Under the Bayou Moon by Valerie Fraser Luesse

Ellie Fields uproots from her home town and moves to the bayou of Bernadette, Louisiana to become the towns teacher. Upon arriving, she falls in love with the town and not long after, falls in love with the people. Little does she know though that there are sinister choices being made politically to try and split the town in two. Through foraging friendships and a town coming together, Ellie finds herself a new place to call home.    

Luesse has written a sweet story about new beginnings, family and love. Her description of life on the bayou draws the reader right in to the sights and smells that surround the characters. Leusse has a way of story telling with light-heartedness and simplicity that makes this a feel-good story all around. There is a depth of Southern-ness that makes you want to book a flight to the Louisiana and experience life on the bayou. This is a great read if you are looking for a pick-me-up book that lifts the spirits.

Revell Reads sent me this complimentary copy to review for them. Opinions expressed are my own.

Review of Beyond the Tides by Liz Johnson

Meg Whitaker is not ready to give up the family lobster-fishing business when her dad tells her he is going to sell it to Oliver Ross, her high school arch nemesis. So begins the competition of who is going to win the coveted boat and family heritage. Meg and Oliver now have to work together for the lobster season to show Meg's dad who would could best run the business. But what they did not count on was the forging of a friendship, unexpected conversations about their pasts and the feelings growing towards each other over early mornings and hard work.

Liz Johnson has woven a sweet story of two people who chose to avoid each other for years over one event in this first book of her new Prince Edward Island series. I enjoyed how she equally gave the spotlight to two main characters instead of just one. The backstory for each of them flowed well in to the present story and helped create some depth for each character. The description of the environment around the characters makes the reader feel they are sitting right there watching everything unfold. I look forward to the next book!

Revell Reads sent me this complimentary copy to review for them. Opinions expressed are my own.