Reckless Beginnings
By
Tina Hogan Grant
This is one of those books that really tears your heart apart. It's a novel based on the true life events of the author and as I was reading, it broke my heart to pieces as she unfolds the details. She took me into the depths of her life in ways that were personal and excruciating.

Tammy is a young teen who just wants to go to America and live the "American Dream". Her parents are divorced and her father goes to America but she has to remain in England where her parents believe she will be better with her mom. Tammy's father eventually offers for her to go to America and she's thrilled to accept. Her coworkers in England give her a special send off with some advice, "Tammy, may all your dreams come true in America. It's not going to be the same here without you. Be good to America and it will be good to you." Tammy is so excited to be in the United States and truly believes she will find true happiness. This is where the story becomes reality and the challenges and struggles begin for Tammy.

The "American Dream" became a nightmare for Tammy. This book took me into the deep, dark places she ended up in because of naïve and reckless choices. Choices made from trusting and believing the wrong people. Believing the best in the worst kinds of people who took advantage of her. Her relationships with her family suffered. Especially with her father. This broke my heart. All she ever wanted to do was please her dad and have him be proud of her.

The character of Tammy is so special and one I cared about from the beginning. She is someone I wanted nothing but great things for because she was such a compassionate and loving girl. Going through this novel and "living" the horrendous situations was devastating. I just wanted to jump in there and pull her to safety and hold her close. There are wonderful people who cross her path and make a difference. Then there are the users and losers you will really detest. This story ripped at my emotions and all I wanted was for Tammy to find her "American Dream" and her happy.

This book leaves me wanting to know "the rest of the story". It's one I'm very honored to have read. I couldn't put it down and turned the pages with all the hopes I know that Tammy hoped. I am looking forward to reading the sequel "Better Endings". I want to thank Tina Hogan Grant for the privilege of reading such an emotionally charged story and for the courage she had in putting it into a book like she has.

This is my heartfelt and honest review of an unbelievable story.

The Neighborhood
By
Erina Bridget Ring
What is a neighborhood? It's "often a social community with considerable face-to-face interaction among members". OH, does this book take that definition to a new level! The neighborhood in this book, Sherwood Forest, has more than it's share of endless interactions and not so fairy tale events.
Life is about to become one hot mess when Gretchen and Jarrod O'Malley move into their new home on Sir Richard Road. With the neighborhood called Sherwood Forest, they thought they were moving into the fairy tale neighborhood....but it is not anything like they expected. This is where the craziness of this story begins....and what a crazy tale that is told!
This story had my mind spinning at what these neighbors to Gretchen and Jarrod were capable of! Each one had their weirdnesses and quirks that were out of this world! From the very first neighbor to introduce herself, Maggie, who was a busybody and "town crier", to the new neighbors who move in and are so unsuspecting of what's about to overtake their lives, this book was a tale of unbelievable events! This story had so much of Ms. Ring's humor that made me laugh, but also there is a tragedy that made my heart hurt and so very sad. The characters are unique but also ones that could be in any neighborhood there is. This neighborhood is not normal by any means with its share of busybodies, spies, nuisances, gossips, and the "ones to avoid". Is there anything this neighborhood doesn't have?
Do I know my neighbors? Not like this, I don't! This story was one that I turned the pages and was surprised at what was coming next. I really enjoyed Gladys and her clipboard and binoculars dropped like breadcrumbs through the book. What was she writing down all the time?
Would I want to live in a neighborhood like this? Most definitely NO! BUT I sure did enjoy spending some time visiting it! It was an outrageous, very original and fun read.
Thank you, Ms. Ring for sharing your imagination and also the challenge of knowing who our neighbors really are. In the end, tho, "Home is Where We Are"....no matter what the neighborhood is like.

The Ruby of the Sea
By
Peggy Lampman
There is nothing more precious than the love that families share with each other.  That love is often challenged with life, events, and secrets that bend that love to almost breaking.   Ms. Lampman has written a book that challenges the Chandler family to the very core.   It's an emotionally heart wrenching family drama about three sisters, Linnea and Delphina who are twins, and their younger sister, Ivy.  Each one with secrets that they hold so close inside they lose their bonds of sistership.  What are these secrets and why are they so difficult to share?  This book takes you into the depths of the issues and your heart with it. 

Linnea returns home to her family in Key West, Florida from being away for 15 years.  Her family is far from the idyllic, perfect "Cleaver" family and is more to the dysfunctional end of the spectrum but they need her home so she returns.  This is where the secrets, lies, deceit, painful pasts, and injured feelings start to unravel.  Ms. Lampman took me into each of the character's lives in a very personal and intimate way.  I felt for each one and her struggles.  The story unfolds in chapters that rotate between the three sisters.  It's a poignant story and written so that my heart felt each sister's hurts and anguish of what they were going through. 

The setting of the story in Key West, Florida in telling this story was perfect.  I've never been to Florida, let alone Key West but I have a vivid impression in my mind of a virtual visit from the great descriptive writing.   I loved the historical lighthouse setting that the family runs a B&B out of.  The Maiden Tower plays a crucial part in Ivy's story.  The Foghorn House and Lightkeeper's Quarters are "home" for the family.  The mystery surrounding the history of the grounds and stories were intriguing.  Especially the mystery of the original lighthouse keeper's daughter, Rossalea, and the parallel with Ivy's story in the book.   Then add an impending, historic hurricane into the scenario.  How would such devastation change a family and would it bring the family together or tear them apart like the destruction of the hurricane?  My emotions were so all over the place in this book.  I  became a part of the family and experienced their hurts and emotions as I turned the pages.

This is a very well written family drama that addresses the issues of mental illness, family dysfunction and what the effects are to a family.  I want to thank Peggy Lampman for writing such a heart tugging novel.  I am so grateful for the ARC copy and the honor of reading this book.  This is my own, heart felt review of this wonderful book. 

Chateau Wedding
By
Tess Thompson
This sweet novella takes us to the Loire Valley in France for the dream wedding of Pepper and Stone.  Pepper, Lisa and Maggie have been best friends since their college days and they come together with the loves of their lives to help make Pepper's fairy tale wedding come true.

It all seems like it's going to be perfect until a series of unexpected events start to happen and things go haywire!  But there is never any doubt that the Dogs, Wags, and Wolves will stick together and make this the wedding Stone and Pepper will treasure and remember all their lives.  That true love is in their hearts and that's what matters.

Thank you, Tess Thompson, for the gift of this story.  Not only is the cover beautiful but the story is perfect!

It's a Tess Thompson five star adventure with Cliffside Bay friends!

Thank you, Tess Thompson for the honor of this read.  All opinions and thoughts are my heartfelt own.

True to Me
By
Kay Bratt

"Aloha......Most mainlanders were under the impression that aloha was the word used for both "hello" and "goodbye". But the article stated it was much more, that aloha meant "love," "peace," and "compassion." More than a word, a life of aloha meant the heart was overflowing, and when using it, one should be sincerely happy to see the person they said it to." This passage from the book spoke to me. It's how I feel when I am going to pick up one of Kay Bratt's novels. My heart is happy and overflowing.

True to Me is another GREAT read written by the talented and amazing Kay Bratt. She has such a gift of bringing the reader on an emotional journey and adventure with her characters. In this book, the journey is with the character of Quinn Maguire. The story starts out with her mother's death bed confession that rocks Quinn's world. This revelation had me shocked right along with Quinn.

Quinn has been raised by a very loving mother who gave her a great childhood and losing her is such a tragic loss. Her mother's last wishes were to be taken back to her homeland of Maui, Hawaii and have her ashes scattered there. Quinn has always been a bit self insecure but she decides she needs to do this without her longtime boyfriend, Ethan. The journey of self discovery and who the person Quinn is begins at this point. Not only who she is but who her family is. I was fascinated by how DNA lineage was written into the plot. How it was used to solve the mystery of Quinn's family and who they were. Ms. Bratt took me into an emotional adventure in the pages of this book. I loved the characters and how they connected with each other. Even the not-so-likable Ethan. He is part of who Quinn became in the end. I met amazing characters who blended together and I became attached to them.

Kay Bratt writes stories from her heart. I become a part of them as I'm reading them. Quinn's story is no different. Quinn's story is one of finding herself and who she is. The unbelievable events in her life that take her to become who she is meant to be had me captivated. The setting in the book was picture perfect by the descriptive writing talent of Ms. Bratt. I have never been to Hawaii but I sure have been on a virtual visit with Quinn and her close friend, Liam. I experienced the different traditions, customs and ceremonial events. I felt the time honoring reverence of them. It all came together to Quinn being true to herself.

I am very grateful for the opportunity of reading this novel. Kay Bratt brings it every time with her heart and emotions that pour out on the pages. I love this book and whether I'm saying "Aloha" at the beginning or "Aloha" at the end, it's a fantastic read in between.

I want to thank Netgalley and Kay Bratt for my advanced review copy of this book. All opinions and thoughts are my heartfelt own.  

Jilted: Nico and Sophie
By
Tess Thompson
From the time Sophie was eight-years-old, she dreamt about who her soulmate was going to be. She recognized him as soon as she laid eyes on him. Nico. Now the challenge was to overcome the reservations and doubts he seemed to live with and carry. To convince him they belonged together. Is she able to cross the age barrier reasoning he's put up? She is an "old soul" and goes after what she wants. She is impulsive and driven, has no doubts and knows what she wants. And she loves and wants Nico.

Nico's been jilted and it's stingingly painful. He's afraid to put himself "out there" to be possibly rejected again. Just like he's been all his life. But who can resist the "warrior princess and gorgeous Sophie"? He was going to have to be strong and determined to not give in to her but is it possible? In his mind, he's not good enough for her. She deserves better that him. Oh, but how hard to resist her!

Ms. Thompson has once again taken me back to Cliffside Bay and drawn me into the pages of a story that is filled with wonderful characters. The story of Nico and Sophie brings with it unexpected surprises, drama, heartbreak and doubts. It's also filled with hope, excitement, love and some spiciness that warms you up. Ms. Thompson's writing brings all these things together in her storytelling talent in a book I couldn't put down. Then she brings in two characters I absolutely loved. Jen...the cutest little pup that won my heart along with Nico's. "Dogs made everything better.....dogs love unconditionally." I love dogs in books and Jen is perfect. And then there's Mrs. Coventry. She's an elderly, sprightly lady who sees that Nico and Sophie belong together. She has a plan to accomplish this and isn't afraid to set it in motion. She's full of energy and humor. She is such a fun character.

I love going to Cliffside Bay each time a new novel comes out in the series. Tess Thompson writes with such heart and soul that it emits from the characters. They have become a part of me and visiting, reconnecting and going deeper with new characters makes this series a fantastic read for me.

I am honored to have read Tess Thompson's Jilted: Nico and Sophie. I loved everything about the endeavor of Sophie and Nico to find their HOA. It pulled at my heart. I love going to Cliffside Bay and spending time there....and I'm excited for the next book in the series. Thank you, Ms. Thompson, for this wonderful read!

All opinions and thoughts in this review are my own.

One For the Blackbird,One For the Crow
By
Olivia Hawker
I am in an utterly and hopeless book hangover after reading this book!  Oh! My! Gosh!  I am speechless!  I Just had an "experience"!  It was more than just reading a book.  It was like going into the pages and becoming a part of the story.  It was a complete bonding with the characters, the remote and endless landscape of the Wyoming territory and with the vegetation and animal life that dwelt within that habitat.   It was an unbelievable and unforgettable encounter with an epic read. 

I don't even know how I can write a review close to worthy of this book.  There are so many emotions  I felt that were as real as if I were dealing with them myself. This is the first book I've read by Olivia Hawker and I'm in awe of her talent to pull so much out of me with her extraordinary prose.  Each page in this magnificent novel drew me deeper into the lives of the characters.  I'm just mind boggled at the intimate and minute details that created a living journey for me to travel in the pages of this book.

There are passages that blew me away with the depth and meanings they held.  Passages that made me stop and ponder.  This is one that is particularly profound:

This is a dream Beulah is having about a worm eating the leaf of a beanstalk...."The worm moved its terrible jaws and spoke. God is said to be great, the worm told me, So great you cannot see Him. But God is small, with hands like threads, and they reach for you everywhere you go.  The hands touch everything-even you, even me.  What falls never falls; what grows has grown a thousand times, and will live a thousand times more.  Wherever hand touches hand, the Oneness comes to stay.  Once God has made a thing whole, it cannot be broken again." 

The characters are unforgettable people.  They are based after the author's ancestors and are truly unique and memorable.  I so appreciated the Author's Notes and Acknowledgement added at the end of the book.  It was so interesting how she developed and came to write this amazing novel.  This is a very lengthy novel but so worth every word that's written in it.  I truly didn't want it to end.  I want to thank Lake Union and Olivia Hawker for the extreme privilege I had of reading this book!  This is my honest and heartfelt review of a book that ranks as one of my top 5 this year.