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The Burnout–surfing/life metaphors
The Burnout
by Sophie Kinsella
Sasha is the Director of Special Promotions for Zoose, an app for a travel company. It was her dream job for several years—until it wasn’t. It happened gradually as the creative founder stopped being hands on, delegated a lot of authority to his brother, and the management became top-heavy. Several people quit her department in disgust and were not replaced increasing Sasha’s work load. Sasha’s complaints went unanswered. Her burnout was not pretty, and she ended up with her doctor signing off on a a three week leave. Sophia departs London for the Rilston Hotel on the beach in February. It’s cold and out of season there, and the hotel has gone downhill from the posh remembrances of her childhood, but at least she is separated from an endless parade of emails from all over the world and nonsense from the company’s “empowerment and well-being officer.”
There is a lot of humor as her mother pretends to be her very demanding PA and insists via morning telephone calls to the hotel that the staff provide Sasha with certain items that will help her on her “wellness journey” including kale smoothies and noni juice both of which are disgusting when they finally locate them for her. Her seaside room has boarded up windows, but she can spend her days in a decrepit beachside cottage that is destined to be torn down. The characters working at the lodge are just that—characters. They try so hard to please, but are very quirky. Sasha is too nice to complain or explain that she really would prefer to have crisps and a choc bar.
Sasha is not looking for romance which is good because one of the few guests is Finn, a man who also has burnout. They start not wanting to be anywhere near each other, but then discover that they both were surfing students of Terry back in the day. Everyone loved Terry who was part excellent surfing instructor and part philosopher.
The plot in The Burnout develops nicely with a growing friendship and false starts at a relationship. The pair collaborate to determine who is leaving mysterious messages in the sand. They meet up with their hero Terry again, and they find themselves a part of the small community of the town where everyone knows their business. I enjoyed the eccentric characters and felt like I was joining in on their celebration of Terry. Everyone had “Terry quotes” memorized which related to both surfing and life.
I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Rating: 4/5
Category: Women’s Fiction, Romance
Notes: Some inappropriate language and sexual references in regard to sexual organs and libido, but no open door scenes.
Publication: October 10, 2023—Random House (Dial Press)
Memorable Lines:
Finn feels safe and trustworthy. And most important, he gets it. He knows how I feel. Just to meet someone who’s been through something similar is such a relief.
Infinite waves. Infinite chances. You can’t dwell or think about what might have been. There’s always another wave. Although you have to be looking the right way to see it.
It seems most art experts are happy to spout on endlessly about their own opinion, So my method is: Let them do that while I get on with drinking the free champagne. And when they pause, say, Stunning, isn’t it?
An Amish Cinderella–sweet focus on family
An Amish Cinderella
by Shelley Shepard Gray
Levi Beachy is humble, but he has achieved fame as a blacksmith and a welder, His sculptures are valuable and sought after. He takes on Clayton as his apprentice, a young man who spent most of his years as an orphan in a children’s home. Levi has not thought through the details of the apprentice’s stay—food, lodging, etc. His sweet adult daughter Heart refuses to have Clayton stay in a small unheated attic room over the workshop with spiders, mice, dust and no bathroom facilities. Levi and Heart have been on their own for four years since Heart’s mom Katie passed away. Heart reminds Levi that his wife would never have allowed his treating the young man that way.
Although Levi is physically large and strong and his demeanor is gruff, he actually has a soft spot for children and animals. Levi is patient with his apprentice who works hard and appreciates all Heart does for him. Another important character is Mary who lives close by. She is a widow who helps take care of people in their final days, as she did for Katie Beachy, and those recovering from injuries and sickness. She involves the Beachy family in taking care of a white pet “fancy” rat and also her dog Virginia with five new pups.
An Amish Cinderella displays the trust the characters have in God even during hard times. It shows that God is not a magic genie to deliver wishes, but He does have a plan for our lives and we can count on Him. There are two gentle romances within this tale that is both pleasing and a page turner. This book showcases Amish and English being able to interact to pull together and help others.
I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Rating: 5/5
Category: Romance, Christian
Notes: #3 in The Amish of Apple Creek series, but perfect as a standalone because, judging by the publisher’s summaries, the characters do not overlap—just the setting. In fact I thought it was a standalone until I was finished and did a little research.
Publication: September 26, 2023—Kensington
Memorable Lines:
That was the thing about Levi Beachy. He was a mess of contradictions. He was the biggest man she knew and twice as gruff, but never harsh. Actually, she’d never heard him raise his voice to anyone. Likely, it was because he had no need to. Between his size and his continual scowl, most people in the area were anxious to do what he wanted and get out of his way.
Though most people’s childhoods were the same, it was different in a home. There were two realities that permeated every waking hour. One was that his parents hadn’t wanted him, and the other was that no one else seemed to want him, either.
Why hadn’t he ever let go of his control enough to feel such joy?…Laughter felt good. It felt cleansing. Hopeful, even. The Lord sure worked in amazing ways.
Wildflower Falls–saving a ranch
Wildflower Falls
by Denise Hunter
Romances frequently follow a pattern. Boy meets girl under circumstances that vary from shaky to middle of a crisis. Both characters have background issues that interfere with their having a smooth relationship. There are ups and downs in their paths, and usually there is a happily ever after. Wildflower Falls conforms to this typical sequence. How good a romance is depends on the skills and talents of the author in executing the plot and developing the characters.
Author Denise Hunter falls in the category of excellent with the reader wanting more. As I read Wildflower Falls, I was involved in the characters and wanted that elusive “happily ever after” for stable owner Charlotte Honeycutt and roaming horse trainer Gunner Dawson. Charlotte is trying to fulfill a promise to her deceased mother to save the ranch that has belonged to her family for three generations. There is a mystery as to the identity of her biological father, and Charlotte is caught between betraying a confidence and hurting a whole family of very nice people. Just as important to some readers will be the horses and their relationship with Charlotte and Gunner. Daisy is due to have her foal, and Midnight is a “free” horse that trusts no one. Gunner is purported to be a horse whisperer. Will he be able to win Midnight over before he is scheduled to further his career by working with a Derby horse in Kentucky? His time in Riverbend Gap was never supposed to be more than temporary, but will he be able to pack up his motorcycle and move on at the end of his stipulated six months?
The story is a good one, and the characters are generally likable, especially the members of the Robinson family who are central to the continuing series.
I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Rating: 4/5
Category: Romance, Christian
Notes: #4 in the Riverbend series. Although it could be read as a standalone, I advise starting this series at the beginning because all of the characters in the Robinson family were introduced in the first three books. There are a lot of family dynamics that play into Wildflower Falls.
Publication: September 12, 2023—Thomas Nelson
Memorable Lines:
Horse smart, cute as a button, and a sense of humor too. If that wasn’t the perfect trifecta in a woman, he didn’t know what was.
He was better at reading horses than humans. People attempted to hide their feelings. Horses didn’t do that. When they were afraid, they twitched, tremored, or reared. When they were happy they nickered and swung their tails. When they were angry, they pinned their ears back and pawed the ground. Pretty straightforward.
“Real feelings are always a risk, aren’t they? Nobody likes to get hurt.”
Moving Forward–overcoming the past
Moving Forward
by Shelley Shepard Gray
What does it take to be a firefighter? A lot! A lot of physical and mental strength, courage, commitment to saving others, and stamina. Also, focus, alertness, decisiveness, and the ability to follow orders.
Moving Forward introduces some current and potential firefighters and their families and friends. The protagonists are the very handsome (Mr. March for a charity calendar) and kind firefighter Greg, and the sweet owner of a plant/landscape shop Kristen. Greg is a former Major in the Marines, and he has lived through a lot of horrible events in Iraq and Afghanistan. He has PTDS, and he tries to keep it a secret. Kristen’s life is deeply affected by a congenital heart condition which means she has several secrets of her own. The two need to get beyond their pasts and secrets if they are going to share a life together.
There is a side plot involving Jen, a new high school graduate. Her mother’s alcoholism, which developed after Jen’s father died, has curtailed Jen’s social life and future plans. She works for Kristen at the plant shop, but she develops a desire to become a firefighter. To accomplish this goal, however, she will need to establish some independence from her mom, engage in tough academic and physical training, learn how to drive, and spend a lot of time at the fire station doing grunt work. Fortunately, she has a supportive boyfriend and siblings.
Many of the characters in this book have painful backgrounds, but face life and the future with courage and moral standards. They have to learn to trust again and to share their secrets to develop meaningful relationships with others.
This appears to be a series that follows a group of firefighters focusing on individuals for the course of each book. The very nature of firefighting means teamwork so other members of the team are part of the plot.
I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Rating: 5/5
Category: Romance
Notes: Moving Forward is #2 in the Woodland Park Firefighter romance series, but I had no problem enjoying it and would like to read #1 in the series—Coming Home.
Publication: August 22, 2023—Penguin Random House (Berkley)
Memorable Lines:
It was always like that. An adrenaline rush in the midst of extreme focus, the slight edge of panic without which he wouldn’t perform to the best of his ability, followed by the sense of satisfaction that came from seeing only smoking embers.
That was what she’d been doing with her life—with relationships—Kristen realized. It was time to stop being so worried about the bad thing that might happen and start concentrating on all the good things that could.
Two people knee-deep in a pool of attraction, and neither one anxious to swim into deeper waters or return to the shallow end.
To Trust a Hero–scars of betrayal
To Trust a Hero
by Alexis Morgan
I enjoy Harlequin Heartwarming novels because they are predictably clean romances. To Trust a Hero fits that role, but it also has characters you will love and a mystery that you may figure out the whodunit of the plot before it is revealed, but not the why. I loved watching it play out. The main characters Max, a freelance writer, and Rikki, a single mom and the owner of a B&B, both have difficult backgrounds that they have not shared with others. Their pasts make trusting difficult for each of them, but when Max rents out the turret room for an extended period, he finds that he is not “just a guest anymore.” It is hard to tell who he falls in love with more, Rikki or her adorable 5 year old son Carter. Carter and Max bond over Legos.
This is Max’s return to the town of Dunbar. He has been invited to see the Trillium Nugget in the Dunbar Historical Museum. His presence and the Nugget caused quite an uproar in a previous book, but was worked out satisfactorily. On his return, the townspeople gradually warm up to him. Now he wants to write a book about his great-grandfather using resources at the town’s museum to research his ancestor’s story.
When someone breaks into Rikki’s B&B and vandalizes two rooms, Max flies into protective mode. At that point we learn more about Cade. the Chief of Police, and Titus, an excellent cook with a gruff exterior.
Interesting characters, gentle romance, a mystery without a murder, and a cute kid—I couldn’t ask for more. If you want to escape from all the craziness infused into this world, take a trip to Dunbar. I think you’ll find it an engaging and pleasant relief.
I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Rating: 5/5
Category: Romance
Notes: # 2 in the Heroes of Dunbar Mountain series. Although To Trust a Hero is great as a standalone, now I want to read about Max’s first involvement with the town in The Lawman’s Promise. My interest has also been piqued by hints that the next book in this series, Second Chance Deputy focuses on Titus.
Publication: August 22, 2023—Harlequin Heartwarming
Memorable Lines:
Max knew firsthand what it was like when a kid couldn’t depend on anyone, and he devoutly hoped that Carter never experienced how much that kind of betrayal hurt or the scars it left behind.
“It must be something in the water supply here that makes men act stupid around strong women.”
The cruise had been fun, but it was Carter’s infectious joy that had made the day special. Every time a new whale appeared, the little guy had cheered and then run from one side of the boat to the other to get the best view.
The Heart’s Bidding–Amish special education students
The Heart’s Bidding
by Kelly Irvin
Although this book is an Amish romance, its strongest theme is the acceptance and education of children who are labelled as different, educationally challenged, developmentally delayed, disabled, mentally or physically handicapped, or as the Amish prefer to call them “special.” They see these children as gifts from God. In The Heart’s Bidding, Rachelle is a dedicated teacher, but as a Plain (Amish) woman she knows that although she loves teaching and has a talent in that area, her future will be to get married and have children. When the governing educational committee in her community decide that the special children should be transported daily to a town that offers more specialized services than the little community has available and at no cost to the Amish, Rachelle finds her last day of teaching coming more quickly than she could have imagined or desired.
Toby is a handsome bachelor who has been hurt in a past experience in courting and is haunted by the thought that no woman would want to be married to an auctioneer who spends many days and months on the road crisscrossing 5 states. Could an attraction between Toby and Rachelle come to anything? Both of their mothers would like to see it happen and have to be reminded to rein in their matchmaking. Both Toby and Rachelle have special siblings and common love and understanding for them.
There are other plot threads within this book about the large Amish families, the head of a family business stepping down, and an adult with dyslexia that has never been addressed. If you are interested in the Amish way of life and how both education and technology are addressed on an everyday level, this would be a good book to read. It gives the reader a different point of view from an author who is sensitive to both Amish and English cultures. The many children in the book provide both humor and excitement. In particular Jonah, Rachelle’s little brother, and Sadie, Toby’s little sister, both of whom will need lifelong support, will make you smile and tug on your heartstrings.
I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Rating: 5/5
Category: Religion, Romance,
Notes: 1. The author includes a listing of characters by family and a glossary of Amish/Pennsylvania Dutch words at the beginning. She ends with author’s notes and discussion questions.
2. This is #1 in the series The Amish Calling. There are two in the series available now and one more that will be published in January 2025. All have characters who deal with disabilities of various types.
Publication: August 1, 2023—Zondervan Publishing
Memorable Lines:
Plain women liked their appliances the way some English women loved their jewelry or a roomy SUV for carting around their children—all two of them.
Their education was intended to help them be successful in their Plain communities, to be hard workers and good people, with the skills they would need to sustain to work with their families, to thrive, but to do so in a godly way.
“Sadie’s soul is innocent. It always will be.” Rachelle sought out the little girl. She found her on a swing, her legs pumping, her head thrown back, laughter spilling from her lips. “She knows what is gut and right and fair. Nothing will change that.” “Do you really believe that?” “Gott made her special. I believe His plan is for us to learn as much from her as she learns from us—more really.”
Positively, Penelope–theater and community
Positively, Penelope
by Pepper Basham
I wondered if Pepper Basham would follow up the very bookish epistolary novel Authentically, Izzy with another epistolary novel. If so, could it be as good, as fun, as the first? How do you write an epistolary novel in the twenty-first century anyway, a time when letter writing for personal reasons is rare? Basham continues her humorous style with Positively, Penelope told mainly in emails and text messages between Penelope who has taken a job as an intern helping the marketing team in the country of Skymar and her brother and two sisters who live in the Appalachians. There is also some third person narration thrown in. As a drama major, a very dramatic teacher of elementary age children, and a lover of storytelling and princesses, I can identify so much with Penelope who attacks life with more gusto than I can dream of mustering!
Penelope is trying to rescue the dying Darling House, a theater whose owners and managers lost their spirit with the deaths of the mother and grandmother over a short span of time. Penelope with her positive attitude spreads joy wherever she goes with her smiles, singing, and creativity. Two brothers, Matt and Alec, are grumpy but could make romantic heroes in the story as they fall under Penelope’s spell along with their father, Grandpa Gray. Matt’s daughter Iris who has not been allowed to enjoy fairy tales blooms under Penelope’s friendship as they share a love of pink and princesses. While Penelope seems like cotton candy fluff, she is actually quite bright. Unfortunately, every idea she comes up with is stolen by a rival theater; it seems a mole has invaded the Darling House team.
Silliness, suspicion, fear of sea monsters, a cute seven year old, costumes, royalty, creativity, and clean romance make Positively, Penelope a fun novel; I’m packing my bag for Skymar right now.
I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Rating: 5/5
Category: Romance, Fiction, Christian
Notes: 1. #2 in the Skymar series. It could be read as a standalone, but I wouldn’t want you to pass up the very bookish first novel, Authentically, Izzy.
2. a lot of humor as the siblings banter with each other
3. Christian undertones woven subtly into the book
4. #3 has already been published about the flannel wearing, bachelor brother in the family, Loyally, Luke
Publication: August 1,2023—Thomas Nelson
Memorable Lines:
But no wonder he’s grumpy. Anyone who is against fairy-tale talk, singing in public, dancing on the sidewalk, and general hat-wearing has to be a sad sort of person.
Because story is the key to what we bring to the stage, how we present ourselves online, and even how we engage with one another. We all have stories, but in our hearts, we all LOVE stories (even if it takes some of us longer to admit it…kind of like a smile. Some people need more encouragement to smile than others, but you should really know a smile makes all the difference).
He came up to me, dismounted, and shot me this dazzling smile before saying, “I’ve always wanted to rescue a damsel in distress, but I never realized one would be so lovely in the rain.” Heaven HELP ME! Who says stuff like that? Only Skymarian men who ride on white horses in the rain????
Letters of Comfort–grieving and depression
Letters of Comfort
by Wanda E. Brunstetter
In Letters of Trust, Doretta encouraged her friend Eleanor through a difficult time in Eleanor’s marriage when her husband Vic sought relief from grief and guilt by turning to alcohol. In Letters of Comfort, Eleanor tries to support Doretta when her fiancé William passes away shortly before their marriage from an accident in which Doretta is also very badly injured. In her grief, Doretta draws away from God, friends, and family.
In her first book in the Friendship Letters Series, author Wanda E. Brunstetter addresses a more serious subject than is typical of her novels—alcoholism. In this second book, Letters of Comfort, Brunstetter attacks another difficult issue, depression. In a letter to the reader at the end of the book, she explains that her own mother suffered from bipolar disorder. Thus Brunstetter is all too familiar with depression and its symptoms. She encourages readers to seek help in a variety of ways from lifestyle changes to professional guidance.
In this book, Doretta’s life is complicated by a promise to her fiancé to never love anyone else. Will she change her resolve to keep that promise? Can William’s identical twin brother Warren move on from his grief? Both Warren’s and Doretta’s families have known each other since their children were little and all of them are grieving. Eleanor, pregnant with a second child, wants to help Doretta and encourages her as best she can from afar while Doretta is rejecting any efforts of help. Along the way there are complications as Warren tries to open the nutritional supplements store he and William were establishing and as Margaret, Warren’s girlfriend, struggles with priorities as her attachment to horses with behavioral problems increases.
This book is a little slow at times, perhaps to demonstrate that one does not “snap out” of grief and depression. It takes time. There are some key events towards the end that propel the plot forward more quickly. I did not have a strong emotional attachment to any of the characters, but I did appreciate the author’s conclusion. She provides appropriate and satisfactory closure for all. This is not a page turner, but I enjoyed it; and I do look forward to the next book in the series, Letters of Wisdom.
I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Rating: 3/5
Category: Christian, Romance
Notes: The book concludes with a recipe for apple muffins and a very well-written and thought provoking set of discussion questions.
Publication: August 1, 2023—Barbour Publishing
Memorable Lines:
“To be honest, I do not appreciate it when someone says a bunch of positive things that are supposed to cheer me up. It makes me feel like I don’t have the right to grieve.”
…since she didn’t have a job anymore and had been replaced by another school teacher, Doretta had no purpose in life—no reason to get up in the morning—and nothing to look forward to doing each day. She did not want to feel like this or entertain such negative thoughts, but thinking positive thoughts seemed to be an impossible task.
Doretta’s hope for marriage had been snatched away, as easily as a hawk pouncing on some poor unsuspecting little bird.
The Start of Something Wonderful–Lake District of north west England
The Start of Something Wonderful
by Jessica Redland
Sometimes people have to go through some hard times before they are ready to make changes in their lives. At some point they also begin to appreciate what they already have. Such is the case for Dane whose divorce is pending and for Autumn who loses her job as a greeting card illustrator while she is grieving for her grandfather and coming to grips with a past failed romance.
The Start of Something Wonderful is about Dane and Autumn as they literally bump into each other. In the process of their meeting, we learn so much about their pasts and their hopes and dreams. They do not start out looking for romance, but in their efforts to begin again with their lives, they discover a friendship and a kinship that draws them close together.
The setting is one the author is quite familiar with—Derwent Water in the Lake District National Park in north west England near Keswick. The beauty of the area and the feel of community in the small towns nearby are inspiring to Autumn as are her visits to Hill Top Farm and the legacy of her personal heroine, Beatrix Potter. She wants to take her inspiration from Potter and the area without copying her.
Rosie is an important character in that she was Autumn’s penpal from age eleven. Neither had a lot of friends in school and family needs kept each close to home. Thus they became confidants through the rest of their lives. When Autumn goes to meet and visit Rosie for a fortnight in the Lake District where Rosie manages a stable and teaches riding skills, a new stage of life begins for both women.
The main characters are quite likable along with several others who contribute to the plot. There are also a few who are despicable, especially Autumn’s ex-boyfriend. The romance is gentle and slow and suited to the story and the needs of the characters. Several events were quite touching, and I enjoyed the whole book. Redland is a good writer. I have enjoyed everything I have read by her, and I am excited for this new series.
I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Rating: 5/5
Category: Fiction, Romance
Notes: #1 in Escape to the Lakes
Publication: July 17, 2023—Boldwood Books
Memorable Lines:
“You really think certain people are meant to be in your life?” “Of course! I think they appear when you need them and we’re the living proof of that.”
We really were kindred spirits, neither one us willing to travel far from home because we had a loved one to look out for, and neither of us having a friend who we could pour our hearts out to in person. It was no wonder we’d become so close as penpals. There’d been nobody else to turn to.
It was my grandparents’ home and I needed my own space. It was full of memories, but selling it wouldn’t take them away. They were in my heart and my head and would remain with me wherever life took me. I didn’t need to own their house to remember them.
Must Love Flowers–revival for a widow
Must Love Flowers
by Debbie Macomber
As may know, Debbie Macomber, after forty years of writing, put aside her pen for a well deserved retirement. That lasted for four months before she picked up her pen to compose Must Love Flowers, a sweet romance about a widow who is in her fifties and needs to move on with the grieving process and can’t seem to do so. I’m glad Macomber decided to tell this tale.
I don’t normally read anything about the Covid fiasco, but I could tolerate it in this book because it is not set during the restrictions, but shows the negative effects on someone who maintains feelings of being “safe” and “protected” by continuing to cut herself off from people and activities—life, in short. Family members want to help her, but are at a loss as she is in denial that she has a problem.
This novel tells Joan’s story as she takes a few steps at a time to rejoin the world and find her new place in it. Joan was pushed into these changes by threats from her HOA because in four years she has let the yard she was once proud of become an overgrown mess. Enter Phil Harrison, a former lawyer, who is currently a landscaper and a really nice person. She even decides to take in a boarder, Maggie, who needs to get out from under her alcoholic father. Along the way she joins a grief therapy group, which she had said she would never do. The ramifications of Joan’s decisions reach out to affect the lives of her two grown sons and their relationships with others.
I enjoyed this novel which contains several romantic threads. When one of the twists occurred, I was sad because it potentially meant good things for some characters and bad for others, but Macomber works the situations out for her characters in a way that is both realistic and satisfying for me.
I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Rating: 5/5
Category: Romance
Publication: July 11, 2023—Random House (Ballentine)
Memorable Lines:
It used to be… That was what her life had become: a series of all the things that once were but were no longer.
As silly as it sounded, she recognized deep down with a certainty that she didn’t question that she was meant to help Maggie Herbert. For whatever reason, God had put Maggie in her path.
“It didn’t take me long to realize it didn’t matter how much money I had in the bank, or what my career goals were; if I didn’t have someone to share life with, they meant nothing.
education pathways 