Monday, May 8, 2023

THE SECRET TO HAPPINESS by Suzanne Woods Fisher, Reviewed by Rebecca and Paula #NewRelease


REBECCA'S REVIEW:
"She dreaded the pity on their faces and the assumptions they'd make. She dreaded how sorry they'd feel for her. But she was desperate, lonely, and scared."

Callie Dixon had made a huge mistake that ended up destroying her career. Executive chefs weren't allowed to make errors, and now Callie was sleeping on an air mattress, sharing a teeny tiny little room with her cousin above Main Street Creamery in Cape Cod, barely able to make it out of bed in the morning.

Then . . . "there stood six-year-old Leo the Cowboy".

Growing up, Dawn Dixon and Callie Dixon had competed against each other over just about everything . . . Callie coming out on top, most of the time. Now the tables have turned and Callie is just a shadow of her former self, leaving Dawn determined to shove Callie out of her funk. Wait! What a perfect idea! She'll send Callie off to the "Secret to Happiness" class at the local community center, that should do it!

"While it's important to stop letting other people tell our story . . . it's more important to let God tell our story. "


The secret to happiness; what a great topic for a novel set in a charming little town where everyday people struggle with everyday problems, and manage to solve them by simply . . . 

It's impossible to do anything but love this story. Yes, the inspirational elements are subtle, but they are meaningful, making the happily-ever-afters much more memorable.

*I received a copy of this book from Baker Publishing through Interviews and Reviews. The opinions stated above are entirely my own.


PAULA'S REVIEW
Callie could not feel worse after losing her dream job. When a friend asks her to teach at Ice Cream School, she bumps into her aunt Marnie and jumps at the chance for a respite on Cape Cod at the shop owned by her aunt and cousin Dawn.

What fun! A story about ice cream, and a girl searching for her lost happiness, complete with a cute little cowboy, and an author of a book on happiness who makes her work for the answers. Callie’s journey makes you wonder what is really important in life and who is in charge. “Who are you letting tell your story?” “Contentment is better than happiness.”

Along the way we are treated to awesome sunrises, nosy neighbors, interesting facts about ice cream making and how family pulls together. But do not forget about the romance in unlikely places and getting to know more about the characters from book one: The Sweet Life.

 
* I received a complimentary copy of this book from Library Thing Early Readers Program. I was not required to post a favorable review. All opinions are my own.*4 stars and underlying faith thread

BackCover Blurb
Escape to Cape Cod--where you just might find the secret to happiness

Callie Dixon had the world by the tail . . . until it all slipped away. Fired from her dream job after making a colossal mistake, she's escaped to her aunt's home on Cape Cod for time to bounce back. Except it isn't a home, it's an ice cream shop. And time isn't going to help, because Callie's bounce has up and left. There's a reason she made that mistake at work, and she's struggling to come to terms with it.

Things go from bad to worse when Callie's cousin Dawn drags her to a community class about the secret to happiness. Happiness is the last thing Callie wants to think about right now, but instructor Bruno Bianco--a curiously gloomy fellow--is relentless. He has a way of turning Callie's thoughts upside down. Her feelings, too.

Bruno insists that hitting rock bottom is the very best place to be. But if that's true, how is it supposed to help her figure out what--or who--has been missing from her life all along?

Revell Publishing, May 2, 2023
Available in digital ebook, paperback, hardcover, or audiobook:

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