House of Gold

House of Gold is about The Goldbaum dynasty, loosely based on the real-world Rothschild family, depicts what life was like for the privileged family during pre-WW1. Both male heirs and female family members have pre-destined lives. The men are expected to be bankers, and women must marry suitable men, sometimes marrying first cousins to keep everything within the family.  Other than arranged marriages, the women are expected to produce heirs to carry on the family name.

The main character, Greta begrudgingly marries her cousin, Albert. At first I felt sorry for her, but then came to realize Albert wasn’t so keen on marrying her either. Somehow, they grow to tolerate each other, and eventually a tender love begins to emerge. I was beginning to like this book at this point.

I adored the secondary character, Greta’s brother, Otto. His dedication and love for his sister is lovely. My heart broke when he went to war. I also grew to love Albert, and actually started to dislike Greta for the way she treated him. Later in the story, she redeems herself (in my eyes) by helping less fortunate woman, and showing more of her innermost thoughts with her husband.

Then I started considering not finishing the book, but wanted to give it a chance ... I continued. 

I was bored: The Goldbaum men deal with anti-Semitism, and all the banking issues involved with the brewing war. This part of the book dragged on for me. I felt there was way too much info-dumping. I really didn’t anticipate a history lesson, and found myself skimming through these dull parts. There was simply way too much telling and not enough showing in this aspect of the story. 

Then I felt cheated: At times this story line jumped ahead and yanked me out of the story, and left me wondering if I missed something. (I did skim over boring financial discussions after all.) 

But after turning back the pages, I realized I didn’t miss anything to do with Greta’s self-growth. The story simply skipped an integral part of her life.  Did her ambivalence simply evaporate? When did they consummate the marriage? When was this child born? How did she feel about being pregnant? How did they reach that point in their relationship? Suddenly she was a loving mother and wife, without an inkling that she was pregnant. When did this take place? 

As I mentioned above, I wanted to like this book, but I feel cheated. I am left with many questions and a slew of disappointment. It was if a chapter or two was omitted. The character growth was suddenly plopped in my lap. My interest began to wane… and it never sparked again. Sadly, it affects my opinion of this book.

2 stars

Copy of book compliments of NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

The Love Letter

I really enjoy when a story includes two time eras. It’s like a buy one get one sale, and I love a bargain.

It was a little more difficult for me to connect with Esther and Hamilton (the Revolutionary War era) and I kept finding myself wanting to skip to the contemporary era with Jesse and Chloe’s story. Their stories involve the movie industry and overcoming upsets of the past, which carried more depth for me. 

The theme of forgiveness weighs heavy and reveals a powerful and freeing conclusion to both stories. 

I wanted a faster pace with the Historical side of the story, but overall, I enjoyed the book as a whole. 

3 Stars. 

Book courtesy of Net Galley. All opinions are my own.

The Myth of Perpetual Summer

I was captured by every aspect of The Myth of Perpetual Summer. This novel spans from the Civil Rights Era, to the 1970s, and beyond. 

Tallulah James, is a child of constant emotional upheaval due to a Bi-Polar father and emotionally absent mother.  She somehow finds a way to navigate through this turbulent time in her life. 

The close relationship with her older brother, Griff, is sweet and trusting, and her motherly ways with her younger siblings is heartbreaking.  Tallulah’s childhood is lost as she takes over her mother’s role while she’s on one of her many “protest marches.” She later learns it’s simply an escape from home and the family life her mother seems to despise.

Even when her mother is home, she’s negligent. Tallulah never loses hope that someday her mother would “see” her. She longs for typical parents like her friends have. Ones who are there when they come home from school, attend their games, take an interest in their goals, and lavishes love and attention on their children.

This dual time period novel seamlessly depicts Tallulah’s life from childhood to adult, from heartbreak to recovery, from pulling away from one life and creating another. Then being pulled right back into what she ran away from the moment she was old enough to do so. 

I empathized with her through every choice she made, both good and bad. She learned from mistakes, and carried on. The lives of her siblings, and how each were affected by their upbringing are vastly varied. This shows how one can make their own future despite their past. 

5 stars

ARC copy received from Net Galley. All opinions are my own.

The Theory of Happily Ever After

I couldn’t stop laughing while reading The Theory of Happily Ever After. 

At first I wasn’t sure I was going to be able to connect with the scientific yet quirky main character, Dr. Maggie Maguire. Needless to say, she grew on me. 

Ironically, Maggie is an acclaimed author of a book that is about the science of happiness, while in reality she is struggling with a broken relationship, and feeling quite sorry for herself. Her two best friends, Haley and Kathleen, won’t let her wallow for long. Unbeknownst to her, they book her on a singles cruise. After boarding the ship, Maggie learns she’s has to give a speech on her scientific happiness theory to the shipmates. This is where the craziness starts. 

To top things off, two men show an interest in her despite her mistrust. She's lying to her parents, and  her ex continues to add to her misery by adding to the pain he’s already inflicted, and her publisher has expectations Maggie isn’t sure she can satisfy. What a bunch of unhappiness right? Nope. You have to read this to find out what happens! It's so good!

The comedy is refreshing, and the story is super entertaining. 

 4 stars 

ARC compliments of Net Galley. All opinions are my own.

Bluestone & Vine

Though Bluestone and Vine is the second book of the Blue Hollow Falls series, it works a stand-alone story.

The main character, Pippa MacMillan, is a feisty, independent, Irish folk singer. Due to a catastrophe onstage, she stays out of the limelight to recover.  She house-swaps with her sister’s friend for a quiet, private cabin in the mountains of Virginia. With tabloids following her every move, Pippa grabs the opportunity. 

Seth Brogan, a former special forces solder turned vinter, is the owner of the private cabin, and brother of the other end of the house-swap, discovers his sister has "volunteered" him to have Pippa stay at his home for eight weeks. Within moments after his discovery, Pippa shows up in the midst of a snowstorm.

I was captured at once. Both characters are likeable. Pippa’s bouncy attitude made me chuckle, especially when she awkwardly curtseys. However, underneath, she is dealing with a lot of uncertainty and life-changing decisions.  

Seth is a hulk of a man, intent on bringing an old vineyard back to life, and quite content to live alone. He’s kind, giving and private—the latter now being invaded by Pippa.

Right from the start, there’s no denying the attraction between the two.  Throughout this endearing story everyone in the town is invested (aka endearingly nosey) in Pippa and Seth’s friendship. Those closest to Seth encourage him to stop getting in the way of his own happiness. Actually, Pippa is in the way of her happiness as well. They both seem to be more concerned with the drawbacks of their logistics than the closeness of their hearts. 

The community is chock full of fun characters. Mabry, the old man, is my favorite. There are several others who portrayed the closeness of a small town. Everyone embraces Pippa, and keeps her shielded from the adoring public and tabloids she fled from. 

Never once did this story lag. I couldn’t put this book down.  What happens to this charming Irish folk singer next? Can Pippa trust her voice … as well as her heart? And what about mountain-man Seth Brogan? Will he remain a part of her life when she goes back to Ireland? 

The answers and so much more are within the pages. The descriptions of the countryside and residents become “real” and the storyline makes one “feel” --Two of the best qualities a book can hold. 

 Be sure to read Bluestone and Vine. Pippa, Seth, and the myriad of charming residents of this mountain town are sure to capture your heart.

4 Stars

ARC compliments of Net Galley. All opinions are my own.

I Will Love You Forever

The death of a sweet baby is a life shattering ordeal, but Cori Salchert and Marianne Hering's story respectfully addresses loss in I Will Love You Forever. The love is selfless, and the giving nature throughout the book is touching. Cori wraps the reader with comfort through her written word.

This story shows how God guides us through hard times. This story is not sad like I thought, but uplifting. This book touched my heart, and reminded me of the strength we gain through faith.

The author grabbed my heart from the first page, and kept me immersed throughout the book. I highly recommend this true story. I Will Love You Forever changed me… and made me take a hard look within.

5 stars

I received a complimentary copy from Net Galley.  All opinions are my own.

Love in a Tuscan Kitchen

Wow, Love in a Tuscan Kitchen could very well be made into a movie. Not only is this story true, it's a fairy tale come to life. The book is filled with love, recipes and Italian culture.  The fear of taking a chance at a dream keeps many from following their heart, but this author took hold of what she wanted and filled her life with passion. What an inspiring read!

Sheryl Ness pens this story so well, I felt like I walked the cobblestone streets, met the people within the small Italian village of San Gusme, and discovered the glorious food right along with her. But the best part of the book is the love story.

The sweet emotions shared between her and Vincenzo while they fall in love is charming. I will let you delve into that part of the story yourself. I also loved the colorful characters who resided in this village tucked away in the hills of Tuscany. The photographs were a nice surprise too. However, every scene was so well described, I already pictured it. 

There are some recipes tucked lovingly within the pages of this book, and I can’t wait to sample them. The lemon cream one will be the first one I attempt to make.

The inspirational story will make anyone want to follow their innermost dream. Not only is this author a brave soul, she is an amazing storyteller. 

 4 stars

Complimentary copy from Net Galley. All opinions are my own.

Judah's Wife

Judah’s Wife, by Angela Hunt, holds a powerful message. The spiritual vein throughout the story is moving. I never really knew about the ancient Israelites lives. At the end of the book, the author writes about why she entwined fiction with the written word, and I highly recommend reading what she has to say. It gives insight about the telling of this story. 

Leah is one of many characters in this book, but the story’s point of view shifts between her and her husband, Judah. I enjoyed the inside look into each character’s frame of mind and emotions. 

Their relationship is strained at times, and Leah has a lot of trust issues. Judah, a hulk of a man, has the nickname of hammerhead, but he is very tender with her. Leah’s difficulty at accepting Judah’s love was frustrating because he constantly showed his loyalty. However, it was Leah’s unhappy past which made her this way. Eventually, she discovers more about herself, in turn, settles into a peaceful life with Judah. 

Then their lives are thrown into peril, and Judah takes over as head of the army when his father dies. The battles Judah lead are described in detail, and the many sacrifices are heart wrenching. Though Leah initially abhors the role of a warrior’s wife, she find’s purpose by becoming the storyteller about the battles fought and won. Over the years, she grows into a very strong woman, as well as a supportive wife.

Not only did I learn about Judah’s wife, I gained a lot of insight about the Maccabees during the silent years. I empathized with all the passion and heartbreak during battles fought to worship as they wished.  It is an awe-inspiring story well worth the read. 

4 Stars

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Net Galley. All opinions are my own.

Bella Figura

Bella Figura is a travel memoir written by a high-powered magazine editor, Kamin Mohammadi. This British woman dives into the unknown and takes a year away from all she knows to follow a dream of writing a book. I wish she had received support instead of scorn from her mother, but admired the author for packing her bags anyway.

Kamin eventually learns that life in Florence, Italy isn’t what she expected. The many twists in this story kept me turning the pages. The addition of Italian recipes sprinkled through the chapters made my mouth water.

This engaging author writes with wit and honesty. The descriptions are beautiful, be it emotions, food, local people, or the breathtaking landscapes. Most important, the self-discovery of this author was astounding and inspiring.

Though the premise of this book initially reminded me of Eat Pray, Love, I quickly found it was not what I expected. The personal look into this woman’s love, life and liberating growth is beautiful.

4 Stars

I received a complimentary copy of this book from First to Read. All opinions are my own.

Hurricaine Season

Hurricane Season is the first I’ve ready by Lauren K. Denton. 

This story revolves around two sisters, Jenna and her older sister, Betsy. They share a loving, but strained relationship.

Jenna, a free spirited single mother, is trying to support two little daughters on a barista’s paycheck. When an opportunity to follow her dream as a photographer basically drops in her lap, she grabs it. However, she must leave her children with her older sister, Betsy while to follow this opportunity. I know this move was to better herself, but at times, I found this character selfish, especially when Jeanna extended her stay at the retreat. 

Betsy loves her life as a farmer’s wife. The only thing that's missing is children of her own. She takes her nieces in, though she has doubts of her ability to take care of two small children. Her fears of becoming too invested in her nieces is strong at first, but the little girls broke through that wall in no time. I really liked this character, and my heart went out to her. 

Ty, Betsy’s husband, was by far my favorite character, despite the story focusing more on the sisters. He’s a man of few words. However, he doesn’t shy away from speaking his mind when the situation calls for it. Ty is hard-working, kind, and loving man. Though his marriage with Betsy is filled with love, they’ve lost the carefree intimacy they once shared ever since Betsy miscarried their child. I love how he handles this with understanding. His soft-spoken, yet strong personality endeared me to this man.

This charming story captivated me, and though at times I was frustrated with Jenna, I ended up loving all the characters.

4 Stars

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Net Galley. All opinions are my own.