Can't Wait Wednesday: Statistically Speaking by Debbie Johnson

Can't Wait Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Wishful Endings that spotlights and discusses the books we're excited about that we've yet to read. Generally, they're books that are yet to be released. It's based on Waiting on Wednesday, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine.

This week I'm featuring Statistically Speaking by Debbie Johnson releasing December 3.

ABOUT THE BOOK

When Gemma's anxiety gets the best of her, she opens her sock drawer and starts counting. Lately, she's been counting a lot of socks.

As a high school history teacher, Gemma Jones loves the certainty of the past--specific names, solid dates, proven statistics. Maybe that's because her own past resembles a jumbled-up sock drawer, one where it's impossible to find a match.

On paper, Gemma's life is just like any other successful, single thirtysomething. Her students adore her. She lives in a cute beachside cottage next door to the world's sweetest neighbor, Margie. And she's definitely caught the eye of Karim, the resident hot PE teacher at her school. But every day of her life, she can't get one thing out of her mind: the baby she gave up for adoption when Gemma was just sixteen years old.

This is the year that Baby--the only name Gemma has for her little girl--will turn eighteen. And it might be the year she actually meets her daughter face-to-face. Or maybe she already has. Katie, a new student who's moved into the area, shares Gemma's hair color (bright red) and build (long and lean). And BTW--totally random stat--she also shares the same birthday (October 3) as Baby. And they're both about to turn eighteen. What are the odds? But Gemma and Katie's mom are becoming good friends, and Gemma is concerned that their newly minted friendship will unravel fast if Katie is indeed Gemma's birth daughter.

Gemma doesn't know if this will be the year she finds Baby. But maybe, just maybe, it will be the year she finds herself--and finds peace with her life--past and present. And maybe that's what truly counts.

Fall in love with Debbie Johnson's heartwarming novel (previously published in the UK as Forever Yours). Now available for the first time in the US!

What upcoming release are you eagerly anticipating?

Review: Bounty Hunter Down Under (Magical Midlife Crisis #1) by S.C. Stokes

About the Book
My mother always warned me about the creatures of the Otherworld, but I never expected an ice troll to show up at my work.

Now I’m out of a job, bills are piling up, and magical monsters keep showing up in my town.

When a hotter than Hades bounty hunter crosses my path, I see an opportunity to solve all my problems. He needs an apprentice, and I need a pay check.

As usual, my timing couldn’t be worse. The Fae Courts are on the brink of war and they’re bringing magic, mayhem, and murder to my little town.

They say life begins at forty, but if I can’t figure out what the Fae want, my forties are going to be the death of me.

Fans of Shannon Mayer and K.F. Breene will love this binge-worthy new Paranormal Women’s Fiction adventure from S.C. Stokes. It’s fabulous forties with an Aussie flavour that you’ll adore.

Amazon / Goodreads

Available in Kindle Unlimited at time of posting

MY THOUGHTS

This was a fun start to a new series set in Australia. While it took me just a minute to get into, it wasn't long before I was hooked and loving it.

Nora is exactly the kind of heroine I love to root for. She's strong, protective, and has a take-charge attitude that I envy. The other characters were great too. I'm curious to learn more about the Old One and Alasdair too. And I can't forget to mention Sleet and Bran. They're awesome!

I'm excited to find out what happens next! This was the first book I've read by S.C. Stokes, but it won't be my last.

NOTE: This book does contain some strong language. (Not a lot, but there's some.)

FOUR STARS

Review: Sadie on the Rocks by Joanne Bischof

About the Book

A story where hope is found at all new heights.

Graduate from college. Get married and have children. These have always been checkpoints on Sadie’s map of life. But still single in her thirties, and weary of unmet expectations, she faces a crossroads:

Continue waiting for life to begin? Or rethink what those checkpoints should be?

Determined to find renewed purpose, Sadie deletes her old dating apps, opting instead for a trip to the outdoor adventure store in her small, Colorado town. The plan is simple: find a hobby that offers fresh challenges and experiences. New horizons to be explored. Even if it means facing some of her biggest fears, inside and out.

So begins the first adventure in the all-new chronicles of Sadie McGillis—one woman who strives to redefine what happiness should look like. From Christy-Award winning author, Joanne Bischof, comes a faith-journey of the heart. A novel where friendships are born, life is embraced, and joy is found in unexpected places.

Amazon / Goodreads

MY THOUGHTS

This was such an inspiring read. It's slower paced, with a lot of introspection from Sadie as she's figuring out who she is and what she really wants in life, and I really enjoyed it. I was fully on board and cheering Sadie on!

Sadie was a genuinely likable character. Nice, encouraging, and relatable. It was so inspiring to watch her face and conquer some of her fears and try new things. I loved that she was forging her own path at finding happiness, instead of continuing to do what was "expected" all while being unhappy.

I can't recommend this book highly enough. I'm looking forward to more adventures with Sadie in future books.

I received an advanced copy of this book via NetGalley and voluntarily reviewed it. All thoughts and comments are my honest opinion.

FIVE STARS

Can't Wait Wednesday: The Joy of Falling by Lindsay Harrel

Can't Wait Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Wishful Endings that spotlights and discusses the books we're excited about that we've yet to read. Generally, they're books that are yet to be released. It's based on Waiting on Wednesday, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine.

This week I'm featuring The Joy of Falling by Lindsay Harrel releasing April 14.

About the Book

Eva and Angela must learn to live again. One step at a time.

It has been fifteen months since Eva and Angela lost their thrill-seeking husbands in a scuba diving accident. Both women are trying to navigate their way through the grief, but neither one is making much progress. Angela is barely making ends meet, angry at her husband for leaving her to raise three children on her own. Meanwhile, Eva is stuck, unable to move forward after losing the love of her life and her source of inspiration.

But then Eva gets a life-changing phone call. Before Brent and Wes died, they had signed up for a race of a lifetime—an ultra-marathon in beautiful New Zealand. Eva begs Angela to run the race with her in their husbands’ place, and Angela finally agrees, hoping to finally understand her husband's choices.

Training is exhausting, and the race is even more demanding. Their journey grows more complicated by the presence of two men—Marc is Brent’s best friend who is running the race with Eva and Angela, and Simon King is a writer who is covering their inspiring story. With every step, Eva and Angela must ask themselves questions that they haven’t had the courage to ask before. As the women literally put one foot in front of the other, they wonder: Is it possible to find their way forward in hope?

Why I Need It
What an intriguing premise! I've read a couple of Lindsay Harrel's books and really enjoyed them, so I'm excited for this new one. Plus, the cover is stunning!

What upcoming release are you eagerly anticipating?

Review: The Secrets of Paper and Ink by Lindsay Harrel

About the Book

Brought together by a charming bookstore in England, three women fight to defy expectations, dream new dreams, and welcome love into their lives.

As a counselor, Sophia Barrett is trained to help people cope with their burdens. But when she meets a new patient whose troubles mirror her own, she realizes she hasn’t dealt with the pain of her recent past. After making a snap decision to get away for the summer, Sophia moves overseas to an apartment above a charming bookstore in Cornwall, England. She is hopeful she will find peace there surrounded by her favorite thing: great literature.

Bookstore owner Ginny Rose is desperate to save her business without asking for help from a husband who’s decided to take a break from their marriage. Ginny never imagined she’d be solely responsible for keeping afloat her husband’s dream, but the unexpected friendship with her new renter has her feeling more optimistic. Between the two of them—and Ginny’s brother-in-law, William—the bookstore might stand a chance.

Then Sophia finds a notebook in the bookstore that contains journal entries from Emily Fairfax, a governess who lived in Cornwall more than 150 years ago. Sophia learns that Emily harbored a secret passion for becoming an authoress—as well as a deep love for her childhood friend, Edward, whose station she dared not dream to touch.

Eager to know more of Emily’s story, Sophia goes on a quest—dragging Ginny and William with her—to discover the heart of the woman behind the beautiful entries. Soon Ginny’s need to save the bookstore becomes more than a way to save her marriage, and Sophia finds new purpose of her own. Together they find that sometimes both heartache and hope can reach across the centuries.

Amazon / Goodreads

My Thoughts

The Secrets of Paper and Ink follows three women, Sophia, Ginny, and Emily, and spans two timelines, Cornwall 150 years in the past and present day. It was my first time reading anything by Lindsay Harrel and I absolutely loved it! I'm definitely looking forward to more from her.

I was completely sucked into the story and read about 60% of it in one afternoon, which is pretty fast for me. I couldn't put it down. I had to know how the story ended, how the mystery resolved, and if everything worked out.

I was afraid I'd find one POV more entertaining than the others, or possibly not enjoy one of them at all, which has happened to me a few times before with books like this. But I had no need to worry. All three women were likable, interesting, and compelling to read about. They were so connected to each other and the story flowed really well switching between them all.

This was a beautifully powerful story of the journey, struggles, triumphs, and second chances of three women. And the healing power of paper and ink.

4.5 Stars

Book Beginnings + Friday 56: The Secrets of Paper and Ink by Lindsay Harrel

Book Beginnings is a weekly meme hosted by Rose City Reader that asks you to share the first sentence (or so) of the book you're reading. Friday 56 is hosted by Freda's Voice and asks you to grab a book (any book), turn to page 56 or 56% in your ereader and share a non-spoilery sentence or two.

This week I'm sharing The Secrets of Paper and Ink by Lindsay Harrel.

About the Book

Brought together by a charming bookstore in England, three women fight to defy expectations, dream new dreams, and welcome love into their lives.

As a counselor, Sophia Barrett is trained to help people cope with their burdens. But when she meets a new patient whose troubles mirror her own, she realizes she hasn’t dealt with the pain of her recent past. After making a snap decision to get away for the summer, Sophia moves overseas to an apartment above a charming bookstore in Cornwall, England. She is hopeful she will find peace there surrounded by her favorite thing: great literature.

Bookstore owner Ginny Rose is desperate to save her business without asking for help from a husband who’s decided to take a break from their marriage. Ginny never imagined she’d be solely responsible for keeping afloat her husband’s dream, but the unexpected friendship with her new renter has her feeling more optimistic. Between the two of them—and Ginny’s brother-in-law, William—the bookstore might stand a chance.

Then Sophia finds a notebook in the bookstore that contains journal entries from Emily Fairfax, a governess who lived in Cornwall more than 150 years ago. Sophia learns that Emily harbored a secret passion for becoming an authoress—as well as a deep love for her childhood friend, Edward, whose station she dared not dream to touch.

Eager to know more of Emily’s story, Sophia goes on a quest—dragging Ginny and William with her—to discover the heart of the woman behind the beautiful entries. Soon Ginny’s need to save the bookstore becomes more than a way to save her marriage, and Sophia finds new purpose of her own. Together they find that sometimes both heartache and hope can reach across the centuries.

Book Beginning (From Chapter 1)

When life was busy, three months had a way of flurrying by.

But Sophia Barrett's last ninety-two days had passed in a drizzle of constant monotony.

Friday 56

On the outside, I was a simple woman, with a simple life.

I did not however have simple dreams.

What have you been reading lately?