I felt there were a lot of issues in this book, issues that Emma had to sort through as they couldn’t be ignored. Her family had money but putting money on these issues wouldn’t be the answer. With a respectable and prominent family name, I felt that money had been the families answer before the accident. Money can’t fix the challenges the family is facing now but first, the challenges must be identified and acknowledged.

Emma thought her brother Joey just liked weed but he also tested positive for heroin the night that Candy was killed. Checking into Blue Spruce, Joey sought treatment. Emma would miss Joey but she wouldn’t miss the constant fighting that he had with their parents. Emma’s prescription for pain medication for her injuries in that accident wouldn’t be filled, as their mother feared that Emma would also become a drug addict just like Joey. It didn’t matter how much pain her fractured kneecap was giving her, there would be no prescription. Mother was so bossy.

Mother seemed to be more concerned about how her appearance in the community than with the own children. Having an established business in the community, mother’s top concern seemed to be how she looked in the community now that something had tainted their family’s name. She was scared of losing her high status in the community. Little else did she know, what else was happening that would affect her and the family’s name.

My heart ached for Emma as I read. What more could she do? The expectations that were placed on her were high and the only activity that Emma discovers that provides her any kind of happiness had me shaking my head. Oh Emma!! I thought the author did a fantastic job with the details of this story. There were times that I thought this book was slow but I had to know what happened to Emma and her brother so I continued reading and I’m so glad I did. 4.5 stars.

Book review - Cinder Bella ('Tis the Season Book 3) by Kathleen Shoop 

She never had anything.

He lost everything.

Together they create a Christmas to remember.

December, 1893--Shadyside, Pennyslvania .

"A heartwarming story that will have you overflowing with festive spirit. Kathleen's heartfelt story transports you back in time to a harsh winter in Pennyslvania, in the midst of a financial crash, and depression, that serves as a reminder that the magic of Christmas can be felt, regardless of what you have in life. Bella is the centre of the story, her positive love of everything in life is quite contagious, and is joined by a group of people from all walks of life who find themselves in dire need of help and support, they have absolutely nothing yet have everything they could have wanted.

Bella asks does riches in life involve money, are they important? I think you will find the answer among these pages, for sure!"

Our rating 'A heartwarming' 5 stars

Available now:

Kindle: https://www.amazon.com/Cinder-Bella-Tis-Season-Book-ebook/dp/B09L3LY2TD  Paperback: https://www.amazon.com/Cinder-Bella-Season-kathleen-shoop/dp/B09KN657P7  .

Bella Darling lives in a cozy barn at Maple Grove, an estate owned by industrialist Archibald Westminster. The Westminster family is stranded overseas and have sent word to relieve all employees of their duties except Margaret, the pregnant maid, James the butler, and Bella. Content with borrowed books and a toasty home festooned with pine boughs and cinnamon sticks, she coaxes the old hens to lay eggs--extraordinary eggs. Bella yearns for just one thing—someone to share her life with. Always inventive, she has a plan for that. She just needs the right egg into the hands of the right man.

Bartholomew Baines, a Harvard-educated banker, is reeling in the aftermath of his bank's collapse. With his friends and fiancé ostracizing him for what he thought was an act of generosity, he is penniless and alone. A kind woman welcomes him into her boarding house under conditions that he reluctantly accepts. Completely undone by his current, lowly position, and by the motley crew of fellow boarders who view him as one of them, Bartholomew wrestles with how to rebuild.

With the special eggs as the impetus, the first meeting between Bella and Bartholomew gives each the wrong idea about the other. And when the boarding house burns down a week before Christmas it’s Bella who is there to lend a hand. She, Margaret, and James invite the homeless group to stay at the estate through the holidays. But as Christmas draws closer, eviction papers arrive. Maple Grove is being foreclosed upon. Can Bella work her magic and save their Christmas? Is the growing attraction between Bella and Bartholomew enough for them to see past their differences? Only time will tell and only if time doesn’t run out before they all have the Christmas of their lives.

★★ Historical romance, The Magician (The Donora Story Collection Book 3) by Kathleen Shoop is now available!! ★★

Donora 1920 - When the Depression hits and the mills close, tension grips every Donora household and turns young Stanley's American baseball dreams into a living nightmare. Can he find the courage to leave everything he knows and all the people he loves to fulfill his destiny? Or will he wait too long and risk it all?
- A Family Saga
- A Love Story
- An American Dream Come True

"You fall deep into Stanley's beginning, thanks to the author's exquisite attention to detail and descriptions. The dialogue is fantastic. History, along with the Musials, comes to life, and you get more than a slice-of-life perspective--you get the whole Musial pie. The Magician(The Donora Story Collection Book 3) by Kathleen Shoop is a Musial fan's dream.--Tammy Ruggles for Readers' Favorite

Grab your copy today!
Kindle: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08WFG2CCW
Paperback: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B092HJK2W7
** FREE ON KINDLE UNLIMITED **

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Donora 2019.

Ninety-two year old Patryk Rusek is on the run, bath-towel flying off, with nothing but his new Nikes to carry him to freedom. His plan to escape from Blue Horizon Retirement Community is in motion. Except his great-grandson Owen isn’t at the pickup point. Resigned to his fate, Patryk returns to his room and reads from his incredible hand-drawn chronicle of Donora, luring half the nursing home’s employees and residents into the room, mesmerizing them with childhood tales of Stan F. Musial, beloved baseball hall of famer.
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Donora 1920.

Mary Musial is expecting again. After four daughters, her husband Lukasz is losing hope for a son. But Jupiter is rising when Stanisław Franciszek Musiał is born on November 21, 1920, and the midwife predicts he will live an extraordinary life. Young Stanley’s physical talents show themselves at the Polish Falcons and on the baseball field. But rather than pride, Lukasz’s spirits plummet after mill injuries turn his American dream into a living nightmare.

When the Depression hits and the mills close, tension grips every Donora household. Meanwhile as Stan matures, he draws attention from the press, college coaches, and professional baseball scouts. Suddenly his singular dream is set against options he’d never imagined. Every choice threatens to disappoint coaches, teachers, his girlfriend, and most of all his parents. Even with the talent to achieve his goals, doubt creeps in. Can he find the courage to leave everything he knows and all the people he loves to fulfill his destiny? Or will he wait too long and risk it all?

These books have now become my take of a literary surprise treat, they are full of author goodness and I can't wait to dive in to them. Each book has been set on a general theme, this time the theme is Love, different aspects of love portrayed in many forms by the authors including love through family, friendships, neighbors, and self love, to name a few. They showcase how love can happen by chance, as if it was meant to be. You get to enjoy fiction, essays, poems, and even a couple of recipes in this release! On top of which the added beauty is that the you know the proceeds are going towards charity from the amazing authors.

I thoroughly enjoyed moving from one author to the next, different writing styles, and circumstances when love occurs. I think everyone who reads this will have their own particular favorite/s. For me A Minute Long Love by Hilary Hauck was such a joy to read, it warmed my heart and made me smile. I found Precious Jewel by Demi Stevens thought provoking, and touching. Angelica by Lorraine Donohue Bonzelet was fun, and a very imaginative read. And I have to say that Kimberly Kurth Gray, author of the actual story Love on the Edge even had me enjoying Mrs Parker! ;-) There were so many great reads that I could mention, seriously lots and lots, all wrapped up in this one book, I'm already looking forward to the next release!!

If you're looking for a nice comfortable read with warmth, humor, emotion, and fun, then this wonderful collection is for you.