book club

Nancy Thayer's Summer Breeze

Morgan O’Keefe feels trapped in a gilded cage. True, the thirty-year-old mother agreed to put her science career on hold to raise her young son while her husband pursued his high-powered job. But though Morgan loves many things about staying home with her child, she misses the thrill of working with her colleagues in the lab. She’s restless and in dire need of a change.
Fed up with New York City’s hectic pace, Natalie Reynolds takes up her aunt’s offer to move to the Berkshires and house-sit her fabulous lakeside house for a year. Passionate about applying brush to canvas, Natalie is poised to become the artist she has forever longed to be. But life on Dragonfly Lake is never without surprises, and for a novice swimmer like Natalie, the most welcome surprise proves to be the arms of a handsome neighbor pulling her up from the water for a gulp of air.
When her mother breaks her leg, Bella Barnaby quits her job in Austin and returns home to help out her large, boisterous family. Among her new duties: manning the counter at the family business, Barnaby’s Barn, an outdated shop sorely in need of a makeover. While attractive architect Aaron has designs on her, Bella harbors long held secret dreams of her own.
Summer on Dragonfly Lake is ripe for romance, temptation, and self-discovery as the lives of these three women unexpectedly intertwine.
(thanks to her website)

This is a good beach read with friendship,romance and family tossed together. No super annoying or selfish characters, seems more "realistic" and life like. An enjoyable enough book;I give it a B.

Jennifer Erin Valent Cottonwood Whispers









In Cottonwood Whispers, the sequel to Fireflies in December, readers will find a story of quick assumptions and false accusations; a story of how easily people can believe something without exploring justification. And a story of true sacrificial love and pure faith in God's sovereignty.
Of course, the novel will also continue the story of Jessilyn and Luke... the relationship everyone keeps asking about!
(thanks to her website)

Just like the first installment in this series I soaked this book up. Same great characters and even some new ones, drama, sadness, hope and faith. I really like that Jennifer discusses intense/heavy topics yet she still somehow manages to keep them light and interesting. Brings me back to another era in American living. I am excited to read the next book! I give this a solid A.

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Thanks, Heather and and Katie
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Happy Friday!