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Leaving Liberty
At eighteen, Daisy McConnell left Liberty, Colorado and never looked back. The only bright spot in a childhood of neglect and loneliness was the town librarian, Marie. Now settled as a teacher in sunny Fresno, Daisy does her best to forget everything about Liberty including her drunk father, her MIA mother, and the town she hated with every beat of her heart.
Lane Bennett’s life as a small town cop is pretty close to perfect. He’s got his dog, a pretty date when he needs one, and plenty of time to fish on the weekends. No other place can compare to his hometown and he’s happy to devote his life to keeping the folks of Liberty safe. When Marie passes away, Lane knows one of the best parts about living in Liberty is gone, along with the old Carnegie library. It needs repairs the city can’t afford and the city managers won’t pay the new flood insurance. It’s too bad, but safety comes first.
When Daisy comes home for Marie’s funeral and hears the only safe place she knew as a child is going to close, she refuses to let it happen. She hatches a plan to save the old library, run the summer reading program, and keep Marie’s legacy alive.
She once vowed never to come home and he’s vowed never to leave. Daisy and Lane discover together that true love happens when you least expect it and you should never say never in Liberty.
Lane Bennett’s life as a small town cop is pretty close to perfect. He’s got his dog, a pretty date when he needs one, and plenty of time to fish on the weekends. No other place can compare to his hometown and he’s happy to devote his life to keeping the folks of Liberty safe. When Marie passes away, Lane knows one of the best parts about living in Liberty is gone, along with the old Carnegie library. It needs repairs the city can’t afford and the city managers won’t pay the new flood insurance. It’s too bad, but safety comes first.
When Daisy comes home for Marie’s funeral and hears the only safe place she knew as a child is going to close, she refuses to let it happen. She hatches a plan to save the old library, run the summer reading program, and keep Marie’s legacy alive.
She once vowed never to come home and he’s vowed never to leave. Daisy and Lane discover together that true love happens when you least expect it and you should never say never in Liberty.
352 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 12, 2013
About the author
Virginia Carmichael
12 books159 followersVirginia was born near the Rocky Mountains and although she has traveled around the world, the wilds of Colorado run in her veins. A big fan of the wide open sky and all four seasons, she believes in embracing the small moments of everyday life. A home schooling mom of six young children who rarely wear shoes, those moments usually involve a lot of noise, a lot of mess, or a whole bunch of warm cookies. Virginia holds degrees in Linguistics and Religious Studies from the University of Oregon. She lives with her habanero-eating husband, Crusberto, who is her polar opposite in all things except faith. They've learned to speak in short-hand code and look forward to the day they can actually finish a sentence. In the meantime, Virginia thanks God for the laughter and abundance of hugs that fill her day as she plots her next book.
Fair warning: I read everything! Well, maybe not erotica and horror, but I do read widely and often. I don't usually review every book I read (more often, I don't review) but my reviews cover everything from children's lit to Christian romance to YA to women's fiction to crime procedurals to mysteries to... you get the idea!
Fair warning: I read everything! Well, maybe not erotica and horror, but I do read widely and often. I don't usually review every book I read (more often, I don't review) but my reviews cover everything from children's lit to Christian romance to YA to women's fiction to crime procedurals to mysteries to... you get the idea!
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 88 reviews
July 9, 2013
Daisy McConnell returns to the hometown that was the scene of a miserable childhood, the hometown she couldn't get out of quickly enough. She returns for the funeral of Marie, town librarian and single bright spot in her memories of Liberty. On her way to the library to retrieve a quilt Marie left to her, Daisy meets Lane Bennett, extraordinarily handsome, small-town hero cop.
One thing leads to another (as it always does) and Daisy finds herself squarely opposite Lane in a battle to save the "almost" condemned library. Lane doesn't really oppose Daisy's wishes, but he believes in being truthful, and the truth is, he doesn't believe the library can be saved.
The theme of forgiveness -- asking for it, giving it, receiving it, for ourselves and for others -- is strong throughout the book, and Ms. Carmichael handles it with grace. We all need forgiveness at some point in our lives and we all need to forgive someone. And sometimes, no matter which side of the equation we fall on, we simply have to lean on God's strength and His mercy.
This book contains no sex or explicit language, and I'd recommend it to anyone who enjoys Christian romance. Or small-town romance. Or handsome cop romance. Or romance, period. The author's voice makes this such a lovely read. And yes, for the typo Nazis, there are a few. Get over it and don't let it ruin a wonderful story.
One thing leads to another (as it always does) and Daisy finds herself squarely opposite Lane in a battle to save the "almost" condemned library. Lane doesn't really oppose Daisy's wishes, but he believes in being truthful, and the truth is, he doesn't believe the library can be saved.
The theme of forgiveness -- asking for it, giving it, receiving it, for ourselves and for others -- is strong throughout the book, and Ms. Carmichael handles it with grace. We all need forgiveness at some point in our lives and we all need to forgive someone. And sometimes, no matter which side of the equation we fall on, we simply have to lean on God's strength and His mercy.
This book contains no sex or explicit language, and I'd recommend it to anyone who enjoys Christian romance. Or small-town romance. Or handsome cop romance. Or romance, period. The author's voice makes this such a lovely read. And yes, for the typo Nazis, there are a few. Get over it and don't let it ruin a wonderful story.
July 5, 2013
I love free books. Is there anything better than free? Well, yes, there IS! It's a free book that exceeds all your expectations. I was kind of wondering about the cover, it looked a bit more chick lit than I was used to, but I liked Carmichael's other books so I took a chance.
LOVE, LOVE, LOVVVVVEE!!!!!!! I laughed at so many places in this book! The characters really had a great self-deprecating sense of humor. Like when Daisy is thinking about her name and hating small town people naming their kids Daisy, Jasmine, Breezy... I laughed!
And how Lane is always blabbing to her and then hating that he talks too much! It was such a fun trait. Guy characters are usually quiet and never talk and blah blah blah. But she made him friendly and talkative and reallllly manly at the same time. Patched pants!
I thought this was my favorite book of hers. It's like she's finally able to write the way she wants or she's finally finding her favorite type of writing. I want this to be a series.
Oh, and Russel the hound dog as the rooster! So funny... And of course I cried, too. It was complicated and emotional and FUNNY.
Great book. Total keeper. And it was free! THANK YOU!!!!!!
LOVE, LOVE, LOVVVVVEE!!!!!!! I laughed at so many places in this book! The characters really had a great self-deprecating sense of humor. Like when Daisy is thinking about her name and hating small town people naming their kids Daisy, Jasmine, Breezy... I laughed!
And how Lane is always blabbing to her and then hating that he talks too much! It was such a fun trait. Guy characters are usually quiet and never talk and blah blah blah. But she made him friendly and talkative and reallllly manly at the same time. Patched pants!
I thought this was my favorite book of hers. It's like she's finally able to write the way she wants or she's finally finding her favorite type of writing. I want this to be a series.
Oh, and Russel the hound dog as the rooster! So funny... And of course I cried, too. It was complicated and emotional and FUNNY.
Great book. Total keeper. And it was free! THANK YOU!!!!!!
August 2, 2013
I'm ashamed to admit it, but I'm guilty of judging this book by it's cover...in a good way! When I saw the cover of Leaving Liberty, I was immediately intrigued, even without knowing the plot. I just knew it would be my kind of book, and as it turns out, I did end up enjoying it.
I admit that it did take me a while to get fully immersed in the story...initially I was just kind of "so-so" about it, though I can't pinpoint the exact reason. However, by time the half-way mark rolled around, I found myself solidly interested in the outcome of the will-they-or-won't-they relationship between Daisy and Lane. The library also plays a large part in the plot, and it's interesting to see the things Daisy tries in her attempts to keep it from being shut down. I kept trying to predict if she would succeed or not, but I couldn't easily guess the outcome. I really didn't know how things would turn out until I actually got to the end!
I was quite intrigued by the angle the story takes on Daisy and Lane's relationship. They are obviously attracted to each other, but knowing that Daisy is leaving town at the end of Summer, they both try to guard their hearts by ignoring the flying sparks. In all honesty, I generally get annoyed when a couple starts a relationship when they know there is a time limit.... but in this case my opinion was flipped up-side-down, and I was actually rooting for them to start something, despite the time limit! I found it very compelling that the story was able to punch through my preconceived ideas and change my thoughts around in such a way.
Never before have I come across a guy who likens his heart to an old patched pair of pants (Lane), but now that I have, I wish there were more out there like him! ;) Virginia Carmichael definitely has a creative mind to come up with the unique analogies and ideas that are found in the story. This is the first of her works that I've picked up, but I found her writing style to be enjoyable. If small towns, libraries, or will-they-or-won't-they relationships are of interest to you, this book is worth checking out.
I admit that it did take me a while to get fully immersed in the story...initially I was just kind of "so-so" about it, though I can't pinpoint the exact reason. However, by time the half-way mark rolled around, I found myself solidly interested in the outcome of the will-they-or-won't-they relationship between Daisy and Lane. The library also plays a large part in the plot, and it's interesting to see the things Daisy tries in her attempts to keep it from being shut down. I kept trying to predict if she would succeed or not, but I couldn't easily guess the outcome. I really didn't know how things would turn out until I actually got to the end!
I was quite intrigued by the angle the story takes on Daisy and Lane's relationship. They are obviously attracted to each other, but knowing that Daisy is leaving town at the end of Summer, they both try to guard their hearts by ignoring the flying sparks. In all honesty, I generally get annoyed when a couple starts a relationship when they know there is a time limit.... but in this case my opinion was flipped up-side-down, and I was actually rooting for them to start something, despite the time limit! I found it very compelling that the story was able to punch through my preconceived ideas and change my thoughts around in such a way.
Never before have I come across a guy who likens his heart to an old patched pair of pants (Lane), but now that I have, I wish there were more out there like him! ;) Virginia Carmichael definitely has a creative mind to come up with the unique analogies and ideas that are found in the story. This is the first of her works that I've picked up, but I found her writing style to be enjoyable. If small towns, libraries, or will-they-or-won't-they relationships are of interest to you, this book is worth checking out.
August 25, 2013
Leaving Liberty is the first book that I have read by this author, and I am glad that I found it. I was looking for something 'light' to read, and found it on Amazon.com for .99. The book description sounded good, and the main reason I chose to read is because I loved the cover! The cover says to me, "come on in and stay awhile!"
I enjoyed the story because the characters were believable and down to earth. The town of Liberty is a place I would love to live (even though it is a fictional town). It is small, beautiful and everyone knows the others business, but that doesn't have to be a bad thing.
This book made me laugh, and made me tear up a few time too! I would say that the author achieved what she wanted, when the reader feels something for her characters.
Daisy McConnell is strong and independent, but she also carries around a lot of anger towards her father, Rocky. When Daisy was growing up Rocky was an alcoholic and mostly absent in her life. I would have liked to have seen the author develop the relationship between Daisy and her father more. With that said, it didn't take away from the story.
Lane Bennett is strong, and handsome (which is mentioned many, many times throughout the book). He is a policeman in the small town of Liberty, and has had his fair share of traumatic experiences and heartache.
I enjoyed watching the relationship between Daisy and Lane develop. Leaving Liberty is a story about love, second chances, faith and forgiveness. It is also a story about a town that comes together to try to save the one place they all love, the Carnegie Library.
I read somewhere that this book is a Christian Romance, but this book does not come off preachy or anything like that. If you enjoy a good, clean romance, with great characters, then this book is probably something you will enjoy!
I enjoyed the story because the characters were believable and down to earth. The town of Liberty is a place I would love to live (even though it is a fictional town). It is small, beautiful and everyone knows the others business, but that doesn't have to be a bad thing.
This book made me laugh, and made me tear up a few time too! I would say that the author achieved what she wanted, when the reader feels something for her characters.
Daisy McConnell is strong and independent, but she also carries around a lot of anger towards her father, Rocky. When Daisy was growing up Rocky was an alcoholic and mostly absent in her life. I would have liked to have seen the author develop the relationship between Daisy and her father more. With that said, it didn't take away from the story.
Lane Bennett is strong, and handsome (which is mentioned many, many times throughout the book). He is a policeman in the small town of Liberty, and has had his fair share of traumatic experiences and heartache.
I enjoyed watching the relationship between Daisy and Lane develop. Leaving Liberty is a story about love, second chances, faith and forgiveness. It is also a story about a town that comes together to try to save the one place they all love, the Carnegie Library.
I read somewhere that this book is a Christian Romance, but this book does not come off preachy or anything like that. If you enjoy a good, clean romance, with great characters, then this book is probably something you will enjoy!
October 27, 2014
Leaving Liberty
I liked the book, I really did. It had romance, a touch of mystery/suspense and characters with a belief in God.
But....
The writer, editor, and proofreaders need to keep a closer eye on the words.
In chapter 23, in the last paragraph, it says, "He turned off the flame...." Previously in the chapter it stated that he was cooking on charcoal briquettes. How do you turn off charcoal?
In chapter 25, paragraph 7, the words "pick nick" we're used. I do believe that is picnic.
And later in chapter 25, in the paragraph that starts, "Come on, boy. She's not here." The last word, next to last sentence should be thanks, not thanka.
I know it's petty to pick the book apart, but inconsistencies, misspellings, wrong words drive me crazy.
But the book was good beyond those problems.
I liked the book, I really did. It had romance, a touch of mystery/suspense and characters with a belief in God.
But....
The writer, editor, and proofreaders need to keep a closer eye on the words.
In chapter 23, in the last paragraph, it says, "He turned off the flame...." Previously in the chapter it stated that he was cooking on charcoal briquettes. How do you turn off charcoal?
In chapter 25, paragraph 7, the words "pick nick" we're used. I do believe that is picnic.
And later in chapter 25, in the paragraph that starts, "Come on, boy. She's not here." The last word, next to last sentence should be thanks, not thanka.
I know it's petty to pick the book apart, but inconsistencies, misspellings, wrong words drive me crazy.
But the book was good beyond those problems.
July 13, 2013
3.5 stars. Nice, clean little romance with interesting characters; it kept my attention and kept calling to me in the evening. I thought it was well-written, despite a couple of absurd typos. The "faith elements" were very natural and not overbearing.
August 10, 2021
Books... Attempting to save the library...books..."hot cop"... books...a missing girl's special toy...more books... and of course love and forgiveness. This was a great read!
August 15, 2013
I read Season of joy last Christmas and was waiting for another of her books. I really liked this one and liked how the quilt tied everything in together. I was afraid for a bit that the dog would get hurt but the author was great about using real emotions, not breaking our hearts over hurting the dog. I read a book a few months ago and the dog died and I was so sad. So I'm glad the author made sure nobody was hurt at the end!
July 4, 2013
Really about 3.75 stars. It was a little slow moving with the miniscule details about different things. Too many teases of what may have happened and not enough of a reveal when the "big" issues were finally revealed. The ending was a little abrupt and could have used a little more detail. There was a place for much more action/adventure, but it never played out.
July 1, 2015
This was such a cute story! Just a fun, sweet read.
September 5, 2017
One teacher...One cop.....
She wants to save the library, but he doesn't think that it's possible. Two headstrong people with very different views, you just can't help but fall in love with them and root for them and the library! This was yet another awesome book! My only complaint is that it is a stand alone. I would love to see more from these Liberty Colorado folks! Pleeeeeeeeease?
She wants to save the library, but he doesn't think that it's possible. Two headstrong people with very different views, you just can't help but fall in love with them and root for them and the library! This was yet another awesome book! My only complaint is that it is a stand alone. I would love to see more from these Liberty Colorado folks! Pleeeeeeeeease?
July 3, 2023
For a Christian romance, this book was good. First of all the preaching in most of this genre is always overdone and suffocating, not here though. As for the romance, it was really sweet and well developed, without any sexuality or praising of physical attributes. And then there’s my favorite place on earth as the main setting here, a library! You will feel a strong connection if -like me- you love libraries. All in all, an enjoyable and interesting story.
January 8, 2017
Happy endings
Very good book. Daisy's sad childhood in Liberty caused her to vow to never return. When her dear Aunt Marie died, she returned for the funeral and things changed. You can never tell if the ending will be happy until you get to the end. A book of restoration, love and faith.
Very good book. Daisy's sad childhood in Liberty caused her to vow to never return. When her dear Aunt Marie died, she returned for the funeral and things changed. You can never tell if the ending will be happy until you get to the end. A book of restoration, love and faith.
Read
January 3, 2023This book is so saccharine, you'll leave it with a tooth ache.
If you're looking for a bit of fluff to keep you entertained for a few hours on the holidays--maybe a cozy read by the winter fire--and you don't mind cheesy dialogue, this book is for you. Low on tension with a sweet romance, this hits all the points it needs to hit.
If you're looking for a bit of fluff to keep you entertained for a few hours on the holidays--maybe a cozy read by the winter fire--and you don't mind cheesy dialogue, this book is for you. Low on tension with a sweet romance, this hits all the points it needs to hit.
November 5, 2016
Same cover, same story but author's name for the Kindle I read is listed a Mary Jane Hathaway.
Two of my favorite side details--quilts and library
Making the best of the situation that you find. Actually-- making better the situation.
Two of my favorite side details--quilts and library
Making the best of the situation that you find. Actually-- making better the situation.
May 6, 2017
This was a lovely short read. As someone who loves libraries, the plot was perfect! I like the small-town feel. The cabin, the animals, and the closeness of the community all help make a wonderful formula for a good book.
Looking forward to more good reads!
Looking forward to more good reads!
May 11, 2017
It was difficult getting into this story but when I did, it was really good! This book is about forgiveness and love. It's amazing how forgiveness affects us and our happiness. Love replaces every hurt and opens our eyes to what we have missed out.
November 12, 2016
Wonderful!
For someone who grew up loving books and reading, this is perfect. Keep on reading and believing that it will work out.
For someone who grew up loving books and reading, this is perfect. Keep on reading and believing that it will work out.
January 12, 2017
Funny, sweet, honest
I love this sweet novel. It was a pleasure to read from beginning to end. Hoping that this is only my first visit to Liberty (series, please).
I love this sweet novel. It was a pleasure to read from beginning to end. Hoping that this is only my first visit to Liberty (series, please).
January 25, 2017
This is a sweet story about home, forgiveness, and starting over. I recommend this easy read. It will make you laugh, cry and provide new insight on looking at your past.
January 6, 2018
very good
February 28, 2021
I liked this clean, inspiring story of forgiveness and finding happiness. It is a quick, easy but uplifting read.
March 16, 2022
Great Story
What a fantastic, wholesome story. Kept my attention the entire time. Great storyline. Looking forward to reading more from this author.
What a fantastic, wholesome story. Kept my attention the entire time. Great storyline. Looking forward to reading more from this author.
October 5, 2024
Fun Read
Unique story. Deep attention to emotions, realistic characters. Maintains attention. Highly recommend! 8 more words required. Now four and done.
Unique story. Deep attention to emotions, realistic characters. Maintains attention. Highly recommend! 8 more words required. Now four and done.
September 17, 2014
Reviewed on my blog, Becky on Books.
A very sweet, very clean romance about forgiveness, second chances, and love. With a library. And a book quilt :)
Daisy is back in the town she grew up in--and hated--for one reason only: the funeral of her mentor and friend, Marie, the town librarian. She doesn't want to see her father, she doesn't want to catch up with her former classmates, she just wants to pay her respects, get the quilt that was left to her, and go back to her home in Fresno, California.
Lane loves his hometown of Liberty, and he'd never dream of leaving. He grew up here, and his younger sister and her family are here too. His parents moved away, sure, but they visit a lot and he returns the favor because his family is as important to him as his hometown and his job as a police officer. He's already been burned by love once, when he fell for a woman who didn't appreciate his ties with his family and wanted something more in life than Liberty had to offer. He knows better to be tempted by Daisy--no matter how sweet and lovely she is. He's a great example of a beta hero--he's got a "hero complex" as Daisy points out more than once, but it's mostly because he's a genuinely nice guy who just wants to help people.
Daisy and Lane spend a lot of the novel tiptoeing around each other--they start out on opposite sides of the save-the-library issue, but Lane comes around to her point of view on that issue fairly quickly. Or at least he stops actively opposing her on it...his biggest concern for much of the book is the deadline to her stay in town and the grudge she's held against it and her now-sober, once the town drunk father. They share an amazing kiss, but then not much more for a while.
When they finally come, the "I love you"s are pretty quick; I was kind of expecting a bit more drama to prompt them than actually did. Their time together afterwards was very sweet, and I'd like to have seen more of them in "cute couple" mode.
It seemed a little odd that Daisy had no one back in Liberty that she was close to growing up except for the town librarian--not one friend in school? No one?--that part struck me. She didn't give off the loner vibe that you'd expect from someone who had absolutely no friends, and she has a very close friend now as an adult who we see toward the end, so that part didn't feel quite right. I expected a bit more from the plotline with her dad as well--there was a measure of forgiveness there, sure, but then it felt as if that thread were dropped for the remainder of the book.
Overall this was a nice, light read from a new-to-me author. One of her historicals, All the Blue of Heaven, is excerpted at the end and definitely has my interest.
If you don't hear from me for a while, check under my out-of-control TBR pile, 'kay? ;)
Rating: 3 1/2 stars / B
I received a complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review.
A very sweet, very clean romance about forgiveness, second chances, and love. With a library. And a book quilt :)
Daisy is back in the town she grew up in--and hated--for one reason only: the funeral of her mentor and friend, Marie, the town librarian. She doesn't want to see her father, she doesn't want to catch up with her former classmates, she just wants to pay her respects, get the quilt that was left to her, and go back to her home in Fresno, California.
Lane loves his hometown of Liberty, and he'd never dream of leaving. He grew up here, and his younger sister and her family are here too. His parents moved away, sure, but they visit a lot and he returns the favor because his family is as important to him as his hometown and his job as a police officer. He's already been burned by love once, when he fell for a woman who didn't appreciate his ties with his family and wanted something more in life than Liberty had to offer. He knows better to be tempted by Daisy--no matter how sweet and lovely she is. He's a great example of a beta hero--he's got a "hero complex" as Daisy points out more than once, but it's mostly because he's a genuinely nice guy who just wants to help people.
Daisy and Lane spend a lot of the novel tiptoeing around each other--they start out on opposite sides of the save-the-library issue, but Lane comes around to her point of view on that issue fairly quickly. Or at least he stops actively opposing her on it...his biggest concern for much of the book is the deadline to her stay in town and the grudge she's held against it and her now-sober, once the town drunk father. They share an amazing kiss, but then not much more for a while.
When they finally come, the "I love you"s are pretty quick; I was kind of expecting a bit more drama to prompt them than actually did. Their time together afterwards was very sweet, and I'd like to have seen more of them in "cute couple" mode.
It seemed a little odd that Daisy had no one back in Liberty that she was close to growing up except for the town librarian--not one friend in school? No one?--that part struck me. She didn't give off the loner vibe that you'd expect from someone who had absolutely no friends, and she has a very close friend now as an adult who we see toward the end, so that part didn't feel quite right. I expected a bit more from the plotline with her dad as well--there was a measure of forgiveness there, sure, but then it felt as if that thread were dropped for the remainder of the book.
Overall this was a nice, light read from a new-to-me author. One of her historicals, All the Blue of Heaven, is excerpted at the end and definitely has my interest.
If you don't hear from me for a while, check under my out-of-control TBR pile, 'kay? ;)
Rating: 3 1/2 stars / B
I received a complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review.
September 19, 2014
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A huge thanks to Xpresso Book Tours and Virginia Carmichael for giving me an opportunity to read this book! I was given a free copy of this novel in exchange for my honest opinion. What a treat! :)
I saw that this was a clean romance and I jumped at the chance to read it.
Daisy is a feisty, passionate woman who is dragged back to the town in which she vowed she would never return. After her dear friend Marie, the local librarian, dies, Daisy is forced back to the small town of Liberty, Colorado and makes the acquaintance of a local, handsome cop named Lane Bennett. Then, the local library’s future is put in jeopardy of being shut down. Daisy’s finest childhood memories are of the library and she simply cannot let it close! With the help of Lane, Daisy learns to trust and let her guard down as she fights for the library’s future.
MORAL RATING:
PG: Kissing, but otherwise pretty clean! It’s a Christian Fiction novel. Do the math :)
THE GOOD:
First of all, the cover of this novel is so dang cute! Cover Daisy is such a sassy, sure of herself chica. I love it!
This was such a wonderful read. From the relatable characters to the writing style of Carmichael, this book has it all. Genuinely one of the better Christian fiction books I’ve read so far this year. Daisy McConell is a fun heroine. She had a troubling childhood and has a hard time trusting others. She’s grown up paving her own path in life. When Lane makes an appearance in her life, she doesn’t know how to lean on him and allow him to help her. She has to learn to rely on someone other than herself and put her trust in him.
Lane Bennett was an adorable man. I don’t usually call men “adorable”, but Lane was an absolutely adorable character. I loved him! He was so sweet, considerate, and protective of Daisy. At times, I wondered if he understood Daisy better than she understood herself! They were honestly so perfect together.
Virginia Carmichael’s writing style and pacing kept me reading. I didn’t ever feel that this story lagged, and I was constantly dying to know what would happen next. While the ending was predictable, I still felt compelled to keep turning the pages. Daisy and Lane were fun characters and very realistic. I’m looking forward to reading whatever Virginia Carmichael writes next!
Also, despite the Christian aspect of this novel, I never felt like I was being preached down to. All of the mentions of Christianity were well-woven into the plot and the characters’ decisions. That’s a big one for me and Carmichael nailed it.
THE BAD:
There were really no glaring problems for me in this book! It was a nice summer read and made me smile more than a few times. :)
MY VERDICT:
I’d give Leaving Liberty 4.5/5 hearts! It was a sweet, clean read that kept me turning the pages. Liberty is a town that I wish I could visit!
A huge thanks to Xpresso Book Tours and Virginia Carmichael for giving me an opportunity to read this book! I was given a free copy of this novel in exchange for my honest opinion. What a treat! :)
I saw that this was a clean romance and I jumped at the chance to read it.
Daisy is a feisty, passionate woman who is dragged back to the town in which she vowed she would never return. After her dear friend Marie, the local librarian, dies, Daisy is forced back to the small town of Liberty, Colorado and makes the acquaintance of a local, handsome cop named Lane Bennett. Then, the local library’s future is put in jeopardy of being shut down. Daisy’s finest childhood memories are of the library and she simply cannot let it close! With the help of Lane, Daisy learns to trust and let her guard down as she fights for the library’s future.
MORAL RATING:
PG: Kissing, but otherwise pretty clean! It’s a Christian Fiction novel. Do the math :)
THE GOOD:
First of all, the cover of this novel is so dang cute! Cover Daisy is such a sassy, sure of herself chica. I love it!
This was such a wonderful read. From the relatable characters to the writing style of Carmichael, this book has it all. Genuinely one of the better Christian fiction books I’ve read so far this year. Daisy McConell is a fun heroine. She had a troubling childhood and has a hard time trusting others. She’s grown up paving her own path in life. When Lane makes an appearance in her life, she doesn’t know how to lean on him and allow him to help her. She has to learn to rely on someone other than herself and put her trust in him.
Lane Bennett was an adorable man. I don’t usually call men “adorable”, but Lane was an absolutely adorable character. I loved him! He was so sweet, considerate, and protective of Daisy. At times, I wondered if he understood Daisy better than she understood herself! They were honestly so perfect together.
Virginia Carmichael’s writing style and pacing kept me reading. I didn’t ever feel that this story lagged, and I was constantly dying to know what would happen next. While the ending was predictable, I still felt compelled to keep turning the pages. Daisy and Lane were fun characters and very realistic. I’m looking forward to reading whatever Virginia Carmichael writes next!
Also, despite the Christian aspect of this novel, I never felt like I was being preached down to. All of the mentions of Christianity were well-woven into the plot and the characters’ decisions. That’s a big one for me and Carmichael nailed it.
THE BAD:
There were really no glaring problems for me in this book! It was a nice summer read and made me smile more than a few times. :)
MY VERDICT:
I’d give Leaving Liberty 4.5/5 hearts! It was a sweet, clean read that kept me turning the pages. Liberty is a town that I wish I could visit!
August 21, 2013
Daisy hates the little town of Liberty. There is only one person she loves there--Marie the librarian. But when Marie dies she comes back for the funeral. After the funeral, however, Daisy is shocked to find out that the town is closing down the library. The library is the one place where she was happy as a child. Daisy may hate Liberty but she can't let Marie's library close. She just can't. So she decides to stay for the summer, hoping she can save it before she leaves. But what about the handsome police officer with his adorable golden retriever who always rides gunshot? Daisy's heart--and very future--might just change.
Leaving Liberty is my first Virginia Carmichael book. I got it free on Prime. I really like the whole save-the-library idea in the book. I also liked how the author worded certain phrases throughout the story. She always seemed to have more original wording for ordinary situations. However, that is where the freshness stops.
Daisy and her love interest the policeman Lane were quite ordinary characters with nothing spectacular about them. The book as a whole was quite lackluster. There were a few cute moments, and I smiled a couple times, but nothing too hilarious. I was very surprised at how extremely mediocre this book was. It was quite dull with the expected happy ending. Both Daisy and Lane seemed to lack depth, just as the plot did. The author could have gone so much more deeper into the more emotional aspects of the novel, but failed to do so. As a result, Leaving Liberty is just an ordinary, ho-hum type of novel.
In the beginning, I thought that maybe the book would go back in time to when Daisy had been a little girl. But it never did that. If it had, it would have been deeper and fuller. It was somewhat funny and--as I said--the author can turn a pretty phrase, but there is nothing too special about Leaving Liberty.
I give Leaving Liberty three out of five stars.
Check out more of my reviews on my blog at http://brookesbookblog.weebly.com/1/p...
Leaving Liberty is my first Virginia Carmichael book. I got it free on Prime. I really like the whole save-the-library idea in the book. I also liked how the author worded certain phrases throughout the story. She always seemed to have more original wording for ordinary situations. However, that is where the freshness stops.
Daisy and her love interest the policeman Lane were quite ordinary characters with nothing spectacular about them. The book as a whole was quite lackluster. There were a few cute moments, and I smiled a couple times, but nothing too hilarious. I was very surprised at how extremely mediocre this book was. It was quite dull with the expected happy ending. Both Daisy and Lane seemed to lack depth, just as the plot did. The author could have gone so much more deeper into the more emotional aspects of the novel, but failed to do so. As a result, Leaving Liberty is just an ordinary, ho-hum type of novel.
In the beginning, I thought that maybe the book would go back in time to when Daisy had been a little girl. But it never did that. If it had, it would have been deeper and fuller. It was somewhat funny and--as I said--the author can turn a pretty phrase, but there is nothing too special about Leaving Liberty.
I give Leaving Liberty three out of five stars.
Check out more of my reviews on my blog at http://brookesbookblog.weebly.com/1/p...
August 3, 2014
This review was originally posted on Gin's Book Notes
Leaving Liberty by Virginia Carmichael is a contemporary christian romance. It's a story about forgiveness, love, and moving on from your past but I would say that the biggest theme is forgiveness.
I love stories based in small towns and when you add in the fact that the main character is trying to save the town library this should/ could have been a great read. Unfortunately it was just okay.
The story line is good. As I mentioned before the theme seems to center around forgiveness and the story is built around that. The problem for me is the errors; there are a lot of them.
For instance, Sammy, the dog in the story, is a "furry golden retriever" on one page and then on the very next page he is "resting his heavy Labrador retriever's head" and it happens more than once.
There were also a lot of misspelled and missing words. Little things like "make difference choices" instead of "make different choices". I'm usually able to overlook one or two errors but I think this story could use another round with an editor.
With that being said there were also several memorable and heartfelt lines.
Leaving Liberty is a clean romance with a message and a heartwarming ending. Overall, I enjoyed the story but the errors were distracting for me and took away some of the pleasure of reading it.
Leaving Liberty by Virginia Carmichael is a contemporary christian romance. It's a story about forgiveness, love, and moving on from your past but I would say that the biggest theme is forgiveness.
I love stories based in small towns and when you add in the fact that the main character is trying to save the town library this should/ could have been a great read. Unfortunately it was just okay.
The story line is good. As I mentioned before the theme seems to center around forgiveness and the story is built around that. The problem for me is the errors; there are a lot of them.
For instance, Sammy, the dog in the story, is a "furry golden retriever" on one page and then on the very next page he is "resting his heavy Labrador retriever's head" and it happens more than once.
There were also a lot of misspelled and missing words. Little things like "make difference choices" instead of "make different choices". I'm usually able to overlook one or two errors but I think this story could use another round with an editor.
With that being said there were also several memorable and heartfelt lines.
"What was the difference between owning your past hurts and letting them rule your every decision?"
"Don't be looking for the least complicated route to happily ever after, because there isn't any. At least, none that are worth your time."
"Was she playing the victim? Did she wear her bitterness like an old smelly coat?"
Leaving Liberty is a clean romance with a message and a heartwarming ending. Overall, I enjoyed the story but the errors were distracting for me and took away some of the pleasure of reading it.
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September 15, 2014
I think the first hint that this was going to be a great story is when Daisy made reference to an old Beverly Clearly book about Ramona Quimby. " The sidewalk seemed to stretch forever. A scene from one of her favorite childhood books popped into her head. Ramona Quimby being carried out of the muddy field by Henry Huggins, proving once more she was, indeed, a big pest. She hadn't thought of that book in years and she had to smile a little. She wished she had bright red rain boots, like Ramona, instead of the funeral-shoes-turned-rude-party-trick. And Mr. Hero Complex could be Henry Huggins." I devoured those Ramona books as a child and smiled at the reference. The longer I read this book, the better the story became. Even though the steam is light, the romance is strong and real. The author builds the relationship between Lane and Daisy slowly and steadily and allows the reader to really feel these characters emotions. The pace of the story is fantastic and the story never felt rushed. I highly recommend you taking the time to read Leaving Liberty. The only complaint I would have about this book is the cover. To me, the cover is something that would hint at YA/NA and this book is neither. While young, the couple are past college age and established in careers. The story is light hearted, but handles some serious issues without high intensity and drama. You will not find ridiculous angst or immature characters. This is a great read for when you need a happy and uplifting story to brighten your day.
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