Five O'Clock Shadow

by Karen Lenfestey

When social studies teacher, Claire Tillman, finds one of her seniors sleeping in his car, her maternal instinct kicks in. Despite her crumbling marriage, she welcomes Jaxon into her home. She even offers to help him find the father he's never met so he can come to Jaxon's high school graduation. As she follows Jaxon’s journey, she realizes the story of her own father’s death doesn’t add up. He died accidentally when she was young and yet her mother is still bitter about it. Digging into her own family history, she discovers that her father had a secret that turns her life upside down.

Will Jaxon and Claire regret finding out who their fathers really were?

Genres: Fiction, Ebooks, Chick Lit

246 pages, Kindle Edition

Published August 1, 2016

About the author

Karen Lenfestey, a Midwest Writer’s Fellowship winner, writes “happy endings with a twist.”

Karen has a bachelor's degree in advertising from Purdue University and a master's degree in counseling from its rival school, Indiana University. (Please don't ask her to choose favorites!) During the week, she advises students, on the weekends, she writes and on vacations, she loves to travel.

She is active on Goodreads and Facebook and she loves to hear from readers on her website, www.karensnovels.com.

Reviews

[Melodie · Rating 4 out of 5]

A teacher and one of her students are both searching. One is searching for a father never known and one is searching for the truth about the father they thought they knew.
I have been a fan of Karen and her writing style for a few years now. And this book has her stretching out, digging a little deeper. While still focusing on love, she has brought a little more darkness to her plot line. This rings true to me , because face it, life as wonderful as it is, has some serious pot holes. People are deep beings with tendencies for good and bad. While she still fits squarely in the happy ending category, the road to that ending is curvaceous with a switchback or two.
My thanks to the author for letting me read this in exchange for an honest review.

[♏ Gina☽ · Rating 5 out of 5]

I won this book in a Goodreads giveaway, and I thank the author and publishing company for the opportunity to read this book and write an unbiased review.

This author has a talent for giving the reader characters they will come to care about. Her story lines are well thought out and will bring out every emotion in the reader: love, fear, sadness, hope, and empathy for what the characters are going through.

This particular story revolves around a caring teacher, Claire Tillman, and one of her students, Jaxon, whom she finds sleeping in his car. As she takes him in, providing him shelter and a good, hot meal, she also decides to help him find his father. As she works with him to trace down the missing parent, she begins to realize that something really doesn't add up in the story about her own father, and so the two have a goal in common - to find out the truth about their missing parent.

[Melinda · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this author! This is the 7th book of hers that I have read. I love how I never know how the book is going to turn out. I think I know, then something happens that changes everything. Yes, there's generally a happy ending, but you have to read the whole book to get there!

[Kathy Webb · Rating 4 out of 5]

I won this Kindle edition book in a GoodReads giveaway - thank you to everyone involved.
Claire is a wonderful character in this book - you follow her and her student as they search
for details about their fathers.

[Louise Wardell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow how many things can turn out wrong for Claire. In the end she reclaimed her life. Great story

[Barbara Hackel · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an emotional ride! Five O'clock Shadow has a dedicated teacher, Claire Tillman, trying to help a student, Jaxton, find his father. She is providing him with a place to live until graduation since he is unwanted by his mother, and is searching for his father without success. All he wants is for his dad to see him graduate. Claire and her husband have grown apart since their son died 3 years ago. Now her husband has divorced her, and she discovers truths about her father and her husband that make her life miserable. There is romance and happiness as well as total devastation.

This is one of those books that it is impossible to put down no matter how early you have to get up the next morning! The author tells her story so compellingly that the characters become completely real to the reader. It isn't a sugar coated life that is presented in the book, but one full of challenges, possibilities, and hope in the face of loss and personal devastation.

The journey is one that readers will enjoy and think about long after the book is finished. I look forward to continuing the series with the second book, UNEXPECTED.

[Victoria Pring · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not my usual genre but definitely an enjoyable read. the charachters are sweet and sometimes relatable, none of them are perfect which only makes them better, I also love hope's character and her reasoning behind taking in all the strays. I really felt for Claire when she found out what her husband had done, oddly that felt more like a betrayal than what happened with her dad. Think it was because it affected her more.

[Cindy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cover doesn't work

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I'm pleasantly surprised by the book. After seeing the cover, I was expecting something very different. It's a sweet story that keeps you engaged and goes pretty quickly. May not be entirely plausible, but was worth the read anyway.

[Katie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I won this through a goodreads giveaway and really enjoyed it! I love how flawed the characters are because you can relate to them. I love how the author made Claire a strong, independent woman despite the hardships she faced. Will definitely be going on to book 2 in this series

[January Held · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book is just a little too sunny with all of the conflicts wrapped up in a nice predictable bow. The writing was simplistic. But it's a light fast read.

[Carla · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good book. Easy read

[Miriam · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved this book! It was a super fast read, because I wanted to know what was going to happen with all of the various characters. Eager to read the sequel.

[Christi M · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a great, emotional read!

[Annette · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyed the book and love this sweet cover.

[Marianne Citraro · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love these kinds of books where there is a family mystery. Although I felt the cover art didn’t really fit the story.

[Donna Kale · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very good storyline, enjoyed her book

[Gladys Mills · Rating 5 out of 5]

Five O'clock. This book was amazing! I loved this book! I was so consumed by this story I couldn't put the book down. This book will have you laughing, smiling, and definitely crying. Claire Tillman goes through so much drama you will feel so much compassion for her. Claire's life was full of promise until her husband walked out, a student moves in and she tries to find his father, and how her father died was a lie. Her life fell apart like dominoes. You must read to find out how Claire made it through all this to pick herself and start over. I can't wait to read the next book! Good read!