Contemporary Romance Review: What Matters Most by Courtney Walsh

Book Description:
Emma Woodson is hoping the cobblestone streets of Nantucket and the charm of her late husband’s family cottage will be the fresh start she and her young son, CJ, need. Securing a dream job at an art gallery is one more step along the path to a new life . . . and away from a piece of her history she hopes will never be revealed. Falling in love with the kind and handsome guy she hires to clean out the rental apartment above the garage wasn’t part of the plan.

Jameson Shaw came to Nantucket for one reason: deliver his letter to Emma and never return. But when he sees an opportunity to help her, he takes a chance, desperate to atone for his past. He never planned to keep his connection to her husband a secret or to fall in love with her. After all, he knows that their new relationship might not survive the discovery of who he really is.

My Thoughts:
This is an amazing story of redemption, grace, and love. Emma and her son need a fresh start as she grieves. Jameson wants to reconcile for something in his past. When the two meet, sparks ignite. Behind every good story lies tension, and Walsh draws that into this beautiful story of forgiveness. I've read several of Courtney Walsh's books, and this is one of her best. I thoroughly enjoyed seeing Emma grow as a person and take back some of her tenacity as she landed a job she longed for. Jameson is swoon worthy in his kind caring way. And CJ is a sweetheart. If you enjoy heartrending stories and romance, you'll want to read What Matters Most. I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Fiction Review: Things Left Unsaid by Courtney Walsh

Book Description:

An emotional novel of family, friendship and forgiveness from Courtney Walsh, the New York Times bestselling author of Hometown Girl.

Lyndie St. James is thrilled that her best friend, Elle, is getting married but unprepared for the emotional storm of the wedding week and returning to her childhood summer home of Sweethaven. The idyllic cottage community harbors some of her best—and worst—memories. It’s not only the tragic death of her childhood friend Cassie that has haunted her for ten years, it’s the other secrets she’s buried that have kept her from moving on.

But Lyndie isn’t the only one with secrets.

Cassie’s mother, father and brother, still struggling with the loss, have been drifting further and further apart. And Elle herself, the last to see Cassie alive, carries an impossible burden of guilt. Now reunited, each of them has a choice: to reveal the truths of that night or continue to live in its shadow. That means embarking on a personal journey of the heart—to escape the darkness and all its regrets and to finally come to terms with the past and, especially, with each other.

My Review:
I can't say enough good things about this book! Things Left Unsaid is a beautiful story of love and forgiveness. Courtney Walsh delves into the difficult territory of guilt and self-blame. Lyndie's heart has ached for years, taking her on a negative path, far away from the faith she once had. Her trip back to a place she once loved is both difficult and necessary. I absolutely love how Courtney handles the telling of this poignant story. She gets inside the characters' hearts and peals away the layers of years of hurt. After I finished the last chapter, parts of the story replayed in my head for days. If you enjoy well written fiction filled with meaning, read Things Left Unsaid. I guarantee you'll connect to at least one character and their story. I received a complimentary copy of this book from Waterfall Press through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Fiction Review: Just Let Go by Courtney Walsh

Book Description:

For Quinn Collins, buying the flower shop in downtown Harbor Pointe fulfills a childhood dream, but also gives her the chance to stick it to her mom, who owned the store before skipping town twenty years ago and never looking back. Completing much-needed renovations, however, while also competing for a prestigious flower competition with her mother as the head judge, soon has Quinn in over her head. Not that she’d ever ask for help.

Luckily, she may not need to. Quinn’s father and his meddling friends find the perfect solution in notorious Olympic skier Grady Benson, who had only planned on passing through the old-fashioned lakeside town. But when a heated confrontation leads to property damage, helping Quinn as a community-service sentence seems like the quickest way out—and the best way to avoid more negative press.

Quinn finds Grady reckless and entitled; he thinks she’s uptight and too regimented. Yet as the two begin to hammer and saw, Quinn sees glimpses of the vulnerability behind the bravado, and Grady learns from her passion and determination, qualities he seems to have lost along the way. But when a well-intentioned omission has devastating consequences, Grady finds himself cast out of town—and Quinn’s life—possibly forever. Forced to face the hurt holding her back, Quinn must finally let go or risk missing out on the adventure of a lifetime.

My Review:
I like Just Let Go because the characters are flawed, just like me. Courtney Walsh has written a story about people who have lived life. They've failed, they've triumphed, but they've carried baggage. Heavy suitcases filled with burden. While one holds on to their faith, the other has let go and gone off the edge. This is a beautiful story of realization and redemption. A story of forgiveness in the most personal sense. I love Courtney's books, and this one is no exception. It is refreshing to read the story of people who demonstrate how the love of God brings hope. I purchased a Kindle copy from Amazon. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Fiction Book Review: Hometown Girl by Courtney Walsh

Book Description:

Beth Whitaker isn’t supposed to be a small-town girl. She’s always dreamed of leaving Willow Grove, Illinois, for the big city, but she feels trapped, struggling to make up for a mistake that’s haunted her for years. Just when Beth is finally ready to break free, her sister impulsively buys a beloved but run-down farm on the outskirts of town, and she begs Beth to help with the restoration. Reluctantly, Beth agrees to help—and puts her own dreams on hold once again.

Drew Barlow hasn’t been back to Fairwind Farm since he was a boy, and he’s spent all these years trying to outrun the pain of a past he thought he buried long ago. When he learns that the owner has passed away, his heart knows it’s finally time to do the right thing. Returning to Willow Grove, Drew revisits the old farm, where he attempts to piece together his memories and the puzzle of the crime he witnessed so long ago.

Both on a journey to find peace, Beth and Drew are surprised when they begin to experience a restoration of their own. But when long-buried secrets break through the soil and the truth unfurls, will it threaten their budding relationship—and the very future of the farm?

My Review:
I've read several of Courtney Walsh's books. This one is my favorite, so far. The journey Beth travels is one I think many readers would relate to. Expectation can be such a road block to what God intends for us. And Drew's story. Wow. Beth may have been the Hometown Girl, but Drew was the broken boy. With a mystery waiting to be solved and delightful secondary characters, this book kept me up past my bedtime. If you enjoy mystery, romance, and small town stories, this is the perfect book to read. I purchased the Kindle edition from Amazon.

Fiction Book Review: Change of Heart by Courtney Walsh

Publisher's Description:

A Colorado senator’s wife, Evelyn Brandt seems to have it all. But her carefully constructed life comes toppling down when the FBI crashes her society brunch with news that her husband has been arrested for embezzlement, and he’s far from repentant. It turns out this was only the start of his indiscretions—for which he has little regret.

As the weeks following the scandal turn into months, Evelyn withdraws, even shirking her duties with the philanthropic Valentine Volunteers. The inquisitive women of the group are determined not to let Evelyn’s divorce destroy her. They have big plans for her to use her long-forgotten artistic talent to reimagine the city’s iconic lamppost hearts. But doing so will force Evelyn to work closely with Trevor Whitney, her ex-husband’s former best friend. Though she and Trevor used to be close—and he’s been letting her hide in his guesthouse—his gruffness conveys his unease with the situation.

Amid the beauty of Trevor’s farm and the comfort of a paintbrush, Evelyn starts to reclaim the dreams she sacrificed to become the perfect politician’s wife. And as creativity inspires them both, Whit begins to see the girl he fell in love with before his friend—and his own mistakes—stole his chance. Possibilities for a new beginning emerge, but long-kept secrets threaten to ruin everything. After so much time, is a change of heart too much to hope for?

My Review:

When I finish a novel and my first thought is I want more, I know I've just finished a great book. Courtney Walsh has written an excellent story of not just second chances but of new beginnings. Evelyn embodies a wounded soul with little to hang on to. Through Evelyn's story, the author weaves in the beautiful hope one finds in the Lord, without being preachy, and the promise that dreams can come true.

If you've read Paper Hearts, her first book set in Loves Park, you'll recognize the Valentine Volunteers, a fun group of ladies determined to be the town matchmakers. They add a note of whimsy to Change of Heart as they trip over each other while trying to "make things happen." As for Trevor, I enjoyed watching him squirm as he attempted to find his way in a maze of confusion and at times chaos. And his farm is a wonderful place to spend a few hours.

If you enjoy women's fiction with a touch of romance , a dab of spice, and a dose of truth, you'll like Change of Heart. If you haven't read Paper Hearts, I recommend that one as well. They don't have to be read in order.

I received this book in exchange for a fair review.

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