Thanks for the review copy. I was not able to read this one, so I did not leave a review on social media.

If you love heartfelt southern fiction, I highly recommend this book. As an animal lover, I really enjoyed the strong, loving bond between a very special dog and his mistress. THE SUMMER OF NEW BEGINNINGS has all the feels.Thanks for bringing me back to the south, Bette. Even though I reside far from family, you have that a way of taking me home.

This was a nice read. There was a lot of forward movement and development of the characters' lives. It was a nice, easy, summer read and best part - has a happy ending! Was really cheering for this family to succeed!

The summer of new beginnings is a story of a family whose lives were changed when George, Lila’s husband & Meghan & Tracy’s Dad suddenly passes away the day before Meghan was leaving for college ; Life as they all knew changed for ever. Meghan decides to put going to college on hold and run her father’s business snip and save, it was the one way to help financially and keep her father’s memory( while her sister Tracy runs off with a Dominic a boy who did not love her the way she deserved to be love. Life changed again for the whole when Sox the dog arrived in Meghan’s life; she was positive he was sent to her by Dad who was watching from above. I don’t want to give this beautiful story away, but the most important lesson Meghan learned and taught me is; sometimes when tragedies come and redirect our lives, how we react and move forward opens us up to a beautiful new life with people and opportunities that would of never come our way. I love how Meghan is certain that George really never left them; that he is watching from above and guiding them to find love & happiness. This once broken family has found happiness and moving forward even though it’s different from the original path they had planned. Betty Lee Crosby for sharing such a beautiful story.

This is not a book to read on the train or at lunch in the office. It’s a book to read curled up on the couch at home with a warm blanket, cup of tea and box of tissues, where you can laugh and cry without feeling conspicuous.

Every family has its rough times and the Briggs family is working through a lot of issues - the death of beloved husband and father George, rebellion by older daughter Tracy and the abandonment of Meghan's dream of attending journalism school so she can take over producing her father's newsletter.

Through the ups and downs of that summer, the family grows closer and stronger. Tracy loves and loses and returns home a single mom of an adorable, challenging little boy. Meghan relives the trauma of losing her childhood dog Clancy when she rescues a dog from the lake. Is he going to be hers or will she lose him too? And what about the new vet in town? Through it all Tracy realizes Meghan has always been there on her side, supporting her. And Meghan comes to recognize Tracy's importance in her life.

I must admit I've never read anything by Bette Lee Crosby that I didn't rate 5 stars so I started this book with high expectations. I was not disappointed. I didn't get any housework done today but I feel SO good after finishing this book. Since it's listed as a Magnolia Grove novel, I'm hoping this is the first in a series of stories. After all we need to know what happens with Lucas and with Tracy and Gabriel. What about Lila and Bruce Pendergast? Is there something there?

I loved this story. I’m a huge fan of this author and I but anything she writes. It’s always great. It’s always an important message. It’s always a story you can’t wait to share. Those are the best kind.

When George Briggs passes away he leaves behind a wife, Lila, and two daughters, Tracy and Meghan. Lila worries about how her husband’s death is going to effect them all. Tracy ends up falling in love and moving away. She ends up with a baby boy and struggling to make amends. Meghan had a close relationship to her father and decides to stay and run the business that her father started. She also is struggling but finds hope in a rescue dog named Sox and a local veterinarian named Tom. This book is the first in a series so it will be interesting to see what happens in the next book. I highly recommend this book to all readers!

I read this book as an advanced reader. I loved the story and the characters. One of Bette 's best! I truly hope there will be a sequel.

Loved, loved, loved it! I knew I would being written by one of my favorite authors but it exceeded my expectations! I preordered a copy for my Mom, sister and sisters-in-law. I want to live in Magnolia Grove. I want to be friends with these people. This is a feel good book. Thank you for the chance to read it ahead of others!

The Summer of New Beginnings is a sweet story that begins with a moment of great sadness, when George, husband of Lila and father of Tracey and Meghan dies suddenly of a heart attack. This upends everything Meghan had planned, especially going to journalism school, when she decides to take over the weekly magazine that her father had published for years.


While somewhat predictable, the family embarks on a journey with unexpected twists and turns, as well as moments of extraordinary love and connection that leave the reader feeling satisfied that their lives are on a steady path, almost as though George has been guiding them at every turn.

My thanks to the author and Lake Union Publishing for providing me a copy of this book.

A touching story about a mother and her two daughters. The relationships between the three aren't always "perfect", but when the going gets tough these three women can always lean on each other. I can not wait to see where the rest of the series will take us....

The thing I enjoy most about ALL of Bette Lee Crosby books are that she writes about ‘real’ people. People whose lives you become part of as you read the book. You can laugh with them, grieve with them, worry about things together and share their joys as well. And even though there are some tough issues dealt with in THE SUMMER OF NEW BEGINNINGS such as death, sacrifice, disability and domestic abuse; these are counter-balanced by love, support, selflessness and laughter.

At the start of the story George, dies and leaves a Lila a widow and their two daughters grieving his loss and to pick up the pieces. Meghan, closest to her father, gives up her dreams to take over the family business, however she feels that her father may not be fully gone and is still there guiding her. Tracy rebels without her father’s firm and loving hand and runs off to another state with her boyfriend’ Lila, his wife, has lost her reason for being and is struggling to find out what her role is in life now – she was happiest cooking huge meals – but with only two at home now she is at a loss. Tracy returns home with her baby boy, Lucas, her dreams broken. Her return is the turning point for a family that is merely existing – not living. Lila now has a purpose in life – being a grandmother – and cooking gain. Just after Tracy’s return, Meghan rescues a drowning puppy from the lake when a sudden storm blows up – and so Sox comes into their lives. He plays an important part. Through him they discover that Lucas has a medical problem and Meghan meets the local vet who becomes a love interest.

The two sisters start to work together for a common goal, helping Lucas. There are squabbles – come on, they are sisters after all; lessons are learned, chances taken and slowly the story works its magic. By the end, there is the hope that each of the Briggs family will get their happy ever after. But this is the first of the Magnolia Grove Series so no matter that most of the threads have been tied, there is a ‘wait, there’s more’ for one of the family members. I can hardly wait until October when the next book is released.

This was a charming story about family and love, with a little drama thrown in to keep it balanced. Crosby's writing is comforting, homespun, the town is one I'd like to visit. A small community filled with interesting characters. The love at first sight thing always makes me roll my eyes, I'm just not a sucker for that. But otherwise, I enjoyed it. Sox was my favorite. ;)

This is the first book I’ve read by this author, but it certainly won’t be my last! Get the tissues ready tho! “The Summer of New Beginnings” is a heartwarming story that evokes so many emotions that even lingered every time I had to make myself stop reading. A wonderful contemporary women’s fiction must read that addresses many issues that many families face in the real world. With a fresh new plot, characters that are well-defined & attention-to-detail that brings the story to life, readers will be engaged & turning pages. I volunteered to read this and was fortunate to be able to through NetGalley, without any outside influences & I can honestly recommend this to fans of fiction. I look forward to reading more by Ms. Crosby!

Thank you NetGalley for the copy of The Summer of New Beginnings by Bette Lee Crosby that I read and reviewed.
I did enjoy this book but the problem I had with it was that it moved really slow. I enjoy books that move a bit faster and for me this book dragged on a bit more then I would have liked.
However, the story was very good and interesting. I enjoyed the bond between the sisters and how they were there for each other when they were needed.
I am giving this book four out of five stars.

I loved this story! It is beautiful and heart-warming, and it made me smile. My favorite aspects of the story are the family & sister relationships and the way Sox came into their lives. Well worth reading and I look forward to the next book in the series!

Having read a bunch of Bette’s books I couldn’t wait to read this first book in her new series.

There’s no one thing I can point to as why I loved this book. It’s many things. The genuine characters. The anticipation of what’s to come. Feeling all of those feels. Sorrow, heartbreak, frustration, hope, happiness and love. And how easily the story flows. I read this in one sitting. No way could I put it down until I was done.

Meghan is the main character. After her father dies, she gives up her dreams to keep his legacy alive. Along the way you’re introduced to her family. Shown how they struggle to move on and adapt. And Bette throws in a sprinkle of something magical. It comes with four legs and goes by Sox.

I could gush on and on about this book. I adored it. Will be reading it again. And am happily amazed that Bette got me to read outside my normal genre and showed me how good that could be.

I received an Advanced Reader Copy from NetGalley for my unbiased opinion of the book. The book is about Meghan Briggs who wants to go to journalism school, but her dream is cut short by her father's death. Realizing she needs to stay home and keep the business running because her older sister Tracy is too unpredictable to be responsible and moves away with an abusive boyfriend and her mother never worked. Her sister ends up back home with baby after realizing her boyfriend will never be a father and husband she hoped for. The sisters begin to work on their relationship as well becoming more of a family. Meghan stumbles across an abandoned pup named Sox who needs a home. While bringing him the new town vet and the summer unfolds into romance! I really enjoyed this story, I cannot wait to see what the next book in this series brings!

Many thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for an ARC of this lovely book which I really did enjoy!

The summer before Meghan is due to start her longed for and much awaited college course, her father passes away leaving her behind with her mother and sister Tracy. They are a family devastated by his loss and Meghan decides to stay behind and forfeit her college course to carry on her father's business - the 'Snip and Save'. Flighty Tracy on the other hand, falls head over heels in love with an unsuitable character and moves states to be with him. As life progresses, Meghan copes as best she can filling the void with work until one day while out walking, she rescues a drowning dog from the lake. 'Sox' as she calls him becomes her shadow and seems to understand her every emotion and Meghan is over the moon when all her attempts of finding Sox's legal owner turn up nothing. A last ditch attempt takes Meghan to the local vet practice where she meets the new & very handsome vet....

Meanwhile, Tracy returns to the family home with new baby Lucas who appears to have special needs - this whole issue has been handled with sensitivity and care and so begins another strand to the story that opens up many more possibilities for the whole family.

This is a lovely, heartwarming story that would be a wonderful summer read! I would not hesitate to recommend it to others!

After her father dies, Megan puts her life and career on hold to return home to take over her father’s business. Meanwhile, her sister Tracy, always the wild one, opts to follow her heart and her boyfriend to Philadelphia, but things don’t work out, so Tracy returns home a single mother. Megan has a small dog instead of children—a dog who works his way right into her life and heart, as he will with the reader. Megan makes a half-hearted effort to find the dog’s owner, while Sox enchants everyone around, especially Tracy’s child Lucas. Can this fractured family see its way through to healing any wounds that can keep them apart?

This book made me laugh and cry, sometimes at the same time, as I followed the lives of the two sisters and their mother, all grieving for their now deceased father, trying to figure out what comes next in their lives. The characters were all too real. The plot/story line could have occurred anywhere. I especially found the insertion of Sox enjoyable, but I love animals, especially dogs. The author has provided the reader with a wonderful story about life and families as they really are, complete with challenges, rewards and sometimes failures. The story spoke loudly to me, as I am sure it will to any reader who enjoys curling up with a nice, heart-warming tale about a family you could easily find anywhere. I have read many of the books the author has written, and this is right up there with her normally fantastic reads. I received this form NetGalley to read and review.