Category: Women’s Fiction

Fiction, Kindle Unlimited, Women's Fiction

The Collected Regrets of Clover, by Mikki Brammer

Kristie

This book. This marvelous book. Have you ever read a book and want to be friends with the main character? To give them hugs and reassurance? To remind them of the good in their lives? To be there to listen when they are feeling low? That is how I feel about Clover Brooks in The Collected Regrets of Clover, by Mikki Brammer. She is, in my mind, the perfect example of a sympathetic character. One whose pain you feel, who you want to see grow, and someone for whom you desire a happy ending.

She is the essence and life blood of this book. Which is ironic, considering her career choice, because Clover is a death doula. She describes it as someone privileged to help a person in their final days or weeks, to assist them in finding closure, and to prevent them from being alone when they take their last breath. Clover loves her job and takes it seriously, meticulously documenting her clients’ final words and categorizing them into advice, confessions, and regrets.

But just as the cobbler’s children have no shoes, Clover lacks closure and intimacy in her own life. She’s content with her own company, never dates, and her only friend is an elderly neighbor. Like many introverts, she lives in her head. She creates relationships in her imagination, looks for societal patterns, observes but doesn’t participate.

We meet Clover when her life is at a crossroads. After thirty six years of living a certain way, she is given new options. New people enter her orbit and she can either engage with them or not. Watching her navigate the prospect of friendships, something that seems so basic, is like watching a baby take her first steps. There is caution, stumbles, and hope.

Amazingly, this is a debut novel by Australian author Mikki Brammer. Filled with philosophy and metaphors on life, learning, living, and death, I found myself constantly underlining, pondering, rereading, and admiring all the elements of this story that weave together so perfectly. It is a gem. I highly recommend it. (Available on Kindle Unlimited.)

9.5/10 Stars

ARC (Advanced Reader Copy), Autobiography, Fiction, Historical Fiction, Reading Wrap Up, Women's Fiction

January 2024 Reading Wrap Up!

Kristie

Here it is, the sixteen books I read in January! All of the 5 star books have their own individual reviews, so be sure and check those out. Secret of the Sassafras is a reread (still loved it!) But the other 5 star books are all very highly recommended! If I had to pick my 3 favorites that you NEED to add to your TBR I would say The Women, by Kristin Hannah; One Summer in Savannah, by Terah Shelton Harris; and The Frozen River (probably my top favorite of the month,) by Ariel Lawhon.

And what about February? I have several books at the top of my list of hopeful reads for next month. I may have to interrupt my mood reading in exchange for some beta reading, but until I know for certain, here’s a short video with some that I hope to read very soon:

Author Video, Fiction, Women's Fiction

*Video* Author Olivia Sparrow discusses the journey she took to write a debut novel (2 min)

Kristie
Used with permission.

You know how there are some people with whom you just automatically connect? That is how I feel about Olivia. Ever since we met online a few weeks ago, ever since I read and loved her book, Secret of the Sassafras, we have been communicating almost daily. She’s a delight and her book is lovely! You can read my review here: https://readwithkristie.com/2023/11/08/secret-of-the-sassafras-by-olivia-sparrow/

Fiction, Historical Fiction, Reading Wrap Up, Romance, Series & Collections, Suspense, Women's Fiction, Young Adult

November 2023 Reading Wrap Up!

Kristie

Twenty one books for November, not bad! Lots of Christmas-themed books, lots of historical romance, some rom-coms and YA. I feel like I’ve stayed fairly up to date on reviews, so I won’t repeat myself here. I will say that my best new author discovery has been Caroline Fyffe, who wrote An American Duchess and Heart of Eden. These are both parts of a series that I plan to continue and have been really excellent. They are available on Kindle Unlimited with audio. On to December! (Seriously, how did that happen? Wasn’t Halloween, like, yesterday?)

Fiction, Women's Fiction

Secret of the Sassafras, by Olivia Sparrow

Kristie

I’ve said it before, some books just show up in your life at the right time. Such is the case with Secret of the Sassafras, by Olivia Sparrow, a debut novel I only learned of two days ago.

I discovered this book and its author on TikTok as I’ve tried to (cautiously) enhance my social media presence this past week. In doing so, I saw a clip of someone lauding this book and saying she wished more people knew about it. I was curious about the plot, the title and gorgeous cover grabbed my attention, so I decided to push it to the top of my reading list.

The book is, in a word, lovely. The story of “twinless twin,” Gemma Ellsworth, it takes us on an emotional journey of loss, healing, friendship, forgiveness, and learning to trust in love and happiness once more. It is one of those stories with a quiet power, one you do not realize while you’re reading it, but feel deeply as everything weaves together in its conclusion.

If I had one criticism to make, I would say that the ending is a bit abrupt and left me wanting more. But, perhaps, that is what the author wanted and she is setting us up for a sequel. Whether or not that is true and, despite the abrupt ending, this is a story worth reading. It will leave you with a warm blanket wrapped around your heart and a desire to tell the most important people in your life how much you love them.

An excellent book and an impressive debut.

9/10 Stars

(Available on Hoopla and on Amazon)

Fiction, Romance, Women's Fiction

Theme: What I like in a Rom Com…

Kristie

If someone asked you what makes a great romantic comedy, what would you tell them? Would it the characters? Plot? Pacing? Trope? Spice level? Dialogue? Banter? Or would it be a combination of all of those things? I’ve been reading a lot of romantic comedies lately and I’m here to tell you that, like any genre, not all are created equal.

For me, the characters and their banter is very, very important. How do they interact? Do I root for them? Plot and pacing are close seconds. The tropes are where I struggle. There are some very overdone tropes out there: Friends to lovers, enemies to lovers, forced proximity, the “meet cute,” childhood sweethearts, second chance/impossible/forbidden love, fake relationships, the list goes on and on.

But there are some standout authors and books that rise to the top. When that happens they are usually fun, smart, and deep. Personally, I like main characters that are kind of damaged–either from family issues or past relationships gone wrong. Why? Because all of us are damaged in one way or another. Who wants to read about shiny, perfect characters? Not me. But everything needs to be done in moderation too. Do you see the delicate balance it takes to achieve a successful story? I’m sure I couldn’t do it. (Those who can, write stories. Those those cannot, critique the stories…)

Yes, I’m one of those people.

But enough blah, blah. Let’s focus on two rom coms I read in October that get it right. Now, I’m not some who likes a lot of spice and smut. But I do like some romance and am OK with closed-door physical contact if it is written tastefully. PG, bordering on PG-13 is my limit. Whoops, more blah, blah. Let’s talk about books!

Practice Makes Perfect, by Sarah Adams is the sequel to When In Rome, which I enjoyed very much. (You can read that review HERE.) This time, our main characters are youngest sister, Annie Walker, and bodyguard, Will Griffin. On the surface, these two are confident and strong. Behind the scenes, both are struggling. For Annie it is trying to prove her independence to her family. For Will it is to escape the memories of his dysfunctional parents. The relationship between these two characters is wonderful, each of them bring out the best in each other. The ending is no surprise, but the journey getting there is totally worth reading. 9/10 Stars

The Hating Game, by Sally Thorne, has been in my Kindle for as long as I can remember. This is an enemies-to-lovers story, starting as a workplace rivalry at a publishing house. Lucy and Josh are each assistants to co-CEOs who also dislike each other and have very different ethics after a big merger. Forced to share space and work together every day, Lucy and Josh do everything they can to undermine each other (never quite crossing the line–a good thing.) Of course, such animosity is not sustainable and the inevitable happens, but what a fun ride along the way! Seeing the way their relationship begins, changes, and ends is a delight. 9/10 Stars

And there you have it! Happy Reading! (And don’t forget to set your clocks back tonight.)

Fiction, Historical Fiction, Romance, Women's Fiction

Windsong Manor, by Julie Wright

Kristie

A few weeks ago, while touring St. George, Utah, my husband and I stopped in at a Deseret Book. Two authors were there introducing and signing new books and, because it was early evening, the store was relatively empty. One of those authors was Julie Wright, who I recognized from a Facebook group I follow. She had two new books, one of which was Windsong Manor. I apologized for not buying it there, confessing that I prefer digital ebooks on my Kindle, but she was very nice and I was captivated by the plot. After several attempts to find it on library sites, I relented and ended up buying it, hoping that I would not regret my purchase.

I did not. In fact, Windsong Manor is now in my special collection of “Kristie’s Favorites” in my Kindle, a file I only reserve for those rare books who draw me in and transport me completely.

The plot: Eleanora Coventry is a baroness and a young widow. Her late husband was much older and domineering and her young son, who was sent away to school, has returned with all of his father’s worst traits. To add to her challenges, Eleanora “Nora” has also been tasked to raise her late husband’s illegitimate daughter, a recent orphan and the product of an embarrassing affair. Life is topsy turvy.

In an effort of lead a quieter life, Nora moves her family from their London townhouse to Windsong Manor, the late baron’s country home that he rarely visited. While finding her way as a single mother with two challenging children, Nora befriends the quiet stablehand, Ridley Ellis. Despite his social station, Ridley moves and speaks like a gentleman, and his calm influence on everyone around him is felt deeply by Nora and the children.

The writing is as wonderful as the plot is intriguing. Nora and Ridley’s characters are excellently developed, with terrific dialogue and pacing. Both are strong and steadfast in the midst of their many challenges. Their kindness to each other and others makes this story one of warmth and depth. I loved every bit of it and highly recommend this book for a very satisfying read. It will leave you with renewed faith in people and modern literature.

9.5/10 Stars

Fiction, Romance, Series & Collections, Women's Fiction

Sweater Weather Series, by Various Authors

Kristie

Over the last seven weeks I have been thoroughly enjoying the Sweater Weather series. Available with a Kindle Unlimited subscription, these CLEAN rom-coms are a true delight! They are set in the fictional town of Harvest Hollow, North Carolina and can be read in any order. The characters all know each other through school, work, family, or the local hockey team called the Appies. They share a love of sports, reading, music, and taking care of others. Each story is unique, with characters of depth, hopes, determination, and very good hearts.

Written by seven different authors, I eagerly awaited each book as it was released each Thursday. And now I’ve read them all and recommend them to anyone who wants to escape to Harvest Hollow for some sweet, witty banter and clean fun.

My favorite was Faking the Fall, and I’ve had the privilege of communicating with its author, Julie Christianson, over the last few weeks. Today she announced that Thursday, October 19th, at 4:30pm Pacific/6:30pm Central, on ZOOM, the authors of the series are getting together for a wrap party. They will be interacting with readers and answering questions. It’s free and all are invited! I’ll be tuning in! Those interested are asked to fill out the Google doc I’m including, which has the Zoom link and asks for your email. You do not have to submit questions to attend.

Sweater Weather Online Wrap Party: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfXx-hCQH7jsX4kptNoLYE65WlvEiW_DrNetmMc4XzAo6bHxQ/viewform?fbclid=IwAR2Ph1sRmIBlarb9fpn_2IrmSiD18tloQ-RMle2HQKk8GwUF-YF7nQcVYEQ

My favorites, in order :

Faking the Fall, by Julie Christianson (I don’t know why, but this one just topped the rest in my opinion)

Can’t Help Falling, by Courtney Walsh tied with Just Don’t Fall, by Emma St. Clair AND Absolutely Not in Love, by Jenny Proctor (loved all three of these pretty equally)

The Fall Back Plan, by Melanie Jacobson tied with…A Not So Fictional Fall, by Savannah Scott (they’re still good, just not the best ones)

Easy As Pie, by Carina Taylor (this one didn’t do much for me)

Don’t let those faceless covers fool you! These are fun, witty escapist books. Perfect for cozy nights, blankets, a fire, and a hot beverage. Enjoy!