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Rolling Toward Clear Skies
A foster mother must contend with the emotional turmoil of her new blended family in a heartfelt novel of hope and second chances by New York Times bestselling author Catherine Ryan Hyde.
Maggie Blount, divorced mother of two and California physician, puts her private practice on hold when disaster strikes. Doctors on Wheels takes her and Alex—Maggie’s professional and romantic partner—wherever they’re needed. After rolling into rural Louisiana in the wake of a category five hurricane, Maggie immediately bonds with two sisters and their puppy, all orphaned by the storm. It’s enough to break Maggie’s heart, and she’s not leaving them behind.
Feeling blessed and looking forward to their new foster home in affluent Vista del Mar—a world apart from the one they’ve known—Jean and Rose are polite, appreciative, and humble. Frankly, polar opposite of Maggie’s own self-involved teenage daughters, Willa and Gemma, who resist this intrusion by strangers into their privileged lives. Soon enough, Maggie’s new blended family is in chaos.
Teaching Willa and Gemma about gratitude and empathy will be hard enough. Maggie must also admit her own role in their entitled upbringing, undo the damage, and anticipate the needs of all four girls and a puppy, all amid faraway natural disasters and those closer to home.
Maggie Blount, divorced mother of two and California physician, puts her private practice on hold when disaster strikes. Doctors on Wheels takes her and Alex—Maggie’s professional and romantic partner—wherever they’re needed. After rolling into rural Louisiana in the wake of a category five hurricane, Maggie immediately bonds with two sisters and their puppy, all orphaned by the storm. It’s enough to break Maggie’s heart, and she’s not leaving them behind.
Feeling blessed and looking forward to their new foster home in affluent Vista del Mar—a world apart from the one they’ve known—Jean and Rose are polite, appreciative, and humble. Frankly, polar opposite of Maggie’s own self-involved teenage daughters, Willa and Gemma, who resist this intrusion by strangers into their privileged lives. Soon enough, Maggie’s new blended family is in chaos.
Teaching Willa and Gemma about gratitude and empathy will be hard enough. Maggie must also admit her own role in their entitled upbringing, undo the damage, and anticipate the needs of all four girls and a puppy, all amid faraway natural disasters and those closer to home.
293 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 12, 2024
4542 people are currently reading
5851 people want to read
About the author
Catherine Ryan Hyde
73 books6,209 followersCatherine Ryan Hyde is the author of more than 50 published and forthcoming books.
She is co-author, with publishing industry blogger Anne R. Allen, of How to be a Writer in the E-Age: a Self-Help Guide.
Her bestselling 1999 novel Pay It Forward was made into a major Warner Brothers motion picture. It was chosen by the American Library Association for its Best Books for Young Adults list, and translated into more than two dozen languages for distribution in over 30 countries. Simon & Schuster released a special 15th anniversary edition in December of ’14.
Pay It Forward: Young Readers Edition, an age-appropriate edited edition of the original novel, was released by Simon & Schuster in August of ‘14. It is suitable for children as young as eight.
You can learn much more about Catherine at www.catherineryanhyde.com
She is co-author, with publishing industry blogger Anne R. Allen, of How to be a Writer in the E-Age: a Self-Help Guide.
Her bestselling 1999 novel Pay It Forward was made into a major Warner Brothers motion picture. It was chosen by the American Library Association for its Best Books for Young Adults list, and translated into more than two dozen languages for distribution in over 30 countries. Simon & Schuster released a special 15th anniversary edition in December of ’14.
Pay It Forward: Young Readers Edition, an age-appropriate edited edition of the original novel, was released by Simon & Schuster in August of ‘14. It is suitable for children as young as eight.
You can learn much more about Catherine at www.catherineryanhyde.com
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October 3, 2024
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I have been a fan of Catherine Ryan Hyde since 1999 and she has never disappointed me. She always finds new and interesting emotional topics to write about. This was a timely one to read because after a natural disaster (Helene anyone?) two teenage girls are left parentless and homeless. Maggie Blount is a doctor who volunteers at such events and is a divorced mom of two teenage girls. When she decides to foster and then adopt the newly orphaned teenagers what follows is a dramatic tale of the impact the adoption has on everyone in the family.
I was quickly absorbed into this tale. Maggie's biological daughters were not very likable and I tried very hard to sympathize with them. While I liked and related to the adopted daughters a lot more I found them to be sickly sweet and not as realistic as the other two. I think the author did that on purpose to show how polar opposites the teens are. I really enjoyed this book about nature versus nurture, the haves and the have-nots. It's about growing up, helping others and blended families and it was told with Hyde's typical sensitivity and wit. This one really touched my heart.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the Advance Readers Copy.
The Book Review Crew Blog
I have been a fan of Catherine Ryan Hyde since 1999 and she has never disappointed me. She always finds new and interesting emotional topics to write about. This was a timely one to read because after a natural disaster (Helene anyone?) two teenage girls are left parentless and homeless. Maggie Blount is a doctor who volunteers at such events and is a divorced mom of two teenage girls. When she decides to foster and then adopt the newly orphaned teenagers what follows is a dramatic tale of the impact the adoption has on everyone in the family.
I was quickly absorbed into this tale. Maggie's biological daughters were not very likable and I tried very hard to sympathize with them. While I liked and related to the adopted daughters a lot more I found them to be sickly sweet and not as realistic as the other two. I think the author did that on purpose to show how polar opposites the teens are. I really enjoyed this book about nature versus nurture, the haves and the have-nots. It's about growing up, helping others and blended families and it was told with Hyde's typical sensitivity and wit. This one really touched my heart.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the Advance Readers Copy.
January 24, 2026
Who doesn’t love a celebrated author who lives in their community? Fortunately for us she does. I had the wonderful experience of interviewing this author, (CRH) as a guest to our Library Book Discussion Group, Local Author Series program years ago. She proved to be down-to-earth, pleasantly conversational with a delightful sense-of-humor and personality. CRH was such a treat to have as a library guest for our free program.
The small room at the time was comfortably packed with over 100 people who came to meet and listen to her (pre-Covid). Most interesting was her admittance of naivete for selling her book, “Pay it Forward” to the movie industry. Review of her book here: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
She was clear that once the book was sold, she had no say in what happened with the movie. Although, she appreciated the attention it gave to her as a writer, it still was not her favorite experience.
When I opened my Little Free Library Shed in 2017, CRH sent me multiple copies of her various books to include. They went quickly. Every now and then, one of her books will show up as a donation, as did this one. When this one came, I wanted to read it. And, as is typical in my LFL, it is already gone. This neighborhood loves her!
CRH is a bestselling author because she is beloved for her storytelling. Her books tug at our hearts and create meaningful messages. And, this one is no different.
It is an emotional story about Maggie, a divorced doctor with 2 rambunctious, but unfortunately, mean-spirited teenagers. Along with her boyfriend Alex, she runs a mobile non-profit called Doctors on Wheels that provides free medical care in the aftermath of disasters.
During one of their trips to Louisiana, after a major hurricane, they treat 2 loving, sweet girls who have been left homeless and parent-less. While under Maggie’s care, she decides to foster the girls. Included in this new relationship, is a terrified puppy that appeared under their camper the second night after the hurricane who has also become attached to the girls.
Of course, this doesn’t bode well with Maggie’s teenagers, and they do everything to make life uncomfortable for everyone. For Maggie, is it easier to just love her unlikable teens, even if she doesn’t like their behavior? How many of us just wanted to sleep through our children’s teen years and wake up on the other side of it?
Well, it appears that CRH wants us to remain awake. She views this as a “learning lesson” message book. Does something bad have to happen before there is change? Is this what it will take for Maggie’s teens to change for the better? Will this lead to a bittersweet, yet happy ending? (No spoilers from me.)
And, with CRH’s own penchant for rescuing animals, there is definitely healing and power when a dog is part of the story.
Overall, CRH’s story is dynamic and engaging, with lessons about kindness and compassion. Something very much needed in our world today.
The small room at the time was comfortably packed with over 100 people who came to meet and listen to her (pre-Covid). Most interesting was her admittance of naivete for selling her book, “Pay it Forward” to the movie industry. Review of her book here: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
She was clear that once the book was sold, she had no say in what happened with the movie. Although, she appreciated the attention it gave to her as a writer, it still was not her favorite experience.
When I opened my Little Free Library Shed in 2017, CRH sent me multiple copies of her various books to include. They went quickly. Every now and then, one of her books will show up as a donation, as did this one. When this one came, I wanted to read it. And, as is typical in my LFL, it is already gone. This neighborhood loves her!
CRH is a bestselling author because she is beloved for her storytelling. Her books tug at our hearts and create meaningful messages. And, this one is no different.
It is an emotional story about Maggie, a divorced doctor with 2 rambunctious, but unfortunately, mean-spirited teenagers. Along with her boyfriend Alex, she runs a mobile non-profit called Doctors on Wheels that provides free medical care in the aftermath of disasters.
During one of their trips to Louisiana, after a major hurricane, they treat 2 loving, sweet girls who have been left homeless and parent-less. While under Maggie’s care, she decides to foster the girls. Included in this new relationship, is a terrified puppy that appeared under their camper the second night after the hurricane who has also become attached to the girls.
Of course, this doesn’t bode well with Maggie’s teenagers, and they do everything to make life uncomfortable for everyone. For Maggie, is it easier to just love her unlikable teens, even if she doesn’t like their behavior? How many of us just wanted to sleep through our children’s teen years and wake up on the other side of it?
Well, it appears that CRH wants us to remain awake. She views this as a “learning lesson” message book. Does something bad have to happen before there is change? Is this what it will take for Maggie’s teens to change for the better? Will this lead to a bittersweet, yet happy ending? (No spoilers from me.)
And, with CRH’s own penchant for rescuing animals, there is definitely healing and power when a dog is part of the story.
Overall, CRH’s story is dynamic and engaging, with lessons about kindness and compassion. Something very much needed in our world today.
November 28, 2024
Another unpopular opinion here. As with "Life, Loss and Puffins", I'm sorry to say that I'm on outlier island again with this latest Catherine Ryan Hyde novel.
Maggie Blount, divorced mother of two and California physician, puts her private practice on hold when disaster strikes. Doctors on Wheels takes her and Alex—Maggie’s professional and romantic partner—wherever they’re needed. After rolling into rural Louisiana in the wake of a Category 5 hurricane, Maggie immediately bonds with two young sisters and a puppy, all orphaned by the storm.
I thought this premise sounded interesting but by 25% of the way into the story I found I wasn't really enjoying it and actually took a dislike to Maggie and her two daughters. There's a reason the daughters are so unlikeable and that's all down to Maggie. As good as her intentions were, I couldn't help but feel that maybe if she had treated her daughters with the attention and respect she gives the foster girls they would've turned out better. Although I found parts of the story interesting - like how much social media influences people these days - overall I thought the story was a little too cut and dried and I didn't find the characters believable. The epilogue was too long and too saccharine sweet for my taste. Although I have one outstanding book of the author's to read, I don't think I'll be as quick to grab her next one.
This is the second book recently where I was totally out of step with most reviewers so maybe I'm just cranky.
My thanks to Lake Union Publishing via Netgalley for providing a copy of this novel to read. All opinions expressed are my own.
Publication Date: November 12, 2024
Maggie Blount, divorced mother of two and California physician, puts her private practice on hold when disaster strikes. Doctors on Wheels takes her and Alex—Maggie’s professional and romantic partner—wherever they’re needed. After rolling into rural Louisiana in the wake of a Category 5 hurricane, Maggie immediately bonds with two young sisters and a puppy, all orphaned by the storm.
I thought this premise sounded interesting but by 25% of the way into the story I found I wasn't really enjoying it and actually took a dislike to Maggie and her two daughters. There's a reason the daughters are so unlikeable and that's all down to Maggie. As good as her intentions were, I couldn't help but feel that maybe if she had treated her daughters with the attention and respect she gives the foster girls they would've turned out better. Although I found parts of the story interesting - like how much social media influences people these days - overall I thought the story was a little too cut and dried and I didn't find the characters believable. The epilogue was too long and too saccharine sweet for my taste. Although I have one outstanding book of the author's to read, I don't think I'll be as quick to grab her next one.
This is the second book recently where I was totally out of step with most reviewers so maybe I'm just cranky.
My thanks to Lake Union Publishing via Netgalley for providing a copy of this novel to read. All opinions expressed are my own.
Publication Date: November 12, 2024
September 16, 2024
Maggie Blount is a divorced mother of two teenage daughters Willa and Gemma and she works as a GP in Vista Del Mar, California and she volunteers for Doctors on Wheels. Maggie and her partner Alex a nurse travel in a RV van and provide free medical treatment for people effected by natural disasters. With fellow Doctors John and Lacey Bishop they leave for rural Louisiana where a category five hurricane is wreaking havoc and destroying everything in it’s path. Two teenage girls arrive, sick and drenched, and their parents died. Maggie takes care of Jean and Rose and the puppy they saved, and she notices how different they are to her own daughters.
Maggie’s been questioning Willa and Gemma’s entitled behaviour, attitude and rudeness for awhile and Rose and Jean are the complete opposite of her girls, their polite, kind, and grateful and they need a home and she and Alex decide to foster them. As you can imagine Willa and Gemma aren’t happy, they are furious with their mother, how dare she bring three strays into their house and change everything. Maggie has had enough, she decides to make a stand and it’s her house and she pays the bills and she underestimates her daughter’s reaction. Maggie’s new blended family is a mess, everything is spiralling out of control, she doesn’t know what to do and she needs help.
I received a copy of Rolling Toward Clear Skies from Lake Union Publishing and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. I have lost track of how many books I have read by Catherine Ryan Hyde, she’s an outstanding fiction author, her stories always have a theme and a message included in the narrative and they make me think and wonder what I would do in the same situation.
This time it’s about raising teenagers, four girls, two are the main character's biological children and the others are not. Maggie accepts she’s to blame for her daughter’s upbringing and despite being a good role model, she’s a doctor and a volunteer and Willa and Gemma don’t show empathy for others and gratitude for what they have and they take it all for granted.
A story about dealing with feelings and trauma, emotions and hormones, good and bad behaviour, expectations and consequences, leaning right from wrong and how it’s possible to love your children and not like them. Maggie set's about changing this and blending a family and creating a happier environment, you need to read the novel to discover how she does it and five stars from me.
Maggie’s been questioning Willa and Gemma’s entitled behaviour, attitude and rudeness for awhile and Rose and Jean are the complete opposite of her girls, their polite, kind, and grateful and they need a home and she and Alex decide to foster them. As you can imagine Willa and Gemma aren’t happy, they are furious with their mother, how dare she bring three strays into their house and change everything. Maggie has had enough, she decides to make a stand and it’s her house and she pays the bills and she underestimates her daughter’s reaction. Maggie’s new blended family is a mess, everything is spiralling out of control, she doesn’t know what to do and she needs help.
I received a copy of Rolling Toward Clear Skies from Lake Union Publishing and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. I have lost track of how many books I have read by Catherine Ryan Hyde, she’s an outstanding fiction author, her stories always have a theme and a message included in the narrative and they make me think and wonder what I would do in the same situation.
This time it’s about raising teenagers, four girls, two are the main character's biological children and the others are not. Maggie accepts she’s to blame for her daughter’s upbringing and despite being a good role model, she’s a doctor and a volunteer and Willa and Gemma don’t show empathy for others and gratitude for what they have and they take it all for granted.
A story about dealing with feelings and trauma, emotions and hormones, good and bad behaviour, expectations and consequences, leaning right from wrong and how it’s possible to love your children and not like them. Maggie set's about changing this and blending a family and creating a happier environment, you need to read the novel to discover how she does it and five stars from me.
November 5, 2024
I believe this is my first book by this author but it certainly will not be my last!
Maggie is the divorced mother of two very entitled teenage girls. They have grown up having everything they want yet they are no way grateful for any of it. When Maggie decides to foster and then adopt two teenage girls (and a dog) who have lost their parents and their home in a hurricane disaster chaos ensues.
The contrast between Maggie's daughters and her adoptees could not be greater and it takes a lot of effort from her and her partner, Alex, to ride out the storm. I really enjoyed the strong relationship she has with Alex. I also loved the firm way she goes about dealing with the objectionable behaviour of the daughters.
Altogether a very moving book and one which I found very hard to put down. Five stars from me!
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book.
Maggie is the divorced mother of two very entitled teenage girls. They have grown up having everything they want yet they are no way grateful for any of it. When Maggie decides to foster and then adopt two teenage girls (and a dog) who have lost their parents and their home in a hurricane disaster chaos ensues.
The contrast between Maggie's daughters and her adoptees could not be greater and it takes a lot of effort from her and her partner, Alex, to ride out the storm. I really enjoyed the strong relationship she has with Alex. I also loved the firm way she goes about dealing with the objectionable behaviour of the daughters.
Altogether a very moving book and one which I found very hard to put down. Five stars from me!
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book.
November 12, 2024
ROLLING TOWARDS CLEAR SKIES (Catherine Ryan Hyde—October 21, 2024
4 stars
Geez, I love this author. I just love her. She has written over 40 novels, and I hope someday to be able to say I’ve read them all. For now, I read 2-3 per year and savor the experience while trying to make them last for years to come.
I love how she fills her tales with poignancy, unconditional love, and understanding. In terms of specifics, each story is very different, but again, the underlying themes are all along the same lines. They read fast, they’re loaded with feelings and are full of hope.
In Rolling Towards Clear Skies, Dr. Maggie Blount and her significant other Alex, who is an RN, are part of a small group called Doctors on Wheels. When the need arises, they hop into a couple of RVs and head to disaster areas to administer free medical care. During a mission to Louisiana to help those affected by a category 5 hurricane, they encounter two sick teenage sisters and a stray dog who have nowhere to go. They are lovely, respectful and kind girls—polar opposites of Maggie’s own two spoiled, sullen teenage daughters at home. Maggie somewhat impulsively decides to adopt the two orphans, which leads to all sorts of seemingly unresolvable issues at home.
The predicament in this novel seemed to me nearly impossible to solve so I was flipping the pages like mad to see how it would all shake out. And shake out it did with typical Catherine Ryan Hyde wisdom. With themes of privilege, entitlement, jealousy, gratitude, and ultimately understanding, forgiveness, and second chances, all in the face of keeping it real, Rolling Towards Clear Skies (with all of its meanings) was a super satisfying and meaningful read for me.
Many thanks to Catherine Ryan Hyde, Lake Union Publishing, and to Net Galley for granting me an advanced review copy. Opinions are mine alone and are not biased in any way.
4 stars
Geez, I love this author. I just love her. She has written over 40 novels, and I hope someday to be able to say I’ve read them all. For now, I read 2-3 per year and savor the experience while trying to make them last for years to come.
I love how she fills her tales with poignancy, unconditional love, and understanding. In terms of specifics, each story is very different, but again, the underlying themes are all along the same lines. They read fast, they’re loaded with feelings and are full of hope.
In Rolling Towards Clear Skies, Dr. Maggie Blount and her significant other Alex, who is an RN, are part of a small group called Doctors on Wheels. When the need arises, they hop into a couple of RVs and head to disaster areas to administer free medical care. During a mission to Louisiana to help those affected by a category 5 hurricane, they encounter two sick teenage sisters and a stray dog who have nowhere to go. They are lovely, respectful and kind girls—polar opposites of Maggie’s own two spoiled, sullen teenage daughters at home. Maggie somewhat impulsively decides to adopt the two orphans, which leads to all sorts of seemingly unresolvable issues at home.
The predicament in this novel seemed to me nearly impossible to solve so I was flipping the pages like mad to see how it would all shake out. And shake out it did with typical Catherine Ryan Hyde wisdom. With themes of privilege, entitlement, jealousy, gratitude, and ultimately understanding, forgiveness, and second chances, all in the face of keeping it real, Rolling Towards Clear Skies (with all of its meanings) was a super satisfying and meaningful read for me.
Many thanks to Catherine Ryan Hyde, Lake Union Publishing, and to Net Galley for granting me an advanced review copy. Opinions are mine alone and are not biased in any way.
November 7, 2024
Dr Maggie Blount and her partner - in both life and work - Alex, ran Doctors on Wheels, a not-for-profit where they headed into disasters to help, and heal, those in need. Now, accompanied by two other doctors, the four of them, plus their assistant, headed to Louisiana where a category 5 hurricane had decimated the area, leaving many homeless, many dead, and a lot of injured who didn't know where to go. As busy as usual, when Maggie noticed two young girls - probably around the same age as her own teen daughters - she was shocked at how ill they looked. Both had pneumonia and both were alone. Treating them, she ushered them to her RV, where they could rest. The younger of the two, Rose, found an abandoned puppy who was malnourished and terrified. Rose and her sister Jean, decided they wanted to help the puppy, whom they named Sunny.
Eventually, their job done, Doctors on Wheels headed for home, with three extra passengers. Maggie would foster the girls - and Sunny - until such time as a permanent place could be found. But Maggie's two daughters, Willa and Gemma, were not happy about the new arrangement. Self absorbed, entitled and pretentious, Maggie's girls were the opposite of the two polite, well mannered and grateful teens. What would Maggie do? Could she and Alex expect perfect harmony now there were four teens in the house?
Rolling Toward Clear Skies is another sensational read from Catherine Ryan Hyde which I loved. A blended family can be chaotic, especially at the beginning as everyone finds their space in the new norm. I felt for Maggie as she was tearing her hair out, wondering what to do next. Alex was pretty amazing with his support and biting his tongue when he needed to! Highly recommended.
With thanks to NetGalley & Lake Union Publishing for my digital ARC to read and review.
Eventually, their job done, Doctors on Wheels headed for home, with three extra passengers. Maggie would foster the girls - and Sunny - until such time as a permanent place could be found. But Maggie's two daughters, Willa and Gemma, were not happy about the new arrangement. Self absorbed, entitled and pretentious, Maggie's girls were the opposite of the two polite, well mannered and grateful teens. What would Maggie do? Could she and Alex expect perfect harmony now there were four teens in the house?
Rolling Toward Clear Skies is another sensational read from Catherine Ryan Hyde which I loved. A blended family can be chaotic, especially at the beginning as everyone finds their space in the new norm. I felt for Maggie as she was tearing her hair out, wondering what to do next. Alex was pretty amazing with his support and biting his tongue when he needed to! Highly recommended.
With thanks to NetGalley & Lake Union Publishing for my digital ARC to read and review.
January 9, 2025
the setup…
Margaret (Maggie) Blount is a 41-year old physician, divorced and the mother of two teens, Willa and Gemma (sixteen and fourteen, respectively). She and her romantic partner Alex are also part of Doctors on Wheels, an organization he founded and fundraises for, that responds to natural disasters. Her thriving practice allows her to take these leaves. Sounds perfect, right? Maggie is concerned about her daughters who she loves but doesn’t like very much. They’re spoiled, entitled and she’s unsure of how to fix things. But when she returns from a hurricane disaster in Louisiana with two orphaned teens (Jean & Rose) and a dog she decided to foster and adopt, her household turns into a battlefield.
the heart of the story…
There’s no doubt that Maggie’s decision to bring those traumatized girls home with her was for all the right reasons. But deep down, it also was true that they provided her with the affection and respect she yearned for from Willa and Gemma. Yes, they were truly awful (and mean) young girls but Maggie had to own responsibility for how they turned out. Her lack of a plan was stunning and even though I didn’t like those brats, I sympathized with their reactions.
the narration…
Kate Rudd managed to give Maggie perfect voice while managing the same for four teenagers. She nailed Willa & Gemma as well as Jean & Rose, all while being an excellent storyteller.
the bottom line…
Blended families can be difficult to navigate under ideal circumstances and there certainly were excessive minefields here. I appreciated that Maggie was an imperfect parent and owned it, allowing others in her life to give her much needed advice, including her own mother. Willa & Gemma may have been presented as villains initially but their underlying issues were given validation. There were no easy answers or solutions, just commitment and hard work to create a loving and respectful family. There’s a lot to learn here.
Posted on Blue Mood Café
(Thanks to Brilliance Audio and NetGalley for my complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.)
Margaret (Maggie) Blount is a 41-year old physician, divorced and the mother of two teens, Willa and Gemma (sixteen and fourteen, respectively). She and her romantic partner Alex are also part of Doctors on Wheels, an organization he founded and fundraises for, that responds to natural disasters. Her thriving practice allows her to take these leaves. Sounds perfect, right? Maggie is concerned about her daughters who she loves but doesn’t like very much. They’re spoiled, entitled and she’s unsure of how to fix things. But when she returns from a hurricane disaster in Louisiana with two orphaned teens (Jean & Rose) and a dog she decided to foster and adopt, her household turns into a battlefield.
the heart of the story…
There’s no doubt that Maggie’s decision to bring those traumatized girls home with her was for all the right reasons. But deep down, it also was true that they provided her with the affection and respect she yearned for from Willa and Gemma. Yes, they were truly awful (and mean) young girls but Maggie had to own responsibility for how they turned out. Her lack of a plan was stunning and even though I didn’t like those brats, I sympathized with their reactions.
the narration…
Kate Rudd managed to give Maggie perfect voice while managing the same for four teenagers. She nailed Willa & Gemma as well as Jean & Rose, all while being an excellent storyteller.
the bottom line…
Blended families can be difficult to navigate under ideal circumstances and there certainly were excessive minefields here. I appreciated that Maggie was an imperfect parent and owned it, allowing others in her life to give her much needed advice, including her own mother. Willa & Gemma may have been presented as villains initially but their underlying issues were given validation. There were no easy answers or solutions, just commitment and hard work to create a loving and respectful family. There’s a lot to learn here.
Posted on Blue Mood Café
(Thanks to Brilliance Audio and NetGalley for my complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.)
November 21, 2024
I'm sorry, but this is a very shallow book. It covers a lot of important topics, but the story barely scratches the surface.
80% of the text consists of banal, flat, cheesy, and utterly fake dialogue. None of the characters are likable. The main character, Maggie, is not only perfect but also incredibly naive and somehow stupid. The whole story raises my eyebrows because nothing in this book is believable.
80% of the text consists of banal, flat, cheesy, and utterly fake dialogue. None of the characters are likable. The main character, Maggie, is not only perfect but also incredibly naive and somehow stupid. The whole story raises my eyebrows because nothing in this book is believable.
October 20, 2024
Nowadays, when I see a new title by Katherine Ryan Hyde coming available for reviewing, I jump to it. It’s as if I known this author for decades… but I found out that’s not true. I’ve only read a handful of titles from her, beginning in 2022.
Isn’t his strange but great? When an author really touches you and you feel like you’ve know her for so long? I absolutely love it. What I like first and foremost is the fact that she writes such very different books about such very different subjects. And even though these subjects are not always what I usually like to read, I just have to finish the story.
This time, it’s about a mother who more or less to her own astonishment discovers that her teenage daughters Willa and Gemma, sixteen and fourteen, are in fact very unlikable people. They are very self-centred, rude and mean to almost everybody except when they stand to gain something from them. For Willa, it is unbelievable cruel of her mother Maggie to not have given her a car for her 16th birthday. All her friends got a car when they turned sixteen! Not only that, her mother uses her money to help other people! People who’ve barely survived disasters and are left with nothing but the clothes on their backs. How could she…
Where I live its just not possible to own and drive a car at sixteen, let alone demand your parents to give you one, but for ‘car’ you can read any outrageous expensive present. And so it goes on and on. So when Maggie returns from one of her missions one day with two other teenagers, who are polite and friendly and don’t spend all their time on their phones (because they have no phones after their house burned down) but rather take care of their new found dog, all hell breaks loose.
Maggie feels that she’s to blame for everything and wants nothing more than to repair what’s broken, and form a happy family with her four daughters and her new husband. This story tells how she’s going to try and achieve that.
The characters were perfect although sometimes a little bit too perfect in their role. Not a bad word from Jean and Rose, nothing nice from Willa and Gemma until later in the book. Maggie who feels she’s the only one who made all the mistakes in parenting and so she blames herself for everything. A little too black-and-white to my taste, and at the end somewhat too mushy and overdone but guess? Almost unputdownable!
I’m already looking forward to Ryan Hyde’s next title.
Thanks to Lake Union Publishing and Netgalley for this review copy.
Isn’t his strange but great? When an author really touches you and you feel like you’ve know her for so long? I absolutely love it. What I like first and foremost is the fact that she writes such very different books about such very different subjects. And even though these subjects are not always what I usually like to read, I just have to finish the story.
This time, it’s about a mother who more or less to her own astonishment discovers that her teenage daughters Willa and Gemma, sixteen and fourteen, are in fact very unlikable people. They are very self-centred, rude and mean to almost everybody except when they stand to gain something from them. For Willa, it is unbelievable cruel of her mother Maggie to not have given her a car for her 16th birthday. All her friends got a car when they turned sixteen! Not only that, her mother uses her money to help other people! People who’ve barely survived disasters and are left with nothing but the clothes on their backs. How could she…
Where I live its just not possible to own and drive a car at sixteen, let alone demand your parents to give you one, but for ‘car’ you can read any outrageous expensive present. And so it goes on and on. So when Maggie returns from one of her missions one day with two other teenagers, who are polite and friendly and don’t spend all their time on their phones (because they have no phones after their house burned down) but rather take care of their new found dog, all hell breaks loose.
Maggie feels that she’s to blame for everything and wants nothing more than to repair what’s broken, and form a happy family with her four daughters and her new husband. This story tells how she’s going to try and achieve that.
The characters were perfect although sometimes a little bit too perfect in their role. Not a bad word from Jean and Rose, nothing nice from Willa and Gemma until later in the book. Maggie who feels she’s the only one who made all the mistakes in parenting and so she blames herself for everything. A little too black-and-white to my taste, and at the end somewhat too mushy and overdone but guess? Almost unputdownable!
I’m already looking forward to Ryan Hyde’s next title.
Thanks to Lake Union Publishing and Netgalley for this review copy.
October 24, 2024
3.5
I listened to the audio of this book, which was well read by Kate Rudd, who managed to navigate a couple of accents, several adults and screechy teenagers extremely well.
The story is a nice tale of how we can all change if we really want to and that we are perhaps not aware of our own faults until a very bright light is shone on them.
Dr Maggie Blount is a respected doctor who, as well as a private practice, runs a non- profit (Doctors on Wheels who attend to disasters to give free medical aid to anyone who needs it) with her boyfriend Alex (a nurse). However she also has two teenage daughters who she has showered with gifts in order to make up for her own shortcomings and frequent absences. Consequently she now has two entitled brats with only herself to blame.
As we know no one person shapes a life and as the story unfolds we see the family change through adding more members and circumstances.
It's a nice salutary tale with a few good life lessons for both adults and young adults. I enjoyed it.
Thankyou to Netgalley and Brilliance Publishing for the audio advance review copy.
I listened to the audio of this book, which was well read by Kate Rudd, who managed to navigate a couple of accents, several adults and screechy teenagers extremely well.
The story is a nice tale of how we can all change if we really want to and that we are perhaps not aware of our own faults until a very bright light is shone on them.
Dr Maggie Blount is a respected doctor who, as well as a private practice, runs a non- profit (Doctors on Wheels who attend to disasters to give free medical aid to anyone who needs it) with her boyfriend Alex (a nurse). However she also has two teenage daughters who she has showered with gifts in order to make up for her own shortcomings and frequent absences. Consequently she now has two entitled brats with only herself to blame.
As we know no one person shapes a life and as the story unfolds we see the family change through adding more members and circumstances.
It's a nice salutary tale with a few good life lessons for both adults and young adults. I enjoyed it.
Thankyou to Netgalley and Brilliance Publishing for the audio advance review copy.
October 27, 2024
Rolling Towards Clear Skies is a novel by award-winning, best-selling American author, Catherine Ryan Hyde. When California physician Dr Maggie Blount heads to Louisiana with the Doctors on Wheels bus, the brain-child of her partner, RN Alex Anderson, to provide free medical service in the aftermath of Hurricane Mina, she’s not expecting to return home with an emaciated puppy, let alone two recently-orphaned teenaged sisters.
“Am I crazy, Alex?”
“Absolutely yes,” he said. “But in a very high-quality way.”
Upon learning that she and Alex plan to foster the girls, her own similarly-aged teen daughters decamp to their father’s home, and Maggie is upset, but unwilling to yield to their emotional blackmail. As she welcomes Jean Bradshaw and her younger sister, Rose, and the pup, Sunny, into her home, she continues to notice how these polite, grateful and considerate girls are the polar opposites of her own spoiled, entitled and selfish daughters.
Maggie is prepared to own the responsibility of producing two such teens: she has always given them everything they wanted and, perhaps by being away with Doctors on Wheels, has neglected their upbringing, but when they eventually return home, their resentment is plain. She warns Willa and Gemma that she expects them to be at least civil and gracious in their interactions with the two Louisiana girls. They often aren’t.
The difference in attitude is highlighted even more when, during the summer school break, Jean and Rose want to accompany Maggie and her team to the site of a wildfire and make themselves useful in many ways despite their anxiety about the nearby fire, while Willa and Gemma enjoy the air-conditioned comfort of their own home.
But then something happens to show Willa and Gemma that fewer people than they expect agree with their entitled attitude. Is this rude social media shock enough to bring harmony to this expanded family? Certainly, the reaction of the Louisiana sisters to it all helps things along.
Ryan Hyde aways manages to give the reader relatable dilemmas, to tug at the heartstrings, and to give her characters wise words and insightful observations:
The therapist with whom she shares her parenting doubts tells her “People who aren’t able to recognize incompetence in themselves never worry. They just figure they’re doing great. Which may explain why they’re not. They never hold their own feet to the fire to do better. People like you keep holding yourself to a higher standard. That’s a good sign” (an observation that could easily apply to a certain presidential candidate…), and
Maggie’s mother, known to all as Grandma Bess, having met Jean and Rose, notes, “They’re what we used to call do-gooders. Nowadays you hear people saying that word like it’s a bad thing, and I’ll never in a million years understand that. Why would you make a person out to be wrong for doing good? It makes no sense.”
“If you’re not doing good yourself you’re going to want to take shots at the people who are. It’s easier to make them wrong than to change yourself.”
Ryan Hyde's latest is topical, has multi-generational appeal, is thought-provoking, moving and uplifting. Whatever she writes is eagerly anticipated.
This unbiased review is from an uncorrected proof copy provided by NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing.
“Am I crazy, Alex?”
“Absolutely yes,” he said. “But in a very high-quality way.”
Upon learning that she and Alex plan to foster the girls, her own similarly-aged teen daughters decamp to their father’s home, and Maggie is upset, but unwilling to yield to their emotional blackmail. As she welcomes Jean Bradshaw and her younger sister, Rose, and the pup, Sunny, into her home, she continues to notice how these polite, grateful and considerate girls are the polar opposites of her own spoiled, entitled and selfish daughters.
Maggie is prepared to own the responsibility of producing two such teens: she has always given them everything they wanted and, perhaps by being away with Doctors on Wheels, has neglected their upbringing, but when they eventually return home, their resentment is plain. She warns Willa and Gemma that she expects them to be at least civil and gracious in their interactions with the two Louisiana girls. They often aren’t.
The difference in attitude is highlighted even more when, during the summer school break, Jean and Rose want to accompany Maggie and her team to the site of a wildfire and make themselves useful in many ways despite their anxiety about the nearby fire, while Willa and Gemma enjoy the air-conditioned comfort of their own home.
But then something happens to show Willa and Gemma that fewer people than they expect agree with their entitled attitude. Is this rude social media shock enough to bring harmony to this expanded family? Certainly, the reaction of the Louisiana sisters to it all helps things along.
Ryan Hyde aways manages to give the reader relatable dilemmas, to tug at the heartstrings, and to give her characters wise words and insightful observations:
The therapist with whom she shares her parenting doubts tells her “People who aren’t able to recognize incompetence in themselves never worry. They just figure they’re doing great. Which may explain why they’re not. They never hold their own feet to the fire to do better. People like you keep holding yourself to a higher standard. That’s a good sign” (an observation that could easily apply to a certain presidential candidate…), and
Maggie’s mother, known to all as Grandma Bess, having met Jean and Rose, notes, “They’re what we used to call do-gooders. Nowadays you hear people saying that word like it’s a bad thing, and I’ll never in a million years understand that. Why would you make a person out to be wrong for doing good? It makes no sense.”
“If you’re not doing good yourself you’re going to want to take shots at the people who are. It’s easier to make them wrong than to change yourself.”
Ryan Hyde's latest is topical, has multi-generational appeal, is thought-provoking, moving and uplifting. Whatever she writes is eagerly anticipated.
This unbiased review is from an uncorrected proof copy provided by NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing.
November 6, 2024
Catherine Ryan Hyde is a treasure. Her books are so well written and evoke much emotion; and yes, I do love her work. I did a happy dance when I saw this new one!
Description:
Maggie Blount, divorced mother of two and California physician, puts her private practice on hold when disaster strikes. Doctors on Wheels takes her and Alex—Maggie’s professional and romantic partner—wherever they’re needed. After rolling into rural Louisiana in the wake of a category five hurricane, Maggie immediately bonds with two sisters and their puppy, all orphaned by the storm. It’s enough to break Maggie’s heart, and she’s not leaving them behind.
Feeling blessed and looking forward to their new foster home in affluent Vista del Mar—a world apart from the one they’ve known—Jean and Rose are polite, appreciative, and humble. Frankly, polar opposite of Maggie’s own self-involved teenage daughters, Willa and Gemma, who resist this intrusion by strangers into their privileged lives. Soon enough, Maggie’s new blended family is in chaos.
Teaching Willa and Gemma about gratitude and empathy will be hard enough. Maggie must also admit her own role in their entitled upbringing, undo the damage, and anticipate the needs of all four girls and a puppy, all amid faraway natural disasters and those closer to home.
My thoughts:
This book had themes of self-sacrifice, responsibility, love, entitlement, family, sharing, and a host of other things. Once again, this author evokes all the feelings. Maggie was an admirable person who was giving and kind-hearted. She gave up a lot to respond to others needs in times of disaster. She also loves her family and wants to do her best for them and sterr her teenage girls in the right direction. I can't imagine taking in two new teenage girls when have two at home already - that would be a difficult situation for everyone concerned. Maggie's daughters and the two new girls were like night and day in personality and life experience. Made for some interesting situations. I highly recommend this book for anyone who likes family dramas. And remember you will never go wrong picking up a book by Catherine Ryan Hyde!
Thanks to Lake Union Publishing through Netgalley for an advance copy.
Description:
Maggie Blount, divorced mother of two and California physician, puts her private practice on hold when disaster strikes. Doctors on Wheels takes her and Alex—Maggie’s professional and romantic partner—wherever they’re needed. After rolling into rural Louisiana in the wake of a category five hurricane, Maggie immediately bonds with two sisters and their puppy, all orphaned by the storm. It’s enough to break Maggie’s heart, and she’s not leaving them behind.
Feeling blessed and looking forward to their new foster home in affluent Vista del Mar—a world apart from the one they’ve known—Jean and Rose are polite, appreciative, and humble. Frankly, polar opposite of Maggie’s own self-involved teenage daughters, Willa and Gemma, who resist this intrusion by strangers into their privileged lives. Soon enough, Maggie’s new blended family is in chaos.
Teaching Willa and Gemma about gratitude and empathy will be hard enough. Maggie must also admit her own role in their entitled upbringing, undo the damage, and anticipate the needs of all four girls and a puppy, all amid faraway natural disasters and those closer to home.
My thoughts:
This book had themes of self-sacrifice, responsibility, love, entitlement, family, sharing, and a host of other things. Once again, this author evokes all the feelings. Maggie was an admirable person who was giving and kind-hearted. She gave up a lot to respond to others needs in times of disaster. She also loves her family and wants to do her best for them and sterr her teenage girls in the right direction. I can't imagine taking in two new teenage girls when have two at home already - that would be a difficult situation for everyone concerned. Maggie's daughters and the two new girls were like night and day in personality and life experience. Made for some interesting situations. I highly recommend this book for anyone who likes family dramas. And remember you will never go wrong picking up a book by Catherine Ryan Hyde!
Thanks to Lake Union Publishing through Netgalley for an advance copy.
November 3, 2024
First and foremost, I really like Catherine Ryan Hyde! She’s a really good author and a wonderful storyteller. I really can’t go wrong choosing to read one of her books. This is the 8th book of hers that I have read and they have all been 4-5star reads. This one is another 5star read that not only made me laugh, but also brought tears to my eyes. Not the first time CRH has done that either. One of the things that I’ve noticed about Hyde’s work is that she has some great kids in her stories.
The book summary lays out the primary storyline so I’m not going to repeat it here. What the book summary doesn’t really mention is that Jean and Rose witnessed the death of their parents when the storm destroyed their home. Furthermore, they had pneumonia that they had contracted long before the storm hit. Sunny, the puppy, they found later scared and emaciated. Initially, Jean (16) and Rose (14) were assigned to go live with their grandparents, but when the social worker took them to their grandparent’s house, she couldn’t leave them with the grandparents because it wasn’t a safe or appropriate environment for the kids (whole other story). None of this is a spoiler since it’s how the story started.
I’ve never been a parent, but I do have some maternal instincts, and there were so many times I wished I could just hug Jean and Rose so much and tell them that they’re such amazing young ladies. Can’t say the same for the other two kids, Willa (16) and Gemma (14), in the story. For now, I’ll just keep my opinions to myself regarding them. Suffice it to say that they are products of their environment and upbringing and are polar opposites to Jean and Rose in almost every single way.
Most of the story revolved around Jean and Rose acclimating to life with Maggie and Alex in CA and the atrocious behavior of Willa and Gemma towards Jean and Rose. They were awful to Maggie too, but there was a lot more going on there. The issues between Maggie and Gemma and Willa go back years to the divorce and then her work with Doctors on Wheels, and the way she chose to raise Gemma and Willa. For years, Maggie had been developing concerns/regrets over her parenting and the way she was raising Willa and Gemma. She is well aware that she created the problems she was now having.
This was so much more than the classic domestic drama. It illustrated how raising your children with excessive privilege can blind them to the struggles of others. It laid bare the dangers of how parents raising their children in privilege can ultimately stunt their mental and emotional growth and development, which is basically what we see in Willa and Gemma; they behave like self-centered, self-absorbed toddlers.
The character development of Maggie and the four girls was pretty well fleshed out. Would have liked to have seen more development for the relationship between Maggie and her mother, Bess, and maybe some insight into how Maggie was raised that led her to raise her own daughters the way she did. The pacing was steady and the storylines very interesting and kept me engrossed throughout. The writing was classic Hyde and a vital part of the story. I’m looking at an overall rating of 4.5 that I will be rounding up to a 5star review. I want to thank NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for sending me this eARC in exchange for my honest review.
#NetGalley #LakeUnionPublishing #RollingTowardClearSkies
The book summary lays out the primary storyline so I’m not going to repeat it here. What the book summary doesn’t really mention is that Jean and Rose witnessed the death of their parents when the storm destroyed their home. Furthermore, they had pneumonia that they had contracted long before the storm hit. Sunny, the puppy, they found later scared and emaciated. Initially, Jean (16) and Rose (14) were assigned to go live with their grandparents, but when the social worker took them to their grandparent’s house, she couldn’t leave them with the grandparents because it wasn’t a safe or appropriate environment for the kids (whole other story). None of this is a spoiler since it’s how the story started.
I’ve never been a parent, but I do have some maternal instincts, and there were so many times I wished I could just hug Jean and Rose so much and tell them that they’re such amazing young ladies. Can’t say the same for the other two kids, Willa (16) and Gemma (14), in the story. For now, I’ll just keep my opinions to myself regarding them. Suffice it to say that they are products of their environment and upbringing and are polar opposites to Jean and Rose in almost every single way.
Most of the story revolved around Jean and Rose acclimating to life with Maggie and Alex in CA and the atrocious behavior of Willa and Gemma towards Jean and Rose. They were awful to Maggie too, but there was a lot more going on there. The issues between Maggie and Gemma and Willa go back years to the divorce and then her work with Doctors on Wheels, and the way she chose to raise Gemma and Willa. For years, Maggie had been developing concerns/regrets over her parenting and the way she was raising Willa and Gemma. She is well aware that she created the problems she was now having.
This was so much more than the classic domestic drama. It illustrated how raising your children with excessive privilege can blind them to the struggles of others. It laid bare the dangers of how parents raising their children in privilege can ultimately stunt their mental and emotional growth and development, which is basically what we see in Willa and Gemma; they behave like self-centered, self-absorbed toddlers.
The character development of Maggie and the four girls was pretty well fleshed out. Would have liked to have seen more development for the relationship between Maggie and her mother, Bess, and maybe some insight into how Maggie was raised that led her to raise her own daughters the way she did. The pacing was steady and the storylines very interesting and kept me engrossed throughout. The writing was classic Hyde and a vital part of the story. I’m looking at an overall rating of 4.5 that I will be rounding up to a 5star review. I want to thank NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for sending me this eARC in exchange for my honest review.
#NetGalley #LakeUnionPublishing #RollingTowardClearSkies
January 3, 2026
I always love a great book by Catherine Ryan Hyde. She’s a fantastic storyteller and this was a delight to read. Thanks to NetGalley for this advance copy in exchange for my honest review.
November 30, 2024
Maggie Blount, a divorced mother of two daughters and a California physician, puts everything on hold when disaster strikes.
Being a member of Doctors On Wheels the team heads to Louisiana's hardest hit area of a category 5 hurricane. Maggie immediately bonds with two very sick orphaned sisters and their puppy. With no one to care for them Maggie begins the process to adopt them.
The girls are polar opposites of Maggie's own self-centered teenage daughters who resist acceptance of the new girls into their family.
Tons of angst, sorrow, heart-felt moments and lessons learned in this touching novel.
Thank you to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for an arc of this novel in exchange for my honest review.
Being a member of Doctors On Wheels the team heads to Louisiana's hardest hit area of a category 5 hurricane. Maggie immediately bonds with two very sick orphaned sisters and their puppy. With no one to care for them Maggie begins the process to adopt them.
The girls are polar opposites of Maggie's own self-centered teenage daughters who resist acceptance of the new girls into their family.
Tons of angst, sorrow, heart-felt moments and lessons learned in this touching novel.
Thank you to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for an arc of this novel in exchange for my honest review.
May 6, 2024
[NetGalley Read#3]
This was nice. A well written, heartwarming, (at times) heartbreaking and all round good book. It deals with the contemporary setting quite well especially with the social media amd cyberbullying aspect towards the end. Also doesn't portray teenagers like, you know, complete idiots. Rather makes a case for them and about accepting mistakes.
The story is about Maggie (a doctor), her two daughters (Willa and Gemma) and Alex (her boyfriend, a nurse) with whom she is part of Doctors on Wheels, a sort of charitable organization that helps people who have been affected by natural disasters by treating them free of charge.
She goes to help people after a hurricane, where she treats two girls (about the same age as her daughters) affected by the hurricane. Later, she finds out that their parents drowned and they were able to survive somehow. She tries to send them to the closest relatives. But the closest relatives end up being the girls' grandparents who are much older and probably need help themselves. So, after thinking for sometime, she decides to adopt them (and a stray dog, later named Sunny, they find while they are there) and bring them back home.
This obviously doesn't go well with her daughters who are already not her biggest fan for not giving them enough time.
What follows is a story of acceptance, self-reflection, and change.
This is a bad description of the story. It is much much better than that.
Characters are well written and realistic.
We all know people like these. People like Maggie (and Alex and the Doctors Bishop) who are trying to do good while grappling with their own problems. We all know the spoiled teenagers (though we never really see or want to see why they are that way. This book does a good job of exploring that).
I really liked Maggie. I liked her (nearly) infinite patience with people. Wish more people were like that.
Recommended. 👍
This is the first book I have read from this author. Will definitely be checking out her previous (and upcoming) books.
[Thanks to NetGalley for providing an advanced copy of this book]
This was nice. A well written, heartwarming, (at times) heartbreaking and all round good book. It deals with the contemporary setting quite well especially with the social media amd cyberbullying aspect towards the end. Also doesn't portray teenagers like, you know, complete idiots. Rather makes a case for them and about accepting mistakes.
The story is about Maggie (a doctor), her two daughters (Willa and Gemma) and Alex (her boyfriend, a nurse) with whom she is part of Doctors on Wheels, a sort of charitable organization that helps people who have been affected by natural disasters by treating them free of charge.
She goes to help people after a hurricane, where she treats two girls (about the same age as her daughters) affected by the hurricane. Later, she finds out that their parents drowned and they were able to survive somehow. She tries to send them to the closest relatives. But the closest relatives end up being the girls' grandparents who are much older and probably need help themselves. So, after thinking for sometime, she decides to adopt them (and a stray dog, later named Sunny, they find while they are there) and bring them back home.
This obviously doesn't go well with her daughters who are already not her biggest fan for not giving them enough time.
What follows is a story of acceptance, self-reflection, and change.
This is a bad description of the story. It is much much better than that.
Characters are well written and realistic.
We all know people like these. People like Maggie (and Alex and the Doctors Bishop) who are trying to do good while grappling with their own problems. We all know the spoiled teenagers (though we never really see or want to see why they are that way. This book does a good job of exploring that).
I really liked Maggie. I liked her (nearly) infinite patience with people. Wish more people were like that.
Recommended. 👍
This is the first book I have read from this author. Will definitely be checking out her previous (and upcoming) books.
[Thanks to NetGalley for providing an advanced copy of this book]
July 12, 2024
Rolling Toward Clear Skies is the latest offering from my favourite contemporary women’s fiction writer, Catherine Ryan Hyde. It still amazes me that she finds something new to write about twice a year. This one explores the impact that adoption of two orphaned teenagers has on a broken family. I didn’t love it as much as some of her previous novels, mainly because of the characters, who are at best bland and difficult to cheer for, and at worst odious narcissists, but it’s still an uplifting comfort read with the usual heartwarming resolution.
Maggie Blount is a primary care physician and the divorced mother of two impossible to please teenage girls, Willa and Gemma. She recognises her role in spoiling them, but doesn’t know how to fix it. Her escape is her role with emergency response charity, Doctors on Wheels, that she runs with her handsome younger boyfriend, nurse Alex. When they travel to Louisiana after a severe hurricane in their clinic on wheels, the last thing she expects is to bring home two shellshocked girls and their hungry rescue puppy. Jean and Rose are kind, polite and humble - everything her own selfish children are not. Can Maggie unite her new blended family or has she made a terrible mistake?
This was a quick read and I enjoyed the first part about the medics helping the victims of the hurricane in various ways and meeting the two orphans. The middle part, where they return to California and have to face the wrath of Maggie’s monstrous offspring, was harder to read about - it got rather repetitive and I found the new girls’ saccharine passivity and pliability too good to be true. The denouement is no great surprise, although the social media aspects were at least thought-provoking, and we get an appropriately happy ending. 3.5 rounded up.
Thanks to NetGalley and Lake Union for the ARC. Rolling Toward Clear Skies is published on November 12th.
Maggie Blount is a primary care physician and the divorced mother of two impossible to please teenage girls, Willa and Gemma. She recognises her role in spoiling them, but doesn’t know how to fix it. Her escape is her role with emergency response charity, Doctors on Wheels, that she runs with her handsome younger boyfriend, nurse Alex. When they travel to Louisiana after a severe hurricane in their clinic on wheels, the last thing she expects is to bring home two shellshocked girls and their hungry rescue puppy. Jean and Rose are kind, polite and humble - everything her own selfish children are not. Can Maggie unite her new blended family or has she made a terrible mistake?
This was a quick read and I enjoyed the first part about the medics helping the victims of the hurricane in various ways and meeting the two orphans. The middle part, where they return to California and have to face the wrath of Maggie’s monstrous offspring, was harder to read about - it got rather repetitive and I found the new girls’ saccharine passivity and pliability too good to be true. The denouement is no great surprise, although the social media aspects were at least thought-provoking, and we get an appropriately happy ending. 3.5 rounded up.
Thanks to NetGalley and Lake Union for the ARC. Rolling Toward Clear Skies is published on November 12th.
May 10, 2025
This was a wonderful story about a blended family. Loved it!
December 15, 2024
Book had 0 plot
October 21, 2024
Thanks to Netgally and the publisher for an advanced copy of the audio book in exchange for an honest review!
Maggie Blount is a divorced mother of 2 spoiled teenagers. She volunteers for an organization created by her current boyfriend, Doctors on Wheels, that drives out after natural disasters to help and medically treat people affected for free. After helping hurricane victims on the Gulf Coast, Maggie ends up bringing home more than she bargained for (in the best possible way).
I'm not sure if it was the narrator (her voice was fine except for when she had to do male voices, in my opinion), or what but I just did not feel connected or care about most of the characters in this book. The story was good, but not great. It was a fast,easy audio book to listen to, but I think I was expecting to feel all the feelings like I usually do with Catherine Ryan Hyde's books. This one fell a bit flat for me, but it's not going to stop me from reading/listening to her books in the future.
Maggie Blount is a divorced mother of 2 spoiled teenagers. She volunteers for an organization created by her current boyfriend, Doctors on Wheels, that drives out after natural disasters to help and medically treat people affected for free. After helping hurricane victims on the Gulf Coast, Maggie ends up bringing home more than she bargained for (in the best possible way).
I'm not sure if it was the narrator (her voice was fine except for when she had to do male voices, in my opinion), or what but I just did not feel connected or care about most of the characters in this book. The story was good, but not great. It was a fast,easy audio book to listen to, but I think I was expecting to feel all the feelings like I usually do with Catherine Ryan Hyde's books. This one fell a bit flat for me, but it's not going to stop me from reading/listening to her books in the future.
August 23, 2025
Great book! I love how the family dynamics slowly progressed from rocky to good. I give mad props to all nurses and doctors who travel around to those in need, especially after a natural disaster hits. I appreciate successful adoption stories, whether real or fiction, as I was adopted. This was a solid read!
November 27, 2024
I’m over CRH. I really, really disliked this book.
November 9, 2024
Maggie Blount is a California physician, divorced with two teenaged daughters, Willa and Gemma. She has a live in boyfriend, Alex, a male nurse who , with Maggie, runs a volunteer medical aid program which heads for disaster areas to give treatment to victims of such nightmarish phenomena as hurricanes ,earthquakes and wildfires.
In Louisiana, after a storm, Maggie comes across two teenaged sisters, Rose and Jean, suffering from severe pneumonia. The girls’ parents were killed in the storm although the sisters never speak of that horrendous incident the witnessed abd seem to move right onto a new and better life ( what???). After just a few days Maggie decides to takes the two orphans home and raise them together with her two very self centered daughters, Willa and Gemma. When a lost puppy arrives on the scene he too is taken back to California.
What ensues is a seemingly good premise with a lot of promise. For me it fizzled out early on and never lived up to my expectations. It was clear from the onset who was good or not good with characterization that lacked balance or deep emotion. As the story moved on to include coping with social media platforms and challenges, the characters remain so predictable that I was unable to identify with anyone nor could I muster up any real empathy even under sad or trying circumstances.
Catherine Ryan Hyde is among my favorite authors. This book, however, was disappointing. The characters are linear; one dimensional. Maggie is a wonder doctor, a do gooder; kind and focused on others to a fault, although having been a mostly uninvolved mother to her natural children up until this point. Alex is just window dressing. He is Maggie’s side kick without much personal depth or deep feelings Willa and Gemma are nasty, selfish spoiled brats. Ugh. Just not at all likable. Rose and Jean are just ever so grateful , perfectly behaved and unconvincingly well mannered that they don’t resemble and real teenager I’ve ever met. They seem to have both successfully detached from unimaginable trauma. The past is behind them. Really???
Two and a half stars rounded to three for a story that had some merit and addressed some important issues such as mothering, fostering, adopting, cost of medical care, family relationships, sibling rivalry divorce, and the influence of media on young people . This author can write books that creep into your heart and soul. Rolling Toward Clear Skies is not among her best efforts. My thanks to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for an ARC in exchange for my unbiased review. This book will be published on November 12, 2024, perhaps you will enjoy it more than I did.
In Louisiana, after a storm, Maggie comes across two teenaged sisters, Rose and Jean, suffering from severe pneumonia. The girls’ parents were killed in the storm although the sisters never speak of that horrendous incident the witnessed abd seem to move right onto a new and better life ( what???). After just a few days Maggie decides to takes the two orphans home and raise them together with her two very self centered daughters, Willa and Gemma. When a lost puppy arrives on the scene he too is taken back to California.
What ensues is a seemingly good premise with a lot of promise. For me it fizzled out early on and never lived up to my expectations. It was clear from the onset who was good or not good with characterization that lacked balance or deep emotion. As the story moved on to include coping with social media platforms and challenges, the characters remain so predictable that I was unable to identify with anyone nor could I muster up any real empathy even under sad or trying circumstances.
Catherine Ryan Hyde is among my favorite authors. This book, however, was disappointing. The characters are linear; one dimensional. Maggie is a wonder doctor, a do gooder; kind and focused on others to a fault, although having been a mostly uninvolved mother to her natural children up until this point. Alex is just window dressing. He is Maggie’s side kick without much personal depth or deep feelings Willa and Gemma are nasty, selfish spoiled brats. Ugh. Just not at all likable. Rose and Jean are just ever so grateful , perfectly behaved and unconvincingly well mannered that they don’t resemble and real teenager I’ve ever met. They seem to have both successfully detached from unimaginable trauma. The past is behind them. Really???
Two and a half stars rounded to three for a story that had some merit and addressed some important issues such as mothering, fostering, adopting, cost of medical care, family relationships, sibling rivalry divorce, and the influence of media on young people . This author can write books that creep into your heart and soul. Rolling Toward Clear Skies is not among her best efforts. My thanks to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for an ARC in exchange for my unbiased review. This book will be published on November 12, 2024, perhaps you will enjoy it more than I did.
May 17, 2024
I am a recent appreciator of Catherine Ryan Hyde's work, and from what I've read so far, her novels are uplifting and heartfelt. These are not the type of books I typically read, but they are wonderful comfort. "Rolling Toward Clear Skies" is the story of a mother who is a practitioner at Doctors on Wheels, providing medical assistance for people in need during disasters. Through her services she comes in contact with two abandoned teenage girls and a puppy. Her own teenage daughters are entitled and self-involved, so the challenge for her is to try to blend them all into one cohesive family. Recommended for fans of CRH, and readers who looking for a feel-good story. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.
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May 14, 2024
Always such a pleasure to read one of Catherine Ryan Hyde's books. They touch the heart in a special way. This one was a lot of ups and downs until the end where it got me. Such a beautiful ending to it all. Looking forward to her next book in anticipation.
Thanks to the author, the publisher and Netgalley for an early release of this book.
Thanks to the author, the publisher and Netgalley for an early release of this book.
November 11, 2024
Rolling Toward Clear Skies by Catherine Ryan Hyde. Thanks to @amazonpub for the gifted Arc ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Maggie Blount is a doctor that helps in disaster zones. After a hurricane she bonds with two sisters who have become orphaned. She fosters them at her home, but her two daughters are not adjusting to the new blended family.
Catherine Ryan Hyde always writes such real stories. While fiction, it felt very realistic. The story is about adjustment and change in time of adversity and adolescents learning how to deal with that. We see two groups of teenagers, with very different experiences and how that affects their ability to adapt and mature. I was expecting some major life threatening adventure at the end, but instead it stayed true to reality with events that do happen every day.
Rolling Toward Clear Skies comes out 11/12.
Maggie Blount is a doctor that helps in disaster zones. After a hurricane she bonds with two sisters who have become orphaned. She fosters them at her home, but her two daughters are not adjusting to the new blended family.
Catherine Ryan Hyde always writes such real stories. While fiction, it felt very realistic. The story is about adjustment and change in time of adversity and adolescents learning how to deal with that. We see two groups of teenagers, with very different experiences and how that affects their ability to adapt and mature. I was expecting some major life threatening adventure at the end, but instead it stayed true to reality with events that do happen every day.
Rolling Toward Clear Skies comes out 11/12.
July 1, 2025
Rolling Toward Clear Skies by Catherine Ryan Hyde
⭐️ 4 stars
Tropes & Themes:
🔹 Blended family drama
🔹 Road-trip-style disaster relief
🔹 Intergenerational found family
🔹 Healing through service & adversity
⸻
This book completely surprised me in the best way 🥹 Rolling Toward Clear Skies follows Maggie, a California doctor and divorced mom of two teens who joins a mobile humanitarian clinic to help hurricane victims. Along the way, she ends up fostering two orphaned sisters and unexpectedly rebuilding her fractured family.
The chapters set during the disaster relief missions were powerful, stylistically quieter than a typical “road-trip” but deeply gripping, showing how hands on helping others can also heal yourself. And the way Maggie bonds with the two sisters, Jean and Rose while also navigating the jealousy and entitlement from her own daughters felt so emotionally real.
That said, I did think some character dynamics were a little one note. Maggie’s bio daughters came off very spoiled, and the foster sisters almost felt too saintly by contrast. It didn’t ruin the experience, but I wish there was a bit more nuance and less predictability in those interactions.
⸻
Final Thoughts:
If you’re into heartwarming, emotionally rich stories about healing, found families, and quiet courage, this one’s for you. It’s not flashy, but it leaves you with full heart and a hopeful outlook for what families can become ☀️💕
⭐️ 4 stars
Tropes & Themes:
🔹 Blended family drama
🔹 Road-trip-style disaster relief
🔹 Intergenerational found family
🔹 Healing through service & adversity
⸻
This book completely surprised me in the best way 🥹 Rolling Toward Clear Skies follows Maggie, a California doctor and divorced mom of two teens who joins a mobile humanitarian clinic to help hurricane victims. Along the way, she ends up fostering two orphaned sisters and unexpectedly rebuilding her fractured family.
The chapters set during the disaster relief missions were powerful, stylistically quieter than a typical “road-trip” but deeply gripping, showing how hands on helping others can also heal yourself. And the way Maggie bonds with the two sisters, Jean and Rose while also navigating the jealousy and entitlement from her own daughters felt so emotionally real.
That said, I did think some character dynamics were a little one note. Maggie’s bio daughters came off very spoiled, and the foster sisters almost felt too saintly by contrast. It didn’t ruin the experience, but I wish there was a bit more nuance and less predictability in those interactions.
⸻
Final Thoughts:
If you’re into heartwarming, emotionally rich stories about healing, found families, and quiet courage, this one’s for you. It’s not flashy, but it leaves you with full heart and a hopeful outlook for what families can become ☀️💕
September 19, 2024
Rolling Toward Clear Skies is another beautiful, comforting novel by Catherine Ryan Hyde. This time, she tackles families blended through foster care and adoption. CRH gets it. My family is also formed by blending birth and adopted children - three sets of older sibling groups. What I love most about CRH's depiction is how she covers the period it takes to really blend a family and what happens along the way. What I didn't appreciate as much was the extreme personalities she gave the two sets of sisters. The birth kids come off as entitled brats with few, if any, redeeming features. The new kids come off almost too perfectly - they never seem to go through an acting out stage, which happens, but not so much. But it's still a CRH book where I try to internalize how her adults speak to children and teens.
If you are already a CRH fan - you'll enjoy this book.
If you are interested in older sibling group fostering or adoption, add this to your resources.
If you just want to feel like life's challenges can be overcome, then you might enjoy this encouraging novel.
Thanks to NetGalley for providing me with an eBook version of this novel in exchange for a review.
If you are already a CRH fan - you'll enjoy this book.
If you are interested in older sibling group fostering or adoption, add this to your resources.
If you just want to feel like life's challenges can be overcome, then you might enjoy this encouraging novel.
Thanks to NetGalley for providing me with an eBook version of this novel in exchange for a review.
October 8, 2024
Catherine Ryan Hyde has been consistently writing at least two books a year. Readers are presented with the wonder of a new book twice a year. I don’t know how she keeps coming up with new, fresh subjects so often, but I am glad she does it. This one is about a couple, she’s a doctor and he’s a nurse, who operate a doctors on wheels with two other doctors. They make their way to disasters and help the people involved for free. At one disaster, Maggie ends up bringing two teenage girls and a dog home. She already has two teenage daughters from a previous marriage so you can imagine the conflicts that occur. This is such a great story, I didn’t want it to end. Bravo to Catherine Ryan Hyde for another winner!
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