Happy Friday. Can you believe it’s nearly May? I apologize for missing my last newsletter. This month has completely gotten away from me.
As you know, I recently returned to working full time. The past week has been particularly difficult, trying to rewrite my lesson plans to include my in-class tutor. Throw in three interviews for next year, two dance competitions, and a karate tournament, and I really have had no idea what day it is.
Not that I’m complaining. I am enjoying my time in the classroom. Even my more challenging students. And we are still finding time for family activites.
This weekend, we went to the amusement park. We told the children we were going to our religious education class. It took nearly 20 minutes for the first one to say "It doesn't usually take this long to get there." About 20 minutes later, they expected us to turn around. It wasn't until we pulled into the parking lot that they realized where we were going. And they had a ball. It was a much needed Family Fun Day.
What about you?
Now, since I’m still adjusting to my new schedule, I am sending the same What's New with Ashleigh to each of ny newsletters this week. So, if you receive multiple emails, you may want to scroll down to the free reads and deals tomorrow.
Free Books
Kayaks, Kisses & Monsters
A summer of kayaking sounds perfect. Until the lake monster appears.
For Ellie, getting paid to spend her summer outside sounds like the ideal internship, even if it means paddling up and down a river twelve hours a day. Sure, she's never actually been in a kayak before, but how hard could it be?
At least she knows how to set up camp at night. Unlike her co-worker. Though Clay may be captain of the crew team, she could teach him a thing or two about spending the night in a sleeping bag.
And then there's the whole lake monster thing. Of course, Ellie knows water monsters aren't real but Clay doesn't seem convinced, especially after a boater goes missing. When mysterious accidents threaten her job security, Ellie starts to wonder why the "monster" wants her gone.
Would you like some free books in exchange for an honest review?
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Mending Lives Camden's Healing Touch
When Hannah Thompson flees to her hometown of Camden, Maine, after a bitter divorce and a dead-end job, she expects to find a quiet refuge and a chance to care for her ailing mother. But what she doesn’t expect is to find a mystery waiting for her in the attic: an old teddy bear with a love letter hidden in its pocket.
Can Hannah solve the mystery of the teddy bear and find true love? Can she mend her relationship with her mother? And can she heal her own broken heart? Mending Lives is a heartwarming romance novel about second chances, small towns, and hidden secrets.
Happy Thursday. Can you believe it’s nearly May? I apologize for missing my last newsletter. This month has completely gotten away from me.
As you know, I recently returned to working full time. The past week has been particularly difficult, trying to rewrite my lesson plans to include my in-class tutor. Throw in three interviews for next year, two dance competitions, and a karate tournament, and I really have had no idea what day it is.
Not that I’m complaining. I am enjoying my time in the classroom. Even my more challenging students. And we are still finding time for family activites.
This weekend, we went to the amusement park. We told the children we were going to our religious education class. It took nearly 20 minutes for the first one to say "It doesn't usually take this long to get there." About 20 minutes later, they expected us to turn around. It wasn't until we pulled into the parking lot that they realized where we were going. And they had a ball. It was a much needed Family Fun Day.
What about you?
Now, since I’m still adjusting to my new schedule, I am sending the same What's New with Ashleigh to each of ny newsletters this week. So, if you receive multiple emails, you may want to scroll down to the free reads and deals tomorrow.
Free Books
The Invisible Cipher
IN A WORLD WHERE DANGER HIDES IN CODES, NEIL MUST SECRETLY DECIPHER THE TRUTH AND STOP A DEADLY PLAN
No one expects danger in a Midwest farm town. But when you’re down on your luck, you’re a walking target.
Neil Gatlin wants nothing more than to return home to Indiana and girlfriend, Sunshine. But with truck problems and little money, Neil enters a pool game and misreads the cues. His win becomes a trap and he’s wrongly accused of a crime he didn’t commit.
Imprisoned, Neil’s troubled past, and the lies that entangled him, must be exposed. Working to secure his freedom, Neil discovers coded messages. The only one with the skills to decipher a deadly plan by hardened criminals; Neil must code his responses and hide his intensions or be killed.
As tensions rise and dangers increase, Neil doesn’t know who to trust. But time is running out. If Neil chooses to save others, he may never see freedom and Sunshine again.
If you like Elizabeth Gooddard’s Never Let Go, Helena Marchmont’s Bunburry Cosy Mysteries or Hope Callaghan’s Savannah Mysteries, then you’ll love The Invisible Cipher.
As the code becomes clear, Neil realizes doing what’s right may cost him his life. Click the GET THIS STORY button above and enter Neil’s world today.
Want more free books? Check out these giveaways!
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Murder at the Harvest Field A Small Town Friends Culinary Cozy Mystery Series with Recipes
When a body is discovered in the middle of a vineyard's harvest festival, winemaker Avery Parker must put down her glass of vino to pick up the clues.
With a dangerous murderer potentially lurking around in her small town of Los Robles, California, the once-peaceful community is thrown into turmoil.
Can Avery channel her amateur sleuth skills to crack the case? Along with her detective boyfriend Charles and canine companion, Sprinkles, by her side, she starts examining the victim’s past and piecing together the final moments of his life.
The clock is ticking as the close-knit town hangs in the balance.
Grab a bottle of your favorite vintage and get ready for a killer read filled with secrets, twists, and red herrings galore in Murder at the Harvest Field.
Happy Wednesday. Can you believe it’s nearly May? I apologize for missing my last newsletter. And for sending this so late. This month has completely gotten away from me.
As you know, I recently returned to working full time. The past week has been particularly difficult, trying to rewrite my lesson plans to include my in-class tutor. Throw in three interviews for next year, two dance competitions, and a karate tournament, and I really have had no idea what day it is.
Not that I’m complaining. I am enjoying my time in the classroom. Even my more challenging students. And we are still finding time for family activites.
This weekend, we went to the amusement park. We told the children we were going to our religious education class. It took nearly 20 minutes for the first one to say "It doesn't usually take this long to get there." About 20 minutes later, they expected us to turn around. It wasn't until we pulled into the parking lot that they realized where we were going. And they had a ball. It was a much needed Family Fun Day.
What about you?
Now, since I’m still adjusting to my new schedule, I am sending the same What's New with Ashleigh to each of ny newsletters this week. So, if you receive multiple emails, you may want to scroll down to the free reads and deals tomorrow.
Hartfield Chronicles
Hartfield Chronicles follows the lives of Melinda, Pat, and their friends as they navigate their way through boarding school life.
Each episode features two stories, one from Melinda's point of view and one from Pat's, along with an excerpt from Melinda's writing journal.
New episodes are published every Wednesday.
Free Books
Camp Piquaqua
INDEPENDENT PUBLISHERS OF NEW ENGLAND
2021 BOOK AWARD FINALIST
Ana has the perfect job. Unfortunately, it means working with TJ.
We quickly huddled together, burying our heads under our bags. I lost track of time under the table with TJ's arm around me, shielding me from the storm. I was surprised that this annoying creature could make me feel so safe. I squeezed my eyes shut as a barrage of unfamiliar noises assaulted my ears and wondered whether I would ever open them again.
Seventeen-year-old Ana cannot wait for summer, when she gets to co-lead the overnight hikes at her uncle's family camp. Sure, it means working with her brother-in-law, TJ, a boy her age whom she cannot stand. But, she is willing to put aside their differences in order to have a fantastic summer. When tragedy strikes, Ana and TJ must work together, with the help of the legendary piquaqua bird, to help restore the camp in time for summer.
Want more free books? Check out these giveaways!
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Becoming Birgit
When I went to bed, I dreamt that a girl slightly younger than I was sitting at my desk in my room, writing in her reflections journal. Her unkempt hair reached halfway down her back and her head was bowed low to the desk as she wrote feverishly. After a moment, the girl looked up and her soft brown eyes caught sight of me. She put down her pen, closed her journal, and stood, turning to face me. As she handed me her journal, she spoke in a quiet, pleading voice.
"I know you don't think much of me now," she began. "But, my writing is immature. Give me a chance to grow before you make your decision."
She was gone in the blink of an eye and I was left standing in the middle of my room with the journal in my hand.
When Birgit discovers an old diary, she assumes reading it will help her identify the author. As she delves deeper into the journal, however, she receives the guidance to learn more about herself and her Catholic identity than she ever anticipated.
Happy Wednesday. Can you believe it’s nearly May? I apologize for missing my last newsletter. And for sending this so late. This month has completely gotten away from me.
As you know, I recently returned to working full time. The past week has been particularly difficult, trying to rewrite my lesson plans to include my in-class tutor. Throw in three interviews for next year, two dance competitions, and a karate tournament, and I really have had no idea what day it is.
Not that I’m complaining. I am enjoying my time in the classroom. Even my more challenging students. And we are still finding time for family activites.
This weekend, we went to the amusement park. We told the children we were going to our religious education class. It took nearly 20 minutes for the first one to say "It doesn't usually take this long to get there." About 20 minutes later, they expected us to turn around. It wasn't until we pulled into the parking lot that they realized where we were going. And they had a ball. It was a much needed Family Fun Day.
What about you?
Now, since I’m still adjusting to my new schedule, I am sending the same What's New with Ashleigh to each of ny newsletters this week. So, if you receive multiple emails, you may want to scroll down to the free reads and deals tomorrow.
Free Books
Arctic Lynx An Arctic Druid Short Story
Can a single hunting trip change the future of an entire village?
After a week of hunting, Gil spots an arctic lynx. No one in his village has ever killed one. They believe doing so would bring bad luck.
Gil is determined to challenge their superstitions. Surely returning to the village with a lynx will show them he is ready to join the hunters as an adult.
But when Gil finds his village is not as he left it, he wonders if his lynx is responsible.
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Blood of a Fallen God The addictive fantasy epic begins...
Unveiling the Spellbinding Beginning to a Breathtaking Epic Fantasy Saga: Blood of a Fallen God
In the shadows of ancient gods and the glimmer of divine possibility, ‘Blood of a Fallen God” weaves a tale of ambition, betrayal, and the unyielding pursuit of destiny. William Reis, born of a lineage scorned and hidden, embarks on a forbidden journey to resurrect the forgotten arts of the Forgemaster, wielding powers bestowed by the gods themselves. In a world where the smith's hammer shapes the fate of empires, William's quest to join the prestigious Smithing Guild is more than a mere ambition; it's a battle for survival and legacy.
Stealing into the cursed Mistlands, William procures a shard of the god Amder's essence, setting into motion a chain of events that will challenge the very foundations of power in Alos. Alongside his cousin Duncan, a relic hunter with secrets of his own, William crafts a masterpiece that promises entry into the guild. Yet, as ancient forces stir in the shadows, the cousins find themselves ensnared in a web of political intrigue, divine machinations, and dark curses that threaten to unleash chaos upon the world.
From the hidden forges of the Reach to the opulent halls of Ture, William and Duncan must navigate a world where gods whisper in the ears of mortals, and the lines between ally and enemy blur. With the priesthood seeking to erase his bloodline and a high priestess of the Blood God manipulating fate, William's journey is fraught with peril. But the revival of Amder, the God of Craft, offers a glimmer of hope—if William can embrace his destiny as the last Forgemaster.
"Blood of a Fallen God" is a riveting odyssey of magic, intrigue, and the unbreakable bonds of family.
As William battles to save his cousin and resurrect a god, he must also confront the ultimate question: what is the price of divine power, and can it forge a new destiny for a world on the brink of destruction?
This is a very busy time of year for our family. Earlier this week, I mentioned some of our favorite traditions, new and old. However, no Easter would be complete without our favorite tradition: the egg hunt.
As a child, we spent every Easter at my grandparent's house. They lived on about an acre of land, so there was plenty of room to hide plastic eggs. I think we were told we could only find a certain number, but that may be something I started when I had children of my own. The eggs were filled with chocolate eggs and jelly beans and other candies that I stopped enjoying long ago.
We would also participate in egg hunts at my church or the town green. We would stand behind a starting line while the adults threw chocolate eggs all over the grass. I remember the first time I saw that, I was disappointed. My relatives took such care hiding the plastic eggs, why couldn't they? (Of course, there were a lot more children at these public hunts, but at six, I didn't understand that.) However, there was no limit to the amount of candy we could find and my brother and I always competed to see who could get the most.
I cannot remember the origins of this tradition with my own children. I just remember one year, we started hiding plastic eggs. One year, we tried ones that had been prefilled with toys. The children were very disappointed and we vowed never to do that again. One year it was a scavenger hunt, where they children had to find a certain number of each colored egg (three blue, two pink, one gold, etc). I think the Easter bunny did an egg hunt one year. That was the year we got a new camper and it took the kids a while to find the eggs hidden in it.
Last year, we had Easter at my brother-in-law's and I volunteered to do a hunt for all the cousins. My kids helped me fill eggs. I kept one empty of each color and the kids all drew them from a basket. That was the color egg they had to search for. Since my eldest niece is in college, she volunteered to hide the eggs and the little kids had a lot of fun looking for them all. We all got in on the fun when we lost an egg. (Still never found it!)
This year, my kids insisted on another hunt. I put my middle daughter in charge of it. She helped pick out the candy: a different kind for each kid. We bought the jumbo plastic eggs and picked out stickers to mark each child's eggs. We're bringing them to their grandparents' house to do after Easter dinner. As for who's hiding them? We're not sure.
One year, we had the children hide each other's eggs. We're thinking of doing that again. Or maybe Daddy or a grandparent will hide them. We may do it inside or outside. The possibilites are numerous and I'm looking forward to this tradition.
What about you?
Free Books
Davin The Sabela Series Prequel
She needed a friend more than a lover - would he understand?
They say laughter is good for the soul. Something that had been lacking in Sabela's life since her father suddenly passed away.
Davin was smooth and spoiled, not her type but he made her laugh and she had grown fond of him quickly since their unexpected encounter but she didn't love him and didn't know if she ever could. Would Davin understand?
He had made a life-changing proposal to her but what was his alternative motive she wondered?
Everything was moving so fast and Sabela could see vast changes happening in her life in the near future but only if Davin accepted her terms. She had her doubts that he could.
This is the prequel to the Sabela series plus chapter one from Slater, book one in the series.
A steamy suspense romance series with lots of twists that will keep you guessing until the end.
Would you like some free books in exchange for an honest review?
Want more free books? Check out these giveaways!
Do you have Kindle Unlimited? These books are free for you!
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Coffee and Crushes at the Cat Café A Furrever Friends Sweet Romance
What do you do when you meet the guy of your dreams? Set him up with your sister, of course.
Kari doesn't have time for love when she's opening her new cat café. Renovating an old restaurant, hiring employees, fighting with the health inspector – oh, and welcoming 16 shelter cats – keeps her plenty busy. She's doing this for the cats, the community, and most of all her family. The café will give her sister, Marley, a job worthy of her baking skills. Then a tattooed military vet wanders in claiming to be a master baker himself. The café doesn't need another baker, but maybe Marley needs a man. Surely she'll fall for a guy this sweet, this sexy, this tasty.
Colin has other ideas. It's Kari who makes him want to pour on the sugar and turn up the heat. But he's spent the last two years recovering from physical and psychological wounds. Is he really ready for a relationship? He's not even sure he should commit to Samson, the fluffy marshmallow of a cat who steals his heart.
The Furrever Friends Sweet Romance series features the workers and customers at a small-town cat café, and the adorable cats and kittens looking for their forever homes. If you enjoy the friends to lovers trope, work romances, military heroes, and strong heroines completely failing at playing the matchmaker, check out Coffee and Crushes at the Cat Café. You'll also find rescue cats with plenty of personality and their own desire for love.
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