I was perfectly content with my life--that is, until the pages of my story were ripped out before I had a chance to live happily ever after. Alice Grace Ripley lives in a dream world, her nose stuck in a book. But the happily-ever-after life she's planned on suddenly falls apart when her boyfriend breaks up with her, accusing her of living in a world of fiction instead of the real one. To top it off, Alice loses her beloved library job because of cutbacks due to the Great Depression. Longing to run from small-town gossip, Alice flees to the mountains of eastern Kentucky to deliver five boxes of donated books to the tiny coal-mining town of Acorn, a place with no running water, no electricity, and where the librarians ride ornery horses up steep mountain passes to deliver books. When Alice is forced to stay in Acorn far longer than she planned, she discovers that real-life adventure, mystery--and especially romance--may be far better than her humble dreams could have imagined.
Bestselling author Lynn Austin returns with a luminous work of historical fiction set amid the opulence of Gilded Age New York, where three generations of women in one family must reckon with the choices they have made and their hopes for the future. New York, 1898. The only thing more shocking than Arthur Stanhope III’s unexpected death is the revelation that his will bestows his company―and most of the vast fortune that goes with it―to the nearest male heir, leaving his mother, wife, and daughter nearly impoverished. His widow, Sylvia, quickly realizes she must set aside her grief to ensure their daughter, Adelaide, is launched into society as soon as the appropriate mourning period passes. If Sylvia can find a wealthy husband for Addy before anyone realizes they’re practically destitute, there will be little disruption to the lifestyle they’re accustomed to. Sylvia’s mother-in-law, Junietta, believes their life could use a little disruption. She has watched Sylvia play her role as a society wife, as Junietta once did, despite what it cost them both. Junietta vows to give her granddaughter the power to choose a path beyond what society expects. But for Addy to have that chance, both mother and grandmother must first confront painful truths about their own choices. Only in bringing their secrets to light can they hope to reshape their family inheritance into a legacy more fulfilling than they ever dared dream.
The Wish Book Christmas Book Summary From the bestselling author of If I Were You comes a nostalgic and endearing holiday story that reminds us that sometimes the most meaningful gifts are the ones we least expect and don't deserve. Best friends Audrey Barrett and Eve Dawson are looking forward to celebrating Christmas in postwar America, thrilled at the prospect of starting new traditions with their five-year-old sons. But when the 1951 Sears Christmas Wish Book arrives and the boys start obsessing over every toy in it, Audrey and Eve realize they must first teach them the true significance of the holiday. They begin by helping Bobby and Harry plan gifts of encouragement and service for those in their community, starting by walking an elderly neighbor's yellow Lab--since a dog topped the boys' wish list for Santa. In the charming tale that follows, Audrey and Eve are surprised to find their own hearts healing from the tragedies of war and opening to the possibility of forgiveness and new love. My Thoughts The Wish Book Christmas by Lynn Austin has Eve Dawson and Audrey Barrett worried about their sons, Harry and Bobby. They boys discovered The Sears Wish Book and have been consumed with it. They have a long list of toys they want Santa to bring them for Christmas. Eve and Audrey want to the boys to know the true meaning of Christmas. After watching the boys play wise men in the school play, they come up with a plan. The Wish Book Christmas is a continuation of If I Were You. I was not aware that there had been a prior book until I started reading The Wish Book Christmas. I felt liked I was plopped into the middle of a story, so I went investigating. The author does provide the necessary background information so it technically can be read as a standalone. Personally, I believe I would have enjoyed the book more if I had read If I Were You first. I thought The Wish Book Christmas was well-written with developed characters. Once I got into the story, I was engaged. I liked how the mothers went about teaching their sons the true meaning of Christmas. The Wish Book Christmas is a heartwarming story that will put you in the mood for the holidays. It is a book that will get you to thinking about how you can help others this holiday season. There are many types of gifts you can give someone, and they do not involve purchasing an item in a store (or by purchasing a gift card). The ending was very special and will leave you smiling. The Wish Book Christmas is a story about forgiveness, hope, family, moving on, joy, and the true meaning of Christmas. The Wish Book Christmas is a heartwarming holiday novel with a wish list of toys, a cavorting canine, shoveling snow, a decked-out Christmas tree, a gracious God, finding forgiveness, firm friends, and a happy holiday. The Wish Book Christmas is available from Amazon*. You can find If I Were You here. You can follow Lynn Austin on Amazon to receive updates on her latest books. Thank you so much for reading my review today. I will be back on Monday with Murder by the Bookend by Laura Gail Black. It is the 2nd An Antique Bookshop Mystery. I hope that you have a jolly good weekend. Take care, be kind, and Happy Reading! Kris The Avid Reader *This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Today I’m sharing the second part of Kate’s Senior Session at Mount Bonnell in Austin! You can view photos from the first part of her session here. Mount Bonnell is a beautiful place to view the sunset over Lake Austin and the city. It’s also a great spot for sunset senior portraits! I was so […]
Een meeslepende familiesaga zoals alleen Lynn Austin die kan schrijven. ‘Anker in de storm’ van Lynn Austin: in dit vervolg op bestseller ‘Dochters van de kust’ huurt de jonge Anna een privédetective in om meer te weten te komen over haar biologische moeder. Anna is terug in Chicago, maar het kost haar moeite om zich te concentreren op haar aanstaande huwelijk. Wat ze onlangs te weten is gekomen over haar biologische moeder laat haar niet los. Ze huurt een privédetective in om meer informatie boven water te krijgen. Maar al snel ontdekt ze dat sommige geheimen beter met rust gelaten kunnen worden. Ondertussen worden er nare roddels over Anna verspreid in de stad. Roddels die haar verloving in gevaar brengen en er uiteindelijk toe leiden dat ze haar toevlucht zoekt bij haar grootmoeder Geesje in het Amerikaanse plaatsje Holland. Lynn Austin schreef ‘Anker in de storm’ op verzoek van vele fans. Hoewel het chronologisch volgt op ‘Dochters van de kust’ kan het ook goed los gelezen worden.
What Would You Do If a Secret Was Causing Your Family to Crumble?
Opposites attract in this story about the friendship of two later-in-life adults as they come to terms with loss, life, and faith in God.
Kate's senior pictures in the Seaholm district of Austin, Texas are featured on the blog! I love adventuring around Austin with my seniors. See more on the blog!
Today I’m sharing the second part of Kate’s Senior Session at Mount Bonnell in Austin! You can view photos from the first part of her session here. Mount Bonnell is a beautiful place to view the sunset over Lake Austin and the city. It’s also a great spot for sunset senior portraits! I was so […]
Zwei Frauen auf der Suche nach sich selbst: Julia gehört zur besseren Gesellschaft und hat sich in den Kopf gesetzt, den Geistlichen Nathanael Green zu erobern. Doch der ist gar nicht angetan von der verwöhnten Tochter aus gutem Haus. Seine Ablehnung fordert Julia heraus, über den Sinn ihres Lebens nachzudenken. So beschliesst sie gegen den Willen ihrer Eltern, als Krankenschwester in einem Feld-lazarett Nathanaels Anerkennung zu erringen. Der barsche Dr. MacGrath, den ein dunkles Geheimnis umgibt, macht der zarten jungen Frau die Arbeit schwer. Die verwundeten Soldaten aber schätzen ihren aufopferungsvollen Dienst. Bald lernt sie die junge Phoebe kennen, die sich als Mann verkleidet in die Armee geschmuggelt hat. Beide Frauen verbindet der Wunsch, sich und der Welt etwas zu beweisen. Als sich die Ereignisse überstürzen und Julia hinter das Geheimnis des Doktors kommt, stellt sich die entscheidende Frage: Können die beiden Frauen ihr Schicksal der guten Hand Gottes überlassen?
About the Book Title: If I Were You Author: Lynn Austin Genre: Historical Fiction Publisher: Tyndale House Publi...
From the publisher: "They watched their sons, their brothers, and their husbands enlist to fight a growing menace across the seas. And when their nation asked, they answered the call as well. Virginia longs to find a purpose beyond others' expectations. Helen is driven by a loneliness money can't fu
Today I’m sharing the second part of Kate’s Senior Session at Mount Bonnell in Austin! You can view photos from the first part of her session here. Mount Bonnell is a beautiful place to view the sunset over Lake Austin and the city. It’s also a great spot for sunset senior portraits! I was so […]
In Though Waters Roar by Lynn Austin, Harriet Sherwood is a young woman in the early 1900s who has just landed in jail for defying the Prohibition’s liquor laws – but not for the reason…
459 pages ; 22 cm