Driftwood Point

I am so blessed to have been a part of Mariah Stewart's amazing series, The Chesapeake Diaries from the very beginning and have lovingly enjoyed each of the novels that she introduces. I truly hope it never ends. Driftwood Point is the 10th novel to enter into the world of the residents of St. Dennis, a charming seaside community along the Chesapeake Bay. Once more readers are taken back to that small town sense of community and companionship you dream really exists in the world.

As the art display of Lisbeth Parker is about to make its debut in the small town, everyone is generally excited to have one of their own, now about to become a well-known name in the world of art. Even though she was raised along the Chesapeake Bay in the nearby Cannonball Island, her paintings are that of New York cityscapes and that of Central Park during the changing seasons. People are truly drawn to them in such a way but even her family wonders why someone who spent her whole life living on the Bay isn't drawn to capture the life of the island and its town before it soon is abandoned much like the beach cottages that lie desolate all over the small community.

She returns to spend some time figuring out why she no longer has the inspiration to paint anymore as many of her painting in her New Jersey apartment now sit vacant and unfinished. Perhaps its the change in her own life as she walked away from an engagement to a man she no longer loved. Is the island calling her back? She now is helping her 100-year-old great grandmother Ruby, run the general store on the island and finding some sort of inspiration she has been missing. Maybe it's time to renovate the family's deteriorating cottage along Driftwood Point and start over again. Whatever life is ready to hand her, she is more than ready.

Alec Jansen has had a crush on Lisbeth since the fifth grade and is more than thrilled when she moves back to Cannonball Island with her great-grandmother, but soon finds himself defending his actions to help her renovate a few things in the general store in lieu of payment by restoring an original skipjack that his family had made. She believes that Alec has taking advantage of her great-grandmother because she always believed the boat should stay as part of her family home. Now it just seems like things are changing and Lis can't do anything to stop them. Alec meanwhile has been hired by a land developer to look into the abandoned homes now all over Cannonball Island in the hopes of making a tidy profit off of buying them, demolishing them and rebuilding something more large and extravagant in their place and his eyes are set primarily on the 22 acres of Driftwood Point.

I received Driftwood Point by Mariah Stewart compliments of Simon and Schuster Publishers for my honest review. I did not receive any monetary compensation aside from a free copy of this novel in exchange for my personal and unbiased review. Coming back to St. Dennis has always been huge favorite of mine and this entire series would make for a great summer read. But trust me, while each can stand on its own, you won't know each of the resident's stories until you read them as they have moved or married within the town limits of St. Dennis. This is truly a charming and heart-warming series and one I am so excited to see whenever there is a new addition. By the way this one ends, looks like there is more in store for the residents of St. Dennis in the very near future. For me this one is another 5 out of 5 stars!

For more information about Driftwood Point, Mariah Stewart or where you can pick up a copy of this novel today, please click on the links below:

Driftwood Point by Mariah Stewart

You can find Mariah Stewart on Facebook to stay up to date on all her latest novels.

To read more reviews on Driftwood Point, please visit Simon and Schuster's website. 

A Promise Kept

"In the two weeks since moving into the log house, Allison and Gizmo had explored several paths on their daily walks. Allison's favorite was the one that followed the river. nd today, with wildflowers blooming everywhere - an abundance of pinks and blues, yellows and oranges - she felt a lifting of her spirit. It was so pretty. God's handprints were everywhere.

Thank You. 

Thank You that I had this place to come to. Thank You that I wasn't completely ruined in the divorce. I might've been. Other women have been. But I'm okay.

After Tony's first stint in rehab, Allison went on loving him, even when others though her crazy to put up with him. Even when he lost another job and then another and another. Even when he landed in the hospital. Again and again. Even when he broke her heart and disappointed her and abandoned her emotionally. With his every new attempt at recovery, she took hold of hope and expected to see him overcome the desire to drink. She believed again and again that he would get sober and stay sober. Only to see him fail. Again.

One good thing came out of her troubled marriage: Allison had been driven to the foot of the cross. Her faith in Christ has been born and then challenged and deepened. A Bible study leader once said to her,"A faith that can't be tested can't be trusted." Well, Allison's faith had been thoroughly tested. She'd gone through the refiner's fire more than once.

And then, at long, last, had come God's promise to save her marriage. Or at least she'd believed it was His voice. His promise at the time.

Tears sprang to her eyes at the memory. Disillusionment pierced her heart like the sting of a scorpion.

She'd been so certain God would heal her marriage, but it was clear that she'd misunderstood. For Allison's marriage was over and God did not lie.

She turned away from the bridal gown and the memories it had stirred to life and left the attic." (pg 42-43).

In the latest novel from Robin Lee Hatcher, A Promise Kept takes the reader into two very different time periods as Allison Kavanaugh moves into her great aunt Emma's home she inherited, she discovers a collection of journals that describe a very different Emma that no one had ever known. As Allison begins to heal from the promise she felt that God had given her and come to terms of acceptance in His will for her life, she finds Emma Carter was a very different woman growing up in the early 1900's and the love she had showcased how much God can work in someone's life when they are willing to commit to His plans 100%.

I received A Promise Kept by Robin Lee Hatcher compliments of Thomas Nelson Publishers and Litfuse Publicity for my honest review. I did not receive any monetary compensation for a favorable review and the opinions expressed in this review are strictly my own. This is a story of how can can redeem not only anything but also anyone when we least expect it. I was surprised by the path Robin took her characters in and found myself wishing some things would have gone different ways. At the conclusion of this novel, Robin takes you behind the scenes for the real-life details of the inspiration for this story. One that shows that even though our time table for things we believe God wants in our lives, is a very different one than God has in place at times. In the end, however, ALL things work together for the good of those that love the Lord. I easily give this one a 4 out of 5 stars.

For more information about A Promise Kept, Robin Lee Hatcher or where you can pick up a copy of this novel today, please click on the links below:

A Promise Kept by Robin Lee Hatcher 

You can also find Robin Lee Hatcher on Facebook to stay up to date with all her latest novels.

To read more reviews on A Promise Kept please visit the Litfuse Publicity Book Tour page.


Don't miss Robin Lee Hatcher's stunning new novel, A Promise Kept. Robin is celebrating with a fun giveaway and an encouraging Facebook Author Chat Party.

 One winner will receive:

• A Kindle Fire HDX
• A Promise Kept by Robin Lee Hatcher

Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on February 6th. Winner will be announced at the "A Promise Kept" Facebook Author Chat Party on the 6th. Connect with Robin and friends for an evening of encouraging book chat, prizes, and an exclusive look at Robin's next book!

So grab your copy of A Promise Kept and join Robin on the evening of February 6th for a chance to connect and make some new friends. (If you haven't read the book, don't let that stop you from coming!)

Don't miss a moment of the fun; RSVP today by clicking JOIN at the event page. Spread the word—tell your friends about the giveaway and party via FACEBOOK or TWITTER. Hope to see you on 2/6!

Threads of Hope

Who hasn't felt the sting of being passed up for a promotion by someone who has worked for the company less than you have? But what's even worse is having the man you were dating dump you and go out with the person who just got "your" promotion as well!

Meet Nina O'Malley, journalist for Trends magazine who has once again had to paste on the gracious smile of sincerity when dealing with Janie Bettencourt, who just score the Senior Editor position and is now moving from Houston to New York for the job. The job that should have been hers. Her boss, reminded her that she needed to get out of her comfort zone more and network. To add some passion and style to her writing despite the fact all she got handed were smaller stories from her editor.

It seems like Nina just needs to realize that she is the only one holding her back and begin to take the initiative to change the things in her life that she wishes were different. Right now the only thing that waits for her at home is her dog, Manny and her roommate Aretha. Even her only friend in the office Daisy Jeffers seems to be making a move out of the office. Nina finds a note from her to Janie asking her if there are any positions available in New York. Seems like the only people that aren't leaving Nina are the ones that have no other place to go.

In the novel, Threads of Hope by Christa Allan, from the Quilts of Love series, takes the reader in the life of Nina O'Malley that has a permanent seat in the "pity party for one." Unless she can break out of her rut, she will stay in the same job, doing the same thing while everyone else around her moves on and moves ahead. Even her love life is suffering, so what's a woman to do? That is just the premise behind this latest novel. It seems that even growing up, Nina was only part of the popular girls click because she was able to help them with their homework. When she refused to do the work for them, she soon found out who her real friends were after all. Nina's about to find out that she needs to be more upfront with what she wants and follow it up with action.

I received Threads of Hope by Christa Allan compliments of Abingdon Press Publishers and Christian Fiction Blog Alliance for my honest review and received no monetary compensation for a favorable one. I could see so much of myself in Nina's character and even found our childhood situations very much alike. It often takes a good hard knock in your life to make you take the initiative and break out of your situation. The fact that Nina settles for so many things makes you look at her life and see the easy way out. She settles instead of simply trying harder and even standing up for herself because she fears what others may say. She avoids confrontation at all costs and looks for excuses to get out of things that may have a risk involved such as dinner with her family every Sunday. She wishes deep down inside to say the things she wants but instead just offers the customary, "I'll be there." This is an interesting look at how Nina breaks out and what is the catalyst for her doing so. I can't spoil it for you, but if you can relate to this situation you'll definitely want to pick this one up. I rate it a 4 out of 5 stars.

For more information about Threads of Hope, Christa Allan or where you can pick up a copy of this book today, please click on the links below:

Threads of Hope by Christa Allan

You can also follow Christa Allan on Facebook to stay up to date with all her latest novels.

For more reviews on Threads of Hope from the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance Book Tour, click here.

Porch Lights

Porch Lights are a sign of welcome or a symbol that you are waiting for someone to come home and that's exactly what you, the reader, will find when you read the latest novel by Dorothea Benton Frank, Porch Lights!

I guess the hardest thing for someone to deal with in life is to lose someone that they love. Dealing with the loss and finding a way to move forward when it feels like you lack the motivation to do so would be a challenging thing to do. Yet that is exactly what Jackie and Charlie McMullen are trying to do. Finding a way to move forward without Jimmy McMullen, who was killed as a New York fireman when the building he was in collapsed, living Jackie without a husband and young, ten-year-old, Charlie without a dad.

Now Jackie is trying to find a way to pull Charlie out of a lingering depression that is consuming his life. Withdrawing as an Army nurse, Jackie takes a trip back to her childhood home on Sullivan's Island in Charleston to stay the summer with her mom, Annie Britt in hopes of finding a solution. What she learns there is a process of letting go of the pain but retaining the love and memories she has of her life with Jimmy and begin building a new one. Along the way she learns how much she needs to change as well as the beach begins to sooth away the worn and sharp edges of her past. She learns to let Charlie begin to experience his own challenges as a boy growing up, from skateboarding with the friends he meets, sleep overs, baseball games and learning a different way of life from the one he left behind before the summer.

Along the way, Charlie and Jackie have plenty of help from not only Jackie's mom Annie, but her father, Buster who comes and stays with them to help Charlie make the transition much easier doing stuff a father and son might. A neighbor next door to Annie's, is a local doctor, Steven Plofker, who offers Charlie a job walking his dogs and taking care of them for the summer while teaching him the value of a job and responsibility. He is also very interested in Jackie seeing as they both share losing a spouse in common.

The delight the reader finds in Porch Lights by Dorothea Benton Frank is a life that is much more simple. Spending the days walking along the beach in search of the ocean's treasures, sharing homemade ice cream from an old fashioned crank machine, and just memories of grilled bar-b-que meals eaten in the company of close family and friends on porch, calls the reader home in a serene way. Healing begins for all of them and changes how they view life as they work together to move forward in the next chapters of their life. Dorothea paints such a splendid canvas for the reader, you can smell the salty air and feel the cool ocean breezes in her latest novel.



I received Porch Lights compliments of William Morrow, a division of Harper Collins publishers for my honest review. If you are truly looking for a memorable summer read, than search no further and pick this one up. It is such a treasure to find a difficult subject like the loss of someone dear is something to be shared with family and friends and in the end changes them all and brings healing no one really expected. I rate this one a 5 out of 5 stars and the cast of supporting characters Dorothea created make this an exceptionally fun read, especially Jackie's mom, Annie who fears aging the most!

For more information on this book, the author and where to pick up a copy of this summer treasure today, please click on the links below:

Porch Lights by Dorothea Benton Frank

You can find out more from Dorothea Benton Frank by following her on Facebook, by clicking here.

In The Bag

Based on a true life circumstance that provided her with the incentive to write this amazing novel, Kate Klise takes readers from two different generations along on a world wind trip to Paris and Madrid in In The Bag.

As two unlikely passengers boarding a flight to Paris, Daisy Sprinkle, sitting in first class and having a complimentary glass of wine, encounters through a bump of fate, Andrew Nelson. He is the one who accidentally bumps her and causes her to spill her wine on her blouse while making his way to his assigned seat. As a stewardess sweeps in to take care of the crisis, he is reprimanded to find his seat now. Feeling less than a man, he hand writes a personal note of apology offering to replace the blouse, or have it cleaned. But much more than that, he would love to take her to dinner once they return from Paris if that's at all possible. He ends the note with his email address. While they are waiting for their baggage in Paris, he slips the note into her carry on and hopes that she will respond.

Meanwhile, Coco, her daughter finds that she has retrieved the wrong duffel bag when they arrive at their apartment in Paris filled with a man's rumpled jeans, shirts and a well worn copy of Walden by Henry David Thoreau. What she soon realizes that someone else has her duffel bag filled with not only her clothes but also her worst underwear in it. Her mom advised her to pack her worst and they would buy new lingerie when they got to Paris and could throw the old stuff away.

Webb realizes that he has the wrong duffel bag when he opens his to find nicely organized and packed women's clothes and bras and underwear that certainly don't belong to him. When he locates a luggage tag with an email address attached, he finds an internet cafe in Madrid and sets off to locate the person who's bag he has. Lucky for him, she responds quickly enough via email and they soon set off on a series of unexpected, cute and witty email messages while their parents attend to their jobs. What they both soon realize is that they have a lot in common and agree to meet somehow and exchange bags if only they can escape their parents.

I received In The Bag by Kate Klise compliments of William Morrow, a division of Harper Collins Publishers for my honest review and LOVED it! It's like You Got Mail while traveling! This is such a cute love story that deal with two couples, Andrew and Daisy, and Coco and Webb, who soon realize that their ideas of romance and falling in love are much different that what they could ever hope to imagine. For Coco and Webb, they are part of the younger generation who text and email, while Andrew and Daisy come from a pre-digital generation of letter writers and simpler times. You can't help but smile after reading this novel told from four different points of view through the week they are traveling! A definite must read for the summer and one I highly recommend! This one is a 5 out of 5 stars!!

For more information on In The Bag, Kate Klise, and where to pick up a copy of this wonderful book today, please click on the links below:

In The Bag by Kate Klise

You can also find Kate Klise on Facebook by clicking here.

A Sweethaven Summer

I love it when you get the opportunity to review a debut novel because it's either going to introduce you to an great new author or will leave you disappointed. This novel, A Sweethaven Summer by Courtney Walsh is the introduction to a fabulous new author I can't wait for you to meet.

In this novel you are introduced immediately to Suzanne who is in the process of sharing a bombshell secret that she has been compiling for the last five years in a scrapbook/journal she created along with her three friends, Jane, Lila and Meghan. In it, each of them added photos, ticket stubs or notes scribbled on scratch paper that they had gathered every summer since the eighth grade. Would her secret taint those memories? Even though she called the three girls their best friends they didn't even know the secret she'd carried with her on the road out of town. The pages in front of her begged her to come clean, to tell the truth, after all this time.

In the pages of this scrapbook we learn that Jane hated her body, Lila painfully recounted her relationship with an indifferent mother and that Meg confided about being the only nondrinker at a high school party last summer. Confessions. They were all nice girls. All except Suzanne. But they weren't kids anymore - and even their darkest secrets didn't compare to the bombshell she was about to drop. - August 1987.

Now we find Campbell Carter who is Suzanne's daughter and is dealing with her mother's funeral. Little over a week ago, her mother called and asked her to come over to talk about somethings she needed to discuss. She could tell by her mother's tone that she was nearing the end of her struggle with cancer and was squaring things away. Only she would never get to know what she wanted to discuss because when she arrived home, she found her mother lying on the floor. She would never wake up and thus Campbell would be orphaned at 24. If only she could know what her mother wanted to tell her before she died. She wouldn't until she came across the scrapbook her mother and her friends made and that is where the story begins.

I received this heartwarming and charming novel compliments of Christian Fiction Blog Alliance for my honest review and have discovered a new treasure in Courtney's writing. You can't help but be swept away into the story and thus the reason for giving this debut novel a perfect 5 out of 5 stars. I can't wait for the next novel by this amazing and talent author. Here's even more great information to share below:

This week, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is introducing A Sweethaven Summer Guidepost Books (February 7, 2012) by Courtney Walsh



ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Courtney Walsh is a published author, scrapbooker, theater director, and playwright. Her debut novel, A Sweethaven Summer, will be followed by two additional novels in the series. She’s also written two papercrafting books, Scrapbooking Your Faith and The Busy Scrapper. Courtney has been a contributing editor for Memory Makers Magazine and Children’s Ministry Magazine and is a frequent contributor to Group Publishing curriculum. She works as the PR Manager for Webster’s Pages from her home in Colorado, where she lives with her husband and three kids, who range in age from 4 to 10. Courtney drinks entirely too much coffee.


ABOUT THE BOOK

Suzanne's daughter, Campbell, journeys there in search of answers to her questions about her mother's history.Suzanne's three friends-Lila, Jane, and Meghan-were torn apart by long-buried secrets and heartbreak. Though they haven't spoken in years, each has pieces of a scrapbook they made together in Sweethaven. Suzanne's letters have lured them all back to the idyllic lakeside town, where they meet Campbell and begin to remember what was so special about their long Sweethaven summers. As the scrapbook reveals secrets one by one, old wounds are mended, lives are changed,
and friendships are restored-just as Suzanne intended.



If you would like to read the first chapter of A Sweethaven Summer, go HERE.

Here's to Friends

In the final book of Melody Carlson's popular series of the four Linda's, we see where life has found Abby, Caroline, Marley and Janie at the mid-way point in their lives. For Abby, she's trying to get back in shape in time for a cruise that all four of them will take, but it's been a while since she's worked out and rather than take it slow, she jumps right on in with a circuit training class and paying for the membership fee without seeing how she'll like the class. Confident that Caroline and Janie already take it, and hope that there is safety in numbers, Abby soon finds out that she feels more out than in and wishing she never agreed to go on the cruise if it involved swimsuits.

Caroline while still grieving over the death of her mom, gets encouragement from the other Linda's to embark on a remodeling project on the family home in hopes if she can fix it up she can sell it, or possibly love it enough to stay there and be much closer to the girls.

Janie's been getting mysterious voice mail messages from her daughter, who she believes is only after money and still involved in drugs, but when an unexpected call promises she's changed and only wants to move back home, Janie is willing to drive out to Phoenix to pick her up. This is one way to make sure she just doesn't take the money and run again.

Meanwhile, Marley, the artist, is struggling to find her creative groove during what she calls her midweek madness, something she hadn't experienced for many years since her marriage with her ex husband John. Yet she couldn't quite figure out just what it was but she knew something for sure was on the horizon and it couldn't be good. Was it someone's birthday, a hormone problem, or something more? When Jack called, her new love interest in a gallery owner, she would learn what would cause this feeling. He tells her that his daughter, Jasmine has up and left with a new man leaving her son, Hunter behind. What she doesn't know is if Jasmine is coming back or has abandoned her 7 year old son forever?

I received the novel, Here's To Friends by Melody Carlson compliments of Christian Fiction Blog Alliance for my honest review and love how honest and true to life, her characters are. Not having read the three prior Linda books in the series, I could immediately relate to each of these women and the unique situations that all find themselves in. Some have family to assist them and others will struggle alone but the best part is the friendship that cements them altogether proving that real friendships are priceless. I would rate this book a 5 out of 5 stars and can't wait to go back and read the entire series of The Four Lindas!

Here's even more great information about the book, the author and where to get a sneak peek into the first chapter:

This week, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is introducing Here’s to Friends David C. Cook (September 1, 2011) by Melody Carlson



ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Over the years, Melody Carlson has worn many hats, from pre-school teacher to youth counselor to political activist to senior editor. But most of all, she loves to write! Currently she freelances from her home. In the past eight years, she has published over ninety books for children, teens, and adults--with sales totaling more than two million and many titles appearing on the ECPA Bestsellers List. Several of her books have been finalists for, and winners of, various writing awards. And her "Diary of a Teenage Girl" series has received great reviews and a large box of fan mail.



She has two grown sons and lives in Central Oregon with her husband and chocolate lab retriever. They enjoy skiing, hiking, gardening, camping and biking in the beautiful Cascade Mountains.





ABOUT THE BOOK

Once upon a time in a little town on the Oregon coast lived four Lindas—all in the same first-grade classroom. So they decided to go by their middle names. And form a club. And be friends forever.



Decades later, they're all back home in Clifden and reinventing their lives, but the holidays bring a whole new set of challenges. Abby’s new B&B is getting bad reviews and husband Paul is acting strange. Still grieving for her mom, Caroline is remodeling the family home, but boyfriend Mitch keeps pressuring her to go away with him. Artist Marley, distracted by a friend's family drama (and a touch of jealousy), can't find her creative groove. And Janie’s drug-addicted daughter has just appeared up on her doorstep! When a long-planned New Year's cruise turns into a bumpy ride, they learn once again that, in your fifties, friends aren’t just for fun—they're a necessity!



If you would like to read the first chapter of Here’s to Friends, go HERE.

The Fine Art of Insincerity

Three sisters who have grown up in the Grandmother Lillian's cottage now find themselves back together again but not for a family reunion. It seems that their realtor finally had someone who was willing to purchase the house and they have through Labor Day to take what they want out of the house and clean it out.

On Monday, the realtor will stop by to have them sign the final paperwork, and each of them will receive a check for $200,000 each. Their inheritance as they see it.

Penny plans on using this money to divorce her 5th husband whom she finds as dull and boring. She finds an attractive doctor at lunch who seems more than interested in her, and she seems willing to part ways with husband now she has money to live on and start a new life. She sees herself as her Grandmother Lillian who was married seven times before finding the right one.

Rosemary is married to a wonderful man named Wort who loves riding Harleys, while she tends to all the stray animals she comes across on their ranch. Her latest venture is a racehorse rescue. However when she miscarried her only child, her grief has driven her to seek out her own death and leave the world a much better place now that she won't be in it anymore. Now that she can also leave Wort money from the sell of her grandmother's house makes the invitation all the more inviting.

Ginger is the oldest and most reliable. She's been married for twenty seven years to Michael, a professor and even though they have seemed to have lost most of the passion and romance, Ginger believes they still have love. However, when she needs to contact Michael to have a financial paper signed for their son Ross in college, she is provided with a phone number to reach him. What she discovers will shattered her world when another woman answers the phone and tells Ginger, "I knew you'd find us."



In the novel, The Fine Art of Insincerity by Angela Hunt, the three sisters are at odds and none of them, except for Penny and Ginger will confess what is truly going on in their lives, no matter how they may be judged by the other sisters. Only Rosie, keeps her grief and depression buried and only seeks the solace in spending time with her aging Jack Russell that is on it's last legs. It's a sad story that has brought them together, but will it be enough to heal them?

I received this book compliments of Glass Roads Public Relations for my honest review. This novel is filled with sadness that each of these women feels to need to keep their personal lives from one another at one point in the book. Each of them finds justification in what they believe they are doing but deep down inside know they are all hurting in an emotional and physical way. Their perceptions they have of one another is a far cry from who they really are inside and it will take something life changing for them to finally open up. This one rates 5 out of 5 stars because I could honestly see this happening especially in our culture and generation today, and it's interesting to see how each of them view their situations in their own eyes.

This book is available in paperback and eBook formats. For even more information about this book, the author and where to purchase a copy of this book, please click on the link below:

The Fine Art of Insincerity by Angela Hunt

Island Girl - Giveaway and Review!

Lists. Lots of lists. Lists for appointments, grocery lists, to do lists. A necessary part of her life. At least it is for now for Ruby Donaldson. Ruby has been diagnosed with early onset Alzheimer's. She likes to refer to it as "Big Al" and has found out that hers is the rapid one. The one that will claim her normal life and will eventually claim who she is and once was. But not if Ruby can help it.

She believes that she will never make it that far. At least if she has any say so in it and she plans to have quite a bit to say. Her goal is to make sure that she lives out the end, the way she sees fit or she will end it, her way. She's been researching different options and is deciding on whether it will be poison or perhaps hiring someone to do it for her. She doesn't want to spend her life in a convalescent home alone not remembering who she is or why she is there.

Ruby has a bit of a legacy to leave behind and wants to make amends with her immediate family including her estranged daughter Liz. The only problem is that Liz wants nothing to do with her. The only link is her other daughter Grace, and Grace is often times put in the middle between them in an attempt to restore their relationship, but it hasn't worked so far.

When Liz finds out about her mother's illness, she still holds firm that she will not take pity on her mother and resolve their issues, and during a recent lunch with Grace, she accidentally informs her that Ruby is ill, thinking that she is already aware of it. Seeing the look on her face, confirms her horror that she just let the cat out of the bag and tries to cover it up with it being a cancer scare for a mole she had removed that was nothing. Now Grace is constantly making her mom use sunscreen obsessively without knowing what's really going on. But at some point, Ruby's lists are only going to go so far.

Will they be able to heal their family before Ruby no longer remembers who her daughters are, or will she slip into Big Al's arms for an eternity?

I received the latest novel Island Girl by Lynda Simmons compliments of TLC Book Tours for my honest review, and LOVED it. I could completely picture how difficult this would be for an estranged family trying to keep it together but having this big secret hidden that may unite them for all the wrong reasons. Ruby wants the love of her daughters without the self pity from Big Al's diagnosis and when her ex suddenly rents a house on the island, perhaps he too has ulterior motives as well. A must read summer smash that rates 5 out of 5 stars. I can only imagine how difficult it would be to try and maintain a normal life making lists all the time and hoping to read them in time. This one is guaranteed to pull on your heart strings!

For even more great information about the book, the author and where to purchase a copy of this book, click on the link below:

Island Girl by Lynda Simmons

You can also follow Lynda on Facebook by clicking here.

More great news: Thanks to the generosity of Lynda Simmons, she is offering two giveaway copies of her book to two lucky followers of my blog. Here are your guidelines:

1. You must be a follower of my blog, Reviews From The Heart.

2. You must be a resident of the US and please No P.O. Boxes.

3. I must have a way to contact you if you are one of the lucky winners, so please make sure to include your email address with your comment. You can use the words (at) or (dot) instead of the symbols.

4. Like Lynda's page on Facebook, by clicking here!

5. Leave me a comment and let me know why you'd like to win a copy of this book. The giveaway will end on June 5th and I will contact the winners via email at that time.