My Review of River's Song

Here's a description of the book from the author's website:

"Following her mother’s funeral, and on the verge of her own midlife crisis, widow Anna Larson returns to the home of her youth to sort out her parents’ belongings, as well as her own turbulent life. Her relationship with her daughter is in shambles, and the tension between Anna and her vicious mother-in-law escalates daily.

Anna's unique family home sits on a picturesque coastal tributary and is filled with years of memories. For the first time since childhood, Anna embraces her native heritage and river roots. But Anna soon learns that more than just her past resides along the banks of the Siuslaw River.

By transforming her old family home into The Inn at Shining Waters, Anna hopes to create a place of healing—a place where guests experience peace, grace, and new beginnings.

Starting with her own family . . ."

My Rating: Spring/Summer

My Review:

If you're looking for a gentle read with an admirable heroine who has a powerful heritage, then look no farther than River's Song. This book is a celebration of one woman's Native American background, as well as her courage to seek independence and choose a path of peace and forgiveness. It's a lovely story full of hope and and the joy of community.

Anna is a middle-aged woman breaking free from an unhealthy bondage to her mother-in-law by returning to the river of her childhood after her mother's death. She re-connects with some of her old family friends and also makes a new, rather unique friend named Hazel, an older woman who is researching the Native American history of the area. From these friendships blossoms a new dream for the future, taking Anna on an unexpected journey.

The journey is a bit slow-paced, but in a meandering-canoe-ride-along-the-river sort of way. While there's a lot of back-story at the beginning and throughout the rest of the novel, I enjoyed the characterizations and the heroine's grandmother's stories. And if I ever go about setting up a B & B, I think this book offers a lot of great tips regarding design and other details involved in constructing an inn!

River's Song is a delightful summer read, with interesting characters, important lessons, and even some romance. And to complete the package, what the cover image online doesn't show is that this book is a softcover book (which I love the feel of), and the back cover is very pretty, too!

*With thanks to the publisher and Glass Road PR for providing me with a copy of the book in exchange for my honest opinion. My apologies for the delay in finishing the book and posting my review!*

Glass Road PR: My Review of Forever After

Here's a description of the book from Simon & Schuster:

"A fire killed his best friend and his lifelong dream of being a firefighter. The same fire killed her husband and hopes for a family. Can new dreams replace old?

Lucas Vermontez was a proud firefighter like his father. Now, not only has he lost his father and his best friend, Zach, in the fire at the Grove Street homeless shelter, but the devoted rookie can no longer do the work he loves after being crippled in the tragic event. When friendship with his buddy's beautiful widow turns into more, he wonders, what could he possibly offer Jenna?

Jenna Morgan is trying to grieve her husband's death like a proper widow, but the truth is, she never really loved Zach. His death feels more like a relief to her. But that relief is short-lived when she loses her home and the financial support of her in-laws. Now the secrets of her past threaten to destroy her future. Can the two forget the painful past and discover new reasons to live and love?"

My Rating: Spring

My Review:

Deborah Raney is a talented author! Forever After is well-written, and the story flows nicely. There's a lot of emotional tension and a gentle, romantic plot to keep you turning pages.

Raney's characters have issues--from financial worries to physical impairment--making them realistic. They're the kind of people that frustrate you at times when they're slow to learn (oh, but doesn't that hit home?), and yet the kind of people you cheer for and desire the best for.

I love how dogs (especially one dog in particular) play a role in this book--providing a symbol of healing in more ways than one. Raney does a wonderful job of letting hope occasionally peek through and then eventually shine brightly as Lucas and Jenna find their happily-forever-after.

Near the end there was a jump after the climatic action that was a bit abrupt and didn't leave me completely satisfied in regards to details, but overall I really enjoyed Forever After with its sweet romance and themes of hope and healing. A great read!

*With thanks to the publisher and Glass Road PR for providing me with a copy of the book in exchange for my honest opinion. My apologies for the delay in finishing the book and posting my review!*

Glass Road PR: Forever After Review to Come!

Here's a description of the book from Simon & Schuster:

"A fire killed his best friend and his lifelong dream of being a firefighter. The same fire killed her husband and hopes for a family. Can new dreams replace old?

Lucas Vermontez was a proud firefighter like his father. Now, not only has he lost his father and his best friend, Zach, in the fire at the Grove Street homeless shelter, but the devoted rookie can no longer do the work he loves after being crippled in the tragic event. When friendship with his buddy's beautiful widow turns into more, he wonders, what could he possibly offer Jenna?

Jenna Morgan is trying to grieve her husband's death like a proper widow, but the truth is, she never really loved Zach. His death feels more like a relief to her. But that relief is short-lived when she loses her home and the financial support of her in-laws. Now the secrets of her past threaten to destroy her future. Can the two forget the painful past and discover new reasons to live and love?"

Note: I apologize that I haven't finished the book or written my review yet, but hopefully not long after I get back from vacation I'll be able to share my thoughts with you! I'm enjoying it so far--Deborah's writing ability is superb!

*With thanks to the publisher and Glass Road PR for providing me with a copy of the book in exchange for my honest opinion.*

Glass Road PR: My Review of Holy Guacamole

Here's a description of the book from Lamp Post Inc.:

"Nestled along San Diego’s coast, the former romantic getaway of the silver screen’s most notorious lovers is now the sizzling hacienda of Bonnie Miller’s culinary boot camp. 'If you are what you eat, make it hot, spicy and irresistible,' is her motto, and this queen of Southwestern cuisine enjoys quite a savory life; success, fame, and a reputation for the finest palate west of Barcelona. That is, until a pot-rattling bang causes Trace Domingo, a washed-up sports writer, to crash into her life. His arrival turns up the heat at the culinary boot camp as Bonnie discovers in life’s recipe book, it is not the spices which add the most flavor, but how truly hungry you are."

My Rating: Fall

My Review:

Holy guacamole is right--this book is some ride! The book is divided into three sections: "Appetizer," "Main Course," and "Dessert." And let me tell you, that "Main Course," especially, is one full plate of unusual, "novel" fare!

The "Appetizer" is like a rather bizarre (and intimidating) version of Food Network Star. The food descriptions are fabulous. However, the character descriptions are a bit wanting on the realistic side, although their quirkiness does have its own charm. It was very hard for me to connect with the characters, especially the heroine. Once I learned about her past, I could sympathize more with her, but I couldn't really relate to her.

The "Main Course" is like the movie Romancing the Stone. It's certainly jam-packed full of adventure and some humorous (and not-so-humorous) situations, but it's all so far-fetched that I found it very difficult to take anything seriously, even the moments sprinkled in towards the end that were supposed to give the story a sort of moral. The villain was quite a bit like the one in Romancing the Stone--someone who appears like a nice guy (wealthy with a huge "castle" hidden in Mexico and, in this case, some mad cooking skills) who has a big ego, lots of henchmen with guns, and an appetite for revenge. Certainly difficult to swallow, but not without suspense, nonetheless.

The "Dessert" is certainly the "icing on the cake"--very sweet, but perhaps piled on too thickly for the discerning palate. It's a fitting conclusion to the book, and there are no loose ends left lying around, but (again) it might be a little too neat and tidy (and a tad corny) for real life.

Overall, this is one of those books that offers too much imagination and not enough realism. (Perhaps like eating too much unhealthy food, so that it fills you up but doesn't leave you satisfied.) I appreciate the creativity involved, but it was a bit overdone for my taste. But if you're in the mood for a wild and different sort of story, you might enjoy a helping of Holy Guacamole.

*With thanks to the publisher and Glass Road PR for providing me with a copy of the book in exchange for my honest opinion.*

About the Authors:

"Denise, a former stenographer and devourer of books, is the couple’s editor and technician.

Dan fine tuned his creative storytelling in high school as a way of explaining why he missed class whenever the surf was up.

Their shared passion for the written word has led to a growing collection of awards. The couple enjoys living in Southern California’s “Avocado Capital of the World” where they maintain a laid-back lifestyle as they run a cabinet shop, raise four children, and tend a small ranch.

Okay, maybe it does get a little hectic."