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The Gold-Son by Carrie Ann Noble (and a GIVEAWAY!)

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leprechaun bookBubby:

Just like her first book, The Mermaid’s Sister, Carrie Ann Noble has managed to draw me in with the The Gold-Son’s cover alone. It’s so beautifully detailed and has all the elements of the story in the pictures surrounding the title. We’ve got Tommin and Eve, surrounded by gold coins, shoes, Leprechaun Elixir, and so much more. I want to frame it and hang it on my wall!

Sissy:

I have never before encountered a book about leprechauns.

Bubby:

What, never? Didn’t you read the Artemis Fowl books?

Sissy:

Oh yeah, just kidding. O.K. I’ve never before read a book about “classic” leprechauns. At any rate, The Gold-Son presents a remarkable history and setting for what we think of as those little cute guys in green. Carrie Ann Noble went deep and brought us an imaginative new back story to explain Leprechauns and it ain’t pretty like a rainbow.

Bubby:

Yeah, they are pretty nasty creatures. As it turns out, these fairy folk can only continue the species by stealing human adolescents and brain-washing them into wanting eternal life via three separate drinks of Leprechaun Elixir. Unfortunately, being a Leprechaun involves constant theft of gold and silver and a complete loss of humanity, compassion, love and kindness.

Sissy:

Kind of like what happens to you when deprived of chocolate.

Bubby:

Yes, exactly!

Sissy:

 The Gold-Son was a more difficult read than The Mermaid’s Sister just because Tommin and Eve had such a difficult and painful road to travel. I felt like I was constantly pleading, “No, don’t do that!” ” Don’t go there!” or “Don’t drink that!” mostly to Tommin, the whole time I was reading the book. It was exhausting, but worth it, because the harrowing and centuries-spanning journey leads to a wonderful and unexpected payoff at the end.

Bubby:

I particularly enjoyed the MASSIVE plot twist in the middle of the book. It took me completely by surprise and brought the plot to a whole new level. The characters in The Gold-Son are so well drawn. I hated Lorcan Reilly with a passion, loved Eve for her strength and determination, and quickly got very attached to Tommin, despite his many, many, MANY flaws (most of which he works through by the end). Carrie Ann Noble can craft a fantasy like no other. I’ve so enjoyed her spins on Leprechauns, carnies, mermaids and the like that I can’t imagine what fantastical creature she’s going to tackle next! Maybe Yetis? Please?

Sissy:

Yetis are so unromantic.   But I agree with everything else Bubby just said, and she said it so well you should read it again to know what I think (this rarely happens–don’t get excited).  Readers, definitely take a look at the original, artful work that is Carrie Ann Noble’s The Gold Son!  Aaaaaand…if you want a chance to win a copy of this book, make a comment on this post telling us something you know about leprechauns!

Click HERE to buy The Gold-Son by Carrie Ann Noble

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Driving Miss Crazy by D.J. Van Oss

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Driving Miss Crazy:  She wants to go places. He’s got the car. If only things were that simple. Widowed father Adrian Adams isn’t looking to change his life. He just wants to keep his seven-year-old daughter Charlie safe and happy. The last thing he expects is to suddenly lose his job as a driver for the Washington DC diplomatic community. Luckily, he’s offered a new embassy driving assignment, one that starts with a tea cup-and-tie collision with a clumsy, cute, and oddly charming Irish woman with a penchant for talking to squirrels.

Maggie MacNally always seems to fall short, especially when it comes to her family’s expectations. She’s bracing again for disappointment as she tries to forge a new life in DC. Then an out-of-the-blue summons from her influential grandmother offers her one last chance at success—a chance that puts her in Adrian’s back seat and on the road to a career in the family business of international diplomacy. Is Maggie finally headed where she wants to go, or is her big opportunity just another wrong turn? Is Adrian ready to take a second chance at love, or is he determined to put on the brakes before Maggie drives him crazy? And what’s with all the squirrels?

Bubby: 

Driving Miss Crazy was just so much fun. I laughed out loud several times, startling Mr. Bubby out of his well-deserved sleep. I guess I shouldn’t read humorous stories after bedtime! Adrian and Maggie, our main characters, are super cute together. They have chemistry right off the bat and even when distractions arise, like Mr. Smarmy Pants Valery (from the French embassy, naturally) they still work well together. 

Sissy:

Adrian’s little girl Charlie was absolutely charming and her conversations are really well depicted. 

Bubby:

Oooh, especially the one where she’s practicing for the play and makes her dad be the handsome prince and Maggie the princess? She’s adorable!

Sissy:

Yes, that one was especially cute. In fact, I was super surprised to find out that a man wrote this book. Not that I am opposed to menfolk or anything but they usually don’t get the nuances of romance or children’s chatter in the written form. Driving Miss Crazy is a madcap adventure which I thought would be too slapstick for me from the description –

Bubby:

Because you’re so sophisticated and all that, right? (She even puts her little finger in the air when she’s drinking her tea, don’t you know!)

Sissy:

I would say that I simply have a more mature taste in humor than you, Bubby. Something that I developed in my myriad travels and experiences.

Bubby:

The only mature you are is the support hose kind.

Sissy:

  “To be of good quality, you have to excuse yourself from the presence of shallow and callow minded individuals.” ― Michael Bassey Johnson.  That’s all I have to say about you and your rude comments.  Anyway, I ended up liking Driving Miss Crazy although our main character Maggie did drive me a little crazy. 

Bubby:

She is very naïve and has a hard time realizing that she’d be most happy by following her own heart and not trying to live up to the expectations of others. But she figures it all out in plenty of time for a grand, over-the-top happy ending. Driving Miss Crazy was fun, quirky, and had all the elements I love in a fluffy romance – even an appearance by the Queen of England! Another great option for your summer beach reading. 

Sissy:

No joke–a cameo by the Queen of England!  The ending is a little outrageous but fits in nicely with the overall insane tone of the story. Adrian and Maggie’s friend Jelly were especially endearing to me. Driving Miss Crazy is a surprisingly good début novel and I would recommend it as a satisfying, entertaining read.

Click HERE to buy Driving Miss Crazy by D. J. Van Oss

 

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The Hope Chest by Viola Shipman

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The discovery of one woman’s heirloom hope chest unveils precious memories and helps three people who have each lost a part of themselves find joy once again. Ever since she was diagnosed with ALS, fiercely independent Mattie doesn’t feel like herself. She can’t navigate her beloved home, she can’t go for a boat ride, and she can barely even feed herself. Her devoted husband, Don, doesn’t want to imagine life without his wife of nearly fifty years, but Mattie isn’t likely to make it past their anniversary.
But when Rose, Mattie’s new caretaker, and her young daughter, Jeri, enter the couple’s life, happiness and the possibility for new memories return. Together they form a family, and Mattie is finally able to pass on her memories from the hope chest she received from her mother.  With each item—including a favorite doll, family dishes, an embroidered apron, and an antique Christmas ornament—the hope chest connects Mattie, Don and Rose to each other and helps them find hope again in the face of overwhelming life challenges.   A beautiful story about the unconditional love and support of family, The Hope Chest will remind you that hope can be found where and when you least expect it.

 

Sissy:

“We get one chance on this earth. One short little stop to get things right, and too few of us do. We focus on everything that is unimportant.” If I got one takeaway from this beautiful story,  it is that quote. If you read other reviews about The Hope Chest, you will find that other readers wax eloquently about the emotional nature of the story and the timeless message of hope therein. I am not much of a crier (at least not like Bubby, who sheds buckets of tears over Pampers commercials.)

Bubby:

I have NEVER cried at a Pampers commercial, thank you very much. I just express emotions through my eyeballs, that’s all. And if anyone else is crying, well, it’s just rude to let people cry alone. 

Sissy:

Are you kidding me? You cry when people even talk about crying. 

Bubby:

Just because you have no feelings…

Sissy:

Not true. After about a quarter of the way into The Hope Chest, I got a big lump in my throat that never went away until the end. Sometimes it was a “I feel like crying because this is so sad” sort of lump and sometimes it was a “This is so happy I’m almost weeping” sort of lump. 

Bubby:

So you’re a big soggy lump now? 

Sissy:

No. I never actually got soggy. You’re the lone soggy lump.

Bubby:

I must admit, I DID have some soggy lump moments myself during this story. I am very sentimental about things, especially objects that have a tangible link to my memories or to people near and dear to me. So when Rose and Mattie start pulling items out of Mattie’s hope chest and telling the stories attached to the items, it really got to me. 

Sissy:

Each chapter talks about a specific item from Mattie’s hope chest and that’s what pulls the book together – the memories each thing evokes and the new memories made by their rediscovery. It’s quite compelling. I had a boyfriend who made me hope chest once, but neither he or the chest survived through the years. 

Bubby:

No one ever made me a hope chest. So sad. But I guess my whole house is a type of hope chest, since I have Mom’s china and Grandma’s silver and other various bits and bobs from loved ones scattered all over. It’s kinda nice. Now, we don’t want to leave you with the impression that The Hope Chest is all doom and gloom and sadness and tears. It’s definitely not. There’s some humor, lots of love, a fair dose of drama and, even though Mattie does die, we still have what I’d call a happy ending. 

Sissy:

The most touching aspect of the story was that strangers came together and bonded and became a family, filling all the empty spaces in each other’s lives. It was so satisfying. I don’t have any empty spaces in my family, because I have my Bubby. Regardless, The Hope Chest underlines those things that are important in life and reminds us that it is a lovely thing worth living.

Bubby:

Awww. That was beautiful! You fill up all my empty spaces too, Sissy. I was just so happy and contented at the end of The Hope Chest. I don’t usually like stories where we have to watch a main character die but it helped that I knew from the beginning that Mattie’s death was a foregone conclusion. She died as she lived, surrounded with loved ones and at peace. It’s something to aspire to, don’t you think? The Hope Chest will tug at your heart and fill your eyes with tears and you’ll be so glad that you read it. I promise.

Click HERE to buy The Hope Chest by Viola Shipman

 

 

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Love in an English Garden by Victoria Connelly

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Love In an English Garden: The Jacobs family has lived at Orley Court for generations. But when Vanessa Jacobs’s husband dies and leaves the property to her, she finds costs spiraling out of control. In order to stay in their beloved home, she and her daughters will have to sell part of it off—a decision that drives a wedge between Vanessa and her live-in mother-in-law.

The new owners of the north wing are Laurence Sturridge and his father, Marcus. Laurence wants to escape the constant pressure of his corporate job in London, while Marcus longs to heal from the grief of losing his wife. Could the beauty of Orley Court offer them a fresh outlook on life?

As the two families embark on a challenging new chapter over the course of a glorious English summer, secrets are revealed and relationships tested. But as Orley Court begins to weave its magic over them, will it be love, above all, that brings the two families together?

Sissy:

When Bubby and I were in the English countryside last October (I still can’t believe we did that!) we saw many stately manors and beautiful gardens.  You can imagine how easy it was for us, then, to completely immerse ourselves in the beautifully described setting of Love in an English Garden. 

Bubby:

I’ve heard people talk about “genetic memory” before and I wasn’t sure what I thought about it, but when we were in England, the home of almost all of our ancestors, it truly felt like home. Especially when we were in the Lake District – I could have bought a house and moved my family in and lived there happily for all time.

Sissy:

Me too!  And the gentle, peaceful feeling we felt there is mirrored in Love in an English Garden.  It is an easy paced, yet very satisfying tale of change and relationships. There are several little interesting stories going on all at once but it never seems too much.  I immediately connected with and truly liked the main characters (quite liked the side characters too!). It is a read that induces the utmost in relaxification!

Bubby: 

Now hold on a minute. There’s at least ONE character you didn’t like – the Mother-In-Law/Grandmother, Dolly. Even though at the end she does offer a bit of an explanation for her awful behavior, I still think she’s a big stinker. I loved everyone else, though, even the reforming delinquents that helped out with the garden upkeep.

Sissy:

O.K., you’re right. Dolly was a stink. And her explanation was stupid. People should not be allowed to behave that badly! It’s too bad that there isn’t some type of system where when we looked in the mirror, it could give us an evaluation of our behavior – “You are being a wretched poop-noggin. Stop it.” It should include some video proof of your poop-noggin-ness too. 

Bubby:

I agree. Let’s invent this and make a bazillion dollars, shall we? And then we can go back to England and buy ourselves a lovely little manor house with a delightful garden, just like in the book. And then I’ll be relaxed and calm and happy and nice ALL the time. I promise.

Sissy:

Hmm. Could I have that in writing? We didn’t give you much of the storyline in our review, (you can find that elsewhere, I suppose), but I guarantee you will fall in love with the owners, previous and current, of Orley Court. You will be so happy with the bonds formed between surprising people and the ending is just delightful. Love In an English Garden — go get it!

Bubby:

I’m always looking for that perfect summer beach read that fills my daydreams with fancy and sets my heart to sighing. Love in an English Garden is just that. I wish that I’d been able to read it on a beach somewhere, but even though I was physically stuck in my living room, my soul was in merry old England. Perfect.

 

 

Click HERE to buy Love in an English Garden by Victoria Connelly

Mystery and Romance in a Lighthouse Setting!

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The Lighthouse Keeper by Cynthia Ellingsen:

A Ghostly Light by Juliet Blackwell:

When her friend Alicia hires Turner Construction to renovate a historic lighthouse in the San Francisco Bay, Mel Turner can’t wait to get her hands dirty. Alicia plans to transform the island property into a welcoming inn, and while Mel has never attempted a project so ambitious—or so tall—before, she’s definitely up for the challenge.
 
But trouble soon arises when Alicia’s abusive ex-husband shows up to threaten both her and Mel, and later turns up dead at the base of the lighthouse stairs. With no other suspects in sight, things start looking choppy for Alicia. Now, if Mel wants to clear her friend’s name, she’ll need the help of the lighthouse’s resident ghosts to shine a light on the real culprit…

 

Bubby: 

It just so happened that we received both of these titles at the same time – one about a lighthouse set on the banks of Lake Michigan and one about a lighthouse on a tiny island in the San Francisco Bay. They have several similar aspects such as mystery, treasure and romance but each book has a richly woven plot all its own. I actually own a print of a lighthouse that hangs in my bedroom and I absolutely love it. I’ve always been fascinated by lighthouses, but after reading these stories I’m pretty sure I never want to actually live in one!

Sissy:

I recall that a most generous and thoughtful benefactress gave you that lighthouse picture…

Bubby:

Yes, it was indeed a gift from you. Thank you for that. And no, you can’t have it back.

Sissy:

Well, in that case, since you’re being so stingy I’ll just say that I too am fascinated with lighthouses, especially their history. Both of the novels we’re talking about today imparted seriously intriguing facts about all aspects of lighthouses and their keepers. I also do not want to “keep” or live in one, especially after watching the 2016 movie The Light Between Oceans which was so sad, I bawled. Let’s go ahead and talk about The Lighthouse Keeper. Bubby?

Bubby:

I am obsessed with buried/sunken treasure.  I keep hoping I’ll find some somewhere someday…

Sissy:

“Some” vocabulary you have there, Bubby!

Bubby:

Thank you for that useful comment.  As I was saying, treasure conjures up thoughts of pirates (woohoo Johnny Depp!) moonlit deserted coves, and bottles of rum (not really).  The fact that Dawn’s parents are treasure hunters is really cool, but the more interesting thing to me is the mystery surrounding the lost or hidden or stolen coins from great grandpa’s wrecked ship.  Who took them? Where are they? Can I have some?

Sissy: 

Yes, if you split the treasure with me! And I agree with you Bubby – what made The Lighthouse Keeper stand out and keep me engaged was the unraveling of the mystery behind the long ago shipwreck and Dawn’s efforts to clear her great grandfather’s name. Dawn buys a lighthouse on Lake Michigan, and ends up a pariah to local town muckity mucks in Starlight Cove, including possible love interest Kip Whittaker.  I wanted to smack him upside the head for his waffling. 

Bubby:

It’s so frustrating when characters are so stupid! If only we could just lock them in a room together until they figured it all out!

Sissy:

Right? But if we did that, all books would be short novellas featuring people locked in rooms together. Maybe we could become book character therapists! The Lighthouse Keeper  adds mystery, history, and ghosties to a small town romance, which is a winning combination.  As I read I got vivid images in my head of the lighthouse and the wrecked ship still visible under Lake Michigan’s waters.  Hunt down this treasure of a book because it is well worth the read!

Bubby:

Interestingly enough, there is a treasure hunting connection to our next lighthouse book, A Ghostly Light.  It seems that the light keeper’s wife (now a ghost) used to hide “treasures” around the island for her little boy.  The maps she drew for him are still fluttering about, offering an important clue to one of the mysteries. She’s also what our protagonist Mel refers to as a house keeping ghost – she constantly tidies things up and keeps her environment clean, even though no one lives there anymore. Hmm. I wonder if I killed Sissy in my kitchen if her ghost would start cleaning for me?

Sissy:

I can’t believe you just came up with such a ghastly scenario. No cleaning ghosts for you.  Only horrid poltergeists.

Bubby:

Don’t say that!  I already have dreadful fears when alone at night!  

Sissy:

Then I don’t know how you got through this book, because A Ghostly Light is sprinkled with paranormal occurrences, which are only scary if your name is Bubby.  We have appearances by the aforementioned lighthouse keeper’s wife (aptly named Mrs. Vigilant) and her little son George, plus the murder victim and more!  Our heroine Mel Turner is a ghost magnet anyway, so you never know what she’ll “scare up” wherever she goes.  The best part of the story is the discovery of an unexpected “treasure,” and you will never guess what it is!  A Ghostly Light , with its assortment of interesting side characters and great plot, turned out to be absolutely fascinating and entertaining.

 

Click HERE to buy The Lighthouse Keeper by Cynthia Ellingsen

Click HERE to buy A Ghostly Light by Juliet Blackwell

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