Tag Archives: Denise Hunter

October Book Club Selection — The Second Story Bookshop

1 Oct

How is it October already?! While it’s still early for sweater weather, I have spent the last week in the glorious north Georgia mountains. With highs in the mid-70s to low 80s and the lows in the 40s and 50s, I have been reveling in the cool temps and bright blue skies. It’s been a perfect time for R&R&R — resting, relaxing, and reading! Two books completed, and I am back on a reading roll.

My book club’s selection for this month is The Second Story Bookshop by Denise Hunter, a book perfect for fall reading. I can’t wait! Isn’t the cover gorgeous? If you have read it, please let us know what you thought.

She inherits the bookshop of her dreams . . . But she has to run it with the ex she vowed never to speak with again. “Book lovers, book clubs, and anyone who’s ever dreamed of owning a bookstore will adore this cleverly interwoven story” (Lisa Wingate, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Shelterwood). Full of fall vibes, The Second Story Bookshop is perfect for fans of Debbie Macomber and Gilmore Girls.

Shelby Thatcher adores working in the charming small-town bookshop her grandmother opened years ago. Since high school she’s helped Gram turn the shop into a community hub for book lovers in the lakeside town of Grandville, NC. When her beloved grandma passes away, Shelby inherits the bookstore. But to her shock, Gram leaves half ownership to Gray Briggs, the man who broke Shelby’s heart years ago.

Grandville residents have been vilifying Gray as long as he can remember. After graduating high school he couldn’t skip town fast enough, even though it meant leaving the girl he’d fallen deeply in love with and alienating her family once and for all. Now he’s back, the beneficiary of his elderly friend’s will. Facing the town’s animosity is difficult, but seeing Shelby again is sheer torture. No one could ever stir his heart the way she did.

As the adversaries are forced to work together, Gram’s beyond-the-grave scheme is working–Shelby’s old feelings for Gray begin to resurface. But the problems that destroyed their relationship before still remain, and a new one surfaces–one that threatens Gram’s beloved bookshop. Is their love doomed to fail again, or will they find a way to make it work this time around?

If you’re looking for an enemies-to-lovers, second-chance romance set in a cozy lakeside bookshop brimming with healing, heart, and Southern charm, The Second Story Bookshop is your perfect, feel-good escape. Let Shelby and Gray’s tender journey remind you that sometimes the path back to love starts at the front step of a bookstore.

Denise Hunter is the internationally-published bestselling author of more than forty novels, three of which have been adapted into Hallmark movies. She has appeared on the The 700 Club and been featured in Southern Living and Woman’s World.

Denise writes heartwarming, small-town love stories, peopled with layered characters who have real-life issues. Her readers enjoy the vicarious thrill of falling in love and the promise of a happily-ever-after sigh as they savor the final pages of her books.

In 1996, inspired by the death of her grandfather, Denise began her first book, writing while her children napped. Two years later it was published, and she’s been writing ever since. Her husband says he inspires all her romantic stories, but Denise insists a good imagination helps too!

When Denise isn’t orchestrating love lives on the written page, she enjoys traveling, drinking chai lattes, hiking, and playing drums. Denise makes her home in Indiana where she and her husband raised three boys and are currently enjoying an empty nest and four beautiful grandchildren.

Top 10 Tuesday — Fall TBR List

22 Sep

Happy Tuesday! Does it feel like Fall where you are? Are the mornings cooler, the trees sporting colors of red, yellow, and orange? Is there a scent of pumpkin spice in the air? LOL! Even if none of those things are appearing where you live, you can always count on a book to take you wherever you want to go.

This week bloggers are sharing their Fall TBR Lists. I have some fun books on mine, with some early Christmas vibes included. Tell me what you are reading.

For more terrific TBRs, please visit That Artsy Reader Girl.

Top Books on My Fall TBR List

Cascade by Linda K. Rodante

Fatal Finale by Nancy Mehl

The Heartfelt Formula by Leslie Kirby DeVooght

The Last Noel by Sarah Hamaker, Jayna Breigh, and Kimberly Woodhouse

Point of Revenge by DiAnn Mills

The Second Story Bookshop by Denise Hunter

South of Somewhere by T. I. Lowe

The Spring in Trulee Holler by Jana Hutcheson

Twelve Days And Twelfth Night by Sarah Sundin

Witness Protection by Robert Whitlow

Top 10 Tuesday — Wishes, Hopes, And Dreams

16 Jun

Happy Tuesday from the sunny and HOT south! I really wasn’t feeling this week’s TTT prompt — wishlist books. So, I decided to feature books with the word wish in the title. That quickly evolved into books with wish(es), hope(s), and dream(s) in the title. I hope you find one to love!

For more blogger wishes, please visit That Artsy Reader Girl.

Book Titles Containing The Word Wish, Hope, or Dream

A Simple Christmas Wish by Melody Carlson

The Wish Book Christmas by Lynn Austin

Abounding Hope by Cindy Kay Stewart

Holding on to Hope by Janet W. Ferguson

Hope Beyond The Waves by Heidi Chiavaroli

Hope Like Wildflowers by Pepper Basham

A Dream within A Dream by Mike Nappa and Melissa Kosci

Dreams of Savannah by Roseanna M. White

Her Daughter’s Dream by Francine Rivers

Honeysuckle Dreams by Denise Hunter

Top 10 Tuesday — New to My TBR

7 Apr

Happy Tuesday! Today I just was not feeling the TTT topic — bucket list books. I have done a couple of these posts and didn’t really want to do the research on books and destinations, so instead I am sharing the latest additions to my NetGalley Shelf. A few of these have already released, so I need to get going on my reading. There is also a good mix of genres — I hope you find one to love.

To discover on topic bloggers, please visit That Artsy Reader Girl.

Top 10 Recent Additions to My NetGalley Shelf

The Bell Tolls at Traeger Hall by Jaime Jo Wright

A Brewed Awakening by Pepper Basham

Dark Design by Nancy Mehl

Daughter of The Rebellion by Jamie Ogle

Echoes of a Silent Song by Amanda Wen

Harbor Pointe by Irene Hannon

Mists over The Channel Islands by Sarah Sundin

More Than Friends by Denise Hunter

Spies, Lies, And Alibis by Natalie Walters

Witness Protection by Robert Whitlow

Top 10 Tuesday — Ordinal Numbers

10 Mar

Today’s TTT topic, Ordinal Numbers in book titles, looks easy on the surface. It proved harder than I thought though. There are lots of books with first and second in the title, but beyond that there are not many others. Plus, I wanted to include books that I have either read or that I want to read. I ended up adding a few books that my husband has enjoyed (the Joel Rosenberg titles) as well. I hope you find a book that interests you!

For more book fun, check out That Artsy Reader Girl.

Top Books with Ordinal Numbers in Their Titles

America’s First Daughter by Stephanie Dray and Laura Kamoie

The First Hostage by Joel Rosenberg

Second Story Bookshop by Denise Hunter

Taking A Second Shot by Leslie Kirby DeVooght

The Third Target by Joel Rosenberg

The Fifth Avenue Story Society by Rachel Hauck

The Lights on Tenth Street by Shaunti Feldhan

The Twelfth Imam by Joel Rosenberg

Twelve Days And Twelfth Night by Sarah Sundin

Top 10 Tuesday — Most Recent Additions

30 Dec

Happy last Tuesday of 2025! How is it the year is over?! I had a great year of reading and of course acquiring books. My physical, Kindle, and NetGalley shelves overflow. Today on my TTT post I am featuring the last books to hit my NetGalley shelf. I know, I need to get reading. Let me know what you think of the latests additions.

For more TTT posts, visit That Artsy Reader Girl.

Last 10 Books Added to My NetGalley Shelf

The Bell Tolls at Traeger Hall by Jaime Jo Wright

A Brewed Awakening by Pepper Basham

Dark Design by Nancy Mehl

Daughter of The Rebellion by Jamie Ogle

Echoes of A Silent Song by Amanda Wen

Handle with Care by Marybeth Mayhew Whalen

More Than Friends by Denise Hunter

Not Exactly Mr. Darcy by Carolyn Miller

Spies, Lies, And Alibis by Natalie Walters

Witness Protection by Robert Whitlow

Top 10 Tuesday — Fall-Vibe Book Covers

30 Sep

Happy Tuesday! It’a finally fall, y’all! Although the temps in my part of the world would not be considered sweata weatha, there is hope in sight! To commemorate the change of seasons, this week’s TTT topic is book covers that give all the fall vibes — whether they feature autumn sights or have the rich colors of the season. I have a mix of genres, as well as new releases and older books. What do you think?

For more autumnal book covers, please visit That Arsty Reader Girl.

Top Fall Vibe Book Covers

The Heart of Bennet Hollow by Joanne Bischof DeWitt

Hearts in Circulation by Sarah Monzon

The Highland Heist by Pepper Basham

Of Gold And Shadow by Michelle Griep

The Second Story Bookshop by Denise Hunter

A Song in The Dark by Kimberly Woodhouse

The Sound of Falling Leaves by Lisa Carter

The Sowing Season by Katie Powner

Unintended Witness by D. L. Wood

The Wood’s Edge by Lori Benton

Top 10 Tuesday — Beach-y Reads!

29 Jul

Today’s TTT topic is beach reads. A beach read can mean different things — a romance with a tropical setting, an escape book, or an engaging whodunit. My list includes books all that plus they literally have beach settings! 😉 You’ll find a variety of genres — there’s something for everyone.

For more beach reads, please visit That Artsy Reader Girl.

Top Beach-y Reads

By Way of The Moonlight by Elizabeth Musser

Indigo Isle by T. I. Lowe

The Light on Horn Island by Valerie Fraser Luesse

Midnight on The Scottish Shore by Sarah Sundin

A Novel Proposal by Denise Hunter

A Place to Land by Lauren K. Denton

A Stranger’s Game by Colleen Coble

Sunrise Reef by Irene Hannon

Unintended Target by D. L. Wood

What We Found in Hallelujah by Vanessa Miller

Top 10 Tuesday — Summer Titles

3 Jun

Happy June! While summer has not officially commenced, here in the Sunny South it is definitely in full force! Today’s TTT challenge is a Summer Freebie. I am listing books with Summer in the title — I can’t believe I haven’t done this before. I have read most of the books on the list, but there are a few that are still on the TBR wishlist. Hope you find one to love.

For more Summer-y book lists, please visit That Artsy Reader Girl.

Top Summer Titles

The Best Summer of Our Lives by Rachel Hauck

Jane And The Year Without Summer by Stephanie Barron

Just for The Summer by Melody Carlson

On A Summer Tide by Suzanne Woods Fisher

The Summer Guests by Tess Gerritsen

The Summer House by Lauren K. Denton

Summer Island Book Club by Ciara Knight

The Summer of Yes by Courtney Walsh

The Summer of You And Me by Denise Hunter

Summer Plans And Other Disasters by Karen Beery

Top 10 Tuesday — Stormy Books

10 Dec

Happy Tuesday! Today’s TTT topic is books to read in a storm. Because I live in the mostly sunny South, most of our storms do not include time to snuggle in and read. 😉 Hurricanes and tornadoes are the storms we face most often. I have only experienced two snowstorms in my life, each with a great deal of record setting snowfall. Those were times when a good book was definitely called for. So my list today features books in which a storm plays a part in the storyline. Interestingly, many are hurricanes. I guess I can’t get away from my roots! And for a fun twist, one of the authors name is Storm! I hope you find one to love.

For more book recommendations, please visit That Artsy Reader Girl.

Top Books That Feature Storms

Bookshop by The Sea by Denise Hunter

The Elevator by Angela Hunt

The Fabled Earth by Kimberly Brock

Honor’s Refuge by Halle Bridgeman

The Last Train to Key West by Chanel Cleeton

Life Flight by Lynette Eason

Magnolia Storms by Janet Ferguson

Relative Silence by Carrie Stuart Parks

Venus Sings The Blues by Buck Storm

What We Found in Hallelujah by Vanessa Miller