Sea Glass Castle - T.I.Lowe

In this third installment of the Carolina Coast series, the story centers around Sophia Prescott, ex-wife of a pro football player, and now single mom living back in Sunset Cove with her best friends, the Sand Queens.  As she works to distance herself from her highly publicized divorce, and tries to find a new normal, she encounters Dr. Weston Sawyer, who is also trying to heal from his past.  Can they form a friendship to help each other re-calibrate their lives?  Maybe if they can get past all of their arguments.

This was probably my favorite of this trilogy.  I felt like the characters had really developed, and Sophia and Wes's stories were tragic, without being overly dramatic.  Their grief was different enough to provide comfort for each other, while giving them the kind of empathy necessary for healing. 

I loved that the couples from the first two books still played heavily into this story, making their group of friends wider and ever more protective of each other.  I would love to have more stories that centered around this trio of couples, their lives, and their friendships.

I give this book 4 stars.  I really enjoyed this series as a whole, and I would recommend reading them in order.

I received a digital copy of this book from the publishers, via NetGalley, in exchange for my honest review.

You can find Sea Glass Castle HERE.
You can find the author HERE.

Heart Chimes - Denise Janette Bruneau

From Amazon:
"Author of Finding Home, Denise Janette Bruneau brings us another story about hope, love, and unyielding faith in God.Dr. Marla Devereaux tries to balance her career as an ER doctor with her duties as a wife until she discovers that her husband has been having an affair while hiding his infidelity as frequent “business trips.” Devastated with the loss of her marriage, Marla’s life suddenly changes when she receives a letter in the mail, informing her of an inheritance from her grandmother in Guntersville, Alabama. Moving into her grandparents’ lake house from her home in Cincinnati, Marla finds a man already there, an ER nurse named Micah Brady. Getting to know her grandmothers’ handsome tenant, Marla soon learns that Micah is suffering from a loss of his own. Holding onto the objects that give them hope, for Micah his heart-tattoo and for Marla her grandparents’ grandfather clock, the two of them rediscover true, Godly love."

The premise of this story is cute: an ER doctor hearing a dying woman's last words of love to her husband, only to cross paths again with the husband 3 years later after her own husband abruptly divorces her.  However, with its short length, it was like a full novel's story trying to fit into a novella-length space.  The details were shallow, and there were holes in the plot.  The supporting characters had a lot of potential, but they weren't deeply developed.  They were the kind of characters and the type of town that could have held a whole series of books, yet I came away feeling like I didn't really know any of them.  Marla's past and her relationship with her husband were brutal to her psyche, and there was potential depth to the story to restore her confidence and self worth as a daughter of God.

I give this book 3 stars; I feel like it had a lot going for it, but it needed to be longer to really reach its story potential.

I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher, via NetGalley, in exchange for my honest review.

You can find Heart Chimes HERE.
You can find information about the author HERE.

Before I Called You Mine - Nicole Deese

From christianbook.com :

"After many matchmaking schemes gone awry, Lauren Bailey's one goal is to become a mother. Remaining single to meet the adoption agency's requirements seems simple---until Joshua Avery appears on the scene. Now Lauren must choose between the two deepest desires of her heart. Can she say yes to one and let go of the other?"

What an unusual plotline, well-done story of adoption and sacrifice!  I can't speak to the authenticity of the adoption timeline and legalities, but the idea of a woman choosing to forgo dating and relationships to pursue adoption as a single woman, and then meeting her dream man? What a setup for a heartbreaking decision and enthralling story!

Lauren's and Josh's characters were so well written that I laughed with them and their quick banter and Josh's zany antics, but I also ached with them over the impossible choices put before them, and their desire to hear God's will for their lives.  How could He set Lauren on the path to singlehood adoption and then put Josh across the hall from her every day?  How was Lauren supposed to decide between a man she could build a life with, and possible pursue further adoptions with...four years in the future...or the child she could help right now?!

The cast of side characters in this story were just as well done and so important to the richness of the book; from Lauren's family, whom she felt didn't understand her at all, to Joshua's family, who welcomed her right in, as well as the Cartwright family who showed her what adoption looked like, soup to nuts, and her best friend Jenna, who was there for her throughout it all.

I give this book 5 stars!  While I'm sure the adoption process is much more grueling and emotional than can fit into a single novel, I didn't feel like this book glossed over any of it.  It highlighted that adoption is a calling, and a sacrifice, and that there is great need, but it is certainly not quick or easy.

I received a complimentary copy of this digital book, via NetGalley, in exchange for my honest review.

You can find Before I Called You Mine HERE.
You can find the author HERE.

Set the Stars Alight - Amanda Dykes

Lucy Clairmont grew up hearing seemingly disconnected stories from her father, along with her childhood friend, Dashel.  Now, both grown up, Lucy is a marine archaeologist, and Dashel is a forensic astronomer; their career paths have now intersected and brought these two old friends back together, to a place where the past, their childhoods and their stories come together in a way to bring closure to the past and a future they could have only hoped for.

Wow! Another winner from Amanda Dykes! This was a beautiful weaving of past and present, with delightful, complex characters in both timelines.  A split timeline is best when you're both disappointed to leave the timeline you are currently reading, but you're also impatient to find out what is happening in the timeline you're returning to.  This book successfully makes you feel entrenched in both the historical tale and the contemporary companion.

I loved watching Frederick's tale develop in the past, even while watching Dash and Lucy discover how the puzzle pieces they'd been given fit together to complete the picture of the lost ship and the infamous Traitor.  The supporting characters in both the past and the present, including the presence of Lucy's father through the stories he'd gifted Dash and Lucy, and the occupants of Stone's Throw Farm (which I desperately want to visit!) made the tale richer and left me wishing for more of their stories.  This is a book that I wish wasn't a stand alone novel!

I'm not always a split timeline fan, but I give this book 5 stars!

You can find Set the Stars Alight HERE.
You can find the author HERE.

I received a digital copy of this book, via NetGalley, from the publisher, in exchange for my honest review.

Until June

In a strange twist of events, 18-year-old Josephine finds herself the unexpected caregiver to Geoff Chambers, a WWI veteran who lost part of both legs in the war.  Geoff is initially despondent and dependent on morphine, but with Josephine's care and persistence, he finds himself enjoying life again.  Set in a remote lodge in Alaska, Josephine and Geoff learn to both depend on each other and find their individual strength in themselves.

I enjoyed the setting and idea of this story; I haven't read many stories set in Alaska, nor have I read much about injured war veterans.  I enjoyed watching Josephine persevere through Geoff's stubbornness and defeatist attitude.  However, there were a lot of characters to not like in this book, and for me, it didn't really balance out.  Also, I wished for more of the scenery to really experience the setting of Alaska to set the book apart.

I give this book 3 stars.  It was an engaging read, and I think it will appeal to many readers, it just wasn't one of my favorites this summer.

I received a digital copy of this book from the publishers, via NetGalley, in exchange for my honest review.

You can find Until June HERE.
You can find the author HERE.

The Summer House - Lauren K. Denton

From christianbook.com :
"When Lily Bishop wakes to find her husband's goodbye note and divorce papers, she takes a position as hair stylist at the Safe Harbor retirement community for income. She soon livens up the place Rose Carrigan founded just before her spouse ran off with his assistant. Will these jilted women become friends---and discover second chances at love? "

It feels weird to say that I really liked this book, when it started on such a rocky note.  But, if you can get past the opening of a woman's husband leaving her out of the blue, there's a lot to gather here about second chances and opening up to the people whom you find in your life.  Between Lily's fresh start, and Rose's path to forgiving herself and letting people in, the characters in this story were heartrendingly realistic, and down-to-earth, yet colorful and engaging.  I loved watching the interplay between the members of this community who had lived among each other for years, yet with the fresh perspective of 28-year-old Lily becoming part of them.  I could see a series set in this community of Safe Harbor, delving into the rich histories of those who live here, and perhaps interacting with and passing on their wisdom to the next generations.  

I give this book 4 stars.  Lily and Rose were traveling separate paths, yet both needed forgiveness, healing, and fresh starts, and I loved watching how their journeys affected each other and the community they were a part of.

You can find The Summer House HERE.
You can find the author's website HERE.

I received a complimentary copy of this book.  Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

A Gilded Lady - Elizabeth Camden

In this second installment of the Hope and Glory series, we get to revisit the Delacroix family, this time with the focus on Caroline Delacroix, as she serves as secretary to the First Lady, Ida McKinley.  While she is hoping to solidify her political connections in order to request a presidential pardon for her twin brother Luke, Nathaniel Trask is working to solidify security surrounding the president. 

I really enjoyed this view of William McKinley's presidency, and I appreciated the historical notes included by the author to clarify which parts of the story were historically accurate.  I did find myself tempted to Google the event that I knew was coming, to see when/where it was going to happen, but I resisted in order to let the novel's suspense build at its own pace. 

Caroline was a complicated character, and it was interesting to watch her internal processes as she tried to balance a difficult First Lady, a potential relationship with a guarded man, and the drama of her twin brother in a Cuban prison.  The peek into White House life, and the picture of political life and the delicate dance it requires was fascinating. 

I give this book 4 stars.  I am looking forward to continuing this family's story, and learning more about Luke in the third installment to come!

You can find A Guilded Lady HERE.
You can find the author's website HERE.

I received a digital copy of this book, via NetGalley, from the publisher, in exchange for my honest review.