The Summer Retreat by Sheila Roberts

The Summer Retreat by Sheila Roberts

Published: April 23, 2019 – MIRA

Review book provided by the publisher and NetGalley

Description:

Join USA TODAY bestselling author Sheila Roberts for a seaside escape to the beaches of Moonlight Harbor

Celeste Jones has plans for a perfect summer with her boyfriend (and hopefully soon-to-be fiancé)—until he dumps her to be with the woman he’s had on the side for months. Heartbroken and furious, Celeste resolves to move on. When the going gets tough, the tough…okay, the not-so-tough go to the beach.

As soon as school lets out for the summer, she waves goodbye to her first-graders, packs up her bikini and heads for Moonlight Harbor, where she knows her big sister, Jenna, will receive her with open arms. Jenna could probably use some help at the Driftwood Inn, and Celeste is happy to do chores around the place in exchange for a relaxing summer escape. She just needs something—or someone—to distract her from her troubles.

Finding The One can be tricky, and Jenna is determined to make sure Celeste gets it right this time around. Not that Jenna’s an expert. She’s still trying to sort out her own love life. But if both sisters listen to their hearts, eventually they’re bound to discover that life—and love—is good at the beach. (publisher)

My take:  I read and enjoyed the first book in Moonlight Harbor series, somehow missed the second, and still didn’t feel lost reading the third and newest book The Summer Retreat. So if you haven’t read this series you should know each book can stand alone.

Celeste Jones is fresh out of what she thought would be a permanent relationship with the perfect man. She’s lost confidence in her ability to pick the right one and heads to her sister Jenna’s home in Moonlight Harbor. Jenna owns a small motel and could use Celeste’s help for the summer. Plus, she loves her sister and is happy to have her nearby. As Celeste gets to know the people and places of Moonlight Harbor she starts to feel like she’ll be okay. When she meets a couple of possible boyfriends she feels more than okay! But when it comes to making a choice should she listen to her heart or her brain? Go with the one who feels right or the one who should be right? As you might expect, the reader will know before Celeste.

Sheila Roberts made me laugh out loud and then cringe for her characters – and I enjoyed it. The Summer Retreat (and the Moonlight Harbor series) should appeal to fans of contemporary romance and small town stories.

---

 

Welcome To Moonlight Harbor by Sheila Roberts

Description:  Once happily married, Jenna Jones is about to turn forty, and this year for her birthday—lucky her—she’s getting a divorce. She’s barely able to support herself and her teenage daughter, but now her deadbeat artist ex is hitting her up for spousal support…and then spending it on his “other” woman.

Still, as her mother always says, every storm brings a rainbow. And when she gets a very unexpected gift from her great-aunt Edie, things seem to be taking a turn for the better. Aging Aunt Edie is finding it difficult to keep up her business running The Driftwood Inn, so she invites Jenna to come live with her and run the place. It looks like Jenna’s financial problems are solved!

Or not. The town is a little more run-down than Jenna remembers, but that’s nothing compared to the ramshackle state of The Driftwood Inn. Aunt Edie is confident they can return it to its former glory, though Jenna feels like she’s jumped from the proverbial frying pan into the beach fire.

But who knows? With the help of her new friends and a couple of handsome citizens, perhaps that rainbow is on the horizon after all. Because, no matter what, life is always good at the beach. (publisher)

My take:  Newly divorced Jenna and her very unhappy fourteen year old daughter move to the shore to live with Jenna’s elderly aunt. Rent is free and they can help get Aunt Edie’s inn back in shape – all while hoping to find the rainbow at the end of the storm aka Jenn’s life.

In her typical style Sheila Roberts brings her characters through easily relatable situations – if not for the reader, surely the reader knows someone who has been through similar life events. It’s a story of new beginnings and being open to possibilities.

I enjoyed Welcome to Moonlight Harbor. It’s a great start to a new series. Recommended to fans of the author, contemporary romance and beach town settings.

---

 

Christmas In Icicle Falls by Sheila Roberts

• Title:  Christmas In Icicle Falls
• Series:  Life in Icicle Falls # 11
• Author:  Sheila Roberts
• Narrator:  Amy McFadden
• Length:  9hrs. 35min.
• Genre:  Contemporary Fiction
• Published:  October 2017 – Mira Books
• Source:  Library Audiobook (HooplaDigital)

Description:  When Muriel Sterling released her new book, A Guide to Happy Holidays, she felt like the queen of Christmas. She’s thrilled when the new tree she ordered online arrives and is eager to show it off—until she gets it out of the box and realizes it’s a mangy dud. But rather than give up on the ugly tree, Muriel decides to make a project out of it. As she pretties up her tree, she realizes there’s a lesson to be learned: everything and everyone has potential. Maybe even her old friend Arnie, who’s loved her for years. Except, she’s not the only one seeing Arnie’s potential…

Meanwhile, Muriel’s ugly-tree project has also inspired her friends. Sienna Moreno is trying to bring out the best in the grouchy man next door, who hates noise, hates kids and hates his new neighbors. And while Olivia Claussen would love to send her obnoxious new daughter-in-law packing, she’s adjusting her attitude and trying to discover what her son sees in the girl. If these women can learn to see the beauty in the “ugly trees” in their lives, perhaps this might turn out to be the happiest holiday yet. (publisher)

My take:  I’ve read all but one of the books (and I have it on my bookshelf) in the Life in Icicle Falls series. That said, this book can stand on its own. With a wink and a nod to Dickens’ A Christmas Carol, Sheila Roberts’ final novel in the series is a delight. I especially loved that Muriel Sterling, the sage of Icicle Falls, might not have it all together as her self-help books imply. I enjoyed seeing how things worked out for her! I also liked the storyline of local inn-owner Olivia and her relationship with her new daughter-in-law. They learned a lot about each other – and themselves in the process. There’s also single mother Sienna and her new friend Tim (nephew of Robert Cratchet). Sienna learns how to trust her decisions and her ability to have faith in possibilities where Tim is concerned. It all made for a heart-warming conclusion to a really enjoyable series. Narrator Amy McFadden did a fine job voicing the characters. Her performance added to the warmth of the novel.

---

 

Starting Over on Blackberry Lane by Sheila Roberts

• Title:  Starting Over on Blackberry Lane
• Series:  Icicle Falls #10
• Author:  Sheila Roberts
• Pages:  384
• Genre:  Contemporary Romance
• Pub. Date:  February 28, 2017 – MIRA
• Source:  Publisher; NetGalley

Description:  Stefanie Stahl has a husband with renovation ADD. He can’t seem to finish anything he starts and her house is littered with his “projects.” If he doesn’t smarten up, she swears she’s going to murder him and bury him under the pile of scrounged lumber in the backyard.  

Her friend Griffin James is suddenly single and thinking maybe she needs to sell her fixer-upper and follow her career bliss up the ladder of success, even if that scary ladder is clear across the country. Getting her place ready to sell proves harder than she originally thought. She needs help.  

She’s not the only one. Cass Wilkes, their neighbor, has an empty nest—with a leaking roof. When her ceiling crashes in, she knows it’s time to do something. When Grant Masters offers his handyman services at a fund-raiser auction, the three women go in together to outbid the competition and win their man. (Cass’s friends think she should win Grant in a different way, too!) Now it’s time to make some improvements…in their houses and their lives.  (publisher)

My take:  If you’ve kept up with Icicle Falls series you’ll enjoy seeing what the group of friends are up to. The thing I’ve enjoyed most about the series is the support felt by the women of all ages in the group. If you haven’t read any of the series you don’t have to worry – this book can stand alone.

Stef, Griffin and Cass are at the point where life needs to change. The thing is, how can they start that change? Stef will find out that there’s power in her words and how she chooses those words is very important. Griffin has dreamed of taking her photography to the next level but her current life situation is dragging her down. Cass is almost an empty-nester and feels the whole world passing her by. And now she has a leaky roof. What next?!

In typical Sheila Roberts style, she had me laughing and cheering her characters on as each dealt with the obstacles placed in her way. I loved how she drove home the point that we should live the heck out of life for as long as we can. Recommended to fans of the series, Sheila Roberts, and recipes mentioned in the novel.

---

 

Home on Apple Blossom Road by Sheila Roberts

• Title:  Home on Apple Blossom Road
• Series:  Life in Icicle Falls #9
• Author:  Sheila Roberts
• Genre:  Contemporary Romance
• Pages:  384
• Published:  March 22, 2016 – Mira
• Source:  Publisher/NetGalley

Description:  Home is where the love is… 

Colin Wright and Mia Blair grew up in Icicle Falls, but they left years ago—and not on good terms. Now Colin’s grandmother, Justine, has died, and they’ve come home to honor this woman they both loved. That’s when they get some unexpected news. They’re about to inherit something. Jointly. They just have no idea what. It turns out that Justine’s designed a treasure hunt for them, like the ones they enjoyed when they were kids and best friends. 

But they’re not kids anymore, and they sure aren’t best friends. As for that young love they once shared? Well…it’s complicated.  

On the trail of Justine’s treasure, they follow a series of clues that take them down memory lane—ending up at the orchard on Apple Blossom Road. What will they find there? And what did Justine know that they didn’t?  (publisher)

My take:  Home on Apple Blossom Road is a sweet story about two people finding their way back home. They didn’t intend to take this journey but Grandma Justine had a plan that they had to finally pay attention to. She’d tried to tell them when she was still alive but to no avail. Now they’d have to listen to her – via her treasure hunt – and just maybe her plan would work.

Sheila Roberts’ characters are never perfect so I find them relatable on a few different levels. I could understand Mia and Colin’s reluctance to try make things the way they used to be. Colin is involved with a beautiful young woman and Mia just received a promotion at work. This is not a good time to resurrect the past. Hmm, is it possible Justine misjudged these two?

I enjoyed this installment to the Life in Icicle Falls series. It’s filled with character cameos from previous books making it that much more fun to read. That said, don’t worry if you haven’t read other books in the series. You won’t be lost. I thought this novel was one of the best of the series. Recommended to fans of the author and small town contemporary romance.

The Lodge on Holly Road by Sheila Roberts

• Title:  The Lodge on Holly Road
• Series:  Life in Icicle Falls #6
• Author:  Sheila Roberts
• Genre:  Contemporary Romance, series
• Published:  October 2014 – Harlequin MIRA
• Source:  Publisher

Synopsis:  How Santa Gets His Christmas Spirit Back… 

James Claussen has played Santa for years, but now that he’s a widower, he’s lost interest—in everything. So his daughter, Brooke, kidnaps him from the mall (in his Santa suit!) and takes him to Icicle Falls. She’s arranged a special Christmas at the lodge owned by long-widowed Olivia Wallace and her son, Eric. And yet…Brooke wants Dad to be happy, but she’s not ready to see someone else’s mommy kissing Santa Claus. 

Single mom Missy Monroe brings her kids to the lodge, too. Lalla wants a grandma for Christmas, and her brother, Carlos, wants a dog. Missy can’t provide either one. What she’d like is an attractive, dependable man. A man like John Truman… But John’s girlfriend will be joining him in Icicle Falls, and he’s going to propose. 

Of course not everything goes as planned. But sometimes the best gifts are the ones you don’t expect!  (publisher)

My take: If you’re looking for an entertaining Christmas novel this year you’ll want to read The Lodge on Holly Road. It’s part of the Life in Icicle Falls series but can stand alone. Seriously, if you haven’t read any of the previous books you will not be missing anything in this book.

Sheila Roberts is in top form with her novel of good intentions going astray. From the daughter who wants her widowed father to have a great Christmas to the single mom of two who wants to give her kids the Christmas she always wanted to the young man who can’t wait to publicly propose to the woman of his dreams – everyone will learn valuable lessons.

I enjoyed all the characters – from the main characters to the minor ones (lodge guests). They are all fully formed and interesting. The setting is great – Christmas in a mountain resort town.

When I finished reading The Lodge on Holly Road my first thought was “I hope the Hallmark Channel grabs this and makes a movie for next year.”

The Tea Shop on Lavender Lane by Sheila Roberts

• Title:  The Tea Shop on Lavender Lane
• Series:  Icicle Falls #5
• Author:  Sheila Roberts
• Genre:  Contemporary Romance
• Published:  June 2014 – Harlequin MIRA
• Source:  Publisher

Synopsis:  After a fake food poisoning incident in L.A., Bailey Sterling’s dreams of becoming a caterer to the stars collapse faster than a soufflé. Now Bailey’s face is in all the gossip rags and her business is in ruins. But the Sterling women close ranks and bring her back to Icicle Falls, where she’ll stay with her sister Cecily. 
All goes well between the sisters until Bailey comes up with a new business idea—a tea shop on a charming street called Lavender Lane. She’s going into partnership with Todd Black, who—it turns out—is the man Cecily’s started dating. It looks to Cecily as if there’s more than tea brewing in that cute little shop. And she’s not pleased. 
Wait! Isn’t Cecily seeing Luke Goodman? He’s a widower with an adorable little girl, and yes, Cecily does care about him. But Todd’s the one who sends her zing-o-meter off the charts. So now what? Should you have to choose between your sister and the man you love (or think you love)?  (publisher)

My take:  Sheila Roberts takes us back to Icicle Falls and the Sterling family. This time we find out if sisters Cecily and Bailey can figure out their love lives and remain good friends/sisters. Not an easy thing to do – feelings are hurt, egos are bashed. But what can you do when your matchmaker sister can’t figure out her own love life?  We also catch up with the third Sterling sister, Samantha. New exciting things are happening in her life as well.

I thought The Tea Shop on Lavender Lane was another cute story in the Icicle Falls series. It was more on the light side than you might think and I enjoyed it. At the end there’s an excerpt from the next book in the series: The Lodge on Holly Road. Sheila also included a few recipes from Bailey’s tea shop.

The Cottage on Juniper Ridge by Sheila Roberts

• Title:  The Cottage on Juniper Ridge
• Series:  Life in Icicle Falls, #4
• Author:  Sheila Roberts
• Published:  February 2014 – Harlequin MIRA
• Source:  Publisher

Synopsis:  How to Change Your Life…   Can a book change your life? Yes, when it’s Simplicity, Muriel Sterling’s guide to plain living. In fact, it inspires Jen Heath to leave her stressful, over-committed life in Seattle and move to Icicle Falls, where she rents a lovely little cottage on Juniper Ridge. And where she can enjoy simple pleasures—like joining the local book club—and complicated ones, like falling in love with her sexy landlord, Garrett Armstrong. 
Her sister Toni is ready for a change, too. She’s got a teenage daughter who’s constantly texting her friends, a husband who’s more involved with his computer than he is with her, and a son who’s consumed by video games. Toni wants her family to grow closer—to return to a simpler way of life. 
Other women in town, like Stacy Thomas, are also inspired to unload their excess stuff and some of the extra responsibilities they’ve taken on. 
But as they all discover, sometimes life simply happens. It doesn’t always happen simply!

My take:  I think most readers will be able to relate to at least one, if not most, of the characters in Sheila Roberts’ latest novel. Who hasn’t felt overwhelmed, over-committed, or just plain frustrated by the frenetic pace of life at one time or another?

One of Icicle Falls’ own is an author whose recent book is a manual on how to get your life back by simplifying it. The Icicle Falls book club selects the book and the members start to use the advice. Jen, the newest member of the book club, received the book from her sister and moved to Icicle Falls after reading it so she’s already committed to change. Stacy has let her desire for things rule her life to the point that she starts to worry she may be a hoarder. Chita, a single mom of two, has scheduled herself with commitments and responsibilities to the point of near exhaustion. Will simplifying their lives be worth all the effort? You’ll have to read The Cottage on Juniper Ridge to find out.

I enjoyed this book. It is light in tone yet drives the point home that ultimately a simpler life can equal a better life. I would have to agree!

Treadmill Reads: What She Wants by Sheila Roberts

• Title:  What She Wants – Life in Icicle Falls #4
• Author:  Sheila Roberts
• Genre:  Contemporary Fiction; series
• Published:  March 2013 – Harlequin MIRA
• Source:  Publisher via NetGalley

Synopsis (publisher): What do women want? Jonathan Templar and his poker buddies can’t figure it out. Take Jonathan, for instance. He’s been in love with Lissa Castle since they were kids but, geek that he is, she’s never seen him as her Mr. Perfect. He has one last shot-their high school reunion. Kyle Long is equally discouraged. The pretty receptionist at his office keeps passing him over for other guys who may be taller but are definitely not superior. And Adam Edwards might be the most successful of Jonathan’s friends, but he isn’t having any success on the home front. His wife’s kicked him out. 

When Jonathan stumbles on a romance novel at the Icicle Falls library sale, he knows he’s found the love expert he’s been seeking-Vanessa Valentine, top-selling romance author. At first his buddies laugh at him for reading romance novels, but soon they, too, realize that these stories are the world’s best textbooks on love. Poker night becomes book club night…and when all is read and done, they’re going to be the kind of men women want!

My take: I think I’ve found the first beach book of 2013 to recommend! Sheila Roberts made me laugh out loud as I read about Jonathan, Kyle, and Adam trying to figure out what women, more specifically the women they want, well, WANT.

The discussions at the weekly poker games were funny yet made the point that men probably go through as much anxiety about finding The One as women do. Vance, who was married once upon a time, and Bernardo, currently happily married, give advice to the three younger men in as few words as humanly possible – they’re such guys!

But what ends up being the most helpful are Romance novels. Jonathan convinces his friends to read one or two. They’re so desperate that they’ll try just about anything. It was fun watching them try out various things learned from the Romance heroes. 

You’ll have to read the book to see if they get their dream girls or if they find they’ve been dreaming of the wrong girl all along! I recommend What She Wants to anyone looking for a light, fun read. Perfect for vacation, stay-cation, or even the treadmill :).

Merry Ex-Mas by Sheila Roberts

Title:  Merry Ex-Mas (Icicle Falls #2)

Author:  Sheila Roberts

Genre:  Contemporary Fiction (Light Romance); Christmas

Published:  October 2012 – Harlequin MIRA

Synopsis: (publisher) Christmas in Icicle Falls…

Cass Wilkes, owner of the Gingerbread Haus bakery, was looking forward to her daughter Danielle’s wedding…until Dani announced that she wants her father, Cass’s ex, to walk her down the aisle. Seriously? And, since every B and B is full, it looks as if he, his trophy wife and their yappy little dog will be staying with Cass.

Her friend Charlene Albach arrives at their weekly chick-flick night in shock. She’s just seen the ghost of Christmas past: her ex-husband, Richard, who left her a year ago. He ran off with the hostess from her restaurant, Zelda’s, to start a new life (and restaurant) in Seattle. Now the hostess is history and he wants to kiss and make up. Hide the mistletoe!

And bring out the hot buttered rum, because the holidays aren’t so easy for Ella O’Brien, either. Ella, who’s newly divorced, is still sharing the house with her ex while they wait for the place to sell, and they’re still fighting over all the things they fought over when they were married. The love is gone. Isn’t it?

But Christmas has a way of working its magic. One of these women is about to rediscover love, another is going to remember what’s important in life and the third will find new dreams in the new year. Merry Ex-mas, ladies!

My take:  Sheila Roberts takes us back to Icicle Falls, the picturesque Washington mountain town (and the setting of Better Than Chocolate), home to what I found to be completely relatable characters in relatable circumstances. 

In this book, we find secondary characters from Better Than Chocolate in the lead roles:

Cass, owner of the local bakery, is surprised by her daughter’s post-Thanksgiving engagement announcement and even more surprised that the wedding will take place before Christmas! She’s flabbergasted that her home is the only place with a vacancy for her ex-husband and his much younger second wife. Oh my goodness.

Charley is now the sole owner of a popular local restaurant after her ex ran off with their hostess. She’s surprised to see him back in town. Without the hostess. What is that all about?

Ella runs an upscale boutique (which is owned by her mother) and is newly divorced. How she ever fell for that no-good country singer wannabe is beyond her mother. Ella and Jake are still living under the same roof because, until they sell their house, they can’t afford to live elsewhere. Jake’s mother-in-law did everything in her power to break them up and she won. Or did she? Be careful, mama, or your ex son-in-law may dedicate a song to you! (see video below ;))

This is a Contemporary Christmas novel so if you imagine the ending will be predictable, you’re right! What isn’t predictable is how the ending is reached. Merry Ex-Mas is filled with typical Sheila Roberts humor and entertaining characters. I found it to be a perfectly fun seasonal read.

Recommended to fans of Sheila Roberts, Contemporary Light Romance, and Christmas novels.

Disclosure:  Review copy from the publisher. I was not compensated for my review.

  ♦  ♦  ♦

About the author:

Sheila Roberts is married and has three children. She lives on a lake in the Pacific Northwest. Her novels have
appeared in Reader’s Digest Condensed Books and have been published in several languages. Her book Angel Lane was an Amazon Top Ten Romance pick for 2009 and her holiday perennial On Strike for Christmas was made into a movie for the Lifetime Movie Network. When she’s not hanging out with her girlfriends or hitting the dance floor with her husband, she can be found writing about those things dear to women’s hearts: family, friends and chocolate.

Links

• Harlequin’s Website

• Sheila Roberts’ Website

Better Than Chocolate by Sheila Roberts

Title:  Better Than Chocolate (Icicle Falls #1)

Author:  Sheila Roberts

Genre:  Contemporary Fiction

Published:  September 2012 – Harlequin MIRA

Paperback 400 pages

Synopsis:  How sweet it isn’t!

Sweet Dreams Chocolate Company has been in the Sterling family for generations, ever since Great-Grandma Rose literally dreamed up her first fabulous recipe. But now it looks as if they’re about to lose Sweet Dreams to the bank—and that would be a disaster, not only for the family but for the town of Icicle Falls, Washington. Can Samantha, the oldest daughter and new head of the company, come up with a way to save it?

After Samantha does some brainstorming with her mother and sisters, inspiration strikes. They’ll have a chocolate festival! Time’s running out, but the Sterling women are determined and the town’s behind them, so everything’s bound to go smoothly….

Or not. Events seem to be conspiring against Samantha, and her mother’s attempts to help aren’t helping. To make matters worse, the fate of her company is in the hands of her archenemy, Blake Preston, the bank manager with the football-hero good looks. It’s enough to drive her to chocolate. But Blake’s also enough to convince her that (believe it or not) there’s something even better than chocolate.

My take:  The synopsis along with the cute cover sold me on Sheila Roberts’ latest novel. Better Than Chocolate is the story of how the Sterling women try to save the family chocolate company despite numerous roadblocks.

Roberts has a knack for incorporating timely issues in her novels. Better Than Chocolate is a cautionary tale about what can happen when women aren’t involved with the financial and legal details in their marriage and/or family business. Sisters and mother pull together to save the business in an unconventional way that could also end up helping their quaint tourist town. Roberts used just the right amounts of humor and tension to pace the story perfectly. If I’d had the time, I would have read it straight through in one sitting.

I thoroughly enjoyed Better Than Chocolate and look forward to the next book in the Life in Icicle Falls series. 

Disclosure:  I received a review e-galley from the publisher via NetGalley.

The Snow Globe by Sheila Roberts

Title: The Snow Globe

Author: Sheila Roberts

Genre: Fiction/Christmas

My thoughts: The Snow Globe is the story of three friends: Kylie, Suzanne, and Allison.  Kylie buys a beautiful antique snow globe that comes with a story about a man who thought his life was over when he lost his family.  He found, though, that life could change and be good again.

Kylie’s life is in a tailspin.  Her fiancé left her for her younger sister.  She’s trying to move on even though she also lost her job. It’s just her nature to put a positive spin on things so she’s willing to believe the snow globe could show her what could be in her future.  Her friends, however, are not convinced.

Suzanne is a Type A person who wants only the best for her family – as long as it fits in her plan.  On the outside, her life seems perfect but on the inside, things are starting to crumble.

Allison just kind of goes along with the flow in her life which usually has her putting up with bad behavior from her family, boyfriend, etc.  The one person who made her feel good is now gone and she feels quite alone in life.

Each young woman finds out what having the snow globe in her possession can bring to her life.   The question is:  Will she be open to what she sees in the snow globe?

The Snow Globe was a delight to read.  Kylie, Suzanne, and Allison find that if they actually stop and look around, the answers to their problems might be very clear. Sheila Roberts’ entertaining story has a good message that is perfect for the season and the rest of the year as well.

I recommend this book to fans of Sheila Roberts and Christmas season fiction.  Take a break from holiday errands and read The Snow Globe.

Source: St. Martin’s Press; Sheila Roberts

~

About the author: Sheila Roberts lives in the Pacific Northwest. Her novels have appeared in Readers Digest Condensed books and have been published in several languages. Her novel Angel Lane was an Amazon Top Ten Romance pick for 2009 and her holiday perennial, On Strike for Christmas is slated to be a Lifetime Channel movie presentation this December. When she’s not hanging out with her girlfriends or hitting the dance floor with her husband, she can be found writing about those things dear to women’s hearts: family, friends, and chocolate.

You can visit Sheila Roberts at her website, Facebook, and twitter

 

Small Change by Sheila Roberts

Small Change is about three women – Rachel, Tiffany and Jess – who are friends and neighbors. For different reasons they find themselves on the same financial boat and it is beginning to sink. Rachel, a divorced working mother of two, is coming to the end of a long-term substitute teaching job and can’t find another job. Tiffany works at a salon and has a shopping addiction that she tries to hide from her husband. Jess, housewife and former stay-at-home mom, has a jobless grown son living at home and a husband who is about to lose his executive job. These women need money. Yesterday.

Sheila Roberts’ latest novel holds a mirror to an issue faced by many people these days: financial difficulties due to job loss and related fall-out. Trying to compete with her ex, Rachel spends money on her children for things they really don’t need because she feels guilty saying “No” to them. She realizes that the unnecessary spending has to stop when she sees the end of her paychecks looming. Tiffany loves finding a bargain and she finds herself in trouble when she can’t pay her credit card bills – the cards she promised her husband she wouldn’t use anymore. She’s at the point of hiding purchases from her husband. Jess has a boomerang kid who sleeps until noon, surfs the web for a few hours looking for a job, and then heads out for the night to party with friends. That drives her husband crazy and results in shouting matches between father and son. On top of that, her husband’s bank has been bought out and he’s about to lose his job. Talk about stress!

In the past Rachel, Tiffany and Jess would meet weekly to make a craft, talk, share a bottle of wine, etc. In light of their financial situation they turn the weekly gabfest into brainstorming sessions for ways to bring in more money and improve things at home. There are moments of tears and lots of moral support as they start to figure out why they spend and begin to work their way out of their money troubles. It’s not an easy journey but the three women cheer each other on as they face the challenges along the way.

I think everyone can identify with at least one of the characters or knows someone just like one of the women. Because of that, Small Change would be a great selection for a book club. In typical Sheila Roberts style it is entertaining while addressing a serious topic. Roberts offers her characters (and readers) suggestions for cutting expenses and how to live well on a budget. I’m looking forward to trying a couple of her ideas myself!

Visit Sheila’s Website: www.sheilasplace.com

Review copy provided by the author

Show Me 5 Saturday – On Strike for Christmas by Sheila Roberts

That’s A Novel Idea hosts a MEME called Show Me Five Saturday. This meme will give each blogger an opportunity to give a brief description of a book they have read or reviewed during the week. It will work like this: Each Saturday you will post the answer to these questions. The number indicates the number of answers you will provide.

1 Book you read and/or reviewed this week

2 Words that describe the book

3 Settings where it took place or characters you met

4 Things you liked and/or disliked about it

5 Stars or less for your rating

1. On Strike For Christmas by Sheila Roberts

2. Contemporary, ChickLit

3. Setting: the small town of Holly; several women (aka Yulezillas); and their mostly uninvolved husbands

4. I liked: The lessons learned on both sides of the strike

The light comedy that Sheila Roberts does so well

It read like one of those fun holiday tv movies

The recipes at the end

5. 4 stars

Angel Lane by Sheila Roberts – Blog Tour

The small town of Heart Lake is beginning to lose its friendly, small town feeling, according to Sarah Goodwin, who owns the town bakery, Jamie Moore, owner of The Chocolate Bar, and Emma Swanson of Emma’s Quilt Corner decide it’s time to find a way to help people feel more connected. Their solution: random acts of kindness. And not just from them. The women sponsor a town meeting, encouraging the few people who turn out to start a movement. Soon people all over town are extending kindness to each other in heartwarming small ways. But as the three friends cope with lost cats, mixed signals, business challenges, and unexpected romance, they learn that no good deed goes unpunished. Most important, though, they learn that the only way to get a better life, a better town, a better world, is to give your heart.

* * * * * * *

Sheila Roberts takes us back to Heart Lake, the small town we got to know in Love In Bloom, and introduces us to three interesting women: Sarah, Jamie, and Emma.

Sarah is in her 50s and married. Her grown children live out of town and she needs to feel needed. She’s the owner of a bakery and decides to use her skills to do a good deed. Sarah’s niece Jamie is a chocolatier and business is good. She’s glad to be busy and doesn’t need to have a social life unless it involves the “Have a Heart” campaign. Emma, owner of a quilt shop, is Jamie’s friend. She has mostly given up on her own “happily ever after” so in her free time she watches old movies and lives vicariously. She has a good heart and can’t quite figure out why things don’t work out in real life the way they do in movies. I enjoyed all three characters but found Sarah to be a bit of a kindred spirit – we’re in the same age demographic. She has a good sense of humor and I related to her feelings about her kids living too far away.

The “acts of kindness” program is a lovely theme that brings people together at the perfect time of year – the holidays. No matter how small, an act of kindness can have a huge effect on people. Each of the women find out that it can have a positive effect or it can produce a totally unexpected result.

A town was like a quilt – one big piece made of many smaller pieces. When you fit all the pieces together just the right way you got a thing of beauty. Why couldn’t they try and fit the pieces together just right? If each little piece did his or her part . . .

“The timing is perfect, just as we’re coming into giving season, when people feel most generous.”

Emma frowned. “We don’t want to limit this to a season, do we? I mean giving season should last all year.”

There are serious as well as funny moments as the plan is put into action. Angel Lane is an entertaining and heart-warming novel – perfect for the holidays or any time of year. I feel inspired by this novel and more aware of my own ability to do random acts of kindness. I recommend Angel Lane.

* * * * * * *

You can visit Sheila Roberts’ website at www.sheilasplace.com.

Review copy from the author.

Thanks to Dorothy at Pump Up Your Book Promotion.

Love in Bloom by Sheila Roberts

Back of the book: Hope Walker survived early breast cancer at just thirty years old, but a mastectomy left her with a lot of scarring – and some serious fears about dating. Hope owns Changing Seasons Floral, Heart Lake’s most popular flower shop. When it comes to love and relationships, she’s able to work magic through her expert flower arranging . . . for everyone but herself. Then one day a handsome contractor starts coming into her shop, but Hope knows he’d rather have a whole woman than someone like her.

When Hope stakes a plot of ground at Heart Lake’s community garden, she finds that a woman can grow all sorts of things there: flowers, herbs, vegetables, and even friendship. As she gets to know the two women who share neighboring plots, they discover that they can learn a lot from one another – not just about gardening but about life. And Hope realizes that in order to live life to the fullest, sometimes you have to take a chance on love.

My thoughts: Love in Bloom is a delightful novel. It’s message is clear: Live life.

“None of us has any guarantee. You can’t just give up and sit on the sidelines.“ – Hope’s friend, Amber.

“Listen to an old woman and live your life to the fullest. Take advantage of every good thing that comes into it.” – 77 year old Millie, the character I hope to be just like in 25 years!

Millie also had this to say: “A garden is such an amazing thing, isn’t it? There it is, the whole cycle of life played out for us every year – death, then resurrection, new buds, new life, new beginnings.”

From beginning to end, this was a satisfying book. It wasn’t preachy or maudlin. I found the characters to be realistic (in fact a few seemed quite familiar to me) and the emotions, genuine. I look forward to reading more books by Sheila Roberts.