The Christmas Wishing Tree by Emily March - Audio Version

 The Christmas Wishing Tree

by Emily March

Audio Version

The Christmas Wishing Tree is one of those

pleasant surprises. There is a lot of story in

this book. So many people and places. 

There are lives that could be enough for a 

whole book on their own. Mix them all 

together and you get a rich, full, 

surprising, happy story. 

This great big story begins with one little

thing. A guys phone gets ruined. Just 

something so normal and typical. Most 

people have ruined or lost a phone. 

But that one incident leads Devins life 

in a whole new direction. 

Jennas life has been changing directions

far too often to suit her. The changes

have not come at her wish. 

But her son, Reilly, and Jenna have 

managed to make the best of the 

unnerving challenges. 

It is impossible to imagine how a 

ruined phone can affect lives on 

two different continents over a good

bit of time. But Emily March has 

made a wonderful story of it. 

The only way you will find out how 

it can happen is to read it. 

Review by Lisa Hutson

The Meddler - Movie Review

 The Meddler

Movie Review

Released September 2015

I love mother-daughter movies. Especially when 

they have a happy ending. It's a wonderful story.

Full of love. All different types of love. 

When you have to be brave, you step out of 

your comfort zone and say yes to everything. 

I loved this movie. Say yes and watch it. 

Review by Lisa Hutson

Philomena - Movie Review

 Philomena

Movie Review

Philomena is inspired by the true story of a 

woman named Philomena Lee. 

It was released November 2013. 

So it will be easy to find when you 

want to watch it. 

It's an emotional story with the kind of 

humor that comes with humans. 

Philomena finds herself as a teenager

expecting a baby. Seems like such a 

common story. But not if you are 

Philomenas child. I thoroughly enjoyed

watching the whole story. 

Of course, you really can't go 

wrong with Judi Dench. 

Review by Lisa Hutson

The Christmas Wishing Tree by Emily March

The Christmas Wishing Tree

by Emily March

☆☆☆☆☆

And yet, one more Christmas book. A good friend sent

this to me. And she had it signed by the lovely Emily March

for me! What a special treat!!

 

This story is part of the Eternity Springs series. My mom

was a big fan of the series. But I have never before gotten

around to reading any of it. I believe this one might

give me a push to start from the beginning of it.

Devin Murphy has made his way to Eternity Springs for

the holiday with his family. He is living in Australia.

He answers an unexpected and unknown caller on

his cell phone one day.

 Reilly is determined to reach Santa Claus. He has

important things to ask and discuss. 

Jenna Stockton is his mom. She has no idea that

Reilly has been contacting Santa.

 The Christmas Wishing Tree is a sweet, emotional story.

So many wonderful characters. 

Eternity Springs is a welcoming place.

I can only recommend this book. But I will be picking

up more books from this series.

 Thank you, Sue, for this book.

Review by Lisa Hutson

  



Susan's Review of Marry Me In Good Hope by Cindy Kirk

Of all the things Hadley Newhouse expected to find in Good Hope, love wasn’t on the list.

The baker extraordinaire has spent the last three years hiding her past and holding her breath. It isn’t that she likes being evasive. She just doesn’t want to open old wounds. Still, Hadley understands there’s a fine line between discretion and disaster, and she’s pretty sure agreeing to work for sexy single-father David Chapin leaps right over it.

David knows firsthand the havoc secrets can wreak. It was a secret that made his ex-wife walk out on their family, and now a secret elopement has cost him his daughter’s longtime nanny. When he learns that Bloom’s Bake Shop will temporarily close, leaving Hadley without work, he immediately offers her a job. He already knows his daughter adores Hadley, and after a few days with the beautiful baker, David realizes he does too.

Hadley has always believed that happily ever after was meant for other people, not for her. Yet when David paints a picture of a life with him and his daughter, Hadley begins to believe her dream really could come true. But before that can happen, she must come clean. David deserves to know what really brought Hadley to Good Hope—even if hearing it means he’ll want Hadley gone for good.

Hadley Newhouse has had a small but, significant role in each of the Good Hope novels. Hadley started working at Ami Bloom’s bakery in Christmas At Good Hope and she has assumed more responsibility at Blooms Bake shop with the birth of Ami’s baby. Cindy Kirk has sprinkled hints about Hadley in each book—the last two books contained BIG hints— I can honestly say this story was well worth the wait! I LOVED it!

Hadley volunteers at all of the town’s activities and is a well-liked member of the community. She works two jobs to support herself and lives above the bakery. Hadley doesn’t share a lot about her family or her past—just the basics. Two things about Hadley have intrigued me: her past and her interest in Brynn Chapin and her father David. Brynn adores Hadley and it didn’t surprise me when David offered Hadley a job as Brynn’s nanny while the bakery was being remodeled.

Hadley reveals to David that she is Brynn’s natural mother but, that’s not the only well-kept secret in the novel. David and his ex-wife Whitney were not honest during the adoption process. After DNA tests confirm that Hadley is Brynn’s mother, David reveals that his wife omitted an importance piece of medical history during the adoption process. This story technique worked as both characters needed to come to terms with the others actions and forgive each other before they could move forward. Where these decisions made in Brynn’s best interest?

I loved the very emotional scene when Hadley confesses that she is Brynn’s mother to the Bloom sisters. Each sister reacted differently to the news and Fin gave Hadley an important piece of advice. David’s mother, Lynn, does not react well to the news and believes Hadley is taking advantage of the situation.

Marry Me in Good Hope has all of the small town charm and warmth that I adore in this series. Both characters had secrets and they worked together to build an honest relationship. The chemistry between David and Hadley was off the charts and the couple’s sensuous romantic scenes were perfect! Cindy Kirk includes several tough issues in this novel; adoption, DNA testing, abuse and inherited medical conditions. She weaves these elements through the novel—and they add depth and authenticity to the story. Hadley and David’s journey toward happiness wasn’t easy but it ended PERFECTLY!

Reviewed by Susan Gorman

ARC provided by the publisher

Cindy Kirk is a lifelong Nebraska resident who started writing after taking a class at a local community college. But her interest in the written word started years before when she was in her teens. At sixteen she wrote in her diary, “I don’t know what I would do if I couldn’t be a writer.”

Not until her daughter was heading off to college did Cindy return to her first love---writing. Unlike some writers, Cindy wasn’t interested in newspaper or magazine articles, short stories or poetry. When she decided to start writing, she jumped feet first into book length fiction. She loves reading and writing romance because she believes in the power of love and in happily ever after. An incurable romantic, Cindy loves seeing her characters grow and learn from their mistakes and, in the process, achieve a happy ending.

Someone once told Cindy that to know a writer you just have to read what she's written; she hopes that once you read her books you can tell she is an eternal optimist, one who truly believes in the power of love. She invites you to kick off your shoes, pick up one of her books and get to know her. Cindy and her high school sweetheart husband live on an acreage with two dogs and two cats—Oreo--a friendly feline who loves to sit next to the computer and supervise her writing and Leo, a white devil with a raccoon-like tail.

lost and found sisters by Jill Shalvis

lost and found sisters

by Jill Shalvis

 

Wildstone - Book One

 

I have been a big fan of Jill Shalvis for a long time.

I expect certain things from her stories. Much of

which is delivered in lost and found sisters.

Then there is new stuff. The lead character,

Quinn Weller, has a much deeper background

that comes to light in this story. There are the 

chuckles that you look forward to with Jill Shalvis.
There are always fun towns, interesting atmospheres
 and great side characters. But I felt like this story was much

deeper and even has a darker side.

The secrets just kept on coming. The whole story 

was a wonderful surprise. I don't know what

is coming up next in this series. But I do know I am

looking forward to it.

 

I can't explain the title without exposing spoilers.

I believe it will be a much more enjoyable and

interesting read with as little as possible

advance information. I will say this much,

Quinn is a chef in a fancy restaurant

in LA but she cant make a pancake.

And the folks in Wildstone, they dig their

pancakes. With chocolate chips.

 

 "So you're saying you don't feel excited or aroused, Ever."

Well, she hadn't. Until yesterday when she'd reacted to his

leanly muscled build like she'd never seen a man before.

And at the thought, she squirmed again.

"Quinn." He ran a work-roughened finger along the palm of

her hand and she got a full-body shiver. "Do you feel that?"

"Um," she said eloquently.

His eyes held her prisoner while her pulse raced and butter-

flies danced in her belly and at that realization, her palms went

sweaty. She thought about lying but knew she couldn't sell it, not

with how closely he was watching her, seeing her. "Okay, so I feel

something," she managed.

"I think maybe you just switched me back on."

 

My oh my my my, you need to meet Mick. He is a

successful business man that has no interest in being

in Wildstone. No interest at all. But there he is.

Fabulous romance. The story continues to expand

all the way through. Terrific ending. But I sure

am looking forward to the next one.

 

I got this copy from my library.

Review by Lisa Hutson