Category Archives: Susan Wiggs

July 14, 2022 · 12:01 am

Review: Sugar and Salt by Susan Wiggs

Title: Sugar and Salt by Susan Wiggs
Bella Vista Chronicles Book Four
Publisher: William Morrow
Genre: Contemporary, Women’s Fiction, Romance
Length: 384 pages
Book Rating: B+

Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher Through Edelweiss

Summary:

The New York Times bestselling author of The Lost and Found Bookstore returns to Perdita Street with a can’t-miss tale of friendship, hardship, redemption, and love between a San Francisco baker and a barbecue master from Texas.

Jerome “Sugar” Barnes learned the art of baking in his grandma’s bakery, also called Sugar, on historic Perdita Street in San Francisco. He supplies baked goods to the Lost and Found Bookshop across the street.

When the restaurant that shares his commercial kitchen loses its longtime tenant, a newcomer moves in: Margot Salton, a barbecue master from Texas.

Margot isn’t exactly on the run, but she needs a fresh start. She’s taken care of herself her whole life, pulling herself up by her fingernails to recover from trauma, and her dream has been to open a restaurant somewhere far, far from Texas. The shared kitchen with Jerome Sugar’s bakery is the perfect setup: a state-of-the-art kitchen and a vibrant neighborhood popular with tourists and locals.

Margot instantly takes to Jerome’s grandmother, the lively, opinionated Ida, and the older woman proves to be a good mentor. Margot thinks Jerome is gorgeous, and despite their different backgrounds their attraction is powerful–even though Jerome worries that Margot will simply move on from him once she’s found some peace and stability. But just as she starts to relax into a happy new future, Margot’s past in Texas comes back to haunt her…

Review:

Sugar and Salt by Susan Wiggs is a thought-provoking novel that is quite heartwarming.

Margot Salton is a Texas transplant whose move to San Francisco follows a traumatic event that still haunts her. Her dream of opening a BBQ restaurant has just come true and she cannot wait to open her doors. Margot shares a kitchen with Sugar, the bakery next door, which is a family-owned business run by the owner’s son, Jerome. Their blossoming friendship soon turns much deeper, but Margot has valid concerns about how Jerome will react once she reveals the secrets of her past.

Margot is young but her life has been anything but easy. After her mother’s untimely death while Margot is still a teenager, she is on her own as she plans her future. After meeting the town’s golden boy, her life is turned upside down. While already facing an uphill battle against corruption, Margot is soon facing an incredibly difficult decision that is heart-wrenching.

Jerome is divorced with two young sons. He is drawn to Margot right from the beginning but he has reservations about getting involved with a younger woman.  As they decide to explore their burgeoning feelings, will unexpected complications destroy their chance for a future together?

Sugar and Salt is a captivating novel that is heartfelt and engaging. Margot is an admirable young woman who has overcome incredible odds in her young life. Jerome has nothing but respect for Margot as she builds her business. Their friendship is sweet and provides a solid foundation for their burgeoning romance. The storyline is well-executed and touches on relevant social issues such as inequities in the justice system.  Susan Wiggs deftly handles sensitive subject matter with sensitivity and brings this fourth installment in the Bella Vista Chronicles series to a deeply affecting conclusion.

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Filed under Bella Vista Chronicles, Contemporary, Rated B+, Review, Romance, Salt and Sugar, Susan Wiggs, William Morrow, Women's Fiction

July 1, 2020 · 11:58 pm

Review: The Lost and Found Bookshop by Susan Wiggs

Title: The Lost and Found Bookshop by Susan Wiggs
Publisher: William Morrow
Genre: Contemporary, Women’s Fiction
Length: 365 pages
Book Rating: B

Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher Through Edelweiss

Summary:

In this thought-provoking, wise and emotionally rich novel, New York Times bestselling author Susan Wiggs explores the meaning of happiness, trust, and faith in oneself as she asks  the question, “If you had to start over, what would you do and who would you be?”

There is a book for everything . . . 

Somewhere in the vast Library of the Universe, as Natalie thought of it, there was a book that embodied exactly the things she was worrying about.

In the wake of a shocking tragedy, Natalie Harper inherits her mother’s charming but financially strapped bookshop in San Francisco. She also becomes caretaker for her ailing grandfather Andrew, her only living relative—not counting her scoundrel father.

But the gruff, deeply kind Andrew has begun displaying signs of decline. Natalie thinks it’s best to move him to an assisted living facility to ensure the care he needs. To pay for it, she plans to close the bookstore and sell the derelict but valuable building on historic Perdita Street, which is in need of constant fixing. There’s only one problem–Grandpa Andrew owns the building and refuses to sell. Natalie adores her grandfather; she’ll do whatever it takes to make his final years happy. Besides, she loves the store and its books provide welcome solace for her overwhelming grief.

After she moves into the small studio apartment above the shop, Natalie carries out her grandfather’s request and hires contractor Peach Gallagher to do the necessary and ongoing repairs. His young daughter, Dorothy, also becomes a regular at the store, and she and Natalie begin reading together while Peach works.

To Natalie’s surprise, her sorrow begins to dissipate as her life becomes an unexpected journey of new connections, discoveries and revelations, from unearthing artifacts hidden in the bookshop’s walls, to discovering the truth about her family, her future, and her own heart.

Review:

The Lost and Found Bookshop by Susan Wiggs is a delightful novel of healing.

Natalie Harper has a career that provides her with security but not much joy.  After a tragic loss, she quits her job and moves back to San Francisco to work in the family bookshop.  Despite her grief and worry, Natalie is delighted to spend time with her beloved grandfather Andrew.  However, her joy is tempered with sorrow since his health is failing. Although concerned about the business, Natalie goes ahead with much needed repairs on the historic building and she enjoys the quiet company of contractor Peach Gallagher and his adorable daughter Dorothy. Will Natalie save the bookshop and the only home she has ever known?

After moving back home, Natalie is surprised at how happy she is to be back at the bookshop. But with the extremely precarious financial situation looming over her, she is uncertain how she will be able to keep the business afloat.  But her biggest worry is losing the building that houses both the business and their family.  Trying to keep her anxiety at bay, Natalie does everything she can to increase sales while trying to temper her frustration over how the business ended up in such a mess. At the same time, she continues to mourn her loss.

Peach is a devoted dad who will do anything for Dorothy.  He is the epitome of  “once burned, twice shy” so he ignores his growing attraction to Natalie.  As he restores the historical buildings, Peach makes a few unexpectedly valuable discoveries that might just help Natalie save her family’s legacy.

The Lost and Found Bookshop is a marvelous novel with an engaging and interesting storyline. The characters are wonderfully developed and quite appealing. The bookshop is a charming backdrop and springs vibrantly to life.  Susan Wiggs brings this heartwarming novel to a poignant yet uplifting conclusion.

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Filed under Contemporary, Rated B, Review, Susan Wiggs, The Lost and Found Bookshop, William Morrow, Women's Fiction

August 12, 2019 · 11:58 pm

Review: The Oysterville Sewing Circle by Susan Wiggs

Title: The Oysterville Sewing Circle by Susan Wiggs
Publisher: William Morrow
Genre: Contemporary, Women’s Fiction
Length: 384 pages
Book Rating: A

Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher Through Edelweiss

Summary:

“Stitched together with love, this is a story just waiting for your favorite reading chair. With her signature style and skill, Susan Wiggs delivers an intricate patchwork of old wounds and new beginnings, romance and the healing power of friendship, wrapped in a lovely little community that’s hiding a few secrets of its own.”
— Lisa Wingate, New York Times Bestselling author of Before We Were Yours

The #1 New York Times bestselling author brings us her most ambitious and provocative work yet—a searing and timely novel that explores the most volatile issue of our time—domestic violence.

At the break of dawn, Caroline Shelby rolls into Oysterville, Washington, a tiny hamlet at the edge of the raging Pacific.

She’s come home.

Home to a place she thought she’d left forever, home of her heart and memories, but not her future. Ten years ago, Caroline launched a career in the glamorous fashion world of Manhattan. But her success in New York imploded on a wave of scandal and tragedy, forcing her to flee to the only safe place she knows.

And in the backseat of Caroline’s car are two children who were orphaned in a single chilling moment—five-year-old Addie and six-year-old Flick. She’s now their legal guardian—a role she’s not sure she’s ready for.

But the Oysterville she left behind has changed. Her siblings have their own complicated lives and her aging parents are hoping to pass on their thriving seafood restaurant to the next generation. And there’s Will Jensen, a decorated Navy SEAL who’s also returned home after being wounded overseas. Will and Caroline were forever friends as children, with the promise of something more . . . until he fell in love with Sierra, Caroline’s best friend and the most beautiful girl in town. With her modeling jobs drying up, Sierra, too, is on the cusp of reinventing herself.

Caroline returns to her favorite place: the sewing shop owned by Mrs. Lindy Bloom, the woman who inspired her and taught her to sew. There she discovers that even in an idyllic beach town, there are women living with the deepest of secrets. Thus begins the Oysterville Sewing Circle—where women can join forces to support each other through the troubles they keep hidden.

Yet just as Caroline regains her creativity and fighting spirit, and the children begin to heal from their loss, an unexpected challenge tests her courage and her heart. This time, though, Caroline is not going to run away. She’s going to stand and fight for everything—and everyone—she loves.

Review:

The Oysterville Sewing Circle by Susan Wiggs is a poignant, heartwarming novel that features a meaningful and topical storyline.

Caroline Shelby is on the cusp of attaining her dream of becoming a successful fashion designer when her hopes and dreams are soon dashed by her boss Mick Taylor. She is still reeling from her professional loss when her best friend Angelique Baptiste unexpectedly dies. Caroline is now the guardian of Angelique’s two young children, six year Flick and his five year old sister Addie. Soon after, she packs up the children and leaves New York to return to Oysterville, her hometown on the Washington coast.  Living with her parents, Caroline hopes to salvage her tattered career but getting used to instant motherhood takes some adjustment. Determined to understand what happened to Angelique, Caroline puts together a domestic violence support group for the women in her area.  Growing into her new life, Caroline finds unexpected success with her fledgling design line. But will the opportunity for success slip through her fingers when she decides to confront her past in New York?

Growing up, Caroline is the only one in her family whose future plans did not include working in her family’s wildly popular restaurant. She has spent the past several years working hard and barely scraping as she pursues her career goals. Powerless when she is betrayed by someone she trusts, Caroline is frustrated at being forced to start over again. She is also very concerned by her suspicions that Angelique is being abused. After her friend’s death, Caroline has no choice but to return home. She is grateful for her family’s support but Caroline is troubled by the uncertainty about their future.

Caroline’s happiness over reconnecting with Will and Sierra is tempered by her unresolved feelings about her childhood friends. The high point of her childhood summers revolve around Will’s yearly visits with his grandparents. They spend every waking minute together and their easy camaraderie results in shared secrets and a deep emotional bond. Fast forward a few years, and Caroline is now best friends with Sierra. But the addition of Sierra to her summers with Will causes unforeseen complications for Caroline. Deciding the best course of action is moving to New York after high school graduation, Caroline tries to forget how she feels about Will. After he and Sierra marry, her friendship with the couple gradually fades away. Which is why Caroline is so stunned to discover she still has feelings for Will. What impact will Sierra’s decision to chase her own dreams have on Will and Caroline?

The Oysterville Sewing Circle is a captivating novel of family, redemption and ultimately, love. The narration weaves back and forth in time and provides a touching portrait of Caroline’s and Will’s magical summers and close friendship. The characters are richly developed with relatable strengths and all too human foibles. The coastal setting is idyllic and quite healing as Caroline, Addie and Flick settle into their new life together. The domestic abuse aspect of the storyline is heart-wrenching and realistically portrayed.  Caroline’s struggles with her former boss shine a much needed light on how easy it is for powerful men to take advantage of the women who work for them.  With a realistic storyline and endearing characters, Susan Wiggs has deftly woven together a multi-layered and deeply affecting novel that will touch readers hearts and linger in their minds long after the last page is turned. I absolutely adored and highly recommend this charming yet sometimes bittersweet novel.

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Filed under Contemporary, Rated A, Review, Susan Wiggs, The Oysterville Sewing Circle, William Morrow, Women's Fiction

August 6, 2017 · 11:58 pm

Review: Map of the Heart by Susan Wiggs

Title: Map of the Heart by Susan Wiggs
Publisher: William Morrow
Genre: Contemporary, Historical (WWII), Romance, Women’s Fiction
Length: 368 pages
Book Rating: B+

Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher Through Edelweiss

Summary:

Love and family. War and secrets. Betrayal and redemption.

#1 New York Times bestselling author Susan Wiggs returns with a deeply emotional and atmospheric story that spans oceans and decades, from the present-day Delaware shore to the battlefields of WWII France.

Widowed by an unspeakable tragedy, Camille Palmer has made her peace with the past and settled into the quiet safety of life with her teenage daughter Julie in a sleepy coastal town. Then the arrival of a mysterious package breaks open the door to her family’s secret past. In uncovering a hidden history, Camille has no idea that she’s embarking on an adventure that will utterly transform her.

Camille, Julie, and Camille’s father return to the French town of his youth, sparking  unexpected memories — recollections that will lead them back to the dark days of the Second World War. And it is in the stunning Provençal countryside that they will uncover their family’s surprising history.

While Provence offers answers about the past, it also holds the key to Camille’s future. Along the way, she meets a former naval officer who stirs a passion deep within her — a feeling that she thought she’d never experience again.

Review:

Map of the Heart by Susan Wiggs is a beautifully rendered, poignant novel that mainly takes place in the present but also flips back in time to World War II in order to solve an intriguing family secret.

Camille Palmer Adams was at one time fearless and adventuresome as she embraced love and life without reservation. However, five years ago, in a heart-stopping instant, a tragic loss changed her into a woman who now refuses to take risks and rarely steps out of the sedate, safe life she has created with her fifteen year old daughter Julie. After experiencing another life-altering moment, Camille becomes aware that she has somehow overlooked some important changes in her daughter.  Will this stunning realization allow her to see past her own fears in order to allow Julie the freedom to spread her wings and enjoy life to the fullest? Or will Camille continue to let her past to shape her future?

Camille is quite close with her father, Henri Palmer, who left his small town in the French countryside to emigrate to America. As an American who romanticizes and idealizes the French, I immediately turned to my husband and asked, “why would a Frenchman abandon an idyllic life in FRANCE to permanently move to the United States?” The answer to that question stretches back to World War II and the beautiful, brave woman who refused to allow the Germans to defeat her after they invade her small country village.

In Map of the Heart, Susan Wiggs seamlessly weaves these two seemingly disparate story arcs into a heartwarming novel of healing and love. The novel’s picturesque settings spring vibrantly to life and readers will have no difficulty visualizing the coastal town of Bethany Bay or the bucolic French countryside.  The characters are multi-dimensional with true to life human frailties and foibles that make them easy to relate to as they attempt to make peace with their respective pasts.  I absolutely adored and highly recommend this captivating novel to fans of the genre.

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Filed under Contemporary, Historical, Historical (40s), Map of the Heart, Rated B+, Romance, Susan Wiggs, William Morrow, Women's Fiction

August 8, 2016 · 11:56 pm

Review: Family Tree by Susan Wiggs

Title: Family Tree by Susan Wiggs
Publisher: William Morrow
Genre: Contemporary, Women’s Fiction
Length: 368 pages
Book Rating: B+

Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher Through Edelweiss

Summary:

From the #1 New York Times bestselling author comes a powerful, emotionally complex story of love, loss, the pain of the past—and the promise of the future.

Sometimes the greatest dream starts with the smallest element. A single cell, joining with another. And then dividing. And just like that, the world changes.

Annie Harlow knows how lucky she is. The producer of a popular television cooking show, she loves her handsome husband and the beautiful Los Angeles home they share. And now, she’s pregnant with their first child. But in an instant, her life is shattered. And when Annie awakes from a yearlong coma, she discovers that time isn’t the only thing she’s lost.

Grieving and wounded, Annie retreats to her old family home in Switchback, Vermont, a maple farm generations old. There, surrounded by her free-spirited brother, their divorced mother, and four young nieces and nephews, Annie slowly emerges into a world she left behind years ago: the town where she grew up, the people she knew before, the high-school boyfriend turned judge. And with the discovery of a cookbook her grandmother wrote in the distant past, Annie unearths an age-old mystery that might prove the salvation of the family farm.

Family Tree is the story of one woman’s triumph over betrayal, and how she eventually comes to terms with her past. It is the story of joys unrealized and opportunities regained. Complex, clear-eyed and big-hearted, funny, sad, and wise, it is a novel to cherish and to remember.

Review:

Family Tree by Susan Wiggs is an emotionally compelling, poignant and humorous novel of healing and new beginnings.

Annie Rush has a career and husband she loves but in an instant, life as she knows it is gone.  Following a tragic accident, she wakes up from a year long coma with gaps in her memory and a long road of physical and occupational therapy ahead of her.  Returning to her family’s maple syrup farm in Switchback, Vermont, Annie’s recovery is arduous but with her family’s support, she slowly adjusts to her new “normal”. 

While her memories of current events are elusive, Annie has no trouble recalling her first love, Fletcher Wyndham.  Despite their love for one another, the timing was never quite right  for them and they finally broke up for good when Fletcher married someone else after Annie moved to California.  Fletcher is recently divorced and firmly entrenched in Switchback and once they realize their feelings have never waned, he and Annie rekindle their romance.  When an unexpected opportunity comes her way, will Annie chose her career?  Or will she follow her heart?

Annie fell in love with cooking at her beloved Gran’s side and from a young age, she always knew what she wanted out of life.  With single-minded determination, she set about making her dreams come true. While she might have wavered briefly after falling in love with Fletcher, they came up with a realistic plan to be together once Annie went off to college.  Unfortunately, life threw some unexpected obstacles in their path and their relationship was unable to survive these difficulties.

Annie’s career took her in very unanticipated direction and with Fletcher out of the picture, she fell in love with another man.  Her marriage to Martin was both a professional and personal collaboration as they worked together on a successful television cooking show.  Despite a few ups and downs, Annie is completely satisfied with her life with her husband right up until the day of her accident. Eager to share her good news with Martin, she discovers a devastating secret minutes before the accident that culminated in the year long coma.  Now picking up the pieces of her shattered life, Annie revisits both the joy and heartbreak of her past as she comes to terms with her present.

Fletcher is a genuinely kind-hearted man but he is stubborn and puts everyone else’s needs  ahead of his own.  His perseverance pays off and he finds an unexpected career path through misfortune.  With neither he nor Annie willing to compromise, they went their separate ways but Fletcher has no regrets about the way his life turned out.  But with Annie back in town, he is more than willing to their relationship another chance but Fletcher is not at all prepared when it appears history is going to repeat itself once again.

With chapters that alternate between past and present, Family Tree is a beautifully rendered novel that is poignant yet ultimately uplifting.  The characters are multi-faceted with flaws and human frailties that are easy to relate to.  The storyline is well-written and engaging with realistic problems and situations for the characters to overcome.  Susan Wiggs easily transitions into women’s fiction with this heartfelt novel of renewal and love.

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Filed under Contemporary, Family Tree, Rated B+, Review, Susan Wiggs, William Morrow, Women's Fiction

August 23, 2015 · 11:58 pm

Review: Starlight on Willow Lake by Susan Wiggs

starlight willowTitle: Starlight on Willow Lake by Susan Wiggs
Lakeshore Chronicles Series Book Eleven
Publisher: Mira
Genre: Contemporary, Romance
Length: 384 pages
Book Rating: A

Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher Through NetGalley

Summary:

Join #1 New York Times bestselling author Susan Wiggs on a journey to a charming Catskills town that feels like home and where a cast of brilliantly drawn characters awaits in a poignant story of reconciliation and the healing power of love.

Mason Bellamy’s world is fast, loud and decorated with the most extreme risks. Nothing can tempt him to give up his high-rolling Manhattan life and high-maintenance girlfriend—not even family. When he’s called home to upstate Avalon to help his quadriplegic mother in her deepest time of need, he sets his mind on temporary, determined to craft a way to care for her from a distance.

Alice Hayes is supposed to be his best solution. Hiring the gentle-hearted yet struggling caregiver as a live-in nurse gives Alice and her two daughters shelter, his mother companionship and Mason the freedom to escape to his adrenaline-pumped, no-attachments routine. But Alice’s beautiful presence promises to repair Mason’s frayed family ties. And his unstoppable attraction to Alice could lead to the most exhilarating thrill of his life.

Review:

Fan favorite Susan Wiggs returns with her beloved Lakeshore Chronicles series with her newest release, Starlight on Willow Lake. This heartwarming novel has a light romantic element but the deeper issues and personal growth of the main characters provide an extra layer of depth to the overall story.

Just as Mason Bellamy and his siblings are spreading their father’s ashes in New Zealand, they get news that their mother, a quadriplegic, has been injured in an accident at her home in Avalon. Even worse, they quickly discover their mom, Alice, has driven yet another caregiver to quit without notice. With neither his brother Adam nor his sister Ivy able to stay with her until a new home health aid is hired, Mason has no choice but to move in temporarily and help interview prospective employees. Although the two were once extremely close, Mason has kept both an emotional and physical distance from her for the past twenty years and he is not looking forward to extended visit with her.

In the years since her husband’s death, Faith McCallum has struggled financially and things have reached a crisis level for her and her two daughters Ruby and Cara when she is hired to work for Alice. Although they are unused to such elegant surroundings, the three settle in at the Bellamy estate and quickly breathe new life into the household. Faith is taken off guard by her reaction to Mason, but she has absolutely no plans or desire to act on her unwanted attraction for her employer’s son.

Faith is no pushover and she easily holds her own when Alice’s bitterness about her situation spills over into her treatment. She quickly recognizes there is more to Alice’s accident that a simple fall and she immediately takes her suspicions to Mason. Despite his reluctance to return to Avalon, his concern for his mother means a complete reorganization of his life until his brother returns from firefighter training. Mason is astonished by how much he begins to enjoy the slower pace of life in the small town and he begins to re-evaluate his future.

Alice shows a surprising interest in Faith’s daughters and although she is a bit gruff, the three share an uncomplicated friendship. Eight year old Ruby’s observations are insightful and she easily cuts through the nonsense to the heart of whatever subject they are discussing. Seventeen year old Cara has been forced to grow up too soon and she is rather cynical and jaded about her future. Alice challenges both girls to face their fears and in doing so, she becomes less prickly and more accepting of her new circumstances in life.

Faith and Mason bond over their shared concern for Alice. For the first time, Mason is able to discuss the precipitating event that caused him to pull away from his parents twenty years earlier. Their day to day lives overlap and an easygoing friendship slowly grows between them. When their feelings for one another run a little deeper than expected, Mason rethinks what he wants for his future while Faith must decide whether or not to risk her heart again.

Starlight on Willow Lake by Susan Wiggs is a beautiful journey of self-discovery and healing for Mason, Faith and Alice. The entire cast of characters are multi-faceted and immensely appealing. The storyline is realistic and blissfully free of unnecessary drama or conflict.  The romance between Faith and Mason is low-key and simmers in background as they each come to terms with their respective issues. A fast-paced and emotionally compelling novel that old and new fans of the Lakeshore Chronicles are going to absolutely LOVE.

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Filed under Contemporary, Harlequin, Lakeshore Chronicles, Mira, Rated A, Review, Romance, Starlight on Willow Lake, Susan Wiggs