This dazzling and delightful novel tackles some serious historical subjects with humor and heart. I was fascinated by not only the history but also the ways James tempered the emotional parts with humor. I laughed out loud numerous times and that's not something I often say after reading a literary fiction book.

Family secrets, trauma from the past, and personal struggles afflict the Connelly family at the heart of Lange’s latest. I love stories of families coming together to deal with hardships, so this engrossing saga was an easy 4-star for me. It shows what we all know—people helping people and families working together to lift each other up are what can bring the individuals of a family up and out of struggle.

Tara Connelly is fresh out of an 18-month stint in jail for trafficking opioids for a local drug dealer. She returns home to her family’s house where her sister, brother, and nephew live. Even though Tara’s the one getting out of prison, her sister Geraldine and her brother Eddie have their own demons to deal with. Meanwhile the cop who helped arrest Tara is inexplicably drawn to her and regretful about the situation that put her in jail.

Your emotions will be tugged and you’ll stay engaged in this story as the true troubles of these characters come into focus and family secrets are revealed. I really enjoyed this book. If you’re a fan of family stories and how members of families can help and heal each other, check this one out. It’s a emotional, romantic, heartwarming summer read.

Much thanks to @celadon for the free early copy and @netgalley for the audiobook. I switched between both. Barrie Kreinik does a lovely job narrating this story, particularly Tara’s conflicting yet completely effecting portion. And kudos to Lange for another powerful and emotional family read.

This sweet, body-positivity romance was what I needed after a couple of great-but-heavy reads. It's sexy, romantic, fun--and shows a person who's experienced harm turning their life around with personal growth and love. Our heroine Rose learns to love the body she has AND the man who loves that body without ONCE mentioning the word "diet." Something small but significant: She repeatedly mentions drinking ice-cold Cokes from her fridge. Not Coke Zero, not Diet Coke, but real, sugary, delicious Coke.

Why do I notice the drink? Because as an overweight woman who's struggled with body image and eating since my teens, I notice every minute detail about food, even in books. Is this ingrained in me by society and its obsession with thinness? Probably. And it's unfortunate. I don't remember what work I did last week, but I sure know it was apple cider donuts that threw me off my weight-loss efforts in the summer of 1998.

All that to say, this book was refreshing in that Rose is able to heal from the fat-shaming and trauma of her past by creating a new life in Galway, NC. No need to diet to make herself into a new woman. Here, the kindness of strangers and a love affair with Angus--a decent, sweet man--help heal her wounds. These new experiences also help boost her own self-confidence and encourage her to make connections with people who love her just as she is.

I really enjoyed this book's message about kindness, too. Angus is a vet who works with other vets experiencing PTSD and Rose uses the millions she won in the lottery to help people in the town and purposely seek out larger philanthropical opportunities. Combining these messages of positivity and kindness with the whimsy of love makes for a great combo. Congrats to Moher on this great debut novel!

Thanks to @netgalley and @dreamscape media for the gifted audiobook. I enjoyed the audio for the most part, but wasn't a fan of the male narrator. It might have been just me, but he sounded older than the 30-ish Angus. Here's a pic of the paperback I purchased (I really liked this one!) with my own curves...that I'm still learning to love.