LOST AND FOUND BOOKSTORE by Susan Wiggs

Publisher:      William Morrow

Published:      July 7, 2020

ISBN:      978-0062914095

Genre:     Women’s Fiction  

Format:     Ebook from Publisher

Reviewed by name and email address:  Gina  myreviewbooks@aol.com

FOUR HEARTS

 

Natalie Harper is on the brink of some major life changes.  She’s about to receive a major promotion at her job in bucolic Sonoma County, California.  What she doesn’t know is that her mother and boyfriend also have a big surprise for her.  There is one other surprise that is far from what she is expecting or would want.  Before that news reaches her she overhears a nasty conversation at work.  Devastated by the horrible comments some co-workers have made about her, Natalie flees her job and heads to her mother’s home in San Francisco—the Lost and Found Bookstore.  In the wake of her mother’s passing Natalie now finds herself not only the proprietor of her family’s bookstore, but as the primary caretaker of her elderly, ailing, grandfather.  Adding to her cares are the amount of repairs the building requires and a stack of unpaid bills.

But Natalie has not only great inner strength, she has friends, her grandfather and the memories of a lifetime of wisdom from her mother.  And with that Natalie begins her journey to a new life.

I’m a long-time fan of Susan Wiggs and when offered the opportunity to review her latest I readily agreed.  Along with that, I lived in, and continue to live just north of San Francisco, just outside Sonoma County and am an avid fan of independent bookstores.  How could I say no to reading and reviewing THE LOST AND FOUND BOOKSTORE?  Wiggs did not disappoint.

Natalie is a wonderful character.  She’s the kind of person you want as a friend—kind, giving, genuine.  She is multi-layered with the same issues we all face at some time or other in our life.  Maybe not losing a parent the way she lost her mother, but we all have times where we deal with the death of a loved one.  We deal with changes of jobs, relationships, both friends and romantic.  Many of us deal with starting over at a time when we thought our lives would be settled.  I loved the way Wiggs takes Natalie through those myriad changes—most all in one shot rather than over time that many of us would confront them. 

Peach Gallagher is the kind of guy you want on your side.  Steady, competent and let’s not forget a hottie.  His relationship with his daughter is one every father should aspire to.  He’s not just a good contractor—he’s a good friend.  His relationship with Natalie’s grandfather is heart warming and genuine.

The story could have taken place anywhere.  The setting in San Francisco just made it a better read for me.  There were a few area where the story didn’t accurately portray San Francisco, but that kind of license made for a better read.  The spirit and flavour of San Franciscans comes through in the pages. 

Like most of Wiggs’ books THE LOST AND FOUND BOOKSTORE can be read purely for its entertainment value or for the deeper look at human relationships and growth.  Natalie’s transition from the corporate world where the bottom line rules to the unwanted job of a bookstore owner to one who loves that job and all it entails is a wonderful read.  I started this book in the morning and stayed up late into the night to finish it.  It’s not an action packed thriller, but a good solid read to pick up and immerse yourself in when you want to remember why hope and love are essential parts of our lives.

This is an objective review and not an endorsement of this book.

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BETWEEN YOU AND ME by Susan Wiggs

William Morrow

June 26^th, 2018

978-006245539

Women’s Fiction, Romance

Hardcover

Reviewed by Dawn (love2read28@gmail.com)

Obtained by Library

4 Hearts

Deep in the Amish country, an accident shatters their peace and a life is in balance as a choice for help in the modern world leaves a community in pieces.

Caleb Stoltz is caught between two worlds. A death bed promise has him raising his niece and nephew in Middle Grove, where the Amish way of life of family, faith and farm are core beliefs and where the distrust of outsiders is at an all time high. But when his nephew is hurt in a farm accident, Caleb makes a choice to save his life by going to the outside world and its hospitals for help.

Doctor Reese Powell is trying to find her own way in the high charged medical world but with two doctors as parents who are renowned, Reese is trying to see if what her parents want for her is whats right for Reese. When she meets Caleb and his nephew, she is thrust in a world where outsiders are distrusted, modern medicine is evil and more. But forced to challenge her beliefs, Reese will find comfort as she befriends Caleb and shows him her world even as she tries to help him navigate the world of modern medicine.

But there is tension rising in Caleb’s home that will cause him to try to figure out what is right- for himself and for his niece and nephew even as he tries to stay away from the one woman who brings a light to his life and peace to his soul.

Wowsers is all I can say after finishing BETWEEN YOU AND ME. I couldn’t put this book down and loved the way the author brought the Amish way of life into a story that was at times tender and respectful. I loved how the author created a story that combined the Amish way of life and the modern world and how they can clash but also how they can meld together cohesively. Susan Wiggs delivers a masterful told story that will leave you breathless from start to finish. The writing is tight and the story just flowed seamlessly, teasing the reader with the tender friendship that blooms between Caleb and Reese to turning to a romance that will leave you smiling at times. The thing that just blew me away were the characters themselves. From Caleb and Reese finding out what secret dreams they ignored to favor what was ‘right’ for them according to others. I loved how Caleb was strong and silent type who sees what the outside world offers his nephew, who needs more help than the Amish community can give him. Reese finds out in the end where she feels she needs to be in the world of medicine and as both Caleb and Reese find out, sometimes you need to take that first step to go on the path you are meant to be on.

BETWEEN YOU AND ME left me in tears by the end. It was a thrilling story that at times uplifts you even as it leaves you on the edge of your seat wondering if Caleb, Reese and a few other are going to do what you think they should do. This book brims with emotion-fears, hope, love, pain, romance and more. You will run the emotional gauntlet with this book, but the ending is worth all the emotional up and downs. This is a story about two different lifestyles that will pull you together then tear you apart. Its about other expectations of yourself, of finding what you are made of in time of tragedy to seeing who you bloom into in times of love. How do you overcome not just personal differences but a lifestyle that is alien to your own? BETWEEN YOU AND ME delves into those questions and more in a way that is a pure delight to read. I highly recommend this newest stand-alone book by Ms. Wiggs if you want to take a journey into a story that will steal your heart by the end of chapter one.

This is an objective review and not an endorsement

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BETWEEN YOU & ME by Susan Wiggs

Publisher:     William Morrow

Published:     June 26, 2018

ISBN:        978-0062425539

Genre:      Women’s Fiction, Contemporary Romance

Format:     Print

Obtained via:  Publisher

Reviewed by name and email address:  Gina  myreviewbooks@aol.com

FIVE HEARTS

 

Ten year old Jonah Stoltz may have started to dream of the life he would want, but a tragic accident has cut short the chance for those dreams.  Reese Powell has buried any dreams she may have had.  Caleb Stoltz had dreams that in a split second came to an end.  Yet in a moment of shock and tragedy these three people may have a chance to find new dreams, dreams filled with a joy they could never have seen until they are brought together.

Reese Powell has been on a straight and steady trajectory toward not only a speciality in paediatric surgery, but to become a part of her very successful parents’ medical practice.  Every step of her life has been toward the best schools, the highest grades, the right people and the most favourable position.  At no point did her parents ask what she wanted and at no time did she feel she could tell them what they wanted for her was not what she wanted for herself. 

Following the death of his brother and sister-in-law, Caleb Stoltz took on the care of their two young children, Hannah and Jonah.  Before his brother, John, died, he asked Caleb to raise Hannah and Jonah as Plain—as part of the Amish community they came from.  Caleb agreed, but at the cost of giving up his own dreams.  He has tried to live in the Amish way, despite how he disagrees with some of the ways, he has done his best, especially in how he has raised John’s children.  But one morning, as Jonah runs out to complete his chores a terrible accident happens.  In a life changing moment  Jonah and Caleb are on board a life flight helicopter and on their way to a trauma center where Jonah’s life might be saved.  At the helm of the trauma center is intern, soon to be doctor, Reese Powell.   

From the moment she meets Caleb she cannot stop thinking about him or his nephew, Jonah.  As Jonah begins the long road toward recovery she finds herself seeking the Stoltzes out more and more.  Despite her best efforts, she finds herself falling in love with the quiet and unassuming Amish man.

But theirs is a relationship that can never be – they come from different cultures, different perspectives, different rules of living, different dreams.  Or is their love strong enough to bridge those differences?

Susan Wiggs’ latest book, BETWEEN YOU & ME is nothing short of amazing.  It is, perhaps, her best story yet.  Told with compassion and understanding she takes her readers into not one complex world, but several.  There are layers to the story and she carefully and engagingly, builds on each layer.  As you meet each character you want to know more about them, you want to be a part of their lives and to travel their paths with them.  Even Caleb’s father, who you want to shake and scream at to open his eyes, who could be drawn as a caricature, is presented in a thoughtful and complex way.  Wiggs’ takes the time to help her readers understand what drives him.

The setting in an Amish community is skilfully contrasted with the modern, bustling world of Philadelphia and the surrounding city.  The love story’s twists and turns, the heartbreak of not being able to be with the one you love is poignant and movingly told. 

Over the years I’ve read pretty much all of Wiggs’ books but this one, BETWEEN YOU & ME, is the best yet.  It is one you do not want to miss.

This is an objective review and not an endorsement of this book.

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MAP OF THE HEART by Susan Wiggs

William Morrow
August 22^nd, 2017
978-0-06-266965-0
Women’s Fiction, Romance
Paperback ARC
Reviewed by Dawn (love2read28@gmail.com)
Obtained by Publisher
4 Hearts

Camille Palmer has spent the last five years grieving for her husband who died tragically and trying to keep their daughter on the straight and narrow. But when a mysterious package arrives to her father, it opens a secret of her family that no one knew about. In the sleepy little town of Bellerive and set the ghosts of the past to rest. But for Camille, her daughter Julie and her father, Henry, they find a summer of transitions for them all as they uncover the past of Henry’s parents and discover that sometimes playing it safe may mean you are missing out on a life worth exploring. Sometimes it takes just enough trust to forge that path to the unknown.

MAP OF THE HEART is a wonderful tale about a family who finds secrets to their family’s past and it causes them to travel to France to see if they can find the answers. I adored this book for a variety of reasons but first and foremost was the story itself. It delivers a current storyline as well as one set in the 1940’s during World War II. It made for a fascinating timeline and the back and forth didn’t deter from the story itself that revolved around Camille, Henry and Julie. It enhanced the story in my opinion. I loved how the author gave just enough backstory in those 1940’s scenes and ties them up in the current time frame with Camille and Henry searching for answers about Henry’s parents and his past. What I loved the most was the cast of characters stayed small yet the secondary characters were all unique and different, keeping the story moving along at a nice even clip while showing clues to the overall mystery. They are well written and diverse, showing their vulnerabilities as well as their strengths to the reader.

Ms. Wiggs has always delivered a story that will thrill me but MAP OF THE HEART just stole my heart in all ways. It was moving, sweet, tense, romantic and utterly entertaining. I loved Camille, Julie and all the other players and the mystery behind their family secrets kept me riveted. I loved finding out little things that were done back during that time and what was going on in Europe as well. It fleshed the book out nicely. The author melds the past with the current world perfectly in a book that celebrates family and the power of love.

If you get a chance and haven’t read this author before, then grab MAP OF THE HEART. You won’t be disappointed at all and this will give you a perfect introduction to this author’s writing style. I look forward to seeing where this author will go next in her writing and hope we won’t have to wait long for the next Susan Wiggs book.

 

This is an objective review and not an endorsement

FAMILY TREE by Susan Wiggs

William Morrow

August 9^th, 2016
978-0-06-242543-0
Contemporary Romance, Women’s Fiction
Paperback ARC
Reviewed by Dawn (love2read28@gmail.com)
Obtained by Publisher
3.5 Hearts

 

Annie Rush loves her handsome husband, is producing one of the hottest cooking shows on TV and now she has found out she is pregnant with their first child. Life is good for Annie until it all comes crashing down around her in one fell swoop. After waking up from a year long coma, Annie finds out her life now is infinitely different then before. Now she is back home in Switchback, Vermont, in the family home, where they have a generations old maple farm. Now Annie has to relearn who she is again as her memories come back in fits and waves, as her past emerges to help her with her present and maybe gives her a future that will be exactly what she wants this time around. Can a life that was changed in a blink of an eye turn out to be one that will give way to a future that is dawning around her?

 

FAMILY TREE is a wonderful tale of a woman betrayed, lost and broken who finds the strength to move ahead even as she doesn’t know what is normal anymore. Susan Wiggs is a wonderful storyteller who delivers a complex yet highly emotional story that will steal her readers’ hearts from the first page to the last. With each page I turned in FAMILY TREE, the reader gets to meet Annie as a young adult and the Annie that emerges from a cocoon of sorts after a devastating accident alters her life in a way she never imagines. Ms. Wiggs delves deep into Annie and her family as she gives the reader glimpses of our heroine’s past that will lead her onto a path that life is determined her to forge. With the deft strokes of a master storyteller, Ms. Wiggs delivers a story that is at times heartfelt, delightful and full of emotion that will warm you on a cold winter’s night.

 

FAMILT TREE introduces the reader to the Rush family, their friends and the small town of Switchback, Vermont. I loved the small town atmosphere and how the author was able to incorporate the maple farm in the story. There were a lot of wonderful scenes set at the Maple farm and gives the reader a glimpse into how its run plus some yummy scenes where I was hoping the author would include recipes for the reader to enjoy. The characters are well written, delightful and quite entertaining. I loved how diverse they are and add in an ex-husband who is quite a dog, well let’s just say I was rooting for Annie to give him hell in the end. The secondary characters are equally entertaining and I loved seeing glimpses of some of them as youngsters. It made them a bit more real to me and life-like.

FAMILY TREE is at times emotional, uplifting and quite a delight to read. I finished it in one sitting and fell in love with the story, the characters and this writer. Ms. Wiggs delves deep in a character that will equally charm and entertain you throughout the book. Even the back and forth between the past and present didn’t annoy me like it normally would have. It gave the characters more depth, in my opinion, to see how they reached where they were in the present life. If you enjoy a story full of mesmerizing characters, a writer who knows how to tell a story and steal the readers’ heart, then you will not be disappointed by FAMILY TREE. I am eager to see where this author goes next and hope I won’t have to wait too long for the next book.

 

This is an objective review and not an endorsement

    

FAMILY TREE by Susan Wiggs

 

Publisher:    William Morrow

Published:   August 9, 2016

ISBN:         978-0062425430

Genre:       Women’s Fiction

Format:     Print

Obtained via:  Publisher  

Reviewed by name and email address:  Gina  Ginalrmreviews@gmail.com

TWO 1/2 HEARTS

 

Annie Rush is on the top of the world—handsome husband, successful television show and she has just found out she is pregnant. What more could a woman want? But in one moment in time it all comes crashing down on her. In a single beat of her heart her baby is lost, her husband and show belong to another woman. But while her world has ended in a moment through a freak accident it takes a year before she learns all she has lost. Or has she lost it all?

When Annie awakes it is not hours later, but a year. One year of her life gone. But more than that year is gone. She wakes of no memory of who she is or how she came to be in the hospital she wakes in. Bit by bit pieces of her life come back to her along with people from her past. People she thought long gone. And with them come secrets things kept hidden from her.  Things are not as bad as all that though.  Annie has the chance many of us would like to have…the chance to start over and this time, get it right.

I’m a long-time fan of Susan Wiggs, particularly her Willow Lake series.  I eagerly awaited the arrival of FAMILY TREE. To say I was disappointed would be putting it mildly. Generally I find women’s fiction to be pretty depressing.  Women of a certain age lose something, if not everything, important to them and they rise from the ashes.  I think you really need to be in the mood to get through all the emotional and/or physical pain the characters go through and be ready for their rising above it all. I never got there with this one. I suppose I should have been surprised when Wiggs, like so many contemporary fiction writers turned to women’s fiction…there is a growing trend toward that and so far I haven’t seen any of these fabulous writers make the transition well. 

To begin with Wiggs breaks her chapters into “Then” chapters that reflect Annie’s life growing up and her early life with Martin—the cheating spouse. In counterpoint there are the “Now” chapters that reflect where Annie is at this point in time. I found it very distracting so after the third “Then” chapter I went through and read all the “Thens” and then went back and read the “Nows”. Doing that helped me with the flow of the story.

My next hurdle was Annie.  I never warmed up to her. The “Then” Annie was kind of two-dimensional. The “Now” Annie was pretty clueless.  I’m not sure I’d want her for a friend.

This one was not Susan Wiggs at her finest. This is not one I can truly recommend.

This is an objective review and not an endorsement of this book.