How to Walk Away by Katherine Center

  

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Category: Adult
Genre: Romance, Contemporary Romance
Content: Strong Language

 

Margaret Jacobsen has a bright future ahead of her: a fiancé she adores, her dream job, and the promise of a picture-perfect life just around the corner. Then, suddenly, on what should have been one of the happiest days of her life, everything she worked for is taken away in one tumultuous moment.

In the hospital and forced to face the possibility that nothing will ever be the same again, Margaret must figure out how to move forward on her own terms while facing long-held family secrets, devastating heartbreak, and the idea that love might find her in the last place she would ever expect. 

 

I enjoyed reading Margaret's journey throughout this book. The things she overcame, the things she learned to live with and without, and her perseverance had me glued to this. I empathized with her and triumphed with her. I loved that Margaret's sister was there for her and supported her through it all. I liked that everything made sense in this story and there were none of those annoying non-communication tropes. There were times when Margaret's family, and fiance would say things and I just couldn't believe anyone would be so insensitive, but I know people are so, I couldn't fault the author for that.

I actually prefer it when I get male and female points of view in romances. Katherine Center's books are just the female point of view, but it doesn't seem to matter when I'm reading her books. I enjoy them so much; the writing style, the characters, everything. I'm looking forward to reading another one of her books.

 

Part of Your World Trilogy by Abby Jimenez (Part of Your World, Yours Truly, and Just for the Summer) by Abby Jimenez

  

Part of Your World (Part of Your World #2) by Abby Jimenez

My rating: 4.5 of 5 stars

Category: Adult
Genre: Romance, Contemporary Romance, Women's Fiction
Content: Strong Language, Moderately descriptive sex

 
After a wild bet, gourmet grilled-cheese sandwich, and cuddle with a baby goat, Alexis Montgomery has had her world turned upside down. The cause: Daniel Grant, a ridiculously hot carpenter who’s ten years younger than her and as casual as they come—the complete opposite of sophisticated city-girl Alexis. And yet their chemistry is undeniable.

While her ultra-wealthy parents want her to carry on the family legacy of world-renowned surgeons, Alexis doesn’t need glory or fame. She’s fine with being a “mere” ER doctor. And every minute she spends with Daniel and the tight-knit town where he lives, she’s discovering just what’s really important. Yet letting their relationship become anything more than a short-term fling would mean turning her back on her family and giving up the opportunity to help thousands of people.

Bringing Daniel into her world is impossible, and yet she can’t just give up the joy she’s found with him either. With so many differences between them, how can Alexis possibly choose between her world and his? 

 

This was the first book I've read by this author and I loved it. I was so glued to this book!  I haven't found a contemporary romance author that I like this much since I started reading Katherine Center's books. I loved these characters and how they end up falling in love. I love how Alexis learns to trust Daniel and the whole evolution of her character. I loved how Daniel was there for his family and I loved how everything gets resolved. 

 

 “I was a mosaic of someone else’s design where none of the fragments were put in the right place. And now I had finally put myself together and I recognized myself for the very first time.”

 

I also loved that this book made me laugh out loud a few times. A lot of rom-coms aren't nearly as funny as they should be. I love that the author added some very serious topics into this book that made it more than just a romance. The topic of emotional abuse was handled well. This and Katherine Center's Hello Stranger are my top two reads so far this year. I also want to mention that I hated cartoon looking covers on romance books, and for the most part I still do, but this one I like and I also love the one for Just For the Summer. 

 

“I think my soul recognized hers the second I laid eyes on her.”

 

 

 

 

 

Yours Truly (Part of Your World #2) by Abby Jimenez 

My rating: 3.5 of 5 stars

Category: Adult
Genre: Romance, Contemporary Romance, Women's Fiction
Content: Strong Language, Moderately descriptive sex

 

Dr. Briana Ortiz’s life is seriously flatlining. Her divorce is just about finalized, her brother’s running out of time to find a kidney donor, and that promotion she wants? Oh, that’s probably going to the new man-doctor who’s already registering eighty-friggin’-seven on Briana’s “pain in my ass” scale. But just when all systems are set to hate, Dr. Jacob Maddox completely flips the game . . . by sending Briana a letter.

And it’s a really good letter. Like the kind that proves that Jacob isn’t actually Satan. Worse, he might be this fantastically funny and subversively likeable guy who’s terrible at first impressions. Because suddenly he and Bri are exchanging letters, sharing lunch dates in her “sob closet,” and discussing the merits of freakishly tiny horses. But when Jacob decides to give Briana the best gift imaginable—a kidney for her brother—she wonders just how she can resist this quietly sexy new doctor . . . especially when he calls in a favor she can’t refuse.

  

After reading Part of Your World I was looking forward to this book. This one features Briana, best friend of Alexis from Part of Your World. I liked it in general but the third act break-up, the assumptions, and non-communications almost ruined this whole book for me. Luckily there was enough about this that I loved to lift my rating to 3.5 stars. What I loved were the characters. Briana and Jacob were great characters and I loved the way their relationship forms through letters and notes to each other. As a person that has dealt with social anxiety for years, I could relate to Jacob. I may not have it to the extent that he does in the book but there were several times when something felt very familiar. I loved how Briana was able to see Jacob and knew how to support him and help him through situations. 

 

“It’s like I always say,” Mom said, wiping under her eyes. “Love shows up. That’s how you know when it’s real.”

  

That being said, I did not love some of the things Briana did in the last part of the book. For most of the book I thought Briana and Jacob communicated with each other pretty well, and it was nice and refreshing, but at some point in the last quarter of the book the characters stopped communicating their concerns with each other and went on assumptions alone, especially Briana. This leads up to the third act break-up that trauma also played a part in. I felt so let down by this book at that point. 

I don't personally think a third act break-up is necessary for every romance book. This is something that got discussed recently in an author's reading group on FB that I follow. She writes a lot of romance and was saying that she didn't want to include that kind of a break-up in her book because it didn't fit. I really respect that she's going to write her book the way she feels will work best, instead of adhering to some formula. I wish that this one had been written a little differently but I still loved a lot about it.

The break-up in this book felt forced to me. I get that the character had trauma to deal with, but it didn't make sense to me that there was such a huge inability to trust at this point. On top of that, the trauma was brought on by something that we didn't get a lot of inner monologue about by the character, so it felt like it almost came out of nowhere. I also thought it was ridiculous that two doctors weren't smart enough to keep themselves out of this predicament to begin with. One of their mother's even pointed that out in the book. 

 

“We’re all a little broken, Briana. We are a mosaic. We’re made up of all those we’ve met and all the things we’ve been through. There are parts of us that are colorful and dark and jagged and beautiful. And I love every piece of you. Even the ones you wish didn’t exist.”

 

Even after things get resolved, I just didn't like the way certain things happened, and that resulted in me not liking most of the last part of this book. Despite that I'm still really invested in this series and want to read more from this author. I love her writing style and I thought the other two things I read by her were really good.  

 

 

 

 

 

Just For the Summer (Part of Your World #3) by Abby Jimenez

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Category: Adult
Genre: Romance, Contemporary Romance, Women's Fiction
Content: Strong Language, Moderately descriptive sex

 

Justin has a curse, and thanks to a Reddit thread, it's now all over the internet. Every woman he dates goes on to find their soul mate the second they break up. When a woman slides into his DMs with the same problem, they come up with a plan: They'll date each other and break up. Their curses will cancel each other’s out, and they’ll both go on to find the love of their lives. It’s a bonkers idea… and it just might work.

Emma hadn't planned that her next assignment as a traveling nurse would be in Minnesota, but she and her best friend agree that dating Justin is too good of an opportunity to pass up, especially when they get to rent an adorable cottage on a private island on Lake Minnetonka.

It's supposed to be a quick fling, just for the summer. But when Emma's toxic mother shows up and Justin has to assume guardianship of his three siblings, they're suddenly navigating a lot more than they expected--including catching real feelings for each other. What if this time Fate has actually brought the perfect pair together? 

I didn't think Abby Jimenez would be able to top Part of Your World, but for me, Just For the Summer ended up being a half star higher at a 5. This book did what I think the author was trying to do in Yours Truly with its third act breakup; show how trauma can affect a person at a very deep level. Only it was done so much better here, and really did feel believable, and didn't almost ruin the story for me. It made sense for the story, and didn't feel like it came out of nowhere. We were privy to a lot of thoughts that led up to the decision and that helped a lot. 

 

“Unhealed trauma is a crack. And all the little hard things that trickle into it that would have rolled off someone else, settle. Then when life gets cold, that crack gets bigger, longer, deeper. It makes new breaks."

 

This book really hit me in the feels, especially towards the end. Emma's mom and the things that happened throughout Emma's life because of the way her mom was, left me so emotional. I love that these books are more than just fluff, but include people who are dealing with trauma and actually show them dealing with it. I'm glad I read these books in order because I liked the way this last book was tied to the others, in particular the first book, and how the characters are intertwined. 

 

“You are not what happened to you. You are what you do next.”   

 

There were some really funny parts in this book that had me laughing out loud too. That goes for everything I've read by this author so far. One of my main complaints about rom-coms is that they usually aren't all that funny, but this author knows how to make things funny. I particularly like the pet names she gives in her books. The Toilet King thing was pretty darn funny, and if Abby Jimenez didn't sell Toilet King t-shirts on her website, she should have! I'm looking forward to reading more Abby Jimenez books.

 

“The love stories sold us the wrong thing. The best kind of love doesn’t happen on moonlit walks and romantic vacations. It happens in between the folds of everyday life. It’s not grand gestures that show how you feel, it’s all the little secret things you do to make her life better that you never tell her about."

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Shabby Old Cottage (The Irish Escape #3) by B. E. Baker

   

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Category: Adult
Genre:  Romance, Contemporary Romance, Women's Fiction 
Content: Clean

Three old friends in Ireland. Two months and change running their new hotel. One big holiday season in a strange place. How could a shabby old cottage ever shine like new?

Natalie’s move to Ireland was supposed to be uncomplicated. Her priorities were to turn an old estate into a hotel and help her kids integrate into school across the globe. But when surprise visitors change her plans and her feelings for a helpful friend turn into more, she struggles to focus on what really matters.

Samantha always longed for children, but when that never happened for her, she chose to pursue her other great horses. Now that her whole job revolves around riding, she expects to be happier than ever. Only, dreams are hard to shake, and now her love-life makes it hard to appreciate the joy that’s in reach.

Vanessa spent the past few years putting herself back together after losing her husband Jason. Her kids are thriving in Ireland, but she’s finding it difficult to find her place in a new culture. She’s also discovering with her beloved mother-in-law that there’s such a thing as too close.

Can these three women find a way to survive the busy holiday season in a new (old) place where everything feels strange? Or will the stress of family demands, disappointed dreams, and unwanted surprises turn shabby into downright depressing? 

  

Just like the two previous books in the series, this one kept me flipping the pages. The thing I liked most about it was Samantha's story arc. Some of it surprised me. I do wish that her love interest wouldn't have pushed for things to happen so quickly. She just started dating him and things moved way too fast. This and the thing Sam was hiding led to a surprising outcome. I liked that things didn't go the way I thought they would.

I continue to enjoy the friendship between the three women in the series and how they love and support each other through all the unexpected things that come up. I hope that both Natalie and Vanessa stop ruminating over their hesitations when it comes to dating the men they care about in the next book. I could relate to Vanessa's insecurities in quite a few ways though. Most of them had nothing to do with her dating Jack but the way she felt about herself in general. I did feel like Vanessa had a big reason to hesitate when it came to Jack's mom. Natalie's concerns were valid as well but I thought she overreacted at one point. I'm looking forward to seeing how these problems are navigated in the rest of the series, and how they each build love and trust with the new men in their lives. 

Thanks to the author for providing me with a copy of this book.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Book Lovers by Emily Henry

 

My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Category: Adult
Genre:  Romance, Women's Fiction
Content: Strong Language; Multiple love scenes all rather descriptive

 

Nora Stephens’ life is books—she’s read them all—and she is not that type of heroine. Not the plucky one, not the laidback dream girl, and especially not the sweetheart. In fact, the only people Nora is a heroine for are her clients, for whom she lands enormous deals as a cutthroat literary agent, and her beloved little sister Libby.

Which is why she agrees to go to Sunshine Falls, North Carolina for the month of August when Libby begs her for a sisters’ trip away—with visions of a small-town transformation for Nora, who she’s convinced needs to become the heroine in her own story. But instead of picnics in meadows, or run-ins with a handsome country doctor or bulging-forearmed bartender, Nora keeps bumping into Charlie Lastra, a bookish brooding editor from back in the city. It would be a meet-cute if not for the fact that they’ve met many times and it’s never been cute.

If Nora knows she’s not an ideal heroine, Charlie knows he’s nobody’s hero, but as they are thrown together again and again—in a series of coincidences no editor worth their salt would allow—what they discover might just unravel the carefully crafted stories they’ve written about themselves.

  

I'm sure this is going to be a very unpopular opinion but I was really disappointed in this book. It's the first Emily Henry book I've read, and I've heard so many good things about her books. Maybe this wasn't the best one to start with, I don't know, but I had a hard time relating to the characters in this book. The romance was ok, I liked the characters together but the love interest, Charlie was kind of bland in some ways. However, I liked him better than I liked Nora. I enjoyed the banter they had through emails but I feel like the time jump between their first meeting and the next contact between them was too large. It almost felt like something was missing. 

For the most part this felt more like women's fiction than romance. The romance was there but there was a lot of sibling stuff added into the book, so much so that it almost overshadowed the romance for me. There was a weird dynamic between the sisters that was unhealthy, and for most of the book I didn't think it would be addressed. In the end it was, and I think that was the best part of the whole book. Nora treated her sister like she was her child. She acted like an overprotective mother to her, and I had a hard time with her because of it. She thought she had to protect her sister from everything and sacrifice everything for her sister. For most of the book it seemed like her sister was oblivious and ungrateful. At times in the book, the sister did some things that I felt were unacceptable. I understood where she was coming from, but I didn't think she went about things in the right way. I like the way things played out regarding this in the end, but I didn't enjoy reading up to that point. 

I have one other Emily Henry book on my to-read list, and I might give it a try since so many people love this author, but I'm going to wait a while. 

 

 

 

 

 

The Creaky Old Barn (The Irish Escape #2) by B. E. Baker

  

The Creaky Old Barn (The Irish Escape #2) by B.E. Baker

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Category: Adult
Genre:  Romance, Contemporary Romance, Women's Fiction 
Content: Clean

 

Three failing families. Two different continents. And one creaky old barn that heals them.

With her marriage over and her kids (mostly) excited about moving to another continent, Natalie’s finally en route to Ireland. There’s a lovely and expansive estate waiting for them in southern Ireland.

Samantha’s bags are packed (again) and she’s ready to jet across the pond as well. She’s said all her goodbyes, and she’s ready to fall in love with new horses in Lismore.

But when they discover that their dear friend Vanessa’s struggling, they reconfigure their plans to rally behind her, because that’s what friends do.

In the meantime, creaky old barns and crumbling old estates don’t just maintain themselves. Can these three best friends patch up the leaks and fix up the creaks in their lives (and their hearts) and find a way forward. . .together?

 

I read this back in December and I meant to write a review for this but life got busy around the holidays and I didn't. So here I am now finally writing my review of this wonderful book. I thoroughly enjoyed the first book, and I would say this one was just as good. One thing I'm really loving about this series is the friendship between the three women, and how they're there for each other. I'm also enjoying the love interests that have been introduced. There were a couple of surprises in this one that I didn't see coming. One involves the ex-husbands of two of the women, and the brother-in-law of the third one. Oh boy, let's just say I can't stand them. The other thing that surprised me involved a switch-up, but that's all I'll say, except that I liked how it ended up. I'm looking forward to book three!

Thanks to the author for providing me with an ARC of this book. 

 

 

 

The Crumbly Old Castle (The Irish Escape #1) by B.E. Baker

  

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Category: Adult
Genre:  Women's Fiction
Content: Clean

 

Three best friends. Two crumbling estates. And one trip that changes everything.

When three barn besties escape for a girls’ trip to Ireland, they expect a lot of fun. They don’t expect to want to stay… forever.

Natalie was always the responsible one, the organized one, the together one. But when she inadvertently leaves one day early for their vacation and comes home pink-cheeked with embarrassment, the last thing she expects to find is her husband. . .in their bed with another woman. Luckily, they don’t notice her, and she takes the trip as a time-out to figure out what to do.

Samantha’s marriage has never been full of fireworks and trips to Cabo, but they were making it work. At least, she thought they were. When an unreasonable ultimatum sends her into a tailspin just before the trip, she takes the time to reevaluate what matters and what she wants out of life and love.

Vanessa’s husband passed a few years before, and she’s been soldiering on. Moments away from her job and responsibilities as a mother of three have been rare, but she has no plans of uprooting their life in Colorado. At least, not until someone she trusts betrays her in a big way. That wound makes her question everything about her own value and her family’s future.

Can these three friends help each other find firm ground in a world that seems to be unsafe, unsteady, and unhappy? And can found family really be what they all need when the going gets tough?

 

I've really enjoyed all of B.E. Baker's women's fiction, so of course I was excited to read this new series, and of course I ended up loving this book! All three of the women in this book were so likable and relatable in many ways. I have to say that I feel like I identify most with Vanessa's personality. The thing I appreciated most about this book is the way the three women supported and helped each other through the hard times and changes they were each going through. It had me thinking about my bestie often and the many ways she's been helpful and supportive in my life. I hope that I've been just as supportive of her.

 "People aren't objects, and that means we're all in a constant state of flux. We all know it, but then we act terribly surprised when other people change."

I love that quote. It's so true. We often view the people around us as always staying the same, even though they don't. Sometimes that change is for the better and some times it isn't. It can be hard when it isn't, and that's what happens in this book. 

I really liked the Irish setting in this book. I've never been to Ireland, but I felt like I was there visiting along with these characters. The author did a lot of research for this book, especially about the locations that are visited in it, and I particularly liked the photos of the real places that were included in the book. I also enjoyed the different people the ladies meet in the book, particularly a few of the men. There isn't really any romance in this book, as it wouldn't have made sense for there to be at this point in the series. However, there is some set up in it for future relationships that I'm looking forward to exploring in the rest of the series. 

If you've never read anything by this author, I think this book would be a good place to start, or her Birch Creek Ranch series.

Thanks to the author for providing me with an ARC of this book.

 

The Lighthouse (Five Island Cove #1) by Jessie Newton

 

 

My rating: 2.5 of 5 stars

Category: Adult
Genre:  Women's Fiction, Romance
Content: Clean

 

After the death of a childhood loved one, 5 best friends reunite in the small coastal town of Five Island Cove. One doesn't expect to find love with a high school crush. Another isn't prepared to find the strength she needs to take control of her life. And none of them are ready for the secrets they'll uncover at the lighthouse...As the truth comes to light, these five best friends will learn what really friendship, family, and faith.

When Joel Shields dies, Robin Grover's only goal is to get her four best friends back to Five Island Cove to celebrate the life of Kristen's husband. She alone has stayed in the cove while everyone else couldn't wait to get away.

Alice Keller comes instantly, because her mansion in the Hamptons and her husband's infidelity is smothering her. Not only that, but Kristen has always been like a mother to her, and she wants to support her.

Eloise Hall comes quickly too, because she's not teaching at the university this summer, and she might as well visit her mother—and the house she secretly bought years ago. Her first night on the island, she runs into an old high school crush, and a flame ignites that hasn't been there before.

But Kelli Thompson and AJ Proctor are more resistant, and as Robin, Alice, and Eloise uncover secret after secret in the books, journals, and files in Joel's office, Robin becomes more determined to reunite them all.

When Kelli and AJ finally arrive in the cove, the women are embroiled in secrets the lighthouse has hidden for decades. Robin tries to hold them all together, but she too breaks down and admits that her perfect-on-the-outside life isn't so perfect.

As these 5 best friends work together to find the truth, they must learn to let go of what doesn't matter and cling to what faith, family, and most of all, friendship.

 

I've had this book on my reading list for a while now and I owned the audio. I think I may have gotten it for free, so I decided a light romance was in order. So this was a case where I had read the description at the time I added it to my list and then when I finally got around to reading it, I didn't reread the description and just assumed it was a light romance. This ended up being more women's fiction that romance, which isn't a bad thing itself, but the book dealt with some depressing topics such as cheating spouses, loveless marriages, the death of a spouse, etc. It wasn't what I was in the mood for. I could give it a pass on that account. It wasn't the book's fault I didn't read the description. That being said, I really wanted to love this despite the fact that it wasn't what I was expecting, but unfortunately I found the characters hard to connect to. I think there are too many characters in the story and it was hard for me to keep them all straight. There were a few times I got them mixed up while I was listening to the book.

 

 

 

 

Blue Heron Cottages Series by Kay Correll: Books 5, 6, and 7

 I decided to do an update on this series. I've been reading it for a few months and mostly enjoying it. The first book was definitely the best one, but I've enjoyed revisiting these characters in each book. It's a cozy romantic women's fiction series that kind of reminds me of the Cedar Cove series by Debbie Macomber, only I like this one better. It's not complex and it's not amazing, but it hits the spot for me when I'm between those kinds of reads, and looking for something light and easy to read. One thing I've noticed is that all this authors series seem to be tied together by characters that cross over from one of the towns in her other series. That has me mildly interested in trying a couple of the others.

 

Lilacs by the Sea (Blue Heron Cottages #5) by Kay Correll

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Category: Adult
Genre:  Romance, Women's Fiction
Content: Clean

 

Francine Winters—Frankie to her family and friends—doesn’t know how she got to this point in her life. Her marriage is falling apart. Will moved into the guest bedroom and their marriage is crumbling.

They’re considering a trial separation but haven’t told their grown daughters yet.

Which is too bad because…

The last thing she needs is the surprise family vacation the girls plan.

And to make things worse? They planned it at the very place she and Will had honeymooned. A celebration for their fortieth anniversary.

Frankie is sure she can make it through this. It’s only one week, right? Then they’ll tell their daughters the truth.

But a lot can happen when you come to stay at Blue Heron Cottages…

 

This was probably my least favorite book of the series, but that doesn't mean it was bad. I was still pretty glued to this one, even though the character Frankie really annoyed me at times. She jumped to some big conclusions and instead of confronting her husband about what she thought she saw, she assumed it was true and wouldn't talk to him. I think what really annoyed me about her is that after she made up her mind it was true, she then went and told her daughter about it and upset her with it. Ugh! Not good! But as I said I was still pretty glued to this book and there were enough good things about it to sort of make up for that part.

 

The Flower Shop on Magnolia (Blue Heron Cottages #6) by Kay Correll

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Category: Adult
Genre:  Romance, Women's Fiction
Content: Clean

 Fate brought them together. But will Daisy's promises keep them apart?

Daisy’s new flower shop in Moonbeam has a nice steady flow of customers. But it’s so different from back home in Colorado.

No, Colorado was not home. Not anymore. She can never return. Not after what happened.

Jack moves to Moonbeam to help take care of his mother, though his mom insists she doesn’t need help. Okay, so maybe he just wants a change and uses his mom as an excuse. But what he really needs is to find a place to live.

Luckily, Daisy’s neighbor needs a renter and Jack ends up living next door to Daisy. What starts as a friendship quickly blossoms into something more.

But Daisy made two promises to herself. Promise swearing off having a relationship. But her heart tells her it might be okay to take a chance with Jack. Maybe.

Then disaster strikes. Even if she would consider breaking the first promise, she will not break the second one. She can’t. And a relationship with Jack would shatter that promise into tiny grains of sand.

But Moonbeam has a way of weaving its charm through the lives of the people in town. One never knows what may happen...

This was another cute feel good story. I really liked Daisy and Jack and the way she learned to trust him. One thing I do wish though, would be that we would revisit the characters from previous books more than we do. We did get the continued progression of one other couple's relationship in this one, and there are certain characters that are always in the books. Mainly Rose and Violet, and I love them, but we don't get to see some of the others as much.

 

Christmas by the Bay (Blue Heron Cottages #7) by Kay Correll

My rating: 3.5 of 5 stars

Category: Adult
Genre:  Romance, Women's Fiction
Content: Clean

 

Violet is all about the holiday season this year — her first one as owner of Blue Heron Cottages. But what she isn’t expecting for Christmas is meeting Danny Parker - no relation to the Moonbeam Parkers. Danny and his daughter come to stay at the cottages for the holidays and his daughter is not pleased. At all.
 

Rose returns to the cottages to be surrounded by friends, but her heart aches as she prepares to spend her first Christmas without her beloved Emmett.
 

Aspen is sure Walker is hiding something. Or maybe he’s losing interest in her… Then, to make things worse, her sister cancels plans to come to the cottages for Christmas.
 

Can Moonbeam and the Blue Heron Cottages weave their magic and provide the perfect Christmas for everyone?
 

Continue on with the Blue Heron Cottages series, a touching saga of love, resilience, and the profound connections we stumble upon in the unlikeliest of places. It's a journey through love, loss, and ultimately, the transformative power of friendship.

 

I enjoyed this addition to the series more than some of the others. Violet finally gets to find love and I enjoyed how things developed between her and Danny. I also enjoyed how the book showed, in the case of Danny's teenage daughter, that the type of friends we have can make a big difference in our lives and influence us for good or bad. I do think things were solved way too easily but this is feel good fiction, so it didn't bother me all that much. I liked that we got a bigger peek into Rose's life in this book, and a friend for her. Only one more book to go before I finish the series.

Memories of the Beach (Blue Heron Cottages #1) by Kay Correll

  

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Category: Adult
Genre: Women's Fiction, Romance, Clean Romance, Contemporary Fiction
Content: Clean

 

What if the imaginary friend you had as a child… turns out to be not so imaginary after all?

Aspen receives a mysterious letter from her mother asking her to come to an all-expenses-paid week at Blue Heron Cottages. The very mother who disappeared from her life over twenty years ago.

Willow receives her own letter asking her to come to the resort. She's uncertain about going, but maybe it has something to do with what her mother struggled to tell her—unsuccessfully—with her dying breaths.

What neither woman sees coming are the startling revelations the letters will bring to their lives.

Memories of the Beach is the first book in a heartwarming series about Violet, the owner of a recently restored beachside resort, and the stories of the guests who come to stay at Blue Heron Cottages. Grab this book now to start binge-reading this romantic women’s fiction series.

 

This was my pick it for me book for May and it took me by surprise. It's a women's fiction with some romance added in. I loved the characters in this book and I enjoyed watching them grow. Aspen was an admirable woman who has been through a lot in her life. She could have become very jaded and bitter because of it, but she doesn't. She does however, have to learn to let go of her pride somewhat and trust other people. All of the characters in the story were easy to like and I appreciated that. This ended up being the perfect light comfort read for me between bigger books with darker, heavier themes. If you're looking for light women's fiction in the vein of Debbie Macomber's Cedar Cove, then give this one a try. I liked it better than the Cedar Cove books.

The Lookback (The Birch Creek Ranch #8) by B.E. Baker

  

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Category: Adult
Genre: Women's Fiction, Romance, Clean Romance, Contemporary Fiction
Content: Clean

 

Amanda Saddler has lived a long and happy life. She’s not ready to die or anything melodramatic, but she’s long since given up on finding her fairytale ending.

But when her adoptive granddaughter Emery picks up a box that was delivered to her doorstep, some new stories from the past come to light. Amanda Saddler may have spent her life pining for her neighbor, Jed Brooks, but that’s not the only man she ever knew.

Emery doggedly asks after a man from an old photo, who turns out to be the man Amanda Saddler stayed with when she left town for a few months. When that same man calls Amanda’s phone, of course Emery answers and invites him to come for a visit.

Can Amanda Saddler reconcile the wrongs in her past to set her story right in the present, or is it too late for her to find her happy ending alongside a man who has always wanted a place in her heart?

 

This is the last book in the Birch Creek Ranch series and I'm really going to miss it. I've enjoyed getting to know these characters. In this final installment, we finally get Amanda Saddler's backstory, and in true B.E. Baker fashion, we find out that what we thought we knew isn't exactly how things happened. I found it refreshing to read about a romance between a couple of 80 year olds instead of the much younger couples we usually read about. I also thought it was a very sweet story, and I enjoyed the bits of humor that were sprinkled throughout it. 

Amanda's story isn't the only one in the book though. We get more of Helen and David, and although I still don't really like Helen, I liked the fact that she grew as a person in this book. All the other characters I came to love in the series are also present, but in smaller doses. Overall, I think this was a good ending to the series. 

Thanks to the author for providing me with an ARC of this book.

What New Beginnings Are Made Of (Star Gazer Inn of Corpus Christi Bay #1) by Debra Clopton

  

My rating: 3.5 of 5 stars

Category: Adult
Genre: Romance, Clean Romance, Contemporary Romance, Women's Fiction
Content: Clean

 

New beginnings take courage…
She’s a fifty-five-year-old widow feeling like she’s lost herself.
On a whim of her aching heart, Alice McIntyre buys the Star Gazer Inn and is looking for a fresh start…something to put a spark back into her life.

But first she has to tell her four sons, who have problems of their own but have smothered her with their protective instincts. She’s lived on the huge South Texas ranch just outside of Corpus Christi since their father carried her over the threshold. She’s raised them on the massive McIntyre Ranch—one of the largest, wealthiest in Texas. It’s been her home and theirs. Will they understand that it’s time for her to leave? Time for her to move on?

Jackson McIntyre is shocked by his mother’s announcement. Guilt-ridden in the aftermath of his father’s accident, Jackson is determined to do whatever it takes to help his mother find her way to move forward. But this new idea of hers has him reeling.

Nina lives next door to the inn and is living a quiet life, keeping a low profile. She has her reasons. Will the opening of the inn and her new neighbors, especially the oldest son of the new innkeeper, tempt her to step back into the light and out of the shadows of her past?

Lisa, Alice’s best friend and recent divorcee, has been traveling the world since the breakup that left her shaken and feeling just as lost as Alice. A brilliant cook with a flair for entertaining, she loves Alice’s idea and joins her to open the inn. But Lisa has her own secrets.

Can these two friends, and their new neighbor Nina, find fresh starts as they ready the Star Gazer Inn for its new beginning?

Will Nina find the courage to take one more chance on love with her new friend’s son?

Three women find friendship and courage on the shores of Corpus Christi Bay. Come visit the Star Gazer Inn, with a side trip to the McIntyre Ranch, as Alice finds her way between two worlds.

This new series follows Alice, her sons, and her friends—and new loves—on the South Texas coast with its sparkling topaz water.

You’ll want to dip your toes in and stay awhile.

Heartfelt women's fiction: faith, family, love.

 

Recently there was a big giveaway for a bunch of clean romance novels through Feel Good Fiction, author Alana Johnson's website. I downloaded all of them with the intention of sifting through them later to pick out the ones that caught my interest. It was paired with a series of three live videos that the authors participated in, introducing themselves and talking about their books on Alana Johnson's Youtube channel. I watched these videos before I picked out what books I wanted to read, and the author of this book was one that stood out to me. I enjoyed her story of how this book came to be and how some of it mirrored her real life story. It seemed she had put her heart into this book and it made me want to read it, so I added it to my pick it for me list this month, and it ended up being the book my friend Jenny picked for me to read.

The story started out with us meeting Alice, a recent widow. One thing I think the author did really well was relate to us how much grief Alice felt, and how hard is was to move forward in her life without her husband. This really resonated with me because my dad passed away about three years ago, leaving my mom, and I saw her grief. It was a daily thing for over a year. It's still there, and always will be, but it did get easier. At the beginning of this book Alice has taken a big step towards moving forward by doing something unexpected. 

I found it interesting the way the author showed that this was a part of Alice that was always there. She had just left this thing behind when she got married and moved and wasn't able to pursue it until now. It's mentioned that her husband was a bigger than life personality who seemed to know what he liked and it reminded me of another widow I know who was married to a man similar to that. They always had the things he picked out and did the things he wanted to do. In this book Alice seemed happy to be swept up into her husband's life and doesn't seem to resent that at all because she wanted it, but I wonder if maybe a part of her got left out somewhere, that shouldn't have been.

Alice's four sons, especially Jackson, play a part in this book. At first I found myself annoyed with them over their overprotective natures, but they loosened up pretty quickly and I warmed up to them. I get why they were overprotective of their mom. She had lost her husband and was vulnerable emotionally, so I couldn't really hold it against them. I liked that Alice was going to do what she wanted to do despite what her sons thought. Out of the four sons, I ended up liking Jackson the most, but he's the one we get to know the most in this book. It will be interesting to get to know the others more in the rest of the series.

Going into this I was expecting the main romance to be about Alice, but her romance was actually a slower burn on the side that looks like it will be an ongoing thread in the series. I didn't mind this since she just lost her husband less than two years ago. I also really liked getting to know Seth and am looking forward to reading more about him. The main romance ends up being between two other people, and for the most part I liked it, especially the slow build up of trust that happened with that story line.

Overall, this was a good book with characters that were easy to like, and I enjoyed the beach setting. Out of all the characters, I liked Alice, Lisa, and Nina the most. I enjoyed the friendship the three of them shared. I would have loved to have gotten more details of their time spent together as friends chatting, shopping, and helping each other through the difficulties in their lives. More heartwarming interactions and deep conversation would have made this even better. I feel like that was mostly told and not actually shown as much as it could have been, and the characters could have been fleshed out a bit more. I hope that happens in the other books.

In some ways this book reminded me a bit of Cedar Cove by Debbie Macomber, with the multiple points of view in the small town, and the open ended stories for some of the characters, only this was better written. That being said, there were still some awkwardly worded sentences in this book, characters that could have been more fleshed out, and most everything was too predictable but I'm interested in continuing this series. I was looking for an easy quick escape type read and this did fit that description. I really want to know how things end up for Lisa and how the slow burn romance develops for Alice.

The Setback (The Birch Creek Ranch #7) by B. E. Baker

 

My rating: 4.5 of 5 stars

Category: Adult
Genre: Romance, Clean Romance, Contemporary Fiction, Women's Fiction
Content: Clean

 

Amanda Brooks has made a new home for herself in Birch Creek, and she's finally learning to love the right way. But our past always catches up to us, and when her family surprises her with a visit, it slams into her plans like a bowling ball, knocking pins in every direction.

Donna Ellingson has a new job and a fresh resolve to embrace happiness with both hands. But every big change has its difficulties, and she’s not sure whether she made the right choice. It’s hard to move ahead when you keep looking back.

Helen Fisher has never deviated from her life plan. When things go wrong, she handles them, one way or another. When her family in Birch Creek needs a little of her attention, she resolves to deal with it quickly and get right back on track.

Can these three women navigate their respective setbacks and move forward with grace and hope? Or will these life changes alter their futures forever?

 

When I saw Helen was going to be a big part of this book, all I could think was, "Oh boy! How is Bridget going to make me like Helen?" Helen comes across as a snooty, cold person who throws money at everything to 'make it better'. She's so full of herself. I like the way Abby described her sister as lost. However, I knew that since Helen played a big part in this book, she would have growth and change. I had a hard time seeing how she would have enough growth and change for my liking, but I also knew that this author could pull it off, and for the most part, she did. It was a little hard to give Helen the amount of growth she needed because she enters the series at such a late stage, but it was adequate and with one more book to come, maybe we will see even more growth and change. I liked the way the romance played out for Helen in this book, and the guy she ends up with is just perfect for her.

I enjoyed the other parts of the book about Donna and Will, Amanda and Eddie, and Beth and Ethan. Amanda has finally grown and become what I knew she could be, and it was great seeing that. Some of those scenes with Amanda and Helen were priceless! They deserved to have to deal with each other. I was so happy for how things ended up for Donna, and the solution Beth came up with was one I had thought of and was happy to see in the book. I did think things may have been a bit too neatly tied up, but this is a feel good series and so I'm not surprised that it's ending with everyone feeling good and in a happy place. I liked the way things have ended up for everyone. I'm looking forward to reading the last book and finding out more about the other Amanda's (Amanda Saddler) time away, and how that plays into her future.

If you enjoyed Virgin River, Cedar Cove, Sweet Magnolias, or Heartland, than you might like this series. I happened to like this series better than all those.

Thanks to the author for providing me with a copy of this book.

The Surprise (The Birch Creek Ranch #6) by B. E. Baker

  

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Category: Adult
Genre: Romance, Clean Romance, Contemporary Fiction, Women's Fiction
Content: Clean

 

Romeo and Juliet’s families caused all sorts of problems, but the two lovers took that poison themselves, the idiots.

When Beth Ellingson meets Ethan Brooks, it’s because her aunt and father are conspiring to steal the Birch Creek Ranch from the handsome young man. It wasn’t the cutest way to meet, but just as roses grow best when fertilized with manure, sometimes beauty springs from tragedy.

Beth’s father’s definitely a stinker, and she wants to spare Ethan the misery of affiliating with him. But Ethan’s never been afraid of a fight when the cause is just. Can these two young but beloved Birch Creek characters find their happily ever after? Or will the biggest surprise of their young lives derail all their plans and poison their future?

 

This book was an unexpected addition to the series by the author, and it definitely lived up to its name! Not only was I surprised that there would be an extra book to read in the series, but I was also really surprised by something that happened in this book. This was a deceptively deep story that feels like a fluffy romance in many ways, but there are some real serious dilemmas in this book. I enjoyed the humor that was injected into the story that added a lighter tone to it. 

I've liked Ethan's character throughout the series, but none of the books ever focused on him very much. So, it was really nice to read his perspective and see what was really going on with him while everything else was happening. The author pulled this off amazingly well, as the timeline for this book spans several books in the series, giving us key moments from the books, this time from Ethan's and Beth's perspectives, and adds in lots of content between those moments. Some of which, I didn't see coming at all. At first I was sort of reeling from one big surprise, and thinking NO! But then I realized that it made this story even better in some ways. It took the story to a deeper and more serious level. 

This series has been flirting with a 5 star rating from me for a while. It's one of my favorite series I've read in the romance genre, and I always end up feeling a lot of things after I finish one of these books. I was thinking about what makes this one a 5 star read over the others that were 4 and 4.5 star reads for me, which is what I rate most of the books I really enjoy. I think the thing that put this book in the 5 star category, was the fact that I didn't see that surprise coming, but also the wonderfully insightful advice Ethan receives from his mom and Steve on the matter. Plus, it had me feeling so emotional as I got to the end. All these books have been about real love, not just that feeling you get when you love someone, but real enduring love that gives and sacrifices and supports, and I felt that even more with this one.

Ethan is a young man that is mature beyond his years, but he didn't just happen that way accidentally. He became that way because of his two wonderful parents, and his own personal choices, and he was a pleasure to read about. I liked how this book showed us the flip-side to that with Beth's parents and how she struggled to feel like she had worth because of her upbringing. But it also showed how you don't have to come from a wonderful, loving home to actually be a wonderful, loving person yourself. Beth was a good example of that. It was interesting to get her perspective on her parents this time around and see some things about them that weren't in the other books. 

I'm looking forward to the last book in the series, even though I know after it's done, I'm going to miss these characters so much. I wouldn't be opposed to more surprise books!

Thanks to the author for providing me with an ARC of this book.

The Reboot (The Birch Creek Ranch #5) by B.E. Baker

  

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Category: Adult
Genre: Romance, Clean Romance, Contemporary Fiction, Women's Fiction
Content: Clean

 

Abby Archer's life has rarely been better. As a newlywed, she and Steve have things just as she wants them. But when a big surprise leaves Abby confused, can she trust Steve to do things the way she needs them handled?

Amanda Brooks' business had a rocky start, but she and Mandy are more energized than ever. Eddy's back too, and they're trying to navigate a new way forward. Work and love are both shaping up nicely when disaster strikes. Can the new presence in town wreck all their plans, or will Amanda square her shoulders and persevere?

Donna has finally accepted her feelings for Will, and she's enjoying her job too. But working far from home has its own share of difficulties, and eventually her current job will end. When the retreat is built, will Donna find that tiny Manila is big enough to fulfill all her dreams?

Return to Birch Creek to see how your favorite friends are navigating career, family life, and love with a little bit of laughter.

 

I enjoyed being back in Birch Creek with these characters and I thought there was some good character growth in this book, especially for Amanda Brooks. I liked the way her story has ended up playing out, bumps and all. I felt for her so much when she was going through her grieving process in this book. I've been there. I loved reading about how she came to realize certain things about herself and wanted to change those things.

I also enjoyed reading about Donna, her struggles, and how things are working out for her. I really wanted to see her ex husband get what he deserved. I loved how Will was such a sweetheart to her, even when Donna was struggling. She also had some great growth in this book as she was able to self-reflect and realize she wasn't seeing some things clearly.

It was fun to see Abby and Steve as newlyweds. I liked the playfulness in their relationship. I missed the day to day stuff about the ranch and the kids in this one, but the focus had to shift to other things at some point. I love the way these women have come to lean on each other through troubled times. And it's always fun to read when Abby goes into lawyer mode to help Donna.

There were some things I wasn't crazy about in this book and they involved Amanda Sadler, Abby's sister, and Abby herself.

First, I thought Amanda Sadler went way too far. I don't want to go into details because of spoilers, but I would have had a much harder time forgiving her than the characters in the book did. It seemed pretty cruel to me, but maybe that's just because of a recent experience of my own that I won't go into here, again because of spoilers.

As for Abby's sister, she is way too over the top for me. I don't particularly enjoy reading about people with loads of money who try to control everyone around them with it. I don't think she's supposed to be a likeable character at this point, but I thought the circus thing was so over the top and didn't fit the tone of the books. The one thing that made me like her a bit, was what she tells Abby about the secret she's keeping, and how she gets her to do something about it. She said everything to Abby that I was thinking the whole time.

Abby herself annoyed me when she kept some things to herself and acted in a completely emotional way instead of using her head. It was basically the trope in romances when people don't talk to each other and just assume. I wasn't completely sold on the way Abby reacted over this thing that happens and everything that happens afterwards, simply because it was something she didn't really want to begin with. It all also happened really fast, and I think I would have liked for things to have progressed at a slower pace.

In the end though, things worked out ok, and just like all the others in the series, I had a hard time putting this book down. So, while this wasn't one of my favorite books in the series, I still thoroughly enjoyed most of it and am looking forward to reading the next one.

Thanks to the author for providing me with an ARC of this book.

October 2022 Wrap-Up

I had five books on my list for October and I read four of them. 

 

A Stroke of Malice (Lady Darby #8) by Anna Lee Huber

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

 

Category: Adult

Genre: Mystery, Suspense

Content: Strong Language

 

 

Close to Home (Tracy Crosswhite #5) by Robert Dugoni

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

 

Category: Adult

Genre: Mystery, Suspense

Content: Strong Language

 

 

Three Act Tragedy (Hercule Poirot #10) by Agatha Christie

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

 

Category: Adult

Genre: Mystery, Suspense

Content: Clean

See my review here.

 

 

Monster hunter International (Monster Hunter International #1) by Larry Correia 

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

 

Category: Adult

Genre: Urban Fantasy

Content: Strong Language, Off page sex

See my review here.

 

 

I'm still working on the fifth one, Empire of Exiles by Erin M. Evans. I'm having a hard time getting into this book. It's really slow, and there are character names that are annoying to try to pronounce. I think mostly though, that the writing style is just not clicking with me, and that's a shame because I love fantasy and mystery and this book has both. I'm still plugging away at it, but it may end up being a DNF.

 

I didn't include the books I had intended to read for the monthly challenge, but I should have. If you missed my post about the Owned in October Challenge, these are the books that I read for the challenge in October:

The Husband's Secret by Liane Moriarty

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

 

Category: Adult

Genre: Women's Fiction, Mystery, Contemporary Fiction

Content: Strong language, Off page sex, Infidelity

 

 

 

Sanditon: Jane Austen's Last Novel Completed by Jane Austen, Another Lady (Anne Telscombe)

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

 

Category: Adult, Classic

Genre: Fiction, Romance

Content: Clean

 

 

 

 

Beauty: A Retelling of the Story of Beauty and the Beast by Robin Mckinley

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

 

Category: Adult

Genre: Fairy Tale, Romance, Fantasy

Content: Clean

 

 

 

Farewell, My Lovely by Raymond Chandler

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

 

Category: Adult, Classic

Genre: Mystery

Content: Strong Language, Racial Slurs

 

I also ended up reading a few other books that weren't planned at all. 

 

Planetside (Planetside #1) by Micheal Mammay

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

 

Category: Adult

Genre: Sci-fi, Mystery, Space Opera

Content: Strong language

See my review here.

 

Junkyard Cats (Junkyard Cats #1) by Faith Hunter

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Category: Adult

Genre: Sci-fi, Post Apocalyptic

Content: Strong language

 

The Haunting of Brynn Wilder by Wendy Webb

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Category: Adult

Genre: Supernatural, Paranormal, Romance

Content: Strong language

 

Review to be posted soon. 

 

Overall, October was a good reading month! I ended up reading more than I planned, and getting to a few books that I've had on my list for a while.

The Husband's Secret by Liane Moriarty

  

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Category: Adult
Genre: Women's Fiction, Mystery, Contemporary Fiction
Content: Strong language, Off page sex, Infidelity

 

At the heart of The Husband’s Secret is a letter that is not meant to be read...

My darling Cecilia,
If you’re reading this, then I’ve died...

Imagine your husband wrote you a letter, to be opened after his death. Imagine, too, that the letter contains his deepest, darkest secret—something with the potential to destroy not only the life you have built together, but the lives of others as well. And then imagine that you stumble across that letter while your husband is still very much alive…

Cecilia Fitzpatrick has achieved it all—she’s an incredibly successful businesswoman, a pillar of her small community, a devoted wife and mother. Her life is as orderly and spotless as her home. But that letter is about to change everything—and not just for her. There are other women who barely know Cecilia—or each other—but they, too, are about to feel the earth-shattering repercussions of her husband’s secret.

 

Years ago I read What Alice Forgot for a book club I was in. I ended up really loving it, and decided I wanted to read more from this author. Somehow that never happened. It's possible it never happened because, although I loved that book, and it resonated with me at the time, it was still not exactly the type of book I usually read. Sure there was an element of mystery to it, but it also very much read like a regular contemporary fiction book marketed to women. So I mostly forgot about this author until I was in a book store and heard someone talking about this book, or at least what I thought was this book. Now that I've read it, I'm not so sure. Anyway, I found a used paperback copy and decided to give it a try. 

Going in, I was reminded of the things that I didn't like about this author's writing style. There's a lot of inner dialog that at times seems relatable, but at other times seems overwrought, and unrealistic. I don't think some of these thoughts would occur to the characters as quickly as they do. It was slow going at first, but as the story went on, it eventually hooked me, and I remembered all the things that resonated with me about What Alice Forgot. The characters, although not always likable, are so very well drawn and real and relatable in many ways. The dilemmas they face are not easy, and there are lots of moral questions. 

My biggest complaint about this book is that I guessed what was in the letter almost from the beginning, and I even saw the thing that happens at the end coming from a mile away. I knew how things would end up for the characters in the end, what choices they were going to make about their dilemmas—everything. Some of the reason behind that was because I had read What Alice Forgot and could see similar patterns unfolding in this book. Some of it was just because it was very predictable. I also didn't care for the infidelity in the book, but at the same time I could see how this woman got there after feeling unwanted. It was a poor choice on her part though. The 4 stars are for the characters, the moral dilemmas, and how relatable it all is, even though most of us won't ever have to deal with the kind of thing that was in the letter, there are still lots of things in this book that everyday people do deal with. A couple of things I liked in particular were, the gift that's Tess's father sends her, and the advice her mother gives her about not making hasty decisions. A lot of this book is about the choices we make and how they affect our lives, and the lives of those around us, and the things we keep to ourselves, and never tell anyone else. In the end, I was sad that certain things would never come to light, especially the thing about Janie.

“None of us ever know all the possible courses our lives could have and maybe should have taken. It's probably just as well. Some secrets are meant to stay secret forever.” 

 

 

.

The Retreat (The Birch Creek Ranch Series Book 4) by B. E. Baker

  

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Category: Adult
Genre: Women's Fiction, Romance
Content: Clean 

 

You can’t win until you learn when to fall back. . .

Amanda Brooks can’t seem to find a job that suits her. She’s really hoping her new plan is a good one, because she needs something to keep her busy while her boyfriend’s gone.

Abigail Brooks is opening a new legal practice in the middle of nowhere, but she’s positive she can make it work. With more flexible hours, she’s finally prepared to settle herself and her family into their new life out West.

Donna Ellingson’s brother may be a grade-A jerk, but she’s grown a lot in the past year. She’s not afraid of a fight anymore, as long as she’s on the right side.

But when a rival developer breaks ground on a retreat in nearby Flaming Gorge, he steals all of Amanda’s best contractors. Abby’s nearly as frustrated when her big sister drops in, eager to “help” as usual. And Donna discovers that sometimes no love life is better than too much. . .

Can these three friends-turned-family learn when to go all-in and when to let go before their various battles meet with unhappy endings?

 

I've been really looking forward to this book, and it didn't disappoint! When I started reading this series four books ago, I wasn't sure how much I was going to like it. I'm selective about contemporary romance, but I knew Bridget was good at writing it after reading her Finding Home series. What made me really hesitant was that it's set on a ranch with cowboys. That's not usually my cup of tea, but these cowboys ended up being more than that. I liked that there are also other things that they do. Most of all, I liked their personalities. Will is a gem of a man. Eddie is an amazing person to have overcome the things he has in his life. And Steve is an incredible guy. I think I would love to have more of their perspectives in the books.

One of the big things I like about this series is that it's not just a romance, but it's family drama as well. Not too heavy on the drama, but there are plenty of life lessons learned as these ladies and their kids navigate life after losing their husbands and fathers. Just like the other books, this one focused mostly on Abigail, Amanda, and Donna who was introduced in book two. In the past books I've loved them and also got frustrated with them. Abigail is the one who seemed to have everything together, but she was falling apart on the inside, and afraid to move on. Amanda was very self-centered at times, but also relatable in many ways. Donna was in a tough situation and had to figure out how to do the right thing. In this book, Abigail is preparing for her wedding and also helping everyone else with their problems. Amanda is back to being her selfish, oblivious to others self, because she can't see past her own problems at the moment. Donna is attracted to someone she doesn't want to be attracted to, and still dealing with her brother and the will her father left.

Out of the four books I've read in this series, this is the book that I liked Abigail the most in. She seemed more human to me than before. A lot of times in the past, she seemed good at everything she did, but this book gave another perspective to her that I liked. I think it was really good at illustrating all the crap that she deals with in a graceful way. I could relate to her a lot more this time around as a mother, a friend, and a person. Plus, we like the same burger 😂! Also the wedding was so unexpectedly not what I thought it would be! I loved it.

On the other hand, we had Amanda who is dealing with her feelings about what Amanda Sadler did in the last book with the ranch. I get how she feels, and I think a lot of us would feel that way, at least initially, but she isn't able to look past herself in this situation and see the bigger picture at all. On top of that, she is dealing with her boyfriend leaving for a while as he restarts a music career, and not being honest with him about the way she feels. I got frustrated with her over this. She ends up making some poor decisions in this book. I felt like she was growing and learning in the past books, but this time she reverts back to her old habits, which is probably realistic. We don't change overnight. I had a hard time with the story line for Amanda and Eddie in this one because it was painful, but in the end I think it will work out the way it should.

This brings me to Donna. The first time I met her I didn't like her, but she turned over a new leaf in the last book and did the right thing. She has stuck to her decision to do the right thing and stand up for herself, and I have a lot of respect for her. I enjoyed reading about her in this book and the developing romance between her and a certain someone. I hope she is able to open up to him in the next book and take a chance, even though he doesn't fit in with her plans.

There were a couple of new characters added in this time. One, was Abigail's sister. She may be one reason I like Abigail more now. I now know what she has to deal with, with her family! There's also the developer, who is someone that Amanda met before on one of her influencer dates. I wasn't crazy about him. He came off very pushy and annoying to me, and was laying it on very thick, but I think he could be a decent guy if he stopped all that.

Overall, this was a great book! I was happy that it didn't go the route I thought it would go with a couple of the plot points, especially with the developer. I was afraid he would come into town and want to change the whole landscape, and ruin everyone else. While he did make something harder for them, it wasn't as bad as that. There were some things that happened in this book that were very satisfying, and I was happy to see some resolutions. I can't wait to see what happens next!

Thanks to the author for providing me with an ARC of this book.

The Vow (The Birch Creek Ranch #2) by B. E. Baker

  

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Category: Adult
Genre: Women's Fiction, Romance
Content: Clean

 

Three stubborn women, each of whom made a promise. Who will yield, and who will break?

Abigail made a vow to her husband before he passed, one she could not, would not break. But life hasn’t been easy without him by her side, and her children grow more with each passing day. Sometimes it feels like she’ll be alone forever.

Amanda is tired of being a mess. She wants to achieve, to impress, to excel. If that means changing who she is, even changing her entire life, then so be it.

Donna has learned the truth about the world the hard way. You either attack, or you’re attacked yourself. She doesn’t like being the villain, but she’s done being a patsy. She's determined to carve out a place for herself, no matter what.

These women have all returned to Birch Creek with big plans, but the future loves to surprise us. Can their vows keep them on target? Or will they decide it’s more important to follow their hearts, no matter how bad the fallout?

 

I absolutely loved the first book in this series The Bequest, so I was really looking forward to reading this one. This starts off not too long after the first book ended, with the summer over and the kids starting school. Both moms are still dealing with the challenges of their jobs and living on the ranch. 

I really liked the growth of Amanda in this book, and how she learned to be herself and work off her own strengths, rather than try to be like Abigail. Abigail has lots of great qualities, but there are also things that she needs to learn as well, and I don't think she is as put together as she appears to be. I really connected with Amanda in this book and could see similarities in our personalities. That made me enjoy her character the most this time around.

As for Abigail, she seems so put together on the outside, but is falling apart on the inside. I thought she finally started loosening up and letting go a bit in this book, which was great, but at times I wanted to hit her over the head when it came to her relationship with Steve. The promise Abigail made to her husband before he died, was one that I thought he never had the right to ask her to make, and while I could understand why he felt the way he did about it, that didn't make it ok. Through much of the book, Abigail worried about whether she was making the right decisions because of her children, and I get that, but there is a line there. No parent should have to sacrifice their true happiness for their children's happiness and well-being. Children benefit from having parents who are in happy, healthy relationships. I think they know when we aren't happy, and it affects them. I think Abigail may be coming to see that, and I like that growth for her character. It just took a frustratingly long while to get there. 

The addition of Donna's character was a surprise, but I liked it. I enjoyed reading her journey of growth and learning to stand up for herself. It will be interesting to see if her character continues to have a point of view in the series, and if she will also find love.

While reading these books, I thought a lot about the kids and their behaviors. I may be reading too much into it, but I like the way the book shows the differences in the kids and how they are dealing with things. Amanda's kids have been a bit unruly, especially her oldest daughter. She really cares deep down but seems to put on this front of not caring for her mother. It's her way of acting out because of all they've been through. Her younger daughter chooses to disappear and not be heard. A lot of it is aided by Amanda's personality type and parenting style. 

On the flip-side Abigail's kids seem way too well behaved. It's mentioned they have a fear of disappointing their mother. I also think they want to make things easier on their mom because of what they've all been through. This is also aided by their mother's personality type and parenting style. On the surface this seems good but isn't exactly healthy either. I just like the way the book seems to be showing the different ways not only the grown-ups, but also the kids, can end up acting when they go through something tragic.

Story-wise, I like the self-reflection and feelings these books pull out of me. I can see things that I have in common with both Abigail and Amanda from time to time, although as I said, this time it was mostly Amanda. Plot-wise, I thought this book tied some things up nicely, but also left some threads waiting to be resolved, which is a good way to end a book in the middle of a series. I did think the thing that happens at the end with a certain person driving up and making a big reveal was a little bit too coincidental, but that's a small gripe that I can overlook. I'm looking forward to continuing on when the next book is released.

Thanks to the author for providing me with an ARC of this book.

 

The Fortuna Coin by Karen Ann Hopkins

  

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Category: Adult
Genre: Women's Fiction, Psychological Thriller, Romance
Content: Strong language, Brief descriptions of sexual encounters, Several forms of domestic abuse (written as mildly as possible, for the most part)

 

Wendy Catalano, a newly remarried mother of four, finds herself, her husband and her children, murder victims of her ex-husband. A family heirloom takes her back in time to the beginning of her relationship with her eventual killer where she’s given the magical opportunity to change the future and stop her family's tragic ending. But she isn't aware that she's reliving a tortured life. With only glimpses of the future, Wendy struggles to survive present day, unaware that a bloody and unforgiving destiny awaits her.

The Fortuna Coin is a haunting psychological thriller about second chances…but will the truth really set Wendy free?

 

It's a rare occasion when I read a book all in one sitting, mainly because there aren't very many that I absolutely can't put down, but that's what happened when I cracked open this book, or more accurately, turned on my Kindle last night. This book was impossible to put down. I just had to keep turning the pages to find out what would happen next and I ended up reading until past 3 am.

I've read several books by this author and I've enjoyed all of them. This book was very different from her others, and although I could tell it would be just from the description, I was completely taken by surprise, because it was still not at all like I expected it would be. 

There is the question that people get asked a lot about their lives, or choices they've made, "Would you do it all over again?" In this book, with the help of a mysterious coin that's been passed down in her family, Wendy gets the chance to go back and change things in her life. If you read the above description, then you know she is murdered by her abusive ex-husband. The answer a lot of people seem to give to the question of whether they would do it all again when they've been in an abusive relationship, is yes, because they wouldn't have their children. 

Except for small flashes of memory, Wendy doesn't remember how her life went before, when she is suddenly sent back to the past, and she doesn't understand what is going on. She also meets two men and is drawn to both of them in different ways. She just keeps getting a nagging feeling that something isn't playing out the way it's supposed to, until she visits a psychic for advice.

I don't want to spoil how everything happens, but Wendy has a chance to never experience the abuse, but also never know her children. This is a tough decision, and this book had me feeling so many emotions. It was heartbreaking at times, and at times it was hard to read because of certain things that were happening. 

I thoroughly enjoyed this book, and I can say that it's the best book I've read in a while. Certain parts might not have been easy to read, and could be triggering to some people, but I think it illustrated the effects of abuse on a person really well. Especially the more subtle forms of abuse and control that leave a person second guessing themselves.