Review Spotlights

Goodreads, Dale Harcombe
This thought-provoking book is one of grief and heartbreak but also of love and hope. Highly recommended for anyone who likes family stories with complex characters. I adored it. Another gem from the talented Bette Lee Crosby.

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In 1971 when a music festival comes through to Hesterville Georgia, many of the locals are not too happy, given the noise and upheaval it would cause. But nothing prepares Rachel and George Dixon for the trauma, it would bring to their lives. Rachel tucked her baby into sleep as usual one night and when she woke the next morning baby Emily was gone. Vicki Robart, one of the festival attendees, had a stillborn baby some months earlier. Faced with the opportunity to fill the void left behind by the baby they named Lara, Vicki’s distraught mind convinces her she is meant to have this baby. She kidnaps baby Emily. Murph, her partner, wants no part of this but he loves Vicki. Can he convince her they need to return the baby? It is not just theses lives that are affected. George’s mother comes to alter her attitudes and her ways, while Angela, Vicki’s estranged sister finds her life changed in way she never imagined. Meanwhile Rachel is convinced Emily is still alive but will she ever know the truth of what happened that night?

Bette Lee Crosby has fast become one of my favourite authors. With consummate ease she is able to draw me into a situation and involve me from the start of the story to the end. Told from more than one point of view it is easy to understand each of the women in this story, their motivations and their anguish. There are moments that brought tears as well as some that brought smiles. I never wanted to have to put this book down and kept snatching it back up whenever I got the chance.
This thought-provoking book is one of grief and heartbreak but also of love and hope. Highly recommended for anyone who likes family stories with complex characters. I adored it. Another gem from the talented Bette Lee Crosby.

NetGalley, Karen J.
This was one of the best books I have ever read! It was emotional, sad, suspenseful, and uplifting, and kept me up reading far into the night because I just couldn’t put it down. The story was so well-written that I could feel the emotions of each character…anger, guilt, heartbreak, hope, forgiveness, exhilaration…you name it, “Emily, Gone” had it! I cried and I laughed and I yelled a time or two.

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I LOVED how the author told the story from the different characters’ viewpoints, and I LOVED how the story was brought to a satisfactory conclusion. Although I would have liked to see what became of Russ Murphy, and how he managed to live with such a burden of guilt over the years, it didn’t lessen my overall enjoyment of this book. Many thanks to the author and to NetGalley for providing me a copy of “Emily, Gone.” This is one book that will stay with me for a long time, and I will not hesitate to recommend it to others, and to pursue other titles by this author in the future!

Boundless Book Reviews, Stormi
Let me tell you that this book had me hook, line, and sinker on page one. A music festival, no one wanted, and a tragedy that changed so many lives. That is the basis of this story. I gave it 5 stars, but it's worth so much more. This is not the first book by Bette I have read, and it will not be my last. This story was one of tragedy. and heartbreak. Also one of hope and forgiveness.

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Emily, Gone is written with one thing in the center of the story, a mothers love. It's seen through the entire story. This story had a great set of characters. I loved them all even when at times it was hard too. This story was just great from start to finish. I started it at night which probably wasn't the best idea because I stayed up way too late trying to finish it. Of course, I finally had to sleep, but I did finish it the next day. This is a story, that is unforgettable. It is not one that is always bright, and chances are you will bawl more than once, but I can promise you will love it. By the end, I was laughing and crying all at once. It is a compelling story with an even more powerful message.

Beader Bubbe's Books
“I have always enjoyed Ms. Crosby's books, having read so many of them, and this one is no exception. The loving family story behind it, the way she makes her characters fill your heart and soul, has only made me wanting to read more and more of her books.”
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Linda's Book Obsession
“In this wonderful book, we learn and see how Tracy Briggs and her hearing-impaired young son are doing. Tracy is trying to step up to the plate and be the best and responsible Mom. Is there romance in Tracy’s future? What could prevent Tracy from the happiness she deserves? There are some intriguing new characters and some wonderful friends from the first book. Although this could be read as a stand-alone, I thing that reading the first book would enhance the experience.”
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Serendipity Life's Unexpected Treasures
When I first started meeting the delightful characters of A Year of Extraordinary Moments, I was immediately caught up in their lives, with all their flaws, hopes, dreams, and losses.
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Between the Lines
The Summer of New Beginnings is a sweet, touching story of the sometimes difficult situations that beset the Briggs family.
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The Book Bag
Bette Lee Crosby continues to amaze me with the words of wisdom that she pens into her stories. And I love the little touches of magic that she seems to inject into each of her books.
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Sal's Reading Nook
The Summer of New beginnings is a sweet soft romance with rows of heartbreak and pain etched in it that makes this wonderful for anyone looking for something soft but meaningful and can be read within one sitting.
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Caffeinated Reviewer
Every once in a while you read a book with characters that touch you. It’s the kind of book you want to share with others. Spare Change is that type of book.
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Laura's Ramblings and Reviews
Bette’s characters are so real, so genuine. They have the same fears and insecurities as you or I. They all have their flaws. They are so real you might think you recognize one as someone you know.
Click here to read the full review…A Belle's Tales
I shed more than one tear in this amazing story, but I laughed and loved even more! I couldn’t put this book down until I knew how it all would come to an end. A thrilling adventure packed with emotion and more than one character to root for and fall for. With perfect pacing, charismatic writing, and one of my favorite epilogues of all time, the Wyattsville series is one I can’t wait to visit again!
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