Blog Tour: Review + Q & A: Three Sisters by Susan Mallery

Review + Guest Post

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Three Sisters
(Book #2 in the Blackberry Island series)
Amazon | Goodreads | BN
Author: Susan Mallery
Publisher: Harlequin MIRA; Original edition (February 26, 2013)
Genre: Contemporary Romance, Chick Lit, Adult, 352 pages

ISBN-10: 0778314340
ISBN-13: 978-0778314349

My Copy: ARC Paperback

SUMMARY:

After Andi Gordon is jilted at the altar, she makes the most impetuous decision of her life – buying one of the famed Three Sisters Queen Anne houses on Blackberry Island. Now the proud-ish owner of the ugly duckling of the trio, she plans to open her own pediatric office on the first floor, just as soon as her hunky contractor completes the work. Andi's new future may be coming together, but the truth is she's just as badly in need of a major renovation as her house.

When Deanna Phillips confronts her husband about a suspected affair, she opens up a Pandora's Box of unhappiness. And he claims that she is the problem. The terrible thing is, he's right. In her quest to be the perfect woman, she's lost herself, and she's in danger of losing her entire family if things don't change.

Next door, artist Boston King thought she and her college sweetheart would be married forever. Their passion for one other has always seemed indestructible. But after tragedy tears them apart, she's not so sure. Now it's time for them to move forward, with or without one another.

Thrown together by fate and geography, and bound by the strongest of friendships, these three women will discover what they're really made of: laughter, tears, love and all.

MY REVIEW:

First off, I am brand new to Susan Mallery and after reading Three Sisters, I'll definitely be diving into her other works. Three Sisters has three point of views from three women going through a phase in their lives where they are tested and pushed to their emotional brinks.

After Andi Gordon, pediatrician, is left at the alter with family and friends as witness to this horrible day, she packs her bags and heads to Blackberry Island to find herself and leave all her past (And her libido—or so she thinks) behind; Just like her fiance left her to marry his secretary. Shady, right?

Then you've got Boston King, Andi's new neighbor and amazing artist, who has issues of her own. After losing her newborn son to an unknown cause, Boston can't help but draw her grief away. Losing herself in her drawings is how she copes, but with this, Boston hasn't let herself fully accept that her baby boy is gone and that her marriage is slowly falling apart.

And last but not least you've got Deanna Phillips, the third of this fabulous trio. Deanna finds herself struggling to keep her marriage, family and herself together. Growing up with a rough past has seems to slow down her present and possibly keep her from her future.

I absolutely loved this book. The different issues that these three women had were tough in their own ways, yet they manage.  What I liked the most, would have to be the problems at hand. And how these three very strong women handled them and pulled their lives together. The background characters were a hoot. They added a bit of a breather from the main characters, that I think  was needed a time or two. What I didn't like, was one of the characters. Deanna Phillips. It started off a very slow dislike in the beginning of the book and as the book progressed, it turned into a simmering disgust. After about 60% - 70% of the book my feelings started to make a really big U-turn in which Deanna's character really wasn't so bad and I was starting to dislike her less and less. But, again, the characters around her is what made me pull through the first half of the book (on her POVs that is).

Following Andi, Boston and Deanna, I couldn't help but be pulled into this fantastic novel with these three women and their battle to overcome their hardships. I would definitely recommend this book. These women might be going through their own personal hell, but I would consider this a light read. This book is the second in the Blackberry Island series, but I don't feel I was missing anything from the first novel at all. So, with that, I would say that this can be read as stand alone.

MY RATING:

Q & A

With more than 25 million books sold worldwide, New York Times bestselling author Susan Mallery is known for creating characters who feel as real as the folks next door, and for putting them into emotional, often funny situations readers recognize from their own lives. Susan’s books have made Booklist’s Top 10 Romances list in four out of five consecutive years. RT Book Reviews says, “When it comes to heartfelt contemporary romance, Mallery is in a class by herself.” With her popular, ongoing Fool’s Gold series, Susan has reached new heights on the bestsellers lists and has won the hearts of countless new fans.

Susan grew up in southern California, moved so many times that her friends stopped writing her address in pen, and now has settled in Seattle with her husband and the most delightfully spoiled little dog who ever lived. Visit Susan online at www.SusanMallery.com and www.facebook.com/susanmallery.

1) You’ve lived in many places across the country—out of all the places you’ve lived, which has given you the most inspiration for your writing? How deeply does your location influence the setting of your books?

I grew up in California, and I’d say that is the state that has inspired my writing more than any other. My fictional town of Fool’s Gold is based on many of the lovely, small towns I’ve visited in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada on the California side but of course has taken on a life of its own.

That said, Seattle, my current hometown, has influenced my writing quite a bit. All that rain keeps me at my desk! And of course, Blackberry Island, the setting for Three Sisters, is near Seattle.

2) What inspired you to create a fictional island off the coast of Seattle for the setting of Three Sisters? How did you come up with such a detailed history about the island (as posted on your website)?

Seattle and the islands in the Puget Sound are breathtakingly beautiful, especially when the sun shines. When you’re out on the water, the sunlight sparkles in the waves, and each inhale feels cool and fresh and liberating. A weekend getaway inspired Blackberry Island, which is both an island and a town, dotted with wineries and quaint B&Bs. (Every getaway should include wine!)

The island has a very interesting history, inspired by real-life events in Seattle and the Puget Sound area. I created the website to enrich the experience of reading the books, as bonus content for my readers. In addition to the island history, there’s a map and lots of great blackberry recipes, including a recipe for Blackberry Chipotle Chicken Tacos that will change the way you look at the world. www.blackberryisland.com

3) Who or what in your past made you decide that you wanted to become a writer?

I majored in Accounting in college. For months, I had been intrigued by a flyer for a night school course called “How to Write a Romance Novel.” I was an avid romance fan, so that class sounded like a lot more fun than my Accounting Theory class. (Columns of numbers weren’t boring enough – now we had to talk about the theory behind them.) Although I was taking a full load of regular courses, I couldn’t resist signing up for the fun class, too. Within a couple of weeks, I knew this was what I wanted to do with my life. I was a good girl and finished getting my degree, but I never worked as an accountant.

4) How do you come up with such dynamic characters? Do you base the characters in your books, like Andi, Deanna and Boston, on people you know in your real life? 

I think my characters feel real to readers because they feel so very real to me. Makes for some confusing dinner conversation. At times, when I’m ranting about something someone said that day, my husband has to clarify, “Is this person real?” (I bet that question doesn’t come up in most marriages!)

No, I don’t base characters on people I know in real life. Part of my job as a writer is to torture my characters, to put them into uncomfortable situations and then ask myself, “How can I make this worse?” I’m too nice a person to do that to people I really know!

Most of them, anyway.

5) What’s the last book that kept you up all night to finish reading?

Hex Hall by Rachel Hawkins is a terrific young adult novel. I’m not normally into paranormal, but I gave this a shot because a friend recommended it. I loved it. The book has all the wonderful angst of growing up – the issues of trying to fit in, the cute crush, the awkwardness of making friends, along with the trauma of coming to terms with who we really are.

New York Times bestselling author Susan Mallery has entertained millions of readers with her witty and emotional stories about women and the relationships that move them. Publisher’s Weekly calls Susan’s prose “luscious and provocative,” and Booklist says, “Novels don’t get much better than Mallery’s expert blend of emotional nuance, humor and superb storytelling.” While Susan appreciates the critical praise, she is most honored by the enthusiastic readers who write to tell her that her books made them laugh, made them cry, and made the world a happier place to live.

Susan lives in Seattle with her husband and her tiny but intrepid toy poodle. She’s there for the coffee, not the weather. Visit Susan online at www.SusanMallery.com.

Goodreads | Facebook | Website

Review: Cutters Vs. Jocks by Elizabeth Marx

Cutters Vs. Jocks
(Prequel to Binding Arbitration)
Amazon | GoodReads | BN
Author: Elizabeth Marx
Publisher: Self Published (November 7, 2011)
Genre: Contemporary Romance, Adult, Chick Lit, 65 pages
ASIN: B0064PJUWY

SUMMARY:

On the idyllic campus of Indiana University, Little-Libby-Nobody runs into Band-Aid, All-American-Athlete, and fireworks explode. Libby and Aidan spiral into a collision course of love at first sight versus lust you can’t fight. As the game plays out and their affection grows, they soon realize that labels like cutters and jocks can’t keep them apart.

But when Libby and Aidan find themselves in trouble they have to confront the reality of where they each fit in the others’ world. Libby believes superstar jocks don’t take cutters to Rose Well House, in the center of campus, at midnight and pledge their undying devotion beneath its sparkling dome. And Band-Aid imagines there’s no place for a pregnant, small-town waitress in his bull-pen or the major leagues. What happens when worthy opponents refuse to play their hearts out?

MY REVIEW:

Cutters Vs. Jocks is the prequel to Binding Arbitration, so if you want to know how Aidan and Libby came about, then pick this one up first! 

Ahhh. Aidan and Libby, CvJ is an awesome prequel. Usually, I'm very hesitant with shorts. They're never really fulfilling and leave me hanging with a WTF kinda outlook. But, CvJ did the opposite. Following Aidan and Libby's story was both cute and heartbreaking at the same time. Libby and Aidan are both in college, Aidan is well on his way to signing into the major leagues and Libby is pushing her way to get to law school. Their relationship is strictly friends, but as time passes, they soon become more and realize that their feelings for each other is much more than just a simple crush or physical attraction, though the latter is still there. Cutters Vs. Jocks is that "How I met your mom/dad" story that parents tell their kids of how and when they fell in love with each other.

I would definitely recommend this book, especially before moving onto Binding Arbitration. If you love a good contemporary romance novel then this book is for you. Love a relationship that teases you and makes you scream for the couple to jump into the sack, then... this book is for you too. lol. Elizabeth Marx knows how to weave a story and keep you hooked from beginning to end. 

MY RATING:

Blog Tour: Review + Giveaway: Binding Arbitration by Elizabeth Marx

Promo + Giveaway

Hey!! Thanks for stopping by! This tour is brought to you by: Full Moon Bites Blog Tours. Don't forget to fill in the rafflecopter below for your chance to win:

• 23 Ebook copies of Binding Arbitration by Elizabeth Marx
• 3 Tradepaperback copies of Binding Arbitration by Elizabeth Marx

Binding Arbitration
Amazon(Kindle) | Amazon(Print) | BN | iTunes | Sony eReader | Diesel
Author: Elizabeth Marx
Publisher: Self Published  (Nov. 5, 2011)
Genre: Romance, Family Saga, Contemporary/Chick Lit, 477 pages
ASIN: B006423DPW
ISBN-10: 1477470735 
ISBN-13: 978-1477470732

SUMMARY:

Through the corridors of the Windy City’s criminal courts, single mother Libby Tucker knows exactly how far she’ll go to save her cancer-stricken son’s life. The undefeated defense attorney is prepared to take her fight all the way to the majors.

Circumstances force Libby to plead her case at the cleats of celebrity baseball player Banford Aidan Palowski, the man who discarded her at their college graduation. Libby has worked her backside bare for everything she’s attained, while Aidan has been indulged since he slid through the birth canal and landed in a pile of Gold Coast money. But helping Libby and living up to his biological duty could jeopardize the only thing the jock worships: his baseball career.

If baseball imitates life, Aidan admits his appears to be silver-plated peanuts, until an unexpected confrontation with the most spectacular prize that’s ever poured from a caramel corn box blindsides him. When he learns about his son’s desperate need, it pricks open the wound he’s carried since he abandoned Libby and the child.

All Libby wants is a little anonymous DNA, but Aidan has a magical umpire in his head who knows Libby’s a fateball right to the heart. When a six-year-old sage and a hippy priestess step onto the field, there’s more to settle between Libby and Aidan than heartache, redemption, and forgiveness.

MY REVIEW:

Binding Arbitration is one helluva book. This book had me on edge with many different emotions. I Was happy, then sad, then happy again... oh can't forget a little feisty either. Libby & Aidan's story is compelling and keeps you hanging on til the very end.

I absolutely love all the characters. Even the snotty ex fiancee that comes prancing around with her lack of a brain and rejuven-- never mind, that's a spoiler all its own. The banter between all the characters is hilarious and its not just banter between the main characters, oh, no! Elizabeth Marx doesn't leave her other characters hanging in the background. Another thing I loved about this book was the connection between Aidan and Libby. They had a complicated relationship in college (you know, that "just friends" kinda relationship) but they both harbored stronger feelings for each other then they let on. It was both frustrating and cute to follow along with Libby & Aidan's story, but they way they can just gravitate towards each other was just.... so.... *sigh* I also loved Cass's, Aidan & Libby's son, character. It's been a while since I've read a book where a child played a big part in a book and Cass's character was sweet and funny. There wasn't much about this book I didn't like. I felt I connected with the characters and was hooked right from the beginning. Now, let me just take a minute here to drool over Mr. Pole-ow-ski (book ref) Wheew. Aidan is an Alpha Male through and through. I just wanted to eat him up! Laawd. I need to do a little batting practice with his sezzy self!

I would most definitely recommend this book. If you love yourself a good contemporary romance, then this book is for you. All you baseball fans will love this book too! All the baseball refrences were not lost on me! I devoured every single word :) When I first picked up this book, I got to about the third or fourth page, before I read the words "cutter" and "jock" and I immediately stopped reading and looked through my eBooks and found Cutters vs. Jocks by Ms. Marx & delved into that first. SO, before you pick up Binding Arbitration, go ahead and get Cutters vs. Jocks, which is the prequel to Aidan & Libby's story. Though Marx does clearify things in Binding Arbitration that were mentioned in Cutters vs. Jocks, do yourself a huge favor & read about what happens 6 year earlier. You won't regret it!

MY RATING:

ALSO CHECK OUT CUTTERS VS. JOCKS:

On the idyllic campus of Indiana University, Little-Libby-Nobody runs into Band-Aid, All-American-Athlete, and fireworks explode. Libby and Aidan spiral into a collision course of love at first sight versus lust you can’t fight. As the game plays out and their affection grows, they soon realize that labels like cutters and jocks can’t keep them apart.

But when Libby and Aidan find themselves in trouble they have to confront the reality of where they each fit in the others’ world. Libby believes superstar jocks don’t take cutters to Rose Well House, in the center of campus, at midnight and pledge their undying devotion beneath its sparkling dome. And Band-Aid imagines there’s no place for a pregnant, small-town waitress in his bull-pen or the major leagues. What happens when worthy opponents refuse to play their hearts out?

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Windy city writer, Elizabeth Marx, brings cosmopolitan life alive in her fiction—a blend of romance, fast-paced Chicago living, and a sprinkle of magical realism. In her past incarnation she was an interior designer, not a decorator, a designer, which basically means she has a piece of paper to prove that she knows how to match things, measure things and miraculously make mundane pieces of furniture appear to be masterpieces. Elizabeth says being an interior designer is one part shrink, one part marriage counselor and one part artist, skills eerily similar to those employed in writing. 

Elizabeth grew up in Illinois, but has also lived in Texas and Florida. If she’s not pounding her head against the wall trying to get the words just right, you can find her at a softball field out in the boonies somewhere or sitting in the bleachers by a basketball court. Elizabeth resides with her husband, girls, and two cats who’ve spelled everyone into believing they’re really dogs.

Elizabeth has traveled extensively, but still says there’s no town like Chi Town.

Website | Email | Blog | Facebook | Amazon Author Page | Twitter

Blog Tour: Promo + Giveaway: Binding Arbitration by Elizabeth Marx

Promo + Giveaway

Hey!! Thanks for stopping by! This tour is brought to you by: Full Moon Bites Blog Tours. Don't forget to fill in the rafflecopter below for your chance to win:

• 23 Ebook copies of Binding Arbitration by Elizabeth Marx
• 3 Tradepaperback copies of Binding Arbitration by Elizabeth Marx

Binding Arbitration
Amazon(Kindle) | Amazon(Print) | BN | iTunes | Sony eReader | Diesel
Author: Elizabeth Marx
Publisher: Self Published  (Nov. 5, 2011)
Genre: Romance, Family Saga, Contemporary/Chick Lit, 477 pages
ASIN: B006423DPW
ISBN-10: 1477470735 
ISBN-13: 978-1477470732

SUMMARY:

Through the corridors of the Windy City’s criminal courts, single mother Libby Tucker knows exactly how far she’ll go to save her cancer-stricken son’s life. The undefeated defense attorney is prepared to take her fight all the way to the majors.

Circumstances force Libby to plead her case at the cleats of celebrity baseball player Banford Aidan Palowski, the man who discarded her at their college graduation. Libby has worked her backside bare for everything she’s attained, while Aidan has been indulged since he slid through the birth canal and landed in a pile of Gold Coast money. But helping Libby and living up to his biological duty could jeopardize the only thing the jock worships: his baseball career.

If baseball imitates life, Aidan admits his appears to be silver-plated peanuts, until an unexpected confrontation with the most spectacular prize that’s ever poured from a caramel corn box blindsides him. When he learns about his son’s desperate need, it pricks open the wound he’s carried since he abandoned Libby and the child.

All Libby wants is a little anonymous DNA, but Aidan has a magical umpire in his head who knows Libby’s a fateball right to the heart. When a six-year-old sage and a hippy priestess step onto the field, there’s more to settle between Libby and Aidan than heartache, redemption, and forgiveness.

ALSO CHECK OUT CUTTERS VS. JOCKS:

On the idyllic campus of Indiana University, Little-Libby-Nobody runs into Band-Aid, All-American-Athlete, and fireworks explode. Libby and Aidan spiral into a collision course of love at first sight versus lust you can’t fight. As the game plays out and their affection grows, they soon realize that labels like cutters and jocks can’t keep them apart.

But when Libby and Aidan find themselves in trouble they have to confront the reality of where they each fit in the others’ world. Libby believes superstar jocks don’t take cutters to Rose Well House, in the center of campus, at midnight and pledge their undying devotion beneath its sparkling dome. And Band-Aid imagines there’s no place for a pregnant, small-town waitress in his bull-pen or the major leagues. What happens when worthy opponents refuse to play their hearts out?

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Windy city writer, Elizabeth Marx, brings cosmopolitan life alive in her fiction—a blend of romance, fast-paced Chicago living, and a sprinkle of magical realism. In her past incarnation she was an interior designer, not a decorator, a designer, which basically means she has a piece of paper to prove that she knows how to match things, measure things and miraculously make mundane pieces of furniture appear to be masterpieces. Elizabeth says being an interior designer is one part shrink, one part marriage counselor and one part artist, skills eerily similar to those employed in writing. 

Elizabeth grew up in Illinois, but has also lived in Texas and Florida. If she’s not pounding her head against the wall trying to get the words just right, you can find her at a softball field out in the boonies somewhere or sitting in the bleachers by a basketball court. Elizabeth resides with her husband, girls, and two cats who’ve spelled everyone into believing they’re really dogs.

Elizabeth has traveled extensively, but still says there’s no town like Chi Town.

Website | Email | Blog | Facebook | Amazon Author Page | Twitter

Review: Last Night at Chateau Marmont by Lauren Weisberger

Last Night at Chateau Marmont
Amazon | GoodReads 
Author: Lauren Weisberger 
Publisher: Harpercollins Pb (August 10, 2010) 
Genre: Chick Lit, 432 pages 
ISBN-10: 0007311001 
ISBN-13: 978-0007311002

SUMMARY:

Heartbreak, headlines and Hermes – welcome to Brooke's new world…

Brooke and Julian live a happy life in New York – she's the breadwinner working two jobs and he's the struggling musician husband. Then Julian is discovered by a Sony exec and becomes an overnight success – and their life changes for ever.

Soon they are moving in exclusive circles, dining at the glitziest restaurants, attending the most outrageous parties in town and jetting off to the trendiest hotspots in LA.

But Julian's new-found fame means that Brooke must face the savage attentions of the ruthless paparazzi. And when a scandalous picture hits the front pages, Brooke's world is turned upside down. Can her marriage survive the events of that fateful night at Chateau Marmont? It's time for Brooke to decide if she's going to sink or swim…

MY REVIEW: 

Brooke & Julian have been living a relatively normal life for the past six years... that is, until Julian becomes an overnight celebrity when his music career takes off. Thrust into the fancy life of Hollywood's elite, Brooke finds herself at odds with herself & her husband when she reads in the tabloids what happened last night at Chateau Marmont. Will Julian's overnight celebrity status be enough or will this bump in the road lead to an uneventful split? 

Last Night at Chateau Marmont was a really good read for me. I loved all of the characters, even the little snobby one's that roam the Hollywood scene, but still, I thought the characters were amazing. I am a big fan of Julian & Brooke. I am going to be honest with you, when I picked up this book, I read the back cover & when I read the names Julian & Brooke, I immediately thought of One Tree Hill. So, yeah, now you know why I picked up the book. But I'm glad I did. Brooke is your average female, worrying about if she looks good enough, tells herself its okay to eat that really yummy looking cookie, since you walked all the way to the dang bakers just to buy it! And maintain a job, wait.... scratch that! Maintain two jobs! For her man! If that ain't love I don't know what is. This  book was a bit of a roller coaster, but not those scary ones that practically rip your heart out by slowly climbing its way to its highest peek and keep you dangling at the top for the worst 30 seconds of your life. But this one did keep me wanting to know what Brooke would do next, how she would take all this fame in & how she would go about it. 

Likes & dislikes... hmm. I liked the relationship between Julian & Brooke, how they are with each other. Also, I liked the ending, it was more than what I was expecting. Which I won't go into detail here, for the sake of readers who haven't read the book yet. I can't really say I disliked anything, other than the slime ball manager of Julian's, but other than that I didn't really dislike anything. 

This book was a really good read, and I'm glad I picked it up! If you haven't read it yet, you should. I haven't read anything else by Weisberger, but I did watch The Devil Wears Prada and I thought that was really good. 

MY RATING: 

Review: Alphabet Weekends by Elizabeth Noble

Alphabet Weekends
Amazon | GoodReads
Author: Elizabeth Noble
Publisher: William Morrow Paperbacks; First Edition edition (January 23, 2007)
Genre: Chick Lit, 425 pages
ISBN-10: 0061122181
ISBN-13: 978-0061122187

SUMMARY:

Natalie and Tom have been best friends forever, but Tom wants them to be much more. When Natalie's longtime boyfriend walks out on her just when she thinks he's going to propose, Tom offers her a different and wildly romantic proposition. He suggests that they spend twenty-six weekends together, indulging in twenty-six different activities from A to Z, and at the end of that time Tom's convinced they'll be madly in love. Natalie, however, is not so sure.

As Natalie's touring the alphabet with Tom, her mother's going through her own romantic crisis—while Tom's unhappily married sister-in-law, Lucy, struggles with temptation. And over the course of six amazing months, three generations of passionate dreamers are going to discover that, no matter how clever they are, love—and life—is never as easy as A, B, C . . .

MY REVIEW:

Best friends since childhood, Tom gets Natalie to play a game with him to both cheer her up & see if what they have could be something more than just best friends. Playing a game of alphabet weekends, Tom & Natalie switch off each letter in the alphabet, picking something out of each others element. Will they make it to Z? Or will their relationship stumble and fall apart before they could finish the alphabet? While on their escapade of adventure, Tom's sister-in-law, Lucy, struggles with her marriage when her husband looses his job and she seeks passion and lust from her best friends husband. Natalie's mother has a marriage and life that's not up to her standards in what she wanted in life and finds herself falling deep into depression.

Okay, if my boyfriend told me "lets do the whole alphabet weekends thing", I'd be on board 100% I absolutely loved this book. Going through the letters with Nat & Tom, I got caught up in the story and couldn't put down the book. I always found myself waiting impatiently for the next letter to hurry up and get here. This book isn't all lovey gushy stuff, there are some deeper stuff as well. When I started reading the little bits about Natalie's mother, I couldn't help but feel sorry for her. But, I also felt really bad for Nat's dad as well. And then you get to Tom's sister-in-law Lucy, oh, my. I was praying and hoping that she wouldn't cheat on her husband.

I really liked the alphabet weekend idea in this book. I thought it was cute and fun. As for the parts I disliked, well... I disliked that Nat was so slow in figuring out her feelings for Tom. After the first few chapters, I was starting to love him! But, I think the timing and everything was really good between the two characters.

When I picked up this book, I picked it up because I read one of Nobles other novels and absolutely loved it and I'm going to say it now, I'm glad I picked up this book. I would definitely recommend this book! If you haven't read this book, you should read it now :)

MY RATING: 

Review: Things I Want My Daughters To Know by Elizabeth Noble

Things I Want My Daughters To Know
Amazon | GoodReads
Author: Elizabeth Noble
Publisher: Harper; 1 Reprint edition (January 20, 2009)
Genre: Chick Lit, 374 pages 
ISBN-10: 006168659X 
ISBN-13: 978-0061686597

SUMMARY:

How do you cope in a world without your mother?

When Barbara realizes time is running out, she writes letters to her four daughters, aware that they'll be facing the trials and triumphs of life without her at their side. But how can she leave them when they still have so much growing up to do?

Take Lisa, in her midthirties but incapable of making a commitment; or Jennifer, trapped in a stale marriage and buttoned up so tight she could burst. Twentysomething Amanda, the traveler, has always distanced herself from the rest of the family; and then there's Hannah, a teenage girl on the verge of womanhood about to be parted from the mother she adores.

But by drawing on the wisdom in Barbara's letters, the girls might just find a way to cope with their loss. And in coming to terms with their bereavement, can they also set themselves free to enjoy their lives with all the passion and love each deserves?

This heartfelt novel by bestselling author Elizabeth Noble celebrates family, friends . . . and the glorious, endless possibilities of life.

MY REVIEW:

Barbara is running out of time & she knows and accepts this. Knowing that her duty as a mother will always be with her regardless of her situation, she reaches out to them, to help guide them with letters she's left behind after her passing. Barbara has four daughters: Lisa, the eldest who doesn't think she can't commit in a relationship & finds herself needing her mother more now that she's gone. Jennifer, the one who's so wound tight she could just burst. With a marriage on the rocks, Jennifer needs to learn to let go & come to terms that she can be happy and carefree. Amanda who's always traveling from continent to continent, who will only stay in one place long enough to send a post card & a call home... maybe. She's always shunned herself from her family & doesn't want to fall in love, little does she know that what she's looking for, just might be closer to home. And then there's Hannah, young, sweet Hannah. Hannah is in her early teens, just crossing that line into womanhood and her mother is abruptly taken from her. She holds it together long enough to help her dad, but soon finds herself straying to a path that is no good for her. 

When I picked up this book, I picked it up because the title really grabbed my attention. Plus, the cover is beautiful. I absolutely love my mom & wanted to read this book & find out what a mother could want her daughters to know. I enjoyed this book from beginning to end and shed tears, both happy & sad. Even though Barbara passes away early in this book, she's still there, through her letters. Elizabeth Noble did a really good job of bringing Barbara's character through in the letters. It was like she never even left. This book jumps from character to character, each time digging deeper into their lives & what's going on with them. I really enjoyed that, it kept me reading. The trials and tribulations of life can be hard, but to face them and not have your mother there to help you when you need her has got to be much harder. 

I can honestly say that I loved everything about this book, I had no dislikes. I really liked the whole "letters" thing. Of course, this book would really be nothing without those letters. But, I really did enjoy them, to think that this mom helped her daughters overcome big obstacles  in their lives & bring her family closer together from a few letters written before her death, is amazing to me. 

I really should've written this review for mothers day. I would definitely recommend this book, it was a really good read & I'm sure you'll enjoy it. I have never heard of Elizabeth Noble until now & she can is forever on my TBR list.

MY RATING: