The Stolen Marriage by Diane Chamberlain

Tess, Tess, Tess, what did you do?  Is that the only decision you could have made?

Tess was engaged to her childhood sweetheart, Vincent, and to be married within the year, but she went on a weekend trip that she didn’t want to go on with her friend and something awful happened that changed her life and her plans.

Tess found out she was pregnant from the weekend away and broke her engagement to the love of her life, found the man who raped her, and married him.

She was moved from Baltimore, Maryland, to Hickory, North Carolina, had to change her religion, and had to live in Hank’s family home with his mother and sister who both disliked her along with the entire town.  She ruined her life and Vincent’s life, but it was 1943, and did she have any other choice?

We follow Tess through her days of actually being an outcast and in a loveless marriage.

There were a lot of secrets in the Kraft family and especially with her husband, Hank.  He would leave and not come home at night or not come home for days.  I didn't like any of the Krafts and felt awful for Tess.  She was an innocent, unassuming girl whose life was ruined.

Despite the unlikable characters, the writing and story line of THE STOLEN MARRIAGE are marvelous as always with the backdrop being the South during WWII with all their proper, Southern ways and the polio epidemic.  

Ms. Chamberlain includes the history of Hickory's Emergency Infantile Paralysis Hospital that took care of polio victims.

The book smoothly moved from page to page pulling you into the story and consuming you with the intrigue and tension as everything unfolded making it difficult to put down.

THE STOLEN MARRIAGE can only be described as addictive, amazing, and fantastic. 

A MUST READ - my favorite of her books.  5/5

This book was given to me free of charge and without compensation by the publisher in return for an honest review.  All opinions are my own.

The Welcome Home Diner by Peggy Lampman

Food and family equal love, and The Welcome Home Diner in Detroit definitely oozes with love.

Addie and Sam's grandmother taught them the love of and joy of making fresh food, and they both knew that opening a diner was something they were destined for.

Opening a diner in the new Detroit was a challenge, but a challenge that was proving to be very fruitful.  The fresh food offered at the diner drew in the crowds along with great reviews from food bloggers. The only problem was the neighbors and specifically the next door neighbor to the restaurant.

The next door neighbor was grumpy and reluctant for the change, and the entire neighborhood was not happy about rebuilding that area.

We follow the cousins through the ups and downs of owning the restaurant as well as the ups and downs of their once-close relationship.

The descriptions were so beautifully detailed in THE WELCOME HOME DINER you could see the butter dripping down the sides of the pancakes and smell the delicious soups and sandwiches being served.

The descriptions also allowed you to experience the characters' feelings for each other, their passion for food, and for Detroit. You will also experience the kindness and love for mankind.

I enjoyed the banter between the characters and the uplifting feeling THE WELCOME HOME DINER gave off.  The cover ITSELF is very welcoming.

If you are a fan of food and love, THE WELCOME HOME DINER fits the bill.  

I truly enjoyed the book and the characters, but felt it could have been shortened a bit.  4/5

This book was given to me free of charge and without compensation by the author and NetGalley in return for an honest review.  I also reviewed this book for the GREAT THOUGHT'S NINJA REVIEW TEAM.

Drawing Lessons by Patricia Sands

 

 

Arianna and Ben had the perfect life...childhood sweethearts, family-owned business, and most importantly each other.

Their perfect life was shattered when Ben was diagnosed with dementia at a young age.  As the disease progressed, it became more and more difficult to cope with the illness to the point of Arianna's children worrying that they were going to lose her too.

The children booked their mother a trip back to her beloved France where she had spent a month or so during college.  The trip was for two weeks at an art retreat to try to take her mind off of the stress of Ben and her loss of him even though he was still living.

Arianna met wonderful people at the art retreat, but would the trip and the time away help her to realize she is alone and must learn to cope with the loneliness?

DRAWING LESSONS has absolutely marvelous descriptions that put you right into the story and into France soaking in the landscape and drooling over all the delicious-sounding food.

The characters were ones that would be great to be with.  They all had their quirks as well as their endearing qualities that made the group well-rounded and enjoyable as companions.

If you enjoy traveling, reading about France's beautiful landscapes and life of the French people, French artists especially Vincent Van Gogh, making new friends, and helping another person to feel welcome and overcome a problem, then DRAWING LESSONS will be an enjoyable read for you.

DRAWING LESSONS was a beautiful, heartfelt story about truly examining your life for the pleasures you have enjoyed and the pleasures you need to look for and experience. 4/5

This book was given to me free of charge and without compensation by the author in return for an honest review.  All opinions are my own.

Odd Child Out by Gilly MacMillan

  

Best friends sometimes do unexpected things.  Abdi and Noah were best friends and did something that no one would expect.

The unexpected incident obviously brought the police in along with the two silent friends.  Noah was put into a coma because of his injuries, and Abdi wasn't talking.

ODD CHILD OUT was definitely a study of personalities and human emotions.  Each character seemed to not fit with each other, and I thought it was odd that they were family members as well as friends.  I did like the "bucket list" that Noah and his father compiled, but one part of the bucket list is what caused a problem the night of the incident.

ODD CHILD OUT has us following along with the police in their investigation after Noah is found in the canal and an eye witness says she saw the best friends arguing.  When Noah who is terminally ill with cancer is found floating in the canal and Abdi, his best friend, had been with him, no one knows what to think.  It is difficult to imagine these boys doing anything out of the ordinary because they were star pupils.

We also follow the story being told by Abdi and Noah about what really happened as the friends silently re-live it in their minds.

The descriptions and the character development are very good and help you visualize the scenes and totally experience the emotions of each character which were mostly fear, loss, and questioning. You also feel the weight of lies and silence, truths untold, and prejudices.

ODD CHILD OUT is an emotional, tense book that will make you think and question.  

Another excellent read by Gilly MacMillan.  4/5

This book was given to me free of charge and without compensation by the publisher in return for an honest review.

Giveaway and Spotlight of WICKWYTHE HALL By Judithe Little

PUBLICATION DATE: September 30, 2017

Black Opal Books
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All information in this post is courtesy of Caitlin Hamilton Summie of Caitlin Hamilton Marketing.

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WICKWYTHE HALL sounds quite good.  I love the cover.

Thank you to Caitlin and Judithe for allowing me to host this giveaway and spotlight.

WELCOME to both of you.

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PRAISE:

“…a riveting and enlightening mix of history and fiction that puts a human face on the costs of war….engaging…”—Foreword Reviews

 “Judithe Little tackles war and masterfully boils it down to personal moral dilemmas.  Beautifully written and rich with atmosphere, the narrative strands are seamlessly interwoven into a top-notch story where characters are pushed to unforeseen places.  Little is a gifted writer who with remarkable insight confronts the timely questions of just how much loyalty is owed to country, family, and to preserving the past. Wickwythe Hall is a stellar achievement.”
—Ann Weisgarber, author of The Personal History of Rachel DuPree and The Promise

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DESCRIPTION:

May 1940. The Germans invade France and the course of three lives is upended. Annelle LeMaire is a French refugee desperate to contact her Legionnaire brothers. Mabry Springs, American wife of a wealthy Brit, is struggling to come to terms with a troubled marriage and imminent German invasion. And Reid Carr, American representative of French champagne house Pol Roger, brings more than champagne to Prime Minister Winston Churchill.  Their paths entwine when Churchill and his entourage take refuge at Wickwythe Hall, the Springs’ country estate hidden from the full moon and German bombers beneath a shroud of trees. There, as secrets and unexpected liaisons unfold, Annelle, Mabry and Reid are forever bound by the tragedy they share.

Inspired in part by an actual confrontation between the British and French navies in July 1940, Wickwythe Hall is a story of love, loyalty, and the heartrending choices one is forced to make during wartime.

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BIO:

Image courtesy of:  Moonfyre Photography

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JUDITHE LITTLE grew up in Virginia and earned a Bachelor of Arts in Foreign Affairs from the University of Virginia. After a brief time studying in France and interning at the U.S. Department of State, she earned her law degree from the University of Virginia School of Law, where she was on the Editorial Board of the Journal of International Law and a Dillard Fellow. 

She is a member of the Historical Novel Society, Writer’s League of Texas, Houston Writers Guild, and the Churchill Society. She lives with her husband and three children in Houston, Texas. 

This is her first novel. 

Learn more at judithelittle.com.


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BUY LINKS:

https://www.amazon.com/Wickwythe-Hall-Judithe-Little-ebook/dp/B074XMW4TK/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1504794425&sr=8-1&keywords=wickwythe+hall

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/wickwythe-hall-judithe-little/1127015629?ean=9781626946798

http://www.riveroaksbookstore.com/index-1.htm

https://www.indiebound.org/search/book?keys=wickwythe+hall

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ISBN 978-1-62694-679-8; Trade paperback; $14.99; 301 Pages; Fiction/First Novel

E-book ISBN 978-1-62694-678-1, $3.99

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Giveaway:

I am partnering with Caitlin Hamilton Summie of Caitlin Hamilton Marketing for this giveaway.

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USA ONLY

October 3 - October 10

ENTER HERE

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William Kent Krueger Event At The Mystery Lover's Bookstore

Just attended an author event at The Mystery Lover's Independent Bookstore in Oakmont, Pennsylvania, with William Kent Krueger talking about his newest book, Sulfur Springs,  and his writing.

He is animated, personable, and very charismatic. Totally enjoyed the hour. 

Thank you.

Mini Bloggiesta Finish Line

Another fun, entertaining, and successful BLOGGIESTA has come to an end.

I love interacting with other bloggers and to see what they are doing to improve their blog and their blogging knowledge and experience.

Here is my list, and it is all finished.  :)  I actually am still deleting meme posts only.   :)

1.  Back Up My Blog - thank again to Steph from Cover2Cover for the directions.

2.  Clean up my taskbar - I have a ton of drafts of reviews and other items that have already been posted. 

3.  Visit other blogs - I have been visiting blog on the linky list and on the Twitter Page.  :)  Love seeing the lists.

4.  Delete some old posts from when I started blogging - I am afraid my blog will crash - will it?  :)

   •     I am currently deleting from 2010 and 2011...did some from 2013 and 2014 also.  Yippee!!

   •    Does anyone know the answer about the blog eventually crashing if there are too many posts????

   •    Getting tired of deleting, but I will continue later  -  I have taken the pages of posts down from 38 to 33 and the number of posts down from 1888 to 1618.

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Hope you can join in 2018 for the BLOGGIESTA.

THANK YOU to everyone who stopped by and cheered me on and commented.