Release Day! The Museum of Lost Dreams by Christine Nolfi ~ My Thoughts #TheMuseumOfLostDreams

Happy Release Day!

Congrats Christine

on the release today of

The Museum of Lost Dreams!

The Museum of Lost Dreams by Christine Nolfi

Fiction, Family, 315 pages

Published June 23, 2026 by Lake Union Publishing

Returning to her fractured past, a woman is determined to end a cycle of heartbreaks in a moving novel about family, sacrifice, and redemption by the bestselling author of The Secret Library of Hanna Reeves.

When Bess Rollins’s parents die in a tragic accident, she is forced to abandon her dream job overseas. After three years away, she returns to her family’s estate in the Finger Lakes, a veritable monument to her brilliant late grandmother, and a reminder of the wreckage Bess left behind.

There’s the guilt over leaving her younger twin siblings, Casey and Caleb, and she struggles to rebuild a bond that may be irrevocably broken. Amid the grief, resentment still looms toward her reckless and self-indulgent mother and father. And then there’s Luke Monticelli, the devoted man Bess walked out on but never stopped loving.

Haunted by her regrets at every turn, Bess soon realizes that the past is far more complicated than she ever knew. With each secret that she uncovers about her family, Bess comes closer to healing their wounds, seizing a second chance at love, and fulfilling dreams that can lift them all—right here at home, where she belongs.

  

My thoughts about The Museum of Lost Dreams ~~

(I love to note the first lines of the books I'm reading. First lines can really grab a reader's attention and I love seeing where the author takes the reader after their first lines.)

First line—"October 1962. The museum was a place of dreams. Twice now he'd uttered the strange remark."

The Museum of Lost Dreams is another wonderful story from Christine Nolfi. I've loved everything I've read by her and this one goes to the top. A generational story filled with family drama was exactly what I needed when I started this one. 

Bess returns home after her parents sudden deaths where she is slammed back into the family dynamics that she tried to leave behind three year ago. So much has changed, while also staying the same. As each family member tries to fit into their changed roles as siblings, redemption and forgiveness are a must. 

The dual timeline, which I loved, helped fill in the gaps in the family history and explained a lot. Seeing things from different perspectives clarified so, so much. And not everyone should be up on the pedestal where they have been placed. 

I loved everything about The Museum of Lost Dreams and highly recommend it!

I received a copy of The Museum of Lost Dreams from the author and this is my honest opinion of the book.

About the author

Christine Nolfi is the award-winning and bestselling author of eighteen novels. Look for her 2026 release, The Museum of Lost Dreams.

Other works include her 2025 bestseller, The Secret Library of Hanna Reeves (sequel coming in 2027); the reader favorite A Heart Like Home; A Brighter Flame, selected by She Reads as a best book club pick and The Passing Storm, cited by Publishers Weekly as “Tautly plotted, expertly characterized, and genuinely riveting” and gold medal winner in general fiction, International Book Awards.

Earlier works include The Road She Left Behind, a top book club pick by Working Mother and Parade magazines; the award-winning Sweet Lake Series; Second Chance Grill, highly recommended by The Midwest Book Review and Treasure Me, recognized by the Next Generation Indie Awards. The Tree of Everlasting Knowledge was cited by The Midwest Book Review as “Poignant and powerful, as much a saga of learning to survive, heal, and forgive as it is a chilling crime story, unforgettable to the very end.”

A native of Ohio, Christine now resides in South Carolina with her husband. Visit Christine Nolfi at the website of the same name.

Connect with Christine

Website | Goodreads | Facebook | Twitter

**********************

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Release Day! The Secret Library of Hanna Reeves by Christine Nolfi ~ My Thoughts #TheSecretLibraryOfHannaReeves @christinenolfi

Happy Release Day!

Congrats Christine

on the release today of

The Secret Library of Hanna Reeves

The Secret Library of Hanna Reeves by Christine Nolfi

Historical Fiction, Mystery, 330 pages

Published June 24, 2025 by Lake Union Publishing

An antiques dealer and an enigmatic heiress embark on a revelatory friendship in a haunting and hopeful novel about family ties, secrets, and belonging by the bestselling author of A Heart Like Home.

Cautious Claire Shelton, employee at a Maine antique shop, is surprised when she’s recruited to catalog the treasures of reclusive Hanna Reeves, sole descendant of the state’s most colorful shipbuilders and industrialists. Hanna’s retreat from society years ago is just one of many mysteries behind the walls of Rose Hill, her fabled estate.

Settling into Rose Hill’s carriage house, Claire finds Hanna, nearing eighty, to be a still-formidable woman. She’s demanding, judgmental, and protective of a mansion that is a veritable shrine to her ancestors. Then, diving into her work, Claire discovers a hidden library that is the stuff of legend among locals. An avid booklover, Claire is in heaven. More enthralling are Hanna’s leather-bound family journals that open Claire up to the past—and soon forge a rich and unexpected bond between two very different women.

A legacy is coming to light. All of Maine is talking. Because the revelations in the journals are enlightening enough to unite old friends, lovers, and families. And shocking enough to tear them apart forever.

  

My thoughts about The Secret Library of Hanna Reeves ~~

(I love to note the first lines of the books I'm reading. First lines can really grab a reader's attention and I love seeing where the author takes the reader after their first lines.)

First line—"The letter arrived in the afternoon. The message tucked inside the envelope should've gone unread until closing time, when we ushered out the last of our patrons milling around Holbrook & Kinneys two-story shop of antiques and collectibles."

Several things drew me to this book. First of all—the author, of course. I've loved and read almost all of Christine Nolfi's books. I always know her latest one is going to be my new favorite read. And then there is this amazing cover. Seriously? A library? Yes, please. And then lastly—what is the secret surrounding this said library? So many things I need to know. 

And I was not disappointed about any of the things that drew me to this book. This story is filled with wonderful, interesting characters and plenty of secrets, to be sure. The secret library is just the beginning. I loved how the history of the people and the place were woven together to get us to the present. 

I absolutely loved this story and I found myself completely immersed in the lives of Hanna and Clare. I didn't want their story to end. I highly recommend The Secret Library of Hanna Reeves and I can't wait to re-read it.

I received a copy of The Secret Library of Hanna Reeves from the author and this is my honest opinion of the book.

About the author

Christine Nolfi is the award-winning and bestselling author of seventeen novels. Look for her 2025 release, The Secret Library of Hanna Reeves.

Other works include her 2024 release A Heart Like Home; A Brighter Flame, selected by She Reads as a best book club pick and The Passing Storm, cited by Publishers Weekly as “Tautly plotted, expertly characterized, and genuinely riveting” and gold medal winner in general fiction, International Book Awards.

Earlier works include Second Chance Grill, highly recommended by The Midwest Book Review and Treasure Me, recognized by the Next Generation Indie Awards and Put Your Heart in a Book Awards. The Tree of Everlasting Knowledge was cited by The Midwest Book Review as “Poignant and powerful, as much a saga of learning to survive, heal, and forgive as it is a chilling crime story, unforgettable to the very end.”

A native of Ohio, Christine now resides in South Carolina with her husband and their crazy wheaten terrier, Lucy. For more information, visit www.christinenolfi.com ~ Goodreads

Connect with Christine

Website | Goodreads | Facebook | Twitter

**********************

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A Heart Like Home by Christine Nolfi ~ My Thoughts #AHeartLikeHome @christinenolfi @LUAuthors

A Heart Like Home by Christine Nolfi

Fiction, Contemporary, 319 pages

Published April 16, 2024 by Lake Union Publishing

Finding family is a journey of love, risk, secrets, and healing in a powerful novel by the bestselling author of A Brighter Flame, The Passing Storm, and The Road She Left Behind.

When Nova Doubeck is asked to foster two children, she can’t say no. With her own childhood wounds healed by adoptive parents, Nova understands the rewards of a caring guardian―even an impermanent one. But nine-year-old Henry and his seven-year-old sister, Bella, are more than Nova bargained for.

Combative Henry is at risk of becoming like his abusive father, Egan Croy. Timid Bella, clutching a tin box of treasures, cowers at the slightest noise. Yet Nova gradually earns their trust and affection as they bring unexpected love and joy to her guarded life. Now she can’t help but wonder: How will she stop her heart from breaking when the time comes to say goodbye?

As Egan aggressively battles to regain control over the children, Nova’s protective instincts prove just as fierce. In fighting to save Henry and Bella, she’ll unlock the secrets hidden in their past―and learn more about herself and the true meaning of family than anyone imagined.

  

My thoughts about A Heart Like Home ~~

(I love to note the first lines of the books I'm reading. First lines can really grab a reader's attention and I love seeing where the author takes the reader after their first lines.)

First line—"Spring 1982 - Lights of red and blue flashed through the living room curtains and leaped into the ceiling. Bella's heart jumped."

Oh my gosh! I love this book so much! First of all—Christine Nolfi—when have I never loved her stories? Secondly, this book has a cover that drew me in before I even started reading. It's dark and ominous while also feeling like it's full of love and hope.

I immediately fell for Henry and Bella and just wanted to take care of them, especially that little Bella. What a sweet little person she is. Henry has his good qualities too, it just took Nova some time to break through his shell.

And then there is Nova, living her damaged life, trying to make things a little better for these two little people. No one knew how intertwined their lives were and would become. The hands of fate are very strong in some cases. 

This is a story with plenty of drama and suspense, balanced with plenty of love, compassion, and healing. I've love all of Christine's stories and this one is over the top good. I highly recommend A Heart Like Home for a beautiful story that will fill up your heart. 

I received a copy of A Heart Like Home via NetGalley and this is my honest opinion of the book.

About the author

Christine Nolfi is the award-winning and bestselling author of fifteen novels, including The Passing Storm, cited by Publishers Weekly as “Tautly plotted, expertly characterized, and genuinely riveting” and gold medal winner in general fiction, International Book Awards. Look for Christine’s 2022 release, A Brighter Flame.

Other works include The Road She Left Behind, a top book club pick by Working Mother and Parade magazines, and the award-winning Sweet Lake Series: Sweet Lake, The Comfort of Secrets, and The Season of Silver Linings.

Earlier works include Second Chance Grill, highly recommended by The Midwest Book Review and Treasure Me, recognized by the Next Generation Indie Awards and Put Your Heart in a Book Awards. The Tree of Everlasting Knowledge was cited by The Midwest Book Review as “Poignant and powerful, as much a saga of learning to survive, heal, and forgive as it is a chilling crime story, unforgettable to the very end.”

A native of Ohio, Christine now resides in South Carolina with her husband and their crazy wheaten terrier, Lucy. For more information, visit www.christinenolfi.com ~ Goodreads

Connect with Christine

Website | Goodreads | Facebook | Twitter

**********************

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Release Day! A Brighter Flame by Christine Nolfi ~ My Thoughts #ABrighterFlame @christinenolfi #NetGalley

Happy Release Day!

Congrats Christina

on the release today of

A Brighter Flame!

A Brighter Flame by Christine Nolfi

Friendship Fiction, 301 pages

Published September 27, 2022 by Lake Union Publishing

She’s always wanted a sense of belonging. The last place she expects to find it is home.

Vale Lightner’s dreams turn to ash when the Pittsburgh bar she owns goes up in flames. Just like the past she escaped, very little seems salvageable. Facing unavoidable change, Vale returns to her hometown of Philadelphia to stay with her grandmother.

She knows that returning also means facing everything she left behind: a mother and stepfather who shunted her into the background from the day they married, and her charmed and favored half sister, Blythe, who has abandoned a perfect marriage and is now at a crossroads of her own. Everyone has their secrets, and this reunited family racked by them is about to reach a crisis point.

For a mother and her two daughters, this reunion is a chance for closure, newfound love, and forgiveness. As each of them reassesses her own memories of the past, only the truth can bring them together—in ways that could last forever. 

From the bestselling author of The Passing Storm comes a poignant novel about family secrets, healing, and the hope of second chances.

   

My thoughts about A Brighter Flame ~~

(I love to note the first lines of the books I'm reading. First lines can really grab a reader's attention and I love seeing where the author takes the reader after their first lines.)

First line—"Vale awoke to the scream of sirens."

I have loved every book that I've read by Christine Nolfi. And I swear, each book is my favorite.... until her next one, that is. I'm always so excited when she publishes a new story. 

A Brighter Flame covers it all—trauma, secrets, family drama, friendship, relationships, sisterly competition and jealousy, love, healing, moving forward—you get the idea. And all of that is wrapped up with wonderful, interesting characters who came to feel like family to me. I felt all of the emotions, just like they did.

Drama rears its ugly head because of all of the family dysfunction and lack of communication. When the warring sisters are thrown together, secrets and truths start to be revealed. Working through them was a tough journey, even for me. Whew! Gotta love the 9 year old Natty, though, to make sure everyone gets along, whether they want to or not. I loved her! 

I loved everything about this novel and Ms. Nolfi definitely has another hit on her hands. I loved all of the family drama and all of the love that came shining through. A Brighter Flame needs to go on your must-read list. You do not want to miss this wonderful story. I highly recommend it! 

I received a copy of A Brighter Flame from the author via NetGalley and this is my honest opinion of the book.

About the author

Christine Nolfi is the award-winning and bestselling author of fifteen novels, including The Passing Storm, cited by Publishers Weekly as “Tautly plotted, expertly characterized, and genuinely riveting” and gold medal winner in general fiction, International Book Awards. Look for Christine’s 2022 release, A Brighter Flame.

Other works include The Road She Left Behind, a top book club pick by Working Mother and Parade magazines, and the award-winning Sweet Lake Series: Sweet Lake, The Comfort of Secrets, and The Season of Silver Linings.

Earlier works include Second Chance Grill, highly recommended by The Midwest Book Review and Treasure Me, recognized by the Next Generation Indie Awards and Put Your Heart in a Book Awards. The Tree of Everlasting Knowledge was cited by The Midwest Book Review as “Poignant and powerful, as much a saga of learning to survive, heal, and forgive as it is a chilling crime story, unforgettable to the very end.”

A native of Ohio, Christine now resides in South Carolina with her husband and their crazy wheaten terrier, Lucy. For more information, visit www.christinenolfi.com ~ Goodreads

Connect with Christine

Website | Goodreads | Facebook | Twitter

**********************

Be sure to check the sidebar for all of my current giveaways!

Release Day! The Passing Storm by Christine Nolfi ~ My Thoughts #ThePassingStorm #NetGalley

Happy Release Day!!

Congrats Christine

on the release of

The Passing Storm!

The Passing Storm by Christine Nolfi

Women's Fiction, 317 pages

Published November 1, 2021 by Lake Union Publishing

A gripping, openhearted novel about family, reconciliation, and bringing closure to the secrets of the past.

Early into the tempestuous decade of her thirties, Rae Langdon struggles to work through a grief she never anticipated. With her father, Connor, she tends to their Ohio farm, a forty-acre spread that itself has enjoyed better days. As memories sweep through her, some too precious to bear, Rae gives shelter from a brutal winter to a teenager named Quinn Galecki.

Quinn has been thrown out by his parents, a couple too troubled to help steer the misunderstood boy through his own losses. Now Quinn has found a temporary home with the Langdons—and an unexpected kinship, because Rae, Quinn, and Connor share a past and understand one another’s pain. But its depths—and all its revelations and secrets—have yet to come to light. To finally move forward, Rae must confront them and also fight for Quinn, whose parents have other plans in mind for their son.

With forgiveness, love, and the spring thaw, there might be hope for a new season—a second chance Rae believed in her heart was gone forever.

My thoughts about The Passing Storm ~~

(I love to note the first lines of the books I'm reading. First lines can really grab a reader's attention and I love seeing where the author takes the reader after their first lines.)

First lines—"He never worked during school hours. Yet there he was inside the bustling craft emporium, stocking shelves near the front."

This is a story that will stay with me a long, long time! I couldn't stop thinking about all of the characters after I closed the pages of this book. The Passing Storm is an intricately woven story about the complicated past meeting the tumultuous present, settling into a new future. 

All of the characters, and I mean all of them, really had some serious issues to work through. Watching them struggle through them endeared me to them and I felt everything they did. I loved everything about this story, even the hard parts. 

I've read quite a few of Christine's books and this has now become one of my favorites, for it's great characters and the depth of feelings that she invoked in me. I highly recommend The Passing Storm and I know that you will fall in love with it too. 

Thank you to Christine Nolfi and NetGalley for the ARC of The Passing Storm. This is my honest opinion of the book.

About the author

Some writers are gifted with an unusual life and I’m certainly one of those. I’ve lived in Ohio, Virginia, California, Utah and now South Carolina. In college I was featured on the front page of the Houston Post for a lark that erased all my debt. I met my four adopted children for the first time in the sweltering heat of the tropics. I helped build several companies and was lucky enough to earn a living doing what I love best–writing–in a PR firm I owned.

In 2004 I made the wisest and most irrational decision of my life–I began writing fiction full-time. All those years of hard work pay off daily in sweet notes and comments by readers. Please continue the mail, tweets and comments on FaceBook, GoodReads and other sites. I cherish your support and love chatting with readers. ~ Goodreads

Connect with Christine

Website | Goodreads | Facebook | Twitter

****************************

Be sure to check the sidebar for all of my current giveaways!

Release Day! The Road She Left Behind by Christine Nolfi ~ My Thoughts #TheRoadSheLeftBehind #NetGalley

Happy Release Day!!



Congrats Christine
on the release today of
The Road She Left Behind!

The Road She Left Behind by Christine Nolfi
Print and e-book, 316 pages
Published  June 11th 2019 by Lake Union Publishin

Three women. Two families torn apart by secrets.

Crushed by guilt over the car accident that killed her father and sister, and torn apart by her mother’s resentment, Darcy Goodridge fled her family estate eight years ago and hasn’t looked back. Now an unexpected phone call threatens to upend what little serenity she’s found. Her nephew, Emerson, who was just a baby when his mother died, has gone missing. Darcy must return home and face her past in order to save him.

Once back in Ohio, Darcy realizes there’s more to Emerson’s disappearance—and to the sudden retirement of her mother, Rosalind—than meets the eye. As she works to make inroads with Rosalind, Darcy begins to unravel a decades-old secret that devastated her family and forced a wedge between her and Michael Varano, the man she left heartbroken when she vanished after the funeral. After carrying the scars of that fateful night for almost a decade, Darcy is determined to find closure, healing, and maybe even love where she lost them all in the first place—right back home where she belongs.

    

My thoughts about The Road She Left Behind~~

(I love to note the first lines of the books I'm reading. First lines can really grab a reader's attention and I love seeing where the author takes the reader after their first line.)

First lines—"The harbor cruise had developed into a kidnapping. Slipping past the revelers, Darcy inched toward the relative privacy of the boat's lower deck. She was the hostage."

The Road She Left Behind just blew me away. Such a great story—such turmoil and emotions. Darcy is running away from her past, running for eight years. Then all of sudden, she gets pulled back to the life that she was running to avoid.

There are so many secrets and lies from the past, things that cannot be forgiven—until they need to be in order for life to move on. The relationships and drama between the characters is what intrigued me about this story. Everyone and everything is so intertwined that figuring it all out is what drove me to keep turning the pages.

The story has amazing, strong, and interesting characters—characters who fight, support, and love each other. I loved the interactions between Rosalind, the staunch, upstanding judge, and her eight year old grandson, who is truly wise beyond his years.

I was excited to start reading The Road She Left Behind and was sad when I got to the last page. I wasn't ready to be done with this adventure and my time in this wonderful story. This is definitely a book that you are going to want to read as soon as possible.

"The things you own don't bring happiness."

I received a copy of The Road She Left Behind via NetGalley and this is my honest opinion of the book.

About the author

Some writers are gifted with an unusual life and I’m certainly one of those. I’ve lived in Ohio, Virginia, California, Utah and now South Carolina. In college I was featured on the front page of the Houston Post for a lark that erased all my debt. I met my four adopted children for the first time in the sweltering heat of the tropics. I helped build several companies and was lucky enough to earn a living doing what I love best–writing–in a PR firm I owned.

In 2004 I made the wisest and most irrational decision of my life–I began writing fiction full-time. All those years of hard work pay off daily in sweet notes and comments by readers. Please continue the mail, tweets and comments on FaceBook, GoodReads and other sites. I cherish your support and love chatting with readers. ~ Goodreads

Connect with Christine

Website | Goodreads | Facebook | Twitter

****************************

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Release Day! The Season of Silver Linings by Christine Nolfi

Happy Release Day!

The Season of Silver Linings by Christine Nolfi
Series: Sweet Lake #3
Kindle Edition, 299 pages
Published July 17th 2018 by Lake Union Publishing

She can’t change what’s come before. But letting go could bring healing—and the rare love that comes once in a lifetime.

When Ohio pastry chef Jada Brooks and her two best friends restored the glorious Wayfair Inn, it was a boon to Sweet Lake—and to their own lives. Now Linnie and Cat are focused on private matters: one engaged, the other swept up in newlywed bliss. Jada has also begun looking to the future by dating widower Philip Kettering and forging a sudden, sweet bond with his six-year-old daughter.

But the past isn’t finished with Jada. When a curious guest checks into the Wayfair, her delving questions stir Jada’s guilt about the heartbreaking events that scarred the town seven years ago. The risks Jada must take by revealing the truth will test every assumption she’s made about the meaning of family and the magic of enduring love.

Congratulations Christine

 on the release today of

The Season of Silver Linings!

I've read all three books in this series and with each book, I've fallen more in love with all the characters and the beautiful Wayfair Inn on Sweet Lake. I've loved each trip back to this amazing place. 

  

You can read my thoughts about the books in this fabulous series here, here, and here. 

About the author

Some writers are gifted with an unusual life and I’m certainly one of those. I’ve lived in Ohio, Virginia, California, Utah and now South Carolina. In college I was featured on the front page of the Houston Post for a lark that erased all my debt. I met my four adopted children for the first time in the sweltering heat of the tropics. I helped build several companies and was lucky enough to earn a living doing what I love best–writing–in a PR firm I owned.

In 2004 I made the wisest and most irrational decision of my life–I began writing fiction full-time. All those years of hard work pay off daily in sweet notes and comments by readers. Please continue the mail, tweets and comments on FaceBook, GoodReads and other sites. I cherish your support and love chatting with readers.

Connect with Christine

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

***********************

Be sure to check the sidebar for all of my current giveaways!

The Season of Silver Linings by Christine Nolfi ~ My Thoughts #TheSeasonOfSilverLinings #NetGalley

The Season of Silver Linings

The Season of Silver Linings by Christine Nolfi
Series: Sweet Lake #3
Kindle Edition, 299 pages
Expected publication: July 17th 2018 by Lake Union Publishing

She can’t change what’s come before. But letting go could bring healing—and the rare love that comes once in a lifetime.

When Ohio pastry chef Jada Brooks and her two best friends restored the glorious Wayfair Inn, it was a boon to Sweet Lake—and to their own lives. Now Linnie and Cat are focused on private matters: one engaged, the other swept up in newlywed bliss. Jada has also begun looking to the future by dating widower Philip Kettering and forging a sudden, sweet bond with his six-year-old daughter.

But the past isn’t finished with Jada. When a curious guest checks into the Wayfair, her delving questions stir Jada’s guilt about the heartbreaking events that scarred the town seven years ago. The risks Jada must take by revealing the truth will test every assumption she’s made about the meaning of family and the magic of enduring love.

My thoughts about The Season of Silver Linings ~

(I love to note the first lines of the books I'm reading. First lines can really grab a reader's attention and I love seeing where the author takes the reader after their first lines.)

First line—"Tilda Lyons rushed into the Wayfair's kitchen. 'I have wonderful news!' An unlikely prospect. Jada Brooks muffled a groan. This morning there wasn't time for interruptions by the Sweet Lake Sirens."

I truly love the women of Sweet Lake, even the quirky Sirens. The Season of Silver Linings is the third book in this fabulous series, with each book mainly focusing on one of the three main characters. Jada, Cat and Linnie are co-owners of the Wayfair Inn and as their lives are intertwined, they share their good times and are there for each other during the trying times. They are such good friends, friends who can say and do anything—nothing is off limits.

This story had a bit of a different feel to me. I still loved it as much as the first two books but this one seemed more mysterious with the addition of a woman who arrives at the Inn, asking questions about the past. Memories and emotions get stirred up as the past is revealed and the truth comes out.

I have loved my visits to Sweet Lake and I've loved watching the relationships between the characters grow. I feel like I know these people so well and I'm always sad when I turn the last page of the book because that means my visit with my friends is over. I hope I can return again soon.

I received an ARC of The Season of Silver Linings from the author via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

You can read my thoughts about books one and two of this fabulous series here and here.

About the author

Some writers are gifted with an unusual life and I’m certainly one of those. I’ve lived in Ohio, Virginia, California, Utah and now South Carolina. In college I was featured on the front page of the Houston Post for a lark that erased all my debt. I met my four adopted children for the first time in the sweltering heat of the tropics. I helped build several companies and was lucky enough to earn a living doing what I love best–writing–in a PR firm I owned.

In 2004 I made the wisest and most irrational decision of my life–I began writing fiction full-time. All those years of hard work pay off daily in sweet notes and comments by readers. Please continue the mail, tweets and comments on FaceBook, GoodReads and other sites. I cherish your support and love chatting with readers.

Connect with Christine

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

***********************

Be sure to check the sidebar for all of my current giveaways!

The Comfort of Secrets by Christine Nolfi ~ My Thoughts

The Comfort of Secrets

The Comfort of Secrets by Christine Nolfi
Series: Sweet Lake #2
Print and e-book, 318 pages
Published July 18th 2017 by Lake Union Publishing

Cat Mendoza needs a win. After a business failure and years of dating the wrong men, she’s ready to turn things around.

First she must convince the residents of Sweet Lake, Ohio, that she’s taking her responsibilities seriously. As the events director of the newly restored Wayfair Inn, she has the support of her best friends, Linnie and Jada. But everyone else—including her overprotective mother and the well-meaning Sweet Lake Sirens—can’t help but chime in with advice about her plans, her apparently too-tight clothes, and her undeniable attraction to Ryan D’Angelo, the charming ad exec hired to promote the inn.

Cat knows she should keep Ryan at a distance, but she’s drawn closer by the heartbreak he tries to hide. Will uncovering his secrets derail the new life Cat hopes to achieve…or will she gain something to cherish forever?

 

My thoughts about The Comfort of Secrets ~~

(I love to note the first lines of the books I'm reading. First lines can really grab a reader's attention and I love seeing where the author takes the reader after their first line.)

First line—"The poster wagged before her nose: Sage Advice: Thyme to Discover Nature's Medicine—Right in Your Spice Rack! Speechless, Cat Mendoza shrank back in her chair."

Right away, I knew that the Sirens were involved in this poster wagging. This wonderful group of women, the Sirens, are definitely a force to be reckoned with but they will always have your back!

I absolutely loved the first book in this series, Sweet Lake, and and this one was just as good, if not better. The characters I met in the first book are back in full force and I loved being a part of their lives again. A whole new set of characters are added to the storyline in this book and it was fascinating to discover how their lives are so intertwined.

The Comfort of Secrets focuses on Cat, one-third owner of the Wayfair Inn. Watching her as she tries to get her life figured out (with a lot of help from the Sirens - I love those crazy, quirky women!) was what drove me to get to the end of the story. But I was also sad when it ended. I am so looking forward to the next book in this fabulous series!

I received a copy of this book from the author and am voluntarily reviewing it.

About the author

Some writers are gifted with an unusual life and I’m certainly one of those. I’ve lived in Ohio, Virginia, California, Utah and now South Carolina. In college I was featured on the front page of the Houston Post for a lark that erased all my debt. I met my four adopted children for the first time in the sweltering heat of the tropics. I helped build several companies and was lucky enough to earn a living doing what I love best–writing–in a PR firm I owned.

In 2004 I made the wisest and most irrational decision of my life–I began writing fiction full-time. All those years of hard work pay off daily in sweet notes and comments by readers. Please continue the mail, tweets and comments on FaceBook, GoodReads and other sites. I cherish your support and love chatting with readers.

Connect with Christine

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

***********************

Be sure to check the sidebar for all of my current giveaways!

Release Day! Sweet Lake by Christine Nolfi ~ My Thoughts

Happy Release Day!

Sweet Lake

Sweet Lake by Christine Nolfi
Series: Sweet Lake #1
Print and e-book, 304 pages
Published: February 28th 2017 by Lake Union Publishing

Linnie Wayfair knows just how many people are counting on her. But knowing doesn’t make doing any easier.

Everyone in Sweet Lake, Ohio, wants her to muster all her business sense and return the Wayfair Inn to its former glory. Her parents hope she’ll forgive her scoundrel of a brother and reconcile the family. The eccentric Sweet Lake Sirens want her to open the inn—and her heart—to new possibilities. And her hilarious lifelong friends Jada and Cat are dropping none-too-subtle hints for her to ignite a romance with Daniel Kettering, the sexy attorney who’s been pining for her for years…

Now a shocking turn of events will open old wounds and upend the world Linnie has carefully built. She has to make changes quickly—and the results, though not entirely what she expected, might be what she’s been yearning for all along.

 

My thoughts about Sweet Lake ~~

(I love to note the first lines of the books I'm reading. First lines can really grab a reader's attention and I love seeing where the author takes the reader after their first line.)

First line—"Coconuts bouncing down a bowling lane."

How is this not one of the best first lines ever? What on earth does that line have to do with this story and where is the author going to take me from here?

I loved my visit to Sweet Lake and getting to meet all of the wonderful and quirky residents of this beautiful community. This story is filled with an abundance of great character and there are plenty of complicated relationships among the townsfolk that kept it very interesting. Let's see, there's Linnie and Daniel, Linnie and Freddy, Freddy and Francis, just to name a few.

And then there is this elite group of women (this is where the quirky comes in) who call themselves the Sweet Lake Sirens. They are such a hoot! I loved the Sirens! There were plenty of humorous parts throughout the book that made me laugh out loud, especially the parts that involved the Sirens. They loved to freely give their advice to anyone, whether it was asked for or not. I'll just say 'organism' and leave it at that. 😉

But there is so much more to this story than the humor and the Sirens. There are interesting characters who are put to the test, who have to learn to grow and stand up for what they want. And there are those who have been there for each other and have been for years, just waiting for things to fall into place. So many great relationships in this beautiful story.

Sweet Lake is truly a wonderful story that grabbed me from the start and held my attention to the very end. I am so excited that Christine is writing Sweet Lake #2 so that I can visit Sweet Lake again and catch up with all the interesting people that I just met. Hopefully I will be able to take many more trips back there.

I received a copy of this book from the author and am voluntarily reviewing it.

About the author

Some writers are gifted with an unusual life and I’m certainly one of those. I’ve lived in Ohio, Virginia, California, Utah and now South Carolina. In college I was featured on the front page of the Houston Post for a lark that erased all my debt. I met my four adopted children for the first time in the sweltering heat of the tropics. I helped build several companies and was lucky enough to earn a living doing what I love best–writing–in a PR firm I owned.

In 2004 I made the wisest and most irrational decision of my life–I began writing fiction full-time. All those years of hard work pay off daily in sweet notes and comments by readers. Please continue the mail, tweets and comments on FaceBook, GoodReads and other sites. I cherish your support and love chatting with readers.

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