Review Round Up ~ February 21

New Releases:

Stone Cold Kiwi by Rosalind James

4.5 stars - One of the Best

In Stone Cold Kiwi, Ms James returns us to the Te Mana/MacGregor families that we have met in several previous books.

Our heroine, Poppy, has the misfortune of discovering her husband’s infidelity as she is being wheeled into the ER after delivering her third child. Our hero, Matiu, is not only the doctor who delivered the baby, but a distant family friend.

The story that follows is at turns fraught, tense, sweet, and empowering. Yes, there is a romance, but the bigger story is about two people who are more than they’ve allowed themselves to believe they are. Both Poppy and Matiu both have an emotional journey to take and it turns out they are the perfect people to help each other on the way. Add in scene stealing kids, wise grandparents, and parents who finally see the light and the secondary cast helps craft the powerful narrative surrounding these two excellent characters.

One of the messages that stood out for me in Stone Cold Kiwi was the acknowledgement that being a Mom didn’t mean Poppy’s life as her own person stopped happening. The path to Poppy (and the people around her) figuring this out wasn’t smooth, but I appreciated the way she handled things and the improved relationships she gained along the way.

Written in Ms James unique style, this excellent read is a stand-alone piece set in a world created in previous works and features several secondary characters we’ve met before. The country of New Zealand is almost as much of a character in the book as a setting - and as always after finishing a Ms James book, I wish I could go visit!

Amazon

Sisters by Choice by Susan Mallery

My rating: 4 of 5 stars - Would Recommend to a friend

Review Copy Provided by Author

Sisters by Choice is a lot of what I would expect from a Susan Mallery book. It’s well written, a little thought provoking, a little heartwarming, and has a dose of humor as well.

Sophie, Kristan, and Heather are cousins and all at a cross roads. I found myself relating to each of them at various points in the book. I appreciated seeing the growth that each of the ladies went through as they found their footing with the changes taking place.

Ms Mallery does an excellent job of pulling the reader in and giving small lessons about change, communication, and being brave enough to take a chance.

Amazon

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