Review for Lana Lynne's books:

I purchased Lana’s first book—Home Always Beckons—when I went to a book signing in White Oak.  I was doing research on publishers at the time and was particularly interested in the publisher she was with.  I just recently received the next two books and read straight through them.  So, I am posting the reviews for all three now.

Review:  Home Always Beckons @Lana Lynne

Review note:  I am friends with the author.

Home Always Beckons follows the journey of three men, two of which are finally coming home, as they face the aftermath of the Civil War. 

Anyone who has spent a significant time away from home knows it’s not always easy to go back.  You’ve changed, your friends have changed. . .home has changed.   Sometimes the changes are too much to overcome and staying home is not an option.  Marc and John know this only too well.  With their friend, Boyd, as support, they face the challenge to see if coming home is possible.

Be prepared to take the book everywhere you go.

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Review:  Trails of Change @Lana Lynne

Review note:  I am friends with the author.

Having said that, Trails of Change is well written with plenty of historical accuracy to draw the reader in and make them realize Ms. Lynne has done her homework.  Her characters are believable and plain spoken like the people of that era were.

All who have gone to war come home to change; in themselves, those at home and their surroundings.  Dealing with these changes has always been a challenge and Ms. Lynne does as excellent job of bringing those conflicts to life in her stories.  Boyd Richards’ journey clearly portrays that. 

Find a comfy place, grab your favorite beverage and join the journey in Trails of Change.

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Review:  Sunbeams at Twilight @Lana Lynne

Review note:  I am friends with the author.

Sunbeams at Twilight (A Life’s Echo) shows the difference one life can make.  Ms. Lynne does an excellent job of showing the ripple effect created by the decisions we make and how lives can be affected by them well into the future.

Having read the other two books, I was a little shocked at where this book started.  I felt like I was missing a lot of information.  Knowing Lana, I wanted to fuss but I didn’t, I just kept reading.  I’m glad I did.  Do the same.

Poignantly written, this is as much James Hawkins’ story as it is Hallie’s and Edward’s. 

Oh, keep a tissue handy.

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Check out her books at Lana Lynne @ Amazon.com

The Washer Saga

To preface this part of the story, let me say that Jill (friend from work) has Netflix and if they receive a movie I want to see, she loans it to me.  I always try to watch it that night and put it in the mail the next morning.  She had given me one.

We start with both the washer and dryer hooked up and ready to work.  So excited.  My first load to dry in my own dryer.  I had run just enough water the day before to make sure nothing leaked.  I started on the dryer vent around six-thirty so, my time to watch the movie was shrinking. 

I started the washer and popped in the movie.  Let the washer fill while I dealt with the previews and had the movie ready to start.  Opened the lid to put the towels in and the water looked dirty.  Shrugged.  The washer may have been sitting a while.  Might have been something in my line.  Drained it and started it again.  Started the movie.  Let it get full this time.  Looked in and the water still looked dirty.  Shrug with a small grrr.  Wouldn’t hurt to run it through a wash.  Should get rid of whatever is causing the dirt in the water.  Let it go and watched the movie.

When I realized the washer had quit, I paused the movie and started it filling again.  Let it get about a fourth full and the water—looked—dirty.  By this time, I was past wanting to get wash done.  I’d spent all the time I was willing to.  Besides, the only other thing I could think of was a leak in the line going to the washer.  Major work and going to have to wait until the weekend.

I know, you are wondering why I would immediately go there.  A few weeks earlier, Amanda had some work done on her lines.  My water comes off her lines and I had dirt in the lines for a couple of days.  So I sat the washer to drain and finished the movie. Showered, put on my jammies, brushed my teeth and the Holy Spirit tapped me on the shoulder. (Wish you could see my face, I still grin over it).  Walked over, raised the washer lid, shook my head and started laughing.  Most washers are white or blue inside.  This one was tan.  Yep, that’s why the water looked dirty.

The thing is, just six months ago, I would have been beating myself up over all this.  You know, telling myself how stupid I was, can’t do anything right, blah, blah, blah, blah.  This time I didn’t and didn’t realize it until I was telling Amber the saga.  While I was talking, it hit me that not once had I beat myself up over any of this.  Not once.  That’s freedom.  Real. True.  Freedom.  The grace of God at work.  Yea!

The Dryer Saga Continued

Okay, the washer was hooked up, the dryer running but I hadn’t connected the vent.  Something that should have taken ten minutes at the most.  Ha!  Let the saga continue.

For those that don’t know, I live in a trailer.  My washer and dryer fit in the small hallway between the kitchen and bedroom.  I repeat; small hallway.  The outside vent pipe stuck out about four inches.  The dryer also had a pipe sticking out for the vent.  No big deal; line them up, push them together.  Voila! done, ready to dry.

Uh, no (picture head wag).  It took an act of congress to get the pipes lined up.  The wall pipe had to be trimmed, or it would make the dryer stick out two inches further than the washer.  Small hall, big girl.  Not gonna work.

I don’t know what kind of washer and dryer was supposed to go in that space but. . .  Suffice it to say, the washer was not getting any closer to that wall no matter how much I wiggled it.  Finally got the pipes lined up and head tilt.  Seriously???  Wall pipe, four inches off the floor.  Dryer pipe, three and a half.  The legs on the dryer were already as high as they would go.  That left two options. 

First option, wrestle the dryer up on half-inch blocks.  Which meant finding half-inch blocks—of any kind—I could use, having both pipes meet, push them together while keeping the dryer on the blocks and then leveling it once I got the pipes connected.  Way too much work for this girl.

Second option, vent hose.  No problem, slide it on one pipe then the other and we’re good to go.

Yeah, right (picture head hanging).  Remember the small hall.  Dryer vent hoses are long, and I didn’t want a vent hose snake behind the dryer.  Also because of the sticking out problem mentioned above, I was going to have to mush it against the wall.  So I cut about a foot and a half off and commenced to connecting.  Both ends of a vent hose are male connections so it will slide over the pipe.  The pipe coming out of the wall was also a male connection.  No surprise there.  Got the pliers and modified the wall pipe.  Finally wrestled the hose on the wall pipe and got it taped down.  Tried to slide the hose on the dryer.  Hum-m-m.  What do you know; the dryer had a male connection, also.  Applied the pliers again but couldn't get the hose on in that small space. 

Deep sigh.  Laid everything down, walked off and played on the computer.  Then, did the only thing I could do.  Turned the dryer so that the back faces the washer, did some major modifications on both pipes, connected the vent hose and taped ‘er down.  Yea! no air leaks.

It might look odd but it works and that’s the main thing.  I was ready for my first load of clothes. Or, so I thought.  That’s when the saga of the washer started.  Yep, to be continued.      

In case you missed the first installment:    The Dryer Saga

    

The Dryer Saga

You may remember, about a year ago, a friend from work gave me a washer.  Yea, didn’t have to go to the laundry mat.  But. . .since I had to use either my sister’s or niece’s dryer, it restricted the times I could wash.  It couldn’t be while they were washing, late at night or when it’s raining, etc.  Bummer.  But still better than going to the laundry mat.

Recently, a young couple from my church (New Hights)—Amber & Phillip Gray—upgraded their washer and dryer and gave me their old ones.  They graciously delivered them even though they live in Winnsboro.  I assured Phillip I could hook them up no problem.  Wha-ha-ha.  Let the saga begin. 

Just that week, I had been named employee of the month at Neiman Service Center (a warehouse).  I received $100 and the coveted parking spot.  The $100 covered buying the hoses for the washer and electric cord for the dryer.  (Thank you, Lord, for the blessing.)  I traced my dryer outlet and headed to Lowes©.  I told the young man what I needed and showed him the picture of the outlet.  In minutes, I was headed home.

I got the washer hooked up, first time, no leaks.  Whoa.  Fist bump.

I have a four prong dryer outlet.  Got the cord out of the package and read through the directions.  Did a quick read over the back of the dryer and took the plate off to hook up the cord. . .  Screeching halt.  A four prong dryer means four wires to hook up.  There were three screws.  I looked at the four wires and back at the three screws; four wires, three screws; four wires, three screws:  huffed and read the instructions again.  My first thought was ‘spit, I’m going to have to get a new outlet’ which meant finding someone to put it in.  

Let me preface the rest of the story by stating I was tired by this time. 

I called my brother-in-law.  Not answering.  So, after a bit, I texted my Ex.  He called and I explained what I was doing and saw.  He said I could put the neutral and ground together if I had to but there was a 'you really don’t want to do that' in his voice.  After more discussion, I said ‘there is a white wire across the bottom attached to a screw’.  (All you real macho men and women keep the laughter down.  Like I said, I was tired.)

When I started laughing, he asked ‘what’.  Remember, I said I had read over the back of the dryer.  Literally, this was what I was looking at.

EXTERNAL

GROUND

CONNECTION

Yes, letters that big with this huge long arrow pointing at the screw with the white wire attached.  He told my how to make sure there wasn’t any electricity running through the dryer body without killing myself and to call him back when I was done.

Hooked it up, plugged it in, didn’t get shocked and it started heating right way.  Score.  Didn’t have the vent hooked up and as much as I wanted to try it out, it could wait till tomorrow.

To be continued.  I did say this was a saga.  :-) 

Instant Frontier Family by Regina Scott

Disclaimer:  I received this book from Regina Scott for the promise of an honest book review.

I have read the other books in Ms. Scott’s Frontier Bachelors series and liked no-nonsense Maddie from the beginning. Her plain speaking view of the world makes me smile. I’ve often wondered if I would have been bold enough to leave my life behind and start anew in the west.  Not possible to know, now. But, I can enjoy the ups and downs of the journey in books like Instant Frontier Family. Ms. Scott has the ability to weave powerful messages into a story but they don’t slap you in the face. They nudge you as you go along.

Growing up in the late 1800 Irish slums of New York shaped Maddie and Michael’s view of the world. Both are determined to start a new and better life in Seattle, Washington. Both are determined to do it their own way. Will they let their past dictate their future? Will they settle for their own way even if it less than they want? Or, will they let go and walk into their future together?

I’m not telling. 

Instant Frontier Family is available in bookstores and online.

Amazon.com

Harlequin.com

Postmark From the Past by Vickie Phelps

Disclaimer:  I received a copy of Postmark from the Past from Vickie Phelps for an honest review.

What’s not to love about mysterious letters from the past, song dedications by a friend you haven’t seen in twenty-one years and a mysterious abandoned little girl?

Nothing.  You are right there with Emily as her past comes rushing back with each letter she receives.  The emotions she feels at each new revelation of betrayal are real and easily identified with.  Plus, they are well written.  Not once did I feel like rolling my eyes and saying ‘grow up’. (From me, that’s high praise.)

Postmark from the Past is. . . .  Sweet is not the right word, too gooey.  Neither is nice, too bland.  Warm and cuddly doesn’t do it, either.  Good (overused, I know) but it is just that; a good book that leaves you satisfied.  An easy read that leaves you smiling.  

Available on Amazon.com

Frontier Engagement by Regina Scott Review

I received Frontier Engagement from Regina Scott for the promise of an honest review.

As I’ve said before, I like Regina Scott.  Her stories are populated with believable characters that face real life situations.  With Frontier Engagement, we are once again part of the Wallin Family (Would be Wilderness Wife) and the story does not disappoint.

Believing himself responsible for his father’s death, James Wallin has joked his way through life.  But, he is determined to do one thing right in his family’s eyes; bring back the best school teacher for Wallin Landing.  Yet once again, his choices puts the new teacher and himself in danger.  Will he every do anything right?

Alexandrina (Rina) Fosgrave’s past makes her distrust people who wear fancy clothing and speak flowery prose.  The man standing in front of her certainly embodies both.  But, what choice does she have?  James Wallin is the only person to offer her a teaching position.  She has to take it or risk everything she came to Seattle seeking.

It is an easy read about two people who lack confidence in themselves and how James’ confidence in and respect for Rina changes her view of herself.  And how Rina’s confidence in and respect for James changes his view of himself.

Well worth reading.