Heather B. Moore

*I was sent a copy of this book from the author. This does not affect my review. This review is voluntary.*

My teenage sister also read this one, and she loved it too, so well done! I've taught her to be a 'picky' reader, and to truly think about what she reads, and what she likes/dislikes about something. So she only reads books she truly enjoys, and she devoured this one!

I actually didn't get to read it until after she finished, and when I asked her she said she enjoyed it and thought I would too. As usual, she was right!

I had a vague idea of what to expect with this one. I knew some of my other reader friends also recently read and enjoyed it, so I was excited to read it as well. That said, I had no idea how much I would actually come to enjoy this story! Not only Tien Fu's story, but that of Dolly and many of the other girls who Tien Fu comes in contact with were so captivating! I loved reading about the hope they found after such a dark season in many of their lives, and about the positive relationships the girls were able to form after such struggles. It isn't easy, and it doesn't get easier even in today's culture, but there is hope, and there are people who care. But more than that, there's a loving God who cares, and who promises Justice and Mercy will prevail. Those how hope in HIM will be met with love and mercy, while the wicked and abuses will only see justice met out for the crimes committed against the innocent.

Tien Fu and Dolly's story is a reminder that people are resilient and that with time and love they can be restored. I enjoyed seeing this powerful reminder, and loved that is now also written in a way that younger readers can also learn from their stories without being exposed to many of the horrors and sins that the world tries so hard to expose them too earlier and earlier in today's world. This would be a great story for parents to discuss with their children and to teach them the value of caring for others and about standing up for what's right, without going into to too much detail too young or too soon. As children become teens and mature then this would also be a good place to start, then with parent's help allow them to research history and the people talked about in this story and other similar heroes who tried to save these poor girls, or those brave men and women in the Underground Railroad or the Holocaust and similar instances where people stood up for those who didn't have a voice.… (mere)

This Cold War story is partly based on real events - Bob Inama was a real American soldier in West Germany, although the character of Luisa is fictional. Bob finds himself engaged in undercover work, taking photos of military sites, and has the misfortune to be in East Germany when the Berlin Wall is constructed overnight. Luisa dedicates herself to helping East Germans escape - first by providing Western passports and later by helping to build a tunnel under the wall. Considering the vast amount of WWII historical fiction, I was happy to find a story focused on Cold War-era Germany. An interesting read, and I hope to find more historical fiction about this era.… (mere)

After passing by and admiring the lovely, tranquil book cover of this women's fiction novel several times over the past year or two, I finally picked it up.

As I got into the reading, I enjoyed watching Maggie and Jo's friendship grow. I also liked seeing how Jo gradually comes to grips with what happened in her marriage and how she has to reevaluate the way she deals with her former husband.

Now, while I was definitely into Maggie's journey, there's a key "twist" I found to be unsurprising but also not that convincing for her character. Especially considering that Maggie is well-traveled and into serious art, it seems that somewhere over the course of seventy years, she would have thought of at least the possibility of that type of "twist" on her own.

As for Jo, though I see why there's romance in her storyline, I'll admit it isn't the kind that really moves me. For me to find a developing romantic relationship compelling, I need to find both parties to be compelling as romantic characters, and not just concerning their physical looks or inward feelings. I like both parties to be outwardly interesting contributors to the relationship—with both sides of their conversations, what each one does for the other, etc. showing that they're an equal match. Personally, I didn't get a good sense of that kind of chemistry in this case.

Style wise, I think the novel could have used fewer descriptions that are clichéd or rather on the nose. And the narrative details and characters' comments are sometimes repetitive.

Even so, the plot in general kept me reading. And the story handles some tough and even tragic parts of Maggie's and Jo's lives in a way that tugged on my heart without dragging me down. I think the book's length is a good match for the story it tells, and overall, its essence is one of hope.… (mere)

I love being back in Everly Falls! This series is so relaxing and I adore all of the characters so much. In Just Add Friendship we focus on Stephenie and new character, Cal, an old high school crush that comes back into the picture during a high school reunion.

Cal seems too good to be true, to the point that even I questioned where his flaws were. Can a man really be this perfect outside of a Hallmark movie?? Stephenie seems to feel the same way, to the point that her actions show just how emotionally stunted she is. I found myself really struggling to connect with her character, but I love, love, love Gramps! That crotchety old man is what made this novel for me, as well as the rest of the side characters, many who are from previous novels in the series. Gramps keeps Steph on her toes and provides a nice counterbalance to Cal’s perfection. Plus, he reminds me of my departed grandfather, whom I miss every day, which I have to admit was also bittersweet.

Reading Just Add Friendship felt like I was coming home, with all the warm and fuzzy feels. There’s no real deep drama, so much so that I actually craved a little more conflict. Stephenie acts out of fear and though she does show some growth in this area it wasn’t enough for me. Over and over I kept thinking I needed more and sadly the more never came.

I love how close knit Everly Falls is and how each novel truly is a continuation of the previous in the series. These characters feel like family to me and I love seeing them all grow with each other and in the series as a whole. This novel has a wonderfully relaxed flow with flawed and (mostly) relatable characters, and was truly a joy to read.… (mere)