Category Archives: secular titles

Sweet Romances!

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Here are a few sweet romances that I read recently. No, these novels are not inspirational, but, inspirational readers can enjoy these books without being offended.

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In Winner Takes All, Stephanie has had a childhood crush on Daniel for a long time! Stephanie is best friends with Daniel’s sister and when she wins the lottery, she has the brilliant idea of following Daniel to Peru, where he’s currently running a clinic. She offers a nice donation to help him to set up more clinics, however, he must agree to allow her to assist him with his medical mission. Daniel is drawn to Stephanie, but, he can’t get past that she’s nothing more to him than his kid sister’s friend. Daniel has to realize that she’s a grown woman – a grown woman who’s very much attracted to him.

I liked the international setting in this story. It was also enjoyable to read a book that shows what it’s like to live in a third world country with limited medical care.

 

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Her Lone Cowboy

When an injured war veteran, Caleb, purchases a ranch, he’s determined to shut himself away from others. He’s a loner, not wanting the pity of others when they see his scars. However, when Delaney moves next door, her son forces Caleb to befriend him. Caleb is also drawn to Delaney, for some reason. He’s attracted to her, but, he’s still haunted by his war experience. He’s not a healed man – his war experience has left him mentally and physically unstable and Delaney needs to ignore their shared attraction.

For unknown reasons, Delaney is drawn to her new neighbor. She befriends him, in spite of his determination to be a loner.

I enjoyed this book because the hero has deep, emotional scars that he needs to overcome. The story showed how war can affect a man’s life long after he’s left the battle scene. This novel also shows how tough it can be to be a single mom with no emotional support from the child’s father. Overall, a very good read.

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The Hardest Fight

Lucy broke up with Dylan five years ago. They come into contact again when she’s fighting to save her shelter for battered women. Dylan is stunned to see Lucy again. He’s never stopped loving her, and still doesn’t understand why she abruptly ended their relationship five years ago.

Lucy is stunned to see Dylan again. She still has deep feelings for him, but lashes out at him, wanting him to keep his distance from her. After all, she’s still attracted to him and she doesn’t want to re-ignite these old feelings. Unbeknownst to Dylan, Lucy suffered from a traumatic experience, an experience that forced her to end their relationship.

Out of the three heartwarming titles that I read, I enjoyed this one the most. Lucy had to overcome deep, emotional pain and it shows how hard it can be to allow someone who loves us to stand by our side when we’re suffering. Overall, an excellent read.

Here Comes Trouble

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Here Comes Trouble by Debbie Macomber

Have you (or someone that you know) ever dated a rich person? If so, did his/her wealth affect your relationship?

When Nolan Adams publishes a column about Maryanne, a spoiled and rich debutante, vivid sparks fly between the twosome. Maryanne does not want to be portrayed as a rich and pampered woman, although rich and pampered is her lifestyle. She lives in a pricey, high class apartment. Her father arranged for her to get a wonderful job at the newspaper. She’s always had everything handed to her on a silver platter, and she wants to prove to Nolan that she can work on her own, with no help from her family, and still make a living.

Trying to live life as a regular, non-wealthy person proves challenging. But, Maryanne is falling hard for Nolan, but, can Nolan let go of his past pains and learn to love Maryanne? Nolan has been raised with limited means, and he feels that Maryanne is out of his league. No way can he pursue her.

This was a nice sweet story. I’d thought from the cover (it’s part of the Glad Tidings collection), that it’d be more about Christmas. But the Christmas holiday is only mentioned briefly in the beginning and at the end.

So, have you (or someone that you know) ever dated someone who was wealthy? If so, how did it affect your relationship?

 

Here Comes Trouble by Debbie Macomber

The French For Christmas

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The French For Christmas

Have you ever suffered a deep, emotional pain, and then went away on a trip to try to help you cope with your pain?

This book was an enjoyable tale that’s set on the French countryside. Evie, living in London, is still not over the death of her infant daughter. Her husband has abandoned her, and he failed to be there for her when she needed him. Now, it appears her husband has moved on with his life while, a year later, next year’s Christmas, Evie still struggles with her grief.

Her life takes an interesting turn when her best friend loans her the use of their family cottage on the French countryside. During the Christmas season, Evie stays in the cottage and meets an interesting group of people, her neighbors, who live nearby. During her grieving year, Evie has lost her joy for life and cooking. Her joy of cooking is re-ignited while she stays in the cottage.

I really loved the way I was able to emotionally connect with the characters in this novel. You could really feel for them, feel their griefs, but, they’re strong people, and they learn to survive past pains.

I also loved reading about the food! I took French for four years in high school and during those four years, not only did we learn about the language, but, we learned a lot about French history and culture. A lot of my French Christmas cultural learning came back to me while reading this book! I might even make a yule log/buche de noel this Christmas!

So have you ever suffered a deep emotional pain and went away on a trip to help you cope? If so, where did you go?

 

A Single Breath by Lucy Clarke

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A Single Breath by Lucy Clarke

***Note, this is a secular title.

How would you feel if your husband/wife died, and then discovered he/she was hiding serious secrets about his/her life?

I really enjoyed this book…a lot! Eva is happily married to her husband Jackson, but, suddenly, Jackson is swept away by a strong oceanic wave while fishing…her husband is now dead, and now she must move forward with her life, alone. Eva is finding it hard to grieve by herself, she wants to bond with other people who really knew and loved Jackson.

Jackson has always been strangely silent about his past, and Eva has never met any of his relatives. Her life takes an interesting twist when she flies to Tasmania to meet Jackson’s father Dirk and his brother Saul. Both Dirk and Saul want Eva to leave Tasmania and return to England, but, Eva refuses. She desperately wants to find answers to her unanswered questions about Jackson’s life, and as the story unfolds, she discovers that her husband wasn’t the man he portrayed himself to be.

I enjoyed reading this book! I especially loved the way the author tapped into the reader’s senses. I really liked the descriptions of the scenery of the beaches of Tasmania. The underwater sea life sounded amazing, making me want to take a dive into the waters of the South Pacific!

I thought the story was gripping, making me turn the pages to see what happened next. I’d highly recommend this as a great read. I look forward to reading more books by this author.

So, how would you feel if your husband/wife died, and then discovered he/she was hiding secrets about his/her life?

311 Pelican Court – Book #3 – Cedar Cove Series by Debbie Macomber

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311 Pelican Court by Debbie Macomber

Have you ever been through a divorce? If you had children, how was custody handled?

This was book 3 in the famous Cedar Cove series. This novel focused on Zach and Rosie Cox. They get  a divorce and Judge Olivia makes an interesting custody agreement – instead of uprooting their children from their home, Zach and Rosie will need to share the house. Each parent must spend half of their week in the home, the other half in an apartment. This proves a weird arrangement and forces Zach and Rosie to re-think their marriage.

Zach and Rosie also have to deal with behavioral problems with their children.

Grace Sherman has a new love interest – Olivia’s brother (Will). She corresponds with Olivia’s brother over the internet, anxiously awaiting to meet him. She hears that he’s getting a divorce, so, possibly, she can begin dating him. A long-distance relationship, Grace finds herself anxious, addicted to her correspondence with Will. She also continues to sporadically date Cliff, an acquaintance who lives outside of town.

Mary Ellen struggles with single motherhood, locking Jon Bowman, the father of her baby, out of her life.

This series reminds me of a soap opera – a chaste soap opera. I enjoyed reading this book, and look forward to reading more novels in the Cedar Cove Series. I love the small town – the scenery and the characters are so realistic and they’re facing problems that many of us have suffered in our own lives.

Have you ever been through a divorce? If you had children, how was custody handled?

~Cecelia Dowdy~

204 Rosewood Lane – Cedar Cove Book #2

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204 Rosewood Lane PODCAST

This blog post is sponsored by Divine Desserts Publishing LLC. If you enjoy sweet chaste novels such as 204 Rosewood Lane then you must read Rocky Road Dreams by Cecelia Dowdy. Rocky Road Dreams is about Kyle, a lawyer who is an alcoholic who recently fell off the wagon. He’s now back on the wagon, wanting to straighten out his messed up life. He rents a beach house for Christmas – right across the street from Melanie, a woman he’s known since he was a child. When he and Melanie were kids, he had a big crush on her – but Melanie was always smitten with Kyle’s identical twin brother Keith.

Can a Christmas road trip, some homemade candy, and some soul searching bring these two young lovebirds together? Rocky Road Dreams has a hint of mystery, too. This story will become a Christmas favorite that you’ll want to read each year for the holidays. Tell your friends by sharing this blog post or my clicking on the link at the end. Now, let’s discuss 204 Rosewood Lane.

204 Rosewood Lane – This is book #2 in Debbie Macomber’s Cedar Cove Series.

Have you ever had a friend or loved one to be missing? What happened? Was he/she ever found?

This was a quick, fun read with an interesting cast of characters. The story of Grace Sherman is continued in this novel. Grace’s husband, Dan, has gone missing, after 35 years of marriage. Grace is convinced that Dan is having an affair – all of the evidence points to that fact. She wants to divorce him. However, she’s still legally married, and still emotionally attached to her husband. When Cliff, Grace’s new love interest, wants to date Grace, she hesitates, not sure if she’s ready to date.

To top it all off, her daughter Kelly is a new mom and her daughter Mary Ellen has been secretly dating. Mary Ellen’s quiet, single life is soon shattered when she meets a man to whom she’s attracted – Jon Bowman. Jon is a master chef and a great photographer.

You’ll also see Olivia, the judge from book one, and her love-interest, Jack. You’ll also get a glimpse of the lives of Olivia’s children. Plus, Olivia’s ex-husband is in the picture, too.

I enjoyed this book, but, it reads more like a script instead of a novel. There are a lot of characters, but, I had no problem keeping them straight in my mind.

Have you ever had a friend or loved one to be missing? What happened? Was he/she ever found?

The events in 204 Rosewood Lane are featured on The Hallmark Series Cedar Cove.

This blog post is sponsored by Divine Desserts Publishing LLC. If you enjoy sweet chaste novels such as 204 Rosewood Lane then you must read Rocky Road Dreams by Cecelia Dowdy. Rocky Road Dreams is about Kyle, a lawyer who is an alcoholic who recently fell off the wagon. He’s now back on the wagon, wanting to straighten out his messed up life. He rents a beach house for Christmas – right across the street from Melanie, a woman he’s known since he was a child. When he and Melanie were kids, he had a big crush on her – but Melanie was always smitten with Kyle’s identical twin brother Keith.

Can a Christmas road trip, some homemade candy, and some soul searching bring these two young lovebirds together? Rocky Road Dreams has a hint of mystery, too. This story will become a Christmas favorite that you’ll want to read each year for the holidays. Tell your friends by sharing this blog post or my clicking on the link at the end.

16 Lighthouse Road by Debbie Macomber – Book #1 – Cedar Cove Series

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16 Lighthouse Road by Debbie Macomber

Do you/have you had a loved one in the military? How has the military affected your life?

16 Lighthouse Road is book #1 in the famous Cedar Cove series. Cedar Cove series is a secular series, and I chose to read these books because so many people have been gushing about how wonderful the Cedar Cove series is on the Hallmark Channel. I have not seen the TV series, though.

Cecilia and Ian Randall have not even been married for a year. During that time, they’ve been mostly separated because of Ian’s Navy duties. Cecilia gave birth their baby daughter, who died, and Ian was not there to help her through her grief. Due to no fault of his own, Ian didn’t know about the premature birth and death of their baby, but Cecilia blames him for not supporting her. Now, Cecilia wants to divorce him.

Judge Olivia Lockhart has been divorced for fifteen years, and she’s falling for Jack, the new newspaper editor. He’s funny and thoughtful, but, she finds that Jack is somewhat secretive. Olivia has a son who drowned several years ago and she still thinks about his all the time. She’s also worried about her 28-year-old daughter, Justine, who is dating a rich man who is ten years her senior.

There’s also Charlotte, Olivia’s mother. Charlotte is active in the senior citizen’s group and she befriends a kind, mysterious man named Tom. Tom has some shocking secrets about his past.

There’s Grace, Olivia’s best friend. Grace and her husband, Dan, are having marital problems. Why is Dan so distant? Does he no longer love her?

This was an interesting book with a large cast of characters. I noticed the military played a big role in the story. Military duties greatly affected Cecilia and Ian’s lives, making you wonder if the commanders in the military are fit to make familial decisions for their subordinates.

I enjoyed reading about all of the characters and I can understand why this was made into a series. The story was told by at least six points of view, which made it interesting. The few times I’ve read novels with this many POVs, I usually had a hard time keeping the people straight. But, I didn’t have that problem with this novel.

I enjoyed the Cedar Cove setting because it was refreshing. Cedar Cove is a small waterfront town and many of the inhabitants know one another. I enjoy reading small town stories where people care about one another.

Do you/have you had a loved one in the military? How has the military affected your life?

Like Cedar Cove? Read The Candy Beach Series! Fresh, chaste, emotional romance novels that you will always remember. On Kindle & KU!

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~Cecelia Dowdy~

– See more at: http://ceceliadowdy.com/blog/#sthash.fj1Fuo7y.dpuf

All I Want For Christmas Is You – A Secular Romance

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***Free secular Kindle book!

All I Want For Christmas by Lisa Mondello

Have you ever been abandoned by your family?

Lauren’s six-year-old daughter (Kristen) asks Santa for a Christmas present – a daddy. When the millionaire/mall-owner, Kyle – dressed as Santa, spots Lauren for the first time – he’s smitten. He attempts to assist stubborn, proud, Lauren when her car breaks down – but she refuses his help. After all, she’s been alone since her parents tossed her out of their home when she got pregnant in high school. Alone since then, she’s learned to make it on her own, and she doesn’t have the time or desire to get involved with Kyle. It doesn’t matter that Kyle is good-looking, thoughtful, and gets along great with her daughter.

Although Lauren resists his attention, Kyle doesn’t give up. Realizing that Lauren was abandoned as a teen, Kyle can relate to that feeling because he’s been abandoned too.

This book was heartwarming, and shows how two broken people attempt to overcome obstacles before they’re free to love one another.

Have you ever felt abandoned by your family? What happened? Did you ever resolve your differences?

 

 

 

The Christmas Basket by Debbie Macomber

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The Christmas Basket by Debbie Macomber

Have you ever had a long-term feud with your best friend?

If so, how long were you mad at each other? What was the feud about? Did the two of you ever make up?

When Sarah McDowell visits the exclusive women’s country club in town, she has a mission. She must reserve the club for her daughter, Kristin’s, wedding. She’s hoping she doesn’t run into her worst enemy for the last 20 years, Mary Sutton. Long ago, Sarah was a real estate agent. She borrowed her best friend’s, Mary’s, family heirloom tea set to supposedly display at a house she was showing. However, Sarah lies to Mary, the silver tea set was not used for Sarah’s showing, but, for a showing for one of Sarah’s co-workers. The tea set is stolen, and Mary has never forgiven Sarah for lying to her and mishandling her tea set.

Sarah has high hopes for her daughter’s wedding, but, when she’s told that she can’t use the country club, unless she does community service with Mary, making Christmas baskets for the needy, she gets highly upset!!

Sarah’s daughter, Noelle, was Mary’s son (Thom’s) high school sweetheart. Part of the reason Thom and Noelle broke up was because of the family feud between their mothers. Now, about ten years after that nasty breakup, Noelle is back in Rose (her hometown). It was too painful for her to return to Rose after Thom stood her up the night they were supposed to elope.

It’s Christmas, and Noelle is finally going to be spending the holiday with her family…the only problem is, the first person she runs into is Thom. Can they work through the past and heal from their pain? Thom was hurt, too, that awful night and he finds it hard to forgive Noelle for all that’s happened.

This story was extremely light Christmas reading. It was sort of pleasant, but, very predictable. I found it hard to read about the hostile animosity between Mary and Sarah. The two women were so immature that they acted like children. Acting like that for twenty years would wear me down…I’d think I’d get tired of it after awhile. I’d probably end up moving away (to avoid my enemy), or, risk having a heart attack!

I enjoyed reading the story, and I also loved the nice, whimsical Christmas atmosphere.

Many thanks to Harlequin MIRA for providing me a free review copy through Net Galley.

So, have you ever had a long-term feud with your best friend?

If so, how long were you mad at each other? What was the feud about? Did the two of you ever make up?

I feel that lots of relationships – friendships and family relationships – are ruined because of money.

What kinds of things do you think ruins friendships and relationships?

The Snow Bride by Debbie Macomber

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The Snow Bride by Debbie Macomber

Have you ever dated somebody you met on the internet? If so, what happened?

Jenna is a nice practical gal. She’s works hard for her boss as a secretary – she’s also in love with her boss. However, her boss doesn’t share the same feelings for her. He only thinks of Jenna as his faithful, reliable, conscientious secretary. Jenna takes matters into her hands – she meets Dalton Gray on the internet in a poetry chat room. She ends up quitting her job, traveling to Alaska to meet Dalton, but, when he doesn’t show up at their appointed time, she panics, and ends up traveling elsewhere with a man named Reid.

I didn’t like this book as much as Macomber’s other books. It may be because it was written ten years ago, and perhaps Macomber’s stories changed drastically over the last decade. I kinda felt that it was a watered down version of her recent release, Starry Night. I loved Starry Night! The Snow Bride had the following similarities to Starry Night:

The hero’s name in Starry Night was Finn Dalton. The guy whom Jenna meets from the internet in The Snow Bride is Dalton Gray.

The setting of Alaska was used.

Bush pilot was used.

The hero in the Snow Bride, Reid, has trouble trusting women since he was abandoned by his mom when he was little. Finn in Starry Night has a similar hang-up.

Reid and Jenna were stranded in his cabin because of a snowstorm, just like Finn and Carrie were stranded in Starry Night.

Jenna and Reid pass the time away by playing cribbage and talking about their hang-ups – just like Carrie and Finn.

Those are just a few of the similarities, but I’m sure I noticed others. One thing I thought was kinda weird – the town where Reid lives, Snowbound, only has a population of six people?? There’s only one woman in the town, Reid’s sister, Lucy. Lucy is pregnant and she flies to Fairbanks each month to do womanly things. I just couldn’t imagine a town like that existing in modern times? It sounded more like a historical setting? This six-person town had a diner and a general store. I just wondered if such towns really existed in Alaska? I’ll need to Google it and see!

So, have you ever dated somebody you met on the internet? If so, what happened?