Tag Archives: women’s fiction

People We Meet on Vacation by Emily Henry – Review & Giveaway

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People We Meet on Vacation by Emily Henry – Review & Giveaway

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Description:
Poppy and Alex. Alex and Poppy. They have nothing in common. She’s a wild child; he wears khakis. She has insatiable wanderlust; he prefers to stay home with a book. And somehow, ever since a fateful car share home from college many years ago, they are the very best of friends. For most of the year they live far apart–she’s in New York City, and he’s in their small hometown–but every summer, for a decade, they have taken one glorious week of vacation together.

Until two years ago, when they ruined everything. They haven’t spoken since.

Poppy has everything she should want, but she’s stuck in a rut. When someone asks when she was last truly happy, she knows, without a doubt, it was on that ill-fated, final trip with Alex. And so, she decides to convince her best friend to take one more vacation together–lay everything on the table, make it all right. Miraculously, he agrees.

Now she has a week to fix everything. If only she can get around the one big truth that has always stood quietly in the middle of their seemingly perfect relationship. What could possibly go wrong?

 

 

Review:

People We Meet on Vacation by Emily Henry is a standalone, friends to lovers novel. Poppy, our heroine, has a successful career in New York, writing about inspirational trips.  Every year, Poppy invites her best friend Alex, to take their summer week long trip to somewhere different each year. They rarely see each other the rest of the year, as Alex lives far away in their old home town, Linfield.  Poppy and Alex are very different; she is bubbly, wild, gregarious, fun and a wanderer; he is reserved and an introvert, who prefers to stay home and read.

The story switches back and forth between the past 12 summers and the present.  Two years ago, something happened in their last trip, with Poppy and Alex not talking to each other since then.  Poppy realizes that something is missing in her life, as she is not happy, and knows it is Alex she misses.  She is determined to fix things, and texts him to go on a summer trip to right things between them.

As we follow each of their previous trips, the witty banter between Poppy and Alex creates wild crazy, at times exciting adventures; as well as each sharing their own romantic conquests, which never stay the same.  This is a slow burn friends to lover romance, which becomes more apparent in the present day, while they take their expected last trip together.  Though some of the trips were funny, I did find some of it a bit slow, pushing more to the present.  I did love the last 1/3 of the book, which was in the present, but for the most part, I did not feel the bond between them through most of the book.

People We Meet on Vacation was a fun friend to lover trope, which had some humorous moments, as well as very good characters.  This was well written by Emily Henry.

Reviewed by Barb

Copy provided by Publisher

 

Emily Henry’s publisher is graciously offering a paper copy of  PEOPLE WE LOVE TO MEET ON VACATION to ONE (1) lucky commenter at The Reading Cafe.

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8. Giveaway runs from May 10 to 15, 2021

 

 

 

 

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These Tangled Vines by Julianne McLean-a review

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These Tangled Vines by Julianne McLean-a review

 

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ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date May 1, 2021

If Fiona has learned anything in life, it’s how to keep a secret—even from the father who raised her. She is the only person who knows about her late mother’s affair in Tuscany thirty years earlier, and she intends to keep it that way…until a lawyer calls with shocking news: her biological father has died and left her an incredible inheritance—along with two half siblings.

Fiona travels to Italy, where the family is shocked to learn of her existence and desperate to contest her share of the will. While the mystery of her mother’s affair is slowly unraveled, Fiona must navigate through tricky family relationships and tense sibling rivalries. Fiona both fears and embraces her new destiny as she searches for the truth about the fateful summer her mother spent in Italy and the father she never knew.

Spilling over with the sumptuous flavors and romance of Tuscany, These Tangled Vines takes readers on a breathtaking journey of love, secrets, sacrifice, courage—and most importantly, the true meaning of family.

••••••

REVIEW:THESE TANGLED VINES by Julianne MacLean is a stand alone story of romance focusing on thirty year old Fiona Bell, and her journey of discovery.

Told from first person (Fiona) and dual third person (Sloane, Lillian), following two times lines (1986 and 2017) THESE TANGLED VINES follows thirty year old Fiona Bell as she discovers that everything she thought she knew about her life and her family is predicated upon a lie. At the age of eighteen, at her mother’s deathbed confession, Lillian revealed Fiona’s biological father is a wealthy vintner who owns and operates a vineyard in Tuscany, Italy. Fast forward to 2017, wherein, Fiona will be called ‘home’ to Tuscany upon the death of her biological father, where she will learn that she has inherited the bulk of her father’s estate but her half-siblings (Sloane and Connor) are none too happy, and Fiona is left struggling to prove she is her father’s heir, and that her mother was the love of Anton’s life.

Flashback to 1986, Lillian Bell and her wanna be author husband Freddie, travel to Italy in an effort to find Freddie his writing muse but left alone for extended periods of time, Lillian, now living and working on the Maurizio Wine Estates, is seduced by, and falls in love with owner Anton Clark, where they will embark on love affair that will end when disaster all but destroys everyone involved.

THESE TANGLED VINES is first and foremost a love story; an impassioned tale of enduring love, loss, and betrayal; of secrets, lies, revelations and regret. Julianne MacLean pulls the reader into a heart breaking, passionate, intoxicating and sorrowful story of beauty and destruction, of tragedy and regret. An emotion-filled love affair THESE TANGLED VINES will leave you haunted by what was and what could have been.

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Sandy

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Family Reunion by Nancy Thayer – a Review

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Family Reunion by Nancy Thayer – a Review

 

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Description:
Eleanor Sunderland loves living on the Nantucket cliffside, in a charming home that has been in her family for decades. Now widowed, she looks forward to the arrival of her children and grandchildren for an annual family reunion, eager for the life and laughter that will soon fill the air.

But Eleanor’s island idyll is shattered when her money-driven children suggest she sell the house and move to a retirement community. She finds a lone ally in her twenty-two-year-old granddaughter, Ari, who moves in with her for the summer. Ari longs for a change of scenery, to stray from the path her parents have set for her. What she does not expect is an electric romantic spark with a Nantucket local, Cal, whose kind heart and charisma have her absolutely smitten.

With plenty of her signature Nantucket magic, Nancy Thayer brings both Eleanor and Ari on a summer beyond their wildest imaginations, filled with exciting connections, old and new.

 

 

 

Review:

Family Reunion by Nancy Thayer was a wonderful heartwarming standalone novel taking place in Nantucket, with two wonderful heroines and their family. Eleanor Sunderland, our heroine, loves her life living in Nantucket, and though she is widowed and alone in this big house by the ocean, she is happy and content.   When the family comes to visit to celebrate her 70th birthday, they try to pressure her to sell.  Her daughter, Alicia and son, Cliff want her to sell it so that can make millions, claiming she can go to a nice retirement home. Eleanor has no intention to allow her children to take what she still loves. Ari the granddaughter (the other heroine)  is awesome, and loves spending time with her grandmother in Nantucket.  Especially in the busy summer. 

Ari has just broken her engagement with her boyfriend, whom she now knows she does not love him, even if they been friends since school.  She decides to spend the summer at Nantucket with her grandmother, and starts a job working as a counselor at a camp for children, especially those that have no money.  Ari meets new friends that work at the camp, as well as others that are from the wealthy side.  I really loved everything about Ari, and how much she loved her grandmother, both watching tv mysteries, cooking and just listening to her grandmother telling stories of the past. Personally, I did not like Alicia, since she was totally money hungry, even though her husband made good money as a surgeon, but Alicia always wanted more and more. 

As Eleanor and Ari enjoy the wonderful summer in Nantucket, there are a number of issues that pop up along the way. Ari meets the brother of a friend, whom she will begin to have feelings for, but than an unexpected issue could destroy their budding relationship.   Eleanor begins to spend time with a widowed male neighbor, and the two-start spending free time enjoying the wonderful local fun and friends.   Ari will also discover that her father might be cheating on her mother, which will add to the drama, which is part of their summer. This is a true family drama, filled with romance, greedy family members, infidelity, which affects them all. 

Family Reunion was a delightful enjoyable read from start to finish. This story centers around two great heroines in Eleanor and Ari.  Nancy Thayer wrote a beautiful, heartwarming story, in wonderful Nantucket atmosphere, which was such a wonderful book that you should be reading.

Reviewed by Barb

Copy provided by Publisher

 

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Finding Ashley by Danielle Steel – a Review

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Finding Ashley by Danielle Steel – a Review

 

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Description:
Melissa Henderson is leading a quiet life. Once a bestselling author, she now pours all her energy into renovating a Victorian house nestled in the foothills of rural New England. Six years ago, she lost her young son to cancer, and her marriage dissolved. She stopped writing. It was only when she bought the old house that Melissa found a purpose, and came alive as she made it beautiful again.

After a wildfire that threatens her home appears on the news, Melissa receives a call from her sister, Hattie. They were close once, but that was before Melissa withdrew from the world. Now Hattie, who became a nun at twenty-five, is determined to help Melissa turn a new page, even if it means reopening one of the most painful chapters of her life.

At sixteen, a pregnant Melissa was sent to a gloomy convent in Ireland to have— and give up—her baby, to spare the family shame. All these years later, Hattie feels compelled to embark on a journey that will change both their lives forever, and track down the child Melissa gave up.

Finding Ashley is a masterpiece of contemporary drama and tells a gripping story of the strength of the human spirit to chase an impossible dream. It is the story of two strong, brave women turning wrenching loss into reconnection, and a family reunited after bringing dark secrets into the light.

 

 

 

Review:

Finding Ashley by Danielle Steel is a wonderful emotional standalone novel.  We meet Melissa Henderson, our heroine in this story, who is content as she renovates her Victorian house, which she bought a few years ago that was in bad shape.  We learn quickly that Melissa’s life fell apart 6 years earlier, when her 10-year-old son, Robbie died of Cancer. Her and her husband, devoted everything to try and save him, and after he died, their marriage fell apart, and they divorced; Melissa was devastated, moving to New England, giving up her writing career, and became a loner.

Though she does most of the work, she does have workers for difficult tasks (like a roof), with a local contractor, Norm helping her occasion.  When there is a wild fire that threatens the area, Melissa is lucky that it was put out before it reached her home.  Melissa’s estranged sister, Hattie is a nun, and especially since the death of her son, she rarely sees her; but learning about the fire, Hattie comes to visit her, and slowly their reunion will help rekindle their relationship and become closer.  Melissa opens up to Hattie about how she became pregnant at 16, and their mother forced her to travel to a convent in Ireland; to have the baby, and give it up for adoption.  Melissa talks about her grief and how terrible the nuns were to her, another reason why she hated when Hattie became a nun

Unbeknownst to Melissa, Hattie decides to get permission from her Mother Superior  to travel to Ireland to see what she could find out, since all records were destroyed years ago.  Hattie’s journey will not only bring her to the convent in question, and learn about the conditions at that time, and how the rich paid the convent for adopting the babies.  But when she travels to meet a woman who wrote a book (baby mills) about the deplorable times back then, who happens to be a nun who left her vocation.  Hattie heads back to America, with the name of three women who may have adopted Ashley. 

What follows is a wonderful heartwarming journey, when Hattie will find Melissa’s daughter, and it is so emotional, I had tears in my eyes.  We meet Michaela Ashley, who tried to find her real mother years ago to no avail; her adopted mother is a world-famous actress, who supported her search.  Michaela was a fantastic heroine in her own right, as she was so happy and loving toward Melissa, as well as her family (husband, two kids, and adopted mother) who all open their arms to Melissa.   

Beside the background story of the convent, making lots of money adopting out the babies, and treating the young girls badly, there was another background storyline.  This was very much like the ‘me-too’ movement, as the Hollywood stars started accusing the men who made their lives difficult.  There was also a tragedy that also brings Melissa and Michaela even closer.

Finding Ashley was a fantastic and engrossing story that pulled on many emotions.  I loved seeing Melissa and Hattie reunited and together again after all those years.  Melissa finding happiness again with a family, as well as a possible relationship. Danielle Steel once again surprises me with a different kind of story that was a masterpiece.  You need to read this book.

Reviewed by Barb

Copy provided by Publisher

 

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Under The Southern Sky by Kristy Woodson Harvey-a Review

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Under The Southern Sky by Kristy Woodson Harvey-a Review

 

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Description:
Recently separated Amelia Buxton, a dedicated journalist, never expected that uncovering the biggest story of her career would become deeply personal. But when she discovers that a cluster of embryos belonging to her childhood friend Parker and his late wife Greer have been deemed “abandoned,” she’s put in the unenviable position of telling Parker—and dredging up old wounds in the process.

Parker has been unable to move forward since the loss of his beloved wife three years ago. He has all but forgotten about the frozen embryos, but once Amelia reveals her discovery, he knows that if he ever wants to get a part of Greer back, he’ll need to accept his fate as a single father and find a surrogate.

Each dealing with their own private griefs, Parker and Amelia slowly begin to find solace in one another as they navigate an uncertain future against the backdrop of the pristine waters of their childhood home, Buxton Beach. The journey of self-discovery leads them to an unforgettable and life-changing lesson: Family—the one you’re born into and the one you choose—is always closer than you think.

 

 

Review:

Under the Southern Sky by Kristy Woodson Harvey is a wonderful standalone novel.  We meet our heroine, Amelia, who is a well know journalist, who discovers a story of abandoned embryos; to her shock, one of those embryos belongs to her childhood friend and his late wife. Amelia makes the decision to visit Parker, our hero, whom she has not seen in a few years, especially after the tragic death of his wife, Greer.   Under the Southern Sky focuses on three POV’s; Amelia, Parker and Greer.

Parker lost his beloved wife to cancer three years ago, and has not been able to move forward; just working and being by himself.  When someone knocks on his door, to his surprise, it’s a friend from the past, Amelia. She explains why she has come, and he realizes he has totally forgotten about the frozen embryos, and Parker asks Amelia to help him find a surrogate, so that in a small way he will have some semblance of Greer back in his life.

Amelia is also having a hard time recently, as she discovered her husband was having an affair with another man; unable to accept this, she files for divorce. Slowly the friendship between Parker and Amelia rekindles, as each helps one another move forward in their lives; especially after Amelia reviews the names on the surrogate list, and insists to Parker, that she will step up to be the surrogate, and go back to her normal life, leaving him with the child(s).  They return to Cape Carolina, the hometown they both grew up in and where both families still reside.  This was a wonderful part of the story, where the parents of Parker and Amelia, who are best friends and privately hope they one day they can their children maybe can be more than just friends.

Though the story line centers on Parker, Amelia and their family, we get to see the POV of Greer; when she met and fell in love with Parker, her wonderful happy life, her successful book career, the tragic news of her cancer, and planning to help Parker move on after her death.  The was a very emotional part, which was not only heartbreaking and very sad closer to her end.   When the embryos are not successful, both will go back to their own lives, keeping in touch, with their friendship and family.   This is a love story of Parker with two women he loved along the way, and Amelia knowing she had fallen for Parker again, but did not want to be second to his dead wife.  

What follows is a sweet slow build second chance romance and finding hope.  There is so much that happens pulling on our emotions along the way; with heartbreak, love, tragedy and anguish.  To say too much more would be spoilers, which would ruin the over all experience.  Under the Southern Sky was a fabulous heartwarming and heartbreaking emotional story of love, heartache, family, friendship and sadness.  I did love all the characters in this book that Kristy Woodson Harvey created, especially Amelia, Parker, Greer, and both families Thank you, Kristy Woodson Harvey for a wonderful story that I enjoyed thoroughly.  You should be reading Under the Southern Sky.

Reviewed by Barb

Copy provided by Publisher

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The Path to Sunshine Cove by RaeAnne Thayne – a Review

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The Path to Sunshine Cove by RaeAnne Thayne – a Review

 

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Description:
She knows what’s best for everyone but herself…

With a past like hers, Jessica Clayton feels safer in a life spent on the road. She’s made a career out of helping others downsize–because she’s learned the hard way that the less “stuff,” the better, a policy she applies equally to her relationships. But a new client is taking Jess back to Cape Sanctuary, a town she once called home…and that her little sister, Rachel, still does. The years apart haven’t made a dent in the guilt Jess still carries after a handgun took the lives of both their parents and changed everything between them.

While Jess couldn’t wait to put the miles between her and Cape Sanctuary, Rachel put down roots, content for the world–and her sister–to think she has a picture-perfect life. But with the demands of her youngest child’s disability, Rachel’s marriage has begun to fray at the seams. She needs her sister now more than ever, yet she’s learned from painful experience that Jessica doesn’t do family, and she shouldn’t count on her now.

Against her judgment, Jess finds herself becoming attached–to her sister and her family, even to her client’s interfering son, Nate–and it’s time to put everything on the line. Does she continue running from her painful past, or stay put and make room for the love and joy that come along with it?

 

 

Review:

The Path to Sunshine Cove by RaeAnne Thayne is the 2nd book in her Cape Sanctuary series.  Jessica Clayton, our heroine, is on her way to do a job in Cape Sanctuary, and also looking forward to see her sister and her children.  Jess partners with another woman, who run a successful business, Transitions, which helps people declutter/downsize their homes. Jess’s new client is Eleanor Whitaker, who lost her husband about 6 months ago, and hired Jess to help her clean up everything in her house. 

We learn a bit more about Jess and her younger sister, Rachel, as they lost both parents by gunshots.  They became separated, as Rachel was sent to live with a wonderful family, and Jess was sent to a foster care home; when she was old enough to get Rachel to live with her, she is upset that her sister wanted to stay with the family she had.  Jess then joined the Military, and now with her friend, together they built this business as partners.  Over the years, she sees Rachel very little, as she is married with children, and looks forward to see them all again.

Jess parks her trailer by Eleanor’s place, and gets off on the wrong foot, when she is approached by an arrogant man.  Turns out he is Eleanor’s son, Nate, and he was not happy about her parking where she was, and more so since he did not know his mother hired someone.  In a short time, Nate will apologize and find himself attracted to Jess, who plans to be in town only for two weeks.   Jess also finds Nate to be hot, but is determined to not get involved, since all she cares about is her work and no relationships.

Jess begins to see that Rachel seems to be falling apart, which is putting a strain on her marriage.  Rachel’s young son has autism, and Jess pushes her and her husband to take him to be tested, and she would watch over the two nieces.  This also gives Jess a chance to spend some fun time with them, as well as with Nate and his daughter, Sophie.  We could tell that Nate has fallen hard for Jess, and even Sophie loves her.  Will Jess allow herself to open her heart and let love in?

I loved the time Jess spent with Eleanor to help her declutter all the old stuff in her home, as well as her deceased husband’s belongings; which turns out to be an amazing business concept. I got a kick out of the Airstream Trailer that everyone loved.  Over time, it was wonderful to see the sisters relationship change into an inseparable bond, which was very emotional.  Will Jess continue to run from a permanent relationship or will she stay?

The Path to Sunshine Cove was a heartwarming, poignant story that was very well written by RaeAnne Thayne.  Cape Sanctuary was a beautiful setting for this story, and makes me want to go there.  I really enjoyed this story, and suggest you read The Path to Sunshine Cove. If you have not read RaeAnne Thayne, you need to start.

Reviewed by Barb

Copy provided by Publisher

 

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The Affair by Danielle Steel – a Review

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The Affair by Danielle Steel – a Review

 

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Description:
When Rose McCarthy’s staff at Mode magazine pitches a cover shoot with Hollywood’s hottest young actress, the actress’s sizzling affair with a bestselling French author is exposed. The author happens to be Rose’s son-in-law, which creates a painful dilemma for her. Her daughter Nadia, a talented interior designer, has been struggling to hold her marriage together, and conceal the truth from their young daughters, her family, and the world. But Nicolas, her straying husband, is blinded by passion for a younger woman—and not only that, she is pregnant with his child.

Nadia’s three sisters close ranks around her, flying to Paris from Los Angeles and New York to lend support and offer their widely divergent advice. Athena, a jovial celebrity chef with her own TV show in Los Angeles, is leery of marriage. Olivia, a stern conservative New York superior court judge, is haunted by a shocking secret of her own. Venetia, a zany fashion designer, happily married with three kids, has the gentlest, most realistic point of view. Despite their well-meaning advice, Nadia needs to figure out what she herself thinks, and what to do next.

The Affair is about the painful journey to discover who you are, what you want, and how much forgiveness and compromise you are capable of in order to be loved. It’s about finding yourself at the crossroads of life when everything is on the line. It’s about the hard lessons we are forced to learn about others and ourselves. Right up until its final twist, this gripping novel is full of powerful insights about who we love, how much—and even how much we love ourselves.

 

 

 

 

Review:

The Affair by Danielle Steel is another one of her wonderful family-oriented novels.  Rose McCarthy, runs a successful magazine, who is widowed and the matriarch of 4 grown and successful daughters. She is a workaholic, but always finds time to keep up with her daughters lives and happiness.  During a meeting at the magazine ‘Mode’, her staff wants to do a cover for a young new actress, especially since there is a scandal of the girl being pregnant.  To Rose’s dismay, which she keeps quiet, the man with the pregnant actress happens to be her son in law.   Rose must make a decision to allow this to be on her magazine, even to the possibility of interviews.  She calls three of her daughters, to find out what they knew and their thoughts, before she calls her youngest daughter, Nadia, whose husband is cheating on her publicly.

Nadia talks to her mother, explaining that she is trying to keep her two young daughters from discovering about their father.  She was blindsided by all the publicity, and how her husband is besotted with this young actress, but he pleads with her to give him a chance until he helps the actress with the baby, and leave her, since he still loves Nadia.  Rose will fly to Paris, where they live, to help Nada in making the right decision, as Nadia ensures her mother to go forward with the cover, as everything is out in the open.  Naida needs to deal with her husband, protect her daughters, and decide what is best for her.

 Nadia’s three sisters decide to fly to Paris and spend a long weekend at their chateau to help give her support and advice.  It was wonderful to see the sisters together, and how close they were. We get to meet each of them, and learn about their own lives, and their significant others. Nadia is happy to be with her sisters, as each will have their own thoughts. All four of the girls have their own successful business in different fields; Nadia, is an interior decorator who lives in France, Olivia is a court judge living in New York, Venetia, is a fashion designer and Athena, is a celebrity chef living in Los Angeles.

What follows focuses mostly on Nadia, and whether she can move past Nicholas discretion, and decide if she should divorce him.  I loved how all four sisters were so close, and always being there for each other; even their significant others were pretty good.  Besides Nadia’s issues, we get to see how the other sisters are dealing with this, as well as their own drama and secrets along the way, not to mention how great Rose was in having such a great close-knit family.

The Affair was a wonderful family story line that brought the family together in this crisis.  This was so very well written by Danielle Steel.

Reviewed by Barb

Copy provided by Publisher

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Summer by the River by Debbie Burns – a Review

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Summer by the River by Debbie Burns – a Review

 

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Description:
Making a fresh start in a new part of the country is challenging, but fate and good fortune lead young single mother Josie Waterhill and her six-year-old daughter to a cozy Midwestern town right on the river. There, Josie can raise Zoe away from the violence of the life she once knew, and make a new home in the historic tea house where they’ve been invited to stay.

The tea house seems too good to be true, until Josie’s elderly landlord Myra welcomes more guests—journalist Carter O’Brien and his giant rescue dog, Buttercup. Carter is charming, compassionate…and way too curious. Carter’s interest in Josie deepens and he inadvertently stirs up trouble when he uncovers things that Josie would rather not have known. Ready or not, Josie has to let go of her painful past so she can create a glorious future.

 

 

Review:

Summer by the River by Debbie Burns is a standalone novel.  I have read a number of books by Debbie Burns, but Summer by the River was totally different, and I loved every moment.  Very well done.

Josie Waterhill, our heroine, lives in a midwestern (Galena, Ill) town with her 6-year-old daughter, Zoe.  Josie, who arrived 5 years before totally broke and, on the run, but had the fortune of meeting Myra, who owned a mansion, and offered her a job.  Now all these years later, Josie runs the historic tea house that she helped build for Myra, who is getting up in age. Josie is happy with her life, especially loving her daughter Zoe, and Myra; until she meets a journalist, who makes her nervous.

 Carter O’Brien, our hero, is a journalist, who comes to Galena to interview Myra, in helping him find information from many years ago about his grandfather & and their possible history.  Myra is thrilled to be able to investigate the past and work with Carter, offering him to stay a lot longer to write the story.  But Josie, having run from a violent life as a young girl, wants nothing to do with him, even if they both begin to feel an attraction to each other.  Josie also worries about Zoe, who is becoming too attached to Carter, as a father figure.

What follows is a wonderful story that has romance, mystery, suspense, intrigue, as we learn more about the past memories of Josie, Myrna and Carter’s fact-finding information.  I loved the addition of thecute dogs and a cat, especially Buttercup, who was a big rescue dog, as well as Myrna’s long time dog, Tidbit; later on there will be a cute rescue cat.  Though they were the backdrop of the story, it was fun, as well as Zoe’s antics.

As we reach the last third of the book, Carter and Josie allow themselves to act on their feelings, but she is afraid he will eventually leave them; especially since she is still not comfortable about revealing her past life.  Myrna knows everything, but Carter needs to find out for himself.  Which he does, and the past comes flooding back.  What will Carter find? Is Josie’s life in danger?

Summer by the River was so well written by Debbie Burns, with a couple we wanted to root for, a friend so great like Myrna, the fun times with Zoe and the dogs, as well as learning all about Josie’s life years before.  It was such great story that kept my attention from start to finish. Summer by the River was a story of family, love and trust, as well as a captivating read. I suggest you read this wonderful book.

Reviewed by Barb

Copy provided by Publisher

 

 

 

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