Kerry Lonsdale

Matt and Julia have more in common than meets the eye. Both use their careers as an anchor to the reality around them, both have been facing family issues all their lives and both have grandmothers in an assisted living home. There is one more problem, though. They have never met each other. When the intertwined fates of their relatives bring them together through cardboard boxes and a few agitated phone calls, a tender story of love and grief unfolds.

To say this is a beautiful love story is an understatement. Matt and Julia’s stories evoke routes through difficult paths. Love, loss, grief, despair. The ever-problematic question of the family that should have been a shelter instead of a prison. The daily nightmare that is Alzheimer’s when you witness your loved one wasting away, all memories lost. And this accidental meeting (or phone call…) that might - just might- change your life.

With traces of Magical Realism used to perfection without being a cheap, fashionable gimmick and a poignant approach towards sensitive subjects like Alzheimer's and suicide, Kerry Lonsdale creates a story to be remembered.

Many thanks to Lake Union Publishing and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

My reviews can also be found on https://theopinionatedreaderblog.wordpress.com/… (altro)

It's always exciting when there is a new Kerry Lonsdale book to read. I've read every book that she's written and I think that Find me in California is my new favorite. It's got mystery, suspense, family and maybe even a love story between two basic strangers who find themselves working to solve the same mystery. It's also about friendship and family love - loss and forgiveness. And it's definitely a page turner.

There are four main characters in this story with Julia and her grandmother and Matt and his grandmother. This is a dual time line story with the earlier time line about the two grandmothers and the recent time line about Julia and Matt while their grandmothers are in a memory care unit. Both Julia and Matt had been raised by the grandmothers but their attitudes toward their grandmothers is totally different. Julia loved her grandmother and couldn't imagine life without her. She worked long hours to make enough money to pay for her grandmother's care. Matt was raised by his grandmother but she basically ignored him from the day he came into her house at 10 until he left at 18. He basically has no contact with her and is reluctant to help her out with expenses at the home she is in. Matt and Julia meet on the phone and she convinces him to come to California to meet with his grandmother. He basically agrees but runs into a strange situation on the way.
Will the two grandmother's lose their home? How will Matt and Julia feel about each other when they finally meet? Be prepared to get so involved in the lives of these four well written characters that you won't want to put the book down until the last page!

All four main characters are well written but I have to admit that my favorite was Julia. She basically gave up her own life and happiness to take care of her grandmother because her grandmother had taken care of her since she was a child. She is the one character that I was really hoping would get her happily ever after ending. You won't get the answer to that until almost the end of the story but it's well worth the read to find out.… (altro)

Aimee Tierney is madly in love with her childhood sweetheart, James. They grew up together, he protected her at every turn and they became engaged. Just before the wedding, James must go on a business trip to Mexico. A trip that only his body returns from. So, instead of saying their vows, Aimee ends up burying James on their planned wedding day.

Devastated, Aimee spends over a year refusing to accept James death and move on with her life. Adding to this are the strange messages from a physic telling her that James is not dead.

Pushed by her friends to at least start working on a life without James, she opens a specialty café. They also drag her kicking and screaming back into life beyond her home and the café. Here, she meets Ian, a photographer that she immediately develops feelings for. Feelings that are certainly mirrored by Ian.

But the feelings and messages that James is not dead, persist. Feelings and verification of his death that she must resolve if she is ever to move on. So, two years after his purported death, Ian joins her, as she travels to Mexico to find her fiancée, who she is now certain is not dead.

As she and Ian search for James, and the truth; secrets from their past and James’ family surface, along with her feelings for Ian and realization of what her life with James was really like.

Everything We Keep not only has a unique plot, it is full of twists and turns that will keep you guessing, especially toward the end as she and Ian seek the truth in Mexico. It is also exceptionally well written… (altro)