Warm Hearts Happy Family

I had the very real pleasure of receiving an advanced copy of Eileen Goudge’s latest novel Once In A Blue Moon to read and review.

First and foremost, I love to read. Books are my happy place and with little ones at home, time to relax and read is more than a little hard to come by.

This gave me the perfect excuse: “Honey, you have to clean up after dinner, bathe the children, and get them to sleep. I have to read…it’s my work.” Score.

Once In A Blue Moon exceeded my expectations. Goudge has a real talent for bringing your senses alive. She perfectly tapped into the angst of a girl—a child herself—carrying the responsibility of raising her baby sister.

This is where the story starts, with Lindsey, a 12 year old girl forced to grow up well beyond her years to take care of her younger sister Kerrie Ann, age 3. She struggles to hold their fragile reality together as best as a 12 year old can. Her world shatters when the girl’s mother is arrested and the sisters are sent into separate foster care.

Your heart will ache for these children as they are ripped apart from each other in fierce flurry of tears, panic, and deep sadness.

Lindsey and Kerrie Ann led opposite lives—the system working flawlessly for Lindsey, while quite flawed in Kerrie Ann’s case. Close to 30 years pass, never without Lindsey searching for her baby sister when circumstances reunite the women. And so starts part two of their story.

As you can imagine, different upbringings bring vastly different lifestyles. The girls clash immediately and you are left wondering how the hurt of the past will ever heal, and if friendship and family is in the cards.

Lindsey is forced to deal with emotions she had learned to bury, to keep just below the raw surface, while Kerrie Ann deals with trying to calm her outbursts of anger and emotion.

Both women face their own trouble and adversity, and fall into each others hearts when battling through their seemingly constant uphill battles.

Another unexpected thing came into the sister’s lives—men. Just when they least expected to find the healing that only falling in love can bring, there love was. And heal it did.

If you are looking for detailed imagery, feeling the spectrum of emotion, and a fantastic love story Once In A Blue Moon is a read for you. The story is accurate, to the point, and honest. I am a new fan of Eileen Goudge and look forward to reading more of her work.

Once In A Blue Moon is on bookselves now, so go pick up your own copy and settle in for a good read.

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Hello world!  I am in a much better place today, Hawaiian flowers will sure do that for a gal.  My last few blog posts were a little buzz kill-esque, sorry about that.  But I am all better and feeling like myself again so on to happier topics.

Today’s topic comes from a fellow mom blogger mommymelee and her Girl Talk Thursdays series. 

Question:  Lingerie hot or waste of money?

I say hot.  And I also find it prudent to mention I have next to none.  Zip.  The only lingerie I do own is from our wedding and honeymoon and is stuffed in a drawer–lonely and forgotten and probably deteriorating as we speak. 

Let me also say that I think lingerie is hot on other woman.   I on the other hand feel slightly absurd.  The first time I bought a sexy number for my husband–who was my then boyfriend–I snuck in the bathroom, put it on and then refused to come out.  I don’t know why I was so embarrassed but I felt like a clown or one of those ridiculous dogs wearing a polo shirt and booties complete with a tiara–just a little over the top. 

Worse than my not owning any lingerie is the fact that my underwear drawer is missing anything resembling sexy.  It is however home to several dozen pairs of my granny panties.  Ew, I just said panties. 

This needs to be corrected and there is no frame of time that is soon enough.  I finally broke down and bought 2 bras that are not complete with a latch and peek-a-boo system.  It is time my ass get the same kind of love.  You hear that ass?  You are about to be covered in lace and silk.  OK maybe lace and some sort of synthetic softness. 

To me in comes down to how you feel about yourself.  I will feel much more womanly if after my hot steamy shower I lotion up and slip into soft lace instead of something that could be mistaken for my husbands grill cover.  Husband might even appreciate the gesture.

So yep, there you have it.  My vote is anything that makes mama feel hot is going to heat up the bedroom.  And that is never a waste of money.

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