Books are food for my soul! Pull up a beach chair and stick your toes in the sand as the Jersey surf rolls in and out, now open your book and let your imagination take you away.
Showing posts with label Womens Fiction. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Womens Fiction. Show all posts

Thursday, October 5, 2023

Winter Road by Joanne DeMaio (Book Review)

In association with Author Joanne DeMaio, Jersey Girl Book Reviews is pleased to host the virtual book tour event for Winter Road!







Book Review



Winter Road by Joanne DeMaio
The Winter Novels Series
Publisher: Independent Self Publishing
Publication Date: October 2, 2023
Format: Paperback - 258 pages
               Kindle - 1927 KB
               Audible Audiobook - 6 Hours 41 Minutes
               Nook: 746 KB
ISBN: 979-8399947617
ASIN (Audiobook): B0CC6FRMGN
ASIN (Kindle): B0C75BCLQH
BNID: 2940161039113
Genre: Holiday Romance / Winter Novel / Women's Fiction



Buy The Book:



Disclaimer: I received a copy of the book from the author in exchange for my honest review.



Book Description:

From New York Times bestselling author Joanne DeMaio comes a heartwarming novel as beautiful as a home aglow for the holidays.

Home, for Joel Briggs, is the old New England farmhouse on Winter Road. From the front porch, he listens to the barred owls or watches the towering Christmas tree lit up in the yard. It's a quiet road, kind of like his life. Quiet.

Until Faye Weston walks right into it. What begins as a chance encounter one bittersweet winter night turns into a cherished friendship. A friendship that neither wants to jeopardize. Yet they do. Unless, like the Christmas season asks, they choose to believe -- not only in their friendship, but in the winding road of their love story.


My Book Review:


In Winter Road, author Joanne DeMaio transports the reader to the quaint small New England lakeside town of Addison, Connecticut for another heartwarming holiday tale of family, friendship, new beginnings, and finding a chance at unexpected love.

Winter Road is a wonderful holiday story that will tug at the heartstrings and fill the reader with seasonal joy. Author Joanne DeMaio weaves a spellbinding tale set in the quaint New England town of Addison, Connecticut, that captivates the reader's attention with the latest heartwarming holiday romance from her Winter Novels series.

Faye Weston isn't feeling the holiday spirit, her apartment lease was unexpectedly terminated, and she finds herself temporarily staying at her dad's house. As the year comes to an end, Faye's dad tries to rally her spirit and enourages her to write out a list of 35 goals to complete in the new year. 

Joel Briggs is the owner of Joel's Bar and Grille, a popular historical tavern in Addison. Joel is a good guy, who everyone loves in this tight knit lakeside town. He owns a farmhouse on Winter Road, and loves his piece of New England paradise, but he realizes that his life is too quiet, and as the year ends, he realizes that he hasn't found that special someone.

Faye unexpectedly meets Joel when she goes with her dad to the tavern for the New Year's Eve celebration. Joel's tavern has a traditional New Year's Eve sweeping out the old year at midnight with decorative mini whisk corn brooms. Joel finds Faye outside the tavern in tears, and he encourages her to stop crying and join in the tradition. As the new year begins, Faye and Joel go about their lives, but another unexpected second chance meeting eight months later brings them together as neighbors, and a close friendship begins. Can Faye and Joel's friendship grow to something more as the holiday season comes to Winter Road

Winter Road is a wonderful story that has a rich description of the breathtaking holiday decorated small town setting filled with holiday traditions. Faye and Joel find an unexpected chance at love as their story unfolds in a magical way that will make the reader believe in the power of love, family, friendship, new beginnings, and the joy of the holiday season.

There are not enough words that I can express about the simplicity and beauty in which author Joanne DeMaio weaves her heartwarming and multi-layered stories filled with a mixture of love, friendship, family, life's changes, and unexpected special moments, it is simply breathtaking. As the reader follows Faye and Joel's story, the author cleverly interweaves characters and events from the previous books in the collection that provides a seamless continuation of their stories from winter to winter. And as a surprise bonus, the author includes our favorite couple, Jason and Maris Barlow, from the popular Seaside Saga series!

I would be remiss if I didn't mention how the richly vivid description of the town of Addison is phenomenal, you'll yearn to visit the area and experience the quaint lakeside town's holiday tradition and friendly townspeople. Ms. DeMaio has a special gift for transporting the readers into every story that she weaves while leaving them yearning for more!

Winter Road is an enchanting holiday story full of warmth and comfort that will remind the reader of the magic, joy, cheer, and spirit of Christmas. It is a lovely story that will resonate with the reader for a very long time.

Winter Road is the latest installment in The Winter Novels series, each book is a stand alone read, but each book does have intertwining snippets from the previous books, so you'll want to read the whole collection!


RATING: 5 STARS 




About The Author




Joanne DeMaio is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of contemporary fiction. She enjoys writing about friendship, family, love, and choices while setting her stories in New England towns or by the sea. Winter Road is her newest novel. Currently at work on her next book, Joanne lives with her family in Connecticut.


Author Website
Amazon Author Page
Facebook
Twitter


Wednesday, June 29, 2022

The Last Summer (Of You & Me) by Ann Brashares (Book Review)

 




The Last Summer (Of You & Me) by Ann Brashares
Publisher: Riverhead Books
Publication Date: June 6, 2007
Format: Hardcover - 320 pages
               Paperback - 320 pages
               Kindle - 608 KB
               Nook - 476 KB
ISBN (HC): 978-1594489174
ISBN (PB): 978-1594483080
ASIN: B001974DEW
BNID: 978-1440637469
Genre: Women's Fiction



Buy The Book:



Disclaimer: I purchased a copy of the book from Books & Treasures monthly book club subscription.



Book Description:

From the New York Times-bestselling author of The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants Ann Brashares comes her first adult novel.

In the town of Waterby on Fire Island, the rhythms and rituals of summer are sacrosanct: the ceremonial arrivals and departures by ferry; yacht club dinners with terrible food and breathtaking views; the virtual decree against shoes; and the generational parade of sandy, sun-bleached kids, running, swimming, squealing, and coming of age on the beach.

Set against this vivid backdrop, The Last Summer (of You and Me) is the enchanting, heartrending story of a beach-community friendship triangle and summertime romance among three young adults for whom summer and this place have meant everything. Sisters Riley and Alice, now in their twenties, have been returning to their parents’ modest beach house every summer for their entire lives. Petite, tenacious Riley is a tomboy and a lifeguard, always ready for a midnight swim, a gale-force sail, or a barefoot sprint down the beach. Beautiful Alice is lithe, gentle, a reader and a thinker, and worshipful of her older sister. And every summer growing up, in the big house that overshadowed their humble one, there was Paul, a friend as important to both girls as the place itself, who has now finally returned to the island after three years away. But his return marks a season of tremendous change, and when a simmering attraction, a serious illness, and a deep secret all collide, the three friends are launched into an unfamiliar adult world, a world from which their summer haven can no longer protect them.

Ann Brashares has won millions of fans with her blockbuster series, The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants, in which she so powerfully captured the emotional complexities of female friendship and young love. With The Last Summer (of You and Me), she moves on to introduce a new set of characters and adult relationships just as true, endearing, and unforgettable. With warmth, humor, and wisdom, Brashares makes us feel the excruciating joys and pangs of love—both platonic and romantic. She reminds us of the strength and sting of friendship, the great ache of loss, and the complicated weight of family loyalty. Thoughtful, lyrical, and tremendously moving, The Last Summer (of You and Me) is a deeply felt celebration of summer and nostalgia for youth. 


Book Excerpt:




My Book Review:

In The Last Summer (Of You & Me), author Ann Brashares transports the reader to the seaside town of Waterby on Fire Island, New York, that follows the summer of change for three longtime childhood friends.

Sisters Riley and Alice have spent their summers on Fire Island along with Paul, their childhood friend and boy-next-door. Now in their twenties, the sisters are back in town for the summer, and Paul is returning to the island after three years. What these three childhood friends don't know is that this last summer will change their lives forever.  

In The Last Summer, author Ann Brashares easily captivates her readers' attention with this beautifully written tale through a seamless and flowing storyline, a wonderful description of a tranquil island setting, and characters who draw you into their lives with a strong emotional pull, along with their complexities, flaws and secrets.

The Last Summer is an intricate story of interweaving friendships, life events, and deeply held secrets and drama. It is a wonderful story that introduces the reader to sisters Riley (24 years old) and Alice (21 years old), and their childhood friend Paul (24 years old). With flashbacks to past summers spent on Fire Island interwoven with the current summer, the reader will follow along as this summer of change will bring drama as a simmering attraction develops, a tragic serious illness occurs, and longheld secrets are revealed that will test their bonds of friendship, while they experience and face the challenges of adulthood as they leave their childhood behind. The reader will be kept engaged as this heartbreaking story unfolds, taking them on a roller coaster ride where they will experience the full gamet of emotions, until they come full circle at the conclusion. I would be remiss if I didn't mention how much I enjoyed the author's rich description of Fire Island, it made me want to visit there sometime. 

If you are looking for an emotional beach story to read on a hot summer day, look no further, The Last Summer is that book!



RATING: 5 STARS 





About The Author




Ann Brashares is the New York Times bestselling author of the phenomenally bestselling series of young adult novels, The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants. Her first adult novel, The Last Summer (of You and Me) debuted on the New York Times list, in both hardcover and paperback, where it stayed for months. Ann and her husband live with their three children in New York.








Thursday, October 7, 2021

Winter House by Joanne DeMaio (Book Review)

In association with Author Joanne DeMaio, Jersey Girl Book Reviews is pleased to host the virtual book tour event for Winter House!






Book Review



Winter House by Joanne DeMaio
Winter Novel Collection
Publisher: Independent Self Publishing
Publication Date: PB - September 7, 2021 / eBook - September 14, 2021
Format: Paperback - 256 pages
               Kindle - 2387 KB
               Audible Audiobook - 6 Hours 20 Minutes
               Nook: 1 MB
ISBN: 979-8744649753
ASIN (Audiobook): B098FGKRS3
ASIN (Kindle): B091J52CND
BNID: 2940162223207
Genre: Holiday Romance / Winter Novel / Women's Fiction



Buy The Book:



Disclaimer: I received a copy of the book from the author in exchange for my honest review.



Book Description:

From New York Times bestselling author Joanne DeMaio comes an enchanting novel about a beautiful old house and the love story it opens its doors to.

New England in December is a special world. Wreath-topped lampposts shine, balsam garland drapes across picket fences, and fresh snow dusts the land. Then there are the decorated houses: saltboxes, Victorians, farmhouses, Tudors. Tiny lights shimmer on front porches; candles glow in paned windows. But one imposing stone colonial towers dark in the night.

Since moving to town, Millie Ives has heard hushed whisperings of that house -- and of the mysterious man who lives and works there. A chance happening leads Millie to this Mr. Winter's spellbinding shop just past the bell tower. Surprisingly, he's not who she thought he'd be.

As the month unfolds, both find themselves on each other's minds and in each other's hearts. Yet when Millie tries to bridge a gap in his life, she risks losing him. Unless the spirit of the season can bring them back together at the Winter House



Book Excerpt:

Click on the link to read an excerpt from Winter House



My Book Review:

In Winter House, author Joanne DeMaio transports the reader to the quaint small New England lakeside town of Addison, Connecticut for another heartwarming holiday tale of family, friendship, new beginnings, and finding a chance at unexpected love.

Winter House is a wonderful holiday story that will tug at the heartstrings and fill the reader with seasonal joy. Author Joanne DeMaio weaves a spellbinding tale set in the quaint New England town of Addison, Connecticut, that captivates the reader's attention with the latest heartwarming holiday romance from her Winter Novels collection.

Dean Winter's life is upturned when his father Hank gives him a proposition / ultimatum ... leave his Southern California life of flipping houses and return home to Addison, Connecticut, and buy the family home and lighting shop, or he'll put it up for sale. One year later, Dean is very busy running the shop, Lighting Lodge, but he neglects the Christmas decorating tradition of the Winter House, and has a rocky relationship with his father. 

Millie Ives just broke up with her longtime boyfriend and lost her job working at their woodworking company. On a whim Millie is ready for a new beginning, and she takes a job as an image scout for Perfect Puzzles, and buys a beautiful small cabin named Finch Farmhouse in the Snowflake Lake cabin community of Addison, Connecticut. 

Millie meets Dean when she takes her favorite painted mason jar lamp to get repaired. Millie is unaware that Dean is the abrupt, cold as ice, distant Mr. Winter that the townsfolk warned her about. Millie is enjoying everything that the picturesque town of Addison offers, even the unexpected chance meetings with Dean that slowly develops into something more. But there is just one thing that hampers their happiness, Dean's rocky relationship with his dad, especially when Hank offers to help Dean with the shop and decorating the neglected family home. Can Millie thaw Dean's frosty heart, and help him re-establish his relationship with his dad, and bring the holiday tradition back to the Winter House

Winter House is a wonderful story that has a rich description of the breathtaking holiday decorated small town setting filled with holiday traditions. Dean and Millie find an unexpected chance at love as their story unfolds in a magical way that will make the reader believe in the power of love, family, friendship, new beginnings, and the joy of the holiday season.

There are not enough words that I can express about the simplicity and beauty in which author Joanne DeMaio weaves her heartwarming and multi-layered stories filled with a mixture of love, friendship, family, life's changes, and unexpected special moments, it is simply breathtaking. As the reader follows Dean and Millie's story, the author cleverly interweaves characters and events from the previous books in the collection that provides a seamless continuation of their stories from winter to winter. 

I would be remiss if I didn't mention how the richly vivid description of the town of Addison is phenomenal, you'll yearn to visit the area and experience the quaint lakeside town's holiday tradition and friendly townspeople. Ms. DeMaio has a special gift for transporting the readers into every story that she weaves while leaving them yearning for more!

Winter House is an enchanting holiday story full of warmth and comfort that will remind the reader of the magic, joy, cheer, and spirit of Christmas. It is a lovely story that will resonate with the reader for a very long time.

Winter House is the latest installment in The Winter Novels collection, each book is a stand alone read, but each book does have intertwining snippets from the previous books, so you'll want to read the whole collection!


RATING: 5 STARS 




About The Author



Joanne DeMaio is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of contemporary fiction. She enjoys writing about friendship, family, love, and choices while setting her stories in New England towns or by the sea. Winter House is her newest novel. Currently at work on her next book, Joanne lives with her family in Connecticut.


Author Website
Amazon Author Page
Facebook
Twitter
Instagram
Pinterest
Goodreads