a must until I get things in order.

AMAZON

BLURB:

Ellie has prepared for her wedding all her life . . . but she has forgotten the most important part.

Ellie Martin, a country girl living in Atlanta, has dreamed of a traditional wedding all her life—a wedding just like the one her younger sister is planning back home. Even though Ellie is realizing her dreams in the big city as an up-and-coming real-estate agent, she’s missing a key ingredient to her plans for the future: a groom.

Then Ellie meets Gray Whitby—at a wedding of all places. Gray is handsome and fun, and he sweeps her away in a whirlwind romance. In a matter of months, Ellie knows Gray is "the one," but her mother isn't so sure, judging Gray to be the freewheeling type, like Ellie's runaway father. 

When Ellie jeopardizes her own future for the sake of her sister, Gray feels like he'll always be second to Ellie's family. Can Ellie and Gray find their own way together amidst the demands and perceptions of others or will their romance end before it has truly begun?

I liked Ellie's character, though Gray was definitely a favorite. This is the first book I've read in a long time where the conflict between the two was tangible and left me not just asking 'will they/ won't they (because they always do in a romance) but how are they going to figure things out - and in the tight confines of a novella, no less! As I got deeper into the story I got the impression there was more of Ellie's mother in her than she realized. I was impressed the author didn't have Gray bring it up. That would have been a devastating move for their relationship - end of story. In stead, she let Ellie and Gray figure things out on their own terms. 

While Ellie's sister reminded me a bit of an entitled sister, I most wanted to get in her mom's face and give her a hard talking to. She needed to be reminded that her mistakes were hers and not her daughters. Gray's family were the kind you want to marry in to. 

I cam giving A MAY BRIDE...

You'll find more books by Meg Moseley by clicking any of the links below.

GOODREADS   PUBLISHER

AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE

All my best!

~ Angela

AUTHOR SPOTLIGHT - Meg Moseley

 Good morning!

This week, I'm shinning the spotlight on a California girl turned southern belle.

Let's get to  know Meg Moseley:

Although I've lived more than half my life in other states, I'm still a Californian at heart. I love vintage bungalows, twisted oaks on rolling hills, and the rocky beaches of the Central Coast. A few blocks away from my childhood home stood a Lutheran church where I came to faith, first through Sunday School teachers whose kindness drew me to the kindness of God, and then through confirmation classes. The Bible verses that had been drilled into my head came to life in my heart.

After moving away from home as a teenager, I worked at a variety of jobs, from candle-maker in a tourist town to administrative assistant at a Christian college. I married a wonderful man from Michigan, and we lived north of Detroit for seventeen years. That's where we started homeschooling our three children, an endeavor that we finished in Georgia when our youngest graduated from high school in 2009.

My husband and I live near Atlanta, close to the foothills of the Southern Appalachians. His motorcycle often carries us to the mountains of Georgia, Tennessee, or the Carolinas. Sitting on the back of the bike, I can pray, enjoy the beautiful views, and plot new stories. Fiction makes my world go 'round, whether I'm writing it or reading it

Tomorrow, I'll be reviewing Book 6 (of an 11-book series). In the mean time, please click on the links below to find out more about Meg and her books:

GOODREADS   PUBLISHER

AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE

All my best!

~ Angela

THOUGHTFUL MONDAY

 Good morning, readers!

This month is just flying by.

All my best!

~Angela

FRIDAY PHOTO

 Good morning, friends!

Something about this man spoke to me. I think he'd make a wonderful character in a story.

PIXABAY

All my best!

~ Angela

REVIEW WEDNESDAY - Lavender & Quill

 Good morning, friends!

AMAZON - Box Set

Today's book is interesting in the way the stories are presented. Let's check out the blurb, first.

When life fell apart in Seattle, Ashley St. James never thought she’d find herself back in Hope Hill—the small town of lavender fields, quirky neighbors, and lingering family ties. But inheriting her late father’s beloved bookstore, Lavender & Quill, might just be the second chance she didn’t know she needed.

Determined to reopen the shop and start fresh, Ashley quickly discovers that peeling back the layers of her father’s legacy won’t be easy. A devastating storm, hidden letters from the past, and a wealthy newcomer determined to reshape the town threaten her plans at every turn.

Thankfully, help arrives in the form of Noah Callahan—the quiet, skilled craftsman with a protective streak and a daughter who adores books as much as Ashley does. But as the repairs unfold and buried secrets surface, Ashley must decide if she’s ready to risk her heart—and stand her ground against the charming but dangerous newcomer intent on buying her out. 

With the support of her sisters, a blossoming romance, and the mystery of Lavender & Quill pulling her deeper into Hope Hill’s history, Ashley might just find that some chapters are worth rewriting.

Normally, (in other box sets I've read), each book in the set is it's own story. If the series is collaborative with multiple authors, while each story is different, there is a running theme. In other sets where all of the books are by one author, each story is different but offer multiple characters from the initial story yet each have their own book. Think seven sisters with each sister having her own story while everything winds together in a well-written series. 

Lavender & Quill is different. I've never seen this done before, making the way May North writes her own special voice. 

There are five books in Lavender & Quill. Each book is a novella of around eighty-six pages. But here's the kicker. Each novella appears to be just a continuation from the novella prior. While I've not read the entire 367-page boxed set, I have the feeling the collection is Ashley & Noah's story broken up into individual quick reads, rather than sitting down with the whole tome. Interesting way of creating a story.

May North is great with description and a way with comparative words. I enjoyed Book 1 of Lavender & Quill. I may try to finish the series before turning back to KU. 

In the mean time, I'm giving Lavender & Quill...

.8

All my best!

~ Angela

AUTHOR SPOTLIGHT - May North

 Good morning, friends!

After a brief thunderstorm this morning, I'm jumping in before the next wave hits. Today's weather is going to be perfect for curling up with a cup of coffee, my cat (Tabitha), and a good book. 

Let's meet this week's author, May North:

While May spends most of the days doing what she loves–writing–she also loves her two boys and reading books. As May has grown older, she realized her taste in books changed. She wanted books that felt like a warm blanket and hot chocolate on a cold winter day. So, she started writing those books. She hopes her books give you the joy and comfort it does her bringing them to life!

May North offers several boxed sets on her Amazon page. We'll be checking out one of the others later in the month.  For now, you can learn more about May's books by clicking either of the links below.

GOOD READS   AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE

All my best!

~ Angela