Tag Archive: romance



This was my favorite of the Memory House series. The series doesn’t have so many characters in common. Instead, there are threads of common ground. People meeting and supporting others. This book started sadly, but stick with it as magic will happen. Common sense and caring. Those are the silver threads. I don’t think that was a spoiler. Just the gift of these books.

This book was the last of the series, and it, too, was a Kindle Unlimited. These are short books that took only a couple of nights to read. I think you’ll like them. A nice escape from the stress of life right now.


Baby Girl (Memory House, #4)Baby Girl by Bette Lee Crosby

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This is the book that was at the bottom (oldest) of my TBR shelf. Because it is book 4 in the series, I went back to read the first 3 so I wouldn’t be lost. So really, I added 4 books to read one. And truth be known, any of these books could be read alone and still be interesting. There are other characters mentioned from other of Ms. Crosby’s works, but the names fall by the wayside. It reminds me of real life. When you meet someone new, they will mention other people in their associates. You don’t have to know them. Just stay open to get to know the person presented. Did that make sense?

I thought this would be one of my favorites. In fact, this is my least liked of the books. I didn’t like the main character much. But I stuck with it, and by the end, I think I understood her better. I was glad to move on to the next book. And to finally have freed space on the TBR. Which quickly got filled back up.

By the way, this is listed as Kindle Unlimited, if that helps you decide. And it is text-to-speech enabled. Enjoy.

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What the Heart Remembers (Memory House, #3)What the Heart Remembers by Bette Lee Crosby
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

There are always new people to greet. We met Max in the Loft. This story follows her as she tries to determine whether her dreams are worth pursuing.

I don’t like romance. But I love books about people finding their way. This book includes a little romance, but stick with it. There is more to the story.

This might have been the shortest of the Memory House books, as I got through it very quickly.

Once again, Bette Lee Crosby writes an engaging story. Text-to-speech helps me. This was on Kindle Unlimited.

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The Loft (Memory House, #2)The Loft by Bette Lee Crosby
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is a nice series. Though there is a bit of romance, what I like about each one is getting to know other people, characters, and philosophies, as well as the magic of life. They help us see how family grows, even those not blood-related.

After meeting the main characters in the first book, Memory House, we now watch their relationships grow or diminish. Life does as life does, boringly predictable with occasional accidents. And the characters live.

Bette Lee Crosby can tell a story. She keeps the reader involved in her world.

This copy was a Kindle Unlimited using text-to-speech. It was so good I had to pick up the next to get my Memory House fix.

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Seven Tears Into the SeaSeven Tears Into the Sea by Terri Farley
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I don’t know if I was off or if text-to-speech couldn’t help me stay focused, but I kept getting lost. I still have an image clear as a portrait of a girl giving her nightgown as her skin? But later, I realized it was the male who was the selkie. Where did his fur go? I’m sorry. Bedtime grogginess? Life issues got in the way?

Terri Farley has written many horse stories. I have many on my TBR list. But the ones I did get to, I have enjoyed. And I did like the time on the beach and the time spent with the characters. I just found myself lost at times. Maybe I’ll read it again later.

Maybe this book isn’t meant for 76-year-olds, though I often still feel I am in touch with the inner teen. I don’t know. I hope others love it.

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Your Friday prompt for Stream of Consciousness Saturday is “portrait.” Use it way you’d like. Have fun!

By Any Other NameBy Any Other Name by Jodi Picoult
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Billie Fulford-Brown (Narrator), Laura Benanti (Narrator), Jodi Picoult (Narrator, Author), Jayne Entwistle (Narrator), Andrew Fallaize (Narrator), Joe Jameson (Narrator), John Lee (Narrator), Nicholas Guy Smith (Narrator), Simon Vance (Narrator), Steve West (Narrator),

With this cast of narrators and the beautiful writing and research of Jodi Picoult, I found this book so fascinating that I just bought the Audible version so I can read it again soon.

If you think you know Shakespeare, this gives a possible theory, with convincing evidence of what might have happened.

This is a historic work and a modern work featuring the female condition of the ages.

I highly recommend this book. This audiobook was borrowed from Libby.

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Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman My rating: 5 of 5 stars Cathleen McCarron narrated this very different kind of book. She was able to act each character with ease. I had no problem knowing who was who. Revelation of Eleanor’s past seeps through the story gradually. I like the way the reader learns of her past as she sees memories clearly. Though some parts feel a little unbelievable, the plot keeps the reader from dwelling on them. Meanwhile, the characters who populate this book keep one invested in their futures.Maybe later I will give this another read, as I miss the characters and I am many books beyond this one.This was Libby’s suggestion when I ran out of things to read at 3 AM. Libby is such a blessing! View all my reviews




Second Grave on the Left by Darynda Jones
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Because I am already on book 6, I am including the blurb to remind me what was in the second book.

Charley Davidson, Grim Reaper Extraordinaire, is back in this sexy, suspenseful novel of supernatural shenanigans.

When Charley is rudely awakened in the middle of the night by her best friend, who tells her to get dressed quickly and tosses clothes out of the closet at her, she can’t help but wonder what Cookie’s up to. Leather scrunch boots with a floral miniskirt? Together? Seriously?

Cookie explains that a friend of hers named Mimi disappeared five days earlier and that she just got a text from her setting up a meet at a coffee shop downtown. They show up at the coffee shop, but no Mimi. But Charley finds a message on the bathroom wall. Mimi left a clue, a woman’s name. Mimi’s husband explains that his wife had been acting strange since she found out an old friend of hers from high school had been found murdered a couple of weeks prior. The same woman Mimi had named in her message.

Meanwhile, Reyes Alexander Farrow (otherwise known as the Son of Satan, yes, literally) has left his corporeal body and is haunting Charley. He’s left his body because he’s being tortured by demons who want to lure Charley closer. But Reyes can’t let that happen. Because if the demons get to Charley, they’ll have a portal to heaven. And if they have a portal to heaven… well, let’s just say it wouldn’t be pretty. Can Charley handle hot nights with Reyes and even hotter days tracking down a missing woman? Will Cookie ever get a true fashion sense? And is there enough coffee and chocolate in the world to fuel them as they do?

Even with the blurb, I am having a hard time zeroing in on any one of the five books. So I’ll be general in my review. These books are a fun mix of Ghost Whisperer, Ghostbusters, and other silly paranormal detective stories. Every one of these books keeps me laughing. My favorite parts are the chapter titles from T-Shirts, bumper stickers, and posters.

Darynda Jones writes with levity. Tongue in cheek or outright humor. We all need that right now. Lorelei King, as the narrator, makes the stories more fun. In fact, I love Ms. King’s work so much that I ordered her book about learning to narrate.

Libby has all of the books available. I hope you get the chance to listen to these.

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First Grave on the Right (Charley Davidson, #1)First Grave on the Right by Darynda Jones
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Okay, even if I give you the blurb, I don’t know if it would help you decide to read/listen to this book. Oh, heck:

A smashing, award-winning debut novel that introduces Charley Davidson: part-time private investigator and full-time Grim Reaper. Charley sees dead people. That’s right, she sees dead people. And it’s her job to convince them to “go into the light”. But when these very dead people have died under less than ideal circumstances (i.e., murder), sometimes they want Charley to bring the bad guys to justice.

Complicating matters are the intensely hot dreams she’s been having about an Entity who has been following her all her life… and it turns out he might not be dead after all. In fact, he might be something else entirely.

This is a thrilling debut novel from an exciting newcomer to the world of paranormal romantic suspense. The audio includes a sneak peek of Second Grave on the Left. (From the GoodReads page for the book).

Don’t think of it as dark or twisty. More like, “Sarcastic much?” Yes, that was a leaning toward Buffy and similar shows and books. Tongue-in-cheek and other kinds of funny. Hard to read at bedtime as guffaws blurt out and wake my husband.

My friend, Cher, recommended this series. After the wonderful Outlander tomes, I needed something light and fun. I want to thank Libby for having the series ready one right after another.

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The Outlandish Companion, Volume Two: The Companion to The Fiery Cross, A Breath of Snow and Ashes, An Echo in the Bone, and Written in My Own Heart's BloodThe Outlandish Companion, Volume Two: The Companion to The Fiery Cross, A Breath of Snow and Ashes, An Echo in the Bone, and Written in My Own Heart’s Blood by Diana Gabaldon
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Clearly, I love the Outlander series. But these Companions, One and Two, are the cherry on top. I listened to both companions on Audible. But I feel I would love to have the hardback copies for research purposes.

Having the “Cliff Notes” of the books summarized is helpful, though not as delightful as another reading of the actual books would be. Still, it was the author’s notes on writing about her life and philosophies of love and life that kept me awake, listening long past the time I should have forced myself to close my eyes and sleep.

As always, I highly recommend this series. Author Diana Gabaldon and narrator Davina Porter make the best storytelling combination.

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