Heirlooms by Sandra Byrd Book Review

Heirlooms by Sandra Byrd

Description from Amazon:

Answering a woman’s desperate call for help, young Navy widow Helen Devries opens her Whidbey Island home as a refuge to Choi Eunhee. As they bond over common losses and a delicate, potentially devastating secret, their friendship spans the remainder of their lives.

After losing her mother, Cassidy Quinn spent her childhood summers with her gran, Helen, at her farmhouse. Nourished by her grandmother’s love and encouragement, Cassidy discovers a passion that she hopes will bloom into a career. But after Helen passes, Cassidy learns that her home and garden have fallen into serious disrepair. Worse, a looming tax debt threatens her inheritance. Facing the loss of her legacy and in need of allies and ideas, Cassidy reaches out to Nick, her former love, despite the complicated emotions brought by having him back in her life.

Cassidy inherits not only the family home but a task, spoken with her grandmother’s final breaths: ask Grace Kim―Eunhee’s granddaughter―to help sort through the contents of the locked hope chest in the attic. As she and Grace dig into the past, they unearth their grandmothers’ long-held secret and more. Each startling revelation reshapes their understanding of their grandmothers and ultimately inspires the courage to take risks and make changes to own their lives.

Set in both modern-day and midcentury Whidbey Island, Washington, this dual-narrative story of four women―grandmothers and granddaughters―intertwines across generations to explore the secrets we keep, the love we pass down, and the heirlooms we inherit from a well-lived life.

I pretty quickly got pulled into this story and came to really like the characters. I was really into Helen and Eunhee's story and was a bit disappointed when the story shifted focus to Cassidy's timeline. I've gotten really tired of these dual-timeline stories as they can be really annoying to keep straight with their many characters; but fortunately that wasn't the case with this one! 

Both characters were so expertly written that I found myself feeling a little sad (but also excited) when the story switched back to the other. I definitely preferred Helen and Eunhee's story, but Cassidy's flowed well throughout.

Having grown up in Washington state (not too far away from where the book was set!) I was extremely familiar with the setting and it was very nostalgic for me. I could easily imagine everything going on what things looked like or how things were. This is also a testament to how well the book was written; even if you've never visited Washington the story is so well described (without being over the top) that it's easy to imagine it like a movie in your mind. 

And not only is the book well written setting-wise, it's well written period-wise as well. I enjoyed all the descriptions and nods to life during the 50's. Rotary phones and party lines, Elvis on TV, learning to cook from cookbooks and gardening from Better Homes & Gardens books. It all really helped to set the scene!

I appreciated the mentions of the Korean war and the role it played in Eunhee's life. There is unfortunately a reason why it is called The Forgotten War and I always wonder why books (even ones written during the 50's) completely ignore it. Life for the Korean people before, during, and after the Korean war was very difficult. There is a huge gap in the market for stories like this. 

Eunhee coming to America with her Navy husband and then trying to make a life here, while also trying to keep in touch with her family in Korea, leads to some struggles and heartbreak (I don't want to give any of the plot away!).

I enjoyed learning about the Korean culture and the role it played in the story. Especially son-mat, which means "hand taste or the taste-from-one's-hands". What a sweet way of passing on family traditions/recipes to the next generation! 

This was a beautiful story about family, friendship, community, culture, and heartbreak. This story touched on some tough topics but there were so many wonderful, tender moments that made this a truly enjoyable story to read. I read a lot of books and while there aren't many that I would say truly stick with me, this was one I will continue to think about for a long time.

I received a complimentary e-copy of this book from Tyndale House Publishers through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. 

Heirlooms releases on July 5, 2022.

Long Way Home by Lynn Austin Book Review

Long Way Home by Lynn Austin

Description from Amazon:

Peggy Serrano couldn’t wait for her best friend to come home from the war. But the Jimmy Barnett who returns is much different from the Jimmy who left, changed so drastically by his experience as a medic in Europe that he can barely function. When he attempts the unthinkable, his parents check him into the VA hospital. Peggy determines to help the Barnetts unravel what might have happened to send their son over the edge. She starts by contacting Jimmy’s war buddies, trying to identify the mysterious woman in the photo they find in Jimmy’s belongings.

Seven years earlier, sensing the rising tide against her people, Gisela Wolff and her family flee Germany aboard the passenger ship St. Louis, bound for Havana, Cuba. Gisela meets Sam Shapiro on board and the two fall quickly in love. But the ship is denied safe harbor and sent back to Europe. Thus begins Gisela’s perilous journey of exile and survival, made possible only by the kindness and courage of a series of strangers she meets along the way, including one man who will change the course of her life.

I was quite disappointed by this book and found it to be pretty boring. The whole story was just so slow! It wasn't until maybe the last 1/4 of the book where it seemed to pick up speed and the plot finally moved forward. So much of the book was just repeating the same things. 

Most of Gisela's storyline was just one bad thing after another. I mean, I know there was a lot of bad happening (Obviously! It was war!) but typically you'll at least have a few small good moments. It just got to be depressing. I already knew what had happened with the St. Louis, but too much time was spent telling the facts about what happened without really adding any story to it. 

I would have much preferred this story to have focused solely on Peggy instead of the dual-storyline. I think that really detracted from both characters as we don't really get to know either of them very well or understand their motivations. 

I didn't care for Gisela at all really. She was kind of irrational with how she reacted to people helping her and the way she rushed into her romance with Sam made her (and their relationship) feel unnatural to me. I found Peggy to be more personable and relatable.

I did really like the relationship between Peggy and Jimmy's parents. I think we can all relate to feeling like we don't fit in at times, even within our own families, so I really liked how Peggy found acceptance with Jimmy's parents. 

For most of the book I was confused by Peggy and Jimmy's relationship. They're friends, but there is a mention that she has a crush on him, but she also doesn't find it weird that the guy she has a crush on is carrying the picture of another girl with him? And then later she says he's like a brother to her? It was just confusing to me and didn't fully make sense until the very end.

I've read several of this author's books and have enjoyed them (In fact, I included If I Were You as one of my favorite reads from 2020!) but this one just didn't have the same feel to it that the others have. I don't really know what it was about this one, but it just fell flat for me.

I received a complimentary e-copy of this book from Tyndale House Publishers through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. 

Long Way Home releases on June 21, 2022.

All That It Takes by Nicole Deese Book Review

All That It Takes by Nicole Deese:

From back cover:

When the ever-cautious Val Locklier moves cross-country with her son for a secure job, everything she'd planned unravels within the first week. After Val reluctantly agrees to rent an apartment from her best friend's brother, an unexpected chance at an elite filmmakers' mentorship ignites fresh hope for a dream career. But as Val's community begins to expand, so do her insecurities, especially those heightened by her growing attraction to a certain friendly landlord. 

Pastor Miles McKenzie returns home from a short-term mission trip to discover that not only does he have an intriguing new tenant living upstairs, he's also been reassigned to a local ministry on life support. Disillusioned and restless, he distracts himself by throwing his energy into a host of new projects--not the least of which is pursuing Val--without stopping to consider the future. 

As Val struggles to stop hiding behind the camera and Miles wrestles with shattered expectations, they'll find that authentic love and sacrifice must go hand in hand.

I really enjoyed this book! I included the first book, All That Really Matters, in my list of favorite reads from 2021, so I was really glad that I liked this book just as much as the first! Although I maybe liked this one slightly better only because I related to Val a little more. 

The characters in this story are so likable. They're relatable, flawed and well rounded; they just felt so real! Even the secondary and minor characters take on a life of their own and come across as very genuine. Miles is just so kind and I love his relationship with Tucker, Val is easy to relate to with her personality and insecurities, and Tucker (Val's son) is so fun and lovable. And the way Val and Miles re-meet really had me laughing. I won't ruin it but it's pretty hilarious and involves a lightsaber. 

Miles and Val both struggle when their life plans get disrupted and they're left trying to figure out what to do next. They're forced to stop and reevaluate who they are and what direction they want to go in. With the help of some wise and some unexpected characters throughout the story we see them on their journey to overcoming their struggles. 

There are some hard topics and lessons that are dealt with throughout the book that I thought were handled well. It's a good reminder that even when things are hard or a circumstance seems hopeless that God can redeem the situation.

I found the faith component to be very well done. It's SO rare to read a Christian book that doesn't come across as preachy. Especially with Miles being a pastor you would expect some preachiness, but it doesn't come across that way at all. Miles isn't perfect and still has struggles and issues relating to church and church politics.

Overall I thoroughly enjoyed this book and really can't think of anything I didn't like about it! The characters, the scene/setting, the romance, faith aspect, the struggles, etc. were so honest, raw, and real that it made the story feel like a movie in your mind. I'm looking forward to whatever comes next from this author!

I received a complimentary e-copy of this book from Bethany House Publishers through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. 

What Matters Most by Courtney Walsh Book Review

 What Matters Most by Courtney Walsh

From back cover:

Emma Woodson is hoping the cobblestone streets of Nantucket and the charm of her late husband’s family cottage will be the fresh start she and her young son, CJ, need. Securing a dream job at an art gallery is one more step along the path to a new life . . . and away from a piece of her history she hopes will never be revealed. Falling in love with the kind and handsome guy she hires to clean out the rental apartment above the garage wasn’t part of the plan.

Jameson Shaw came to Nantucket for one reason: deliver his letter to Emma and never return. But when he sees an opportunity to help her, he takes a chance, desperate to atone for his past. He never planned to keep his connection to her husband a secret or to fall in love with her. After all, he knows that their new relationship might not survive the discovery of who he really is.

Unfortunately I didn't enjoy this book as much as I thought or hoped that I would. I think for me I really just didn't connect with either of the characters. They weren't bad or anything, there was just nothing about them that I could really relate to.  

I felt like Emma and Jamie fell in love way too quickly. It was like instant romance with too much thinking about feelings, then the "big secret" drags on forever (like a little bit longer than I thought it should have). There were a lot of moments that could have been better utilized (like how CJ didn't feel like he really fit into the story. He was just there when it was convenient for a cute moment but most of the time he was just an afterthought. And I liked Emma's relationship with her in-laws, but their conversations about faith were just glossed over and not well used.)

And maybe this is just me, but while the theme of forgiveness is prevalent throughout the book, I did find it odd that Emma seemed to really want Jamie's forgiveness for what she'd done. Especially since she didn't do anything to him. I mean, they needed to work through it but she didn't need his forgiveness, just his acceptance. Meanwhile, Jamie really did need Emma's forgiveness, so that part was played out well.

So while I really enjoy other books by this author, this particular one just wasn't for me. I would instead recommend the Harbor Point series!

I received a complimentary e-copy of this book from Tyndale House Publishers through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. 

What Matters Most releases on April 5, 2022.

Woman in Shadow Book Review

Woman in Shadow by Carrie Stuart Parks

From back cover:

A woman off the grid.

Darby Graham thinks she's on a much-needed vacation in remote Idaho to relax. But before she even arrives at the ranch, an earthquake strikes. Then a barn on the edge of town is engulfed in flames and strange problems at the ranch begin to escalate, and Darby finds herself immersed in a chilling mystery.

A town on fire.

More fires erupt around town, and a serial arsonist sends taunting letters to the press after each. As a forensic linguist, this is Darby's area of expertise...but the scars her work has caused her are also the reason she's trying to escape her life.

A growing darkness.

As the shadows continue to move in, pieces of the town around her come into sharper focus. To make it out alive, Darby must decide if she can trust the one man who sees her clearly.

I've said it before and I'll say it again, I really enjoyed the Gwen Marcey series and everything I've read by this author since then has been disappointing. Fortunately, this book was better than her last several books. It still didn't reach the same level as the Gwen Marcey series, but it's an improvement.

I found Darby to be an interesting character. She was unique and flawed and had experienced a lot of trauma in her life; but I still felt disconnected to her. There was a lot going on, (maybe too much going on.) a lot of characters, and a lot of information at the beginning it was hard to really get to know Darcy quickly.

Darby is a forensic linguist, and while it did play a part in the story, I wish it would have played a bigger role. It's such an interesting job that I would have liked to have learned more about it!

There is certainly something mysterious about being somewhat stranded in a remote location that makes for a very interesting read. The setting is really interesting and having grown up in the Northwest as well as having lived in Idaho, I was easily able to picture the scene and what was going. Even if you've never been to the area it's described well enough that it almost plays like a movie in your mind!

There was a large cast of characters at first and I had a hard time keeping them straight. A couple of them were unique and easy to remember, but the rest were kind of a blur. To the point when the killer was revealed it took me a minute to remember who they were.

I thought the arson plot line was a bit unnecessary. Or at least wished it had tied into the main story-line better.

I also agree with other reviewers that the romance was a bit odd. It just didn't  fit in the story very well and just felt odd and stiff. I don't like it when characters instantly fall in love. The 'tension' between them was ridiculous. 

Overall I found this to be a good story. Not one I would probably go back and reread, but certainly memorable!

I received a complimentary e-copy of this book from Thomas Nelson through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. 

The Nature of Small Birds Book Review

The Nature of Small Birds by Susie Finkbeiner

From back cover:

In 1975, three thousand children were airlifted out of Saigon to be adopted into Western homes. When one of those children announces her plans to return to Vietnam to find her birth mother, her loving adopted family is suddenly thrown back to the events surrounding her unconventional arrival in their lives. 

Mindy's father grapples with the tension between holding on tightly and letting his daughter spread her wings. Her mother undergoes the emotional roller coaster inherent in the adoption of a child from a war-torn country, discovering the joy hidden amid the difficulties. And Mindy and her sister struggle to find the strength to accept each other as they both discover who they truly are. 

I found myself a bit disappointed with this book. I mean, it was a nice story, but it was a story in which nothing really happened. There were some nice, heartfelt moments woven between briefly mentioned struggles, but they are never expounded upon so you don't really get more than a passing glace at them. 

Between the war, struggles to have more children, family issues, Mindy growing up and trying to fit in, her search for her birth family, etc., I felt there were a lot of missed opportunities to go deeper. For instance, I was really hoping for some sort of redemption with the relationship between Linda and her mother-in-law.  There is just a very brief little moment between them towards the end.

Also, I had hoped that Mindy's search for her birth family would have played more of a role in the story. The resolution just has a brief mention at the end and it just felt like it needed something more to really give the reader closure on the subject.

It took me a long time to get the characters straight. And not just that, you are dealing with 3 characters across 3 different timelines. I really enjoyed this author's previous book, All Manner of Things, where we follow one character, Annie. I really felt like I got to know her. This book had so much jumping around with POV it made it hard for me to connect with the characters. At first, they all seemed to have similar voices which made it harder for me to differentiate.

That said, once I got into the book I enjoyed the characters. It just took me longer than it should have to figure everyone out. Bruce's reflections on raising a family, Linda's recollections on early motherhood, and Sonny's relationship and growing up with Mindy during the 80's all give the reader a beautiful glimpse of a middle-class American family.

Overall it was just an okay book. I liked it, but I just don't think it's one that will stay with me quite like All Manner of Things did. 

I received a complimentary e-copy of this book from Revell through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. The Nature of Small Birds releases July 6, 2021.

Is It Any Wonder by Courtney Walsh Book Review

Is It Any Wonder by Courtney Walsh

From back cover:

Twelve years ago, Cody Boggs and Louisa Chambers made a pact that no matter where their lives took them, they'd return to Nantucket Island's Brant Point Lighthouse on July 30, their shared golden birthday, and continue their tradition of exchanging birthday wishes. But that was before a tragic accident upended both of their lives, irrevocable pulling them apart. 

Their worlds collide just months before that particular day when Louisa's fledgling event planning company  is hired by the local Coast Guard station, where she discovers Cody has recently returned to the island as the second in command. As they plan a regatta fundraiser, hoping to promote positive PR in the community, neither can deny the fireworks each encounter ignites. But working together also brings up memories of the day Cody's father died, revealing secrets that have Cody and Louisa questioning everything they thought they knew and felt about their families and each other.

I really enjoyed this book! I would not really consider myself much of a fan of the romance genre, I mean, I don't mind it sometimes but typically I find them to be pretty cheesy. That is not the case with a Courtney Walsh book! She just writes such beautiful, true-to-life, relatable characters.

Both Cody and Louisa have their flaws and issues they have to work through, but this is just a beautiful story of redemption, forgiveness, reconciliation, loss, love, and friendship. 

I was intrigued from the very beginning and it kept me interested until the very end. Even though I figured out a couple of the plot points, I was anxious to find out how it was all going to come together. And I wasn't disappointed!

The only negative thing I can say about this book is that it felt like it needed another page or two at the ending! It just felt like it ended a bit abruptly. Or maybe I just wasn't quite ready to let go of the characters.

This is a story I won't soon forget and one I would definitely recommend! 

I received a complementary copy of this book from Tyndale through Netgalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.