Tag: poignant

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At Leap Of Faith Farm: A Memoir For Animal Lovers

189 pages Publisher Anamcara Press LLC | Independent Book Publishers Association Publication date July 29, 2026

ABOUT THE BOOK

A leap from suburbia to farm life reveals love, loss, and resilience through twenty years of animals, harsh winters, and the unforgettable lessons they leave behind.

At Leap of Faith Farm is a tender, clear-eyed memoir about saying yes to the life you’ve always imagined—and discovering what that choice truly asks of you.

When an unexpected job offer opens the door to a lifelong dream, the author and her husband leave behind their suburban Twin Cities careers for a small horse farm in southern Minnesota. What follows is a twenty-year leap into a world of hard winters, unpredictable land, close-knit neighbors, and the daily, often demanding realities of animal care.

Told through interwoven stories and poems, the book chronicles the cats, horses, wildlife, and winged visitors who shape life on the farm. Each animal arrives with its own personality, challenges, and lessons—many of them learned in the barn through veterinary visits, and after long drives for emergency care. With honesty and grace, the author reveals the emotional and physical labor behind the pastoral dream, from joyful beginnings to inevitable, heartbreaking goodbyes.

Rich with vivid descriptions of Minnesota seasons, rural community, and the intimate bond between humans and animals, At Leap of Faith Farm is both an escape from modern chaos and a grounded meditation on responsibility, love, and remembrance. Above all, it is a promise kept: to tell the stories of those who gave so much, and to ensure they are never forgotten.

Brown horse standing beside a snow-covered wooden fence in a snowy field with distant trees and hills
A brown horse stands by a snow-covered fence in a tranquil winter landscape.

MY THOUGHTS

A very satisfying read!
The author and her husband spent time looking for just the right farm for her horses so they could escape city life. It took a while but they did it.
A bit of the book tells of their journey acquainting themself with farm life and how hard it was. Brutal weather, repairs, emergency vet visits, many unexpected things came up along the way including several riding accidents.
The majority of the book talks about the many animals they had on the farm; the author is definitely a horse person. Many wonderful stories of her horses and the kind vets who went above and beyond when they had an emergency. A poignant read, it made me tear up more than once. She took excellent care of her animals and deeply felt their deaths.
A great escape read, we get to experience it all through the author’s writing, the Minnesota winters, the many animals, domesticated, farm animals and winged. Life was anything but easy. It was time consuming, but it was worth it.
Told through stories and poetry. I very much enjoyed this memoir for animal lovers.

I was given a complimentary copy of this book.
All opinions expressed are my own.

MEET THE AUTHOR

Cheryl Heide lives with her husband, three cats, and two horses on a farm near Baldwin City, Kansas. Her “Roaming Wind Farm” is named for the journey she has made from the time she left Kansas, through the years she spent living in Virginia, Kentucky, and Minnesota, until she finally returned to her home state. The rhythmic flow and lyrical tone of the short stories and poems she has written about the people and animals in her life reflect the love she also has for music and singing. She has published poetry and prose pieces through Guild Press in Robbinsdale, Minnesota, Chicken Soup for the Soul Publishing, Meadowlark Press, several anthologies, and an article in Equus Magazine.

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Life: A Love Story: A Novel

Print length 191 pages Publisher Random House Publication date March 17, 2026

ABOUT THE BOOK

As ninety-two-year-old Florence “Flo” Greene nears the end of her life, she writes a letter to Ruthie, the woman who grew up next door to her, describing the items Flo is leaving Ruthie in her will. But as it goes on, telling surprising stories about those “little” things Flo will leave behind (What could possibly be the worth of a rubber band kept in a matchbox tied up in red ribbon?), an unforgettable portrait of the life she has lived emerges.

The letter starts off as an autobiography in things, but it turns out to do much more than that: ultimately, it will transform Flo and those around her. In the time she has left, Flo decides to take herself up on tiny dares. She encourages Ruthie to reconsider her impending divorce by sharing a startling, long-buried secret about her own perfect-seeming marriage. Flo has never had a pedicure before now, and as long as she’s going to a beauty parlor, she arranges to have a blue streak put in her hair, too. And as these adventures lead her to make new friends, Flo helps them, too, find the fulfillment that living a full life has led her to understand.

Full of Elizabeth Berg’s characteristic mix of warmth, humor, and poignancy, Life: A Love Story is a reminder that whatever your circumstances, as long as you’re alive, you can keep on investing in life. The joy will inevitably follow.

Colorful mixed flower bouquet in blue and white vase on wooden kitchen table with pastry on plate
A vibrant bouquet brightens a cozy rustic kitchen table.

MY THOUGHTS

A poignant read. Knowing death is quickly approaching a woman writes of her life as she reflects on the good times and bad. The happiness and regrets. It may make you laugh or cry. Relationships within her life are explored. Lovely read!

I was given a complimentary copy of this book.
All opinions expressed are my own.

About the author

Elizabeth Berg is the author of eighteen novels and has more than 1.5 million books in print. Her novel, OPEN HOUSE, was an Oprah’s Book Club selection in 2000. Berg lives near Chicago, Illinois. Visit her at http://www.elizabeth-berg.net

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Blog Tour for The Collaborator’s Daughter by Eva Glyn

About The Book

In 1944 in war-torn Dubrovnik Branko Milisic holds his newborn daughter Safranka and wishes her a better future. But while the Nazis are finally retreating, the arrival of the partisans brings new dangers for Branko, his wife Dragica and their new baby…

As older sister to two half-siblings, Fran has always known she has to fit in. But now, for the first time in her life Fran is facing questions about who she is and where she comes from.

All Fran knows about her real father is that he was a hero, and her mother had to flee Dubrovnik after the war. But when she travels to the city of her birth to uncover the truth, she is devastated to discover her father was executed by the partisans in 1944, accused of being a collaborator. But the past isn’t always what it seems…

My Thoughts

This is the first book I’ve read by this author.
This is an incredible story that I connected with the characters right away.
A beautifully written dual timeline I was immersed in the story as I read.
I liked that the main character is a woman in her sixties as many books do not have a main character this age and it’s wonderful to see women this age shine.
Though going by Fran her actual name is Safranka.
Fran was born in Dubrovnik, Croatia and towards the end of the Second World War.
Her stepfather has just passed away and her mother several years before this. She really didn’t know her father and she is upset that she can’t ask her mother about it.
Having spent most of her life in England she knows she must go the land of her birth, Dubrovnik, Croatia. There she meets handsome men Vedran and his uncle Jadran. The descriptions of Croatia’s food, culture, scenery and its people made my imagination come alive. I could just picture it all. This is a journey she will take with Jadran who encourages her in her research to find out about her father’s life. She discovers to move forward in her journey you first have to move backwards, and the past is closer than you think.
Such a beautiful story, very touching, heartwarming and will not be forgotten.

Pub Date: 01 Apr 2023
I was given a complimentary copy of this book.
All opinions expressed are my own.

Author Links: Website ~ Facebook ~ Twitter

Eva Glyn’s The Collaborator’s Daughter is published by One More Chapter and is available to order HERE

Visit Other blogs on the tour here

The Author

Eva Glyn writes escapist relationship-driven fiction with a kernel of truth at its heart. She loves to travel and finds inspiration in beautiful places and the stories they hide.

Her last holiday before lockdown was a trip to Croatia, and the country’s haunting histories and gorgeous scenery have proved fertile ground, driven by her friendship with a tour guide she met there. His wartime story provided the inspiration for The Olive Grove and his help in creating a realistic portrayal of Croatian life has proved invaluable. Her second novel set in the country, An Island of Secrets is a dual timeline looking back to World War 2, and although a contemporary romance featuring mature main characters her third, The Collaborator’s Daughter, has its roots in that conflict too.

Eva lives in Cornwall, although she considers herself Welsh, and has been lucky enough to have been married to the love of her life for more than twenty-five years. She also writes as Jane Cable.

Social Media Links –
Twitter @JaneCable
Instagram @evaglynauthor
Bookbub @EvaGlyn  https://www.bookbub.com/authors/eva-glyn
Facebook @EvaGlynAuthor https://www.facebook.com/EvaGlynAuthor

Have a wonderful day. Thank you for stopping in.

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Black history month review, Maame by debut author Jessica George

320 pages St. Martins Press January 31,2023 publish date

About The Book

Maame (ma-meh) has many meanings in Twi but in my case, it means woman.

It’s fair to say that Maddie’s life in London is far from rewarding. With a mother who spends most of her time in Ghana (yet still somehow manages to be overbearing), Maddie is the primary caretaker for her father, who suffers from advanced stage Parkinson’s. At work, her boss is a nightmare and Maddie is tired of always being the only Black person in every meeting.

When her mum returns from her latest trip to Ghana, Maddie leaps at the chance to get out of the family home and finally start living. A self-acknowledged late bloomer, she’s ready to experience some important “firsts”: She finds a flat share, says yes to after-work drinks, pushes for more recognition in her career, and throws herself into the bewildering world of internet dating. But it’s not long before tragedy strikes, forcing Maddie to face the true nature of her unconventional family, and the perils―and rewards―of putting her heart on the line.

Smart, funny, and deeply affecting, Jessica George’s Maame deals with the themes of our time with humor and poignancy: from familial duty and racism, to female pleasure, the complexity of love, and the life-saving power of friendship. Most important, it explores what it feels like to be torn between two homes and cultures―and it celebrates finally being able to find where you belong.

My Thoughts

“……… it’s easy to conflare being well-liked with being well-loved. There’s a misconception to be well-loved, the love has to come from multiple sources, when truthfully, one or two people can love you with the strength of ten.”

Maame means woman or little mother in Twi. She received this nickname as a child. This nickname has been okay, but she now feels the weight of it suffocating her and she has been going by Maddie.
The caretaker of her father she was forced to grow up fast. Her brother is busy with his life and doesn’t have time for their father. Living in London she is the daughter of Ghanaian immigrant parents. Her mother who is frequently gone, living in Ghana helping her brother run a hostel. Her mother is usually gone for a year at a time or more and Maddie has had to be the responsible one, forced to be mature and raise herself. Their family is private, and she has no one to speak with about her cares and concerns. As her father’s health deteriorates, he depends on her more and they become closer in a way they had not been when he was well.
She must suppress a lot including depression and anxiety. She feels like she is being held back socially as she has always put others needs ahead of her own.
Thrilled when her mother returns home she is ready to take charge and live her life including getting her own flat and starting to seriously date.
Maddie experiences many first and starts to come into her own.
The author handles grief, loss and racism in a way that will make you want to examine the way you handle these. This book vividly brings to life the culture and ideals of the mother land. Heartbreaking and healing this book is emotional and poignant. There are a lot of tough subjects that the author deals with in a respectful way.

Pub Date 31 Jan 2023
I was given a complimentary copy of this book.
All opinions expressed are my own.

Grab A Copy Here

About The Author

Jessica George was born and raised in London to Ghanaian parents and studied English Literature at the University of Sheffield. After working at a literary agency and a theatre, she landed a job in the editorial department of a publishing house. She now lives in south west London with an incontrovertible sweet tooth and the knowledge that she can consume half a cake by herself if left to her own devices. Jessica’s debut novel, Maame, will be published as a lead hardback in 2023 by Hodder & Stoughton in the UK and by St Martin’s Press in the US.

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