RECOMMENDED BOOKS – THE GIFT THAT KEEPS ON GIVING

Good books are the gifts that keep on giving. With the holidays upon us, I thought this was the perfect time to provide a few recommendations to place under the tree if you have one, and if not, to share with a friend to show you care.

The christmas spirit

To get you into that Christmas spirit, there are two books I recommend:

Tick Tock Dead, A Jenna Hart Mystery by L.A. Sartor

If you enjoy cozy mysteries, L.A. has just launched a great new series with this book. I’ve read it and highly recommend it.

It’s Christmas and nestled in a valley between two towering Colorado mountain ranges, the old mining town turned uber chic ski resort of Angelcroft is in a battle for its soul.

And now the battle has turned deadly.

Lifelong resident Jenna Hart is definitely not sleuth material. In fact, she’s a custom jeweler who loves working with diamonds and brilliant gems, and this is her busiest season ever.

But now her one goal is to find out who murdered her friend.

Enlisting the help of those who know the town’s secrets — even as they seem to hide their own — Jenna digs deep only to find the dire warnings from handsome newcomer, police Detective Derek Tripp, that she could be risking her own life are prophetic.

Nevertheless, nothing and nobody will stop Jenna from finding the truth.Tick Tock Dead is the first book in the Jenna Hart Mystery series. If you enjoy small town mysteries populated with fascinating characters whose lives are far more complicated than what they seem on the surface, join Jenna for an adventure in the charming mountain town of Angelcroft.

Check out L.A. Sartor’s other books at: lesliesartor.com

Christmas Witness Survival by Jane M. Choate

If you can’t pass up a romantic suspense, you won’t want to miss Christmas Witness Survival – a real page turner.

Seeking ranch refuge…


in order to survive

Fleeing after discovering her fiancé is a murderer, Hailey Davenport thinks nowhere is safe this Christmas. Trusting another man is the last thing Hailey wants, but she reluctantly finds refuge in the back of Michael “Chap” Chapman’s truck. The security expert won’t let her face hired gunmen alone—even when danger follows them to his ranch. With enemies closing in, keeping Hailey safe might be the last thing Chap does…

Historical Romance

Against the Wind by Amanda Cabot is a must read, especially if you’re an historical romance enthusiast. Even if you’re not, I highly recommend this book – I couldn’t put it down! Against the Wind is book 2 in the Secrets of Sweetwater Crossing Series. If you haven’t read the first, After the Shadows, I recommend you pick up both!

Amanda Cabot, Secrets of Sweetwater Crossing, historical romance

Doctor-in-training Louisa Vaughn has no intention of remaining in Sweetwater Crossing. She’s just there for a few days to help a friend. But she can’t abandon the injured man she finds at the side of the road. Until his broken leg heals, she’ll serve as the town’s doctor and midwife. She may not be fully qualified yet, but surely she’s better than nothing. Josh Porter’s plans to win his grandfather’s challenge and fulfill his father’s final wish to gain full control of the family business hit a roadblock when he breaks his leg. But his enforced stay in

Sweetwater Crossing gives him new ideas about the expansion of the company into new territory–ideas Louisa could help turn into reality.

If only the town were more accepting of Louisa’s talents! Someone is determined to convince her to abandon her dream of healing others. Can Josh help her uncover the person behind the threats before it’s too late? And is there any future for them together when neither of them plans to stay?

You can find out about Amanda’s other books at amandacabot.com

romantic suspense thriller

Book Two in my Search & Recovery International Series, After the Verdict, is available for preorder. 

A missing groom, a murdered attorney, a massive snowstorm—what else can go wrong with what was supposed to be a storybook wedding?

Gutsy Colorado lawyer Briana Bertelli has just successfully prosecuted a serial killer…or has she? Betrayed in previous relationships, she’s vowed to remain single and dependent on no one but herself. All goes according to plan until her best friend’s wedding rehearsal.

Highly decorated, retired Special Forces veteran Kale McLaren has seen much death and is ready to experience a new life.

Now the Chief Operating Officer of a global special ops organization, he’s looking forward to a relaxing weekend at a friend’s wedding. The last thing he expects is to be brought face-to-face with death and the most intriguing woman he has ever met … Briana.

With the highest of stakes and time running out, can Briana and Kale combine forces to discover what happened after the verdict?

You do not need to read the first book in the series, Search Beyond Lies, in order to enjoy the second.

Search Beyond Lies is a work of fiction, inspired by true events.

On July 5, 2018, Brian Perri was reported missing on Mount Meeker, one of the most dangerous mountains in Rocky Mountain National Park. A selfie revealed his last known location was the summit. Search Beyond is a work of fiction, whose inspiration lies in a rare type of friendship J.C. Fischer and Kimo McEwen had with Brian where they put their lives on hold and jeopardized their safety and well-being to search for him.

The search was covered by news media far and wide. J.C.’s pleas for volunteers brought in many from along the entire Front Range. Why did so many come forward? It was J.C. and Kimo’s care, concern, persistence, loyalty, and dedication to finding Brian that exemplified true friendship—and that is a contagious type of friendship experienced by very few.

If you’re interested in gifting any of these books, just click the title, the link is embedded. Merry Christmas! Happy Holidays! Happy New Year!

Just Released: Against the Wind by Amanda Cabot

Against the Wind – Book 2 in the Secrets of Sweetwater Crossing by Amanda Cabot is finally here! If you’ve read the first in this series, After the Shadows, I know you’ve been chomping at the bit to get a hold of this next book. I was.

If you enjoy well researched historical romances with loveable characters you can relate to, you won’t want to miss this book. The secrets add an extra thrill – no, I won’t let you in on them.

Sneak peek:

Doctor-in-training Louisa Vaughn has no intention of remaining in Sweetwater Crossing. She’s just there for a few days to help a friend. But she can’t abandon the injured man she finds at the side of the road. Until his broken leg heals, she’ll serve as the town’s doctor and midwife. She may not be fully qualified yet, but surely she’s better than nothing.

Josh Porter’s plans to win his grandfather’s challenge and fulfill his father’s final wish to gain full control of the family business hit a roadblock when he breaks his leg. But his enforced stay in Sweetwater Crossing gives him new ideas about the expansion of the company into new territory–ideas Louisa could help turn into reality.

If only the town were more accepting of Louisa’s talents! Someone is determined to convince her to abandon her dream of healing others. Can Josh help her uncover the person behind the threats before it’s too late? And is there any future for them together when neither of them plans to stay?

after the shadows

If you haven’t read After the Shadows, you don’t need to read it first to enjoy Against the Wind, but you’ll definitely want to read it.

Here’s a glimpse:

Emily Leland sheds no tears when her abusive husband is killed in a bar fight, but what awaits her back home in Sweetwater Crossing is far from the welcome and comfort she expected. First she discovers her father has died under mysterious circumstances. Then the house where the new schoolteacher and his son are supposed to board burns, leaving them homeless. When Emily proposes turning the family home into a boardinghouse, her sister is so incensed that she leaves town.

Alone and broke, her family name sullied by controversy, Emily is determined to solve the mystery of her father’s death–and to aid Craig Ferguson, despite her fears of men. The widowed schoolmaster proves to be a devoted father, an innovative teacher, and an unexpected ally. Together they must work to unmask a killer and escape the shadows of their own pasts in order to forge a brighter future.

Bestselling author Amanda Cabot transports you to 1880s Texas Hill Country for a new series that will have you flipping pages to solve the mystery and get to the happily-ever-after you long for. Both books, as well as all of Amanda’s books are available worldwide. For your convenience, here is the Amazon link.

amanda cabot

Amanda Cabot is the bestselling author of more than forty books and a variety of novellas. Her books have been honored with starred reviews from Publishers Weekly and Library Journal and have been finalists for the ACFW Carol Award, the HOLT Medallion, and the Booksellers’ Best.

You can find Amanda Cabot at:

Fact or Fiction: The House on the Cover by Amanda Cabot

“Finley House is beautiful, but where in Texas did you find it?”

That was the question a friend who lives in the Lone Star State asked when she saw the cover for After the Shadows. It’s a valid question, because the house on the cover is not one you’d expect to see in the Texas Hill Country. The houses there are beautiful but less elaborate.

The frugal German settlers would have considered Finley House’s dual staircases leading to the front door extravagant and unnecessary. And the columns and elaborate verandahs I describe in the book are definitely not typical of the Hill Country.

So, why did I make a building that’s decidedly out of place a central character in my new trilogy? The answer is simple: I wanted the house to be an anomaly as well as a building with a history of its own. Human characters have a backstory, and so does Finley House.

The Backstory

Determined to fulfill his dream of living in the Texas Hill Country with his sweetheart, Alabama native Clive Finley heads to Sweetwater Crossing in 1859 to build them a house. But it’s not just any house. Since his future father-in-law has decreed that he will not approve their marriage unless Clive can give her a home that equals the mansion where she’s been raised, Clive begins construction on a plantation-style house that’s even more elaborate than his father-in-law’s.

Sadly, Clive leaves Texas in early 1861 to fight in the War of Northern Aggression with his fellow Alabamians and is presumably killed in that horrible war, leaving the house in the care of his closest friend, Pastor Joseph Vaughn.

Joseph’s three daughters, you may have guessed, are the heroines of the three Secrets of Sweetwater Crossing books. As for what happened to Clive, that’s the underlying secret of Sweetwater Crossing and one that’s not resolved until the third book.

The Inspiration for the House

Where did I get the design for the house? I could have invented one, but since I wanted Finley House to resemble a real house, I turned to a sixteen-volume set of books called The Architectural Treasures of Early America, which had been a gift from a friend.

As I leafed through the books, I found a number of houses that were almost right, but Volume XIV had the proverbial eureka moment when I saw the perfect house. It’s known as The Wedge Plantation and is located in South Santee, South Carolina.

Copyright laws won’t let me share the drawing that captivated me, but here’s a link to pictures of the house online. Sadly, when The Wedge was restored, the second story verandah, which was one of the architectural elements I particularly liked, was eliminated. Still, I hope you agree with me that it’s a house worthy of becoming a character in a book … or three.

And the Answer Is

It’s time to answer the underlying question of Karen’s blog: is the house on the cover fact or fiction? Finley House is not a real house, but it was inspired by one. Does that make it a blending of fact and fiction? I think so.

© 2023 Amanda Cabot

Emily Leland sheds no tears when her abusive husband is killed in a bar fight, but what awaits her back home in Sweetwater Crossing is far from the welcome and comfort she expected. First she discovers her father has died under mysterious circumstances. Then the house where the handsome new schoolteacher, Craig Ferguson, and his son are supposed to board burns, leaving them homeless.

When Emily proposes turning the family home into a boardinghouse, her sister is so incensed that she leaves town.

A brighter future awaits—if she can escape the shadows of the past

Alone and broke, her family name sullied by controversy, Emily is determined to solve the mystery of her father’s death—and to aid Craig, despite her fears of men. The widowed schoolmaster proves to be a devoted father, an innovative teacher, and an unexpected ally. As they work to uncover the truth, they just may find the key to unlock a future neither could have imagined.

Amanda Cabot is the bestselling author of more than forty books and a variety of novellas. Her books have been honored with starred reviews from Publishers Weekly and Library Journal and have been finalists for the ACFW Carol Award, the HOLT Medallion, and the Booksellers’ Best.

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Buying Links

Amazon https://www.amazon.com/After-Shadows-Secrets-Sweetwater-Crossing-ebook/dp/B0B6Q2N6WK

Baker Book House https://bakerbookhouse.com/products/465111

Barnes & Noble https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/after-the-shadows-amanda-cabot/1141496562?ean=9780800740641

Christian Book Distributors https://www.christianbook.com/after-the-shadows-1/amanda-cabot/9780800740641/pd/074064