THOUGHTFUL MONDAY

 Good morning!

I'm enjoying creative time. I hope these quotes and the Friday Photos are inspiring you.

All my best!

~ Angela

FRIDAY PHOTO

 Good morning, friends.

If you're a fantasy writer, I thought this picture would give you the feels.

Courtesy of Peter Schmidt on Pixabay

All my best!

~ Angela

REVIEW WEDNESDAY - An Early Spring

Good morning, readers. 

I hope you took a few minutes to check out our author for this week, JoAnn Durgin

AMAZON

BLURB:

Small-town charm and rediscovered dreams are always in season in Dogwood Creek, Tennessee!

Investigative journalist Ryan Hartmann is living his best life. Based in his hometown of Atlanta, Georgia, he gets the prime assignments and travels the world. When he finally takes a break to visit his Grandpa Luke in a tiny mountain town in Tennessee, Ryan encounters a gorgeous fireball of a woman at the local diner before he even steps foot in his grandfather’s house. After a case of mistaken identity and a wacky run-in at the local bookmobile, these two are off and running!

Jennifer Collins moved into her grandmother’s mansion in Dogwood Creek five years ago. Her Grandma Ellie has plenty of room and, as a successful playwright, she needs an assistant. Also a part-time actor at the nearby Smoky Mountain Playhouse, Jennifer slides effortlessly into both roles. What she doesn’t expect is a handsome man from Atlanta with mesmerizing eyes, surprising transparency, and a witty sense of humor who comes to town and challenges her at every turn. When a long-held, fiercely guarded family secret is leaked to the public and the press, who has the obvious motive? Who can be trusted?

Join the fun among the dogwoods where love is always in bloom. Toss in a bit of mystery, a group of lovable matchmakers, and the perennial possibility of small-town hijinks. Where the ordinary becomes extraordinary and everyday citizens step out of the shadows as heroes. Who knows, there might even be a knight in shining armor among them!

I knew going in this was Christian fiction. I have read and reviewed them here many times. However, An Early Spring is really high on the subject. God is mentioned at least once on nearly every page, they live their life according to God, and she backs up some of the discussions by having the characters quoting verses. I get all of that, and I know that's what readers of Christian fiction want. I'm not going to ding her on any of those points.

The good news is, Jennifer and Ryan's story is truly heartwarming. I got multiple chuckles with the bantering between Ryan and his grandfather. Jennifer's grandmother is the epitome of where Hollywood legends go when they walk away from the industry. I loved how JoAnn sprinkled in some of the classic actors that would have been a part of her grandmother's day. I love a classic Hollywood movie. I wonder if there is a story similar to her grandmother's final picture.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book and I think you will too. I'm giving An Early Spring...

You'll find out more about JoAnn Durgin in the links below:

WEBSITE   FACEBOOK   GOOD READS  BOOK BUB

AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE   

All my best!

~ Angela

AUTHOR SPOTLIGHT - JoAnn Durgin

Good morning, readers!

Totally flip the script from last week. This week we get to know Christian author, JoAnn Durgin.

Here's a bit about JoAnn:

JoAnn Durgin is a USA Today Bestselling Author named one of the "35 Essential Christian Romance Authors" in 2018 by Family Fiction Magazine. A former estate administration paralegal, she is the author of more than forty contemporary Christian romantic fiction novels ranging from novellas to supersize novels over 500 pages! JoAnn is unapologetic about sharing the hope, grace, and mercy to be found in a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.

JoAnn is best known for the beloved LEWIS LEGACY SERIES. The series is complete with 12 books plus the accompanying novel, PRELUDE. Other popular series include the STARLIGHT CHRISTMAS SERIES, the WONDROUS LOVE SERIES, and the TREASURED VOW SERIES as well as a number of standalone novels. JoAnn also writes contemporary Christian romance under the pen name of Julianna Desmond.

I'll be sharing Book 2 in the Dogwood Creek Matchmaker's series tomorrow. In the meantime, please check out her links below:

WEBSITE   FACEBOOK   GOOD READS  BOOK BUB

AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE   

All my best!

~ Angela

 

THOUGHTFUL MONDAY

 Good morning!

I'm am scheduling all of the blog posts for the rest of the month. I leave on Friday for a Junk Journal retreat and won't be checking in until I return end of the month. Bob is going to hold down the fort while I'm gone. I hope you'll continue to check in. ~ Thank you!

All my best!

~ Angela

FRIDAY PHOTO

 Good morning!

We had a semi-feral MainCoon I'd named Fluffy (for obvious reasons). just showed up in our yard one day. He spent eighteen months getting to know me before I could pet him, eventually hold and love on him. He loved to be brushed. 

About a month ago another male showed up. A tuxedo tabby. Very territorial and ran fluffy off. I miss my ginger kitty. This picture reminds me of him.  Is there a cat in your story? 

courtesy of y20221225-cat-9169528_640 on pixabay

All my best!

~ Angela

REVIEW WEDNESDAY - Spring Trip

 Good morning, readers.

I have to let you know up front this is not the type of book I would normally read, but the book is only 96 pages and I was intrigued about what the author, Sage Donnell, would accomplish in such a limited number of pages. Let's dive in!

AMAZON

BLURB:

Spring break is coming up and high school teacher Kade could not be more excited to spend the week with her girlfriend, Aiesha. The two haven't seen much of each other since their Valentine's trip thanks to their long distance relationship and generally busy lives, but this will give them the opportunity to spend the whole week together.

Will friends, surfing, and a few communication issues get in the way?

Features an ace-spectrum character.

While I've read Lesbian romances, the aspectrum character was new to me. Sometimes, authors forget that regardless of gender, or sexual preferences, the core of the relationship is the same. Are they compatible and can they work within those challenges and come together?

Sage Donnell did this masterfully. There is no gratuitous sex in the book. It's very clean, behind closed doors (or at least out of site since they're sleeping in a loft). SPRING TRIP is all about finding your way in a new, budding relationship. She shows Kade's struggle and growth masterfully as well as Aiesha's understanding of Kade's struggle and patience to let things grow naturally between them. 

Again, while this isn't my normal read, I enjoyed the story. Isn't that why we read books? For the stories?

I'm giving SPRING TRIP...

Remember to check out Sage Donnell's links below.

GOODREADS   X-TWITTER  AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE

All my best!

~ Angela

AUTHOR SPOTLIGHT - Sage Donnell

 Good morning, friends!

As you'll see from her photo, water is Sage's happy place. Here's more about her:

BIO:

Sage grew up in Colorado, spent most of her adult life in Portland, Oregon, and now resides in Ajijic, Mexico. She is trying to improve her Spanish and has found that even in Mexico, she's still her. 

She is a not-too-serious hiker, a voracious reader, a lover of games, and an enjoyer of a good water-based activity on a hot day. Although her beloved dog only agrees with the first two activities.

I'll be reviewing her book, Spring Trip, tomorrow. In the mean time, you can find more about Sage and follow her through the following links:

GOODREADS   X-TWITTER  AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE

All my best!

~ Angela

THOUGHTFUL MONDAY

 Good morning!

I hope everyone had an enjoyable weekend. Spring is taking a roller coaster ride. Near freezing temperatures the past two nights. Now, we're to warm up again. I just keep asking, 'is it fall yet?' 

All my best!

~ Angela

FRIDAY PHOTO - On Saturday

 Good afternoon!

If you're seeing this on Saturday, I have been so busy setting up for Q2, I totally spaced Friday. So, this week is a day late but still gives you inspiration for your Easter weekend:

Courtesy of Andy on Pixabay

All my best!

~ Angela

REVIEW WEDNESDAY - Lucky In Love

 Good morning, readers!

No, this is not a repeat post nor is it an April Fools joke. Today's book really is titled "Lucky In Love".

AMAZON

BLURB:

She trusts lists. He trusts luck. The town is about to test both. 

Molly O’Rourke runs her bakery—and her life—the same way: carefully planned, perfectly measured, and safely predictable. Surprises are for other people. Preferably far away from her ovens. 

So when a broken neon LUCKY sign, a last-minute festival crisis, and a charming traveling repair contractor all arrive at once, Molly knows one thing for certain: 

The universe is up to something.

Declan Byrne fixes problems for a living. Loose wires, broken generators, collapsing setups—he’s seen it all. What he hasn’t seen is someone quite like Molly: steady, capable, and determined to keep chaos at arm’s length… even when he keeps showing up inside it. 

Between glitter catastrophes, parade emergencies, and one almost-kiss that changes everything, Molly starts to realize that not all surprises are disasters. 

Some might be exactly what she didn’t know she needed. 

Lucky in Love is a warm, funny, feel-good romantic comedy novella 

I really enjoyed this story. First off, it's short and I love novellas. They fit in my reading time, time I can immerse myself in a story without feeling like I'm letting something slide. 

I also loved the characters, including Molly's assistant.  Declan was that quiet, solid man every woman needs in their life. They had chemistry but let it slowly come to the surface. Brynn brought this about without giving us filler just to make a wordier book. Like Molly, the author took care of business with efficiency and care.  My other favorite character was the Mayor. If you're a Good Witch fan, then I think you'll agree there are definite similarities in the mayor characters. As soon as she all but burst into the bakery, My mind started running pictures of the Mayor from Good Witch. Let me know in the comments below if you had the same experience.

I'm giving LUCKY IN LOVE...

In the mean time, please remember to check out Brynn Winslow's links below and her other books on Amazon.

INSTAGRAM   GOODREADS

AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE

All my best!

~ Angela

AUTHOR SPOTLIGHT - Brynn Winslow

 Good morning, readers!

I'm winding up our lucky in love series with author, Brynn Winslow.

Here's a bit about Brynn Winslow:

Brynn Winslow is a contemporary romance author who writes heartfelt love stories filled with charm, banter, and small-town magic. Her books center on strong, relatable heroines and steady, swoon-worthy heroes who find themselves navigating messy lives, complicated pasts, and unexpected connections that change everything.

Drawn to stories about ordinary people in extraordinary emotional moments, Brynn blends humor and warmth with deeper themes of healing, trust, and the courage it takes to choose love. Her fictional worlds are full of close-knit communities, found family, and the kind of slow-burn chemistry that makes every stolen glance and late-night conversation count.

While you wait for tomorrow's review of Lucky In Love, please check out the links below.

INSTAGRAM   GOODREADS

AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE

All my best!

~ Angela

THOUGHTFUL MONDAY

 Good morning!

We are coming to the end of March as well as Q1. How did you do?

I hope you'll share in the comments and let me know if I can help.

All my best!~

~ Angela

FRIDAY PHOTO

 Good morning!

The last Friday of the month and Q1 is coming to a close. Are you on target for your goals? Now is the time to evaluate your progress and make adjustments going in to Q2. Hopefully, things are falling in to place.

courtesy of dragon77 - pixabay

All my best!

~ Angela

REVIEW WEDNESDAY - Lucky In Love

 Good morning, readers!

I have to admit I had a little trouble getting into this week's story. Might have been partly due to this horrid sinus/ head cold thing I have going on. I'm usually only sick once a year and it's usually pollen induced. Imagine my surprise when our local weather channel started offering the daily pollen count. Too late. My head was ahead of him. LOL

AMAZON

Today's book was originally titled St. Patrick's Day Surprise. The story culminates around St. Patrick's Day. Here's a bit about the book.

Michelle's life followed a perfect script—until her fiancé tore it up and walked away. In the wreckage of her broken engagement, she seeks refuge with Elijah, the one man who has been her constant since childhood. They make plans to see her parents for St. Patrick's Day, just like they've done every year, the perfect escape from heartbreak. Except now Michelle starts to realize Elijah is her best friend for a reason--he truly cherishes her. He's been there through every painful moment and shared in her every joy. The one who has never left her side. 

Elijah only wants to see Michelle smile again, to be the steady presence she's always counted on. But the more time they spend together, the more he realizes he's fallen in love with her. If they take the risk, could they build something lasting? Or will crossing the line between best friends and lovers shatter the only relationship they've ever known?

This heartfelt romance features Best Friends to Lovers and Jilted Bride—a sweet, swoony love story about healing, hope, and discovering the love that's been there all along.

Once I got into the story the pacing went well until near the end when it seemed like Cristina rushed to pull things together. In one spot they're at her parents in New York and the next he's pulling her suitcase into her apartment in Malibu. There wasn't any bridge between the two. Something like, back at her house the next day... type of thing would have made for a smoother transition. 

Over all, I enjoyed the book.

I'm giving Lucky In Love...

.8

All  my best!

~ Angela

 

AUTHOR SPOTLIGHT - Cristina Ryan

 Good morning, readers!

Thank you for your patience last week. I've made serious progress on this book. I'm determined to make deadline.

Here's a bit about Cristina:

Amazon bestselling author Cristina Ryan lives with her Marine Corp. veteran husband and an entertaining clan of pets. It takes a major sense of humor and a warm heart to fall in love, so those are the kinds of love stories she pens.

Cristina also writes YA Christian Suspense as Krista Wagner.

I'll be reviewing her book, Lucky In Love (originally published as St. Patrick's Day Surprise.

In the mean time, here are some links where you'll find out more about Cristina Ryan:

WEBSITE   YOUTUBE   GOODREADS   AUDIO   BOOK SPROUT   KO FI

AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE

All my best!

~ Angela

THOUGHTFUL MONDAY

 Good morning!

Wow, what I week. However, I will have an update this week on my progress with Book 2. I'll be posting more things about the book over the coming weeks. I love how the story turned out.

All my best!

~ Angela

FRIDAY PHOTO

 Good morning!

Did you celebrate the green? I'm not a corned beef and cabbage fan but cold canned corned beef and fried cabbage hit the spot. Oh yeah, and a good Guinness Pot Roast for Sunday. How did you celebrate?

courtesy of chiemseherin- Pixabay

All my best!

~Angela

DETERMINATION

 Good morning, everyone!

I wanted to take a moment to apologize for the lack of spotlight & review posts this month.

I am determined to release An Ozarks Homecoming on time. Tentatively for late May. This second book in the series has taken WAY longer than it should have. 

This will be the first of three books I hope to release this year.

Thank you for your patience. I should be back to regular postings next week.

All my  best!

~ Angela

THOUGHTFUL MONDAY

 Good morning!

I hope you're doing well with your goals and energy.

Being Irish, I will be celebrating St. Patrick's Day tomorrow. Are you Irish, or do you just join in the fun?

As a practicing witch, this is a busy week for me celebrating a New Moon as well as the first day of Spring, or as we say, Ostara. How do you celebrate spring?

All my best!

~ Angela

FRIDAY PHOTO

 Good morning, friends! 

Who's ready for St. Patrick's Day?  It's okay to begin celebrating early. Especially if you're Irish! 

courtesy of jdstanley - (ai generated)

All my best!

~ Angela

THOUGHTFUL MONDAY

 Good morning!

I'm taking some time to check in with my goals and see what I can feasibly accomplish by end of the quarter. How are you doing?

All my best!

~ Angela

FRIDAY PHOTO

 Good morning, friends.

We are in for some rough weather over the next couple of weeks. Welcome to Spring! So I'm going to get all of the Friday Photo posts scheduled. I try to do this anyway as it frees up more time for my writing. Stay tuned for a potential release date for Book 2 in the Planned To Perfection series.

courtesy of Alice Bitencourt - Pixabay

Be safe

All my best!

~ Angela

REVIEW WEDNESDAY - Unlucky In Love

 Good morning, readers.

I have a really fun book this week.

AMAZON

BLURB:

Kristen Collins is cursed. It’s the only explanation for this recent run of catastrophes. She’s lost her brand-new car and a winning lottery ticket, and her ex-boyfriend just drove off with all her possessions. She’s even lost the empty office that’s been her lunchtime sanctuary. Plus, the new hire who’s taken it over is precisely the kind of impending heartache she knows to avoid, from his intense gaze to that irresistible crooked smile.

Developer Aiden Scott plans to stay at the Denver architecture firm just long enough to prime it for takeover. A job like his can’t get personal. Yet from the moment he collides with Kristen, he’s smitten. He wants to save the stunning interior designer from every crazy scenario she winds up in. But who’s going to save him when his business agenda shatters Kristen’s trust?

You have to feel for Kristen. At some point do we feel the world is against us? One thing I did notice is that, while it takes trial and error, Kristen learns from her past and just goes with the flow even when she might be waiting for the other shoe to drop. 

I know it hurt Aiden not to share why he was at her company's firm but he kept a promise. That's integrity above everything. Something her previous ex's didn't seem to have.

I loved her friend, Amy. Amy was the one constant in her life through all of Kristen's trials and tribulations.

The one thing I hoped for in the end involved the lost lottery ticket. they did both take the bus, after all.

My only challenge with this book was the irregular formatting. At some points both of their back and forth conversation would be lumped into the same paragraph. A bit confusing for me trying to figure out who was speaking. The other thing (more towards the last quarter of the book) was the line jumping. Lines that would cut off in the middle and bounce below. Either Jill needs to pay more attention to who is formatting her book, or learn a bit more.

Overall, I found the book enjoyable but dropping a quill for the formatting. I'm giving UNLUCKY IN LOVE...

You'll find more of Jill's books and about her by following any of the links below.

WEBSITE   FACEBOOK   IG   TIK TOK   X-twitter   PINTEREST

GOODREADS   APPLE

AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE

All my best!

~Angela

AUTHOR SPOTLIGHT - Jill Sanders

 Good morning, friends!

This week we're shining the spotlight on author, Jill Sanders.

Here's a bit about Jill:

Jill Sanders is a New York Times, USA Today, and international bestselling author of Sweet Contemporary Romance, Romantic Suspense, Western Romance, and Paranormal Romance novels. With over 85 books in eleven series, translations into several different languages, and audiobooks there’s plenty to choose from. Look for Jill’s bestselling stories wherever romance books are sold or visit her at jillsanders.com

Jill comes from a large family with six siblings, including an identical twin. She was raised in the Pacific Northwest and later relocated to Colorado for college and a successful IT career before discovering her talent for writing sweet and sexy page-turners. After Colorado, she decided to move south, living in Texas and now making her home along the Emerald Coast of Florida. You will find that the settings of several of her series are inspired by her time spent living in these areas. She has two sons and off-set the testosterone in her house by adopting three furry little ladies that provide her company while she’s locked in her writing cave. She enjoys heading to the beach, hiking, swimming, wine-tasting, and pickleball with her husband, and of course writing. If you have read any of her books, you may also notice that there is a love of food, especially sweets! She has been blamed for a few added pounds by her assistant, editor, and fans… donuts or pie anyone?

I'll be reviewing Book 1 of her Lucky series tomorrow. In the mean time, there are plenty of links below for you to check out.

WEBSITE   FACEBOOK   IG   TIK TOK   X-twitter   PINTEREST

GOODREADS   APPLE

AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE

THOUGHTFUL MONDAY

 Good morning, everyone!

I hope you're ready for March. Can you believe this month will close out the first quarter of 2026! How are you doing on your goals? Check in and let us know.

All my best!

~ Angela

FRIDAY PHOTO

 Good  morning!

 Closing out another month. I thought we'd post something for our shifter writers.

Courtesy of Pixabay - pixel-mixer

All my best!

~ Angela

REVIEW WEDNESDAY - The Sweetheart Deal

 Good morning, friends!

This week, I'm reviewing a book by sweet romance author, Lenora Worth. I may have jumped the gun a bit yesterday as I'd just started the book. I'll share why when we get to the review. 

AMAZON

BLURB:

"One day I’m going to marry you..." Jake Harper had said those words to Vanessa Conroy since kindergarten, but after watching her parents’ bitter divorce and living with her mother’s devastation, Vanessa made a promise to herself—she’s never getting married. She’ll stay single and pursue her dream of being a ready-to-wear fashion designer. In high school, Vanessa dated and broke up with every bad boy in the book, while Jake remained her consistent buddy. He was her wingman, her best friend, her go-to person for special occasions, but she held him at a distance. Why ruin a wonderful friendship? On the night of their final prom, Jake takes a risk and kisses her. Stunned by how right it feels, Vanessa rashly blurts out a deal: if they’re still single at thirty, maybe she’ll marry him. Now, thirteen years later, they’re back in Sweetheart Bay to be part of her sister’s wedding. And they’re both still single at thirty. Vanessa begins to see Jake in a new, more romantic light, but Jake, a successful architect living in California, hasn’t said a word about their old pact. As family drama bubbles and old feelings resurface, Vanessa must face the one possibility she’s always run from: what if her true love has been standing beside her all along? Can she and Jake find their happily-ever-after back on Sweetheart Bay?

The very opening of the story, and subsequent levels of school in the early stages of the book, were great. Onery Jake taunting Vanessa that he was going to marry her. In turn, Vanessa was adamant she was not going to marry - EVER! So much fun in this back and forth between the two characters and a great way to introduce them. This worked well between the two right up until prom night when they made a deal.

When both return for her sister's wedding, things still go pretty smoothly as we watch them work things out. That's where the story fell off into the tide for me.

Lenora Worth had a great story going then she brought in other circumstances in trying to explain why Vanessa was never going to marry. By the last quarter of the book I was losing interest, and I think the author was too. Multiple typos and editing issues began to show. For me, this added to the distractions from the secondary (and third) characters. I know where she was going with them, but her road got bumpy along the way. 

That said, knowing what Lenora Worth was after doesn't make getting to the end of the story any easier. I'm giving, The Sweetheart Deal...

You can check out more about Lenora Worth by following the links below.

WEBSITE   FACEBOOK  INSTAGRAM   BLOG    PINTEREST

BOOK BUB   GOODREADS   AUDIBLE

AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE

All my best!

~ Angela