Publication day for two awesome authors!!

Wow! Today (now yesterday) was a busy day! Two of my favorite authors had book birthdays today.  Tracy Brogan's book My Kind of Forever and Grace Greene's book Wildflower Heart will grab hold of you in totally different ways, but both are excellent reads.  I was fortunate enough to have gotten both as ARCs, and I am happy to report wonderful things about both.

First book up is My Kind of Forever, by Tracy Brogan.




This is book two in her Trillium Bay series, and long awaited while Tracy had life to deal with (even authors have to deal with life!!). So, the series is set in Trillium Bay, on Wenniway Island, a fictional counterpoint to the real Macinac Island in Michigan.  The series revolves around three sisters, the daughters of the island's chief of police. Book one, My Kind of You covered middle sister Emily's return to the island. (I'll cover that another time.)  Book two is all about the oldest sister, Brooke Callaghan.

Our heroine, Brooke, is a schoolteacher by profession, but has gotten interested in local island politics, and decided to run for mayor, as she believes that things need to change on the island, and the current mayor has been in office waaaay too long. The story begins with Brooke, having won her bid for mayor, getting thrown headfirst into the office, with no prep time, as the current mayor decides to just, leave. On her way to her first city council meeting, she literally falls into the arms of the hero, Leo Walker, a handsome bartender who definitely sparks her interest, but is of a short-term mindset when it comes to putting down roots. As Brooke is hearing the ticking of her biological clock, short term is not what she wants, but the attraction is hot, and she has been single longer than she is comfortable admitting. Sparks fly between the two, and you just have to root for them to make it work. Throw in small town gossip, rumors of a jewel heist (a diamond thief on Wenniway Island???), feisty seniors who refuse to move forward into the twenty-first century, and bats (yes, bats), and you have a recipe for a really good read.

The story is lively and fun, with witty characters, a touch of mystery , and small town charm. This was a lovely addition to my Tracy Brogan library, and one I know I will pull out and read again.

You can grab My Kind of Forever on Amazon here:

https://www.amazon.com/Kind-Forever-Trillium-Novel-Book-ebook/dp/B07DQVBQ7D/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1548266332&sr=8-1&keywords=tracy+brogan+my+kind+of+forever


The second book I had the privilege to review is Wildflower Heart,  by Grace Greene.



 I love Grace Greene's writing, and this book was beautiful. Book one in her Wildflower House series, Wildflower Heart is a tale of tragedy and triumph, and the resiliency of the human heart.

Kara Hart has faced loss before in her life. Her mother abandoned Kara and her father when Kara was 14 years old. Holding on to hope, she longed for the day that her mother would return.  Now a woman married, her life is shattered once again by the death of her husband- and the knowledge of his betrayal. Scarred and still recuperating from the accident that took his life, Kara has moved home to live with her father, a quiet man of little outward emotion.

This quiet semi-existence is rocked when Kara learns that her father has purchased a home out in the country, far from the city that she loves. Stunned when she sees the house, a huge Victorian in need of major renovations, she is overwhelmed by the discovery of the huge field of wildflowers that encompass the backyard. This field of flowers plays a central part in the story going forward, as they become a touchstone of sorts for Kara.

She meets the neighbors, including a handsome man who touches her heart, and begins, finally, to recover emotionally from the accident. Coupled with that, her father finally opens up about her mother, and why she left. She also learns about her father's early life, and what influences caused him to become the man she knows today.

Just as everything is coming together, another tragedy strikes. Can Kara recover once again, or will this blow be the one she can't get over? And can the house with the beautiful field of flowers help her heal once and for all?

This book was beautifully written, with real emotion woven skillfully throughout the story. I cried for Kara as she faced her losses, and I empathized with her as she became numb and withdrawn. Grace Greene is a newer author to me, but she is truly a gifted storyteller whose novels I have enjoyed immensely. Being able to read this novel as an ARC was truly a gift, and I am already eager to see book two.

You can grab Wildflower Heart on Amazon here:

 https://www.amazon.com/Wildflower-Heart-House-Book-ebook/dp/B07FFWT2GG/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1548266516&sr=8-1&keywords=grace+greene+wildflower&follow-button-add=B005C1QUDS_author&