Shelley Reads and Writes

Tag: women’s fiction

  • There is NEVER a Bad Nicholas Sparks Book!

    Book Cover off of Amazon Website

    Though Nicholas Sparks is a favorite author of mine, I haven’t been buying his books like I used to. It is not because I don’t love them. There are so many good books for free on my Kindle that I rarely buy books anymore. However, I recently got a gift certificate, and I splurged on a few books by my favorite authors, including Sparks.

    The Wish by Nicholas Sparks brings us to New York City, where Maggie Dawes is a successful photographer with her own gallery. Though she has traveled the world, her illness has kept her close to home for quite a while. As she approaches her last Christmas, she bonds with her new assistant as he discovers the beauty of New York during the holiday season.

    During their nights together, she begins to tell him a story of her favorite Christmas, back in 1996. Though she wasn’t happy to be sent to live with her aunt in the remote village of Ocracoke, it turned out to be the best thing for her.

    There weren’t many teenagers on the island, so she really struggled until she met Bryce Trickett. Bryce was everything she wasn’t. He was smart and had his whole life planned out, while she was pretty lost and struggling. What started as tutoring turned into something better as he introduced her to photography. Then, they fell in love, but Maggie’s age and Bryce’s drive to succeed and go far kept them apart when Maggie had to return home!

    If you love Nicholas Sparks (or you have never read anything of his), you really need to read The Wish. You won’t regret it!

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    If you are interested in this book, you can grab it from Amazon right here!

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    Please note, this is an affiliate link, where I will receive compensation if you buy the product, without any extra cost to you.

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    Stay tuned for my next book review.

    Til next time.

  • Will Elizabeth Find Her Happy Ending?

    Book Cover off of Amazon Website

    In Mail Order Mishap by Jennifer Branson, Elizabeth Holt makes a mistake in Boston and is sent to live with her brother in Westwind. She is unhappy about it and will let anyone know about it!

    Though George Caldwell came to Westwind for a woman he thought that he loved, he has decided to stick around. The only thing missing is a woman to love, so he sends away for a mail-order Bride.

    When the uppity Elizabeth Holt gets dumped by her horse in his proverbial lap, he isn’t sure what to make of her. Will he be able to get past her grumpiness to figure out what will make her happy? Will Elizabeth decide to go back home, or will she find happiness in Westwind?

    Another great story in the series. I am sad to see it end!

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    If you are interested in this book, you can grab it from Amazon right here!

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    Please note, this is an affiliate link, where I will receive compensation if you buy the product, without any extra cost to you.

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    Stay tuned for my next book review.

    Til next time.

  • Can Willa Find a Way to Save Her Family Farm?

    Book Cover off of Amazon Website

    In Mail Order Mister by Jennifer Branson, we meet Willa Brown, a young woman who rushes home to save her farm. She had left the farm to begin an apprenticeship as a dressmaker, but had no choice but to return after the loss of her brother, mother, and unborn sibling.

    As her father struggles to get out of bed, she has to figure out how to save her farm from debt collectors. She knows that the only way to do so is by getting some money, so marriage is a possibility, but she isn’t sure that she wants to marry a stranger, just to save her family.

    When Harrison Holt comes to town to help them rebuild after a devastating fire, their paths quickly pass. He wants to buy a portion of the farm for his next brickyard, while Willa has a different plan. She counters marriage, knowing that she can give him the land, and he can give her the money for the farm. Seems like a win-win if the two of them can get along!

    When someone from her past comes along, it threatens to destroy the beginning of something great.

    Another sweet romance in this series! You have to check it out!

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    If you are interested in this book, you can grab it from Amazon right here!

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    Please note, this is an affiliate link, where I will receive compensation if you buy the product, without any extra cost to you.

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    Stay tuned for my next book review.

    Til next time.

  • Millie’s Story Continues

    Book Cover off of Amazon Website

    Millie is back to looking for employment, and even though she has been out of jail for years, her past is still following her around.

    So, when she finds the Garricks, she thanks her lucky stars. Mr. Garrick gave her a job cleaning their stunning penthouse and preparing meals.

    However, she finds it strange that, even as the days and weeks go by, she hasn’t met Mrs. Garrick, who stays in a room the entire time that she is working. When she hears her crying, she can’t help herself. She just has to check on her. When the door opens, it changes everything.

    So, Millie makes a promise. She is going to help Mrs. Garrick get away from her husband. She has done it before. She can protect Mrs. Garrick, no matter what. Mr. Garrick has got to pay.

    Another great thriller. I can’t wait to see how Millie’s story is going to end with the next book!

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    If you are interested in this book, you can grab it from Amazon right here!

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    Please note, this is an affiliate link, where I will receive compensation if you buy the product, without any extra cost to you.

    ***

    Stay tuned for my next book review.

    Til next time.

  • This Book Stayed with Me for Ages After I Put it Down

    Book Cover off of Amazon Website

    In Timoney’s novel, The Daughter She Gave Away, we meet two couples in impossible situations. Meg gets a terrible diagnosis and finds out that she only has a few months left to live. She is worried about her husband, Simon, and their beautiful fourteen-year-old daughter, Grace.

    That also means she will have to tell Grace the secret they have been keeping from her for her entire life. That, even though Simon is her father, Meg is not her birth mother. Simon’s first wife was the one who gave birth to Grace.

    However, Cassie was in no shape to take care of a baby at that time. So, Meg and Simon stepped up and have raised Grace as their own. But, with losing her own mother, Meg thinks that Grace deserves to know the truth and meet the mother who gave birth to her.

    However, is Cassie ready to meet the daughter she had to give away? Will she be able to handle it when the truth comes out on her end? Or will it change her entire life?

    This book was really emotional for me. To think of dying and leaving your children behind is absolutely gut-wrenching for me, let alone thinking about hurting your child before you do so! This is a must-read!

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    If you are interested in this book, you can grab it from Amazon right here!

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    Please note, this is an affiliate link, where I will receive compensation if you buy the product, without any extra cost to you.

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    Stay tuned for my next book review.

    Til next time.

  • One Summer Brought Four Very Different Women Together

    Book Cover off of Amazon Website

    Sandra Pennington is feeling lonely. She has lived alone since the death of her husband five years ago. However, this year, she is also feeling the loss of her best friend (though not to death but to dementia). Her children have no plans to visit her over the summer, and she is downright lonely.

    So, she does what any sensible woman would do, right? She rents out her remaining bedrooms and operates a bed-and-breakfast over the summer.

    Though her children aren’t sure, she decides to go through with it and invites three women into her home.

    Mary is a lawyer who recently retired and isn’t sure what her next step is. However, a vacation in Maine might just give her the clarity that she needs.

    High school teacher Amanda decides to leave her long-time boyfriend at home and take some time to figure out what she wants in life.

    Patty, a last-minute add-in, is determined to have a good time, no matter how down on her luck she is.

    These three women start spending one dinner a week together, but quickly realize they need friendship to help them discover what their futures hold.

    If you are looking for a book about happy endings, finding yourselves, and spending time with good friends, this book will be perfect for you!

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    If you are interested in this book, you can grab it from Amazon right here!

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    Please note, this is an affiliate link, where I will receive compensation if you buy the product, without any extra cost to you.

    ***

    Stay tuned for my next book review.

    Til next time.

  • Can You Really Be Happily Married Fifteen Years Later?

    Book Cover off of Amazon Website

    Millie and Tom were only eighteen years old when they found out that they were going to have a baby. So, they did what any young couple would do? They got married and starred in a TV documentary about teenage marriage.

    Even though their families weren’t so sure that it was the right thing to do, they have managed to raise a family and are approaching their fifteenth wedding anniversary. They are both working hard, struggling with money, and raising two teenage daughters. Life isn’t as easy as it was back then.

    When the TV crew wants to do a follow-up to the documentary, Millie is worried that certain things are going to come out in the open, things she doesn’t want Tom to know. Will the couple survive a week of filming, even as their (and their daughter’s) lives explode?

    I enjoyed the entire series about the Jennings sisters. You can tell that they all love each other, even though they may not agree with each other’s choices. This is a good series by Sheila Norton.

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    If you are interested in this book, you can grab it from Amazon right here!

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    Please note, this is an affiliate link, where I will receive compensation if you buy the product, without any extra cost to you.

    ***

    Stay tuned for my next book review.

    Til next time.

  • Debra’s Life Changes But She Will Prevail!

    Book Cover off of Amazon Website

    Debra thought she had the perfect life. She was happily married with three perfect children and lived in a wonderful house. She never had to worry about money.

    When her marriage comes crashing down, she struggles to accept that her life is going to change. Though her husband (or ex-husband) said that he would support her and the children, she quickly learns that she doesn’t want that. She vows to get a job and find a place that she can afford, though it isn’t as easy as she thought it would be.

    Will Debra be able to pull through? Or will she give in to temptation? Or will she discover herself when she loses everything?

    I really enjoyed the second book in the series, and am looking forward to learning more about Millie in the third book!

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    If you are interested in this book, you can grab it from Amazon right here!

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    Please note, this is an affiliate link, where I will receive compensation if you buy the product, without any extra cost to you.

    ***

    Stay tuned for my next book review.

    Til next time.

  • Being Single Is Enough for Sophie

    Book Cover off of Amazon Website

    At thirty-four, Sophie Jennings is happily single. Though her friends and sisters are settling down, getting married, and having babies, she is truly happy with her life.

    She has her own business and flat, good friends, and a man she can call whenever she likes. Charlie isn’t exactly her boyfriend, but he is always there for her when she needs him.

    As a wedding hairdresser, she hears all kinds of stories from nervous brides. They often ask her for advice, just like all of her other friends and family. She isn’t sure how a single girl is able to give advice, but she does it to the best of her ability.

    That being said, will Sophie stay single for the rest of her life? Or will she get pressured into getting married?

    I really enjoyed this book and can’t wait to read the next one about divorce!

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    If you are interested in this book, you can grab it from Amazon right here!

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    Please note, this is an affiliate link, where I will receive compensation if you buy the product, without any extra cost to you.

    ***

    Stay tuned for my next book review.

    Til next time.

  • Two Friends Struggle with Their Weight, Happiness, and the Loss of Their Friend

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    I wasn’t looking for a book like this, but Higgins’ book Good Luck with That really hit a nerve. As someone who is overweight and trying to find the willpower to lose weight, this book really talked to me.

    Emerson, Georgia, and Marley have been best friends ever since they met at a weight-loss camp as teens. They truly found someone who loved them, no matter their size, though they still had a list of the things that they would do once they finally got skinny!

    When Emerson tragically passes away, her friends are shocked that she wants them to carry out the things on their list, right now, before they run out of time! She didn’t want them to wait until they got skinny!

    It isn’t easy. Marley has been carrying around the loss of her twin since she was four years old. Because of that, she hasn’t been able to find love. Georgia has been dealing with rejection from her mother and brother her whole life, due to her size. She has to learn how to love herself, no matter what her size. Her ex-husband loved her, even at her heaviest, but she wasn’t able to see that!

    As the two friends grow stronger, they learn to love themselves and start living, even if they still have quite a few pounds to lose. This book was really an eye-opener for me. I have said many things that both Marley and Georgia have said. When I am skinny, my life will be better. However, I have to learn to love myself too!

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    If you are interested in this book, you can grab it from Amazon right here!

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    Please note, this is an affiliate link, where I will receive compensation if you buy the product, without any extra cost to you.

    ***

    Stay tuned for my next book review.

    Til next time.