Beauty on the Backroads

Stories of grace for life's unexpected turns

olympics

Better every time: Review of Just Let Go by Courtney Walsh

Sometimes when I’ve read everything an author has written, I worry that I’m going to get more of the same, and I wonder if I could possibly love something new they’ve written as much as I love something they’ve previously written.

Am I the only reader who struggles with this? 

The best writers I know are constantly improving and their stories get better every time. Courtney Walsh is one of those writers and her latest novel, Just Let Go, might just be her best one yet. In Just Let Go, we return to Harbor Pointe, Michigan, the setting of a previous novel, Just Look Up, a small lakeside tourist town where Olympic skier Grady Benson has unexpectedly become stranded due to some personal setbacks. When he’s sentenced to community service to make up for some property damage, he finds himself stuck with the people of Harbor Pointe, including Quinn Collins, who recently bought the flower shop of her childhood dreams.

There is so much to love about this book. First of all, Harbor Pointe had a Stars Hollow (Gilmore Girls) feel to it, something I didn’t pick up on as much in the first book set here. In Just Let Go, I had an easier time picturing the downtown and the secondary characters who added to the personality of the place with their quirks.

(Also, can we talk about the cover? I love that flowers are front and center and there’s a guy in the background and the girl is seemingly the one receiving the flowers. I don’t know what it is for sure, but it’s refreshing to see something different on the cover of a romance novel.)

Secondly, Quinn and Grady seem all wrong for each other and their apparently mismatched pairing keeps the story moving forward. Seldom is there a surprise ending in contemporary romance stories–as a reader, I’m always pretty sure the two main characters are going to end up together–but the how of it all is what keeps me reading. And Courtney cooks up plenty of conflict and drama for these two characters.

Put this one on your summer reading list! It satisfies in all the best ways!

Disclosure: I received a copy of the book from the publisher as part of the Tyndale Blog Network. Review reflects my honest opinion.

SaveSave

Saturday smiles: Life is … edition

Life is. That’s how it feels right now. People ask us what’s new. Or how we are. And all I can say is “nothing” and “we’re here.” Waiting, waiting, waiting, still.

But in the waiting and in the routine, there are moments worth remembering.

Like our 4-year-old daughter watching rhythmic gymnastics, mimicking every move in the living room. She has used a frisbee, a playground ball and a piece of discarded packing tape as her rhythmic props. She is leaping across the room, twirling, and insisting that she can do what they do and she has “learned something new.” Me? I’m wondering how soon I can start packing my bags for some exotic location in 2024. Of course, we’d probably end up with an Olympic venue in Iowa (no offense to Iowa) instead of someplace like Rio. Still, I’m loving the Olympics through my kids. They’re excited about EVERYTHING, even marathon swimming, and every time the United States wins, they yell, “Yay! Our state won!” I think they’ll be crushed when it’s over tomorrow.

I had another morning date with our son today. We walked to the library, exchanged our books, received the next two discs in season two of Downton Abbey (giddy!), then walked to the Turkey Hill gas station for our ice cream reward for his potty training week. We shared a cherry limeade slushie and an ice cream sandwich. Besides being a tasty treat, it’s just fun to have one-on-one time with our kids.

I got to do more writing this week. And I got paid for the last project I worked on. Doing what I love and getting paid for it — can’t beat that. I also got to watch my husband do what he loves: preach. He delivered a sermon on Sunday, and he was great! We received a generous lunch offer from a nice couple at the church.

And the generosity continued through the week. I am overwhelmed by the love and support we are receiving as we figure out our next steps. This week, family has blown us away with their gifts.

Life is what it is.

God is good.

No better reason to smile.