Review: Four Friends

Four Friends by Robyn Carr

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Gerri can't decide what's more devastating: learning her rock-solid marriage has big cracks, or the anger she feels as she tries to repair the damage. Always the anchor for friends and her three angst-ridden teenagers, it's time to look carefully at herself. The journey for Gerri and her family is more than revealing—it's transforming.

Andy doesn't have a great track record with men, and she's come to believe that for her a lasting love is out of reach. When she finds herself attracted to her down-to-earth, ordinary contractor—a man without any of the qualities that usually appeal to her—she questions everything she thought she wanted in life.

Sonja's lifelong pursuit of balance is shattered when her husband declares he's through with her New Age nonsense and walks out. There's no herbal tonic or cleansing ritual that can restore her serenity—or her sanity.

Miraculously, it's BJ, the reserved newcomer to Mill Valley, who steps into their circle and changes everything. The woman with dark secrets opens up to her neighbors, and together they get each other back on track, stronger as individuals and unfaltering as friends.

--My review. Each woman sure did bring something to the table. I really liked Gerri, she seemed like she had it all together. But when she learns devastating news about her marriage, her perfect world will come crashing down. Or will it?

Andy I think was my favorite! I love her love story and she really just I don't know, really saw beauty in something that everyone didn't. I tend to be like that, so maybe that is why I thought she was my favorite!

Sonja drove me crazy!! The new age stuff and her trying to control everything, would drive anyone over the brink! No wonder her husband walked out.

BJ, the dark secrets and everything. I really loved her story and I loved the whole ending! I know you will love this book, well because who doesn't love anything by Robyn Carr??

Enjoy, and I know you will find your favorite character too. One you identify with most!



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Review: The Glass Kitchen

The Glass Kitchen: A Novel of Sisters by Linda Francis Lee

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Portia Cuthcart never intended to leave Texas. Her dream was to run the Glass Kitchen restaurant her grandmother built decades ago. But after a string of betrayals and the loss of her legacy, Portia is determined to start a new life with her sisters in Manhattan... and never cook again.

But when she moves into a dilapidated brownstone on the Upper West Side, she meets twelve-year-old Ariel and her widowed father Gabriel, a man with his hands full trying to raise two daughters on his own. Soon, a promise made to her sisters forces Portia back into a world of magical food and swirling emotions, where she must confront everything she has been running from. What seems so simple on the surface is anything but when long-held secrets are revealed, rivalries exposed, and the promise of new love stirs to life like chocolate mixing with cream.

The Glass Kitchen is a delicious novel, a tempestuous story of a woman washed up on the shores of Manhattan who discovers that a kitchen—like an island—can be a refuge, if only she has the courage to give in to the pull of love, the power of forgiveness, and accept the complications of what it means to be family.

-- My review: Portia thinks she is getting a new start in New York in her aunt's apartment. Is she really though? Or is she making things worse? Is she butting her nose in other's business where she shouldn't perhaps? I love every single thing about this book! The cover, the recipes! The relationship between the sisters, Ariel and Portia, the romance!

Every second I kept saying this is why I read! Lee did a fabulous job with Portia's gift and mixing in all the different personalities. I fell in love quickly and I am sad it was over way too quickly! Need a second book!!!



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Review: 'Til The Well Runs Dry

The New York Times Sunday Book Review Shortlist • Booklist Starred Review • O, The Oprah Magazine "10 Titles to Pick Up Now"

"As universally touching as it is original."—The New York Times

"[A] vivid debut."—People

"I was swept away.... like the first time I read my aunt’s novel, Their Eyes Were Watching God."—Lucy Ann Hurston

A glorious and moving multi-generational, multicultural saga that begins in the 1940s and sweeps through the 1960’s in Trinidad and the United States

Lauren Francis-Sharma's 'Til the Well Runs Dry opens in a seaside village in the north of Trinidad where young Marcia Garcia, a gifted and smart-mouthed 16-year-old seamstress, lives alone, raising two small boys and guarding a family secret. When she meets Farouk Karam, an ambitious young policeman (so taken with Marcia that he elicits the help of a tea-brewing obeah woman to guarantee her ardor), the risks and rewards in Marcia’s life amplify forever.

On an island rich with laughter, Calypso, Carnival, cricket, beaches and salty air, sweet fruits and spicy stews, the novel follows Marcia and Farouk from their amusing and passionate courtship through personal and historical events that threaten Marcia’s secret, entangle the couple and their children in a scandal, and endanger the future for all of them.

'Til the Well Runs Dry tells the twinned stories of a spirited woman’s love for one man and her bottomless devotion to her children. For readers who cherish the previously untold stories of women’s lives, here is a story of grit and imperfection and love that has not been told before.

-- My review: I LOVED this book. I read it in ONE sitting. I couldn't get enough. I fell in love with Marcia Garcia. She meets Farouk and falls in love, and they get married, have children. What follows, you will have to read and find out. Marcia is a very strong woman!

I just adored this book! Please do yourself a favor and read it. I recommend it to everyone I come in contact with. It really threw me for a loop though. Knocked my socks off!!! Sharma is one to watch out for, she is going to be amazing in the coming years! I can't wait to see what else she comes out with if this is any indication!!

Review: The From-Aways

The From-Aways by CJ Hauser

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Fresh talent CJ Hauser makes her literary debut with The From-Aways, an irreverent story of family, love, friendship, and lobsters, in the tradition of J. Courtney Sullivan’s Maine and Richard Russo’s Empire Falls.

***
Two women come to Maine in search of family and find more love, heartbreak, and friendship than they’d ever imagined one little fishing town could hold.

When Leah, a young New York reporter, meets Henry, she falls in love with everything about him: his freckles, green thumb, and tales of a Maine childhood. They marry quickly and Leah convinces Henry to move back to Menamon. As Leah builds a life there, reporting for The Menamon Star and vowing to be less of an emotional screw-up, the newlyweds are shocked to discover that they don’t know each other nearly so well as they thought they did.

When Quinn’s mother dies, she tracks down the famous folk-singer father she’s never known, in Menamon. Scrappy and smart-mouthed, Quinn gets a job at the local paper, an apartment above the town diner, and tries to shore up the courage to meet her father. But falling in love with her roommate, Rosie, was never part of the plan.

These two unruly women’s work relationship at The Star deepens into best-friendship when they stumble onto a story that shakes sleepy Menamon—and holds damaging repercussions for Leah’s husband and Quinn’s roommate both. As the town descends into turmoil, both women must decide what kind of lives they are willing to fight for.

-- My review: I had a hard time with this book. I loved the cover. I am a total cover snob. So I fell in love with the cover. I wanted to like the people in this book. I tried. Over and over and over. Several times I said ok they aren't so bad. And it wasn't. But then I was lost. And then I got to liking it. And then I was lost.

Over all it wasn't too bad, but I just don't get into this type of book. Protests, and I am not sure it was all a jumble to me at times. I wanted to give it more stars but something just didn't click for me.

The people all just seemed a bit sad, too sad for me. Life can be sad, but jeez. Yikes!



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Review: Save the Date

Save the Date by Mary Kay Andrews

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


A wedding florist finds love and trouble in this delightful new novel by the New York Times bestselling author of Ladies' Night

A Savannah florist is about to score the wedding of a lifetime—one that will solidify her career as the go-to-girl for society nuptials. Ironically, Cara Kryzik doesn't believe in love, even though she creates beautiful flower arrangements to celebrate them. But when the bride goes missing and the wedding is in jeopardy, Cara must find the bride and figure out what she believes in. Maybe love really does exist outside of fairy tales after all.

Told with Mary Kay Andrew's trademark wit and keen eye for detail, mark your calendars for Save the Date!

-- My review: Cara is a fun, down-to-earth kind of girl. The kind you can see yourself in. Or I could anyway. I enjoyed her witty banter. I had so much fun with this book, I couldn't put it down. This book is so thick, I loved each minute of it and it went way too fast in my opinion.

As always, there is a beginning of some kind of drama, and then of course love and everything is grand and then some kind of oh no moment and then a big bang and then it all comes back together, but MK does it so wonderfully, you will LOVE every single minute of it.

Each character brings something to it and I really won't say anything, no spoilers but MAN. Yes, I was like oh no! I loved the decorating moments. That is my kind of talk! Say yes today and pick this one up on your way to the beach!



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Review: The Revealing

The Revealing by Suzanne Woods Fisher

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Love did extraordinary things to people. Best line EVER! So I think I am a total disadvantage. This was my first book in this series. It being book three, not a good place to start. Now, can it be a standalone? Sure. Was it good? Yes. But I was lost, who was who, and who belonged to who. I needed a map. I couldn't keep track of them all! Yikes!

You have Tobe who is in prison, and he is secretly married to one of the girls, and the brother doesn't know but then the brother likes one of the other girls. Then you have an English lady visiting the Inn, who is a good replicator of art and ends up committing a crime. Lots of good drama going on if you can keep track of it.

There is also a baby, but is Tobe really the dad? So much going on, sometimes I thought maybe I would like one or two good story lines and keep it more simple myself. I think I might have to check out more books by Ms Fisher, she really got my eye.

That being said, I do think there were some good thoughts in here. Also, at the end, the blueberry lemon squares, already made those! Totally delicious!!

I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for my honest opinion.



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Review: Atlas Girl

Atlas Girl: Finding Home in the Last Place I Thought to Look by Emily T. Wierenga

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


I LOVE this book. It seems like so many people are sharing their story these days. This story however is so much more! I can't recommend this book enough. Emily does an amazing job sharing her's.

Grab a box of kleenex and be prepared to be challenged spiritually as well as wanting to travel after reading this. Also, I do believe that it will make you grow as a person, and it has some laughs! I really just enjoyed every minute.

Emily's story growing up was not all roses as she will tell you and that was refreshing. I loved hearing her love story between her and Trent. All the traveling was so amazing and all the descriptions, wow. Any daughter, mother should read this book. I love how she came full circle. Not only with her mother, but also with her father, sister and just as a person and as a daughter of Christ.

I highly recommend this book. Finally a book and story I want to read!! Way to go Emily. I want to read more by you!!!!

I received this book from the publisher in exchange for my honest opinion.



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