Review of FIND ME IN CALIFORNIA by Kerry Lonsdale

On June 11, 2024 By vickleaIn Book Review1 Comment

ABOUT THE BOOK

ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0CLVQYLPG
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Lake Union Publishing (June 11, 2024)
Publication date ‏ : ‎ June 11, 2024
Print length ‏ : ‎ 314 pages

An achingly romantic novel about chance meetings, buried secrets, and the multiple facets of love and family bonds by Wall Street Journal bestselling author Kerry Lonsdale.

Raised by her fiercely passionate and free-spirited grandmother, Julia Hope has never gone without love. But as she tends to her only living relative during her final days, Julia struggles to overcome her fear of being alone.

A thousand miles away, Matt Gatlin has managed to avoid the coldhearted grandmother with whom he once lived. But after twelve years of her being blessedly out of sight, she needs him. His resentments still raw, Matt packs up his car and reluctantly heads to California to confront a bitter past he thought was long gone.

Over the next six days, Julia’s and Matt’s fates intersect. An old diary exposes the tragedy of a long-lost love. A history of secrets in two families comes to light. And on a lonely back road, Matt picks up an unusual yet captivating hitchhiker with a secret of her own.

For Julia and Matt, something heartbreaking and heartwarming, mysterious and beautiful, will touch their lives—with neither of them realizing that maybe they’re destined for each other.

My Thoughts

I don’t know where to start to describe the genre of this book since it is steeped in romance, mystery and a little fantasy along the way, too. Matt Gatlin and Julia Hope are two sympathetic and relatable protagonists, both facing a difficult future after traumatic childhoods. Both were cast off by parents and raised by a grandmother. Julia’s grandmother, Mama Rose, was nurturing and kind, but there are secrets that Julia is discovering now that Mama Rose is dying and it would have been better for Julia if Mama Rose had been totally honest. Matt was raised by his grandmother, too, a Hollywood legend named Liza who was distant and cold to him, even leaving the room when he was present. His childhood was marked by rejection, first by his mother and then by his grandmother, so it is no wonder that he has a few problems with the present situation in which his grandmother is dying and requesting to see him. The way these two come together, via a nursing home where both grandmothers reside, is an original take on a meet-cute situation. Matt’s trip to get to his grandmother’s bedside is fraught with his own personality as he uses drugs along the way, hallucinates a relationship (maybe…not sure about what this really was but it was interesting) and finally arrives at the nursing home to actually meet Julia in person. The two have so much in common that it seems inevitable that they must become a couple, but that cannot happen until both of them deal with their pasts. I enjoyed the intricacies of this story, all of the background information about Liza, Mama Rose, Matt and Julia that were woven into the main story of a loss that was certain to come soon. This is a multi-layered, well-crafted story of relationships, secrets, forgiveness and finding hope in the most unlikely places. It is also a story of acceptance and love even in the middle of a messy life. The characters are deeply touching, unique and realistically flawed representatives of life. The complications in the plot are thought-provoking and I encourage readers to go through the discussion questions at the end of the book because they are a great way to reflect on the truths encountered within its pages. Insightful, captivating and magical, this book is a brilliant look at overcoming one’s past and facing a new future.
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, and all opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16th CFR, Part 255, “Guidelines Concerning the Use of Testimonials and Endorsements in Advertising.”

Rated PG for content including language and drug use

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Kerry Lonsdale is the award-winning Amazon Charts, Wall Street Journal, Washington Post and #1 Kindle bestselling author of the Everything series (Everything We Keep, Everything We Left Behind, and Everything We Give), No More trilogy (No More Words, No More Lies, and No More Secrets), and multiple standalone novels that include All the Breaking Waves, Last Summer, Side Trip, and Find Me in California. Her books have been Amazon Editors’ Picks, translated into twenty-seven languages, and have been covered by PopSugar, Buzzfeed, Parade, Redbook, Coastal Living, Travel & Leisure, Medium, Refinery29, and multiple other media outlets. She’s a founder of the Women’s Fiction Writers Association and lives in Northern California with her husband and three rescue cats. For more information about Kerry and her books, visit her website at Kerry Lonsdale

PURCHASE LINKS:

Amazon Digital Copy

Amazon Paperback

Audible

Review of NO MORE SECRETS by Kerry Lonsdale

On March 13, 2023 By vickleaIn Book ReviewLeave a comment

About the Book:

No More Secrets

No More Trilogy (book #3)

For a last shot at redemption, a young man must finally face the past in the third novel from the No More trilogy by Amazon Charts and Wall Street Journal bestselling author Kerry Lonsdale.

After serving six months in a juvenile detention center, Lucas Carson returns home irrevocably changed by what happened there. Traumatized, Lucas shuts himself out from everyone he loves, even his younger sister, Lily, who ran away from home when she was pregnant at sixteen. When Lily resurfaces years later, Lucas can’t cope with his guilt about not being there for her. He takes off, only to cross paths with Shiloh Bloom—fifteen, homeless, and, like Lucas, escaping the past.

All Lucas sees in her is the little sister he neglected. Believing this is his chance to absolve past mistakes, he takes Shiloh in. He gives her food and shelter. She gives him a purpose. Together they invent a background for her and form a bond. But the risk of discovery grows. Lucas’s sisters aren’t the only ones looking for him. So are Shiloh’s mother and the police. If Lucas wants to heal and have a future, he must stop running and face everything he’s left behind.

My Review:

This book is the perfect ending for the trilogy about the Carson siblings. Lucas, the brother who ran away, is featured in this heart-wrenching story about finding truth and moving on towards a more hopeful future. Luc ran away from a past that still haunts him and has to deal with the discovery about what really happened before he can move on and grasp a bright future. I especially enjoyed how much emotion this book included, especially with the friendships that Luc makes and what a kindhearted person he really is. He is such a vulnerable soul that he just puts himself right out there and ends up getting hurt. All of the action is very realistic and thought-provoking. I enjoyed that this book brought all three siblings together in some very surprising and unexpected scenarios. Mostly, I’m delighted to have a conclusion to Luc’s story because his is the most compelling and the most dynamic, with plenty of action and drama. The entire book was well paced and introduced some secondary characters that I really enjoyed meeting, especially the teen survivor Shiloh. The mystery of the Carsons and all that happened to them is resolved, making this an extremely satisfying book to read with no loose ends and lots of tears. Although this book can be read as a standalone, I highly recommend reading the “No More” trilogy so that the entire story of the Carsons is enjoyed and all of the puzzle pieces fit together so well. A masterpiece of a family saga that is not to be missed!
Disclaimer
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author via Netgalley. 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.”

Easily a 5-star book, rated PG-13 due to content.

About the Author:

**Kerry Lonsdale** is the Amazon Charts, *Wall Street Journal*, *Washington Post* and #1 Kindle bestselling author of the Everything series, No More trilogy, and multiple standalone domestic drama novels. Her books have sold more than two million copies and have been translated into twenty-seven languages. She lives in Northern California with her husband, two adult children (when they’re home from college), and three cats.
Photo by Chantelle Hartshorne. Photo and Bio from the author’s website at http://www.kerrylonsdale.com

Releases on March 14th. Purchase Links:

https://amzn.to/3T5n0h8 (Amazon)

Barnes and Noble

Powells

Bookshop (Indie)

A note to my readers: Although this book can be read as a standalone, I feel that reading the trilogy will really be better, so below are the links to purchase the other two books, in order:

No More Words, Amazon

No More Lies, Amazon

Review of NO MORE SECRETS by Kerry Lonsdale

On March 13, 2023 By vickleaIn Book ReviewLeave a comment

About the Book:

No More Secrets

No More Trilogy (book #3)

For a last shot at redemption, a young man must finally face the past in the third novel from the No More trilogy by Amazon Charts and Wall Street Journal bestselling author Kerry Lonsdale.

My Review:

About the Author:

Releases on March 14th. Purchase Links:

https://amzn.to/3T5n0h8 (Amazon)

Barnes and Noble

Powells

Bookshop (Indie)

A note to my readers: Although this book can be read as a standalone, I feel that reading the trilogy will really be better, so below are the links to purchase the other two books, in order:

No More Words, Amazon

No More Lies, Amazon

Review of NO MORE LIES by Kerry Lonsdale

On May 3, 2022 By vickleaIn Book ReviewLeave a comment

The story of Jenna Mason continues in the second book of the trilogy, and although it can be read as a standalone, my recommendation is to read the books in order. Jenna is a talented graphic novelist who has been running away from her past for over a decade, hiding from the truth and keeping the truth hidden from her teen son Josh. Josh wants to know why they constantly moved and who his father is, but Jenna doesn’t want to share a painful past with him. In hiding her past, she unwittingly endangers Josh and herself as she gets involved in a dangerous cat and mouse game with a predator determined to destroy her. In this book, Jenna has to face her past with courage and to depend on people other than herself for help, especially when Josh is targeted and disappears. The suspense increased tremendously once Jenna is injured and Josh gets away from her. I really enjoyed the way that Jenna has matured as a character, realizing that she cannot do everything alone and that she can’t hide from the truth forever. She even asks for help from Josh’s father Tyler, an unexpected source of strength and resources. I enjoyed the relationship that is developing in this book between Jenna and her friend Keely and between Jenna and her boyfriend Kavan. Kavan is a saint in my book because of his unwavering loyalty to Jenna and his patience with her as she has to find herself before she has anything to offer others. Jenna’s desperation to hide the truth is a central theme in the book, and I found myself giving her advice just to face the past and get things out in the open so she can live her life and so can Josh. I was totally engaged in the story, feeling so bad when Josh had difficulty communicating after an injury. His aphasia was heart-breaking and the frustrations that he faced because of his disability were well-portrayed by the author. The characters were realistic, with real struggles and decisions to make that were life-changing for all. The plot was layered with the revelations made by each character, especially Jenna and her past identity, Lily. I particularly enjoyed the interactions between Jenna and her sister Olivia, a relationship that had been broken but never totally severed or forgotten. The depth of this book and its characters will remain with me for a long time. It is a domestic drama with a lot of suspense and plenty of love and acceptance flowing between the characters as they discover truth for the first time.
Disclaimer
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author via Netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed are my own. 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.”

*I would rate this book a PG-13 due to content.*

*Author’s bio and photo from her website at* http://www.kerrylonsdale.com

This book will be available next Tuesday, May 10, 2022, but you can preorder it NOW! Purchase links:

Review of NO MORE WORDS by Kerry Lonsdale

On July 6, 2021 By vickleaIn Book ReviewLeave a comment

A domestic family drama with tons of action and characters with multiple issues, this book was one that was hard to put down. Olivia has relationship issues in that she doesn’t really know what she wants, but she knows that she really needs a relationship. When the story begins, she is livid with Blaze, her lover, and is kicking him out of her house. The emotions are stormy throughout the book, but no scenes were more tumultuous than this one. We also have Charlotte, the mom who is a successful real estate agent, but not so great at being a mother or a wife. Dwight, her venture capitalist husband who always wanted to be elected to office, is a people pleaser who will do anything to obtain his goal. I think the most flawed and probably least developed character was Lucas. I didn’t learn much about him except that he went to juvie, he was a hot mess and he had a hot temper. That was enough to set the stage for a lot of action in the book! Finally, there is the duo of Lily and Josh. Lily is the baby sister of Olivia and Lucas, and she left home as a pregnant teen. Josh is the result of her pregnancy. For years, Olivia has tried to find Lily, only to have Josh show up one day on doorsteps, with a duffle, no explanation and no words because he can’t speak. That’s mostly what this book is about, a characterization, a painting, if you will, of a family that has so many problems that it was a like a soap opera in print. The plot was well-written, but it definitely took back stage to the characters. I was mesmerized by the whole mystery of Lily and why she left home without getting in contact with anyone. I was captured by the death on the beach that Olivia’s family may or may not have been involved in. Ultimately, the entire book was a wild ride that had me captivated because of its riveting themes of family secrets, deception, and even murder. I loved this book and was so sad when it ended, so I am already looking forward to book #2 in this new series. Fans of domestic drama, mystery and even romance will be delighted to read this book!
Disclaimer
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author via Netgalley. 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.”

*Captiv*ating book. For Mature audiences because of subject matter

**Kerry Lonsdale is known for her domestic drama that is written with heart! For more information at the author and her books, check out her website at** http://www.kerrylonsdale.com

Happy Release Day to Kerry Lonsdale! You can purchase this amazing book here:

Review of SIDE TRIP by Kerry Lonsdale

On July 7, 2020 By vickleaIn UncategorizedLeave a comment

This is a contemporary romance that is unlike any other book in this genre that I have ever read. It was light, humorous, mysterious and just plain fun to read! Joy Evers is going on a cross-country road trip from CA to NYC when she meets Dylan Westfield at a small diner in Arizona. Dylan’s car has broken down, and on the spur of the moment, Joy invites him to share her ride with her. They establish rules for their road trip that were spontaneously made but which made a big difference in their 10-day road trip acquaintance. Rule 1: No last names. Rule 2: Whenever one wants to go on a side trip, then they both must agree to go. Rule 3: What happens on the road stays on the road.

I really enjoyed the two points of view, that of Dylan and that of Joy. I looked forward to both equally because both added to the story in such an imaginative way! There were also two timelines, during the road trip (called before) and after the road trip. The books is not just a fluffy love story either since it makes you think. Do you need to plan out your life, and what if your plans change? Should everyone have a bucket list? Joy was using her deceased sister Judy’s bucket list when she met Dylan. Fate or accident? The entire plot was woven together so intricately well that the two stories of the main characters meshed perfectly. This is the perfect read for laughing, thinking and listening to some good music along the trip down life’s road, with unexpected turns and stops that will have you wanting more, even at the end!

Disclaimer
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed are my own. 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.”