The Sweet Life by Suzanne Woods Fisher
MY REVIEW:
Dawn has had a difficult year, what with losing her dad and throwing herself into her work in order to achieve the goal of a partnership in her firm. When her fiancé cancels the wedding, Dawn runs to her mom for comfort only to find out that her mother is recovering from cancer surgery without telling Dawn about it. When Kevin offers the already paid for honeymoon reservations in Cape Cod to Dawn and a friend, she chooses to take her mother. And that is where the fun begins!
I was totally entranced by this book from the beautifully described Cape Cod setting, to the volatile yet loving relationship between Dawn and her mother Marnie, to the wonderfully quaint and quirky characters scattered throughout the tale, and finally to the spiritual and personal growth that took place in more than one character.
The Sweet Life is the perfect book to settle in with on a summer afternoon. It would pair well with a nice cold and tasty bowl of your favorite ice cream. Doesn’t that cover tempt you to grab a bowl immediately? One warning though. Ice cream plays a major role in this story so be prepared to be tempted more than once.
I loved my visit to Cape Cod and sincerely hope that the author will take her readers there again soon.
I voluntarily reviewed a digital copy of this book provided by Celebrate Lit. A favorable review was not required. All views expressed are my own.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
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Book: The Sweet Life Author: Suzanne Woods Fisher Genre: Contemporary Romance Release date: May 3, 2022 Click here to get your copy! |
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Jilted by her fiancé, Dawn Dixon escapes to beautiful Cape Cod on a groomless honeymoon–with her mother. But she didn’t expect her mom to risk everything, on a whim, to move there permanently or buy a rundown ice cream shop in need of repair. In order to make their new life work, they’ll also need her ex’s help.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
With over 1.5 million copies sold, Suzanne Woods Fisher is a bestselling author of over 30 books, ranging from novels to children’s books to non-fiction. She is a Christy Award finalist, a winner of Carol and Selah awards, and a two-time finalist for ECPA Book of the Year. She writes stories that take you to places you’ve never visited—one with characters that seem like old friends. But most of all, her books give you something to think about long after you’ve finished reading it. Suzanne lives with her very big family in northern California.
MORE FROM SUZANNE:
The Sweet Life is a story about a mom and a daughter who, both in need of a little respite from life’s bumps and bruises, start an ice cream shop on Cape Cod…thinking it will be easy. After all, who doesn’t love ice cream?
Well, sure. That’s true. Everybody loves ice cream. But ice cream can be tricky. This I can say with authority. My husband is a serious hobby ice cream maker. He even attended Penn State’s Ice Cream School. While Steve was working on his vanilla recipe, he experimented fifty-nine times before he was finally satisfied. 59 times! Other flavors, like chocolate, can mask mistakes. Not vanilla. Too pure.
Here’s a few other things you probably didn’t know about ice cream:
The very first mention of a frozen dessert dates back to Persia in 550 BC, though it might have been sorbet-like. It’s said that Emperor Nero had ice brought down from the Apennine Mountains to produce a sorbet of honey and wine. And then there are those who insist that ice cream came out of China, and were introduced to Italy with the help of Marco Polo. Regardless of its origins, a love of ice cream has been around for a very, very long time.
Quaker colonists introduced ice cream to early America, having brought their recipes with them from England. Some argue that the French brought ice cream to America. Regardless, during the colonial era, ice cream was sold in shops in New York.
George Washington loved ice cream. So much so that he even brought ice cream making equipment to Mount Vernon! There are many accounts of “ice creem” (as it was then called) served during his administration.
First Lady Dolley Madison, wife of U.S. President James Madison, served ice cream at her husband’s Inaugural Ball in 1813. Common colonial flavors were soft fruits, like peaches or strawberries, added to a vanilla custard. Dolley had a curious favorite flavor: oyster. (Ugh.)
In September of 1846, a Philadelphia house wife named Nancy Johnson filed patent #3254 for a simple hand cranked ice cream churn. Prior to this point, ice cream belonged to the wealthy. Her hand cranked ice cream churn made it affordable for everyone. Nancy Johnson’s design is still used today.
During the St. Louis World’s Fair in 1904, an ice cream vendor ran out of cardboard dishes. The vendor next door offered to make cones by rolling up his waffles. Voila! The birth of the ice cream cone.
The majority of American ice cream companies have been in business for more than 50 years. Many of them are still owned by single families.
For the last 128 years, Penn State University has held Ice Cream School for professionals and serious hobbyists during January (for obvious reasons). All the greats have attended: Baskin & Robbins, Ben & Jerry, Dreyer’s, Nestle’s, Blue Bell Creamery, Dairy Queen, and…my husband.
The most popular flavor in the world? Vanilla. Of course.
BLOG STOPS:
Back Porch Reads, May 26
Inside the Wong Mind, May 26
The Avid Reader, May 27
lakesidelivingsite, May 27
Vicky Sluiter, May 27
Remembrancy, May 28
Southern Gal Loves to Read, May 28
Splashes of Joy, May 28
Texas Book-aholic, May 29
Happily Managing a Household of Boys, May 29
Miriam Jacob, May 29
Daysong Reflections, May 30
Inklings and notions, May 30
For Him and My Family, May 31
The Book Club Network, May 31
Blogging With Carol, May 31
Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, June 1
Abba’s Prayer Warrior Princess, June 1
Library Lady’s Kid Lit, June 2
deb’s Book Review, June 2
Artistic Nobody, June 2 (Guest Review from Donna Cline)
Locks, Hooks and Books, June 3
Jeanette’s Thoughts, June 3
Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, June 3
Ashley’s Clean Book Reviews, June 4
Blossoms and Blessings, June 4
Mary Hake, June 4
Christina’s Corner, June 5
Because I said so — and other adventures in Parenting, June 5
Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, June 6
Book Looks by Lisa, June 6
Simple Harvest Reads, June 6 (Guest Review from Mindy Houng)
Pause for Tales, June 7
Spoken from the Heart, June 7
She Lives To Read, June 8
Bigreadersite, June 8
Labor Not in Vain, June 8
GIVEAWAY:
To celebrate her tour, Suzanne is giving away the grand prize of a $50 Amazon gift card!!
Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.
https://promosimple.com/ps/1e36c/the-sweet-life-celebration-tour-giveaway
Dana Mentink is a USA Today and Publisher’s Weekly bestselling author as well as a two-time American Christian Fiction Writers Carol Award winner, and the recipient of a Holt Medallion. She’s written over fifty titles in the suspense, lighthearted romance and mystery genres. She is pleased to write for Harlequin’s Love Inspired Suspense, and Poisoned Pen Press. You can connect with Dana via her website at 
Who wouldn’t want to visit Upper Sprocket? Sure there’s the odd corpse that turns up, but it’s a charming place, complete with a rail riders excursion business and the Shimmy and Shake Shop, run by the determined Trinidad Jones. It’s fall in Sprocket and the locals are hosting a series of Alpenfest events with everything from yodeling performances to sausage cook offs. Papa Luis, Trinidad’s grandfather is happy to shuttle people around in his classic Chevy Bel Air until a body turns up in his truck. But other than that, Sprocket is an idyllic place with a newly opened train car inn operated by Bonnie, one of three women who were married at various times to the same rapscallion of a man. Oh, and then there’s Noodles, Trinidad’s senior Labrador retriever who has learned how to operate the windshield wipers which comes in handy as stormy weather approaches. Trinidad, Papa, Bonnie and Noodles along with other Sprocket residents are going to have their hands full as Alpenfest kicks off and gruesome items begin to pop up around town. Come along on the adventure as Trinidad wades knee deep into the sticky mess.
Jennifer Sienes holds a bachelor’s in psychology and a master’s in education, but discovered life-experience is the best teacher. She loves Jesus, romance and writing—and puts it altogether in inspirational contemporary fiction. Her daughter’s TBI and brother’s suicide inspired two of her three novels. Although fiction writing is her real love, she’s had several non-fiction pieces published in anthologies including several in Chicken Soup for the Soul. She has two grown children and one very spoiled Maltese. California born and raised, she recently took a step of faith with her real-life hero and relocated to Tennessee.
Angela D. Meyer writes fiction that showcases God’s ability to redeem and restore the brokenness in our lives. Now that her two children are grown, she spends her life writing instead of homeschooling, stays active at church, and is plotting what to do with the rest of her life. She enjoys sunrises and sunsets, hanging out with friends, a good laugh, and reading. Someday, she would love to vacation by the ocean.
Lisa Harris is a USA Today bestselling author, a Christy Award winner, and the winner of the Best Inspirational Suspense Novel from Romantic Times for her novels Blood Covenant and Vendetta. The author of more than forty books, including The Escape, The Chase, The Traitor’s Pawn, Vanishing Point, A Secret to Die For, and Deadly Intentions, as well as The Nikki Boyd Files and the Southern Crimes series, Harris and her family have spent over 17 years living as missionaries in southern Africa. She is currently stateside in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Learn more at 
