JULY BOOK REVIEWS! #MaeClair @KathleenJShield @Lizzie_Chantree @McConaughey @han56870

Hello, friends. I’m thrilled to share the books I read and reviewed in July. As always, I only share 4 and 5 star reviews. I hope you enjoy and that you leave with one or two. 🙂

MY REVIEW:

I enjoyed the first book in the Shallow Draw Series and looked forward to reading Asher Cade’s story. And what a story it was! Asher owns a small ranch outside Shallow Draw. He was introduced in the first book as Shey Lafferty’s best friend. The two have been like brothers all their lives.

The story opens with the Gilded Thespian Show troupe on their way to Shallow Draw for an unexpected show. Nigel, the owner of the troupe is being mysterious about this stop and it’s out of character for him. That’s the beginning of the mystery that opens up throughout the telling of this story.

Wisteria Westlake is the star of the show. She also has a history with Asher Cade and does not look forward to having to see him again after he broke her heart in San Francisco. Yet, Shallow Draw is a small town and the odds of running into him are high.

Asher feels the same. After the abrupt way Wisteria ended their blossoming relationship, he has no desire to see her again. It’s a classic case of total mis-communication. But who wrote the note that sent Asher hightailing it back to his ranch without the woman he’d fallen in love with?

I loved all the characters introduced in this story. Cal, who is pretending to be a boy has her own story. Blaze, who is mysterious and dangerous. Nellie is a someone I liked immediately. She has a heart of gold. Gladys and Amanda are deeply flawed and believable. And of course, Shey and Leah make an appearance in this story, along with the elder Lafferty and his bride. It was good to see them again.

This story has layered plots. The action kept me turning the pages. While I wanted so badly for Asher and Wisteria to finally talk and sort out what happened in San Francisco, everything in its own good time. If you love a well-written western romance with fully developed characters and compelling plots, you will no doubt enjoy this story!

MY REVIEW:

Kathleen is a woman I met many years ago at a writer’s conference and she does fantastic work!

This is a clever story told through animals. but parallels the life of Jesus Christ, focusing on his messages.
The theme of kindness, love, forgiveness, and acceptance run strong through the story.
Aden is an unusual colt with his white coat and red mane and tail. He is different from all the other horses in the herd. Every day he helps other animals in the forest who need rescuing, or just need a helping hand. He is kind to all, regardless of their differences. That in and of itself is a great lesson!

Soon, the rest of the herd shuns him and he spends more and more time in the forest alone, helping take care of others. When an angel appears and bestows upon his forehead, a golden glowing horn, because of his acts of kindness and love, his life changes. The herd, his family, rejects him and sends him away. Aden is sad, especially when his mother turns away from him, but he knows he must continue with acts of kindness and caring, and even performs miracles, healing wounded and feeding the hungry.

This message is shared throughout the story: “One day, when enough hearts choose love instead of fear… the light will no longer need to hide.”

Oh, how this crazy world needs to hear and understand that message today. This is a beautiful story told in a way that children will relate to with the messages Christ taught. It is told in a relatable way that is not preachy, but honest and loving.

MY REVIEW:

The setting for this romance is perfect. I could hear the ocean lapping against the shoreline and smell the sweet fragrance from the flowers Ali has planted.
When Freddie, Ali’s best friend, comes to her for help in trying to save his ocean-side resort, she doesn’t hesitate to jump in with both feet.
She is newly divorced and needing a different distraction from running her family’s exclusive hotel. What she doesn’t count on is her first love from bygone University days showing up to also help Freddie save his enterprise.
But Nick broke her heart once. Does she dare trust him again?

Nick never stopped loving Ali. And now, in their fifties they are both free to explore another relationship. But how can he ever forget how Ali mistrusted and mis-judged him?

This is a predictable romance in a beautiful setting…BUT there are some twists along the way I did not see coming. This is the perfect summer light read with characters I fell in love with. If you love a good romance with some surprises, you will no doubt enjoy this book!

MY REVIEW:

I am a Matthew McConaughey fan. I love his simplistic and straightforward way of seeing and expressing things. I loved Greenlights and closed that book feeling inspired.
With this collection, I didn’t have that same feeling, but I did nod my head often in agreement with Matthew. As others have said, this is a collection of poems, prayers and random thoughts. I’ll share a few that really stood out to me.

“So many of us today are out to prove that the truth is just and outdated nostalgic notion, and that honesty, along with being correct and ‘right’ is now a deluded currency in our cultural economy. With an epidemic of half-cocked logic and illusions being sold as sound conclusions, it’s more than hard to know what to believe in, it’s hard to believe. But I don’t want to quit believing, and I don’t want to stop believing in…humanity, you, myself, our potential.”

Wow!! See?

These lines from “Shades For the Eclipse” struck me. “No one’s expectin’ me and nobody minds, no need for laws when you’re civil and you’re kind…”

And this: “Covet nothing but your superior self. Seek transformation over transaction.”

“Never give up your right to do the next right thing. This is how we find our way home.”

I marked so many passages that jumped out at me and I cannot begin to share them all here. What I can say about this book is that it’s honest, it’s real, and it pulls no punches. It goes straight to the heart and soul of life, of everything that makes up our lives. I enjoyed it immensely and can easily recommend it as a great, insightful read!

MY REVIEW:

This was a quick read and a great introduction to the characters and setting.
It is a prequel to a series of novels and it caught my interest. I loved how I got to see the island from Lena’s point of view, after being away for so long and returning. I could easily imagine the sound of the ocean, the smells, the boats swaying and the cafes along the beach front. Evan is a steady character that I immediately liked.

As I said, it’s a great introduction to the series.

MY REVIEW:

Summer Island is a novel written in classic Kristin Hannah style with extremely flawed characters, a compelling plot and a plethora of secrets.
It is a story of two families and their parallel brokenness, with ripple effects scarring their children for life. How can they put it all behind them and find acceptance, forgiveness and love again?

You’ll have to read the book to find out.

Nora Bridge is a famous talk-show host and newspaper columnist beloved for her moral advice. She has two adult daughters with whom she has no relationship. The story focuses more on the youngest daughter, Ruby, who is struggling to gain fame as a comedian. As the book opens, she’s hit bottom, living in a crappy apartment alone and miserable. Nora, on the other hand, is at the top of her game, living in an exclusive condo, driving the most expensive cars and living the life of the rich and famous. So why does she feel empty inside?

Eric is the eldest son of a wealthy corporate magnate and he is gay. He’s been locked out of the family fortune and business ever since he came out of the closet. But now he’s dying with cancer. He stole my heart. Nora is his confidante. I kept waiting for some deeper secret to come out about that relationship, but it didn’t.

Dean is Eric’s younger brother who has followed in his parents’ footsteps, taking the corporate world by storm. He has everything that money and prestige can buy. So why is he miserable?

This story is a dual family saga with lots of players. They all come back together on Summer Island. Nora has her own devastating reason for returning. Ruby is there to to supposedly take care of her mother while she writes an expose that will finish what’s left of Nora’s career. Dean is there to stay with his brother until he dies. The dynamics between them all is compelling and heartbreaking at the same time. While the book starts out slow, it grabbed me hard by the third chapter and didn’t let go. It is the epitome of how people can become so embroiled in their own crap they cannot see over it. I absolutely recommend this book to anyone who is a fan of family drama, women’s fiction and heart-wrenching events that culminate in a happy ending.

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I had a great month of reading. And as a disclaimer, I NEVER spend big bucks on a Kindle book, but I had some Amazon credits I used to get a couple of these. 🙂