WWW Wednesday (52)

To play along, just answer the following three (3) questions…

• What are you currently reading?

• What did you recently finish reading?

• What do you think you’ll read next?

 

01. Currently Reading:
Justice (Deck of Lies #1) by Jade Varden. When a teenage girl abruptly finds out that she was the victim of a child kidnapping, her life is turned to shambles. Loving this novel so far!

02. Recently Finished:
Love Will Find a Way by Barbara Freethy. After Rachel's husband dies in a tragic car accident, she must prove it was really an accident. With that comes old feelings and older secrets.

03. Reading Next:
Without a Trace by Colleen Coble. A mystery about a son and father's disappearance. Can't wait to start this one! :)

Love Will Find a Way

Rachel fell in love at nineteen with a man who came into her life on a whirlwind of sunlight and romance. She married Gary Tanner, had his son, and thought she would live happily ever after. But fate had other plans. Gary died in a tragic accident … at least she thought it was an accident. Now, there are questions that need to be answered, and only one man she can turn to, Gary's best friend, Dylan.


Rachel was everything Dylan Prescott wanted in a woman. But Gary met her first, so she became untouchable. For years he stayed away from her. Now Rachel is a widow, her marriage is over, and she turns to him for help. The passion he feels for her is no longer out of his reach. The life he always wanted is beckoning to him, but when the secrets come out, will their love find a way to survive?

*May Contain Spoilers*

Barbara Freethy, who has quickly become one of my favorite authors, weaves a tale of love based on a family legend in her novel, Love Will Find a Way. Love story meets mystery is Freethy's style and she definitely delivers everything that a reader could want and more! 

Rachel and Dylan are the main characters and readers will fall in love with both of them. Promise. Rachel is a girl who loves stability and predictability. When her husband dies and the insurance company questions whether it was really an accident or something else, the world Rachel thought she knew crumbles under the weight of secrets and lies. With an urgent need to uncover the truth, Rachel must look at the past nine years with an unmatched scrutiny, which happens to include Dylan, her deceased husband's best friend that she's always had feelings for. 

Dylan has always been in love with Rachel, but his best friend saw her first. Loyal, caring, respectful, and honest Dylan let his best friend be happy. Or so he thought. When the car accident that killed Gary is accused as a suicide, Dylan is determined to clear the air and help Rachel. Thus the mystery and the love story align as two people who never explored their feelings are thrust together with a ghost standing between them. A man both Rachel and Dylan thought they knew better than anyone. 

As the mystery is unraveled, the secrets told, and the lies replaced with truth readers will be praying the story goes on. They will form unshakable bonds with both of the main characters while the plot forces them through a whirlwind of emotions. Love Will Find a Way comes highly recommended! 

Rating: 4/5 Cups

Love Will Find A Way

Wrap Up: August

August was a month full of mixed feelings. Some books I absolutely loved while others I nearly loathed. Best book of the month was Twelve Months, as it made a 5 Cup Review. :) 

What books did you read this month that you loved or loathed? Share your wrap-up posts below.

Golden Lies

Riley McAllister, Paige Hathaway, and Alyssa Chen come from very different worlds. Now this unlikely trio of strangers must come together to follow an elusive trail through the streets of San Francisco from glittering Pacific Heights to colorful Chinatown to trendy South of Market. 

Each will have to make the impossible choice between romantic love and family loyalty, between sheltering lies and revealing truth. Once the door to the past is opened, there is no turning back. . .

*May Contain Spoilers*

When Nan Delaney finds a dragon statue in her attic in Golden Lies by Barbara Freethy, she takes it to the Antique Road Show, neither she nor her grandson, Riley, have any idea that chaos is soon to follow. 

When Paige's father tells her he wants to purchase the dragon statue, she sets up the appointment for an appraisal with no idea that she's about to meet the love of her life. 

Riley and Paige are the two main characters in this novel, though Alyssa Chen does play a significant role. Freethy balances the novel between these characters, giving the reader various viewpoints of the story. 

Riley is a man who has never believed in love. After his mother deserted him, he gave up on the idea of falling in love and living happily ever after. He runs a security business and bicycles the hills of San Francisco. Readers will connect with him through his resistance to relationships and bitterness about the past. Being hurt by someone you love is never easy, though a universal occurrence, and readers will understand Riley better because of this commonality. Paige, the "princess," is the imperfect daughter to a perfect family. Readers will love her honesty, especially when it comes to her feelings for Riley, and her loyalty to her father. She's a very down to earth character, who is stuck in a role she doesn't know how to handle. 

The plot of Golden Lies is artfully crafted. Freethy leaves nothing out as she describes the mystery surrounding the statue and wraps the curse around each character. The curse that three grandfathers brought upon their families. While weaving between the romantic plot line and cracking the mystery of the dragon, Freethy brings readers deep into a story they won't be able to stop reading. The captivation is the best part of this novel. Freethy is an exceptional writer and her words have definite pull. 

The only issue I had with this novel was the turnout of Riley and Paige's relationship. Through the story's progression, Riley was very resistant to Paige's obvious desire for commitment and I wanted more of an evolution from Riley. 

A great end-of-summer or one-more-quick-vacation read, Barbara Freethy once again writes a delectable novel that e-reader owners are now able to purchase. 

Rating: 4/5

Golden Lies

on Amazon

WWW Wednesday (16)

To play along, just answer the following three (3) questions…

• What are you currently reading?

• What did you recently finish reading?

• What do you think you’ll read next?

01. Currently Reading:
The Hangman's Daughter by Oliver Pötzsch. A mystery set in the 1600's in which the devil is murdering orphan children while the town tries to place the blame on a midwife, claiming that she's a witch. An interesting novel so far. It hasn't completely captivated my attention, but I am enjoying the mystery. 

02. Recently Finished:
Dangerous Waters by Anne Allen. I really enjoyed reading this novel as it included so many different genres. And the story line was an impressive weaving of detail. 

03. Reading Next:
Golden Lies by Barbara Freethy. "A novel about three remarkable families -- the fifty-year-old promise that once bound them together, the fiery betrayal that tore them apart, and the ancient bronze dragon that could destroy their future ..." - Amazon. Sounds very intriguing. 


What have you been reading? Leave a link to your own WWW post. :) 

Sunday Sweep (8/5)

Here are 5 books (currently) under $5 that will have you looking forward to your (reading) week. :)


          $2.99                                 $0.99                                   $0.99                              $3.99                    FREE (orig. $3.49)  

Just the Way You Are

"A baby brought them together -- and even though Alli has always loved her strong, sexy husband Sam and the life they've built together, she has decided to set him free to follow his youthful dreams. It is no longer enough for her to be wife and lover when she knows she holds so little of his heart.

Sam has always dreamed of a life away from the close-knit world of Tucker's Landing, but marriage and fatherhood ended all that. Now Sam is torn between what was and what was meant to be. He must decide if it's time to rekindle the dreams of the past ... or accept Alli, and her love, just the way she is.

Don't miss this heartwrenching tale of a man torn between two sisters, the one he loved, the one he married ..."

*May Contain Spoilers*

Barbara Freethy's novel, Just the Way You Are, stole my heart and my full box of tissues. It was an absolute great vacation read and I couldn't put it down, even with the beach calling my name. Freethy's writing style had me laughing, crying, sniffling, smiling, and frowning. My heart was at odds with itself because I wasn't sure which sister I wanted to win Sam. (Who is an exceptionally great character!) 

He's the kind of guy who puts others needs before his own. He accepts responsibility, doesn't look to change his past, and loves his daughter with all that he is. It was refreshing how Sam didn't have the answers for Tessa and Alli. He acted on his own feelings but still allowed the sisters to figure out how they really felt without his input. 

After halfway through I knew how I wanted the story to end, but sometimes they don't go the way you imagine, which forced me to keep reading. Tricky author... But, goodness, was it worth it? YES! 

Readers can connect with either of the sisters and this gives the reader a chance to root for the sister they want to win. And what exactly they want to win. Because, in the middle, what each sister should get and what she wants become two different things. 

Alli is the younger sister, a great mom who never gives up, always remains calm, handles emergencies well, and is head over heels in love with her husband. But she's taking the high road and giving Sam a divorce that she thinks he wants. Mainly because, Tessa (older sister who seems to have it all) has always been between them. At least, Alli thinks so. And Sam doesn't exactly contradict her. Afterall, Sam and Tessa were high school sweet hearts. 

But the past is the past. It can't be changed. And the present doesn't abide by the same rules. So it's up to Alli, Sam, and Tessa to realize what they want and go after it. Even if it does bring about an oyster being chucked at someone's head. 

Just The Way You Are 

on Amazon

rating: 5/5 cups