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Author: Melanie Shawn
FREE
Contemporary Romance
💕 This book can be read as a stand-alone.
For Amanda Jacobs, dealing with the pain of losing her beloved Dad is the toughest thing she’s ever gone through, and it comes with a lot of complications, as well—like taking over the family business, Mountain Ridge Outdoor Adventures. It makes her miss the simplicity of being a teenager, when she was surrounded by her amazing friends, The Fabulous Four, and she was madly in love with her Dad’s right hand man, Justin Barnes. His sexy smiles and deep brown eyes had made her heart race in a way she’s never felt before or since. When the Fabulous Four unexpectedly show up on her doorstep to support her through this complicated time, things seem to be looking up for Amanda. But that’s not the only surprise visit in store for her…
Justin Barnes left Hope Falls ten years ago, in the dead of night, and didn’t think he’d ever set foot there again. That was just fine with him, except for one little complication: Amanda Jacobs. He had fallen in love with her unruly blonde curls and sparkling sapphire eyes, but she had been a teenager then, five years younger than he—too young for him to act on his attraction. Still, he’d missed her every single day of those ten years. When Justin receives a phone call that his former mentor has passed away, he knows he has to return to Hope Falls. Justin just has one question—will the girl that once adored him have grown into a woman that can’t stand him? Or will she still be the only thing in the world that feels like home?
Why this is perfect comfort reading: Melanie Shawn delivers all the small-town romance feels with a second-chance love story that hits the sweet spot between heartache and healing. Amanda’s grief over losing her father is handled with genuine emotion, while Justin’s return after a decade away sets up the kind of “will they finally get together” tension that keeps you turning pages. The bonus of supportive friendships and a family business to save adds depth beyond the central romance. Best of all—it’s completely FREE, making it a no-risk introduction to the Hope Falls series.
Author: Pauline Rowson
FREE
Crime Thriller
🌊 ‘Fans of Rowson’s DI Andy Horton books will be delighted with her new series.’ Booklist
DISCOVER A SERIES OF ACTION-PACKED CRIME THRILLERS FROM BESTSELLING AUTHOR PAULINE ROWSON SET AROUND THE BEAUTIFUL SOUTH EAST COAST OF ENGLAND.
Meet Art Marvik. He’s earned the scars on his face as a commando in the Marines, but now he’s struggling to adjust to civilian life.
Please note this book was previously published as Silent Running.
Former Royal Marine commando Art Marvik returns to his isolated cottage on the Isle of Wight to find his ex-girlfriend, Charlotte, waiting for him.
He hasn’t spoken to her in over two years. Now she’s trembling in his arms, recounting a disturbing story about a woman who was murdered fifteen years ago.
The murder of a young woman. A father grieving for the son he never knew. A family torn apart by shame for fifteen years.
Marvik insists that she stay the night, so they can talk things through. But she’s acting cagey and thinks she’s being followed.
When Charlotte goes missing, Marvik is the prime suspect.
Marvik must dive into dangerous and deadly waters to find a lethal killer before another innocent life is lost.
Perfect for thriller fans who love: Pauline Rowson brings her expertise from the DI Andy Horton series to create a compelling new protagonist in Art Marvik—a scarred ex-Marine trying to navigate civilian life when his past literally shows up on his doorstep. The setup is classically suspenseful: ex-girlfriend appears after two years, tells a disturbing cold case story, then vanishes, leaving Marvik as the prime suspect. What follows is a taut investigation through coastal England where Marvik must clear his name while uncovering a fifteen-year-old murder. If you love Lee Child’s Jack Reacher or Robert Crais’s Joe Pike, this FREE series starter delivers that same blend of military expertise and mystery-solving.
Author: S.W. Hubbard
FREE
Romantic Mystery
🔍 On a snowy Christmas Eve, a beautiful young mother goes out to buy a few last minute gifts…and never returns. Thirty years later, her daughter picks up her trail.
What really happened to Audrey Nealon’s mother? Did she die in a tragic accident? Or did she abandon her husband and young daughter? And why is Audrey’s father so cold and distant?
As the successful owner of an estate sale business, Audrey has put the past behind her. Her mother is a distant memory, her father a problem she keeps closed away. Until the day Audrey clears out the home of a lonely old widow and finds some shocks.
Street drugs in the silverware drawer, a trunkful of jewels in the attic, and the distinctive ring Audrey’s mother was wearing the night her car supposedly sank to the bottom of a New Jersey lake.
Relentlessly, Audrey pursues clues to her family’s troubled history. Because the truth will set her free…unless it gets her killed.
Each fact Audrey uncovers drags her further away from the love she craves. Now she’s on a collision course with people more determined, more ambitious, and more dangerous than she can fathom. As the twist ending reveals, some truths are too awful to bear, and too terrible to share.
What makes this irresistible: S.W. Hubbard weaves a thirty-year-old cold case into Audrey’s present-day life with devastating precision. The premise alone hooks you—a woman who’s spent her adult life wondering about her mother’s disappearance suddenly finds tangible evidence while doing her job as an estate sale professional. The discovery of her mother’s distinctive ring in a stranger’s attic unravels everything Audrey thought she knew. This is a psychological mystery with real stakes: family secrets, dangerous enemies, and a twist ending that promises to upend everything. The romantic mystery element adds emotional complexity as Audrey risks losing love in her pursuit of truth. FREE and compelling—perfect for fans of Diane Chamberlain or Lisa Jewell.
Author: Alex A. King
FREE
Humorous Romance
🇬🇷 Thirty-four-year-old Vivi Tyler is living her nightmare: gay husband, spiraling teenager, melodramatic mother. They’re picking apart her sanity, one stitch at a time. She’s crawling along rock bottom when the arrival of a mysterious package opens a new door to a new country.
A desperate Vivi dives headfirst into the quicksand that is Greece—her parents’ birthplace. But it’s a paradise far from perfect, and instead of the new beginning she covets, Vivi discovers trouble is determined to keep her in its pocket. Soon she’s fighting for her daughter’s life in a Greek hospital, clashing with her Greek relatives, and cobbling together an inadequate cage around her heart, lest she fall for an unavailable man.
Somewhere between Eat, Pray, Love and My Big Fat Greek Wedding, there’s the Women of Greece series.
Why you’ll devour this: Alex A. King captures the messy reality of a woman whose life has spectacularly imploded—gay husband, troubled teen, and a melodramatic mother—then sends her careening toward Greece in search of a fresh start. But this isn’t a sanitized escape story. Vivi finds herself battling in a Greek hospital, clashing with relatives, and trying not to fall for the wrong man. The author describes it perfectly: somewhere between Eat, Pray, Love and My Big Fat Greek Wedding, which means you get humor, heart, and cultural chaos in equal measure. This is women’s fiction with bite—funny, authentic, and emotionally raw. The FREE first book in the Women of Greece series will have you booking a flight (or at least downloading the sequel).
Author: Christopher C. Tubbs
FREE
Historical Naval Adventure
⚔️ DISCOVER A GRIPPING HISTORICAL ESPIONAGE ADVENTURE WITH A HEROINE AS DEADLY AS SHE IS CHARMING.
Perfect for fans of David Grann, John Drake, C.S. Forester, Patrick O’Brian, Griff Hosker and Bernard Cornwell.
1820, London.
Lady Bethany Stockley is no ordinary young lady. Codename ‘Chaton’ she is trained to protect her country with deadly precision.
A recent graduate from ‘The Academy’, Beth is tasked with uncovering a dangerous plot threatening the British Empire. Aboard her ship, The Fox, she sails to the outposts of the British colonies to unmask dangerous traitors within the corridors of power. She must infiltrate high society, dance with deception and outmanoeuvre enemies on all sides.
From Jamaica and Cuba and back to the opulent ballrooms of London, Beth faces a deadly game where one wrong move could mean disaster for her country—and herself.
Join Lady Bethany on her first mission, where every secret she uncovers brings her closer to the truth—and deeper into danger.
Here’s what’s brilliant about this: Christopher C. Tubbs gives us something rare: a female spy in 1820 who’s as competent as she is compelling. Lady Bethany isn’t just playing at espionage—she’s a trained operative with the codename ‘Chaton’ (French for kitten, which is deliciously ironic given her deadly skills). The scope is ambitious: Jamaica, Cuba, and London’s ballrooms, where Beth must infiltrate high society while hunting traitors. If you love Patrick O’Brian’s naval adventures or Bernard Cornwell’s historical action but wish they featured more capable women, this FREE series opener delivers exactly that. Think of it as Jane Austen meets John le Carré—with a ship called The Fox and stakes that could topple an empire.
Confessions of a Latter-day Virgin: A Memoir
Author: Nicole Hardy
Regularly $20.99, Today $2.99
Christian Marriage
💭 When Nicole Hardy’s eye-opening “Modern Love” column appeared in the New York Times, the response from readers was overwhelming. Hardy’s essay, which exposed the conflict between being true to herself as a woman and remaining true to her Mormon faith, struck a chord with women coast-to-coast.
Now in her funny, intimate, and thoughtful memoir, Nicole Hardy explores how she came, at the age of thirty-five, to a crossroads regarding her faith and her identity. As a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Nicole had held absolute conviction in her Mormon faith during her childhood and throughout her twenties. But as she aged out of the Church’s “singles ward” and entered her thirties, she struggled to merge the life she envisioned for herself with the one the Church prescribed, wherein all women are called to be mothers and the role of homemaker is the emphatic ideal.
Confessions of a Latter-day Virgin chronicles the extraordinary lengths Nicole went to in an attempt to reconcile her human needs with her spiritual life—flying across the country for dates with LDS men, taking up salsa dancing as a source for physical contact, even moving to Grand Cayman, where the ocean and scuba diving provided some solace. But neither secular pursuits nor LDS guidance could help Nicole prepare for the dilemma she would eventually face: a crisis of faith that caused her to question everything she’d grown up believing.
In the tradition of the memoirs Devotion and Mennonite in a Little Black Dress, Confessions of a Latter-day Virgin is a mesmerizing and wholly relatable account of one woman’s hard-won mission to find love, acceptance, and happiness—on her own terms.
Why I’m including this: This is a beautifully honest exploration of what happens when personal identity and institutional expectations collide. Hardy writes with humor and vulnerability about her journey from devout Mormon to a woman questioning everything she’d been taught about faith, sexuality, and womanhood. It’s especially powerful for anyone navigating the tension between religious tradition and personal authenticity.
Author: Tim Hayes
Regularly $17.99, Today $2.99
Science of Horses
🐴 Riding Home: The Power of Horses to Heal, Horse Nation’s must read book of 2016, is the first and only book to scientifically and experientially explain why horses have the extraordinary ability to emotionally transform the lives of thousands of men, women and children, whether they are horse lovers, or suffering from deep psychological wounds.
It is a book for anyone who wants to experience the joy, wonder, self-awareness and peace of mind that comes from creating a horse/human relationship, and it puts forth and clarifies the principles of today’s Natural Horsemanship (or what was once referred to as “Horse Whispering”)
Everyone knows someone who needs help: a husband, a wife, a partner, a child, a friend, a troubled teenager, a war veteran with PTSD, someone with autism, an addiction, anyone in emotional pain or who has lost their way. Riding Home provides riveting examples of how Equine Therapy has become one of today’s most effective cutting-edge methods of healing.
Horses help us discover hidden parts of ourselves, whether we’re seven or seventy. They model relationships that demonstrate acceptance, kindness, honesty, tolerance, patience, justice, compassion, and forgiveness. Horses cause all of us to become better people, better parents, better partners, and better friends.
A horse can be our greatest teacher, for horses have no egos, they never lie, they’re never wrong and they manifest unparalleled compassion. It is this amazing power of horses to heal and teach us about ourselves that is accessible to anyone and found in the pages of Tim Hayes’s Riding Home.
Why I’m featuring this: Hayes combines scientific research with deeply moving case studies to reveal why equine therapy works so powerfully for PTSD, autism, addiction, and emotional trauma. This isn’t just for horse lovers—it’s for anyone interested in alternative healing methods or who knows someone struggling with psychological wounds. The book explains the unique qualities horses possess that make them exceptional healers and teachers.
Author: Georgeanne Brennan
Regularly $17.99, Today $2.99
Brunch & Tea Cooking
🥞 From the James Beard Award–winning author of La Vie Rustic, recipes and serving ideas to help you create a memorable brunch.
Whether you have a special occasion to celebrate or you simply want to spend time with family and friends, hosting a brunch is the perfect opportunity. With more than fifty delicious recipes and six fresh ideas for serving them with style, Brunch offers a variety of ways to enjoy this favorite midday meal.
The recipes are grouped into six chapters to help you put together a complete menu. Choose from starters, egg dishes, morning sweets, main dishes, side dishes, and beverages. Enjoy such comforting dishes as French Toast and Apple Chutney; Spring Vegetable Frittata; Potato Pancakes; Lox and Bagel Bar; and dozens more. Also included are eight multicourse menus and suggestions for party themes.
In addition, six “idea spreads” offer smart suggestions for setting the table, creating a centerpiece, assembling a buffet, brewing great coffee, preparing the perfect pot of tea, and setting up a cocktail bar. Lavishly photographed, Brunch contains all you need to know to create the perfect daytime party for any occasion.
Why this is worth your time: Brennan brings James Beard Award-winning expertise to the most relaxed meal of the week. This isn’t just a recipe collection—it’s a complete entertaining guide with menu planning, table settings, and beverage stations. Perfect for anyone who loves hosting but wants to keep things elegant yet low-stress. The photography alone will have you planning your next gathering.
Author: Henry David Thoreau
Regularly $3.98, Today $0.99
Memoir / Nature Writing
🌲 A TRANQUIL VOYAGE OF SPIRITUAL DISCOVERY
In Walden, (Or, Life in the Woods) Henry David Thoreau details his 1845 retreat into a cabin he built near Walden Pond. Set amidst woodland owned by his friend and mentor Ralph Waldo Emerson, it served as Thoreau’s immersion into nature and escape from the distractions of social life. He stayed for two years, two months and two days.
Thoreau used his time at Walden Pond to write his first book, A Week on the Concord and Merrimack Rivers. When writing Walden, Thoreau compresses the two years spent in the woods into a single calendar year, using the passing of four seasons to symbolize human development.
Part his personal declaration of independence and part social experiment, Thoreau also spends time making precise scientific observations of nature, recording in detail the color and clarity of the different bodies of water, describing the freezing and thawing of the pond, and detailing his experiments to measure the depth and shape of the supposedly “bottomless” Walden Pond.
A Transcendentalist, Thoreau’s text reflects upon simple living in natural surroundings. It is a call to reconnect with nature, escape the noise of modern life and immerse yourself in the serene, introspective world of spiritual discovery. It is a manual for self-reliance and a celebration of simple living and tranquility offering wisdom and insights that remain profoundly relevant in today’s hectic, noisy world.
What makes this essential reading: For under a dollar, you get one of the foundational texts of American literature and environmental thought. Thoreau’s experiment in deliberate living feels more relevant than ever in our age of constant connectivity and consumption. This is the original “disconnect to reconnect” manifesto—part memoir, part philosophy, part nature journal. If you’ve ever fantasized about escaping to a cabin in the woods, this is where that dream began.
Author: T. Edward Nickens, The Editors of Field & Stream
Regularly $8.99, Today $1.99
Outdoor Instructional Guides
⛺ The editor-at-large of Field & Stream guides you through the skills and tools you need to be a better outdoorsman and be ready for anything.
KNOW IT ALL What makes someone a total outdoorsman? It’s a mix of know-how, enthusiasm, experience…and having the right tools. In this follow-up to the top-selling Total Outdoorsman Manual author T. Edward Nickens returns with another 300+ hints on how to get the most from your hunting, fishing, and camping trips…and how to survive if something goes wrong.
CAMP IN STYLE What do you really need to bring along to sleep comfortably, keep away varmints, set up an amazing camp kitchen, and handle on-the-spot butchering? Eddie knows, and shares in detail.
HUNT BETTER The skills and tools you need track your prey, make the toughest shots, master bowhunting and knife skills, and haul, butcher, and cook wild game.
FISH SMARTER Everything you need to master fly fishing, baitcasting, and spinning, as well as surefire ways to get the most out of your motorboat, canoe, or kayak whether you’re fishing on a shoestring budget or investing in a dream trip.
SURVIVE ANYTHING When the chips are down and help is far away, these are the skills that can save your life, and the tools that will get you out of any wilderness situation safely.
Here’s why this belongs in your library: Nickens and the Field & Stream team deliver 324 practical tips covering everything from camp cooking to emergency survival. This is the book that turns weekend warriors into confident outdoorsmen. Whether you’re planning your first camping trip or you’re a seasoned hunter looking to refine your skills, this comprehensive guide has you covered—and at this price, it’s a steal for the wealth of expertise inside.
Author: Kyle Ward
Regularly $17.99, Today $2.99
Historiography
📚 The popular, “thought-provoking study” that explores how contemporary prejudices change the way each generation looks at the nation’s past (Library Journal).
Historian Kyle Ward, the acclaimed co-author of History Lessons, offers another fascinating look at the biases inherent in the way we think about, write about, and teach our own history. Juxtaposing passages from US history textbooks of different eras, History in the Making provides new perspectives on familiar historical events, and sheds light on the ways they have been represented over generations.
Covering subjects that span two hundred years, from Columbus’s arrival to the Boston Massacre, from women’s suffrage to Japanese internment, History in the Making exposes the changing values, priorities, and points of view that have framed—and reframed—our past.
“Interesting and useful . . . convincingly illustrates how texts change as social and political attitudes evolve.” —Booklist
“Students, teachers, and general readers will learn more about the past from these passages than from any single work, however current, that purports to monopolize the truth.” —Ray Raphael, author of Founding Myths
This one’s a mind-bender: Ward does something brilliant—he places history textbooks from different eras side by side to show how the same events get told completely differently depending on when they’re written. It’s a fascinating look at how textbooks reflect the biases and values of their time rather than objective truth. Eye-opening for anyone who wants to understand how history is constantly being rewritten to serve contemporary agendas.
… See the rest of today ‘s Book Picks here on page 2Page 2