For Love Of Liberty by Julie Lessman

Liberty O’Shea and Griffin McShane have been rivals from grade school. Griffin has teased and tormented Liberty unrelentingly and Liberty’s temper has blasted Griffin more times than he or she can count. Now they are all grown up and Liberty and Griffin are once again butting heads. As co-chairs for the upcoming fourth of July celebration in town they are required to be in close proximity to each other. More than fireworks flare when these two butt heads!

Oh my goodness! Julie Lessman knows how to make her characters feisty and funny! Liberty’s salty tongue had me rolling on the floor laughing! And just in case that last line gives you pause, an example of Liberty’s tongue is her use of “horse apples!” as one of her expressions of exasperation. Liberty is definitely head-strong. She is for the downtrodden and women’s rights, and she is definitely against “Finn McShane” her old nemesis.

Underlying all of their sparring is a deep attraction that neither Liberty nor Finn acknowledged before, but now that they are adults that attraction is quickly turning into something deeper.

In true Julie Lessman style the passionate kisses the two share will curl your toes, and the sparring will have you laughing out loud. Along with the passion and humor there is also the characters desire to please their Creator. I always love the aspects of faith in this authors books, and love to see how the Lord touches the hearts of broken people and brings peace and balance to their lives.

For Love Of Liberty is the prequel to a new series and I am definitely looking forward to more!

High Treason by DiAnn Mills

Monica is a CIA agent and Kord is an FBI agent. They are thrown into a protection detail when an assassination attempt on a visiting Saudi prince occurs. Relations are strained between the US and Saudi's and the Prince has a twofold purpose for his visit. His mother has been diagnosed with cancer and is visiting MD Anderson and the Prince is looking into leasing some oil fields to the US. If the Prince was killed on US soil the tenuous relationship would be severed. Monica has experience in the protocol of behavior for women with Saudi men. And Kord is a friend to the Prince and insists on being part of the detail to protect him. Neither Kord nor Monica are happy with the situation at first, but as time goes on they manage to forge a shared respect for each others abilities.

High Treason was filled with excitement as well as quite interesting relationships between the characters. I love that Monica didn't try to change years of tradition by being an overbearing female. She gained respect from the Prince and his entourage through her behavior and ability. I also loved the peek into the life of a Saudi leader. It was interesting to the story as well as an interesting look into that culture. Monica had trust issues and through the story had to work through those. This led to a couple of good spiritual discussions between Kord and Monica as well as Monica and the Prince. I liked that the characters were able to have healthy dialogue without spewing hate. Monica was a very strong female lead and I really enjoyed that. She was strong and determined and ready to run into danger to protect. I liked how Monica and Kord's relationship grew and how they were able to establish a mutual respect for each other. The suspense was timely placed and kept the story moving along at a fast clip. If you are a fan of romantic suspense then I highly recommend this FBI Task Force series, you won't be disappointed!

The King by Steven James

Lien Hua is abducted by serial killer Basque. Can Patrick find her in time to save her? Patrick is asked to investigate His boss's brother's death. And Tessa has been asked to make a speech at her high school graduation. On top of all of that Pat and Lien Hua are getting ready to get married.

Whew, a lot goes on in this book! Basque is obviously back and going after Pat and his loved ones. He is evil for sure! There are a lot of suspenseful encounters with him and a lot of gross-out scenes. Another evil person is lurking in the wings, just in case Basque isn't enough evil! There's a lot of self-evaluation in the characters and maybe I'm forgetting the other books(because it has been awhile since I read The Queen), but there was more of a spiritual questioning going on in this one than I remember. I liked it! When death knocks at the door it should cause people to contemplate God's existence. I see some maturing in Tessa, but she still is a bit too impulsive and impetuous which ends up getting her into trouble. I do like that she is resourceful and stands apart from the crowd, and she's smarter than the average bear! Lien Hua is quite capable of handling herself, and serves as a perfect balance between Tessa and Pat. I took my time reading most of the book, but found myself gorging at the end because I couldn't put it down! I highly recommend the whole series, but don't read it at night unless you plan to keep the light on!

The Austen Escape by Katherine Reay

Mary is having issues at work. Her creativity is being stifled and things are not going well with a new gadget she has created. Isabel has been her best friend for years but their relationship has been filled with strain. When Isabel asks Mary to go on a vacation to Bath and dress in period clothing to help Isabel nail down her thesis Mary is tempted to say no. But with things going downhill at work Mary decides to take Isabel up on her offer. When Mary and Isabel arrive in Bath they embark on a voyage of self-discovery. Both women work through their own hurts and disappointments as well as misconceived ideas about situations and relationships.

Just when I would think, "okay things are going to get better, Mary's figured it out" things would go downhill again. It kind of annoyed me! I did like the romance between Nathan and Mary, but I also got frustrated with that. Isabel was a wounded soul, her father had pretty much ignored and rejected her all of her life. Her behavior made her a rather unlikable character for a while. I enjoyed the setting and the fun of reading about the characters dressing up in their favorite characters from Austen's novels. Even though I did get frustrated with Mary and Isabel's issues I enjoyed the book and was happy when everything turned out in the end.

Pride and Prejudice Read-Along: Conclusion

We have come to the end of the Read-Along and the end of the story. And yes, P&P remains my most favorite Austen read of all! Every time I read it I just smile with satisfaction and all the good feels that it brings! Thanks so much to Amber at Seasons of Humility for hosting the Read-Along and I hope that we will have another one soon! Hint Hint Amber!

So many good things in the last chapters that we read!

Again with the letters! Oh for some ability to communicate quicker, but it does seem that the mail system was much quicker than it is today! So Mr. Gardiner has found Lydia and it is as the family has feared, she is living with Wickham without getting married to him! Oh the scandal! Oh the embarrassment to Lizzy and her sisters! It appears that Mr. Gardiner has fixed everything so that Lydia and Wickham will be married. I love this quote from Lizzy,

"And they are really to be married!" cried Elizabeth, as soon as they were by themselves, "How strange this is! And for THIS we are to be thankful. That they should marry, small as is their chance of happiness, and wretched as is his character, we are forced to rejoice, Oh, Lydia!"

I imagine that "Oh, Lydia" spoken in such a voice of despair! "Oh Lydia" indeed! That girl is trouble!

And poor Jane, still trying to make everyone out to have some good in them,

"His consenting to marry her is a proof, I will believe, that he is coe to a right way of thinking. Teir mutual affection will steady them; and I flatter myself they will settle so quietly, and live in so rational a manner, as may in time make their past imprudence forgotten."

Dream on Jane!!!

I found this a bit interesting considering that I always thought of Mr. Bennet as a jovial and loving kind of guy, this is the first time I have seen him impatient,

"He(Mr. Bennet) was writing and, without raising his head, coolly replied: "Just as you please." "May we(Lizzy and Jane) take my uncle's letter to read to her?" "Take whatever you like, and get away."

I understand he was trying to respond to the letter from Mr. Gardiner and it required much haste, but this is the first time we see him more than just exasperated with the whole group...especially Lizzy.

Isn't it a miracle how quickly Mrs. Bennet bounces back from her vapors over Lydia's disappearing with Wickham once she hears that she is married?

"To know that her daughter would be married was enough. She was disturbed by no fear for her felicity, nor humbled by any remembrance of her misconduct."

Any wonder where Lydia gets her behavior? Ack!

Wickham is just abhorrent! The man has no scruples and totally makes me mad! I was in agreement with Mr. Bennet in saying that Wickham and Lydia shouldn't be welcome at Longbourn but one cannot cut off ones own flesh and blood no matter how stupid they are.The two have no shame for their behavior and what they put Lydia's family through. Two selfish individuals that take take take throughout life.

"She blushed, and Jane blushed; but the cheeks of the two who caused their confusion suffered no variation of colour."

Don't you just love when Lydia is going on and on about being a married woman and how she will get all of her sisters husbands, how Lizzy responds?

"I thank you for my share of the favour," said Elizabeth; "but I do not particularly like your way of getting husbands."

And then through another letter and Lydia's slip of tongue we find that Mr. Darcy is actually the one who orchestrated the marriage of Wickham and Lydia to save the Bennet family from ruin. Wow! What a change in this man! I love how Lizzy's whole opinion of him changed when she found out what he truly did for her family.

"Oh! how heartily did she grieve over every ungracious sensation she had ever encouraged, every saucy speech she had ever directed towards him. For herself she was humbled; but she was proud of him. Proud that in a cause of compassion and honour, he had been able to get the better of himself."

I love how even in politeness someone can pointedly make known how they feel about someone. When Wickham tries to bring up to Lizzy how horribly he was treated by Darcy I love her response,

"I DID hear, too, that there was a time, when sermon-making was not so palatable to you as it seems to be at present; that you actually declared your resolution of never taking orders, and that the business had been compromised accordingly."

She let him know that she was onto him and he no longer fooled her! Love it!

Mr. Bennet quite nicely reverted back to his old self in being sarcastic and humorous to his family members. I love what he said when Bingley moved back to Netherfield and Mrs. Bennet wanted him to go call on Bingley.

"No, no. You force me into visiting him last year, and promised, if I went to see him, he should marry one of my daughters. But it ended in nothing, and I will not be sent on a fool's errand again."

hahahaha! Poor Mr. Bennet, so abused by his wife AND his daughters!

And once Jane and Bingley agree to marry Mr. Bennet's response cracks me up:

"You are a good girl; "he replied, "and I have great pleasure in thinking you will be so happily settled. I have not a doubt of your doing very well together. Your tempers are by no means unlike. You are each of you so complying, that nothing will ever be resolved on; so easy, that every servant will cheat you; and so generous, that you will always exceed your income."

I always have to snicker when Jane being so happy tells Lizzy that she wishes she could be just as happy. This shows that Lizzy and her father have the same sense of humor:

"If you were to give me forty such men, I never could be so happy as you. Till I have your disposition, your goodness, I never can have your happiness. No, no, let me shift for myself; and, perhaps, if I have very good luck, I may meet with another Mr. Collins in time."

OH MY! That always has me snort-laughing!

What do you think of Lady Catherine's visit to Elizabeth? That woman is something else! I love how even though Lizzy feels like her chances with Darcy have been totally ruined she still will not back down to Lady Catherine and promise not to enter into a marriage with him. That lady had me ready to go through the book at her! I might not have been as nice as Lizzy was and there is another instance of putting someone in their place but yet being so polite while doing it!

"I do not pretend to possess equal frankness with your ladyship. You may ask questions which I shall not choose to answer."

GO LIZZY!

Of course Mr. Collins has to rear his ugly head once more before the book ends in yet another infamous letter! Again, he is such an odious man! And a rector! Gah! He exasperates me just as much as Lady Catherine does!

I love love love when Darcy and Lizzy start talking about their love for each other and when they first realized they may have hope for a future.

"It taught me to hope," said he, "as I had scarcely ever allowed myself to hope before. I knew enough of your disposition to be certain that, had you been absolutely, irrevocably decided against me, you would have acknowledged it to Lady Catherine, frankly and openly."

He definitely knew that Lizzy wouldn't be afraid to speak her mind to Lady Catherine if she still hated him. Can you imagine how light his spirit would have been when he heard? Just the opposite of what Lady Catherine would expect! ha!

When Lizzy and Jane are talking and Jane can't believe that Lizzy is engaged to Darcy, Lizzy's whole outlook is so light and happy. I love this between them:

"Why, I must confess that I love him better than I do Bingley, I am afraid you will be angry."
"My dearest sister, now BE serious. I want to talk very seriously. Let me know every thing that I am to know, without delay. Will you tell me how long you have love him?"

"It has been coming on so gradually, that I hardly know when it began. But I believe I must date it from my first seeing his beautiful grounds at Pemberley."

Snort-laugh once more!!!

Once again we get whiplash from Mrs. Bennet's behavior! She goes from hating the sight of Darcy but putting up with it for the sake of Bingley, to being over-the-moon thrilled when she finds out that Lizzy is going to marry him.

"God gracious! Lord bless me! only think! dear me! Mr. Darcy! Who would have thought it! And is it really true? Oh! my sweetest Lizzy! how rich and how great you will be! What pin-money, what jewels, what carriages you will have! Jane's is nothing to it--nothing at all. I am so pleased--so happy. Such a charming man!--so handsome! so tall!--Oh, my dear Lizzy! pray apologise for my having disliked him so much before. I hope he will overlook it. Dear, dear Lizzy. A house in town! Every thing that is charming! Three daughters married! Ten thousand a year! Oh, Lord! What will become of me. I shall go distracted."

Ack! She drives me crazy!

To show how content and happy Lizzy is:

"I am happier even than Jane; she only smiles, I laugh."

I love that line!

One final word from Mr. Bennet to show his humor...in another letter to Mr. Collins:

"I must trouble you once more for congratulations. Elizabeth will soon be the wife of Mr. Darcy. Console Lady Catherine as well as you can. But, if I were you, I would stand by the nephew. He has more to give."

LOVE IT!!

I loved all the summing up at the end of how everyone was getting on. Georgiana has her eyes opened by Lizzy taking liberties in teasing Mr. Darcy! I'm sure she has never seen anyone treat him with anything less than dignity and respect so I'm sure she was shocked. I love this:

"By Elizabeth's instructions, she began to comprehend that a woman may take liberties with her husband which a brother will not always allow in a sister more than ten years younger than himself."

I know that's a lot of quotes, but there is so much in these chapters to love! I love that both Darcy and Elizabeth were humbled and found a rich love for each other.

On Amber's blog she has some questions to discuss. I will leave my answers in the comments on her blog.

If you have read along with us feel free to comment your thoughts on the ending. If you have read P&P before feel free to comment your thoughts. If you haven't read it before, please do so! It is soooo good!

I've loved the read-along and look forward to the next one!

Holiday Secrets by Susan Sleeman

This is the first of the McKade Law books and I have to say that I believe I am a fan! Gavin McKade left his hometown to become an FBI agent. His whole family is in law enforcement but he and his father have never seen eye to eye and after Gavin accidentally shot someone he knew he could no longer work under his father. But now Gavin's first lead case has led him back home to the doorstep of the woman he left and will always love!

Lexie is not happy about Gavin's return. It was hard enough to have her father abandon she and her brother, but when Gavin left it tore her heart out and damaged her faith. Unfortunately seeing her father killed in front of her has put Lexie in danger and Gavin feels he is the only one that can protect her.

I have to admit that the dedication page touched me the most. It said,

"For all the families waiting for their prodigal son or daughter to return home."

As one of those parents who has watched their daughter walk away from her faith it always helps to read stories, real or fictionalized, that speak of God's returning one of those prodigal's.

I always love the element of faith that this author puts into her books. It is not preachy, yet it shows that our Father does not abandon His own and will return them with a much stronger faith than they had before.

Gavin and Lexie's relationship is pretty rocky and they both build walls to protect their hearts, but those walls slowly crumble as they both learn to forgive those that have hurt them.

The suspense was great in this book as has come to be expected from this author. I like all of the McKade's and look forward to reading their stories!

Christmas At Ruby's by Holly Schindler

Angela has fond memories of Ruby's Place. Going with her Aunt Elizabeth every year for Christmas all dressed up in new clothes and singing around the piano. It was a happy time, one full of dreams and hope for a bright future. But it has been many years, and Ruby's Place has been closed and has started to decay along with many of the other businesses in the area. It seems that once the light went out at Ruby's Place it took away the closeness that Ruby's brought to families all around.There was something magical about Ruby's Place and when Angela accidentally ends up inside Ruby's Place the magic comes alive once more.

I truly enjoyed this short story! Christmas is all about hope, renewal, memories, family, and love. All of the things that Ruby's Place embodied for Angela. Reading Christmas At Ruby's reminded me of watching an old black and white movie intermingled with the bright colors of the present. The past and future colliding to create one very special and magical story that will send the reader down memory lane to their own special memories of the season.