Christmas in Winter Hill by Melody Carlson

*Disclosure of material connection- I received a copy of the book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for my honest thoughts. I was not required to write a positive review and all opinions stated are 100% my own. 

About the book-

Krista Galloway is not a fan of Christmas. After her rough childhood in multiple foster homes, the holiday season just brings too many bad memories to the surface. But when she accepts a job as a city manager in the mountain town of Winter Hill, Washington, Christmas is part of the deal. The small town is famous for its Christmasville celebration, something that the city manager . . . well, manages.

As she tries to make her tiny new apartment feel like home for her and her eight-year-old daughter, Emily, Krista begins to wonder if this move was a mistake. She doesn't always feel welcomed in the close-knit town, and Emily continually wonders, "Where's the snow?" Can a friendly stranger and his family help restore Krista's Christmas spirit before the big day?

My thoughts- 

If I were ever to write a book (hopefully someday I will work up the courage to get my ideas from brain to paper!), it would be something very similar to this. I love books set in small, close knit towns that feel magical and story book like. Bonus points if it reminds me of my favorite story book like tv shows Gilmore Girls and Hart of Dixie. There is just something I love about these small town stories. I also am a total sucker for a great Christmas time romance so Christmas in Winter Hill hit me in the feels. I loved the writing style of Melody Carslon and that I was invested in the story and Krista's life from the beginning. I would have loved more time during the Christmasville festivities, but I absolutely loved hearing about the Christmas House and the contest to win it. It was an interesting take on a holiday book and I really enjoyed it. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a sweet (and very innocent) romance or loves books set during Christmas. 

The Lost Carousel of Provence by Juliet Blackwell

*Disclosure of material connection-I received a copy of the book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for my honest thoughts. I was not required to write a positive review and all opinions stated are 100% my own. 

About the book-

An artist lost to history, a family abandoned to its secrets, and the woman whose search for meaning unearths it all in a sweeping and expressive story from the New York Times bestselling author of Letters from Paris.

Long, lonely years have passed for the crumbling Château Clement, nestled well beyond the rolling lavender fields and popular tourist attractions of Provence. Once a bustling and dignified ancestral estate, now all that remains is the château's gruff, elderly owner and the softly whispered secrets of generations buried and forgotten.
 
But time has a way of exposing history's dark stains, and when American photographer Cady Drake finds herself drawn to the château and its antique carousel, she longs to explore the relic's shadowy origins beyond the small scope of her freelance assignment. As Cady digs deeper into the past, unearthing century-old photographs of the Clement carousel and its creators, she might be the one person who can bring the past to light and reunite a family torn apart.

My thoughts-

I often find myself drawn to books that take place in more than one time period, especially if one of the time periods happens to be during WWII. I have always gravitated towards stories set during that time, and lately I am especially interested in stories that deal with the French Resistance Movement. What I really loved about The Lost Carousel of Provence is that it is full of layers- there are 3 time periods, and one of the main characters is in both of them. His character is significantly younger in the older time period and I think Juliet Blackwell does a terrific job at making sure we see what has happened in his younger years has really effected how he is in the present day story. I like that there is an element of mystery surrounding Fabrice and his direct ancestors both in the past and present. I found him to be the fabric that tied all of the stories in each time together. I liked that there were elements of suspense, romance, and history running throughout the book. I recommend this book to anyone interested in WWII, France, and Women's Fiction. 

All We Ever Wanted by Emily Griffin

*Disclosure of material connection- I received a copy of the book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for my honest thoughts. I was not required to write a positive review and all opinions stated are 100% my own. 

About the book-

Nina Browning is living the good life after marrying into Nashville’s elite. More recently, her husband made a fortune selling his tech business, and their adored son has been accepted to Princeton. Yet sometimes the middle-class small-town girl in Nina wonders if she’s strayed from the person she once was.

Tom Volpe is a single dad working multiple jobs while struggling to raise his headstrong daughter, Lyla. His road has been lonely, long, and hard, but he finally starts to relax after Lyla earns a scholarship to Windsor Academy, Nashville’s most prestigious private school.

Amid so much wealth and privilege, Lyla doesn’t always fit in—and her overprotective father doesn’t help—but in most ways, she’s a typical teenaged girl, happy and thriving.

Then, one photograph, snapped in a drunken moment at a party, changes everything. As the image spreads like wildfire, the Windsor community is instantly polarized, buzzing with controversy and assigning blame.

At the heart of the lies and scandal, Tom, Nina, and Lyla are forced together—all questioning their closest relationships, asking themselves who they really are, and searching for the courage to live a life of true meaning.

My thoughts-

Nashville is one of my favorite places to visit and Emily Griffin is an author I really like, so I knew I would like this book before I even read it. Bonus points for mentioning one of my favorite hotels in Dallas (not too far from where I live), The Mansion on Turtle Creek! This was a quick moving story line and it didn't take me long to get through reading this one, just two days. I find Nina to be so easy to like and feel empathy for and Tom and Lyla really drew me in as well. The story is told from 3 different view points and I love books that are written in this format because I think it always goes a long way in really setting the scene and getting the full impact of the story having several different view points. The only complaint I have is I wanted more in the epilogue. I liked the taste of their futures but I wanted to know even more. All We Ever Wanted tackles some tough subject matter, but it is done in a way that I think isn't too overbearing. I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys contemporary fiction. 

Surprise Me by Sophie Kinsella

Disclosure of material connection- I received a copy of the book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for my honest thoughts. I was not required to write a positive review and all opinions stated are 100% my own. 

About the book-

A witty and emotionally charged novel that delves into the heart of a marriage, and how those we love and think we know best can sometimes surprise us the most—from #1 New York Times bestselling author Sophie Kinsella
 
After ten years together, Sylvie and Dan have a comfortable home, fulfilling jobs, and beautiful twin girls, and they communicate so seamlessly they finish each other’s sentences. They have a happy marriage and believe they know everything there is to know about each other. Until it’s casually mentioned to them that they could be together for another sixty-eight years . . . and panic sets in. 
            
They decide to bring surprises into their marriage to keep it fresh and fun. But in their pursuit of Project Surprise Me—from unexpected gifts to restaurant dates to sexy photo shoots—mishaps arise, with disastrous and comical results. Gradually, surprises turn to shocking truths. And when a scandal from the past is uncovered, they begin to wonder if they ever really knew each other at all.
            
With a colorful cast of eccentric characters, razor-sharp observations, and her signature wit and charm, Sophie Kinsella presents a humorous yet moving portrait of a marriage—its intricacies, comforts, and complications. Surprise Me reveals that hidden layers in a close relationship are often yet to be discovered.

My thoughts-

I think anyone who has been married for some time can relate to the situation put forth in Surprise Me. I have been married to my husband for almost 12 years now and we have definitely been in a rut before. I think that obviously Sylvie and Dan take things to the extreme in their reaction to realizing they would be together for a long long time (didn't they already know this when they got married? lol), but marriage is not always easy and sometimes there needs to be something to shake things up. I didn't like that these two characters, who had been married for quite some time, didn't seem to know the other very well, as evidenced by their surprises for one another...but if they would have known each other better there wouldn't have been any drama to help elevate the book. I loved the idea of the surprises and didn't like how those went down, but I STILL want to try Project Surprise with my husband. The difference is, I probably won't tell him or ask him to do the same. What I loved about the book was the characters learning more about each other and Sylvie ending up surprised after all in the end in a way she would have never expected. I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys women's fiction. 

Sweet Tea & Sympathy by Molly Harper

*Disclosure of material connection- I received a copy of the book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for my honest thought. I was not required to write a positive review and all opinions stated are 100% my own. 

About the book-

Nestled on the shore of Lake Sackett, Georgia is the McCready Family Funeral Home and Bait Shop. (What, you have a problem with one-stop shopping?) Two McCready brothers started two separate businesses in the same building back in 1928, and now it’s become one big family affair. And true to form in small Southern towns, family business becomes everybody’s business.

Margot Cary has spent her life immersed in everything Lake Sackett is not. As an elite event planner, Margot’s rubbed elbows with the cream of Chicago society, and made elegance and glamour her business. She’s riding high until one event goes tragically, spectacularly wrong. Now she’s blackballed by the gala set and in dire need of a fresh start—and apparently the McCreadys are in need of an event planner with a tarnished reputation.

As Margot finds her footing in a town where everybody knows not only your name, but what you had for dinner last Saturday night and what you’ll wear to church on Sunday morning, she grudgingly has to admit that there are some things Lake Sackett does better than Chicago—including the dating prospects. Elementary school principal Kyle Archer is a fellow fish-out-of-water who volunteers to show Margot the picture-postcard side of Southern living. The two of them hit it off, but not everybody is happy to see an outsider snapping up one of the town's most eligible gentleman. Will Margot reel in her handsome fish, or will she have to release her latest catch?

My thoughts-

I LOVED this book. Absolutely loved it! I love stories set in small towns like these and the southern humor is just spot on! This reminded me of many of may favorite stories set in small town, particularly Steel Magnolias (without the outrageously sad undertone) and especially the television show Hart of Dixie. I enjoy Margot's fish out of water story, and how she comes to be comfortable, and even love where she is. and of course I love the fabulous romantic interest we find for Margot in Kyle Archer. I am so glad this will be a book series. I already can not wait to see what happens in the next one! I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys women's fiction.

The Idea of You by Amanda Prowse (Book Review)

*Disclosure of material connection- I received a copy of the book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for my honest thoughts. I was not required to write a positive review and all opinions stated are 100% my own.

About the book-

With her fortieth birthday approaching, Lucy Carpenter dares to hope that she finally has it all: a wonderful new husband, Jonah, a successful career and the chance of a precious baby of her own. Life couldn’t be more perfect.
But the reality of becoming parents proves much harder than Lucy and Jonah imagined. Jonah’s love and support is unquestioning, but as Lucy struggles with work and her own failing dreams, the strain on their marriage increases. Suddenly it feels like Lucy is close to losing everything…
Heart-wrenching and poignant, this latest work by bestselling author Amanda Prowse asks the question: what does it mean to be a mother in today’s hectic world? And what if it’s asking too much to want it all?

My thoughts-

I would like to start off this review saying that The Idea of You contains very sensitive subject matter of miscarriage that might be difficult for some people to read. If this is you, you probably want to skip this book. For others it might be therapeutic, for me it was eye opening. This book was full of heart wrenching pages, from what I gather from the author's note at the end, Lucy Carpenter is having some of the same struggles she has in reality. The Idea of You was full of sadness and frustration, but poignant and full of hope. It is interlaced with great humor and sweet husband, so that helped break up some of the more dramatic and serious scenes. I read the book in one sitting, I couldn't put it down, but some of it was really hard to get through because of how emotional a toll it can take on you. I recommend The Idea of You to anyone who enjoys drama or women's contemporary fiction.

Close Enough to Touch by Colleen Oakley (Book Review)

*Disclosure of material connection- I received a copy of the book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for my honest thoughts. I was not required to write a positive review and all opinions stated are 100% my own. 

About the book-

From the author of Before I Go comes an unconventional but beautiful love story perfect for fans of the emotional novels of Jodi Picoult and Jojo Moyes.

One time a boy kissed me and I almost died... 

And so begins the story of Jubilee Jenkins, a young woman with a rare and debilitating medical condition: she’s allergic to other humans. After a humiliating near-death experience in high school, Jubilee has become a recluse, living the past nine years in the confines of the small town New Jersey house her unaffectionate mother left to her when she ran off with a Long Island businessman. But now, her mother is dead, and without her financial support, Jubilee is forced to leave home and face the world—and the people in it—that she’s been hiding from.

One of those people is Eric Keegan, a man who just moved into town for work. With a daughter from his failed marriage who is no longer speaking to him, and a brilliant, if psychologically troubled, adopted son, Eric’s struggling to figure out how his life got so off-course, and how to be the dad—and man—he wants so desperately to be. Then, one day, he meets a mysterious woman named Jubilee, with a unique condition...

An evocative, poignant, and heartrending exploration of the power and possibilities of the human heart.

My thoughts-

I have been waiting for Colleen Oakley to write a new book, so I was excited when I came across Close Enough to Touch. I had mixed feelings about her first book Before I Go, but I thought it was well written so I wanted to give her a second chance. Close Enough to Touch had me interested from the first page. While not a real condition, imagining someone with an allergy to other human dna cells was intriguing. How would she live without the touch of another? Not surprisingly Jubilee feels very alone and angry at the beginning of the story. I was thrilled when she worked up the courage (really out of necessity) to go out and get a job. We get to see how she interacts with other people after not seeing or interacting with a single soul for 9 years, besides occasional phone calls. Oakley's writing reminds me a lot of some of my favorite author's of contemporary fiction: Nicholas Sparks, Jodi Picoult, Cecilia Ahern, Jojo Moyes, authors that pull at your heartstrings and are masters at creating a romantic story. Beyond Jubiliee's relationship with Eric, which is a refreshingly different take on a relationship because they can't physically touch, I love the dynamic between Jubilee and Aja, two people who have trouble communicating with others, but find solace in someone similar yet so different. I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys contemporary fiction.

My (not so) Perfect Life by Sophie Kinsella

Disclosure of material connection- I received a copy of the book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for my honest thoughts. I was not required to write a positive review and all opinions stated are 100% my own. 

About the books-

Part love story, part workplace drama, this sharply observed novel is a witty critique of the false judgments we make in a social-media-obsessed world. New York Times bestselling author Sophie Kinsella has written her most timely novel yet.
 
Everywhere Katie Brenner looks, someone else is living the life she longs for, particularly her boss, Demeter Farlowe. Demeter is brilliant and creative, lives with her perfect family in a posh townhouse, and wears the coolest clothes. Katie’s life, meanwhile, is a daily struggle—from her dismal rental to her oddball flatmates to the tense office politics she’s trying to negotiate. No wonder Katie takes refuge in not-quite-true Instagram posts, especially as she's desperate to make her dad proud.
            
Then, just as she’s finding her feet—not to mention a possible new romance—the worst happens. Demeter fires Katie. Shattered but determined to stay positive, Katie retreats to her family’s farm in Somerset to help them set up a vacation business. London has never seemed so far away—until Demeter unexpectedly turns up as a guest. Secrets are spilled and relationships rejiggered, and as the stakes for Katie’s future get higher, she must question her own assumptions about what makes for a truly meaningful life.
            
My thoughts-

I have a tendency to read a lot of historical fiction, but sometimes I like to jump outside my box and read something set in the present. Bonus points if there is a great love story! There was so much to love about this book. Katie is relatable. I think all of us at some point in our adulthood have come to the conclusion that we are not exactly what we thought we would be or that other people's lives are better. Sometimes that can open doors we didn't even know we wanted to step through. I enjoyed both the parts in the office with Katie and her office mates and Katie in the country with her dad and step mom and all of the parts with Demeter, who was an interesting character to get to know. 
If you are looking for a book equal parts funny and romantic, My (not so) Perfect Life is the book for you. 

The Life Intended by Kristin Harmel (Book Review)

Disclosure of material connection- I received a copy of the book from the publisher via Netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review and all opinions stated are 100% my own.

About the book-

From the author of the international bestseller The Sweetness of Forgetting, named one of the Best Books of Summer 2012 by Marie Claire magazine, comes a captivating novel about the struggle to overcome the past when our memories refuse to be forgotten.

In this richly told story where Sliding Doors meets P.S. I Love You, Kristin Harmel weaves a heart-wrenching tale that asks: what does it take to move forward in life without forgetting the past?

After her husband’s sudden death over ten years ago, Kate Waithman never expected to be lucky enough to find another love of her life. But now she’s planning her second walk down the aisle to a perfectly nice man. So why isn’t she more excited?

At first, Kate blames her lack of sleep on stress. But when she starts seeing Patrick, her late husband, in her dreams, she begins to wonder if she’s really ready to move on. Is Patrick trying to tell her something? Attempting to navigate between dreams and reality, Kate must uncover her husband’s hidden message. Her quest leads her to a sign language class and into the New York City foster system, where she finds rewards greater than she could have imagined.

My thoughts-

I have been anxiously awaiting a new book from Kristin Harmel since I read The Sweetness of Forgetting a few years ago. It took a few years, but it was worth the wait. I was excited when I saw the beautiful cover and even more excited when I read the plot synopsis. I love books that deal with alternate realities, it is just interesting to me to imagine more than one possible outcome for a character (even if in this case the other reality was a series of dreams, this alternate reality felt very real to Kate). This book had many elements that I absolutely adored. I am a sucker for a romance so I was more than happy to follow Kate on her journey, but I also loved that this book explored the Deaf community. It is always great to read about a subject or group of people that don't always make appearances in novels. I loved seeing how the dreams with Patrick and the charity work with orphaned kids with special needs all tied together at the end. This was  a page turner that I absolutely couldn't put down and finished in a couple of days time.  I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys Women's fiction, love stories, dramas or learning about new subjects. The Life Intended should definitely be on your to-read list!

The Life Intended will be available for purchase December 30th. You can pre-order your copy on Amazon.com. 

Connect with Kristin Harmel-
On Facebook
On Twitter
On Goodreads
On Pinterest
http://kristinharmel.com/

How I Came to Sparkle Again by Kaya McLaren Book Review

When Cravebox announced that they would be having a Limited Edition Book Lover's box, I was so excited and really hoping that I would be one of the lucky ones chosen for it. We would not be told what book that would be included, but several people speculated it would be Kaya McLaren's How I Came to Sparkle Again and they were right! I am always up for a book that will make me both laugh and cry and this one did both more times than I can count.

The book is about 3 people trying to cope with different losses they have dealt with and to try and live their lives again. One is a little girl Cassie, who has lost her mom to cancer, another is her father Mike who has lost his wife and the last is a woman named Jill who has had several things happen that have made her leave her home in Austin, Texas to go back to her childhood home of the small ski town of Sparkle, Colorado.

The heaviness of the three trying to cope with their losses is broken up by the comic relief of Jill's best friend Lisa's crazy ski bum neighbors who live in a trailer they dub "The Kennel" and by the profound, although usually confusing thoughts of Jill's uncle Howard.

There is a lot going on in this story, there are many little side stories going on, but not in a way that makes the novel confusing. In fact, one of those little stories- the relationship between Lisa and Kennel member Tom- was probably the most interesting thing to me in the book. I really enjoyed wondering and following along to find out where things would go to with those two.

The only complaint I would have is that there is some really harsh language, so some of my more conservative readers might want to stay away due to that and blunt talk about sexual situations might also keep some from reading. However, I really enjoyed the story and it wasn't so bad most of the time that it would bother me to the point that I needed to stop reading the book.

I would recommend How I Came to Sparkle Again to anyone who enjoys a good romance, likes to laugh a lot and doesn't mind crying a little (or maybe more than a little.)

Connect with Kaya McLaren on her Website
Connect with Kaya McLaren on Facebook
Connect with Kaya McLarenn on Twitter
Connect with Kaya McLaren on Goodreads

*Disclosure- I did not receive any compensation or free products for this review. All opinions are 100% my own.