THREE THINGS:
My Christmas Tree!! I decided to go with a “snow” theme. 🙂 R. Renee told me about air-frying steak in the air fryer. OMG WHAT????? I can’t deal with the smell of cooking meat in my house, but I had NO clue you could actually cook steak in the air fryer. I AM THE HAPPIEST GIRL ALIVE! I essentially made myself steak strips in the air-fryer (outside) and fajita veggies and lime and sour cream… and cheese. Also guacamole. YAY. ME. P.S. I DO love the smell of pan fried veggies in my house. Go figure.
- Then I went crazy and put up my Christmas tree…
- …while watching horror movies. 😏🙃 Sorry. It was too close to Halloween and I was still in the mood for scary. But… also, YAY CHRISTMAS!
LOOK WHAT JUST WENT LIVE 
!!!
- EXTENDED THROUGH DECEMBER!! ➔➔➔ TWO MONTHS FREE KINDLE UNLIMITED DEAL!!! <— If you haven’t tried it yet, now’s your chance. 😲❤️ WE ARE LOVING IT!
and…
The Christmas Pact by Vi Keeland and Penelope Ward <— LIVE!!! OFFICE ROMANCE/FAKE RELATIONSHIP! She thinks he’s a jerk… “...As luck would have it, Kennedy turns out to be outrageously handsome…though still a jerk. Yet somehow he’s able to charm her out on the dance floor—and convince her to participate in his crazy scheme: he’ll go home with Riley for a Christmas party and pretend to be her boyfriend, if Riley agrees to be his date to a wedding. It sounds easy enough. Little by little, however, the act they’re putting on starts to feel like so much more...”
- KATE (Madison Kate Book 4) by Tate James
- A Licentious Storm by Aziza Sphinx
- Claimed: Dark Breeds of the Lycans (Dark Immortal Flames Book 1) by Lasasha Flame
On the Sideline (BSU Football Book 3) by JB Salsbury <— THE FOOTBALL STAR & THE OUTCAST! “...Does Loren really expect me to believe he wants to be my friend? If he thinks he can use me to get closer to my cousin, he’s a fool. She’d step over my dead body to get to better selfie lighting. He doesn’t let up, and his attention confuses me. Because guys like Loren aren’t attracted to girls like me. I’m already an outcast. Giving Loren a chance would mean social suicide…”
- Rocking His FAKE World: A Fake Boyfriend, Opposites Attract Romance (Love You Forever Book 3) by Alexis Winter
- Stable Hand (The Braided Crop Ranch Book 1) by AE Lister
- In Silence: A Dark High School Bully Romance (A Black Falls High Novel Book 2) by K.G. Reuss
Wild Child (A Soul Sister Novel Book 1) by Audrey Carlan <— THE SECOND WORST DAY OF HER LIFE! “…The second day my life changed was on the worst day of my adult life. My boyfriend broke up with me via text. My sleazy boss hit on me, forcing me to quit a job I desperately needed. And the cherry on top, was getting pulled over by an FBI Agent. Little did I know, he’d also save my life that night...”
- Feels like Rain (Lake Fisher Book 3) by Tammy Falkner <— SECOND CHANCE ROMANCE ALERT! “…Abigail doesn’t see a broken man with a shady past. She sees the happy boy she once knew. But Ethan is not that boy anymore. Now he’s a man hated by the townspeople, and for good reason. But he hates himself even more. Despite the rumors and innuendo surrounding his past, she leaves the door open for him to step right back into her life and it feels like they never spent a day apart…”
Tricked Steel: A Stand Alone Friends To Lovers Romance (A Men of Steel Book 5) by MJ Fields <— SHE TRICKED HIM... “...They call him Tricks. To me, he was the first man I ever felt I could trust. He annihilated all the stereotypes about men rooted in me, even when he so easily fit the mold. He wasn’t my type, not at all. I hated men … In my last life, anyway…”
- Frenemies with Benefits (Searching for Love Book 1) by Kelly Myers
- Fool of Main Beach: An Opposites-attract, Simple Hero, Must Love Dogs MM Romance (Love in Laguna Book 5) by Tara Lain
- Risky Rockstar: A Hero Club Novel by Ryleigh Sloan <— THEY HAVE AN AMAZING CONNECTION.. “…Our connection was off the charts and unwittingly, Hayley filled a void I’d long since grown accustomed to. There was just one problem: she was involved with Kevin Peyton and I had no right falling for her. Then she admitted that her relationship was a farce and things got serious fast. But the closer we became, the more it became clear that we were each hiding demons…”
Spellbreaker by Charlie N. Holmberg <— WITCHES!! “…Elite magic user Bacchus Kelsey is one elusive spell away from his mastership when he catches Elsie breaking an enchantment. To protect her secret, Elsie strikes a bargain. She’ll help Bacchus fix unruly spells around his estate if he doesn’t turn her in. Working together, Elsie’s trust in—and fondness for—the handsome stranger grows. So does her trepidation about the rise in the murders of wizards and the theft of the spellbooks their bodies leave behind.…”
- Maintenance Required: A small town romance (The Cortell Brothers Book 1) by Giulia Lagomarsino
- Cowboy SEAL Healing: A Navy SEAL Cowboys Christmas Novella by Nicole Helm
- Makin’ Bacon (The Homegrown Café Book Club 1) by Mellanie Szereto
The Haunting of Brynn Wilder: A Novel by Wendy Webb <— THRILLER ALERT!! “…in this inviting refuge, where a century of souls has passed, a mystery begins to swirl. Alice knows things about Brynn, about all of them, that she shouldn’t. Bad dreams and night whispers lure Brynn to a shuttered room at the end of the hall, a room still heavy with a recent death. And now she’s become irresistibly drawn to Dominic—even in the shadow of rumors that wherever he goes, suspicious death follows…”
- Autumn Skies and Pumpkin Pies (The Blue Ridge Series Book 1) by Stephanie Nichole
- Dark Captor: A Dark Mafia Romance (Dark Syndicate Book 2) by Faith Summers
- Arrogant Savior: A Hero Club Novel by Terri E. Laine <— SHE THINKS HE’S AN ARROGANT JERK & NOW THEY’RE FORCED IN CLOSE QUARTERS FOR THE NIGHT… “...A last-minute trip puts me face to face with the most arrogant man I’ve ever met. The pilot. Grant King maybe hot as all get out, but he’s a grade A jackass. Before I even board the chartered flight, his irritating and judgmental comments make me want to throttle him; Bringing out my snarky side. Only what was supposed to be a five-hour trip turns into my worst nightmare. The last thing I want to do is spend anymore time with the gorgeous jerk. But weather forces us to land in a small town I’ve never heard of. One night in a rustic cabin is far too much…”
PREORDERS (going live soon!!! 😀 )
- Something to Hold Onto: Silver Duet #2 by M.K. Oien – November 3rd 2020
The Next Wife: An absolutely gripping psychological thriller… by Liz Lawler – November 3rd 2020
- Fight From The Heart: a small town romance by L.B. Dunbar – November 5th 2020
- A Treacherous Trade (The Business of Blood Book 2) by Kerrigan Byrne – November 10th 2020
- Nobody Knows (SWAT Generation 2.0 Book 11) by Lani Lynn Vale – November 10th 2020
- Shine With Me: A With Me In Seattle Novella by Kristen Proby – November 10th 2020
- Dog Tags: A romance anthology featuring military and canine heroes – November 10th 2020
- Noble Prince (Tin Gypsy Book 4) by Devney Perry – November 10th 2020
- Decompose: A Psychological Thriller by Layne Deemer – November 10th 2020
- Shades of Darkness (Guardians of Eternity Book 16) by Alexandra Ivy – November 10th 2020
- A Problematic Christmas Love (Love On The Pacific Shores Book 8) by Rebecca Rohman – November 10th 2020
Reclaim: A Standalone Friends-to-Lovers Romance by Aly Martinez – November 12th 2020
- The Lighthouse Inn: Shattered Cove Series Book 4 by A.M. Kusi – November 12th 2020
- Wicked Truths (The Hunt Legacy Duology Book 2) by Jodi Ellen Malpas – November 12th 2020
- See Me After Class by Meghan Quinn – November 12th 2020
- Lavender’s Book by H. Hunting – November 16th 2020
- Little Lies by H Hunting – November 16th 2020
- Dark Alpha’s Caress: A Reaper Novel by Donna Grant – November 16th 2020
➔➔➔ Get Maryse’s Book Blog updates delivered by email (you’ll get one daily email that will have each post from that day consolidated on it).
Your tree is beautiful!!
I want to put mine up by next week, I think. It’s such a process though, so I’m waiting for when the motivation is high, lol.
1. I got my prime first read and chose Open House. It was between that and AR Torre’s. The reviews got me though.
2. I’m still taking a break from reading, refreshing the mind, doing other things, what have you. I got to the end of episode 7? I think of Bly Manor and freaked out! So, I had to wait till daytime and I haven’t worked up the guts to finish yet. Lol, it’s very, very good but I am a baby.
3. I have no #3, I am boring this week. Umm, well, my 6 year old caught 3 chickens yesterday. He’s a quick one, that one. First time trying something like that. The gun club here has a yearly tradition for the kids. So, you keep what you catch. Today we are gifting chickens.
Thank you so much! Since it’s snow/angelic looking, I think I’m going to go find some fluffy white feather sticks to pop out of it, here and there so it’s a little more dynamic. And a few more big white poinsettias. 😉
That sounds really pretty and magical!
P.S. That’s exactly what happened to me.. it was between those 2, and some weren’t crazy about the sordidness of the characters in Alessandra’s release, and the reviews for Open House were pretty ecstatic, so yep!! I chose it too. 😀
Hah! I love when we choose the same things!
Now, I have to read. I feel so scattered lately, I forgot about the hour wait in the carpool lane. Which to choose? I was starting a sampling of Six of Crows before I decided I needed a break. It might be too much for my brain right now. Hmm, I shall scour my samples. Or pick from the pile of bought/not reads. 😂
I did the exact same thing and chose Open House too! Maybe we need to BR!
Maryse, I’m that way with fish in the house, but I cooked oily steelhead trout in my air fryer last week and I couldn’t smell it at all. We usually cook it outside on the flat grill for that reason but I was being lazy. I’ll never cook it another way now! And I also just cooked bacon and couldn’t smell it. I think you might be pleasantly surprised!
I DO love that air fryer!!! The only thing I don’t love is cleaning up the grease after, but that goes for any pan or cooking tool. LOL! Not the air fryer’s fault. 😉
I finally started putting the basket in the dishwasher. It makes life sooo much easier. I drain the grease out into an old coffee mug right after using it and then deal with the rest later.
OH SO SMART!!!!!! Good idea, and I will do that too.
The one thing I am annoyed about is that the non-stick bottom of the main basket drawer area is starting to bubble up and peel away. Luckily the food doesn’t touch that area, but I still wonder if I should be changing it out.
I wonder if they sell just the replacement basket drawer.
Oh no! Mine is pretty new still so I haven’t experienced that, but I bet if you pull up the model number online there will be replacement parts.
I just found them!! About $45 to replace that part plus shipping. I guess I’ll stick with the one I have since the food is not in contact with it anyway.
Soon enough I’ll be upgrading this unit (I bought it back in 2017 and use it weekly so… I think it’s time for a fancy version).
Hopefully Black Friday… 🙂
1. Love your tree Maryse! I’m hoping to be in Mexico over Christmas this year so I’m not putting mine up.
2. My husband told me we could get an upright freezer as soon as we had a place to put it so we spent the weekend cleaning out the garage. It gets here on the 10th!
3. Tonight I’m doing the bavette steak in the air fryer with jicama fries. If you haven’t tried those yet, give them a shot! Great mock fry, but you need seasoning or they’re bland.
I do like jicama, but especially as “fries”. That’s the only way I find they cook well enough to be soft inside.
I once made a Mississippi pot roast using cut up chunks of jicama instead of potatoes, and they NEVER got soft like a boiled potato – even after all the time in the slow cooker.
Soft enough to eat mind you, but I was shocked that it didn’t change into potato texture.
I didn’t even know you could cook it until I found the fry recipe. I’m curious if the air fryer will make them crispier. Last time I dipped them in a mix of Cholula and ketchup but that probably won’t go with a Mexican marinated steak so I need to come up with something else.
Just came to say I was thinking about you and Amy.
I just remembered the last election being on here with you two and also texting friends through it.
My thoughts are with you too bev! My husband and I are already on the patio watching the news coverage…which should be interesting since we’re on opposite sides. I think he’s more nervous about rioting than anything. Austin is preparing for the worst.
I did the air fryer jicama fries last night and LOVED them, but I had to cook them twice as long as the recipe called for. Usually, you’d boil them until they aren’t crunchy anymore, dry them, season them, then bake or air fry. I was intrigued by this recipe because there was no boiling (lazy). I realized pretty quick there is a reason you boil first! But still lazy, we decided to just keep cooking them and it worked. They definitely need lots of seasoning (I sprayed them with olive oil spray then covered them in smoked paprika, garlic powder, salt and pepper) and a dip. Ketchup/Cholula is a good low carb-ish option. Sweet chili sauce is to die for but has sugar. The magic number seems to be 29 minutes @ 400. But watch them closely after 25 because one minute too long will turn them into charcoal. Bonus, they have a roasted marshmallow note which is fantastic!
Excellent info, R!!! Thank you for that. Those jicamas are tough to cook, that’s for sure.
1 – It snowed here on Friday!! Like enough that I had to shovel my driveway. So, between that and Halloween being over…BRING ON THE CHRISTMAS!!! I am getting ready to start my decorating and Maryse, I love your tree.
2 – I want an air fryer sooooo bad! I have absolutely no room. You should see when I use my crockpot or instant pot….it’s crazy cramped. I too cannot deal with cooking smells. Yuck!!!
3 – I am doing a hair treatment right now and look quite ridiculous. I have one of those disposable shower cap things on my head. Hopefully it helps as my hair is wicked damaged. You know I want to try to grow it to waist length. Let’s see if I can do it!!
YAY LESLIE!!!! It was so much fun, just some random decision because I just wanted to get to experience that whole Holiday magic for longer.
What treatment are you using? Let me know what you think of it. I’m always into awesome hair care stuff.
Maryse, I am using Oleplex products (they go by numbers). I have used the hair perfector treatment (#3) with the shampoo (#4) and conditioner (#5) in the past with success. But have never used it with my hair being so long and damaged. I also just tried a leave in smoother (#6) and oil (#7) for the first time today. Not sure how it came out as I tossed it in a bun so I could get stuff done without my hair everywhere. 🙂 I will update you once I take it down and its all dry. Fingers crossed it works! 🤞
I think I’m gonna to spread some holiday magic in my house and put out all my gnomes. We had so much fun last year buying them all. I needed some new Christmas stuff.
Hello Leslie,👋 hope your okay. Haven’t heard from you for ages. 🥰
Hi Melinda! I’m not doing much reading so I haven’t been on here or GR too often. I miss everyone!!!
We miss you too. 😘🥰
The only Olaplaex I use is #3 and I LOVE IT!! I don’t even care that it’s expensive, my hair feels like silk every time I use it.
Also I’m hooked on semi-permanent dye at my local Aveda salon. The color they put in my hair is richer than ever (like my color but just better – deeper, more copper tones to it) but they call it a “gloss” and sure enough, my hair is shinier too.
I’ll be keeping that up, since I don’t have to remove my own color for it to work. 😀
Leslie!! Hello!!! It snowed here yesterday for the first of the season. Literally nothing on the ground though, lots of wind and flakes. Made me smile.
I also have no room for appliances. My kitchen’s got 0 counter space. I finally put it in the pantry and get it out when I need it.
*waves to Tasha* 😃
No counter space (and no cabinet space) is a nightmare. My crockpots are on a bookcase in my spare room and my instant pot is on the floor.
Maryse, thanks for the pic of your tree…lovely to wake up to!
1.Last night we were walking back from my daughter’s home to our airbnb and beautiful fluffy snowflakes started drifting down and soon all was white. This morning, it’s still here…like Christmas morning. ☃️🎄
2.We’re all set for tomorrow evening’s election night…kids, Indian food & tequila to take the edge off. 🙂
3.I told my husband about some of the sci-fi & PNR books I’ve been reading & he was actually interested.
Gah! I miss Indian food!! 😭
I LOVE Indian food too!!!!
And fluffy snowflakes. That’s exactly what I was aiming for, with an all-white tree (like it had snowed all over it).
Oh your tree is so pretty Maryse. I don’t usually put mine up till December, but maybe I should do it early this crazy year. We all deserve a little bit of early Christmas cheer.
1. Leslie I want an air fryer too but I have your same problem – nowhere to fit it!!! My kitchen is already jam packed with all my other stuff. I read all these air fryer tips and recipes so jealously!!!! I’m not a fan of cooking smells either, like fish, or cabbage. Ugh. Pongs out the whole house.
2. We’ve been baking our own bread with a slow-rise recipe. Really simple. Slow rise overnight then cook it in a very hot oven in a cast iron dutch oven. Crusty and yum! Now that’s a nice cooking smell. Of course the dutch oven is one of the many things taking up space in my kitchen LOL.
3. I’m reading a highlander HR for a book of the month read on goodreads. The Many Sins of Lord Cameron by Jennifer Ashley. Those men in kilts. Oh my! There is a scene when the heroine actually does find out what he wears under his kilt (or not). *fans self* Ha ha ha.
OMG HOMEMADE BREAD.
I used to love making fresh bread in my bread maker. It was such a joy.
Stupid carbs. 😑
I couldn’t believe you have your Christmas tree up! I don’t think I have ever had mine up before December, it is very beautiful 😍. Maybe I’m superstitious 😆. Maybe in week I will put mine up too make more cheer over here. MAKE CHRISTMAS LAST LONGER. We’ve been in such a strict lock down. Just coming out of it.
Zero cases for 4 days in a row. Everyone has been so down. We’ve been locked up from March till June came out if it for 2 weeks then till last week. Soo terrible.😌
And it’s hot today 30 degrees and a holiday here for a horse race. 86 in your temp, close to Summer.
I absolutely love my Air Fryer best invention ever. Next I want to buy a slow cooker/ pressure cooker in one. See if that’s any good. I have a slow cooker but I want to upgrade.
I’m on a new diet again 🙃 best diet ever, you eat ice creams and croissants. All based on your Macros. I’ve lost 2 kilos so far in 2 weeks. So exciting. They give you a meal plan and you have to eat the same thing for a week. Loving it.
Reading: just started Holding You by Jewel E Ann to early to tell if it’s good.
I did read To where you are by K.A Hobbs and H.A Robinson really loved that.
Oh I’m adding your comment about To Where You Are on the Friday Finds! Thank you Melinda. 😀
P.S. It’s hot here too, today. I started off the day with a sweater… but it’s back to beach weather now.
*glares at her long sleeves*