Book Review: When Audrey Met Alice by Rebecca Behrens

(This book was provided to me by NetGalley and Sourcebooks Jabberwocky for review purposes).

Description from Goodreads
First daughter Audrey Rhodes re-creates Alice Roosevelt's infamous antics in this fun, smart middle-grade debut

First daughter Audrey Rhodes can't wait for the party she has planned for Friday night. The decorations are all set and the pizza is on its way. But the Secret Service must be out to ruin her life, because they cancel at the last minute-citing security breach and squashing Audrey's chances for making any new friends. What good is being "safe and secure" if you can't have any fun?

Audrey is ready to give up and become a White House hermit, until she discovers Alice Roosevelt's hidden diary. The former first daughter gives Audrey a ton of ideas for having fun...and more problems than she can handle.


My Review
This is a super cute, fun read for a middle-grade crowd (think mature 6th - 8th grades), but I thoroughly enjoyed it!

The book centers on the Titular characters, Audrey, who is the current FIDO (First Daughter of the United States - and an "in-joke" from the book), and Alice, loosely based on Alice Roosevelt. Audrey find Alice's journal in a pantry cubby, and reads it and uses it kind of like an advice journal on how to handle being First Daughter.


I myself was not super familiar with the stories of Alice Roosevelt- I knew from history classes in high school that she was Theodore Roosevelt's eldest daughter, and I know she was considered an outspoken rule-breaker for the time she was from. Based on my readings from Wikipedia while reading this book, I really find her to be fascinating! And although this book is not historically accurate, I believe the author did a great job researching her and staying true to who she was.

Audrey herself seems to be a little shy, but mostly friendly, although she doesn't have many friends at her new school. Other than a boy whom she also develops a crush on. All her friends are back in her home town. So when she finds this journal, it's like finding a new friend. 
And, I believe because of her age, Audrey is impressionable and takes Alice's journal as almost a "How To Survive Being a First Daughter" guidebook. She gets into some trouble trying to be like Alice (WWAD is a phrase she writes on a plastic bracelet- What Would Alice Do), but it does work in her favor at times.

This book seems to be extremely well researched, although I don't really think the First Daughter would be allowed to use social media as much as she is (unless it's extremely locked down and under a pseudonym?), but I loved reading all about the White House rooms and the grounds and just everything about that aspect of the story.

Ultimately I did feel like this was a book about this young girl, just trying to get through a very weird time that pretty much no one will ever experience, unless you're lucky enough for your parent to be president. I did love that it's her MOTHER that's president- hopefully that's not far off! And I love the relationship Audrey has with some of the staff- I feel like this was pretty realistic. 


I gave this book 4 stars on Goodreads. It was a cute, fun read, and kept me entertained for the duration. And this is a debut novel by Behrens, so I'm excited to see what else she has in store for us!
If you'd like to purchase a copy of this book, you can purchase a copy for Kindle here, or a hardcover copy here.


FTC: I received a copy of this book from NetGalley and the publisher for review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
This post contains amazon affiliate links. Please see my disclosure policy for more information.

Book Review: Astonish Me by Maggie Shipstead

(This book was provided to me by NetGalley and Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group for review purposes).

Description from Goodreads
From the author of the widely acclaimed debut novel Seating Arrangements, winner of the Dylan Thomas Prize: a gorgeously written, fiercely compelling glimpse into the passionate, political world of professional ballet and its magnetic hold over two generations.

Astonish Me is the irresistible story of Joan, a ballerina whose life has been shaped by her relationship with the world-famous dancer Arslan Ruskov, whom she helps defect from the Soviet Union to the United States. While Arslan's career takes off in New York, Joan's slowly declines, ending when she becomes pregnant and decides to marry her longtime admirer, a PhD student named Jacob. As the years pass, Joan settles into her new life in California, teaching dance and watching her son, Harry, become a ballet prodigy himself. But when Harry's success brings him into close contact with Arslan, explosive secrets are revealed that shatter the delicate balance Joan has struck between her past and present.

In graceful, inimitable prose, Shipstead draws us into an extraordinary world, and the lives of her vivid and tempestuous characters. Filled with intrigue, brilliant satire, and emotional nuance, Astonish Me is a superlative follow-up to Shipstead's superb debut.


My Review
This book started off a little confusing to me- I got about 4% in and realized I didn't know Joan from another woman in the novel, so I started over. (This was not the author's fault; upon re-reading, I realized I had applied to Joan what should have been applied to the other woman. Lesson learned to pay better attention to details!)

This book is broken up into 5 parts, and each part is broken up further into time frame. Each part also skips back to a time period either slightly before or slightly farther along than what the first part started as. So each part introduces you to more detail than you were previously given, which makes the first part of the book a little frustrating (Why did Arslan choose to defect with Joan? What happened between Elaine and Joan?), but ultimately, everything seems to be tied up just as tight as a ballet shoe.

Joan is a ballerina who's good enough to be in the corps, but not good enough to solo. She meets Arslan while he is becoming super famous in Russia but he wants to come to America. So, after much letter writing and secrecy, Joan helps Arslan defect. They have a sexual relationship, but not a real one. At least not the kind Joan wants.
Elaine is Joan's roommate on and off. She is an interesting character- she is a soloist, she does coke, she has a relationship with Mr. K, who is gay. I think of everyone, she ended up being my favorite character.

Then there is Jake, Joan's husband. He loved her in high school, they sleep together once, and ultimately Joan ends up pregnant and they get married. Jake starts off as this kind of pathetic guy, but as the story progresses, you come to respect his quiet strength for his family.
Jake and Joan's son's name is Harry. Joan quit ballet shortly after becoming pregnant with Harry. She still studies ballet (in her private time), and ultimately begins to teach ballet. Late in his childhood (but before becoming a teenager, Harry also becomes a ballet dancer. A very, very good one.

Jake and Joan move next door to Sandy and her husband, who have a daughter who is Harry's age, named Chloe. Harry develops a crush on Chloe, and although it isn't really stated specifically, I believe she is the reason he also decides to dance ballet. Chloe does not return Harry's feelings, though Harry is always there for her, especially in an extremely upsetting time.
To me, Harry's crush on Chloe almost mirrored the crush that Jake had on Joan throughout their teenage years. I thought that was an interesting way for the author to continue to show more about the relationships between the characters, in general.
Sandy is jealous of Joan- that much is obvious. They are friends but eventually are just parents who have kids that are friends.

I'm not sure if I was supposed to be surprised by the "revelation" of the book, but I wasn't. I figured it out pretty much right away. That doesn't take away from the book- I still enjoyed watching it all unfold.


If you're not a fan of books that skip around in time, or skip perspective, you will not like this book. I don't find it to be confusing- it's clearly stated when time is moved. It's just a matter of paying attention (kind of like I didn't when I started this book), and making sure you understand where you are in time when things start to get revealed.
To me, this was an interesting book with interesting characters, and I really enjoyed it. I have been interested in ballerina's since seeing Center Stage, and pretty much will read or watch anything with one. (Though I have never been to an actual ballet- strange!)

I debated with myself on which rating to give this book, and I decided to give it 3 stars. I want to rate it 3.5, but I didn't like it enough to bump up to four stars. Because, ultimately, I liked it, but I don't see myself re-reading it, and it will be a very specific kind of person I would recommend it to. So, 3 stars.


This book will be available to purchase on April 8, 2014. You can preorder a copy of this book in hardcover here, and for Kindle here.


FTC: I received a copy of this book from NetGalley and the publisher for review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
This post contains amazon.com affiliate links. Please see my disclosure policy for more information.

Book Review: The Smitten Book Club by Colleen Coble, Kristin Billerbeck, Denise Hunter, and Diann Hunt

(This book provided to me by NetGalley and Thomas Nelson - Fiction for review purposes.)

Description from Goodreads
""Consider that your beau is like a coveted novel whose compelling first lines you've just begun to read." --A Gentlewoman's Guide to Love and Courtship"

At a rummage sale, Heather, a member of the Fireside Book Club, discovers a turn-of-the-century romantic advice book written by a once-famous Smitten, Vermont, resident. When she shares the precious volume with her friends in the club, they find clues about a hidden treasure rumored to be buried in their tiny town.

As Heather, Abby, Lia, and Molly take turns reading the book, each projects onto it her own literary tastes. Heather sees it as a mystery. Abby discovers delicious dashes of Jane Austen. Lia sees in it the idealism of a bygone day. And Molly just wishes they'd made the book into a movie!

One by one, each of the women finds romantic love--often in spite of the historic book's advice. And in searching for the legendary gold, the friends discover the best kind of treasure. The kind that brings hope and healing to each of their hearts.


My Review
I have this book on my Books I'm Excited For list for January 2014, and I actually did end up enjoying most of the book. It's not that I didn't enjoy the book overall, there were just a couple things here and there. 

This book is broken up into four parts with four separate subtitles, so this review will be broken up in the same fashion. All four parts of the book utilize a fictional story entitled "The Gentlewoman's Guide to Love and Courtship", which guide the woman to romance, and to find a local buried treasure.

Love By The Book by Colleen Coble: This is Heather and Paul's story. Overall, I was disappointed. I understand Heather is a mess because her baby daddy left, she's a single mom, and Paul broke her heart in the past by leaving to "find himself", but I didn't care one bit. I struggled with this part of the story. 

Shelved Under Romance by Kristin Billerbeck: This is Abby and Wyatt's story. This was a cute, easy read, and went much faster than Love By The Book. I actually finished it really quickly! I still don't understand why her mom is so protective, but the hang-gliding date between Abby and Wyatt was cute, and I loved Billerbeck's description of it- it actually makes me want to give hang gliding a try! I think I might look up Billerbeck on Goodreads and see what other stories she has to offer!

A New Chapter by Diann Hunt: This is Lia and Joey's story.  I went into this book knowing this was a "Christian" based book, and the themes were very prevalent in this section. I don't find anything wrong with that, it's just something to note. Lia and Joey's story made my heart so happy! As I may have mentioned before, I love when a story incorporates a friendship as a romance, especially one that has been years in the making. This was my favorite of all of the stories. I loved Grace (though I guessed what would happen at the end, almost exactly, so it was predictable), and reading about Joey's journey to forgiveness and into Lia's heart just made me feel so warm and fuzzy inside. I do love a good romance! 

Happily Ever After by Denise Hunter: This is Molly and Gage's story. I don't think it ruins anything to say I was nervous about this one because Molly loses her husband shortly before the book starts. But by the time we get to Molly's story, it's been a year. So that eased my nerves a bit. (Not that I judge a mourning period, and everyone has their own, but this is Christian novel, and I couldn't imagine they'd have Molly fall in love immediately after losing her husband.) I didn't really like the "conflict" in this one because it seemed so obvious and staged, but the romance was sweet. And I like that everything is resolved.


All four stories interweave, and all connect the mystery of The Gentlewoman's Guide, which makes the full story come together as cohesive, and not just pieces of one whole.  I found the Gentlewoman's Guide to be filled with really old school advice on how to act when courting a man, some of which I laughed out loud when reading. It was clearly meant to both tie into the story and provide a chuckle at the old rules of romance. There was also a "scavenger hunt" of sorts running through the book, and it does get resolved, which was also nice. All in all, this book pretty much tied up with a nice shiny bow.

I gave this book a 3 star review on Goodreads, but it's really more like 3 and a half. It was a cute, lighthearted, sweet read, with only one disappointing portion. I don't think I'll be re-reading this at any point in the near future, but it was a nice quick read to start off the New Year! (Fun Fact: This was the first book I read in 2014!)

You can purchase a copy of this book on paperback here, and for Kindle here.


FTC: I received a copy of this book from NetGalley and the publisher for review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
This post contains amazon.com affiliate links. Please see my disclosure policy for more information.

Book Review: Switched by Cassie Mae

(I received this book to review from NetGalley.)

Description from Goodreads
Ever since high school, Kayla has been crazy for gorgeous football player Talon. But before she could muster the courage to tell him, he became a hot item with her beautiful BFF, Reagan. The only person who knows Kayla’s secret is Wesley, Talon’s best bud—and he’s got it bad for Reagan. Now they’re all in college together, hanging out 24/7. For Kayla, seeing the two lovebirds together is absolutely unbearable. So Kayla and Wesley hatch a plot to drive them apart before Talon has a chance to give Reagan the Christmas gift she’s been waiting for.

Soon enough, the once happy couple is fighting. Reagan suddenly can’t get enough of Wesley’s goofy sense of humor, and Talon seems to be paying more attention to Kayla than a guy who’s “only a friend” ever should. But just when everything seems to be falling into place, Kayla and Wesley accidentally spend a night together and discover a hitch in their plan they never considered: that switching partners may not lead to a perfect ending after all.


My Review
This book was completely predictable, but too cute for me to care.
I read this book in a day. One single day, from start to finish. I was obsessed with finishing it. I don't want to give everything away, so I want this to be brief as possible. Because it was predictable, but it was still a fun read.

The book centers on Kayla (it's her perspective), her best friend Reagan, Reagan's boyfriend Talon, and Talon's best friend Wesley.
Reagan loves Talon, and vice versa.
Kayla loves Talon.
Wesley loves Reagan. Or does he actually like Kayla? Pretty much from the get-go, I was getting that vibe! 

The book centers on Kayla and Wesley's decision to try to break up Reagan and Talon and make them see that they should be with them instead. I know how awful that sounds, but it doesn't seem malicious as you are reading the book. You really feel for the two of them.
Reagan and Talon are not very sympathetic characters. Reagan is pretty full of herself (and buys Kayla completely inappropriate gifts to give her in front of the guys), and Talon just seems like a dumb jock. The whole time I did not understand why Kayla would want a guy like that, other than that he is a "total babe". Which is a completely legit reason to think you're in love with someone, right? (Not really.)

Gradually, it's pretty clear that Wesley is developing feelings for Kayla. And their interactions made me squee internally (and externally) multiple times.
This book was also full of funny one-liners, like this-

"I've heard of morning wood but have never seen it first hand."

I'll let you choose where that is going. It's pretty innocent, as far as things go.
The book does have some sexual situations. It is classified "Young Adult" and I think that's accurate.

Other reasons I love this book?
I love the name Wesley. Most likely because of The Princess Bride. If I didn't already have a name for my son, I would definitely try to convince my husband to go in that direction.
Also, this made me get really teary-eyed on more than one occasion. Because it was so sweet. And it felt so real.
I have been loving these "real" characters in these YA novels I'm reading lately. First Roomies, and now this. Great job, YA Authors!


I gave this book four stars on Good Reads, but it is more like a 4.5 star review. I can definitely see myself turning to this and recommending it, but something keeps me from ultimately giving it that extra bump.


You can purchase a hardcover copy of this for Kindle here. It appears to be only available for purchase as an ebook at this point, but it is only $2.99, so it's worth a shot if you love cute YA romance novels!


FTC: I received this book to review from NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
This post does contain amazon.com affiliate links. All proceeds from purchases will be put back into this blog to purchase products to review.

Book Review: Roomies by Sara Zarr and Tara Altebrando

(I received this book to review from NetGalley.)

Description from Good Reads
It's time to meet your new roomie.

When East Coast native Elizabeth receives her freshman-year roommate assignment, she shoots off an e-mail to coordinate the basics: television, microwave, mini-fridge. That first note to San Franciscan Lauren sparks a series of e-mails that alters the landscape of each girl's summer -- and raises questions about how two girls who are so different will ever share a dorm room.

As the countdown to college begins, life at home becomes increasingly complex. With family relationships and childhood friendships strained by change, it suddenly seems that the only people Elizabeth and Lauren can rely on are the complicated new boys in their lives . . . and each other. Even though they've never met.

National Book Award finalist Sara Zarr and acclaimed author Tara Altebrando join forces for a novel about growing up, leaving home, and getting that one fateful e-mail that assigns your college roommate.


My Review
Based on the description of the book, I figured it would be something I would like, but I didn't expect to absolutely fall in love with it!

The book switches back and forth between Elizabeth (or EB), and Lauren's perspectives. I really love books that switch perspectives so you can get to know more than one character and get inside of their head.
EB is an only child of a single mother. Lauren is the oldest of five brother's and sister's, and her parents are still married. They seem to be the same economic class, though EB might have an edge up. EB is from the East Coast, and Lauren lives in San Francisco, not that far from where they are going to college in Berkeley.

Of both the girls, I think Lauren's story overall is my favorite. I love her relationship with the boy she begins dating, I love her family life (even though it seems hectic)... she just seemed a lot easier-going than EB.
Not that EB was a badly written character- far from it! Both characters felt completely fleshed out, like they were real girls and we were just getting to peak inside of their e-mail accounts. And both girls relationships, both personal and familial, made me understand who they were and who you could see them becoming.

Some people won't like this type of story- if you have trouble following multiple storylines, for example, this book is definitely not for you. It doesn't skip around- you will know when you're reading Lauren, and you will know when you are reading EB. They are two completely separate characters- I think having the two authors also helps with this because the author isn't trying to write from two different perspectives while trying to resolve conflict, so it feels more real. If that makes sense. But if you have difficulties with more than one story line, I would skip this.


The "final" conflict between the two girls was a little hurried, but mostly I was okay with it overall. There was a couple of weeks between the start and conclusion, and that seemed like a good amount of time- a real amount of time for resolution. It, again, felt very real to me. The whole book basically just felt like a diary between two girls getting ready to go to college.

I would recommend this book to anyone that enjoys a fun story, a light read, or someone that is at this stage in their life. I think I would have loved this even more if I had been in high school when I read it, and not 28, looking back on my high school experiences. And that's saying something, because I loved this book so much, that I already want to re-read it!


This book is available to pre-order now on Amazon for Kindle and in Hardcover, and is set to release on December 24th.


FTC: I received this book to review from NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
This post does contain amazon.com affiliate links. All proceeds from purchases will be put back into this blog to purchase products to review.

Book Review: Escaping Reality (The Secret Life of Amy Bensen #1) by Lisa Renee Jones

(I received this book to review from NetGalley.)

Description from Good Reads 
Infinite possibilities….
Infinite passion…..
Infinite danger….

His touch spirals through me, warm and sweet, wicked and hot. I shouldn’t trust him. I shouldn’t tell him my secrets. But how do I not when he is the reason I breathe? He is what I need.

At the young age of eighteen, tragedy and a dark secret force Lara to flee all she has known and loves to start a new life. Now years later, with a new identity as Amy, she’s finally dared to believe she is forgotten–even if she cannot forget. But just when she lets down her guard, the ghosts of her past are quick to punish her, forcing her back on the run.

On a plane, struggling to face the devastation of losing everything again and starting over, Amy meets Liam Stone, a darkly entrancing recluse billionaire, who is also a brilliant, and famous, prodigy architect. A man who knows what he wants and goes after it. And what he wants is Amy. Refusing to take “no” as an answer, he sweeps her into a passionate affair, pushing her to her erotic limits. He wants to possess her. He makes her want to be possessed. Liam demands everything from her, accepting nothing less. But what if she is too devastated by tragedy to know when he wants more than she should give? And what if there is more to Liam than meets the eyes? 

My Review 
Let me start off this review by saying this is an erotic novel. There is a lot of sex. There is more sex than plot in this book.  
I didn't do much research on this book- I was just auto-approved to read it when I signed up for NetGalley. So I was a little surprised when all the sex started happening, to say the least.

And then, the comparisons in my head begin. "Oh, wow, this is a lot like Fifty Shades of Grey", I thought to myself. And I continued to think the same thing all throughout the book. Dominant male character, submissive female, worried friend, quick sex, secrets... just so many comparisons.

Not that that is a bad thing- I actually enjoyed the first book of that series (I gave it a four star rating on Good Reads). But this book didn't remind me of the first book in Fifty Shades, it reminded me more of the second. Not as good. But still a three star rating. And then it started to remind me of the third, which I gave a whopping two star review. One of my lowest reviews.

I enjoyed some of Escaping Reality. And not just the sex parts (honestly, I skimmed a lot of that because it was all the same phrasing, and I like a little more variety), but what part of the plot there actually was. I felt at times the plot was only used to drive the sex, which isn't a bad thing, but when you're writing towards a secret (the main character has a new identity, but we don't know why), there should be at least a peak of interest. 
And I lost interest about 60% of the way through when I thought to myself that I would get no answers by the end of this book. And I was right.

I know nothing. I know tiny pieces- I know about Liam's Dad, I get that Lara (aka Amy)'s father was an archaeologist, and something happened with a fire, but I have no clue who it was or what happened that had her parent's killed and her go into hiding. I don't know if Jared (her neighbor), or Meg (secretary at an office she was "hired" to work at) are in on anything, though I have my suspicions they definitely do. We also don't know if Liam really knows anything.

I just wanted a tiny sliver of an answer. And I got nothing! Which is why I don't consider this review to have spoilers- because there really wasn't a lot I could spoil.
With all of this said, I will most likely check out the second book, Infinite Possibilities (The Secret Life of Amy Bensen #2). I do want to know what's going on. It hooked me enough for that. And also, the fact that it's a series of books and you really can't only read one, right??


You can purchase a paperback copy of this book from amazon.com here, or a copy for Kindle by clicking the following link - Escaping Reality (New Adult contemporary Romance) (The Secret Life of Amy Bensen).



FTC: I received this book to review from NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
This post does contain amazon.com affiliate links. All proceeds from purchases will be put back into this blog to purchase products to review.

Extra Post: Book Review: Rose Harbor in Bloom by Debbie Macomber

(I received this book to review from NetGalley)

Description from Good Reads 
Hailed as “the reigning queen of women’s fiction” (The Sacramento Bee), #1 New York Times bestselling author Debbie Macomber is renowned for her novels of love, friendship, and the promise of fresh starts. Now Macomber returns to the charming Rose Harbor Inn, where each guest finds a second chance and every room comes with an inspiring new view.

Since moving to Cedar Cove, Jo Marie Rose has truly started to feel at home, and her neighbors have become her closest friends. Now it’s springtime, and Jo Marie is eager to finish the most recent addition to her inn. In memory of her late husband, Paul, she has designed a beautiful rose garden for the property and enlisted handyman Mark Taylor to help realize it. She and Mark don’t always see eye-to-eye—and at times he seems far removed—yet deep down, Jo Marie finds great comfort in his company. And while she still seeks a sense of closure, she welcomes her latest guests, who are on their own healing journeys.

Annie Newton arrives in town to orchestrate her grandparents’ fiftieth wedding anniversary celebration. While Annie is excited for the festivities, she’s struggling to move on from her broken engagement, and her grandparents themselves seem to be having trouble getting along. Worse, Annie is forced to see Oliver Sutton, with whom she grew up and who has always mercilessly teased her. But the best parties end with a surprise, and Annie is in for the biggest one of all.

High-powered businesswoman Mary Smith, another Rose Harbor Inn guest, has achieved incredible success in her field, yet serious illness has led her to face her sole, lingering regret. Almost nineteen years ago, she ended her relationship with her true love, George Hudson, and now she’s returned to Cedar Cove to make amends.

Compassion and joy await Jo Marie, Annie, and Mary as they make peace with their pasts and look boldly toward their futures. Rose Harbor in Bloom is Debbie Macomber at her heartwarming best.

My Review
This was a very sweet book. It was a quick read, and a nice palate cleanser between two books that were pretty intense. 
I had never read a book by Debbie Macomber, so I didn't really know what to expect. What I got is a very sweet romance, a little fluff and a light read. Nothing was too intense, and most everything was predictable. 

There's nothing wrong with predictable- as I stated, this was a great palate cleanser and sometimes it is exactly what you need.

The book centers around the Rose Harbor Inn, and predominantly around the inn keeper, Jo Marie Rose, her "handy man" Mark, Annie Newton and Oliver Sutton, both in town for Annie's grandparent's 50th anniversary, and Mary Smith, who came to Rose Harbor to make amends with her true love, George Hudson.

I really thought Jo Marie and Mark's relationship was going somewhere else, but I have a feeling this is a relationship the author wants you to become invested in. Plus, Mark is not super open, and Jo Marie is still dealing with the death of her husband. The death is a big plot point, and I believe, based on my reading, it was in the first book as well. 
I enjoyed Jo Marie as a character, but I think Mark needs to start letting some of those secrets go if the reader is going to become more invested in a potential relationship.

Annie and Oliver make an interesting story. Annie planned her grandparent's entire 50th anniversary party, and Oliver drives them. Annie had recently broken an engagement off, and part of the story deals with her decision, and the other part of their story deals with how she feels about Oliver.
I actually didn't really like Annie as a character that much. I didn't feel like she was as fleshed out as Jo Marie or Mary, and I with the author would only focus on one side story instead of two.
I didn't feel invested at all when Oliver and Annie finally start getting together.
I did enjoy the relationship between their grandparents. It reminded me somewhat of my own grandparents. (Not so much the bickering, but the obvious love and affection.)

Mary's story was my favorite of the three. She is suffering from cancer, and comes back to make amends with George. Their story broke my heart, and ultimately just made me so happy in the end. Mary has a deep dark secret she is keeping from George, and when she finally told him I let out a breathe. Like, I was involved in their past love affair or something.
(Hi, I'm Ashley and I get way too invested in the life of fictional characters.)
I really enjoyed the ending of their story, too. I felt like it was perfect.


I didn't know this book was part of a series when I started reading it, and I haven't decided if I want to check out the others. But it appears she did a slight follow up on the stories from the first novel, so I wonder if that is something she will be doing often. And this book definitely left the story open for a third novel.

I gave this book three stars on Goodreads- I liked it, but I won't be rereading it, and I haven't decided if I will look into others from the series. Overall, I did enjoy the novel, but something was lacking.



FTC: I received this book to review from NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.