Blogtour – Saturday 22nd June
Hi All
Welcome to my stop on this fabulous Blogtour! I have been well and truly spoilt with this book, which ticked a lot of boxes for me. It was brilliantly written and I feel honoured to have been given the opportunity to see into the friendship of two women who worlds apart from one another.
Big thanks as always must go to Rachel of Rachels Random Resources – https://www.rachelsrandomresources.com
and the brilliant author, Phyllis H. Moore – http://www.phyllishmoore.com
Thanks so much for allowing me to read into this beautiful story; one that has wonderful characters that bury deep into your heart. I loved the interactions between Birdie and Jude and enjoyed finding out more about each of them and watching as an unlikely friendship unravels throughout the chapters.
I could write a book of writing myself just on how much I enjoyed this story, but I don’t want to spoil it for you all. Before I give you my review, lets have a bit more about the author.
About the Author
Phyllis H. Moore wants to live life experiences more than once: doing it, writing about it, and reading about it. The atmosphere of the south draws her in and repels her. The characters are rich with dysfunction and redemption, real. She’s had two careers and two retirements.
Both careers gave her inspiration for her novels: The Sabine Series, Sabine, Billy’s Story, Josephine’s Journals and Secrets of Dunn House, Opal’s Story, Tangled, a Southern Gothic Yarn, and The Bright Shawl, Colors of Tender Whispers, The Ember Months, Birdie & Jude, and an anthology of spooky short stories inspired by real places and events, The Bridge on Jackson Road.
In 2018 she also released a new genre for her, A Dickens of a Crime, a Meg Miller Cozy Mystery. She has authored one nonfiction book, Retirement, Now What? Phyllis has been published by Caffeinated Press in the anthology, Brewed Awakenings 2, Fifteen Tales to Jolt Your Mind Awake.
She blogs on her web site http://www.phyllishmoore.com
Follow her on Pinterest and Facebook.
Phyllis is a retired social worker and former owner/operator of a small bed and breakfast. She’s lived in the rural areas and cities of south Texas. She currently lives on Galveston Island with her husband, Richard.
https://www.facebook.com/phyllishmooreAuthor
https://www.pinterest.com/corazone/
http://www.phyllishmoore.com
@phyllishmoore
About the Book
A moving novel of loss, regret, denial, and discovery on Galveston Island, from the author of Opal’s Story and The Ember Months.
Birdie has lived to regret many of her decisions, but she doesn’t regret offering a stranger, Jude, shelter from an approaching hurricane. Their serendipitous meeting will form a bond that will change their lives forever.
In a character driven story with memories of the protests and inequality plaguing the 1960’s, Birdie’s reached middle age and questions her life. Jude is striking out on her own, but has been derailed by a fatal accident claiming her only friend. Although their backgrounds and lives are vastly different, they recognize something in the other that forges a friendship.
As their relationship solidifies, they share glimpses of their pasts. Birdie is a product of the ’60’s, an aging hippie, with a series of resentments. She had a sheltered childhood in an upper class family. Her parents longed to see her make the Texas Dip at the Mardi Gras ball. Jude, however, entered foster care as an infant. Her parents, victims of a murder/suicide, left her and her siblings orphaned and separated.
There is something about their connection that strikes Birdie as familiar. Can souls know each other in different lives? Birdie struggles with the awareness that she has had regrets and hasn’t lived an authentic life, while Jude faces an uncomfortable truth about her own. It has all the feels.
Purchase Links
UK – https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B07BLMR63
US – https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07BLMR63Y
My Review
I dived into this book straight away as I was so curious after reading the book bio. The story opens straight away into the life of Birdie, a middle aged lady who lives a simple life, and someone who loves walks with her trusty, furry companion, Ollie. A walk along the beach leads her to the discovery of Jude, a strange girl who has a shoulder of secrets which she is harbouring, along with wounds following a traumatic crash. At this point, we know very little about these two characters, but as we progress through this book we come to see how they progress into friendship.
Page after page, I read with fascination as we found out more about Birdie and Jude; their lives, their trials and tribulations. I loved Birdie’s character and found myself laughing, smiling and tearing up. The writing had a wonderful flow to it and it was so easy to get into the story. The author did an amazing job of bringing these characters to life; the interactions really help to create solid, believable people who I was rooting for.
I really enjoyed this story from the first page and I would 100% recommend this to anyone who likes a book that has charisma, soul and heart. This story and its climax did not disappoint.
Conclusion
I have taken part in quite a few blog tours over the past 18 months and one of the things that I love the most is finding new authors, whose writing stays with me after I turn the final page of their books. I will be adding Phyllis H. Moore to my Goodreads account, as an author I follow. She is amazing, and I look forward to reading more of her work in the future.
Rating – 4 out of 5
S x
Writing from the Heart 
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