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Retrouvailles à la librairie de Wellfleet
À la tête d’une jolie librairie au Cape Cod, Harlow Smith mène une vie tranquille jusqu’au jour où fait irruption Matthew, l’enfant qu’elle a abandonné en secret il y a 18 ans. Pour Harlow comme pour Monica, la mère adoptive, l’été s’annonce plein de surprises.
592 pages, Paperback
First published June 6, 2023
1126 people are currently reading
16516 people want to read
About the author
Kristan Higgins
63 books12.9k followersKristan Higgins is the New York Times, USA TODAY and Publishers Weekly bestselling author of more than twenty novels, which have been translated into more than two dozen languages and have sold millions of copies worldwide. If you want to receive a free short story and be notified when Kristan releases a new book, sign up at kristanhiggins.com.
Kristan enjoys gardening, mixology, the National Parks and complimenting strangers on their children. The mother of two entertaining and wonderful humans, and the grandmother of one perfect child, Kristan lives in Connecticut with her heroic firefighter husband, cuddly dog and indifferent cat.
Kristan enjoys gardening, mixology, the National Parks and complimenting strangers on their children. The mother of two entertaining and wonderful humans, and the grandmother of one perfect child, Kristan lives in Connecticut with her heroic firefighter husband, cuddly dog and indifferent cat.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,359 reviews
June 10, 2023
2.5 very disappointed stars, rounded up. This one’s NOT a rom-com by any means, it’s a “women’s fiction”, domestic, family story (“more trauma for the drama”) centered on adoption & “finding my birth mom”. I really, really disliked the female lead (immature, insecure & a failure to launch) and most of the other characters as well (save for GrandPop & the cute doggo 🐶). Of course, I did love the bookstore! But it’s also just way too long at 511 pages and the diversity & social issues felt a bit gratuitous and forced, like the author was just checking boxes off a list (“POC- check, gay - check, trans - check, electric cars - check”). And I”ll never, ever get over the line re “my ovaries frothed eggs” - WTAF!!! 🤯 I’ve enjoyed Higgins work before, but I’m taking her off my “auto” list as this is two duds now in a row for me, sigh…
May 15, 2023
Every single time I finish one of the authors books I think, what am I supposed to read now? She gives me a serious book hangover but it’s worth it because her books are always some of my very favorites and I so look forward to her releases every year. This time around she tackled adoption and all it’s many facets and I think she did an amazing job at looking at the situation from every angle. You hear from three woman in alternating chapters. Harlow, who placed her son for adoption when she was just a kid herself, Monica who adopted Harlow’s son and Cynthia who has her own secret connection to adoption. So you really get the perspective of people dealing with adoption from all angles and it was such a wonderful representation. The theme of family is obviously so strong here and how that can look in many forms and it was touching, poignant and heartwarming. I’m not an emotional person for the most part but this did make me tear up a few times but it also made me laugh so much and was ultimately such an uplifting and delightful read. This is a must read for sure and will be one of my favorite reads this year no question.
June 21, 2023
the setup…
Harlow Smith runs a bookstore in Wellfleet, Massachusetts with her grandfather. She lives a quiet life, hanging out mostly with family and her trivia night group. That is until the boy she secretly gave birth to while in college and put up for adoption walks in and says hello! How does she respond? Kissed the floor as she fainted. As happy as she is to see her almost 18-year old son Matthew, she’s got a lot of explaining to do with her family and lots of questions for his adoptive parents who had no idea he’d planned to arrange this meeting, thinking he’d chosen this location purely for their annual family vacation.
the heart of the story…
The story is told mostly from the points of view of Harlow and Monica Patel, Matthew’s adoptive mother. The contrasts between the two made this story even more heartbreaking as I could empathize with both of them and couldn’t conjure up any easy solutions. We also get the point of view of Cynthia Millstone, an odd woman in her 60s who is Harlow’s grandfather’s goddaughter and part owner of the bookstore. Her connection, at first elusive, later provided another interesting perspective. But it was Harlow and Monica who gripped my emotions as they struggled to do what was best for Matthew while grappling with what they privately wanted for themselves. Both women also had to face how that one event eighteen years ago shaped them, and not all positively. Even more enlightening was how Matthew felt about being put up for adoption, even though he was placed with wonderful, loving people.
the narration…
I like Xe Sands, loved her here. She was Harlow’s voice and captured her fully…angst, happiness, despair…you name it. She became that woman. Merlington and Sheneman were no slouches either, both giving life to each of their characters.
the bottom line…
I literally couldn’t stop listening to this story, more than 15 hours inhaled over a day and a half. The many facets and issues of adoption are explored here from the perspectives of the child, the adoptive mother and the birth mother. There’s no right or wrong just what is the reality. Many of those issues were illuminating, new to me and angles I’d never considered. Higgins managed to deliver them through three authentic characters, all extremely well developed in the process, surrounding them with secondary ones that factored significantly into the past and present (that includes you Grandpop!). This is a story that had me experience every emotion imaginable and I still wasn’t ready for it to end.
Posted on Blue Mood Café
Harlow Smith runs a bookstore in Wellfleet, Massachusetts with her grandfather. She lives a quiet life, hanging out mostly with family and her trivia night group. That is until the boy she secretly gave birth to while in college and put up for adoption walks in and says hello! How does she respond? Kissed the floor as she fainted. As happy as she is to see her almost 18-year old son Matthew, she’s got a lot of explaining to do with her family and lots of questions for his adoptive parents who had no idea he’d planned to arrange this meeting, thinking he’d chosen this location purely for their annual family vacation.
the heart of the story…
The story is told mostly from the points of view of Harlow and Monica Patel, Matthew’s adoptive mother. The contrasts between the two made this story even more heartbreaking as I could empathize with both of them and couldn’t conjure up any easy solutions. We also get the point of view of Cynthia Millstone, an odd woman in her 60s who is Harlow’s grandfather’s goddaughter and part owner of the bookstore. Her connection, at first elusive, later provided another interesting perspective. But it was Harlow and Monica who gripped my emotions as they struggled to do what was best for Matthew while grappling with what they privately wanted for themselves. Both women also had to face how that one event eighteen years ago shaped them, and not all positively. Even more enlightening was how Matthew felt about being put up for adoption, even though he was placed with wonderful, loving people.
the narration…
I like Xe Sands, loved her here. She was Harlow’s voice and captured her fully…angst, happiness, despair…you name it. She became that woman. Merlington and Sheneman were no slouches either, both giving life to each of their characters.
the bottom line…
I literally couldn’t stop listening to this story, more than 15 hours inhaled over a day and a half. The many facets and issues of adoption are explored here from the perspectives of the child, the adoptive mother and the birth mother. There’s no right or wrong just what is the reality. Many of those issues were illuminating, new to me and angles I’d never considered. Higgins managed to deliver them through three authentic characters, all extremely well developed in the process, surrounding them with secondary ones that factored significantly into the past and present (that includes you Grandpop!). This is a story that had me experience every emotion imaginable and I still wasn’t ready for it to end.
Posted on Blue Mood Café
November 29, 2023
As a huge Kristan Higgins fan, I knew I had to read A Little Ray of Sunshine.
This novel deals with adoption and all the feelings surrounding it from the mom who gives her child to strangers, to the parents who get the new baby, to the child wanting to know more about his birth parents.
Harlow lives in Cape Cod with her family. She is a part owner of a bookstore in conjunction with her grandfather and her distant cousin, Cynthia.
Harlow receives the shock of her life when the child she gave away when she was seventeen walks into her bookstore. Of course, she was not ready, and proceeded to faint. When she comes back, she realizes her son Matthew is truly there with his adoptive father. Harlow couldn't be happier that Matthew came looking for her but how is she going to explain it to her family who have no clue she did this in college? The only person who knows of her devastation and sorrow was her roommate at that time.
Monica Patel works hard to make sure her family has what they need. She is always providing for them and her children's future. Since the moment she got Matthew in her arms, Monica has dedicated herself to be the best mom she could be.
As part of the summer, the Patels have always taken a vacation together, and this year the place her son picked was Cape Cod. When she finds out that he did it because of Harlow, she can't believe how sneaky he has become. She is so mad that he blindsided them and Harlow.
Cynthia Millstone is part owner of the bookstore too. Her personality is off-putting. She believes she is above others and more refined than the Smiths but her marriage fails and without any money, the only choice she had was to move to Cap Cod. The only person from that family she likes is Grandpop.
Pretty interesting and well-developed characters in this book. I do have favorites. I love Grandpop, Oliver Twist (the dog), and Grady Byrne.
I was able to see both sides of the coin in regard to Harlow and Monica. Felt super bad for Monica and all the sacrifices she had to make to give her family what they needed.
I'm not going to lie, I do miss some of Kristan's earlier books when the romance was forefront but I will read anything she writes.
Cliffhanger: No
4/5 Fangs
A complimentary copy was provided by Berkley Books via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
MrsLeif's Two Fangs About It | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
This novel deals with adoption and all the feelings surrounding it from the mom who gives her child to strangers, to the parents who get the new baby, to the child wanting to know more about his birth parents.
Harlow lives in Cape Cod with her family. She is a part owner of a bookstore in conjunction with her grandfather and her distant cousin, Cynthia.
Harlow receives the shock of her life when the child she gave away when she was seventeen walks into her bookstore. Of course, she was not ready, and proceeded to faint. When she comes back, she realizes her son Matthew is truly there with his adoptive father. Harlow couldn't be happier that Matthew came looking for her but how is she going to explain it to her family who have no clue she did this in college? The only person who knows of her devastation and sorrow was her roommate at that time.
Monica Patel works hard to make sure her family has what they need. She is always providing for them and her children's future. Since the moment she got Matthew in her arms, Monica has dedicated herself to be the best mom she could be.
As part of the summer, the Patels have always taken a vacation together, and this year the place her son picked was Cape Cod. When she finds out that he did it because of Harlow, she can't believe how sneaky he has become. She is so mad that he blindsided them and Harlow.
Cynthia Millstone is part owner of the bookstore too. Her personality is off-putting. She believes she is above others and more refined than the Smiths but her marriage fails and without any money, the only choice she had was to move to Cap Cod. The only person from that family she likes is Grandpop.
Pretty interesting and well-developed characters in this book. I do have favorites. I love Grandpop, Oliver Twist (the dog), and Grady Byrne.
I was able to see both sides of the coin in regard to Harlow and Monica. Felt super bad for Monica and all the sacrifices she had to make to give her family what they needed.
I'm not going to lie, I do miss some of Kristan's earlier books when the romance was forefront but I will read anything she writes.
Cliffhanger: No
4/5 Fangs
A complimentary copy was provided by Berkley Books via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
MrsLeif's Two Fangs About It | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
June 14, 2023
Set your expectations properly. Ignore the cover, this is ISN’T a fluffy rom-com.
However, it is a thoughtful book about adoption, motherhood, family and forgiveness. I cried (because teenagers are indeed “little shits”) but I laughed more.
Kristan Higgins is one of my favorites and continues to be a sure thing.
However, it is a thoughtful book about adoption, motherhood, family and forgiveness. I cried (because teenagers are indeed “little shits”) but I laughed more.
Kristan Higgins is one of my favorites and continues to be a sure thing.
July 12, 2023
Check out all my reviews at: https://www.avonnalovesgenres.com
A LITTLE RAY OF SUNSHINE by Kristan Higgins is an emotionally intense women’s fiction family drama with romantic elements featuring a bookstore owner on Cade Cod and the son she gave up for adoption eighteen years previously. While this standalone is a great read, it has a cover which may lead you to believe this is a light summer read, it definitely is not.
Every year the Patel family takes an extended summer vacation to a different location. This year seventeen-year-old Matthew has talked the family into going to Cape Cod. He and his father arrive first, while his mother and younger sister will arrive when her school year is over. Matthew and his father go into the local independent bookstore and when the owner, Harlow sees them, she faints.
Harlow secretly placed her son up for adoption the summer between her freshman and sophomore year of college. She picked the family her son would go to, but he was not supposed to be able to contact her if he chose until his eighteenth birthday. He found her online and did not tell his adoptive family that this was his reason for the Cape Cod vacation. Now he is here for the summer and while she is excited, she is also about to have her quiet life blown up.
There is so much happening in this story. Harlow is dealing with seeing a beautiful grown son who wants to get to know her and her family. She also must tell her family about having a child at eighteen for the first time. Monica Patel is dealing with a son who has lied to the family and the fear of him choosing his birth mother over her love. The two mothers’ emotions and point of view pull you into this drama because you can empathize with both. Matthew is dealing with questions children of adoption are known to have and his emotional shifts are as heart wrenching as the two mother’s stories. There are several characters with side stories woven throughout that lighten the emotional angst at times, or bring a bit of romance into the plot, but overall this is a story where you will want to have the tissues close by your side.
I highly recommend this emotionally charged women’s fiction!
A LITTLE RAY OF SUNSHINE by Kristan Higgins is an emotionally intense women’s fiction family drama with romantic elements featuring a bookstore owner on Cade Cod and the son she gave up for adoption eighteen years previously. While this standalone is a great read, it has a cover which may lead you to believe this is a light summer read, it definitely is not.
Every year the Patel family takes an extended summer vacation to a different location. This year seventeen-year-old Matthew has talked the family into going to Cape Cod. He and his father arrive first, while his mother and younger sister will arrive when her school year is over. Matthew and his father go into the local independent bookstore and when the owner, Harlow sees them, she faints.
Harlow secretly placed her son up for adoption the summer between her freshman and sophomore year of college. She picked the family her son would go to, but he was not supposed to be able to contact her if he chose until his eighteenth birthday. He found her online and did not tell his adoptive family that this was his reason for the Cape Cod vacation. Now he is here for the summer and while she is excited, she is also about to have her quiet life blown up.
There is so much happening in this story. Harlow is dealing with seeing a beautiful grown son who wants to get to know her and her family. She also must tell her family about having a child at eighteen for the first time. Monica Patel is dealing with a son who has lied to the family and the fear of him choosing his birth mother over her love. The two mothers’ emotions and point of view pull you into this drama because you can empathize with both. Matthew is dealing with questions children of adoption are known to have and his emotional shifts are as heart wrenching as the two mother’s stories. There are several characters with side stories woven throughout that lighten the emotional angst at times, or bring a bit of romance into the plot, but overall this is a story where you will want to have the tissues close by your side.
I highly recommend this emotionally charged women’s fiction!
July 30, 2023
Well, that was a bit of a shocker - Higgins is usually an auto-read and an auto-"4"or"5"star for me. Not this time. I am not going to blame the fact that I was travelling and busy etc. etc. for my lack of enjoyment of it, as is sometimes the case when I read a favourite author. Maybe I am getting a little tired of the formula that Higgins uses ... heroine annoyed me, the male 'lead' was barely in it. And as for throwing in every fecking PC theme around the moment into the book - jeez, I get that enough in my real life. I want a bit of escapism when I read a book. One or two, fine maybe but it is as if she had to keep all walks of life happy. She obviously doesn't follow my mantra that you can't please all of the people all of the time. Ah, well, another one bites the dust. The only plus was the actual setting of the book - sound idyllic.
June 16, 2023
Edited to update. After thinking this through for a few days, I decided it just didn’t sit right with me to leave a five star review on a book I had such disagreement ideologically. If authors are going to trend in the direction of crossing off a so called diversity checklist then I guess the only way I can express my disappointment for it is to leave a lesser starred review. At least I can maybe save a person their money if they see my review. Sad day for me as Higgins is my favorite author but I can’t support liberal ideology and she tipped her hand here.
I’m going to give this five stars with the caveat that there are a few things I wholeheartedly do NOT want to read about in books I read to escape reality and also spend $28 on, but the story was good and something (aspects of adoption) that you don’t see in fiction very often. And also, of course, I literally preorder Kristan higgins MONTHS in advance because I love her writing and humor. She can take several different characters and weave them all together and make the story full and rich. Also, the different points of view of the adoption scenario were quite interesting and heartbreaking too. That part was well done, as was the majority of the storytelling. The standout characters of grandpop and Robbie are worth mentioning. Funny, as well as adorable. Very on brand for Higgins.
With all that being said, there were a few liberal talking points that make me mad. I don’t want to read about transgender, most definitely not to make it mainstream, or any praise of Bill gates. It’s like the author had a checklist for some of this shit, gay characters, transgender, electric cars, save the environment (which I’m not opposed to, it’s just I know why she put that in!) I should take off stars but I’m not going to since I enjoyed the rest of this story so much. Ugh. It’s a disgusting trend.
Anyway, catch this one at the library and definitely don’t spend $28 on this hardback unless you like the above mentioned crap and are a die hard fan.
I’m going to give this five stars with the caveat that there are a few things I wholeheartedly do NOT want to read about in books I read to escape reality and also spend $28 on, but the story was good and something (aspects of adoption) that you don’t see in fiction very often. And also, of course, I literally preorder Kristan higgins MONTHS in advance because I love her writing and humor. She can take several different characters and weave them all together and make the story full and rich. Also, the different points of view of the adoption scenario were quite interesting and heartbreaking too. That part was well done, as was the majority of the storytelling. The standout characters of grandpop and Robbie are worth mentioning. Funny, as well as adorable. Very on brand for Higgins.
With all that being said, there were a few liberal talking points that make me mad. I don’t want to read about transgender, most definitely not to make it mainstream, or any praise of Bill gates. It’s like the author had a checklist for some of this shit, gay characters, transgender, electric cars, save the environment (which I’m not opposed to, it’s just I know why she put that in!) I should take off stars but I’m not going to since I enjoyed the rest of this story so much. Ugh. It’s a disgusting trend.
Anyway, catch this one at the library and definitely don’t spend $28 on this hardback unless you like the above mentioned crap and are a die hard fan.
May 10, 2023
Review coming soon.
July 28, 2024
The familiar surge of anger and love for her teenage son stabbed at her. Her boy, her beautiful, precious son, had not included her in one of the most important moments of his life. The little shit.In this, her 23rd book, Kristan returns to Wellfleet, Massachusetts (a real place) the setting of Out of the Clear Blue Sky. This is not the first time that she has set more than one book in the same town and consequently, we have had the pleasure of catching up with some old acquaintances.
“Thank God for you, Harlow,” Mom would sigh once in a while. “I never have to spare you a thought.” It might have been a compliment.
This book was terrific and, In my opinion, even better than OOTCBS. The romance took more of center stage in this one, though the book is not a romance book. I liked the guy better. It seemed like there was more to him and he seemed more important to the story. With its many strands, this one dug deeper, had many more layers, and though funny, not so comical (not that the former book did not have its serious side.) We are treated to one of the hilariously disastrous blind dates that Kristan seems to include in most of her books. Poor Harlow.
“How about you?” I asked. “What do you like to read?” “I’m not much of a reader,” he said. So he was dead inside. Got it.No, not a reader, but he is a talented poet. On his ex-wife:
Pete cleared his throat. “ ‘You ruined my life. I thought you’d be my forever wife.’ ” Definitely should’ve asked to record it. “ ‘But you brought me strife. Like a sharp and hacking knife. Cutting through my heart. Instead of cherishing it like a piece of art. And pierced it with a dart.’ ” He glanced at me to see if I was paying attention. I was. “ ‘You are still in my head. But now I dream of you dead.’ ” I almost cracked on the last line, but kept my expression neutral. After all, the serial killer odds had skyrocketed.Lately, Kristan has been centering her books around big dramatic topics including morbid obesity and body dysmorphia, terminal illness, infidelity, and dissolution of long-term happy marriages. Toxic, or at least, troublesome parenting has always been a mainstay. In this, she tackles adoption. It was an education. I never really gave a lot of thought to how giving up a child for adoption could be so emotionally devastating for such a long time. Even if it is the best and wisest decision for the good of all concerned, as it usually is. And how the love and connection can endure. The challenges of being an adopted child are explored as well, though not in the depth that the mothers’ are explored. If the adoptive parents are wonderful and loving and in an optimal financial situation, there can still be troubles. At first, all of the feelings seemed a little over the top, but Kristan did her research.
The primary voice in this novel is that of Harlow, a 35-year-old single bookstore owner who gave her baby up for adoption when she was 17. Her dream comes true when he finds her and wants to get to know her. She is ecstatic. Not so ecstatic are his adoptive parents, Monica and Sanjay Patel. Although they have always been open and supportive of their son one day finding his birth mother (with whom they once had a mutually loving relationship), they are blindsided by the situation, thanks to their son Matthew’s typically teenage thoughtlessness in how he goes about reconnecting. But as the Patels and Harlow and her family get to know each other everything goes fairly smoothly. Of course, there are hiccups and stormy waters. Harlow’s parents are angry and hurt that she has kept her son a secret all these years.
“Mom. Dad. I did what I thought was right for my baby. If you can’t respect that, well, maybe you’re not who I thought you were. Addison and Nicole, if all you care about is Esme being the oldest, you won’t lay eyes on my boy. Grandpop, Robbie and Winnie . . . you’ve been great.”Indeed some soul-searching is called for on their part, which they do. One of the almost too many themes is how one’s place and role in family affects your life and decisions. Grandpop is a delight and the source of much of the humor in this book. And I love how his incipient dementia is handled by his family and friends. There are many side characters, each deftly drawn, including Harlow’s siblings, her loyal best friend, Rosie, Grandpop’s girlfriend Frances, and Grady and his daughter Luna. Not to mention the dog. Yes, all goes pretty well as Matthew, his Mom and Dad, and his precocious sister Meena spend the summer in Wellfleet. After everyone involved is civilized, educated, and goodhearted. Until Matthew drops a bomb on his family and Harlow too this time, towards the end of vacation when it’s time to go home to California.
“Maybe you’re not who we thought you were, either, Harlow,” Dad said. “And who did you think I was, Dad? Huh?” My voice was loud, and I felt hot all over. “Mom? Who was I in this family? Your unpaid nanny? Aside from me being the helpful one, I was . . . nothing. I was barely there....
Grandpop stood up, his knees popping. “Harlow is a wonderful person,” he said. “She did her best under very difficult circumstances. If she chose not to take her problems to us, well, maybe we need to do some soul-searching.
Harlow’s perspective is alternated with Monica’s point of view and also a 50-something distant cousin, Cynthia, who is part owner of the bookstore and was also adopted.
Cynthia gives an alternate perspective on adoption. Although she loved her adoptive mother and father and they loved her, she would have been a happier and better person had she been able to be raised by her birth parents. I hated going to her viewpoint because she was just so nasty and unpleasant until about the halfway point when some interesting changes started to happen in her life. Every time it came to Cynthia’s part in the tale, It made me tense up. Could Cynthia’s section have been left out of this 500+ page novel? Maybe. But her story provided a good bit of tension and suspense. And ultimately her character arc was heartwarming as well as providing another thought-provoking adoption experience.
Monica is in the high-tension Internet Security field and the main breadwinner of the two-income Patel family allowing them to have a very affluent lifestyle. But it has resulted in an imbalance in their marriage and a lot of stress and pressure on Monica. She and Sanjay are very happily married, but Sanjay is the laid back “fun parent” and Monica is the enforcer. I love how things are finally righted, both in her marriage and her career. Female empowerment is alive and well. It is through Monica that we gain most of the insight into Matthew’s character. Although he is mostly a good kid and will turn out fine, we know early on he is not exactly “ a Ray of Sunshine”.
Of course, I have some quibbles. Although But it did move the story and the drama forward, I was very disappointed in how Harlow handled the crisis at the end of the book. I’m just speaking objectively because, bottom line, If the book had been twice as long, I still would have enjoyed every page. I just love her stories and her writing.
Perhaps addiction will be her next big topic and the previously mentioned character will feature in that one. Pure speculation, but I wouldn’t be a bit surprised. I would return to Wellfleet in a heartbeat.
https://rebekahsreadingsandwatchings....
June 17, 2023
Do not be fooled by the cover, nor the title.........this is not a cute summertime rom-com. It's about 200 pages too long and that was so the author (editors or publishers?) could make sure they had every politically correct current topic in the book! UGH. The basic story is about a now grown woman who gave up her baby son for adoption when she was 17. Now she's in her early 30's and the now almost 18 yo son pops up and into her life. Good story line right there............but then the author writes about alcoholism, drugs, lesbian marriages, climate change, trans people and any other current topic that's hot right now. Each of these topics are relevant and worthy of books, but not smooshed together into one story.
Romance????? what romance???? None, until the very last page!!! And it wasn't worth the wait because we all knew how it was going to end. Best characters in the book? The Grandfather, the dog and the little kids who come into the bookstore for story time.
Romance????? what romance???? None, until the very last page!!! And it wasn't worth the wait because we all knew how it was going to end. Best characters in the book? The Grandfather, the dog and the little kids who come into the bookstore for story time.
April 21, 2023
Kristan Higgins is one of those authors who I would read their grocery list if they published it - she's such a talented novelist that I do not even need to read a synopsis to know I am going to love her books. Throw in a main character who owns a BOOKSTORE and I only needed to read a chapter or two to know this was another 5 star Higgins read! A Little Ray of Sunshine deals with the topic of adoption on multiple levels and Higgins does a spectacular job at fleshing out the emotions that come to the surface from all parties. The worst part about finishing up a Higgins novel is knowing I will have to wait another year to read more from her again!
Thank you to Berkley Romance for an advanced copy. All opinions are my own.
Thank you to Berkley Romance for an advanced copy. All opinions are my own.
June 6, 2023
⭐️ RELEASE DAY BLOG TOUR REVIEW ⭐️
A LITTLE RAY OF SUNSHINE by Kristan Higgins, Berkley
A kid walks into your bookstore and… Guess what? He’s your son. The one you put up for adoption eighteen years ago. The one you never told anyone about. Surprise!
SYNOPSIS
It’s a huge surprise to his adoptive mother, Monica, who thought she had a close relationship with Matthew, her nearly adult son. But apparently, he felt the need to secretly arrange a vacation to Cape Cod for the summer so he could meet his birth mother…without a word to either her or his dad.
It’s also a surprise— to say the least—to Harlow, the woman who secretly placed her baby for adoption so many years ago. She’s spent the years since then building a quiet life. She runs a bookstore with her grandfather, hangs out with her four younger siblings and is more or less happily single, though she can’t help gravitating toward Grady Byrne, her old friend from high school. He’s moved back to town, three-year-old daughter in tow, no wife in the picture. But she’s always figured her life had to be child-free, so that complicates things.
When Matthew walks into Harlow’s store, she faints. Monica panics. And all their assumptions—about what being a parent really means—explode. This summer will be full of more surprises as both their families are redefined…and as both women learn that for them, there’s no limit to a mother’s love.
MY THOUGHTS
Such a warm, captivating story about adoption, the trials and joy of families, and characters you grow to love and root for. Recommended!
Thanks to author Kristan Higgins, Berkley, and NetGalley for the ARC. Opinions are mine.
#alittlerayofsunshine #KristanHiggins #berkleypublishinggroup #NetGalley #womensfiction #adoptionfiction #familyfiction #beachreads #summerreads
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A LITTLE RAY OF SUNSHINE by Kristan Higgins, Berkley
A kid walks into your bookstore and… Guess what? He’s your son. The one you put up for adoption eighteen years ago. The one you never told anyone about. Surprise!
SYNOPSIS
It’s a huge surprise to his adoptive mother, Monica, who thought she had a close relationship with Matthew, her nearly adult son. But apparently, he felt the need to secretly arrange a vacation to Cape Cod for the summer so he could meet his birth mother…without a word to either her or his dad.
It’s also a surprise— to say the least—to Harlow, the woman who secretly placed her baby for adoption so many years ago. She’s spent the years since then building a quiet life. She runs a bookstore with her grandfather, hangs out with her four younger siblings and is more or less happily single, though she can’t help gravitating toward Grady Byrne, her old friend from high school. He’s moved back to town, three-year-old daughter in tow, no wife in the picture. But she’s always figured her life had to be child-free, so that complicates things.
When Matthew walks into Harlow’s store, she faints. Monica panics. And all their assumptions—about what being a parent really means—explode. This summer will be full of more surprises as both their families are redefined…and as both women learn that for them, there’s no limit to a mother’s love.
MY THOUGHTS
Such a warm, captivating story about adoption, the trials and joy of families, and characters you grow to love and root for. Recommended!
Thanks to author Kristan Higgins, Berkley, and NetGalley for the ARC. Opinions are mine.
#alittlerayofsunshine #KristanHiggins #berkleypublishinggroup #NetGalley #womensfiction #adoptionfiction #familyfiction #beachreads #summerreads
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March 31, 2023
Harlow got pregnant during her first semester of college and never told her family. She gave the baby up for adoption to a couple in California she selected after looking through many videos. She has come home to Cape Cod to manage her family’s book store, and one day she is shocked when a young man introduces himself to her as her son. She had requested that the adoption be closed until he reached 18, and that birthday is only a few weeks away. The book focuses on what it means to be part of a family, and especially a mother. Harlow realizes that “I had a new awareness now. You can’t have a child and not experience terror and heartache in some way. Your little hijacker will hold you hostage for the rest of your life, and there’s no getting around it….your heart, naked and vulnerable, is now in the form of another person, and your life is never completely your own again….being a mother was an indefinable, eternal state of love and acceptance, sacrifice and forgiveness. And hope. Because being a mother was nothing if not hope.” Thanks to Edelweiss and the publisher for the ARC.
July 9, 2023
Not my favorite Kristan Higgins. I had a hard time with Harlow and her choices. She was heartbroken giving up her child for adoption at seventeen but she had a big, loving family that would've helped her raise this child so I felt her reasons for giving up her son were weak. All the anguish she went through felt avoidable to me. Monica's POV was a little tough for me too. She had so much on her plate, trying to be the perfect mother, while being the main breadwinner. I actually ended up enjoying Cynthia's POV the most even though she was completely awful to begin with.
A copy was kindly provided by Berkley in exchange for an honest review.
A copy was kindly provided by Berkley in exchange for an honest review.
August 5, 2023
A fabulous story of what makes a famil. Filled with flawed and likeable characters who find their paths to redemption, love and lasting relationships.
June 15, 2023
Another great book by Kristan Higgins. 496 pages but somehow I managed to read it in 2 days. She’s such a great storyteller and this is a great story about adoption!
Read
June 10, 2023No review on this DNF.
This is NOT a breezy summer romance. This is a book about adoption and familial relationships with a sprig of romance thrown in.
I heard good things about the author without reading the blurb. My first mistake. If I had known it was about adoption I’d never had started it.
I didn’t make it past the first chapter. The “rich” names of each character introduced were as pretentious as the sister who said, “Everyone wants to be Me!”
Thank you, Next!
TW: adoption
This is NOT a breezy summer romance. This is a book about adoption and familial relationships with a sprig of romance thrown in.
I heard good things about the author without reading the blurb. My first mistake. If I had known it was about adoption I’d never had started it.
I didn’t make it past the first chapter. The “rich” names of each character introduced were as pretentious as the sister who said, “Everyone wants to be Me!”
Thank you, Next!
TW: adoption
June 18, 2024
Harlow is flabbergasted—and overjoyed—when Matthew, the son she placed for adoption nearly 18 years ago, enters her bookstore. How will Matthew's reunion with his birth mother affect not only Harlow and her family—who didn't even know he existed!—but also his parents, Monica and Sanjay, and younger sister, Meena?
Harlow's "little ray of sunshine wasn't so little anymore. Right now, it felt like the entire sun beaming with enough light and warmth to last a lifetime."
Well, wow. I wasn't expecting such a tranquil cover to evoke so many emotions! Since my mom was adopted, I felt an instant connection to this story. All of the character's reactions felt real and raw, and I loved every minute. Except for Cynthia. She was irritating and I couldn't help but wonder why she was included in the story. Alas, it all came together in the end and I shouldn't have doubted Ms. Higgins haha. 12 year old Meena was perky and hilarious and definitely stole quite a few scenes. I also loved the surprise cameo by Ophelia from Out of the Clear Blue Sky (4 stars) as well as the flirtation between Harlow and childhood friend, Grady. This was a powerful story about the meaning of motherhood, and my heart was tugged in all different directions as Harlow and Monica tried to figure out the next step in their adoption journey.
"Being a mother wasn't one thing. It was an indefinable, eternal state of love and acceptance, sacrifice and forgiveness. And hope. Because being a mother was nothing if not hope."
4.5 stars
Pack Up the Moon (5 stars) remains my favorite by this author!
Location: Cape Cod, Massachusetts
I received an advance copy of this book. All opinions are my own.
Harlow's "little ray of sunshine wasn't so little anymore. Right now, it felt like the entire sun beaming with enough light and warmth to last a lifetime."
Well, wow. I wasn't expecting such a tranquil cover to evoke so many emotions! Since my mom was adopted, I felt an instant connection to this story. All of the character's reactions felt real and raw, and I loved every minute. Except for Cynthia. She was irritating and I couldn't help but wonder why she was included in the story. Alas, it all came together in the end and I shouldn't have doubted Ms. Higgins haha. 12 year old Meena was perky and hilarious and definitely stole quite a few scenes. I also loved the surprise cameo by Ophelia from Out of the Clear Blue Sky (4 stars) as well as the flirtation between Harlow and childhood friend, Grady. This was a powerful story about the meaning of motherhood, and my heart was tugged in all different directions as Harlow and Monica tried to figure out the next step in their adoption journey.
"Being a mother wasn't one thing. It was an indefinable, eternal state of love and acceptance, sacrifice and forgiveness. And hope. Because being a mother was nothing if not hope."
4.5 stars
Pack Up the Moon (5 stars) remains my favorite by this author!
Location: Cape Cod, Massachusetts
I received an advance copy of this book. All opinions are my own.
June 4, 2023
I have always wanted to read a book by Kristan Higgins. I have so many in my TBR. I finally did and I just loved it. What a great read. I enjoyed these characters, and escaping into their lives. The setting is in Wellfleet MA, on Cape Cod. (I LOVE Cape Cod) 😍 This was such a tender, heartfelt story, and really pulled at my heart.
So this is about Harlow Smith who is part owner at a bookstore. She has a tight knit family and has 4 siblings. No one in her family knows her secret that she gave up a baby boy 18 years ago while away at college. Then one day, that boy, Matthew, finds her and shows up at her bookstore. She is BEYOND surprised. Matthew's parents were blindsided as well because they were talked into renting a cottage in Cape Cod by Matthew but had no idea Matthew had found his birth mother. They all are dealing with a range of emotions, as you can imagine. I'm not going to say more because this is one you'll want to read for yourself. Highly recommend you pick it up! Can't wait to read more by this author.
So this is about Harlow Smith who is part owner at a bookstore. She has a tight knit family and has 4 siblings. No one in her family knows her secret that she gave up a baby boy 18 years ago while away at college. Then one day, that boy, Matthew, finds her and shows up at her bookstore. She is BEYOND surprised. Matthew's parents were blindsided as well because they were talked into renting a cottage in Cape Cod by Matthew but had no idea Matthew had found his birth mother. They all are dealing with a range of emotions, as you can imagine. I'm not going to say more because this is one you'll want to read for yourself. Highly recommend you pick it up! Can't wait to read more by this author.
June 27, 2023
In reading some of the negative reviews, I guess maybe this book should come with a warning: This is not a rom-com! Also, be warned that not all the characters are straight, white and Christian, and some of them care about the environment. If that kind of stuff horrifies you, maybe skip this one (and maybe move to Florida).
There's a lot of signature KH here: cute dog, Cape Cod, lovable old person, crazy family, a bit of romance (I do wish that part had been expanded a bit). Most of the chapters are from Harlow's POV, with a few of Monica (Matthew's adoptive mother) and Cynthia, a snobbish sort-of cousin who was awful and had a not-quite-believable turnaround.
I found this to be a heartwarming story about family, motherhood, personal growth and how awful/selfish teenagers can be!
There's a lot of signature KH here: cute dog, Cape Cod, lovable old person, crazy family, a bit of romance (I do wish that part had been expanded a bit). Most of the chapters are from Harlow's POV, with a few of Monica (Matthew's adoptive mother) and Cynthia, a snobbish sort-of cousin who was awful and had a not-quite-believable turnaround.
I found this to be a heartwarming story about family, motherhood, personal growth and how awful/selfish teenagers can be!
November 14, 2023
2 Stars for A Little Ray of Sunshine (audiobook) by Kristen Higgins read by Xe Sands, Laural Merlington, and Jeannie Sheneman.
Maybe I should have checked to see what this book was about before I started. For some reason I assumed that it was going to be a cute romance. But it’s really one and a half stories about adopted children reuniting with their biological families. I know that this is fiction but the idyllic situations seemed to be too much of a stretch for me. It’s probably a great story for people who don’t have experience with the subject.
Maybe I should have checked to see what this book was about before I started. For some reason I assumed that it was going to be a cute romance. But it’s really one and a half stories about adopted children reuniting with their biological families. I know that this is fiction but the idyllic situations seemed to be too much of a stretch for me. It’s probably a great story for people who don’t have experience with the subject.
June 12, 2023
A Little Ray of Sunshine could really give a ray of sunshine. It was uplifting and heartwarming.
My first Kristan Higgins and I really enjoyed it. It was filled with family drama, laughter and tears. I don't really read this genre much but Kristan got my full attention.
Ollie, the dog was just adorable. He knew how to be there and be the catalyst. Romance wasn't the main focus here, it was more about families and friendships.
My first Kristan Higgins and I really enjoyed it. It was filled with family drama, laughter and tears. I don't really read this genre much but Kristan got my full attention.
Ollie, the dog was just adorable. He knew how to be there and be the catalyst. Romance wasn't the main focus here, it was more about families and friendships.
2023
June 9, 2024📱 Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley
October 26, 2023
Kristan has done it again. You are now an auto buy for me. You are a great storyteller who makes you feel like you are a part of it.
This book is about adoption. this is a subject close to my heart. It is told by 3 main characters. Harlow ( the birth mother) , Monica ( the adoptive mother and at times Matthew who is the adoptee. You could empathise with all three of them. Its also about found family and second chance romance, all set in a small town. I loved your sense of humour it shined through in your writing. I loved each and every character. Loved this book so much.
This book is about adoption. this is a subject close to my heart. It is told by 3 main characters. Harlow ( the birth mother) , Monica ( the adoptive mother and at times Matthew who is the adoptee. You could empathise with all three of them. Its also about found family and second chance romance, all set in a small town. I loved your sense of humour it shined through in your writing. I loved each and every character. Loved this book so much.
June 14, 2023
✨𝐌𝐈𝐍𝐈 𝐑𝐄𝐕𝐈𝐄𝐖✨
A Little Ray of Sunshine
Kristan Higgins
Women's Fiction
6/6/2023
Thank you @berkleypub for the gifted copy.
A bookshop owner reunites with the son she gave up for adoption in this emotional, deeply moving Cape Cod summer read. This explores motherhood, adoption, and the meaning of family. Definitely recommend!!
A Little Ray of Sunshine
Kristan Higgins
Women's Fiction
6/6/2023
Thank you @berkleypub for the gifted copy.
A bookshop owner reunites with the son she gave up for adoption in this emotional, deeply moving Cape Cod summer read. This explores motherhood, adoption, and the meaning of family. Definitely recommend!!
June 17, 2023
A look at adoption from all sides.
June 7, 2023
Welp Kristan Higgins did it again, she made me cry, and I’m pretty upset by it. People told me this one would be lighter, so I read it on my flight up to New York last week. It’s a good thing I had a window seat and nobody next to be because I was bawling my eyes out, yet again from her on the nose storylines. A few years ago, when I read Pack Up the Moon, my dad was in the mists of chemo, radiation, and major surgery. So, while not exactly the same circumstances, it still hit extremely close to home. This time, Higgins focuses on adoption and motherhood. Being a newer mom, with a 1-year-old son, I was continuously putting myself in the story, and had all the emotions.
It’s been almost 18 years and Harlow never imagined she’d see Matthew Patel show up at her bookstore. So, when he unexpected arrives with his family in-tow, Harlow is forced to come to terms with all the feelings she’s been hiding and face the consequences that come with hiding a secret pregnancy and adoption from her over involved family.
Motherhood, and what it means to be a mother is at the center of this story; so I adored the fact that not only do we get Harlow’s voice, but we get Monica’s (Matthew’s adoptive mother) voice and perspective as well. We get a look into both of the women’s thoughts, experiences, emotions, and the way they view motherhood. The contrast between these two women was wonderfully woven. Along with tactfully addressing the topics of adoption, infertility, and the pressures social places on women to be an ideal mother; Higgins did a wonderful job of ensuring both sides were ‘even’. I enjoyed every part of this story and would have given 5 stars but at almost 500 pages it did feel a bit long. Otherwise, it’s an amazing story.
With an attempt to capture the juxtaposition of motherhood, this is an absolutely beautiful story of adoption that will tug on your heart strings. Whether you’re a new mom or a empty nester, you’ll be able to relate to so many points in the story. With a beach town setting, this will make a great beach or summer read; just make sure you have sunglasses on to hide the tears.
A Little Ray of Sunshine is out now. Huge thank you to Berkley Books for my advanced copy in exchange for my honest opinion. If you liked this review, please let me know either by commenting below or by visiting my instagram @speakingof.books.
It’s been almost 18 years and Harlow never imagined she’d see Matthew Patel show up at her bookstore. So, when he unexpected arrives with his family in-tow, Harlow is forced to come to terms with all the feelings she’s been hiding and face the consequences that come with hiding a secret pregnancy and adoption from her over involved family.
Motherhood, and what it means to be a mother is at the center of this story; so I adored the fact that not only do we get Harlow’s voice, but we get Monica’s (Matthew’s adoptive mother) voice and perspective as well. We get a look into both of the women’s thoughts, experiences, emotions, and the way they view motherhood. The contrast between these two women was wonderfully woven. Along with tactfully addressing the topics of adoption, infertility, and the pressures social places on women to be an ideal mother; Higgins did a wonderful job of ensuring both sides were ‘even’. I enjoyed every part of this story and would have given 5 stars but at almost 500 pages it did feel a bit long. Otherwise, it’s an amazing story.
With an attempt to capture the juxtaposition of motherhood, this is an absolutely beautiful story of adoption that will tug on your heart strings. Whether you’re a new mom or a empty nester, you’ll be able to relate to so many points in the story. With a beach town setting, this will make a great beach or summer read; just make sure you have sunglasses on to hide the tears.
A Little Ray of Sunshine is out now. Huge thank you to Berkley Books for my advanced copy in exchange for my honest opinion. If you liked this review, please let me know either by commenting below or by visiting my instagram @speakingof.books.
September 6, 2023
I used to love Higgins but for the past few years she’s really hit or miss for me. This one was a miss. I’m tired of her at this point with the same formula told in various ways, closer relation to a funky grandparent than self centered parents, a former sweetheart or friend from youth turned hot and the love interest, side characters that are so stereotypical it makes my teeth hurt. She’s clearly going to stay in Wellfleet now and write all about Harlow’s siblings which will be her sister who is a budding event planner that will fall for say an ex bad boy now a cop and her gynecologist sister who is overworked but falls for someone who gets her to sit down and relax like a surfer. Both will have gay best friends who work at banana republic or an art gallery and we will see bits of Harlow and Lilly from her other two novels (happily in love and almost unrecognizable/out of character from when it was their stories). It’s so predictable it’s not even worth bothering at this point.
Also Higgins, you used the phrase “my son” 65,953,575 times in this book.
Also Higgins, you used the phrase “my son” 65,953,575 times in this book.
July 2, 2023
I’m sorry to say I very much regretted purchasing this book far too quickly after I bought it. I haven’t read a book from this author for awhile since she seemed to have taken a more serious turn in her plots. While she used to write romance that often dealt with broken characters it was also an interesting read. Unfortunately this book is a mess. We jump around far too much between characters and constant flashbacks which were annoying. Harlow and many of the characters in this book have far too hard of time moving forward. They dwell on the past and for obvious reasons are not people you want to read about. Harlow and birth mothers like her are amazing in my opinion. They made the ultimate sacrifice for their child but instead of really appreciating what she did she is made to feel bad about it. There’s a villain character that I really hated and was annoying. The other narrator was the birth mother Monica. She’s a very formed character and in my opinion the most sympathetic one. You cannot help but identify with her parenting struggles as she juggles her high power career but again it was too much detail and too much a distraction from moving the story forward. Of course as the author decided fill the novel with plenty of unnecessary wokeness we got the obligatory complaint of old white men and misogyny in the work place. There was an unnecessary trans character who was constantly described as having great legs just so the author could pat herself on the back. In an ironic inclusivity twist the lesbian characters were awful. All of this just continued to take away from the pacing and I haven’t even mentioned the unnecessary alcoholics, rehabs, or outright awful parents. I really have no idea who the audience for this book is but it certainly wasn’t me. It will be the last time I bother with this author.
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