Kim Nash

Maddy's life has been turned on its head. Just when she thought all her hard work was finally paying off, BOOM...redundancy. Thing is although this isn't the ideal situation for her, it is a time to collect herself, reflect on her life, and perhaps if she's lucky, refocus on the things that really matter. You see, as with most of us, she lost sight of what's important, pushed away her other dreams and desires that didn't fit the work goal she was aiming for, and accepted love that was less than what she deserved, but never really SAW it for what it was.

When all seems lost, that's when Maddy, the REAL Maddy, seems to be found....along with a little behind the scenes help from her best friend, Beth. Yes, she did really need her help when she was recuperating from surgery, but she didn't have to send her to all those places; she did so to help her reconnect with the person she was while reconciling "her" with the person she'd become. It was sweet, it was eye-opening, it was just what she needed even if she didn't know it at the time.

All in all, an enjoyable read for Women's Fiction and Chick-Lit fans. The only drawbacks for me were A) I didn't really see the "comedy" in the "romance" (as in the sub genre it was granted), B) I really enjoyed the outings she was sent on, but at some point it seemed like a few TOO many (I loved her finding herself, but wished it was a little faster), and C) that ending...or rather things leading up to it. Oye! I just could not believe things were unfolding like they were unfolding.


**ebook received for review… (mehr)

I very much enjoyed this book, and was hooked from the first page. I thought the story was well-written, and the characters were realistic. I particularly liked Madison and her amazing bestie, Beth, who seems to understand what Madison needs better than she does herself.

Other main characters include Beth's brother Alex. From the first mention of Alex, I wanted him and Madison to realise their love for each other. Baxter the dog is also a great little character, telling us without words who can be trusted and who can't. And that brings me to Jamie - he made my flesh creep, so the least said about him, the better!

Madison thinks she has it all: a great career with the chance of a great promotion, and the lifestyle to go with it. She works continuously, in the office and at home to make sure she is giving her absolute all to the company. She has friends at work but has let other friendships slide. She is close to her mother, but over time her mother has featured less in her life because work is more important. Her mother has picked up on this and phones her less, and makes fewer demands on her time. Madison lives to work.

That is until the day she arrives at work expecting a promotion but finds herself made redundant instead. She cannot believe this is happening to her. She has given her entire self to the company. She must now find a comparable position to maintain her lifestyle. Her redundancy won't last forever, so she applies for a couple of less-than-suitable jobs, and when nothing works out there, her friend Beth suggests a temporary arrangement which would benefit them both - working at Growlers, Beth's kennel at Giddywell Grange.

As well as working in the kennel, Beth gives Madison little tasks which involve helping others in the local community. Initially Madison sees these tasks as nothing more than a list of things to do, but realising how valuable her contributions are to the people on that list, and deriving an unexpected joy from helping others, she is soon reevaluating her life.

Does she really need an all-consuming career which leaves her with nothing outside of work? No holidays; no social life; no partner; no children...

This is one of those novels that is not only an interesting and engaging as a story, but one which made me pause for thought. I particularly liked the pay-it-forward aspect, and the resulting good karma it returned to Madison.

Escape to Giddywell Grange is an engaging, amusing and thought-provoking story that I would wholeheartedly recommend.… (mehr)

My Rating: 4.5 Stars

Grace is a single mum. She has a wonderful son named Archie and a happy dog named Becks. Her life was rolling along just fine before. Fairly happily married to Mark, living in a gorgeous town was all she ever needed. However, walking in on her husband in the middle of him with another women was all it took for Grace to strike out on her own.

Grace and Archie are very close. Sharing him with his father is not easy for Grace, but she knows she must be fair to her son. Before Archie was born, Grace lost her mother. However, her mother was never far from her heart and her thoughts. Her connection with her mum drove her on.

Meanwhile, Grace has found a dear friend and has opportunities in life as never before. It certainly doesn't hurt when someone in the form of a stunningly handsome gardener shows up at her door. Could this possible be the beginning of something new? Would this be the best thing for Archie? Grace has a lot to ponder, especially when Mark begs for another chance.

I loved this story by Kim Nash. I found it to be incredibly sensitive, soothing and touching. I literally felt this story. I felt Grace's connecting with her mother. I felt her closeness with her son, and I felt her battle when it came to her future.

Amazing Grace is an extremely well-written debut novel. I adored the humor in this story, and loved how it made Grace's growth so positive. I would love to have an outlook like she did! One thing that I got from this book was Grace was a woman who learned to appreciate that SHE counted, and that was handled beautifully. Kudos to Ms. Nash. I look forward to reading much more from her. Simply put, this book was A-MAZING!!!!… (mehr)

Redundant. Ten years of her life. Over.

That is pretty much how Maddy Young feels. It is all over. Great job, apartment, company car. Gone. She also lost the man in her life due to a breakup.

Maddy has an opportunity to help her friend Beth. No time like the present. Beth is about to undergo an operation and will be out of commission for a while. She owns Growlers, a doggy day-care, and she does other community activities. Maddy takes over for Beth. Gone are the high-powered clothes, the perfect hair and nails. She is now deep in doggy-doo. But, it turns out to be so much more.

For one thing, Maddy becomes very involved with the community in Giddywell Grange. She meets wonderful people she never would have met before. She finds a connection with others that is more precious than just about any experience she has ever had.

One special thing in Maddy's life, is Beth's brother Alex. He is also in town, and he and Maddy have something between them. However, Maddy's ex comes calling and wants a second chance. Along the way, Maddy has Beth and her uncle to help her, and they prove invaluable to her. What is more is now that she is not working 24/7, she gets to spend time with her mother, and this is something that she thought might never happen.

What a touching story. My heart broke more than once when I realized just how much Maddy and Alex were drawn to one another. The hesitancy they experienced worked well to draw out the drama in this story. All I wanted for Maddy was to find happiness. Her road to happiness was paved with so many beautiful things, despite the conflicts that occurred. Kim Nash is a delightful storyteller. And that, folks, makes me quite a happy reader.

Many thanks to Hera Books and to NetGalley for this ARC to review. This is my honest opinion.… (mehr)