Welcome to the Blog Tour & Giveaway for The Secret of Willow Inn by Pat Nichols, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!
ABOUT THE BOOK
Title: The Secret of Willow Inn
(Willow Falls #1)
Author: Pat Nichols
Publisher: Lighthouse Publishing of the Carolinas
Release Date: January 10, 2019
Genre: Inspirational Contemporary Fiction
Two women fighting for their dreams, one who’s long lost hers, are united by tragedy and a long-held secret.
Pregnant with her first child, Emily Hayes is eager to help her mother finish transforming an estate into the Willow Inn and write a novel about Willow Falls’ colorful history. A tragic event threatens her parents’ plans to refurbish an abandoned hotel and transform the obscure Georgia setting into a tourist destination.
Sadie Lyles left Willow Falls a murderer who’d killed the town hero. She returns as a despised felon and seeks solace in the town’s café. Emily struggles to unite the close-knit community and becomes Sadie’s biggest advocate. She strives to uncover the truth about the crime and save her town from dying.
To appease her father, Rachel, a VP in his Atlanta real-estate-development firm, relegates her acting dream to secret performances for imaginary audiences. After meeting charming, flirtatious Charlie Bricker, manager for Willow Falls’ future vineyard, she vows to break free from her father’s control.
The tragedy and Willow Inn’s secret past launch Emily and Rachel on a collision course with destiny and truth.
PURCHASE LINKS: Goodreads | Amazon
IN MY OPINION
Pat Nichols captures the small town in the first book in her Willow Falls series. The little Georgia town is full of opinionated residents who don’t hesitate to voice their opinions when controversy strikes. And there is plenty of drama in Willow Falls.
First, there’s the return of Sadie Lyles. A woman who spent the past thirty years of her life in prison for murder. Then there’s the matter of opening the inn and hotel. When news of another venture reaches the town, everyone has an opinion on that as well. And the place to gather and keep an eye on everything is Pepper’s Café (the place where Sadie happens to be working).
But the town’s not all bad. When tragedy strikes, the community bands together to show their support as they do when Emily Hayes receives news that changes her life.
With so much going on, you might thing it would be difficult to keep track, but Nichols weaves this story so well and gives each character enough uniqueness that I never once felt lost. Which is a good thing when you throw in Rachel Anderson from Atlanta who connects with one of the town residents.
The Secret of Willow Inn has a tad bit of mystery in it to keep you reading through the few parts that dragged, but its strength is in the emotions it pulls out of the reader. And as I read happily along, I was hit with a surprise about three-quarters of the way through, an unexpected but good one. I would love to return to Willow Falls when the second book in the series comes out.
Disclosure statement:
I receive complimentary books from publishers, publicists, and/or authors, including NetGalley. I am not required to write positive reviews. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Pat Nichols is proving it’s never too late to follow your dreams.
During the spring, summer, and early autumn of her life this side of heaven, she and her high-school-sweetheart husband struggled and triumphed through life’s peaks and valleys. They raised two children, welcomed four grandchildren—one is with the angels—bought a Corvette, and ticked off every item on their travel bucket list. Now approaching her winter years, she ignores the minor aches that come with age and is grateful she can still paint her own toenails and dance with her hubby.
Following twenty-five years in six different management positions with an international beauty company, Pat launched career number two as a novelist and freelance editor. She chose women’s fiction to honor her daughter’s strength in the face of significant health issues and the loss of a child. Her corporate experience, working with hundreds of amazing women from all walks of life, inspires her to create stories about women who confront challenges in the pursuit of their dreams.
Although she writes five days a week, she and Tim—her best friend and number one fan—continue to celebrate their fifty-plus-year marriage. They lead a small group, volunteer for church guest services, participate in two social organizations, and spend time with family and friends. She thanks God for the blessings that brought her joy and the challenges that continue to strengthen her faith, skills, and resolve.
Pat was born in Illinois, grew up in Orlando, and has called Georgia home since the eighties. She lives in an Atlanta suburb, is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers, Word Weavers, Christian Pen, and Gwinnett Church (a campus of Northpoint Ministries).
CONNECT WITH PAT NICHOLS: website | Facebook | Twitter
TOUR GIVEAWAY
(1) winner will receive a $10 Amazon Gift Card from the author.
Enter via the Rafflecopter giveaway below. Giveaway will begin at midnight February 4, 2019 and lasts through 11:59pm February 11, 2019. Open Internationally. Void where prohibited by law. Winners will be notified within 2 weeks of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen.
Giveaway is subject to the policies found here.
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Sounds like a book I will enjoy reading.
Sounds like an incredible book.
Willow Falls sounds like a very interesting town with interesting characters that I would enjoy reading about.
Small Southern town, a little drama and mystery, sounds like a f small Southern town, a little drama and mystery, sounds like a good read.
I live in a small town, and people definitely tend to have their opinions about the goings-on around town issues.