Review: Season of Wonder

Season of Wonder by RaeAnne Thayne
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This was such a sweet heartwarming story. It follows a single mother Dani who has two girls as they start a new life in the little town of New Haven. Dani heads up the town veterinary hospital after spending a year interning under the mentorship of Dr. Morales who recently retired and had Dani take over. Dani and her daughters struggle to adapt to this small town and she also has a troubled past and finds it hard to connect to people. After some trouble occurs she finds herself in the company of Ruben, who is her next door neighbor, the deputy sheriff, and the son of her mentor. There is instant attraction but Dani resists. She doesn't want to take the risk of falling in love, thinking that it will eventually be taken from her. Plus she is hiding a past that she doesn't want revealed.
This was a really fast read and I loved the way the story unfolded. I loved the characters, especially the children, and thought they were so believable. I adored this sweet swoon worthy story.

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Review: The Phantom Tree

The Phantom Tree by Nicola Cornick
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I thought this book was good and I enjoyed it for the most part.
The book is a mix of fantasy, history, mystery and romance. It alternates chapters between Elizabethan times and the present time. It follows two main characters each struggling to find their place in the world during childhood and facing obstacles as they grow up. First, it follows Mary Seymour who is the daughter of Katherine Parr and is now an unwanted orphan. She is sent to Wolf Hall to live for a few years and goes missing in her late teens. We also follow Alison Banestre who is also orphaned and lives with Mary in Wolf Hall. Mary and Alison deal with the problems of growing up in 16th century England and things escalate when Alison finds herself pregnant. As events unfold, Mary and Alison go their separate ways while promising each other to keep in touch through clues left.
In modern times, Alison is well into her adult years and has been stuck in the present for many years. She finds herself stuck and wants only to go back and find her lost son. She also reunites with an Ex who discovers a never before seen painting of Anne Boleyn which Alison knows is really a painting of Mary Seymour. They team up in discovering the truth and Alison secretly also hides her agenda in finding a way back home to her time.
I thought this book was enjoyable. The plot was bittersweet but a bit slow in the middle. It was an overall easy read and I loved the fantastical elements.

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