All the Breaking Waves

all-the-breaking-waves Author: Kerry Lonsdale

Publisher: Lake Union

Release Date: December 6, 2016

Rating: 4.5 Stars

Reviewer: Jessica Higgins

Sophomore novel from Kerry Lonsdale is another must read!

Molly Brennan has a secret. She is able to emphasize with other people and even has the gift of compulsion to make others do task she commands them in their mind. In fact, all of the women ancestors have been able to do something as well. Unfortunately, this gift has led to a tragic accident that caused her family to be torn apart, causing Molly to leave the town of Pacific Grove, California for good. Now ten years later, Molly has discovered that her eight year old daughter also has abilities, but they are even more dangerous. Cassie has premonitions of events five days before they happen and each day the premonitions get more vivid and Cassie experiences the events, including the pain and potentially even death. Molly must now return to her grandmother at Pacific Grove to help train Cassie to not let her abilities destroy her, but she will be thrust back into the crowd from ten years ago including the soulmate she left behind.

Everything We Keep was a tremendous breakout novel that was extremely thought provoking. This of course meant that I must read Lonsdale’s second novel with nervous anticipation that it wouldn’t be as good as the first. Not to worry, it was just as good, if not better. All the Breaking Waves continued Lonsdale’s trend of a young female lead character in her upper twenties who is really coming into her own. Molly is a very strong character who has been raising her daughter as a single mother. She is a very different character than Aimee Tierney in Everything we Keep in that she is already used to doing things herself, but she isn’t really realizing her true potential in life. Of course there is also some romance thrown in at just the right times. Lonsdale is truly a master of her craft. She has a unique way of blending a little bit of sci-fi into a contemporary setting that the reader finds completely believable. It may also help that the Monterey peninsula is one of my favorite areas, so getting to visit there alongside Molly was a beautiful thing. Needless to say, I am awaiting the next awesome read from Kerry Lonsdale!

There is some mild language throughout the book as well as two scenes that include some mild sexual dialogue. I recommend this book to mature young adults and up!

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher. The views and opinions expressed throughout are mine.

Wallflower Blooming

wallflower-blooming Author: Amy Rivers

Publisher: Wooden Pants Publishing

Release Date: August 15, 2016

Rating: 3 Stars

Reviewer: Jessica Higgins

Wallflower no more, she is becoming society’s girl.

Val Shakely loves running her small public relations firm in Cambria, Colorado. The best part is, she doesn’t take on political candidates. At least she doesn’t until her cousin Gwen decides to run for mayor. She previously ran for city council and became the youngest person to be elected. Val isn’t looking forward to the campaign either. Her opponent wanted her to be his PR, but she declined and he isn’t used to being told no. However, she starts to run into local businessman John Hatfield more and more frequently, so much so that they actually begin to fall in love. Val finds herself becoming more in the public eye with John and as the campaign turns nasty with the current mayor threatening by John and Val, can they hold it together?

Overall, this was a quick, fairly interesting read. It is a really short book that is just a snapshot in time during a small town election. It really could be more classified as a novella as I could see the two main characters branching off into a more developed story. Even so, the story was primarily about Val, who is a wallflower that enjoys working behind the scenes, fall in love with John who is widely known, but pretty antisocial himself. If you enjoy quick romances, this one will tickle your fancy.

There was some mild sexual dialogue and quite a bit of foul language, so I would recommend this book for mature young adults and up.

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

In the Blue Hour

in-the-blue-hour Author: Elizabeth Hall

Publisher: Lake Union Press

Release Date: November 1, 2016

Rating: 3.5 Stars

Reviewer: Jessica Higgins

The loss of a loved one is hard and it feels like they never really leave. That feeling lives where we can barely see it, in the blue hour.

When Elise Brooks has a dream about a car accident, she doesn’t think much of it, after all it is just a dream. Then a few weeks later, her husband is killed just like her dream. She blames herself feeling that she missed the signs and could have somehow prevented his death. Now she feels his spirit following her in the form of a raven. There are forces at work beyond her understanding and she turns to both the Native American wisdom she grew up with and psychics, which she has always been skeptical about. Clues lead her to take a journey after finding a mysterious address found in her late husband’s jacket. She puts her trust in a new friend, Tom, or at least she hopes he is a friend, and follows the clues. Tom doesn’t believe in the supernatural but is happy to help Elise on her journey. Together they will both find more than they could have ever imagined.

Let me start by saying that overall I really did enjoy the story. The way it was written, not so much. The story started with mostly narrative, very little dialogue to move the story forward, and stayed that way throughout much of the rest of the novel. When a reader opens a book to see if it might be worth their time and find page after page of narrative, it can be a turn off. I know it is for me. I think the story would have flowed much smoother if Hall had found a way to portray more of it through dialogue in some way. This type of story does rely heavily on narrative, I get that, but when it causes me to want to skip over parts of the story just to get to something I deem more important. However, had I done that with much of the narrative, I’m sure I missed a few key points that could have caused the ending to be a little less enjoyable, if not a little confusing. The conclusion made me think that perhaps I was missing something from the beginning but it was all there just a little hard to follow at times. It was still an enjoyable read, but not one I will pick up again.

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

Finding Libbie

finding-libble Author: Deanna Lynn Sletten

Publisher: Lake Union

Release Date: September 6, 2016

Rating: 4 Stars

Reviewer: Jessica Higgins

A bit like The Notebook on a roller coaster ride, but even more emotionally taxing!

Emily Prentice is spending time helping her grandmother box up her home when her world is rocked by finding out that her father had been married before he met her mother. As her grandmother tells the story, she learns her father Jack and Elizabeth “Libbie” Wilkens were high school sweethearts. Libbie was from a family with lots of money and Jack had aspirations of being a mechanic, which did not sit well with Libbie’s mother or older sister. Even so, a year out of high school they get married. But the Cinderella story ends there. During wedding preparations, Libbie found herself being stressed and was giving some Valium pills to help ease it. But when she accidently mixed it with alcohol, she blacked out and started acting horribly to Jack. When she learned what she had done, she apologized and tried to stay away from alcohol. But after things get hard, she continues to need help from alcohol and pills to escape her version of reality. Eventually, she and Jack are driven apart, never to see each other again.

As this story greatly saddens Emily, she decides that she must try and find this woman that made her father so happy once, if she is still alive. She sets out on a journey that changes her life and her family’s as well.

This book was very painful to read at times. The emotion that Sletten is able to draw out of the reader makes it want to work out so bad. But if there isn’t conflict, there isn’t much of a story. The story of Jack and Libbie was happy, then sad, then a little happier, then much sadder, then even worse, then just please make it stop, but I can’t stop reading because I have to know. However, in the end, it was justified. So, I am satisfied, I think.

Even more compelling was the story of Emily and Jordan. I pretty much knew what was going to happen there, but it was still interesting to see how it played out and how he only used her. If it hadn’t been for finding out about her dad, she may have ended up being used by him her whole life. The hidden lesson in that portion of the story was well worth it.

There was some occasional foul language, but not much. I think this book would be suitable for YA and up, especially if you like romance like The Notebook.

I received a complimentary copy of this book through the TLC Book Tours. The views and opinions expressed throughout are mine.

Long Way Gone

long-way-gone Author: Charles Martin

Publisher: Thomas Nelson

Release Date: October 4, 2016

Rating: 5 Stars

Reviewer: Jessica Higgins

A fantastic, fast paced, emotionally gripping read! I couldn’t put it down until I knew what was going to happen next!

Cooper O’Connor knows how to make music. Not for personal gain or profit, but how to actually reach into people’s souls and touch them with his notes. But he also knows trials and tribulations. One day after playing an impromptu set up with an older man in Leadville, Colorado, Cooper sees a woman thumbing a ride down the road. He dismisses it, but as he arrives home in Buena Vista, he sees her again with a smashed guitar and a gash on her forehead. As he quickly gets out of his jeep to help her before she passes out, he realizes that it is a blast from his past. The one and only Daley Cross, who was once well known on the country music circuit, has just passed out in his arms. Now in the hospital, Daley wakes up and realizes that Cooper has been the one to rescue her. Cooper yearns to start over in a relationship with Daley, but also knows that the past twenty years has had other people spinning a few lies to Daley about why he left Nashville. The journey ahead dives back into the past with an accident that left Cooper with a gunshot wound and left in a burning building. Can Cooper tell Daley the truth? And will Daley believe him?

This is easily one of the top ten books that I have read for the year! I apologize if my synopsis is a little vague, but there is so much in this book that must be left for the reader to learn on his or her own. The way it is set up, I could easily spoil a large part of the story and I really don’t want to do that. However, I suppose that I could give you a little bit more.

The book is broken up into three parts. It begins is present day set mainly in Buena Vista, Colorado but also in Leadville, which are both mountain towns. I’m a big fan of each because my husband and I used to frequent Ski Cooper in Leadville and traveled through Buena Vista to get there, so I know a bit about the layout of both towns. I was a little saddened to see that the Quincy St. Steakhouse (located in both towns) wasn’t mentioned (really good filets at a great price). Back to the story, part one focuses on Cooper and Daley’s relationship after being separated for twenty years. This part only last for a few days. Then part two heads back to memory lane with Cooper’s upbringing as the son of a revival tent preacher through his journey to Nashville and eventual return to Buena Vista. Part three then picks back up where part one left off.

There is some parallel to the story of the prodigal son, but not identical. Cooper takes the inheritance he feels he deserves and insults his father and eventually returns home, but the journey and the return are not quite what you would expect from the story. I warn readers that this book has some very raw emotion in it that can easily get to you. A great story about unconditional love! Even so, I couldn’t put it down.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Thomas Nelson in exchange for an honest and thorough review. The views and opinions expressed within are my own.

Life After Coffee

life-after-coffee Author: Virginia Franken

Publisher: Lake Union

Release Date: September 13, 2016

Rating: 3 1/2 Stars

Reviewer: Jessica Higgins

Being a mom is hard! When Amy O’Hara loses her job and has to stay home with her kids, she finds out just how hard that life can be.

Amy O’Hara has been the bread winner for the family for as long as they have been a family. Just when she is on the verge of a breakthrough discovery that could save the coffee bean from extinction, she loses her job and her self-worth. Now her days are filled with carpools, PTA meetings, and cleaning puke off of everything. Her husband, Paul, locks himself away to write the next great screenplay and leaves her to figure out how to be a parent. It doesn’t take long for her to realize she has no clue what to do with her time with her children. As they are running out of money and options, Amy’s ex-boyfriend comes into the picture asking to give Paul a job with his movie company. This offer doesn’t come with no strings attached; her ex now wants to rekindle their past romance. The choice is even more difficult than trying to live without the caffeine she has come to depend on in so many ways.

Being a mom is one of the most difficult and rewarding jobs there is in life. I have two young boys and there are times I don’t know what to do to just make it through the day. Amy has never had to deal with that. Always rushing off to work and leaving Paul to handle the kids. I know a lot of working moms, some chose to go to work when they could stay home. Others it’s not a choice, they have to go to work in order for their family to make enough. I stay home, I’m one of those people that it is just who I am, I have to stay home with my kids. In that aspect, it was hard for me to relate to Amy at the beginning of the story. I found it difficult to believe that Paul would immediately go from 100% with the kids and doing things around the house to zero, only wanting to work on his screenplay and not do anything with the family or around the house. A transition period as Amy worked her way into finding her groove staying home and Paul working would have been a nicer way for the story to play out in my opinion. The dynamic with the kids and their mom played out nicely throughout. Amy herself had a nice transition from beginning to end.

There was some language throughout that could have been cut while keeping the story’s intent. With that in mind, I would recommend for mature readers only. It was a very quick read that I think working moms in particular will enjoy.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from TLC book tours in exchange for an honest and thorough review. The views and opinions expressed within are my own.

When Love Arrives

when-love-arrives Author: Johnnie Alexander

Series: Misty Willow #2

Publisher: Revell

Release Date: September 20, 2016

Rating: 4 Stars

Reviewer: Jessica Higgins

Getting revenge is never as easy as it sounds, something Dani Prescott is about to find out.

Dani Prescott has grand ambitions of getting revenge of Brett Somers, the man who bad mouthed her mother, the pilot of the plane crash that killed his parents. Her mother died in the crash as well. After watching him in an interview that blamed her mother, she set out to find something on him that would make him look just as bad. Now she finds herself out on a date with him. Not what she had planned. As things progress she starts to think he might not be the man she thought he was and her plans quickly unravel. Brett knows Dani is hiding something, he just isn’t sure what. He doesn’t want to push her, he has secrets of his own. As both of their secrets come to light, they have to decide if what they were starting to feel for each other will outweigh the truth of the past.

When Love Arrives is a story that readers of the Christian, contemporary romance genre will really enjoy. The story starts with Dani and Brett meeting and Dani’s plans falling apart as she finds herself on a date with Brett. Thinking maybe she can use this to her advantage, she agrees to go and has an unexpectedly nice time. I can understand being upset if someone bad mouths a family member you care about, but the extremes that Dani goes to, or plans to go to, in order to get back at Brett are a little farfetched. She sets out to get revenge on him and instead falls in love with him. I can kind of see that happening but some things just didn’t fall in place as well as they could have.

Overall there is nothing that stands out in this story as something that will really grab you and hook you. I liked the aspect of Brett finding out he had a son and the way he played that out. In trying to establish him as a good guy instead of the young, immature, screw-up he had been in the past was a nice way to go about showing his changes. The story had a nice flow and didn’t take very long to read. I didn’t realize until I was finished that this was the second book of the Misty Willow series but I didn’t see that as a problem. Having not read the first, I don’t think it would matter if you read them in order or started with this one. The overall theme of finding forgiveness instead of looking for revenge was nice. The only way to be happy is to find those good positive things instead of hanging onto the negative. A lesson we all need to remember from time to time.

The Goodbye Year

Author: Kaira Rouda

Publisher: Spark Press

Release Date: May 3, 2016

Reviewer: Jennifer S. Roman

The Goodbye Year focuses on the senior year of high school for a group of privileged teens and their families in an upscale beach neighborhood of California. It centers around five seemingly perfect families as they try to prepare for the next stage of their lives. While some have to redefine who they are, others have to come to terms with reality instead of what they think their lives are. Some of the students struggle with college decisions and areas of study while others have family issues.

The story opens with Melanie, who recently moved with her family from the Midwest to Crystal Beach at her son Dane’s senior year orientation. There she experiences a full-blown panic attack as she wonders what will become of her now that her children will all be gone from the house, assuming that her son, Dane, gets accepted somewhere. She is so busy worrying about her life that she doesn’t notice that other families have their own issues. Sarah and Jud have a “perfect” daughter and a seemingly perfect life, yet Jud travels a lot, and Sarah finds an unsavory secret about him. Carol and Will live in a less affluent area and clearly don’t have the social status that their peers do, and their marriage is in trouble. Will sees Carol as a strict, structure-oriented taskmaster and seeks someone outside of his marriage in order to feel good about himself. Lauren, the woman seeing Will, is married to a successful car dealer and has a daughter, Kiley, who doesn’t fit Lauren’s expectations. Kiley is a bit overweight, has piercings, and dresses goth. Zoe is a single mom trying to keep it all together so that her son, Collin, has a good senior year. Collin is accepted at NYU and hopes to make a name for himself once he graduates. As the story develops, the characters intermingle and affect each others’ lives in ways they don’t expect or understand at the time.

I was not expecting the story to unfold the way it did, but I have to say, I am pleasantly surprised. I expected a story of a mom who doesn’t know what to do with herself when her youngest child goes to college. How she transitions from full-time Mom to empty-nester is what I expected; instead, it is more of a Peyton Place/Beverly Hills 90210 (the original) experience. It’s fun, dramatic, and sometimes over-the-top, but always engaging. I had a hard time putting this book down because I was so engrossed in what each character was doing. There of course are a love triangle or two, some cheating, some deep dark secrets, and betrayal. It’s a fun indulgence to enjoy during a marathon reading session because it really is hard to find a stopping point. The characters are interesting and lively and the whole story is so Housewives of Orange County that it can be enjoyed while still driving home a point. Additionally, while dysfunctional, the characters show warmth, redemption, and grace, which keep the book from being too much of a tacky soap opera.

The Goodbye Year is based on cheating, lies, and deception, so it does have some content that may be offensive. People cheat, students get busted for drugs, and there is some mild violence. A few profanities are used for effect. While not an overly profound book, The Goodbye Year does entertain while providing insight into a time that most of us can recognize and remember with bittersweet fondness. I highly recommend it for mature readers who enjoy a voyeuristic look into how people interact and handle life’s curveballs.

The Christmas Angel Project

Author: Melody Carlson

Publisher: Revell

Release Date: September 6, 2016

Rating: 5 Stars

Reviewer: Jessica Higgins

The Christmas Angel Project shows us what the holidays are all about and how angels are all among us.

Book clubs are a nice way to make friends. But when one friend is the glue that holds the rest together, it is hard to stay organized if something happens to that one friend. When Abby, the leader of a club of five women, dies the rest of the group doesn’t know if they want to continue the club. It is right before Christmas and they feel the need to stay together a little longer to honor Abby’s memory. Abby had prepared gift bags for each member of the group and after she passes her husband hands them out. Inside is a small angel ornament specific for each person. It is almost as if she knew she were fixing to die and wanted to leave something for her friends to keep them going. They decide the best way to honor Abby, who was a sort of guardian angel to each of them, is to become angels to those around them. They each use their own unique talents to help others and find that in the process they become blessed themselves.

Melody Carlson puts a delightful spin on the holiday story of helping others to spread the Christmas cheer. The Christmas Angel Project is the type of story that can be read at any time of year to help us remember that sometimes the best way to help ourselves feel better is to do something for someone else. One of the characters is on the verge of depression, but after she works on her Angel project she finds that she no longer feels depressed. By helping others she has inadvertently helped herself out of the lousy mood she has been in for a very long time. That is a take away we can all use at any time of the year, not just Christmas. There are a lot of characters to follow at times for such a short book but they all come together at the end to bring the story to a pleasant close. It is a sweet book that should be read and used as an example on leading a life that will help you to feel like an angel on earth for at least a short while. You never know who you might be the angel for. I recommend this for all to read especially around the holidays.