Category: Women’s Fiction

Going Home by Judith Keim

Posted April 6, 2019 by Marsha in Series, Women's Fiction / 0 Comments

In 1970, Violet Hawkins’ only wish at eighteen is to escape her life in the Dayton, Ohio, foster-care system and make her way to the west coast to enjoy a mellow life and find the love she’s been missing all her life. She makes it to San Francisco, but soon learns she needs a job if she’s to live properly. A kind, young man named Kenton Chandler offers her a sandwich and a job at his father’s inn and vineyards. With nothing to lose, Lettie takes him up on his offer and begins a whole new life in the Willamette Valley, Oregon. She immediately falls in love with the land and is fascinated with the idea of growing grapes in order to make wines. She, Kenton, and Rafe Lopez become friends as she learns about running the small inn on the property.

At the same time, she marries Kenton, a stroke kills his father. And then before she can tell Kenton she’s pregnant, he dies in an automobile accident. Heartbroken and burdened with the gift of the Chandler Hill Inn and Winery, she’s left with the task of making them a success. Struggling to raise a child alone while working to grow the business, Lettie makes a shocking discovery that changes everything.

Titles in the Chandler Hill Inn series include — Going Home –

Magnolia House by Angela Barton

Posted January 31, 2019 by Marsha in Contemporary Romance, Women's Fiction / 2 Comments

When you open up your home and your heart …

Rowan Forrester has it all – the happy marriage, the adorable dog, the good friends, the promising business and even the dream home after she and her husband Tom win a stunning but slightly dilapidated Georgian townhouse in London at auction.

But in the blink of an eye, Rowan’s picture-perfect life comes crashing down around her and she is faced with the prospect of having to start again.

To make ends meet she begins a search for housemates, and in doing so opens the door to new friends and new beginnings. But could she be opening the door to new heartbreak too?

A Vineyard Christmas by Jean Stone

Posted September 25, 2018 by Marsha in Christmas Romance, Women's Fiction / 0 Comments

It’s taken a long time and a little heartache, but Annie Sutton is finally following her dream of living on Martha’s Vineyard. She fell in love with the island’s singular beauty while using it as a setting for two of her novels. In her cozy rented cottage on Chappaquiddick, she’s settling in for her first Vineyard winter–complete with a fierce nor’easter on the way, forecast to bring high winds and deep snow. But the blizzard also brings something unexpected to Annie’s front porch: a basket, encircled by a ribbon, containing a baby girl. The note reads: “I named her Bella, after my grandmother. Please help her, because I can’t.”

Adopted as a child, Annie is grateful for wonderful parents who raised her as their own. Yet she also hopes to spare little Bella the feelings of abandonment that still haunt her. And so, rather than take the baby to the police, Annie decides to keep her and try to find the birth mother, giving her a chance to change her mind.

But it’s not easy keeping a secret in a close-knit, island community, especially amid the bustle of Christmas. Before the holiday ends, there will be revelations, rekindled hope, and proof that families–the ones we are born into and the ones we claim for ourselves–are the gifts that truly matter . . .

Every Time You Go Away by Beth Harbison

Posted July 24, 2018 by Marsha in Women's Fiction / 0 Comments

Willa has never fully recovered from the sudden death of her husband, Ben. She became an absent mother to her young son, Jamie, unable to comfort him while reeling from her own grief.

Now, years after Ben’s death, Willa finally decides to return to the beach house where he passed. It’s time to move on and put the Ocean City, Maryland house on the market.

When Willa arrives, the house is in worse shape than she could have imagined, and the memories of her time with Ben are overwhelming. They met at this house and she sees him around every corner. Literally. Ben’s ghost keeps reappearing, trying to start conversations with Willa. And she can’t help talking back.

To protect her sanity, Willa enlists Jamie, her best friend Kristin, and Kristin’s daughter Kelsey to join her for one last summer at the beach. As they explore their old haunts, buried feelings come to the surface, Jamie and Kelsey rekindle their childhood friendship, and Willa searches for the chance to finally say goodbye to her husband and to reconnect with her son.

The Almost Wife by Jade Beer

Posted June 23, 2018 by Marsha in Contemporary Romance, Women's Fiction / 0 Comments

Three women, three white dresses, three big days all set… but only two will make it up the aisle, and only one will marry. An unforgettable page-turner about love, family and life’s unexpected second chances.

Jessie has always known she doesn’t belong. Only her fiancé Adam makes her feel good enough, exactly as she is. Jessie wants everything to be perfect for their lavish wedding day, but she’s already cracking under the pressure of pretending to be someone she’s not with her demanding future in-laws.

Dolly works hard to keep up appearances – but what’s the point of only eating salad when her boyfriend Josh is never home to appreciate the result? Dolly is sure he’ll change once they’re married with a family; Josh did say he wanted those things… right?

Emily couldn’t be happier: she’s got funny, loving parents, a loyal fiancé and a job she looks forward to. Everything’s ready for their intimate country wedding… until some shocking news sends her life spiraling out of control.

Perfect strangers on the first page, Jessie, Dolly and Emily’s paths will cross in the most unexpected of ways. And as their stories collide, their lives will take a turn you’ll never predict.

The Winter Wedding Plan by Olivia Miles

Posted October 1, 2017 by Marsha in Contemporary Romance, Series, Women's Fiction / 0 Comments

All she wants for Christmas is a second chance . . .

Charlotte Daniels has made her share of mistakes, but now that she’s a single mom, she vows to do better–and that starts with a new career. Working at her sister’s event-planning company is just the fresh start she needs.

Kate Daniels has finally forgiven Charlotte for her betrayal, but forgetting it is harder. But as the holidays approach and Kate has her own wedding to plan, she has no choice but to turn to Charlotte for help to throw a high-profile client the holiday party of the season.

Charlotte leaps at the chance to redeem herself . . . until this irresistible client asks her to pretend to be his fiancée for the party. She knows their charade won’t come without consequences–not just for her fresh start with Kate, but also for her own daughter.

As Kate’s wedding draws near and Charlotte’s fake romance starts to feel more and more real, will she fall back into the mistakes of her past, or finally prove herself to Kate once and for all?

Titles in the Misty Point series include: One Week To The Wedding – The Winter Wedding Plan –

One Week to the Wedding by Olivia Miles

Posted June 14, 2017 by Marsha in Women's Fiction / 0 Comments

Sometimes the road to happily ever after takes a few wrong turns…

Kate Daniels couldn’t be more excited to be planning her best friend’s wedding…in theory. Lately, just thinking about gowns and centerpieces makes her want to hide under the covers with her dog and a good book –one that doesn’t include a romantic plot, thank you very much. Maybe it’s because her fiancé cheated. Or maybe it’s because he cheated with her younger sister, Charlotte. Or maybe it’s because her newfound reputation as jilted wedding planner isn’t exactly doing wonders for her career.

Charlotte knows she messed up. Big time. But she also knows something Kate doesn’t-something that might bring them close again, if her sister will ever take her calls. But as time passes and silence grows, Charlotte begins to realize she can’t hide from her problems forever, and that sometimes the only place to run is home.

With the wedding only a week away, Kate expects a few surprises. But what she doesn’t expect is to find herself believing…in the strength of family, and the possibility of finding love again.

Titles in the Misty Point series include: One Week to the Wedding –

The Idea of You by Amanda Prowse

Posted March 23, 2017 by Marsha in Women's Fiction / 0 Comments

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?

Stand Alone Title

The Taste of Air by Gail Cleare

Posted November 16, 2016 by Marsha in Women's Fiction / 0 Comments

Title: The Taste of Air
Series:
Author: Gail Cleare
Genre: Women’s Fiction
Published: September 22, 2016
Publisher: Red Adept Publishing
My Rating: 4 stars
Source: NetGalley
Cover Description:

A simple phone call disrupts Nell Williams’s well-ordered life. Her mother, Mary, is in a hospital in Vermont. But her mother is supposed to be safely tucked away in an assisted-living facility in Massachusetts, so Nell can’t fathom why she would be so far from home.

After notifying her sister, Bridget, Nell hops on a plane and rushes to her mother’s side. There, she discovers that her mother has been living a second life. Mary has another home and a set of complex relationships with people her daughters have never met.

When Nell and Bridget delve deeper into their mother’s lakeside hideaway, they uncover a vault of family secrets and the gateway to change for all three women.

Stand Alone Title

A Baxter Family Christmas by Karen Kingsbury

Posted October 25, 2016 by Marsha in Christmas Romance, Women's Fiction / 0 Comments

Title: A Baxter Family Christmas
Series:
Author: Karen Kingsbury
Genre: Women’s Fiction, Christmas Romance
Published: October 25, 2016
Publisher: Howard Books
My Rating: 4 stars
Source: NetGalley
Cover Description:

Two sorrowful years have passed since the terrible car accident that took the life of John Baxter’s daughter, Erin, along with her husband and three of their four daughters. But this year John has invited a stranger for dinner – Kendra Bryant, the transplant recipient who now has Erin’s heart.

In light of her father’s idea, Ashley and her brother Luke don’t think it’s right. They want to protect their ten-year-old niece, Amy – the only surviving member of the accident. But John is determined and believes meeting this woman is something his deceased daughter would want.

At the same time, Maddie West, the eighteen-year-old daughter of Brooke Baxter West, is praying for meaning this Christmas. Could she find it in a newfound friendship with a boy she never expected to see again? Maddie believes in miracles, especially at Christmastime, but this is a stretch even she can’t imagine.

Meanwhile, Kendra Bryant has been struggling these past few years to find meaning in the tragedy that gave her a second chance. She believes this invitation to see the Baxters and witness their unwavering faith in God can instill hope and happiness back into her life.

Heartwarming and touching, filled with love and hope, A Baxter Family Christmas brings together two families in the aftermath of a tragedy and in the midst of an unfolding love story, all with the help of one very special child.

Read on for my thoughts on A Baxter Family Christmas. No true spoilers, promise.

Good In Bed by Jennifer Weiner

Posted October 17, 2016 by Marsha in Women's Fiction / 0 Comments

Title: Good In Bed
Series:
Author: Jennifer Weiner
Genre: Woman’s Fiction
Published: April 2, 2002
Publisher: Atria
My Rating: 2 stars
Source: NetGalley
Cover Description:

For twenty-eight years, things have been tripping along nicely for Cannie Shapiro. Sure, her mother has come charging out of the closet, and her father has long since dropped out of her world. But she loves her friends, her rat terrier, Nifkin, and her job as pop culture reporter for The Philadelphia Examiner. She’s even made a tenuous peace with her plus-size body.

But the day she opens up a national women’s magazine and sees the words “Loving a Larger Woman” above her ex-boyfriend’s byline, Cannie is plunged into misery…and the most amazing year of her life. From Philadelphia to Hollywood and back home again, she charts a new course for herself: mourning her losses, facing her past, and figuring out who she is and who she can become.

Read on for my thoughts on Good In Bed. No true spoilers, promise.

On Lone Star Trail by Amanda Cabot

Posted July 4, 2016 by Marsha in Contemporary Romance, Series, Women's Fiction / 0 Comments

Title: On Lone Star Trail
Series: Texas Crossroads #3
Author: Amanda Cabot
Genre: Contemporary Romance, Women’s Fiction
Published: February 2, 2016
Publisher: Revel
My Rating: 3.5 stars
Source: NetGalley
Cover Description:

If there’s one thing Gillian Hodge never wants to see again, it’s a man on a motorcycle. Her last encounter with one left her right hand crushed, ending her promising career as a concert pianist. But as she heads to Rainbow’s End Resort, a sudden thunderstorm causes a motorcycle to crash in front of her.

When TJ Benjamin’s wife died, he lost more than his best friend; he lost his faith. He’s spent the past year wandering the country on a motorcycle, trying not to think about his future. When he finds himself stranded with a busted bike and a reluctant rescuer, he has to wonder about God’s sense of humor.

Can this woman without a future and this man running from his past find romance in the present? Or are they too tied to the way life used to be?

Read on for my thoughts on On Lone Star Trail. No true spoilers, promise.

A Little Sugar, A Lot of Love by Linn B. Halton

Posted June 16, 2016 by Marsha in Women's Fiction / 2 Comments

Title: A Little Sugar, A Lot of Love
Series:
Author: Linn B. Halton
Genre: Woman’s Fiction
Published: January 15, 2016
Publisher: Choc Lit
My Rating: 4 stars
Source: NetGalley
Cover Description:

Life isn’t all love and cupcakes …

Katie has had her fair share of bad luck, but when she finally realizes her dream of opening a bakery it seems things can only get better.

But the reality of running a business hits Katie hard and whilst her partner, Steve, tries to help she begins to sense that the situation is driving them further apart. Could Katie be set to lose her relationship and her dream job?

Then, one winter’s day, a man walks into her shop – and, in the space of that moment, the course of Katie’s life is changed.

But nobody finds happiness in the blink of an eye. Sometimes it takes two Christmases, three birthdays and a whole lot of cake to get there.

Read on for my thoughts on A Little Sugar, A Lot of Love. No true spoilers, promise.

The Thing Is by Kathleen Gerard

Posted April 7, 2016 by Marsha in Women's Fiction / 2 Comments

Title: The Thing Is
Series:
Author: Kathleen Gerard
Genre: Women’s Fiction
Published: February 9, 2016
Publisher: Red Adept Publishing
My Rating: 4.5 stars
Source: NetGalley
Cover Description:

Meredith Mancuso is depressed. Ever since the death of her fiancé, she has shrunk from the world. Even with her successful writing career, she’s not motivated to work. When her sister, Monica, begs for a favor, Meredith wants nothing more than to say no. But she’s ultimately roped into pet-sitting an orphaned Yorkshire terrier named Prozac.

Blessed with spiritual wisdom and a high IQ, Prozac is an active pet therapy dog. To heal broken-hearted Meredith, he rallies his fan club at Evergreen Gardens, an independent living facility, where he visits each week.

Prozac and the community of resilient older folks challenged by losses of their own propel Meredith, often against her will, back into the land of the living. Meredith learns that most people carry some sort of burden, but it’s still possible to find meaning, purpose, and joy—and sometimes, even love—along the way.

Read on for my thoughts on The Thing Is. No true spoilers, promise.

A Girl’s Guide to Moving On by Debbie Macomber

Posted February 23, 2016 by Marsha in Contemporary Romance, Series, Women's Fiction / 0 Comments

Title: A Girl’s Guide to Moving On
Series: New Beginnings #2
Author: Debbie Macomber
Genre: Women’s Fiction, Contemporary Romance
Published: February 23, 2016
Publisher: Ballantine Books
My Rating: 4.5 stars
Source: NetGalley
Cover Description:

When Nichole discovers that her husband, Jake, has been unfaithful, the illusion of her perfect life is indelibly shattered. While juggling her young son, a new job, and volunteer work, Nichole meets Rocco, who is the opposite of Jake in nearly every way. Though blunt-spoken and rough around the edges, Rocco proves to be a dedicated father and thoughtful friend. But just as their relationship begins to blossom, Jake wagers everything on winning Nichole back—including their son Owen’s happiness. Somehow, Nichole must find the courage to defy her fears and follow her heart, with far-reaching consequences for them all.

Leanne has quietly ignored her husband’s cheating for decades, but is jolted into action by the echo of Nichole’s all-too-familiar crisis. While volunteering as a teacher of English as a second language, Leanne meets Nikolai, a charming, talented baker from Ukraine. Resolved to avoid the heartache and complications of romantic entanglements, Leanne nonetheless finds it difficult to resist Nikolai’s effusive overtures—until an unexpected tragedy tests the very fabric of her commitments.

An inspiring novel of friendship, reinvention, and hope, A Girl’s Guide to Moving On affirms the ability of every woman to forge a new path, believe in love, and fearlessly find happiness.

Read on for my thoughts about A Girl’s Guide to Moving On. No true spoilers, promise.