It took a little time for me to really get into this story. At first, I just wanted to shake both Clara and Daniel for their actions � marrying in secIt took a little time for me to really get into this story. At first, I just wanted to shake both Clara and Daniel for their actions � marrying in secret when Clara knew her Vati would never approve, persisting in their intimate relationship and running the risk of a consequence that couldn’t be hidden. Yes, they were young and in love and defying the societal norms that forbade a relationship between the daughter of a noble house and a member of that house’s staff. The heart wants what the heart wants. I know, I know. And at first, I wanted to roll my eyes and sigh over their poor choices.
But somewhere along the way, this story really caught my heart. I think it was when Clara realized she was expecting and had to contemplate whether she should take the pennyroyal tea in an effort to rid herself of what many might see as an inconvenience. I wanted to cheer when she chose life! I was adopted as an infant. I’m sure at least one person in my birth mother’s family saw my existence as a tremendous inconvenience, and had abortion been as available and even accepted as it is now, I might not be here. So Clara’s choice made my heart happy.
And after that, I could hardly put the book down. Life happened in unexpected ways, and where Clara planned to travel to America with Daniel when the book opened, she found herself traveling in the company of a female friend and pregnant to boot. A pregnant woman appearing to travel without a husband could draw some undesirable attention, but thankfully, Max, a friend of Clara’s Onkel Martin, was traveling on the ship. He provided a helpful male presence, and we see in their internal monologues that Clara and Max find themselves almost unwillingly developing feelings for each other that are more than friendship.
Faith is central to the story. Clara realizes how far she has drifted from God and wonders why He would put Max in her path when all she wants is Daniel. Max still mourns his wife’s death and doesn’t think he’s interested in a relationship, but he recognizes that God is telling him he has a role to play in Clara’s life. And the ending of the book makes it clear that man and woman may plan their steps, but the Lord truly directs their paths if they will just allow Him to lead.
Once it pulled me in, this story was a delight to my heart. I recommend it for anyone who enjoys historical fiction and characters wrestling with and living out their faith.
Disclaimer: I received an advance copy from the author and JustRead Publicity Tours. I was not required to leave a review. All opinions here are mine, and I don’t say nice things about books I don’t actually like....more
Miriam Locklin wants more than anything to keep her siblings together. But when her aunt and uncle in Omaha can no longer sustain caring for all sevenMiriam Locklin wants more than anything to keep her siblings together. But when her aunt and uncle in Omaha can no longer sustain caring for all seven of the Locklin children and divide them up among other relatives, Miriam despairs of them ever being together again. She's sent to live with an unknown uncle in the small town of Osceola. The only bright side she can see is that moving to this out-of-the-way place might keep an unwanted suitor from pursuing her.
Jason (Jase) Hoffman has a good job in Omaha, doing what he loves - building. He encounters Miriam when he rescues her from that unwanted suitor, but trouble finds him soon after. He sees no option other than retreating back home to Osceola. He doesn't expect a warm welcome, and when his father tells him he must prove himself to the family by spending a year in the family farming business rather than pursuing the construction work he enjoys, he isn't sure he'll make the year.
This is the second in Alena Mentink's Home to Osceola series, but I was able to read it as a stand-alone without any problem. I want to read the first, and I'm sure hoping there will be more! Her writing style is gentle and easy to read, but there are enough moments of high tension to keep the pages turning.
Miriam and Jase are both such likable characters! They each had baggage from their past - Miriam, her determination to keep her family together (and her insistence that doing so meant no marriage for her), and Jase, the event from his past for which most of the people of Osceola have judged him harshly (and continue to do so). They both hung onto that baggage so hard that sometimes I wanted to reach into the pages and shake them! And Miriam carries such a burden of responsibility for her younger siblings that it's easy to forget she's just a teenager herself. I had to keep that in mind when she thought Jase was sweet on another young woman in town (and reacted like a teenager would).
Faith is an important part of this story, too. Miriam's uncle in Osceola is a preacher (and quite a delight himself!). Both Miriam and Jase turn to their faith when life presents challenges, and both are willing to admit when they've been trying to handle things on their own without seeking God's plan for a situation.
With its themes of second chances, redemption, forgiveness, and finding courage to face your past, A Time of Proving is a heartwarming read. There's enough tension to keep the pages turning, and plenty of moments that made me laugh right out loud. This is the first of Alena Mentink's books I've read, but it won't be the last!
Disclaimer: I received an advance copy of the book from JustRead Publicity Tours. I was not required to leave a review. All opinions here are mine, and I don't say nice things about books I don't actually like....more
Theodosia Browning and her tea sommelier, Drayton Conneley, are hard at work on the catering of Bettina and Jamie’s wedding. Preparations grind to a hTheodosia Browning and her tea sommelier, Drayton Conneley, are hard at work on the catering of Bettina and Jamie’s wedding. Preparations grind to a halt and the wedding is called off when the greenhouse comes crashing down, injuring Jamie and taking the life of a bridesmaid. When the police are initially inclined to write the incident off as a tragic accident, Theodosia accedes to requests that she conduct her own “shadow investigation.�
Laura Childs takes us on a wild ride in this book! The murder method was unexpected and a little shocking, to think that someone would go to such lengths to kill, and with such disregard for the presence of anyone else other than the intended victim. The book also, unusually, opens with the killer’s point of view, which really ramped up the tension for me. The insights into the killer’s mind were fascinating, and seemed to support the theory that a murderer will keep coming back to the scene of the crime.
Theodosia’s sleuthing skills improve with each book, and here we see her bold enough to actually commit a little crime of her own in the name of investigating. Drayton, bless his heart, tries to be the voice of reason, but sometimes Theodosia throws caution to the winds and persuades Drayton not to let her go into situations alone. I’ll admit to wanting to yell at her sometimes, you know, like you do at the horror movie when a character is leaving the group to go off alone. Don’t do that, Theodosia! It won’t go well!
We have the usual community events, too, which keep the book on the cozy side. I love reading about the different groups the tea shop hosts and the different things they take part in. Here, the Walk among the Tombstones was particularly apt for the season! And I love the recipes at the end. So many delicious things I want to try!
The mystery had enough misdirections and red herrings to keep me guessing, and Theodosia and Drayton do find themselves in a situation it seems they might not get out of. The reveal surprised me when I figured it out (only a little bit before the end), and the ending had some bits that made me laugh (partly in relief, partly at the simply hilarious mental vision it created).
This is one of my top ten favorite mystery series. I don’t know that I can rank it more specifically, because there are several I simply adore, and Laura Childs� Tea Shop Mysteries are in that category. High Tea and Misdemeanors keeps her firmly on my list of must-read authors and Theodosia on my list of favorite amateur sleuths....more
This was the first of the Vargas Ranch series that I've read. I was able to read the book as a stand-alone just fine, but I'd like to see how things dThis was the first of the Vargas Ranch series that I've read. I was able to read the book as a stand-alone just fine, but I'd like to see how things developed up to this point.
Adan Franco has retired from the bull riding circuit, but the past is reaching out to find him. When a lawyer shows up with 12-year-old Jet Garrison and tells Adan that he and a friend from his rodeo days are the boy's parents, it's quite a surprise to Adan. He made some less than stellar life choices before he became a Christian, but surely he would have remembered fathering a child. Right? He can't fathom such a thing happening with someone he viewed as a good friend, but he won't let Jet down now that his mother is dead. If she said Adan is Jet's father, then a father is what he's going to be.
Solana Vargas is Adan's best friend's cousin. She's secretly loved him for a long time, but she fears the difference in their ages keeps him seeing her as the little cousin, never as the woman she's grown up to be. When Adan and Jet plan to travel to clean out Jet's mother's house, Solana says she'll go along to help them, hoping that time together outside their usual routine will open Adan's eyes to her feelings for him.
This is such a sweet, wonderful book! Adan and Solana are both thoroughly likable characters. I sometimes wanted to shake them just a little because they kept thinking there was something between them, and then one or the other would find a reason to retreat. But they both wanted to do what was best for Jet. Adan could have begged off taking on the role of single dad to a preteen boy who'd just had his entire world yanked out from under him. He didn't, and he was willing to take hits to his own reputation just to protect Jet. He was a good guy trying to do the right thing. Solana connected with Jet even better than Adan did, I think. She could talk to Jet when he was at his lowest, and as Adan started to build a life that included his son, Solana had a hard time not envisioning them together as a family!
Baney gently weaves faith throughout the story. Both Adan and Solana are Christians, as is all of the Vargas clan. I love the Vargas motto, "We do not deviate from the Lord's plan," so much, I'm going to put it on a sticky note by my mirror so I'll see it every day. Their faith isn't preachy and it isn't goody two-shoes. Adan acknowledges he made some poor choices before he followed Christ, and they both wrestle with God's timing and God's plan.
With her lovely Christian romances, Karen Baney is fast becoming one of my must-read authors. Her books are like a hug - warm and comforting when life is hard, something you can sink into and sigh with relief because you know it will make your heart happy. Recommended for anyone who likes friends to more, secret crush, age gap romances that are clean and give you that good happily ever after!
Disclaimer: I received a review copy from JustRead Publicity Tours. All opinions here are mine, and I don't say nice things about books I don't actually like....more
When forester Jodee Trevaine travels to El Hueso in hopes of saving an old tree, she doesn’t expect to run into her old flame Blue Sunday. She also diWhen forester Jodee Trevaine travels to El Hueso in hopes of saving an old tree, she doesn’t expect to run into her old flame Blue Sunday. She also didn’t plan on stepping into a mess of trouble, but that’s what happens when she witnesses a young boy’s abduction. After the attack, she finds herself struggling to remember what happened, and she also finds herself struggling to keep Blue at a distance. Meanwhile, Blue has his own agenda, one that he’s trying to keep hidden from Jodee even as he hopes to draw closer to her.
The titular oak is more than just a tree. It carries secrets borne of a brutal act, an act that irrevocably connected the Charidy, DeGroot, and Sunday families. And like the rest of El Hueso, the tree gives up its secrets reluctantly.
Lori Altebaumer gives us an engaging dual timeline mystery, with clues that unfold and intertwine in chapters that alternate between past and present. There were moments that had me holding my breath, and moments that had me wanting to just shake either Jodee or Blue for putting themselves in a really tight spot. I understood why they did it � they both had powerful motivation to do the right thing. But there were some nail-biters!
The story also offers a pretty slow-burn romance, as Jodee is hesitant to believe Blue has changed. They both have some things to unpack if they want any future relationship to be successful, with Jodee in particular having to come to terms with her fears of abandonment. I love it when a relationship isn’t an insta-romance. Jodee and Blue’s reconnection developed at a pace where we could see their concerns and see how those were handled.
Faith underpins the story, but it’s not necessarily a picture-perfect faith of someone who Has It All Together. Jodee in particular wrestles with faith, wrestles with the idea that God cares about her or hears her. I really enjoyed the mysterious cowboy who appeared to serve as her guardian angel, her compass pointing her toward the right choice, and the fact that a certain scent seemed to alert her to his presence.
If you enjoy a twisty, compelling mystery that weaves through past and present, you’ll love Beneath the Broken Oak....more
It took me a hot minute to get into Gunbarrel Highway. At first, it was the puzzlingly spicy opening scene (although it did explain Claudia Grant’s diIt took me a hot minute to get into Gunbarrel Highway. At first, it was the puzzlingly spicy opening scene (although it did explain Claudia Grant’s distracted driving quite nicely!) Daniel and his marriage going down the tubes, his boss riding his back, life is hard, poor me, and then BAM! Daniel makes one poor choice. Thunderous wreck. Dead woman. Is it Daniel’s fault? Then he makes another poor choice by fleeing the scene, thinking his previous actions will condemn him. And then it felt like Daniel chased his tail for a while, and I wondered if the book would really take off or not.
And then…it did.
Once the story grabbed me, it was a heck of a ride. Daniel careens from one bad option to the next, at first unaware that Claudia’s husband, congressional candidate Hayden Grant, has put a million-dollar bounty on the head of the man who killed his wife (never mind that Claudia’s actions contributed more to her death than Daniel’s did, Grant isn’t going to miss a chance to play for the sympathy vote). San Antonio detective Roya Navarro dogs Daniel’s trail, determined to bring him to justice. Daniel, just as determined to get across the border and away, drags unsuspecting Tricia into it when he carjacks her and makes her drive him toward his goal.
This book, y’all. Once that bounty was issued, Daniel had a big ol� bullseye on his back. Who do you trust when you’re worth a lot of money to anyone who turns you in? Can you trust anyone? Will even Tricia be swayed by the lure of the reward? There were betrayals and mayhem aplenty, twists and turns and gasp-inducing moments to thrill the biggest adrenaline junkie.
Bridges also gives us interesting characters. Daniel and Tricia are the focus of the story, eventually forming a sort of friendship born of the strange circumstances in which they find themselves. Claudia remains a strong presence even though she shuffles off this mortal coil early on. Hayden Grant is a deliciously smarmy politician, the kind that just makes you want to wash your hands reading about him because he’s so oily and slick, and his longsuffering assistant John, well, I wonder how he even stands to be in the same room as Hayden. The crooked cop, the money-hungry trucker, Daniel’s own brother-in-law Ron, nobody is a throwaway character.
We’d like to think life would never happen this way outside the pages of a book. But in today’s world, it’s not that much of a stretch to conceive of people believing something outlandish just because they said it on TV. Would people betray each other for the promise of financial gain? People have betrayed each other for far less than a million dollars. Slimy politicians? We can all probably think of one or two that fit that description. So the story, while full of rock-em-sock-em excitement, isn’t so farfetched that it couldn’t happen. Perhaps this could serve not only as a thrill ride but also as a cautionary tale.
If you like a book you’ll barely breathe through from the time the turbo kicks in until the unexpected resolution and redemption arc, you need to read Gunbarrel Highway.
You can see my review and other special features at ....more
Preston Colter broke Hetty Clark's heart when he disappeared to chase his other love, alcohol and wild living. He also left her pregnant, and now she'Preston Colter broke Hetty Clark's heart when he disappeared to chase his other love, alcohol and wild living. He also left her pregnant, and now she's raising her son as a single mother. She's doing okay, though - at least until her father is killed saving a stranger from a fire. She inherits the ranch, and she needs help. So when Preston shows up, she is persuaded to hire him, but only if he adheres to her strict "no drinking" requirements. Hetty soon realizes her heart wants what it wants, and what it wants is Preston. Preston realizes he has feelings for her, too. Can Hetty trust the man who's let her down before? Will Preston abide by his resolution to stay sober?
This was a delightful read! Karen Baney plays on the biblical story of the prodigal son with Preston's story. He's the fifth Colter son, and he feels like he's always been a disappointment to his family. That's why he's been drinking and carousing and steering clear of home. He fears his welcome won't be a positive one. Baney did an excellent job of making him a very sympathetic character. He owned up to his shortcomings. He didn't pretend to be better than he was or that he didn't deserve the consequences for his actions, and he tried his best to make amends.
If you like strong female characters, Hetty is a good one. She's running a ranch, raising her son, handling a crew, hiring help when she needs it, and practicing to win a bronc riding competition. But she doesn't cross the line into being a character that has no need of or desire for a good man in her life. She just isn't sure Preston can be that good man. But when a greedy neighbor comes proposing marriage to get his hands on her ranch, Hetty has to figure out how to turn down his advances. Is Preston the answer to that problem?
The secondary characters are also well written. The posse of men that takes Preston in as one of their own is a fantastic group. They support each other and kick each other in the pants when needed, and isn't that what good friends do? They're drawn together by their common interest in staying sober, and they really become family to each other.
It tickled me that both Hetty and Preston were competing in the bronc riding contest. Neither of them was interested in being better than the other. They were both cheering each other on wholeheartedly. I loved that Hetty didn't feel like she had to diminish herself to attract Preston, and Preston wasn't ashamed of rooting for his love to do her very best. That was refreshing!
The thread of faith woven through the story made me happy. This is why I love Christian fiction. The world is hard. Life is hard. Living by my faith is hard. Reading stories of other folks living out their faith makes my day a little brighter and encourages me.
This is the fifth book in the Colter Sons series, but I read it as a standalone with no problem. I want to read the others, though, so I can get to know the brothers Preston felt like he couldn't compete with!
Thanks to JustRead Publicity Tours and the author for a complimentary copy of this book. It was a matchmaker book tour, so the book was a surprise when I opened the envelope. All opinions here are mine, and I don't say nice things about books I don't actually like....more
Oh, Amber Royer. Your books are like a box of chocolates, except I always know what I’m going to get � a story with familiar characters I love and newOh, Amber Royer. Your books are like a box of chocolates, except I always know what I’m going to get � a story with familiar characters I love and new characters that hold my attention, humor, twists and turns, and always, chocolate. You never disappoint!
Vanishing into the 100% Dark is the eighth in Royer’s Bean to Bar Mysteries. You can check out my reviews of other books here.
Greetings and Felicitations is garnering some international attention, and Felicity and friends are off to Japan to take part in a chocolate festival! (I would absolutely travel to Japan for a chocolate festival.) Felicity will have a booth selling chocolates and will also be teaching a class on chocolate making. She’s hoping that this can just be an enjoyable experience. But someone presents her with a murder mystery, and y’all know what happens next! The murder magnet strikes again, and Felicity finds herself smack dab in the middle of an investigation.
This was an exciting read! There were a couple of story lines that Royer wove together nicely. First, the mystery. Felicity gets a little more adventure in her life than she planned on when she tries to catch the thief who stole her phone shortly after their arrival in Tokyo. That same phone thief ends up dead, but the body goes missing while Felicity is waiting on the police to get there. And Chloe, the young YouTuber who’s part of the group, may be the prime suspect for the murder. So we’ve got the whodunnit going on.
Then another exhibitor accuses Felicity of cheating and tries to get her removed from the festival. She’s downright ugly, making claims that Felicity knows can’t be true, and time and effort have to be expended in disproving those claims. Will Felicity make it to the end of the festival, and why is this person saying such terrible things? What’s their story? Read on and find out.
And then there are the connections between characters. Felicity has never felt that Logan’s sister Dawn likes her much, but they get a chance to spend more time together on this trip. I do believe it’s a positive step in their relationship. There are connections between various people associated with the monster movie being filmed, and it takes a little time for Royer to lay down the trail that we follow to sort those out. Some characters make you shake your head, and some may have you wiping away a little tear.
Just like a good chocolate bar, Amber Royer’s books are sweet to read and always satisfying. Vanishing into the 100% Dark continues the tradition and keeps her squarely on my list of must-read authors. I know the story isn’t finished yet, so I’ll eagerly anticipate the next in the series!...more
Laurel Rumbroom is the last of her line after her father's untimely demise. She is also the sole living resident of the Underhallow, a sanctuary for gLaurel Rumbroom is the last of her line after her father's untimely demise. She is also the sole living resident of the Underhallow, a sanctuary for ghosts not quite ready to fully shuffle off this mortal coil, and its last Guardian. The ghosts there tend to her needs and do their best to take care of her, and in return, she tries to take care of them. But deliveries of dead moths are telling her something isn't quite right. With her questionable mind and unwillingness to leave the grounds of Underhallow, what can she do to unravel the mystery and preserve the Underhallow?
Erin Larson-Burnett has given us an eerily whimsical world, populated with ghosts who can be kind, pompous, shy, rude, and frightening. Lauren is an unreliable narrator, by turns clear as a bell and lost in the fog of her own mind. She's struggling to take in the education Master Godwin tries to impress upon her, but she just can't quite hang onto the knowledge. I wanted to reach into the pages and hug her.
The author covers a lot in this book: mental health, political machinations, intrigue, found family, coming into one's own. It's all beautifully done, and I am so glad there's more to come in the second book of the duology! I can hardly wait to get my hands on the second one....more
I’m a good Southern girl. Everybody goes to funerals. How could I not pick up a book with this title?
The grandma in question is Mary Ruth McCready. ShI’m a good Southern girl. Everybody goes to funerals. How could I not pick up a book with this title?
The grandma in question is Mary Ruth McCready. She’s bedridden now, but that hasn’t slowed her mind, or her capacity to keep a finger on the pulse of Raeburn’s Ferry, Georgia, one bit. Her granddaughter and our narrator, Sarah, is her proxy for funeral attendance, and she expects a full, detailed report when Sarah returns home.
Things take a turn when P. B. Harrington dies and leaves his wife and Mary Ruth’s close friend, Charlotte, with the enigmatic last words, “I loved you more than Millie.� Charlotte is understandably and visibly upset by this, and Sarah wants to help unravel the mystery. At first, Mary Ruth warns her granddaughter off, but she comes to see the need for a little judicious investigation. Not gossip, mind you, even if she doesn’t have a problem loosening people’s tongues with some freshly baked cookies or brownies!
And when Camilla “Millie� Holtzgrew swans back into town with a grown son and a tale that she thinks will get her a cut of Charlotte’s inheritance, well, tongues really start wagging! Sarah has her hands full running down investigative options, keeping Mary Ruth informed, and keeping her pushy ex at a well-deserved distance.
This book is so much fun! Sarah is a great narrator. It’s like talking to a good friend about what’s going on in her life. And Mary Ruth is just a hoot. I should be so sharp when I get to be her age. Not much gets past her, and if she’s prone to gossip � er, gather information � it’s always to benefit folks, never to cause pain.
The story has no murder, but it’s got a mystery to unravel. It isn’t a romance, but it’s got some romantic aspects. It’s got humor, family dynamics both good and difficult, and delightfully Southern characters in a wonderful small-town setting. It’s just a good, gentle, clean read that will keep you guessing and reading way past bedtime. I want more of Raeburn’s Ferry!
Sharon Mondragón is a new author to me, but I must now read all her books. There’s a better than average chance that she’ll be one of my favorites by year end. And bonus points that she lives in Midlothian, Texas � I used to call Midlothian home. It’s a small, small world!
Anyway, if you want a read that’ll make you laugh, shake your head, gasp in surprise, and maybe shed a little tear of joy, pick up Grandma Ruth Doesn’t Go to Funerals. You’ll love it!
Disclaimer: I received a review copy from JustRead Publicity Tours. I was not required to leave a review. All opinions are mine, and I don't say nice things about books I don't actually like....more
Cleo Coyle, you continue to hold my heart with your Coffeehouse Mysteries! This is #21 in the series. You’d think the magic might start to fade. Not sCleo Coyle, you continue to hold my heart with your Coffeehouse Mysteries! This is #21 in the series. You’d think the magic might start to fade. Not so. I love every single book, and No Roast for the Weary continues the trend in fine fashion.
Claire has a lot on her mind. Times are lean for the Village Blend. Customers aren’t coming in like they used to. When she asks her staff for thoughts on how they can get folks in the door, they hit on the idea of rejuvenating something the Blend sponsored many years ago � the Writer’s Block Lounge. But instead of sharing Claire’s excitement about bringing back a piece of Blend history, Madame is upset. A dark deed was associated with the previous Writer’s Block, and Madame thinks it’s best to let sleeping dogs lie, so to speak. Claire presses forward, though, and it isn’t long before she’s in a historical whodunit up to her eyeballs. And if she can’t unravel this one, well, soon the sign on the door may not say “Village Blend� anymore.
Esther has a special connection with one of the Writer’s Block patrons who was there back in the day, so she takes it especially hard when he’s hurt. She finds his notebook and takes on a new animal companion when they find the key to his apartment and a note about Wacker. Who’s Wacker? Read and find out.
And what is Claire’s ex Matt up to? She sees him meeting up with subpar coffee peddler Cody “Drifter� Wood, but when she tries to get hold of him to ask why, Matt keeps ghosting her. Does Cody have designs on the Blend? And is Matt seriously considering a deal?
A coded notebook, an unsolved crime from decades past, a shadowy figure who keeps turning up, people who are not what they seem � I found plenty to keep the pages turning. And of course, there are recipes at the end. Y’all know I’m a sucker for good recipes.
I don’t know that I’ll ever get tired of this series. I feel like I’m getting together with friends when I open the pages of each new book, and it makes me smile. You can read this as a stand-alone, but I recommend starting at the beginning of the series and getting the whole story!
Disclaimer: I received an advance copy from Great Escapes Book Tours. I was not required to leave a review. All opinions here are mine, and I don’t say nice things about books I don’t actually like....more
At first I wasn’t sure I’d be able to get into this book. In the Tulelake, California of 2017, Bobby King was such a jerk, he was almost two-dimensionAt first I wasn’t sure I’d be able to get into this book. In the Tulelake, California of 2017, Bobby King was such a jerk, he was almost two-dimensional. He was horrible to everyone, children and adults alike. And you knew why. Since his mother left, his home life had been dismal on good days. Life was unkind to Bobby, and Bobby was unkind right back. He took pride in how terrible he could be, and no punishment or threat of consequence was enough to change his heart or his actions. He was almost so unlikeable, I thought I’d have to stop reading.
But a concussion not only knocks Bobby for a loop physically. It also gives him the dubious gift of sending him back to 1942, seeing life as a ride-along in the body and mind of Ichiro Hisakawa. Ichiro and his family were Japanese Americans rounded up and herded into one of the government’s internment camps during World War II. I was aware that the camps existed, but didn’t know a lot of detail about them. The book was eye-opening in that regard, and Ichiro’s story and its impact on Bobby was what really made the book for me.
Imagine you’re a family living life, working, going to school. Then one day the military of your own country shows up, smacks you around, and hauls you off “for your protection.� That’s what Ichiro faced. His family and other Japanese Americans � some first generation Americans, some second or third generation � were incarcerated at the Tule Lake internment camp. While not quite as harsh as the German concentration camps, Tule Lake was not a nice place. Living conditions were unpleasant, and there were soldiers who disagreed with the government’s actions and did what they could to help the internees, but there were also soldiers who hated the Japanese and made things harder, or even actively plotted harm against them.
As Bobby sees life through Ichiro’s eyes, he comes to understand that his actions in Tulelake were no better than those of the government bullies the Japanese were dealing with. It’s a humbling experience for him. He comes to see that “different� and “other� doesn’t mean “bad� or “worthless� as he and Ichiro develop a bond.
The story never tells us how, precisely, Bobby was able to travel back in time. You gotta suspend your disbelief, like you would for any good sci-fi story. And honestly, how it happened wasn’t what made the story work. What Bobby experienced and learned, and how it impacted him as he lived the rest of his life, and how Ichiro found ways to deal with the raw hand he was dealt, those were what made this story really take off for me.
So this book went from “thought it might be zero� to “hero� with me. If you want to read a book with great character development and learn something about a part of history you may not be deeply familiar with, I highly recommend The Two Terrors of Tulelake. Five stars!...more
There are some of the Comfort books I’ve missed (they’re on my TBR � I just need more hours in the day!), but with Home to Comfort, I’ve now read all There are some of the Comfort books I’ve missed (they’re on my TBR � I just need more hours in the day!), but with Home to Comfort, I’ve now read all of Kimberly Fish’s Comfort and Joy trilogy. I have absolutely loved them.
We’ve heard about Patsy, Mason’s not-quite-so-dead-as-they-thought first wife, in the first two books in the trilogy. Now Gloria has a chance to help the law get up close and personal with Patsy and bring her to justice for her crimes and misdeeds. She and Mason travel to a Mexican resort, ostensibly vacationing, to lure Patsy out into the open. Let’s just say shenanigans ensue, along with some nail-bitingly tense moments.
But that’s not the only adventure in the story! Once they return to Comfort (and oh, what a hardship, leaving the sunny Mexican coast for a chilly Texas winter!), Gloria has to focus on getting a big order of Sweeties� truffles ready for their debut at the White House. She is determined that everything will go smoothly, and so it does � until Gardner Rogers shows up like a bad penny.
Unsurprisingly, I adored this book! With wit and wisdom, Gloria navigates both the good and bad in her life using wisdom and skills she’s learned through her experiences. She’s comfortable in her own skin (even if she doesn’t mind losing a few extra pounds before she and Mason finally say “I do�), and she isn’t afraid to call things as she sees them. Fish also uses her seasoned heroine to clearly demonstrate that women should never be discounted as too old, too dull, too anything to make a difference. And they should never, ever be underestimated. I really loved that, as I’m getting to that age myself!
And for all the joy the book brought me, I was so sad to see it end. I’ve said before that turning the final page of a book felt like saying goodbye to friends, and that really hit hard here. I have so enjoyed getting to know Gloria and all the wonderful people in Comfort, I hated to bid them adieu. This isn’t a story where everything goes perfectly, or where all the loose ends are tidied up in the final chapter. Gloria’s efforts to bring Patsy out in the open didn’t always go according to plan. The truffles� trip to the White House might have hit a few bumps along the way. The course of true love doesn’t always run smooth, and friendships can be irreparably broken. But the ending is satisfactory. The right things fall into the right places, and I sighed contentedly when I finished the book, even if I did sniffle a time or two. Just like real life, we won’t always know what happens with the characters we’ve come to love. I like to imagine that Gloria and Mason find new projects and adventures to share, and that they settle into their marriage and live as close to happily ever after as anyone can on this earth.
If you want to read a book � verily, an entire trilogy � that feels like a hug in story form, pick up Home to Comfort and the rest of the Comfort and Joy trilogy. It’ll make you smile, and maybe make you crave chocolate and Mexican food, too. And with life being what it is these days, I reckon we can all use a little Comfort in our lives. ...more
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