This OR That Giveaway № 130 ~ The Violets of March by Sarah Jio OR The Trinket Box by Katheryn Ragle #TheVioletsOfMarch #TheTrinketBox

  

I have sooooo many books!

The This or That Giveaway! feature that I post every Saturday is a way for me to cull my collection and to share some of the many books I have. I get to clear off some of my shelves to make room for more books and give someone else the chance to enjoy these treasures.

Good luck and be sure to stop back next week!

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The Violets of March

by Sarah Jio

Paperback ~ Published April 2011

A heartbroken woman stumbled upon a diary and steps into the life of its anonymous author.

In her twenties, Emily Wilson was on top of the world: she had a bestselling novel, a husband plucked from the pages of GQ, and a one-way ticket to happily ever after.

Ten years later, the tide has turned on Emily's good fortune. So when her great-aunt Bee invites her to spend the month of March on Bainbridge Island in Washington State, Emily accepts, longing to be healed by the sea. Researching her next book, Emily discovers a red velvet diary, dated 1943, whose contents reveal startling connections to her own life.

A mesmerizing debut with an idyllic setting and intriguing dual story line, The Violets of March announces Sarah Jio as a writer to watch.

Read my thoughts here

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

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The Trinket Box

by Katheryn Ragle

Paperback ~ Published December 2012

Rebekah McKay, divorced at a young age, resides with her daughter, Ashland. Everything is fine until Rebekah is notified that her ex-husband Marco, has died a mysterious death. Rebekah is forced to go to Scotland to settle the estate. She must meet the strange family that Marco would never discuss. Mystery and danger awaits her behind The McKay Manor. 

When she arrives paranormal things start happening that leads to a trinket box within the estate. Normally, a trinket box holds jewelry or letters but this box holds something so ghastly that it will make your jaw drop and lead to the answer of Marco's death. A must read to find out what's in the trinket box.

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This or That Giveaway № 117 ~ The Belonger by Mary Kathleen Mehuron OR Blackberry Winter by Sarah Jio #TheBelonger #BlackberryWinter

 

I have sooooo many books!

The This or That Giveaway! feature that I post every Saturday is a way for me to cull my collection and to share some of the many books I have. I get to clear off some of my shelves to make room for more books and give someone else the chance to enjoy these treasures.

Good luck and be sure to stop back next week!

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The Belonger: A Novel

by Mary Kathleen Mehuron

ARC ~ Published June 2023

Read my thoughts here

⭐⭐⭐⭐

Caribbean-island innkeeper Holly Walker is hunkering down against a monster hurricane. Unfortunately, so is player Lord Anthony Bascombe, a man who excuses his bad behavior by saying he is descended from pirates. Then her grown son, Byron, and his father, Montez—the man she’s never stopped wanting—go missing. Will she ever see them again? What about the many others hurt and dying? And will help ever arrive? 

With each passing day, Holly’s tumultuous past and the epic storm send her hurtling toward a shattering climax that will change the island—and Holly’s life—forever.

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Blackberry Winter

by Sarah Jio

Paperback ~ Published September 2012

I've loved all of this author's stories!

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

In 2011, Sarah Jio burst onto the fiction scene with two sensational novels--The Violets of March and The Bungalow. With Blackberry Winter--taking its title from a late-season, cold-weather phenomenon--Jio continues her rich exploration of the ways personal connections can transcend the boundaries of time. 

Seattle, 1933. Single mother Vera Ray kisses her three-year-old son, Daniel, goodnight and departs to work the night-shift at a local hotel. She emerges to discover that a May-Day snow has blanketed the city, and that her son has vanished. Outside, she finds his beloved teddy bear lying face-down on an icy street, the snow covering up any trace of his tracks, or the perpetrator's.

Seattle, 2010. Seattle Herald reporter Claire Aldridge, assigned to cover the May 1 "blackberry winter" storm and its twin, learns of the unsolved abduction and vows to unearth the truth. In the process, she finds that she and Vera may be linked in unexpected ways.

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Release Day! With Love from London by Sarah Jio ~ My Thoughts #WithLoveFromLondon

Happy Release Day!!

Congrats Sarah

on the release today of

With Love from London!!

With Love from London by Sarah Jio

Contemporary, Women's Saga, 240 pages

Published February 8, 2022 by Ballantine Books

A librarian inherits a bookshop from her estranged mother, leading her halfway across the world on a journey of self-discovery that transcends time and honors the unbreakable bonds of love and family.

When librarian Valentina Baker was a teenager, her mother, Eloise, unexpectedly fled to her native London, leaving Val and her father on their own. Now in her thirties and fresh out of a failed marriage, Val feels a nagging disenchantment with her life--and knows she is still heartbroken over her mother's abandonment.

In a bittersweet twist of fate, Val receives word that Eloise has passed away, leaving Val her Primrose Hill apartment and the deed to a bookshop Val never knew she'd owned. Though the news is devastating, Val finds herself more determined than ever to discover who her mother truly was. She jets across the Atlantic, departing Seattle for a new life in charming London.

Slowly but surely, Val begins to piece together Eloise's life in the UK, falling in love with her pastel-colored flat, cozy neighborhood, and tucked-away storefront. But when she discovers that The Book Garden is in danger of going under, Val must work with its eccentric staff to get it in working order. In the process, she learns more about Eloise than she ever thought possible. And as Val races to save the shop, Eloise's own story unfolds, leading both mother and daughter to unearth revelatory truths.

My thoughts about With Love from London ~~

(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—"'There are far better things ahead than any we leave behind.' says the stranger sitting next to me on the airplane—a sixty-something woman with feathered bangs and a hair tie clinging so tightly on her left wrist that I've spent most of the flight worried it might turn into a medical emergency."

I have read and loved every single one of Sarah Jio's books. I have been a huge fan ever since her very first book and am always so excited when she has a new one out. Each and every one of them is a form of escape for me, with her wonderful settings and characters that I come to love. 

Well, With Love from London has now captured a special place in my book-loving heart, with a librarian as the main character and the setting, a bookstore in London. Sigh! 

I loved experiencing a new life right along with Valentina, as she learns about her mom's past and why she abandoned her daughter all those years ago. The route to her discoveries was all part of the fun, as Val comes to know and love all of her mom's somewhat eccentric friends. 

I'm not usually a re-reader of books, but this one just may be one that I savor again. There is just so much to love about it and I can't wait to enjoy it again. I highly recommend With Love from London, especially if you are a book-lover like me. 

I received a copy of With Love from London via NetGalley and this is my honest opinion of the book.

About the author

Sarah Jio is the New York Times bestselling author of WITH LOVE FROM LONDON, coming from Random House (Ballantine) 2/22, as well as seven other novels from Random House and Penguin Books, including, ALWAYS, ALL THE FLOWERS IN PARIS, THE VIOLETS OF MARCH, THE BUNGALOW, BLACKBERRY WINTER, THE LAST CAMELLIA, MORNING GLORY, GOODNIGHT JUNE, and THE LOOK OF LOVE. 

Sarah is a journalist who has contributed to The New York Times, Glamour, O, The Oprah Magazine, Glamour, SELF, Real Simple, Fitness, Marie Claire, and many others. She has appeared as a commentator on NPR’s Morning Edition. Her novels are translated into more than 25 languages. 

Sarah lives in Seattle with her husband, three boys, three step-children and two puppies. ~ Goodreads

Connect with Sarah

 Website | Goodreads | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter

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Book Spotlight #Giveaway! The Look of Love by Sarah Jio #TheLookOfLove

I have sooooo many books! The Book Spotlight Giveaway feature that I post every Saturday is a way for me to clear my shelves and to share some of the many books I have. This feature is a way for my to cull my collection and to give someone else the opportunity to enjoy these treasures.

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I absolutely adore this author and her books! I was hooked after I read her very first novel, The Violets of March and have read all of her books since then. I have copies of all of her books on my bookshelves but was able to grab an extra copy of this one. 

Good luck and be sure to stop back next week!

The Look of Love

The Look of Love by Sarah Jio
Paperback, 286 pages
Published November 25th 2014 by Plume

Born during a Christmas blizzard, Jane Williams receives a rare gift: the ability to see true love. Jane has emerged from an ailing childhood a lonely, hopeless romantic when, on her twenty-ninth birthday, a mysterious greeting card arrives, specifying that Jane must identify the six types of love before the full moon following her thirtieth birthday, or face grave consequences. When Jane falls for a science writer who doesn’t believe in love, she fears that her fate is sealed.

Inspired by the classic song, The Look of Love is utterly enchanting.

About the author

Sarah Jio is the New York Times bestselling author of ALWAYS, published by Random House (Ballantine), as well as seven other novels from Penguin Books, including, THE VIOLETS OF MARCH, THE BUNGALOW, BLACKBERRY WINTER, THE LAST CAMELLIA, MORNING GLORY, GOODNIGHT JUNE, and THE LOOK OF LOVE. Sarah is also a journalist who has contributed to The New York Times, Glamour, O, The Oprah Magazine, Glamour, SELF, Real Simple, Fitness, Marie Claire, and many others. She has appeared as a commentator on NPR’s Morning Edition. Her novels are translated into more than 25 languages. Sarah lives in Seattle with her three young boys. ~ Goodreads

Connect with Sarah

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

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Release Day! All the Flowers in Paris by Sarah Jio ~ My Thoughts #AllTheFlowersInParis #NetGalley

Congrats Sarah

on the release today of

All the Flowers in Paris!

All the Flowers in Paris by Sarah Jio
Print & e-book, 240 pages
Published August 13th 2019 by Ballantine Books

Two women are connected across time by the city of Paris, a mysterious journal, and shocking secrets, sweeping from World War II to the present--for readers of Sarah's Key.

When Caroline wakes up in a Paris hospital with no memory of her past, she's confused to learn that she's lived a sad, reclusive life for years in a sprawling apartment on the Seine. Slowly regaining vague memories of a man and young child, she vows to piece her life back together--though she can't help but feel she may be in danger. A budding friendship with the chef of a charming nearby restaurant takes her mind off of her foggy past, as does a startling mystery from decades prior...

In Nazi-occupied Paris, young widow Celine lives a quiet life with her father, the local florist, and her daughter, Cosi. When a ruthless German officer discovers the family's Jewish ancestry, he blackmails Celine, forcing her to become his mistress in exchange for the others' safety. The trio plans an escape, but their mission goes horribly awry and Celine's beloved father and daughter are sent away to a cruel fate. Initially distraught, Celine fears the worst. Yet she soon discovers that Cosi has snuck away and followed her into captivity. More motivated than ever, Celine must now fight to hide and protect the person she loves most.

Parallel timelines intersect when Caroline discovers Celine's diary tucked away in a closet, and it is revealed that the walls of her apartment harbor dark secrets. With the help of a local student from the Sorbonne, she realizes that she may have more in common with Celine than she could ever imagine.

My thoughts about All the Flowers in Paris ~~

(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—"How could he?" 

I have been a huge fan of Sarah Jio's stories since the day I read her very first novel. Her words weave together such beautiful, heartwarming tales and this book did not disappoint.

Her stories always seem to have a magical feel to them and leave me with such good feelings. I loved the dual story-line in All the Flowers in Paris and I loved it when the two women's connection was revealed—because come on, you knew that was going to happen, right? 

Caroline and Celine both had troubled pasts and have hardships to get through in their present lives. Traveling back and forth between the two time periods gave me a rich understanding of the two women and demonstrated the strength of these two amazing women. 

I love opening a book by this amazing author and getting lost in one of her worlds. I get so excited when I learn that she has a new book out and I can't wait! If you have not read any of her books yet, I highly recommend that you pick one up. All the Flowers in Paris would be the perfect one to start with. 

I received a copy of All the Flowers in Paris via NetGalley and this is my honest opinion of the book.

About the author

Sarah Jio is the New York Times bestselling author of ALWAYS, published by Random House (Ballantine), as well as seven other novels from Penguin Books, including, THE VIOLETS OF MARCH, THE BUNGALOW, BLACKBERRY WINTER, THE LAST CAMELLIA, MORNING GLORY, GOODNIGHT JUNE, and THE LOOK OF LOVE.

Sarah is also a journalist who has contributed to The New York Times, Glamour, O, The Oprah Magazine, Glamour, SELF, Real Simple, Fitness, Marie Claire, and many others. She has appeared as a commentator on NPR’s Morning Edition.

Her novels are translated into more than 25 languages. Sarah lives in Seattle with her three young boys. ~ Goodreads

Connect with Sarah

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Goodreads

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Book Spotlight Giveaway! The Violets of March by Sarah Jio

I have sooooo many books! The Book Spotlight Giveaway feature that I post every Saturday is a way for me to clear my shelves and to share some of the many books I have. This feature is a way for my to cull my collection and to give someone else the opportunity to enjoy these treasures.

I was able to snag an extra copy of this amazing debut by one of my must-read authors. I gave The Violets of March ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ on Goodreads when I read it in 2011 and I've read every single one of her books since then. I just love her writing! 

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Good luck and be sure to stop back next week!

The Violets of March

The Violets of March by Sarah Jio
Paperback, 296 pages
Published April 26th 2011 by Plume

A LIBRARY JOURNAL BEST BOOK OF 2011

A heartbroken woman stumbled upon a diary and steps into the life of its anonymous author. 

In her twenties, Emily Wilson was on top of the world: she had a bestselling novel, a husband plucked from the pages of GQ, and a one-way ticket to happily ever after.

Ten years later, the tide has turned on Emily's good fortune. So when her great-aunt Bee invites her to spend the month of March on Bainbridge Island in Washington State, Emily accepts, longing to be healed by the sea. Researching her next book, Emily discovers a red velvet diary, dated 1943, whose contents reveal startling connections to her own life.

A mesmerizing debut with an idyllic setting and intriguing dual story line, The Violets of March announces Sarah Jio as a writer to watch.

About the author

Sarah Jio is the New York Times bestselling author of The Violets of March. The Bungalow, Blackberry Winter, The Last Camellia, Morning Glory, Goodnight June, The Look of Love--all from Penguin (Plume), and Always, forthcoming on February 7, 2017 from Random House (Ballantine).

Sarah is also a journalist who has contributed to The New York Times, Glamour, O, The Oprah Magazine, Glamour, SELF, Real Simple, Fitness, Marie Claire, and many others. She has appeared as a commentator on NPR’s Morning Edition. Her novels are translated into more than 25 languages. Sarah lives in Seattle with her three young boys.. ~ Goodreads

Connect with Sarah

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads | Amazon

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Release Day! Always by Sarah Jio and My Thoughts

Happy Release Day!

Always

Always: A Novel by Sarah Jio
Print and e-book, 240 pages
Published: February 7th 2017 by Ballantine Books 

From the New York Times bestselling author of Blackberry Winter and The Violets of March comes a gripping, poignant novel about the kind of love that never lets go, and the heart's capacity to remember.

While enjoying a romantic candlelit dinner with her fiance, Ryan, at one of Seattle's chicest restaurants, Kailey Crane can't believe her good fortune: She has a great job as a writer for the Herald and is now engaged to a guy who is perfect in nearly every way. As they leave the restaurant, Kailey spies a thin, bearded homeless man on the sidewalk. She approaches him to offer up her bag of leftovers, and is stunned when their eyes meet, then stricken to her very core: The man is the love of her life, Cade McAllister.

When Kailey met Cade ten years ago, their attraction was immediate and intense everything connected and felt "right." But it all ended suddenly, leaving Kailey devastated. Now the poor soul on the street is a faded version of her former beloved: His weathered and weary face is as handsome as Kailey remembers, but his mind has suffered in the intervening years. Over the next few weeks, Kailey helps Cade begin to piece his life together, something she initially keeps from Ryan. As she revisits her long-ago relationship, Kailey realizes that she must decide exactly what and whom she wants.

Alternating between the past and the present, Always is a beautifully unfolding exploration of a woman faced with an impossible choice, a woman who discovers what she's willing to save and what she will sacrifice for true love.

My thoughts about Always ~~

(originally posted here on January 29, 2017)

(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—"'Oh no, why do I always do that?' I say to my fiancé, Ryan, as we walked into the restaurant."

I am a huge fan of Sarah Jio and I've read all of her books ever since the very first one was published. I look forward to each of her stories and I know that I'm going to be in for a treat when I start one of her books.

Always is a wonderful story that takes the reader on an adventure as Kailey discovers the 'love of her life', who had been missing for years, now living on the street. She thinks she is happy with Ryan, her fiancé but she can't seem to forget Cade. In this back and forth between the present to the past, we learn about the relationship she had with Cade. Is he ever going to be the same man he was or is she going to have to try to live without him again?

Sarah's books are always an escape for me. She writes such beautiful love stories with amazing characters and this one was exactly that. I was totally immersed in Always and I didn't want to put it down.

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley and am voluntarily reviewing it.

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About the author 

Sarah Jio is the New York Times bestselling author of The Violets of March. The Bungalow, Blackberry Winter, The Last Camellia, Morning Glory, Goodnight June, The Look of Love--all from Penguin (Plume), and Always, forthcoming on February 7, 2017 from Random House (Ballantine).

Sarah is also a journalist who has contributed to The New York Times, Glamour, O, The Oprah Magazine, Glamour, SELF, Real Simple, Fitness, Marie Claire, and many others. She has appeared as a commentator on NPR’s Morning Edition. Her novels are translated into more than 25 languages. Sarah lives in Seattle with her three young boys.

Connect with Sarah

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads | Amazon

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

Always by Sarah Jio ~ My Thoughts

Always

Always: A Novel by Sarah Jio
Print and e-book, 240 pages
Expected publication: February 7th 2017 by Ballantine Books 

From the New York Times bestselling author of Blackberry Winter and The Violets of March comes a gripping, poignant novel about the kind of love that never lets go, and the heart's capacity to remember.

While enjoying a romantic candlelit dinner with her fiance, Ryan, at one of Seattle's chicest restaurants, Kailey Crane can't believe her good fortune: She has a great job as a writer for the Herald and is now engaged to a guy who is perfect in nearly every way. As they leave the restaurant, Kailey spies a thin, bearded homeless man on the sidewalk. She approaches him to offer up her bag of leftovers, and is stunned when their eyes meet, then stricken to her very core: The man is the love of her life, Cade McAllister.

When Kailey met Cade ten years ago, their attraction was immediate and intense everything connected and felt "right." But it all ended suddenly, leaving Kailey devastated. Now the poor soul on the street is a faded version of her former beloved: His weathered and weary face is as handsome as Kailey remembers, but his mind has suffered in the intervening years. Over the next few weeks, Kailey helps Cade begin to piece his life together, something she initially keeps from Ryan. As she revisits her long-ago relationship, Kailey realizes that she must decide exactly what and whom she wants.

Alternating between the past and the present, Always is a beautifully unfolding exploration of a woman faced with an impossible choice, a woman who discovers what she's willing to save and what she will sacrifice for true love.

My thoughts about Always ~~

(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—"'Oh no, why do I always do that?' I say to my fiancé, Ryan, as we walked into the restaurant."

I am a huge fan of Sarah Jio and I've read all of her books ever since the very first one was published. I look forward to each of her stories and I know that I'm going to be in for a treat when I start one of her books.

Always is a wonderful story that takes the reader on an adventure as Kailey discovers the 'love of her life', who had been missing for years, now living on the street. She thinks she is happy with Ryan, her fiancé but she can't seem to forget Cade. In this back and forth between the present to the past, we learn about the relationship she had with Cade. Is he ever going to be the same man he was or is she going to have to try to live without him again?  

Sarah's books are always an escape for me. She writes such beautiful love stories with amazing characters and this one was exactly that. I was totally immersed in Always and I didn't want to put it down.

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley and am voluntarily reviewing it.

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About the author 

Sarah Jio is the New York Times bestselling author of The Violets of March. The Bungalow, Blackberry Winter, The Last Camellia, Morning Glory, Goodnight June, The Look of Love--all from Penguin (Plume), and Always, forthcoming on February 7, 2017 from Random House (Ballantine).

Sarah is also a journalist who has contributed to The New York Times, Glamour, O, The Oprah Magazine, Glamour, SELF, Real Simple, Fitness, Marie Claire, and many others. She has appeared as a commentator on NPR’s Morning Edition. Her novels are translated into more than 25 languages. Sarah lives in Seattle with her three young boys.

Connect with Sarah

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads | Amazon

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

The Bungalow by Sarah Jio

A sweeping World War II saga of thwarted love, murder, and a long-lost painting.

In the summer of 1942, twenty-one-year-old Anne Calloway, newly engaged, sets off to serve in the Army Nurse Corps on the Pacific island of Bora-Bora. More exhilarated by the adventure of a lifetime than she ever was by her predictable fiancé, she is drawn to a mysterious soldier named Westry, and their friendship soon blossoms into hues as deep as the hibiscus flowers native to the island. Under the thatched roof of an abandoned beach bungalow, the two share a private world-until they witness a gruesome crime, Westry is suddenly redeployed, and the idyll vanishes into the winds of war.

A timeless story of enduring passion, The Bungalow chronicles Anne's determination to discover the truth about the twin losses-of life, and of love-that have haunted her for seventy years. ~~ synopsis from Amazon

My thoughts on The Bungalow ~~

Once again, Sarah Jio has written another beautiful story. I absolutely fell in love with her first novel, The Violet of March. I now have a second love. 

The Bungalow takes place during World War II and is the story of a nurse and a soldier who meet on Bora-Bora where they are both stationed. She is engaged back home but falls in love with Westry. Their encounter is such a romantic, sad love story.

I was totally drawn into their world by Ms. Jio's excellent writing, I hesitate to use the word 'beautiful' again but that is exactly how I would describe her writing. It is just beautiful! The words flow off the page and into my head, making me feel like I am in the story and I never want to leave.

Here a a couple of lines from the book that I love ~~ 

'I'm just saying that this place has a way of revealing the truth about people, uncovering the layers we carry and exposing our real selves.' 

'I nestled closer to him, wrapping my arm around his just as two wine-colored leaves fell from a nearby tree branch, dancing in the autumn breeze on separate paths before falling softly to the ground, where they settled on the damp earth, side by side'. ~~ Isn't that just beautiful?  

Ms. Jio's next novel, Blackberry Winter, comes out in September. 

I can hardly wait! 

Author's website