Free Kindle Books 12-28-212

Short-Straw Bride

By Karen Witemeyer / Genre: Historical Romance / Rating: 4.8 out of 5 stars (241 reviews)

Short-Straw Bride

No one steps on Archer land. Not if they value their life. But when Meredith Hayes overhears a lethal plot to burn the Archer brothers off their ranch, a twelve-year-old debt compels her to take the risk.Fourteen years of constant vigilance hardens a man. Yet when Travis Archer confronts a female trespasser with the same vivid blue eyes as the courageous young girl he once aided, he can’t bring himself to send her away. And when an act of sacrifice leaves her injured and her reputation in shreds, gratitude and guilt send him riding to her rescue once again.Four brothers. Four straws. One bride. Despite the fact that Travis is no longer the gallant youth Meredith once dreamed about, she determines to stand by his side against the enemy that threatens them both. But will love ever be hers? Or will Travis always see her merely as a short-straw bride?

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Highly Rated Free Kindle eBooks for 12-25-12

Ryan’s Return

By Barbara Freethy / Genre: Romance / Rating: 4.3 out of 5 stars (191 reviews)

Ryan's Return

From # 1 NYT Bestselling Author Barbara Freethy comes an emotional and romantic contemporary novel about love, family and a little bit of magic. Customers who like books by Debbie Macomber, Nora Roberts, and Robyn Carr might enjoy this story.

A HEART IS CALLED HOME…

Famous photojournalist Ryan Hunter has come back to a family torn apart by mistrust and resentment — to the father who disowned him, to the brother who betrayed him, to the little boy who shares his features. Ryan, the charismatic “bad boy” son, has returned — stirring up past conflicts like a whirlwind…and throwing Kara Delaney’s fragile, passionate heart into turmoil.

…AND LOVE IS WAITING.

Kara has struggled back from a disastrous marriage to build a new life for herself and her little girl — a peaceful existence now jeopardized by vicious, small town politics, by her daughter’s fanciful ghost stories…and by Ryan’s return. Now nature’s impending fury threatens to expose long-buried secrets. And Kara must join with the enigmatic, misunderstood Ryan — to discover the truth that will save their families…. and to explore a dangerous, irresistible love as mighty and enduring as the onrushing river.

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Best Free Kindle Books for 12-24-12

The Ghosts of Varner Creek

By Michael Weems / Genre: Horror, Mystery & Thrillers / Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars (421 reviews)

The Ghosts of Varner Creek

At 87, Solomon “Sol” Mayfield is taken on an otherworldly journey to discover what really happened to his family. Sol has been able to see ghosts ever since his mother and sister mysteriously disappeared when he was a child. When he dies in a nursing home in the second chapter of the novel, it’s only the beginning of his story. He’s reunited with his sister, Sarah, who reveals family secrets he was never able to learn while he was alive. The novel flashes back to 1909, when Sol was 12 and Sarah was 13. The day after Sarah’s birthday, Sol wakes up to find that his mother and sister are gone. Many in their small town of Varner Creek, Texas, assume that Sol’s mother, Annie, had finally had enough of his abusive father, Abram; others suspect foul play. Abram blamed Annie for Sarah’s Down syndrome and for trapping him in a small town by becoming pregnant at 14. Sent to live with his Aunt Emma and Uncle Colby, Sol is visited one night by what appears to be Sarah’s ghost. Is his sister dead? If so, who killed her? And what about their mother? Sol sets out to find the answers, some of which are not revealed until decades later. Weems’ story unfurls slowly, at a pace that feels consistent with life in a small Texas town. He has an impressive knack for dialect, and regional accents and idioms help bring the characters into vivid relief. Also, Sol’s self-deprecation and world-weary charm make him an instantly likable narrator. While it’s easy to get pulled into his story, the narrative sags a bit in the middle when the reader is given a thorough history of how Sol’s parents met, which doesn’t feel entirely necessary to the main story. When the final mystery is unveiled, however, the solution is sufficiently unexpected if not completely shocking.

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Free Kindle Books for 12-22-12

SIkander

By M. Salahuddin Khan / Genre: Contemporary Fiction / Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars (85 reviews)

SIkander

SIKANDER is the tale of the son of a Pakistani middle-class family. It’s 1986. Seventeen-year-old Sikander, dreams of studying and living in America, but after a family quarrel, he leaves his Peshawar, Pakistan home. Encountering mujahideen warriors, he joins them in their fight against the occupying Soviets in neighboring Afghanistan. American assistance is stepped up with advanced weapons, like the Stinger missile, and the mujahideen are able to neutralize the Soviet military advantage. After just two years following Sikander’s arrival, a Soviet withdrawal begins. Amid the turmoil, Sikander finds love and marries a young, sharp-witted Afghan village girl. With the fighting all but over, the couple decide to move to Sikander’s Pakistan home where he hopes to reconcile with his family. But his dream of living in America endures. It’s a dream that is shattered in the aftermath of 9/11 and in seeking to help his Afghan relatives, Sikander, now a successful entrepreneur, finds himself on an unavoidable collision course with the America of his dreams.

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Free eBooks 12-19-12: Historical Fiction, Humor, Romance, Thrillers, Horror, Adventure and Young Adult

Daughter of Joy

By Kathleen Morgan / Genre: Historical Fiction / Rating: 4.2 out of 5 stars (227 reviews)

Daughter of Joy

In this spectacular new series, Morgan, an acclaimed writer of historical and futuristic romances, turns her deft pen to the Christian market to reflect a personal change. Abigail Stanton, who recently lost her husband and child, moves to Culdee Creek to become a housekeeper for Conor MacKay, a man whose previous housekeepers warmed more than dinner. Abby makes it clear that she won’t tolerate any disreputable advances on his part, but she feels God led her to this ranch and this family for a purpose. As she grows to love Conor and his daughter, her faith inspires Conor to believe that there might just be something to this idea of religion. This wonderful start is for all collections.

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