The Longest Ride by Nicholas Sparks

I am almost finished listening to this audiobook and-like Danielle Steel-the story runs in the usual familiar territory. Stud bull rider who's amazingly romantic, college girl looking for love after a bad breakup, and an old man trapped in his car talking to his wife's ghost. 

 Highlights: Luke's concussions and the tension there is in his decision to keep riding in spite of them because he needs the money. The old man trapped in his car, injured, and dying of thirst. Also, Old Man Ira's sweet history with his wife.

Lowlights: It's pretty maudlin like most Nicholas Sparks. The couple knows just what to say to each other when they flirt, they go on perfect dates, they bicker for a chapter-I know where this is going. The other thing I never like in books is talking to ghosts. Can't stand it. I'll give this old man a pass because he's in his car and he's dehydrated and (hopefully) hallucinating instead of talking to a real ghost (an oxymoron, I know). Yes,  he has to share his story about his romantic past with his wife, but please-no ghosts!!

Fine Things / Danielle Steel

  I just wrapped up Fine Things by Danielle Steel and, what can I say, it's typical Danielle Steel-not that that's a bad thing. People quickly fall in love, make millions, people die, and people fall in love again-it's pretty much what I would expect in a romance novel.
 The highlights of Fine Things are: The relationships of course, which Danielle Steel does so perfectly. It's the kind of world you want to get lost in-big money and picture perfect romance. Little Jane is cute to the point of almost being too perfect.(I could not stop picturing Bernie as Mr.Selfridge!)
 The only negatives: The ending seemed a little hasty. Things are always boom-boom-boom the end, I'd like for once for someone not to die so we could see them grow old together, but maybe I'm not reading the right book.
 Overall, a good read. I enjoyed it!

My Life To Live by Agnes Nixon

My latest review for Blogging For Books is My Life To Live by Agnes Nixon.

  It's hard to imagine a world without soaps, they've done some much over the years to bring entertainment to the airwaves and generations of women who grew up watching the stories unfold. Agnes Nixon was creator of One Life To Live and All My Children. I was not very familiar with her before reading the book, I rarely  think about the people behind the scenes of these shows. But Agnes Nixon brought issues to light in soaps at a time when people wouldn't otherwise be seeing or discussing these things.
  Agnes's early life had a little drama in it. The biography tries to show some stress between her and her father, but it doesn't sound like a terribly bad relationship, he was a bit controlling but he did support her at times. There was more drama involved with the loss of her college sweetheart, but beyond that her personal life sounded pretty good and not really soap opera-like.
 The book is at it's best when she's discussing her soaps and their plots and her relationships with the actors. I really loved her little vignette at the end of the book that she wrote in college called "No Flags Flying" . You don't want to skip it.

The Ebb Tide by Beverly Lewis

  I was so excited to get this new novel by Beverly Lewis from Bethany House Bloggers because she is one of my favorite authors, no one writes Amish stories the way she does.
  The Ebb Tide is centered around Sallie Riehl, the young Amish girl on the brink of joining the Amish church but she keeps putting off her confirmation and extending her Rumspringa. Sallie is full of daydreams and wonders what it would be like to travel the globe. She gets the opportunity to go to Australia, but passes it over to help a young, sick Amish boy in the community. And, when one door closes-another door opens. Sallie gets the chance to go to Cape May for the summer to be a nanny. She meets a 'Fancy' boy there who seems perfect for her, and......you'll see what happens.
  I loved the story, as usual. Sallie is kindhearted (wouldn't you love to have her for your nanny?) The little girl she baby-sits is positively scrumptious, and I can feel the glow Sallie gets every time she meets up with Mennonite Kevin. Just when I think Sallie's made the wrong decision-it gets straightened out in the end. I think it was the right ending, and I like that her Amish parents did not turn against her for her decision and were very supportive. Also-Loved the Cape May setting, I can imagine why Sallie would fall in love traveling after being there. Beautiful descriptions.
 Would I recommend The Ebb Tide? Jah!

The Women in the Castle by Jessica Shattuck

   I was right on the edge of liking this book, I really wanted to, but I just wasn't swayed. Plain and simple-it bored me. I wasn't a fan of the flashing back and forth between their current time in the castle to their time during the war, I would rather it had followed the course starting at the beginning. And nothing ever seemed to really happen. I was waiting for that moment that really drew me in, but it just wasn't there.
 

Seaview Inn by Sherryl Woods

    Sherryl Woods is one of my favorite women's lit novelists and Seaview Inn is a prime example; it's a frothy, breezy, frozen custard fantasy where you go to escape and enjoy.
  I got this book from Amazon for Christmas a few years ago and I've been patiently waiting as my pile whittled down so I could pick this book up and start reviewing. Seaview Inn is a multi-generational story (one of my favorite platforms) with Grandma Jenny trying to restore her oceanside Florida Inn, her granddaughter Hannah who's hiding out after a cancer scare and trying to decide what to do with her life, and Hannah's daughter Kelsey who's also trying to decide what to do with her life now that she's a single, pregnant college student who is not ready for marriage. Toss in a hunky former friend of Hannah's from her childhood and you've got a plot.
 The story flows along and never once left me less than involved. Sure, if you're a romance/women's lit reader you know Kelsey's only going to refuse the marriage proposal for so long, Hannah's gonna trump up an excuse not to be with Hunk Luke until the last minute....of course, and then there's the happy ending. But that's what we want to happen because that's not how real life is. That's the beauty of a good book-the happy endings!
  Enjoy! Especially if you're a big fan of the Debbie Macomber books (Me!!) you'll love Sherryl Woods (also me!!) Scrub out your stress with some soapy fiction fun.

Long Time Gone by Mary Connealy

  I was excited to see this book come up on the list of books for review from Bethany House because I read the first book in the series -No Way Up - and I was eager to see what happened next in the Cimarron Legacy with the Boden Clan.
  We left off with the patriarch of the family, Chance, on his way to Denver after a dangerous broken leg, his son Cole had been ambushed and shot, and Heath had just married Sadie Boden. The whole family was being pursued by some Mexican rebels that were after their land. In Book Two, Long Time Gone, we pick up where we left off: Cole recuperates with the help of pious nurse Angie (Who brother Justin takes a shining to), the family tries to flush out the traitors on the ranch, and Chance and Ronnie try to stay safe up in Denver.
 (Spoiler alert) Angie gets more of the spotlight in this book for her valor when she's kidnapped. Justin's eyes are opened because of this and he realizes that she's the woman for him. There is also growth with the brothers' relationship, you can see their bond together and their love for Cimarron Ranch by keeping it protected. They're working together while trying not to knock each other out like rival brothers do.
  I look forward to a book three which sounds like it has the patriarch and matriarch  returning to their home and reuniting the family. The mystery continues with who is sending these killers to their ranch. And I have a feeling there will be more story with tough Mal (maybe a love interest for Cole??)
  Even if you haven't read Book One, Book Two explains a lot of the past plot so it's easy to dive in.