Category: Small Town Fiction

Blog Tour and #bookreview: Elodie’s Library of Second Chances #RachelsRandomResources

BonnieReadsAndWrites7 Comments

BOOK DESCRIPTION

Elodie’s Library of Second Chances

An uplifting story about fresh starts, new beginnings and the power of stories, from the bestselling author of Rosie’s Travelling Tea Shop!

When Elodie applies for the job of librarian in peaceful Willow Grove, she’s looking forward to a new start. As the daughter of a media empire, her every move has been watched for years, and she longs to work with the thing she loves most: books.

It’s a chance to make a real difference too, because she soon realises that there are other people in Willow Grove who might need a fresh start – like the homeless man everyone walks past without seeing, or the divorcée who can’t seem to escape her former husband’s misdeeds.

Together with local journalist Finn, Elodie decides these people have stories that need sharing. What if instead of borrowing books readers could ‘borrow’ a person, and hear the life stories of those they’ve overlooked?

But Elodie isn’t quite sharing her whole story either. As the story of the library’s new success grows, will her own secret be revealed?

BOOK REVIEW

I love books about libraries, but this is more than just a book about a library. This is a book about people, and getting the chance to tell your own story. The beginning of the book which describes Elodie’s experiences as the daughter of media moguls is not as interesting, but it takes on a completely different life when she arrives in Willow Grove and starts planning to save the library. I am not always a fan of the “poor little rich girl” theme, but this book won me over.

I especially loved the way Elodie was drawn to the town outcasts and wanted to know about their lives. The misunderstood, ostracized, bullied, and betrayed were given a voice. They became living books in the People’s Library, which I think is an extraordinary part of this novel. Elodie’s idea to have library patrons meet with a person at the library for 30 minutes and hear their story is completely inspired. I can think of so many people I would like to “check out” at the library in real life. There is a sweet romance, and somewhat of a villain in this novel, but overall this is not a complicated book. Elodie’s Library of Second Chances is a meaningful book that teaches us an important lesson–everyone has a story to tell, if we are willing to listen.

I received a free copy of this book from the pubishers via Rachel’s Random Resources. My review is voluntary and my opinions are my own.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Rebecca Raisin writes heartwarming romances from her home in sunny Perth, Australia. Her heroines tend to be on the quirky side and her books are usually set in exotic locations so her readers can armchair travel any day of the week. The only downfall about writing about gorgeous heroes who have brains as well as brawn is falling in love with them – just as well they’re fictional. Rebecca aims to write characters you can see yourself being friends with. People with big hearts who care about relationships and believe in true, once-in-a-lifetime love. Her bestselling novel Rosie’s Travelling Tea Shop has been optioned for film with MRC studios and Frolic Media.

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BUY LINKS

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#AudiobookReview: In The Middle of Hickory Lane

BonnieReadsAndWrites8 Comments

BOOK DESCRIPTION

Emme Wynn has wanted nothing more her whole life than to feel like part of a family. Having grown up on the run with her con artist mother, she’s been shuffled from town to town, drawn into bad situations, and has learned some unsavory habits that she’s tried hard to overcome. When her estranged grandmother tracks her down out of the blue and extends a job offer—helping to run her booth at an open-air marketplace in small-town Sweetgrass, Alabama—Emme is hopeful that she’ll finally be able to plant the roots she’s always dreamed of. But some habits are hard to break, and she risks her newfound happiness by keeping one big truth to herself.

Cora Bee Hazelton has her hands full with volunteering, gardening, her job as a color consultant and designer, and just about anything she can do to keep her mind off her painful past, a past that has resulted in her holding most everyone at arm’s length.

In the magical neighborhood garden in the middle of Hickory Lane, Emme and Cora Bee learn some hard truths about the past and themselves, the value of friends, family, and community, and most importantly, that true growth starts from within.

#BookReview

Emme is an outsider–cast aside, neglected, and abused by her con artist mother and desperately looking for a family to be part of. When Glory, her father’s mother, finds her and offers her a job, Emme warily accepts, hoping for a family, although she knows something Glory does not. Cora Bee has experienced rejection, heartbreak, and betrayal of her own, and is dealing with the aftermath. Slowly Cora Bee and Emme form a friendship, but can either of them ever trust anyone? At the same time, a body has been discovered in a sinkhole in the community garden. Do some of the residents of Hickory Lane know more than they are telling? Rejection, secrets, judgments, and missing pieces all come together in this wonderful novel set in Sweetgrass, Alabama.

When I think of small-town fiction, this is what I want. I want a community of interesting characters who are so fun and engaging that I feel like I’ve joined the town myself. I want secrets, big personalities, loss, misunderstandings, and hope of belonging. This book meets all of that and more. Now here’s the kicker: throw in a bit of magical realism! I was hooked! I laughed and cried, and I wondered how in the world I missed Heather Webber’s 25 other books! I definitely want to go and live on Hickory Lane, but in the meantime, I’m going to be catching up on this author’s other works, which I hope are as delightful as this one. This book is perfect for fans of Fannie Flagg’s small-town novels.

I listened to the audiobook and enjoyed an absolutely stellar performance by Hallie Ricardo and Stephanie Willis.

I received a free copy of this audiobook from Macmillan Audio via Netgalley. My review is voluntary and my opinions are my own.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Heather Webber, aka Heather Blake, is the author of more than twenty-five novels. She loves to read, drink too much coffee and tea, birdwatch, crochet, and bake. She currently lives near Cincinnati, Ohio, and is hard at work on her next book.

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Book Blogger Hop #Audiobooks #MacmillanAudio

BonnieReadsAndWrites12 Comments

The Book Blogger Hop was originally created by Jennifer @ Crazy-For-Books in March 2010 and ended on December 31, 2012. With Jennifer’s permission, Billy @ Ramblings of a Coffee Addicted Writer relaunched the hop on February 15, 2013. Each week the hop will start on a Friday and end the following Thursday. There will be a weekly prompt featuring a book-related question. The hop’s purpose is to give bloggers a chance to follow other blogs, learn about new books, befriend other bloggers, and receive new followers to their own blog. See the latest question below:

Never. I love audiobooks, and I usually listen to them when driving or laying down. I really get immersed in the audiobook when I’m listening to it and have no need to follow along with the print version.

Also, since I usually listen while driving, reading along would definitely be frowned upon by the State of Tennessee!

Here is a link to an audiobook I just listened to that is going to get a 5-plus star rating from me in my review next week: If you like small-town fiction, click on the cover and pick this up for a fantastic audiobook experience.

What about you? Do you follow along with the print when you listen to an audiobook? Any great listens you want to recommend?

#Audiobook Review: Secrets of Magpie Cove #smalltownfiction

BonnieReadsAndWrites8 Comments

Lila has fled the city and is reinventing her life in Magpie Cove. She’s attending patisserie school and working in Serafina’s cafe. Serafina is a loving, outgoing, and kind woman who keeps the town going. When she passes, Lila is left with a lot of uncertainty, including whether or not she still has a job. When Lila’s son takes over the cafe, things get even worse. Will Lila have to leave Magpie Cove?

This is a sweet and fairly uncomplicated romance, but it really doesn’t need many complications. The descriptions of Lila’s small-town life, her supportive friends, and her constant tension with Nathan make for a great story. I loved the inclusion of Lila’s fight to help feed the elderly in her town and the descriptions of the food she was making in the cafe or patisserie school. The fact that so many people have food insecurities they might be keeping secret is a major theme in this book, to its credit. Lila’s struggles to deal with a past miscarriage are explored as well. The characters are interesting and endearing. Anyone who loves small-town romances should plan a visit to Magpie Cove.

I listened to the audiobook and Katie Villa does a great job with the narration.

I received a free copy of this audiobook from Saga Egmont Audio via Netgalley. My review is voluntary and my opinions are my own.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Kennedy Kerr is a USA Today Bestselling fiction author. She adores beaches, lochs and stone circles, and loves writing about small communities, mysteries and family secrets. She has a very cuddly cat called Twinkle who spends her days sleeping: Kennedy aspires to having Twinkle’s nap schedule one day.

Kennedy’s Social Media: Facebook | Twitter

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Blog Tour and Book Review: A Secret at Tansy Falls #Bookouture #BookTour

BonnieReadsAndWrites7 Comments

BOOK DESCRIPTION

The old farmhouse at Tansy Falls. A little patch of paradise in the hills of Vermont. Home to happy couple Connie and Nate. And a long-buried secret that will ignite a devastating spark…

As the summer sun sets over the sleepy Vermont town of Tansy Falls, Connie is reminded of how lucky she is. Every day, when she leaves the job she loves, managing the Covered Bridge Inn with her best friend Piper, she looks forward to returning to the farmhouse she shares with her husband Nate. At home, her flowerbeds overflow with day lilies and the weathered brick walls of her beautiful house glow in the evening light. The air is filled with the scent of the puffed apple pancakes she prepared that morning.

But one night, when Nate returns home, he is distant. He and Connie have been married for a long time, and while the laughter and lingering kisses have dwindled, Connie believed they would be together forever. So when a stranger arrives on their doorstep with a shocking secret about Nate, Connie’s life changes beyond all recognition.

Connie never thought she’d need to start over and live a life without Nate by her side. But as her heart breaks, Piper and the team at the inn are ready to help stitch it back together, with thoughtful advice washed down with warm spiced cider. As Connie begins to feel whole again, distraction arrives in the form of olive-skinned, broad-shouldered newcomer James. Nate has taught Connie that she doesn’t need a man, but James’s arrival helps her discover that she can follow her own dreams too. But as more secrets come to the surface, Connie wonders if she’ll ever truly be able to leave behind her past for good…

If you love gripping, heartbreaking romantic stories by Elin Hildebrand and Robyn Carr, you will be hooked by A Secret at Tansy Falls. A completely compelling read about secrets and betrayal that will have you reaching for the tissues.

BOOK REVIEW

We are back in Tansy Falls, where the manager of the Covered Bridge Inn, Connie, has a lot of challenges going on. The biggest of those is that her once-solid marriage seems to be on shaky ground as her husband struggles with unemployment. On top of that, her father is dating someone young enough to be his granddaughter, and her son seems to be in serious trouble at college. How does she handle all of this, on top of turning 49 and trying to manage a major event at the Inn? Follow Connie and the other residents of Tansy Falls on another enjoyable and enlightening adventure, and find out. This second book in the Tansy Falls series can be read as a standalone, but I recommend reading the first book to really meet the town and its residents.

I really enjoy this town and these characters, and Cate Woods keeps things interesting by introducing new people and new situations. The Inn is delightful, and we get to see old friends we met in book one, The Inn at Tansy Falls, which I also read and reviewed. I liked that the main focus of this story is on an almost-50-year old woman and some of the challenges we face in our 50s. Tansy Falls is a place I would definitely want to visit, and the town residents are a cast of characters the reader will enjoy getting to know. This book is hard to put down, and checking into the Covered Bridge Inn again is a fun way to spend a day. Fans of small-town fiction and family stories will love this heartwarming novel.

4.5 stars, rounded up to 5 on sites without a half-star option.

I received a free copy of this book from Bookouture via Netgalley. My review is voluntary and my opinions are my own.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Cate Woods

Cate Woods made the most of her university degree in Anglo-Saxon Literature by embarking on a career making tea on programs, including The Big Breakfast, Who Wants to be a Millionaire, and French & Saunders. After narrowly missing out on the chance to become a Channel 5 weather girl, she moved into the world of magazine journalism, then ghostwriting and now writes novels under her own name. She has written two best-selling romantic comedies – Just Haven’t Met You Yet and More Than a Feeling – and a festive novel, The Christmas Guest, under the name Daisy Bell. Cate lives in London with her husband and two children.

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