Category: Book Review

The Best Summer of Our Lives + Giveaway

Twenty years ago, the summer of ’77 was supposed to be the best summer of Summer Wilde’s life. She and her best friends, Spring, Autumn, and Snow–the Four Seasons–had big plans.

But those plans never had a chance. After a teenage prank gone awry, the Seasons found themselves on a bus to Tumbleweed, “Nowhere,” Oklahoma, to spend eight weeks as camp counselors. All four of them arrived with hidden secrets and buried fears, and the events that unfolded in those two months forever altered their friendships, their lives, and their futures.

Now, thirtysomething, Summer is at a crossroads. When her latest girl band leaves her in a motel outside Tulsa, she is forced to face the shadows of her past. Returning to the place where everything changed, she soon learns Tumbleweed is more than a town she never wanted to see again. It’s a place for healing, for reconciling the past with the present, and for finally listening to love’s voice.

My Review:

A dual timeline multi-layered coming-of-age story steeped in secrets and drama.

While technically there is a historical timeline and a contemporary one, the actual years are 1977 (when the girls are eighteen) and then twenty years later in 1997. (It makes me feel so old to have been alive in what is considered a historical era now!)

The greater portion of the story takes place in 1977, when the girls were camp counsellors during what was supposed to be the ‘best summer of their lives.’ It didn’t quite turn out that way and this is where I admit that the amount of teenage drama was just a bit much for me.

It’s a milestone summer for these four friends and each of them harbours secrets that threaten the foundation of their friendship. So, lots of tension…in fact, a lot of the time I felt like I was reading an angsty YA novel, which isn’t my go to literary escape so I struggled to relate to these characters. And I really didn’t like Summer (who has the most POVs, unfortunately.) It’s universally accepted that she is selfish and opinionated and self-absorbed and there’s not much character growth, even into the contemporary timeline until the very end of the book. And it really bothered me that her friends and even the adults in her life kept enabling Summer to stay that way. They were always finding excuses for her behaviour and shrugging it off instead of confronting her — even lovingly — and not standing up for the people she hurt by her behaviour. So, not a Summer fan until very close to the end.

She did have a faith journey that plays a greater role in the last part of the book. There are hints of it in the 1977 timeline, but I honestly didn’t connect it to a faith thread until much later. It felt a bit like magical realism…only maybe I’d call it mystical realism…or spiritual realism? And, while I do enjoy that kind of trope, I like to know about it going in and this one took me by surprise so I felt a bit off kilter.

I would have enjoyed spending more time with each of the girls in the contemporary timeline. There’s a real connection between that fateful summer in 1977 and the way each of their lives turned out but I feel like that part of the story was rushed and I would have liked more of a balance between the eighteen year olds and their thirty-eight year old counterparts.

I did like the way the author wrapped things up — bringing the girls full circle and allowing them to deal with the issues that pulled them apart twenty years earlier. A big takeaway for me is the understanding that even the strongest friendships can be fragile at times and require nurturing. And that no matter how far we stray, Jesus is always right beside us, waiting to be invited back into our lives.

Though I had a paperback copy from the publisher, I listened to the audible edition narrated by Suzy Jackson and I feel like her performance helped me to become more engaged with the story.

Book provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications Inc.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

This giveaway is for a paperback copy — available to any reader any where in the world so — yay- another International Giveaway.

If you would like a chance to win a copy of  The Best Summer of Our Lives, leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoread AT yahoo DOT ca. If you add an email to your comment, remember to use AT and DOT instead of @ and . in order to protect yourself from spammers. If you enter the draw via email, please add the title to the subject line so it’s easy to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Saturday August 26, 2023

Pieces of Forever + Giveaway

RANDOM RETRO READ

The scars on her face are nothing to the scars on her heart. But can God help her find healing―and love?

Eight years ago, Ava and Joseph had the perfect future planned—he would go to veterinary school, she would embark on a career with an exclusive modeling agency, and they’d eventually get married and have three dogs and four children. Until a terrible accident changed everything. Unwilling to believe they could still have a future, she made Joseph promise to leave and live out their dreams without her.

Joseph has never broken a promise to Ava. Until now.

Because before he made that stupid promise to leave, they’d made each other another promise—one of forever. Now that he’s done with veterinary school, he’s determined to return to River Falls and show her that his promise still stands. That he loves her just the way she is.

But first he’ll have to find a way to crack the safe she’s erected around her heart.

Fortunately, he has help: in the form of three lovable dogs, a special group of sick kids, and more than a few slices of pie. But will it be enough to convince Ava that their forever is worth fighting for? Or will he be left picking up the pieces―alone?

My Review:

published in 2021

Now this is what Christian Fiction is all about! What an incredible, moving, uplifting and faith-affirming story! And that’s not to say there isn’t any angst…because there’s plenty of that, as you would expect with a second chance romance. But I’ve still come away from this read with a soaring heart and and the inner peace that comes from knowing that every one of us is worthy in the eyes of the Lord.

Really — I’m gobsmacked and flabbergasted that I haven’t read a Valerie M. Bodden book before. I’ve heard her name bandied about on social media and people have told me I should read one of her books and, here I am, way late to the party but so, so happy that I jumped in with the first book in her River Falls series.

And this romance!!! Emotionally toe-curling. The way Joseph pursues Ava. Constant. Steadfast. Giving her space but not giving up. He comes close a time or two, but only because he feels it would be in Ava’s best interest. But he’s not going to cut ties completely, even if that means only friendship is on the table. Of course, he hopes for so much more — like a chance to keep the promise he made all those years ago. Sooooo romantical!!!!!

And — eeeppp — he’s a veterinarian!!! Seriously, that has to be one of my top picks for a hero occupation! So, of course, there’s some puppy love here too which makes for some nice ice breakers when things get tense with Ava. And Joseph’s large, opinionated family keeps things interesting too. 🙂

I listened to the audio edition narrated by Amanda Stribling (yay Chirp sale!) She did an amazing job — so easy to listen to and I feel like she captured the essence of these characters. Highly recommend the audio book.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

ebook available to anyone, anywhere who has a .com (US) Kindle account

US — paperback or ebook — winner’s choice

Canada — paperback or ebook (via a gift card to Canadian Amazon) or audible (.ca)

If you would like a chance to win a copy of Pieces of Forever, leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoread AT yahoo DOT ca. If you add an email to your comment, remember to use AT and DOT instead of @ and . in order to protect yourself from spammers. If you enter the draw via email, please add the title to the subject line so it’s easy to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Saturday August 26, 2023

The Reluctant Rancher + Giveaway

Will his childhood nemesis be the second chance he needs?

Despite the mess FBI agent Enzo Flores has made of his life, he’s still eager to help others—like his sister, Ana. But coming home to Texas to run the family ranch and take care of his nephew might be more than Enzo can handle. He enlists the help of Ana’s best friend, Resa Espinoza, who’s always been good at riling him up. This time, she might just help him heal…

A Lone Star Heritage Romance

My Review:

I was happy to travel back to Port Del Mar, Texas, the setting of two series by Jolene Navarro. I love this town and the secondary characters aka busybodies who can’t help but meddle out of love. 🙂 And I do so enjoy a romance set in the midst of a close-knit family ’cause they never let you get away with anything. So, lots of interfering siblings and wise matriarchs bring equal parts substance and fun to this romance.

Enzo is a little bit moody and out of his comfort zone as he gives up chasing bad guys for a time so he can wrangle his five-year-old nephew while his sister’s on bedrest with a complicated pregnancy. And it irks him that his little sister’s best friend (and the kid who was always dragging Ana into trouble) keeps coming to his rescue where little Lorenzo is concerned.

Only Resa is no longer the annoying pest he remembers. Now she’s a beautiful, spirited woman who isn’t cowed by Enzo’s detached FBI agent demeanour. Cue the fireworks and laughter and be prepared to be entertained. Oh — and their meet-cute — hysterical!!!!! Really sets the tone for the push/pull of their relationship all the way through.

A vibrant romance filled with hope and grace.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

This giveaway is for a gently read paperback copy and available to any reader anywhere in the whole wide world so — YAY — another International Giveaway!

If you would like a chance to win a copy of The Reluctant Rancher, leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoread AT yahoo DOT ca. If you add an email to your comment, remember to use AT and DOT instead of @ and . in order to protect yourself from spammers. If you enter the draw via email, please add the title to the subject line so it’s easy to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Saturday August 19, 2023

Cold Pursuit + Giveaway

Ex-FBI profiler River Ryland still suffers from PTSD after a case that went horribly wrong. Needing a fresh start, she moves to St. Louis to be near her ailing mother and opens a private investigation firm with her friend and former FBI partner, Tony St. Clair. They’re soon approached by a grieving mother who wants them to find out what happened to her teenaged son who disappeared four years ago. River knows there’s almost no hope the boy is still alive, but his mother needs closure, and River and Tony need a case, no matter how cold it might be. 

But as they follow the boy’s trail, which gets more complicated at every turn, they find themselves in the path of a murderer determined to punish anyone who gets in his way. With a killer on the loose set on finishing the job he started, will River be pulled back into her tormented past or finally face the demons that haunt her?

With her trademark blend of page-turning thrills and intricate plots, Nancy Mehl delivers a spine-tingling thriller that will keep readers up all night.

My Review:

‘Page-turning thrills’ about sums up this suspense for sure. From that chilling prologue to the inclusion of a disturbing ‘unsub’ POV, this one kept me on edge the whole read through. It definitely had more ‘Criminal Minds’ vibes than I am comfortable with, though the descriptions in the book don’t go nearly as far as that series did, so, phew, for that. I’d consider ‘Cold Pursuit’ on the thriller side of suspense so definitely out of my comfort zone.

I did get the feeling that this series is a spin-off of another series? So, I felt like there were things I should have known about River and Tony already. They are friends with a work history who shared a trauma and that’s given them an even stronger bond. They’ve left their jobs with the FBI to start up a new Private Investigation firm and their first case is a doozy!

This is an emotionally layered suspense with a nice balance between character-driven and suspenseful plots. Lots of moving pieces to sort through and I really like how the investigation developed, bringing truth to light and, ultimately peace to a grieving mother. There’s also a secondary plot — both in suspense and romance (I’m guessing) — that will continue on through the series.

‘Cold Pursuit’ features a suspense trope that leaves me a tad uncomfortable. I don’t want to say what it is, because it’s not stated in the synopsis, but it’s quickly evident early on in the story. Does that have you intigued? 🙂 If I’d known that would be the focus of the story, I likely would have given this one a pass. But the story is well-written and riveting – just not for the faint of heart. I need to dive into a rom/com to bring my blood pressure down.

Book provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications Inc.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

This giveaway is for a gently read paperback copy and available to any reader anywhere in the whole wide world so — YAY — another International Giveaway!

If you would like a chance to win a copy of Cold Pursuit, leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoread AT yahoo DOT ca. If you add an email to your comment, remember to use AT and DOT instead of @ and . in order to protect yourself from spammers. If you enter the draw via email, please add the title to the subject line so it’s easy to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Saturday August 19, 2023

Kidnapped in the Woods + Giveaway

To solve a kidnapping case, they will become the hunted.

Firefighter Pat Ryan is stunned when he hears gunfire and two strangers crash through his door. An anonymous tip led journalist Rachel Davenport to a ramshackle cabin, where she helped an abducted teen escape. With Pat and his K-9 rescue dog’s help, they go on the run with deadly kidnappers in pursuit. But with innocent lives at stake, Rachel and Pat must battle foes and fears to live through the night. 

My Review:

Eeeeep Alert!!! This is a read-in-one gulp kind of suspense so clear your calendar and settle in for an edge-of-your-seat ride.

The opening scene is so intense!!!! I could hardly breathe and then, the way the plot unfolds is so well balanced. Yes, there are hair-raising scenes and lots of chilling chases but there’s also some quality heart-to-heart time that let me catch my breath and fall in love with these characters. Including Shadow the K-9 search and rescue wonder dog. I do so love a Bernese Mountain dog hero!!!! 🙂

An exciting romantic suspense that made me all kinds of bibliophile happy. Plus, it’s set in the winter so all that cold snow was a refreshing relief from our stifling heat. The next best thing to experiencing milder temperatures in real life.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

This giveaway is for a gently read paperback copy so it’s open to any reader anywhere in the whole wide world! Hooray for another truly International Giveaway.

If you would like a chance to win a copy of Kidnapped in the Woods, leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoread AT yahoo DOT ca. If you add an email to your comment, remember to use AT and DOT instead of @ and . in order to protect yourself from spammers. If you enter the draw via email, please add the title to the subject line so it’s easy to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Saturday August 19, 2023. Good luck!

Summer in the Spotlight + Giveaway

A hurricane may have destroyed her livelihood on Prince Edward Island, but she’s determined to save her community

Kelsey Ahern has performed at the Victoria Playhouse on Prince Edward Island every summer since she was seven. But when a hurricane destroys the building, it’s not just her memories that are in jeopardy. Her future as a teacher and drama coach are too. She teams up with Levi Ross, the facilities director at the high school, to produce a benefit show to raise money to rebuild the theater. He has a reputation for being able to fix anything, and Kelsey is sure there’s more to the quiet man than meets the eye. 

For his part, Levi has admired Kelsey for years, but he can’t seem to find the words to tell her. When a popular weatherman arrives in town to cover the aftermath of the hurricane and takes an interest in Kelsey and her show, Levi realizes that the time has come to speak up–or lose the heart of the woman he longs for. 

Join New York Times bestselling author Liz Johnson for a season of rebuilding, restoration, and romance with this final book in the Prince Edward Island Shores series.

My Review:

Hands down, my favourite book in the series…and Levi Ross has set the bar high for any future book boyfriends! I am so besotted! Because Levi is really something special. And unique to the typical contemporary romance lead.

To say that Levi is ‘quiet’ is a massive understatement. I can probably count on one hand the number of words he spoke in the first chapter. And they are just as sparse all the way through the story. But Levi has other ways of effectively communicating and those close to him easily interpret a look or a shrug, even his body language. I love that Kelsey doesn’t find that off putting — but then, her gift for gab makes her capable of carrying on more than her fair share of a conversation. 🙂

There’s a reason Levi is the way he is and I won’t be telling tales out of turn so you just have to read the book. But he is definitely swoonworthy material — a man pining over his childhood crush. And, yes, Kelsey makes him even more tongue-tied than ever. Readers have the advantage of being party to his thoughts, while Kelsey is left to decipher his cryptic responses and silence in her own way. Most of the time she gets it right but some of the time she doesn’t which makes things all the more interesting.

Fans of the Prince Edward Island Shores series will be happy at the page time given to the Ross family in general and there’s lots of brotherly bonding leading up to a resounding wrap-up to the family’s recent woes. Yes, that does sound cryptic, but no worries if you haven’t read the first two books in this series, Johnson has seamlessly included the pertinent details from the earlier books with minimum spoilers so I think you could read Summer in the Spotlight as a standalone.

And that title! Very clever tie-in to the story. Love the concept of the town rallying to save the summer theatre.The plot is both predictable and unpredictable so, as a reader, I got to bask in the comfort of the familiar while also experiencing the thrill of the unexpected. And then there’s the Prince Edward Island setting! I’m all Anne-girl starry eyed. 🙂 Summer in the Spotlight makes a perfect summer escape read!

(I enjoyed listening to the audible edition expertly narrated by Emily Ellet. She did a great job of creating unique voices for each character and, honestly, made Levi sound so dreamy. Happy sigh.)

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

ebook available to anyone, anywhere who has a .com (US) Kindle account

US — paperback or ebook — winner’s choice

Canada — paperback or ebook (via a gift card to Canadian Amazon) or audible (.ca)

If you would like a chance to win a copy of Summer in the Spotlight, leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoread AT yahoo DOT ca. If you add an email to your comment, remember to use AT and DOT instead of @ and . in order to protect yourself from spammers. If you enter the draw via email, please add the title to the subject line so it’s easy to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Saturday August 19, 2023

Seeking Justice + Giveaway

Random Retro Read

Walking the line between danger and love!

Cold case justice!

When Joy Munson confronts Detective Tarin Finnegan about reopening her brother’s case, she doesn’t expect to be shot at by an unknown assailant. And when the gunman strikes three more times in less than twenty-four hours, she and Tarin are forced to accept the truth. Her brother hadn’t committed suicide, he’d been murdered.

Tarin’s promise to keep Joy safe isn’t easy to keep. It seems as if the gunman knows their every move. Unwilling to trust anyone but his family, Tarin and Joy go completely off-grid. Uncovering the truth is just as difficult as ignoring their mutual attraction. Will they find justice for Joy’s brother, and a possible future for themselves, before it’s too late?

My Review:

published in 2021

Eeeeppp — I do so love a good cold case suspense! And I’m still in a tizzy over discovering this series that features nine (yes NINE) siblings who all work as various types of first responders, hence the series title, Finnegan First Responders. These guys and gals are all about service — both to their God and their community. And in this second book (which could easily be read as a standalone) it’s Detective Tarin Finnegan’s time in the spotlight.

A street confrontation with a woman determined to get justice for her brother ends with bullets flying and Joy seems to be the target. A closed case turns into a cold case as Tarin tries to balance the investigation while keeping Joy safe.

Love the dynamics between this hero and heroine. Joy is spunky and determined and pushes her way into Tarin’s heart despite his attempts to keep her at arm’s length. As in the first book in this series, this is very much an insta-love romance, so if that isn’t your jam, this isn’t the book for you!

There’s a nice balance between investigative work and the romance and, of course, lots of lovely Finnegan family shenanigans to enjoy! I got an extra kick out of cameos from characters from the author’s LIS Callahan Confidential series as well.

I’m so enamoured with the Finnegan First Responders series that I’m leaping right into book three immediately. I’ll be enjoying all the books in audio format and was pleased to discover them on sale on Chirp.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

ebook available to anyone, anywhere who has a .com Kindle account

US — paperback or ebook — winner’s choice

Canada — paperback or ebook (via a gift card to Canadian Amazon) or audible (.ca)

If you would like a chance to win a copy of Seeking Justice, leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoread AT yahoo DOT ca. If you add an email to your comment, remember to use AT and DOT instead of @ and . in order to protect yourself from spammers. If you enter the draw via email, please add the title to the subject line so it’s easy to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Saturday August 12 , 2023.

Countdown + Giveaway

A stalker who wants to finish what he started. A US Marshal who’s vowed to protect his charge. And one woman who is determined to put the past in the past.

Flight paramedic Raina Price has been running so long it’s hard to stop. To escape a dangerous stalker, she changed her name and disappeared, building a new life with the help of a friend from her time in juvie. It feels good to put her energies into saving people’s lives, but because her stalker was never found, she’s never stopped looking over her shoulder. And one can only run so far before the past finally catches up.

US Marshal Vincent Corelli’s job is to hunt down fugitives and protect those who are assigned to him. When Raina is almost killed right in front of him, he vows to protect her at all costs–whether it’s his job or not. Together they work to solve the mystery of Raina’s past. But someone is out to make sure Raina doesn’t live long enough to do it.

Countdown is the breathless conclusion to USA Today bestselling author Lynette Eason’s thrilling Extreme Measures series.

My Review:

This was one of my anticipated reads and it did not disappoint! An Audible preorder, downloaded on release day and then I was in romantic suspense heaven! Great narration by Sara Shekells — she did all four books in the Extreme Measures series and I liked that continuity. (FYI: The books can all be read as standalones.)

I’ve enjoyed the glimpses I’ve seen of Raina in the earlier books so I was excited to finally discover her full story. And — mercy — what a heart-hurting, stomach-churning time we had of it! And that was just her personal story arc! I appreciated the raw honesty in her struggle to trust God in the hard places. She feels abandoned and alone, despite being surrounded by friends, and once you’ve delved into her past, you’ll be able to understand why. Eason tackles the tough question: why does God let bad things happen to good people? Raina and Vince have some very candid conversations that I could relate to.

This is a friends to more romance and I loved the substance that brought to their relationship. Vince has always wanted to move the relationship along but Raina has been consistently keeping him at arms’ length, so there’s a bit of unrequited love here too. Obviously, Raina has her reasons for fighting the attraction and all that is explored realistically as the story progresses.

And Vince! Happy swoony sigh! He’s an alpha hero only with brakes. 🙂 He’s protective, but just short of bossy and the way he pursues Raina…be still my heart. Careful deliberation, utmost respect, never pushing beyond what she is willing to offer. But he’s steadfastly by her side all the way, and she needs to see those traits in him in order to let go of the baggage she’s been carrying around for much too long. Vince is one gem of hero!

Of course, the suspense is topnotch — can’t expect anything else from an Eason novel! It’s complex and compelling and layered in mysteries. I was challenged and intrigued all the way through.

A resounding conclusion the the Extreme Measures series!

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

ebook available to anyone, anywhere who has a .com (US) Kindle account

US — paperback or ebook — winner’s choice

Canada — paperback or ebook (via a gift card to Canadian Amazon) or audible (.ca)

If you would like a chance to win a copy of Countdown, leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoread AT yahoo DOT ca. If you add an email to your comment, remember to use AT and DOT instead of @ and . in order to protect yourself from spammers. If you enter the draw via email, please add the title to the subject line so it’s easy to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Saturday August 12, 2023.

Fugitive in Hiding + Giveaway

Framed and on the run…with killers on their trail.

When her brother is set up for a murder he didn’t commit, the last thing Naomi Pearson wants to do is turn to her bounty hunter ex-husband for help. But she knows Connor Ryan is her best option to bring Jared home safely after he disappears. When the criminals come after Naomi too, will Connor’s protection keep her alive long enough to find her brother?

Range River Bounty Hunters

My Review:

Fugitive in Hiding opens in an adrenaline rush frenzy and doesn’t really let up until the very end. Loved the pacing, the complicated plot twists, the surprise ending (!!!!!) and especially the Reunion Romance. I had heart palpitations all the way through.

So, Naomi and Connor were married once upon a time — a teenage love story that took a wrong turn. But now, twenty years later, they’re both older and wiser and, most importantly, have found faith, which is going to make all the difference in the possibility of a second chance. Their romance is emotionally charged and realistically portrayed and I was invested from that opening scene.

This is the fourth (and sadly) the last book in Night’s Range River Bounty Hunters series and, though it reads well as a standalone, I enjoyed meeting up with all the characters that have made this series so memorable. And absolutely love the glimpse into the intricacies of the bounty hunting profession. Such a unique spin for a romantic suspense series. I’m eager to see what Jenna Night has in store of us next!

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

This giveaway is for a paperback copy and is available to any reader any where so — yay — another International Giveaway!

If you would like a chance to win a copy of Fugitive in Hiding, leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoread AT yahoo DOT ca. If you add an email to your comment, remember to use AT and DOT instead of @ and . in order to protect yourself from spammers. If you enter the draw via email, please add the title to the subject line so it’s easy to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Saturday August 12, 2023.

This is Where it Ends + Giveaway

When Minerva Jane Jenkins was just 14 years old, she married a man who moved her to the mountains. He carried with him a small box, which he told her was filled with gold. And when he died 50 years later, he made her promise to keep his secret. She is to tell no one about the box or the treasure it contains.

Now 94, Minerva is nearing the end of what has sometimes been a lonely life. But she’s kept that secret. Even so, rumors of hidden gold have a way of spreading, and Minerva is visited by a reporter, Del Rankin, who wants to know more of her story. His friend who joins him only wants to find the location of the gold. Neither of them knows quite who they’re up against when it comes to the old woman on the mountain.

As an unlikely friendship develops, Minerva is tempted to reveal her secret to Del. After all, how long is one bound by a promise? But the truth of what’s really buried in the box may be hidden even from her.

My Review:

This was a bit out of my comfort zone when it comes to the kinds of books I usually read so I approached the story with a wee bit of trepidation. I knew it would be well written, but would I be able to lose myself in the lives of these characters? I wasn’t exactly sure and I’ll admit, that though I had a paperback copy in hand, I chose to listen to the audible edition brilliantly narrated by Barbara McCulloh and she really brought Minerva Jane to life. Her crotchety old lady interpretation is highly entertaining! 🙂

I’ve discovered of late that I really enjoy stories that feature intergenerational friendships. In this case, we have 94 year old Minerva and thirty year old Del and the way their relationship develops is by turns, amusing and touching. And, oh my, the ‘Minerva-isms’ that leap off the page — especially the folk wisdom and mountain lore idioms ! I’d be laughing one minute and stunned into reflective silence the next.

‘This Is Where It Ends‘ is a contemplative tale of one woman’s life as present circumstances force her to look into her past. It’s told entirely in Minerva’s first person point of view…until a couple of chapters at the end. Emotionally charged. Tender. Frustrating. Heartbreaking. I’ll admit to feeling slightly melancholic by the end though hope is gently laced throughout the story.

Topics of found family, forgiveness, truth and enduring love make this more of a character driven story. I want to call it ‘quiet’ but that doesn’t mean it’s not compelling. I was quickly immersed in the Appalachian lifestyle through Sproles’ rich, descriptive prose and I think a piece of my heart is still with these characters. You can’t ask for much more from a story than that.

Book provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications Inc.

Giveaway Opportunity:

This giveaway is for a paperback copy and is available to any reader, any where — so, yay, another International Giveaway!

If you would like a chance to win a copy of This is Where it Ends leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoread AT yahoo DOT ca. If you add an email to your comment, remember to use AT and DOT instead of @ and . in order to protect yourself from spammers. If you enter the draw via email, please add the title to the subject line so it’s easy to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Saturday August 12 , 2023.