FINISHED -

1. "DO YOU TAKE THIS COWBOY" "THE LOVING SEASON" by Cait London (By Request #2) (A++++) (new author for me) I, Diana Phillips, took Mac Maclean to be my pretend fiance. So the genteman cowboy did the impossible: made my pulse pound and my broken heart beat again. I know men stray - never stay. Though Mac wants me for now, what about forever" "COWBOYS DON'T CRY by Anne McAllister (Tanner Brothers #1) (A++++) (new author for me) I, Maggie MacLeod, would sooner ride a raging bull than agree to wed ornery ranch foreman Robert Tanner. Seems he dislikes having a lady boss - or allowing anyone to get close. Yet the way he looks at me. It's as if he wants - needs - to get close to me.
2. "TEMPTING DUSTY" by Helen Hardt (Temptation #1) (new author for me) (A+++++) El Diablo strikes no fear in the heart of Dusty O'Donovan. The accomplished rider knows life holds much greater fears than a feisty stud bull. Diablo's owner, Zach HcCray, is offering half a million dollars to anyone who can stay on him for a full eight seconds. That purse would go a long way helping rebuild Dusty and her brother's nearly bankrupt ranch. Let a woman ride his bull? Not likely. Still, the headstrong Dusty intrigues Zach. Her father worked on the McCray ranch years ago, and Zach remembers her as a little girl when he was a cocky teen. Times change, and now she's a beautiful and desirable young woman. A few passionate kisses leave Zach wanting more, but will Dusty's secrets tear them apart?
3. "ONE SNOWY NIGHT" by Jill Shalvis (Heartbreaker Bay #2.5) (A+++++) It's Christmas Eve and Rory Andrews is desperate to get home to the family she hasn't seen in years. Problem is, her only ride to Lake Tahoe comes in the form of the annoyingly handsome Max Stranton, and his big, goofy, lovable dog Carl. Hours stuck in a truck with the dead-sexy Max sounds like a fate worse than death (not), but Rory's out of options. She's had a crush on Max since high school and she knows he's attracted to her, to. But they have history...and Max is the only one who knows why it went south. They've done a good job of ignoring their chemistry so far, but a long road trip in a massive blizzard might be just what they need to face their past...and one steamy, snowy night is all it takes to bring max and Rory together at last.
4. "SHADOW RIDER" by Christine Feehan (Shadow #1) (A++++++) Whether it's fast cars or fast women, Stefano Ferraro gets what he wants. When he's not fodder for the paparazzi, he commands Ferraro family businesses - both legitimate and illegitimate. While their criminal activity is simply a rumor yet to be proven, no one knows the real truth. The Ferraros are a family of shadow riders capable of manipulating light and dark, an ability Stefano thought ran in his family alone - until now. With little left to her name, Francesca Capello has come to Chicago in hopes of a new life. She wasn't expecting to attract the attention of a man with primal hunger in his eyes, driven to claim her as his to protect and please. And if he discovers her secret, it could ruin her.
5. "CODY'S COME HOME" by Mary Sullivan (A++++) (new author for me) Back where he belongs - Bad choices have dominated Cody Jordan's life since leaving home ten years ago. Grieving a broken marriage and the death of his baby, he's back in his hometown of Accord, looking for redemption and a fresh start. Old friend Aiyana Pearce and her little girl are a breath of fresh air. Aiyana quickly steals his heart. Being with her reminds him of the man he once was and could be again. Cody's not ready for a relationship, though - not yet. But when a threat to Aiyana's life resurfaces, putting his heart on the line is the least of his worries.
6. "A BABY OF HER OWN" by Brenda Novak (Dundee, Ohio #1) (A+++++) (listened on an audible app on my cellphone) What Delaney wants is a baby. A baby of her own. At thirty, she longs to break away from the constraints of her life. Longs to reach out for her heart's desire. She'd prefer marriage as well, but there's no man in Dundee, Idaho, she's interested in marrying. Then one winter night she and her best friend, Rebecca, go to Boise with the intent of finding a man for Delaney. She meets a handsome stranger named Conner, a man who might be able to provide her with the solution she needs and the baby she wants! Afterward she thinks she must have been out of her mind. But it's too late. Because she's pregnant. And because the stranger isn't a stranger anymore. Conner Armstrong is now living on a ranch just outside Dundee."
7. "A RECKLESS PROMISE" by Kasey Michaels (The Little Season #3) (new author for me) (A+++++) It's the kind of vow often made on the battlefield. Darby Travers, Viscount Nailbourne, never imagines he'll have to honor it. Yet here she is on his doorstep - his late comrade's young daughter and Darby's new ward. Worse, she comes with the most overprotective, mistrustful, bothersome chaperone - the child's aunt, Sadie Grace Boxer. Darby is quite sure that behind her lovely facade, the woman is guarding a secret. Sadie Grace faced many trials working in her brother's surgery, but none quite prepared her for the world she's thrust into with his passing. Navigating the ton, with its endless ball gowns and parade of parties, is difficult enough, but hiding the truth about her niece while the sophisticated viscount watches her every move proves nearly impossible - particularly when his searing gaze tempts her to bare all. But when her family's past catches up with her, she'll have to trust in Darby...no matter the cost to her heart.
8. "MISTER O" by Lauren Blakely (#2) (A+++++) Her pleasure is my super power...Making a woman feel 'oh-god-that's-good' is the name of the game and if a man can't get the job done, he should get the hell out of the bedroom. I'm talking toe-curing, mind-blowing, sheet-grabbing ecstasy. Like I provide every time. I suppose that makes me a superhero of pleasure and my mission is to always deliver for the ladies. And then I'm thrown for a loop when a certain woman asks me to teach her everything about how to win a man. The only problem? This gorgeous redhead is my best friend's sister. But she's far too tempting to resist - especially when I learn that sweet, sexy Harper has a dirty mind too and wants to put it to good use. What could possibly go wrong as I give the woman I've secretly wanted some no-strings-attached lessons in seduction? The trouble is the more nights I spend with her in bed, the more I want to spend with her out of bed.
9. "SUNRISE CROSSING" by Jodi Thomas (Ransom Canyon #4) (A+++++) Return to peaceful Crossroads, Texas, where community comes first and love thrives in the unlikeliest places. Yancy Grey is slowly putting his life back together after serving time for petty theft. As he rebuilds an old house, he finally has a sense of stability, but he can't stop thinking of himself as just an ex-con. Until one night, he finds a mysterious dark-haired beauty hiding in his loft. But who is she, and what secret is she protecting? The art gallery Parker Lacey manages is her life - she has no time for friends, and certainly not for lovers. But when her star artist begs Parker for help, she finds herself in a pickup truck, headed for the sleepy town of Crossroads. A truck driven by a strong silent cowboy. Gabe Snow has been a drifter since he left Crossroads at seventeen after a violent incident. When he accepts a job in his hometown, he'll have to decide whether he can put the worst night of his life behind him and build a future in the community that raised him.
10. "WILD" by Maya Banks - Love can tame the wildest heart. "GOLDEN EYES" (Wild #1) (A+++++) When Duncan finds an injured cheetah, questions about how she wound up in his mountains - and going after the poachers pursuing her - can wait. First he brings her home. Then he checks in on his patient, and finds not a cat, but a gorgeous, very naked woman. Aliyah Carter spent the past six months trapped in cheetah form, a prisoner of the poachers who took her to use in an illegal exotic-game hunt. Finally she's escaped, but now she faces another problem. A devastatingly sexy sheriff who knows her secret. "Amber Eyes" (Wild #2) (A+++++) The beautiful, timid cougar that appears at Hunter and Jericho's remote cabin breaks their quiet routine, warms their hearts - and rouses their curiosity. Why would this wild creature want to form a friendship with humans? Kaya has survived a lifetime of isolation in her shifted form. Yet there's something about these two men that draws her to embrace her human side. In the shelter of their love, she blooms. Then they are called away on a mission that goes terribly wrong. Now pregnant and alone, Kaya's only hope is that the men who love her will find their way home.
11. "SUNSET IN CENTRAL PARK" by Sarah Morgan (Made in New York: From Manhattan With Love #2) (A+++++) In the chaos of New York, true love can be hard to find, even when it's been right under your nose all along...Love has never been a priority for garden designer Frankie Cole. After witnessing the fallout of her parents' divorce, she's seen the devastation an overload of emotion can cause. The only man she feels comfortable with is her friend Matt - but that's strictly platonic. If only she found it easier to ignore the way he makes her heart race. Matt Walker has loved Frankie for years but, sensing how fragile she is beneath her feisty exterior, has always played it cool. But then he uncovers new depths to the girl he's known forever and doesn't want to wait a moment longer. He knows Frankie has secrets and has buried them deep, but can Matt persuade her to trust him with her heart and kiss him under the Manhattan sunset?
12. "LAST CHANCE REBEL" by Maisey Yates (Copper Ridge #6) (A+++++) The prodigal son of Copper Ridge, Oregon, has finally come home. The man who ruined Rebecca Bear's life just strolled back into it with one heck of an offer. Years ago, Gage West's recklessness left Rebecca scarred inside and out. Now he wants to make amends by gifting her the building that houses her souvenir store. Rebecca won't take Gage's charity, but she's willing to make a deal with the sexy, reclusive cowboy. Yet keeping her enemy close is growing dangerously appealing. He's the wild West brother, the bad seed of Copper Ridge. That's why Gage needs the absolution Rebecca offers. He just didn't expect to need her. After years of regretting his past, he knows where his future lies - with this strong, irresistible woman who could make a black sheep come home to stay.
13. "TAKING FIRE" by Cindy Gerard (One Eyed Jacks #4) (A+++++) Betrayal. Retribution. Redemption? Six years ago, tough-as-nails military contractor Bobby Taggart met the woman of his dreams in war-torn Kabul - a sexy, whip-smart war correspondent who approached him at a local bar, took him to bed, made him fall in love...and then mysteriously disappeared. In her wake, the terrorist leader he'd been mining for valuable intel was assassinated - then Bobby discovered his phone had been bugged. And he's pretty damn sure he's been played for a fool. Now, a covert security mission for the U.S. Embassy in Oman unexpectedly reunites him with Talia Lavine, the woman who betrayed him and broke his heart. And there's one more secret she hasn't told him - one that will change his world. But as the heat of anger mixes with their still-simmering passion, dangerous forces close in, their sights set on Talia. Trust is the only way they will survive - but with their lives in the balance, can Bobby trust her again?
14. "REUNION PASS" by Emily March (Eternity Springs #11) (A+++++) It's never too late to have a change of heart. Six years ago, Chase Timberlake bought an engagement ring for his high school sweetheart Lori Reese. Then...life happened. Chase's adventure photography career took off, Lori's dreams of getting into veterinary school took came true, and their happily ever after never came to pass. When Chase's jet-setting life takes a tragic turn, he returns to Eternity springs a damaged man. Who better to help mend his spirit than the woman who has dedicated her life to healing broken wings. Long summer days spent together rekindle the love that never died and Chase dares to dream of a future he'd thought lost. But Lori can't help but wonder whether this high-flying man really wants a small-town girl with roots sunk deep into the Colorado Rockies. Can she and Chase turn back the hands of time and pick up where they left off - and give forever a chance?
15. "MIDNIGHT CAPTIVE" by Elle Kennedy (Killer Instincts #6) (A++++) Former CIA agent Bailey Jones has spent months trying to forget her night of passion with mercenary Sean Reilly. An elite and methodical assassin, she has no room in her life for a reckless, rule-breaking Irishman, and she's vowed to steer clear of the tempting bad boy who lured her into his bed under false pretenses. When Sean is implicated in the robbery of a Dublin bank, Bailey knows something isn't right. So what if she can't trust him? There's no way Sean would end up on the wrong side of the law. In fact, he's stuck in the middle of a dark and dirty conspiracy that could put his twin brother's life at risk with one wrong move. And Bailey's life too when she agrees to help. As the stakes are raised and Bailey finds herself torn between two brothers, the fine line between danger and desire is crossed...and it'll take more than a killer instinct to survive.
16. "GEMINI" by Chris Owen (A++++) (new author for me) Gent is a little wild, a little jaded maybe. He likes to play. Whether it's a good game of pool, a piercing in a naughty place, or a pretty boy who wants to take him home, he's all for it. He likes to take chances, as long as they're not the stupid kind. When he meets Paul, he thinks he might just have found someone fresh and new, someone who'll play, maybe someone who will be more than a one night stand. Pretty quickly, though, Gent finds out with Paul he gets more than he bargained for: He gets Jamie, too, Paul's twin, who wants him just as much as Paul does. Gent thinks maybe he's in over his head, in for a weird triangle that he can't handle. It's a new game for him, and it might just end up with him taking the kind of dumb chances he never indulges in. But as the three come together in an explosion of passionate fireworks, beginning to explore a whole new world of heat, he learns that there can be a lot more fun in having two.
17. "LOVE OF THE GAME" by Lori Wilde (Stardust, Texas #3) (A+++++) With major league good looks and talent, Dallas Gunslingers relief pitcher Axel Richmond was living the good life. Even if the roar of the crowd could never distract him from the loss of his young son. But now with an injured shoulder and his career on the line, Axel is stuck recuperating at a ranch in Stardust, Texas...striking out only with his gorgeous physical therapist. Kasha Carlyle has one week to get Axel back in action or she can kiss her much-needed job with the Gunslingers goodbye. And any chance to seek custody of the orphaned half-sister she never knew existed. She quickly learns that Axel's guarded heart also needs healing...requiring all kinds of sneaky plays and sexy moves in extra innings.
18. "THE MARRIAGE CONTRACT" by Katee Robert (O'Malley's #1) (new author for me) (A+++++) Teague O'Malley hates pretty much everything associated with his family's name. And when his father orders him to marry Callista Sheridan to create a "business" alliance, Teague's ready to tell his dad exactly where he can stuff his millions. But then Teague actually meets his new fiancee, see the bruises on her neck and the fight still left in her big blue eyes, and he decides he will do everything in his power to protect her. Everyone knows the O'Malley's have a dangerous reputation. But Callie wasn't aware of jusst what that meant until she saw Teague, the embodiment of lethal grace and coiled power. His slightest touch sizzles through her. The close they get, though, the more trouble they're in. Because Callie's keeping a dark secret - and what Teague doesn't could get him killed.
19. "MENDING FENCES" by Sherryl Woods (unabridged audio CD) (A+++++) For ten years Emily Dobbs and Marcie Carter have been the closest of friends. They've raised their kids together, shared joy and heartache, exchanged neighborhood gossip over tea. But when Marcie's son, now a college freshman sports star, is arrested for date rape, the bond between the families could be shattered forever. As the Carters try to deal with the unthinkable, Emily discovers her daughter has been hiding a terrible secret...a secret that threatens the futures of both families. Recently divorced, Emily struggles to keep it all together - to support her terrified daughter, to maintain her friendship with Evan's mother and to have faith in the detective who could change all their lives. When things seem darkesst, both she and Marcie discover that sometimes the first step toward a better future is mending fences with the past.
20. "ROCK ME TWO TIMES" by Dawn Ryder (Rock Band #1) (new author for me) (A++++++) Fueled by passion and heartache - Rock star Syon Braden writes and plays the most extreme - and profitable - music from the depths of his shredded heart. He's got a double platinum record, adoring fans and success for his band Toxsin - but it's what he can't have that he craves. Custom leather designer Kate Napier has her sights set on success, and that means keeping irresistible rock stars like Syon out of her bed. The chance to tour with the band and provide them with a fantastic custom wardrobe is too major an opportunity to turn down. But immersion in the dark, wild world of Toxsin on tour means Kate's about to get rocked...hard...body and soul.
21. "HEATHER'S GIFT" by Lora Leigh (Men of August #3) (A+++++) Will she bring the gift of acceptance, or will she break the bonds that have been forged through the fires of hell? Heather's job was to guard Sam's body. As part of the team assigned to the protection of the August family, she had taken her job seriously. Until a madman learned she was Sam August's weakness. Until the past rose with deadly intent and surprising secrets. Will Sam be able to deny his passion for this woman? Or will the dark nightmares and sensuous desires that rage through them both be the cause of his destruction, and the destruction of the woman he loves?
22. "LICK" by Kylie Scott (Stage Dive #1) (new author for me) (A+++++) Waking up in Vegas was never meant to be like this. Evelyn Thomas's plans for celebrating her twenty-first birthday in Las Vegas were big. Huge. She sure never meant to wake up on the bathroom floor with a hangover to rival the black plague, a very attractive half-naked tattooed man in her room and a diamond on her finger large enough to scare King Kong. Now if she could just remember how it all happened. One thing is certain: being married to one of the hottest rock stars on the planet is sure to be a wild ride.

CURRENTLY READING -

1. "Gastien: From Dream to Destiny" by Caddy Rowland (Gastien #2) (reading on a Kindle app on my computer)  
2. "Going Down Hard" by Carly Phillips (Billioniare Bad Boys #3) (reading on a Kindle app on my computer)  
3. "Spellbound Falls" by Janet Chapman (Spellbound Falls #1)
4. "Dark Blood" by Christine Feehan (Carpathians #26)

CURRENTLY LISTENING TO -

1. "Innocent by Association" by Lisa Jackson (unabridged audio CD)

Code Talker   Joseph Bruchac

Short Squeeze Chris Knopf

The Story of Land and Sea Katy Simpson

The FlatIron   Alice Alexiou 

Love Life and Elephants     Dame Daphne Sheldrick

Hotel Heaven      Matthew Brace

Finished in March:  Child of the River  by: Irma Joubert

                             Change of Heart  by: Jodi Picoult   for book club

                             For the Love of a Child  by: Betty Mahmoody and Arnold Hunchock

Currently Reading:  The Summer Before the War  by: Helen Simonson

                             American Houses  by: Phillip Langdon

Hope to get to in April:    Dead Wake: The Last Crossing of the Lusitania  by: Eril Larson   for book club

                                    The Kite Runner  by:  Khaled Hosseini

                                    The Memory of Love  by: Linda Olsson

                                    The Invisible Ones  by: Stef Penney

Currently Reading:

Capital City by Mari Sandoz.  I have liked other books by her & finally getting around to reading this one.

Fur, Fortune, and Empire:  The Epic History of the Fur Trade in America by Eric Jay Dolin

War Hawk by Grant Blackwood & James Rollins

Finished:

Patty Jane's House of Curl by Lorna Landvik.  

T is for Trespass by Sue Grafton, the next in the series for me on the Kinsey Millhone private eye.  Good read and good series.

Some Rain Must Fall:  And Other Stories by Michael Faber, short story book

The Storied Life of AJ Fikry by Gabrielle Zevin

Finished this month:  Blood of the Prodigal by P. L. Gaus.  Author new to me and I really enjoyed this book.  A look at the Amish people from the the viewpoint of "English" men who have been asked to help find a missing grandson.  A very interesting read.

Amazing Gracie by Sherryl Woods --- Gracie McDougal quits her high-powered job with a hotel in Cannes and moves to Seagull Point, Virginia.  She soon finds herself wanting to buy an old Victorian house and turn it into a Bed & Breakfast, but the owner doesn't want to sell.  A fun read.

Catch as Cat Can by Rita Mae Brown --- "Harry" Haristeen, postmistress of Crozet, Virginia, and her pets, Mrs. Murphy, Pewter & Tee Tucker, investigate 2 seemingly unrelated murders, but they think differently. When half a million dollars is discovered opinions change.

Just Take My Heart by Mary Higgins Clark --- For a good mystery without all the blood and gore, Clark can't be beat. Assistant prosecuter, Emilly Wallace has been assigned to prosecute the murder case of Gregg Aldrich, accused of murdering his actress wife. Her key witness is a convicted felon who claims Aldrich paid him to kill his wife, but he backed out so Aldrich did it himself. A good, involved plot with an interesting sub-plot.

Black Sand by William J. Caunitz --- This is the second book I've read by this author and I've really liked both of them. Caunitz is a retired NYPD detective so the story is very authentic, especially when it comes to all the police terms.  Following a massacre of 2 policemen and other innocent bystanders in Greece, NYPD Detective Lieutenant Teddy Lucas teams up with Greek policeman, Major Andreas Vassos, to bring the people behind it to justice and also recover a priceless ancient Greek artifact. Very interesting read.

Currently reading: Gone by Lisa Gardner

Currently Reading:

The Gravity of Birds by Tracy Guzeman

Finally finished "Hild"  - that audio sucker was 30 hours long!  At the end you find out that the author, Nicola Griffith, read the book herself!  It's based on a real character, but of course back in the 7th century, how many personal details could be known?  I was blown away with her mastery of four languages!  The one I didn't pick up was old Welsh.  She says she is writing the sequel.  I don't think I'll live that long.

On to "Silver Borne" by Patricia Briggs, a little less taxing.  Also, midway through "Dust and Light" by Carol Berg.  "Silver Borne" was like a mish-mash of 3 previous Briggs' books - nothing new, nothing interesting.  On to:  "Midnight Crossroad" by Charlaine Harris.

Judye

Chase:  James Patterson, Michael Ledwidge

Bullseye : James Patterson

I liked both of these.

In the Unlikely Event::  Judy Blume

Definitely different.

I Survived the Sinking of the Titanic, 1912 (I Survived, Bk 1): Lauren Tarshis

I will be waiting for more in this series for a short read.

Saturn Run: John Sandford, Cteinl

I skimmed through alot of the sci-fi technology.

Night School (Jack Reacher,: Lee Child

I liked this one, but just seemed a little too long.

Stepfather Bank:  David Poyer

Different, different...but I liked it.

My granddaughter and I read these books together.

Lindie Lobster, A Tale of Big Claws, Suzanne Tate

Crabby Swims Free:  Suzanne Tate

Bugs are best! : Ruth Thomas

Pal the Pony (All Aboard Reading-Level 1):  R. A. Herman

I am finally out of a light reading funk, and am about 5 chapters in to A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini.  I am hooked.  It is beautifully written, gentle yet deep and rich, and I know it's going to be heartbreaking.  Can't put it down.

Stupid work interruption!

One Summer: America, 1927 by Bill Bryson.

I just finished Regenesis by Alexander Fullerton.  An older book (Published 1983) but the message is still there.  Two submarines, one American and one Russian and one settlement of an Irish Girls Boarding school are the only surviving humans after nuclear holocaust. I actually think the book The Last Ship by William Wharton is a better read on lots of levels but Regenesis was interesting if you are into subs.

Just started The Forest of Harm by Sallie Bissell  and Slow Burn by Ace Atkins (Spenser series)

I think The Last Ship might have been written by William Brinkley. not William Wharton. Have you read something by Wharton lately to put him to mind? I read his book Birdy many, many years ago.

3 a.m. by Steven John. I like it so far ,  noirish with some end of world

Charles,   Thanks for the correction.  The whole time I was typing Wharton I was uncomfortable, but got interrupted and didn't fix it.  Yes, Brinkley wrote The Last Ship.  William Brinkley also wrote one of my all time favorite books that, in a way, saved my life:  Peeper.  It was a comedy that came into my hands at just the darkest right moment.  

About William Wharton tho, I have read his books twice over.  Loved Birdy, loved Dad, loved Scumbler.  The only one I haven't read is the polish one.  

Seedfolks by Paul Fleischman. Narrated beautifully by various.

The Delight of Being Ordinary by Roland Merullo.  (I'd read just anything he wrote!)

When We Were the Kennedys by Monica Wood.

Blue Heaven by C.J. Box.  This author is known for his Joe Pickett series.  This one is a standalone and pretty good so far.