A Few 'Surprises' in Store

(Apart From the Crowd series book 3)

Childhood friends Miss Temperance Flowerdew and Mr. Gilbert Cavandish's lives are turned upside down when he receives a plea to rescue a missing woman. He's stunned when the 'missing woman' turns out to be his chum Temperance. Before either of them can piece together the mystery surrounding her abduction, they are seen by a well-known and respected society matron thus putting their reputations in peril. 

 Gilbert gladly proposes marriage to salvage their reputations. 

Temperance, having recently acquired freedom and independence from her indifferent relatives declines his offer. 

Will Gilbert and Temperance realize their true feelings for one another before it's too late?

"She [Temperance] was often far too carefree, and he [Gilbert] was often too much of a stickler for the rules, but together...they balanced each other."(Turano, 192). 

With an established history, having known each other since their youth, Gilbert and Temperance are totally familiar with each other's quirks and idiosyncrasies. Because of this, Ms. Turano was able to make her hallmark humor between them even more amusing. 

Overall, I found the story charming, but slightly predicable.

Reading is adventure,

Emilee 

                             

                     

Dead Drift Wraps Up the Exciting Chesapeake Valor Series

Dead Drift (Chesapeake Valor Book 4) has it all! Danger, suspense, mystery and romance! What more could a girl ask for?!

CIA Operative, Luke Gallagher is part of an elite task force with the intent of capturing terrorists. Over the past seven years, Luke has been "compromising, blurring the line between right and wrong." (Pettrey, 111). He wonders if the woman he loves and left (to keep her safe) can still love him. More importantly, he wonders can God still love him?

Private Investigator, Kate Maxwell has never stopped loving Luke. Even after his disappearance several years ago, she "remained the adventurous, wanderlust-filled girl he loved." (Pettrey, 32). Her faith in Christ has remained strong and unwavering.

Luke's boss has him teaming up with Kate & the gang (Griffin, Parker, & Declan) to help him take down a terrorist focused on wreaking havoc on U.S. soil and successfully avoiding capture.

After being introduced to Luke in Blind Spot, I was excited that he was getting his own story in Dead Drift. His character intrigued me from the second he stepped onto the page. Kate is the perfect match for Luke. The author creatively and realistically rebuilt their relationship.

Ms. Pettrey manages to throw in a few plot twists I wasn't expecting making Dead Drift hard to put down and not to be missed!

Reading is adventure,
        Emilee

Do You Want To Change the World?

'Don't forget to make your bed' is one of the first instructions your mom probably gave you growing up.

 Well, according to Admiral William H. McRaven making your bed is one of the little things you can do if you want to change the world.  (If I'd thought of it this way I might have made my bed more cheerfully in the morning.)

Be honest...who doesn't want to change the world?

In Make Your Bed Admiral McRaven outlines 10 principles to follow if you want to see change.  Powerful anecdotes from his time as a Navy Seal accompany his practical advice.

This quote from the books sums it up perfectly:
"Remember...start each day with a task completed. Find someone to help you through life. Respect everyone. Know that life isn't fair and that you will fail often. But if you take some risks, step up when times are toughest, face down the bullies, lift up the downtrodden, and never, ever give up- if you do these things, then you can change your life for the better...and maybe the world! (McRaven, 103-104).

If you're looking for a short motivational book look no further than Make Your Bed.


Reading is knowledge and knowledge is power,
      Emilee