The Color of Joy: a newborn goes missing from the hospital and a man struggles with his past

The Color of Joy is the eighth book in The Color of Heaven series by Julianne MacLean. The birth of their third child should have been one of the joyful days of their lives. However, after hours of labor, Lois James is taken into an emergency c-section and her husband, Riley, is left worried about his wife and child’s condition. Once Lois is in recovery, Riley begins to relax until the hospital informs them that their newborn daughter has disappeared from the hospital. Riley can’t help but feel the situation is payback for his troubled past. As the search intensifies and the police investigate, some strange and mysterious clues come to light and Riley struggles to believe that the clues are anything but hallucinations. However, when the clues lead to a turn of events, Riley realizes he must change everything he believes about life, love and miracles.  

The Color of Joy is a story that places the reader in the middle of the action at full speed and does not let up until the end. The story has great twists and turns. Emotional moments and struggles. There was one moment in which Riley turns to a solution that he avoided in the past and as I read, I begged him not to do it. I held my breath as he struggled. Overall, I enjoyed this story and I can’t wait to finish the rest of this series. What I like about this series is that you do not need to read these stories in order; however, I highly recommend that you do. The Color of Joy is such an emotional story and will leave readers on the edge of their seats until the very end.  I highly, highly recommend The Color of Joy. 

The Color of Joy is available in paperback, eBook and audiobook

The Color of Love: the strength love can gives us to survive and thrive

The Color of Love is the sixth book in The Color of Heaven series by Julianne MacLean. Carla Matthews is a single mother who struggles to give her daughter, Kaleigh, the life she deserves. When Seth, Kaleigh’s absent father, begs for a second chance at being her father, Carla is hesitant. She will always wonder if he will leave them again for his first love: being an alpine climber and the next mountain to conquer. When Seth’s plane goes down in the harsh Canadian wilderness, Carla is left wondering if he is alive or dead. Will they ever know what happened to the plane? One year later, a man is found, half dead, floating on an iceberg in the North Atlantic. He has Seth’s wallet and journal on him, could he truly be him? How did he survive? Does Carla dare hope he could be the man she always dreamed he could be? 

The Color of Heaven series has been a whirlwind of questions and hopes against hope and The Color of Love is no different. After meeting Carla in the previous book, we get her story as she struggles as a single mom with a man who never truly wanted to settle down. When the calls come in that first, Seth is missing after a plane crash and second, he has been found, she is hit with emotions she wasn’t prepared for. The Color of Love is a story of survival, both at home and in the wilderness, and how love can give us the strength to keep going. I thoroughly enjoyed this story as it has deep emotions with a few twists and turns. This series continues to be a great look into the crazy adventures that we can experience in life and the tough questions with no easy answers. I highly recommend The Color of Love. 

The Color of Love is available in paperback, eBook and audiobook

Find Me in California: the many sides of love and family, secrets and destiny

Find Me in California by Kerry Lonsdale is a novel about chance meetings, buried secrets and the many sides of love and family. Julie Hope has never been without love as she was raised by her passionate and free-spirited grandmother, Ruby Rose. Now her grandmother suffers from dementia and lives in an assisted living center as she is in her final days. Julia struggles with the idea of being alone. A thousand miles away in New Mexico, Matt Gatlin has successfully avoided his coldhearted grandmother, Liza Holloway. However, she needs him now. Still filled with resentments, Matt heads to California. Over six days, Julia and Matt’s fates intertwine as they discover an old diary exposes a long-lost love tragedy and long buried secrets come to light. Julia and Matt soon realize that sometimes life can be both heartbreaking and heartwarming, mysterious and beautiful as destiny brings people together. 

Kerry Lonsdale is an author who delves into the darker stories of life, love and family. When I got the opportunity to read Find Me in California, I jumped at the chance. While the story started off interesting; however, it quickly fell into confusion. I had a hard time connecting with the characters especially Ruby Rose and Liza and their stories. The pacing was choppy with weird moments that had me confused and took me out of the story. Ms. Lonsdale is known for stories with elements of magical realism and usually it is a great addition to the story. However, in Find Me in California, the magical realism didn’t work for me. Overall, I did not enjoy this story. However, if you are a fan of Kerry Lonsdale, I recommend reading Find Me in California. It may speak to you in ways it did not speak to me.  

Find Me in California is available in paperback, eBook and audiobook

Perfect Imperfections: finding love among the struggles of life and uncertainties

Perfect Imperfections by Mariah Ankenman is a story of finding love among the struggles of life and uncertainties. Ellie Clark deals with anxiety steaming from her OCD compulsions which makes forming relationships difficult. As one of the head aviary keepers at the Sunlight Zoo, she enjoys spending her life around the birds who don’t judge her idiosyncrasies. Her life is about to change in ways she never imagined one fateful day as she makes the split second decision to rescue a child who falls into the penguin pool. In the aftermath, she finds an unusual bond with Charlotte, the young girl, and an attraction to her handsome father, Sullivan. Dr Sullivan Green has focused his life on his medical practice and raising his daughter since his ex-wife left them both. He is taken by surprise at the yearning he feels when near Ellie. As they began to spend time together, the attraction between them built until passion ignited. However, when the ugliness of their lives interfere, they must find the courage to take a risk on love. 

Perfect Imperfections is the type of story that takes you by surprise. When I started the book, I was intrigued as the story jumps into the event which brings them together. It started to slow down a bit and I wondered if I even wanted to continue. But I did and I am so glad I did. It speeds up once Ellie and Sullivan acknowledge their feelings. Once it did, the book was hard to put down. I enjoyed all the characters from Ellie, Sullivan and Charlotte to the supporting characters of Cam, Ellie’s best friend, and Gavin, Sullivan’s younger brother. The story was so sweet and oh so emotional. There were multiple scenes that I cried as I read. I cried sad tears. My heart broke with the characters as they deal with the ugliness of life. I cried happy tears and I closed the book with a smile. The banter was great and made me laugh and smile. The heartfelt moments made my heart melt. The depiction of mental health, especially OCD, was eye opening. I highly, highly recommend Perfect Imperfections. 

Perfect Imperfections is available in paperback and eBook

Five Winters: the twists and turns of life and the search for love and motherhood

Five Winters by Kitty Johnson is a story about motherhood, friendships and love. When she lost her parents in a car accident when she was 9, all Beth Bailey ever wanted was to get married and have a family. She always pictured her best friend’s older brother, Mark, as that guy. But now, she is 35 and she is witnessing Mark marry someone else. She realizes that her dream of marriage and a family can still happen, it will just have to be with a different guy. Over the next five years, she experiences unexpected twists and the highs and lows of life and love. Beth still clings to what she knows: family, friendship while learning the meaning of love, the truth about happiness and discovering that dreams sometimes take a different road than we expected. 

I was intrigued by the premise and the eye-catching cover of Five Winters. I also understood and related to the premise of watching your crush fall in love with someone else. However, from the get go, Beth was not relatable. She made odd decisions without much thought. She is passive aggressive at times and immature at others. I didn’t care for any of the supporting characters except Mark’s parents who truly loved and supported Beth like one of their own. The story itself seemed to be all over the place. Was it about finding love? Motherhood? Overall, it was a hard book to get through. I wanted to like this story, I really tried but it was a relief when it ended. It is sad to say that I do not recommend Five Winters. 

Five Winters is available in paperback, eBook and audiobook

The Beauty of Rain: finding new life and purpose after a tragic loss

The Beauty of Rain by Jamie Beck is a story of loss, grief and finding a greater purpose in life. Winning the lottery had changed Amy Walsh’s life but not in the ways we all dream of. After a tragic accident, she struggles to find joy, purpose and a reason to keep living. She vows to never spend a single cent on herself. Kristin DeMarco is Amy’s older sister and worried about her wellbeing. Amy stays with Kristin and her family while she recovers. However, the arrangement leads to trouble as her attention is divided leaving less time for her career, her husband, and her kids. As Amy decides it is time to live on her own, Kristin worries about their futures. Can Kristin learn that her time with her family is her most valuable asset? Can they learn that with life’s unpredictability, the importance of love, resilience and living in the now? 

The Beauty of Rain is an emotionally powerful story of two sisters who must learn the beauty in the tragic moments and painful truths about life, love and family. I highly anticipated this story as I have heard Ms Beck speak about her inspiration. Told between Amy and Kristin’s alternating points of view, the story exposes the struggles and the pains they try to hide. With relatable faults, flaws and admirable qualities, every character felt real and their pain hits home. I recommend bringing tissues. There are moments I teared up and there are moments I openly cried. As I closed the final chapter, there was a smile through the tears. The Beauty of Rain reminded me of a 1990s song that I won’t reveal as it could give hints to the ending of the story and I hate to spoil it for future readers. I highly, highly recommend The Beauty of Rain. 

The Beauty of Rain is available in paperback, eBook, and audiobook

Hello Stranger: a story of life, love and strength

Hello Stranger by Katherine Center is the story of life, love and strength. Sadie Montgomery was on cloud nine. After being selected as a finalist for the North American Portrait Society’s competition, she knows this is her ticket to success. However, it is thrown into question in a single moment as she wakes up in the hospital and needs a simple, yet simple surgery. After being pressured to get the surgery, sooner rather than later, she wakes up with a “temporary” condition known as face blindness. Each face she sees is a puzzle of jumbled features. Sadie is determined to win the contest and she works to overcome her condition. Added to the stress of the competition is family drama, her sick dog and possible romances with two different men. Will her face blindness truly be temporary? Could everything else come into focus as well? 

Hello Stranger is a wonderful story of overcoming one’s disabilities and finding the life you always wanted, even if it’s not the road you thought you had to take. While I was expecting a different type of story, I was enthralled by Sadie’s experiences and her determination to not let her condition hold her back. A mix of humor, family drama, and romance, Hello Stranger reminded me of Ms Center’s 2018 novel How to Walk Away. I cheered for Sadie as she finally found the courage to speak up and declare “no more” and live the life she wants. There are a few pleasant surprises as the story winds down that are heartwarming and will leave readers smiling as they close the final pages. Readers can’t go wrong with a Katherine Center story and Hello Stranger is no exception. I highly recommend Hello Stranger! 

Hello Stranger is available in hardcover, eBook, and audiobook

Our Place on the Island: second chances, self-discovery and finding home again

Our Place on the Island by Erika Montgomery is a story of three women finding home and a new future on a familiar island. Many occasions have been celebrated at the Campbell family’s seaside cottage. The beloved matriarch, Cora, is getting remarried and the town gossip whispers that he was the one that got away. Her granddaughter, Michelle “Mickey,” is a renowned chef with a popular, successful restaurant with her boyfriend, Wes. However, she is hiding a secret. She has mismanaged the restaurant into the red. Cora’s wedding gives her an excuse to hide. She comes to the island to regroup and figure out a solution. Mickey’s mother, Hedy, is still mourning the passing of her beloved father and is having a hard time welcoming this new man in her mother’s life. Everyone knows a woman’s heart holds many secrets and Cora is about to reveal a story that will have the three women reevaluating their views on marriage, motherhood and the joys of following one’s heart. 

Two years ago, I read Ms. Montgomery’s debut novel A Summer to Remember and when I was offered a chance to read her newest novel, I took it! Our Place on the Island is a story of second chances, discovering your true passions and finding home again. It is a story that did not disappoint. I thought I had figured it out; however, as the story unfolded, it took a surprising, heartwarming turn. I enjoyed every character. However, my favorite character was Cora. Her words of wisdom and insights were spot on. Word of warning: DO NOT read this book on an empty stomach! Cooking and food is an important aspect as the women bond over food and you will be craving every delicious dish as you read! Even the descriptions of the ingredients made me wish I had them in front of me! Ms. Montgomery describes Cora’s garden so well, I swear I could smell the fresh herbs and produce. I highly recommend Our Place on the Island. 

Our Place on the Island is available in paperback, eBook, and audiobook

A Summer of Surprises: a story of second chances

A Summer of Surprises by Judith Keim is a part of the Seashell Cottage standalone series. Jill Conroy is tricked by her sister, Cristal, into being a housekeeper and cook for the summer at the Seashell Cottage where Greg Campbell and his nephew, Brody, have been hired to do maintenance projects on the property. Jill soon realizes that the time away from her home and the memories of her deceased, emotionally abusive husband is just what she needs. It isn’t long before Jill also realizes she needs to make a new life for herself. She begins her plans and her new future seems to be set. A sudden visit from Cristal, followed by their mother, forces Jill to reveal secrets she has been hiding. Can she close the door on the past for the open opportunity for peace, happiness and even love? 

Families and especially sisters can be complicated. Jill has spent her life in the shadow of her gorgeous sister which leads to an abusive marriage. Even though the tragic death of her husband has physically set her free, Jill is still trapped by her insecurities and familial bonds. The beach is truly healing in A Summer of Surprises as Jill finds a new strength, a new voice and a new purpose. I thoroughly enjoyed Jill and her journey. I cheered for her as she confronted the past and those who allowed her abuse to be such a secret. The Seashell Cottage series are all standalones and they are great stories of life-changing experiences and A Summer of Surprises is a great addition to the series. I highly recommend A Summer of Surprises as well as the Seashell Cottage. 

A Summer of Surprises is available in hardcover, eBook and audiobook 

The Gingerbread Cafe: life, love and hockey

The Gingerbread Cafe is the fifth book in the Hockey Sweethearts series by Jean Oram. Miranda Fairchild has bucked the system. Her family thinks she’s crazy. She bought a failing hockey team in Texas, with it a small bit of fame and she moved to a small town out in the country. But worst of all, she is still single! Miranda has high standards that she feels no man could ever understand her. One day, she walks into The Gingerbread Cafe , hiding her true identity, pretending to be an average woman. Dak, the down-to-earth owner of The Gingerbread Cafe, seems to understand her. He is not only handsome but he knows how to laugh and make her laugh. What Miranda doesn’t know is Dak knows exactly who she is because he is a former NHL player and is trying to work with her team’s charity. As their attraction grows, Dak fears what will happen when she discovers who he really is. Will she be able to put aside her preconceived notions for a chance of a great love? 

While The Gingerbread Cafe is the fifth book to be released in the Hockey Sweethearts series, it is a prequel with events occurring before the events of The Cupcake Cottage, the first book in the series. The Hockey Sweethearts is also a spin off of Ms. Oram’s Sweetheart Creek series. The Gingerbread Cafe is a sweet, clean romance. Miranda is a woman in a man’s world and gets bad press for it. What could a woman possibly know about hockey? Dak is a former NHL player who loves the game but doesn’t really want to play again. Fate together in the sweetest way. Despite Miranda’s misgivings, Dak is perfect for her. Her heart knows it but her head won’t let her put aside her fears. Dak is a man who has learned from his wild rookie days and wants to guide new rookies away from the fast party life he knew so well. Together Dak and Miranda work well, professionally and privately. I loved everything about their love story and I look forward to reading the rest of this series. I highly recommend The Gingerbread Cafe. 

The Gingerbread Cafe will be available in paperback and eBook in November 2023 

The eBook is currently free at bookfunnel.com

Lucky Girl: a fierce and tender story of life, love and family

 Lucky Girl by Irene Muchemi-Ndiritu is a story of one young, sheltered woman who longs for independence must learn about the challenges of race, love and family. To all, Solia is one lucky girl. Raised by her stern, conservative mother and a host of aunts, she lived a protected life in Nairobi, Kenya. Solia is also headstrong, outspoken and rails against the strict rules she must live by. She takes the chance to leave it all beyond by attending Barnard College in New York City. But New York City in the 1990s is not what she expected. Instead of the golden land of opportunity, she finds entitlement, racism and forces her to acknowledge that her Kenyan upbringing has created a different understanding of racism and slavery. When Solia falls in love with a free-spirited artist who her mother would never approve of, she is caught between choosing her Kenyan identity and her family obligations and her own heart. 

Lucky Girl is a fierce and yet tender story about the lives and loves we choose, what it means to be an African immigrant in America and how a young woman finds herself in the world. Reading the beautifully moving words, it was hard to believe that Lucky Girl is the debut novel of Ms. Muchemi-Ndiritu. It is a thought provoking story about life, love and our interactions with each other. Lucky Girl shows that we can learn from each other as our different perspectives can add a new piece to the overall picture of life. I devoured this book as I could not put it down. Solia’s story drew me in and I learned with her and experienced from her eyewitness experiences of life in New York City. I enjoyed watching Solia grow from a sheltered young woman to a woman with a deeper understanding of the complexities of the world around us. I highly recommend Lucky Girl. 

Lucky Girl is available in paperback, eBook, and audiobook

Wild Women and the Blues: survival, life, love and forgiveness

Wild Women and the Blues by Denny S. Bryce is a story of survival, forgiveness, life and love with all its joys and sadness, its ups and downs. In 1925, Chicago was the jazz capital of the world and the Dreamland Cafe was the club to see and be seen. Nineteen year old Honoree Daclour was a sharecropper’s daughter, no stranger to hard work, and was willing to dance her way to the top. The Dreamland offered a path to the good life and socializing with the celebrities of the day. However, Chicago is also home to bootleg whiskey, gambling and gangsters. In 2015, Sawyer Hayes was a film student desperate to interview the 110-year old Honoree. All his hope is resting with the frail but formidable woman. She is the only living link to help fill in the gaps in his research. Little does he know that she’ll fill in a lot more blanks than he expects. 

With its gorgeous cover and interesting premise, I was eager to read Wild Women and the Blues. It is the debut novel for Ms. Bryce who wrote a stirring story of the vibrant Chicago during the Jazz Age. Both desperate to find a better life and at the same time, desperate to keep their secrets. As Honoree reveals her story and her secrets, Sawyer finds healing in confronting his past and revealing secrets can close wounds. The story was moving with twists and turns as well as a great history lesson into the Jazz Age. I knew of Louis Armstrong; however I had never heard of his wife, Lil Hardin Armstrong. Or the great Oscar Micheaux, the US’s first major Black filmmaker, whose work countered the negative on screen portrayals of blacks at the time. Wild Women and the Blues is a mix of fiction and history lesson. I highly recommend Wild Women and the Blues!

Wild Women and the Blues is available in paperback, eBook, and audiobook

Hopeful Cowboy: a second chance at life and at love

Hopeful Cowboy by Elana Johnson is the first book in the Hope Eternal Ranch Romance series. Nathaniel Mulbury is paying for a major mistake as he is in prison for an embezzlement scheme. With his release date in sight, he just needs to stay on his best behavior. However, he finds himself in a new role as a single father when his brother is killed in an accident and his son is left in Nate’s care. He is given an early release to the Hope Eternal Ranch, a work parole ranch, run by Ginger Talbot. Ginger has dealt with men like Nate before but she’s been burned before. She’s determined to not risk losing the ranch or her heart. She notices there is something different about Nate but can she risk her heart again? 

Hopeful Cowboy is a sweet story of life, love and second chances. Nate is a man who owns up to his mistakes and doing what he can to make it right. When he gains custody of his nephew, he steps it up and makes sure he is the one to take that role. I loved Nate’s commitment to live up to the role he was entrusted with. I enjoyed Ginger as she tries to protect her heart but finds herself drawn to Nate. I also enjoyed the many supportive characters and look forward to their possible stories in the future. There was a sweet romance between Nate and Ginger. There was drama and forgiveness. Overall, I enjoyed Hopeful Cowboy and I look forward to the rest of the series. I recommend Hopeful Cowboy. 

Hopeful Cowboy is available in paperback, eBook, and audiobook. 

A Colorful Life: friendship, love and finding strength in life's twists and turns

A Colorful Life by Melissa Storm is a story of friendship, love, adventure and finding the strength to move forward. Life has been one disappointment after another for Daly English. She locks herself in her art studio, focusing on her art school portfolio rather than dealing with the hurt. However, fate is going to give her no choice but to face them. Three separate times, she comes face to face with a handsome stranger, Akash “Kashi” Malhorta, refuses to walk away from Daly and forces her to face the losses she has had and open herself to love and trust again. Their whirlwind romance takes them from her drab Midwest hometown to the bold and colorful country of India. Will Daly continue to live in the background of life? Will her journey teach her to live and love despite life’s disappointments and tragedies? 

A Colorful Life was a hard book to read. Daly was a hard character to like. While I sympathized with her grief and struggles, I felt she was very childish in many aspects even toward the end. The story itself seemed to be lacking something. The conflicts were too quick. At one point, as Kashi and Daly are flying to India, he reveals that he isn’t going to introduce her as his girlfriend and, of course, Daly is upset; however, she accepts this condition too quickly. Yes, they were already halfway around the world but to say “I don’t like it but ok” was just odd to me. Overall, it was a hard book to enjoy. There was so much going on and at the same time nothing really. It wasn’t a bad story, it just wasn’t the book I was expecting. 

A Colorful Life is available in paperback and eBook

Adulting: a story of facing your demons for a second chance at life

Adulting by Liz Talley is a story about starting over and how it is never too late to get your life back on track. Self-destructive actress Chase London had one too many all-night benders, too many failed rehabs and a parole violation. Written off as a has-been, she is given one last chance...if Chase is willing. Olivia Han is a life coach who is devoted to Square One, her “adulting” boot camp therapy program. She decides to take Chase far away from the prying eyes of Hollywood and focus on her treatment. Together they travel to Olivia’s Northern California cabin where they discover it needs as much TLC as Chase does. As they work together to rehab the cabin, Chase discovers a safe place to come to her terms with her troubled past and face the demons she has been running from. At the same time, Olivia finds herself coming to terms with her own demons as she helps Chase learn the life skills she never had. 

Adulting is a story about life. The ups and downs. The great times and the darkest secrets that shape us. The book does come with a disclaimer that the story deals with substance abuse, depression, suicide, sexual abuse and rape. However, I don’t want the disclaimer to dissuade any readers from this story because it is a great story. Ms. Talley wonderfully deals with these subjects with seriousness and tenderness. Adulting is a story of second chances in life, love, and friendship. There are great moments of emotional revelation. Romantic moments that will make you sigh and smile with the occasional “Oh my!” There are even a few laugh out loud moments such as the stupid mistakes we make as we learn to do our own laundry and wash the dishes. There are many wonderful characters that help Chase and Olivia find the healing they truly needed. I wanted to reach through the book and give these women a big hug. This book exceeded my expectations. I highly recommend Adulting! 

Adulting is available in paperback, eBook and audiobook. 

Single Black Female: an edgy, hard hitting story about the lives of four women

Single Black Female by Tracy Brown is the story of four women who must face life’s struggles as women, mothers, wives and what it means to be Black in America. Ivy Donovan is a successful stylist and entrepreneur who has raised her two sons after their father, Michael, was sentenced to prison. After years of loneliness, her loyalty to Michael has wavered and she is desperate to have more to her life than what she has. Cara “Coco” Norris is successful and single but something is lacking. Deja Maddox is a successful real estate agent, married to Bobby, a sergeant with the NYPD. It seems that they have made it. But everything isn’t what it seems in their high polished life. Nikki Diamond is an intelligent, self-made businesswoman and social media influencer with millions of adoring fans. She lives loud and large with no regrets and feels the ladies around her need to let loose. She is certainly willing to help them. However, they soon must face the ultimate test as one of their own gets caught up in a situation that polarizes a neighborhood and a community. Where will they stand? Who will they fight for? 

From the opening chapter, Tracy Brown’s story promises to be an edgy, no holds bar, hard hitting, and a reality gut check.. And wow, does she deliver! Yes, it is about four friends who struggle with “the dramatic twists and turns of life, love and what it means to “make it” in America”. However, she offers an in depth, brutally honest look into a life and a reality that I have never experienced and will never truly understand. These women find themselves in the Catch-22 of trying to better yourself and staying true to your roots and your neighborhood. Single Black Female holds nothing back as it highlights the nuances in the Black community as they live, love and face the joy and pain of being a Black woman. Ms. Brown writes a story that smolders with a hidden fire you know is there but you pretend it’s not. You wait as the flames get higher and higher until you can’t ignore it any longer. It is not light reading but I thoroughly enjoyed it as I hung on every word, turning each page as I couldn’t wait to see how it ended. I highly recommend Single Black Female. 

Single Black Female is available in paperback, eBook, and audiobook. 

A Different Kind of Life: one girl's journey through the twists and turns of life

A Different Kind of Life by Pamela Holloway is a story of adversity and the strength and courage to fight on and live. In 1982, eight year old Fiona’s beloved father dies and with her mother wheelchair bound, she is forced to look after her younger sibling. She fights to hold the family together even after the unpleasant Mr. Lennard gradually moves in their home and their lives. After a devastating circumstance forces Fiona to leave her family behind and strike it out on her own to face an uncertain future. To Fiona, anything was better than what she left behind. As she copes with the loss of her family and the uncertainty of her future, her loyalties, her courage and her ability to pursue her artistic talent. Will she find the peace and fulfillment she desperately wants? 

After reading an interview with Ms. Holloway, I was curious about her books. I chose A Different Kind of Life. The story intrigued me. The opening chapter set the tone that life would not be easy for Fiona and her life after her father’s death was definitely difficult. I was scared and concerned for Fiona in those early chapters and when she was forced to leave her family behind, she had no plan. Her story after she leaves is when the story took a turn for me. Everything seemed to fall easily in her lap after that. I felt no connection to Fiona for the rest of the story. The story’s timeline was hard to follow as years will pass in a matter of paragraphs with very little indication. This book is hard to recommend. I didn’t hate it but I didn’t love it either. 

A Different Kind of Life is available in paperback and eBook. 

The Memory of Butterflies: life and it's difficult choices

The Memory of Butterflies by Grace Greene is a moving story of family, secrets and forgiveness. To keep the family secrets hidden, a young mother lies, but when her secrets are forced to be revealed, it could end up destroying everything and everyone she loves. Hannah Cooper’s daughter, Ellen, is leaving for college soon. The change is bittersweet as she desires her daughter to have the opportunities she was forced to give up but she also isn’t eager for life alone. As Ellen prepares for her senior year and college, Hannah rebuilds the family home that was destroyed in a fire and returns to her roots in Cooper’s Hollow along the beautiful and rustic Cub Creek in Virginia. With the help of her longtime friend, Roger Westray, Hannah begins shifting through the ashes. Soon the secrets she fought hard to keep hidden rise from the ashes and when one rumor circulates, Hannah is forced to reveal her secrets. Can they survive the earth shattering truth? 

Once again, Grace Greene writes a story with a tough subject with realism and heart. There is no clear heroine or villain. Sometimes with life’s choices, there are no winners or losers. You feel for Hannah as she is faced with difficult choices as a young woman and now as a mother who raised her daughter alone. It's easy to see the “should have done” choices but what would you have done in Hannah’s shoes? As one character points out, “Life doesn’t always lend itself to clear, easy choices.” There is one particular scene near the end that had me crying my eyes out as Hannah finally faces the pain she has been pushing aside for so long and the realization that she needs to stop hiding, to stop running and face what may come. The reactions and emotions portrayed by the characters are very realistic. It was a fast read. I finished it in a few hours as I couldn’t put it down. I recommend The Memory of Butterflies. 

The Memory of Butterflies is available in paperback, eBook, and audiobook. 

Sea of Memories: life, love and the memories we carry with us

Sea of Memories by Fiona Valpy is the story about the power of memories, love and second chances. Kendra visits Ella, her ailing grandmother, who has only one request: that Kendra write down her story, before she forgets. Kendra is then taken on a spellbinding journey through her grandmother’s past. In 1937, seventeen-year-old, Ella, is sent to spend the summer on the beautiful Île de Ré. It proves to be the summer that changes her life forever. There she meets the charismatic and creative Christophe. Together with his twin sister, Caroline, they spend the summer exploring the island’s sandy beaches and crystal-clear waters. For the first time in her life, Ella feels truly free. But soon the idyllic summer is overshadowed as war breaks out. Ella is forced to return to Scotland where she volunteers for the war effort alongside the dashing Angus. Will she ever feel the carefreeness of that summer? Or has the horrors of war changed her forever? 

Sea of Memories is a great story of life, love, and the memories we carry with us. Kendra has her own struggles as her son has been diagnosed with autism and the adjustment has put a strain on her marriage. She takes on the task of writing down her grandmother’s story reluctantly as she battles with the decision if her marriage is truly over or was it worth saving? She soon finds herself swept along the waves of her grandmother’s memories. Kendra soon realizes that her grandmother faced a similar life changing decision. Ella was a great character with a lot of pearls of wisdom. The theme of her life, as she tells Kendra, was to keep hope alive because, “life without home is a living death.” It is a sweet story with heartache, tears and falling in love again. It starts off a bit slow but once Ella’s story really gets going, it was hard to put down. I highly recommend Sea of Memories. 

Sea of Memories is available in paperback, eBook, and audiobook. 

Blue Midnight: when learning to follow your heart opens one to love and life again

Blue Midnight by Tess Thompson is the first book in the Blue Mountain series. Blythe Heywood, 45, mother of two,  is recently divorced, as she packs up her house, she discovers the phone number of the man she walked away from 13 years before, choosing a life of safety and security over true love. As she faces three weeks ago without her children, she reluctantly takes a trip to Peregrine, Idaho, a small town at the base of the Blue Mountains to look for the man who got away. Little did she know that she would be walking into a family tragedy and a small town drama that threatens the safety of everyone involved. The Lanigan family is holding on by threads over the tragedy three years ago that shattered their happy family image. Will they let Blythe in and start to heal the pain of the past and learn to live and love again?

Blue Midnight is a sweet romance about the road not taken and learning to follow your heart. The book is slow at times as it drags out the information discovery about the tragedy at the center of the story. As the main character, Blythe was hit and miss. There were times when Blythe was annoying and I would scream at the book, “My god woman, you are 45 years old!!!!” But toward the end, when called to be the voice of reason and strength for the Lanigan family, she steps up and redeems herself. It was obvious from the beginning that the events surrounding the family tragedy wasn’t exactly what the official word said it was, it had a nice twist that I didn’t see coming. Overall, I enjoyed Blue Midnight and look forward to reading the rest of the series. If you enjoy romance about redemption and learning to love and live again, I recommend Blue Midnight. 

Blue Midnight is available in paperback, eBook, and audiobook.