Review: Dog Park Sweethearts (The Welsh Sisters #1) by Sasha Summers

Best friends fur-ever…

Autumn Welsh has a full life. Dream job. Loyal dog. Good friends. And a happy family. Or it would be, if she could stop worrying about her dad. He needs to get out, live a little, maybe even find someone special. And she has the perfect woman in mind. With the help of her steadfast, dog park buddy Noah, she sets out to help her father find companionship just in time for Valentine’s day. Little does she guess that her dad won’t be the only one finding love…

Restoration expert Noah Contreras was all in favor of Autumn’s matchmaking. His mother was lonely and her father was too. So why not give them a little push toward one another? Besides, spending time with Autumn is always an adventure. From giving art lessons to helping with pet adoption events, she embraces life with an energy and joy Noah finds irresistible. But Noah’s contract is almost finished, and he’ll soon have to move on.

Does he dare ask Autumn to be his Valentine, when he might not be around for the rest of the year?

My Review:

Autumn Welsh and Noah Contreras have been good friends for about a year.  They meet several times a week, with their dogs, at the dog park.  They never put a label on their friendship and never considered being anything other than just good friends.  When Autumn suggests fixing up her father with Noah’s mother, and they start spending more time together, their relationship starts to change to a romantic one.  But it doesn’t happen without a few setbacks along the way. 

This is an incredibly sweet story and I enjoyed watching Autumn and Noah’s new love bloom.  I also enjoyed seeing their parents become an item too.  Of course, you can tell by the title there are some sweet pups included in this story and they made some extremely fun and funny scenes.  This is a great start to a new series.  I can’t wait to read the next book for Autumn’s sister’s story. 

 

Review: The Light After the War by Anita Abriel

Inspired by an incredible true story of two Jewish friends who survived the Holocaust, this sweeping novel of love and friendship spans World War II from Budapest to Austria and the postwar years from Naples to Caracas, perfect for fans of The German Girl and We Were the Lucky Ones.

It is 1946 when Vera Frankel and her best friend Edith Ban arrive in Naples. Refugees from Hungary, they managed to escape from a train headed for Auschwitz and spent the rest of the war hiding on an Austrian farm. Now, the two young women must start new lives abroad. Armed with a letter of recommendation from an American officer, Vera finds work at the United States embassy where she falls in love with Captain Anton Wight.

But as Vera and Edith grapple with the aftermath of the war, so too does Anton, and when he suddenly disappears, Vera is forced to change course. Their quest for a better life takes Vera and Edith from Naples to Ellis Island to Caracas as they start careers, reunite with old friends, and rebuild their lives after terrible loss.

Moving, evocative, and compelling, this timely tale of true friendship, love, and survival will stay with you long after you turn the final page.

My Review:

What a journey.  This book tells the story of two Jewish Hungarian girls, Vera and Edith, who escape the train to Auschwitz.  Through the author’s incredible writing, we learn their strengths and weaknesses as they struggle to find freedom and make a life for themselves after World War II.  Along the way they find love, careers and suffer heartbreak as they discover their new lives.

This is one of those hard to put down books.  The story is not real deep or depressing as you might associate with the subject.  It was more informative and hopeful.  As I read the book, I felt I knew these girls, like they could have been some of my own Hungarian ancestors.  The story was very detailed and descriptive.  I went through a wide range of emotions while reading.  I just wish the book was longer.  I would have enjoyed learning more about Vera and Edith and their lives as they got older. 

 

Review: What Happens in the Castle (What Happens series, #3) by Kelsey McKnight

He’s a Scotsman through and through with the kilt and loch-side manor to prove it

Savannah Adelson spent years sacrificing her midwife career for what she thought was love. Now that she’s kicked her cheating ex to the curb, she’s transforming her long-forgotten dream into a thriving business. Amid her new patients, she manages to travel to Scotland to be a bridesmaid in her college friend’s wedding only to meet the cousin of the groom, a tall shot of whisky in a tartan glass.

Rhys Mackinnon has grown restless and is eager to find his next role in life, whatever that may be. When he meets Savannah, he’s all too happy to make that role her personal tour guide. He ends up playing boyfriend too after her ex shows up unannounced.

When the fictional relationship begins to feel real, Savannah’s torn between the fire she feels for Rhys and the passion she has for her career. No matter what she decides, someone will end up hurt, because what happens in the castle doesn’t always stay there.

My Review:

Incredibly romantic.

Rhys is the kind of man we all dream of and the author really made him come to life through her words. The story felt real.  Savannah and Rhys were perfect together.  Their chemistry was off the chart.  The descriptions of the locations in the Scottish Highlands made me feel like I was right there.  I also enjoyed catching up with the characters from the previous books in the series.  I have enjoyed all of the books in the What Happens series, but this one is definitely my favorite.