The Happy Camper

The Happy Camper Author: Melody Carlson

Publisher: Revell

Release Date: March 4, 2020

Rating: 4.5 Stars

Reviewer: Jessica Higgins

This book is a real Christian Hallmark movie!

Dillon Michaels breaks up with her boyfriend of two years and quits her job leaving her feeling lost. On a whim, she loads up her car and moves home to Oregon to help her aging grandfather. On the way, she stops at a cute trailer park and rests for the first time in a long time. When she arrives home, she finds that her mother has moved in with her grandfather, leaving her nowhere to sleep but the old couch. Her living situation is starting to wear on her when her grandfather gives her an old trailer to fix up and live in. This is a dream come true for Dillon. She has independence, a trailer she loves, and is interested in the local hardware store owner. A wrench is thrown in her plans when her ex shows up to win her back. Dillon must fight for her new life and the new joy she has found.

This book was a light and easy read. Dillon felt like a real person. I felt at times the book got a little bogged down on some plot points, but I really enjoyed it and wasn’t ready for it to end. Carlson always finds a way to draw me into an easy read that I find enjoyable. It’s nice to throw in a story that is not always so tense and suspenseful to balance out the reading stack! A true feel good book!

I received a complimentary copy of this title from the publisher. The views and opinions expressed within are my own.

No Judgements

No Judgements Author: Meg Cabot

Series: Little Bridge Island #1

Publisher: William Morrow

Release Date: September 24, 2019

Rating: 4 Stars

Reviewer: Jessica Higgins

Animal lovers and romantics will truly enjoy this book!

Bree Beckham has run away to Little Bridge Island in Key West, Florida, after suffering some major setbacks in her life. The death of her father and inappropriate behavior by a close friend have led her to drop out of law school and move to her favorite vacation spot, despite her mother’s disapproval. As Bree makes a life for herself on the little island as a waitress, she finds herself loving her new life. She has sworn off men and is enjoying her new found freedom.

As Hurricane Marilyn looms in the distance, Bree finds herself on the receiving end of calls from her past, her mother and ex-boyfriend begging her to evacuate. Bree is determined to weather out the storm. She finds herself drawn to the playboy of the island, Drew Hartwell, as she relies on the kindness of his family for protection from the storm.

After the hurricane, Bree finds a new passion in helping the pets who had been left behind when their owner evacuated, no judgment. This draws Bree and Drew closer as he helps her.

Bree’s past threatens to catch up with her and ruin her new and perfect life when her mother and ex-boyfriend arrive in Little Bridge. Bree learns to stand up for herself with the new confidence she has found.

This was a fun, easy book. Bree was a relatable character with passion for her new life. Her chemistry with Drew is electric. The plot kept me interested and wanting to come back to the book. I feel that this book could have pulled on the heartstrings of the reader more by putting more emotion into the climax, but overall a great read.

I received a complimentary copy of this title from the publisher. The views and opinions expressed within are my own.

The Silver Shoes

The Silver Shoes Author: Jill G. Hall

Publisher: She Writes Press

Release Date: June 19, 2018

Rating: 4.5 Stars

Reviewer: Jessica Higgins

So much fun getting to know these women and watch them achieve fulfillment in their lives.

Anne McFarland is in the middle of a cross country romance. Her boyfriend Sergio lives in New York City and she loves visiting the him and the city too, but she is currently residing in San Francisco. While on a trip to visit Sergio, Anne stumbles into a vintage antique shop and finds a pair of old shoes that must have a story attached to them. As an artists, these shoes give her an inspiration and she buys them. She soon finds clues that leads Anne on a mission to uncover the shoes original owner.

In 1929, Clair Deveraux is a sheltered socialite that wants more out of life than to just be a pretty face for a future husband. She wants to go to university, but her father just wants to marry her off to someone who is twice her age for her financial well being. While looking for some items in Macy’s, she befriends a young store clerk named Winnie who leads Clair on an adventure to a speakeasy and to discovering a new era of music that can’t keep her body still. But when Clair’s father suddenly loses all their wealth in the stock market crash, she finds herself wrapped up in this new world in an effort to save her family.

This was a really fun story to relate to two different women in different eras. Both woman had different circumstances, yet were looking for fulfillment in life and each woman was able to find it. The past/present crossover storyline seems to be really picking up popularity with several readers. I have found that typically the reader relates to one character more than the other, which I think was more the case with Anne for me. There was more similarities that I could identify with based on her life, but I still enjoyed both stories. I enjoyed getting to know both woman as the author made it very easy to be able to do that. The writing was clean and the storyline was fantastic. I recommend this book to people who enjoy contemporary crossover romances and women’s fiction.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher. The views and opinions expressed within are my own.

The Theory of Happily Ever After

Happily Ever After Author: Kristin Billerbeck

Publisher: Revell

Release Date: May 1, 2018

Rating: 4 Stars

Reviewer: Jessica Higgins

This witty romance comedy may just be the cruise you’ve been looking to take!

Dr. Maggie Maguire is a scientist who has been wrapped up in her work studying the different causes and effects to happiness. She even wrote a bestselling book and giving talks with her fiancée. Unfortunately, things happen and her happiness is shattered when her fiancée breaks it off and immediately takes up with an acrobat who he soon marries. This, of course, sends poor Maggie to the brink of watching Hallmark movies while eating gallons of eggnog ice cream. Fortunately, she has two friends that recognize what is happening and realize the best way to get her to move on is to put her back in the saddle. So, they book her on a cruise, which sounds great until Maggie learns that she is one of the speakers on the cruise. Now faced with anxiety of telling people about happiness when she lost her own, Maggie begins the process of starting over with love. And what better place to find it than on a singles cruise in the Gulf of Mexico!

Overall this book was an enjoyable read. The writing is extremely witty throughout the book and makes you laugh out loud a few times. The scenes were set really well with the cruise and describing the activities throughout really kept the progress steady. However, many people may find Maggie’s character annoying throughout much of the book. She does whine a lot at first and then makes some decisions throughout the book that can leave readers scratching their head. By the end of the book, you can see that Maggie has actually had a lot of personal growth. More so than her friends. The romance triangle of having two guys vying for Maggie’s attention was interesting, but sometimes not completely realistic. In many ways, it was like watching a Hallmark movie but hoping for more of a real life feel. Don’t take it too serious. Just enjoy it.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher. The views and opinions expressed within are my own.