The Sweet Life was truly a fun summer read! I have long enjoyed reading Suzanne Woods Fisher's novels in the Amish genre, and it was very entertaining to read this contemporary fiction novel by Fisher about a mother and daughter and their adventures in starting an ice cream shop by the shore. Books such as this about mother-daughter relationships are always a treat as I cherish my relationships with my mom and with my daughters. So it is truly easy to relate to the special mother daughter bond in A Sweet Life. Their bond seems very realistic as while they are close, there are times they exasperate each other, the love shines through and they really are there for each other. Also, it was just simply plain fun reading about Dawn's experimenting with different ice cream flavors and her passion for ice cream. This is a great summer read that I recommend for those looking for a perfect " beach read". I was given this book to read and review by NetGalley, and am thankful for this opportunity.

Dawn has always played it safe. By doing that, she is in a job she doesn't like and lost the love of her life. She clashes with her mother and is not very happy. Marnie, her mother, realizes how fast time is flying by. She jumps and buys an old ice cream parlor that needs a lot of work.

Marnie and Dawn. Mother and daughter. Is it possible for them to reach an agreement? Can they find " The Sweet Life" that everyone is looking for?

I really enjoyed the story. The book covered numerous topics: loss, grief, fear and most importantly - hope.

I was one that usually played it safe. I can look back (as I'm old now-ok, not that old) and see where that got me. But at age 50, I took a chance. And that chance changed my life completely. I got married to a wonderful man. If I let my fears have complete control, I would have missed out on happiness. Was I scared? You bet. But I trusted that GOD was steering me in the right direction. And I am forever grateful HE did.

I received this ebook from Celebrate Lit to review.

My Thoughts:
Suzanne Woods Fisher is known for her sweet, wholesome, Christian novels and this latest novel is a perfect beach read, fast, sticky and sweet. The relationship between mom Marnie and daughter Dawn is so realistic. Both of the women have something to teach each other and each of them has their own work to do on themselves.

For Dawn, whose long time boyfriend and fiancee has called off the wedding, bringing her mom on her solo honeymoon was something she wanted to do to repair their relationship after the sudden loss of her father. Her mother also drops the news that after her father's death, her mother was diagnosed with breast cancer and went through the surgery and radiation therapy alone without saying anything to her only child, Dawn.

For Marnie, she sees an opportunity to ignore her feelings around cancer by moving forward. The abandoned ice cream shop on Main Street gives her the perfect opportunity to do something with her life that also connects her to Dawn and her late husband's passion for making the perfect vanilla ice cream. Her dreams for the future easily distract her from the pain of the past as long as she can also ignore the very insistent chairwoman of the local Historical Society.

Truly another charming read by Fisher.

From the Publisher:
Dawn Dixon can hardly believe she's on a groomless honeymoon on beautiful Cape Cod . . . with her mother. Sure, Marnie Dixon is good company, but Dawn was supposed to be here with Kevin, the love of her life (or so she thought).

Marnie Dixon needs some time away from the absolute realness of life as much as her jilted daughter does, and she's not about to let her only child suffer alone--even if Marnie herself had been doing precisely that for the past month.

Given the circumstances, maybe it was inevitable that Marnie would do something as rash as buy a run-down ice-cream shop in the town's tightly regulated historic district. After all, everything's better with ice cream.

Her exasperated daughter knows that she's the one who will have to clean up this mess. Even when her mother's impulsive real estate purchase brings Kevin back into her life, Dawn doesn't get her hopes up. Everyone knows that broken romances stay broken . . . don't they?

Welcome to a summer of sweet surprises on Cape Cod--a place where dreams just might come true.

Author: Suzanne Woods Fisher

Publisher: Revell

Publication date: May 2, 2022

Rating 3.5 stars

I was surprised that I did not connect with Dawn as much as I though I did - I'm also a big planner, working in the accounting field and likes to be in control. Though I did feel for Dawn, there was a long time I did not like the way so treated her mom. Her revelations at the end did turn the tide for me with connecting to her more and I liked the character growth she went through.

Marnie was vibrant, go with the flow character who definitely acted before thinking, but always wanted the best outcome for everyone.

This was a sweet story focused on emotional and spiritual growth. It was also interesting to learn a bit more about ice cream making and historical buildings.

Having faith is a lot like drawing close to a fire. You back away from it and the coals grow cold. You have to tend the fire for faith to grow.

I'm glad to discover this is the first of a series, because the ending ended with a lot of hope and promise of great things to come.

*I received a complimentary copy from the publisher. All opinions expressed are my own.*

The Sweet Life is a tender story about a mother-daughter duo that has gone through more than their fair share of trials in a short amount of time. They are eccentric opposites but are a force to be reckoned with as a team. They balance each other but they struggle to see that.
I could visualize running a business with my mother, in fact, we almost did. But run one with my daughter? Yeah, not likely. If we did, it would look a lot like Dawn and Marni. They couldn’t seem to get their ideas to mesh for the longest time. Which was interesting to watch. At the same time, my heart ached over their secret-keeping and lack of trust in each other. I saw them both as brilliant women in their own way but couldn’t see the value in each other–moreso on Dawn’s part than Marni’s. We moms think our girls can do whatever our girls set their minds to, if they would just set their minds to go for that dream.
The Sweet Life was sweet and cozy, not as active as the last couple of books I’ve read. So if you’re looking for something to read while you sit by the pool or the beach while enjoying an ice cream, this would be perfect for you.

***I was given a copy of this book by the publisher through Celebrate Lit Publicities. The views expressed are my own and a positive review was not required.

The Sweet Life was my first book by Susan Woods Fisher, but won’t be my last. This might just be the perfect beach read. The basic premise of the book is this: broken engagement. Bride goes on honeymoon to a small town on Cape Cod with her mom. Mom buys a rundown ice cream shop and throws all her life savings into restoring and reopening it. Jilted daughter stays to help.

Dawn, the main character is an uptight accountant when we first meet her, and part of the joy of the book is seeing her slowly unwind and learn to take life at a gentler pace. Yes, she’s still armed with a lengthy todo list, but walks on the beach become a regular part of her day.

Her mom, cancer survivor Marnie learns to face up to the hardships life often presents. Helped by new friend Lincoln, she starts reining in her flamboyant streak to build a life worthy of her late husband, the ice cream aficionado.

As Dawn and Marnie bring very different skillsets to the restoration project, and Dawn’s faith is rebooted, both start to see a very different future.

I have to admit, I loved this book. It was like a breath of fresh air. Light and fun, because, you know, ice cream, and small town interference. But it had a serious, deeper message, but in a gentle, smile inducing package. Highly recommended.

I received a copy from Netgalley - the opinion is my own.

Dawn has had a difficult year, what with losing her dad and throwing herself into her work in order to achieve the goal of a partnership in her firm. When her fiancé cancels the wedding, Dawn runs to her mom for comfort only to find out that her mother is recovering from cancer surgery without telling Dawn about it. When Kevin offers the already paid for honeymoon reservations in Cape Cod to Dawn and a friend, she chooses to take her mother. And that is where the fun begins!

I was totally entranced by this book from the beautifully described Cape Cod setting, to the volatile yet loving relationship between Dawn and her mother Marnie, to the wonderfully quaint and quirky characters scattered throughout the tale, and finally to the spiritual and personal growth that took place in more than one character.

The Sweet Life is the perfect book to settle in with on a summer afternoon. It would pair well with a nice cold and tasty bowl of your favorite ice cream. Doesn’t that cover tempt you to grab a bowl immediately? One warning though. Ice cream plays a major role in this story so be prepared to be tempted more than once.

I loved my visit to Cape Cod and sincerely hope that the author will take her readers there again soon.

Charming!

After Dawn's fiance ends their engagement, her ex-fiance gives her the honeymoon week in Cape Cod because it couldn't be canceled. Dawn is the ultimate planner and feels knocked down by the unexpected life curve of not being on the brink of marriage. Instead of finishing wedding plans, she is searching for what to do next.

Dawn decides to take her free spirited polar opposite mother (Marnie) with her to spend the intended honeymoon week in Cape Cod. In signature style, Marnie impulsively decides to purchase a dilapidated ice cream store in downtown Chatham. Dawn used to love making ice cream but lost the desire after the death of her father.

This lovely tale is about the relationship of mother and daughter, moving on beyond life difficulties and...tackling the historic commission.

Great start to a new series. I particular loved the romantic aspects of the novel.

This book has been such a joy to read and I really wanted to be friends with the two main characters. I loved the detailed knowledge that the author gave us in the story about ice cream. I would love to know how to make the perfect peppermint ice cream. When I was younger I remember visiting my Aunt Ida in Washington state. She had this beautiful little farm house and books that I loved reading. One day she told everyone she was going to make homemade ice cream. To my surprise was peppermint flavor. Oh how I loved it and kept going back for more. To this day my favorite ice cream is peppermint.

Let’s all grab a bowl or cone filled with your favorite ice cream and find out what Dawn and her mother Marnie get themselves into. Dawn is not a happy person when she is dumped before her wedding. I know for certain if I was dumped I would never take my mother with me on my suppose to be honeymoon. But there they are together at Cape Cod. Dawn’s attitude is a bit snappy at times and I really wanted her to find a little grace. Finding out her mother had just been through breast cancer doesn’t sit well with her and this causes some disagreements between the two. I really liked seeing mother and daughter work through issues and try to understand each other better.

Marnie is someone I know I would get along with. She thinks of others and has this impulsive attitude at times. I find myself doing impulsive things when I get really excited about it. Marnie is just so over the moon about opening up own ice cream shop that she jumps at the chance to buy a building while on the pretend honeymoon. I’m not i was suppose to laugh but I did because she was so thrilled to see her dream come true. I couldn’t wait to see what Dawn would think of the idea and the shop that her mother just purchased.

Lincoln is one of those men who just oozes with intelligence, compassion and a deep need to help others. After what he has been through he finally got a wake up call from God. He found himself realizing that life had passed him by and he wanted to change that. I liked how he and Marnie hit it off right away. With his help you can see Marnie become more confident. He is a welcome addition to helping them open their shop. There are times that Marnie and Lincoln let their guard down and really start to open up to each other. It was refreshing to see these two mature adults become excited about life again.

Watching Dawn begin to change in subtle ways was so encouraging . She has always wanted to be in control and letting her mother try new things worried her. I loved how Dawn looked at her mom in a different way. She saw her mom happy and full of life. Dawn also sees a change in a special person who she thought she had lost. This part of the story really opens up a discussion on how Dawn never wanted to take chances. She was afraid of losing control and failing. I loved the emotional time Dawn takes to ask God to help her.

I loved the mother/daughter story and found it to be inspirational. We all have had a time when we didn’t get along with one of our parents and this illustrated how we need to communicate our feelings in a fair and honest way. The story is filled with a great message for all of us. We should never give up on our dream, recognize when it is time to let go of the past and most of all trust God.

I received a copy of this book from Celebrate Lit. The review is my own opinion.

The Sweet Life is just as its title, a sweet story of healing and restoration for both a mother, Marnie, and daughter, Dawn. The story is well written allowing you to see yourself through the characters eyes as they journey through Dawn’s broken engagement and Marnie with the recent death of her husband and breast cancer diagnosis.

I was given a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley. All opinions expressed are completely my own.

This is a book that will be forever on my favorites list! I loved it from start to finish. Imagine being jilted by your fiancé just days before the wedding. Then with a broken heart, taking your mother on your honeymoon to Cape Cod. These are things that Dawn Dixon did. While in this idealistic setting Marnie, the mother, wants to buy a run down ice cream shop. It was a dream of her deceased husband’s. And after going through breast cancer Marnie decides there’s no time like the present. It takes lots of convincing to persuade Dawn. When the deal goes through they realize there’s a monumental task ahead of them. Especially when they want to open Memorial Day and it is creeping up on them.
I loved how these characters pushed ahead, although problems kept cropping up. The friends they made were fun to get to know and didn’t hesitate to step in and help.
The “fun” really begins when the ex-fiancé shows up unexpectedly!
With summer close where I live, days on the beach, fun flavored ice cream and coffee with friends all seem possible! I enjoyed all of these things through reading this novel. “Hey, anyone want to go for ice cream?”
I received a complimentary ebook copy of this book from the publisher through Celebrate Lit but was not required to write a review positive or otherwise.

Be sure and stock your freezer with your favorite ice cream before digging into The Sweet Life by Suzanne Woods Fisher because you’ll be craving some throughout this story.

Dawn’s life isn’t going as planned, and she’s floundering. Then her mom drops another bomb on her, and the two decide to take a trip to Cape Cod together. Which is a testament in itself because Dawn and her mother Marnie are such opposites.

It took me a good while to like Dawn. She’s very rigid and goal focused. Marnie, on the other hand, was a little too free and loose with her impulsive decisions. While the two have different ways of approaching a problem, they don’t dislike each other. In fact, you see very quickly that Marnie wants the best for Dawn.

While this book does deal with relationships and is a great summer read, it’s not one of those drag your emotions through the mud and stomp on them books. It’s the perfect book to read after finishing one of those other books, though!

Disclosure statement: I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book and was not required to write a positive review. All opinions are my own.

I really enjoyed this book, it kept me entertained and I read it in a couple of days, it’s certainly one to take with you to the beach this summer

"Never ask a woman who is eating ice cream straight from the carton how she’s doing."

Warning—Reading of this novel may cause uncontrollable, spontaneous ice cream cravings and sudden weight gain. Best to read book quickly! ;) What a delightfully, sweet (literally) story, set on beautiful Cape Cod—with all of its small hometown feels and the sound of the surf in the distance.

Whew! I'll never again take for granted the work it takes to run a small business from the ground up—NOR the next cone I get from an ice cream shop! When Marnie Dixon, unbeknownst to her daughter, Dawn, buys a run-down ice cream shop, I was flabbergasted by all the elbow grease it takes to even try to restore one. Not to mention experimenting with all fresh ingredients to make the best ice cream available. I was worn out by the end of the book and I just sat here!

Marnie is a wonderful "more mature" character with tremendous energy, albeit a bit flighty and apt to fly by the seat of her pants. I tried really hard to extend grace to her daughter, Dawn, as her fiancé had just broken off their engagement, but she was not one of my favorite characters to start with. I understood her predicament, but I felt she was very disrespectful to her mother at times. The male characters were pretty heroic in my opinion!

The romance that I wanted to happen so badly was skimmed over pretty quickly—lacking passion—and the conclusion was rather abrupt, but I'm totally looking forward to reading Book 2 in the Cape Cod Creamery series!

*I received a complimentary ARC of this book from NetGalley on behalf of the publisher and was under no obligation to post a favorable review.*

When Dawn Dixon’s fiancé calls off the wedding, Dawn decides to go on the honeymoon to Cape Cod with her mother, Marnie. Marnie could use the break as well. She had been going through a rough time and Marnie had yet to tell her daughter about it. Marnie is exploring the shops in downtown Chatham when she comes across a run-down ice cream store. Marnie can imagine what the shop will look like all fixed up. She arranges to meet with the owner and Marnie purchases the Main Street Creamery without consulting Dawn. Dawn happens to be the one with the experience making ice cream. Dawn and her deceased father went to the Penn State Ice Cream School. While Marnie likes to dream and jump in, Dawn is a planner. She likes spreadsheets and lists which is not Marnie’s style. Dawn agrees to stay and help her mother for the summer to get the place renovated and open. The two women get help from Lincoln Hayes, a local, who takes an interest in Marnie. Their improvements, though, are met with resistance from the chairman of the local Historical Commission. As if the mother and daughter do not have enough on their plate, Dawn’s ex-fiancé arrives in town to offer his assistance. Will they make a go of the Main Street Creamery? The Sweet Life by Suzanne Woods Fisher is a charming story. I enjoyed my trip to Cape Cod with Dawn, Marnie, Lincoln, Kevin, Nanette, Leo, and Mrs. Nickerson-Eldredge. I thought The Sweet Life was well-written with developed, realistic characters. We get to meet some of the quirky and kind characters who live in the town. One of my favorites is Leo the Cowboy and I also loved Nanette (her antics will have you laughing). It was enjoyable following Marnie and Dawn as they fixed up the building and experimented with ice cream flavors. Dawn was determined to get the best vanilla ice cream possible. They came up with some interesting flavor combinations. I loved the quotes involving ice cream before each chapter. My favorite is, “When everyone has let you down, you still have ice cream.” There were also some fascinating facts about ice cream. I can tell the author did her research for the book. I liked seeing Marnie and Dawn grow in their faith as well as find their purpose in life and where they belonged. There are good life lessons in the story including having faith and taking a risk. God will lead you down the right path if you allow Him. The Sweet Life is a story about healing, love, self-reflection, faith, and ice cream. I do need to warn you that The Sweet Life will have you craving ice cream so make sure your freezer is well stocked with your favorite flavor. I am looking forward to the next book in the Cape Cod Creamery series. The Sweet Life is a sweet treat with nosy Nanette, jumbles of junk, a fragmented engagement, various vanillas, historical hitches, a pier support problem, and incredible ice cream.

The Sweet Life was full of love, faith, family, and romance. It dealt with grief, death, loss, and cancer and also joy in the midst of it. It was a cute story in a storybook setting.

What can be more sweet and uplifting than revival of an ice cream shop on Cape Cod by a mother-daughter duo trying to escape grief and disappointment? Suzanne Woods Fisher delivers just that read through Marnie the mom, a cancer survivor and recent widow, and Dawn the daughter, a jilted bride. The backdrop of Cape Cod is gorgeous and I felt like I was far away from the daily grind of suburban living while getting to know them.

Marnie is a passionate, fanciful, and sometimes flighty dreamer mired in grief from suddenly losing her husband and receiving a cancer diagnosis. Her refusal to face fear and reality gets in the way of deepening her relationships. Dawn is a straight-laced accountant who stays inside the box and plans for everything and anything; her need for control of every situation clashes with her mom’s free way but they learn more about each other and about God as they work together to revive the ice cream shop. I really liked the two supporting male characters Lincoln and Kevin. Lincoln provided wisdom from regret having turned to purpose and Kevin showed what happens when one comes back into the fold of God’s will and plan.

I also enjoyed the mentions of Paul and Maeve from Three Sisters Island series, which I didn’t expect.
I received the book via Celebrate Lit Tours and was under no obligation to post a positive comment. All opinions are my own.

Thanks to Revell for the free book.
I just adore being with the characters that this author creates. Dawn and her mom, Marnie, were so fun to get to know. Marnie is dealing with the loss of her husband and a breast cancer diagnosis, while Dawn deals with the end of her engagement. (All this happens in chapter 1, so no spoilers here!) The Cape Cod setting was wonderful. I loved the atmosphere and, especially, Lincoln, who showed what being a good neighbor looks like. This book is all about an opening a creamery - and I bet you will be hungry for ice cream throughout. The topics in this one were heavy, but the sweetness of the story helped balance it out. There's a lot of growth happening here, and I liked the authentic journey each character went on as they reckoned with their past and what it meant for their future. I also loved the tiny mention of the Grayson family from her last series. Super fun and can't wait for the next one.

The description of The Sweet Life lead me to believe this would be a typical Christian romance, but it really is more of mother-daughter relationship and finding what they really want in life. There is a romance that hints at blossoming soon between the mother Marnie and local in Cape Cod where the story takes place. Dawn is the daughter whose wedding was canceled and now has to take the summer off to help her mom renovate and start an ice cream business and the reader gets a small story of her romance when her ex-fiancée comes to help them.
The Sweet Life is an enjoyable woman's literature novel in Christian fiction and I enjoyed the main story of renovating the ice cream shop and the side stories. I loved that the mom and daughter began to respect their personality differences and made them work together to be successful. It's a wonderful story of many new beginnings after life hands them many difficulties.
I received a complimentary copy of this book through Net Galley, but all opinions are my own.

A honeymoon for the bride and her mother? What!?
Dawn Dixon truly is a planner. (She probably has her breakfast cereal in the bowl the night before.) Her wedding plans are well underway, and things on the to-do list is ticked and right on schedule.
Everything is under her control until, wham, it isn't. Kevin Collins decides and informs her that he no longer plans to marry her.
Marnie Dixon is spontaneous, always has been able to just pick up and do what comes to her heart and mind. She drives her daughter Dawn to absolute distraction. When the heartbroken girl offers to share in the trip to Cape Cod that Kevin has already paid for, she is ready and able to go.
Once again, the author creates in-depth characters that this reader loves. Marnie is my favorite. She easily can get herself into a mess, you know, like buying an ice cream shop with a hole in the roof. She steps out on a cloud of faith and hangs on by her toes. She also has been carrying a secret which she hasn't fully reconciled with. (I also love that her best friend is a character from a previous loved series.)
Both women have challenges and work hard to meet their separate goals. Marnie wants the business to open and succeed while she takes a new course in her life. Accomplish the dream her late husband had, to make and sell ice cream. Dawn wants it to succeed with a plan to head back home with her mother after she convinces her to sell out after the season.
This story is so good with rich characters including a feisty local historian who has her own plans to melt the dreams of both Dixon women. I received my advanced reader's copy from the publisher and NetGalley for my own unsolicited opinion. I liked it very much and look forward to the next book in the series. I want to read them all.