Books Are Sanity!!!

  Book Summary: This year, millions of viewers of the Tabernacle Choir's annual Christmas concerts on PBS will be celebrating the joyous culture of Christmas in Ireland. This unique giftbook introduces the story of three Irish holiday traditions, as shared by acclaimed film and television actor, Neal McDonough. Each tradition is an opportunity to make Christmas more meaningful for ourselves and others, wherever we live and whatever our heritage. One of these traditions is placing a lighted candle in the window--a reminder that long ago the Holy Family sought shelter but found no room at the inn. Over the centuries, a candle in the window has also become a symbol of openheartedness, signaling to the poor and downtrodden that they can find refuge within. Another world-renowned Irish tradition is adorning the house with branches of holly. But a simple wreath of thorned green leaves and bright red berries is more than decoration. It recalls the inevitable sorrows of life and assures us...

Book Summary: Following her childhood rescue from the gutters of Calcutta, Mary Grace has lived an astonishing rags-to-riches tale. The Wellings raised the half-Indian orphan with all the love and care the childless couple possessed, allowing her to grow into a beautiful and refined woman. But upon Mr. Welling's death, it is time for Mrs. Welling to take Mary home to England- home to Meriden Park. Despite her genial nature, Mary is received with suspicion by the villagers. For his part, however, Mr. Robert Markham is intrigued by the curious new beauty in town. Determined to make her acquaintance, he offers Mary a bargain she can't refuse: a hot cross bun for a kiss. That seemingly innocent exchange is the first of many encounters between Robert and Mary, whose friendship blossoms into love during long walks in the privacy of Sherwood Forest. But the shadows of the forest hide a sinister secret, one Mary fears Robert might be a part of. As the mystery of the recent string of mu...

Book Summary: An Irish miss and a duke's son have little in common, but Christmas at the castle has a way of bringing the most unlikely people together. Isleen Frost wishes her family had stayed in Dublin for Christmas but understands it would have been folly to decline an invitation to the Duke of Montfort’s Christmastide house party. Isleen refuses to allow the opulent castle and powerful duke to impress her. But the duke’s eldest son, Lord Farleigh, is another matter entirely. Raised as the heir to a duke, Simon Dinard, Lord Farleigh, has learned to project a calm self-assurance despite an inner fear he will never be as confident a leader as his father. When a friendly wager and a spirited Irish lady challenge all his unspoken thoughts, he determines to prove her wrong—and ignore the growing attraction between them. Christmas celebrations at the castle are always full of surprises, but Isleen and Simon are not at all prepared for the feelings the season inspires between them. An...

Book Summary: London, 1866 Dr. Barnabus Milligan has always felt called to help people, whether that means setting a broken bone or rescuing the impoverished women of London from their desperate lives on the streets as part of his work with the Dread Penny Society. Three years ago, he helped rescue Gemma Kincaid by secretly marrying her to protect her from her family of notorious grave robbers. But six months after Gemma and Barnabus exchanged vows, she realized her love for her new husband was unrequited. To protect her heart, she left, telling Barnabus to contact her if his feelings for her ever grew beyond a sense of duty. When Barnabus sends a letter to Gemma inviting her to return home, she hopes to find a true connection between them. But unfortunately, he only wants her help to foil the Kincaids, who have been terrorizing the boroughs of London, eager to gain both money and power. Heartbroken, Gemma agrees to help, but she warns Barnabus that she will not stay for long, and once...

Book Summary: Tallie Brown has spent a lifetime hiding from the ghosts of someone else’s past. Raised by a paranoid woman on the run, Tallie learned from an early age how to disappear. Now she must employ her unique set of skills to track down hundreds who have simply vanished, so when an Amber Alert wakes her in the night, she is the first to respond to the call. But tracking the missing girl comes with unexpected consequences, leading her down a deadly path paved with lies and personal loss that ends in a single devastating truth: General Cai Kaswell, the father she just discovered and the world’s best hope for peace, is among the vanished. As she struggles to find General Kaswell, Tallie is drawn into a conspiracy that links her past to the string of unsolved disappearances. Her search for answers sends her around the globe, but when it nearly takes the lives of her trusted friends and leaves her alone, she is assigned to a charming operative she doesn’t fully trust. Forced to watch...