Tag Archives: Steena Holmes

Charmed by Chocolate

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Author: Steena Holmes
Publisher: Tule Publishing
Genre: Romance
Source:  Purchased

 

Goodreads:  When Leah ran off to Southern California, she hoped to leave freezing cold winters and unrequited love behind. She was never meant for a small town life and the timing with her longtime best friend–and secret soul mate–was always hopelessly off.
But after a mishap on the hit reality show Charming, Leah declares her love for Wade nationwide and is publicly dubbed “Lonely Leah.” She returns to Marietta to hide at her family’s home–from the media who wants to turn her into a human interest story, from the townspeople upset with her blunder, and most of all, from Wade, who wants to talk.

It took Leah leaving town to wake Wade Burns up to the reality that he’s head over heels in love with his best friend. But now that she’s back home, she’s giving him the cold shoulder. With chocolate and a grand gesture, can Wade charm his way back into Leah’s heart?

Ope’s Opinion:  I am a huge fan of Steena Holmes.  That is the whole reason I picked this one up.  I am still a fan of Steena Holmes, but this is not her usual story telling.  This one is up beat, light, easy read.   Probably a good one for holiday reading when life is crazy and you need a little something to relax you.

This book is  a part of a series, but each book has a different author, so you can read it alone.  It is a sweet story that has the happy ending – all of which you can figure out at the beginning – and some times exactly what you want.

Steena Holmes novels are usually deep, full of wonderful characters and leaving you thinking…  so if you have a chance, pick up any one of her novels – you won’t be disappointed.

Abby’s Journey

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Author: Steena Holmes
Publisher: Lake Union Publishing
Genre: Travel
Source:  Steena Holmes

Goodreads:  Twenty-year-old Abigail Turner has only known her mother, Claire—who died shortly after she was born—through letters, videos, postcards, and journals. Abby’s father, Josh, has raised his precious daughter himself, but his overprotectiveness has become stifling. Abby longs to forge out on her own and see the world after a childhood trapped indoors: she suffers from bronchopulmonary dysplasia, which means a case of the sniffles can rapidly escalate into life-threatening pneumonia.

But when Abby’s doctor declares her healthy—for now—her grandmother Millie whisks her away to Europe to visit the Christmas markets that her mother cherished and chronicled in her travel journals. Despite her father’s objections, Abby and Millie embark on a journey of discovery in which Abby will learn secrets that force her to reevaluate her image of her mother and come to a more mature understanding of a parent-child bond that transcends death.

New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Steena Holmes offers a tender and heartfelt exploration of parental love and a daughter’s longing for connection in the poignant next chapter following Saving Abby.

Ope’s Opinion:  This book could be read as a stand alone, but reading Saving Abby first makes it more meaningful.  Having Abby’s family background gives you more understanding to the characters in this story.

Steena Holmes wrote this in such a way that I felt each character.  I understood each of  their points of view.  She also wrote Abby’s trip in such a way that I could see where she was – it made me want to take my own trip to see all the markets.

Once again, thank you Steena Holmes for your amazing writing!

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Coming Soon…..….

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…. On a Bookshelf near you!

In February I hope to read….

abby

Publication Date: February 14, 2017
Publisher: Lake Union Publishing

Goodreads:  Twenty-year-old Abigail Turner has only known her mother, Claire—who died shortly after she was born—through letters, videos, postcards, and journals. Abby’s father, Josh, has raised his precious daughter himself, but his overprotectiveness has become stifling. Abby longs to forge out on her own and see the world after a childhood trapped indoors: she suffers from bronchopulmonary dysplasia, which means a case of the sniffles can rapidly escalate into life-threatening pneumonia.

But when Abby’s doctor declares her healthy—for now—her grandmother Millie whisks her away to Europe to visit the Christmas markets that her mother cherished and chronicled in her travel journals. Despite her father’s objections, Abby and Millie embark on a journey of discovery in which Abby will learn secrets that force her to reevaluate her image of her mother and come to a more mature understanding of a parent-child bond that transcends death.

New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Steena Holmes offers a tender and heartfelt exploration of parental love and a daughter’s longing for connection in the poignant next chapter following Saving Abby.

What is coming soon …. to a bookshelf near you?

Let me know – I am always looking for a good read!

Steena Holmes

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Today I wanted to give a shout out to an amazing author that has blown me away not only in her stories but also in person. Steena Holmes is a women’s fiction writer who has the heart of gold. Her books are captivating and the way she writes makes it so easy and a  pleasure to read.

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When I first met Steena in person her face lit up with joy when she noticed me. I was in shock that a little blogger like me would get such a heartfelt reaction. Her enthusiasm is infectious and it traveled with me through the rest of the day.

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Thanks to this amazing author and Lake Union Publishing, I get to sit with this incredible book and see what Abby has in store for the next chapter of her life. If you haven’t already read my review on Saving Abby, you can go see where Abby started or pre-order Abby’s Journey here.

Blogaversary

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Happy 4th year of blogging!!

 

I do like to review what I have done this past year at this time.
I also like to look forward to see where I want to go with this blog.

It has been a bumpy year.
We had to move twice and built a house.
So my reading was not as consistent.

At times I wasn’t sure I could keep up with this blog
the way I thought it should be.
My daughters kept encouraging me.

Then I went to BEA and was rejuvenated!
Seeing all the great books coming out, the wonderful bloggers,
and a wonderful author ( Steena Holmes ) made me not to
only keep going, but improve this blog.

Saving Abby

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saving abby

Author: Steena Holmes
Publisher: Lake Union Publishing
Genre: Contemporary Fiction
Source:  Kristin of Kritters Ramblings

Publication Date:  May 31, 2016

Goodreads:  All children’s book illustrator Claire Turner ever wanted was to be a mother. After six years of trying to conceive, she and her husband, Josh, have finally accepted that she will never be pregnant with a child of their own.

Yet once they give up hope, the couple gets the miracle they’ve been waiting for. For the first few months of her pregnancy, Claire and Josh are living on cloud nine. But when she begins to experience debilitating headaches, blurred vision, and even fainting spells, the soon-to-be mother goes to the doctor and receives a terrifying diagnosis. Since any treatment could put their unborn baby’s life at risk, the Turners must carefully weigh their limited options. And as her symptoms worsen, Claire will have to make an impossible decision: Save her own life, or save her child’s?

USA Today and New York Times bestselling author Steena Holmes brings us an unforgettable story of one woman’s courage and love.

Ope’s Opinion:  When you start this book be sure to bring a tissue or two.  It will not be a pretty cry.  Steena Holmes makes you love her characters so much they feel like family.  You take them into your heart and you don’t want to let them go.

I don’t want to say much about the story – you just need to read it.

I may have read all of Steena Holmes books and they are all worth reading again.  I will pick up one of her books without even reading the synopsis – she is that good!

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The Word Game

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Author: Steena Holmes               word game
Publisher: Lake Union Publishing
Genre: Fiction
Source: Purchased

 

Goodreads:  For overprotective parent Alyson Ward, any time her daughter, Lyla, is out of sight is reason to panic. So it’s a big step for her when she lets Lyla attend a sleepover at her cousin’s house. Comforted by the knowledge that her sister, Tricia, is the chaperone, Alyson does the one thing she never thought possible: she lets go and trusts that her daughter will be safe.

But Alyson’s sense of peace is short lived. When Lyla comes home the next morning, she reveals something that could tear apart not only their family but also the entire community. Now, Alyson and Tricia must confront their painful shared past as they come together to help a little girl who they fear might be harboring terrible secrets similar to their own. Will the sisters be strong enough to face their demons in order to protect the child, even if it means telling their most private truths?

Ope’s Opinion: Oh, my! this has to be one of the top five books of 2015 for me.  I can not believe how absorbed I was in this story from the very beginning until I flipped the last page.  

Each one of the women in this book is strong in their own way.  They are supportive of each other and very relatable.  The subject matter is difficult to deal with.  Steena Holmes did it in a way that made you feel deeply for everyone.

If you have not read a Steena Holmes book this would be a good choice, but then any of her books are awesome.  I look forward to her next book.

Rating:  5 + – This book is so good it will be passed on and on and on……

 

Coming Soon….

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…. On a Bookshelf near you!

In November I hope to read….

word game

Publication Date:  November 3, 2015
Publisher: Lake Union Publishing

Goodreads:  For overprotective parent Alyson Ward, any time her daughter, Lyla, is out of sight is reason to panic. So it’s a big step for her when she lets Lyla attend a sleepover at her cousin’s house. Comforted by the knowledge that her sister, Tricia, is the chaperone, Alyson does the one thing she never thought possible: she lets go and trusts that her daughter will be safe.

But Alyson’s sense of peace is short lived. When Lyla comes home the next morning, she reveals something that could tear apart not only their family but also the entire community. Now, Alyson and Tricia must confront their painful shared past as they come together to help a little girl who they fear might be harboring terrible secrets similar to their own. Will the sisters be strong enough to face their demons in order to protect the child, even if it means telling their most private truths?

What is coming soon …. to a bookshelf near you?

Let me know – I am always looking for a good read!

Megan’s Hope

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Author:  Steena Holmes
Publisher: Steena Holmes
Genre: Contemporary Woman’s Fiction   megan's hope
Source:  Author

 

 

Goodreads:  What is normal when a kidnapped daughter returns home?
Emma is now home and Jack, the man Emma calls Papa is part of their family. Life should be good, right?
Except Jack is dying and no one is quite ready to say goodbye.

This novella follows the life of Jack and Emma throughout the past year and if you thought your heart had already broke while reading Finding Emma and Emma’s Secret – get ready.

You’ll need kleenex and lots of it.

Each of the monthly stories found in this novella were available to Steena’s newsletter subscribers as a special bonus but now they are available for everyone. Enjoy!

Ope’s Opinion:  Well, Steena Holmes has done it again!  She had me in tears partly through this novella and really crying at the end.

Mostly what I want to say about this book is READ IT!!!  If you have not read Steena’s books before pick one up and start reading – actually you may want to pick up more then one because once you finish the first one, you will  immediately want the next one.

This is the end of Emma’s story.  It has been a wonderful series.

Rating: Five Chairs – This book is so good it will be passed on and on and on….
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Stillwater Rising

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Author:  Steena Holmes
Publisher:  Lake Union Publishing
Genre:  Contemporary Fiction                     still
Source:  Booksparks

 

 

Goodreads:  After losing her son in an elementary school shooting that devastates the tight-knit community of Stillwater Bay, Jennifer Crowne finds herself unable to settle back into her role of perfect stay-at-home mom and committee organizer. Meanwhile, her best friend, Mayor Charlotte Stone, struggles to keep the town together, and Charlotte s husband, the school principal, may not be the hero everyone thinks him to be.

As they try to heal from this irrevocable trauma, Jenn and Charlotte find themselves at a crossroads within the town and within their friendship. For Jenn, broken and grieving, there is no going back, and she demands that the school be closed so that she can bury the past. Yet Charlotte is equally desperate to hold the town together, fighting the school closure and helping the shooter s mother regain her place in the community. Jenn and Charlotte s relationship is put to the ultimate test as each weighs her own interests against the bonds of their friendship.”

Ope’s Opinion:  Oh, my this book is amazing, wonderful, awesome … not enough positive adjectives to describe it.  It is a stop time, all I want to do is read book.

Yes, there are several books about school shootings, the devastation and the aftermath.  But this book is very different.  Steena Holmes writes in such a way that her characters are your neighbors, your friends or even maybe you.  You feel for each person who is struggling to deal with what happened and their part in it.

This book made me think about how I might react if I had been put into this situation?  How would I treat the mother of the shooter?  Would I be able to reach out to other parents grieving or would I be swallowed whole and not be able to manage my own grief, let alone help someone else?  I really enjoy books that make me think…

I am anxiously looking forward to her next book Stillwater Deep.

Rating:  Five Chairs – This book is so good it will be passed on and on and on…..
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