Tuesday, November 17, 2009

Blog Tour- The Secret of Joy

I just finished reading The Secret of Joy by Melissa Senate for a Pocket Book Blog Tour.

From the back cover:

Is the half sister that Rebecca Strand has never met short? Tall? Rich? Poor? Pretty? Funny? Married? Lonely? Happy?

Rebecca is about to find out.  The New York City Paralegal thought nothing could shake her life off its fast track--which includes her handsome lawyer boyfriend and their extravagant condo.  The shocking revelation that she even has a half sister comes from her dying father, in a hospital bed confession of a long-past summer affair...and now the dad she adores has one last wish: would Rebecca deliver a cache of letters he never sent to his other daughter, Joy Jayhawk, in a tiny coastal Maine town?

But when Rebecca arrives in Wiscasset, with the life-changing letters stashed in a leather box, nothing goes as she imagined--and Joy Jayhawk is less than thrilled to meet her.  Joy already has her own life, her own family, and her own business: she runs a bus tour for singles, a matchmaking excursion that's brought lovers together, healed broken hearts, and changed lives.  Rebecca joins the singles tour in the hopes of unlocking a door into Joy's life and forming a relationship with the only family she has left.  But as she spends more and more time with Joy and the women who dub themselves The Divorced Ladies Club of Wiscasset--and starts a flirtation with a seriously hunky carpenter--Rebecca realizes it's her life and heart that are ready for healing and change...and that sometimes, you just have to go along for the ride.

I really enjoyed reading this story.  I really enjoyed the main theme of finding a sister you never knew you had.  But I also liked the secondary theme which was all about relationships.  It was all about knowing what was right for you in your relationship and when it was time to let go.  It really made me think about my relationship with my boyfriend and where we are right now.

The setting of the book just seemed gorgeous.  I have never really had any want to go to Maine--but the way that Melissa Senate paints the town of Wiscasset makes me want to visit.  And it makes me want to move from my large city to a small, welcoming town.

And I really loved all of the characters.  I loved Rebecca and how much she wanted a sister.  I felt for Joy and how she suddenly had this half-sister from a non-existant father thrown at her.  And the residents of Wiscasset were just so warm--The Divorced Ladies Club of Wiscasset were hilarious and I wanted them to find love.  And Theo was just so understanding and cared so much for Rebecca.

This was my first book by Melissa Senate, but it will definitely not be my last.  I can only hope that her other books make me think and feel as much as this one did!

I gave this book a rating of 4/5.

Visit these other stops on the blog tour:

Books, Movies & Chinese Food
Booking Mama
Frugal Plus
All About {n}
Rundpinne
Brizmus Blogs Books
Psychotic State
Books Reviews by Buuklvr81
Starting Fresh
A Sea of Books
That’s A Novel Idea
Book Junkie
My Book Views
Drey’s Library
Me, My Book & the Couch
Just Another New Blog
One Person’s Journey Through A World of Books
Booksie’s Blog
Book N Around
Keep on Booking
My Life In Not So Many Words
Beth’s Book Review Blog
Readaholic
My Reading Room
My Book Addiction and More
Crazy For Books
Bella’s Novella
Blog Business World
Reading at the Beach
My Friend Amy
Book Magic
The Life (and Lies) of an Inanimate Flying Object
Jeanne's Ramblings
Red Headed Book Child
Reading with Tequila
Books, Gardens, and Dogs
Jens Book Talk
My Own Little Corner of the World
Lit and Life
Entertainment Realm

*FTC Disclosure: I was given this book for free by Sarah from Pocket Book Blog Tours for an honest review.

1 comment:

  1. Thanks for visiting my blog. I see we share the love of Westies. :) I am sorry that this 3rd book in the series wasn't all that you hopped it would be.

    ReplyDelete