A winter Discovery by Lou Aronica
Second book in the series: Gerry and his family.
It's winter almost Christmas and 6 year old Reese is very excited about the presents Santa will bring.
Now that they were a real family things settled down some but Maureen's spirit was always there in the house and in their hearts.
Reese wanted to make a frosty- a snowman that came to life so they'd need the real parts in order for it happen. He doesn't remember his mother but there are many pictures around the house and things spark his interest in her.
He had a dream that the Polar express train to the North Pole was going to stop and wait just a minute at his house to pick him up so he quietly went to wait outside after getting winter clothes on.
He finds some magic thing with some of the snow=it doesn't melt at all.
It makes him think of his mother.
Tanya is home from college and enjoys the chats she has with her dad while he's cooking and Reese fits right in there with hugs for his sister.
They get into the spirit by driving to a real tree farm to select theirs and cut it down, decorate the house and have music on just like his mom would've done.
Must be some kind of magic that nobody but Reese can see the snowflakes that don't melt.
Reese has a lot of questions about the holiday TV shows when things just don't add up for him...
They finally get to decorate the family tree and Reese's tree in his room. His real mother had left him a gift that he will cherish...
Leaves by Lou Aronica
Foliage of autumn leaves along Connecticut, breathtaking!
That and other things made me want to read this book as I love being able to see the colors now and love the scenery.
The siblings sat around the kitchen table to discuss plans for the annual tradition. No spouses or children, just the immediate family. Everyone would have a job to fulfill.
The Sugar Maple Inn had a yearly October Halloween open Inn event that both Bethany and Joseph Gold had taken special pleasure in bringing to the community. Now that they were gone the children were going to make sure it continued this year before the Inn was sold.
Love the references to the musical artists that I still follow.
Each of the children have their own lives and are at various stages of relationships and some have children of varying ages.
Love the photography and culinary skills.
Love how she experiments with herbs and spices to perfection.
The book is very detailed, descriptive enough and warm and welcoming that I feel a part of the family. Many of the events that do take place I've lived through myself so I know the pain and sorrow and joy and happiness.
Love how some things that occur bring up memories of the past, the siblings getting along and being a family.
Even though there are a lot of characters in this book they are very easy to keep track of and I love how the chapters are set up. Nothing in confusing in this book.
First you start out just meeting them and as time goes on you discover the relationship problems they are having, sometimes it's just the kids problems.
Love how the brothers and sisters can just drop in on another sibling and talk about their problems.
One thing I do when I find a new author to read and like what I'm reading is to go visit their site, which I did and I can't wait to find the other books he's written so I can read them as well. This book also includes a chapter of Micheal's other works.
Happy to learn this is one of a series, oh sweet!
Crossing the Bridge by Lou Aronica
I have enjoyed many of this author's works and when I noticed Libboo was offering it for buzzing I applied and won a copy.
This is the story of Hugh, alternating chapters of past and present. His life and those in his life along the way. His younger brother Chase is now dead
and Hugh has been on the road since then. He has a thing for his brothers old girlfriend Lisa and they meet while she's in town. He had to return home to take care of his father's store after the heart attach.
His mother is still living and he stays with them temporarily. We find out the links they all share to the past over time.
Heartbreaking memories of his brother that he never got out of his system and he fears his father never finished grieving for him also. I was happy to learn of the games they play when Chase was the one who would play.
Loved hearing the wood shop and his strolls through the house when he's there by himself to help him remember Chase.
Like how the book got its title. Ten year anniversary is approaching and they are trying to deal with new information...
I received this book from Libboo.com in exchange for my honest review
When You Went Away by Lou Aronica
After reading Michaels' soon to be released book and enjoying it I got several of his other books. This one is about Gerry who has lost his wife Maureen and he's left with his 4 month old son Reese. Tanya he hopes will come home back to Long Island, NY in time.
The story goes back to happier times with the family and then up to date where he's just hired Lisa to take care of the baby so he can return to work.
He spends his whole day with his son, watching him laugh, as he walks around the house with him pointing everything out, especially the pictures of his mother and sister.
As time goes on we do learn why the daughter has run away with 2 years of high school being a straight A student,... It was a surprise to him also when Maureen told him she was pregnant.
He is back to work and others in the family's life stop in to lend support and bring him up to date with their latest news.
Love how the talks to his son about the Yankees play by play action in preseason games.
His sister in law Codie has heard from Tanya and they confide in one another.
The journal Maureen had given him one year was going to be put to good use...like how he uses it to move on with his life at the same time recording his thoughts and feelings about how his daughter had changed their lives.
He intellectually connects with a lady in his office where her job for the Christmas catalog is to pitch ideas at him and they discuss why they might work or might not. He's agreed to have dinner with her and this will be the first time since he lost his wife.
Love how everything is brought full circle by the end of the book, didn't see it coming...
Because there are only a few main characters you can get to know them very well. There are others that come into play and they are both good listeners and sometimes like to be listened to as well.
Love the honesty, deepness of the topics discussed and the loving nature he has for all that he comes into contact with
Spinning by Lou Aronica
When I was first offered this book I jumped at the chance as I've read and enjoyed other books by the author and knew this would be a good story.
Dylan is single and has worked his way up the ladder to a lead position and now with the great job he had done getting an account from another company to handle, he has many choices-job wise.
Problem is Diane who he knew a long time ago has reappeared in his life with a 3 year old and the child is not his. She moves on and gets a job herself and it comes with an apartment and day care.
Tragedy strikes next as Dylan is becoming accustomed to the child, Spring, she's grabbed a piece of his heart. He must now be her only living family, although they are not related at all.
The refreshing thing about this book is that it's about Dylan and how he copes with things from his perspective. Different that it's not from the woman's point of view but still a very good well written story as are the authors other books I've read.
When Family Services came knocking he had built up a relationship with Spring, routines, etc and finds himself at a loss but with help from his friends he gets in gear to fight for her. He's only a single guy and he's not blood related and considers again all the things left behind from Diane...
The Journey Home by Lou Aronica
This book follows a few different groups of people.
Joseph wakes up and has lost his memory and knows he must find home where his wife will be worried about him.
Antoniette is in a nursing home and waits for Jeffrey to come visit. Her days are filled with remembering her husband and when they were first married.
Warren her son, divorced, no job comes to visit daily and she offers tea to him but he discovers she has no tea bags and there's none in the trash, after she's said she just had a cup. We have been at this place with my mother in law and
its heartbreaking to see and be a part of. She is trying to keep in her 'home' and not be with the other residents of the adult assisted living facility. Warren needs to find a new 'home' also. That's the common thread they all share in this book.
Warren has a solution to her outbreaks in public restaurants and her memory loss...
Will, a teenage boy takes Joseph for a ride to bring him back home-after hours he has no idea where it is...
Love all the talk of cooking and the different combinations of food and substitutions.
Excerpts and author's thoughts on his other writings are included at the end of the book.
I received this book from Libboo.com via The Story Plant in exchange for my honest opinion
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