Release Day! Under the Apple Blossoms by Deanna Lynn Sletten ~ My Thoughts #UnderTheAppleBlossoms

Happy Release Day!!

Congrats Deanna

on the release today of

Under the Apple Blossoms!

Under the Apple Blossoms: A Lake Harriet Novel by Deanna Lynn Sletten
A Lake Harriet Novel (Book 4)
Paperback and e-book: 262 pages
Published March 17th 2020 by Deanna Lynn Sletten

Sometimes the only one standing in the way of your happiness is you.

Debbie Adams has never thought of herself as beautiful or witty. Her short, curvy stature has always made her feel self-conscious. As the owner of Deb’s Bridal Boutique near Lake Harriet in Minneapolis, Debbie runs the business she’d inherited after her mother’s death. But owning a bridal shop has never been her dream—it had been her mother’s. And as the years go by, Debbie sees friends and neighbors pairing off and building a future while her life remains stagnant. Then, one March day, frantic to get in shape before a friend’s wedding, Debbie forces herself to go biking. As she rides along the icy lake path, she’s startled by a runner and slips and falls. Regaining her bearings, she looks up into a pair of warm, brown eyes and the most handsome face she’s ever seen. Could this tall, extremely fit, and good-looking man be her destiny?

Marc Bennett’s life is amazing. He owns a chain of fitness centers around the Twin Cities and lives in a beautiful mansion that overlooks Lake Harriet. The only thing missing from his life is a wonderful woman to share it with. Not that he’s lacking in applicants for the position. He’s a handsome man with a warm, caring personality and women flock to him. But at thirty-six, he’s had the shallow relationships and he’s not in a hurry to commit to anyone. Then one crisp, spring day, as he’s running the lake path with his dog, Bernie, he literally crashes into a woman on a bike. As he attempts to help her up, he finds himself looking into the most beautiful pair of blue eyes. Eyes he can’t seem to get out of his mind.

   

My thoughts about Under the Apple Blossoms ~~

(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—"Debbie Adam's leg muscles strained as she pedaled her bicycle through her neighborhood toward the trails at Lake Harriet."

I love all the books in this Lake Harriet series, but I really think that Under the Apple Blossoms is my favorite..... so far. My trip to Lake Harriet this time was so much fun. I just loved this story!

Debbie and Marc run into each other, literally, in the park as she takes a tumble from her bike. You just know that things are going to heat up from there.

I immediately felt connected to Debbie for some reason. Maybe because we're both on the short side, both lacking in self-confidence when it comes to our bodies. Maybe? But for some reason, I liked her from the start.

And I enjoyed watching a true friendship develop between Debbie and Marc as he settles into a new community, a place that had plenty of beautiful women who would love to become friendly with him.

The Lake Harriet stories are filled with loving, kind, and comfortable characters, people you would love to know and hang out with on a regular basis. I can't wait to see who Deanna introduces us to in the next story. And each book has a dog or two, important characters who play vital roles in each story. 

Under the Apple Blossoms is book #4 in the Lake Harriet series but it definitely can be read as a standalone. All the characters are intertwined through the books so it always feels like meeting up with old friends again. I absolutely love my visits to Lake Harriet and love that each new book introduces me to new people... and another dog.

Give the Lake Harriet books a try, I know you are going to love the people, and the dogs, as much as I do. Start with Under The Apple Blossoms—you'll love it as much as I did.

I received a copy of Under the Apple Blossoms from the author and this is my honest opinion. 

Check out the rest of the Lake Harriet stories on Amazon

  

Read my thoughts about these 3 books here, here and here.

Click on the covers to find them on Goodreads

About the author

Deanna Lynn Sletten is the author of Maggie's Turn, Finding Libbie, One Wrong Turn, Miss Etta, and several other titles. She writes heartwarming women's fiction and romance novels with unforgettable characters. She has also written one middle-grade novel that takes you on the adventure of a lifetime. Deanna believes in fate, destiny, love at first sight, soul mates, second chances, and happily ever after, and her novels reflect that.

Deanna is married and has two grown children. When not writing, she enjoys walking the wooded trails around her home with her beautiful Australian Shepherd or relaxing on the lake in the summer.

Deanna loves hearing from her readers. 

Connect with her here—

Website | Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Amazon

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

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

Chasing Bailey by Deanna Lynn Sletten ~ My Thoughts #ChasingBailey

Chasing Bailey

Chasing Bailey: A Lake Harriet Novel by Deanna Lynn Sletten

Print and e-book, 168 pages
Published October 8th 2019 by Deanna Lynn Sletten

In the charming Lake Harriet neighborhood where we first met Kristen, Ryan, and their dog Sam in Walking Sam, two people are struggling to put their lives back together with the help of a rambunctious dog named Bailey.

Lisa Evan’s life has been in turmoil since her husband, Andrew, left her nine months earlier. With two-year-old Abby to care for and a new full-time job as a school nurse, she’s just trying to keep her head above water both emotionally and financially. It didn’t help that her ex-husband gifted a rambunctious puppy to Abby for her second birthday. But Abby instantly fell in love with Bailey, so Lisa didn’t have the heart to say no. Even though Lisa’s quiet neighborhood is a great place for kids and dogs, there’s one neighbor who isn’t thrilled about Bailey—the hermit across the street. And try as she might, Lisa can’t keep the dog from digging his way out of the yard and running to the hermit’s house. But after one particularly nasty clash with the hermit, Lisa discovers that maybe the man across the street isn’t as terrible as she’d once thought.

Avery McKinnon moved to the quiet neighborhood to hide out after an extremely nasty divorce. In one year his entire world has fallen apart. His wife left him, he lost his house, and his novels are no longer selling as well as they used to, taking a bite out of his income. He’s bitter and angry and the last thing he wants is to become chummy with all the annoyingly happy people in his neighborhood. When the puppy across the street keeps running over to his house and digging up his yard, Avery explodes. Can’t that annoying woman across the street control a puppy? But when he finally sees Lisa for who she is, he realizes that maybe he’s been angry long enough. Maybe it was time to let someone back into his life. And then her ex-husband comes back into the picture and ruins everything.

Amazon Kindle U.S. | Amazon Kindle UK
Amazon Kindle AU | Amazon Kindle Canada
Paperback Now Available | Audiobook coming soon

My thoughts about Chasing Bailey ~~

(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—"Lisa Evans stepped up on her front porch as she juggled her two-year-old daughter, Abby, in one arm and a heavy bag in the other."

Chasing Bailey takes us back, once again, to the wonderful community of Lake Harriet. I love my visits there and have gotten to know some of the residents very well. It's always nice to visit them again.

Lisa and Avery are neighbors—two people who don't see eye-to-eye about Lisa's dog. One is a struggling single parent and the other one, a hermit. Maybe, just maybe, that dog might be the thing that brings them together.

These two people go through a lot, both together and individually. We watch their relationship grow and fall apart. As Lisa and Avery learn to lean on each other, they discover that they are more alike than they ever thought they were at the beginning.

The Lake Harriet stories are filled with loving, kind, and comfortable characters, people you would love to know and hang out with on a regular basis. And the books are all centered around a dog, a character who plays such an vital role in each story. These dogs are so wise and healing. And who doesn't love a good dog story? 

Chasing Bailey is book #3 in the Lake Harriet series but it definitely can be read as a standalone. All the characters are intertwined through the books so it always feels like meeting up with old friends again. I absolutely love my visits to Lake Harriet and love that each new book introduces me to new people... and another dog.

Give the Lake Harriet books a try, I know you are going to love the people, and the dogs, as much as I do.

I received a copy of Chasing Bailey from the author and this is my honest review. 

Check out the rest of the Lake Harriet stories on Amazon

      

Read my thoughts about these two books here and here.

Click on the covers to find them on Goodreads

About the author

Deanna Lynn Sletten is the author of Maggie's Turn, Finding Libbie, One Wrong Turn, Miss Etta, and several other titles. She writes heartwarming women's fiction and romance novels with unforgettable characters. She has also written one middle-grade novel that takes you on the adventure of a lifetime. Deanna believes in fate, destiny, love at first sight, soul mates, second chances, and happily ever after, and her novels reflect that.

Deanna is married and has two grown children. When not writing, she enjoys walking the wooded trails around her home with her beautiful Australian Shepherd or relaxing on the lake in the summer.

Deanna loves hearing from her readers. 

Connect with her here—

Website | Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Amazon

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

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

Release Day! Chasing Bailey by Deanna Lynn Sletten #ChasingBailey

Happy Release Day!!

Congratulations Deanna

on the release today of

Chasing Bailey!

Chasing Bailey: A Lake Harriet Novel by Deanna Lynn Sletten

Print and e-book, 168 pages
Published October 8th 2019 by Deanna Lynn Sletten

In the charming Lake Harriet neighborhood where we first met Kristen, Ryan, and their dog Sam in Walking Sam, two people are struggling to put their lives back together with the help of a rambunctious dog named Bailey.

Lisa Evan’s life has been in turmoil since her husband, Andrew, left her nine months earlier. With two-year-old Abby to care for and a new full-time job as a school nurse, she’s just trying to keep her head above water both emotionally and financially. It didn’t help that her ex-husband gifted a rambunctious puppy to Abby for her second birthday. But Abby instantly fell in love with Bailey, so Lisa didn’t have the heart to say no. Even though Lisa’s quiet neighborhood is a great place for kids and dogs, there’s one neighbor who isn’t thrilled about Bailey—the hermit across the street. And try as she might, Lisa can’t keep the dog from digging his way out of the yard and running to the hermit’s house. But after one particularly nasty clash with the hermit, Lisa discovers that maybe the man across the street isn’t as terrible as she’d once thought.

Avery McKinnon moved to the quiet neighborhood to hide out after an extremely nasty divorce. In one year his entire world has fallen apart. His wife left him, he lost his house, and his novels are no longer selling as well as they used to, taking a bite out of his income. He’s bitter and angry and the last thing he wants is to become chummy with all the annoyingly happy people in his neighborhood. When the puppy across the street keeps running over to his house and digging up his yard, Avery explodes. Can’t that annoying woman across the street control a puppy? But when he finally sees Lisa for who she is, he realizes that maybe he’s been angry long enough. Maybe it was time to let someone back into his life. And then her ex-husband comes back into the picture and ruins everything.

I loved this story! 
My thoughts will be posted tomorrow. 

Check out the rest of the Lake Harriet stories on Amazon
Walking Sam is only $.99 right now!!

   

Click the covers to find them on Goodreads

About the author

Deanna Lynn Sletten is the author of Maggie's Turn, Finding Libbie, One Wrong Turn, Miss Etta, and several other titles. She writes heartwarming women's fiction and romance novels with unforgettable characters. She has also written one middle-grade novel that takes you on the adventure of a lifetime. Deanna believes in fate, destiny, love at first sight, soul mates, second chances, and happily ever after, and her novels reflect that.

Deanna is married and has two grown children. When not writing, she enjoys walking the wooded trails around her home with her beautiful Australian Shepherd or relaxing on the lake in the summer.

Deanna loves hearing from her readers. 

Connect with her here—

Website | Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Amazon

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

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

Release Day! As the Snow Fell by Deanna Lynn Sletten

Happy Release Day! 

As the Snow Fell

As the Snow Fell: A Lake Harriet Novel by Deanna Lynn Sletten
Print and e-book, 207 pages
Published: November 21st 2017 by Deanna Lynn Sletten

A Lake Harriet Novel

In the charming Lake Harriet neighborhood in Minneapolis, MN, where we first met Kristen, Ryan, and their beloved dog, Sam, in Walking Sam, we meet another couple who are struggling to find true love.

Mallory Dawson is planning the winter wedding of her dreams. She’s found a wonderful man to share her life with and is looking forward to a promising future together. But one month before her wedding, she runs into the man she once loved who she hasn’t seen in ten years. Soon, her entire life is turned upside down.

James Gallagher fled to California ten years ago to start over after the love of his life, Mallory, refused to marry him. But when his dad passes away and his mother becomes ill, he returns home to help run the family business. Seeing Mallory again brings a flood of memories back, and he begins to wonder what his life would have been like if he hadn’t left.

Will the wedding go on or will fate play a hand in Mallory's happily ever after?

Congrats on the release of 
As the Snow Fell today, Deanna! 

I have read all of Deanna's books and I have loved them all. As the Snow Fell is another wonderful story. Read my thoughts HERE. 

Amazon U.S. Kindle | Amazon Paperback | Amazon UK

Amazon CA | Amazon AU | B&N Nook 

About the author

Deanna Lynn Sletten writes heartwarming women's fiction and romance novels with unforgettable characters. She has also written one middle-grade novel that takes you on the adventure of a lifetime. She began her writing career self-publishing in 2012 and has since published several novels. Her next novel will be published in June 2017 by Lake Union Publishing. Deanna believes in fate, destiny, love at first sight, soul mates, second chances, and happily ever after, and her novels reflect that.

Deanna is married and has two grown children. When not writing, she enjoys walking the wooded trails around her home with her beautiful Australian Shepherd or relaxing in the boat on the lake in the summer.

Connect with Deanna

Website | Blog | Facebook | Goodreads | Twitter

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

Be sure to check the sidebar for my current giveaways!

As the Snow Fell by Deanna Lynn Sletten ~ My Thoughts and a Giveaway!

As the Snow Fell

As the Snow Fell: A Lake Harriet Novel by Deanna Lynn Sletten
E-book, 207 pages
Expected publication: November 21st 2017 by Deanna Lynn Sletten

A Lake Harriet Novel

In the charming Lake Harriet neighborhood in Minneapolis, MN, where we first met Kristen, Ryan, and their beloved dog, Sam, in Walking Sam, we meet another couple who are struggling to find true love.

Mallory Dawson is planning the winter wedding of her dreams. She’s found a wonderful man to share her life with and is looking forward to a promising future together. But one month before her wedding, she runs into the man she once loved who she hasn’t seen in ten years. Soon, her entire life is turned upside down.

James Gallagher fled to California ten years ago to start over after the love of his life, Mallory, refused to marry him. But when his dad passes away and his mother becomes ill, he returns home to help run the family business. Seeing Mallory again brings a flood of memories back, and he begins to wonder what his life would have been like if he hadn’t left.

Will the wedding go on or will fate play a hand in Mallory's happily ever after?

My thoughts about As the Snow Fell ~~

(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—"Mallory Dawson shivered as she and her friends stepped out into the crisp Minnesota night onto the well-lit street. She clutched her wool coat close to ward off the dampness as she gazed up at the sky."

As the Snow Fell takes us back to the enchanting neighborhood of Lake Harriet where we met Kristen, Ryan, and Sam in the first book of this series, Walking Sam. Once again, Deanna has filled one of her stories with warm, wonderful characters that you can't help but come to love. And the dog, Brewster—there's always a dog—will warm your heart.

Mallory and James were pretty serious about each other ten years ago, until James ran away from their relationship. They both moved on with their lives and supposedly got over each other. And then .... they run into each other again, ten years later. Mallory is engaged to be married and James seems to be happy working in the family business.

I was really rooting for Mallory and James to get back together but I kept thinking, maybe it isn't going to happen. I kept wavering back and forth, never sure which way it was going to end. Their relationship woes and the incredible chemistry between the two of them really captured my heart and made me want to keep reading.

Deanna's stories are always ones that I can just escape into—where I can just put the rest of the world aside for a little bit. And I love that this one is set around Christmas time. It is the perfect story to read right now!

Preorder Links:

Amazon U.S. Kindle | Amazon Paperback | Amazon UK

Amazon CA | Amazon AU | B&N Nook 

Coming soon to audiobook!

Be sure to enter Deanna's giveaway

for a $50 Amazon Gift Card!

Enter here

Hurry, it ends November 21st! 

About the author

Deanna Lynn Sletten writes heartwarming women's fiction and romance novels with unforgettable characters. She has also written one middle-grade novel that takes you on the adventure of a lifetime. She began her writing career self-publishing in 2012 and has since published several novels. Her next novel will be published in June 2017 by Lake Union Publishing. Deanna believes in fate, destiny, love at first sight, soul mates, second chances, and happily ever after, and her novels reflect that.

Deanna is married and has two grown children. When not writing, she enjoys walking the wooded trails around her home with her beautiful Australian Shepherd or relaxing in the boat on the lake in the summer.

Connect with Deanna

Website | Blog | Facebook | Goodreads | Twitter

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

Be sure to check the sidebar for my current giveaways!

Walking Sam by Deanna Lynn Sletten (Audiobook) ~ My Thoughts

Walking Sam

Walking Sam by Deanna Lynn Sletten

Audible Audio: Narrated by Michael Ahr
Published: January 6, 2017 by Deanna Lynn Sletten

Love isn’t always a walk in the park…

Ryan Collier has lived a quiet life with his golden retriever, Sam, and two orange tabbies since the death of his wife nearly three years ago. His friends and family are encouraging him to move on and find someone to share his life with, but Ryan feels he’ll never find anyone he’ll love as much as his wife. Ryan reluctantly starts going out on weekends, and soon finds that not only have women changed, but also the rules of dating. He’s longing for a fulfilling relationship but everyone he meets only want one-night stands. Then, Kristen moves in next door and he finds they have a lot in common. There’s only one problem—she’s not available.

Kristen Foster craves a peaceful place to call home. With her stressful job as a Pediatric Oncology Nurse and a failed marriage behind her, she doesn’t want any more drama in her life. Then her casual boyfriend—a surgeon—proposes to her. And she finds that the widower next door is a thirty-something, handsome man who seems to have his choice of young women every weekend. His only redeeming quality is his beautiful dog, Sam. But as she gets to know Ryan, Kristen is drawn to him. She finds herself struggling to choose between the dependable surgeon or the man she believes is the neighborhood playboy.

Can Sam’s furry charm bring Ryan and Kristen together?

Walking Sam is a heartwarming story of two people who have to let go of the past in order to see what’s right in front of them.

My thoughts about Walking Sam (audio-book) ~~

(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—"Ryan Collier awoke in the darkened bedroom to feel the warm breath hitting his face."

I first read Walking Sam in March of 2016. I loved it when I read it and it was wonderful to go back to that world and spend time with Ryan, Kristen, and Sam again. This audiobook was great to listen to and the narrator, Michael Ahr, did an amazing job with the characters and I found myself falling in love with them all over again.  

Below, you can read my thoughts about Walking Sam, which I originally posted on March 25, 2016. 

Oh my, I don't know where to start, other than to say that I should have started this book on the weekend. Once I got started reading it, I didn't want to stop! I loved it! I felt so very comfortable with the characters in this wonderful book that I never wanted to leave them. Ryan and Kristen are people that I wish I knew in my life.

They are both such caring, down to earth, loving people but they are both dealing with loss. Ryan's wife passed away very suddenly 3 years ago and he's having a really hard time letting go of her memory. Kristen was divorced 2 years ago and is currently in a relationship ... when it's convenient for him. Kristen moves in next door to Ryan and they forge a very comfortable, easy friendship, largely due to Ryan's dog Sam, who take an immediate liking to Kristen. See, even the dog knows a nice person when she meets one.

Deanna writes very descriptively throughout the book and because of her descriptions of the people, places and events, I was able to feel like I was a part of the story. Their emotions, love, and friendship became just as important to me as they did to Ryan and Kristen themselves.

I have read quite a few of Deanna's books but this one may be right up there as one of my favorites and it's because of Kristen and Ryan. They both are such good people and I felt very comfortable (there's that word again) with them. I really cared about them and I knew I would be happy for them, no matter how things turned out. They were there as good friends to each other and what more can someone want but to have a good friend in your life?

Walking Sam is a beautiful, warm, loving story of two mature adults who discover that true happiness comes when you can find someone who can be yourself with. Read Walking Sam and fall in love with Ryan and Kristen just like I did.

About the author

Deanna Lynn Sletten grew up on the sunny coast of southern California before moving to northern Minnesota as a teenager. Her interest in writing novels was sparked in a college English class and she has been writing in some form or another ever since. In 2011, Deanna discovered the world of self-publishing and published three novels she'd written over the years. After that, she was hooked.

Deanna enjoys writing heartwarming women's fiction and romance novels with unforgettable characters. She has also written one middle-grade novel that takes you on the adventure of a lifetime. She believes in fate, destiny, love at first sight, soulmates, second chances, and happily ever after, and her novels reflect that.

Deanna is married and has two grown children. When not writing, she enjoys walking the wooded trails around her home with her beautiful Australian Shepherd or relaxing in the boat on the lake in the summer.

Connect with Deanna

Website | Blog | Facebook | Goodreads | Twitter

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

Be sure to check the sidebar for my current giveaways!

Release Day! Walking Sam by Deanna Lynn Sletten and a Giveaway!

Happy Release Day!!

Walking Sam

Walking Sam by Deanna Lynn Sletten

Kindle Edition
Published: March 29th 2016 by Deanna Lynn Sletten

From the author of the heartwarming romances, Sara's Promise and Memories comes this new delightful, heartfelt romance.

Love isn’t always a walk in the park…

Ryan Collier has lived a quiet life with his golden retriever, Sam, and two orange tabbies since the death of his wife nearly three years ago. His friends and family are encouraging him to move on and find someone to share his life with, but Ryan feels he’ll never find anyone he’ll love as much as his wife. Ryan reluctantly starts going out on weekends, and soon finds that not only have women changed, but also the rules of dating. He’s longing for a fulfilling relationship but everyone he meets only want one-night stands. Then, Kristen moves in next door and he finds they have a lot in common. There’s only one problem—she’s not available.

Kristen Foster craves a peaceful place to call home. With her stressful job as a Pediatric Oncology Nurse and a failed marriage behind her, she doesn’t want any more drama in her life. Then her casual boyfriend—a surgeon—proposes to her. And she finds that the widower next door is a thirty-something, handsome man who seems to have his choice of young women every weekend. His only redeeming quality is his beautiful dog, Sam. But as she gets to know Ryan, Kristen is drawn to him. She finds herself struggling to choose between the dependable surgeon or the man she believes is the neighborhood playboy.

Can Sam’s furry charm bring Ryan and Kristen together?

Walking Sam is a heartwarming story of two people who have to let go of the past in order to see what’s right in front of them.

I read Walking Sam and I fell in love with Sam, Ryan, and Kristen. I have read all of Deanna's books and I think this one is one of her best. I loved watching the beautiful relationship grow between these 2 people and Sam, the dog.

You can read the rest of my thoughts here.

About the author

Deanna Lynn Sletten grew up on the sunny coast of southern California before moving to northern Minnesota as a teenager. Her interest in writing novels was sparked in a college English class and she has been writing in some form or another ever since. In 2011, Deanna discovered the world of self-publishing and published three novels she'd written over the years. After that, she was hooked.

Deanna enjoys writing heartwarming women's fiction and romance novels with unforgettable characters. She has also written one middle-grade novel that takes you on the adventure of a lifetime. She believes in fate, destiny, love at first sight, soulmates, second chances, and happily ever after, and her novels reflect that.

Deanna is married and has two grown children. When not writing, she enjoys walking the wooded trails around her home with her beautiful Australian Shepherd or relaxing in the boat on the lake in the summer.

Connect with Deanna

Website | Blog | Facebook | Goodreads | Twitter

Deanna is offering a $25 Amazon gift card to the winner.
Thank you so much, Deanna!
And happy release day to Walking Sam!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Be sure to check the sidebar for my current giveaways!

Walking Sam by Deanna Lynn Sletten: My Thoughts

Walking Sam

Walking Sam by Deanna Lynn Sletten

Kindle Edition
Expected publication: March 29th 2016 by Deanna Lynn Sletten

From the author of the heartwarming romances, Sara's Promise and Memories comes this new delightful, heartfelt romance.

Love isn’t always a walk in the park…

Ryan Collier has lived a quiet life with his golden retriever, Sam, and two orange tabbies since the death of his wife nearly three years ago. His friends and family are encouraging him to move on and find someone to share his life with, but Ryan feels he’ll never find anyone he’ll love as much as his wife. Ryan reluctantly starts going out on weekends, and soon finds that not only have women changed, but also the rules of dating. He’s longing for a fulfilling relationship but everyone he meets only want one-night stands. Then, Kristen moves in next door and he finds they have a lot in common. There’s only one problem—she’s not available.

Kristen Foster craves a peaceful place to call home. With her stressful job as a Pediatric Oncology Nurse and a failed marriage behind her, she doesn’t want any more drama in her life. Then her casual boyfriend—a surgeon—proposes to her. And she finds that the widower next door is a thirty-something, handsome man who seems to have his choice of young women every weekend. His only redeeming quality is his beautiful dog, Sam. But as she gets to know Ryan, Kristen is drawn to him. She finds herself struggling to choose between the dependable surgeon or the man she believes is the neighborhood playboy.

Can Sam’s furry charm bring Ryan and Kristen together?

Walking Sam is a heartwarming story of two people who have to let go of the past in order to see what’s right in front of them.

Pre-order now!

My thoughts about Walking Sam ~~

(I am going to start noting here 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 great first line.)

First line—"Ryan Collier awoke in the darkened bedroom to feel the warm breath hitting his face."

Oh my, I don't know where to start, other than to say that I should have started this book on the weekend. Once I got started reading it, I didn't want to stop! I loved it! I felt so very comfortable with the characters in this wonderful book that I never wanted to leave them. Ryan and Kristen are people that I wish I knew in my life.

They are both such caring, down to earth, loving people but they are both dealing with loss. Ryan's wife passed away very suddenly 3 years ago and he's having a really hard time letting go of her memory. Kristen was divorced 2 years ago and is currently in a relationship ... when it's convenient for him. Kristen moves in next door to Ryan and they forge a very comfortable, easy friendship, largely due to Ryan's dog Sam, who take an immediate liking to Kristen. See, even the dog knows a nice person when she meets one.

Deanna writes very descriptively throughout the book and because of her descriptions of the people, places and events, I was able to feel like I was a part of the story. Their emotions, love, and friendship became just as important to me as they did to Ryan and Kristen themselves.

I have read quite a few of Deanna's books but this one may be right up there as one of my favorites and it's because of Kristen and Ryan. They both are such good people and I felt very comfortable (there's that word again) with them. I really cared about them and I knew I would be happy for them, no matter how things turned out. They were there as good friends to each other and what more can someone want but to have a good friend in your life?

Walking Sam is a beautiful, warm, loving story of two mature adults who discover that true happiness comes when you can find someone who can be yourself with. Read Walking Sam and fall in love with Ryan and Kristen just like I did.

About the author

Deanna Lynn Sletten grew up on the sunny coast of southern California before moving to northern Minnesota as a teenager. Her interest in writing novels was sparked in a college English class and she has been writing in some form or another ever since. In 2011, Deanna discovered the world of self-publishing and published three novels she'd written over the years. After that, she was hooked.

Deanna enjoys writing heartwarming women's fiction and romance novels with unforgettable characters. She has also written one middle-grade novel that takes you on the adventure of a lifetime. She believes in fate, destiny, love at first sight, soulmates, second chances, and happily ever after, and her novels reflect that.

Deanna is married and has two grown children. When not writing, she enjoys walking the wooded trails around her home with her beautiful Australian Shepherd or relaxing in the boat on the lake in the summer.

Connect with Deanna

Website | Blog | Facebook | Goodreads | Twitter

Be sure to check the sidebar for my current giveaways!