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Delving into Family Secrets: Book Review

12/27/2012

The Sweetness of Forgetting by Kristin Harmel
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I wasn't sure if I would like this book since the main character's grandmother has Alzheimer's and I was worried it would be too depressing. It wasn't, though. In fact, Hope's grandmother reveals important family secrets because she doesn't want to take them to the grave. What the grandmother reveals are the names of people she left in Paris while fleeing the Nazis. I ended up learning a great deal about that time period in history and how family secrets can inadvertently impact other generations. I liked how uncovering her grandmother's past helped Hope learn to take risks again. I will definitely check out the other books by Kristin Harmel.

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What makes a mother? Book Review

12/17/2012

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The Underside of Joy by Seré Prince Halverson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is what great women's fiction is about. The main character, Ella, is a wonderful woman who married a man whose children had been abandoned by their birth mother. Unfortunately, her husband dies unexpectedly and suddenly the "real mom" shows up and wants her kids. The courts usually favor the birth parents, but Ella is the only mom the three year old even recognizes. The older child, however, seems happy to have her birth mother back. I couldn't believe I was rooting for the stepmother in this book, but I was. The ending caught me by surprise and I appreciated that, too. My only regret is that this is the first book by this author, so now I must wait to read more.

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If you enjoy happy endings with a twist, check out "A Sister's Promise" or "What Happiness Looks Like."

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Movies You Might've Missed: Christmas edition

12/10/2012

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Have you already watched Miracle on 34th Street and It’s a Wonderful Life and every other Christmas movie you can think of? I love the classics, but I also enjoy discovering a family film I’ve never seen before. If you’re like me, longing for a heart-warming story in which you don’t have all of the lines memorized, check out Prancer.

Sam Elliott plays a financially-strapped widower who spends more time scolding his precocious daughter, Jessica, than talking to her. He’s at such a loss, he’s planning on sending her to live with her aunt. Before he can go through with his plans, his eight-year-old daughter finds an injured reindeer that she’s convinced is Prancer. Hiding and stealing food for this reindeer puts Jessica even more at odds with her gruff father.

This precious movie reminded me of the innocence and unconditional love of children. It almost made me cry while leaving a big, Santa-inspired smile on my daughter’s face. For a Christmas movie that speaks to the reality of hard times and the magic of the season, treat your family to Prancer.

Be sure to treat yourself to A Sister’s Promise which provides a Happy Ending with a Twist. For a chance to win a free autographed copy of “What Happiness Looks Like”, click here. Please "like" and "tweet."

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Delving into Family Secrets: Book Review

What makes a mother? Book Review

If you enjoy happy endings with a twist, check out "A Sister's Promise" or "What Happiness Looks Like."

Movies You Might've Missed: Christmas edition

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