REVIEW:

I sometimes wonder where I have been. I just read The Summer of Yes by Courtney Walsh. I went online and looked her up and she has a lot of books out. Why am I just discovering her? Has my head been in the sand or isn’t she publicized very well?

I loved this book and it goes without saying that she has a talent for developing a storyline that is believable and characters you come to love. I made that statement because I don’t think she would have that many books out if she wasn’t talented. Oh my goodness, let me tell you a little about this book.

The main character is Kelsey Worthington. She is an assistant editor, she always wanted to be an author but a professor told her she doesn’t have what it takes. There is Georgina Tate, the matriarch of New York business women, her son Hayden and husband Dylan. 

The two women are put in positions to question what would have happened in their lives if they would have said yes to all that they said no to. I wonder the same thing too at times. Don’t you? It is an interesting premise for a book and made a great read in my humble opinion.

This book will give you a lot to think about. Georgina is used to being the boss and getting what she wants and it came with a price. I’m not sure we were supposed to like her but, it took a while and I learned to love her and embrace who and what she was. She has a definite reason for the path she took in her life. If you are young, this book might make you think about what you want to accomplish and how you might go about it. If you are older, you might wonder if you need to make changes. If it’s too late, you might rethink how you are going to finish out the time you have left.

If you enjoy a story that might teach you some important lessons of life like how to say yes instead of playing it safe and saying no, if you love to read about epic love stories or you just enjoy a good story, then this book should be on your radar. I thought the book would be nothing but fluff and fun. It is a lot more than that. I highly recommend this book for your summer reading pleasure.

Don’t forget to support the authors you read by leaving a review!

I received a complimentary copy of this book from #ThomasNelson, #FirstEditions, #Netgalley . The opinions I have expressed are my own and I was not required to write a review. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.

To follow my blog, click on the heading of any blog post. This will bring up just that blog and you will see a follow button on the bottom right hand corner. Thank you!

SYNOPSIS:

Sometimes you’re so busy writing other people’s stories that you lose the plot of your own.

This wasn’t how Kelsey Worthington’s day was supposed to go. She wasn’t supposed to be picking up Starbucks for her smarmy boss. She wasn’t supposed to get hit by a car that jumped the curb. And she certainly wasn’t supposed to wake up in a hospital room next to Georgina Tate—the legendary matriarch of New York City businesswomen.

Kelsey and Georgina couldn’t be more opposite. Kelsey’s a dreamer, a writer who questions her own skill. And Georgina is a confident businesswoman whose years of shouldering her way into boardrooms and making her voice heard have made her far too outspoken for the faint of heart.

But now, when Georgina’s failing kidneys force her to face some big regrets about the way she’s lived her life, the two women recognize they share a common thread. Maybe it’s time to confront a few things. They must ask themselves: What if I said yes to everything I’ve always said no to?

With Georgina as her companion, Kelsey soon finds herself doing things she’s never done before. Eating street food. Swimming in the ocean. Matchmaking for Georgina with the help of Georgina’s handsome son. And writing her own romance—both in book form and in real life.

So begins the Summer of Yes.

Stand-alone novelPerfect for fans of Denise Hunter and Rachel LindenBook length: 100,000 wordsIncludes discussion questions for book clubs

REVIEW:

If you like Domestic Thrillers or Police Procedurals, I have the perfect recommendation for you! It is The Last Hunt by Audrey J. Cole. This book is actually the follow up to The Final Hunt but does a very good job standing on its own. It was two years ago that the first book came out and it took me a minute to remember it. So, if you have not read the first one you can comfortably read this one. My suggestion is to get both books and read them in order. You won’t regret it. They are both filled with a lot of action and mystery.

Cameron Prescott is a woman who does not have very good luck with husbands. Her first husband was abusive. She thinks she hit the jackpot with husband number two. He was loving and generous. She eventually finds out he is The Teacher Killer. 

Being married to a serial killer is having an impact on her dental career. She packs up and moves to Tok, Alaska to start a new life and practice. Things are going smoothly until a murder in the small town reminds her of her husband’s grisly signature. She starts to look over her shoulder and feels like she is being stalked.

Ms. Cole did an exceptional job of developing her characters for this book and the first one. Each character has a distinct personality and lifestyle. It is easy to know who each one is and keep them straight. 

The storyline will keep you turning the pages late into the night. I had a hard time putting the book down to go to bed and to take care of the necessary things like fixing dinner. If it were up to me, I would just grab some cookies out of the cupboard and keep on reading. My husband is understanding but not that much!

If you love a good cat and mouse story and love trying to figure out who is the cat and who is the mouse, you will love The Last Hunt by Audrey J. Cole. Don’t forget to grab The Final Hunt too. These books will keep you guessing and sitting on the edge of your seat until she tells you how it is going to all go down. Until next time…Happy Reading!

Don’t forget to support the authors you read by leaving a review!

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author. The opinions I have expressed are my own and I was not required to write a review. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.

SYNOPSIS:

A missing body. A bloody bear trap. Is a serial killer back from the grave?Tok, Alaska. Cameron Prescott hopes the past stays buried. After believing her murderous husband is finally dead, the fierce survivor longs to start over with her state trooper boyfriend. But her illusion of peace shatters when she hears of a fresh killing that resembles her late husband’s grisly signature.

Horrified to learn the evidence points to a member of law enforcement, Cameron questions how well she knows her new man. And as the lies and bodies pile up, Cameron is convinced she’s being stalked by a killer.

Is trusting anyone just a path to a cold tomb?

From USA Today bestselling author Audrey J. Cole comes the highly anticipated, tension-filled sequel to The Final Hunt.

REVIEW:

The Wishing Tree Prequel is the first book and a free download. That gives you a taste of each book and a feel for the whole series. Get your free copy today and start reading this wonderful series. This might just be my most favorite series to date!

I Wish is book two in The Wishing Tree Series by Amanda Prowse. These books take place in Linden Falls, a small town in Vermont. The folks that live in the town are warm and welcoming. Most of them appreciate living in their town and wouldn’t want to be anywhere else.

This story is about a woman and her daughter from England that decide to get away for the summer. They close their eyes, spin the globe and plant a finger. It lands on Linden Falls in Vermont. They pack their bags and go. What a great premise! Haven’t we all thought of doing something like that?

If you love small towns and all the quirky characters you meet, you will love this series. So many of my favorite authors are a part of the adventure. 

Wish You Were Here by Kay Bratt is book 3 of The Wishing Tree Series. It’s an awesome installment to this wonderful series. These books, although by different authors, have all the feels. 

This has a senior love story in it but it really does revolve around love of community and friends. Henry Harmon is the husband of Greta who is the talk of the town. Neva was an old friend and she owns the local Inn. You need to read it to see what happens.

This book and series is brimming with wonderful characters that we would all love to live near and be friends with. It is easy to fall into the stories and feel like you are a part of what is going on and that you know these folks. It is a dream come true to visit Linden Falls.

Wish Again by Tammy L Grace brings us the fourth book in The Wishing Tree Series. If you have read anything in the past from Tammy Grace, you know she brings out all of the feels in her books. I’m sure you will not put this book down once you start it.

Each book brings us a new set of folks or we learn more of the circumstances of the ones we’ve met. Paige has come home to live with her mom and help her with the bookstore on the town square. The town square surrounds the huge Linden tree at the center. The tree is believed to grant wishes. 

Tammy always has a dog in her books and this one has a wonderful dog named Gladys. She is a trained therapy dog and also pretty much has the run of the town square. She is known to make her daily trip around the square to see all of her friends. 

Workout Wishes and Valentine Kisses by Barbara Hinske is book five in The Wishing Tree Series.

In this book Pam and Steve have both grown up in Linden Falls and have each harbored a secret crush on the other. They both wind up working at the local gym and it is fun to watch them trying to remain friends. They have a chemistry that everyone can see except them. 

I haven’t mentioned that I think each of these books would easily stand on its own. I think if you didn’t read them in order or only read a few of them, you would miss out on all the fun. The tree plays an important role in all of the books. If you love clean and interesting love stories, you will fall in love with this little town and it’s inhabitants. 

Don’t forget to download the FREE prequel The Wishing Tree. You will get to read the first chapter of the first six books. That will leave you wanting to jump right into these books. 

REVIEW:

I have the honor of introducing you to a wonderful new novel. It is Katharine’s Remarkable Road Trip by Gail Ward Olmsted. I found this book delightful and enjoyed my travels with Katharine. Her full name is Katharine Prescott Wormeley. If you read Landscape of a Marriage, you will remember she is a close friend of Frederick Law Olmsted. She was an independent woman who never married and accomplished many things in her lifetime. Don’t forget to read the synopsis because it will tell you all of the interesting things that she accomplished in her life. She was quite a woman. 

In 1907 Katharine decided to drive on her own in her new car from her home in Newport, Rhode Island to her home in Jackson, New Hampshire. It is 300 miles and it took her 6 days! Her average speed was 10 miles per hour. Can you imagine? She met a lot of interesting people along the way and stayed with a different friend most nights. She was well off but she was a very generous woman. She believed in helping others.

It was fun to go that far back in time to understand what it was really like. Again, we get to learn about that time period in our own country. The gas prices that she thought were outrageous and the cost of food along the way. The way she dressed while she was driving. She wore driving gloves! Her car was an open top car, what we might call a convertible today.

The whole time I was reading this book I kept thinking what a wonderful friend Katharine would have made and how much fun it would have been to be on that trip with her. We would make that trip today in a few hours and miss all the adventures she had. Think of that next time you take a road trip. Make it remarkable.

If you love history, travel and learning about our country back when our ancestors grew up and were living their lives then this is a book you will want to read. It was a fun book full of things to make you stop and think. Maybe we will have bigger hearts after reading all about Katharine’s Remarkable Road Trip. Gail Ward Olmsted thank you for your enjoyable look into the past and a glimpse of a truly remarkable woman.

Don’t forget to support the authors you read by leaving a review!

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author. The opinions I have expressed are my own and I was not required to write a review. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.

To follow my blog, click on the heading of any blog post. This will bring up just that blog and you will see a follow button on the bottom right hand corner. Thank you!

SYNOPSIS:

“Kate makes me want to take a road trip. She’s lovable and charming, and her voice… SO GOOD.” -Kerry Chaput, author of the Defying the Crown series

“An uplifting and heartwarming tale of resilience, friendship, and the pursuit of a life brimming with adventure and purpose.” –Booklist

If you loved Landscape of a Marriage by Gail Ward Olmsted, you’ll absolutely adore Katharine’s Remarkable Road Trip.

In the fall of 1907, Katharine decides to drive from Newport, Rhode Island to her new home in Jackson, New Hampshire. Despite the concerns of her family and friends that at the age of 77 she lacks the stamina for the nearly 300-mile journey, Katharine sets out alone. Over the next six days, she receives a marriage proposal, pulls an all-nighter, saves a life or two, crashes a high-society event, meets a kindred spirit, faces a former rival, makes a new friend, takes a stroll with a future movie mogul, advises a troubled newlywed, and reflects upon a life well lived: her own!

Join her as she embarks upon her remarkable road trip.

Katharine Prescott Wormeley (1830-1908) was born into affluence in England and emigrated to the U. S. at the age of eighteen. Fiercely independent and never married, Kate volunteered as a nurse on a medical ship during the Civil War, before founding a vocational school for underprivileged girls. She was a philanthropist, a hospital administrator, and the author of The Other Side of War: 1862, as well as the noted translator of dozens of novels written by French authors, including Moliere and Balzac. She is included in History’s Women: The Unsung Heroines; History of American Women: Civil War Women; Who’s Who in America 1908-09; Notable American Women: 1607-1950; A Biographical Dictionary; and A Woman of the (19th) Century: Leading American Women in All Walks of Life and figures prominently in With Courage and Delicacy: Civil War on the Peninsula by Nancy Scripture Garrison.

REVIEW:

Landscape of a Marriage by Gail Ward Olmsted was by far one of the most interesting books I’ve read in quite a while. I think I learned something about a subject I didn’t really think too much about. I love to read a book that is interesting and fun and teaches me something I didn’t know before. In this case, I learned about Frederick Law Olmsted who designed and built Central Park in New York City.

Landscape of a Marriage was actually the story of his life with his wife Mary. Mary was married to his brother John Hull Olmsted first but he died about six years into their marriage leaving her with three small children. Fred was devastated over the loss of his brother and after spending time with Mary and her children asked her to marry him. Although he asked her to marry out of obligation, they both fell deeply in love. They had two more children of their own.

Fred did many things in his early life to earn a living. He was a smart man. After a while and with the encouragement of Mary he pursued his love of Landscaping. He did many public parks in the United States. I was fascinated with all the places he designed and all of the work he did. 

I totally enjoyed the time I spent with this book. The research that went into its pages was above and beyond. If you haven’t guessed, Gail Ward Olmsted is married to a distant relative of Fred Olmsted. How fun is that? It made Landscape of a Marriage more interesting and fun to read. 

If you are like me and love to learn more about history in a fun and interesting way, then this is a book that should be on your radar. I love Historical Fiction! Don’t you? Until next time…Happy Reading!

Don’t forget to support the authors you read by leaving a review!

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author. The opinions I have expressed are my own and I was not required to write a review. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.

To follow my blog, click on the heading of any blog post. This will bring up just that blog and you will see a follow button on the bottom right hand corner. Thank you!

SYNOPSIS:

“Landscape of a Marriage is a historical fiction masterpiece. Mary and Fred’s relationship is wonderfully depicted and the history that is woven into this book is done so intricately and commendably.” –Ellie Yarde, reviewer for the award-winning Coffee Pot Book Club

A marriage of convenience leads to a life of passion and purpose. A shared vision transforms the American landscape forever.

New York, 1858: Mary, a young widow with three children, agrees to marry her brother-in-law Frederick Law Olmsted, who is acting on his late brother’s deathbed plea to “not let Mary suffer.” But she craves more than a marriage of convenience and sets out to win her husband’s love. Beginning with Central Park in New York City, Mary joins Fred on his quest to create a ‘beating green heart’ in the center of every urban space.

Over the next 40 years, Fred is inspired to create dozens of city parks, private estates and public spaces with Mary at his side. Based upon real people and true events, this is the story of Mary’s journey and personal growth and the challenges inherent in loving a brilliant and ambitious man.

REVIEW:

Alison Ragsdale has once again graced us with her outstanding ability to spin a story that will forever change us. Not only did I cry a bucket load of tears while reading An Impossible Choice but, I carried the sadness of the characters with me in my heart. I don’t know how you could possibly read this book and not feel profound empathy for Honour and her family.

I have found Ms. Ragdale has a way of developing characters that I find hard to dismiss. They wiggle their way into my heart and won’t let me go. I actually started this book on Saturday evening as I was getting ready to go to sleep and only read a few pages. I couldn’t put it down once I picked it back up again. I had to know what was going on with the people.

Tissue warning. Please make sure you have tissues next to you while reading this book. I was a blubbering mess within the first ten percent of this book. This book had times of complete joy to counteract the sadness. I do have to tell you what you find on the cover of this book will give you some idea of what you will be dealing with. Sickness of a child and the decisions that need to be made can tear your heart into a million pieces.

The storyline was believable and not at all contrived. You will have some good surprises along the way. The family has friends and a town that rallies around them to help with the hard times they are facing. It always warms my heart when you see people willing to step up and help out when needed. It always means so much. I will have to say that this book pulled a full spectrum of emotions out of me.

If you love a heartfelt book. One that will pull at your heartstrings and one that will make you hopeful and joyful then An Impossible Choice should be on your radar and on your nightstand. 

I will forever be a fan of Alison Ragsdale. Nobody can make me connect with my feelings and heart the way she does. If you haven’t read anything by her, you don’t know what you are missing. Until next time…Happy Reading!

Don’t forget to support the authors you read by leaving a review!

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author. The opinions I have expressed are my own and I was not required to write a review. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.

To follow my blog, click on the heading of any blog post. This will bring up just that blog and you will see a follow button on the bottom right hand corner. Thank you!

SYNOPSIS:

Mothers talk about impossible choices. But, as I look at my daughter in a hospital bed, her red hair fanning out around her, my heart feels literally torn in two. Should I risk my son’s life to save my daughter, or keep my little boy safe and watch my precious girl slip away?

My darling daughter Tara has a rare form of cancer and there’s nothing I can do. At eleven years old, she’s already been so brave, but my sweet girl is hanging on by her fingernails. She has one last chance: a bone marrow transplant from her little brother. But nine-year-old Callum has an autoimmune disease, and there’s a chance it will put him at risk.

It’s life or death for one of my children and I have to make this decision alone.

I wish there was someone by my side to help me and my family through this terrible time. But life has hit us so hard recently. A few months ago, my beloved husband died in a tragic accident and now I might lose Tara too. All I want to do is to protect my children: so much has been taken from us already. I hope for a miracle, but my daughter is running out of days, and I have to choose.

If I make the wrong choice, will I lose one of my precious children forever?

Totally heartbreaking and gripping fiction about parenting, loss and finding light in the darkest of times. If you love Jodi Picoult, Kate Hewitt and Jojo Moyes, this novel will stay in your heart forever.

REVIEW:

Outstanding! Laura Kemp has astounded me with her new novel titled I Paint the Sky. I loved and enjoyed her Lantern Creek series and have been impatiently waiting for a new book penned by Laura. I was finally blessed with the opportunity to review her new book and boy what a blessing that was. I’ll tell you why.

Her style of writing in this book is so different. She pulled me in and held me spellbound until I read the last page. Then, she left me wanting more. The reason I wanted more is because she made me like her characters and now I want to know more about their future. I can live with the way she ended the book. She tied it up well and didn’t leave me hanging. I just want to hang out with them again.

This book is an American Historical Romance. I’d like to call it a Historical Western Romance. This book has it all. There are Indians, horses, wagon trains, friends, outlaws and best of all one of the best love stories I’ve read in a while between Emily Ives and Caleb Merritt. You’ll see Emily grow up and fight for what she wants and Caleb will learn to put his past in the past and grow to be the man Emily needs. Y’all are going to love their story. 

You learn a little bit about what it was like to move across the country in a wagon train. The dangers they faced and the work it entailed every single day. It wasn’t easy and I don’t think I would have been a woman that could have faced the rigors of moving West. They were strong and determined people. A lot of folks lost their lives and did not see their dreams come true.

I have found I enjoy books that take place in the early days of our country and in the time before we traveled on highways in a motor car. People settled in homes as primitive as sod houses. It was a very different way of life. I have enjoyed learning about that time period and the hardships folks faced everyday even when they weren’t moving across the country. 

If you are like me and enjoy reading about these things then this is a book I highly recommend you pick up and read. Laura Kemp wrote I Paint the Sky and it definitely deserves to be on your nightstand. Laura, I’m proud of you Michigan girl and the book you wrote that starts out in our home state. Way to go!

Don’t forget to support the authors you read by leaving a review!

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author. The opinions I have expressed are my own and I was not required to write a review. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.

SYNOPSIS:

She came west to start a new life… But what is she running from?

Married to a man she barely knows, nineteen- year- old Emily Ives has hopes of starting a new life in her small, Michigan town. Soon she is pregnant, and shocked to discover her husband’s charm masks a violent nature. When a fire claims the lives of her loved ones, she has one choice, escape on the Oregon Trail to the Black Hills, where her uncle and his wife are waiting.


But there’s one hitch…

Caleb Merritt has lived his life in shadow since the death of his wife. When he finds Emily about to give birth in the back of a wagon, he offers to help, only to find himself drawn to her when he should be running the other way. She has secrets, that’s for certain, and the last thing Caleb needs is more heartbreak.

When tragedy splits the wagon party in two, Emily discovers the husband she thought was dead is not only alive, but hunting her. With her life and a long-lost treasure hanging in the balance, Emily must confront the past if she ever hopes to see the future.

“A stunning tour de force set against the backdrop of the American West.” –Rob Samborn, award winning author of The Painted Souls series

To follow my blog, click on the heading of any blog post. This will bring up just that blog and you will see a follow button on the bottom right hand corner. Thank you!