Road Trip

Looking for Leroy by Melody Carlson – Review

March 12, 2022 by Suzie Waltner Leave a Comment

About the Book

It’s official: Brynna Phillips is done with men. They only break your heart. But just when she makes this declaration, her friend Jan convinces Brynna to join her on a camping vacation in Sonoma Wine Country. As they wind their way toward their destination, spanking-new mini camper in tow, Brynna recalls her teenage camp romance with a boy named Leroy. How can it have been nearly 30 years ago? All she remembers is that Leroy was a genuinely good guy and that his family owned a vineyard–in Sonoma. She doesn’t even remember his last name. Jan insists they look for him, and the search begins.

Beyond the slim chance they’d ever be able to find him are questions that have haunted Brynna for decades, including What is the point of digging up the past? and Can Leroy ever forgive me for losing touch?

Bestselling author Melody Carlson invites you on a trip to rediscover the carefree days of youth and, just maybe, to get a second chance at love.

Road Trip to Delusion by Jean Ann Williams Blog Hop

August 14, 2017 by Suzie Waltner Leave a Comment

Genre: Contemporary, Christian
Publisher: Love Truth
Publication date: June 22, 2017A fifteen-year-old takes a road trip with her two younger sisters and their strong-willed great-granny, and circumstances force her to drive her granny’s Cadillac through a freeway-closing-down blizzard which brings everyone and everything to a standstill.

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Jean Ann Williams is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers. She writes regularly for Putting on the New blog and Book Fun Magazine on the topic of child suicide loss. Her book “God’s Mercies after Suicide: Blessings Woven through a Mother’s Heart” started out as a blogged book on her Love Truth blog. Jean Ann and her husband of forty-six years have thirteen grandchildren from their two remaining children. They reside on one acre in Southern Oregon where they raise a garden, fruit orchard, goats, and chickens. Jean Ann’s favorite hobbies are practicing archery, hiking through the woods, and big game hunting with her bow.

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My heart sank to my navel as I grip-hugged my cookbook.
Granny slammed on the gas pedal of her Cadillac Fleetwood, and the vehicle chugged onto Highway 101. Her eagle eyes never wandered from the beams of the headlights.
I shook my head for I had a huge regret. I wasn’t able to talk Granny out of taking this trip.
In the backseat, my middle sister thirteen-year-old Leah Be-de-ah jumped on the freeway of reason. “And, Granny, don’t you think we should tell someone?”
Granny’s head barely crested the top of the seat. “Your Grand, James, is gone, so it’s just me now.” She lifted her chin.
Little sister Mia Babe sat next to Leah. “Kari?”
Twisting in my seat, I faced them. “What?”
“Mom says Grand’s in paradise, but where’s that?”
Ah, Mia, an old soul at the age of seven. “Well, from what Mom taught me, it’s a spiritual place where people go when they die.”
“Oh.” Mia rubbed her eye.
A scary notion surfaced, and I slapped my forehead. “Granny, do you even know how to get to Oregon?”
“Of course.” She flicked her blinker and passed a small car. “James and I visited Oregon when your mama was a slip of a teenager.”
“But Granny—” Leah counted. “This was twenty-five years ago. Right, Kari?”
“Right.” I rolled my eyes to the car roof and refocused on the headlight-brightened pavement. “I don’t think, Leah, they moved the state.” But, does Granny remember the route

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The Joy of Christmas

September 9, 2015 by Suzie Waltner Leave a Comment

I realize it’s still warm outside for many parts of the country. Even here in Tennessee, we were in the 90s over Labor Day weekend. But regardless of the weather outside, I love certain things about Christmas and, if people wouldn’t throw such a big fuss, I’d listen to Christmas music all year round. And a close second to Christmas music? Christmas stories. Already this year I’ve read a book on becoming more organized and Denise Hunter’s Falling like Snowflakes, which is set around the holidays. But now, I’ve really gone and done it. This one is a straight up Christmas story, even has the word in the title.

Miranda’s life seems to be falling apart. After her husband cheated on her and then left her with a bunch of debt, she’s about to lose her house. And not only her house, but her friend. Perhaps befriending her elderly neighbor was a cry for help, but Joy is the one bright spot in Miranda’s otherwise gloomy existence. But Joy is leaving her too, moving closer to her sons in Phoenix.

When Joy suggests Miranda take a road trip with her in the older woman’s RV, the younger woman hesitantly agrees. But Joy has a plan. Her Christmas Joy blog has gained a modest following, and she ran a contest that revealed a few deserving winners. People she planned to visit and bless on her trip across the country.

This heart-warming story is one of friendship. As these two women take the time to give Christmas to the six people on Joy’s list, they learn that they are the once who are receiving the true gift. Each winner of the contest has very different circumstances which has left them unable to celebrate Christmas. Sometimes through humor, other times through pain, Melody Carlson takes readers on a joy ride of their own as her characters share themselves with each other and with the people they encounter along the way.

If you’re looking for a Christmas read, consider this one.

The Christmas Joy Ride is available now.

***Revell provided me with a complimentary copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest and fair review. All opinions expressed are my own.