ARC Catch Up

The Optimist's Guide to Letting Go by Amy E. Reichert

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

Review Copy Provided by Publisher Via NetGalley

I have to confess that it took me a long time to read this book. It wasn't that I didn't enjoy the book because I did; I think the best way to describe it would be like a friend who is there waiting for you even when you need to step away.
Ms. Reichert introduces us to Gina, her mother Lorraine, and her daughter May. Gina is the apex of the triangle of the story, but Lorraine and May are key players as well. Using well blended present day story telling and flashbacks we see how much alike these three seemingly different people really are - and how much history repeats itself.
Gina was a character that I could relate to and I appreciated seeing her emotional growth and development. I especially liked how as the story unfolded she not learned more about her mother, but took lessons from the past and used them to make things better for her own little family going forward.
This is a story that definitely had elements of "make you think" and I believe it will especially hit home for people who fall into the "sandwich" of having older parents and children at home. There are lessons about grief, tolerance, communication, and finding happiness. While I most closely identified with Gina, I also grew to like Lorraine, May, and the rest of the cast. With this group, Ms Reichert has delivered a well rounded cast and compelling story.

Amazon

 Cowboy on My Mind by R.C. Ryan

My rating: 3 of 5 stars - Average Read

Review Copy Provided by Publisher via Net Galley

This was a good read and while I appreciated the story, I wasn’t blown away by it.
I liked Ben and Rebecca and the mutual attraction they had for each other. The back ground of both and the evolution of their characters was interesting. I even found the intrigue element of the story compelling both as a vehicle to move the plot and the romantic relationship along.
That said, I was a little bored with the book. There were several times when I hoped for more and wanted to see the story go a little deeper. I think what bothered me most, was that this author has a fairly decent sized back list, but this book just didn't feel fleshed out. It was not what I expected from a veteran author. I have mixed feelings about future books in the Montana Strong series. I am both curious to see if Finn and Sam get stories, but also concerned that the future books would fall flat as well.

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