BOOK TOUR / REVIEW FOR - THE OTHER SIDE OF THE BRIDGE - BY - CAMRON WRIGHT

Welcome to my stop on this amazing tour.

DESCRIPTION:

Katie Connelly has lived in San Francisco all her life. Her late father made his career on the Golden Gate Bridge, and the many stories of how he saved jumpers still haunt her. And now her job assignment is to write about the history of the bridge-a history that includes a secret journal about a promise ring and a love story that may be the answer to her unresolved sorrow.

Meanwhile, Dave Riley, a marketing executive in New York, has sorrows of his own. Grasping at straws after tragedy strikes his family, he decides to follow a daydream that has turned into an obsession: to drive across the Golden Gate Bridge on a motorcycle on the Fourth of July. Does the bridge somehow mysteriously hold the answers both Katie and Dave are looking for? Or will they find something completely different when they get to the other side?

MY REVIEW / THOUGHTS:

When the opportunity came up to review one of Camron Wright's books I jumped at it.  His book "The Rent Collector" is one of my favorites, so I knew I was getting a good book.

This story was so complex, and beautiful.  I have to admit I had read some reviews that made me wonder if I would love it as much as I did his other books, lets just say, everyone has their own opinion, and I loved this book.  It was so moving.

We follow two different stories in this book, that end up being intertwined, but not in a way you think it would be.

Katie is a single woman who has been tasked with writing a story about The Golden Gate Bridge.  This is something near and dear to her heart, since her father worked on the bridge for years, saving people from jumping to their deaths.  

I learned so much about the making of this bridge from Katie's research, and I have always had a fascination with the Golden Gate Bridge, but I still have never been.  I want to go now more than ever.  I feel like I would be able to feel the people who worked so tirelessly to make it such a great site.  There were so many lives lost while building the bridge, but also some wonderful friendships and stories that came from it as well.  Katie does such a great job researching and bringing to life these amazing people who helped build the bridge.  It's so great.

Dave on the other hand has a story that is so tragic, that it was hard for me to read.  I don't want to give anything away, but his man had a hard go at life for a while.  He had a dream to drive across the Golden Gate Bridge on the 4th of July, with the sun at his back and the wind blowing through his hair.  His Grandfather had helped build the bridge and had told him that it had helped him find answers.  Dave was hoping the same thing would happen for him.  But, how could he leave his life and his work and just go take off on a Harley across the country.

The story that brings this to life is so wonderfully tragic.  We all face loss, disappointment, and anger.  What we do with that is what makes us who we are as humans now.  Dave seem to be stuck in the anger, until he met Redd.  Redd introduced Dave to his first Harley Davidson (which is a bike I swoon over every time I see one.....I don't want to ride it I just want it to sit in my garage and look pretty).  

When Dave finally decides he is going to go for his dream.  He walks out on his work, and his life, buys a Harley and heads towards San Francisco.  

This book is such a great story of love, loss, anger, friendship, devotion, and new beginnings.  I couldn't put this one down.  It was so captivating to hear two different peoples look on life and to see how their little lives come together just for a moment.  That moment seems to be what they are both looking for.

Wright is an excellent writer.  He brings the world to life.  He brings tragedy to the forefront and makes your heart ache.  He also tells such a compelling story that now all I want to do is learn more about the bridge.  

Pick this one up.  I know I always say that, but that is because I love to read and love to share the books I love with others.  You won't be disappointed.  It is such a beautiful, and meaningful story.  We all need to find our place in this world and sometime it takes some longer than others.  Sometimes we think we have found it, and learn that there can be more to add to the beauty that is already around us.  

I cannot say enough good things about this book!  Read it.  You won't regret it.

Source:  I was given this book as part of a book tour.  I was not compensate  in any way for this review.  These are my own PERSONAL thoughts on the book.

MY RATING:

this deserves the +1

WHERE TO BUY:

    

ABOUT THE AMAZING AUTHOR:

pic and bio taken from shadowmountain.com

Camron Wright holds a master’s degree in writing and public relations. He says he began writing to get out of attending MBA school, and it proved the better decision. His first book, Letters for Emily, was a Readers Choice award winner, as well as a selection of the Doubleday Book Club and the Literary Guild. His next novel, The Rent Collector, won Book of the Year, Fiction, from ForeWord Reviews; Best Novel of the Year from the Whitney Awards; and was a nominee for the prestigious International DUBLIN Literary Award. The Orphan Keeper is his most recent publication. Camron lives with his wife, Alicyn, in Utah. They are the parents of four children.

A SPECIAL THANKS TO

Sarah Cobabe @

for the opportunity to participate in this wonderful tour!

BLOG TOUR / REVIEW FOR - ASHES ON THE MOOR - BY - SARAH M. EDEN

WELCOME TO MY STOP FOR THIS TOUR!

 

pic and description taken from shadowmountain.com

DESCRIPTION:

When Evangeline is sent to live in a small mill town in Northern England as a schoolteacher in 1871, she finds herself struggling to fit in with an unfamiliar culture. Raised with the high-class Victorian values and ideals of a sophisticated upbringing, she is unprepared for the poverty she finds in the gritty factory town of Smeatley, where the locals speak with a hard-to-understand Yorkshire accent and struggle to thrive with few resources or opportunities.

Though she has no training as a teacher, she must prove herself successful before her grandfather will release her substantial inheritance to her and allow her to be reunited with her younger sister, the last remaining member of her family after a fever claimed the lives of her parents and brothers.

MY REVIEW / THOUGHTS:

Well, we all know how I feel about Proper Romance Books, but this is Proper Romance plus Sarah Eden.  Yes, Please!!!!  I love this author.  I like all of the authors, but I don’t know if I just enjoy her so much because I have actually met and talked with her a few times.  She is such a delightful person.  Her writing always brings a smile to my face.

Evangeline, is forced to be an independent woman after being brought up in high society when an accident takes all of her family away except one sister.  Lucy.  Instead of being able to mourn their family their Aunt Barton came and ripped them from their home and took them to Smeatley. 

Evangeline, promised Lucy they would always be together, but her Aunt Barton had other plans.  Not only did she rip Lucy away from her, she forced her into a teaching position, and into a home all alone.  Then she was told she wasn’t allowed to reveal their family relations or she would be fired.

This sounds like such a great family.  Aunt Barton told Evangeline that she would be checking on her progress and if she didn’t show that she could take care of her self then she would never be able to take care of Lucy either. 

Forced into a life she didn’t want Evangeline takes the high road and decides she going to do the best she can with the circumstances she has been put in.

She meets a neighbor man by the name of Dermont, who ends up helping her more than any one has in her whole life.  Evangeline doesn’t seem to mind that he is Irish like most of the town did when he arrived.  Dermont is a hard working man taking care of his son Ronan and building houses and fences.  He is a master at masonry.

This is such a sweet story of love, hope, endurance, and hard work.  The setting is so beautiful.  I love the town of Smeatley.  I was right there with the town people and Evangeline as she navigates through her new life.  It didn’t hurt anything that she had a yummy man living right down the street from her (Dermont) that helped her so much and made her feel welcome.

Evangeline is an amazing character.  She is kind, loving, compassionate, and fiery!  I love the fire she has.  She is a lady but is learning that she doesn’t have to take all the grieve her aunt and uncle are giving her anymore.  She finds joy in life, in the town and in the children, she is teaching.  She genuinely loves them, and it shows through this whole book.

I felt for the people in this small town, and all the hardships they faced, and how they all pulled together no matter what.  It is just such a wonderful, uplifting story.  It gave me chills, made me angry, and made me cry.  All good things a book can do for me 😊.  I loved every minute of this book.  I hope you take a chance to pick it up and read it.  It’s just a beautiful story.

Source:  I was given this book as part of a blog tour in return for an honest review.  I was not compensated in any way for this review.  These are my own PERSONAL thoughts on the book.

MY RATING:

WHERE TO BUY:

    

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Pic and bio taken from shadowmountain.com

SARAH M. EDEN read her first Jane Austen novel in elementary school and has been an Austen addict ever since. Fascinated by the English Regency era, Eden became a regular in that section of the reference department at her local library, where she painstakingly researched this extraordinary chapter in history. Eden is an award-winning author of short stories and was a Whitney Award finalist for her novels Seeking Persephone and Courting Miss Lancaster.

www.sarahmeden.com

A SPECIAL THANKS TO:

PRE-RELEASE REVIEW FOR: MISS WILTON'S WALTZ - BY - JOSI S. KILPACK - BOOK TO RELEASE MAY 1, 2018

WELCOME TO MY PRE-RELEASE REVIEW FOR: 

 MISS WILTON’S WALTZ

pic and description taken from shadowountain.com

book to release May 1, 2018

DESCRIPTION:

Lenora Wilton has spent her life hiding behind the keys of her beloved pianoforte and vibrancy of her younger sister, Cassie. But Lenora is ready for a change and beings her journey of self-discovery by traveling to Bath to live with her Aunt Gwen and teach music at an all-girls’ boarding school. She is different in Bath and enjoys the freedom and independence of her new life there. When Lenora meets Aiden Asher, she finds herself attracted to him, but her unexpected feelings become more complicated when she learns that Catherine-Lenora’s newest and most troublesome student in the school-is Mr. Asher’s niece.

Catherine is a difficult student, but Lenora feels as though she is making progress with the girl even as the chemistry between Lenora and Aiden increases. When they share a passionate kiss by the River Avon, Lenora feels it is the beginning of new forever-until she learns that Aiden has withheld an important detail about his life that changes everything.

Lenora closes her heart to him, and Aiden, caught between his obligation and his heart, must do what he can to make amends. And Lenora, after years of hiding from everyone and everything, faces a decision only she can make.

MY REVIEW / THOUGHTS:

It’s no surprise to those who read my blog how much I love the Proper Romance series.  The books are so wonderful, and clean and always carry such a great story.  This installment to the Proper Romance series is not different.  It’s amazing!  I love Kilpack’s writing.

This is a follow up book to the Vicar’s Daughter, and I was so excited to receive the book.  We get to see the sister rejected in the Vicar’s Daughter get her chance at love.  If she will just let it happen.

I just want to introduced my favorite characters to you, and hopefully you will love them as much as I did!

Lenora – in The Vicar’s Daughter she drove me a little insane.  She was so insecure and quiet, that it bugged me.  Probably just because that is so opposite of my own personality.  I never understood how she couldn’t speak her mind.  NOW, we get to see a whole new Lenora.  I love her.  She is still terribly shy, but she has been living with her Aunt and has gained more confidence and is just a delightful character.  Her ability to handle a difficult teenager made me happy.  I wish I could handle my own difficult teenager the same…hehe.  Lenora is just a picture-perfect person of grace, and beauty to me.  I truly loved her character, and was so happy to go on her journey with here in this book.

Aunt Gwen – Now, this woman is a woman after my own heart.  She loves to socialize and always has a kind presence around her.  She is stern, yet loving, and just all around amazing.  I love how she helps Lenora see the good in people, and helps her to come out of her shell a little.  She is the kind of Aunt every one should have.  One that is always there for you no matter what, and willing to help even when you’re stubborn and don’t want to listen to advice.  I love her so much.

Catherine – well, let me think of how to describe her, without being too unkind 😉.  She is a rotten teenager who makes everyone lives difficult especially if she doesn’t get her way.  She did have a horrible life until her Uncle took her in, but her snarky and full on disrespectful attitude, makes her a great character to hate.  Or love.  It’s a fine line.  I ended up really rooting for her and hoping she would see the light.  She is surrounded by people who have vowed to never abandon her again, but she has trust issues.  Which is very understandable.

Aiden – Mmmmm….Mmmmm….Mmmmm Aiden.  He comes off a bit brash at first but even then, you can tell he has a good heart.  He had to leave his estate to come and take care of his niece who is a petulant child, yet he loves her and cares for her the best he can.  He is such a gentleman.  I swooned over him the whole time.  His character is so well written.  The whole book is well written but these characters are stellar.

I don’t want to say too much about the book because I want you to go buy it for yourself.  It’s such a wonderfully, sweet romance.  The setting of this book is beautiful and I found myself completely emerged in the culture and time.  Kilpack has an amazing way of doing that for her readers.  There are other supporting characters that bring this book to life as well, but these four are what I want to focus on.  They are beautiful.  Dealing with real life situations, just in a different time.

This story captured me from the beginning and held me until the end.  It’s very well written, and has some amazing and complex characters.  If you like historical romances you should pick this one up, you won’t regret it!  It’s so beautiful.

Source:  I was given this book in return for an honest review.  I was not compensated in any way for this review.  These are my own PERSONAL thoughts on the story.

MY RATING:

WHERE TO PRE-ORDER:

      

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

bio and pic taken from shadowmountain.com

Josi S. Kilpack began her first novel in 1998. Her seventh novel, Sheep’s Clothing, won the 2007 Whitney Award for Mystery/Suspense. Rocky Road is Josi’s nineteenth novel and the tenth book in the Sadie Hoffmiller Culinary Mystery Series. Josi currently lives in Willard, Utah, with her husband and children. 

SPECIAL THANKS TO:

and Josi S. Kilpack

BLOG TOUR / REVIEW FOR - CHECK ME OUT - BY BECCA WILHITE

“Borges: ‘Paradise will be a kind of library.’ Don’t wait for heaven! Go to the Library #SaveFranklinLibrary” (from “Check Me Out” by Becca Wilhite, page 264)

Welcome to my stop on this tour.  I opened with this quote from the book because it is my favorite.

DESCRIPTION:

Taken fromshadow mountain

Greta loves her job as assistant librarian. She loves her best friend, Will, the high school civics teacher and debate coach. She even loves her mother despite her obvious disappointment that Greta is still single.

Then she meets Mac in the poetry section of the library, and she is smitten. Mac is heart-stoppingly gorgeous and showers her with affection, poetic text messages, and free hot chocolate at the local café where he works. The only problem is that he seems to be a different person in his texts than in his face-to-face conversation.

When the Franklin Library is threatened with closure, Greta leaps into action. She arranges for a “battle of the bands” book jam, hosts a book signing by a famous author, and finally, stages a protest that raises more than a few eyebrows.

Through it all, she slowly realizes that it is Will, not Mac, who she turns to for support and encouragement. Mac has the looks; Will has the heart. How can she choose between them?

MY REVIEW / THOUGHTS:

I don’t think there is any book in The Proper Romance Collection that could be bad!  This book was so cute, and so entertaining.

Greta works in a Library, that is facing extinction.  She is putting all her efforts into way to save her beloved library.  There is just something so magical about libraries.  I have to admit I don’t check out from libraries, but sitting in them is magical.

This is a book that had a lot of “oh my gosh, how stupid are you” moments coming out of my mouth, and then the next sentence would be “oooohhhhhh”.  Wilhite brought out a lot of emotions for me in this beautiful, and passionate love story.

Gretta had a great passion for her work, and her friends.  Especially Will.  He has always been her saving grace in every stage of life.  Then walks in Mac.

The ONLY thing I didn’t like about this book was how often Will was referred to as “large”.  I wish we could only meet people through knowing their heart first before ever actually seeing them.  There would be a lot less judgment in the world.  Being a good person is what we should all be, and Will was a great example of that.

Having said all that, Will is by far my most favorite character in this book. He is one of the most swoon worthy men I have read about in a long time.  He has so much love to give, he is kind, he is compassionate, and he is a poet…. mmmmmm.

There are moments in this book when I wanted to throw my book, but had to see what was going to happen next, so I had to wait 😊. 

Pick this book up, you won’t regret it.  It was a pleasure reading from beginning to end.

Source:  I was given this book as part of a blog tour, in return for an honest review.  I was not compensated in any way for my review.  These are my own PERSONAL thoughts on the book.

MY RATING:

WHERE TO BUY:

    

  

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

pic and bio taken from shadowmountain.com

Becca Wilhite, author of Bright Blue Miracle and My Ridiculous Romantic Obsessions, is a happy wife, and a mom to four above-average kids. High school English teacher by day, writer by night (or very early morning), she loves hiking, Broadway shows, food, books, and movies. You can find her online at beccawilhite.com.

A SPECIAL THANKS TO:

Sarah Cobabe @ shadow mountain for allowing me to be part of this awesome tour!