The Sisters Hemingway by Annie England Noblin (TLC Book Tour)

Three sisters have returned to their small hometown of Cold River Missouri for the funeral of their Great-Aunt Bea.  Aunt Bea raised them after the tragic death of their mother and sister.  As soon as they were able, Hadley, Pfeiffer, and Martha left their small town never to return.  They’ve all had a mixture of success and heartache since their departure.  They discover on their return that Aunt Bea had family secrets of her own.  Why did she never speak again after she turned seventeen?  Why is she so persistent that the farm stays within the family?

The Sisters Hemingway was a real page turner for me.  I read this book in a matter of a day.  I really liked all three sisters and wanted to learn more about them, but I especially wanted to learn about Aunt Bea’s secret.  Hadley is the wife of a senator and seems to lead the perfect life.  But is it perfect and why is she still attracted to her old boyfriend Brody?  Pfeiffer was a successful editor in New York City until she made mistake that cost her job.  Her life was her job and she is not sure where to go from here.  Martha became a country music star, but after her messy divorce and a stint in rehab, she is also not sure where to start again.

I liked the interaction between the sisters and how their relationship bloomed when they were together again.  I admit I was puzzled by the girls’ names with the mix of new and traditional and really enjoyed when it was revealed that the four sisters were named after Hemingway’s four wives. 

I was wrapped up in reading this novel as I wanted to know how the mystery would end, but I must admit that I did guess the ending.  It was still an enjoyable mystery even if it didn’t surprise me.

 

Overall, The Sisters Hemingway is a real page turner with a great family mystery as well as a family drama as three sisters find their way back to each other and the importance of family.

Book Source:  Review Copy from William Morrow Books.  Thank-you!

For more stops on this TLC Tour, check out this link. 

Purchase Links: HarperCollins | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Author Links: Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram

Pupcakes by Annie England Noblin

I’ve gotten a bit behind on the blog with the holidays, ending one job, and starting another.  I read a few really wonderful Christmas books the week before Christmas and I want to make sure I share about them before it is too late.  I enjoyed them and think they would be great every day reads or great Christmas reads for next year.

I loved the novel Pupcakes by Annie England Noblin.   It has everything I enjoy is a modern woman’s story, a woman whose life has experienced a setback that needs to start over.  She learns to have a new life, meets new friends, starts a new romantic relationship, and tasty food is involved in her future career.  Pupcakes also added a dog to this good book recipe.

Byrdie Benson has recently gotten divorced from her baker husband when she caught him “baking” with an employee.  They sold the bakery they owned together and Byrdie has moved to Memphis with her best friend, Elliot and her family.  Elliot hooks her up with a new gig, housesitting for an elderly lady’s townhouse and dog, while she is in a retirement community.  Pauline may be gone, but she is not forgotten as Byrdie must visit her once a week with Pauline’s pug Teddy Roosevelt.  Byrdie also gets a 3^rd shift job at the bakery inside of ShopCo.  She also meets handsome doctor Nathan Reid at the dog park while on a walk with Teddy.  Can these two make it work in a new relationship?  Why is Pauline’s basement locked?  What secrets does she not want Byrdie to find?  Will Byrdie be able to get her career back on track?

Favorite Quotes: 

“The dog came with the house.  Or maybe the house came with the dog.  Either way, no matter how the sentence was constructed, the house and the dog came together. “

“’You’ll love him,’ her mother went on, ignoring her.  ‘He’s good looking, owns his own home, and has all of his own teeth and hair.  What more could you ask for?’”

Overall, Pupcakes was a great delight.  I thought the characters were riveting and very well developed.  I wanted to sit at Thanksgiving dinner with all of them.  I loved Byrdie's character growth throughout the novel.  I always think a good book is able to showcase characters that we relate to and emphasize with through the high and lows of life.  Pupcakes does this perfectly.  I highly recommend it!

Book Source:  Review Copy from William Morrow Books. Thank-you!

Sit! Stay! Speak! By Annie England Noblin

Addie Andrews has left Chicago to her late Aunt’s home in Eunice, Arkansas after her beloved Aunt’s death.  Her plan is to fix up the home and sell it.  She also has experienced a personal tragedy back in Chicago and wants to be somewhere far away from it.  Shortly after moving to Eunice, Addie comes across a dog wounded and left for dead in a garbage bag.  After rushing him to the vet, Addie makes a new friend in the sassy red headed vet technician Wanda and also meets the handsome lawyer turned farmer Jasper Floyd.

Addie names her new dog Felix and she discovers that he is a scared, gentle, and loving pit bull dog.  Not satisfied with being told to leave this matter alone, Addie starts her own investigation to determine who would do such a thing to a pit bull.  All roads lead back to the town bully and more danger for Addie.  Addie also tries to overcome her past to learn how to trust and start new relationships both romantic and for friendship.  She is very frustrated by the mixed signals she gets from the attractive Jasper Floyd.  Will Addie find happiness?  Will she discover who hurt Felix?  Will she figure out what she wants to do with her future?

I love animals, fixing up old houses, cooking, and friendships and this book had all of that for me.  It also had a good hero in Jasper.  I also loved the mystery of what happened to Felix.  There were a lot of great characters around the Southern town of Eunice that I loved to read about.  The only downside is that I felt the story did meander awhile without focusing on where things were going.  I started to get annoyed by our hero and his holding back of his feelings, although it was all explained at the end.

Overall, this is a good mystery with great characters, romance, and dogs.  A perfect book to read when you are inside for the winter.

Book Source:  Review Copy from William Morrow – Thanks!