IN BLOOM is a book with three stories by different authors. As it turns out all three of these talented authors have been favorites of mine for years, so of course I grabbed at the chance to review IN BLOOM.
As in most stories you have to take a leap into believing the unbelievable. Part of the fun is being swept away with a premise that will hopefully tickle your fancy. And these three writers have that ability. Tested by years in the business and authors of some fabulous works of literary art.
Fern Michael opens the book with her AMAZING GRACIE. Nothing on the surface to explain the title. Gracie is a thirty-two-year-old single flight attendant who loves her job. Loves flying and has been all over the globe. Gracie also loves people and has an affinity for caring for folks which makes her the perfect candidate for her job. Flight attendants are sort of ambassadors and Gracie is well trained for that job. Gracie is flying home to spend Mother’s Day with her mom Ella and sister Hope. The three are very close. This is to be a Mother’s Day to remember as memories and discoveries highlight their time together.
Next up is MEANT TO BE by Lori Foster. Lori Foster decided to tackle something that most people feel is rather not based in reality, shall we say. The idea that there are folks that see things. Folks that see the future. In MEANT TO BE Cory’s dad, Jamie has that innate talent. Cory and her mom Faith have always believed in Jamie’s innate ability to see things. Candidly Cory also has some of those talents. And that’s the basis for the conflict in this story. As a very young girl Cory had seen and alerted her friend Austin that they were meant to be. Lori Foster sets us up for a very entertaining tale about destiny and love. MEANT TO BE certainly lives up to its title as expected coming from the creative pen of Lori Foster. You know the expression it takes a village, well in MEANT TO BE that totally describes Visitation and Cory and Austin. Be prepared to be charmed. Even if you don’t believe in second sight, suspend disbelief for just a while and enjoy.
Last in line is THE MOTHERS DAY CROWN by Carolyn Brown whose stories have always made me laugh out loud. Carolyn Brown likes to mix up angst with outrageous humor though the characters she creates. In THE MOTHERS DAY CROWN we face folks that are moving onto the next stage of their lives. Two grandmothers, spry and sassy, in assisted living homes enjoying themselves and appreciating their lives and families. Winnie and Dotty are almost as precocious as a young child. And their antics and dialog remind us that being eighty has a lot of joy. Their grandkids Tyler and Monica are also moving onto new lives. Both have been given a chance to follow their hearts and give each other the second chance richly deserved, albeit difficult to navigate. Great moments are accompanied with country songs and lyrics which is trademark Carolyn Brown.
All three authors flexed their writing muscles to come up with this trilogy of tales all based on forgiveness, trust and love. Personally, these authors have entertained me for years. And I am sure that IN BLOOM is going to delight readers.
AMAZING GRACIE * Fern Michaels After years spent traveling the world as a flight attendant, Gracie Walden is ready to stay a little closer to her roots, starting with two weeks at home in Amarillo, Texas. But there’s unexpected turbulence between her mother, Ella, and her older sister, Hope—and it will lead to a revelation that changes Gracie’s life in amazing ways . . .
THE MOTHER’S DAY CROWN * Carolyn Brown Monica Allen still hasn’t forgiven Tyler Magee for breaking her heart when they were teenagers. Ten years on, they’re back in Luella, Texas, visiting their respective grandmothers. and there’s just a white picket fence and a whole lot of awkwardness between them. Will two weeks be long enough for Monica to learn to stop holding a grudge—and hold on to love?
MEANT TO BE * Lori Foster When Cory Creed was just a little girl, she knew she’d grow up to marry Austin Winston—and she made the mistake of telling him so. Tired of watching him avoid her ever since, Cory has decided it’s time to leave Visitation, North Carolina, and Austin, behind. But Austin has finally realized what Cory was once so sure of, and now it’s his turn to prove they belong together . . . with a little help from their mothers.