The Paper Daughters of Chinatown by Heather Moore

A powerful story based on true events surrounding Donaldina Cameron and other brave women who fought to help Chinese-American women escape discrimination and slavery in the late 19th century in California.

When Donaldina Cameron arrives at the Occidental Mission Home for Girls in 1895, she intends to teach sewing skills to young Chinese women immigrants, but, within days, she discovers that the job is much more complicated than perfect stitches and even hems. San Francisco has a dark side, one where a powerful underground organization--the criminal tong--brings Chinese young women to America to sell them as slaves. With the help of Chinese interpreters and the Chinatown police squad, Donaldina becomes a tireless social reformer to stop the abominable slave and prostitution trade.

Mei Lien believes she is sailing to the "Gold Mountain" in America to become the wife of a rich Chinese man. Instead she finds herself sold into prostitution--beaten, starved, and forced into an opium addiction. It is only after a narrow escape that she hears of the mission home and dares to think there might be hope for a new life.

Opening line:
""From a woman, and she a pretty, fair-spoken Scotch maiden, this slave trade took its hardest blow--playing her desperate lone hand she reduced the traffic by about one-half.""

This is a heart-wrenching, moving, beautiful story of one amazingly strong woman making a change, one Chinese-American girl at a time told by a masterful storyteller.

In 1895, Donaldina, or Dolly as she preferred to be called, moved to the Occidental Mission home for Girls in San Francisco. She believed she would be teaching sewing, but she ended up doing much, much more for these girls who were brought to America with the belief, and lies, that they would marry rich men and be able to send money home to their families. 

The girls were beaten, abused, sold into slavery and brothels and denied any human rights. Dolly and a small band of helpers worked tireless to save the girls and stop the human trafficking. She saved thousands of girls, got them legal paperwork, hence the name "Paper Daughters," so they could leave the 'homes' and 'uncles' who claimed the girls as their family. 

There are alternating chapters with Dolly's story of a fictional character of Mei Lien, one of the girls Dolly helps rescue. Mei's story brings the horror of what the girls go through from the lens of one the abused. Her story is tragic, hopeful and learned strength.

The mission home, and it's members, survived illegal searches, threats, shootings, beatings, and even survived the 1906 Earthquake. What was amazing to me during this part of Dolly's history was that she went back into the mission home and saved all the paperwork of the girls because she was worried she wouldn't have proof of the girls legality and the 'uncle's would try and take them back. From my knowledge, all legal documents (birth, marriage, death certificates etc) in San Francisco were burned except the ones Dolly was able to save (and some family's who were able to save their papers. But those are very few). 

Heather Moore not only has talent for weaving a dramatic and endearing story, she excels in research and bringing her research to life in a way that makes the reader read on and learn. I hope this author writes more books about #strongwomen We need their stories.


Thanks to netgalley for the early read.

11 Good Books to Curl Up WIth

Winter can be a  a hard season for many of us sunshine-loving souls, but one good coping strategy is to warm up a cup of cocoa, find a cozy chair and warm blanket, and get lost in a good book.

Here are 11 books that I found easy to get lost in.


MAGNIFICENT OBSESSION by Lloyd C. Douglas

When Robert Merrick's life is saved at the expense of the life of an eccentric but adored surgeon, the carefree playboy is forced to reevaluate his own path. 

Merrick embarks on a course of anonymous philanthropy, inspired by reading the doctor's private papers. An engaging and dramatic story of personal redemption and private sacrifice, this spiritual tale has served as an inspiration for both the stage and screen.

(I LOVED this book and the movie)








 LIFE AND DEATH IN SHANGHAI by Nien Cheng

In August 1966 a group of Red Guards ransacked the home of Nien Cheng. Her background made her an obvious target for the fanatics of the Cultural Revolution: educated in London, the widow of an official of Chiang Kai-Shek's regime, and an employee of Shell Oil, Nien Cheng enjoyed comforts that few of her compatriots could afford. When she refused to confess that any of this made her an enemy of the state, she was placed in solitary confinement, where she would remain for more than six years.

 "Life and Death in Shanghai" is the powerful story of Nien Cheng's imprisonment, of the deprivation she endured, of her heroic resistance, and of her quest for justice when she was released. It






THESE IS MY WORDS by Nancy E. Turner

A moving, exciting, and heartfelt American saga inspired by the author's own family memoirs, these words belong to Sarah Prine, a woman of spirit and fire who forges a full and remarkable existence in a harsh, unfamiliar frontier. 

Scrupulously recording her steps down the path Providence has set her upon--from child to determined young adult to loving mother--she shares the turbulent events, both joyous and tragic, that molded her and recalls the enduring love with cavalry officer Captain Jack Elliot that gave her strength and purpose.










FROM ASH AND STONE by Julie Daines

Lady Margaret Grey of Hartfell wants for nothing. The daughter of a knight, she has a loving family, wealth, and even a secret romance with the blacksmith's son. But all that is torn from her one fateful night when her home is attacked and her family killed. She is left with nothing but bitterness, an unwavering mistrust of men, and a strange and mysterious curse that allows her to feel the thoughts of anyone who touches her.

Now, after six years away, Margaret is returning home for one reason: revenge. 







BEAUTIFUL SCARS: A LIFE REDEFINED by Kilee Brockbank & Lori Highlander

  

Kilee Brookbank was a typical sixteen-year-old, but her last ordinary day erupted in an explosion that consumed her house, burning forty-five percent of her body and sending her to the brink of death. After thirty-eight days of surgeries, skin grafts, physical therapy, and excruciating pain, 

Kilee had to discover how to live again. With unwavering support from her mom, Lori, and the rest of her family, Kilee faced her journey with determination, strength, and a positive attitude that inspired not only her community, but people around the world.








A SONG FOR THE STARS by Iliama Todd

As the second daughter of a royal chief, Maile will be permitted to marry for love. Her fiancé is the best navigator in Hawaiʻi, and he taught her everything he knows—how to feel the ocean, observe the winds, read the stars, and how to love.

But when sailors from a strange place called England arrive on her island, a misunderstanding ends in battle, and Maile is suddenly widowed before she is wed.

Finding herself in the middle of the battle and fearing for her life, Maile takes John Harbottle, the wounded man who killed her fiancé, prisoner, and though originally intending to let him die, she reluctantly heals him. And in the process, she discovers the man she thought was her enemy might be her ally instead.




AN ASSEMBLY SUCH AS THIS by Pamela Aidan

In this first book of her Fitzwilliam Darcy, Gentleman trilogy, she reintroduces us to Darcy during his visit to Hertfordshire with his friend Charles Bingley and reveals Darcy's hidden perspective on the events of Pride and Prejudice. 

As Darcy spends more time at Netherfield supervising Bingley and fending off Miss Bingley's persistent advances, his unwilling attraction to Elizabeth grows—as does his concern about her relationship with his nemesis, George Wickham.











PLAIN AND SIMPLE: A JOURNEY TO THE AMISH by Sue Bender

"I had an obsession with the Amish. Plan and simple. Objectively it made no sense. I, who worked hard at being special, fell in love with a people who valued being ordinary." 

So begins Sue Bender's story, the captivating and inspiring true story of a harried urban Californian moved by the beauty of a display of quilts to seek out and live with the Amish. Discovering lives shaped by unfamiliar yet comforting ideas about time, work, and community, Bender is gently coaxed to consider, "Is there another way to lead a good life?"








WORTH THE RISK by Heather Moore

When Alicia moves back to Pine Valley to help her mom through a serious addiction, the last person she wants to see is her teenage crush, Jeff Finch, who destroyed their friendship in one single disastrous night. 

But Alicia is determined to not let anything about Jeff affect her, especially since she hasn’t seen him in ten years. All she knows is that he’s living a successful and charmed life, and she is more than happy to keep anything between them in the past. 

But when he shows up with a date at the restaurant where she works, Alicia realizes she’s still not over her feelings, and Jeff is definitely looking at her in a way he never has before. 





 A LANTERN IN HER HAND by Bess Streeter Aldrich

 Bess Streeter Aldrich knew what she was writing about. Her protagonist, a strong-minded pioneer woman named Abbie Deal, was modeled on her own mother, who in 1854 had traveled by covered wagon to the Midwest. 

In A Lantern in Her Hand, Abbie accompanies her family to the soon-to-be state of Nebraska. There, in 1865, she marries and settles into a sod house of her own. The novel describes Abbie's years of child-raising, of making a frontier home able to withstand every adversity.










 THE PRINCESS BRIDE by William Goldman

What happens when the most beautiful girl in the world marries the handsomest prince of all time and he turns out to be...well...a lot less than the man of her dreams?

What's it about? Fencing. Fighting. True Love. Strong Hate. Harsh Revenge. A Few Giants. Lots of Bad Men. Lots of Good Men. Five or Six Beautiful Women. Beasties Monstrous and Gentle. Some Swell Escapes and Captures. Death, Lies, Truth, Miracles, and a Little Sex.

9 Books I Will Never Forget

We do not have a lack of reading material in the world. There are so many AMAZING books out in the world! I wish I had time to read all of them. I wish I could put one under my pillow ever night and wake up the next day having the entire book in my memory. Some I might want to forget. Some might leave me thinking about the story/characters/plot for the rest of the day.

For that last list, here are eleven books that I will never forget:

I loved the writing, the people and especially the slow-burn romance.

I lovedlovedloved the relationships in this story!

 911 was an event that shook the world. Millions grieved for the lost of lives in such a hostile act. This book tells the story of a people in Kenya who wanted give what little they had to the American people.

A heavy, enlightening, hopeful book about a mother and the ramifications of a single act of her son. 

I had no inkling of the misery the Chinese went through under Mao. The depravity, the deaths of scholars, teachers, poets; basically anyone smarter and more creative disappeared. Nien Cheng survived.

What if dragons didn't horde gold? What if they horded shoes...and poodles? I loved the way this story made me think differently.

 
Audrey was in the Netherlands when the Germans invaded. The people naively thought that they would be left alone, just like during WWI. They were terrifyingly wrong.

The story of the author's 10th great grandmother, who was tried and hung for being a witch in Salem. 
This story hurt my heart and made me wonder if I would be part of those who would condemn or be condemned?

The arrogance of man thinking he is the one to change people for the better good, but can't even grow squash because he is too quick to judge and believe he is God.

KISSING ON THIRD (Belltown Six Pack #6)

His past will never go away. Hers has left deep scars. Together, maybe they can build something new.

Levi Cox carved his baseball game out of the dirt. The hard way. Bouncing between foster homes as a kid, and trying everything he could do to protect his kid brother from bullies, Levi backs down from no one and has a record to prove it. Baseball has given him a purpose and a career. A way to provide for his brother. When Levi meets Finley Gray, he finds things happening to his heart that he never thought possible. She has her own broken past, using boxing as her outlet. Yet the more Levi gets to know Finley, the more he’s convinced they belong together. Breaking through Finley’s tough exterior might be Levi’s hardest challenge ever. But he has a feeling it will be more than worth it.

Welcome to Belltown!

KISSING ON THIRD is Levi's story.

Six baseball players meet in the college town of Belltown, Massachusetts, becoming best friends, their lives intertwining as they each get called up to the Major Leagues. Follow Sawyer, Cole, Axel, David, Ryker, and Levi in these six swoony sports romances.

 Opening line:
""I'm sorry...Brandy...I'm not available after the game.""

FLIRTING WITH FIRST (Belltown Six Pack #5) by Sophia Summer

Trista’s movie star status keeps her from the one guy she’s ever really wanted—professional baseball player, Ryker Stone.

Ryker Stone, one of the famed Belltown Six Pack loves what no one else notices in Trista McKinney. But when co-star and heart throb, Trevor Dayton, starts a social media campaign, competing for her attention, and Ryker’s baseball schedule and pressures amp up, Ryker lays it all on the line to win her over forever.

Trista McKinney doesn’t need winning. She’s been Ryker’s from the very beginning, but her movie’s production schedule and her dreams of one day winning an Oscar make it almost impossible for things to progress between the two.

With feelings high, both of their careers in the balance, can Trista and Ryker find a path to professional success without losing what they’ve found in each other?

Welcome to Belltown! Six baseball players meet in the college town of Belltown, Massachusetts, becoming best friends, their lives intertwining as they each get called up to the Major Leagues.

Follow Sawyer, Cole, Axel, David, Ryker, and Levi in these six swoony sports romances.

 Opening line:
"Trista McKinney questioned everything about her vexision to become an actress."

Another fantastic, sigh-worthy, baseball romance.

CHARMING THE SHORTSTOP (Belltown Sixpack #3)

He’s not looking. She’s been burned. But sparks fly, and they decide to go on a date. Just this once.

When professional baseball player Axel Diaz travels back to Belltown University for a friend’s wedding, he’s not planning on bringing a date. Until he meets Brighton West, the flight attendant who he can’t get off his mind. Although dubbed “Cold Axe” by some of his female fans, Axel asks Brighton to be his date to the wedding, all the while wondering why of all times and places he is breaking his no-dating streak. But the more he gets to know Brighton, the more he realizes she may be the one woman who can melt his cold heart.






Welcome to Belltown! Six baseball players meet in the college town of Belltown, Massachusetts, becoming best friends, their lives intertwining as they each get called up to the Major Leagues. Follow Sawyer, Cole, Axel, David, Ryker, and Levi in these six swoony sports romances.

More Belltown Six Pack Romances:
Hitching the Pitcher
Falling for Centerfield
Charming the Shortshop
Snatching the Catcher
Flirting with First
Kissing on Third


Opening line:
""I'm at the Seattle airport now," Axel Diaz told Sawyer Bennett, his former college teammate and and curently the bossiest person alive."

These books are so fun! I love following the Belltown baseball players! I'll keep reading the books!

FALLING FOR CENTERFIELD (Belltown Six Pack #2)

Cole has secrets.
Harlow has a past.
Will the part of his life Cole hides tear them apart, or become the very thing she loves most about him?

Major League Baseball Player, Cole Hunter, has strong ties to his college days and the university he shared with five of his best friends, now known as the #BellTownSixPack. When an old acquaintance, Harlow Ember, walks in, wearing his jersey and his signature sunglasses, he knows this woman might have what it takes to capture his heart. But none of Cole’s typical efforts to gain a girl’s attention seem to work on Harlow.

Harlow Ember is asked to report on a charity event for children back in Belltown sponsored by Cole Hunter and the Six Pack. Even though Cole attracts her in all the right ways, she has goals of her own that don’t involve losing her heart to one more guy who will end up leaving her cold. While her trust is at an all-time low, her interest and attraction are a raging pull in the other direction.

Will her hurts from the past and the secrets he hides work in their favor or end things before they can even begin?

Swoony Sports Romances

Welcome to Belltown! Six baseball players meet in the college town of Belltown, Massachusettes, becoming best friends, their lives intertwining as they each get called up to the Major Leagues.

Follow Sawyer, Cole, Axel, David, Ryker, and Levi in these six swoony sports romances.

Belltown Six Pack Series:
Hitching the Pitcher
Falling for Centerfield
Charming the Shortstop
Snatching the Catcher
Flirting with First
Kissing on Third

Opening:
"Cole Hunter shouted to the scraggly group of young outfielders at the Beacon of Hope Children's Center for foster families, "It's going long!"

HITCHING THE PITCHER by (Belltown Six Pack #1)

Running into his former college girlfriend wasn’t supposed to happen. Falling for her again wasn’t supposed to happen either.

Sawyer Bennett has a secret. A risky thing, being one of the popular Belltown Six Pack, a group of six guys from the same college baseball team, all of whom got drafted and now play in the Major Leagues. Between the media frenzy over them and his bond with the guys, his secret has to stay carefully hidden if he wants it to stay that way. He needs to focus on his pitching and let everything else fall away.

Confessing his secret to Erica Moore was definitely not supposed to happen. But the harder he falls for Erica, the more important his secret—and she—becomes.

Welcome to Belltown! Six baseball players meet in the college town of Belltown, Massachusetts, becoming best friends, their lives intertwining as they each get called up to the Major Leagues. Follow Sawyer, Cole, Axel, David, Ryker, and Levi in these six swoony sports romances.

More Belltown Six Pack Romances:
Hitching the Pitcher
Falling for Centerfield
Charming the Shortshop
Snatching the Catcher
Flirting with First
Kissing on Third

Opening line:
"Columbia was cold in February." 

I loved this first book of the new series by authors Rebecca Connolly, Sophia Summers, Heather B. Moore.  
I loved the chemistry between Erica and Sawyer. Sawyer is the sweetest guy! Really, all the Belltown boys seem to be sweet. I can't wait to read all six of the books. 

If you want a good summer read. READ THIS SERIES! 

ALL FOR YOU (Pine Valley # 8) by Heather B. Moore

Crash and burn pretty much describes Lindsey Gerber’s last six months at her law firm where she hoped to make partner. Now, every goal she’s made is suddenly out the window. She moves to Pine Valley, looking for a new start. On day one she meets pro hockey player Tyler Nelson, who’s recovering from an injury and in a physical therapy program that includes nature things like hiking the ski resort, which he hates, and makes no secret of. He also makes no secret of his interest in Lindsey. Their lives are two worlds apart though, and it will take one of them changing everything to make a relationship work.

PINE VALLEY SERIES:
Worth the Risk
Where I Belong
Say You Love Me
Waiting for You
Finding Us
Until We Kissed 


 Opening line:
""I don't know, Dawson," Lindsey Gerber said into the phone as she gazed at the San Francisco morning fog three stories below her corner office.

Another great romance from author Heather B. Moore.
Lindsey is on her way to partner in a prestigious law firm. But reality sets in when she is sexually harassed by one of the men, whose suggestive ways on how she can become partner, force her to choose to leave and move to Pine Valley.
Taylor Nelson is a pro hockey player, recovering, and doing therapy, from an injury in Pine Valley.
As the two become close, the realization that they come from two worlds and literally, two states, may stop the romance before it really begins.

One of my favorite chapters was the grocery store scene. You should read the story to find out more!

My top 10 favorite reads from 2018 (in no particular order)

2018 Reading Challenge

2018

READING

CHALLENGE

Congrats!

You have read 123 books of your goal of 65!

123/65 (189%)

 

 

 

 DREAD NATION by Justina Ireland

Jane McKeene was born two days before the dead began to walk the battlefields of Gettysburg and Chancellorsville—derailing the War Between the States and changing America forever.

 

 Opening line:
"The day I came squealing and squalling into the world was the first time someone tried to kill me."

I loved this story!
And I LOVED listening to it! Bahni Turpin has the best voice for this story!

There is swearing and fighting and zombies.

 

 

 

 

 

AS BRIGHT AS HEAVEN by Susan Meissner

 As Bright as Heaven is the compelling story of a mother and her daughters who find themselves in a harsh world, not of their making, which will either crush their resolve to survive or purify it.

 

 Opening line:
"Morning light shimmers on the apricot horizon as I stand at the place where my baby boy rests."

AS BRIGHT AS HEAVEN is a story of family, love and death set during WWI. I became fascinated by WWI and the Spanish Flu a few years ago and I will be adding this book to my growing WWI shelf.
Told from the different perspectives of the Bright women, we get a unique view from different ages and personalities into their lives and what it was like to live through the worse pandemic in history.

 

 

SKY IN THE DEEP by Adrienne Young
Part Wonder Woman, part Vikings—and all heart.

Raised to be a warrior, seventeen-year-old Eelyn fights alongside her Aska clansmen in an ancient rivalry against the Riki clan. Her life is brutal but simple: fight and survive. 

 

Opening line:
""They're coming.""

Eelyn is the kick butt heroine of the story; she's strong, smart and loyal to her family and clan. But her character isn't in your face with how awesome she is. She fights because this is all she knows, because she is protecting her family and because this fight, or death, will bring honor. 

 

 

 

 

THE POET X by Elizabeth Acevedo
A young girl in Harlem discovers slam poetry as a way to understand her mother’s religion and her own relationship to the world. Debut novel of renowned slam poet Elizabeth Acevedo.

 

 Opening line:
"The summer is made for stoop-sitting
and since it's the last week before school starts,
Harlem is opening its eyes to September."

What a great opening to a coming of age story told in VERSE.

Here are a couple of stanzas i LOVED:

...but she took all of the stereotypes
and put them in a chokehold
until they breathed out the truth.

but most importantly,
she should be remembered
as always working to become
the warrior she wanted to be

 

WARCROSS by Marie Lu

 For the millions who log in every day, Warcross isn’t just a game—it’s a way of life.

 

 

 

 Opening line:
"It's too damn cold of a day to be out on a hunt."

Emika is a hacker and a hunter and so will become a player...in Warcross that is. Her biggest hack catches the eye of billionaire, Hideo, inventor of the Warcross game. He's concerned about someone who has been messing up his game and he wants Emika to find out who it is.
I enjoyed this story more than I thought I would I started reading it. After about 20% of the way in, I was hooked. I can't wait for the next book, Wildcard.
I'm trying to get my son to read this book because I think he would LOVE it!

SHADOW OF THE FOX by Julie Kagawa

One thousand years ago, the great Kami Dragon was summoned to grant a single terrible wish—and the land of Iwagoto was plunged into an age of darkness and chaos.

 

 Opening line:
"It was raining the day Suki came to the Palace of the Sun, and it was raining the night that she died."

That's a fantastic beginning though I didn't know or appreciate it when I started reading. As a matter of fact, I almost quit reading because I could not figure out what or who or why this book was happening.
I'm glad I stuck it out.
I WILL read the next book to see what happens to our little clan.

 

 

 

 

 

FINDING US (Pine Valley #5) by Heather Moore

 
Opening line:
"Felicity Miner balanced the steaming cup of hot chocolate and the blueberry muffin with on hand as she unlocked the door to the bookshop."

Heather has a great way of writing romantic tension in her books! This is another great story in the Pine Valley series.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 AS WIDE AS THE SKY by Jessica Pack
Amanda Mallorie wakes to the knowledge that her son Robbie is gone.

 

 Opening line:
"Two hours, forty-three minutes."

AS WIDE AS THE SKY is a heavy, enlightening, hopeful book about a mother and the ramifications of a single act of her son.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 VEINS OF GOLD by Charlie Holmberg
Desperate to save her siblings from poverty, a young woman discovers magic fueled by gold . . . and a love for the man who wields it. 

 

 Opening line:
"To the ears of Gentry's father, gold cried louder than his children did."

Charlie is an exceptionally talented writer. She can write about ANYTHING and it will be amazing and unique.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 FROM ASH AND STONE by Julie Daines

 Lady Margaret Grey of Hartfell wants for nothing. The daughter of a knight, she has a loving family, wealth, and even a secret romance with the blacksmith's son. But all that is torn from her one fateful night when her home is attacked and her family killed.

 

Opening line:
"Margaret laid on the ground with her eyes closed."

Margaret lives in the time of King Henry VIII and she lives in the path of men, on both sides of the border of Scotland and England, who raid homes with no thought to the people's lives they destroy except to take what they want.

WEDDING WAGERS (Timeless Regency Collection) Donna Hatch, Heather B Moore, Michele Paige Holmes

As always, the Timeless Regency Collection Books are worth reading!! If you are looking for a shorter romantic read, try this one!

A Wager on Love by Donna Hatch
Opening line:
"Growing up the son of a duke had provided a few advantages, but being the brother of a duke came with definite challenges--especially if that brother was the fame Duke of Suttenberg, one of the most respected men in England and therefore every seasnn's most eligible bachelor, a paragon."

The Final Wager by Heather Moore
Opening line:
"Lord Victor Roland, Earl of Locken, scowled as two men bumbled into the private room at White's."

An Improbable Wager by Michele Paige Holmes
Opening line:
""You're still here?" Sherborne Alexander Rowley III swung a leg over his horse and jumped off, landing crouched in the mud before the animal had come to a full stop."

THE ROAD TO GRETNA GREEN by Lucinda Brant, Heather Moore, Julie Daines

SAVING GRACE by Lucinda Brant
When widow Helen, Lady Dysart, returns to the English border town of Carlisle for a family wedding, she decides to confront local physician Royston Meredith, the man who broke her heart. Royston has loved Helen since they were teenagers. He thought the feeling mutual until she up and married the local MP. While everyone around them hopes this reunion will see Helen and Royston sort out their differences, of more immediate concern is Royston’s youngest sister Grace, when she elopes with the steward’s son. Helen and Royston dash after her, determined to save her from scandal and an imprudent match. But in saving Grace the couple may very well be saving themselves.

FOOLS RUSH IN by Julie Daines
Richard Arden needs a wife in order to collect his inheritance. Eliza Barnes needs to escape an arranged marriage to the odious Mr. Barrington. When Richard overhears Eliza’s plight at the coaching inn, he does the most reckless thing he’s ever done—he proposes to a woman he’s never met before. What begins as an easy solution leads Richard and Eliza on a journey across the country with Mr. Barrington at their heels, complicated even more when their fake engagement leads to feelings that are very real.

A LADY OF SCANDAL by Heather B. Moore
Unfortunately, Bridget’s marriage is over in four hours due to her husband’s tragic death. Fortunately, Bridget is now free from her distasteful marriage of convenience. When her year of mourning passes, and she meets her former husband’s cousin, Bridget discovers that her difficulties are far from over. Lord Hugh Wilde blames Bridget for his cousin’s death. But when Bridget’s sister elopes to Gretna Green with a man of questionable reputation, Lord Wilde is the only one who can help, and they both have to set aside their pride to rescue the errant sister. 
 A fantastic collection of regency romances by fantastic authors!

SAVING GRACE by Lucinda Brant
""My dear, was it necessary to extend an invitation to the entire population of Carlisile?""
Ah! Cousin Helen and Cousin Royston! I love this duo.

FOOLS RUSH IN by Julie Daines
"Richard poured himself another glass of wine from the bottle, then pushed it away."
A marriage of convenience or escape or both? Maybe a little of both for Richard and Eliza.

A LADY OF SCANDAL by Heather B. Moore
"Lady Bridget Wilde's marriage lasted four hours."
And boy was she relieved! But now the cousin of her tragically departed husband has made an unwelcome appearance into her life.

WAITING FOR YOU (Pine valley #4) Heather B. Moore

 WAITING FOR YOU is Gwen & Seth's story.

Gwen Robbins loves her job waitressing at the Pine Valley resort restaurant, and as a single woman, she has no trouble turning down any offers of dates from the restaurant patrons. Even when her boss, Seth Owens, shows interest in her, she’s not tempted in the least, no matter how strong their attraction.

But when Seth helps her through a crisis, she begins to see him in a different light. He’s not the rich and privileged business owner she first makes him out to be, but a man who’s making huge sacrifices to follow his own dreams. As Seth encourages Gwen to mend her own divide with her family, she realizes her heart is slowly opening toward a better future.




Opening line:
""Fourth of July isn't until Thursday,' Alicia told Gwen."

First of all, the cover of this story is delicious, I mean, gorgeous. I want to back cupcakes now! But they will never be as good as Seth's. He bakes and cooks and is really good at it. unfortunately, his dad is not supportive of this 'hobby' even though Seth is a pro.
Second, I love the characters and the romantic tension that builds between Seth and Gwen. She works in the restaurant that he owns. He helps her make cupcakes at the last minute and she says yes to working his parents Fourth of July BBQ. Gwen gets to also meet the ex-girlfriend. The tension ratchets up.
Third, this book is a perfect summer read on a road trip or on the beach or by the pool. It's a quick, fun, clean romance  with great kissing scenes (the word 'kiss' is in the book at least 60 times; I'm not saying there is that much kissing though...).
Fourth, I can't wait for more of Heather Moore's books. She's one of the authors who's books I know I'll enjoy every. single. time I read her stories.

Disclaimer: I may or may not have gained weight reading this book...

WHERE I BELONG (Pine Valley #2) Heather B Moore

Jane Morris makes a living by cleaning the houses of the wealthy residents of Pine Valley, and she tries hard not to judge their extravagant lifestyles. But when one of her clients goes through a devastating breakup with his fiancé, Jane finds herself in the middle of his emotional mess. She wants to help him, but Cameron Vance is a man she could easily lose her heart to. Jane agrees to be his date to the charity event of the year, organized by Cameron’s mother. But the magical night shows Jane that if she’s a Cinderella, then Cameron is definitely a candidate for Prince Charming.

Books in the Pine Valley series:

Worth the Risk
Where I Belong
Say You Love Me
Waiting for You


 Opening line:
""Wow, this is the set-up."

Yay! Another book in the Pine Valley series by Heather B. Moore!

This one is like a Cinderella story, complete with a women who cleans, a charming man, a wicked woman who thinks she is queen and a ball.

WORTH THE RISK (Pine Valley #1) by Heather Moore

USA Today bestselling author Heather B. Moore welcomes you to Pine Valley:

WORTH THE RISK is Alicia and Jeff's Story

When Alicia moves back to Pine Valley to help her mom through a serious addiction, the last person she wants to see is her teenage crush, Jeff Finch, who destroyed their friendship in one single disastrous night. But Alicia is determined to not let anything about Jeff affect her, especially since she hasn’t seen him in ten years. All she knows is that he’s living a successful and charmed life, and she is more than happy to keep anything between them in the past. But when he shows up with a date at the restaurant where she works, Alicia realizes she’s still not over her feelings, and Jeff is definitely looking at her in a way he never has before. 







Books in the Pine Valley series:

Worth the Risk
Where I Belong
Say You Love Me
Waiting for You

   
Opening line:
"Alicia Waters hid a grimace as she looked up to greet the next patrons walking into the Alpine Lodge."

I LOVE this new series by Heather B. Moore! And I LOVE the covers! I want to have ALL of them on my shelf so I can show them off. They are so pretty and totally match the stories!

This book is a great start to what I think will be a fantastic new series! 

5 STARS

A NIGHT IN GROSVENOR SQUARE by Sarah M. Eden, Annette Lyon, Heather B Moore

Three brand new Regency Romance novellas by Sarah M. Eden, Annette Lyon, and Heather B. Moore
Another great Regency antholgy from three fantastic authors!

A Match for Princess Pompous by Sarah Eden
"If Adelaide Northrop had to listen to one more ode praising Charity Goddard's eyes, she was absolutely going to strangle the offending amateur poet with his own overlarge cravat."

Love this one about the matchmaker!

Confections and Pretense by Annette Lyon
"In the back of Gunter's Tea Shop, Anne eased the back of mold into a basin of tepid water, then slowly counted to ten before pulling it out again, just long enough to release the ice cream from the metal."

Loved the American hero!

Little London by Heather B. Moore
"Harpshire Village was a far cry from London in both architecture and entertainments, and the type of people who lived in the village were simple fold."

I LOVED how the two love birds meet in this story.

Thanks for the early read! 


A MATCH FOR PRINCESS POMPOUS by Sarah M. Eden
Matchmaker Adelaide Northrop may be embarking on her greatest challenge yet. Miss Odette Armistead has been dubbed “Princess Pompous” by Society’s elite, and Odette’s parents are desperate to see her married off to a respectable gentleman. When Adelaide first meets Odette, she is expecting a young lady who fits the pompous description. Instead, Adelaide discovers that Odette is far from conceited, but has chosen to wear a mask in a desperate attempt to hide her love for a gentleman who has been chosen for someone else. It seems that Adelaide has far more than matchmaking to accomplish.

CONFECTIONS AND PRETENSE by Annette Lyon
Anne Preston dreams of opening her own dessert shop some day and saves every spare penny she earns working at Gunter’s Tea Shop. She makes ice cream molds to perfection, bakes and decorates cakes, and hopes to one day be an independent shop owner. When an American man orders an ice, Anne is immediately taken with Davis Whitledge, but he is far above her station in life, so she tries to forget about his cordiality. Soon, she finds herself in a dangerous situation when confronted by two troublemakers, and Davis happens to be nearby. He sends the scoundrels on their way, but this only makes Anne more of a target. He doesn’t understand London ways, and his generosity has the potential to steal Anne’s dreams, or to make them soar.

LITTLE LONDON by Heather B. Moore
Ellen Humphreys has never had a Season, has never danced the waltz, and will likely never do so while confined to watching over her ill mother at their country estate. Therefore, Ellen creates her own Little London, and imagines all the gentleman she’d dance with and all of the friendships she’d have with other young ladies, if only she were allowed to have a Season. When Quinn Edwards, the Marquess of Kenworth, comes upon her quite by happenstance while Ellen is imagining herself in a London ballroom, she is mortified about her playacting. But a chain of events is set off from this one meeting that has Ellen questioning if her reputation would ever survive a Season or another encounter with the marquess.

Books in the Timeless Regency Collections:
AUTUMN MASQUERADE
A MIDWINTER BALL
SPRING IN HYDE PARK
SUMMER HOUSE PARTY
A COUNTRY CHRISTMAS
A SEASON IN LONDON
FALLING FOR A DUKE
A NIGHT IN GROSVENOR SQUARE
ROAD TO GRETNA GREEN

Books in the Timeless Victorian Collections:
SUMMER HOLIDAY
A GRAND TOUR
THE ORIENT EXPRESS

Delilah's Desserts by Melanie Jacobson, Heather b. Moore, Julie Wright

Welcome to Tangerine Street

Tangerine Street is a must-see tourist stop with a colorful mix of one-of-a-kind boutiques, unique restaurants, eclectic museums, quaint bookstores, and exclusive bed-and-breakfasts. Delilah's Desserts, situated in the middle of this charming collection of shops and cafés on Tangerine Street, is a bakery that offers a different variety of desserts each day. The emotions that Delilah bakes into these desserts have a strange effect on customers, sometimes altering the course of their lives . . .


  
A Taste of Magic by Melanie Jacobson
"Delilah stepped back from the giant mixes and brushed a stray lock of her hair out of her face."

The Art of Love by Heather Moore
"Roxy Randall hated her name all through elementary school."

Much Ado about Cupcakes by Julie Wright
"KC glanced at her watch before taking a sip of her lemon-infused water."

I LOVE the stories from Tangerine Street!

AN OCEAN AWAY by Heather B. Moore

Gina Graydon knows the last thing she’ll attract on her holiday in France is an eligible bachelor. Tall, outspoken, and with a weakness for laughing at the wrong moment, not to mention being much too occupied with reading gothic romances, Gina decides she’d rather live in her fictional world. Besides, the only man who pays attention to her at the resort hotel happens to be her father’s worst enemy. And that is far from romantic. Reading in a secluded garden, and dreaming about the perfect kiss, all keep Gina much too busy to consider Mr. Edmund Donaldson any sort of hero.

AN OCEAN AWAY was originally published in the Timeless Romance Anthology: European Collection, and it's a companion novella to the USA Today bestselling romance HEART OF THE OCEAN.


 Opening line:
"Gina Graydon tucked a deliciously romantic gothic novel under her arm and stepped onto the hotel balcony of her second-floor room."

Gina is fun and spunky and adventurous. And the swoon-y Edmund was delicious. Because this was a quick read, their romance blossomed quickly which I don't always think is a bad thing. Especially when the reader gets to the kissing soon. :)

Another great story from the amazing Heather B. Moore!

There is kissing and hugging and blushing in the story.