Carolyn Brown – Vickie's Book Nook and Meditation Corner

About the Book

Publisher: Montlake
Published: July 2023
ASIN: B0BHJNS8T6

Women’s Fiction Novel

New York Times bestselling author Carolyn Brown’s bighearted novel about family, secrets, small-town Texas romance, and—with a little bit of luck—starting over.

Family doesn’t mean everyone has to like each other. That’s the case when cousins Taryn, Anna Rose, and Jorja return to Shamrock, Texas, to help manage their grandmother’s flower shop, the Lucky Shamrock. The reunion isn’t exactly a beautiful arrangement—considering they’re as compatible as ranchers and coyotes.

Thank heaven for a handsome go-between like Clinton, who lives above the shop. The easygoing war vet, and most eligible bachelor in Wheeler County, is now throwing romance into the mix and setting the local women to gossiping. But as the hot months wear on, hidden secrets begin to surface for the temperamental Irish trio. And it’s bringing them closer together than they ever thought possible.

With a flurry of weddings, a love story in the making, a surprise baby, and crazy good fortune, maybe that shamrock painted on the window does bring luck. Because for Taryn, Anna Rose, and Jorja, this could be the summer that’ll change their lives forever.

My Thoughts

This is a fun read about family, relationships, life in a small town, and hidden secrets that have to be told in order to move forward. Three cousins move to Shamrock, Texas, in order to manage their grandmother’s florist shop. Nana Irene was their rock when they were growing up and when she tells them that she needs their help, they reluctantly come to her aid. Their reluctance is nothing to do with Nana Irene and a lot to do with the fact that the three of them get along about like siblings would. Taryn, Jorja and Anna Rose throw themselves into the work at the florist shop while also hiding secrets from their pasts that have influenced how they currently approach life. The characters are well developed and relatable, with plenty of drama and humorous dialogue between them. The plot is centered around their revealing their secrets and resolving the past so that they can move on to a more hopeful future. This book is top quality entertainment from beginning to end, with chuckles and guffaws resulting from many of their antics. I especially enjoyed the resolution of their contentious relationships as well as of their secrets. The plot moved along quickly and was engaging as well as insightfully thought-provoking at times. This is a remarkably well-written book that has a compelling, multi-layered plot and captivating characters. Along with the setting of a small town in Texas where everybody knows everybody else, this is a charming book that had me laughing out loud as well as saddened by what had happened to the young women when they were younger. The dynamic characters and the brilliant plot made this one of my favorite southern fiction books ever!
Disclaimer
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255, “Guidelines Concerning the Use of Testimonials and Endorsements in Advertising.”

About the Author

*New York Times* and *USA Today* bestselling author Carolyn Brown was born in Texas and raised in southern Oklahoma. These days she and her husband make their home in Davis, Oklahoma, a small town of less than three thousand people where everyone knows everyone, knows what they are doing and with whom, and read the weekly newspaper to see who got caught.
A plaque hangs on her office wall that says *I know the voices are not real but they have such great ideas.* That is her motto and muse as she goes through the days with quirky characters in her head, telling their stories, one by one, and loving her job.
She has been married almost half a century to a retired English teacher that she calls Mr. B and he does not read her books before they are published because she cannot afford a divorce. They have three grown children.—and enough grandchildren to keep them busy and young.
When Carolyn is not writing she likes to sit in the back yard and watch the two tom cats protect the yard from all kinds of wicked varmints like crickets, other cats, spiders and blue jays. Photo, author info and book info are from the author’s website at CarolynBrownBooks.com

Purchase Links

Hummingbird Lane is a fictional place, but in reality, we all need a place like this. Emma and Sophie befriended each other in childhood when Sophie’s mom Rebel was the housekeeper for Emma’s mother Victoria. Separated by Victoria’s determination to control Emma’s life, the story begins when the two women are re-united because Sophie wants to rescue Emma from an institution and whisk her away to her hideaway at Hummingbird Lane. A place with tiny trailers and a landscape that was breathtaking, it awakened in Emma a new desire to not just to survive but to thrive. Everyone needs a friend like Sophie and a place like Hummingbird Lane! I loved the realistic characters, each one portrayed with their own secrets and weaknesses which made them even more endearing. I wanted to visit Hummingbird Lane and see the views, sitting in the stillness of a place that seemed to speak to hearts. This book teaches a lesson and touched my heart with the simplicity of relationships that you can count on and places you can escape to. With a plot that had many surprises and a lot of energy, this book was one that I was happy to read because it made me think of my friends and my special places and gave me things to consider about life’s choices and how we can change things in mid-stream and be better for that decision. Fans of the author and women’s fiction with strong female protagonists will thoroughly enjoy this book.
Disclaimer
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author. I was not required to write a positive review. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255, “Guides Concerning the Use of Testimonials and Endorsements in Advertising.”