Such a great book! I loved all the characters. Evie has a gift. She has premonitions, but a past she cannot predict. She uses her gift to help others. She has a love for animals, books and desserts....all desserts are healthy if you think about it! Her mother and aunts are a hoot! I loved this story and was sad to see it end. I would love to read more about Evie and her world!.

All about Eve is no doubt another best seller for Cathy Lamb. The unique plot tied together with not only wonderful characters but believable and realistic characters will have you locked into this book. I truly believe that there are people like Evie in this world which besides the author made this a must read for me. Seasoned fans of Lambs will also enjoy finding little hints of other books throughout this one. If you’re not a fan of Lambs this book will definitely make you one. Grab your copy today.

My first book by this author. Great characters and storyline. I enjoyed the laughter, sadness, love with a little bit of mystery.

The story is told in two parts; the past and present. It doesn't take long to figure out Evie is really the long lost daughter Rose. Love will make you do hard things. It will make you protect the ones you love, sacrifice your own happiness and get you through the worst of times.

I loved Rose's mom and aunts. They were a hoot! Her sister was like straight out of a biker chick romance novel! Evie was the glue that held them all together, though she felt like the outsider.

“Evie was often anxious, obsessive, now and then depressed and a worried person that would find being a hermit a pleasant occupation. She talked to animals as if they were people and slept with three dogs and four cats; had to be alone a lot to keep her head on straight, and who had a passion for books….” This last phrase is the “hook!”

Evie is adorable, loves her soon to be wed sister, Jules, and lives with her mom, Poppy, Aunt Iris and Aunt Camellia. Cathy Lamb, author, asks, “Do you believe in premonitions?” The thing is, Evie has been gifted or cursed with having premonitions and has dealt with them since she was a young child; helping some or not & saving others! This is a story of sisters and their loyalty and love for each other, a mother and her sisters’ secrets, and coming to grips with the truth-no matter the outcome.

This novel made me think, laugh, reminisce, cry, and grow to love the quirky characters: three adorable, old ladies, their hat parades, flower garden & marijuana plants; Marco, Evie’s handsome veterinarian, (but wait, there’s a premonition involved), Jules, Evie’s sister & her biker fiance, Mack, and for goodness sake, not to leave out new police chief, Reginald Ashburn III, aka: Chief Ass Burn! (readers will grow to hate him rather than love him).

Oh goodness. Did I mention that Evie owns a bookstore? Yes, so there’s lots of regular or random customers, scheduled book club meetings, along with oodles of delicious cakes & coffee served to the readers on the deck looking out to sea. This is the windy, island backdrop for Evie’s premonitions that come true and some that don’t. Cathy Lamb’s All About Evie features a glorious island with delightful friends & an equally charming bookstore; paired with a heart wrenching story told in a dual timeline of a mother’s love for her daughter and the steps she will take to save her, lifelong best friends, sisters of two generations, and, of course, the lovable animals that have their own role in the delightful drama that ensues. Totally a ***** charming read. GR

Evie Lindsay has to live with her premonitions all her life, and can see the future of what could happen both good and the bad. Now an adult, they have become a part of her daily life. As a young girl, her parents suddenly move Evie and her sister Jules to San Orcanita Island where it was quieter, to hopefully abate and control her premonitions. Evie does act on her premonitions and have saved many people from disastrous accidents and death. There is one premonition she keeps having since she was a child and have been haunting her.

Evie seems happy living by herself with all her animals - and there are plenty, and running her busy bookstore serving tourists and her community fancy coffees, teas and amazing pastries. She reads books as an escape, and when she is reading, she is not having any premonitions.

Her sister Jules is planning a wedding and decides to do a DNA test to find out more about their heritage and this starts revelations about Evie’s past.

I loved how Cathy Lamb in this beautiful story was able to weave a story of a haunting past to the present day, about Evie’s life and drawing a beautiful parallel story. The characters in the story added to how Evie’s life is made whole by all the people that love and surround her. Throughout this story, I really wanted to be a part of Evie’s life and wonderful community. What an enjoyable read and one that was also deep and brilliantly written only Cathy Lamb does.

I enjoyed this well told story. We meet Evie who owns the island bookshop and her quirky mother, mother, sister and aunts. Evie also has the gift of premonitions. The burden of seeing these things har happen in the future is sometimes overwhelming for Evie become a barrier to her living her true life. This story made me both laugh and cry as it examined relationships, fears, guilt and seeking truths.

First let me say, this book was entertaining. The characters were quirky and fun. It did take me a very long time to read though as it wasn’t really a page-turner, and I kept wondering when Evie was going to take the DNA test and find out about her family history. I also felt that while Evie sounded like a sweet person, she was also a bit juvenile. I couldn’t figure out how old she was until it was mentioned in the book. Overall not a horrible read, but I thought “The Man She Married”, one of Cathy Lamb’s other books, was much more well written and kept me turning the pages a lot more than this one.

I loved this one! Cathy Lamb has quickly become one of my favorite authors. I can't wait to read whatever she comes out with next!

Loved it! First book by Cathy Lamb and it will not be my last! Wonderful fun loving characters with big personalities. It was a great book to read slowly and become a part of their world. I highly recommend it. Thanks to Net Galley and the publisher for the opportunity to read an advance copy.

EXCERPT:The house is tucked back in the trees, in the middle of a field, a little ways out of town. The wildflowers and feverfew and irises would bloom soon, an old willow to one side, a gnarled oak tree in the front. Weeds had overtaken much of the yard.

It used to be charming, a bright yellow home with white trim and a green door. Now it wasn't. I had many memories that were stuck behind the dirty, ragged white picket fence and in the backyard, by the pond. There were memories at the end of a rope swing hanging from the willow tree, in the highest branches of the oak tree, and in a fort that had since fallen down behind the house.

Inside the house, too, were memories. In the kitchen with hand-painted yellow tiles. In a back bedroom painted a cheerful pink.

The pink bedroom didn't match with the blood in the kitchen.

I sniffled as my eyes filled with tears.

What had happened there was my fault and I have never forgotten it, never forgiven myself. I had been young, yes, but I had known better.

ABOUT THIS BOOK: As a child, Evie Lindsay was unnerved by her premonitions. As an adult, they have become a simple fact of life—sometimes disruptive but also inescapable, much like her quirky, loveable family. Evie’s mother, Poppy, and her aunts, Camellia and Iris, are well known on San Orcanita island for their free-spirited ways and elaborately decorated hats. Their floral shop and Evie’s bookstore draw streams of visitors all summer long. This season promises to be extra busy: Evie’s sister, Jules, is getting married on the island.

As Jules plans her unconventional wedding, she arranges to do a DNA test with her mother, sister, and aunts, to see how much accepted lore about their heritage holds true. The results blow apart everything Evie has grown up believing about herself and her family. Spurred on by the revelations, Evie uncovers the real story of her past. But beyond her feelings of shock and betrayal, there are unexpected opportunities—to come to terms with a gift that has sometimes felt like a curse, to understand the secrets that surrounded her childhood, and to embrace the surprising new life that is waiting for her . . .

MY THOUGHTS: Anything with Cathy Lamb's name on it is an immediate draw-card for me, whether she has written the book or is simply endorsing it. So you can understand my going into shock when, at 4%, I thought 'I don't like this book. I. Do. Not. Like. It.' I sulked and wondered why she had written such a stupid book. I blamed it on my current reading slump, or book hangover, whatever you want to call it, stomped about a bit, then gave myself a mental kick in the rear, picked up All About Evie and kept reading, because I did not believe Cathy Lamb would write a book I didn't love.

...and fell in love with Evie. I love her sense of humour, her sense of family, her stubbornness, her love of books, her love of animals, her love of food, her sass. I want her to be my sister, my BFF. I need an Evie in my life!

I laughed. I cried. I ranted - mostly at Evie because I didn't understand why she was doing what she was doing. I wondered if she was one of those people who enjoy torturing themselves... This book was FUN.

I loved her eccentric family. And now is probably a good time to share a few of my favourite quotes from All About Evie. Picking just a few was extremely hard, but I could not limit myself to just my normal one....
'we should have a day off each month where everyone is required to stay home and read and read and eat their favourite cake.'
'I so hate running. It makes me breathless. Now and then I see people running or jogging, and I think, 'My, that looks miserable.''
'"We all have to take time each day for meditation and tranquility." "Yes," Aunt iris said. "And beer. Or tequila."'

So why not the full five stars? Because Cathy didn't include the recipes for the cakes.....I want to eat the five layer chocolate ecstasy cake, and all the others that had me drooling as I read. Or are you planning, Cathy, to publish a separate cookbook with all the yummy recipes of the beautiful cakes and pies in this book. I hope so. And if you need a tester.....

4 five layer chocolate ecstasy stars

THE AUTHOR: Cathy Lamb was born in Newport Beach, California. As a child, she mastered the art of skateboarding, catching butterflies in bottles, and riding her bike with no hands. When she was 10, her parents moved her, two sisters, a brother, and two poorly behaved dogs to Oregon before she could fulfill her lifelong dream of becoming a surfer bum.

She then embarked on her notable academic career where she earned good grades now and then, spent a great deal of time daydreaming, ran wild with a number of friends, and landed on the newspaper staff in high school. When she saw her byline above an article about people making out in the hallways of the high school, she knew she had found her true calling.

After two years of partying at the University of Oregon, she settled down for the next three years and earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in education, and became a fourth grade teacher. It was difficult for her to become proper and conservative but she threw out her red cowboy boots and persevered. She had no choice. She had to eat, and health insurance is expensive.

She met her husband on a blind date. A mutual friend who was an undercover vice cop busting drug dealers set them up. It was love at third sight.

Teaching children about the Oregon Trail and multiplication facts amused her until she became so gigantically pregnant with twins she looked like a small cow and could barely walk. With a three year old at home, she decided it was time to make a graceful exit and waddle on out. She left school one day and never went back. She likes to think her students missed her.

When Cathy was no longer smothered in diapers and pacifiers, she took a turn onto the hazardous road of freelance writing and wrote almost 200 articles on homes, home décor, people and fashion for a local newspaper. As she is not fashionable and can hardly stand to shop, it was an eye opener for her to find that some women actually do obsess about what to wear. She also learned it would probably be more relaxing to slam a hammer against one’s forehead than engage in a large and costly home remodeling project.

Cathy suffers from, “I Would Rather Play Than Work Disease” which prevents her from getting much work done unless she has a threatening deadline. She likes to hang with family and friends, walk, eat chocolate, camp, travel, and is slightly obsessive about the types of books she reads. She also likes to be left alone a lot so she can hear all the odd characters in her head talk to each other and then transfer that oddness to paper. The characters usually don’t start to talk until 10:00 at night, however, so she is often up ‘til 2:00 in the morning with them. That is her excuse for being cranky.

She adores her children and husband, except when he refuses to take his dirty shoes off and walks on the carpet. She will ski because her children insist, but she secretly doesn’t like it at all. Too cold and she falls all the time.

She is currently working on her next book and isn’t sleeping much.

DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Kensington Books via NetGalley for providing a digital ARC of All About Evie by Cathy Lamb for review. All opinions expressed in this review are my own personal opinions.

For an explanation of my rating system, please refer to my profile on Goodreads.com or the about page on sandysbookaday.wordpress.com

This review and others are also published on Twitter, Amazon and my webpage

Charming, Quirky and Memorable!

Cathy Lamb absolutely sparkles in her newest novel! All About Evie is unforgettable right from the very beginning! I was completely hooked right away. This book completely consumed me. I was completely captured and enamored. These pages are brimming with creativity and charm.

I felt absolute real love for these characters and their big personalities. They are so engaging, so full of life. I thought about them all the time.

All About Evie is beautifully written, absolutely delightful, and a one of a kind read! I was so sad to these this story end! Cathy Lamb definitely left me wanting more.

One of the best books I’ve read ALL year!

Although this wasn't the type of story that had me racing through the pages, I found it to be a fun read because of the quirky characters and loving relationships Evie had with her human and animal families. I also noticed that the author made a fun reference to one of her earlier books, Julia's Chocolates. As I make my way through Cathy Lamb's backlist of books, I look forward to meeting more of her fun characters. Thanks to NetGalley and Kensington Books for the opportunity to become better acquainted with Cathy Lamb's writing.

This book is such a fun, loving book. I could not put it down. One of the best books I have ever read! Shows the real meaning of family and love. A book everyone must read!

A heartfelt and charming book written by Cathy Lamb. The story brings the past and the present together. The characters were believable, I felt like I personally knew them. I will definitely add Cathy Lamb to my favorite authors list!

This was the 1st of what will be MANY books I have read by this author. Her style in this story is fun, sentimental and very real. This book talks about family, how it takes more than blood to be family,and the secrets we keep to protect those we love . This book was thoughtful, emotional and funny. Very well developed story. I really enjoyed it!

Stunning setting of an island which I had to google to find out where it was this is a lovely story of an unusual girl.

Evie has always been unsettled. Despite ample love from her parents and sisters and extended family of lovable, quirky aunts she has one trait which no one in the family has. Her ability of premonitions which has put a huge burden on her shoulders. When should she act on them and when should she ignore them (she did ignore several mainly for the benefit of the survivors).

When inevitably the secret comes out, Evie and her family are at peace but getting there was the fun. Romance, pot growining 70 year olds, a bookshop (could we ask for a better setting) and a new police chief who has his eye on Evie and is not letting go.

This was a wonderful story of family, secrets (all families do have them), and finally peace when it is all in the open. To cap it all a beautiful setting both the bookshop and the natural surroundings.

The one criticism -the cover.

This book All About Evie is a superb book. For awhile I was wondering why it was taking me so long to read this marvelous read when I realized the reason. I wanted to read every sentence, savor every word. Cathy does a wonderful job on making you one with the story. I absolutely fell in love with Evie and I do want to visit her book shop frequently. You will laugh out loud, get angry with Evie, cry with Evie, even gasp out loud! This is a book, for me, to not to speed read but to sit back and read slowly. 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 Star rating from me. Thank you Cathy Lamb, Kensington Books, and Netgalley for this book in exchange for an honest review.

ALL ABOUT EVIE by Cathy Lamb

This is my very favorite book by Cathy Lamb. It’s such a good and magical book. Of all her books, even ones I have yet to read, I can’t imagine any being better.

This book is so full of love. It’s full of so much laughter and so so many tears. It’s telling basically two stories at once in a way. One set in the 70s and the other years later. The story of Evie and her mom, aunts and sister. Then the story of Betsy, Johnny and the daughter they had to let go of. The hell they lived in for loving each other enough to do anything for the other. Johnny’s little sister, Tilly, who was so sweet and also went through so much as did Johnny, at the hands of their horrible, awful, mean, cruel, sick, crazy dad.

This book had me laughing so hard on one page then crying my eyes out on the next. It is truly a beautiful yet sad and happy story of love, loss and finding again something you need more than anything else in the world. What Johnny and his sister went through with their dad was beyond horrible. He was the meanest man I have read about in ages. How can any parent be so cruel to their flesh and blood?

Betsy loved Johnny more than anyone in her life. She had what in my opinion were the worst parents ever. Her dad was a “preacher” and her mother a sorry excuse for a human being. Now if you have read this you may think she had no choice but I beg to differ. I would have died before a man would have hurt my child like he did Betsy. He was beyond cruel. He was one crazy bible thumping hypocrite who needed to be beat to death.

Evie had wonderful parents and a sister who was her best friend. She also had premonitions that left her anxious and depressed. Sometimes she could stop something tragic from happening and at other times there was nothing she could do to stop things. She lived in guilt thinking she had let her best friend down. Her friend from school. Evie’s family lost their dad and husband in the war so it was just the mother, Poppy, and the aunts Iris and Camellia and Jules. Jules is a character herself. The funniest are the mom and aunts. They will have you rolling with laughter. But Evie’s life is not so cut and dry either. She’s madly in love with Marco the town vet but because of a premonition she won’t go out with him. She loves him from afar.

There are many animals in this story and you will love them all. Their stories of how Evie rescued them will bring you to tears also but knowing they are happy and so well loved will make your heart swell with joy. One story truly broke my heart so bad but it had to be told and it was in it’s way beautiful.

This book is written so perfectly. Filled with such emotion. Gives you so much love, laughter, sadness and many tears. The characters are so wonderful and lovable, with the exception of one jerk who you will hate terribly bad. At least I did. You’ll know who he is when you meet him.

This is a laugh out loud, cry ugly tears book. It will keep you turning the pages wanting more and more of each story. It’s told from Evie’s story and from Betsy’s story. Both have so much heartache and so much love. This is a wonderful book even through the tears. I absolutely positively am happy I read it.

Thank you to #NetGalley and #Kensington for this truly awesome book.

It’s a 5 star book from me and I most highly recommend it to everyone who loves a good laugh, cry and a touch of magic.

I'm afraid i'm in the minority here about this book - I just couldn't get into it. This was a bit quirky and I couldn't finish it.

Popcorn is made out of corn, which is a vegetable. Apple pie has apples in it. Ice Cream is in the milk group. A book hoarder too! What’s not to love!

I so enjoyed the character of Evie and her story. Quirky, compassionate, sensitive Evie owns an independent bookstore on the San Juan Islands of the Pacific Northwest. She also has had premonitions her whole life, affecting every part of her life. Because of this, she has shut herself off from most situations, especially her love life. Something is missing, but she’s not sure what. Her Mom and Aunts are hysterical, the love with her sister so touching, her animals are almost human ... you fall in love with them immediately.

The book started a little slow for me, but picked up nicely to the point I finished it in three sittings. Your heart will go out to the situations in the book, heartbreaking to say the least. Ms. Lamb ties the story together nicely. Her words flow, and descriptions transport you to this small island. You feel Evie’s anxiety and confusion. At the beginning, I could not relate to the characters, but, by the middle, you are so totally vested it doesn’t matter but you may have more in common then you think.

A totally enjoyable, different read. I can’t wait to read the other books I have by Ms. Lamb. Thanks to NetGalley and Kensington Books for this ARC. Opinion is mine alone.

****Review also posted on Barnes and Noble and Amazon!