Emilie RichardsResenhas

I really enjoyed the first half of this book. The story moved along at a decent pace, the characters were great, it was a delightful read. However, I only gave this book four stars because I felt the second half of the book was just way too long. I felt like it could have been about a third of the length it was and we still would have gotten all the pertinent information.

Our characters are all very strong-willed women. One of them doesn’t seem as strong-willed, but she finds her way and finds her backbone along the way. I enjoyed the interactions between the women and between the men in their lives for the most part. I’m not big on conflict, so of course those pieces weren’t so fun, but strong-willed women make some of the best characters in the world because they know what they want and they go for it with no punches pulled and no holds barred.

The setting descriptions were enough that I was able to imagine the places where the story took place and weren’t too overdone. I’m not always easy to please in this area, so it was nice to see these done well.

As I said above, the pace in the first half of the book was great. We moved along steadily and yet we weren’t moving along so fast that we missed important details. However, I really felt like the second half of the book dragged on and on. I felt that the second half could’ve been cut down to even a third of its original size and we still would have had enough details about the custody struggle.

The overall writing style is good. The prose flows well from section to section, chapter to chapter. I still recommend this book for those who like to read women’s fiction. Perhaps your view on the second half of the book will vary from mine!

This story was okay, but it bugged me that Joshua was being so patronizing to Maggie, telling her she was a good person even if she was a prostitute, instead of believing in her enough to believe that she wasn't one in the first place.

I received this book from NetGalley for an honest review.
My only complaint was I thought the book was a bit long and could have cut some of the scenes. But the story itself is so good, so heartfelt, and a story that needed to be told about foster care (both good and bad.) I liked the two "sisters" coming to terms with their past, and as with all great books, there were a few surprising twists toward the end.

Wow, where to begin? This book is one of the best novels that I have in awhile! I'm an avid reader and average 2-3 books per week. "When We Were Sisters" follows the complicated lives of Cecilia and Robin who met in foster care, and were able to stay together as they moved through the foster care system. Now grown up with lives of their own, Cecilia is a world renowned singer/songwriter and Robin is married with children and a still photographer with talent that has yet to be pursued. Due to an accident that almost takes her life, Robin and Cecilia reconnect and so their story continues. Emilie Richards did an outstanding job of creating an intriguing plot, complicated and interesting characters and settings that keep the reader entranced. "When We Were Sisters" makes the reader realize that sometimes, blood is not necessarily thicker than water. I definitely recommend this read!

Enjoyed. Family drama. People change. Liked Hawaiian culture

Don't know why I felt like I had to read this. I think someone was talking about it somewhere here on GRs. So I ordered it from the library. I found it pretty ho hum. It was sort of romantic suspense lite. The heroine's ability to stay on the run and have so many false passports was pretty unbelievable. There was nothing particularly special about the writing. The hero was a pretty nice guy. On the whole I enjoyed it okay but it wouldn't induce me to run out and pick up any more of this author's books.

The Swallow's Nest is a story of three women fighting to raise the child they've all grown to love. When home decor blogger Lilia Swallow throws a party to celebrate her husband Graham's remission after a year of lymphoma treatments, a woman arrives, thrusts a baby boy into Lilia's arms, claims he is Graham's son, and disappears. Lilia is completely unprepared for the betrayal that the child represents; however, she begins to love the baby once the shock subsides. Now this tiny baby changes her life, as well as that of Marina, who bore him and abandoned him only to change her mind later, and Ellen, Graham's mother, who sees him as a second chance to correct all the mistakes she made raising Graham. A custody battle ensues and all the drama unfolds.

Listening to this audiobook was quite a struggle for me, as I found it difficult to get attached to any of the characters, and most of the characters I actually found to be hateful and deceitful without many redeeming characteristics. I found the character development to be rather one-dimensional, and the only one that I could really envision very well was the little boy, Toby. I also thought the story was even more depressing than what I read in the synopsis. I did, however, find it really interesting when, at the beginning of each part of the book, the author compared the characters' situation to that of different species of swallow; for example, she compared their mating rituals and the way they raise their young to the characters' situation as it unfolded throughout the book.

Though I felt that this book would have been very suitable for audio adaptation, the narration, in my opinion, did not quite live up to my usual standards of listening. I felt like the narrator, Karen White, would have been more suited to non-fiction materials rather than this fictional story. While she did differentiate between genders well, I sometimes found it difficult to determine who was speaking, as a lot of the male voices sounded similar to each other, and likewise with the female voices. Also, there were a few characters with accents, and they seemed rather forced and unnatural in the narration.

While White stayed pretty consistently paced throughout the production, she read quite a bit too slowly for my taste. On the upside, I didn't notice any flaws or blatant edits in the audiobook.

I really struggled to read and finish this book, and I'm struggling to review it now. I felt like the story and the narration were both of less than average quality. Accents and character voices seemed forced, and I just had a lot of trouble getting attached to any of the characters. Glancing through at other reviews, I noticed that a lot of people really enjoyed this book, but it just wasn't my cup of tea.

Title: The Swallow's Nest
Author: Emilie Richards
Narrator: Karen White
Publisher: Blackstone Audio (2017; Unabridged)
Length of Production: 16 hrs.

Emilie Richards was on a list of mystery writers who have religious characters who solve crimes. Aggie Sloan-Wilcox is the wife of a Unitarian minister in a small town in Ohio. When the manager of the local food pantry disappears and the wife of the mayor is poisoned Aggie sets out to solve both mysteries. Along the way a valuable punch bowl disappears from the parish kitchen, the missing food pantry manager turns up at a drag queen review and a mysterious man who resembles the food pantry manager is lurking in a house Aggie is fixing up for her mother. Emilie Richards has written over 50 novels, mysteries and others. I found the quality of her writing to be uneven. In places I was carried along with the story and could hardly stop reading. But in other sections it dragged and I wondered if it was worth continuing. By the end I liked the Aggie and the other characters. I might even give Emilie Richards another change. But first there are some other churchy mystery writers to check out.

I didn't expect to enjoy this book as it seemed a little repetitive with a recurring theme, but it turned out to be an enjoyable read. The book starts out slow, and I almost put it aside at first, but by about halfway through it definitely picked up. I know this book is in the suspense genre, but I found it wasn't that suspenseful, but what it was was an interesting study on family dynamics, and the cost of family secrets. The book is written around two women. Cassie is a recent widow who is the step-mother of a 15 year old girl, Savannah. When her husband Mark dies suddenly she finds out there were so many secrets that he kept from her. The biggest one was what happened to all his money? Mark was a successful psychiatrist in a reputable clinic. He had numerous investments and a healthy bank account. Where did it all go? Cassie moves home to Florida with Savannah in order to be close to her family. Due to an act of rebellion from Savannah, Cassie meets Amber and her teenage son Will. Fate has thrown these two very different women together. Amber is a young woman with a lot of secrets and she has led an itinerant lifestyle all of her adult life. What is she running from, and how will it affect the four of them? I loved the easy and relaxed writing style which suited the Florida setting very well. I loved watching these two women become close friends, forming a bond that will help each of them move on with their lives. I found the book a bit long, but it did stay on track and a resolution was reached at the end. I will miss Cassie, Amber, Savannah and Will now that I've finished the book. That is always a good sign that the book captured my interest and my imagination.

Although Emilie Richards has written over 70 books, The House Guests is the first one I have read. After finishing this wonderful novel, I will be reading more of them.

Savannah is a 15 year-old girl who is angry that her stepmother Cassie moved her from New York City to Tarpon Springs, Florida following the drowning death of her father. She blames Cassie for his death because she overheard them arguing before he left and went sailing in a storm and died.

Amber is a single mom raising her 16 year-old son Will in Cassie's hometown of Tarpon Springs. They have moved frequently because Amber is on the run from someone. She works as a waitress at a restaurant, and money is tight.

When Amber loses a small money pouch filled with her rent money, she and Will are evicted from their apartment. Savannah finds the money pouch, and in a bid to make new friends, throws a party at her stepmom's new home. The partygoers trash the home, and Cassie is at her wits' end what to do with Savannah.

Cassie discovers that Amber and Will have been evicted, and offers for them to move into her home. Amber is wary at first, but Will is a good student and athlete, and she wants to give him some stability after years of constantly being on the move.

Cassie and Amber become friendly, although Savannah is less than kind to Will. Cassie confides in Amber that her husband lied to her about many things, and spent most of their money with no explanation. The two women find strength and companionship in each other.

I really enjoyed the Greek restaurant that Cassie's family owned. As someone with previous restaurant experience, that setting, and her boisterous Greek family, were so interesting to me. Richards details there were so well drawn that I could see the restaurant in my mind's eye.

The House Guests drew me in from page one with characters I grew to care deeply about. Every good story has secrets (why is Amber on the run, and what was Cassie's husband hiding), and this had more than enough to keep me turning the pages to find the answers.

I highly recommend this moving story of female friendship and the family you create. I read it in one day because I did not want to put it down. I also did not want it to end. Maybe we'll meet Amber, Will, Cassie and Savannah in Tarpon Springs again. (Pretty please, Emilie Richards?)

Thanks to Harlequin for putting me on their Summer 2021 Mystery/Thriller Blogger Tour.

The House Guests by Emilie Richards has Savannah Westmore unhappy in Tarpon Springs, Florida with her stepmother, Cassie Costas. After the death of her father, Cassie moved Savannah and herself to Tarpon Springs for a fresh start. Savannah lashes out at Cassie and makes bad choices. She ends up making a decision that will have long-term effects. I thought The House Guests was well-written and engaging. The characters are developed and realistic especially Savannah (the rebellious, troubled teen). I liked the secrecy surrounding Amber Blair. It added an air of mystery to the story and wonder. I was curious about how the secret would affect all of them. The author captured the area and Greek American community that inhabits Tarpons Springs, especially the delectable food. I like how everything came together and I appreciated the epilogue that nicely wrapped up the story. There are some good life lessons in this book. The House Guests is a story about friendship, grief, hope, trust, love, and, most importantly, family. One of the phrases I wanted to share from The House Guests is, “My daddy always said you can’t keep a bird from flying over your head, but you can keep it from building a nest in your hair.” The House Guests is an eventful story with a tormented teen, a purloined purse, money mayhem, a problematic party, a shocking secret, delectable epicurean delights, and a gregarious Greek family.

Savannah just lost her father. On top of that…her step mother, Cassie, has moved her to a podunk town in Florida. Savannah is not happy. She has been rebelling for quite a few weeks. She runs across a lost purse with quite a bit of cash in it. She and her friends throw a wild party with the money. Little does she know, this small act of rebellion changes her life.

Amber is the owner of the small purse. She needed the money to pay her rent and her back rent. Through some twists and turns, Cassie finds out about the issue. Amber and her son are now living in a tent at a campground. So, to make amends, Cassie moves this small family into her home.

There is a lot going on in this story, several storylines at one time. The author melds them together with ease. And her characters are wonderful. Especially Amber! I can just fell her angst and her worry coming off the pages. And when you get to the kicker toward the end…then you understand where all her secrecy is coming from.

This was almost a 5 star read. It was just a tad too long. It could have been shortened by quite a few pages and still been a fabulous read.

Need a good family story with a kick!…this is it! Grab your copy today.

I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review.

This book kept me on my toes. Each of these characters had a secret that they needed to solve or keep hidden. I like how these two families became joined together although I do not think it is real believable. I enjoyed how the two teens became friends and the two moms became friends. I really enjoy the ending where everything gets put together. There is not a lot of action but there is a lot of heart in this story. I received a copy of this book from Harlequin for a fair and honest opinion that I gave of my own free will.

In The Way Home, Anna risks her heart and becomes Saxon's lover, but when she becomes pregnant he finds he can't let her go; In The Paternity Test, Jane flies to San Francisco on a lark to see her ex and spend a week visiting him and got pregnant, but he had a business trip for the next 7 months and doesn't find out that she's pregnant until she's almost ready to deliver; in A Stranger's Son, Robin slept with a rock star from her hometown, then tries to let him know whe's pregnant; only he never gets the message and finds out when he's back in town.

Cecilia and Robin were foster sisters. Robin went on to marry and have children. Cecilia became a singer, who made it big. Cecilia is making a film about foster care and asked Robin to talk about their shared experiences. The two women uncover long buried secrets about their lives when they were in foster care.

Escape reading of the romantic variety. Not technically a romance novel because it's too long, but romance is at the center of it.

I am not a fan of romance-centered books, and this one offers a two-fer: the main character listens to her mother reading another book, which is included for our enjoyment, in the evenings. The inner book is shorter and reads very much like a romance novel except that the male character doesn't quite fit the mold. But on to the main story:

Julia Warwick is suddenly stricken blind after she falls from a horse. The condition is determined to be psychological, as there is no physical basis. Her impatient, controlling husband puts her in an institution, where she is supposed to work with a therapist who does not inspire trust.

Meanwhile, the man Julia was going to marry nine years before is released from prison, where he had been sent for the murder of Julia's best friend. While Julia found it hard to believe that he committed the murder, she did not make a good witness on the stand. Because a man on death row in Florida suddenly confessed to the murder Christian is set free. However, he knows that he will never truly be free if his neighbors still harbor suspicions about him. He therefore determines that he must discover what really happened.

Thus it is a romantic story and a mystery, sort of. Something of a detective story, although Christian goes about his detective work in a rather haphazard way. What does he find out? Does he rebuild his relationship with Julia? Do they ride off into the sunset? You'll have to read it to find out.

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I had questions. Julia stumbled on the witness stand, was confused, perhaps browbeaten by the prosecutor. Yet she believed that Christian did not do the deed. However, instead of helping to free him, she gets married and tries to forget him! I really didn't grasp what that was about. All those years and she didn't visit, didn't help the man who was funding the lawyers in any way. Julia had a child, which is why she wanted to marry quickly. The child is Christian's. She believes that it would only hurt him more to know he had a child and he was in prison for life. Seriously - if she thought he was innocent why wasn't she trying harder to get him out? And she must have known others were. So why not let him know? Even if he were to spend his life in prison wouldn't he like knowing he had a child?

Threads of this story did not hang together for me. It isn't the type book I love anyway, of course. I am sure many others would not be bothered by it.

Bookring; Keep the tissues handy for this women's fiction book. Charlotte is estranged from her daughter and granddaughter, and divorced from Ethan. Now that's granddaughter Maddy is 10 yo, Charlotte sees her at the playground and isn't as unobtrusive as she believes. Add in a church minister, unwed young mother-to-be with no place to live and a few other things, the what and why of Charlotte's motives become clear.

Touching story of "star-crossed lovers" (rich boy/poor girl) and how love and fate pull through against the odds. Gray and Julie Ann's relationship at the beginning reminds me of relationships from my teens. Even after they split up and have to work through all the anger, betrayal, misunderstandings, etc. I am taken back to my early twenties when relationships weren't easy. Makes me happy that things have a way of working themselves out for the best, even as my life has. Can't wait to read the next in the series as I'm sure it will take me on another roller coaster journey in my own past.

A wonderful story about 3 women who all want custody of the same baby, Toby, but for different reasons. I really wanted to hate Ellen, the grandmother, as she was only thinking of herself not the baby and his needs. I loved Lilia, who didn’t really want the baby since her husband had an affair that resulted in his birth, but eventually realized that Toby was all she wanted. Marina, the birth mother, had a hard upbringing, drops Toby off with Lilia and disappears for a year before deciding she might want Toby back - partially egged on by Ellen. It’s all about family, that’s the key theme in the story and I love Emilie’s books for that reason. Yet another story that I will read again and again!

This review is based on a galley copy from netgalley, courtesy of the publisher. All opinions are my own.

I’ve always loved Emilie Richards’ books and this one was no different! Wonderful story about two girls that meet in a foster home and become sisters, one protecting the other throughout their lives. The documentary on foster care gives Robin and Cecilia a chance to go back to all the foster homes they used to live and gives the reader a glimpse into what foster care can be like. Understandably not all foster homes are like the ones portrayed in the book, this gives the reader an idea of what could happen if the foster care system does not have the proper checks and balances in place. Definitely a book I will read again and again! I received this book as a gift from the author, Emilie Richards.

Heartwarming story of a young woman that has lost her memory after an attempted murder and a young man who instantly has feelings for her. He fights his feelings for her throughout the story until he realizes it’s not worth fighting them anymore. Lots of twists and turns throughout the book. Great read!

We met Daffy in book 2 (Bayou Magic) and Skeeter in book 1 (Lady of the Night) and I'm so happy to see them together!! The mystery kept me turning pages because I just HAD to know who was behind everything. I loved the insight into voodoo and a side of New Orleans that I would love to see one day. Skeeter and Daffy's story, and happily ever after, was the perfect ending to this trilogy.

We met Sam in Lady of the Night, and this is his story of finding that special someone. Sam is something of a loner, believing that he isn’t worth that someone special to love. When he meets Dr. Antoinette Deveraux he’s like a light switch, on and off over and over until he’s shot and he realizes how wrong he was. You do not need to read Lady of the Night to read this book, but Joshua and Maggie do make an appearance or two in Bayou Midnight!

This is not a women's fiction Emilie Richards book, it is mystery, little bit 0f romance and absolutely riveting! I didn't want to put it down, I had to know what happened next. Even when the book ended, I wanted more. Lots of twists that I didn't see coming and it ended almost perfectly.

This review is based on a galley copy from netgalley, courtesy of the publisher. All opinions are my own.

The Color of Light is another thought-provoking and poignant addition to Emilie Richards' wonderful Goddesses Anonymous series. In this outing, minister Analiese "Ana" Wagner's judgment is called into question when she steps in to help a homeless family. As if she does not have enough on her plate, she is surprised by the sudden reappearance of her longtime friend and mentor Father Isaiah Colburn. Although they have been out of touch for several years, they easily pick up where they left off but Ana is disconcerted by the realization that she is still in love with Isaiah. Unbeknownst to Ana, Isaiah is close to finalizing a decision that will change the course of his life. Both of them are at a crossroads that leaves each of them questioning whether they have chosen the right path and if not, what comes next for them professionally and personally?

While Ana is not having a crisis of faith, she does begin to question whether or not she wants to continue her career as a minister. She is continually butting heads with some of the church's leadership and members of the congregation and her days are filled with putting out fires and juggling meetings. Her decision to help the Fowler family is met with resistance and Ana is frustrated by some of her parishioner's lack of compassion for their situation. Trying to get the family some assistance is a burden she willingly takes on, but Ana is coming dangerously close to burning out as she devotes most of her time to helping others.

Isaiah is also having trouble reconciling the demands of priesthood with his personal life. He is on a sabbatical to try to decide whether or not to leave the priesthood when he reconnects with Ana. Although he is close to making a final decision about his future, both Isaiah and Ana are concerned about the effect his choice will have on the future of their relationship and their careers.

The story arc about the Fowler family is particularly heart wrenching. A job loss devastated the family and they have been trying to get back on their feet for quite some time. Much of the family's care rests on the shoulders of fourteen year old Shiloh due to her father Man's depression and her mother Belle's poor health. Ana steps in to help Man find work and get Belle some much needed medical attention and as their lives finally begin to turn around, Shiloh discovers she can rely on her parents to take care of her after a traumatic incident.

The Color of Light is a very heartwarming and inspiring story. As in previous installments of the Goddesses Anonymous series, Emilie Richards raises awareness of social issues in a realistic and straightforward manner. There is also a strong spiritual element to the storyline that is quite thought-provoking. All in all, it is an absolutely delightful story that tackles some real life problems with a great deal of compassion that old and new fans are sure to love.

Read my reviews of the other books in the series HERE.