This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.






Published by Montlake Romance
Released on November 12, 2019
Pages: 296
Format: eARC
Source: NetGalley
The Delight
Wow! One hundred books released and dare I hope for many more to come? Carolyn Brown’s The Family Journal was a fitting book for hitting her century mark with its unique look back at the distant past through the maternal family journal, to the present where things are at a low for the heroine before she takes her life by the horns, and into a future if she can trust that all men aren’t like her cheating, manipulative ex. Carolyn Brown’s country charming style full of family, friendship, wry humor and no-nonsense romance is a feel-good moment that I’m ever eager to experience.
Review
The Family Journal starts with appalled and stressed out Lily Anderson getting a wake-up call. She caught her fourteen year old daughter smoking a joint in the library restroom and her twelve year old son has been sneaking off for beer and cigs with his friends. Time to get out of the city and head home to those simple country roots that she was so eager to escape when she finished high school. Back to the old stone family home with its shared bathroom and lack of wifi, her best buds, small town gossip, and a man who has the same loneliness and broken-hearted past in his eyes just like she.
I love this author’s books and this one was no exception even with the challenge of misbehaving teenagers included. It was an interesting story of family heritage when Lily found the journal that went back six generations of women to connect her to others who had to deal with hardships and came through them and also connected her with her daughter, Holly, who needed to get in touch with her family roots. Mac and Lily’s romance is one of friendship to love, building trust that this person won’t hurt them as they were hurt before. Lily’s domineering husband cheated and left her while Mack’s two ex fiancees left him for his handsome, suave twin brother because anything Mac has Adam tries to take.
Through a montage of daily life scenes and events, The Family Journal shows people healing and coming together. It was sweet and a little sassy with its gentle pacing. It was a crossover between women’s fiction and romance the way it focused on several feminine relationships in the story: Lily with her daughter, Lily coming to peace with her deceased mother, the connection to the women in the journal, Lily and her friends, Holly attempting to make friends, and Holly with Granny Hayes.
But, that romance was just the thing to weave through the women’s story. Mac is stalwart, quiet and very humble after growing up the twin of a flashy brother who dominated their high school scene and was the seeming golden boy so that not one, but two of Mac’s loves fell for his tinsel charm. He fears that Lily will do the same until she shows him that she knows the difference between the player and the real thing. He’s no fancy bank president wearing thousand dollar suits and driving a sports car. He’s an agricultural teacher and runs the 4-H club, he raises goats, wears beat up boots and drives an old truck. But, he is just the guy to fill in the wounds that Lily and her kids have after Wyatt does his number on them for years. I envy Lily her Mac.
All in all, it was another golden story for me and I can recommend it to those who enjoy contemporary western romance or small town women’s fiction.
I rec’d this book through Net Galley to be read in exchange for an honest review.
Challenges Met
New Release #155
Books N Tunes #46 Pistol Annie’s Hush Hush
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that’s great that it was another great one for you!
I feel like anything she writes will pull me in. 🙂
I can see why you enjoyed it, it sounds really good!
I get all sorts of warm fuzzies from her books, Jenea. 🙂
Great review darling. I just love this author, and especially the way she portrays the life of a small town. Give me a man who raises goats!!
Mac is fab! 🙂
100 books is an amazing accomplishment! I have several of her books sitting on my shelf that I really need to get busy reading. I am so glad you enjoyed this one.
Yeah, that floored me when I saw that in the book announcement. I have read several, but I still have a ton on my TBR. 🙂
I’m currently reading this and loving it! Mack is such a sweet-heart! His brother is a slime ball, right? It’s hard to go wrong with Carolyn Brown! 🙂
Oh man, Mac is all that Adam isn’t. I laughed when Adam got his comeuppance by Lily. 🙂
Wow, what an accomplishment! I like books like this with multiple characters and happens.
Yeah a whole century worth of books. 🙂
I liked that about her books, too.
I haven’t read as much of this author as you but a key to her stories always seem to be family. Fantastic review!
Yes, very true, Anne! I like that aspect so much. 🙂
This sounds wonderful. I have been meaning to read her books, but of course it has yet to happen. 🙂
It was heartwarming and fun.
LOL, I have a list of those books, too, Nadene. 🙂
This sounds like a very touching story. I love how the main character. takes her struggling teenagers back to her roots. The journal and all of the female relationships and romance sound like they made for a very entertaining story! Lovely Review Sophia 🙂
It was a sweetheart and had so many extra elements to add appeal. Thanks, Lindy!
Another great review, and it’s wonderful to see how Carolyn Brown’s stories continue to evolve. Adding this one to my list. Hugs, RO
I agree! I see the progress of her writing just in the last few years and she does great with these crossover genre books. Have a great day, Radiant Ro!
Woah! One hundred books released? Crazy! Love her. Must read more
Isn’t that something? I’m hoping to read more of her backlist, too. 🙂