First Line Fridays — The Underground Railroad Brides Collection

Hello, reader friends and welcome to June!! Today’s featured book is from my tbr and I’m really looking forward to diving in! It’s been too long since I’ve read a story set within the Underground Railroad movement and this book contains NINE!!!

The Underground Railroad Brides Collection

by Barbara Tifft Blakey, Ramona K. Cecil, Lynn A. Coleman, Cecelia Dowdy, Patty Smith Hall, Terri J. Haynes, Debby Lee, Darlene Panzera, Penny Zeller

 Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository | ChristianBook

Emma Underground by Barbara Tifft Blakey

“Emma Trebor stood with her husband, Paul, on the church steps as their youngest daughter, Catherine, sat beside her groom in the flower-bedecked carriage.“

Follow the Christmas Star by Ramona K. Cecil

““Ah, don’t cry, Dahlia.” Edith reached out and brushed away the tear meandering down the little girl’s dusky cheek, her heart crumpling.“

Under the Sails of Love by Lynn A. Coleman

““Come quick,” Charlotte whispered, signaling for the runaway slaves to hide in the old childhood fort.“

The Bakery Bride by Cecelia Dowdy

““Son, when are you going to get married?” Oh no, she had to go and mention that.“

Place of Refuge by Patty Smith Hall

“She was running out of time. Jorgine Emmerson stared out at the lush green fields, the white boles of cotton swaying in time with the horses’ hooves.“

Free to Love by Terri J. Haynes

“Pounding jarred Winnifred from the hold of a deep sleep. She bolted upright, sending a quick glance to the still-dark windows.“

The Winter Quilt by Debby Lee

“Carol Martin clutched the handkerchief in her hands and gritted her teeth. She swore she wouldn’t look through her hope chest ever again.“

The Song of Hearts Set Free by Darlene Panzera

“Annie Morrison and her dearest friend had not taken more than five steps past Morrison’s cabinet shop when Louisa clutched her arm and let out a startled gasp.“

Freedom’s Flight by Penny Zeller

“Annalise Van Houten followed her aunt and uncle toward the First Church of Ridge Gap, Tennessee.“

 

Your turn, reader friends! Share YOUR first line in the comments below!

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We also invite you to participate in First Line Fridays on your own blog, website, or social media!
Please remember to designate applicable posts as mature, see full guidelines for details.

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First Line Fridays — Pursued

Hello, reader friends and welcome to May!! My furbaby has a spa day at the groomer’s this morning so please be patient with me, she’s a bit of a diva! Let me know what your weekend plans are in the comments even if especially if it involves a good book!

 

Pursued by Linda K. Rodante

 Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

 

“Cristina straightened the strap of her attaché case and strode down the corridor. The heels of her pumps sounded in the marble hall.“

 

This book is on my wishlist but you can read Carrie’s review at Reading Is My SuperPower!

Your turn, reader friends! Share YOUR first line in the comments below!

Click the blue blog hopping frog button to visit more FLF folks!

Join us!

We also invite you to participate in First Line Fridays on your own blog!
Please remember to designate applicable posts as mature, see full guidelines for details.

Next week is our Mother’s Day special edition! Check the sidebar for details.

First Line Fridays — Amongst the Roses

Hello, reader friends!

We’re celebrating wishing for flowers (and spring!) with a special edition of First Line Fridays!

Fans of Civil War fiction will especially enjoy today’s featured April release.

 

Amongst the Roses by Meghan M. Gorecki

 Goodreads | Amazon 

 

April 12, 1861

““Papa’s home!” A nameless shiver of dread worked its way up Margaret Bryant’s spine, causing her fingers to shake as she checked the chatelaine watch at her waist.“

 

 

Your turn, reader friends! Share YOUR first line in the comments below!

Click the blue blog hopping frog button to visit more FLF folks!

Join us!

We also invite you to participate in First Line Fridays on your own blog!
Please remember to designate applicable posts as mature, see full guidelines for details.

First Line Fridays — A Passion Most Pure

Hello, reader friends!
We’re celebrating St. Patrick’s Day with a special edition of First Line Fridays!

Obviously, the first book to pop into my head for St. Patty’s features a big, beautiful green spine AND one of my favorite fictional families with Irish roots, the O’Connors!

No pinching allowed as we spread the luck of the Irish via books and first lines! Let’s paint the shelves green… or fill them with green books! Yeah, let’s do that!

 

A Passion Most Pure by Julie Lessman

 Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository | Christian Book

Boston, Massachusetts, Late Summer, 1916

“Sisters are overrated, she decided. Not all of them, of course, only the beautiful ones who never let you forget it.“

 

You’re invited…

Join author Julie Lessman on her Facebook page for a special St. Patrick’s Day Facebook Live
on March 16 at 1:00 p.m. Eastern/10:00 a.m. Pacific!

In addition to a special free ebook sale, Julie is giving away one prize: winner’s choice of a $25 Amazon gift card OR 3 signed paperback copies (or ebooks) of ANY of her series: The Daughters of Boston, Winds of Change, Heart of San Francisco, or Isle of Hope.

Go to Julie Lessman’s Author Facebook Page

 

 

Your turn, reader friends! Share YOUR first line in the comments below!

Click the blue blog hopping frog button to visit more FLF folks!

Join us!

We also invite you to participate in First Line Fridays on your own blog!
Please remember to designate applicable posts as mature, see full guidelines for details.

 

Next week is our “in like a lion, out like a lamb” March special edition!
see sidebar for details

First Line Fridays — A Light on the Hill

Hello, reader friends! Let’s find some great reads, shall we?! Today’s featured book is a fabulous new release! I love love LOVE it! 😍 Adventure, diversity, romance, suspense, scenery… experience the Promised Land like never before!

A Light on the Hill by Connilyn Cossette

 goodreads | amazon | bookdepository | christianbook

 

Prologue
Jericho 1406 BC

“The priest’s kohl-lined eyes glazed over as he held the iron brand in the center of cedar-fueled flames. Pressing my back against the column I was tied to, I clawed my nails into the wood.“

 

Diversity Between the Pages book spotlight | Faithfully Bookish setting spotlight + giveaway

 

Your turn, reader friends! Share YOUR first line in the comments below!

Click the blue blog hopping frog button to visit more FLF folks!

 

Join us!

We also invite you to participate in First Line Fridays on your own blog!
Read our guidelines for details.

Reminder: Next week is our Valentines Day special edition! Look for ideas in the sidebar.

First Line Fridays — The Esther Paradigm

Hello, reader friends! It’s time for another special edition of First Line Fridays! This week in the United States we celebrate the life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., to remember how far we have come, and to recognize how far we still need to press on towards the goal. As a small tribute, we are celebrating diversity with books!

Today’s featured book is one of my top favorites from 2017 and features an American heroine and Bedouin hero. The author crafts a wonderful story and knits together two cultures that often clash. I highly recommend it!

 

The Esther Paradigm by Sarah Monzon

Goodreads | Amazon

 

“Hannah Pratt stared out across the grainy hills as the wind blew a gentle kiss over the crest. The laughing desert flitted away in a game of tag like she used to play at recess.“

 

Your turn, reader friends! What are you reading? Share YOUR first line in the comments, then click the blue blog hopping frog button below to visit more FLF folks!

Join us!

We also invite you to participate in First Line Fridays on your own blog!

Simply share the URL of your blog POST (not your blog), your name, and your email (which will remain hidden) with our froggy friend above!
Please remember to link back to Hoarding Books within your post or grab a button from the sidebar so everyone can find the FLF fun.

As always, participation in the special editions is completely voluntary and y’all are encouraged to share links to your non-themed FLF posts as well.

First Line Fridays — The Austen Escape

Hello, reader friends! It’s time for another special edition of First Line Fridays! In our neck of the woods, winter is blowing in with a vengeance (which always makes me want to run away to someplace warm)! We’re celebrating this change of seasons with a travel theme (or winter… or summer for our friends down under)!

Today’s featured book is next up in my to-be-read stack. I thoroughly enjoyed this author’s last release and it transported me all the way to Italy so I’m looking forward to escaping into this new release over the weekend!

 

The Austen Escape by Katherine Reay

Goodreads | Amazon | BookDepository | Christianbook

 

“How can I help?” The world stilled. It wasn’t the first time I wondered how one voice, one presence, could quicken the air and simultaneously stop all motion.“

 

Well now, those first two lines were just teeny teasers so I tossed in another and stopped right before the who!

Your turn, reader friends! What are you reading? Share YOUR first line in the comments, then click the blue blog hopping frog button below to visit more FLF folks!

Join us!

We also invite you to participate in First Line Fridays on your own blog!

Simply share the URL of your blog POST (not your blog), your name, and your email (which will remain hidden) with our froggy friend above! Please remember to link back to Hoarding Books within your post or grab a button from the sidebar so everyone can find the FLF fun.

Reminder…

Next week is our Christmas special edition!
If you’d like to play along, select a Christmasy book and share the first line!

As always, participation in the special editions is completely voluntary and y’all are encouraged to share links to your non-themed FLF posts as well.

First Line Fridays — Catching the Wind

Open the book nearest to you and share the first line!

Hello, reader friends! It’s FLF time! Today’s featured book is a captivating time-slip set in WWII Germany and England and modern-day England and America. It is a beautiful, immersive story of love, loss, and belonging.

 

Catching the Wind by Melanie Dobson

Goodreads | Amazon | BookDepository | Christianbook

 

“Maple leaves draped over the tree house window, the silvery fronds linked together like rings of chainmail to protect the boy and girl playing inside.“

 

Doesn’t that paint a lovely picture across your reader heart?! I’ll have my review up next week over on my blog.

Your turn, reader friends! What are you reading? Share YOUR first line in the comments, then click the blue blog hopping frog button below to visit more FLF folks!

Join us!

We also invite you to participate in First Line Fridays on your own blog!

Simply share the URL of your blog POST (not your blog), your name, and your email (which will remain hidden) with our froggy friend above! Please remember to link back to Hoarding Books within your post or grab a button from the sidebar so everyone can find the FLF fun.

Reminder…

Next week is our Foodie/Thanksgiving special edition!
If you’d like to play along, select a book that features FOOD!
(or feasting, restaurants, Thanksgiving, Pilgrims, etc…. whatever floats your Mayflower 😉)

As always, participation in the special editions is completely voluntary and y’all are encouraged to share links to your non-themed FLF posts as well.

First Line Fridays — The Secret Life of Sarah Hollenbeck

Open the book nearest to you and share the first line!

Hello, reader friends! It’s FLF time! Today’s featured book is written by a debut author I had the pleasure of meeting at CFRR a few months ago.

Her book is (FINALLY) at the very tippy top of my to-be-read tower! I’m so anxious to get caught up with blogging and reviewing so I can dive back into reading!

 

The Secret Life of Sarah Hollenbeck by Bethany Turner

Goodreads | Amazon | BookDepository | Christianbook

 

“If you’re willing to admit it, you probably know me as Raine de Bourgh. Yes, that Raine de Bourgh. Did you blush at the mere mention of my pen name? Yeah. So did I.“

 

Sooooo, I couldn’t stop at one line. What can I say? The book drew me in!

Your turn, reader friends! What are you reading? Share YOUR first line in the comments, then click the blue blog hopping frog button below to visit more FLF folks!

Join us!

We also invite you to participate in First Line Fridays on your own blog!

Simply share the URL of your blog POST (not your blog), your name, and your email (which will remain hidden) with our froggy friend above! Please remember to link back to Hoarding Books within your post or grab a button from the sidebar so everyone can find the FLF fun.

Coming soon…

First Line Friday special editions! Mark your calendars with the dates listed in the sidebar (or scroll down on mobile) then get ready to celebrate those special occasions with us!