Sandra Nachlinger's Blog, page 42

Where or When - Teaser Tuesday

 I'm about halfway through this book, and I'm enjoying Anita Shreve's writing. She spends a lot of time examining the thoughts and actions of her characters, which means the plot is definitely slow-moving. But it also means that I get to know and care about the characters and want (no, NEED) to find out how the story ends. I will admit, however, that I've read many books by this author, and although I'm enjoying this story, it is not one of my favorites. (Copyright date is 1993.) 

Here's my two-sentence snippet from 
Page 69 (paperback copy).

Teaser:
He wondered, while he ate his sandwich at the bar of the inn, if he would know  Siân   Richards if she walked in now, if when their eyes met she would know him. He'd been replaying various scenarios for days, imagining their first encounter after thirty-one years.

Genre: Literary Fiction
Length: 240 Pages
Amazon Link: Where or When
Other Books by This Author: Anita Shreve's Amazon Author Page

Synopsis from Goodreads:
What would you do if out of the blue, you received a letter from your first love? Siân Richards sees no reason why she can't write back to Charles Callahan. After all, it's been thirty years and they are both married with families. But when they decide to meet again, an innocent correspondence becomes a dangerous intimacy. Swept up in the past and consumed by an obsessive love, Charles and Siân risk everything to be together. A heart-wrenching, suspenseful story with an unforgettable conclusion, Where or When is also a 'thoughtful, beautifully written contemporary romance' (The Washington Post).

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:Grab your current readOpen to a random pageShare two (2) "teaser" sentences from somewhere on that pageBE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn't give too much away -- you don't want to ruin the book for others)Share the title and author too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR lists if they like your teasersLeave a comment on MizB's Teaser Tuesday post (HERE) and include your link so everyone can find your post.

More Mount Rainier, WA - Saturday Snapshots

Back to The Mountain! Last week my husband I spent a day at the Paradise area of Mount Rainier National Park. But there was so much more we wanted to see. So, this past Thursday we decided to go there again and visit the Sunrise area this time. That section of the park is much closer to our home, and for one reason or another, we hadn't been there in years. I'm so glad we went. (Click on photos to enlarge.)  Welcome to Mount Rainier

As is often the case, Mt. Rainier's peak remained shrouded in
clouds all day. Lots of wildflowers were in bloom. (A future blog post?) Hiking trails abound within the park's boundaries, some more
challenging than others. I took a rather easy trail that led from the 
visitor's center to this dramatic overlook. That drop-off is steeper 
than it seems! That little white squiggle in the upper right-hand corner
of the photo is part of the Sourdough Ridge Trail.
People enjoying the overlook shown in the previous photo.
Me, catching my breath.
We stopped at this scenic overlook on the way down from Sunrise.
Still can't see Mt. Rainier's top!
Same overlook as in the previous photo but we're looking a different
direction. That's the White River running across the middle of the
picture, and a road running diagonally up the mountain across
the way. (We're guessing it's Highway 410 to Paradise.)
We stopped at the White River Campground on the way back
down from Sunrise. Still can't see Mt. Rainier's top.I took 62 pictures in all during our day on The Mountain! If you're curious about Mount Rainier and would like to see webcams of the area, click HERE.
Saturday Snapshots is hosted by West Metro Mommy Reads.To enjoy a variety of beautiful pictures from around the world, click HERE or on the box below. 

Better Than Your Dreams - Teaser Tuesday / First Chapter, First Paragraph, Tuesday Intros

I've read every one of Dee Ernst's books and treasure them all, especially her new release Better Than Your Dreams. In this book and in Better Off Without Him, her character Mona has too many things going on in her life: her almost-80-year-old aunt is getting married to a shady character; her eldest daughter is engaged to Mona's boyfriend's son (after a very brief courtship); a curvaceous predator is after her man; and she's received a marriage proposal herself! The result is a hilarious and heart-warming story of a "woman of a certain age" trying to cope with everything life is throwing at her. Mona is someone you'd love to have as a friend. With Mona around, your life would never be dull!

Better Than Your Dreams will officially be released August 6 but is available for pre-order in ebook format for only $2.00 right now.  
(My excerpts are from an advance copy.)
First Chapter / First Paragraph:In the eighteen months that I had been flying back and forth between LAX in California and EWR in Newark, New Jersey, I had never quite gotten the hang of it. I didn't mind the flight out to LA. For some reason it seemed shorter and easier. But coming back--very tough. Maybe it was because I always took the first flight out at six in the morning. Which meant being at the airport by five in the morning, which meant I had to leave my house at--Never mind. It's too depressing to think about.
In my Teaser, Mona bought beautiful clothes while in Los Angeles. However, now she's dressing for Thanksgiving dinner, and she's getting frustrated. After all, she needs to outshine Carmella, the woman she's convinced has designs on her man. 
Teaser (from approximately Page 93):
I grabbed several outfits and started trying them on. Nothing that was appropriate for drinks on a terrace overlooking the Hollywood sign was going to fly during a family dinner in Westfield, New Jersey, in November. Maybe I'd just come downstairs in my black bustier, satin tap pants, and garter belt.
Read a longer excerpt on Dee Ernst's website: HERE
Genre: Women's Fiction / HumorLength: 272 PagesAmazon Link: Better Than Your DreamsOther Books by Dee Ernst: Amazon Author Page
Synopsis:      In this follow-up to Better Off Without Him, Mona Quincy once again faces life’s tough moments with good friends, lots of laughs, and a cold, dry martini. For the past eighteen months, Mona has had a long-distance relationship with the man of her dreams, Ben Cutler. She’s been in LA working on a screenplay, while he’s been keeping the NJ home fires burning. But now she’s back, and she needs to find an answer to the question that was left unanswered a year and a half ago – will she and Ben marry?      Mona doesn’t think she ever wants to get married again – not even to someone as practically perfect as Ben Cutler. But before she can think about her own marriage plans, she’s got a few other weddings to deal with. Her Aunt Lily doesn’t think that being almost eighty should deter her future happiness, and has met her perfect partner in Vinnie DeMatriano, who just happens to be the uncle of a slightly notorious crime boss. True, they’ve only know each other three months, but they want to tie the knot - in Mona’s back yard. Then Miranda, Mona’s oldest daughter, announces that she’s ready to get married after a three month long courtship of her own – to Ben’s son, David.
      Ben believes in love at first sight, and is thrilled for Miranda and David. Mona – not so much. She doesn’t want her daughter to marry anyone after such a short time. As they find themselves at odds for the very first time, Ben thinks they should step back and take some time away from each other. Mona is still unwilling to commit fully to Ben, and can only stand by as Carmella Ciavaglia, Vinnie’s wedding-planner daughter, circles Ben like a great white shark. Will  Mona finally get her Happily Ever After? Or has she learned her hardest lesson just a little too late?


  
Share the first paragraph (or a few) from a book you are reading. Here's the link:  Bibliophile By The Sea





Post two sentences from somewhere in a book you're reading. No Teasers, please! Here's the link:  Should Be Reading

Bluebonnets for Elly is featured three places today!...

Bluebonnets for Elly  is featured three places today! Blurbs in BloomWords and Passionand the trailer is on BookReels
Stop by and say "hi" to Elly if you have a chance. She's a busy girl these days! 

Mount Rainier Revisited - Saturday Snapshots

Ever since we visited Mount Rainier in early summer with our guests from Alabama, I've wanted to return. So my husband and I decided to make the drive this past Thursday.  A trip from our home to the park's Nisqually entrance, then taking the loop around the mountain, takes pretty much all day, especially when we stop and sightsee. We'll go back soon and get an earlier start because we didn't have time to see everything we'd intended. Here are a few photos from our recent adventure.

View of the mountain from the back porch of the
National Park Inn at Longmire. Gigantic trees along the aptly named Trail of the Shadows.
It's about a 20 minute hike around a marsh. Even though other hikers shared the trail,
it was quiet except for birds chirping in the trees.
I love reflections and was delighted to find this little slice
of Mount Rainier mirrored in a pond. This short path
runs along the shores of Reflections Lakes, just off
Stevens Canyon Road. One final photo before we headed home.                                          

Saturday Snapshots is hosted by West Metro Mommy Reads.To enjoy a variety of beautiful pictures from around the world, click HERE or on the box below. 

A Collie Rescue - Book Beginnings on Friday

     A COLLIE RESCUE (Emily Dahill CID) by Lindsay Downs is such a good story. Homeless veteran Sandi Charleston suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder, but her life on the streets of Washington, D.C. changes when she encounters FBI Special Agent Jenna Janson and her collie Roxy. When Sandi tells Jenna that she has overheard a terrorist plot, a plan to stop the saboteurs is set in motion that puts them all in danger. But can Sandi overcome her fear and fulfill her part in the operation?
     I enjoyed learning about the role collies can play in helping veterans deal with PTSD. The dogs play a major role in this book's plot with a couple of delightful scenes in a dog's point of view. 

This versatile author has also recently written Regency romances, including The Masked Lady and the Murder, Don't Cross the Countess, To Love A Lady, and more. Check out his Amazon author page for more information.

Book Beginning:
With one hand, former Sergeant Sandi Charleston bundled her worn and tattered field jacket around her. She lifted her face to the beautiful, sunny late August afternoon. The other gripped her precious cup of tepid coffee. The day was warm, but lack of restful sleep caused her to easily chill.

Freda's Voice, host of The Friday 56, is on vacation this week.

Genre: Fiction / Thriller
Length: 100 Pages
Amazon Link: A Collie Rescue
Other Books by This Author: Lindsay Downs Amazon Author Page

Synopsis from Goodreads:
Former Army Sergeant Sandi Charleston, diagnosed with PTSD and homeless barely survives day to day. By a miracle of fate she meets Taz, a uniquely special collie, who helps turn her life around. Only through him does she find the courage to go head to head with her worst enemy-terrorist bent on mass destruction.
Bound by a special love to help and protect each other, side by side these two unlikely partners willingly march forward into battle. A fight to the death neither is sure can be won but fighting as one they will try to. Kidnapped and forced to reveal what she knows Sandi realizes there is only one individual who can save her from certain death. It’s not the government but her new best buddy. Together they defeat the enemy proving once again that battle buddies come in all shapes and breeds. Rescued, Sandi finally realizes that there is a new and better life for her as long as Taz is part of it.

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Please join us every Friday to share the first sentence (or so) of the book you are reading, along with your initial thoughts about the sentence, impressions of the book, or anything else the opener inspires. Link HERE.

The Most Unsuitable Wife - Teaser Tuesday & First Chapter, First Paragraph, Tuesday Intros

I do love historical western romances, especially those set in Texas, so I knew I'd enjoy THE MOST UNSUITABLE WIFE by Caroline Clemmons. What I liked best about this book was the strong heroine. Pearl has been responsible for taking care of other people her whole life, and she doesn't back away from challenges. But her self-sufficiency causes trouble. Drake is completely clueless when it comes to knowing what Pearl wants. He tells her: "I didn't ask you to change who you are. But couldn't you have tried to fit in a little until I got home? Go to a few tea parties and listen to women prattle? How hard could that be?" For Pearl, it's like punishment! A mystery adds tension to the plot--why are bad guys trying to cause Pearl harm?

THE MOST UNSUITABLE WIFE is Book One of The Kincaids Series, and I'm looking forward to reading the others soon.

FIRST PARAGRAPH:
Texas hill country, March 10, 1878
     "Marry by my thirtieth birthday or lose this ranch to my worthless uncle?" Seething with rage and betrayal, Drake Kincaid stepped off the porch of his ranch house, glared back at his grandfather and cousin Lex. "How could my own flesh and blood put me in this position? All I've worked for hangs by a wedding ring and a lace noose."

TEASER from 24% on my Kindle. 
"He--well, he hates me for having the nerve to turn down his marriage proposal four years ago. Dessie hates me because she knows he asked me before he proposed to her."

Genre: Historical Western Romance
Length: 248 Pages
Amazon Link: The Most Unsuitable Wife
Other Books by Caroline Clemmons: Amazon Author Page

Synopsis from Amazon:
Sensual Western Romance: Pearl Parker has to get her rag tag family away from Piper's Hollow, TN before more mischief finds them. Drake Kincaid's surprise proposal offers the solution she needs. But neither Drake nor Pearl realize trouble will follow them to Texas or why. Pearl is not the wife Drake's grandfather envisioned when he ordered Drake to marry by his 30th birthday. Pearl is not the meek wife Drake envisioned and he soon learns she has a mind of her own. Humor, adventure, murder, kidnapping and arson invade the passion this couple shares.


  
Share the first paragraph (or a few) from a book you are reading. Here's the link:  Bibliophile By The Sea





Post two sentences from somewhere in a book you're reading. No spoilers, please! Here's the link:  Should Be Reading

Ladies Who Lunch - Saturday Snapshots

One of my favorite things to do is lunch with a friend. And with so many charming little towns nearby, there's no shortage of cafes and restaurants to try. Today I'm sharing a few of my favorite Washington lunch spots close to home. 

I hope you're hungry!

[Click on pictures to enlarge.]

The Kettle in Enumclaw, WA, serves breakfast and lunch.
It's the go-to place for locals because the food is fresh and even
the half-order breakfasts are too big. It's always crowded.
The Secret Garden Tea Room and Gift Shop is housed
in the historic Herbert Williams House in Sumner, WA.
Better make a reservation, especially at Christmas, when the
whole place is lavishly decorated, inside and out.
Though it has changed ownership over the years, the Black Diamond
Bakery has been around since 1884. A deli and cafe were added,
and the bakery still operates. It's located in the town of Black Diamond.

The website says: Situated on a plain outside Enumclaw for the past 93 years,
"The Krain" is the last remaining building in what had been the old
Slovenian town of Krain, which means "at the foothills." Click on the plus or minus on the map to zoom in or out.


Saturday Snapshots is hosted by West Metro Mommy Reads.To enjoy a variety of beautiful pictures from around the world, click HERE or on the box below. 

Remix - Book Beginnings and Friday 56

I enjoyed escaping to London through the pages of REMIX. The heroine of this story (Caz) restores rocking horses for a living; the hero (Ric) is a rock star in a band named The Voices in My Head. Who could imagine those two together? The author kept me wondering if Ric was scamming Caz or if he really was innocent of the murder everyone seemed to think he'd committed. He seems to be telling the truth, but ... with the drugs and drinking in his earlier years, maybe he actually did kill his friend. Or has he really changed while he's been in hiding?

Book Beginning:
I didn't see the man straight away.
The sun was shining, so I'd taken my breakfast toast and coffee out on the terrace. I strolled to the far corner to admire a view I never tire of: a London roofscape, a glimpse of trees in Hoxton Square two streets away, and the distant Gherkin gleaming in the early morning sun.

The Friday 56 (from 56% on my Kindle):
Ric wore jeans and a white shirt, with most of the buttons undone, and I could hardly take my eyes off him. This was nothing new. Sometimes, when he was out, I'd secretly go to YouTube and watch videos of The Voices performing, so I could stare at him as much as I liked without him noticing and teasing me.

Synopsis (from Goodreads):
Ric Kealey is the charismatic lead singer of uber-successful band, The Voices in my Head - and he died three years ago. Caz Tallis restores rocking horses in her London studio. When Ric turns up, shabby and alive, on Caz's roof terrace, she is reluctantly drawn into investigating the murder that led him to fake his own death. A feel good page turner; contemporary fiction with elements of murder mystery and romance, and a satisfying ending.

Just for fun, I'm including the book's trailer too:



Genre:  Contemporary Romance/Mystery
Length: 273 Pages
Amazon Link: Remix
Author Website:  Lexi Revellian

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Anyone can participate in Book Beginnings on Friday and The Friday 56. 
   Click here to connect to other Book Beginnings on Friday posts     (sponsored by Rose City Reader)
   Find other Friday 56 bloggers here (sponsored by Freda's Voice) 
                           

Book Trailer - Bluebonnets for Elly

Here's my new book trailer for Bluebonnets for Elly. Enjoy!