I so enjoyed the first book in the Cape Cod Creamery Series that I was excited to read this second one!  The characters so endeared themselves to me I couldn’t wait to visit them again, the Creamery and the beaches of Cape Cod.

Marnie’s niece Callie has lost her job as the executive chef at a prestigious hotel in Boston due to a food safety mistake.  Well not just a little mistake.  The entire Food Safety Conference got food poisoning! After a chance meeting with her Aunt Marnie she invites herself for a visit.  She has no place else to go.   Dawn is not very happy about this as their upstairs apartment is already extremely cramped with the two of them.  Not to mention Callie has always been a thorn in Dawn’s side; super annoying, bossy, and competitive.

The Callie that shows up is not the one she grew up with.  This one is depressed, quiet, lethargic and insecure.  Dawn starts planning on how she will “fix her”, pull her out of slump and get her on her way. 

I enjoyed seeing how Marnie and Dawn’s lives were blooming and all the new developments in their relationships.  One of my favorite characters in this book was Leo. He was such quirky, delightful, little boy bursting with enthusiasm. Of course the new ice cream flavors and Callie’s baking made me wish I could try it all!

The author did an incredible job of addressing problems we all face at one time or another, fear, depression, loved ones who don’t understand what we are facing, and finding ourselves stuck this cycle. 

I was very impressed with how the book gave solid answers and ways on how to overcome these mental and emotional challenges.  Changing your thinking and disciplining your thoughts is key in helping yourself. This is also biblical.  I found so many “aha” moments in the book concerning this that I have a lot of pages marked to copy in my journal! This book was not only a pleasure to read but also an encouragement. I can’t wait to read the next book in the series!

I received this book from Revell Publishing in exchange for an honest review.  The opinions stated are my own.

This is one of the most unusual historical novels I have read with a combination of mystery and history.  The story switches from 2014, U.S.A to Germany in the 1930’s during World War 2.  I like comparing the present and the past in the character’s lives.

Ivy, in her twenties, is trying to sort out what she wants do to with her life. She has conflict with her parent’s religious expectations.  They were raised Amish to became Mennonites when they married.  A sudden car accident takes their lives and leaves Ivy and her family reeling.  Her sister who was driving has a memory loss and severe emotional trauma.  The facts don’t add up and she suspects her parent’s death was not accidental.

She is urged by her maternal grandmother that lives with them to go with her sisters to her paternal grandparents in Pennsylvania for a time to heal.  They have had practically no contact with their son her granddaughters their entire life.  Not to mention they are very strict Amish. 

On the way she visits with her Great Great Aunt Rosene and learns about a young woman in their family named Clare that traveled to Germany in the 1930’s. Her stay turns from a visit to an extended stay as she helps care for her young twin cousins who have health problems.

The story is told on and off as Rosene takes turns riding with Ivy to Pennsylvania. 

It was fascinating!   I did not know anything about the German Anabaptists during that time.    I have read and heard about Dr. Josef Mengele’s cruel and inhumane genetic experimentation on twins.  All this was brought home even more so by the personal story of Clare’s cousins and the family.  This book has some very surprising endings!  I love history and this book is packed with it!  I cannot wait for the next in the series! 

I received this book from Revell Publishing in exchange for an honest review.  The opinions stated are my own.