Wildflower Season by Michelle Major

 WILDFLOWER SEASON -- Michelle Major

The Carolina Girls, Book 1

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ISBN: 978-1-335-54779-8

May 25, 2021

Contemporary Fiction

 

Magnolia, North Carolina – Present Day

 

After the failure of her marriage, Emma Cantrell came to Magnolia and bought an old, rundown mansion belonging to an eccentric artist who had died. She plans to refurbish the mansion into an inn, but a strong windstorm upends the remodeling. With the other contractors busy due to the storm’s damage, she doesn’t know what to do and ends up drinking in a bar. There, she meets Holly, a woman who is looking for a wedding venue after her planned one ended up kaput after the windstorm. After talking about their woes, Holly suggests using the inn for the wedding—if Emma can get it repaired in time. Holly suggests her brother-in-law, who used to be a contractor, be hired to repair the damage and to help get the inn ready for the wedding ceremony and reception. The two pay him a visit.

 

Cameron Mitchell once built beautiful furniture, but ever since his wife died in an automobile accident, he has basically withdrawn from society and now works as a fishing boat guide. Emma and Holly arrive at his house to ask Cam, who isn’t exactly welcoming though he has a soft spot for his sister-in-law. Soon, Holly convinces Cam to work for Emma. While he is surly and mostly uncommunicative with Emma, they soon prove to be a good working team. He wants to do this for Holly, but it means drawing himself out of his shell and being confronted by the people from his past, including Holly’s mother, who blames him for her daughter’s death.

 

Meanwhile, Holly is wondering if her wedding ceremony will happen. She is engaged to a U.S. senator and his mother doesn’t think Holly is good enough for her son. Between Cam and her new friendship with Emma, they try to calm her nerves. Emma also hires a couple of women in Magnolia for the wedding. The four women form a bond that makes WILDFLOWER SEASON a tale of friendship.

 

Getting Emma married is the goal of everyone in WILDFLOWER SEASON.  Emma comes from a wealthy family and once sat on the board of their powerful charity foundation—until she felt forced to walk away. Emma’s ex-husband blackmailed her with a sex tape to get her money. Too embarrassed to even tell her family, she moved to Magnolia after visiting her brother, who lives there. But getting the inn ready is proving to be a lot harder than she expected. Then there are the people in town, who haven’t exactly opened their arms to welcome her. Is it because they think Emma is too haughty and will soon be leaving town?

 

Cam is surly for the better part of WILDFLOWER SEASON. His heart is still broken after losing his wife. Slowly, after going toe-to-toe with Emma, the two build an attraction, one that leads to the bedroom. Cam can’t promise Emma a rose garden, but in the meantime, he will enjoy their time together. But it never fails that whenever he turns around, there is a memory of his wife and her death. Can Cam get past the pain? Will Emma be the one who soothes his soul—and heart?

 

WILDFLOWER SEASON is a heartwarming tale that is a perfect beach read. You will cheer on Emma, Cam, Holly, and the others that have banded together to give Holly a beautiful wedding to the man she loves. Will it come off without too many bumps in the road? If you love reading about female friendships and a couple falling in love, then don’t miss WILDFLOWER SEASON.

 

Patti Fischer

Romance Reviews Today

The Summer Seekers by Sarah Morgan

 THE SUMMER SEEKERS – Sarah Morgan

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ISBN: 978-1-335-18092-6

May 18,2021

Contemporary Fiction

 

England & the United States – Present Day

 

After eighty-year-old widow Kathleen has a run-in with a burglar in her kitchen, she decides life is now worth living big. She decides to embark on her dream trip by driving the famed Route 66 across the United States. Her daughter, Liza, is appalled that her mother would even think about doing this trip but agrees to the plan as long as she has a companion. Martha is interviewed and hired. What the other ladies don’t know is that Martha isn’t sure she is up for the driving part of the trip. But the two ladies are soon headed to the United States.

 

Liza worries about her mother’s trip, but she has other problems to contend with. Her family has taken her for granted for years—then her husband, Sean, forgets their anniversary. Feeling sad and overwhelmed, Liza escapes to her mother’s beachside cottage, where she encounters the next-door neighbor, Finn, who is a famous musician. Can Liza save her marriage…and her sanity?

 

For years, Kathleen had a successful travelogue TV show where she traveled the world. She was able to do this because Liza’s father was supportive and didn’t mind raising their daughter while she traipsed the world. Kathleen hasn’t shared with Liza about the man she loved first, well before she met Liza’s father. The man betrayed Kathleen with her best friend, Rachel. Kathleen has ignored the letters sent periodically from Rachel, who lives in California. As Martha and Kathleen hit the road in Chicago, they start to talk about each other’s past. Kathleen begins to wonder if it’s time to face the past.

 

Martha is still trying to recover from a bad marriage, but her ex keeps hounding her. She is used to being the quiet, unassuming one in her family, so accepting this job as Kathleen’s “chauffeur” is a big departure. Kathleen and Martha soon get to know each other. They pick up a hitchhiker named Josh, who is on a journey of discovery himself. Kathleen pulls some strings to make sure Martha and Josh get a chance to be alone and get acquainted with each other despite Martha’s resistance. Will Martha fall in love with Josh?

 

Imagine the freedom of taking off in a car and traveling across the country. That is the dream Kathleen and Martha are living in THE SUMMER SEEKERS by Sarah Morgan. While Liza didn’t have to travel far in her own quest to find herself, she is soon reconnecting with the things she lost after she married, such as painting.  She worries about Kathleen, wondering if she should’ve been stronger in stopping her mother from taking this trip. But for Kathleen, it is like she is on her final trip of life, with memories of her lost friendship with Rachel haunting her as they grow closer to the state where her friend lives. Readers will grow to love the three women and hope they find whatever it is they are looking for.

 

Martha tries to avoid Kathleen’s matchmaking, but Josh is too charming to resist. Is he the balm that she needs after her failed marriage? Will she discover after years of being told by her family that she is a failure that she is instead a person who can accomplish anything? Can Kathleen and Martha make it to California with no issues? Will Liza and Sean realize that their marriage needs saving…and accomplish it? A wonderful tale that will warm a reader’s heart, don’t miss THE SUMMER SEEKERS to find out the answers to the questions.

 

Patti Fischer

Romance Reviews Today