Wednesday, May 30, 2018

#BookReview - When We Found Home by Susan Mallery

Title:  When We Found Home
Author:  Susan Mallery
Genre:  Contemporary Romance
Release Date:  July 10, 2018 (Available for Pre-Order)


About the Book:
Life is meant to be savored, but that’s not easy with no family, limited prospects and a past you’d rather not talk about. Still, Callie Smith doesn’t know how to feel when she discovers she has a brother and a sister—Malcolm, who grew up with affection, wealth and privilege, and Keira, a streetwise twelve-year-old. Callie doesn’t love being alone, but at least it’s safe. Despite her trepidation, she moves into the grand family home with her siblings and grandfather on the shores of Lake Washington, hoping just maybe this will be the start of a whole new life.

But starting over can be messy. Callie and Keira fit in with each other, but not with their posh new lifestyle, leaving Malcolm feeling like the odd man out in his own home. He was clever enough to turn a sleepy Seattle mail-order food catalog into an online gourmet powerhouse, yet he can’t figure out how to help his new sisters feel secure. Becoming a family will take patience, humor, a little bit of wine and a whole lot of love. But love isn’t Malcolm’s strong suit…until a beautiful barista teaches him that an open heart, like the family table, can always make room for more.

In this emotional, funny and heartfelt story, Susan Mallery masterfully explores the definition of a modern family—blended by surprise, not by choice—and how those complicated relationships can add unexpected richness to life.


Buy Links: Amazon 
Available for Pre-Order - Release Date July 10, 2018

My Review:

Susan Mallory is one of my go-to authors for whenever I'm in the mood to read a really good contemporary romance, filled with emotion and a bit of humor.  Although I did get those ingredients in When We Found Home, this one didn't rate up there with some of the others.

I absolutely loved the characters Kiera and Callie.  Kiera is a twelve-year-old girl who was living in foster care when it was discovered that she was the granddaughter of Alberto Alfresco, the very wealthy but very lovable old man who had been searching for his son's illegitimate daughters. Many years earlier he had been introduced to his grandson Malcolm who had come to live with him and it wasn't until after his son's death that he realized that his son had fathered two additional children.  Kiera is a spunky, out-spoken girl on the edge of becoming a teenager.  When Callie, the older granddaughter, was located and invited to come to Seattle to be a part of their family, Callie and Kiera hit it off immediately.  It took a while, however for their brother Malcolm to mellow out and learn how to be a brother.

I couldn't quite grasp Delaney Holbrook's character because she changed so frequently and couldn't seem to make up her mind what she wanted.  I get it that she had undergone some emotional trauma a while back, but her wishy-washy attitude started getting on my nerves.  Just as I was starting to like Malcolm, she pretty much threw a sledgehammer at his heart.

The story line was interesting and shared a whole new light on dysfunctional families.  And it was interesting to see how this author handled Callie's rocky past.  There were times that I wanted to stand up and cheer for Callie and how she handled situations.

All in all, it was a good story.  A bit repetitive at times, and not my favorite of Susan Mallory's books, but still a good story.

Disclosure: A complimentary copy was provided by NetGalley and the Publisher in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts, opinions and ratings are my own.

My Rating: 

About the Author:


Susan Mallery is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of books about the relationships that define women's lives—romance, friendship, family. With compassion and humor, Susan keenly observes how people think and feel, in stories that take readers on an emotional journey. Sometimes heartbreaking, often funny, and always uplifting, Susan's books have spent more than 200 weeks on the USA Today bestsellers list, thanks to her ever growing legions of fans.

Critics, too, have heaped praise on "the new queen of romantic fiction." (Walmart) Booklist says, "Romance novels don't get much better than Mallery's expert blend of emotional nuance, humor, and superb storytelling," and RT Book Reviews puts her "in a class by herself!"

Although Susan majored in Accounting, she never worked as an accountant because she was published straight out of college with two books the same month, January of 1992. Sixteen prolific years and seventy-four books later, she hit the New York Times bestsellers list for the first time with Accidentally Yours in 2008. She made many appearances in the Top 10 before (finally) hitting #1 in 2015 with Thrill Me, the twentieth book in her most popular series, the Fool's Gold romances, and the fourth of five books released that year.

Susan lives in Seattle with her husband, two ragdoll cats, and a tattletale toy poodle. Her heart for animals has led Susan to become an active supporter of the Seattle Humane Society. Animals play a big role in her books, as well, as she believes they're an integral component to a happy life. Visit Susan online at www.SusanMallery.com.

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