GOODBYE, HELLO by ALLYSON R. ABBOTT

Linda has lost her husband and now must face being alone. As she contemplates her life, she comes to a realization that even from the grave, her deceased husband is still in control. Linda is an unhappy person and has. Been for many years.  She is use to having her deceased husband direct her every move. How did she allow this to happen? What will she do to be her own person? Seems that things need to change or she will become a lonely widow with nothing to look forward to. Linda makes a plan and on her list is a much needed trip to a place she has never been. She jets off to Fiji and soon meets a man that shows Linda how a gentleman treats a lady. Will she find love ? Are there answers waiting for her to take control of her life?

The story is not just about romance but of finding yourself in the murkiness of your own life. It is not easy to break old habits.   The author does an excellent job of writing Linda's struggles as she transforms into a new person. I'm glad the author slowly developed Linda's many stages of grief. She goes through anger, guilt, denial and a sense of loss in a mature way. The emotions were raw and exposed a side that many of us go through when facing new challenges. The book is a short  read, but it is packed with laughter, tears and gives the readers a look at life and what their purpose may be. The theme was one of becoming strong, and overcoming the feeling of having no future. Perhaps after reading the book, readers may take a look at their own life and say hello to a brighter and happier future and goodbye to unhappiness and the thoughts that keep them  from living a life of fulfillment .

I received a copy of this book from Librarything for an honest review.

FINAL SENTENCE by DARYL WOOD GERBER

What a great way to start a new series with funny characters, a lovely new cookbook shop and a very famous celebrity chef.

Jenna has lost her husband in a tragic boating accident and decides she needs a fresh start. She finds herself at her hometown where she feels content with family and friends around her. The story focuses on Jenna  and her aunt opening a cookbook shop. The author does a superb job of using real cookbooks in her story which helps readers connect to the storyline.  After reading the vivid description of the new shop, it seemed to be a very inviting place to shop and get to know the locals of the town. For their grand opening, Jenna has lined up a very famous celebrity chef from the Food Network to make a grand appearance at the opening.

Desiree , the celebrity chef has it all. She is gorgeous, a fabulous chef and fame that others  envy. The town is all abuzz about her appearance . But alas, there seems to be an untimely muder about to take place. Who will be the victim? Why do certain people point accusing fingers at Jenna as the suspect? The character development is good and introduces readers to a quirky assortment of townspeople who will have you intrigued.

The author's choice to have the setting in a small town is a welcome treat . She describes the town and the people much like those from Mayberry. It gives the reader a sense of peace and tranquility. If you are looking for a light hearted book with fun characters, gossipy noisy townspeople and  a great murder mystery, this book is for you. I loved the banter between the characters and the drama surrounding who really committed the unthinkable crime. At the end of the book , the author has graciously included recipes and a snipet  of her next book in the series, "Inherit the Word." I look  forward to reading more cozy mysteries from this author.

I received a copy of this book from the author for an honest review

REFUGE AT HIGHLAND HALL by CARRIE TURANSKY

Every once in awhile a reader will  come across a book that sweeps them  away to another era. They are so immersed in the story that they can't stop reading. This is one of those few books that captivates you from the beginning. This is the third installment of a breathtaking series called The Edwardian Brides series.

The story is set during WWI and we find one of the main characters, Penny coming to live with her sister and brother-in-law. She has her hands full with helping her sister with orphan children they have graciously opened their home to. At one point in the story we are introduced to Alex. He is a pilot for the British and is set to return to battle very soon. They become smitten with each other and they find it hard to say goodbye when he has to leave. Is true love awaiting them? Can their feelings stay strong even though they are miles apart from each other?


The descriptive details of Alex at war is so vivid you feel like you are in the fighter plane with him. You can almost hear the bombs as they explode around the plane and pierce your ears with the loud rumble the plane makes.
Even though Penny and Alex exchange letters during his time at war, she worries for his safety and the emotions are real and heartfelt . There are many dimensions to the story that keep the reader so intensely involved as the words flow effortlessly across the pages.

The author does  an amazing job of writing about the struggles  the characters deal with.  She  shares their true emotions  that come to life on the pages. I recommend this moving story to anyone that  loves a gripping storyline filled with conflict , hope , faith,  unforgettable characters and a book you will remember long after the last word has been read. This is one book that I will always cherish as it gave me a story that will forever be in my heart.

I received a copy of this book from the author for an honest review

Reflections on a Plainswoman's Life

by 

Sandra Scofield

Frieda Harms was born into a farming family in Indian Territory in 1906. Widowed at thirty and left with three children in the midst of the Great Depression, she worked as a farmer, a railroad cook, a mill worker, and a nurse in four states. She died in 1983.

Sandra Scofield spent most of her childhood with her grandmother Frieda and remained close to her in adulthood. When Frieda died, Sandra received her Bible and boxes of her photographs, letters, and notes. For thirty years, Sandra dipped into that cache.

Sandra always sensed an undercurrent of hard feelings within her grandmother, but it was not until she sifted through Frieda’s belongings that she began to understand how much her life had demanded, and how much she had given. At the same time, questions in Sandra’s own history began to be answered, especially about the tug-of-war between her mother and grandmother. At last, in Mysteries of Love and Grief, Scofield wrestles with the meaning of her grandmother’s saga of labor and loss, trying to balance her need to understand with respect for Frieda’s mystery.

BUY LINKS: AMAZON ~ Texas Tech Press ~ B&N

Praise for MYSTERIES OF LOVE AND GRIEF

Throughout her depiction of her own family, Scofield kept me surprised—a moment of generosity when I didn't expect it or of anger when I didn't expect that. Mysteries remain as they must, but I trusted the insights as well as the mysteries. I thought it was a very beautiful book, smart and sharp.

—Karen Joy Fowler, author of We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves and The Jane Austen Book Club

Largely ungoverned by chronology, Scofield’s journey of discovery unfolds organically, true to the way memory works. Seeking to know her grandmother, she honors the lives and artistic bent of many women marginalized by gender and poverty in the early to mid-twentieth century. This is a unique and necessary work.

—Lorraine M. López, author of Homicide Survivors Picnic and Other Stories and The Darling

A native Texan, Sandra Scofield divides her time between Missoula, Montana, and Portland, Oregon. 

She has written seven novels, a memoir, and a craft book for writers. An excerpt from Mysteries of Love and Grief won first place in Narrative magazine’s 2014 Spring Story Contest. She is an avid landscape painter.

The book is about a woman named Sandra  who struggles with the loss of her grandmother who she was very close to. She discovers secrets that were kept from her and realized how hard her grandmother worked . Sandra had to endure many days where she was not allowed to see her grandmother because of family  arguments. As she tries to write her grandmother's story, you sense the hurt and grief she goes through. They shared a very strong bond and after her death, Sandra tries to put pieces of her grandmother's life into an order that would make more sense to her. The story is hard to read without feeling her sorrow and pain.

blog tour service provided by