“After a whirlwind cross-country move, Harriet and her donut-loving basset hound, Humphrey, have settled into a new life in Grass Valley, California. When Harriet learns that she’s going to be a grandma for the first time and gets a new suite with a room for her salt-and-pepper shaker collection, she can’t wait wait for her best friend, Martha, to come visit so she can share her good news.

But adventure is never far away when Harriet is around. After listening to the pleas of a desperate teen whose daddy needs money right away-and happens to have a gold mine to lease-Harriet falls hook, line, and sinker into the venture. Although she’s nervous about her investment, Harriet chooses to keep it a secret from her son, Henry, and his wife. She can only imagine what she’ll do if this turns out to be her ticket to a golden waterfall.

When suspicions arise, though, it becomes clear that Harriet may never see an ounce of gold. But will she continue to trust and risk losing everything? The fate of a young teen and a family emergency show Harriet where her true treasure lies.”

First, I thank Zondervan Publishing for sending me this book for this honest review.

This was a very enjoyable book. Lots of humorous moments that made me laugh. Harriet is lovable character that you would love to meet and listen to her tell stories from “back in the day”.

Henry and Prudence were also very good characters. I really enjoyed the parts where it described Henry writing, how he would use things that had happened to him and weaved them into the story. I also enjoyed the families they mentioned that had 5 or 6 kids, and how Henry reacted to such a great number! Of course, you have to know me and my family to know why that is humorous…..

The dog, Humphrey, also made the book that much better, because he was a part of the family! This book is very highly recommended and I encourage you to read it! Have a wonderful day! ( )

Harriet Beamer Strikes Gold by Joyce Magnin is a most delightful story about a seventy plus widow and all the adventures she has and all the scrapes she gets into. Harriet is living in Pennsylvania but her son, Henry, convinces her to move to Grass Valley, California to live with him and his wife, Prudence. Harriet has reservations about moving but she and Humphrey, her basset hound that loves donuts, make the move across the country. Shortly after arriving in California, Harriet learns that she is to be a grandma and that a “Grammy suite” is going to be added to the house. Harriet is almost as excited about the suite as she is about the expected grandchild for now she will have a place to display her enormous collection of salt and pepper shakers. Harriet is always getting involved in one adventure or another and she gets drawn into the life of a young girl after listening to her explain that her dad has a gold mine to lease but he needs money right away. Harriet falls completely and gives money to the man but she decides to keep the venture from her son. When her best friend, Martha, comes to visit, she has doubts about the mine and convinces Harriet to go to the police. Both women are fond of the man’s daughter and do everything they can to help her.

All the characters were very well developed and they came to life as I read the book and I felt as if they were friends of mine. Descriptions of scenes were so realistic that I could see them clearly in my mind and even see myself in the middle of what was going on. There was even a good bit of suspense in the story. Prudence has had two miscarriages and at one point it seemed that she was going to have a third. There was a surprise when they learned there would be twins. The biggest suspense was if Harriet would ever see a speck of gold and would Martha decide to sell her home in Pennsylvania and move to California? I do not want to spoil the ending but I will say that it is a happy ending.

I highly recommend this book to everyone who enjoys a good Christian story and especially one that has an adventurous female senior citizen as the main character.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Zondervan as part of the BookSneeze.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. ( )

Harriet Beamer Strikes Gold is the second Harriet Beamer book. In the first book Harriet has come to point in her life when her family thinks it is best that she move across the country to live with them. Now in the second book Harriet is settle in, but is restless and looks for things to do and friends to find. She meets Lily and Old Man Crickets, a teen and her father. Harriet immediately gets swept into “gold fever”.

This is a lighthearted book a quick read, and even a little silly in places. The message of what having a true treasure is evident as Harriet spends more time with her son and gets better acquainted with her daughter-in-law, Prudence.

It was an OK book, but I preferred the first book for two reasons. In the first book Harriet’s personality was that of a long-time married woman, recently widowed, becoming a bit of a free spirit. Although I don’t think it was the intent of the author, in this book, I think Harriet came across as someone flighty and of impaired judgment due to aging. The other reason was that I was totally put off by a conversation Harriet had with the illegal aliens hired to do construction work in Henry’s home and the following discussion about it between Henry and Prudence. ( )

Title: Harriet Beamer Strikes Gold
Author: Joyce Magnin (http://joycemagnin.blogspot.com/)
Pages: 320
Year: 2013
Publisher: Zondervan
Reading this novel, which is the second in a series, was absolutely delightful! The first novel Harriet Beamer takes the Bus, which I haven’t read yet, starts the Harriet Beamer series written by a very talented author. Joyce Magnin has written other adult novels as well as those for middle grades children according to her website. She also does editing, speaking and teaching in addition to raising her son, Adam, who is still at home. You can visit her site to learn about her various novels published and about herself as she shares in a way that is sure to make you laugh.
In Harriet Beamer Strikes Gold, I was introduced to a lively widowed senior citizen character that collects salt and pepper shakers and has recently moved in with her son and his wife. She has had to leave behind her best friend, pack up her stuff and move to a place where everyone is a stranger to her. She has a wonderful sense of humor, faith, and longs for adventure every day. While realizing she is older, she can’t think about getting old as it brings her down. Instead, she looks for ways to do new things and one day hopes to become a grandmother.
As Harriet learns about the history of where she is now living, her interest in gold mines peaks. From here on out, Harriet is on one adventure after another while learning to change and adapt to her new environment while making friends. When her best friend, Martha, comes to join her for a couple weeks, the two of them discover even more.
I liked that I could laugh at what this character Harriet said and did. While I am not in this particular season of life, I couldn’t help but envision myself being like her when I get there. Harriet didn’t want to focus on growing old or letting moss grow under her feet just waiting for her time. Nope! The character seeks life, adventure, God’s hand, and all the while with her Basset Hound, Humphrey, in tow who likes warm glazed donuts to eat. Harriet is created to show us how no matter what age we are there are new lessons to learn, people to know and places to see. I guess I want to be like Harriet Beamer “when I grow up” is what I am saying. When you read the book, I hope you catch the sense of living every day to its fullest.
My rating is 5+ stars. Oh, I am buying the first novel to read as soon as this review is written !
Note: I received a complimentary copy for an honest review of this book. The opinions shared in this review are solely my responsibility. Other reviews can be read at http://seekingwithallyurheart.blogspot.com/ . Also follow me on Twitter @lcjohnson1988, FaceBook at https://www.facebook.com/lisa.johnson.75457 ( )