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Abscond–more than a coming of age story
Abscond
by Abraham Verghese
If you have heard of award winning Abraham Verghese’s books, but are not sure you want to invest the amount of time that it would take to read The Covenant of Water, for example, then I encourage you to sample Verghese’s work by reading the short story “Abscond” which features a thirteen year old boy. It is amazing what Verghese can do with either a full length novel or a short story. You will meet fascinating characters that you care about and visit a culture that is probably different from your own.
This short story focuses on resilience and rituals that help get us through times of grief. We learn to just sit with someone who is grieving. Although “Abscond” is about the death of a character, because of its themes and the author’s approach, it is not a sad book.
Rating: 5/5
Category: Short Story, Fiction, Multicultural
Publication: July 1, 2025—Amazon Original Stories
Memorable Lines:
He wanted to retreat to a time before he knew his father, a time when he was buffered from the world and its sorrows by his mother, spared any sound but the drumbeat of her heart, a time when memory had not existed, and so loss could not.
Billy had offered Ravi the thing he most needed: his quiet, silent presence.
“…maybe all these rituals are to help me figure out how to go on. Because right now, I have no clue.”
A Breath of Fresh Air–very tangled family relationships
A Breath of Fresh Air
by Jessica Redland
I have really enjoyed Redland’s books; they are clean romances. I had many interruptions as I was reading this one, but I was always eager to pick up where I left off. My one warning is that A Breath of Fresh Air ends with a very large and surprising hook—big enough that I will be revising my reading queue to move on quickly to the third book in the series. At the end, I turned the page to learn who the mysterious “C.” is only to discover that this person’s identity is still hidden. Several of the main characters have been working for a number of months to bring this person’s name to light, but as the book closes it is still a mystery to the reader.
A Breath of Fresh Air is the story of Rosie who manages the stable on a large, but run down, property. She cares for the horses and gives riding lessons to groups and individuals with the help of her mother. Mam is emotionally crippled by a very serious accident and can not make herself leave the estate grounds. Mam has raised Rosie on her own and has never disclosed to Rosie, or anyone, who Rosie’s father is.
There is a lot of heavy baggage that the characters have to carry. Rosie was badly bullied in school, but the most painful break was with her long time friend, Ollie. What in his background would cause him to join with the “Populars” in making fun of her?
There are a lot of themes that the author explores including dysfunctional families composed of tortured people. Bullying is a huge issue as well as secrets that hurt but are supposed to protect. Paternity issues and the treatment of unwed mothers play a major role in this book. The novel includes second chance romances and recovery from PTSD. In the midst of all of these negatives are folks of good character, a supportive friend, and people who dream and work to make their dreams a reality.
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, Women’s Fiction
Notes: #2 in the Escape to the Lakes series, but could be read as a stand alone.
Publication: January 10, 2024—Boldwood Books
Memorable Lines:
Confidence could be such a funny thing. If I was at the stables, I could happily chat to anyone—any age or walk of life, but being surrounded by horses was my comfort zone, my domain, my safe space. This couldn’t be further from that.
“Your capacity to forgive is astonishing, you love your friends and family with a ferocity that’s so touching, and you inspire me every day to want to be a better person.”
Things happened—unexpected, horrendous, life-changing things—but what was important was how we picked ourselves up after them, made our peace and moved on.
Christy–Appalachian teacher
Christy
by Catherine Marshall
Christy, who lived a protected childhood in Asheville, NC., was nineteen years old when she answered God’s call through the head of a missionary society to move to Cutter Gap, Tennessee, in the Great Smoky Mountains in 1912. Her job was to teach 67 mountain children who had not had steady opportunities for “book learning.” In fact, the one room school house held only a few much used texts for the students. Christy had to take on the additional duty of procuring books and other needed supplies as donations for her students.
In entering Cutter Gap by foot on a cold, snowy day that had finally thawed out enough for the postman to get through, Christy was crossing into another world with its own customs and unique phrases passed down from Scottish heritage. She was startled by the poverty, unsanitary living conditions, and firm adherence to superstitions. Christy was a witness to feuding and its deadly consequences, but she also discovered in the people kindness, grace, and a heart-felt joy in music.
Christy is the story of author Catherine Marshall’s mother as a teenage teacher. As historical fiction, it is more factual than imaginative. Marshall weaves the many tales she heard from her mother into a story that pulls the reader into a culture struggling for survival in the Appalachian mountains. The descriptions in the book paint a picture of the beauty and the harshness of nature in the mountains.
The characters in the book are well developed. One of my favorites is Miss Alice, a Quaker lady admired by all. She travels among three communities on horseback doing everything from administrative work to nursing the sick. She has deep spiritual insights born of experience. The author also reveals traumatic events in Miss Alice’s past that help her understand the tragedies the mountain folk have to cope with on a daily basis. If there ever was a nonjudgmental character, it would be Miss Alice.
This classic deserves a read or reread; a visit to Cutter Gap is one you will enjoy!
Rating: 5/5
Category: Historical Fiction, Christian, Classic
Publication: 1967—McGraw-Hill
Memorable Lines:
Surely one of the chief differences between the veteran teacher and the recruit must be that the experienced can never find enough time, whereas the ingénue struggles to fill the hours, looks forward to dismissal time as a reprieve.
“…if we will let God, He can use even our disappointments, even our annoyances to bring us a blessing. There’s a practical way to start the process too: by thanking Him for whatever happens, no matter how disagreeable it seems.”
I realized something else…there was more to this gracious offer than met the eye. Fairlight Spencer was not just volunteering to do some washing and ironing for me; she was also holding out to me the gift of her friendship. Among the mountain people, this was the most cherished gift of all. It was a breakthrough of those walls of reserve that had so far seemed impenetrable.
“And as for religion being vague—well, it isn’t. It’s been the delight of my life to find God far more commonsense and practical than any human I know. The only time I ever find my dealing with God less than clear-cut is when I’m not being honest with Him. The fuzziness is always on my side not His.”
The Last Party at Silverton Hall–historical and contemporary story lines
The Last Party at Silverton Hall
by Rachel Burton
Isobel inherits a large five-bedroom mansion from her grandmother Vivien. She is guilt ridden over not visiting her grandmother as much as she could have. After all, Vivien had raised Isobel, keeping her in their beloved Silverton Bay and out of British boarding schools when Isobel’s parents moved to America.
This is a family riddled with secrets. Isabel’s mother Gina and Gina’s mother Vivien never seem to have gotten along, and Isabel is not sure why. She never knew her grandfather Max, but he is a powerful presence in The Last Party at Silverton Hall. Many people in the town were aware of the family’s secrets which amazingly they guarded for years.
This work of historical fiction is told in a dual timeline. In this way the backstory of the family is gradually introduced as Isobel discovers it for herself by talking with long-time residents and unearthing pertinent documents.
Isobel is helped in her search for the truth by an old flame Nick with whom she shared an unforgettable kiss eighteen years prior, Neither is currently married and neither has achieved their original career goals. Nick, a trained physician, has a knack for restoring and flipping houses, and he offers his skills to Isobel as her large house is badly in need of a variety of repairs and renovations.
As secrets come to light, Nick and Isobel confront the past and prepare themselves for a future that they hope will include both of them and Silverton Bay.
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: Historical Fiction, Romance, Women’s Fiction
Publication: March 2, 2023—Aria
Memorable Lines:
“Life never works out the way we think it will when we’re young. But that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t be proud of what we achieve. Just because things turn out differently doesn’t mean they aren’t worthwhile.”
Secrets have a habit of being revealed, she knew that. But at the same time, when they were, they could blow a life into pieces.
Perhaps we all feel as though we have all the time in the world, and then, when that time inevitably runs out, it takes us by surprise.
Mulberry Hollow–obstacles to love
Mulberry Hollow
by Denise Hunter
Denise Hunter continues her Riverbend Romance Series with the Robinson family at the center of the stories. Mulberry Hollow focuses on Avery, the youngest child of three and the only daughter in the merged family. Avery is high achieving and operates her own medical clinic in the little town of Riverbend Gap that is an oasis of relief and comfort for weary hikers from the Appalachian Trail. Avery’s family handles her with kid gloves because she has a 50% chance of having a fatal, degenerative disease. She has resigned herself to a love life with the clinic and the community and rejects the possibility of having children.
One evening she finds Wes Garrett, dehydrated, with a high fever, on the clinic’s doorstep. He was formerly a worker in Columbia for Emergency Shelter International, but is currently a thru-hiker on the Appalachian Trail in honor of a deceased friend. Wes’ background was tough growing up, and as an adult he is saddled with paying off his father’s debts. Wes is a man of his word and a man of honor. While the handsome guy’s qualities are admirable, they also cause obstacles in any romantic relationship that might develop.
I loved this story and its characters. These are people that fight hard to do the right things putting others above themselves. It’s hard not to keep turning the pages in hopes that good things will happen for Avery and Wes. There are a lot of twists in the plot that will have you groaning at the unfairness of life, but the characters continue to trust in God and pray for others. The religious element is not dominant; instead it reflects the way these characters live out their lives through good times and bad and when the right choices are not the easy ones.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Rating: 5/5
Category: Romance
Notes: 1. Discussion questions are included.
2. This is #2 in the Riverbend Romance Series, a trilogy. It could be read as a standalone, but the characters continue from the first book, Riverbend Gap, so you would probably enjoy it more if you read them in order.
3. Clean romance.
Publication: April 19, 2022—Thomas Nelson Fiction
Memorable Lines:
“He was a hustler?” “He could’ve sold mosquitos to a backpacker—and he would’ve if he hadn’t been so lazy. Such as it was, he made do with home improvement scams.”
She took in the now-familiar angles and planes of his face. He was pretty to look at, no doubt, but he was even more attractive on the inside. A man who put aside his plans to help another was a man who could be counted on. A man who spent months on the trail to honor a friend was a man to be admired.
She considered all he’d been through. His difficult childhood, the loss of a dear friend. And yet he’d somehow flourished as a human being. Emerged from his trials a good and caring man. She was thankful God had brought him to Riverbend just when she’d needed him.
Christmas Island–romance in Norway
Christmas Island
by Natalie Normann
I am not moving to Norway. Ever. It’s too dark and too cold for me. I had a lot of reading fun coming to that conclusion, however, as I read Christmas Island, a romance that begins on a wet, cold, dark, rainy island in Norway. The snow and the need for many layers of heavy clothing would come later. The author, Natalie Normann, is highly qualified to be our atmospheric guide as she grew up in a shipping town on the west coast of Norway. When she writes about the many Christmas foods and traditions peculiar to Norway, she speaks from experience. Originally a Norwegian writer of historical romance, she has lived in Cardiff, Wales, since 2017, and Christmas Island is her second book written in English.
Holly Greene has an enforced four week leave of absence from her hospital job as a doctor resulting from a problem with a co-worker on the job. She is invited to Christmas on the island by her brother Jack as a way to help her survive this period. She meets Tor, mysterious and reclusive, who has rented a house on the island. The reasons both are there are revealed to the reader quite gradually. Holly lives in London and Tor in Oslo making a long-term relationship out of their holiday fling problematic to say the least. They are likable characters in need of healing. Will they find what they need in Norway? Within the island community? With each other?
Normann really helped me experience Norway. I felt like I was tasting the foods along with Holly. I understood her difficulties with the language. Once I raised my head from the pages almost expecting to see a wet snow drifting down. The backdrop she paints is important to the story and pervades the reader’s imagination.
I would like to extend my thanks to NetGalley and to HarperCollins UK (One More Chapter) for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
Rating: 4/5
Category: Romance
Notes: 1. #2 in the Very Hygge Holiday Series, but could clearly be read as a standalone.
2. There are too many American and British swear words and vulgarisms for my taste. When I embark on a Christmas read, I look forward to sweet and clean. Although there is a fling, there are no graphic details. Language is the only obstacle for me with this Christmas read.
3. Recipes for three sweet Christmas treats are included.
Publication: November 30, 2020—HarperCollins UK (One More Chapter)
Memorable Lines:
“Fresh air is the Norwegian cure for everything. If you’re unwell, get some fresh air; if you can’t sleep, get some fresh air; if you’re feeling sad, get some fresh air. I think it comes from living too close to the sea and the mountains,” Tor said.
At the hospital gossip and rumours were part of the daily routine, and mostly it was friendly and amusing…until it wasn’t. But she didn’t want to dwell on that today.
Holly opened her mouth to answer, then got completely flustered and knew she was blushing like a whole crop of tomatoes.
The Cat Who Played Post Office–mystery in the mansion
The Cat Who Played Post Office
by Lilian Jackson Braun
In an effort to mix things up a bit, my book club chose to read a quick and easy mystery written by Lilian Jackson Braun, famous for her popular The Cat Who series. We rather randomly selected The Cat Who Played Post Office. The choice didn’t matter to me because I had read one in the series decades ago and had not not enjoyed it. After reading our selection, I can only say that clearly my tastes have changed, or I previously chose the one book in the series that was not a good match for me.
I found The Cat Who Played Post Office delightful. The main character Jim Qwilleran has just inherited a lot of money and a large estate. He formerly was a newspaper journalist with a talent for criminal investigations. Equally important to the story are Koko and Yum Yum, his Siamese cats. The book begins in the middle of the tale drawing the reader into who Qwill is and why he is in the hospital. Then the author takes us back and later forward in time—in this case a very effective technique.
As a journalist, Qwill has an extensive vocabulary which Braun puts on full display in a way that doesn’t seem pretentious at all. Qwill uses words like ailurophobe, postprandial, and sybaritic in his conversations and descriptions. Logophiles will enjoy his use of language.
Yum Yum is a typical Siamese, but Koko is extraordinary. He uses his sixth sense to lead Qwill to clues that warn of danger or alert him to important facts. Qwill is honest and good hearted. He has a love interest in this book in the practical Dr. Melinda Goodwinter, and he makes friends easily in his new town where he immediately becomes involved in civic and charitable interests. Koko brings the mysterious disappearance, five years prior, of the free spirited Daisy to Qwill’s attention. As he begins to ask questions about this young lady, dangerous things happen. When mail arrives through the door slot, the cats attack the fluttering envelopes, and Koko selects particular letters to bring to Qwill’s attention which might help him learn more about Daisy and her fate. The characters and setting in this book are interesting, but the mystery remains central.
Rating: 5/5
Category: Mystery
Notes: #6 in The Cat Who series, but I had no problem reading it as a standalone.
Publication: 1987—Penguin (Jove Books)
Memorable Lines:
Koko, as he grew older, was developing a more expressive voice with a gamut of clarion yowling, guttural growling, tenor yodeling, and musical yikking.
They could talk freely. Their booth was an island of privacy in a maelstrom of ear-splitting noise. The animated conversation of happy diners and the excited shrieks of children bounced off the steel girders and concrete walls, and the din was augmented by the Tasty Eats custom of pounding the table with knife handles to express satisfaction with the food.
Qwilleran wondered whether she was listening. He had spent enough time at cocktail parties to know the rhythm of social drinking, and Penelope was exceeding the speed limit. She was also sliding farther down on the slippery sofa.
Montana Wedding–great finale
Montana Wedding
by Cari Lynn Webb
Georgie Harrison has always been singularly focused. She has a plan to honor her mother’s memory by discovering a cure so that other families would not have to experience premature loss of a parent as she and her sisters had. As a medical doctor she has turned her talents to research and has landed the job of her dreams in London. Now she just has to convince her dad and four sisters that this is a positive move. She convinces a friend and work colleague, Colin, to be her pretend date for her sister’s wedding at the Blackwell Ranch. Unfortunately, Colin doesn’t make the flight. Seated next to her on the plane, however, is handsome rodeo star Zach. He would fit right in with the Blackwells, the cousins she is about to meet, but what could possibly motivate Zach to assume the role of boyfriend?
Zach has his own family issues and dreams, but he loyally supports Georgie as promised. Since this is a Harlequin Heartwarming romance, you can be sure the couple will fall in love. The journey down the path to love is what is interesting, and the plot has several surprising twists, as in “I didn’t see that coming!” Author Cari Lynn Webb gives the viewpoint of both Zach and Georgie as they battle their growing attraction, giving the reader empathy for them in a situation neither sought out. The Blackwells are wonderful people who stand by each other with integrity, love, and quite a bit of teasing. They are the family Zach always dreamed of. Montana Wedding’sbackdrop of a Christmas wedding at a Montana working guest ranch will put you in a holiday mood regardless of the season. It is the perfect finish to The Blackwell Sisters series as it includes all the major characters from that series and from The Return of the Blackwell Brothers. It will leave you with that pleasing feeling of closure for the series and a satisfied smile on your face.
I would like to extend my thanks to Cari Lynn Webb and to Harlequin Heartwarming for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
Rating: 5/5
Category: Romance
Notes: #5 in The Blackwell Sisters series. It could be read as a standalone, but I recommend reading the whole series.
Publication: December 6, 2020—Harlequin Heartwarming
Memorable Lines:
His mother had offered disregard and indifference as naturally as other mothers offered their children support and reassurance….His mother’s accusations had always been followed by those same two words, given in the same dull, detached tone: Go. Away.
He’d learned the truth during Cody’s final battle. Time refused to slow. There was no freeze button. And minutes were wasted wishing for impossible things. Life had to be enjoyed in the now.
“Hope is a powerful thing.” Every patient, every family member of a sick loved one relied on hope. Hope the medicine would work. Hope the doctors found the right treatment. Hope the surgeons removed every last cancer cell. Hope the damage wouldn’t be permanent. Hope that tomorrow would be brighter, better, pain free.
Snowed in with the Single Dad–twins and more twins
Snowed in with the Single Dad
by Melinda Curtis
Laurel, who frequently acts as a double for her famous actress twin Ashley, takes her role too far on a date with handsome actor Wyatt with some lasting consequences. She escapes to Second Chance where she meets Mitch, a lawyer who is managing the inn and his just turned teenage daughter Gabby who has perfected eye rolls. Laurel is a creative dress designer, but she always puts the needs of others, especially her sister Ashley, ahead of her own. Among the locals, the quirky but artistically talented sisters Odette and Flip are mainstays in Second Chance and are instrumental, along with Mitch, in helping Laurel find her own dream as Second Chance lives up to its name in this sweet romance.
I would like to extend my thanks to Melinda Curtis for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
Rating: 5/5
Category: Romance (Clean)
Notes: #2 in the Mountain Monroes Series but works as a standalone. There is a chart showing the family relations and the author provides any background from previous books that is needed.
Publication: June 1, 2019—Harlequin Heartwarming
Memorable Lines:
She’d seen Mitch smile before. Kind smiles. Polite smiles. Rueful smiles. But never a smile like this. A smile of pure, unapologetic joy. That smile. It reached into her chest like a heart-to-heart hug. It said everything was going to be all right.
He laid his cell hone faceup on the table, the sure sign of a man who considered whatever might happen in the world more important than the person they were dining with.
Her mother was a master manipulator. She recognized the dead end they’d come to and took on a new attack as smoothly as a shark circled back for the kill.
Back to McGuffey’s–over the years
Back to McGuffey’s
by Liz Flaherty
From Harlequin’s Heartwarming books comes Back to McGuffey’s by Liz Flaherty. This was my first in this genre of books, and it lived up to expectations. If you are interested in a steamy romance where the characters jump from shaking hands to bouncing in the bed, you will be disappointed. If, however, you want to focus on relationships and emotional needs, then Back to McGuffey’s fits the bill.
Kate Rafael is in her late thirties and hears her biological clock ticking. Ben McGuffey, having broken up with Kate, his longtime sweetheart, thirteen years earlier, still has feelings for her. Kate has lost both her house (to a fire) and her job. She is caught at a crossroads as she want to find a direction she can be passionate about. By the end of the book you will feel like you know the McGuffey family intimately, maybe wishing you could be a part of the Irish-rooted clan and their pub.
The characters are well-developed and interesting. I especially enjoyed the side story of Jayson, a young man with Down syndrome being cared for by his sister and the impact he has on others in the book. Another character whose story is gradually revealed is Mrs. Hylton-Wise, a harsh woman, secretive about her past.
I liked the book and was prepared to rate it as a four star book. I was so impressed, however, with the surprise ending that my rating jumped to five stars. After providing an adrenaline rush, the author wraps things up nicely for the McGuffeys and for the reader.
I would like to extend my thanks to blogger Laurie at cozynookbks.wordpress.com, author Liz Flaherty, and Harlequin for providing this book to me in a giveaway with no expectations at all.
Rating: 5/5
Category: Romance
Publication: 2014—Harlequin
Memorable Lines:
Kate joined her, feeling useless—this woman was crying and there was nothing she could do but listen to the splintery sound of heartbreak.
He was hard on one’s patience. But he was loving and kind and he felt things with every bit as much intensity as someone who didn’t have Down syndrome.
The question caught him unaware, a condition he thought he might as well get used to because it was happening all the time.
education pathways 