Thirty Days to Home by Cathryn Rakich

 

Do you have any rescue pets?  Our dog Spot is a rescue dog originally from Texas.  His name was Spot the ranch dog and he was moved to Wisconsin to make way for dogs after Hurricane Harvey.  He still is not a fan of snow and ice but Spot the ranch dog is now a happy Wisconsin dog.

Marli May has faced the greatest heartbreak a mother can with the loss of her teenage son. Trying to reconnect with her husband after the loss, she goes with him on a work retreat to Escondido, Mexico.  While there, her world further falls apart when she discovers her husband is having an affair with a coworker.  On top of that, she receives a mysterious text stating that her son’s death may not have been an accident after all.  After finding a stray dog on the street who needs her help, will this be enough to bring Marli back from the brink of despair?

My thoughts on this novel:

·       I liked the added mystery of what really happened to Marli’s son.

·       I love books the involve dogs and rescue dogs are even better!

·       I also loved Ben, the handsome widower vet that Marli meets in Mexico, but I also thought it was too soon for a new romance.

·       I liked that Marli’s friend Tammy came down to visit and support Marli in Mexico. On the other hand, something seemed off about her and she wanted to cheat on her husband while on vacation which gave me a weird vibe.

·       I also liked that Marli cared for her mother, Alice, who had Alzheimer’s.  It was a realistic description of how tough care can be in such a situation.  Caring for your parents at the end of their lives would be hard.

·       There was suspense near the end of the novel.

·       I thought I had the ending figured out – but I was surprised.  Great ending.

·       Marli and Ben were my favorite characters and were very well written.  I loved their compassion for dogs and people in need.

·       It was hard to believe that this was a debut novel.

·       This novel dealt with grief and was an emotional read.

·       I would classify this as contemporary, women’s fiction, family drama, dogs, second chance romance, mystery.

Overall, Thirty Days to Home by Cathryn Rakich was an entertaining and engaging novel featuring great characters and dogs.

Book Source:  Review copy from @booksparks. Thank-you!

Happy Place by Emily Henry

 

Title:  Happy Place

Author:  Emily Henry

Narrated by:  Julia Whelan

Publisher: Penguin Audio

Length: Approximately 11 hour and 3 minutes

Source: Purchased from Audible

Where is your happy place?  Is it a place or a person?

Harriet and Wyn have been a couple since college and are a fixture in their group of friends.  They broke up five month ago and have not told their friends.  Now it is the annual getaway for their friend group in May and they are sharing a bedroom.  Will they be able to make it through and keep their friends?  Will they find love again?  Why did they break up?

My thoughts on this novel:

·       I am a mood reader, and I was not in the mood for this book.  I listened to it on audiobook.  The narrator was great, but the storyline and characters did not engage me.  I was annoyed at Harriet and Wyn for lying to everyone.  I really hated miscommunication in books.

·       This was my first Emily Henry book.  She is raved about on Instagram – is there a better book by her that I should read?

·       I did not really like the characters.  The side characters were all one dimensional and Wyn was not a great hero.

·       Spicy scenes were included.

·       I was let down when the book finally told why they broke up.  I was like, really?

·       This book could be classified as contemporary, fake relationship, second chance romance.

·       I loved that Harriet loved to read cozy mysteries.

·       This was the June pick for the Rogue Book Club and the July pick for the Page-turners book club at the Kewaunee Public Library.  Is this a great book club book?  I didn’t think so.  It was a book of mostly angst with not much action.

·       I thought the ending was a part of the living in a different world of privilege.  SPOILER ALERT:  Harriet is going to school to be a doctor and decides to leave it all to become a potter.  Most people I know would not be able to do this.  That’s a lot of money and loans to throw away and somehow must be paid back.  I do believe in second chances and making a change, but most people would need to finish up and work as a doctor for awhile to pay off this debt.

Overall, Happy Place by Emily Henry was an angsty book that wasn’t for me.  What book has disappointed you lately?

 

Meet Me in Italy by Brenda Novak

 

What country is your current read set in?

Charlotte is having a hard time writing her second novel after the surprise success of her first novel.  She is stunned when her basketball star husband leaves her and she finds out she was an adopted child, her birth mother has died, and she has a young tween sister who is orphaned in Italy.  Charlotte and her best friend Sloane, and Sloane’s brother Julian, travel to the Amalfi Coast in Italy to meet her sister, Lily. Will Charlotte and Lily be able to have a relationship?  What will happen to Lily?

My thoughts on this novel:

·       I read this book in May for the April pick for the Brenda Novak Book Group. There are fun book club meetings on Facebook the fourth Thursday of the month.  I listen to the meetings afterwards when I can.

·       This novel was a contemporary romance and a family drama.  It also had found family and second chances.  The romance is friends to lovers.

·       I loved the description of the beautiful Amalfi Coast – I was ready to visit!

·       I felt so bad for Lily.  She had a rough life with her moving all around and constantly changing boyfriends.

·       The cover of this novel is beautiful.

·       The novel had characters dealing with heartbreak and troubles in life.  It showed how friends and found family can support you and how you can turn your life around.

·       My Great Grandma Kile would have called this a good story – it had a lot of drama, good characters, and a satisfying ending.

Overall, Meet Me in Italy by Brenda Novak was an enjoyable contemporary romance and family drama with good characters and setting.  It’s a great book if you are looking for a fun summer read.

Book Source:  Review copy from NetGalley.  Thank-you!

Scent of Hope by Susan May Warren

 

Title:  Scent of Hope

Author:  Susan May Warren

Narrated by:  Brian Hutchison

Publisher: Recorded Books

Length: Approximately 9 hour and 57 minutes

Source: Audiobook Review copy from NetGalley and physical book review copy from @susanmaywarren @revellfiction @greatreadsbookpromo.  Thank-you!

What is the last book you read that was very entertaining?  Scent of Hope by Susan May Warren was a very entertaining story that made my yard work fly by this past weekend.

Harley Tatum is a private investigator in Alaska.  She lost her family when she was young and the one man she loved, Jericho, never returned home after enlisting in the military.  Jericho has finally returned home with his avalanche dog, Orlando, and they must work together to solve a mystery and rescue those they love.

My thoughts on this book:

·       This was great on audiobook.  Brian Hutchison was an intriguing narrator.

·       This story was action packed.

·       It is the second book in the Call of the Wild series.  I need to read the first book in the series.  This worked as a standalone.

·       This story was a second chance romance story, which is one of my favorite tropes.

·       I loved that Orlando was a Bernedoodle with a stressful back story of his own. 

·       Harley is a strong woman, but she only trusts herself and won’t ask for help.

·       Jericho likes to control every situation and can’t trust that Harley has her own skills.

·       This was a good Christian and inspirational novel. There were messages about loss, grief, forgiveness, and putting your trust in God.

·       There was great chemistry and depth of feeling between Harley and Jericho.

·       This was a clean read.

Scent of Hope by Susan May Warren was a great action packed second chance romance with mystery, suspense, dogs, and a great Alaskan setting.  I highly recommend if you are looking for an entertaining read.

Faithful of Heart by Tracie Peterson

 

What are you reading this weekend?

Judith Stanford is surprised to learn that her estranged grandfather, James Ashton, wants her to travel to Minnesota to determine whether she should inherit his fortune.  She has never met the man, but he offers her a sum of money to travel that she can use to help Civil War widows and orphans.  She decides to use this money for her charities and make the trip.  She also hopes to cross paths with Dr. Roman Turner, a man she met years before who interested her as no man has done since her husband passed away.  The problem is that the only man that Roman hates is Judith’s grandfather as he ruined his father financially and caused his early death.  Can Judith and Roman work through these issues from the past?

My thoughts on this novel:

·       This was a clean read, inspirational, and Christian novel.  I enjoyed that the characters prayed throughout the novel.

·       It was fun having Judith ride in a luxurious train from Philadelphia to Minneapolis in 1870.

·       It was interesting how Judith and her grandfather had very different philosophies in life.  Judith has a life of giving and helping others while her grandfather is consumed with making more money.  He reminded me of Ebenezer Scrooge.

·       I loved the sermon in a chapter of the novel that focused on the teachings of Jesus including his greatest commandment to love your neighbor as yourself and the parable of the good Samaritan.  I have tried to live my life following these teachings however imperfectly.  I think they are very important and something that needs to be emphasized in today’s world.

·       I loved how Judith stuck to her own self and values and did not bend to her grandfather’s will.  I also appreciated that she tried to help people harmed by her grandfather.

·       Chapters were told in alternating perspectives between Judith and Roman.

·       Roman has the same values as Judith and is always helping others.  I enjoyed their relationship.

·       This novel had a theme of forgiveness.

·       I greatly enjoyed the suspense at the end of the novel.

·       I would say the tropes are slow burn and second chance romance.

·       This is the first book in a new series, Minnesota Legacy.  I’m very interested to read the next book which is about Judith’s daughter.  There is an excerpt at the end of this book.

Overall, Faithful of Heart by Tracie Peterson was a great historical romance novel with a wonderful theme of faith and forgiveness.  I enjoyed the journey of the characters throughout this novel.

Book Source:  Thank-you to @authortraciepeterson @bethanyhousefiction @greatreadsbookpromo for the review copy as part of the Great Reads Book Promotion Tour.

And the Crowd Went Wild by Susan Elizabeth Phillips

 

Title:  And the Crowd Went Wild

Author:  Susan Elizabeth Phillips

Narrated by:  Kelli Tager

Publisher: Avon

Length: Approximately 10 hours and 8 minutes

Source: Review Copy from NetGalley.  Thank-you!

Do you have a favorite sports team?  I live near and work in Green Bay, so the Packers are just sort of a part of everyday life around here.

Darcy Flynn is a star best known for her bombshell roles and marriage to a famous action star.  After a very public humiliation, she is looking for a place to get away.  She inexplicitly ends up at her former high school boyfriend’s (now Chicago quarterback) retreat in Wisconsin.  Clint is trying to relax and regain his focus before the season begins and he is surprised to see his old girlfriend who broke his heart in high school.  He lets her stay in an old caboose on his property that he is restoring.  Will these two find themselves and each other?

My thoughts on this audiobook:

·       This was the February pick for the Brenda Novak Book Group.  There was a fun book club meeting on Facebook for this book that you can still watch.  Sadly, Susan Elizabeth Phillips was sick and unable to join the book club this time.

·       And the Crowd Went Wild by Susan Elizabeth Phillips was a contemporary romance, but it had depth and hard topics were discussed such as alcoholism, r#@e, and murder.  Even with these topics, it was still a fun and engaging romance.

·       Narrator Kelli Tager had a great performance and unique voices for the characters.

·       I loved the Boxcar Children quotes at the start of each chapter.  It gets even better when Darcy ends up living in an old boxcar that Clint is fixing up on his property.

·       Darcy’s marriage reminded me of the breakdown of Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman’s marriage.

·       This is #11 in the Chicago Stars series.  I read this as a standalone and it was fine as a standalone.  I’m assuming some of the characters were also in previous books.

·       The characters are in their mid-thirties.

·       This was a dual point of view novel between Darcy and Clint.

·       Tropes in this novel included second chance romance, enemies to lovers, and forced proximity.

·       I loved the Northwoods of Wisconsin setting and how Darcy is only able to find Packer gear for clothing.  This rings true for the area.  This pains Clint as he is a quarterback for Chicago.

·       Darcy and Clint had amazing tension and chemistry.

·       The romance in this novel was steamy with the door wide open.

·       I loved the romance, but also the personal journey of both Darcy and Clint.

·       I also loved how Darcy rescued a mutt and named him Watch (from the Boxcar Children).  I also like how she helped and befriended a woman who was being abused by her boyfriend.

Overall, And the Crowd Went Wild by Susan Elizabeth Phillips was an engaging contemporary romance with great characters, chemistry, and romance.  The story had depth and was very enjoyable.

Mail-Order Baroness by Misty M. Beller

 

Do you order things through the mail or prefer shopping in person?  I love getting things in the mail, but it’s still fun to shop in person and browse through items (especially books).

Rose is a singer in Virginia City stuck in a twenty-year contract she signed with her stepfather when she was fifteen.  She dreams of the happy days she spent in her childhood with her mother on the Balfour ranch.  When an ad appears advertising for an assistant housekeeper at a ranch, Rose takes it upon herself to make her escape to try out the new job.  She soon discovers the job is at the Balfour ranch, and she is reunited with her childhood friend James, the middle Balfour brother.  James has never forgotten Rose and is happy to have her back.  Will these two find love?  Will her stepfather find her?  Why did her mother leave the ranch suddenly when she a child?

My thoughts on the novel:

·       I enjoyed the mystery in this book. Why did Rose and her mother leave the ranch?  I also enjoyed the suspense of her escape.

·       I enjoyed the romance and relationship between James and Rose.

·       I also enjoyed the continuing story from book one of Enoch and Mandie’s story.

·       The plot line was similar to the first book but was still enjoyable.

·       I am looking forward to the next book in the series.

·       I love the beautiful Montana setting.

·       It was unique having the British aristocracy living in Montana.  Enoch will need to return to England soon leaving James in charge of the ranch which is added stress.

·       There were moments of tension and danger toward the end of book which added excitement.

·       This is a second chance romance novel which is one of my favorite tropes.

·       This was a Christian book and a clean read.

·       This was a quick read and good escapism reading. 

·       This is the second book in the series but can be read as a standalone.  I did enjoy reading both books in the series. 

·       I love how understanding and empathetic James is.

Overall, Mail-Order Baroness by Misty M. Beller is a wonderful historical western romance with great characters and a suspenseful storyline.  It’s a great story to get lost in.

Book Source:  Thank-you to author Misty M. Beller for a review copy of this novel.

 

A Forty Year Kiss by Nickolas Butler

 

Title:  A Forty Year Kiss

Author:  Nickolas Butler

Narrated by:  Richard Poe

Publisher: Recorded Books

Length: Approximately 8 hours and 46 minutes

Source:  Libby through the Kewaunee Public Library

What is your favorite second chance romance book or movie?

Forty years ago, Charlie and Vivian divorced after forty years of marriage, mostly due to Charlie’s alcoholism.  He has regretted this divorce and now finds himself retired and alone.  He returns to Wisconsin to look for Vivian.  Will these two find a second chance at romance after a lifetime has passed?

My thoughts on this audiobook:

·       This novel has two triggers in it:  alcoholism and abortion.

·       I liked the western Wisconsin setting. 

·       This was a very slow-moving novel.  It was a second chance romance and also domestic fiction for genres.

·       It was the February pick for the Page-turners Book Club at the Kewaunee Public Library.  We meet next week, and I’ll see what the rest of the book club thought about this one.

·       I figured out a plot twist almost right away, but it did overall play out differently than expected.

·       I listened to this on audiobook. The narrator was good, but I did bump up my listening speed to 1.5 as the story was so slow moving.

·       I enjoyed getting to know Viv’s daughter, Melissa, and her grandkids.

·       The writing in this novel was inconsistent.  Charlies is made out as being a more caring and compassionate man, but he also makes statements like that from Viv’s picture on social media, he can tell she takes care of herself because she dyes her hair.  Then later he talks about how he doesn’t dye his hair.  I really hate this type of sexist talk on women’s looks and expecting more than you are willing to give yourself.

·       The alcoholism storyline was weird as they divorced because of Charlie’s alcoholism, and he is still an alcoholic all these years later.  It seemed unrealistic that he would just be able to drop it after all this time.

·       Abortion is a hard topic, and I did not enjoy this storyline at all.  I especially didn’t like the keeping of secrets.

·       The book is mostly made up of conversations and not much action.

·       I did like that the book featured a love story between two mature, retired people.

Overall, A Forty Year Kiss by Nickolas Butler was a slow moving second chance romance that didn’t quite resonate with me.

Beyond the Clouds by Elizabeth Camden

 

Are you addicted to a particular genre, or you read all sort of genres?  I am addicted to historical fiction, but I do like to read all sorts of genres.

Delia and Finn fell in love as teenagers at an orphanage.  Their romance ended when Finn left with Delia’s savings.  Now, years later, Finn has returned to the United States after flying with the Lafayette Escadrille in France to help in WWI before the United States has entered the war.  They are forced to work together to raise funds for Belgian refugees.  Will Delia and Finn be able to put aside differences and find love again?

My thoughts on this novel:

·       I love aviation and enjoyed the discussions about Finn’s flying including the specifics of  his plane and famous aviators from that time period.

·       Delia is a pacifist and feels that Finn is a warmonger at the start of the novel.

·       Delia and Finn grew up flying kites together and dreamed of opening a kite shop until Finn steals Delia’s money.

·       I liked how the focus of the book was Delia and Finn trying to help with humanitarian efforts with Belgian refugees to help alleviate human suffering.  It was interesting to me also as an Agatha Christie fan as Hercule Poirot is a Belgian refugee from WWI in the first Agatha Christie novel, The Mysterious Affair at Style.

·       Delia and Finn also travel to Belgium in the novel and experience peril while there.

·       This was a clean read.

·       This book has the tropes of second chance romance and enemies to lovers.

·       There was a great author’s note at the end detailing the true history.  It was fascinating.

·       I loved that Herbert “Bertie” Hoover was in this book.  I didn’t realize who “Bertie” was until they said his entire name near the end of the novel.  Herbert Hoover is usually remembered as a poor president due to the Great Depression, but he was an engineer and was able to help with many humanitarian crises during his career.  I really need a biography on him.

·       Catholic faith is mentioned in throughout the novel.  There is a Catholic priest in jail with Finn in Belgium that provides hope and inspiration.  Finn and Delia grow up in a Catholic orphanage together and Mother Superior was an inspiration for them both.

·       There was a theme of forgiveness throughout the novel and realizing when you have committed a sin or error and working to overcome it.

·       This is the third and find book in the Women of Midtown trilogy.  This entire series is spectacular but can be read as standalone novels.  Characters from the books do make brief crossover appearances throughout which is fun.

·       The characters in this novel and the entire trilogy are well written and have the plus and minuses of real people.  I loved Delia and Finn.

Favorite Quotes:

“I used to love flying kites with you because I could daydream about what it would be like to soar above and beyond the clouds.  Instead of flying for joy, you do it to kill people.  You took the best of us and turned it into something hideous.”

“A wave of painful nostalgia rose in his chest.  They offered Finn shelter for six weeks, and he saw the best of humanity in them – in their generosity, in their sacrifice for each other and for their nation, and in their shared commitment.”

“In times like these, we must confront the danger, or inaction will harm our cause more than the enemy every could.”

“It seemed God made some people to be warriors, while others were destined to work quietly behind the front lines.  Both roles had their purpose, she supposed, and there was honor in each one.”

Overall, Beyond the Clouds by Elizabeth Camden is an intriguing historical romance set during WWI with great characters and empathy for those suffering during WWI.

Book Source:  Thank-you to @authorelizabethcamden @bethanyhousefiction @greatreadsbookpromo for the review copy of this novel as part of the Great Reads Book Promotion Tour.