Welcome to another Top Ten Tuesday, reader friends. How’s 2018 treating you so far? It’s been a scorcher where I am in New South Wales, Australia, with temps ranging from 39-45C over the last few days (that’s 102-111F), so I’ve been hibernating in the air-conditioning and playing match referee/crisis counsellor to my house-bound children. Fun. 😳 Thankfully it’s cooled down a little today!
This week’s Top Ten Tuesday will be the last one hosted by The Broke and the Bookish. But don’t despair! From next week, Top Ten Tuesday will be hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl with plenty more topics to keep us busy.
So, this week’s topic is ‘Books I Meant To Get To In 2017’. I think you can guess how long that list could be(!), so I set myself some parameters for this week. First of all, I limited myself to books that released in 2017 that I was hoping to get to. Secondly, I’ve restricted myself to books that I have actually already purchased, because I was so keen to read them in 2017 (with the exception of two, which are review copies I’ve been given). They’re all just sitting there, waiting for me! And I’m really going to do my darnedest to get them read in 2018…
The Lost Girl of Astor Street ~ Stephanie Morrill
A Jazz-Age mystery? Yes please!
When her best friend vanishes without so much as a good-bye, eighteen-year-old Piper Sail takes on the role of amateur sleuth in an attempt to solve the mystery of Lydia’s disappearance. Given that Piper’s tendency has always been to butt heads with high-society’s expectations of her, it’s no surprise that she doesn’t give a second thought to searching for answers to Lydia’s abduction from their privileged neighborhood.
As Piper discovers that those answers might stem from the corruption strangling 1924 Chicago—and quite possibly lead back to the doors of her affluent neighborhood—she must decide how deep she’s willing to dig, how much she should reveal, and if she’s willing to risk her life of privilege for the sake of the truth.
Perfect for fans of Libba Bray and Anna Godbersen, Stephanie Morrill’s atmospheric jazz-age mystery will take readers from the glitzy homes of the elite to the dark underbelly of 1920s Chicago.
Count Me In ~ Mikal Dawn
This girl seriously cracks me up. I HAVE to fit this in somewhere!
Tyler Hawk had a glorious career as a star NFL tight end. He retired on a high note and now lives a second dream of owning his own business and leading others on extreme outdoor adventures. But he needs help with his books—and his heart. When Allegra takes the job, sparks fly.
It’s a case of safety zone versus danger zone, and in their minds, never the two shall meet.
Catching the Wind ~ Melanie Dobson
I love sound of this story, and it got fantastic reviews.
That question has haunted Daniel Knight since he was thirteen, when he and ten-year-old Brigitte escaped the Gestapo agents who arrested both their parents. They survived a harrowing journey from Germany to England, only to be separated upon their arrival. Daniel vowed to find Brigitte after the war, a promise he has fought to fulfill for more than seventy years.
Now a wealthy old man, Daniel’s final hope in finding Brigitte rests with Quenby Vaughn, an American journalist working in London. He believes Quenby’s tenacity to find missing people and her personal investment in a related WWII espionage story will help her succeed where previous investigators have failed. Though Quenby is wrestling her own demons—and wary at the idea of teaming up with Daniel’s lawyer, Lucas Hough—the lure of Brigitte’s story is too much to resist. Together, Quenby and Lucas delve deep into the past, following a trail of deception, sacrifice, and healing that could change all of their futures.
Conspiracy of Breath ~ Latayne C. Scott
I am beyond intrigued by the idea behind this book.
Unblemished and Unraveling ~ Sara Ella
Okay, so I slipped in the first book in the series too, but they need to be read in order and I haven’t even read THAT one yet. But I’ve heard so much chatter about this series. And those covers?! <3 <3
Eliyana is used to the shadows. With a birthmark covering half her face, she just hopes to graduate high school unscathed. That is, until Joshua hops a fence and changes her perspective. No one, aside from her mother, has ever treated her like he does: normal. Maybe even beautiful. Because of Joshua, Eliyana finally begins to believe she could be loved.
But one night her mother doesn’t come home, and that’s when everything gets weird. Now Joshua is her new, and rather reluctant, legal Guardian. Add a hooded stalker and a Central Park battle to the mix and you’ve gone from weird to otherworldly.
Eliyana soon finds herself in a world much larger and more complicated than she’s ever known. A world enslaved by a powerful and vile man. And Eliyana holds the answer to defeating him. How can an ordinary girl, a blemished girl, become a savior when she can’t even save herself?
Unblemished: Amazon US // Goodreads
Unraveling: Amazon US // Goodreads
Loving Luther ~ Allison Pittman
I love fictionalized biographies!
Though the cold walls offer no comfort, Katharina soon finds herself calling the convent her home. God, her father. This, her life. She takes her vows—a choice more practical than pious—but in time, a seed of discontent is planted by the smuggled writings of a rebellious excommunicated priest named Martin Luther. Their message? That Katharina is subject to God, and no one else. Could the Lord truly desire more for her than this life of servitude?
In her first true step of faith, Katharina leaves the only life she has ever known. But the freedom she has craved comes with a price, and she finds she has traded one life of isolation for another. Without the security of the convent walls or a family of her own, Katharina must trust in both the God who saved her and the man who paved a way for rescue. Luther’s friends are quick to offer shelter, but Katharina longs for all Luther has promised: a home, a husband, perhaps even the chance to fall in love.
Promise of Breeze Hill ~ Pam Hillman
Don’t you just love this cover? And the story sounds good, too.
The responsibilities of running Breeze Hill have fallen on Isabella’s shoulders after her brother was found dead in the swamps along the Natchez Trace and a suspicious fire devastated their crops, almost destroyed their home, and left her father seriously injured. Even with Connor’s help, Isabella fears she’ll lose her family’s plantation. Despite her growing feelings for the handsome Irish carpenter, she seriously considers accepting her wealthy and influential neighbor’s proposal of marriage.
Soon, though, Connor realizes someone is out to eliminate the Bartholomew family. Can he set aside his own feelings to keep Isabella safe?
In His Eyes ~ Stephenia H. McGee
Sprung! Can’t wait to see how this one plays out.
Ella Whitaker rescues a newborn from the dying arms of a woman of ill repute and at long last she has someone to love. In need of a wet nurse, she arrives at Belmont Plantation just as Federal soldiers demand to speak to the owner. Thinking quickly, Ella masquerades as a Yankee officer’s widow in order to have a roof over her head and a home for the child.
Major Westley Remington has dedicated his life to serving his country. The Civil War has divided his family, torn his thoughts of glory, and left him with a wound that may never heal. Westley returns home on medical furlough to settle his father’s estate at Belmont Plantation, only to find his home is being run by a fiery and independent woman—one many believe to be his wife. Now he is faced with a conflict he’s never been trained to fight, and one she has yet to conquer.
Freedom’s Ring ~ Heidi Chiavaroli
Another gorgeous cover and great reviews.
Two years after nearly losing her life in the Boston Marathon bombing, Annie David is still far from “Boston strong.” Instead she remains isolated and defeated—plagued by guilt over her niece, crippled in the blast, and by an antique ring alongside a hazy hero’s face. But when she learns the identity of her rescuer, will he be the hero she’s imagined? And can the long-past history of the woman behind the ring set her free from the guilt and fears of the present?
Boston, 1770
As a woman alone in a rebellious town, Liberty Caldwell finds herself in a dangerous predicament. When a British lieutenant, Alexander Smythe, comes to her rescue and offers her employment, Liberty accepts. As months go by, Alexander not only begins to share his love of poetry with her, but protects Liberty from the advances of a lecherous captain living in the officers’ house where she works.
Mounting tensions explode in the Boston Massacre, and Liberty’s world is shattered as her brother, with whom she has just reunited, is killed in the fray. Desperate and alone, she returns home, only to be assaulted by the captain. Afraid and furious toward redcoats, Liberty leaves the officers’ home, taking with her a ring that belonged to Alexander.
Two women, separated by centuries, must learn to face their fears. And when they feel they must be strong, they learn that sometimes true strength is found in surrender.
Perennials ~ Julie Cantrell
Julie Cantrell. Need I say more?
Eva Sutherland—known to all as Lovey—grew up safe and secure in Oxford, Mississippi, surrounded by a rich literary history and her mother’s stunning flower gardens. But a shed fire, and the injuries it caused, changed everything. Her older sister, Bitsy, blamed Lovey for the irreparable damage. Bitsy became the homecoming queen and the perfect Southern belle who could do no wrong. All the while, Lovey served as the family scapegoat, always bearing the brunt when Bitsy threw blame her way.
At eighteen, suffocating in her sister’s shadow, Lovey turned down a marriage proposal and fled to Arizona. Free from Bitsy’s vicious lies, she became a successful advertising executive and a weekend yoga instructor, carving a satisfying life for herself. But at forty-five, Lovey is feeling more alone than ever and questioning the choices that led her here.
When her father calls insisting she come home three weeks early for her parents’ 50th anniversary, Lovey is at her wits’ end. She’s about to close the biggest contract of her career, and there’s a lot on the line. But despite the risks, her father’s words, “Family First,” draw her back to the red-dirt roads of Mississippi.
Lovey is drawn in to a secret project—a memory garden her father has planned as an anniversary surprise. As she helps create this sacred space, Lovey begins to rediscover her roots, learning how to live perennially in spite of life’s many trials and tragedies.
Years ago, Lovey chose to leave her family and the South far behind. But now that she’s returned, she’s realizing things at home were not always what they seemed.
Blue Ridge Sunrise ~ Denise Hunter
I suspect there’s quite a story between these covers!
When Zoe returns home with her daughter and boyfriend Kyle, she finds that she’s the only person in town who doesn’t expect her to give up the life she’s established far away from Copper Creek. Everyone believes she was born to run the orchard, but how can she make it her home after so many years?
Cruz Huntley never quite got over his first love, Zoe Collins, the little sister of his best friend Brady. Not when she cheated on him during their “break,” not when she took off to parts unknown with good-for-nothing Kyle Jenkins, and not even now–five years later.
As life-changing decisions and a history with Cruz hang over Zoe’s head, tensions rise between her and Kyle. Even as she comes to terms with the shifting relationships in her life, Zoe still isn’t sure if she can remain in Copper Creek with her new responsibilities . . . and her first love.
I’ve had to add both Blue Ridge Sunrise and Perennials to my Goodreads TBR – the blurbs alone are gripping, so I can imagine both stories are going to be impossible to put down!
My Top Ten Tuesday can be found here!
Hope you enjoy them!
Although it`s not necessarily my genre, I love the synopsis of Catching the Wind. It`s the type of book I`d love to read during summer.
Carmen`s Reading Corner
Hope you get the chance to read it! Thanks for stopping by 🙂
I’m captivated by the copy of Catching the Wind and Conspiracy of Breath, two I haven’t heard of. Thank you!
And thank you for including Count Me In, you fun woman!!! ❤
You are very welcome! 😘
Thank you for including In His Eyes!
Freedom’s Ring is on my list as well. I also still haven’t gotten to Tamra Leigh’s The Vexing (even though I pre-ordered it and it’s been sitting there all this time…) So many good books, and never enough time! =)
Oh, The Vexing ❤️ And she’s got another one coming out on the 18th I think. 😀
I only read Catching the Wind on your list. So worthwhile a read. Every time I pick up a Melanie Dobson book, I’m blown away.
Most of your books are on my list as well. I actually own some of these but haven’t gotten around to them yet.
Yep. That’s what I’ve heard everyone say about Catching the Wind!
Oh! Are you trying to derail my writing by mentioning all these terrific-sounding books? But I’m honored to be among them!
Not consciously trying to derail you, no, but it tends to be a hazard of my blog. Caveat lector!
I just bought Blue Ridge Sunrise. Freedom’s Ring, In His Eyes and Sara Ella’s books are also on my TBR list. I loved The Lost Girl of Astor Street and also enjoyed The Promise of Breeze HIll.
Sounds like we have similar TBRs!