Fade to Blue

GIVEAWAY!

CAROBINI, JULIE

FADE TO BLUE

How do you restore a soul? One brush stroke at a time ...

Suz Mitchell is a determined dreamer, and won't allow her ex-husband's jail sentence to ruin their young son Jeremiah's life. An accomplished artist, Suz moves with her child across the country to California's central coast, and lands a job restoring priceless art for the historic Hearst Castle overlooking the sea.

But even dreams have shocking twists. To her surprise, a serious old flame, Seth, works at the castle and jumbles the new aspirations in Suz's heart. While sorting through their past and a palette of spiritual differences, an even bigger brush with yesterday awaits.

Suz must learn to let God be the true restorer of all that once seemed lost.

My Review:

A fresh, breezy summer read. I love the Otter Bay community and the fact that I got to reacquaint myself with characters from the series. But even though Callie and Gage play prominent roles in Fade to Blue -- this is Suz's story. Caught between a rock and a hard place she battles with doing the right thing and making right choices. Her life hasn't been easy and it isn't about to get any easier. Especially with Seth (a past love) unexpectedly showing up.

Carobini writes thoughtful, soul-searching stories that mesh the harsh realities of life with the awe-inspiring hand of God. Sometimes the two seem at odds but Carobini has a way of showing how God will prevail if we open ourselves to His will.

There's angst and romance, an adorable dog and an equally adorable child and an entire of cast of characters who come alive and make me want to hop a plane and head for California. Perfect escape reading for a lazy summer day.

 Giveaway: If you would like a chance to win a copy of Fade to Blue leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoreadATyahooDOTcom. The draw will be held on Sunday, July 3. Open internationally.

Sweet Waters

CAROBINI, JULIE

SWEET WATERS

What happens when the fairy tale turns out to be a soap opera?

Tara Sweet is nothing if not sensible. Usually. But her engagement is off, and her mother -- yes mother -- is newly married and gallivanting around Europe. It's time for a change. So she convinces her sisters to honor their father's final wish and rediscover the fairy-tale life they knew in Otter Bay, California. But Tara discovers fairy tales are fragile -- and truth is often one ugly layer after another of secrets, accusation, rumor, and a past an entire church wants to forget.

Firefighter Josh Adams knows all about battling personal demons. He's been doing so ever since a woman nearly died in his arms. Actually, long before...

As the turbulence in their lives grows, Tara and Josh find themselves at odds with their families, their faith, the townspeople of Otter Bay -- and each other. Only in facing the lies from the past can they find the truth. And only in finding the truth can they be set free.

UNIQUE BECAUSE OF IT'S PRESENT TENSE FIRST PERSON, POINT OF VIEW, READING SWEET WATERS MADE ME FEEL LIKE I WAS ACTUALLY LIVING INSIDE TARA'S SKIN. WATCHING THE STORY UNFOLD FROM ONLY HER IMPRESSIONS MADE FOR A VERY INTERESTING -- AND REFRESHING -- PERSPECTIVE .

AND CAROBINI HAS DONE HER HOMEWORK ON CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT! I FELT LIKE I WAS TARA AND THAT CONNECTION REALLY BROUGHT MORE MEANING AND EMOTION TO THE READING EXPERIENCE.

EVEN THOUGH WE SEE ALL THE OTHER CHARACTERS THROUGH ONLY TARA’S EYES, CAROBINI HAS DONE A WONDERFUL JOB OF BRINGING THEM TO LIFE. THE SWEET FAMILY DYNAMICS IN PARTICULAR ARE LAYERED IN COMPLEXITIES. AND THEN THERE’S THE WONDERFUL INHABITANTS OF OTTER BAY -- RICH WITH PERSONALITIES. THEY HELP PROPEL THE STORY…AND ALL ITS GLORIOUS ANGST…ALONG.

JOSH AND TARA’S TANGLED RELATIONSHIP IS RIFE WITH MISUNDERSTANDINGS, AWKWARDNESS, AND STRIFE…BUT IT IS ALSO FILLED WITH HOPE AND FORGIVENESS. THEIR PERSONAL STRUGGLES PULL THEM APART, BUT CAROBINI EXPERTLY WEAVES THEIR LIFE STORIES TOGETHER AND TOWARDS A POWERFUL CONCLUSION.

SWEET WATERS IS ALSO ABOUT DISCOVERING FAITH – BOTH NEW FOUND AND LIFE LONG. I'VE LEARNED THAT MOVING ON MEANS LETTING GO OF EVERYTHING --EXCEPT MY FAITH. IT'S A TENDER STORY THAT LEAVES YOU WITH A SMILE ON YOUR FACE AND A FEELING OF HOPE IN YOUR HEART.

A Shore Thing

CAROBINI, JULIE

A SHORE THING

Callie Duflay just isn't like the rest of her family. While they've built white-collar lives, she prefers getting her hands dirty by working with kids and local California causes. So when she learns a beloved piece of untouched property in her town of Otter Bay may soon be developed, she naturally confronts the architect assigned to the project.

Gage Mitchell may be an easygoing, eco-friendly professional but he's not about to back off this job no matter how cute Callie or her pet pooch, Moondoggy, may be. His reasons and hers are noble -- both have a heart for protecting God's creation, and the truth is these two could be perfect for each other outside this face-off.

But will they ever figure that out?

THIS BOOK WAS WRITTEN FOR ME! I LOVE THE ENVIRONMENTAL ANGLE AND CALLIE COULD BE ME...WELL IN THE DESIRE TO PROTECT THE EARTH AND LIVE RESPONSIBLY IN ORDER TO LESSEN MY ECOLOGICAL FOOTPRINT. I LOVE THAT CALLIE GETS THAT AND LIVES IT TO HER FULLEST. CAROBINI DOES A WONDERFUL JOB OF DESCRIBING THE BEAUTY OF THE LAND THAT CALLIE IS FIGHTING TO PROTECT. SHE MANAGES TO CONVEY THE MAGNITUDE AND SACREDNESS OF GOD'S CREATIONS IN SO MANY SCENES. BEAUTIFULLY, BEAUTIFULLY DONE.

I'M STILL SMILING OVER THE DOG. PERSONALLY, I THINK EVERY GOOD ROMANCE SHOULD HAVE A DOG. :-) BUT THIS ONE STEALS MY HEART, JUST LIKE HE STEALS CALLIE'S. A DOG CAN GO A LONG WAY TO REVEALING CHARACTER AND LETS JUST SAY THAT GAGE HAS A WHOLE LOT OF CHARACTER!

CAROBINI HAS USED A MIXED POV -- BOTH 1ST AND 3RD PERSON. CALLIE'S SEGMENTS ARE IN FIRST PERSON, GAGE'S ARE IN THIRD. I'VE NEVER READ ANYTHING LIKE IT AND YOU WOULD THINK THE FLOW OF THE BOOK WOULD BE BUMPY BUT IT'S NOT. I REALLY LOVED CALLIE'S VOICE AND FELT LIKE I KNEW HER SO MUCH BETTER SO MUCH FASTER BECAUSE OF THE 1ST PERSON POV. SHE'S QUIRKY AND FUNNY AND PASSIONATE.

THERE'S A STRENGTH IN GAGE, A KIND OF NOBILITY THAT HE ATTEMPTS TO REPRESS IN ORDER TO GET HIS ARCHITECT BUSINESS OFF THE GROUND. HE HAS A GREAT RELATIONSHIP WITH HIS YOUNGER SISTER AND HER SON...MAKING ME HOPE THAT THERE WILL BE A SEQUEL WITH SUZ AS THE HEROINE.

TOGETHER, GAGE AND CALLIE ARE PERFECT...OR THEY WOULD HAVE BEEN IN A DIFFERENT PLACE AND ANOTHER TIME. AT THE BEGINNING OF THE BOOK, ATTRACTION DOESN'T LOOK LIKE IT WILL BE ENOUGH TO GET THESE TWO TOGETHER -- THOUGH IT'S A DEFINITE START IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION. I LIKE HOW CAROBINI BUILT THE ROMANTIC TENSION, BUILDING ON THAT ATTRACTION AND SLOWLY DEVELOPING IT INTO SO MUCH MORE. THERE ARE SOME SENSATIONAL ROMANCE SCENES WITHIN A SHORE THING.

CAROBINI SHOWS WONDERFUL INSIGHT INTO RELATIONSHIPS. THEY READ SO REAL! CALLIE'S FAMILY IN PARTICULAR. THE DYNAMICS ARE BELIEVABLE -- FALLIBLE PEOPLE WHO CAN BE INFURIATING AT TIMES, ENDEARING AT OTHERS. ALL OF THEM DEFINITELY A LITTLE DYSFUNCTIONAL.

THEN THERE'S THE CORRUPT POLITICIANS AND SHADY DEALINGS. THIS BOOK HAS IT ALL -- ROMANCE, ANGST, SUSPENSE...AND, OF COURSE, A HAPPILY EVER AFTER. PLUS IT'S REFRESHINGLY DIFFERENT FROM ANYTHING ELSE I'VE READ IN A LONG TIME. A DEFINITE MUST READ.