A Year of Extraordinary Moments by Bette Lee Crosby
Published by Lake Union Publishing on October 16, 2018
Pages: 318
Format: ARC
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From USA Today bestselling author Bette Lee Crosby comes a heartwarming novel about letting go of the past to make way for a brighter future.
Tracy Briggs has finally gotten her act together. She’s focusing on her own life and helping her hearing-impaired son learn to talk. With her sister married and exploring a new career, Tracy has begun to run the family’s magazine business and feels her life is pretty much perfect. That is, until her son’s deadbeat dad shows up in Magnolia Grove asking for a second chance.
Now that her son is getting the help he needs and a promising new romance with his teacher is in bloom, Tracy wants to keep her life just as it is. But her ex isn’t taking no for an answer. And when a spirited elderly woman enters Tracy’s life in an unexpected way, she’ll have to work harder than ever to keep her new life on track.
Torn between the past she knows and the uncertain future, Tracy must decide what is best for both her and her son, learning along the way that ordinary choices can bring extraordinary possibilities.
Earlier this year, I read a book titled The Summer of New Beginnings by Bette Lee Crosby (see review HERE). It was the first book in a series called the Magnolia Grove series. I had heard of Ms. Crosby before, but despite the fact that she’s written eighteen books, I just never had the opportunity to read one. When I finally had the opportunity to read The Summer of New Beginnings, I knew I had found an author to add to my “favorite author” list! As an added bonus, I’m happy to say that Ms. Crosby has become more than just an author whose books I read — she is a real person who connects with her readers (and book bloggers like me). She hosts Facebook live conversations and I’ve even had the amazing opportunity to have a few late night private message conversations with her! She’s an awesome, elegant and gracious woman who is also a fantastic author! I’m honored to have come to know her.
So coincidentally, I am part of BookSparks’ Fall Reading Challenge 2018 (#FRC2018), and the books for this challenge included the second book in the Magnolia Grove series titled A Year of Extraordinary Moments. I honestly read this book in one day, cover to cover, and I was kind of bummed that it was over when I read the last page because I had to accept that the story was finished.
Before I get into the synopsis, I want to say that I’ve come to realize Ms. Crosby really knows how to build characters in her books. She makes the characters very believable, and she provides them with flaws, defects, personalities and behaviors that readers can identify with. Best of all, Ms. Crosby’s books are heartwarming and a bit mysterious, with a few unexpected twists tossed in for good measure, keeping readers engaged throughout the story.
While A Year of Extraordinary Moments can be read as a standalone, this book does begin where The Summer of New Beginnings leaves off. The first character we meet is Alice DeLuca, who is terminally ill and her time is running out. She longs to connect again with her grandson, Dominic. His mother,and Alice’s daughter, abandoned Dominic, and Alice raised him.
Tracy Briggs has finally gotten her act together and is raising Dominic’s son, Lucas alone with the help of her mother, Lila and her sister, Meghan. Lucas is hearing-impaired and is enrolled at a wonderful school. Tracy is is running her deceased father’s business with the help of her sister, Meghan, but she only does so because Meghan wants to keep the business alive. Meghan is happily married and she and her husband are running a veterinary business together, but helps Tracy with the family business from time to time.
Just when everything is going great for Tracy, in pops her ex (Dominic) to wreck havoc on her life. I absolutely loved how the plot unfolded in this story and I’m looking forward to a book #3 (and hoping so). I really want to follow along with Tracy’s new career and relationship and I want to see how Lucas grows up!!
Bette Lee Crosby is the USA Today bestselling author of eighteen novels, including Spare Change and the Wyattsville series. She has been the recipient of the Royal Palm Literary Award, Reviewer’s Choice Award, FPA President’s Book Award, International Book Award, and Next Generation Indie Award, among many others. Her 2016 novel, Baby Girl, was named Best Chick Lit of the Year by Huffington Post. She laughingly admits to being a night owl and a workaholic, claiming that her guilty pleasure is late-night chats with fans and friends on Facebook and Goodreads.
“Storytelling is in my blood,” Crosby laughingly admits, “My mom was not a writer, but she was a captivating storyteller, so I find myself using bits and pieces of her voice in most everything I write.”
It is the wit and wisdom of that Southern Mama Crosby brings to her works of fiction; the result is a delightful blend of humor, mystery and romance along with a cast of quirky characters who will steal your heart away. Her work was first recognized in 2006 when she received The National League of American Pen Women Award for a then unpublished manuscript. She has since gone on to win twenty awards for her work; these include: The Royal Palm Literary Award, the FPA President’s Book Award Gold Medal, Reader’s Favorite Award Gold Medal, and the Reviewer’s Choice Award.
Crosby’s published works to date are: Blueberry Hill (2014), Previously Loved Treasures (2014), Jubilee’s Journey (2013), What Matters Most (2013), The Twelfth Child (2012), Life in the Land of IS (2012), Cracks in the Sidewalk (2011), Spare Change (2011). A Cupid inspired romance, Wishing for Wonderful, is scheduled for release in November 2014 and Book Three of The Wyattsville Series, Passing through Perfect, will be be available in January 2015.
Connect with Bette Lee Crosby ~~ Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads | Amazon
I have received an advanced reader copy of a digital copy of this book from Ms. Crosby herself through NetGalley. It is also part of the BookSparks Fall Reading Challenge 2018 (#FRC2018), but I am posting a positive review because I LOVED, LOVED, LOVED this book! Thank you Ms. Crosby!!
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