4 Star
Jackie Sullivan was drawn to the red rocks of Sedona, Arizona after a failed marriage and an out-of-the-blue job loss. But did she move cross country to chase a dream or a dreamy tour guide?
She had it all – the husband, the house, the job…but that’s in the past. A chance encounter with Rick, a sexy tour guide, gets her dreaming of a new life in Sedona. Jackie’s efforts to re-invent herself in the tight-knit desert community are, well … complicated. Sedona is terrific, but as the locals note, ‘it’s not for everyone.’ Does Rick want a relationship or just a friend with benefits? And in the case of her ex-husband, absence definitely makes the heart grow fonder! Is it her imagination, or is Rob more amazing than ever?
With her 40th birthday looming, Jackie challenges herself to navigate a new path fueled by an unflagging sense of humor and lots of caffeine. Jackie has already had her happy; now she wants her ever after!
Sabrina-Kate - 4 Star
I was pleasantly surprised with this novel, though I have to say that the title and cover did not particularly appeal to me. The synopsis was enough to entice me and I am very glad that I did give this book a chance.
The main character, Jackie Sullivan, was someone I felt I could be friends with. Although she was almost 40 years old, she seemed somewhat lost in life. Shockingly, I found myself relating to her despite having quite different life circumstances. I guess the fact that she seemed to have things figured out but that she ended up realizing that she really didn’t, was something that struck a chord with me.
I found the concept of starting over completely, in a new city knowing almost no one, a very brave thing to do and wondered if I would also be capable of doing something so drastic to find happiness. I would like to think I would and so I liked that this book got me thinking!
The characters were so realistic that I felt myself caring about what happened to them and being frustrated with how some of them were acting at times. This is a sure sign of a good read when I find myself reacting as if they were indeed real people I knew. Another sign of a good book for me is the fact that I didn’t want to put the book down once I had picked it up which is something that I can say is not easy for me to accomplish.
Another thing that I found impressive was the way that Sedona, Arizona was brought to life through the subtle descriptions that were interspersed throughout. I have never had the urge to visit this state (or city) but I would definitely consider it now!
First time author Gail Olmsted will be one that I will keep on my list and it is no wonder that she was a finalist in Amazon’s Breakthrough Novel contest.
Thank you to the author for our review copy. All opinions are our own.
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