Blossom Street Brides

 Title: Blossom Street Brides

By Debbie Macomber

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The Gist:

When Lauren receives the news that her younger sister is pregnant, she cannot help but feel a sting.  She has been with her boyfriend, a guy who is everything that she thought she wanted, for years, but is no closer to the alter.  As she begins to brainstorm the qualities that are actually important for her future husband to exhibit, she is forced to decide if the guy she’s with is truly what she wants.

Bethanne is head-over-heels in love with her second husband Max, but the stresses of working in different states are only exacerbated by a meddling ex-husband and a daughter that still dreams of her parents getting back together.  In search of a compromise, this couple must decide what they can live without in order to finally live together.

Lydia is a happily married mother of two who is living her dream of running a yarn shop on Blossom Street, a place where women come to talk, listen and knit.  The finances of the shop are looking dire, until baskets, with an open invitation to knit begin showing up all over town.  Suddenly A Good Yarn is generating buzz and turning a profit, but who is to thank?

What I thought:

This was a great feel-good read.  I have not read any of the other Blossom Street novels, but I am a big fan of Debbie Macomber.  This story will whisk you away to Seattle where you will find yourself dreaming of the one with Lauren, holding tight with Bethanne, and following a passion with Lydia.  All the while you will have a smile on your face as you flip page after page to find out how everything will turn out for these women.

Miss Macomber did an absolutely wonderful job of blending three entirely different storylines together into one cohesive novel.  I enjoyed how the women appeared and helped each other get to the point of resolution.  I never once felt that the writing jumped to quickly or that it left any loose ends untied.   

If you are looking for a good love story full of romantic gestures, family drama (and resolution), a little knitting, and a great group of friends, check out Blossom Street Brides.

Cassidy Lane

Title: Cassidy Lane

By Maria Murnane

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The Gist:

Although Cassidy Lane walks in to her twenty year high school reunion a successful author of a number of novels, she can’t help but feeling like the same old straight-A student that was never asked to the prom.  That is until Brandon Forrester, a man with striking grey eyes, who she doesn’t even remember from her past, takes an interest in her. 

The two embark on a virtual relationship (since they are living on opposite coasts) that brings about all of the feelings that were normally reserved for the pages of Cassidy’s books.  As Cassidy struggles with her current novel, and Brandon struggles with a bad run of luck in his family, Cassidy must figure out not only what kind of author she is to become, but also what path she should take to her own personal happily ever after.

What I thought:

Beautiful!  This was a wonderfully written story that had a unique quality that touched my heart, and made me smile.  The character of Cassidy is impossible not to like, and hope for, and her collection of friends and family are so real to life that you will feel as though you truly know them.

This story flows so smoothly from beginning to end, making it easy to get lost in Cassidy’s life.  I appreciated that this wasn’t the typical chick-flick storyline of boy meets girl, boy and girl fight, boy and girl fall in love and live happily ever after.  This novel will hold your heart, break your heart, and put it back together, leaving you with hope!

As wonderful as the entire story is, this novel is entirely made by its ending.  I won’t spoil it for you, but I do not believe that an ending has had such a profound effect on me... ever!  I can only hope that Miss Murnane will continue with this character, because I cannot wait to read more!

The Chase by Janet Evanovich and Lee Goldberg

 Title: The Chase

By Janet Evanovich and Lee Goldberg

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The Gist:

The unlikely pair of world-class con man Nick Fox, and special agent Kate O’Hare team up again, this time in a matter of national security.  Their target- former White House chief of staff Carter Grove, who now heads up an elite security agency staffed by ruthless assassins.  Their mission- to re-steal a piece of art that had been promised to the Chinese, and could squash goodwill between the countries if the original theft was ever discovered.

      Kate and Nick battle the clock in an attempt to steal back the art, switch it with the replica, and keep their lives while this mission takes them from Washington D.C., to Scotland, to Shainghai.  Little do they know that this heist is only the beginning of the chase in the bigger goal of taking down one of the most powerful men, and unknown thieves, in the United States.

What I thought:

The Chase was a wonderfully suspenseful read that will grab you from the first chapter straight through the last.  The twists and turns developed by this team of authors keeps readers wondering how everything will work out, which, in turn, keeps you turning pages far longer than you will plan to. 

This is the second book in a five part series.  I had not read The Heist (book one), but I had no trouble sinking straight in to this story.  That being said, I have already downloaded the first book so that I can keep reading about Nick and Kate.

The characters were written wonderfully, Kate was strong, independent, and smart while Nick was crafty, charming, and surprisingly caring.  The attraction between these two characters crackles throughout this edition, but never comes to a full spark- which I appreciate.  I think that relationships (even in books) that build over time are far more believable and satisfying.

If you are looking for a deep, intellectual thriller, this is probably not the book for you, however if you want to take a easy and entertaining ride through a story that will keep you flipping pages long into the night, pick up The Chase.

Franklin's Day With Dad

 

Title: Franklin’s Day With Dad

By Caitlin Drake Smith (adapter)

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The Gist:

When Franklin swings by his friend Fox’s house to see if he wants to play, he find out about the wonderful idea of a day with dad.  He immediately begins planning many fun activities that he and his dad could do together.

But when problems arise with the turtles’ friends, Franklin wonders how he will ever get his “day with dad.”

What I thought:

Don’t you just love Franklin books?  If you haven’t yet met this young turtle, trust me, your child (and you) will love him.  The illustrations in this book are absolutely beautiful, they are big, colorful, and really enhance the happy mood of the story.

The theme of this story is absolutely perfect for young children.  So often it seems that children have one idea in there head of how things need to go, and it is hard for them to realize that, with the right attitude, any activity can be pleasurable.  Quality time together is the focus here, and helping friends is rewarded both extrinsically and intrinsically.

My four-year-old daughter loved this story (we had to read it three times in the first day!), and she has already started asking for her very own “day with dad.”

Kissing Under the Mistletoe by Bella Andre

Title: Kissing Under the Mistletoe

By Bella Andre

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The Gist:

While decorating the tree in anticipation of her grown children’s arrivals for the holidays, Mary Sullivan lets her mind wander back in time to her own love story with her late husband Jack.  As the snow falls, she relives the initial spark that she felt when she first set eyes on the man that was to be hers, as well as the doubt that plagued her, the undeniable pull that wouldn’t let her go, and some very memorable kisses under the mistletoe.

What I thought:

I have heard about the Sullivan books before, but this was my first read in the series.  Let me tell you, I started with the right book!  I really like the idea of beginning with the love story of the parents, and then finding out how their influence affected their children’s love stories.

I knew that I was going to love this story from the prologue, and I’m sure that if you are a mom like me, who loves a warm happy story, you would agree that watching this mom unwrap Christmas ornaments and remembering Christmases past really hits home, but it was the last line that gave me that “wow” feeling... “And as Mary closed her eyes to savor her memories of falling in love with Jack Sullivan, the first snowflakes of winter began to fall...” (Andre, location 146)

This story was the absolute perfect example of love at first sight, and two people who were completely meant to be.  You could feel the sizzle right through the pages, even without the bedroom scenes.  I appreciated that even though these two people were made for each other, they still had to overcome insecurities from the past, as well as doubts because everything seemed too perfect. 

This story takes readers from California to Italy on a journey of true love that made not only a couple, but a family.  I am excited to return to the Sullivan’s and meet the children of Jack and Mary.  With an example like this couple, I’m sure that there is much more love in those pages. 

Evening Stars by Susan Mallery

 

Title: Evening Stars

By Susan Mallery

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The Gist:

Nina has always been in charge.  She gave up her childhood to raise her sister, Averil, gave up her dreams so that Averil could have a chance at her own, and continued living with, and taking care of her mom instead of taking a chance at her own life.  Then everything changes.  Two men from Nina’s past come back into her life, both interested in pursuing a relationship with her, Averil takes a break from her husband and winds up back in Washington living in the family house, and the girls’ mom makes a discovery that could turn out to mend the family’s money problems, and help to fulfill all of their dreams for the future.

Now Nina needs to figure out if she can let go of control in her family for a chance to find the person that she truly wants to be, as opposed to the person that she feels obligated to be.

What I thought:

This was my first visit to Blackberry Island, but it definitely won’t be my last.  I enjoyed meeting the Wentworth family, and the Washington island/ small town setting was perfect for this story.  The characters were very well written, and Miss Mallery did a wonderful job switching between the different storylines seamlessly.

I related very well to the character of Nina, and her journey from trying to take care of everything for everyone to figuring out that she can let go in order to find her own happiness.  It’s funny how it takes reading about a character similar to yourself to realize that you might want to make some of the same changes. 

The character of Averil was harder for me to relate to, but that did not make her any less likable.  I did have a few problems with her until I realized that perhaps Nina’s attempted help was coming across as controlling and putting unintentional pressure upon the younger sister.

My favorite part of this story however was the love story.  I enjoyed seeing how Nina’s confidence grew with these two men’s interest in her, and I really appreciated how there wasn’t a bad guy, forcing Nina to choose based solely on her heart.  The love that grows is a beautiful slow deep connection that I don’t see a lot in books.

This novel was wonderfully written, full of family, love, and even a few margaritas.  I have already purchased the other Blackberry Island books, and cannot wait to return and see what else Miss Mallery has in store!