#BookReview Time for the Dead by Lin Anderson @PGCBooks @panmacmillan #RhonaMacLeod #TimefortheDead

categories: Book Review, Police Procedural, Mystery/Thriller, 8.5/10
#BookReview Time for the Dead by Lin Anderson @PGCBooks @panmacmillan #RhonaMacLeod #TimefortheDead Title: Time for the Dead

Author: Lin Anderson

Series: Rhona MacLeod #14

Published by: Pan Macmillan on Jun. 1, 2020

Genres: Mystery/Thriller, Police Procedural

Pages: 400

Format: Paperback

Source: Publishers Group Canada

Book Rating: 8.5/10

Time for the Dead is a gripping crime novel by Lin Anderson and sees forensic scientist Rhona MacLeod discover that a terrifying war is unfolding on Scotland’s Isle of Skye.

When forensic scientist Rhona MacLeod returns to her roots on Scotland’s Isle of Skye, a chance encounter in the woods behind a nearby activities centre leads her to what seems to be a crime scene, but without a victim. Could this be linked to a group of army medics, who visited the centre while on leave from Afghanistan and can no longer be located on the island?

Enlisting the help of local tracker dog Blaze, Rhona starts searching for a connection.

Two days later a body is found at the base of the famous cliff known as Kilt Rock, face and identity obliterated by the fall, which leads Rhona to suspect the missing medics may be on the island for reasons other than relaxation. Furthermore, elements of the case suggests a link with an ongoing operation in Glasgow, which draws DS Michael McNab into the investigation.

As the island’s unforgiving conditions close in, Rhona must find out what really happened to the group in Afghanistan, as the consequences may be being played out in brutal killings on Skye . . .

Review:

Edgy, atmospheric, and immersive!

In this latest novel by Anderson, Time for the Dead, we head to the Isle of Skye, Scotland where forensic scientist Rhona MacLeod has fled for some much-needed rest and recuperation after a traumatizing previous case only to find herself suddenly immersed into the evidence collection and investigation of a bloody crime scene she inadvertently stumbles across in the woods.

The prose is descriptive and gritty. The characters are focused, tenacious, and troubled. And the plot, including all the subplots, intertwine and unravel meticulously into a hauntingly suspenseful tale full of deception, abuse, violence, rape, control, power, manipulation, war, drug trafficking, and murder.

Overall, Time for the Dead is an astute, intricate, mysterious tale by Anderson that kept me enthralled and entertained from the very first page and certainly left me eager for more.

 

This book is available now.

Pick up a copy from your favourite retailer or from one of the following links.

              

 

 

Thank you to PGC Books for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.

 

About Lin Anderson

Lin Anderson is a Scottish author and screenwriter known for her bestselling crime series featuring forensic scientist Dr Rhona MacLeod. Four of her novels have been longlisted for the Scottish Crime Book of the Year, with Follow the Dead being a 2018 finalist. Her short film River Child won both a Scottish BAFTA for Best Fiction and the Celtic Film Festival’s Best Drama award and has now been viewed more than one million times on YouTube. Lin is also the co-founder of the international crime writing festival Bloody Scotland, which takes place annually in Stirling.

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#BookReview Summer at Firefly Beach by Jenny Hale @jhaleauthor @readforeverpub @grandcentralpub #ReadForever #Forever20 #JennyHale #FireflyBeach

categories: Book Review, Contemporary Romance, 8/10
#BookReview Summer at Firefly Beach by Jenny Hale @jhaleauthor @readforeverpub @grandcentralpub #ReadForever #Forever20 #JennyHale #FireflyBeach Title: Summer at Firefly Beach

Author: Jenny Hale

Series: Firefly Beach #1

Published by: Forever on Jun. 2, 2020

Genres: Contemporary Romance

Pages: 288

Format: Paperback

Source: Forever

Book Rating: 8/10

From USA Today bestselling author Jenny Hale comes an unforgettable beach read about family, friendship, and the magic of finding true love, perfect for fans of Jill Shalvis and Susan Mallery!
 
Hallie Flynn’s favorite place in the world is her aunt Clara’s beautiful beachside house, with its inviting wraparound porch and enchanting views across the sparkling turquoise ocean. For Hallie, going to Firefly Beach, filled with magical childhood memories, feels like coming home. But in one moment, Hallie’s left brokenhearted when her adored aunt Clara passes away.
 
In her last letter, Aunt Clara included the bucket list Hallie wrote when she was twelve years old — and a final wish for Hallie to complete it. Stepping away from her dead-end job and predictable schedule, Hallie embraces Aunt Clara’s words.
 
Spending the summer at Firefly Beach, Hallie begins to remember the things that matter most to her. Best of all, her childhood friend Ben Murray is there, supporting her every step of the way. But a run-in with wealthy Gavin Wilson, a newcomer to Firefly Beach, leaves her questioning her future and facing something buried deep in her heart.
 
Will Hallie complete the bucket list and change her life? Or will the secret she’s been keeping destroy her new beginning — and the chance to fall in love?

Review:

Warm, hopeful, and touching!

Summer at Firefly Beach is a charming, emotive, friends-to-lovers tale that takes you into the life of the heartbroken, sorrowful Hallie Flynn who at the request of her late great aunt Clara’s final wishes attempts to complete her childhood bucket list, rediscovers passions long forgotten, and finally recognizes that the one person who’s always been standing right beside her is everything her heart’s ever wanted or needed.

The writing is fluid and smooth. The characters are troubled, supportive, and kind. And the plot is a delightful mix of life, love, loss, family, friendship, community, romance, starting over, taking chances, new beginnings, and following one’s dreams.

Overall, Summer at Firefly Beach is an easy, tender, lighthearted tale by Hale that is entertaining, compelling, and perfect for a day at the beach.

 

This book is available now.

Pick up a copy from your favourite retailer or from one of the following links.

                

 

 

Thank you to Forever for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.

 

About Jenny Hale

Jenny Hale is a USA Today bestselling author of romantic fiction. Her novels Coming Home for Christmas and Christmas Wishes and Mistletoe Kisses have been adapted for television on the Hallmark Channel. Her stories are chock-full of feel-good romance and overflowing with warm settings, great friends, and family. Grab a cup of coffee, settle in, and enjoy the fun!

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#PromoPost I Picked You by JC Hartung #IPickedYou #JCHartung

categories: Christian Fiction, Women's Fiction, Promo Post, General Fiction
#PromoPost I Picked You by JC Hartung #IPickedYou #JCHartung Title: I Picked You

Author: JC Hartung

Genres: Christian Fiction, Women's Fiction, General Fiction

Pages: 249

Hope is that small seed that opens you up to believe that what you never thought to imagine could be possible.
After surviving heartbreaking loss, Raina finds herself navigating through uncharted waters. Building a life is always a challenge, but moving back to her small town was never part of the plan. Yet, with her son as her sole focus, its where she finds herself, without a dream, without a goal, and merely getting through each day as a survivor.
For Lincoln Morrow, life’s beauty lives in the small things. A baseball game, the laughter of his family, the smell and feel of freshly sanded wood beneath his hands, and honest conversation. Yet, Lincoln needed a change of pace, a fresh start, and he is more than capable of building a life from a bare foundation to a sturdy structure.
Hope is vulnerability.
Belief requires faith in the unknown.
And possibilities are always there for the taking if you can channel your hope into belief.
Can these two find the courage they need to tangle all these ingredients to make a life worth living?

 

This novel is available now.

Pick up a copy from the following link!

 

 

Thank you to JC Hartung for being featured on my blog today!

 

#BookReview Always a Bridesmaid by Cindi Madsen @CindiMadsen @entangledpub #CindiMadsen #GettingHitchedinDixie

categories: Book Review, Contemporary Romance, 8/10
#BookReview Always a Bridesmaid by Cindi Madsen @CindiMadsen @entangledpub #CindiMadsen #GettingHitchedinDixie Title: Always a Bridesmaid

Author: Cindi Madsen

Series: Getting Hitched in Dixie #2

Published by: Entangled Publishing on May 26, 2020

Genres: Contemporary Romance

Pages: 400

Format: eBook, ARC

Source: Entangled Publishing, NetGalley

Book Rating: 8/10

Violet Abrams has always been in love with everything love and weddings. Good thing, too, since she’s been a bridesmaid no less than seven times. Sure her turn was next, she’d been planning her own nuptials meticulously in a treasured three-ring binder…until her longtime boyfriend left her for someone else.

Fast-forward to the day of his wedding, an ill-advised match being lit to said binder, and the fire department getting called to her sister’s bakery. Violet’s always been a little impulsive and a lot awkward, but having to explain to the super-cute firefighter, Ford Maguire, why she was setting fire to a bunch of wedding dress photos? Worst day ever.

Except now her bridesmaid expertise has her helping Ford cover his “man of honor” duties in his best friend’s upcoming wedding. Ford may be a “bridesdude,” but forever is the last thing on his mind. And if there’s one thing a perpetual bridesmaid knows, it’s the importance of a happily ever after.

Review:

Intimate, amusing, and sweet!

Always a Bridesmaid is an uplifting, humorous tale that takes us into the life of the energetic, wary Violet Abrams as she heads to Uncertainty, Alabama to mend her broken heart, help redesign her half-sister’s bakery, and navigate all the ups and downs of falling in love with the practically perfect, local K-9 trainer, paramedic/firefighter, Ford Maguire.

The prose is effortless and smooth. The characters are fun-loving, supportive, and endearing. And the plot is a charming blend of heart, hope, humour, family, friendship, tension, attraction, tender moments, communication, taking chances, and the craziness of wedding planning.

Overall, Always a Bridesmaid is an adorable, heartwarming, spirited tale by Madsen that’s a lovely addition to the Getting Hitched in Dixie series and the perfect choice for dog lovers, romance fans, and summer!

 

This book is available now.

Pick up a copy from your favourite retailer or from one of the following links.

                

 

 

Thank you to Entangled Publishing for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.

 

About Cindi Madsen

Cindi Madsen is a USA Today Bestselling author of contemporary romance and young adult novels. She sits at her computer every chance she gets, plotting revising, and falling in love with her characters. Sometimes it makes her a crazy person. Without it, she’d be even crazier. She has way too many shoes, but can always find a reason to buy a new pretty pair, especially if they’re sparkly, colorful, or super tall. She loves music, dancing, and wishes summer lasted all year long. She lives in Colorado (where summer is most definitely NOT all year long) with her husband and three children.

Photography courtesy of Author's Website.

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#BookReview Dream Maker (Dream Team #1) by Kristen Ashley @KristenAshley68 @readforeverpub @grandcentralpub #ReadForever #Forever20 #KristenAshley #DreamTeam

categories: Book Review, Contemporary Romance, Romantic Suspense, 8/10
#BookReview Dream Maker (Dream Team #1) by Kristen Ashley @KristenAshley68 @readforeverpub @grandcentralpub #ReadForever #Forever20 #KristenAshley #DreamTeam Title: Dream Maker

Author: Kristen Ashley

Series: Dream Team #1

Published by: Forever on May 26, 2020

Genres: Romantic Suspense, Contemporary Romance

Pages: 544

Format: eBook, ARC

Source: Forever

Book Rating: 8/10

From the New York Times bestselling author of the Dream Man and Rock Chick series comes a brand new story about love, friendship, and the bonds of sisterhood.

Evie is a bonafide nerd and a hyper-intelligent chick who has worked her whole life to get what she wants. Growing up, she had no support from her family and has only ever been able to rely on herself. So when Evie decides she wants to earn her engineering degree, she realizes she needs to take an alternative path to get there. She takes a job dancing at Smithie’s club thinking this would be a quick side gig, where she can make the money she needs. But with her lack of dancing skills and an alpha bad boy who becomes overly protective, Evie realizes this might not be as easy as she thought.

Daniel “Mag” Magnusson knows a thing or two about pain, but the mask he wears is excellent. No one can tell that this good-looking, quick-witted, and roguish guy has deep-seated issues. Mag puts on a funny-guy routine so he can hide his broken heart and PTSD. But when Evie dances her way into Mag’s life, he realizes that he needs to come face-to-face with the demons of his past if he wants a future with her.

Review:

Charged, edgy, and passionate!

Dream Maker is an entertaining, alluring tale that introduces us to Evie, a young, nerdy stripper who has a friend determined to be a matchmaker and a degenerate family whose actions have finally put her in the crosshairs of some very unsavoury people, and Danny (aka Mag) an enigmatic, commando who may be in over his head and in full protection mode from the very start when he falls for the klutzy babe he just got set up with.

The writing is sultry and humorous. The characters are affectionate, stubborn, and playful. And the plot is an enticing mix of friendship, family, danger, drama, sisterhood, chaos, romance, instant attraction, smouldering tension, sizzling chemistry, and steamy romance.

Overall, Dream Maker is a menacing, alluring, action-packed start to this new series by Ashley that’s got all the elements we’ve come to know and love in her contemporary romance/romantic suspense novels including a quirky heroine, a sexy alpha male, and an adventurous storyline.

 

This novel is available now.

Pick up a copy from your favourite retailer or from one of the following links.

            

 

 

Thank you to Forever & Grand Central Publishing for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.

 

About Kristen Ashley

Kristen Ashley was born in Gary, Indiana, USA. She nearly killed her mother and herself making it into the world, seeing as she had the umbilical cord wrapped around her neck (already attempting to accessorise and she hadn't taken her first breath!).

Kristen grew up in Brownsburg, Indiana but has lived in Denver, Colorado and the West Country of England. Thus she has been blessed to have friends and family around the globe. Her posse is loopy (to say the least) but loopy is good when you want to write.

Kristen was raised in a house with a large and multi-generational family. They lived on a very small farm in a small town in the heartland and existed amongst the strains of Glenn Miller, The Everly Brothers, REO Speedwagon and Whitesnake (and the wardrobes that matched).

Needless to say, growing up in a house full of music, clothes and love was a good way to grow up.

And as she keeps growing up, it keeps getting better.

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#BookReview The Jane Austen Society by Natalie Jenner @NatalieMJenner @StMartinsPress #TheJaneAustenSociety

categories: Book Review, Women's Fiction, Historical Fiction, 8/10
#BookReview The Jane Austen Society by Natalie Jenner @NatalieMJenner @StMartinsPress #TheJaneAustenSociety Title: The Jane Austen Society

Author: Natalie Jenner

Published by: St. Martin's Press on May 26, 2020

Genres: Historical Fiction, Women's Fiction

Pages: 320

Format: Paperback, ARC

Source: St. Martin's Press

Book Rating: 8/10

Just after the Second World War, in the small English village of Chawton, an unusual but like-minded group of people band together to attempt something remarkable.

One hundred and fifty years ago, Chawton was the final home of Jane Austen, one of England’s finest novelists. Now it’s home to a few distant relatives and their diminishing estate. With the last bit of Austen’s legacy threatened, a group of disparate individuals come together to preserve both Jane Austen’s home and her legacy. These people—a laborer, a young widow, the local doctor, and a movie star, among others—could not be more different and yet they are united in their love for the works and words of Austen. As each of them endures their own quiet struggle with loss and trauma, some from the recent war, others from more distant tragedies, they rally together to create the Jane Austen Society.

Review:

Charming, cosy, and quaint!

The Jane Austen Society is a delightfully nostalgic, heartwarming tale that takes us to the small village of Chawton, England post-WWII and into the lives of an unusual, eclectic group of people that includes a farmer, a doctor, a former school teacher, a young maid, a solicitor, a movie star, an antique auctioneer, and a distant relative of Austen as they join together to preserve and honour the iconic writer and the legacy she left behind.

The writing is tender and rich. The characters are multilayered, caring, and engaging. And the plot is an absorbing mix of life, loss, love, family, friendship, heartbreak, loneliness, familial expectations, second chances, and literary dabblings.

Overall, The Jane Austen Society is a sweet, touching, sentimental debut by Jenner that does a wonderful job of reminding us of all the special, remarkable characters and tales Jane Austen created and why we still enjoy and love them so much today.

 

This novel is available now.

Pick up a copy from your favourite retailer or from one of the following links.

            

 

 

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.

 

About Natalie Jenner

Natalie Jenner was born in England and emigrated to Canada as a young child. She obtained her B.A. and her LL.B. from the University of Toronto, where she was the 1990 Gold Medalist in English Literature at St. Michael's College, and was Called to the Bar of Ontario in 1995. In addition to a brief career as a corporate lawyer, Natalie has worked as a recruiter, career coach, and consultant to leading law firms in Canada for over two decades. Most recently Natalie founded the independent bookstore Archetype Books in Oakville, Ontario, where she lives with her family and two rescue dogs. A lifelong devotee of all things Jane Austen, "The Jane Austen Society" is her first published novel.

Photograph courtesy of Author's Website.

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#BookReview Summer on Honeysuckle Ridge (Highland Falls #1) by Debbie Mason @ReadForeverPub @GrandCentralPub #ReadForever #Forever20 #DebbieMason #HighlandFalls

categories: Book Review, Contemporary Romance, 8/10
#BookReview Summer on Honeysuckle Ridge (Highland Falls #1) by Debbie Mason @ReadForeverPub @GrandCentralPub #ReadForever #Forever20 #DebbieMason #HighlandFalls Title: Summer on Honeysuckle Ridge

Author: Debbie Mason

Series: Highland Falls #1

Published by: Forever on May 26, 2020

Genres: Contemporary Romance

Pages: 400

Format: eBook, ARC

Source: Forever

Book Rating: 8/10

Sparks fly between an L.A. career woman and a former Army Ranger in this delightful enemies-to-lovers romance from the USA Today bestselling queen of small-town love stories.
 
Welcome to Highland Falls, a small town where love is always in the air.
 
In just a few months Abby Everhart has gone from being a top LA media influencer to an unemployed divorcée living out of her car. So inheriting her great-aunt’s homestead comes at the perfect time. Abby heads to Highland Falls, North Carolina, to spruce up Honeysuckle Farm before putting it on the market for some much-needed cash. But instead of finding a charming getaway, she discovers a serious fixer-upper, complete with a leaky roof, overgrown yard, and a reclusive — albeit sexy — man living on the property.
 
Ex-Delta Force soldier Hunter MacKenzie has faced war and loss, but nothing has quite prepared him for an outgoing redhead who’s determined to turn his life upside down. Hunter doesn’t want to get involved with anyone, especially a city girl who plans to sell the only place he’s ever felt at home. But the sparks between them are undeniable. Spending time with Abby is easy. Convincing her to stay for good is another matter entirely.

Review:

Warm, sweet, and affecting!

Summer on Honeysuckle Ridge is an amusing, tenderhearted, enemies-to-more romance that transports you to the small town of Highland Falls and introduces you to the reclusive, broody, Hunter who is content to live alone and wallow in his guilt and grief for past losses, and the spunky, accident-prone Abby, who is need of some quick cash and is determined to scrimp, save, fix, sell and move on as quickly as possible.

The writing is humorous and light. The characters are supportive, helpful, and fun-loving. And the plot is a charming blend of family, friendship, touching moments, adversity, attraction, chemistry, swoony romance, and hilarious mishaps.

Overall, Summer on Honeysuckle Ridge is a heartwarming, spirited, satisfying tale about teamwork, communication, love, and taking chances. It’s a fabulous start to the new Highland Falls series by Mason, and I can’t wait to read Mallory & Gabriel’s story next.

 

This book is available May 26, 2020. 

Pick up a copy from your favourite retailer or from the following link.

       

 

 

Thank you to Forever and Grand Central Publishing for providing me with a copy in an exchange for an honest review.

 

About Debbie Mason

Debbie Mason is the USA Today and Publishers Weekly bestselling author of the Christmas, Colorado series and the Harmony Harbor series. The first book in her Christmas, Colorado series, “The Trouble with Christmas,” was the inspiration for Hallmark’s “Welcome to Christmas.” Her books have been praised by RT Book Reviews for their “likable characters, clever dialogue, and juicy plots.” When Debbie isn’t writing, she enjoys spending time with her family in Ottawa, Canada.

Photograph courtesy of Author's Goodreads Page.

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#BookReview Sister Margaret by Travis Myers & Natasha Myers Marsiguerra @NMarsiguerra #SisterMargaret

categories: Book Review, Police Procedural, Mystery/Thriller, 8/10
#BookReview Sister Margaret by Travis Myers & Natasha Myers Marsiguerra @NMarsiguerra #SisterMargaret Title: Sister Margaret

Author: Travis Myers and Natasha Myers Marsiguerra

Series: Tommy Keane #1

Published by: Bully Press on May 28, 2020

Genres: Mystery/Thriller, Police Procedural

Pages: 214

Format: Paperback

Source: Bully Press

Book Rating: 8/10

Veteran NYPD Detective Tommy Keane has spent nineteen years chasing criminals in the Bronx – investigating unimaginable crimes and solving near-impossible cases. When a punitive measure forces Keane to transfer to the relatively quiet 21st Precinct in Manhattan, he expects his last thirteen months before retirement to be painfully easy. But as the grisly murder of a celebrated nun soon proves, even the safest neighborhoods can have their secrets, and even the most seasoned detective can be surprised by the disturbing and unspeakably cruel acts humans can commit, and endure.

Review:

Suspenseful, tense, and action-packed!

Sister Margaret is a pacey, atmospheric tale that introduces us to the NYPD Detective Tommy Keane who with retirement on the near horizon gets transferred to the quieter 2-1 Upper East Side Precinct only to have one of the most gruesome murders ever to fall into his lap.

The writing is tight and fluid. The characters are hardworking, intelligent, and tenacious. And the plot using short, intense chapters is a captivating police procedural full of red herrings, deception, abuse, secrets, violence, police politics, and murder.

Overall, Sister Margaret is a short, quick, gritty read that’s a wonderful start to this new series by the Myers siblings with its intriguing characters, nice sense of urgency, and satisfying conclusion.

 

This novel is available May 28, 2020.

Pick up a copy from your favourite retailer or from one of the following links.

          

 

 

Thank you to Bully Press for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.

 

About Travis Myers and Natasha Myers Marsiguerra

Travis Myers and Natasha Myers Marsiguerra are a brother and sister team who both grew up in New York City.

Travis is a retired New York City Police Detective, and Natasha works for the IBEW (International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers) Local 234 in California.

Together they form a perfect team in that Travis, who has more stories to tell than a pub full of Irishman, suffers from dyslexia and abhors anything to do with reading and writing. Natasha, his beloved little sister, is an avid reader of absolutely anything that is put in front of her and has been blessed with the gift of gab. She can out-story just about anyone, in any room, at any given time, and she can also type 60 words per minute. More importantly, Natasha is able to understand where her older brother is coming from, and craft his stories into a readable format.

Together, they weave the Tommy Keane Detective series into well braided fictional tales that are nearly all based in actual events that they, and their friends and relatives, have lived. Travis and Natasha deliver on their promise to deliver gritty, honest stories that are rooted in the everyday lives of everyday people.

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#BookReview Brave Girl, Quiet Girl by Catherine Ryan Hyde @cryanhyde @LUAuthors @AmazonPub #BraveGirlQuietGirl

categories: Book Review, General Fiction, 8.5/10
#BookReview Brave Girl, Quiet Girl by Catherine Ryan Hyde @cryanhyde @LUAuthors @AmazonPub #BraveGirlQuietGirl Title: Brave Girl, Quiet Girl

Author: Catherine Ryan Hyde

Published by: Lake Union Publishing on May 19, 2020

Genres: General Fiction

Pages: 300

Format: Hardcover

Source: Amazon Publishing

Book Rating: 8.5/10

From New York Times bestselling author Catherine Ryan Hyde comes a gripping and emotional novel about friendship, motherhood, and the journey toward finding a place to call home.

Brooke is a divorced single mom, financially strapped, living with her mother, and holding tight to the one thing that matters most: her two-year-old daughter, Etta. Then, in a matter of seconds, Brooke’s life is shattered when she’s carjacked. Helpless and terrified, all Brooke can do is watch as Etta, still strapped in her seat, disappears into the Los Angeles night.

Miles away, Etta is found by Molly, a homeless teen who is all too used to darkness. Thrown away by her parents, and with a future as stable as the wooden crate she calls home, Molly survives day to day by her wits. As unpredictable as her life is, she’s stunned to find Etta, abandoned and alone. Shielding the little girl from more than the elements, Molly must put herself in harm’s way to protect a child as lost as she is.

Out of one terrible moment, Brooke’s and Molly’s desperate paths converge and an unlikely friendship across generations and circumstances is formed. With it, Brooke and Molly will come to discover that what’s lost—and what’s found—can change in a heartbeat.

Review:

Emotive, raw, and heartwarming!

Brave Girl, Quiet Girl is a pensive, heart-tugging novel about a divorced mother of a two-year-old, Brooke and a homeless, sixteen-year-old, molly as their worlds inadvertently collide when a carjacking leaves an infant stranded, alone, and in desperate need of protection.

The prose is clear and direct. The characters are flawed, troubled, and genuine. And the plot told from alternating POVs is a gripping tale of family drama, unlikely friendships, poverty, homelessness, motherhood, compassion, honesty, survival, mental illness, and the often harsh realities of life.

Overall, Brave Girl, Quiet Girl is an astute, touching, compelling tale by Hyde that does a beautiful job of reminding us that family is not always those related by blood, but rather those that love, care, support, and accept us.

 

This book is available now.

Pick up a copy from your favourite retailer or from one of the following links.

           

 

 

Thank you to Amazon Publishing for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.

 

About Catherine Ryan Hyde

I am the author of more than 30 published and forthcoming books, including ALLIE AND BEA, SAY GOODBYE FOR NOW, LEAVING BLYTHE RIVER, ASK HIM WHY, WORTHY, THE LANGUAGE OF HOOFBEATS, TAKE ME WITH YOU, WHERE WE BELONG, WHEN I FOUND YOU, WALK ME HOME, SECOND HAND HEART, DON'T LET ME GO, and WHEN YOU WERE OLDER.

I'm an avid hiker, traveller, equestrian, and amateur photographer, and have released my first book of photos, 365 DAYS OF GRATITUDE: PHOTOS FROM A BEAUTIFUL WORLD.

I am co-author, with fellow author and publishing industry blogger Anne R. Allen, of HOW TO BE A WRITER IN THE E-AGE: A SELF-HELP GUIDE.

My novel PAY IT FORWARD was adapted into a major motion picture, chosen by the American Library Association for its Best Books for Young Adults list, and translated into more than 23 languages for distribution in over 30 countries. The paperback was released in October 2000 by Pocket Books and quickly became a national bestseller. Simon & Schuster released PAY IT FORWARD: YOUNG READERS' EDITION in August of '14. It is suitable for kids as young as eight. A special Fifteenth Anniversary Edition of the original PAY IT FORWARD was released in December of '14

Photograph courtesy of Author's Goodreads Page.

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#BookReview On Ocean Boulevard by Mary Alice Monroe @maryalicemonroe @GalleryBooks @simonschuster #OnOceanBoulevard

categories: Noteworthy Book Releases, Book Review, Women's Fiction, 9/10
#BookReview On Ocean Boulevard by Mary Alice Monroe @maryalicemonroe @GalleryBooks @simonschuster #OnOceanBoulevard Title: On Ocean Boulevard

Author: Mary Alice Monroe

Series: Beach House #6

Published by: Gallery Books on May 19, 2020

Genres: Women's Fiction

Pages: 304

Format: Hardcover

Source: Gallery Books

Book Rating: 9/10

The New York Times bestselling author of The Summer Guests returns at long last to her beloved Beach House series in this breathtaking novel about one family’s summer of forging new beginnings against the enduring beauty and resilience of the natural world.

It’s been sixteen years since Caretta “Cara” Rutledge has returned home to the beautiful shores of Charleston, South Carolina. Over those years, she has weathered the tides of deaths and births, struggles and joys. And now, as Cara prepares for her second wedding, her life is about to change yet again.

Meanwhile, the rest of the storied Rutledge family is also in flux. Cara’s niece Linnea returns to Sullivan’s Island to begin a new career and an unexpected relationship. Linnea’s parents, having survived bankruptcy, pin their hopes and futures on the construction of a new home on Ocean Boulevard. But as excitement over the house and wedding builds, a devastating illness strikes the family and brings plans to a screeching halt. It is under these trying circumstances that the Rutledge family must come together yet again to discover the enduring strength in love, tradition, and legacy from mother to daughter to granddaughter.

Like the sea turtles that come ashore annually on these windswept islands, three generations of the Rutledge family experience a season of return, rebirth, and growth. “Authentic, generous, and heartfelt” (Mary Kay Andrews, New York Timesbestselling author), On Ocean Boulevard is Mary Alice Monroe at her very best.

Review:

Captivating, heartfelt, and sentimental!

On Ocean Boulevard is an enchanting, tender tale that sweeps you away to the idyllic South Carolina Lowcountry and immerses you into the lives of the Rutledge family and all the wounds, secrets, smiles, tears, compassion, strength, and loyalty that surround them.

The writing is fluid and clear. The characters are multi-layered, resilient, and authentic. And the plot, including all the subplots, intertwine and unravel into an optimistic, heartwarming tale about life, love, loss, family, friendship, romance, contentment, plastic pollution, sea turtles, and the importance of environmental conservation.

Overall, On Ocean Boulevard is a big-hearted, insightful, timely, family saga by Monroe that reminds us that life is comprised of not only the lovely, special, wonderful moments but all the complicated, messy, challenging, heartbreaking ones too.

This novel is available now.

Pick up a copy from your favourite retailer or from one of the following links.

            

 

 

 

Thank you to Gallery Books for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.

 

About Mary Alice Monroe

Mary Alice Monroe is the New York Times bestselling author of more than twenty books, including the Beach House series: The Beach House, Beach House Memories, Swimming Lessons, Beach House for Rent, and Beach House Reunion. She is a 2018 Inductee into the South Carolina Academy of Authors’ Hall of Fame, and her books have received numerous awards, including the 2008 South Carolina Center for the Book Award for Writing, the 2014 South Carolina Award for Literary Excellence, the 2015 SW Florida Author of Distinction Award, the RT Lifetime Achievement Award, the International Book Award for Green Fiction, and the 2017 Southern Book Prize for Fiction. Her bestselling novel The Beach House is also a Hallmark Hall of Fame movie. An active conservationist, she lives in the lowcountry of South Carolina.

Photograph by Mic Smith Photography.

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