What a fun book! Love when you're enjoying a book from beginning to end. Fast moving story and just the right amount of mystery too. Can't wait for next book!

This was quirky and fun but also explored grief and was balanced nicely. I enjoyed the touch of magical realism as well even though that’s not usually my cup of tea.

A Cup of Silver Linings is an entertaining escapist read. What I love most about this book are the characters, both the main players but also the supporting cast. They can be a bit extreme but still feel realistic and I loved each one of them and wanted them to find whatever they are looking for. I also like the setting which is a cute fictional town that has a library, pet shop, and hardware store on main street – and a new tea shop opening in this story. While it all feels relatable and the plot isn’t too crazy there is also a layer of magical realism that is fun and gives the story a bit of a fairy tale appeal. At the same time the book addresses real life issues like grief, parent/child relationships, and friendship. I enjoyed the second book in the Dove Pond series as much as I did the first. I think it would be more enjoyable to read these two in order but not absolutely required.

This 2021 release is available now. Thanks to Net Galley and the publisher for a copy to read and review; all opinions are my own.

A Cup of Silver Linings is book two in the Dove Pond series by Karen Hawkins. Dove Pond is a small town where everyone knows everyone else’s business. They all support each other, look out for each other, and talk about each other. The Dove sisters are known for having special abilities, each allowing the sister to do something for the town and the people on it. When Julie Foster dies, leaving a teenage daughter, Kristen, behind, the town rallies to help her. Her grandma Ellen, who she barely knows, comes to town with her own plans though. She wants Kristen to move away with her. Kristen sets out with her friends and some others from town to find a way to stay. Ava Dove, a landscaper and tea shop owner, is also going through some trying times, resulting in some hurt hearts and broken relationships. Can they three of them, Kristen, Ava, and Ellen, work together and find the best choices? A lovely read, I really enjoyed it. I laughed out loud and cried a bit too! Ready for number three now! Thanks to NetGalley for the chance to read and review the book. All opinions are my own. #NetGalley #acupofsilverlinings #all_the_pages

I wasn't aware this is Book #2 of the Dove Pond series. Which says alot for this #2 series ,it can be read a a single stand alone book. I will go back to Book one and continue the next series that hopefully will follow the Dove Pond.
I loved each character, the seven Dove sisters, and their magical skills, especially Ava, who has a way of making special teas work for different aches and pains and romance teas for the town's customers.
I was touched to read about the demanding grandmother who has learned the sadness of her daughter Julie..and leaves behind a daughter,Kirsten. Ellen has realized she hasnt been the mother or grandmother that she shouldve been and has one chance to repair her grandparent bond. It may be too late to ammend the relationship with Julie,her late daughter...or is it?
A decision to force her granddaughter Kirsten to move back to Raleigh NC with her, leaves many questions of making the right decisions .
Ellen herself grows to understand her emotional 16 yr old granddaughter even more as she learns more about her daughter Julie and why their relationship closed years before.
There is also the father Kirsten has never known and she is on a mission to find this father who she feels abondoned her and why.
This is where the magical teas come in and this book made me smile and laugh,its about hope and family relationships that can be ignored , healings and to be reconnected again.
Thank you Netgalley and Gallery Books for giving me this ARC to review . and my sole opinion. Readers will find this book delightful to read.!

A Cup of Silver Linings by Karen Hawkins
Book #2: Dove Pond Series
Source: NatGalley, Gallery Books, and Purchase
Rating: 5 stars

The Bottom Line: Welcome back to Dove Pond! It’s been a long wait between book and two in this series and I was so pleased to find the wait was absolutely worth it.

Ava Dove has spent her life in service to others. When her mother passed, she stepped in and took care of her siblings, she works tirelessly to landscape and maintain her community spaces, and she makes specialty teas for the aches, pains, and anxieties that plague her friends and neighbors. All of Dove Pond know they can rely on Ava to help cure what ails them. Until, one day they cannot.

In the face of monumental, life altering changes, Ava finds her past coming back to haunt her and the consequences of her long-ago actions are bleeding over into every aspect of her life from the personal to the professional. To bring everything in her world back on track, Ava must confess to what she considers to be a great sin and risk losing everything.

Just like the first book, I fell into this book and didn’t come out until the end. As I went back to look at my old review for book one, I realized I can say all the same things about this book: it has a wonderfully charming setting, it has just a touch of the mystical, it has a community that it giving and supportive, a wide cast of characters who are rich and full in their personalities, and topics that are often difficult to face and discuss but are widely experienced. While I certainly don’t want to wait another year for the third book in the series, I am willing to do so in order to get another high quality read.

The second in the Dove Pond series, this book focuses on Ava Dove, one of the seven sisters in the unusual Dove family. The author’s use of magical realism enhances the book, as Ava’s teas are brewed to heal and influence. Her sister Sarah is a librarian, and books talk to her, letting her pick the perfect book for each person in town. When there is a falling out between the sisters, the whole town becomes involved. Add in Kristen, a young woman who lost her mother and is hoping to find a way to stay in Dove Pond. I enjoyed this installment he look forward to the next, which is hinted at in the epilogue. Recommended, and thanks to NetGalley for the,opportunity to red this book.

I loved the previous Dove Pond novel, The Book Charmer! This new book was equally wonderful. The story was so charming. It has a cozy, small town atmosphere, where everyone seems to know everyone else. Ellen has arrived in Dove Pond because her daughter passed away. She comes for the funeral and she is determined to take her granddaughter Kristen home with her. The two Dove sisters who live in Dove Pond have special abilities. Sara has a special way she understands books. She knows what they want and who needs them. And Ava has a special ability to make teas that help people with different issues they are having. There were parts of this story where I could feel the emotions and the struggles that the characters were going through. And there were other parts that made me smile and laugh out loud.

Thanks to NetGalley and Gallery Books for an ARC of this book! Release date - July 6, 2021

I enjoyed the first book in this series so I was looking forward to this one, plus this series has the MOST gorgeous covers. I think that this author has a real strength in writing the wonderfully imagined town these books take place in, as well as really creative characters. The first book gave me Gilmore Girls vibes because Dove Pond and Stars Hollow are very similar, and then this one gave me even more Gilmore Girls vibes because it centers on a daughter who fled her overbearing mother at a young age with a young daughter in tow. There were also Mama Mia vibes here of that young daughter trying to figure out who her father was from about 3 candidates.

So there were things I enjoyed about this book, especially the setting and characters, and I still like the hint of magical realism of being able to hear books or plants talk, but overall I think the storyline fell short for me. It was an overall feel good story and there was grief and conflict but I just didn't love it. I don't have anything specifically negative to say, but I don't think the storyline was strong enough for more than 3 stars. I am still interested in the series if it continues, which the Epilogue seemed to indicate that it would, and I know there are several more Dove sisters to explore.

A SWEET BOOK! This is my second Dove Pond book and I wish there were 10 more. The Dove Sisters each have a 'power' they use to help others. This magic opens our eyes to the kindness of community. If you need a book that pulls you into a world of tight knit neighbors and gentle struggles, this is the one for you. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

A Cup of Silver Linings by Karen Hawkins is the 2nd book in The Dove Pond NC series. While it can be read as a standalone, I believe it is better to read The Book Charmer first. It will give you a better understanding of the Dove family and their gifts as well as the town. I was not aware that A Cup of Silver Linings was part of a series when I requested it. Dove Pond, North Carolina is a town filled with quirky characters that includes Ava Dove, the sixth Dove sister. Ava is getting ready to open her tea shop when something goes wrong with three of her custom tea blends. Ava needs to discover what happened and get it corrected before her reputation is ruined. In addition, Ava’s teenage employee, Kristen Foster is dealing with the loss of her mother. Her grandmother, Ellen has become her guardian and she wants to take Kristen to Raleigh with her. Kristen comes up with a plan to stay in Dove Pond. A Cup of Silver Linings had several storylines with alternating points-of-view. It can be hard to keep track of the various characters and their stories. It does not allow any one of the stories to become fully fleshed out. Plus, new secondary characters are constantly being introduced. I sometimes felt there were details that were not needed. They did not add to the story. It felt like something just added in as filler. I thought the author created a charming small town with quaint, quirky characters. This book series would make a great television program on Hallmark. I liked the paranormal element. It is interesting how each Dove sister has a different gift. I wish A Cup of Silver Linings had focused on Ava and her gift. I think it would have allowed the author to fully develop her character and her talent. I did like how everything came together at the end. Despite my comments, A Cup of Silver Linings is a sweet story. It is a good summertime book (perfect for reading by the pool or at the beach). A Cup of Silver Linings is a charming, heartwarming tale with troublesome teas, an imperturbable grandmother, an impatient package, a tearful teen, and a shocked sister.

Oh, how I love Dove Pond! This is the second book in the Dove Pond series and I loved it! The story is full of magic. The story is about Ava Dove, who owns a local landscaping business and is in the process of opening a tea room. There is a long history about the special talents of the Dove sisters. Ava's particular talent is that she can understand the feelings of plants. That's what makes her a master gardener and successful in her landscaping business. That is also what led her to create her own line of specialty teas. She even makes personalized teas to "cure what ails you" for many of the the people in town.

We get to know more about Ava's employee Kristin, a teenager who has just lost her mother. Kristin's high brow grandmother, whom she barely knows, comes to town and is her guardian. Kristin struggles with the loss of her only parent, and the drastic changes her grandmother wants to make in her life.

Ava and her sister Sarah (who talks to books) have a falling out and Ava starts losing all her tea business and many landscaping customers too. Things are really falling apart but that's when the power of love, forgiveness, and family come into play for all the customers involved.

I don't want to give anything away, but I really love this story and this series and would highly recommend to anyone looking for a lighthearted read.

My thanks to #Netgalley and the publisher for an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

Back in Dove Pond & the story focuses on Ava. A bit of sadness takes over this story line (fair warning to all who may read) with Kristin dealing with her recent grief. A divide between sisters, a town choosing sides, but in the end, all is well that ends well. A surprise "oh interesting" ending thrown in for good measure!
Thanks to NetGaleey & Gallery Books for the chance to preview in exchange for an honest review

4 stars

You can read all of my reviews at Nerd Girl Loves Books.

This is another cute, sweet book in the Dove Pond series. In this story, Ava Dove, 6th of 7 Dove daughters and owner of a landscaping and gourmet tea business is suffering trouble with three teas she made for her regular customers, just before the grand opening of her new tea shop. Frantic to solve the problem, and with growing blows to her reputation and canceled orders, Ava isolates herself and scrambles to fix the problem.

Kristen, a young teenager who recently lost her mom and who works part-time for Ava, jumps in to help. She'll do anything to avoid Ellen, the cold-as-ice grandmother she barely knows who is determined to move her away from Dove Pond. The demanding and judgmental Ellen is trying to connect to Kristen, but can't get out of her own way and pushes her further and further away.

Just as Ava solves the mystery of the tea and Ellen and Kristen make a breakthrough, a dark long-hidden secret of Ava's is exposed and not only her business reputation, but her family ties, are threatened. But, of course, this is a feel good, heartwarming book series of growth and forgiveness, so of course it all works out in the end. Even knowing everything will turn out for the best, it's still a nice read to see how the author gets there.

I was give a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley and Gallery Books. All opinions are my own.

I was so excited to see this title. It is book 2 in the Dove Pond series and can be read as a stand alone, but I highly recommend reading book 1, The Book Charmer to have Sarah's story also. This is Ava's story and she is in the process of opening her tea shop with her specially prepared teas for what ails you. But now the teas are going crazy and not working on the intended ailment. Suddenly, the tea that is supposed to help people sleep is startling them awake with vivid dreams; the tea that infuses romance back into tired marriages is causing people to blurt out their darkest secrets; and the tea that helps people find happiness is making them spend hours staring into mirrors. Ava is trying to help young teen Kristen cope with the death of her mother and the overbearing grandmother who is trying to get her to move to Raleigh. When a secret from Ava's and Sarah's past emerges the family must work together. Love the writing and characters and can't wait for book 3. I received a copy of this ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Title: A Cup of Silver Linings
Author: Karen Hawkins
Genre: Fiction
Rating: 4.5 out of 5

Ava Dove—the sixth of seven daughters of the famed Dove family, and owner of Ava’s Landscaping and Specialty Gourmet Tea—is frantic.

Just as she is getting ready to open her fabulous new tearoom, her herbal teas have gone wonky. Suddenly, the tea that is supposed to help people sleep is startling them awake with vivid dreams; the tea that infuses romance back into tired marriages is causing people to blurt out their darkest secrets; and the tea that helps people find happiness is making them spend hours staring into mirrors.

Meanwhile, living four doors down the road from Ava, sixteen-year-old Kristen Foster’s life has just crashed down around her. After her mother’s death, Kristen’s grandmother Ellen has arrived in town to sweep Kristen off to a white mansion on a hill in distant Raleigh. But Kristen has had enough ‘life changes’ and is desperate to stay with her friends in her beloved hometown of Dove Pond. But to do so means Kristen must undertake a quest she’s been avoiding her entire life—finding her never-been-there-for-her father.

With the help of an ancient herbal remedy book found in her attic by her sister, Ava realizes that Kristen holds the key to fixing her unstable tea leaves. So Ava throws herself into Kristen’s search, even convincing Kristen’s grandmother Ellen to help, too. Together, the three embark on a reluctant but magical journey of healing, friendship, and family that will delight fans of Alice Hoffman, Kate Morton, and Sarah Addison Allen.

I’ve really enjoyed both books in the Dove Pond series. The setting is so charming, and the characters are distinct and likable, drawing you into their adventures on the very first page. The Dove sisters are both quirky and relatable, and I can’t wait to meet their other sisters as the series continues. Ellen was totally unlikable to start with, but she grew and changed throughout the story, just as Ava herself did. This was a sweet, enjoyable read, perfect for curling up with a cup of hot tea and immersing yourself in it!

Karen Hawkins is a New York Times-bestselling author. A Cup of Silver Linings is her newest novel.

(Galley courtesy of Gallery Books in exchange for an honest review.)

(Blog link live 8/4.)

A Cup of Silver Linings is beautifully written and an evocative story of family, friends, love, loss, forgiveness and redemption with a bit of mystical magic mixed in. I cried, laughed and read it every second I could till I finished it. This book is amazing and I can't wait to read the next book in this series!

I received this book for free. A favorable review was not required and all views expressed are my own. Thank you to Gallery Books and Ms. Hawkins for the opportunity to read and review this wonderful book.

What an absolute delight to head back into the quaint and magical town of Dove Pond. Kristen's unexpected loss brings a turn of events that she is not ready to begin as her grandmother Ellen is brought back to Dove Pond. The loving relationship between Ava and her sister Sarah reminds everyone of the power of family and how family often loves unconditionally, despite mistakes. This endearing and well written series already has me excited for the next book. I will patiently wait to learn about Ella and the mysterious picture in the paper.

In this book we see a fusion of mystical and everyday events.
A small town read that will have you hooked from the first pages.
There are seven Dove sisters and this one focuses on sixth sister Ava.
She has it all going for her and is so excited for the opening of her tea shop.
There's just one problem, her herbal teas are suddenly not working properly.
Throw into the mix her young employee, Kristen Foster is devastated. After her mother passes away her grandmother swoops into town and wants to uproot her taking her to her mansion where she doesn't have any friends or know anyone leaving her old life behind.
Kristen is desperate to stay in town to find the father she has never known .
Ava,Kristen and grandma all work together to make this happen and to figure out why the tea leaves potions are not working.
Along the way the women discover thing about themselves and come together as friends.

Pub Date 06 Jul 2021
I was given a complimentary copy of this book. Thank you.
All opinions expressed are my own.

I think this second visit to Dove Pond might have been a little nicer than the first, and I liked the first book. This one mostly follows Ava, the sister who has some special abilities with teas, and an employee of Ava's who is going through a tough time. There's a lot of affection. There's also some drama, but I didn't get too drawn into that part. If you like these types of books, you already have a fairly good idea what the feel of it will be by the end, it's still fun getting there.

I should probably say, if you've lost someone close in the past few years, parts of this one might cut a little close to home. Not always a bad thing, in my opinion. Just fair warning.