Seagrass Pier by Colleen Coble- Beach Thriller!

My Thoughts:

Another fabulous Hope Beach thriller by Colleen Coble!  Seagrass Pier begins in the midst of a nightmare followed by the alarming sound of breaking glass.  The fear Elin Summerall is experiencing is all too real- and yet no one seems to believe her.  Following a heart transplant, Elin begins to change in subtle ways.  She selects different clothes, prefers different music and has flashbacks from the heart donor- who was murdered.  I loved the whole premise of this book.  Nightmares/flashbacks from an organ donor, an unsolved murder, a gorgeous, remote house on the beach, and an antique map that's been hidden along with it's secrets.  Colleen Coble knows what her readers want!  Of course, she delights us with a swoon worthy love story in the midst of the mystery, too. :)  My favorite character was Elin's mother, Ruby.  Due to a series of strokes, she's experiencing early dementia and struggles for much of the story.  Yet, through moments of clarity, she's able to rise to the occasion and be a hero to her daughter.  She deserves a round of applause!  The beach, an old diary, a forgotten mystery, and a love story that seems destined to never happen kept me anxiously reading until the very end.  Bravo Colleen Coble!

About the book: 

In a secluded corner of Hope Beach, one woman must decipher a stranger's memories . . . before they cost her everything.

Elin Summerall was one of the lucky ones. Not only did she get a heart transplant, but the donor was a perfect fit. A miraculously perfect fit.

But when Elin begins having violent flashbacks---and vivid dreams of being strangled---she realizes that she has been the recipient of more than just a new heart . . . Elin is remembering her donor's murder.

Her strange affliction has attracted some unwanted attention: from the press, from the authorities . . . and from the killer himself. Now, living alone with her young daughter and aging mother, Elin is being stalked---by a man she's only met in her nightmares.

The police are dubious of her story, but one off-duty FBI agent is eager to help her: Agent Marc Everton, the father of Elin's daughter.

Of course, he doesn't know about that. Yet.

Now, in a remote cottage on Hope Island, Elin and Marc must probe the secrets buried in her borrowed heart. And there's no time to waste. One man is desperate to silence her---before she remembers too much.

Purchase a copy: http://ow.ly/xAP8O

About the author: 

Colleen Coble has sold over 2 million novels worldwide. Seagrass Pier, the third installment in her acclaimed Hope Beach series, marks a new highpoint for emotion and complexity in Coble's addictive brand of romantic suspense.

Colleen can be found at: website, Twitter, Facebook

Don’t miss Colleen Coble‘s latest release in the Hope Beach series, Seagrass Pier. The book releases July 1st, and Colleen's publisher is offering the ebook at a special pre-order price of just $4.99 between now and 6/30 everywhere ebooks are sold.



PLUS . . . between 6/9 – 6/30 Colleen will be hosting a Kindle giveaway.





One winner will receive:

• A brand new Kindle Fire HDX


• Seagrass Pier and the rest of the Hope Beach series by Colleen Coble

Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on June 30th. Winner will be announced on Colleen's blog on July 1st.






Tell your friends via FACEBOOK or TWITTER and increase your chances of winning and be sure to stop by Colleen's blog on July 1st to see if you won!

*I received a copy of this book from Litfuse in exchange for my honest opinion.  No other compensation was given.*

Bluebonnet Bride by Colleen Coble

My Thoughts:

Colleen Coble is one of my favorite authors.  I set her creations to a higher standard as she just seems to get better and better.  Bluebonnet Bride is the story of a mail order bride, Elli Korpela,  venturing to the New World from Finland.  She's coming for a new life- as well as escaping a very real nightmare.  Her father has disappeared and the man responsible for this tragedy is also after her with deadly intentions.  She meets handsome Nathan White who originally wanted a bride only to look after his niece, Hannah, who he's raising as his own.  Sparks, the good kind, are immediate but secrets remain to be told and danger is lurking everywhere it seems...

Bluebonnet Bride is a good story, but nowhere near Collen Coble's past masterpieces.  I liked the characters but the story was told and the mystery revealed way too quickly.  I wish that the author had allowed the tale to "marinate" a bit.  A quick read with a delightful trip back in time- but I personally prefer a bit more build up and a lot more melancholy romance.

At the turn of the 20th century, Elli Korpela boards The Baltic with hundreds of eager women, all seeking new beginnings and brighter futures in America . . . as mail order brides.

Escaping a forced engagement, Elli seeks refuge in a faraway marriage, desperately needing her new life with a Texan named Nathan White to be safer than the one she left behind in Finland. And as she glimpses her future husband and his darling niece at the train station, she instantly knows her risk will prove the best decision she's ever made.

Until he became the guardian of four-year-old Hannah, Nathan White never took an interest in marriage, arranging a mail order wife to simply love and care for his orphaned niece. That is, he never took an interest until he laid eyes on the beautiful Elli Korpela.

After a fairytale ceremony in the gardens of the grandest estate Elli's ever seen, a place called Butterfly Palace, their peaceful beginning takes a disquieting turn as an intruder brutally attacks Elli in the middle of the night. Nathan intervenes, but the devil escapes unidentified, leaving Elli to face two chilling possibilities: either the attack was arranged by strike workers in Nathan's employ or her shadowy past followed her into the present – and across the sea.

As the danger mounts, Elli and Nathan must face their enemy together, fighting to stay alive – and fighting to stay man and wife.

*I was given this book by Blogging for Books in exchange for my honest opinion.  No other compensation was received.*

Happy to Be Alive, Because by Chelsea Jacobs

My Thoughts:

Happy to be Alive, Because is a sweet young adult story.  It's the kind of book you'd like for your teen daughter to read as it tells a tender but tragic tale of a young girl and how she's able to endure with the help of new and unexpected friends.  It's heartache, love, adventure and friendship all tied up in a lovely package.  I particularly appreciated how the author, Chelsea Jacobs, didn't candy coat the reality of grief.  She approached it with realism and respect and her main character, Avery, is richer and more likable because of it.  The quest to uncover happiness again after tragedy is quite the journey and my heart ached for Avery, especially as she "spoke" to her mother before going to bed at night.  This is a book I'd like for my daughters to read but I wouldn't recommend to an adult friend.  

About the book: 

Avery is a seventeen-year-old girl whose reality has just been shattered by the death of her mother. Feeling a desperate need to flee from what has become her life, she follows a travel plan meant for her mom and her that leads her to the little beach town where her mom grew up. It's there that she meets a group of three adventurous friends who adopt her into their circle, allowing her to experience a summer she never thought would be possible after suffering such a great loss. Unfortunately, her summer full of experiences threatens to end abruptly when she realizes that one of the three has a secret that causes her to question everything about the new life she has been building.

Avery must learn to balance her grief and her desire for a future in order to achieve her mother's final wish for her: That she would be happy to be alive.

Purchase a copy: http://ow.ly/xlD3V

About the author: 

Chelsea grew up with an immense love for words---both reading them and writing them. She obtained her degree in English and has spent the time since then getting married to her high school sweetheart and chasing adventure so she'll have something to write about. When she's not drinking copious amounts of coffee while writing, she spends her time reading, playing with her puppy named Gatsby, and dreaming, always dreaming.

Chelsea can be found at: website, Twitter

*I was given this book from Litfuse in exchange for my honest opinion.  No other compensation was received.*

Meant to Be Mine by Becky Wade- The only love story you MUST read this summer!

My Thoughts:

My heart was pounding as I laid my head back, closed my eyes and sighed.  The swoon worthy effects of reading the last page of Meant to Be Mine.  Becky Wade has created the Couple of the Year with Ty and Celia- perhaps even the couple of the decade.  All I could think was THAT is a love story!  And you know what?  I'm going to read Meant to Be Mine again- soon.  Friends- I never reread books- ever.  Who has time for that?  Well.  This time I'm making an exception.  Meant to Be Mine is that romantic, clever, funny (the dialogue is masterful!), heartbreaking, and downright delicious. Yes, a book can be delicious!  It was like Red Vines and hot buttered popcorn.  I couldn't get enough of it!

Oh yes, Meant to Be Mine is my new favorite book.

The story begins with a wedding in Vegas.  It's not planned.  Sweet Celia has carried a torch for Ty for 14 long years.  She is utterly in love with him- and he asks her to marry him.  Wonderful!  Right?  Well... The very next morning he tells her that he loves someone else.  Yes, he does!  There are no words.  Celia tells Ty that she will never forgive him.  And the years go by...

6 years later Ty decides to look Celia up.  Just to see how she's doing.  She's got quite the surprise for him!  I want to sit you down and tell you more but that would be unkind.  You need to read the book yourself!  I'll just tell you this.  The sizzle between Ty and Celia is palpable.  (Christian women like passion, too!)  They challenge each other and it was a pleasure to watch them spar with their words!  Becky Wade also delivers amazing supporting characters in her books.  That's one of the many reasons I love her writing.  Uncle Danny, precious Addie (you'll have to read to see who she is. ;) ), Bo, Meg, Donetta and more all round out this love story in the most beautiful way.  I would love, love, LOVE to see Made to Be Mine created into a movie.  Through Becky Wade's words I could almost see Celia and Ty.  Their story needs to be on the big screen.  I'd be first in line to see it, although we know the book is always better. :)

About the book: 

Ty Porter has always been irresistible to Celia Park. All through high school---irresistible. When their paths cross again after college---still irresistible. This time, though, Ty seems to feel exactly the same way about Celia. Their whirlwind romance deposits them at a street-corner Las Vegas wedding chapel.

The next morning they wake to a marriage certificate and a dose of cold reality. Celia's ready to be Ty's wife, but Ty's not ready to be her husband. He's a professional bull rider, he lives on the road, and he's long planned to settle down with the hometown girl he's known since childhood.

Five and a half years pass. Celia's buried her dreams so that she can afford to raise her daughter. Ty's achieved all of his goals. Or thought he had, until he looks again into the eyes of the woman he couldn't forget and into the face of the child he never knew he had.

How much will Ty sacrifice to win back Celia's trust and prove to her that their spontaneous marriage can still become the love of a lifetime?

Purchase a copy: http://ow.ly/x1YKE

About the author: 

Becky makes her home in Dallas, Texas with her husband, three children, and one adoring (and adored) cavalier spaniel. Her CBA debut, My Stubborn Heart, was a finalist in both the RITA and INSPY awards.Undeniably Yours kicked off her Texas-set Porter Family series. Her newest contemporary romance, Meant to Be Mine, has just hit shelves!

Becky can be found at: website, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest

Becky Wade's latest novel, Meant to Be Mine, is a keeper! 



Celebrate with Becky by entering her "Dream Come True" $200 Visa cash card prize pack giveaway and RSVP for her June 10th Facebook party!





 

One winner will receive:

• A $200 Visa cash card


• Meant to Be Mine by Becky Wade

Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on June 10th. Winner will be announced at the Meant to Be Mine Facebook author chat party on June 10th. Connect with Becky for a fun evening of book chat, trivia, laughter, and more! Becky will also share an exclusive look at her next book and give away books, fun prizes, and gift certificates throughout the evening.

So grab your copy of Meant to Be Mine and join Becky on the evening of June 10th for a chance to connect and make some new friends. (If you haven't read the book, don't let that stop you from coming!)

Don't miss a moment of the fun; RSVP today. Tell your friends via FACEBOOK or TWITTER and increase your chances of winning. Hope to see you on the 10th!




*I was given this book by Litfuse in exchange for my honest opinion.  No other compensation was received.*