Karen Robards

This one is not for the faint of heart.  Not my usual read but I kept turning the pages!!  I wanted to know “who done it”. 

Light Paperback (1 lb or less)

Illinois

Hot summer passion. Cold-blooded fear.When Christy Petrino discovers that her fiancé, Michael DePalma, and the law firm where she works are linked to the mob, she breaks her engagement and quits her job. But no one walks away from the DePalma family so easily. Christy's freedom comes on one condition: She must deliver a locked briefcase to a motel on North Carolina's Ocracoke Island. Her late-night drop-off is only the beginning of a tide of terror: In the shadows of the Outer Banks, Christy senses she is being followed...and suddenly she is a witness in a police investigation of a serial killer known as the "Beachcomber" -- who targets young women who all resembleher.Handsome surfer Luke Rand offers the best kind of shelter in his strong arms. But as their sensual attraction flares, Christy hears warning bells telling herif you want to survive a hot and deadly summer, trust no one....

Beachcomber

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Book Four of a series of twenty-six books, each written by a different author. Each book seamlessly continues the story of the Wayfarers Inn and its new owners.  History intersects with present day as Luann, Tess and Janice make discoveries in the basement of this old building that they are transforming into a bed and breakfast. I have read Books One through Four (listed separately) and cannot wait to find the next ones in the series. 

Light Hardcover (1 lb or less)

Secrets of Wayfarers Inn

Greater Than Gold

Book Three of twenty-six books, each written by a different author.  Each book seamlessly continues the story of the Wayfarers Inn and its new owners. History intersects with the present day as Luann, Tess and Janice make discoveries in the basement of this old building that they are transforming into a bed and breakfast. I have read Books One through Four (listed separately) and cannot wait to find the next books in the series.  

All That Remains

Book Two of a series of twenty-six books, each written by different authors.  Each book seamlessly continues the story of the Wayfarers Inn and its new owners.  History intersects with the present day as Luann, Tess and Janice make discoveries in the basement of this old building that they are transforming into a bed and breakfast. I have read Books One through Four (listed separately) and cannot wait to find the next ones in the series. 

River of Life

Book One of a series of twenty-six books, each written by different authors.  Each book seamlessly continues the story of the Wayfarers Inn and its new owners.  History intersects with present day as Luann, Tess and Janice make discoveries in the basement of this old building that they are transforming into a bed and breakfast.  I have read Books One through Four (listed separately) and cannot wait to find the next ones in the series. 

Family Secrets

Jennifer Chiaverini

Another delightful ElmCreek novel from Jennifer Chiaverini.  The owner and proprietor of  Elm Creek Manor, Sylvia stitches her story into a quilt on a quest to change hearts and minds.  

As each holiday season approaches, some revel in welcoming the New Year ahead; others quietly mourn the passing of time gone by. "We can't hold on to the past," says Master Quilter Sylvia Compson, "but we can keep the best part of 'Auld Lang Syne' in our hearts and in our memories, and we can look forward to the future with hope and resolve." As Sylvia, a late-in-life newlywed, has discovered, love can enter our lives at any age. Yet before she can truly delight in her present happiness, she must face the sorrow hidden in her past -- her own role in the tragic circumstances that left her estranged from her sister, Claudia, until it was too late to make amends. Vowing not to repeat the mistake with her new daughter-in-law, Amy, who opposed Sylvia's marriage to her father, Andrew, Sylvia must convince Amy that family is more precious than pride. As Sylvia takes up a quilt for the season, begun and abandoned over six years, she recalls the New Year's Eve festivities of her youth at Elm Creek Manor as a member of the Bergstrom family. She titles the quilt "New Year's Reflections," after her belief that year-end reflections precede resolutions. The quilt blocks she chooses commemorate the wisdom that no one can ever be truly alone if she keeps the memory of those she loved and those who loved her alive in her heart. The New Year's Quilt is a novel to enjoy today and to treasure anew each holiday season.

The New Year's Quilt

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Shauna Robinson

What a great story.  You gotta love Maggie despite her creative dishonesty that could jeopardize so many people.  Interesting characters just draw you in to turning the pages.  

"A sparkling bookish story about rules just begging to be broken." -- Abby Jimenez, New York Times bestselling author of Part of Your World and The Friend Zone

I, Maggie Banks, solemnly swear to uphold the rules of Cobblestone Books. If only, I, Maggie Banks, believed in following the rules.

When Maggie Banks arrives in Bell River to run her best friend's struggling bookstore, she expects to sell bestsellers to her small-town clientele. But running a bookstore in a town with a famously bookish history isn't easy. Bell River's literary society insists on keeping the bookstore stuck in the past, and Maggie is banned from selling anything written this century. So, when a series of mishaps suddenly tip the bookstore toward ruin, Maggie will have to get creative to keep the shop afloat.

And in Maggie's world, book rules are made to be broken.

To help save the store, Maggie starts an underground book club, running a series of events celebrating the books readers actually love. But keeping the club quiet, selling forbidden books, and dodging the literary society is nearly impossible. Especially when Maggie unearths a town secret that could upend everything. 

Maggie will have to decide what's more important: the books that formed a small town's history, or the stories poised to change it all.

The Banned Bookshop of Maggie Banks

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Lori Wilde

It's Jill Shalvis meets Susan Mallery in this gorgeous novel by New York Times bestselling author Lori Wilde about three sisters, one small town, a wedding, and the summer that changes everything. Welcome to Moonglow Cove, Texas, a place where your neighbors know your name and the gentle waves of the Gulf of Mexico lap lazily against the sands. It's a magical spot, especially in the summertime... Once the town was the home of the Clark sisters--brought up by their grandmother at the Moonglow Inn. Nicknamed "The Moonglow Sisters", as children they were inseparable. Then, a wedding-day betrayal tore them apart and they scattered across the globe and away from each other. But the sisters have at last come home... There's Maddie: smart, sensible, and stubborn. Shelley, who ran off to find her bliss. And Gia, a free-spirit determined to keep the peace. It's her impending wedding that keeps them together...but Gia has a secret, and when her sisters find out all heck is going to break loose! The Moonglow Sisters continues Lori Wilde's trademark storytelling to create an unforgettable novel of family, betrayal, love, and second chances.

The Moonglow Sisters

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Heartwarming tale of a group of friends trying to solve the mystery of a death 15 years before.  They are members of the Nimble Thimbles quilters.  New clues are found in an old quilt.  Off they go exciting adventures across the globe.  

Annie’s Quilted Mysteries

Unsavory Notions

Stab Stitched

#paperback #fiction #romance #ireland #bookstore #jennycolgan #bookbus 

A Novel

The Bookshop on the Corner

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#paperback #fiction #romance #bookstore #scotland #bestseller 

A grand baronial house on Loch Ness, a quirky small-town bookseller, and a single mom looking for a fresh start all come together in this witty and warm-hearted novel by New York Times bestselling author Jenny Colgan. Desperate to escape from London, single mother Lottie wants to build a new life for herself and her son Raffie. She can barely afford the crammed studio apartment on a busy street where honking horns and shouting football fans keep them awake all night. If she doesn’t find a way out soon, Lottie knows it’s just a matter of time before she has a complete meltdown. On a whim, she answers an ad for a nanny job in the Scottish Highlands, which is about as far away from the urban crush of London as possible. It sounds heavenly! The job description asks for someone capable of caring for two…well, the advertisement says “gifted children”; the reality is more like “feral wolverines.” The children’s widowed father is a wreck, and the kids run wild in a huge tumbledown castle on the heather-strewn banks of Loch Ness. Still, the peaceful, picturesque location is everything London is not—and Lottie rises to the challenges of the job. With the help of Nina, the friendly local bookseller, Lottie begins to put down roots in the community. Are books, fresh air, and kindness enough to heal this broken family—and her own…?

The Bookshop on the Shore

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#paperback #elmcreek #elmcreekquilts #quiltingcircle #quilts #bestsellingseries #quilters 

An Elm Creek Quilts Novel

The ninth book in Jennifer Chiaverini's bestselling series—when two of Elm Creek Quilts’ founding members decide to leave the fold, who can possibly take their place in the circle of quilters? When Elm Creek Quilts announces openings for two new teachers, quilters everywhere are vying to land the prestigious post. The impending departure of two founding members means untold changes for the Elm Creek Quilters. As they begin the interview process, a single question emerges: Who can possibly take the place of beloved colleagues and friends? "We must evaluate all of the applicants' qualities," advises Master Quilter Sylvia Compson. "Our choice will say as much about us as it says about who we decide to hire." Who merits a place among the circle of quilters? Will it be Maggie, whose love of history shines through in all her projects; Anna, whose food-themed quilts are wonderfully innovative; Russ, the male quilter with a completely original style; Karen, a novice teacher whose gifts for language complement her deep understanding of the quilters' mission; or Gretchen, the soulful veteran whose craft is inspired by quilting tradition?

Circle of Quilters

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Another madcap #murdermystery where Vivian and her daughter Brandy do not rest until the murderer is found.  #Hilarity ensues between mother and daughter and the characters in this small #Midwest town.  Read them in order or out of order - it doesn’t matter.  #Humor and #antics (Vivian) will keep you amused, mystified and hanging on until the end.  You will want another episode on hand.  They are too much, #fun that is. 

A Trash ‘n’ Treasures Mystery

Local theater diva Vivian Borne--a.k.a. Brandy's mother--is sheriff of Serenity County now, but still hot on the trail of precious antiques. On a tour of the historic Wentworth Mansion, the two dedicated dealers are aglow at the priceless objects...never dreaming everything will turn to ashes. Hours later, a charred corpse in the ruins is identified as the mansion's caretaker, a one-time flame of Vivian's.

Tony Cassato, Serenity's Chief of Police, throws cold water on Sheriff Vivian's suspicions of murder. But when Brandy spots a familiar item for sale on the internet, Mother suspects the fire is just a smoke screen--and then their doggie detective, Sushi the shih tzu, sniffs out a second body in the woods. Now Mother and Brandy must turn up the heat on a homicidal torcher--because any killer who takes on the Borne girls is playing with fire.

Antiques Fire Sale

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A Trash 'n' Treasures Mystery

Determined to make a new start in her quaint hometown on the banks of the Mississippi, Brandy Borne never dreams she'll become the prime suspect in a murder case. . .

Moving back in with her eccentric, larger-than-life mother, Brandy Borne finds small-town Serenity anything but serene. It seems an unscrupulous antiques dealer has swindled Vivian out of the family's heirlooms. But when he is found run over in a country lane, Brandy becomes Murder Suspect Number One--with her mother coming in a very close second. . .

The list of other suspects is impressive--the victim's business seems to have been based on bilking seniors out of their possessions. And when the Borne "girls" uncover a few very unsavory Serenity secrets, they become targets for a murderer whose favorite hobby seems to be collecting victims.

Don't miss Brandy Borne's tips on antiques!

"Cozy mystery fans will love this down-to-earth heroine with the wry sense of humor and a big heart." --Nancy Pickard

"With its small-town setting and quirky characters, Antiques Roadkill is fun from start to finish. Dive in and enjoy."--Laurien Berenson

Antiques Roadkill

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#murdermystery #humor #midwest #madcap #wittydialogue

"One of the funniest cozy series going." --Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine

Brandy Borne and her dramatically ditzy mother, Vivian, are stars of the new reality show, Antiques Sleuths. The season opens in a perfect location--a quaint old house echoing with the unsolved whispers of a 60-year-old axe murder. But when the show's producer meets a similarly grisly end, Brandy and Mother must chop around for clues, axe the right questions, and get the edge on a murderer's mysterious motives. Otherwise our sharp-witted sleuths may face cancellation--on the cutting room floor!

Don't miss Brandy Borne's tips on antiques!

Praise for Barbara Allan and the Trash 'n' Treasures Mystery Series. . .

"Thrills, laugh-out-loud moments and amazingly real relationships." --Romantic Times Book Reviews

"The characters shine with brassy humor." --Publishers Weekly

"You'll laugh out loud." --Mystery Scene

Antiques Chop

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#paperback #murdermystery #funny #smalltown #humor #wittydialogue

Brandy and Vivian head to a comic-book convention to sell a rare 1940s Superman drawing. An intruder breaks into their hotel suite, and they suspect a felonious fan, over-eager to acquire the artwork. When Brandy and Mother stumble onto a murder victim impaled by a pen-shaped award, suspects range from comic-book collectors to crime kingpins, leading to a madcap Manhattan misadventure.

Antiques Con

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This is the debut book of Elm Creek Manor. There are many to follow with with characters you will come to know and love. If you quilt or have been to quilt camp, you will cherish these stories. Read them in order or out of order like me.  I loved getting to know these characters.  #quits #quiltcamp #friendship #drama #relationships #familydynamics #humor #tears

Sarah McClure's happy life begins to fall apart, until she and the other Elm Creek Quilters begin a Round Robin quilt, enabling each woman to contribute a meaningful part to a greater whole.

Round Robin

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A great read.  A developing relationship between two very different backgrounds that are brought together by a tragic event.   #love #medical #family #Amish 

#1 New York Times bestselling author Susan Wiggs delivers a riveting story that challenges our deepest-held beliefs... Caught between two worlds, Caleb Stoltz is bound by a deathbed promise to raise his orphaned niece and nephew in Middle Grove, where life revolves around family, farm, faith—and long-held suspicions about outsiders. When disaster strikes, Caleb is thrust into an urban environment of high-tech medicine and the relentless rush of modern life. Dr. Reese Powell is poised to join the medical dynasty of her wealthy, successful parents. Bold, assertive, and quick-thinking, she lives for the addictive rush of saving lives. When a shocking accident brings Caleb Stoltz into her life, Reese is forced to deal with a situation that challenges everything she thinks she knows—and ultimately emboldens her to question her most powerful beliefs. Then one impulsive act brings about a clash of cultures in a tug-of-war that plays out in a courtroom, challenging the very nature of justice and reverberating through generations, straining the fragile threads of faith and family.

Between You and Me

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Great book. I loved the characters.  Mystery, detective work, quilt shop, new friendship, humor and love abounds.  #Amish #quilts #mystery #humor #detective 

Coming together to organize an on-line quilt auction, two women--one Amish, one English--find their alliance moving beyond the short-term business venture after the town's newspaper editor is murdered and an unexpected prime suspect is identified.

Falling to Pieces

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#writer #dog #quirky #memorablecharacters

In Louise Shaffer's delightfully charming new novel, a hopeless romantic (and author adrift) searches for a happy ending--and decides to write her own love story.
 
After the success of her first novel, Love, Max--an irresistibly funny look at divorce as seen through a dog's eyes--Francesca's fictional saga becomes real when her sexy photographer husband bails on her. The good news is that Francesca gets custody of their apartment and their dog--an adoring scamp who has mastered the art of unconditional love. Still, a girl and her dog have to eat, so a desperate search for income leads Francesca to Chicky, a spunky, red-haired octogenarian who wants Francesca to write the memoirs of her parents, Joe and Ellie, who toured the vaudeville circuit in the early 1920s.

Francesca is reluctant to take the job, but Chicky's tales soon lure her into a showbiz era as irresistible and unlikely as the love story that unfolds. As she re-creates Joe and Ellie's story, Francesca reflects, with hilarious honesty, on her own childhood and marriage--and discovers how to put the pieces of her life back together in a way that redefines herself and the true meaning of family and love.

Looking for a Love Story

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A Seasons of Lancaster Novel

THE PROMISE OF A HOME,
THE HEARTBREAK OF AN IMPOSSIBLE LOVE
nbsp;
As a budding journalist with a major newspaper, Remy McCallister is eager to prove herself. While investigating an unsolved crime, Remy winds up in the tightly woven Amish community of Lancaster County, the last place she would ever expect to find herself. The story leads her to Adam King and his ten younger siblings, who are trying to sustain their warm, loving home in the wake of the murder of their parents. Although Remy tries to remain professional, she is captivated by the Kings. With her own mother gone and her father disengaged from their relationship, Remy longs for a home and a family just like that of these good, simple people.

Suddenly patriarch of his large family, Adam struggles to do the right thing for his siblings, his community, and his God. He neither wants nor needs the complications that spirited Remy brings. But as much as he tries to push her away, even as he counts all the ways this lovely outsider cannot possibly remain in his world--or in his heart--the wondrous light she shines upon his troubled soul cannot be denied. Adam can only pray for the strength and the faith to get this Englisher girl out of their lives for good.

Snowbound with the Kings, Remy experiences the wonder and the chores of a simple winter among the Plain People, as well as the friendship of their warm community. When her peaceful interlude ends, does she dare to reveal a killer in their midst, knowing that she may lose the love of this special family and this remarkable man?

A Simple Winter

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Enjoyable read.  I got to know these characters and learn about their faith, thoughts and lives.  #Amish #family #love 

Best-selling author Beverly Lewis's story of a journalist who must decide between joining the Amish life or leaving it forever.

The Crossroad

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A Man With a Past

When an unexpected inheritance sends J.D. Carver to the Star Lake Lodge to claim his half, he's expecting trouble. Being greeted with open arms by the whole Lawrence gang--feisty Aunt Sophie and calm Uncle Ben, clearly off-limits Dru and her young son, Tate--just convinces him they're working an angle, and he's determined to uncover it. But a tiny part of him longs for the home-and-hearth life they have.

A Woman With a Reputation

Dru's finally beaten her bad-girl reputation, and though the Lodge may not be exciting, she's fiercely protective of her quiet home. Hard-eyed J.D.'s ability to push all her buttons just proves how wrong he is for her. So why does her son hero-worship the guy? And why does her heart clench when he gets that "nose pressed against the candy shop window" look on his face?

Browse by categories

Karen Robards

Beachcomber

Roseanne White

Greater Than Gold

Tracey Bateman

All That Remains

Kathleen Y’Barbo

River of Life

Becky Melby

Family Secrets

Jennifer Chiaverini

The New Year's Quilt

Shauna Robinson

The Banned Bookshop of Maggie Banks

Lori Wilde

The Moonglow Sisters

Amy Lillard

Unsavory Notions

Elizabeth Penney

Stab Stitched

Jenny Colgan

The Bookshop on the Corner

Jenny Colgan

The Bookshop on the Shore

Jennifer Chiaverini

Circle of Quilters

Barbara Allan

Antiques Fire Sale

Barbara Allan

Antiques Roadkill

Barbara Allan

Antiques Chop

Barbara Allan

Antiques Con

Jennifer Chiaverini

Round Robin

Susan Wiggs

Between You and Me

Vannetta Chapman

Falling to Pieces

Louise Shaffer

Looking for a Love Story

Rosalind Lauer

A Simple Winter

Beverly Lewis

The Crossroad

Susan Andersen

All Shook Up

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