First Line Fridays: Road to Rosewood by Ashtyn Newbold

Happy Friday!

First Line Fridays is hosted by Hoarding Books and participants share the first line from a nearby book.

Today, I'm sharing the first line from Road to Rosewood by Ashtyn Newbold.

"'I thought you would be better at piquet,' I said, raising my eyes above a perfectly fanned hand of cards.."

Road to Rosewood was my first novel by Ashtyn Newbold and I'm eager to read more of her work. You can read my review here.

What are you reading this weekend? I'd love for you to share your book's first line!

Happy reading!

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About the Book:

Growing up in a dreary coastal town, Lucy Abbot has secretly dreamt of a perfect and exciting romance, missing the childhood summers spent in the countryside with her cousins and their charming neighbor, Nicholas. After Lucy learns that Nicholas has been married in the six years of her absence, she is heartbroken and more determined than ever to move beyond her past and claim her independence.

Lonely and confined, Lucy grasps an opportunity to return to the estate of Rosewood at her cousin’s invitation, hoping the escape will lift her spirits, keeping her departure secret from her protective parents.

But just as her journey is finally underway, her carriage is besieged by highwaymen with a familiar man leading them. Struggling through past heartbreak and fearing for her life in the present, Lucy can’t help but wonder—could this mysterious outlaw be exactly the person she has been searching for?

First Line Fridays: Halstead House by Aspen Hadley

Happy Friday!

First Line Fridays is hosted by Hoarding Books and participants share the first line from a nearby book.

Today, I'm sharing the first line from Halstead House by Aspen Hadley.

"It was the candles that did it."

Although I have ALL of Aspen Hadley's books, her new release, Halstead House, will be the first one I've actually read by her.  I'm looking forward to it!

What are you reading this weekend? I'd love for you to share your book's first line!

Happy reading!

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About the Book:

Grace Natalie Burke was named after her mother's two favorite actresses, but the only thing they have in common is the ability to put on a good show. Growing up under an iron thumb, she's never gone off script, yet as she stares at the candles on her twenty-fifth birthday, she determines to reach for more.

Terrified but hopeful, Grace buys a one-way airline ticket to Lavender Island in order to visit Halstead House, the once upon a time home of the only person Grace had ever been safe with, her honorary grandmother Mary.

When Grace arrives on the island she's immediately caught up in the warmth-filled life she'd always imagined.

What she hadn't imagined, however, was John Lucas Halstead or the feelings he would stir in her – especially when he’ll do anything to keep her at arms length.

Just as Grace is finding her feet, her mother arrives on the island uninvited, forcing Grace to decide where she’ll stand once and for all. Is it finally time to rip up the script? Or will she accept her role and return?

Only Grace can decide.

First Line Fridays: A Companion for the Count by Sally Britton

Happy Friday!

First Line Fridays is hosted by Hoarding Books and participants share the first line from a nearby book.

Today, I'm sharing the first line from A Companion for the Count by Sally Britton.

"Clairvoir Castle, the Duke of Montfort's estate, housed over thirty servants, eight members of the duke's family, a governess, and Emma Arlen -- who really did not fit in any of the other categories of occupants."

A Companion for the Count will be my first novel by Sally Britton and I'm looking forward to it!

What are you reading this weekend? I'd love for you to share your book's first line!

Happy reading!

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About the Book:


Miss Emma Arlen’s position as a companion never included distracting her mistress’s suitors, but when a handsome Italian ambassador arrives determined to find an English bride, Emma happily takes up the cause.

Emma Arlen has spent a decade as a member of the duke’s family, in the position of companion to his daughter and ward to the duke himself. She would do anything to show her support to the ducal family for their love and kindness. When Lady Josephine begs Emma to distract a most determined Sicilian suitor, she agrees at once. How hard can it be to keep one man entertained for a few weeks?

Luca, the Conte di Atella, left his home in the newly formed Kingdom of the Two Sicilies under the direct orders of King Ferdinand I. Luca’s duty as ambassador to England includes everything from negotiating better trade agreements to strengthening the bonds between the two nations. If possible, by marrying a lady of high birth. When he optimistically sets his sights on Lady Elinor, Miss Arlen consistently disrupts his plans. The more time that passes, the more he realizes he does not mind at all.

Continually in the conte’s company, Emma recognizes in him a spirit of adventure and nobility like she has never witnessed before. When the time comes for him to go, will she be able to part with him and keep her heart intact?

As the second stand-alone novel in a new series by author Sally Britton, this story continues the Clairvoir Castle romances. This is a light-hearted, romantic series set in the Regency period.

First Line Fridays: Pearl's Promise by Edwina Kiernan

Happy Friday!

First Line Fridays is hosted by Hoarding Books and participants share the first line from a nearby book.

Today, I'm sharing the first line from Pearl's Promise by Edwina Kiernan.

"Mr. Stratton is married? And to a woman of ill repute!"

Sounds like a tense moment, doesn't it? This one is in my tbr for this month or the next.

What are you reading this weekend? I'd love for you to share your book's first line!

Happy reading!

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About the Book:

A duty-bound heir. A dejected spinster.
An encounter that could ruin both their families’ demands for their futures…

Pearl Acton’s worst fears are coming true. She’ll be trapped in a loveless marriage—just like her parents—as her family seeks to quickly marry her off to the wealthy Mr. Clarence. Until an encounter with a quiet and soulful heir sparks a fragile hope that somehow Pearl might aid her family and marry for love.

Nicholas Dalton has always been a disappointment to his father, with his poetic soul and disorganised nature. In London for the season, Nicholas finds an instant connection with Pearl, but it would seem her future is promised to another. Or might she feel the same as he?

As Pearl and Nicholas each strive to uphold their family duties, they soon discover that things aren’t quite what they seem. But is it too late to escape their crushing obligations and forge a new path — together?

First Line Fridays: Is It Any Wonder by Courtney Walsh

Happy Friday!

First Line Fridays is hosted by Hoarding Books and participants share the first line from a nearby book.

Today, I'm sharing the first line from Is It Any Wonder by Courtney Walsh.

"This wasn't supposed to happen."

I absolutely loved Is It Any Wonder when I read it last month. It was the first novel I read by Courtney Walsh and now I want to read all her books. If you aren't familiar with this novel, check out the book blurb below or read an excerpt on the publisher's website. My book review is also available.

What are you reading this weekend? I'd love for you to share your book's first line! 

Happy reading!

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About the Book:

Twelve years ago, Cody Boggs and Louisa Chambers made a pact that no matter where their lives took them, they’d return to Nantucket Island’s Brant Point Lighthouse on July 30, their shared golden birthday, and continue their tradition of exchanging birthday wishes. But that was before a tragic accident upended both of their lives, irrevocably pulling them apart.

Their worlds collide just months before that particular day when Louisa’s fledgling event planning company is hired by the local Coast Guard station, where she discovers Cody has recently returned to the island as the second in command. As they plan a regatta fundraiser, hoping to promote positive PR in the community, neither can deny the fireworks each encounter ignites. But working together also brings up memories of the day Cody’s father died, revealing secrets that have Cody and Louisa questioning everything they thought they knew and felt about their families and each other.

First Line Fridays: Come Back to Me by Jody Hedlund

Happy Friday!

First Line Fridays is hosted by Hoarding Books and participants share the first line from a nearby book.

Today, I'm sharing the first line from Come Back to Me by Jody Hedlund.

"Your father is in a coma."

Come Back to Me just released on Tuesday and my review is in process. For now, check out the book blurb below or read an excerpt on the publisher's website.

What are you reading this weekend? I'd love for you to share your book's first line!

Happy reading!

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About the Book:

The ultimate cure that could heal any disease? Crazy.

That's exactly what research scientist Marian Creighton has always believed about her father's quest, even if it does stem from a desire to save her sister Ellen from the genetic disease that stole their mother from them. But when her father falls into a coma after drinking a vial of holy water believed to contain traces of residue from the Tree of Life, Marian must question all of her assumptions. He's left behind tantalizing clues that suggest he's crossed back in time. Insane. Until Marian tests his theories and finds herself in the Middle Ages during a dangerous peasant uprising.

William Durham, a valiant knight comes to Marian's rescue and offers her protection . . . as his wife. The longer Marian stays in the past, the more she cares about William. Can she ever find her father and make it back to the present to heal her sister? And when the time comes to leave, will she want to?

Bestselling author Jody Hedlund is your guide down the twisting waters of time to a volatile era of superstition, revolts, and chivalry in this suspenseful story.

First Line Fridays: A Captain for Caroline Gray by Julie Wright

Happy Friday!

First Line Fridays is hosted by Hoarding Books and participants share the first line from a nearby book.

Today, I'm sharing the first line from A Captain for Caroline Gray by Julie Wright.

"The ball had been a disaster."

Have you read A Captain for Caroline Gray? If not, check out the book blurb below and read my review here.

What are you reading this weekend? I'd love for you to share your book's first line!

Happy reading!

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About the Book:

Caroline Gray would rather be daring and intelligent than demure and insipid, which is why she is still unmatched after her third season in London. Her family’s threadbare finances leave Caroline with only one choice to secure her future: sail with the Fishing Fleet to India, where the son of a family friend is willing to consider an engagement to her.

Captain Thomas Scott loves the open sea as much as he despises the three-month, twice-yearly trip his ship makes as he ferries young English girls across the ocean. He can’t imagine what family would allow an innocent young woman to be matched up with the Englishmen of questionable reputation who work and live in India.

But when Miss Gray boards the HMS Persistence, all of Captain Scott’s plans are upended. Miss Gray’s fiery spirit can’t be contained, and he is shocked and secretly delighted at her boldness—and her beauty. But the rest of his passengers aren’t so kind.

Caroline finds herself an outcast among her peers, but Captain Scott becomes an unlikely ally. They share the same passions and interests, creating an undeniable attraction. But they both know any relationship between them is impossible. After all, Caroline has obligations to fulfill in India.

Caroline has until the end of the voyage to decide if she is going to marry a man she has never met or be brave enough to love a sea captain who just might break her heart.

First Line Fridays: The Nature of a Lady by Roseanna M. White

Happy Friday!

First Line Fridays is hosted by Hoarding Books and participants share the first line from a nearby book.

Today, I'm sharing the first line from The Nature of a Lady by Roseanna M. White.

"He was a prince at sea. That's what John Mucknell shouted whenever battle was upon him."

The Nature of a Lady released earlier this month. I can't wait to read it!

What are you reading this weekend? I'd love for you to share your book's first line!

Happy reading!

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About the Book:

1906

Lady Elizabeth "Libby" Sinclair, with her love of microscopes and nature, isn't favored in society. She flees to the beautiful Isles of Scilly for the summer and stumbles onto the dangerous secrets left behind by her holiday cottage's former occupant, also named Elizabeth, who mysteriously vanished.

Oliver Tremayne--gentleman and clergyman--is determined to discover what happened to his sister, with the help of the girl now living in what should have been Beth's summer cottage . . . especially when he realizes it's the curious young lady he met briefly two years ago, who shares his love of botany and biology. But the hunt for his sister involves far more than nature walks, and he can't quite believe all the secrets Beth had been keeping from him.

As Libby and Oliver work together, they uncover ancient legends, pirate wrecks, betrayal, and the most mysterious phenomenon of all: love.

First Line Fridays: Let It Be Me by Becky Wade

Happy Friday!

First Line Fridays is hosted by Hoarding Books and participants share the first line from a nearby book.

Today, I'm sharing the first line from Let It Be Me by Becky Wade.

"Mom and Dad are not my biological parents."

Have you read Let It Be Me? If not, check out the book blurb below and read my review here.

What are you reading this weekend? I'd love for you to share your book's first line!

Happy reading!

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About the Book:

The one woman he wants is the one he cannot have.

Former foster kid Sebastian Grant has leveraged his intelligence and hard work to become a pediatric heart surgeon. But not even his career success can erase the void he's tried so hard to fill. Then he meets high school teacher Leah Montgomery and his fast-spinning world comes to a sudden stop. He falls hard, only to make a devastating discovery--Leah is the woman his best friend set his heart on months before.

Leah's a math prodigy who's only ever had one big dream--to earn her PhD. Raising her little brother put that dream on hold. Now that her brother will soon be college bound, she's not going to let anything stand in her way. Especially romance . . . which is far less dependable than algebra.

When Leah receives surprising results from the DNA test she submitted to a genealogy site, she solicits Sebastian's help. Together, they comb through hospital records to uncover the secrets of her history. The more powerfully they're drawn to each other, the more strongly Sebastian must resist, and the more Leah must admit that some things in life--like love--can't be explained with numbers.

First Line Fridays: A Stage for Harriet by Mary-Celeste Ricks

Happy Friday!

First Line Fridays is hosted by Hoarding Books and participants share the first line from a nearby book.

Today, I'm sharing the first line from A Stage for Harriet by Mary-Celeste Ricks.

"Virginia wrestled the carriage window open and took a gasping breath of fresh air."

Have you read A Stage for Harriet? If not, check out the book blurb below. As it happens, this novel is currently sitting in my TBR stack, but I look forward to reading it soon.

What are you reading this weekend? I'd love for you to share your book's first line!

Happy reading!

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About the Book:

When farmer's daughter Harriet Shore flees her small seaside town to accept a position as a governess in London, attending lavish balls and parties is the last thing on her mind. She long ago gave up her childish notion of acting, but when the Duchess of Dorset notices Harriet's uncanny resemblance to her own daughter, Virginia, the duchess offers Harriet the role of a lifetime.

Befriending and impersonating Virginia is easy enough at first, but Harriet's double life quickly becomes complicated. When her childhood sweetheart, Stephan Grimsby, arrives on the scene, along with some unwanted suitors, the entire charade threatens to unravel.

If Harriet maintains the illusion and pleases the duchess, her dreamed-of happy ending would be within reach, but her new friend Virginia might suffer a terrible fate.

First Line Fridays: When We Blinked by Stephanie Mack

Happy Friday!

First Line Fridays is hosted by Hoarding Books and participants share the first line from a nearby book.

Today, I'm sharing the first line from When We Blinked by Stephanie Mack.

"I tapped the toe of my nude suede pump on the elevator floor, willing us to move faster."

Have you read When We Blinked? I finished it last weekend and my review will come soon.

What are you reading this weekend? I'd love for you to share your book's first line!

Happy reading!

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About the Book:

Newly split from her husband and college sweetheart, Seraphina Jones has returned to work after four years as a stay-at-home mom. She loves her job at prestigious Hamilton Hotels & Resorts, but her transition from play dates to pencil skirts is proving wobbly at best.

Encouraged to rediscover her romantic side, Sera agrees to try hot new dating app Blinde, aimed at millennials tired of swipe culture. The differentiator? Blinde doesn’t allow any pictures. Instead, the wildly popular platform fosters connections through meaningful conversations, inviting the age-old question: Is true love actually blind?

Sera soon finds herself freshly confident, succeeding at work, and smitten by not one, but several men: gorgeous heir to the Hamilton throne, Graham Hamilton; irresistible dark horse Jack, slowly winning her heart via Blinde; and Connor, her ex, the only man she’s ever loved.

But even though Sera thinks she’s juggling three different suitors—the truth is, there are only two. Unbeknownst to Sera, Connor is posing as invisible hottie Jack, secretly allowing her to get to know him all over again, as if for the very first time. Could love at second sight change everything for Sera and Connor? Or will she want a clean slate with dreamy Graham?

Set against the backdrops of sunny Southern California and the whimsical Wyoming mountains, When We Blinked provides a timely, unforgettable portrait of modern love—the mistakes that shape us, the ties that bind us, and the grace that can make us new.

First Line Fridays: The Audacious Miss Eliza by Laura Rollins

Happy Friday!

First Line Fridays is hosted by Hoarding Books and participants share the first line from a nearby book.

Today, I'm sharing the first line from The Audacious Miss Eliza by Laura Rollins.

"His horse was tense, and it set Mr. Seth Mulgrave's teeth on edge."

The Audacious Miss Eliza released earlier this month. I can't wait to read it!

What are you reading this weekend? I'd love for you to share your book's first line!

Happy reading!

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About the Book:

As it turns out, a London Season is the worst place to find love.

Eliza Mulgrave never expected to make her bows to society. Yet here she is, dancing at Almacks and riding through Hyde Park. It would be perfectly delightful if it weren’t for the whispers and scornful glances. She certainly never sought to quit her place in society as a tradesman’s daughter. At least then she had known who she was and how to act; now, she’s completely lost.

Adam Lambert has been raised to be a viscount and though the time has come sooner than expected he is confident stepping into this new life. Until he meets his Father’s best kept secret—a little girl. And now she’s Adam’s responsibility. Surely someone ought to have told him about her before now.

After stumbling through an initial meeting, Adam and Eliza both find in the other what they most need this Season—a sincere friend. But society is not often willing to grant two people room to learn for themselves who to be, or who to love.

As the first stand-alone novel in a new series by author Laura Rollins, The Audacious Miss Eliza begins the Daughters of Courage series. This charming story is a light-hearted, clean and wholesome romance set in the Regency era.

First Line Fridays: Falling for Your Fake Fiance by Emma St. Clair

Happy Friday!

First Line Fridays is hosted by Hoarding Books and participants share the first line from a nearby book.

Today, I'm sharing the first line from Falling for Your Fake Fiancé by Emma St. Claire.

"'Go over it again,'  I demand, leaning my elbows on my massive mahogany desk."

Have you read Falling for Your Fake Fiancé by Emma St. Claire? This book just arrived a few days ago, so it's sitting on my tbr shelf, patiently waiting for it's turn... 🙃

What are you reading this weekend? I'd love for you to share your book's first line!

Happy reading!

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About the Book:

What happens when the man I love to hate becomes the man I must pretend to love?

I can’t seem to escape Thayden Walker and his infuriating charm.

Even his mother and his Great Dane seem bent on playing matchmaker.

But I’m totally immune.

Until I'm presented with an offer that puts my ability to withstand him to the test.

If I marry Thayden, all my student debt goes poof, and he'll take over the family firm.

There’s so much more at stake than money or a job, especially when I start to see the man beneath the mask.

Playing house with Thayden is the most dangerous game of all.

And we’re both set up to lose more than we could ever win.

Unless we’ve been on the same side all along ...

First Line Fridays: Roots of Wood and Stone by Amanda Wen

Happy Friday!

First Line Fridays is hosted by Hoarding Books and participants share the first line from a nearby book.

Today, I'm sharing the first line from Roots of Wood and Stone by Amanda Wen.

"Sloane Kelley stood in the lobby of the Sedgwick County Museum of History, the thick buffalo robe hanging warm and heavy on her arms."

Have you read Roots of Wood and Stone?

What are you reading this weekend? I'd love for you to share your book's first line!

Happy reading!

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About the Book:

This historic home holds the keys to their destiny . . . and their hearts

Abandoned at birth, her family roots a mystery, historical museum curator Sloane Kelley has dedicated her life to making sure others know theirs. When a donor drops off a dusty old satchel, she doesn't expect much from the common artifact . . .until she finds real treasure inside: a nineteenth-century diary. Now she's on the hunt to find out more.

Garrett Anderson just wanted to clean out his grandmother's historic but tumbledown farmhouse before selling it to fund her medical care. With her advancing Alzheimer's, he can't afford to be sentimental about the family home. But his carefully ordered plan runs up against two formidable obstacles: Sloane, who's fallen in love with both the diaries and the house, and his own heart, which is irresistibly drawn to Sloane.

A century and a half earlier, motherless Annabelle Collins embarks with her aunt and uncle on the adventure of a lifetime: settling the prairies of Sedgwick County, Kansas. The diaries she left behind paint a portrait of life, loss, and love--and a God who faithfully carries her through it all. Paging through the diaries together takes Sloane and Garrett on a journey they never could have planned, which will change them in ways they never imagined.

This warm, beautifully written split-time novel will resonate with readers looking for stories that reveal the beauty of God's plan for our lives, and how our actions ripple for generations.

First Line Fridays: The Piano Teacher by Kristie Self

Happy Friday!

First Line Fridays is hosted by Hoarding Books and participants share the first line from a nearby book.

Today, I'm sharing the first lines from The Piano Teacher by Kristie Self.

"The darkness lay heavy that night, unbroken by any slivers of moonlight."

Have you read The Piano Teacher? 

What are you reading this weekend? I'd love for you to share your book's first line!

Happy reading!

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About the Book:

She longs to escape a dreadful secret from her past, but can she ever run far enough to truly forget?

Melody Creston is left penniless following the death of her father. Desperate to escape the threat of an unwanted and dangerous marriage, she flees to the small village of Roderick Glen in the English countryside to begin life anew as a pianoforte teacher. She is hired to teach the daughter of the Earl of Rockingham and soon falls in love with the quaint village and its quirky residents. Despite her newfound freedom, she is haunted by the secrets of her past, as well as the constant fear that she will be discovered and forced to return to London.

Lord Henry Roderick is the younger son of the Earl of Rockingham and has no desire to obey his father’s wishes and help his brother attend to their family’s estate, Cheswick Park. Carefree and fun-loving, his reputation as a scoundrel often hides the true nature of his heart. Upon meeting Melody, he is instantly captivated by the beautiful piano teacher, and is determined to do whatever it takes to win her heart and become the man she needs.

Melody is intrigued by Henry and encourages him to follow his own path as he searches for his purpose in life. Shy and reserved, she is reluctant to admit her feelings for him, but as they grow closer, he begins to break through the barriers of fear and mistrust that surround her heart. As their love deepens, she becomes increasingly afraid of what will happen when he learns the truth of her turbulent past. Can love forgive a secret hidden in the shadows when it is exposed to the light of day?

Brimming with laughter, love, emotion, and heart, this first book in The Ladies of Roderick Glen series introduces us to the citizens of Roderick Glen as they follow their dreams and discover that one’s heart is always happiest near the friendly faces of home.

First Line Fridays: Suitors for the Proper Miss by Jen Geigle Johnson

Happy Friday!

First Line Fridays is hosted by Hoarding Books and participants share the first line from a nearby book.

Today, I'm sharing the first lines from Suitors for the Proper Miss by Jen Geigle Johnson.

"The path between the castle where Miss Lucy Standish lived and the stables was long and windy and well-travelled by herself."

Have you read Suitors for the Proper Miss? If not, check out the book blurb below and read my review.

What are you reading this weekend? I'd love for you to share your book's first line!

Happy reading!

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About the Book:

She wants to marry a Lord, as Lordly and titled as possible. He wants nothing more to do with her than saddle her horses.

Miss Lucy Standish has wanted to marry a future duke for as long as she could remember. Days in the cold, with little coal for their small cottage and little to eat, she would dream of the days she saved all her sisters with a marriage to a man of such elevated title that they would never be poor again, that her children and their children forever would be cared for.

Mr. Conor Sullivan has never overstepped the lines of propriety. He does everything he can to treat Miss Lucy with respect. But his heart is overcome with love for the middle Standish sister, and he assumes he will spend his dying breath still wishing she were his.

But fortune changes for the Sullivan family. With new attention from the crown and past family secrets revealed, a path opens that just might mean happiness for Lucy and Conor. But will they be bold enough to seize the opportunity when it comes?

Read book Four in the Lords for the Sisters of Sussex Series for a hefty dose of delicious family relationships, Jane Austin type fun, and a delicious forbidden romance.

Lily and Alec are thrown together when a series of mysterious events threatens to ruin the future of Kinclavoch. Can they put aside their differences to find the culprit before it’s too late, or will their greatest distraction be falling in love?

First Line Fridays: Beauty Among Ruins by J'nell Ciesielski

 

Happy Friday!

First Line Fridays is hosted by Hoarding Books and participants share the first line from a nearby book.

Today, I'm sharing the first lines from Beauty Among Ruins by J'nell Ciesielski.

"Creeping through the back door, Lily Durham slipped across the black-and-white tiled kitchen and checked the hallway before scurrying up the stairs to the main floor."

Have you read Beauty Among Ruins? I loved J'nell's prior novel, The Socialite, and I'm looking forward to reading this one!

What are you reading this weekend? I'd love for you to share your book's first line!

Happy reading!

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About the Book:

In Ciesielski’s latest sweeping romance, an American heiress finds herself in Scotland amid the fallout of the Great War, and a wounded Scottish laird comes face-to-face with his past and a woman he never could have expected.

American socialite Lily Durham is known for enjoying one moment to the next, with little regard for the consequences of her actions. But just as she is banished overseas to England as a “cure” for her frivolous ways, the Great War breaks out and wreaks havoc. She joins her cousin in nursing the wounded at a convalescent home deep in the wilds of Scotland at a crumbling castle where its laird is less than welcoming.

Alec MacGregor has given his entire life to preserving his home of Kinclavoch Castle, but mounting debts force him to sell off his family history bit by bit. Labeled a coward for not joining his countrymen in the trenches due to an old injury, he opens his home to the Tommies to make recompense while he keeps to the shadows. But his preference for the shadows is shattered when a new American nurse comes streaming into the castle on a burst of light.

Lily and Alec are thrown together when a series of mysterious events threatens to ruin the future of Kinclavoch. Can they put aside their differences to find the culprit before it’s too late, or will their greatest distraction be falling in love?

First Line Fridays: The Prince of Spies by Elizabeth Camden

Happy Friday! 

First Line Fridays is hosted by Hoarding Books and participants share the first line from a nearby book.

Today, I'm sharing the first lines from The Prince of Spies by Elizabeth Camden.

"Marianne ventured farther onto the frozen river despite the people warning her against it."

Have you read The Prince of Spies? 📖 It just released earlier this month. I'm planning to read it in a few months with my local book club!

What are you reading this weekend? I'd love for you to share your book's first line!

Happy reading!

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About the Book:

Luke Delacroix has long had a reputation of being an impulsive adventurer, the wild son of one of Gilded Age Washington's most prominent families. In reality, he has been secretly carrying out an ambitious agenda in Congress. His current mission: to thwart the reelection of Congressman Clyde Magruder, his only real enemy in the world.

Trouble begins when Luke meets Marianne Magruder, the congressman's only daughter. Luke is fascinated by the vibrant Marianne and her daring work as a government photographer, leading them into a forbidden romance. Now they must embark on a dangerous gamble to reconcile their growing feelings with Luke's driving passion for vital reforms in Congress.

Can their newfound love survive a political firestorm, or will three generations of family rivalry drive them apart forever?

First Line Fridays: Of Sword and Shadow by A. L. Sowards

Happy Friday! 

First Line Fridays is hosted by Hoarding Books and participants share the first line from a nearby book.

Today, I'm sharing the first lines from Of Sword and Shadow by A. L. Sowards.

"I don't remember the name my mother gave me. Nor can I recall each of the hundreds of names I've used since."

Have you read Of Sword and Shadow? 📖 It just released earlier this month. Check out the book blurb below and read my review. 

What are you reading this weekend? I'd love for you to share your book's first line!

Happy reading!

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About the Book:

Greece, 1379

She is known by many names, none of them her own. In truth, she is an unnamed slave, nothing more than a weapon in the hands of her owner in his attempts to provoke political mayhem. When she encounters a handsome young man while on an assignment, she thinks little of him—until he attempts to take what she has stolen. But in her line of work, failure is not an option.

Gillen is intrigued by the mysterious woman who thwarts his mission. But when his path crosses hers again, his intrigue turns to gratitude as the thief he comes to call Eudocia saves his life. The two form a bond of friendship and join forces to wrest control from a group of ruthless rulers. But as their camaraderie blossoms into something more, Gillen and Eudocia must fight for love even as they wage war for a better future.

First Line Fridays: A Dance in Donegal by Jennifer Deibel

Happy Friday! 

First Line Fridays is hosted by Hoarding Books and participants share the first line from a nearby book.

Today, I'm sharing the first line from A Dance in Donegal by Jennifer Deibel.

"The grandfather clock downstairs chimed the hour, its clangs all too reminiscent of the funeral bells presiding over Mother's service just yesterday morning."

Have you read A Dance in Donegal? 📖 It just released earlier this month. I'm hoping to read it soon!

What are you reading this weekend? I'd love for you to share your book's first line!

Happy reading!

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About the Book:

All her life, Boston-born Moira Doherty has relished her mother's descriptions of the Emerald Isle. When her mother dies unexpectedly in the summer of 1920, Moira is compelled to fulfill her dying wish--that she become the teacher in Ballymann, the beloved village in Donegal, Ireland, she's heard so much about.

After an arduous voyage, Moira begins a challenging new job in an unfamiliar and ancient country. Though a few locals offer a warm welcome, others are distanced by superstition and suspicion. Rumors about Moira's mother are unspoken in her presence but threaten to derail everything she's journeyed to Ballymann to do. Moira must rely on the kindness of a handful of friends--and the strength of Sean, an unsettlingly handsome thatcher who keeps popping up unannounced--as she seeks to navigate a life she'd never dreamed of . . . but perhaps was meant to live.