Book Review: Broken Pieces by Kathleen Long

Hi all,

I’ve read several of Kathleen Long’s novels and have enjoyed them very much, so when the opportunity to read her latest, Broken Pieces, came up, I jumped at it. Here is more about her novel and my review.

 

Broken Pieces

Kathleen Long

 

Book Description:

Destiny Jones is doing just fine on her own, thanks. From her thriving one-woman carpentry business to the loving support of her small-town community, Destiny has constructed a life as sturdy and polished as her best cabinets. Twenty years ago, Destiny’s world collapsed when her mother died and her father, Albert, abandoned his daughter to pursue acting in New York. His devastating exit taught Destiny a lesson in self-reliance that has kept her safe—and alone—ever since.

Now Albert Jones is back, begging for a second chance. Destiny suspects he’s simply staging another performance, starring himself as the prodigal father. Should she act on her misgivings? Or listen to her inner child, who still yearns for a family? When Albert divulges a shocking secret, Destiny’s life will again be turned upside down.

Kathleen Long’s warm, wise novel reveals the armor that has protected us in the past is often the very thing we must shed to fully live and love.

 

 

Buy now:

 

Amazon Kindle

 

Paperback

 

Audiobook

 

My 5 Star Review:

I’ll just say it: Broken Pieces is Kathleen Long’s best novel to date! I have read several of her other novels, and this one is my favorite. The author takes us on a journey of family, broken promises, secrets, and redemption, and drops a surprise in our laps when we least suspect it. Brilliant!

I liked the main character, Destiny Jones, immediately. She has learned the hard way not to depend on or get close to others, and has succeeded in her life despite a sad childhood. Yet, she isn’t bitter. She lives in a small town and has close friends who she cares about. You can’t blame her when her absentee father arrives one day and she’s not thrilled about it. From there, the story flourishes and stretches, pushing limits and warming the reader’s heart. An absolute must read if you love a great family drama.

 

(I received an advance copy of Broken Pieces from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for my honest review.)

 

About the Author:

 

A long time ago, in an elementary school far, far away, a very young Kathleen scribbled a story idea in her journal. Then she wrote another, and another. She added several poems, the lyrics to a song or two, a love letter to David Cassidy, and so on and so on.

While her early writings never saw the light of day, many of her later works did. And while she did not marry David Cassidy, Kathleen did marry her own Prince Charming. Together, they are raising one drama queen and one obedience-challenged border collie mix in a kingdom divided between suburban Philadelphia and the Jersey shore.

Kathleen is the RITA® nominated, RIO Award and two-time Gayle Wilson Award of Excellence winning author of fourteen novels of contemporary romance, suspense and women's fiction. Her additional honors include National Readers Choice, Holt Medallion, and Booksellers Best award nominations.

She divides her time between plotting her next book, bribing her little one to pick up her toys, and begging the dog to heel. Life is good. Very, very good.

 

See my review of Kathleen Long’s novel Counting Stars

 

Cheers,

Deanna

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Finding Libbie Kindle Fire Giveaway!

Whoo Hoo! I can finally announce the winners of the contest.

Jennifer C. won the Kindle Fire and Rachel G. and Stephanie G. each won a $25 Amazon Gift Card.

Thanks to everyone who entered. Don't be dismayed if you didn't win - I'll have another giveaway soon!



Hi all,

My latest novel, FINDING LIBBIE, is only a month away from publication on September 6th, and I'm so excited that I'm having a giveaway. So come along and enter to win some fabulous prizes.

 

 

 

 

Finding Libbie Kindle Fire Giveaway!

 

Prizes:

 

Grand Prize: 1 Brand New Kindle Fire 7” Tablet

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Contest Dates: August 6th - September 6th

 

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Good Luck!

 

About Finding Libbie:

Poring over a dusty hatbox of photographs in her grandmother’s closet, Emily Prentice is shocked to discover her father was married to his high school sweetheart before meeting her mother.

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Book Review: In Twenty Years by Allison Winn Scotch

In Twenty Years

Allison Winn Scotch

 

Book Description:

 

Twenty years ago, six Penn students shared a house, naively certain that their friendships would endure—until the death of their ringleader and dear friend Bea splintered the group for good. Now, mostly estranged from one another, the remaining five reluctantly gather at that same house on the eve of what would have been Bea’s fortieth birthday.

But along with the return of the friends come old grudges, unrequited feelings, and buried secrets. Catherine, the CEO of a domestic empire, and Owen, a stay-at-home dad, were picture-perfect college sweethearts—but now teeter on the brink of disaster. Lindy, a well-known musician, is pushing middle age in an industry that’s all about youth and slowly self-destructing as she grapples with her own identity. Behind his smile, handsome plastic surgeon Colin harbors the heartbreaking truth about his own history with Bea. And Annie carefully curates her life on Instagram and Facebook, keeping up appearances so she doesn’t have to face the truth about her own empty reality.

Reunited in the place where so many dreams began, and bolstered by the hope of healing, each of them is forced to confront the past.

 

Buy now on Amazon in Kindle, Paperback and Audio Book formats

 

 

My 5 Star Review

 

Five college friends reunite years later on the eve of what would have been their dear friend’s, Bea’s, 40^th birthday in the same house they lived in at the university. Bea is no longer with them, and this, among other things, has put a strain on their relationship with each other. Each person, Lindy, Colin, Catherine, Owen, and Annie, are successful in their own way, but each one is at a crossroads in their lives. Will going back to where it all started heal them, or will it tear them even further apart?

 

Allison Winn Scotch writes a realistic, touching, and sometimes funny yet heartbreaking story of this group that once was so connected and now are more like strangers. The old saying goes, ‘you can’t go home again,’ but is that really true? Can these five people find what they’d lost so long ago in the place where they felt they were at their very best? Life moves on, people change as circumstances change, and sometimes we become the worst version of ourselves. These five people feel they are all moving in the wrong direction with their lives when they return to their youth for one weekend. Can they give up old grudges, forgive past transgressions, and finally feel free to be their true selves again?

 

I enjoyed this novel by a talented writer and look forward to reading more novels by Allison Winn Scotch.

 

(I received an advanced copy of this novel from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for my honest review.)

 

About the Author

 

Allison Winn Scotch is the bestselling author of five novels, including THE THEORY OF OPPOSITES, TIME OF MY LIFE, and THE DEPARTMENT OF LOST AND FOUND. Her sixth novel, IN TWENTY YEARS, will be released on July 1st, 2016. In addition to fiction, she pens celebrity profiles for a variety of magazines, which justifies her pop culture obsession and occasionally lends to awesome Facebook status updates. She lives in Los Angeles with her family. For more about her and her books, go to allisonwinn.com or follow her on Twitter at @aswinn.


I hope you will give this novel a try.

Cheers,
Deanna