"Reclaiming Nick" by Susan May Warren

Oops, I flaked on my weekly CFBA book. Sorry about that! This week's selection is Reclaiming Nick, which is the first in the "Noble Legacy" series. Here's a blurb:

http://www.blogger.com/img/gl.link.gifNICK NOBLE HADN'T PLANNED ON BEING THE PRODIGAL SON.
But when his father dies and leaves half of Silver Buckle--the Noble family ranch--to Nick’s former best friend, he must return home to face his mistakes, and guarantee that the Silver Buckle stays in the Noble family.
Award-winning journalist Piper Sullivan believes Nick framed her brother for murder, and she’s determined to find justice. But following Nick to the Silver Buckle and posing as a ranch cook proves more challenging than she thinks. So does resisting his charming smile.
As Nick seeks to overturn his father’s will--and Piper digs for answers--family secrets surface that send Nick’s life into a tailspin. But there’s someone who’s out to take the Silver Buckle from the Noble family, and he’ll stop at nothing--even murder--to make it happen.

For more on Susan, check out her website.

Outlander

Randy Ingermanson used excerpts from Diana Gabaldon's Outlander as illustrations of the concepts he taught in his Fiction 301 seminars at the ACFW conference last year. I asked for it for Christmas, along with the other books he used as illustrations, and so far the two I've read have been definite winners. Speed of Dark by Elizabeth Moon was the first one I read, and today I finished the 850 page Outlander. OH MY GOSH. I haven't read a page-turner like that in a LONG time. Now, before y'all go running out to get it on my recommendation (because I have just that much influence on your reading, I know), I have to warn you that this is a secular romance, meaning the sex isn't just implied or mentioned but somewhat detailed. And the language can be a little rough. But if you're okay with that, then go go go go go get this book. I haven't been able to put it down for days--at one point I was literally "reading" books to Abby from memory while actually reading my book behind her head as she sat on my lap. Hardly devoted mothering, I'll admit, but the book was just that good. And the best part by far was getting to the end and finding an excerpt from the sequel! Yes! There's another one! And if it's only half as good as the first it'll be fantastic.

I'm off to hunt down the author's website and gush to her....

UPDATE:
I was wrong--there's not a sequel, there's a whole freaking six-book series! I'm so happy I could cry!

Pleasant Discovery

I've been completely absorbed in the book "Outlander" by Diana Gabaldon, and the last two nights I've stayed up till 11:30 reading. Now, ever since the arrival of our little Abby, my bedtime has been her bedtime, because, well, I thought that's how one had to do it when one was being awakened a million times during the night to nurse; I figured I'd need to go to bed early to make up for all the time I'd spend awake in the middle of the night. But the last two mornings after styaing up late I've felt really good, and I suddenly realized: I've never been good at sleeping through the night, even before I had a baby, and I never thought it necessary to guarantee myself 10 hours in bed. So what does this mean? It means 1.5-2 hours of glorious me time at night! Hallelujah! Books and blogging, here I come!