Like All Things Beautiful by Shannon McCrimmon

Title: Like All Things Beautiful
 
Author: Shannon McCrimmon

Publisher: CreateSpace

Published Date: May 2, 2015

Buy on Amazon: Kindle  & Paperback 
   

Author Facebook:
www.facebook.com/shannonmccrimmonauthor 

Author Website: www.shannonmccrimmon.com

Synopsis: 

In this sequel to Kiss Me Hard Before You Go, Evie Barnes is living day-to-day, trying to keep her father's land and his cattle business afloat. She is adjusting to his absence and to living with Finch and the rest of the carnies, which is creating quite a stir amongst the locals in Haines. As Finch and the others learn a new way of life that doesn't involve the carnival, they're dealing with prejudice from almost everyone in town. A string of suspicious incidents occur, prompting all fingers to point the blame at them. Just when Evie and Finch learn to deal with the mountain of obstacles facing them, the unexpected happens, causing them to question if their relationship can survive it all.

 

My Thoughts:

Shannon McCrimmon's Like All Things Beautiful is the second novel in her The Hearts of Haines series. I read the first book, Kiss Me Hard Before You Go, last May and fell head over heels in love with Evie, Finch, Gray, and the other kaleidoscope of characters (my review found here.) When I discovered that there was not only going to be a sequel, but a series as well, it seriously felt like my birthday and Christmas all rolled into one! Kiss Me Hard Before You Go was one of my favorite reads last year. The whole concept of a traveling Carnival being held on Evie's farm on a yearly basis was fresh and different. McCrimmon created truly memorable characters in Doris, Mouse, Friedrich and the other carnies. Mixed in with the love story were issues everyone faces in their lives such as family problems, money difficulties, and struggles with best friends. To find out that everyone's story had not ended and I would be able to see what was next for them was exciting.  I was also eager to watch Evie and Finch's relationship bloom. 

Like All Things Beautiful picks up shortly after Kiss Me Hard Before You Go ends. Evie is not only adjusting to life without Gray but to her new found family. Meanwhile, Finch, Doris, Friedrich, and Mouse are adjusting to farm life and beginning to love their new home and lifestyle. The community of Haines, however, is anything but welcoming. Things begin rough for Evie's new family but as the book progresses things go from bad to worse. The one steady thing is Evie and Finch's relationship. It's easy to see that they truly love each other and will do whatever is needed to make their new life on the farm work. Financial issues can sometimes be the death of a relationship, but Evie and Finch are able to rise above that, judgmental neighbors, and other obstacles life throws their way.  

In Like All Things Beautiful we get to know Finch better. Evie sees another side to Finch when she travels with him to Florida to retrieve the personal belongings of Finch and the other carnies. Evie learns a lot through her conversations with Finch’s friends. We also find out more about Finch’s relationship with his mother and what makes him tick. This is an important trip for Evie; it really opens her eyes to what a wonderful man she has.

Shannon McCrimmon's Like All Things Beautiful is a touching continuation of Kiss Me Hard Before You Go. There are many up's and down's, as well as ample opportunities for you to laugh, cry, and pick your jaw up off the floor.  The next book in The Hearts of Haines series is This Is Where We Begin and follows Evie's best friend, Katie.  Katie has found herself single, pregnant, and disowned from her family and it is next on my to be read list! If you have yet to check out this series I implore you to do so as quickly as possible! You won't be disappointed!

Shannon McCrimmon

*I have been provided a complimentary copy of the book, Like All Things Beautiful, for the purpose of review.*

This Jaded Heart by Marion Marchetto (The Bridgewater Chronicles #2)

Title: This Jaded Heart

Author: Marion Marchetto

Publisher: CreateSpace

Published Date: April 27, 2014

Buy on Amazon: Paperback and Kindle

Author's Website : http://marionmarchetto.com

 

Synopsis:

This Jaded Heart is the second book of The Bridgewater Chronicles - a family saga that follows the Newkirk family dynasty from the late 19th century through the present time.

In This Jaded Heart, a grown up Birdie Newkirk returns to home Bridgewater from her Boston boarding school ready to find love and make her mark on the world. Having inherited the negative traits of both her parents, Birdie does indeed make her mark on the world - but in all the wrong ways!

To her way of thinking Birdie believes she was abandoned by her mother years earlier when she was sent to Boston to receive a proper education. The emptiness created by her mother's infrequent visits has hardened her heart.

A scandal of epic proportions exiles a grown Birdie to Europe until the furor dies down. As she flits from the arms of one man only to land in the arms of another, she leaves a trail of broken hearts behind as she locks away her own heart to keep from having it broken. Her exploits take her to both the East and West Coasts of America, London, Paris, the heart of Provence, and finally to a town along the Silk Road in Turkmenistan as she searches for unconditional love. But it is her home - Bridgewater - that sustains her as she moves through the decades trying to win her mother's approval.

Follow Birdie's journey through this second generation of the Newkirk family as she poises the family for the future.

My Thoughts:

Marion Marchetto's second book in her five book Historical Fiction series, The Bridgewater Chronicles, is This Jaded Heart. Following a grown up Birdie as well as her family, This Jaded Heart is told from several perspectives: Birdie, her father Kevin, her mother Cordelia, Head Steward Lawson, and Kevin's lifelong love Jeannette. The chapters flow easily as This Jaded Heart spans several years. The first book in the series, Stairway to My Heart, centered around young Cordelia and Kevin and their loveless marriage. You can find my review of Stairway to My Heart here.  When This Jaded Heart begins their oldest daughter, Birdie, has arrived home from school. Kevin and Cordelia's plan is to find her a suitable husband that will further the Newkirk name, however Birdie has different plans.

Birdie has a huge chip on her shoulder. She despises her mother who she feels sent her away at a young age so that she wouldn't have to deal with her as she was growing up. Birdie has a difficult time loving others; the only people she will admit to loving are her siblings and father.  Birdie swears she will never fall in love or marry because she wants to be an independent woman without any strings holding her back. The older she gets the more troublesome and jaded she becomes. No man will make a fool of her or control her.  Kevin and Cordelia can hardly handle Birdie and her numerous escapades have a lasting effect on the Newkirk family.

In Stairway to My Heart we learned of Kevin's love for Jeannette and Cordelia's love for Lawson. Their relationships were known and accepted by each spouse while hidden to others. We see in This Jaded Heart that the love of the two couples has stood the test of time. Their children have grown, tragedy upon tragedy has occurred, life has continued to move on, and yet their relationships are as strong as ever. Marchetto does a wonderful job of transitioning each chapter to a different voice.  In no way is it choppy, it flows easily which is hard to do.  I appreciated being able to read from each characters view and see what they were really thinking and feeling as This Jaded Heart progressed.

If you are a fan of historical fiction (or fiction in general!) then this series is definitely for you! Marchetto excellently captures the feeling of the progressing 20th Century America in her series as it spans the 1920’s ends in 1946. The characters are wonderfully developed with flaws both big and small. I'm very excited to read the third installment in Marion Marchetto's The Bridgewater Chronicles, Teddy Blue. It follows Kevin and Cordelia's grandchildren. With all of the twists and turns in This Jaded Heart, I can only imagine what will occur in Teddy Blue! Do yourself a favor and pick up this series!

Marion Marchetto has provided me with a complimentary copy of the book, This Jaded Heart, for the purpose of review.  

It's RELEASE DAY for 'Like All Things Beautiful' (Hearts of Haines #2) and 'This is Where We Begin' (Hearts of Haines #3)

I am very excited that today, May 14th, is the release of Shannon McCrimmon's newest novels, Like All Things Beautiful (Hearts of Haines #2) and This is Where We Begin (Hearts of Haines #3) on Amazon. To celebrate the release of these 2 books, Kiss Me Hard Before you Go (Hearts of Haines #1) will be FREE on Amazon May 14-18.





Like All Things Beautiful

(Hearts Of Haines, #2)

Buy on Amazon at http://goo.gl/9voYxJ

In this sequel to Kiss Me Hard Before You Go, Evie Barnes is living day-to-day, trying to keep her father's land and his cattle business afloat. She is adjusting to his absence and to living with Finch and the rest of the carnies, which is creating quite a stir amongst the locals in Haines.

As Finch and the others learn a new way of life that doesn't involve the carnival, they're dealing with prejudice from almost everyone in town. A string of suspicious incidents occur, prompting all fingers to point the blame at them.

Just when Evie and Finch learn to deal with the mountain of obstacles facing them, the unexpected happens, causing them to question if their relationship can survive it all.

Link: www.goodreads.com/book/show/25309904-like-all-things-beautiful

 

 

 

 

This is Where We Begin

(Hearts Of Haines, #3)

Buy on Amazon at http://goo.gl/ZYMrwq 

 

 

In this continuation in the Hearts of Haines Series, Katie McDaniels is unemployed, pregnant, and relying on Evie and Finch for a place to live. She is trying to survive. Nothing seems to be going right for her until Preston Dobbins steps into her life and an unexpected gift comes her way, finally giving her a chance at happiness.

Preston Dobbins is fighting his strong feelings for Katie McDaniels. He guards a well-kept secret, one that consumes him with guilt.

As an old foe threatens Katie's happiness, Preston risks everything to save her from tragedy.

Link: www.goodreads.com/book/show/25309932-this-is-where-we-begin

 

 

Kiss Me Hard Before You Go 
(Hearts of Haines #1)
Buy on Amazon at http://goo.gl/VbZaoH

Every summer, Gray Barnes and his eighteen-year old daughter, Evie, open up their farm in the foothills of South Carolina to Kip Kierkin's Carnival of Wonder. The carnival attracts hordes of locals and out-of-towners, and it brings in the extra cash that Gray and his daughter need to keep the family estate running.

Evie decided long ago that she wants nothing to do with the carnival or the farm that her dad so desperately works to keep afloat. She doesn't understand her father's appreciation for the land or the work that it takes to maintain it, but that's all about to change when she meets Finch Mills.

Finch is a lifer – a carny since birth. He's spent all of his twenty-two years on the circuit and longs for a different path. He's never paid much attention to Evie, not until this eventful summer of 1978.

 

 

Author Bio:

 

Shannon McCrimmon was born and raised in Central Florida. She attended Rollins College and earned a Master's Degree in Counseling. In 2008, she moved to the upstate of South Carolina. It was the move that inspired her to write her first novel. She currently lives in Greenville, South Carolina with her husband and toy poodle. She'd love to hear from you! Connect with her at shannonmccrimmon.com

Shannon McCrimmon

Social Links:

shannonmccrimmon.com

facebook.com/shannonmccrimmonauthor

instagram.com/writermccrimmon

twitter.com/smccrimmon1

 

Little Black Lies by Sandra Block

 
Title: Little Black Lies
 
Author: Sandra Block

Publisher: Grand Central Publishing

Published Date: February 17, 2015

Buy on Amazon: Paperback & Kindle 

Author Website: http://www.sandraablock.com/

Synopsis:

She helps people conquer their demons. But she has a few of her own...

In the halls of the psychiatric ward, Dr. Zoe Goldman is a resident in training, dedicated to helping troubled patients. However, she has plenty of baggage of her own. When Zoe becomes obsessed with questions about her own mother's death, the truth remains tauntingly out of reach, locked away within her nightmares of an uncontrollable fire. And as her adoptive mother loses her memory to dementia, the time to find the answers is running out.

As Zoe digs deeper, she realizes that the danger is not just in her dreams but is now close at hand. And she has no choice but to face what terrifies her the most. Because what she can't remember just might kill her.

Little Black Lies is about madness and memory - and the dangerous, little lies we tell ourselves just to survive.

My Thoughts:

Little Black Lies, by Sandra Block, is a suspenseful thriller that had me on the edge of my seat from beginning to end. After moving back to her hometown, Psychiatric Resident Zoe has started a new job in the Psychiatric Unit at her local hospital.  Zoe thought it best to come home and help her brother with their ailing mother, who suffers from dementia and is getting worse day by day.  Brokenhearted, Zoe leaves her 'Frenchman' boyfriend behind when Jean Luc suggests they should not attempt a long distance relationship. With her mother settled into a nursing home, Zoe moves in with her brother Scotty and begins her residency. 

Things seem to be going as smoothly as they can for Zoe. However, Zoe becomes distressed when out of the blue she begins having a nightmare that she hasn't experienced since her teenage years. Zoe was adopted at a young age after her mother died in a fire that Zoe was rescued from. Her nightmare consists of when she was caught in the fire. She has blocked out her life before her adoption, but the nightmare makes her begin to question the unknowns of her past. 

Zoe has always been thankful to her adoptive mother for raising and loving her and giving her a happy life. She loves her mother with all of her heart and seeing her slowly lose her memory kills her. Zoe never really dwelled on her birth mother or the fire. However, with the emergence of her nightmares, Zoe realizes that there are a lot of unanswered questions and with her mother quickly falling prey to dementia, she might not have another chance to fully understand her past.

On top of the stresses of her failing love life and sick mother, Zoe is assigned a new patient named Sofia. Sofia has been incarcerated in a Psych ward since she was a teenager and she killed her mother and injured her brother. Sofia is not your normal run of the mill crazy person. She's in her 30's, very beautiful and uses it to her advantage. After spending half of her life around Psychiatrists, Sofia has learned what to say and how to play the game. Zoe's boss feels they should look into releasing Sofia into the world. It's Zoe's job to find out if she is fully recovered and competent enough to lead a normal life.  Zoe finds that she cannot trust Sofia, there is something about her that is 'off.'  Is Zoe biased because she knows Sofia murdered her own mother and Zoe lost her birth mother and is slowly losing her adopted mother to a horrible disease?

Sandra Block's Little Black Lies follows Zoe as she struggles missing Jean Luc, figuring out if Sofia is truly rehabilitated, and piecing together her screwed up past. This novel is full of twists and turns. I can honestly say that the ending of the book was a total shock and surprise. Once I realized what was happening my jaw was on the floor.

Little Black Lies is extremely well written with relatable and three-dimensional characters. It is truly a must read. I really empathized with Zoe and Scotty as they watched their mother diminish day by day. Block did a wonderful job of illustrating how having a loved one with dementia will impact family members. This book is an absolute perfect summer read! I read it extremely fast because once I started it I had to see it through until it ended. Job well done to Sandra Block!

                                                

The publisher has provided me with a complimentary copy of the book, Little Black Lies, for the purpose of review.