Mistakes Were Made: he's straight laced, she's fly by the seat of her pants. Their relationship would be a disaster. Or would it?

Mistakes Were Made is the second book in the Story Lake series by Lucy Score. Zoey Moody is a literary agent who doesn’t like small town life. However, after being exiled from Manhattan’s publishing world, Zoey is forced to stay in the tiny Pennsylvania small town with Hazel, her best friend forever and her only remaining client. She needs Hazel’s next book to be a massive hit and she is determined to let nothing stand in her way except her gorgeous six foot two inch landlord. Gage Bishop is smart, serious, and sexy. Their mutual attraction is obvious; however, Gage is looking for a wife and Zoey is simply looking for a fun time. Gage thinks Zoey as the most beautiful woman he has ever met, but they are opposites. Where he is organized and has five year plans, Zoey is disorganized and can’t seem to work a calendar app. However, when a family secret rocks his world, Gage turns to Zoey for one night to forget everything. Will one night be enough? Will Gage and Zoey realize that all they are looking for is right in front of them? 

I read book one, Story of My Life, and fell in love with the quirky small town. So I eagerly awaited Mistakes Were Made. From page one, this story had me laughing out loud. Oh the banter between Gage and Zoey, between Gage and his brothers and between other characters was so great. At times my face hurt with how much I was grinning. The romance between Gage and Zoey was spicy but sweet and tender as well. There is drama and my heart breaks for Zoey as she tries and yet still struggles with ADHD and keeping the aspects of her life up and running. Ms Score lovingly and realistically portrays ADHD and Zoey’s struggles as well as her elation when the changes she makes start to work. I loved all the Bishop family as they fought with each other and for each other. I loved all the animals and their personalities and antics, especially Gage’s dog, Nana. Overall, I love this book and didn’t want it to end. I love this series and I can’t wait for book three and Levi’s story. I highly, highly recommend Mistakes Were Made. 

Mistakes Were Made is available in paperback, eBook and audiobook

The Sunflower House: a historical novel about family secrets and the Lebensborn Program

The Sunflower House by Adrianna Allegri is a story of little talked about history and family secrets at its center. In a sleepy German village in 1938, Allina Strauss had an idyllic life. She works at her uncle’s bookshop, she makes strudel with her aunt and she spends her free time with her friends and fiancé. But with Adolf Hitler as Chancellor, her family is hiding a dangerous secret. Allina learns that her mother was Jewish, making Allina a Mischling. Everything and everyone she knows and loves will be gone in quick succession and she will find herself at the Hochland House, a state run baby factory as part of the Lebensborn Program with the purpose of creating the Aryan population. Allina knows she must keep her Jewish heritage; however, when she discovers a group of neglected, less than desirable children, she is determined to save them from the horrors of the eugenics program. 

The Sunflower House is one woman’s story of determination to survive and resist against the powers of evil. I love World War II stories which bring to light the stories that are often forgotten or passed over. I had never heard of the Lebensborn program which the book’s blurb described as a “real life Handmaid’s Tale.” Where the Lebensborn program differs from the Handmaid’s Tale is that many of the women in the program willingly and proudly produced these babies for their country. This story had me hooked and I could not put it down as Allina risks her life for the innocent children in her care. There is a love story as Allina joins forces with Karl, a high ranking SS officer who is using his rank to subvert the evil plans. I highly recommend The Sunflower House. It is a story of love, loss, friends and the secrets we think are dead and buried. 

The Sunflower House will be available on November 12, 2024 

in hardcover, eBook and audiobook

Secrets at the Last House Before the Sea: returning home and confronting the past

Secrets at the Last House Before the Sea by Liz Eeles is the first book in the Heaven’s Cove series. After the death of her mother, Rosie Merchant is back in the tiny seaside village of Heaven’s Cove and her childhood home, Driftwood House. Her goal is to get the house ready to rent and head back to her boyfriend and her real life. When local farmer Liam Satterley offers to help her clean up the house, she can’t refuse. In the attic, she discovers a faded photograph that will have her questioning everything she thinks she knows. What are Liam's true intentions? Will the truth be the final wedge between her and Heaven’s Cove? Or will she find that she can finally feel at home by the sea? 

Pulled in by a beautiful cover and an intriguing premise, I looked forward to Secrets at the House Before the Sea. A tiny village on the Irish shore with a mystery and secrets that would rival a big city. Secrets at the Last House Before the Sea is a bit predictable with its conflicts and their resolutions. I can easily see the life changing decisions that Rosie makes and everything wrapping up by the end of the story. While predictable, it wasn’t a bad story. It was actually enjoyable and I enjoyed seeing Rosie’s search for the truth and her growth as she confronts the past and considers her future. Overall, I enjoyed this story and recommend Secrets at the Last House Before the Sea. 

Secrets at the Last House Before the Sea is available in paperback, eBook and audiobook

Promise of Tomorrow: forbidden love, family secrets and second chances

Promise of Tomorrow by Tess Thompson is the second book of the Castaway Christmas series. Millicent Cashmere appears to have a life of luxury as the only child of the wealthy family. However, she is a literal prisoner in her father’s mansion. She is forbidden to have friends or go to school. Her only company is books. Teddy Hill is the humble son of the Cashmere chauffeur. He admired Millicent from afar for years. When a series of tragic events brings them closer Teddy is determined to protect Millicent and rescue her from her prison. As family secrets reveal themselves, can she finally break free from the darkness that has filled her life? Can they find a way to forge a life together in the face of the worst circumstances? 

Promise of Tomorrow is a historical fiction about forbidden love, family secrets and second chances. It is a story of resilience and the power of love and community. I wanted to reach through the book and rescue Millicent myself. As the attitudes of the time, the book takes place in 1914, daughters were property of their father, with very little voice. I cheered as Teddy stepped up and helped Millicent out of a horrible situation. Seeing their slow growing love story was wonderful. I enjoyed visiting Castaway Cove and the characters from the first book, Come Tomorrow. Readers do not need to read the first book to enjoy Promise of Tomorrow, however, I highly recommend it as it is another wonderful story. I highly recommend Promise of Tomorrow. 

Promise of Tomorrow is available in paperback and eBook. 

She's Up to No Good: a sudden trip leads to life changing events

She’s Up to No Good by Sara Goodman Confino is a story of a sudden trip that leads to life changing events for two women. After four years of marriage, Jenna is blindsided when her husband asks for a divorce. With time on her hands and her life at a crossroads, she agrees to accompany Evelyn, her eccentric maternal grandmother, on a road trip to the family’s seaside Massachusetts hometown. As they hit the road, Evelyn begins a story of her star-crossed teenage romance with a young man named Tony. A story that she has hidden deep in her heart for seventy years as the events had changed the course of her life. When they arrive, Jenna meets Joe, Tony’s great-nephew. As their new friendship grows, Jenna begins to gain the confidence to find a new perspective and put her broken life back together. She learns that healing can come at the unexpected moments in a woman's life. 

I purchased She’s Up to No Good as a part of Amazon’s First Reads program. I love stories that intertwine past and present relationships. It was described as a “funny, poignant, and life-affirming novel about family, secrets, and broken hearts” However, a few chapters in and I was bored. I didn’t care for Jenna and Evelyn. Jenna is so annoyingly whiny for a woman who is supposed to be 34 years old. Evelyn is described as feisty but it comes across as downright mean. She doesn’t care who she hurts or manipulates. I did not find any of the situations funny that were supposed to be “funny.” If anything I was cringed more than I laughed. The story is also way too long. Sixty-two chapters of drawn out drama and family secrets. Overall, I was bored and did not care for either woman and her personal journey. I do not recommend She’s Up to No Good. 

She’s Up to No Good is available in paperback, eBook and audiobook

Birdie: family secrets and an unsolved mystery

Birdie by Kate Frantz is a story of family secrets and an unsolved mystery. When her mother dies, Birdie North discovers a mysterious stack of letters from her grandmother. A grandmother she’s never met and didn’t know her mother was in communication with. Curious about the family her mother left behind in Scotland, Birdie decides to travel to her mother’s birthplace and uncover the truth of these letters. When she meets Theo Hambry, an English stranger, who has a letter of his own from her mother! They reluctantly work together to discover the mystery of these letters. Little do they know that they are linked more than they know and they are about to uncover another mystery with a dangerous individual who will do anything to keep them silent. 

I was intrigued by the premise of Birdie. The story was interesting and the mystery was engaging. However, it moved much too slow. I didn’t care for Birdie. She acted childish at times and flew off the handle way too often. Early in the story, Birdie gets sympathy from a nurse who cared for her mother. When this individual expresses how much she was going to miss her mother, Birdie bristles as if she is the only one who gets to miss her mother. She does have growth by the end of the story. The one character I enjoyed was Theo, a young man, who struggles with his father’s disappearance and finds solace in his faith. Overall, I enjoyed Birdie. The mystery was engaging with quite a few twists. 

Birdie is available in paperback and eBook

No More Secrets: a story of redemption

No More Secrets is the third and final book of the No More Words trilogy by Kerry Lonsdale. Lucas Carson has led a troubled life filled with emotional trauma and secrets. When his sister, Lily, resurfaces after years of silence, Lucas can’t deal with the overwhelming guilt that he goes radio silent. Hiding in California City, Lucas crosses paths with Shiloh Bloom, a fifteen year old runaway. As Shiloh reminds Lucas of his little sister, he feels compelled to help her get off the streets. He gives her food, shelter and even a job. Soon, their arrangement is threatened when their pasts find them. Lucas wants it all to end. Is a normal life possible? Does he have the strength to stop running and face his demons?

What an ending to this trilogy! No More Secrets is a story of redemption and healing. Ms. Lonsdale writes with honesty and hope. My heart broke for Lucas as he desperately fights his demons with an almost death wish and yet a powerful will to keep going. I enjoyed Lucas and Shiloh’s relationship as they both want to be hard and unfeeling but can’t hide a need to protect and be protected. There is a confrontation scene near the end that is just superb! I can’t reveal what happens because SPOILERS! However, it was awesome and I cheered as Olivia, Lily and Lucas confronted their pasts and forged a better future for themselves as individuals and as a family. I highly recommend No More Secrets. 

No More Secrets will be available 

in paperback, eBook, and audiobook on March 14, 2023

No More Words and No More Lies, books 1 and 2,

are currently available in paperback, eBook and audiobook

Lucy in the Sky: danger, family secrets and a fight to survive

Lucy in the Sky by Kay Bratt is the second book in the Hart’s Ridge series. Lucy Gray doesn't usually start trouble but it certainly knows how to be wherever she is. As she is running away from her hometown, she ends up in New York City and in front of the famous Dakota. When she is mistaken for someone else, a split second decision changes her luck for once. Or so Lucy thinks. A turn of fortunes leads to a situation of life or death. Meanwhile Taylor is dealing with a revelation that will tear apart everything she thought she knew about her family and their past. Once she is on the case, she can’t stop until she knows the truth. Will Lucy find a way to escape and survive? Will Taylor’s investigation help rebuild her family or tear it apart further? 

Lucy in the Sky picks up right after the end of Hart’s Ridge as Lucy arrives in New York City. She isn’t there long when she finds her luck changes with a job of a lifetime. The book was a bit slow in the beginning but once Lucy reveals a secret she has been hiding and her new employer offers a way out, the pace picks up quickly. And if you thought Taylor’s heart was on her sleeve in Hart’s Ridge, you will see her torn in two as she investigates a family secret. I can’t say much without spoiling plot points but this story will leave you in awe and eager for book 3, In My Life (release date March 14, 2023). I highly recommend Lucy in the Sky. If you haven’t read Hart’s Ridge, I highly recommend it before reading Lucy in the Sky. 

Lucy in the Sky is available in paperback and eBook

Hart’s Ridge is available in paperback and eBook

Family Secrets: a story of family, loss, grief and learning to live again

Family Secrets is the first book in the Ellie McLellan Genealogy Mystery series by Beth Farrar. Widowed genealogist Ellie McLellan has spent the last four years carefully building a new and quiet life. After her husband and daughter were killed in an accident, she has desperately fought for her privacy from the hungry paparazzi. Her quiet life is shattered when she instinctively saves a young boy’s life and it’s caught on camera. Now the relentless Diane Cooper has found her and is determined to get her story. When Ellie discovers a family secret, a secret that could destroy the only family she has left, she uses her skills as a genealogist to track down the truth. A truth she may or may not want to truly discover. She would do anything to protect her family, even if it means it costs her her peaceful life. 

A little birdie told me about this great new book by debut author Beth Farrar. Intrigued by the premise and my love of genealogy, I eagerly bought the book. WOW! was the word that crossed my mind as I closed the book. From the opening pages, it was a hard book to put down. Ms. Farrar wrote a gripping story of family, loss, grief and finding the strength to live again. My heart broke for Ellie as her story is revealed. I truly hated Diane and her cutthroat tactics. I enjoyed the cast of characters who support and protect Ellie. The truth behind the family secret was great and intriguing. It left me smiling and crying at the great heartwarming moments. I eagerly wait for the second book in the series, Family Mistakes. If you love a deeply moving story, I highly recommend Family Secrets. 

Family Secrets is available in paperback and eBook

No More Words: dark family secrets, haunting memories and a path to the truth

No More Words is the first book in the No More Words series by Kerry Lonsdale. Fourteen years ago, Olivia Carson’s younger sister, Lily, ran away. Forced to choose between abortion or adoption, she ran, never to return. But once a year, Lily sends Olivia a letter and a picture of her son, Josh. Until one day Josh himself appears on Olivia’s doorstep. He’s alone and terrified. An accident has left Josh with language difficulties that makes it difficult for him to communicate. But as a prolific artist, Olivia discovers he can “speak” through his art. As she tries to decipher what happened to Lily, doors that have been long shut on the past have been opening. Each step brings her closer to the truth and threatens everything she thought she knew about her family. 

Kerry Lonsdale is known for deeply emotional dramas with no easy path to move forward. No More Words is a drama filled with family secrets and suspense. From the opening chapter, this story grabs hold of the reader and takes them on a roller coaster of the past, present and secrets that could threaten everything including one’s own life. Olivia is a deeply wounded woman who is haunted by the events surrounding her sister’s disappearance. Secrets, lies, and manipulation twist this story that Olivia doesn’t know who to trust. She knows one thing for sure, Lily is in danger and she needs to find her fast! No More Words is filled with twists and turns that don't let up until the very end. I look forward to reading the rest of the series. I highly recommend No More Words! 

No More Words is available in paperback, eBook, and audiobook

The Brighter the Light: family secrets and discovery of inner strength

The Brighter the Light by Mary Ellen Taylor is a dual-timeline story of one woman’s journey to discover the stories hidden in her family’s past. Legends say when a shipwreck surfaces, old secrets are discovered. It seems to be true in Ivy Neale’s hometown of Nags Head, North Carolina. When she inherits her family’s beachfront cottage after her grandmother Ruth’s death, she’s prepared to face Dani, her best friend, and Matthew, her boyfriend, that she left behind twelve years ago. As Ivy begins to shift through her grandmother’s belongings, a winter gale uncovers the shipwreck of the Liberty T. Mitchell. A strange series of events as Ivy finds clues to the family secrets so long held in silence. One particular secret brings forth the fateful events of the summer of 1950 as twelve year old Ruth experiences a summer that will change her life forever. Will the truth finally be revealed? Will Ivy discover a strength she didn’t know she had to make her home by the sea? 

I chose this book as my Amazon Reads title. I was dazzled by the beautiful cover and intrigued by the story description. The Brighter the Light is an emotional family drama with secrets galore along the North Carolina shore. Ivy is a young woman who desperately wanted to leave Nags Head at 18 and did. She never looked back until her grandmother’s funeral. Now she must deal with Ruth’s packed cottage. What she sees as useless junk appears to have deeper meanings as she finds connections to the summer of 1950. She also discovers aspects about her grandmother that she never knew and a strength she didn’t know she had. I enjoyed The Brighter the Light as I could not put it down. I enjoyed the added mysterious air of the shipwreck appearance. This book is my first by Ms. Taylor and I look forward to reading more of her books. If you enjoy family secrets and discovery of inner strength, I recommend The Brighter the Light. 

The Brighter the Light is available in paperback, eBook, and audiobook

The Bodyguard: hilarious rom-com with heart and soul

The Bodyguard by Katherine Center is a rom-com story of reversed roles, family secrets and finding love. Hannah Brooks doesn’t look like your typical bodyguard. At 5 foot 3, she easily looks more like a lovable kindergarten teacher than somebody who could body slam someone to the ground. But she can. She is an Executive Protection Agent, aka a bodyguard. She’s put in charge of the protection detail for Jack Stapleton, a superstar actor with a strange stalker. Jack is a household name despite being out of the spotlight for a few years. He is forced home to his family’s Texas ranch when his mom gets sick. However, he doesn’t want his family to know about the stalker or his protection detail. So to explain Hannah’s presence? She’s his girlfriend. No one thinks it’s believable, especially Hannah. But she goes along with it, telling herself it’s just another job. However, the more she spends time with Jack and his family, the more she wants it to be real. What could possibly go wrong? 

What a story! I love Katherine Center! She writes heartfelt stories with feelings, struggles and plenty of humor. The Bodyguard delivers on all fronts! I laughed. I cried. I grinned ear to ear! The story kept me on my toes with twists and turns that kept me guessing. Even the epilogue at the end had a few twists of its own. I related to Hannah quite a bit. She was an ordinary woman with no remarkable beauty, easily faded into the background. A plus for her job, not so much for her personal life. Until the right man comes along and shows her that she’s more than just ordinary. Jack was also a great character. The handsome superstar who has a downhome soul. I enjoyed the supporting characters as well, even the jerks we love to hate and cheer when they get their comeuppance. Overall, I highly enjoyed The Bodyguard. It’s the first book in the longest time that made me laugh, cry, and grin. I highly recommend The Bodyguard! 

The Bodyguard is available July 19, 2022 in hardcover, eBook, and audiobook

Everything We Give: family secrets, closure and moving forward

Everything We Give is the third and final book in the Everything series by Kerry Lonsdale. Award winning photographer Ian Collins seemingly has it all. National recognition for his work, his loving wife, Aimee, and their adorable daughter, Caty. Only two dreams elude him: a feature in National Geographic and finding his mother. He made one mistake in life that cost his mother her freedom and destroyed what family he had. Now he is estranged from his father and his mother has been living off the grid for decades. When his dream assignment appears to be coming true, his wife’s ex-fiancé, James, reappears in their lives with a message for Ian and leaves, putting a strain on their marriage. Ian is faced with a decision: which dream to chase after? Does he go after his ultimate dream with National Geographic or does he pick up his search for his mom? 

The first two books in this series were excellent with suspense, mystery and secrets. I was eager to finish the series. Everything We Give was good but did not have the same emotional impact as the first two books. I found the constant fighting and making up cycle with Ian and Aimee annoying. Especially when they seem to be fighting about the same thing over and over again. I also didn’t like the constant shifting topics in their conversations. They would be having a normal conversation and suddenly their fighting over a comment made. It was distracting. I also did not care for Aimee in this story. She seemed to be at odds with not only Ian but also her friends. She saw betrayals in everyone’s actions but couldn’t see her own. Overall, Everything We Give was a nice closure to Aimee and Ian’s journeys. I recommend Everything We Give and recommend The Everything series as a whole. 

Everything We Give is available in paperback, eBook, and audiobook

Book 1: Everything We Keep is available in paperback, eBook, and audiobook

Book 2: Everything We Leave Behind is available in paperback, eBook, and audiobook

The Memory Collectors: an intriguing premise but emotionally draining story

The Memory Collectors by Kim Neville is the story of two women. Evelyn “Ev” has a mysterious ability, one she views as more as a curse than a gift. She can feel the emotions, good and bad, left behind on objects. She believes that she must handle them very carefully otherwise she will be affected by the emotions or “stains.” The harmless objects she sells at Vancouver’s Chinatown Night Market to scrape together a living. On the other side of town, Harriet hoards thousands of “treasures” and it is starting to make her neighbors sick as the emotions attached to these objects are overpowering and seeping through the walls. From the moment they meet, Harriet knows that Ev is the only person who can help her make something safe and spectacular for her collection. As they fear the dark effects of these objects have on them, together they help each other develop and control their gift. Soon it becomes apparent that there is another with their dangerous gift, the events surrounding this person will drag them all down a path that destroyed Ev’s family many years ago and threatens to destroy what little family she has left. 

I was intrigued by The Memory Collectors as it was advertised as “Perfect for fans of The Scent Keeper” which I loved. It was a story of two women haunted by their past, buried secrets, both figuratively and literally, and bound together by a shared ability and the power to change each other’s lives for better or for worse. However, the Memory Collectors does not stand up with The Scent Keeper. The story wasn’t bad but I wasn’t wowed by it. It had a unique premise that these hoarders and trash collectors are simply hiding a secret ability in which they feel the history in an object. There was too much description with not enough character development or action until the very end and by then it felt rushed. It is an emotionally draining book. I struggled to finish it as the story moved along in a slow and moody pace. I think with the right reader, this book would be magical and inspirational. Unfortunately, for me, it fell short. I liked the idea that objects have a record of their history attached to them and there are people who can feel that history. If you are intrigued by the premise, I recommend giving it a try. 

The Memory Collectors is available in paperback, eBook and audiobook. 

Harbored Secrets: when family secrets are revealed

Harbored Secrets by Marie F. Martin is a story of family secrets on the Montana plains. Blanche “Blinny” Platt’s life has been one filled with longings, loss and betrayal. Losing her mother and newborn baby brother in a tragic house fire, Blinny heard the whispers and gossip but didn’t think of anything about her grief and taking care of her younger sister, Odette, as the family strives to rebuild their home. As the years pass and family members pass away, Blinny is finally compelled to buy her own land and build the house she always wanted. As she builds her house, she finds moments to reflect on her life since her mother’s death and the secrets revealed to her, only to find out there are still more secrets waiting to be revealed. Her sister, Odette, lives in a psychiatric home, has been begging to see her, to talk to her, and Blinny hesitates. Will Blinny see Odette? Will she hear her sister out and discover the final secret and the reasons why the family fractured long before the fire? 

Harbored Secrets is filled with descriptions. The imagery of the Montana plains and mountains are so vivid that it was easy to picture the landscape. Other descriptions left me shocked and wondering if I really read what I thought I did. It is a story of family drama, secrets, half truths and lies which affects the Platt family through the generations. As I read the book, I wasn’t sure what type of book it was trying to be. Was it a psychological thriller? Was it a family drama? I didn’t care for any of the characters. Blinny, as a child, was hard to understand and the hardened older woman she becomes is more understandable by the end as the secrets are revealed. I ended the book with the feeling of “Oh my god! What did I just read!?!” It wasn’t a bad book, it just wasn’t what I expected. I’ve read psychological thrillers before and Harbored Secrets fell short. I would say it is a multi-generational family drama. I liked it but I find it hard to recommend it. 

Harbored Secrets is available in paperback and eBook. 

The Kindest Lie: when moving forward means confronting the past

The Kindest Lie by Nancy Johnson is the story of the past and a lie told to protect interferes with the present. The story opens on Election Night 2008 and Barack Obama has just been elected the new president of the United States, As his coming inauguration brings the promise of new hope for the future, Ruth Tuttle Shaw, an Ivy-League Black engineer, seemingly has it all, a successful career, a kind and successful husband, Xavier. Xavier is eager to start a family but Ruth is uncertain. She has never forgotten the baby she gave birth to at 17. She was forced to leave him behind to attend college. She promised her grandmother, the woman who raised her and she called Mama, that she would never look back. Ruth realizes that to move forward, she must make peace with the past. She returns home to the Indiana factory town where she finds the town plagued by unemployment, racism and despair. As she begins her search into the past, she befriends a young boy, Patrick aka “Midnight.” Midnight is a young white boy who desperately wants a place to belong. As Ruth begins to follow the clues to uncover the secrets surrounding her baby boy, secrets her family is desperate to leave in the past, an incident occurs which adds fuel to the town’s racial tensions. Can Ruth discover the truth? Will the truth upend the lives of all involved? 

The Kindest Lie is a powerful and revealing look into the divide between Black and White communities. Even with the election of the first Black president, many Black residents of the town were skeptical that things would change. The book is also an unwavering look of motherhood in contemporary America and the search for the American Dream. Ruth is a woman who is caught between two worlds. She doesn’t seem to belong among those she grew up with in the small town but she also seems lost in the world of the big city. As she digs into the past, she discovers more about her grandparents, her absent mother and the desire for her to become more than just a statistic in their small town. It is a story of the complicated and messy aspects of love. It is a story of how small lies can grow into bigger lies, “a lifetime of doing wrong for the right reasons. A lifetime of lies that started small, like a nick in the windshield, then eventually shattered the glass.” It is a story of the realization that there are no perfect mothers, just perfectly flawed ones who do what they can in the moment and pray it all works out. I highly recommend The Kindest Lie. It is a powerful, heartbreaking look into the lives of Americans. Black, white, poor, successful and everyone in between, we are all searching for the same things: a place to belong, a family to love and a better future than the struggles of the past. 

The Kindest Lie is available in hardcover, paperback, eBook and audiobook. 

The Day She Came Back: when your world turns upside down

The Day She Came Back is the newest book by Amanda Prowse. One hot August day, life began as normal for Victoria. She and her friend, Daksha “Daks” Joshi were going shopping and her gran, Primrose “Prim” was enjoying her tea and asking the girls to bring home some baklava. Unfortunately, it all ends tragically when she comes home and finds that Prim had died. Suddenly, Victoria’s world is turned topsy turvy and upside down. With the help of her friends and her grandmother’s friends, she gets through the first few weeks. But on the day of the funeral and mysterious woman comes and announces that she is her mother, a mother she lost had died from a drug overdose when she was a baby. At first, Victoria refuses to entertain such an idea but what if she is telling the truth? Why would Prim lie to her all those years? Angry, grieving, and shocked, Victoria struggles to trust anyone that she begins a downward spiral. Can anyone help her now? Once she learns the full story, can she trust anyone again?

The Day She Came Back is filled with very real and raw emotions from grief to shock and anger. I would expect nothing else from Ms. Prowse as her stories are very real and relatable. Imagine a day when you realize that everything you knew in life, everything you trusted, was a lie. It is heartbreaking and soul crushing and yet you must find a way back to a place of security and trust. Could you do it? When you find yourself at rock bottom, do you stay there or find a way to pull yourself back up? This is that story. Victoria must learn to find her security again, to come to terms with the life she knew with Prim and the lies she told. Although, it is not among my favorites of her books, I did enjoy it as Victoria, a young girl on the brink of adulthood is suddenly thrust into a big, cold world without a clue which way to turn. While I didn’t agree with Prim’s decision to lie to Victoria about her mother, but I understand her motivation. I highly recommend The Day She Came Back.

The Day She Came Back

is available in paperback, eBook and audiobook

How to Walk Away: a beautiful story of how to leave one life behind and begin a new one

How to Walk Away by Katherine Center is the story of one woman’s journey from one life to another. Margaret’s life had been plagued with the fear to fly. Her boyfriend, Chip, had earned his pilot license and to celebrate, much to Margaret’s dismay, he decides to take her for a flight. During the flight, Chip proposes, she accepts, then tragedy happens. The plane crashes and Margaret is left horrible injured. As Margaret spends months in the hospital recovery, her estranged sister, Kitty, reenters her life to support her. During her stay, Margaret learns of deep secrets which were kept from her and threatens to tear apart her family. Meanwhile, she is assigned to a surly physical therapist, named Ian, who’s sour demeanor hides a a deep hurt. Will Margaret fully recover? How will she accept the information she learns about her family’s past? And how will she look to the future?

I enjoyed How to Walk Away a lot more than I thought I would. I requested to read this book based on the brief description which I can say didn’t do the story justice. It was so much more than the description gives it credit. It was deeply emotional, dramatic, inspirational and proof that sometimes life has to give you a tragedy to open your eyes to its beauty and a life so much more than you had planned. I highly recommend How to Walk Away.

How to Walk Away

is available in hardcover and eBook

Refuge on Crescent Hill: where the truth will set you free

Refuge on Crescent Hill by Melanie Dobson is a story of family secrets and one woman’s journey home. Camden Bristow was a photographer who traveled the world taking photos of amazing sights and documenting tragic events. Until one day when the calls for her work stopped. Left destitute, her only option is return to her grandmother’s home on Crescent Hill. As she heads there, she has no idea what awaits her or what secrets will be revealed once she gets there. Alex Yates is the charge of the economic development for the same town of Etherton but every one of his ideas has been shot down by the city council and he is desperate for the next idea. Alex is running from his own past and a secret he’s desperate to keep hidden. Stephanie Ellison-Carter is a student writing a research paper about the Ellison family. She learns that her family had some jewels stolen and the theft could be linked to the disappearance of one of the Ellison’s slaves. As their journeys began to merge, their own personal secrets will be revealed. Will Camden finally find a home? Is there someone who is trying to sabotage Alex’s attempts to boost the town? How are Camden, Alex and Stephanie linked to the Crescent Hill?

I thoroughly enjoyed Refuge on Crescent Hill. Having read Ms. Dobson’s books before, I was eager to dive into this one and it did not disappoint. From the opening page to the closing epilogue, the story is driven family secrets, evil plots and twists and turns of a great mystery. I enjoyed all the characters, even the villains fit well especially the ones you wouldn’t suspect. When the connection between the three characters are revealed, it is an emotional moment for the characters as well for the reader. It reminds you that we might be strangers but our family pasts may be connection through an amazing story of strength, courage and bravery.  Even though I wanted to strangle Camden at times for being an idiot, I cheered for her by the end. I highly recommend Refuge on Crescent Hill. 

Refuge on Crescent Hill

is available in paperback and eBook

Catching the Wind: a story of promises kept despite the years past

Catching the Wind by Melanie Dobson is a story of one man’s determination to find his childhood friend and fulfill a promise. The story opens in Germany July 1940 where Dietmar Roth, 13, is playing with his friend, Brigitte, when men come to take him away. At his mother’s urging, Dietmar and Brigitte run. Fast forward to 2017, Quenby Vaughn is a reporter for the World News Syndicate where she is on the story of Lady Ricker and the rumor that she help spy on the Britain for the Nazis. She gets a call from Lucas Hough, a lawyer for wealthy businessman, Daniel Knight. They have a job proposition for her. Mr. Knight is Dietmar who changed his name when he arrived in England in October 1940. He and Brigitte were separated after their arrival in England and he has been searching for her ever since. As Quenby begins her search, she learns about their dangerous journey from Germany to England. She also learns that Brigitte’s story may be tied to Lady Ricker’s activities during the war. As she gets closer to find Brigitte, Quenby gets the sense that something or someone is trying to stop her. Will she be able to find Brigitte and reunite the two friends? Will she discover the secrets hidden for 70 years?

Catching the Wind is a beautiful story of a lifelong search, of promises kept intertwined with the dark days of World War II. It is a story of redemption and the truth about a family’s past. It was filled with twists and turns, surprise after surprise. I read this book over the course of two days. I could not put it down. I sat on the edge of my seat as I turned the pages eager to see if Quenby would find Brigitte and renuite her with Daniel. I highly, highly recommend Catching the Wind!

Catching the Wind

is available all major booksellers

in paperback and eBook