The Soviet Union’s demise in 1991 took everyone by surprise, including the man most directly responsible for it. In 1985 Mikhail Gorbachev had launched perestroika (“reconstruction”), a reform program aimed at radically restructuring Soviet society. A crucial aspect of this initiative, glasnost, promised that the party-state’s work would from then on be “transparent.” In other […]
Sophia Rose is here with a fabulous review of The Sandcastle Hurricane by Carolyn Brown. Grab a cup of hot cocoa and read her thoughts on this delightful women’s fiction romance.
The Sandcastle Hurricane by Carolyn Brown Genres: Women’s Fiction Source: Publisher Purchase*: Amazon *affiliate
Rating: Heat Level:
Family, wounded hearts, and a Texas bed-and-breakfast are in need of repair in New York Times bestselling author Carolyn Brown’s inviting novel about down-home comfort and second chances.
Cousins Tabby and Ellie Mae are due for a change. Running their aunt’s beachfront bed-and-breakfast in Sandcastle, Texas, is just the thing to shake things up…though their lives spin out of control in more ways than one when a hurricane barrels into the coastline. It’s a miracle it didn’t carry them off to Kansas. Not so lucky are the assisted-living center and a small eclectic group of local folks who take shelter with the cousins.
Two estranged sisters, rowdy as a circus, need a referee for a battle that goes back decades. And a pair of veterans, best friends for years, hash out bittersweet old times. There’s also handyman Alex LaSalle and his business partner, Ricky, experts at repairing the hurricane’s damage—and at making Tabby’s and Ellie Mae’s hearts beat a little faster.
As unpredictable, crowded, and stormy as it gets, the Sandcastle B and B is still the perfect harbor for healing past wounds, finding romance, and making up for lost time. Add in Tabby’s homemade pecan pie, and the Texas shore feels like a little slice of paradise.
{
“@context”:”https://schema.org”,
“@type”:”Review”,
“datePublished”: “2022-12-07T05:00:00+00:00”,
“description”: “Sophia Rose is here with a fabulous review of The Sandcastle Hurricane by Carolyn Brown. Grab a cup of hot cocoa and read her thoughts on this delightful women’s fiction romance. “,
“publisher”: {
“@type”: “Organization”,
“name”: “Caffeinated Reviewer” },
“url”: “https://caffeinatedbookreviewer.com/2022/12/the-sandcastle-hurricane-by-carolyn-brown.html”,
“itemReviewed”: {
“@type”: “Book”,
“name”: “The Sandcastle Hurricane”,
“author”: {
“@type”: “Person”,
“name”: “Carolyn Brown”,
“sameAs”: “http://www.carolynbrownbooks.com/” },
“isbn”: “” },
“author”: {
“@type”: “Person”,
“name”: “Kimberly”,
“sameAs”: “https://caffeinatedbookreviewer.com/” },
“reviewRating”: {
“@type”: “Rating”,
“ratingValue”: 4.5,
“bestRating”: “5”
}
}
Sophia Rose’s Review
While reading this was a bit on the nose since I was reading it during hurricane season and a hurricane was indeed pelting Florida as I finished, I found Carolyn Brown’s usual country charm, sweet family and friendship, multi-generational characters, and a dash of romance quite the thing.
The Sandcastle Hurricane begins when Hurricane Delilah slams into the south Texas gulf coast and the little coastal town of Sandcastle. New inn owners, cousins Tabby and Ellie Mae, find themselves hosting four feisty older folks from the senior living center and a local handyman who once swapped kisses as teenagers with Tabby.
Tabby and Ella Mae are inheriting an old family home turned in from the great- aunt who has high-tailed it to Colorado, where there aren’t any hurricanes. Thank you very much. The chance came at a time when both needed a reset on life. Ella Mae’s partner has just past leaving her at a loss and Tabby’s out of a rough marriage. They’re fixing up the inn and hoping to make a success at it, grow closer to each other and get beyond the hurts of the past. Alex, and later his friend Ricky, are a part of that.
But, there are also a few animal strays and four older folks, Vietnam War vet best buds, Frank and Homer and two fierce old gals who can’t get along, Maude and Cleo to make it all interesting when they have to extend their stay at the end while the town rebuilds. Quite the surprise comes about Maude and Cleo, but the stay at the inn for all of them, including the cousins, works its magic on repairing their pasts.
I’ve come to really anticipate and enjoy the down home feel-good style Carolyn Brown writes and makes the reader relax and be part of a nostalgic setting and group of people that come to be ‘found’ family. Comfort reading at its best. I like getting all the point of views in the narration and seeing the women old and young (not to mention the men) find their way and figure out a happier life as a result. Not that there aren’t any conflicts to get past, but the low angst style appeals to me, as do the relaxed small town coastal Texas setting there at The Sandcastle and the environs.
So, a natural disaster brought a new engaging cast of characters, a plot and a setting from a favorite author and I enjoyed it thoroughly. While there is plenty of romance and a bit of snappy dialogue and spice, I would still say this leans more toward women’s fiction and recommend it to both crowds.
Amazon | Audible
The Sandcastle Hurricane by Carolyn Brown delivered romance, snappy dialogue and spice. #WomensFiction #BookReview #SophiaRose Click To Tweet
About Carolyn Brown
Author Carolyn BrownNew York Times and USA Today bestselling author Carolyn Brown was born in Texas and raised in southern Oklahoma. These days she and her husband make their home in Davis, Oklahoma, a small town of less than three thousand people where everyone knows everyone, knows what they are doing and with whom, and read the weekly newspaper to see who got caught. A plaque hangs on her office wall that says I know the voices are not real but they have such great ideas. That is her motto and muse as she goes through the days with quirky characters in her head, telling their stories, one by one, and loving her job. She has been married almost half a century to a retired English teacher that she calls Mr. B and he does not read her books before they are published because she cannot afford a divorce. They have three grown children.—and enough grandchildren to keep them busy and young. When Carolyn is not writing she likes to sit in the back yard and watch the two tom cats protect the yard from all kinds of wicked varmints like crickets, other cats, spiders and blue jays.
Website | Facebook
Stay Caffeinated!
Never miss a post by adding Caffeinated to your Inbox
About Sophia Rose
Sophia is a quiet though curious gal who dabbles in cooking, book reviewing, and gardening. Encouraged and supported by an incredible man and loving family. A Northern Californian transplant to the Great Lakes Region of the US. Lover of Jane Austen, Baseball, Cats, Scooby Doo, and Chocolate.
Cloudy with a Chance of Answers by Carolyn Summer Quinn is a mystery thriller and the second one in her “unsolved crimes against children” series. Bethany Barrows finds herself in the town of New Jersey in the early stages of Covid-19 when her uncle Ryan passes away and she has to settle his estate. In Bethany’s half-hearted search through her uncle’s belongings, she discovers that her detective uncle dedicated his entire life to finding his daughter Ashley’s abductor. Bethany gets “cloudy with a chance of answers” when she finds a very clear lead. Will she finally solve the mystery her uncle couldn’t solve before his death? To unravel Ashley Barrows’ abduction mystery from 1988, is Bethany willing to sacrifice her own life?
Cloudy with a Chance of Answers is a riveting piece of storytelling. The book is set in March of 2020, right when coronavirus was spreading globally and Quinn’s ability to recreate that environment is applause-worthy. Her attention to detail was spectacular and I felt as though I was transported back into that time. As the story forges ahead and Bethany comes across all types of hints, readers will find themselves trying to solve the mystery as well. This book is a true page-turner and it radiated nail-biting suspense.
Bethany’s character was as realistic as it gets and her naturally curious personality was a great character trait. Her devotion to her cousin’s closed abduction case and her need to solve it was amazing to read about. The sheer possibility of getting the long-anticipated answers not only compelled Bethany but readers as well.
Unlike most thriller novels, Quinn’s writing style takes on a conversational tone which made this book a fast read. I found it very hard to put this book down and I can’t wait for the next one in this series. As for the story, it was near perfect, at no point did I feel like it was being stretched out, and then as the mystery unfolded itself, I too got cloudy with a chance of answers.
Dear Child of Mine shares an inspiring message with young readers and lets them know that they can be whatever they want to be in life. This is a love letter to all the children in the world, letting them know that anything is possible.
This inspiring children’s book shares a heartfelt message of love and empowerment to help children understand that there are many different professions, and they can choose any of them. And not just one either. This remarkable kids book shares an overwhelming message that will empower children and motivate them to think about what they want to be and shoot for the stars.
I enjoyed the exploration of different professions at the beginning of the book because I think this will inspire conversation with kids about different jobs that are out there, and what those jobs entail. After readers are shown a variety of different jobs, the story then asks what they will be, which offers another fantastic opportunity for parents and educators to stop and ask their child what their aspirations are.
The vibrant graphic art throughout the book is charming. There are several scenes throughout the book that also show a diverse cast of characters, ensuring that every reader will feel represented. Dear Child of Mine is a short but very encouraging picture book that shares a message of love and gets them thinking about what it is they want to be in life.
Loving Artemis, written by Janet Mason, is a tale of finding love that starts during a time when being LGBTQA+ was not accepted and spans to a time when it has become more accepted. Artemis is a young girl in love with a girl named Linda. She wants to do something to get her attention and thinks that riding a motorcycle will impress Linda. But, as she becomes closer to Linda, Linda isn’t sure what she wants.
Artemis and Linda separate, and Grace come into Artemis’ life. Grace isn’t sure if she could ever love anyone, but the more she gets to know Artemis, the more she realizes she can love someone. However, Artemis falls prey to a devious plan that gets her removed from school. Grace decides to move on with her life and finds the one person meant for her. She sees someone she thinks looks like Artemis at a Pride parade in 2015, and all her memories and feelings come flooding back.
Janet Mason does a beautiful job developing this coming-of-age story. Her character development is well done and allows the reader to easily imagine them in their mind. The character of Artemis is complex and relatable for many people. Her character had a bright future, but she got mixed up with the wrong crowd of people. Readers will want to see if things turn around for Artemis and will be drawn to keep reading to see where she ends up.
Linda is a lovely character filled with self-doubt and unsure of the future. She seemed like she was really trying to figure out what her life should be like. She wasn’t sure if she would go to college or end up like her mother. But she was able to figure out where she was meant to be in the end.
I was especially drawn to the character of Grace. I think her character was stronger than she even realized. Her personality jumps off the page and makes readers pay attention to what she has to say. She knew what she wanted in life and knew how to get it. I enjoyed reading about her character, and I felt like I understood why she made the decisions she did. I wish I was more like her when I was younger.
I loved this book. Janet Mason discussed issues that the LGBTQA+ community has endured for many decades. In addition, she brought up topics of historical significance so that we readers can look up these topics and learn more. I think these are important topics to discuss, and I am glad they were able to bring them up in their book.
Loving Artemis is a heartfelt coming-of-age Lesbian romance novel that follows the lives of women that were just coming into their own back before it was socially acceptable. I recommend this book to anyone with an interest in LGBTQA+ topics and ones that love fiction that includes some reality.
Leslie Kain’s Secrets in the Mirror is a psychological thriller that brilliantly portrays how psychological disorders can affect lives and even destroy families. The story deals with years of both mental and physical abuse, generational trauma, and gaslighting as well as murder and crime.
Gavin and Devon are mirror twins, meaning they are literally opposites of each other- both inside and out. The story follows Gavin, who is gaslighted and abused by both his father and twin, Devon, who has Narcissistic Personality Disorder. Their father painted Devon as the ‘winner’ at everything throughout their lives, further feeding his son’s narcissistic view of the world. Gavin was given the role of Devon’s caretaker with no purpose of his own. As a result, Gavin struggled to define his self-worth and felt inferior all his life, like he was only half a person without his toxic twin brother.
The author excellently portrays how generational trauma shaped the father and the twins as they grew up, the toxic and rigid stereotypes, expectations, and values that were instilled in their dad, and how he tried to inculcate them in his sons as well. The twins’ mother was a competent and qualified woman who wanted to protect Gavin as much as possible. Yet, simultaneously, she was a victim of her husband’s gaslighting and abuse.
This family dynamic also contributed to shaping the environment the twins grew up in. The story has chapters from numerous points of view, and through Devon’s chapters, we see the extent of his warped reality and perspective. As the story progresses, Gavin suffers losses but also finds love, and in the end, he has to save the people who had destroyed his self-esteem as he grew up.
The novel is well written, with notable supporting characters who enhance the story further. I recommend this book to everyone, but I suggest you proceed with caution and read the trigger warnings given by the author as the story deals with mature and disturbing themes that could trigger some.
Secrets in the Mirror is a coming-of-age psychological thriller that takes readers into the mind and world of twin brothers. One who wants nothing more than break away and be his own person, the other a dark and twisted narcissistic abuser. This captivating story of crime and loyalty will play at the reader’s emotions as they follow along and experience the effects of mental illness on all that come in contact with it.
Café de Sophia starts out from the POV of a sixteen-year-old boy named Nate. He’s walking home from school one day and it starts raining so he decides to seek shelter in a nearby café. While he waits for his mom to pick him up, Nate is drawn to the environment of the cute café and admires the décor. He meets a man named Plato who is a regular at the café. Plato is an educated and sophisticated man. He enjoys conversation and getting to know people through his conversations. Nate learns a lot from Plato, as well as his friends who frequent the café. The café is the spot where they like to hang out and have deep intellectually-invigorating conversations about a variety of topics. In the end, Nate learns more about himself because of the wisdom Plato shares with him.
This is a sharp and cerebral book that uses Socratic dialogue to share observant and analytical deductions on life and all of the things it consists of. If you enjoy a story that is brimming with provocative ideas and astute observations about the world then you will enjoy M.A. Alsadah’s book. This is a story for those that like to ponder as this novel gives you plenty of food for thought.
The book is filled with deep and intellectual conversations between characters that all seem likable. The story uses Nate as a vehicle to deliver some fascinating ideas and I especially found the logical deductions intriguing. Any philosopher, or any readers that consider themselves so, would find the shrewd ruminations especially engaging. I would suggest readers not familiar with Socratic dialogue first familiarize themselves with the format. This will help readers understand the format and be in the right state of mind before diving in.
Café de Sophia is a thought-provoking literary fiction novel that uses an age-old format to tell a compelling story that is full of perceptive reflections on life.
To provide the best experiences, we use technologies like cookies to store and/or access device information. Consenting to these technologies will allow us to process data such as browsing behavior or unique IDs on this site. Not consenting or withdrawing consent, may adversely affect certain features and functions.
Functional
Always active
The technical storage or access is strictly necessary for the legitimate purpose of enabling the use of a specific service explicitly requested by the subscriber or user, or for the sole purpose of carrying out the transmission of a communication over an electronic communications network.
Preferences
The technical storage or access is necessary for the legitimate purpose of storing preferences that are not requested by the subscriber or user.
Statistics
The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for statistical purposes.The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for anonymous statistical purposes. Without a subpoena, voluntary compliance on the part of your Internet Service Provider, or additional records from a third party, information stored or retrieved for this purpose alone cannot usually be used to identify you.
Marketing
The technical storage or access is required to create user profiles to send advertising, or to track the user on a website or across several websites for similar marketing purposes.
The Soviet Union’s demise in 1991 took everyone by surprise, including the man most directly responsible for it. In 1985 Mikhail Gorbachev had launched perestroika (“reconstruction”), a reform program aimed at radically restructuring Soviet society. A crucial aspect of this initiative, glasnost, promised that the party-state’s work would from then on be “transparent.” In other […]
