First Line Friday 112

 About the book

Title: In Pursuit of Civility

Author: Jen Turano

Series: Metriweather Academy for Young Girls BK 2

Publisher: Bethany House

Format: Physical

Source: Publisher

Annaliese Merriweather has been appointed the temporary headmistress of the Merriweather Academy for Young Ladies while her sister is on her honeymoon, but she doesn't feel cut out for the role. Especially after she loses two of her most troublesome students during an outing to a county fair and has to recruit the help of Seth McCormick, an eccentric inventor, to retrieve them.

Soon after, one of those mischievous students disappears again, intent on pursuing a pirate map. Together, Annaliese and Seth set out to find her, accompanied by a menagerie of Annaliese's rescued animal companions. As they stumble from one chaotic situation to the next, sparks fly between Annaliese and Seth. Somehow, they'll need to outwit dangerous individuals also intent on seeking treasure and bring everyone back in one piece--all while deciphering what their hearts desire. 

With her trademark voice and witty characters, bestselling author Jen Turano presents a lively tale of hijinks, humor, and romance amid the Merriweather Academy's most tumultuous term yet.

Goodreads || Amazon || Barnes & Noble || Baker Book House

This book releases on 4/21, and you will want to pre-order it!

First Line:

Chicago

Fall 1885

In hindsight, taking a small group of students from the Merriweather Academy for Young Ladies to a country fair to assess their progress regarding rudimentary rules of civility wasn't quite the brilliant opportunity Miss Annaliese Merriweather had expected it to be--not when two of the five young ladies had slipped away from the group, undoubtedly intent on delving into a bit of mischief.

About Jen Turano

 

A USA Today Best-Selling Author, Jen Turano has written the critically acclaimed Ladies of Distinction series and A Class of Their Own series, published through Bethany House Publishers. Her novel, After a Fashion, was chosen as a top pick from Romantic Times, as JenTuranowell as being named a top ten romance of 2015 from Booklist.  It is also a nominee for Romantic Times 2015 Reviewers’ Choice Award. Her book, A Most Peculiar Circumstance, was chosen as a top ten romance by Booklist in 2013. Her seventh book, Playing the Part, released in the spring of 2016, and will be followed by a new four-book series, Apart from the Crowd. When she’s not writing, Jen spends her time outside of Denver with her husband and neurotic Cattle Dog, enjoying herself as an empty-nester since her son recently abandoned her for college life. 

Website || Facebook || Twitter || Instagram

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Top Ten Tuesday First Books I Reviewed

Happy Tuesday! Welcome to another edition of Top Ten Tuesday blog link up sponsored by That Artsy Reader Girl. I didn't like the theme for today, so I chose an older theme. I think I've posted this one before, but with different books. 

                                                   

Have you read any of these books? Please let me know in the comments. I'd give anything to be able to read like I did when I first started blogging, but life has gotten in the way.

Happy Tuesday, enjoy your day!

Top Ten Tuesday Books Where I've Been & Where I'd Like To Go

Happy Tuesday, and welcome to another edition of Top Ten Tuesday, sponsored by That Artsy Reader Girl. Today's theme is Books About/Set In Places On My Travel Bucket List. Since I've lived in different places, I'm going to make a list of books set in places I've lived and those I want to go to. Truth be told, I really only want to go to Bologna, Italy, where my great-great-grandparents came from, but there are a few others.

Books from the places I've lived.

 Books On My Bucket List

This was a fun list to put together once I wrapped my head around it, and got some help from a friend. Thanks, Carrie! 

What about you, do we share any in common?

Top Ten Tuesday: BUZZ WORDS

 

Hi, and welcome to another edition of Top Ten Tuesday sponsored by That Artsy Reader Girl.  Today's theme is Buzz Words.Words that draw you to read. 

Quirky

Gilded Age

American Revolution 

                                                                                                                        

Closed Door

Secrets

Timeless

Heartwarming

                                                                                                                                                                                                                    

Sporty

Food infused

Biblical

I'm going to need to stop. I can hardly see and things are getting messed up. 

I hope you found some new buzz words!

My Top Ten Spring To Be Read List

Hi! Welcome to another edition of the Top Ten Tuesday link-up sponsored by that Artsy Reader Girl. This week's theme is our spring reading list. I actually finished a book, so I'm moving in the right direction. It felt so good to write a review.

Here's my "hopeful" spring reads.

                                                        

  

So, do we have any TBR books in common? I hope so! If not, I hope you found a few to add to our ever-growing to-be-read list.

I hope you're having a great beginning to spring and avoiding the beyond long TSA lines,

 

Review of Claire Holloway is Winging It by Angela Ruth Strong

 

Title: Claire Holloway is Winging It

Author: Angela Ruth Strong

Publisher: Kregel

Pages: 264

Genre: Rom-Com

Source: Purchased audio, received a copy from the publisher.

Format: E and Audiobook

Add to your Goodreads shelf

A romance in the skies from an award-winning author and flight attendant

After Claire Holloway's dream of becoming a ballerina plummets, she's left with her boyfriend as her only support . . . until she decides to become a flight attendant for the free travel. Based out of state, she moves into a crash pad with a gaggle of other flight attendants, and her fear of losing Wyatt seems to become a reality.

First Officer Nathan Stuart—a bit cynical since he and his fiancée broke up—meets a somewhat frazzled Claire on her very first day in the Seattle airport. When they end up on the same crew, he takes her under his wing, and they quickly bond.

When Claire's once-supportive boyfriend's attitude sours into resentment, she's left wondering whether her newfound joy is the right way to go. Pulled between two men and her new career, Claire must learn to listen for God's direction the same way her flight crew follows air traffic control.

In this hilarious rom-com, readers will lift off into the turbulent skies of romantic adventures as Claire navigates God's plan for her life.

                                                      Baker Book House || Amazon || Barnes & Noble

My Thoughts:

Ms. Strong has a high-flying winner here. While this is a rom-com, it is also one of self-discovery for both the character and the author. Claire doesn't know who she is outside of being a ballerina, and Ms. Strong doesn't know who she is without having children to care for. I loved that Angela wrapped that together because that happens to a lot of moms. 

My favorite part was when Claire and Nathan were in Colorado Springs and went to the Garden of the Gods. That scene brought back childhood memories, as I lived in Colorado Springs for two years when I was a pre-teen.

Ms. Strong knows what she is to do. She's supposed to write books that make us laugh.

One of the quotes that is my favorite is this:

"Nathan is easy to be with. He challenges me to do better while accepting me for who I am.

This is a must-read! If it's not on your spring TBR then add it!!

About Angela Ruth Strong

Angela Ruth Strong sold her first Christian romance novel in 2009 then quit writing romance when her husband left her. Ten years later, God has shown her the true meaning of love, and there's nothing else she'd rather write about.

She is the author of the Resort to Love series and the CafFUNated mysteries. Her books have since earned TOP PICK in Romantic Times, won the Cascade Award, and been Amazon best-sellers. Finding Love in Big Sky was recently filmed on location in Montana and will air soon. Her latest release is Husband Auditions.

Strong also writes non-fiction for SpiritLed Woman. To help aspiring authors, she started IDAhope Writers where she lives in Idaho and teaches as an expert online at Write That Book.

Learn more at www.angelaruthstrong.com, and follow her on Facebook (Angela Ruth Strong Fan Page), Twitter (@AngelaRStrong), and Instagram (@ang_strong).