Whispering Pines

Celia's Gifts #1

by Kimberly Diede

Welcome to Whispering Pines, a quaint resort on the serene shores in Minnesota lake country, and a heartwarming saga that beautifully weaves together the complexities of modern family life with the unexpected gifts of midlife reinvention.

Two weeks ahead of Christmas, a jarring layoff from a twenty-year career sends single mother Renee Clements back to life’s crossroads. She’s been here before. Reluctant but resilient, she prepares to dive into the job hunt. Or is it finally time to focus on her own dreams instead of building someone else’s? While the idea is tempting, she’s still responsible for raising two teenagers.

Frustrated, Renee pushes pause. She’ll wait until after the holidays to make any life-altering decisions. A serendipitous trip to Fiji and a chance encounter with a handsome stranger offers a glimmer of romance, but now isn’t the time to add yet another complication to her already messy world.

Could the final bequest by her dear Aunt Celia provide the answers? The opportunity to reopen Whispering Pines, a charming and historic lake resort, beckons her to a path less traveled. It’s not just a potential business venture; it’s a legacy passed down to her, a gift wrapped in memories and possibilities.

Torn between a longing to recreate the idyllic childhood summers she spent at her aunt’s resort and facing the challenges of her current reality, Renee will have to choose. Perhaps, along the way, she’ll discover more than she ever expected.

Whispering Pines, book one in Kimberly Diede’s Gift of Whispering Pines series, explores the depths of motherhood, the courage required to navigate and embrace change, and the unbreakable ties of family.

Genres: Romance, Fiction, Ebooks, Contemporary, Suspense, Amazon, Family

Kindle Edition

First published September 15, 2017

About the author

Kimberly Diede writes contemporary and historical novels that weave together family, friends, hope, and romance. She writes family sagas, suspense, and women’s fiction that you’ll find hard to put down. She truly believes we are never too old for second chances at love and life.

Kimberly has always lived in the Midwest and enjoys spending the short summer months on the lakeshores of Minnesota and North Dakota. Nothing is better than time with family at the cabin. Her love of tradition and all things vintage comes through in her stories.

In a world too often filled with sadness and tragedy, her mission is to offer stories of optimism and hope. If she can keep you reading past your bedtime, she has accomplished what she set out to do. As a life-long reader, she loves to get lost in the pages of a great book and strives to give you the same experience.

Reviews

[Linda Langford · Rating 5 out of 5]

I would say this is a romantic suspense story. I enjoyed it. Renee, the main protagonist, is a widow with two children. She’s fired from her job, and has to decide if she needs to look for another job, or attempt to rebuild a cabin site her Aunt Celia left her, and make it on that income. The story is extremely family-oriented and supported. Renee’s daughter, Julie has a stalker, but doesn’t realize it. Renee meets a man who she could very well spend the rest of her life with. There are many other layers to the plot, and it’s a great story!

[Joan · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was rather disappointed in this book after seeing all the 5-star reviews. The plot was pretty good, but I felt like parts of the book dragged on WAY too long. There was an element of mystery in the book, but none of the characters could see the solution, which I thought was very obvious. I guess I was also turned off somewhat by the message of the book which seems to be that anyone who tries can succeed in life and business if you read enough motivational books - oh, and if you have a rich relative who dies and leaves you a big inheritance and you have a family that will work along with you to build a business and make it work. I don't think I enjoyed this book enough to take the time to read the next one in the series.

[Coffeebreakwhatever · Rating 2 out of 5]

Very disappointed in this book. Far far to much description talk or general chatter... whatever that is called in the book world! Page after page of the character just thinking this or that, remembering childhood or other things that literally go on for pages, and NO dialog. NO interaction with other characters. pages and pages of it and then it only spans 5 minutes of time in the plot. SO many times I checked to see "how much farther till the end?". Then once dialog did happen, it was not very involved. The characters weren't that "smart" so to speak. I mean, the mother finds white pills in her sons pants pocket and doesn't know what to do so she calls a friend who lives across the globe who hooks her up with is friend locally to talk to about it. What mother doesn't know what to do in this case? You talk to the child! The second worst part of the story was... half way through there seems to be a stalker. Little clues here and there that everyone just ignores and the author spends 1 page on it and then it is basically forgotten and moved on. One incident that was serious... again, a page or 2 and then ... nothing. Never did say why/how/who was involved other than the one character... that didn't remember anything. I won't give spoilers in case you want to read the book, but the author was extremely vague on the stalker issue. Said who it was but a twist made it even more unclear as to the why and how. Then it ended. I spent the length of the book thinking "surely there is more... I just have to read farther" is the only reason I finished the book.

[Cici Glaser · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not a strong book

I thought this book was a bit of fluff for the most part. I liked the idea of Renee doing something new with her life, but it was all goody goody and could have been condensed to half the length.

[Aza · Rating 5 out of 5]

Female growth at its best!
A grand story told about how mid 40 Renee, a widow and a single mother of two, tackles her sudden job loss. In a slow pace one moves with the protagonist, experiences her fear, understands her obstacles and really want her to get her feet back on the ground but in the right way! Its very contemporary, the family stuff and financial crisis she juggles under difficult circumstances is heavy. We see her grow and change and one can only take pleasure when she finally jumps on the right opportunities! It's ultimately a feel-good novel by first-time author Kimberly Diede and she has done a marvelous job taking us along on Renee' s journey. In the end, the story is female driven and likely empowers other female readers to take every downfall as a new opportunity to change paths, change for the better. It crosses nicely between hope and drama, coming of age 'again' and a fulfilling love interest. Well written, can't wait for more!

[H.R. Hobbs · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Whispering Pines” contains all the elements of a great contemporary novel: a strong heroine, suspense, mystery and a touch of romance. Renee, is a widow, who for the last ten years has managed to raise two children on her own. The loss of her job and a timely inheritance send Renee on a journey to find out what she really wants out of life. Her journey contains obstacles, but with the help of her family and a handsome sheriff, Renee learns that you can create the life you want. What I find appealing about “Whispering Pines” are the strong family ties and how Renee takes a chance both at love and at life.

[Shirlene · Rating 2 out of 5]

Slow

Reading the other reviews, I wasn't sure if I was reading the same book. The storyline was good but I thought the book was extremely slow to follow. The incidents that happened so randomly throughout the books were so disjointed and awkward that I really didn't feel like they fit in the story. They needed to go somewhere. And leaving the corporate world and a sudden inheritance, never to look back... well, dream on. I just wish it were more likely. First date in ten years ends in a relationship, again... I just felt like the while book was, well, fiction.

[Patricia Dorwin · Rating 2 out of 5]

Way too obvious

I struggled with this book. It was so easy to put down and go do something else. It reads like a formula book. Of course Renee and Matt were going to get together, of course Grant was going to hope for something with Renee. Of course the crazy ex boyfriend was stalking Julie. I won't be bothering with any of the sequels.

[Veronica Guevara · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received a free copy of Whispering Pines by Kimberly Diede during Kindle’s “Stuff Your Kindle Day,” but unfortunately, the story did not resonate with me. While the core idea had potential, I did not like the writing style of the author. The plot was overly descriptive in a mundane way, often detailing irrelevant, day-to-day activities that added little to the narrative. For instance, it felt like reading someone recount their grocery list or daily chores—details that neither enriched the story nor contributed to character development. Furthermore, the pacing was inconsistent, with certain events being introduced and then abandoned for large portions of the book, only to resurface abruptly much later. The inclusion of unnecessary elements and subplots made the story feel cluttered and distracted from its main premise.

The characters, in my opinion, were underdeveloped. Their personalities felt inconsistent, making it difficult to gauge their depth or maturity. As a result, the characters lacked definition, leaving me unable to connect with or care deeply about their journeys. The author’s writing style is undeniably easy to read, but the excessive focus on delivering motivational reflections felt out of place. This is supposed to be a novel, yet it often felt like a self-help book in disguise, with messages like, “We often become so accustomed to the comfort of our routines that any disruption feels unsettling or even frightening, yet such moments can offer clarity and unexpected blessings.” These moments didn’t align with the purpose of the story and detracted from the overall experience.

Emotionally, the book fell flat for me. It was light entertainment at best, with no particularly memorable moments or profound impact. While the central themes of family, life changes, and second chances are evident, they didn’t leave a lasting impression. I would recommend this book to readers who enjoy self-help themes and are looking for a light, undemanding read. It’s not a page-turner, nor does it offer much intrigue, but it might appeal to those who simply want a casual story to pass the time. For me, it was an average read—neither good nor bad, just somewhere in between.

[Nancy Kuykendall · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading this story. I wasn’t sure I would, when for a moment I thought it was turning into a romance novel. I kept reading and it is not a romance novel even though there is some romance written in. Overall, it’s a wholesome story about nice and normal people who have all dealt with hardship, loss and making hard choices. There is some cursing and sex that might be bothersome for some readers, but these are not in great abundance and are not the whole story. If they were, I wouldn’t have enjoyed the book and most likely would not have continued reading.

The story line is interesting. The story is believable. For me there seemed to be a small hole. A few important details got lost and left out. I kept waiting for them to come up again, especially at two critical times when I thought they would be remembered and mentioned by the main character.

There were a few words used consistently that might have been changed by some editors, but they did fit the people and story. I would have enjoyed a little more description of the characters. The story was somewhat predictable, but not so much that it ruined it for me.
Overall, I enjoyed reading this book. It was a pleasant, relaxing read. I’ll try the next one in the series.

Nancy Kuykendall, author of Mornings on the Porch, and more.

[elise buhn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a good story!

This story immediately grabs you and doesn't let go. It's important that we women do not forget to nourish ourselves as well as our family and friends. We have greater strength and resilience if we can step back to look at ourselves and our place in the world instead of letting everyday demands fill all the horizon. Renee, the lead character, is shocked into reevaluating her life when her employer of 20 years lays her off 2 weeks before Christmas. She is tempted to immediately seek similar employment to keep the necessary income coming in. Instead, she takes a break to really evaluate goals both short term and long. The subsequent story is quickly moving and inspiring. This book is thought-provoking as well as very entertaining. I cannot wait to read more of this series.

[Brenda Whiteside · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found this book felt like three stories trying to masquerade as one. There is the story of a single woman who has lost her job and isn’t sure what to do with herself. There is the story of a woman whose daughter is being stalked. There is the love story of a woman who takes a trip to an exotic island and has a fling that becomes more in a long-distance relationship. They are all about the same woman. The stories are interwoven and at times, I wasn’t sure which story I was in the middle of reading. Threads would come and go and then pop up unexpectedly which threw me off.

Being a writer and an editor, I also had some trouble with point of view issues and other technical problems.

I’m sorry to not be 100% behind this book. She has a decent storyline. Lots going on, but it never quite gelled for me.

[Kim · Rating 5 out of 5]

I obtained this free e-book from Amazon and I am voluntarily writing a review. This is one of those books that absorbs you into the story and you feel like you are living in the story. Renee is a widow of ten years with a teenage son and a daughter in her first year of college. She has worked at the same job in corporate America for twenty years and on a conference call two weeks before Christmas she learns her position with the company has been eliminated and she has forty minutes to clear out her desk before she is escorted out of the building into the cold Minnesota winter. This sets in motion a series of events that change her perception of her life, goals, values and relationships setting in motion a future she never dreamed of.

[Pat Trattles · Rating 3 out of 5]

Although it started out slowly, I did eventually get into the story. In fact I was so engrossed in the last one hundred pages or so that I couldn’t put it down. The story was a bit telling, with emotions show in the text, then explained further in internal dialog. This detracted and should have been cut out. While the clues made it easy for the reader to figure out who the villain was almost from the very beginning, the story characters could not figure out it out and it made me wonder how they could be so clueless. But it did make for an enjoyable read overall that will appeal to romance lovers and fans of clean mystery.

[Lauren · Rating 5 out of 5]

Inspiration for the budding Entreprenuer

I appreciated this novel's depiction of one of my great resource books, Rich Dad, Poor Dad, in application: taking calculated risks and working to reach your goals, leveraging friends, family, experience and networks to achieve financial freedom and essentially achieve the ultimate American Dream of making your life what you want it to be. I enjoyed the story's characters and their depth of emotion as they go through this journey of self-discovery and self-sustainment.

[Debra Kimball · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a good story, although it's easy to guess what is coming. While an occasional lack of communication between characters might be understandable, it happens in so often and in so many relationships throughout the book. Significant issues are not shared among "close" family members, "clues" are ignored or blown off. Not far into the book, it's pretty easy to see what's going on, but not easy to believe everyone is so clueless.

[Jessica · Rating 1 out of 5]

I was decently disappointed by this book. The first half was very slow to read, constantly jumping from one major event to another, each wildly drastic and unrelated. Each event was then completely ignored for over half the book until it was briefly mentioned again (or just never brought up again at all!). The book picked up once it was 70% done and became more enjoyable of a read since all of the little storylines were either dropped or combined with the main story.

[Carol Taylor burlew · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very much an average read for me. Could easily figure out the problem character from the beginning and when that finally came to light, the story was very rushed to the finish. Conversations were just too sweet and almost syrupy to believe. There are some great subplots and beautifully written lines, which is why I gave it three stars instead of two.

[Naomi · Rating 1 out of 5]

Only made it a couple chapters in. Just not a fan of the writing style. Story it's self has potential, I just cannot stand reading a story in 3rd person point of view. I like to imagine being the character, not being on an outside perspective. Might attempt again in the future, not sure though.

[Andrea · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good book

Enjoyed the book. I enjoyed the unique story along with plot twists to keep you wanting to turn to the next page. Looking forward to the second book in the series.

[Amy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I couldn't tell if this was supposed to be a feel-good, Christmas novel or a mystery/thriller. The author didn't seem to know the direction in which she wanted to go.

[Barb · Rating 2 out of 5]

I read the Christmas novel in this series before this one, and was surprised at the difference. This book had quite a bit of foul language and several graphic sex scenes that continued for pages.

[Dana · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was a total bore

[Angel Graham · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not that great. The writing was almost entirely passive. I skipped five or more chapters at a time, and still kept up with storylines. I won't be reading author again.

[Rebecca D · Rating 3 out of 5]

There were too many instances of pointless banter throughout the book. Also, personally rating it lower because it had descriptive romance scenes and I purposefully avoid such books.

[moxieBK · Rating 2 out of 5]

Whispering Pines (Celia’s Gifts Book 1) — Kimberly Diede (62 chapters + Epilogue) November 6-10, 2021

Let me tell you something. This is not my normal sort of book to read. And full disclosure: I am reading this because my partner had the author for a boss at her place of work. She told me about the story she wrote and I got curious about reading it.

As I started to read this, I felt the passive wiggies start. This book reads very passively. And after awhile I felt like was a fictional self-help novel.

Perhaps it is my mind working here since I have had a lot of emotional and family upheaval recently and it has been rather expectantly, but also rather unexpected. [Advisory alert: My momma died rather suddenly early part of Oct. 2021. Though my circumstances were different from the Renee character, the effects of her death left the same sort of shock feelings.]

So, as much as I really didn’t the book, which seems very convenient and predictable, I actually got some good advice and things to think over about my own situation. Odd how that worked out.

Plot: Renee is a mid-life widow with two children who loses her job two weeks before Christmas. Because I know some things about her former position, there were some instances that felt real with that company (which originally was based out of the same town Renee is from) and some of the severance packages they offer separation employees. Perhaps this is severance system based on years of service is similar at other companies, but I had not heard of it before.

Back to the story, and conveniently, old Aunt Celia croaks a few months before Renee’s job loss and wouldn’t you know it that at Christmas time she receives a very nice inheritance from the old crone.

And then she takes (I’m quite sure) a very well deserved holiday with her two kids to a tropical beach and meets a handsome dude that eventually follows her back to the Twin Cities area where he helps her with her inheritance.

See what I mean? — Very convenient and predictable what happens if you have read so far in the book.

This is a book one tome of a whole series based on old Aunt Celia’s inheritance gifts that I am sure cover Rene’s other siblings and probably her children as well.

I had to read it; I did. Felt like I wasted my life for five days, I did; but got some nuggets at the beginning about life’s unexpected payloads. In other words: a typical webinar. Title sounds delightful, but if I am to only get one thing out of it I consider it A-OK.

Two stars.

[Pamela Sikora · Rating 5 out of 5]

Romantic and Suspenseful

Kimberly Diede welcomes readers to Whispering Pines, a lakeside resort in Minnesota, where a family of four siblings, their parents, and their children spend unforgettable time together.
Whispering Pines: A Novel, first in the Celia’s Gifts series, focuses on second sibling Renee, a widow with two teenage children and a corporate job that she loses in the first chapter. This untethering yields wild, out-of-the-box thinking by Renee, her college freshman daughter Julie, and tenth grader Robbie. They decide to spend time with both sets of grandparents over Christmas and vacation in Fiji for New Year’s before both kids return to school. At her parents’ house, Renee and her siblings receive letters from her favorite aunt, recently deceased Celia, and she learns that she’s inherited Whispering Pines, which Celia owned. At her in-laws’ house, Renee learns a secret about her late husband and is given a letter from his twin brother, who needs a favor from his niece and/or nephew.
In Fiji, Renee locks her keys in the rental car and meets the handsome sheriff, who later finds her on the beach. They begin a romantic relationship, bemoaning its extra-long distance and near impossibility of lasting. Meanwhile, Julie and Robbie face problems of their own. Renee’s happy ending comes with the retirement of the sheriff near Whispering Pines; Julie’s comes with the discovery of the true identity of the person terrorizing residents and guests at the resort; and Robbie’s comes with the knowledge that he saved someone else’s life.
Whispering Pines addresses issues including stalking, mental illness, bone marrow transplants, drug abuse, post-traumatic amnesia, and bizarre nightmares, but the descriptions are never scary—they’re more atmospheric than gory, and nobody dies (not a spoiler; if anyone did die it would prevent other characters from having their own books in the series!). Careful readers may pick up on clues to solve the mystery at the heart of the resort.
I enjoyed my stay at Whispering Pines—particularly the chapter titles (“Gift of Time”, “Gift of Wisdom”, etc.)—and would recommend it to readers who can handle some sexual content and creepy derelict cabins at the edge of dark woods. Make sure your doors are locked while you read!

[Michele · Rating 5 out of 5]

Many of us have gone through this--being laid off from a job after spending years there. It HURTS. Renee finds herself in that position, a Mom supporting herself and her two teenagers-her husband had died years ago. How was she ever going to be able to pay all the bills. Pity party time. It was only a couple of weeks before Christmas so she decided to go visit family which she hadn't done in too many years due to work constraints. She also decided to take her kids on a once in a lifetime vacation--to the Fiji Islands!!

Her Aunt Celia left Renee Whispering Pines-a resort in bad shape but had wonderful memories from her childhood. It took a while but with the help of her extended family she decided to try and make a go of it. Strange things kept happening and it wasn't until the man Renee met in the Fiji Islands that things really started to get a bit wild.

The usual problems with teens arose but little did Renee know that one of those problems had followed them to Whispering Pines!

Renee started retreats for women in addition to renting out rooms. This book might remind you of some of the things that have happened to you--but will leave you confident that even at age 40--you really can start over and be happy!!

[Cathi Calato · Rating 5 out of 5]

This Book is a Marvelous Read!

I do love a good book. What I don't like is when the story ends. But, you will have so much to look forward to in this book, that when it comes to an end, you will finally feel satisfied! Ms
Died has made us an absolutely wonderful smorgasbord of a book, complete with a happy hour, appetizers, first course, main dish and an amazing dessert! This was like reading 6 books in one. Just when I thought the story was over, I realize that I have almost 75% left to read. Smaller mysteries happen throughout this book, and MS Diede did a great job at tying everything together in the end. I learned a long time ago about denomau, which is the "wrapping up the loose ends" part of the book. So many books may have a good story, but are seriously lacking in this area , much to my frustration. This book is a great beginning of a series, and it is also a stand alone magnificently written book. I love the mystery in the mystery! I am so sorry to have come to the end of such a well written book, but, I am completely satisfied. Well done Kim Diede! Can't wait to read you again!! Fabulous read!!

[Nic · Rating 5 out of 5]

I do not often write reviews, although I do read many reviews on almost all the books I read.
I have always been a bit sad when I see low scores on books that have touched me or books I loved. I do know that everyone has their own opinions, likes, and dislikes.
This booked touched me in many ways. I read this book back when the book was first released at the end of 2017 or early 2018. The first couple chapters of the book talks about getting laid off from her job she worked at for 20 years. At the time I read this book I worked at a corporate job for 17 years, so it really gave me a lot to think about. When Renee got laid off, she had a short amount of time to print her certifications, past annual employment reviews, ect. I realized I have never done this. So, I printed my own work history information to have at home. 3 years later, just after my 20-year anniversary, I found myself in the same situation as Renee, laid off from my corporate job. So, I am so glad I read this book when I did. Sadly, I did not take a trip to Fiji like she did though.