I've read one of Finz's "Nugget" stories all the way through and flipped through the other two. None really caught my interest and I was ready to write off the series. But I saw this one on NetGalley and was curious as to how Ms. Finz was going to pair Nathan "Nate" Breyer. I had liked him in the first book, a business-like man who was enigmatically kind toward his sister and agreed to donate sperm to his best friend so that she and her partner could have a child. Nathan is now dealing with the consequences of that action, in love with his biological daughter but unsure how much he can contribute to her life without overstepping the bounds of his original agreement. I wish we could have seen more of that struggle but it was resolved well (I thouhgt). Ms. Finz specializes in off-beat families/romantic pairings, and, though not quite as gritty, remind me very much of Brenda Novak.
I rather liked Sam Dunsbury, the woman who reminds Nate so much of the fiancee who dumped him the night before their wedding. Sam actually did the same thing, leaving the man she was to marry hours before the wedding. Rich playgirl, that's what he's mentally categorized her as.
Sam thinks Nate's hot but can't understand the hostility he seems to have for her. She knows that she hasn't worked before but also knows that this is the kind of job that she can excel at. Hell, she's been doing it for free for years.
I loved watching the dance of these two proud people. And really enjoy that this book actually has the feel of a small town. We're not hit over the head with "Hey- this is a small town," it just is. There were definitely some misunderstandings that could have been cleared up if they had just <i>talked</i> to each other. Also, the end was a little too pat. Pages and pages of misunderstandings that cleared up in a few paragraphs? A little rushed. But, overall, an enjoyable book.
I remember reading Disney comics when I was a kid in the 90s. For nostalgia factor, this was an 8/10. Except for two little phrases, I could have been reading a book from my childhood (oh, and the fact that it was an ebook....). Purely fun reading. Nothing spectacular but a very good book.
Yet another memoir interspersed with recipes? Hasn't that been done to death? Kathleen Flinn proves the answer is no. In this delightful book that moves seamlessly between time periods, Finn gives us an intimate glimpse into her life. I don't know who Kathleen Flinn is (probably a famous chef or cook?) but this book is a fantastic look at no only her own life in 1970s Michigan but how her family operated even before she came along. There are fantastic passages like "Burnt toast makes you sing good. Be thankful; no matter how little you've got, someone's always worse off than you. You can't give anything away, it always comes back. [My parents] handed down these simple life lessons to me as surely as they did their recipes."
The book is about the changes two sisters are going through, different points in their life. Jenny Tate is a well-known wedding dress designer. She's had a modern divorce; she's still friends with her ex and his new wife. In fact, the book opens with Jenny attending the new wife's baby shower. And yes, the ex didn't want to have kids while he was with her. But she's moving out of town, and hopefully these meet ups will lessen. And luckily, she has a hot new landlord to distract her. A hot, new landlord with a tragic backstory.
Miss Hutting, Isabelle "Cat" Catherine, is the oldest daughter of the village vicar. Most of her nine siblings still live her parents' tiny house and she is desperate for privacy. So when the previous resident leaves rather abruptly, Cat knows that the house is meant to be hers. Too bad two of her friends are also anxious to have the house. And too bad the handsome Duke really seems to believe in the curse...
This was a well-written book that I was able to zoom through. It seems well-researched and might might work well as a book club book where members try out keeping journals and being grateful, tracking how it works for them.
The Kincaid family is an unusual one. Aidan and his brother, Gray, found out later in life that his father had two other families, twin boys and a girl. Eventually, all of the sibling ended up living with his mother. Their father was nowhere in sight. Now the family is struggling because their father mortgaged the family resort. When he sees that ex-flame Lily is back in town, he's stoked to see her.