In Blue Plate Special, Cheri Jetton has blended a mix of down home truckstop wisdom, true southern values, and cattle ranching family wholesomeness into a compelling story about two hearts finding a home. Megan Stallings, running from scandal and her bad judgement of married men and their intentions, breaks down on the highway to Houston. Chad Winslow, Huntsville native, rancher and son of a truckstop owning family, plays knight in shining armor. It doesn't take long before he realizes that Meg is really in trouble and needs more than just car repairs.

This riveting story about two stubborn people overcoming their own hurts to plan for a future together is a delight to read. Curl up and enjoy this heartwarming story again and again. Guaranteed to become one of your favorite "keepers"--I know it will be one of mine!

Avalon has proven that it knows great new writing talent. I will look for Cheri Jetton's next book with great pleasure.

Blue Plate Special transports you to the world of a Texas truck stop and cattle ranch through Cheri Jetton's wonderful and evocative word pictures and lively dialogue. The main characters, Megan Stallings and Chad Winslow, immediately capture your heart because they are portrayed as two very human individuals whose imperfections make their story all the more believable. Their interactions quickly draw you into their story. The personalities of her engaging secondary characters -- Chad's parents, Buck and Eileen; diner waitress, Nadine; trucker Booth -- add yet another level of depth to her captivating book.

Meghan's running from her poor choices when her car breaks down. She's rescued by Chad, a rancher turned knight in shining armor. But, has she made another mistake when she falls in love with him? Is Chad a married man?

Ms Jetton weaves a charming tale with threads of truck stop wisdom, wholesome southern values, and a cattle ranchers' family honor into a delightful story about two stubborn hearts maneuvering potholes and detours to find each other and a happily ever after home together.

Blue Plate Special will provide great reading for a lazy spring day. Cheri Jetton hooked me with her refreshing style. I'm ordering her Texas Dawn today.

I recommend you order Blue Plate Special and Texas Dawn, too.

If you have yet to read Blue Plate Special by Cheri Jetton, I would suggest you get it today, curl up in a chair and be ready for a great book read. Cheri takes you straight from the emotions Chad feels when he meets Megan the first time to when he searches for her, expressions, feelings and all. You are there every step of the way. It is a really wonderful book to read. As soon as I read the dedication, a tear caught in my throat. I knew by that lone dedication that this book was going to be a thumbs up, and toes facing up to the clouds. The book is wonderfully written, and has you wishing to go on in life with the characters. Blue Plate Special leaves you feeling like whatever you want to happen in your life can come true if you allow your heart to steer the course. Blue Plate Special gets five stars in my book. No matter what special life has dished out for you, Blue Plate Special will leave you feeling that you can face anything that is dished out to you. It shows that truckstops have real people that care and they have the best smiles and food that you can find when you are traveling. Not to mention the biggest hearts in the truck drivers and their families. Thanks for making Booth a wonderful character with a loving and kind heart. And thanks for taking care of Nadine. I've met a few like her. Thanks Cheri, for an excellent book to read over and over.

This is an exciting story with fast paced action. Never a dull moment! This is not a book you will get bored with.

Ms. Cresse 's writing was so very refreshing and innovative. Her main character, Devonie Lace, was enchanting and real. I couldn't wait to turn the page to see what was going to happen next. The book was exciting from beginning to end. I will be looking for her next novel.

I found the book to be light and easy to read. I especially enjoyed the rapid pace, which assured me that with every few pages I could expect another revealing twist.

The first-person writing style allowed me to almost experience the virtual sensation of "hearing" the main character speak to me. At moments, I was her audience of one. And the intermittent third-person narratives provided just enough background to keep me on track with the story-line. I found the combination of writing styles refreshing.

I have enjoyed both 'The Hydrogen Murder' and 'The Helium Murder', and intend to order 'The Lithium Murder'. These books are a refreshing change from many other mystery novels coming out today. They are light and entertaining, and focus more on characters and science, rather than forensic details and gratuitous violence and vulgar language. However, there is one detail in this book that keeps annoying me. I wonder if the author has been back to Massachusetts much in the last 30 years. Because it's probably been that long since cars in MA had front license plates. In the first chapter, there is a description of a car heading towards someone and they see the front plate. Later, there is a scene where the heroine walks down the street looking at front license plates. MA used to issue two plates, but when they did, the sequencing of letters and numbers was very different than it is today. When a series relies as heavily on local atmosphere as this one does, details like this can really affect credibility. That said, I would still definitely recommend these books to other mystery lovers.

If you like politics, science and a well-plotted mystery, then you are in for a treat in this second of a series. Intelligent and appealing heroine, Gloria Lamerino, continues to evolve in this novel that makes one glad that there are so many possibilities in the periodic tables. The series expands one's knowledge of scientific in an almost seamless fashion. Science's loss with the retirement of the physicist/author is fiction writing's gain. Be careful, once you read one in the series, you will want to read more.

As a physicist who loves mysteries, I enjoyed this 2nd Minichino story tied to the Periodic Table for several reasons: first, its credible science core embedded in industrial and political intrigue; second, for the real-life portrayal of scientists, police detectives and assorted friends of Gloria Lamerino, a retired Physics Professor recycled into a sharp amateur detective; and finally for the wonderful local color of Revere, as an ethnic suburb of Boston reinventing itself, but remembered with nostalgia by a native daughter of the 50's. There are many enjoyable and educational nuggets of science (both Physics and Chemistry) and mini-bios of Italian-American scientists embedded in this mystery. As a woman physicist, I had many "Aha!" experiences in this second book, as in the first Minichino Hydrogen murder mystery. Best of all, I identified with its feminist outlook, although in Minichino's Equal Opportunity mysteries, women can not only use knowledge and logic to detect and reason, but also to murder...I highly recommend it.

Estos 4 libros son una saga maravillosa de la epoca de Arturo, contada basicamente sob la perspectiva femenina.

Excelente!

Excelente,es una obra maravillosamente contada desde otra perspectiva, que nos lleva a conocer un poco mas sobre una cultura rica en magia y misticismo.
Excelente desde todo punto de vista.

Una historia excelente, que muestra la otra cara de la saga Arturica,otro punto de vista que nos ilustra sobre otra cultura rica en misticismo y magia,

Reviewed by Carol Leuchovius
A quick, fun read -Set in Wisconsin, taking a road trip down to Memphis, TN, then ending up happily ever after back in WI, but only when the hero and heroine finally figure out the most important thing in a relationship is effective communication.
Carly Ross is a structural engineer. Dev Sarrano is an ironworker. They find themselves neighbors when Dev is hurt helping a lady in distress and is convalescing with the help of a wheelchair, physical therapy, and very loud band saws. Carly storms across their adjoining yards and into his garage demanding some quiet time so that she can concentrate on her work that happens to have a deadline lurking nearby.
When her headstrong demand does not stop the noise, she decides what he needs is someone to occupy his time, quietly. She arranges a "love trap" or two, but the third one is what it took to quiet down the noise. When silence finally prevailed, Carly found she preferred the noise of the router to that of her breaking heart. She had fallen for the good-looking, generous, near-perfect man.
Dev finds Carly quite intriguing as well, but can't seem to get her mind off of her work long enough to get it on him. He finally gives up and decides to move back to the city. Carly decides to get on with her life, though on a different level than before she met Dev. But let us keep one thing in mind - all these decisions were being made in martyrdom. Each was trying to let go of what they loved -- each other.
Fran Shaff describes her characters clearly and doesn't lose sight of the details. She also manages to include insight into the life of a writer through the main characters. Like any artist, Dev struggles through dry spells when inspiration seems to be lacking. Carly struggles with snagging the great contract that will ensure her fortune and fame while ignoring the smaller ones that have provided her with much happiness and a comfortable living. Dev doesn't think of his artistic work as a "real job" like his physical labor as an iron worker, so he thinks he has to decide between the two, that one or the other makes the real Dev Serrano, not that the combination is truly what makes the man. And Carly agrees with Dev that the smaller projects, for the both of them, are the most fun. "They don't take long to finish, so [they] get a sense of completion with them much sooner than with a skyscraper (or novel?) that can take years to complete." Carly adds that "[t]he most fun is the beginning and the ending. The middle is only the long part between the fun parts." Sound familiar writing friends?
I enjoyed the underlying translation of the art of writing brought out in the careers and complications of Shaff's hero and heroine. Shaff had me cheering for Dev when he worked to strengthen his legs so that he might walk again. I shook my head at Carly when she focused too hard on what she thought would make her happy, ignoring the happiness staring her in the face on a daily basis. We have all been in similar situations, and may be there now. We would do well to pay attention to Shaff's metaphorical advice while we enjoy a lovely story about love, dreams coming true, and the importance of words we share with each other (and our readers)! CL

Carly thought the way to lower the noise level next door was to set a love trap for Dev, bait it with beautiful women and then he'd be too busy to make noise and she could get on with her arcitecture business. She didn't figure on the affect Dev had on her own heart, nor the way it would break in half when her love trap worked and he was attracted to another woman. A delightful story to wrap around your heart on a lazy Sunday afternoon. Just don't pick it up until you've got time to finish it! Guaranteed to steal your heart.

This great books starts out an unexpected twist and hits you with hummor through out. You feel the frustration of the characters and wonder why they just don't talk to each other. You will not be able to put it down. Another great book by Fran Shaff

I just finished reading Pat Hines' first book and really enjoyed it. She has an easy reading style. I was pleasantly surprised by the ending because I thought I had it figured out nearly to the end. (I guessed that the heroine would just quit umpiring and marry the hero; the end.) What a nice turn and twist the author added, and still gave us romantics an agreeable solution! I even learned a bit about umpiring and baseball along the way. Will we see more books from this author soon? I certainly hope so!

I very much enjoyed Pat's book because being from western PA I recognized many of the locations and towns she mentioned. It was fun to read a story with local "flavor" and to be able to say "Hey, I have been there!" I even recognized a local dining spot and remembered reading the framed newspaper account of the resident ghost that hangs on the wall--just as the heroine in the book reads it. She even mentions the community of Glenshaw, home of my college roommate. Ms. Hines has done her homework and this brings a sense of reality to a work of fiction. The story is light and fun with a touch of romance, but with none of the bad
language and graphic sex that ruin many a romance novel. Add the fun of a baseball game and rooting for the Pirates at PNC Park and you have a "feel-good" story that you will want to read from cover to cover.

Here I am, a non-reader, however this title intrigued me and it was very difficult to lay the book down once I started reading. So neat, being about the Pgh. Pirates and their new baseball field, of which I'm 40 miles away. Just happen to know Pat Hines and knew that her true character would come through in her writing. Just a beautiful story.

Buku ini sungguh luar biasa. Saya telah membacanya beberapa kali dan tetap amat menyentuh.

Buku amat menolong kita dalam proses menghayati makna Natal di tengah kondisi perayaan Natal yang sering kali kehilangan makna karena nilai-nilai komersial.

Saya merekomendasikan buku ini untuk Anda dan keluarga!

I checked this book out of our local library while searching for short inspirational pieces to use for our church women's Advent tea. I wanted meaningful short stories or pieces that were not too HEAVY. I found so much that I had a hard time limiting my choices to fit the time given over to entertainment. I chose two by Joni Eareckson Tada and Nativity by Philip Gulley. This little book is a gem. While I am online today, I am ordering a copy for myself and one for a friend.

I've never bought a book for my step-father for which he said "Thank you" until "Christmas Stories for the Heart". He has read it over and over during the past year. I'd recommend it for any age to uplift the spirit.

Avalon is a cottage in the country with a story to tell. Or, more accurately, a number of stories, interconnected, spanning from time before history to the present day. Is it a novel or a collection of short stories? I would venture to say that it's both
 
Donna, the book's central character, has always felt the mysterious energy at Avalon. It has puzzled her from childhood, and now, as a young woman, she will know, thanks to the guidance of a magician she meets at a fair. He carries her back through time, to the primeval Man and Woman, and their banishment from paradise, then visits each of the parties who have, over eternity, experienced the secrets of this cottage. We visit a virginal slave girl, who must lose her virginity to save herself. We meet a young doctor for whom the story of Avalon's past is revealed through her own writing. The past comes rushing from the mists; slowly we travel over the ages to the present day. One by one, in each story, a secret is revealed.
 

While each story can stand on its own, they are best enjoyed when read together. Each one has its own measure of passion, and those who enjoy sensual love scenes will certainly find plenty to savor. My favorite stories were at the beginning; as the book went on, I wished that some of the later tales could have had as much detail and development as the initial ones. Still, if you like paranormal romance, you'll be reading this book from cover to cover. It's a quick read, and well worth it!

I bought this book on based upon the reviews. I was expecting something along similar lines to the various Avalon books by Marion Z. Bradley whom I love. What I found instead was a series of short stories of erotica with some celtic mystical flavor thrown in. I enjoyed it immensely. It's a short well written book perfect for the moment when you are looking for erotica with flavor. I confess I read it straight through, and have already recommended it to others.

I am breathless. I, too, couldn't lay down this book until I'd finished it.

Carly

Resort to Murder met my criteria of a spell-binding mystery because it kept me totally absorbed. I wanted to know how the plot unfolded and continued to read until I learned the identify of the murderer and why that person felt compelled to take such drastic steps. An added bonus was being able to relate to the setting because it is near where I live.

Fans of cozies will enjoy watching school teacher/amateur sleuth, Maggie Olenski, expose a killer. Maggie's much needed vacation at Highview Inn, Maryland takes a nasty turn when an employee and former student is found murdered. Maggie is determined to find the killer, and with the help of her new-found friend and quirky side-kick, Dyna, unravels the mystery. Author Hughes weaves an interesting plot and keeps you guessing right up to the end.

From the first page, I was "sucked" into this book. The characters were interesting and real. I found myself thinking about the characters and the story throughout my day. I couldn't wait to see what would happen to Maggie next. I really liked the fact that Maggie is a teacher - I could relate to her thinking (I'm also a teacher) as she solved the mystery. The author wrote a suspensful and thrilling mystery. You'll love it! I've told all my friends about it!

Barber and Pykitt have a new guess as to who the historical Arthur was. Well, actually, it's not a new guess. For a long time, it was assumed that Athrwys ap Meurig *was* Arthur, but that idea fell out of favor due to dating problems. Here, Barber and Pykitt resurrect the Athrwys theory, explaining the confusion that led to some historians' belief that Athrwys lived a century too late. They add in a new revelation: according to this book, Arthur was also St Armel, whom the Bretons revere just as much as they do Arthur, not realizing they're the same guy! (This isn't a spoiler. These assertions are made in the first chapter; the rest of the book is devoted to proof and to investigating other pieces of the legend, like the location of Avalon, and the identity of some of the Knights of Camelot.)

It's a fascinating theory; unfortunately, the writing runs a little dry at times, becoming an interminable list of "begats". This kind of tangible proof is necessary when setting forth theories, I know. It's just that it doesn't always make for easy reading. This is a scholarly book more than it is an entertaining one; read it when you're in a "brainy mood."

In the end, Barber and Pykitt may be right about the original personage of Arthur. However, the legendary Arthur is a composite figure and can't be reduced to one historical man; he is an amalgam of several historical kings and a couple of pagan Welsh gods. The fact that some of the major events of "Arthur's" life are explained here as historical events does nothing to diminish the legendary king's mystique.

This is a book that generates strong mixed emotions. On the one hand, the authors display an extensive and detailed knowledge of early Welsh lore; on the other hand, they seem to draw upon little else in their effort to reconstruct the history of of Fifth and Sixth Century Britain. In particular, they seem to have little understanding of the institutions of the late Roman period (which influenced those of the succeeding period) and they disregard most of what we know about contemporary events on the Continent (which sometimes directly impacted post-Roman Britain and which often provide useful models for studying the transition from Roman imperial rule to local independence). Thus, the authors do not recognize Emperor Constantine III and his son (the Caesar Constans) when they appear in legendary guise; they do not realize that the "Republic of the Silures" ("res publica Silurum" in Latin) was not a special political arrangement, but a normal reference to a Civitas (local governmental unit) in Britain; they confuse Saint Germanus of Gaul with his Manx namesake; and, they posit unlikely interactions among the various realms and personalities of post-Roman Britain.The authors¹ identification of Arthur with Arthwys ap Meurig (Artvisius? son of Mauricius), a king of Gwent and Glamorgan in Seventh Century Wales, is questionable, because of the small realm and late date of this monarch. Such an identification is inconsistent with the island-wide reputation and the enormous impact of the historical Arthur, who won the epoch-defining Battle of Badon Hill around A.D. 493. It is not implausible, however, that incidents from the life of the similar-named king did influence the growth of the Arthurian legend.The book (or at least most of it) is nonetheless well worth reading. It delves very deeply into Welsh lore that is often ignored or disregarded, and it provides a number of interesting insights into the development of early Wales. I recommend buying the book, but skipping or skimming over pages 13 through 54 (where the authors¹ shortcomings are most manifest). The remaining 300 or so pages of the book provide a fascinating look into the dim world of long-age Britain.

Barber & Pykitt put forth an excellent argument (as well as excellent refutations of the others) that "Arthur" did exist as a leader from the ancient Welsh territory of Gwent (between Glamorgan and the Severn Sea).

They really have done their research, and have limited their scope to a discussion of finding Arthur, not a detailed account of post-Roman Britain.

This book is FUN. I wouldn't recommend skipping any of its pages. I like the many twists on old ideas, and the surprising new conclusions of this book. For example, the Bedwin Sands in the middle of the Severn exist today, and are remembered in the Dream of Rhonabwy from the Mabinogion collection of old Welsh tales. Wonderful! Who else (lately) ever mentioned locals gathering cupfuls of teeth from Baddington Hill in Bath, the sight of Arthur's greatest triumph over the Hwicce (Gewissei), his twelfth battle as listed in Nennius? Brilliant. The little pearls all seem to fit.

Perhaps the theory is completely false, but it offers a more realistic start to the problem than anything advanced to date. Geoffrey Ashe has certainly done a lot to bring Arthur to the masses in our time, but the theory of Riothamus is not to be trusted for the reasons set forth in this little gem.

We're all so used to looking at the world from the perspective of the modern map, forgetting that the Britons and Romano-British were trapped in a narrow corridor between the Anglo-Saxons, Jutes and their allies to the south and east, and the Irish Sea (Scotti) to the west. The safe travel was from north to south, from Dumbarton to Snowdon to St. David's to Cornwall to Brittany (now France). All that is vertical, and in close proximity.

And finally, someone who makes the Welsh a bit easier for we mortals to understand.

Shouldn't we all be going to Caerwent and Bath to DIG?

I loved this book. Bring on the next improvement!