The Lost Letters of Aisling: historical drama of love, courage, and confronting one's past

The Lost Letters of Aisling by Cynthia Ellingsen is a historical drama of love, courage and confronting one’s past. After a near fatal illness, she only requested one thing from her granddaughter, to take her home. To Ireland, to the country she fled after World War II. Despite being close, Rainey knows very little of her grandmother’s past, she knew she could not tell her grandmother no. When they arrive at Aisling, Rainey discovers a trunk filled with letters. The letters take her to 1945 Dublin as the Germans surrender, there are celebrations in the street. Fourteen year old Evie meets her best friend, Harding McGovern. Harding is fiery and the two become as close as sisters. When rumors fly that Harding is involved in black market trade, while dangerous, would be able to fund her dream to immigrate to America. While uncertain of the truth, Evie is determined to stand by her friend at all costs. 

I love historical fiction with a good dual time point of view. The Lost Letters of Aisling promised to be a story of family, friendship, love and the freedom that comes from letting go of the secrets that we hide. From the opening chapter, I was excited until one piece of information took me out of the story entirely. During the celebration, the author writes that the crowd began to sing “God Save the Queen.” However, in 1945, King George VI was King of Great Britain, so “God Save the King” would have been performed. From that point on, I didn’t trust any of the author’s historical details, and there weren’t many, and the characters used phrases that wouldn’t have been common. There were also a few loose ends left at the end of the story which gave an unsatisfying ending. Overall, I did not enjoy this story. I do not recommend The Lost Letters of Aisling. 

The Lost Letters of Aisling is available in paperback, eBook and audiobook

Everybody's Favorite Guy: a forced proximity romantic short story

Everybody’s Favorite Guy by Katherine Center is a short story of two people forced to confront the past. Lily had fallen in love with her childhood friend, Walker, back in high school. When his stinging rejection crushed her, she vowed never to see him again. A vow she had kept until their families plot to get them together again. It is now seven years later, their families are gathering at a cabin in the Rockies. Lily and Walker arrive first and a sudden snowstorm traps them overnight with no power. Thanks to a cozy fire, a prowling bear and time, they confront their past and Lily learns that the past is a little more complicated than she thought. Could this be a new beginning for them both? Or will it tear them apart for good? 

Katherine Center is always great for an emotional story with humor and unusual circumstances. I usually don’t read short stories but I could not resist one written by Ms. Center. I wanted more. I didn’t want to say goodbye so quickly to Lily and Walker. I enjoyed their reunion and their night at the cabin. The tension was great and it was evident that her feelings for Walker were still there and even that Walker had feelings for her. But why did he reject her so hurtfully? His reason was noble but his method was questionable. There are bittersweet moments, plenty of laughs and the end will leave you with a smile. Overall, I enjoyed this story. If you enjoy a quick story of second chance romance, I highly recommend Everybody’s Favorite Guy. 

Everybody’s Favorite Guy is available in eBook and audiobook

Noble Intent: a steamy friends to lovers romance with lots of fun banter and heavy emotions

Noble Intent is the first book in the Rapturous Intent series by Cadence Keys. Trent Bridger is the lead singer of Rapturous Intent, a chart topping rock band, and lives the rock and roll dream. However, something is missing. Then he runs into Becka Edmonson, a woman he knew as a child and she knows him and they easily fall back into their childhood friendship. Soon, Trent realizes that Becka is everything he has been looking for but he is not willing to sacrifice their friendship. After one night of passion, he finds himself choosing between the friend who has grounded him and the woman who lights a fire in him. Even when Becka acknowledges she has always hoped for something more, can they take that chance? Could he have both a friend and a lover? Can his noble intent to keep his distance mean he is also making a biggest mistake? 

Noble Intent is a steamy friends to lovers romance with sweet memories. The story also deals with heavy topics of addiction, parental abandonment and feelings of inadequacy with lots and lots of emotions. Connected to the author’s other series, the LA Wolves, Noble Intent grabs readers from the opening chapter and leads them on a wild ride of emotions, personal growth and romance. I loved Trent and Becka. Their playful banter was fun and the chemistry between them was undeniable. I wasn’t expecting the emotional topics but it added depth to the characters’ past and their present choices. My heart broke for both characters as they discuss their past and deal with how those events inform their present. It was definitely something I could relate to. I enjoyed the connectedness with the other series. I thoroughly enjoyed this story and I look forward to reading the rest of the series. I highly recommend Noble Intent. 

Noble Intent is available in paperback, eBook and audiobook

What We Leave Behind: a woman must face her past and answer the question what could have been

What We Leave Behind by Rochelle Weinstein is the story of Jessica Parker as she faces life and emotional growth confronting the past and moving forward in her future. At sixteen, she is dealing with the loss of her father as well as the loss of her first love. After an intense summer romance, Jonas Levy, a twenty two year old medical student, has abruptly walked out of her life and Jessica is left with deep wounds. As she grows up and moves on, she eventually becomes a successful music supervisor in Los Angeles. After she marries Marty Tauber, a film producer, she finally seems to have it all until her marriage begins to unravel. When a secret from her past comes to light, Jessica finds herself in a storm of trauma and memories as she faces the past. Will she be able to find peace in order to salvage her marriage and save everything she loves? 

For a story that describes itself that “our lives are a sum total of the choices we make, which inevitably leaves us to wonder: what if?” To ask the question: would we go back and make a different choice if we could? To live what could have been? However, What We Leave Behind fell short. The story dragged with lots happening but it didn’t really add to the benefit of the story. For me, different reveals felt out of place and were more for shock value than an emotional impact. I didn’t care for the main character, Jessica and the events that she has to experience which made the book very hard to pick up and get into. Overall, I did not enjoy What We Leave Behind. I just wasn’t drawn into a story I expected to be an emotional exploration of what if and what could have been. I do not recommend What We Leave Behind. 

What We Leave Behind is available in paperback, eBook and audiobook

Every Little Thing: missing persons in paradise and one member of the Gray family decides to confront the past she has been running from

Every Little Thing is the twelfth book in the Hart’s Ridge series by Kay Bratt. Taylor Gray and her family travel to Cabo San Lucas for the fairytale wedding of Ellis’s daughter, Madison. Everything is perfect in the picturesque beach resort. However, the next morning, the bride and her maid of honor have gone missing, virtually without a trace. With the local police being no help, Taylor and her family investigate on their own. Will they find Madison and her best friend alive? Back in the States, Lucy is on the run. Wandering from state to state, trying to outrun the past, her memories and the voices in her head. However, the further she travels, the more she realizes that she will never know healing and peace if she keeps running and she heads to the one place she never wanted to see again. Will Lucy finally find the peace she has been longing for? 

I opened this book with anticipation. The Hart’s Ridge series digs deep in the stories that we only hear about on true crime shows. Each story has a heart-gripping event that will keep readers on the edge of their seats. In Every Little Thing, Taylor and her family find themselves  diving deep into the seedy side of paradise and the determination to bring home the missing women. Lucy’s storyline was about confrontation. I knew we hadn’t heard the last of this situation, I don’t want to give it away, but I loved that Lucy is a lot smarter than her family thinks she is and finds a way to put her mind at ease and bring an end to the shadow that has stalked her. If you haven’t read the Hart’s Ridge series, I highly recommend starting with book 1, Hart’s Ridge. If you are a fan of the Hart’s Ridge series, I highly, highly recommend Every Little Thing. 

Every Little Thing is available in paperback and eBook

I Would Die for You: a slow burn thriller with twist and turns to keep you guessing

I Would Die for You by Sandie Jones is a slow burn thriller in which a woman’s past comes roaring back. Is she prepared to fight back? Nicole Forbes lives a quiet life in southern California with her husband and daughter. It is shattered when a journalist comes to her door and asks her for information about the downfall of Secret Oktober, the biggest British band of the 1980s. The same day, her daughter is picked up from school by her aunt. The only thing is her daughter doesn’t have an aunt! Nicole is faced with the threads of her life and hidden past that is quickly becoming unveiling. In 1986, sixteen year old Cassie is obsessed with Secret Oktober with an intense crush on Ben Edwards. She is determined to do anything she can to capture his attention among the cheering fans and groupies. What she doesn’t count on is Ben meeting her older sister, Nicole. What happened to Secret Oktober? What does Nicole know? 

Sandie Jones is a new author to me and I was intrigued by the synopsis of this book. A dual timeline story with multiple POVs as Nicole searches for the person behind the events of today and Cassie as her obsession with Secret Oktober and Ben grows taking her down a dangerous past. As events of today and yesteryear begin to shine light on the truth, the twists and turns were interesting and kept me hooked. However, as the mystery was revealed, the ending was confusing and a bit abrupt. My first thought when I closed the book was “what?!?” Throughout the story, I liked the character of Nicole and the mystery about who was bringing up the past and why was engaging and kept me guessing. Overall, I enjoyed the story. The mystery was engaging, the ending was just abrupt. If you like dual timeline, multiple POVs stories with a bit of suspense and mystery, I recommend I Would Die for You. 

I Would Die for You is available in hardcover, eBook and audiobook

Good Dirt: one woman's emotional journey into the past to find her future

Good Dirt by Charmaine Wilkerson is the story of one woman’s journey to piece together the connection between a childhood tragedy and a beloved heirloom and finds herself in the process. When Ebby Freeman was ten years old, a gunshot shattered her family and a priceless heirloom as her beloved brother, Baz, lying on the floor and the centuries old jar in pieces next to him. As the case goes unsolved, it remains a point of interest for the public as the Freemans are one of the only Black families in a very well-to-do neighborhood of New England. As Ebby’s fiancé leaves her at the altar, the family’s history is once again a source of public talk. To escape the scrutiny and heal her wounded heart, Ebby flees to France. As she begins to process her family’s suffering and her own heartache, she discovers the key to her future is in the handcrafted pottery, brought North by an enslaved ancestor. 

After reading Black Cake, Charmaine Wilkerson’s beautiful debut, I knew I was in for an emotional journey with the characters of Good Dirt. And Good Dirt did not disappoint. Without knowing the full history of the jar, my heart broke when I read how it shattered and it broke more as the stories involving the jar were revealed. I loved how Ebby finds her future in the stories of her family’s past and finds strength of her ancestors within herself. Ms Wilkerson beautifully tackles grief, racism, the importance of our ancestries, mental health and trauma. I especially loved her portrayal of how deep and complex grief can be even years after the events. Good Dirt has a bit of mystery woven with history, romance and drama. It is a book that you will need to take your time reading, especially after the highly emotional chapters, in order to really absorb and digest what happened. I highly recommend Good Dirt. 

Good Dirt is available in hardcover, eBook and audiobook

Friends with Secrets: what you see isn't always real

Friends with Secrets by Christine Gunderson is a story about the idea that what you see isn’t always real. Nikki Lassiter is an emotional wreck with four children and desperate to return to the job she loved and had a sense of purpose. Ainsley Bradley is the picture perfect wife of an aspiring politician and a mother of two children. But deep down, she hides a secret that would tear apart everything she has. A secret about who she really is and where she came from. When a dangerous figure from Ainsley’s past becomes the coach at their kids’ school, she confides in Nikki about her past. Together, they devise a plan to expose the coach and protect their kids. As they put their plan in motion, they place everything they hold dear in danger. Can they protect their lives and their new friendship in the process? 

An Amazon First Reads book touted as a “funny and suspenseful debut” that explores “the myth of the perfect mother, the bonds of female friendship, and the haunting impact of secrets,” I was highly anticipating a laugh out loud adventure of female friendship and motherhood. However, what I got was a story of two mothers and a friendship I could not relate to. Though I couldn’t relate to the women, I wanted to continue the story with the hopes it would get better. The final straw for me was the constant product/store name dropping. The long list of make and models of cars they drove, the clothes they bought and from which stores. I felt as if I was reading an episode of Desperate Housewives. Overall, this story wasn’t my cup of tea. However, if this book sounds right up your alley, I recommend checking out Friends with Secrets. 

Friends with Secrets is available in paperback, eBook and audiobook

The Scholar: two broken people find love, healing and made whole together

The Scholar is the third book in the Emerson Pass Historical series by Tess Thompson. Theo Barnes has been in love with Louisa Lind since they were kids. However, she fancied his twin brother, Flynn. When he returns to Emerson Pass after studying at medical school, Flynn is married and Theo’s love for Louisa burns brighter than ever. Louisa feels she’s not worthy of love and marriage. A past that still haunts her, she feels she is too broken. However, after tragedy strikes her family. Louisa finds herself at the Barnes charity and tender, gentle attention of Theo and her heart begins to wonder if love and marriage is possible. Their road to marriage is rocky with obstacles, doubts, and wounds of the past. Can they find a way to heal together and build a life, love and marriage worthy of them both? 

I love the Emerson Pass series so far and I think Theo is my favorite Barnes family member. Even from the first book, I eagerly awaited his story and The Scholar does not disappoint. Deeply haunted by his memories of his childhood and the Great War, he comes home from medical school hoping to find his purpose and maybe even love. His ongoing love for Louisa is sweet and endearing. I cheered as she started to see him for the strong and loving man he had become. It is a clean romance with only references to sex and fade to black scenes. Overall, I loved this story. There were sweet, tender moments, heartbreaking moments and moments that tears fell freely. I am looking forward to the rest of the Barnes children’s stories. I highly recommend The Scholar and the Emerson Pass Historical series. 

The Scholar is available in paperback, eBook and audiobook

Every Time We Say Goodbye: confronting the past and facing the future in post war Europe

Every Time We Say Goodbye by Natalie Jenner is the third book in the Jane Austen Society series. In a story of love and art, of grief and memory, and of confronting the past and facing the future, it opens in 1955, as Vivian Lowry faces an uncertain future. After a poorly reviewed play that threatens her career as a dramatic playwright, she takes a job as a script doctor on a major film shooting in Rome’s Cinecitta Studios. There she finds a movie filled with rising stars, acclaimed directors and famous actors. The cast and crew find themselves torn between the past and a possibly brighter future, between the liberation of the post war cinema and the restrictions imposed by the Catholic Church. On a personal note, Vivien begins to learn the long-buried truth of what really happened to her deceased fiancé during the war. 

As a fan of The Bloomsbury Girls, I was looking forward to Every Time We Say Goodbye. I enjoy stories that feature life in the postwar world. Unfortunately, the story fell flat very quickly. The opening prologue was captivating and I was eager to discover more. However, the story that followed left me confused and lost. There were just so many characters. It was hard to keep track of who was who without stopping every other page to take notes and took me out of the story every time. I didn’t care for Vivien. I found her harsh and lacking any warmth or likability. I did enjoy learning about the famous Cinecitta Studios and the classic American movies that were filmed there. If you enjoyed Ms. Jenner’s The Jane Austen Society and The Bloomsbury Girls, I suggest giving Every Time We Say Goodbye a try. You may enjoy it more than I did. 

Every Time We Say Goodbye will be available 

in hardcover, eBook, and audiobook May 14, 2024

Set the Night on Fire: a sweet enemies to lovers romance with emotions and a tad bit spicy

Set the Night on Fire by Jennifer Bernard is the first book of the Jupiter Point Firefighters series. Hotshot firefighter Sean Marcus left Jupiter Point in disgrace but after a near death experience in a flashover, he is coming home to clear his name. He is the man in charge of setting up the new Jupiter Point Hotshots wildfire crew. Sean is determined to prove he is no longer the troubled boy who left town thirteen years ago. Evie McGraw is the town sweetheart with a secret. She has never spoken about that night and Sean is the only one who knows what happened that night. Now that Sean is back in town and Brian White, the hometown golden boy, is seeking a political endorsement, that terrible night is constantly on her mind. Now Evie is at a crossroad. Keep silent and live life as she always had. Or stand up and speak out and find a future she always thought was just a dream. 

Set the Night on Fire is more than an enemy to lovers romance. It is sweet, emotional and a tad bit spicy. I loved the growth of Evie as she must confront a past she would rather forget. As someone who also avoids confrontation when possible, I felt her internal struggle deeply. However, I cheered her on as she found the strength and courage to stand up and speak out. Sean is also a character with deep emotional wounds from the past and finds himself fighting the ghost he left in Jupiter Point. Their romance was a slow burn as they healed together and by the end, I was smiling and cheering for them. I loved Evie and Sean together. I also enjoyed the side characters who will no doubt have their own romances in the series. Overall, I loved Set the Night on Fire and I will be continuing the series in the future. I highly recommend Set the Night on Fire. 

Set the Night on Fire is available in paperback and eBook

Barefoot in the Sand: a heartfelt story weaving past and present as secrets are revealed

Barefoot in the Sand by Holly Chamberlain is the first book in the Eliot’s Corner, Maine series. There are moments that define your life and can drastically change its course. Arden Bell has had those moments. Now she lives a quiet life as the owner of a bookstore in the small seaside town of Eliot’s Corner. She never thought the day would come when her life would take another turn until she opens her door to the daughter she gave up for adoption so many years ago. Laura Huntington is on the hunt to find her birth parents after the deaths of her adoptive parents and the end of her bitter marriage. Her appearance in Maine opens doors to the past and questions that everyone has been afraid to ask. Will the truth be revealed and the ghosts of the past finally put to rest? 

This book is my first by Holly Chamberlain and it probably won’t be my last. Barefoot in the Sand is a heartfelt story of past and present intertwining in a summer of new beginnings for a mother and daughter. Switching perspectives between Arden and Laura, readers learn about the summer that shaped their lives and a mystery that haunts them. From the opening chapter to the closing pages, this fast paced story hooks you in as a young woman fights against the strangling ties of her parents and the young man who sets her free. It is a story of a reunion between mother and daughter with a bit of a mystery and intrigue. My only complaint is the confrontation between Arden and a couple characters that fell flat for me. I look forward to reading more in this series. I recommend Barefoot in the Sand. 

 

Barefoot in the Sand is available in paperback and eBook

Reluctantly Home: sometimes going home reveals a new perspective

Reluctantly Home by Imogen Clark is a story of dealing with the past in order to face the future. Pip Appleby seemingly had it all. It all ends when a tragic accident occurs and she is haunted by the accident. She retreats to her family’s farm and struggles to find her path again. When she discovers the diary of actress Evelyn Mountcastle in a box of old books, Pip is pulled into Evelyn’s words. As she reads, she discovers parallels between her life and Evelyn’s and she becomes intrigued by Evelyn and tries to discover more information about her. When their paths cross in real life, they begin to reveal secrets that they have been hiding about their respective stories. As they reveal their secrets, can they discover a way to forgive themselves for the past and find a possible future? 

Reluctantly Home is my second book by Imogen Clark and I expected an emotional book and it delivered. Considering the question of how does one move forward from a tragedy? How does one move on from your role in an accident? Pip struggles with these questions. While her head is telling her she is not at fault, her heart struggles accepting that truth. She is also dealing with the dual identities she has created for herself and how she can feel whole again. The story is a slow build as Pip drags her feet about her future. When she reaches out to Evelyn, she finds a perspective she hadn’t seen before or maybe didn’t want to see. I enjoyed Pip’s growth as she realized who she truly is and who she wants to be in the future. I recommend Reluctantly Home. 

Reluctantly Home is available in paperback, eBook and audiobook. 

The Season of Silver Linings: wrapping up the Sweet Lake series

The Season of Silver Linings  is the third book in the Sweet Lake series by Christine Nolfi. Jada Brooks is the pastry chef at the Wayfair Inn that her friends, Linnie and Cat, have brought from the brink and restored it to its former glory. While Linnie is focused on her upcoming wedding and Cat is basking in the glow of newly wedded bliss, Jada focuses on her role at the inn. She has a love/hate relationship with Philip Kettering, a widower with a six-year-old daughter. That love/hate relationship turns into a blooming romance as they decide to take a chance on love. But she has one secret, a secret that could tear them apart once and for all. When a guest checks into the inn, asking very curious questions, Jada is forced to confront the past she would rather forget. 

I have enjoyed the Sweet Lake series; however, The Season of Silver Linings was not my favorite of the series. Although I enjoyed Jada and Philip and their romance, I didn’t care for Philip’s daughter, Fancy. Fancy is a very precocious, bossy, and at times, annoying six year old. Then there are the Sirens with their hearts in the right place; but their actions would be very frustrating. There was a bit of a mystery as to who the guest with the curious questions was; however, it was a mystery that came clear to me before it was clear to the characters. I appreciate that Ms Nolfi handles difficult topics with heart and great care. In The Season of Silver Linings, the topics of mental illness, suicide and the effects on relationships are explored. Overall, I did enjoy and recommend The Season of Silver Linings along with the first two books. 

The Season of Silver Linings is available in paperback, eBook, and audiobook

Books 1 and 2: Sweet Lake and The Comfort of Secrets

are available in paperback, eBook, and audiobook

Iris in the Dark: when it's time to stop running

Iris in the Dark by Elissa Grossell Dickey is a suspenseful story of one woman’s life in the shadows. Iris Jenkins is a single mother who spends most of her day looking over her shoulder. She knows bad things happen. She has seen bad things happen. For eight years, she has shut the door on her past and made a new life for herself and her son, Finn. But she can’t help but fear that the past isn’t truly done with her yet. When her close friend and boss entrusts her to house sit at a lodge on the South Dakota prairie, she’s ready for anything. Little does Iris know but she’s in for a few surprises. First, Sawyer Jones, the lodge’s neighbor and caretaker. He is a caring and reassuring person who helps her feel safe and even truly alive once again. Late one night, Iris hears a chilling cry for help coming from an old walkie-talkie buried in a box of toys. She tries to dismiss it as her overactive imagination but soon the voice becomes more desperate, personal and menacing. Has her past truly found her? Will she find the strength to fight back or will she run again? 

Iris in the Dark is a suspenseful and gripping story. It takes the idea of those strange night noises that would cause any of us to imagine the worst and asks what if? It is a story of domestic violence and the fight to end the cycle and survive. It is a story of finding one’s worth when the world tells you that you are worthless. I enjoyed Iris’s character and understood her need to be overprotective and overly anxious. She has spent her life afraid of her own shadow, hiding out of the spotlight, hoping not to draw attention to herself. There is a little bit of romance between Iris and Sawyer but not enough to take away from the main story. It was nice to see Iris in a safe place with a safe relationship. Once I started, I could not put it down. It was a slow build, adding elements until the final dam breaks and the action takes off. This story has all the elements of a good suspense with red herrings and misdirections. It was a surprise when the tormentor was revealed. I wasn’t expecting that! I thoroughly enjoyed Iris in the Dark and I highly recommend it! 

Iris in the Dark is available June 7, 2022 in paperback, eBook, and audiobook. 

Wish You Were Here: saying goodbye

Wish You Were Here by Kay Bratt is the third book in The Wishing Tree series. Henry Harmon has been married to his bigger-than-life, talk-of-the-town wife, Greta, for more than sixty years. He began to notice differences in her behavior, when her diagnosis of Alzheimer’s comes to light, he struggles to care for her as he promised to “in sickness and in health.” But he is determined to do it alone. However, Neva Cabot won’t let Henry care for Greta alone. Even though many years she cut her friendship ties with Greta and Henry, she can’t bring herself to let Henry struggle alone. After some soul-searching, she walks in and helps Henry find ways to deal with Greta’s mood swings and slips in time. At the same time, Janie Stallard moves into town with a secret. Neva offers her a job and a place to stay at her inn. As Neva helps care for Greta, she tries to figure out why Janie is in Linden Falls. 

Wish You Were Here is another great addition to The Wishing Tree series. Kay Bratt handles the aspects of Alzheimer’s beautifully. My grandmother had Alzheimer’s before she passed away and I saw her in Greta. The slips in time, the conversations with invisible people, and even looking for people who have been long gone. Even the heartbreaking realization when Greta has a moment of clarity, knowing it wouldn’t last. I wanted to reach through the book and give Neva a big hug. Even though her heart broke many years ago, she still wanted to help. I loved the methods that Neva uses to help Greta. Janie’s story is interesting. We know she’s hiding something. Is she running from something or someone? The shocking reveal of why she is in Linden Falls was one I did not expect. I am looking forward to hearing about her story in future books. I highly recommend Wish You Were Here as well as the first two books in the series. 

Wish You Were Here is available in paperback and eBook

A Light Last Seen: a story of discovery

A Light Last Seen by Grace Greene is the story of Jaynie Highsmith as she discovers that “the present is never free of the past.” Growing up in Cub Creek in rural Virginia, she wanted nothing more than to escape and the chaos that was her childhood. Desperate to leave her past behind her and make a new life, she leaves and reinvents herself, complete with a new name. Her new life has everything she wanted until she discovers it’s not what she thought it was. Jaynie is convinced that she is destined to live a life of unhappiness, making poor choice after poor choice like her mother. After seventeen years, needing another fresh start, she returns to Cub Creek, to confront her past and finally leave Cub Creek in the past. She soon discovers that she must reveal the secrets she’s kept for so long if she has any chance to find happiness. 

This is my first book by Grace Greene and while I heard great things about A Light Last Seen, it wasn’t the story I expected. The story was slow moving with lackluster action. Jaynie was a hard character to like as she often acted more like a child throwing a tantrum than a grown woman. The only characters that I enjoyed were Jaynie’s neighbor, Ruth Berry and her grandson, Wyatt. Ruth has some great pearls of wisdom for Jaynie, some she remembered and others she forgot to live by. My favorite one is the one I quoted above. We are always influenced by the past, it is up to us to determine how much the past influences our present but we are never truly free. Overall,  A Light Last Seen was a decent story; however, I expected more. Even though the book didn’t speak to me, I feel there is someone that it will. I recommend A Light Last Seen. 

A Light Last Seen is available in paperback and eBook. 

The Bend in Redwood Road: a search for answers and confronting the pain of the past

The Bend in Redwood Road by Danielle Stewart is the first book in the Missing Pieces series. Gwen Fox was adopted by two loving people and had the idyllic childhood that most people only dream of and yet there’s a deep ache and soul longing she tried to ignore. Some days were manageable but the wondering of what became of the baby she left behind hangs on the edges of her mind. Smiling through her pain and suffered in silence, Leslie Laudon marched forward, living the life so skillfully designed by her husband, Paul. She was the life as a dutiful wife and mother, she did everything for her husband and her children. But as her youngest daughter gets ready to head off to college and Leslie faces an empty nest, thoughts of her other child become more and more prominent. Riddled with doubt and waves of unanswered questions, Gwen and Leslie start a complex journey for answers, redemption and an identity. Gwen seeks the truth about the day she was born and Leslie seeks an identity, the woman she was before she was a wife and mother. As they begin down the road of no return, can they navigate the blame, the guilt? Are they prepared for the answers to their questions? 

The Bend in Redwood Road is a story about family: the one of genetics and the one of memories and love. Gwen is a great character caught between two worlds: the family she has grown up with and loved and the family she doesn’t know. She feels guilty seeking answers about her birth family. She feels she’s betraying the parents who lovingly raised her and possibly regretting the answers she finds when she seeks answers through her genetics. Leslie is a woman who made an impossible choice, one she questioned every day since she left her baby behind at the hospital. These two women are surrounded by great supporting characters and one not-so-great husband. My only complaint is that it seemed to drag out the climax and then rush to a resolution. The resolution is emotional and the answers to Gwen’s questions are gasp worthy revelations. I teared up at the end as these women realize they need to confront the past in order to move forward. There were moments of humor and heartfelt words of wisdom. A couple quotes I liked that I highlighted to write down when I finished. I highly recommend The Bend in Redwood Road. I look forward to reading the rest of the series. 

The Bend in Redwood Road is available in hardcover, 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.