Forty-Something Kinda Love - Novella Kindle Edition by Khara Campbell

Book Excerpt:

"Learning to love again after the loss of a spouse is hard.

Zabrina is a 45-year-old widow and single mother of three who finds herself struggling with letting go of the loyalty that she has for her deceased husband to allow herself to be open to love again.

Kelvin is a 46-year-old widower and single father of two. When he lost his wife to cancer, he struggled with the idea of ever being with another woman. He loved his wife with everything in him and found it hard to not think of her every day. He had given up on moving on, that is, until he met Zabrina. Who knew one encounter with her would change his life forever?

Zabrina isn’t an easy nut to crack, and Kelvin finds himself pulling out all the stops to try to get close to her. Will his persistence be enough to win her over or push her away?"

Title: Forty-Something Kinda Love
Author: Khara Campbell
Publisher: Writegal
Reviewed By: Arlena Dean
Rating: Five
Review:
"Forty-Something Kinda Love" by Khara Campbell

My Opinion:

'Forty-Something Kinda Love' was an excellent romantic story featuring Kelvin and Zabrina after they had both health with losing their spouses. The author did a fantastic job of bringing these two together, which was promoted by their children [Brian and Zana], dating each other. It was so sweet reading about Kelvin and Zabrina exchanging letters. Seeing how both of these two people had suffered from their loss and yet, in the end, finding another love. To see how well this author brings it all out, I would recommend you pick up this good read to see how well this story will grab your attention all the way to the end.

Living a Blessed Lie Kindle Edition by She Nell

 Book Excerpt:

"If it shimmers, is it gold? Life for Tiffany’s three best friends seems to be golden. Ebony has a loving husband and a beautiful child. Jennifer has a precious newborn and is married to a wonderful minister. Tasha is single and satisfied. If you look at her friends or their social media posts, you will agree they live a blessed life. However, Tiffany will learn that one of her friends is living a blessed lie."

Title: Living a Blessed Lie
Author: She Nell
Publisher: Light and Salt Press LLC.
Reviewed By: Arlena Dean
Rating: Five
Review:
"Living a Blessed Lie" by She Nell

My Opinion:

Don't you hate it when friends keep secrets...well, this is what happened between best friends...Jennifer and Tasha. When everything starts to come out, we find that it was mainly about how one is going through [postpartum depression, depression, and anxiety] after having a child, and it looked like someone who has found a man. To get the rest of this good story, I guess we will have to pick up the next read by this author for another short read.

A Place Like Home Short Stories by Rosamunde Pilcher

 Book Excerpt:

"Celebrate life's journeys with the beloved author whose stories of life and love touched the world.

A Place Like Home is a spellbinding collection of short stories by internationally bestselling author Rosamunde Pilcher, never before published in book form. The collection contains fifteen stories, which range from The Holiday, in which a wife surprises her husband of twenty-five years with a holiday full of Mediterranean sunshine, red rocks, and blue seas to rekindle the romance they had before children; The Eye of Love, which takes the reader to a village by the sea where old flames meet again; and A Place Like Home, where a lonely young woman goes to recuperate in the Scottish countryside after a brief illness. The fruit orchards and fresh sea air offer much-needed respite—but not as much as the handsome, mysterious farmer she meets.

Each unforgettable story is the perfect slice of romance written with warmth and passion featuring wonderfully memorable, intelligent, and feisty female characters that will transport the reader to another time and place."

Title: A Place Like Home: Short Stories
Author: Rosamunde Pilcher
Publisher: St. Martin's Press
Reviewed By: Arlena Dean
Rating: Five
Review:
"A Place Like Home Short Stories" by Rosamunde Pilcher

My Opinion:

Get ready for some good reading... This author gives us fifteen short stories that will keep your interest reading to the very end.

Here they are...
1. Someone to Trust...Rachel & William
2. Anniversary...Janey and David
3. Skelmerton...Caroline, William [Tiger] & Leo Walton,
4. A Place Like Home...Joanna & Bob
5. Ghost of the Past... Josephine & Douglas, Humphrey, Helena &...
6. Jonathan...
7. The Key...Ruth & Gavin
8. A Fork in the Road...Alistair
9. A Stone Boy [The Winds of Chance] Liz & John
10. A Touch of Magic... Josh & Elizabeth
11. A Smile for the Bride...Amelia & David
12. Magic Might Happen...Victoria & John
13. Through the Eyes of Love...Julia & Harry
14. Our Holiday...Kate & Andrew
15. Harbour of Love...Julia & Ivan

I recommend 'A Place Like Home' to you as a good read if you like romances. Of these fifteen stories...there will be one just for you.

I want to Thank St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for this advance copy of this delightful read of short stories.

Fierce Little Thing A Novel by Miranda Beverly-Whittemore

 

Book Excerpt:

“It’s time to come home. All five of you. Or else.”

"Saskia was a damaged, lonely teenager when she arrived at the lakeside commune called Home. She was entranced by the tang of sourdough starter, the midnight call of the loons, the triumph of foraging wild mushrooms from the forest floor. But most of all, she was taken with Abraham, Home's charismatic leader, the North Star to Saskia, and the four other teens who lived there, her best and only friends.

Two decades later, Saskia is shuttered in her Connecticut estate, estranged from the others. Her carefully walled life is torn open by threatening letters. Unless she and her former friends return to the land in rural Maine, the terrible thing they did as teenagers—their last-ditch attempt to save Home—will be revealed.

From vastly different lives, the five return to confront their blackmailer and reckon with the horror that split them apart. How far will they go to bury their secret forever?"

     

Title: Fierce Little Thing
Author: Miranda Beverly-Whittemore
Publisher: Flatiron Books
Reviewed By: Arlena Dean
Rating: Four
Review:
"Fierce Little Thing" by Miranda Beverly-Whittemore

My Opinion:

"Fierce Little Thing" was quite a read that brought in willpower and survival. But, what will happen when Saskia finally gets friends and starts a new life that will be broken due to a traumatic event? As the story goes on through mysterious letters, they will have to come back 'Home,' due to a secret that is threatening to be revealed.

For the most part, the characters were well-developed, but some were not to my liking. For example, some of the scientific names of plants and animals were somewhat overdone; however, after reading the whole story, there was some understanding of why it was done that way. Be ready for an account with lots of suspense and past secrets, as it will all come together with Saskia and her friends.

"Fierce Little Thing" was a long read [141 chapters], but if you can keep up with all that is happening as it will rely upon it all from the past to the present, presenting the reader with a suspense-told read and a satisfying ending.

Thank you, NetGalley, for the opportunity to read and review Fierce Little Thing before its release date.

Break Bread or Play Dead: The Iris Dawson Story Kindle Edition by Niki Jilvontae

 Book Excerpt:

"(*This book is a RERELEASE*)

A hard head makes a soft ass is a saying many of us have heard before. Usually, it’s something said when you’re being grown and not doing what you KNOW you’re supposed to do. This saying is especially true in the case of Iris Dawson. Once a good student comes from a middle-class, two-parent home, Iris was destined for greatness. Until she got a taste for fast money and celebrity status. Even if it was just hood fame, Iris wanted it along with power and respect. So she takes on her aunt Tootie’s persona and starts finessing men. Her Break Bread or Play Dead motto helps her achieve top-notch hood credibility and a nice little bankroll to match. All of it comes at a cost, and Iris finds that out when her world turns upside down. Her actions lead her down a path of lies, betrayal, violence, and murder, which eventually turns into jail time! After she’s given 23 years at 18, Iris has to reflect on her life and tell the story of the hood menace known as The Infamous ICE!"

Title:  Break Bread or Play Dead:  The Iris Dawson Story

Author:  Niki Jilvontae

Publisher:  N.J.                     

Reviewed By:  Arlena Dean

Rating: Five

Review:

"Break Bread or Play Dead:  The Iris Dawson Story" by Niki Jilvontae

My Opinion:  

This was one of those stories that you could see coming as Miss Iris Dawson, better know as [ICE], brought it all upon herself. Why was that? Well, for one thing, she would listen to no one... not her parents or even her best friend. With all of the people Iris had around her, from her parents, Tweety [Ashley], Cookie to Jahili [Scoop], you would think Iris would have listened to them, but no, she liked her aunt Tootie's saying, "Break Bread or Play Dead." And that was just what Iris did! We find that she would much rather be involved with dead beats like Jerry, Clarence, Deven, Aunt Tootie, and Dreka, which lead to much of her downfall. Yes, karma came for Iris, and it was hard in that she ended up being now under arrest for the murder of 'Shantell Wright and her unborn fetus...with more charges of assaults, hit and run and attempted murders pending'. Now, Iris could only think of all she had done, and was it worth it? Now, as Iris tells her story while there in prison, in the end, we can see Iris Dawson, formerly know as Infamous ICE, was currently serving 23 years in prison. I genuinely think only if Ms. Iris had listened to the right people in her life could she have gone quite a different way. Were the cash and ruthless image on the street of Memphis worth it? Wow, a read!

Wondah Kindle Edition by Lakisha Johnson

 Book Excerpt:

"On the morning of her 50th birthday, Wondah Jennings wakes up excited to celebrate her golden jubilee year. Instead, she’s in for the shock of her life when she finds out her husband no longer wants her as his wife.

Devastated, speechless, and stunned are emotions soon replaced with anger, confusion, and grief, leaving Wondah to spiral out of control. In front of family and friends, she appears the strong, confident Wondah they know. The one who has helped hundreds of couples save their marriage as a licensed therapist. However, when they’re gone, the lights are off, she’s broken, struggling and the God she once served becomes her enemy.

Will she find the strength to overcome this dark season in her life or will this golden year be anything but?"

Title: Wondah
Author: Lakisha Johnson
Publisher: Twins Write 2
Reviewed By: Arlena Dean
Rating: Five
Review:
"Wondah" by Lakisha Johnson

My Opinion:

All that is left to say after reading 'Wondah' is wow...what a good read that this person had to go through to get to the end, and that was being above to forgive. To receive what Wondah got from her husband on her fifth birthday was just sad and unbelievable. With Wondah being a marriage counselor, this still didn't prepare Wondah for all she went through from the hurt and anger that surrounded her physically and emotionally. However, after Wondah turned to the only one who could help her and she could forgive him, things went better for her. What got me was Harvey's reasoning for him wanting a divorce! That left me shaking my head...and he was a deacon in the church? 'Wondah' is a good read where this author does another beautiful job of bringing out this story to the reader that I am sure can be relatable in many ways.

STROKE (Heavy On The D Book 3) Kindle Edition by Stephanie Nicole Norris

 Book Excerpt:

"Three friends experiencing life’s uncertain changes decide they need relaxation beyond the usual girls’ night out. A friend tells them about, The Den, an upscale male strip club. They find out the club is a shell of what really lies beneath—and soon, the ladies are venturing into their mind and body’s wildest desires."

This is Brandy Collier's story.

Title:  Strip

Author:  Stephanie Nicole Norris

Publisher:  Love Is A Drug Ink LLC

Series:  Heavy on the D Book 2

Reviewed By:  Arlena Dean

Rating:  Five

Review:

"Strip" by Stephanie Nicole Norris

My Opinion:

'Strip' was one erotica romantic read that featured Patience and Lincoln that was on fire.  The novel was indeed not only funny, romantic but also 'Heavy on the D' side.  From the Den, we get Giselle and Gideon that will take one there...if you know what I mean! I love it when Patience finally guesses that it was ... oh well, you will have to pick up 'Strip' to understand it all.  I enjoyed the relationship Lincoln had with his mother...especially when she told him of their time at the Den with his father.

Well, it will be Brandy's and Michael's story coming up next, and I am sure we will be waiting for another good story in this series.

Savage: (The Men of Mafia St. Clair Book 4) Kindle Edition by Celeste Granger

 Book Excerpt:

"This is not your ordinary romance. If you are looking for a direct line to a happily ever after, this is not the book for you.

This is mafia romance. There’s a war going on, a battle for ultimate control with neither side willing to concede.
But war has never stopped loving, though.

Cannabis culinary artist, Eden Leaumont has carved a lane for herself in the fast-growing world of cannabis cuisine. The journey for Eden hasn’t been easy, but with the help of his twin brother, Eason, Eden has made a name for herself and finds her culinary work being sought after by some of the wealthiest families in Vegas. Eden is a busy woman. The last thing on her mind is love.

Ezekiel St. Clair, like his brothers, is committed to ensuring their family business continues to prosper. Despite the ongoing war with the DiCarlo family, Ezekiel continues to be a savvy businessman, shouldering his weight with St. Clair International, while maintaining his individual business and philanthropic endeavors. He’s a busy man. The last thing on Ezekiel’s mind is love.

Then he sees Eden. A chance encounter brings Eden into Ezekiel’s world. He is instantly entranced by her regal beauty and consumed by the spark of attraction that exists between them. Eden becomes Ezekiel’s focus, his primary pursuit. He’s convinced there is more to their transcendental connection than mere chance."

Title: Savage
Author: Celeste Granger
Publisher: C.G.
Series: The Men of Mafia St. Clair Book 4
Reviewed By: Arlena Dean
Rating: Five
Review:
"Savage" by Celeste Granger

My Opinion:

Be ready for a story that will take you all over the place, as I found Savage did just that. First, we get a little bit of Madame Stephanie's situation with Lorenzo but wait, and there is an interest of Samuel, the bodyguard? Then, as the story moves on, we see Eden Monae Leaumont is introduced to St. Clair's as her brother, Eason, and she is the clefs for the evening event at the St Clair home. After meeting Eden, Ezekiel's story will start, and all is left to say is wow, it was so sweet. Then, as the story moves on, the author will give us some other secondary characters... fascinating people...from Jessica, Brooklyn, Trip, Vivian and Warren Black, Nicole, Monica and Kirland, and Nikki that will come into the story and leave you saying WOW.

How will this story come together? Well, I guess we will have to get to the next part of the story, as this one leaves one saying, what? What happened at the party that was going on in full swing? And who is this adopted daughter named Nikki? Is this the Nikki that works for...well, I will stop here and say we will have to get the next series in The Men of Mafia St. Clair to find out more from this story? If you haven't read the first three series, I would highly suggest it, so you will know what has gone on because this series has a lot going on with so many twists and turns from these St Clair men and others.

The Mixtape Kindle Edition by Brittainy Cherry

 Book Excerpt:

"Since the death of his twin brother, Oliver’s caught between pleasing his fans and finding himself. Emery finds him first.

Emery has never felt more alone. Raising her daughter is both her pleasure and her pain as she struggles to hold on to her job as a bartender and keep a roof over their heads. With no one to help them—no support system—any unexpected expense or late bill could turn their whole world upside down.

Reeling from the death of his twin brother and bandmate, rock star Oliver Smith is trying to drink his problems away. Apparently, he isn’t very good at it; they follow him wherever he goes. Also in hot pursuit are the paparazzi, who catch Oliver at his lowest low.

He could have walked into any bar in California, but he walked into hers. Emery helps Oliver lose the crowd, and they find themselves alone: two people whose paths are marked with loss and pain. However, they hold an unshakable hope for healing. They find solace together, but can their love withstand the world?"

Title:  The Mixtape

Author:  Brittainy Cherry

Publisher: Montlake 

Reviewed By:  Arlena Dean

Rating:  Five

Review:

"The Mixtape" by Brittainy Cherry

My Opinion:

Wow, what a good read 'The Mixtape' was that featured Emery Taylor and Oliver Smith. The author covered the topics of 'rape, depression, physical and verbal abuse, single parenting, heartbreak, loss, friends to lovers, and romance' very well in this story. It was sad to see how many of the characters in the story were just that...sad. We find Emery having to endure a horrible childhood from some parents that were simply horrible to not only her but her sister Sammie. From that situation, we find Emery having to care for a daughter, Reese Marie. Oliver's twin brother Alexv[Rock Stars] had died from a car accident that Oliver had blamed himself, which caused him not to want to go on with his life, and there was someone who was hanging on to Oliver that meant no good. But an interaction will change Emery and Oliver's lives, and this is how this author gives the reader quite some read in 'The Mixtape.' The read did cause tears of sadness; however, there was a cry of tears of joy by the end and a HEA. Wow, this was an excellent read!

Forgiving You Now: A Second Chance Romance(Love Notes Book 3) Kindle Edition by Cassie Verano

 Book Excerpt:

"Three years ago, I made the mistake of giving myself to a man that I’d loved forever.

When he dismissed me for someone else, I picked up the shards of my broken heart and my pride and kept moving.
Now that Ivory Stringer is back in town making demands that he has no right to, all I want is to shut him out forever.
But this is the same man I’ve loved since I was a teen. The same man who knows how to play the keys of my body and make it hum a melody like no one else ever has.
I’m playing with fire, and it’s so hard to walk away.
He’s asking for my forgiveness, but by the time he learns the truth, I’ll be begging for his."

Title:  Forgiving You Now:  A Second Chance Romance

Author:  Cassie Verano

Publisher:  C. V. 

Series;  Love Notes Book 3

Reviewed By:  Arlena Dean

Rating:  Five

Review:

"Forgiving You Now:  A Second Chance Romance" by Cassie Verano

My Opinion:  

'Forgiving you Now: a Second Romance" was indeed a second chance story that featured Adora Townsend and Ivory Stringer's story. What will happen after these two spend one memorable night three years ago when Adora's heart was broken? What will happen when the secret of that night comes to light some years later? There are many thoughts about just how each of these two felt at that time, and now it's all coming out, and yes, they are now both grown-up adults.  

The characters were all well-developed and well-defined that kept the reading a page-turner. The story consisted of several topics...' domestic violence, absent fathers, and single parenting' that this author tackles very well in the novel along with 'feelings of betrayal, parental and lover abandonment, interference from family, friends, exes, and lastly, forgiveness' in this 'Love Note Series.'  So get ready for an emotional and complex story, as all the family drama ends, giving us a wonderful HEA.  

Dope Love Kindle Edition by Quisha Dynae

 

Book Excerpt:

"Elayshe is a college student that lived a simple life. She was also in the process of better developing her skincare business to increase sales. She had a one-track mind until she met, Ashaad. Ashaad came into her life like a tsunami, not leaving room for her to deny his advances. His persistence is the reason why she finally gave him a chance. When she did, she held on tight, realizing that he was the type of man that she wanted in her life. You know what they say when someone sees you happy, they try to cause friction in your life. Both sides had someone lurking in the shadows. Elayshe ended up paying for Ashaad's past transgressions. Will Elayshe and Ashaad be strong enough to withstand the storm? Or will it be too much for Elayshe, causing her to walk away from the man who captured her heart?

Bisa is a successful entrepreneur who is working towards opening her second gym. In her profession, she is approached by plenty of men, but none have yet to catch her attention. She had tunnel vision until Justus enters her life. Things between the two were all good until one of the patrons of Bisa's gym becomes obsessed with her. Trying to let him down easily only made things worse. He comes at her in every which way until Justus had to put a stop to it. Right, when they were back on track, tragedy struck, and Bisa didn't know if their relationship would ever be the same.

These couples fall in love and try to build a life together. However, it is some do not agree with their relationships. Elayshe and Bisa go from living a simple life to a hectic one in a matter of months. Only one question remains...is it really worth it."

Title:  Dope Love

Author:  Quisha Dynae

Publisher:  Love Irene Publications LLC 

Reviewed By:  Arlena Dean

Rating:  Five

Review:

"Dope Love" by Quisha Dynae

My Opinion:

'Dope Love' was a well-told story of what happened when Akeem and Efrem retired and passed their business over to their sons Ashaad and Justus.  Then there will be a love life that will come to both of these young men...Elayshe and Bisa, who happened to be best friends.  The reader will get a rollercoaster ride as these four will come together.  You will have to pick up this good read to see how well the author gives the reader a story that will capture and keep your attention to the end.  Be ready to see how growth will come for these four as they deal with everyday life through the good and the bad.  

Woman in Shadow by Carrie Stuart Parks

 

Book Excerpt:

"Award-winning author Carrie Stuart Parks combines her expertise as a forensic artist with her talent for crafting a gripping story in this page-turning web of light and shadow.

A woman off the grid.

Darby Graham thinks she’s on a much-needed vacation in remote Idaho to relax. But before she even arrives at the ranch, an earthquake strikes. Then a barn on the edge of town is engulfed in flames, and strange problems at the ranch begin to escalate, and Darby finds herself immersed in a chilling mystery.

A town on fire.

More fires erupt around town, and a serial arsonist sends taunting letters to the press after each. As a forensic linguist, this is Darby’s area of expertise . . . but the scars her work has caused her are also the reason she’s trying to escape her life.

A growing darkness.

As the shadows continue moving in, pieces of the town around her come into sharper focus. To make it out alive, Darby must decide if she can trust the one man who sees her clearly."

Title: Woman in Shadow
Author: Carrie Stuart Parks
Publisher: Thomas Nelson
Reviewed By: Arlena Dean
Rating: Five
Review:
"Woman in Shadow" by Carrie Start Parks

My Opinion:

What will happen when Darby Graham, a forensic linguist, is sent to a ranch that helps her deal with her PTSD? We find she is sent from Clan Firinn, a law enforcement program that needed help with this issue, completing her final test.

The setting is new Yellowstone with frequent earthquakes adds to this story with the author giving us an intriguing story of what all had happened to Darby as the story weaves back and forth till the end. Even though Darby was no longer in law enforcement, we find that her training skills will help with all that is happening at 'Mule Shoe Resort and the little town of Targhee Falls.' How will the verse that was sent to her...'Be strong and courageous...Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord, your God is with you wherever you go' be able to help Darby since she had been a non-believer? The read gets even more exciting as there was a hint of romance. How will that all turn out? Who was this 'Shadow Woman', and let's not leave out those beautiful dogs, Holly and Maverick, in how they came into play? For the most part, the characters were well-developed and defined, giving the reader a good read to the end. To find out the who, what, and why, you will have to pick up this book to see how well this author delivers it to the reader.

Be ready for a mystery-thriller and suspenseful story with some Christian aspects as you read through 'Woman in Shadow.' It gets even more so as we find out what had happened as Darby's PTSD flashbacks come out, giving us all that we needed to know about what had happened earlier in her life that would help her in the situation she was now in. Would this be a redemption and healing process for Darby?

'Women in Shadows' was one of those reads that one will find hard to put down until the end. And yes, I was left surprised by who this wrong person turned out to be!

Thank you to the publisher, author, and NetGalley for the opportunity to preview the book.

The Power of the Cookie 3: As Sweet As Honee Kindle Edition by Niki Jilvontae

 Book Excerpt:

"Some philosophies are good to follow, to mesh into your way of life. Being a strong woman who prides herself in her ability to overcome every obstacle put in her way and work hard while maintaining her integrity in a chaotic, hostile world is one philosophy that can take the right woman very far. But what if the philosophy such a strong and still virtuous woman who has been tainted by the world follows is a philosophy that highlights your ability to auction off your most prized possession. What if the philosophy she follows puts emphasis on her ability to finesse men using false promises of a trip to the promised land between her thighs? What if she does it just to break their pockets and show them the overwhelming, undeniable POWER Of the Cookie?

That’s the million-dollar question we will answer as we delve into the last of this saga in the turbulent, fast-paced, heart-wrenching series following the lives of the infamous girl gang called The Cookies. In this final book, we will give you a close-up of the smart, gangsta, hot head of the crew, Desaray “Honee” Johnson. She’s the shotta we saw call shots and handle business like the gangsta she is in both Sunshine and Creme’s stories. Now it’s time we examine her life and find out the truth behind her secrets. The secret life of an abused and nearly broken girl will be revealed in this turbulent tale. Honee finds love in an unexpected place, but she also finds out some truths that may have been better off left buried. That reality leads her to some of the worse days of her life, filled with a chaotic backdrop of sex trafficking, violence, drugs, broken dreams, and even murder. In this last installment, all three girls are tested to see if they still believe in their philosophy. Will they choose the lives they always wanted to live, or will they face more pain following... The Power of the Cookie?!"

Title: The Power of the Cookie 3: As Sweet As Honee
Author: Niki Jilvontae
Publisher: N. J.
Series: Book 3
Reviewed By: Arlena Dean
Rating: Five
Review:

"The Power of the Cookie 3: As Sweet As Honee" by Niki Jilvontae

My Opinion:

"The Power of the Cookie 3: As Sweet As Honee" was some read that kept me on the edge of my seat as I turned the pages to see what was coming next for the three main heroines...
Desaray[Honee, Honeybear, Creme, and Sunshine...along with a few others Pressure, and LiLi [Cinnamon]. This story is one that I would recommend you read the other two Cookie series, so you will know what all has gone on earlier; however, the author did an excellent job in bringing it all out in the end. It was so good seeing Jody finally get the punishment for all he had done, and not only did these horrible things happen to Desaray but all many of these heroines. I found it so hard that a person could be this way, only wanting it his way and all that he did to accomplish this goal. I enjoyed that Desaray did finally connect with ... well, I will stop here and say...pick up this good story and see for yourself who she will reconnect with at the end. Thank goodness that Rodney was there for Desaray through it all! Ok, I will stop here again and say...pick up this series...some of this story will be hard to read, but hey...things happen that will have you shaking your head and saying, wow! And in the end, all that's left to say is...it was 'that power of the cookie.'

The One You're With by Lauren K. Denton NetGallery

 Book Excerpt:

"Written in Lauren K. Denton’s signature Southern style, The One You’re With tells a story of marriage, choices, and what a good life really looks like.

High-school sweethearts Mac and Edie Swan lead a seemingly picture-perfect life in the sleepy-sweet community of Oak Hill, near Mobile, Alabama. Edie is a respected interior designer, Mac is a beloved pediatrician, and they have two great kids and a historic home on tree-lined Linden Avenue. From the outside, the Swan family is the definition of “the good life.” And life is good—mostly. Until a young woman walks into Mac’s office one day. A young woman whose very existence threatens all Mac and Edie have built and all they think they know about each other.

Nineteen years after a summer apart, with a family and established lives and careers, the past that Mac and Edie thought they left behind has come back to greet them. For the first time, constants in their lives are called into question: their roles as parents, their reputation as upstanding members of the community, and the very foundations of their marriage. As they wade through the upheaval in both their family and professional lives, they must each examine choices they made long ago and chart a new course for their future."

Title: The One You're With
Author: Lauren K. Denton
Publisher: Thomas Nelson
Reviewed By: Arlena Dean
Rating: Four
Review:
"The One You're With" by Lauren K. Denton
My Opinion:

Good Read bought out 'choices, consequences, and what-ifs' as it was for Edie, Mac, and Graham when it was all said and done. All of this comes into play after an unknown love child comes into Mac and Edie's life. The story was rather long, but after 20 years later, will this destroy their marriage? First, however, Edie will have to come to terms with what happened during that summer between her and Graham during this time. So be ready for many emotions that will come into play that will give the reader a lot to think about during the read that dealt with the past and present for Mac and Evie during 2000 and 2021.

Will this be a story of forgiveness as the question of whether love, family commitment, doing the right thing will win out over the loss of trust, anger, and missed chances?' This author did an excellent job as the story deals with the emotions of Mac, Edie, and Riley, along with some secondary characters that bring us a well-told story that I would recommend.

Thank you to the author, Thomas Nelson - Fiction and NetGalley, for an ARC of this novel in exchange for my honest review.