I have read other books by Lianne Moriarty (The Husband's Secret, What Alice Forgot) and I love her style, her wit, and her unique subject matter. So, when I was reading People Magazine several weeks back and discovered that she had a new book that touched on bullying in public schools, I was intrigued. Big Little Lies is a truly unique story that had me reading fast and turning pages quickly in order to get to the end to find out how this mini-mystery was going to be resolved.
Big Little Lies is the story of the Kindergarten parents of Pirriwee Public School (Moriarty's books are always set in Australia and I gathered that this school was in the suburbs somewhere in Australia). Notice I did not say the students of the school but the PARENTS. Oh my. I thought I was reading a story about bullying, which made me think it was bullying amongst students. But no, this is a story about parental bullying. That ends with a death. Scary stuff. (I am going to take a minute and just let any readers out there, who may not directly know me, that I am a public school teacher and that for the bulk of my 19 years in the classroom, I have taught Kindergarten. And I thought I had seen it all. Well, I was wrong. Pirriwee Public takes the cake.)
Big Little Lies opens on the birthday of Madeline Martha Mackenzie, mother of Chloe and wife of Ed, who meets single mom Jane and her son Ziggy on the morning of Kindergarten orientation. Celeste and Perry (who have twin boys Max and Josh) and Renata and Geoff (who have a daughter Amabella) and Nathan (ex husband to Madeleine) and Bonnie (who have a daughter Skye) round out the parental couples whose stories are told in this juicy murder mystery. And while we soon realize that the bullying is parental, the bullying does seem to begin in the Kindergarten, where Amabella is (according to Amabella but there is no definitive proof) choked by Ziggy at the end of orientation. Renata goes crazy, bullies the teacher, Miss Barnes, and eventually just steps over her and demands that Ziggy apologize to Amabella. So, within this first 50 pages of the book, the two sides have been created: those on Ziggy and Jane's and those on Amabella and Renata's.
As I read this cleverly crafted story, which actually begins with the Trivia Night murder and works backwards, detailing every event that led to the death of one of the main characters (and the end of each chapter gives some community commentary as other characters that we only get glimpse of or never actually meet in the main story give information to the police), but we don't know which one, I kept imagining that this could totally happen. Parents get upset that something at school isn't handled the way they want it to be handled so they make people's lives hell outside (and even sometimes inside) of the school. The parents are the bullies in this story and the children, God love them, are simply modeling their behavior after the adults who take care of them. With every turn of the page I reminded myself that my behavior is critical to the development of my own daughters. They look to me and my actions as a guide for their own actions and behaviors. I hope I've done OK so far. I was also thinking, as I read this story, that this book should be given to each set of KG parents when they register their children for school and made a mandatory read before school begins. Maybe some parents would learn how to act, or how NOT to act, through the reading of this book.
On a more serious side, and without letting too much of the story slip out, as I don't want to be a spoiler, this book does also deal with domestic violence and while bullying is a serious topic, so is spousal abuse and this part of the story should not be overlooked. It is serious and sad and can cause death and my heart wept for the characters in this story who were touched by this kind of tragedy.
One final comment...as I was finishing this book late on night when Rob was out for a work dinner, there was a moment when I read something that made my mouth drop open and I heard myself exclaim, "NO WAY!" Oh yes, there is a critical moment in the story were everything changes and the entire story comes together and I never saw it coming. This book is excellent!
Read this one. If you teach or if you have kids, you especially should read it. But even if you don't, you will find this story to be a great one. And hopefully you will walk away from it remembering that things aren't always as they seem.
Happy reading everyone!
:) Dodie
Wednesday, August 13, 2014
Monday, August 4, 2014
#34: One Plus One by Jojo Moyes
Jojo Moyes never fails to create an amazing story for her readers. I just tearfully finished reading One Plus One, Moyes' latest novel.
This is the story of Ed, Jess, Nicky, and Tanze and how their lives cross paths in a most unusual way at a time when each one needs the others. The title is a rather clever play on the mathematical 1+1, which typically equals 2, but in this story I think 1+1=4 (if not more). Tanze, Jess's young daughter, is a math whiz so it's an even more clever title, as it is because of Tanze that the entire plot begins and ends. There's a little insider trading, a lot of money troubles, a really big dog, a lot of car sickness, a Math Olympiad, a Goth teenager, and a whole lotta love that come together to make this book an amazing read.
Towards the end of the story, a story centered on the idea that good things happen to good people and that if you are good, eventually your life will come around, something happens to Tanze and the big dog (Norman). It is Nicky's response to this almost tragedy and the world's response to Nicky that had me crying on my back porch this morning as I finished the book. Good things do happen to good people and it was refreshing to be reminded of this in such an uplifting story.
One Plus One is also a story of forgiveness. Life is hard and sometimes people, good meaning people, make really bad choices. It's nice to know in these circumstances that there are people who will forgive. Those are the people you want to share your life with. After all, who doesn't make a mistake every now and again?
This is a good one. And it was a quick read. Two days. I couldn't put it down.
Happy reading everyone!
:) Dodie
This is the story of Ed, Jess, Nicky, and Tanze and how their lives cross paths in a most unusual way at a time when each one needs the others. The title is a rather clever play on the mathematical 1+1, which typically equals 2, but in this story I think 1+1=4 (if not more). Tanze, Jess's young daughter, is a math whiz so it's an even more clever title, as it is because of Tanze that the entire plot begins and ends. There's a little insider trading, a lot of money troubles, a really big dog, a lot of car sickness, a Math Olympiad, a Goth teenager, and a whole lotta love that come together to make this book an amazing read.
Towards the end of the story, a story centered on the idea that good things happen to good people and that if you are good, eventually your life will come around, something happens to Tanze and the big dog (Norman). It is Nicky's response to this almost tragedy and the world's response to Nicky that had me crying on my back porch this morning as I finished the book. Good things do happen to good people and it was refreshing to be reminded of this in such an uplifting story.
One Plus One is also a story of forgiveness. Life is hard and sometimes people, good meaning people, make really bad choices. It's nice to know in these circumstances that there are people who will forgive. Those are the people you want to share your life with. After all, who doesn't make a mistake every now and again?
This is a good one. And it was a quick read. Two days. I couldn't put it down.
Happy reading everyone!
:) Dodie
Thursday, July 31, 2014
#33: Blossom Street Brides by Debbie Macomber
I discovered Debbie Macomber about 8 years ago and was immediately in love with her stories. Being such a prolific writer, she has many, many stories out there and I think I spent an entire summer, fall, and winter just reading her books, mostly purchased from a used book store or eBay as many are out of print (but are now coming back or are available on Amazon). The first book of hers that I ever read was called A Good Yarn (which is the second book in this series) and I remember adoring the story and feeling so happy to know that A Shop on Blossom Street had come before and that she was planning lots more future books. Blossom Street Brides is the 11th in the series and with it's release came the question if she has plans for more or will soon call it quits, as she did with her popular Cedar Cove books (which is now a Saturday night drama on the Hallmark Channel and I am hooked! It's cool to see your favorite characters come to life!).
When I first starting reading Macomber's books, her style of writing was new to me and her books were complete surprises. But now, I know that each book will end with a marriage or a baby (or sometimes both), and the couples you never thought would end up together always do. (I may just have totally spoiled Blossom Street Brides for any readers out there. Sorry!) As a result, I can almost predict the endings, but she always throws in a twist or a turn that I never see coming, so I continue to read her stories. And I always will. I love hearing what's happening to characters I met long ago, as she gives most old characters a cameo in one book or another. What I like most about her stories is that they make you feel good, and they are light. I can read during TV commercials, in the car on trips, on the plane, at the beach and will walk away knowing I just read a good story.
If you are interested in reading Blossom Street Brides, you really should go back and begin the entire series. I have to be honest and admit that the first books in the series are the best. The stories are full of substance and the relationships are more complex. But, I am a loyal fan and I will continue to read whatever she publishes. I just love her stories!
Happy reading!
:) Dodie
When I first starting reading Macomber's books, her style of writing was new to me and her books were complete surprises. But now, I know that each book will end with a marriage or a baby (or sometimes both), and the couples you never thought would end up together always do. (I may just have totally spoiled Blossom Street Brides for any readers out there. Sorry!) As a result, I can almost predict the endings, but she always throws in a twist or a turn that I never see coming, so I continue to read her stories. And I always will. I love hearing what's happening to characters I met long ago, as she gives most old characters a cameo in one book or another. What I like most about her stories is that they make you feel good, and they are light. I can read during TV commercials, in the car on trips, on the plane, at the beach and will walk away knowing I just read a good story.
If you are interested in reading Blossom Street Brides, you really should go back and begin the entire series. I have to be honest and admit that the first books in the series are the best. The stories are full of substance and the relationships are more complex. But, I am a loyal fan and I will continue to read whatever she publishes. I just love her stories!
Happy reading!
:) Dodie
Friday, July 18, 2014
#32: Summer Friends by Holly Chamberlin
Summer Friends took me forever to finish, but that was in part to the extenuating circumstances surrounding this read. I needed a book to read on the plane to California, so I figured a book on my iPad would be best. So, I began Summer Friends and made substantial progress before landing. Then I picked it up again and read on the plane to Hawaii, getting even further into the book before putting it away and not reading for 8 days. I took my Nook to the pool instead of my iPad because I can actually read it in the sunshine. And, I was so close to finishing Tender that I chose to read that on the plane on our return trip, rather than finishing Summer Friends. And then we moved, and then I spent days and days unpacking. Blah, blah, blah...So, finally, last night I finished the book. Phew!
I do think that part of the delay in finishing this novel, other than what is described above, is that it was not a fun book to read. The story is about Delphine and Maggie, two friends who had been friends as children, teenagers, and throughout college, who took different paths in life and had lost touch. Because of various reasons, Maggie finds herself wanting to reconnect with Delphine, but meets with resistance. The bulk of the book recounts their often awkward struggle to remain friends and as you can imagine, it was difficult to read. Awkward. I felt at times as though I was watching a bad lunch date. To make matters worse, nothing ever got better. It was page after page and chapter after chapter of tense conversations and girl drama (which I get enough of in this house--I do not need to read about it in my down time). Because of this, I was not compelled to finish this book in a timely fashion, nor was it a page-turner. It was mostly just sad. (But, I think that was the point.)
However, was the story a good one? Yes. Did the awkward moments mirror the awkward feelings people have in situations like this? Yes. Was the story developed and filled with round characters? Yes. It was even written with some flashback chapters, which are always fun. And once I got to the end, I was met with an epilogue, which I LOVE and which gave me closure.
The bottom line is that female relationships are often a struggle for some (me) and this book hit the nail on the head with how difficult they can often be. I enjoyed reading the interview with the author at the end of the book because she mentioned that the idea for this story stemmed from some relationships she once had that did not turn out as she hoped because she had not treated friends as she should have. Reading this made me glad that I stuck it out and finished the book because it reminded me to take care of your friends. Real ones are few and far between. When you find a good one, don't let her go!
Happy reading everyone!
:) Dodie
I do think that part of the delay in finishing this novel, other than what is described above, is that it was not a fun book to read. The story is about Delphine and Maggie, two friends who had been friends as children, teenagers, and throughout college, who took different paths in life and had lost touch. Because of various reasons, Maggie finds herself wanting to reconnect with Delphine, but meets with resistance. The bulk of the book recounts their often awkward struggle to remain friends and as you can imagine, it was difficult to read. Awkward. I felt at times as though I was watching a bad lunch date. To make matters worse, nothing ever got better. It was page after page and chapter after chapter of tense conversations and girl drama (which I get enough of in this house--I do not need to read about it in my down time). Because of this, I was not compelled to finish this book in a timely fashion, nor was it a page-turner. It was mostly just sad. (But, I think that was the point.)
However, was the story a good one? Yes. Did the awkward moments mirror the awkward feelings people have in situations like this? Yes. Was the story developed and filled with round characters? Yes. It was even written with some flashback chapters, which are always fun. And once I got to the end, I was met with an epilogue, which I LOVE and which gave me closure.
The bottom line is that female relationships are often a struggle for some (me) and this book hit the nail on the head with how difficult they can often be. I enjoyed reading the interview with the author at the end of the book because she mentioned that the idea for this story stemmed from some relationships she once had that did not turn out as she hoped because she had not treated friends as she should have. Reading this made me glad that I stuck it out and finished the book because it reminded me to take care of your friends. Real ones are few and far between. When you find a good one, don't let her go!
Happy reading everyone!
:) Dodie
Tuesday, July 15, 2014
#31: Tender by Mark Childress
Tender, by Mark Childress, is the fictional account of the life of the one and only Elvis Presley from birth until he is drafted and is sent overseas. It is told as a flashback, as the first scene (a rather unflattering scene for The King) begins with him rushing onto his plane, being drugged up so he can relax after a show, and then getting stuck in the seat belt which secured him to his bed aboard the plane. As his long time friend and body guard tries to get him unfastened, he says to his friend that things weren't always like this. And so the story begins.
It is important to note that this is fiction and that Elvis is not Elvis in this story, but Leroy (and anyone familiar with the Romance Languages can quickly see Le Roy or Le Roi, The King). I was glued to this book from beginning to end and wished that there had been about 500 more pages to continue his story, but it does make sense to end the fictional account as he was boarding the plane to Germany, with a freshly shaved head that he despised. Really, who wants to read about that part of his life?
I am a HUGE fan of Elvis, being named as I almost was for his daughter, Lisa Marie, and living with my mother as I did who was an even bigger fan than me. I remember the day Elvis died. Mom closed all of the blinds, lit candles all over the house, and played all of his albums back to back. I was 5 and really thought my mother had lost her mind. When I was in my early 20's, Rob and I went to Nashville and Memphis and visited Graceland. I cried as we drive up the drive to the house and just so hoped that he was going to peek around a corner and say hello. No, I do not subscribe to the school of thought that he's still alive somewhere, but I duo get saddened when people die before their life is really over. And his was not over. He had a lot of living left to do.
So, for my reader friends out there, this is a book I think you will love if you have any interest in Elvis at all. If not, skip it.
Happy reading, everyone!
-Dodie
It is important to note that this is fiction and that Elvis is not Elvis in this story, but Leroy (and anyone familiar with the Romance Languages can quickly see Le Roy or Le Roi, The King). I was glued to this book from beginning to end and wished that there had been about 500 more pages to continue his story, but it does make sense to end the fictional account as he was boarding the plane to Germany, with a freshly shaved head that he despised. Really, who wants to read about that part of his life?
I am a HUGE fan of Elvis, being named as I almost was for his daughter, Lisa Marie, and living with my mother as I did who was an even bigger fan than me. I remember the day Elvis died. Mom closed all of the blinds, lit candles all over the house, and played all of his albums back to back. I was 5 and really thought my mother had lost her mind. When I was in my early 20's, Rob and I went to Nashville and Memphis and visited Graceland. I cried as we drive up the drive to the house and just so hoped that he was going to peek around a corner and say hello. No, I do not subscribe to the school of thought that he's still alive somewhere, but I duo get saddened when people die before their life is really over. And his was not over. He had a lot of living left to do.
So, for my reader friends out there, this is a book I think you will love if you have any interest in Elvis at all. If not, skip it.
Happy reading, everyone!
-Dodie
Monday, June 23, 2014
#30: The One and Only by Emily Giffin
I love Emily Giffin's books. I haven't read one that I didn't love. The One and Only is no different. Except that I am fairly certain it is my favorite of all of her books. I adored this one. The people next to me at the pool today who watched me cry while I finished the book probably wondered what I was reading. I was reading an amazing love story and one which I recommend to anyone who loves a good love story, who loves football, or who loves both. Any anyone from Texas. They'd love this book just on principal. Maybe that's why I love it so much! :)
The One and Only is the story of Shea Risgby and Coach Clive Carr. Shea is a bit obsessed with both football, particularly Walker Football, and Coach Carr, her best friend's father and the head coach for Walker's football team. She knows every date, fact, and figure about Walker football and has, at age 33, not brought herself to leave the town of Walker because she loves it so very much. As the story opens the Carr family, including Shea and her mother, are mourning the loss of Coach's wife. Lucy, Shea's best friend, is trying to figure out life without her mother and Shea is doing her best to be there for her friend. It doesn't take long, however, to realize that what once was probably a school-girl crush on Coach has developed into much more for Shea. She hangs on his every word, values his opinion, and truly thinks he is the most important person in the entire world. They have a common bond in the game of football and most people to see their close relationship as solely based on the game. She would never want to cross a line with the man who was like a father to her growing up but she soon senses, now that his wife is gone, that perhaps he feels the same about her.
Regardless, knowing that she shouldn't love him, she tries her best to forge relationships that are a bit more appropriate. First with Miller, who no one likes, and second with Ryan James, Walker alum and quarterback for the Dallas Cowboys. Dating the DC quarterback opens up a life for Shea that her friends and family love. Shea is sometimes impressed with Ryan's life but is more taken with who he really is and that he could really love her, after being married for a short time to someone as opposite as Shea as night and day. And just when things appear to be going well with Ryan and Shea and she's thinking that she could love him and not Coach, something crazy happens which makes Shea doubt her relationship with Ryan. I'll leave the details of the story to Giffin, who is way more skilled in telling the story than me.
In addition to the love story, let's add in an NCAA scandal side story that forces Shea to question everything she's ever thought about the game of football and every person associated with the game. As she searches for the truth, Shea is forced to admit that even the great Coach Carr might not be as squeaky clean as she once thought.
So, what made me cry at the pool today? At a certain point in the story, Coach Carr and Shea seem to be headed towards a real relationship. Ryan is out of the picture, they have admitted mutual feelings for each other and have agreed to take things slowly as they develop this new relationship, Coach Carr being the first to admit that he never expected to love anyone other than his wife. Only Lucy stands in their way. And she stands firm. And it made me cry.
I totally understand that Lucy finds it to be a bit strange, that her best friend and her father could have feelings for each other, but it's not so strange when you realize how much these two have in common and how for both of them football is life. I guess what made me the saddest today was the thought that a family could be so tough on each other. Don't you want your family to be happy? Even when it's not necessarily what you'd have wanted or expected? If you truly love them, you will want them to be happy and you won't issue ultimatums. Or give them unfair choices.
While I won't tell you how the story ends (what fun would that be?), I will tell you that the ending had me quietly sobbing at the pool. It's a beautiful story. Touchingly beautiful.
I want this one to become a movie. I'd go to see it AND I'd buy it on DVD. It's just that great.
Read this one. And don't be surprised when you see this book on my list of favorites for the year. It's just that great!
Happy reading!
:) Dodie
The One and Only is the story of Shea Risgby and Coach Clive Carr. Shea is a bit obsessed with both football, particularly Walker Football, and Coach Carr, her best friend's father and the head coach for Walker's football team. She knows every date, fact, and figure about Walker football and has, at age 33, not brought herself to leave the town of Walker because she loves it so very much. As the story opens the Carr family, including Shea and her mother, are mourning the loss of Coach's wife. Lucy, Shea's best friend, is trying to figure out life without her mother and Shea is doing her best to be there for her friend. It doesn't take long, however, to realize that what once was probably a school-girl crush on Coach has developed into much more for Shea. She hangs on his every word, values his opinion, and truly thinks he is the most important person in the entire world. They have a common bond in the game of football and most people to see their close relationship as solely based on the game. She would never want to cross a line with the man who was like a father to her growing up but she soon senses, now that his wife is gone, that perhaps he feels the same about her.
Regardless, knowing that she shouldn't love him, she tries her best to forge relationships that are a bit more appropriate. First with Miller, who no one likes, and second with Ryan James, Walker alum and quarterback for the Dallas Cowboys. Dating the DC quarterback opens up a life for Shea that her friends and family love. Shea is sometimes impressed with Ryan's life but is more taken with who he really is and that he could really love her, after being married for a short time to someone as opposite as Shea as night and day. And just when things appear to be going well with Ryan and Shea and she's thinking that she could love him and not Coach, something crazy happens which makes Shea doubt her relationship with Ryan. I'll leave the details of the story to Giffin, who is way more skilled in telling the story than me.
In addition to the love story, let's add in an NCAA scandal side story that forces Shea to question everything she's ever thought about the game of football and every person associated with the game. As she searches for the truth, Shea is forced to admit that even the great Coach Carr might not be as squeaky clean as she once thought.
So, what made me cry at the pool today? At a certain point in the story, Coach Carr and Shea seem to be headed towards a real relationship. Ryan is out of the picture, they have admitted mutual feelings for each other and have agreed to take things slowly as they develop this new relationship, Coach Carr being the first to admit that he never expected to love anyone other than his wife. Only Lucy stands in their way. And she stands firm. And it made me cry.
I totally understand that Lucy finds it to be a bit strange, that her best friend and her father could have feelings for each other, but it's not so strange when you realize how much these two have in common and how for both of them football is life. I guess what made me the saddest today was the thought that a family could be so tough on each other. Don't you want your family to be happy? Even when it's not necessarily what you'd have wanted or expected? If you truly love them, you will want them to be happy and you won't issue ultimatums. Or give them unfair choices.
While I won't tell you how the story ends (what fun would that be?), I will tell you that the ending had me quietly sobbing at the pool. It's a beautiful story. Touchingly beautiful.
I want this one to become a movie. I'd go to see it AND I'd buy it on DVD. It's just that great.
Read this one. And don't be surprised when you see this book on my list of favorites for the year. It's just that great!
Happy reading!
:) Dodie
#29: Walking on Water by Richard Paul Evans
Walking on Water is the fifth and final book in The Walk series by Richard Paul Evans. I remember reading the first book like it was yesterday. Rob and I had gone to The Greenbrier and I devoured the book one afternoon. I've never been so happy to have access to the internet so that I could download the second book onto my Nook and continue reading. Imagine how upset I was to find out that I had to wait a full year to read the third book. And then another year for the fourth and another before the fifth was ready. I understand that it takes time to write a phenomenal book, but for someone like me, it took a lot of patience to wait for each book release.
In this fifth installment, Alan's story comes to a close as he makes his final trek across the country from Seattle, ending in Key West. What I find to be interesting in this novel is that the book is half over before Alan ever resumes his walk. Instead, he returns home when his dad lands himself in the hospital after a heart attack. During Alan's time at home, he spends much of every day with his father playing chess as his dad tries to recover. Each evening, when he goes back to his dad's house to sleep and shower, Alan reads a family history that his dad has written--a fatherly attempt at getting Alan to understand who he is and why he is really walking. After reading his family's story, and watching the piles of goodies from women in love with his dad on the front porch grow and grow, Alan realizes that his dad is more and was more than he ever knew. And that perhaps they are more similar than he ever imagined.
Sadly, Alan's father does not leave the hospital (sorry to have ruined this for you, but Alan would never have resumed his walk otherwise). But it is because of this loss that Alan resumes and completes the final leg of his walk. During this time, time in the hospital with his dad and time walking, he does some serious soul searching and realizes what he wants out of life. But, as often happens in life, by the time we know what we want, what we want is no longer available. So, Alan continue to walk.
Since I spoiled one major event, I will keep the ending to myself. But suffice to say that I was fairly surprised by the end and how quickly things came to pass, but was relieved to find an epilogue that allowed me to catch a tiny glimpse into everyone's life, post walk.
The Walk series was fantastic and I am so glad to have read it, even thought it took years to get to the final book. Each and every book forced to to think about my priorities and the love I have for Rob and my family. Sadly, it also made me think about what I would do if I lost Rob. After reading and finishing five books, I still don't have that answer. I can only hope and pray that it's a question I never need answered.
If you haven't already, read this series. The good news is that the series is written and you can read all five in a row if you want. No waiting!
Happy reading!
:) Dodie
In this fifth installment, Alan's story comes to a close as he makes his final trek across the country from Seattle, ending in Key West. What I find to be interesting in this novel is that the book is half over before Alan ever resumes his walk. Instead, he returns home when his dad lands himself in the hospital after a heart attack. During Alan's time at home, he spends much of every day with his father playing chess as his dad tries to recover. Each evening, when he goes back to his dad's house to sleep and shower, Alan reads a family history that his dad has written--a fatherly attempt at getting Alan to understand who he is and why he is really walking. After reading his family's story, and watching the piles of goodies from women in love with his dad on the front porch grow and grow, Alan realizes that his dad is more and was more than he ever knew. And that perhaps they are more similar than he ever imagined.
Sadly, Alan's father does not leave the hospital (sorry to have ruined this for you, but Alan would never have resumed his walk otherwise). But it is because of this loss that Alan resumes and completes the final leg of his walk. During this time, time in the hospital with his dad and time walking, he does some serious soul searching and realizes what he wants out of life. But, as often happens in life, by the time we know what we want, what we want is no longer available. So, Alan continue to walk.
Since I spoiled one major event, I will keep the ending to myself. But suffice to say that I was fairly surprised by the end and how quickly things came to pass, but was relieved to find an epilogue that allowed me to catch a tiny glimpse into everyone's life, post walk.
The Walk series was fantastic and I am so glad to have read it, even thought it took years to get to the final book. Each and every book forced to to think about my priorities and the love I have for Rob and my family. Sadly, it also made me think about what I would do if I lost Rob. After reading and finishing five books, I still don't have that answer. I can only hope and pray that it's a question I never need answered.
If you haven't already, read this series. The good news is that the series is written and you can read all five in a row if you want. No waiting!
Happy reading!
:) Dodie
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