I have been reading new to me authors lately, Ms. Lewis falls into this category, and I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed her writing. I was drawn to the older characters much more than I was to Raeley Ann Sutton, there were a few things I admired about her, and I loved the notes her deceased mother left her. I found the male characters to be so indecisive that I grew bored with their inability to figure out what they wanted or who they wanted.

Luckily, Aunt Maxine, Mrs. Dora and Mrs. Fannie provided some light comic relief to the problems and sadness that Raeley faced as she faces life as a newly divorced woman who shares custody of her daughter with her ex-husband and starts life after the death of her mother. There is sadness, friendship, new beginnings and love in this novel.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher through Netgalley. All opinions are my own.

Fun and easy read, Bless Your Heart, Rae Sutton didn’t disappoint.

Centered in an idilic small town, this story gave me all the Gilmore Girl vibes with the mother/ daughter duo and their relationship.
Include some southern charm and a loud and noisy group of ladies, and you get a perfect mix!

I enjoyed this Southern tale of a newly divorced single Mom as she figures out her way. I'd recommend it. Thanks to NetGalley for the advanced copy. #NetGalley #BlessYourHeartRaeSutton

I'm no surprised I didn't love this one. I guess it's safe to say I'm not a fan of southern fiction. And I know that the title alone should have been enough to give it away as southern fiction "Bless your heart" is a southern phase that can a lot of things depending on tone, and how you say it.

Rae Sutton is in a very hard time in her life. After her divorce is started, her mother grows ill. She has no one to turn to or comfort her in the process because she can't explain to her mom what happened to her marriage while she is sick. And, her husband isn't there for her to console her through her mothers illness. On top of that, she has a teenage daughter that she wants to stay strong for. When her mom asks her to move into her house when she is gone, she can't think of any reason to say yes. But, after her passing, she decides to do just that and it sets her life on a whole new course.

I follow this author on social media because she is so funny, but this book is not like her other non-fiction books or fiction books. I read her older book, Ten Years Taken, and fell in love with it. I am so glad to get another fiction book from her, although they are not alike, in the least. Susannah is hilarious and has shown great talent going from one genre to another in her writing.

And I see a lot of Susannah B Lewis in this book as the daughter likes Fudge Rounds and Dr. Pepper.

Bless Your Heart, Rae Sutton reminds me of “Gilmore Girls”. The characters are quick-witted. There’s banter between the mother and daughter. And there’s a lot of incessant chatter amongst the characters. In short, I enjoyed the book. But I did skip over some of the dialogue toward the end because, in my opinion, it didn’t add depth to the story. I just wanted to find out if Rae chose Kent (her daughter’s basketball coach) or Carter (her ex-husband who cheated on her with a much younger girl).

Sometimes what your life is missing is an eccentric group of older ladies to take you under their wing . . .

When Raeley Ann Sutton’s mama passes away and leaves her the house where she grew up, Rae can’t imagine how the little old place might restore her broken life. Mourning the recent loss of her marriage, she takes the house and settles back in tiny, “one-horse Whitten” with her fourteen-year-old daughter, Molly Margaret, and their overweight dog.

There she’s embraced by her mother’s close-knit circle of friends, the Third Thursday ladies: Mrs. Fannie, Mrs. Dora, and Aunt Maxine. Though almost half their age and far less confident of positive outcomes, Rae joins their ministry-slash-book-club-slash-gossip circle and allows the women to speak wry honesty and witty humor into her tired heart. As a new career and a new romance bring their own complications, Rae relies on the unlikely family she’s found and begins to wonder if her future holds more hope than she ever could have imagined.

Known for her heartwarming stories and genuine Southern voice, Susannah B. Lewis dazzles with her latest story of women strengthening women.

This is the first book that I have read by this author and can't wait to check out more of her books. I loved the character of Rae and I loved the women that came alongside of her following the loss of her mom. My mom has been gone from us for over 7 years and went suddenly. I wish that she would have been able to have written letters and advice to me ahead of time.



I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Despite the funereal setting, this is a light hearted and funny book. The characters are stereotypical but very funny and likeable.

This is a lovely Southern flair story full of delightful characters. Life for Rae Sutton is not what she felt it would be. Almost divorced and dealing with her loving mother’s death has Rae heartbroken. The sweet ladies of her mother’s group envelope her with love and old-fashioned, godly advice and help Rae to survive and begin to thrive.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I thought this book was wonderfully adorable. This is exactly what the doctor called for when you’re looking for a light, uplifting book.

In the beginning, the set up was taking longer than I would have preferred, but by the end the author captivated me entirely.

With the recent push for movie love stories about more than just twenty-something’s, I could see this being a TV movie with incredible success. Even as someone who has never gone through a divorce or lost a parent, I felt for her so deeply. By the end her happiness was what I rooted for the most.

I think the ending was splendid (and left room for a sequel to the original), but mostly it showed the growth Rae had throughout the book.

I love this and I hope one day I get to watch this as a Hallmark movie.

Did not finish. I could not connect with Bless Your Heart, Rae Sutton by Susannah B. Lewis. I will not be reading/finishing this one. Thank you, netgalley and publisher for the early copy!

I am in a reading funk where nothing is appealing to me, but this book even less than most. It begins with Rae Sutton's mother dying and all that goes into funeral planning and settling the estate. Rae's husband is estranged (okay, divorced) from her and he brings his side piece to the viewing. And there we have the opening drama.

Rae's mother wants Rae to move into her house, because it's paid for, there's money to start a business of her own, and it gets her away from the memories of her husband's betrayal. Moving back also puts her daughter, Molly, in a new school district and on a new basketball team, which seems to be working well for Molly and Rae, because Molly's coach takes a shine to Rae.

When Rae starts renovating the house, she finds a letter her mother wrote and stuffed under the carpet about how her ex-husband came to talk to her, realizes the mistake he made, and how he wants her back.
Like I said, I'm in a reading funk right now and this book just hit me as cheesy. From the get-go, I do not like going to funerals (but I'm sure not many people do), I do not like any of the fol-de-rol that goes into making a funeral happen, and the last thing I want to read about is someone's last services. I would rather have passed on this book altogether if I had known how much of it was going to be centered on death.

What's right about the book is the relatability of the characters, and the genuineness of the setting. The characters are not over-the-top in their reactions or emotions.

This was my first book by Susannah B Lewis, and right now I'm not sure if I'll take another chance with her writings.

First, I want to say this is all my opinion and someone else may find this book a great read. Two Stars

Thomas Nelson and NetGalley.com provided the copy I read for this review. All opinions expressed are solely my own.

I'M IN LOVE!!!!!
I LOVE THIS BOOK SO MUCH!!

I love the story line, I love the adorable characters and I love everything about the setting of this book! This is one of the book that I'm going to think a lot about and I'm so happy to have read this book! This makes me happy and I cannot even put forth in words. I read this book in one go and my heart is full right now. This book was wholesome. I highly recommend this book and I promise this book won't disappoint!

EVIE DRAKE STARTS OVER meets SWEET MAGNOLIAS in this charming debut novel.

4.5 stars for BLESS YOUR HEART, RAE SUTTON by Susannah B. Lewis, out everywhere May 3rd, 2022.

Rae Sutton is recently divorced and her mother just passed away. She's not sure where her life is going so when one of her mother's dying wishes is for Rae and her daughter to move into her home after she passes, Rae decides to take the leap. A new adventure ensues with romance, friendships, and opportunities as Rae grieves and heals from the loss of her marriage and her mother.

I believe this is Susannah Lewis' first fiction book and I really enjoyed it! It was realistic and heartfelt. It felt like having coffee with your closest friends. I was invested in the characters and the story. The Southern-isms made me feel right at home and were a standout part of the novel. They made the story even more charming and unique. I cant wait to see what Lewis has in store for us next!

I look forward to sharing this title with our audience and will keep it as a potential contender for a monthly pick for our book club.

Thank you to Thomas Nelson and NetGalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

I couldn't put the book down because I needed to know what happens next to these wonderful characters.
I was invested to each of them.
I felt their feelings which I just loved.
I also enjoyed the little but of Christianity that's added here.
This story is well written, interesting and held my interest to the end.
I highly recommend this book. I guarantee you won't be able to put the book down either.
Excellent read!!

Thomas Nelson and NetGalley,
Thank You for this eARC!
I will post and tag to my platforms closer to pub date.

BLESS YOUR HEART, RAE SUTTON by SUSANNAH B LEWIS is an enjoyable read with great characters and a good story. The romance is bittersweet and the banter, especially amongst the third Thursday ladies, is most amusing.
Rae Sutton and her daughter Molly return to Rae’s mother’s house after the death of her beloved mother and Rae’s divorce, to make a new life for themselves. Her mother’s three best friends take Rae under their wing and become mothers to her in her time of need- She also finds letters her mother left for her before she died, which really help her. Add to that Molly’s handsome basketball coach, Kent Richardson, who is becoming more than just a friend to her, and an ex husband who keeps turning up, and things become really interesting!
Rae loves restoring furniture and houses and I like the theme of restoration, which, coupled with the reality of the need for spiritual restoration, runs through the novel. There is a strong Christian message of the importance of forgiveness and of seeing God as the anchor amid the storms of life.
I was given a free copy of the book by NetGalley from Thomas Nelson. The opinions in this revieware competely my own.