Review Tour – Currant7 Recommends

March 15, 2021March 4, 2021

Book Review and Excerpt Blitz: Love and Other Moods by Crystal Z Lee

This is my stop during the book blitz for Love and Other Moods by Crystal Z. Lee.

Love and Other Moods is a standalone coming-of-age “own voices” story set in contemporary Shanghai, about falling in love, learning to adult and discovering one’s place in the world.

This book blitz is organized by Lola’s Blog Tours. The book blitz runs from 10 till 23 March. See the tour schedule here.

And don’t miss the tour wide giveaway for a chance to win a Love and Other Moods gift basket at the bottom of this post!

Disclosure: I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from the author. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.

Published on: 10 December 2020
Published by: Balestier Press
Type: HEA, standalone
Genre: Asian American Literature, Contemporary Romance, Drama, Chinese Literature, Coming of Age
Author: Crystal Z Lee
Read: 28 February 2021
Shelved: 02 March 2021
Rating: 5/ 5 stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Synopsis

Love and Other Moods is a coming-of-age story set in contemporary China, about falling in love, learning to adult, finding strength, and discovering one’s place in the world.

Naomi Kita-Fan uproots her life from New York to China when her fiancé’s company transfers him to Shanghai. After a disastrous turn of events, Naomi finds herself with no job, no boyfriend, and nowhere to live in a foreign country.

Amidst the backdrop of Shanghai welcoming millions of workers and visitors to the 2010 World Expo, we meet a tapestry of characters through Naomi: Joss Kong, a Shanghai socialite who leads an enviable life, but must harbor the secrets of her husband, Tay Kai Tang. Logan Hayden, a womanizing restaurateur looking for love in all the wrong places. Pan Jinsung and Ouyang Zhangjie, a silver-aged couple struggling with adapting to the ever-changing faces of their city. Dante Ouyang, who had just returned to China after spending years overseas, must choose between being filial and being in love. All their dreams and aspirations interweave within the sprawling web of Shanghai.

This multilayered novel explores a kaleidoscope of shifting relationships——familial friction, amorous entanglements, volatile friendships——in one of the most dynamic metropolises of the twenty-first century.

Excerpt

Naomi had packed four suitcases from New York, and right now they were stacked unevenly on top of one another in the hallway, forcing the front door to open only halfway, just tight enough for her to slide in sideways. She couldn’t remember the last time she had lived by herself. The lonely apartment was mildly depressing.

She felt like walking aimlessly. She passed by wrinkled men playing a game of Chinese chess, teenage girls in designer sunglasses taking photographs of each other, a woman gesticulating wildly as she yelled into her cell phone, tourists examining a guide book, a cloud of second-hand smoke drifting from outside a cafe, Uighur men selling kebabs, well-heeled shoppers clinging to their purchases, two men in yarmulkes talking heatedly, shrieking children competing with the racket from honking vehicles, and the sea of commuters gushing out of the Huangpi Nan Lu metro stop. Naomi let herself be swept up into the human river, bodies crushing against each other, arms brushing and shoving, no apologies no offense taken. Being in this city meant your senses were constantly accosted.

A man approached her with a flier featuring images of iPhones, Rolexes, LV handbags, and said that their shop was just ahead in an alley. She declined and quickened her pace. She spotted an empty bench by a bus stop and flopped down. Barely noticing as the traffic whizzed by, the racy selfie on Seth’s phone resurfaced in her head. A steady stream of downpour coaxed pedestrians to open a colorful array of umbrellas, or duck into convenience stores, boutique shops, malls entrances. Naomi felt wholly unequipped and unprepared, again, by this city.

Her hair was stuck to her face and her forehead was damp. She was relieved that the inclement weather matched her mood, for tears had started forming and slithering beneath her eyes, blending with the droplets of rain running down her face. She wiped it away with her sleeve. She just wanted to throw up all the fury and regrets that were lodged in her stomach, she wished it could all be flushed out of her head.

It was starting to hit her, the reality of having no boyfriend, no job, and nowhere to live.

She wondered if the sprawling metropolis of Shanghai was too small to co-exist with her ex-fiancé.

Review

One day you will understand, true love is not judged by what you can get, but measured by how much of yourself you can give.
— Love and Other Moods, Crystal Z Lee

Love and Other Moods is a growing-up story of two young best friends, Naomi Kita-Fan and Joss Kong. Both female protagonists are strong, brave, and accomplished women with mix cultural backgrounds in their belts. You would think that given this and coming back to Asia to contribute or “give back,” they would be hailed as “heroes,” but the opposite is true. The book’s female characters had to work doubly hard and be a lot more resourceful to compete with their male counterparts in Shanghai. Asian women are expected to do more, to be treated better. This occurrence is the normal double-standard in Asia for women.

At the start of the book, Naomi, with Japanese and Taiwanese heritage, had her life turned 180 degrees in a foreign land after cutting her engagement. At the same time, Joss was a newly married wife and brought into a prominent Shanghainese family. Having to fend for herself and survive instead of packing up and moving back home, Naomi discovers the “potential life path” that she realized she lost. Although the book focuses primarily on Naomi in the marketing industry, readers will get to see the other side of Joss’s world as an epicurean journalist.

This book is the author’s debut offering, and I am thoroughly impressed with everything in it! It is beautifully written and well-thought-through. The quality is something that I would expect from a seasoned author but unique to the author in its elements and flair.
Some of the points that made me appreciate the book are:-

1) Brilliant plot presentation.

I love how the book’s broken down into seasons, not just chapters, and seem to be diary-style where important things are highlighted and discussed in detail. It is efficient and helps readers focus on what moments will leave an impression. The dates were significant and let readers see Naomi’s progression as we also get a glimpse of the people she meets. This book is reminiscent of movies like Love Actually mixed in with Joy Luck Club-esque, wherein various characters run individually then intersect to form a consolidated epilogue in the end.

2) East meets West successfully done.

The author creates a beautiful union of two cultures and traditions – Western and Eastern. Through Naomi and the characters, the author successfully marries two very different beliefs – reflecting the honesty, edginess, and rawness of some scenes. A few of my personal experiences were very similar in the book that brought back so many good and bad memories – but all with fondness.
This book brought many beautiful Asian memories that I have lived and am living through. Many of the sights and sounds described are accurate and current to the beliefs and traditions still followed to this day. I remember a lot and kept nodding my head in agreement, from the Earl Grey mooncakes to ice cream mooncakes from Häagen-Dazs to the tradition of fully decorated impressive mooncake boxes. I remember going through all of that in my Hong Kong corporate days. Nothing is too flashy or extravagant for clients.

3) Oratory and visually stimulating sights and sounds of Shanghai exemplified.

Be ready to take in an extraordinary journey to Shanghai, coined as “the Oriental Paris,” and is the city rivaling New York or Paris in terms of modernity and blended culture – East meets West. Written in great detail and vivid color, Love and Other Moods is an oratory feast in the extremes – the extravagance and splendor of Shanghai’s setting (architecture, nature, etc.) juxtaposed to the workaholic people all hours of the day. This visual trip is a real treat, most especially due to the travel restrictions of the times. This book is the reader’s next best option as a getaway in the safety of their homes.
I’ve been to Shanghai, but the locations these two good friends bring are the unique insider-only” places and moments that show us why Shanghai is leading the way in the global cosmopolitan and financial stage. The scenes are a feast to any reader’s imagination – from the symphony of cicadas to the old shirtless, toothless Chinese grandpas playing chess and waving to Naomi as she walked to work to the Igloo and the Cotton Club. Where else can you see the old and the new coincide together in harmony in a city!

4) Colorful characters that cross Naomi and Joss’ way.

From Naomi’s ex-fiance, Seth, to her curious co-workers, there is an abundance of personalities that either will jive or jilt readers with their particular quirks. Naomi gets to meet a few good personalities that will help her get over her past and look into a better future for herself. It is through these stronger, deeper connections with these memorable characters like Frida and Dante. These connections help Naomi have fun, heal and look forward to furthering her blooming career and personal life.
I love how the author interconnects the characters after meeting up with either Joss or Naomi, setting readers into their “personal space” and getting to know them briefly. It shows flavor and variety without forcing these characters into our faces.

5) Growth and maturity of Naomi and Joss.

Both characters have harsh and sad pasts. They have been affected by trauma early in their lives that led them to face life precariously.
Naomi’s personal life took a back seat to her career after getting hurt badly. This practice is typical in Asia because women need to prove their worth, especially Naomi’s accomplished background. She was young and invisible. She took men for granted as they do for women. Now comes when “marrying age” arrives, and after being “hurt,” Naomi looks into herself for where she wants to go now. She no longer is the care-free, easy-going girl who can snag and spit men like accessories. She wants to focus on finding a better way to have more meaningful emotional connections and stop “destroying” herself.
Joss has her share of problems and dilemmas in the book. Many of these “issues” are out of her control at a young age and later into her marriage. It is sad, but I was so happy that she and Tay, her husband, found a way to overcome this. The solution she and Tay found was a rare option that not many traditional Chinese couples would take. There was a massive backlash from Tay’s parents on this decision, but I appreciate the author bringing this option to the forefront.
I am happy to see that Joss and Naomi had to overcome many trials through various life stages. The book’s pace allows a lot of space for them to grow and positively influence other people around.

6) Cultural identity and acceptance

Naomi’s bumping into Dante again after a chance encounter was a pleasant surprise for Naomi. Realizing that they are working on the same event space can be counted as Fate. It did not take too long for their connection to shift from reacquaintance to dating after Dante took charge of pursuing her. I wish things were simple, but this relationship is a rocky one.

Mira had dealt with enough couples to know that their apprehension stemmed from deep-rooted cultural tension.
— Love and Other Moods, Crystal Z Lee

The problem comes when comparing backgrounds – and with Naomi’s mixed heritage, things get a bit hairy on Dante’s side. A few traditional Chinese have specific nationality issues due to the past traumas experienced and have particular hopes. Instead of happiness and finding love, most have specific criteria for their children’s partner. A good few would want someone Chinese, familiar or family friend, someone from their village, similar or higher socioeconomic status, has a good reputation, education, etc. – and the list goes on. It is a daunting list for children who did not grow up in their town or country and have lived/worked elsewhere for years.

In summary, I cannot stop raving about Love and Other Moods! It is a highly recommend second chance book with a great storyline, fantastic plot twists, colorful character personalities that Naomi encounters, and a writing style that balances the traditional and progressive cultures of Asians. It is a book that will appeal to young adults and anyone who has experienced life-changing disappointments. The story goes through Naomi and Joss’s life-time that is very similar to an autobiography. It did not feel long or dragging and instead will pull readers into their world and empathize with them. I enjoyed the multi-POV. The back and forth between scenes and POV work well. It is a technique that is executed successfully by the author. I can see this book into a movie or a tv series, given the seamless ease in character transition. The story stays steadfast in its focus: examining the emotional complexities of people: love, resilience, second chances, tolerance, and relationships.
This book is a great read, and I am excited to see the author’s following books.

Home is a mental as much as it is a physical space. It’s where we choose to root our existence, where we decide to build our bliss, our lives, ourselves.
— Love and Other Moods, Crystal Z Lee

GIVEAWAY ALERT

There is a tour wide giveaway for the book blitz of Love and Other Moods. One winner will win a “Love and Other Moods” gift basket filled with items related to Love and Other Moods that is valued at $70! Open to US residents only.
Head-on to Rafflecopter here.

Good luck!

About the Author

Crystal Z. Lee is a Taiwanese American bilingual writer and a member of the Asian Authors Alliance. She has called many places home, including Taipei, New York, Shanghai, and the San Francisco Bay Area.
She was formerly a public relations executive who had worked with brands in the fashion, beauty, technology, and automotive industries. Love and Other Moods is her first New Adult novel. Her debut children’s book is forthcoming in 2021.

Connect with Crystal
Instagram | Goodreads | Amazon

March 1, 2021February 23, 2021

Blog Tour: Moments Like This (From Kona With Love) by Anna Gomez and Kristoffer Polaha

Disclosure: I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from the author. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.

Published on: 09 March 2021
Published by: Rosewind Books
Type: HEA, standalone, series
Genre: Adult, Contemporary Romance, Multicultural Romance, Clean Romance
Author(s): Anna Gomez, Kristoffer Polaha
Read: 16 February 2021
Shelved: 18 February 2021
Rating: 5 / 5 stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Synopsis

After Andrea “Andie” Matthews chooses her career over a marriage proposal and then loses a promotion she worked so hard for, she jumps at the chance to take a break and help run a friend’s coffee shop.

Alone in Hawaii, Andie befriends the staff and quickly grows to care for them, making her determined to revive the company.

As luck would have it, she meets the mysterious Warren Yates on Christmas Eve. They share a cup of coffee, some conversation, and even a moment, which leads to many more in the coming weeks.

But when Andie learns who Warren really is—and what he actually wants—she is torn between her feelings and his deception.

Will Warren be able to win her heart back?

Book One in the From Kona with Love series depicting multicultural romance, love, loss, and redemption woven into a family saga set in the beautiful islands of Hawaii. Though connected, each installment can be read as a standalone.

Review

Andrea “Andie” Matthews is the daughter of mixed culture parents (her mother is Filipino!). She is driven, ambitious and works at a successful Chicago marketing firm. She was on the fast track to a big promotion until she wasn’t. With a big blow in her life (and health), she impulsively packed her things and flew to Hawaii to help with her friend’s business. She unexpectedly meets Warren Yates, a mysterious man who evades from say his connection to the shop and instead wants to explore the island and her for whatever time she has.

Moments Like This appealed immediately upon reading the blurb. I didn’t realize later that one of the authors is a fellow Filipina, so the more the story was piqued my interest! There were many elements that I felt an affinity with the female protagonist and even the author. This story talks about cultures, beliefs, and expectations of second-generation migrants living overseas, trying their best to fit-in and assimilate to maybe the only home they know (due to birthright) as best as possible.

Just because you’ve made a fool of yourself today, doesn’t mean you’re a fool everyday.
–Moments Like This (From Kona With Love), Anna Gomez and Kristoffer Polaha

The book’s POV is mostly from Andie’s, with a little of Warren’s nearing the end. Some readers might think this technique will erode the story’s beauty. I have to contradict this thought because it made a lot of sense and gave a bit of mystery on Warren’s side until things got “settled.” Given this technique, the story enables readers to focus on Andie taking a step back from her Chicago life and reassess things in Hawaii while experiencing the island’s magic and beauty, then after Warren’s thoughts. I have read a few more recent books with this “more current writing” style, so some readers might need to adjust and be patient to give the characters the chance to develop.

NOTE: The authors want readers to focus on the beauty of Hawaii (especially Oahu) and the Aloha Spirit, which helps Andie “find herself” as she tries to make new connections in a lang of second chances and hope. Engrossed with Andie’s story, something unprecedented was happening. The book grabs readers immediately to connect with everything – the people at the plantation, the magic island, the sea, etc.

This book’s uniqueness is how it places the story and “connections” in the forefront than the characters. The characters become tangible tools to showcase the intangible – power of love and connections. Yes, there is the connection to Andie and Warren, BUT I was looking for the “A-Ha Epiphany” moments, where Andie discovers her power within to reach her goal – her happiness.

The authors beautifully wrote the Hawaiian and Filipino cultures and traditions, wherein both cultures respect and honor family, love, and food. There was a wonderful merging of Hawaiin and Filipino beliefs and customs, which are evident in the family gatherings Andie missed out on in Chicago due to work.
The saying is very true:- anytime another Filipino overseas or otherwise meets another “kababayan” or country-man/woman, perspectives change, eyes glimmer, and an uncontrollable smile comes out. We all act like we found our long-lost friends/relatives. We start seeing each other as a brother/sister (Kuya or Ate) or an aunt/uncle (Tito/Tita), then a truckload of questions will start tumbling out.

This disposition change may surprise an outsider seeing the scene unfold, but this is common, even expected. Questions like spewing out various locations in the Philippines, asking where you are from back home or if you know so-and-so due to common last name – are the norm – like when Maele and Lani pry “details” into Andie’s personal life like they were sisters within a few days. It was hilarious since Andie didn’t know whether to be insulted or laugh about how they asked her about Warren!

A thing to note is how hospitable the plantation people were. They took to Andie “in” not because she is a family friend but also because they felt a “connection” with her and their plight.

I can relate to Andie’s work burn-out plight so well. I am sure other readers relate to this. What Andie did was correct – to step back and reassess. She had to do what all of us had to do at one point – learn to reprioritize things. She loses it all in one swoop but later discovers a whole world of options – a 180-degree change in Hawaii. At Oahu, Andie finds an entirely New Andie within her. The location and people brought her to be braver than she would have been at her workplace. The story builds on this and shows her “the other side,” a possibly great life – from seashells, surfs, and hidden waterfalls. Being temporary will make anyone brave and take risks for the moment, but what if there was an excellent chance to make it permanent, rooted in connections, family, and purpose? Will Andie take the plunge? Will she choose relationships over a career that she fought for so long?

We stood quietly, alone. But alone together.
–Moments Like This (From Kona With Love), Anna Gomez and Kristoffer Polaha

I love Warren’s spontaneity in pulling Andie into his orbit, even if it’s just for as long as she was there. He knew that she is there temporarily, and he was willing to invest his time and heart for them to explore the island and each other. From the start, I can see his wooing style – determined but respectful. He took what he knows he can get away with but respected Andie by being outspoken with his thoughts. He may keep some things from Andie, but he also knew she was cautious with exposing herself to a stranger.
Warren seems to have designed their “tours” to showcase the best of Hawaii and, at the same time, show Andie what he and the island life can offer. I felt this was his way to silently plea for her to stay with him.

Andie had taught me there was a sweetness in not giving yourself everything you want right when you want it. The more I ached for her, the more I valued her. This, while common practice for some, was totally foreign to me. I had never had this much patience or self-control before, but she made me want to be a better man.
–Moments Like This (From Kona With Love), Anna Gomez and Kristoffer Polaha

Andie and Warren’s chemistry is a slow-build and a more wholesome approach, but it works due to Andie’s roots and background. It is more the norm of being “wooed” in the Filipino, more traditional aspects than being whisk away by an alpha-dominant man. This decision works well for the unsureness and uncertainty for both characters.

I love the supporting characters – they are a lot!
They provide excellent support as a “community” and prove the saying “it takes a village to raise a child.” These supporting characters (Duke, the Flores gals, Lucas, Jade, etc.) provided emotional and psychological support that readers can feel throughout the book’s pages. Their words of wisdom are GOLD! I saved a few to my “quotes bank” as mantras. I shared a few here, but reading it at the right moment in time for Warren or Andie is critical.

The deception/secret was epic. It wasn’t so surprising on my end since I had a clue, but it was perfect, nonetheless. It still ends up with HEA, but where will things stand at the end? I will leave this to the readers. It is a tricky one, especially when Warren and Andie decided to keep some of their information private so how things unraveled, in the end, was a welcome relief for all of us. Just a hint – it doesn’t “sort out” as quickly as their first meet, but it is a realistic one.

I would have wanted an epilogue since the ending was abrupt, but maybe both main characters will be back for the upcoming books in the series. Did Warren push through with the “M” word? What happens to Andie’s Chicago job?

In summary, I highly recommend Moments Like This to readers who want something different, unique, and refreshing. Something that would grab readers and take them to a new world – where hope and second chances only take a single step forward. Hawaii’s sights and sounds, its various hidden gems visited by Warren and Andie were a welcome treat, especially to readers like myself going through travel bans/lockdowns. I liked how the authors stressed the importance of family, customs, and self-empowerment. Goals can change, but it is up to everyone to adjust and find their “centers” to move forward to find their happiness. I am excited for the next book in this promising series!

This is what makes a life. The ones who love you, the ones you love. If you focus on what’s important, you’ll see that everything else around you is fluff.
–Moments Like This (From Kona With Love), Anna Gomez and Kristoffer Polaha

About the Authors

Anna Gomez was born and raised in the city of Makati, Philippines before she met and married her best friend who whisked her away to Chicago over twenty years ago.

She is Chief Financial Officer for Leo Burnett Worldwide, a global advertising company founded in 1935. In her capacity, Anna serves on the board of several not-for-profit organizations, namely the Hugh O’Brien Leadership Organization and Girl Scouts of America. She is also the executive sponsor for a number of employee resource groups focused on Diversity and Inclusion.

After experiencing a great loss in her life, Anna Gomez, who writes as Christine Brae, decided that it was time to channel her feelings on paper and see where it would take her. Anna thought she could write a book about her life (The Light in the Wound, Christine Brae 2013) and then run away as far as possible from it. She never imagined that her words would touch the hearts of many women with the same stories to tell. Since then, Anna has released five more books under her pen name, Christine Brae.

In December 2019, her agent convinced her to write one more book. Different model, different subject matter. Clean, contemporary, happy endings. Reluctantly, she decided to give it a try. This time, under her real name, Anna Gomez.

With an established fan base and a dedicated following, Anna Gomez has published six novels, three of which have won Literary Awards: The Light in the Wound series, Insipid, In this Life, Eight Goodbyes and the Year I Left . Her books have debuted in the top 1,000 at Amazon and continued to rank in the Top 100 in the months following their release.

When not listening to the voices in her head or spending late nights at the office, Anna can be seen shopping for shoes and purses, running a half marathon or spending time with her husband and three children in Chicago.

Kristoffer Polaha is best-known for his long starring role in the critically acclaimed series Life Unexpected (The CW). Other TV series credits include Get Shorty with Ray Romano and Chris O’Dowd, the limited series Condor opposite William Hurt and Max Irons, The CW’s Ringer (Sarah Michelle Gellar) and Valentine, as well as North Shore (FOX).

In addition to co-starring with Rainn Wilson in Backstrom (FOX), he had a multi-season role on the acclaimed series Mad Men (AMC) and Castle (ABC). Polaha is also well-known for starring in Hallmark Channel movies such as Dater’s Handbook with Meghan Markle, and the Mystery 101 franchise on Hallmark Movies & Mysteries.

Polaha first received attention for his portrayal of John F. Kennedy, Jr. in the TV movie, America’s Prince: The John F. Kennedy Jr. Story, opposite Portia de Rossi. He has appeared in numerous independent features, including Where Hope Grows, Devil’s Knot (Colin Firth, Reese Witherspoon), and the Tim Tebow film, Run the Race.

Polaha has a featured role opposite Gal Gadot in Wonder Woman 1984 and the forthcoming Jurassic World: Dominion.

Polaha was born in Reno, Nevada, and he is married to actress Julianne Morris. They have three sons.

GIVEAWAY ALERT

In celebration of the release of Moments Like This, a giveaway is being run! Up for grabs is a $20 winner’s choice gift card!

This Blitz-wide giveaway is open internationally and ends March 18th.

Head-on to Rafflecopter here.
Good luck!

November 11, 2020March 17, 2021

Review Tour: The Marriage of Innis Wilkinson by Lauren H. Brandenburg

Disclosure: I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from the author. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.

Published on: 23 October 2020
Published by: Lion Fiction
Type: standalone, HEA
Genre: Literature, Fiction
Author: Lauren H. Brandenburg
Read: 09 November 2020
Shelved: 11 November 2020
Rating: 5 / 5 stars

Synopsis

It is said that something magical happens during the festival season in Coraloo, something unexplainable. People tend to be a little crazier, reckless. Maybe it’s because it coincides the full moon, but Coraloo’s constable, Roy Blackwell, is beginning to think it’s something else. That said, Roy has other things on his mind, like marrying Margarette Toft.

A controversial decision as the Toft and the Blackwell families have a hatred for one another that is older than the town itself. Tradition collides with superstition as the feuding families compete to organize the events surrounding the most talked about wedding in the history of Coraloo.

Despite the array of minor catastrophes that ensue, and the timings clashing with a four-week long festival celebrating a legendary beaver, Roy and Margarette hold fast and declare they will do whatever it takes to wed. That is until Roy unearths a town secret – a murder involving a pair of scissors, an actor with a severe case of kleptomania, and the mysterious marriage of Innis Wilkinson.

Can good come out of unearthing the past – or will only heartbreak follow?

Get it here:
Goodreads | Amazon | B&N | BookBub

Review

Margarette Toft is a grade six teacher and is a Toft. That last name has marked her to have all Blackwells in the Coraloo as sworn enemies. She had been engaged before but felt that the union was not “the one.” She is a meticulous woman who kept notebooks and plans for anything and everything. She could never prepare herself to become a Blackwell.

Roy Blackwell is Coraloo’s town constable and, ironically, is a bit of a hypochondriac. (I blame the latter one on his grandmother’s “The Complete Medical Handbook” that he casually reads on occasion. He scrutinizes each bodily ailment he comes into contact with.) He is a quiet man who keeps to himself and hardly muddles with the town’s Blackwells vs. Tofts contentions. It is a surprise boyfriend/fiance of Margarette Toft!

Innis Imogen-Laken Toft is the only daughter of Isabelle Donadieu, an outsider who settled in Coraloo. She has an unusual past as a daughter of a well-known seamstress and was the “keeper of the scissors” based on a fortune teller then later wooed by a traveling actor. She later learned how to alter and hem from her mother but was only until later that she realized her gift a lot later in her life and after a life-changing event.

The Marriage of Innis Wilkinson is a slow-burn, self-realization, and the deeper meaning of a relationship kind of book. Its colorful and creative descriptions of the people and the town was a gift. The story flowed organically and seamlessly as the characters discover themselves. The story starts us off at the town’s annual Heaken Beaver Festival, where readers will see the sliced personalities making up Coraloo. The festival is known to produce the “crazies” in people, but little did I know that there is something to this occurrence.

Basing on the title and first impression, I thought I got the book wrong! The only mention of Innis Wilkinson was in Chapter 1 and nothing else until further down the book. It puzzled me, but I kept reading the book until I finally understood Innis’ role and why the author left her story later.

I enjoyed the historical journey of the town’s inception, the founders, and the feud between the Blackwell and the Tofts. The stories were funny and cute. While some serious and sad, it was engaging to keep me reading. Coraloo’s characters all had their “shortcoming,” but in the end, they all made the town what it is – exciting and “rich in history.”

The stories are the “stars” of this book – hidden, sad, embarrassing, sacred, and, at times, funny. The author is a great storyteller and was very detailed and thought in each character’s focus that shaped Coraloo and its people.

Many charming flashbacks gave readers a better understanding and later connected the importance of Coraloo’s history and tradition.
Although there are a lot of mini-stories in the book, I did not feel overwhelmed or confused. It is with these stories that I got to connect to the characters and the town. The random stories ranged from mystery wedding dressmaker, surprising wedding dress traditions, missing recipe, and cold case murders to the end of finding what’s in Wilkson’s big bag that he lugged around. It was all in the name of entertaining readers.

The author uses the past to help readers connect and understand how a simple tradition/superstition will affect even the youngest of minds. I am glad that Margarette, the teacher, is there to make sure it does not go overboard because some of the kids’ re-interpretations were “out-there,” especially on who did what that caused the feud. It was not all silly “misunderstandings” between townfolks that make up the book. In this sleepy town, who would have known an unsolved murder case that lands on Roy’s lap.

You have to look for the truth, Blackwell, in others and in yourself. That’s when you’ll know who you really are and what you were really created to be.
— The Marriage of Innis Wilkinson, Lauren H. Brandenburg

A unique thing about the book is how Innis’ story is juxtaposed with Margarette’s. There were so many similarities both women went through, wherein both:-
1) are Tofts without knowing it,
2) experienced life outside of Coralee and traveled
3) followed their heart versus tradition with choosing their partners, etc.
With so many similarities, they seem to connect at a deeper level with each other’s past and experiences than they realize.
Innis’ story came as a cruel and sinister one. I felt she was robbed of her simplicity and innocence by a conniving man. Readers will relate and empathize as the trainwreck of deception unfolds. That experience may have beaten her, but not broken. I was in awe of her bravery in refocusing her efforts on herself.
Margarette’s story was within her family – wherein her family members kept discouraging her from marrying Roy. It was a mash-up of snide side-comments to even blaming her for all the “bad luck” happening.

In the end, both went against their family tradition for someone who would fight, protect, and keep them safe, which is what a marriage is all about. The rest are just “trimmings” that can either be kept or cut away if in excess.

You have to get rid of the excess – the parts that are no longer needed – to expose the good. Sometimes we have a harder time letting go of the excess…the fear and the uncertainty. But if we allow ourselves to be trimmed – pruned, so to speak – we can grow.
— The Marriage of Innis Wilkinson, Lauren H. Brandenburg

My most favorite part of the book was how Roy proposed! It is swoon-worthy not because it was lavishly staged but the opposite! It was the most subdued proposal ever, but it felt right for Roy and Margarette. It is what Margarette wanted.

**Swoon-worthy scene**

I found “interruptions” when Roy is trying to do his job of questioning suspects hilarious. It always comes at an awkward time and leaves Roy (and the readers) at a stand-still as we try to piece together the mystery. The suspects become elusive and disappear! Those moments are stellar, and I always grinned when it happened.

The story’s mystery was solved (?) after so many years after the perpetrator has been long gone. Things are what they seem, and I would not have guessed the “killer” in the end. Roy did and after piecing together stories from each of the townspeople. I believe Roy is very deserving to be a constable, even if he does not believe it.

In summary, The Wedding of Marriage of Innis Wilkinson is engaging and enlightening work. There is a right balance of love, humor, and self-reflection to become the best version of ourselves to the world. It was a compelling read with its colorful descriptions of the town and people. Roy and Margarette both found happiness with each other because that’s what they choose to do – to trim the excess and let the beauty come out from within. It makes readers:
(a) realize that the essential element in a relationship is the people inside the relationship, making everything bearable and braver in a world full of doubt and deceptions, and
(b) not everything is what it seems; nothing is just black and white. It could sometimes be grey and “purple and red.”

I hope you get this book and let me know what you think!

Truth and love had won her over, and with Roy by her side, none of it mattered anymore.
— The Marriage of Innis Wilkinson, Lauren H. Brandenburg

Note: The reflective questions at the back of the book were a great treat to recall and relive the wonderful tale again and again. I was able to tackle a lot of the questions given.

About the Author

Lauren H. Brandenburg is a mentor, speaker, and author who happily blurs the lines between traditional genres in both middle grade and humorous family fiction.

She has written six of the ten books in The Books of the Gardener Series–Orlo: The Chosen (#4) was a finalist for the Selah Award middle grade novel of the year. The Death of Mungo Blackwell, a humorous family fiction (Lion Hudson publishing) was recently longlisted for the People’s Book Prize in the United Kingdom.

Lauren is a former junior high and high school English teacher who stepped away from her profession to raise and homeschool her two children. She currently lives with her husband, Jamie, and their children in a lovely little town just south of Nashville, Tennessee where they eat and laugh a lot.

This review tour is organized by JustRead Publicity Tours.